whilest you haue light least darkenes do apprehend you And againe by one of thy Scribes Doe iustice before thy d parture Ioan. 12. Luc. 19. Eccles 14.17 for there is no food to be found in hell These are thy aduertisements most excellent and most worthy of a prudent valiant Capitaine for they comprehend and teach all that is necessary well to defend our selues well to fight and to ouercome well to liue and well to dye Graunt then O my soueraigne Lord that I may follow this point by point execute with a faithfull and constant obedience all that thy loue wisedome hath aduised me for my saluation that my life may be nothing but a prudent and continuall preparation to death my death a doore to life euerlasting The After-dinner and Euening of the eighteenth dayes Iourney Diuers sentences of Death CHAP. XLI THE rest of the day the Pilgrime shall passe his tyme way Psal 101.4.12 meditating some sentences of the Scripture or the holy Fathers written of this subiect As are My dayes haue sailed as a smoke and my bones haue withered and dryed vp like small stickes My dayes haue passed like a shaddow and I haue withered like grasse Iob. 14.5 And againe The dayes of man haue passed and the number of his monthes are in thy handes thou hast set boundes which he cannot passe 1. Pet. 1. And againe All flesh is grasse and the glory thereof like the flowre of the field Eccl. 9.12 the grasse hath faded and his flower hath fallen And man knoweâ—h not his end but as Fishes are taken with netts and Birds with snares so are the children of men taken in an euill tyme when it cometh sodainly vpon them Eccl. 9.10 And againe Labour and doe well with thy handes while thou canst for in the graue whither thou goest there is neyther worke nor industry nor knowledge nor wisedome Aug. l. 50 hom 27. Also The gate of pennance is open to vs and the day of death hidden from vs that by despaire we doe not increase our sinnes Item All the rest of our good and euill is vncertaine onely death is certaine Item Idem de verb. De. serm 21. de ciuit l. 13. cap 10 All the tyme of our life is but a race to death With thâ—se sentences and the like he may also remember the happy death of many persons Martyrs and others borne to heauen dying to the earth of diuers wicked men who by disastrous death haue begunne their hell in this world and so he shall passe this day and the next night and euery night after when he goeth to bed he shall remember death and his graue represented by that action and place for sleep is the image of death as the bed is the graue Death is a long sleep and the graue a long lying sleep and the bed are transitory death the graue firme and lasting The nineteenth Day A Meditation of Iudgement Particuler and Generall CAHP. XLII AFTER death sayth S. Paul followeth Iudgment Heb. 9. After the death of euery one in particuler cometh particuler Iudgement after the generall death of all men The Meditation of iudgemeÌ„t profitable commeth the generall Iudgement The memory and meditation of these two is a strong bridle to hold men from sinne a sharp spur to incite him to pennance and to prepare his pleas and books before he be presented to the examination of a Iudge so iust wise and mighty as he that must heare and iudge him Therfore the Pilgrime shall help himselfe with this consideration to cleare himselfe before the iudgment come and also to make him worthy to enter into the Sanctuary of that noble house the end of his Pilgrimage and to visit it with the profit of his soule The Prayer preparatiue as alwayes before The first Preamble for particuler Iudgement shall be to imagine a soule gone out of the body Matth. 25. as presented before God to be iudged and for the general to behould Iesus Christ coÌ„ming in maiesty accompanied with Angells and Saints to make a publike triall and iudgement of all mortall men both in bodyes and soules and to reward or punish euery one according to his workes good or bad The second Preamble shall demand a holsome feare of this fearefull day The first point shall be to meditate the sentences of Scripture that make mention of that day with some great exaggeration of speach as that Sayings of this IugemeÌ„t 2. Cor. 5.10 Heb. 10. Psal 142.2 Iob. 3. 2. Pet. 4.18 VVe must appeare before the Tribunall of Christ that euery one may receaue in his body as he hath done good or bad And It is a horrible thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God The wordes also of Dauid who though he were an holy man yet trembling at the expectation of that day he sayd Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for none liuing can be iustifyed in thy sight And of Iob VVhat shall I doe when God shall rise to Iudgement and when he shall aske what shall I answere And of S. Peter If the lust shall hardly be saued where shall the sinner appeare With which sayings the soule shall spurre forward her selfe saying If the Saints haue so feared this iudgement what shall I poore sinnefull creature do The maiesty of the Iudg. The second point shall bring in consideration the quality of the Iudge wise to know all iust to punish all mighty to execute all his Iudgements and Decrees Whose power none can escape whose wisedome none can deceaue whose equity none can bow Aug. l. de 10. chordis c 1. 2. Innoc. l. 3. de ciuit mundi and from whose sentence none can appeale as the Doctours say And if we tremble before a Iudge whoÌ„ we thinke will not be corrupted what shall the Proud doe before that Iudge who infinitly detesteth that vice What the couetous before the supreme bounty and liberality The Lecher before Purity it selfe What other sinners before him who is the Capitall enemy of all sinne The generall iugement The third point shall set before our eyes that dreadfull generall Iudgement whereof holy men speaking could not find wordes great inough proportionably to expresse the greatnes of it Sound forth sayth one of them sound forth the trumpet in Sion cry out on my holy mountaine that all the Inhabitants of the earth may tremble for the day of our Lord coÌ„meth it is at hand Seph 1.4.15.16 a day of darknes and obscurity a day of cloudes and tribulation And another The great day of our Lord is after this day this is a day of wrath a day of tribulation and anguish a day of tumult and desolation a day of darknes and obscurity a day of cloudes and tempestes a day of the sound of trumpets and alarums This is the day which properly is called the Day of our Lord. The day of Iudgement when the
whole world shall be iudged when the iustice of the Iudge shall be made manifest to all the world when the iustice of the good shal be published by open iudgement in the full assembly of Angells and men and rewarded with a crowne of immortall glory There sayth one Saint shall be no complaint Aug. l. 20. ciuit c. 11. such as often in the presse of this world saying one to another why is this wicked man so happy in his wickednes VVhy is such a good man vnhappy and miserable in his vertue VVhy do Robbers prosper and poore Pilgrimes haue their throtes cut For then true felicity shall be reserued only for the good and extreme and true misery reserued only for the wicked This then is called the day of our Lord all other dayes are the dayes of men this which is the shutting vp of them all shall be our Lords day for therein he shall shew manifestly the treasures of his infinit mercy and iustice making for his glory the heauens and earth to leape all the most strong peeces of his power wisedome bounty O my soule tremble with feare The Prayer at the remembrance of this fearefull day for if Dauid Iob the Prophets if the pillars of vertue haue shaked how great ought thy feare to be poore sinnefull and feeble creature that thou art With what sense feeling shouldest thou meditate vpon the holding of this day the Iudgement of iudgements and the last of all What wilt thou then doe What Aduocate shalt thou haue Who dareth defend thee from this iust Iudge if he be offended with thee How shalt thou heare the irreuocable sentence when it shall be pronounced What shalt thou do if he condemne thee O sweet Iesus keep me from thy wrath to come if it please thee and giue me now a penitent hart that may deserue both now and then the voice of thy mercy Let me in this banishment suffer a thousand deathes but at that day let me liue with thee Afflict me whippe me cut me burne my soule my life my flesh my bones with al sorts of tribulation persecution trauaile and torments but may it please thee to pardon me then for euer O Lord. O Blessed Virgin my good Aduocate whome I often see represented in this Iudgement by the pious pictures of the holy houses in the Church of thy Sonne as suppliant for all mankind intreat I beseech O Virgin for al and for me who am of the number and the most needy and performe what the pictures represent They signify that thou art now Aduocate of mortall men to the end that at that day they may be out of paine and danger Aske now O B. Virgin for this is the tyme of asking and mercy and not then when there shall be no question but of iudging rewarding and punishing aske and in good tyme obtaine for me and for all those that seeke vnto thee obtaine for me O puissant Aduocate the grace throughly to bewaile my sinnes vertuously to correct my faultes wisely to order my senses and actions that at that day I may confidently behould the eye and countenance of that soueraigne Iudge set in his throne of Iustice ioyfully heare the sentence he pronounceth and happily be placed on the right hand in the number of his beloued The After-dinner and Euening of the nineteenth dayes Iourney The separation of the good from the wicked after Iudgement CHAP. XLIII AFTER dinner the Pilgrime shall imploy his deuotioÌ„ in meditating what followeth Iudgement setting before his eyes how the one sort take their flight vp to heauen with Iesus Christ and his Angells there to reigne with him happy and blessed for euer The other full of misery and anguish broken-harted desperate shall be swallowed downe body and soule to the Center of the earth with the Diuells whome they serued and hauing gone foreward a while in this thought he shall also in the euening make some prayer to our Lord and to the B. Virgin his glorious Mother to the same end with that before dinner and shall looke about to lodge himselfe in some place proper for a poore wearied Pilgrime to repose The twentith Day A Meditation of Hell CHAP. XLIV THE Pilgrime hauing purposed to cleanse his soule in this his Pilgrimage and in good earnest to sweare emnity for euer against sinne the better to moue himselfe to peÌ„nance and to conceaue contâ—ition requisite for such an effect he shall help himselfe with the meditation of Hell the second death and reward of sinne as he helped himselfe hitherto with the meditation of the first death and iudgement This is a thundring peece Eccl. 7.40 to beat at the eares and soule of a sleepy sinner and with a wholsome alarum to awake him and make him take armes and looke to himselfe Good men are also holpeÌ„ therby for though they follow vertue rather for loue then for feare and serue God for himselfe which is the seruice of true children it profiteth them notwithstanding to meditate as well the punishmeÌ„t as the reward drawing from theÌ„ce matter to prayse God in his iustice and mercy and to stirre vp themselues to serue him well The Meditation shall haue his partes The prayer preparatory accustomed The first Preamble shall represent an obscure and darke bottomlesse dungeon in the Center of the earth ful of horrour and stench of fire brimstone and smoke and soules inclosed in their bodyes plunged in these flames The second shall demand particuler grace well to meditate of Hell for euer to auoyd it Hell most intollerable The first point shall consider that as there is nothing in this life more horrible then death nothing so dreadfull as Iudgement that followeth after so nothing is more intollerable then Hell and the punishments therof Matth. 8.33.22.24 There sayth the Scripture is weeping gnashing of teeth there is the worme gnawing of the soule and neuer dying and killing alway without killing Marc. 9.44 There is the fire that neuer quencheth there is the darke Countrey couered with the cloud of death There is the shaddow of death where no order but perpetuall horrour inhabiteth Iob. 10.25 Apoc. 21.14 There the portion of the damned is in a lake burning with fire and brimstone which is the second death where the wicked shall be tormented world without end The second point shall represent the diuers sortes of paines ordayned according to the diuersity of sins Diuers paines for diuers crimes for notwithstanding the horrour and disorder of this gulfe the order of Gods iustâ—â—e neuerthelesse shall be kept as the Apostle signifyeth when he sayth that he heard a voice from heauen condemning the Lecher to paynes saying Apec 18.7 Giue him torments in that measure that he hath had glory and delight in this life Therfore there the Proud shall be oppressed with an extreme confusion and shame The Couetous suffer an vnspeakable hunger and thirst The Adulterers buryed in fire and
procession at the Church of our B Lady of Guifts fell from the platforme which is before the sayd Church about 24. foot high vpon the stones they that saw him in the aire when he fell they that tooke him vp from the ground thought surely he had beene all crushed and bruised and hauing wrapped him quickly in a Sheepe skinne they found at the last that he had no harme at all and the next morning he was to the procession sound liuely to giue thankes to God and our B. Lady by whose intercession there was reason to thinke that he was preserued not only from death but also from any harme This happened in a publicke place and the chance was great and strange and yet marked but by a few for the Post of Auinion comming to Lions but some moneths after and seeing this in print denyed stoutly that any such thing had happened there and his denyall had preuailed against the truth if there had not beene some there that were eye-witnesses thereof A like accident hapned at Bourdeaux the yeare 1600. to the sonne of M. Antony Valet a renowned Physitian The like happ of Antony Valet of Bourdeaux this child being six or seauen yeares old fell out of a window foure and twenty foote high or more vpon a paued court without any hurt and how few are there in that towne that know that speciall fauour and protection of the holy Angell who as an instrument of the diuine prouidence preserued that little child committed to his custody from harme to make him a name of honour with a long life At the same towne of Auinion in the yeare 1592. by the great prouidence of God In Auinion a child found buried quicke was found by Hunters a little child about a yeare old buryed quicke in his clothes by the bankes of Durence perceauing him by the toes of his feet stricking vp whether he had put them out of himselfe or the Dogs wynding him had so discouered it and it seemed that he had been in that case aboue foure and twenty houres for they saw his eyes nose eares and mouth stopped with earth now waxen hard and dry a chance which did astonish the beholders who could no wayes conceaue how this little creature could liue so long not only without sustenance but also without breathing It was christened with condition because they doubted some saying it was not like to liue so long without Baptisme others ghossing that some vnnatural Mother or sorcerer hauing of negligence deferred tâ— baptize it was at last driuen by the Diuell to bury it in this sort that it might be depriued of life both of body and soule for a more cruell and bloudy offering to this Tyrant Mounsier Bartelesse an honorable and vertuous gentleman the chiefe Consull of Auinion that yeare caused him to be called Iohn Ioseph which second name is that he now beareth who I doubt not doth well remember the matter as also I thinke but few then tooke any great heed therof and fewer thinke of it at this present At Tolouse the yeare of our Lord 1595. the 19. of May an other elder then this At Tolouse a youth buried in the ruines of a fallen house 1595. was in a sort buried aliue and saued miraculously he was called Bernard Gentiald a youth of that town of 18. or 19. yeares old dwelling with a merchant called Syre Caluet who by good or euill chance being all alone in his masters house which was in the street of Exchange when it fell downe to the ground betwixt 9. and 10. of the clocke in the night was also taken in the fall and found an houre after on the ground in the midst of the timber and plaister full of dust and astonishment without any harme at all as my selfe did see him some dayes after in our Nouiciate How many be there at Tolouse that were ignorant of this singular grace of God shewed in the behalfe of this yong man to the end to binde him more to loue him hauing preserued his life euen in his graue as he did to Ionas and kept him from all harmâ— in so dangerous a ruine In the same month the yeare 1597. at Vitescall fiue leagues from Burdeaux certaine little rockes seated vpon the side of Garumna At Vitescal 1597. wherin were framed certaine smal houses which serued for tauernes falling downe oppressed 19. persons and there was found a little girle safe and whole betweene the legges of her father who was al crushed I think but few marked this wonder of God There be a thousand like that happen before the eyes of men which are not perceaued wherefore we must not meruaile if few did marke this transport specially at that tyme when Italy as I haue sayd was in tumult and on fire with seditions and ciuill warres of the Guelfes and Gibellines which lasted about 250. yeares Plâ—t l. 7. decâ—d 1. Trith iâ— Clâ—mâ— was the obiect whereunto most men attended and which Writers of histories tooke for the subiect of their bookes so that this small attending might be the first cause of their silence in this miracle There may be also another contrary to this and that is the famousnes and manifest knowledge thereof which often maketh Writers neglect or disdaine to write of that all the world knoweth euery one referring himselfe to his companion At what tyme our Sauiour preached the Piscina probatica was in vigour in Hierusalem and recommended through all Palestine and with good reason for that it wrought continuall miracles healing all sortes of diseases though neuer so desperate and incurable and yet Ioseph that diligent and famous Writer of the Iewes and their matters speaketh not one word thereof Ioan. 11. and if S. Iohn had not in his Ghospell made mention thereof we should haue knowne nothing of it nor yet of the miracle of Lazarus raysed from death written onely by him being notwithstanding the most famous miracle that our Sauiour wrought The same Ioseph was silent also of that prodigious massacre of Herod vpon the childreÌ„ about Bethlem which notwithstanding was a very markable history and a thing which Rome and all the world knew Macrob. l. 2. Saturn cap. 4. Dion in Caesa Aug Philo lib. 3 de Herod for Macrobius and Dion Heathens do touch it in their writings The Eclipse of the sun and that admirable darknes which happened at the passion of our Sauiour extended ouer all Palestine and was manifest in Syria Aegypt and in all the places of our Hemisphere yet neuer a Heathen wrote thereof but only Phlegon a franchised seruant of Adrian the Emperour a silence almost as strange as the worke was manifest And how many thinges haue vanished from before the eyes of men PhlegoÌ„ Orig in Mat tract 35. tom 5. S. Tho. 3. p. q 44. and remayne buried in the dust of â—unning ages which in the beginning were notorious and knowne to all the world Therefore we
shall note that for the performance as well of the Commandements as of the Counsells God giueth his grace The grace of God the general meanes to keep the CommaÌ„dements and all necessary vertues And as hauing made the world for the sustenance of his Creatures he hath withall giuen them naturall industrie to seeke for it proper and fit instruments to practise and vse their industry to the bird his wings and beake to flie to the fish his sinnes and bones as oares to swimme force for fishing to beastes clawes and teeth for hunting In like sort giuing to man the Commandements of life euerlasting he hath also giuen him meanes to practise the one to the end to gayne the other S. Thom. 1.2 qu. 111. art 16. This meanes is Grace not only that which Deuines call Grace that maketh gratefull but also the other called Grace gratuite which is indeed a fauour of God but of it selfe maketh him not absolutly good who hath it such as are Eloquence Prophecy discerning of spirits guifts of healing and such like presents and gifts from heauen common to the good and bad which S. Paul comprehendeth in few wordes in his first Epistle to the Corinthians They are both giuen freelie but the first is called Grace making grateful for the noble effect thereof 1. Cor. 12. which is to iustify by remission of sinnes and to make him that possesseth it the friend of God whose singular spirituall guift it is supernaturall a diuine quality Effects of grace to iustify adorne the soule which infused into the soule cleanseth from all filth maketh it iust by those supernaturall vertues she bringeth with her doth beautify her in all her faculties enlighteneth the vnderstanding rectifieth the will fortifieth the memory quencheth concupiscence and finally driuâ—th out all that may displease the eyes of that soueraigne beauty furnisheth her with all vertues as it were with heauenly dressings and attires that might worthily adorne her as a spouse decked with her mariage garment and iewells as S. Iohn speaketh Apoc. 21.2 so maketh her euery way gratious to her espouse Creatour Now then as God produceth in nature food and corporall sustenance by natural causes as Fishes by the water apples by the aple-trees Figs by fig trees and so other effects by their proper causes in like sort doth he giue in his Church his graces by the Sacraments as by supernaturall causes SacrameÌ„ts vessels instrumeÌ„ts of this grace contayning it as the cause doth the effect which are therfore called vessells and instruments of grace which they containe as the cause coÌ„teyneth the effect as the Sunne heat the cherry-tree cherryes and so in others And these be seauen all which haue this in common to powre the grace of God into the soule or to increase and augment it besides euery one produceth his particuler fruit and effect Baptisme giuing vs fayth maketh the spirituall birth or regeneration and placeth a man in the number of the children of God Confirmation giueth increase of heauenly strength couragiously to confesse the same faith and the name of Iesus Christ The Eucharist is ordayned for the food of the soule to keep it in good case to preserue it from euill and to put in the body the seed of a glorious resurrection Pennance is a medicine against sinne physike for the soule and a reconciliation thereof with God Mariage is for the comfort of the maried and for the holynes of corporal generation Order is for the lawfull creation and multiplication of Priestes Officers in the house of God Extreme vnction is for necessary armour and defence in the last conflict of this life The third shall consider that this grace on one side bringeth with it as we haue sayd This grace â—aâ—s with it al vertues the ornaments and riches of all the most goodly vertues euen as the heaueÌ„ly riuer that flowed out of earthly Paradise carrying in her course and streame sands of most fine gold and many sortes of precious stones wherewith it enriched the land it watered and on the other side it puts force and vigour to the vertues Gen. 2 11 which finding themselues in a sullied soule are in a manner dead wiâ—hout fructifying to life euerlasting It giueth fayth to those that haue it not as in Baptisme and quickeneth their faith who haue it but dead as to Christians in mortall sinne whome she calleth to a better course cleansing their sinne by the Sacrament of Pennance she giueth hope to them that want it and fortifyeth them that haue it weakly she giueth charity or rather is charity her selfe the most precious pearle that is in the treasury of the holy Ghost a vertu aboue all other most acceptable to God and making the soule acceptable to him These three vertues are called Theologicall The vertues Theological Why so called because they haue God Theón as their first and direct obiect they speake of him as of their proper subiect and do most neerly concerne his seruice for by them we belieue in him hope in him and loue him and honour him as our soueraigne Lord according to his law as we haue sayd els where The same Grace giueth or perfecteth the other vertues called Morall The vertues Cardinall wherof some be called Cardinall-vertues for being the principall spring of diuers others and they are foure Prudence that maketh vs aduised in our actions to the end not to deceaue our selues or our Neighbour Iustice that teacheth vs to giue euery one his owne Temperence which is the bridle of our desires and appetites And Fortitude which giueth our soule courage to sustaine any dangerous encounter and valiantly to expose her selfe to death for the honour of God and our owne saluation or our Neighbours and out of these foure springs do arise Diligence Liberality of Humility The daughters of the Cardinal vertues Religion Piety Chastity and other qualityes which she giueth eyther altogeather or els doth perfect theÌ„ and adorne them as that Queene was adorned of whome Dauid song in these wordes The Queene stood on thy right hand cloathed in garments of gold Psal 44.10 compassed about with variety This Queene is the deuout Soule the gold is the grace of God this variety are the sondry and diuers vertues and graces wherewith she is garnished as the body with precious attires of sundry stuffes and fashions The fourth and fifth pointes of the precedent Meditation The seauen guiftes of the Holy Ghost and the eight Beatitudes CHAP. XXXII THE fourth point shall consider how further to purify these foresayd vertues and to rayse the prayse of them by some particuler quality God hath ioyned vnto them the guifts of the Holy Ghost Wisedome Vnderstanding Counsell Fortitude Knowledge Piety and the Feare of God Esa 11. Hier. 16. Amb. c. 20 Aug. 209. de temp 17. de Sanctis By Wisedome we doe perfectly know our end and constantly doe
36. Moyses prayed by that great ineffable Name that it would please him to shew his face so much desired Dauid sayd When will my beloued come O Lord my sonne and my Father whome I haue fortould whome I haue song whome I haue exalted in my mortall dayes When will come that little Dauid elder thē his grand-father truly to bury the Giant Goliath whome I killed only in figure and shaddow Esay when shall come that God of whome I sayd to the people of Israell God shall come in person Isay 36. and saue you Micheas When shall he come of whome I prophecied saying Behould our Lord shall come out of his place and descend and all with one voice shall call vnto him In meditating heereof he shall admire the Prouidence of God who in so good tyme did promise a remedy of our fall in a Redeemer his Wisedome in that he deferred the execution thereof so many ages to teach men the grauity of their sinne to make them feele their owne infirmities to humble them in their misery to cause them to cry vnto heauen and to beate at the gates of his mercy with sighes prayers and teares to obtaine that by merit which without merit was promised vnto them In this deuotiō the Pilgrime shal passe the midnight with thankes giuing to the goodnes of Almighty God The Meditation for Morning and Noone Of the Annunciation made to the B. Virgin by the Angell Gabriell CHAP. XXIV OVR Pilgrime hauing taken some rest shall go betimes to the holy Chappell there to make his morning Meditation which shall be of the Annunciation of this mystery which he commeth to meditate Preparation to the Meditation In the beginning of his meditation he shall conceaue in his mind as profound reuerence towardes God as possibly he can as one that is to speake in his presence of a chiefe worke of his of a mystery and Embassage full of maiesty he shall with equall humility demaund a sufficient light to see it and to profit by it He shall not neere need to imagine a place where the history happened as in his other meditations for he shall meditate the mystery in the same place where it was both tould and performed yet he may set before his eyes our B. Lady praying at the now Gospell corner of the Altar when the Angell Gabriel brought her this tydings The Angell saluting the Virgin glittering and shining with an extraordinary light and accompanied with many of the chiefe of Angels as we may piously belieue and as we haue sayd before Cap. 18. The first point shall be taken of the beginning of the history which sayth In the sixth moneth the Angell Gabriel was sent of God to Nazareth a citty of Galily to a Virgin whose name was Mary espoused to a man called Ioseph of the house of Dauid Behould an Embassage in euery point excellent and honourable In the Maiesty of him that sent it who is God of the messenger sent who was one of the principall Angells of the person to whō it was sent who was the greatest Lady that euer was in the sight of God The excellency of the Embassage of the mystery or message it selfe that was brought a mystery of all mysteries which is the marriage of the Sonne of God made with the Nature of man agreed on by the sacred Senate of the glorious Trinity for the comfort of men of the end for which it was sent which was to informe the B. Virgin to haue her consent and accomplish and celebrate the mariage Heere now the deuout soule contemplating the maiesty of this Embassage in the foresayd circumstances shall set before his eyes all the ranckes of the heauenly Court of all those happy Angelicall spirits reioycing there aboue in this mission and the assembly of those iust Soules that before this departed who hauing heard this good newes in Limbo were in an admirable expectation of the comming of their Redeemer It is sayd that this message was done the sixth month This at the first hearing seemeth to be referred to S. Iohn who was six monthes elder then our Sauiour Christ incarnate in the 6. age but in a mystical sense the mention of this number goeth further and teacheth that this Conception of the Sonne of God is annoūced and accomplished in the sixth Age of the world as Beda sayth Also Man created the sixth day which is Friday on which day christ was crucifyed that as God created Man in the sixth day of this world which is our Friday and that at the sixth houre of the day which is our mid-day so he descended into the earth the sixth day and at the sixth houre of the day for on such a day was this Embassage made to wit the fiue twenty of March which that yeare was Friday And vpon the same day and houre he ascended vp the Crosse as the Scripture doth expresly signify Conueniences which doe easily declare that the benefit of our Redemption was no more by chance or aduenture then that of our Creation but proiected of purpose many ages before euen from all Eternity and this long prouidence doth testify the ancient fatherly loue of God towards vs. The Aue Maria thrice a day The Catholike Church in remembrance of this Embassage and Mystery which it teacheth saluteth the Virgin at high noone with these wordes of the Angell as also at morning and night to giue thankes to God for so notable a benefit in those three tymes which we haue shewed before to be remarkeable by the deuotion of the Saints and therein she sheweth that she doth not loose the memory of that immortall benefit The second point shall consider the wordes following When the Angell was entred to her he saluted her thus All haile full of grace Luc. 2.28 our Lord is with thee blessed be thou among women But she hearing this was troubled at his speach and thought what manner of salutation this might be And the Angell sayth to her Feare not Mary for thou hast found grace with God behould thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe The Maiesty of this salutation and shalt bring forth a Sonne and shalt call his name IESVS He shall be great and shall be called the Sonne of the most High And our Lord shall giue him the seat of Dauid his Father and he shall reigne in the house of Iacob eternally and of his Kingdome there shall be no end And Mary sayd to the Angell How shall this be done seeing I know not man And the Angell answering sayd vnto her The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the vertue of the Highest shall shadow thee and therfore the Holy that shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God And behould Elizabeth thy kins-woman she hath also conceiued a sonne in her old age and this is the sixth month to her that is called barren because euery word shall not be impossible with God And
giuen vs so notable a pledge of his loue he must needes giue vs great cause of hope and trust in him There was nothing sayth S. Augustine more necessary to vphold our hope Lib. 13. de Trinit c. 10. then to haue some token of his loue and what token greater can there be then to see the Sonne of God vnited to our nature Now by the demonstration of this loue he hath most liuely inuited and incited man to loue him for there is nothing so naturall as to loue him of whome we see our selues beloued August de catech iudâ—â—us c. 4. VVherefore sayth the same Doctour if heertofore we were slow to loue yet now let vs be ready to render loue Moreouer could there be a more noble meanes to make man partaker of this supreme nature our happynes then by this alliance whereby God is made Man and man God To breake the hart and pride of the Diuell then to see the nature of man which he so much despised and abased to be exalted aboue the nature of Angells To tame his arrogancy and presumption and to remoue the yoke of his tyranny by a Man God man alone not being sufficient to satisfy and ouercome for mankind and God alone could not suffer being impassible To teach man humility the foundation of all vertue Phil. 2. seeing God not only humbled but also annihilated taking the forme of a seruant and suffering the death of the Crosse To teach obedience purity liberality deuotion prudence constancy Philip. 2. magnanimity and other vertues whereof he hath giuen so good instructions both by word and worke all his life long and specially in the three last yeares that he manifested himselfe to the world and most clearely and effectually in that admirable conflict of the Crosse To teach finally to doe nothing against the dignity of man so much honoured by this alliance Are these meanes effectuall inough to redeeme man Do they sufficiently declare the infinit wisedome of God Of the power of God in the same Mystery CHAP. XXVIII DOTH not the power of God also diuinely appeare in this mystery The power of God in the IncarnatioÌ„ for therein we see two natures infinitly different to be ioyned togeather the diuine and the humane and by a bound so admirable and so strait that remayning distinct and without confusion they make but one person the closest and neerest vnion that can be of thinges diuerse This therefore is a worke of one Almighty and a most manifest demonstration of an infinit power It is without comparison greater then that he shewed in the Creation of man in ioyning his spirit and body an heauenly soule with an earthly body making as it were an abridgement of the whole world for the soule was not infinitly distant from the condition of the body as the diuine nature is from the humane this was only to ioyne two creatures of diuers rankes and degrees but to ioyne the word of God with our flesh in one person is to haue vnited two natures infinitely vnequall S. Berna serm de Natiuit to haue made an admirable abridgement of the whole world and of the Author of the world and to haue inclosed infinitenes in littlenes and eternity in tyme. This is infinitely more then to ioyne East to West or North to South or heauen and earth together for such a coniunction should be of things farre different yet with some proportion and measure but this is of two natures infinitely distant the one from the other the diuinity with the humanity the infinit with the finit the most souerain maiesty with the least reasonable creature stable Eternity with floting Time the supreme power with infirmity impassibility with sufferance God with man the Creatour with his Creature which are so many exploites and testimonies of an Almighty power Motiues to the loue of God Heere then the contemplatiue soule shal admire shall prayse and exalt the wonders of this soueraigne God in this mystery he shall stirre vp himselfe to his loue seeing the effects of his wonderfull bounty to reuerence and respect seeing the signes of his infinit wisedome to his feare considering the greatnes of his maiesty He shall thanke the Father for sending his Sonne and the Sonne for taking our flesh by the will of the Father and also the Holy Ghost the bond of the Father and the Sonne and shall adore this diuine soueraigne Trinity one God in three persons all and euery one the maker of this admirable and principall worke greater then had beene the Creation of a thousand worldes The eight and twenty day and the seauenth of his Aboade Of the Visitation of the B. Virgin CHAP. XXIX THIS day the Pilgrime shall make his meditation of the voiage of the B. Virgin to the house of her Cousin Elizabeth The modesty of the virgin in her voiage whome she went to visit immediatly after she was saluted by the Angell For the first point of the meditation the Pilgrime shal take the first part of the history In those dayes Mary rose went quickly to the mountaines vnto a towne of Iudea he nameth not this towne as he did Nazareth because it concerned not the mystery of the visitation such a writer puts nothing superfluous in his history he declareth only the courage and diligence of the B. Virgin to vndertake and performe this Pilgrimage which principally he meant to report Here the deuout soule shall first cast her eyes vpon this heauenly mayd great with God Almighty walking the fieldes not with the traine or company of an earthly Queene in Coach or Litter garnished with veluet or cloth of gold with soft beds and cushions but in the simplicity of a daughter of Sion on foot in company of her Spouse Ioseph though assisted with a great company of Angels for the guard of him they caried and of her and followed her foot by foot through all the places she passed Secondly she shall consider the humility of the B. Virgin practising by worke the vertue which she professed in word Her humility in visiting S. Elizabeth calling her selfe the seruant of our Lord the greater goeth to the lesse the virgin to the wife the daughter of Dauid to the daughter of Aaron the mother of God to the mother of a man the mother of our Lord to the mother of a seruant which are so many proofes of an heauenly humility It was also very coÌ„uenient that she should excell in this vertue meete for the Mother of him who descended from heauen to her wombe by humility to beginne to walke in humility The Daughters of this world do not so for when they are by others exalted to any greatnes they make themselues also greater in their own hart and do highly disdayne their inferiours and the ordinary fashion of women with child is to become heauy and to seeke rest and ease of body This B. Virgin goeth another way as she
circumcised vndergo the law which himselfe had giuen making his first entry into the world and beginning the reparation therof by obedience as by the same obedience he went out of the world dying vpon the Crosse in counterpoise of the first man who as soone as he came into the world became disobedient and lost the world This is the benefit wherewith our Sauiour signed the first day of the yeare giuing to the world for a new yeares guift Herodian lib. 2. not a peece of gold or siluer or fruites as the world doth figs dates hony laurell and such other presents of the earth or of the sea but his precious bloud which he shed in this Circumcision for our only good and not for any necessity or bond he had of the law which himselfe had made and might therein dispense as the soueraigne Iudge or any profit he might get thereby The humility of the Sonne of God Phil. 2. The second point shall be to note in this action how our Sauiour goeth forward stil shewing more more humility for in his Incarnation he humbled himselfe in becoÌ„ming man and taking the forme of a seruant in his natiuity he humbled himselfe beneath man placing himselfe among the least and the poorest in his Circumcision he humbled himselfe more then all this making himselfe to be enroled among sinners vsing the remedy of sinners he who was not only without sinne but the couÌ„terpoison of sinne come with his innocency and vertue to destroy it so did he alwayes more descend in humility the more his works did ascend and shew themselues before God and his Church so necessary did he iudge it to authorize and credit this vertue and to batter pride which had ouerthrowne both Men and Angells How farre from this spirit are they who knowing themselues to be sinners will not be so esteemed and are ashamed to vse the remedy that should heale them They are ashamed to confesse and do pennaÌ„ce are not ashamed of the foule filth of sinne Who would not willingly endure any thing to deface their faults seeing our Sauiour began to shed his bloud for them within 8. dayes after he was borne The 3. point shal be to meditate the glorious name of Iesus this day giuen to the Sonne of God which signifieth Sauiour and is taken of the end effect of his charity Of the name of Iesus for he came into the world to saue it and in effect did saue it if it had would As therefore heeretofore great Personages haue often gotten their names by their notable actions Great meÌ„ surnamed by their actions and were called by them as Ioseph the Patriarch Sauiour of the world because by his prouideÌ„ce he had preueÌ„ted the famine in Aegypt the Roman Captaines and Embassadours were called Africani Parthici Germanici by reason of the victory they had wone in Africa Gen. 4â— Parthia and Germany In like sort but by better title without comparison the Sonne of God is called Iesus that is Sauiour because he came to saue man and this was the reason which the Angell gaue to Ioseph Math. 1.28 fortelling him that the Son which Mary should beare should be called IESVS because he should saue his people And S. Peter sayth Act. 4.12 There is no other name vnder heauen whereby to be saued This is the name so song by the Prophets Isay sayth Isa 30.17 Behould the Name of our Lord commeth from farre He commeth at the beginning of the world for it was written in the booke of God from all eternity Also my people shall know my name in that day for my selfe that doe speake will be present that is to say when I shall be made man Exo i. 6.1 Prou. â—0 S. Tho. 1 q 13. a. 1. I shall take a name that my people shall know for that which I beare from all eternity which is the essentiall name of my Deity is a name hidden to men and Angells and cannot be knowne but to God It is a name ineffable This name IESVS shall be vnderstood of men for I wil make it knowne by good effects I will make manifest sayth another Prophet my holy name in the midest of my people And Isay Zaâ—h 39. He shall haue a new Name giuen him by the mouth of our Lord. He could not haue a fitter God-father Isa 62.2 for it to impose a name according vnto his nature be the worke and office of wise men who could better name the Son of God then the mouâ—h of God which is Wisedome it selfe To impose names iâ— the worke of a wise maÌ„ Plato in Crat. This name comprehendeth all the goodly names that are noted in the bookes of the Prophets Emanuel Counseller of God Prince of peace A strong God an admirable Name and other like are contayned within the compasse of this for Iesus is al this and much more O sweet and admirable name a name more beautifull then the morning or day more sweet then milke or hony more strong then armies wider then the whole world higher then heauen deeper then hell more noble then the crowne of Kings more rich then gold a Name full of Maiesty the glory of the heauens the terrour of the Diuels A speach to the name of Iesus the hope health of mankind By Thee death is life without thee pleasure is death with thee ignominy is nobility without thee nobility is ignominy with thee infirmity is strong without thee strength is weake and infirme by thee nothing is made all thinges and without thee all thinges doe vanish to nothing Be thou therefore alwayes with vs O admirable Name be thou graued in euerlasting letters in our spirit in our hart in our memory in tyme of peace in tyme of warre by night by day in ioy and sadnes in Towne and field be thou our direction and saluation in our Pilgrimage and our glory in our country To Iesus Sweet Iesus heire of this Name be vnto vs Iesus giue vs the grace to circumcise and cut off the superfluities of our flesh of our desires of our thoughts and actions of our harts eyes eares and of all our senses that after this spirituall and Christian Circumcision signifyed by that carnall of the Iewes we may be partaker of the wholsome effect of the same of the immortall glory of this Name To the B. Virgin And thou most benigne Mother who this day seest thy deere child Innocency it selfe enrolled in the catalogue of sinners for sinners and giuing his precious bloud as a pledge of his infinite charity and of our saluation who pierced with sorrow in thy soule didst shed virginall teares in compassion of him obtaine for vs by the merit of thy griefe and compassion the fruit of this guift the good fortune of this name that our bodyes may be circumcised and purged from all impurity that our soules may be cleane our thoughts and desires well
before men whose soules are shut prisoners in hell and the names of thousandes of others doe shine in heauen which are vnknowne vpon earth S. Iohn sheweth his Maister and preacheth him with a wonderful testimony The true Preacher sendeth his hearers to Christ 〈◊〉 his Disciples do follow whome he doth shew So it is the â—art of a true preacher to preach Iesus Christ and to send his â—earers and followers vnto him he that in his preaching maketh himselfe admired and not Iesus Christ and draweth â—he harts of his hearers after himselfe and not after Iesus Christ is a thiefe employing his Maisters mony and guiftes to his owne vses and not to his Maisters honour God hath giuen thee thy tongue to prayse him thou by thy tongue procurest and seekest prayses for thy selfe and dost thou not thinke that this soueraine iustice will call thee to reckoning and reuenge the wrong thou hast done him Iesus Christ seeing that these two disciples followed him turning to them Whome â— seek you asked what they sought O Lord what a question is this They do not seeke or search but they haue found without seeking that which hundred thousandes of iust men haue sought 4000. yeares without finding They haue found that which the Embassadour did announce that is the Lambe of God Luc. 10. the Lambe promised figured prophecyed by the Scriptures by the sacrifices and by the Prophets of thy schoole and family Why dost thou aske O Lord what they seeke Is it perhaps to make them thinke better of the greatnes of him whome they haue found and to make them enter into a deeper knowledge of him As if he had sayd vnto theÌ„ Whome haue you found Do you not know What seeke you more For many men find thee O sweet Lambe and yet search further not knowing throughly the valew of the treasure they haue found Many ChristiaÌ„s and Religious know not well their vocation neither can vnderstand it except thou wilt turne thy selfe towardes them giuing them light to know thee as thou hast giuen them grace to find thee They sayd Maister VVhere dwellest thou O Lord thou didst aske them What seeke you And insteed of an answer they aske another question saying Maister where dwellest thou Why do they not answere directly we seeke the LaÌ„be of God and the Messias promised in the Law preached by our Maister Is it that enlightned with thy light in their spirit they do thereby perceaue and acknowledge that they had found thee And therfore they answered not we seeke but sayd in their hart we see thee seeke nothing but thee and we would know where thou dwellest They answere therefore what thy holy spirit had put into their hart mouth Maister where dwellest thou And this question they aske that they might in conuenient tyme and place more priuately conferre with thee of holy things much importing to their saluation And thou dost answer them Come see and dost gently inuite them to come to the place of thy dwelling But O good disciples know you well what you aske of this Maister God is euery where asking the place where he dwelleth He dwelleth in heauen in earth in the sea in the North and in the South and euery where and yet dwelleth in no place For no place is capable to lodge him he filleth all and yâ—t is without all but if you aske as it seemeth you do meane where this his Humanity visible to mortall men dwelleth know you that he hath no dwelling and that he hath forsakeÌ„ all to giue vs all and to enrich vs by his pouerty as you shall heare of him hereafter that Foxes haue holes birds of the aire haue neastes and the Sonne of man hath no where to rest his head Matth. â— which is so because he came to be a Pilgrime not a cittizen vpon earth The place then of his dwelling was a lodging borrowed not his owne and to such a place he brought them where they stayed a whole day with him O day a day indeed for these disciples hauing so neere them the sunne of the world casting into their soule this wholsome light and loue What heauenly discourses were held in the houres of that day What demands and what answers were made What lessons were giuen of the mystery of this lambe whome they had found Andrew who was one of the two met his brother Simon Andrew brought Peter to Iesus who gaue him his name Peter and by the light of this faire day becomming a Preacher did shew him the sunne his maister and said we haue found the Messias who is Christ the Annointed And like a good disciple brought him to Iesus to the Sauiour to saue him Simon came desirous to see Iesus of whome he had heard before somewhat and was to heare much more afterward And our Sauiour beholding him before he spake vnto him O beholding diuine and most happy for thee O Simon to dispose him to the faith of his diuinity called him by his name and told him whose sonne he was Thou art saith he Simon the sonne of Ionas neuer hauing seene him or his Father before with his corporall eyes and changed his name Thou shalt be called Cephas which is to say a Rocke And declareth by this change what he was to do after and what place he would giue him in his Church which were so many testimonies that he was God knowing his creatures euery one by their name the name of the Fathers as of the children yea euen before they are borne into the world and changing their nature as he changeth their name bettering them by new gifts of graces so he caused his Precâ—â—sor to be called Iohn which is to say Gracious by reason of the aboundant grace he bestowed on him So he changed the name of Abram into Abraham which is to say Father of many nations because he was ordayned for such an end So now he changeth the name of Simon into Peter that is a Rocke because he would giue him a faith which should be a Rocke stone wherupon should be founded the great building of the Church Behold then a remarkeable seruice of S. Andrew bringing the sheep vnto the Shepheard and a notable benefit to his brother addressing him to a maister who so soone was so liberal vnto him Galilee the higher the lower In the next morning our Sauiour went forth to go towards Galilie not high Galilie which is of the Gentils but low Galilie of the Iewes and where the citty of Nazareth is and there he found Philip sayd vnto him Follow me This Philip was of Bethsaida the citty of Andrew and Peter Philip preached Messias to Nathaniell so by diuers meanes all foure became disciples of whome three afterward were made Apostles This is the first calling of those that should follow our Sauiour this is his grace For if he do not preuent vs to draw vs vnto him if
vertuous and pious Lady but being yong and louing him most intirely found great difficulty to giue her coÌ„sent to this voiage but he was so importune that at last she must let him do as he list He being prepared furnished for such a Captaine bad her farewell and to leaue and take a token of mutuall loue he diuided a gold ring he had into two parts leauing the one halfe with her he kept the other to himselfe and went his way He did with the other nobility of France diuers noble exploites in this warre but the sinnes of wicked Christians had armed the enemies and made them conquerours in such sort that almost all the Christian army was cut in peeces diuers noble men taken prisoners and carryed into Turky among whome this gentleman was one He sent diuers letters by diuers wayes vnto his wife to send his ransome but he neuer had any answere of newes no more then his wife had from him and endured a thousand miseries the space of seauen yeares he was bought sold sundry tymes to diuers maisters euery man scorning to keep a man so old worne out as hauing lost their hope euer to gaine any thing by him In the end of the seauenth yeare he fell into the hâ—nds of a most mercilesse maister who incensed to see himselfe frustrate of the ransome his prisoner had promised concluded one day to kill him and gaue charge to one of his seruants to execute his resolution that very day The poore gentleman hauing vnderstood so much and seeing all his hopes brought to nothing tooke courage from despaire and of a true noble and Christian hart resolued to take death patiently and yet hauing recourse to diuine help where humane wanted coÌ„mended himselfe with all his hart to God and S. Iulian to whome he had alwayes beene deuout and made a vow to build him a chappel if by his intercession and prayers God would deliuer him from this distresse and therupon he slept and after a while he waked and thinking he had beene still in his cage where he expected death he found himselfe in the midst of a forrest in his cloathes without his chaines At the first he thought it had beene a dreame and that verily he was in prison which happeneth oftentimes in cases which be strange and beyond our fayth and hope as appeareth in S. Peter who being indeed brought out of a close prison by an Angell 〈◊〉 9. thought it had beene a vision but hauing well awaked al his senses he beheld the heauen and the earth and touched the trees and he persuaded himselfe that he was in some forrest in Turky where miraculously by the prayers of of the Saint he was out of prison to seeke meanes to saue himselfe Looking about him he saw certaine shephardesses of whome he demaunded in the Turkish lauguage what forrest that was The good maides were in Normandy and looking on him with wondering thought he had spoken Latin or English and told him in French that they vnderstood not what he said he hearing them speake French began to doubt yet more that he did dreame and that dreaming he asked in French what forrest is this and that they answered it was the forest of Bagueuille This was a forrest of his owne where he had hunted a thousand tymes he was now more amazed casting his eyes round about to try his senses he perceiued at last that he dreamed not and that verily he was in Normandy neere vnto his owne Castle and thither he went was knowne receiued by his wife with diuers pretty chances but they are out of the purpose of our transport wherof only I was to speake and therefore I forbeare to ouercharge your eares with by-matters At this clause Dom-Prior turning to him O Sir Lazarus sayth he leaue not our eares empty This is to keep backe the hart of the history and to take away our meate when you haue made vs hungry I pray you for all the company to tell it out Heare then quoth Lazarus seeing you will haue it so he went streight to the castle where he saw a great number of gentlemen that met there that day he addressed himselfe to the Porter and told him that he much desired to speake with Madame the Porter asked what he would haue I desire to speake with her selfe quoth he about a matter of importance It will be hard sayth the Porter to speake with her for she is presently to goe to Masse to receaue the benediction of her mariage the good gentleman was much amazed at this insisted the more earnestly to speake with her The porter halfe angry told him it was lost labour to demand it yet he went to Madame and told her there was an old Hermit at the gate who desired to speake one word with her This Lady was vertuous and a great almes giuer and who had mourned for her husband all the tyme of his seauen yeares absence and by the aduice of her friends who thought certainly he was dead was in a sort constrained to consent to this second mariage She thinking that this Hermit would speake with her to demaund an almes commaunded her steward to giue him a good one aduertising him that if he had any things els to say he should tel it him He brought it him to whome the old man sayd it is not almes I desire I pray you tell Madame once agayne that it is necessary that I speake a word with her before she go to Masse and if you can persuade her to heare me you shall performe the part of a faythfull seruant The steward apprehended something at these wordes and went vp agâ—ine and sayd Madame he would but one word with you and he saith it is necessary that you take it from his owne mouth before Masse My opinion Madame is that you do so and enter into the low hall to heare him what can you tell Perhaps he may giue you some aduice about your affayres or bring you some certaine newes of Monsieurs death or of his last will and testament She belieued him and descended into the hall and stood to a window alone The good old man leasurely passed through the midst of the court and company euery man looking and wondering at him for they saw an old man leane and diffigured his haire all white and beard loÌ„g and ill kembed clad with an ill fauoured old rugge gowne of the Turkish fashion He presented himselfe to Madame attired in her wedding apparell and making a low reuerence vnto her sayd Madame I come from Turky where I haue sometims seene one called Monsieur Bagueuille as I vnderstaÌ„d Lord of this place and hertofore your husband who was taken prisoner seauen yeares since in Hungary when the Fenchmen were defeated I know that he hath long expected his ransome and that he hath suffered much misery haue you not heard any newes of him within this yeare She answered Alas my good friend know
of the cleare vision and contemplation of their Creatour the cause of all beauties that are in heauen or earth and infinitly more beautifull then all other beauty put together Of the body He meditated in the second place of the glory which the bodies of the â—ust shall haue after the ResurrectioÌ„ which can not otherwise be declared but as the Apostle declareth the whole felicity That the eye hath not seene nor the eare heard nor the hart of man comprehended â— Cor. 2. what God hath prepared for those that loue h m he could say no more then in saying as he did that it is impossible to conceiue that felicty The scripture sayth that the iust shall shine like the sunne and compareth them to eagles Matt. 15. signifying the beauty agility of their body Our Sauiour to whose similitude we shall rise agayne came out of the graue that he rose out subtile impassible such in similitude shall our bodies be in such qualities shining Phil. 3.20 transpareÌ„t agile subtile penetrant and immortall heere withall euery particular part of the body shall haue a supernaturall beauty as now it hath a naturall with this difference that then all the body being transparent like christall all parts shall be visible in it as well the inward as the outward the bones the muscles the sinewes the veines the arteries the lungs the liuer the hart all shall be cleansed and cleared from all imperfectioÌ„ indewed with their proper beauty in propoâ—tion clearenes and colour This of Saphire that of Emeraldes one of Carbuncles another of Diamonds and aboue all shall be most adm rable those which haue beene employed in some speciall and peculiar seruice of the diuine Maiesty So the skinne of S. Bartholomew stead off for the faith shall shine with a particular beauty the armes and feete of S. Peter crucifyed the head of S. Paul cut of the tongues of true preachers the hands of Almoners the armes of the true souldiours of Iesus-Christ the eyes of chastity the hayres of virginity nothing shall be without recompence without excellency without particular glory Lazarus was plunged in this meditation and sayd O my soule if thou beest rauished meditating these beauties how great shall thy ioy be in enioying them O Lazarus what doost thou to deserue them What giuest thou to buy them What sufferest thou to gaine this honour And with what pace walkest thou to get the goale of this glory O soules redeemed with the precious bloud of Iesus thinke vpon these honours O Christian Dames who so highly esteeme the beauty of the body that not hauing it you would gladly purchase it with great summes of gold and siluer hauing it do hold it so deere tender it so carefully by art by gold by apparell by chaynes carkenets and iewels your beauty is nothing it is foule and ill fauoured in respect of this and if it were any thing you know well it shall finally perish eyther by some misfortune or by touch of sicknes or by age or surely by death Where is the beauty of AbsaloÌ„ of Lucrece of so many men women admired in the world Loue then the beauty of this Resurrection which shall be proper for euer vnto your bodies and to obtaine it loue now the beauty of your soules O my soule be thou amorous and in loue with this beauty O glorious Virgin O faithfull aduocate aduaÌ„ced this faire and ioyfull day aboue all the thrones of the heauenly and happy spirits the wonder of all goodly creatures on earth whilst thou wert aliue the wonder of all the creatures in heauen for euer the honour of the triumphant Church the refuge of the militant the comfort of the afflicted the guide of wanderers helpe vs with thy graces and credit with him by whome thou wert this day carryed vp into heauen with the company of all the heauenly hostes Procure o most B. Virgin that we obtaine grace holily to liue vpon earth to the imitation of thy selfe and happily to dye to thy example and one day to enioy eternally the riches of the triumphant Resurrection in the Kingdome of thy Sonne Iesus 1. An exhortation to a sick person in agony of death 2. The affliction of Lazarus 3. His arriuall at his Fathers house 4. His farewell to his Father and to the world CHAP. XXV THVS Lazarus ended his prayer Theodosius and Vincent ended then also and had felt great inward ioy therein The steward came early to their chamber hauing made ready their breakfast but they would eate nothing saying it was to soone They desired him humbly to salute in their behalfe Monsieur the Marquesse the Abbot the Vicount the Baron his children and to assure them that they would pray to God for their prosperity The steward had closely put into Lazarus bagge ten Crownes wrapped in a paper with these words of the Marquesse owne writing Pray to God for the Marques which Lazarus found at night in his fathers house He imbraced the Steward with many thankes after they had sayd their Pilgrims prayers they went out of the Castle and hauing beene a while silent they began to talke Lazarus praised much the prudence and liberality of the Marques and of his brother the sincere and harty loue of his children full of humility and courtesy the true markes of true nobility as contrariwise pride and disdaine is a true token of a base and rude mynd he commended also greatly the modesty diligence of all the officers and seruants and tooke this for a sure signe of the Marquesse his vertue for commonly like maister like men and the subiects doe for the most part frame themselues after the fashions of their Lord. Theodosius sayd that he noted at supper a meruailous contentment of all in the answere that was made to Syre Cime and that he did neuer better perceiue the leuity obstinacy of heresy then in that man who sought nothing but to talke and shew himselfe though he shewed himselfe alwayes void of good learning Pride the Father of heresy Whereupon Lazarus sayd Pride is the Father of heresy and vanity is her Mistresse and therefore you may not meruaile to see an Heretike both proud and vayne togeather Wherefore then quoth Vincent doth not the Marquesse his nephew shew himselfe like his maister Because sayth Lazarus he is not so much an Heretike as bred and brought vp in heresy neuer hauing beene Catholike knowing nothing but what they haue giuen him to vnderstand without contradictioÌ„ it is well to be hoped that as he is of a noble tractable nature and of a goodly spirit that as soone as he shall haue free liberty to conferre with some learned man or cast his eyes vpon some learned booke he will discouer the deceits of these impostures which his maister hath commended vnto him for rules and maximes of his Religion will imbrace the truth of the Catholike fayth Surely sayd Vincent I longed much
Mary sayd Behould the hand-mayde of our Lord be it done vnto me according to thy word And the Angell departed from her Behould first a wonderfull saluation The Angel pronounceth the blessed Virgin full of grace and fullnes cannot be but diuine he sayth that God is with her no doubt with a singular and speciall assistance and therefore he calleth her Blessed among women A salutation neuer heard or giuen to any crearure by a heauenly spirit The most humble and wise Virgin was troubled seeing the Maiesty of this messenger and much more hearing the prayses he pronounced The modesty of the Virg. and not presuming to open her mouth to answere she thought vpon that she heard A spirit very differeÌ„t from that of our worldly Dames who insteed of troubling themselues at the prayses which the world giueth them euen without ground or desert they reioyce and tickle at the least blast of glory that bloweth in their eare they lift vp themselues and swell in their hart The lightnes of worldly women and the more is sayd to them in that kind the wider haue they their hart and eares open to heare more of their prayses The Angell seeing the heauenly Mayd to blush and reading as it were in her face and silence her astonishment called her familiarly by her name did assure her and aduised her not to feare hauing cause rather to reioyce hauing so good a place in grace and fauour of God by him cherished chosen to be Mother of a King without a match of a Sonne who should succeed in the throne of Dauid who should reigne for euer in the house of Iacob and of whose kingdome there should be no end finally Mother of the Sonne of God pronounced her Great in that measure that she accounted her selfe little But behould a question and doubt worthy of such a Virgin She had consecrated to God her soule and body The B.V. first vowed virginity by the vow of Chastity the first in this prayse and magnanimity among all the daughters of Israell She was troubled at his first wordes by reason of humility but hearing him speake of coÌ„ceauing and bearing a sonne she was troubled by reason of her virginity she highly esteemed the grace promised but she was carefull also of her owne fayth promised and of her integrity which she would not loose for all the treasure of the world How many Virgins be there cleane contrary who willingly abandone their body and soule so they may get the loue of some earthly Lord The Angell doth deliuer her also from this feare and sheweth her that this Generation shall not be like others by the company or seed of man or by any violation of the body but heauenly without hurt of her virginall integrity by the worke of the Holy Ghost by the power of the Highest by the grace of the same Sonne that shall be borne the Holy of God the sonne of God Adding that Elizabeth her cousin being now both old barren Why the Angell maketh mention of Elizabeth had conceaued a Sonne that it is as easy to God to make a Virgin conceaue as an old and barren woman The B. Virgin vnderstanding that her vow of virginity should be kept preserued agreed and gaue her consent belieued that God could doe what he sayd and she that was called the Mother of the most Highest The Dialogue of the Angel and the Virgin differing from that of the diuell and Eue. calleth her selfe his seruant O happy conference dialogue and much more fortunate then that of the seducing Angell and the seduced Virgin in the earthly Paradise who harkening to a promise of Deity if she would eate of the forbidden fruit suffered her selfe to be deluded with vanity and made the first breach and entrance to the fall and ruine of maÌ„kind O Virgin happy by thy virginity more hapyy by thy humility yet most happy by thy liuely fayth Thy virginity hath made the Sonne of God amorous of thee thy humility hath made him descend into thy wombe but thy fayth made thee conceaue rather of the spirit then of the body The excellency of virginity O verily full of grace full of God and verily blessed aboue all women blessed aboue all Virgins in purity aboue all Wiues in fecundity aboue all Saints in fayth hope and charity chosen from heauen to be the Mother of the Highest For if a Virgin may be with child nothing can she more fitly bring forth then the â—onne of God and if the Sonne of God will be conceaued and borne he cannot more fitly be borne then in the wombe of a Virgin The third point of the Meditation How the Sonne of God was conceaued in the wombe of the Virgin CHAP. XXV THE third point shall meditate how so soone as the B. Virgin had pronounced the wordes of her consent Behould the hand-mayde of my Lord Luc. 1.38 be it vnto me according to thy word the Word of God was incarnate and made man in her wombe not after the manner of other men whose bodyes are organized after 40. dayes and then receaue a reasonable soule yet without the vse of reason but in a manner altogeather diuine and supernaturall this body was at that very instant prepared to lodge and receaue the soule to be animated He was happy at the same instant S. Thom. part 3. q. 34. art 4. although by little and little it did grow vnto the natiuity And this soule vnited to the word of God togeather with the body had also at the same instant the vse of reason free will was filled with al sort of spirituall graces aboue all men Angels and found it selfe ioyfull and happy in the vision of God And al this in fauour of this admirable vnioÌ„ though by dispeÌ„sation of God the body that was to be the subiect of our RedemptioÌ„ remayned passible and mortall which otherwise had beene immortall and the soule subiect to sadnes and sorrow which hath no place with beatitude so desirous was our Sauiour of our saluation and so prodigall of his mercy as willingly and cheerefully and quickly to beare our sorrowes and miseries in part he depriued himselfe of the possession and vse of his happines to make vs thoroughly happy This Conception then was full of the meruailes of the bounty of God in so markeable signes of his loue and of his almighty power in ioyning things so difficill which the Prophet foretold as an effect neuer happened before Ierem. 31. Our Lord hath created a new thing vpon earth A woman hath compassed about a man This is the B. Virgin conceiuing a Sonne in her wombe who was a man as soone as a Child hauing from the first instant of his Conception all the vertues of men of perfect age God made man and man God and that in higher title of perfection then euer was giuen to any creature Behold then God made man
that dolorous mystery when thy Sonne praying in the garden to his eternall Father in his agony swet drops of bloud in such aboundance that they ranne downe vpon the ground and after was by one of his disciples betrayed and deliuered to the ministers of the Iewes by whome he was taken and his hands being manicled with a cord about his necke was cruelly haled to the houses of Annas and Cayphas The Prayer I Humbly beseech thee obtaine for me of thy deare Sonne the gift and grace of true prayer and that in all my tribulations and afflictions I may conforme my will vnto Gods bearing them all with patience and that he will assist me in the agony of my death Amen Of the Whipping The Oblation O Virgin most afflicted I humbly offer thee 10. Aues and one Pater noster in memory of the griefe and shame which thy Sonne felt Dolo ∣ rous 2 when after all the scoffing beating and spitting of that darke and dolefull night the next day he was in the house of Pilate despised and put to shame being he that cloathed the heauens with beauty and is himselfe the most beautifull of all the children of men bound to a piller and whipped most cruelly with no lesse then 5000. stripes and more The Prayer I Humbly beseech thee aske of thy Sonne for me that he would rid me of all earthly affections giue me grace and courage to chastice and subdue myne owne flesh that it preuaile not against the spirit and that I may patiently beare the rods and chasticements which in this life his diuine Maiesty shall send me Of the Crowning The Oblation Dolo ∣ rous 3 O Virgin distressed I humbly offer thee 10. Aues one Pater noster in reuereÌ„ce of that griefe which thy Sonne our Lord Iesus-Christ suffered when the cruell tormentors crowned him with a crowne of thornes which pierced his most tender and holy head in such sort that his precious bloud trickled downe round about most aboundantly They mocked him also put in his hand a reed for a scepter striking him therewith on the head The Prayer I Humbly beseech thee pray for me that I may auoid all desire of pride presumption and may rather desire â—â—ame iniuries for my sweet Sauiour Christ his sake that in this life being crowned with thornes of tribulation I may deserue hereafter to be crowned with glory in thy blisse euerlasting Of the carrying of the Crosse The Oblation Dolo ∣ rous 4 O Virgin so darkened and filled with griefe sorrow I humbly offer thee 10. Aues one Pater noster for the sorrow thy holy soule felt when thou didst see thy dearely beloued Sonne led through the streetes of Hierusalem with proclamation condemned to death as a malefactour and disturber of the people carying all along that heauy Crosse vpon his weake shoulders and sawest him failing to the ground with the weight thereof with which dolefull sight thou wert euen pierced with griefe and sorrow The Prayer I Humbly beseech thee obtaine for me perfect feeling and tendernes of hart and compassion in these sufferings of thy Sonne and tâ—â—e repentance whereby I may weepe also for my selfe confessing correcting and satisfying for my sinnes and that with promptitude and alacrity I may carry any Crosse which God shall lay vpon my shoulders Of the Crucifying The Oblation Dolo ∣ rous 5 O Virgin spring and fountaine of teares at the foote of the crosse crucifyed in hart with thy Sonne I humbly offer thee 10. Aues one Pater noster to the incomparable griefe which thou feltst when in mount Caluary thou â—awest thy good Iesus that lambe without spot fastened to the Crosse with cruell blowes which pierced thy hart where after pardoning of his enemies and fulfilling the scriptures with a great cry and teares he commended his soule to his eternall Father thou sawest him yield vp his ghost The Prayer BY the greatnes of thy griefes which heare B. Lady thou didst suffer obtayne for me that I may pardon and loue myne enemies that our Lord may pardon me all my sinnes and not forsake me in the houre of my death but that hauing performed all my duty I may yield my soule into his holy hands Amen Of the Resurrection The Oblation O Queene of heauen full of ioy I humbly offer thee 10. Aues one Pater noster for the ineffable ioy thou tookest in the Resurrection Glori ∣ ous 1 of thy well-beloued Sonne when to thee before all others he appeared glorious risen from the dead and conuerted all thy sorrow into ioy and gladnes and after in token of his great loue and for confirmation of the fayth of this Resurrection he appeared often to his Apostles and disciples The Prayer I Humbly beseech thee procure me the true ioy of a good coÌ„science and that my soule may rise againe in newnes of life and manners and firmely belieue the misteries of the fayth which our holy Mother the Catholike Church teacheth Amen Of the Ascension The Olation O Glorious Lady full of comfort I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues Glori ∣ ous 2 and one Pater noster for the ioy thou haddst in the wonderfull Ascension of thy Sonne our Lord when thou sawest him with glorious triumph mounted vp accompanied with the blessed soules of the holy Fathers adored and worshipped of all the quires of Angels ascending into the heauens there sitting at the right hand of God his Father leauing thee heere on earth for the stay and light of his Apostles for the example comfort of his Catholike Church The Prayer I Humbly beseech thee obtaine for me that my hart may be lifted vp to loue heauenly things and that thou wilt be to me a sweete comforter in the iourney of this present life that I may deserue life euerlasting Amen Of the comming c. The Oblation O Excellent Spouse of the holy Ghost mother of the motherles comfort of the comfortles I humbly offer 10. Aues and one Pater noster to the sacred mystery of the coÌ„ming of the holy Ghost when Glori ∣ ous 3 in the figure of fiery tongues he descended vpon thee most B. Virgin and the whole company of the Apostles euen as thy Sonne promised in such sort did inflame and fill their harts that immediatly they began to speake in diuers tongues the wonders of God The Prayer PRay for me O B. Lady that I may deserue to receyue plentifull grace the gifts of the holy Ghost the language of ChristiaÌ„ loue in all my conuersation with my neighbours and perseuerance in vertue and all good purposes Of the Assumption The Oblation Glori ∣ ous 4 O Soueraigne Lady and Virgin the honour of mankind beauty of the heauens I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues and one Pater noster to the glorious mystery of thy Assumption when by the B. Sonne thou wert called to his euerlasting glory deseruedst at thy happy passage to
haue present the holy Apostles thy seruants wast receiued body soule into the heauenly habitations of the celestiall spirits as Queene of the Angels mother of their Lord maister The Prayer I Humbly beseech thee be my Aduocate in all tymes and places and deliuer me from sodaine and vnprouided death and when I shall passe out of this world defend me from all the temptations of the diuell that my soule may haue free accesse to the ioyes of my God and Sauiour Of the Coronation The Oblation Glori ∣ ous 5 O Most high glorious Lady Empresse of the whole world I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues one Pater noster to the glorious mistery of thy Coronation which was the accomplishment of all thy ioyes and the crowne of all thy deserts when thou wert exalted aboue the Angelicall spirits and to the blessed Trinity the Father Son and holy Ghost thou wert crowned and appointed Queene Lady of all and the defendresse and aduocate of all that inuocate thee The Prayer WE reioyce O B. Lady at thy exaltation and glory and beseech thee that froÌ„ the high throne where thou art placed thou wouldest remember thy poore children which wander heere in this vale of teares and that thou wouldest obtaine for vs plentifull gifts and graces that we may deserue with thee and all the holy Saints to enioy the B. Trinity Amen THE CORONE OF B. LADY THe manner of saying the Corone of our B. Lady consisting of 63. Aues six Pater noster in remeÌ„brance of the 60. yeares of her life euery Pater noster with the 10. Aues are to be sayd and offered in the honour and remembrance of 10. yeares of her life and of what 〈◊〉 did or suffered in that time with a prayer eyther before or after crauing those graces and vertues which most did shine in the actions of those yeares The Oblation of the 1. O Most innocent and immaculate Virgin I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues one Pater noster in honour of the first 10. yeares of thy life and all thou didst therein in honour of thy immaculate Conception miraculous Natiuity of a barren wombe of thy blessed infaÌ„cy and Presentation into the Temple and all thy vertuous exercises and deuotions there whereby thou wert disposed and prepared to be a meete mother for the sonne of God The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that I may offer my best first times to the seruice of God and by exercise of vertue and eschewing occasions of sinne I may dispose my soule to receiue Gods grace in this life and his glory in the next The Oblation of the 2. O Most happy and chosen Virgin I humbly offer vp 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of the high vertues which dayly increased in thee first vowing chastity and espousing thy selfe to chast Ioseph receiuing with ioy humility and resignation the ioyfull newes of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God in thy virginall wombe bearing thy Creatour swadling and resting him in the manger seeing him glorifyed by the Angells visited by the shepheards adored by the Kings circumcised presented and redeemed in the Temple at thy Purification didst nurse him and giue him sucke and stedst with him into AEgypt and there in a strange Idolatrous Country didst worke for his maintenance and thine The Prayer I Beseech thee obtaine for me part of these ioyes which in this tyme thou didst receiue and the imitation of thy chastity and speciall loue of pouerty which thou and thy sonne so greatly did imbrace The Oblation of the 3. O Most B and patient Virgin I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues a Pater noster in remeÌ„brance of thy poore pilgrimage entertaynement in AEgypt and in thy returne from thence the feares thou hadst at returning thy sorrow in loosing and ioy in fynding thy Son in Hierusalem and in honour of all that sweetnes and ioy thou receiuedst in the conuersation company of thy heauenly guest child The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that in all my pilgrimage of this life I may haue thine and thy sonnes company neuer long want the comfort of his gracious presence doctrine and Sacraments The Oblation of the 4. O Most happy gracious Virgin I huÌ„bly offer vp to thee 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of all that ioy and pleasure â—ou hadst in the presence of thy sweet Iesus eating drinking talking and wo king with him that giueth meate drinke speach and strength to all creatures The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that in all my life and actions I may be so conioyned with Iesus so communicate with him that whether I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer I do I may do it in his presence and to his onely glory and praise The Oblation of the 5. O Most ioyfull dolorous Lady I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of those pangs and 〈◊〉 which after all the ioyes thou receiuedst by departing of thy Sonne from thee of thy cares and feares thou hadst of him and the excessiue griefe thou tookest when he was betrayed taken bound led captiue beaten spit vpon mocked whipped crowned with thornes blindefolded buffeted condemned crucifyed blasphemed pierced taken downe and buried in remeÌ„brance also of thy great ioyes in his Resurrection Apparition Ascension sending of the holy Ghost The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that among the comforts discomforts of this life I may remaine firme and constant at the foote of the Crosse with thee and thy blessed company that at last I may be partaker of the ioyes and glory of his resurrection and Ascension and of the comfort of his holy spirit The Oblation of the 6. O Most perfect patient and blessed Lady I humbly offer vnto theâ— 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of thy most holy life heere on earth after the Ascension of thy Sonne of the longing thoâ— hadst to be with him and loathing of this life of the light comfoâ—â— and example thou gauest to the Apostles and all Christians of thâ— zeale for the glory of thy Sonne of thy deuotion to his B. Body and often visitation of the holy places of his life Passion Resurrection The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that being heere on earth I may haue like longing to be with thy Sonne and loathing of this life with deuotion to all his remembrances and Sacraments The Oblation of the 7. O Most happy and glorious Virgin I humbly offer vnto thee 3. Aues and a Pater noster in honour of the last three yeareâ— of thy life of the ioyfull expectation of thy depositioÌ„ with most perfect workes and more feruent desires in remembrance of thy great ioy at the calling of thy Sonne and spouse of thy visitation of Angels and their heauenly melody the presence of the Apostles praysing and lauding him and finally in remembrance honour of thy most happy passage ioyfull Assumption and glorious Coronation The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that I may so liue as I may expect a ioyfull end and a comfortable passage that I may not want the rites and ceremonies of thy holy Church nor the comfort and company of thy seruants but may be protected by my good Angels my soule by them caryed where thou doost sit in glory and behold the face of the most blessed Trinity the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Amen FINIS