sinne and sinne when it is consummate that is when our mind doth deliberatly fully and perfectly yeld to the committing or liking of the act or motioÌ„ whereunto the saied concupisceÌ„ce doth moue or incite vs ingendreth death And therefore our blessed Sauiour did warne his beloued disciples and in them all others to watch and praie that they might not enter into this sort of tention saying VVatch yee and praie that Math. 26. yee enter not into tentation The Spirit indeed is prompt but the flesh weake Yet God almightie tempteth his elect with the temptation of probation or triall which is ordained to the good or benefit of them that are tempted of which sort was that where God is saied to haue tempted Abraham and in the Gen. 22 Sap. 3. booke of VVisdome where God is saied to haue tempted the iust and to haue found them worthy of himself And this he doth not that he himself by such triall maie come to know any thing concerning them which he doth not know already for the beloued Disciple of ouâ— Lord affirmeth of him that He know all and that It was not needfull for him Ioh. 2. that any should giue testimony of man for he knew what was in man and the Prophet Dauid saieth God knoweth the Psal 4. secrets of the heart But he doth it First that they maie be purified according to that of holy Iob He hath proued me as Iob 23. gold that passeth through the fire Secondly that it maie appeare how they loue him according to that of Deuteromomie The Deut. 13 Lord your God tempteth you that it maie appeare whether you loue him or no with all your heart and with all your soule Thirdly that he maie make knowne their sanctitie to others Lastly that they maie know themselues the better We doe not therefore desire that we maie not be lead into this temptation because it moueth vs not directly to sinne as alsoe for that we are taught by the holy Apostles to reioyce when such temptations happen vnto vs. You shall reioyce saieth S. Peter Ep. 1 c. 1 à litle now if you must be made heauy in diuers â—smptations c. And S. Iames saieth Esteeme it all ioy when you shall fall unto diuers Iaco. 1. tentations c. But we praie that God almightie will graunt vs the grace of patience and constancie that we maie make good vse of it But as concerning the other tentâ—tion which commetâ— from the enimies of our soule vdzt the deuill the world and the flesh we praie thereby that although it be induced into vs by impâ—gnation that is although it take hold of vs mouing vs internally to euill that we maie not be induced into it by consent that is that we maie not be soe cunningly iâ—ueigled and soe forcibly incited that we shall be drawne to yeeld thereunto By these words therefore Lead vs not into tentation we desire that God will not permit vs to be tempted aboue our strength nor leaue vs destitute of his assisting grace but will graunt vs fortitude to resist and make alsoe with tentation issue or fruitâ— that we maie be able to sustaine it to his honoâ— and glory and the benefit of our soules Iob was tempted but could not be induced to speake any thing foolishly against God and Ioseph was alsoe tempted as we read in Genesâ—s but neither of them can Genes 39. properly be saied to haue been lead into tentation because they gaue not consent to what was suggested Snarez affirmeth li. de eratione vocali c. 8. that neither the deuill hath power to lead vs into tentation neither can we consent vnto him farther then God almightie is pleased to permit Wherefore saieth he we aske that God almightie will not permit this to be done in vs noâ— by vs God is saied to lead vs into tentation when by subtracting his assisting grace he permitteth vs to be lead In which manner he is saied to haue hardned the heart of Pharao not that he did indeed harden his heart but rather Pharao hardned his owne hearâ— by neglecting to concurre with that suffâ—â—iency of grace which God had bestowed on him and refusing to let the children of Israel depart after so many admonitioâ—s And therefore our Lord left him to himself as likewise the children of Israel afterwards when they refused to heare his voice as the Prophet â—â—uid recounteth Psal 80 And my people heard not my voice and Israel attended not to me and I let them alonè accordiâ—g to the desires of their heart they shall goe in their owne inuentions For the more full and cleare vnderstanding of this petition and of all that hath been saied of it you must know that we can doe nothing that is good of ourselues but all by the help and assistance of Gods grace as it is written VVithout me you can doe Ioh. 15. 1. ad Cor. 12. nothing and in another place No man can saie Our Lord Iesus but in the Holie Ghost By these words therefore Lead vs not into tentation wee demaund that we maie neither be denied his grace and helpe nor suffered to abuse our libertiâ— by reiecting such wholsome inspirationâ—â—nd motions as he shall please to graunt vs. But deliuer vs from all euill SOme there are who thinke that the word But doth shew that this Petition is not different from the former but is rather an explication thereof Collat. 9. Of which opinion Cassian doth seeme to be where he expoundeth these words But deliuer vs c That is saieth he Suffer vs not to be tempted by the deuill aboue our strength or abilitie to make resistance Yet the common opinion is tâ—â—t therâ— are seauen Petitions contained in this praier which Snarez doth learnedly proue in the Chapter aforesaied where he distinguisheth this Petition from the Siâ—t Petition as followeth In the Sixt saieth he we praie that we maie not be permitted to be tempted but in the Seauenth that if we be permitted to be tempted that we maie be deliuered from the euill thereof that is from consenting thereunto S. Bonauenture in his explicatioÌ„ vpon this praier saieth That in the 5. Petition we aske to be deliuered from euills past in the 6. from euills to come and in the 7. from all present euills Amen THat is let it be done This word neither the Greeke nor Latin interpreter hath translated for the reuerence thereof because our Sauiour vsed it soe frequently It is à fruitfull signet of praier procuring recollection of the mind for by saying Amen the mind is born breefly to all before recited and the affection of impetrating is renewed and soe the praier is ended with feruour and hath à more full effect S. Thomas of Aquine affirmeth that 2. 2. q. 89 à 9. in Cor. this praier is the most perfect of all others which he proueth out of the 121. Epist of S. Augustine to Probus in the 12. Chapter where
stealth but our Lord made vs wherefore we are the people of his pasture and sheepe of his hands which he of his ineffable goodnes hath vouchsafed to make vnto himselfe Our Sauiour saieth My sheepe heare my Ioh. 10. voice If therefore you will be his sheepe To daie that is euery daie whilest it is saied to daie for the daie here mentioned shall endure vntill tyme shall cease If you shall heare his voice that is come to know his will either by the lawfull preachers of his holie word or by reading the holie Scriptures or the writings of the holie Fathers or by his interiour motion or otherwise in what manner soeuer he shall please to manifest his will vnto you Doe not harden your hearts be not disobedient to his gracious inuitation and call but receiue it thankfully and put it in execution without delaie The Hebr. 4. Apostle did exhort the Hebrews by these words to embrace the doctrine of Christ shewing that the daie was then come whereof the Prophet spake soe many yeares before For saâ—eth he if Iesus that is Iosue had giuen them rest the Prophet would not haue mentioned another daie In tymes past our Lord spake vnto his people by the mouth of Moyses and other his holie Prophets but now in the law of grace by his onely Sonne Christ Iesus Let vs therefore mollifie our hearts let vs not be As in the prouocation according to the daie of the tentation in the desert at the waters of contradiction and other places in the desert VVhere our Lord saieth your fathers tempted me proued me and saw my workes They doubted in their hearts whether I weâ—e of power to giue them food defend them from their enemies and bring them to the land of Promise but they experienced me by my wonderfull workes to be the onely true God What should moue my people to be soe incredulous and obdurate What could I haue done more to shew my loue vnto them then that I haue done I brought them from Aegipt where they were oppressed I dried à passadge in the red Sea that they might passe without difficultie drowned their enemies in their sight I went before them in forme of à clowde by daie and like à piller of fier by night I fed them with Manna for Fortie yeares space in all which tyme neither the garments they wore nor their shooes were the worse for wearing Fortie yeares was I nigh to this generation guiding them teaching them working wonders amongst them and experiencing alwaies to winne their hearts And saied by my Angel to Moyses by him to them These alwaies erre in heart They erre not through ignorance they know what they ought to beleeue what they maie lawfully desire and what to doe to please me but they will not know I haue often instructed them in my waies by my seruant Moyses But they haue not knowne my waies that is they haue disliked would not approoue of my waies and therefore all remedies fayling I haue sworne to them in my wrath We must not conceiue by these words that the passion of anger is in God but onely that he swore to proceed to punish them as if he had been possessed with anger and wrath against them for S. Thomas saieth Anger is attributed to God metaphorically If they shall enter into my rest that is into the land of Promise I will cease to be that I am as I liue they shall not enter for their incredulitie These oathes are vertually included in the former words which doe seeme to be spoken by the figure Aposiopesis wherein something is not formally expressed which yet is vertually included in the sense of the words By the place of rest here mentioned is signified eternall happines for the land of Promise was à figure of the celestiall countrie It is not here expressed who shall enter into that rest but in the booke of Numbers we read that our Lord Num 14. saied My seruant Caleb who being of another spirit hath followed me him will I bring into this land and Iosue and the litle ones whome they saied should be à prey to the enemies By Iosue and Caleb maie be vnderstood the small number of the Iewes who filled with the spirit of God did follow the doctrine of our Sauiour and by the multitude of those litle ones the fulnes of the conuersion of the Gentils whome the holie Church brought forth in the last age litle ones indeed because they entred by the gate of humilitie The Apostle speaking of the Rome 11. Gentils saieth that they were wild oliues were taken and grafted in some of the oline branches wich were broken and soe made partakers of the roote and fatnesse of the oliue The faithfull therefore of the Iewes wâ—ich are signified by the boughes of that oliue which were not broken all true Christians who shall perseuer in the vnion of the Catholike Apostolicall doctrine who are ment by the wild oliues which were inserted into the oliue tree these shall enter into that place of rest We hope alsoe that those broken branches shall againe be reunited to the naturall oliue towards the end of the world Behoâ—d à Psalme full of ioye and sweetnes à Psalme apt to inflame à pious soule with the fier of the holie Ghost It importeth vs to sing or recite it in the beginning of the morning office with all attention and spirituall feruour that soe by beginning the worke of God with ardour we maie passe the rest of the daie with profitt Let vs therefore doe that whereunto we are inuited in this present Psalme and when we rise to the morning office let vs beginne with couradge and alacritie let vs banish from our hearts all vaine thoughts impertinent fansies let vs carefully busie our hearts with God aloÌ„e saying to ourselues in our interiour or to such as are present Come let vs exult to our Lord c. and with à recollected and amorous mind let vs put in practise those most noble acts whereunto this Psalme doth inuite vs which are these that follow vdzt To exult and make iubilation to our Lord To preuent â—is face in confession of praise and confession of our sinns with teares of contrition To fall downe before him and adore our maker VVhat is vnderstood by Hymnes Psalmes and Canticles AFter the Inuitatorie Psalme followeth an Hymne by which is signified that the mind being now inflamed with the diuine loue cannot containe it self any longer but must needs breake forth into à more sweete expression of its interiour affections An Hymne maie be thus defined an Hymne is à Poeme declaring certaine workes of God benefits shewed towards mankind or thus An Hymne is à Poeme recounting the vertues and praise worthy actions of the holie Saints or exhorting vs to ameÌ„d our liues The vse of Hymnes is most auncient S. Ierome affirmeth that all the Psalmes of Dauid before or after which Alleluia is placed are
2. â—ies haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people à light to the reâ—elation of the Gentils c. and in another place All flesh shall see the saluation Luc. 3. of God By this verse therefore the faithfull doe praie for the illumination of the holie Ghost that they erre not in the way of this present life but by working maie know and by knowing maie walke in the way of our Lord of which our Sauiour speaketh in the Ghospell Straâ—â—e Math. is the way that leadeth to life and few there are that fynd it and by these words in all nations thy saluation they praie that Christ maie be acknowledged and honoured by all nations Let people ô God Confesse to thee let all people Confesse to thee Let the worship and veneration of the false Gods cease and to thee alone the liuing God let all diuine honour be giuen by all people Let nations called to the faith of Christ be glad with interiour ioy and exult by shewing exteriour signes of their inward ioy and this because thou ô God by thy annoynted iudgest people in equitie that is the seruile yoake of the Prince of darknesse being taken away thou hast constituted à most iust Kingdome in thy holie Church and the nations in earth thou doest direct gouerning them and directing them by most wholsome lawes to the port of eternall saluation S. Augustine interpreteth the words of this verse in the future tense as thus Thou wilt iudge people in equitie and referreth them to the last iudgement And the nations in earth thou wilt direct referreth them to the direction of this present life according to whome the sense of this verse is Let nations bee glad and exult because if they happen to suffer any euill here from men the tyme will come when thou ô God wilt iudge people in equitie and in the meane tyme the nations in earth which are subiect and deuoted to thee thou wilt direct Let people ô God Confesse to thee let all people Confesse to thee Here the Prophet againe exhorteth all people to praise and giue thankes to God adding à new reason or motiue to wit because the earth hath yeelded her fruit This fruit is Christ our Lord borne of the terrene substance of the blessed Virgin à fruit of such excellency that in coÌ„parison thereof all the fruit the earth hath heretofore brought forth maie well bee esteemed briers and thornes Of this fruit the Prophet Isaie maketh mention saying In that Isaiae cap. 4. daie the bud of our Lord shall bee in magnificenee and glory and the fruit of the earth high Yet taking the last words of this verse in à morall sense The earth is saied to yeeld her fruit when the holie Church doth spiritually instruct perfect and conserue her children and when our body liueth soberly and serueth to the aduancement of the soule obeying in all things The Prophet doth here as in many other places of the Psalmes vse the preterperfect tense for the future because in his prenotion that was now done which he foretelleth to bee done God our God blesse vs God blesse vs and let all the ends of the earth feare him This in effect is as much as if he had saied Since all people doe praise thee ô God and the earth hath yeelded her fruit let there henceforth bee a gratefull vicissitude betweene thee vs doe thou open thy liberall hand and fill vs with all benediction to wit with aboundance of all temporall and spirituall benefits and we as it is most meet will serue thee with à filiall reuerence and render thee the tribute of obedience and praise for euer The threefold repetition of the word God in this verse signifieth the affection of the Prophet Yet it seemeth likewise to insinuate the mystery of the blessed Trinitie which was afterwards manifested to the whole world by our Sauiour and his hole Apostles A certaine graue author vpon these words in the first verse of this Psalme to wit God blesse vs and illuminate his countenance vpon vs hath this obseruation Because saieth he many desire to bee blessed by God with aboundance of temporall benefits to wit with beautie power riches honour and the like all which indeed doe come from God but yet are common to the iust and vniust therefore the Prophet addeth what is proper to the iust to wit illuminate his countenance vpon vs. This is proper to the iust whereas the other mentioned things are common to all both good and euill almightie God soe disposing least if they should bee giuen solely to the good euill men would thinke that God were to bee worshipped for them and if to the euill onely infirme and fraise people would feare to conuert themselues to God least these things should bee wanting vnto them Behold here à short Psalme but full of feruour deuotion Let vs conforme the affections of our heart to the sacred words thereof with the whole forces of our mynd let vs implore the diuine mercy that he will bee pleased to inrich vs with the benedictions of Christ and instruct vs with the light of his countenance Let vs alsoe most heartely pray for the common good and for the generall soules health of all men that all men maâ—e confesse to God honour and loue him The argument of the Canticle of the three children BY the insuing Canticle the three men Sidrach Misach and Abdenago who were throwne into the furnace of burning fire by the commandement of Nabuchodonosor because they refused to adore the golden statue he had erected as is at lardge related by the Prophet Daniel did inuite all creatures in their seuerall Daniel 3. degrees and natures to praise God and they themselues did praise and glorifie him who preserued their bodies that they were not touched by the fury of those flames and made their hearts inflamed with the fire of his loue Indeed by how much the more one is inflamed with his loue by soe much the more intensly doth he desire that God maie bee praised loued and honoured by all l. 1. de doctrina Christiana creatures according to that S. Augustine By how much the more feruent any one is in the loue of God by so much the more doth he endeauour by all the meanes he can diuise that God maie bee beloued of all men by how much the more sincerely any one doth coÌ„template God by soe much the more he doth vnderualue and humble himselfe esteeme the praise wherewith he doth set forth the glory of God to bee the more insufficient and therefore doth earnestly desire that God maie bee magnificently praised by all creatures and doth his best to procure it The exposition of the Canticle ALl workes of our Lord blesse ye our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer Although euerie Creature doth not blesse and praise almightie God with voice which is proper to Men nor mentally which is
endeauour to make good progresse in the true loue of God and our neighbour weighing and fulfilling carefully that of the Apostle I beseech you that you walke Ephes 4. worthie of the vocation in which you are called with all humiliâ—â—e and râ—â—dnesse with patiencee supporting one another in charitie carefull to Keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bond of peace for conuersing in the Militant Church in this sort they will bee esteemed worthie to bee introduced into the triumphant Church as being vpon earth imitators of the celestiall Cittizens Concerning the Expâ—cation of the Chapters as well of this Houre as of Sext and None I referre the Reader to what hath alreadie been 〈◊〉 in the explication of the lessons out of which the Chapters of these three Houres are taken The rule and argument of the 122. Psalme and first in Sext. IN this fourth Graduall Psalme is treated of the fourth step of internall ascension to witt To haue an vndaunted confidence in the diuine mercie amidst all aduersities and distresses in such sort that one maie bee able to saie with holie Iob. 13. 〈◊〉 Although he shall kill me I will trust in him The Prophet therefore speaking in the person of a man extreamely afflicted yet confiding immoueably in our Lord saieth The explication of the Psalme TO thee ô my God my sole comforter in tribulation I haue lifted vp â—yne eies attending succour who dwellest in the heauens where thou art pleased to manifest thy selfe in an ineâ—â—able manner is thou art indeed in thy selfe Behold as the eies of seruants are as it were fixt On the hands of their Maisters obseruing their commounds expecting their fauour and assistance and receiuing with humble thankfulnesse what benefitt or recompense soeuer they shall please to bestow vpon them and As the eies of the handmaid on the hands of her Mistresse in like sort soe are our eies to our Lord God imploring and hoping for aide pardon and grace Vntill he haue mercie on vs by graunting what wee require or at least wise doing what he knoweth to be most expedient for vs and this not onely in one or two necessities but vntill the houre of our death for during our whose life wee shall stand in need of his mercie Haue mercie on vs o Lord haue mercie 〈◊〉 vs because we are much replenished with contempt The elect indeed are despised by the reprobate Religious men by seculats humble men by the proud and poore men by the wealthie and as Iob afâ—â—rmeth The simplicitie of the iust is derided Iob. 12. The reason of this is manifest because good and euill are contraries and contraries cannot be at peace and vnitie one with another and therefore in respect that the iust are mild and patient as hauing learnt of our Sauiour not to resist but contrary wise when they are buffeted an one cheeke to turne the other they are contumeliously handled troden vnder foote vexed and scorned Because our soule is much replenished to witt with confusion and is made reproach to them that abound and contempt to the proud Yet a time will come that this reproach will be conuerted to their eternall benefitt and fall heauie vpon their aduersaries when at the daie of iudgement the Sap. 5. impious shall saie These are they whome we had sometime in derision and in à parable of reproach we senselesse esteemed their liues madnesse and their end without honour behold how they are counted among the children of God c. In this Psalme we are taught to raise the eies of our heart towards God in all our necessities and not to desist vntill we haue obtained mercie for it behoueth vs to praie alwaies and not to faile but to perseuere therein soe long as we are vested with mortalitie We are alsoe induced to this confident and holie eleuation by the example of our Sauiour of whome it is written That lifting vp his Ioh. 17. eies to heauen be saied Father the houre it come c And againe Iesus lifting his eies Ioh. 11. vpward saied Father I giue thee thaâ—kes c. The argument of the 123. Psalme and Second in Sext. ALthough this Psalme maie very fitly bee expounded in the person of the holie Martyrs now triumphing with Christ or of any other of the Saints now in glorie who haue entred into the eclestiall Kingdome by many tribulatione yet it maie noe lesse properly be applied to them that are vpon the waie toâ—ards eternall life who being by the diuine goodnesse freed from the euill of tentations passions and persecutions doe render thankes hereby for their deliuerie In this fift graduall Psalme is treated of the fift degree of internall ascension to witt Not to relie vpon our owne forces but to ascribe our deliuerie to the grace of almightie God whence our Lord saieth Least Israel glorie against â—ud 7. me and saie by my oâ—ne force I am deliuered The Prophet therefore in the person of such as haue experienced the gratious assistance of almightie God amidst their most greeuous tentations and mortall dangers saieth The explication of the Psalme BVt that our Lord was in vs let Israel saie let the people seeing God by faith acknowledge with à gratefull heart saying but that our Lord was in vs with vs and for vs directing and protecting vs in all occurrences VVhen men to witt infidels heretiks tyrants and maleuolent people rose vp against vs conspiring our ruine inâ—licting seuere punishments and endeauoring to the vtmost of their power to induce vs to the euill of fault perhaps they had swallowed vs aliue we hauing noe meanes to escape their furie for noe humane succour could protect or secure vs. This properly suteth with the persecutioÌ„ of the holie Martyrs whome Tyrants sought by all the waies they could cogitate to induce to Idolatrie 〈◊〉 the deniall of our Sauiour Christ whereunto if they had yeelded consent their soules had been absorpt not the bodie and soe they had been swallowed aliue for liuing in bodie they had been dead in soule and retaining the life of nature they had lost the life of grace and glorie VVhen their furie was angrie against vs perhaps waters of tribulations vehement persecutions had swallowed vs had prouailed against vs. By waters are signified great tribulations according to that of the Prophet Isaie Our Lord will bring vpon Isa 8. them the waters of the riuer strong and many the King of the Assirians and that of Ieremie Thren 3. The waters haue stiâ—ed euer my beâ—d Isaied I am vndone c. Our soule hath passed through à torrent to witt suddaine great troubles and â—entations patiently sustaining them and refusing to consent to what was suggested perhaps our soule had passed through 〈◊〉 intollerable water that is to saie Vnlesse 〈◊〉 Lord had succoureth vs we had been â—â—presse drand teÌ„pted aboue our strength â—o 〈◊〉 ouâ— soule had been inforced to passe through aâ— intollerable water to suffer such à persecution as we
tongue vizt to auditors that will not be instructed there with By this it is plaine that the prayers of the holy Church in an vnknowne language are nothing contrary to the Apostles mynd and that for two reasons first because such praier is instituted more for the reuerencing and worshiping God then for the instruction of those that pray and secondly because such deuout sacrifices spiritually offered to God doe not onely stirre vp affections and loue but alsoe bring an inward spirituall light and experimentall knowledge both of God and ourselues Nothing therefore can be deduced out of this place which may touch the Canonicall howers or praiers which are performed in the latin tongue by the publique mynisters of the Church in the name of the whole people not onely with the approbation but alsoe by the ordinance and commaund of the saied Church I haue insisted the longer vpon this subiect because it is soe often inculcated by our pretended reformers who vainely bragge of the great aduantage they haue which vnlearned Catholiks want by hauing their Church seruice in the vulgar tongue euery ignorant man or silly woman perhaps supposing that now he or she doth as well vnderstand what is there saied as S. Augustine S. Ierome and the rest of the Doctors of the holy Church CHAPT VI. Contayning certaine obiections of lesser moment together with their solutions The first Obiection THis office seemeth ouer long and soe to bee misliked both for that long praiers are apt to breed heauines and satietie as alsoe for that they seeme to oppugne the doctrine of our Sauiour where he saieth VVhen you are praying Math. 6. speak not much Answer One hower in fower and twentie will suffice for this profitable taske Wherefore it ought not to be esteemed ouer long especially considering that for the most part all men except those that are studious of perfection are ouercharged with tyme which they tacitely seeme to confesse by hauing inuented such varietie of games sports which for that end they tearme passetymes to deceaue the daie and make it seeme short or rather to deceaue themselues and abbridge their tyme of merit if such passetymes be not vsed with discretion and for their true legitimate end which is the conseruation of health and to recreate their spirits that they may be more prompt and facilitated to performe the will of God with cheerefulnes alacritie and sweetnes according to euery mans vocation respectiuely Neither is the length of this office apt to breed heauines or satietie for that there is such harmonious varietie therein that those who vnderstand the latin tongue may easily picke here and there something to delight them If they find noe spirituall comfort in the Psalmes they may passe to the Lessons Respōsories Antiphones Hymnes other parts of the office And like as the painefull Bee passing from one flower to another to gather her sweet burthen stayeth longer vpon some flowers where she findeth most of that pleasant iuyce she laboureth in search of then vpon some other flowers which in apparence are more beautifull and fit for her purpose Soe let the deuout mind passe from one part of this office to another staying longest vpon such places which moue his hart to the loue of God and doe yeeld best increase of good desires Let him come with a good will simple intention to praise almightie God in the best manner he can by this forme of praier which is instituted by the holy Church for the conformitie of true beleeuers in their manner of praising God and let him during the tyme he imploieth in reciting it endeauour to keepe his mynd recollected and busied with good thoughts and no doubt God almightie who hath reguard to the harts of those that pray will supply with his grace what his petitioner is not able to draw out of such deuotions with his vnderstanding and will moue his hart in soe benigne and sweet à manner that such an one shall many tymes experience greater comforts rest better satisfied then another will euer be able to compasse with his great learning and subtile wit without the like infusion of grace To the place of S. Mathew where it is saied when you are praying speake not much I answeare there followeth immediatly As the heathens for they thinke Math. 6. that in their much speaking they may be heard By which words it appeareth that our Sauiour did not forbid long praier for he himself spent whole nights in praier and he saieth we must pray alwaies and S. Paul exhorteth vs to pray without intermission and the holy Church hath had euen from the beginning her Canonicall howers of praier but he forbiddeth idle and voluntary babling like to that of the heathens to their Gods who thought thereby their wants would be the better vnderstood by them or of heretiks who by long rethoricall praiers thinke to perswade God almightie whereas the Collects of the holie Church are most breife but very effectuall S. Augustine Aug. Ep. 121. c. 10. in his Epistle to Probus saieth That if one continue long in praier hee is not esteemed to pray in much speaking as some are of opinion and immediatly following he addeth To speake much in praying is to doe à necessary matter with superfluous words The second Obiection 2. To repeat often one and the self same words as is vsed in some parts of the office is very troublesome and forbidden by the wise man when he saith Ecclesiastici 7. Iterate not à word in thy speech Answer It is à common Prouerb Things ten tymes repeated are delightfull Neither is all manner of repetition of words disliked by Ecclesiasticus but onely à foolish iterating of vaine words or words without waight such as cannot be found in this office where almost all the words are taken out of the holy Scriptures and are full of grauitie and signification And as the continuance of affections loue and reuerence to God is questionlesse very laudable soe must it needs be gratefull and laudable to continue any praier though in the self same words by which is signified the continuance o◠iteration of the foresaied deuotion More ouer the Kingly Psal 135. Prophet repeateth these words Because his mercy is for euer twentie seauen tymes in one Psalme as an occasion to procure and continue attention to the wonderfull works of God which are therein recounted and in another Psalme the word Voice is seauen tymes repeated Finally Pal. 2 8 Our B. Sauiour in the garden did thrice repeate the same praier and he spake thrice to S. Peter in the same words Iob. 21. The Third Obiection 3. This office being intended to praise God for his graces bestowed vpon the B. Virgin it seemeth to litle purpose to haue the greatest part of the office to consist of Psalmes which make little or no mention at all of her Answer The holie Church in the institutiō of this office had regard chiefly to the
honor and praise of God which is principally intended by this and all other officesâ— secondarily did appointe Psalmes which speake in some of the verses of the B. Virgin as I shall shew hereafter in my explication of them And the same order is likewise obserued in all the feasts which are celebrated by the holie Church as for example in the feast of the Natiuitie of our Lord the second Psalme is ordained to be saied for the 7. verse The Lord saied to mee thou art my sonne I this daie haue begotten thee And in the Epiphany the 41. Psalme for the 10. verse The kings of Tharsis and the Ilands shall offer presents The kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring guifts And in the feasts of the Apostles the 18. Psalme for the 4. verse Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth c. And in the feasts of Martyrs the 115. Psalme for the 5. verse Pretious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his Saints And in the feasts of holy Virgins the 44. Psalme for the 15. verse Virgins shall be brought to the king after her And soe forth in all other feasts But the rest of the offices as the Inuitatories Antiphones Lessons Responsories Verses Chapters and Praiers are for the most part proper to the feasts CHAPT VII Shewâ—ng with what Reuerence the Canoniâ—all howeâ—s ought to bee reciâ—ed and vsually wâ—re recited by many Saints OVr glorious Father S. Benedict speaking in his holy Rule of the reuerence which is requisite to be vsed in Praier hath these words If when we desire to speake to any great person touching any busines we dare not doe it but with submission and reuerence with farre greater reason when we are to supplicate to God the Lord of all things we are to doe it with all humilitie and puritie of deuotion and in another place We beleeue saith he that Gods diuine presence is euery where and that in euery place the eies of our Lord behold the good and the euill Neuerthelesse we especially and without any doubt beleeue this when we present ourselues to the diuine office Wherefore let vs alwaies remember what the Prophet saieth Serue Psal 2. Psal 46. Psal 137. yee our Lord in feare againe Sing yee wâ—sely And In the sight of the Angells I will sing to thee Let vs therefore seriously consider with ourselues what our comportment ought to be in the presence of God and his Angells and let vs stand to sing in such manner that our mynd and voice may accord together S. Bernard in the 2. Tome of his works treating of the same subiect hath these words Let those that enter in to the Church put their had vpoÌ„ the doore and saie Expect here all euill thoughts intentions and affections of the hearts and desires of the flesh but Thou my soule enter into the ioy of our Lord God that thou maiest see his will and visite his temple Concerning which aduice of S. Bernard of putting their hand vpon the Church doore we may note out of Nauar in his Enchiridion de Horis that Cap. 17 n. 4. the holie Church did ordaine that there should be placed à holy-water pot at the entry in to euery Church to the end that those who came to pray there might take holy-water in token that they ought to leaue behind them at the Church dore all thoughts which maie distract or hinder them in their praier Which laudable institution hath been carefully practised in EnglaÌ„d as may yet be seene in diuers Churches where the holy-water pot is placed in the Church porch but now serues to no other vse then to testify with what reuerence our forefathers were accustomed to enter in to those Churches whilst they were holy hauing holy Altars holy Priests and a holy Sacrifice in them of all which since they are now emptied the holy water pot hath little reason to complaine of its vacuitie S. Bonauenture writeth that S. Francis De act S. FraÌ„c cap. 10. did beare such reuerence to the Canonicall howers that whilst he did recite them he would not leane to any place but stood vpright and bare headed that he omitted not this custome when he trauelled any iourney but would stay in that place where he happened to be when the tyme occurred that those howers were vsually recited and not remoue from thence although it rained neuer soe fast giuing this pious reason for his soe doing worthy of soe great à Sainte If the body doe quietly receiue its food which after wards will turne to wormes meate together with the body with what peace and tranquillitie ought the soule to receiue the food of life Moreouer he recited the Psalmes with such attention as if God were present and when the name of our Lord occurred in the office it relished most sweet with him and he was soe transported with interiour ioy when he pronounced the holy name of Iesus that he could not containe himself from manifestation thereof by exteriour signes Theodoricus de Apoldia in the life of Lib. 4. cap. 11. S. Dominike doth affirme that the face of this holy Saint was very frequently bedewed with teares whilst he was reciting the diuine office and that if he chanced to be forth of the Monasterie when the signe was giuen for the beginning of the office he would presently call the Religious together and performe it in that place Petrus Ribadeneira in the life of S. Lib. 5. cap. 1. Ignatius the Institutor of the famous and florishing Order of the Societie of Iesus writeth that when the said holy Saint did recite the diuine office he experienced such diuine consolations and shed teares in such aboundance that he was forced to stop at almost euery word by which meanes he was faine to imploy à good part of the daie in reading the Psalmes Horatius Turcellinus writheth alsoe Lib. 6. cap. 5. of S. Francis Xauerius the Apostle of Iaponia that before euery Canonicall hower he was accustomed to implore the assistance of the holy Ghost by saying the Hymne Veni Creator Spiritus which hymne he would pronounce with such feruour that his hart did seeme euen to leape in his body CHAPT VIII Shewing the necessitie of Attenâ—ion in praier what Attention is best and what will suffice ATtention is an intrinsecall and essentiall qualitie appertayning to praier that is to saie Attention is soe necessarily requisite whilst one praieth that Sotus affirmeth one is not esteemed to Sot lib. 10 de Iust. q. 5. à 5. praie any longer then his attention doth indure Which being à certaine truth it will be needfull in this place for the better instruction of the lesse learned and comfort of tender consciences to sett downe the diuersitie of Attentions which are described by the holy Doctors and to shew which of them will suffice that euery one may take his choise out of them as best futeth with his capacitie or the portion of
whole world Attend therefore to him and he will attend to thee But the way how to make it is not yet shewed which notwithstanding is noe lesse needfull for the vnlearned to know Wherefore for the benefite of simple but well minded soules I will as plainly and breifly as I can sett downe à meâ—â—ode how to prepare the mynd and keepe it well imploied which they maie make vse of and I hope with profitt vntill God almightie shall please to inspire them with à better and more agreeable to the affections of their soules CHAPT XI Câ—ntaininge à forme of Preparation before praier with Aspirations of diuers Kindes THe Ecclesrastes giueth this aduice Ecclesiastes c 5. Speake not any thing rashly neither let â—hy heart be swif to vtter à word before God Wherefore it will be good that when they come to pray they pause à while in silence and consider attentiuely what à waightie matter they goe about vizt to treate with God almightie concerning the busines of their saluation Next let them frame to themselues à firme beleâ—fe that God is there present before thâ—â— thoughâ— disguised and that perhaps if they proue faithfull feruent and perseuerant he will if it be â—o â—â—nieâ—â— for them manifest himself vnto them as he did to S. Marie Magdalâ—â—e and since hath often done to many holie Sâ—ints Yet they ought not to frame vnto themselues any positiue coÌ„ceipt of him as pâ—re God supposing him to bee present in this or that forme or shape for he is à most simple Spirit and cannot be compreh â—ndâ—d vnder any corporall Specieâ— or Image but à negatiue that is that he is neither 〈◊〉 nor that nor any thing which their â—aâ—tafie can represent vnto them They are alsoe to beleeue that he vieweth all their externall comportment and all the internall desires and affections of their hearts proue cleanely â—â—eâ— if their bodies â—erâ— composed of transparent â—â—riâ—â— all â—and iâ—â—â—â—â—â—d with the sonne beames This done let them â—â—deâ—â—our â—o gâ—â— into theiâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 by soâ—e â—â—ouâ— Aâ—piration For â—â— the 〈◊〉 saiâ—th Oâ—â— mile will dâ—iâ—â— out another Wherefore those that seeke to free 〈◊〉 â—â—luâ—s from distractionâ— and to â—â—der the passâ—â—â—â— aâ—â—e into their Interiour must endeâ—â—our by some internall imployment such as is the exercise of Aspirations to expell the images of their externall affaires and by little and little to winne their minds 〈◊〉 their passions and draw neare to the image of God which he hath impressed or stamped in the Fund or bottome of their soules as the Prophet witnesseth The light of thy countenance o Psal 4. Lord is signed vpon vs where they may find him soe often as they will withdraw themselues from the mâ—â—â—â—ltuous noise of exteriour busines and conuert their hearts towards him sweetly and with à filiall reuerence But least this tearme Interiour maie seeme to obscure it will be needfull to giue this short explication thereof Mysticall diuines doe â—â—ach that whilest our minds are busied in any exteriour imployment although it be good and laudable 〈◊〉 not yet directly tending towards God almightie â— that the saied imploimâ—nâ— doth mediate or interpose it self betweene vs and hiâ— and doth as it were keepe vs out of ourselues that is doth hinder vs from working immediatly to the end for which we were created which is to haue our eies and hearts fixed vpon God and to direct all our actions and thoughts to praise and glorifie him immediatly Our first parents did performe this immediate tendance towards God and soe remained alwaies in their interiour vntill they did voluntarily extrouert and distract themselues to reflect vpon the forbidden fruit of which fruit after they had tasted both they and all that descend from them found and doe find great repugnance and difficultie to keepe themselues introuerted or to remaine in their Interiour for any long space and therefore God almightie who is most gracious and benigne hauing regard to humaine infirmitie doth not exact of vs the practise of this introuersion at all times out of praier but in à very imperfect manner Yet when we come to praier he doth expect that we practise it in some better measure that our praier maie be performed with due reuerence which we cannot well doe vnlesse we auert our minds from all exteriour things vnto which things whilst we remaine attent we are properly teamed to be extrouerted or out of ourselues and that we conuert of hearts to tend immediatly towards God where in whilest we continue we are tearmed to be introuerted or to remaine and dwell in our interiour This maie suffice for the explication of that tearme The Aspirations that I here speake of maie be these that follow or such like either in à few words or in many as they shall find most proper for them I desire that they may not be recited vocally but pronounced as it were mentally yet herein alsoe let such proceed as they shall experience themselues best recollected and moued to deuotion Aspirations in à few words INdeed our Lord is in this place and Gen. 28. I was not aware of it I will hold him I will not let him goe vntill he haue giuen me his benediction O Lord thou commaundest me to loue giue what thou commaundest and commaund what thou wilt O that I knew thee and knew my self What is there for me in heauen or what desire â— on earth besides thy self Heauen is not heauen to me without thee O Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest I loue thee When shall I come before the face of our 〈◊〉 I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Woe is me that my soioâ—rning is prolonged Praise our Lord o my soule let his praise be alwaies in thâ— mouth My beloued to me and I to him one to one all to all à creature to his Creator My beloued is all faire all sweeâ—â— all delightfull He hath wounded my heart If I maie find fauour in thy sight shew me thy face Let thy voice sound in myne eares for thy voice iâ— sweet and thy face beautifull Thou art worthy o Lord to receiue glory and honor and vertue and benediction Aspirations in more words Speaking to the soule DVst and ashes as I am how dare I appeare in the sight of my God before whome the powers of heauen doe tremble Yet be not dismaied o my soule He hath saied that he came to calumners and whâ—t would he but they should come vnto him How sweetly and mildly did he absolue the woman that was taken in adultery who stood wholy abashed and confounded in his presence VVoman where are thy accusers Hath none of them condemned thee Neither doe I Goe thy way and sinne noe more O wonderfull meâ—â—y O sweete answer I how can we feare to open our greifes vnto him He hath saied come all to me that are heauy lâ—aden and I will refresh you Be confident therefore o my soule heauen and earth may passe but he will not
faile of his promise Here Imagine that you behold our Sauiour nailed to the crosse and discourse with your selfe in this or the like manner O My soule behold the effect of loue Loue drew him from the bosome of his eternall Father loue caused him to conuerse with vs poore wretches loue hath nailed him vpon the crosse in this cruell manner loue hath done all this But what loue Verily noe other but that immense loue which he bore towards thee euen from eternitie Why tremblest thou at this Take courage his mercies are about all his workes Come let vs fall downe at his feete let vs weepe in his presence let vs open the secrets of our hearts vnto him he will gladly giue vs audience His feet are fast nailed he will not shrinke from vs. His armes are spred abroad to receiue and embrace vs. His precious bloud doth flow from all the parts of his body to cleanse and refresh vs His head is bowed downe to giue vs the sweet kisse of peace and reconciliation His heart is open to giue vs free entrance to his loue These tormeÌ„ts these wounds and all arâ— ours Come let vs offer him to his eternall father let vs beseech him to shew his precious wounds to his beloued father and what he hath suffered for vs and nothing will be denied Aspirations in forme of à Dialogue betweene Christ Iesus and à deuouâ— Soule Christ Iesus O My sonne behold how I haue loued thee I haue knowne thee in my offence from all eternitie I haue created thee and infused into thee à soule wherein I haue liuely impressed my owne image and that thou mightst know how noble à creature I haue made thee I haue not refused to assume the self same nature and to become vested with flesh and blood that I might redeeme thee Here it will not be needfull that I expresse all the signes of loue which God hath manifested by the admirable worke of our Redemption and the good inspirations and callings where by he hath withdrawne vs from bad courses and hath as it were lead vs by the hand vnto the way of life but it is much better that euery one call to mind excogitate the good motions and benefites he hath receiued and where with he finds himself best moued and suppose God almightie to haue charged him with these graces and testimonies of his loue answering in this or the like manner The Soule IT is most true my deare Lord thou didst create me and redeeme mee but I haue defiled my self and am not worthy now to looke thee in the face It was in thy power to haue made me à stone or à tree or what els had been thy pleasure but such was thy immense goodnes that thou hast made me one of thy most noble creatures I know most sweet Lord that thou hast made nothing in vaine Tell me then I beseech thee tell me thy poore seruant for thy owne sake what is it thou requirest of me Thou hast giuen me grace and light to decerne that I am not made for my self for I haue oft experienced that when I haâ—e giuen way to my owne desires and affections they haue lead me into manifold inconueniences Vouchsafe therefore to tell me what thou wouldst haue me to doe Behold I am ready to performe whatsoeuer thou shalt please to commaund Then saie vnto yourself these words of the Psalmist I will heare what our Lord will speake in me because he will speake peace to his people and listen in silence supposing him to answer thus your pious request Christ Iesus O My deare sonne I haue giuen thee all that thou art or hast yet I haue giuen thee one thing soe free at thy owne disposing that thou maiest giue it to whome or to what thou pleasest If thou art as thou saiest ready to doe whatsoeuer I commaund my will is that thou giue me this one thing and I freely permitt thee to vse all the rest of my gifts as best liketh thee This alone will content me and although thou shouldest giue me all the rest and detaine this from me I shall esteeme them all as nothing Thy Heart it is I aske Sonne giue me thy heart The Soule O My deare Lord who doth better deserue it then thy self who can more enrich it I wish it â—ere in my power to giue thee all mens hearts What doe I desire more then that my heart maie be inflamed with the fire of thy diuine loue Behold I giue thee my self doe thy will in me for tyme and eternitie O Lord such is thy gracious clemency and benignitie that thou despisest noe man reiectest noe man that desireth to come to thee yea thou callest euery man thou allurest euery man and vnto euery man thou shewest the way to come to thee for it is thy delight to be with the sonnes of men What is this o Lord but à most euident proofe that thou art soe good that thou art not able to denie thy self to them that seeke the with all their heart What greater loue dan one shew then â—o giue his owne self â—s thou arâ— alâ—â—â—â— ready and desirous to doe to all 〈◊〉 seeke after theâ— with à sinceere â—â—ynd Let vs therefore if it shall soe stand with thy blessed will make à couenant betweene vs. Thou shalt take care of my welfare and remedy and I will take care of thy honor and seruice and thou shalt doe with me what thou wilt and shall see to be expedient for thy greater glory and my saluation and I will be wholy thine and depend vpon thee alone Graunt me sweet Iesus that I may desire nothing but thee and that I maie soe intirely and absolutely resigne my self vnto thee without all reserhation that I maie neuer hereafter take my self from thee O fire vouchsafe to burne me o charitie vouchsafe to inflame me o light vouchsafe to illuminate me O my Repose o my Consolation o my Hope o my Treasure o my Life o my Loue that alwaies burnest and art neuer consumed When shall I perfectly loue thee When shall I embrace thee with the armes of my soule When shall I for the loue of thee contemne both myself and all the world When shall my soule with all her powers be perfectly vnited vnto thee When shall she be wholy drowned and immerged in the bottomelesse abisse of thy diuine loue O most benigne sweet beautifull wise rich noble precious and most worthy to be beloued and adored when shall I loue thee in such sort that I shall be wholy conuerted into loue O life of my soule who to giue me life didst suffer death O good Iesu o my sweet Lord and Sauiour Graunt me I beseech thee that I maie altogether shunne and detest all manner of sinne and that in all sinceritie of heart I maie conuert my self to thee in such sort that all my thoughts my desires my memory and all the powers of my soule and body maie be fixed on the alone I
metaphorially be vnderstood of the celestiall Ciâ—tizens themselues in whome he is after à most excellent and singular manner by his beatificall presence or of vertuous and deuout soules here on earth whose conuersation is in heauen for of those the Apostle saieth You are the Temple of the liuing God God is in all things by his essence presence and power penetrating inuironing and conseruing all things and is more neare and intime to euery thing then any part is to it 's whole or any thing is to it self for he alone slideth as it were into the essences of things neither is any thing present to an other but onely by vertue of the diuine presence The Prophet witnesseth VVâ—â— doe not I fill heauen Ierem. 23. Psal 138. and earth VVâ—â—ther shall I goe saieth holie Dauid fâ—om thy Spirit or whither shall I flâ—â— fâ—om thy face If I shall ascend in to heauen thou art there If I descend into hell thou art present vizt exerâ—â—sing the act of Iustice S. Augustine affirmeth that God is in li. medita c. 29. all places without place that he containeth all things not being inuironed by them that he is present in all places withouâ— motion that he beareth all things and is not burthened and that he filleth all things not being included Yet he is truely saied to dwell in Heauen particularly according to what he hath insinuated by his Prophet Isaie Heauen is my seat and the earth my footestoole and wee reade in the Psalmes Our Lord his seat is in Heauen hauing designed that place as his court and there placed his royall tâ—rone where hee doth particularly manifest himselfe to his beloued Since then by these words Our Father which art in heauen we acknowledge God almighty now in the law of grace to haue aduanced vs to soe eminent à degree of honor as to adopt vs his Sonnes and coâ—eires with his owne naturall Sonne Christ Iesus let vs esteeme ourselues to remaine in this world as in à place of banishement farr distant from that happy region whereunto we confesse ourselues to laie claime let vs hastâ—n thither and haue all our affections bent thither wards auoiding all things that maie be any hinderance vnto vs in the pursuite thereof let vs I saie behaue ourselues in all things as besitteth the Sonnes of soe potent and glorious à Father in nothing regarding our owne priuate commoditie but rather imploying our whole forces to set forth his glory and magnificence saying to that end the first Petition Sanctified be thy Name THese words maie be taken in diuers senses as First for the holy name of God it self which the Iewes did hold in such exceeding reuerence that they dared not to pronounce the word Iehoua which signified the essence of God and it is à constant tradition that is was onely once à yeare spoken and that by the high Priest when he entered into Sancta Sanctorum Ps 75. God is knowne in Iewrie saieth the Prophet in Israel his name is great Ps 112. and in an other place From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe the name of our Lord is laâ—dable Praise yee his name because Ps 99. our Lord is sweet S. Thomas of Aquine â— 56 Isaâ—ae saieth the name of God is great to be feared holy to be â—euerenced sweet to be meditated on copious to giue mercy efficacious to impetrate powerfull to cause saluation secret to be knowne Secondly they maie be vnderstood soe that we desire hereby that all nations of the earth maie come to the light of Faith and that they maie know that God alone is worthy of all praise and glory and consequently that they maie tremble at his Maiestie admire his works be enamoured with his beautie and euen languish to behold his vnspeakable goodnes Ps 65. saying with the holy Prophet Let all the earth adore thee and sing to thee let it sing à Psalme to thy name and in an other Ps 95. place Shew forth his glorie amongst the Genâ—iles his maruelous workes in all people Alas wretched vngratfull and indeuoute as we are how often doe we pronounce this petition without due attention and consequently without due reuerence and spirituall feruour Let vâ— therefore doe ourselues what we desire should be done by all men that is to saie let vs endeauour by frequenting learned exhortations reading pious bookes and exercising ourselues in holy contemplations to come to know how excellent how infinitely good sweet and mercifull à God we haue that by sucâ— knowledge we maie be excited to serue and honor loue and praise him euery where and at all tymes Lastly they maie be vnderstood that we desire by those words that our heauenly Father will be pleased either to make vs capable to comprehend his sanctification or at least to appeare holy in our religious conuersation which will be fulfilled in vs when mens all see the workes which he hath perfected in vs and glorify his name therefore Vertuâ—â— men doe sanctify God whilâ—â— by liuing holily they demonstrate God whoâ—â— they soe serue to be holy And contrary wise Vitious men by their iniust and irreligious conuersation are truely saied to commaculate and defile the name of our Lord because they liue in such à manner as though God did approue of iniustice and were not holy and doe as much as in tâ—e lieth embolden others by their wicked and dissolute example to dishonor him Hence it is that almighty God vpbraiding the perfidious children of Israel saieth You haue polluted my holy Ezech. 36. name and againe I will sanctify my great name which you haue polluted amidst the Gentiles Let thy Kingdome come THe Kingdome here mentioned is by some expounded of the militant Church as thus Let thy Kingdome come that is let the militant Church in which thou reignest by faith and grace be multiplied and spred through the whole world and let her enimies especially the deuills be cast forth of her that thou alone maiest peaceably reigne in â—er By others it is expounded of the Kingdome of God which the holy Euangelist saieth is within vs and being Luc. 17 taken in this sense the Kingdome of God cannot come whilst sinne reigneth in our hearts and we doe obey to the concupiscences thereof and therefore we praie Let thy Kingdome come that is streÌ„gthen vs by thy grace that we maâ—â— be enabled through tâ—e assistance thâ—reof to free our hearts from the seruitude of sinne and to dispose ourselues by the practise of vertues that thou maiest peaceably enter and assume the gouerment of our hearts Of this Kingdome the Prophet maketh mention where he Ps 22. saieth Our Lord ruleth me and nothing shall bee wanting to me He hath condâ—â—ted me vpon the pathes of iustice c. Finally it is expounded of the Triumphant Church as that we praie hereby that the walls of the Celestiall Ierusalem maie be reedified and the ruine of the Angells
in the Canticles Thou art all fâ—ire o my beloued and there is no blemish in thee but alsoe she did and doth procure puritie in others by her exemplar life Blessed art thou among women THree maledictions did sinne bring vpon mankind from all which the B. Virgin was most free The first was layed vpon the woman that with corruption she should conceane with greife she should beare her burthen and with paine she should bring forth But the B. Virgin conceaued of the holie Ghost bore and bred with comfort and brought forth our Sauiour with ioye Springing it shall spring saieth the Prophet Isai 35. and shall reioyce ioyfull and praising The second Malediction was giuen to the man In the sweat of thy face thou shall eare bread from which the B. Virgin was free whoe attended to those things that appertaine to our 1. Cor. 7 Lord that she might be holy both in body and Spirit The Third Malediction was common to both sexes vdâ—t that 〈◊〉 should returne to dust and froÌ„ this the B. Virgin was alsoe free for we beleeue that he was raised after her death and assumpted into heauen which the holy Prophet foretold Psal 131. saying Aâ—ise Lord into thy rest thou and the Arke of thy sanctification Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Iesus IN the fruit which Eue did eate she sought for three things and was defrauded of her expectation in them all but the B. Virgin found in her fruit all she could desire The First thing which Eue sought for in her fruit was that which the deuill did falsly promise vdâ—t that she should be like vnto God but he lied for she by eating that fruit was not made like but vnlike vnto God for by sinning his image in her soule was much defaced and she estranged from God and banished out of Paradise But the B. Virgin the true mother of the liuing and all that by her meanes doe liue in spirit did and doe experience this in the sacred fruit of her wombe for through Christ both she and they are made like vnto God VVe kâ—ow saieth the Euangelist Ioh. 1. c. 3. that when he shall appeare we shall be like vnto him The Second thing which Eue expected was delectation because it seemed good to eate but alas it proued à bitter sweet for she knew he self straightwaies to be naked and had great serrow But in the fruit of the B. Virgin we find sweetnes and saluation He that eateth my flesh hath life euerlasting Ioh. 6. The Third thing which Eue sought in her fruit was the delight in beholding it because it was faire to the eye but of this alsoe she was soone defrauded when she considered with the eyes of her mynd that the beautie thereof 〈◊〉 false and deceiptfull But the fruit of the B. Virgin was most beautifull to behold as the Prophet witnesseth Psal 44 Goodly of beautie aboue the sonnes of men and most delightfull to contemplate as being the glory of the eternall Father whome the Angells behold with excessiue ioy and admiration Eue could not find in her fruit what she longeâ— for neither can à sinner in any sinne whatsoeuer Let vs therefore detest those false deceiuing fruits which exteriourly appeare faire and pleasant but interiourly are full of corruption and breed the worme of conscience and let vs seeke in the fruit of the B. Virgin the fulnesse of our hearts delight in which truely and onely it maie be found Holie Marie MOst fitly was the name of Marâ—e giuen vnto her for 〈◊〉 is by interpretation Stella mariâ— that is the starre of the sea and as those that saile by sea are directed by the starre of the sea vnto their desired hauen soe all Christians are directed by the B. Virgin â—arie vnto eternall rest Moreouer as that starre doth send forth it's raies without hurt to it self soe did the B. Virgin bring forth her sonne the light of the world without preiudice to her Virginitie The raies of à starre doe not diminish the brightnes of the starre neither did the Sonne of the B. Virgin diminish her integritie S. Bonauenture speaking of this holie pag 430 Lect. 1. name of Marie hath words to this effect This most holie most sweet and most worthy name saieth he was most sitly giuen to soe holie soe sweet and soe worthy à Virgin for Marie is by interpretation à bitter sea or the starre of the sea Marie signifieth illuminated or illuminatrice and Marie signifieth likewise Lady Marie is à bitter sea to the deuill drowning his power and brusing his head against the rocke which is Christ Marie is the starre of the sea to men guiding them through the turbulent waues of this world vnto the celestiall hauen Marie is illuminated by the glory of her diuine sonne Marie is an illuminatrice to the Angelicall spirits by the glory wherewith she is soe illuminated and vnto men by her exemplar life and exquisite vertues And Marie is the Lady of all creatures by being Mother to their Lord. O Marie thou bitter sea help vs that in true repentance we maie become bitter totally O Marie thou starre of the sea help vs that we maie be directed through the sea of this world spiritually O Marie thou illuminatrice help vs that we maie be illuminated in heauen eternally O Lady Marie help vs that we maie be gouerned by thy direction and power filially Mother of God S. Thomas of Aquine saieth that in the 3. p. q. 35. a. 4. sedcon Chapters of S. Cyrill approued by the Ephesine Councell is read I hat if any one doe not confesse Emanuel which is God Amoungst vs to be God in very truth and which followeth the B. Virgin to be the Mother of God for she carnally or according to the flesh conceiued and brought forth the word of God made flesh let him be Anathema that is excommunicated ad 1. In the same Article be further saieth That although it cannot be expressely found to be affirmed in the holy Scriptures that the B. Virgin is the Mother of God yet is expressely found in them that Iesus Christ is true God as in the first and in the 20. chapt of S. Iohn and that the B. Virgin is the Mother of Iesus Christ as appeareth in the first of S. Mathew wherefore it necessarily followeth out of the words of the holy Scriptures that she is the Mother of God Moreouer S. Paul teacheth That Christ who is aboue all things God â—d Rom 9. blessed for â—uer is according to the flesh of the Iewes but he is not otherwise of the Iewes then by the meanes of the B. Virgin therefore he who is aboue all things God blessed for euer is truely borne of the B. Virgin as of his Mother Alsoe in the same Article he alleadgeth these words of S. Cyrill in his first â—d 2. Epistle As the soule of man is borne together with it's body and is reputed to be one therewith soe
for such is the diuine ordinance that there should be re-infused of the excellencie of the superiour powers into the inferiour as of the splendor or brightnes of the sunne into the aire Whence is that of the Apostle concerning our Sauiour Going by himself to God alwaiâ—â— liâ—ing to make intercession for vs. And for this reason S. Ierome saieth against Vigilantius that if the Apostles and Martyrs being as yet vested with mortalitie when they might be solicitous for them selues did then praie for others how much more doe they now after hauing obtained victorie crownes and triumph Finally to the first obiection he answereth that noe beatitude is wanting to the Saints who are in the celestiall countrey seeing that they are blessed but the glory of the body for which they doe praie but they praie for vs who are not as yet come to the last perfection of beatitude and their praiers haue power to impetrate from two causes that is to saie from their owne precedent merits and the diuine acceptance To the Second he answereth that the Saints doe obtaine by request what God hath decreed to graunt by meanes of their praiers and they desire what they esteeme is to be accomplished by their praiers according to the will of God To the Third he answereth that although those that are â—â— Purgatory be in à more eminent degree then we in regard they cannot sinne yet are they inferiour to vs in soe much as concerneth the paines they suffer and according to this they are not in state of praying for others but rather that praier should be exhibited for them To the Fourth he answereth that it is the will of God that all inferiour things should haue help of the superiour and therefore it is expedient not onely to implore the assistance of the superiour but of inferiour Saints alsoe for otherwise the mercie of God alone were to be implored Howbeit it happeneth sometymes that deuout praier made to aÌ„ inferiour Saint is most effectuall either for that this is performed with greater feruour or because it is the diuine pleasure thereby to manifest the holinesse of that Saint Finally to the Fift he answereth that because the Saints in their life tyme haue merited that they maie praie for vs therefore we doe inuocate them by the names where with they were called in this world by which alsoe they are best knowne vnto vs and moreouer to insinuate our beleife of the resurrection as it is read in Exodus I am the God of Abraham c. Thus farre are the words of this holie St. whose doctrine or rather the doctrine of the holy Catholike Church in this point of praying to Saint is very learnedly proued by Suarez in his second Tome de Virtute statu religionis the tenth Chapter where he answereth all the obiections which seeme to be of moment that the deuill hath euer suggested to any heretike to which place of Suarez I remitt the studious reader for that it would be ouer long for me to recite his arguments and authorities out of the holie Scripture which he there setteth downe at lardge This maie suffice for explication of this holie Praier wherein there is nothing contained as maie plainely appeare which is not either expressely taken out of the holie Scriptures or deduced out of theÌ„ by good consequence except this last clause which maie well be warranted by the holie Scriptures likewise as namely by the 48. of Genesis the 32. of Exod. the 15. of Ieremy the 16. of S. Luke the 2. Ep. of S. Peter the 1. chap. the 5. 6. 8. of the Apocalipse many other places besides what I haue here before set downe in this my explication Wherefore let those who are accustomed to recite this holie praier be comforted and confirmed in their pious deuotion and let our pretended Reformers blush for shame and cease to impugne it with their false calumniations S. Bernard hath this excellent sentence Hom. 2. in Missus est If the winds of tentations arise if you happen vpon the rocks of tribulations cast your eies to the starre call vpon Marie in dangers in distresses in doubtfull matters thinke vpon Marie inuocate Marie let her not depart our of your mouth let her not depart out of your heart and to the end you maie the better obtaine the suffrage of her praiers endeauour to imitate the paterne of her conuersation in another place Wherefore saieth he doth humaine frailtie inserm Signum magnuÌ„ tremble to approach towards Marie Let vs embrace her footsteps o my brethren and with deuout supplication let vs cast ourselues at her blessed feet let vs hold her and not permit her to depart vntill she hath giuen vs her benediction for she is powerfull as being the fleece placed in the middest betweene the dewe and the Arke the woman betweene the sunne and Moone Marie is placed betweene Christ and his Church Moreouer the same holie Saint saieth in another place Doest thou feare to present thy self before the Father he hath giuen thee Iesus for thy Mediator but perhapps in him alsoe thou maiest dread the diuine Maiestie and desire to haue an aduocate to treate with him in thy behalf haue recourse to Marie Saint Anselme affirmeth that if the Blessed Virgin to procure vs pardon shall shew vnto her deare sonne her brests wherewith she sometymes gaue him sucke he will shew his sacred wounds vnto his eternall Father and nothing will be denied vs. Certaine memorable sayings of S. Iames the Apostle and diuers of the auncient holie Fathers concerning this Praier S. Bonauenture in his mirrour of the B. Virgin hath words to this effect In this admirable salutation saieth he there are contained fiue most sweet sentences in which are insinuated vnto vs fiue most delightfull commendations or praises of the B. Virgin vdzt That she was most pure most replenished most secure most worthy and most profitable First she was most pure because she was with out blame and therefore the word Aue was properly applied by the Angel signifying thereby that she Tom. 6. pa. 430. Lect. 2. was free from all maledictions of which there are very many mentioned in the holie Scriptures which this S. rekoneth vp and she weâ— with exceeding perspicuitie how cleare she was from them all for soe it was most meet the Mother of God should be as Saint Anselme witnesseth It was most meet saieth he that the Conception of that man should be of à most pure Mother and that she should shine with such puritie as greater cannot be imagined vnder God vnto whome God the Father had decreed to giue his onely Sonne that he might be one and the same Sonne of God and Sonne of man Secondly she was most replenished with aboundance of grace Full of grace She was truely full and aboundantly full as Saint Anselme affirmeth saying O woman full and more then full of grace by whose excesse and ouerflowing plenitude all creatures are bedewed
the lib. 9. Confes c. 1. li. 4. de oratione c. 2. â— 10. saied hymnes of the orientall Church as S. Augustine affirmeth Suarez saieth that the holie Church was moued by the especiall prouidence of God to institute that the confession and glorification of the B. Trinitie by the accustomed Hymne Glorie be to the Father c. should be added to the end of euery Psalme because saieth he the vse of the Psalmes was of greater antiquitie then the law of grace and by this meanes they doe participate the proper perfection thereof and become compleate and consummate Cornelius à Lapide dilating vpon these words of the Apostle For of him and by Rom. 11. him and in him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen doth expound this hymne of glorification in fauour of such who repeat it often Glorie saieth he be to the Father of whome all things are as of the prime origine Glorie to the Sonne by whome all things are made as by wisdome and men redeemed as by their mediator Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome are all things as it were in à bond and consummation Glorie to the Father of whome is all paternitie in heauen and vpon earth Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all filiation Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all holines and sanctification Glorie to the Father of whome is eternitie Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all forme beautie Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all felicitie and fruition Glorie to the Father of whome is all vnitie glorie to the Sonne by whome is all equalitie glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all loue and concord Glorie to the Father of whome is all powâ—r glorie to the Sonne by whome is all wisdome glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all goodnes Glorie to the Father who created me glorie to the Sonne by whome I am redeemed glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I am iustified Glorie to the Father who hath predestinated me glorie to the Sonne by whose precious bloud I am washed and made cleane glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I shall be glorified for euer Amen Alleluia NEXT in order followeth the Angelicall Hymne Alleluia which is song froÌ„ Easter vntill Septuagesima not without good reason for holie Dauid Psal 146. Psa 99. exhorteth To our God let there be à pleasant and comely praise againe Make ye iubilation to God all the earth serue ye our Lord in gladnesse enter ye before his fight in exultation And this hymne signineth praise God with à heart dilated through excesse of ioye The holie Church therefore because we ought neuer to surcease from praising God noe not then when we recount the miserable estate of man by the fall of our first parents hath ordained that in lieu of this hymne of exultation the verse Praise be to thee â— Lord King of eternall glorie shall be recited from Septuagesima vntill Paster which is à tyme of mourning and pennance li. 2. de Ritibuâ— c. 20. Stephen Durantus disputeth this question at lardge why the holye Church should omitt Alleluia from Septuagesima and yet place in lieu thereof à praise which seemeth equiualent thereunto after many solutions at length he answereth with S. Thomas and the Glosse vpon the ninth of the Apocalipse that this Hymne Alleluia besides the ordinary praise doth insinuate à iubilation which cannot be expressed in words Leo the 9. saieth that these two Hymnes Cap. de Consecr Hi. duo Dist. 1. onely are mentioned in the New Testament to haue been song by the Angells that is to saie Alleluia and Gloria in excelsis both which are intermitted in Septuagesima to shew that for the sinne of our first parents we are banished from communicating with the Angells in Iubilation which Adam in the state of innocencie did enioy as S. Iohn Damascene li 2. de Paradis affirmeth in these words Adam in bodie was delighted in the terrestriall paradise but in mind he was present with the quires of Angells in the paradise of holie spirits The same alsoe in effect S. Gregorie the Great affirmeth in his Dialogues Dialog 2. to witt that man in paradise was accustomed to enioy the words of God and to be present with the blessed Angeliall Spirits in puritie of heart and hight of contemplation But we alas doe now Psal 64. sit and weepe in Babilon of this wretched life and vpon the bankes of the riuers thereof whilest we remember that Syon where the Prophet saieth An hymne becommeth God VVisupra â— S. Leo aboue named giueth this reason why Alleluia is intermitted for nine weeks precisely and reassumed in the tenth weeke There are saieth he nine quires of Angells and the tenth quire sell by the sinne of Pride and thereby disturbed the ioye of the rest vntill Man was created to supplie their number but when he fell alsoe by disobedience they were againe greatly discomforted vntill our Sauiours birth at which tyme they begane to reassume their songe of ioye and afterwards at his Resurrection and Ascension together with those blessed soules which accompanied him vnto his throne of glorie they conceiued full hope that their number should be made compleate and their praise perfect S. Augustine saieth that although this Li. 2. Hymne might be interpreted both in de doctrina Christiana c. 10. Greeke and Latin yet it hath remained intire because it relisheth best in its owne originall to witt in the Hebrew Whosoeuer out of curiositie shall desire to soe more of the signification of this Hymne let him peruse the 137. Epistle of S. Ierome to Marcella where he maie receiue satisfaction The Inuitatorie verse IN the diuine office the Inuitatorie verse is vsually varied according to the nature of the office appointed for each daie and it is thus defined by Peter Damian Tom. 3. c. 7. in his booke intituled Dominus vobiscum The Inuitatorie saieth he is that by which the communion of the faithfull is inuited to the praise of God Concerning which you must note that the communion of true beleeuers be they scattered abroad in neuer soe many seuerall countreys doe yet make but one mysticall bodie whereof Christ is the head in whome they maie and doe meete together in spirit in the diuine praises by the feete of their soules which are the affections and in this sort they are inuited to come and ioyne with vs in the praise of almightie God S. Augustine affirmeth that if two iust In Psal 94. men be placed one in the East and the other in the West yet maie they truely be saied to be together because they are both in God but although à iust man and à wicked man be linked in one chaine yet are they farre à sunder for the one by louing iniquitie hath seperated himself farre from God and the other by louing God is nearely adioyned vnto him and if two such should praise
our Lord by their voice that would be verified on the part of the vicked man which Isaie the Prophet writeth This people Isaie 29. honoreth me with their lipps but the heart is farre from me The argument and diuision of the Inuitatorie Psalme which is the 94. in number THe Prophet doth inuito all men that loue God to come and reioyce and praise our Lord with him Secondly he assigneth diuers reasons to moue them thereunto Lastly he exhorteth them that when soeuer or in what manner soeuer God almightie shall be pleased to reueale his will vnto them that they giue diligent attention thereunto and put it in execution without delay least being disobedient to his holie inspirations they receaue the same sentence with our fore fathers in the desert where of Six hundred thousand men fit to beare armes onely two vdzt Iosue and Caleb did enter to possesse the land of promise The explication of the Inuitatorie Psalme COme all you that beleeue in the true God in what part of the world soeuer you reside come in spirit by the feete of your affections Let vs reioyce not as vaine worldlings doe whose greatest delights end in sadnesse but To our Lord the Creator and conseruer of vs all Let vs make iubilation to God our Sauiour let vs expresse with our voice to God our protector our Sauiour and tower of refuge what we conceiue towards him in our hearts but want words to explaine Let vs preuent his face in confession Let vs hasten by thanksgiuing and attributing all our good vnto him to preuent him least he come and taking vs vnprouided to receiue him doe iustly taxe vs with neglect and slothfull ingratitude Let vs vpon the first touch of his diuine grace accuse ourselues condemne the euill we haue done that when he shall come he maie find something to approue and like well of but nothing to condemne or cause his displeasure And in Psalmes let vs make iubilation tâ— him and in spirituall songs let vs expresse our intime thoughts and affections Let vs doe this first Because our Lord is à great God not like the Gods of the Gentils which are framed of gold and siluer by the hands of men hauâ—ng mouthes and cannot speake eares and cannot heare feete and cannot walke but God who is of himself from all eternitie and who is soe great à God that he maketh Gods not Gods by nature but by grace for he hath giuen power to those that beleeue in his name to be the Sonnes of God And he is alsoe à great King aboue all Gods for he exerciseth acts of soueraignitie not onely ouer all the former false Gods and those that are Gods by grace but alsoe ouer all Kings Princes and Iudges of the earth who are called Gods by participation of his diuine authoritie Our God infinitly surpasseth all these denominatiue Gods in greatnesse and therefore with good reason ought we to make iubilation vnto him as alsoe Because he repelleth not his people although he seeme to be angrie with them for à tyme pernâ—tting great afflictions to fall vpon them and seeming to neglect their petitions when they call to him for releife for indeed he is soe benigne and mercifull that he cannot vtterly abandon them or refuse to receiue them when they recurre vnto him by true contrition and confidence in his goodnes and clemencie but will conuert all to their benefitt Neuerthelesse he maie seeme since to haue repelled the Iewes who were then his sole elected People but indeed he hath not repelled any of them but such as would by noe meanes be wone for the residue being many thousands of both sexes who would harken to his voice were receiued to mercie by his onely Sonne Christ Iesus who was the angular stone that ioyned the two walls of the Iewes and Gentils in one The chaffe onely was repelled but the good corne laied vp in the graneries His dominion is not limited within the land of Israel but is extended to the vttermost confines of the earth Because in his hands in his power are the ends of the earth and he beholdeth the hights of the mountaines not onely the highest places of the earth but alsoe the Emperours Rulers of the earth These high mountaines for a tyme did oppose his Church and endeauour to roote out the Christian faith but shortly after they humbled themselues vnder his mightie hand Moreouer let vs reioyce to our Lord Because the sea is his and he made it and placed limitts thereunto which it shall not ouerpasse his hands formed the drie land and made it fit for habitation Come let vs adore fall downe before God for he regardeth those a farre of that are high in their owne conceits but he beholdeth the humble with a gracious aspect Come therefore with reuerence and submission all you whose sinns haue made you remote from God come with humble but yet firme confidence in his mercies Let vs weepe before our Lord that made vs Come securely for he will not contemne the worke of his hands which he hath formed to his owne image and similitude Since that we burne inwardly and are scorched with the conscience of our offences it is meet that with flouds of teares we seeke to extinguish those flames Alas such is our wretched state that we can blemish and defile the sacred image of God in our soules but we are altogether vnable to restore it to its primitiue luster and beautie with out the helpe of him that formed it Come therefore let vs humble ourselues in his presence and deplore the lamentable estate whereunto we haue brought ourselues through our manifold iniquities and then we maie be confident of pardon for he hath saied he will not despise an humble and contrite heart He is both willing to remitt all how exorbitant soeuer and powerfull to effect his will Because he is the Lord our God and we are his people and sheepe of his pasture In the text of the holie Bible the last part of this clause is placed in this order And we the people of his pasture and sheepe of his hands vpon which words S. Augustine in his explication of this Psalme saieth Behold how elegantly the Prophet hath changed the order of these words placing them as it were improperly that we might vnderstand those to be the sheepe which are the people For he saieth not the sheepe of his pasture and the people of his hands which might seeme to sute better with those words because sheepe doe properly belong to the pasture but he saieth the people of his pasture to shew thereby that the people are his sheepe for there are sheepe which we buye but not which we haue made He had saied before let vs fall downe before him that made vs and therefore he fitly tearmeth vs here the sheepe of his hands for noe man can make himself sheepe He maie buye sheepe or haue sheepe giuen him or maie come by them by
things to embrace vertue and from vaine fading things to thirst after the cheife immutable good Secondly The testimony of our Lord is faithfull true and most worthy to bee credited reuealing and testifying the will of God what his pleasure is we should know what he requireth we should doe and what we should refraine from what paines and torments he will inflict vpon such that trangresse his cōmandements and what reward he hath prepared for those that obserue them giuing wisedome the light of spirituall prudence to litle ones to wit to simple and humble men that they may by the help thereof know how to decline from euill and doe good for to such God almightie vnfoldeth many high mysteries according to that of our Sauiour I confesse to thee ô Father Math. 11. of heauen and earth because thow hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them to litle ones Thirdly The iustices of our Lord be right iust and full of equitie leading vs to beatitude without error and therefore making hearts ioyfull which obserue them for loue For it is naturally delightfull to à man to behold that he liueth well according to the rules of vertue and procureth internall peace securitie of conscience and firme hope of saluation but contrariwise it is à corrosiue to à mans heart to see himself à slaue to sinne and vice and procureth horror sadnesse and despaire if God doe not mercifully moue him to teares of repētance whereas A secure mind is as it were à continuall Prouerb 15. feast Fourthly The precept of our Lord is lightsome cleare and manifest illuminating the eies of our interiour to wit our vnderstanding and Memorie that we bee not immerged in the darknes of vice but maie remaine alwaies in God Fiftly The feare of our Lords is holie That seruile feare by which we tremble to offend God out of the consideration of the seueritie of his iustice is good but that filiall feare which ariseth out of the consideration of his goodnes and mercie by which we dread to displease God because we loue him tender his honour as being our benigne Lord and Father is truely holie and permament for euer and euer for it beginneth here and remaineth euen in the next world habitually and actually alsoe according to reuerentiall subiection but not according to flight which pertaineth to feare because the blessed are confirmed in grace and assured that they cannot bee auerted and therefore doe not feare any future euill but are subiect to God with à reuerentiall feare Sixtly The iudgments of our Lord be true iustified in themselues The commandements of our Lord which are called his iudgments because by them he will iudge mankind and which are the square or rule to discerne vertue from vice and good workes from euill these commandements I saie are most true and iustified in themselues that is they need not bee demonstrated to bee iust by any one for in respect they are the commandements of God they are sufficiently prooued to bee iust Moreouer the ten commandements of which Dauid cheifly speaketh in this place in regard they are all as principles of the law of nature doe containe in them such iustice that they are iust in all places times and particular cases and admit noe dispensation whereas other lawes doe often want the circumstances of time place and persons that they maie bee iust and therefore are to bee desired aboue gold and much precious stones to bee preferred before riches in what quantitie soeuer for the iust shall haue an hundred fold in this world in the world to come life euerlasting and enioy such blisse as farre exceedeth all terrestriall treasure and happines which either eie hath seene or eare hath heard or hath entred into the heart of mā They are alsoe more sweet pleasant and delightfull to our soules then honie or the honie combe is to our tast which contayneth plentie of the purest honie as I can saie by experience For thy seruant keepeth them in keeping them is much reward Many fauours and blessings are obtained euen at this present besides what may iustly bee expected hereafter relying vpon thy faithfull promises Sinnes who vnderstandeth who is able to perceiue or marke euery sinne truely noe man for such indeed is mans frailtie that he is in noe sort able to know shunne and deplore his daily defects and ignorances He hopeth but not without some feare for he doth not certainly know whether he bee worthy of loue or hatred for man cannot bee iustified compared with God If he will Iob. 9. contend with him he cannot answer him one for à thousand Which being soe what better or more present remedy then to haue recourse to God by humble praier saying from my secret sinnes which either when I commit I am ignorant I doe commit or else doe not know to bee such cleanse mee ô Lord by causing me to remember them in as much as is expedient by infusing such sorrow as maie suffice in generall and graunting me grace from hence forth to beware of them as much as is possible and from other mens spare thy seruant and permit him not to bee seduced by their bad example or instigation nor to giue them iust cause of scandall or to doe any thing by which he maie be guiltie of their failings For such is my confidence in thy immense goodnes that notwithstanding I happen to fall into these secret defects and ignorances and that the euill enimie and wicked men doe suggest occasions of sinne vnto me Yet If thou mercifully aiding me they shall not haue dominion ouer me in such sort that wittingly and willingly I doe giue consent and yeeld myselfe subiect vnto them then shall I bee immaculate and shall bee cleansed although not altogeather for that cannot bee expected during this mortall life yet without doubt from the greatest sinne from pride which is the roote of all vice and most odious in thy sight And then exteriourly the words of my mouth shall bee such as maie please thee and interiourly the meditation of my heart gratefull in thy sight alwaies Which I beseech thee O Lord happily to bring to passe who in prosperous things art my light and fortitude and in aduerse my helper and redeemer In this Psalme are wonderfully expressed by the Prophet the grounds of the Christian faith the preaching of the Apostles the Incarnation of the diuine word the praise of the Euangelicall law an acknowledgment of his owne frailtie and an inuocation of the diuine mercie Let vs therefore sing it or recite it with all feruour of heart beseeching our sweet Sauiour who for our sake humbled himselfe soe low as to become the sonne of à poore maid to extinguish all pride in vs and to graunt vs his holie feare The exposition of the 23. Psalme and 3. in number in the Nocturne Office THE TITLE The first of the Sabbaoth the Psalme of Dauid COncerning which you must
borne Church is explicated the grace of Baptisme is commended the benefits of God recounted the Incarnation of Christ is designed the faithfull are inuited to the consideration of the diuine workes the diuine power is openly declared à most sweet and paternall admonition is contained the magnificence of our Sauiour is set forth and finally the most excellent benefit of his holie Incarnation is repeated to shew that it cannot bee to oft remembred Let vs therefore endeauour to sing this Psalme with all feruour of deuotion beseeching almightie God in our hearts to bee our refuge and comfort in all our necessities both corporall and spirituall The title and argument of the 86. Psalme and 6. in The Nocturne Office TO the children of Chore to the faithfull imitators of Christ à Psalme of Canticle à Psalme containing spirituall ioy In this Psalme is sung the praise of the Cittie of Ierusalem by which noe doubt the Christian Church ought to bee vnderstood For although that which is saied in the beginning of the Psalme to wit That the foundations thereof are in the holie mountaines maie bee applied to the terrene Cittie of Ierusalem yet the rest to wit That the Babylonians Aegiptians and Tyrians are in it doth not squarre therewith But to the Church militant or triumphant all that is saied doth fitly agree The exposition of the Psalme THe foundations thereof The Prophet expresseth not the name of the thing whereunto the word thereof hath relation for the same reason as it maie seeme which moued S. Marie Magdalene to saie vnto him whome she supposed to bee the gardiner Sir if thou hast taken him away tell me where thou hast layed him c. O excessiue loue She beleeued noe mans minde could bee ignorant of him with whose feruent loue hers was filled and wholly possessed In like manner the Prophet in regard of the ardent loue he bore towards the holie Church doth not expresse the name thereof and yet the words following doe shew that he had relatiō thereunto as being the thing he foretold in his heart His words are these The foundations thereof to wit of the holie Church which I contemplate in spirit are collected and established in the holie mountaines in Christ the mount of mountaines principally and secondarily in the Apostles and Prophets who doe sustaine the spirituall fabricke of the Church according to that of the Apostle Other 1. Cor. 3. foundation noe man can laye beside that which is layed which is Christ Iesus and in another place Build vpon the foundation of Ephe. 2. the Apostles and Prophets Our Lord loueth the gates of this spirituall Sion our Lord accepteth and approueth of the Sacramēts vertues Exorcisme Catechisme Baptisme of the holie Church which are as it were the gates entrances into à spirituall life aboue the tabernacles of Iacob before or rather then the rites and ceremonies obserued by the children of Israell whilst they liued in tents and Pauilions In the Prophecy of Malachias God almightie doth seeme to dislike and reiect the Synagogue and her manner of worship and to approue and gratefully accept of the Christian Church and the forme of seruice vsed therein I haue noe Malach. 1. will in you to wit the Synagogue saieth the Lord of hostes and gift I will not receiue of your hand But of the holie Church he saieth From the rising of the Sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentils and in euery place there is sacrificing there is offered to my name à cleane oblatiō Morally by Sion are vnderstood the speculators of celestiall things and by Iacob the supplanters of vices Our Lord therefore doth loue Sion to wit the vertues and good workes of contemplatiue men more or better then the tabernacles of Iacob to wit the inhabitants of the earth designed by Iacob who although they liue in the grace of God haue not as yet throughly mortified their coneupiscences and altogether subdued vice but haue need to combate daily against inordinate motions Nothwithstanding that these labour more then speculatiue perfect mē yet they merit à lesser guerdon or reward then they because their acts doe not proceede from such sincere perfect and feruent loue as the acts of contemplatiue persons neither doe they operate soe readily peaceably sweetly and delightfully as contemplatiues and speaking absolutely by how much the more readily quietly delightfully any man doth execute the worke of God by soe much the more doth he merit Glorious things are saied of thee ô Citty of God not onely of the triumphant Church but alsoe of the militant to wit that the Sonne of God shall visite her in person and that all nations tribes and peoples shall flocke vnto her from all parts of the earth and make suite to be admitted to inhabite within her walls which is insinuated by the words that follow I will bee mindfull of Raab and Babylon knowing me Raab in this place is not the proper name of that woman who hid the messengers of Iosue but according to S. Ierome it is here an apellatiue name designing as à propertie pride or proud whereby are designed the Pagans giuen to idolatrie and rebellious to God and Babylon is by interpretation confusion The sense therefore of these words seemeth to bee I will bee mindfull by shewing mercie of Raab and Babylon to wit of the proud Gentils and of those that liue in the confusion of sinnes knowing me by faith after I am soe mindfull of them This our Lord performed sending his Apostles to the whole world of whome S. Simon and Iude preached the Gospell to the Babylonians and conuerted the greatest part of them to the faith of Christ Behold the forreiners the Philisthians and Tyre and the people of the Aethiopians these were there to wit in the Citty of Christ These nations are here expressed by name because they bordered vpon the land of Iuda and did first embrace the Christian faith yet by them are designed all the infidels of the whole world which came o◠shall come to ioyne in vnion of faith with the holie Church Shall it not bee saied of Sion Man and man is borne in her and the highest himselfe founded her As if he should saie yes it shall bee saied of Sion that many men or almost euery man shall bee regenerated in her by the Sacrament of Baptisme and that God founded her These words are otherwaies deliuered by very many of the most learned and auncient Fathers as followeth Shall not man saie to Sion and man is borne in her and he the most high hath founded her As if the Prophet had saied Yes verily Man shall saie to Sion to wit to the holie Church as followeth and Man is borne in her Christ God and man is borne of the B. Virgin the most worthy member in the Church and he to wit Christ our Lord soe borne in the Church according to his humane nature being the most high according to his
The Canticles of the old Testament might not bee song but onely in the land of Promise but such new songs as these of the new Testament maie bee song by all the inhabitants of the earth and therefore Sing to our Lord all the earth this new and most sweet song That for the excessiue Charitie Ephes 2. wherewith God the Father hath loued vs he hath sent his onely Sonne into the world Sing ye to our Lord and blesse his name praise him and recount his wonderfull benefits with iubilation of heart saying See what manner of Charitie the Father hath 1. Ioâ— 3. giuen vs that we should bee named and bee the Sonnes of God Such sweete sentences as these are called à new song not onely in regard of the newnesse of tyme but alsoe in respect of the new and fresh deuotion of the mynd and for that they ought to bee song by renewed men in whome vaine and dishonest loue raigneth not any more but true Charitie Let vs therefore reforme the affections of our heart and out of the feruent loue we beare towards our Sauiour seeke for and inuent new songs in his praise according to the grace and internall light that God hath giuen vs as the fond louers of the world doe compose songs of him or her whome they loue carnally Shew forth his saluation praise ye and diâ—ulge ye Christ by whome in whome God the Father doth saue vs from daie to daie euery daie for as daie doth succeed to daie without ceasing soe it is meet that praise should succeed to praise O all ye Apostles and Disciples of our Lord and all others whosoeuer their lawfull successors that haue the zeale of the diuine honour and brotherly charitie Shew forth his glorie among the Gentils which shall bee conuerted that they may beleeue and to those that are already conuerted that they maie encrease in loue and shew forth his maruelous workes in all peoples his creation of the world Redemption of mankind sending of the holie Ghost all other his wonderfull workes It is most meet that ye doe this Because our Lord is great and exceeding laudable He is an infinite and immense goodnes and he is as laudable as good therefore cannot bee sufficiently praised by any creature he is terrible aboue all Gods more to bee feared then all those which the Gentils did adore as Gods Almightie God in himselfe is all sweet benigne and louely for as S. Iohn affirmeth 1. Ioh. 4. God is charitie Yet he is saied to bee terrible in regard that he is as it were constrained to seeme soe to proud stubborne and disobedient people who will not bee wonne by lenitie and sweetnes Moreouer he is saied to bee terrible because it is more greeuous to bee separated from him then from all the creatures or delightfull things in the world as alsoe for that none can inflict soe cruell torments as he can whence is that of the Euangelist Feare not them that kill the Math. 10. body and are not able to kill the soule but rather feare him that can destroy both soule and body into hell For all which reasons it is manifest that he is more to bee feared then the Gods of the Gentils as alsoe Because all the Gods of the Gentils are Diuels reprobate Angels who for their pride and disobedience were throwne downe by him from heauen and cannot hurt vs further then he shall please to permit but our Lord made the heauens It is generally knowne that many of the Gentils did worship certaine wicked men for Gods to wit Saturne Iupiter Mercury Priapus c. and that many others did adore the Sunne Moone Starres fire water and the beasts of the earth as S. Paul doth infinuate to the Romans How then can all the Gods of the Gentils bee saied to bee diuels To which maie be answered that those wicked men are called diuels by participation of diuellish wickednesse like as some men are called Angels by participation of Angelicall dignitie and office as S. Iohn calleth the Pastors or Apoc. 2. Bishops of the Seauen Churches in Asia Angels and the Prophet Malachias calleth Malach. 2. à Priest the Angell of the Lord of hostes as concerning the other things which were adored for Gods although they were not diuels yet because those that exhibited worship vnto them beleeuing certaine deities to bee in them did by such their worship serue the diuels therefore it is that all the Gods of the Gentils are saied to bee diuels and the things that are immolated to them to bee immolated to diuels Confession and beautie in his fight holinesse and magnificence in his sanctification This verse is expounded by the holie Fathers fower seuerall waies and in effect as followeth First that in contemplating God is seene all beautie and matter of praise holinesse and magnificence in his sanctuary Secondly that praise and puritie is exercised in his presence holinesse and diuine worship in his sanctuary Thirdly that praise is sung to God by his Saints in heauen for the beautie which they behold in him who is indeed the fountaine of all sanctitie puritie glory and Maiestie as is acknowledged by those blessed spirits of whome consisteth the triumphant Church wherein he doth manifest this his beautie which is here tearmed his sanctification or is sanctuary Fowerthly that in those whome God almighty is graciously pleased to behold with the eies of his mercie this his sight causeth remorse of conscience and confession or acknowledgement of their faults by which meanes they attaine to interiour beautie and puritie of heart Bring ye to our Lord ye families of Gentils bring ye to our Lord glorie and honour bring ye to our Lord glorie vnto his name The Prophet repeateth here Bring ye to our Lord three tymes and endeth with glorie to his name as in the beginning of the Psalme he repeated thrice Sing ye to our Lord ending with blesse his name thereby as the holie Fathers doe note obscurely insinuating the most high mistery of the B. Trinitie which afterwards in the new testament was to bee diuulged more clearely Take ye vp hoastes bring with you gifts and sacrifices not such bloudy sacrifices as are now offred in the Temple but such as the Apostles and their successors shall teach you to offer to wit the sacrifice of à contrite heart confession of sinnes praier fasting almesdeeds and the like according to that of S. Peter Bee ye Epist 1. c. 2. à holie priesthood to offer spirituall hoastes acceptable to God by Iesus Christ And enter into his courtes into the Catholike Churches and other places deputed to the diuine worship and especially into the Temple of your hearts descending into your interiour and there praising and adoring God within you by contemplation loue and watchfull custody of your senses for The temple of God is holie 1. Cor. 3. which you are Adore ye our Lord in his holie courts adore ye in his
after their conuersion for the most part are accustomed to praise our Lord with à gratefull heart saying with the Psalmist But that our Lord hath holpen me within very Psal 9â— litle my soule had dwelt in hell Yet in regard that bruit sauadge and vntamed creatures are properly called beasts and bruit tame domesticall creatures cattell by beasts may fitly bee vnderstood carnall cruell vntractable men by cattell gentle courteous and tractable men Sonnes of men blesse yee our Lord. Reasonable and intellectuall creatures as the Sonnes of Men are ought to blesse our Lord not onely by affording matter of the diuine praise to such as rightly consider them but by considering their owne excellencie and perfection as alsoe the perfections in other creatures to magnifie and extoll with heart and mouth the infinite goodnesse wisdome and power of almigtie God acknowledging him by words and deeds the author and fountaine of all perfection cordially giuing thankes vnto him for all benefits gifts bestowed either vpon them or vpon other creatures Indeed if we will attentiuely consider Man as touching his body and soule and other circumstances concerning him we shall find soe much the more copious and excellent matter of the Creators praise by how much man is of à more high and excellent nature then the rest of the forenamed creatures For in the body of Man how great goodnesse of God how great prudence of soe mighty à Creator doth appeare Are not the places of the senses and the rest of the members soe disposed the forme shape and stature of the whole body soe delineated that they clearely shew they were made for the seruice of à reasonable soule Man is not created as we see irrationall creatures inclining towards the earth but with the forme of his body bolt vpright towards heauen whereby he is admonished according as the Apostle exhorteth To mynd the things that are aboue and not the things that Collos 3. are upon the earth By how much the more and greater benefits therefore are bestowed vpon him by soe much the more he is obliged to praise God and by soe much the more seuere and terrible shall his doome of reprobation bee if he bee found defectiue herein Let Israel blesse our Lord. Amongst all the generations of men the Israelits are most obliged to God almighty for his especiall graces and singular patronadge and consequently are bound by all the lawes of gratitude to render him due praise VVho declareth his word to Iacob his Psal 147. iustices and iudgements to Israel He hath noe done in leke manner to any nation and his iudgements he hath not made manifest to them Yet in respect that the people of Israel for their incredulity and obstinate blindnesse are become vnworthy of that name of whome the Apostle saieth Behold Israel 1. Cor. â—0 according to the flesh by Israel is now to bee vnderstood the people that are Christians by faith and workes of whome the same Apostle saieth Peace vpon the Israel of Gal. 9. God for they are frequently designed in the Prophets vnder the names of Ierusalem Sion and Israel especially in regard that the Primitiue Church consisted of the saied people Priests of our Lord blesse yee our Lord. These holie men hauing in generall tearmes inuited all Israel to blesse our Lord doe now here especially nominate the Priests on whome greater gifts are bestowed then vpon the vulgar and who in respect of their office or function are peculiarly obliged to spirituall exercises and the praise of God vnto whome Ezechias saied My children be not negligent 2. Paralip 29. our Lord hath chosen you to stand before him and to minister to him and to worship him and to burne incense to him and of whome our Lord hath saied I will replenish the soules of the Priests with fatnesse and in Exodus it is alsoe saied that The Priests shall be holie to their God If then the Priests Exod. 29 of the old law were bound to liue soe spiritually continently and soberly whose priesthood was but as à type and figure of the priesthood of Christ and his holie Church how spiritually continently and temperately are the Priests of the holie Church obliged to liue Verily so much the more perfectly ought they to frame their liues by how much their priesthood is more spirituall and diuine and the sacrifice they offer more excellent and the Sacraments they handle of greater value Seruants of our Lord blesse yee our Lord. These words doe seeme to bee spoken to those cheefly who ministred to the Priests in the diuine worship to witt to the Leuites vnto whome Deacons doe succeed in the holie Church yet they maie alsoe be vnderstood as spokeÌ„ to all the faithfull for they are all properly stiled the seruants of God as being Created by him redeemed with the pretious bloud of his most deare and onely sonne Christ Iesus Spirits and soules of the iust praise yee our Lord. You are to know that these words Spirit soule doe expresse one the same essence of à reasonable soule which in as much as it informeth and giueth life to the body is called Anima that is à soule and by reason of its simplicity and in as much as it contemplateth heauenly things it is called à Spirit Holie and humble of heart blesse yee our Lord not attributing your vertues and merits to your owne proper power labour or industry but to the piety and grace of the holie Ghost who operateth in you both à good will and ability to performe your duties Ananias Azarias and Misael blesse yee our Lord. These holie men hauing inuited all creatures to praise our Lord doe now prouoke themselues thereunto in consideration of their present benefit being miraculously preserued from the fire of that flaming furnace The verse following is not in the Text but hath been added by the holie Church in the praise of the most blessed Trinity in the place of Gloria Patri which Pope Damasus by the perswasion of S. Ierome did institute to be recited or sung at the end of euery Psalme as hath been saied heretofore Let vs Blesse that is Let vs with heart and mouth exhibite deuotion praise honour reuerence and diuine worship in spirit and truth to the Father our Creator and the Sonne our Redeemer with the Holie Ghost our Comforter and for that these trhee persons are one vndiuided and most amiable God Let vs praise him in three persons with one praise and superexalt him for euer speaking well of him thinking well of him and ascribing vnto him all that is good Thou art blessed o Lord in the firmament of heauen and laudable and glorious and superexalted for euer The argument of the 148. Psalme intituled Alleluia that is to saie Praise our Lord. THe Prophet intending to inuite all creatures to praise our Lord doth reduce them to two Classes to witt Heauen and earth for these are the two principall
of Israel à people approching vnto him According to the letter the Prophet calleth the Children of Israel to witt of the Patriarke Iacob the Saints of God because in those daies almost all the world was inclined to Idolatry excepting they whence it is that Moyses often saieth of them Thou art à holie people to the Lord Deut. 7 thy God The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be his peculiar people of all peoples that are vpon earth Yet in a spirituall sense by the Children of Israel are vnderstood all the faithfull whether they be descended from the Patriarke Iacob according to the flesh or not for as the Apostle teacheth Not Rom. 9. all that are of Israel be Israelites nor they that are the seed of Abraham all bee children but in Isaac shall the seed be called vnto thee that is to saie not they that are the children of the flesh they are the children of God but they that are the children of the promise are esteemed for the seed and to all such the Apostle saieth Let the word of Christ dwell in you Colos 3. aboundantly teaching and admonishing your owne felues with Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Canticles in grace singing in your hearts to God These are à People approaching to God For as wee goe backe from him by sinne soe wee approach neere vnto him by vertues and good workes Faith sheweth the true end for which Man was created and the way leading thereunto Hope beginneth to tend thitherwards Charitie vniteth vs to our end and all other vertues in as much as they are informed with Charitie doe knitt vs indissolubly vnto our end which is God himselfe Behold here à Psalme replete with the zeale of diuine loue wherein the Prophet expressing some few creatures by name doth exhort the whole machine of the vniuerse to praise the most high and holie Trinity that soe by them might be fulfilled what he piously desired but was vnable by himselfe to performe Whilst we sing it let vs recollect our minds from all extrauagances inkindle in them the zeale of diuine loue and conserue it with all vigilancy Let vs contemplate in all especially in the celestiall creatures the excellency of the Creator In this contemplation let vs feast our spirit delighting ourselues in his praise and congratulating his ineffable felicity most affectionately Finally let vs personally ourselues fulfill what we excite all other things vnto by praising and glorifying almighty God for whose praise and glory all things were created for truely it is more possible for heauen and earth to be annihilated then for à man not to be saued who glorieth in the diuine praise The title and argument of the 149. Psalme THe title prefixed to this Psalme is Alleluia and it agreeth well with the words of the Psalme which doe wholy tend to set forth the praise of our Lord and Sauiour principally for the benefit of the perfect victory and finall triumph which the faithfull shall obtaine in his second comming when all the aduersaries of the elect shall bee damned eternally and the elect bee freed from all euill reassuming glorified bodies These three last Psalmes haue such connection coherence one with another that they seeme to bee à continuation one of another and this peraduenture is the reason why the holie Church placeth them together at the end of Laudes and appointeth them to bee song as one Psalme with one Gloria in the end The exposition of the Psalme IN the last verse of the precedeÌ„t Psalme the Prophet hath these words An Hymne to all his Saints c. and now he beginneth this Psalme with Sing yee to our Lord à new song as if he had saied O yee Saints that are à people approaching to him Sing yee to our Lord à new song for his new benefits to witt for the benefits of our Redemption renouation iustification and glorification let his praise bee in the Church of Saints in the congregation of deuout people in the Militant and triumphant Church as the Prophet Isaie recounteth Isa 51. Ioy and gladnesse shall bee found in it giuing of thankes and voice of praise Let Israel to witt all such of the Iewes that shall bee conuerted and all other Christian people who by faith good life are reputed to bee of the seed of the Patriarkes much rather then the children of the flesh according to that of the Apostle Know yee therefore that they who Gal. 3. are of faith the same are the children of Israel Let this true Israel bee ioyfull in him that made him to witt in his Creator and redeemer and let the Children of Sion to witt particular Churches members of the vniuersall Church or deuout soules who are the children of the holie Church designed by Sion reioyce in their King to witt the celestiall Spouse our Sauiour Christ of whome it is saied in the Canticles Cant. 1. The King hath brought me into his Cellars we will reioyce and bee glad in thee Let them praise his name in quire on timbrell and Psalter let them sing to him Let them not onely sing à new song vnto him with ioy and exultation but let them alsoe adioyne musicall instruments to their voices that his praise maie bee more solemnely set forth By the Timbrel is vnderstood the mortification of the flesh because à skin is extended vpon that instrument and by the Psalter vpon which many strings are stretched at length are designed good workes The children therefore of Sion ought to sing to our Lord on Timbrell to witt in chastisement of their flesh and refraining their inordinate concupiscences and on Psalter to witt in goodnesse of life and manners free from reprehension that their life and manners maie bee consonant to the words they pronounce which manner of quire is most delightfull to the eares of almighty God Let them doe this Because our Lord is well pleased in his people Prouerb 8. Ioh. 15. to witt in his elect whome he hath loued from all eternitie of his meere benignitie and of whome he saieth My delights to bee with the sonnes of men And he will exalt in the daie of iudgement Luc. 12. the meeke to witt those that are true Christians in faith conuersation and haue practised that lesson which our Sauiour proposed to all sorts of people saying Learne of me because I am meeke and Math. 11. humble of heart These he will exalt vnto Saluation of body and mynd giuing them à double stole compleat beatitude and life euerlasting The Saints shall reioyce in glory to witt in the celestiall Kingdome when as their weâ—ping and lamenting in this world shall bee turned into ioy they shall bee ioyfull in their bedds to witt in the celestiall mansions in which they shall sweetly and happily rest in God by the delightfull sleepe of sincere contemplation Of these bedds our Sauiour saieth I goe to prepare you à place and againe Ioh. 14. In my fathers howse
the ministerie of his holie Angels the diuine law the holie Scriptures celestiall reuelations to vs mortalls His word runneth swâ—fily The Euangelicall law and doctrine of Christ was diâ—â—lged in all places through the whole earth in à short tyme by the preaching of the Apostles and Disciples for Into all Psal 18. the earth hath the sound of them gone forth into the endâ— of the whole world the words of them Christ indeed-sent forth his speech to the earth when he saied to his Apostles Going into the whole world preach the Marc. 16. Ghospell to all creatures but his word ranne swiftly when they did putt in execution and accomplished what he had foretold them to witt That they should bee witnesses Act. 1. vnto him in Ierusalem and in all Iewâ—ie and Sâ—marâ—â— and euen to the vtmost of the earth VVho giueth sâ—ow as wâ—oll He it is alsoe who by his diuine power disperseth the waters that are eleuated into the middle region and there congealed and makes them gently fall not vnlike to litle lockes of whitest wooll couering the cultiuated feilds as it were with a woollen mantle which defends the tender blades from the sharpe rigours of the hoarie frost Scattereth mist hoarie times made small as ashes These mists cause fertilitie to plants that are purified by the nipping cold of those grizely bearded rimes which repell all vitious sappe from trees and render them noe lesse aboundant in fruits then well nourished in bodie and branches VVho casteth his Christall as morsells Christall is generally esteemed to bee certaine peeces of vce here and there dispersed in great gobbits which by long condensation and freezing is become soe hard and solide that it cannot by any meanes bee dissolued and yet retaineth the clearenesse and luster of the element whereof it is produced Before the face of his cold of the excessiâ—e coldnesse which he can send at his pleasure in such extremitie that it will bee of power to conâ—ert water into Christall who shall endâ—re As if he should saie noe man is able to subâ—ist at the presence thereof for indeed there are some countreys which noe man can inhabite by reason of the excessiue coâ—dnesse He shall send forth his word and shall melt them his spirit shall blow and waters shall flow Almightie God is soe powerfull that with the least word he shall vouchsafe to let fall from his sacred mouth he can dissolue all the saied snowes frozen mists and congelations and with one blast of a Southerne wind cause the waters to runne as before These diuers effects of one the same cause doe signifie vnto vs the great efficacie of his diuine word whereby he augments the number of faithfull Christians made pure and white as snow by faith the Sacraments reducing them to Pennance signified by ashes thereby resoluing all the mists hoarie rimes which are the little obstacles that did congeale our soules to the end to render them more fertile in good workes when the Sunne of Iustice doth giue them light and life â—yea dissoluing Chrystall that is mollifying those rebellious obstinate and hard frozen hearts which retaine in apparence the splendor of christall shew an exteriour resemblance of worth and value and cannot bee dissolued by any exhortation whatsoeuer For when he pleaseth to sende his sacred word holie spirit manifested either by internall inspiration or by visible miracles and to breathe vpon their cold frozen couradges then behold them in an instant conuerted into teares and altogether inflamed with his loue and recurring to the riuers of Baptisme Some expound the former words VVho giueth snow as wool of the consolation which the Saincts receiue in tribulation according to that of the Apostle I am replenished with consolation I doe exceedingly 2. Cor. 7. abound in ioy in all our tribulateon For snow doth afflict with its coldnesse but wool doth cherish with its warmth God therefore doth giue snow as wooll because he giueth snow as if he gaue wooll for he giueth tribulation which is conuerted into the consolation of his Saints Moreouer they referre these words Scattereth mist as ashes to pennance which is designed by ashes for God scattereth the cloud or hoarie mist of tribulation whereby many are excited to pennance and soe God giueth mist as ashes because he giueth mist as though he gaue ashes in regard that tribulation leadeth to pennance Finally they expound these words He casteth his cristall aâ— morsellâ— of the greatest consolation which God almightie graunteth in tribulation for then he casteth his christall as morsells when he giueth yee as though he gaue bread because euen in the yee it selfe of tribulation he infuseth the bread of consolation VVho declareth his word to Iacob his iustices and iudgements to Israel He hath not done in like manner to any natioÌ„ and his iudgements he hath not made manifest to them The Prophet concludeth shewing what difference there is betweene the Prouidence of God towards his people and other nations For he hath taught other nations by naturall effects that they might come to acknowledge their creator by the consideration of created things but he hath taught his people by his Prophets O Ierusalem therefore praise our Lord who declareth his word to Iacob to witt to his people seeing him by faith speaking vnto them by Moyses and the Prophets and who declareth His iustices and Iudgements to Israel by his seruant Moyses vnto whome he gaue the law to deliuer it to his people of Israel Hence thou maist gather that he hath not done in like manner to any nationâ— because to thee alone and not to others he hath manifested his saied iudgements By his word his iustices and iudgements maiâ— alsoe hee vnderstood aduertisements necessarie to saluation bee it by word â—â— forme their manners bee it by statutes or ordinances for what concernes his seruice and the due worship in his true religion or finally bee it by iudgements foâ— that which appertaines to the distribution of iustice and right which must bee rendred to our neighbour all which God almightie hath in a peculiar manner deliuered to his elected people Behold à Psalme altogether repleaâ— with spirituall sweetnesse erecting our minds to the contemplation of heauenly things In it the Militant Church or euery one of the faithfull doth inuite the triumphant Church to praise the author of their be atitude not that the blessed need our admonition but that we congratulating them and 〈…〉 lating their felicitie maie bee incited thereby â—o labour to attaine their vnion Whilest therefore we repeate the first verse thereof let vs eleâ—ate our hearts to the ioyes of that superâ—â—all palace perlustrate that sacred Cittie with the eies of faith and sigh after the blisse thereof for whose loue we ought to flight all sensible and carnall things Let vs attend after our poore manner what ioyes the glorified soules doe securely possesse whose Cittie is fortified on all sides that noe