seuere and impartiall iudge not as an indulgent Redeemer 6. Lastly returne with these disciples to Hierusalem and imitating their vnion in spirit expect the comming of the Holy Ghost If thou desire to know Gods holy will retire thy selfe as they did and in this inward attention vnto the voice of thy Sauiour perseuere praying to know his diuine will and no doubt but he will impart it vnto thee Luke 12. which when thou knowest put it in practise otherwise the imputatioÌ„ of knowing the will of thy maister and not performing it will lye heauy vpon thee The comming of the holy Ghost CHAP. XIII YOV haue seene in the precedent mystery what diligent preparation these holy followers of Christ made The third glorious Mistery to the end they might be more fit vessels to receaue the holy Ghost And besides the former points of their peace and vnity amongst themselues and retyring from the conuersation of the world it is moreouer specified in holy Scripture that the better to make this retirement of theirs Act. 1. They went vp into an vpper chamber Of which words I would haue thee a pious interpreter and to imagine this vpper roome to be the superiour part of the foure to wit thy reason in which thou must dwell whensoeuer thou desirest to know the will of God neuer staying below in the sensuall part which in such a busines serueth for nothing but to blind thine vnderstanding Let thy sense be commanded by reason and it will presently teach thee that God is to be serued before the world and the Creatour before the Creature 1. Consider at the comming of the holy Ghost There was made â— sound from heauen Act 2. as of a vehement wind comming by which noyse The povver of the holy Ghost thou mayest consider the power of the holy Ghost which as it oftentimes st rreth vp in vs great conflicts betweene our owne peruerse nature and Gods Grace that offereth to enter into it so also it maketh vs most valiant and constant in the seruice of Almighty God and the maintayning of his glory the sound pre-figuring vnto vs the difficulties which outwardly may arise by the constant profession of his holy name 2. Most fitly is the comming of the holy Ghost expressed by fier the signe of loue and charity the holy spirit proceeding from the Father and the Sonne by a feruorous act of loue Neuer resist this holy spirit which will breath diuine loue into thy soule separating thine affections from earthly things 3. No sooner had these fiery tongues lighted vpon the heades of these holy disciples but with the gift of tongues which was then infused into them they doe speake of the great workes of God Imitate the feruour of these and let neuer the grace of God be void in th e 1. Cor. 15. but put in practise those giftes which God hath giuen thee by vsing them sincerely in his seruice 4. Consider how vncapable of spirituall things those are who measure all things by the conceit of the world this gift of tongus is interpreted in the Apostles to proceed from madnes or from some excesse committed Let not the fond interpretation of the world hinder thee from the seruice of God for if the Crosse of Christ were as the Apostle saith to the Gentils a foolishnes and euen to the very Iewes a scandâ—ll 1 Cor. 1. neuer be detected if the world laugh at thy proceedings which it vnderstandeth not Matt. 10. for the disciple must not place himselfe aboue his Maister 5. The cooperation of these holy disciples with the grace of God was such as they were all replenished with the holy Ghost working miracles in the face of Hierusalem Act. 5. and their very shadowes were potent to heale infirmities At the gate of the Temple S. Pâ—ter giueth an almes of health to a lame creature from his Natiuity Act. 3. Act. 2. He conuerteth three thousand at his first Sermon See of what great vertue the holy spirit is without which neither in thy selfe nor in others thou canst make conuersions 6. Beholding with thy selfe attentiuely how this spirit is attained vnto how necessary it is to haue it and how easily it is lost make resolutions in thy soule fit for one who hath this spirit knowing it giueth life vnto thine actioÌ„s and abhorre sinne that expelleth it The Assumption of our B. Lady CHAP. XIIII The fourth glorious Mystery Cant. 8. BEHOLD this glorious Virgin ascending Flowing in delightes leaning vpon her beloued with all contemplate vpon our B. Sauiours tender affection towards his dearest Mother requiting as it were her loue who in his infancy was borne in her blessed armes and leaned vpon her now he assisting her in this glorious triumph beares her vp towards the place of her Eternal Happines 1. Thou mayst here consider the happy passage of this B. Virgin out of this life feare not by considering this death to fall back vnto sorrowfull mysteries since death is heere glorious how the Apostles dispersed through the whole world were miraculously brought togeather to be at this glorious departure of the mother of God Togeather with the Apostles were also there present S. Denis Dionys ad Timeth Damas de dormit Deip. S. Timothy Disciple vnto S. Paul and S. Hierotheus Ponder the excessiue ioy of these Saintes behoulding the troupes of Angels attending the instant of her happy soules departure ready to accompany it into heauen No griefe could heere enter since all things gaue arguments of ioy and those teares that fell from the Apostles when the B. Virgin made her last pathetical speach vnto them were teares of comfort and consolation 2. As S. Denis writeth the B. Virgin ending this mortall life and beginning an immortall Epâ—st ad T mâ—th S. Thomas was absent and comming to Hierusalem three dayes after her departure all which time S. Denis saith that himselfe with the rest heard most melodious harmony of Angels and vnderstanding she was buryed in Gethsemani requested he might behold her dead whome he was vnfortunate in not seeing to dye 3. And to satisfy the deuotioÌ„ of S. Thomas they opened the monument ib d. which breathed forth most sweet sauours Consider the antiquity of this holy tradition and finding the body taken away they al firmely beleeued it was also by the hands of Angels carryed into heauen and reunited to her glorious soule this priuiledge being but coÌ„formable to the rest with which she was indued in her life 4. As in this so in other verities reuereÌ„ce the authority of Traditions in the Catholike Church which hath deuoted it selfe euen from the Apostles time vnto this glorious mystery of the Assumption of the mother of God 5. Consider the true resignation of this holy company assembled at the blessed departure of the mother of God al of them bearing that respect vnto her liuing as they now doubted not to find her in heauen a most carefull
mother and the disciple whome he loued beholders of his affliction to the end his torment might be increased by their presence adding to his passion a greater griefe of compassion 2. Our deere Redeemer Christ Iesus powred forth foure fountaines of his most precious bloud he would haue his Mother his beloued disciple present that they might also powre forth foure fountaines of teares he rereceauing as great greife at the effusion of their compassionate teares as at the losse of his owne deerest bloud Heate thy deere Sauiour speake being now nailed vpon the Crosse Psal 17. Luke 2. Bellar. de 7. verbis The paines of death haue compassed me about but the sword of sorrow foretold by Simeon that should pierce my most innocent mothers soule doth afflict me as much as any torment I feele vpō this Crosse O bitter death doest thou thus separate not only the soule from the body but even the mother and such a mother from her some and from such a Sonne For this respect loue would not permit me to say Mother but Woman behold thy sonne 3. Looke vpon the three womē who stood neere vnto the Crosse of our Lord. VVhat the three Maries signifie Mary Magdalē beareth the person of Penitents that is of Beginners Mary of Cleophas of Proficients or of those that profit in the way of spirit and Mary Mother of God and yet a Virgin signifieth those who are perfect vnto whome we may ioyne pure S. Iohn who was also a Virgin Christ recommendeth his deere mother to the pure custody of a Virgin preferring therby the state of virginity S. Iohn being the disciple whome he loued yet are all others who are signified by the two other Maryes admitted to the priuiledge of standing neere the Crosse of which we may make a vertue if we will since all estates of life whatsoeuer abound with Crosses 4. Learne by this word the office of a Parent towards his child Parents ought to loue their children yet so that the loue of their children do not hinder the loue of God this did the B. Virgin exactly obserue for she stood neere vnto the Crosse vpon which her sonne hung bleeding with greife and constancy equal Her greife The B. Virgin most resigned shewed her to be a mother and her constancy made manifest her resignation vnto God Almighty Could she do otherwise then grieue for this Sonne of hers knowing what a Sonne he was And could she be otherwise then resigned being the mother of God and full of grace 5. Reflect vpon the happines of S. Iohn to haue this singuler priuiledge graunted him by his beloued mayster dying vpon the crosse who bequeathed vnto him his deerest mother Who would not haue byn desirous to haue liued with her in whome the second person in Trinity dwelt corporally Who would not haue piously enuied the Apostle in this great blessing yet since Christ Iesus hath made vs his coheires brethren ler vs with humble confidence begge that recommending vs vnto this his mother he will say Behold thy children that we may be also coheires of her loue 6. Lastly that we may be the better prepared to heare this word of comfort spoken by our Sauiour to his mother Behold thy children let vs stirre vp in our selues an ardent deuotion towards this B. Virgin whome we desire to make our mother imitating her virginall purity or at least purity in our state of life and let vs animate our selues the rather to deuote our selues wholy to this B. Virgin it being one of the surest signes we can gather in this life of our future saluation THE FOVRTH VVORD Deus meus Deus meus vt quid dereliquisti me My God my God why hast thou forsaken me CHAP. IIII. IN the three former wordes which our Sauiour pronunced vpon the Crosse A meditation for vvendesday we haue described him newly crucifyed now we come to the midle of the day in which for the horrour Nature had to behold her maker thus abused darknes was spread ouer the face of the whole earth the sunne by a miraculous Eclypse denying his wonted light darcknes being so deep as at midday the starres were the greatest lights that appeared 1. The first word spoken in this darcknes was My God my God Philogon lib. 2. why hast thou forsaken me Consider that our Sauiour by these words would shew vs the greatnes of the torments he suffered Hitherto we might haue thought he had had a body impassible or not feeling what was done vnto him his patience in all his whole passion being so admirable permitting them to whippe him crowne him with thornes naile him to the Crosse and neuer so much as to giue one sigh or the least signe of dislike of what was done vnto him now with a lowd voice he giueth forth these words that we might see what he suffered for vs and that he was sensible of the least thorne that had wounded him And as he desired we should see what he suffered so was his desire that we should see it with fruite considering for whose sake he brought himselfe most voluntarily into these straites Isa 53. since he was offered because himselfe would 2. That we might the better attend vnto him and consider what he did suffer for vs he tooke this opportunity to speake vnto vs in this great darknes when all distractions were taken from vs and when we might be wholy attent vnto him Publike meetings are not the places where the inspirations of God Almighty are heard but put thy selfe into the darknesse of retyrement there thou shalt heare thy Sauiour speaking vnto thee and insteed of hearing My God my God why hast thou forsaken me thou shalt heare him say My creature my creature why hast thou forsaken me 3. Let vs heere reflect vpon these three houres from six vnto nine in which our Sauiour was silent horrour had inuaded the whole world by reason of the vnwonted darkenesse and our Lord hung stil vpon his painful Crosse in his whole life which was nothing but a course of greife he neuer suffered more afflictions and yet neuer suffered them more willingly for now by the wearinesse and hanging downe of his body his woundes were more and more enlarged with them his greife by the absence of the sunne and sharpnes of theaire was increased and with all his naked and torne body more tormented and yet all there afflictions seemed easy vnto him in respect of the infinite desire he had to redeeme vs. Let vs reioyce if at any time we haue occasion giuen vs to suffer for him who suffered these intollerable paines for vs. 4. Why hast thou forsaken me These words proceeded from an ardent desire of suffering since he would haue no part of him free froth enduring somewhat for vs. This voice therfore may be truly sayd to be of the tongue which being sorrowfull that it had yet endured nothing for vs cryed out My God why hast thou
without help beyond the ordinary power of that age 8. Praying in the Temple she is often visited by Angels 9. She giueth example of all vertue to the Virgins who liued with her 10. She is the first who made a vow vnto God of Virginity II PATER NOSTER The gift Vnderstanding 1. AVE The Hygh Priest with the people pray to deliberate about her now mariageable according to the will of God 2. It is reuealed by an Angell that she should seeke her an Espouse 3. She is espoused vnto Ioseph of the family of Dauid 4. God being pleased with her Humility chooseth her to be the Mother of his sonne 5. The Angell of God telleth her she shall be mother of God remayning a Virgin 6. Behould sayth she the handmayd of our Lord let it be done vnto me according to this word 7. Hauing conceaued she goeth towards the Mountaynes to serue her Cosin S. Elizabeth 8. By her salutation S. Elizabeth and S. Iohn Baptist were sanctified the one prophesying the other exalting for ioy in the woÌ„be of his Mother 9. Her spirit reioycing she singeth Mâ—gnificat c. 10. A little before the birth of S. Iohn Baptist she returneth ioyfull to her house at Nazareth III. PATER NOSTER The gift of Counsell 1. AVE The Angell saith vnto Iosâ—ph Feare not c. because that which shall be borne of her is of the Holy Ghost 2. She goeth towards Bethleem with her Spouse to be enrolled and to pay Tribute vnto Cesar 3. Of her is borne our Lord she wrapps him in clouts layeth him in the manger and giueth him sucke 4. She reioyceth that he is reuealed vnto the Sheepheards she sheweth him vnto them and meditating vpon al these things she keepeth them in her hart 5. The eyght day she causeth her Child to be circumcised the name of IESVS is giuen hâ—m as it was ordayned by the Angell 6. She admireth the adoring of the Kings and receaues their mysticall gifts 7. She presenteth her sonne in the Temple and although most immaculate yet obserueth the law of purification 8 She heareth the prophesy of Simeon who fortelleth vnto her Griefe and to Israel Redemption 9. She flieth with her sonne and S. Ioseph into Egypt 10. She endureth in that banishment much hardnes for the loue of her sonne IIII. PATER NOSTER The gift of Fortitude 1. AVE By the admonishment of the Angell she returneth into the Land of Iuda 2. Fearing Archilaus the sonne of Hâ—rode she retireth her selfe vnto Nazareth 3. She goeth towards Hierusalem to the Temple according to the custome where she lost the Child IESVS 4. After three dayes she finds him in the Temple in the midest of Doctors 5. Contemplate how such a mother conuerseth with such a soÌ„ne for those 30. yeares in which he was subiect vnto her 6. At the Marriage in Cana of Galilee she sayd Sonne they haue no wine wheÌ„ce followed the first miracle of water turned into wine 7 She heareth oftentimes her Sonne preaching 8. She seeth him worke miracles and reioycing giueth the glory vnto God 9. She heareth the woman say Blessed is the wombe that bare thee 10. Her soÌ„ne reuealed vnto her the most cruell death which he was shortly to vndergoe V. PATER NOSTER The gift of Knowledg 1. AVE Her sonne takes his last leaue of her going towards his death he comforteth her and giues her his Benediction 2. She vnderstands that her soÌ„n is betrayed by Iudas and taken by the Iewes and carried and drawn from tribunal to tribunal 3. She behoulds him whipped crowned with thornes shewed to the people Behould the man 4. She heares the cry of the people Crucify him and free Barabbas 5. She meets her sonne on the way with his Crosse vpon his shoulders who was conducted in hast to Mount Caluary 6. She seeth or at the least heareth the blowes of the hammers with which her sonne was crucified 7. She suffereth with her sonne who betweene two theeues was lifted vp on the Crosse whilest she beares him company vnder the Crosse 8. She heares her Sonne saying Woman behould thy sonne to wit S. Iohn being pure man insteed of the sonne of God 9. She seeth her sonne giue vp his last breath vpon the Crosse his side being opened with a launce after his death 10. Contemplate how she receaued into her armes the body of her sonne taken downe from the Crosse by deuout persons and with her teares she washeth it VI. PATER NOSTER The gift of Piety 1. AVE To her first of all as most worthy Christ appeareth being gloriously risen accompanied with many Saints 2. She is often visited by him in those 40. dayes before his Ascension 3. She accompanieth her Sonne with her eyes and most deuoutly with her hart whilest he ascends into heauen 4. She expects the Holy Ghost with the Apostles comforting confirming them in their faith 5. After the Ascension of her sonne she often visits those places in which her sonne had bin and there she renewes her greife 6. Being ariued to the age of 63. yeares her dâ—parture out of this life is reuealed vnto her by her sonne 7. Before she dieth she behouldeth all the Apostles present she giuen them her last salutation and recommends vnto them the Church 8. Christ descends from heauen to meet and receaue her and she is carried into heauen by Angells 9. She is exalted aboue the Quiers of Angells and crowned Queene of all Saints 10. Sitting at the right hand of her sonne in great glory she prayeth for the Church appeaseth the wrath of God whilest our sinns prouoke him to reuenge VII PATER NOSTER The gift of the Feare of God 1. AVE Next vnto God the Father she is most potent 2. Next vnto God the Sonne she is most wise 3. Next vnto God the Holy Ghost of most goodnesse and of most ardent Charity Laus Deo B. Q. V. M. FINIS