48.13 and made like vnto them yea and worse also The constancy of al creatures to do well but of man For they not only are not idle in that occupation trade thou hast taught them but worke continually according to their law and order and wanting reason do follow reason But my selfe a reasonable creature remaine idle against reason one peece and parte of my life or do workes contrary vnto reason Other creatures haue receaued thy commandement but once to do that which they doe and they haue continually discharged their duty vnto this present But I hauing read and heard thy will a hundred tymes thy promises thy menacings do sleep and slumber notwithstanding wretch and benummed that I am and when I do wake my workes are worse then sleep and idlenes O Maker and Redeemer of man reforme this same man by the same power and mercy wherewith thou hast created redeemed him Giue vnto him giue vnto me O my Lord as to the most weake and needy strength and meanes well and holily to employ what thou hast giuen me that my Vnderstanding Will Memory my whole soule and body may be in perpetuall action to bring forth workes of life to the praise and glory of thy holy name The After-dinner and Euening of the fifteenth dayes Iourney Markeable documents and instructions for Good workes CHAP. XXXV AFTER dinner and at night the Pilgrime shall for his spirituall occupation discourse vpon the most markeable sentences of Scriptures and Saints spoken to shew that oÌ„ly fayth sufficeth not for saluatioÌ„ The Talents Matth. 25.16 without good workes The parable of the Talents holdeth the first place in this doctriné for thereby our Sauiour doth plainely instruct vs and with authority that we must negociate in the house of God and put the mony of his graces to profit and vsury which to that end he put into our handes with the condition of a good reward if we be diligent and obedient or of punishment and confusion The workeman Matt. â—0 if we be slouthfull Also the parable of the workemen sent to worke in the Farmers vineyard payd at night for their dayes labour Also the counsell which our Sauiour gaue to the young man saying If thou wilt haue life euerlasting keep my Commandements Matt. 19.17 Also those wordes He shall enter into the kingdome of heauen who doth the will of my Father not euery one that sayth Matt. 7.21 Lord Lord. But especially he shall weigh the clause of that generall decree which shall be published at the last day in fauour of good workes against the slouthfull Rom. 2.13 Come my wellbeloued Iac. 1.22 Matt. 25.34 Iac. 2. possesse the kingdome which is prepared for you from the Creation of the world I was hungry and you gaue me to eate c. And thereunto he shall add the plaine saying of S. Iames What shal it profit my brethren if any man sayth he hath fayth without works shall his faith saue him And S. Gregory Nazianzen Doe good workes vpon the ground of thy instructions for fayth without workes is dead Isa 26. as also workes liue not without fayth And Saint Hierome vpon these wordes of Esay 26. Our citty is a fortresse saluation shall there be put for the inward wall and outwâ—rd By the inward wall sayth he is meant good woorkes and by the other fayth for it is not inough to the outward wall of Fayth vnles this fayth be grounded and sustayned by good workes These workes are Prayer The principall good workes Fasting Almes and other workes of charity which we spake of before in the afternoone of the eight day In these and the like discourses shall the Pilgrime passe the after-dinner thereby stirring himselfe to the loue and practise of Christian workes In the euening either alone or with others he may sing this Canticle that followeth to shut vp the euening with ioy and profit A Canticle of good VVorkes The pious Pilgrime that doth walke Vnto the Chappell of Loret Must worke with hand his soueraignes workes And keep his soule still pure and nett To heare alone and not performe The law of God doth worke no meed To know the way and not to walke Nothing doth our iourney speed The tree that bringeth nothing els But leaues and breathing verdure Is fit for fire and not for fruit And doth greet wrong to nature Our Sauiour chiefe and iustest Iudge The fruitlesse Fig-tree strooke with curse If man in vaine doth wast his dayes Shall he not blame and strike him worse How hoat shall then be his reuenge To those that nothing els doe bring But poisoned grapes and fruites of death Of sinne and shame and els nothing Each thing doth worke and nothing sleepes In Earth in Sea in Heauen aboue Each thing doth moue in his degree Mans end is God to know and loue Then these short dayes of this short life Let be in vertuous workes well spent That last long day shall all workes try VVhen ech shall b' either crown'd or shent And hauing made his particuler prayer to the Blessed Virgin he shall take himselfe to his lodging in good time not to be surprised by night in the fieldes The sixteenth day A Meditation of sinne CHAP. XXXVI THE morning Meditation shall be vpon sinne an actioÌ„ opposite to good workes which were the matter of the precedent meditation This order shal make a fit opposition of vertue to vice The opposition of vice to vertue and by setting their faces one against another we may better discerne the beauty of the one to loue it and the foulnes of the other to hate it What sin is The first point shall put the definition of sinne the better to know both the corps and countenance and duly to meditate of the foulnes thereof Sinne sayth S. Ambrose is a straying from the law of God and a disobedience to the heauenly Commandmâ—nts Ambr. de Poenit c. 8. Aug l. 22. cont Faust c. 27 l 1. cont ep 1. Peâ—il 113. By S. Augustin it is What is sayd done or desired against the law of God so that one word spoken one deed done one thought conceaued against the law of God that is against any of his commandements is a sinne great or small mortall or veniall according to the diuers motion of the will sinning either with full consent or by some light motion or suddaine surprise and according to the great or small importance of the thing and other circumstances Of which definitions he shall learne that there is nothing so foule and deformed as sinne For what can be found more monstruous then that which is opposite to the law rule of the highest wisedome beauty and goodnes The second point shall consider two sortes of sinnes Originall and Actuall and this mortall and veniall Originall sinne Aug. ench 164. is that spot which flowed from the sin of Adam wherewith all men are stained in their conception and
was carried not long before Afterwardes going from Sclauonia to Palestine they found in Nazareth the same markes and tokens of the place which the Sclauonians had found foure yeares before And their report recorded in the writings of the Citty was kept in the publike Recordes for testimony vnto all posterity Of certaine strange and meruailous transportations CHAP. IX THOVGH this be a wonder the like wherof hath not beene often heard that a whole house should be transported and carried from one country to another as this holy house was which alone had the honour of such a priuiledge yet we read also of diuers transports of the same kind made either by prayer or by art industry of men euen of Paynimes otherwise Wherfore this should not seeme either impossible to the power of God nor beyond the fayth of men S. Gregory Thaumaturge as S. Gregory Nissene reporteth in his life by his prayer remoued a Rocke from one place to another Greg. Thaumat Greg. Niss in his life by this means plaÌ„ted the faith of Iesus Christ in the hart of the Idoll-Bishop before whome and for whome he wrought it Paulus Venetus telleth that a simple Christian of Armenia neere the towne of Taurisium caused also by his prayer a mountaine to moue in the sight of the Saracens Paul Ven. l. 1. cap. 18 whilest they mocked Christians for holding of a fayth that bosteth to remoue mountaines and threatned to kill him if either he did not deny his fayth or performe this miracle which they seeing performed many of them were conuerted to Iesus Christ In the yeare 1571. a great Hill in England somewhat neere the sea changed his place whether it were by some earthquake or by some secret supernatural power Pliny recounteth that in Brusse a towne of Maracko an orchard planted with Ohue-trees appertaining to Vectius Marcellus a Knight of Rome Plin lib. â— cap. â—3 and Procurator generall of Nero the Emperour was carried from one place to another Art also which is a branch help of Nature hath her miracles in the like kind Lib. 7. c. 9 hist Indic For we read in the History of the new world that those of Mexico haue by deuice of water-water-workes transported Gardens with their trees and fruits into faire countryes Archimedes boasted that he could remoue the earth out of his place Archimed Plutarch in Marcel if he had another place firme whereon to set his mathematicall instruments and there are found Enginers also of our tyme that could pull vp great Okes and other trees as one would pull vp a radish-roote make them leape in the aire with engines which many would thinke a miracle if they should see it and not see the cause this being an effect aboue the ordinary force of men though as strong as Roland or Milo and surely it is a great wonder of art If then we thinke these miracles of S. Gregory the formentioned to haue beene done as the credit of histories doth command vs to thinke they were if the Paynimes haue belieued that by the power of their Gods or by art such wonders could be wrought why should we make difficulty in beleeuing this transport who haue and belieue a God almighty author of Nature and of all the power of arte and to whome Iesus Christ hath sayd about these kind of workes that one graine of fayth should remoue mountaines Math. 17.20 Luc. 17. â— 1. Cor. 1â— cast them into the sea so also sayth S. Paul If then with fayth men may worke these transportations may we not beleeue with the fame that Angels by the will of God haue done this to whom he hath giuen naturall force and strength to doe this and such like workes For we know that the Angell carried the Prophet Abacuc from Iudea to Babylon and carried him backe froÌ„ Babylon to Iudea againe Dan. 1â— 35. more then twenty dayes iourney in a moment And we know by their naturall force they roule about the huge frames of the celestiall Bodys from East to West and from West to East with an admirable swiftnes and constancy now these six thousand yeares togeather without any paine or difficulty a worke without comparison more difficult then to carry a house once or twice from one country to another from Asia to Europe from Nazareth to Sclauonia and from thence to Italy although it be also an effect miraculous and admirable for the rarenes Why the Writers of that tyme did not record in their History this meruailous transport of the Chappell of Loreto and of many strange thinges neglected and not perceeued CHAP. X. BVT heere will be demanded why this cause being so rare and admirable no Historiographer that writ in that tyme made any notable mention thereof The demand is reasonable and the silence may seeme strange Therfore to satisfy it I say first that this might happen because there were few famous writers of that tyme for amongst the Greekes the most renowned Nicephorus flourished about 1297. was Nicephorus Calixtus and amongst the Latines William de Nangu a Monke of S. Denis in France who perhaps were both ignorant of this matter for although in it selfe it were great yet the fame therof was not so soone spread in strange countryes or if they should heare of it so farre off they might not belieue it at the first or if they did beleeue it they durst not publish it in their writings strangers still referring themselues to those that were neerer and might haue better knowledge assurance of the matter The other learned men of that tyme as well Greekes as Latins as Nicolaus Cabasila Nic. Cab. Geor. Pac. Robert of Sorbone about 1296 George Pachimer Robert of Sorbone were occupyed in commenting the Scriptures and handling Theologicall questions rather then in writing of histories they therefore put this miracle first in writing that knew it first and whome it concerned most who were the Sclauonians and Recanatines and that the most authentically they could that is in their publike recordes and stories written for that printing was not yet deuised Secondly I answere that it might happen in this case Two causes of silence in great matters which we often see to happen in great and rare matters that they are not knowne either for that they are not marked obserued euen by those that are neerest being busy in other matters that touch them more neere or els are neglected and omitted by writers as being knowne manifest to al which I can proue by fresh examples of our owne tyme and wherof my selfe haue beene for the most part an eye witnesse also by the testimony of antiquity I was at Auinion the yeare of our Lord 1590. when a little child of the same towne aboute fiue or six yeares old A child fell from a place 24. foote high without harme 1590. named George Caluet the sonne of a worshipfull Aduocate going to see the schollers
life to the pilgrimages of deuotion The spirituall habits of the Pilgrimes CHAP. II. GOING on his way after he hath sayd the prayers of trauailers admited blessed the diuine Maiesty at the behoulding of the Heauens the chiefe and principall worke of his handes he shall ruminate his morning meditation to draw thereout some new tast and deuotion For this is the force of prayer to giue alwayes new light according vnto the measure and manner that it is vsed To ruminate or chew the Cudde and the proper exercise of deuout persons is often to remember in their mindes what they haue once learned to the imitation of those Beasts who in the law of God are called cleane whose property is to chew the cudde and to take thereof new gust and new substance Cleane beastes Leu. 11.3 he shall gather then a new and consequently of that he hath meditated that the pilgrimage he maketh to Loreto and all others that men make vpon the earth are but figures and similitudes of the pilgrimage that all mortall men do make from their birth to their graue and comparing the figure to the truth he shall find the one most liuely expressed and represented in the other The likenes of the earthly pilgrime to the spiritual The true Pilgrime hath alwayes in his thought the place whither he tendeth he chooseth the shortest and surest way he goeth forward without any markable stay The Citties buildings paâ—laces fields gardens places of pleasure if he musâ— needes see them yet he seeth them only as in passing by them being alwaies attentiue to his end He endureth in towne field all the incommodities and dangers of men and beasts contempt iniury hunger thirst want heat cold haile snow sometyme lying vnder the house-roofe sometyme vnder the cope or canopy of heauen sometimes merry and wel disposed somtime againe weary crazed humble patient courteous wise and circumspect in all his actions He shall find all this point by point practised in the pilgrimage of mans life The spirituall Pilgrime by those that are well aduised pilgrimeâ— these walking vpon the earth haue heaueÌ„ in their hart whicâ— is the end of their mortal course they striue walke withouâ— rest towards vertue holding the directest surest way whicâ— is that which the Catholike Church our good and commoâ— Mother doth shew vs in her great Itinerarium of the lawes anâ— commandments of God The Itinerarium of the lawes of God they make no reckoning of worlâ—ly magnificence and take with an equall mynd prosperity aduersity If their affaires goe well forward they thanke thâ— diuine prouide are without pride if they suffer shipwrack they lift their hands to heauen blesse the same prouidence They are sober in aboundance abound in want they are humble in honours and magnanimous in the midst of disgraces Finally there is no accident in the variety of this changeable inconstant life wherof he reapeth not some profit towardeâ— eternity Our pilgrime shall marke all these similitudes to thâ— true pilgrimes and shal contemplate in the figure of his thâ— forme and tenour of the other and make his profit thereof He shall also allegorize all the parts of his furniture and appartell and shall attire his soule to the likenes of his body For his Hat he shall take the assistance of God his shooes shaâ— be the mortification of his affections Patience shall be 〈◊〉 mantle or lether cloake Ciuility shall be his coate or caâ—ssacke Chastity his girdle contemplatioÌ„ meditation shall his bag and bottle the loue of the Crosse his pilgrimes staffe Faith Charity and good workes shal be his purse and mony so shall he spiritually attire the inward man of the spirit to the imitation of the Apostle S. Paul who arming the Christian souldier giueth him his furniture framed of the stuffe of such like allegories and armes forged of the same mettal Ephes 6. The shield of Verity a breast-plate of Iustice shooes of the preparation to the Gospell the buckler of faith the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit of God In such exercises shall he passe the after noone talking to God and himselfe making his prayers and examen as before saluting the B. Virgin in her houres saying his beads singing some hymne proper for the tyme or some spirituall song drawn out of his meditation as this that followeth A Canticle of the Pilgrimage of this world O brightsome day which makes me cleere perceiue The state of this life mortall And in my soule for to conceiue A liuely expectance of th' eternall Heere I seeke in Pilgrimes weed The way that vnto heauen doth lead This path mâ—â—â— faire I walking winde By shaddow of my pilgrimage Wherein at euery steppe I find An heauenly draughâ— and image Of my fraile mortality Tending to Eternity O mortall men who tread the ground Of this false earth disastrous As though beneath were to be found The blisse of life delicious You mâ—cke your selues this world below No such pleasure can bestow The woods affoard no fish nor wine Nor from the Sea doth timber flow In this vaine world naught els in fine But thornes and fayned fruite doth grow Of fayned ioy vnfayned griefe The fruit of this our dying life This life we lead heere in exile All fraught with danger and deceyte Resembleth passengers by Landes hostile Seeking after Heauens retraite Such was Adam and such was Eue Whilst in earthly Paradise they liue Such was IESVS though God and Man Such was MARY his Mother deare Such were all Saints both now and than In this vale of woe and feare Teaching vs to seeke by hand The milke and hony flowing land Merily then let 's march apace Vnto this Blessed Virgins Hall There shall we see the Heauens Grace Inclosed in a Chappell small And learne to be of this mayde-wife Perfect Pilgrimes all our life At night he shall take vp his lodging such as he shall find to take some rest and to get new strength of body and spirit the more cheerfully to continue his iourney the next day The second dayes Iourney The meane and way happily to performe the pilgrimage of this life is to suffer and fight vnder the banner of Iesus Christ and goe alwayes forward in vertue CHAP III. IN the second dayes iourney a good while before the Sun rise the Pilgrime shall examine his actions of the night past he shall say the Credo Pater and Aue and after continuing the matter begun he shall meditate of the meanes and manner how to performe happily the Pilgrimage of this humane life hauing already obserued in his first meditation that euery man must of necessity make it seeing that euery man is a Pilgrime vpon the earth and that some make it well of which number he desireth to be one and others ill whome he would not follow The prayer preparatory heere after shall be alwayes as before The first Preamble shall represent
therfore it is that he shewed himselfe to accept the sacrifice of Abel and checked Cain for hypocrisy Gen. 4.4 and after speaking to Abraham Father of his people Walke sayth he before me and be perfect I will make my couenant with thee Gen. 15. and I will multiply thee exceedingly Walke that is do well I will giue thee a rich reward of thy fidelity and good works and as he sayd a little before I am thy reward too-to great The last iudgmeÌ„t shall be vpon our workes In the new Testament there is nothing oftener or more earnestly recommended vnto vs then good workes All the sermons of our Sauiour are founded vpon this Theme and in one of them he foretelleth that at his great day at the shuting vp of the world he will iudge men for their good or bad workes Matt. 10.42 to eternall glory or confusion and in one place he promiseth reward euen vnto a cupp of cold water giuen for his sake shewing that he will leaue nothing though neuer so small without recompence Rom. 2.10 Matt. 25. Apoc. 22.12 so carefull he is to encourage vs to do well His Apostles and seruants S. Paul S. Iohn and others haue spoken in like sort preaching alwayes that God will render vnto euery man according to his workes and liuing agreeably to their preaching How good workes merit paradise The second shall note that good workes measured by the foot of bare nature without any other quality and as an effect only of free will doe not merit eternall glory a limited action hauing no proportion to a recompence of an infinit valew but being considered not in it selfe but as grafted in heauenly grace and the infinite vigour of the holy Ghost dwelling in the soule giuing it the right of adoption towardes God by the merits of Iesus Christ The woÌ„derful beginning oâ— birth of naturall thinges it contayneth in this respect the price of euerlasting glory And as we see in nature a little liuely seed to containe in it a hidden vertue and force to bring forth a great tree and fruit without number as for example a little nut incloseth in the seed a Nut-tree and millions of Nuttes and as many trees by succession for euer after so in a supernaturall sort the action of morall vertues quickened by the grace of God carieth a title and seed of the kingdome of heauen this is a meruailous strength vertue Prosper in Psal 111. and it is also from God whereupon S. Prosper sayth What can be found more strong and puissant then this seed by the growth filling wherof is gained the k ngdome of Heauen We know also that inheritance is due by iustice to adoptiue children in like sort is the inheritance of heauen due to the Christian that serueth his heauenly Father with the Charity loue of a true child And in title of this grace and adoption God promiseth felicity to his children and by his promise bindeth himselfe in iustice to giue vnto their vertue the reward of life euerlasting 2. Tim. 48 and therefore S. Paul sayth confidently I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the fayth for the rest there is reserued for me a Crowne of iustice which our Lord the iust Iudge shall render to me at that day and not only to me but to all that loue his comming He would say I haue done good works How â—od bindeth himselfe by his promise and by them deserued a crowne which God hath promised to all those that serue him and therefore I expect it as a thing due from his hand who gaue me the grace to worke well who by his promise is bound to crowne my workes and all that serue him And elswhere speaking of the adoption of the children of God If we be sonnes sayth he then heires that is Rom. 8. by right of adoption we haue heauen for well doing Now God had giuen this right grace freely to Adam he hauing lost it by his owne fault the Messias that is the sonne of God Iesus Christ How Iesus hath recouered what Adam lost was promised to recouer him and his posterity who at last comming into the world and being made Man hath meritted by his Passion in fauour and behalf of all men his brethren past present to come wherewith their workes are made liuing workes in iustice meritorious of life euerlasting Iesus the root of al merit if they be lyuely members of their head Redeemer Therefore in the first fountaine that is by the merit of Iesus Christ we merit life euerlasting and our recompence which is the glory of the goodnes and iustice of God and such as say that our merits do derogate â—rom the honour of God are ignorant of the law of God and of the vertue of our Sauiour iniurious to the same God himself to the merit of the same Sauiour The idle person is worse theÌ„ the beast The third point shall consider how he that doth no good workes doth abase his owne dignity vnder the vnreasonable and vnsensible creatures al which do worke according to their power The heauens do compasse the earth make it fertill with their influence the sunne and starres doe shiâ—â— the beastes plants elements cease not to moue and labour all the partes of the vniuersall world are in perpetual Action and employ themselues without rest to the end to which their Creatour made them If the idle be punished how much more the ill occupied That man therefore who standeth idle is a monster amongst insensible Creatures hauing so good helpes aboue them and the promise of eternall felicity which they haue not if he labour not nor serueth the maister that made him to woâ—ke and serue him is worthy of eternall misery and confusion although he should do none other ill but what death deserâ—eth he that not only dooth no good but also committeth sinnes withoâ—t number The prayer The speach shall be to God vpon the misery of man and shall begge grace to attend to good and holy Actions to his seruice in these or like termes O Lord of Angells and men what shall I â—ay after this mâ—ditation of thy workes and the workes of men Vpon thy lawes and their loyalty and obedience What shall should saâ— in my prayer of the mâ—sâ—â—y of man of thy greatnes Of his ingratitude and thy liberaâ—ity Of my pouerty and thy strength and vertue Thou hast made man O Lord that is chief Captaine of all thy other corporall creatures to thyne owne image and likenes furnished and coupled his nature with an immortall soule with an vnderstanding and freewill two noble instruments to do noble actioÌ„s and highly to prayse thee in them I contrary wise for getting my selfe and my degree only amongst all creatures haue ceased to do well and haue beene compared vnto bruit beastes Psal
his Sonne Iesus Christ You can not choose but haue often heard speake thereof seeing the fame therof is spread though all Christianity I call miracles not onely the healing of incurable diseases the wonderfull and strange deliuering of innocents trauailers prodigious â—ers and such like effects in all foure Elements but also the vnexpected conuersions of thousands of great sinners leauing their euill life and following the way of vertue with an heauenly zeale and feruour a miracle perpetuall in the continuall benediction of that house which God rayneth vpon it verifying therin what he promised to his Disciples to wit that if they sought first the kingdome of God other temporall commodities should be giuen them in surplasage freely as it were ouer and aboue the bargaine Matth. 6. Luc. 12. The merchants liked well this discourse and perceiued well that these Pilgrimes were not ordinary so they lighted of their horses giuing theÌ„ to their footemen to leade that they might talke more familiarly and leasurly Lazarus knowing the cause of their descent desired them to get vp againe and not disease themselues he and his companion would easily follow them on foot but they would not and desired them also to cast their bags their cloks vpon the sadle but they excused it These Merchants desired earnestly to teach them the way to liue well and wynne heauen and intreated Lazarus instantly to tell them somewhat thereof and to make them partaker of their deuotions Lazarus sayd vnto them Gentlemen I am too infirme to read a lesson of good life to others yet I will communicate with you by the way of discourse The way to liue well is to keep the CommaÌ„dements and talke what we haue heard often of Catholike Preachers and sometymes read in Scriptures that is that the soueraigne and sure way of liuing well is to keep the CoÌ„mandements of God to do pennance to giue almes and do other good workes and to take sayth he a flower out of the garden of our owne vocation to be a good Pilgrime vpon earth The end of pilgrimages pennace profit spiritual and to this end are ordained all pilgrimages of deuotion and whosoeuer doth them with any other intention as many perhaps do he is but a Pilgrime for his weed and staffe and looseth his tyme and trauaile as contrarywise they that do it to mend their life and become better are wise and well aduised Pilgrimes And this is that God desireth and our B. Lady of their Pilgrimes and the wonderfull workes that are wrought at Loreto tend to no other end thereupon some who meant not to change their wicked life were miraculously repelled from entring this holy Chappell I thinke you haue heard the story It may be so sayd Gratian but as our mind is filled with affaires of the world these thinges dwell not long in our memory and you shall do vs a pleasure to tell vs some examples I will recount you one only not to be troublesome or tedious and that of fresh date Tuâ—s l 5. cap. 20. There came once a certaine person to this holy place loaden with many sinnes and not caring greatly to discharge himselfe A great sinner repulsed from the holy Chapell he entred into the Church to enter also with other Pilgrimes into the Chapell but as he set his foot vpon the ground behold a terrible Shape represented it selfe against him and draue him backe with a fearefull countenance as with a strong wynd His conscieÌ„ce told him straight that his sins had placed that porter there so he went to confession but as the Priest to whome he came perceaued that he was not well prepared and that he had not searched well his Conscience since he had remayned many yeares in the filth of all sorts of sinnes he counselled him to go to the Chapell and recommend himselfe to God and the glorious Virgin to make a good examen of all his life past the better to remember his sinnes confesse them He went thither but because it was not yet with a sincere hart vndertaking this examen and confession rather to auoid shame then sinne the former disfigured shape did forbid him entrance againe then he perceaued that this was don of purpose and was touched with a liuely sorrow and repentance of his sinnes conceauing a full and firme purpose to do pennance heereafter and liue better And so hauing duely remeÌ„bred himselfe of his sinnes he went to the feet of the Priest and made a generall Confession testifying with teares and sobbes the truth of his Contrition the change of his soule was absolued by the Priest who bad him go present himselfe with a good courage to the holy Place saying that he should not be repelled he went therefore the third tyme huÌ„bled and ashamed yea also fearing that it would not be permitted to so great a sinner as he was to enter into the house where God and his greatest Saints haue corporally dwelt and which now so many Saints frequent but God by the intercession of the B. Virgin permitted his humility to enter into his sanctuary as before he repelled his presumption It may be that many sinners haue entred there and doe enter without difficulty and their condition is neuer the better yet this one example might serue for a paterne to vs and all other Pilgrimes and to teach all Christians that to performe their pilgrimage duely they should endeauour and intend the amendement of their life and that to liue well they must forsake sinne and commit it no more do good good workes The good Tree bringeth forth good fruite Mat. 7.17 and the tree which bringeth not forth good fruite is not good Your discourse is true saith the Merchant but for vs it is very hard I may say impossible to abstaine from sinne by reason of our vocation Syr sayth Lazarus in euery vocation and in euery good action there is difficulty and will you not graunt me that it is as easy to be a good Christian as to be a good Merchant Yes verily quoth Gratian. Nay I assure my selfe sayth Lazarus that you will confesse it to be much more easy for there are a thousand and a thousand men who are good ChristiaÌ„s that would neuer make good Merchants It is then easier to abstaine from sinne and be a good Christian then to traficke as a good Merchant how do you theÌ„ thinke it so hard as impossible for a Merchant to abstaine froÌ„ sinne and liue honestly I compare not the vocation of a Christian quoth GratiaÌ„ with that of a Merchant for I confesse the first is easier but my meaning is It is impossible to serue God and the world that the first is meruailously hindred by the second and I remember I haue heard our Preachers say it was impossible to serue two maisters God and the World And they called Riches Thornes by which the good seed of Gods word is choaked whereof followeth
that such workes cannot proceed but from the handes of God or from such as he giueth power vnto only â—od authour of miraracles This hath made admirable an infinite number of the Tombes and sepulchers of Martyrs Confessors and Virgins infinite Temples dedicated to the honour of God in their name infinit Images hallowed in their remembrance as all doe know Temples that are not altogeather ignorant of the histories of Christians namely of the glorious Virgin in a thousand places of christendom Images as are for exaÌ„ple to choose the neerest to our knowledge in the Kingdome of France of our B. Lady of Clary of Charters of Puy of Vaultfleury of Grace of Ioy of Argilliers In Spaine Montserat Piemont Montdoni and diuers others where God hath done and doth still powre downe his benedictions by works proper to his omnipotency but in this holy House he hath wrought so many and so markable besides those I haue already spoken off that he seemeth to haue made choice thereof out of the whole word for a Theater there to shew the maiesty the power treasure and graces of his omnipotency wisedome and bounty There the bodyes and soules of mortall men haue not ceased since the first arriue thereof into Europe to receaue heauenly benefits in sicknes in health in warre in peace by land by sea against Diuells against men euery way and to all sortes of men whereof the histories do testify and namely that of Horatius Turselinus as also the people that see them with their eyes and thousands of images tables of deuotion which those that receaue benefits there do hang vpon the walls of the Temple which eÌ„closeth this Chapell for thankesgiuing and testimony of the bounty of God neither is it possible but that he who belieueth this in his hart should also conceaue in his soule a great respect and loue towardes the maiesty of God the chiefe giuer of so many guifts towardes the glorious Virgin Mary by whose intercession they are giuen vnto men Admirable conuersions of Loreto and he that belieueth them not maketh vs belieue that he is depriued not only of christian fayth but of humane faith also who will not yield to the depositioÌ„ of so many witnesses nor be persuaded by so many supernaturall workes so open and manifest vnto all And if there were no other miracles then the admirable conuersion of many great sinners which is there wrought euery yeare it were inough to testify the fauour and grace of God singularly preseÌ„t in that place Multitude of penitents there do sometymes in a weeke confesse 60000. Pilgrimes where an 100. Confessours if there be so many caÌ„not suffice to heare all that come and who can reckon al that come for this purpose in a whole yeare all that haue done penance since 300. yeares in visiting this place all that haue left their riches honours and commodityes togeather with their sinnes to consecrate themselues liuing sacrifices to God in a true holocaust and to passe the years of their mortall life vnder the straite obseruance of a religious law farre from the vanity of the lost world Are not these meruailes great inough to make the place meruailous And if heertofore diuers places haue beene admired for only one miracle done there what admiration deserueth this for hauing beene honoured with millions of meruailes Why God worketh more miracles in one place then in another CHAP. XX. BVT whence coÌ„meth it that God doth make such choice and difference of places and that in some he hath beene so liberall Aug. epist. 137. ad clerum pop Hyp. and specially in those of the mother of his Sonne and in this of Loreto aboue all the rest S. Augustine speaking of miracles which were done in certaine places dedicated to Martyrs and not in others toucheth this question and doth in a sort confesse that he cannot playnly decide the matter Who can search sayth he the secrets of God and know wherefore miracles are done in some places and not in others And hauing told how a certaine thiefe comming to Miln with inteÌ„tion to take a false Oath in the Church oâ— the Martyrs Geruasius and Protasius where the Diuells were terribly tormented and forced to tell what they would not Epist 137. was constrayned to confesse his fault to restore what he had stollen he addeth Is not Africa full of the bodyes of Martyrs and yet these things are not done there for as the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 12 as euery Saint hath not the guift of healing nor euery one the guift of discerning spirits so he that distributeth to euery one their proper vertues would not that these thinges should be done at euery memory of Martyrs So that the only reason he assigneth for these priuiledges of diuers places is the will of the Creatour who maketh his miracles shine where he listeth and diuideth his guifts as he thinketh good So we see that according vnto his pleasure Nature is fertill and plentifull in one place of that she cannot bring forth in another and though there be natural causes therof yet they are for the most part vnknown to vs and we know nothing thereof but in generall It is God that hath so wrought or as the Naturalists doe say it is Nature that hath done it Palestine yieldeth Balme Arabia Incense India Rubarbe the Philippines and the neighbour Hands Spices Aeygpt the bird Ibis Peru the bird of Paradise Brasil Ibis enemy to Serpents the bird Toucan the lake of Bourget in Sauoy the fish Lauaret contrary Peru most fertill in a thousand rare plantes and trees cannot nourish diuers of ours The birds called Woodpeckers abound in many Countreyes yet they are not to be seene in the country of Tarento no more then Wolues in England in the I le of Rhodes we cannot find one ayrie of Egles nor in the territory of Fidena neere vnto Rome one Storkes neast Plin. â—lâ— 20. 29. nor one Storke within two leagues of the lake of Como in Italy Who hath giuen these priuiledges and boundes vnto Nature Who knoweth or can declare it It is not the diuersity of Heauen or earth for we see that diuers of these places we haue named diuers others which we might name be of the same scituation and climate which yet are very different in the production of thinges And contrarywise diuers of different country and climate to be a like either in wanting or abounding It is therfore the only will of God Particuler causes of the diuersity of effects in nature aboue nature which is the supreme cause of all this diuersity As therefore the Creatour who is the father of the family of this world and maister and dispenser of all therin hath made Nature the diuision of his guifts so hath he made certaine holy places more fertill and more honourable with his guifts and wonders because so it pleased him This is the general reason which
is perfect for ten is a complete perfect number all vnder it receaue increase and this none and all vnder it do take their parts and composition thereof being but repetitions of the partes of ten Ten the ground of al other nuÌ„bers or whole Tens 11. is 10. 1. 12. is 10. and 2. and so vnto 20. 20. is twice 10. 30. thrice 10. 100. ten times 10. 1000. a hundred times 10. 10000. is ten times 1000. a 1000000. is ten tymes 100000. and so forth infinitly in the composition of these numbers Ten is found to rule as the perfection of all It is ther fore a signe of the perfection of the law Psal 32.2 Psal â—49 3 which Dauid signifyed by his musicall instrument by his Harpe tuned with ten strings vpon the which he sounded the prayses of God The Pilgrime hauing learned al this shall say the law of God is perfect it is reason then to eÌ„deauour to performe it perfectly for how much better is the musicke so much better should it be song And this is that which God in plaine language sayd vnto Abraham â—oâ— 17.1 Matth. 5. Walke before me and be perfect And by the mouth of his Sonne to his Disciples and in them to all Christians Be yee perfect as your heauenly Father is perfect That is Goe foreward to the greatest perfection you can and follow as neere as you can the actions of your heauenly Father And he shall obserue that the Creatour marking the labouring parts of man with the same number hath made his handes and feet with ten toes and ten fingers to teach him by a naturall and domesticall document the perfection that should be in our works The affections are the feeet of the soule signifyed in our handes the executours of the Law and in our affections the feet and carriers of our soule in the way of the sayd law for they carry our soule to the execution thereof as our feet carry our body from one place to another He shall also conclude thus that seeing God would haue vs aspire to the perfect obseruation of his law that it may be perfectly obserued and that to the same end God will not faile to furnish that good will he hath giuen vs with necessary grace for otherwise in vaine had the law beene giuen if it could not be kept as in vaine is that musicke which cannot be song and the Law-maker should be vnwise to coÌ„mand that which cannot be obserued and vniust to inflict punishment vpon those which do not performe that which is not in their power These are the conclusions which the pilgrime for his profit and instruct on shall make of the first point of his meditation In the 2. point he shall consider another diuision of this law into two Tables The Law giuen in two Tables whereof the first concerneth the worship of God contayning the three first commandements the second that which appertayneth to our Neighbours comprised in the other seauen which diuision shall giue him to vnderstand that thinges pertayning to God must first enter into consideration and after that which concerneth men The third and fourth point of the precedent Meditation The loue of God and of our neighbour is the end of the Law and the obseruatioÌ„ of the law is proofe of the same loue Motiues to the loue of God CHAP. VIII IN the third point he shall obserue The end of the law is the loue of God that the commandements of both the Tables are giuen to exercise vs in the loue of God and to make proofe and tryall thereof by doing what is told vs as well for his seruice and in consideration of his greatnes as for the good of our neighbour for that he wil haue it so So that the groundes and end of the whole law is the loue of God teaching vs by the three first commandments to loue him in himselfe and for himselfe and by the other seauen to loue him in his creatures louing our Neighbour for the loue of him Therefore our Sauiour the soueraigne supreme interpreter of his owne law for he it was that before had giuen it to the Hebrewes reduceth all to Loue as appeareth by his answere he made being asked by a certaine Doctor what was the great commandement of the Law Matth. 21 Marc. 12 Luc. 10. Loue sayth he thy Lord thy God withall thy hart withall thy soule with all thy spirit and with all thy strength This is the first and great commandement and the second is like vnto this Loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe And concludeth All the Law and Prophets depend of these two Commandements S. Paul deliuereth the same doctrine Rom. 3. Charity is the fullnes of the Law This is the bond of perfection And againe The end of the Commandement is Charity out of a pure hart Coloss 2. a good conscience and vnfayned Fayth Al the law then consisteth in loue and charity and is giuen for loue That the obseruation thereof is a true meane to make proofe and triall of this loue towardes God the same Sauiour sayth in plaine termes of affirmation and negation If you loue me keep my Commandements He that hath my commandemeÌ„ts and keepeth them is he that loueth me he that loueth me not keepeth not my wordes And his well beloued Disciple S. Iohn sayth This is true Charity to keep his CoÌ„mandements And He that sayeth he knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar And S. Gregory sayth plainely Greg. hom 30. in Euang That the execution of the worke is the proofe of loue Wherof the deuout pilgrime shall conclude that it is not inough for to loue God duly to belieue in him but we must keep and practise his Commandements for Fayth without workes is dead Iac. 2. sayth S. Iames. The liuely fayth is that which is quickened with the fire of Gods loue which loue cannot be without mouing and stirring for it is an heauenly fire the worke is the true touch-stone of loue In the fourth point the Pilgrime shall set before his eyes some motiues to stirre him vp to the loue and seruice of God A motiue to the loue of God He shall consider who this Lord is hauing found by faith that he is an essence of infinite bounty beauty and wisedom a Lord most puissant rich and liberall he shall confesse it is a duty more then iust to loue seeing there is nothing more naturall to man nor more facile then affection for no man of what estate soeuer can liue without louing somewhat where should we rather fasten our loue Loue is a naturall affection then vpon an obiect so infinitly amiable Vpon bounty beauty wisedome it selfe and that bounty beauty wisedome infinite Vpon whome can we better employ our feare and respect then vpon a Lord that is Almighty Or where may we better bestow our seruice then to the honour of him of whome commeth all
beginning and is cleansed by fayth in the Messias certaine ceremonies in the law of nature Moyses Conc. Tri. sess 5. and after the comming of the Messias by the fayth of the same professed in Baptisme by the which we are made children of God as by a second spirituall birth and generation Actuall mortall sinne Actuall is that which man committeth by his owne free-will and worke which if it be grieuous that is committed in any important matter with deliberate will and full consent is called Mortall because it bereaueth the sinner of the grace of God which is the life of his soule maketh it guilty of death euerlasting called by s. Iohn The second death 2. Cor. 6. Gal. 5. Apo. 21. Rom. 6. Apoc. 21. Rom. 6. And by S. Paul The reward of sinne Such a sinne was the pride of the first Angell his Complices made Diuells thereby Such a sinne was the disobedience of Adam Actuall in himselfe and Originall to all his children If the Actuall sinne be not grieuous that is if it be committed in a small matter without full consent as an idle word a light negligence an euill thought a foule motion without any stayed consent it is that we call Veniall of the Latin word Venia which signifyeth Pardon because it is easily pardonable not making man enemy to God and for defacing whereof no Sacrament is necessary as it is for mortal Notwithstanding we must keep our selues as farre from it as we can for that it cooleth and quencheth charity and christian deuotion and maketh way for mortall and it is well done to confesse them dayly both to purge them and to preuent them Aug. ser de Sanctis 41. epist. 19. Conc. Tri. sess 14. c. 5. Now this distinction taught by the Catholike Church as we learne in the Councell of Trent and the ancient Doctours namely S. Augustine may be vnderstood by a similitude in the body For as there be certaine diseases and woundes deadly of their owne nature as tâ—e Plurisie the hoat ague the wounds of the brayne hart or the like others are not so as the tertian ague and quartaine the Migrame Moratll woundes or diseases and other woundes or blowes on the lesse vitall and noble partes of the body which are small healed soone so it happeneth to the soule the diseases and wouÌ„des whereof are vices and sinnes which if they depriue it of the Grace of God are mortall maladies Sinne the wound of the soule deadly woundes and is mortall sinne if they doe not depriue him thereof but alter a little the harmony of his peace with God these are light diseases and are veniall sinnes The third point shall ponder how sinne beginneth by suggestion groweth by delectation and is perfected by consent By suggestion of the diuell the world or the flesh some of these three enemies casting into our mynd some obiect coÌ„trary to the lawe of God to which suggestion sucâ—edeth a pleasing and lyking of the sense willingly beholding the obiect as Eue was delighted to see the forbidden fruit To pleasure succeedeth Consent and to consent the execution consummation of the sinne So Eue after she had receaued the suggestion of the Serpent cheapening it at the sight The steps of sinne vnto the depth and giuing her hart to delight thereon she reached her hand to the execution and bit of the apple and tooke that morsell that infected all the race of mankind Behold here say our Doctours the linkes Gre. l. 4. mora c. 25 Isido l 1. de sumâ—o boâ—â— c. 23 Psal 118. 2. Reg. 22. Prouer. 5. Aug. l. 8. contest c. 5 Greg. l. 25 moral c. 12 rings of this strong chaine of sinne Of suggestion commeth thought of thought pleasure of pleasure consent of consent the worke of the worke custome of custome despaire of despaire defence of ill of defence boasting of boasting damnation This is the chayne which that old Tyrant made of the worke whereof himself was authour that is of sinne these are the cordes and boltes wherewith he fettereth the poore sinner and in fine doth cast him hedlong bound hand foot into the shipwracke of eternal damnation In the speach the Pilgrime shal desire of God grace to auoid sinne and shall say O infinite bounty keep me from sinne if it please thee The speach and preserue me from any alliance with that abortiue impe so monstrous and infected Let death armed with all sortes of torments pull my soule out of my body rather than I should consent to any sinne though neuer so small against thy holy Law O sweet Iesu and infinit bounty how should I offend thee being so milde good and bountifull Chast Ioseph said to his Mistresse who sollicited him to vnchast loues How can I commit so great an offence against my Maister of whome I haue receiued so many benefits How can I then sinne against thee O my Maister and souueraigne Lord seeing thou hast bound me with many better titles by so many fauours and promises Seeing thou hast bought me not with gold or siluer or any corruptible price but with the ransome of thy most precious bloud how can I then offend thee O glorious virgin Mother of the Allmighty and who by speciall priuiledge from his Omnipotency wast preserued froÌ„ all spot in thy Conception and Birth To the B. Virgin and in all thy actions wast preserued all pure and beautified enriched and adorned with a thousand vertues help thy poore Pilgrime with thy credit and grace and procure me pardon of my sinnes passed and effectuall grace for hereafter to remaine without stayne of any sinne euen veniall if it may be by the grace of thy Sonne Let myne eyes be enlightened with the heauenly beames that they may neuer slumber into this deadly sleep and that myne enemie may neuer say Psal 124. I haue preuailed against him This guift O happy virgin will redound to the glory of the Maiesty of thy Sonne to the health of thy wearied Pilgrime who honoureth serueth thee and by thy assistance desireth to serue with all his soule that Lord whome thy self adorest The After-dinner and Euening of the sixteenth dayes Iourney Of the seauen Capitall sinnes commonly called Mortall and of their Branches CHAP. XXXVII IN the Afternoone and in the rest of the day the Pilgrime shall persist vpon the same matter for though it be but sowre to the taste yet taken with a holy Meditation and digested into the stomake of the deuout soule it helpeth much to deface and detest sinne He shall discourse vpon the seauen sinnes commonly called mortall or more properly Capitall for being the heades and springes of diuers others They are The 7. Capitall sinne Pride Couetice Lechery Enuy Gluttony Anger Slouth hauing so many vertues opposite to encounter them Humility Liberality Chastity Charity Abstinence Patience The contrary vertues Deuotion or Diligence Pride is an
Rom. Pontif. hold the same And Peter Damianus a noble writer of his age sayth boldly That this is the fayth of the Catholike Church And surely if our Sauiour being to goe out of this world vnto his Father thought it not meet to commit the custody of his Mother a Virgin though of good yeares to the keeping trust of any but of a Virgin Gers ser 5. de nat B. Mariae that is to S. Iohn is it not like that being young not his Mother he would mary her to a man that was not a virgin and that had not made a vow to perseuere in that estate we must thinke therfore that the B. Virgin was assured to Ioseph and he to her againe with purpose of perpetuall continency instructed therunto by the secret instinct of the holy Ghost and strengthned with a liuely fayth that God would able them to liue both virgins and married folkes togeather Secondly this mariage was meruailous in this point aboue other common marriages that notwithstanding the purpose of virginity in them both yet was it a true mariage and the Scripture doth plainely teach this truth Ambr. de inst virg S. Thom. 3. p. q. 29. art 1. for it calleth the B. Virgin the spouse and wife of Ioseph and this is the beliefe of the Doctours and of the Church S. Ambrose sayth The Bl. Virgin the mother of our Sauiour being betrothed to her husband was called his wife euen as mariage is called mariage when it is made by common consent of wills for it is not the losing of Virginity Amb in 2. l. c. 1. in Luc. but the cōiugall consent alliance that maketh the mariage Againe Meruaile not to heare the B. Virgin often in the Scripture called the wife of Ioseph although he neuer knew her for this doth not signify The essence of mariage that she lost her virginity but that she was married vnto him He meaneth as other Diuines do say that the only consent and lawfull and mutuall vnion of willes and not carnall knowledge doth tye the band of Matrimony and the essentiall knot of marriage S. Augustine Ioseph is called an husband S. Aug. de nupt concupis◠l. 1. c. 11. by reason of the first fayth of his assurance giuen to the B. Virgin although he neuer knew her carnally nor might doe neither therefore was vaine or false that name of husband for this Virgin ought to be more holily and admirably pleasing to her spouse who was to be fruitfull without the worke of man vnequall in lignage equall in fayth and fidelity And a little before exhorting the faythfull to this continency Wedding without bedding vpon the example of this marriage By this example sayth he is signifyed to married Christians that mariage may be made and vowed by common consent with the mutuall affection of the hart and spirit only without lying togeather And indeed many haue liued in this sort Henry the 2. Emperour with Chunegund both a beautifull young Princes Valerian with S. Cecily Edward King of England with Editha and that noble French-man Eleazarus with Delphinia that noble Lady a thousand others whose names are written in the booke of life though they be vnknowne to men Thirdly this marying is meruailous for the admirable vertues The loue fidelity of this couple and namely for the coniugall fayth and charity of both parties and by the excellency of lignage and by all that may make a marriage complete All the good of mariage was found heere sayth S. Augustine the fruit Iesus Christ Aug. l. 2. de nupt conc c. 11. the fayth without adultery and the Sacrament without diuorce and the issue such as surmounteth the fecundity of all the Mothers that euer were or shall be as also the fidelity charity and all other vertues of married folkes were there found singular and rare The second point of the Meditation Of the causes of the Mariage betweene the B. Virgin and S. Ioseph CHAP XX. THE second point shall meditate the causes of this mariage for both parties being resolued to keep continency seemeth that they needed not to marry at al S. Thom. 3. p. q. 28. art 1. but the more this mariage may seeme to be against reason so much the more may it seeme diuine and considerable The Saints yeild diuers causes whereof one concerneth the person of the Sonne of God others concerne his Mother some others our Fayth Seauen causes of this marriage The first is that our Sauiour should not be reiected of the Iewes who not belieuing that a Virgin could beare a child would surely haue iudged him illegitimate and to haue byn borne of a dishonest woman wherof S. Ambrose sayth Who could haue blamed the Iewes S. Thom. 3. p q 29. art 10. Ambr. in Luc. 7. or Herod persecuting Iesus Christ if he had beene thought to be illegitimate And if they did persecute him notwithstanding hauing a good conceit of his natiuity what would they haue done if they had iudged him to haue beene borne of adultery The second that he might be knowne to be the Sonne of Dauid by the Genealogy of his line and issue which was alwayes done by the line of the Father as appeareth by S. Luke and S. Matthew who deduced it whereby Ioseph being proued to be of the house of Dauid they could not doubt but that the B. Virgin was so also she being an heire who might not be maried out of their owne linage and that the child borne of her was the Sonne of Dauid The third that he might be helped not only by the care of his Mother but also of her husband for whome it was more meet to vndertake and menage such a businesse then for a woman And therefore when he was to execute any thing the commandement was alwayes directed to Ioseph as when there was question of going to Aegypt Matth. 2.13 Luc. 2.48 or returning backe and other like The fourth to the end that the Virgin should not be infamed or punished as vnchast so that our Sauiour chose rather to be accounted the Sonne of a Carpenter then of a dishonest woman whereof very fitly sayth S. Ambrose in Luc. 17. He chose rather that some should doubt of his owne birth then of his Mothers chastity Ambr. in Luc. 17. and would not haue the fayth of his Natiuity sounded vpon the iniury of another that is of his Mother The fifth that she might be comforted by the assistance of Ioseph namely in her long iournyes and voyages and dwelling many yeares in strang countreys as she did The sixth that the Church might haue a certaine testimony in S. Ioseph that Iesus Christ was borne of a Virgin for as none could better tell then he that the Mother was a Virgin so none could giue a more certaine testimony thereof sayth S. Ambrose 7. in Luc. The seauenth and last was in the person of the B. Virgin to
honour the estate of virginity and mariage and therin to figure and represent the condition of the Church which being a virgin is notwithstanding marryed to Iesus Christ and remayning a virgin doth bring forth children by Baptisme The 3. first causes concerne the person of our Sauiour the fourth and fifth his Mother and the other the Church and altogeather the honour of God and his Mother and our good and saluation The Espousals being done the Virgin remayned in Nazareth in her Fathers house Philo Iud. de special legib which espousalls were as fast of as great force a the mariage it self so that if the espoused should commit any fault in the house of her Father she should be stoned as an Adulteresse who had broken her fayth in her husbands owne house In the same house the B. Virgin was saluted by the Angell and there dwelt with Ioseph after the death of Ioachim and Anne and not in the house of Ioseph which by likelihood was at Bethleem wherof the Scripture giueth no reason but only that by silence it signifyeth that these espousals were of another quality then others were and that she was alwayes a virgin as those that remayne alwayes in the house of their Fathers and go not to the house of their husband to celebrare the marriage as other marryed folkes do who must loose their virginity The Pilgrime shal marke all this thereby to prayse the diuine Maiesty and to giue him thankes ending in this speach O heauenly marriage The mariage of Adam Abraham Isaac Iacob Tobie and worke worthy of the soueraigne Wisedome a marriage all spirituall and diuine hauing nothing carnall or earthly in it a marriage that did beâ—re the beauty of all the goodliest alliances of the world doth exceed them in honour as farre as the heauens in largenes exceed the earth The marriage of Adam and Eue made and blessed by the hand of God himselfe the mariage of Sara with Abraham of Rebeca with Isaac of Rachel with Iacob of Sara with Tobie All these mariages were nothing in comparison of this and the most worthy of them were honourable in this respect that they gaue seed and beginning to these two maried folkes of this husband and this wife children of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of twenty other Kinges their ancestours in the house of Iuda married to God by an excellent band of Fayth Charity and inuiolable Virginity O noble paire O noble husband Psal 44.10 and more noble wife and verily the daughter of the great King clothed in gold and adorned with the richest iewells that euer came out of his cabinet O worthy mariage of this couple A mariage most worthy to be honoured with the most glorious fruit that euer woman bare Spirituall mariages O daughter of Sion O Christian daughters learne thus to marry your selues to marry your selues to God to giue him your body and soule feare not either the priuation of that pleasure which passeth like a dreame nor yet the barrennes of your body for your pleasures you shall haue the delightes of earth and heauen and for the children of your body a thousand goodly workes that shall accompany you aboue as an honourable and immortall posterity and a thousand crownes of glory insteed of the children you might haue had but if you be marryed already after the fashion of these holy Dames let it be to the same end for posterity not for pleasure and alwayes with the honour of christian chastity and coniugall fidelity O soueraigne Lord authour of these virginall marriages be thou alwayes praysed in them as in all thy workes O Virgin obtaine for me that spirit that made thee so to marry and thou holy Ioseph a heauenly branch of the house of Dauid giuen for solace and succour to this diuine Virgin solace vs with thy prayers succour vs with thy help that we may follow thy fayth and word and may be made partaker of that reward and recompence which thou hast receaued in heauen This shall be the Pilgrimes meditation in the morning after which he shall heare Masse and doe his accustomed deuotions vntill Noone when he shall take his repast The After-dinner and euening of the six and twentith Day Of the rare vertues of S. Ioseph CHAP. XXI IN the afternoone he shall follow his former exercises only the subiect of the meditation changed which he shall vary according to the diuersity of the thinges he did meditate in the morning Hauing heard Euensong he shall employ some tyme to read or meditate the vertues of S. Ioseph The vertues of Ioseph which without doubt were rare and worthy of a man chosen to be the spouse of the greatest Lady of the world before God and the foster-father of the sonne of God himselfe His innocency his fayth his hope his charity obedience magnanimity prudence humility and other royall vertues appeared in his actions performed in matters most difficult to belieue and most hard to execute Why he is called Iust which may easily be verified by some examples First when it was first perceaued that the Virgin had conceaued not knowing either the cause or the mystery he shewed himselfe a perfect wise man when on the one side he deliberated to dwell no more with her not to consent in his conscience to any suspicion of dishonesty and on the other side he would not defame nor rayse scandall without cause about her reputation Matth. 1 19. for the which cause he is called Iust by the Euangelist by a name that comprehendeth al the qualityes of a holy soule SecoÌ„dly he shewed his fayth and vertue when without contradiction he belieued the words of the Angell aduertising him that his wiues being Great was a worke of the Holy Ghost and obeyed him with promptitude and humility taking againe his Spouse at that instant louing reuerencing her more then euer seeing she was chosen to be the mother of such a child so much the more assisting her with loue and solid respect His respect to the B. V. by how much it was founded more in the soule then in the body more in the beauty of the spirit then in the fairenes of the face and if holy Elizabeth was thought to haue so much reuerenced the Virgin for hauing by sweet inspiration vnderstood that she was the mother of God how great may we thinke was the reuerence that Ioseph did beare her in this respect being informed by so cleare testimonyes and oracles of this truth of her vertues hauing also experience thereof by dayly and domesticall conuersation What care besides what diligence what patience what prudence His prudence must he needes haue shewed in conducting this Virgin from one Country to another flying the persecution and fury of Herod the Tyrant Dwelling so long in Aegypt a strange Country Alwayes firme in fayth and Charity Surely the holy Doctours could not tell with what wordes to expresse his