ng pag. 121 Chap. 29. A m dita ion of the 9. and 10. Commandements Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his house nor his asse nor any thing that is his pag. 122 Chap 30. The Decaloge is a branch springing out of the law of nature A canticle of the Decaloge pag. 124 Chap. 31. Of the Euangelicall counsels of Grace gratuite and making gratfull and of the effects thereof pag. 127 Chap. 32. The 4. and 5. point of the precedent Meditation The 7 guifts of the Holy Ghost and the 8. Beatitudes pag. 131 Chap. 33. The Councels do facilitate the keeping of the Commandements pag. 134 Chap. 34. A meditation of good works pag. 134 Chap 35. Instructions remarkeable for good works pag. 137 A Canticle vpon good workes pag. 139 Chap. 36. A meditation of Sinne. pag. 139 Chap. 37. Of the 7. capitall sinnes commonly called Mortall and of their branches pag. 143 Chap 38. Of the 1. sinne which is that of Angels and of the 2. which 〈◊〉 Adam 〈◊〉 of the effects of â—â—em of sinne which euery man comâ—â—â—eth 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—eth the thâ—rd sort pag. 144 Chap. 39. Effectâ— of sinne and diuers punishments pag. 147 Chap. 40. A meditation of death the first effect of sinne p. 148 Chap. 41. Diuers sentences of death pag. 150 Chap. 42. A medit of iudgment particuler generall p. 151 Chap. 43. The separation of the good from the wicked after Iudgment pag. 154 Chap. 44. A meditation of Hell pag. 154 Chap. 45. Other meditations of the paynes of the damned p. 157 Cha. 46. Of generall Confession the parts of pennance p. 158 Chap. 47. Prayers thankes-giuing to God and the B. V. p. 161 A Canticle to the glorious Virgin pag. 162 Chap. 48. Of choosing a good Gostly Father or Confessour p. 163 Chap. 49. Of the examen before Confession pag. 164 Chap. 50 How to examine our conscience before ConfessioÌ„ p. 164 Chap. 51. A prayer to say before Confession pag. 166 Chap. 52. The order we must keep in Confession pag. 167 Chap. 53. A prayer to say after Confession pag. 167 The Pilgrimes abode at Loreto Chap. 1. A Meditation vpâ—n the holy Eucharist pag. 169 Chap. 2. The first point Of three figures of the holy Sacrament pag. 170 Chap. 3. The second point Of the Maiesty of our Sauiour in this Blessed Sacrament pag. 171 Chap. 4. The third point Of the effects of this holy Sacr. p. 172 Chap. 5 A speach to God and thankesgiuing pag. 173 Chap. 6. How to heare Masse pag. 174 Chap. 7. How a Christian should behaue himselfe in euery part of the Masse pag. 176 Chap. 8. Of the Communion pag. 179 Chap. 9. A prayer before receauing pag 1â—9 Chap. 10. A prayer after receauing pag. 180 Chap. 11. How to heare a Sermon pag. 181 Chap. 12. Exercises of deuotion pag. 184 Chap 13. A meditation of the Conception of the B. Vir. p. 185 Cha. 14. Of the purity of ChristiaÌ„ actions in their intentioÌ„ p. 188 Chap. 15. A meditation of the natiuity of the B. Virgin pag. 189 Chap. 16. Of the B. Virgins auncestours and of the vanity of worldly greatnes pag. 192. Chap. 17. A meditation of the Presentation of the B. Virgin in the Temple pag. 193 Chap. 18. The third point of the Meditation Of Virgin and men consecrated to Almighty God pag. 195 Chap. 19. A Meditation of the Espousal of the B. Virgins with S. Ioseph pag. 199 Chap. 20. The second point of the Meditation Of the causes of the Mariage betwene the B. Virgin and S. Ioseph pag. 201 Chap. 21. Of the rare vertues of S. Ioseph pag. 205 Chap. 22. Of the incarnation of the Sonne of God Of the misery of mankind when this happened pag. 207 Chap. 23. The third point of the Meditation The desires of the Saints dead and liuing of the comming of the Messias pag. 210 Chap. 24. Of the Annunciation made to the B. Virgin by the Angell Gabriell pag. 212 Chap. 25. How the Sonne of God was conceaued in the wombe of the Virgin pag. 216 Chap. 26. Of the goodnes of God in the mistery of his IncarnatioÌ„ pag. 218 Chap. 27. Of the VVisedome of God in the same Mystery p. 220 Chap. 28. Of the power of God in the same Mystery pag. 221 Chap. 29. Of the Visitation of the B. Virgin pag. 222 Chap. 30. Of the Canticle of the B. Virgin Magnificat pag. 225 Chap. 31. VVhat the B. V. did in the house of S. Elizabeth p. 228 Chap. 32. A Meditation of the Natiuity of our Sauiour p. 229 Chap. 33. Our Sauiour encountreth and ouercometh vices in his Infancy pag. 232 Chap. 34. Of the Circumcision of our Sauiour and of the Name of Iesus pag. 234 Chap. 35. A Meditation Of the Adoration of the three Kinges pag. 238 Chap. 63. A demonstration of the power of Iesus in the adoration of the Kinges pag. 240 Chap. 37. Of the Returne of the three Kinges pag. 242 Chap. 38. A meditation of the Presentation of IESVS in the Temple pag. 243 Chap. 39. Ceremonies and feastes instituted for men to acknowledge Originall sinne the root of all the misery of mankind pag. 245 Chap. 40. Of the Canticle Nunc dimittis pag. 247 Chap. 41. The Pilgrimes prayer at his departure from Loreto pag. 250 Chap. 42. How the Pilgrime departed from Loreto pag. 253 The Returne of the Pilgrime of Loreto Chap. 1. THE first Day of his Returne pag. 254. Chap. 2. Meditations vpon the flight of our Sauiour into Aegypt togeather with his glorious Mother and Ioseph p. 256 Chap 3. 1. The fountaine of Bees 2. A dinner and meeting 3. Presages of eloquence and the nature of Bees obserued fifty yeares by Aristomachus 4. The wonders of our Sauiour going into Ae ypt 5. The tree Persis adoreth him 6. The Idols of Aegypt ouerthrowne 261. Chap. 4. The arriual of the Pilgrimes at the Farme-house 1. Tables of Loreto and of the flight of our Sauiour into Aegypt 2. The ship of the Ragusians deliuered 3. Two Capuâ—hines and three country men a Supper 4. Three Slaues 5. One of Prouence The B. Virgin starre of the Sea 6. The practise of the examen of Conscience p. 269 Chap 5. A Meditation of the historâ— of little Iesus lost found in the midst of the Doctours in the Temple pag. 2â—9 Chap. 6. 1. Our Sauiour manifested not himselfe vntill 12. yeares 2. Theodosius found 3. Caried away by the Bandites 4 Made prisoner with Lazarus and Vincent 5. The plea and answere of Lazarus 6. All three deliuered pag. 283 Chap. 7. 1. Theodosius taketh againe his Pilgrimes weed 2. recouÌ„teth his fortune 3. The conuersion of Tristram 4. how he spred an occasion to saue himselfe 5. Of the Bandites who left their sort 6. Theodosius escaped out of their company pag. 293 Chap. 8. A Meditat of the youth and dwelling of Iesus Chriâ—t his Mother and S. Ioseph in Nazareth pag. 303 Chap. 9. 1. A discourse with two
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
beginning and is cleansed by fayth in the Messias certaine ceremonies in the law of nature Moyses Conc. Tri. sess 5. and after the comming of the Messias by the fayth of the same professed in Baptisme by the which we are made children of God as by a second spirituall birth and generation Actuall mortall sinne Actuall is that which man committeth by his owne free-will and worke which if it be grieuous that is committed in any important matter with deliberate will and full consent is called Mortall because it bereaueth the sinner of the grace of God which is the life of his soule maketh it guilty of death euerlasting called by s. Iohn The second death 2. Cor. 6. Gal. 5. Apo. 21. Rom. 6. Apoc. 21. Rom. 6. And by S. Paul The reward of sinne Such a sinne was the pride of the first Angell his Complices made Diuells thereby Such a sinne was the disobedience of Adam Actuall in himselfe and Originall to all his children If the Actuall sinne be not grieuous that is if it be committed in a small matter without full consent as an idle word a light negligence an euill thought a foule motion without any stayed consent it is that we call Veniall of the Latin word Venia which signifyeth Pardon because it is easily pardonable not making man enemy to God and for defacing whereof no Sacrament is necessary as it is for mortal Notwithstanding we must keep our selues as farre from it as we can for that it cooleth and quencheth charity and christian deuotion and maketh way for mortall and it is well done to confesse them dayly both to purge them and to preuent them Aug. ser de Sanctis 41. epist. 19. Conc. Tri. sess 14. c. 5. Now this distinction taught by the Catholike Church as we learne in the Councell of Trent and the ancient Doctours namely S. Augustine may be vnderstood by a similitude in the body For as there be certaine diseases and woundes deadly of their owne nature as tâ—e Plurisie the hoat ague the wounds of the brayne hart or the like others are not so as the tertian ague and quartaine the Migrame Moratll woundes or diseases and other woundes or blowes on the lesse vitall and noble partes of the body which are small healed soone so it happeneth to the soule the diseases and wouÌ„des whereof are vices and sinnes which if they depriue it of the Grace of God are mortall maladies Sinne the wound of the soule deadly woundes and is mortall sinne if they doe not depriue him thereof but alter a little the harmony of his peace with God these are light diseases and are veniall sinnes The third point shall ponder how sinne beginneth by suggestion groweth by delectation and is perfected by consent By suggestion of the diuell the world or the flesh some of these three enemies casting into our mynd some obiect coÌ„trary to the lawe of God to which suggestion sucâ—edeth a pleasing and lyking of the sense willingly beholding the obiect as Eue was delighted to see the forbidden fruit To pleasure succeedeth Consent and to consent the execution consummation of the sinne So Eue after she had receaued the suggestion of the Serpent cheapening it at the sight The steps of sinne vnto the depth and giuing her hart to delight thereon she reached her hand to the execution and bit of the apple and tooke that morsell that infected all the race of mankind Behold here say our Doctours the linkes Gre. l. 4. mora c. 25 Isido l 1. de sumâ—o boâ—â— c. 23 Psal 118. 2. Reg. 22. Prouer. 5. Aug. l. 8. contest c. 5 Greg. l. 25 moral c. 12 rings of this strong chaine of sinne Of suggestion commeth thought of thought pleasure of pleasure consent of consent the worke of the worke custome of custome despaire of despaire defence of ill of defence boasting of boasting damnation This is the chayne which that old Tyrant made of the worke whereof himself was authour that is of sinne these are the cordes and boltes wherewith he fettereth the poore sinner and in fine doth cast him hedlong bound hand foot into the shipwracke of eternal damnation In the speach the Pilgrime shal desire of God grace to auoid sinne and shall say O infinite bounty keep me from sinne if it please thee The speach and preserue me from any alliance with that abortiue impe so monstrous and infected Let death armed with all sortes of torments pull my soule out of my body rather than I should consent to any sinne though neuer so small against thy holy Law O sweet Iesu and infinit bounty how should I offend thee being so milde good and bountifull Chast Ioseph said to his Mistresse who sollicited him to vnchast loues How can I commit so great an offence against my Maister of whome I haue receiued so many benefits How can I then sinne against thee O my Maister and souueraigne Lord seeing thou hast bound me with many better titles by so many fauours and promises Seeing thou hast bought me not with gold or siluer or any corruptible price but with the ransome of thy most precious bloud how can I then offend thee O glorious virgin Mother of the Allmighty and who by speciall priuiledge from his Omnipotency wast preserued froÌ„ all spot in thy Conception and Birth To the B. Virgin and in all thy actions wast preserued all pure and beautified enriched and adorned with a thousand vertues help thy poore Pilgrime with thy credit and grace and procure me pardon of my sinnes passed and effectuall grace for hereafter to remaine without stayne of any sinne euen veniall if it may be by the grace of thy Sonne Let myne eyes be enlightened with the heauenly beames that they may neuer slumber into this deadly sleep and that myne enemie may neuer say Psal 124. I haue preuailed against him This guift O happy virgin will redound to the glory of the Maiesty of thy Sonne to the health of thy wearied Pilgrime who honoureth serueth thee and by thy assistance desireth to serue with all his soule that Lord whome thy self adorest The After-dinner and Euening of the sixteenth dayes Iourney Of the seauen Capitall sinnes commonly called Mortall and of their Branches CHAP. XXXVII IN the Afternoone and in the rest of the day the Pilgrime shall persist vpon the same matter for though it be but sowre to the taste yet taken with a holy Meditation and digested into the stomake of the deuout soule it helpeth much to deface and detest sinne He shall discourse vpon the seauen sinnes commonly called mortall or more properly Capitall for being the heades and springes of diuers others They are The 7. Capitall sinne Pride Couetice Lechery Enuy Gluttony Anger Slouth hauing so many vertues opposite to encounter them Humility Liberality Chastity Charity Abstinence Patience The contrary vertues Deuotion or Diligence Pride is an
he saw a Citty oâ— forme foure square great wonderfull spacious compassed with walles of squared Amâ—thystes of India and christall checker wise and pointed diamond wise fastened with gold enamelled with azure The Towres were of the same matter and fashion sauing that their batlements were made of Emeralds Iacinths The houses of the Citty were all great palaces built of Diamonds Saphires Topazes other precious stones of admirable lustre and variety cut most artificially for couerings or roofes they had the seeling of heauen-flaming varying in colours like the rainebow MeÌ„ entred in by twelue gates three towards the east and three towards the west as many towards the North and towards the south euery one made of a whole entire precious stone figured and wrought with art surpassing the stuffe The market place and streetes were paued with bricke of fine gold in the same place was seene a fountaine of liuely water which made a torreÌ„t of pleasure running through the streets and trees alwayes greene loaden with the fruite of life and with floures which cast a most sweet odour all ouer the Citty The Cittizens men and women were diuinely beautifull their bodies subtile shyning like the sunne all went and flew nymbly like to Eagles cloathed like the Kings children some in scarlet some in crimson damaske others in white satine some in beaten gold and others in other stuffe and these habits being wrought and garnished with embrodery and passe main lace of gold poudered with all sorts of exquisite and choice pearle and precious stones were couered with a garmeÌ„t of a glittering color thin swimming after them as a mantle of Cypres through the which the beauty of their ornaments appeared more admirable Their heads were crowned with Tissues of gold set with great orientall pearles Rubies Diamonds and Emeraldes and on their forhead hung a glittering Crosse made of diuers great Diamonds of wonderfull brightnes They caryed a palme of immortality in their hands and euery one had â—is pallace and liued all vnder one King and at his owne table in great aboundance of all good things without feare of any euill with a peace vnion and contentement vnspeakeable and there was heard without ceasing sundry consorts of musike of voyces instruments vpon the Towres which made all the Citty sound with an incredible melody As the Baron was plunged in the rauishment of this vision he awaked about midnight and perceiued well that it was God that shewed him the image of this Citty and of these Cittizens He resolued from thenceforth to be a Pilgrime vpon earth and to serue God with all his hart one day to be receiued in the number of these Cittizens a few dayes after he tooke his Fathers blessing became Religious In the same houre when Theodosius and Vincent had slept Lazarus dreamed that being neer his Fathers house his brother Pauline met him saying all amazed O my brother Aâ—me Dieu are you aliue Lazarus also more amazed imbraced him and said O my deare brother Pauline are you yet in the world I kept your funerals at Loreto and with the shadow of this ioy he awaked perceiued it was but a dreame slept againe Three houres after they a rose and kneeled to their prayers making their Meditation euery man by himselfe as they were wont Niceph li. 15. c. 14. ex lanen Episc Ieros Glâ—a alijs Niceph. li. 2. cap. 23. lib. 15. ca. 14. Lazarus meditated first of the piety and deuotion of the Apostles to our B. Lady perseuering three whole dayes to visite her sepulcher and to honour it with hymnes and canticles togeather with the consorts of Angels who in the same time afforded an admirable harmony of their heauenly melody to the honour of the same Virgin Secondly he considered how S. Thomas comming by the Prouidence of God the third day and desirous to honour the body of the B. Virgin whome he could not serue at her decease as his companions did was cause that they opened the sepulcher to giue him contentment and to behold that sacred treasure layd vp in it and that not fynding it there they acknowledged the glorious Asssiption of the B. Virgin caryed to heauen both body and soule and priuiledged after her death with a prerogatiue of a glorious resurrection before the great and generall day as she was priuiledged with a thousand graces all the course of her life And thereupon came into his memory the prophecy of King Dauid foretelling in these wordes the Resurrection of the Sonne of the mother Psal 133. Arise O Lord into thy rest thou and the Arke of thy Sanctification The wordes also of the Sonne speaking vnto his mother Cant. 4. as vnto his well beloued Spouse Arise my friend my doue and come the winter is now passed the raine is ended and gone make hast my loue without staying for the last general resurrection of men Come betimes from the shadow of the graue and come to the light of heauen for winter is passed with you the showrs of your teares are dried vp he made her make haste not letting her lye three litle and short daies in her Sepulcher So it was meete that that sacred body which had brought forth life should not be swallowed by death and giuen for a prey and foode to wormes nor the matter of incorruption turne to ashes and that she who had by priuiledge beene exempted from originall sin Gen. 3. and the common malediction of women in their childbirth should also be exempted from the paine and malediction incurred by the same which was to be by death turned into dust and ashes Heere Lazarus considered attentiuely the glory of this resurrection which doubtlesse was worthy of the Sonne mother of God and such as the Angels might well admire but not expresse and therefore seeing her ascend they sayd who is she that coming from the desert ascendeth loaden with delights Cant. â— and leauing vpon her well beloued They admired and demaunded and could not otherwise expresse the beauty of this creature And if these celestiall spirits so well seene in all great things do shew by their wondering that they neuer saw the like in heauen what can men say or conceiue of the glory of this Assumption Of the Meditation of this glory particular of the B. The ioy glory of Paradise Virgin Lazarus tooke occasion to thinke of the ioyes of Paradise â—he coÌ„sidered first the essence of that ioy which consisteth in the vision of God a perfect ioy and alone sufficient to satisfy and fill the hart of man which cannot be filled but with the possession of an infinite good and if the knowledge of creatures of the heauens of the starres of other creatures though imperfect and full of obscurity can rauish with ioy the spirits of mortall men in the darknes of this base low world what ioy may redouÌ„d to the blessed soules aboue
meanes of one of them as hauing their force and vigour from them This is the essence of prayer let vs see now what are the conditions partes and vse thereof How Prayer should be made and of the partes and vse thereof CHAP. III. THE Prayer of a Christian must be attentiue deuout The principal partes of Prayer full of loue respect and reuerence to God before whom he speaketh who is King of Kinges and very wisedome bounty and maiesty it selfe It hath three principall partes as haue all other well ordered discourses The entry the body or corps and the end and conclusion The entry or beginning contayneth a short and generall preparatiue prayer also a locall representation of the matter we meditate of which is as the first essay and preamble of prayer It contayneth a particuler prayer which is insteed of a second preamble the generall prayer demandeth of God that it would please him to direct all our intentions to his honour and glory which may be done with hart alone or with hart and mouth also vsing the accustomed prayer of the Church framed for the same end in these termes We beseech thee O Lord to preuent our actions with thy aspiration and to follow them with thy help that all our prayer worke may euer begin at thee and by thee be ended Amen The representation or first preamble The first preaÌ„ble is a certaine imaginary composition or framing of a place where the thing we meditate of was done or of the thing it selfe as of the desert where our Sauiour fasted Mat. 4. if we meditate of his victory against the Diuell or the mount Caluary where he was crucifyed if we meditate of his death or of the B. Virgins chamber where she was saluted by Gabriel if we meditate of the Annunciation and so of other mysteries But if the subiect of the meditation be spirituall insteed of this composition of place The representation of sinne we must imagine some thing conuenient and agreable in maÌ„ner of a parable as if we meditate vpon sinne we may imagine the soule shut vp and imprisoned within the body as in an obscure and loathsome prison and sinne as a cruell and monstrous tyrant a dragon a serpent and such as the Diuell is painted and all the holy Doctours doe sometymes describe it It will help also to haue before our eyes some picture or image of the matter we meditate which may serue insteed of these representations to them that cannot frame this themselues This preamble is very profitable to meditate attentiuely for thereby is setled and restrained our imaginaition which is a flying and wandering faculty going for the most part out of the house without leaue carrying our thoughts sometymes before they are aware as far from the marke or matter as the North is from the South The secoÌ„d preamble The particuler prayer and second preamble is a demand or petition we make to God to graunt vs the grace to reape the fruit we seeke for in the subiect of prayer For example to giue vs charity if our prayer be of that vertue or compunction if we meditate of our sinnes The body or substance of the prayer The body or corps of the prayer contayneth the points of the subiect of the meditation one two three or more as if meditating of the ResurrectioÌ„ of our Sauiour we should make the first point of the tyme or houre of his rysing the second of the glory of his body the third of the souldiers feare that kept the Sepulcher the fourth of the apparition and testimony of the Angells and so in other matters The speach or colloquy endeth the Prayer The end of the prayer containeth a speach which the soule maketh vnto God either with the hart alone or with hart mouth togeather thanking him for his guifts offering our selues to his seruice asking pardon of our sinnes and grace to amend for afterward and finally speaking vnto him as the nature of the meditation shall require and communicating it self in such sort as a deuout and respectiue hart may doe before God This is the right prayer of a Christian which the Pilgrime shall performe euery day Those that haue not yet learned to meditate and contemplate may also pray saying their houres or reading some deuout booke or taking some prayer which they can say by hart as the Pater noster Credo or the like meditating sentence by sentence or word by word Of Iaculatory prayer CHAP. IV. THERE is another kind of prayer Why it is called Iaculatory which is commonly called Iaculatory because it is made shortly and sodenly as if one should throw a dart which is very ordinary and familiar to spirituall persons It is a sodaine excursion and eleuation of the soule ayming at heauen praysing or praying to God or his Saints in short tyme and in few wordes according vnto the occasion we shall presently take of place tyme or other thing saying with hart or mouth God be blessed My God show me thy wayes Iesus help me Glorious Virgin pray for me and such like verses taken out of the Scripture or out of our owne deuotion which manner of praying is figured by the Brocâ—es of gold that were set on the top of the Temple of Hierusalem Ioseph l. 6. de bâ—â—â—o Iudaiâ— c. 6. to the end the Birdes might not perch or sit therein nor either file it with their donge or nestle there and the similitude agreeth well for these prayers being our highest and most subtill thoughts are like little golden Rods sharp on the top of our soule hauing alwayes the point towardes heauen and are very proper to chase away euill suggestions of the Diuells those soule birds and to make all sortes of temptations vanish away at all tymes and places in night and day in coÌ„pany and alone in the citty in silence in talke and discourse the soule may cast out a sodaine sighe a request a desire a prayse of God or some Saint and pray in secret effectually without disturbance Therefore the well aduised Christian must alwayes haue this prayer at hand help himselfe with it as often as he can in the day and specially our Pilgrime all the tyme of his pilgrimage to the end to entertaine himselfe in continuall deuotion and to ouercome temptations alwaies to haue his eare harkening after the mercy of God and to obtaine help and succour of him We will now speake of the Beades and Rosary and of the examination of our conscience Of the Rosary and the manner how to say it CHAP. V. AMONGST the Prayers and meditations which should be frequent and familiar to our Pilgrime of Loreto it is good reason to reckon the Rosary Corone Chaplet in French Of the name of Chaplet oâ— Corone For seeing that all Christian Catholikes doe vse it in the honour of the mother of God much more should her deuoted seruant pilgrime This word
it by true vsing of his grace Loue that rare and boundlesse beauty Loue eke thyne owne felicity Thy Neighbours friends and foes must be inclos'd VVithin the boundes of thy vnfeyned loue For this iust Law was framed and compos'd By God that sittes and ruleth from aboue VVho sayth he loues God not his brother Loueth neither th' one nor th' other The mortall race of mortall men we know Of one sole man did their beginning take So all that from this one did spring and grow One houshold only and no more do make Euery of whome by right of kind To fastest loue doth straitly bind Yet straiter is the knot and neerer band VVherewith God bindes vs in his holy house Sweetly vs conioyning with his blessed hand To be all one in his sole Sonne IESVS VVherto in reason all are lead Since all are members of one head Blessed is that soule which this Law keeps And is found faythfull to her spouse aboue VVho daily him doth seeke and neuer sleeps Burning in the flames of his holy loue VVho ' boue all thinges loues God the best And for his sake loues all the rest The After-dinner and Euening of the ninth dayes Iourney Threats and punishments of man 〈…〉 CHAP. XXII IN the After-noone the 〈…〉 make some repetition of what he meditated 〈…〉 setting before his eyes the threates which God 〈…〉 against mankillers also some examples of such as haue from heauen beene discouered and punished for this sinne contrarywise some others of such as haue byn easily pardoned Math. 2◠All those that take the sword sayth our Sauiour shall perish by the sword And long before that he sayd VVho so shall spill the bloud of man Gen. 9. his bloud shall be spilled for God hath made man to his Image Cain was accursed for killing his brother Gen. 3. and by his owne mouth he condemned himselfe for well worthy of banishment death Plutar. lib Quae animalia sūt prudentiora for his murder Before Pyrrhus King of Epyrus a dogge discouered the murderers of his Maister who were therefore punished Hesiodus his dogge also discouered them who had killed him The swallowes him that had killed his Father The greatest men haue beene most sweet and courteous Moyses Dauid yea euen among Paynimes Alexander Iulius Caesar and the like Great men gētle and courteous and contrarywise slaues base and cowardly people haue beene fierce and cruell to reuenge Our Sauiour the patterne of all perfect and high vertue was wonderfull in this which he shewed at all occasions where he might make triall but most cleerly in the last distresse of his death and passion when he prayed that diuine prayer for his enemyes who crucifyed him encountring with a singular exploite of clemency the cruelty of his crucifyers Hauing discoursed vpon these examples and the like and sayd his beades or some other prayer to the B. Virgin he shal end his iourney betake him to his lodging The tenth day A Meditation vpon the 6. Commandement Thou shalt not commit Adultery CHAP. XXIII THE sixth Commandement shall be the matter of the tenth dayes Meditation The sixth commādement well placed after forbidding to kill which followeth very fitly after the forbidding of killing for the second and next iniury a second death whereby a man may offend and hurt his owne body or his neighbour is adultery and as by murdering the society of men is iniuried so also by adultery fornication and other such vices of the flesh the cōmon wealth is dishonoured disturbed with confusion of children The preparation and preamble shall be as before the substance of the meditatiō shal consist in these pointes following The first point shall ponder that this precept prohibiteth not only adultery Al impurity forbidden which man or wife committeth but also all kind of impurity all that may cause it as thoughtes words touchings lookes kissings gestures dishonest songs vaine superfluous attire wanton talke dissolute beholding paynting vnchast bookes and such like allurements to this vice Adultery is named as the principal head the other acts as making way thereunto and as complices to the crime How pleasing to God purity of body is The 2. shall be employed to meditate how cleanesse and purity of body is in it self pleasing to God and his Angels It is a vertue wholy heauenly diuine for to liue in flesh and not to sinne with the flesh is to liue in spirit and to be like those heauenly spirits who liue without stayne of flesh The Sonne of God made thereof so great account that he would be borne of a virgin he preached chastity and by all meanes inuited mē thereunto he would haue about his Altars ministers not maried but perpetually chast virgins also in his house as Queens betroathed to his maiesty by vow of virginity barren in body but in soule fertill in all sortes of vertuous workes Finally he hath restrained the mariage of all those that liuing vnder the name of Christians Chastity in euery vocatiō will be maried to one only wife establishing a law of Chastity in all estates and degrees of his houshould The 3. point shall consider how contrariwise Impurity is as pleasing to the Diuell our capitall enemy The sin of the flesh pleasing vnto the Diuel wherfore as it is displeasing to God our Creatour For though this wicked spirit hauing no body cannot directly take any pleasure therein notwithstanding it pleaseth him wonderfully well knowing that it displeaseth God and that aboue all other sinnes it maketh a man forget both heauen and hell for there is none doth so darken the iudgement and vnderstanding of man and take away the tast of heauenly things the feare of hell fire that doth more draw man from heauen and from saluation and that maketh him more carnall more stupide and beastly By meanes wherof this old preuaricator vseth all his craft deuises possible to make men fall thereinto therein to hold and keep them vnto old age yea euen vnto death Against playes wanton bookes To this purpose he inflameth their flesh with extraordinary fire by al sortes of enticements he chafeth them by charmes he proposeth them playes and comedyes which in Threaters may represent vnto them the fond fancies and loues as Painters do in the pictures of Amadis and such other wanton Writers which paint them in the bookes of base soules Against lasciuious Poets vnder the name of Poets who like trumpets of flesh and ignominy blow forth without blushing and with full mouth the shame of their owne others passions and finally he worketh al the wayes to giue the reines and liberty to this Cupid infernal Theon euen vnto the transforming himselfe into man or woman cloathing himselfe with figure and fantasticall body to pollute and defile the bodyes and soules of those whome he would hold fast in the fetters and chaynes of his tyranny thence
shall note that for the performance as well of the Commandements as of the Counsells God giueth his grace The grace of God the general meanes to keep the CommaÌ„dements and all necessary vertues And as hauing made the world for the sustenance of his Creatures he hath withall giuen them naturall industrie to seeke for it proper and fit instruments to practise and vse their industry to the bird his wings and beake to flie to the fish his sinnes and bones as oares to swimme force for fishing to beastes clawes and teeth for hunting In like sort giuing to man the Commandements of life euerlasting he hath also giuen him meanes to practise the one to the end to gayne the other S. Thom. 1.2 qu. 111. art 16. This meanes is Grace not only that which Deuines call Grace that maketh gratefull but also the other called Grace gratuite which is indeed a fauour of God but of it selfe maketh him not absolutly good who hath it such as are Eloquence Prophecy discerning of spirits guifts of healing and such like presents and gifts from heauen common to the good and bad which S. Paul comprehendeth in few wordes in his first Epistle to the Corinthians They are both giuen freelie but the first is called Grace making grateful for the noble effect thereof 1. Cor. 12. which is to iustify by remission of sinnes and to make him that possesseth it the friend of God whose singular spirituall guift it is supernaturall a diuine quality Effects of grace to iustify adorne the soule which infused into the soule cleanseth from all filth maketh it iust by those supernaturall vertues she bringeth with her doth beautify her in all her faculties enlighteneth the vnderstanding rectifieth the will fortifieth the memory quencheth concupiscence and finally driuâ—th out all that may displease the eyes of that soueraigne beauty furnisheth her with all vertues as it were with heauenly dressings and attires that might worthily adorne her as a spouse decked with her mariage garment and iewells as S. Iohn speaketh Apoc. 21.2 so maketh her euery way gratious to her espouse Creatour Now then as God produceth in nature food and corporall sustenance by natural causes as Fishes by the water apples by the aple-trees Figs by fig trees and so other effects by their proper causes in like sort doth he giue in his Church his graces by the Sacraments as by supernaturall causes SacrameÌ„ts vessels instrumeÌ„ts of this grace contayning it as the cause doth the effect which are therfore called vessells and instruments of grace which they containe as the cause coÌ„teyneth the effect as the Sunne heat the cherry-tree cherryes and so in others And these be seauen all which haue this in common to powre the grace of God into the soule or to increase and augment it besides euery one produceth his particuler fruit and effect Baptisme giuing vs fayth maketh the spirituall birth or regeneration and placeth a man in the number of the children of God Confirmation giueth increase of heauenly strength couragiously to confesse the same faith and the name of Iesus Christ The Eucharist is ordayned for the food of the soule to keep it in good case to preserue it from euill and to put in the body the seed of a glorious resurrection Pennance is a medicine against sinne physike for the soule and a reconciliation thereof with God Mariage is for the comfort of the maried and for the holynes of corporal generation Order is for the lawfull creation and multiplication of Priestes Officers in the house of God Extreme vnction is for necessary armour and defence in the last conflict of this life The third shall consider that this grace on one side bringeth with it as we haue sayd This grace â—aâ—s with it al vertues the ornaments and riches of all the most goodly vertues euen as the heaueÌ„ly riuer that flowed out of earthly Paradise carrying in her course and streame sands of most fine gold and many sortes of precious stones wherewith it enriched the land it watered and on the other side it puts force and vigour to the vertues Gen. 2 11 which finding themselues in a sullied soule are in a manner dead wiâ—hout fructifying to life euerlasting It giueth fayth to those that haue it not as in Baptisme and quickeneth their faith who haue it but dead as to Christians in mortall sinne whome she calleth to a better course cleansing their sinne by the Sacrament of Pennance she giueth hope to them that want it and fortifyeth them that haue it weakly she giueth charity or rather is charity her selfe the most precious pearle that is in the treasury of the holy Ghost a vertu aboue all other most acceptable to God and making the soule acceptable to him These three vertues are called Theologicall The vertues Theological Why so called because they haue God Theón as their first and direct obiect they speake of him as of their proper subiect and do most neerly concerne his seruice for by them we belieue in him hope in him and loue him and honour him as our soueraigne Lord according to his law as we haue sayd els where The same Grace giueth or perfecteth the other vertues called Morall The vertues Cardinall wherof some be called Cardinall-vertues for being the principall spring of diuers others and they are foure Prudence that maketh vs aduised in our actions to the end not to deceaue our selues or our Neighbour Iustice that teacheth vs to giue euery one his owne Temperence which is the bridle of our desires and appetites And Fortitude which giueth our soule courage to sustaine any dangerous encounter and valiantly to expose her selfe to death for the honour of God and our owne saluation or our Neighbours and out of these foure springs do arise Diligence Liberality of Humility The daughters of the Cardinal vertues Religion Piety Chastity and other qualityes which she giueth eyther altogeather or els doth perfect theÌ„ and adorne them as that Queene was adorned of whome Dauid song in these wordes The Queene stood on thy right hand cloathed in garments of gold Psal 44.10 compassed about with variety This Queene is the deuout Soule the gold is the grace of God this variety are the sondry and diuers vertues and graces wherewith she is garnished as the body with precious attires of sundry stuffes and fashions The fourth and fifth pointes of the precedent Meditation The seauen guiftes of the Holy Ghost and the eight Beatitudes CHAP. XXXII THE fourth point shall consider how further to purify these foresayd vertues and to rayse the prayse of them by some particuler quality God hath ioyned vnto them the guifts of the Holy Ghost Wisedome Vnderstanding Counsell Fortitude Knowledge Piety and the Feare of God Esa 11. Hier. 16. Amb. c. 20 Aug. 209. de temp 17. de Sanctis By Wisedome we doe perfectly know our end and constantly doe
plagues to the families of Men and hath marked them all with her infernall brood her malignity was so great and strong that there must be an eternity of punishments to chastice it the infection so deadly that the quickening and life-giuing bloud was necessary to cleanse it O mortall men whereof thinke you when you do the works of death Where is your memory not remembring what is passed Where is your prouideÌ„ce not regarding what is to come Where is your hart and wit yielding your loue to so monstrous and detestable an enemy O sweet Iesus made man for my sinnes crucifyed for my sinnes and raised againe for my iustice pardon me my sinnes which were too great to be pardoned were not thy mercy infinit and by the same mercy keep me from offending thee any more giue me tears to bewaile those I haue committed force to forbeare heerafter both which guifts are worthy of thee and both most necessary to me O Blessed Virgin yet againe To the B. Virgin now alwayes be my Aduocate it is the honour of thy sonne that I may obtaine my suite and the saluation of thy poore and deuoted Pilgrime The after-dinner and Euening of the seauenteenth dayes Iourney The effects of S nne and diuers paines CHAP. XXXIX THE rest of the day the Pilgrime shall imploy his houres to ruminate and repeat some particuler effects of sinne the better to know and detest it He shal see how it made the chief Angell so impudent and wicked The first exploit of the diuel that with the first vse of his language he durst accuse his Creatour of enuy and malice in that he had forbidden the tree of knowledge of good and euill to Adam and Eue that they might not be like Gods carrying vnder the colour of this blasphemous calumniation Gen. 3. that poisoned â—art wherewith he stroke to death this poore ill aduised woman and by her her husband Adam by him all mankind he shall cast his eyes vpon the enuy of Cain Gen. 7.21 which made him lift vp his hand to embrew the earth with his brothers bloud to the dissolution of all mortall men togeather buryed in the reuenging waues of the vniuersall Deluge to the pride of the Babylonians bâ—ilding against heaueÌ„ to their owne confusion the impurity of the fiue sinning Cittyes drowned in fire and brimstone the auarice of Giezi Gen. 11.4 Gen. 19.25 4. Peâ— 50. â—atth 26 Luc. 16.19 and of Iudas to the riot of the rich Glutton and other sinners and sinnes By the view whereof he shall conceaue an immortall hatred and shal firmely purpose to serue God withall his hart for the tyme to come without euer offending him neuer so little willingly and towards night hauing made some particuler prayer to the Blessed Virgin he shall thinke of his lodging The eighteenth day A meditation of Death the first effect of sinne CHAP. XL. To whoÌ„ the remeÌ„braÌ„ce of death is grieuous to whom profitable THERE is nothing more vnpleasant then the memory of death to them that doe not liue well nothing is more profitable to those that desire well to gouerne their actions for to liue and reigne alwayes and therefore the Pilgrime shall help himselfe with the meditation of death very fitly after that of sinne the father of death This meditation shal haue all his whole and entire partes The Prayer preparatory as alwayes before The first Preamble shall represent a man stretched on his bed in the agony of death The second shall demand grace to reape particuler profit of this exercise The first point shall set before myne eyes that decree and sentence of death giuen by the supreme Iudge on the person of our first Father Adam Gen. 3. Thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne againe and executed on the body of him al that haue come of him except Enoch and Elias who notwithstanding shall dye also in their tyme. And therefore S. Paul sayth It is ordayned for all men once to dye Heb. 9.17 Of this meditation he shall marke that as there is nothing more sure and certaine then Death so also there is nothing more vncertaine then the houre and manner thereof and the estate wherein it shall find the soule Eccles 9. whether in grace or in sinne when it shall dislodge and remoue from her body By which circumstance he must stirre vp himselfe to watch and seeke all the meanes and wayes he can to put himselfe in good order and preparation for feare of being surprised and taken vnawares by reason of such vncertainty The second shall be to consider the accidents that do accompany this last conflict The conflict of death as well in soule as in body the remembrance of thinges passed the feare of that is to come the prickinges of griefs and desires the assaults of the Diuell the fayling of our senses and facultyes the coldnes of our members and the benumming of all partes of the body the dole and extreme anguish in the distresse of death all which thinges foreseene will teach vs what danger it is Math. 25. to deferre our preparation to the concurrence of so many calamityes miseryes and infirmityes and to go buy oyle for our lampes What followeth after death the soule saued oâ— damned when it will be tyme to enter into the bridegroomes chamber The third point shall meditate what followeth incontinently after death which is the iudgment of the soule either to saluation or damnation for she is eyther placed among the children of God be it by passing by if she need purgation oâ— presently if she be cleane to enter into heauen reigne there for euer or els carryed away in company of the Diuells to hell there to suffer eternall torments if she left the body seized with any mortall sinne The body in the meane tyme is put into the ground for food to wormes serpents his goods are parted to the liuing who will make merry therewith perhaps will laugh at him for hauing laboured so much for them The speach shall be to Iesus Christ in these wordes O my sweet Redeemer thou hast suffered death to deliuer me from death and hast ouercome death to make me conquerour thereof graunt me by this thy infinit charity and diuine victory the grace to vse and enioy the benefit which thy death hath brought to me and so well to prepare my selfe against this combat of death so valiantly to wrastle with it Psal 115. and so happily to ouercome it that my death may be of those the Prophet speaketh The death of his Saints is precious in the eyes of God and not of those of whome the same Prophet sayth Psal 33. The death of sinners is most miserable Thou saydst sometimes to thy Apostles and Disciples VVatch and stand ready for the Sonne of Man will come at an houre when you thinke not of him And againe Math. 24. 25. VValke
the spirituall leprosy dead in sinne buried in her filth abhominable before thyne eyes a marke for thy fury a prey to death and eternall confusion O my Redeemer immortall thankes be to thy infinite mercy for this great benefit since thy mercy hath no boundes add also O sweet Iesu to this benefit the firmnesse of a holy perseuerance whereby I may alwayes preserue the Temple of my soule body pure neat from all filth ordure of sinne Conserue O Lord the house thou camest to purify 2. Mach. 14.36 Psal 50.5 by the light heat of thy holy Spirit cleanse it beautify it alwayes more and more and more and more wash me from my sinnes purge me of my sinnes giue me grace that as I haue hitherto serued the Flesh the World and the Diuell the most cruell enemies of my good and saluation so I may with all my force loue honour and serue thee for heerafter O my life my Creatour and Sauiour descended into earth and made man to seeke me poore strayed sheep and make me participant of thy deity ascended also vp to the Crosse there to shed thy precious bloud to wash and cleanse me there to dye to giue me life Graunt O Prince of mercy that for all thy benefits I may affoard thee an humble an entire seruice vnto my last gaspe to liue after this mortall soiourning eternally with thee and to glorify thee in heauen where thou liuest and reigning with the Father in the vnity of the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen This shal be the shutting of the 21. day and third weeke finishing the first period of his pilgrimage the which representeth as we haue sayd the life of those which beginne the way of vertue the way of Purgation by vertues purgatiue In the morning the Pilgrime shal begin his second part which representeth the estate of those that are gone forward and aduanced in the way of perfection and light THE PILGRIMES ABODE AT LORETO The two and twentith day and the first of his abode A Meditation vpon the holy Eucharist CAHP. I. FOR the meditation of the first dayes iourney of this second Part of his Pilgrimage the Pilgrime shall fitly take the subiect of the Eucharist for he cannot better begin to honour this holy place then with so holy an action nor more refresh solace the trauaile of his pilgrimage then by this refectiō nor better open the doore of his soule to the light of the Holy Ghost then by the receauing of such a Sacrament and this should be the first meale and the last banquet of euery true Pilgrime he shal make his Meditation early in the morning at the holy house with these partes The prayer preparatory accustomed shal demand grace to direct all his actions to the glory of God and saluation of his soule In the first preamble he shall set before his eyes the history of the two Pilgrimes Luc. 14. Aug. epist 50. ad Paulin. who first of all other Christians receaued at our Sauiours handes after his resurrection in the village called Emaus The second shall demand a speciall light well to penetrate the maiesty and profit of this mystery The first Point Of three figures of the Holy Sacrament CHAP. II. THE first point of the meditation shall containe three old Figures Gen. 14.18 among diuers others of this B. Sacrament The first is the Sacrifice of Melchisedech sometyme King of Salem and high Priest who entertayning Abraham as he returned victorious from the battaile offered to God Bread and VVine in thankes-giuing for the victory blessed him and refreshed him and his companie Our Sauiour the true Melchisedech in figure of the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Iesus Christ the Christian Eucharist which the same Iesus Christ the true Melchisedech the true King of peace and high Bishop did institute and ordaine when in his last supper he did communicate his Apostles giuing them his Body to eat vnder the figure of Bread and his Bloud to drinke vnder the figure of Wine after the order and forme of the Sacrifice of Melchisedech and making them his Vicars and Deputies commanded them and their Successours in their person to do the same Luc. 22 1◠and to continue this Sacrifice and Supper in his name remembrance which hath heene alwayes performed hitherto and shall be alwayes heereafter vnto the worldes end For as Iesus Christ is Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech and not of Aaron whose Priesthood togeather with the sacrifices were ended and fullfilled on the Crosse so his Sacrifice according to this order of Melchisedech shall be perpetual and euerlasting in yielding of thankes to God and in the feeding and refection of Christians the spirituall children of Abraham Psal 109. fighting in the Church heere militant on earth and shall one day triumph altogeather in heauen returning cōquerours from the combat The second Figure is the sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe which was ordayned the night before the deliuerance of the Hebrewes Exod. 12. from the captiuity of Aegypt and continued in remembrance of this great benefit vntill that our Sauiour the true Lambe did institute our Eucharist of his precious Body and Bloud in the euening before his Passion and our Redēption and shall continue as a memoriall thereof vntill he come againe not to be iudged and condemned to death as he was at his first comming but to iudge the world by the weights of their workes to kill death for euer after and to deliuer his children from all euill The third Figure is the Manna Exod. 15.16 giuen from heauen to the Hebrewes whilest they were Pilgrimes in the wildernesse walking towardes the land of promise euen so the Eucharist the true bread of heauen and the true drinke is giuen in the Church of God for the solace and sustenance of our soules in the desert of this world and for our prouision and food vntill we be brought to the land of the liuing in heauen The second point Of the Maiesty of our Sauiour in this Blessed Sacrament CHAP. III. THE second point shall be to meditate in this Sacrament first the power of our Sauiour Power conuerting by his almighty word the Bread into his body and the Wine into his bloud Second y the goodnes of the same Sauiour who hauing giuen himselfe a price and ransome for our Redemption Goodnes hath also vouchsafed to giue himselfe for food and to vnite himselfe with his creature soule to soule body to body in the straitest manner that can be imagined Thirdly the diuine wisedome Wisedome seasoning and tempering this precious food in so familiar and easy a fashion vnder the forme and taste of bread and Wine of the one side facilitating our senses to the taking of his flesh and bloud without horrour and on the other side instructing our fayth to vnderstand and acknowledge the vnion of faithfull Christians made heerby one
Bread one Body one Bloud one Flesh in Iesus Christ to the likenes of materiall Bread which is composed of diners graines and wine made of many grapes as our Doctours doe expound The third point Of the effects of this Holy Sacrament CHAP. IV. The effects of B. Sacrament S. Tho. 3. quest 79. THE third shall be to consider the effects of this diuine mystery which are many The 1. wherof is to Quicken and giue the grace of God the life of the soule as our Sauiour sayth He that eateth me shall liue by me The second to Nourish and increase the same grace euen as corporall meate maintaineth life Ioan. 6. and maketh the body to growe The third to Enlighten the spirit as appeareth by the first Communion which our Sauiour after his resurrection gaue vnto his two Disciples at Emaus by the which their eyes were opened they knew their Maister presently Luc. 24. Aug. epist. 59. ad Paulin. whome before they knew not they belieued that he was risen againe whome they thought had beene still in his graue The fourth to Vnite the soule with God and with our Neighbour and to dissolue all emnity and discord so teacheth our Sauiour He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Ioan. 6. Act. 4.31 remaineth in me and I in him An effect which did manifestly appeare in the first Christians who receaued euery day of whome it is sayd that they were one hart one soule The fifth to Enkindle deuotion and Charity towardes God and men euen as bread and wine doth increase the vitall spirits and heate the body The sixth to Extinguish quench the concupiscence of flesh and to preserue from sinne as a remedy against the flesh of our first Father Adam by the which men were defyled and made prone to sinne The seauenth to Fortify and strengthen vs against all the stormes and tribulatiōs of this mortall life Dauid prophesying of this effect sayd Thou hast prouided a table for me Psal 22.5 against those that trouble me So we read that the Prophet Elias persecuted by Queene Iezabel and constrained to fly through the desert 3. Reg. 19 sustained the trauaile of fourty dayes and fourty nights with the refection of that bread which the Angell had brought him which was a figure of this our Angelicall bread the flesh of our Sauiour The eight to Contente fill and reioyce the soule which of it selfe cannot be satisfyed or filled or find any firme or solid repose in things of the earth although she had them all alone euen so Christians in the beginning of the Church made no reckoning of riches but reioyced in possessing nothing and in suffering some thing for the name of Iesus The last to Bring to euerlasting glory for this deified Flesh holily and deuoutly receaued breedeth in the soule an insatiable desire of her heauenly Cōtrey and transporteth and carryeth the hart and affection to heauen and giueth to the body a seed of the glorious resurrection which is signifyed by the wordes of our Sauiour Ioan. 6.54 He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Bloud hath life euerlasting and I will rayse him againe at the last day After these considerations the Pilgrime shall admire the greatnes of this guift and benefit and in his admiration shall say this prayer following A speach to God and thankesgiuing CHAP. V. O My soueraigne Lord and sweet Redeemer I behould in all thy diuine workes and especially in the Sacramēt of thy Blessed Body that thy power is infinite that thy wisedome is a depth thy bounty a sea without bottome or bounds thou hast made all this visible world of nothing for the vse of man thou hast allied thy selfe to the house of Adam The liberality of our Sauiour and taking thereof a mortall body and matching and marrying it with thy diuinity wast made man to make man God thou hast giuen this body on the Crosse a ransome for our redemption not content with so great a liberality hast also left it in this mystical Table of thy Church for the nourishing of our soules and the resurrection of our bodyes tying thy selfe with this second band of loue and charity neuer heard of with all euery one of thy members What shall I wonder at in this mystery and guift Thy almightines His power Who hast so wonderfully changed this common and mortall bread into thy glorious and immortall Body by the same authority and power wherwith it made the whole world of nothing but with greater meruaile and miracle for this Body is more worth then a thousand worlds Shall I admire thy wonderfull wisedome His wisedome which in the heauēly Table of this thy body dost teach vs Faith Hope and Charity Humility Obedience Prudence Chastity Fortitude Piety Meeknes and all other goodly Christian vertues And whereas other bodyes could not nourish ours but for a tyme this Body duly receaued doth feed and fat the soule with spirituall riches His boūty and powreth into our flesh the seed of immortality Shall I admire thy infinit bounty in making vs this present of thy Body a present that surpasseth the price of al things created a present of thyne owne selfe of infinit valew for with the same Body thou gauest vs thy soule and deity which are inseparable companions and therefore in this holy Table we haue a liuely figure and pledge of the future felicity which shall be to liue in heauen of thy selfe and to enioye the immortall food of thy selfe what shall I then say of this banquet O my Redeemer but only that I am oppressed and ouerwhelmed in the consideratiō of thy infinite power wisedome and goodnes O deere depth O sweet Sauiour what wilt thou worke in them who haue this grace to receaue thee holily Do me sweet Iesus this fauour thus to eate and receaue thee and to see my selfe alwayes drowned in the depth of thy infinite charity How to Heare Masse CHAP. VI. HAVING finished his prayer he shall heare the diuine Office and goe to Confession if he need and shall heare Masse to receaue afterward which to do profitably it is good to know the manner that euery Christian must keep to heare it well Purity deuotion to heare Masse First he must haue his soule not only pure as much as may be from sinne but also prepared with a speciall deuotion for sinne is a generall barre to all blessinges and therefore whosoeuer will fruitfully assist the diuine mysteryes get good by hearing or dealing with them he must be cleansed from sinne by Confession and if he want meanes therto by holy contrition and sorrow for his faults with purpose to confesse at his next commodity as we haue sayd elswhere Attentiō to help deuotiō Secondly he must be attentiue to euery part thereof to enkindle deuotion Our Pilgrime as also any man els that loueth piety shall consider three thinges which he must haue learned in
the Cathechizme schoole Masse the chiefe actioÌ„ in the Church The 1. that Masse is the most noble and high Action that is or euer was done in the Church of God for it is the sacrifice of Christians a sacrifice of all sacrifices the verity and vnity of all the old ones in the law of Nature and of Moyses Old sacrifices gaue no grace which were but figures and shadowes heereof In those were only the bodyes of bruit beastes other offeringes of small vertue or valew as which could not forgiue sinne in this is offered an vnbloudy sacrifice after the order of Melchisedech that very body which was offered on the Crosse in a bloudy sacrifice after the order of Aaron Chrys â— c. 6â— ad po â—ntiâ—◠〈◊〉 13 in Mat the body not of the creature but of the Creatour the Body of God of inestimable valew the Body whereby the soueraigne Iustice was fully satisfyed the whole world redeemed and wherwith the soules of the faithfull are nourished and their bodyes quickened and in which the world shall be iudged that Body which maketh an offering most highly acceptable to God and most profitable to his Church because it is the body of his Sonne by the which he hath beene most highly honoured as also because it was offered by the same Sonne himselfe whose vicar only the Priest is as in Baptisme and the other Sacraments wherein our Sauiour as the first cause worketh baptizeth confirmeth absolueth by the meanes of the Priest as by an instrument and this being the body of God there is also his soule and deity and all the Court of heauen to honour the body of their King The second thing which the Pilgrime shall consider is the admirable manner whereby this Body is made present vpon the Altar and there remayneth present How the body of Christ is present in the Masse for it is not by any naturall or common cause but as we haue sayd by the almighty word of our Sauiour who made the world of nothing the which word doth transubstantiate the Bread Wine into his Body and Bloud that is make the substance of his Body succeed the substance of Bread which departeth there remaineth notwithstanding the colour tast and other accidents of Bread and Wine vnder the which as vnder a veile the Body and Bloud of our Sauiour are present as long as these accidents remaine in their being which are so many wonders aboue nature as there be sortes of thinges therein The profit which the well disposed soule receaueth of the Masse and so many testimonies of the infinit power wisedome and goodnes of God the worker of such high effects The third is the fruit we may reape by the good disposition wherewith we heare Masse and the danger in hearing it negligently our Pilgrime therefore shall come prouided and instructed in the meditation of these three sayd thinges and thereby shall take occasion to conceaue a profound respect and a great admiration with a like affection towardes this diuine and most admirable mystery Besides this generall preparatioÌ„ he shall endeauour also to be attentiue to all the parts of the Masse and to draw particuler profit from each of them following with his eares eyes mouth and hart all the actions of the Priest sacrificing and therefore hauing answeared him to the prayers and the Confession which he maketh at his entrance vnto the Altar he shall accompany him through all the Actions of the Sacrifice which are foure How the Christian should behaue himselfe in euery part of the Masse CHAP. VII IN the first part of the Masse which is from the beginning to the Offertory Foure parts of the Masse he shall heare the Introite or Entry of the masse the Epistle the Ghospell the Creed the Offertory and specially the prayers and if he vnderstand no latin it shall suffice that he know in generall that the Priest readeth Scripture that he prayeth to God and prepareth himselfe to the sacrifice which knowledge is sufficient to giue life and quickening to his deuotion and so for his part shall prepare himselfe saying his owne prayers to God The Masse an abridgemeÌ„t of al old Sacrifices and of all actes of deuotio and specially he shall haue regard to the ceremonies of the Priest which are naturall marks and signes speaking in a language common and intelligible to all the world both learned and ignorant and distilling into the soule the Maiesty of this diuine action by all the meanes wayes that a mystery can be carryed to the hart of the beholders For as the Eucharist is an abridgement of all the old Sacrifices so is the Masse of all the ceremonies which man doth naturally vse to confesse Chrys in Psalm 9. Aug. ciuit l 17. c. 20. Leoho 8. de passio Domini Psal 121. â— reuerence and adore the supreme deity and which holy men haue vsed as holy Scripture do teach vs. Therein the Priest employeth the noblest parts and gestures of his body with all the facultyes of his soule his vnderstanding will and memory He hearkeneth what he readeth and what God sayth to him in his Scriptures he lifteth his eyes to heauen in token that there he acknowledgeth God to reigne whome he imploreth he casteth them downe in signe of humility he lifteth vp and ioyneth his handes Luc. 18.13 Psal 13â— Phil. â— stretcheth abroad his armes boweth his knees turnes him from the East vnto the West from the West vnto the East from the South vnto the North from the North vnto the South he kisseth the Altar with his mouth he prayseth God with his tongue he speaketh high he speaketh low he keepeth silence he serueth the smelling with Incense he takes giues the refection of the sacrifice Finally he imployeth togeather with his soule all the senses and religious offices of his body to the homage of this mysterious and diuine seruice and affoardeth as many meanes to excite the hart vnto deuotion The Pilgrime then shall note the whole and shall draw profit from the whole conforming himselfe to the mouinges and exteriour ceremonies and performing interiourly according to his power togeather with the Priest that which they signify In the second part The 2. part of the Masse which is from the Offertory to the Consecration where the Priest offers to God the Bread and Wine to consecrate and pronounceth with a low voice sundry godly prayers asking the diuine assistance He shal offer with him the bread and the wine offered by him and shall offer vp himselfe namely when the Priest turneth him exhorting the assistants to pray to God to the end â—e â—â—ceaue this sacrifice in a gratefull odour saying Orate fratres Pray Breâ—hren c. at which warning he shall say the prayer which he sayeth who serueth in the name of all the people in these wordes Our Lord receaue this sacrifice at thy handes to the prayse and glory of his name
from the history of the creation of the world where it is sayd That God created light before all thinges This light was the matter whereof God framed the Sunne the fourth day as S. Denu sayth which is a figure of the Conception of the B. Virgin Gen. 1.26 S. Denis c. 4. de diu nominibus the mysticall light whome God brought forth without corruption out of the barenesse of Ioachim and Anne as of nothing therof afterward to forme the humanity of Iesus Christ the Sunne of the world and to cause of her to be borne both God and Man S. Tho. 3. p. q. 60. c. 12. the fourth day that is in the Law of grace which is the fourth estate o◠day of the world the first day hauing beene vnder sinne the second vnder the law of Nature the third vnder the law of Moyses Procl ser de natiuit Deiparat The second figure shall be the earth whereof Adam was made which was free from malediction wherto it was after subiect for sinne As therefore the first earth the matter of the first Adam was in the beginning without any curse or malediction S. Bruno Carth. in Psal 101. so the second earth whereof the second Adam Iesus Christ was to be formed was without the malediction of that originall staine in her conception Pet. Dam. in serm de virg Ass Dominic tract de corpore Christi The third shal be Gedeons Fleece wherein the Pilgrime shall consider that as the Fleece is ingendred without corruption and feeleth no passion of the Body so the Blessed Virgin was in her generation without sinne or any stayne of concupiscence a prerogatiue giuen only to her aboue al other children of Adam ingendred by the ordinary course in respect that she was to be the mother of God by another prerogatiue vnheard of before Luc. 2.44 Ieremy and S. Iohn were indeed sanctifyed in the wombe of their Mother notwithstanding they were first infected Ierem 15. Hier. in 3. Isa they were healed but not exempted from that wound The B. Virgin by a more noble priuiledge was preserued both from the wound and from the scarre thereof The third point shall consider some prophecyes of the same Conception Psal 84. as out of Dauid Lord thou hast blessed thy earth that is the Sonne of God who should preserue from sinne the Virgin that was to be his Mother Ar. ibid. Isid ad Floren. Also The Highest hath sanctifyed his Tabernacle that is the Virgin who was to be the Tabernacle of God and therefore was by him prepared and sanctifyed from the beginning with a sanctificatiō most meet for such a Sonne Psalm 48. and such a Mother In the same sense sayth Salomon Sap. 9. Wisedome hath built her selfe a house It is then a most perfect house seeing Wisedome it selfe hath built it a house all beautifull in the foundation and euery part according to an other prophecy Cant. 4. Thou art all beautifull and there is no spot in thee In the fourth point he must consider that for diuers reasons Why her conception was sāctified The first reason The 2. this Conception was to be exempted from Originall sinne 1. For that it was no way decent that the Virgin which should conceaue the Sonne of God should be marked in her generation with that spot which maketh men children of the Diuell for thereby the Sonne had beene some way dishonoured 2. Seeing that sundry seruants of her Sonne were both before and after her sanctifyed in their mothers wombe as Hieremy and S. Iohn as we haue sayd it were reason that the generation of the Mother of the Holy of Holyes should be honoured with some more noble prerogatiue and that not ōly she should be cleansed from sinne as other Saints were but also preserued from all vncleanesse in her Mothers wombe as she was in all her life The third 3. For that in this prerogatiue do shine the power wisedome and goodnes of God for heere appeared the worke of an Almighty Power in hindring that the poison which infected all the children of Adam in their origen should not in any sort touch either flesh or soule of her who was chosen to beare the soueraigne Physician of mankind There appeared the glory of his infinite wisedome Wisedom in that he could separate vnto himselfe a Mother free from all sort of sin therin appeared the liberality of his soueraigne bounty not only in hauing so plentifully bestowed his graces vpon this glorious Virgin but also in hauing preserued her from all euill Bounty from the first instant of her being These shall be the 4. points of his morning meditation out of all which the Pilgrime shall gather cōclusions either to exalt the greatnes of the diuine Maiesty and to admire it in this his worke or to stirre vp himselfe to the reuerence of the Mother of God and to enkindle himselfe to deuotion in her holy seruice to the glory of the Creatour admirable in th◠framing of this his Creature Be thou therefore eternally praysed A Prayer to God O Creatour of all thinges and soueraigne Maker of the Mother of thy Sonne Thou didst appeare great admirable in creating the heauēs the throne of thy Maiesty and the earth thy footstoole yet dost thou appeare more wonderfull in this worke for thou madest in her an heauen and earth of which stuffe thy Sonne was to make and take the cloake of his holy humanity a heauen which out of her substance should giue the Sunne of the world an earth that should bring forth the Sauiour of the world a heauen and earth conceiued miraculously of the barren to conceaue afterward by a greater miracle him that made heauen and earth and all things of nothing O happy houre that gaue the beginning to this diuine generation and more happy that measured the progresse and most happy that saw it perfect and finished To the B. Virgin O noble Virgin O noble seed of our heauenly light O earth of our fruit O mother of our saluation who can worthily speake of the course of thy life seeing the very beginning thereof exceedeth the tongues and capacities of men and Angells The After-dinner of the three and twentith Day Of the purity of Christian actions in their intention CHAP. XIIII IN the afternoone the Pilgrime shal attend as the day before to pious works shall hear◠the sermon diuine Office shall read some good booke shall conferre with his Ghostly Father or other deuout persons shall say his beads giue almes or beg for himselfe or others sing some Hymne of the B. Virgin or heare the Salue Regina song or some other for the tyme. In the euening he shall make his meditation in the Church vpon some point of his morning meditatiō labouring throughly to know and prayse the greatnes and goodnes of of God in the excellent purity of this Conception shall vnderstand
our fayth Demand of humane reason and of philosophy if a mans body deuoured by beasts or turned into ashes can rise againe to life They will tell you that it is impossible and will mocke at the Resurrection as hertofore did Epicurus and the Philosophers of his schoole as also your ministers do mocke other mysteries of our fayth namely that of the Altar the truth wherof they impugne saying that one body can not be in diuers places that it caÌ„not be without occupying place without being seene and touched which are reasons drawn raw from philosophy which hath onely the eyes of nature not of fayth which teacheth that God is mightier then nature That he is faythfull to performe what he had sayd Now it is he that sayd This is my body then although by the lawes of nature a body could not be in diuers places yet it may by the power of God EueÌ„ so to touch the point of our purpose although a mans body cannot naturally liue without his entrailes yet by the power of God and by miracle it may And what will you say Ios Acost hist lid lib. 3. cap. 23. if I shall adde that a man whome the Paynims in Mexico did sacrifice these yeares past did speake after they pulled out his hart And if you receiue not this history will you belieue what a great Physician affirmeth to haue happened hertofore Galen lib. 2. de Placit that diuers beasts that were to be sacrificed and cast vpon the Aultar did breath cry and rore aloud yea also runne sometime after their harts were taken out The Physician by the way sayd this is very true our Galen hath left it in writing Arist. de gen aâ—iâ—t lib. 2. c. 4. And yet sayd Lazarus proceeding Philosophy teacheth that the hart is the fountaine of life and the part that liueth first and dyeth last in the bodies of beasts Now whether you belieue these testimonies or no it importeth not much at the least you should belieue that God can make a man liue speake and walke without entrayles though humane reason and nature should say that by their lawes it could not be And if you had rather follow reason then religioÌ„ which teacheth that God can do all things you must also confesse that you had rather be a Philosopher then a Christian Thus farre Lazarus The eyes of all the company were fastened on him and there ranne through the table a soft and sweet noise and rumour euery one praising his discourse as full of learning eloquence The Abbot asked the Tutour if he had any thing to reply he answered No for that he should gaine nothing all the company being contrary to his Religion and that he would neuer belieue these miracles Then it is want of faith quoth the Abbot yea quoth the Phisician and of some things els besides Tony marking the man to be amazed could not hold his peace but sayd vnto him Cime thou maist take horse when thou wilt and saue thy self thou hast thy bootes full thy spurres on did I not tell thee so much But what thou hast no fayth The Vicount had beene very attentiue all supper long taking singular pleasure in the discourse contenance of Lazarus and sayd in his Cousins eare behold a worthy Pilgrime your maister in my opinion had rather be some where els I would quoth he that he were at the Garamantes so I had neuer seene him and vpon these termes euery man rose from the table sauing Monsieur Marquesse and Monsieur S. Leo who discoursed sometime together with the Pilgrimes and forget not to entreat Lazarus to tell them his country and his kindred he answered in generall that his country was not farre of and his parentage small modestly concealed the lustre of his house They pressed him no further doubting that he had made a vow not to make himselfe knowne So they tooke leaue as well of the Marquesse and the Abbot as of Monsieur Vicount the Baron and their cousin that they might not be constrayned to attend till they rose in the morning which would be late as also to be free to depart betymes Euery man did his endeauour to stay them the next day or longer but they could not preuayle The Vicount and the Baron and diuers others accompanyed them to their chamber and hauing talked a while they imbraced them for their farewell with a great demonstration of loue and friendship and the Baron holding Lazarus hard told him that he would remember him as long as he liued but told him not what he had already resolued in his mynd They being alone made their examen sayd the Letanies and tooke for their morning Meditation the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin and the subiect of the glory of Paradise The fourtith day and the tenth and last of his Returne 1. The desires and deliberation of a deuoute soule 2. A Meditation of the glorious Assumption of the B. Virgin 3. Of the glory of Paradise CHAP. XXIV THE Baron being gone to bed all kindled with the discourse of Lazarus The desires and deliberation of a deuout soule could not sleep being tossed with the violence of his cogitations that tormented him and spake to himselfe in this manner whereon thinkest thou yong man and why takest thou not the way of glory which God hath shewed thee now many yeares What dost thou expect of the world â—ariest thou for some misfortunate end of thy life such as thou didst escape narrowly in this hunting If thou h dst died by the tuske of the wild Bore who killed thy horse in what estate preparation hadst thou left this mortall life And with what rigour had thy poore soule going out of her body loaden with her sinnes beene conuented before the tribunall of the diuine and supreme iustice And seest thou not that this good God let thee fall into this danger to make thee feare and hath deliuered thee by these holy Pilgrimes to shew thee what thou shouldest do to auoyd the iawes of that internall Lion that expected there to haue thee in couert of his holy house What expectest thou in thy vocation of this earthly warfare What caÌ„st thou gayne more then the friendship of some earthly Prince and the recompence of some humane and flittering fauour and how deare shalt thou buy it How easily shalt thou lose it And if being once gotten it would last all thy life yet what is it in respect of those goods those riches of that immortall glory which thou shalt get following the seruice of this great King who hath long inuited thee to his Court by threats by promises by secret inspirations and by a thousand fayre warnings wherby he knocketh day and night at the doore of thy hardned hart After he had long debated this matter with these and like discourses he fell a sleepe and sleeping had this vision He thought he was caryed into heauen A vision of Paradise where
pride so in the sinne of Couetise and the rest Of the fiue senses he shall remember if he hath abused his eyes by any curious or lasciuious lookes his tongue by speaking detraction Of the 5. senses or his eares by hearing it and other vaine thinges and so of the other senses If he be a Church-man besides that which is common to all Christians he shall consider in particuler how he hath carried himself in his estate if he hath assisted at diuine seruice if he hath sayd his Canonicall houres if he hath learned what is required to his charge to heare confessiōs say Masse preach If he be Religious Religious he shall call his consicience to account about his Vowes and rules if he haue beene a proprietary against the vow of Pouerty if he hath committed any thing against Chastity or hath beene disobedient If he be a Prince Prince whether he hath maintained the honour of God if he haue kept iustice if he hath gouerned like a Father Gentleman or grieued his people A Gentlemā if he hath done wrong to his neighbours or abused them If he be a Magistrate Counseller President Iudge if he haue diligently examined the right of euery one Magistra◠Iudge and iustly rendred euery one his owne if he hath taken bribes or iudged against his conscience If he be a Consull Consul or chiefe Magistrate of the Citty if he hath beene willingly or negligently wanting to the publike good An Aduocate Aduocat if he hath vndertaken the defence of vniust causes or if he hath faithfully defended the right A Proctor Proctour if he hath dealt truely with his Clients if he hath not vsed craft and cunning in prolonging suites and hindering the course of Iustice Capitaine Captaine if he hath kept caused to be kept the military and martial laws if he hath faithfully serued his Prince if he hath beene cowardly or stricken any wrongfully A Souldiar if he spoiled poore men Souldier if he hath beene true and faithfull if he hath beaten or killed any man in villany out of warre If he be a Superiour or Prelate Superior whether he hath commanded iustly and prudently if he haue beene arrogant or impious in his charge A Regent or Maister if he haue diligently and faythfully taught his scholless Scholler giuing them in word and workes example of vertue A Scholler if he hath lost his tyme or kept the lawes and order of the Schoole Physitiā A Phisitain if he hath beene diligent and faythfull in attending his Patient if by his fault any haue dyed Apothecary or fallen into any inconuenience of body An Apothecary if he hath made his Medicines of sound entire Drugs not sophisticated if he hath faithfully followed the Physitians bill Surgeon A Surgeon if he hath beene negligent in attending his hurt and sicke patient if he hath prolonged the wound to get more money Merchant and fill his purse A Merchant if he hath sold to deare or vsed false weights or measures Printers or Booke-binders Printer Booke-binder if they haue printed or sould pernicious hereticall wanton or diflamatory libells Artificer if he hath done his work fraudulētly if he hath filched wrought vpon the holy dayes Artificer and thus of other estates Women and Maides shall also particulerly examine themselues about the vanity of their apparell their too much speaking or speaking euill of their too much care of their corps of impatience choler couetise of the goods of this world and of other vices more familiar to their sexe The Penitent shall discourse ouer all and shall note wherin he hath failed and shal make as it were a table of his sinnes and kinds in his memory or in paper to confesse them This examen being thus made he shal say the prayer following immediatly before he goeth to Confession A Prayer to say before Confession CHAP. LI. Mercy ready for the Penitent ALMIGHTY God who desirest the conuersion and life of a sinner and not his death and perdition and hast promised the grace of thy benediction and mercy whensoeuer and how often soeuer repenting and confessing he shall cry thee mercy with an humble and contrite hart giue me if it please thee a firme voice tongue to confesse the sinnes I remember and say wholsomly before thy secret Tribunall with the Prophet I haue sinned and done ill before thee alone Psal 50.5 Take frō me all feare and vicious shame that I may freely simply purely and entirely discouer all the faults woundes griefes of my wounded soule to him whome thou hast giuen me for Lieutenant of thy iustice for the iudgement and remission of my sinnes And if I haue dared with a damnable boldnes to incense thee with thousandes of sinnes that I may dare also now with an humble confidence to confesse them to aske and receaue pardon in the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ who liueth and reigneth with thee in the vnity of the holy Ghost for euer and euer The order we must keep in Confession CHAP. LII THIS prayer being sayd and his sinnes noted he shall present himselfe at the place and houre appointed to the Priest and hauing asked and receaued his blessing shall say his Confiteor vnto mea culpae and shall beginne to confesse his sinnes according to the order of his examen and memorial runing ouer his whole conscience faythfully purely simply humbly and without affected ceremonies of wordes or gestures without accusing any other to excuse or diminish his owne fault without telling what he hath not done but accusing himselfe alone and only of his sinnes with the greatest sense and feeling of deuotion and compunction that he can and after he hath told all in his memory he shall make an end of his Confiteor and desire his Ghostly Father to aske him and to bring into his remembrance what he might haue forgotten and this done he shall receaue of him pennance absolution and shall prepare himselfe all the rest of the day and some part of the night to communicate the next morning and going from the place of Confession shall for thankes-giuing say this prayer following A prayer to say after Confession CHAP. LIII O sweet Iesu the true Physitian healer of my diseases the true life and peace of my soule the true solace of my hart I humbly thanke thee for all the benefites I haue receaued of thee since my first being and namely for this last wherby thou hast giuen me meanes to cast my selfe at thy feet to aske thee mercy reconcile my selfe vnto thy Maiesty iustly offended with my faults and to reuiue in me the ioy and riches of thy good fauour and friendship Alas O my souueraigne Sauiour what had become of my poore soule if thy iustice had according to my demerit drawne her out of this body and life in so miserable a plight all couered and infected with