the Auncients Tâ—isagion these words may be sayd drawne from the Liturgy of S. Iames S. Chrysostome To thee the Creatour of all Creatures visible inuisible To thee the Treasure of eâ—ernal blessingâ— To thee the fountaine of life immortality To thee the absolute Mayster of the whole world be the praise honour and worship yielded which thou deseruest Let the Sunne the Moone the Quire of Starres the Ayre the Earth the Sea all that is in the Celestiall Elementary world blesse thee Let thy Hierusalem thy Church from the first birth therof already enrolled in heauen glorify thee Let so many chosen soules of Apostles Martyrs and Prophets Let Angels Archangels Thrones Dominations Principalityes Powers and Vertues Let the dreadfull Cherubins Seraphins perpetually sing the hymne of thy triumphs Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hoasts Heauen and Earth are filled with the glory Saue vs thou who doest inhabite Heauen which is the Pallace of thy Maiesty After Consecration at the Adoration of the Hoast Saint Thomas sayd MY Lord Iesus thou art the Sonne of the Eternall Father It is thou who to redeeme the world hast cloathed thy selfe with our flesh in the wombe of a Virgin It is thou who hauing ouercome the Agonies of death openedst heauen to vs. It is thou who sittest at the right hand of the Eternal Father who shalt iudge the liuing and the dead My God help thy seruants whome thou hast Redeemed with thy most precious bloud Hauing adored the Hoast say this Prayer of S. Bernard in his Meditations vpon the Passion O HeaueÌ„ly Father Behold from thy Sanctuary and Throne of thy glory this venerable Hoast which is offered to thee by our Bishop lesus thy most innocent and sacred Son for the sinnes of his Brethren and mollify thy hart vpon the multitude of our offences and miseryes Behold the voice of the bloud of this most innocent LaÌ„be which cryeth out to thee and himselfe all crowned with glory and honour standeth before thee at the right hand of thy Maiesty Looke O my God on the face of thy Messias who hath been obedient to thee euen to death and let not his sacred wounds be euer farre distant froÌ„ thine eyes no more then the remembrance of the satisfaction he presented to thee for the remedy of our crimes O Let all tongues prayse blesse thee in remembrance of the super-aboundance of thy bounty thou who hast deliuered thine only Sonne ouer to death vpon earth to make him our most faithfull Aduocate in Heauen FOR PETITION At our Lords prayer when you haue sayd it repeate these words of the Liturgy heere before alleadged MY God be mindfull of all Pastours and faithfull People who reside in all Regions of the habitable world in vnion of the Catholicke Faith preserue them in thy holy peace Good God saue our most Gracious King and his whole Kingdome lift vp the prayers which we offer to thy liuing Image vpon thine Altars My God Eternall remember those who trauell by Sea or Land and are exposed to so many dreadfull daungers Remember so many poore Pilgrimes Prisoners Exiles who sigh vnder the miseries of the world My God remember the sicke and al those who are in any discomfort of mind Remember so many poore soules toyled out with acerbities who implore thyne assistance Remember also the conuersion of so many Heretiques Sinners and Infidels whome thou hast created to thyne owne image My God remember our friends benefactors take this great sacrifice for the liuing and the dead and so do that all may tast the effect of thy mercyes dissipate scandals warres and Heresies and affoard vs thy peace and Charity And at the end of Masse MY God powre downe thy graces vpon vs direct our steps in thy paths fortify vs in thy freare confirme vs in thy friendship and in the end giue vs the inheritance of thy children It is also very expedient to haue your deuotions ordered for euery day of the weeke SECT XIX Deuotions directed for the dayes of the weeke IF you desire this distinction of dayes I tell you that some dedicate Sunday to the most holy Trinity Munday to the comfort of faythfull soules which are departed into the other world Tuesday to the memory of Angels Wednesday to that of the Apostles of al Saints Thursday to the veneration of the Sacrament of the Altar Friday to the mystery of the passion and Saturday to the honour of our Blessed Lady Others employ their remembrance to be particuler for euery day as for SuÌ„day the glory of Paradise Munday the iudgmeÌ„t-day Tuesday the blessinges of God Wednesday death Thursday the paynes of Hell Friday the passion Saturday the vertues of our Lady as heeretofore It is the Counsell of S. Bonauenture in his lesser workes We deriue also a singular practise of deuotion for euery day of the weeke froÌ„ the Hymnes of S. Ambrose which the Church for euer makes vse of For from thence we learne to thank God for euery worke of creation and to make the greater world correspond with the lesse Sunday which is the day wherin the light was created we should render thanks to God that he hath produced this temporall light which is the smiling of heauen the ioy of the world distending it as a piece of cloath of gold ouer the face of the ayre earth enkindling it as a torch to behold his workes by From thence penetrating further we will giue him thankes that he hath afforded vs his sonne called by the holy Fathers the Day-bringer to communicate vnto vs this great light of sayth which is as sayth Saint Bernard A copy of the Eternity we will humbly beseech him this light may neuer be Eclypsed in our vnderstandings but may daily replenish vs with more more knowledge of his holy will And for this purpose we must heare the word of God and be present at diuine Seruice with all feruor and purity Carefully preserue your selfe froÌ„ pollution through any disorder on the day which God hath reserued to himselfe and from giuing to DagoÌ„ the first fruits of the weeke which you should offer vp at the feet of the Arke of Couenant Monday which is the day wherein the Firmament was created to separate the waters the Celestiall from the inferior and terrestriall waters we shal represent vnto our selues that God hath giuen reason vnto vs as a firmament to separate diuine cogitations from animal and we will pray vnto him to mortify in vs anger and concupiscence and grant vs a perfect maistery ouer all the passions which oppose the law Eternall Tuesday the day wherin the waters which before couered the whole element of the Earth were ranked in their places the earth appeared to become the mansion nurse tombe of man we shall figure vnto our selues the great worke of the iustification of the world made by the Word Incarnate when it had raysed vp a huge masse of obstacles as well
Vespasians gate and finding him awake coniectured thereupon that he was worthy to commaund an Empire and sayd to him who bare him company 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vndoubâ—edly this man will be Emperour since he is so watchfull All that which you are to dispose the day vnto is diuided into foure parts Deuotion Practise of vertues Affaires and Recreation Deuotion should carry the Torch open the gate vnto all our actions Make account at your awaking to giue all the first fruits of your facultyes of your senses and your functions to the diuine Maiesty Let the memory instaÌ„tly remember it selfe that it must doe the worke of God Let the vnderstaÌ„ding cast a coÌ„sideration vpon its Creatour like a flash of lightning Let the Will bâ— enkindled with his loue Let the hart shoot forth some fiery shafts some desires some affectioÌ„s wholy celestial Let the mouth and tongue indeauour to pronouÌ„ce some vocal prayer to the most holy Trinity Let the handes figure on the forehead and breast the signe of the Crosse since they are lifted vp to heauen Let the armes feet shake off the sluggishnesse of sleep as S. Peter did the chaynes at the voyce of the Angell Behold a good beginning how to offer ones self to God The haire was pulled from the victime and put into the fire before it was sacrificed so must you draw away at your awaking those slighter actions to giue beginning to your sacrifice SECT III. Fiue singular Actions to begin the Day THis Action ought to serue as a preparatiue for another deuotion much longer and more serious which you are to make in your Closet at your comming out of bed If you haue so great a pompe of attires to put on that you must employ some notable tyme to cloth your selfe it is a miserable seruitude do not thinke this is the way to render your Tribute to God but attire your selfe correspondently so much as is necessary for decency and health Then bending your knees performe fiue things Adoration Thanksgiuing Oblation Contrition and Petition I will heere trace out vnto you the manner how to frame these actions which you may read at tymes I will add examples and formes partly drawne out of Scripture and fit to be daily repeated SECT IV. Of Adoration the first act of Deuotion YOu are to note that Prayse is one thing honour another reuerence a third adoration a fourth Prayse properly consisteth in wordes Honour in exteriour signes Reuerence in interiour respect but Adoration considered in its extent comprehendeth all those acts with much more eminency For Adoration is an act of ReligioÌ„ wherby we doe homage to the soueraignty of God with a low submission which is not in that degree communicable to any creature This Act is formed and composed of foure thinges which be as it were its elements The first is a stroÌ„g imaginatioÌ„ of the greatnes and excellencies of God The second a consideration of our abiectnesse coÌ„pared to this great Maiesty The third a flaming act of the will which vpon this thought is wholy powred out into reuerence And the fourth an exteriour refleâ—â—on from the mouth and postures of the body which witnesse the ressentment of our hart The Soule then to discharge her selfe in this act of Adoration first conceaueth God great terrible replenished with Maiesty she conceaueth him as a sea infinite in essence bounty beatitude which encloseth with in it selfe all being al goodnes all truth and not only encloseth but from al eternity preuenteth it with an eminency incomparable She beholdeth the wholâ— world in the immensity of God as a Sponge would be in the middest of the OceaÌ„ an Atome in the Ayre and a little Globe of glasse enchased in the primum Mobile She knoweth God as the foundation of all possible thinges the essence superessentiall of all thinges which are and are not without which nothing subsists eyther in act or power nor hath it any haÌ„dle whereby the vnderstanding may lay hold of to haue the knowledgâ— thereof She figureth God vnto herselfe as the beginning and end of all things the Creator the Founder the Basis the Support the Place the Continuance the Terme the Order the Band the Concord the Consummation of all creatures retayning in it selfe all the good of Angells of men and vniuersal nature which hath all the glory all the dignityes all the riches all the treasures all the ioyes al the blessinges as very well Lessius explicateth in his treatise of Infiâ—ity This soule not content leasurely walketh in these fourteen Abbysses of greatnesse which are in God to wit Infinity Immâ—nsity Immutability Eternity Omnipotency Wisedome Perfection Sanctity Benignity Power Prouidence Mercy lustice the End whereunto all things tend She first considereth euery perfection absolutly then by comparison and applicatioÌ„ making a circle about her selfe comparing this Infinity of God to her nothing this Immensity to her littlenesse this Immutability to her inconstancy this Eternity to the shortnes of her temporall life this Omnipotency to her weaknesse this Wisedome to her ignorance this Perfection to her defects this Sanctity to her vices this Benignity to her ingratitude this Power to her pouerty this Prouidence to her stupidity this Mercy to her obstinacy this Iustice to her iniquity this End whereunto all thinges incline in great dependenciâ—s which spring from her infirmityes It abydeth there wholy rauished in God as a small Ant would be in the Sun and not vnlike Aristotle who as it is sayd being not able to vnderstand the floud and ebbe of an arme of the Sea threw himselfe into it so she likewise ingulfeth her selfe in so many wonders not willing any longer to measure her loue by the ell of her knowledge She is entraunced in this great labyrinth of Miracles much more then the Queen of Saba in the pallace of Salomon and necessarily she must in the end breake out into an exteriour act and say My God and my All the God of myhart my portion and myne inheritance for all eternity SECT 5. Example of Adoration PVrsuing this course you shall worship God prostrate on the earth resounding as a small string of the great Harpe of the world offering the whole vniuâ—rse to the Creatour as a votiue Table hung vp on his altar entirely resigning yourselfe to his will To this act agreoth well the Hymne of the three Children in the Fornace who called all creatnres as by a list-rolle to the prayses of God or els take the forme which the Angels Saints vsed in adoring this soueraigne Maiesty Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hoastes who hast beene who art and shalt come thou art worthv O Lord our God to receaue as a tribut all glory al honour all vertue for thou art the Creatour absolute master of all things It is thou who hast created both heauen earth with all their ornaments thou who bindest the Sea by thyne omnipotent word thou who signest the Abisses with the
seale of thy name terrible prayse-worthy for euer thou who makest the pillers of Heauen to tremble vnder thy feet thou who strikest terrour into al creatures by the vnsupportable lustre of thy Maiesty thou who sittest in the pauillion of thy glory vpoÌ„ the winges of Cherubims from thence doest measure the depth of the abysse I adore thee my God from the center of my Nothing with al the creatures of the world making into thy haÌ„des a full resignation of all that which I am and desiring to depend for the present and for all eternity vpon thy holy will SECT 6. Of Thankesgiuing which is the second act of Deuotion IT is an act very necessary considering the benefits which we continually receaue from the hand of God It is not fit we resemble the clowds which couer the Sunne after it hath raysed them vp but that we rather coÌ„forme our selues to the mirrour which reÌ„dreth the image so soone as the face is presented We ought not to suffer any benefit to passe coÌ„ming to vs from this soueraigne hand of which we represent not the liuely figure in our grateful remembraÌ„ces And if those ancient Hebrewes according to the relation of Iosephus set markes and formes sometymes on their armes otherwhiles on their gates to declare vnto all the world the benefits which God had conferred on their families is it not a matter very iust that we endeauour to acknowledge in some manner the liberalityes of the diuine maiesty This act consisteth in three thinges First in the memory which presenteth to the vnderstanding the benefits receaued and this derstanding coÌ„sidereth the hand which giueth them and to whome and how and wherefore by what meanes and in what proportion thereupon is framed in the will an affectionate acknowledgment which not being able to become idle vnfoldeth it selfe in exteriour acts to witnesse the seruour of its affections To practise it throughtly a lift must be made to your selfe of the benefits of God which are contayned in three forts â—â— goodnes and mercy The first is that by which he hath drawne this great vniuerse from Abysses and darkenes of nothing to the light of essence life for our sakes creating a world with so much greatnesse beauty vtility proportion order vicissitude continuance and preseruing it as with the perpetuall breath of his spirit affording to euery thing its ranke forme proprietie appetite inclination seituation limits and accomplishment But aboue all creating Man as a little miracle of Nature with the adornement of so many pieces so wel enchased to beare on the brow thereof the rayes of his Maiesty The second benignity is that whereby he hath determined to rayse in man totall Nature to a supernaturall condition And the third by which he hath traÌ„sferred humance Nature fallen into sinne into miseries and into the shadow of death to innocency felicity light life eternal It is the incomprehensible mistery of the Incarnation of the Word which coÌ„prehendes six other benefits to wit the benefit of the doctrine and wisedom of heauen conferred on vs the benefit of the good examples of our Sauiour the benefit of redemption the benefit of adoption into the number of the children of God the benefit of the treasure of the merits of Iesus Christ the benefit of the holy Eucharist Besides these benefits which are in the generality of Christianity there are to be represented oftentymes with much humility the particuler fauours receaued from God in birth breeding education instruction in talents of mind and body in meanes and abilityes in friends in alliance in kinred in vocation state and profession of life in continuall protection and deliuerance from so many perils in the vicissitude of aduersities and prosperityes in the mannage of degrees of age wherein euery one in his particuler may acknowledge infinit passages of the diuine Prouidence And all this falling vpon the soule with consideration of the circumstances of ech benefit draweth in the end from the will this act of gratitude which maketh it say that which the Prophet Dauid spake My God who am I what is the house of my Father that hath hitherto bred me SECT VII The manner of Thankesgiuing PVrsuing this you shall then giue thanks for al benefits in generall and ticulerly for those which you presently receaue and which are at that time proposed vnto you to the end you may season this act with some new tast The Church accommodateth vs with an excellent forme of Thankesgiuing to God in the Hymne Te Deum laudâ—mus Or you may well say with those blessed soules To thee O my God benediction light wisedome thankes honour power vertue in the reuolutioÌ„ of all ages for euer more My God the glory which thou dost merit be rendred to the throne of thy Maiesty and be thy holy peace on earth graunted to men of good will My God I laud I blesse adore thee I yield thee thankes for the greatnesse of thy glory beâ—â—fits Great God King of heauen earth eternal Father and absolute Lord of all thinges And thou also my Sauiour Iesus only Sonne of the heauenly Father true God true man who takest away the sinns of the world and sittest at the right hand of the liuing God And thou holy Ghost coÌ„substantiall with the Father and with the Sonne most Holy Trinity receaue my prayers in thankesgiuing SECT VIII Of Offering or Oblation which is the third act of Deuotion REligion and Sacrifice began froÌ„ the worlds infancy and haue euer byn tyed to geather with an inseparable band God who giueth all would that we giue him and persuadeth that we take out of his coffers what cannot be found in our Nothing Obserue now I pray a matter coÌ„siderable that as in the law of Moyses there were three maÌ„ner of sacrifices to wit Immolations Libations Victimes Immolations which were made of the fruits of the earth LibatioÌ„s of liquors as oyle wine Victimes of beasts so likewise God requires that for fruits you affoard him your actions for liquors your affections and your selfe for Victime This is done by the act of Oblation or Offertory which is a way of sacrifice wherby we offer our selues and all that belongeth to vs at the altar of the diuine Maiesty That this act may be wel performed it is necessary at the first to haue a chast apprehâ—nsion of the power and dominion which God hath ouer vs Secondly a most intimate knowledge of the dependance we haue vpoÌ„ him representing vnto our selues that we not only receaued Being and all that which consequently dependeth thereon froÌ„ his goodnesse but that we also are supported perpetually by his hand as a stone should be in the ayre and that if he neuer so little remit thereof we should be dissolued into the Nothing from whence we were extracted From thence will arise an act of lustice in the promptnesse of the wil we shall haue to yield to God what appertaineth to him and as
brother and coheire of Iesus Christ a vessell of election the temple of the holy Ghost What he may arriue vnto by glory To be an Inhabitant of Heauen who shall see the Starres vnder his feet which he hath ouer his head who shall be replenished with the sight of God his beginning his end his true only and originall happynesse The second the benefits receaued of God considered in generall as those of Creation Conseruation Redemption Vocation and in particular the guifts of the body of the soule of Nature of capacity ability industry dexterity Warinesse Nobility Offices Authority Meanes Credit Reputation Good successe of affayres such like which are giuen to vs from heauen as instruments to worke our saluation And sometimes one of the greatest blessings is that which few esteeme a benefit not to haue al these helps which lead a haughty spirit weake worldly euen into a headlong precipice but quite contray their better wants in the opinion of the world put him into the estimation of heauenly things man seeing what he hath been what he is and what he must be from whence he commeth whither he goeth that the vnion with God his Beginning is his scope butt and ayme if he doe what reason dictats to him he presently resolueth to haue neithersinew veyne nor artery which tendeth not to his end to subiugate his passions and no longet to serue creatures but so farre as he shall know them auailable to arriue at his Creatour Seruae commissum expecta promissuÌ„ caue prohibitum Euery creature sayth these three wordes to man O man preserue that which is giuen thee expect that is promised auoyd what is forbidden thee The third consideration is the passioÌ„ of the Sonne of God a bottomlesse abysle of dolours scornes annihilations loue mercy wisedome humility patience châ—tity the book of books the science of sciences the secret of secrets the shoppe where all good resolutions are forged where all vertues are purifyed where al knots of holy obligations are tyed The Schoole where al Martyrs are made all Confessors all Saints Our weaknesse and faintnesse commeth not but for want of beholding this table of Excesse Who would euer open his mouth to coÌ„plaine of doing too much of sussering too much to be too much abased too much despised too much turmoyled if he considered the life of God deliuered ouer abandoned for him to so paineful labour so horrible confusions so insupportable torments Nolo viuere sine vulneré cùm te videam vulneratum Oh my God my wouÌ„ded God as long as I shall see thy woundes I will neuer liue without wound The Fourth the example of all Saints who haue waited on the King in the way of the Crosse when we consider the progresse of Christianity the succession of so many ages Wheresoeuer our consideratioÌ„ setteth foot it findeth nothing but the bloud of Martyrs combats of Virgins Prayers Teares Fastings Sackcloth Haire-cloth Afflictions PersecutioÌ„s of so many Saints who haue as it were wonne heauen by maine force such haue been found who heer to fore filled sepulchers with their members torne with the engines swordes of persecution and yet were aliue to endure and suffer in their bodyes hauing more woundes then partes of their bodyes to be tormented Demorabantur in luce detenti quorum membris pleni erant tumuli sayth S. Zeno. Is it not a shame to haue the same name the same Baptisme the same profession and yet to be alwayes desirous to tread vpon Roses to be embarqued in this great ship of Christianity with so many braue spirtis which euen at this houre dayly do woÌ„ders go vnder hatches to sleep in the bottome of the Vessell as needlesle out-casts the very scornes of reasonable Nature The fifth the peace of a good conscience the inseparable companion of honest men which sugreth al their teares which sweetneth all their acerbityes which dissolueth all their sharpnesse a perpetual baÌ„quet a portatiue Theater a desicious Torrent of inexplicable contentmentes which begin in this world which are many tymes felt euen in chaynes prisos persecutions What will it be when the consummatioÌ„ shall be made in the other world when the curtayne of the great tabernacle shal be drawne when we shall see God face to face in a body impassible as an Angel subtil as a ray of light swift as the wings of ThuÌ„der radiant as the Sunne when he shall be beheld among so goodly and florishing a coÌ„pany in a Pallace of inestimable glory and when one shall lead no other life but that of God of the knowledge of God of the loue of God as long as God shal be God Nescio quid erit quod ista vita non erit vbi luet quod non capit locus vbi sonat quod non rapit tempus vbi olet quod noÌ„ spargit flat us vbi sapit quod non minuit edacitas vbi haeret quod non diuellit eternitas said S. Augustine What will this life be nay what will this life not be since all the goods thereof eyther are not or are in such a life Oflights which place cannot comprehend of voices and Harmonyes which Tyme caÌ„not take from vs of odours which are neuer scattered a feast which neuer is finished a blessing which Eternity well may giue but of which it neuer shall fee an end The sixth there is to be coÌ„sidered on the other side the condition of this preseÌ„t life A true dreame which hath the disturbances of sleep neuer therepose a childish amuzemeÌ„t a toyle of burthensome euerrelapsing actions where for one Rose a thousand thornes are found for one ounce of hony a Tun of gall for blâ—ssinges in sembâ—ance euills in substance The most happy there count their yeares and caÌ„not reckon their griefs the carreires of the greatest honour are there all of Ice and oftentymes not bounded but with headlong ruines His felicities are floating Ilands which alwayes recoyle backward at that tyme when we think to touch them with our fingar They are the feast of Heliogabalus where are many inuitations many ceremonyes many reuerences many seruices and at the end thereof we find a Table a banquet of waxe which melts before the fire fromwheÌ„â—e we returne more hungry then we came It is the enchanted Egge of Oromazes wherein this Impostor vauÌ„ted to haue enclosed all the happinesse of the world and in breaking there was found nothing but wind Omnia hae coÌ„spectui nostro insidiosis coloribus lenocinantur vis illa oculorum attributa lumini non applicetur errori sayth S. Eucherius Al these prosperityes flatter out senses with an imposture of false colours why doe we suffer those eyes to be taken in the snars of error which are giuen vs by heauen to behold the light and not minister to lying Yea that which greatly should distast vs in this present life is that we liue in a Tyme stuffed with maladies as old age with
goodnes We must necessarily beg of God since our necessityes enforce vs thereunto his bounty inuiteth vs we must aske that he hath appointed vs in our Lords prayeâ— which is the abridgement of all Theology we must demaund it in the name of the Sonne with confidence to obtaine it we mâ—st begge it for the Church for the Pastours for our most gracious King for publike necessities for our selues for our neighbours we must aske for spirituall temporal blessinges so much as shall be lawfull according to occasions neuer forgetting the dead For which purpose it is good to haue a collection of prayers for all occurreÌ„ces as a litle Fort furnished with all manner of pieces of battery to force euen heauen it selfe with a religious fortitude and a pious violence At the least pray daily euery morning that thou mayst not offend God mortally not be wanting in grace light and courage to resist those sins to which thou art most inclined to practise the vertues most necessary for thee to be guided and gouerned this same day vnder the prouidence of God in all which concerneth the weale of soule body and thingeâ— exteriour To participate in all good workes done thorough Christendome to obtaine new graces and asistances for the necessities of our neighbours which may then offer themselues and that by the intercession of Saints where with your prayer must be sealed Say for your selfe and all those who concerne you what S. Thomas vsed SECT XIII A forme of Petition MY God giue both to me and to all those whom I recommend in my prayers an vnderstanding which may know thee an affectionate deuotioÌ„ which may search for thee a wisdome that may find thee a coÌ„uersation that may please thee a perseuerance that may boldly waite on thee a confidence which may happily imbrace thee My God so handle the matter that I may be wounded with thy sufferings in penitence that in this life I may vse thy blessings in grace enioy in the other thine eternall comforts in the bosome of glory So be it SECT XIIII Of the intercession of Saints of which we make vse in the petitions we offer to God AS for the intercession of Saints it is good to recommend your selfe very particularly to the Mother of God by this auncient forme O my most Holy Mistresse I put my selfe to day and so all the dayes of my life into your protection as it were into the bosome of your mercyes I recommend vnto you my soule my body all that belongeth to me all my hopes all my affaires all my difficultyes my miseries my consolations and aboue all the manner of my death to the end that by your merits prayers all my actions may be directed according to the most holy pleasure of your Sonne O most mild virgin succour the miserable asist the weake comfort the afflicted pray for the people be the aduocate of persons Ecclesiastike protectrix of the deuout sexe So vse the matter thatal those whocelebrate your memory may at this time tast your fauors but most especially obtaine for me of your Sonne a profound humility a most vnspotted chastity progression and perseuerance in goodnesse and affoard me some small participation in the dolours you suffered on the day of his passion adding thereunto also a sparke of that great deuotion you did vse in the holy Communion after the Ascension of the Word Incarnate For your Angell-Guardian saying O God Omnipotent Eternall who hast created me to thy Image deputed one of thy Angells to defend me though I be most vnworthy of this fauour Giue me grace I may now to day auoyd all perils of soule and body vnder his direction safeguard so vse the matter that in the end after the course of this life I may partake in HeaueÌ„ of his glory whome I haue on Earth for protectour And to al the Angels in making prayer by the imitation of the Church O God who with admirable order gouernest the ministery of Angels and men so do by thy mercy that those who are present and perpetually attend in Heauen before the throne of thy Maiesty may likwise on Earth be guides and protectours of our life And for all Saints PRotect thy poore people o Lord as they haue a singular confidence in the protectioÌ„ of thy great Apostles S. Peter S. Paul and in all the rest of thy Apostles and in all Saints of both sexes who now suruiue in Heauen preserue by thy gracious assistance and for euer defend them Then in memory of those whose fectiualls the Church at this present celebrateth whose names are couched in the Martyrologe LET all thy Saints O God who are honoured through all the parts of the world assist vs that we recording the memory of their merits may be sensible of the fauour of their protection Giue peace to our times by their intercession and for euer banish all malignity froÌ„ thy Church Prepare our way our actions our wills in a comfortable prosperity affoarding beatitude to our Benefactors for the salary of their charity and to the soules of the faithfull departed eternall rest I most humbly beseech thee through thy wel beloued Sonne I speake this briefly supposing that for your other more enlarged deuotions you will haue either a book of meditations as those of Father Bruno or a collection of prayers as those of Ribadeneira and the interiour occupation of the R. Father Cotton which is very deuout and most proper for persons of quality You shall find that these fiue acts well practized will giue you full scope of prayer and entertainment with God vpon all occasions SECT XV. Of the time proper for spirituall Lesson IF you will belieue me at the very same instant of the morning when your mind is most free froÌ„ earthly thoughts you shall do well to vse some spirituall reading one while of precepts another while of the liues of Saints remembring that which S. Isidore spake in his booke of sentences That he who will liue in the exercise of the presence of God ought often to pray and read For when you pray you speake to God when you read God speaketh to you Good sermons and good bookes are the sinewes of Vertue Do you not obserue that colours as philosophy teacheth vs haue a certayne light which during in the night becometh dull and as it were buryed in matter But so soone as the Sunne rayseth himselfe aboue the earth and displayeth his beames ouer so many beautyes languishing in darkenesse he awakens them and maketh them appeare in their true lustre So may we truly say we haue all certaine seeds of Wisdome which amidst the vapours enforced by passions remaine as it were wholy smothered vp if the Wisdome of God which speaketh in holy scripture and good spirituall bookes excited them not giuing them beauty and vigour to vnkindle the passage of our actions to vertue Perpetually call vpon the Father of Lights to direct
Eternall wherein the kingly Prophet exercised himselfe like a braue champion when he sayd I haue considered elder dayes and haue set before mine eyes yeares Euerlasting This good intention which you shal vndergo to tend to Eternity will dâ—ily furnish your thoughts with an eternal God a Paradise eternall a Hell eternall a Life euerlasting And as the Ewes of Iacob by looking on the party-coloured wands brought forth variously spotted lambs so in contemplating this eternity all you doe will be coloured with Eternity And if some temporall pleasure be presented vnto you or any accommodation of fortune to commit a sinne you shal say that which the Oratour Demosthenes did of the beautifull Lais when an excessiue summe of money was demaunded of him to see her I wil not buy repentance at so deare a rate I am not so ill a merchant as to sel the eternall for the temporall Hauing passed thorough this gate you shall come to the third which is the gate of light called ConteÌ„plation of things Eternall There it is where matters diuine are beheld not onely by forme of discourse and rationall argument as one makes an accoÌ„pt vpoÌ„ some receite but they are seene with the light of the illuminated Vnderstanding as if with one glaunce of an Eye we should behold an excellent pourtraiture of a braue Maister with an admiration allmost insensible So S. Tiburtius saw Paradise when he walked vpon burning coales so all the Saints beheld Beatitude among so many afflictions they stood immoueable oppressing euen the dolour of body by the inundation of the minds contentemeÌ„t From this stepp we necessarily encounter with the fourth Gate which is a most feruent loue of things eternall For as S. Thomas hath well sayd the sight of a temporall beauty maketh a temporall loue oftentymes filling the soule with fire and flames so the contemplation of the Eternity createth Eternall Loue which is an affection burning towards God and all that which belon geth to his glory as was that of S. Mary Magdalen who saieth in Origen that Heauen the Angels are her charge and that she could no longer liue if she beheld not him who made both Heauen and the Angels she had passed the seas armed with monsters and tempests hauing no other sailes but those of her desires to meet with her beloued she had throwne her selfe athwart slames and had a thousand times grappled with launces and swordes to cast her selfe at his feet It is a meruaylous Alchimy when one is arriued at the perfect loue of God it changeth iron into Gold Ignominies into crownes and all sufferings into delights At the fifth gate which is called the Reuelation of thinges eternall God speaketh at the eare of the hart and replenisheth a soule with goodly lightes and knowledges euen then darting vpon it as sayth Gerson certaine lightning flashes of Paradise as if a torch reflected some rayes through the creuisses of a door or window So saith he our Lady was enlightned in this life with liueiy apprehensions of Beatitude which shot forth before her eyes like flying fires And as the know ledges of our Vnderstanding are nothing without the feruours of our will from this gate we passe along to the sixth which is called the Antipast of Experience by which we earely begin to tast in this life the ioyes of Paradise contentments which cannot bevnsolded A hundred thousand tongues may talk to you of the sweetnes of hony yet neuer shall you haue such knowledge of it as in tasting So a world stuffed with bookes may tell you wonders of the science of God but neuer shal you vnderstand it exactly but by the tast of experience True science as sayth S. Thomas vpon the Canticlesâ— is more in rellish then in knowledge In sapore non in sapere I had rather haue the feeling which a simple soule may haue of God the all the defini ions of the Philosophers Lastly the seauenth gare of Eternity is called OperatioÌ„ deifying or diuinized which S. Denis tearmeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then it is when a soule worketh all its actioÌ„s by eternall principles in imitation of the Word Incarnâ—te and a perfect vnion with God S. Clemens AlexaÌ„drinus calleth him who is arriued to this degree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little God who conuerseth in mortall flesh and addeth that as all good Oratours much desire to be come like vnto Demosthenes so our principall mystery in this world is to procure vnto our selues the resemblaÌ„ce of God It is that wherin consisteth all our perfection SECT III. Of Perfection and wherein it consisteth NOW to the end this doctrine which is som what too sublime may not dazle your fight nor enkindle your boldnesse I will discourse vnto you a most famisiar Theology to wit that there are two sortes of perfection the one of glory and the other of pilgrimage That of glory is reserued for the other life and that of pilgrimage is at this present our principall affaire It is ordinarily diuided into the perfection of State the perfection of Merit Perfection of state is as that of the Ecclesiasticall degree of Prelats magistrates Religious also who are obliged by the duty of their profession to vertues more eminent Perfection of merit is that which consisterh in good manners Goe not about to busy your selfe vpon perfection of state but liue contented with the codition where in the Prouidence of God hath rancked you holding it for a marter vndoubted that the greatest Philosophy in the world is well to performe your office It importeth not vpon what stuffe you worke so you worke wel for it is the manner not the matter which shal gain estimation Great dignities are oftentymes great masks vnder which there is no brayne and little fortunes may performe with slender voyce actions that wil proue to be of no slight account with God Apply your selfe stoutly to the perfection of merit which resteth in the regular gouernement of the Hart the Tongue Handes in perfect charity Addict your selues to the practise of singular and solid vertues which beget on earth all wonders and in heauen all crownes SECT IV. Of Vertues and their degrees IF you desire to know the name the qualities and degrees of it I will rehearse a wise saying of Plaâ—â— that there are foure sorts of Vertues The first are Purgatiues the second Illuminatiues the third Ciuil the fourth Exemplar Purgatiues serue to discharge our harts from vices and imperfections ordinary to depraued Nature Illuminatiues establish the soule in a serenity which resulteth from a victory gayned ouer passions Ciuill apply man to the duty he oweth to his neighbour euery one in his degree and to a good conuersation among men Exemplar are those which make the greatest progression into perfection and may be considered as models from whence others who behould them are to draw forth a copy Handle the mattor so that your Vertues may arriue to such a degree that they not onely
to attayne it so sensible is self loue and had you it it were to be a stone not a man It is not to driue away one temptation by another and to do one euill to be freed from another for to pursue that course is to wash your selfe with inke It is not to hide your selfe vpon all occasions neuer to doe good for feare you must fight against euil but manfully to resist in the maÌ„ner I will shew you The great spirit Iohn Picus Mirandula hath collected togeather twelue notable Maximes the practise of which is most profitable to wage warre in spiritual coÌ„bat against weaknesse The first Maxime That you must be tempted on what side soeuer it happen In hoc positi sumus It is our profession our trade our continuall exercise The Eagle complaineth not of het winges nor the Nighttingale of her song nor the Peacocke of her trayne because it is by kind and it is as naturall for a man to be tempted as for a Bird to flye to sing to prune her seathers If you forsake the way of spirituall life fearing to be tempted and turne head towards worldly contentments hold it for an infalliable verity you shal thereby be the further engaged and which is worse without comfort honour merit or recompence you shal leaue a paper crosse which if you wel knew how to manage would load you no more then feathers do the Bird you will forsake it say I to take another hard vneasy and bloudy which will put you into confraternity with the bad thiefe The great Prelate of France Sidonius Apollinaris relateth that a certaine man called Maximus being arriued at the height of honor by vnlawfull and indirect wayes much grieued from the first day and breathing out many sighes spake these words Felicem te Damocle qui non longius vno praÌ„dio regni necessitatem tolerauisti O Damocles I esteeme thee most happy to haue byn a King only the space of a dinner tyme. It is now a whole day that I haue beene so can no longer endure it The second Remember that in the affaires of the world we fight a long tyme we trauell more painfully we reape more fruitlessly the end of one toyle is the beginning of another In paines-taking there is no other hope but euer to labour and a temporal toyle doeth many tymes draw after it an eternall payne The third Is it not a meere folly to belieue a paradise an eternal life a Iesus Christ who made vnto himselfe a ladder of the Crosse to ascend to the throne of his glory you in the meane tyme to be desirous to liue heere with armes acrosse to see the Maister open the way of heauen thorough so many thornes the seruant not to be willing to tread but vpon flowers To see vnder a head all wasted and worne with sufleringes a delicate member as one should put feet of flaxe to a brazen Colossus The fourth Were there no other fruit in temptation but the conformity which we thereby haue with Iesus Christ who is the soueraigne Wisedome it were to be highly recoÌ„penced A braue Captaine sayd to a Soldiar who dyed with him Thou who wouldest haue beene vnknowne all thy life tyme it is no small honour for thee to dye this day with thy maister and who would not hold it a great glory to haue the sonne of God for Captaine for companion for spectatour for theater for guerdon in all his afflictions and tribulations Who would not account it a great dignity to be daily crucified with him to distend his handes and armes vpon the Crosse in withholding them from violeÌ„ces rapincs ruines wherwith the spirit of lying transporteth vs To fetter your feet in hindering theÌ„ to runne after the vnbrideled desires of your hart To make bitter your tongue in subduing the pleasures of your tast To wound your body in beating down the incitementes of flesh by a holy mortification To lessen your selfe by the contempt of honour according to the exaÌ„ple of him who being able alwaies to walke vpon the winges of Cherubims would creepe among vs like a little worme of the earth What a glory were it to say with S. Paul Ego stigmata Domini Iesu in corpore meo porte The fifth Not to confide in humane remedyes wheÌ„ you vndertake to ouercome a temptation It is not a thing which depeÌ„deth merely vpon vs It is necessary God go before and we thereunto contribute our free will If he watch not ouer our heads it will be a hard matter for vs to keepe Centinell No creature is so feeble as he who holdeth himselfe for strong being onely armed with his owne confidence Multa in homine bona fiunt que non facit homo Nulla verò facit homo bona que non Deus praestet vt faciat home saith the Councel of Orange Many good things are done in man which man doth not and man doth no good which God doth not Who thinks to resist temptations without his helpe is like him that hastneth to the warrs and stumbles at the threshold of his own doore And therefore an effectuall meanes in this battel is to insist much on prayer especially at the first aproach of a temptation The sixth When you haue vanquisâ—ed a temptatioÌ„ take very good heed you forsake not your hold whâ—ly slackeÌ„ your courage as if there were no other enemyes to be opposed As distrust is the mother of safety so ouer much security is the gate of danger If your enemy stiâ—â— roame vp and downe like a roaring LyoÌ„ become you on the other side a watchfull Lyon in the centinells of the God of hoastes and take for your deuise Super speculam Domini ego stâ— The seauenth Content not your selfe only not to be beaten but assayle your enemy when Sathan sets a snare to entrap you make it an instrument of merit If he present a good worke to you which glittereth in the world thereby to teÌ„pt you with Pride make a good worke of it and leaue vanity referring all to the greater honour of God The eight When you are in the coÌ„bat fight with alacrity as if you already were certaine of the victory Turne away the eye of you confideration froÌ„ what you suffer and hold it perpetually fixt vpon the reward A great vnhappinesse which maketh many to fall headlong into temptation is that they haue their minds so stretched and bent vpon the thought of paines that they cannot abide to behold the rewarde which waiteth on theÌ„ When the forty Martyrs were in the frozen lake thirty nine of them looked backe vpon their future crownes and one of them vnhapily thought of nothing but his punishment All of them remayned victorious except this wretched creature who soyling the glory of his patience came out of the poole to dy presently after in his infidelity Do you not magine that which comforted our Sauiour on the Crosse in the bottomlesse Abisse of Calumnyes and Dolours was a mirrour