yet vnderstand the Scriptures vntill after our Sauiours Resurrection as S. Luke Luc. 24. doth seeme to affirme where he sayeth These are the words which I spake to you c. Then he opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the Scriptures And S. Iohn expresseth this more clearlye saying As Ioh. c. 20. v. 9. yet they knew not the Scripture that he should rise againe from the dead The Princes alsoe of the Iewes and all those that inhabited Ierusalem in those daies did not vnderstand the voices of the Prophets which were read euery Sabaoth as may be read in the Actes of the Apostles The ignorant Act. c. 13. therefore ought not to be sollicitous or troubled at their defect in learning for there will not bee exacted of them an account in the generall Iudgment how deeply they haue diued into secret and hidden mysteries with subtilitie of witt or learning but how they haue endeauored to loue and sought to haue their wills in all things conformable to the holy will of God Some holy men well experienced in internall affaires doe affirme that we haue certaine affections towards God that reside in our soules which require onely a good will to expresse them and that it importeth little whether this be done by significant words or by words that haue noe sense or connection in in them at all or by exteriour signes or otherwise how soe euer so that we intend thereby to manifest the loue we interiourly conceiue and feele desire to make knowne vnho him in the best manner we are able One that is tongue tyed from his birth but hath his feete or other parts at libertie may praise God deuoutly by signes of exultation sighs or beating of his brest S. Ierome writeth of himself that after he had implored the diuine assistance by violent beating of his brest and continuall teares it seemed vnto him very often that he was amongst the quiers of Angels by reason of the wonderfull sweetnes peace and spirituall ioy of his conscience which almighty God sent him after such pennance and hereupon it is that he is commonly pictured with à stone in his hand and his breast naked In the history of S. Francis is declared that one of the disciples of that holy Saint did for the most part vse the vowell V. V. V. for his praier and that with often repeating thereof he was many tymes rapt into great extasies and the like hath hapned alsoe to diuers others who haue vsed bodily gestures according to the exigence of the soule well affected The spirituall sweetnes which is deriued into our soules by reciting the diuine office in the latin tongue doth spring principally from two fountaines The one is from our ready and humble obedience to the ordinance of the holy Church refusing all election on our part and accepting that as best and most conuenient for vs which she hath instituted for the conformitie of true beleeuers in their manner of praising God The other is from the words themselues which haue proceeded from the mouth of almigtie God and haue been dictated by his holy spirit to the Prophets Patriarks Apostles and other Saints for these words originally coming from God are most delightfull and pleasing vnto him doe cause à greater sweetnes to the soule in exercising them and returning them towards God Both which comforts are indifferent to the learned vnlearned for it resteth not so much in the dulnesse or subtilitie of the vnderstanding as in the weaknes or force and goodnes of the will to performe this worke that it may be iudged more or lesse acceptable in the sight of God Wherefore let the vnlearned endeauour with all their forces to Pray in spirit that is with à recollected mind inflamed and lifted vp to God Let them I saie in this sort present their deuotions before the throne of God Let them intend to praise him with all their strength and might and to be gratefull vnto him for his benefits Let them busy themselues in this alone and their reward will no doubt infinitly exceed their labours Thus much might suffice concerning this mutter were it not that it will be needfull to explicate that place of S. Paul 1. Cor. 14. to the Corinthians where he seemed to coÌ„maund that the praiers of the Church be not performed in an vnknowne language but rather in the vulgar that euery one might vnderstand them and the people receiue instruction The words in that place which seeme to make most for that sense are these in the 14. verse and those that follow If I pray saieth he with à tongue vizt vnknowne My spirit that is my affection praieth but my vnderstandinge and the vnderstanding of those that â—arken vnto me is without fruite VVhat is it then that is what remedy is best in this case I will praie in spirit that my mind may receiue refection I will pray alsoe in the vnderstanding that is plainly that all who are present may perceiue what I pray I will singe in the spirit I will singe alsoe in the vnderstandinge But if you blesse in the spirit that is praise God in an vnknowne toÌ„gue that your spirit and affectioÌ„ onely may be nourished he that supplieth the place of the vulgar that is he that is an ignorant vnlearned man who is not skilfull in your tearmes how shall he saie Amen vpon thy blessing that is how shall he be able to approue and confirme what thou hast saied or wish the same with thee because he knoweth not what thou hast saied For thou in deede giuest thankes well but the other is not edified Thus farre the Apostle Concerning which you are to note that the Apostle in this place doth not speake of the diuine office or publique praiers of the Church which euen from the beginning were celebrated in the Christian Assemblyes in the common or knowne languages that is to saie either in the Hebrew Greeke or Latin and not in euery particular vulgar tongue but he speaketh there of the Hymnes Canticles and praiers which some priuate persons vnto whome God almightie had graunted the guift of tongues were accustomed to pronounce at their meetings in their owne name as being composed by themselues For since that the cheif end why the people were called together was for the common instruction edification and comfort of euery one such spirituall Caticles and Hymnes which for the most part were repleat with hidden mâ—steries being recited in à strange and vnknowne tongue would proue altogether vaine and without fruit to their auditors which the words of the Apostle following in the same Chapter doe sufficiently declare I giue God thankes saieth he that I speake with the tongues of you all but in the Church I will speake that is I had rather speake fiue words a few words with my vnderstanding that others may conceiue and vnderstand my meaning that I may instruct others alsoe rather then ten thousand words in Ã
grace which God almighty hath giuen or bestowed on him The first diuision is into Interiour attention and Exteriour Interiour attention is that by which one applieth his mind either to the holie words that he maie recite them or harken to them with due reuerence or to the pious signification of those words that he maie recreate his spirit thereby Exteriour attention is that by which one doth actually pronounce the words distinctly and without errour keeping his eies and the rest of the parts of his body in modest and decent composition doeing nothing willingly which maie diuert or hinder his saied interiour attention The second diuision is taken out of S. Thomas of Aquine and consisteth of 2. 2. â— 43. à 13. three pars The first is Attention to the words which maie be fulfilled by taking care that you read not one word for another ouerpasse nothing nor make too much hast and endeauouring to pronounce euery word distinctly and reuerently The second is Attention to the sense of the words which may be obserued by attending to the sense or meaning of the words either literall or mysticall that your affections maie be inflamed thereby The Third is Attention either to God or to the thing wee demaunde of him which maie alsoe be kept by attending to the presence of God contemplating his infinite goodnes that is gratiously pleased to be euer present with vs beholding our actions rewarding what is well done and rectifying what is amisse or by conuerting our thoughts to our sweet Sauiour Christ Iesus calling to mind the infinite loue where with he wrought that admirable worke of our Redemption and taking for our subiect to ruminate vpon some one or more of the passadges of his holy life or bitter passion afterwards sometimes darting our affections and gratitude towards him by some short but efficacious or burning aspiration or by hauing attention to the benefitts â—e aske of God vizt either Chastitie Humilitue Patience Faith Hope the diuine loue euerlasting life or the like As for example whilest we recite the Psalme Venite exultemus to thinke vpon these words in the mystery of our Creation Let vs make maÌ„ to our image and likenes discoursing breifly there of in our interiour As thus O great dignitie to be like to God With what care ought I to conserue this thy image in my soule Graunt me my deare Lord that I neuer defile it or the like And whilest we recite the rest of the parts of the office to take to coÌ„sideratioÌ„ some thing of the life passioÌ„ or death of our Sauiour beginning with the mysterie of his holy Incarnation discoursing thereof in our interiour As thas O my soule behold the force of loue That we might become the sonnes of God God became the sonne of à poore maide or the like sometimes praising almightie God sometimes giuing thankes vnto him and sometimes begging some grace or benefitt according to our necessitie at other tymes wishing that his will may be accomplished in and by vs and all creatures resigning our selues to be disposed of by him for tyme and eternitie as maie be for his greater glory In which imployment if we spend the whole tyme that we are reciting the office it will be very profitably spent notwithstanding that we be soe attent thereunto that we scarce perceiue that we are reciting the words of the office The first member of this diuision will suffice but yet it is the meanest Attention The second is better but yet is proper onely to schollers or such whome God almightie hath illuminated by extraordinarie fauour whoe can picke out here and there pious considerations to moue their affections The Third is generally held the best is indiffereÌ„t both to the learned and vnlearned Sharpnesse of witt and subtilitie of vnderstanding is not soe much required to performe this well as is à good will and pure intention for as S. Thomas affirmeth in the place à fore saied euen Idiotes by this attention are very often eleuated in spirit aboue themselues and all things created If those that are learned will vse their vnderstanding in this affaire noe further or other wise but to excite their will by proposing sweet and mouing considerations vnto her and helping her by prettie industries of loue to continue her holie desires and affections then they maie seeme to haue aduantage of the simple and vnlearned in the practise of this attention but if they doe vse their vnderstanding to search curiously into hidden Mysteries with quiddities of art and busie themselues more in speculation then in procuring and conseruing good affections then are they farre short of simple and ignorant but well minded soules for such their meditation will proue sterill and altogether voide of that fruit which should be sought by meditation which it pious holie and ardent affections and desires to inflame our soules with diuine loue Moreouer those that are learned are for the most part more subiect to distractions as hauing their heads filled with multiplicitie of conceipts caused by sciences and much speculation whereas the simple and vnlearned are free from such thoughts contenting themselues to admire high mysteries with an humble reuerence captiuating their vnderstandings to beleeue with all obedience simplicitie of heart whatsoeuer their Pastors and spirituall guides shall declare vnto them concerning almightâ—e God and how they ought to serue reuerence worship and loue him in noe sort presuming to search into high misteries further then he is pleased to reueale them either by this ordinarie meanes vizt by his substitutes or by himself when they are treating with him in their interiour and soe doe for the most part make lesse vse of their vnderstanding in praâ—er and more vse of their will and consequently Caeteris paribus as they tearme it the praier of such simple poore wretches is as gratefull to almightie God and beneficiall to their owne soules as is the praier of à great Doctor and perhaps more In the Cronicles of S. Francis his order it is registred that one Brother Giles of the order of S. Francis an vnlearned but à holie man on à time spake to S. Bonauenture the Generall of the saied holy order and à great light of Gods Church in these words Great mercy hath God shewed to you learned men and great meanes hath he giuen you wherewith to serue and praise his diuine Maiestie but we ignorant and simple people whoe haue no parts of witt or learning what can we doe which maie be pleasing vnto him Vnto whome the holy Saint answered If our Lord did no other fauour to man then that he might be inabled to loue him this alone were sufficient to oblige him to do God greater seruice then all the rest putt together The good Brother Giles replied And can then an ignorant person loue our Lord Iesus Christ as well as à learned man Yea saied S. Bonauenture à poore old woman maie perhaps loue our Lord better then à great
the lib. 9. Confes c. 1. li. 4. de oratione c. 2. â— 10. saied hymnes of the orientall Church as S. Augustine affirmeth Suarez saieth that the holie Church was moued by the especiall prouidence of God to institute that the confession and glorification of the B. Trinitie by the accustomed Hymne Glorie be to the Father c. should be added to the end of euery Psalme because saieth he the vse of the Psalmes was of greater antiquitie then the law of grace and by this meanes they doe participate the proper perfection thereof and become compleate and consummate Cornelius à Lapide dilating vpon these words of the Apostle For of him and by Rom. 11. him and in him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen doth expound this hymne of glorification in fauour of such who repeat it often Glorie saieth he be to the Father of whome all things are as of the prime origine Glorie to the Sonne by whome all things are made as by wisdome and men redeemed as by their mediator Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome are all things as it were in à bond and consummation Glorie to the Father of whome is all paternitie in heauen and vpon earth Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all filiation Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all holines and sanctification Glorie to the Father of whome is eternitie Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all forme beautie Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all felicitie and fruition Glorie to the Father of whome is all vnitie glorie to the Sonne by whome is all equalitie glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all loue and concord Glorie to the Father of whome is all powâ—r glorie to the Sonne by whome is all wisdome glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all goodnes Glorie to the Father who created me glorie to the Sonne by whome I am redeemed glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I am iustified Glorie to the Father who hath predestinated me glorie to the Sonne by whose precious bloud I am washed and made cleane glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I shall be glorified for euer Amen Alleluia NEXT in order followeth the Angelicall Hymne Alleluia which is song froÌ„ Easter vntill Septuagesima not without good reason for holie Dauid Psal 146. Psa 99. exhorteth To our God let there be à pleasant and comely praise againe Make ye iubilation to God all the earth serue ye our Lord in gladnesse enter ye before his fight in exultation And this hymne signineth praise God with à heart dilated through excesse of ioye The holie Church therefore because we ought neuer to surcease from praising God noe not then when we recount the miserable estate of man by the fall of our first parents hath ordained that in lieu of this hymne of exultation the verse Praise be to thee â— Lord King of eternall glorie shall be recited from Septuagesima vntill Paster which is à tyme of mourning and pennance li. 2. de Ritibuâ— c. 20. Stephen Durantus disputeth this question at lardge why the holye Church should omitt Alleluia from Septuagesima and yet place in lieu thereof à praise which seemeth equiualent thereunto after many solutions at length he answereth with S. Thomas and the Glosse vpon the ninth of the Apocalipse that this Hymne Alleluia besides the ordinary praise doth insinuate à iubilation which cannot be expressed in words Leo the 9. saieth that these two Hymnes Cap. de Consecr Hi. duo Dist. 1. onely are mentioned in the New Testament to haue been song by the Angells that is to saie Alleluia and Gloria in excelsis both which are intermitted in Septuagesima to shew that for the sinne of our first parents we are banished from communicating with the Angells in Iubilation which Adam in the state of innocencie did enioy as S. Iohn Damascene li 2. de Paradis affirmeth in these words Adam in bodie was delighted in the terrestriall paradise but in mind he was present with the quires of Angells in the paradise of holie spirits The same alsoe in effect S. Gregorie the Great affirmeth in his Dialogues Dialog 2. to witt that man in paradise was accustomed to enioy the words of God and to be present with the blessed Angeliall Spirits in puritie of heart and hight of contemplation But we alas doe now Psal 64. sit and weepe in Babilon of this wretched life and vpon the bankes of the riuers thereof whilest we remember that Syon where the Prophet saieth An hymne becommeth God VVisupra â— S. Leo aboue named giueth this reason why Alleluia is intermitted for nine weeks precisely and reassumed in the tenth weeke There are saieth he nine quires of Angells and the tenth quire sell by the sinne of Pride and thereby disturbed the ioye of the rest vntill Man was created to supplie their number but when he fell alsoe by disobedience they were againe greatly discomforted vntill our Sauiours birth at which tyme they begane to reassume their songe of ioye and afterwards at his Resurrection and Ascension together with those blessed soules which accompanied him vnto his throne of glorie they conceiued full hope that their number should be made compleate and their praise perfect S. Augustine saieth that although this Li. 2. Hymne might be interpreted both in de doctrina Christiana c. 10. Greeke and Latin yet it hath remained intire because it relisheth best in its owne originall to witt in the Hebrew Whosoeuer out of curiositie shall desire to soe more of the signification of this Hymne let him peruse the 137. Epistle of S. Ierome to Marcella where he maie receiue satisfaction The Inuitatorie verse IN the diuine office the Inuitatorie verse is vsually varied according to the nature of the office appointed for each daie and it is thus defined by Peter Damian Tom. 3. c. 7. in his booke intituled Dominus vobiscum The Inuitatorie saieth he is that by which the communion of the faithfull is inuited to the praise of God Concerning which you must note that the communion of true beleeuers be they scattered abroad in neuer soe many seuerall countreys doe yet make but one mysticall bodie whereof Christ is the head in whome they maie and doe meete together in spirit in the diuine praises by the feete of their soules which are the affections and in this sort they are inuited to come and ioyne with vs in the praise of almightie God S. Augustine affirmeth that if two iust In Psal 94. men be placed one in the East and the other in the West yet maie they truely be saied to be together because they are both in God but although à iust man and à wicked man be linked in one chaine yet are they farre à sunder for the one by louing iniquitie hath seperated himself farre from God and the other by louing God is nearely adioyned vnto him and if two such should praise
parts of the Soule in soe much that either the hidden misteries of the Prophesie will be laied open vnto it or the good spirit will be infused S. Chrisostome after he hath admired Homil. 6. de Paenitentia why the Prophet Dauid whome he stileth the musicall Doctor of puritie should be more frequented in all parts of the world then the rest of the holie Scriptures addeth these words The Prophet Dauid doth adorne our life with all sorts of benefits making himself all to all growing in yeares with children inuiting youth to prudence giuing to virgins modestie and puritie and to old men strength Sinners he prouoketh to Pennance saying Confesse to our Lord for he is Psal 117. Psal 18 good He fortifieth those that haue made good progresse in pennance saying The sinns of my youth and my ignorances O Lord remember not He exciteth those that haue receiued great graces to thankes giuing saying VVhat shall I render to our Lord for Psal 115. all things he hath giuen me He recalleth to confession such as often fall into a â—â—lapse saying If thou wilt obserue iniquities O Psall 1â—9 Lord who shall sustaine it Finally he concludeth O excellent harpe congregating the minds of all men through out the earth like vnto certaine strings in one consonance S. Basill the great saieth that in this Homil. in Psal 1. one booke of the Psalmes is comprised whatsoeuer is necessarie for all mens vse in the rest of the holie Scriptures It foresheweth future things with most certaine oracles it containeth an historicall narration it establisheth lawes to order our liues more holily it prescribeth and aduiseth euery one what is best to be done and in à word it is à plentifull and common promptuarie of all doctrine wherein the Prophet by his onely prouident industrious care hath deuised and excogitated what maie best conduce to the saluation of euery one which the saied holie Saint doth particularly recount in the same place adding further that the verse of the Psalmes doth cure our soules with the well proportioned modulation of the numbers which is rather à pleasant then à bitter medecine and moreouer that the Psalmes are à preseruatiue to profligate the inchauntments of the deuills à meanes to procure the patronage of the Angells à target of securitie in the terrours of the night à quiet rest in our daily labours à protection to infants an ornament to those that are in the flower of their age à comfort to old men and finally à fit attire for women wherewith to set out their beautie S. Augustine amongst other praises of the Psalmes hath words to this effect The holie Ghost saieth he beholding the minds of men to resâ—st and draw backe from the waie of vertue and to be inclined to the delights of this life hath mixed the force and operation of his doctrine with the pleasant melodie of à song that soe whilest the hearing is delighted with the sweetnes of the verse the benefit of the diuine words maie there withall find entrance and make deeper impression according to the proceeding of skillfull phisitians who when the diseases of their patients doe require that they administer bitter yet soueraigne potions least the diseased should refuse to take that which by all probabilitie will cause their recouery in regard of the vnpleasaÌ„tnes and loathsome tast thereof are accustomed to anoynt the top of the cup wherein the saied remedie is contained with honey or some such pleasant iuice It will be ouer long to rehearse the praises of this admired booke which maie be read in almost all the workes of the most famous writers and therefore I will conclude with these words of S. Ambrose In all other parts of the holie Praefa in Psal Scriptures saieth he are here and there singular or speciall remedies for singular or speciall persons according to their singular or speciall needs but the booke of the Psalmes containes à certaine generall medicine or remedy for the soules health of all mankind for each soules particular infirmitie or need Whosoeuer doth read them maie haue there à speciall remedy wherewith to cure the wounds of his proper passions and whosoeuer alsoe doth desire to enter the lists in à spirituall combate maie there as in the common place for the exercise of soules in the martiall feates of vertues find diuers sorts of maisteries or coÌ„flicts prepared and make his choice of such as he shall iudge most fit for him wherein he maie with most facilitie attaine the crowne of victorie VVhat is meant by an Antiphone BEfore euery one of the Psalmes is placed an Antiphone in most parts of the diuine office S. Isidore saieth that the lib. 6. orig c. 9. word Antiphona signifieth in Latin vâ—x reciproca or à reciprocall voice that is à voice which one wing of the quire returneth to the other from whence it cometh singing it in an exchanged order It alsoe appeareth by the workes of the li. 1. de Eccles officijs c. 7. saied Saint in another place that Antiphones were first of all vsed in the Greeke Church and afterwards introduced into the Latin Church by S. Ambrose Antiphones are for the most part taken out of the Psalmes or else are some deuout sentences desumed out of some other part of the holie Scriptures and accoÌ„modated to the nature of the office of that daie according to the tune where of the Psalme following is sung They are as it were à breathing fit betweene the Psalmes wherewith the mind is recreated and recouereth new feruour and alacritie to prosecute that which followeth Amalar saieth that an Antiphone doth resemble the vertue of Charitie for it ioyneth the works of two brothers in one The Psalmes maie be referred to workes and the Antiphones to the loue wherewith each lendeth to other his helping hand An Antiphone is song by turnes alternatly by both quires because charitie cannot be exercised betweene fewer then two The two Cantors doe signifie the vicissitude of charitie who of both sides in their turne or order doe as it were lift or passe the Antiphones from one side to the other Finally the two quires were prefigured by the wings of the liuing creatures stretched forth in length and meeting together which the Prophet Ezechiel saw in the figure of the comming of Christ of the new testament for that coniunction of their wings is the same that the Antiphones doe performe The title of the 8. Psalme and 1. in number in the nocturne office of the B. Virgin A Psalme to Dauid himself belonging to the end for Presses SAint Augustine affirmeth that the Prophet In Psal 1. Dauid did sing but 9. Psalmes onely with his owne proper voice and that the residue according to their seuerall titles were pronounced by one of the fower cheife Chanters to witt either by Asaph Eman Ethan or Idithun In the persoÌ„ of Dauid is prefigured our Sauiour to whome of all others
2. â—ies haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people à light to the reâ—elation of the Gentils c. and in another place All flesh shall see the saluation Luc. 3. of God By this verse therefore the faithfull doe praie for the illumination of the holie Ghost that they erre not in the way of this present life but by working maie know and by knowing maie walke in the way of our Lord of which our Sauiour speaketh in the Ghospell Straâ—â—e Math. is the way that leadeth to life and few there are that fynd it and by these words in all nations thy saluation they praie that Christ maie be acknowledged and honoured by all nations Let people ô God Confesse to thee let all people Confesse to thee Let the worship and veneration of the false Gods cease and to thee alone the liuing God let all diuine honour be giuen by all people Let nations called to the faith of Christ be glad with interiour ioy and exult by shewing exteriour signes of their inward ioy and this because thou ô God by thy annoynted iudgest people in equitie that is the seruile yoake of the Prince of darknesse being taken away thou hast constituted à most iust Kingdome in thy holie Church and the nations in earth thou doest direct gouerning them and directing them by most wholsome lawes to the port of eternall saluation S. Augustine interpreteth the words of this verse in the future tense as thus Thou wilt iudge people in equitie and referreth them to the last iudgement And the nations in earth thou wilt direct referreth them to the direction of this present life according to whome the sense of this verse is Let nations bee glad and exult because if they happen to suffer any euill here from men the tyme will come when thou ô God wilt iudge people in equitie and in the meane tyme the nations in earth which are subiect and deuoted to thee thou wilt direct Let people ô God Confesse to thee let all people Confesse to thee Here the Prophet againe exhorteth all people to praise and giue thankes to God adding à new reason or motiue to wit because the earth hath yeelded her fruit This fruit is Christ our Lord borne of the terrene substance of the blessed Virgin à fruit of such excellency that in coÌ„parison thereof all the fruit the earth hath heretofore brought forth maie well bee esteemed briers and thornes Of this fruit the Prophet Isaie maketh mention saying In that Isaiae cap. 4. daie the bud of our Lord shall bee in magnificenee and glory and the fruit of the earth high Yet taking the last words of this verse in à morall sense The earth is saied to yeeld her fruit when the holie Church doth spiritually instruct perfect and conserue her children and when our body liueth soberly and serueth to the aduancement of the soule obeying in all things The Prophet doth here as in many other places of the Psalmes vse the preterperfect tense for the future because in his prenotion that was now done which he foretelleth to bee done God our God blesse vs God blesse vs and let all the ends of the earth feare him This in effect is as much as if he had saied Since all people doe praise thee ô God and the earth hath yeelded her fruit let there henceforth bee a gratefull vicissitude betweene thee vs doe thou open thy liberall hand and fill vs with all benediction to wit with aboundance of all temporall and spirituall benefits and we as it is most meet will serue thee with à filiall reuerence and render thee the tribute of obedience and praise for euer The threefold repetition of the word God in this verse signifieth the affection of the Prophet Yet it seemeth likewise to insinuate the mystery of the blessed Trinitie which was afterwards manifested to the whole world by our Sauiour and his hole Apostles A certaine graue author vpon these words in the first verse of this Psalme to wit God blesse vs and illuminate his countenance vpon vs hath this obseruation Because saieth he many desire to bee blessed by God with aboundance of temporall benefits to wit with beautie power riches honour and the like all which indeed doe come from God but yet are common to the iust and vniust therefore the Prophet addeth what is proper to the iust to wit illuminate his countenance vpon vs. This is proper to the iust whereas the other mentioned things are common to all both good and euill almightie God soe disposing least if they should bee giuen solely to the good euill men would thinke that God were to bee worshipped for them and if to the euill onely infirme and fraise people would feare to conuert themselues to God least these things should bee wanting vnto them Behold here à short Psalme but full of feruour deuotion Let vs conforme the affections of our heart to the sacred words thereof with the whole forces of our mynd let vs implore the diuine mercy that he will bee pleased to inrich vs with the benedictions of Christ and instruct vs with the light of his countenance Let vs alsoe most heartely pray for the common good and for the generall soules health of all men that all men maâ—e confesse to God honour and loue him The argument of the Canticle of the three children BY the insuing Canticle the three men Sidrach Misach and Abdenago who were throwne into the furnace of burning fire by the commandement of Nabuchodonosor because they refused to adore the golden statue he had erected as is at lardge related by the Prophet Daniel did inuite all creatures in their seuerall Daniel 3. degrees and natures to praise God and they themselues did praise and glorifie him who preserued their bodies that they were not touched by the fury of those flames and made their hearts inflamed with the fire of his loue Indeed by how much the more one is inflamed with his loue by soe much the more intensly doth he desire that God maie bee praised loued and honoured by all l. 1. de doctrina Christiana creatures according to that S. Augustine By how much the more feruent any one is in the loue of God by so much the more doth he endeauour by all the meanes he can diuise that God maie bee beloued of all men by how much the more sincerely any one doth coÌ„template God by soe much the more he doth vnderualue and humble himselfe esteeme the praise wherewith he doth set forth the glory of God to bee the more insufficient and therefore doth earnestly desire that God maie bee magnificently praised by all creatures and doth his best to procure it The exposition of the Canticle ALl workes of our Lord blesse ye our Lord praise and superexalt him for euer Although euerie Creature doth not blesse and praise almightie God with voice which is proper to Men nor mentally which is
after their conuersion for the most part are accustomed to praise our Lord with à gratefull heart saying with the Psalmist But that our Lord hath holpen me within very Psal 9â— litle my soule had dwelt in hell Yet in regard that bruit sauadge and vntamed creatures are properly called beasts and bruit tame domesticall creatures cattell by beasts may fitly bee vnderstood carnall cruell vntractable men by cattell gentle courteous and tractable men Sonnes of men blesse yee our Lord. Reasonable and intellectuall creatures as the Sonnes of Men are ought to blesse our Lord not onely by affording matter of the diuine praise to such as rightly consider them but by considering their owne excellencie and perfection as alsoe the perfections in other creatures to magnifie and extoll with heart and mouth the infinite goodnesse wisdome and power of almigtie God acknowledging him by words and deeds the author and fountaine of all perfection cordially giuing thankes vnto him for all benefits gifts bestowed either vpon them or vpon other creatures Indeed if we will attentiuely consider Man as touching his body and soule and other circumstances concerning him we shall find soe much the more copious and excellent matter of the Creators praise by how much man is of à more high and excellent nature then the rest of the forenamed creatures For in the body of Man how great goodnesse of God how great prudence of soe mighty à Creator doth appeare Are not the places of the senses and the rest of the members soe disposed the forme shape and stature of the whole body soe delineated that they clearely shew they were made for the seruice of à reasonable soule Man is not created as we see irrationall creatures inclining towards the earth but with the forme of his body bolt vpright towards heauen whereby he is admonished according as the Apostle exhorteth To mynd the things that are aboue and not the things that Collos 3. are upon the earth By how much the more and greater benefits therefore are bestowed vpon him by soe much the more he is obliged to praise God and by soe much the more seuere and terrible shall his doome of reprobation bee if he bee found defectiue herein Let Israel blesse our Lord. Amongst all the generations of men the Israelits are most obliged to God almighty for his especiall graces and singular patronadge and consequently are bound by all the lawes of gratitude to render him due praise VVho declareth his word to Iacob his Psal 147. iustices and iudgements to Israel He hath noe done in leke manner to any nation and his iudgements he hath not made manifest to them Yet in respect that the people of Israel for their incredulity and obstinate blindnesse are become vnworthy of that name of whome the Apostle saieth Behold Israel 1. Cor. â—0 according to the flesh by Israel is now to bee vnderstood the people that are Christians by faith and workes of whome the same Apostle saieth Peace vpon the Israel of Gal. 9. God for they are frequently designed in the Prophets vnder the names of Ierusalem Sion and Israel especially in regard that the Primitiue Church consisted of the saied people Priests of our Lord blesse yee our Lord. These holie men hauing in generall tearmes inuited all Israel to blesse our Lord doe now here especially nominate the Priests on whome greater gifts are bestowed then vpon the vulgar and who in respect of their office or function are peculiarly obliged to spirituall exercises and the praise of God vnto whome Ezechias saied My children be not negligent 2. Paralip 29. our Lord hath chosen you to stand before him and to minister to him and to worship him and to burne incense to him and of whome our Lord hath saied I will replenish the soules of the Priests with fatnesse and in Exodus it is alsoe saied that The Priests shall be holie to their God If then the Priests Exod. 29 of the old law were bound to liue soe spiritually continently and soberly whose priesthood was but as à type and figure of the priesthood of Christ and his holie Church how spiritually continently and temperately are the Priests of the holie Church obliged to liue Verily so much the more perfectly ought they to frame their liues by how much their priesthood is more spirituall and diuine and the sacrifice they offer more excellent and the Sacraments they handle of greater value Seruants of our Lord blesse yee our Lord. These words doe seeme to bee spoken to those cheefly who ministred to the Priests in the diuine worship to witt to the Leuites vnto whome Deacons doe succeed in the holie Church yet they maie alsoe be vnderstood as spokeÌ„ to all the faithfull for they are all properly stiled the seruants of God as being Created by him redeemed with the pretious bloud of his most deare and onely sonne Christ Iesus Spirits and soules of the iust praise yee our Lord. You are to know that these words Spirit soule doe expresse one the same essence of à reasonable soule which in as much as it informeth and giueth life to the body is called Anima that is à soule and by reason of its simplicity and in as much as it contemplateth heauenly things it is called à Spirit Holie and humble of heart blesse yee our Lord not attributing your vertues and merits to your owne proper power labour or industry but to the piety and grace of the holie Ghost who operateth in you both à good will and ability to performe your duties Ananias Azarias and Misael blesse yee our Lord. These holie men hauing inuited all creatures to praise our Lord doe now prouoke themselues thereunto in consideration of their present benefit being miraculously preserued from the fire of that flaming furnace The verse following is not in the Text but hath been added by the holie Church in the praise of the most blessed Trinity in the place of Gloria Patri which Pope Damasus by the perswasion of S. Ierome did institute to be recited or sung at the end of euery Psalme as hath been saied heretofore Let vs Blesse that is Let vs with heart and mouth exhibite deuotion praise honour reuerence and diuine worship in spirit and truth to the Father our Creator and the Sonne our Redeemer with the Holie Ghost our Comforter and for that these trhee persons are one vndiuided and most amiable God Let vs praise him in three persons with one praise and superexalt him for euer speaking well of him thinking well of him and ascribing vnto him all that is good Thou art blessed o Lord in the firmament of heauen and laudable and glorious and superexalted for euer The argument of the 148. Psalme intituled Alleluia that is to saie Praise our Lord. THe Prophet intending to inuite all creatures to praise our Lord doth reduce them to two Classes to witt Heauen and earth for these are the two principall
the ministerie of his holie Angels the diuine law the holie Scriptures celestiall reuelations to vs mortalls His word runneth swâ—fily The Euangelicall law and doctrine of Christ was diâ—â—lged in all places through the whole earth in à short tyme by the preaching of the Apostles and Disciples for Into all Psal 18. the earth hath the sound of them gone forth into the endâ— of the whole world the words of them Christ indeed-sent forth his speech to the earth when he saied to his Apostles Going into the whole world preach the Marc. 16. Ghospell to all creatures but his word ranne swiftly when they did putt in execution and accomplished what he had foretold them to witt That they should bee witnesses Act. 1. vnto him in Ierusalem and in all Iewâ—ie and Sâ—marâ—â— and euen to the vtmost of the earth VVho giueth sâ—ow as wâ—oll He it is alsoe who by his diuine power disperseth the waters that are eleuated into the middle region and there congealed and makes them gently fall not vnlike to litle lockes of whitest wooll couering the cultiuated feilds as it were with a woollen mantle which defends the tender blades from the sharpe rigours of the hoarie frost Scattereth mist hoarie times made small as ashes These mists cause fertilitie to plants that are purified by the nipping cold of those grizely bearded rimes which repell all vitious sappe from trees and render them noe lesse aboundant in fruits then well nourished in bodie and branches VVho casteth his Christall as morsells Christall is generally esteemed to bee certaine peeces of vce here and there dispersed in great gobbits which by long condensation and freezing is become soe hard and solide that it cannot by any meanes bee dissolued and yet retaineth the clearenesse and luster of the element whereof it is produced Before the face of his cold of the excessiâ—e coldnesse which he can send at his pleasure in such extremitie that it will bee of power to conâ—ert water into Christall who shall endâ—re As if he should saie noe man is able to subâ—ist at the presence thereof for indeed there are some countreys which noe man can inhabite by reason of the excessiue coâ—dnesse He shall send forth his word and shall melt them his spirit shall blow and waters shall flow Almightie God is soe powerfull that with the least word he shall vouchsafe to let fall from his sacred mouth he can dissolue all the saied snowes frozen mists and congelations and with one blast of a Southerne wind cause the waters to runne as before These diuers effects of one the same cause doe signifie vnto vs the great efficacie of his diuine word whereby he augments the number of faithfull Christians made pure and white as snow by faith the Sacraments reducing them to Pennance signified by ashes thereby resoluing all the mists hoarie rimes which are the little obstacles that did congeale our soules to the end to render them more fertile in good workes when the Sunne of Iustice doth giue them light and life â—yea dissoluing Chrystall that is mollifying those rebellious obstinate and hard frozen hearts which retaine in apparence the splendor of christall shew an exteriour resemblance of worth and value and cannot bee dissolued by any exhortation whatsoeuer For when he pleaseth to sende his sacred word holie spirit manifested either by internall inspiration or by visible miracles and to breathe vpon their cold frozen couradges then behold them in an instant conuerted into teares and altogether inflamed with his loue and recurring to the riuers of Baptisme Some expound the former words VVho giueth snow as wool of the consolation which the Saincts receiue in tribulation according to that of the Apostle I am replenished with consolation I doe exceedingly 2. Cor. 7. abound in ioy in all our tribulateon For snow doth afflict with its coldnesse but wool doth cherish with its warmth God therefore doth giue snow as wooll because he giueth snow as if he gaue wooll for he giueth tribulation which is conuerted into the consolation of his Saints Moreouer they referre these words Scattereth mist as ashes to pennance which is designed by ashes for God scattereth the cloud or hoarie mist of tribulation whereby many are excited to pennance and soe God giueth mist as ashes because he giueth mist as though he gaue ashes in regard that tribulation leadeth to pennance Finally they expound these words He casteth his cristall aâ— morsellâ— of the greatest consolation which God almightie graunteth in tribulation for then he casteth his christall as morsells when he giueth yee as though he gaue bread because euen in the yee it selfe of tribulation he infuseth the bread of consolation VVho declareth his word to Iacob his iustices and iudgements to Israel He hath not done in like manner to any natioÌ„ and his iudgements he hath not made manifest to them The Prophet concludeth shewing what difference there is betweene the Prouidence of God towards his people and other nations For he hath taught other nations by naturall effects that they might come to acknowledge their creator by the consideration of created things but he hath taught his people by his Prophets O Ierusalem therefore praise our Lord who declareth his word to Iacob to witt to his people seeing him by faith speaking vnto them by Moyses and the Prophets and who declareth His iustices and Iudgements to Israel by his seruant Moyses vnto whome he gaue the law to deliuer it to his people of Israel Hence thou maist gather that he hath not done in like manner to any nationâ— because to thee alone and not to others he hath manifested his saied iudgements By his word his iustices and iudgements maiâ— alsoe hee vnderstood aduertisements necessarie to saluation bee it by word â—â— forme their manners bee it by statutes or ordinances for what concernes his seruice and the due worship in his true religion or finally bee it by iudgements foâ— that which appertaines to the distribution of iustice and right which must bee rendred to our neighbour all which God almightie hath in a peculiar manner deliuered to his elected people Behold à Psalme altogether repleaâ— with spirituall sweetnesse erecting our minds to the contemplation of heauenly things In it the Militant Church or euery one of the faithfull doth inuite the triumphant Church to praise the author of their be atitude not that the blessed need our admonition but that we congratulating them and 〈…〉 lating their felicitie maie bee incited thereby â—o labour to attaine their vnion Whilest therefore we repeate the first verse thereof let vs eleâ—ate our hearts to the ioyes of that superâ—â—all palace perlustrate that sacred Cittie with the eies of faith and sigh after the blisse thereof for whose loue we ought to flight all sensible and carnall things Let vs attend after our poore manner what ioyes the glorified soules doe securely possesse whose Cittie is fortified on all sides that noe
composition of the Breuiary Concerning the antiquitie whereof I haue vsed much diligence by inquiry amongst learned men and perusing of diuers authors to find out the certaine tyme when it was composed and by whome but cannot come to the certaine knowledge of it Baronius seemeth to be of opinion that it was compiled by Peter Damian Cardinall and Bishop of Ostia à monke of the holie order of S. Benedict His words Tom. II. in an 1056. are these speaking of him As he was the cause that the office of the mother of God was introduced into his Monasterie soe it is well knowne that froÌ„ the same fountaine it was deriued to all the Christian world c. Yet Bartholomew Gauantus in his Booke intituled The treasure of the holie Rytes in the examen whereof he spent the greatest part of his life sheweth it to be of farre greater antiquitie alleadging the authoritie of Paulus Diaconus whoe in his Exposition of the Rule of S. Bened. which may be seeÌ„ in à Manuscript in the AniciaÌ„ Library of the College of S. Gregory in the Citty of Rome doth write That the Popes Gregory the 3. and Zachary whoe liued before the yeare of our Lord 752. did inioyne the Monks of the Cassine Congregation to recite the office of the B. Virgin together with the Diuine office It seemeth therefore that Peter Damian was not the inuencer or framet of it but rather that he restored à laudable custoÌ„e of reciting it which in his tyme was abolished as Flaminius à Benedictin Monke in the life of the sayed Peter Damian doth affirme saying That Pope Gregory the Seuenth whoe held the chaire of S. Peter about the yeare of our Lord 1063 did send him as his Legate to promulgate à Decree through out all Italy for the recyting of the office oâ— the B. Virgin mother of God which had beene for some tyme euerie wherâ— neglected and omitted By what is alreadie sayed it is manifeâ—â— that this holy Office was instituted bâ— the authoritie of the boâ—ye Church hauing beene proposed to the Monkes of Cassine by Pope Gregorie the 3. and Zacharie and imposed in Peter Damians tyme by Pope Gregorie the seuenth vpon all the Clergy in â—â—alye But afterwards it was ordained more generaly by Pope Vrbane the 2. in the Councell of Claramont Tom. II. An. an 1095. as may bee seen in Baronius whoâ— relateth That the saved Pope Vrbane the 2 â—auing prâ—pared an expedition for the recouery of the holy land and considering the difficulties that were like to occurre in that waighty enterprise brought best to haue recourse to the praiers of the B. Virgin thereby to moue God ralimightie to be propitious to his 〈◊〉 â— for that â—e well know by experience that all things how perilous or difficult soeuer would proced â—appily to which the help of the B. Virgin Marie did graciously incline That therefore he might endeare her by some seruice of his to afford him her powerfull patronage he did ordaine by consent of the Councel of ClaramoÌ„â— that the howerly praiers and praises coÌ„monly stiled the Office of the mother of God which was then and had been long frequented amongst the monkes of the institution of the said Peter Damian should be dilated to the Clergy and recited by them worthily and cordially to the end that the most holy Virgin might plead for them to her sonne by which meanes the people of God who were to vndergoe so many eminent daungers might be supported by her aide and fortified by her defence Whereupon the saied office was piously embraced generally by the Clergy after wards in ardged to the laietie both men and women to their great increase in grace as all the faithfull haue experienced and doe daily experience whoe do vse to saie it often with due reuerence and from their hart Thus farre Baronius It will not be amisse to sett downe in this place what may be read in Surius Surius Tom. 5. in 6. Octob. where he sheweth by what meanes S. Bruno and all vnder his holy institute came by diuine admonitioÌ„ to choose the B. Mother of God for their Patronesse and to shelter themselues vnder her protection What he writeth thereof is to this effect The enemie saieth he of mankind foreseeing the great damadge he was like to sustaine by the Angelicall life of the Carthusian Fathers did make vse of the fraudulent tongues of certaine malignant persons to perswade them to desist from their austere course by affirming that they cast themselues into eminent daunger of their liues by such singularitie soe that they were greatly perpleâ—ed in mynd not knowing what to resolue vpon When therefore they were deliberating together in this anxietie what way were best for them to take God almightie who neuer forsaketh those that confide in him sent vnto them à venerable man who said vnto them Bretheren you are in great doubt whether you were best to remaine in this place or to depart hence but I saie vnto you in the words of almightie God that the euer B. Virgin mother of God will conserue and protect you in this forlome desert if you will daily read her howerly praiers in her honor which hauing saied he suddainly vanished leauing them touched with incredible ioy And for that Peter Damian hath beene à prime promotor of this holie Office whereby he is not without reason esteemed to haue beene the composer of it or at least to haue much augmented and illustrated it I will here sett downe Tom. 1. li 6 Epist 32. what he himselfe writeth in his 32. Epistle to the Religious of the Monastery of Gamugnensis where after he hath at lardge declared vnto them certaine Constitutions which he had ordained in his owne Monastery of S. Vincent de Monte Petrusa and a fearefull example which happend to one that had transgressed them he addeth I will relate vnto you another thing which happened in the foresaied Monastery It was ordained in the same Monastery by himself no doubt who framed their other lawes though he expresse it not in that place and now almost for three yeares space obserued that together with the Canonicall howers the office of the B. Virgin Marie should be saied when as one Gozo by habite à monke of à bad life but subtile witt begane to complaine that it was enough and abouÌ„dantly sufficed which S. Benedict had commaunded to be obserued and that they ought not to be chardged with new inuentions We are not saith he more holy then our auÌ„cient forefathers whoe esteeming these things as vaine superftitious haue prefixed vs certaine limits for what we are to sing haue prescribed vs our rule whereby to direct our life wherewith we ought to coÌ„teÌ„t ourselues least by rashely declining from them we be lead through by-pathes into errors What needs many words he seemed to combate with the Queene of the world and to gett the victory for by these subtile machinations he allured the
religious to relinquish the saied office But behold the diuine iustice which is euer vigilant obseruing our iniquities shortly after such aduersities aÌ„d afflictioÌ„s fell vpon the saied Monastery that the monkes were daily in daunger to loose their liues on euery side there were made roberies and rapines of their goods their corne was burnt and their familiar friends and seruants were murthered in soe much that they became weary of their liues and were inforced to be at much expences to obtaine of the Emperour to interpose his authoritie which when they had compassed it nothing at all auailed them Wherefore I being intreated by them for he was imploied abroad in many Embassadges to see if I could fynd some way whereby to redresse these calamities did giue them this answeare Christ saied I is our peace of whome when he was newly borne of the B. Virgin the Angells did sing Glory in the highest to God and in earth Luc. 2. peace Because therefore you haue banished out of your Monastery the mother of true peace these tribulations calamities haue deseruedly been layd vpon you which words the Monkes hauing by many signes experienced to be most true being now in great distresse they begane to consider better with themselues and casting themselues vpon the ground before me promised with one consent that they would neuer afterwards neglect their accustomed praise of the mother of God After which their humiliation and promise put in practise the enioyed their desired peace euen to this present CHAPT IV. Shewing the reasons why the holy Church hath diuided the diuine offiâ—e and consequentlye this of the B. Virgin conformable vnto it into so many parts or howâ—rs MY purpose is not to make à long narration of the diuersitie of opinions concerning the number of the Canonicall howers the precise tyme when they were saied and the space which was intermitted betweene them in diuers places for that the pious reader whose comfort I hereby intend would rather gather leaues then fruit by such à sterill discourse relishing best with curious palates which sometimes are more delighted with the shadow then with the substance Notwithstanding soe much as may serue for instruction I will as breifly as I can declare concerning this matter Our holy Father S. Benedict in his Cap. 16. Psal 118. Rule hath these words Seuen tymes in the daie saieth the Prophet I haue saied praise to thee which sacred number of Seuen will be accomplished by vs if we performe the office of our seruice at the tyme of Mattines or â—auds Prime Terce Sext None Vespres and Compline because the Prophet spake of these howers when he saied Seuen tymes in the daie I haue saied praise to thee For of the Nocturnes or night office the same Prophet alsoe saieth At midnight I arose to confesse to thee Wherefore at these tymes let vs praise and giue thanks to our Lord and sauiour for the iudgments of his iustification I meane at Mattines or Lauds Prime Terce Sext None Vespres and Compline and at night let vs rise to confesse to him Thus farre our holy Father The saied night office is not ordained without great reason that we may be found watching and prepared to receaue the spowse for that our sauiour doth seeme to affirme that the generall Iudgment shall bee in the night tyme In the Math. 25. Luc. 17. middest of the night à great noyse was made behold the spowse is at hand Moreouer In that night two shall bee in one bed c. and in another place VVatch yee therefore for you Marc. 13. know not when the Lord of that howse cometh at euen or at midnight or at the cocke crowing or in the morning least coÌ„ming vpon à suddaine he fynd you sleeping and that which I saie to you I saie to all watch which night watch Act. 16. S. Paul and Silas did obserue as appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles Cardinall à Turre Cremata vpon the Tract 73. Rule of S. Benedict saieth that according to the auncient custome there were eight Canonicall howers and Hugh of S. li. 2. Eccles office c. 2. Victor proueth the same by this reason In tymes past saieth he the Nocturnes or night office were not onely seperated by à certaine interposition of tyme but alsoe were terminated with à proper extreame or ending that is with à collect or praier by which manner of terminatioÌ„ the vnitie or diuision of howers are vsually distinguished The same alsoe is affirmed by diuers others Yet now that laudable custome giuing place to humane infirmitie the common practise is that the Nocturnes and Mattines or Lauds are recited at one tyme make but one hower and thereupon it is become the generall receaued opinion that Tom. 3. pag. 94. Prouer. 22. there are onely Seuen Canonicall howers according to which Peter Damian doth proceed where he saieth that there are Seuen lesser sorts of sinns into which The iust man as it is written doth daily fall but straightwaies getteâ—h footing againe for that he sinneth not out of malice or deliberatly but out of humane frailtie The saied sinns are these that follow vizt Thought Ignorance Inconstancy Necessitie Infirmitie Obliuion and Inconsideration For eâ—piation whereof the holy Doctors of the Church by the instruction of the holy Ghost haue ordained that we doe seuen tymes à daie offer our praiers to God for in very deed saieth he the offices of the seuen Canonicall howers are like vnto seuen Baptismes which wash away the seuen staines which we doe soe daily contract There are many Texts of the holy scriptures touching the number of Seuen which may seeme to haue moued the holy Church to make choise of that sacred number of tymes wherein to praise our Lord as in Genesis in memory of the benefit of our â—reation The Seuenth Gen. 2. daie God ended his worke Alsoe in other places as Naaman the leper washed himself lib. 4. Reg. c. 5. Iosue 6. seuen tymes in the riuer of Iordan And VVhen the army of the Hebrâ—wes had gone seuen daies about the Citty of Ierico the seuenth tyme seuen Priest sounded seuen trumpetts of the Iubilie and the wall of the Citty fell downe And Our Lord oast out of Marie seuen deuills Mare 16. With à multitude of other places which for breuity sake I willingly ouer passe Moreouer our Lords Praier consisteth of seuen petitions our sauiour spake seuen tymes whilst he hung vpon the Crosse and there are seuen guifts Apoc. 1. of the holy Ghost I saw saieth S. Iohn seuen candlestickes of gold and in the middest of them one like the sunne of man Ludouicus de Ponte in his tome of the Perfections of Christ after he hath shewed Tract 3. c. 1. out of S. Iohn Chrisostome that praier is like to the sunne he doth compare the seuen parts of the diuine office to the seuen Planetts because by them doth descend into the Church the influx of
tongue vizt to auditors that will not be instructed there with By this it is plaine that the prayers of the holy Church in an vnknowne language are nothing contrary to the Apostles mynd and that for two reasons first because such praier is instituted more for the reuerencing and worshiping God then for the instruction of those that pray and secondly because such deuout sacrifices spiritually offered to God doe not onely stirre vp affections and loue but alsoe bring an inward spirituall light and experimentall knowledge both of God and ourselues Nothing therefore can be deduced out of this place which may touch the Canonicall howers or praiers which are performed in the latin tongue by the publique mynisters of the Church in the name of the whole people not onely with the approbation but alsoe by the ordinance and commaund of the saied Church I haue insisted the longer vpon this subiect because it is soe often inculcated by our pretended reformers who vainely bragge of the great aduantage they haue which vnlearned Catholiks want by hauing their Church seruice in the vulgar tongue euery ignorant man or silly woman perhaps supposing that now he or she doth as well vnderstand what is there saied as S. Augustine S. Ierome and the rest of the Doctors of the holy Church CHAPT VI. Contayning certaine obiections of lesser moment together with their solutions The first Obiection THis office seemeth ouer long and soe to bee misliked both for that long praiers are apt to breed heauines and satietie as alsoe for that they seeme to oppugne the doctrine of our Sauiour where he saieth VVhen you are praying Math. 6. speak not much Answer One hower in fower and twentie will suffice for this profitable taske Wherefore it ought not to be esteemed ouer long especially considering that for the most part all men except those that are studious of perfection are ouercharged with tyme which they tacitely seeme to confesse by hauing inuented such varietie of games sports which for that end they tearme passetymes to deceaue the daie and make it seeme short or rather to deceaue themselues and abbridge their tyme of merit if such passetymes be not vsed with discretion and for their true legitimate end which is the conseruation of health and to recreate their spirits that they may be more prompt and facilitated to performe the will of God with cheerefulnes alacritie and sweetnes according to euery mans vocation respectiuely Neither is the length of this office apt to breed heauines or satietie for that there is such harmonious varietie therein that those who vnderstand the latin tongue may easily picke here and there something to delight them If they find noe spirituall comfort in the Psalmes they may passe to the Lessons Respōsories Antiphones Hymnes other parts of the office And like as the painefull Bee passing from one flower to another to gather her sweet burthen stayeth longer vpon some flowers where she findeth most of that pleasant iuyce she laboureth in search of then vpon some other flowers which in apparence are more beautifull and fit for her purpose Soe let the deuout mind passe from one part of this office to another staying longest vpon such places which moue his hart to the loue of God and doe yeeld best increase of good desires Let him come with a good will simple intention to praise almightie God in the best manner he can by this forme of praier which is instituted by the holy Church for the conformitie of true beleeuers in their manner of praising God and let him during the tyme he imploieth in reciting it endeauour to keepe his mynd recollected and busied with good thoughts and no doubt God almightie who hath reguard to the harts of those that pray will supply with his grace what his petitioner is not able to draw out of such deuotions with his vnderstanding and will moue his hart in soe benigne and sweet à manner that such an one shall many tymes experience greater comforts rest better satisfied then another will euer be able to compasse with his great learning and subtile wit without the like infusion of grace To the place of S. Mathew where it is saied when you are praying speake not much I answeare there followeth immediatly As the heathens for they thinke Math. 6. that in their much speaking they may be heard By which words it appeareth that our Sauiour did not forbid long praier for he himself spent whole nights in praier and he saieth we must pray alwaies and S. Paul exhorteth vs to pray without intermission and the holy Church hath had euen from the beginning her Canonicall howers of praier but he forbiddeth idle and voluntary babling like to that of the heathens to their Gods who thought thereby their wants would be the better vnderstood by them or of heretiks who by long rethoricall praiers thinke to perswade God almightie whereas the Collects of the holie Church are most breife but very effectuall S. Augustine Aug. Ep. 121. c. 10. in his Epistle to Probus saieth That if one continue long in praier hee is not esteemed to pray in much speaking as some are of opinion and immediatly following he addeth To speake much in praying is to doe à necessary matter with superfluous words The second Obiection 2. To repeat often one and the self same words as is vsed in some parts of the office is very troublesome and forbidden by the wise man when he saith Ecclesiastici 7. Iterate not à word in thy speech Answer It is à common Prouerb Things ten tymes repeated are delightfull Neither is all manner of repetition of words disliked by Ecclesiasticus but onely à foolish iterating of vaine words or words without waight such as cannot be found in this office where almost all the words are taken out of the holy Scriptures and are full of grauitie and signification And as the continuance of affections loue and reuerence to God is questionlesse very laudable soe must it needs be gratefull and laudable to continue any praier though in the self same words by which is signified the continuance o◠iteration of the foresaied deuotion More ouer the Kingly Psal 135. Prophet repeateth these words Because his mercy is for euer twentie seauen tymes in one Psalme as an occasion to procure and continue attention to the wonderfull works of God which are therein recounted and in another Psalme the word Voice is seauen tymes repeated Finally Pal. 2 8 Our B. Sauiour in the garden did thrice repeate the same praier and he spake thrice to S. Peter in the same words Iob. 21. The Third Obiection 3. This office being intended to praise God for his graces bestowed vpon the B. Virgin it seemeth to litle purpose to haue the greatest part of the office to consist of Psalmes which make little or no mention at all of her Answer The holie Church in the institutiō of this office had regard chiefly to the
honor and praise of God which is principally intended by this and all other officesâ— secondarily did appointe Psalmes which speake in some of the verses of the B. Virgin as I shall shew hereafter in my explication of them And the same order is likewise obserued in all the feasts which are celebrated by the holie Church as for example in the feast of the Natiuitie of our Lord the second Psalme is ordained to be saied for the 7. verse The Lord saied to mee thou art my sonne I this daie haue begotten thee And in the Epiphany the 41. Psalme for the 10. verse The kings of Tharsis and the Ilands shall offer presents The kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring guifts And in the feasts of the Apostles the 18. Psalme for the 4. verse Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth c. And in the feasts of Martyrs the 115. Psalme for the 5. verse Pretious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his Saints And in the feasts of holy Virgins the 44. Psalme for the 15. verse Virgins shall be brought to the king after her And soe forth in all other feasts But the rest of the offices as the Inuitatories Antiphones Lessons Responsories Verses Chapters and Praiers are for the most part proper to the feasts CHAPT VII Shewâ—ng with what Reuerence the Canoniâ—all howeâ—s ought to bee reciâ—ed and vsually wâ—re recited by many Saints OVr glorious Father S. Benedict speaking in his holy Rule of the reuerence which is requisite to be vsed in Praier hath these words If when we desire to speake to any great person touching any busines we dare not doe it but with submission and reuerence with farre greater reason when we are to supplicate to God the Lord of all things we are to doe it with all humilitie and puritie of deuotion and in another place We beleeue saith he that Gods diuine presence is euery where and that in euery place the eies of our Lord behold the good and the euill Neuerthelesse we especially and without any doubt beleeue this when we present ourselues to the diuine office Wherefore let vs alwaies remember what the Prophet saieth Serue Psal 2. Psal 46. Psal 137. yee our Lord in feare againe Sing yee wâ—sely And In the sight of the Angells I will sing to thee Let vs therefore seriously consider with ourselues what our comportment ought to be in the presence of God and his Angells and let vs stand to sing in such manner that our mynd and voice may accord together S. Bernard in the 2. Tome of his works treating of the same subiect hath these words Let those that enter in to the Church put their had vpoÌ„ the doore and saie Expect here all euill thoughts intentions and affections of the hearts and desires of the flesh but Thou my soule enter into the ioy of our Lord God that thou maiest see his will and visite his temple Concerning which aduice of S. Bernard of putting their hand vpon the Church doore we may note out of Nauar in his Enchiridion de Horis that Cap. 17 n. 4. the holie Church did ordaine that there should be placed à holy-water pot at the entry in to euery Church to the end that those who came to pray there might take holy-water in token that they ought to leaue behind them at the Church dore all thoughts which maie distract or hinder them in their praier Which laudable institution hath been carefully practised in EnglaÌ„d as may yet be seene in diuers Churches where the holy-water pot is placed in the Church porch but now serues to no other vse then to testify with what reuerence our forefathers were accustomed to enter in to those Churches whilst they were holy hauing holy Altars holy Priests and a holy Sacrifice in them of all which since they are now emptied the holy water pot hath little reason to complaine of its vacuitie S. Bonauenture writeth that S. Francis De act S. FraÌ„c cap. 10. did beare such reuerence to the Canonicall howers that whilst he did recite them he would not leane to any place but stood vpright and bare headed that he omitted not this custome when he trauelled any iourney but would stay in that place where he happened to be when the tyme occurred that those howers were vsually recited and not remoue from thence although it rained neuer soe fast giuing this pious reason for his soe doing worthy of soe great à Sainte If the body doe quietly receiue its food which after wards will turne to wormes meate together with the body with what peace and tranquillitie ought the soule to receiue the food of life Moreouer he recited the Psalmes with such attention as if God were present and when the name of our Lord occurred in the office it relished most sweet with him and he was soe transported with interiour ioy when he pronounced the holy name of Iesus that he could not containe himself from manifestation thereof by exteriour signes Theodoricus de Apoldia in the life of Lib. 4. cap. 11. S. Dominike doth affirme that the face of this holy Saint was very frequently bedewed with teares whilst he was reciting the diuine office and that if he chanced to be forth of the Monasterie when the signe was giuen for the beginning of the office he would presently call the Religious together and performe it in that place Petrus Ribadeneira in the life of S. Lib. 5. cap. 1. Ignatius the Institutor of the famous and florishing Order of the Societie of Iesus writeth that when the said holy Saint did recite the diuine office he experienced such diuine consolations and shed teares in such aboundance that he was forced to stop at almost euery word by which meanes he was faine to imploy à good part of the daie in reading the Psalmes Horatius Turcellinus writheth alsoe Lib. 6. cap. 5. of S. Francis Xauerius the Apostle of Iaponia that before euery Canonicall hower he was accustomed to implore the assistance of the holy Ghost by saying the Hymne Veni Creator Spiritus which hymne he would pronounce with such feruour that his hart did seeme euen to leape in his body CHAPT VIII Shewing the necessitie of Attenâ—ion in praier what Attention is best and what will suffice ATtention is an intrinsecall and essentiall qualitie appertayning to praier that is to saie Attention is soe necessarily requisite whilst one praieth that Sotus affirmeth one is not esteemed to Sot lib. 10 de Iust. q. 5. à 5. praie any longer then his attention doth indure Which being à certaine truth it will be needfull in this place for the better instruction of the lesse learned and comfort of tender consciences to sett downe the diuersitie of Attentions which are described by the holy Doctors and to shew which of them will suffice that euery one may take his choise out of them as best futeth with his capacitie or the portion of
confesse o Lord that I am not worthy to beare the name of thy sonne and yet I cannot choose but acknowledge thee to be my father for in very deed thou art my father and my onely confidence Thou art the fountayne of mercy which doest not repell vncleane persons that come vnto thee but doest wash them and giue them consolation Behold then o sweet comforter how I the most desolate and abiect creature of all others come vnto thee bringing nothing at all with me but the burthen of my sinns I most humbly prostrate my self at the feete of thy diuine goodnes crauing mercy at thy hands Pardon me o my assured confidence and through thy infinite â—lâ—mency vouchsafe to purify my soule and conduct it to eternall life Amen This maiâ— be done diuers waies either mentally or vocally according as you shall eâ—petience most spirituall aduancement You maie take out of these aspirations such as shall best relish with your deuotion some at one tyme and some at another Yet I could wish you would at first take them as they are â—â—râ— placed and exercise yourself in soe many of them at one tyme as your leasure will permit and the next daiâ— begin where you left and soe forth continue vntill you haue at seuerall tymes gone through them all I could with alsoe that you would performe them in like manner sower or fiue tymes if you fynd them needfull and by that tyme I confide in God almighties goodnes that you will be enabled if you make vse of these in due manner to frame such of yourself and to expresse our affections and desires with facilitie and sweetnes And such expression made bâ— yourself moâ—â—d out of some pious consideration of the goodnes of God shewed vnto vs in the worke of our Redemption or some other of his benefites will be farre more gratefull vnto him then if you expressed your mind vnto him by reading vocally or pronouncing mentally these I haue â—here sett downe or any other how learnedly or excellently penned soeuer For God almightie regardeth not whether that we saie be elequently deliuered and the words placed in moode and figure but â—e attends our hearts and what we desire to saie and doe expresse in our poore manner Not much vnlike to à tender mother who is well pleased with the expression of loue in her litle Infant that can scarce vtter à word or Speake intelligibly yet comes and clips her as farre as it 's short armes can extend and in it's imperfect language laies open it's affections ioyes desires wants and troubles running to her as it 's best louing and beloued friend refuge and hope of redresse in all occurring exigents Some amorous soules will be moued with pronouncing onely the holy name of Iesus or the word Loue or such like Others haue need of many pious considerations to excite their hearts to deuotion Moreouer one and the self same consideration will not produce the like effect at all tymes through our indisposition of body or mynd yet the most simple plaine and humble way and least affected with curious set speeches or tearmes is the best for you are not so much to regard what to saie as how to loue Wherefore you may proceed herein as louers doe who neuer thinke of obseruing order or methode in their discourses but speake according as their affections guide them litle caring whether there be connexion in the words or no or whether the words be proper and significant or no but take those which first occurre After you haue by such like industries as these gotten into your interiour and disposed yourself to treat immediatly with God you may confidently begin your Office for this manner of preparation will aboundantly suffice on your part that distractions maie not haue soâ— free accesse into your mynd not be imputed to you when they occurre whereas otherwise if you presumptuously attempt to begin it abruptly you will expose yourself to be tossed here and there with the wind of euery vaine imâ—gination CHAPT XII Shewing what manner of reciting the Diuine office and coâ—sequently the office of the B. Virgin is conuenient or necessarie to be obserued IT appeareth by the common practise in aâ— ages that the diuine office and this like wise of the B. Virgin sâ—nce it was instituted hath been performed in publique by mutuall reciting wherefore the same order noe doubt maâ— securely and profitably be obserued in priuate it being à resemblance of 〈◊〉 quire Moreouer the custome of two or more to recite the office together seemeth to haue been founded vpon good reasons first for that it is à great ease and consolation next for that it â—ncreaseth alacritie and feruour one exciting the other with à pious emulation finally for that charitie by this meanes is well practised and much conserued It is alsoe consonant to the holy Scriptures for the Apostle commaundâ— to that each one doe Galla. 6. beare an others burthen affirming that by soe doing they fulfill the law of Christ And our Sauiour himself saied If two of Math. 18. you shall consent vpon â—arth concerning euery thing what soeuer they shall aske it shall be done to them of my Father which is in heauen For where there be two or three gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them The Prophet Isaie witnesseth alsoe that â—e saw this forme of praising God obserued in heauen Seraphins saieth Isaie 6. he stood vpon the same six wings to one and six wings to the other and à little after And they cried one to an other and saied Holie holie holie c. Supposing therefore that it is not onely lawfull but exceeding commendable for two or more to recite this office together I will here set downe what Order is to be obserued when any number aboue two doe concurre thereunto If Three or more desire to performe the Office together they are to diuide themselues into two parts that is to saie if there be three of them two are to recite one verse and the third the verse following if there be Fower of them two are to recite one verse and the other two the verse following and soe forth be they neuer soe many Yet this alternation is properly vsed in reading the Psalmes and Hymnes for in the other parts of the office it sufficeth that one or two doe recite them and the rest attend with diligence The preparatiue Praiers are to be saied by all in à low voice onely audible by themselues but the Psalme Venite exultemus the Chapters and Praiers are to be saied by one alone the rest answering as is appointed in those places The Antiphones Lessons and Responsories are to be read by one of each side the rest giuing attention When many recite the office together it is not needfull to haue attention to all of them but it sufficeth to heare any of them I haue obserued some in reciting the office with others to mumble softly
to themselues the others part which custome is much to be disliked both for that it occasioneth scruples as alsoe for that such whispering doth often disturbe others hinder their owne attention and tacitly infringe the common practise of alternation Wherefore such are to know that it is farre better for them to attend diligently to what the other part doth recite and spare such their super fluous and preiudiciall labour But perhaps they will saie that they cannot sometymes heare distinctly what the other doth recite to which maie be answered that they are not bound to heare euery word distinctly pronounced but it sufficeth that they perceiue the others are not negligent in performing their part and they themselues haue lisseâ—ed attentiuely For as much as concerneth the manner of reciting in priuate the diuine office and consequently the office of the B. Virgin by one alone the practise in all ages doth likewise shew it to be both sufficient and conuenient Yet because some clauses or passages in the saied offices seeme to suppose more then one person concurring as for example the Benedictions which are giuen in the plurall number and Venite exultemus Come let vs reioyce the word Oremus Let vs pray which is vsually recited before euery Praier Benedicamus Domino and diuers others where in the plurall numbers expressed In answer there vnto I will here set downe what Peeter Damian in his booke entituled Dominus vobiscum answereth in generall to such like obiections vz. That the rule of Ecclesiasticall tradition is to be vniformely obserued whether the office be recited by one alone or more For saieth he if the Doctors of the Church had iudged it meet they would haue prescribed one forme of the diuine office for one alone and an other for two or more which since they haue not but haue taught vs to keepe one order with inuiolable obseruance we are to obey their holie institution which is founded vpon good reason deduced out of the authoritie of the holie Scriptures For they foresaw that whatsoeuer is offered with due reuerence in the diuine office by euery particular member of the holie Church the same is exhibited vniuersally by the faith and deuotion of the whole Church for the Spirit of the Church is one where with one body is viuificated or quickned which is gouerned by Christ the head thereof Moreouer the whole Church doth consist of à coniuncture of diuers members yet it is without doubt but one body founded vpon the soliditie of one faith and anoynted with one vertue of the viuificating Spirit whence it is that the Apostle saieth One body and one Spirit as you are called in one hope of your vocation Wherefore he concludeth â—t is meet that whatsoeuer is particularly done in the sacred offices by any one whomesoeuer that the holie Church herself should be esteemed to doe it with one consent by vnitie of faith and loue of Charitie THE EXPLICATION OF OVR LORDS PRAIER IT maie seeme great Presumption in me to attempt to explaine this holie Praier it being in it self most perfect as hauing been composed by the VVisdome of God the second person of the Trinitie our deare Redeemer Christ Iesus and besides it hauing been already explicated at large by very many of the holie Fathers who haue compiled whole treatisses therevpon Notwithstanding in regard I haue vndertaken to saie something concerning every part of the office of the B. Virgin as God almightie shall please to inspire me with for that the saied office is vsually begun with this holie Praier as alsoe for that few or in à manner none of the saied expositions of the auncient Fathers are extant in our vulgar tongue confiding in the assistance of our B. Sauiour whose honor I principally intend I will endeauour after my vnskilfull manner to open this rich casket and expose the pretious gemmes therein contained to the veiw of well minded soules Our Father ALmightie God who in the law of Moyses would be stiled Lord and appeared alwaies to the children of Israel with such exceeding terror that they desired that Moyses might speake vnto them and not he being in the law of grace sweetly inclined to mercy by the perfect conformitie of his onely and well beloued sonne our deare Redeemer Christ Iesus to his holie will in all things was graciously pleased to take vpon him à more familiar name that deposing all seruile feare we might be incouradged to treat with him with filiall reuerence loue and confidence S. Ianes â—aieth That we mâ—st aske in Ia. 1. saith nothing doubting if we will receaue any thing of our Lord. And what is there soe efficacious to increase confidence inflame the affect on and reioyce an humble soule as to be assured that the true liuing and almightie God is soe benigne that he is not onely willing but alâ—oe desirous to be called Father by the faithfull Our Sauiour therefore by this sweet and louing name of Father inuiteth vs to come to God witâ— Ã filiall loue and firme confidence in his benignitie assuring vs that he will embrace vs with à tender affection and that he â—ill be solicitous that nothing be wanting vnto vs. VVhat man is there of you saieth he Math. 7 whome if his child shall aske bread will he reach him à stone or if he shall aske him à fish will he reach him à serpent if you then being naught know how to giue good gâ—ifts to your children how mâ—ch moâ—e will your Father who is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him And in another place Be not carefull for your life what you shall eate neither for your body what rayment you shall put oâ— c. For your Father knoweth that you neede all these things Seeke therefore first the kingdome of God and the iustice of him and all thâ—se things shall he giuen you Although by the word Father in this Praier may be vnderstood the first Person of the blessed Trinitie whoe is properly in the saied Trinitie God the Father yet according to S. Augustine by the word Father the whole Trinitie is here designed to whose Image we are created by whose prouidence we are gouerned by whose grace we are adopted and by wâ—ose infinite mercy we are redeemed By that our Sauiour would haue vs to saie our Father rather then mâ— Father he signifieth that all the faithfull are fellow brethren all sonnes of one and the same Father and therefore bound to reuerence loue and praie for one an other Yea that we are his brethren as being by him adopted the sonnes of God and coheires with him of the euerlasting kingdome and made by grace what he is by nature Moreouer thereby is signified that God is the vniuersall good with whome there is no acception of persons who loueth and seeketh the common good VVhich are in Heauen THat is in the Imperiall Heauen where he is pleased to glorifie those whome he hath ordained to eternall happinesse It may alsoe
metaphorially be vnderstood of the celestiall Ciâ—tizens themselues in whome he is after à most excellent and singular manner by his beatificall presence or of vertuous and deuout soules here on earth whose conuersation is in heauen for of those the Apostle saieth You are the Temple of the liuing God God is in all things by his essence presence and power penetrating inuironing and conseruing all things and is more neare and intime to euery thing then any part is to it 's whole or any thing is to it self for he alone slideth as it were into the essences of things neither is any thing present to an other but onely by vertue of the diuine presence The Prophet witnesseth VVâ—â— doe not I fill heauen Ierem. 23. Psal 138. and earth VVâ—â—ther shall I goe saieth holie Dauid fâ—om thy Spirit or whither shall I flâ—â— fâ—om thy face If I shall ascend in to heauen thou art there If I descend into hell thou art present vizt exerâ—â—sing the act of Iustice S. Augustine affirmeth that God is in li. medita c. 29. all places without place that he containeth all things not being inuironed by them that he is present in all places withouâ— motion that he beareth all things and is not burthened and that he filleth all things not being included Yet he is truely saied to dwell in Heauen particularly according to what he hath insinuated by his Prophet Isaie Heauen is my seat and the earth my footestoole and wee reade in the Psalmes Our Lord his seat is in Heauen hauing designed that place as his court and there placed his royall tâ—rone where hee doth particularly manifest himselfe to his beloued Since then by these words Our Father which art in heauen we acknowledge God almighty now in the law of grace to haue aduanced vs to soe eminent à degree of honor as to adopt vs his Sonnes and coâ—eires with his owne naturall Sonne Christ Iesus let vs esteeme ourselues to remaine in this world as in à place of banishement farr distant from that happy region whereunto we confesse ourselues to laie claime let vs hastâ—n thither and haue all our affections bent thither wards auoiding all things that maie be any hinderance vnto vs in the pursuite thereof let vs I saie behaue ourselues in all things as besitteth the Sonnes of soe potent and glorious à Father in nothing regarding our owne priuate commoditie but rather imploying our whole forces to set forth his glory and magnificence saying to that end the first Petition Sanctified be thy Name THese words maie be taken in diuers senses as First for the holy name of God it self which the Iewes did hold in such exceeding reuerence that they dared not to pronounce the word Iehoua which signified the essence of God and it is à constant tradition that is was onely once à yeare spoken and that by the high Priest when he entered into Sancta Sanctorum Ps 75. God is knowne in Iewrie saieth the Prophet in Israel his name is great Ps 112. and in an other place From the rising of the sunne vnto the going downe the name of our Lord is laâ—dable Praise yee his name because Ps 99. our Lord is sweet S. Thomas of Aquine â— 56 Isaâ—ae saieth the name of God is great to be feared holy to be â—euerenced sweet to be meditated on copious to giue mercy efficacious to impetrate powerfull to cause saluation secret to be knowne Secondly they maie be vnderstood soe that we desire hereby that all nations of the earth maie come to the light of Faith and that they maie know that God alone is worthy of all praise and glory and consequently that they maie tremble at his Maiestie admire his works be enamoured with his beautie and euen languish to behold his vnspeakable goodnes Ps 65. saying with the holy Prophet Let all the earth adore thee and sing to thee let it sing à Psalme to thy name and in an other Ps 95. place Shew forth his glorie amongst the Genâ—iles his maruelous workes in all people Alas wretched vngratfull and indeuoute as we are how often doe we pronounce this petition without due attention and consequently without due reuerence and spirituall feruour Let vâ— therefore doe ourselues what we desire should be done by all men that is to saie let vs endeauour by frequenting learned exhortations reading pious bookes and exercising ourselues in holy contemplations to come to know how excellent how infinitely good sweet and mercifull à God we haue that by sucâ— knowledge we maie be excited to serue and honor loue and praise him euery where and at all tymes Lastly they maie be vnderstood that we desire by those words that our heauenly Father will be pleased either to make vs capable to comprehend his sanctification or at least to appeare holy in our religious conuersation which will be fulfilled in vs when mens all see the workes which he hath perfected in vs and glorify his name therefore Vertuâ—â— men doe sanctify God whilâ—â— by liuing holily they demonstrate God whoâ—â— they soe serue to be holy And contrary wise Vitious men by their iniust and irreligious conuersation are truely saied to commaculate and defile the name of our Lord because they liue in such à manner as though God did approue of iniustice and were not holy and doe as much as in tâ—e lieth embolden others by their wicked and dissolute example to dishonor him Hence it is that almighty God vpbraiding the perfidious children of Israel saieth You haue polluted my holy Ezech. 36. name and againe I will sanctify my great name which you haue polluted amidst the Gentiles Let thy Kingdome come THe Kingdome here mentioned is by some expounded of the militant Church as thus Let thy Kingdome come that is let the militant Church in which thou reignest by faith and grace be multiplied and spred through the whole world and let her enimies especially the deuills be cast forth of her that thou alone maiest peaceably reigne in â—er By others it is expounded of the Kingdome of God which the holy Euangelist saieth is within vs and being Luc. 17 taken in this sense the Kingdome of God cannot come whilst sinne reigneth in our hearts and we doe obey to the concupiscences thereof and therefore we praie Let thy Kingdome come that is streÌ„gthen vs by thy grace that we maâ—â— be enabled through tâ—e assistance thâ—reof to free our hearts from the seruitude of sinne and to dispose ourselues by the practise of vertues that thou maiest peaceably enter and assume the gouerment of our hearts Of this Kingdome the Prophet maketh mention where he Ps 22. saieth Our Lord ruleth me and nothing shall bee wanting to me He hath condâ—â—ted me vpon the pathes of iustice c. Finally it is expounded of the Triumphant Church as that we praie hereby that the walls of the Celestiall Ierusalem maie be reedified and the ruine of the Angells
repaired that the number of the blessed maie become compleate and the Kingdome of the triumphant Church fully established and being taken in this sense the iustmen and such alsoe who are imperfect but yet doe imploy their bâ—â—â— endeauours to moâ—tify their inordinate affections and to reforme the image of God in their soules maie recite this Petition with much feruour and expect this Kingdome of God with longing desire wâ—ich our Sauiour â—ath promised shall come or beginne vpon that terrible and ioyfull daâ—e when the Angells shall place such well minded soules on his right hand and he pronounce that Math. 25. happy seteÌ„ce Come yee blessed of my Father possesse you à â—ingdome which hath been prepared for you euer from the beginning of the world S. Gregory the great in his Homily Lucâ— 12 vpon these words of S. Lâ—ke Be yee like to men expecting their Lord when he shall returne from the marriadgâ— that when he doth come and knocke fortâ— with they maie open vnto him hath this inter prâ—tatioÌ„ Our â—ord comâ—th saieth he when he hastneth à to iudgment but he knocketh when by the pangs of sicknâ—s he sheweth that death is neare at hand vnto whome we open readily if we receaue him with loue For he will not open to the iudgâ— that knocketh who trembleth to depart out of his body fearing to behold him as iudge whome his conscience accuseth him to haue greatly offended But he that is assured of his life well spent doth quickly open because he doth ioyfully expect his iudge and when the tyme of death approacheth doth reioyce with confidence that ere long his labours shall be rewarded with à crowne of glory Let vs therefore endeauour to liue with such innocency and puritie that we maie recite this petition with sincere affection Expecting the blessed hope and aduenâ— of the glory of the great God and our Sauioâ—â— Iesus Christ begging with sighes and teares that almighty God will be pleased euen at this present to reigne in our hearts and graunt vs light to see and know his will in all things and grace to performe it in the most perfect manner saying to that end the ensuing Petition Let thy will be done 〈◊〉 earth it is in heauen THat is graunt vs that liue vpon earth grace to obey thee as proÌ„ptly reuerently and purely as the blessed doe that liue in heauen according as our frailtie will permit There cannot be à more excellent praier then to beseeâ—h almighty God that 〈◊〉 things maie be parallel'd with the celestiall And what other thing doe we desire when we saiâ— Let thy will be done vpon earth as â—â— is in heauen but that men maie be made like to Angells and that is the will of God is accompliâ—â—ed by them in heaueâ— soe all we that liue vpon earth maie not doe our owne wills but his diuine pleasure 〈◊〉 man is able to saiâ— this Petition with à sincere heart and true affection but he who doth vndoubtedly beleeue that God almighty doth dispence all things both prosperous and aduerse for our best â—â—aile and that he is more pro 〈◊〉 and solicitous for our welfare and 〈◊〉 dirâ—â— then we are for our owne VVhose will is as the Apostlâ— witnesseth â— ad Tim. that all men he saued come to the knowledge of the truth And therefore we maie boldly confiding in his immense goodnes recite the Petition following Giue vs this daie our supersubstantiall bread FOr soe â—â— is called by S. Mathew he Math. 6 signifying thereby the nobilitie and â—â—anscendent qualitie of that substance which exceedeth all creatures in magnificence and sanctification The saied supersubstantiall bread is tearmed by S. Luke Daily bread he expressing thereby Luca 11 the propertiâ— or nature of the vse thereof By thâ—â— word Daily is signified that we are not able to subsist one whole daie without this admirable foode When we aske this foode we demand as S. Augustine S. Cyprian and other holy Doctors of the Church doe affirme not onely all necessary sustenance for the body but alâ—oe much more all spirituall food for the soule as namely the bread of the hoâ—y Euchaâ—ist which S. Denis calleth supersubstantiall bread to witt Christ Iesus the bread of life that came from heauen and the bread of life to vs that eate his bodie moreouer the bread of vnderstanding the bread of grace and holy inspirations For we are not to thinke that our Sauiour taught vs by this PetitioÌ„ to aske materiall bread alone and other corporall sustenance for we haue another life to prouide for besides that of the body vz the life of the soule which is farre more to be regarded Not in bread alone that is in corporall Math. 4 food doth man liue according to both parts vz body and soule but in euery word that proceedeth from the mouth of God that is from the diuine vnderstanding and is reuealed by the Angells to holy men The body indeed maie be sustained and conserued in the life of nature by materiall bread but the life of the soule is corroborated and conserued in the life of grace by the word of God according to that He that beareth my ward Ioan. â— and beleeueth him that sent one hath life euerlasting Let vs therefore begg this spirituall bread with much instance for our soule will soone saint and be in danger to perish if God almighty doe witâ— draw his good motions and instigations to vertue and we through want of them doe falle to dispose ourselues that we maie daily receaue the body and bloud of our sweet Sauiour Sacramentally and spiritually or at least spiritually B. the word to Daie is signified that this foode is daily to be taken and that the foode we receaued yesterdaie is not sufficient to sustaine vs vnlesse it be giuen vs to daie alsoe or if it be not graunted vnto vs that this happen not through our neglect and soe in like manner during our whole life for there will be no daie wherein we shall not haue need of this bread to â—orroberate the heart of our interiour man The word to Daie maie alsoe be vnderstood for this present life in which sense we desire that God almighty will be pleased to graunt vs this bread whilest we remaine in this life For we are assured that he will giue it in the future life to all well deseruing people VVhen they shall eate and drinke vpon his table in his kingdome and Luc. 12. VVhen he shall make them sitt downe and minister Luc. 12. vnto them at he passeth byâ— yet notwithstanding we desire him to bestow it vpon vs this daie because vnlesse we receaue it in this life we shall not be partakers thereof in the next And forgiue vs our debts as we alsoe doe forgiue our debtors THat is Forgiue vs our sinnes the punishment which we haue deserued by sinning as we forgiue them that haue offended vs and are obliged to make vs recompence O
sinne and sinne when it is consummate that is when our mind doth deliberatly fully and perfectly yeld to the committing or liking of the act or motioÌ„ whereunto the saied concupisceÌ„ce doth moue or incite vs ingendreth death And therefore our blessed Sauiour did warne his beloued disciples and in them all others to watch and praie that they might not enter into this sort of tention saying VVatch yee and praie that Math. 26. yee enter not into tentation The Spirit indeed is prompt but the flesh weake Yet God almightie tempteth his elect with the temptation of probation or triall which is ordained to the good or benefit of them that are tempted of which sort was that where God is saied to haue tempted Abraham and in the Gen. 22 Sap. 3. booke of VVisdome where God is saied to haue tempted the iust and to haue found them worthy of himself And this he doth not that he himself by such triall maie come to know any thing concerning them which he doth not know already for the beloued Disciple of ouâ— Lord affirmeth of him that He know all and that It was not needfull for him Ioh. 2. that any should giue testimony of man for he knew what was in man and the Prophet Dauid saieth God knoweth the Psal 4. secrets of the heart But he doth it First that they maie be purified according to that of holy Iob He hath proued me as Iob 23. gold that passeth through the fire Secondly that it maie appeare how they loue him according to that of Deuteromomie The Deut. 13 Lord your God tempteth you that it maie appeare whether you loue him or no with all your heart and with all your soule Thirdly that he maie make knowne their sanctitie to others Lastly that they maie know themselues the better We doe not therefore desire that we maie not be lead into this temptation because it moueth vs not directly to sinne as alsoe for that we are taught by the holy Apostles to reioyce when such temptations happen vnto vs. You shall reioyce saieth S. Peter Ep. 1 c. 1 à litle now if you must be made heauy in diuers â—smptations c. And S. Iames saieth Esteeme it all ioy when you shall fall unto diuers Iaco. 1. tentations c. But we praie that God almightie will graunt vs the grace of patience and constancie that we maie make good vse of it But as concerning the other tentâ—tion which commetâ— from the enimies of our soule vdzt the deuill the world and the flesh we praie thereby that although it be induced into vs by impâ—gnation that is although it take hold of vs mouing vs internally to euill that we maie not be induced into it by consent that is that we maie not be soe cunningly iâ—ueigled and soe forcibly incited that we shall be drawne to yeeld thereunto By these words therefore Lead vs not into tentation we desire that God will not permit vs to be tempted aboue our strength nor leaue vs destitute of his assisting grace but will graunt vs fortitude to resist and make alsoe with tentation issue or fruitâ— that we maie be able to sustaine it to his honoâ— and glory and the benefit of our soules Iob was tempted but could not be induced to speake any thing foolishly against God and Ioseph was alsoe tempted as we read in Genesâ—s but neither of them can Genes 39. properly be saied to haue been lead into tentation because they gaue not consent to what was suggested Snarez affirmeth li. de eratione vocali c. 8. that neither the deuill hath power to lead vs into tentation neither can we consent vnto him farther then God almightie is pleased to permit Wherefore saieth he we aske that God almightie will not permit this to be done in vs noâ— by vs God is saied to lead vs into tentation when by subtracting his assisting grace he permitteth vs to be lead In which manner he is saied to haue hardned the heart of Pharao not that he did indeed harden his heart but rather Pharao hardned his owne hearâ— by neglecting to concurre with that suffâ—â—iency of grace which God had bestowed on him and refusing to let the children of Israel depart after so many admonitioâ—s And therefore our Lord left him to himself as likewise the children of Israel afterwards when they refused to heare his voice as the Prophet â—â—uid recounteth Psal 80 And my people heard not my voice and Israel attended not to me and I let them alonè accordiâ—g to the desires of their heart they shall goe in their owne inuentions For the more full and cleare vnderstanding of this petition and of all that hath been saied of it you must know that we can doe nothing that is good of ourselues but all by the help and assistance of Gods grace as it is written VVithout me you can doe Ioh. 15. 1. ad Cor. 12. nothing and in another place No man can saie Our Lord Iesus but in the Holie Ghost By these words therefore Lead vs not into tentation wee demaund that we maie neither be denied his grace and helpe nor suffered to abuse our libertiâ— by reiecting such wholsome inspirationâ—â—nd motions as he shall please to graunt vs. But deliuer vs from all euill SOme there are who thinke that the word But doth shew that this Petition is not different from the former but is rather an explication thereof Collat. 9. Of which opinion Cassian doth seeme to be where he expoundeth these words But deliuer vs c That is saieth he Suffer vs not to be tempted by the deuill aboue our strength or abilitie to make resistance Yet the common opinion is tâ—â—t therâ— are seauen Petitions contained in this praier which Snarez doth learnedly proue in the Chapter aforesaied where he distinguisheth this Petition from the Siâ—t Petition as followeth In the Sixt saieth he we praie that we maie not be permitted to be tempted but in the Seauenth that if we be permitted to be tempted that we maie be deliuered from the euill thereof that is from consenting thereunto S. Bonauenture in his explicatioÌ„ vpon this praier saieth That in the 5. Petition we aske to be deliuered from euills past in the 6. from euills to come and in the 7. from all present euills Amen THat is let it be done This word neither the Greeke nor Latin interpreter hath translated for the reuerence thereof because our Sauiour vsed it soe frequently It is à fruitfull signet of praier procuring recollection of the mind for by saying Amen the mind is born breefly to all before recited and the affection of impetrating is renewed and soe the praier is ended with feruour and hath à more full effect S. Thomas of Aquine affirmeth that 2. 2. q. 89 à 9. in Cor. this praier is the most perfect of all others which he proueth out of the 121. Epist of S. Augustine to Probus in the 12. Chapter where
he writeth That if we doe praie well and as we ought we cannot saie any thing which is not contained in our Lords praier For Praier is as it were an interpreter of our desire towards God Wherefore praying well we aske those things onely which we maie well desire And in our Lords praier are not onely asked all things which we maie well desire but alsoe in that order or methode wherein they should be desired For first of all the end it self is desired and afterwards the meanes which conduce thereunto Our end indeed is God towards whome our affectioÌ„ tendeth in à twofold manner the one by desiring his glory the other by desiring to be partakers thereof The first proceedeth from that charitie where with we loue ourselues in God and therefore the Petition Sanctified be thy name is put in the first place by which we first seeke the glory of God and next Let thy Kingdome cona by which we desire to attaine to the glory of his Kingdome The meanes by which wee are furthered in attaining this end doth conduce in one of these two manners vdzt either of it self or by accident Of it self that good doth conduce which is profitable for this end And that which is profitable for the obtaining beatitude is profitable two waies the one directly and principally of which sort are meritorious works and to this the Third Petition Let thy will be done hath relation The other instrumentally as it were helping vs to merit and to this the Fourth Petition Giue vs this daie our daily Bread doth correspond The meanes which doth conduce to eternall felicitie by Accident is by remouing the impediments of our saluation There are three of these impediments The first iâ— Sinne which directly excludeth vs out of the Kingdome of heauen and therefore we seeke to remoue this by the Fiâ—t Petition And forgiue vs our debts c. The Second is Tentation which hindreth vs in the obseruance of the diuine will against which the Sixt Petition is ordained And lead vs not c. The Third is present penaltie which Lindreth what is necessary for the sustenance of our life against which the Seauenth Petition is ordained Thus farre are the words of S. Thomas or to this effect AN EXPLICATION OF THE ANGELICALL SALVTATION OR AVE MARIA A Preamble to the Explication HAile Marie fall of grace c. Although the name of Marie was not pronounced by the Angell in this salutation yet it is fitly inserted by the holy Church both because we speake not now to the B. Virgin as being present with vs in such manner as the was then with the Angellâ— aâ— alsoe for that by this holy name we are excited to greater reuerence and deuotion which the Angell stood not in need of Some doe coniecture that the Angell did of purpose omitt to expresse her name in this place that he might stile her with the new and admirable title Full of grace reseruing her proper name till à â—itter tyme. For he added à litle after Feare not Marie when bâ—holding her surpriz'd with such exceeding basâ—fulnesse and humble modestie he thought it requisite to call her in a familiar manner by her owne name thereby to embolden her to giue audience and answere to the rest of his embassage Blessed art thou among women These words were spoken both by the Angell and by S. Elizabeth not without mistery tâ—at by this consent or accord of words the holy Ghost might appeare to be the author of born these salutations Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Iesus These words were spoken by S. Elizabeth except the holy name of Iesus which the could not pronounce for that it was not then imposed Neuerthelesse the holy Church doth with good reason expresse it in this place both because no name can be more profitable vnto vs for there is no other naâ—â— vnder heauen giuen to men wherein we must be saued as alsoe because no name doth sound more harmonious and sweet in the eares of the B. Virgin nor consequently can be more proper to procure fauour which is obserued in all sorts of praier Holie Marie Mother of God c. These words and the rest following were added by the holie Church and as it is probably coniectured about the yeare of our Lord 431. when by the meanes of Pope Celestine the heresy of Nestorius who denied the B. Virgin to be the Mother of God was condemned in the Ephesine Councell Haile Marie full of grace our Lord is with the. IN auncient tymes it was held à very great matter that the Aâ—gells should appeare vnto men and esteemed exceeding much to his commendation that had receaued them with reuerence but that an Angell should shew signes of reuerence to any man or woman it was neuer heard of vntill the Angell Gabriel saluted the B. Virgin saying All haile which signifieth God saue you peace be with you or reioyce Three reasons maie be giuen why it was not meet that the Angells should in tymes past reuerence men but rather men reuerence Angells The first because the Angells are replenished with the splendor of the diuine grace which is the reason that they euer appeare with brightnesse and glory but in men if they participate any thing at all of this grace yet it is very little and euer for the most part accompanied with à certaine obscuritie The Second because the Angells are familiar with God and men are remote and estranged from him by sinne The Third because the Angells are pure Spirits and men of à nature subiect to corruption Wherefore it was not conuenient that the Angells should reuerence any humane creature vntill here might be found such an one who did exceed them in these three qualities and this one was the B. Virgin and therefore the Angell saluted her with these words Hâ—â—le full of grace as if he had saied for this reason I yeeld reâ—erence vnto thee because I acknowledge that thou doest excell me in fulnesse of grace It is à probable opinion that the diuine grace was in more ample measure infused into the soule of the B. Virgin then into the brightest and most excellent Angell that is in heauen Secondly he saied Our Lord is with thâ—â— shewing that the B. Virgin excelled him likewise in familiarity with God For our Lord was present with her as her sonne but with him as his Lord. Luc. â— Neither was it euer saied to any Angell as it was to her That which of thee shall be borne holie shall be called the Sonne of God and againe The holie Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee By which it appeareth that not onely the sonne of God but alsoe God the Father and God the holie Ghost were present with her O great dignitie of which no Angell was euer held worthy I Thirdly she excelled him in puritie for she was not Cant. 4 onely most pure herself as the spowse witnesseth
in the Canticles Thou art all fâ—ire o my beloued and there is no blemish in thee but alsoe she did and doth procure puritie in others by her exemplar life Blessed art thou among women THree maledictions did sinne bring vpon mankind from all which the B. Virgin was most free The first was layed vpon the woman that with corruption she should conceane with greife she should beare her burthen and with paine she should bring forth But the B. Virgin conceaued of the holie Ghost bore and bred with comfort and brought forth our Sauiour with ioye Springing it shall spring saieth the Prophet Isai 35. and shall reioyce ioyfull and praising The second Malediction was giuen to the man In the sweat of thy face thou shall eare bread from which the B. Virgin was free whoe attended to those things that appertaine to our 1. Cor. 7 Lord that she might be holy both in body and Spirit The Third Malediction was common to both sexes vdâ—t that 〈◊〉 should returne to dust and froÌ„ this the B. Virgin was alsoe free for we beleeue that he was raised after her death and assumpted into heauen which the holy Prophet foretold Psal 131. saying Aâ—ise Lord into thy rest thou and the Arke of thy sanctification Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Iesus IN the fruit which Eue did eate she sought for three things and was defrauded of her expectation in them all but the B. Virgin found in her fruit all she could desire The First thing which Eue sought for in her fruit was that which the deuill did falsly promise vdâ—t that she should be like vnto God but he lied for she by eating that fruit was not made like but vnlike vnto God for by sinning his image in her soule was much defaced and she estranged from God and banished out of Paradise But the B. Virgin the true mother of the liuing and all that by her meanes doe liue in spirit did and doe experience this in the sacred fruit of her wombe for through Christ both she and they are made like vnto God VVe kâ—ow saieth the Euangelist Ioh. 1. c. 3. that when he shall appeare we shall be like vnto him The Second thing which Eue expected was delectation because it seemed good to eate but alas it proued à bitter sweet for she knew he self straightwaies to be naked and had great serrow But in the fruit of the B. Virgin we find sweetnes and saluation He that eateth my flesh hath life euerlasting Ioh. 6. The Third thing which Eue sought in her fruit was the delight in beholding it because it was faire to the eye but of this alsoe she was soone defrauded when she considered with the eyes of her mynd that the beautie thereof 〈◊〉 false and deceiptfull But the fruit of the B. Virgin was most beautifull to behold as the Prophet witnesseth Psal 44 Goodly of beautie aboue the sonnes of men and most delightfull to contemplate as being the glory of the eternall Father whome the Angells behold with excessiue ioy and admiration Eue could not find in her fruit what she longeâ— for neither can à sinner in any sinne whatsoeuer Let vs therefore detest those false deceiuing fruits which exteriourly appeare faire and pleasant but interiourly are full of corruption and breed the worme of conscience and let vs seeke in the fruit of the B. Virgin the fulnesse of our hearts delight in which truely and onely it maie be found Holie Marie MOst fitly was the name of Marâ—e giuen vnto her for 〈◊〉 is by interpretation Stella mariâ— that is the starre of the sea and as those that saile by sea are directed by the starre of the sea vnto their desired hauen soe all Christians are directed by the B. Virgin â—arie vnto eternall rest Moreouer as that starre doth send forth it's raies without hurt to it self soe did the B. Virgin bring forth her sonne the light of the world without preiudice to her Virginitie The raies of à starre doe not diminish the brightnes of the starre neither did the Sonne of the B. Virgin diminish her integritie S. Bonauenture speaking of this holie pag 430 Lect. 1. name of Marie hath words to this effect This most holie most sweet and most worthy name saieth he was most sitly giuen to soe holie soe sweet and soe worthy à Virgin for Marie is by interpretation à bitter sea or the starre of the sea Marie signifieth illuminated or illuminatrice and Marie signifieth likewise Lady Marie is à bitter sea to the deuill drowning his power and brusing his head against the rocke which is Christ Marie is the starre of the sea to men guiding them through the turbulent waues of this world vnto the celestiall hauen Marie is illuminated by the glory of her diuine sonne Marie is an illuminatrice to the Angelicall spirits by the glory wherewith she is soe illuminated and vnto men by her exemplar life and exquisite vertues And Marie is the Lady of all creatures by being Mother to their Lord. O Marie thou bitter sea help vs that in true repentance we maie become bitter totally O Marie thou starre of the sea help vs that we maie be directed through the sea of this world spiritually O Marie thou illuminatrice help vs that we maie be illuminated in heauen eternally O Lady Marie help vs that we maie be gouerned by thy direction and power filially Mother of God S. Thomas of Aquine saieth that in the 3. p. q. 35. a. 4. sedcon Chapters of S. Cyrill approued by the Ephesine Councell is read I hat if any one doe not confesse Emanuel which is God Amoungst vs to be God in very truth and which followeth the B. Virgin to be the Mother of God for she carnally or according to the flesh conceiued and brought forth the word of God made flesh let him be Anathema that is excommunicated ad 1. In the same Article be further saieth That although it cannot be expressely found to be affirmed in the holy Scriptures that the B. Virgin is the Mother of God yet is expressely found in them that Iesus Christ is true God as in the first and in the 20. chapt of S. Iohn and that the B. Virgin is the Mother of Iesus Christ as appeareth in the first of S. Mathew wherefore it necessarily followeth out of the words of the holy Scriptures that she is the Mother of God Moreouer S. Paul teacheth That Christ who is aboue all things God â—d Rom 9. blessed for â—uer is according to the flesh of the Iewes but he is not otherwise of the Iewes then by the meanes of the B. Virgin therefore he who is aboue all things God blessed for euer is truely borne of the B. Virgin as of his Mother Alsoe in the same Article he alleadgeth these words of S. Cyrill in his first â—d 2. Epistle As the soule of man is borne together with it's body and is reputed to be one therewith soe
for such is the diuine ordinance that there should be re-infused of the excellencie of the superiour powers into the inferiour as of the splendor or brightnes of the sunne into the aire Whence is that of the Apostle concerning our Sauiour Going by himself to God alwaiâ—â— liâ—ing to make intercession for vs. And for this reason S. Ierome saieth against Vigilantius that if the Apostles and Martyrs being as yet vested with mortalitie when they might be solicitous for them selues did then praie for others how much more doe they now after hauing obtained victorie crownes and triumph Finally to the first obiection he answereth that noe beatitude is wanting to the Saints who are in the celestiall countrey seeing that they are blessed but the glory of the body for which they doe praie but they praie for vs who are not as yet come to the last perfection of beatitude and their praiers haue power to impetrate from two causes that is to saie from their owne precedent merits and the diuine acceptance To the Second he answereth that the Saints doe obtaine by request what God hath decreed to graunt by meanes of their praiers and they desire what they esteeme is to be accomplished by their praiers according to the will of God To the Third he answereth that although those that are â—â— Purgatory be in à more eminent degree then we in regard they cannot sinne yet are they inferiour to vs in soe much as concerneth the paines they suffer and according to this they are not in state of praying for others but rather that praier should be exhibited for them To the Fourth he answereth that it is the will of God that all inferiour things should haue help of the superiour and therefore it is expedient not onely to implore the assistance of the superiour but of inferiour Saints alsoe for otherwise the mercie of God alone were to be implored Howbeit it happeneth sometymes that deuout praier made to aÌ„ inferiour Saint is most effectuall either for that this is performed with greater feruour or because it is the diuine pleasure thereby to manifest the holinesse of that Saint Finally to the Fift he answereth that because the Saints in their life tyme haue merited that they maie praie for vs therefore we doe inuocate them by the names where with they were called in this world by which alsoe they are best knowne vnto vs and moreouer to insinuate our beleife of the resurrection as it is read in Exodus I am the God of Abraham c. Thus farre are the words of this holie St. whose doctrine or rather the doctrine of the holy Catholike Church in this point of praying to Saint is very learnedly proued by Suarez in his second Tome de Virtute statu religionis the tenth Chapter where he answereth all the obiections which seeme to be of moment that the deuill hath euer suggested to any heretike to which place of Suarez I remitt the studious reader for that it would be ouer long for me to recite his arguments and authorities out of the holie Scripture which he there setteth downe at lardge This maie suffice for explication of this holie Praier wherein there is nothing contained as maie plainely appeare which is not either expressely taken out of the holie Scriptures or deduced out of theÌ„ by good consequence except this last clause which maie well be warranted by the holie Scriptures likewise as namely by the 48. of Genesis the 32. of Exod. the 15. of Ieremy the 16. of S. Luke the 2. Ep. of S. Peter the 1. chap. the 5. 6. 8. of the Apocalipse many other places besides what I haue here before set downe in this my explication Wherefore let those who are accustomed to recite this holie praier be comforted and confirmed in their pious deuotion and let our pretended Reformers blush for shame and cease to impugne it with their false calumniations S. Bernard hath this excellent sentence Hom. 2. in Missus est If the winds of tentations arise if you happen vpon the rocks of tribulations cast your eies to the starre call vpon Marie in dangers in distresses in doubtfull matters thinke vpon Marie inuocate Marie let her not depart our of your mouth let her not depart out of your heart and to the end you maie the better obtaine the suffrage of her praiers endeauour to imitate the paterne of her conuersation in another place Wherefore saieth he doth humaine frailtie inserm Signum magnuÌ„ tremble to approach towards Marie Let vs embrace her footsteps o my brethren and with deuout supplication let vs cast ourselues at her blessed feet let vs hold her and not permit her to depart vntill she hath giuen vs her benediction for she is powerfull as being the fleece placed in the middest betweene the dewe and the Arke the woman betweene the sunne and Moone Marie is placed betweene Christ and his Church Moreouer the same holie Saint saieth in another place Doest thou feare to present thy self before the Father he hath giuen thee Iesus for thy Mediator but perhapps in him alsoe thou maiest dread the diuine Maiestie and desire to haue an aduocate to treate with him in thy behalf haue recourse to Marie Saint Anselme affirmeth that if the Blessed Virgin to procure vs pardon shall shew vnto her deare sonne her brests wherewith she sometymes gaue him sucke he will shew his sacred wounds vnto his eternall Father and nothing will be denied vs. Certaine memorable sayings of S. Iames the Apostle and diuers of the auncient holie Fathers concerning this Praier S. Bonauenture in his mirrour of the B. Virgin hath words to this effect In this admirable salutation saieth he there are contained fiue most sweet sentences in which are insinuated vnto vs fiue most delightfull commendations or praises of the B. Virgin vdzt That she was most pure most replenished most secure most worthy and most profitable First she was most pure because she was with out blame and therefore the word Aue was properly applied by the Angel signifying thereby that she Tom. 6. pa. 430. Lect. 2. was free from all maledictions of which there are very many mentioned in the holie Scriptures which this S. rekoneth vp and she weâ— with exceeding perspicuitie how cleare she was from them all for soe it was most meet the Mother of God should be as Saint Anselme witnesseth It was most meet saieth he that the Conception of that man should be of à most pure Mother and that she should shine with such puritie as greater cannot be imagined vnder God vnto whome God the Father had decreed to giue his onely Sonne that he might be one and the same Sonne of God and Sonne of man Secondly she was most replenished with aboundance of grace Full of grace She was truely full and aboundantly full as Saint Anselme affirmeth saying O woman full and more then full of grace by whose excesse and ouerflowing plenitude all creatures are bedewed
our Lord by their voice that would be verified on the part of the vicked man which Isaie the Prophet writeth This people Isaie 29. honoreth me with their lipps but the heart is farre from me The argument and diuision of the Inuitatorie Psalme which is the 94. in number THe Prophet doth inuito all men that loue God to come and reioyce and praise our Lord with him Secondly he assigneth diuers reasons to moue them thereunto Lastly he exhorteth them that when soeuer or in what manner soeuer God almightie shall be pleased to reueale his will vnto them that they giue diligent attention thereunto and put it in execution without delay least being disobedient to his holie inspirations they receaue the same sentence with our fore fathers in the desert where of Six hundred thousand men fit to beare armes onely two vdzt Iosue and Caleb did enter to possesse the land of promise The explication of the Inuitatorie Psalme COme all you that beleeue in the true God in what part of the world soeuer you reside come in spirit by the feete of your affections Let vs reioyce not as vaine worldlings doe whose greatest delights end in sadnesse but To our Lord the Creator and conseruer of vs all Let vs make iubilation to God our Sauiour let vs expresse with our voice to God our protector our Sauiour and tower of refuge what we conceiue towards him in our hearts but want words to explaine Let vs preuent his face in confession Let vs hasten by thanksgiuing and attributing all our good vnto him to preuent him least he come and taking vs vnprouided to receiue him doe iustly taxe vs with neglect and slothfull ingratitude Let vs vpon the first touch of his diuine grace accuse ourselues condemne the euill we haue done that when he shall come he maie find something to approue and like well of but nothing to condemne or cause his displeasure And in Psalmes let vs make iubilation tâ— him and in spirituall songs let vs expresse our intime thoughts and affections Let vs doe this first Because our Lord is à great God not like the Gods of the Gentils which are framed of gold and siluer by the hands of men hauâ—ng mouthes and cannot speake eares and cannot heare feete and cannot walke but God who is of himself from all eternitie and who is soe great à God that he maketh Gods not Gods by nature but by grace for he hath giuen power to those that beleeue in his name to be the Sonnes of God And he is alsoe à great King aboue all Gods for he exerciseth acts of soueraignitie not onely ouer all the former false Gods and those that are Gods by grace but alsoe ouer all Kings Princes and Iudges of the earth who are called Gods by participation of his diuine authoritie Our God infinitly surpasseth all these denominatiue Gods in greatnesse and therefore with good reason ought we to make iubilation vnto him as alsoe Because he repelleth not his people although he seeme to be angrie with them for à tyme pernâ—tting great afflictions to fall vpon them and seeming to neglect their petitions when they call to him for releife for indeed he is soe benigne and mercifull that he cannot vtterly abandon them or refuse to receiue them when they recurre vnto him by true contrition and confidence in his goodnes and clemencie but will conuert all to their benefitt Neuerthelesse he maie seeme since to haue repelled the Iewes who were then his sole elected People but indeed he hath not repelled any of them but such as would by noe meanes be wone for the residue being many thousands of both sexes who would harken to his voice were receiued to mercie by his onely Sonne Christ Iesus who was the angular stone that ioyned the two walls of the Iewes and Gentils in one The chaffe onely was repelled but the good corne laied vp in the graneries His dominion is not limited within the land of Israel but is extended to the vttermost confines of the earth Because in his hands in his power are the ends of the earth and he beholdeth the hights of the mountaines not onely the highest places of the earth but alsoe the Emperours Rulers of the earth These high mountaines for a tyme did oppose his Church and endeauour to roote out the Christian faith but shortly after they humbled themselues vnder his mightie hand Moreouer let vs reioyce to our Lord Because the sea is his and he made it and placed limitts thereunto which it shall not ouerpasse his hands formed the drie land and made it fit for habitation Come let vs adore fall downe before God for he regardeth those a farre of that are high in their owne conceits but he beholdeth the humble with a gracious aspect Come therefore with reuerence and submission all you whose sinns haue made you remote from God come with humble but yet firme confidence in his mercies Let vs weepe before our Lord that made vs Come securely for he will not contemne the worke of his hands which he hath formed to his owne image and similitude Since that we burne inwardly and are scorched with the conscience of our offences it is meet that with flouds of teares we seeke to extinguish those flames Alas such is our wretched state that we can blemish and defile the sacred image of God in our soules but we are altogether vnable to restore it to its primitiue luster and beautie with out the helpe of him that formed it Come therefore let vs humble ourselues in his presence and deplore the lamentable estate whereunto we haue brought ourselues through our manifold iniquities and then we maie be confident of pardon for he hath saied he will not despise an humble and contrite heart He is both willing to remitt all how exorbitant soeuer and powerfull to effect his will Because he is the Lord our God and we are his people and sheepe of his pasture In the text of the holie Bible the last part of this clause is placed in this order And we the people of his pasture and sheepe of his hands vpon which words S. Augustine in his explication of this Psalme saieth Behold how elegantly the Prophet hath changed the order of these words placing them as it were improperly that we might vnderstand those to be the sheepe which are the people For he saieth not the sheepe of his pasture and the people of his hands which might seeme to sute better with those words because sheepe doe properly belong to the pasture but he saieth the people of his pasture to shew thereby that the people are his sheepe for there are sheepe which we buye but not which we haue made He had saied before let vs fall downe before him that made vs and therefore he fitly tearmeth vs here the sheepe of his hands for noe man can make himself sheepe He maie buye sheepe or haue sheepe giuen him or maie come by them by
stealth but our Lord made vs wherefore we are the people of his pasture and sheepe of his hands which he of his ineffable goodnes hath vouchsafed to make vnto himselfe Our Sauiour saieth My sheepe heare my Ioh. 10. voice If therefore you will be his sheepe To daie that is euery daie whilest it is saied to daie for the daie here mentioned shall endure vntill tyme shall cease If you shall heare his voice that is come to know his will either by the lawfull preachers of his holie word or by reading the holie Scriptures or the writings of the holie Fathers or by his interiour motion or otherwise in what manner soeuer he shall please to manifest his will vnto you Doe not harden your hearts be not disobedient to his gracious inuitation and call but receiue it thankfully and put it in execution without delaie The Hebr. 4. Apostle did exhort the Hebrews by these words to embrace the doctrine of Christ shewing that the daie was then come whereof the Prophet spake soe many yeares before For saâ—eth he if Iesus that is Iosue had giuen them rest the Prophet would not haue mentioned another daie In tymes past our Lord spake vnto his people by the mouth of Moyses and other his holie Prophets but now in the law of grace by his onely Sonne Christ Iesus Let vs therefore mollifie our hearts let vs not be As in the prouocation according to the daie of the tentation in the desert at the waters of contradiction and other places in the desert VVhere our Lord saieth your fathers tempted me proued me and saw my workes They doubted in their hearts whether I weâ—e of power to giue them food defend them from their enemies and bring them to the land of Promise but they experienced me by my wonderfull workes to be the onely true God What should moue my people to be soe incredulous and obdurate What could I haue done more to shew my loue vnto them then that I haue done I brought them from Aegipt where they were oppressed I dried à passadge in the red Sea that they might passe without difficultie drowned their enemies in their sight I went before them in forme of à clowde by daie and like à piller of fier by night I fed them with Manna for Fortie yeares space in all which tyme neither the garments they wore nor their shooes were the worse for wearing Fortie yeares was I nigh to this generation guiding them teaching them working wonders amongst them and experiencing alwaies to winne their hearts And saied by my Angel to Moyses by him to them These alwaies erre in heart They erre not through ignorance they know what they ought to beleeue what they maie lawfully desire and what to doe to please me but they will not know I haue often instructed them in my waies by my seruant Moyses But they haue not knowne my waies that is they haue disliked would not approoue of my waies and therefore all remedies fayling I haue sworne to them in my wrath We must not conceiue by these words that the passion of anger is in God but onely that he swore to proceed to punish them as if he had been possessed with anger and wrath against them for S. Thomas saieth Anger is attributed to God metaphorically If they shall enter into my rest that is into the land of Promise I will cease to be that I am as I liue they shall not enter for their incredulitie These oathes are vertually included in the former words which doe seeme to be spoken by the figure Aposiopesis wherein something is not formally expressed which yet is vertually included in the sense of the words By the place of rest here mentioned is signified eternall happines for the land of Promise was à figure of the celestiall countrie It is not here expressed who shall enter into that rest but in the booke of Numbers we read that our Lord Num 14. saied My seruant Caleb who being of another spirit hath followed me him will I bring into this land and Iosue and the litle ones whome they saied should be à prey to the enemies By Iosue and Caleb maie be vnderstood the small number of the Iewes who filled with the spirit of God did follow the doctrine of our Sauiour and by the multitude of those litle ones the fulnes of the conuersion of the Gentils whome the holie Church brought forth in the last age litle ones indeed because they entred by the gate of humilitie The Apostle speaking of the Rome 11. Gentils saieth that they were wild oliues were taken and grafted in some of the oline branches wich were broken and soe made partakers of the roote and fatnesse of the oliue The faithfull therefore of the Iewes wâ—ich are signified by the boughes of that oliue which were not broken all true Christians who shall perseuer in the vnion of the Catholike Apostolicall doctrine who are ment by the wild oliues which were inserted into the oliue tree these shall enter into that place of rest We hope alsoe that those broken branches shall againe be reunited to the naturall oliue towards the end of the world Behoâ—d à Psalme full of ioye and sweetnes à Psalme apt to inflame à pious soule with the fier of the holie Ghost It importeth vs to sing or recite it in the beginning of the morning office with all attention and spirituall feruour that soe by beginning the worke of God with ardour we maie passe the rest of the daie with profitt Let vs therefore doe that whereunto we are inuited in this present Psalme and when we rise to the morning office let vs beginne with couradge and alacritie let vs banish from our hearts all vaine thoughts impertinent fansies let vs carefully busie our hearts with God aloÌ„e saying to ourselues in our interiour or to such as are present Come let vs exult to our Lord c. and with à recollected and amorous mind let vs put in practise those most noble acts whereunto this Psalme doth inuite vs which are these that follow vdzt To exult and make iubilation to our Lord To preuent â—is face in confession of praise and confession of our sinns with teares of contrition To fall downe before him and adore our maker VVhat is vnderstood by Hymnes Psalmes and Canticles AFter the Inuitatorie Psalme followeth an Hymne by which is signified that the mind being now inflamed with the diuine loue cannot containe it self any longer but must needs breake forth into à more sweete expression of its interiour affections An Hymne maie be thus defined an Hymne is à Poeme declaring certaine workes of God benefits shewed towards mankind or thus An Hymne is à Poeme recounting the vertues and praise worthy actions of the holie Saints or exhorting vs to ameÌ„d our liues The vse of Hymnes is most auncient S. Ierome affirmeth that all the Psalmes of Dauid before or after which Alleluia is placed are
properly tearmed Hymnes Which words agree with that of S. Mathew where he Math. 16. saieth that our Sauiour and his disciples after they had recited an Hymne went forth which Hymne consisted of diuers Psalmes as hath been saied in our second Chapter of this worke In the primitiue Church the vse of them was wery frequent as maie appeare by diuers of the Epistles of S. Paul as namely by the first to the Corinthians the fowerteeneth the first to the Ephesians and the third to the Collossians Philo Iudaeus saieth that lib. de vita coÌ„templatiua De diuinis nominibus c. 4. Ibidem ca. 3. the disciples of S. Marke did not onely contemplate but alsoe compose Canticles Hymnes in the diuine praise and S. Dionysius maketh mention of one Hierotheus his instructor in the sacred letters whome he affirmeth to haue composed hymnes some of which he setteth downe and moreouer that he the saied Hierotheus together with the Apostles did set forth the diuine praises at the funerall of the B. Virgin mother of God which words Necephorus expounding saieth that 〈◊〉 22. they recited Hymnes The Hymnes which are vsed in the diuine office were for the greatest part composed by S. Hilarie S. Ambrose and S. Thomas of Aquine Yet our holie Father S. Benedict in diuers chapters of his Rule c. 9. 12 13. in stead of the word Hymne hath the word Ambrosian by which it maie be gathered that the Hymnes vsed in the diuine office in his tyme were principally if not altogether composed by S. Ambrose If we haue regard to the signification of the words there is small differeÌ„ce betweene an Hymne à Psalme and à Canticle Yet the holie Fathers doe vse these words diuersly for by the Psalmes they seeme to vnderstand those which Dauid composed to be song to the harp and other musicall instruments by the Canticles those Ten Canticles which are taken out of the other bookes of holie writ and appointed to be song at Laudes Vespres Compline Seauen whereof are taken out of the old Testament and the rest out of new and finally by Hymnes are vnderstood certaine Odes composed in the diuine praise by Ecclesiasticall though not Canonicall writers Those that are desirous to read à more exacte narration of the difference betweene these three words maie fynd them sufficiently discussed in the Commentaries of S. Ierome vpon the fift of S. Paul to the Ephesians in the Prologue of lib. 3. S. Hilarie to his explication vpon the Psalmes and in the Preface of Euthimius to the Psalmes whereunto for breuitie sake I referre the studious reader VVhy the holie Church hath made choice of the Psalmes of Dauid to be recited in the diuine office rather then other parts of the holie Scriptures CArdinall à Turre Cremata vpon the Tract 75. in c. 18. Regulae S. Bened. Rule of our holie Father S. Benedict doth set downe Eight reasons which maie seeme to haue moued the holie Church to make vse of the Psalmes of Dauid in the diuine office rather then the other parts of the holie Scriptures The First is because sinners by reading of the Psalmes are wonderfully excited and animated to doe pennance when they behold Dauid cheifly celebrated in the Church who by pennance became soe great à Prophet and more illuminated by the spirit of God then any of the rest of the Prophets of which opinion Praefa in Psal S. Ambrose seemeth to be where he saieth In the Psalmes I am taught to auoid sinne and to blush when I doe pennance Soe mightie à King soe great à Prophet doth prouoke me by his example that I studie with all diligence â—ither to extenuate the fault committed or to beware of the fault as yet not committed The Second is because there is not any one booke of the holie Scriptures that doth treat soe familiarly with God for in almost euery part of the Psalmes the Prophet seemeth to discourse with God almightie which is a very proper methode for such as praie The Third is because the Psalmes are as it were â— plentifull Mother of spirituall affections abounding with celestiall fruits as most of the holie Fathers doe witnesse The Fowerth is because the Psalmeâ— are very profitable to be read by all sorts for they minister spirituall nutriture sutable to the degree of perfection that each man hath attained or doth aspire vnto Such as haue newly laied the foundation of Câ—ristian discipline maie there find comfort and incouragement to prosecute their course proficients that are aduanced to an higher degree maie there find matter wherein to exercise themseâ—ues and finally those that are happily arriued at the top of perfection maie there â—nd fe well to maintaine their flames of loue The Fift is because this heauenly philosophy is most apt to furnish euery man aboundantly with all doctrine necessary to saluation as best agreeing with those words of the Apostle where he saieth That all Scripture inspired by God is 2. ad Timoth. 3 profitable to teach to argue to correct to instruct in iustice Concerning which point see the Glosse in the beginning of the Psalter The Sixt is because this Propâ—esie excelleth all others in perspicuitie The Seauenth is because there is almost nothing contained in the Psalmes but it is either the praise of God or a Praiâ—r vnto him both which are most proper for the diuine office The Eight end last is because they are diuided into verses and the manner of distinction there obserued is esteemed of learned men farre better then that of the other parts of the holie Scriptures by verses or numbers and consequentlie doe best Psal 17. v. 50. agree with the alternate modulation of à quite The Grecian Fathers in their exposition of these words of the Psalmist I will confesse to thee among nations O Lord and will saie à Psalme to thy name doe affirme that the Prophet did fore shew that the Psalmes by him composed should be song in all parts of the world in the Churches of the Gentils and the same in effect doth the Prophet expresse in diuers places as namely I will confesse to thee in the Psal 34. v. 18. Psal 56. v. 10. great Church in à graue people I will praise thee And againe I will confesse to thee among peoples O Lord I will saie à Psalme to thee among the Gentils in many other places which for breuitie I omitt Certaine memorable sayings of the auncient holie Fathers in praise of the Psalmes of Dauid S. Dyonisius doth affirme that the Psalter li de eis nominibus cap. 3. Homil. 1. de Ezechiele is à certaine Inuentorie of the whole Scriptures wherein all the mysteries thereof are succinctly discribed and tempered with à wonderfull sweetnes of the verse S. Gregorie the great doth write that if the Psalmes be song from the heart and not with the voice onely they doe prepare à waie for almightie God to enter into the most inward
soe great Maiestie as thou art pleased to manifest vnto me by these thy wonderfull and magnificent workes I cannot conclude my song more fitly then as I begane saying O Lord our Lord how maruelous is thy name in the whole earth because c. The auncient holie Fathers grounding themselues vpon the words of S. Paul the 2. to the Hebrews and the first to the Corinthians the 15. as alsoe vpon the authoritie of our B. Sauiour himself in the 21. of S. Mathew doe applie the words of this Psalme wholly to Christ our Lord and his holie Church Wherefore I shall here vnfold the propheticall sense of this Psalme vsing as neare as I can the very self same words which I find set downe in the workes of the saied holie Fathers which are to this effect The propheticall sense of this Psalme IN this vale of teares we cannot see God for it is written Man shall not see Exo. 33. him and liue nor consequently can we come to know how admirable he is other wise then by his effects which are in two sorts that is to saie naturall and supernaturall By the first God appeared alwaies and euery where sublime for by the contemplation of his naturall effects all men might perceiue how incomprehensible à workman he was But by the second he cheefly shewed himself to be of infinite power and Maiestie in the tyme of the law of Moyses not to all the world but to some few people but in the tyme of the law of grace he hath shewed himself admirable in the whole earth in all the parts whereof he hath wrought wonderfull things and manifested to the inhabitants the hidden and secret things of his wisdome reuealing vnto them the mysterie of the Incarnation Passion Resurrection and Ascensian of Christ and other wonderfull testimonies of the Christian law and faith by all which the name of our Lord is made exceeding admirable and altogether inscrutable euen to the vtmost confines of the earth Dauid therefore foreseeing in spirit the supernaturall workes of God which were to bee wrought in the comming of Christ and manifested to the whole world stroken with admiration saied as followeth O Lord of all things and particularly Our Lord who with true Religion and due reuerence doe worship thee in faith of the Messias to come how maruelous by the future preaching of the Gospell is thy name shall thy fame and glorie be not onely in Iewry but alsoe in the whole earth in all the parts whereof thy holie Church shall bee dilated Because thy magnificence the humanitie of Christ that most noble sumptuous and magnificent worke of thyne is eleuated shall bee exalted from terrene humilitie and placed at thy right hand aboue the materiall heauens and aboue all the Angelicall or celestiall powers for then it shall bee diuulged through the world that thou hast giuen to Christ thy Sonne in his assumpted humane nature all power in heauen and vpon earth Yet soe inscrutable are thy iudgements that thou wilt not make choice of such as swell with humane learning greatnes to promulgate these thy diuine misteries neither wilt thou reueale thy perfect praise to them but out of the mouth of abiect simple and vnlearned people who not so much in regard of age as in respect of their resemblance to the propertie of children maie well bee tearmed Infants and sucklings thou hact perfected thou wilt perfect diuine praise to bee song to thyne and thy Sonnes holie name and wilt by them proclaime thy law wherein thy praise is contained And this thou wilt doe because of thy enemies to conuince the Priests of the Synagogue as alsoe the Priests of the Idoles and the professors of humane wisdome who by impugning thy new law will become thy enimies that thou maiest destroie disperse and cause to desist from their manner of religious worship the enimie the people of the Iewes who will be the prime enimies of the Messias and the reuenger the Gentils who by thy diuine ordinance shall reuenge the iniuries done by the Iewes vnto him Because I who am onely one of those Infants and sucklings as hauing been brought vp à poore simple sheep heard shall see thy heauens shall attentiuely consider those woÌ„derfull subtile workes of thyne which thou didst make with exceeding facilitie as being the workes of thy fingers the moone and starres which thou hast founded which thou hast created of nothing to stable and incorruptible being I cannot sufficiently admire what is man the whole race of men what are they or what seruice are they able to doe thee that thou who art of soe great power and Maiestie as these thy workes shew thee to bee art mindfull of him of them preuenting them with thy diuine grace and heaping innumerable benefitts vpon them without any the least merit on their part but meerely moued therevnto by thy owne immense goodnes Or the sonne not of men that is begotten of men according to the ordinary course of nature but of man borne of the Virgin Mother of God Christ our Lord who in respect of his humanitie will bee in some sort à creature what is hee That thou visitest him that thou wilt visite him assuming his humane nature to the personall vnion of thy diuine nature Verily O Lord this thou wilt doe out of thy diuine grace alone not moued thereunto by any fore goeing merits of Christ as man Thou hast minished him vdzt Christ our Lord à litle lesse then the Angels If we consider his humane nature precisely abstracting from the graces which he shall participate by such hypostaticall vnion thou wilt make him in some respects inferiour to the Angells for thou wilt make him passible and mortall but if we consider him as he shall bee in that state of vnion he shall transcend them farre in dignitie and excellencie Indeed for à small tyme during his Passion thou wilt minish him à litle lesse then them but after his Resurrection with glorie with renowne and praise worthy fame and with honour with reuerence that shall bee exhibited in token of his vertue thou hast crowned him thou wilt crowne him and adorne him on all sides and hast appointed him ouer the workes of thy hands and wilt constitute him Lord and King ouer thy creatures and giue him all power in heauen and vpon earth Thou hast subiected all things except thy self alone vnder his feete vnder his humanitie by which his diuinitie will deâ—cend vnto vs. All sheepe simple deuout soules and oxen learned Doctors and Preachers who cultiuate the hearts of the faithfull Moreouer all the beasts of the feild sinfull loose liuing people who wander vp and downe without à guide in the broad way of the pleasures of this life following their owne concupiscence The birds of the aire proud men puffed vp with the wind of vaine glorie And the fishes of the sea that walke the pathes of the sea curious worldly men who imploy their wâ—ole study in search of temporall
pleasures and commodities which quickly vanish like to the passadges of the fishes in the sea The Prophet endeth with the same verse he beganne to shew that Christ is the beginning and the end and that we ought to beginne end all our workes with his praise S. Augustine vpon those words whaâ— is man that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou visitest him distinguisheth man from the sonne of man in this sort Euery sonne of man saieth he is à man but euery man is not the sonne of man for Adam was à man but not the sonne of man Those that beare the image of the terrene man who was not the sonne of man are signified in this place by the name of man and are as it were disioyned à farre of from God and therefore he is saied to bee onely mindfull of them but those who beare the image of the heauenly man the new Adam who was the sonne of man are more properly called the sonnes of man with whome God is nearely present illustrating them with the light of his countenance and therefore he is saied to visite them The new man is borne of the old because spirituall regeneration beginneth by the change of the old secular life according to that of the Apostle That is not first which is spirituall but that 1. Cor. 15. which is naturall afterward that which is spirituall The first man of earth earthly the second man from heauen heauenly Such as is the earthly such alsoe are the earthly and such as the heauenly such alsoe are the heauenly Therefore as we haue borne the image of the earthly let vs beare alsoe the image of the heauenly By the birds of the aire which are borne aloft and sing continually maie bee vnderstood the Angells that inhabite the highest places and sing continually the praises of God And by the fishes of the sea which dwell in the lowest places and are mute maie bee vnderstood the deuills which inhabite the remotest places from the throne of God and are mute as to the praising of him The explication of the 18. Psalme and second in number in the Nocturne office THE ARGVMENT THis Psalme consisteth cheifly of two parts wherein the holie Prophet sheweth two waies whereby euery man maie come to the Knowledge of God and of diuine misteries The one by comtemplating the heauens which by their beautie greatnes exact motion doe expresse after à silent manner the Maiestie power and wisdome of their Creator according to that of the Isaiâ— 40. Prophet Isaie Lift vp your eies and see who hath created these things The other by the law of God whereby men are taught how to frame their liues conformable to the diuine will The holie Fathers grounding themselues vpon the authoritie of S. Paul in diuers places doe interpret the words of this Psalme to bee spoken by the holie Prophet of the Apostles Euangelists other preachers of the new law and of the sinceritie and excellencie of the same law wherefore I will first set downe the Propheticall or rather indeed the true literall sense of this Psalme and afterwards the plaine literall sense as the words seeme to import The heauens the Apostles and Euangelists who are tearmed heauens in respect of their celestiall conuersation and eminency of grace and for that God dwelleth in them in à sublime and vnspeakable manner in which sense likewise all perfect and spirituall men are called heauens in diuers places of holie writ Heare yee heauens what things I Deutero 32. Isa 1. speake and the earth heare the words of my mouth And the Prophet Isaie Heare yee heauens and giue eare ô earth These heauens declare the glorie of God to witt the Kingdome and excellencie of Christ and the firmament the holie Church established vpon the rocke which is Christ and perfect men who are firmely placed in her as starres in the firmament declareth vnto vs the workes of his hands to witt the vertues miraculous workes of Christ wrought by his diuine power principally which is as his right hand his humanitie instrumentally which is as his left hand Daie vnto daie vttereth the word wise holie and diuinely illuminated men doe impart vnto learned and spirituall men out of the fulnesse of their knowledge doctrine concerning the diuine nature of Christ according to that of the 1. Cor. 2. Apostle we speake wisedome among the perfect And night vnto night sheweth knowledge such contemplatiues from whom the sunne of Iustice they beinge now well grounded in à spirituall life for à long space withdraweth his rayes of sensible deuotion and comforts leauing them in aridity and darknesse of spirit and affordinge them only à glimpse of his beautie as through an obscure clowde leadinge them maruelously by à very painfull yet more secure and meritorious waye doe shew to others in this estate of desolatioÌ„ knowledge how to comport theÌ„selues in the like exigeÌ„ce to make right vse of such substraction of grace There are noe languages nor speeches whose voices are not heard vnderstood and spoaken by the Apostles for they spake with all toungs and euery one vnderstood them in his owne proper phrase of speech This verse according to the latin translation maie admitt this construction Non sunt loquelae neque sermones there are noe languages or speeches quorum non audiantur voces corum of which languageâ— and speeches the voices of them to witâ— of the Apostles are not heard and thâ—â— construction seemeth to agree with the verse following Their sound hath goone forth into all the earth for the Apostles did cast lots and diuide the nations of the earth amongst them and they in person visited the principall parts thereof and to the rest their sound hath gone forth videlicet their doctrine hath been published by their disciples Certes saietht he Apostle into all the earth hath the sound of them gone forth and vnto the ends of the whole world the words of them And vnto the ends of the round world the words of them this was foreshewed alsoe by the Prophet Isaie From the ends of the earth we haue heard praises the glorie of the iust one and Isa 24. in another place I will send of them that shall be saued to the Gentiles into the sea into Affrike and Lidia them that hold the arrow into Italie and Greece to the Ilands farre of to them that haue not heard of me and haue not seene my glorie c. The Apostle alleadgeth this verse to proue that faith is of hearing and of the preaching of the Apostles whence it followeth that this Psalme doth speake of Christ and his Apostles and of the preaching of the Euangelicall law He hath put his tabernacle in the sunne These words are expounded two waies The first is that he to wit Christ our Lord hath put his tabernacle his assumpted humane nature which is the temple of his inuisible deitie in the sunne to wit
knowledge necessary to saluation and the like nor sworne to his nighbour in guile hath not promised any thing which he intended not to performe hath not constantly auerred for truth what he could not prooue nor confirmed any thing with an oath with intent to deceaue his neighbour by which meanes he will neither haue sinned in thought word nor deed against God himself or his neighbour He whosoeuer he bee that obserueth these things he it is that shall receaue blessing diuine guifts and graces together with increase of them and prosperous successe in all he vndertaketh and mercie the grace of perseuerance of God his Sauiour to wit of our Lord Iesus Christ. This is the generation of them that seeke him Such iust and innocent men as this are the generation that seeke God their Sauiour by faith holie desires and good workes of them that seeke by Praier and contemplation in present with confidence hereafter clearely to behold the face of the God of Iacob incouradged by those words of our Sauiour Blessed are the cleane of heart for they shall see Math. 5. God Behold what is required of such as desire once to enioy the cleare vision of God from which we are as farre distant as we faile of this innocencie The words following are esteemed to bee the voice of the Angells that attended vpon our Sauiour after the separation of his blessed soule from the body vpon the Crosse and first to the Princes of darknes when they descended with him into Lymbo Patrum Lift vp your gates yee Princes desist yee Princes of darkenes from further exercising the right and power you haue hitherto had to detaine the soules of the elect for the guilt of originall sinne and hee yee lifted vp ô eternall gates which haue been shut from the beginning of the world that none could depart thence and shall remaine shut for euer to the damned for as much as concerneth their freedome and the King of glorie shall enter in and set free the captiue soules whose ransome he hath paied vpon the Crosse The deuills strucken with admiration at this voice demaund of the Angels VVho is this King of glorie that descendeth vnto vs in soe vnusuall à manner with such splendor and securitie Vnto whome the Angels make answer it is Our Lord strong in regard of his diuinitie and mighty in regard of his humanitie our Lord mighty in battle in his Passiō wherein as in à new sort of combate not by force and contention but by suffering innumerable indignities reproaches scoffes stroakes wounds and finally an ignominious death he hath vanquished Goliath subdued the Prince of the world bound him cast him forth and taken from him his spoiles Againe the Angels attending vpon our Sauiour at his Ascension into heauen doe call to the celestiall powers saying Lift vp your gates yee Princes set open the passadge into heauen ô yee celestiall powers The tyme that God prefixt by his inuiolable decree that none should enter Heauen till his Iustice were satisfyed is now happily expired the dreadfull schedule of mans condemnation is cancelled Open therefore your gates at lardge and the King of glory will enter in triumph attended with à specious trayne the trophies of his glorious victory ouer theirs and our mortall enemies being the first fruits of his painefull labours and an earnest penny that he will infallibly repaire our ruine bring vs daily à blessed sort of Citizens into the vacant habitations of Lucifer and his adherents that rebellious crue that once disturbed our ioy And bee yee lifted vp ô eternall gates and bee yee layed open ô yee gates of eternall life and the King of glorie shall enter in The celestiall powers hearing this voice and beholding Christ to ascend with such brightnes and Majestie doe inquire of the superiour Angels VVho is this King of glorie vnto whome the Angels attending vpon our Sauiour doe make answer The Lord of powers the onely Sonne of God the Father who is the Lord of the Sabbaoth and of all the celestiall powers He is the King of glorie the Prince of ioy the fountaine of eternall felicitie who is of such excellencie that euen according to his humanitie all power Math. 23. is giuen him in heauen and vpon earth Behold how excellently and breifly the holie Prophet doth teach vs by this Psalme to contemplate the diuine Majestie to the end to excite vs to reuerence and holie feare He teacheth alsoe how we must dispose our selues if we desire to be numbred in the list of the elect thereby exhorting vs to puritie cleanenesse of heart finally he vnfoldeth vnto vs the happy mystery of Christs Ascension thereby to erect our hearts to the loue of heauenly things according to that of the Apostle Seeke the things that are aboue where Christ is fitting Collos 3. on the right hand of God mynd the things that are aboue not the things that are vpō the earth The exposition of the 44. Psalme and 4 in number in the nocturne Office The title an exposition thereof VNto the end for them that shall bee changed to wit for Gentils and Iewes who shall bee conuerted to Christianitie and other sinners who shall bee changed here in this world by iustification and in the next by glorification To the sonnes of Chore to those that shall imitate Christ crucified on Mount Caluary for Chore is by interpretation Caluaria for vnderstanding for their instruction in the mysteries treated of in this Psalme A Canticle for the beloued for Christ of whome God the Father affirmed This is my welbeloued Math. 17. sonne THE ARGVMENT THis Psalme is à Epithalamy or wedding song composed in honour of the spirituall nuptialls betweene Christ the Spouse and the holie Church the Espoused The two first verses maie bee vnderstood in two senses The first and most profound sense which is set downe by S. Augustine in his exposition of this Psalme is to suppose them as spoken by God the Father and then they importe the incomprehensible generation of the Sonne of God before all world The second sense is that they bee vnderstood as spoken by the Prophet of himselfe and then they seeme to bee à Preface or dedication of this worke of his to the Kingly Spouse whose vertues and excellencies he setteth forth most elegantly in the following verses shewing how the daughters of Kings and euen the Queene herselfe inamoured of his beautie and exquisite vertues doth couet to assist in his presence Next he proceedeth to celebrate the praise of the Espoused describing her ornaments and instructing her how to comport herselfe that she maie become most pleasing in his sight And lastly he sheweth what ofspring they shall haue and how pious and diligent they shall bee to promote the honour of the Spouse and the Espoused The exposition of the Psalme MY heart hath vttered à good word my Paternall mynd or I my selfe who am the paternall mynd most simple and pure or my
eternall vnderstanding or my fruitfull memory out of the fulnesse of its infinite fecunditie and immense goodnes and out of the fountaine it selfe of my essence haue intellectually brought forth haue from eternitie saied and truely begotten an onely Sonne consubstantiall to me who is the Good word By that he is called good Mare 10. is shewed that he is God For none is good but one God I the eternall Father tell my workes to the King to Christ my beloued Sonne the King of Kings as Christ himself affirmeth The Father loueth the Ioh. 5. Sonne and sheweth him all things that himselfe doeth Whatsoeuer the Father knoweth in himselfe that he expresseth in his Word in such sort that whatsoeuer is contained in the essence of the Father that clearely shineth in the Sonne for he is the onely begotten of the Paternall mynd the eternall word the word of his vnderstanding and full expression of his wisedome Finally whatsoeuer the Father in order of things hath created euen from the beginning that he saied from eternitie in his word and made by him in conuenient tyme as S. Iohn witnesseth Ioh. 1. All things were made by him and againe That which was made in him was life My tongue my vnderstanding is the penne of à Scribe wriâ—ing swiftly maie bee compared to the penne of à Scribe writing swiftly in two respects First because as the word that is written with à penne doth not sound and passe away but is expressed in silence remaineth firmely soe the word of the Father is not sounding passing away and vnstable but secret firme immoueable and eternall Secondly because as the penne of à Scribe writing swiftly doth write à word without labour or notable delay soe the diuine vnderstanding speaking internally produced his word in the very instant of eternitie without motion labour or tarriance as the eternall wisedome who is the word and Sonne of God affirmeth saying Our Lord possessed Prouerb 8. me in the beginning of his waies before he had made any thing from the beginning from eternitie I was ordained The depthes were not as yet and I was now conceiued c. Moreouer he that writeth à great volume in à short tyme is not soe properly saied to write swiftly as he that comprehendeth that great volume in à few words and yet omitteth nothing God the Father in his eternall word comprehended all things that euer were are or shall bee and therefore he doth iustly affirme of himselfe that His tongue is the penne of à Scribe writing swiftly These two verses maie alsoe bee expounded as being the words of the Prophet and then the sense of them seemeth to bee as followeth My heart my vnderstanding out of the plenitude of diuine illumination Propheticall knowledge hath vttered hath produced saied internally and expressed with the mouth a good word this present Psalme which is à good word repleate with high most delightfull mysteries I tell my workes to the King I sing write and dedicate this present Psalme and all my other actions to the honour of the Mâ—ssias the King of Syon of whose spirituall nuptials I purpose to treate My tongue is the penne of à Scribe writing swiftly My toÌ„gue in writing this Psalme was the penne of one writing swiftly that is of my selfe who write it without premeditation or labour as I receiued it from the holie Ghost or of the holie Ghost who causeth those whome he doth inspire to write fast without searching for exquisite words to expresse what he dictateth O heauenly Spouse thou art Goodly of beautie aboue the Sonnes of men There was à threefold beautie in Christ The first eternall diuine and infinite which belongeth vnto him by reason of his diuine nature he being the figure substance of the Father whome the Angells behold with delight The second beautie of Christ was created and spirituall which consisted in the perfection of his wisedome the excellencie of his grace the eminencie of his charitie and other vertues and this his beautie was without comparison greater then of all the elect together The third beautie of Christ was created and corporall which consisted in the due proportion seate and quantitie of members and in the meet super infusion of liuely colour This beautie of Christ was exceeding great admirable First because noe naturall perfection was wanting vnto him Secondly because it was most fit that soe holie and faire à soule as his should bee infused into à body proportionate Thirdly because the body of Christ was assumed of most pure matter to wit of the purest bloud of the most worthy Virgin and Finally because it was formed and composed by à most skilfull infallible agent to wit the holie Ghost and therefore we maie piously beleeue that our Lord Iesus Christ in corporall beautie alsoe did excell all others euen Absolon himselfe Grace is powred abroad in thy lippes fruitfull and efficacious eloquence sweetnes affabilitie of speech is giuen thee that none shall bee able to resist thy words therefore in regard thou art soe powerfull to winne all hearts God hath blessed thee for euer The word Propterea in the latine text which here is Englished Therefore doth alsoe signify Because and being soe taken the sense of this verse is as followeth Thou art goodly of beauty aboue the Sonnes of men grace is powred abroad in thy lippes because God hath blessed thee for euer to wit with Hypostaticall vnion which shall remaine for euer and is the fountaine from which all gifts and graces doe flow most copiously into thy humanitie ô Christ The first sense is good and proper yet the Second seemeth to bee preferred Bee girded with thy sword vpon thy thigh ô most mightie ô Thou who art not onely most beautifull and gracious but alsoe most strong and â—aliant prepare thy selfe to combate with the vniust ryrant who hath by fraud circumuented thy beloued and detaineth her captiue for originall sinne The sword here mentioned is the doctrine of Christ who saieth of himselfe by the Prophet Isaie He hath made my mouth as à sharpe Isa 49. Ephe. 6. sword Take vpon you saieth the Apostle the sword of the spirit which is the word of God VVith thy beautie and fairenes not soe much with thy corporall beautie as with thy wisdome and Iustice which are the splendor of thy Soule Intend incline and haue pious regard to the saluation of thy people and endeauour to the vttermost to procure it Proceed prosperously aduance and march forwards with happy successe from the bosome of thy eternall Father into the wombe of thy immaculate Mother from her wombe into the manger from the manger to the Crosse and from thence extend thy dominion ouer the whole world and reigne in the militant Church placing thy throne in the hearts of thy people by faith and grace and in the triumphant Church by affording them the cleare vision of thy glorie And doe thou reigne in this sort Because of thy truth
thy irrepreheÌ„sible righteousnes in words deeds mildnesse affabilitie sweetnes and mercie towards the humble and obedient and iustice seueritie towards disobedient and haughtie spirits and thy right hand thy diuine nature which is the right hand of thy humanitie shall conduct thee maruelously shall direct teach thee the principles of gouernment how to rule thy people subdue thy enimies dilate thy dominion Or thus because of thy truth and mildnes and iustice that is because of the acts of these vertues and their merit in regard thou hast been true in thy life doctrine mild and patient in aduersitie and in all things iust and righteous not seeking thy owne but thy Fathers glorie and the saluation of mankind therefore thy right hand shall conduct thee maruelously eleuating thee from the earth to heauen and constituting thee Iudge of the vniuerse For Christ did merit his Ascension and iudiciary power by his holie conuersation and exinanition of himselfe taking vpon him the forme of à seruant humbling himselfe becoÌ„ming obedient euen to the death of the Crosse Christ in all things spake and obserued the truth as he witnessed of himselfe before Pilate saying For this I was borne Ioh. 18. and for this I came into the world that I should giue testimony to the truth He was alsoe mild for he taught his disciples saying Learne of me for I am meeke and Math. 11. humble of heart And he was iust as S. Stephen affirmed of him to the Iewes saying VVhich of the Prophets did not your Fathers persetute and they slew them Act. 7. that foretold of the comming of the iust one c. The verse following is both written and distinguished diuersly whereby the sense doth differ much Some write it point it as followeth Thy sharpe arrowes the peoples vnderneath thee shall fall into the heart of the Kings enimies and being soe written it seemeth to yeeld this sense Thy diuine doctrine and thy grace mouing the hearts of the heaâ—ers are thy sharpe arrowes With these the Infidelles who before were rebellious and disobedient to thee being wounded shall bee conuerted and become obedient to thy holie lawes and by their example draw thy aduersaries many of the obdurate Iewes and other Tyrants that persecute thee thy holie Church to embrace thy doctrine alsoe Others make two points after the word fall expound it as followeth The Gentils and many alsoe of the Iewes wounded with the forementioned arrowes of Christ shall become obedient to the faith and those arrowes shall haue such force and efficaciâ— that they shall preuaile against the hearts of the enimies of Christ the King and Messias as maie appeare by the example of S. Paul other persecutors of the Christian faith Finally others to with S. Augustine and Dyonisius the Carthusian write it as followeth Thy sharpe arrowes the peoples vnderneath thee shall fall in the heart of the Kings enimies that is in the middest or the thickest of them Or thus they sâ—all fall in the heart that is their fall shall bee spirituall by the obedience of the mynd not corporall And hauing thus obtained a full conquest Thy seaâ—e ô God for euer and euer thy tribunall of Iustice and thy throne of glorie ò Christ who art true God shall bee firmely established remaine for euer à rod of direction of iustice and equitie is the rod of thy Kingdome the scepter by which thou shall gouerne the holie Church which is thâ— KingdoÌ„e with iust correction and equall retribution according to that of the Prophet Isaie He shall not iudge according to the sight of the eies nor rebuke according to the hearing of the eares but he shall iudge the poore in iustice and shall rebuke in equitie and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the spirit of his lippes he shall kill the impious Thou hast loued iustice and hated iniquity whereof thou hast giuen good testimony by becoÌ„ming obedient euen to the death of the Crosse to satisfy the iustice of God and take away the sinnes of the world therefore God thy God or according to S. Augustine and others that follow the Greeke text therefore ô God ô Christ true God and true man thy God the God of all who is in à most singular manner thy God hath annoynted thee in respect of thy humanitie with oyle of gladnes with the glorie of resurrection and ascension aboue thy consorts in à more full and excellent manner then he hath King Dauid and all other holie Kings exalting thee in glorie placing thee at his right hand and giuing thee à name which is aboue all names that in thy name euery knee bow of the celestialls terresttialls and infernalls Myrrhe and Aloes and Cassia from thy garments By Myrrhe which preserueth dead bodies from putrifaction is signified Mortification which preserueth soules from the filth and corruption of concupiscence By Aloes which taketh away hardnesses asswageth swellings of the Lunges is signified Humilitie which taketh away the obduratenesse stubbornesse of the mynd and the vaine puffings vp of Pride And finally by Cassia which groweth in moist places springeth very high is signified Faith which groweth in Baptisme The vertues therefore which are designed by Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia doe proceede from thy humanitie ò Christ which is as it were the garment of thy diuinitie and not onely from it but alsoe from howses of Iuorie from chast pure soules in whome thou dwellest as in cleane shining odoriferous howses out of which vertues the daughters of Kings religious soules that haue got dominion ouer the world the flesh and the deuill haue delighted thee haue giuen thee exceeding great contentment to behold them runne soe fast after the sweet odors of thy garments by exercising themselues continually in those thy vertues in thy honor with pure intention meerely to please glority thee The Queene the holie Church thy beloued spouse stood on thy right hand in golden rayment cloathed with charitie compassed with varietie of all other vertues and graces inwardly and enuironed outwardly with varietie of estates â—rders and professions all vnited in one faith Heare daughter attentiuely what thy spouse who is alsoe thy Father shall saie vnto thee either by himself or by the mouthes of his holie seruants and see consider by faith all things which he shall propose vnto thee and incline thy eare with all humilitie and readines to obey his holie will and forget thy people laye à side all inordinate affection to thy old consorts and the howse of thy Father cease alsoe to loue thy kindred carnally And then the King will couet thy beautie Christ Iesus will bee inamoured of the beautie of thy mynd desire to vnite thee vnto him in spirituall wedlocke Bee careful therefore to dispose thy selfe in this sort because he fane exceedeth in beautie power wisdome wealth and glorie all the Princes of the world who haue hitherto sued
expounded of the Triumphant Church as followeth The fountaine of wisdome or the inundation of the holie Ghost maketh the triumphant Church ioyfull with the ioy of beatificall fruition the highest Hath sanctified the hearts of the blessed which is hâ—s tabernacle God is in the middest of the triumphant Church therefore it shall not bee moued from the state of beatitude In the instant that any of the blessed thall bee receiued into the Kingdome of glorie God will confirme them in grace Thirdly they are applyed to the Blessed Virgin as followeth The word of God Christ Iesus our Lord in whome is the originall source immense plenitude of all true delight hath filled his blessed Mother with ioy exultation assuming humane nature in her sacred wombe Christ hath sanctified her and preserued her from all impuritie He hath rested nine monthes in her wombe and euer since in the Center of her immaculate soule She shall not bee moued from good to euill but shall remaine stable and immoueable in God because he will sanctifie her and fortify her in perfection of grace euen in her Mothers wombe Nations are troubled by the preaching miracles of the disciples of our Sauiour some to Pennance admiration others to obstinacy and opposition and Kingdomes are inclined are humbled to faith and holie obedient conuersation learning of Christ who was mild and humble of heart He Christ gaue his voice by himselfe his disciples and their successors and the earth was moued The saied humiliation of Kingdomes was foretold bythe Prophet Isaie in these words He to wit Christ Isa 26. will how downe them that dwellon hight thé high cittie he will abase By the high cittie is vnderstood Rome which at that tyme was Lady of the world of which the same Prophet à litle after â—aieth The foote shall tread it downe the feete of the poore maiâ— the steps of the needy By the poore man is vnderstood S. Peter à poore fisher man and by the steps of the needy the preaching of S. Peter and Paul who liued in voluntary pouertie for by their preaching the vnbeleeuing glorie and magnificent ostentation of the Romans was brought to embrace Christian humilitie The Lord of hostes is with vs Christ the King of glorie the vertue and wisdome of the Father who is stiled Emanuel that is God with vs hath come vnto vs and dwelled with vs in his assumpted humane nature the God of the Patriarke Iacob is our defender Come ye that desire saluation come not soe much by corporall motion as by faith and affections of the heart and see the workes of our Lord and consider and ponder seriously in your mynds what wonders he hath put vpon the earth to wit the Incarnation of his onely sonne the making of à Virgin to conceiue bring forth à Sonne and yet remaine à Virgin innumerable other admirable workes farre transcending the ordinary course of nature taking away warres euen vnto the end of the earth causing an vniuersall peace ouer all the world at the tyme of the birth of Christ our Lord as à figure of the spirituall peace which our Sauiour brought vnto all mankind to wit peace betweene God and man according to that of the Apostle God was in Christ reconciling 2. Cor. 5. the world to himselfe peace alsoe betweene the Iewes and Gentils He is our Ephes 2. peace who hath made both one c. He shall destroy the bow and breake weapons and shields he shall burne with fire This peace which Christ shall bring shall bee soe vniuersall and endure for soe long à space that men shall conuert their weapons and warlike engins to other vses according to that of the Prophet The Isa 2. law shall come forth of Sion and the word of our Lord from Ierusalem and he shall iudge the Gentils and rebuke many peoples they shall turne their swords into coulters and their speares into sithes c. This verse maie bee expounded in à more spirituall sense as followeth He shall destroy the bow Christ shall laie open and destroy the hidden deceits of the wicked endeauoring by flatery and faire promises to seduce the good and breake the weapons to wit open persecutions manifest diabolicall inuasions And the shields to wit the fallacies wherewith peruerse men doe couer and defend their errors he shall burne with fire by condemning the peruerse to hell fire or illuminating and inflaming the hearts of the faithfull to discerne resist their machinations Bee quiet abstract your hearts from vaine euill and vnprofitable things adhere to me with your whole mind attend to me fixe your desires vpon me and simplify your actions and see by affectionate contemplation and experimentall gust that I am God your Creator prouisor Sauiour gouernour that neuer cease to haue care of you that am alwaies ready to helpe you and to infuse consolation in such sort that you maie euen by experience acknowledge that I am your God Whosoeuer hath à desire to tast and proue this experimentall gust of God must of necessitie keepe à diligent watch ouer his heart flie concupiscence contemne pleasures shunne dissolution or loosenes of life repell and quit himselfe from superfluous imployments of body and minde seeke and sigh incessantly after that one thing onely necessary Make vnto you new fallow Ierem. 4. ground saieth the Prophet and sow not vpon thornes bee circumcised to our Lord and take away the prepuces of your hearts I shall bee exalâ—ed among the Gentils I the onely sonne of God and Sauiour of the world by the preaching of my disciples shall bee ackowledged honoured and worshipped by the Gentils according to that of the Prophet From the rising of Malach. 1. the sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentils I shall bee exalted in the earth in the peoples of the Iewes neare the end of the world when the fulnes of the Gentils hath entred The Lord of Hostes is with vs c. This verse in regard of the sweetnes of the signification and dignitie thereof is iterated for to imprint it the better in the heart of the Chanter What I haue saied before maie suffice for explication thereof with this obseruation That whereas Exod. 3. in Exodus we read that God almightie stiled himselfe the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob affirming that this is his name for euer the Prophet here expresseth onely the God of Iacob for this reasoÌ„ as it maie seeme because as Iacob supplanted his brother of the benediction and inheritance soe the sonne of God who alone assumed humane nature supplanted the disobedient Angels of the benediction inheritance which was as it were due to them by prioritie of Creation and obtained it for man kind Behold how full this Psalme is of diuine misteries in which faith is corroborated hope in God is established fortitude is excited the beginning of the new
borne Church is explicated the grace of Baptisme is commended the benefits of God recounted the Incarnation of Christ is designed the faithfull are inuited to the consideration of the diuine workes the diuine power is openly declared à most sweet and paternall admonition is contained the magnificence of our Sauiour is set forth and finally the most excellent benefit of his holie Incarnation is repeated to shew that it cannot bee to oft remembred Let vs therefore endeauour to sing this Psalme with all feruour of deuotion beseeching almightie God in our hearts to bee our refuge and comfort in all our necessities both corporall and spirituall The title and argument of the 86. Psalme and 6. in The Nocturne Office TO the children of Chore to the faithfull imitators of Christ à Psalme of Canticle à Psalme containing spirituall ioy In this Psalme is sung the praise of the Cittie of Ierusalem by which noe doubt the Christian Church ought to bee vnderstood For although that which is saied in the beginning of the Psalme to wit That the foundations thereof are in the holie mountaines maie bee applied to the terrene Cittie of Ierusalem yet the rest to wit That the Babylonians Aegiptians and Tyrians are in it doth not squarre therewith But to the Church militant or triumphant all that is saied doth fitly agree The exposition of the Psalme THe foundations thereof The Prophet expresseth not the name of the thing whereunto the word thereof hath relation for the same reason as it maie seeme which moued S. Marie Magdalene to saie vnto him whome she supposed to bee the gardiner Sir if thou hast taken him away tell me where thou hast layed him c. O excessiue loue She beleeued noe mans minde could bee ignorant of him with whose feruent loue hers was filled and wholly possessed In like manner the Prophet in regard of the ardent loue he bore towards the holie Church doth not expresse the name thereof and yet the words following doe shew that he had relatiō thereunto as being the thing he foretold in his heart His words are these The foundations thereof to wit of the holie Church which I contemplate in spirit are collected and established in the holie mountaines in Christ the mount of mountaines principally and secondarily in the Apostles and Prophets who doe sustaine the spirituall fabricke of the Church according to that of the Apostle Other 1. Cor. 3. foundation noe man can laye beside that which is layed which is Christ Iesus and in another place Build vpon the foundation of Ephe. 2. the Apostles and Prophets Our Lord loueth the gates of this spirituall Sion our Lord accepteth and approueth of the Sacramēts vertues Exorcisme Catechisme Baptisme of the holie Church which are as it were the gates entrances into à spirituall life aboue the tabernacles of Iacob before or rather then the rites and ceremonies obserued by the children of Israell whilst they liued in tents and Pauilions In the Prophecy of Malachias God almightie doth seeme to dislike and reiect the Synagogue and her manner of worship and to approue and gratefully accept of the Christian Church and the forme of seruice vsed therein I haue noe Malach. 1. will in you to wit the Synagogue saieth the Lord of hostes and gift I will not receiue of your hand But of the holie Church he saieth From the rising of the Sunne euen to the going downe great is my name among the Gentils and in euery place there is sacrificing there is offered to my name à cleane oblatiō Morally by Sion are vnderstood the speculators of celestiall things and by Iacob the supplanters of vices Our Lord therefore doth loue Sion to wit the vertues and good workes of contemplatiue men more or better then the tabernacles of Iacob to wit the inhabitants of the earth designed by Iacob who although they liue in the grace of God haue not as yet throughly mortified their coneupiscences and altogether subdued vice but haue need to combate daily against inordinate motions Nothwithstanding that these labour more then speculatiue perfect mē yet they merit à lesser guerdon or reward then they because their acts doe not proceede from such sincere perfect and feruent loue as the acts of contemplatiue persons neither doe they operate soe readily peaceably sweetly and delightfully as contemplatiues and speaking absolutely by how much the more readily quietly delightfully any man doth execute the worke of God by soe much the more doth he merit Glorious things are saied of thee ô Citty of God not onely of the triumphant Church but alsoe of the militant to wit that the Sonne of God shall visite her in person and that all nations tribes and peoples shall flocke vnto her from all parts of the earth and make suite to be admitted to inhabite within her walls which is insinuated by the words that follow I will bee mindfull of Raab and Babylon knowing me Raab in this place is not the proper name of that woman who hid the messengers of Iosue but according to S. Ierome it is here an apellatiue name designing as à propertie pride or proud whereby are designed the Pagans giuen to idolatrie and rebellious to God and Babylon is by interpretation confusion The sense therefore of these words seemeth to bee I will bee mindfull by shewing mercie of Raab and Babylon to wit of the proud Gentils and of those that liue in the confusion of sinnes knowing me by faith after I am soe mindfull of them This our Lord performed sending his Apostles to the whole world of whome S. Simon and Iude preached the Gospell to the Babylonians and conuerted the greatest part of them to the faith of Christ Behold the forreiners the Philisthians and Tyre and the people of the Aethiopians these were there to wit in the Citty of Christ These nations are here expressed by name because they bordered vpon the land of Iuda and did first embrace the Christian faith yet by them are designed all the infidels of the whole world which came o◠shall come to ioyne in vnion of faith with the holie Church Shall it not bee saied of Sion Man and man is borne in her and the highest himselfe founded her As if he should saie yes it shall bee saied of Sion that many men or almost euery man shall bee regenerated in her by the Sacrament of Baptisme and that God founded her These words are otherwaies deliuered by very many of the most learned and auncient Fathers as followeth Shall not man saie to Sion and man is borne in her and he the most high hath founded her As if the Prophet had saied Yes verily Man shall saie to Sion to wit to the holie Church as followeth and Man is borne in her Christ God and man is borne of the B. Virgin the most worthy member in the Church and he to wit Christ our Lord soe borne in the Church according to his humane nature being the most high according to his
materiall temple to wit in the house of Praier yet much rather in his immateriall temple to wit the mynd or spirit for our Sauiour saieth God is à spirit and they that adore Ioh. 4. him must adore in spirit and veritie and in another place VVhen thou shalt praie enter Math. 6. into thy chamber and hauing shut the dore praie to thy Father in secret to wit with à setled and recollected mynd Let all the earth bee moued before his face let all the inhabitants of the earth bee moued to chast loue admiration and obedience and bee auerted from their bad waies and conuerted to God attending the benigne presence and sweet Maiestie of Christ Saie ye ô ye Apostles and ye that shall succeed them vnto the Gentils to whose conuersion and information ye are sent that our Lord hath reigned in the whole vniuerse and especially in the hearts of the faithfull by faith and Charitie Concerning which you are to note that God hath raigned in heauen and earth by his omnipotency euen from the beginning but his spirituall Kingdome in the hearts of men where he raigneth by faith beganne not especially in the hearts of the Gentils vntill the coÌ„ming of our Sauiour who by his passion and death dispossessed and cast forth the diuell as maie bee gathered by these words of our Lord Now the Prince of the world Ioh. 12. shall bee cast forth and I if I bee exalted from the earth will draw all things to myselfe S. Augustine and diuers others of the auncient Fathers doe read the last part of this verse as followeth Our Lord hath reigned from the wood to wit from the holie Crosse whereon he redeemed the world Which words of the wood were aunciently in the interpretation of the 72. Interpreters and haue been raced out by the Hebrews as S. Iustine affirmeth which notwithstanding Fortunatus hath placed them in the Hymne which is sung by the holie Church in Passion weeke The Prophet sheweth here by the effect that our Lord hath raigned because he hath exercised his regall power For he hath corrected the round world which shall not bee moued he hath conuerted the vniuersall Church spread and diâ—ated through the whole world from Idolatry and vice by his owne increpation and reprehension according to that of the Prophet He stroke the earth with the rod of Isa 11. his mouth c. as alsoe by the preaching of his disciples and other seruants and hath established it soe firmely that notwithstanding it shall bee soie shaken by the tempests and whirlwinds of tribulation and tentation yet shall it not bee moued in whole whilst the world shall indure He will iudge peoples in equitie The iudgement here mentioned is the iudgement wherewith our Sauiour iudged in his first comming to wit the iudgement of discretion or seuering one from another mercifully calling some to faith and grace and iustly forsaking others which discretion was altogether most iust notwithstanding that our weake iudgements are not able to comprehend the reason thereof Let the heauens bee glad and the earth reioyce the Sea bee moued and the fulnesse thereof to wit all therein contained the fields shall bee glad and all things that are in them What is spiritually vnderstood by these hath been sufficiently declared in the precedent Psalmes Then shall the trees of the woods reioyce before the face of our Lord because he cometh because he cometh to iudge the earth By this repetition of be cometh is insinuated the two commings of Christ in both which the Prophet inuiteth all creatures to reioyce in his first comming because he came then in the forme and shape of à man and sought to winne all hearts vnto him by his sweet benigne conuersation consecrating and disposing all things towards their perfection and the end for which they were created and in his second comming alsoe because he will come to refine and renew and constitute them in such perfectioÌ„ that they shall remaine for eternitie He will iudge the round world in equitie to wit without respect of persons and peoples in his truth to wit in iustice rendring to euery one according to his workes Tha title and argument of the Psalme and 8. in the Nocturne Office TO this Dauid when his land was restored to him For that there is noe mention at all made in this Psalme of King Dauids recouery of his Kingdome which Absalon had taken from him the expositors thereof doe generally agree that King Dauid vpon occasion of the recouery of his land being inspired by the holie Ghost did sing the restoring of the Kingdome of Christ in the hearts of all maÌ„kind which the diuell had vsurped by fraudulently inducing our first parents to transgresse Gods commandement and had withheld from him vntill he by his painefull death vpon the Crosse vanquished that tyrant and obtained all power in heauen and vpon earth In the first verse the Prophet speaketh of this saied restoring of Christ our Sauiours Kingdome vnto him to wit al mankind or the Church of the elect according to that Aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentils Psal 2. for thy inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth but in the rest of the Psalme he describeth the dreadfull comming of Christ to the generall Iudgement when his Kingdome shall bee established in such sort that it remaine for euer The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord of whome it is saied in the Apoc. 19. Apocalipse That he hath in his garment and in his thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords from the tyme of his glorious Resurrection hath reigned in the militant Church or in the hearts of his elect wherefore let all the earth reioyce let all nations liuing vpon the continent or maine land congratulate him in this his regall dignitie and not onely they but alsoe let many Ilands bee glad let the inhabitants of great Britanie Ireland Cyprus Sicilie all other Ilands very many in number which shall bee conuerted make triumph and signes of ioy thereat for of these the Prophet Isaie saieth The Ilands shall expest his Isa 42. Ibidem law and againe They shall giue glorie to the Lord and shall declare his praise to the Ilands A cloud and mist shall appeare round about him when he shall come to iudge the world with much power and Maiestie that Infidels and reprobate Christians maie neither haue à cleare veiw of his glorified body with their externall eies nor of his diuinitie with their internall but onely some litle glimpse of his glorie to their greater confusion Iustice iudgement with mercy and iudgement seueritie of iustice shall bee the correction or supporters of his seate or the sentence of correction which shall proceed from his tribunall Iustice and iudgement according to S. Ierome is here saied to bee the correction of the seate of our Lord because the iudgements of God before he cometh to iudgement doe seeme somewhat imperfect in
my sensitiue appetite thirsteth to God not directly immediatly as if God were the obiect of its desire but because those things which it longeth for it desireth according to the will of God that is to saie according to the command of reason and the direction of morall vertues In à desert land and inaccessible and without water soe in the holie I haue appeared to thee The Prophet seemeth to signify by these words that the desert sterill place where he then remained barren of things necessary and much more of delightfull things was neuerthelesse profitable vnto him to fynd out God For the soule by how much more she is destitute of carnall delights or at least wise by how much more she remoueth her affection from terrene things and placeth herselfe in à certaine desert or abstraction of mynd by soe much the more easily she maie ascend to contemplate and relish heauenly things I saieth he remaining in à desert land and inaccessible and without water soe haue appeared to thee that is soe haue shewed presented my selfe before thee in ascensioÌ„ of mynd as in thy holie that is as if I were in thy sanctuary in Ierusalem where there are many motiues of pietie and the sollemne vse of Religion that I might sâ—e thy strength and thy glory thy power and Majesty S. Augustine doth expound this desert land to bee the world forsaken by true men and inhabited by beasts to wit by carnall or sensuall men which is saied to bee inaccessible because it is a difficult matter to passe through it and to fynd out the narrow way which leadeth vnto eternall life and to bee without water because although it hath some few puddles of putrified water to wit carnall wisdome yet it wanteth water from heauen to wit true wisdome vnlesse God of his singular grace doe vouchsafe to shew the way to those that wander in this desert and sprinkle his dewe from heauen vpon it In this desert land therefore saieth the Prophet I haue appeared to thee ô God as in thy holie For I haue not liued in this world after the manner of worldlings nor followed the steps of sinners but haue serued thee in hoâ—inesse and iustice that I might see clearely in the celestiall countrey thy vertue to wit thy omnipotency wherewith thou disposest all things in heauen and earth and thy glory to wit thy beatitude or thus that I might see thy vertue and thy glory to wit Christ our Lord. In both which waies by the vertue and glory of God is vnderstood God himselfe sublime and glorious soe that we ought to operate all things we doe to the end that we may attaine the diuine vision as being our finall reward for which reason our Sauiour saieth This is life euerlasting that they may know thee the onely true God and â— 17. whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Because thy mercy is better then liues my lippes shall praise thee The word because seemeth not to bee referred to that which goeth before but to that which followeth as thus My lippes shall praise thee because thy mercy to wit the presence of thy grace wherewith thou conseruest we in à spirituall being is better then liues that is to saie is better then all sorts of naturall liues for the gifts of grace doe farre excell those of nature and it is better not to bee not to liue à naturall life obnoxious to sinne then to bee without grace and charitie as our Sauiour affirmed of Iudas saying It Marâ— 14. were good for him if that man bad not been borne Moreouer the mercy of God giueth vs life and the same mercy conserueth it and if we shall loose our life for his loue he will restore it vnto vs in à farre more happy manner but if we fall from his mercy to conserue our life we shall deseruedly loose both our life and his mercy according to that of the Euangelist He that loueth his life shall loose it and Ioh. 12. he that hateth his life in this world doth keepe it to life euerlasting Soe I will blesse glorify and superexalt thee in my life to wit all the tyme I shall subsist and remayne in this life as the Prophet saieth in another Psalme I will blesse our Lord at all tymes his praise alwaies in my mouth Or thus In my life that is I will frame my life in such sort that my conuersation shall bee à certaine benediction of thy name for I will ordaine and direct all my actions and words to the honour praise and glory of thy holie name and in thy name I will lift vp my hands that is in the inuocation of thy name I will lift vp my hands in praier expecting aide and comfort in aduersities from rhee alone and giuing thankes to thee in my prosperities S. Augustine vpon these words giueth this admonition to wit that all those who lift vp their hands to God in praier ought alsoe to lift vp their hands to good workes if they desire to obtayne their requests The words immediatly following seeme to bee the praier which Dauid made when he soe lifted vp his hands to God As with marâ—ow and fatnesse let my soule bee filled and my mouth shall praise with lippes of exultation Let my soule o Lord bee replenished with spirituall marrow and fatnesse to wit with internall consolation ardent charitie and thy diuine grace which are not properly marrow and fatnesse for that is a certaine corporall thing but yet haue à certaine resemblance thereunto For as those who are adorned with marrow and solide fatnesse not with swollen and puffed vp fatnesse are healthfull strong faire well coloured and pleasant and contrariewise those that are very leane are aride weake sad and disfigured soe those that are replenished with spirituall grace as with wholsome fatnesse are deuout feruent and euer ioyfull and contrariewise such as want it are soone cloyed with spirituall things weake and ill disposed to doe good or to tolerate euill With this spirituall fatnesse therefore the Prophet desireth to bee filled then he doubteth not but he shall bee able to praise our Lord with such couradge sweetnes and alacritie that he shall bee inforced to discouer his mentall ioy and sweetnes by exteriour signes of exultation If I haue bein mindfull of thee in my bed in the night tyme in the morning I will meditate on thee and contemplate such things as will bee pleasing to thee because thou hast been my helper Let vs imitate this good example and place our selues in our bed as in our tombe for sleepe is à certaine resemblance of death and who knoweth when he layes him downe to rest whether he shall awake or noe vntill the sound of the trumpet doe summon him to the tribunall of God S. Augustine out of these words gatheretâ— this document to wit That they who desire to remember God to haue his loue feare before their eies whilest they are imployed or busied in
signified the coÌ„duits of grace and the preachers of Gods holie word and by lightnings the corruscation of miracles and the commination or threatning of the terrible iudgements of God according to that of the Prophet Isaie I will command the Clowds that they rayne Je. 5. noe shower vpon it and that of the Psalmist His lightnings shined to the round Psâ—l 96. world c. Let the earth blesse our Lord. The earth is the lowest and least of the sower Elements and à greate part thereof is ouer flowne with waters neuerthelesse it doth afford aboundant matter of the Creators praise to all that shall rightly consider the quantity disposition fertility and other properties thereof as alsoe how it is as it were the center of the Vniuerse and remaineth firme and immoueable in its place notwithstanding its exceeding weight which is not supported by any thing but hangeth wonderfully in the middest of the world By the stability and fertility thereof is signified constant and vertuous men whome the holie Ghost doth make fruitfull with the celestiall seed of the word of God according to that of S. Luc. 8. Luke The seed is the word of God and that which fell vpon good ground are they who in à good and perfect heart hearing the word doe retayne it and yeeld fruit in patience Mountaines and little hills blesse yee our Lord. By them are designed those that are of great and of small power authority in the holie Church and especially Prelates and such as excell in the gifts of grace according to that of the Prophet Ioell Mountaines shall distill sweetnesse and Ioell 3. the hills shall flow with milke All things that spring in the earth blesse yee our Lord. If we attentiuely consider the value beautie sweetnesse delightfulnesse and other innumerable properties of the things that are produced within the earth and of those that spring out of it we cannot sufficiently admire in them the wisdome sweetnesse and beautie of the omnipotent Creator Blesse our Lord yee fountaines Fountaines are certaine euident representations of almightie God who by reason of his Munificence liberalitie and immense goodnesse towards mankind is often tearmed in holye Scriptures à Fountaine By theÌ„ are signified Doctors preachers and Priests vnto whome it belongeth Psal 67. to communicate and impart to others the streames of wisdome and knowledge to saluation and distribute the gifts of grace and the holie Sacraments and of whome it is written In Churches blesse yee God our Lord of the Isa 12. fountaines of Israell and in another place You shall draw waters in ioy out of the Sauiours fountaines Seas and Riuers blesse yee our Lord There is one great sea called the Ocean and diuers other particular seas as it were armes of the saied great sea From the sea ' as from the first fountaine or head all Riuers issue according to that of Ecclesiastes All riuers enter into the sea and the Eccl. 1. sea ouerfloweth not to the place whence riuers issue forth they doe returne that they muie flow againe By the sea is sometymes expressed the inquietude restlesnesse bitternesse and commotion of this world to witt of secular men according to that of the Prophet Isaie The impious are as it were Psa 57. the raging sea which cannot be quiet Sometimes alsoe by the sea are designed the hearts of penitents mouing themselues with bitternesse and the waues of internall compunction By the riuers are signified the copious gifts of grace according to that of our Sauiour He that Ioh. 7. beleeueth in me out of his belly shall flow riuers of liuing waters and sometymes the excesse of tribulations according to that of Psal 92. the Psalmist The riuers haue lifted vp their waues about the voices of many waters VVhales and all things that moue in the waters blesse yee our Lord. These are the principall ornaments of the element of water and what mortall man is able to explicate the variety profit strength and other properties of the fishes of the sea Verily if we attend to what is written by Philosophers concerning the Whale we shall find an ample subiect of the Creators praise By that our Sauiour speaking to S. Peter and S. Andrew Mat 4. saied Come yee after mee and I will make you to bee fishers of men it should seeme that by fishes are vnderstood men in such sort that by the VVhale are designed the great powerfull men and by the other creatures mouing in the waters are signified the lesser simpler sort of people all regenerated by the waters of Baptisme receiuing thereby infused vertues and life of grace Blesse our Lord all yee foules of heauen to witt of the aire where birds flie Who can worthily admire the wisdome perfection and Maiesty of God in the diuersity sweet modulation swift motion and other proprieties of birds By them are sometymes signified proud men raysing themselues vnto the height of vanity and diuells flying in the aire of whome our Sauiour saied The fowles of the aire did eate Luc. 8. it that is did take away the seed of the word of God Yet in this place by the fowles of the aire some doe vnderstand Contemplatiues eleuated aloft by the wings of Praier and Meditation vnto whome maie fitly be applied that of the Psalmist VVho will giue me the wings of Psal 54. à doue and I will fly and rest and that of the Prophet Isaie VVho are these that Isa 60. fly as clowds and as doues to their windowes and againe in another place They that hope in our Lord shall change their Isai 40 strength They shall take wings as Eagies they shall runne and labour they shall walke and not faint All beasts and cattell blesse yee our Lord. In these alsoe the magnificence of the most high artificer is vnspeakably commended who to declare his singular wisdome in these his effects doth speake many things of them to his seruant Iob. S. Augustine affirmeth that those creatures which haue the least of quantity haue the most admiration for we more admire the workes of the Ante and Bees theÌ„ the vast bodies of other beasts Hugh alsoe of S. Victor conformably speaking saieth That the creatures which we admire for their littlâ—nes are soe artificially and wisely formed that we can scarce discerne whether we ought rather to admire the tushes of the Bore or the wings of the Moath the wings of the Griffon or of the Gnat the head of à Horse or of à Locust the thigh of an Elephant or of an Eagle c. For in these small bodies God almighty hath soe fully distributed all manner of lineaments sutable to their seuerall natures that nothing seemeth to bee wanting to them which nature hath formed in the greatest By beasts and cattell are signified men following sensuality who are inuited to blesse our Lord in that he hath soe gratiously spared them and with such pacience expected their amendment These
of Israel à people approching vnto him According to the letter the Prophet calleth the Children of Israel to witt of the Patriarke Iacob the Saints of God because in those daies almost all the world was inclined to Idolatry excepting they whence it is that Moyses often saieth of them Thou art à holie people to the Lord Deut. 7 thy God The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be his peculiar people of all peoples that are vpon earth Yet in a spirituall sense by the Children of Israel are vnderstood all the faithfull whether they be descended from the Patriarke Iacob according to the flesh or not for as the Apostle teacheth Not Rom. 9. all that are of Israel be Israelites nor they that are the seed of Abraham all bee children but in Isaac shall the seed be called vnto thee that is to saie not they that are the children of the flesh they are the children of God but they that are the children of the promise are esteemed for the seed and to all such the Apostle saieth Let the word of Christ dwell in you Colos 3. aboundantly teaching and admonishing your owne felues with Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Canticles in grace singing in your hearts to God These are à People approaching to God For as wee goe backe from him by sinne soe wee approach neere vnto him by vertues and good workes Faith sheweth the true end for which Man was created and the way leading thereunto Hope beginneth to tend thitherwards Charitie vniteth vs to our end and all other vertues in as much as they are informed with Charitie doe knitt vs indissolubly vnto our end which is God himselfe Behold here à Psalme replete with the zeale of diuine loue wherein the Prophet expressing some few creatures by name doth exhort the whole machine of the vniuerse to praise the most high and holie Trinity that soe by them might be fulfilled what he piously desired but was vnable by himselfe to performe Whilst we sing it let vs recollect our minds from all extrauagances inkindle in them the zeale of diuine loue and conserue it with all vigilancy Let vs contemplate in all especially in the celestiall creatures the excellency of the Creator In this contemplation let vs feast our spirit delighting ourselues in his praise and congratulating his ineffable felicity most affectionately Finally let vs personally ourselues fulfill what we excite all other things vnto by praising and glorifying almighty God for whose praise and glory all things were created for truely it is more possible for heauen and earth to be annihilated then for à man not to be saued who glorieth in the diuine praise The title and argument of the 149. Psalme THe title prefixed to this Psalme is Alleluia and it agreeth well with the words of the Psalme which doe wholy tend to set forth the praise of our Lord and Sauiour principally for the benefit of the perfect victory and finall triumph which the faithfull shall obtaine in his second comming when all the aduersaries of the elect shall bee damned eternally and the elect bee freed from all euill reassuming glorified bodies These three last Psalmes haue such connection coherence one with another that they seeme to bee à continuation one of another and this peraduenture is the reason why the holie Church placeth them together at the end of Laudes and appointeth them to bee song as one Psalme with one Gloria in the end The exposition of the Psalme IN the last verse of the precedeÌ„t Psalme the Prophet hath these words An Hymne to all his Saints c. and now he beginneth this Psalme with Sing yee to our Lord à new song as if he had saied O yee Saints that are à people approaching to him Sing yee to our Lord à new song for his new benefits to witt for the benefits of our Redemption renouation iustification and glorification let his praise bee in the Church of Saints in the congregation of deuout people in the Militant and triumphant Church as the Prophet Isaie recounteth Isa 51. Ioy and gladnesse shall bee found in it giuing of thankes and voice of praise Let Israel to witt all such of the Iewes that shall bee conuerted and all other Christian people who by faith good life are reputed to bee of the seed of the Patriarkes much rather then the children of the flesh according to that of the Apostle Know yee therefore that they who Gal. 3. are of faith the same are the children of Israel Let this true Israel bee ioyfull in him that made him to witt in his Creator and redeemer and let the Children of Sion to witt particular Churches members of the vniuersall Church or deuout soules who are the children of the holie Church designed by Sion reioyce in their King to witt the celestiall Spouse our Sauiour Christ of whome it is saied in the Canticles Cant. 1. The King hath brought me into his Cellars we will reioyce and bee glad in thee Let them praise his name in quire on timbrell and Psalter let them sing to him Let them not onely sing à new song vnto him with ioy and exultation but let them alsoe adioyne musicall instruments to their voices that his praise maie bee more solemnely set forth By the Timbrel is vnderstood the mortification of the flesh because à skin is extended vpon that instrument and by the Psalter vpon which many strings are stretched at length are designed good workes The children therefore of Sion ought to sing to our Lord on Timbrell to witt in chastisement of their flesh and refraining their inordinate concupiscences and on Psalter to witt in goodnesse of life and manners free from reprehension that their life and manners maie bee consonant to the words they pronounce which manner of quire is most delightfull to the eares of almighty God Let them doe this Because our Lord is well pleased in his people Prouerb 8. Ioh. 15. to witt in his elect whome he hath loued from all eternitie of his meere benignitie and of whome he saieth My delights to bee with the sonnes of men And he will exalt in the daie of iudgement Luc. 12. the meeke to witt those that are true Christians in faith conuersation and haue practised that lesson which our Sauiour proposed to all sorts of people saying Learne of me because I am meeke and Math. 11. humble of heart These he will exalt vnto Saluation of body and mynd giuing them à double stole compleat beatitude and life euerlasting The Saints shall reioyce in glory to witt in the celestiall Kingdome when as their weâ—ping and lamenting in this world shall bee turned into ioy they shall bee ioyfull in their bedds to witt in the celestiall mansions in which they shall sweetly and happily rest in God by the delightfull sleepe of sincere contemplation Of these bedds our Sauiour saieth I goe to prepare you à place and againe Ioh. 14. In my fathers howse
saied manner with great ioy exultation and gladnesse Let euery spirit praise our Lord. VVhat is vnderstood by the Chapters in this and the diuine office THe next in order followeth à Chapter The Chapters in this and the diuine office are nothing else but short Lessons taken out of the holie Scriptures by which name our holie Father S. Benedict maketh mention of cap. 12. 13. them in his Rule The holie Church well knowing the benefitt which is acquired by hearing the word of God read in due manner hath intermixed with all the houres of the diuine office Lessons out of the sacred Scriptures yet in such proportion that to the longer Nocturnes she assigneth longer Lessons and to the short daie houres shorter which she hath tearmed Chapters because they are short sections of Lessons which maie serue for refection of the mynd in all the daie houers The explication of the Chapter at Laudes taken out of the Canticles Cap. 6. Ver. 8. THe daughters of Sion haue seene her and declared her to bee most blessed All reasonable and intellectuall creatures vnited to God by Charity as well in the Militant as in the triumphaÌ„t Church doe frequently if not incessantly behold the most glorious Virgin and by how much the more eminent and illuminated they are by soe much the more profoundly and clearely doe they contemplate her dignity excellency and glory and deseruedly proclame her to be most blessed that conceiued and brought forth the Sauiour of all and the fountaine of true beatitude And the Queenes the soules of the Saints which haue gouerned themselues laudably and kept their flesh in due subiection to the spirit haue praysed her confessing her to bee the most pure of Virgins and the example of all perfection The exposition of the Canticle of Zachary commonly called Benedictus Luc. 1. BLessed bee our Lord God of all but in peculiar manner of Israel his elected people not onely of the progeny of Iacob according to the flesh but alsoe according to the Spirit because he hath visited assuming humane nature and wrought the redemption of his people freeing them from their inuisible enimies from eternall damnation from the guilt contracted by originall finne yea euen from all sinne in as much as is requisite on his part according to that of the Prophet Out of the Osee 13. hand of death I will deliuer them from death I will redeeme them The Incarnation of Christ is the beginning of our saluation which he accomplished by his passion for almightie God did not determine to saue vs by the Incarnation alone of his onely Sonne but he ordained to consummate our redemption by his passion What therefore Zachary saied He hath wrought is to be vnderstood as spoken in à propheticall manner for He will worke because he was afterwards compleatly to worke our saluation blot out our offences and reconcile vs to God according to that of Isaie He was wounded for our iniquities be was broken for our sinnes and againe Our Lord hath put vpon him the iniquity of vs all By his people are vnderstood not onely the Iewes but alsoe the elected people of what nation soeuer which are the people of God by eternall predestination and spiritually Israelites to witt the people seeing God or contemplating him by faith of whome the Apostle saieth Peace and mercy vpon the Gal. 6. Israell of God And bath erected the horne of saluation to vs. By à Horne is sometimes signified à publike denuntiation of some matter of momeÌ„t according to which interpretation these words of the Prophet may be thus expounded And hath published made knowne the Incarnation of Christ our Sauiour Sometimes alsoe by à Horne is designed power and strength particularly in diuers places of holy scriptures Royall Power and according to this sense the saied words are to bee vnderstood as followeth And hath erected that is hath raised vp the horne of saluation to vs to witt Christ his onely begotten sonne the King of Kings whome he sent into the world not to iudgs the world but that the world may bee saued by him In the house of Dauid his seruaÌ„t in the tribe familie of Dauid of whose seed progenie Christ was borne Some doe referre the erection of this horne of saluation to the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ because he did then clearely demonstrate the power and glory of beatitude by rysing to an immortall life bringing forth the Fathers out of Limbo ascending to the celestiall Kingdome This God almighty hath not done improuisedly but As he spake by the mouth of his holie Prophets that are from the beginning that is as he foretold by the Saints that haue been euer since the creation of the world who with words signes figures or deeds haue spoken of Christ and foreshewed his mysteries For as S. Augustine declareth Prophesie concerning Christ was not wanting in any age euen Adam by words and deeds did speake of him and in like manner the rest of the Patriarkes and Prophets haue done whence is that of S. Peter God who foreshewed by the mouth Act. 3. of all the Prophets that his Christ should suffer hath soe fulfilled it and againe To him all Act. 10. the Prophets giue testimony Indeed it was most meâ—t that soe great à mistery should bee foreshewed long before and diuers waies that the dignity thereof might bee knowne and being performed might bee proned more credible bee more firmely beleeued In this therefore our faith is most certainely confirmed that all things which we beleeue and hold concerning Christ we can proue to haue been in such manner foretold It is here saied in the singular number by the mouth of his holy Prophets because all of them with one spirit did prophesie of him and with one assent that he should come and worke saluation to vs. Saluation from our enimies especially from our inuisible enimies according as it is written For this â—ppeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the diuell Iob. 3. And from the hand of all that hate vs. By which words maie bee vnderstood our Sauiours deliuery securing of his elect from the power and wicked designes of peruerse men Not that he hath soe deliuered and secured the iust and righteous that they shall not bee afflicted persecuted or killed by them in this life but because our Lord by his death and passion hath obtained such grace for his beloued seruants that they shall not become subiect to the wills of bad men nor bee induced by them through inordinate feare to commit vice and doe vniustly but shall by patiently sustaining the tribulations and persecutions which they suffer by their meanes bee brought to eternall glory soe for euer freed from their infestation This is that which was promised by Micheas to the primitiue Micheat 4. Church Thy hand shall bee exalted oâ—er thyne enimies and all thyne enimies shall perish Thus therefore the God of
at the houre of our departure with others of like nature This I conceiue maie suffice for explication of such titles as are giuen to the blessed Virgin in this and the other Antiphones yet for more full satisfaction in this point I referre the studious reader to the place aboue cited of Peter Canisius where he maie fynd them expressed more at lardge and confirmed with more authorities out of the holie Scriptures and Fathers The Explication of the rest of the houres as the occurre in order of the office and first of Prime AFter Mattines and Laudes followeth next in order Prime soe called from the first houre of the artificiall daie to witt from sunne Rising at which time or soone after our holy Mother the Church hath ordained and appointed that it should be recited thereby to begg the light of grace from the Sunne of iustice to guide our soules in the darkenesse of ignorance as the corporall sunne doth giue light to the eie and helpelth to direct our pathes By Prime according to some writers is signified the contumelioâ—s vsage which our blessed Sauiouâ— suffered in the morning after he was apprehended and brought before Pilate Others and amongst the rest Hugh of S. Victor saie that it was instituted in memorye of the Resurrection of our blessed Sauiour The title and argument of the 53. Psalme and First of Prime VNto the end in songs vnderstanding for Dauid when the Zepheits were come and saied to Saul Is not Dauid hid with vs This title seemeth to shew that the Psalme following ought to be vnderstood of Dauid in the manner as some doe expound it Yet others doe affirme that the Psalme doth not soe properly treat of the history of the title as of the matter which is mistically signified thereby according to whome I purpose to proceed in my explication In the first booke of Kings it s recorded â—hat Dauid with his adherents declining from the furie of King Saul did hide himselfe in the desert neare Ziph and that the Zipheits desirous to please their King betraied him which Dauid vnderstanding of and considering the extremitie he was then in composed this Psalme thereby imploring the diuine assistance being destitute of all humane help Zepheits are by interpretation flowrishing and doe designe the Iewes flowrishing at that tyme in all temporall prosperitie by Dauid is signified Christ and by Saul Pilate The Zepheits therefore to witt the Iewes did saie to Saul that is to Pilate Is not Dauid hid which vs haue not wee found Iesus seducing the People and doe not wee hold him bound with vs And consequently the Prophet here in the person of Christ or Christ himselfe as man being neare his Passion and knowing that Iudas was gone to betraye him to the Iewes and that shortly after they would deliuer him vp into the hands of Pilate speaketh to God the Father as followeth The explication of the Psalme O God saue me in thy name O God by the singular vertue and infinite power of thy sacred name and for thâ— glorie thereof conserue and strengthen me in my Passion which I am shortly to endure against all naturall horror and the feare of approaching death and in thy strength iudge me Be thou my iudge rendring vnto me for my merits and innocency thy powerfull defence and vnto them that persecute me the seuere effects of thy iust indignation O God heare my praier which I present vnto thee for my mysticall body to witt for the congregation of the elect that they maie participate of my sufferance In which manner our Sauiour praieâ— neare the time of his dolorous Passion saying Not for the world â—â—e I praie but for them whome thou hast giuen me and againe Holie Father keepe them iâ— thy name whomâ— thou hast giuen mee c. With thyne eares â—11 〈◊〉 to witt with thy wisdome in which thoâ— knowest all things and thy mercieâ— wherewith thou gratiously affordest releefe to them that praie receiue the words of my mouth beseeching in my owne behalfe for the glorification of my body Glorify me o Father with thy selfe with the Ioh. 17. glorie which I had before the world was Because strangers to witt the Iewes who though they be of the same extract or linage that I am yet are farre alienated from me in manner of life and will not be drawne to contract spirituall affinitie with me Or thus Because strangers to witt the Gentils haue risen vp against me For both of them sought to apprehend our Sauiour according to that of the Euangelist The Band therâ—fore and the Tribune Ioh. 18. and the mynisters of the Iewes apprehended Iesus c. And the strong to witt the high Priests and Princes of the people haue sought my soule to extinguish my corporall life and all memory of me they haue not set God before their â—ies in this action they haue not feared God but men for the Iewes saied If we let him alone all will beleeue in him and the Romans Ioh. 11. will come and take awâ—y our place and nation Yet I weigh not their malice For behold God helpeth me to witt my diuinitie doth cooperate with my assumpted humanitie Or thus It is manifest that they proposed not God before their eies in this their vehement pursâ—ite of me for behold God helpeth me and frustrateth their malicious designes that they shall not preuaile against me Indeed he will permit them to vse my body for à time at their pleasure but my soule they shall not haue power to hurt Whence it followeth here and our Lord is the receiuer of my soule For the word to witt the sonne of God true God assumpted his soule to his diuine personalitie neither did he abandone it in the three daies of his death for although at the time of his death and during the space he remained in the sepulcher his soule was separated from his bodie yet both of them remained vnited to the Word Turne away the euills to myne enemies The mischeâ—fe that is intended against me turneâ— it vpon the deuisers heads This was fulfilled accordingly For the Iewes sought to kill our Sauiour and extinguish his name vtterly but the contrary happened for he was raised from death and his name became glorious through out the whole vniuerse and they in reuenge of his innocent bloud were killed dispersed and made ignominious to all nations Therefore it followeth here and in thy truth as thou hast foretold by the holie Prophets destroy them with plague warre and famine as it came to passe in the raigne of Titus Here you are to note that Christ maketh this praier either as conforming himselfe to the diuine iustice or as foretelling what was to come to passe or els as insinuating what they deserued to haue fall vpon them for he doth not absolutely wish euill to his aduersaries especially since he himselfe hath commaunded vs saying Loue Math. 5 your enemies and praie for them that persecute and
Creator of heauen and earth Giue he not I beseech him thy feete to be moued let him not permitt thee to slippe and fall in the waie by yeelding to sinne or tentation but let him strengthen thy feete that they maie perseuer firme and stable in their course to the celestiall countrey Neither doe he slumber that keepeth thee I beseech him likewise vnto whome thou hast recommended thyselfe and who hath taken thee into his protection that he doe not depose the care of thee be it for nâ—uer soe short à time Courage thou holie pilgrime Loe he shall not slumber nor much lesse sleepe that keepeth Israel Although it seemeth sometimes as men then beleeue that in the time of affliction God doth dissemble the anguish of his elected and the tyranny of wicked men who persecuted them as if he did not see and obserue what passed much like to one à sleepe Yet credit me he is not capable of sleepe but is euer soe watchfull that he will alwaies be found vigilant for their defence Our Lord keepeth thee in particular conseruing thee in good and preseruing thee from euill in the waie of this present exile Our Lord is thy protection vpon thy right hand Some read aboue thy right hand and expound it That our Lord is thy protection of farre greater strength and assurance then thy right hand Others read it as it is here translated and expound it That our Lord is as it were à buckler vpon thy right hand or à Canopie borne on thy right hand couering thy head and body in such sort that By daie the Sunne shall not burne thee nor the moone by night For the grace of God shall keepe those that confide in him both in the time of prosperitie and aduersitie the Sunne or daie of prosperitie being vsually as dangerous and hurtfull in à spirituall course if not more preiudiciall then the Moone or night of aduersitie vnlesse it be vsed with due circumspection Our Lord doth keepe thee from all euill that it preuaile not against thee Indeed he sometimes permitteth tentations persecutions and afflictions to happen vnto thee yet he hath euer à vigilant eie towards thee that they take not effect against thee for he permitteth them either for his greater glorie or thy conuersion and amendment or some other reason which can be none other then the very best as thou wilt experience in due season according to that of the Apostle Rom. 8. To them that loue God all things cooperate vnto good To whome then can I more fitly recommend thee then into the armes of his immense goodnesse Our Lord therefore keepe thy soule that it be not depriued of his grace nor the flesh preuaile against it Our Lord keepe thy coming in and thy going out all thy actions both internall and externall Or thus Thy comming in to witt the beginning when thou attemptest any good worke and thy going out the consummation thereof that soe euery one of thy workes maie take beginning from him and being begun maie be perfected by him Or finally thus Our Lord Lord keepe thy comming in thy conuersation in this world whereby thou entrest into the place of this peregrination and thy going out thy departure out of this world when thy soule is separated from the body This thy coming in and going ouâ— I beseech our Lord to keepe and conserue thee to be lodged with him in eternitie of which comming in and going out our Sauiour saied I am the dore by me Ioh. 14. if any enter he shall be saued and he shall goe in and shall goe out and shall find pastures The argument of the 121. Psalme and third in Tierce IN this Psalme the Prophet describeth the beautie nobilitie and felicitie of the Cittie of Ierusalem whereunto the Hebrewes desired to returne from the captiuitie of Babilon But as that Cittie was à type of the celestiall Ierusalem soe the Hebrewes returning from that captiuitie to the terrene Ierusalem were à figure of our peregrination and ascension to that supernall Ierusalem and therefore the whole Psalme maie be vnderstood of each captiuitie of the pilgrimes of each of them Yet certainly the prime intention of the holie Ghost is directed to the principall end and indeed the words doe best agree therewith as I shall endeauour to shew in the insuing explication The Prophet hath placed this third Graduall Psalme very fitly after the two former For the first degree of internall ascension was to depart from vice the Second to implore the diuine assistance and the third which is here treated of is Hope to attaine the last end or life euerlasting Therefoâ—e speaking in the person of a man little regarding the delights of this world but most intensely attending the ioyes of the celestiall mansion he saieth The exposition of the Psalme I Reioyced with à spirituall ioy in the consideration of these thing which were saied to me by internall inspiration to witt that we shall goe after this life when we are cleansed from all guilt of sinne into the house of our Lord into the triumphant Church the countrey of the blessed the Kingdome of God VVe know saieth the Apostle that if our earthly house 2. Cor. 5. of this habitation be dissolued that we haue à building of God à house not made with hand eternall in heauen Concerning which you are to note that the celestiall countrey is tearmed à Kingdome à Cittie and à house in diuers respects for in regard of the multitude and varietie of the inhabitants it is called à Kingdome in regard of the Societie and familiaritie amongst the blessed it is called à Cittie for although the number of the elect be almost infinite yet they know and loue each other and are Cittizens of the fame Cittie and finally in respect that all the elect haue one and the same father one and the same inheritance it is called à house where all shall be brethren vnder one father God almightie In this house Cittie or Kingdome God is seene face to face and eternall securitie accompanied with compleat beatitude is found There men shall be as the Angels and haue their desires satiated to the full Notwithstanding when death approacheth which putteth à A period to our peregrination all men doe not reioyce with the Prophet in these things that were saied vnto him to witt that we shall goe into the house of our Lord but such alone as haue disposed ascensions in their hearts whilest they had health leasure abilitie and meanes to doe it and truely saie with him Our feete were standing in thy courts â— Ierusalem to witt our desires contemplations and affections of our hearts were fixt and established in thy mansions o celestiall Kingdome â—n such sort that our conuersation was in thee and all our actions were ordained by vs to attaine eternall life These maie reioyce vpon good ground when others that haue been wedded as it were to their senses and sensualitie shall be repleat with horror
and confusion at that voice Terusalem which is built daily vntill the consummation of the world of liuing stones as à Cittie in such sort as befitteth the Cittie of the eternall King to be built for it is built of precious polished holie reasonable stones of Angels and men as the Apostle affirmeth saying In Christ all building framed together groweth into an holie temple in our Lord in whome you alsoe are built together into an habitation of God in the holie Ghost c. VVhose participation is together in it selfe This clause is expounded diuersly in respect of the words in idipsum in the latine text which some interpret In the same according to whome the sense is That all the Cittizens of the celestiall Ierusalem doe participate of the same goodnesse because all of them doe enioy the same eternall goodnesse though not in like measure but more or lesse according as they haue loued more or lesse God almightie therefore is the same that is to saie the immutable and vndiuided goodnesse of the celestiall Ierusalem whose participation to witt the fruition beatitude and deification whereby it doth participate the diuine goodnesse is vniforme sempiternall Others admitt of the former interpretation to witt whose participation is together in it selfe and expound it That the goodnesse of all the celestiall Cittizens is the goodnesse of euerie and each one of them contrarie wise For since that loue is of its owne nature diffuse and communicatiue as in the celestiall countrey there is the most perfect mutuall loue of all the blessed soe there is the most full and absolute communion of the beatitude of euerie and each one one is as glad of the felicitie of another as of his owne yea they doe congratulate each other and according to the doctrine of S. Denis the Superiours doe impart to the inferiours of the perfections bestowed vpon them by almightie God These things doe not soe properly square with any terrene Cittie therefore it should seeme that what is saied in this Psalme of the terrene Ierusalem ought to bee vnderstood as meant of the celestiall For thither did the tribes ascend the tribes of our Lord the testimonie of Israel to consesse vnto the name of our Lord. Here the Prophet yeeldeth the reason why he hath saied Ierusalem which is built as à Cittie c. because thither into that holie and sacred sanctuary did the tribes ascend yet not of what sort soe euer but the tribes of our Lord which beare the marke and testimony of being infants of the true Israel These elected people did ascend to confesse vnto the name of our Lord as he had decreed from all eternitie and testified to his seruant Iacob that they should Ep. 1. beati Petri c. 2. and were superedified as it were liuing stones and spirituall houses for of the soules of the â—lect and the Angelicall spirits is that glorious fabricke of the triumphant Church composed They ascended alsoe to that holie Cittie Because seates sat othere in iudgement because there the thrones of Christ and those that reigne with him are firmely fixt and established Semes vpon the house of Dauid according to that of the Prophet Isa 9. Isaie He shall sit vpon the throne of Dauid vpon his Kingdome that he maie confirme it and strengthen it in iudgement and iustice from this time for euer c. and as the Angell promised to our Lady saying Our Lord Luc. 1. God shall giue him the seate of Dauid his Father and he shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer The blessed reigning with Christ are the seates of God for The soule of the Sap. 7. iust man is the seate of the increate wisdome and these seates doe truly sitt in iudgement according to the promise of our Lord You which haue fâ—ll wed me in the Math. 19. regeneration when the Sonne of man shall sitt in the seate of his Maiestie you alsoe shall sitt vpon twâ—lue seates iudging the twelue tribes of Israel Moreouer they are seates founded vpon the house of Dauid because all the regall and iudiciaâ—ie power of the Saints dependeth of Christ who in the Ghospel is stiled the Sonne of Dauid and receiued the seate of Dauid his Father and shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer O all yee that aspire to this holie Cittie Aske the things that are for the peace of Ierusalem the things that conduce to the peace of Ierusalem Or thus Begge yee of almightie God the gifts of the holie Ghost whereby you maie merit to bee brought to the peace of Ierusalem And thou ò Ierusalem obtaine by thy intercession aboundance of spirituall graces for them that loue thee for vs of the militant Church who aspire to vnion with thee Peace ô triumphant Cittie bee made in thy strength in thy walls and fortifications and aboundance in thy towers in thy Pallaces that soe thou maist enioy compleate felicitie For peace without aboundance is à secure possession of miserie and aboundance without peace is à doubtfull incertaine felicitie but when both these doe concurre nothing is wanting which maie bee desired to the rendring of à Cittie happie and flourishing Concerning which you are to note that this good wish of the Prophet to the celestiall Ierusalem doth not signifie anie feare he had least peace and aboundance might euer bee wanting vnto it for he saith of it in another place who hath set thy â—sal 147. borders peace and filled thee with the fatte of corne but it is onely à pious expression of his affections towards it and of the ioy he conceiued in the consideration of the felicitie thereof in which manner it is saied in the Apccalipse Saluation to Apoc. 7. our God who sitteth vpon the throne and to the lambe c. For my brethren and neighbours sakes I spake peace of thee Out of the vnfâ—lned loue and charitie which moueth me incessantly to wish the bâ—st things to my brethren and neighbours I preached vnto them peace but what peace not the peace of or with the world which our Sauiour saied expresly he came not â—o Math. 10. Philip. 4. gine but the peace of thee ô heauenly Ierusalem which as S. Paul saieth passeth all vnderstanding c. For the house if our Lord God I haue sought good things mâ—ther Another consideration why I loue my saied brethren and neighbours is for that they are the house of our Lord God whome whilst I wish well vnto and seeke to make enamoured of thy peace I esteeme my selfe to haue sought good things to theâ— for by their vnion thy number will bee made compleate thy walls fully finished Behold à Psalme repeat with spirituall 〈◊〉 the first verse whereof we ought to pronounce with the feruour of diuine to â—e and internall iubilation considering that noe man can attaine to this celestiall Ierusalem vnlesse he bee an vnfained louer and diligent obseruer of peace and charitie Let vs therefore
the old law was à figure of the holie Eucharist soe iâ— our euening sacrifice of praier a memoriall of the same Secondly it representeth our Blessed Sauiours buriall which must needs haue been before the sunne setting by reason that the Iewes Paschall Feast on which the were not permitted to burie the dead begane presently vpon sâ—â—ne setting The argument of the 109. Psalme and first in Vespres THe Psalme following hath this Title prefixed to witt A Psalme of Dauid for it belongeth to Dauid as the author thereof and to Christ as the person signified by Dauid In it the Prophet treateth literally of our Sauiour as maie be proued by our Sauiours words For when he demaunded of the Pharisees saying VVhat is your opinion of Christ VVhose sonne is he and they answering Dauids he added How then doth Dauid in Spirit call him Lord saying The Lord saied to my Lord sitt on my right hand c. The Apostle alsoe by this place doth shew that Christ is greater then the Angells and coequall with his eternall father saying To which of the Angels hath God almightie saied at any tyme Sitt at my right hand c. This Psalme therefore treateth of Christ according to both natures and of his magnificent Ascension of his coeternitie and consubstantiall identitie with the Father of his vniuersall dominion and eternall Priesthood and of the iudiciarie power which he shall exercise ouer all creatures in the last daie and the Prophet vnto whome God hath made manifest the vncertaine and hidden things of his wisdome saieth as followeth The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord saied to my Lord God the Father omnipotent Lord and father of all creatures saied intellectually to Christ Iesus my Sauiour who according to his diuinitie is my Lord and according to his humane nature assumed of my seed is my sonne Sitt on my right hand that is After the labours of thy aboâ—de vpon earth and the consummation of that worke for which I haue sent thee into the world come and seate thy selfe on my right hand as being God and man and reigne in my throne with coequall power and authoritie with me Till I make thyne enemies incredulous and vniust people especially the Iewes the footestoole of thy feete subiect to thy power and dominion in à seruitude soe absolute that they shall be as footestooles and stepping blocks to be disposed of for euer at thy pleasure Our Lord God the Father will send forth by his seruants the holie Apostles the rod of thy strength the doctrine of the Euangelicall law or the power of thy regall dignitie o Christ from Sion from the place soe called in Ierusalem For Sion was a mountaine in Ierusalem where on the Temple was built and the Conclaue likewise stood wherein Christ celebrated his last supper and appeared to his Disciples after his resurrection and where the Apostles and the rest which were congregated with them receiued the holie Ghost From this conclaue therefore and the Temple situated on mount Sion our Lord sent forth the saied rod of thy strength ô Christ into the whole vniuerse for when the Apostles had receiued the holie Ghost they presently issued out of the saied conclaue where they remained inclosed for feare of the Iewes like to à swarme of bees entred the Temple and begane to preach the Ghospell of Christ which from thence was deriued through out the whole world as our Sauiour did foreshew saying You shall be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem and Act. 1. in all Iewrie and Samaria and euen to the vtmost of the earth c. and alsoe was foretold by the Prophet Isaie saying The law Isa 2. shall come forth of Sion and the word of our Lord from Ierusalem At this sending forth of the rod of the streÌ„gth of Christ followed the conuersion of the world vnto him and therefore it is here added Rule thou ô Christ In the middest of thyne enemies in the heart or thickest of the infidels who during the time of their infidelitie are thyne enemies but being conuerted shall be constituted thy friends and thou rule in them by thy selfe and thy substitutes the Prelats and Pastors of the holie Church Of this dominion of Christ the Zach. 9. Prophet Zachary saieth His power from Sea euen to sea and from the riuers euen to the end of the earth There is noe want of power in thee to subdue thyne enemies and dilate thy dominion For VVith thee the beginning God the Father the fountaine of all being is one and the same beginning prime cause and author of all things iointly with thee Therefore to thee is attributed by nature absolute principalitie power and soueraignitie ouer them which although it appeared but in à very obscure manner to vs mortalls in the daie of thy infirmitie in the time of thy peregrination vpon earth vested with à seruile and humane forme yet In the daie of thy strength of thy victorious triumph when thou shalt be seene in the brightnes of the holie things vested with the raies of à holie Deitie the elect shining through participation of that beatificall light shall liuely and plainly see and acknowledge that thou art in the Father and the Father in thee From the wombe before the daie starre I begatte thee If these words be vnderstood as spoken by the Prophet of himselfe they import the generation of Christ as man and the sense seemeth to be as followeth I Dauid haue begotten thee yet not according to the ordinary course by coniugall embraces but from the sole wombe of the most pure Virgin and this before the daie starre arose for Christ was borne in the night This Dauid might well saie as venerable Bede affirmeth vpon this place for if Dauid saieth he begatte lesse lesse Marie and Maâ—â—e brought forth Christ Dauid alsoe begatte Christ But if these words be vnderstood as spoken by God the Father they import the eternall generation of Christ as God which is noe other then à begetting of light from light act from act God from God For in the Father Essence power and operation are one and the same and soe the Father by vnderstanding himselfe doth produce à word most like to himselfe distinct froÌ„ him in this one point that it proceedeth from him and as the Father by one veiw or reflecting vpon himselfe doth fully know himselfe and all things that haue already been created soe by one internall conception he begetteth eternally one word within himselfe wherein his whole nature and perfection is altogether most intirely contained and shineth and wherein all other things are comprehended and doe shine For this reason this Word is tearmed the Image of the Father and exemplar of euerie creature and proceedeth immediatly from the vnderstanding of the Father Christ therefore as God is begotten from eternitie like as if the sunne had been from eternitieâ— brightnesse had issued out of it from eternitie Whence it is Eccles 24. written I come forth from the mouth
vertue of true humilitie doe euen from the fall of Lucifer acknowledge all their excellencie as receiued from him and mankind depressed by the Serpent alsoe in particular such as resigne themselues to his holie will and for his loue doe submitt themselues vnder all creatures Raising vp from the earth from carnall life from the loue of transitorie things and terrene thoughts the needie such as are voide and destitute of spirituallitie inriching them with diuine gifts with the loue of heauenly things and the contemplation of high mysteries and lifting vp to the Kingdome of glorie the poore the humble out of the dung of this corruptible bodie To place him there with Princes with the holie Angels with Princes of his people with the cheifest of his elect for the Triumphant Church is one vnited of good men and holie Angels Or thus That he maie place him on his right hand in the daie of iudgement with the Princes of whome the Prophet Isaie speaketh saying Our Isa 3. Lord shall come to iudgement with the ancients of his people and his Princes VVho maketh the barren woman the congregation of the Gentils to dwell in à house in the militant Church à ioyfull Mother of spirituall children whome she regenerateth of water and the holie Ghost In this sense the Apostle alleadgeth Gala. 3. that of the Prophet Isaie Reioyce thou barren that bearest not breakeforth and crie that trauailest not because many are the children of the desolate to witt of Gentilitie then of her that hath à husband to wit the Synagogue whose spouse husband was God almightie but he left her for her incredulitie as the Prophet Ieremy Iere. 12. doth manifestly declare saying I haue forsaken my house I haue left my inheritance I haue giuen my beloued into the hands of her enemies myne inheritance is become vnto me as à Lyon in à wood The Prophet tearmeth Gentilitie or the people of the Gentils Sterill and desoâ—ate because they were long forsaken by almightie God for their Idolatrie in such sort that they brought forth noe fruit of the holie Ghost nor generated any children to Christ whence is that of Amia the Prophetesse The barren woman bare verie manie and she that had manie children was weakened It is meet that we sing this Psalme with spirituall ioy it being composed wholly in the diuine praise It importeth vs alsoe to striue to become children that is pure innocent and humble that soe we maie merit to praise God worthily and to bee beheld by him with a gratious eie for Praiso is not comely Eccles 15 in the mouth of the vitious The third Psalme in Vespres which is the last in Tierce as alsoe the fourth Psalme which is the second in None are alreadie expounded in the saied Houres The title and argument of the 147. Psalme and last in Vespres THe title is Allelâ—ia In this Psalme the Prophet doth exhort the people of God both of the Triumphant and Militant Church to sing his praise incessantly giuing thankes for his singular benefits showred vpon them in particular for that he hath fortified them on all sides placed peace in their borders blessed their of spring fed them with the bread of life and manifested his hidden mysteries vnto them aboue all other people The explication of the Psalme O Ierusalem praise our Lord render the tribute of praise thankfulnesse to the Soueraigne Monarch of heauen and earth you Cittizens of the holie Ierusalem the Cittie of peace and vnitie of blessed spirits that see him face to face Praise thy God ô Sion ô all you that are called to the vnion of the holie Catholicke Church and doe contemplaâ—e God your Creator redeemer conseruer by the eies of faith praise him in the best manner you can excogitere to witt in puritie of heart and conuersation without blame And that you maie praise him the more worthily remember the singular testimonies of his good will shewed towards you Because he it is that hath strengthned the lockes of thy gates to hinder the enemie from surprising thee at vnawares and moreouer he hath blessed thy children in thee If this bee referred to the celestiall Ierusalem by the Gates here mentioned is vnderstood the admission where by any of the elect are admitted to the fellowship of the blessed by the Lockes is vnderstood the confirmation whereby the elect are firmely established in God and soe the sense of those words He hath strengthned the lockes of thy gates is that God hath made the confirmations of the celestiall Cittizens soe immoueable and secure that they cannot bee broken à suÌ„der by any slight or force The lockes of the gates of this Ierusalem are metaphorically saied to bee confirmed because as à Cittie of this world whilst it is fortified with strong lockes boults and barriers is held secure neither the enemies being of power to make forceable entrance nor the inhabitaÌ„ts willing or able to depart out of it soe the holie Cittie is altogether most secure in respect that neither the reprobate can enter it nor the blessed will or can abandon it But if they bee referred to the Militant Church by the Gates thereof are vnderstood Vertues especially Faith hope and charitie and by the Lockes are vnderstood the Sacraments which our Lord hath fortified by giuing the efficacie of sanctification vnto them in vertue of the Passion of our Sauiour in such sort that noe man soe long as he shall remaine within the fortresse of the Catholike Church and keep himselfe in the shelter of the infused vertues through the force of the Sacraments which he therein receiues need to feare the machinations of the euill enemie VVho hath sett thy borders peace ô celestiall Ierusalem He it is that hurld downe to the abisse of hell like to à flash of lightâ—ing that mutinous crue that once to disturbe thy peace and in an instant begirt thee with à wall of concord of warreproofe which noe dissention shall euer penetrate And filleth thee with the fatte of corne with the fruition of his diuinitie For the superessentiall diuinitie is the foode of the blessed whose vision or fruition maie well bee tearmed the fatte of corne that is to saie the sweet refection of the eternall bread which refection is the essentiall reward of the blessed wherewith they are soe fully enriched that they can desire noe more Iâ— is his paternall prouidence likewise that hath established within thy circuits â— Militant Church that happie peace which the world cannot giue to witt tranquillitie of conscience which all those enioy who remaine within thy precincts Christ alsoe doth daily fill thee with that Soueraigne foode the holie Sacrament of his owne bodie vnder the species of the purest wheat bread VVho sendeth forth his speech to the earth He it is who sendeth his onely Sonne the eternall word into the world to assume humane flesh for the saluation of mankind Or thus He it is who sendeth forth by
These are they that ouâ— mightie God hath heard elected placed in honour and glorie immutable The hungrie he hath filled with good things and the rich he hath sent away emptie He hath replenished with solide and true benefits the poore hungrie and needâ—â— those that haue suffered necessâ—â—ies for his name whilst worldlings were glutted with excesse of 〈◊〉 He hath comforted them that cannot bee sufficiently 〈…〉 iated with other nutriment then his word and the celestiall food of his Sacraments and with workes of iustice pietie those that leaue all to follow him and make profession of exact pouertie relying onely vpon his munificent goodnesse and mercie Contrariewise he hath alsoe forsaken abandoned pridecausing riches and audacious impudent people that haue noe other stay then their owne vaine greatnesse and confide altogether in their proper industrie sufficiencie faculties and honours These presumptuous auaritious rich men he hath depriued of his succours soe as finally he reduceth them to nothing He hath receiued Israel his child being mindfull of his mercie He hath extended his assisting hand to his poore people of Israel his faithfull seruents who not hoping but in his aide lay prostrate cast downe vnder the feete of their enemies and did not expect succour from any but him alone He hath been mindfull of his auncient mercies of which he had promised to make the effects appeare to his elected long time since he remembred the paines and languishments which his beloued suffered in the expectation of the comming of the Messias he hath heard and attended to their cries praiers and â—owes to their common and ardent desires soe continually repeated As he spake to our Fathers to Abraham and his seed for euer Conformably to the word he had giuen to our Fathers to Abraham his beloued and his childrenâ— hauing assured them that from their seed he should be borne in whome all nations should receiue benediction Saluation that he would raise from their seed to posteritie his deare Messias who should sweetly gouerne his people and of whome the Scepter should bee eternall without end durable through â—â— infinitie of ages To whome with the Father and the holie Ghost bee all honour and glorie Amen The Preamble to Compline or Compleat THe Etymologie of this word Compline sheweth that this Canonicall houre or part of the office is the last of all which concludeth finisheth and shutteth vp as it were the whole diuine office and therefore the glorious Patriarke S. Benedict from whome both Prime and Compline first receiued their names alluding to the word in his holie Rule vseth this phrase Omnes in vnum positi compleant Cap. 42. which is as much as to saie All the Religious being assembled after the spirituall lesson which was to bee read before this houre let them finish and accomplish their daily taske in singing of Compline Thus Smaragdus and other learned Commenters expound that place By this houre according to S. Rupert is designed our blessed Sauiours sorrow in the garden his agonie and bloudie sweat alsoe the apparition made to his Disciples when he entred into the house where they were the doores being shut and gaue them that heauenlie salutation Peace bee with 〈…〉 As for the time prescribed by the holie Church for the reciting of his hourâ— Bellarmine clearely sheweth out of S. Rupert S. Isidore and others that it was ordained and instituted to bee saied after sunne setting in the first houâ—e of the night that is within the comâ—asse of the first station or watch of the night which consisted of the three first houres after sunne setting in memorie of the à fore saied mysteries 〈◊〉 Other reasons likewise of the institution thereof are deliuered by S. Iohn Chrisâ—stome and others of the holie Fathers where they saie That the praier made at this time is first in thankesgiuing for the benefits bestowed vpon vs all that daie Secondly to begge pardon for all faults committed being truely sorrowfull for them and purposing firmely amendment Thirdly to obtaine the diuine protection help from heauen against our Ghostly enemies that they being driuen from vs our good Angels garding vs we maie passe the night without harme or sinne The Argument and Title of the 128. Psalme and first in Compline THis Psalme is a Gradvall Psalme doth treat of 〈…〉 of a spirituall ascâ—◠〈…〉 placed next after th◠〈…〉 â—â—rd it well befitting 〈…〉 God with a quiet mind 〈…〉 things for Iustice sake The fâ—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 to bee the words of our Mâ—â—â—â—â—lie Catholike Church 〈…〉 the mouthes of her couâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—pions to the thoughts or 〈…〉 the infirmer sort of her distresse 〈…〉 â—â—ewing them by her exampâ—◠〈◊〉 no new thing to suffer 〈…〉 And in the later part is declared how it will fare in the end with her and their persecutors The explication of the Psalme OFten haue they impugned mee from my youth let Israel say Often haue they impugned mee from my youth yet they haue not preuailed against me Let the holie Church now saie for her owne comfort and as an encouradgement for her afflicted children to bring forth fruit in Patience That euen from Aâ—el the â—ust all along in euery age per 〈…〉 malicious blasphemous misb 〈…〉 g or ill liuing people haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by all faire and foule me 〈◊〉 〈…〉 pt my â—â—dgement induce m 〈…〉 come as bad as themselues or 〈◊〉 â—o supplant 〈◊〉 but such hath been the mercies of God towards mee that they haue still failed of their aime Sinners haue builded vpon my backe they haue prolonged their iniquitie The blacke workers of iniustice haue made my backâ— their Anuile hammering vpon mee their wicked practises with frequent beauie stroakes neither will they desist but they and their bad of spring doe still draw out the rodde of their iniquitie And I must Math. 13. beare them thus till our Lord dismount them for soe haue I receaued commaund from him Our iust Lord will cut the neckes of sinner It is not mee they chiefly persecute but God in mee or the good in mee that is his For the words I speake which they dislike are his the doctrine I defend is his the workes I doe his grace operateth with mee And therefore though our iust Lord permit them for à space such freedome to vent their spleene on mee yet in the daie of reuenge his iustice shall appeare by striking them in that part where they depressed mee and exalted themselues not onely bowing but cutting in peeces those stiffe neckes of theirs that they may neuer more lift vp their heads And since they will not bee reclaimed Let them be confounded and turned backward all that hate Syon Be of good cheere my children Our Lord will wipe the teares from your eies and for the reproches you now sustaine you shall behold him standing with much confidence when they that hate you and mee shall trembling bee abasshed you shall see them throwne headlong in such sort as they shall
thee to witnesse whome no subtile glosses can deceaue and may doe it with securitie I haue no internall pride neither doe I expresse any by externall gestures Neither haue I walked in great matters nor in maruelous things aboue mee Neither haue I vainely bragged of any matters of consequence I haue done can yet performe or inted to archieue affecting popular applause or being ambitious of glorie neither haue I presumptuously attempted any worke beyond my power to accomplish If I was not humbly minded but exalted my soule If I haue not composed my selfe â—o equalitie with others but haue had an higher esteeme of myselfe then was fitt or haue arrogated any thing to my selfe as of my selfe my soule not acknowledged her sufficiencie to haue been froÌ„ thee As the weaned child is towards his Mother sâ—e retribution in mysoule As it fareth with an Infant by some bitter oyntment newly forced to forsake the Mothers brest sitting sadly on her lap now with a longing appetite looking towards the teat and straite with drawing his waterie eies with à loathing disdaine beating the place he chiefly loued lamenting to bee depriued of the pleasant food he sucked fromthence soe let it bee with my soule Let her bee debarred of the delightfull influence of thy diuine comforts remaine respectiuely to her capacitie a like discoÌ„solate A more vnhappie punishment I cannot conceiue the greatnesse of which miserie he alone doth know to whome thou hast graciously afforded à tast of their excessiue sweetnesse Let Israel hope in our Lord from hence forth now and euer Since I then whome thou hast aduanced to such high dignitie as to bee the King of Israel and hast enriched with such exquisite dowries of nature grace dare not eleuate my selfe aboue the vulgar nor presume any thing of my selfe as of my selfe but haue the eie of my hope euer fixed on thee let my people of Israel doe the like both at this present from this time forward for eternitie The Exposition of the Chapter in Compline I Am the Mother of beautifull loue and of feare and of knowledge and of holie hope These words spoken by Ecclesiasticus of the eternall and increated Wisdome are fitly applied by the Catholique Church to our blessed Ladie not onely as being Mother to Christ whoe is the Word Wisdome of his eternall Father but alsoe as being an especiall singular Mediatrix for al faithful soules She is therefore saied to be Mother of beautifull loue which is the prime act of perfect charitie in as much as by her mediation and intercession wee begge and obtaine that guift of almightie God 〈◊〉 in like fort of filiall feare whereby wee are deterred from doeing â—uill because it is dipleasing to God whome wee truly loue and of Knowledge to witt the guift of vnderstanding which the Prophet begged of almigâ—tie God thereby to direct him else in the search of his law and could act himselfe in the path of his commaundements and of holie hope which is à pious confidence in God from whose goodnesse and mercie wee may with out presumption expect to receiue eternall happinesse in the future life if soe bee wee loue and feare him in this present and endeauour to conforme our wills to his by obseruing his precepts The Argument of the Canticle of Symeon ALthough this Saintlike old Father reputed himselfe very vnworthie to touch the holie of holies yet excesse of loue ouercame reason imboldening him to receaue the child Iesu froÌ„ the armes of his blessed Mother whome when he had embraced with much affection deuotion and reuerence like to the Swan before her departure he sung this Canticle blessing praysing and giuing thankes to God that had now been better vnto him then his promise which was that he should not die till he had seene Christ our Lord he now not onely beholding Christ Luc. 2. but being vouchsafed the comfortable honour to beare him in his armes This Canticle is fitly placed at the end of Compline it happily crowning that houre which compleateth the rest of the diuine office In religious Conuenâ—s recited it is last at night because at that time chiefly men ought to lay aside all thoughts but of God and their saluation that with internall peace they may dispose themselues to rest piously in our Lord bearing with holie Symeon Christ Iesus if not in their armes yet with much feruour in their deuoutly amorous hearts The Exposition of the saied Canticle 1. Now thou doest dismisse thy seruant â— Lord according to thy word in peace 2. Because myne eies haue seene thy saluation 3. VVhich thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples O Lord I haue languished long in restlesse expectation longing for that happie day wherein trusting in thy promise I might solace my heart and delight myne eies in beholding myne and the worlds Sauiour the onely thing that strengthned my Soule patiently to sustaine her wearisome confinement in the dangerous prison of this bodie of death but now I hope thou wilt not prolong her enlardgement thy promise being fulfilled for thou doest dismisse thy seruant according to thy word in peace my desires being amply satisfied Because with my corporall and intellectuall eies I haue beheld Christ God and man by whome thou hast decreed to saue all mankind Which saluation of thyne thy onely begotten Sonne who according to his Diuinitie is incomprehensible and with thee doth in 〈…〉 light inaccessible thou hast maruelously by the operation of the holie Ghost rendred manifest and visible to men and disposed fitly to conuerse and dwell amongst them he assuming our humane nature to his Diuinitie in the vnitie of his person that he might be seene and knowne both by the Iewes and Gentils dispensing his ineffable mercie betweene them as agreed bâ—â—t with their condition respectiuely A light to the reuelation of the Gentils who sitt in the darknesse of infidelitie shaddow of death ignorant in the sauing knowledge of the true God A light illuminating them internally by infusion of diuine grace and externally by word and example And the glory of thy people Israel And the glorie of the progenie of Iacob the peculiar elect people of God whome he hath honored with that high prerogatiue as of their line to take humane flesh whome he now visiteth in person and for whose redemption he is princip 〈…〉 descended à glorie not graunted to any other people of the world wherein they excell all other how potent rich or magnificent soeuer By what is saied in this small treatise it will appeare I hope to the indifferent and courteous Reader that all things in this office of our blessed I adie are instituted ordained and disposed according to right reason true prudence diuine wisdome which I doe heartily wish and humbly begge may be vsed frequently recited deuoutly by all euerie one as well to the great honour and glorie of almightie God and of the blessed Virgin as to the singular profit and spirituall benefit of themselues FINIS
light which warmeth and illuminateth the spirituall life There remaineth yet one other reason and that none of the least which may seeme to haue moued the holy Church to elect this number of howers that is because in them as S. Athanasius S. Basill and Cassian affirme the principall works of our Redemption were wrought and therefore they are with good right celebrated in the holie Church that the memory of those mysteries may be the more frequently renewed the diuine loue become more feruent in our harts I will here breefly expresse those mysteries In the night tyme our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ did assume humane flesh in the wombe of the B. Virgin and afterwards was borne in the night and did very often spend whole nights in praier In the first watch of the night he was apprehended by the Iewes and suffered much sorrow and contumely the third daie he rose againe about that tyme. After the Sunnerysing he was brought before Pilate whipped scoffed at spit vpon In the Third hower he was cloathed with à purple gatment crowned with thornes condeÌ„ned to the death of the Crosse In the Sixt hower his sacred hands and feete were fixed to the Crosse with sturdy blunt and rough nailes In the Ninth hower he yeelded vp his spirit and his side being opened with à speare flowed bloud and water in testimony of his immense loue that had not leaft himself one drop of blood vnshed for our saluation In Vespres tyme he did the daie befere eate his last supper with his disciples and instituted the B. Sacrament of the holy Eucharist and the daie following was deposed from the Crosse And lastly about Compline tyme he was layed in the Sepulcher CHAPT V. Shewing the conueniency of râ—citing the diuine office in the latin tonâ—ue and conâ—equentlye this office of the B. Virgin POpe Gregory the seueÌ„th in his Epistle to the Duke of Bohemia did absolurely refuse to coÌ„descend to the request of the saied Duke who had desired to haue the diuine office recited in the Slauonian tongue returning him this answere That it would by that meanes not onely become of lesser esteeme with the people but alsoe would be exposed to euery ignorant mans censure and be an occasion that the vnlearned by their misunderstanding of it and sinister interpretation thereof might fall into errors Origen doth largely elegantly Homil. 20. in Iosue proue the great benefitt that the people may gather whilest they recite praiers or attend to those that recite them although they doe not vnderstand what is saied he sheweth alsoe that such praiers are pleasing to God delightfull to the Angells and terrible to the deuill and moreouer that sacred words though not vnderstood doe in à certaine hidden manner stirre vp deuotion in such as vse them Surius affirmeth in the life of S. Lutgard Surius in 16. lunij Virgin that althoug she vnderstood not the Psalmes yet neuerthelesse when she sung with diligent attention Deus in adiutorium meum intende c. in the beginning of the office and certaines Psalmes following she beheld the spirits of darknes to be replenished with exceeding horror and to desist from suggesting bad thoughts and take their flight And indeed the song which the litle Math. 21. children sung to our Lord Cryeing in the Temple and sayeing Hosanna to tho sonne of of Dauid was most pleasing vnto him as is manifest by the answer he gaue to the chief Priests and Scribes who chasing there at saied vnto him Hearst thou what these saie For IESVS replyed Verye well Haue you neuer read that out of the mouth of the Infants and suckings thou hast perfected praise If then out of the mouthes of those infants who did not vnderstand what they sung for they were infants indeed as S. Chrisostome others affirme did proceed the perfect praise of God how can any man haue the face to deny that the Canon call praiers are gratefull to God which are performed by holy virgins and other deuout soules that are vnskilfull in the latin tongue But some may obiect vnto mee how shall the ignorant and vnlearned come to know that what they saie is good and tending to the honor of God and what benefit or increase of deuotion and spirituall comfort shall such recâ—aue by recyting what they doe not vnderstand To the first part of this obiection I answere that all which is contained in the dâ—uine office is either collected out of the holy Scriptures or out of the works of the most famous men for learning and pietie that euer liued and proposed by the authoritie of the holy Church which is directed by the spirit of God to all good Christians to be saied which may suffice to secure them Moreouer there is scarce one to be found so stupide but that he doth conceiue in generall tearmes at the least what is intended in the sayed office For by the sermons of his Pastor or spirituall instructor or by reading pious bookes he will come to know that the Majestie of God is praised thereby the B. Trinitie magnified and the assistance of the B. Virgin and the rest of the holy Saints implored To the second part I answere that pious Idiots who haue à good will and simple intention doe many tymes draw as much spirituall sweetnes from their diligent attention to the grauitie and decencie of Ecclesiasticall ceremonies and diuine praises as the greatest number of those whoe are skilfull in the latin tongue For such as are well seene in the plaine graÌ„maticall sense of the words doe not gather the choicest fruit out of the Canonicall howers but such as penetrate the mysteries and secret sense of the Scriptures of which number who is he that will presume to tâ—arme himself I doe not aske of Grammarians Rethoritians or Philosophers onely but euen of those whoe possesse high seats in diuinitie schooles Let all Religious Cannons and others of the Cleargy speake their mynds freely and I verily beleeue the greatest part of them will sincerely confesse their want of knowledge in this pointe and that great light from God much study and frequent meditation is necessary for the attayning thereunto In the liues of the auncient Fathers is lib. 16. de Humilitate declared that one Abbot Ioseph comming to Antony the Abbot to heare some words of edification the saied Abbot Antony did aske of his owne disciples how certaine obscure places of the holy Scriptures were to bee vnderstood whereunto when euery one had deliuered his opinion he answered that they had not giuen him satisfaction and addressing himself towards Abbot Ioseph he demaunded his opinion concerning the meaning of those places who answered I know not Whereupon Abbot Antony gaue sentence that Abbot Ioseph had found the onely true way to solue such doubts whoe knew how to acknowledge his owne ignorance The holy Apostles themselues notwithstanding that they conuersed with the Sonne of God soe long tyme did not