the Auncients Tâ—isagion these words may be sayd drawne from the Liturgy of S. Iames S. Chrysostome To thee the Creatour of all Creatures visible inuisible To thee the Treasure of eâ—ernal blessingâ— To thee the fountaine of life immortality To thee the absolute Mayster of the whole world be the praise honour and worship yielded which thou deseruest Let the Sunne the Moone the Quire of Starres the Ayre the Earth the Sea all that is in the Celestiall Elementary world blesse thee Let thy Hierusalem thy Church from the first birth therof already enrolled in heauen glorify thee Let so many chosen soules of Apostles Martyrs and Prophets Let Angels Archangels Thrones Dominations Principalityes Powers and Vertues Let the dreadfull Cherubins Seraphins perpetually sing the hymne of thy triumphs Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hoasts Heauen and Earth are filled with the glory Saue vs thou who doest inhabite Heauen which is the Pallace of thy Maiesty After Consecration at the Adoration of the Hoast Saint Thomas sayd MY Lord Iesus thou art the Sonne of the Eternall Father It is thou who to redeeme the world hast cloathed thy selfe with our flesh in the wombe of a Virgin It is thou who hauing ouercome the Agonies of death openedst heauen to vs. It is thou who sittest at the right hand of the Eternal Father who shalt iudge the liuing and the dead My God help thy seruants whome thou hast Redeemed with thy most precious bloud Hauing adored the Hoast say this Prayer of S. Bernard in his Meditations vpon the Passion O HeaueÌ„ly Father Behold from thy Sanctuary and Throne of thy glory this venerable Hoast which is offered to thee by our Bishop lesus thy most innocent and sacred Son for the sinnes of his Brethren and mollify thy hart vpon the multitude of our offences and miseryes Behold the voice of the bloud of this most innocent LaÌ„be which cryeth out to thee and himselfe all crowned with glory and honour standeth before thee at the right hand of thy Maiesty Looke O my God on the face of thy Messias who hath been obedient to thee euen to death and let not his sacred wounds be euer farre distant froÌ„ thine eyes no more then the remembrance of the satisfaction he presented to thee for the remedy of our crimes O Let all tongues prayse blesse thee in remembrance of the super-aboundance of thy bounty thou who hast deliuered thine only Sonne ouer to death vpon earth to make him our most faithfull Aduocate in Heauen FOR PETITION At our Lords prayer when you haue sayd it repeate these words of the Liturgy heere before alleadged MY God be mindfull of all Pastours and faithfull People who reside in all Regions of the habitable world in vnion of the Catholicke Faith preserue them in thy holy peace Good God saue our most Gracious King and his whole Kingdome lift vp the prayers which we offer to thy liuing Image vpon thine Altars My God Eternall remember those who trauell by Sea or Land and are exposed to so many dreadfull daungers Remember so many poore Pilgrimes Prisoners Exiles who sigh vnder the miseries of the world My God remember the sicke and al those who are in any discomfort of mind Remember so many poore soules toyled out with acerbities who implore thyne assistance Remember also the conuersion of so many Heretiques Sinners and Infidels whome thou hast created to thyne owne image My God remember our friends benefactors take this great sacrifice for the liuing and the dead and so do that all may tast the effect of thy mercyes dissipate scandals warres and Heresies and affoard vs thy peace and Charity And at the end of Masse MY God powre downe thy graces vpon vs direct our steps in thy paths fortify vs in thy freare confirme vs in thy friendship and in the end giue vs the inheritance of thy children It is also very expedient to haue your deuotions ordered for euery day of the weeke SECT XIX Deuotions directed for the dayes of the weeke IF you desire this distinction of dayes I tell you that some dedicate Sunday to the most holy Trinity Munday to the comfort of faythfull soules which are departed into the other world Tuesday to the memory of Angels Wednesday to that of the Apostles of al Saints Thursday to the veneration of the Sacrament of the Altar Friday to the mystery of the passion and Saturday to the honour of our Blessed Lady Others employ their remembrance to be particuler for euery day as for SuÌ„day the glory of Paradise Munday the iudgmeÌ„t-day Tuesday the blessinges of God Wednesday death Thursday the paynes of Hell Friday the passion Saturday the vertues of our Lady as heeretofore It is the Counsell of S. Bonauenture in his lesser workes We deriue also a singular practise of deuotion for euery day of the weeke froÌ„ the Hymnes of S. Ambrose which the Church for euer makes vse of For from thence we learne to thank God for euery worke of creation and to make the greater world correspond with the lesse Sunday which is the day wherin the light was created we should render thanks to God that he hath produced this temporall light which is the smiling of heauen the ioy of the world distending it as a piece of cloath of gold ouer the face of the ayre earth enkindling it as a torch to behold his workes by From thence penetrating further we will giue him thankes that he hath afforded vs his sonne called by the holy Fathers the Day-bringer to communicate vnto vs this great light of sayth which is as sayth Saint Bernard A copy of the Eternity we will humbly beseech him this light may neuer be Eclypsed in our vnderstandings but may daily replenish vs with more more knowledge of his holy will And for this purpose we must heare the word of God and be present at diuine Seruice with all feruor and purity Carefully preserue your selfe froÌ„ pollution through any disorder on the day which God hath reserued to himselfe and from giuing to DagoÌ„ the first fruits of the weeke which you should offer vp at the feet of the Arke of Couenant Monday which is the day wherein the Firmament was created to separate the waters the Celestiall from the inferior and terrestriall waters we shal represent vnto our selues that God hath giuen reason vnto vs as a firmament to separate diuine cogitations from animal and we will pray vnto him to mortify in vs anger and concupiscence and grant vs a perfect maistery ouer all the passions which oppose the law Eternall Tuesday the day wherin the waters which before couered the whole element of the Earth were ranked in their places the earth appeared to become the mansion nurse tombe of man we shall figure vnto our selues the great worke of the iustification of the world made by the Word Incarnate when it had raysed vp a huge masse of obstacles as well
Vespasians gate and finding him awake coniectured thereupon that he was worthy to commaund an Empire and sayd to him who bare him company 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vndoubâ—edly this man will be Emperour since he is so watchfull All that which you are to dispose the day vnto is diuided into foure parts Deuotion Practise of vertues Affaires and Recreation Deuotion should carry the Torch open the gate vnto all our actions Make account at your awaking to giue all the first fruits of your facultyes of your senses and your functions to the diuine Maiesty Let the memory instaÌ„tly remember it selfe that it must doe the worke of God Let the vnderstaÌ„ding cast a coÌ„sideration vpon its Creatour like a flash of lightning Let the Will bâ— enkindled with his loue Let the hart shoot forth some fiery shafts some desires some affectioÌ„s wholy celestial Let the mouth and tongue indeauour to pronouÌ„ce some vocal prayer to the most holy Trinity Let the handes figure on the forehead and breast the signe of the Crosse since they are lifted vp to heauen Let the armes feet shake off the sluggishnesse of sleep as S. Peter did the chaynes at the voyce of the Angell Behold a good beginning how to offer ones self to God The haire was pulled from the victime and put into the fire before it was sacrificed so must you draw away at your awaking those slighter actions to giue beginning to your sacrifice SECT III. Fiue singular Actions to begin the Day THis Action ought to serue as a preparatiue for another deuotion much longer and more serious which you are to make in your Closet at your comming out of bed If you haue so great a pompe of attires to put on that you must employ some notable tyme to cloth your selfe it is a miserable seruitude do not thinke this is the way to render your Tribute to God but attire your selfe correspondently so much as is necessary for decency and health Then bending your knees performe fiue things Adoration Thanksgiuing Oblation Contrition and Petition I will heere trace out vnto you the manner how to frame these actions which you may read at tymes I will add examples and formes partly drawne out of Scripture and fit to be daily repeated SECT IV. Of Adoration the first act of Deuotion YOu are to note that Prayse is one thing honour another reuerence a third adoration a fourth Prayse properly consisteth in wordes Honour in exteriour signes Reuerence in interiour respect but Adoration considered in its extent comprehendeth all those acts with much more eminency For Adoration is an act of ReligioÌ„ wherby we doe homage to the soueraignty of God with a low submission which is not in that degree communicable to any creature This Act is formed and composed of foure thinges which be as it were its elements The first is a stroÌ„g imaginatioÌ„ of the greatnes and excellencies of God The second a consideration of our abiectnesse coÌ„pared to this great Maiesty The third a flaming act of the will which vpon this thought is wholy powred out into reuerence And the fourth an exteriour refleâ—â—on from the mouth and postures of the body which witnesse the ressentment of our hart The Soule then to discharge her selfe in this act of Adoration first conceaueth God great terrible replenished with Maiesty she conceaueth him as a sea infinite in essence bounty beatitude which encloseth with in it selfe all being al goodnes all truth and not only encloseth but from al eternity preuenteth it with an eminency incomparable She beholdeth the wholâ— world in the immensity of God as a Sponge would be in the middest of the OceaÌ„ an Atome in the Ayre and a little Globe of glasse enchased in the primum Mobile She knoweth God as the foundation of all possible thinges the essence superessentiall of all thinges which are and are not without which nothing subsists eyther in act or power nor hath it any haÌ„dle whereby the vnderstanding may lay hold of to haue the knowledgâ— thereof She figureth God vnto herselfe as the beginning and end of all things the Creator the Founder the Basis the Support the Place the Continuance the Terme the Order the Band the Concord the Consummation of all creatures retayning in it selfe all the good of Angells of men and vniuersal nature which hath all the glory all the dignityes all the riches all the treasures all the ioyes al the blessinges as very well Lessius explicateth in his treatise of Infiâ—ity This soule not content leasurely walketh in these fourteen Abbysses of greatnesse which are in God to wit Infinity Immâ—nsity Immutability Eternity Omnipotency Wisedome Perfection Sanctity Benignity Power Prouidence Mercy lustice the End whereunto all things tend She first considereth euery perfection absolutly then by comparison and applicatioÌ„ making a circle about her selfe comparing this Infinity of God to her nothing this Immensity to her littlenesse this Immutability to her inconstancy this Eternity to the shortnes of her temporall life this Omnipotency to her weaknesse this Wisedome to her ignorance this Perfection to her defects this Sanctity to her vices this Benignity to her ingratitude this Power to her pouerty this Prouidence to her stupidity this Mercy to her obstinacy this Iustice to her iniquity this End whereunto all thinges incline in great dependenciâ—s which spring from her infirmityes It abydeth there wholy rauished in God as a small Ant would be in the Sun and not vnlike Aristotle who as it is sayd being not able to vnderstand the floud and ebbe of an arme of the Sea threw himselfe into it so she likewise ingulfeth her selfe in so many wonders not willing any longer to measure her loue by the ell of her knowledge She is entraunced in this great labyrinth of Miracles much more then the Queen of Saba in the pallace of Salomon and necessarily she must in the end breake out into an exteriour act and say My God and my All the God of myhart my portion and myne inheritance for all eternity SECT 5. Example of Adoration PVrsuing this course you shall worship God prostrate on the earth resounding as a small string of the great Harpe of the world offering the whole vniuâ—rse to the Creatour as a votiue Table hung vp on his altar entirely resigning yourselfe to his will To this act agreoth well the Hymne of the three Children in the Fornace who called all creatnres as by a list-rolle to the prayses of God or els take the forme which the Angels Saints vsed in adoring this soueraigne Maiesty Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hoastes who hast beene who art and shalt come thou art worthv O Lord our God to receaue as a tribut all glory al honour all vertue for thou art the Creatour absolute master of all things It is thou who hast created both heauen earth with all their ornaments thou who bindest the Sea by thyne omnipotent word thou who signest the Abisses with the
in the best sense to handle affaires with sincerity to leaue multiplicity of employments and vndertakinges Of Perseuerance Perseuerance is a constancy in good workes to the end through an affection to pursue goodnesse and vertue The actes thereof are stability in good repose in your ministeries offices ordinary employments constancy in good enterprises flight from innouations to walke with God to fixe your thoughts desires on him neyther to giue way to acerbityes nor sweetnes which may diuert vs from our good purposes Of Charity towardes God and our Neighbour Charity the true Queene of Vertues consisteth in the loue of God our neighbour the loue of God appeareth much in the zeale we haue of his glory the acts thereof are to imbrace abiect painefull things so that they aduance the safety of a Neighbour to offer vnto God for him the cares of your mind the prayers of your hart the macerations of your flesh to make no acception of persons in the exercise of charges to let your vertue be exemplar to giue what you haue and what you are for the good of soules and the glory of God to beare patiently the incommodityes and disturbances which happen in the performance of duty not to be discoraged in the successes of labours improsperous to pray feruently for the saluation of soules to assist theÌ„ in matters both spirituall and temporal according to your power to root out vice plant vertue and good manners in all who depend on you Of Charity in Conuersation Charity in ordinary life coÌ„sisteth in taking in good part the opinions wordes and actions of our equalls to slaunder no man nor despâ—se any to honour euery one according to his degree to become affable to all the world to make your selfe helpfull to suffer with the afflicted to take part in the good successes of those who are in prosperity to carry the harts of others in your own bosome to haue more good deeds then specious complements to be diligently imployed in the workes of mercy The deuout S. Bonauenture deciphereth vnto vs certaine degrees of vertue very considerable for practise whereof you may heere pattly see the words It is a high degree in the vertue of Religion perpetually to extirpate somâ— imperfection and much higher also to increase in vertue and most eminenâ— to be insatiable in matter of good workes and neuer thinke to haue done any thing In the vertue of Truth it is a high degree to be true in all your words much higher also to defend truth stoutly and most elate to defend it to the great preiudice of those thinges which are dearest to you in the world In the vertue of PrudeÌ„ce it is a high degree to know God by his creatures and much higher also to know him by the Scriptures but most of all to contemplate him with the eye of Fayth It is a high degree to know your selfe well and much higher to gouerne your selfe well to know how to take a good ayme in all affayres but most eminent readily to manage the saluation of your soule In the vertue of Humility it is a high degree freely to coÌ„fesse your faults much higher to bow vnder greatnesse as a Tree surcharged with fruit a most clate degree couragiously to seek out humiliations abasements so to become conforme to the life of our Sauiour It is a high degree as saith an auncient Axiome to despise the world and much higher to despise no man and most elate to despise ones selfe but yet more superemineÌ„t to despise despite In these foure wordes you haue the whole latitude of Humility In Pouerty it is a high degree to forsake temâ—â—â—all goods and much higâ—â—â— also to forgo sensuaâ—â—â—mâ—es and most eâ—ate to make a diuorce from your selfe In Chastity it is a high degree to restrayne the tongue more to guard all the senses more to preserue the purity of body more to make a separation froÌ„ worldly vanityes but most high to banish Pride and Anger which haue some affinity with Vncleanesse In Obedience it is a high degree to obey the Law of God and much higher to submit ones selfe to the coÌ„mands of a man for the honour you beare to the soueraygne Mayster and much higher to submit your selfe with an entire resignation of opinion iudgement affection will but most of all to obey in matters difficult gladly couragiously and constantly euen to death In Patience it is a high degree willingly to suffer in your Goods in your Neighbour in your good name in your person for expiâ—tion of your sinnes much higher also to tolerate the asperities of an enemy or of an vngratefull man you being innocent but most elate to beare Crosses and afflictions to imbrace them as liueryes of Iesus Christ In Mercy it is a high degree to giue teÌ„poral things more high to pardon imuryes most high to oblige those who persecute vs. It is a high degree to pitty all the persecutions of body and more high to be zealous for soules and most eminent to compassionate the torments of our Sauiour in the memory of his Passion In the Vertue of Fortitude it is a high degree to conquer the world much higher to subdue the flesh most elate to vanquish ones selfe In temperaÌ„ce it is a high degree well to dispose of eating drinking sleeping watching game recreation the tongue wordes all gestures of the body a much higher degree well to gouerne affections but most of all wholy to purify your thoughts and imaginations In iustice it is a high degree to giue vnto your neighbour what belongeth to him a much higher degree to aske a reason of your selfe but most of all to offer vp to God all satisfaction which is due to him In the vertue of Fayth it is a high degree to be well instructed in all you should belieue and much higher to belieue it simply and religioufly more high also to professe it by your good works but most high to confirme it by the lâ—sse of goods life when there is need In the vertue of Hope it is a high degree to haue good apprâ—heÌ„sioÌ„s of the power of God more high to recommend al your affaires to his holy prouideÌ„ce more high to pray to him and serue him with feruour purity without intermission but most high to confide in him in our most desperate affaires Finally for the vertue of Charity which is the accomplishment of all other you must know there are three sortes of them The first is the Charity beginning The second the more confirmed The third the perfect Charity beginning hath fiue degrees 1. Distast of passed crimes 2. Good purpose of amendment 3 Rellish of the word of God 4. ProÌ„ptnesse to good works 5. Compassion of anothers ill and ioy at his prosperitie Charity more confirmed hath fiue other degrees The first is a great purity of Conscience which is purged by a very frequent examen 2. The weakening of Concupiscence 3. Vigorous