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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19433	The interiour occupation of the soule Treating of the important businesse of our saluation with God, and his saints, by way of prayer. Composed in French for the exercise of that court, by the R. Father, Pater Cotton of the Societie of Iesus, and translated into English by C.A. for the benefit of all our nation. Whereunto is prefixed a preface by the translator, in defence of the prayers of this booke, to the saints in heauen.; Interioure occupation d'une âme devote. English	Coton, Pierre, 1564-1626.; Anderton, Christopher, attributed name.; Apsley, Charles, attributed name.; C. A., fl. 1619.	1618 (1618)	STC 5860; ESTC S108849	75,781	318

by his grace my forces are able to stretch vnto 3. Thou diddest drinke and draw from the fountain it selfe when thou leanedst vpon the breast of the Sonne of God a speciall signe of his fauour and loue to thee I doe asmuch as often as I present my selfe at his holy table but alas it is not with equall deuotion but with too much coldnes distraction drynesse and miserie Obtaine for mee thou fauorite of the word an obliuion of my selfe and an extasie of perfect dilection that receiuing him into me I may enter into him and hauing him neere to my heart I may be according to his heart And that albeit I receiue not frō him an Apocalips or reuelation of his secret iudgement yet that I may receiue at least a cleare and manifest knowledge of his holy will And howsoeuer I be not worthy presenting my selfe to his holy table to receiue into my selfe him betweene whose armes thou diddest repose yet at least I may not be so vnworthy as I am 4. Thou wert a domesticall witnesse of his most secret actions in the acknowledgment of which fauours obtaine for me the guift of a most straight vnion and internall conuersation with his diuine Maiestie 5. Thou hadst by vertue of his last will and testament the most noble part of the inheritance of the Son of God which was his blessed Mother In regard of this fauour I beg of thee an inflamed deuotion towards her to the end that being vnder her protection I may be so much the more in fauour with her Sonne by how much the more I shall by thee bee recommended to the Mother 6. Amongst all the rest at the last Supper thou tookest particuler notice of the traytor that betrayed his Lord and maister let no man then surpasse me in discouering temptations the enemies of his glory and ouercomming of them And as the poysoned cup did thee no hurt So pray you that no naughtie suggestion may hurt me 7. Thou camest out of the boyling Tunne of oyle without hurt I desire that I may so goe out of the occasions of sinne cleane and voyde of offence And that as thy banishment in the I le of Pathmos serued thee for a neerer approach to God comming thereby to vnderstand the more high mysteries of our Faith So the aduersities of this present life may be to me as a spur and motiue to draw nearer and nearer to God and to purge and purifie mee from the drosse of the world 8. Charitie to our neighbour was perchance neuer so rare in the world as it is now and yet neuerthelesse it was the lesson read vnto vs by that heauenly Maister first and afterwards by thee Exercise yet one acte of charitie towards me in obtaining for me the guift of a vertue which was so familiar vnto thee and without which we are vnworthy so much as of the name of Christians seeing it is the marke and liuerie by which his disciples are knowne which is Charitie it selfe 9. Eagle of the holy Ghost Virginall integritie and inflamed Charitie were the two winges which lifted thee vp to so pure and high contemplation of the Diuinitie Obtaine for vs the grace that our reason may be lifted vp to the loue of God with as great heate of affection as our sence is drawne downe to the loue of thinges corporall by the heat of concupiscense that I may be as much inclined to desire thinges coelestiall as the common sort of the world are inclined to desire thinges terrestriall And that the loue and affection I beare to my Creator may deuoure and consume all loue affection to his creatures sauing only that by which I shall loue them in him by him and for him 10. This is it O Secretarie of God which thou hast practised thy selfe wished vnto others ioyne to the documents thou hast giuen vs and to the examples thou hast left vs thy prayer and intercession to God for vs and wee shall be feruent imitators of the first patterne of all holinesse of whome thou hast beene and shall be for euer the best beloued Disciple Title 18. To the Apostles 1. FIrst and chiefest Peeres of Christianitie Princes of the Church you are the noble pearles of the mysticall body of our Redeemer the 12. Patriarches from whome descended the true Isralites the 12. Princes generals and conductors of the Armie of God camped about the humanitie of his Sonne the tabernacle of the Diuinitie You are the 12. sent to take a view of the Land of promise who haue brought vs newes of the wonders which are in that true land of the liuing flowing with milke and honey of aeternall comfort and consolation The 12. ouer-seers of Salomons house who furnish the Church with all necessary prouision The 12. Fountaines which the people found in the desart The 12. loaues of proposition who with the heate of perfect charitie alwayes appeare before the face of the highest The 12. precious stones set in order in the Rationall of the high Priest Iesus Christ The 12. young Lyons which support the Throne of the great King The 12. Oxen that carryed the Sea of his mercies The 12. Starres of which the crowne of the Church his spouse were made O Fathers of our soules obtain for vs the effects of your fatherly charitie pray for the whole Church that all errours heresies and superstitions may bee abolished Pray for the Sea Apostolique that it may be acknowledged for such of all the Nations of the earth Make the sound of your wordes so to be heard euery where as Christians dishonour not the excellency of their Faith by the corruption of their manners that they may liue in peace and brotherly amitie and that wee altogether both in this life and in the next may bee Heyres of your Faith Legataries of your Charitie fellowes and partakers of your glory Title 19. To the holy Euangelists 1. TRumpets of Israell cornets of the liuing GOD Notaries of Heauen Secretaries of the Church I haue now my recourse to you for the obtayning from him who is the mouth of wisdome and the Oracle of all truth a firme faith with true vnderstanding and vertue strength to put in execution the words documents miracles and misteries which you haue set down in writing Giue force to my voyce cleerenes to my conceit by which I may be able to oppose my selfe against the contrary opinions and by vertue of that which you haue writen bring backe againe to the bosome of the Chuoch such souls as are led out It shall be more easie for you to pray then to write to demaund then to perswade to intercede then to conuert doe then the one seeing you desire the other Banish out of our souls all error abuse superstition haeresie selfe iudgment To be short all whatsoeuer is any way repugnant to the truth of your wordes to the perfctions of your instructions to the example of your liues Title 20. To the holy Martyrs VIctimes of Paradice

and infinite Author of all thinges Secondly for a petition made vnto those whom we acknowledge to be indued with that excellencie which is only foūd in the friends of God that are in heauen and lastly for a request made vnto any other with that respect which we acknowledge to bee due vnto those that haue the meanes to helpe vs. In the first second sense this word is vsed when we are said to pray or to make our prayer vnto another in the last sense when wee pray our friends or our betters to doe this or y● for vs For although we pray them yet wee are not properly said to pray or to make our prayer vnto them By Prayer to Saincts therefore we vnderstand a request made vnto them not with that worship which is due vnto God as the Author of all things but with that honour and reuerence with is due to the Saints of God aboue all other Creatures And in this sense the Protestants thēselues will graunt That if it be lawfull to make any request vnto them it ought to be done with that reuerence which is conuenient by consequence that in this sense it is not only lawfull to pray them if it be lawfull at all but also to pray vnto them Lastly to the end that no exception be taken against the proofes that follow as not sufficiently deliuered according to my promise out of Scripture thou must consider that two māner of wayes a thing may be proued out of Scripture First by the expresse wordes thereof in which manner we proue many thinges against the Protestants As for example That man is iustified by workes and not Iam. 2. 24 Iohn 20 22. 23. Math. 26● 27. by Faith alone That Priests receiue the Holy Ghost to forgiue sinnes That the Blessed Sacrament is the body blood of Christ 1 Cor. 11● 14. and the like But in this māner the Protestants cannot directly proue any one point of their Religion against vs. Therfore no reason that in all points they should exact this kinde of proofe at our hands Secondly a thing may bee prooued by Scripture as following by necessary consequence out of scripture which kind of proofe and no other the Protestants though failing therein no lesse then in the former pretend to be the very ground of their Faith in those points wherein they differ from vs And after this manner I intend to make it euident that prayer to Saints may bee lawfully vsed according to the Scriptures THE FIRST ARGVMENT Therefore may be taken out of those Scriptures which recommend vnto vs the Authority of the Church For in them wee learne That our Sauiour himselfe hath sent his holy spirit to Iohn 16. 13. teach her all truth and to remaine with her for euer In Io. 14. 16 which respect she is not onely termed by Saint Paul The Piller Tim. 3. 17 and foundation of truth but also our Sauiour himselfe saith expresly of her That hee who will Math. 18● 17. not heare her● or which is all one hee that will not beleeue her ought to bee esteemed no● better then a● Eathnick From whence therefore I conclude Augustin Lib. cont Crescon cap. 33. and affirme with Saint Augustine That wee doe nothing but according to Scripture in doing that which the whole Church approoueth whome the Scriptures Augustin Epist 118 cap. 2. themselues commend vnto vs. To which purpose also hee spared not to write That to dispute whether any thing bee lawfull which the whole Church frequenteth throughout the world is most insolent madnesse In fine there are many pointes of Faith with though they be not expresly written the Protestants belieue practise with vs and among other thinges which I haue noted before The lawfull neglect of the Iewes Sabaoth no where abrogated and the necessary obseruation of Sunday no where commaunded in holy writ which therefore can no otherwise be proued out of Scripture but onely by the authoritie of the Church which the Scripture commaundeth to be beleeued This beeing supposed to make it appeare that the Church of Christ and the Pastors therof not onely allowed this Doctrine of prayer to Saints but also practised the same I alledge the Epistle of the Bishops of Europe to Leo the Emperour in the fourth age after Christ which Epistle is ioyned to the Councell of Chalcedon where they say thus Wee put the most holy Proterius in the rancke and Quyre of the holy Martyrs and wee demaund by his intercession That God would be pleased to bee mercifull and propitious vnto vs. And in the Councell it selfe which is one of the foure Coūcels that the Protestants pretend to reuerence with Saint Gregory no lesse then the foure Gospels the Fathers assembled speake thus Flauianus liueth Chalcedō Acts 11. after death as beeing a Maister let him pray for vs. Likewise in the sixt generall Councell the Fathers say God alone the Creator being Adored let the Christian Synod 6. ●ap 7 man call vpon his Saints that they would bee pleased to make intercession for him vnto his diuine Maiestie Whereunto I will onely adde another like authoritie of the seauenth generall Councell speaking as followeth Let vs doe all thinges with Synod 7. ●ct 6 feare demaunding the intercession of the incontaminate Mother of God as also of the Angels and of all the Saints Thus these generall Councels in the person of the whole Catholike Church Let vs hear now some other expresse testimonies of the auncient Fathers in the first ages after Christ St. Bazill in his Oration vpon the Bazill orat in 40 Martyrs 40 Martyrs Hee that is pressed with any difficultie let him fly vnto them Hee againe that reioyceth let him call vpon them the one that he may be deliuered from euill the other that he may perseuer in good St. Cyrill when wee Cyril catechesi ● Mistago●gica offer this sacrifice wee make mention of them that haue slept before vs especially of the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs That God by their orisons would receiue our prayers St. Ambrose wee must pray vnto Angels who Ambr. 1 de vidui● are giuen vs for our guard wee must pray vnto Martyrs whose patronage wee seeme to challenge by the pawne of their Bodyes they are our Gouernours they are the Ouerseers of our liues and actions Wee are not ashamed to make them the intercessors of our infirmitie because themselues haue knowne th' infirmitie of their Bodyes euen in their victories Thus these holy Fathers Of the practise of this Doctrine and of the perticuler prayers made by the Fathers themselues in all ages to the Saints of Heauen that shall suffice which I haue cyted already out of their speeches to our B. Lady both because to shew this exactly were sufficient to make a large volume as also because no Protestant that is not altogether ignorant or extreamly impudent can deny it In fine therfore the Doctrin of the Fathers in

holocausts of heauen pacifiing hosts of the Church triumphant Hecatombs of the Church militant you are the Lambes sacrificed without number in the Temple of Salomon whose death hath bene an odour of sweetnesse most precious before God You are the troupes of the spouse and the shorne sheep which assend going out of the Lauar and there is not one barraine amongst you You are the Birds which the good Noe second spring of humaine nature presented to God his father after the deluge of his passion and the inundation of your paines You make that goodly armie of witnesses clothed in garments as white as snowe for the puritie and holinesse of your life carying vpon your heades Crownes of pure golde that is to say of perfect charitie beset with Pearles and precious Stones apparelled with a garment of the same richly embroadered and beset all ouer with Pearles of great price The Diamonds are the inuincible force with which you ouercome the tyrants The Pearles the sweate of your browes and the teares which sell from your eyes in great aboundance The Carbuncles represent the woundes which you receaued and the bloud running from your veynes shed for his loue who is the true king of Martyrs The daughter of Sion the blessed Cittizens of Hierusalem come forth to meete you partly to honour you as the most substantiall partes of their bodie and partly to admire the rich ornaments with which you were adorned by the King of glory vpon the most happy day of your second natiuitie 2. Inuincible Champions most renowned for your Tryumphes who haue had the honour to drink of the Cup of the sonne of God and to strengthen with your bloud the foundations of his Church who as the Scripture saith are come from great tribulation haue washed and made white your garmentes in the bloud of the Lambe which assist before his Throne to doe him seruice day and night He possesseth you as his temples and dwelleth in you continually leading you to the fountaine of life wyping away the teares from your eyes and freeing you from all the lawes of mortalitie Wee haue our recourse to you as soldiers to their Captaines that we may receaue by your mediation force and courage without which we are not able to resist the assaults with which we are set vpon by enemies which are within vs round about vs and aboue vs. The flesh the world and the diuell These are the Tyrantes with whome we are now to encounter the swords the prisons y● flames the scourges the racke● the fier plats the brazen buls the gridyrons which we are to ouercome and that not once only but many times not one day onely but many dayes during our lamentable abode in this mortall life 3. You proposed before your eyes your Captaine and Genetall Iesus Christ hauing a more tender feeling of his paines then of what your selues suffered and endured for his loue O most happy soules seeing that neither tribulations nor anguishes nor stripes nor trauailes nor any thing else whether it were sweete or bitter vnto you were sufficient to seperate you from the charitie of Iesus Christ Aske for me this grace that liuing in body here in this world in heart soule and spirit I may be crucified with Iesus Christ 4. Foure remarkable vertues shine in your passions Faith Charitie Wisdome and Humilitie For which as an aeternall reward you haue the fruition of God in your will the possession of him in your vnderstanding the glory in your bodyes after the resurrection and certaine particuler speciall garlands ouer you correspondent to your torments and the particuler manner of your sufferings Wee may partake with you herein after seauen māners First when we dye for the Faith as the most part of you O victorious soules haue done Secondly when wee are killed for IESVS as it happened for you O you blessed Innocents first fruites of the Christian Church Thirdly when wee expose our liues for the good and saluation of our neighbours as did the Sonne of God your Lord and ours Fourthly when wee chuse rather to dye then to transgresse the Law of God as did the holy Machabees Fiftly when wee expose our bloud for the maintaining of the immunities and liberties of the Church as diddest thou O holy martyr St. Thomas Bishop of Canterbury Sixtly when as Abell wee are persecuted for Iustice out of the enuie of the wicked And lastly when wee loose our life for defence of the truth zeale of the honour of God saluation of our neighbour as thou didst O most holy precursor of our Lord our redeemer vnder Herod and thou Euangelicall Prophet vnder Manasses and you Ieremie and Zhacharie persecuted by popular furie Obtaine for vs O you witnesses of the liuing God the grace that wee may testifie the fidelitie which wee owe to our Redeemer after some one of these manners and that at least we may honour him when we dye whome wee honour so little whilest we liue Title 21. To the holy Doctors 1. THe high Priest in the law of Moyses during the time of his charge did weare by Gods ordinance and appoyntment a garment of colour like Hyacinth which was fringed bordered about belowe with Pomgranets mingled with belles of pure golde Ye are O masters of our soules the little belles which ring to make vs know the approching of the high Priest and the comming of the holy Ghost then when bowing downe the heauens of his greatnesse hee is pleased to drawe neere vnto vs in the Sacrifice of the alter Yee are the salt of the earth the light of the world the Citty builded vpon a mountaine the Candlesticke with seuen lamps the seauen Candlestickes in the midst of which not without great mysterie appeared the Sonne of Man Yee are the Startes of Daniell which shine aeternally I beseech you then O inflamed soules Cherubins for your wisdome and Seraphins for your charity that yee obtaine for vs but specially for the Pastors Preachers and Doctors of the Church the guift of knowledge wisdome and vnderstanding together with a sound foundation of the building of the soule which is a liuely and true Faith This I. aske by him who hath made your breasts the store-house of armour offensiue and defensiue against his enemies and ours your memorie a Iewell-house of vnderstanding your vnderstanding an Academie of knowledge wisdome your wills a fornace of Charitie your Pennes the instruments of his holy will and your tongues Organs to sound forth his Glorie Title 22. To the holy Confessors 1. CEdars of Libanus who with your sweet Odoriferous smell embalm the whole world Palmes of the terrestriall Paradice of the Church very high and eminent in highnesse Pomegranets sowed amidst the Bels and sky-coloured fringes of the garment of the high Priest which ioyne Charitie with Humilitie and good example Scarres called Hyades whose benigne influence cause the rayne of repentance and the dew of deuotion which neuer appeare but when the dayes of mercy

hee hath made them ●o fit and which many of them haue so well deserued not only by their charitie towards vs but also by their good gouernment of vs while yet they liued heere amongst vs. For further proofe whereof it is not hard to alledge many good passages and pregnant places of holy Scripture For so our Sauiour promised That the faithfull seruant should bee Math. 24 47. appointed ouer all the goods of his Master According whereunto hee also tolde his Disciples That hee disposed vnto them as Luc. 22. 29. his Father disposed vnto him a Kingdome And therefore likewise the same power which the Father promised to the Sonne where hee saide That he would giue him the Gentiles for his inheritance Psal 2 5 9. that he should rule them in a Rod of Iron and like a Potters vessell they shall be Broken The same power againe the Sonne doth promise vnto him who shall keepe his workes vnto the end saying I will giue Apoc 2 27. him Power ouer Nations and hee shall rule them with a Rod of Iron and like the Vessell of a Potter they shall bee Broken For which cause also they are saide To holde in their hands two edged Psal 149 7 8 9. Swordes to punish the Nations and Correct the people to binde their Kinges in Fetters and their Noble-men in Ma●nicles of Iron And that it is the glory of Gods Saints to execute the Iudgement which hee prescribeth And finally to the same purpose our Sauiour affirmeth That hee Apoc. 3 12. who ouercame should bee made a Piller in the Temple of God And that hee should sit in his Apoc. 3 24. owne Throne with him as I saith hee haue ouercome and sit with my Father in his Throne So that as the Father gouerneth the world by his Sonne so againe the Sonne gouerneth the Church by the Ministerie of his Saints In which respect they are said to be placed with him in the same Throne of Gouernment or in the same Tribunall of Authoritie wherein wee must also beleeue that they shall sit to Iudge both men and Angels at the Day of Donne Which testimonies of Scripture albeit cleere in themselues yet to exclude those voluntary and selfe pleasing expositions which the Protestants are wont to frame vpon them it will not be amisse to confirme by some few authorities of the Auncient Fathers For vnto the testimony of Saint Cyprian who acknowledgeth S. Cypriā Orat. in 40. Mart. them as you haue heard to bee the Senators and ●●dges of the Supernall C 〈…〉 ti c. May bee added these that followe Saint Bazill therfore calleth the Martyrs the Common keepers of Mankinde and excellent Companions of our cares Saint Nazianzen prayeth vnto Saint Nazianz● Orat. in Cyprianū Cyprian to looke from aboue to direct his wordes and his life To feede or rather to gouerne with him the holy Sheepfolde committed to his charge St. Hillarie S. Hillarie serm 124 saith That the Custodie of the Saints is neuer wanting to those that desire to stand As the Angels gouerne so also they that Ambr. lib 8. in Luc. haue deserued the life of Angels saith S. Ambrose And you heard before how hee calleth the Saints our Gouernours and the ouerseers of our liues and actions Saint Maximus proueth That Max. Ser. de mart Tauricis wee haue great familiaritie with the Martyrs because they are with vs and stay with vs keeping vs while wee liue in our Bodies and receiuing vs when we depart Theodor. Lib. 8. ad● Graecos out of our Bodies Theodoret recordeth That they who are to goe farre from home beseech the Martyrs to be their companions in the way or rather to be the guides of their Iourney and they that are safely returned giue thankes and acknowledge the benefit receiued Now saith S. Leo The good Shepheard S. Peter doth exceute the Commaundement of Leo Ser. 3. de anniuer suae Assump his Lord confirming vs with his exhortations and not ceasing to pray for vs that no temptation ouercomme vs. By all which it is more then manifest that the Saints of heauē haue their part in y● gouernment of this world vnder God offring vp our praiers vnto him assisting the good and punishing the wicked as it pleaseth God to appoint them Wherefore to conclude this my Third Argument all truth may verye well be called the worde of God being eternally expressed and represented vnto him by the fertility of his diuine vnderstanding which can neither deceiue vs nor be deceiued And therefore whither it be reuealed vnto vs by his externall worde or intimated by the light of nature wherby he writeth the same in our hearts or made knowne vnto vs partly by the one and partly by the other it is alwayes a most certaine and a most secure direction for vs in all our actions It is so naturall for men in affliction to call vpon all those that are able to help them though meerly strangers vnto them the lawfulnes thereof is so euident euen by the light of reason that it would seeme a point of Madnes not to ask their releefe in case of necessitie though no Scripture at all could be produced wherein the same were expressely warranted Wherfore hauing aboundantly shewed out of the written worde that the Saints in respect of their wonderfull loue to vs and their vnspeakable feruour with Almightie God are not onely willing and able to helpe vs but also that they actually recommend our prayers vnto GOD and are obliged thereunto First as being fellowe members and Secondly as the principall superintendants supreme Senators and Iudges of that mysticall Bodie which is the Church of God vnder Christ our head The lawfulnes of prayer vnto them intreating their more gracious prayers and blessed assistance doth so euidently and so necessarily followe thereof that certainly if it be nor madnes I doe not say with some Puritanes to condemne it of Sacriledge or Idolatrie in the holy Fathers them-selues but so as to suspect it of superstition error or timeritie wherwith other Protestanes are wont to charge all those who addresse them-selues either to the inu●cation or intercession of them But the hurt is to them selues of whome we may well say as the Prophet said of euery wicked man in perticuler Noluit be●e●●ctionem ● elōgabitur ab co They would not benediction and therefore it shall be remooued farre from them For if they deserue not to be heard of God but doe rather offend him who beeing in some temporall miserie will be deliuered by him alone and obstinately refuse to begge the help or charitie of those vnto whome he hath giuen both will power and direction to relieue them what fauour can the Protestants expect at the hands of God in their necessities if knowing and considering as they ought that y● Saints of Heauen are appointed by his Diuine Maiestie to be so many Fathers and Masters Superiours vnto

37. T 〈…〉 Bon●uenture in the Bonauēt life of Saint Francis And finally to the life of Saint Barnar● Life of S. Bernard wherein there is receiued a most wonderfull Miracle wrought by Saint Barnard him selfe who in confirmacion of this verie point of prayer to Saints which he preached against the heretickes of his time that spake against it Blessed certaine bread which the people offred with the Signe of the Crosse and said In this you shall knowe that those thinges are true which we haue Preached If all your sicke hauing tasted of this Bread shall be restored to their former health And when the Bishop there had said If they re●●iue it with a good faith they shal be healed Saint Barnard added I doe not say so but assuredly whosoeuer they be tha● taste it shall be healed to the end they may knowe that we are true Messengers sent from God Whervpon a huge multitude of sicke folkes hauing tasted that Bread recouered that this worde was diuulged ouer all the Prouince To conclude in all the places likewise before alleaged those venerable and renowned Authors haue related so many Miracles in this poynt of prayers to Saintes as if any Protestant would take the paines either to read them or to heare them recited they would be more then sufficient to conuince him For he that should deride or contemne the iudgements of those famous Saints were verye prophane And how can he think himselfe a good Christian that will giue no credit or beliefe to the chiefe Pastors and Doctors of the Church of Christ whome shall we belieue if we belieue not them Were not this to take away all faith and together therewith all Morall beliefe out of the worde And this shall suffice me Curteous Reader to haue collected for the most part out of other Catholicke Authors for thy satisfaction in this point of praier to Saints drawne by good consequence out of the Text it selfe of holy scripture which the Protestants on the other side haue neither heretofore nor euer will be able to aunswer hereafter and much lesse to produce any solide Argument out of Scripture for the proofe of the contrarie without the which notwithstanding though we alleaged no proofe at all it were more then absurde to condemne any generall custome or practise of Church or Common wealth as hath bene noted in the beginning Wherefore gentle freind now at the length to conclude this whole discourse if thou rest satisfied therwith I shall think my labour well bestowed but neither will I think it lost if I may gaine so much of thee as not fearing to venture thy Soule with the auncient Fathers vppon a truth so testified not onely by the worde of God in Scripture but also with the very hand of God in Signes and Miracles aswell at this present time as in all former ages thou wilt bee content to make some tryall of the power abilitie of the Saints to help thee by recommending thy selfe seriously to their intercession for thee desiring them to beseech Almightie God that thou maist obtaine sufficient light to discerne his euery sauing truth and effectuall grace to imbrace it And in perticuler to recommend thy poore Soule to the prayers of the Mother of God our Blessed Ladye who as Saint Barnard saith is the neck vnder Christ our head whereby all Grace descendeth vnto euery member of his mystcall Bodie For I doubt not thou shalt finde that true comfort and Reall satisfaction in the excercises thereof with such a touch of Gods finger as well better perswade thy hart then any other Pen can maister thy vnderstanding vntill it please his diuine Maiestie to subiect it fully to the rule of faith and to place it firmly on the Rocke which is the piller and foundation of truth And so remitting thee to the Prayers them selues of this Booke I desire to be pertaker of their good effects c. rest Thine in Iesus Christ C. A. THE Interiour occupation of the SOVLE Treating of the important businesse of our saluation with God his saints by way of Prayer Title 1. Adoration 1. I Adore thee O great GOD with all the creatures which are in Heauen and on earth prostrated cast downe euen to the center of my nothing before the T●rone of thy soueraigne Maiestie 2. My affection is farre too litle to acknowledge thy high Deitie and therefore I present vnto thee the hearts of Angels and men the naturall property of the elements the growth of plants the sense of beasts the motion of whatsoeuer is in nature and the very being of all thinges Adoring with the dependance which they haue of thy diuinitie that which thou art in them and honouring that which they are in thee 3. If I had the affection of all those men women which haue presented vnto thee sacrifices of diuine worship and soueraigne adoration as well in the law of nature as in the written Euangelicall law I should melt in thy presence but seing that all things subsist before thee I beseech thee that thou wilt accept my most humble and profound adoration as comprising them all and being comprised in them 4. Aboue all I offer present the interiour actions of the humanitie of Iesus Christ thy sonne euen from the first instant of the creation thereof to the very last period of his life and those also which he continually exerciseth in heauen 5. I present also vnto thee the internall acts of that most happie Virgin his mother of the Cherubins Seraphins and of all those holy spirits which opposed themselues against the reuolt of the Apostate Angels and whatsoeuer else hath proceeded at any time from those soules which haue bene most pleasing vnto thee frō the beginning of the world Beseeching thee to number me amongst them to ioyne my holocaust with theirs and to receiue it as a sweet smelling sacrifice 6. The most part of corporall creatures doe not acknowledge the being they haue receiued from thee nor the Obligation which they haue to thee for the same many abuse that being which thou hast bestowed vpon them as Infidels heretiques reprobates and all the accursed diuels I offer thee them O my God and prostrate them as much as is in my power at the feete of thy Maiestie adoring thee as often as they offend and blaspheme thee and I doe homage vnto thee with the actions and the very naturall being with the which they sinne and which they abuse 7. Great is the honour that hitherto hath beene ●oone to the great personages of the earth and is still continued euery day Incense hath bin offred vp to Idols Idolatrie is cōmitted to corporall beautie O the God of my soule I lay holde of all those thoughts wordes prophane actions passions and as farre as my minde can stretch I seperate from them all deformitie to make a present and sacrifice of that being they haue of which thou art the Author 8. I aske thee also