be done eyther walking in the feilds or visiting the stations in the streets or the maisters or mistresses of families convocating them together may distribut thē in Quires do it with much profit deuotion which if it be done with due attention it is impossible to imagine how grateful it wilbevntothe Queen of heauen To conclude this Chapter then I wil only recount a certaine Miracle in confirmation thereof What tyme the B. Brother Bernardin of Felthe preached at Pauy a certaine noble Matron had this deuotion to teach al her children daily before they went to schoole to say their beads before a certaine Image of the Queene of heauen which she had in her Chamber now it happened that one of the least of them one day fel into the Riuer in passing ouer a bridge of which accident the Mother being aduertised she presently casting her self vpon her knees before the Image of our Lady in lifting vp her eyes to heauen al bedeawed with teares O mother of God sayd she the vsual hope of the afflicted if it be your blessed wil saue my poore child if not your B. wil be done and concluding with the Angelical salutation deuoutly sayd she ran to the place where many people were assembled to saue the child and was no sooner arriued at the bridge but behold she saw her child floting vpon the water and calling her by her name at which much reioicing she cried out take strong cheere my child cal vpon the B. Virgin and my life for yours when presently the child was taken vp safe and brought vnto its mother when embracing it the child said vnto her its is not to men I owe my deliurāce but to our B. Lady before whose Image you so often instructed me to pray and therupon it recounted vnto her how being falne in she had receiued it in her armes and bore it aboue the waters At this al the Assembly moued to deuotion towards the B. Virgin did render praise and thankes to Alm. God and his B. Mother for being so fauourable and succourable to those who deuoutly inuoke her in their necessities Of the most excellent deuotion of the Rosary CHAP. XVIII THOSE who are diligent in seruing of great princes are stil inuenting some new way of honouring them and so we Christians being seruants of Alm. God and of his B. Mother are to do the like Now amongst al the Inuentions of which deuotion hath ben most fertil none hath been comparable to the Inuention of the Rosary And to say nothing of the name or whether it were fo called to signifie that as the Rose holdes the first ranke amongst al flowers so the Rosary amongst al deuotions or that the contexture of it seemes to be as a Garland of roses for to crowne the head of her whom we honour in it Finally there is none more vniuersally exercised then this deuotion of the Rosary whose Invention the whole Christian world owes to that great Patriarke S. Dominike as the propagation thereof vnto the Religious of this Order who take care to celebrate it euery where on earth Neither is it celebrated on earth alone but the very Angels in heauen do exercise it too as is confirmed by this vision recorded by two graue learned Authors Lanspergius the Carthusian and Blosius the famous Abbot in his spiritual Mirrour as followeth The Prior of the Carthusians at Treuers a very holy man and one much exercised in this deuotion of the Rosary one day rauished in vision as he was frequently beheld the glorious Cittizens of heauen praising and blessing with ineffable ioy our Lord Iesus-Christ and his B. Mother by commemorating the mysteries of the Rosary and recommendation of al those who deuoutly exercised it heere on earth besides he obserued that singing in their praise as often as they repeated the glorious names of Iesus and Maria they made humble obeissance to it and lastly it was reuealed to him that those who deuoutly exercised this deuotion on earth should obtaine by our Ladyes intercession a plenary Indulgence of al their faults with diuers priuiledges in this life and more then can be imagined in the next From whence we may gather the excellency of the Rosary how acceptable it is to our Lord and Sauiour Christ to his B. Mother al the Court of Heauen Wherfore we are to endeauour to performe it with al due reuerence attention if we desire to be grateful vnto them and to haue them propitious vnto vs. The whole Rosary consists of fifteene Decads of Aue Matias and fifteene Pater noster that is a hundred and fiftie Aue Marias which admitting of a triple diuision your beads of fiue decads are those most ordinarily in vse Now the manner of Meditating on them the seueral mysteries of our Sauiours and B. Ladyes life is this On the first fiue decads they vse to meditat the fiue Ioyful mysteries to witt vpon the first the Angelical salutation when the Eternal Word by the holy Ghosts cooperation was conceiued Vpon the second decad the Visitation of S. Elizabeth On the third the Natiuity of our Sauiour Christ On the fourth the Presentation in the Temple of our Sauiour Christ where holy Simeon and Anna the Prophetesse foretold to his glad mother his future greatnes and miracles And on the fifth our B. Ladyes finding her B. Sonne in the Temple disputing with the Doctors c. On the fiue next decads we are to meditat the fiue Dolorous mysteries The first of which is our B. Sauiours prayer in the Garden where he fel into that bloudy Agony The second the cruel Flagellation or his whipping at the Pillar til he was al goary bloud The third the crowning him with thornes their spittings in his face buffeting reuiling him and the like The fourth the Carrying of the crosse on his B. shoulders to Mount Caluary when his body so enfeebled as before must needes sinke often vnder the heauy waight The fifth his Crucifixion or nayling vpon the Crosse with vnspeakable cruelty and indignity On the last 5. Decads we are to Meditat first our Blessed Lord and sauiours glorious Resurrection next his Ascension into heauen Thirdly the happy departure of the B. Virgin hence Fourthly her Assumption into Heauen Fiftly and lastly her glorious Coronation there where she is declared Queene ouer the vniuersal Kingdomes of heauen and earth Where is to be noted that for the obtaining of the Indulgences granted to the sodality of the Rosary then which I do not knowe any more ample it is not requisit to meditat al these mysteries in order as we haue sett them down but it may suffice to entertaine ones mind the while with meditating any one or two of them in which we shal find the greatest deuotion nay only to say our beads ouer vocally according to Nauarrs opinion is sufficient so it be don with due attention and deuotion Now for the more ignorant that they may participat likewise of the fruit
Angel keeper when blessing the children of his sonne Ioseph he sayd The Angel who hath preserued me from al euil blesse these children c. And so did Iudith returning victorious from Holofernes campe So it hath seemed good vnto our Lord said she whose Angel hath guarded me in going forth in remayning there and in returning backe And though the B. Angels care extends it-selfe as wel vnto the bad as to the good yet not withstanding they more specially impart their aide vnto the iust as the Psalmist testifies where he sayes Qui habitat in adiutorio Altissimi c. Who dwelleth in the aide of the Highest remaynes in the protection of the God of heauen And there is no doubt but God hath a most particular care of the iust and vertuous and consequently commends them in a most deare manner vnto their Angels Guardians as may be gathered out of that passage of holy Scripture He hath giuen his Angels charge of you c. As if he would saye those who are Gods faithful seruants may goe securely in the midst of dangers for God hath giuen the charge vnto his Angels to haue especial care of them Whether they sleepe or wake they need not feare for being in this particular protection of God and their Angel Guardian it may be sayd vnto them They may walke on the Aspick and the Basiliske and tread the Lion Dragon vnder their feet What a wonderful priuiledge is this to be able to contemne the Aspick and Basiliske which euen kils with its sight and the Lion and Dragon the most formidable of al other beasts and who restraynes the killing lookes of the one or cohibits the others fieccenes but only our Angel Guardian The second benefit which we receiue from them is the wholsome Counsel and aduice which they are stil infusing into our minds And of this we haue a cleere example in the Angel that accompanied Tobias on his way and gaue him such wise and prudent instruction in point of his mariage how he should comport himselfe with his new spouse for to escape the fate which had sent so many of her husbands vnto death as namely that he was to begin his mariage quite contrary to the custome now a dayes with watchings prayers and deuotion In the like manner an Angel Guardian is continually suggesting wholsome counsels vnto vs now deterring vs from euil now inciting vs to good which without their incitement we should neuer doe now proposing to vs the example of our Sauiour Christ before our eyes now of some other Saint for to awake our Imitation then inflaming our wils to embrace the occasion of imitatating them lastly they go somtymes spurring vs on by the consideration of the mercy of Alm. God now refrayning vs againe by that of his iustice and seuerity so euer directing euen our course betwixt heauen and hel that neyther the consideration of the one extoll vs too much nor the other too much depresse vs. And tel me now haue you neuer experienced when you were about to committ any greeuous crime a remorse of Conscience and certaine shrinkings backe and bidding vs forbeare and what should this be but our Angel Guardian appointed to this office by Alm. God Besides how oftentymes may we imagine God offended with our crimes to haue been in mind to haue pluck't vs from the earth like vnfruitful trees and throwne into the fire of Eternal hel had it not been for their interceding for vs like him who sayd vnto the man in the parable being minded to pluck vpp his figg-tree which for three yeares he had obserued never to haue borne fruit that he should haue patience with it another yeare and after he had cultiuated it if it bore not fruit he should doe his pleasure with it The Doctours in explicating this passage saye We are these vnfruitful trees Alm. God the Lord of the Orchard and our Angel Guardian he that intercedes and vndertakes for vs Imagine then how much we contristat him if we be wanting vnto his promises and to the hopes which he conceiues of vs The third and last benefit for which we are liable to our Angel Guardian is that he accompanies vs perpetually from the houre of our birth to the final period of our liues and neuer abandons vs euen when we are abandoned by euery one besides and such a freind we haue of him as the world hath none For behold a beautious Virgin in the flower of her yeares and pride of her beauty how many seruants she hath that make court to her and with what obsequiousnes they obserue her til that flower fading and the winter of her yeares and decayes of age falne on her beauty once they fal of as fast and she is left only to solitud and neglect who was before the only one frequented and to whom al respects were payd Whereas our good Angel is so constant a freind of ours as no change of fortune qualifyes or time makes vs goe lesse with him but he is euer the same and neuer alters in loue vnto vs euen when he sees vs hated of God and man and the reason of this is because he knowes not as yet the final reprobation of him whom he hath in charge otherwise he would not haue such care of wicked men as most certaine it he hath Another benefit for which we stand infinitely obliged vnto thē is that they carefully present our Petitions vnto Alm. God our almes watchings and al our good works we doe which by those words of the Angel to Tobias is rendred euidēt When thou prayedst with teares and buriedst the dead when thou didst leaue thy repast and didst conceale the dead by day in thy house and didst bury them by night I offred thy prayer vnto our Lord. And this by that mystical ladder of Iacob was vnderstood where the Angels were seen ascending and descending betwixt heauen and earth to signifie the continual commerce they haue with either for our avayle not by local motion but by a farr more ready way Sometimes one Angel presents to Alm. God the generous victory of this man ouer his temptations another sayes behould O Lord the profitable vse which this soule makes of that precious bloud you shed for it vpon Mount Caluary and of al those other graces which with so liberal a hand you haue bestowed on it A third cries out Good Lord receiue this charitable persons almes bestowed vpon you in the person of the poore or these deuout teares shed only out of an affectionat loue of you Another finally present the oblation of this good Religious person in wholy renouncing al worldly commodityes or this Preists pietie and zeale in offering vp the holy sacrifice of the Masse or meditating our Sauiours Passion and this the Canon of the Masse confirmes saying Iube haec perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in sublime Altare tuum in conspectu diuinae maiestatis tuae Command this to be carryed by
we ground al her prerogatiues her singular graces and her supreme glory for natural reason teacheth vs that the mother is more nigh to her sonne excepting the Father then any other kynn Wherefore the B. Virgin being the Mother of Iesus Christ who was Incarnat in her sacred flesh must needs be nigher her sonne in grace and glory too then any else besids Soe he would not ranke her amongst the Hierarchies of Angels for then there had been others higher aduanced then she amongst the Powers and Thrones nor amongst them because the Cherubins and Seraphins surpast them in dignity but next vnto himselfe as was most fitt that his Mother might not be inferiour vnto his seruants nor the Queene vnto her subiects where she sitts enthroned with incredible pompe and Maiesty making a Hierarchie more high and excellent by her selfe then any of them al. But what vnderstanding can comprehend or what tongue expresse the Glory she is possessed of For if the eye hath neuer seen the eare neuer heard nor the hart of man euer conceiued what God Alm. hath prepared for those who loue him how can one conceiue what he hath prepared for her who not only loued him but brought him forth nourished educated and serued him with such affection diligence Only this we may imagine and say of it that glory and felicity next to Alm. Gods is the greatest that is in heauen and that in comparison of creatures she is holy aboue al holyes happy aboue the happiest hath more grace then those who haue most besides and hath more glory then the most glorious The holy Doctors speake marvayles of this Exaltation of hers and amongst the rest S. Bernard sayes that the glory she enioyes in heauen beares a proportion to the plenitud of grace she had on earth aboue al creatures els and adds that as on earth there was not a more sanctified place then the sacred Temple of the Virgins wombe which contained God himselfe so in heauen there is not a more glorious then her Throne where she sitts exalted at the right hand of God In another place he sayes the vnderstanding of man cannot conceiue her glory nor his tongue declare it which puts the Inhabitants of heauen it selfe to their admiration in beholding it Andraeas Cretensis sayes that her glory can not be comprehended for that it exceeds the glory of al the Saints and Angels putt together S. Iohn Damascen that there is a mighty difference betwixt the seruants and the Mother of God S. Iohn Chrisostom that the B. Virgin is more glorious incomparably then the Seraphins B. Laurentius Iustinianus that al the glory and felicity which in scattered peeces is distributed amongst the Saints is found vnited in the B. Virgin And the Seraphike S. Bonauenture sayes that the greatnes and goodnes of God doth more manifestly appeare in the B. Virgin only then in al the rest of creatures and that al their perfections are in a more excellent manner to be found in her then them and he concludes that as in grace and merits she surpasseth al other Saints so likewise doth she in felicity and glory This and much to this effect is sayd by them of the B. Virgins high exaltation answerable to the height of her other merits and prerogatiues who being Mother of God the supremest dignity which any creature could be aduanced vnto on earth Correspondent to it is this ninth Starr and one of the brightest in her glorious Crowne of being aduanc't to so supreme a dignity in heauen The tenth Starr declared THe tenth and that a most resplendant one is the Empire and soueraine command she hath ouer the whole Vniuerse al creatures both in heauen earth and in the deapes below acknowledging her superiority in reuerencing her for it and adoring her there being a congruency sayes S. Iohn Damascen that the mother should partake of the sonnes dignity And since he says S. Athanasius who was borne of her is King and soueraine Lord of al consequently she who bore him is to beheld for soueraine Lady and Queene so says S. Bernard who can deny her a legitimat claime to be Lady ouer al of which her sonne is Lord. Let vs then acknowledge her authority ouer al to be as great and vnlimited as her wil. In consideraton of whose greatnes S. Bernard breakes forth into this exclamation Al power O soueraigne Lady in heauen and earth is giuen you to do what you wil withal S. Brigitt in one of her Reuelations sayes that at the instant of her solemne entry into heauen God aduanc't her aboue al the heauens gaue her the Empire of al the Vniuerse and constituted her Lady and Mistres of the Angels and she confirmes it in these wordes dictated vnto her by the holy Ghost The principality of al people and nations she had says she and by her vertue she treads vpon the harts of the Proudest and highest there And truely a wonderful dignity it is which equals her in a manner with the Lord of al but a more wonderful and stupendious it is that she should haue an authority euen ouer him which that it may seeme lesse strange vnto the eares of flesh and bloud let vs remember only that she is his Mother and our admiration wil cease for that filial obedience he owed her heere on earth he stands not so quitt of in heauen but it induces a kind of obligation in him to grant her whatsoeuer she desires whom there we may Imagine speaking vnto her thus Demand of me deare Mother whatsoeuer you please it is not lawful for me to turne away my face This our triumphant Empresse to expresse vnto vs more vnto the life the greatnes of her dignity declares vnto vs in these remarkable words fower things I alone haue incircled the round of heauen and haue penetrated the depth of the Abisse and haue walked on the waues of the sea and haue the principality of al nations signifying by the first part of the text the dominion she hath in heauen by the second that which she hath in hel by the third the benefit the soules in Purgatory receiue by her and by the fourth her dominion ouer al the world and what can be more sayd of her dignity Vnlesse what a deuout seruant of hers in a certaine prayer vnto her hath sayd O most pure sayes he and singularly happy Virgin al ful of grace and glory the most blessed amongst al women who surmoūtest the Angels in purity and all the Saints in benignity next to your B. Sonne you only cōmand ouer this world in cheife extending your fauourable hand to al who lye and craue your ayde and there is no houre nor moment equally amiable and admired who haue conceiued the Sonne of the Highest and brought for the Sauiour of the world O Mother of saluation fountaine of mercy we miserable sinners in rendring of them vp without last breaths sighe and grone to you praying saluting and acknowledging you Queen
Chronicles of S. Francis one of the most Exemplar patterns of deuotion to the B. Virgin as euer was This holy Saint in visiting a certaine Conuent somewhat remote had appointed him for companion one of raw yeares and rawer experience in Religion They being arriued at their iourneys end the Saint after some light refection retired himselfe some-what more early then ordinary to his repose the bitter to rise at the accustom'd houre of Mattins with the rest Meane while his Cōpanion singling out one of the Cōuent of as litle spirit as himself began with bitter inuectiues to inveigh against the Saint saying by way of mockery that he could eate drinke and sleepe with the best of them and euen to passion seek his owne commodities the whilst he kept them short enough and slinted them as he listed after many such idle misbe seeming speeches resolued at last to watch him narrowly that night whither he rose at the nocturnal Houres with the rest or no and so he did When behold about the second Vigil of night he might perceaue him rise take his way towards the adioyning Wood and following him stil with his obseruation at last he saw him fal prostrat on the ground directing many a sigh to heauen many a praier wing'd with the fire of loue vnto the Queene of heauen beseeching her of the fauour to let him see her B. Sonne iust as he was infanted into the world scarce had he vtter'd this when the B. Virgin al enuironed with celestial light appeared vnto him with incredible sweetnes presented him from her owne armes with her B. Sonn The Saint rauish't with so high a fauour and rendring al possible thanks for it began to vie kisses regards of him to the emulatiō of his mouth eies whether should take the more delight in him This amorous duel lasted til breake of day not only to the exceeding consolation of the S. himself but of that Religious too whē being constrained to restore his pretious burthen to his Mothers arme againe the visiō rauished At sight of this so diuine a miracle the poore imperfect Religious man was so moued edified as he threw him self presently at S. Francis feet beseeching him of forgiuenes for his fault which he humbly there confest and dying afterwards to his imperfections became to liue a perfect Religious man consummat in al vertue and perfection From these two examples results an infallible proofe of this first priuiledge the B. Virgins exceeding loue to those who hold deare her memory and employ themselues for her sake in works of piety whilst they become each day more faithful and feruent in seruing her And these are those shee most especially doth regard these are those shee most particularly doth protect neuer abandoning them vnlesse they abandon her vntil shee hath happily guided her to heauen Al with the deuout S. Bernard in thêse few words doth comprehend It is impossible for you B. Lady to forsake him who places his Confidence in you since you are the Mother of mercie it selfe Who would not endeauour then to the vtter most of his forces to be deuout to her who to gaine the fauour of such a Queene would not count it honour to seeke out al occasions of seruing her 't is no smal one I grant to ingratiate ones selfe with an earthly Queen but with the Queen of heauen 't is the greatest that can be imagined an honour not only to be preferred before al the greatnesses of the earth but al wee can receaue from any Saint in heauen And thus much may suffice for the first Priuiledge THE II. PRIVILEDGE Js that the B Virgin is most liberal and accustomed to bestovv frequent graces fauours on her seruants LOVE that is true perfect as daily experience teacheth is neuer satisfied in cherishing the thing beloued and obliging it by guifts and fauours euen to dispoile it selfe of al it hath most precious to giue vnto it So Ionathās loue to Dauid was so great as the scripture sayes of him Ionathan loued him as his very soule he pluck't off his richer garments gaue to him to paint his freindship forth in more liuely colours it adds He gaue him euen his sword his cincture and his bow Now if worldly loue hath such force ouer the harts of men what hath the diuine ouer the harts of the Saints in heauen especially of the B. Virgin who excels al men and Saints together in the perfection of loue Let vs vnanimously saye and acknowledge then that shee is so affectionat to those who honour her as shee neuer ceaseth showring on them the heauenly deaw of the most pretious guifts and richest treasures there for which reason she is deseruedly stiled by our holy Doctours the Treasuresse of al the riches in heauen and dispensatrix of al the guifts of God A dignitie to which his diuine Maiestie hath exalted her in heauen an honour to which aboue al his subiects he hath preferred her The keyes of euerlasting riches are in her hands the coffers of Paradise ful fraught with diuine treasures are at her command of which shee is nothing sparing but liberally giues to al that wil to al that aske to al that can pretend least right vnto them shee being most riche and powerful and her wil equaling her power both in heauen and earth To you al power is giuen sayes the mellifluous Doctor deuoutly discoursing with her both in heauen and earth so as you haue ability to do what you wil and so her selfe auowes how riche she is in diuine treasures where shee sayes The grace is in mee of al way and truth in mee al hope of vertue and of life And knowing how much they import vs her selfe inuites vs to demand them of her Come to mee al sayes shee who are desirous of mee and be replenish't with my generations See how ready our riche celestial Mistris is to make vs participant of her celestial riches and see how much she affects our good who offers vs so bountiously those goods and honours as are neither beholding to Time nor fortune Why doe wee tarry then why are wee then so slow why shake wee not off this dulnes that possesses vs doe wee feare perhaps a disdainful repulse from her a difficult accesse a fastidious regard ah no shee is so farr from it as shee is very sweetnes meeknes it selfe and there is nothing in earth or heauen more affable more courteous then shee as S. Bernard testifies of her where he sayes What humane fragilitie is it that feares to approch haue accesse to the Virgin Mary in whom is nothing austere or terrible but shee is al humanitie al ful of charitie and curtesie towards al. Let vs then with the common opinion of Doctors hold for certaine that whosoeuer hath recourse to her in their necessityes and duly implore her ayde are neuer by her frustrated of their hopes O sweet Lady says the ancient
wil you destroy nature with your superfluous watchings thus Do not you know the night was ordain'd for man to rest and that sleep is the principal stay and support of life Alasse you are yet in the April of your yeares haue a care then of your self be ruled by me if not for your owne sake at least for your Orders whose safety wholy depēds on yours you are of a strōg robustious complexion promising a long life if you shorten it not by your indiscret austerityes beleeue it these extrauagant deuotions are infinitly displeasing to Alm God who in al things is most delighted with mediocritie The Saint hearing this and by this discouering the malice of the wicked Enemie to delude him by a false suggestiō suddainly started vp and al naked ran to the adioyning wood where he so long rowled him self amōg the sharpe thornes bristy thistles til the bloud issued amaine frō euery part of him when in mockery of his body now said he had it not been better for you to haue attended stil to the suffrings of your God then to suffer this for attending to the Enemy He had no sooner vtter'd this but instantly behold a cleer light spred it-self ouer al the wood and chasing darknes thēce on the one side he saw the ground al icye for it was in the hart of winter and on the other close by the thornes he embrewed in his bloud the white and red rose freshly springing whilst the Angels in multituds made a lane for him from that place vnto the Church singing in triumphant manner as he went Goe happy Francis goe where thou art expected by the King and Queen of Heauen and he knew it was no illusion by their so miraculously reuesting him a new then gathering fower and twenty of those Roses mixt of either sort he went towards the Church treading on riche tapistry al the way the Angels as we said before making a lane for him on the right hand and on the left where being arriued he beheld our Sauiour seated accompanied as in the former apparition when with al low submission casting him as his feete Most sacred Maiestie sayd hee before whom both heauen and earth do homage it pleased your goodnes to grant mee formerly a plenary Indulgence in that manner as I desired it now my petition is you would appoint a certaine day for the obtaining of it and this for your most deare and gratious Mothers sake Our B. Sauiour thus answered him Francis thy deserts are such I can deny thee nothing wherfore I grant thee thy petition and appoint the first of August to be it then the Saint rendring him al possible thankes replied but how O Lord shal this bee divulged vnto the world or on whose faith wil they take on trust so great a miracle For that said our Bl. Sauiour be it my care to prouide in the meane while haue you recourse againe to my Vicar heer on earth carrying with you eye-witnes of this apparition one of your brothers with some of those Roses you haue gathered there and feare not you shal see your desires accomplished In this amiable sweet and admirable manner was granted to Holy S. Francis the famous Indulgence of our Lady of Portiuncula by the soueraige Monarch of Heauen and earth a grace so great a fauour so sublime as neuer was heard of neuer mortal man receaued the like By which and the fore mentioned Institution of the Rosary by the great Patriarch Saint Dominick wherby his Order hath been so much ennobled may cleerly be perceiued how extraordinarily this bountious Ladye recompences them who serue her affectionally and faithfully THE III. PRIVILEDGE Hovv the B. Virgin helps and Comforts her faithful seruants in their afflictions THE third Priuiledge this heauenly Lady honors her fauourits which is neuer to be wanting to them in their afflictions a thing which neither ought nor can be doubted of For if she loues them and if she loues by effects to shew it what greater effects of it then in their most necessitous times to receiue and succour them or when is the tyme to declare ones loue and affection if not then A true frende loues at al tymes sayth the holy Ghost and a brother is tried in affliction and can wee thinke any in heauen or earth more true to those she loues then the B. Virgin is or that in her affection she serues the times loues not so wel in pouerty as in riches in sadnes as in mirth in aduersity as in prosperity Oh no A true freind alwayes loues but especially in time of affliction for that is the touch stone of true freindship indeed and then she shews hers most What a happines what a felicity is it then for those who loue serue her faithfully to haue so powerful a freind as she who when the burthen of misery lies heauiest on vs can lighten vs when we are deseruing more of pittie then of loue out of pittie loues vs more and who lastly in the dark passage of death where so many leese their way leads vs safely out of it and not forsakes vs then when al the world besides forsakes vs but comforts vs on our death-beds when al in this life turnes to our more discomfort which we did most affect and stands vnto vs when whole legions of diuels are beseidging our souls sheilding vs from euery harme now defending vs from impatience by assuaging our griefes or fortyfijng our mindes against it now from sorrow with the ioy she brings vs now from despaire with the assured hope of our saluation and finally with a new re-inforcement of Angels puts al our Infernal enemies to flight The glorious S. Antony of Padua as is recorded in his life when he was assalted with any temptation vs'd no other weapon then to repeate this Hymne of hers O gloriosa Domina c. when presently he should come off with victory As it happened one day when being at his prayers the diuel at defiāce stil with al good workes set so furiously on him and strayn'd his throat so cruel hard as he had almost strangled him til the Saint hauing recourse to his accustomed armes inforc't him to leese his hold In like manner al the article of his death being prepar'd vnto it before with al the sacraments and saying with his brethren the seuen penitential Psalmes he concluded al Deuotions with that to which he was euer so deuout O gloriosa Domina c. when behold the B. Virgin appeared vnto him infinitly cōforting him with her apparition and adding to the Consolation of it the sight of her deare sonne and his deare Lord at which with incredible ioy he deliuered his soule into his Bl. hands Go reade al histories search into al records see if you can find any that euer trusted her with their confidence and were deceau'd who inuoked her in their necessities and were not releiued by her so as we may wel applye those words of
necessities that she is our refuge our safegard our comfort remedy of al our paines greefs and afflictions for which reason S. German Patriarch of Constantinoble vses these words speaking vnto her There is none saued without you sayes he O Blessed Virgin none deliuered from their greeuāces but by you none but by your mediation receaues any guift from God none but at your suite obtaynes forgiuenes of their sinnes O Virgin worthy of al glory and praise who next to your sonne takes such an especial care of humane kind as you who defends them more affectionatly then you who succours them more readily then you when they are assalted by temptations who extenuats their faults with greater charitie excuses them to God and exempts them from punishment due to their offences Wherefore in continuation of his discourse sayes this holy Patriarch Let the afflicted haue recourse to you let those who are lost vpon the Sea of this worlds misery in danger to be wrack't looke towards you as to their Pole-starr that shal safely direct you to their Port. Thus this pious Saint By which and that which hath been sayd before this third Priuiledge is enough illustrated which the deuout seruants of the B. Virgin haue Let vs passe vnto the fourth THE IV. PRIVILEDGE Of the deuoted to the B Virgin which is to haue her in Heauen for their assured Aduocate CERTAINLY it is a great comfort for poore Widowes and Orphans and such afflicted soules when their busines lies at Court on which depends the safety of their liues or estates to be assured of the fauour of some great one who hath the Princes eare but if the Queene her selfe should take their affayre so to hart as to employ her whole authority therein an vnspeakeable comfort would it be to thē Now how much more cause of Comfort haue we poore despicable creatures Knowing we haue in heauen for Aduocate to Alm God the Queene of Heauen her selfe who defends our causes vndertakes our protections procures faithfully our faluations and omits no diligēce in fine to render our soueraine Iudge propitious vnto vs. O assured hope miserable sinners haue in such an Aduocate with Alm God so as the Church stiles her in her Antiphon Eia ergo aduocata nostra c. who hauing in her hands the mannage of our affayres we cannot but she wil expedite al to our aduantage which made the elegant Cassian Say Al the helpe of human-Kind Consists in the multitud of the fauours and graces of the Blessed Mary The holy Church to our no smal cōforts with suffrage of the common opinion of Saints attributs to the B. Virgin certaine Epithets of honour in expression of the good offices she doth vs callig her Mother of sinners Mother of mercy the vniuersal hope and refuge of al Aduocatrix of mortals as also Redemptrix Pacifier and Mediatrix betwixt God and man Nor needs there any other proofe then experience it selfe how much al sorts and conditions of Christians are deuoted to her the Pilgrims cal her their Mother the Pupils their Tutrix the sick their Phisician the sea-faring men their hauen the Culpable their Aduocate the Trauaylers their Guide the Captaines their deliuerer the forsake their refuge the desperats their Hope the afflicted their Comfort the oppressed their Releife In fine al the world acknowledges her and cals her the only Refuge of the miserable and the aime to which al Christian people commonly direct their vowes and ardentest desires knowing for certaine she can do al she wil and she wil doe nothing but what may be best for vs. For which reason al sorts haue recourse to her as to their cheife treasure in Heauen the source whence al their graces spring the gate at which they neuer knock in vayne In so much as from the middest of the vastest wildernes from the bottome of the deepest sea from the iawes of death seru'd vpon the earth bed to it to be deuoured from execution and the very stroke of the hangmans hands she hath deliuered al those who haue duely inuoked her and miraculously feed them from the dangers they were in so sure and gratious a freind she is at need to the afflicted and distrest Soe she incessantly makes suite and instance for vs at that great Tribunal where her B. sonne presides as soueraine Iudge for it as S. Bernard sayes these three requisit parts of a good Aduocate First a great repute in the Court she pleades in and the fauour of the Prince or Iudge ' next the sufficiencie to plead and lastly such an affection to the cause she vndertakes to goe through with it what ere it cost Now to declare vnto the ful the B. Virgins authority with her sonne not Only exceeds my capacitie but the capacities of al men and Angels Wherefore let it suffise to say least in offering at more we should incurr but the repute of presumption that she is Mother of God from whence by Consequence we may gather that she is of vnlimited power with him and that the least intimation of her desire carryes with it as I may saye the force of a Command And so the holye Church desires no more of her but Monstra te esse matrem shew thy selfe a Mother And in another prayer we saye Grant he may eare our prayers who Was borne for vs and daigned to be thine So in our ordinary litanies we supplicats her thrice to intercede for vs as one who hath more power and authority with the Blessed Trinity then al the other saints S. Gregory of Nicomedia in his Sermons to her prayse cals her Omnipotent in her aduocation And S. Peter Damian addressing his speech to her It manifestly appeares sayes he O B. Lady Quod Dominus fecit tibi magna how great things God hath done for you in giuing you al Power in this world and the next euen to be able to afford the most desperat a ful assurance of their saluation for the Omnipotent taking flesh of you how can you be lesse then omnipotent with him and in continuation of his discourse he sayes you approch O Powerful Lady to the Altar of our humane reconciliation not in suppliant wise as do the other Saints but with the authority of a Mother to a sonne which is but to aske and haue Touching the second Condition of her Capacity of the charge in rightly vnderstanding our necessityes besides that she is stiled the Mother of mercy and our Aduocat both which suppose her abilities for it this example may suffice out of the Chronicles of the Friers Preachers whose Order in a special manner is deuoted vnto her In the Citty of Marcels there ws a deuout Virgin endow'd with al Saintly vertues who on a certaine day being present at Compline in the Church of the Dominicans while they were singing the accustomed Antiphon Salue Regina was rauished in extasy during which she sawe fower things of singular remarke The first that when they pronounced these wordes
could endure to heare it prays'd and extolled so much for to discouer the truth vnto you we are not as we seeme Religious men but diuels who in reward of your prompt obedience to your Superiour haue been cōstrayn'd to giue you that assistance you haue receiued of vs to night and hauing sayd this both he the Monastery and al dis-appeared leauing the good Religious men mightily astonish't at sowondrous an accident and in the same place where they first hard the Bell from whence they tooke their iourney towards the Nobleman al the way thanking and glorifying God for his great fauours benefits bestowed vpon them Many other examples of this great vertue I could recount and especially that of the B. Virgin who when the Highest had chosen her for his mother profest her selfe the lowlyest of his seruants in her greatest honors went in visitation of S. Elizabeth and serued her for three space moneths then with what greater humility can be imagined besides how lowly did she matche her self onely to a poore Artificer to whom she continued dutiful and obedient euen to death comforting her selfe alwayes with those who were most poore and humble as we may gather by the mariage she was present at of that poore couple at Cana in Galilee neither refusing her company to the most greeuous sinners such as was S. Mary Magdalen and the like and al this humility in one who was exalted to so high a dignity as to be mother of God and Queene of heauen earth was so much the more admirable and rare that she should neuer boast her of any honour she had nor be the more exalted in her mind for being so high exalted in dignity but neither on this nor any other example for the present wil I further enlarge my selfe not to exceed the limits of that breuity I haue proposed to my self Of the second Condition which the deuout seruants of the B Virgin ought to haue which is Chastity AND if the seruants of the B. Virgin be so grateful and acceptable vnto her by reason of their Humility how great must needs her fauour be towards those who add to this vertue that of Chastity too which so purifies and embellishes a soule in how singular recommendation must she needs haue them how tenderly cherish them Humility and Virginity were so equally in this Blessed Lady as to which to giue the pre-eminence we do not knowe so happy was her Virginy in being adorned with such humility that admitted of no vaine presumption of it and so happy was her humility in hauing the honour of such virginity which defended it from al misprision and contempt and what clearer testimony can there be of this holy Virgins immaculate Chastity then these words of hers How can this be seeing I know not man And of her humility on the other side then those which presently follow Behold the handmayd of our Lord be it don vnto me according to thy word O what a mariage was heere of these two vertues in the B. Mayd where chastity became so humble and humility so chast what higher dignity could there bee then to be Mother of God and yet she profest her selfe his humblest seruant aba-sing her selfe as low as he had exalted her so as S. Antoninus had iust cause to saye that it was cheifly the attraction of her humility which drew the sonne of God from heauen to make in her wombe another heauen on death Al then but cheifly those of her owne sexe are to imitate this B. Virgin in her Angelical purity who is proposed a paterne and example vnto al. It wa's she that first aduanced the standard of Virginity vnder whose white colours so many since haue fought and first ledd the way which so many Virgine-soules haue followed since of consecrating theyr virginities vnto God by vowe in doing which sayes S. Anselme she sauoured more of diuine then mortal neither did the name of Mother any thing derogat from the dignity of a Virgin but rather dignified it the more adding the fruit of a mother to the flower of virginity in a diuine admirable manner Where fore with good reason she is stiled Virgin of Virgins who began a paterne to al the rest of Consecrating their virginityes to God a work so grateful to him and acceptable O happy and thrice happy Virgins then who perpetuate their Virginityes by vow vnto Alm. God in spight of al resistance the world doth make seing besides the many prerogatiues they haue aboue those who are wedded to men they enioy by it such a Consolation of mind as surpasses al the Comforts in the world In confirmation of which I wil relate the excellent discourse of Nereus and Achilles to S. Domitilla in commendation of virginity when they persuaded her to Christianity These seing her curious in adoring her self tooke occasion from thence to dispose her minde Madame sayd they if you were but as sollicitous to adorne your soule with vertues as you are in setting your body of with these superfluous ornamēts to please your spouse Valerian without al doubt you would take the eies of Iesus Christ with it a farr more noble spouse then he and one who would farr more deserue of you with whom you should liue stil in an increase of beauty whilst your other would only liue vpon the spoiles and the decayes if it To whom she answered yet vnskild in Christian perfection and one that knew nothing but what the world and flesh dictated vnto her what can be more happy sayd she then the state of mariage which comprises in it al that is of honour and felicity Alas Madame said Nereus againe you know no more then the vaine pleasures which vanish with this blast of life and are ignorant as yet it seemes of those euerlasting ones in the other life and waighs the commodities of mariage al if you putt not its incommodities in the other scale which I would haue you carefully doe before you loose a good can neuer once lost be recouered againe And what good is that saye she your liberty answered he which with the litle of Virgin you must forgoe changing it for a seruile estate and slauish obsequiousnes vnto one whose humors you know not and which perharps may be such as out of pure Iealousy he may interdict you the company of your nearest freinds and those whō you most esteeme behauing himselfe so harshly towards you as no slaue but should liue a more contented life then you Al this halfe smiling she ask't him whither his general rule had no exception for sayd she I grant you Iealousy is a vice but too ordinary in men which my mothers sad experience renders but too manifest yet is it not so fatal to al the kind but there is some so happy to be exempted from it and amongst the rest the excellent dispose of my Aurelian promises him to be one Achilles to this replyed Madam said he be not to confident
but a recession from al impurity which is sinne and an accession to God the soueraigne purity in this consists the true sanctity of the soule for the more we weed it of imperfections the more place is left for perfections to spring vp in it and so S. Dionyse defyning sanctity sayes that it is a perfect purity abstracting from al sinne and cleansed from al impurity whence we may wel conclude that purity is no other thing then an exemption from al imperfection Let the pious Reader then imagine the purity of the B. Virgins mind who of al the Children of Adam was not only exēpted from al actual sinne but also from original and that because of the conueniency as S. Anselme would haue it that she who was the Mother of God should next to him haue al imaginable purity which could not be if she had not been preserued from original sinne Besides God hauing predestinated her to a degree of honour the highest that any creature could be capable of it followed consequently he should endow her with a purity aboue al other creatures and so al the faculties of his power wisdome and goodnes we may imagine were at once imploied in enritching her with such guifts and supernatural preparations as rendred her of al creatures the most eminent in such manner as those who had but the eies of spirit open to penetrat into the beautie and perfection of her glorious soule would infallibly more admire Gods workmanshipp and see more admirable effects of it in her then in the fabrick and creation of the Vniuersal Neuer any thing came immediatly out of the hand of God but it was pure perfect and compleat he created the Angels from the purest of the Heauens perfect and pure he created man likewise soe of the most pure-parts of the Earth and Eue from the purest flesh and bone of Adam whilst he was yet in the state of Innocency was created pure and the reason is because the nigher to the principal of puritie a thing is euer the more pure it is This being so what can be more resplendent saies S. Ambrose then she in whom purity it selfe close to abide what finally more vnblemisht then she whom the Sōne of God chose to inuest himselfe withal And if God hath fauoured other creatures with that highe prerogatiue to be borne in grace and exempt from sinne who can doubt but she in a special manner was borne so and exempted aboue the rest For what incongruency els were it to haue the mother inferior to her Children the Queene to her subiects and. Seing then the Angels and both Adam and Eue more created in grace and in the state of innocency why should we deny the Queene of Angels and the repairer of Adam and Eues offences the life prerogatiue Yet let vs passe farther and affirme the B. Virgin excelling in purity by infinit degrees not only al men and women in the world but also al Angels Archangels and the highest Seraphins in heauen For this S. Hilarion affirmes of her addressing himself vnto her in this deuout manner O souerainely happy Virgin aboue al women and surmounting euen the Angels themselues in purity Her sanctity then being so great we may wel conclude of her that there was neuer in her any blemish of sinne nor the least shadow of imperfection Let vs consider her then being so immaculate as she was as an Idea framed by God of al Chastity as a liuely paterne of perfection in women model of supreme purity and finally schoole of al Vertues Virgin both in mind and body humble of heart graue in discouery prudent in action neuer stirring abrode til inuited by necessity sober and mortified wearing alwayes in her Contenance a holy bashfullnes her gate wel ordered and composed simple in Clothing moderat in her voice neuer laughing but weeping often sparing of speech alwayes wel imployed hauing stil in hand some profitable booke assiduous in prayer during which she seemed stil in extasy more abhorring sinne then al the men of the world together as one who better then them al together knew how hateful and detestable it was to Alm. God she was of a spirit perpetually attentiue to the exercise of vertue and holy life holding in a generous dis-esteeme al the honours dignityes and riches of the world as knowing how contemptible they were al in compare with those of heauen whose soueraigne Queene and Empresse she was to bee how was it possible then she should euer fal into any sinne being of so excellent a soule and it being replenished with so many diuine graces perfections and From whence sayes Dionyse the Carthusian thusian we may imagine these beames proceeded which shooting from her countenance rendred her so resplendent and venerable to al that regarded her al which were nothing yet in compare with the inward rayes that illustrated her mind which gaue light vnto the Angels of light themselues her regard was such according to S. Ambrose S. Bonauenture as her bare sight was sufficient to reclaime euen those that were furthest gon in sinne but that which was most admirable in her and which most rauishes in astonishment both men and Angels was her being at once both Mother Virgin virgin in purity Mother in fecundity A prodigie of al others the most stupendious and a prerogatiue only appropriat to this rare Phenix of perfection for to whom els were attributed euer these supreme titles of honour Virgin before child-birth Virgin in child-birth and Virgin after it Yet t is an Article of saith and al doubt thereof interdicted by the holy Church for the Consummation of which we wil here relate a Miracle happening to B. Giles one of the first Companions of S. Francis and it was this A Religious Diuine of the Order of S. Dominick being once vehemently tempted by the Diuel sworne Enemy to the B. Virgin to cal in doubt her vndubitable Virginity and not sufficing by his owne forces to shake it off was resolu'd to vse the helpe of some other and hearing the fame of B. Giles for sanctity resolu'd it should be he Being on his way towards the Conuent where the holy man resided who by diuine reuelation vnderstood the cause of his iourney behold he was ready to meete him and embrace him with al the freindly expressions of a Religious charity and e're euer the other opened his mouth to communicat with him of his temptation he sayd vnto him Brother and freind assure your selfe shee was a virgin before child-birth when raking the ground with a litle wane he had one Lilly presently sprung vp then conuerting himselfe to him againe so assure your self said he she was a virgin in child-birth a second Lilly sprung vp in confirmation therof finally the third time addressing himselfe to him he said assure your selfe lastly said he that she was a virgin after child-birth too and this by the springing vp of a third Lilly being confirmed also the Diuine
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
Monasteries of his foundation How acceptable to the Blessed Virgin these reuerences adorations are CHAP. II. THERE is none so ignorant that doth not know that the more we honour where it is deserued the more we ingratiat our selues with the honoured This supposed we hauing in the precedent chapter declared the B. Virgins meriting in the highest kinde this sort of Adoration which we cal Hyperdulia consequently our honouring her therby cannot but be most grateful and acceptable to her It is an exercise as we haue insinuated practised by the Angels themselues in heauen and who soeuer practises it on earth becomes as it were by it equale vnto them Angels of earth in honouring and reuerencing the soueraigne Queene of heauen Neither are we to imagine that honour we exhibit vnto her here lesse grateful vnto her then that which they do there nay perhaps there are some men on earth so zealous in her seruice who acquit them so wel of their deuotions and with such vigour of spirit goe reuerencing her that their seruices to her heere are more grateful then theirs here and consequently in their reward of glory also they shal out strip then farr Dul-sighted as we are then not to see of how great glorye we depriue our selues when we endeauour not in al we may to please the B. Virgin in honouring her Certainly to fast to watch to weare hayrcloth say our Beads Offices or such deuotions are very meritorious and pleasing vnto her but it is impossible for al the learning and eloquence of the Quire of Seraphins to expresse vnto the life the infinit gladnes and extreme pleasure she receaues from these Adorations proceeding from the interior of the minde and accompanied with the respectiue comportment of the exterior Besides al the Angels and the Celestial Court do take particular contentment in the honour and reuerence exhibited to their soueraigne Queene for if earthly Courtiers reioyce when any new honour redounds vnto their Prince how much more reioycing may we imagine to be in heauen when they see their Princesse so honoured heere and of this reioycing the B. Trinitie hath its part when it beholds her reuerenced in whom they haue lodged al their supreme and singular delights the Father reioyces to see his daughter so honored the Sonne his Mother and the holy Ghost his Spouse Let al men then of what estate sexe or condition they be with al diligence and solicitud procure to honour the Glorious and euer B. Virgin Mary with al becoming reuerence especially since the honour due to her redounds vnto her B. Sonne as the honour done to Saints doth to God who made them so In honouring the B. Virgin then as the most excellent of creatures we honour God her Creatour confessing al those excellencyes we honour her for proceeding from his liberality vnto her and thanking and praysing him for making a creature of our owne Condition so worthy and excellent besides the honour and seruices done vnto the Mother for the Sonns regard the Sonne takes as done to him and proceeding from the loue and respect we beare him nay which is more the deuotion towards the Mother encreases the deuotion towards the sonne in that she as most true vnto his honour referrs al vnto it that is offered her and leade them vnto him who addresse themselues vnto her Iust so then as in honouring and glorifiing the B. Virgin we do but honour and glorify God so we in placeing our Confidence in her but place it in God himselfe for what is it to confide in him but to confide in those meanes which he hath prouided vs for our saluation and amongst al the meanes one of the most efficatious is to Commend our selues vnto her patronage as we are instructed by the holy Church in that her Antiphon Spes nostra salue eia ergo aduocata nostra illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos conuerte Haile O our hope and O our aduocate Conuert your eyes of mercy towards vs. And that great light of the Church S. Augustine sayes to the same effect You are the only hope of sinners frō you ô Glorious Virgin We expect pardon of our sinns recompence for our good works Knowing then for certaine that in honouring the B. Virgin we do but honour God we are often to procure to honour her and both day and night offer vp vnto her our reuerēces especially in the night when the time is more silent and more fitt for our deuotions This how grateful it is vnto her she her self declared to a certaine Capuchine of our order one most deuout vnto her This good Religious man had a laudable custome profundly to incline vnto her a hundred tymes a day til hauing some special charge of the Conuent the performance of which exacted much time of him not able to Comply with both he cutt-off one halfe of his deuotions diminished them vnto fifty tymes Now it happened that one day whilst he was busily imployed in his pious exercises the B. Virgin appeared vnto him inuested with most glorious ornaments wearing a riche mantle ouer them with only one halfe of it embroydered with starrs and addressing her speech vnto him she sayd how comes it my sonne thy loue is growne so cold in thee that hauing begun to imbellish this mantle with so many bright shiuing starrs thou hast giuen ouer and left the rest vndone it is a worke so grateful vnto me the performance of it as nothing can bee more vngrateful vnto me then the neglect of it wherefore as you respect my loue finish your deuotions as you haue wel begun and so vanished away leaving the good Religious man making his profit of her so mild reproofe renewing his ancient deuotions agayne he exercised them vnto the end of his life in that ful number he began withal And let none imagine this a deuotion only for women or the simpler and vulgar sort for al are equally obliged to honour her of what sexe estate or condition soeuer they be the Patriarkes Prophets as the Diuines affirme acknowledged her worth and reuerenced her for it thousands and thousands of yeares before she was borne into the world But what do I talke of Patriarkes and Prophets when the Angels them selues at the first instant of their creation beholding her in the Eternal Word humbly reuerenced and adored her as one that should one day be their Queene in heauen and be the mother of their King on earth And what should we say more euen God himselfe become man was obedient vnto her commands and obserued her with al filial loue and reuence To descend now to the Christians of the Primitiue Church the Apostles reuerenced her dedicated Temples to her seruice erected Altars to her and according to the opinions of some cōsecrated to her the famous house of Loretto But omitting these let vs come to the Potentates of the world how many Emperours Kings and soueraigne Bishops haue there been who haue
reuerently taken their Crownes of their heads and offered them at her feete What titles of prayse and honour by the Doctors of the Church haue anciently been bestowed vpon her by S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Chrysostom and innumerable others how Diuinely hath S. Thomas spoken in her prayse how deuoutly S. Bonauenture and how affectionatly Albert the Great in humble acknowledgement of the learning which hereceiued from her Let vs fixe vpon Alexander de Hales amongst the rest as one singularly deuoted vnto her and recount the motiue he had to leaue the world and inrol himselfe in the seruice of our Sauiour Christ vnder the banner of s. Francis of Assisium This Alexander of Hales being English by nation was of a sublime spirit and of singular erudition the first professor of Theologie in the Vniuersitie of Paris one so affectionatly deuoted to the B. Virgin as he made a vowe neuer to refuse any thing that should be asked him in her name A certaine Gentle woman vnderstanding this persuaded the Bernardines to make their vse of it by winning him to their Order and illustrating it by so great a light of learning which they resolued to doe and repairing to him they made their approaches a farr off discoursing of learning and deuotion but God Alm. permitted not that at that time they should come neerer to him the Gentle woman vnderstanding what was done had recourse vnto the Frier Preachers next animating them and putting them in the way to make him one of their Order as she done the Bernardines before which was attempted also by them iust as they were putting him to his vowe by chance two Frier Minors coming in one of them diuinely inspired thus sayd vnto him Alexander it is highe time for you to with draw your selfe from those vanityes which haue abused you so long wherefore in the name of God and his B. Mother I coniure you to take the habit of S. Francis for I know his Order hath need of such as you are Alexander touched with these words as by the finger of the holy Ghost and remembring the vow he had made answered him presently Goe you hence good fathers and I wil instantly follow to the ful effecting of your desires and so he did taking on him the holy habit til being in his probation he was greeuously tempted to cast it off agayne by reason of some austerities he could not vndergoe so wel and iust as he was vpon the point of doing it behold S. Francis appeared vnto him in his sleepe bearing on his shoulders a heauie Crosse with which he endeauoured to clime a stipe hil at which he was so moued with compassion as he offered him his seruice to helpe him vp with it wherupon the Saint beholding him with an angrie eye goe offer thy seruice sayd he to suche weaklings as thy selfe for if thou canst not carry thine that is so light how canst thou help me to beare my heauier one the Novice perceiuing strait his mind from this his reprehension resolued to continue in the Order not withstanding al the difficulties thereof and concluded there was no other waye to heauen then by bearing the Crosses which are offered vs. That the quality of Mother of God obliges both men and Angels to the adoring of her CHAP. III. AMONG al dignities graces greatnesses and prerogatiues with which Alm. God hath honored the B. Virgin there is none more highe and sublime then that of being Mother of God it surpassing al of which any creature can be capable surmounts the heauens and the celestial Hierarchies comes neere to diuine immense and incomprehensible in fine goes beyond al that can be express't by words or conceiued by any Angelical or humane thought This S. Augustine in the beginning of his book of the B. Virgins Assumption doth intimate where he sayes There is no hart that conceiue or tongue that can expresse the effect of this grace and dignity And S. Bernard in diuers places and diuers manners aymes at the expression of this great dignity S. Anselme in his Treatise of the B. Virgins magnituds sayes that next to the being God there is no dignity in heauen or earth can equal hers To say only sayes he of the B. Virgin that she is Mother of God is a thing that exceeds al sublimity which next to God can be said or imagined From hence the holy Fathers inferr that the title of being Mother of God is the foūtaine from whence do flow al her other graces and prerogatiues for so say they whence was it that from al eternity she was in a particular māner predestinat because she was to be the Mother of God Why was she sanctified by the holy Ghost in her Mothers wombe to be the more worthy receptacle of the Sonne of God Why in her Conception was she exempted from original sinne that the eternal Word might from her body take immaculat flesh Why was she exalted aboue al the Thrones celestial Hierarchies but because she was the Mother of God who is the soueraine King of heauē earth Whence in fine is it that the Princes of heauen and earth nay euen of Hel it selfe bow downe and do reuerence at mention of her name but only because she is Mother to the supreme Lord of al to whom al do homage and in whose presence al the great ones that are shrinke vp to nothing and not appeare at al. O wonderful greatnes of this highe and excellent dignity bestowed vpon a simple Virgin Who is not astonished who is not alienated from his senses with admiration to be at once a mother and a Virgin to containe in the narrow inclosure of her wombe him whom the heauens with al their height latitud can not containe to be Mother of the most deare delights of the Eternal Father and the most glorious obiects of Angels and finally which is the most prodigious of al to haue produced her Creatour and brought her Father forth These are things aboue al capacity rauishing nature with astonishment and wonder so as with good reason the holy Church sayes of her Nature admired when you brought forth that holy one who brought forth you The B. Virgin then merits in being Mother of God al imaginable honour from one creature to another and in particular that which the Diuines intitle Hyperdulia which also admits of a subdiuision according to Suarez into superiour inferiour with the Inferiour those are honored who haue some particular excellence aboue the rest as to S. Iohn Baptist the Apostles for their eminency of place to S. Francis for the singular testimony of his sanctity giuen by Alm. God in the impression of the sacred Stigmats but with the superiour the Mother of God alone who only had the honour to beare bring forth nourish educat the only Sonne of the only Eternal God And in regard of this high and most eminent dignity of hers al Creatures in heauen and earth reuerence
to see them now the instruments of rage furye only which were once only of deuotiō and piety O therfore haue mercy vpō him who of none with more right can expect it then of you restor ' him to that health he so wel imploied in your honor hertofore This said he dis-appeared and the yong man felt instantly the effect of his prayers by his recouery which was so speedy miraculous as acknowledging the B. Virgins particular fauour in it he to gratifie her for it entred into an austere Religiō where he liued died as became one who held his life on such a pious tenour of his good Angel and his better Aduocate Hovv we ought to reuerence and adore the B Virgin in regard of the sublimity of her glory aboue al other Saints CHAP. IV. SEEING the Saints which are now in heauen in possession of their eternity of happines are to be honoured with that fort of reuerence which the Diuines cal Dulia which is the lowest sort of reuerēce appropriated to any Saint the higher they are in dignity with the more high and particular reuerence are they to be honoured what supreme honour may we imagine due vnto our soueraigne Lady and Queene of heauen who by so many degrees of dignity is preferred before them al seated at the right hand of her B. Sonne so neere and deare vnto him as she is and whom the rest of Saints only a farr off reuerence and admire And if it be true that each ones glory beares a proportion with the grace they haue the more their grace on earth the more their glory in heauen how excellent in glory must she bee aboue them al who was so farr superiour to them in grace for who knowes not how from the very instant of her Conception when she was sanctified in her Mothers wombe God went heaping more and more graces vpon her stil vntil her death when the accumulation was Complete and how in al tymes she cooperated with him in al her actions in al occurēces stil meditating how to add vnto it accompanying al her exteriour workes with the interiour intention of the minde Which Albert the great exemplifies very wel in that treatise of his de beata Virgine and S. Bernard more particularly where he sayes This Virgin and mother of the highest not only waking but euen sleeping had the fruition of heauenly things in Contemplation no earthtlye affaire being so forcible as to interrupt her Commerce of thought with heauen in so much as euen in her sleepe she was busyed more in Contemplation then the rest of the Saints when they were most perfectly awake Who then of what intelligent a spirit soeuer they bee can comprehend the immensity of the grace and merits of the glorious Virgin consequently the infinit glorie she had in recompence seeing as the same Doctours affirmes The more she excelled others in grace on earth the more glory she obtained in heauen Let vs conclude then that her glory there is incomprehensible and surpasses by infinite degrees that of al the Saints Angels Conformable to that saing of S. Iohn Chrysostome What is there more holy than the B. Virgin says he neyther the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Patriarcks Angels Trones Dominations Seraphins nor Churubins in fine there is no visible nor Created thing more great or more excellent then she And S. Anselme Ineffable says he and euer-more admirable is the grace and greatnes of this Virgin And in prosecuting his discourse And what O B. Lady is there more to be sayd when but Considering the immensity of your grace glory and felicity I am destitut of forces and my Voice fayleth me And yet not only from the abūdance of Grace which was in her but much more from her humility may we argue the greatnes and dignity which she hath in heauen for it being an approued verity to al the world that the more we abase our selues on earth the more shal we be exalted for it in heauen as is testifyed by verity it self Vvho humble themselues shal be exalted c. And that great light of the Church S. Ambrose sayes The more abiect we are on earth the more we shal be exalted for it in heauen And he adds That by so many degrees of humility we descend on earth by so many of glory we shal ascend in heauen Since no creature euer thought so humbly and abiectly of her selfe as this B. Virgin did we may wel imagine that by this pretious vertue she so wonn the hart of God and gott such hold of his affections that she euen obliged him by it to descend from heauen to earth into her wombe and choose her for his spouse and mother which she in that Canticle of hers Confesses of her selfe Because he hath regarded the humility of his hand-maid c. Which shewes the excellency of her humility And S. Bernard sayes of it that when the Angel saluted her her answering him in that manner so humble and resigning her selfe entirely vnto the Wil of God Behold the hand-maid of our Lord c. Was more grateful vnto God and meritorious for her then al the actions of men and Angels put together and that by it alone she merited the being Mother of our Sauiour Christ Neuer sayes S. Bernard had she been exalted aboue the Angels if she had not humbled her selfe before And if some Saints as namely S. Francis haue merited by their humility to be ranged amongst the Seraphins the cheifest Order of Angels and next to the Diuinity to what immensitie of glory are we to imagine the B. Virgin is exalted for the profoundnes of her humility which descended lower then euer any Saints could doe In consideration of which we may wel imagine that her glorie and felicity as farr surpasseth that of al other Saints as the heauēs do a litle point the cleare light of the Sunne a candle the Ocean a smale drop of water or al the earth the least graine of sand With good reason then since she is exalted to such a height of dignitie we are to honour her as the soueraine Queene and Empresse of men and Angels and as eminent as she is in dignity so is she in beautye and amability able to obscure with the brightnes of its splendour not-only al humane eyes but euen those of the Angels themselues as appeares by this story recorded by Herod Religious of the Order of S. Dominick There was a yong scribe sayeshe much deuoted to the B. Virgin who being some-what conuersant in the holy Scriptures where her excellent beauty is commended with such Encomiums he at last grew passionatly desirous to see her in that beauty she appeared with in heauen praying for the accomplishment of his desires he heard a voyce reprehending him for it in that he ask't a thing aboue his capacity which his eyes were too weake to behold nor could it cost him lesse then his sight the beholding it but he
willing to put it to the venture persisted stil in his Petition yet at last vpon more mature reflexion he resolu'd if the fauour were granted him to reserue on eye at least whilest only with the other he regarded it And so it happened that she appearing vnto him in a most glorious and resplendent manner that one eye with which he regarded her being ouercome with the excellency of the obiect became wholy blind but so farr was he from euer repenting it as with iterated petition he be sought her to appeare but vnto him in that glory once agayne and he would be also willing to forgoe the other eye the B. Virgin to content his deuotion did as he desired her but was so farr from inflicting that penalty vpon him which he did expect as she restored him his other eye againe wher with we may imagine how contented a man he was Neither doth she exceed al the Angels and Saints in beauty and splendour only but also in ioy and felicity which with out doubt she hath in as supereminent degree aboue the rest as her glory aboue the rest is more high and eminent And for that there are diuers Doctours who affirme that she alone hath more glory then al the Saints together this being so imagine of what ioy felicity she is possest the while the quality of which is so exceedingly rauishing that S. Augustine doubts not to affirme of it that one dropp of heauenly felicity but falling into hel would sweetenal its torments O strange expression of the wōdrous sweetnes and deliciousnes thereof if one dropp of it could worke such effects in hel what must whole torrents of it worke in the harts of those who are possest of it The Apostles vpon an arid and barren mountains topp sawe but only a litle glimpse of the glory of heauen in our Sauiours Transfiguration and tasted by it but a litle superficial ioy and yet you see they could haue been content to haue remained there al their liues But that example which I shal now declare deserues yet greater admiration A certaine Religious Monke of holy life exercised long in the contemplation of the Ioyes of Heauen conceiued at last such a feruent desire of it that he incessantly besought Alm. God that to comprehend it the better if it were possible he might haue some tast of it in this mortal life and continuing in this deuotion many yeares at last close by his Cell he heard a bird sing so wondrous delightfully as rauished with it he presently lyed him out to enioy more freely its delicious melody and following it a flight or two at last it ledd him into a wood therby where it begann to sing and he rauish't in hearing it satt downe nighe the tree wheron it was where he might both see heare it best nor did he know with whether he was delighted most who when he beheld the beauty of it wished himself al eyes when he heard its diuine notes wished himselfe al eares againe In fine feasting these two senses so long he satt till the Bird cea'st its melody and flew quite away when he arising tooke his way towards his Monastery imagining he had been away only some houre or two but beig returned back againe he foūd it almost al rebuilded a new againe and knocking at the gate the Porter and he were both so strange one to another as they admired at either the Porter that the Monke should say he was Religious of the house the Monke that he should say he had been Porter there many yeares In fine the Abbot came being informed thereof whom he as litle knew as the Porter and vnto whom he was as litle knowne who in fine examining him foūd by the Records of the House that those Religious whom he named to haue liued in that Monastery with him were deceased so long before as by computation of time they found he had been absent three hūdred and sixty yeares If then so many yeares seemed but a short houre to that Religious man charmed with the sweetnes of that Musick he listned vnto perform'd perhaps by some Angel of heauen how delicious sweet and rauishing must the Ioyes of Heauen needs bee where al the Angels sing together incessantly praising and glorifying their heauenly King And if this good Religious man could remaine expos'd vnto the iniuries of the time so many yeares rauished with tasting but one dropp as it were of the deliciousnes of heauen O God who can imagine the delight of those who in al comfortable Eternity shal bee feasted with it to al satiety They shal bee inebriated with the abundance of thy house and drink of the torrent of thy delights sayes the holy Scripture Seeing then the B. Virgin next to God is Mistresse and Lady of this Pallace of deliciousnes and as it were the pipe that cōueyes al its deliciousnes from God the fountaine of it to al that participat of its Ioy in heauen Let vs honour adore and reuerence her with al those due acknowledgments of which we haue already treated or shal herafter treate That we ought to adore the B Virgin for that she is the soueraine Lady of all Creatures both in earth and heauen CHAP. V. APERSON which is riche noble and vertuous deserveth honour the more they excel in it the more honour they deserue as we see by experiēce in persons most eminent in the world The Blessed Virgin then being so great a paterne of sanctity a Compendium of al perfections chosen by God for his Mother and elected to a supreme height of dignity aboue al the Quiers of Angels and finally being Empresse of al superiour and inferiour Creatures with good reason both Angels and men are to honour and reuerence her as the soueraigne Queene of the whore Vniuerse neither should there be any me thinks so impudent to dispute her title to it nor so impious as to offer to defraude her of those sublime honours due to so sublime a title she were a Queene if there were no other reason but only because her sonne is a King King of Kings Lord of Lords and who knowes not that the King and Queenes honours goes so conioyn'd in one as from the dishonouring the one redounds to the other a dishonour too The B. Virgin being as formerly we haue said daughter to God the Father Mother of his Sonne and Spouse of the holy Ghost and consequently daughter mother and spouse of the holy Trinity considering her alliance and coniunction with God and namely with the humanized Word of God the Sōne whom this great Al acknowledges for King of her being Queen can be no doubt al and this S. Athanasius affirmes where he sayes He being King and Lord his mother who engendred him hath consequently the reputation of Queene and Mother And S. Iohn Damascen She was vndoubtedly declared Queene sayes he of al Created things when she became Mother of the Creatour Let vs then conclude that she being
Queene of this Vniuerse hath ouer it an absolut command and that al are to obey her and render her that honour and obeissance which from Vassals is due to those who are ouer them And in admiration of this power of hers was that deuout exclamation of holy S. Bernard O blessed Mary sayes he al power is giuen you both in heauen and earth do as you can do al that you desire Among al the title of Greatnes which our Mother the holy Church honours her with that of Queene of heauen she vses most frequently Lady of Angels Reginacaeli Domina Angelorum c. Now the greater the extent of ones Dominion is the greater euer is their power and magnisicence so as if one could attaine to the Dominion ouer al the world how absolute and vnlimited should their power to be and yet what is al this world to the Heauens amplitude which she is Lady of and where her subiects are perpetually honoring her so as we may say of her The Heauens declare the glory of Mary and the heauenly Courtyers take it for honour to obey her commands To conclude it is but litle we can say of her greatnes how great soeuer that litle may seeme to be and arriuing euen to admiration which euer there takes vp where humane knowledge leaues And so is it not an admirable thing that the whole roundour of the earth in comparison of the Heauens should be but as the center point compared to a mightie Spheare who can imagine then the immensity of that when the earth which containes Empires Kingdomes and Prouinces is so meere a nothing in comparison thereof Some are of opinion that the element of water is ten times bigger then the land the aire ten times bigger then the water the fire then that and so with proportion each heauen bigger then another c. And to giue you some dimme light of its magnitud the Moone which in lesse then a moneth surrounds its Orbe would be incircling the starry heauen according to the most expert of the Mathematiciens thirty sixe thousand yeares and more which notwithstanding compared to the Coelum empyreum or habitation of the Blessed is but a poore litle Circle for magnitud not worthy the speaking of For which reason some Authours are of opinion cited by Philip Diez that if a milstone were throwne from thence it would be a thousand fiue hundred yeares in falling down Who admires not in hearing this and cries not out with him O Lord I haue considered your workes and remaine astonished and out of my self with wonder One of the ancient Prophets in consideration of the greatnes of this glorious Pallace of Alm. God exclaime O Israel how great is the house of God how mighty great is the place of his possession he is great and hath no limits he his high and cannot be measured And we may wel imagine it to bee great since euery Saint shal haue a habitation a part and a place proportioned vnto its merits And this we haue from our Sauiour Christ himselfe in comforting his afflicted Disciples for his departure where he sayes Let not your harts be troubled for in my fathers house are many mansions And S. Vincent of S. Dominiks Order speaking of these Mansions sayes that each of the Blessed in heauen shal haue assigned them for their habitation a larger circuit them is betwixt the east and west Now there being incomparably more Saints in heauen then there be men on earth I leaue it to you to imagine how infinit great the heauenly Kingdome is Now the B. Virgin being Queen of this so immense dominion hath al the Blessed there consequently for her subiects Courtiers who being in due Order rankt about her Throne alwayes make tender vnto her of their seruices and obsequiousnes and if as S. Iohn Chrisostome sayes while she was yet on earth she was attended vpon by such an infinity of Angels to defend her against al the assaults of hel and conserue vnto their king this faire tabernacle of his Inuiolat how much more gloriously attended is she now in heauen where she sits crown'd in possession of so highe a dignitie It is impossible to imagine the number that waytes vpon her there which the Prophet endeauouring to speake of sayes Ten thousand serue thee and a hundred times ten thousand assist before thee setting downe a finit number for an infinit And S. Denys sayes that the number of Angels by many parts exceeds the number of al Corporal and material things And for those we know how the sublunary bodies yeild in greatnes to the celestial bodyes and they vnto the tother the more high they are in so much as not a starr of the least magnitud but is farr greater then al the globe of inferior things together We know besides that euery man from Adam to the Consummation of the world hath had and shal haue an Angel Guardian to attend vpon them be they good or bad al equally participating of this benefit whence it followes as we haue sayd before that the number of Inferiour Angels deputed to that charge exceedeth the number of al men that euer were are and shal bee which being so how innumerous must the superiour bee since as we haue formerly deduced they increase in proportion the more superior they are Certainly more easy it were to number al the starrs in heauen the drops of the Sea the leaues of trees the plants of the earth and the Atomes of the Sun then the multitud of Angels knowne only to God himselfe Let vs add moreouer the better to sett of the glory of our soueraigne Queene a second wonder in traine of this to wit That al the Angels as infinit as they are haue each one yet a diuersity among themselues and if it be such a delightful sight to see a Garden al planted with variety of flowers how much more delightful must it bee to see these Angelical flowers adorning the heauenly Garden with each one their seueral species according to their seueral dignity and merits And heere our Imagination hath a spatious feild to exercise it selfe in deuout conceipts of the B. Virgins perfections and excellence for if the Courtiers striue with so much splēdor how much more splendid must needes that Maiestie bee on whom they al attend For so these B. Spirits are perpetually attending before her Throne adoring her and ready at the least twinkling of her eye to execut her commands which are commonly for the good and saluation of man This is the opinion of S. Augustine where he sayes S. Michael and al the other Angels haue an eye in heauen vnto the B. Virgin to see where shee would Command them any things for the good of soules on earth Let vs conclude then that her Greatnesse are vnspeakeable and incomprehensible not only by men but euen by the Angels themselues and that next to God she hath the most soueraigne command in heauen as being Queene of
al the celestial Hierarchies there and Mother of the supreme Monarck and Creator of euery thing Neither-doth her dominion terminate or end heere but as she is Queene of Angels and of Heauen so also is she of Earth the Inhabitants thereof and for this reason the Diuines cal her frequently Regina mundi the Queen of earth S. Gregory often intitles her to the name of Lady of al Christians so with good reason may she bee who was so great a part of our redemption for God had neuer been made man but for her and consequently had neuer suffered for vs nor gone through with the worke of our redemption which ought to be a powerful Motiue to induce vs to honour and reuerence her Nay euen the very diuels themselues do dread her power at the sole inuocation of whose name they al are put to flight When I pronounce but Aue Maria sayes the deuout S. Bernard the Heauens do smile the Angels reioyce the world exults hel trembles and the diuels are in dismay S. Bridgitt in the first booke of her Reuelations sayes that the B. Virgins rankes and dignity in heauen is so supreme as the diuels are constrained to honour it and she addes That as often as any shal be molested by their temptations let them but inuocat her sacred name and presently they al shal vanish and be put to flight of whose sole Command they more stand in awe then of al their torments so as whensoeuer she vndertakes the cause of any soule they dare not withstand her in it as witnesseth this story registred in the Promptuary of her Miracles and taken out from thence by Pelbert in his Stellary of the B. Virgin There was a man sayes he of a nature so euil inclined and peruerse as he neuer was exercised in any good but only in some few reuerences and praiers which he daily offered vp to the B. Virgin This man though often inspired to leaue his wicked life was yet so farr from it as he persisted more obstinat in it euery day vntil at last in drawing his latest breath he imagined himself hurried by a crew of diuels with horrible noyse and howlings vnto the tribunal of the Iudge where they demaunding iustice and the Iudge putting them to declaration of the cause they clearly proued him a most wicked man and as such desired sentence should be giuen on him When the B. Virgin standing vp in his defence declared whatsoeuer good she had knowne by him like a most faithful Aduocate but scarce had she finished her speech when in an insolent manner the diuels argued against her thus is this al you are able to say for him vnlesse you defend his cause better then so and bring more proofes of goodnes in him what for his bad wil become of him may be easily seen heere he began to add vnto the list of his offences thousands and thousands more when the B. Virgin seeing their number so great as by the way of Iustice there was no hope for him shee strait addrest her selfe by that of mercy and prostrating her selfe before the Iudges feete no sooner he had raised her vp but she began if these pretenders to Iustice sayd shee were interessed in the cause more then out of malice they should carry it and I would not so much as dispute it with them but to what end al this long recapitulation of crimes what concernes it them whether your inspirations were obeyed or no or since when haue they been soe iealous of your honour that they should care so much where you were dishonored certainly if there be any fault it is cheifly theirs and if there be any offence it is only yours it is you only whom he hath offended and to you alone he is ready to make satisfaction not with any boast of merit or that he stands on iustifying his cause but with repentance in his heart teares in his eyes sighs in his mouth to obtaine of your mercy what of iustice he cannot hope for I cōfesse the quantity quality of his crimes are so enormious great that they deserue nothing but death dānation but if my prayers were euer powerful with you now hear my prayers for him and by these breasts which had the honour once to giue you sucke I coniure you for so many drops of milke you haue receiued from them to bestow one drop of bloud of the aboundance you haue shed for sinners to washe this man from his sinnes for his life hereafter I wil vndertake so as you wil pardon what is past for I see al signes of a repentant sinner in his heart his eyes and al and concluding heere with a profound reuerence the Iudge remained a while with his eyes fixt vpon the ground in great suspence now weighing the mightines of his crimes now of her power that interceded for him whilst either part was wauering betwixt hope and feare at last lifting vp his eyes casting them on her with a gracious regard Though it be exceeding much you aske said he yet were it much more I could not deny it such an intercession for your sake then I pardon him this once but neuer let him hope for pardon againe if he abuse it now hauing sayd this the diuels confounded departed with horrible cryes saying We knew wel enough what would be the end of it shee euer hath the better of vs and 't is our folly to contend with her she is too powerful an Aduocate and too gracious with the Iudge so they vanished away and the poore man returning to himself againe recounted to al this horrible vision and deceiuing the Phisicians for his corporal health and the diuels for his spiritual he recouered both making of either such vse for the time to come that he entred into Religion and there to his dying day ledd a most holy life By which we may see the preciousnes of the sacred bloud of Christ our Lord and how preualent with him and powerful ouer our aduersaries is his Glorious Mother and our most faithful Aduocate Of the great honour we owe to the B Virgin for her being our most deare and merciful Mother CHAP. VI. THE Blessed Virgin standing at the foote of the Crosse on Mount Caluary accompanied with S. Iohn Our Sauiour Christ beholding her with a pittiful and gracious eye sayed vnto her Woman behold thy sonne meaning S. Iohn and then addressing his speech to him he sayd Behold thy Mother from that time sayes the holy Scripture he made account of her as his owne and to the end of his life obserued her accordingly From hence the learned gather this great mystery how our Sauiour in recommending her vnto S. Iohn for his Mother commended al the faithful vnto her for her children for if S. Iohn say they represented them al as there is no doubt of it the B. Virgin being assigned him for Mother was likewise assigned vnto al Christians Whereupon S. Bernard fals into
this deuout exclamation O worthy of al admiration behold thy Mother c. for know thou if Mary be thy Mother Iesus Christ is thy brother his Father consequently thine then embrace thy happines in her And so assuredly it is God is our Father Our Father which art in heauen We are brothers to our Sauiour Christ Goe vnto my brothers c. sayes he to the holy Magdalen and for the B. Virgins being our Mother there can be no doubt at al and heare S. Anselme proving it Iesus Christ the sonne of Mary is our brother sayes he therfore consequently his Mother must be ours How much then ought we to reioyce and how excessiue great our contentment ought to be hauing for our Mother the Mother of God himselfe Queen both of heauen and earth And not only she is our Mother but a most benigne and gracious Mother sauouring of nothing but mercy and sweetnes exercising nothing but the works of piety and pitty towards vs. So as her most ordinary title is the Mother of grace and mercy Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae and so in that other Antiphon she is called Mater misericordiae c. where we who lye fighing and weeping in this miserable vale of teares implore her aide and gentle pittie of our calamities And wherefore is it that in euery publick place her Image occurr vnto our eyes holding her sacred Infant in her armes but only to signify she is alwayes in actual Tendring of him vnto vs for our good as if she would saye heer take my sonne and the sonne of the Eternal Father who for your sakes descended from heauen to earth and putt on the vestment of humanity in which he sufferd so many indignities euen at last to vndergoe an ignominious death feare not but approach vnto him heer with confidence he is al gratious al pittiful and affable and if your sinnes deterr you from comming neare remember how to make you great he is become a little infant and their angers are euer easily appeas'd on my word take him then and enioy him as a guift frō me whose possession can not but much aduantage you and to render your selfe more worthy of the interest in him wholly renounce al interest in vice and casting your selfe humbly at his feete resigne vnto him your hart and your best beloued desires and in recompence thereof he wil bestow on you a lasting good and happines aboue the iniury of death or time O happy and a thousand times happy are those soules who harken to these silent invitations of hers and hauing recourse vnto her in al their afflictions know how to prevayle themselues of her benignity let them assure themselues they shal neuer finde the gates of her liberality shutt nor sitt downe with a repulse of what soeuer they law fully desire God forbit sayes deuout S. Bernard that I should thinke you can euer abandon those who haue placed theyr Confidence in you And Theophilus in the Booke intitled The mirrour of the B. Virgin is introduced saying I know O soueraine Lady your Care of vs how excessiue great it is for who euer hath hoped in you and been confounded who euer implored your aide and been abandoned And to this purpose is that saying of Origen I hould for certainly true that the B. Virgin being instantly beseeched for any thing is neuer wanting to the necessities of him who beseeches her for that she is al mercy and so ful of grace and therefore she cannot choose but haue Compassion of those who craue her helpe Excellent words and able to animat the most desperat to a hope of his saluation and allay the most outragious affliction which was euer in any breast Being our Mother then she cherished vs with a maternal loue and hath more care of vs then euer any Mother had of her only child neuer fayling vs with succour in our necessities assistance in our dangers comfort in our afflictions nor finally deliurance from any euil what soeuer when soeuer with confidence and deuotion we importune her for it So is she our aduocate in heauen with Alm. God where she gladly vndertakes our protection defends our cause procures to assure vs the possession of Eternal blisse and finally neglects no occasion of putting vs faire with her B. Sonne and working vs into his grace In consideration of the great prerogatiue we haue in heauen by such an Agent for vs S. Bernard encourages man to present himselfe without feare before Alm. God Go Go with Confidence saies he before the throne of his diuine Maiestie where the sonne beholds the Mother and the father the sonne the sonne shews his father his hands and feete and side al wounded the mother vnto her sonne her sacred breasts that gaue him suck so as there is no feare of a repulse where so many signes of loue and charity are But yet this is not al nor doth this careful Lady and Mother of ours only procure vs fauours but she assures them vs by appeasing her Sonne when we haue offended him and reconciling his loue vnto vs againe but for her how often had the world been thundred by that iust Iudge aboue how often had the soules therein for their offences been precipitated and cast downe head long into Eternal hel Of which a more cleare example cannot bee then that memorable visiō of S. Dominick who praying one night behold in vision our Sauiour Christ seated at the right hād of his Alm. Father al inflamed with wrath furie holding three terrible thunderbolts in his hand ready to discharge on earth in punishment of three sinnes then frequently raigning amongst men Pride Auarice and Luxury when the Blessed Virgin to mitigate his wrath prostrating her selfe before his feete and straitly embracing them I appeale I appeale sayd she from this your anger how euer iust it bee vnto that wonted clemency of yours beseeching you by it if not absolutly to reuoke your sentence yet at least to surcease for a while the execution of it for alas what wil you do against whom do you prepare these armes and whose ruine haue you resolued vpon wil you annihilate your owne workmanship and bee the perdition of those whom you haue saued with so much cost of paine and bloud and would you replied her sonne hauing rays'd her vp seated her by his side would you haue such crimes as these vnpunished who would not then in hope of impunity committ them hereafter in despight of me no it were but to prostitute my Iustice to their abuse not to exercise it heere and now to pardon them were to make my pardon for euer more vile and contemptible why alas deare sonne sayd she as they are apt to offend so ar they to be sorry for it doubt not then but at your first summons of them to repentance they wil be obedient to it and to this effect behold heere ready two seruants of yours pointing out to S. Frācis and S.
Dominick apt ministers to employ therein and to exhort them vnto penance after which if they persist in their wickednes do your iustice what it wil with them I haue done with them Hereupon his diuine Maiestie let his thunder fal out of his hands his boyling anger coole and at his Mothers prayers was for that once content to pardon man Hauing then a Mother in heauen so powerful as she let vs haue recourse to her and put vs in shelter vnder her as children do vnder their Mothers when they fly their Fathers wrath and that especially when wee finde our selues most prest with ill fortune or calamity and say vnto her Sub tuum praesidium c. O mother of God and of vs wee put our selues vnder your paotection refuse vs not in our necessities nor abandon vs vnto the afflictions that threaten vs and haue a firme confidence that she wil succour you and haue pitty of your miserable estate who neuer refuses those who haue recourse to her In so much as a holy Doctour sayes If so great be the enormity of our crimes as we feare to appeare with them before Alm. God our best course were to addresse our selues to her and she infallibly wil succour vs. And S. Chrysostom in one of his Sermons sayes vnto her You haue been chosen from eternity sayes he Mother of God to the end that those whom God in iustice cannot saue should arriue by your pittiful intercession vnto saluation And with this accords wel that Vision which B. Leo had one of holy S. Francis companions in which he had a representation of the finall Iudgement day where he sawe two ladders reared vpp the one a read one reaching from earth to heauen where our B. Sauiour al in terror sate the other of white iust of the same proportion extended to the B. Virgins throne where she sate in al sweetnes and affability and he obserued that those who mounted vp by that read one did fal to groūd agayne some from the neather rounds and so vpwards euen vnto the very topp vntil Saint Francis called to them and admonished them to clime by that white one and he would assure them of better speed and he sawe that those who followed his counsel were gratiously receiued by our Lady introduced into heauen From which vision and we haue before deduced results an euidēt proofe of her motherly Care of vs and how she loues vs euer to passion procuring with extraordinary solicitud al wee stand in need of both in heauen and earth With good reason then ought we to reuerence her and haue her in honour and veneration with good reason are we to serue her affectionately and consecrat vnto her the best desires of our hart and this al lawes both diuine and humane exact of vs to witt that if she be our mother we should loue and honour her and if a loue and honour be due from vs to our parents who engender vs into this world with how much more reason is it due to her who so carefully procures our regeneration to a better life Let vs not cease then to loue reuerence this soueraigne Lady both of heauen and earth since God himselfe doth it as wel as we and according to Methodius hath a kind of obligation also to doe it she being his Mother and consequently the precept of honouring our parents hauing also reference vnto him yea and it seemes in more particular manner vnto him then vs since she was more particularly his parent then any can be ours both because he had no other on earth but her as also because she could haue no other sonne You haue good reason to reioice sayes the sayd Methodius since you haue him in a manner on the score with you to whom al mortals are indebted else And so he went still honouring her heer on earth as his deare Mother and as such was obedient to her et erat subditus illis as the holy Scripture sayes neither doth he lesse honour her now in heauen but as some deuout Doctors sayd after his glorious resurrection first saluting her with a Salue sansta Parens he iterated it at her Assumption into heauen and there seating her at his owne right hand al the Court of heauen doing reuerence to her the while he constituted her in absolut power and authority ouer the trine Empire of the Vniuerse where al bow down before her as to the daughter mother and spouse of the Alblessed Trinity the Queene of Angels Empresse of the World and most faithful Mediatrix of al Christian soules vnto her Blessed Sonne who grants al things at her request Hovv to put these reuerences in practise wherby the B. Virgin is to be honored CHAP. VII IN the precedent chapters we haue seen of what excellency and valour is the exercise of Reuerences to the B. Virgin and how acceptable vnto her it is we haue moreouer sufficiently informed our selues of the reasons which should moue vs vnto her reuerence as that she is the mother of the king of heauen her surpassing glory there and that she is of higher dignity then al the quiers of heauen that she hath al power heer on death and finally that she is our Mother and soueraigne Lady also And yet much more could alleage I alleage to moue vs to deuotion did not the feare deterr me of ingulfing my self into so wide and profoūd an Ocean Wherfore now it remaines that I treat of the Method we are to vse to put in practise this so laudable deuotion First then I say we are to endeauour by often genuflexions and inclinations of the body to honour her in which the better to actuat our selues we are to banish from vs al tepidity and drowzynes and make choice of time and place most conuenient for it and first touching the circumstance of place priuary is the cheifest thing we are to regard of time the night seemes fittest as that which is freest from distraction best composeth the mind We reade in Surius how S. Elizabeth daughter of the King of Hungary exercised herselfe with such affections in this so laudable deuotion as she appointed one of her women euery night to awake her at a certaine houre by some secret way she had when she would rise vnknowne to the Prince her husband and spend most part of the insuing night in these adorations which the Roman Breuiary makes mention of Shee rising in the nights says it from her husband and the time in prayer and genuflections At which time no doubt but the Angels reioyced to see her vertuously imployed being riche and noble by birth but far more by vertue and her true deuotion and finally her performing that on earth which the Angels account themselues happy to do in heauen Now for the number of them I wil prescribe none but leaue it to the deuotions of those who are desirous to exercise themselues therin nor the manner how it is to be done either of
bowing one knee to the ground or both of lifting vp their hands or crossing them before their breasts but let them choose that posture which likes them best and which makes most for their deuotion Only I wil speake a word or two in the commendations thereof in general as first of the facility wherewith it is don there being none so much employed or infirme who cannot with ease do somewhat in this kind either in bending the knee or bowing the head actions which are compatible with al in what estate or imployment soe'r they be Then it is a king of deuotion this of adoration of al others the most noble and acceptable to the Queene of Heauen the office of Angels and who then would not be ambitious of it to doe the same on earth which al the celestial Courtiers do in heauen and I beseech deuout persons that they would but consider how diligently and with what care your earthly Princes are serued and honoured by their followers and Courtyers which whosoeuer shal but obserue must needs blush for shame if they be not as careful and assiduous in seruing their Queene of Heauen And to incite our deuotions thereunto it would do wel to read of the diligence of Saints in this particular as namely in Surius of S. Albert how he bowed his knees a hundred times a day and fifty times prostrated himself on the ground saying each time an Aue Maria in honour of the Queene of Heauen And of S. Catherine of Sucina daughter of S. Brigit how according to the same Authour she was from her tender infancy so exercised in prayer as besides our Ladye Office which she recited euery day with the Penitential Psalmes other such deuotiōs she imploy'd her selfe fower houres euery day continually in this exercise of genuflexions vnto the B. Virgins honour accompanying it with many teares As for that which S. Iohn Damascen hath left written of Simon Stilites it doth more cause our wōder then imitation his standing on a pillar exposed vnto the rigors of winters and scorching of sōmers heate thirty fixe cubits highe situated on an eminent Mountaines topp and this continued for more then thirty yeares making a thousand and a thousand genuflexions and inclinations euery day and one of the seruants of B. Theodoret Bishopp of Cyrene obseruing him one day counted aboue a thousand two hundred and forty inclinations of his and that of those more painful ones he bowing as it were euen round in performing them So of the glorious Apostle S. Bartholomew we reade that a hundred times a day and as many by night he vsed to bend his knees which was more in one who was so perpetually and assidually imployed in preaching and conuerting of the world then a hundred times so much were in another man Wel did he vnderstand of how highe price and value with the B. Virgin these Reuerences and adorations were vnderstanding things in such an illuminatiue manner as he did or els he had neuer been so careful punctual in performing them But no wonder that the holy Saints and freinds of Alm. God haue produced such strāge effects as these left to vs so litle hope of imitating them since the diuine grace that superabounded in them the ardent fire of the holy Ghost that incessantly inflamed their harts and that height of perfection they had attained vnto al concurred vnto the rendring them actiue vigours and diligent in this holie exercise But as for vs weaklings as we are destitut of those spiritual forces which they had and that mind to apply those forces to the best if we cannot imitat them so nearly yet at least a farr off we may do somewhat in their imitation and bitter is it so to do do it deuoutly then weary our selues by enterprizing too much and so become wholy dulled and dis-animat and rather loose spirit then gayne by the excesse There is an Example concerning this taken out of the Mirrour of examples which is this A certaine Religious woman had a daily deuotion to say an hundred and fifty Aue Maries accompanying each one with a profound reuerence but she growing cold in the performance of them by reason the number seemed excessiue great was diuinely admonished in vision to diminish them to a third part vnder the condition that she should say those with greater feruour deuotion And S. Hierome to this purpose sayes it is farr better to say one Psalme deuoutly and with alacrity of spirit then the whole Psalter with negligence and tepidity Notwithstandiug supposing al be equal certainly much better it is to do more then lesse in these or any other exercises of piety since good workes ar the more meritorious stil with the more difficulty they ar perform'd and the more grateful is the doing of it to those vnto whose reuerencs it is exhibited Hovv the aptest time for the exercise of these deuotions is the particular feasts of our B. Lady CHAP. VIII THE Church euer guided by the holy Ghost hath in al tymes erected Tēples and consecrated Altars in reuerence of the sacred Queene of Heauen and hath honoured her with vowes Hymnes Canticles and Laudes and diuers other deuotions and seruices which the feare of detayning the Reader too long makes me forbeare the relation of but aboue the rest some feasts it hath commaunded to be kept wheron she is more particularly honoured Those may be diuided into two Classes the greater the lesser the greater include her Conception Natiuity Purification Annunciation and her Assumption into heauen The lesser which are not of precept her Praesentation Visitation others among which we may add the Saturday To begin then from the lowest the Saturday is dedicated by the holy Church vnto her honour namely in the Councel of Trent where it is ordained that Masses and Offices should be sayd of her on those dayes when they concurr not with any other feast Moreouer it hath been an antient custome of deuout Christians to fast that day in her honour which kind of deuotion is most acceptable vnto her as appeares by this following story S. Anselme writes of a certaine Theefe who entring once into a poore widowes house with intent to despoile her of what she had and finding her so slenderly furnished as he imagined it not worth his paines he to decline the suspition of what he came for ask't her what victuals she had whither she had broke her fast that day God forbid replied she that I should violat so my vow I haue made to the B. Virgin of fasting in her honor euery saturday why so sayd the theefe because sayd she agayne I haue heard a certaine learned preacher say that whosoeuer did it should neuer die without Confession The theefe was so strucken at the report of this as remayning a long time in consideration of his wicked life at last he started out of that melancholy posture wherin he was and setting one knee to the
ground and lifting his hands and eyes to heauen Seeing it is so O B. Vigin sayd he and that each poore thing that is don for you is so richly rewarded I heere promise and vow in imitation of this deuout seruant of yours euery saturday to fast in your honour as long as it shal please Alm. God to giue me life and health which afterwards he inuiolatly obserued but for the rest continuing stil his haunt of robbing it happened once that being ouer matched by passingers he had his head cut off and they thinking they had made him sure went on their way glorying in what they had done whē behold the head cried out Confession for the loue of God Cōfession when imagine in what affright they were vnable a long while for amazement to stirr or moue vntil at last they came vnto the next village and certified the Curat of what had hapned who running thither accompanied with many of his parishioners brought thither by Curiosity behold rhey hauing ioyned the head vnto the body he with a loue and audible voice that al might heare him sayd vnderstand al of you that I neuer did any good in al my life but only in honour of the B. Virgin fasting Saturdayes for which reason when my soule was issuing forth of my body as it was seperated from my head and the diuels ready to intercept it were al assembled behold the B. Virgin hindred them nor would she suffer it to issue forth of my body vntil by Cōfession it were expiated of its crimes and therupon hauing confest himselfe and desiring al the assistants to pray for him he exchanged this life for a happier on This day then being particularly consecrated to the honour of the B. Virgin we should do wel to add vnto our fasts this deuotion of lowly inclining and reuerencing her It being of such excellency as we haue declared before of which each one may offer vp as many as his deuotion shal suggest and time and place permit How euer for the more certainty might I prescribe them a taxed number it should be the number of the Beads to wit sixty three in honour of those yeares which according to some Doctours the B. Virgin liued vpon earth and so it were best to number them vpon their Beads performing them the while with that attention as if the B. Virgin were really present there and while they do it they may at earth one pronounce those first words of the Angelical salutation Aue Maria which some are of opinion the Angel pronounc't in actually bowing his knee and lowly reuerencing her with bowing downe his head But of this we shal speak more amply in the 11. chapter of this booke where we shal teache an apt Method of putting in practise this exercise and what I say of the Saturday may be obserued when any of her lesser feasts occurr As for the Greater feasts the greater the solemnity is with the greater deuotion we are to solemnize it wherfore it were wel if on such dayes as those we encreased to a hundred the number of those reuerences it being a number much celebrated in the holy Scripture for perfect and mysterious but I would not wishe you to performe them al at once for feare of taediousnes but to diuide them so as both morning noone afternoone euening and night may haue its parting which in the former number of sixty three I would likewise haue obserued that we may come to it with fresh deuotion and renue the memory of our B. Lady more affectionatly and often And if the feast be celebrated with an Octaue we may celebrat each day of the Octaue with this deuotion when if we begin the vigil with a hundred and ten and so continue the Octaue out we shal make compleatly vp the number of a thousand a number perfect sacred and mysterious This excellent deuotion was most frequent with S. Margaret daughter of the king of Hungary Religious of the Order of Saint Dominick who as Doctor Querin of the same Order recounteth in her life was so affectionatly deuoted to the Queene of heauen as she no sooner sawe her Image in any place but she presently kneeled downe before it reciting in her honor the Angelical salutation and on the Eues of her most solemne feasts she alwayes fasted with bread and water from which day til the conclusion of the Octaue she sayd a thousand Aue Marias at each one of which she humbly prostrated her selfe on the ground making it her greatest delight next to honouring Alm. God to honour his B. Mother Of the Feasts of our Sauiour Christ CHAP. IX VPON occasion of treating of the feasts of our B. Lady I am put in minde to speake a word of the feasts of our B. Sauiour which we are to honour aboue al the rest and with good reason for if the feasts of creatures as we haue sayd may be celebrated in their honour how much is the Creatour on his feast to be honoured Al those deuotions we may exercise on his feast which we haue taught to be exercised on the feasts of our B. Lady alwayes prouided that we reuerence him in a higher straine of Latria only proper to God himself Thou sbalt honour serue the Lord thy God c The principal feasts of our Sauiour Christ which are celebrated with their Octaues are fiue the Natiuity the three Kings adoration the Resurrection the Ascension that of Corpus Christi or the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist amongst which I place in the highest ranke that of the Natiuity because on that al the Quires in heauen descended vnto the earth to adore their King then an infant lying in the manger or in his mothers lap And so the deuout soule that exerciseth theis deuotions on that day is to frame a liuely imagination of the place imagining themselues in Bethleem and adoring amongst the rest him whom al both in heauen and earth adore The feast of the three Kings puts vs in minde of nothing but adorations since on that day they al adored our Blessed Sauiour in his Mothers lapp and in them al the nations of the world and with how much deuotion it was accompained may be gathered from this pathetical expression of it by the Euangelist Saint Mathew And entring into the house sayd he they found the infant with Mary his Mother and falling on the ground adored him The glorious Resurrection to the dignity of which al other feasts giue a kinde of pre-heminence deserueth Adoration likewise because on it our Sauiour rose againe al victorious and victory charged with the spoyles of hel while the Angels adored him reioycing at his triumph and singing in his prayses their songs of ioy And what should I say of his most glorious Ascension on which our Lord and Sauiour after his victories made his magnificent entrance into Heauen and there being seated at the right hand of his Eternal Father to whom he was euery way equal in
without pronouncing any word at al but only imagining with themselues now I honour the first Quire now the second and now the third c. Now it rests that we assigne one day of the weeke for the exercise of this Deuotion and what more proper thē that the Church hath appointed to honour the B. Angels on to witt the Tewsday Let that then be it and on that day let vs most particularly honour them those that al Preists saying Masse of the Angels for them those of the laity deuoutly hearing it c. And because Psalmody is exceeding grateful to them if it be accompanied with due attention of spirit those who are imployed in that laudable exercise are to endeauour to comport themselues with al due reuerence and deuotion imagining themselues in presence of the Angels while they are performing it I wil sing Psalmes in the presence of Angels I wil adore in his holy Temple and praise his holy name And to this accords wel that which we reade of S. Bernard in the hystory of the illustrious men of the Cistercians how he sawe the B. Angels while Te deum was sung to goe from one Quire to another encouraging the Religious to sing it with feruour and deuotion Another tyme he sawe them busily writing downe what the Religious pronounced those in golden better which were pronounced with force of spirit and from the hart those in siluer which were vttered with attention but not such feruour as the former were those in inke which proceeded from them with a litle admixture of distraction and those finally in puddle-water which were pronounced without al sense of deuotion Moued then by this example and knowing that the B. Angels are assistant at our deuotions let vs performe them with such a spirit not only worthy of the Oratory that we are in but also of the Company that is there Happy and thrice happy are they who shal so honour them since they shal be rewarded for it not only by the Angels intercessions in heauen continually for them but also by their assidual assistance of them heer from al dangers both of bodily and ghostly enemies til at last receiuing vs at the honour of our deaths they take vs out of this transitory and miserable life and tranfferr vs to a happy and eternal on Of the honour and reuerence we ovve vnto our Angel Guardian CHAP. XII AND who sees not how reasonable it is in lieu of so many benefits we receiue from them to honour and reuerence the B. Angels for it and in particular our Angel Guardian who hath the care protection of vs committed to his charge For certaine it is auerred by al learned men that excepting our B. Sauiour each man hath his peculiar Angel attending stil on him whence we may perceiue how great is the goodnes and charity of Alm. God towards man who we being such contemptible creatures as we are hath not only been contented to create the Elements for our seruice mixt bodies for our vse and finally al corporal creatures els but also hath encharged the holy Angels with our protection and defence creatures so excellent so sublime in glory wisdome and power to be our instructours in vertue and our guides to truth But if goodnes be to be admired in bestowing them vpon vs no lesse admirable is his power in creating them in such innumerable multituds that the very lowest Quire of them is sufficient to furnish with Angels guardiās not only al the men that are but al that haue been or shal be as long as the world shal last so according to the probable coniecture of the learned there being a matter now of some million million of soules in al the world not only euery one of them hath an Angel guardian but one so particularly vnto himself as he was neuer Guardian to any one before nor euer shal be to any after him God whensoeuer he creates a soule appointing a pecular Guardian that neuer in that office was imployed before And who can imagine then how many millions of millions there must be to serue for so many millions of men that haue been shal be vntil the general Iudgement day And this opinion is the more probable not only because of Gods omnipotēce which is more illustrated thereby but also of a certaine congruency on the Angels part who if they should not suffice in number to afford each one a Guardian it would follow that the number of men would exceed that of them which would argue a deficiencie in them and take from that proportion by which it is supposed that as the Archangels exceed the Angels ten to one c. so there should be ten times more of Angels then of men The necessity we stand in of their caelestial aide is great and vrgent first because our soules are spiritual and consequently spirits can best see their necessityes next because we our selues are weake and ignorant of the force and imagination of the Enemy to ensnare and ouercome vs were it not for them Who watching continually by vs obserue al their wayes and carefully meete them with preuention But heere some may obiect how can they be continually by vs when our Sauiour sayes they continually behold the face of Alm. God in whose vision consists their cheisest beatitud Angeli eorum semper vident faciem Patris mei qui in caelis est To this I answer with S. Gregory that it is true the Angels are stil in heauen euen when corporally they are employed els-where else we could not reconcile that other place of Scripture with this where it is sayed that God imployes them on his Embassages heer on earth so as while in contemplation of the heauenly essence they are stil in heauen we must grant them really the while to be on earth And to incite in vs a greater deuotion towards them I wil endeauour to summe vp the many good offices they dayly do vs which although infinit in themselues may yet be reduced to three heads The first is they deliuer vs from many euident dangers by their careful custody of vs which the holy Prophet testifies where he sayes He hath giuen his Angels charge of thee to looke to thee in al thy wayes and beare thee in their handes least thou shouldst dash thy foote against a stone And heer let each one Cal to minde how many-fold dangers they haue escaped Heer one the falling of a house vpon his head which if he had not sodainly changed his mind he had gone iust vnder it as it did fal and to whom can he attribute this change of mind but to his Angel Guardian Another being prepared to goe some voyage puts it off he knowes not why and after wards vnderstands that if hee had gone he had falne into the hands of Pirats or of theeues and this was the worke of his good Angel also with a hundred others the like Which the Patriarke Iacob acknowledged to come from his
mind Inthroned in a most glorious manner aboue al the rest as becomes the soueraine Empresse of them al al ful of glory and of Maiestie encompassed round about with innumerable Saints and Angels perpetually making Court to her and honouring her with humble reuerences amongst whom thou art to imagine they selfe and making thy first approches of adoring her without vttering any word but only fixing thy mind vpon her excellent beauty and Maiesty procuring to begett in thy mind the whilst frequent acts of affectionat loue and complacency in so much beauty and Maiesty as thou conceiu'st to be in her congratulating with her that her high dignity of being Mother of God and consequently Queene of heauen and earth Acts which if they be performed with due intention and deuotion it is impossible to imagine how grateful they wil be to her and how profitable for those who are exercised therein We haue an example of a deuout Religious woman recounted by F. Heroide Dominican who being afflicted with a greeuous malady after much paine and sufferance died thereof whose soule appearing some dayes after to the sub-Prioresse of the Conuent said amongst other discourses Know Mother that the reward which Alm. God bestowes vpon the least good work of ours is so excessiue great as if it were putt to my choice I would returne euen from the ioyes of heauen vnto the earth againe and suffer al my former afflictions only to recite one Aue Maria that returning thence againe I might acquire a new merit by it in heauen and this although I were not certaine to say it without tepidity or distraction so that I were but in grace the while and free from al mortal sinne And if this holy Religious woman would haue exposed her self to such cruel paine and sufferances only for the merit of so smal an act how great shal their merit be who exercise themselues in this deuout exercise of reuerencing her being one of the greatest most excellent seruices which a Christian can render vnto the Mother of God Hitherto we haue treated of the interior cōportment of the mind during this our actual reueencing the B. Virgin Now let vs come to the exterior of the body First we are to bow the knee in crossing our hands before our breast with a litle inclination of the head and after hauing prayed in that māner we are to rise agayne and iterat the same deuotion for the second time and so forwards as our deuotion shal instruct vs the which Adorations we likewise may performe only with bowing one knee to the ground ioyning of our hands and fixing of our thoughts on the Maiestie of the B. Virgin the while and if any through infirmity find difficulty in these inclinations they may helpe themselues by leaning or the like or only bow downe their body or make some light inclination with the head Alwayes remembring that this exteriour behauiour is not the cheifest thing we are to regard but that which is proceeding from the interiour as the words pronounc't or by the hart or mouth the whilst now saying I adore you ô sacred Mother of God repeating it as oftē as we make our reuerēces or els pronouncing these two words only of Aue Maria with which the Angel Gabriel saluted her and in that reuerent manner it is supposed which we heer prescribe to her deuout seruants to imitat so doing we shal performe that Angelical office too as wel as he nay in a manner more excellent for he saluted her but as a humble Virgin we as the Mother of God and daughter of the most holy Trinity he in the lowly house of Nazareth and we in the highe Court of heauen where she sitts maiestically enthroned and crowned Queene of the whole Vniuerse he finally while she was yet subiect to mortality and the incommodities it goes annex't withal but we now when she is aboue it participant of eternal life glory and felicity Great then is their prerogatiue who salute her so and great shal their merit bee if they do it with that due deuotion and reuerence as they ought Hov in the like manner We are to reuerence God as also the Saints in Heauen CHAP. XIV HAVING spoken of the Interiour Exteriour reuerences we are to honour the Mother with al Let vs make application of them vnto God himselfe with the soueraine honour of Latria due to his most diuine Maiestie We must then procure to reuerence him so as these exteriour deuotions may proceed from the redundancy of the Interiour to which effect be fore we put in practise the foresaid reuerences we are to fixe our interiour eyes on the Maiesty of Alm. God confidering his immense greatnes incomprehensible perfections in which we are infinitly to take complacence as in his being what he is so exceeding good so exceeding great and then we are to accompany this Interiour act of ours with most profound reuerences and inclinations bowing euen vnto the ground before that Maiesty before whose glorious Throne the Angels themselues adore in prosterning their faces on the ground And to acquit our selues the better of this deuotion we are especially euery morning when we rise as at night when we retire to rest most profoundly to reuerence this our Alm. Lord and whilst we remaine in that humble posture on our knees we are to cast the eyes of our mind with an affectionat regard on that high incomprehensible Maiestie so to begett interiour acts of Ioy and complacency of the soueraine power he hath and soueraigne goodnes accompanying it And this let vs do as often as we bow our knees in reuerencing Alm. God accompanying it stil with some interiour act of the loue of him an act which no creature in heauen and earth can truly imagine the excellency of it being an operation which God continually is exercising in himselfe to wit of ioy and complacencie in his infinit goodnes whence doth proceed the loue of it which must likewise be infinit These acts of loue then let vs endeauour to stirr vp in our selues and assure our selues that the least of them is sufficient to rayse a soule to a most highe degree of perfection As witnesseth this story extracted out of the second part of the Chronicles of the Friers Minors A certaine Religious matron beheld in vision thirty Religious of the Conuent of Paris al departing this life at once whereof fiue only were cōdemned to Purgatory the rest went al immediatly to heauen one amongst the rest had his place assigned him amongst the Seraphins She being returned from her vision and astonished thereat had recourse to the Guardian of the Friars where she liued and declared vnto him al that she had seen who like a prudent man aduised her to beseech Alm. God in continuation of his former fauour to reveale vnto her the name of him who was so highly aduanced aboue the rest therby more particularly to know the truth of the vision
she did so it was reuealed vnto her that his name was Venance here-vpon the Guardian dispatcht an Expresse to Paris to informe him of those who were lately dead in that Cōuent whose nūber being giuen him vpp he found them exactly to agree with that of the Vision and that this Venance was only a simple lay Brother amōgst the rest whose Office was to haue care of the Friars habits and mend them when they were torne which it seemes he had executed with such charity as he had merited by it that highe place in heauen Now if this good Religious man in exercising this slight and manual Office could merit so high a degree of glory those who are exercesed in this Angelical deuotion which we treat of if they do it with that attention as they ought how farr more high an one must they needs merit by it And for our encouragemenr it were good to consider how farr more profitably we may be exercised in it then the blessed Angels whose continual imployment it is for they with al that they can do can never aduāce higher by it an Angel can neuer become an Archangel an Archāgel can never sitt equal with the Thrones nor a Cherubin in fine be embraced with the fire of a Seraphin whereas we may not only accumulat merits so to rayse vs from men to Angels but euen surpasse them themselues and being eleuated higher then Principalities and Thrones become euen equal with the Seraphins and by this only exercise may al this be effected So likewise may we apply this deuotion to the honour of Dulia proper to the Saints by the only turning of the minds intention and this more particularly on the dayes wheron they are honoured and their feasts are celebrated when besides these external reuerences we are to procure to honour them from our hearts by elicit acts from thence of congratulaion for their felicities and thanksgiuing vnto Alm. God for hauing predestinated thē from al eternity to that high dignitie to which he hath promoted them to which they haue arriued by so many vertuous and meritorious wayes leauing to vs their Imitation to trace their glorious foot steps after them That day likewise we are to ascend in mind to the particular actions of their liues considering the ardent charity of this one this others profound humility and the like according as their liues shal giue occasion In conclusion this aduertisement I wil giue out of that holy Cardinal Bellarmine touching these exteriour reuerēces to wit that they are only to be distinguished whether don in the honour of Alm. God of his B. Mother of Angels or of Saints by the internal intētion of the mind and the merit and excellency of those they are directed to As for example we adore and reuerence Alm. God for the immensenes of his gratnes and Maisty for his infinit goodnes and for being both our beginning and final end We honour the Saints as those who participat of his diuine grace and celestial glory and the B. Virgin as Mother of Alm. God and surpassing in excellency of title al Creatures both in heauen and earth Conformable to this we see in holy scripture how Abraham with the same sort of veneration bowed downe both to God Angels and men indifferently honouring them according to their dignities and in this manner we are to vnderstand the holy Scripture when it occurrs to speake in any other passage of these venerations How these genuflexions may deuoutly be exercised before any Image of our B. Lady CHAP. XV. IT is an ancient Custome of the church to honour Images both of our Sauiour his B. Mother and his holy Saints nay an article of faith from Apostolical Tradition receiued as we are taught by diuers Concels This only is to be noted that while we honour them we direct not our reuerences vnto them as they are materially what they are of wood or stone c. but as they represent them whose Images they are it represents according to that ancient axiome the honour of the Image is referred to those whom it represents And this the Councel of Trent inferts where it sayes In the Images which we honour and fal downe before we adore Iesus Christ and reuerence his Saints And so the 7. Synod sayes Who adore the Images adores the soueraigne king it represents the like we may say by the Image of the Queene of heauen and it is confirmed by Origen where he sayes Who beholds any mans Image sayes he may be said to behold him whom it represents This verity then so Catholike for the better performing this holy exercise we should do wel to procure som Picture both deuout and faire before which we are to do our reuerences although of this there be no necessity I say faire for faire obiects do soonest stirr vp the affections of the mind as appeares by that example of S. Bernardine who while he was but very yong was so taken with deuotion to a certaine picture of our B. Lady more comly then the rest that he was neuer wel but when he was on his knees before it and heer it was where he layd the foundation of his sanctity which afterwards he built so high vpon as it was an admiration to the world Which manner of adoring the B. Virgin in her Images is a forcible remedy against the temptations of our infernal Enemie as this following example doth declare taken out of S. Iohn Damascen by F. Suarez of the Society of Iesus There was a deuout Religious man sayes he accustomed to worship the Mother of God in a certaine Image of hers who being one day fiercely assalted by the Enemy with a greeuous temptation as he was carefully imploying al his force for the repelling it the diuel appearing to him promised him if he would forbeare to honour that Image he would not only free him from that present temptation but neuer molest him with the like againe But the good Religious man in defiance of him fel a fresh to honour it before his face and the diuel and temptation both vanished away And a great help it would be to this deuotion to imagine the B. Virgin the while beholding vs from heauen as without al doubt she doth taking complacence in our honouring her to make the Imagination worke the liuelyer let vs frame a conceipt that if an earthly Queene should take such delight in being honoured in picture as she should place her selfe where she might behold with what alacrity and affection it were done and bountiously reward those whom she sawe most forward in their honouring it what concourse would there be by al who desired to ingratiat themselues and indeare their seruices to her Maiesty and if this for an earthly Queene would be don with such forward greedy desire how much more prompt and ready ought we to be to doe it to please gratify the Queen of heauen which while we doe deuoutly we may suppose her
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
vndergo so many tormēts afflictions in this mortal life and that man were a very monster of Ingratitud should he refuse to honour him for it Admirable truely and worthy the notice of al the world is that history which Cesarius an author worthy of credit recounts There was sayes he a yong Gentleman of a proud and hauty nature who being present once at Masse sung in the Cathedral Church whilst al at pronouncing these words Incarnatus est c. bowed downe their knees in humble reuerence he neuer offered to stirr or moue him from his seate In punishment of which irreuerence it pleased Alm. God to permit the diuel presently to appeare vnto him in a most horrible and frightful shape who giuing him a furious blow on the face sayd vnto him Poore impious man dost thou not know that the Eternal God became man for thee and art thou not ashamed then to Sitt while others kneele beare thy selfe so high for whom God stoop't so lowe and what art thou more then others or what priuiledge hast thou aboue therest vngrateful as thou art if he whom thou neglect'st so much had done but a hundred part so much for me as he hath done for thee I would not only bow downe vnto the earth vnto him but euen vnto gel it selfe For the honour which appertaines to Images hauing by the way spoken of it before I wil heer omit it and passe vnto The Reuerences We are to make in saying our Beads CHAP. XVI HAVING spoken of diuers sorts of Adorations that which we intend to speak of now humbly to incline our selues at euery Aue Maria in saying of our Beads of al others is the most excellent we may gather from the excellency it selfe of Rosary and the Angelical salutation And first for the Beads or Rosary its excellency Consists in this that it is a deuotion wholy composed of our Lords Prayer the Archangels wordes with and addition of Saint Elizabeths out of the holy Ghospel c. vnto which the holy Church hath no deuotion comparable Then for the number it consisting of 63. Aue Marias being the number of yeares the B. Virgin liued on earth it is both deuout and mysterious wherefore it were good that in saying ouer the Beads we inclined at euery Aue Maria in memory of each yeare of her B. life and each vertue in which she was exercised the while which if it be duely performed what an excellent deuotion must it necessarily bee whilst we commemorat how she liued an infant how in womans state and how al her life in euery age thereof according to the seueral decades of our Beads ' vpon euery one whilst we make deuout and humble reuerence me thinkes we exceed in deuotion euen the Angel whom we imitat for he only once saluted her but we as often as there are Beads in the Rosary and as oft as we shal say them ouer And whilst we are exercised in this deuotion what do we else but compose a Garland for our selues of the Roses and lillyes of immortal life with which after this mortal life we shal be Crowned or rather she doth it for vs to whom we offer vp this our deuotion as whilst a certaine deuout Virgin saye her Beads an Angel was obserued on a goulden thread for each Aue Maria to thread a Rose for each Pater noster a lilly which the following Miracle giues worthy credit vnto taken out of the third part of the Fr. Minors Chronicles and it is this A certaine Guardian had commanded a Nouice of his called Lewis Albanois to say euery day his Beads ouer before he eate or drunke This deuotion the good Nouice once by chance hindred by other busines did omitt which the Guardian vnderstanding instantly commanded him to performe it iust when they were then sitting downe to eate seuearely reprehending him for his negligence the Nouice obeyed and repayred vnto the Church where after he had for some good space remained the Guardian sent one of the Religious to seeke him out who going found the Nouice on his knees before the highe Altar deuoutly saying his Beads and saw an Angel clofe by him threading of roses and lillyes on a golden thread as we haue sayd before wherupon he remaining astonished at the thing the Guardian dispatch't another in search of him who hauing found him out ioyn'd with him in astonishment at so rare a spectacle In fine one in traine of another being sent and none returning thence the Guardian at last with the rest arose and al repayring to the Church were al witnesses of the Miracle In testimony of which after the Angel disappeared which was not til the Nouice had finished his take the place remaind ' for a long while as freshly sauouring of roses and lillyes as if they had growne there For diuers reasons is this deuotiō of the Beads to be exceedingly esteem'd First for that the Angelical salutation cosists of words inuented first in the consistory of the sacred Trinity and afterwards pronounced by the Archangel Gabriel one of the chiefest in heauen for which reason Albertus magnus sayes on these words Missus est c. that the Angel saluted the B. Virgin with these words Aue gratia plena hayle ful of grace not in his person but of the B. Trinity Secondly be cause they are words pronounced first by one of the highest Seraphins according to S. Gregory the great and diuers others and certainly there was a congruency in it he should be one of the highest in the Court of heauen who should be imployed from Alm. God in a busines of the highest Consequence on earth Thirdly by reason of the obiects dignity which is the B. Virgin whose soueraine greatnes and perfections are farr transcending al other Saints Fourthly because of the magnificence and respectful manner this heauenly Embassage was deliuered her by the Angel Gabriel who accompanied with multituds of Angels apparailed in a white vestment sett of with shining beames of light with countenance full of cheere and humble demeanour saluted the B. Virgin with the glorious titles of ful of grace our Lord being with her Aue gratia plena Dominus tecum c. so as with good reason the holy Scripture sayes she was troubled at the aspect of so great Maiesty and magnificence and especially at so vnaccustomed a salutation attributing so much honour to her and dignity for as Lyra wel obserues it was that and not the Angels presence she was so amazed at for they had often been present with her before but Aue gratia plena Dominus tecum she had neuer heard before and so the scripture sayes she stood musing at that salutation comparing the dignity of it with her owne vnworthines as she imagined and that high fauour with her low estate The excellency finally of this Angelical Salutation consists likewise in this that it containes al the vertues graces prerogatiues dignities and greatnesses which God hath aduantaged his
first Starr THE first starr or rather prerogatiues which our heauenly Lady is adorned with al is her Eternal and particular Predestination who before the Creation either of heauen or earth before al times was diuinely elected and predestinated vnto sanctification the plenitud of Grace and the accumulation of al heauenly guifts to the end that she adorned therwith might be the better disposed to the Cōception of the Eternal Word The holy Church makes mention of her diuine predestination in these words of the holy Scripture attributed vnto her Dominus possedit me ab initio viarum suarum the Lord hath had the possession of me from the beginning of his wayes And this other Ab initio ante saecula Creata sum c. from the beginning I was created before al times So S. Bernard discoursing with the B. Virgin vpon this point You haue ben predestinated sayes he in the Spirit of God before al creatures to the end you should ingender God himselfe This then is the first starr which crownes the B. Virgin Where we may obserue that what is future and to come to vs is present and as it were past vnto Alm. God So S. Paul speaking of the predestination of Alm. God speaks of things to come as if they were already past Those whom she hath praedestinated sayes he he hath called and iustified and glorified This B. Virgin then hauing euer been present to the eyes of Alm. God as the most endeared obiect of his loue may wel say of her selfe ab initio ante saecula creata sum And so at the first instant of the Angels creation amongst the Idaeas which they beheld as in a Christal mirrour presented vnto their eyes one of the most beautiful of al next to the humanity of our Sauiour Christ was this celestial Virgin when with what delight and delectation may we imagine them to haue contemplated her and in her the mystery of her redemption and the restauration of humane kind Where were you sayes the Wiseman when the morning starrs did prayse me and al the children of God ioyfully cried out Hauing been then in so particular a manner of predestination elected before al creatures by consequence in excellency she was to excel them al for so vndoubtedly being honoured with the greatest dignity which a creature could be capable of she likewise had as great grace and sanctity as in any Creature possibly could bee with al the other endowments requisit for one who was to be Mother of Alm. God who in preparing her vnto that dignity hath heaped vpon her more perfections and shewed greater proofes of his Omnipotence wisdome and infinit goodnes in creating her then in creating the whole Vniuerse besides and so whosoeuer had an eye so cleare and piercing to penetrat God Alm. work in her would admire it more then his worke manship in al other things beside in perfectioning of whom he hath been more exact then in whatsoeuer else The second Starr declared THE second Starr which adornes and imbellishes our dearest Lady is the prerogatiue of her sanctification or Conception in which her most pure soule when it was vnited to her body receiued no staine of original sinne at al it being endowed euen at that instant with more aboundant grace then any celestial or terrestrial creature else euen at their greatest height of sanctity for which it necessarily followes that in the wombe of her holy Mother she should haue more perfect vse of reason then any other at the ripest yeares by which she both knew loued and contemplated her God and Creatour in a more perfect manner then al the Cōgregation of Saints and Angels could together Naturally speaking it is true indeed as descēdant of Adam she should haue been subiect to original sinne as also al other miseries which follow in trayne thereof had not God with his superabondant Grace preuented her as one whom he had chosen to be his Mother from al eternity and so by an especial Priuiledge exempted from the common condition which al the rest are generally borne vnto through our first Fathers disobedience and so it was most conuenient if we consider the excellency and dignity of the Sonne of God and his B. Mother Now the manner by which was don was this At the same instant as Alm. God created the soule of the B. Virgin and infused it into her body thē newly receiuing forme in S. Anne her mothers wombe it pleased Alm. God to enriche it with his grace so as to free it from the contagion of al sinne which else naturally it had been infected with in such manner as the diuel neuer had any interest in it but to say in what aboundance it was not only exceeds my capacity and expression but that of al other creatures besides For God at that instant did not consider her as issuing from Adam a sinner and his enemy but as his Mother chosen out for the reparation of our sinnes and to bruze the head and trample on the pride of the Infernal Enemy Which being so if as they say the Empyreal Heauen be composed of so noble a substance and shine with so pure and rarified a light only because it is the medium wherein the obiect of Alm. God is seene how pure and noble must the B. Virgin haue been who was chosen to be the tabernacle where he was to inhabite and in which the eternal Word was to vnit himselfe to his holy Humanity And what a glory is this for humane one of their owne linage not only thus exempte from al original and actual sinne but also from the very instant of her natiuity to begin to lead a life ful of grace celestial and diuine What a consolation is this for poore sinners who desire to conuert them from their sinnes to haue one to ayde them who hath so gloriously triūphed ouer them what comfort to those who fight against them to haue her assistāce in the fight who formerly hath ouercome them But yet not only men but Angels themselues reioyce and glory in it to see their Queene and the mother of their king graced with so ritch so ritch endowmēt with so many graces adorned and accumulated with so many priuiledges al deriued from this her immaculat Cōception For which reason S. Vincent Ferrerius saies that at what instāt the B. Virgin was cōceiued there was vniuersal Ioy throughout the court of Heauen The declaration of the third Starr THE third Starr or prerogatiue that goes to composing the Crowne of our B. Lady is her Virginal purity with which shee was endowed by the holy Ghost at the first instant of her Immaculat Conception and if before her birth shee was so pure and holy how pure and holy must she necessarily haue been afterwards finally so pure shee was as S. Anselme sayes of her that next to God there was not to be imagined the like Theodoret sayes shee surpast in purity al the Angels in heauen treating
of these words of the Canticle There are sixtie Queenes amongst the saued soules of men sayes he shee who had the honour to bring forth Iesus Christ the Virgin Mary his mother no doubt surmounts both the Cherubins and Seraphins in purity And so holy so pure was this B. Virgin stil as shee held that strict guard ouer her affections that neuer any disordinat action came neere them neuer any vnlawful desire or repugnant to her deuoir had neuer any accesse vnto her finally neuer had she cōmitted any venial sinne as the sacred Councel of Trent obliges vs to beleeue seconded by the opinion of al the most famous Doctours of the Church And the exceeding affection she bore to this Angelical vertue as S. Anselme sayes was it which made her consecrat to God her virginity from her most tender yeares so as shee was the first Inuentrix of this rare and excellent vertue which equals men with Angels and the first who by perpetual vow hath offered vp her virginity to God and led the way which so many since haue followed so as with good reason she is stiled Virgo virginum the Virgin of virgins besides we must beleeue a rare purity was requisit in her who was to be the habitation of the holy Ghost Mother of the Eternal father sonne the light of Heauens and mirrour of al purity and perfection Besides such an affectionat loue she had to this pretious flower of Virgiginity as in her tender yeares she left parents freinds and al worldly delights to retire her selfe within the inclosure of the Temple amongst other Virgins there where she remained til the fourteenth yeare of her age the great fortunes which accrued vnto her by her father and mothers death which hapned about the eleuenth yeare thereof not being able to diuert her from her holy resolution meane while she refused al offers of mariage being at marigeable estate professing that she had consecrated her virginity to God and that she had rather suffer a thousand deaths then once in the least thought violat her vow Wherupon the Priests of the Temple suspended at the strange nes and nouelty of the thing betooke themselues to prayer and consulting the diuine Oracle how they were to comport themselues in this affayre it was reuealed vnto them they should assemble al the men of the Image of Dauid and he to whose lott she fel should haue her for his wife which being don she hauing a reuelation on the other side that such was the wil of heauen it was S. Iosephs lott to marry her who had the happines by it to be the Foster-father of Alm. God The fourth Starr declared THe fourth starr which in splendor and beauty surpasses al the rest is her being the Mother of Alm. God so great a prerogatiue according to S. Augustin that no mortal greatnes can equal it and nothing can goe beyond it but God himselfe so much it hath in it of the Infinit as S. Thomas sayes being so neerly conioyn'd with the infinit person of the Sonne of God and this dignity of hers it is sayes he that implyes in vs an obligation to adore her with a more excellent sort of Adoration then any other Saint But is it not a wondrous thing that a Virgin in the closet of her wombe should containe him whom heauen and earth and sea cannot containe who hath appointed to the Sun and Moone and starrs their seueral orders and stations which maruayles are sufficiently exprest in these three verses Quem terra pontus aethera c. Cui luna sol omnia c. Beata mater munere c. Is it not a wondrous thing the same woman should be both mother and a mayde that one should conceiue and bring forth a child without any detriment of her Virginity that she should haue a mothers faecundity ioyned with the purity of a Virgin that she should haue a sonne both in heauen in his fathers bosome and on earth in his mothers wombe together which sonne in heauen should be ingendred without mother and without father on earth These are the exclamations of the great and learned Origen on these words Cum esset desponsata c. O grace sayes he to bee admir'd O incredible sweetnes O Sacrament eneffable the same is both mother and Virgin the same both mother and seruant too and engendred one at once both God Man who hath heard of such wondrous things as these so farr Origen And so great and incomprehensible is this diuine mystery as the B. Virgin her selfe although she were most extraordinarily illuminated by the holy Ghost yet could she not comprehend when the Angels tould it her how it could be that she who was a Virgin could conceiue a child without any detriment of her virginity as appeareth by her Quomodo fiet hoc quoniam virum non cognosco c. neither could the Angel too informe her how but he remitted her to the holy Ghost Spiritus sanctus superueniet in vos for the vnderstanding of the mystery O mystery of mysteries maternal dignity to be admir'd both of Angels and men and neuer sufficiently to be vnderstood but let vs yet proceed to delineat her prayses more vnto the life When God out of the ribbs of Adam had framed Eue he waking out of his sleep sayd to himselfe this now is bone of my bone flesh of my flesh wherfore a man is to leaue both father and mother and ioyning himself to his wife to become one flesh with her Let vs apply this mystery now to our Sauiour Christ and say that in like manner the humanity of our Sauiour Christ by its vnion with God vnited humane nature so straitly with the diuinity that the B. Virgin might as properly say of our Sauiour Christ this is flesh of my flesh bone of my bone c. seeing as S. Augustin sayes the flesh of Christ was the B. Virgin flesh From whence S. Peter Damian inferrs that God not only was present to her by his vnlimited being as he is vniuersally withal nor by his grace as he is only with the Iust but in a farr more excellent manner of Identity in that that the sonne of God is her sonne also and as we haue sayd flesh of her flesh c. hauing taken from her the substance whereof his sacred body was composed a dignity in her so great as admiration must there take vp where humane discourse layes downe and with its tongue of silence only celebrat it This so streit vnion or Identity betwixt Alm. God and the B. Virgin is by the Angelical Doctor S. Thomas styled Parentela or affinity betwixt God and her which can be sayd of no other creature liuing besydes her selfe neither of man nor Angel to be naturally allyed with God like her hauing the natural sonne of God for her sonne In consideration of which S. Anselme sayes The Eternal father had not the hart to suffer that his only beloued sonn should be only his
is nothing sayes S. Herom if we consider it wel of pure splendious or of vertuous which shinnes not in the glorious Virgin most particularly Now if so large a portion of vertues fel vnto her share before she was Mother of God how must they afterwards be augmented when shed was indeed assuredly no tongue is able to expresse how infinit incomprehensible they were sayes S. Bernard the greatnesses perfections of God being infinit and incomprehensible his Mothers who conceiued him in her wombe must needs participat of the incomprehensibility infinitnes of them also Besides there was also congregated in her al moral vertues in greater measure then euer was in any one nay had an Angel come to the earth inuested in humane flesh it could not haue been more perfectly accomplished then she for proofe of which assertion I wil summ vp in a catalogue those most excellent parts of hers which are recorded to haue been in her by diuers holy men the admirablenes perfection of whose life was propos'd as a paterne for virgins to imitat by S. Ambrose in these words Neuer did she offend any sayes he though she had neuer so iust a cause but she both wished and willed wel vnto euery one and did wel them too she was reuerent towards her superiours and no way molestful to her equals she shun'd al boast al her actions were conformable to reason and she loued al vertues with her heart she neuer contristated her parents and neuer with freind or acquaintance entredinto contest she disdained not the humble derided not the simple nor thought it shame to accompany the poore there was no affectation in her behauiour nor dissolution in her gate and her words were so tēpered as the modesty which shined in them and her actions sufficiently declared her interiour sanctity and in ward vertue perfectiō of mind no otherwise then a sumptuous Portal doth the magnificence of the Pallace that is within Neuer but to the Temple did she stin abrode and then neuer but accōpanied with her father Mother kinsfolkes or the like within doores she was delighted with solitud and imployed her thought alwayes in some what of good and profitable for her soule This much S. Ambrose who hath much more besides And S. Hierom describing her Heroick vertues celestial māner of life in the Temple amongst the sacred Virgins sayes She alwaies endeauoured to be the first at Vigils of the night to be best instructed in the law of God the most humble in her demeane the most eagre in the workes of Charity the purest in purity and most perfect in al sorts of vertues and perfections she was assidual in prayer as the Prophet sayes meditated night and day in the law of God she was iealous of the honours of those she conuersed with and that without any disgust or molestation of theirs Deo gratias was her answer to al salutations and in fine her whole life was such as for prayer humility modesty solitud silence virginal bashfulnes and the like noble vertues of her sexe she was a paterne and model for al to imitat The seauenth Starr declared THe seauenth Starr nothing inferior in brightnes to the rest is her neere Communication of trust and secrecy with Alm. God so as no earthly Prince was euer more confident with Secretary or chamberlaine then he with her nor none euer more secret and faithful then she to him When he was an Infant she with incredible care and diligence attended him made him ready and vnready gaue him milke from her sacred breasts and with her virginal lipps tenderly kissed him Al which she did with such deuotion and respect as according to Albertus Magnus she never layed him to rest nor tooke him vpp but she adored him first with profound reuerence and entred so farr on the consideration of his infinit loue that made him doe what he did for vs as for the most part she fel into extasy Afterwards for the space of 30. yeares in al times in al occasions she was present to his necessityes in al his trauails miseryes and calamities both winter and summer in cold and heat raine or snow she euer willingly would accompany him neyther was he wanting on his part to correspond vnto the dearenes of her affection communicating with her the greatest secrets of his diuinity so as she neuer desired him to vnfould any hidden mystery as of the Trinity the Quires of Angels the vocation of the Gentils the vnion of the faithful with his holy Church but he did it presently if he reuealed to his disciples with such candour and promptitud the secrets of his heauēly Father I cal you no longer seruāts but freinds says he for what I haue heard frommy Father I haue declared to you much more would he do to his B. Mother we suppose And if in frequēting of his cōpany hearing of his doctrine only during his last three yeares he could render them so learned expert in the diuine mysteries how much more learned expert must she needs be who both frequented heard him for more then 30. yeares whilst he reuealed vnto her those mysteries heere on earth which the very Angels of heauen were ignorant of As Princes then vse to ennoble those with great titles of honours and dignityes whom they entrust with their persons and secrecies so not only did our Sauiour heere on earth aduance the B. Virgin to eminent dignity but much more now in heauen doth he intitle her to the highest degree of glory and excellence not ranking her with the quires of Virgins Cōfessours Martyrs Apostles Prophets nor Patriarks but to a high sublimity aboue them and aboue al the heauenly Hierarchies he hath aduāced her seating her at his owne right hand where she sits instaled Queene of heauen The Queene is at thy right hand sayes the Prophet Dauid adorned with al varieties whilst al the Blessed grant her the precedencie willingly and deferr it vnto her as their soueraine Queen Finally she rules ouer the whole Vniuerse and al the most important affaires of the B. Trinity in a manner do passe through her hands so as al the heauenly Cittizens the inhabitants of the earth the soules in Purgatory nay euen hel it selfe acknowledge he power and reuerence her for it with al humility The eighth Starr declared THE eight starr is the high Priuiledge she had of Contemplation and enioyed al her life so as from the very first instant of her sanctification in her mothers wombe according to Suarez she had the vse of reason conuerted it to the knowledge loue and contemplation of Alm. God from which nothing could diuert her euer after and he confirmes it for if this guift sayes he was bestowed on the Angels at their first Creation with greater reason may we imagine it bestowed vpon the Mother of Alm. God and Queen of them Whilest she was resident in the Temple with those other consecrated Virgins she
was still in highest contemplatiō supplicating the diuine Maiesty with the feruorous prayer oftē interrupted with amorous sighes for the Incarnation of the Messias that was to come the whilst there are graue Authours who report that the Angels daily administred her her food still entertayning her with some heauenly newes or some diuine rapts she had during those nine moneths the Incarnat Word lay couched in her sacred wombe Some times she being wholly transported from her selfe and absorpt in God at other times her soule making such sallyes forth per modum transeuntis according to some as cleerly to behold God face to face and no wonder she hauing so spacious a feild for her Contemplation to walke in euen to the third heauen and farther if it were possible as her B. sonne then actually present with her his heauenly ffathers delight and Mothers ioy who can say or so much as imagine her sweet transports through the consideration of the maruaylous excesse of that loue of his that had inclosed him in womb whom the Heauens cannot containe and held him in the restraintof a litle body who in his hand held al that is comprised in this great vniuerse ffor my part I am of opinion with SS Bernard Bonauenture and the learned Canisius that she continued whole nights rauished in contemplation of these diuine and wondrous mysteries for we may beleeue she was of a complexion and temper so excellent as she required but litle sleepe and during that litle time she slept F. Suares is of opinion that she was so inflamed with the loue of God that she often started out of her sleepe as loue is a restlesse thing and was transported by the force of loue to God the only obiect of her affections and S. Bernardin affirmes that she enioyed so supernatural a contemplation that she had the vse of it in sleepe in a farr more excellent manner then euer any Saint in waking had Howsoeuer whether waking or sleeping or howsoeuer imployed we may wel affirme with the learned Canisius that she neuer interrupted her meditations but thad al her life was but a continual exercise of extasy and contemplation whilst euery thing ministred matter to meditation she read with incredible affection the holy scripture which she vnderstood exactly wel both by her owne cleere vnderstanding as also by the light communicated vnto her from Alm. God and to her meditations a great helpe was the moderatnes and temperature of her diet which together with her solitud and silence disposed her spirit to meditation and vnion with Alm. God with whom she was so perpetually vnited as she rather seemed diuine them mortal For which reason perhaps it was that God would haue no mention made in holy Scripture neither of her father nor mother to witt that we might consider her rather a celestial creature coming from heauen then a terrestrial borne on earth Meane while the Angels that she might the more wholy attend to contemplation did dayly bring her food a miracle which we are the lesse to admire since we reade of S. Paul some what to the like effect who was one by infinit degrees inferior in sanctity and perfection vnto her And what wonder is it that she should seeme more diuine then humane when she was arriued to such a high degree of innocencye that she neuer fett into the least defect nor was euer transported so much as with the first motion of any disordination which were no wonder if as a graue Authour affirmes she were borne impeccable a quality sayes he but in a manner necessary for her who was destinat to the high honour of being the Mother of Alm. God Neither was it possible for her to be other wise considering how Alm. God tooke vpp al the lodging with in her for himselfe while she considering her owne humility on the one side and the high honour on the other to which God had aduanced her was so studious how to comply with her obligation to him for so great a benefitt as her thoughts had neuer leasure to thinke of any thing besides To say nothing of the absolut mortification of her body and exterior senses and the continual watch the Angels kept ouer her by turnes that no euil should approch her as one who was the liuing Tabernacle of the liuing God As for the diuels they fled her more then they follow others as we may wel imagine if S. Antony S. Bernard and other Saints were so formidable to them as they durst not approche their sight And for her she fled synne more then any wicked person followed it as knowing that whosoeuer sinned ipso facto felt into the disgrace of Alm. God a thing which of al other she dreaded most so as al her delight was in the exercise of vertue and sanctity of life To conclude she despised al honours of the world as knowing she was shortly to go to the possession of that supreme honour of being Queene of Heauen hauing nothing then to diuert her from it and al helps and incitements to it how could she choose but be perpetually in contemplation The Declaration of the Ninth Starr THe Ninth Starr of our B. Ladyes crowne is the Dignity she is exalted to aboue al creatures both in Heauen and earth which by proper name we may cal her Exaltation since by it she is exalted aboue the highest heauens aboue al the Orders of Saints and Hierarchies of Angels as the holy Church sings of her prayse Exaltata es sancta Dei genitrix super choros Angelorum ad Caelestia regna Neither can we admire that next vnto himself the soueraine king of glory should aduance her to the greatest he had for she being his Mother there was a kind of obligation on his part to honour her and do her al good he could since the honour which Children are bound to giue to their parents Consists not only in words and ceremonious respect but much more in effect and really doing for them Wherfore sayes Hippolytus he who hath commanded this Honora patrem matrem honour thy father and thy mother to fulfil the law which he himselfe prescribes to others would not we must suppose be wanting to his Mother in soeuer honour grace and glory he could bestow vpon her Now al the priuiledges and aduantages aboue others which the B. virgin hath are founded vpon these two principalls the first the infinit power of her B. sonn in consideration of which S. Augustin speaking of her Assumption both in soule and body sayes that God could do it and why he did it not those who denied it were to giue him a reason for it The like argument we may vse in point of the B. Virgins glory The seconc is her dignity in being the Mother of God who is infinit wherefore as the title of Sonn of God is the foundation on which we ground the excellency of the humanity of Christ so the title of Mother of God is that on which
of this world reioycing at your greatnes congratulating your glory your souerainty and the place you hold at the right hand of you B. Sonne where becoming wholy in a manner diuine and hauing nothing of mortal in you you gouerne the heauens at pleasure illuminat the Sunn rule the world trample vnder foote the pride of hel and haue dominion ouer the starrs the elements serue you the seasons obey you the Angels adore you the diuels stand in awe of you whole nations and Kings bow their knees before you and doe you honour and reuerence O Lady of heauen and earth hel your Maiesty and Empire is so great a thousand tongues cannot speake it to the ful and euen the foules of the aire the beasts of the land and the fishes of the sea do al acknowledge it at your beck the flowers spring vp plāts grow and seeds sprout forth the earth is fertilized riuers flow winds do blow the lest wil of yours can incline the destinies and order second causes whilest the first is wholy at your dispose Cast a gratious pittiful eye vpon vs poor sinners heere declare the greatnes of your power by helping vs to ouercome our selues and to obtaine remission of our sinns grace heere glory in the life to come by your prayers and merits vnto which is nothing impossible that after this miserable life we may come to enioy that happy life where we shal see our soueraine Lord in whose sight consists al our felicity The declaration of the eleuenth Starr THE eleuenth starr whose splendour not only adornes her head but the rayes of it thēce do likewise reflect on vs crown vs with a supreme felicity is her Mediation betwixt God and man one of the cheif reasōs according to the holy Doctours why God from eternity chose her for Mother that as a most powerful mediatrix her maternal prayers for sinners might moder at the rigour of the diuine iustice and occasion a reconcilement Iesus Christ says S. Bernard was sufficient it is true for our reparation from whom proceeds al that suffiseth thereunto but it was wel for vs he ioyned with him such an one as she for although as he is man he be our most faithful and powerful Aduocat Yet such dayeling beames break through his humane nature from his diuinity that we cannot looke vpon him with that confidence and though he be infinitly gratious yet being Iudge with al offenders haue smal hart to approch vnto him for which reason the B. Virgin was chosen for Aduocat and meditatrix betwixt God and man to whom there is none can feare to approch she hauing nothing in her of formidable or austere but rather being al sweetnes and benignity and abounding in al goodnes and mercy Thus S. Bernard None then how great sinners soeuer they be but may be confident of their saluation if they haue but recourse to this our sweet and pitiful Lady who being constituted the mediatrix betwixt Sinners and Almightie God most faithful performes the charge and like a true Mother of mercy stands alwayes with open armes ready to embrace those sinners who haue their refuge vnto her it is impossible they should perish if they haue but recourse vnto her as they ought if you wil beleeue S. Anselme in his Booke of the miracles of the B. Virgin O happy Mary sayes he as the sinner whom you forsake and detest cannot but perish so who converts him vnto you and you receiue and our Sauiour cannot but be saued To which concords these excellent words of S. Bernard so frequent with preachers to giue hope vnto the desperat sinner O man saye this great Doctor thou hast a sure accesse to God where the sonne beholds the mother and the father beholds the Sonne whilst the Mother shews her sonne the breasts that gaue him suck and her chast wombe the sonne to his father his wounds pierced side where so many louing signes concurr to the entertayning thee thou canst not be repelled And this cannot but be a great comfort to poore sinners that they know they haue with the Eternal Iudge such an Aduocat stil present or rather a mother indeed who is his mother also For so in the person of S. Iohn our Sauiour on the Crosse by these words Woman behold thy sonne commended her for mother vnto vs al at which time she had two sonnes on Mount Caluary both dead the one in body the other in soule one by the torments of the crosse the other by languishing of spirit of which one was her natural sonne the other only by adoption the one innocent the other culpable This in these words S. Anselme would say O shure refuge that we haue sayes he the Mother of God is our mother also and either of her children suffred death in his passion the one vpon the crosse the other by Infidelity Iudge you in what bitternes of mind the while was the B. Virgin c. And so there is no Mother would more reioyce to see her only sonne reuiued from death to life againe then the B. Virgin doth when a sinner repents and hath recourse to her and for me I am of opinion that she glories in no title more excepting that of Mother of God then of being Mother of sinners and consequētly is most glad when she may shew it most Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae sayes the holy church the very sound of whose name me thinks hath a certaine sweetnes in it that promiseth al grace and clemency In confidence of which S. Ignatius the martyr who liued in the Apostles tymes thus supplicats vnto her Receiue me then sayes he in the bosome of your maternal piety you who are the mother of the soueraine Deity true Mother of our Sauiour and of sinners by Adoption She is painted in a long vestment vnder which many are protected to signify the maternal care she hath ouer them amongst the rest the Fathers of S. Dominicks Order are pictured so vpon this occasion as S. Brigit receiued it by Reuelation S. Dominick neare his happy end thus with teares in his eyes conuerted himselfe vnto the B. Virgin and sayd Receiue O soueraine Queene receiue my brothers whom with such care I haue nourished and educated vnder the spreadīg vaile of your great mercy gouerne them and giue them such force and courage as their ancient Enemy may neuer preuayle against them To whom she answered I promise you my beloued Dominick for that you haue loued me better then your selfe to take a tender care and protection of yours to receiue both them and al those who shal embrace your Rule vnder the couert of my veyle which is my mercy the benefit of which and but demand it I refuse to none From whence we may perceiue how great her mercy is to her deuoted seruants to sinners who haue recourse vnto her and finally to al in that she is the Mother of God the Mother of grace
and mercy the mediatrix betwixt God and man one of the greatest dignityes she hath in heauen The Twelfth Starr declared THe twelfth and last Starr which diffuses ouer the world its brighter rayes is the Vniuersal honour exhibited to our B. Lady both from the Angels in heauen and men on earth al calling her Blessed in fulfilling that prophetie of hers Behold al nations shal cal me blessed and she giues the reason Because the Almighty hath done great things for me Thus this diuine Oracle of verity hath presaged of her selfe that for her gratious priuiledges and sublime dignityes heretofore declared she should be called Blessed by al the nations of the Vniuerse And so it is for there is no climat so remote no nation so barbarous no people so vncultiuat where the mother of God is not blessed and adored and her name celebrated by the tilte of the Queene of Heauen and earth The first Christian consecrated Temples and erected Altars to her honour those now make solemne vowes and institut Sodalities in her name so as there is no countrey great or litle fertile or barren where some Church or Oratory is not dedicated to her name nor any man so impious and wicked who hath not some particular deuotion to her yea the Iewes themselues according to Iosephus in his Antiquityes though mortal enemyes to the name of Christan are yet effused in her prayse and S. Bonauentur sayes this they affirme of her that though on the one side she was exceeding beautiful yet on the other she neuer stirred vpp in her beholders other then chast desires her modest and maiestick presence repelling al vnchaste thoughts and purifying their mindes with whom she was present Neyther do the Nations more Infidel Barbarous render her lesse reuerence since according to S. Antonin in the third part of his Summe the very Turkes and Moores in their Mosquees prayse and honour her and haue her name in such veneration as whosoeuer blaspheme or speake irreuerently of it they punish them most rigorously Whence we may see how vniuersally honoured she is which is the dignity represented by the Twelfth Starr with which we conclude the contexture of her glorious Crowne The faithful Christian then who would cal to memory these twelue prerogatiues of the B. Virgin or rather would crowne her with these 12. bright starrs must euery day in memory of them make twelue reuerences or inclinations which while he doth in profound silence he is to cal to mind the immensity of her greatnes in them and endeauour to produce as many Acts of complacence and congratulation with her for them according to the instructions we haue giuen heretofore There are many spiritual persons who in memory of those 12. starrs vse to recite twelue times the Aue Maria saluting her as often in that manner as the B. Archangel S. Gabriel did I would counsel also to do these reuerences with more deuotion and to stirr vp our affection more to the seruice of the B. Virgin that at euery reuerence they would expresse by word of mouth her seueral dignities and prerogatiues which for that purpose I haue breifly heere expressed 1. I reuerence and adore you O blessed Mary the most illustrious Daughter of the soueraine and eternal Emperour 2. I reuerence and adore you the celestial Spouse of the holy Ghost 3. I reuerence and adore you the glorious Mother of the Incarnat Word 4. I reuerence and adore you Mother of the Omnipotent God 5. I reuerence and adore you both Daughter Spouse and Mother of the holy Trinity 6. I reuerence and adore you who are highly seated in a Throne of glory aboue al the Hierarchies of Heauen 7. I reuerence and adore you Treasurer of al the riches and graces of the Diuinity 8. I reuerence and adore you most glorious Queen of Heauen 9. I reuerence and adore you most worthy Lady of the Angels 10. I reuerence and adore you Empresse of al the Vniuerse 11. I reuerence and adore you our most pittiful Mother and faithful Aduocat 12. I reuerence and adore you whom al Kings and Monarkes of the earth do reuerence and whom al heauenly Courtiers adore Another sort of Adoration which for the greater variety of the deuout seruants of the B Virgin I haue heere annext 1. I Reuerence and adore you O B. Virgin Mary with al the Angels of heauen 2. I reuerence and adore you with al the Archangels 3. I reuerence and adore you with al the Vertues 4. I reuerence and adore you with al the Principalities 5. I reuerence and adore you with al the Powers 6. I reuerence and adore you with al the Dominations 7. I reuerence and adore you with al the Thrones 8. I reuerence and adore you with al the Cherubins 9. I reuerence and adore you with al the Seraphins 10. I reuerence and adore you O B. Virgin Mary with al the Nations of the world 11. I reuerence and adore you with al the faithful departed soules 12. I reuerence and adore you with al Creatures of Heauen earth and depts below These 12. reuerences the zealous honourer of the B. Virgin is to make with great resentment and reflexion of mind because of the profound mysteries contained in them And by so doing he shal adorne the head of the B. Virgin a more grateful Crowne of these 12. Starrs then if it were al composed of 12. of the richest Iewels in the world nay of 12. of the most radiant Starrs in heauen Touching the acts of complacence which we formerly mentioned I haue heere sett downe a forme of them which each one may exercise according to their deuotion Twelue Reuerences correspondent to the Blessed Virgins 12. prerogatiues 1. O Blessed Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for your being predestinat from al eternity to be Mother of our Sauiour Christ and the liuing Sanctuary of the holy Ghost 2. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for being conceiued without al spott of original sinne in such manner as you out-shine in purity splendor the very Angels themselues 3. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for your being the first in consecrating your Virginity to God which so many Virgins haue imitated since 4. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for being Mother of the Omnipotent the highest honour which you haue in heauen and on which al your dignity depends 5. O B. Virgin c. for the holy Ghosts illuminating you in so excellent a manner at the holy Incarnation of the Sonne of God 6. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for your being so replenished with diuine grace endowed with al rare vertue and perfection 7. O B. Virgin c. for your dignity of being of nearest trust and secrecy with the soueraine Monarke both of heauen and earth 8. O B. Virgin c. for that high priuiledge of yours to haue perpetual fruition of
the wisdome of Alm. God 9. O B. Virgin c. for your being so highly seated in an eminent Throne aboue al the Quires of Angels 10. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for the great power and authority you haue ouer al the Vniuerse and for that both heauen earth the depts below obey your Commendements 11. O B. Virgin c. and with our selues for your being our reful affectionat Mother and like a faithful Aduocat procuring euery way our greater good and aduancement 12. O B. Virgin c. finally for that al the world honours and adores your name celebrats your prayses and prayses your graces merits perfections And this deuotion of taking complacence in the B. Virgins perfections and dignityes is souerainly grateful vnto her as was manifest to S. Brigit in her Reuelations vpon this occasion Her sonne being a braue and noble spirit dying in the holy warrs she anxious for his soule besought the B. Virgin to reueale vnto her in what estate it was when behold when she was in the greatest feruour of her deuotion the B. Virgin appeared vnto her and comforted her in this sort my deare daughter sayd she be no longer solicitous for your sonne for I haue taken care of his saluation in visiting him before his decease and rendring his hart inaccessible to al sorts of temptations and so as no doubt of faith could bow it from the rectitud it was in nay more I made the passage of death both sweet and easy for him to the end the feare and terrour of it might not transport him either to impatience or despaire So I cleared his chamber of those diuels assembled there to lay snares for his soule and intrapp it at its departure thence and at the instant of his soule and bodyes separation I took it in my ne aryues vnder the protectiō of which I caryed it safe away from its infernal enemyes And the reason of this tēdernes of hers she declared in another reuelation when one day the holy Saint making her prayers at the Sepulcher of Christ was rauisht in extasy into a sumptuous Pallace where she beheld our Sauiour Christ on an Imperial Throne and his B. Mother seated by his side with an infinity of Angels incircling them about Presently after she beheld her sonne present al trembling in great dismay before this Throne to receiue his Iudgement there his Angel Guardian on his right hand and the diuel on his left who with a horrible voyce thus cryed out most omnipotent Iudge I appeale to you for Iustice and right of the greatest iniury that was euer offered me your Mother against al equity hath rauisht that wicked soule out of my hands entring his chamber at the houre of his death and excluding me and my company hath debarred me of that priuiledge which you haue granted me to tempt euery soule at the article of tyme when it wil best be testified whether they belong to me or you then which greater iniustice can there be imagined To this the B. Virgin answered though thou art the father of lyes yet in this thou hast but declared the truth I haue don al this indeed and my reason for it was this This soule while it was couuersant in the world was so deuoted to me as it reioyced and tooke complacency in my dignity of being Mother of Alm. God and at my exaltation aboue al the quires of heauen the pleasure of which it would not haue exchanged for al the contentments and pleasures of the world Iudge then if I had not iust reason to do what I did O but replyed the diuel al this cannot excuse it from an Iniury to me your debarring me accesse to tempt him as also your receiuing his departing soule and conueying it hither which cheifly belongs to me when conuerting himself vnto the Iudge he sayed of you then I demand iustice who ought to be as equitable as you are powerful against this wicked soule heer who being arriued vnto the yeares of discretion in steed of taking the right hand way of your commandements went on the left in his transgressing them wherefore I demand but Iustice that he be condemned and heer he insisted in particularising his mortal and venial sins at this his good Angel interposed himselfe saying thou wicked feind al this is but true I grant what thou hast sayd but knowest thou not that his holy Mothers prayers incessantly offered vp vnto Alm. God for him haue cancelled these and obtayned for him a true contrition and sacramental absolution for them before he dyed besides her and his many other holy workes don in satisfaction of them how then canst thou haue the impudence to vrge them any more goe home and keepe company with damned soules looke not after him for he is a saued one At this the diuel vanished away And by this we may see the benefit of being deuoted to the B. Virgin of the prayers of others for them and of dying in a good estate prepared vnto it by true contrition and Confession An excellent way of adoring the B. Virgin in remembring the ioyes vvhich she had heere CHAP. XX. THE common opinion is that the B. Virgin had in this world seauen ioyful times in particular The first was at her Annunciation The second the Visitation of S. Elizabeth The third the glorious Natiuity of our Sauiour Christ The fourth the Adoration of the three Kings The fifth at the finding of her B. sonne in the Temple The sixth at our B. Sauiours apparition to her after his most glorious Resurrection The seuenth her happy decease and glorious Assumption into Heauen Now her deuout seruants may dayly administer her matter of fresh Ioy by calling these vnto remembrance and occasion to themselues a great increase of merit and glory The Angel Gabriels salutation to her of Aue c. was no other then an Inuitation to reioyce according to the interpretation of Origen so the holy Church sings her Antiphon Gaude virgo gloriosa c. and in other Regind caeli laetare c. and bids her reioice and be glad and in a third Gaude laetare Virgo Maria. Let vs then announce vnto her Ioy by commemorating those her seauen Ioyful mysteries in this following Method making at each one of them a low reuerence 1. Reioyce O B. Mary for that vpon the salutation of the heauenly messinger you concerued in your sacred wombe your sonne to the incredible consolation of your soule 2. Reioyce O B. Mary for that you burning with diuine loue and incited by the holy Ghost ouercome the toyle and labour of passing ouer the high mountaines of Iury and visited your cosen Elizabeth where you heard her vttering your celestial praises and magnifyed in spirit your Lord and Sauiour 3. Reioyce O B. Mary for that at the end of nine moneths you brought forth into the world the so long expected Messias bright as the sun of heauen while al the