What are her pompes honours and pleasures and their lasting in comparison of that glory which expecteth vs in eternity A Glory worthy of Kinges and Queenes and Princely soules who know how to prize it in equall ballance and to seeke it with high and constant courage A Glory which I and this Pilgrime and all good Pilgrimes besides do most hartily wish vnto both your Maiesties after that you shall haue left vs many fayre and sweet Princes such as should come of the Lilly and the Rose who may all represent the image of their Predecessours their vertues who may be all worthy to weare Crownes and to be with their Father Mother crowned in heauen hauing first raigned heere after them long and worthily on earth Amen Your Maties most loyall Subiect and Beadesman E. W. A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS and Argumentes of this Booke Chap. 1. PILGRIMAGES are agreable to God and commended in holy Scripture Pag. 1 Chap. 2 The Places most noble and famous in the world pag. 2 Chap. 3. Causes that make a place venerable Places meruaâ—lous in their beginning and of the admirable foundation of the house of Loreto pag. 3 Chap. 4. The house of our Lady called of Loreto is one of the three places most famous of the holy Land and of the causes why it was caried thence pag. 6 Chap. 5. How the house of our Lady was caried from Nazareth to Sclauonia and from thence to Italy and there also to diuers places pag. 8 Chap. 6. Why this Chamber of the B. Virgin hath beene so often remoued pag. 8. Chap. 7. How the Chappell of Loreto was knowne to be the ChaÌ„ber where the Virgin was borne and saluted by Gabriell and of the forme thereof pag. 9. Chap. 8. How the transport of the house of Loreto was verified by the Sclauonians and Recanatines pag. 11 Chap. 9. Of certaine meruailous transportes pag. 12 Chap. 10. Why diuers Historiographers of that time did not writ of that meruailous transport of the house of Loreto of many strange things not perceiued or neglected pag. 14 Chap. 11. Historiographers that haue written of Loreto Popes that haue adorned it pag. 18 Chap. 12. Dâ—uine proofes of the truth of this Chappell pag. 21 Cha. 13. Of the meruailous situation of the house of Loreto 22 Chap. 14. Places honourable by reason of their Antiquity That of Loreto most honourable in that respect pag. 24 Chap. 15. Places renowned by reason of diuine apparitions made therein and of those of the Chamber of Loreto pag. 26 Chap. 16. Places made famous by the habitation of holy men and Saints the house of Loreto most Noble in this respect pag. 29 Chap. 17. The house of Loreto admirable for diuerse diuine touchings pag. 31 Chap. 18. Places famous for some great and mysticall effects and Loreto more admirable then all pag. 32 Chap. 19. Loreto most renowned in miracles pag. 35 Chap. 20. How God doth miracles more in some places then in others pag 36 Chap. 21. Of the honour of vowes and offerings of Religion made at Loreto pag. 39 The Pâ—eparation and furniture of the Pilgrime Chap. 1. THE end and allegory of Christian Pilgrimages compasse of our mortall course signified by the number of Fourty pag. 43 Chap. 2. Of Praier Meditation and Contemplation pag. 47 Chap. 3. How Praier should be made and of the parts and vse thereof pag. 51 Chap. 4. Of Iaculatory praier pag. 53 Chap. 5. Of the Beades and the manner to say them pag. 53 Chap. 6. Of the Examen of Conscience pag. 56 Chap. 7. A generall distribution what the Pilgrime should do euery day and 1. Of the Credo pag. 58 Chap. 8. Of the Pater Aue and Confiteor pag. 59 Chap. 9. Of the signe of the Crosse pag. 61 Chap. 10. What the Pilgrime should do euery day pag. 62 The Pilgrime his setting forth first dayes Iourney Chap. 1. A Meditation of the condition of man who is to be Pilgrime in this life pag. 64 Chap. 2. A resemblance of the Pilgrimage of this life to Pilgrimages of deuotion The spirituall habits of a Pilgrime pag. 69 A Canticle of the Pilgrimage of this world pag. 71 Chap. 3. The meanes happily to performe the pilgrimage of this life is to suffer and fight vnder the banner of Iesus Christ and go alwaies forward in vertue pag. 72 Chap. 4. Euery Christian must suffer and beare his Crosse p. 76 Chap. 5. The true Christian must alwaies go forward in vertue pag. 78 Chap. 6. The commandements of God are the way of the Pilgrimage of this life pag. 79. Chap. 7. A Meditation vpon the 10. Cammandements of God in generall The 1. and 2. point Why the law was giuen with so great ceremony in 10. articles and two tables pag. 80 Chap. 8. The 3. and 4. point of the Meditation precedent The loue of God and of our neighbour is the end of the Law and the obseruation of the law proueth the same loue Motiues to the loue of God pag. 83 Chap. 9. A Canticle of the law of God the way of our life pa. 85 Chap. 10. A meditation vpon the 1. Commandment Thou shalt not haue no other Gods Thou shalt not make any grauen Idol pag. 87 Chap. 11. How the Iustice of God doth shine in this first CommaÌ„dement Praiers to auoid the Idols of false Christians pag. 90 Chap. 12. A Meditat. vpon the 2. Commandment Thou shalt take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine pag. 92 Chap. 13. Diuers Meditations and Prayers pag. 95 Chap. 14. A Meditat. vpon the 3. Commandment Remember to keep holy the Sabboth day pag. 96 Chap. 15. Of the Commandments of the Church and deuotion to the B. Virgin pag. 99 Chap. 16. The B. Trinity figured in the 3. Commandements of the first Table pag. 100 A Canticle vpon the three first Commandements a figure of the sacred Trinity pag. 101 Chap. 17. A thankesgiuing for the first weeke accoÌ„plished p. 102 Chap. 18. Of the loue of our Nighbour That one man is neighbour to another pag. 103 Chap. 19. A morning meditation vpon the fourth Commandement Honour thy father and thy Mother to the end thou maist liue long vpon earth pag. 104 Chap. 20. The workes of mercy spirituall and corporall p. 105 Chap. 21. A meditation of the fifth Commandement Thou shalt not kill pag. 107 A Canticle of the loue of God and our Neighbour 110 Chap. 22. Threates punishments against murtherers p. 111 Chap 23. A meditation of the 6. Commandement Thou shalt not commit adultery pag. 112 Chap. 24. How to keep chastity fly the vices of the flesh p. 115 Chap. 25. A mediâ—ation of the 7. Commandement Thou shalt not steale pag. 116 Chap. 26. Diuers considerations vpon couetousnes punished and liberalitâ— praâ—tised by the Saints pag. 119. Chap. 27. A meditation vpon the 8. Commandement Thou shalt not b are false witnesse against thy neighbour pag. 120 Chap. â—8 Of the nature and basenes of ly
and seeke all the possible meanes to attaine it And seeing that euery man is thereunto obliged by nature is not the Christian much more bound then other by reason of the law he professeth which is a law of perfection How can he worthily beare his name if he endeauour not to be a perfect Christian according to his name and degree The King a perfect Christian in his rule and roialty the Captaine a perfect Christian in his warres and managing of Armes the Magistrate in gouernment the Iudge in administration of iustice the Merchant Artificer Labourer in then trafike shop and trauaile as the Religious in his vocation Is heauen only for Religious If it be for all why doe not all seeke the way with Religious Heauen is not oÌ„ly for Religious euery one as we haue sayd according to his estate and degree This instruction will teach the Pilgrime to make dayly progresse in good life as he doth in his way and with so much the more courage as the merit and fruit of vertue is more precious and to be desired then the wynning of way in the world and this shall suffice for the afterdinner and euening of the second day The third Day The Commandements of God are the way of our pilgrimage of this life CHAP VI. IN the third day our Pilgrime being well forward on his way and iourney and hauing attentiuely meditated the conditions and qualityes of his mortall pilgrimage The way to heaueÌ„ is the coÌ„mandements of God Psal 118. â—2 he shal enter into meditation of the heauenly way by which he must come to the heauenly countrey as by the other he shall come to Loreto marching with the feet of his body he shall cause his soule also to walke with hers which are her affectioÌ„s This way is the keeping of the law coÌ„mandments of God wherof Dauid sayd I haue runne the way of thy commandements when thou hast enlarged my hart This way is Iesus Christ who comming into this world hath from point to point fullfilled the law giuen by himselfe he hath cleered bettered it with his doctrine and instructions and hath made it easie both to the eye and to the hand and in his owne pilgrimage hath traced the true path of saluation for which cause he is called Ioan. 14 1 The Way Verity Life This is the spirituall way which the pilgrime shall first consider a far off and in generall as if he were vpon some high mountaine like vnto Moyses when from the mountaines of Abarin Nebo in the land of Moab Deut. 32.9 he beheld the way and countrey of the land of Promise and after he shal run ouer all the commandements in particuler from the first to the last one by one A Meditation vpon the ten Commandements of God in generall The first and second pointe why the Law was giuen with so great Ceremonies in ten Articles and two Tables CHAP. VII THE Prayer preparatory as alwayes before The first preamble shall frame in the imagination the figure of the mountaine of Sina couered in the top with a thicke bright cloud rebounding with the noise of trumpets and thunder God appearing in soueraign Maiesty to Moyses to giue him his law and the Hebrewes incamped in the plaine by terrifyed and attending the issue of this new spectacle In the second Preamble he shall demaund grace of God whereby he may throughly vnderstand the beauty and importance of this law and the whole length and continuatioÌ„ of the way that leadeth vnto Heauen The first point shall recite the law with the clause going before it Preface of the Law where God speaketh thus vnto his people I am the Lord thy God who hath brought thee out of the land of Aegypt and the house of bondage And after giueth the same Law contayned in ten Articles 1. Thou shalt not haue strange Gods before me Exod. 20. 2. Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vaine for our Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine 3. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabboth day 4. Honour thy Father and Mother 5. Thou shalt not kill 6. Thou shalt not commit adultery 7. Thou shalt not steale 8. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour 9. Thou shalt not couet thy Neighborus house 10. Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours wife nor his seruant nor his mayde nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his In meditating the foresayd Preface he shall make this coÌ„clusion God when he would dictate his law putteth in the beginning what he is saying I am the Lord thy God as also the deliuerance of the Hebrewes he would haue vs therefore in the first place set before our eyes his greatnes and maiesty afterwardes the benefits he hath bestowed vpon vs to the end we may be stirred vp to the keeping of his commandements by that obligatioÌ„ we owe vnto him by the title of our Creatour and soueraigne Lord and our Benefactour our Conseruatour and rewarder meditating the rest he shal gather these or the like conclusions God published the law with great ceremonies with thunder and lightning Exod. 19.16 trumpets with cloudes and fire and smoke earth-quakes he will therefore that it be receaued of vs with great reuerence Psal 11â— feare and humility For the Feare of God is the beginning of wisedome He would haue it sinke deep into our soules seeing it was sent with fire voice and extraordinary noise and by whatsoeuer might most mooue our eyes and eares our two most noble senses and might most deeply print any thing in our harts He published it in the top of an high mountaine therfore would haue vs meditate thereof with a spirit eleuated and lifted vp from the earth this is the conclusioÌ„ which Dauid practised often and aduised others also to practise Psal 811.24 Psal 118.14 Psal 118.47 Psal 1.2 Thy testimonyes are my meditation Also Giue me vnderstanding I will meditate thy law I haue meditated vpon thy commandements which I haue loued Happy is the man that thinketh of thy law day night He gaue it to Moyses to communicate it vnto the people and make them to keep it he would haue them put it in execution and that as we ascend to meditate it so we should descend to execute it This is the signification of that heauenly Ladder which Iacob saw in his sleep vpon the which Angells did ascend and descend Gen. 28. for the children of God do mouÌ„t and ascend by the steppes and degrees of contemplation in the knowledge of the Law of God descend againe by the workes of the same law as it were by the same steps in the actiue life for the loue of God and profit of their Neighbour The nuÌ„ber of 10 a note of perfection He hath giuen it in ten Articles signifying by the number of perfection that it
is perfect for ten is a complete perfect number all vnder it receaue increase and this none and all vnder it do take their parts and composition thereof being but repetitions of the partes of ten Ten the ground of al other nuÌ„bers or whole Tens 11. is 10. 1. 12. is 10. and 2. and so vnto 20. 20. is twice 10. 30. thrice 10. 100. ten times 10. 1000. a hundred times 10. 10000. is ten times 1000. a 1000000. is ten tymes 100000. and so forth infinitly in the composition of these numbers Ten is found to rule as the perfection of all It is ther fore a signe of the perfection of the law Psal 32.2 Psal â—49 3 which Dauid signifyed by his musicall instrument by his Harpe tuned with ten strings vpon the which he sounded the prayses of God The Pilgrime hauing learned al this shall say the law of God is perfect it is reason then to eÌ„deauour to performe it perfectly for how much better is the musicke so much better should it be song And this is that which God in plaine language sayd vnto Abraham â—oâ— 17.1 Matth. 5. Walke before me and be perfect And by the mouth of his Sonne to his Disciples and in them to all Christians Be yee perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect That is Goe foreward to the greatest perfection you can and follow as neere as you can the actions of your heauenly Father And he shall obserue that the Creatour marking the labouring parts of man with the same number hath made his handes and feet with ten toes and ten fingers to teach him by a naturall and domesticall document the perfection that should be in our works The affections are the feeet of the soule signifyed in our handes the executours of the Law and in our affections the feet and carriers of our soule in the way of the sayd law for they carry our soule to the execution thereof as our feet carry our body from one place to another He shall also conclude thus that seeing God would haue vs aspire to the perfect obseruation of his law that it may be perfectly obserued and that to the same end God will not faile to furnish that good will he hath giuen vs with necessary grace for otherwise in vaine had the law beene giuen if it could not be kept as in vaine is that musicke which cannot be song and the Law-maker should be vnwise to coÌ„mand that which cannot be obserued and vniust to inflict punishment vpon those which do not performe that which is not in their power These are the conclusions which the pilgrime for his profit and instruct on shall make of the first point of his meditation In the 2. point he shall consider another diuision of this law into two Tables The Law giuen in two Tables whereof the first concerneth the worship of God contayning the three first commandements the second that which appertayneth to our Neighbours comprised in the other seauen which diuision shall giue him to vnderstand that thinges pertayning to God must first enter into consideration and after that which concerneth men The third and fourth point of the precedent Meditation The loue of God and of our neighbour is the end of the Law and the obseruatioÌ„ of the law is proofe of the same loue Motiues to the loue of God CHAP. VIII IN the third point he shall obserue The end of the law is the loue of God that the commandements of both the Tables are giuen to exercise vs in the loue of God and to make proofe and tryall thereof by doing what is told vs as well for his seruice and in consideration of his greatnes as for the good of our neighbour for that he wil haue it so So that the groundes and end of the whole law is the loue of God teaching vs by the three first commandments to loue him in himselfe and for himselfe and by the other seauen to loue him in his creatures louing our Neighbour for the loue of him Therefore our Sauiour the soueraigne supreme interpreter of his owne law for he it was that before had giuen it to the Hebrewes reduceth all to Loue as appeareth by his answere he made being asked by a certaine Doctor what was the great commandement of the Law Matth. 21 Marc. 12 Luc. 10. Loue sayth he thy Lord thy God withall thy hart withall thy soule with all thy spirit and with all thy strength This is the first and great commandement and the second is like vnto this Loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe And concludeth All the Law and Prophets depend of these two Commandements S. Paul deliuereth the same doctrine Rom. 3. Charity is the fullnes of the Law This is the bond of perfection And againe The end of the Commandement is Charity out of a pure hart Coloss 2. a good conscience and vnfayned Fayth Al the law then consisteth in loue and charity and is giuen for loue That the obseruation thereof is a true meane to make proofe and triall of this loue towardes God the same Sauiour sayth in plaine termes of affirmation and negation If you loue me keep my Commandements He that hath my commandemeÌ„ts and keepeth them is he that loueth me he that loueth me not keepeth not my wordes And his well beloued Disciple S. Iohn sayth This is true Charity to keep his CoÌ„mandements And He that sayeth he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar And S. Gregory sayth plainely Greg. hom 30. in Euang That the execution of the worke is the proofe of loue Wherof the deuout pilgrime shall conclude that it is not inough for to loue God duly to belieue in him but we must keep and practise his Commandements for Fayth without workes is dead Iac. 2. sayth S. Iames. The liuely fayth is that which is quickened with the fire of Gods loue which loue cannot be without mouing and stirring for it is an heauenly fire the worke is the true touch-stone of loue In the fourth point the Pilgrime shall set before his eyes some motiues to stirre him vp to the loue and seruice of God A motiue to the loue of God He shall consider who this Lord is hauing found by faith that he is an essence of infinite bounty beauty and wisedom a Lord most puissant rich and liberall he shall confesse it is a duty more then iust to loue seeing there is nothing more naturall to man nor more facile then affection for no man of what estate soeuer can liue without louing somewhat where should we rather fasten our loue Loue is a naturall affection then vpon an obiect so infinitly amiable Vpon bounty beauty wisedome it selfe and that bounty beauty wisedome infinite Vpon whome can we better employ our feare and respect then vpon a Lord that is Almighty Or where may we better bestow our seruice then to the honour of him of whome commeth all
the good we haue in body and soule and in all the whole world and at whose handes we expect eternall felicity By these such like discourses the Pilgrime shal kindle the fire of his meditation to heate himselfe in the loue of God and to make his soule diuinely amorous of him whome he is bound to honour and serue withall his hart and all his strength and shall shut vp his discours with this speach or a better if God shall put it in his mouth A prayer to God O Lord how iust and absolute is thy Law in al respects and how reasonable are thy precepts Is it not iustice it selfe that he hath ordayned who is al wise that he hath commanded who is Almighty That he may be acknowledged who is all good Is there any thing more iustly due on our part or more fit and conuenient for vs thy creatures then to loue the supreme beauty To admire the supreme wisedoeme To adore thee supreme Deity To serue thee supreme Power To embrace thee to reuerence thee to accomplish all thou commandest with so many titles of right and maiesty But to whome shall I giue my loue and seruice if I refuse it to thee to whome I owe seruice and homage of all that I possesse hauing receaued all of none other but of thy holy handes And who dost further promise to giue me thy selfe also in recompence if I acknowledge thy benefits in keeping thy holy Law And what profit hast thou of my loue and seruice Why God would be loued serued by vs. or what harme if I doe not loue and serue thee None at all O my Lord what then moueth thee to demand this deuotion at my hand but thine owne infinit bounty thereby to find occasion to shew thy selfe yet more liberall vnto me Be then more liberall still O my King and most mercifull Father grant me if it please thee sufficient light vnderstanding to penetrate the beauty of thy Lawes The mouÌ„taine of God is the knowledge of his Law and the bond I haue to keep them Take me vp into thy mountaine that I may heare thee speake kindle in me the heauenly fire of thy holy loue that I may cleerly see thy holy will and happily descend to the practise of thy commandements that I may walke with a light foot and a fiery affection the way of thy holy Law and that at the end of my course I may find thee aboue in heauen there to admire and adore thee for euer in the mountaine of thy eternall felicity The after dinner and the euening of the second day CHAP. IX AFTER dinner the Pilgrime eyther alone or with coÌ„pany shall for his spirituall recreation sing the Canticle following concerning the ten Commandements A Canticle of the Law of God the way of this life Now fellow-Pilgrimes euery one Our harts and voices let vs tune To sing with a glad courage The Law which must vs alwayes lead And teach vs truely how to tread The paths of this our pilgrimage Adore one God that 's Soueraigne Take not his holy Name in vaine Rest vpon the Sabboth day To holy workes see thou attend Thy sighes vnto thy maker send Him in all thinges prayse and pray Honour with a reuerence milde Father and Mother as a child The soueraigne high Iustice Shall be thy helper alwayes And will prolonge thy dayes On earth for that seruice Stretch not thy murderous hand nor knife To kill or hurt thy Neighbours life Nor with aduoutry staine his couch Fly all light and wanton nicenes Forbeare eke of couetousnes Thy Neighbours goods to touch False witnes see thou beare gainst none Speake good not ill of euery one Let thy sayings be sooth and true Couet not of others good Neyther VVife nor liuely-hood Nor ought of any value These are Gods ten holy Sawes These are his ten diuine Lawes This is the Harpe of ten stringes Which King Dauid playd vpon That sweet Psalmist and whereon The soule deuout Gods prayses sings Let this Harpe be day and night Our hart our loue our whole delight Alwayes sounding in our eare Let our eyes still this behould Let our hands this Harpe fast hould Let our feet still this way weare This sayd he shall repeat his morning meditation or meditate some other matter that may seeme proper to the circumstances of the time place and his owne deuotion And he shall not faile to bespeake the B. Virgin for his Aduocate to God that he may well hold the way of his Law in this banishment and exile and attaine the end of his great pilgrimage which is heauen He shall say the old deuout Salue Regina or some other Hymne to the honour of the sayd Mother of God And in these and such like exercises solacing his trauaile he shall end his iourney when tyme shall aduertise him to take his lodging to repose if he find any Inne or to merit by patience if he must endure some discomodity of the seraine or ayre without dores at the signe of the Starre The fourth Day A Meditation vpon the first Commandement Thou shalt not haue any other Gods before me Thou shalt not make any grauen Idol CHAP. X. AFTER the Pilgrime hath meditated in generall of the Law of God Thou shalt adore and loue one oÌ„ly God perfectly he shall come to euery Article in particuler and goe forward in spirit as well as in body and therfore his principall meditation vpon the fourth day shall be of the first commandement The prayer preparatiue and the first preamble shal be as before The second preamble shall frame in his imagination the two Tables of the Law and shall behould them as before his eyes In the first he shall read the first Commandement written with the finger of God in great letters THOV SHALT NOT HAVE ANY OTHER GODS BEFORE ME THOV SHALT NOT MAKE ANY GRAVEN IDOLL The first point of meditation shall marke The expâ—â—â—tion of the wordes of the CoÌ„mandement that this commandement is the conclusion of the clause precedent I am the Lord hy God as if God had sayd I am thy God therefore thou shalt haue no other but me And the meaning is that as he is the only God so only should he be acknowledged for God and Lord Almighty all wise all good Creatour of heauen and the first cause of all thinges This acknowledgement is called of the Deuines by a Greeke word Latria which soundes as much Argu. de â—â—â—ip Deâ— l 10. c. 1. 4. Idem con Faust. lib. 19. 20. cap. 21. as soueraigne honour and supreme worship due to God only and to none other and comprehendeth two parts the one inward in the soule which requireth that we haue such esteeme and beliefe of God in verity as we should without any mixture of errour or heresie the other outward in the body whereby we honour him with sacrifices visible adoration and the fruites of our goods The second
point shal consider that this honour worship is payed by the fine of the three Theologicall vertues How this honour is yielded to God Fayth Hope and Charity By Fayth we belieue that God is an essence infinite eternall incomprehensible one God in three persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost God that hath created the world and gouerneth it with his power and wisedome and hath redeemed it by his bounty and by his iustice shall giue vnto euery one according to his workes This is the subiect of Fayth and the rest that is contayned in the Apostles Creed By Hope we haue our soueraigne trust in him expect of him as of our first cause and last end help and succour in the necessityes of this world and eternall glory in the other By Charity we loue and serue him with all our hart aboue all thinges according to his titles of Maiesty adoring honouring him with the inward acts of our soule and outwardly by corporall workes agreeable to our fayth and inward actions also by first fruits and tithes of our goods but principally by sacrifices as the iust haue alwayes done before the comming of our Sauiour by their sacrifyces made of the bodyes of mortall creatures Masse the great sacrifice of the ChristiaÌ„s and afterward Christians by that of the Holy Masse wherein is offered vnto God the immortall body of his only Sonne in an vnbloody sacrifyce after the Order of Melchisedeth The third point shall obserue as conclusions drawne out of the two precedent that all those that adore many Gods giue the soueraigne honour due to God only to their Idols and false Gods as the Pagans did and doe still that they are Idolatours and breakers of his first Commandement as are also all other Infidels Iewes Turkes Heretikes Magicians Sorcerers and all sortes of superstitious people as also they that despaire or put their chiefe trust or coÌ„fidence in creatures of whome Hieremy sayeth Accursed is he that trusteth in man Ierem. â—7 5. that is as in God and that putteth flesh for his arme and draweth his hart from God They also that loue any creature more then God eyther Angells men women children goodes landes or any thing els whereby they leaue to serue God with all their hart or which is worse doe altogeather forsake him despising his Lawes and Commandements The fourth point shall teach To honour Saints is not against this commaÌ„demeÌ„t that it is not against this coÌ„mandment to honour with a second not soueraigne honour some creatures according vnto that degree of excellency that God hath bestowed vpon them as Fathers Mothers Kings Magistrats with a ciuill honour The B. Virgin the Angels and Saints departed and reigning in heauen with a religious honour to prayse them and pray to them and desire their help as being the friends of God and faithfull Hier. in Vigil epist. 53. Damas l. 14. ortho fidei c. 16. Basil in 40. Mart. Naz. ora 55. Cyp. Athan. Basil and charitable intercessours for our necessityes in heauen as when they liued they were vpon earth And this honour and seruice doth not derogate to the Maiesty of God but doth increase his honour praysing and honouring him not only in himselfe but also in his seruants whome he hath made heeretofore instruments of our saluation in his Church militant and afterwards glorious lightes in his Church triumphant where they pray him without ceasing and intercede for vs are carefull for vs as for the members of the same body In the fifth point he must consider how that Images and the honouring of them vsed in the Church of God Chrys de cateâ— S. Petri. is not repugnant to that part of the commandement which forbiddeth carued Idolls for an Idoll is the representation of a false Deity as those of the Paynimes that represented Saturne Iupiter and other false Gods or those that euery ones fancy did faine and forge vnto himselfe An Image is a representation of a true thing of God of Iesus Christ of an Angell of a Saint and the honour done vnto it is referred and redoundeth to the patterne therof and therefore as it is piety to honour Iesus Christ his Angells and Saints although with diuers degrees so also is it to honour their Images as things appertayning vnto them in that they represent them and as heÌ„ honoureth the King with a ciuil honour The Image of a king capable of ciuill honour who honoureth his Image so he honoureth God and his seruants deceased who honoureth their representations This is not therfore to adore the gold siluer wood stone after the manner of Idolatours but to honour God and his Saints in those thinges that represent their memory after the manner of Christians The speach shall giue thankes to God for the light of this his commandement and shall aske his ayde to performe it The after-dinner and Euening of this fourth dayes Iourney How the iustice of God doth shine in his first Commandement Prayers to auoyd the Idolls of false Christians CHAP. XI IN the Afternoone hauing made some Meditation proper for the day or some other spirituall exercise vpon the occasions of tymes How straitly man is bound to serue God or places he shall resume the pointes of his morning meditation and shall admire the iustice the importance and fruit of this Commandment for what can be more due and agreable then the soueraigne honour to the soueraigne Lord Supreme loue to the supreme Bounty Supreme respect to the supreme wisedome What more strait bond of Obedience can there be then of the creature to the Creatour of the sonne to the Father of the vassall to his Lord Liege To whose glory should man employe all the actions of his soule and body better then on him of whome he hath both soule and body vnderstanding will memory all the interiour facultyes of his soule his eyes eares nose tongue hands and all the exteriour parts and members of his body And finally of whome he hath his being of whome he dependeth by whome he is redeemed and from whome he expecteth endlesse glory So shall our pilgrime discourse and say vnto himselfe A speach to his soule O my soule adore this Lord seeing he is thy soueraigne serue him with all thy might seeing he is Almighty loue him with all thy hart seeing he is all louely serue him with al thy powers seing they come all of him seing thou hast nothing good that commeth not from him that made thee that redeemed thee who preserueth thee and hath giuen thee all this world and his owne only Sonne will giue thee himselfe at the last of himselfe prepare thee a blessed banquet and feast of felicity He shall speake also vnto God and say O my soueraigne Lord my Father my all in all be thou alwayes my Lord my Father my God and let me be alwayes thy seruant and thy sonne Let my vnderstanding adore
22.17 and effectually to assure themselues of some important truth and God himselfe did sweare by himselfe to fortify his promise that he made to blesse Abraham to multiply his seed as the Starres of heauen and as the sand of the Sea Thereof it is that in publicke iustice they cause men to hold vp their hand or to put it vpon their breast to the honour of God the soueraigne Iustice and in fauour of innocency and right The fifth shall meditate how God is not content to giue this commandement but also would add a threate to those that should break it God will not hold him innocent who shall take the name of the Lord his God in vaine This is to shew the enormity of the sinne to put a bridle in the mouth of men who doe easily fall into this fault and to giue them to vnderstand that thereof doe come the greatest part of tribulations and aduersities wherewith men are afflicted in their body wiues children and goods And therfore Ecclesiast sayth Thy mouth shall not be accustomed to swearing Eccl. 23. for there are many inconueniences therein And againe The man that sweareth much shall be filled with iniquity Matth. 5.34 and the sword shall not depart from his house And the same Wisedome not to giue footing or food to such a custome cōmandeth a contrary extreme that is not to sweare at al Sweare not neyther by Heauen nor earth nor by Hierusalem let your words be yea yea no no an aduertisement also giuen by S. Iames in the same words Iac. 5.12 The prayer or speach to God shall be thus My Lord thou hast giuen me a hart to belieue in thee hope in thee and to loue thee with all my capacity and my tongue as an interpreter of my hart and an instrument accorded and tuned thereunto to exalt thy holy Name with the harmony of a liuely Fayth and stronge Hope and sincere Charity to sing the prayses of thy greatnes all the dayes of my life continue if it please thee to deale well with thy seruāt for thy bounty is bottomlesse and giue me grace to employ my tongue to that vse for which thou hast placed it in my mouth let it be only to prayse thee to thank thee for thy benefits to confesse thee Creatour of heauen and earth Redeemer of mankind and iudge of the quicke and dead Keep it if it please thee that it be neuer loosed not only to vanity against thy holy name but not so much as vnto any idle word that it may name thee with verity iudgement and iustice sing to thee with sincerity and exalt thee with thankesgiuing for euer and euer Amen The after-dinner and Euening of the fifth dayes Iourney Diuers Meditations and Prayers CHAP. XIII AFTER dinner the Pilgrime shall make this meditation vpon some other matter proper for the day or he shall resume some point of his morning meditation or shall say his beades or some other prayer to the B. Virgin admiring her vertues purposing to imitate her and to that end demanding her help and assistance In the euening he shall bewaile the sinnes that are so cōmonly committed against this holy commandement and the euills that come therof demanding of God for himselfe and others grace to amend and shall say O Lord thy name is holy for it nameth the Holy of holyes none do comprehend the Maiesty thereof but thy selfe and the ignorance of many mortall men is lamentable in that they know it not and the peruersity of men is abhominable in that knowing it they do most wickedly dishonour it their mouth is full of blasphemy and their tongue eloquent in vanity Language of vanity their discourses interlaced with vnprofitable oathes and detestable periuryes The Souldier is not gallant except he braue it in swearing the Merchant cannot sell except he forsweare the Doctour the Priest the Iudge the women children venture to sweare and forsweare and to profane with their tongue that Name which is only to be adored And do we meruaile if the wrath of thy iustice doth rayne vpon our heads so many calamityes If warre plague famine doe persecute vs If heresy armed with our sinnes ouerruning Christendome so many yeares doe trouble the peace ouerthrow trafficke bring in robbers and tread vnder foot all lawes of God and man Let vs rather meruaile that we feele no greater euills But O Lord notwithstanding be gentle and mercifull as thou art keeping vs from incurring thy iust anger pardon vs if it please thee our faults past and keep vs from committing any more heerafter and giue vs grace alwayes to employ our tongue to the Confession and prayse of thy holy Name And so he shall betake himselfe to his lodging whither his good Angell shall bring him The sixth Day A Meditation vpon the third Commandement Remember to sanctify the day of Rest CHAP XIV The seruice of God with preparatiō THE morning meditation of the sixth day shall be of the third Commandement with the accustomed preparation and the first preamble shall set before his eyes the wordes of the Law as grauen in stone REMEMBER THOV SANCTIFY THE DAY OF REST as in the other And the second shall demand grace to reap spirituall profit of this present meditation The pointes shall be these In the first must be obserued that this third Commandement is giuen that solemnely with leasure and preparation and without any disturbance of worldly affaires and businesse we might put in practise the two precedent that is to adore God confesse and giue thankes by first fruites sacrifices offeringes and almes to prayse and sing forth his holy name Euery day we should remember this day and therefore it is sayd expressely Remember thee and thinke thereof expect it seruing God the best that we can euery man apart by himselfe the other dayes of the weeke amidst the presse of our temporall affaires But when that day is come al the children of God come togeather vnto his house to find tyme and place for this deuotion as the most important of all that they may performe it in common as perfectly as may be The second shall consider This feast is the remembrāce of the worke of God that this seauenth day of rest was giuen to the Iewes to acknowledge the benefit of the Creation of the world and with a continuall and weekly memory renew the remembrance thereof also to signify the eternall rest and repose which Iesus Christ was by his death to gaine vnto vs regenerating vs into new creatures first by his Sacraments in this life and after by his Resurrection to glory He therfore being come and we hauing gotten this rest and glory figured by the Iews Sabboth he would that the church should leaue the figure put in place thereof our Lords day Why the Iewes feast is turned to Sunday the Sunday the day of his glorious Resurrection and the closer of
of neighbours and for him is made the first commandement which shall make the meditation of the eight day in this sort The Morning Meditat on of the 4. Commandement Honour thy Father and thy Mother to the end thou maist liue long vpon the earth CHAP. XIX THE Prayer preparatiue as before The first Preamble shall set before his eyes The first Preamble the wordes of this Commandement HONOVR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER The second shall aske grace of God to gather profit of this meditation For the first point the Pilgrime shall meditate the equity of this commandement taught by the wiseman saying The 2. Honour thy Father thy mother and forget not the paines of thy mother Eccl. 27.9 and remember that without them thou hadst not beene borne and render vnto them as they haue done vnto thee He meaneth they are cause that thou art in the world Why Fathers should be honoured and haue suffered much for thee they haue nourished and brought thee vp with great labour and trauile thou art then bound by law of nature to render them honour to succour them if they haue need of thy help to obey them so they command thee nothing against the commandments of God or the counsells of our Sauiour as to kill another to be an heretike not to follow the way of perfection if God call thee for then we must sticke to that exception taught by our Sauiour himselfe He that hateth not his father Luc. 14. Act. 5. and mother is not worthy to be my disciple And that which S. Peter sayth VVe must obey God before men The name of father extendeth to all parents and Superiours For the second point the pilgrime shall marke that in this Cōmandement are comprehended Fathers Mothers Vncles Ants and all sortes of superiours spirituall and temporall as are Prelats Pastours Priests Maisters Kings Princes Magistrats Tutors and such like to whome to euery one by this law is due honour respect and obedience in all that toucheth their charge with the foresayd exception that they command nothing contrary to God In the third point he shall note that this law doth secretly teach that Fathers and Mothers should carry themselues Christianlike towards their children to the end they may deserue and retaine worthily the right of this honour commanded by God to them to loue them with a Christian loue to giue them good example and edification in wordes and workes to bring them vp in vertue and in the feare of God Eph. 6.4 You Parents sayth the Apostle bring vp your children in the doctrine of our Sauiour To prouide for their necessityes but specially that concerne the life of their soules for this is the end of true and fatherly loue as all the care of beastes toward their yong ones is the life of their bodyes the like should other Superiours performe with due proportion to their subiects The speach shall prayse the diuine Maiesty in the iustice of this his Commandement The speach and shall demand grace for all children that they may honour and serue their parents for al subiects that they may respect and obey their Kinges Superiours and Magistrates for Fathers Kinges Pastours Magistrates and Superiours that they may discharge toward God that fatherly care they owe to their children subiects and that both by the one and the other he may be praysed blessed in the execution of this his Commandement shall end with this prayer It was not inough for thee O Lord to giue vs lawes cōcerning thyne owne honour thou hast made lawes also for thy creatures seeking to haue euery thing wisely and iustly ordered in thy house for this is the house of thy soueraigne Wisedome and iustice the creature with his Creatour the creatures among themselues giuing and taking euery one his due that appertayneth vnto him and that man should honour thee not only in thy selfe but also for the loue of thee in thy workes Powre forth O Lord thy holy spirit in aboundance vpon all fathers and children subiects and superiours and namely those that liue in the compasse of thy holy Church that they may holily accomplish thy commandement and by a reciprocall performance of honour and obedience prayse thy holy name and merit eternall glory the reward of good and faithfull subiects The after-dinner and Euening of the eight dayes Iourney The corporall and spirituall VVorkes of mercy CHAP. XX. IN this afternoone the Pilgrime shall frame some Meditation of the workes of mercy both corporall and spiritual for in them we make proofe of our loue to our Neighbour The corporall are 1. To giue meate to the hungry 2. To giue drinks to the thirsty Matth. 25 3. To cloath the naked 4. To lodge the pilgrime 5. To visit the sicke 6. To visit prisonners 7. To bury the dead Tob. 1.2 2. Reg. 9. The spirituall are 1. To correct the sinner 2. To instruct the ignorant 1. Tim. 5.20 3. To counsell those that doubt 4. To set those that erre into the right way 5. To comfort the afflicted 6. To pardon iniuryes 7. To beare patiently the troublesomnes of others 8. To pray for the liuing and the dead By all these workes men make triall of the loue they beare vnto their Neighbour and principally by the spirituall which concerne the health of the soule by those also principally the Son of God hath shewed his infinite loue towards vs attending to no other exercise euen to his last breath In particuler for that which concerneth this fourth Commandement the Pilgrime shall haue ready some examples of holy Scripture of such as singularly haue beene true children of their Fathers and Mothers as were Isaac Iacob Tobie and such like Plin. l. 7. cap. 36. as also among the Gentils that Roman Damsell who nourished many dayes with her own milke her Mother being condemned to dye by famine in prison by visiting her in the way of comfort Vai Max. l. 5. c. 4. secretly giuing her her breasts to sucke and was the cause that the Iudge wondring at this piety not only deliuered this prisonner but gaue her also a perpetuall pension out of the publicke treasure The piety of Storkes The like is written of a Grecian Lady towardes her Father Cimon prisonner in his extreme age He shall consider also the like piety in some vnreasonable creatures as in Storks who nourish their father and mother growing old and impotent bringing them their prey into their neast as they were wont to nourish them when they were yong But aboue all he shall admire the Sauiour of the world who not only honoured his heauenly Father by his obedience but also his Mother and Creature the B. Virgin Mary and his presumed father Ioseph He was subiect to them sayth the Scripture that is Iac. 2.51 he respected them he honoured them he obeyed them O sweet Iesus O Creatour of heauen and earth O
soueraigne Maiesty hast thou loued man so as to make thy selfe man to be his Neighbour so happily hast thou made such account of humility as not only to annihilate thy self in ioyning thy selfe in an insoluble bond to so small a creature infinitely distant from thy greatnes but so to subiect thy selfe therunto O B. Virgin I behold thee rauished at euery moment in this chamber of Nazareth when thou sawest this little infant this great God whome thou didst adore to obey honour and serue thee O my soule fixe thy sight vpon this beautiful obiect and kindle the coldenes of thy will by the lightenings of this great wonder and follow with fiery feet the example of such a Lord. It shall not be besides the purpose also to meditate vpon the markable punishments of such as haue beene vngratefull to their Progenitours And so the pilgrime shall passe the day till his retire The ninth Day A Meditation vpon the fifth Commandement Thou shalt not kill CHAP. XXI THE morning meditation shall be vpon the fifth Commandement The preparation ordinary The first preamble shall propose the words of the fifth Commandement THOV SHALT NOT KILL The second shall demand grace well to vnderstand it and effectually to obserue it The first point shall note that as life is the most precious present which man hath and holdeth of his Creatour Life is the goodliest guift of God so to loose it is one of the greatest grieues he can incurre therfore with good reason it is prohibited to assault the life of our Neighbour and heerein shineth the prouidence and iustice of our Creatour prouiding for the safety and security of the principall good of his creature in his family of this world By the same law is forbidden sayth S. Aug. a mans killing of himselfe Aug. l. 1. ciuil c. 20 26. Lib. de poenit c. 13 Lib. 1. con Gaud. c. 30. ep 61. S. Tho. 2. 2. qu. 64. art 5. so much the more detestable by how much a man is neerer neighbour to himselfe then to another and for that he destroyeth himselfe with a double death that is with the temporall death of his body and the euerlasting death of his soule And this sinne is in such sort against nature that there is no creature though neuer so cruell that dareth kill himselfe and therefore the law doth punish with extraordinary ignominy such furious folkes after their death as guilty of an extraordinary crime The second point shall marke that by this commandmēt is also forbidden to hurt strike or otherwise to endomage our Neighbour in body though we kill him not yea euen with our tongue to touch his good name by any iniury or to beare any hatred to him in our hart or desire reuenge and therefore our Sauiour a sage interpreter of his owne law to shew what meeknes is required in his children to obserue this law Matth. 5. sayth VVhosoeuer is angry with his brother shal be guilty of iudgement and who shall speake iniury to his brother shall be guilty of hell fire This is to rule draw the first motions of the soule to meekenes and to barre and banish a farre off the occasions of man-slaughter Matth. 6. to cut vp that vice by the root in another place he forbiddeth reuenge and after him his Apostle S. Paul Heb. 10. and in the prayer himselfe taught and gaue vs for a patterne and modell of all our prayers he put in this clause of pardoning our Neighbour for iniuryes receaued Pardon vs our offences as we pardon them that offend vs. Matth. 6.12 The third point shall be to meditate vpon those killings which are not forbidden as those which the Prince or Magistrate ordayneth according to the lawes against malefactours such as are committed in a lawfull warre or in iust defence of a mans life being vniustly assaulted not otherwise able to saue himselfe The speach shall prayse God in his iustice of this Commandement and his Sonne Iesus in the perfect practise therof and shall beg grace to be able to follow his sweetnes and clmency and shall say All thy lawes O Lord are iustice and mercy Th prayer thou hast giuen life to man a guift worthy of thy goodnes and a law for the safegard thereof thou hast made man sociable and to make him liue peaceably with his Neighbour thou hast prescribed a law of peace and tyest therewith as with a stronge cord his handes and will that he hurt not neyther in hart or deed his Neighbour Thou hast at last sent thy deere Sonne into the world made man among men remayning alwaies God with thee Prince of peace and our true peace who hath honoured this commandement with his rare doctrine Esay 9.4 Eph. 12.14 and by the exploites of his singular sweetnes no man could euer complaine that euer he did him any wrong his hart was full of loue louing all the world friendes and enemies his eye was full of mercy and compassion towards all his handes full of liberality and his doctrine agreable to his actions For he taught his Disciples not to hurt any in word or deed to pardon vnto seauenty tymes seauen that is To par◠vnto 70. tymes 7. as often as we shal be offended and neuer leaue pardoning and what he taught he practised vnto death in the greatest conflict of his tormēts and reproches praying his heauenly Father for his very enemyes that crucifyed him The Captaines of this world triūph of killing many enemies in the battel his great triumph hath beene to dye for his enemyes vpon the Crosse and to giue life euerlasting to those that would take it O my Creatour and Redeemer how rich art thou in mercy and clemency O my sweet Iesus powre it to me this spirit of thy sweetnesse and graunt me for thyne own loue that I may exactly keep what thou hast commanded that I may perfectly follow what thou hast taught by word and example and that pardoning all and profitting all I may obtaine thy mercy and at thy great day be partaker of thy glory with thy elect So hauing walked a little and finished his ordinary deuotions he may if he will sing for his spiritual solace the Canticle following A Canticle of the loue of God and our Neighbour O worldly wights who loue this world so deere And prize so high the presents of this life Riches sports pleasures glory and good cheere Alas how can these last where all is briefe You that affect which perish shall And where with eke your selues shall fall All heere below is brittle and doth fade Al 's vaine deceitfull false and variable Loue thy Creatour then who all thinges made And is ' boue all he made most amiable The louely obiect of our hart VVho only doth true blisse impart Loue thou his louely Clemency whose brest Did from eternall times thy soule imbrace Loue him at last who loued thee thus first And shew
a certaine Paynim with good reason The holy Doctours and namely S. Augustine do thinke that it is in no sort lawfull for any man not only to tell a lye against the good of their Neighbour or the honour of Religion but not the least that may be not for recreation nor profit nor any thing in the world for that action or word cannot be vertuous which is done or sayd against the truth of God or with hurt of our conscience of which discourse he shall ayde himselfe to make a full purpose neuer to lye and so shall retyre himselfe The thirteenth Day A Meditation vpon the ninth and tenth Commandements Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours wife Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours house Exod. 20.17 nor his Oxe nor his Asse nor any thing that is his CHAP. XXIX THESE two Commandements shall be the matter of Meditation for the thirtenth day The beginning shal be as before In the first point the Pilgrime shal consider how these two Commandements do indirectly respect all the former but directly the sixth which forbiddeth adultery and the seauenth which prohibiteth theft so that those do bind the will haÌ„ds and feet that we neither consent nor proceed to the outward execution of the sinne S. Thom. 1. 2. q. 77. art 5. 2. 2. qu. 122. art 6. but these two doe command the will to rule the concupiscence and desires of the sense that they incline not to Couetise nor retaine any cogitation of what is not lawfull to doe by these is forbidden the deed and the wil of the deed and by these is forbidden in generall to imbrace any vnlawfull desire of reuenge of harme or the like and in especiall not to see or heare any sensuality or carnall thought with delight or pleasure nor admit any vnlawfull desire of other mens goods for such cogitation retayned with liking and consent is a sinne although we passe no further or haue no will to put it in execution euen as he that of brauery or lightnes of hart should receaue malefactours willingly see them and make them good cheere is intangled in their crime although he be not nor would be eyther counseller or cooperatour to their offence For the second point he shal note that this prohibition of carnall desire extendeth it selfe to that which may cause it also as to eating drinking disordinatly Il thoghtes forbidden and all that may cause theÌ„ which are neere and next causes of adultery vaine and superfluous attire wanton bookes lasciuious pictures curious sightes and such other baites whereof we haue spoken before For the third point he shall consider that carnall thoughts not consented vnto but rather resisted and reiected are not only no sinne but also matter of merit and therefore the deuout soule must not be dismayd when she feeleth against her will those thornes of her flesh as the Apostle when he sayd I know that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good Rom. 7. I see another law in my members fighting against the law of my mind and making me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members The corruption of his flesh made his members rebell and made warre against him but he resisted wonne the victory ouer his rebelles he would gladly haue beene altogeather deliuered from them but they will beare vs company as long as we liue heere These are the thornes and thistles of our cursed earth friends to our enemy from which we cannot be altogeather exempt in this life It is reserued for the next Gen. 3.17 where without all rebellion our soule shall rule and reigne in her body in pure and plentifull peace and therefore she must not loose courage if she be assailed but rather reioyce that she may with the grace of God ouercome all assaults if not without any pricking yet without any deadly or mortall wound and of these briers to erect monuments and trophies of vertues and gaine a crowne of eternall glory by the victory The speach shall be to Iesus Christ in these wordes A prayer to Iesus Christ Heere it is O Redeemer of my soule that I haue need of thy help valiantly to fight my selfe against my selfe to get a goodly victory ouer my selfe by resisting and ouercoming my owne flesh If thy strength will assist I am strong inough with my weakenesse to go conquerour from the combat therewith I shall be maister ouer all couetise and be a faithfull obseruer of this thy Commandement neither shall any enemy stand in my handes but I shall tread them vnder my feet My sweet Iesus my Lord my hope and my strength thou madest thy selfe little and weake to make vs great and strong reach thy hand to thy poore seruant help and rectify my crookednes rule and direct my senses and cogitations according to the purity and right of thy holy law that my lookes and my loue may leuell at nothing but thy beauty my eares to thy wordes and my handes to thy commandments that nothing may settle in my soule but for the desire of thy glory and for sorrow of my sinnes that my appetite and couetise be not of the flesh but of the spirit not of earth but of heauen and that I may sooner giue to my Neighbour of my owne then vniustly desire any thing that is his that my hart may be full of thee and empty of all the rest for all besides thee cannot content me thou art the only center of my soule the All of my nothing and the heap of my happines The After-dinner and Euening of the thirteenth dayes Iourney The Decalogue is a spring or branch of the law of Nature CHAP. XXX THE Pilgrime hauing now runne ouer all the ten Commandementes in particuler in the afternoone returning as it were to the whole and entire subiect shall shut vp his circle resuming the compasse and contents of the Decalogue in generall discoursing vpon those three instructions which the Christian and Hebrew Doctours haue noted The Decalogue is of the law of nature The first is that these ten Commandements are conclusions and branches of the law of nature This law is a natural light giuen by God teaching certaine generall maximes out of which doe rise as out of rootes certaine documents like little springs or branches One of these Maximes is VVe must do good Psal 33. 36. 1. Pet. 3. Rom. 12. Math. 7.12 Luc. 6.31 and flye euill A maxime marked by Dauid when he sayd â—â—rne from euill and doe good And afterward by S. Peter and S. Paul Also we must do vnto others as we would be done vnto our selues and not to do vnto others what we would not haue done vnto vs. A maxime expounded by Iesus Christ in these termes All that you would haue men do vnto you doe you the like vnto them for this is the law and the Prophets Also VVe must soueraignly loue him that is all goodnes soueraignely feare him
that is Almighty Conclusions out of Nature soueraignely respect him who is all wisedome Out of which principles and maximes are deduced aâ— the foresayd Commandements as conclusions and decrees recorded in the register of nature to wit that we must loue God with all our hart serue him and not offend him that we must loue our Neighbour and doe him no wrong neither in body goodes nor credit nor desire vniustly any thing that is his All these were hidden in the foresayd Maximes neither had there beene need of another law had mans sight remayned sound and cleare and that naturall light had not beene darkened in him But seeing that by the corruption of men their vnderstanding was weakened and the whole order of their morall actions confounded therfore God would help them by the Law of the ten Commandements set a part and brought in euidence out of the treasure of Nature almost buried and forgotten The second instruction is All lawes referred to the Decalog and the law of Nature that as these ten Articles are coÌ„clusions out of the generall maximes of nature so are they also as ten generall springs of all other particuler lawes as well of the Iewes heeretofore as now of Christians neither is there any law at this day either in Ciuill or Canon law which is not referred to one of these ten The Iewes drew six hundred and thirteen Commandments wherof two hundred and fourty eight were affirmatiue 613. CoÌ„mandements drawen out of the decalog which as Physitians do say is the number of the bones in a mans body and three hundred and sixty fiue negatiue which is the number of the sinewes and ligatures in the same body as also of the dayes in the yeare The affirmatiue were such VVe must belieue in God and that he is one and we must loue him with all our hart we must instruct our children in the Law of God we must scare him The bones of mans body 248. the sinewes bindings 365. we must say grace after dinner and such other written in their bookes The negatiue are such No Idol must be suffered among the people No Sorcerer suffered No stranger admitted to the Temple No man to weare womans apparrell no woman to weare mans And such others to be found in their foresayd books Their Rabbins philosophating vpon this nuÌ„ber say that the faculties of the soule signifyed by the bones The faculties of the soule signified by the bones which we sayd were 248. and their accord and agreement signifyed by the sinewes bindings which we sayd were 365. are perfected by all these 613. CoÌ„mandements to make a man strong and constant in the seruice of God they add also that the 17. first verses which comprehend the Catalogue The accord by the sinnewes containe so many letters as be their CoÌ„mandements affirmatiue and negatiue togeather to wit 613. but indeed there are 34. letters more For the third and last instruction the Pilgrime shall remember the words of S. Augustine who speaking of the Decalogue There be 647 letters which is 34. more then 613. sayth in Psal 32. Con. 1. The Commandements of the law are ten In the ten Commandements thou hast the Psalter of ten stringes This is a perfect worke There thou seest the loue of God expressed in three God speaketh aloud The Lord thy God is one God Behould one stringe Take not the name of God in vaine Behould another Sanctify the Saboth Behould the third Honour thy Father Mother Aug. in Psal 31. and strike the rest aloud Playe vpon this Harpe and performe this law which our Sauiour came to fullfill teaching thee to performe it not with feare but with loue And hauing well considered these thinges he shall in the euening sing with mouth or hart these wordes of Dauid O Lord I will sing a new song I will sing vnto thee vpon my Harp and instrument of ten stringes Or els he may sing the Canticle following A Canticle of the Decalogue My Lute and Harpe let 's sound aloud Vpon the ayre of thy ten stringes A holy song of ioye and prayse Vnto the maker of all thinges These ten stringes so sweet and shrill Doe represent in mystery One God the giuer of these lawes His wisedome and their harmony The highest string doth beare the base And that which it low'st of all Doth sound the trebble giuing grace Of coÌ„cord with the meane smal The first and formost of the Ten Of all the rest is th' only ground In it as in the graue and base All the other nyne doe sound The last which vnto carnall thoughtes Giues bridle but and bound Is cal'd the little trebble string Low in place but high in sound Such cleare voices with cleane hartes Beset with workes of sanctity Wrought by leuell of his Lawes Flye aloft and pierce the skie Then hart and Harp sound we alwayes The ten strings of this Instrument To prayse the soueraigne supreme God And to his lawes and loue consent And hauing ended his iourney and shut vp the day with thankes giuing he shall take his lodging and rest The fourtenth day Of the Euangelicall Counsels and of Grace gratuite and making gratefull and of the effects thereof CHAP. XXXI IN the law of grace besides the ten Commandements giuen to the Iewes and common to al the children of God 1. Cor. 7. Matth. 19 Luc. 10. Aug. 61. de temp Ambr. ep 28. ad Eccles Hier. l. 1. adu Iouin ep 22. ad â—ustoâ— there be also some other instructions and doctrines which the Christian Church calleth Euangelicall Counsells because they are not commandements of necessity to be kept as those the Pilgrime hath hitherto meditated vpon but aduices of perfection which euery one may choose without constraint to attend more worthily and with more facility to the seruice of the diuine Maiesty in following more neerly Iesus Christ who by worke and word hath thereunto inuited his Apostles and Disciples and in their persons all those that haue generous and noble hartes and the sinewes of their soules strong to vndertake and performe a life more perfect in following his steppes The Pilgrime then in the end of his second weeke shall make his Meditation of this matter as the perfection of the Commandements adding some other pointes as well concerning the Commandements as the Counsels The preparation shall be as before Math. 19. In the first point he shall marke that these counsels left by Iesus christ are three principall The first to leaue all goods dignities honours of the world for the honour of God which is performed by the vow of Pouerty Ibid. The second to make deadly warre with all bodily pleasures euen such as are lawfull and for this end is made the vow of Chastity Math. 16. Luc. 9. The third to renounce our proper will and to sacrifice it vpon the Altar of God by the vow of Obedience In the second point he
48.13 and made like vnto them yea and worse also The constancy of al creatures to do well but of man For they not only are not idle in that occupation trade thou hast taught them but worke continually according to their law and order and wanting reason do follow reason But my selfe a reasonable creature remaine idle against reason one peece and parte of my life or do workes contrary vnto reason Other creatures haue receaued thy commandement but once to do that which they doe and they haue continually discharged their duty vnto this present But I hauing read and heard thy will a hundred tymes thy promises thy menacings do sleep and slumber notwithstanding wretch and benummed that I am and when I do wake my workes are worse then sleep and idlenes O Maker and Redeemer of man reforme this same man by the same power and mercy wherewith thou hast created redeemed him Giue vnto him giue vnto me O my Lord as to the most weake and needy strength and meanes well and holily to employ what thou hast giuen me that my Vnderstanding Will Memory my whole soule and body may be in perpetuall action to bring forth workes of life to the praise and glory of thy holy name The After-dinner and Euening of the fifteenth dayes Iourney Markeable documents and instructions for Good workes CHAP. XXXV AFTER dinner and at night the Pilgrime shall for his spirituall occupation discourse vpon the most markeable sentences of Scriptures and Saints spoken to shew that oÌ„ly fayth sufficeth not for saluatioÌ„ The Talents Matth. 25.16 without good workes The parable of the Talents holdeth the first place in this doctriné for thereby our Sauiour doth plainely instruct vs and with authority that we must negociate in the house of God and put the mony of his graces to profit and vsury which to that end he put into our handes with the condition of a good reward if we be diligent and obedient or of punishment and confusion The workeman Matt. â—0 if we be slouthfull Also the parable of the workemen sent to worke in the Farmers vineyard payd at night for their dayes labour Also the counsell which our Sauiour gaue to the young man saying If thou wilt haue life euerlasting keep my Commandements Matt. 19.17 Also those wordes He shall enter into the kingdome of heauen who doth the will of my Father not euery one that sayth Matt. 7.21 Lord Lord. But especially he shall weigh the clause of that generall decree which shall be published at the last day in fauour of good workes against the slouthfull Rom. 2.13 Come my wellbeloued Iac. 1.22 Matt. 25.34 Iac. 2. possesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the Creation of the world I was hungry and you gaue me to eate c. And thereunto he shall add the plaine saying of S. Iames What shal it profit my brethren if any man sayth he hath fayth without works shall his faith saue him And S. Gregory Nazianzen Doe good workes vpon the ground of thy instructions for fayth without workes is dead Isa 26. as also workes liue not without fayth And Saint Hierome vpon these wordes of Esay 26. Our citty is a fortresse saluation shall there be put for the inward wall and outwâ—rd By the inward wall sayth he is meant good woorkes and by the other fayth for it is not inough to the outward wall of Fayth vnles this fayth be grounded and sustayned by good workes These workes are Prayer The principall good workes Fasting Almes and other workes of charity which we spake of before in the afternoone of the eight day In these and the like discourses shall the Pilgrime passe the after-dinner thereby stirring himselfe to the loue and practise of Christian workes In the euening either alone or with others he may sing this Canticle that followeth to shut vp the euening with ioy and profit A Canticle of good VVorkes The pious Pilgrime that doth walke Vnto the Chappell of Loret Must worke with hand his soueraignes workes And keep his soule still pure and nett To heare alone and not performe The law of God doth worke no meed To know the way and not to walke Nothing doth our iourney speed The tree that bringeth nothing els But leaues and breathing verdure Is fit for fire and not for fruit And doth greet wrong to nature Our Sauiour chiefe and iustest Iudge The fruitlesse Fig-tree strooke with curse If man in vaine doth wast his dayes Shall he not blame and strike him worse How hoat shall then be his reuenge To those that nothing els doe bring But poisoned grapes and fruites of death Of sinne and shame and els nothing Each thing doth worke and nothing sleepes In Earth in Sea in Heauen aboue Each thing doth moue in his degree Mans end is God to know and loue Then these short dayes of this short life Let be in vertuous workes well spent That last long day shall all workes try VVhen ech shall b' either crown'd or shent And hauing made his particuler prayer to the Blessed Virgin he shall take himselfe to his lodging in good time not to be surprised by night in the fieldes The sixteenth day A Meditation of sinne CHAP. XXXVI THE morning Meditation shall be vpon sinne an actioÌ„ opposite to good workes which were the matter of the precedent meditation This order shal make a fit opposition of vertue to vice The opposition of vice to vertue and by setting their faces one against another we may better discerne the beauty of the one to loue it and the foulnes of the other to hate it What sin is The first point shall put the definition of sinne the better to know both the corps and countenance and duly to meditate of the foulnes thereof Sinne sayth S. Ambrose is a straying from the law of God and a disobedience to the heauenly Commandmâ—nts Ambr. de Poenit c. 8. Aug l. 22. cont Faust c. 27 l 1. cont ep 1. Peâ—il 113. By S. Augustin it is What is sayd done or desired against the law of God so that one word spoken one deed done one thought conceaued against the law of God that is against any of his commandements is a sinne great or small mortall or veniall according to the diuers motion of the will sinning either with full consent or by some light motion or suddaine surprise and according to the great or small importance of the thing and other circumstances Of which definitions he shall learne that there is nothing so foule and deformed as sinne For what can be found more monstruous then that which is opposite to the law rule of the highest wisedome beauty and goodnes The second point shall consider two sortes of sinnes Originall and Actuall and this mortall and veniall Originall sinne Aug. ench 164. is that spot which flowed from the sin of Adam wherewith all men are stained in their conception and
merits of thy pretious bloud and to offer my selfe to thy seruice for euer with a full and faythfull hart This is my intention end it is thy grace and fauour that must succour my intention and crowne my end the good of thy assistance and the crowne of my end shal be thy glory O glorious Virgin I shall this day see that happy and holy house magnificall with thy greatnes may it please that it may be to thy Sonnes honour and thyne to the health of thy humble and deuoted Pilgrimes soule Going out of his lodging in the morning after his meditation he shall sing the Canticle following as continuing to aske the ayde help of the B. Virgin and stirring himselfe vp to goe forward with a great courage A Canticle to the glorious Virgin Mary Of Gods owne Sonne O Mother glorious Heare my voice O Mother gracious Heare my sighes heare my prayer Obtaine the graunt of my desire My groaning voice doth tell my griefe My instant prayers require reliefe To heauen I sigh with eyes all weeping Heauen I seeke the land of the liuing Obtaine me grace to tread alway The steps of Saints and not to stray To walke on earth straight and euen True Pilgrim-like the way to heauen To see the Chamber that lodg'd Christ And then thy glory in the highest This being done he shall make hast to come if he may soone inough to heare Masse at that holy Chamber and to haue all the after noone free to prepare himselfe to Confession and as soone as in his way he shall haue discouered and discerned the house of Loreto he shall kneele downe saluting the B. Virgin according to the custome of Christiah Pilgrimes which is to salute the places of their Pilgrimage as soone as they see them So the Christians going to recouer the holy Land prostrated themselues at the first sight of Hierusalem he shall therefore salute this noble discouery greeting the B. Virgin and saying O sacred Virgin honour be vnto thee honour be vnto thee Mary full of grace who hast happily brought me hither O happy houre in which I beginne to see that little pallace of my great King and Redeemer and of his glorious Mother O heauely house when shall I kisse the threshold of thy doore The walles of thy house and within the walls admire the wonders that haue made thee admirable And hauing sayd this he shall sing Te Deum Thankes giuing at the arriuall at Loreto and being come vnto the place as he shall feele himselfe comforted and rauished he shall say in thankes-giuing O holy Virgin Holy Mother Virgin of Virgins Mother of Iesus Mother of Grace most pure most chast most inuiolate Mother without touch immortall thankes for thy fauours ptaise honour and eternall glory for thy benefits immortall thankes be to thee for that by thy intercession I am happily arriued at this long desired place and that with myne eyes I see the house I haue so much longed and sighed after Perfect and finish to my good O gracious and faythful Aduocate that which thou hast begun in me and procure that to the prayse of thy deere Sonne my Lord and Redeemer I may cleanse my soule from all sinne and so holily bestow my dayes in this holy Temple that I may depart stored and enriched with all such meanes as shall be necessary forme to performe the rest of my way as well for my returne to myne owne temporall house home as of my great Pilgrimage to the country of heauen and this being sayd he shall heare Masse and Matines of that morning The after-dinner and Euening of the one and twentith dayes Iourney Of choosing a good Ghostly-Father or Confessour CAHP. XLVIII IN the afternoone hauing visited the most markeable places there and hauing vsed some prayers To chose a good Confessour he shall choose some pious Priest learned and wise and one who must be his spirituall Father Iudge and Physitian to conferre with him about the estate of his soule and to appoint a fit houre to make his Confession at euening and shall for that tyme attend to the examen of his conscience for his Confession at the appointed houre and shall prepare himselfe to receaue the next morning the Blessed Body of our Lord and Sauiour Before the examen he shall demand the assistance and grace of God by this or the like prayer A prayer to be sayd before the Examen which is made before Confession LORD God who making me according to thine owne Image and likenes hast giuen me memory principally to remember thy good and myne owne euill to thanke thee for the one cry mercy for the other and confesse them graunt me by thy holy mercy Eccl. 38.15 thy grace with the fruit of compunction to bring before thee all my yeares in the bitternes of my soule and to shew my selfe to my selfe and liuely to represent to the eyes of my soule the estate of my life passed the benefits I haue receaued the sinnes I haue committed in thought word or deed against thy holy Lawes and Commandements by Pride Couetise Impurity Enuy Gluttony Anger Slouth with my eyes eares and other my senses giue me throghly to know the woundes and defects of my soule that I may faithfully confesse them and by confessing be pardoned cured and strengthned to serue thee my Lord and my life better thē hitherto I haue done And this I desire by the merits of thy Sonne Iesus Christ who liueth and reigneth with thee in the vnity of the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen Of the examen before Confession CHAP. XLIX THIS examen must be so much the more exact and diligent by how much the longer the tyme is that must be examined as ten twenty thirty or more yeares It is performed in running ouer the ten Commandements the seauen Capitall sinnes the fiue senses with the circumstances The particular calling of euery one as of Clarke Priest Religious Magistrate Souldiour Prelate Superiour Aduocate Physitian Artificer euery one beside the general duty of a Christiā hath proper pointes of his owne particuler calling which he must looke ouer if perhaps he hath failed in any of them How he must examine his Conscience for Confession CHAP. L. An examen vpō th Commandements HE shall therefore examine himselfe vpon the first Commandement searching if he hath thought spoken or done any thing against fayth hope or charity which he oweth to God If he hath doubted in any point of the Catholike Religion or spoken against it read any hereticall bookes or had any familiarity with Witches or Southsayers and finally if he hath serued God with all his hart soule as this first Precept importeth He shall doe the like in the second and the rest running ouer the Capitall vices called Mortall Of the mortall sinnes he shall examine himselfe in his conscience if he hath had any thought in presumption if spoken any vanity shewed any
And saying this with teares he fell on the necke of Lazarus who also wept tenderly And soone came Pauline and being iofull of this loâ—ing leaue which he saw was granted to his brother and full of hope to obtaine as much for himselfe with the like or more facility cast himselfe at his Fathers feete who was set in his closet sad pensiue desiring to haue his blessing so long desired But behold nature and some contrary and aduerse spirite helping her played her part to trouble the peace of the father and to crosse the designement of the Sonne for as the good old maÌ„ saw himselfe at the point to be depriued of the dearest of all his children pierced with the griefe of the losse and loosing the memory of his former resolution and of all he had sayd a little before to Lazarus he sodainly changed his loue into fury being traÌ„sported with anger as a Lionesse in the losse of her litle ones Well then Pauline quoth he thou wilâ— also abandon and forsake me after thy brother and insteed of succouring my solitude thou preparest to leaue my house destitute and desolate and hereto thou demaundest my blessing Tell me thou vnnaturall child and cruell Impe haue I brought thee into this world and nourished thee so fatherly to be forsaken by thee without piety at the brinke of my graue Haue I fashioned and cherished thy youth with all sorts of fauours benefits to reape in my old age these fruits of anguishe of thy vngratefull ground Doth God command thee to be forgetfull disobedient or cruell to him that begat thee To be his death after thou hast receiued of him thy being and all the good that a child could receiue of a good father But with what face wilt thou present thy offering to God after thou hast left thy father loaden with the burden of a thousand troubles torments endured for thee and wounded with a hartbreake and with a deadly stroke by thy murtherous hands God commaundeth to loue thyne enemies and thou wilt kill thy father and darest thou appeare before the holy Altar of the supreme Iustice soiled with so great a sinne And if thou wilt serue God as a perfect seruant who letteth thee to performe it in the house of thy father whome God commaundeth thee to serue and honour Of thy Father I say who hath alwayes giuen thee by his works and wordes good testimony that he caryeth the feare of God in his hart and loueth vertue and is pleased to see his children perfect in all piety Thinkest thou that there is neuer a good man in the world nor any worthy of thy company Is there no place in heauen but onely for Religious Or may we not liue a perfect life among men without leauing the company and conuersation of men After these periods and clauses shot like sharp and pointed arrowes he paused a while and as if all his choler had beene spent and disgorged yet Nature forced him to apply for a second assault and battery the force of a contrary passion He tooke the language of loue stroaking and imbracing whome he would not anger but winne and resuming his speach O sayth he my well beloued Pauline O my life and my comfort haue compâ—ssion of me thy desolate Father behold these white hayres these hollow eyes these teares hasten not my end lyue yet a while with me and if thou desirest my death thou shalt see it shortly it draweth on apace with the roll of my yeares and infirmities and knocketh already at the doore of all my senses assigning me ouer to my sepulcher Stay a litle that I may giue thee my last benediction in peace and that thou maist take it without offence expect tary till I be put in my graue and then thou maist go which way thou wilt heere he held his peace being stopped with the violence of his sighings and aboundance of teares which trickled downe his cheekes great and feruent and held the head of Pauline fast in his haÌ„ds vpon his knees a man might see in his face inflamed and his body shaking the conflict of an extreme passion that ruled in his soule Pauline was at this anger and commotion of his Father more astonished then offended for he easily perceiued that it was not of any euill will but that the subtilty of the wicked spirit had surprised the good old man by an ambushment layd behind the wals of Nature and fatherly affection and had of him great compassion and with a calme countenance sayd vnto him My most honourable Father if I had thought that my demaund would haue offended you I protest that I would neuer haue made it neither except I had long before perceiued by euideÌ„t signes that my vocation had beene full pleasing vnto you dared I to haue opened my mouth to discouer it And now Syr let not God suffer me to grieue honorable old age which I haue alwais respected as becometh a maÌ„ of honour althogh otherwise it had not touched or concerned me any thing at all nor so farre to forget my selfe eyther of your immortall benefit or of the duty of a true Sonne nor to foule my soule with the vice of such ingratitude contemning your commaÌ„dement which I am bound to obey with a thousand merits and a thousand titles of loue My most deere Lord Father be you in rest I will stay as long as it shall please you and will serue you in your house and will account my self much honoured to liue in your company and vnder your obedience and do verily belieue that God will weâ—l accept this duty done for his loue according to the directioÌ„ of his lawes And if it please you I will also do my best to perswade my brother Aime-Dieu to stay his voiage also to dwell with you and to employ himselfe with me to your contentment and comfort At these words vttered with so great simplicity of hart countenance of a child the good old Syr was in that instant pacifyed and his heat asswaged and it seemed that the speach of Pauline entring at his eares had also mollifyed and transformed his hart as it were with some sweet drinke of heauenly liquour and therefore taking againe his spirits of loue and prudence returning in a sort to himself O my God sayth he where am I And into what errours hath the iniquity of my soule transported me O mercifulâ— Father haue mercy on me and haue not regard to my folly and rashnes in speach O my well beloued Pauline I know well thy obedience and piety towards me thou hast vndertaken nothing but by the inspiration of God with my good will and lyking thou didst long since aduertise me of this desire O soueraigne God pardon me and do thy pleasure with my Sonne or rather with thine owne for thine he is and not myne Pardon me my Sonne and excuse my infirmity this was an excursioÌ„ of a child of Adam that old