for this I say as if God had wholy forgotten al the other seruants he had in that people being offended with Salomou and with them and desirous to punish them for the great enormit yes they had committed he said to Salomon Scindam Regnum tuum dabo illud seruo tuo c. I will rent thy Kingdome and will giue it to thy seruant notwithstanding in thy dayes I will not do it because of Dauid thy father Out of thy sonnes hand will I rent it nor will I take away all the Kingdome but one Tribe I will giue to thy sonne because of Dauid my seruant 13. And to King Ezechias who was sicke and looking to die he sent to tell by the Prophet Isay as followeth Ecce sanauite c. Behold I haue healed thee the third day thou thalt go vp to the Temple of our Lord. And I will adde vnto thy daies fifteene years also out of the hand of the King of Assyria will I deliuer thee and this Citty and will defend this Citty for mine owne sake and for Dauid my seruants sake Who is able to declare worthily that which is discouered in these heauenly testimonies concerning this point how much God doth esteeme a man eminent in vertue who doth greatly abhorre all sinne whatsoeuer and much loue all works of iustice is very humble and patient in iniuries very diligent in deeds of charity and wonderfull zealous of the glory of God seeing that he taketh himselfe to be so much honoured by one of these that he giueth him his Name calling him his God and not to displease him leaueth the execution of his iustice against a whole Kingdome and is pacified with his prayer and in a certaine manner doth make subiect vnto him the very lawes of nature to do with his creatures that which pleaseth him and doth for him alone that he doth not for many iust men that doe serue him vnperfectly and he being infinite and eternall Maiesty and man but a creature made of nothing by his only will he doth vouchsafe in a certaine māner to make him equall to himselfe saying I will defend this Citty for mine owne sake and for Dauid my seruants sake How much they doe import and help the Church who do serue God and profit in vertue CHAP. III. ALBEIT all iust men and seruants of God who liue in his grace do help the mysticall body of the Church because with their good works and prayers they obtayne spirituall fauours and gifts by which sinners are conuerted and iust men are maintained yet men that haue gone forward and be perfect in vertue are in this respect of singular profit and vtility For although all iust men be liuing members of the Church children of light neuertheles those other be as the eyes in a mans body and as in this world the greater starres of the firmament and the sunne moone that be as the eyes light of this corporall world 2. So doth holy Scripture call them in sundry places S. Paul to the Philippians sayth In the middest of a crooked peruerse generation among whome you shine as lights in the world And our Lord Iesus Christ declared vnto S. Iohn that the starres which he held in his hand were the Prelats and holy Doctors whome there he doth call Angells of the Churches for that these men of excellent vertue with their learning and principally with their example doe awaken and wonderfully animate all others to the loue of vertue In so much that only one of these is able to conuert a whole Citty and Kingdome keep the same in the feare of God which the example of those who be neither hoate nor could neuer doth for although on the one side they eschew all mortall sinnes yet on the other if a man see them commit of purpose such things as are euidently sinnes but not mortall and that they be carelesse to do works of pennance and charity they moue him very little to the loue of vertue Wherfore to raise vp those who are fallen into mortall sinne there is necessary for the most part an example of great power and efficacy and to inflame those that be cold is necessary an example that hath great aduātage ouer them And because this example is found in those men who haue profited in vertue hence it is that they do so much moue their neighbours and that God doth vse them as fit instruments for so great works 3. So doth S. Gregory say that the examples of holy Fathers do help vs excedingly to the renouation of spirit because by viewing and considering the workes of holy men we be inflamed to the loue of vertue and our hart doth cast of her luke warmnesse prouoked thereunto by the imitation of Saints An excellent testimony of this truth is that which holy Scripture doth recount in the Booke of Iudges It is there set downe how the children of Israel did for long time after the death of Moyses keep themselues in the seruice of God but at length did forsake and depart from the same and the cause of this is said to be for that whilest there were amongst the people auncient and graue men zealous of the glory of God who had seene the meruails that God had wrought with the people they were with the learning and example of these men kept in the feare of his diuine Maiesty but these being once dead the people forth with forsooke God because they wanted men renowned in vertue who with their words and examples might maintaine and prescrue them 4. Besides this a worthy restimony of the same truth is that which holy Scripture doth set before vs in the fourth booke of Kings to wit that when Ioas raigned in Hierusalem forty yeares in the beginning therof he was a good King and did walke vprightly in the sight of God and all the people remained in the seruice of the true God and it is said that the cause of this their good was that there liued in Hierusalem a holy-Priest named Ioiada who in his life time held with his doctrine and example both the King people in the scruice of God but as soone as he was dead departed the King swarued from the truth the people forsooke their God 5. This is then that profit so admirable that Gods good seruants do in the cōmon wealth and in the vniuersall Church of the faithful All iust persons who liue in Gods grace although they haue but little vertue are liuing stones of the Church of Christ and do help the building of this house and spirituall Temple of God and the conseruation of the same as S. Peter telleth vs but good men that goe forward in vertue are the pillars of this building which next after God they do beare vp and maintaine and keep the same vnited with the corner stone and head of all the building which is Christ the Captaine Prince of the whole Church and so doth holy Scripture
griefe of his most delicate flesh and with many teares of his owne and of his Mother and he was called Iesus and to the comming of the Kings at 13. dayes after his natiuity and to their adoration gifts that they offered to wit gold franckindensâ— and myrrh WEDNESDAY 1. The first ten to the Purification oâ— our B. Lady when at the fourty dayes after her child-birth without any obligation she went to be purified at the temple of Hierusalem presented there her most blessed sonne and offered for him the gift of one that was poore and redeemed him with fiue sicles which is fiue shillings ten pence and he was known for true Messias by S. Simeon and the holy widdow S. Anne and it was prophesied to the B. Virgin of the greife that should cut her hart at the passion of her sonne 2. The second to the flight into Aegipt when the child Iesus had not yet two moneths of age the glorious Ioseph being admonished that King Herod sought to kill him and for this reason with the B. Virgin and the Blessed Babe they stole in the night secretly out of their Countrey and went to liue in Aegypt suffering many labours in the way and there also because it was a strange country and full of Idolatrous barbarous people after seauen years by aduice of an Angell they returned to their country where they were receiued with great ioy gladnes of their kinsfolks acquaintance 3. The third to the remayning of the Child Iesus in the Temple when being of twelue years of age and going to Hierusalem to celebrate the Pascha at the returne he remained there vnknowne to his parents and was sought by them with great griefe and teares for the space of three dayes and on the third day found in the Temple in the middst of the Doctors with incredible ioy of his mother when she saw him 4. The fourth to the obedience and humility of our Redeemer who for the space of thirty yeares was in his parents house seruing of them withall humility subiection as a very huÌ„ble and obedient child helping them to gaine his meate with the labour of his hands This is a passage much to be noted in which we ought piously to consider the spirituall delights that the B. Virgin would feele in her soule with the continual conuersation of her sonne in his infancy in his childhood and his youth and riper age and the great deuotion wherewith she did euer serue him in dressing his meate his garments his bed other things necessary for his person and in like manner the humility and obedience of our Lord in all this time amd other innumerable vertues in which he gaue admirable examples and so in this passage many fauours may be asked both of the sonne and mother 5. The fifth to the Baptisme of our Lord and his fasting and labours in the desert and his tentation when being thirty yeares of age he tooke his leaue of his mother to go to the desert with much sorrow and many tears of the sacred Virgin and he went to be baptized of S. Iohn amongst other sinners common people and then came to a very hideous desert where he was amongst beasts fourty days without eating one bit suffering many difficulties of cold watching and hunger hauing no other bed then the ground no other house to recollect himselfe but some caue or hollow place in some rocke and in the end was thrice tempted by the Diuell and hauing ouercome him all three times the Angells came to serue him THVRSDAY 1. The first Ten to the Peregrination life and miracles of Christ who with some disciples that he had chosen went for the space of three years to diuers parts prouinces and citties preaching working miracles pardoning and receiuing sinners raysing vp dead deliuering the possessed healing all diseases and bestowing many other benefits of all that would receiue them of him 2. The second to the glorious Transfiguration of our Lord who in the second yeare of his preaching to confirme the faith and hope of his Disciples being with three of them vpon the mount of Tabor he was transfigured his face appearing more beautifull them the sunne his garments whiter then the snow giuing in this some certayne shew of the glory that the Blessed are to haue in heauen 3. The third to the entrance of our Sauiour into Hierusalem on Palme-SuÌ„day when six dayes before his Passion he entred into that Citty sitting vpon an Asse as an humble King was receiued with a great multitude of people with great honour and ioy and after he had preached in the Temple a great part of the day there being none that would inuite him to dinner now towards euening he returned with his Disciples fasting to Bethania 4. The fourth to the last leaue of our Lord as very likely many pious and holy men do consider That on Thursday towards the euening before his Passion being in Bethania alone with his sacred Mother he gaue her particular account of all that the next day he was to suffer in Hierusalem and tooke his leaue of her with incredible sorrow and griefe and many teares of both 5. The fifth to the washing of the feet and institution of the most holy Sacrament When after our Sauiour had supped with his Disciples and eaten the Paschall Lambe he washed their feet with great humility and with incomparable loue charity he instituted the B. Sacrament of the Altar giuing his sacred Body in food and his Bloud in drinke FRIDAY 1. The first ten to the prayer in the garden and prison of our Sauiour who at 9. a clocke at night went to the garden of Gâ—thsemane to stay there for those that were to come and take him and prayed to his Father thrice with great humility and deuotion being in so great an agonie that he sweat drops of Bloud which ranne downe to the ground And presently a company of armed men comming to take him he let himselfe voluntarily be taken by them and was tyed with chaynes and cordes and very ill vsed and caried so to Hierusalem and presented and accused before the high Priests 2. The second to the paynes our Sauiour suffered al that night in which he receiued many buffets and blowes on the necke heard many iniuryes and abuses yea and suffered them to spit in his face so venerable and that they should blindfold him with a cloath was denied thrice of his Disciple and passed all the night with very gret payne without any winke of sleep or rest at al with no lesse labour and sorrow the B. Virgin passed it with consideration suspition and feare of what her Sonne might suffer 3. The third to what our Sauiour suffered in all the Iudgments and Tribunalls where he was presented accused and iudged going and comming tyed like a thief from one to another receiuing euery where great abuses scoffes and mockeries and hearing against himselfe many false
merits which he gat with them as if for him only he had suffered And so thou oughtest to cōsider this one thing which was so indeed that when Christ suffered he had thee as present in his memorie as if thou hadst beene there really present he had also present before his eyes all thy sinnes and that he set his eyes vpon thee and said with great loue and tendernes For thee o man and for thy sinnes I suffer this and I suffer it willingly for thy saluation and remedy of thy Soule with great desire that thon profit thy selfe by it and know certainly that if for thee only it were necessary to suffer all this and much more I loue thee so dearly that it is sufficient to suffer for thee alone And this being so it is most iust that euery one take to himselfe that which Christ suffered and make account of it so did the glorious Apostle S. Paul when he said I liue in the sayth of Christ Iesus who loued me and dyed for me §. IIII FOR WHY 1. THE fourth circumstance is to consider For VVhy that is for what cause our Sauour suffered all this The President who gaue the sentence after he had very well examined his cause did affirme thrice that he found no cause at al either to condemne him or giue him any punishment and indeed it was so that he had not any fault for he was most innocent not knowing what sinne was neuer did harme to any but good to all so that the cause being well examined it is found that there was no other of his part but his bounty and mercy and those bowels of infinite charity with which he tooke compassion of the misery of men who were all condemned to eternall death and had no possibility to be deliuered from this sentence And all that he suffered was only to do good vnto men to deliuer them from the euills of their offences and from eternall paynes which they deserued for them without any necessity profit or interest of his part 2. And conformable to this you must consider very well as you meditate any thing that our Sauiour suffered that he suffered it of his owne free will might haue excused it if he would and he would not but suffer so great payne and torments only for our good This is the cause which was of his part for which he suffered to wit his bounty his mercy his charity and loue but of our part there were our sinnes the cause of his suffering And so when you meditate how they apprehended our Sauiour accused him besett him spit vpon him whipped and scourged him with all the rest consider that thou art the cause of all that and that they be thy sinnes that accuse him and abuse him and giue testimony vnto the processe that he may be iudged to death and put vpon the Crosse §. V. OF VVHOME THE fifth circumstance is to consider Of VVhome he suffered that is who be they that inflict those paynes vpon him and in this we must cōsider the points following 1. First that he suffered of his owne Chosen and Elected people of whome he in particular was Lord and King to whome he had been promised so many yeares since whome he brought out of Captiuity of Aegypt with so great myracles and prodigious wonders to whome himselfe gaue the Law written with his finger whom he sustayned fourtie yeares with bread from heauen to whome he gaue the Land of Promise whome he honoured so much as to take flesh of their linage and came in person to preach vnto them and teach them 2. The seçond that he suffered of them to whome he had done so great good and giuen so many benefits raysing their dead deliuering their possessed during their diseased and conuersing amongest them with such loue and beneuolence 3. The third that he suffered of his cruell enemyes who for the space of two yeares had sought his life and to dishonour him would haue drunke his bloud so great was their hatred and detestation towards him and to these he cōmitted himselfe willingly to the end they might vse him at their pleasure 4. The fourth that he suffered of most vile base Vassales of no account at all without any shame measure or any other respect for doubtles they who did torment him were the publike executioners who were wont to punish the malefactors if it be not that perhaps the Chiefe Priests did commit this to some base seruants of their owne that they might torment him with the more cruelty Of him that gaue him the buffet saith S. Iohn the Euangelist that he was a seruant of the High Priest and so we may thinke others were also who tormented him But howsoeuer wee see they were base fellowes and slaues very poore and abiect for they parted his poore garments in foure parts amongst them 5. The fifth that our Blessed Sauiour suffered of all kind of people Gentiles and Iewes of great and small of the principall of the cōmon sort all it semeth concurred against him and those who six dayes before had done him so great honour receiuing him with palmes and crying out that he was King of Israël now they perswade themselues that all his myracles were deuises craftes and that he pretended to vsurpe the Kingdome and now they desire to haue him crucified and that the thiefe and homicide Barabbas should be set free 6. The sixt that he suffered of his owne Disciples which was not the least of his payne to see that the Disciple whome he had taught so long and brought vp vnder his wing and done him so many good turnes should sell him betray him to his enemies and another Disciple whome he had honoured about the rest making him Head of the Church that he should deny him publickly with an oath and that all the rest should forsake him and runne away leauing him in the hands of his enemies And finally he suffered euen of his owne mother for although the most Blessed Virgin Mary had no fault at all but very great merit in being present at the passion of her sonne yet with her presence she did increase greatly his griefe payne in so much that he would haue suffered them double not to haue seene that which his mother suffered and notwithstanding he would passe all this that our redemption might be more copious although so greatly to his cost and cost of his most Blessed Mother §. VI. HOVV THE sixt circumstance is How he suffered in the which there be three poynts to be considered 1. The first that he suffered with exceding great charity in so much that although the works he wrought were so excellent and great and so excessiue the paynes he suffered yet we must rather ponder the manner how he suffered them then what he suffered For how much soeuer it was he suffered far greater was his charity by the which he was prepared to suffer much more if it had
only for the loue he beareth me doth so much and suffereth so much desireth that I should loue him for how can it be suffered that I loue him not being he is goodnes it selfe and beauty it selfe and the depth of all goods how can I leaue to loue one who hath done me so much good and doth and loueth me so much And so it is reason to say with S. Iohn Brethren let vs loue God much because he first loued vs and againe he saith this is charity not that we loued God first but that first he loued vs. Praysed be he therfore of all his creatures Amen §. VIII Of the affect of Imitation of Christ THE affect of Imitation of Christ and his vertues is the principall fruite which we are to drawe out of the consideration of these mysteries to procure to conforme our life with his and direct all our workes in such sort as we vnderstand to be most conformable and like to those of Christ And this affect is excercised in prayer in this manner to consider very particulerly leasurely the vertues of Christ our Lord which are discouered in the passage of his Life or Passion which is meditated and to affect the will with loue of that vertue and make very firme purposes to procure it and to put in execution the necessary meanes for to attayne vnto it and to excercise the actes in which it consisteth cōformable to the condition and estate of the person who considereth it and according to the occasions that are wont to offer themselues Let is put an example in some vertues 2. Considering the Humility of Christ who being a Lord of so great Maiesty in as much as he was God and as man a King and general Lord of all the world a person of so great dignity and veneration he would so humble himselfe and be vnknowne in the world and be holden for an ordinary man and ignorant and being Sanctity it selfe would be accounted as a sinner and malefactour and be condemned and chastised for such a one Thus he must forme great desires to be litle esteemed despised and depressed and purpose to procure it as much as he can hiding all that he hath of honour and estimation and manifesting his faults and all such thing as may humble him as far as may be without scandal bad example finally desiring from his hart that all esteeme him vile and despised and vnworthy of any honour and truly iudging himselfe for such 3. Considering the pouerty of Christ in all his life and what want he had of those things that were necessary for humane life affect thy selfe much to pouerty and make many purposes to procure it depriuing thy selfe of all superfluous things and such as be too much and taking only those that be necessary very moderate and scarcely and haue nothing with affection but the hart very free from all things 4. Considering the patience of Christ in suffering so many aduersities labours and paynes and his mildnes in suffering so many iniuries and abuses without being angry with any body neither wishing reuenge but rather louing very hartily those who abused him and iniured him and praying for them To desire much these vertues and purpose to suffer with patience any labour or aduersity that may happen vnto him or iniury that may be done to him without abhoring or being angry with any nor desire to be reuenged but rather wishing well to all 5. Considering the Obedience of Christ who without any obligation fullfilled so perfectly the Law of Moyses euen vnto the least cerimony and obayed the iudges although in iust and wicked and euen the very Officers of Iustice doing al that they cōmanded him not contradicting any to make purposes to be very obedient to all his Superious to fullfill if he be Religious very punctually all the statutes constitutions and ordinations of his Order and doe most perfectly the will of all his superiours without cōtradicting or replying to any 6. Considering the Charity of Christ who so much loued men and did so much for them although vngratefull and vnknowne without acception of persons as well to his enemies as frends to propound with all efficacy to do good to all as much as he can although they be his enemies and although it cost him labour and the good he cannot do to desire it from his hart and desire our Sauiour to giue them all such things as they haue need of 7. And in this same sort let him do in all the rest of the vertues of our Lord which he shall confider and know that it is of great importance profit to vse this excercise thus For if these purposes be truly made indeed with these desires inward acts of vertues our Sauiour receiueth them as if they were done really indeed and they dispose the soule when occasion shall be offered to put them in execution and in this manner the habit of vertues is gotten §. IX That the acts of Vertue must not only be exercised in generall but in particuler HEERE one thing of great importance must be particulerly noted that is that these affects purposes of vertues and desires of the actes of them we must not be content to do them in generall but that they may be of more force efficacy we must particularize them according to the condition of his person and other particuler circumstances as putting example in some vertues 2. Our Sauiour in his prayer giues him a desire of Humility and a purpose to procure those things which may help him to be humble he must not content himselfe with this desire so in generall for this is of lesse profit but presently he must come in particuler to consider well what can I do for this end to see that this or that is wont to be an occasion that I haue my selfe in some account thē purpose to dissemble it and couer it and this other may be occasion for men to despise me and haue me in lesse account then purpose to procure it keeping in all the order that is conuenient not to giue scandall for bad example to any And in that sort purpose to humble himselfe to all as if he were their slaue and conuerse with aeuery one with great reuerence and submission and thus also other acts like vnto this which shall occurre to euery one comformable to his condition and the persons with whome he conuerseth 3. God giueth him a desire to imitate the pouerty of Christ he must not be content with making purpose so in generall but to come presently to the particuler and plot with himselfe Well I will visit my chamber and take away all that is superfluous in it and I wil remayne only with that which I cannot want or excuse yea and this I will diminish that some thing may be wanting which may be too much And what I haue shall be without any affection yea rather I will loose it al then cōmit one
that if any of the damned might choose he would haue suffered or suffer in this life very great torments for many yeares to haue diminished or diminish that only degree of payne due to the least veniall sinne 4. Fourthly knowledge of the great rigour of the diuine Iustice for an idle word a negligence or not marking what he should do in the seruice of God must be so seuerely punished that by this he may learne to walke with a thousand eyes in the seruice of God endeauouring to eschew any thing that may be a sinne nor so much nor principally to fly from those paynes but seing it offendeth so much Almighty God since so heauily he chastiseth it 5. Fifthly he must draw from hence courage to despise all pleasures and delightes of this life seeing them to be but dispositions for those tormēts He that feareth much an infirmity and desireth health easily abstayneth from the meate that gaue him gust if he suspect it will hurt him then Why shall not I refraine from all such things as are delightfull in this life for they be those which engenoer idle humors to fall into that eternall sicknes infirmity 6. Sixthly to get courage and force to imbrace all the labors of pennance and mortification for by those he deliuereth himselfe from others far greater and vnequall patience indifferency and suffering in sicknes and all other aduersity and so this serueth to consider all the differences of paynes to apply them and compare to others like them which are suffered in this life When thou art in an ague remember how different a thing it will be to stay those ouens and fornaces of Hell when thou art afflicted with cold what will it be to stād in those lakes of frost and snow whē thy discipline smarteth how much wil it greiue thee to be scorged so cruelly and so furiously by the Diuel in hell so for ward in the rest of the payns and labours and in all of them thou must say with S. Augustine O Lord chastise me heere and scorge me with fire with iron and all kind of torments so that thou deliuerest me from eternall paynes 7. Seauenthly gratitude that God hath deliuered thee from those payns cōsidering making this account with thy selfe What had become of me if I had fallen into that depth as I haue deserued and only the potent hand of God could deliuer me being there be many others that deserued it lessethē my self look if thou wert in cōpany of other malefactours condemned to the gallies or other terrible torments and the King should take thee from amongst them and receiue thee into his house into some very honourable office when thou shouldst see the rest rowing scourged pinched or suffering other torments and shouldest consider that thou also wert condemned with them and in their company and only the clemency of God casting his eyes on thee more then the rest deliuered thee from this ill with what eyes wouldest thou looke vpon him what reason would there be that shouldest be grateful endeauour to giue him content in whatsoeuer possible thou couldest therfore when thou shalt be affrighted with the consideratiō of Hell shalt see so many soules crying and houling with torments remember that thou also wentest theither that the hand of God tooke thee out without any desert of thine and put thee into his house with so honourable an office as is to assist ordinarily in his presence occupied and imployed in his prayses 8. Eightly the affect of the Loue of God hath great place in this consideration seeing how he hath dealt with thee as a pious Father for thou that didest go so madly to throw thy selfe into these paynes his diuine maiesty sought meanes and inuention to deliuer the from them and tooke pitty of thy blindnes and although thou hast resisted so many tymes his remedies and hast striuen to returne backe vnto the dangers he hath not beene wearied to keep thee from them although he himselfe was offended looke what Father would haue loued thee in such sort and how much he deserueth to be beloued for this §. V. In the consideration of Glory these Affects may be exercised FIRST thanks-giuing for hauing created thee to inioy so great good for as much as toucheth him he created vs for it and desireth that al may inioy it and is prepared and ready to giue it to al that wil and so they who leaue to inioy these riches of Heauen for their owne fault they loose them Looke therfore now much thou oughtst to loue and be thankefull to God who before thou wert borne bad built those Royall Pallaces and noble habitations for thee to dwell and planted those diuine walkes wherin thou mightst recreate thy selfe and prepared all those kinds of delights and recreations that thou mightst inioy them for all eternity 2. Secondly to strengthen much the confidence of inioying them grounded in the great boūty merey of God in the merits of Iesus Christ our Lord for thou knowest for this he created thee redeemed thee and brought thee to the Church and hath done many other benefits for thee and so thou oughtst to say with great loue and confidence I see well o Lord that I haue deserued to inioy these treasures of glory but I trust much in thy mercy that I shall come vnto them since for this thou hast created men and redeemed me with thy bloud hast made me a member of thy Church and deliuered me from so many dangers and from so many tymes as I haue deserued Hell and done me infinite other fauours I beleeue o Lord that thou hast not done all this that I should perish but rather I trust thou wilt end this worke which thou hast begun and with this confidence I hope to inioy these heauenly treasures in the land of the Liuing 3. Thirdly strengthen much the affect and desire to inioy that security and with this say with the prophet Blessed are they o Lord who dwell in thy house for euer and euer they shal prayse thee Like as the Hart desireth the fountaynes of water euen so my soule desireth thee my God One fauour I haue required of my Lord and this I will aske alwais that I may dwell in his house all the dayes of my life and see his glory and visit his holy Temple And marke that those desires must not be so much because it is for thy good in particuler as because thou knowest that our Lord is sorued with it and it is his will that all should desire and inioy that good he is very well pleased that they should procure it with great dlligence and for this reason thou must desire and procure it and not for thyne owne profit 4. Fourthly to conceiud high and generous thoughts and great contempt of all earthly things an one that is in hope of so great wealth If it should happen that the Prince Heire of the kingdom pines And to
there be deligence in the exercise of the vnderstanding will and care to apply the memory to the passages and mysteries as you ought to do after a while it will be done with so great facility that without spending any more tyme then in saying the Aue Marie and Pater noster you will haue meditated those mysteries And indeed in mentall prayer all doth consist in taking paynes to exercise our selues therin for in the beginning it cānot choose but be something hard yet afterward it comes to be very easie and they that do so feele the profit gotten therby 4. Therfore for more commodity of those who will say their Rosary according to this manner and order aforesaid and that the mysteries themselues and method may be the better kept in memory I will put them downe more briefly as in a summe A Summe of the mysteries of the Rosary applyed for the dayes of the weeke for euery day Fiue as followeth MVNDAY 1. THE first Ten to the most pure Conception of our Blessed Lady 2. To her Natiuity 3. To her Presentation in the Temple to her life that she led there and her vow of Virginity 4. To her Espousall and Virginall wedding 5. To the Annunciation and Incarnation of the Sonne of God TEVVSDAY 1. To the Visitation of our Blessed Lady 2. To the affliction of the sacred Virgin when her Spouse would haue left her because he knew not the mysterie to the ioy whē it was reuealed and to the 9. moneths of her bearing our Sauiour in her sacred Wombe 3. To the iorney which she made to Bethlem and the labour of seeking lodging and finding none 4. To the Natiuity of our Lord the musicke of the Angells and comming of the sheepheards 5. To the Circumcision and adoration of the Kings WEDNESDAY 1. To the Purification of our Blessed Lady 2. To their flight into Aegipt the tyme that they liued there and to their returne 3. To all the tyme that our Sauiour liued with his Mother and what passed therin 4. To the loosing of our Sauiour in the Temple and how our Blessed Lady sought him and found him 5. To the Baptisme of our Lord his fasting tentation and returne to his Mothers house THVRSDAY 1. To the preaching and myracles of our Sauiour 2. To the Transfiguration 3. To the entrance into Hierusasem on Palme-sunday 4. To the consideration how our Sauiour tooke his leaue of his Mother when he went to suffer 5. To the washing of the feet and institution of the Blessed Sacrament FRIDAY 1. To the prayer in the garden and his imprisonment 2. To the labours our Sauiour suffered in the night of his Passion and of those of his Blessed Mother 3. To all the Iudges and Tribunalls where our Lord was accused and iudged 4. To the scourges he receiued at the pillar in the sight of his most sacred Mother 5. To the Crowne of Thornes the mockeries and the Ecce Home SATVRDAY 1. How our Sauiour was condemned to death caried his Crosse on his backe tasted the gall and was whipped naked 2. How he was nayled vpon the Crosse and lifted vp in the sight of all the people 3. To the three houres that he was aliue vpon the Crosse and to the seauen words he spake there and of his death 4. To the wound of the speare his descending from the Crosse and how he was receiued in the armes of our blessed Lady 5. To the buriall of our Lord and to the solitude of our Blessed Lady SVNDAY 1. To the Resurrection of our Blessed Sauiour 2. To his Ascension 3. To the comming of the Holy Ghost 4. To the life that our B. Lady led after the Ascension of her sonne and to her most happy departure 5. To the glory wherewith she was receiued and crowned in Heauen FINIS A SHORT TREATISE of Exhortation to spirituall Profit Composed by the R. Father Francis Arias of the Society of IESVS THE PREFACE THAT we may the better vnderstād how necessary and important a thing it is first to teach those who haue begun to serue God how they must mayntaine themselues in his seruice still go forwards in the same and then to persuade them the meanes necessary and profitable for this end it is expedient that in the beginning we declare how acceptable that man is to God who is forward in his diuine seruice how important he is to the spirituall and temporall good of the whole Catholike Church and how profitable to himselfe for the many and most precious benefits that he daily obtaineth at the hands of God How much that man is acceptable to God who is diligent to go forwards in his Diuine Seruice CHAP. I. IT is a thing most certaine that a iust and vertuous man who is in the grace of God in whatsoeuer degree of grace that he be is most acceptable to the eyes of his diuine Maiesty But if we do compare those that serue God one with another it is also manifest that he who is diligent and feruent in Gods seruice and doth labour to profit daily more more in the same forcing himself to do that which he knoweth to be most gratefull to God is by him more esteemed and accompted of then many others who all-though they liue in his grace haue no care of their going forward but are content with this only that they do not cōmit any mortall sinne We shall vnderstand this better by the example following 2. Let vs imagine that a certaine Noble Man hath in his house fifty seruants and hath cōmaunded them all that they steale and fall out at words although they do some things of those that be commaunded yet others they will not do 4. The other Seruant desirous to please and content his Maister in euery thing and not to giue him any trouble or disgust at all doth not steale any thing out of his house be it neuer so little is not so hardy as to tel him the least vntruth goeth with great speed in whatsoeuer message he is sent and if perchance he lingereth somewhat through forgetfullnes remembring himselfe he is sory for it and doth amend it neither is he only careful to do whatsoeuer his maister hath cōmaunded therby not to discontent nor displease him but he doth also endeauour to know such things as most please him to put them in execution yea he would willingly vnderstand euen his very thoughts so to do ineuery thing that which might giue him most contentment 5. By this example it is manifest that this Noble man gouerned by right indgment and reason doth more esteeme this one only seruant thē al the other fourty and nine and that this one alone doth giue him more gust and contentment then all the rest and that in things depending of his good will and fauour he will do more for respect and loue of this one then of all the others Seeing then that all right reason is to be found in God with
that which was wrought Thus much S. Gregory By which words is easily vnderstood how greatly it importeth all those that serue God that they procure to go forwards and profit daily in vertue and goodnes 3. But yet how necessary a thing this care of going forward is to all those that serue God and how assured the daunger is of turning backe and how disposed those be to vndo themselues who haue not this care S. Bernard doth declare very cleerely saying in this māner We haue not heere a Citty of aboad it is necessary that either thou mount vp or go downe if thou attempt to stand still it is impossible thou fall not It is most certaine that he is not good who is not willing to be better And where once thou beginnest to loath to become better there also it is that thou leauest to be good And in another place he saith So will I liue to my selfe sayst thou and remaine in that whereto I haue attained neither doe I suffer to become worse nor desire to become better Thou dost then desire that which at all cannot be But if thou stand still when Christ doth runne thou dost not approach neere to Christ but dost remoue thy selfe further from him and thou oughtest to feare that which Dauid saith Behold those that with-draw themselues o Lord from thee shall perish I here be S. Bernards words 4. And although it be true that not straightway when one leaueth to profit in vertue he loseth the goodnes he had to be vertuous nor the grace to be in Gods seruice yet as we haue said he disposeth himself to lose the same and to signify the great daunger in which he standeth to loose it and how neere he is to fall S. Bernard saith that not to go forward is to cease to be good and that is to fall And also he speaketh in this manner because that negligence and carelesnes to go forward although it be not in the very beginning a mortall sinne which taketh away all goodnes and grace yet is it in part to leaue to be good and it is a certaine kind of fall This is that which holy Fathers do say of the great domage that not going forward in vertue and the seruice of God doth worke in him who hath begon to serue God but yet goeth not forward 5. Neither doth holy Scripture leaue to tel vs the great daunger in which these retchles men do liue and how neere they be to fall lose whatsoeuer they haue gotten In one place it saith Qui mollis est dissolut us in opere suo frater est sua opera dissipantis He that is slouthfull and carelesse in his worke is the brother of him that scattereth abroad his works The sense wherof is that he who profiteth not in forwarding the good he begonne and procuring to do with due diligence and perfectiō the good works he taketh in hand is like to one that destroieth all the good he had wrought For as this man loseth it wholy so that other is in daunger and disposition to lose it And in another place the same Scripture saith Slouthfullnes bringeth sleep and a negligent soule shal be famished That is as S. Gregory doth well declare the same that as slouth fullnesse is cause why the body sleepeth without necessity and negligence in labouring is cause why a man indureth hunger and wanteth what is necessary for his sustenance so slacknesse and coldenesse in good life and in going forward in Gods seruice cometh to cause in our soule a spirituall sleeping that maketh it as it were insensible for al good things and want all spirituall repasts comforts and liuely desires of heauen and suffer hunger of earthly consolations 6. This is another domage very great indeed which the negligence of a mans owne profit doth worke in the soule for that it maketh it lose all affection and comfort of heauen and that now it taketh no pleasure neither to thinke nor to speake of God nor hath any tast of recollection and prater or reading of deuout lessons nor hath sauour in spirituall and vertuous exercises but it powreth it selfe out altogeather in desires of temporal things and seeketh contentment in reading and hearing things that be curious in speaking of things that be vaine and in recreating the senses with exteriour things whence easily it cometh to giue consent to such faults as wholy separate the same from al friendship and grace of God 7. This is that so dreadfull punishment which Christ threatned to one of these retchlesse persons in the Apocalyps saying I would thou wert cold or hoate but because thou art luke warme and nor cold nor hoate I will begin to vomite thee out of my mouth Hoate he heer calleth him saith S. Gregory who is diligent and feruent in good life and cold him who hath not forsaken mortall sinne but yet giueth great hope that he will forsake it and luke-warme he calleth him who hath begonne to serue God but yet liueth remissely and endeauoureth not to profit and go forward in goodnes 8. And his meaning is that albeit if we regard the grieuousnes of the fault that of the cold is greater then that of the luke-warme yet the daunger of the lukewarme is in a certaine manner greater which is if we consider that which falleth out to these men in time to come for of him that is cold and in mortall sinne there is great hope that he will be perfectly conuerted to those do incurre who be retchlesse to go forward in the seruice of God and in the good life they haue once begonne and it is a iust punishment of their ingratitude For as it is thankfullnesse to vse wel gifts receaued and to profit by them and hath for reward that the mercifull hand of God with great largenesse and liberality doth increase and multiply the gifts and graces as we haue said so not to vse well the gifts receaued nor to profit by them is very great ingratitude and hath for iust punishment of God conformably to the grieuousnes of the sinne to take from him the fauours succours gifts which for his mercy he gaue him euen to bereaue him of all in the death iudgment which must be done vpon him to deliuer him to the paines that his vnthankfullnesse hath deserued which is the chastisment that is to be giuen to the vnprofitable seruant frō whome his Lord tooke the talent which he had giuen him and cast him afterwards into euerlasting darknesse How the Care of going alwaies forward in vertue is conuentent for al the seruants of God not only for those that begin but also for those that haue profited much and are perfect CHAP. VI. IT might seeme to some one that the necessity and obligation of going forward pertained only to those who of new begin to serue God and that such as were much aduanced might excuse themselues from this necessity but it is not so for it pertaineth to
Crownes of glory for those who deuoutly sayd this Rosary And the Bessed Virgin told him that this deuotion was very pleasing vnto her and all they who deuoutly did say the same euery time did gayne remission of all their sinnes and other great graces and blessings of her Sonne such and so great that no mortall man was able to comprehend them Thus that holy man left written and signed which his Name at his death for til then he would heuer speake of it as it is recorded by the Authors aforesaid 3. From whence it may and ought to be gathered that the merit and profit of saying the Rosary consisteth not in saying it vocally with the lippes only for the prayer that purely is vocall and not accompanied with some attention or consideration of the soule deserueth not the name of prayer neither is it 〈◊〉 yâ—â— properly speaking and is of litle or 〈…〉 is declared more all large in 〈…〉 of the Instruction of â—riests 〈◊〉 And therfore that 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 profit spirit 〈…〉 haue 〈◊〉 a method oâ—â—â—â—nern 〈◊〉 say it applying it to the principal â—â—â—â—ier passages oâ—therâ—â—â—â— a◠〈◊〉 flour Saulour 〈◊〉 4. The more common and ordinary is to part it into fifteene mysteries fiue Ioysull fiue Dolorous and fiue Glorious in such sort that in euery whole Rosary memory may be made of the principall mysteries of the life and passion of our Sauiour Which manner is very good and profitable 5. Others that be giuen to contemplation desiring to make more particuler mention of the life of our Sauiour halse applyed euery Aue Mary to a different mysterie applying prayers that must be sayd togeather with euery Aue in such sort that in euery Rosary of fifty Aue Maries memory is made of all he Life of our Lord Pesus Christ wherin is included also the Irâ—e of his Blessed Mother 6. This large Rosary with all the prayers is set downe by the graue and spirituall man Ludouicus Blosius aforesayd and more at large by the Venerable Father Ioanes Michaël Generall of the Carthusians a man of great sanctity and holines of life and learning as three bookes of spiritual Excercise can wittnes which he left written of great profit for all kind of persons 7. This manner also is very profitable for those who shall accommodate themselues to practise it but it is som what hard For they must say vocally all the prayers that be put downe to accompany euery Aue Marie which requireth a good tyme and some persons can hardly spare so much for excepting their ordinary houres of mentall prayer at morning and night which must be preferred before all other excercises and neuer omitted there will remayne searscly sufficient leasure to say their Rosary in this sort 8. Also it is hard to consider in euery Aue Marie a different mysterie for much care is requiued to cary the vnderstaÌ„d so tied and that in so short time he should discourse on so many things being different 9. For this reason these many yeares I haue considered for my selfe and for some Religious who haue asked me a manner of saying the Rosary more short and easie applying not euery Aue Marie but euery ten to a different mystery deuided for the dayes of â—he weeke and not putting any assigned prayers composed but only naming the mysterie to which euery ten shall be applied few dayes to make them capable of them and to remember the poynts or mysteries they are to meditate euery day and to haue them well considered and a custome to apply to euery day the mysteries the words they say in the Aue Marie and Pater noster in a litle tyme that they vse this exercise they shall say their Rosary accompanied with mental prayer with great facility breuity and profit THE Mysteries of the Rosary may be deuided thus by the dayes of the Weeke that in euery one particuler mention may be made of the principall passages of the Life of our Sauiour and his Blessed Mother applying to euery day fiue mysteries for euery Decade or Ten one the which must be applied mentally in the manner following MVNDAY 1. The first Decade or Ten must be applyed vnto the immaculate Conception of our Blessed Lady for it is very pleasing the deuotion of her Conception and the memory that is made how therin she was preserued froÌ„ al sin 2. The second to her most blessed Natiuity that brought ioy and gladnes to all the world 3. The third to her Presentation when being of three years of age she was offered by her parents in the temple to her most holy life that there she led for the space of an cleauen yeares and to the vow of her Virginity that there she made 4. The fourth to her sacred and Virginall Espousall when by reuelation from heauen she should be espoused vnto the glorious Saint Ioseph both of them togeather making vow to remaine in perpetuall chastity 5. The fifth to her Annuntiation when as foure moneths after her espousall it was denounced vnto her by an Angell sent from God that she should be his mother and she giuing her consent withal humility conceiued him in her blessed wombe as her true Sonne and gaue him with most great hâ—â—ity vary humble thankes in 〈◊〉 all mankind that he had made himselfe man and in her owne name in particuler that he had chosen her to be his Mother TEVVSDAY 1. The first Ten to the Visitation when our Blessed Lady with our Sauiour in her Sacred Wombe went from Nazareth to the mountaynes of Iudea a long way of almost 30. leagues and visited her kins woman S. Elizabeth and was by her acknowledged for mother of God and remayned in her house three monethes seruing her with great humility and charity 2. The second to the great grief which our B. Lady suffered when returning to her house her being with child knowne S. Ioseph was very much afflicted suspected her because he knew not the mystery And to the great ioy that both of them receiued and the prayses they gaue to God when it was reuealed to all the tyme of nyne moneths that the Sacred Virgin had the Sonne of God in her B. Wombe 3. The third to the Iorney that our B. Lady and S. Ioseph tooke from Nazareth to Bethelem with so much wearines and bad time and the labour they suffered in seeking an Inne and could find none 4. The fourth to the Natiuity of our Lord when the most sacred Virgin in a poore Gatehouse in great want of all things necessary without griefe or losse of her virginity brought forth the Redeemer of the world wrapped him in poore cloaths and gaue him sucke as to her owne sonne and adored him as her true God he reioyced at the musicke that the Angels gaue him at that time and was glad at the comming of the Sheepherds 5. The fifth to the Circumcision of our Lord when on the eight day he was circumcised with great