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
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
circumcised vndergo the law which himselfe had giuen making his first entry into the world and beginning the reparation therof by obedience as by the same obedience he went out of the world dying vpon the Crosse in counterpoise of the first man who as soone as he came into the world became disobedient and lost the world This is the benefit wherewith our Sauiour signed the first day of the yeare giuing to the world for a new yeares guift Herodian lib. 2. not a peece of gold or siluer or fruites as the world doth figs dates hony laurell and such other presents of the earth or of the sea but his precious bloud which he shed in this Circumcision for our only good and not for any necessity or bond he had of the law which himselfe had made and might therein dispense as the soueraigne Iudge or any profit he might get thereby The humility of the Sonne of God Phil. 2. The second point shall be to note in this action how our Sauiour goeth forward stil shewing more more humility for in his Incarnation he humbled himselfe in becoÌ„ming man and taking the forme of a seruant in his natiuity he humbled himselfe beneath man placing himselfe among the least and the poorest in his Circumcision he humbled himselfe more then all this making himselfe to be enroled among sinners vsing the remedy of sinners he who was not only without sinne but the couÌ„terpoison of sinne come with his innocency and vertue to destroy it so did he alwayes more descend in humility the more his works did ascend and shew themselues before God and his Church so necessary did he iudge it to authorize and credit this vertue and to batter pride which had ouerthrowne both Men and Angells How farre from this spirit are they who knowing themselues to be sinners will not be so esteemed and are ashamed to vse the remedy that should heale them They are ashamed to confesse and do pennaÌ„ce are not ashamed of the foule filth of sinne Who would not willingly endure any thing to deface their faults seeing our Sauiour began to shed his bloud for them within 8. dayes after he was borne The 3. point shal be to meditate the glorious name of Iesus this day giuen to the Sonne of God which signifieth Sauiour and is taken of the end effect of his charity Of the name of Iesus for he came into the world to saue it and in effect did saue it if it had would As therefore heeretofore great Personages haue often gotten their names by their notable actions Great meÌ„ surnamed by their actions and were called by them as Ioseph the Patriarch Sauiour of the world because by his prouideÌ„ce he had preueÌ„ted the famine in Aegypt the Roman Captaines and Embassadours were called Africani Parthici Germanici by reason of the victory they had wone in Africa Gen. 4â— Parthia and Germany In like sort but by better title without comparison the Sonne of God is called Iesus that is Sauiour because he came to saue man and this was the reason which the Angell gaue to Ioseph Math. 1.28 fortelling him that the Son which Mary should beare should be called IESVS because he should saue his people And S. Peter sayth Act. 4.12 There is no other name vnder heauen whereby to be saued This is the name so song by the Prophets Isay sayth Isa 30.17 Behould the Name of our Lord commeth from farre He commeth at the beginning of the world for it was written in the booke of God from all eternity Also my people shall know my name in that day for my selfe that doe speake will be present that is to say when I shall be made man Exo i. 6.1 Prou. â—0 S. Tho. 1 q 13. a. 1. I shall take a name that my people shall know for that which I beare from all eternity which is the essentiall name of my Deity is a name hidden to men and Angells and cannot be knowne but to God It is a name ineffable This name IESVS shall be vnderstood of men for I wil make it knowne by good effects I will make manifest sayth another Prophet my holy name in the midest of my people And Isay Zaâ—h 39. He shall haue a new Name giuen him by the mouth of our Lord. He could not haue a fitter God-father Isa 62.2 for it to impose a name according vnto his nature be the worke and office of wise men who could better name the Son of God then the mouâ—h of God which is Wisedome it selfe To impose names iâ— the worke of a wise maÌ„ Plato in Crat. This name comprehendeth all the goodly names that are noted in the bookes of the Prophets Emanuel Counseller of God Prince of peace A strong God an admirable Name and other like are contayned within the compasse of this for Iesus is al this and much more O sweet and admirable name a name more beautifull then the morning or day more sweet then milke or hony more strong then armies wider then the whole world higher then heauen deeper then hell more noble then the crowne of Kings more rich then gold a Name full of Maiesty the glory of the heauens the terrour of the Diuels A speach to the name of Iesus the hope health of mankind By Thee death is life without thee pleasure is death with thee ignominy is nobility without thee nobility is ignominy with thee infirmity is strong without thee strength is weake and infirme by thee nothing is made all thinges and without thee all thinges doe vanish to nothing Be thou therefore alwayes with vs O admirable Name be thou graued in euerlasting letters in our spirit in our hart in our memory in tyme of peace in tyme of warre by night by day in ioy and sadnes in Towne and field be thou our direction and saluation in our Pilgrimage and our glory in our country To Iesus Sweet Iesus heire of this Name be vnto vs Iesus giue vs the grace to circumcise and cut off the superfluities of our flesh of our desires of our thoughts and actions of our harts eyes eares and of all our senses that after this spirituall and Christian Circumcision signifyed by that carnall of the Iewes we may be partaker of the wholsome effect of the same of the immortall glory of this Name To the B. Virgin And thou most benigne Mother who this day seest thy deere child Innocency it selfe enrolled in the catalogue of sinners for sinners and giuing his precious bloud as a pledge of his infinite charity and of our saluation who pierced with sorrow in thy soule didst shed virginall teares in compassion of him obtaine for vs by the merit of thy griefe and compassion the fruit of this guift the good fortune of this name that our bodyes may be circumcised and purged from all impurity that our soules may be cleane our thoughts and desires well
them behould heere one oppressed with the burden of his sinnes cryeth at thyne eares from the bottome of his hart If this thy Clemency be accustomed to preuent sinners and to receaue them into thyne armes to shew them mercy then behold one who casteth himselfe at thy feet confounded at his owne faults crying that he hath sinned against heauen Luc. 15. which he dareth not behould against thee to whome he dareth haue recourse hoping in thy mercies Heare my crye Luc. 18.15 O Father of mercies and receaue to mercy thy prodigall penitent sonne and who hast giuen me courage and strength to visit thee in this little-great house of thy Sonne Iesus Christ and kisse the walles and doores of that sacred Chamber which he and his mother haue sanctifyed a thousand wayes graunt me grace by the infinit merit of thy Sonne and of the glorious Virgin to serue thee all the dayes of my life with an entire and perfect hart And if I may be worthy to lift vp my handes to thy holy heauenly Throne for the body of thy Catholike Church For the whole Church whereof by thy grace I am a child and for those thou hast made worthy and principall members of the same I beseech thee O Lord for all the sayd Church in generall defend it increase it sanctify it according vnto thy power and mercy I beseech for him who in the same holdeth as from thee For the Pope the keyes of heauen that he may perfectly and faythfully gouerne this Common-wealth of thy house to thy honour and glory and the profit of the flocke committed to him for the Princes and Pastours who do assist him and vnder his authority haue the gouernement of souies For the Prelats that they may wisely instruct and faithfully defend their flocke and charitably feed them vnto life euerlasting For all Kinges and Christian Princes For ChristiaÌ„ Princes who vnder the protection of thy prouideÌ„ce do coÌ„mand the people that as true Fathers and Protectours of the publike good they may carry the raynes and gouernement of their earthly policy which thy power hath put into their handes may vse iustly the sword which they beare for the defence of Innocency and punishment of wickednes For the most Christian King his deere Queene the Princes of the bloud and all the Royall house and Realme For the King assist them O Lord with thy fauours and graces remembring the seruices which thy holy Church hath receaued of their Ancestours and of the French nation hauing heertofore often left their houses and countrey not sparing their goods nor their bloud to go buckle with the Squadrons of the enemyes of thy name and to replant the banner of the Crosse in barbarous Countryes But specially I present my most humble vowes prayers for this noble Fleuron-de-Lys Monsieur the Dauphine thy guift For the Prince and the hope of the Crowne of France Make him great in wisedome valour piety and in all those vertues which gaue the title of Most-Christian to his Ancestours the name of Great to Charlemaine S. Lewis the place and honour of a Saint in the Church of God to his great GraÌ„d-father Lewis the IX Make him great and holy on the earth there to be a stay and bulwarke to the Catholike faith the ioy of his Father and Mother the honour of the nobility and of his house and the rest and repose of his people that he may reigne one day in heauen in the rank of thy greatest Saints Assist the sonne who hast assisted the Father so many wayes and so meruailously that France vnder him may shine in piety abound in peace florish in glory and may be thy chosen Kingdome and the French nation thy well-beloued people I beseech thee Lord for all those to whome I am bound in any title whatsoeuer For benefactours of bloud benefits friendship or otherwise and who haue hope in my prayers for my Parents my friends For frieÌ„ds and enemies my enemies make them partakers of thy graces and me worthy to obtaine some thing for them O heauenly Father O mighty Sonne my soueraigne Lord and Maister equall to thy Father in power and bounty O Holy Ghost the bond of both To the B. Virgin O ineffable Trinity harken to my voice and heare my prayer O glorious Virgin the principall worke of this one and of these three most happy Mother faithfull Aduocate carry this my voice and prayer to the Sanctuary of this supreme Maiesty who hath made thee so great in heaueÌ„ and earth Obtaine for me an hart and forces to serue thee as a true Pilgrime all the tyme of my mortality to praise blesse and adore his greatnes and goodnes for euer in the Kingdome of heauen in the company of thy selfe the Angels Saints of al those for whome I am to present my humble requests This is the prayer I make to thee in thy holy Chamber departing from thence Adieu sacred Chamber Adieu noble little Palace Adieu pretty house more large then tâ—e whole world more rich then the Orient more pleasant then Paradise vpon earth The remembrance of thy Altars of thy pauements of thy walles and of thy wonders shall remayne alwayes planted in my hart as a liuely and pregnant memorial to stirre me vp to yield honour prayse and immortall thankâ— to the Sonne and the Mothet who with their honour haue made thee so honourable The After-dinner and Euening of the 30. day and the ninth of the Pilgrimes aboad How the Pilgrime departed from Loreto CHAP. XLII AFTER his spirituall refection he shall take his leaue of his friends bid them farewell thanking them and recommending himselfe to their prayers and taking necessary instructions for his returne and he shall not forget to doe some markeable Almes if he be able and hauing taken his corporall refection he shall depart in good tyme with a resolution to suffer much more for our Sauiour For in what measure he hath receaued new graces new light and forces he should also labour and do more in proofe and tryall of his loue for him in all occurrences For his Itinerarium and guide of his iourney he shall haue the Ten dayes of Lazarus The ten dayes of Lazarus which are the ten dayes iourney following whereby he shall take example and direction in the exercise of his deuotion in his way If the number of dayes be too short he shall diuide the meditation of one day into more to haue inough or shal take them els where and if he may returne in lesse tyme he may choose what will be fittest for him and leaue the rest and what is sayd of this third part of the ten dayes of Pilgrimage of lengthning or shortning the meditations according to the way may be practised in the precedent parts also THE RETVRNE OF THE PILGRIME OF LORETO Or the Ten dayes iourney of Lazarus The one and thirtith day of the
ng pag. 121 Chap. 29. A m dita ion of the 9. and 10. Commandements Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours wife nor his house nor his asse nor any thing that is his pag. 122 Chap 30. The Decaloge is a branch springing out of the law of nature A canticle of the Decaloge pag. 124 Chap. 31. Of the Euangelicall counsels of Grace gratuite and making gratfull and of the effects thereof pag. 127 Chap. 32. The 4. and 5. point of the precedent Meditation The 7 guifts of the Holy Ghost and the 8. Beatitudes pag. 131 Chap. 33. The Councels do facilitate the keeping of the Commandements pag. 134 Chap. 34. A meditation of good works pag. 134 Chap 35. Instructions remarkeable for good works pag. 137 A Canticle vpon good workes pag. 139 Chap. 36. A meditation of Sinne. pag. 139 Chap. 37. Of the 7. capitall sinnes commonly called Mortall and of their branches pag. 143 Chap 38. Of the 1. sinne which is that of Angels and of the 2. which 〈◊〉 Adam 〈◊〉 of the effects of â—â—em of sinne which euery man comâ—â—â—eth 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—eth the thâ—rd sort pag. 144 Chap. 39. Effectâ— of sinne and diuers punishments pag. 147 Chap. 40. A meditation of death the first effect of sinne p. 148 Chap. 41. Diuers sentences of death pag. 150 Chap. 42. A medit of iudgment particuler generall p. 151 Chap. 43. The separation of the good from the wicked after Iudgment pag. 154 Chap. 44. A meditation of Hell pag. 154 Chap. 45. Other meditations of the paynes of the damned p. 157 Cha. 46. Of generall Confession the parts of pennance p. 158 Chap. 47. Prayers thankes-giuing to God and the B. V. p. 161 A Canticle to the glorious Virgin pag. 162 Chap. 48. Of choosing a good Gostly Father or Confessour p. 163 Chap. 49. Of the examen before Confession pag. 164 Chap. 50 How to examine our conscience before ConfessioÌ„ p. 164 Chap. 51. A prayer to say before Confession pag. 166 Chap. 52. The order we must keep in Confession pag. 167 Chap. 53. A prayer to say after Confession pag. 167 The Pilgrimes abode at Loreto Chap. 1. A Meditation vpâ—n the holy Eucharist pag. 169 Chap. 2. The first point Of three figures of the holy Sacrament pag. 170 Chap. 3. The second point Of the Maiesty of our Sauiour in this Blessed Sacrament pag. 171 Chap. 4. The third point Of the effects of this holy Sacr. p. 172 Chap. 5 A speach to God and thankesgiuing pag. 173 Chap. 6. How to heare Masse pag. 174 Chap. 7. How a Christian should behaue himselfe in euery part of the Masse pag. 176 Chap. 8. Of the Communion pag. 179 Chap. 9. A prayer before receauing pag 1â—9 Chap. 10. A prayer after receauing pag. 180 Chap. 11. How to heare a Sermon pag. 181 Chap. 12. Exercises of deuotion pag. 184 Chap 13. A meditation of the Conception of the B. Vir. p. 185 Cha. 14. Of the purity of ChristiaÌ„ actions in their intentioÌ„ p. 188 Chap. 15. A meditation of the natiuity of the B. Virgin pag. 189 Chap. 16. Of the B. Virgins auncestours and of the vanity of worldly greatnes pag. 192. Chap. 17. A meditation of the Presentation of the B. Virgin in the Temple pag. 193 Chap. 18. The third point of the Meditation Of Virgin and men consecrated to Almighty God pag. 195 Chap. 19. A Meditation of the Espousal of the B. Virgins with S. Ioseph pag. 199 Chap. 20. The second point of the Meditation Of the causes of the Mariage betwene the B. Virgin and S. Ioseph pag. 201 Chap. 21. Of the rare vertues of S. Ioseph pag. 205 Chap. 22. Of the incarnation of the Sonne of God Of the misery of mankind when this happened pag. 207 Chap. 23. The third point of the Meditation The desires of the Saints dead and liuing of the comming of the Messias pag. 210 Chap. 24. Of the Annunciation made to the B. Virgin by the Angell Gabriell pag. 212 Chap. 25. How the Sonne of God was conceaued in the wombe of the Virgin pag. 216 Chap. 26. Of the goodnes of God in the mistery of his IncarnatioÌ„ pag. 218 Chap. 27. Of the VVisedome of God in the same Mystery p. 220 Chap. 28. Of the power of God in the same Mystery pag. 221 Chap. 29. Of the Visitation of the B. Virgin pag. 222 Chap. 30. Of the Canticle of the B. Virgin Magnificat pag. 225 Chap. 31. VVhat the B. V. did in the house of S. Elizabeth p. 228 Chap. 32. A Meditation of the Natiuity of our Sauiour p. 229 Chap. 33. Our Sauiour encountreth and ouercometh vices in his Infancy pag. 232 Chap. 34. Of the Circumcision of our Sauiour and of the Name of Iesus pag. 234 Chap. 35. A Meditation Of the Adoration of the three Kinges pag. 238 Chap. 63. A demonstration of the power of Iesus in the adoration of the Kinges pag. 240 Chap. 37. Of the Returne of the three Kinges pag. 242 Chap. 38. A meditation of the Presentation of IESVS in the Temple pag. 243 Chap. 39. Ceremonies and feastes instituted for men to acknowledge Originall sinne the root of all the misery of mankind pag. 245 Chap. 40. Of the Canticle Nunc dimittis pag. 247 Chap. 41. The Pilgrimes prayer at his departure from Loreto pag. 250 Chap. 42. How the Pilgrime departed from Loreto pag. 253 The Returne of the Pilgrime of Loreto Chap. 1. THE first Day of his Returne pag. 254. Chap. 2. Meditations vpon the flight of our Sauiour into Aegypt togeather with his glorious Mother and Ioseph p. 256 Chap 3. 1. The fountaine of Bees 2. A dinner and meeting 3. Presages of eloquence and the nature of Bees obserued fifty yeares by Aristomachus 4. The wonders of our Sauiour going into Ae ypt 5. The tree Persis adoreth him 6. The Idols of Aegypt ouerthrowne 261. Chap. 4. The arriual of the Pilgrimes at the Farme-house 1. Tables of Loreto and of the flight of our Sauiour into Aegypt 2. The ship of the Ragusians deliuered 3. Two Capuâ—hines and three country men a Supper 4. Three Slaues 5. One of Prouence The B. Virgin starre of the Sea 6. The practise of the examen of Conscience p. 269 Chap 5. A Meditation of the historâ— of little Iesus lost found in the midst of the Doctours in the Temple pag. 2â—9 Chap. 6. 1. Our Sauiour manifested not himselfe vntill 12. yeares 2. Theodosius found 3. Caried away by the Bandites 4 Made prisoner with Lazarus and Vincent 5. The plea and answere of Lazarus 6. All three deliuered pag. 283 Chap. 7. 1. Theodosius taketh againe his Pilgrimes weed 2. recouÌ„teth his fortune 3. The conuersion of Tristram 4. how he spred an occasion to saue himselfe 5. Of the Bandites who left their sort 6. Theodosius escaped out of their company pag. 293 Chap. 8. A Meditat of the youth and dwelling of Iesus Chriâ—t his Mother and S. Ioseph in Nazareth pag. 303 Chap. 9. 1. A discourse with two
admirable in this kind for thereon God gaue within a cloud the Tables of his law with many admirable preparations of thunder lightning sound of Trumpet and other signes of maiesty and where Moyses twice remayned forty dayes and fourty nights without meat or drinke Exod. 24.18 44 28. all which thinges haue made this place venerable with an immortal memory There be a thousand places more sanctifyed with like visions of God and of his Angells The apparition of Loreto admirable but none was euer so noble in this respect as this heauenly House and Chamber For the embassage of the Annuntiation made therein was an apparition most noble and diuine in euery circumstance of the thing it selfe of the person that ordained it and of the person that did it and of the fashion and manner how it was done The Scripture sayth expresly that the Archangell was sent on the behalfe of God which is to shew the dignity of this mission as being appointed immediatly from God and of purpose for although all good Angels come vnto men by the ordinaÌ„ce of God yet the Scripture is not wont to expresse so much but leaueth it to vs to belieâ—e But heer it declareth it in expresse termes to signify some thing extraordinary euen as it telleth vs Gen. 1.26 that God wheÌ„ he would make man sayd Let vs make man to our similitude and likenes to teach vs say Deuines by these wordes of deliberation that it was a higher worthier worke then the creatioÌ„ of other things where God did not vse this ceremonious language although he made them all with wisedome and prudence By this expression then is signifyed the maiesty of this embassage and apparition as also by the person sent which was the Angel Gabriel one of the greatest in the court of heauen bearing the name of our Sauiour whom he announced Theoph. in 2. Luc. 〈◊〉 Proc. Episc in ho. assidente Nestorio Vide Saâ—mer l. 3. p. 25. for Gabriel signifyeth Man God as Doctors interprete it a name proper to Iesus Christ the only Man God called Archangell by the holy Fathers not as being of the first order of the first Hierarchy but a Prince among the Angels as are among vs the name of Archbishop Archdeacon Archduke and such like title of dignity and not of order So the Angell that shal giue the signe of the great and last day is called by S. Paul Archangell that is a Prince of Angells as also S. Iude calleth S. Michael Archangell in that sense that S. Paul 1. Thesâ— 4 6. S. Iud. ep Dan. 10.13 and the Prophets called him Prince of Angells It was also conuenient sayth S. Gregory that the Embassadour of so soueraigne a worke as is the saluation of men should be one of the highest and that he who should be sent to a Virgin in whome the Sonne of almighty God should be incarnate Greg. hom 43. should surpasse the excellency of all the Angells and be one of the principall Spirits and of the Seraphims themselues by speciall prerogatiue and to confront Lucifer and Satan who were Princes of the Seraphims and the first workers and messengers of the fal and ruine of mankind The manner of this apparition was rare and singular for we must not doubt but that he appeared with an outward maiesty meet for his person and message with an extraordinary light in the forme of a heauenly yong man his face shyning as S. Aug. ser 14. in natiuit c. 10. Augustine sayth his habit glittering with a maiesticall regard and admirable presence The salutation was also without example for though Angells heeretofore haue shewed themselues to Agar Gen. 21.16 Iud. 13.9 and to the mother of Sampson and diuers other women we read not for all that they saluted theÌ„ either much or little But the Angell not only saluted but most honourably saluted her which caused the B. Virgin who was as low in humility as she was high in other vertues to be troubled at so great and vnaccustomed prayses Some Deuines haue written Albert. magn in postil that there were two other Angells companions to Gabriel in this Embassage to announce in the figure of the Trinity the IncarnatioÌ„ of the Sonne of God which was a true work of the selfe same very Trinity though Gabriel only did speake Gen. 18. euen as the prediction of the birth of Isaac was giuen by three persons whereof but one did speake This apparition therefore wherewith this holy House was honoured The maiesty of the Embassage of the AnnuÌ„ciation of the Son of God was before all others full of maiesty for all the circumstances and particularityes are not found in any neither is there any in others which is not found in this The apparition made to Abraham was noble for that there was present the B. Trinity in the forme of three men heere the same Trinity was peculiarly present in each person the Father sending his Sonne the Sonne taking flesh in the wombe of the Virgin the Holy Ghost also ioyning in the heauenly worke of this Incarnation and besides this a principall Angell in maiesty an Embassadour of God almighty The vision of Iacob was but a shaddow in respect of this Gen. 18. as also was the burning Bush and that of Sinai Exod. 3. where God gaue his Law and let himselfe be seene only in smoke and lightning and heard only by a voice framed in the ayre and by the sound of Trumpet heere he gaue his Sonne the author of the law to make himselfe be seene in him to speake by his word and by him to giue the Law and saluation to mortall men and let his Angells appeare in the most beautiful forme that euer they were seen in worthily to announce the mystery of all mysteries This apparition therefore wherewith this Chamber was honoured was euery way diuine how many more thinke we haue there beene since Luc. 2.13 How often haue the Angels come to adore their Lord in his infancy in his tender youth as they did adore and sing vnto him at his Natiuity How often haue they come to serue him in this little Cabbinet Matth. 4.11 as they did in the desert And who can doubt but that they did continually assist his humanity in earth whose sacred diuinity they continually assist in Heauen And though the Scripture hath not expressed it in plaine words it hath signifyed it by silence thinking it needlesse and superfluous to specify that which euery Christian may iudge certaine and vndoubted this was then a house of continuall apparitions and heauenly vision and honourable in this respect aboue all other places of the world Places made famous by the habitation of holy men and Saints and that the house of Loreto is most honourable in this respect CHAP. XVI THE fourth quality that maketh a place honourable The 4. cause habitation of Saints is the dwelling and frequenting of great persons so
we see that all Palestine in generall is called the Holy Land because it was inhabited and haunted by Abraham Isaac Iacob and other holy Patriarches but principally because the Sauiour of the world being made man there conuersed with men and hath sanctifyed it by his pilgrimages therein after him the Apostles and other the chiefe and first ornaments lights of the primitiue Church In particuler we read of diuers places inhabited by Saints to haue beene in great honour reuerence Places holy by the habitation of Saints as among others was that Denne in the desert where S. Iohn Baptist dwelt froÌ„ his childhood vntill he came forth to preach pennance testify Iesus Christ Also Bethania the house of Mary Magdalen and Martha neere vnto Hierusalem Io. 11.18 where our Sauiour raysed their brother Lazarus from death at which place S. Hierome sayth was built a Church for christians All Aegypt and Syria Hier. de locu sacru was heeretofore full of places sanctifyed in this sort as there be also many such yet amongst Christians But if euer place were priuiledged in this respect it is this Chamber of the B. Virgin for it hath receaued and entertayned for guests and inhabitants the noblest persons of Heauen and earth Nicâ—ph l. 〈…〉 First the B. Virgin was there borne and brought vp vntill the third yeare of her age when she was presented in the Temple of Hierusalem where hauing remained eleauen yeares or therabout she returned to Nazareth remayned there almost vntill the death of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the holy of holyes dwelt there after his returne out of Aegypt about the seauenth yeare of his age 〈◊〉 9 5â— vntill the thirtenth yeare when he began to manifest himselfe to the world and not to haue as he sayd to those that desired to follow him any house of his owne wherein to rest his head I speake not of S. Ioachim S. Anne Luc. 9.58 S. Ioseph that dwelt there also neither of S. Zachary S. Elizabeth S. Iohn the Apostles and Disciples of our sauiour and all those worthy lights of the Law The Saints who dwelt in the house of the B. Virgin and the Ghospel both before the death of our Sauiour and after who were all often there It is inough of these two starres Iesus Christ I meane and his glorious Mother and especially of the one of them not only to exalt the dignity of this little house aboue the greatnes of all royall pallaces that euer were but also aboue the maiesty of Salomons Temple and aboue the sanctity of all the holy places held in veneration all the tyme of the Law of Nature and of Moyses inough to make this house to be truly called an heauenly Pallace or a terrestriall Heauen where God and his heauenly and angelicall Court doth dwell For who can doubt but that the sacred Trinity was there daily present after a speciall and singular manner the Father and the Holy Ghost with the Sonne when this Sonne the selfe same essence with them cloathed with our Nature dwelt there corporally visible and continually And there being God in his Maiesty The court of heauen could the Angells Archangells Principalityes Powers Vertues Dominations Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims faile to be there in state and magnificall array to admire serue adore this supreme Deity this diuine Humanity O little House 9. orders of Angels O royal Pallacâ— O diuine lodging O sacred Cabinet O paradise not earthly as that of Adam but heauenly seeing thou hast entertayned within thee the God of maiesty the felicity and happines and most bright and glorious light of heauen How the house of Loreto is admirable for diuers diuine touchings CHAP. XVII OF this habitation whereof I speake ensueth another cause which doth greatly aduance the honour of this place in a thoâ—sand manners For since our Sauiour The fifth cause of touching his holy Mother and diuers other Saints dwelt there how often in this their dwelling lid they sanctâ—fy it by their comming and going by their breathing and looking by their holy talke communication by the spirit and fire of their prayers and by so many workes of Religion of piety of mercy and other actions of vertue which they did during their residence there How often hath the holy Humanity sighing for our miseries Iesus Christ honoured this House sanctifyed with his breath the walles of that chamber How many tymes walking and working therein hath he hallowed it with his steppes of Obedience How often longing sighing after our RedeÌ„ption hath he honoured this house by there laying vp his sighes and desires How often hath the glorious Virgin his Mother made this place honourable by the offices and seruices of Charity of deuotion of piety of teares other signes and markes of sanctity Chaines sanctifyed And if by the only touch of the Apostles or Martyrs bodyes bandes and iron chaines haue become more noble then the Crownes Scepters of Kings and haue receaued power and vertue to expell wicked spirits to heale innumerable diseases and to raise the dead what glory and satisfaction shall we thinke that this little ChaÌ„ber hath receaued so often honoured with the conuersation of these most holy guests Which hath beene so familiarly visited and haunted by the presence of such noble bodyes Which hath beene so cleerly enlightned by the beams of these diuine stars And if the Crosse The Crosse which was the bed of our Sauiours last ill rest and torment if the launce which pierced his side if the sponge which reached him Vinegar to drinke if the thornes that crowned his head if the nailes that pierceâ— his handes feet if the other instruments of his paine and Passion if the Sepulcher that lodged his body if so many places as this body touched were made diuine by a short touch and as it were in passin g who will doubt but that ground of this holy house troden on by the feet of this Lord and Lady ayred witâ— their breath touched with their handes for so many yeare hath beene thereby singularly sanctifyed What place therforâ— in the earth what habitation in the whole world is more noble and honourable by this title then that of Loreto Places famous for some great or mysticall effects and that heerein Loreto is more admirable then them all CHAP. XVIII The sixth cause of mystery THE holy Scripture as also profane Histories do reporâ— vnto vs diuers places that are made memoraâ— by thâ— sixt cause that is by some high and secret worke by some action of rare vertue some sacrifice some battaile some victory some sacrament or some other thing verily diuine or sâ— accounted The old Testament recoÌ„mendeth vnto vs the mouÌ„taine Moria made noble by the obedience of Abraham Gen. 22.2 when hâ— layd his sonne Isaac vpon the Altar to sacrifice him The mouÌ„â— Thabor was made famous by the noble victory of
Debora Iud 4.13 The valley of Terebinthus where Dauid a child fighting the field for the hoast of the Lord of hoastes 1. Reg. 17 caused the great Giant Goliath to kisse the ground and cut off his head with his owne sword getting the victory which was a notable figure of our redemption Places sanctifyed in the law of Grace The new testament doth also affoard vs many places famous in this fashion The desert wherein S. Iohn who waâ— sanctifyed in his mothers wombe passed all his youth in austerity of seuere pennance instructing sinners to purge themselues and those that were good to perfect themselues The other desert where our Sauiour fasted fourty dayes fourty nights Matth. 4. and repelled the Diuell his tempter with confusion that where he filled fiue thousand men with fiue loaues two Fishes Ioan. 6. The mountaine of Thabor where he shewed the glory of his body transfigurated to Moyses Matth. 17 Elias and his three Apostles and the other where he made that worthy sermon coÌ„tayning the eight Beatitudes most of them Paradoxes to the wisedome of the foolish world The mount of Caluary The mountaine of Caluary where fighting in the field of his Crosse he ouercame the truâ— Goliath and his troupes giuing him a deadly blow in his forehead with the weapons and stones of his death and humility The parlour of the Eucharist The house wherein he changed water into wine also where he made his last supper with the Paschall Lambe substituting for it the true Lambe in the institution of the Sacrament of his body That where he powred downe that heauenly loue of the Holy Ghost in forme of fiery tongues Of the Holy Ghost and a thousand places more illustrated with some worke of the almighty power wisedome or goodnes Profane writings also haue their places famous in this respect their mountaines of Olympus Parnassus Ossa Pelion and such other bearing the memory of some worke of their pretended Goddes or of some great man in their Law their Lake of Lerna where Hercules killed Hydra dreadfull to the whole countrey of the Argians Strabo 〈◊〉 8. Their denne of Salamine where Euripides wrot his Tragedie and other places which I omit not to be too long in laying forth a verity for the which the testimony of Gentils are too commoÌ„ and too often giuen in their bookes full of recommendation of such like places But when we shall haue reckoned vp by name the most renowned places of all the world as well out of profane Writers as out of the sacred Scriptures the Chamber of Loreto exceedeth them all in this condition The chaÌ„ber of Loreto more famous in such mysteries in hauing been the closet where the marriage of the Sonne of God with our humane Nature was celebrated in the B. Virgins womb the most high and mysterious worke that the holy Trinity maker of all thinges did euer accomplish for therein God was made man the Creator a creature the supreme cause an effect the Word flesh the spirit did take a body the first â—s become last and Alpha Omega the incomprehensible is enclosed in the wombe of a Virgin Eternity hath subiected it selfe to tyme the Almighty is become weake the soueraigne wisedome goeth to schoole to learne the souueraigne goodnes doth suffer and contrarywise on the other part Man was made God the Creature Creator flesh was made the word â—he body tooke a spirit the last was made first and Omega Alpha the little became incomprehensible tyme hath passed â—o eternity infirmity became almighty folly supreme wiseâ—ome mortality became to giue life and suffering felicity This is the mystery of mysteries the first foundation of all that the Christian fayth adoreth in the Church of God The IncarnatioÌ„ is the ground of al mysteries Christian feasts Natiuity Circumci ioÌ„ c. The fouÌ„dation of that of the Natiuity of the Circumcision of the Passion Resurrection Ascension of the sending of the Holy Ghost of all the feastes of Saints of the B. Virgin his mother his Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Virgins For the Son of God being once made man gaue ground and footing to all these solemnities and without it we had had none al were inclosed in the sacred bosome of this worke and mystery and can there be any thing greater or more admirable May the Creation of a thousand worlds be compared to the maiesty of this exploit And this diuine Chamber hauing beene the House and Closet wherein it was performed doth it not coÌ„prise in it selfe the very maiesty of all the remarkable thinges and places of the old Testament all which did figure and had relation to this Incarnation Hath it not more honour in it then if it had beene a Temple with a thousand altars or an altar or a thousand sacrifices More then the mountaines of Moria Thabor Then the valley of Terebinthus of S. Iohns desert Or finally then all the places in the world honoured with any token or signe of diuinity put togeather O little Chamber more capable at that tyme then the whole world enclosing with thy walles the Virgin that was great with him whome the largenes and capacity of the Heauens could not comprehend a Chamber more rich then all the Princely pallaces that euer ware contayning the endles treasure of felicity a chamber more cleere and bright then the day hauing in thy bosome the glorious morning and true Sunne Thrice honourable for this mystery alone The chaÌ„ber of the B. Virgin the first chappell of Christians and thrice honourable also for hauing beene the first of all earthly houses erected and dedicated for a Christian Temple by the Apostles where the body of the same Sonne of God was as it is still offered in an vnbloudy sacrifice and Masse was celebrated after the descent of the holy Ghost in that happy infancy of the Church of God made therein a most worthy noble match to that parlour which entertayned our Sauiour when he instituted the sacrament and sacrifice of his B. Body before his Apostles the night before he was deliuered for vs more honourable in this respect then the Temple of Salomon which contained nothing but Altars where the bodyes of dead beastes were sacrificed The holy of holies or the saÌ„ctuary of the Temple whereas in this Chappell was also an Altar which caryed the oblation of the body of the sonne of God more worthy also by this honour then the place of the sayd Temple which is called Sancta Sanctorum Holy of Holyes for there was but the materiall arke of the Hebrews whereas this Chappell containeth in verity Iesus Christ the Holy of all Holyes That the House of Loreto is renowned by miracles CHAP. XIX THE seauenth cause that maketh a place venerable The 7. cause of miracles are miracles which either are done or haue beene done thereat which are most certaine testimonies of the presence of God there seeing
we can alleadge notwithstanding as we belieue that this soueraigne wisedome doth not will or worke any thing but to a good end and with good lawes for the instruction of men so may we discerne by that light it pleaseth him to communicate vnto vs in the secret of his principall actions some reasons of this inequality as well in the workes of Nature as in those of Religion In nature the first reason He hath diuersly diuided his guifts of Nature First to giue vs to vnderstand that he is the first author of all good If euery thing had growne euery where men would haue thought that it proceeded only of the vertue of heauen and earth but seeing this diuersity and not seeing the cause they haue good occasion to haue recourse to that supreme power to belieue The 2. reason that there is a God that commandeth nature making it fertill or barren where he thinketh good Secondly so much the clearer to make the beames of his bounty wisedome shine vnto vs beautifying adorning the whole world with this variety of effects and linking togeather the society of men by the plenty and wants of the countryes where they dwell taking one of another what they want and yielding that wherein they abound In his Kingdome of the Church he vseth the like variety also The Saints differ in glory in heauen 1. Cor. 15 first to shew that it is he that distributeth his graces according vnto the counsell of his prudence without dependaÌ„ce of any other cause or subiect Secondly to honour in earth the memory of his Saints one aboue another euen as he maketh their soules differently like diuers starres to shine in heauen and finally to succour his children according to their necessity which are greater in one place then in another and to giue occasion to diuers nations to visit one another to linke them togeather by Pilgrimages made by occasion of such places Why God hath glorifyed the B Virgin in so many places specially in Loreto All which reasons may serue for an answere to the demaÌ„d made in particuler why God hath much in so many places honoured the name of the B. Virgin and especially the place whereof we speake It is in glorifying her to let vs see the glory of his treasures to make glorious aboue all creatures in the earth the mother of his Sonne as he hath made her shine aboue all in heauen And if he hath honoured his seruants liuing and dead in euery thing that appertayned to them working miracles by their hand-kercheâ—s their girdles Act. 5.15 〈…〉 their shadowes their bones the dust of their bodyes why should we wonder that he would honour the B. Virgin in all these maÌ„ners in her habits in her Images in all places of Christianity and namely in this where she conceaued the glory of heauen and earth Iesus Christ Where she brought him vp serued him adored him so often with the care charity and tendernes of a mother nurse and daughter most faythfull most feruent most humble And seing by the meanes therof she hath giuen the Sauiour and saluation to the whole world shall it seeme strange that he should gratify mortall men with his guifts and graces by her prayers and intercessioÌ„ and particulerly in this place of her natiuity and dwelling of her most feruent offices and seruices of Religion Let therfore those seduced people who for this honour done to the mother of God doth accuse the Catholicke Church of Idolatry marke heere and els where in these workes the hand of God liberall in her honour and let them accuse their owne misbeliefe and not our deuotion except they will also accuse God who by so many wonders as he doth by her doth inuite and stirre vs vp to honour serue and call vpon her to be by her helped vnto life euerlasting Of the honour of Vowes and presents and guifts of Religion offered at Loreto CHAP. XXI THE vowes and presents of deuout persons are also witnesses and testimonyes of their handes The 8. cause of vowes and reall signes of the sanctity of the place By this meanes haue diuers places of the world become famous and renowned not only among the children of God but also amongst the Paynimes as the Temple of Diana in Ephesus of Apollo in Delphos of others in other Countreyes To honour God with his guifts is a natural inclination this proceeding of the naturall inclinatioÌ„ and reuerence imparted to all men to iudge it an holy worke and a liberality acceptable to God to honour with holy guifts and offeringes places dedicated to his name and sanctifyed with some steepe of his maiesty And doubtles if they had not erred in choosing ill in taking false Gods insteed of the true and had made their vowes and offeringes to their Creatour and not to Idols they iudged aright of the ceremonies For this instinct being a branch of diuine and humane law the action proceeding from being good in the root could not faile to be well receaued of him who is the author of nature and iustice bounty it selfe But leauing these places renowned amongst the Gentils to speake only of those that are famous amongst the children of God amongst the Iewes vnder the law of Moyses the Temple of Hierusalem was greatly honoured with presents not only of the Kinges and people of the Iewes themselues but also of diuers Pagan Lordes and Princes 2. Macha 32. The Kings sayth the history of the Machabees and Princes esteemed the place of Hierusalem worthy of great veneration and honoured the Temple with many rich guifts After the comming of the Sonne of God when the Church hauing ouercome the rage of Tyrants and of Paganisme had once calme seas ChristiaÌ„ Temples honored through ChristeÌ„dome and sure footing then might be seene through all his Kingdome Temples erected and holy places honoured in this sort In Asia Europe Africa and els where as the Ecclesiasticall historyes doe teach vs with the testimony of the Temples yet standing heeretofore founded and endowed by Christians Emperours Kinges and Princes frequented to this day by Pilgrimes with vowes and presents from all partes of the world where Christianity and Catholike fayth doth reigne But to the point of our purpose and in one word to shut vp this discourse I say that if euer ony place was illustrated by the guifts of Christian Princes children of God in any age it is this of Loreto for the Kinges and Potentats of al Europe the Popes and the great Prelates of the Church communalties and cittyes and an infinit number of people comming froÌ„ all parts of the Christian world haue thither sent and brought their riches to honour God in the memory and house of the B. Notable offerings to the House of Loreto Virgin the mother of his Sonne for all these earthly guifts or offerings they haue receaued and carried backe the notable guifts of
house then the earth a dwelling common to the beasts also and to the creatures of vilest and basest condition yea although he had not sinned this base world had beene assigned vnto him notwithstanding as a land of pilgrimage not painefull and wretched as it is now but gracious and honourable where hauing a while delighted himselfe with the contemplation of his Creatour and his goodly workes and in thankesgiuing for the benefits receaued of that supreme bounty without any death or payne he should haue mounted with his body to heauen his true Countrey there to raigne for euer in the company of Angels his countrey-men and fellow-cittizens The earth therfore was graunted giuen vnto him as a dwelling pleasant indeed yet not perpetuall but only for a tyme as it were in passing so by reason of this preheminence he was still a Pilgrime and no Cittizen Why mans pilgrimage heer is so paineful Now the cause why this pilgrimage is so painefull and full of miseries is the sinne of Adam for the which he was driuen out of the earthly Paradise and became a poore Bandit about the world and in him all his posterity and race of mortall children were depriued for the most part of the dominion of the world which was their portion and inheritance moreouer for this old fault and for other new dayly committed by themselues they are made subiect to cold heat hunger thirst wearines want dangers from men and beastes strangers one to another and enemyes one to another and finally condemned to a thousand miseryes incident to this life last of all to death that dolefull close of all our whole pilgrimage if it be not made in the grace of God The fourth point shall be to consider the course of the pilgrimage limited with two boundes our birth and our death 4. The bondes a small tyme for all whereas the lasting of tyme cannot be but short though the tyme were long yet lesse for some then for some other by reason of a thousand chances and accidents that trauerse and ouerthwart our life and doe hasten vnto many the boundes assignation of death The fifth point shall consider the saying of S. Peter 5. Man must liue like a pilgrime 1. Pet. 2.19 exhorting Christians in these wordes My well beloued I beseech you to abstaine as strangers and pilgrimes from carnall desires that fight against the soule And therupon we must consider the great blindnes of the most part of men who forgetting their condition and pilgrimage do liue vpon the earth as if they should abide there alwayes without euer lifting vp their eyes to heauen mans true country The speach shall be a summary of all these points The colloquy or speach of the prayer where the pilgrime hauing his soule enlightned by the light of this meditation and possessed with a new loue of heauen and disdaine of the earth and so much the more straightly vnited to his Creatour whome he hath perceaued to be so bountifull and wise in disposition of his guifts he shall speake confidently vnto his Maiesty and thanke him and intreat him demanding his ayde and help happily to beginne and end his pilgrimage in these or such like wordes O Lord with what hart shall I loue thee and with what tongue shall I prayse and thanke thee I say not for thy benefits receaued from thy holy hand since my first being but eueÌ„ for that which thou dost bestow vpoÌ„ me at this very time in the cleere knowledge of thy wisedome and bounty of my own estate conditioÌ„ I see O my soueraigne that thou hast created this world with an admirable variety of creatures ordayned for my vse and sustenance and that thou hast made me to be borne vpon earth endowed me with thy owne image and likenes there to liue not for euer as a Cittizen but for a small tyme as a pilgrime there to passe and walke there to serue thee as long as tyme shall last and after come to enioy thee for euer in heauen in that celestial Citty of thy Kingdom a Citty built of gold and precious stones vpon the foundations of eternity and rich in glory infinit treasures I see this world is but a pilgrimage a mortall and short race and that aboue thou hast founded the land of the liuing and the seat of our rest and repose for them that will passe this way-faring habitation in the obseruatioÌ„ of thy holy lawes O how great is thy liberality To make so small account of the guift present of the vniuersall world enriched and beautifyed with so many tokeÌ„s of thy greatnes as to giue it man only for his Inne and passage What a place then may that be which thou hast prepared for him to dwell with thee in all eternity If the common Cabbine for beastes be so magnificall what shall be the Pallace which thy Maiesty reserueth for him in the company of thy immortall spirits the Princes and Nobles of thy heauenly Court O my Creatour may it please thee to graunt me an inflamed desire to serue thee and meanes to enioy thee one day in the dwelling of thy pallace there and an assured direction of all my actions and affections to walke that way and to arriue there keep me from wondering at my Cottage forgetting of thy Pallace Ap ayer to the B. Virgin O most holy Virgin who already reignest there most happily exalted aboue the highest seates of honour help my infirmity with thy authority and whilest I am thy pilgrime towards thy litle-great house of Nazareth obtaine me the grace happily to accomplish my great pilgrimage begun from the wombe of my mortall mother which must be ended in the graue in the bosome of my other mother The earth our graÌ„d Mother If it please thee to aske thou canst not misse to obtaine all that is necessary for my end for how can the Father refuse thee who hath chosen thee for mother to his Sonne And that Sonne being the Sauiour of men how can he repell his Mother treating for my saluation And the holy Ghost equall to them both what can he deny thee by whose worke thou hast brought forth the Sauiour of the world receaued the Title of the Mother of God! Aske then O most mighty gracious Virgin the graunt is assured to thee in thy power grace and to me in this graunt the fauour and assistance of God The Pilgrime hauing armed his soule with this prayer taketh his refection for his body signing his forehead mouth and breast with the signe of the Crosse goeth out of his lodging on his way with the accustomed farewell to thâ—se of the house and he shall begin the steps of his pilgrimage vnder the protection of God and of the glorious Virgin his good Angell who must guide him as Raphael did young Toby The afternoone and euening of the first dayes Iourney The likenes of the Pilgrimage of mans
the good we haue in body and soule and in all the whole world and at whose handes we expect eternall felicity By these such like discourses the Pilgrime shal kindle the fire of his meditation to heate himselfe in the loue of God and to make his soule diuinely amorous of him whome he is bound to honour and serue withall his hart and all his strength and shall shut vp his discours with this speach or a better if God shall put it in his mouth A prayer to God O Lord how iust and absolute is thy Law in al respects and how reasonable are thy precepts Is it not iustice it selfe that he hath ordayned who is al wise that he hath commanded who is Almighty That he may be acknowledged who is all good Is there any thing more iustly due on our part or more fit and conuenient for vs thy creatures then to loue the supreme beauty To admire the supreme wisedoeme To adore thee supreme Deity To serue thee supreme Power To embrace thee to reuerence thee to accomplish all thou commandest with so many titles of right and maiesty But to whome shall I giue my loue and seruice if I refuse it to thee to whome I owe seruice and homage of all that I possesse hauing receaued all of none other but of thy holy handes And who dost further promise to giue me thy selfe also in recompence if I acknowledge thy benefits in keeping thy holy Law And what profit hast thou of my loue and seruice Why God would be loued serued by vs. or what harme if I doe not loue and serue thee None at all O my Lord what then moueth thee to demand this deuotion at my hand but thine owne infinit bounty thereby to find occasion to shew thy selfe yet more liberall vnto me Be then more liberall still O my King and most mercifull Father grant me if it please thee sufficient light vnderstanding to penetrate the beauty of thy Lawes The mouÌ„taine of God is the knowledge of his Law and the bond I haue to keep them Take me vp into thy mountaine that I may heare thee speake kindle in me the heauenly fire of thy holy loue that I may cleerly see thy holy will and happily descend to the practise of thy commandements that I may walke with a light foot and a fiery affection the way of thy holy Law and that at the end of my course I may find thee aboue in heauen there to admire and adore thee for euer in the mountaine of thy eternall felicity The after dinner and the euening of the second day CHAP. IX AFTER dinner the Pilgrime eyther alone or with coÌ„pany shall for his spirituall recreation sing the Canticle following concerning the ten Commandements A Canticle of the Law of God the way of this life Now fellow-Pilgrimes euery one Our harts and voices let vs tune To sing with a glad courage The Law which must vs alwayes lead And teach vs truely how to tread The paths of this our pilgrimage Adore one God that 's Soueraigne Take not his holy Name in vaine Rest vpon the Sabboth day To holy workes see thou attend Thy sighes vnto thy maker send Him in all thinges prayse and pray Honour with a reuerence milde Father and Mother as a child The soueraigne high Iustice Shall be thy helper alwayes And will prolonge thy dayes On earth for that seruice Stretch not thy murderous hand nor knife To kill or hurt thy Neighbours life Nor with aduoutry staine his couch Fly all light and wanton nicenes Forbeare eke of couetousnes Thy Neighbours goods to touch False witnes see thou beare gainst none Speake good not ill of euery one Let thy sayings be sooth and true Couet not of others good Neyther VVife nor liuely-hood Nor ought of any value These are Gods ten holy Sawes These are his ten diuine Lawes This is the Harpe of ten stringes Which King Dauid playd vpon That sweet Psalmist and whereon The soule deuout Gods prayses sings Let this Harpe be day and night Our hart our loue our whole delight Alwayes sounding in our eare Let our eyes still this behould Let our hands this Harpe fast hould Let our feet still this way weare This sayd he shall repeat his morning meditation or meditate some other matter that may seeme proper to the circumstances of the time place and his owne deuotion And he shall not faile to bespeake the B. Virgin for his Aduocate to God that he may well hold the way of his Law in this banishment and exile and attaine the end of his great pilgrimage which is heauen He shall say the old deuout Salue Regina or some other Hymne to the honour of the sayd Mother of God And in these and such like exercises solacing his trauaile he shall end his iourney when tyme shall aduertise him to take his lodging to repose if he find any Inne or to merit by patience if he must endure some discomodity of the seraine or ayre without dores at the signe of the Starre The fourth Day A Meditation vpon the first Commandement Thou shalt not haue any other Gods before me Thou shalt not make any grauen Idol CHAP. X. AFTER the Pilgrime hath meditated in generall of the Law of God Thou shalt adore and loue one oÌ„ly God perfectly he shall come to euery Article in particuler and goe forward in spirit as well as in body and therfore his principall meditation vpon the fourth day shall be of the first commandement The prayer preparatiue and the first preamble shal be as before The second preamble shall frame in his imagination the two Tables of the Law and shall behould them as before his eyes In the first he shall read the first Commandement written with the finger of God in great letters THOV SHALT NOT HAVE ANY OTHER GODS BEFORE ME THOV SHALT NOT MAKE ANY GRAVEN IDOLL The first point of meditation shall marke The expâ—â—â—tion of the wordes of the CoÌ„mandement that this commandement is the conclusion of the clause precedent I am the Lord hy God as if God had sayd I am thy God therefore thou shalt haue no other but me And the meaning is that as he is the only God so only should he be acknowledged for God and Lord Almighty all wise all good Creatour of heauen and the first cause of all thinges This acknowledgement is called of the Deuines by a Greeke word Latria which soundes as much Argu. de â—â—â—ip Deâ— l 10. c. 1. 4. Idem con Faust. lib. 19. 20. cap. 21. as soueraigne honour and supreme worship due to God only and to none other and comprehendeth two parts the one inward in the soule which requireth that we haue such esteeme and beliefe of God in verity as we should without any mixture of errour or heresie the other outward in the body whereby we honour him with sacrifices visible adoration and the fruites of our goods The second
point shal consider that this honour worship is payed by the fine of the three Theologicall vertues How this honour is yielded to God Fayth Hope and Charity By Fayth we belieue that God is an essence infinite eternall incomprehensible one God in three persons the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost God that hath created the world and gouerneth it with his power and wisedome and hath redeemed it by his bounty and by his iustice shall giue vnto euery one according to his workes This is the subiect of Fayth and the rest that is contayned in the Apostles Creed By Hope we haue our soueraigne trust in him expect of him as of our first cause and last end help and succour in the necessityes of this world and eternall glory in the other By Charity we loue and serue him with all our hart aboue all thinges according to his titles of Maiesty adoring honouring him with the inward acts of our soule and outwardly by corporall workes agreeable to our fayth and inward actions also by first fruits and tithes of our goods but principally by sacrifices as the iust haue alwayes done before the comming of our Sauiour by their sacrifyces made of the bodyes of mortall creatures Masse the great sacrifice of the ChristiaÌ„s and afterward Christians by that of the Holy Masse wherein is offered vnto God the immortall body of his only Sonne in an vnbloody sacrifyce after the Order of Melchisedeth The third point shall obserue as conclusions drawne out of the two precedent that all those that adore many Gods giue the soueraigne honour due to God only to their Idols and false Gods as the Pagans did and doe still that they are Idolatours and breakers of his first Commandement as are also all other Infidels Iewes Turkes Heretikes Magicians Sorcerers and all sortes of superstitious people as also they that despaire or put their chiefe trust or coÌ„fidence in creatures of whome Hieremy sayeth Accursed is he that trusteth in man Ierem. â—7 5. that is as in God and that putteth flesh for his arme and draweth his hart from God They also that loue any creature more then God eyther Angells men women children goodes landes or any thing els whereby they leaue to serue God with all their hart or which is worse doe altogeather forsake him despising his Lawes and Commandements The fourth point shall teach To honour Saints is not against this commaÌ„demeÌ„t that it is not against this coÌ„mandment to honour with a second not soueraigne honour some creatures according vnto that degree of excellency that God hath bestowed vpon them as Fathers Mothers Kings Magistrats with a ciuill honour The B. Virgin the Angels and Saints departed and reigning in heauen with a religious honour to prayse them and pray to them and desire their help as being the friends of God and faithfull Hier. in Vigil epist. 53. Damas l. 14. ortho fidei c. 16. Basil in 40. Mart. Naz. ora 55. Cyp. Athan. Basil and charitable intercessours for our necessityes in heauen as when they liued they were vpon earth And this honour and seruice doth not derogate to the Maiesty of God but doth increase his honour praysing and honouring him not only in himselfe but also in his seruants whome he hath made heeretofore instruments of our saluation in his Church militant and afterwards glorious lightes in his Church triumphant where they pray him without ceasing and intercede for vs are carefull for vs as for the members of the same body In the fifth point he must consider how that Images and the honouring of them vsed in the Church of God Chrys de cateâ— S. Petri. is not repugnant to that part of the commandement which forbiddeth carued Idolls for an Idoll is the representation of a false Deity as those of the Paynimes that represented Saturne Iupiter and other false Gods or those that euery ones fancy did faine and forge vnto himselfe An Image is a representation of a true thing of God of Iesus Christ of an Angell of a Saint and the honour done vnto it is referred and redoundeth to the patterne therof and therefore as it is piety to honour Iesus Christ his Angells and Saints although with diuers degrees so also is it to honour their Images as things appertayning vnto them in that they represent them and as heÌ„ honoureth the King with a ciuil honour The Image of a king capable of ciuill honour who honoureth his Image so he honoureth God and his seruants deceased who honoureth their representations This is not therfore to adore the gold siluer wood stone after the manner of Idolatours but to honour God and his Saints in those thinges that represent their memory after the manner of Christians The speach shall giue thankes to God for the light of this his commandement and shall aske his ayde to performe it The after-dinner and Euening of this fourth dayes Iourney How the iustice of God doth shine in his first Commandement Prayers to auoyd the Idolls of false Christians CHAP. XI IN the Afternoone hauing made some Meditation proper for the day or some other spirituall exercise vpon the occasions of tymes How straitly man is bound to serue God or places he shall resume the pointes of his morning meditation and shall admire the iustice the importance and fruit of this Commandment for what can be more due and agreable then the soueraigne honour to the soueraigne Lord Supreme loue to the supreme Bounty Supreme respect to the supreme wisedome What more strait bond of Obedience can there be then of the creature to the Creatour of the sonne to the Father of the vassall to his Lord Liege To whose glory should man employe all the actions of his soule and body better then on him of whome he hath both soule and body vnderstanding will memory all the interiour facultyes of his soule his eyes eares nose tongue hands and all the exteriour parts and members of his body And finally of whome he hath his being of whome he dependeth by whome he is redeemed and from whome he expecteth endlesse glory So shall our pilgrime discourse and say vnto himselfe A speach to his soule O my soule adore this Lord seeing he is thy soueraigne serue him with all thy might seeing he is Almighty loue him with all thy hart seeing he is all louely serue him with al thy powers seing they come all of him seing thou hast nothing good that commeth not from him that made thee that redeemed thee who preserueth thee and hath giuen thee all this world and his owne only Sonne will giue thee himselfe at the last of himselfe prepare thee a blessed banquet and feast of felicity He shall speake also vnto God and say O my soueraigne Lord my Father my all in all be thou alwayes my Lord my Father my God and let me be alwayes thy seruant and thy sonne Let my vnderstanding adore
all the workes of our Redemption as the seauenth day before was the end of all the workes of Creation on which day we celebrate the memory of this great benefit specially with the holy Sacrifice of the Masse the liuely representation of the same in the oblation and sacrifice of the Body of our Sauiour The third shall obserue The cause of the institution of feasts that Iesus Christ hath ordained feasts for his Church as dayes of spirituall rest and repose and running tables which in a yearely course doe containe and caâ—y the memory of all his benefits to the end as S. Augustine sayth that by fall of tyme they be not forgotten Aug. ser de tempo And these feastes are as well those which containe the celebration of his mysteries as of his Natiuity Easter Pentecost and the like â—s those that are dedicated to the B. Virgin Mary his glorious mother his Apostles and Saints The fourth shall discourse concerning our deuotion in â—â—uly celebrating the Sundayes and holy dayes How we must celebrate Sundaies feasts which consiâ—â—eth first in flying all that may hinder the exercise of deuotioÌ„â—n those dayes as are seruile workes of the field of ploughâ—â—g or of the towne as are any occupation or attending to â—â—mporall affaires as suites buying and selling and such like â—uill negociation Secondly to obserue what the Church coÌ„â—andeth and teacheth to be kept as to heare Masse which is an ordinance of the Apostles To heare Masse on holy days is an Apostolicall Tradition renewed by diuers holy Councells to receaue the precious Body of our Sauiour with precedent preparation of Confession fasting other preambles of pennaÌ„ce humility if not euery Sunday and holy day yet oftentimes to heare the word of God and diuine seruice that is sayd in the Church of God to attend to praying and reading some good booke of deuotion and to other pious works The day of rest for other creatures The fifth shal note that this rest regardeth not onely man but also beastes not that they are capable of reioycing or hallowing the day of rest but that they be not wearied ouer-loaden with too much and dayly trauell this diuine prouidence hauing care not only of his reasonable creaturs but also of all others Matt. 10.29 Luc. 12.6 euen to the little sparrowes The speach and end of the meditation shall be taken of the foresayd pointes in this or like manner O my Lord most iust and most wise in all thy Lawes The greatnes of God appeareth in his law O how thy perfections do admirably shine in the framing thereof Thou commandest me to remember to sanctify the day of Rest but what should the eye of my memory sooner looke vnto then to this day of repose which representeth vnto me not only the goodly fabricke of the vniuersall world prepared for my vse but also the admirable worke of the Redemption of man without the which The day of rest represeÌ„teth that of Creation redeÌ„ption the first benefit had turned to our damnation and by which the gates of eternall blisse is opened to vs in heauen and in earth the enioying of a heauenly peace and tranquility where shal then my rest be Rather in this life then in remembrance of this rest and meditation of this day In hope of this eternity In celebration and exhibition of this seruice Lord let this day be alwayes before myne eyes and that al my dayes may be this rest in thee in thy house in thy seruice that all the course of my life may be a continuall trauaile in this heauenly rest and a continuall rest in this heauenly trauaile a trauaile without trauaile and a rest without rest a figure of that which is reserued within the Temple of thy Maiesty there aboue in heauen for those that heere below haue holily sanctifyed the memory of thy diuine infinit benefits The After-dinner and Euening of the sixth dayes Iourney Of the Commandements of the Church and deuotion to the Blessed Virgin CHAP. XV. IN this afternoone the Pilgrime shall choose for his meditation the Commandements of the Church The fifth CommaÌ„dement of the Church which are giuen the better to performe the other and are these 1. To keep holy the Feastes instituted by the Church 2. To heare Masse on Sundayes and Holy dayes 3. To fast Lent Vigills and Ember dayes Conc. Lug. 2. Conc. Agath caÌ„ 47. Aurel. 1. can 48. 3. Can. Apost 68. Conc. GaÌ„g c. 19. Conc. Lat. cap. 22. Conc. Trid sess 14. can 8. 5. Conc. Later Trid. sess 23. cap. 9. 4. To confesse our sinnes at least once a yeare 5. To receaue at least at Easter To which are added 6. Not to celebrate marriage in tymes forbidden 7. To pay Tithes All which help vs to discharge our duty in obseruation of the Sabboth He may also take some of these mysteries which happened vpon Sunday as the Natiuity of our Sauiour his Resurrection the comming of the Holy Ghost in all which he shall behould the Blessed Virgin to haue the highest place of vertue and honour amongst men and Angels He may meditate also the singular diligence she shewed going in pilgrimage euery yeare to Hierusalem with her wel-beloued Iesus there to celebrat the feast of Easter and other solemnityes coÌ„manded by the Law O with what memory did this B. Virgin remember this day of rest With what deuotion did she expect it With what feruour celebrate it What prayers What eleuations of this royall Virgin all rauished in the loue of her God whome she caryed in her hart saw with her eyes honoured and serued with all the forces of her soule Thus may the Pilgrime question with himselfe to find the matter wheron to fasten his mind and take spirituall refection of his Iourney for the rest of the day vntill he come where he shal lodge at night saying for the shutting vp of all his deuotions the Pater Aue Credo and other deuotions The seauenth day The Blessed Trinity figured in the three Commandements of the first Table CHAP. XVI IN the seauenth day the Pilgrime for his morning meditation shall contemplat in these three Commandements the mystery of the ineffable Trinity one God and three Persons The prayer preparatiue shall be as alwaies before The first preamble shall place for guide of his imagination the first Table of the Lawe contayning these three Commandements The second shall demand abundant light holily to contemplate this maiesty for the first point of the meditation the Pilgrime shall remember what the holy Scripture and faith teacheth vs One God three persons that there is one God in three Persons which we vnderstand by this word Trinity one essence and one nature in three Persons The Scripture saith Harken Israell the Lord thy God Deut. 6.4 is One God the word God twice put and Lord once signifieth three Persons the word One signifieth the vnity of essence The
Creed of Athanasius sayth this is the Catholike faith that we adore the Vnity in Trinity and Trinity in Vnity a secret incomprehensible and worthy of a high and generous Faith not cōmunicated to the rude people of the Iewes sauing a to few of more excellent vertue but to Christian people who in the schoole of perfection are taught to belieue all things that are proposed by the Church be they neuer so high and transcendent The first person of the B. Trinity Meditating the second point he shall obserue God the Father and the vnity of the diuine essence in the first Commandement for the first is the fountaine and beginning of the other as the Father is of all the deity and by forbidding to haue more Gods he teacheth that there is but one only diuine Essence which must be adored In the third point he shal note that the Sonne the second person of the Trinity is signified in the second Cōmandment for therein is verity and truth spoken of periury forbidden Now Ioan. 14. the Sonne is called Verity I am the VVay the Verity the Life And as the Sonne is ingendred of the Father so this commandement commeth from the first though in a diuers fashion For the fourth point remembring the third Commandement which speaketh of sanctifying the Sabboth he shall there find the third Person of the B. Trinity noted that is the Holy Ghost the true sanctification and repose of reasonable creatures And as the holy Ghost proceedeth of the Father of the Sonne and is as it were the bond of this diuine Trinity so though in different manner this 3. Commandment floweth from the two first and ioyneth them together in the execution of the worship of God In his speach and prayer he shal direct his hart and words to this diuine incomprehensible Vnity Trinity admiring praising and thanking him demanding aid helpe alwaies more and more to admire praise and serue him hauing walked some way that morning he shall sing the Canticle following both for deuotion and recreation together A Canticle of the three first Commandements which are a figure of the B. Trinity O ineffable Trinity Three persons in one Essence One glory One maiesty One wisedome One puissance ' Graue in my soule thy holy Faith Hope the liuely flame Of holy loue vnto thy law print in the entrailes of the same My Faith let see thy Greatnes my Hope let thee attend My Loue let seeke thine honour and nothing els pretend My Vnderstanding alwayes let humbly thee admire And let my Will sincerely to honour thee aspire My Tongue let praise thy Name thy goodnes and thy glory Thy Feasts in euery season be alwayes in my memory But if my tongue nor thought nor those of Angells neither Can speake or thinke inough of thee take my desires rather With hart lowly humbled thy maiesty I adore And loaden with the weight of sinne thy mercy do implore And he shall make an end saying Pater Aue Credo c. The After-dinner and Euening of the seauenth dayes Iourney A thankesgiuing for the first weeks well passed CHAP. XVII IN the Afternoone of this seauenth day the Pilgrime shall imploy himselfe to thanke God for all the goods he hath receaued of him and namely for this grace and fauour that he is come to the end of the first weeke of his Pilgrimage as to a station of his first rest and repose and he shall say thus either with hart A prayer to the B. Trinity or mouth Be thou blessed for euer O Lord and for euer praised of Angells and men and of all creatures in the whole world for to thee only belongeth benediction and soueraigne praise who art soueraigne power wisedome and bounty soueraigne Trinity in three Persons soueraigne Vnity in one Essence soueraigne Maiesty the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost O ineffable Trinity and sacred Senate Creatour Gouernour Redeemer of the world soueraigne Law-giuer of all good Lawes thy selfe being the eternall law God the eternall Law eternall iustice and eternall reward to those that feare loue and serue thee with all their hart and with the same hart keep thy commandements O infinite bounty doe me the fauour for thy owne sake and for the merits of that diuine person that descended from thy bosome O heauenly Father and by thy worke O holy Ghost was made man to repaire man that was lost that my Sabboth rest may be euery day in thy loue in thy feare and seruice in the obseruation of thy holy lawes that all the webbe of my life may be with such dayes and all my dayes composed of the houres of this repose And that at the end of my mortall course I may without end praise thy holy name and for euer rest in the bosome of thy blessednes With these and like prayers he shall passe the after dinner of his first weeke and shall take vp his lodging as he may after the manner of Pilgrimes The eight day Of the loue of our Neighbour and how one Man is Neigbour to another CHAP. XVIII THE Pilgrime hauing runne ouer the Commandments of the first Table which concerne the loue and worship of God he shall passe to those of the second Table appertaining to the loue and duty we owe to our neighbour that is to Angells and men For this worde comprehendeth both Neighbour vniuersally is mā to man though principally man is neighbour to man being neere allied one to the other not onely by likenes of their reasonable nature and of the end common to Angells and men which is eternall happinesse but also for the kindred both by the first Adam of whome al men descend and are brethren by that title and also by the second Iesus Christ by whome they are redeemed if thēselues be not in fault and knit together by a knot of holy spirituall brotherhood As then the three precedent Precepts are conteyned vnder one alone which is the end of all which biddeth to loue God with all our hart for himself so also the seauen following are conteyned vnder that which commandeth to loue our neighbour as our selues for the loue of God to help and assist him with our goods with our ability and industry and to do him no wrong and finally to loue him as our selfe Also S. Thom. 2. 2. q. 26. as there be diuers and different obligations among men so there be diuers degrees of loue and therefore S. Augustine sayth He leadeth a iust holy life who iudgeth iustly of things such is he who endewed with a well ordered Charity Aug. lib. 1. de keepeth himselfe from louing that he should not loue or from louing too much that he should loue lesse or from louing equally that he should loue differently or differently that he should loue equally The straitest bond that is amongst men is betweene Father and sonne and therefore the father holdeth the first place in the list
of neighbours and for him is made the first commandement which shall make the meditation of the eight day in this sort The Morning Meditat on of the 4. Commandement Honour thy Father and thy Mother to the end thou maist liue long vpon the earth CHAP. XIX THE Prayer preparatiue as before The first Preamble shall set before his eyes The first Preamble the wordes of this Commandement HONOVR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER The second shall aske grace of God to gather profit of this meditation For the first point the Pilgrime shall meditate the equity of this commandement taught by the wiseman saying The 2. Honour thy Father thy mother and forget not the paines of thy mother Eccl. 27.9 and remember that without them thou hadst not beene borne and render vnto them as they haue done vnto thee He meaneth they are cause that thou art in the world Why Fathers should be honoured and haue suffered much for thee they haue nourished and brought thee vp with great labour and trauile thou art then bound by law of nature to render them honour to succour them if they haue need of thy help to obey them so they command thee nothing against the commandments of God or the counsells of our Sauiour as to kill another to be an heretike not to follow the way of perfection if God call thee for then we must sticke to that exception taught by our Sauiour himselfe He that hateth not his father Luc. 14. Act. 5. and mother is not worthy to be my disciple And that which S. Peter sayth VVe must obey God before men The name of father extendeth to all parents and Superiours For the second point the pilgrime shall marke that in this Cōmandement are comprehended Fathers Mothers Vncles Ants and all sortes of superiours spirituall and temporall as are Prelats Pastours Priests Maisters Kings Princes Magistrats Tutors and such like to whome to euery one by this law is due honour respect and obedience in all that toucheth their charge with the foresayd exception that they command nothing contrary to God In the third point he shall note that this law doth secretly teach that Fathers and Mothers should carry themselues Christianlike towards their children to the end they may deserue and retaine worthily the right of this honour commanded by God to them to loue them with a Christian loue to giue them good example and edification in wordes and workes to bring them vp in vertue and in the feare of God Eph. 6.4 You Parents sayth the Apostle bring vp your children in the doctrine of our Sauiour To prouide for their necessityes but specially that concerne the life of their soules for this is the end of true and fatherly loue as all the care of beastes toward their yong ones is the life of their bodyes the like should other Superiours performe with due proportion to their subiects The speach shall prayse the diuine Maiesty in the iustice of this his Commandement The speach and shall demand grace for all children that they may honour and serue their parents for al subiects that they may respect and obey their Kinges Superiours and Magistrates for Fathers Kinges Pastours Magistrates and Superiours that they may discharge toward God that fatherly care they owe to their children subiects and that both by the one and the other he may be praysed blessed in the execution of this his Commandement shall end with this prayer It was not inough for thee O Lord to giue vs lawes cōcerning thyne owne honour thou hast made lawes also for thy creatures seeking to haue euery thing wisely and iustly ordered in thy house for this is the house of thy soueraigne Wisedome and iustice the creature with his Creatour the creatures among themselues giuing and taking euery one his due that appertayneth vnto him and that man should honour thee not only in thy selfe but also for the loue of thee in thy workes Powre forth O Lord thy holy spirit in aboundance vpon all fathers and children subiects and superiours and namely those that liue in the compasse of thy holy Church that they may holily accomplish thy commandement and by a reciprocall performance of honour and obedience prayse thy holy name and merit eternall glory the reward of good and faithfull subiects The after-dinner and Euening of the eight dayes Iourney The corporall and spirituall VVorkes of mercy CHAP. XX. IN this afternoone the Pilgrime shall frame some Meditation of the workes of mercy both corporall and spiritual for in them we make proofe of our loue to our Neighbour The corporall are 1. To giue meate to the hungry 2. To giue drinks to the thirsty Matth. 25 3. To cloath the naked 4. To lodge the pilgrime 5. To visit the sicke 6. To visit prisonners 7. To bury the dead Tob. 1.2 2. Reg. 9. The spirituall are 1. To correct the sinner 2. To instruct the ignorant 1. Tim. 5.20 3. To counsell those that doubt 4. To set those that erre into the right way 5. To comfort the afflicted 6. To pardon iniuryes 7. To beare patiently the troublesomnes of others 8. To pray for the liuing and the dead By all these workes men make triall of the loue they beare vnto their Neighbour and principally by the spirituall which concerne the health of the soule by those also principally the Son of God hath shewed his infinite loue towards vs attending to no other exercise euen to his last breath In particuler for that which concerneth this fourth Commandement the Pilgrime shall haue ready some examples of holy Scripture of such as singularly haue beene true children of their Fathers and Mothers as were Isaac Iacob Tobie and such like Plin. l. 7. cap. 36. as also among the Gentils that Roman Damsell who nourished many dayes with her own milke her Mother being condemned to dye by famine in prison by visiting her in the way of comfort Vai Max. l. 5. c. 4. secretly giuing her her breasts to sucke and was the cause that the Iudge wondring at this piety not only deliuered this prisonner but gaue her also a perpetuall pension out of the publicke treasure The piety of Storkes The like is written of a Grecian Lady towardes her Father Cimon prisonner in his extreme age He shall consider also the like piety in some vnreasonable creatures as in Storks who nourish their father and mother growing old and impotent bringing them their prey into their neast as they were wont to nourish them when they were yong But aboue all he shall admire the Sauiour of the world who not only honoured his heauenly Father by his obedience but also his Mother and Creature the B. Virgin Mary and his presumed father Ioseph He was subiect to them sayth the Scripture that is Iac. 2.51 he respected them he honoured them he obeyed them O sweet Iesus O Creatour of heauen and earth O
direct all our actions to the glory of God By Vnderstanding we are eleuated to the vnderstanding of the mysteryes of our faith Counsell causeth vs to take good assured aduice against the crafts and subtiltyes of the Diuell to make vs resist and preuent them Knowledge sheweth vs most liuely the will of God as Fortitude giueth vs strength to execute it Piety maketh vs specially deuoute and obedient Feare is as a faithfull Schoole-maister keeping vs from sin Wisedome which is the first guift eleuateth vs to God Aug. 209. de temp and Feare which is the last doth depresse and humble vs in our selues for God sayth S. Augustine and by this counterpoise our soule is kept in an euen estate of iustice But because the hope of reward hath a great force to excite men to good The Beatitudes baites for vertues in the fifth point shall be noted how our Sauiour hath left vs those heauenly lessons of his sermon in the mountaine composed of eight Maximes of heauenly Philosophy putting to euery one his price of the same height and valour though of diuers names and sortes to the end by this heauenly bayte to draw vs to the obseruation of his Commanments and Counsells and to the getting and practising of the foresayd vertues and guifts of the Holy Ghost These eight Maximes are eight aduertisements called Beatitudes for that each one carrieth in his forehead the name and promise of Beatitude and giueth it at the last to euery one in his ranke and order 1. Blessed are the poore in spirit Math. 5. for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 2. Blessed are the meeke for they shall possesse the earth 3. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted 4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for iustice for they shall be satisfyed 5. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy 6. Blessed are the cleane of hart for they shall see God 7. Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the Sonnes of God 8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for Iustice for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen The speach shall be made by thanks-giuing and request in this sort O my Creatour and soueraigne Redeemer my vnderstanding is too small to conceaue the greatnes of thy liberality my tongue vnsufficient worthily to thanke thee for the thousand part of thy benefits nor all my partes although they could all speake with the tongues of Angels I thanke thee notwithstanding from the bottome of my hart and with the best accent of my language that my mouth can vtter the confession of my insufficiency is a faithfull cleare witnesse of thy great bounty Thou hast dictated to me thy lawes to direct my feet into the way of thy iustifications the path of heauen Thou hast left me thy heauenly counsells to make me a good scholler in the schoole of perfection and to make me capable of greater glory in thy great day Thou hast left me a thousand meanes of thy grace of thy vertues of the guifts of thy holy Spirit a thousand baites and allurements of thy liberall promises to keep accomplish easily constaÌ„tly couragiously all that thou hast commanded counselled What couldest thou do more O my King for thy poore vassal And what can I now doe but confesse that I am ouerwhelmed with thy benefits and confounded for not hauing performed my duty wherto I was bound by so many titles What But beseech thy Maiesty by thyne owne great name by the great merit of thy only Sonne my Redeemer that it would please thee to continue alwayes to be liberall in my behalfe and giue me grace abundant and effectuall that I be no more vngratefull vnto thee but a thankfull child seruing thee with all my hart in this mortall life to the end I may prayse thee for euer in the life to come The after-dinner and Euening of the fourteenth dayes Iourney The Counsells dâ— faciliâ—ate and make easy the obseruation of the Commandâ—ments CHAP. XXXIII THE after dinner shall passe in repeating some points of the morning mâ—diâ—â—tion The couÌ„sels do facilitate the CoÌ„mandements namely of the Counsels of our Sauiour There the Pilgrime shall obserue how the Counsells are more high in dignity of action thâ—n the Commandements are and yet notwithstanding they help to performe them the better As for example none can more easily and exactly performe the first three Commandements more easily and holily adore God hallow his Name sanctify his Feastes then he that forsaketh all things to serue him with al his hart offe ing himselfe an holocaust to the diuine maiesty None do more easily honour Father and Mother lesse iniure their Neighbours in body and goods then he that loueth all with a perfect loâ—e and acknowledgeth in all the Image of God that prayeth for all desireth heauen to all that employeth himselself to all that hath left the vse and right of all pleasure and taken his leaue of all earthly desires not caring but for heauen Counsels like wheeles so that these counsells are as the wheeles of a Cart where though the drawing of the wheeles do increase the weight yet it maketh the drawing more easy to the horses He may also entertaine himself in the meditation of some of the Beatitudes and therein behould the practise of the Son of God of his glorious Mother and of other Saints The glorious Virgin perfect in vertue aboue all Saints who haue beene markeable in pouerty of spirit that is in voluntary pouerty and vowed to God for deuotion in mildenesse and meeknes in cleanesse of hart and in all he shall see that glorious Lady holdeth the highest place of perfection When night is come he shall giue speciall thankes to God and to this holy Virgin his Aduocate that he hath happily ended the second weeke of his way and so he shall end his dayes iourney and retire himselfe to his rest The fifteenth day A Meditation vpon Good workes CHAP. XXXIV IN the morning of this fifteenth day the Pilgrime shall make his meditation vpon Good Workes as order requireth for after the Commandements Counsells Grace Vertues the guifts of the Holy Ghost are giuen and reward promised for working well doth very fitly follow these meditations that haue beene made of all them The beginning shall be as before All the Bible exhorteth to good-works The first point shall be to meditate how as well the old Testament as the new euery where exhorteth man to do wel and to abstaine from euill shewing him that to that end God made him placing him as soone as he was made in Paradise to keep and labour it with a law of obedience not to touch the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill and to the same end after his fall Gen. 2.15 giuing his commandements with promise of reward to those that should keep them and punishment to the transgressours Gen. 17. who shall giue themselus to vice
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
84. yeares Luc. 2.37 who departed not from the Tēple giuing her selfe to fasting and praying day and night as S. Luke in his Ghospell sayth Chap. 2. In the company then of these Virgins and holy Women was consecrated to God this Virgin of Virgins and Mother of al mothers and Widow of widowes to sanctify and beginne a foundation for other virgins and widowes that should serue God in the Law of Grace consecrating to him by solemne vow their body and soule not for a tyme but for all their life long The B.V. remained in the Temple vntill the 14. yeare of her age ended Niceph. l. 2. cap. 3. Heere the Pilgrime shall meditate attentiuely first what this chosen child might do during her infancy in the house of her Father which was euen this heauēly Chamber wherein he maketh his meditation how many signes she gaue in this her yong age of her present and future sanctity In her cariage In her words and actions In her modesty in her obedience in her going in her eyes and in the gouernement of all her senses and gestures Secondly with what ardour and feruour of deuotion and piety with what innocent purity of body and soule with what consent and harmony of al the great vertues of a celestiall virgin she serued that supreme Maiesty in the Temple for eleuen yeares she remayned there O little habitation O happy house of Nazareth which first didst behould to moue and shine this beautifull shining starre performing the course of her infancy within thy walles closure that first heardst her speake first didst see her go didst first behold her graue modest footesteps and marchings O Temple most honourable in the holynes of this offering in the greatnes of this Queene in the dwelling of this Virgin her selfe a Temple more royall then thou builded of more precious matter and by a wiser workman then he that made thee a liuing Temple a worke of the Holy Ghost built of precious stone and adorned withall sort of graces who was to be a Tabernacle and Pauilion to the King of Kinges and a refuge to mankind O God great worke man of this wonder as of all others be thy name blessed for euer in her thy liberality praysed thy goodnes exalted and magnifyed O glorious Virgin O great-little Lady an offering most pure most beautifull and most acceptable to the eyes of the diuine Maiesty in thy infancy and in all thy youth which thou didst spend in the seruice of thy Creatour obtaine for me that I may be a pure cleane offering vnto his altar that I may serue thee day and night and that if my yeares passed haue beene ill spent at least the rest of my life may be consecrated to the prayse of thy Creator myne that my thoughts wordes and workes may be a continuall offering to his Temple and that such may be the life and pilgrimage of thy deuoted Pilgrime This shall be the speach and the end of his morning meditation after he shall heare Masse and the rest of the diuine seruice vntill dinner tyme. The After-dinner and euening of the fiue twentith Day IN the afternoone he shall vse the same exercises of deuotion that he vsed the dayes before In the euening he may read the history of the Presentation of our B. Lady and gather thence some new profit of admiration loue zeale deuotion towardes God and the B. Virgin the like he may do at midnight except he had rather chuse some other subiect The six and twenty Day The morning Meditation of the Espousall of the B. Virgin with S. Ioseph CHAP. XIX THIS morning the Pilgrime shal take as following the former the Espousall of the B. Virgin with S. Ioseph which was done by diuine dispensation for causes which we must consider afterward after she had remayned in the Temple vntill fifteen years of age at which tyme the virgins were commonly wont to be placed in mariage according to the ordinary course and practise of the Iewes The prayer preparatory shall be as accustomed The first preamble shall represent the B. Virgin and S. Ioseph betrothed togeather The Scripture telleth not by whō but we may thinke it was by the high Priest Iosep lib. cont Ap◠or one of the principall as the common tradition of the Iewes touched by Gregory Nissen or by the chiefe or neerest of kindred in the Fathers absence according to the custome of the Iewes Tob. 7.24 wherof we haue an example in the booke of Tobie where it is sayd that Ragnell maried his daughter with young Tobie ioyning their right handes with these words and ceremonies Vide Gereb in Rituali Iudaorum de Sponsalibus The God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Iacob be with you ioyne you togeather and fullfill his blessinges vpon you The second preamble shall demand a speciall light to know this mystery The first point shall be to consider how meruailous this mariage was The meruailous mariage of the B. Virgin and accompanied with prerogatiues extraordinary of honour and grace as well as her Conception Natiuity Infancy and Presentation and all the degrees of the life of this most happy Virgin as we haue sayd in the former Meditation The wonders and prerogatiues of this Mariage amongst others were these 1. That both parties were not only virgins but purposed so to continue Of the B. Virgin Mary none may doubt for the Scripture doth euidently shew Maried with vow of continence that she had made a vow of perpetuall chastity the fayth of the Church is that she was alwayes a Virgin before in after her child-birth S. Hierome disputing against Heluidius that infamous heresiarch Aug. l. de S. Virg. Greg. Niss de Cr natiuit Ioseph a pertuall virgin adu Helu ad finem Aug serm 15. de nat Domini Thou houldest sayth he without reason that Mary did not continue a Virgin but I hould with reason not only the contrary but that Ioseph also was a virgin by Mary and giueth the reason saying To the end that the Sonne of God might be borne of a virginall mariage S. Augustine of the same spirit Hould thou O Ioseph thy virginity common with the Virgin thy spouse for that the power and strength of the Angells shall be borne of her Let Mary in her flesh be the spouse of Christ in keeping her Virginity be thou also the Father of Christ by thy care of chastity and honour of thy Virginity Againe Reioyce thou Ioseph and be glad of the virginity of Mary who only in thy mariage hast deserued to haue a virginall affection for by the merit of thy virginity thou art depriued of the act of mariage with this gaine that thou art called the Father of our Sauiour And diuers other Fathers Saints Theodoret Beda Bernard Anselme Thomas Gerson and almost all the Latin Doctours that haue written since Petr. Da. ep 11. c. 4. ad Nicol
giuen vs so notable a pledge of his loue he must needes giue vs great cause of hope and trust in him There was nothing sayth S. Augustine more necessary to vphold our hope Lib. 13. de Trinit c. 10. then to haue some token of his loue and what token greater can there be then to see the Sonne of God vnited to our nature Now by the demonstration of this loue he hath most liuely inuited and incited man to loue him for there is nothing so naturall as to loue him of whome we see our selues beloued August de catech iudâ—â—us c. 4. VVherefore sayth the same Doctour if heertofore we were slow to loue yet now let vs be ready to render loue Moreouer could there be a more noble meanes to make man partaker of this supreme nature our happynes then by this alliance whereby God is made Man and man God To breake the hart and pride of the Diuell then to see the nature of man which he so much despised and abased to be exalted aboue the nature of Angells To tame his arrogancy and presumption and to remoue the yoke of his tyranny by a Man God man alone not being sufficient to satisfy and ouercome for mankind and God alone could not suffer being impassible To teach man humility the foundation of all vertue Phil. 2. seeing God not only humbled but also annihilated taking the forme of a seruant and suffering the death of the Crosse To teach obedience purity liberality deuotion prudence constancy Philip. 2. magnanimity and other vertues whereof he hath giuen so good instructions both by word and worke all his life long and specially in the three last yeares that he manifested himselfe to the world and most clearely and effectually in that admirable conflict of the Crosse To teach finally to doe nothing against the dignity of man so much honoured by this alliance Are these meanes effectuall inough to redeeme man Do they sufficiently declare the infinit wisedome of God Of the power of God in the same Mystery CHAP. XXVIII DOTH not the power of God also diuinely appeare in this mystery The power of God in the IncarnatioÌ„ for therein we see two natures infinitly different to be ioyned togeather the diuine and the humane and by a bound so admirable and so strait that remayning distinct and without confusion they make but one person the closest and neerest vnion that can be of thinges diuerse This therefore is a worke of one Almighty and a most manifest demonstration of an infinit power It is without comparison greater then that he shewed in the Creation of man in ioyning his spirit and body an heauenly soule with an earthly body making as it were an abridgement of the whole world for the soule was not infinitly distant from the condition of the body as the diuine nature is from the humane this was only to ioyne two creatures of diuers rankes and degrees but to ioyne the word of God with our flesh in one person is to haue vnited two natures infinitely vnequall S. Berna serm de Natiuit to haue made an admirable abridgement of the whole world and of the Author of the world and to haue inclosed infinitenes in littlenes and eternity in tyme. This is infinitely more then to ioyne East to West or North to South or heauen and earth together for such a coniunction should be of things farre different yet with some proportion and measure but this is of two natures infinitely distant the one from the other the diuinity with the humanity the infinit with the finit the most souerain maiesty with the least reasonable creature stable Eternity with floting Time the supreme power with infirmity impassibility with sufferance God with man the Creatour with his Creature which are so many exploites and testimonies of an Almighty power Motiues to the loue of God Heere then the contemplatiue soule shal admire shall prayse and exalt the wonders of this soueraigne God in this mystery he shall stirre vp himselfe to his loue seeing the effects of his wonderfull bounty to reuerence and respect seeing the signes of his infinit wisedome to his feare considering the greatnes of his maiesty He shall thanke the Father for sending his Sonne and the Sonne for taking our flesh by the will of the Father and also the Holy Ghost the bond of the Father and the Sonne and shall adore this diuine soueraigne Trinity one God in three persons all and euery one the maker of this admirable and principall worke greater then had beene the Creation of a thousand worldes The eight and twenty day and the seauenth of his Aboade Of the Visitation of the B. Virgin CHAP. XXIX THIS day the Pilgrime shall make his meditation of the voiage of the B. Virgin to the house of her Cousin Elizabeth The modesty of the virgin in her voiage whome she went to visit immediatly after she was saluted by the Angell For the first point of the meditation the Pilgrime shal take the first part of the history In those dayes Mary rose went quickly to the mountaines vnto a towne of Iudea he nameth not this towne as he did Nazareth because it concerned not the mystery of the visitation such a writer puts nothing superfluous in his history he declareth only the courage and diligence of the B. Virgin to vndertake and performe this Pilgrimage which principally he meant to report Here the deuout soule shall first cast her eyes vpon this heauenly mayd great with God Almighty walking the fieldes not with the traine or company of an earthly Queene in Coach or Litter garnished with veluet or cloth of gold with soft beds and cushions but in the simplicity of a daughter of Sion on foot in company of her Spouse Ioseph though assisted with a great company of Angels for the guard of him they caried and of her and followed her foot by foot through all the places she passed Secondly she shall consider the humility of the B. Virgin practising by worke the vertue which she professed in word Her humility in visiting S. Elizabeth calling her selfe the seruant of our Lord the greater goeth to the lesse the virgin to the wife the daughter of Dauid to the daughter of Aaron the mother of God to the mother of a man the mother of our Lord to the mother of a seruant which are so many proofes of an heauenly humility It was also very coÌ„uenient that she should excell in this vertue meete for the Mother of him who descended from heauen to her wombe by humility to beginne to walke in humility The Daughters of this world do not so for when they are by others exalted to any greatnes they make themselues also greater in their own hart and do highly disdayne their inferiours and the ordinary fashion of women with child is to become heauy and to seeke rest and ease of body This B. Virgin goeth another way as she
which was made there and els where ouer all the world by the appointement of Augustus Caesar who commanded to be made a generall description ouer all countries The description of the world by Caesar as S. Luke saith ◠Cap. 1. He shall then behold the B. Virgin as a Pilgrime walking on foote with her husband light with that precious load which she caried in her wombe burning with loue and charity towards God whome shortly she was to bring forth Secondly he shall draw in his imagination the picture of the place where she was to lye in and be deliuered giuing saluation to the world Our Sauiours Cribbe This place was a desert or forsaken Caue and stable to set beastes in where she was constrayned to lodge not fynding any place in the Inne by reason of the great concourse of people that then repayred thither vpon this imagination he shall demaund of God light well to penetrate the wonders of a Natiuity so admirable in al the circumstances The first point shall be to meditate some figures and prophecies of the birth of our Sauiour Figurs prophecies of the birth of our Sauiour The figures were all the ancient apparitions wherein the Sonne of God shewed himselfe in the forme of man as in Paradise to Adam in Canaan to Abraham and Iacob for he that was borne this midnight was the God who before had spoken to men therefore called Verbum the Word of God and he shewed himselfe to them in humane shape S. Chrys hom 2. Greg. orat 4. de Theo Clem. Ale in exhort ad gentes in paeda cap. 12. but as a passenger not staying in it as it were making a proofe or tryall of that nature which he was once to marry and ioyne by an eternall vnion to his diuinity be borne God and Man to conuerse with men and be to them the Word and interpreter of the mysteries of heauen of the Commandements of his Father And this was in his Natiuity when he shewed himselfe meerly cloathed with our nature performing what he had prophecyed caused to be foretold by his Prophets My delight is to be with the children of men for heere he began to be among the children of men Psalm 8. a true Man already conuersing with them as a little child heere he did first effectuate what I say sayd in his person Isa 52. Behould I that did speake am present and that he sung of the Natiuity Behould a Virgin shall conceaue Isa 7. and bring forth a child And againe A little child is borne to vs Isa 9. Bar. 3. and a sonne is giuen vnto vs. And another And thou Bethleē Ephrata thou art not the least among the principall towns of Iudea for out of thee shall come a Captayne to gouerne my people This therfore is that little Sonne that Prince prophecyed of by these and like passages of Scripture who was borne this night The second point shall consider the circumstances of this Natiuity 1. Circūstance of this meruailous natiuity which being well vnderstood will teach vs a good lesson of the greatnes of God and of the misery of man He was borne as he was conceaued that is miraculously conceaued of a Virgin without man borne of a Virgin without the breach of her Virginity without the panges and throwes or griefe of childbirth which was the effect of the malediction giuen to the first Woman and to all her race So hath the Prophet foretold speaking of this Virgin Before she did labour Isa 66. she was deliuered before the houre of her deliuerance she brought forth a man child Verily a man child hauing nothing effeminate God and man togeather all mighty all wise all good and though the B. Virgin did beare only the body The Virgin verily the Mother of God and not his diuinity which was from all eternity yet was she verily the Mother of God for hauing conceaued that body which was vnited to the diuine person and so brought forth that person euen as other Mothers are mothers of those they beare although the soule is not begotten of them because they ingender that body which is personally vnited to the soule It is therfore a more admirable natiuity Isa 53. then that of al the world in the Creation and so what was sayd of the eternall generation of the Sonne of God VVho shall declare his generation may also be sayd of this temporall Conception and Natiuity He was borne in the sixth age of the world foure thousand yeares or there about after the Creation in the night The circumstāce of the tyme of the sixth age in the hart of Winter when the world was most couered with darkenes and frozen in the filth of all vice and Idolatry when the temporall Kingdome of the Iewes was dismembred and translated to the gouernement of forraine Princes strangers Herod his brethren who deuided it into 4. parts or Tetrachies and made so many particular tyrannies gouerned by the great and soueraine Pagan tyranny of Rome Why Caesar described the world which commanded all and therefore Caesar commanded that description a commandement that carried the signe of soueraignty And these fiue temporal tyranies did in mystery signify the miserable estate of mākind ouerwhelmed oppressed with so many spirituall tyrannies of diuers sinnes which it serued vnder the great and generall tyranny of the diuell who held the world in his dominion as peaceable as Augustus held his Empire At midnight He was borne at midnight in the hart of winter the true sunne of our Night to driue away the deep darknes hard Ice from the harts of men to bring them day and heate them in the loue of heauenly things to bring in the beautifull seasō of the spirituall spring-time of summer and Autumne of sweet smelling flowres of the heauenly heate of the Holy Ghost of the fruit of good workes whereof the world had hitherto beene barren And this is what the Prophet sayd The people that walked in darknes haue seene a great light Isa 9. and light hath risen to them who dwell in the shadow of death He was borne in a stable among beasts Psalm 48.13 to restore man to his old ranke and place who by sinne was cast downe to the basenes of bruit beastes and was made like vnto them The third point of the Meditation Our Sauiour encountreth and ouercometh vices in his Infancy CHAP. XXXIII THE third point shall be to contemplate how this little child beginneth to handle his weapons and to fight for vs betymes euen from his cradle for this being happened not by chance but by his owne prouidence in a stable he bruized in his birth with this onely circumstance the head of the old Serpent which before he had threatned He crushed the pride of the diuell the ancient enemy of our saluation Genes 3. the authour of all our miseries In
Christ who cōming then in spirit into the Temple when the B. Virgin and S. Ioseph brought him hauing confessed and adored him tooke him in his armes and song a Canticle of thankesgiuing which the Church hath vsed euer since for the conclusion of the diuine Office sayd Nunc dimittis c. Now thou dimissest thy seruant O Lord according to thy word in peace For my eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people A light to the reuelation of the Gentills and the glory of thy people Israell And as the B. Virgin and Ioseph meruailed at these thinges that were sayd Simeon did congratulate them and call them happy and spake to Mary the Mother of the child saying Behould he shall be put for the ruine and the resurrection of many and for a signe which shall be contradicted and the sword of sorrow shall pierce thy hart that the cogitations of many may be made manifest In which history the pious soule shall contemplate the notable faith charity deuotion and ioy of this noble old Man expressed by his wordes and gestures he confessed and adored by his confession the Annointed of God though a little child in the eyes of men He foretold the redemption at hand of mankind which he should bring to passe he straitly imbraced this precious pledge of our saluation he did exalt and magnify him Our Sauiour the ruine of the obstinate and prophecyed of him and of his Mother he foretold that he was set for the fall of many obstinate for their malice such as were Herod the Scribes and Pharisies such like who running against him as against a hard stone should ruine both their soule and body and as since them haue done many Tyrants and persecutours of the same Sauiour his Church all in the end buryed in the ditch themselues diged and strucken to eternall death by the Iustice of him whome they persecuted He foretould also the resurrection of many The resurrectiō of the good who belieuing in him should liue holily and should be raysed from sinne to be made afterwards happy and glorious and by this meanes haue the cogitations of many beene knowne the hate or the loue which the Iewes and Paynimes did beare to our Sauiour he foretould that he should be a signe or marke of contradiction Our Sauiour a signe or marke of contradiction and as a butt for the vnbelieuing to shoot the arrowes of their tongues against this marke but most plainely and cruelly in his Passion when he was not only the marke of the calumniations and blasphemies of the wicked but also of the cruelty of those butchers striking all partes places of his body And this was the sword that pierced the soule of the Blessed Virgin beholder of his cruell Passion The like contradiction hath alwayes followed the mēbers of the same Sauiour his Church by the Iewes and Paynims neither was there euer Religion planted or maintayned with more contrarieties and opposition of all sortes of people then the Christian for as it is the perfectest of al other The height of the Christiā fayth enemy to the flesh the world and the diuell so hath it found most resistance in the corruption of mankynd which were very great very generall Behold the Christiā perfection it eleuateth the vnderstanding of man to the beliefe of things altogether repugnant to fleshly humours It preacheth the Crosse contempt of wisedome of the world as also of her honours and riches and by many Maximes to the world so many Paradoxes striketh iust vpon the face of her pride maketh warre to defiance with the pleasures of the body honoureth Virginity a chiefe enemy to sensuality imbraceth fastings watchings disciplines and such like austerities that hāper the body otherwise then it well liketh promiseth in this life nothing but persecution This world being corrupted could not digest this doctrine nor the flesh vnderstād it but had it in horrour and abhomination Sathan bestirred himselfe and entred into a rage and kyndled fire to those fond and foolish soules and put them in a fury therefore the more maligne the malady was the stronger the medicine so much more obstinate hath beene the contradiction and the sicke so much the more incensed against his Physitian Psal 117.13 as his frensy was fierce and burning But if the Sauiour hath beene persecuted and so contradicted he hath not for all that beene ouercome he hath beene thrust at Why God permitted these persecutiōs but not throwne downe to the ground and God hath permitted these persecutions to shew therein that his Sonne was God omnipotent and too strong for the strength and gates of hell and to draw from them his owne glory and the good of his elect The Pilgrime hauing meditated all this The zeale of Saint Anne shall turne the eyes of his Spirit vpon that which is sayd That at the same houre the most holy and deuout widow Anne did praise our Sauiour in the Temple and spake of him to all the faithfull Iewes whome she found there so was our Sauiour magnified in his Temple by the testimony of two persons diuerse in sex venerable in age singular in sanctity Heere the Pilgrime hauing found in his meditation the sense of this ceremony shall learne the truth in the shadow shal acknowledge the misery and corruption of man from the first instant of his Conception infected with original sinne he shall learne to humble himselfe and to make small account of the nobility of his birth which he seeth to be so base and abiect in the beginning he shal offer what he hath good to God the giuer of all good he shall imitate holy Simeon imbracing in his armes with like loue and purity the litle child Iesus either when he receaueth the B. Sacrament of the Altar couered vnder the visible forme as a child swadled in his litle cloathes or when he doth meditate ioyne himselfe to him by loue He shall praise him with holy Anna the Prophetesse and shall preach him to euery one by good speaches and examples of good workes and finally he shall offer him vnto God his Father as the B. Virgin did for our saluation and shall offer himselfe for his honour and seruice Hauing ended his meditation and heard Masse he shall receaue the blessed Body of our Sauiour the Viaticum of his Returne as it was of all the rest of his Pilgrimage and shll say to God the prayer following The Pilgrimes prayer at his departure from Loreto CHAP. XLI MY Lord and most merciful Father myne eyes behold thy bounty and myne owne misery more cleerly then euer heeretofore by the light it hath pleased thee to giue me It remayneth to finish my vowes and desires and to conclude my most humble prayers and requests at the end of my aboad heere If thy clemency doth willingly harken to the groanes of poore sinners to heare
And as the Princes of the Church were visibly present at her departure so we may not doubt but that the most noble troopes of heauen were present also with Iesus comming himselfe Damasc de dorm it Virg. to receiue into his owne hands the soule of his glorious Mother being borne into heauen as the had first receiued him into her bosome being borne man into the world And heere Lazarus as if he had beene present in this noble company and had beheld with his owne eyes this heauenly starre ready to leaue the body and take her slight into heauen made this Apostrophe saying O my good Aduocate O faythfull Aduocate of all mortall men who in verity will call vpon thee I call vnto thee from the bottome of my hart and coniure thee by the great name of him who made thee great that it would please thee to succour thy poore suppliant frō thy throne of glory wherof thou goest now to take possession at the hand of thy Allmighty Sonne Obtayne of him for me O puissant Virgin what I demand of thee not gold nor siluer nor pleasures nor delights not renowne or glory of this life nor any other gift of this mortall world this is not the subiect of my suite O sacred Virgin but a feruent loue to his holy seruice a continuall exercise in his holy loue a resolute courage to suffer for his name a constant perseuerance in good workes vnto the last breath of my lyfe that my death may be of those that are precious in the sight of his Maiesty Diuers Farewells 2. A hunting 3. A supper 4. A knight saued a Priest carying his bowells in his hand 5. A spirituall discourse of hunting 6. Of hauking CHAP. XXIII THVS prayed Lazarus sighing and weeping Theodosius and Vincent ended at the same tyme and with the like affections Straight after they went to bid Tristram good morrow and whilst he made himselfe ready Lazarus got a breakfast ready After Tristram had sayd a few prayers they brake their fast togeather and had quickly done for it was too early to eate much Vincent payd their host for all for euery body Theodosius calling Tristram a part and taking his leaue of him Theodosius farewell I would I had the means quoth he to stay longer with you and to do you some seruice worthy of our friendship but seeing we must part I beseech you for the honour of him who hath called you from the fellowship of so dangerous a company as you were with and from certaine danger of death wherein we found you for the health of your owne soule for the loue and affection you beare me and that I beare vnto you that you will take to hart the execution of you purpose you made to forsake vice and to lead a life worthy of a man of a noble house God hath done you these fauours to giue you more if you vse these well And if you shall abuse them so much more rigorous will he be for your ingratitude how much the more liberall he hath beene to you of his mercy choose now for hereafter some estate or vocation wherein you may serue God and the publike profit there be inough such amongst Christians if you will follow armes you haue a faire field in the warres that are made against the Turke other enemies of God the Christiā faith there you may gaine a goodly crowne of imortality If you will serue God vnder the shadow of a peaceable quiet dwelling and at better wages you may enroll your selfe amongst the children of God in some religious house you know many you may choose the best You go now in Pilgrimage to Loreto aske deuoutly the assistāce of the Lady whom you go to visite that she will obtaine for you of her Sonne aboundant light to see and discerne what shall be most expedient for you and make you to touch and feele the breuity the inconstancy the vanity of this life the deceit of the world and worldly things the basenes of all earthly greatnes and to make you amorous and in loue of heauen This is the farewell which I leaue you for gage of my loue there Theodosius left Tristram answered him in few wordes Tristrā◠farewell Most deere friend Theodosius I esteeme the two meetings wherein I met with you amongst the greatest fauours that I haue receiued of the prouidence of God for in the first God hath by you opened the way vnto the liberty of my soule and gaue me courage to vndertake that which hitherto I haue executed In this second meeting he hath by you also deliuered me from the rage of men and beasts hath made me see by your instruction now what is meete for me to do hereafter I promise you my deerest friend that with the grace of him that guideth me I will performe frō point to point the resolution I haue made by your aduice I haue some experience of what is past which is sufficient to harden me against the flattery of the world and make me take part els where I haue begunne to estrange and sequester my selfe from it and to perceiue what od◠there is in seruing it him whome I adore I hope to remoue my selfe further from it to the measure of my trauaile and euery day to finde more and more tast and delight in the sweetnes of Vertue 〈◊〉 go ioyfully to Loreto with a firme hope that the B. Virgin will assist me make the bounty of her Sonne fauourable vnto me that I may choose what shall be best for his honour and myne owne saluation I beseech you remember me in your holy prayers as long as I shall be Pilgrime in this world I will carry in my hart the sweet memory of our cordiall and faithfull friendship Hauing sayd thus Theodosius taught him how he should carry himselfe in his pilgrimage how to pray and confesse and to vse other exercises of deuotion which Tristram learned with a wonderfull greedinesse and both beginning to weepe they imbraced ech other Tristram came after to Lazarus thanked him with a great affection for all his courtesies Lazarus agayne confessed himselfe obliged vnto him for his friendship and fauours afforded to his Cousin Theodosius in prison and in recompence thereof promised him all the seruice he could do him in France or els where as occasiō should be offered Tristram thanked him very humbly and made a reciprocall offer wheresoeuer he should meet him then imbraced him and so did Vincent Lazarus put about his necke a payre of beades like a scarfe for a noble chayne and gaue him three crownes the better halfe of their Viaticum Tristram tooke the beades as an honourable present but he refused the mony saying that it appertained not to Pilgrims to giue almes and seeing he was a Pilgrime he would begge At least quoth Lazarus Pilgrims may take it when it is giuen them and therfore you should not refuse it at
Chuch they being neither necessary nor yet profitable I know not what scripture hath giuen you any such warning God only worketh miracles Psal 135. but the holy scripture teacheth vs another thing when it sayth that God alone doth wonders and miracles or those to whome he hath giuen power of which number Antichrist cannot be A miracle is a worke raysed aboue the power of nature as therefore neyther the diuell nor his Deputies could do any thing aboue nature but onely God who is the author and maker thereof so neither is it in the power of Antichrist and â—ll the Diuels to do one onely miracle Will you say that God hath giuen or will giue him in later tymes this power which in the beginning he bestowed on his Apostles and on his Church thereby to seduce his children and that he would giue these weapons into his hands to deface and oppugne truth and the honour of the same Church I thinke you will not dare to mainteine so euideÌ„t a blasphemy against the honor of the supreme soueraine prouidence That which hath deceiued you is that you haue tâ—keÌ„ a false glosse of your ministers for the holy Scripture S. Paul said to the Thessalonians speaking of Antichrist 2. Thes 2.9 that he shall do lying woonders but not that he shall do miracles as your Doctours do expound it for a lying miracle is no miracle but in enormously as a Colossâ—s of a man is a great Image of a man 〈◊〉 true man And therefore your ministers and you 〈…〉 abuse this place of the Apostle alledging it to the 〈◊〉 your affectioâ— you falsity the scripture seduce th◠〈◊〉 dishonour God and his truth and performe a plea◠〈…〉 Satan and Antichrist As Lazarus said this Toâ—â— came againe into the pl ce staring vpon Cime whom he saw veâ—y pensiue and made them laugh with his lookes and would faine haue spoken bâ— the Marquesse made a signe to him to be quiet The Tutour would gladly haue broken off all this dispute hauing already his ful charge Lazarus going forward you assure vs also quoth he that the Church doth no miracles Of your Church it is true but if you speake of the Church of God which is ours I demande what place of scripture affirmeth that which you say or any thing neere it The scripture saith that God is Almighty as well now as when he made the world and that his hand and power is not shortened then he can do miracles when he pleases now that it pleaseth him to do them we seâ— by experience of those which he doth for he would not do them if they pleased him not and therefore you speake against truth and manifest reason saying that there are no miracles done now a dayes in the Church and further against the truth when you say that they be neyther necessary nor profitable when God doth them teacheth he not that they are necessary and profitable Will you say they are superfluous Will you be wiser and better aduised then God himself to know better then he what is necessary and profitable If you say they are not necessary to plant the fayth which is already planted I answere that if it were necessary to haue miracles to plant the fayth at the beginning of the Church among the Paynims it is so still amongst the Paynims of the new world where the fayth beginneth and therefore it is that God doth them there I say secondly that if amongst Christians they be not necessary to plant the faith as at the beginning yet they are for other effects They are to manifest the glory of God his power his prouidence his mercy his iustice to shew alwayes as by some marke of note that he is maister of nature and that he can do more then she to honour his Saints to nourish and entertaine the fayth of his children to confute heresies to conuert sinners al which effects haue followed the miracles which haue beene done at Loreto by the intercession of the B. Virgin and els where by the intercession of other Saints Is it not a thing necessary that God be glorifyed and sinners conuerted and saued But are not your ministers wicked and vniust to thinke that God will not do any miracle for the good of his Church and yet will suffer Antichrist to do lying miracles to the ruine of the same who euer saw a Captaine so ill aduised who hauing vndertaken the defence of a Fort permitteth his enemy to batter to his vttermost and yet himselfe stirreth not nor permitteth any other to moue to the resistance and repelling of the enemy Will Iesus-Christ then permit yea command that his Church shall be battered and assaulted with signes lying miracles by Antichrist which are the strongest engines of the Diuell and will let him batter without once mouing or working against him any true miracle for the truth Moreouer doth not your doctrine a notable iniury to the Church of God Miracles a note of the true Church to take from her the vse of miracles which is one of the fairest markes that she hath alwayes had to shew that she is the true and lawfull espouse of Christ against all heresies and sects which attribute to themselues the name of the Church which neuer yet could worke miracle no more then your selues For since your first Father Luther we could neuer get from you one miracle though the Ministers haue taken great paines thereabouts and finally loosing all hope euer to do any they are aduised to couer their owne shame with the net of this negation saying there are no more miracles wrought in the world wherein very experience refuteth you all ouer the world and to deny that miracles are wrought is to deny palpable experience it is to say there is neither sunne moone nor starres in the heauens that is to be shamelesse and to mocke at all authority And to come to the miracle that hath most moued you Whether a man maâ— liue without his bowels you cannot belieue that a man can liue without his entrailes because say you reason and philosophy do not tell you how And I demand of you Syr do you know the nature of fayth and that she goeth beyond reason When there is a question of a miracle must we learne our lesson of humane reason and of nature Is not this as if one should learne philosophy of a poore Grammarian and measure the water of the Ocean with a nut shell Reason nature philosophy cannot worke or iudge any thing but what is in their own compasse and iurisdiction A miracle is an effect which goe h beyond the marches of nature as the heauen aboue the ea th Philosophy 〈◊〉 vnderstood is the mother of heresy how do you rule your fayth by the measure of nature Are you not so doing a Paynim philosopher rather then a faythfull Christian After the fashion of old heretikes who by such like Maximes would ouerthrowe all the Articles of