That Pilgrimages are pleasing to God, and recom­mended in holy Scripture. CHAP. I.

THE custome to trauaile from one Con­try to another, and to visit of deuotion certaine places, hath alwayes beene vsual and commendable amongst Christians, & is also founded in the holy Scripture, and in examples of all antiquity, and is full of spiritual profit.Pilgri­mages of Saints. There is nothing more frequently related in holy Histories, then the pilgrimages of Saints, Christian Monarches, Emperours, Kinges, Princes, great Lords and Ladyes, and of all sortes of good people: which custome continueth till this day in all parts of the world, where the Catholicke fayth, or ciuill pru­dence is in vigour and force. The Scripture telleth vs of the voyages of Abraham into the land of Chanaan, to the mountains and diuers other places,Gen. 12. [...] where he erected Altars and Orato­ries [Page 2] of Religion.Gen. 26.3 Isaac was also pilgrime out of his owne con­try amongst strangers. The life of Iacob was full of pilgrima­ges & places sanctifyed by him.Gen. 28.2 Gen. 37.2 Act. 7.6. Ioseph his sonne was pilgrime in the land of Aegypt from his youth, & the Hebrewes after him for about 400. yeares.

A law for the Iewes to trauell thrice a yeare. Exod. 23.17.54. [...]4The Law commanded all the Iewes dispersed through the whole world to trauaile thrice a yeare to Hierusalem, to sa­crifice at three solemne feastes, to wit, Easter, Pentecost, and of Tabernacles; and in this third was principally obserued in re­membrance of their Peregrinations. There was a place in Hie­rusalem appointed for the buriall of Pilgrimes: & Iesus Christ would haue his birth honoured with the adoration of three noble Pilgrimes, which were the three Kinges or Sages dire­cted by a new Starre from their Country in the East, to Hie­rusalem, and from thence to Bethleem, where the starre of the world was newly descended from heauen to earth: and him­selfe shortly after began to trauaile into strange countryes; & being a little child was carryed frō Palestine to Aegypt, where he remayned Pilgrime the space of seauen yeares:Iesus christ ca­ried into Aegypt. Mat. 2.21 there pil­grime 7. yeares. Martyrol. Rom. 7. Ianuar. Baron. an. 8. Christi. and after­ward being retourned vnto heauen, and casting the beames of his Ghospell ouer all the earth, he hath left many places ho­nourable with the steps of his bounty, & hath giuen occasion to Christians to vndertake such holy pilgrimages, so much the more couragiously, as they haue more places then the Iewes had, to acknowledge and prayse God in some peculiar sort, & to obtaine and gather the fruites and guifts of his graces. All which reasons haue induced me to write this manner of per­forming the pilgrimage of Loreto, which is one of the most no­table and famous in Christendome; & by this particuler plat­forme, to teach also, how at all other places we may behaue our selues in this exercise of deuotion, thereby to performe it like good Christians, and to help our selues in the way of v [...]r­tue, and perfection towardes life euerlasting.

The places that are most noble and famous in the world. CHAP. II.

AS in all actions that are prudently forecast, it is requi­site to regard the end, and to prouide meanes proper to [Page 3] obtaine it;The end and mo­tiue of the actiō and as it were the marke of the agent so likewise in a pilgrimage wisely vndertaken we must know the place, whither we goe, which is the end and marke we shoot at: and also know the way thither, and how to performe it, which are the meanes. The knowledge of the place, of the scituation, of the qualityes & conditions thereof, prouoketh, encourageth, and strengthneth a man to goe and visit it, and by a secret hope and alacrity nourisheth deuotion: the rest is of necessity. I will speake first of the first, and of the house of Loreto, which is the end and motiue of all this action, and after of the meanes to goe thither, and accomplish the voyage.

Of all the places of this vniuersal world,The mo [...]t remarka­ble pla­ces of the world. The hea­uens. The holy Land. the Heauens are the most noble in greatnes, lasting, and beauty, as being the pallace and throne of God. Of all the places of the earth, Pa­lestine hath alwayes beene the chiefe, for many diuine prero­gatiues both of nature and grace, wherwith God in old tyme had honoured it aboue all other nations, but principally since the comming of his Sonne, who hath illustrated it with infi­nite number of miraculous workes, and at last performed the redemption of man therein, sanctifying so many places as his holy humanity had touched; and especially aboue all other,The chā ­ber of Loreto, the abridge­mēt of all holy pla­ces. that which we now speake of, which iustly we may call a col­lection of all the holy places of the world, and verily the Ho­ly of holyes in the Temple of God, as only and alone hauing beene sanctifyed by all those causes togeather, which seuerally are wont to make other places holy and honourable, as I will now shew more in particuler, as it were setting a starre before the Pilgrimes eyes to guide him.

VVhat causes make a place venerable. Places meruailous in their be­ginning, and of the admirable foundation of the house of Loreto. CHAP. III.

THE titles that make a place venerable are these:Titles that ma­ke a pla­ce ho­nourable The meruailous beginning; the Antiquity; diuine Appariti­ons; the habitation or touching of some Saints; the myste­ries; the great effect and miracles; the vowes and presents of Religion: All which God hath ioyned togeather, each one as it were stryuing which should be highest in this house, to [Page 4] make it admirable to the honour of his mother before the eyes of mortall men. Let vs consider each one a part.

The beginning of a place makes it venerable, when it is accompanyed with some notable,The be­ginning. 3. Reg. 6.7. strange or wonderful thing. So we read, that the building of the Temple of Salomon was wonderfull, specially in that there was not heard therein the sound of any hammer or saw, nor the noise of any Iron instru­ment; where notwithstanding there must needs be an infinit number of workmen and tooles: this royall building of the Temple being the most accomplished and perfected, in all va­rietie of the parts and workemanship, and the most stately & costly in the matter that euer was; & the nouelty of this won­der had beene incredible, if the Scripture it selfe did not war­rant vs,1. P [...]al. 29. and facilitate the credit thereof, telling vs on one side, how Dauid left the principall necessary stuffe, & Salomon cau­sed it to be fetched from other places ready fashioned and fra­med for the worke: & on the other side, aduertising vs by rea­son of this meruaile to meditate a mystery of a future Temple, which Iesus Christ the true Salomon,A mysti­call mer­uaile. and true Dauid both, triumphing in his heauenly kingdome in aboundance of euer­lasting peace, shall build of his chosen liuely stones, which he causeth to be hewed and polished in this world, at the cost & charges of his owne precious bloud, and with great noyse and blowes of manifold persecution. The Temple then was admi­rable in the beginning with such a wonder.

Admirable also was in the beginning, that wall which Titus the Emperour caused to be made with many Bullwarkes about Hierusalem,Ioseph. lib. 5. de bello Iud. c. 31. when he besieged it, compassing the citty round about with a wall of 39. furlongs, which are about two ordinary leagues, and building 13. Fortes or Bullwarks in diuers partes thereof, hauing each 10. furlongs in com­passe, which is 250. paces, and all this in the space of three dayes. This was made to bind in the assieged, that none might enter to succour them, or come out either to seeke aide, or to saue themselues. This worke was wonderfull, for being ex­traordinarily aduanced by the secret hand and help of God, furnishing and prouiding the enemies of this ingratefull and peruerse people of force and industry thus to presse them, and [Page 5] make to them a straight and dolefull prison, the head Citty of their country, and the place of their delight for euer heereto­fore, and namely 42. yeares before, when they thrust their Sa­uiour out therof to crucify him. And then was fullfilled the prophecy of the same Sauiour, when weeping ouer the citty,Luc. 19. he sayd: Thyne enemies shall besiege thee round about, and shall com­passe and inclose thee on euery side. Ios [...]ph. lib. 5. de bello Iud. c. 31. Ioseph the Iew an eye-witnesse of this siege, did note this wonder, not knowing the cause nor the prophecy, and sayth, that as soone as Titus had resolued to make this wall, the souldiers and Captaines were presently stirred with a certaine extraordinary heate in labouring, euery man striuing who should be the best mason or workeman, & labour most willingly and diligently in his quarter. And Titus first besieged them vpon this wall the third day after it was be­gun, being thus encouraged to batter these obstinate mutiners, who were greatly amazed to see themselues enclosed in such a wall almost in a moment. The Ecclesiasticall history telleth vs,Iap. to. 5. S [...]. to. 6. that after S. Clement was cast into the Sea with an Anker about his necke, there was found a little Chappell of marble meruailously built in the place where he was drowned, the Sea (by another like wonder) retyring it selfe one mile with­in the channell, to discouer this holy treasure hidden within it, and to make a drye way to those, that of deuotion went to honour it, according vnto the common custome of Christiās. These and such like places are made honourable by the won­ders that happened in their beginning.

The chamber or house of Loreto hath beene honoured in this kinde aboue all the houses that euer were in the world; not in respect of the first building, which was finished by the common artizans of Nazareth; nor for that it was beautified with a goodly Temple, which Helena the mother of Constan­tine caused to be built hard-by,S. Helen built a Temple in Naza­reth. but in that it hath beene trans­ported by the Angells from one country to another, and from one place to another in the same country, & consequently so often built with miracles neuer heard off before, and much greater then if it had beene built by the Angells themselues, that transported it. For if the Angells had built it where it is, or els where as it is, it had beene wonderfull by reason of the [Page 6] workemen, but not of the worke, which might haue beene made by the industry of men, as it was at the first: but being transported from the first seate (as we will shew after) it is made admirable both by the workmen, and the manner of the worke; this transporting and transplanting exceeding all the power and industry of all the Enginiers and Builders in the world, though they had the handes of a hundred Briareuses, & of a hundred Archimedeses: Briareus with an hundred handes. and therefore we may say, that this Chappell is builded with such miracles, as neuer any building was before, & that in this respect it was the most noble peece of worke that euer worldly eyes beheld. The which the bet­ter to pierce and penetrate we must consider with the obiect of the circumstances.

How the house of our Lady called of Loreto, is one of the three most fa­mous places of the Holy Land, and the causes why it was remoued, and carryed from thence. CHAP. IIII.

AFTER the triumphant Ascension of our Sauiour, three places in Palestine were aboue the rest in singular honour and veneration with all Christians.Three places fa­mous in Palestine In Galilee this chamber of Ioachims house, where the Virgin Mary was saluted by the Archangel Gabriel in Nazareth; & in Iudea the Cribbe, where our Sauiour was borne in the little towne of Bethleem; and the Sepulcher where he was buryed by Hierusalem.

These places honoured with goodly Temples built by Constantine and his Mother,Temples built at the Crib, & Sepul­cher of our Saui­our, & in the house of the B. Virgin. Guil. de Nangis in in life, & Io. Vill. c. 17. & 92. were visited of an infinite number of Christians, comming from all partes of the world to adore God there, and to acknowledge his guifts in that land, which he had sanctifyed with his owne steps, when he liued man a­mongst men, and which was marked with the markes of his power, wisedome and goodnes: which deuotion endured a­boue 1200. years, that is, vntill the yeare of our Lord 1228. at which tyme the Turkes and Sarazens made many incursi­ons, and great spoile in the holy Land: which was the cause, that valiant King Lewis, father to al the most Christian Kings that since haue worne the Crowne of France, and the last Pro­tectour of that holy Country, made two voiages thither, at the prayer and solicitation of Christians, to recouer it out of [Page 7] their handes, and restore it to liberty.An. 1254 The first was in the yeare 1254. when he armed forth about 1800. Shippes, that set forth from Marsiles the 7. of August.An. 12 [...]9 The second was in the yeare 1269. which he called the Pilgrimage of the Crosse, wherin he was accompanied with the King of Nauarre: and though he there performed many worthy exploites, both of valour & piety for the recouery of this holy patrimony of the children of God, and after him the Knights of the Temple, & of S. Iohn of Hierusalem, yet could he not establish and settle such a peace & stay in Christians affaires, but that the Infidels quickly became maisters thereof againe.Tripolis taken by assault by the Infi­dels 1291 14. of A­pril. Aemil l. 8 For in the yeare 1291 the 14. of April about Easter 30. years after his death, the King of Aegypt tooke by assault Tripolis in Syria, and Ptolemais a fa­mous citty in Phenicia, and diuerse others that stood for the Christians in those parts, and rased them to the ground, killed the inhabitants, and chased Christianity cleane out of Pale­stine; God of his iustice so permitting it for the sinnes of men, who had made way to their owne destruction; and namely, the factions of the Guelfes and Gibellines, The fa­ctions of the Guelf [...] & Gibel­lines. Platin. Blond. l 7. T [...]th. in chron. and other Christian Princes, who warred one against another, whilest the holy Land lay destitute of the accustomed succours of Europe. In such sort, that from that tyme Christians of other countryes could not goe thither, but with excessiue charges [...]nd danger of their life; specially vnto this holy Chappel, which was fur­thest within Palestine, and furthest from Christians of all the three places, and more also exposed to spoile and iniury: no­thing remaining there (after the Temple was pulled downe) but a little poore building, & worke contemptible to the In­fidells; wheras the Cribbe, and the Sepulcher were founded vpon Rockes and stones,The cri­be of our Sauiour. being by their naturall scituation in some sorte assured, & neere also vnto the Christians. Therfore our Sauiour meaning to take this precious prize out of the hā ­des of the Infidels, and (if we may so say) raise it from death,The Se­pulcher. by a meane meet and worthy of his almighty power, and to make a present thereof vnto the fayth and deuotion of his Church, he caused it miraculously to be transported into a Christian country; and place of liberty, and that at diuers tymes, and to diuers places, as we shall declare,

How the house of our B. Lady was carryed from Nazareth to Sclauo­nia, and from thence into Italy, and to diuers places there. CHAP. V.

Diuers remoues of the house of Loreto.IN the yeare 1291. the 9. of May, this house was carryed from Galiley into Sclauonia, to a plaine at the top of a little hill, scituated betwixt two townes called Tersact and Flumen, not far from the Mediterranean sea: in which place it remay­ned about 4. yeares; and from thence it was transported the second tyme into Italy in the yeare 1294. the 19. of Nouem­ber,The first from Na­zareth to Sclauony 1281. to three seuerall places. First into the Marke of Ancona, neere vnto the Sea, in a forest of the territory of Reccanata, which pertained to a noble and deuout Lady, called Lorete, whence this holy place tooke the name. Secondly from this forest, infected with theeues and robbers, it was remoued to a little hill hardby,2. from Sclauony to Italy. 1294. pertayning to two brethren: whence also for their auarice within lesse then a month, it was once againe translated a bow-shot from thence, & placed on another little hill, by the high way to Reccanata, halfe a mile from the Sea, where now it is.

VVhy the Chamber of the B. Virgin hath beene so often transported? CHAP. VI.

BVT wherefore (will some say) was it so often remoued within Christendome? This demand may be pertinent, because it is profitable; and it may be curious also, for that we must admire and prayse the workes of God, rather then search the causes, which cannot be but iust. Notwithstanding we answere with respect and humility, that the same power, which remoued that heauenly house from amongst the Hea­thens, causing it to be caried aboue 500. leagues, could at the first haue placed it where it should remayne, and where it re­mayneth at this tyme; but that it rather pleased his diuine pro­uidence to doe, as he hath done, and to make his worke more certaine and admirable by such changes and remoues. For first the meruaile hath beene thereby better knowne and auerred,The first cause. and is more great and famous by these manifold transportati­ons neuer heard of before, being remoued in so diuers pla­ces, [Page 9] in the sight of many people and in short tyme, from Asia into Europe, from one coast to another, and all this in places neere one to another, and in short space, to wit, from 1291. to 1294. within lesse then fiue yeares.The 2. cause. Secondly the diuine Bounty hath this way shewed it selfe more liberal, imparting and communicating it selfe to more people, that is, to the Scla­uonians, and to those of this side the Sea: and the diuine Iu­stice hath beene more auailable, instructing men how to res­pect holy things, and not to abuse them, except they would be depriued of them and punished. For God causing this holy house to be remoued from vnfaythfull Palestine to Sclauony, from thence to Italy, and there from the forrest to the moun­taine, by reason of the robberies and murders that by theeues were there committed vpon Pilgrims; & from the mountaine to the place where now it is, for that the Brethren, maisters of the place, insteed of shewing themselues deuout and merci­ful, became couetous and contentious, in danger to cut one an­others throte.

The diuine prouidence, I say, making these changes and remoues iust vpon their folly and excesse, did teach men to re­uerence his guifts, if they will not loose the sight of them, & beare the weight of his iustice, seeing they would not make their profit of his liberality. If then this house had beene trās­ported but once from Galiley into Italy, and set in one onely place, we had wanted the profit of all these instructions.

How the Chappell of Loreto was knowne to be the Chamber where the B Virgin liued, and was saluted by the Angell: and of the forme thereof. CHAP. VII.

AS the translation of this house was done by the power of God, so it was knowne by the reuelation of God,The hou­se of Lo­reto knowne by mira­cles. & the beliefe thereof confirmed by often miracles in the sight of men. First the same house being perceaued on the top of a hill by the Sclauonians, a world of people there abouts came frō all parts to feed their eyes with the sight thereof. They saw a little Chappell that was neuer seene there before, of forme quadrangle, longer then it was wyde almost by halfe, be­ing 40. foote long, and about 20. wide, and 25. high, built of [Page 10] ordinary small stones, hard▪ and squared long, of the colour of bricke: the walles a foot and halfe thicke, painted after the old fashion, parjetted within, & adorned with the sacred sto­ries of the misteryes of our Religion; the vaulte seeled with wain-scot, painted also, and the roofe of the house somewhat rising with a little steeple. At the vpper end there was an Al­tar squared out of hard stone,The Al­tar. breathing as it were some thing diuine, and a little aboue that was behind vpon a piller, the Image of the B. Virgin Mary standing, made of Cedar-wood of a reasonable stature,The I­mage of the B. Virgin. crowned with a crowne of precious stones, her haire hanging, like the Nazarenes, vpon her shoul­ders, clothed with a gowne of cloth of gold, girded with a large girdle after the fashion of the country, with a sky-colou­red mantle fastened ouer that, euen to her feet. She carryed in her left arm [...] the little child Iesus, hauing a countenance full of grace and maiesty, cloathed with a little garment, with his haire wauing about his head like the Nazarens also, as it were giuing his blessing with his right hand, and holding in his left a golden Globe, a Hierogliphical figure of the whole and v­niuersall world. Iust vnd [...]r the Image appeared behind the Altar a little low chimney of simple work with a top & ton­nell; and on the Epistle corner towards the South, was a little window, and on the Ghospell side was a little Cupborde, to put her vessells, and her poore necessary houshold stuffe in. These good people then beholding with their eyes the fra­me and body of this Chappell,The asto­nishmēt of the Sclauo­nians. which they perceaued was of the mother of God, considering the fashion, the parts, the scitu­ation, brought into that place, and not built there, they were astonished in their soules, and rauished with an extraordinary feeling of deuotion, and did verily persuade themselues, that this could not be any other, but the worke of God, and guift from heauen: but they could not learne in particuler, from whence it came, nor how it came thither: And therefore God who was the author thereof, was also the reuealer by his Mo­ther, who appearing to the Bishop of Tersact, Alexander a very holy man, and extremely desirous to honour God in this new sanctuary,An appa­rition of the B. Virgin. wherof euery body told him wōders, but he could not goe by reason of an incurable disease, that had long held him in his bed. The B. Virgin appearing to him in the night [Page 11] with great light, and maiesty, accompanied with holy An­gells, shewed him in his sleep, and particulerly declared vnto him, that this was the chamber where she was borne, where she was brought vp in her first yeares,The B. Virgin brought vp in Na­zareth vntill the 3. years, and from 14. to 45. See Nice­phorus. and dwelt most part of her life, where she was saluted by the Angell Gabriel, and which after the Ascension of her Sonne, was dedicated for a Chappell by the Apostles, & now transported from Nazareth to this place by the hands of the Angels, for the good of men. And that he might be a credible witnesse heerof, & denounce this with authority, she sodainly restored vnto him the health and strength of his body; so that the next morning, rauished with this vision and miracle, he went to giue thankes to God and his glorious mother, preaching that which he had heard, with the testimony of his vnexpected health & recouery. He put the people there out of all doubt, and brought them an vn­speakeable comfort with this ioyfull newes.

How the transportation of the House of Loreto was verifyed by the Sclauonians and Recanatines. CHAP. VIII.

THAT this matter might yet be more assured by hu­mane meanes,4. men sent into Palestine the most certaine that can be desired in such a case, by the coūsel of the sayd Bishop Alexander, & the Lord of Tersact and Flumen, called Frangipan, foure men of wisedome and credit were deputed to goe to Palestine, there in Naza­reth, to search the place of this chamber, and the Bishop him­selfe was one of the foure, who comming to the Holy Land, and visiting the holy Sepulcher, were brought by the fauour of God without any disturbance to Nazareth, where being in­formed by certaine poore Christians (who remayned there as relickes of the finall desolation of Christianity in those partes) they found the ruines of the Church,A church built by S. Helen at Naza­reth. Niceph. l. 8. c. 30. which S. Helen had cau­sed to be built neere to this most happy Virgins house, where they saw the foundations of the house newly razed from the ground, equall in length and breath, they perceaued that it was carried from Nazareth in the same tyme that it was found in Sclauonia, though no man knew how: & retourning sound and safe, they gaue publicke attestation of what they had seen with their eyes.

Sixteene men of Recanati sent to Sclauo­nia and PalestineThe inhabitants of Recanati foure yeares after, when this house was brought into their country, did double this di­ligence by the same tryall and testimony. For they appointed sixteene sufficient men, who going first to Sclauony, did vn­derstand as well by the testimony of their publike griefe, la­menting their late and vnexpected losse, as also by their re­port of the measure and scituation of the Chappell, that it was the place, whence this holy house was carried not long be­fore. Afterwardes going from Sclauonia to Palestine, they found in Nazareth the same markes and tokens of the place, which the Sclauonians had found foure yeares before. And their report recorded in the writings of the Citty, was kept in the publike Recordes for testimony vnto all posterity.

Of certaine strange, and meruailous transportations. CHAP. IX.

THOVGH this be a wonder, the like wherof hath not beene often heard, that a whole house should be trans­ported and carried from one country to another, as this holy house was, which alone had the honour of such a priuiledge; yet we read also of diuers transports of the same kind, made either by prayer, or by art & industry of men, euen of Payni­mes otherwise. Wherfore this should not seeme either impos­sible to the power of God, nor beyond the fayth of men. S. Gregory Thaumaturge (as S. Gregory Nissene reporteth in his life) by his prayer remoued a Rocke from one place to another,Greg. Thaumat. Greg. Niss. in his life. & by this means plāted the faith of Iesus Christ in the hart of the Idoll-Bishop, before whome, and for whome he wrought it. Paulus Venetus telleth, that a simple Christian of Armenia, neere the towne of Taurisium, caused also by his prayer a mountaine to moue in the sight of the Saracens,Paul. Ven. l. 1. cap. 18 whilest they mocked Christians for holding of a fayth that bosteth to remoue moun­taines, and threatned to kill him, if either he did not deny his fayth, or performe this miracle, which they seeing perfor­med, many of them were conuerted to Iesus Christ.

In the yeare 1571. a great Hill in England somewhat neere the sea, changed his place, whether it were by some earth­quake, or by some secret supernatural power. Pliny recounteth [Page 13] that in Brusse a towne of Maracko, an orchard planted with O­hue-trees appertaining to Vectius Marcellus a Knight of Rome,Plin lib. [...]. cap. [...]3. and Procurator generall of Nero the Emperour, was carried from one place to another. Art also which is a branch & help of Nature, hath her miracles in the like kind.Lib. 7. c. 9 hist. Indic. For we read in the History of the new world, that those of Mexico haue by de­uice of water-workes, transported Gardens with their trees, and fruits into faire countryes. Archimedes boasted that he could remoue the earth out of his place,Archimed. Plutarch. in Marcel. if he had another place fir­me whereon to set his mathematicall instruments; and there are found Enginers also of our tyme that could pull vp great Okes, and other trees, as one would pull vp a radish-roote, & make them leape in the aire with engines, which many would thinke a miracle, if they should see it, and not see the cause; this being an effect aboue the ordinary force of men, though as strong as Roland, or Milo, and surely it is a great wonder of art. If then we thinke these miracles of S. Gregory, & the for­mentioned to haue beene done, as the credit of histories doth command vs to thinke they were, if the Paynimes haue belie­ued that by the power of their Gods, or by art, such wonders could be wrought; why should we make difficulty in belee­uing this transport, who haue and belieue a God almighty, author of Nature, and of all the power of arte, and to whome Iesus Christ hath sayd about these kind of workes, that one graine of fayth should remoue mountaines,Math. 17.20. Luc. 17. [...]. 1. Cor. 1 [...]. & cast them into the sea; & so also sayth S. Paul: If then with fayth men may worke these transportations, may we not beleeue with the fame, that Angels by the will of God haue done this, to whom he hath giuen naturall force and strength to doe this and such like workes? For we know that the Angell carried the Pro­phet Abacuc from Iudea to Babylon, and carried him backe frō Babylon to Iudea againe,Dan. 1 [...] 35. more then twenty dayes iourney in a moment. And we know by their naturall force, they roule about the huge frames of the celestiall Bodys, from East to West, and from West to East, with an admirable swiftnes and constancy now these six thousand yeares togeather, without any paine or difficulty: a worke without comparison more difficult, then to carry a house once or twice from one coun­try [Page 14] to another, from Asia to Europe, from Nazareth to Scla­uonia, and from thence to Italy, although it be also an effect miraculous, and admirable for the rarenes.

Why the Writers of that tyme did not record in their History this mer­uailous transport of the Chappell of Loreto, and of many strange thinges neglected, and not perceeued. CHAP. X.

BVT heere will be demanded why (this cause being so rare and admirable) no Historiographer that writ in that tyme, made any notable mention thereof. The demand is rea­sonable, and the silence may seeme strange. Therfore to satis­fy it I say first, that this might happen, because there were few famous writers of that tyme; for amongst the Greekes, the most renowned,Nicepho­rus flouri­shed about 1297. was Nicephorus Calixtus, and amongst the La­tines William de Nangu a Monke of S. Denis in France, who perhaps were both ignorant of this matter; for although in it selfe it were great, yet the fame therof was not so soone spread in strange countryes; or if they should heare of it, so farre off, they might not belieue it at the first, or if they did beleeue it, they durst not publish it in their writings, strangers still re­ferring themselues to those that were neerer, and might haue better knowledge & assurance of the matter. The other lear­ned men of that tyme as well Greekes as Latins, as Nicolaus Cabasila, Nic. Cab. Geor. Pac. Robert of Sorbone a­bout 1296 George Pachimer, Robert of Sorbone were occupyed in commenting the Scriptures, and handling Theologicall que­stions, rather then in writing of histories; they therefore put this miracle first in writing, that knew it first, and whome it concerned most, who were the Sclauonians, and Recanati­nes, and that the most authentically they could, that is, in their publike recordes and stories written, for that printing was not yet deuised. Secondly I answere, that it might happen in this case,Two cau­ses of si­lence in great matters. which we often see to happen in great and rare matters, that they are not knowne, either for that they are not marked & obserued euen by those that are neerest, being busy in other matters that touch them more neere, or els are neglected and omitted by writers, as being knowne & manifest to al, which I can proue by fresh examples of our owne tyme, and wherof my selfe haue beene for the most part an eye witnesse, & also [Page 15] by the testimony of antiquity.

I was at Auinion the yeare of our Lord 1590. when a little child of the same towne aboute fiue or six yeares old,A child fell from a place 24. foote high without harme 1590. named George Caluet, the sonne of a worshipfull Aduocate, going to see the schollers procession at the Church of our B Lady of Guifts, fell from the platforme which is before the sayd Church about 24. foot high vpon the stones; they that saw him in the aire when he fell, & they that tooke him vp from the ground, thought surely he had beene all crushed and bruised, and ha­uing wrapped him quickly in a Sheepe skinne, they found at the last, that he had no harme at all, and the next morning he was to the procession, sound & liuely, to giue thankes to God and our B. Lady, by whose intercession there was reason to thinke, that he was preserued, not only from death, but also from any harme. This happened in a publicke place, and the chance was great and strange, and yet marked but by a few: for the Post of Auinion comming to Lions but some moneths af­ter, and seeing this in print, denyed stoutly that any such thing had happened there, and his denyall had preuailed against the truth, if there had not beene some there, that were eye-wit­nesses thereof. A like accident hapned at Bourdeaux the yeare 1600. to the sonne of M. Antony Valet a renowned Physitian:The like happ of Antony Valet of Bourde­aux. this child being six or seauen yeares old, fell out of a window foure and twenty foote high, or more, vpon a paued court without any hurt; and how few are there in that towne that know that speciall fauour and protection of the holy Angell, who as an instrument of the diuine prouidence preserued that little child committed to his custody from harme, to make him a name of honour with a long life.

At the same towne of Auinion in the yeare 1592. by the great prouidence of God,In Aui­nion a child found buried quicke. was found by Hunters a little child about a yeare old, buryed quicke in his clothes, by the bankes of Durence, perceauing him by the toes of his feet stricking vp, whether he had put them out of himselfe, or the Dogs wyn­ding him had so discouered it: and it seemed that he had been in that case aboue foure and twenty houres; for they saw his eyes, nose, eares, and mouth stopped with earth, now waxen hard and dry, a chance which did astonish the be­holders, [Page 16] who could no wayes conceaue how this little crea­ture could liue so long, not only without sustenance, but also without breathing. It was christened with condition, because they doubted; some saying it was not like to liue so long with­out Baptisme; others ghossing that some vnnatural Mother or sorcerer hauing of negligence deferred t [...] baptize it, was at last driuen by the Diuell to bury it in this sort, that it might be depriued of life both of body and soule, for a more cruell and bloudy offering to this Tyrant. Mounsier Bartelesse an hono­rable and vertuous gentleman, the chiefe Consull of Auinion that yeare, caused him to be called Iohn Ioseph, which second name is that he now beareth; who I doubt not, doth well re­member the matter; as also I thinke but few then tooke any great heed therof, and fewer thinke of it at this present.

At Tolouse the yeare of our Lord 1595. the 19. of May, an other elder then this,At To­louse a youth buried in the ru­ines of a fallen house, 1595. was in a sort buried aliue, and saued mi­raculously; he was called Bernard Gentiald a youth of that town of 18. or 19. yeares old, dwelling with a merchant called Syre Caluet, who by good or euill chance being all alone in his masters house, which was in the street of Exchange, when it fell downe to the ground, betwixt 9. and 10. of the clocke in the night, was also taken in the fall, and found an houre after on the ground in the midst of the timber, and plaister, full of dust, and astonishment, without any harme at all, as my selfe did see him some dayes after in our Nouiciate. How many be there at Tolouse that were ignorant of this singular grace of God, shewed in the behalfe of this yong man, to the end to binde him more to loue him, hauing preserued his life euen in his graue, as he did to Ionas, and kept him from all harm [...] in so dangerous a ruine?

In the same month the yeare 1597. at Vitescall fiue lea­gues from Burdeaux certaine little rockes seated vpon the side of Garumna, At Vites­cal 1597. wherin were framed certaine smal houses, which serued for tauernes, falling downe oppressed 19. persons, and there was found a little girle safe and whole, betweene the legges of her father, who was al crushed: I think but few mar­ked this wonder of God. There be a thousand like that hap­pen before the eyes of men, which are not perceaued, where­fore we must not meruaile, if few did marke this transport, [Page 17] specially at that tyme, when Italy, as I haue sayd, was in tu­mult and on fire with seditions and ciuill warres of the Guelfes and Gibellines, which lasted about 250. yeares,Pl [...]t. l. 7. dec [...]d. 1. Trith. i [...] Cl [...]m [...]. & was the ob­iect whereunto most men attended, and which Writers of hi­stories tooke for the subiect of their bookes; so that this small attending might be the first cause of their silence in this mira­cle.

There may be also another contrary to this, and that is the famousnes and manifest knowledge thereof, which often maketh Writers neglect, or disdaine to write of that all the world knoweth, euery one referring himselfe to his compa­nion.

At what tyme our Sauiour preached, the Piscina probatica was in vigour in Hierusalem, and recommended through all Palestine, and with good reason, for that it wrought continu­all miracles, healing all sortes of diseases, though neuer so des­perate and incurable: and yet Ioseph that diligent and famous Writer of the Iewes, and their matters, speaketh not one word thereof;Ioan. 11. and if S. Iohn had not in his Ghospell made mention thereof, we should haue knowne nothing of it, nor yet of the miracle of Lazarus raysed from death, written onely by him, being notwithstanding the most famous miracle that our Sa­uiour wrought. The same Ioseph was silent also of that prodi­gious massacre of Herod vpon the childrē about Bethlem, which notwithstanding was a very markable history, and a thing which Rome, and all the world knew;Macrob. l. 2. Saturn. cap. 4. Dion in Caesa. Aug Philo lib. 3 de Herod. for Macrobius and Dion Heathens do touch it in their writings. The Eclipse of the sun and that admirable darknes which happened at the passion of our Sauiour extended ouer all Palestine, and was manifest in Syria, Aegypt, and in all the places of our Hemisphere, yet ne­uer a Heathen wrote thereof, but only Phlegon a franchised ser­uant of Adrian the Emperour; a silence almost as strange as the worke was manifest. And how many thinges haue vanished from before the eyes of men,Phlegō. O­rig. in Mat tract. 35. tom. 5. S. Tho. 3. p. q▪ 44. and remayne buried in the dust of [...]unning ages, which in the beginning were notorious and knowne to all the world? Therefore we must not meruaile if [...]ew haue written of this transport, when it happened; which happened either because they did not marke, or not beleeue, [Page 18] or of carelesnes in printing or publishing, that which was known to all; & euery one thinking that others would write, many haue beene negligent, reposing themselues vpon the fayth and diligence of others.

Who haue written of Loreto, and what Popes haue adorned it. CHAP. XI.

THIS which we haue sayd of the silence of the Writ [...] of that tyme about the miracle of Loreto,The fir [...]t writer of the hi­story of Lo eto. is to instruct them that might muse thereat, and take occasion to discredit it, and not to excuse any default of good and sufficient proofes▪ for there be so many, and so strong as can be d [...]sired for the af­firmation of any verity. There is first the proofe of diuers hu­mane testimonyes, and secondly of diuine. For besides the sto­ries of the Sclauonians and Recanatians, the first beholders and recorders of the fact, diuers famous and learned men that came after, haue inserted the history and prayses of this place into their bookes from age to age.

Blond. Fla lib. 1. de Italia illu­strata, re­gion [...] 5.In the 14. age which began the yeare 1301. immediatly following the 13. in which this miracle happened, [...]londus a famous author, who florished in the yeare 1389. Secretarie to Pope Eugenius the fourth, maketh very honourable mention of the house o [...] Lor [...]to, in the booke which he wrote of Italy.

In the 15. age in the yeare 1461. Pius the second being Pope,In the 15 age Peter George. the Lord Peter George, Prouost of the Church of S. Si­nedas of Terain, long tyme Gouernour of Loreto & Recanati cau­sed to be written in a table, the summe of al this history drawn out of the recordes of the Sclauonians & Recanatians, to the end that Pilgrimes might to their comfort know it: and which is more,The te­stimony of Paulus Rimal­ducius & Francis▪ Priour. he citeth therein two witnesses, Paul Rimalduccius, and Francis surnamed the Prior, who being examined by authori­ty did maintaine vpon their faith, that the contents of this table were true; and the first added, that he had often heard of his grand-Father, that he did see the house of the B. Virgin, whē being caried in the aire it lighted in the forrest, where he had often visited it. Francis Prior said also, that his grād-father who was 120. years old, had seene it in the forrest, and on the Hill of the two Brothers, Hierome Anglitanus, Secretarie and per­petuall [Page 19] Recorder of the Citty of Recanati, recounteth this in the history of our B. Lady of Loreto.

In the same 15. age liued Baptista Mantuanus the Carmelite,In the same 15. age Bap­tista Mā ­tuanus Carmel. countrey-man to Virgill, a Doctor, & Poet most famous of his tyme, who speaketh so highly of this place, that he pronoun­ceth this chamber, to be the most noble and worthy dwelling that euer was seene on the earth. In our last age past of the 16. Erasmus (that liued in Luthers tyme) a man more ready to reprehend and mocke where he listed,In the 16. age Eras­mus then to belieue the de­uotion to the B. Virgin without good caution, speaketh not­withstanding very honourably of our B. Lady of Loreto, as appeareth by his Liturgy, and Sermon he made thereof.

In this same age also in the yeare 1550. Leander a Religi­ous and learned man in his description of Italy,Leander Albertus Domini­canus in descrip. I­talie in re­gione 13. in Picen. speaking of Loreto, he esteemeth himselfe altogeather insufficient to writ thereof, and not only confirmeth what others had sayd before him, but also calleth them hard-harted and stiffe, who did not belieue so manifest and euident proofes. In our tyme we haue had Peter Canisius a famous man, who hath writtē therof both learnedly and religiously. Antony Muret a writer most learned, eloquent, and pious, in his later dayes, hath therof left an Hymne worthy of eternall memory in the Church of God: & lastly Horatius Turselinus, who hath more exactly then all the rest gathered it into an entire and complete history. This num­ber is not small, nor of small account, and they do carry good reasons of credence to all reasonable readers.

If then we beleeue one Titus [...]iu [...]us writing of the founda­tion f Rome 700. yeares after it was built,Titus [...] & of many strāge thinges happened in that space: If we beleeue one Plutarch, gi­uing vs the history of the Greeks & Romanes, for aboue 1000 yeares before his tyme, and recounting a number of things ex­ceeding the common credence of men; why should we make difficulty to beleeue that which Writers doe witnesse to haue happened miraculously, and by the power of God a little be­fore their age, to the honour of God, and the Mother of his sonne Iesus Christ.

Besides these authors, [...] Pope [...] we haue also the Popes since B [...] ­facius VIII. (in whose tyme we sayd this Chamber was tr [...]ns­ported [Page 20] into Italy, to wit, in the yeare 1294.) who haue al­wayes honoured and beautifyed this place with their spiritual and temporall guifts, or with both, with Indulgences & pri­uiledges, with guifts and buildings, and thereby confirmed the verity which so many renowned men, and famous Historio­graphers had sayd.Benedictus 12. 1326. Vrbanus 1353. Martin 5. 1400. Eugenius▪ 4. 1423. Nicolaus 5. 1439. Calixtus 3 1447. Pius 2. 1451. Paul 2. 1457. Sixtus 4. 1464. Innocen. 8. 1477. Alexand. 6. 1483. Iulius 2. 1499. Leo 10. 1513. Benedictus the XII. made Pope the yeare 1326. was the first, and after him Vrban the V. in the same age; and of the 15. age which began 1401. Martin the V. Eugenius IIII. Nicolaus V. Calixtus III. Pius II. Sixtus IV. Innocentius VIII. Alexander VI. Iulius II. And of the 16. age beginning at 1501. Leo X. and all the Popes of the same age vnto Clement VIII. that ruleth now full of zeale, piety and vertue, and sin­gularly deuout to Loreto. This constant deuotion of such persons, is an euident proofe, that this place is the same we beleeue it to be; and so much the more assured, in that this holy Sea hath alwayes beene diligent and curious to be in­formed of the truth of like euents, and to reiect and condemne all superstition and lyes in the Church of God.

To these testimonyes we may add reasons to confirme the same; for first it seemeth impossible, that it should come by the fantasy of men to haue found the meanes of this transport, be­ing without example both before and after. For though di­uers thinges haue beene heeretofore transported, as we haue shewed before, yet neuer was it heard of any whole entire house or building.

Therefore as any such like thing was neuer heard of, so neither could it (speaking morally) enter into the thought of any man to fayne or deuise, or to further it, if it were not true. Neither yet being true, could it be receaued & acknowledged by the world, if it were not reuealed & made manifest by ex­traordinary meanes, as hath beene sayd.

Secondly, what could men promise to themselues or ex­pect of this inuention, of so small assurance, not only in the truth, but also in the apparence of probability, but only con­fusion and shame when it should be discouered and found false, which must needes haue happened quickly?

Thirdly, if the thing were false, how could it be done, that none should percaue it? Or if they did perceaue it, that [Page 21] none did contradict it? But cleane contrary all people of lear­ning and conscience, that haue written since, haue spoken in the confirmation of this common beliefe, none being found but only these deceaued people, who with Luther, without reason haue opposed themselues thereunto, as well as vnto o­ther articles of the Catholike faith, and that so much the more obstinatly, by how much the more they haue conspired to dis­credit & contradict all that concerneth the honour of the Mo­ther of God, such as this history is.

Diuine proofes of the verity of this Chappell. CHAP. XII.

THE foresayd proofes are pregnant, and the firmest that men can furnish, yet such as may some way be denyed,Miracles done [...] Loreto are wit­nesse without exceptiō. and contradicted being but humane. Therefore, that this ve­rity may be declared and confirmed from heauen, and without contradiction, God hath giuen diuine proofs, such as conclude a discourse assured and irreprouable. Such are the euident and innumerable miracles, that haue beene done by the Mot [...]er of God in this sacred Chappell, and are there continually done, works of his owne hand, diuine approbations and soueraigne testimonyes of verity; for it is God that there speaketh,Miracles are the truth of God a­lone. and none but he can be author of such language. And if the opini­on men ha [...] of the place were false, not only he would not haue wrought any miracle in fauour of them, that should haue honoured and visited it, with such opinion and belief: but, as he detesteth all falshood, specially in matter of Religion, so would he haue discouered and confounded such a lye with some exemplar punishment; and the proofe is so strong and ir­reprouable, that the Diuels themselues though sworne ene­mies of truth, haue beene compelled to confesse, adore, & pu­blish it. For as Hierome Angelita recounteth, one amongst them called Arctus, A womā brought to Loreto 1489. that did obstinatly possesse a certaine woman of Grenoble that was brought thither the yeare 1489. and from whome diuers of his fellowes had beene cast out, being com­manded and adiured on the behalfe of God to tell amongst o­ther thinges what he knew of this Chappell, in the which his companions had beene so grieuously tormented, he sayd after much tergiuersation, to his great griefe, that he knew by good [Page 22] token, that it was the chamber where Mary was saluted by Gabriel, & receaued the message that she should conceaue the Sonne of God; shewing also that she prayed at that tyme in that part that answereth to the Ghospell corner, and that the Angell saluted her (for the greater reuerence) from the oppo­site corner, and the furthest place of the chamber. And these yeares past,How [...] & wher­in the te­stimonie of the diuels is to be receaued a spirit of the same family, speaking in a possessed person of Romerantine, being demanded about this matter of Loreto, if he knew that this was the chamber of the B. Vir­gin the Mother of God, he answered: that she made him and his companions know it too wel. These testimonies were not to be admitted and receaued, as comming from the house of lyes, were it not that being adiu [...]ed on the behalfe of God, they are constrained, as offenders vpon the Racke, to tell the truth though against themselues, not daring to lye befor their soueraign Iudge,S. Iustin. Minutius in Octaui [...]. Lactant. l. 2. cap. 16. S. Athan. in Vita S. Antoni [...]. S. Cyp. ad Demet. & in this respect their testimony is of credit. Therefore it is that S. Iustine, Minutius, Lactantius, S. Athanasius, S. Cyprian, and others ancient Fathers, disputing against the Heathens, vsed oftentimes this argument, how they did whip those aduerse spirits, their pretended Gods, cōstrayning them to speake and depose in fauour of Christian Religion, against the vanity of their fond superstitions.

Of the meruailous scituation of the Chamber of Loretto. CHAP. XIII.

BESIDES the beginning of this heauenly house, we must also marke two wonders in the scituation thereof; the one, that being of foure corners, longer then wide, a [...] hath beene sa [...]d, it was in such sort placed, that in length i [...] standeth towar [...]s the East and West of the Equinoctiall,The ry­sing and setting of the Equi­nocti [...] in March & Septem­b [...]. as we [...] in the Spring as in Autumne, that is in March & Septēber, le­uelling ouerthwart with the two former corners to the two Eastes, and with the two hinder to the Wests of the Solstice o [...] Summer and Winter, in such sort, as the middle line drawn [...] from one end, goeth iust towardes the Sunne rising in March and September, & the other to the setting in the same months. The meruaile of this consisteth heerein, that this mystical pla­cing doth signify vnto vs the two mysticall monthes, Marc [...] [Page 23] the first month of the holy yeare,Our Sa­uiour coceaued & cruci­fied in March honoured with the Incar­nation and Passion of our Sauiour (for in that month he was conceaued, and suffered for the Redemption of the world) & September the first month in the Creation of the world, and of the ciuill yeare, [...]nob [...]ed by the natiuity of the B. Virgin the Mother of our [...]auiour. Therefore it seemed that the An­gels would place this house, to the end that this faire morning star [...]e in this season should salute in her rising and setting, the ancient Pallace of the marriage of our Sauiour and Creatour with our humane nature, and of the birth of his glorious Mo­ther, the visible sunne, honouring the house of the inuisible, & of the virgin starre, and spirituall morning, more bright and cleere then a thousand sunnes, performing the rest of the year, the same salutation in crosse and ouerthwart, in reuerence of the death of the same Sauiour, the rising in the Winter answe­ring to the setting in Summer, and the rysing of Summer to the setting of Winter, forming in such an opposition a Crosse ouerthwart. O spirits meerely diuine and most skillful buil­ders, that could so wel accōmodate the scituatiō of this pallace and therein represent by shaddowes and lightes such goodly mysteries of the Creator towards his creature, & so iust offices and duties of the Creature towards the Creator.

The second meruaile in the scituation of this house is, that it is sustayned and standeth vpon the earth without foundatiō,How the [...]a [...]t [...] [...] ­eth in the midst of the world more priuiledged heerin then the earth it selfe, which placed in the midst of the vniuersall world, standeth fit me indeed v­pon the aire without any human art, yet it is founded & re­steth vpon the bases of his owne nature, where contrarywise this house subsisteth without foundation or rest, against the lawes of Nature and art. And heere also is to be noted a sin­gular wonder, that when the wall was made which now doth compasse it round about, to the end to hold it vp and su­staine it, it was found to be disioyned and retyred, leauing a great space betwixt them, as i [...] still to be seene; whereby God would declare, that this was an effect depending of his holy hand, and a continual miracle to make this house of his Sonne and his mother more admirable and honourable. Behold the beginning of this house of Loreto, and the first condition and [Page 24] quality that we sayd might make a place venerable before mē, wherin I haue enlarged my selfe the more, for that the know­ledge of this is as it were the foundation, wheron is grounded the rest that I come to say heereafter, where I intend to be so much the shorter, by how much I haue beene heerein the lō ­ger.

Of places honourable for their antiquity, and how that of Loreto is most honourable by this Title. CHAP. XIV.

THE second cause and condition, that giueth title of ho­nour and respect vnto any place, as also to a man, to workes, to goods, to vertues, to any thing els, is Antiquity. Thereby men become memorable, families famous, nations glorious, languages of great authority, amities and friendships become more commendable, and wine with age waxeth bet­ter. The Iaponians haue certaine earthen pots, framed after an old manner,Pots of Iaponia. of no valew for the matter, nor of any beauty for the fashion▪ & yet more esteemed with them for this only title of Antiquity, then heere with vs are Diamonds, or other pre­cious stones, and are sold sometimes for two or three thousand Duckets,Opinion setteth the price of all thinges for which heere perhaps a man should hardly get six pence, whereat the Portugeses meruailing, and mocking also (who compassing these farre Seas, did first land with those people for their traficke) they could wel auouch, that their o­pinion of valewing their pots, was vpon better ground and foundation, then ours in so esteeming of stones; for of those we haue no pleasure but the sight, whereas their pots (say they) do them some seruice, and besides doe carry with them an i­mage of immortality. It is certaine then, that buildings (as all other thinges) are honoured by this antiquity, though fallen to ruine,3. Rev 6.3. 2. [...]a [...]al. 34. Ioan. 10.23. Act 5.11 and decay. In the tyme of our Sauiour, there was standing in the Temple that Herod had caused to be builded in Hierusalem, a porch, or cloisture remayning of the ruines of Salomons Temple, which was for honour called the Porch of Salomon, a peece honourable chiefly for the Antiquity. At Rome are beheld with reuerence the Amphitheaters, the tri­umphant Arches of royall pallaces, and like peeces of ancient buildings; and yet further the pillers, bathes, & Piramides [Page 25] that escaped the breaking in the falls, and ruines of Cittyes, & haue endured whole or cracked vnto our tyme, do make more honourable this Citty the abridgement of the world.Loreto a most an­ciēt buil­ding a­boue any in Pale­stine. But in all the world there is no worke better founded vpon this title of ancient nobility, then this sacred House. The antiquity of the other for the most part is but a profane worke of vanity, & food of curiosity, carying with it no greater commodity then the testimony of the mysery and mortality of humane thinges; but this is diuine, full of honour, of spirituall fruit, and holi­nes. It sheweth vnto vs a little Chamber, that hath stood on foot 1600. yeares, without reckoning how long it endured before (which was perhaps as long or more) which we cannot know, as we do certainely know that it hath lasted these 1600 yeares whole and sound amidst the ruines of so many princely Pallaces, Temples, Synagogues, and other stately Buildings,More an­cient thē any in the world. not only of Nazareth in Galiley, but also in all Palestine; yea I may boldly say in the whole world, wherein it giueth vs, (without saying a word) a heauenly instruction, giuing vs to know, that when God will, transitory and fading thinges can exceed the boundes and lawes of tyme, and become immortal, maugre death, according as they are cōsecrated to the seruice of him, who giueth beginning and lasting to all things. There is nothing so fraile, and so soone perishing as haires, yet not­withstanding, the haires of that noble Penitent Mary Magdalen, are yet whole, because they were imployed to wipe and drye our Sauiours feet. There haue beene a thousand Queenes, Ladyes, & Gentlewomen, who haue had more goodly haire, which yet are turned to a [...]hes.1. Reg. 1 [...] 26. Absalon had goodly golden loc­kes, that did flye about his shoulders, and beat vpon his legs, and he was faine to cut it euery yeare, least he should be loa­den, or troubled therewith: all these haires are perished, and Absalon loosing his life, was hanged by them, and perished by his haire corporally, as many Dames do by theirs,2. Reg. 18.9. spiritually The haires only of Magdalen haue remayned incorruptible a­midst the great reuell and change of mortall thinges, to serue for a goodly, and honourable attire to her head, who so hap­pily employed them to the seruice of her masters feet. Such seruice hath founded the Antiquity of this little great Chāber▪ [Page 26] and hath made it stable against all the assaults of men & tyme: for that he who put all thinges▪ and tyme in his owne power, was there serued & honoured. O mortal men! build you so, & so dedicate your actions and workes to the glory of him, that can giue them ground, and bring them to immortality (euen in the land of mortality) and to your selues aboue in heauen that life and glory, which feareth not the lawes and rigour of tyme.

Places renowned by diuine apparitions made in them, and of the apparitions of the Chamber of Loreto. CHAP. XV.

The third cause.THE third thing that doth beautify and sanctify a place, is diuine apparitions made in them: by this title were many places in Pale tine made honourable, as was the plaine of Mambre, Gen. 18. where God came to lodge in Abrahams tent and pa­uillon, vnder the figure of three men: an apparition which Deuines expound of the B. Trinity, which is one God and essence in three persons.Aug. lib. 1 de Trinit. Also Bethel in Mesopotamia of Syria, where Iacob in his sleep saw that meruailous Ladder standing vpon the earth,Gen. 28.7 and reaching with the top to Heauen, & An­gells ascending and descending thereon; in prayse of which place,Gen. 28.17. Iacob awaking sayd: Verily our Lord is in this place, and I knew it not: this place is terrible, and no other but the house of God. Honourable also in this respect, was the desert where God first shewed himselfe to Moyses in a burning Bush: but aboue al other,Exod. 20. the top of the mountaine Sinai is 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 [Page 27] 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 ordināce of God, yet the Scrip­ture is not wont to expresse so much, but leaueth it to vs to belie [...]e. But heer it declareth it in expresse termes, to signify some thing extraordinary, euen as it telleth vs,Gen. 1.26 that God whē 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 creatiō 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 Sa [...] ­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. Thes [...]. 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 [Page 28] 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 thē, 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 Incarnatiō 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 Annūci­ation 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, [Page 29] 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 frō 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 [Page 30] for guests and inhabitants the noblest persons of Heauen and earth.Nic [...]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, [...]. 9.5 [...] 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 Pallac [...]! 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 tho [...]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 sanct [...]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 Redēption 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 Chāber 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 pierce [...] 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, [Page 32] troden on by the feet of this Lord and Lady, ayred wit [...] their breath, touched with their handes, for so many yeare hath beene thereby singularly sanctifyed? What place therfor [...] 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 repor [...] vnto vs diuers places, that are made memora [...] by th [...] 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 s [...] accounted. The old Testament recōmendeth vnto vs the moū taine Moria made noble by the obedience of Abraham, Gen. 22.2 when h [...] layd his sonne Isaac vpon the Altar to sacrifice him. The moū [...] 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 wa [...] 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, cōtayning 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 tru [...] Goliath, and his troupes, giuing him a deadly blow in his fore­head, [Page 33] 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 commō, 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 chā ­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 [...]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; [...]he body tooke a spirit; the last was made first, and Omega Alpha; the little became incomprehensible; tyme hath passed [...]o eternity; infirmity became almighty; folly supreme wise­ [...]ome, mortality became to giue life; and suffering, felicity. This is the mystery of mysteries, the first foundation of all that [Page 34] the Christian fayth adoreth in the Church of God.The In­carnatiō is the ground of al my­steries & Christian feasts, Natiuity, Circum­ci iō, &c. The foū ­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 cō ­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 chā ­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 [Page 35] but Altars, where the bodyes of dead beastes were sacrificed;The holy of holies or the sā ­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 that such workes cannot proceed, but from the handes of God, or from such, as he giueth power vnto.only [...]od authour of mira­racles. This hath made admirable an infinite number of the Tombes, and sepulchers of Martyrs, Confessors, and Virgins, infinite Temples dedicated to the honour of God in their name, infinit Images hallowed in their remembrance, as all doe know,Temples that are not altogeather ignorant of the histories of Christians, & namely of the glorious Virgin in a thousand places of chri­stendom,Images. as are for exāple (to choose the neerest to our know­ledge) in the Kingdome of France, of our B. Lady of Clary, of Charters, of Puy, of Vaultfleury, of Grace, of Ioy, of Argilliers. In Spaine, Montserat, Piemont, Montdoni, and diuers others, where God hath done, and doth still powre downe his benedictions by works proper to his omnipotency: but in this holy House, he hath wrought so many, and so markable, besides those I haue already spoken off, that he seemeth to haue made choice thereof, out of the whole word, for a Theater, there to shew the maiesty, the power, treasure, and graces of his omnipoten­cy, wisedome, and bounty. There the bodyes and soules of mortall men haue not ceased since the first arriue thereof into Europe, to receaue heauenly benefits, in sicknes, in health, in warre, in peace, by land, by sea, against Diuells, against men, euery way, and to all sortes of men, whereof the histories do testify, and namely that of Horatius Turselinus, as also the peo­ple that see them with their eyes, and thousands of images & [Page 36] tables of deuotion, which those that receaue benefits there, do hang vpon the walls of the Temple, which ēcloseth this Cha­pell, for thankesgiuing, and testimony of the bounty of God: neither is it possible, but that he who belieueth this in his hart, should also conceaue in his soule a great respect, and loue tow­ardes the maiesty of God, the chiefe giuer of so many guifts, & towardes the glorious Virgin Mary, by whose intercession they are giuen vnto men:Admira­ble con­uersions of Loreto and he that belieueth them not, ma­keth vs belieue, that he is depriued not only of christian fayth, but of humane faith also, who will not yield to the depositiō of so many witnesses, nor be persuaded by so many supernatu­rall workes, so open and manifest vnto all. And if there were no other miracles, then the admirable conuersion of many great sinners, which is there wrought euery yeare, it were i­nough to testify the fauour and grace of God singularly presēt in that place:Multitude of peni­tents. there do sometymes in a weeke confesse 60000. Pilgrimes, where an 100. Confessours, if there be so many, cā ­not suffice to heare all that come: and who can reckon al that come for this purpose in a whole yeare, all that haue done pe­nance since 300. yeares in visiting this place: all that haue left their riches, honours, and commodityes, togeather with their sinnes, to consecrate themselues liuing sacrifices to God, in a true holocaust, and to passe the years of their mortall life, vn­der the straite obseruance of a religious law, farre from the vanity of the lost world. Are not these meruailes great inough to make the place meruailous? And if heertofore diuers places haue beene admired for only one miracle done there, what admiration deserueth this, for hauing beene honoured with millions of meruailes?

Why God worketh more miracles in one place, then in another. CHAP. XX.

BVT whence cōmeth it, that God doth make such choice and difference of places, and that in some he hath beene so liberall,Aug. epist. 137. ad clerum & pop. Hyp. and specially in those of the mother of his Sonne, and in this of Loreto aboue all the rest? S. Augustine speaking of miracles, which were done in certaine places dedicated to Martyrs, and not in others, toucheth this question, and doth in [Page 37] a sort confesse, that he cannot playnly decide the matter. Who can search (sayth he) the secrets of God, and know wherefore miracles are done in some places, and not in others? And ha­uing told how a certaine thiefe comming to Miln with intē ­tion to take a false Oath in the Church o [...] the Martyrs Geruasi­us and Protasius, where the Diuells were terribly tormented, and forced to tell what they would not,Epist. 137. was constrayned to confesse his fault, & to restore what he had stollen, he addeth: Is not Africa full of the bodyes of Martyrs, and yet these things are not done there? for as the Apostle sayth,1. Cor. 12 as euery Saint hath not the guift of healing, nor euery one the guift of discer­ning spirits, so he, that distributeth to euery one their proper vertues, would not that these thinges should be done at euery memory of Martyrs. So that the only reason he assigneth for these priuiledges of diuers places, is the will of the Creatour, who maketh his miracles shine where he listeth, and diuideth his guifts as he thinketh good. So we see, that according vn­to his pleasure, Nature is fertill and plentifull in one place, of that she cannot bring forth in another: and though there be natural causes therof, yet they are for the most part vnknown to vs, and we know nothing thereof, but in generall. It is God that hath so wrought, or as the Naturalists doe say; it is Nature that hath done it. Palestine yieldeth Balme, Arabia In­cense, India Rubarbe, the Philippines, and the neighbour Hands Spices; Aeygpt, the bird Ibis; Peru, the bird of Paradise; Brasil, Ibis ene­my to Serpents. the bird Toucan; the lake of Bourget in Sauoy, the fish Lauaret: contrary Peru most fertill in a thousand rare plantes, and trees, cannot nourish diuers of ours. The birds called Woodpeckers a­bound in many Countreyes, yet they are not to be seene in the country of Tarento, no more then Wolues in England; in the Ile of Rhodes we cannot find one ayrie of Egles, nor in the ter­ritory of Fidena, neere vnto Rome, one Storkes neast,Plin. [...]l [...]. 20. 29. nor one Storke within two leagues of the lake of Como in Italy. Who hath giuen these priuiledges and boundes vnto Nature? Who knoweth, or can declare it? It is not the diuersity of Hea­uen or earth; for we see, that diuers of these places we haue named, & diuers others which we might name, be of the same scituation, and climate, which yet are very different in the [Page 38] production of thinges. And contrarywise diuers of different country, and climate to be a like, either in wanting or aboun­ding. It is therfore the only will of God,Particu­ler causes of the di­uersity of effects in nature & aboue nature. which is the supreme cause of all this diuersity. As therefore the Creatour, who is the father of the family of this world, and maister and dispen­ser of all therin hath made Nature, & the diuision of his guifts, so hath he made certaine holy places, more fertill and more honourable with his guifts and wonders, because so it pleased him. This is the general reason, which 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 dependāce 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 [Page 39] 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 demād 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-kerche [...]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 māners, 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 intercessiō, 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 [Page 40] 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 inclinatiō, 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,Christiā Temples honored through Christē ­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, [Page 41] the Popes, and the great Prelates of the Church, communal­ties and cittyes, and an infinit number of people, comming frō 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 their health, and recouery of body, or soule, or both togeather. F. Horatius Turselinus hath made a Catalogue of those he knew himselfe: there haue beene many thousands, which men haue not knowne, written in the booke of God,Secret al­mes great merit. Mat. 6.4. who can well find their names in the day of generall Iudge­ment, to giue them openly, and in good company the reward and recompence of the good they haue done for his name in secret.

The wretched misbelieuer, who draweth poison out of all this good iuice, and turneth light into darkenes, will say, that this was the marke wherat the couetousnes of Priests did shoot, and that to obtaine that, they haue so much preached & magnifyed this place, drawing thither all the world by affe­cted commendations: but the faythfull which haue eyes to see the workes of God, doe acknowledge the treasures of his heauenly blessing, hauing by the meanes of this sacred House brought aboundance of all good, as heeretofore to the house of Obededom, by the presence of the Arke of Testament,2. Reg. 6. not for to fill the auarice of the Priests, but for his owne glory, & for the ornament of his house, and for the maintenance of his ser­uants, and of the poore, for all which there is spent euery yeare 30000. Crownes. Moreouer, it is answered to Calum­niatours and misbelieuers, that this place hath not beene made famous by the tongues of men, this not being in their power, but by the wonderous workes of God, euen before men could frame any designement of the celebrity of this place, or settle any hope of temporall goods therein: it is the hand of God, that hath done this great worke, and hath wrought these bles­singes, and whosoeuer doth attribute it vnto auarice, he is i­gnorant of the power of God, and blasphemeth against his graces and benefits.

But leauing these calumniations of those, that haue lost [Page 42] their fayth, let vs say for the end of this discourse, that seeing the proofes which we bring, doe manifestly teach, that the markes and tokens whereof each one might make a place ho­nourable, are found altogeather in this place, we must neces­sarily conclude,Loreto an abrid­gement of all ho­ly places. that it is an abridgement of all the holy places in the holy Land, and of all Christianity, as we sayd at the beginning, and therefore a place worthy aboue all the places in the whole world to be honoured and visited. It remayneth now to speake of the preparation & furniture of our Pilgrime and to declare the condition of all mortall men, and after to set downe the meanes and way, happily to performe his pilgri­mage, according to the lawes and rules of that condition.

Of the end and Allegorie of Christian pilgrimages, and of the continuance of our mortal course, signifi­ed and taught by the number of Fourty. CHAP. I.

THE Pilgrime of Loreto, hauing beene in­structed in the knowledge he should haue of the place,All men pilgrims vpon the earth. must now take some aduerti­sements, and afterward learne the necessa­ry meanes to vndertake and performe his voyage. He shall note then in generall, & in the first place, that all men haue euer beene, and are still in their condition pil­grimes, and trauailers vpon the earth, as the liues and wordes of Saints do teach vs; and these whome we call in special pil­grimes, to certaine places of the world, doe no more, sauing that they doe that of a speciall purpose and desire, which all mortall men do of necessity, walking to their graue, &, if they be prudent Pilgrimes, drawing towardes their heauenly coū ­try. [Page 44] Of this we haue diuers examples, and figures in diuers ages of the world.The Pa­triarche [...] who tra­uailed in the law of nature In the law of Nature, we know the pilgri­mages of the holy Patriarches, which we touched before, and shall declare further; for it is a point meet for the Pilgrime to know: we know the voiages of Abraham, who going out of his Countrey of Chaldea by the calling of God, became a strā ­ger and pilgrime in the land of Canaan; of Iacob, who trauai­ling from Canaan to Syria, saw in his sleep a wonderful Lader of the pilgrime,Iacobs trauail­ling from Canaan, and the vision of the lader. reaching vp vnto heauen, & hauing God lea­ [...]ing on the toppe thereof, and the Angells ascending and des­c [...]nding vpon the same; his children also, to wit, the Hebrews were Pilgrimes in Aegypt three or foure ages before the Law, and after the law was giuen in the mountaine of Sina, they walked pilgrimes in the desert of Arabia fourty years, at which tyme they had the Arke of the Testament, as a Tabernacle, & a moueable Temple to carry with them, for their comfort & solace of religion in their pilgrimage. Afterward being come to the land of promise, all the iust and holy men among them, caried themselues as pilgrimes. So Dauid for al, sayd vnto God: I am a stranger and pilgrime before thee, Psalm. 38 18. a [...] all my forefathers were.

Therefore these particuler pilgrimages were figures and mysticall instructions of mans condition, and the wordes of this King and Prophet containe an exposition of the same. In the law of Grace,Pilgrims of the law of Grace. Christians haue so much cleerer acknow­ledged this condition, and directed their life according to the forme of true pilgrimes, by how much the more they haue re­ceaued the light and heate of the Holy Ghost; & so much the more piously and diligently haue they practised these particu­ler pilgrimages to holy places, and namely to this holy house, as well in Galilee, as in Italy, since it came there, as they haue receaued more aboundance of truth, of loue, and of desire of the life to come, and other guifts of the same spirit. The pil­grime shall marke this instruction, as being the mayne and maister-point of his pilgrimage,Three ends of pilgrims. as he shall perceaue by & by by an expresse meditation. In the second place he shall note, that these Christian pilgrimages are vndertaken principally, for three ends, all which tend to one, which is perfectly to performe the pilgrimage of this life. The first is to honour [Page 45] God, and his Saints, visiting those places,1. To ho­nour god and his Saints. 2. To doe pennāce. 3. To in­crease de­uotion. where he manife­steth himselfe by his guifts, & graces bestowed by their pray­er, and intercession, vpon the true p [...]lgrimes, the members of his Church. The second to do pennēce, in patiently enduring the trauaile and incommodityes of the way; and the third, to increase deuotion, beholding and imitating the notable ex­ploits of Saints they visit, and all this to obtaine the felicity of our heauenly countrey, walking by the wayes of Gods cō ­mandements. This is the marke, that Christian pilgrimages do shoot at, and therefore those that vnder the title of pilgrims wander ouer countreyes without deuotiō, or which is worse, leade in their pilgrimages a disorderly life, are dissolute vaga­bonds, not Christian pilgrimes, people more worthy of pu­nishment then prayse: and those who trauaile with honesty indeed and ciuility, but whose chiefe intention is to see diuers countreyes, cittyes, peoples and to feed their curiosity with the sight, and knowledge of many thinges, as they are not of the worst, so neither deserue they the prayse of a true Christi­an pilgrime, no more then their end doth. But they are such pilgrimes as Vlisses, Aeneas, Plato, or such like trauellers, that rā ouer the world to enrich, & store themselues, with humane knowledge and prudence, and to frame and fashion their life after the skill and manner of wise men of this world. The Christian aymeth at a higher marke, and directeth his steppes to a more rich conquest:The pr [...] pall en [...] of a chri­stian [...] grime for although he doth not refuse nor omit to learne all the good that others learne, trauayling in diuers countreyes, as modesty, humility, patience, temperāce, and other gaine of morall vertues, whereby he may adorne his life with ciuill carriage & fashions; yet his principal marke is to make himselfe wise by christian wisedome to Godward, to enrich himselfe with piety, and charity, to liue christianly, that is to say, perfectly before him, according to euery mans state and condition, and finally by trauelling vpon earth to gaine heauen. Our pilgrime therefore shall not only haue in horrour the fashions of the first debauched wanderers, but also shall beware of being curious about vaine and vnprofitable thinges, and only seeke and search after such thinges as may help him happily to attaine vnto this end.

The for­me and partes of Christian pilgri­mages.In the third place, he must learne the formes and tymes of his pilgrimages, which I diuide vnto him in three partes, his going his arriuall or stay there, and his retourne: and these in fourty dayes iourney, shewing what he should doe in euery one of them. The three partes, are the three estates of Chri­stians: the three wayes are the three kindes of Christians vertues.Three sorts and estates of wayes & vertues. The first signifyeth the estate of beginners, the way and vertues of purgation. The second, the estate of the Profi­cients, and the way, and vertues of illumination. And the third, the estate of the perfect, and the way of vnion and exē ­plar vertues, which by likenes & loue, hold vs alwayes strai­tely conioyned with God.

The nū ­ber of 40 the figure of our mortal a­bode heere.The fourty dayes iourney signify the mortall abode, or time of men in the pilgrimage of this life, as our Doctours doe obserue: and for such signification hath this number beene of­ten vsed, & applyed in the Scrtpture. The Hebrewes passing towardes the land of promise, trauailed as I sayd before, four­ty yeares in the desert. Moyses was twice fourty dayes in the top of the mountaine Sina, to receaue the Law, which should guide and direct vs in this life. Elias fasted fourty dayes, as also our Sauiour, shewing vs the painefull and penitentiall course of this life. And this mystery is well founded (sayth S. Augu­stine) for that this number is composed of foure and ten,Aug. l. 2. de consen. Euan. c. 4. wher­of the first containeth the second, and both togeather bring forth fourty; for the parts & numbers that are found in foure, that is, 1. 2. 3. 4. make ten, and ten tymes 4. or 4. tymes ten, make 40. so that foure is the matter and substance of ten, and ten is the perfection of foure, and both togeather the generati­on of fourty, and euery where foure doth rule and is predomi­nant.4. Ele­ments. To the proportion then of this number, it seemeth that the production and continuance of thinges in this mortall life is framed and disposed; for the Elements, wherof all thinges heere below are compounded and produced,4. Times of the yeare. are foure; the ayre, the fire, the water, and the earth. The tymes that rule, and gouerne these productions are foure; the Spring, Summer, Autumne,4. Hu­mours. 4. Ages. & Winter. In men there are foure humours, Blood, Choler, Flegme, Melancholy: also there be foure ages, In­fancy, Youth, Manhood, and Old age: and foure bringeth al­wayes [Page 47] ten, a perfect number: that is to say, it maketh the thing perfect and accomplished according to the owne nature: foure Elements make a Body, as a Stone, a Tree, a Bird: foure Seasons make a Yeare: and the 10. with the 4. make 40. that is to say, the thing being perfect, taketh his race, and runneth vnto the but, and end of his 40. making his whole continu­ance; the tree his, man his, and so of the rest.The ge­neration of m [...]n perfected in 40. dayes. The same nū ­bers doe reigne in the generation of man in particuler; for he is perfected in his mothers wombe in foure tymes ten dayes, that is fourty if it be a man child, & in twice fourty if it be a femall: and therefore it is, that Philo the Iew doth call it the number of life. Our pilgrimage therefore shall be of fourty dayes, whereof shall be allowed for going 21. [...] de vita Mo­sis. The 21. dayes of the pil­grims going is a marke of pen­nance. which is thrice 7. the number which signifyeth pennance, and purgation, ac­cording to the signification of the first part, which we haue sayd, doth expresse vnto vs the estate of them that are peni­tents, beginners, and walking in the vertues and way purga­tiue. Nine are allowed for his arriuall, and stay there, which signifyeth the estate of illumination, as the number is a signe of light, consecrated to the 9. Orders of Angells, the intelle­ctuall light.

Ten are allotted for his returne, which is a note of a per­fect life, and the number of perfection: and because in euery one of these iournyes the principall and most frequent exercise of the pilgrime, is to pray, meditate, and contemplate, to the end to be vnited, and conioyned to God, and to find him fa­uourable; also to make examen of his conscience, to amend his vices and imperfections, and to goe forward in Christian purity, as he doth in his way and iourney; it is necessary be­fore all thinges, that he learne how to performe these thinges duly, before he set forward in this way.

Of Prayer, Meditation, and Contemplation. CHAP. II.

THE principall, most familiar, and necessary instrumēt of a Christian, and of him that goeth in pilgrimage for deuotion, is prayer; for that is it, that holdeth vs vnited with God, and draweth from him force, and necessary prouision to discharge our voyage; and therfore it is altogeather necessary [Page 48] to vnderstand it well, and to know how to vse and handle it with dexterity; which he shall doe by the proper definition thereof, as it were by a toole or instrument, which discouereth the nature of the thing, and by declaration of the parts, con­ditions, and vse thereof.

Aug. l. 2. de sermon. Dom. in monte c. 7. Basil. hom. in Mart. Iulit. Damas. l. 4. de side orthodoxa cap. 24. Greg. N [...]s. lib. de ora. Aug. serm. 226. de tempore. Chyrs. l. 2. de orando Deo.Prayer is a conuersion of the hart of God (sayth S. Augu­stine:) It is a demand of some good thing (sayth S. Basil.) S. Iohn Damascene comprehending them both, sayth: Prayer is an eleuation of the spirit vnto God, and a demand of things con­uenient. Prayer (sayth S. Gregory N [...]ssene) is a contemplation, or talke of the holy soule with God, a contemplation of inui­sible thinges, a certaine fayth, and beliefe of things we should desire; it is an angelicall state & vocation, an increase of good, and subuersion of euill. It is the key of heauen (sayth Augu­stine) and the sinnewes of the soule. This is (sayth S. Chryso­stome) the instrument that should alwayes be in the Christians hand, day and night, in the towne and field, in prosperity & aduersity, in peace and warre, in health and sicknes, and in all thinges. It is good reason then to learne the manner of pray­ing well. It appeareth by the foresayd definitions, that the essence and foundation of true prayer consisteth in the soule; that which is made with the mouth and voice only, deserueth not the name of prayer. It is the language of a Parrot that speaketh it knoweth not what. Prayer of the spirit, speaketh properly to God, and maketh himselfe to be vnderstood as an Angell, though the lips stirre not, and he cryeth aloud to God in profound silence.Exod. 14.15. Moyses moued not his lippes when God sayd vnto him: Why cryest thou? It was the crye and voice of his prayer, which he then made in the closet of his hart. The prayer of the mouth is not good, except it be caried with the wings of the spirit: both togeather make a perfume that pier­ceth the heauens, a sacrifice most acceptable to God, and a pregnant request to obtaine whatsoeuer shall be demanded of his Maiesty. The inward is the roote and fruit of deuotion, the outward is the flowre and budd. To doe it well, he must learne to meditate well; for meditarion, and contemplation do illuminate the vnderstanding, do heat the wil, eleuate the soule to God, and ioyneth it to his loue, which is the very [Page 49] essence and vigour of prayer: Fire is kindled in my meditatiō (sayth Dauid,) that is to say, My prayer shall be feruent, if I meditate well.

To meditate Christian-like, is to discourse in the vnder­standing of some diuine subiect, of the creation of the world, of the Natiuity of the Sonne of God, of his death, of his resur­rection, of the purity and humility of the B. Virgin Mary, of some vertue or vice, of death, iudgement, hell, heauen, and such like matters. This discourse is made in noting the causes,The dis­course of Prayer. and effects, and deducing conclusions agreable to the honour of God, and our good. For example, meditating of the crea­tion of the world, I obserue, that God is the supreme cause of all thinges, who hath made all of nothing by his only word, that heauen and all the creatures with them are the workes of his power, wisedome, and bounty; heereof I conclude,Conclu­sion of our Pray­er. that he is almighty, hauing brought forth such goodly effects of nothing; all wise, hauing so diuinely ordered them; all good in hauing giuen them all to men; againe I conclude, that I am bound to feare him as my soueraigne Lord, adore him as the supreme wisedome, and loue him as the infinite bounty, and to serue him with all my hart, and with all my forces, as my Creatour, my King, my Maker, my Father, and my all in all. By this discourse, my vnderstanding is delighted in the mer­uailous workes of God, my will is warmed in his loue, and of them both my soule taketh a tongue to speake vnto him, and maketh her prayer, adoring his greatnes, admyring his wise­dome, magnifying his bounty, casting her selfe into the armes of his holy prouidence; declaring her infirmityes, offering her abilityes, her vowes, teares, sighes, and desires, and al that she hath, demanding what she hath not, perfect humility, forti­tude, patience, charity, and other vertues; and finally drow­ning her selfe in praying to this supreme Deity, as before she did in meditating. Contemplation is a regard of the eyes of the soule fastened attentiuely vpon some obiect,Definitiō of Con­templati­on. as if after ha­uing meditated of the creation, she should set her eye of her vnderstanding fast and fixed vpon the greatnes of God, vpon the beauty of the Heauens; or hauing discoursed of the passiō of our Sauiour, she behouldeth him present, & seeth him cru­cifyed, [Page 50] and without any other discourse perseuereth constant­ly in this spectacle. Then the soule doth contemplate vpon her meditation:Cōtem­plation more thē Medita­tion. so that contemplation is more then meditati­on, and as it were the end thereof, and it groweth and sprin­geth vpon it many tymes, as the braunch doth vpon the bo­dy of the tree, or the flowre vpon the branch. For the vn­derstanding hauing attentiuely, and with many reasons to and fro meditated the mystery, and gathered diuers lights to­geather, doth frame vnto her self a cleere knowledge, wher­of without further discourse, one way or other, she enioyeth (as I may say) a vision which approcheth to the knowledge of Angells, who vnderstand without discourse; although it may so happen,The know­ledge of Angels. that the deuout soule may enter into contemplatiō without any meditation going before, according as the diuine wisedome shall affoard her inward obiects, after the manner of visions, as it did often to the Prophets, and his most fami­liar friends and seruants; or els where the party himselfe doth choose some one, where he feeleth greatest gust, and there stayeth without stirring. It may happen also, that meditation may follow contemplation, as if one hauing attentiuely be­held an obiect, doth thereof afterward ground some discourse, as Moyses did,Exod. 3.3. when hauing seene the visiō of the burning Bush he approched, discoursing why it consumed not. Heereof we learne the difference betwixt these two actions;The dif­ference between contem­plation & medi­tation. for meditati­on is lesse cleere, lesse sweet, and more painefull then contē ­plation: it is as the reading of a booke, which must be done sentence after sentence; but contemplation is like casting the eyes vpon a picture, discerning all at once. Meditation is like eating: Contemplation like drinking, a worke more sweet, cooling, and more delicate, lesse labour, and more pleasure then eating is. For he that meditateth, taketh an antecedent, doth behould, weigh, and consider it, as it were shewing the meate with some paine, and afterward doth gather conclusiōs one after another, as it were swallowing downe of morsells, and taketh his pleasure by peeces; but he that contemplateth, receaueth his obiect without paine swiftly, and as it were al­togeather, as if he tooke a draught of some delicate wine: such is Meditation, and such is Contemplation. All prayer there­fore, [Page 51] and all eleuation of the spirit, for to carry it selfe with a strong and swift flight before the throne of the diuine Maiesty must be carryed by them, or by the meanes of one of them, as hauing their force and vigour from them. This is the essence of prayer, let vs see now what are the conditions, partes, and vse thereof.

How Prayer should be made, and of the partes, and vse thereof. CHAP. III.

THE Prayer of a Christian must be attentiue, deuout,The principal partes of Prayer. full of loue, respect and reuerence to God, before whom he speaketh, who is King of Kinges, and very wisedome, bounty, and maiesty it selfe. It hath three principall partes, as haue all other well ordered discourses. The entry, the body or corps, and the end and conclusion. The entry or begin­ning contayneth a short and generall preparatiue prayer; also a locall representation of the matter we meditate of, which is as the first essay and preamble of prayer. It contayneth a par­ticuler prayer which is insteed of a second preamble: the ge­nerall prayer demandeth of God, that it would please him to direct all our intentions to his honour and glory, which may be done with hart alone, or with hart and mouth also, vsing the accustomed prayer of the Church, framed for the same end in these termes: We beseech thee, O Lord, to preuent our actions with thy aspiration, and to follow them with thy help, that all our prayer & worke may euer begin at thee, and by thee be ended. Amen.

The representation or first preamble,The first preā ­ble. is a certaine imagi­nary composition or framing of a place, where the thing we meditate of was done, or of the thing it selfe: as of the desert where our Sauiour fasted,Mat. 4. if we meditate of his victory against the Diuell; or the mount Caluary, where he was crucifyed, if we meditate of his death; or of the B. Virgins chamber, where she was saluted by Gabriel, if we meditate of the An­nunciation, and so of other mysteries. But if the subiect of the meditation be spirituall, insteed of this composition of place,The re­presenta­tion of sinne. we must imagine some thing conuenient and agreable in mā ­ner of a parable; as if we meditate vpon sinne, we may ima­gine the soule shut vp, and imprisoned within the body, as [Page 52] in an obscure and loathsome prison; and sinne, as a cruell and monstrous tyrant, a dragon, a serpent, and such as the Diuell is painted, and all the holy Doctours doe sometymes describe it. It will help also, to haue before our eyes some picture or image of the matter we meditate, which may serue insteed of these representations, to them that cannot frame this them­selues. This preamble is very profitable to meditate attenti­uely; for thereby is setled and restrained our imaginaition, which is a flying and wandering faculty, going for the most part out of the house without leaue, & carrying our thoughts sometymes before they are aware, as far from the marke, or matter, as the North is from the South.

The se­cōd pre­amble.The particuler prayer, and second preamble; is a demand or petition we make to God to graunt vs the grace to reape the fruit we seeke for in the subiect of prayer. For example, to giue vs charity, if our prayer be of that vertue; or compun­ction, if we meditate of our sinnes.

The bo­dy or substance of the pray­er.The body or corps of the prayer, contayneth the points of the subiect of the meditation, one, two, three, or more: as if meditating of the Resurrectiō of our Sauiour, we should make the first point of the tyme or houre of his rysing, the second of the glory of his body, the third of the souldiers feare that kept the Sepulcher, the fourth of the apparition and testimo­ny of the Angells, and so in other matters.

The speach or collo­quy en­deth the Prayer.The end of the prayer containeth a speach, which the soule maketh vnto God, either with the hart alone, or with hart & mouth togeather, thanking him for his guifts, offering our selues to his seruice, asking pardon of our sinnes, and grace to amend for afterward, and finally speaking vnto him as the na­ture of the meditation shall require, and communicating it self in such sort, as a deuout and respectiue hart may doe before God. This is the right prayer of a Christian, which the Pil­grime shall performe euery day. Those that haue not yet lear­ned to meditate and contemplate, may also pray, saying their houres, or reading some deuout booke, or taking some prayer which they can say by hart, as the Pater noster, Credo, or the like, meditating sentence by sentence, or word by word.

Of Iaculatory prayer. CHAP. IV.

THERE is another kind of prayer,Why it is called Ia­culatory. which is commonly called Iaculatory, because it is made shortly and sodenly, as if one should throw a dart, which is very ordinary and fami­liar to spirituall persons. It is a sodaine excursion, and eleua­tion of the soule ayming at heauen, praysing or praying to God or his Saints, in short tyme, and in few wordes, according vn­to the occasion we shall presently take, of place, tyme, or other thing; saying with hart or mouth, God be blessed. My God, show me thy wayes. Iesus help me. Glorious Virgin pray for me, and such like verses taken out of the Scripture, or out of our owne de­uotion: which manner of praying is figured by the Broc [...]es of gold, that were set on the top of the Temple of Hierusalem, Ioseph. l. 6. de b [...]o Iudai [...]. c. 6. to the end, the Birdes might not perch, or sit therein, nor either file it with their donge, or nestle there; and the simi­litude agreeth well; for these prayers being our highest and most subtill thoughts are like little golden Rods sharp on the top of our soule, hauing alwayes the point towardes heauen, and are very proper to chase away euill suggestions of the Di­uells, those soule birds, and to make all sortes of temptations vanish away at all tymes, and places; in night and day, in cō ­pany and alone, in the citty, in silence, in talke and discourse, the soule may cast out a sodaine sighe, a request, a desire, a prayse of God, or some Saint, and pray in secret effectually without disturbance. Therefore the well aduised Christian must alwayes haue this prayer at hand, & help himselfe with it as often as he can in the day, and specially our Pilgrime all the tyme of his pilgrimage, to the end to entertaine himselfe in continuall deuotion, and to ouercome temptations, & alwaies to haue his eare harkening after the mercy of God, and to ob­taine help and succour of him. We will now speake of the Beades and Rosary, and of the examination of our conscience.

Of the Rosary, and the manner how to say it. CHAP. V.

AMONGST the Prayers, and meditations which should be frequent and familiar to our Pilgrime of Lo­reto, it is good reason to reckon the Rosary, & Corone (Cha­plet [Page 54] in French).Of the name of Chaplet, o [...] Co­rone. For seeing that all Christian Catholikes doe vse it in the honour of the mother of God, much more should her deuoted seruant & pilgrime. This word Chaplet, or Corone had in the beginning another signification then it hath now, and is ancient in the French tongue; for we reade in Froissart, that King Edward of England, [...]. vol. 1. ap. 1 [...]2 that raigned in the yeare 1349. gaue a Crowne of pearles which he did weare on his head, to M. Eustace of Ribaumont, in reward and honour of his valour. This Chaplet was a little band of gold, folded and doubled after the manner of a crowne or garland, hauing pearles set on the outside, and it shewed like one of our Rosaryes, being set round vpon our head; heerof came the name, and for some si­militude it was applyed to a new subiect; & for this cause we vse that name, as also the name of Corone, not to signify an or­nament of the head,Corone an instru­ment of deuotiō. but an instrument of deuotion, a little booke without words or letters, composed of fifty smal beads stringed togeather, hauing betwixt euery ten a greater one, to distinguish the number, though commonly it hath 63. which is the number of the yeares of our B.The B. Virgin liued 63. yeares. Ladyes life. That which we call a Rosary is a triple Chaplet, or Corone, contayning 150. beads, stringed, and distinguished after the same fashion. The Catholike Church vseth them for prayer, saying vpon euery small bead an Aue Maria, and vpon the greater a Pater noster, meditating or thinking vpon the same mystery of the Rosary.

The 15. mysteries [...] the Rosary.These mysteries are 15. fiue of ioy, fiue of sorrow, and fiue of glory. The first five are, 1. The annunciation of the Angell. 2. The visitation of the Virgin. 3. The Natiuity of our Sauiour. 4. The presentation of him in the Temple. 5. When he was found among the Doctours.

The fiue sorrowfull are. 1. His agony in the garden of Oliuet. 2. His whipping at the pillar in Pilats house. 3. His crowning with thornes in the same place. 4. His carrying of his Crosse out of Hierusalem. 5. And his crucifying vpon moūt Caluary.

The fiue glorious are. 1. His Resurrection. 2. His As­cension. 3. The comming of the holy Ghost. 4. The Assump­tion of our B. Lady. 5. Her coronation and exaltation aboue [Page 55] all Angells. Of which mysteries the pilgrime may choose, in saying his beads, which his deuotion shall like best.

This is the little prayer-booke of our B. Ladyes Deuotes in the Catholike Church, a booke more rich,The pro­fit of the Rosary. and noble if it be well vsed and said, then the crowne of Kings, not only for the simple who cannot read, but also fit for the learned, who may find inough to meditate vpon that profound and meruai­lous salutation, and vpon the benefit of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God, and vpon those heauenly prerogatiues of our B. Lady, which are therein contayned. Those that haue forsa­ken the Church, and waged warre against this Sonne,The s [...]ofs of he he­retikes a­gainst the Rosary. & this Mother, at the beginning of their pretended reformation did mocke Catholikes for this manner of prayer, saying that this was to serue God by count and reckoning; and this, because al thinges are done without count or reckoning, without mea­sure, or order in their fayth. They shew by this folly, that they are ignorant how all that God hath done both vnder nature, and vnder the law, is done by weight, number and measure. Sap. 11. 21. Psalm. 118. Dauid song prayses vnto God seauen tymes a day:Sap. 11. 21. Psal. 118.164. Matt. 27.44. Matt. 14.39. Our Sauiour made the same prayer with the same wordes thrice in his agony; these works that were done by count, do they cease therfore to be diuine? What then doe these good fellowes find fault with, accusing the Catholike Church for that she prayeth, and honoureth God, and the B. Virgin Mary with the salutation of the Angell, and the words of S. Elizabeth, often repeated, and by number measured? see­ing this is to imitate the wisedome of God, and of his Saints, so to serue him, prayse, and pray vnto him, and his Saints, with a certaine number of prayers and prayses. Let therefore not only the Pilgrime, but euery good Christian, as well the lear­ned, as the simple, say his beades as often as he can in the day, assuring himselfe that his deuotion heerein shall not be with­out reward in full count and measure: and let him also ac­count himselfe much honoured, that he may so often pronoūce those wordes, which one of the chiefe celestiall spirits pro­nounced to the prayse of the B. Virgin, bringing vnto her the most noble embassage, and most important, that euer was, or can be made for men: and he may hold himselfe happy that he [Page 56] may pronounce that blessing,S. Eliza­beth san­ctified at the salu­tation of the B. Virgin. which that great Lady S. Eliza­beth, great of so great a Saint, vsed vnto her when she was visi­ted, blessed, and sanctified with the fruit of her womb by her first salutation, and let euery one persuade himselfe that there is spirituall profit, not only in saying them, but euen in carry­ing them at their girdle, or otherwise, as a signe of a Catho­like, against the misbelieuer, & of deuotion towardes the Mo­ther of the sonne of God.

Of the examination of our Conscience. CHAP. VI.

In the examen a man speaketh to him­selfe.PRAYER teacheth vs to speake to God, and to aske his grace: The examen of our cōscience teacheth vs to speak to our selues, and to yield thankes to God for his benefits, to amend our faults, and to preserue our selues in innocency and purity. This examen in Christian termes is an exact searching and discussion, which a man maketh of his thoughtes, words, and workes, once or oftener in the day, and it consisteth in fiue pointes.5. points of the ex­amen of consci­ence.

The 1. Is, after our Creed recited, to consider the benefits re­ceaued God, specially that day, and to thanke him with an humble hart therefore.

The 2. With the like humility to aske grace to know our sinnes, and auoyd them, and say Pater, and Aue.

The 3. Maketh the very scale, ballance, and touch of this examen, that is, to demand an account of our soule, and body, of all their faults committed since the last examen, discoursing from one houre to another, from one action to another; to en­quire if our vnderstanding hath had any euil thought of anger, vaine glory, auarice, impurity, enuy, wrath, gluttony, slouth, or like cogitations, whereunto the will hath constantly, or weakely, and negligently resisted. If the tongue hath fallen to any detraction, swearing, idle talking; if the eye hath beene cast vpon any euill obiect, or curiously beheld vnprofitable thinges; if the eare hath beene open to detraction, cursing, pratling, vaine mirth, and idle wordes; if the hand hath byn carryed to any nice, or impure touch of our owne body, or o­thers; if it hath stricken, or otherwayes iniuried any body; & finally make enquiry of all that hath beene thought, sayd, or [Page 57] done, contrary to the law of God, in what sort soeuer; and in the end say, Pater & Aue.

In the 4. point he must say Confiteor, knocking his breast for his faults found, with dolour and dislike, and also with hope to knocke at the gate of Gods mercy, humbly crauing pardon for the snnes we find our selues to haue committed.

The 5. point is, to make a firme purpose, neuer by the help of Gods grace to fall againe into the like, and with the first commodity to goe to Confession, & so to end with Pater, Aue, And Credo. This is the dayly exercise of all that be care­full and solicitous of their owne saluation, commanded by the Scripture, and practised by the Saints:Eccl. 28.29. Locke vp thy gold & siluer (sayth the Wise man) and make a weight vnto thy wordes, and put a strict bridle in thy mouth. That is, vaunt not of thy vertue, nor glory in thy good actions, weigh and examine all, euen vnto thy wordes, and keep thy selfe from euill, and haue a purpose to abstaine for afterward. Iob sayd: I feared all my workes, Iob. 9.28. know­ing that thou dost not pardon the offender. And this without doubt was, because he weighed all in the ballance of Gods iustice, which he knew left nothing vnweighed. Dauid: Psalm. 76. I meditated in the night with my hart, I did exercise my selfe, I did sweep & cleanse my spirit. Vpon which wordes S. Augustine sayth: He enqui­red of himselfe, he examined himselfe, and he iudged himself within himselfe. He examined in the night, the fit and pro­per tyme, in silence with attention hauing his eyes shut to o­ther thinges; he exercised himselfe in good earnest, with all his hart, with feruour and vigour of deuotion, and not with a distracted and wandering cogitation, dead, & without mo­tion of life and sorrow: My sinne is alwayes before me. Psal. 50. Because he was in continuall examination of his actions, alwayes fin­ding some defect; and heereof he sayd to God:Psal. 18.14. Who is he that knoweth his faultes? Deliuer me from my secret sinnes, and pardon thy seruant the sinnes of others. He that doth not his diligence to per­forme this once a day, sheweth himselfe to haue no great care of his owne soule; for he putteth himselfe fondly in danger, to be surprised and sodainly arrested by the executioner of the supreme Iudge, hauing the accountes of his life ill ordered & charged with debts, which he shal neuer be able to discharge. [Page 58] The deuout Christian doth it often in the day:How of­ten in the day the deuout Christiā should examine his con­science. Our Pilgrime shall do it thrice; in the morning when he riseth, he shall exa­mine the night past; at noone, examine the morning; and at night when he goeth to bed, shut vp the account and recko­ning of the whole day.

A generall distribution of what the Pilgrime should do euery day. And first of the Credo. CHAP. VII.

Clem. Const. A­post. l. 7. c. 25.THE dayly prayers and spirituall exercises of the pilgri­me, are distributed into three tymes of the day; Morning, after dinner, and Night: according to that distribution of K. Dauid, who sayd; In the Euening, and Morning▪ and at Midday, I will pray to thee, O Lord, and speake thy prayses, and myne owne ne­cessityes. Psal. 54. Which also Daniel practised in his captiuity, as before him all iust men in their owne dwellings.Dan. 6.10 In the Morning he shall make the principall meditation, at Noone and after, he shall make others, or els if he be loath to change the subiect, hauing some tast thereof in the Morning, he may goe ouer it againe by way of repetition; at euery one of these three tymes of prayer, he must still repeate the Credo, Pater, Aue, Confiteor, as a true child of the Church, who reciteth them in the midst among other prayers she maketh: & he that prayeth must haue Fayth, Hope, and Charity. Fayth is the foundation of the o­thers, by fayth he doth often say in his prayers the Creed, as making profession of his fayth comprised therein by these 12. Articles.

• 1. I beleeue in God the Father almighty, creator of heauen & earth.
• 2. And in Iesus Christ his only Sonne our Lord.
• 3. Who was conceaued by the holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Mary.
• 4. Suffered vnder Pontius Pilat, was crucified, dead and buried.
• 5. Descended into hell, the third day he rose againe from the dead.
• 6 He ascended into heauen, sitteth at the right hand of God the Fa­ther Almighty,
• 7. From thence he shall come to iudge the quicke, and the dead.
• 8. I belieue in the holy Ghost.
• 9. The holy Catholike Church, the Communion of Saints.
• 10 The forgiuenes of sinnes.
• 11. The resurrection of the body. 12. And life euerlasting. Amē.

This is a summary of fayth, called the Symbole, collecti­on, or gathering, because it was composed by the Apostles, e­uery one bringing and contributing his part, as they doe at a reckoning after a banket, representing by the number of the Articles, the 12. Authors and compounders thereof; for which cause S. Ambrose calleth it, the Apostolike fayth,Amb. ser. 38. Aug. ser. 1 [...]1. de tempore. Leo c. 13. ad Pulchr. composed by those 12. Artificers; also the key, whereby is discouered the darknes of the Diuell, that the light of Iesus Christ might ap­peare. S. Augustin calleth it, the Apostolike fayth, because it contayneth the abridgment thereof, and would haue euery one learne it by hart. The Symbole or Creed (sayth he) is short in wordes, and great in mystery; let euery one therefore that is come to the yeares of discretion, learne the Apostolike fayth, which he hath professed in Baptisme, by the mouth of his God-father.

These twelue Articles containe all that euery Christian ought distinctly to belieue of God and his Church. The 8. first, teach vs the beliefe we must haue of the B. Trinity, one God and three persons, and specially of the mystery of our Re­demption. The foure last, deliuer vnto vs what to belieue of his Church.

Of the Pater Noster, Aue, and Consiteor. CHAP. VIII.

THE Pater noster is the summary of our hope, as the Creed was of our fayth, contayning seauen petitions in forme of prayer as followeth.

• 1. Our Father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy Name.
• 2. Thy kingdome come.
• 3. Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in Heauen.
• 4. Giue vs this day our daily bread.
• 5. And forgiue vs our trespasses, as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs.
• 6. And lead vs not into temptation.
• 7. But deliuer vs from euill. Amen.

The foure first, demand the guift of good thinges; the three last, deliuerance from euill. The 3. first, aske that which per­tayneth to life euerlasting: the foure last, that which con­cernes this temporall, to attaine vnto the other, as S. Augustine [Page 60] sayth.Aug. euch. c. 115. & serm. Dom in montel. 2. cap. 17. This is a prayer made and dictated from the mouth of the Sonne of God, the richest, and worthyest of all the Church maketh to the diuine Maiesty, contayning as the fore­sayd Doctour sayth, all that the Christian should desire, hope, feare, and aske, for this life, & for the next; and therefore most worthy to be recited often in the day, as a testimony of our hope, as the Credo is of our faith; & to demand of God what we want, although it be lawfull for vs to pray, and professe our fayth in other words, which the holy Ghost shall sugest.

After the Pater noster, we salute, and pray to the B. Virgin in these wordes.

Haile Marie full of grace, our Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst all women; and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe, IESVS.

Holy Mary Mother of God, pray for vs sinners, now, and at the houre of our death. Amen.

The first words are partly of the Archangell Gabriel, partly of S.Luc. 2.28 42. Elizabeth: the last clause, is a prayer that all holy men make to the mother of God. The Church therefore reciteth the Aue Maria after the Pater noster, as it were coupling an excellent sa­lutation with an excellent prayer, vsing the sayd salutation, as a diuine praise, to the honour of the mother of God, and as a thankesgiuing to God for the benefit of the Incarnation of his Sonne, and of his benefites giuen vs by the sayd B. Virgin, praying her to be our Aduocate to our Creatour, that he would heare vs in the requests we make, saying the Pater noster, and especially to help vs at the houre of our death, a ryme of very dangerous conflict, and of our greatest necessity.

The Confiteor is thus.

I confesse to Almighty God, to the B. Virgin S. Mary, to the Bl. S. Michael the Archangell, to the B. Saint Iohn Baptist, to the holy A­postles Peter and Paul, & to all the Saints, & to you my Ghostly-father, for that I haue grieuously sinned in thought, word, and deed, through my fault, through my fault, through my most haynous fault. Therfore I beseech the Bl. Virgin Mary, the Blessed S. Michael the Archangell, the Blessed S. Iohn Baptist, the holy Apostles Peter and Paul, all the Saints, and you my Ghostly-father to pray for me to our Lord God.

When the Confession is not made to the Priest, we must [Page 61] leaue out those wordes, and to you my Ghostly Father.

This is the ordinary and generall forme of Confession, that euery Christian maketh to God, to the B. Virgin, to al Saints, to the Priest, and to them all present if it be made in company, acknowledging himselfe a sinner before the diuine Maiesty, before Angels, & Men, asking pardon of his sinnes committed, and praying the B. Virgin, and all the Saints, the Priest, & all the standers by, to pray to this end for him.Of this is spoken after in the 21. iourney. This confession is the generall and common: there is another generall, sacra­mentall, and secret, which is made in the eare of the Priest at some certaine tyme, whereof we will speake after. This should be made often euery day, eyther alone, or with others; for as often we fall into faults, little or great, so often also must we humble our selues, confessing our faults, & asking pardon of God whome we haue offended.

The pilgrime then praying these three tymes a day, mor­ning, after dinner, and night, must recite at the beginning of his deuotions, and at the end, according vnto the circumstan­ces, the Credo, Pater, and Aue, professing his fayth and hope to­ward God, and demanding thinges necessary; the Confiteor also at the same time, in signe of humility, confessing himselfe a sinner, and asking pardon of his offences, & if he findeth his conscience charged with any mortall sinne, he shall acknow­ledge his fault, making his confession to God, with repentance and purpose at the next commodity, to confesse to the Priest for sacramentall absolution, as hath beene sayd in the first part of the Examen.

Of the signe of the Crosse. CHAP. IX.

HE shall remember also the signe of the Crosse,the signe of the Crosse must be familiar in all our actions. Tertul. de coron. mil. Matt. 28.19. not only in his exercises of deuotion, but also in all other his dome­sticall and ciuill actions, at his rising, and going to bed, and putting on his cloathes, and putting them off, in going out, in comming home, at the beginning, and ending of his reading, and refection, and in other like workes and occasions. This is the signe of a Christian, and being made with the words spo­ken by our Sauiour: In the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, & of the Holy Ghost, is a briefe symbole or collection, and a short profession of the B. Trinity, and of our Redemption, against [Page 62] the infidelity of the Paynimes, and Iewes, & specially in these tymes it is a marke of a Catholike against Heretikes.Amb. ser. 43. Athan. in vit [...] [...]. Antonij. It is a si­gne of good successe in our actions (sayth S. Ambrose serm. 43.) And a signe of victory against Sathan ouercome by the Crosse (sayth S. Athana ius in vita S. Antonij.) It is an armour and de­fence against temptations, and all our ennemyes (sayth S. E­phrem.) And therefore we must vse at all occasions to blesse, & crosse our forehead,Tertul. de coron. [...]l. Basil. de spiritus [...]n­cto c. 27. Greg Na ora. 1. con. Iuli 1. Chrys. ho. 55. in Matt. Athan. vt supra. Hier m. c. 9. Ezech. Aug. l. de cathe. ru­dibus cap. 20. & tract. 118. in Ioan. our mouth, our brest, our house, our let­ters, our bookes, our table, our meate, and all thinges euery where, as hath beene the custome of the Church, founded in the Tradition of the Apostles, as we may learne by the wai­tings of the Doctours thereof, Tertullian, S. Basil, S. Gregory Nazianzen, S. Chrysostome, S. Athanasius, S. Hierome. S. Augu­stine, and other holy persons. And whosoeuer for shame, or negligence shall forbeare to signe his forehad, and his actions wirh this signe, he is vnworthy to beare the name of a Chri­stian, & deserueth at that great day to heare thundered against his folly and ingratitude, the sentence of confusion and eternal paine, prepared for the ennemies of the Crosse.

What the Pilgrime should doe euery day. CHAP. X.

BESIDES this we haue spoken, the Pilgrime must eue­ry day, as well working dayes, as holy dayes, make some meditation proper for the day. So he may meditate of our Sa­uiours Resurrection on Sunday; of Death, on Monday; of Iudgement, on Tuesday; of Hell, on Wednesday; of the B. Sacrament, on Thursday; of the Passion of our Sauiour, on Friday; and of his Buriall, on Saterday. On holy dayes, he shall take some subiect, either out of the Ghospell, or mystery of the day, or of the life of the Saints: as to meditate of the hea­ring of the word of God, on Sexagesima-Sunday; on the ex­cellency of Martyrdome, on s. Stephens day; of the holy Ghost, at Pentecost; of patience and charity, on S. Laurence day, or any other Saint, vpon the day of his martyrdome or feast: with these meditations he shal haue others, which are set downe for euery day of his voyage, which he shall do the same day at diuers tymes. Being in the fields he shall take matter of pray­sing God as those thinges he beholdeth shall giue him occasiō; [Page 63] beholding the Heauens, he shall admire God in those immor­tall bodyes and lights; seeing the mountaines, the plaines, the riuers, the plantes, the beasts, and other creatures, he shal giue th [...]nkes for all to God, as made for the behoofe of man, and of himselfe in particuler, and shall inuite them to prayse the same Creatour, to the imitation of those wise and stout Hebrews, who song in the midst of the Furnace:Benedi [...]e omnia o­pera [...]o­mini Do­mino. O all yee workes of our Lord, blesse yee our Lord &c. In faire wether, he shal thanke God for that particuler benefit of his way and iourney: if it doth rayne, hayle, or storme, he shall thanke him also for this crosse and aduersity, and take it patiently to make his merit thereof, and his spirit all profit. Passing by the Cittyes and Townes, he shall visit the Churches, holy places, the Hospitalls, & such like, where he may get any profit, or increase of deuotion. Going out of his lodging, he shall say Lord shew me thy wayes, Psalm. 24 & teach me thy paths, or some such verse, and shall salute his An­gell-keeper, that he may accompany him in the way;Luc. 10.5 and be­ginning to march, he shall say his Itinerarium, and ordinary prayer for pilgrimes and trauailers: entring into his lodging by day, or in the night to his bed, he shall say, The peace of God be heere, and shall giue good example, and edification to euery one, in his talke, gestures, and all his cariage; sitting at the table, he shall say grace, or heare some other better then himselfe say it, and in tyme of relection if there be company, he shall beginne some discourse of honest recreation fit for the tyme, or shall heare others talke. If he eat alone, he shall feed his spirit also with good cogitations, whilest he refresheth his body with corporall food. Hauing sayd grace, & taken some rest, he shall retire himselfe, and hauing sayd his Litanyes, or other prayers, and made examen of his conscience, and hauing thanked God for his benefits receaued that day, demanding pardon, and purposing amendement, he shall craue the ayde of the glorious Virgin, of his Angell-keeper, & other Saints; and hauing ended his deuotions for that day, he shall take his rest.

A meditation of the condition of man, which is to be Pilgrime in this life. CHAP. I.

OVR Pilgrime hauing obserued all this, ordered and settled his affaires, specially if he be maister of a family, discharged his iourney of all let and hinderance, made prouision of what is necessary,The first dayes iourney. being con­fessed and communicated, and well pre­pared and furnished both in soule and bo­dy, and of whatsoeuer the circumstance of Christian and ciuill prudence may require, he shall choose the day of his setting forth, and shall take his iourney, vnder the protection and safe conduct of Almighty God, and of the glo­rious Vigin, whome he goeth to visir, & of his good Angell.

The me­ditatiō of the mor­ning of the 1. dayThe meditation and prayer of his first dayes iourny, beside that which he shall take proper for the day as we sayd before, shall be of the condition of mortall men, which is, to be pil­grimes, and strangers vpon earth.

The prayer preparatiue shall demand of God, that it would please him, to direct his intentions and actions to the glory of his holy name, as we taught before.

The first essay or preamble of the Meditation,The first preāble. shall represēt first, Adam chased and driuen out of earthly Paradise, to liue heere on earth, as a banished man, he, his wife, & all his po­sterity.

Secondly, it shall represent vnto vs, diuers holy men, and Saints, as leauing their homes, and houses, to walke to strange countryes; Abraham going out of Chaldaa, to dwell in the land of Canaan; Iacob going out of Canaan, to dwell in Syria, and at last to dye in Aegypt a strange countrey: the Apostles after the comming of the Holy Ghost, leauing their country, to walke pilgrims, euery one according to his lot, into an vnknowne world.

The second preamble shall demand of God a cleare light to see this verity, and liuely and profitably to apprehend,The 2. preāble. how al mortall men are pilgrimes in this world, & that we must seek for our countrey els where.

The first point of the Meditation shall be taken of the wor­des of the Prophet Dauid, and of the Apostle S. Paul: Psal. 38. I am a stranger with thee, O Lord, and a pilgrime, as all my fore-fathers haue beene. Also: We are pilgrimes and strangers before thee, Psal. 29.15. as our Fa­thers haue beene; Our dayes are like a shaddow vpon earth, and passe without any stay. S. Paul also: We haue not heere a dwelling, or per­manent Citty, but we seeke another, which is to come. Heb. 1.

The second point shall consider the practise of the foresayd words, verifyed in the examples of many holy men & Saints, who from the beginning of the world haue carryed themsel­ues, as true Pilgrimes in this life.Gen. 4.4. Abel the first iust man in the house and family of God, had neither house, nor Inne vpon the earth, attending only to prayer, and keeping his flocke.Gen. 4.17 Cain contrarywise, the first of worldly reprobates, built a citty as being a Cittizen, and Inhabitant of this world.Gen. 12. Abraham the Father of the faythfull dwelt (as we haue sayd) a stranger in the [...]and of Chanaan in tents and moueable houses, not buying one [...]oote of Land all his life, but a place of buriall for himselfe, & his children. The whole people of God, the posterity of the [Page 66] foresayd Abraham, was pilgrime in Aegypt 400. yeares, and 40. in the desert of Arabia. Our Sauiour also was a true Pilgrime, not thinking of any thing but of his iourney, not possessing a­ny thing, yea lesse then Abraham; for he borrowed his tombe, and Sepulcher, which Abraham bought. His Apostles also were dispersed ouer the whole earth, liuing as pilgrimes and trauailers, not ayming at any thing, but to gayne way towar­des heauen, and to draw other men thereunto by preaching of Christ Iesus.

3. Why man is pilgrime in this li­fe.The third point shall containe the cause, why man is pil­grime in this life; seeing that the whole visible world is made for him, and also why this pilgrimage is so painefull of griefes and sorrowes.

The cause of the first is the excellency of man, consisting in his soule, an immortal or heauenly essence, bearing in it self the image and likenes of that soueraigne and supreme beauty: by reason wherof there was due vnto him a perpetual habita­tion more proportionate to his dignity, & a more noble 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 [Page 67] 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 euē for that which thou dost bestow vpō me at this very time, in the cleere knowledge of thy wisedome, and bounty, & of my own estate, & conditiō! I see O my soueraigne, that thou [Page 68] 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 obseruatiō 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 tokēs 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 grād 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 [Page 69] 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 th [...]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 life to the pilgrimages of de­uotion. The spirituall habits of the Pilgrimes. CHAP. II.

GOING on his way, after he hath sayd the prayers of trauailers, admited & blessed the diuine Maiesty, at the behoulding of the Heauens, the chiefe and principall worke of his handes, he shall ruminate his morning meditation, to draw thereout some new tast and deuotion. For this is the force of prayer, to giue alwayes new light, according vnto the measure and manner that it is vsed:To rumi­nate or chew the Cudde. and the proper exercise of deuout persons, is often to remember in their mindes, what they haue once learned, to the imitation of those Beasts, who in the law of God are called cleane, whose property is to chew the cudde, and to take thereof new gust, and new substance:Cleane beastes. Leu. 11.3 he shall gather then a new, and consequently of that he hath meditated, that the pilgrimage he maketh to Loreto, and all o­thers that men make vpon the earth, are but figures and simi­litudes of the pilgrimage, that all mortall men do make from their birth to their graue, and comparing the figure to the truth, he shall find the one most liuely expressed and represen­ted [Page 70] in the other.

The like­nes of the earthly pilgrime to the spiritual.The true Pilgrime hath alwayes in his thought the place whither he tendeth, he chooseth the shortest and surest way, he goeth forward without any markable stay. The Citties, buil­dings, pa [...]laces, fields, gardens & places of pleasure, if he mus [...] needes see them, yet he seeth them only as in passing by them being alwaies attentiue to his end. He endureth in towne & field, all the incommodities and dangers of men and beasts, contempt, iniury, hunger, thirst, want, heat, cold, haile, snow sometyme lying vnder the house-roofe, sometyme vnder the cope, or canopy of heauen; sometimes merry and wel disposed▪ somtime againe weary & crazed; humble, patient, courteous, wise, and circumspect in all his actions.

He shall find all this, point by point practised in the pilgri­mage of mans life,The spi­rituall Pilgrime by those that are well aduised pilgrime [...] these walking vpon the earth haue heauē in their hart, whic [...] is the end of their mortal course: they striue & walke withou [...] rest towards vertue, holding the directest & surest way, whic [...] is that, which the Catholike Church, our good and commo [...] Mother, doth shew vs in her great Itinerarium of the lawes an [...] commandments of God:The Iti­nerarium of the lawes of God. they make no reckoning of worl [...] ­ly magnificence, and take with an equall mynd, prosperity & aduersity. If their affaires goe well forward, they thanke th [...] diuine prouide are without pride: if they suffer shipwrack, they lift their hands to heauen, & blesse the same prouidence: They are sober in aboundance, & abound in want; they are humble in honours, and magnanimous in the midst of disgraces. Fi­nally, there is no accident in the variety of this changeable & inconstant life, wherof he reapeth not some profit towarde [...] eternity: Our pilgrime shall marke all these similitudes to th [...] true pilgrimes, and shal contemplate in the figure of his, th [...] forme and tenour of the other, and make his profit thereof.

He shall also allegorize all the parts of his furniture and appartell, and shall attire his soule to the likenes of his body▪ For his Hat he shall take the assistance of God: his shooes sha [...] be the mortification of his affections; Patience shall be [...] mantle, or lether cloake; Ciuility shall be his coate or ca [...] ssacke: Chastity his girdle: contemplatiō & meditation shall [Page 71] his bag and bottle; the loue of the Crosse his pilgrimes staffe: Faith, Charity, and good workes, shal be his purse and mony, so shall he spiritually attire the inward man of the spirit, to the imitation of the Apostle S. Paul, who arming the Christian souldier giueth him his furniture, framed of the stuffe of such like allegories, and armes, forged of the same mettal,Ephes. 6. The shield of Verity, a breast-plate of Iustice, shooes of the preparation to the Gos­pell, the buckler of faith, the helmet of saluation, and the sword of the spirit of God. In such exercises shall he passe the after noone, tal­king to God and himselfe, making his prayers and examen as before, saluting the B. Virgin in her houres, saying his beads, singing some hymne proper for the tyme, or some spirituall song drawn out of his meditation, as this that followeth.

At night he shall take vp his lodging, such as he shall find to take some rest, and to get new strength of body and spirit, the more cheerfully to continue his iourney the next day.

The second dayes Iourney. The meane, and way happily to performe the pilgrimage of this life, is to suffer, and fight vnder the banner of Iesus Christ, and goe al­wayes forward in vertue. CHAP III.

IN the second dayes iourney, a good while before the Sun rise, the Pilgrime shall examine his actions of the night past: he shall say the Credo, Pater, and Aue, and after conti­nuing the matter begun, he shall meditate of the meanes and manner, how to performe happily the Pilgrimage of this hu­mane life, hauing already obserued in his first meditation, that euery man must of necessity make it; seeing that euery man is a Pilgrime vpon the earth, and that some make it well, of which number he desireth to be one; and others ill, whome he would not follow. The prayer preparatory heere & after, [Page 73] shall be alwayes as before.

The first Preamble shall represent a great Desert through which doe passe two sortes of Pilgrimes: the one that go vn­der a faythfull and good Capraine, patiently enduring the in­commodity of places and tymes, fighting valiantly at all oc­casions with robbers, & beastes;We must walke while it is day. Ioan. 12.35. measuring their refection not by pleasure but by necessity, not thinking of any thing all the day long, but to gayne way toward the place & end of their pilgrimage. The other, lead by a naughty, and treacherous guide, walke all the day wandering vp and downe, staying to behold curiously euery thing, betaking themselues, at euery houre, to rest and repast, like drunkards and vagabondes.Those that are surprised by death. And at the last being surprised by night, in ill termes, and ill we­ther, and ill prouided, they fall into the mercy partly of cruell beastes, Lyons, Wolues, Beares, and such like that deuoure them, and partly of theeues and robbers, who cut them in peeces, and make merry with their spoile and booty.

In the second Preamble, he shall demand of God with humble and feruent hart, the grace whereby he may liuely see and know the manner how to be a good pilgrime in this world, & to auoyd the dolefull end of the bad.

The first point shall begin with that which God sayd to A­dam, for the pennance of his dolefull dinner: Because thou hast heard the voice of thy wife, Gen. 3.17. and hast eaten of the tree I forbad thou [...]houldest not eate, the earth shall be accursed in thy worke, and thou [...]halt feed therof in trauaile all the dayes of thy life: it shall bring thee forth thornes and thistles, and thou shalt eat the grasse of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, vntill thou returne to the [...]arth, whereof thou wert made. By which wordes he shall see, that all the race of man wrapped in the condemnation of our first Father, hath gotten a necessity to suffer paine and trauaile [...]n this life vntill death, as himselfe did.

In the second, he shall heare and consider the wordes of S. [...]ames, saying: Happy is he that suffereth temptation; for after that [...]e hath beene proued, he shall receaue the crowne of Glory. 2. Tim. 2.5. And that of S. Paul: He that fighteth not duly, shall not be crowned.

The third point shal set before his eyes, the great multitude of the Hebrewes, trauailing in the desert of Arabia, amongst [Page 74] whome those that were valiant suffered and fought valiantly vnder the conduct and direction of Moyses the seruant of God, in hope to enter into the land of promise, to the which they al­wayes aspired The other, slaues of the Diuell, and their own bellies, murmurers and rebels, sought nothing but to eate and drinke, not caring for the countrey, for the which they were come out of Aegypt, and they perished miserably in the desert, made a prey to their enemies, their bodyes were a spoile to the earth, their soules to hell.

Iesus Christ pilgrime for men.In the fourth point he shall contemplate on the one part, Iesus Christ descended from heauē to the desert of this world, to be pilgrime among the children of Adam, the true guide of our pilgrimage and captaine of our warres. In the one being made vnto vs the way to leade vs to our heauenly Country, and giue vs light and strength to walke directly thither; and in the other hauing taught vs by his word and example how we must fight against our enemies, the Flesh, the World, and the Diuell, and all the squadrons of vices, and furnished vs with instructions, weapons, forces, with the assistance of his grace and Sacraments, valiantly to assaile and endure the as­sault, and to beare away the victory and crowne also, if we will our selues.The blindnes of men. On the other part, he shall bewaile the blind­nes, forgetfullnes, & peruersity of those, that straggling from the conduct of their King and Sauiour, cast themselues into the wayes & troupes of Sathan, walking to perdition, in per­petual misery, darknes, & slauery to this tyrant, and their own sinnes and vices.

In the fift point he shall weigh how profitable & pleasing a thing it is to God to suffer in this life somwhat for his sake, not for that he needeth our paynes,It is pro­fitable & honoura­ble to suffer for God. or taketh any pleasure in them of themselues; but for that to haue a wil to suffer, and in effect to suffer for him, is to beare towards him the depth of true cha­rity, & to giue an assured proofe therof. For prosperity is not the true touch and triall of loue, but aduersity; and therefore our Sauiour the patterne of all perfection, to shew his infinit loue to his Father, & vs, hath made choice of this way, & hath performed his pilgrimage in the thickest of a thousand trauaile and did end it by the torment and ignominy of the Crosse: & [Page 75] in the meane tyme, he hath often with a loud voice exhorted his Apostles & Disciples, to suffer; he councelled euery one to carry his crosse, he preached those happy that suffer for his name, he promised rest for paine, honour for shame, eternity for tyme. This exercise is so honourable and so precious, that if enuy could find place in the harts of the glorious and happy Spirits, they would enuy iust men this honour and happines,If Angels could be enuious, they would ē ­uy our suffering. that they can suffer for so great a Prince, after the example of such a Captaine, and for so great pay and reward. By which meditation the pilgrime shall not only be comforted in the tra­uaile of this his pilgrimage, but shal also be liuely encouraged and enabled to labour more and more euery day, considering that he cannot haue a more high, and royall way towardes heauen, then that of the Crosse, beaten by the King himselfe, and as the Apostle sayth:2. Cor. 4. Our tribulation which is heere short and light, worketh in vs an eternall weight of endlesse glory: he shall be then animated, and stirred forward to suffer in fighting, and fight in suffering, seeing that his tribulations, his discommo­dities, his wearynes, his teares, his watching, his hunger, his thirst, fasting, disciplines, hayre-clothes, and all his afflictiōs and combats, thinges of themselues of small worth, and short, yet suffered for this maister, shall be reckoned vnto him for so many crownes of glory, and so many increases of felicity in the great day, when all true pilgrimes and valiant champions shall enter in triumph to the kingdome of their heauenly coū ­trey. In the end he shall make his prayer, and speach to God, speaking to him with the wordes and sentences of his medita­tion, and shall say with an humble and submis [...]e hart.

My Creatour and Lord, behold me in the progresse of my pilgrimage full of desire and courage, but inexpert and vnskil­full to choose and find my way, and weake to support the fu­ture difficulties thereof. Thou hast giuen me the meanes to vndertake it with a courage,Each one may say this, spe­cially be­ginners. and a desire faythfull to finish it, giue me also, if it please thee, strength and force: let me suffer vpon the earth of my pilgrimage, seeing I am one of Adams children condēned to tra [...]aile, but let it be for thy sake, and vnder the banner of thyne only Sonne Iesus Christ; for I know, that torments and death suffered by such a title, [Page 76] vnder such a Captaine, containe an earnest of the ioyes of thy felicity, and of life euerlasting. Aboue all keep me, O Lord, from being of the number of those, who like euill pilgrimes, seeke the labyrinthes of this world, and not the wayes of hea­uen; who forgetting their owne condition, become (insteed of wise pilgrimes as they should be) mad and senseles vaga­bondes, and after many courses perish in the desert, buried in the dust which they should tread vnder foot. Alas! What seek they in their base dwelling? Doe they thinke to find true re­pose in the countrey of famine, of thornes, of thistles? Life in the region of death?The va­nity of world­linges. Triumph in the field of battell & place of warre? Heere is not the place that they must seeke such ad­uentures, nor yet aske them: Neither doe I aske it of thee, O Lord: I desire of thee heere the victory ouer thyne enemies and myne: let the honour of the triumph, if I deserue any, be reserued to a better tyme and place, in the spring time of thine eternity, in the land of thy children, in myne owne home, & not in a strange Countrey: let the wise of this world triumph in their countrey,The Ro­mans tri­umphed in Rome, not in strange Coūtreys and thy children in heauen, the house and citty of their Father. O glorious Virgin most pure Mother, & most puissant Queene, in this eternity, & in this countrey we speake of, thou art my Aduocate, seeing thou art content to be so to all men, that choose thee for such, and fight for Heauen vnder thy protection, fortify and second my prayers by thy in­tercession, and procure them to be heard; & that hauing lear­ned to honour and adore with all my hart, thy Sonne in thy house of Loreto, I may also adore him, enioy him, and magni­fy him for euer in his celestiall pallace.

The Pilgrime being refreshed with this spirituall repast, shall march on his morning, with his accustomed exercises.

The after dinner, and Euening of the se­cond day. That euery Christian must suffer, and beare his Crosse. CHAP. IIII.

IN the Afternoone he shall repeate the points of his mor­ning Meditation, and doing it with attention, he shall [Page 77] draw thence two instructions. The first,The er­rour of worldly men. that they are greatly deceaued, who carrying the name of Christians, and calling themselues pilgrimes vpon earth, giue themselues notwith­standing to pleasures, enemies of the Crosse, & of all that may afflict the body, and for the good of the soule, they thinke it sufficient that our Sauiour hath endured for vs, yea and that we doe iniury to the merits of his passion, to suffer any thing with him, or after him; people buried in the blindenes of their sensuality, neither acknowledging what they haue receaued of him, nor what they should render him againe, nor the good they may get by suffering for him.

The benefit that man reapeth by the paines and passion of our Sauiour, is no exemption from al payne,An in­structiō. but from the eter­nall, which only is to be feared, & to which sinne hath bound and tyed vs; from the which bond no other fine,Profita­ble and glorious to suffer with Christ Ioan. 14. and ran­some could deliuer vs, but the infinite merits of such a Redee­mer: as for temporall paynes it is so farre of, that he hath ther­by exempted vs, as that cleane contrary he hath inuited, and bound vs, by his example, his w [...]rd, and promise of reward & recompense: I haue giuen you example (sayth he) that you may doe as you haue seene me doe. And againe: Whosoeuer will follow me, let him deny himselfe, take vp his Crosse, and follow me. And S.Mat. [...]6. Peter plainely sayth: Our Sauiour hath suffered for vs, leauing you an ex­ample to follow his steppes. And S. Paul: Rom. 8.17 We shalbe glorifyed with him, if we suffer with him. And surely naturall reason doth teach vs that to be true, which our Sauiour sayth:Luc. 6.40 The Scholler is not aboue his Maister. And it were a monstrous thing to see a soul­dier playing at Dice, and drinking himselfe drunke in his Pauilion, whilest his Generall with his armour on his backe in the field, endureth the heat, and the dust, exposing himselfe to labours and dangers of death. By the example and wordes of our Sauiour, we haue eternall glory promised to our tra­uailes: Happy are you (sayth he to his Apostles, and in them to all Christians [...] when men curse you, and persecute you, Matth. 5. for great is your reward in heauen A promise, that should liuely stirre vs vp, if we haue any feeling of true glory, to runne with a great courage in this race of tribulations and wants, and to endure all paine for the loue of God: and thus doing we honour him, [Page 78] following and seruing him, and accomplish his commande­ment, and winne to our selues therein a crowne of immortali­ty: And those that do contrary, are the children of confusion, vnfaithfull seruants, cowardly souldiers, very sluggards, ta­king occasion of dastardy, of the same thinges, that should mo­ue them to fight valiantly.

The true Christian must alwayes goe forward in vertue. CHAP. V.

THE second instruction the Pilgrime shall take of his Meditation, is, that as he, that will well performe his pilgrimage, must euery day gayne ground; so he that will come to heauen, must euery day profit in vertue and iustice. And as the true Pilgrime doth not cease to walke whilst he is Pilgrime:Pern. epist 91. & 204. so sayth S. Bernard He that is truely iust, neuer saith it is inough: He is alwayes hungry, alwayes thirsty of iustice, and if he should liue alwayes, he would labour alwayes to be wiser; so that if it be a perfect desire to haue a will alwayes to profit and goe forward, not to haue this will, is to go backe­ward; and where a man beginneth to haue a will not to be better, there he ceaseth to be good.

The true Pilgrime should alwayes winne ground, and aduance himselfe to God wardes: and this endeauour concer­neth not only Religious persons, as people doe thinke, but all men,Inclina­tion to perfectiō is natural and namely Christians. Reason teacheth vs, that each thing tendeth to be better then it is; plants and trees liue to increase, to flourish, and fructify, which is their perfection: and if a Cherry-tree could expresse his naturall inclination, it would say, that it desireth to grow to the highest degree of goodnes, that any tree of that kind could attaine vnto; and so would all other creatures say: Why then should not man haue the like inclination, and seeke all the possible meanes to attaine it? And seeing that euery man is thereunto obliged by nature, is not the Christian much more bound then other, by reason of the law he professeth, which is a law of perfection? How can he worthily beare his name, if he endeauour not to be a perfect Christian according to his name and degree? The King a perfect Christian in his rule and roialty; the Captaine [Page 79] a perfect Christian in his warres, and managing of Armes; the Magistrate in gouernment; the Iudge in administration of iu­stice; the Merchant, Artificer, Labourer, in then trafike, shop, and trauaile; as the Religious in his vocation. Is heauen only for Religious? If it be for all, why doe not all seeke the way with Religious,Heauen is not ō ­ly for Re­ligious. euery one (as we haue sayd) according to his estate and degree? This instruction will teach the Pilgrime to make dayly progresse in good life, as he doth in his way, and with so much the more courage, as the merit and fruit of ver­tue is more precious, and to be desired, then the wynning of way in the world: and this shall suffice for the afterdinner, and euening of the second day.

The third Day. The Commandements of God are the way of our pilgrimage of this life. CHAP VI.

IN the third day our Pilgrime being well forward on his way, and iourney, and hauing attentiuely meditated the conditions and qualityes of his mortall pilgrimage,The way to heauē is the cō ­mande­ments of God. Psal. 118. [...]2. he shal en­ter into meditation of the heauenly way, by which he must come to the heauenly countrey, as by the other he shall come to Loreto; & marching with the feet of his body, he shall cause his soule also to walke with hers, which are her affectiōs. This way is the keeping of the law & cōmandments of God, wher­of Dauid sayd: I haue runne the way of thy commandements, when thou hast enlarged my hart. This way is Iesus Christ, who com­ming into this world, hath from point to point fullfilled the law giuen by himselfe; he hath cleered & bettered it with his doctrine and instructions, and hath made it easie, both to the eye, and to the hand, and in his owne pilgrimage hath traced the true path of saluation, for which cause he is called,Ioan. 14 1 The Way, Verity, & Life. This is the spirituall way which the pil­grime shall first consider a far off, and in generall, as if he were vpon some high mountaine, like vnto Moyses, when from the mountaines of Abarin & Nebo in the land of Moab, Deut. 32.9. he beheld the way and countrey of the land of Promise, and after he shal run ouer all the commandements in particuler, from the first to the last, one by one.

A Meditation vpon the ten Commandements of God in generall. The first and second pointe, why the Law was giuen with so great Ce­remonies, in ten Articles, and two Tables. CHAP. VII.

THE Prayer preparatory, as alwayes before. The first preamble shall frame in the imagination, the figure of the mountaine of Sina, couered in the top with a thicke & bright cloud, rebounding with the noise of trumpets and thunder; & God appearing in soueraign Maiesty to Moyses to giue him his law, and the Hebrewes incamped in the plaine by, terrifyed, and attending the issue of this new spectacle.

In the second Preamble he shall demaund grace of God, whereby he may throughly vnderstand the beauty and im­portance of this law, and the whole length and continuatiō of the way that leadeth vnto Heauen.

The first point shall recite the law, with the clause going before it,Preface of the Law. where God speaketh thus vnto his people: I am the Lord thy God, who hath brought thee out of the land of Aegypt, and the house of bondage. And after giueth the same Law contayned in ten Articles.

1. Thou shalt not haue strange Gods before me.

Exod. 20.2. Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lord God in vaine, for our Lord will not hold him guiltlesse, that taketh his name in vaine.

3. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabboth day.

4. Honour thy Father and Mother.

5. Thou shalt not kill.

6. Thou shalt not commit adultery.

7. Thou shalt not steale.

8. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour.

9. Thou shalt not couet thy Neighborus house.

10. Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours wife, nor his seruant, nor his mayde, nor his Oxe, nor his Asse, nor any thing that is his.

In meditating the foresayd Preface, he shall make this cō ­clusion: God when he would dictate his law, putteth in the beginning what he is, saying: I am the Lord thy God, as also the [Page 81] deliuerance of the Hebrewes: he would haue vs therefore in the first place, set before our eyes his greatnes and maiesty, & afterwardes the benefits he hath bestowed vpon vs, to the end we may be stirred vp to the keeping of his commande­ments, by that obligatiō we owe vnto him, by the title of our Creatour, and soueraigne Lord, and our Benefactour, our Conseruatour and rewarder; meditating the rest, he shal ga­ther these, or the like conclusions. God published the law with great ceremonies, with thunder and lightning,Exod. 19.16. & trum­pets, with cloudes, and fire, and smoke, & earth-quakes: he will therefore, that it be receaued of vs with great reuerence,Psal. 11 [...] feare, and humility. For the Feare of God is the beginning of wise­dome. He would haue it sinke deep into our soules, seeing it was sent with fire, voice, and extraordinary noise, and by whatsoeuer might most mooue our eyes and eares, our two most noble senses, and might most deeply print any thing in our harts. He published it in the top of an high mountaine, & therfore would haue vs meditate thereof with a spirit eleua­ted, and lifted vp from the earth; this is the conclusiō, which Dauid practised often, and aduised others also to practise:Psal. 811.24. Psal 118.14. Psal. 118.47. Psal. 1.2. Thy testimonyes are my meditation. Also: Giue me vnderstanding, & I will meditate thy law: I haue meditated vpon thy commandements, which I haue loued: Happy is the man that thinketh of thy law day & night.

He gaue it to Moyses, to communicate it vnto the people and make them to keep it, he would haue them put it in ex­ecution, and that as we ascend to meditate it, so we should descend to execute it. This is the signification of that heauen­ly Ladder, which Iacob saw in his sleep, vpon the which An­gells did ascend and descend;Gen. 28. for the children of God do moūt and ascend by the steppes and degrees of contemplation in the knowledge of the Law of God, & descend againe by the workes of the same law, as it were by the same steps in the a­ctiue life, for the loue of God, and profit of their Neighbour.The nū ­ber of 10 a note of perfecti­on.

He hath giuen it in ten Articles, signifying by the number of perfection, that it is perfect; for ten is a complete & perfect number; all vnder it receaue increase, and this none; and all vnder it, do take their parts, and composition thereof, being [Page 82] but repetitions of the partes of ten,Ten the ground of al o­ther nū ­bers. or whole Tens. 11. is 10. & 1. 12. is 10. and 2. and so vnto 20. & 20. is twice 10. 30. thrice 10. 100. ten times 10. 1000. a hundred times 10. 10000. is ten times 1000. a 1000000. is ten tymes 100000. and so forth infinitly in the composition of these numbers; Ten is found to rule as the perfection of all. It is ther fore a signe of the perfection of the law,Psal. 32.2 Psal. [...]49.3. which Dauid signifyed by his musicall instrument, by his Harpe tuned with ten strings, vpon the which he sounded the prayses of God. The Pilgri­me hauing learned al this, shall say, the law of God is perfect, it is reason then to ēdeauour to performe it perfectly; for how much better is the musicke, so much better should it be song. And this is that, which God in plaine language sayd vnto A­braham: [...]o [...]. 17.1. Matth. 5. Walke before me, and be perfect. And by the mouth of his Sonne to his Disciples, and in them to all Christians: Be yee perfect, as your heauenly Father is perfect. That is: Goe fore­ward to the greatest perfection you can, and follow as neere as you can the actions of your heauenly Father. And he shall obserue, that the Creatour marking the labouring parts of man with the same number, hath made his handes and feet with ten toes, and ten fingers, to teach him by a naturall and domesticall document, the perfection that should be in our works,The affe­ctions are the feeet of the soule signifyed in our handes, the executours of the Law, and in our affections, the feet and carriers of our soule in the way of the sayd law; for they carry our soule to the execution thereof, as our feet carry our body from one place to another. He shall also conclude thus; that seeing God would haue vs aspire to the perfect obseruation of his law, that it may be per­fectly obserued; and that to the same end God will not faile to furnish that good will he hath giuen vs with necessary grace, for otherwise, in vaine had the law beene giuen, if it could not be kept, as in vaine is that musicke which cannot be song; and the Law-maker should be vnwise to cōmand that which cannot be obserued, and vniust to inflict punishment vpon those, which do not performe that which is not in their pow­er. These are the conclusions, which the pilgrime for his pro­fit and instruct on shall make of the first point of his medita­tion. In the 2. point he shall consider another diuision of this [Page 83] law into two Tables,The Law giuen in two Ta­bles. whereof the first concerneth the wor­ship of God, contayning the three first commandements; the second, that which appertayneth to our Neighbours, compri­sed in the other seauen, which diuision shall giue him to vn­derstand, that thinges pertayning to God must first enter into consideration, and after, that which concerneth men.

The third and fourth point of the precedent Meditation. The loue of God, and of our neighbour is the end of the Law, and the obseruatiō of the law is proofe of the same loue. Motiues to the loue of God. CHAP. VIII.

IN the third point he shall obserue,The end of the law is the loue of God. that the commande­ments of both the Tables are giuen to exercise vs in the loue of God, and to make proofe, and tryall thereof, by doing what is told vs, as well for his seruice, and in consideration of his greatnes, as for the good of our neighbour; for that he wil haue it so. So that the groundes, and end of the whole law, is the loue of God, teaching vs by the three first commandments to loue him in himselfe and for himselfe; and by the other sea­uen, to loue him in his creatures, louing our Neighbour for the loue of him. Therefore our Sauiour, the soueraigne & supreme interpreter of his owne law (for he it was, that be­fore had giuen it to the Hebrewes) reduceth all to Loue, as appeareth by his answere he made, being asked by a certaine Doctor, what was the great commandement of the Law:Matth. 21 Marc. 12 Luc. 10. Loue (sayth he) thy Lord thy God, withall thy hart, withall thy soule, with all thy spirit, and with all thy strength: This is the first and great com­mandement, and the second is like vnto this, Loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe. And concludeth: All the Law and Prophets depend of these two Commandements. S. Paul deliuereth the same doctrine:Rom. 3. Charity is the fullnes of the Law: This is the bond of perfection. And againe: The end of the Commandement is Charity, out of a pure hart, Coloss. 2. a good conscience, and vnfayned Fayth. Al the law then consisteth in loue, and charity, and is giuen for loue.

That the obseruation thereof is a true meane to make proofe and triall of this loue towardes God, the same Saui­our sayth in plaine termes of affirmation and negation: If you loue me, keep my Commandements. He that hath my commandemēts, [Page 84] and keepeth them, is he that loueth me: he that loueth me not, keepeth not my wordes. And his well beloued Disciple S. Iohn sayth: This is true Charity to keep his Cōmandements. And: He that sayeth he knoweth God, and keepeth not his Commandements, is a lyar. And S. Gregory sayth plainely:Greg. hom 30. in E­uang. That the execution of the worke is the proofe of loue. Wherof the deuout pilgrime shall conclude, that it is not inough (for to loue God duly) to belieue in him, but we must keep and practise his Commandements; for, Fayth without workes is dead, Iac. 2. sayth S. Iames. The liuely fayth is that which is quickened with the fire of Gods loue, which loue cannot be without mouing and stirring, for it is an heauenly fire, the worke is the true touch-stone of loue.

In the fourth point the Pilgrime shall set before his eyes some motiues to stirre him vp to the loue and seruice of God.A moti­ue to the loue of God. He shall consider, who this Lord is, & hauing found by faith, that he is an essence of infinite bounty, beauty, and wisedom, a Lord most puissant, rich, and liberall; he shall confesse, it is a duty more then iust, to loue: & seeing there is nothing more naturall to man, nor more facile then affection (for no man of what estate soeuer can liue without louing somewhat) where should we rather fasten our loue,Loue is a naturall affection then vpon an obiect so infi­nitly amiable? Vpon bounty, beauty, wisedome it selfe, and that bounty, beauty, & wisedome infinite? Vpon whome can we better employ our feare, and respect, then vpon a Lord that is Almighty? Or where may we better bestow our ser­uice, then to the honour of him, of whome commeth all 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 [Page 85] 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 moūtai­ne 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 cō ­pany shall for his spirituall recreation sing the Canticle following, concerning the ten Commandements.

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 ōly 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 shalbe 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 ex­p [...]tion of the wordes of the Cōman­dement. 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 [Page 88] of the Deuines, by a Greeke word, Latria, which soundes as much,Argu. de [...]ip. De [...] 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 Christiās 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, [Page 89] Sorcerers, and all sortes of superstitious people; as also they that despaire, or put their chiefe trust or cōfidence in creatures, of whome Hieremy sayeth: Accursed is he that trusteth in man, Ierem. [...]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 commā ­demēt. that it is not against this cō ­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 cate [...]. 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 [Page 90] vnto them, in that they represent them: and as hē 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 [Page 91] 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 thee in her thoughts, my will in her desires, my memory in her capacity, and all my senses in their functions & seruices; and that I take no strange Gods before thee. Alas, what folly is it to admit and follow another, seeing thou art so great, and all alone in thy great­nes, and all others be false? Defend me from the vanity of false Gods, and their Idols, not of Paynimes, from which we haue beene long freed, by the cleare light of our fayth, O sweet re­deemer Iesus Christ; but from those Gods and Idols, which vanity and peruersity doth forge in the soules of those,False Gods & Idols are vices. who vnder false banners carry the name of Christians; which are, proper will, pride, auarice, impurity, enuy, rancour, glutto­ny, slouth, and such like abhominations of vices; and aboue all, from obstinate errour and heresy, which this malignant abuser of men and infernall workeman doth forge, and fur­nish to the world, insteed of the old Idols of Pagans, which he seeth hath long since lost all honour and credit. Keep me,Cypr. l. de vnit. Ecc. O my Creatour and Sauiour from being abused by those false Gods; let not my soule seeke after these vanityes, nor euer bow her knee to these Idols, that she acknowledge no other God but thee, honour thee alone in thy Church, and in the communion of thy Saintes, and with a sound faith; and place her chiefe hope in thee alone,God to be ho­noured with a true faith hope, & charity. and loue thee alone withal her hart; and honour and respect, for loue of thee, all others that are honourable by thy guifts and graces, in heauen and earth, Angells and men. These and the like, shall be the Pilgrimes discourse this after dinner. In the Euening he shall say his beades, or some other prayer to salute the B. Virgin, and shall [Page 92] take vp his lodging, for his rest that night.

The fifth Day. A meditation vpon the second Commandement: Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vaine. CHAP. XII.

THE second Commandement shall be the chiefe medita­tion for the morning of the fifth Day, contayning the prayer preparatiue, two preambles, and fiue pointes.

The prayer prepa­ratiue.The first shall containe the accustomed demand, to wit, the assistance of Gods grace, by the which all our actions, and prayers may be made to the honour of God.

The first preamble shalbe like that of the precedent me­ditation, differing in matter only, setting before the eyes of our soule the second Commandement grauen in great letters in the first Table of the Law, THOV SHALT NOT TAKE THE NAME OF GOD IN VAINE.

The second preamble shall aske grace to make particuler profit of this meditation. The first point shall obserue that this Commandement informeth and teacheth the tongue, one of the most excellent members of man,Our ton­gue giuē to prayse God with. to honour God, as the first instructed the hart: and as the tongue dependeth of the hart, so this commandement is a dependance or conclusion of the first; for if God must be honoured with a soueraigne wor­ship, as the first teacheth; then it followeth that we must ho­nour his Name,What is meant by the name of God. which is the note of his Greatnes, as the name of a King is the note of Roialty; & that we should not take it in vaine, that is, without reuerence, & iust cause: otherwise it is a dishonour to him. This is therfore one consequence of the first commandement, yet God would giue it a part, and in expresse termes, the better to particularize the markes of his honour, & more distinctly to bridle tongues of worldly men, too much inclined to iniury his maiesty, with false and vaine oathes. It teacheth vs therefore to employ our wordes to the honour of God, and if we must sweare, to sweare holily, and not in vaine: now the name of God, as farre as we can know, is euery saying, or word, that signifieth the infinit Essence, wisedome, bounty; as are, God, Lord, King of kinges, Al­mighty, [Page 93] Lord of Hostes. These names, and the like vsed in holy Scripture, are soueraignely honourable, because they ap­pertaine to God, and God is honoured, and dishonoured in them, as the King in his, by the vertue, or malice of men, and namely by their language.

The second shall be employed to meditate,Diuers wayes of honou­ring the name of God. how we ho­nour the name of God m ny wayes, to wit, when we con­fesse him stoutly before all; when we professe Iesus Christ his Sonne, authour of our saluation, God and man; when we at­tend holily to heare the word of God; when we singe his prayses, when we pray to him, when we thanke him, as wel in aduersity, as in prosperity, as holy men haue alwayes done, Dauid, Iob, and the like, who, were they in peace, were they in affliction, sayd alwayes: The name of God be blessed. How the the name of God is honoured by swearing But specially, and according to the principall sense of this Com­mandement, we honour his name, when we sweare with piety, that is, when with necessity, truth, and respect, we call God to witnesse of any thing, saying: God is my wit­nesse, God knoweth, by God, I call God to witnesse, as God help me, or any other wayes, that a mā may sweare; to which also are referred the oathes made by Saints, Angells, men, the Ghospell, by heauen, or earth, or other Creatures, all which appertaine to the prayse of the Creatour, as they are vnder his rule and seruice.

The third shall meditate the three conditions necessary to a good Oath, that is, Verity, Iudgement, and Iustice.Three conditi­ons of swearing Ve­rity commandeth, that what we sweare be true, be it in af­firming, denying, or promising, saying: so it is, or so it is not, or so I promise, and I call God to witnesse: he that sweareth without this condition, is forsworne, and doth a great iniury to the diuine Maiesty, calling him to be witnesse of a lye, who is the first and soueraigne Verity. Iudgement teacheth vs to thinke well of that we sweare, and not sweare at aduenture, without necessity; and he that doth it, sweareth in vaine, & abuseth the name of God. Iustice wills, that what we pro­mise by oath be iust, and honest, otherwise it is one sinne to sweare it, and another to keep it; such was the oath of the Iewes, binding themselues not to eate or drinke, before they [Page 94] had killed S. Paul. Act. 23.21.

The fourth shallbe to meditate, that as he offendeth God grieuously, who taketh his name in vaine, so doth he honour him greatly, who sweareth with the foresayd three conditi­ons, by such an oath he confesseth him first, to be the first Ve­rity, which cannot lye, the supreme Maiesty, most worthy of respect and reuerence, and the soueraigne Iustice, hating all sinne: So we read, that Abraham, Moyses, Dauid, S. Paul, and other great seruants of God haue sworne holily,Gen. 21.23. 24.31. 2. Reg 19 7. Rom. 9.22. Cor. 11.31. Gal. 1.20. Gen. 22.17. and effectu­ally to assure themselues of some important truth; and God himselfe did sweare by himselfe, to fortify his promise, that he made to blesse Abraham, & to multiply his seed, as the Starres of heauen, and as the sand of the Sea. Thereof it is that in pu­blicke iustice they cause men to hold vp their hand, or to put it vpon their breast, to the honour of God, the soueraigne Iu­stice, and in fauour of innocency and right.

The fifth shall meditate, how God is not content to giue this commandement, but also would add a threate to those, that should break it: God will not hold him innocent, who shall take the name of the Lord his God in vaine. This is to shew the enor­mity of the sinne, & to put a bridle in the mouth of men, who doe easily fall into this fault, and to giue them to vnderstand, that thereof doe come the greatest part of tribulations and ad­uersities, wherewith men are afflicted in their body, wiues, children, and goods. And therfore Ecclesiast. sayth: Thy mouth shall not be accustomed to swearing; Eccl. 23. for there are many inconuenien­ces therein. And againe: The man that sweareth much, shall be fil­led with iniquity, Matth. 5.34. and the sword shall not depart from his house. And the same Wisedome, not to giue footing or food to such a cu­stome, cōmandeth a contrary extreme, that is, not to sweare at al: Sweare not, neyther by Heauen, nor earth, nor by Hierusalem: let your words be, yea, yea, no, no, an aduertisement also giuen by S. Iames in the same words.Iac. 5.12 The prayer or speach to God, shall be thus.

My Lord, thou hast giuen me a hart to belieue in thee, & hope in thee, and to loue thee with all my capacity, and my tongue, as an interpreter of my hart, and an instrument accor­ded, and tuned thereunto, to exalt thy holy Name, & with [Page 95] the harmony of a liuely Fayth, and stronge Hope, and sincere Charity, to sing the prayses of thy greatnes all the dayes of my life; continue, if it please thee, to deale well with thy seruāt, for thy bounty is bottomlesse, and giue me grace to employ my tongue to that vse, for which thou hast placed it in my mouth: let it be only to prayse thee, to thank thee for thy be­nefits, to confesse thee Creatour of heauen and earth, Redee­mer of mankind, and iudge of the quicke and dead: Keep it, if it please thee, that it be neuer loosed, not only to vanity a­gainst thy holy name, but not so much as vnto any idle word; that it may name thee with verity, iudgement, and iustice, & sing to thee with sincerity, and exalt thee with thankesgi­uing, for euer and euer. Amen.

The after-dinner, and Euening of the fifth dayes Iourney. Diuers Meditations and Prayers. CHAP. XIII.

AFTER dinner the Pilgrime shall make this meditati­on vpon some other matter, proper for the day: or he shall resume some point of his morning meditation, or shall say his beades, or some other prayer to the B. Virgin, admiring her vertues, purposing to imitate her, and to that end deman­ding her help and assistance.

In the euening he shall bewaile the sinnes that are so cō ­monly committed against this holy commandement, and the euills that come therof, demanding of God for himselfe and o­thers grace to amend, and shall say: O Lord, thy name is ho­ly, for it nameth the Holy of holyes, & none do comprehend the Maiesty thereof but thy selfe; and the ignorance of many mortall men is lamentable, in that they know it not; and the peruersity of men is abhominable, in that knowing it, they do most wickedly dishonour it; their mouth is full of blasphemy, and their tongue eloquent in vanity;Langua­ge of va­nity. their discourses interla­ced with vnprofitable oathes, and detestable periuryes. The Souldier is not gallant, except he braue it in swearing; the Merchant cannot sell, except he forsweare; the Doctour, the [Page 96] Priest, the Iudge, the women & children, venture to sweare, and forsweare, and to profane with their tongue that Name, which is only to be adored. And do we meruaile if the wrath of thy iustice, doth rayne vpon our heads so many calamityes? If warre, plague, famine, doe persecute vs? If heresy armed with our sinnes, ouerruning Christendome so many yeares, doe trouble the peace, ouerthrow trafficke, bring in robbers, and tread vnder foot all lawes of God and man? Let vs rather meruaile that we feele no greater euills. But, O Lord, not­withstanding be gentle and mercifull, as thou art, & keeping vs from incurring thy iust anger, pardon vs, if it please thee, our faults past, and keep vs from committing any more heer­after, and giue vs grace alwayes to employ our tongue to the Confession and prayse of thy holy Name. And so he shall be­take himselfe to his lodging, whither his good Angell shall bring him.

The sixth Day. A Meditation vpon the third Commandement: Remember to sanctify the day of Rest. CHAP XIV.

The ser­uice of God with preparatiō.THE morning meditation of the sixth day, shall be of the third Commandement, with the accustomed preparati­on; and the first preamble shall set before his eyes the wordes of the Law, as grauen in stone: REMEMBER THOV SANC­TIFY THE DAY OF REST, as in the other. And the second shall demand grace to reap spirituall profit of this present me­ditation. The pointes shall be these.

In the first must be obserued, that this third Commande­ment is giuen, that solemnely, with leasure, and prepa­ration, and without any disturbance of worldly affaires and businesse, we might put in practise the two precedent, that is to adore God, confesse and giue thankes, by first fruites, sacri­fices, offeringes, and almes, to prayse and sing forth his holy name: Euery day we should remember this day, and there­fore it is sayd expressely, Remember thee, and thinke thereof, & expect it; seruing God the best that we can, euery man apart by himselfe, the other dayes of the weeke, amidst the presse of [Page 97] our temporall affaires. But when that day is come, al the chil­dren of God come togeather vnto his house, to find tyme and place for this deuotion, as the most important of all, that they may performe it in common as perfectly as may be.

The second shall consider,This feast is the re­membrā ­ce of the worke of God. that this seauenth day of rest was giuen to the Iewes, to acknowledge the benefit of the Creation of the world, and with a continuall and weekly me­mory renew the remembrance thereof: also to signify the eter­nall rest and repose, which Iesus Christ was by his death, to gaine vnto vs, regenerating vs into new creatures; first by his Sacraments in this life, and after by his Resurrection to glory. He therfore being come, and we hauing gotten this rest, and glory, figured by the Iews Sabboth, he would that the church should leaue the figure, & put in place thereof our Lords day,Why the Iewes feast is turned to Sunday. the Sunday, the day of his glorious Resurrection, and the clo­ser of 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 ca­ [...]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, [...]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 [...]uly celebrating the Sundayes, and holy dayes,How we must ce­lebrate Sundaies & feasts. which consi­ [...]eth first in flying all that may hinder the exercise of deuotiō [...]n those dayes, as are seruile workes of the field, of plough­ [...]g, or of the towne, as are any occupation, or attending to [...]mporall affaires, as suites, buying and selling, and such like [...]uill negociation. Secondly, to obserue what the Church cō ­ [...]andeth and teacheth to be kept, as to heare Masse, which is [Page 98] 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 pennāce & 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 creaturesThe 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 re­presēteth that of Creation & redēp­tion. 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 Commā ­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. cā. 47. Aurel. 1. can. 48. 3. Can. A­post. 68. Conc. Gāg. 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 cō ­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 [Page 101] 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.

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; [Page 105] 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 cō ­cerning 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; [Page 106] 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, [Page 107] 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 so­ueraigne Maiesty, hast thou loued man so as to make thy selfe man, to be his Neighbour so happily? hast thou made such ac­count of humility, as not only to annihilate thy self in ioyning thy selfe in an insoluble bond to so small a creature, infinitely distant from thy greatnes, but so to subiect thy selfe therunto? O B. Virgin, I behold thee rauished at euery moment in this chamber of Nazareth, when thou sawest this little infant, this great God, whome thou didst adore, to obey, honour, and serue thee! O my soule, fixe thy sight vpon this beautiful ob­iect, and kindle the coldenes of thy will, by the lightenings of this great wonder, and follow with fiery feet the example of such a Lord.

It shall not be besides the purpose also, to meditate vpon the markable punishments of such as haue beene vngratefull to their Progenitours. And so the pilgrime shall passe the day, till his retire.

The ninth Day. A Meditation vpon the fifth Commandement: Thou shalt not kill. CHAP. XXI.

THE morning meditation shall be vpon the fifth Com­mandement. The preparation ordinary. The first pre­amble shall propose the words of the fifth Commandement, THOV SHALT NOT KILL.

The second shall demand grace, well to vnderstand it, and effectually to obserue it.

The first point shall note, that as life is the most precious present which man hath, and holdeth of his Creatour;Life is the goodliest guift of God. so to loose it, is one of the greatest grieues he can incurre: & ther­fore [Page 108] with good reason it is prohibited to assault the life of our Neighbour, and heerein shineth the prouidence, and iustice of our Creatour, prouiding for the safety and security of the principall good of his creature, in his family of this world.

By the same law is forbidden (sayth S. Aug.) a mans killing of himselfe,Aug. l. 1. ciuil. c. 20 & 26. Lib. de poenit. c. 13 Lib. 1. con. Gaud. c. 30. & ep. 61. S. Tho. 2. 2. qu. 64. art. 5. so much the more detestable, by how much a man is neerer neighbour to himselfe then to another, and for that he destroyeth himselfe with a double death, that is, with the temporall death of his body, and the euerlasting death of his soule. And this sinne is in such sort against nature, that there is no creature, though neuer so cruell, that dareth kill him­selfe; and therefore the law doth punish with extraordinary ignominy such furious folkes, after their death, as guilty of an extraordinary crime.

The second point shall marke, that by this commandmēt is also forbidden to hurt, strike, or otherwise to endomage our Neighbour in body, though we kill him not; yea euen with our tongue to touch his good name by any iniury, or to beare any hatred to him in our hart, or desire reuenge: and therefore our Sauiour, a sage interpreter of his owne law, to shew what meeknes is required in his children to obserue this law,Matth. 5. sayth: VVhosoeuer is angry with his brother, shal be guilty of iudgement, and who shall speake iniury to his brother, shall be guilty of hell fire. This is to rule & draw the first motions of the soule to meekenes, and to barre, and banish a farre off the occasions of man-slaughter,Matth. 6. & to cut vp that vice by the root; & in an­other place he forbiddeth reuenge, and after him his Apostle S. Paul; Heb. 10. and in the prayer himselfe taught, and gaue vs for a patterne, and modell of all our prayers, he put in this clause of pardoning our Neighbour for iniuryes receaued: Pardon vs our offences, as we pardon them that offend vs.

Matth. 6.12.The third point shall be to meditate vpon those killings, which are not forbidden, as those which the Prince or Magi­strate ordayneth, according to the lawes against malefactours, & such as are committed in a lawfull warre, or in iust defence of a mans life, being vniustly assaulted, not otherwise able to saue himselfe.

The speach shall prayse God in his iustice of this Com­mandement, [Page 109] and his Sonne Iesus, in the perfect practise ther­of, and shall beg grace to be able to follow his sweetnes and clmency, and shall say.

All thy lawes, O Lord, are iustice and mercy,Th pray­er. thou hast giuen life to man, a guift worthy of thy goodnes, and a law for the safegard thereof; thou hast made man sociable, and to make him liue peaceably with his Neighbour, thou hast pres­cribed a law of peace, and tyest therewith, as with a stronge cord, his handes and will, that he hurt not, neyther in hart, or deed his Neighbour. Thou hast at last sent thy deere Sonne into the world, made man among men, remayning alwaies God with thee, Prince of peace, and our true peace, who hath honoured this commandement with his rare doctrine,Esay. 9.4. Eph. 12.14. and by the exploites of his singular sweetnes: no man could euer complaine that euer he did him any wrong: his hart was full of loue, louing all the world, friendes and enemies; his eye was full of mercy and compassion towards all; his handes full of liberality, and his doctrine agreable to his actions. For he taught his Disciples, not to hurt any in word or deed, to pardon vnto seauenty tymes seauen, that is,To par [...] vnto 70. tymes 7. as often as we shal be offended, and neuer leaue pardoning: and what he taught he practised vnto death, in the greatest conflict of his tormēts, and reproches, praying his heauenly Father, for his very ene­myes that crucifyed him. The Captaines of this world triūph of killing many enemies in the battel, his great triumph hath beene to dye for his enemyes vpon the Crosse, and to giue life euerlasting to those that would take it. O my Creatour and Redeemer, how rich art thou in mercy, and clemency! O my sweet Iesus powre it to me this spirit of thy sweetnesse, and graunt me for thyne own loue, that I may exactly keep what thou hast commanded, that I may perfectly follow, what thou hast taught by word and example, and that pardoning all, and profitting all, I may obtaine thy mercy, and at thy great day be partaker of thy glory with thy elect. So hauing walked a little, and finished his ordinary deuotions, he may if he will, sing for his spiritual solace the Canticle following.

The After-dinner, and Euening of the ninth dayes Iourney. Threats and punishments of man [...]. CHAP. XXII.

IN the After-noone the [...] make some repeti­tion of what he meditated [...], setting before his eyes the threates which God [...] against mankillers, also some examples of such as haue from heauen beene disco­uered and punished for this sinne, & contrarywise some others of such, as haue byn easily pardoned:Math. 2 [...]. All those that take the sword (sayth our Sauiour) shall perish by the sword. And long be­fore that, he sayd: VVho so shall spill the bloud of man, Gen. 9. his bloud shall be spilled, for God hath made man to his Image. Cain was accursed for killing his brother,Gen. 3. and by his owne mouth he condem­ned himselfe, for well worthy of banishment & death,Plutar. lib Quae ani­malia sūt prudenti­ora. for his murder. Before Pyrrhus King of Epyrus, a dogge discouered the murderers of his Maister, who were therefore punished. Hesiodus his dogge also discouered them, who had killed him. The swallowes him that had killed his Father. The greatest men haue beene most sweet and courteous, Moyses, Dauid, yea euen among Paynimes, Alexander, Iulius Caesar, and the like;Great men gē ­tle and courte­ous. and contrarywise slaues, base, and cowardly people haue beene fierce and cruell to reuenge. Our Sauiour the patterne of all perfect and high vertue was wonderfull in this, which he shewed at all occasions, where he might make triall, but most cleerly in the last distresse of his death and passion, when he prayed that diuine prayer for his enemyes, who crucify­ed him, encountring with a singular exploite of clemency, the cruelty of his crucifyers. Hauing discoursed vpon these examples and the like, and sayd his beades, or some other prayer to the B. Virgin, he shal end his iourney, & betake him to his lodging.

The tenth day. A Meditation vpon the 6. Commandement. Thou shalt not commit Adultery. CHAP. XXIII.

THE sixth Commandement shall be the matter of the tenth dayes Meditation,The sixth commā ­dement well pla­ced after forbid­ding to kill. which followeth very fitly after the forbidding of killing; for the second and next iniury, & a second death whereby a man may offend and hurt his owne body, or his neighbour, is adultery: and as by murdering, the society of men is iniuried, so also by adultery, fornication, and other such vices of the flesh, the cōmon wealth is dishonoured & disturbed with confusion of children.

The preparation and preamble shall be as before: the sub­stance of the meditatiō shal consist in these pointes following.

The first point shall ponder that this precept prohibiteth not only adultery,Al impu­rity for­bidden. which man or wife committeth, but also all kind of impurity, & all that may cause it, as thoughtes, words, touchings, lookes, kissings, gestures, dishonest songs, vaine & superfluous attire, wanton talke, dissolute beholding, paynting vnchast bookes, and such like allurements to this vice. Adul­tery is named as the principal head, & the other acts as making way thereunto, and as complices to the crime.

How pleasing to God purity of body is.The 2. shall be employed to meditate how cleanesse and purity of body is in it self pleasing to God and his Angels: It is a vertue wholy heauenly & diuine; for to liue in flesh, and not to sinne with the flesh, is to liue in spirit, and to be like those heauenly spirits who liue without stayne of flesh. The Sonne of God made thereof so great account, that he would be borne of a virgin, he preached chastity, and by all meanes inuited mē thereunto: he would haue about his Altars, ministers, not ma­ried but perpetually chast; virgins also in his house as Queens betroathed to his maiesty by vow of virginity; barren in body but in soule fertill in all sortes of vertuous workes: Finally he hath restrained the mariage of all those, that liuing vnder the name of Christians,Chastity in euery vocatiō. will be maried to one only wife, establi­shing a law of Chastity in all estates and degrees of his hous­hould.

The 3. point shall consider, how contrariwise Impurity is as pleasing to the Diuell our capitall enemy,The sin of the flesh pleasing vnto the Diuel & wher­fore. as it is displeasing to God our Creatour. For though this wicked spirit hauing no body, cannot directly take any pleasure therein, notwith­standing it pleaseth him wonderfully well, knowing that it displeaseth God, and that aboue all other sinnes, it maketh a man forget both heauen and hell: for there is none doth so darken the iudgement and vnderstanding of man, and take away the tast of heauenly things, & the feare of hell fire, that doth more draw man from heauen, and from saluation, and that maketh him more carnall, more stupide and beastly. By meanes wherof this old preuaricator vseth all his craft & de­uises possible, to make men fall thereinto, & therein to hold and keep them vnto old age, yea euen vnto death.Against playes & wanton bookes. To this purpose he inflameth their flesh with extraordinary fire by al sortes of enticements, he chafeth them by charmes, he pro­poseth them playes and comedyes, which in Threaters may represent vnto them the fond fancies and loues, as Painters do in the pictures of Amadis, and such other wanton Writers, which paint them in the bookes of base soules,Against lasciui­ous Poets vnder the na­me of Poets, who like trumpets of flesh, and ignominy, blow forth without blushing, and with full mouth, the shame of their owne & others passions: and finally he worketh al the wayes to giue the reines and liberty to this Cupid & infernal Theon, euen vnto the transforming himselfe into man or wo­man, cloathing himselfe with figure, and fantasticall body, to pollute and defile the bodyes and soules of those, whome he would hold fast in the fetters, and chaynes of his tyranny: & thence is come the conceit of Gods, and Goddesses, whome the Heathens belieued to haue begot those Heroes, and halfe Gods, by carnall copulation with men and women;Aug. l. 15. ciuit. c. 23. the Diuell by these shaddowes of flesh abusing the fleshly, as Ixiō was by the cloudes, & giuing these titles of Deity to his fey­ned filth, to put them in credit, and cause them to be practised vnfeinedly.

To see how God detesteth this sinne, the Pilgrime shall set before the eyes of his memory, such histories, wherby the Iustice of God hath chastised it, sometimes by water, drow­ning [...] [Page 116] enuy must be beaten backe,Impurity is ouer­come by flight. and resisted by reason, but this sinne by flight; and in this fight, the more fearefull is most couragious, and the runne-away most resolute & valiant.

The fourth is to consider, how base, foule and vaine this pleasure is, and how beautifull Chastity is. If there be any pleasure,To con­sider the foulnes of the sinne. it is bestiall, an vncleane worke, and daughter of darknes; for aboue all things it hateth light & day, although it be impudent; it vanisheth away as soone as it beginneth, & draweth after it ignominy and eternall misery: whereas con­trariwise Chastity is a vertue of honour and price, accom­pained with immortall delights,The be­auty of Chastity. admirable among men and Angells, and worthy of the highest place of honour, both in heauen and earth.

A prayer to the B. Virgin.The Pilgrime hauing discoursed vpon these & such like meanes, for the detestation of this vice, & praise of the contra­ry vertue, turning himself to the B. Virgin Mary his good Ad­uocate, shall end his iourney, with this humble request. O Blessed virgin, the honour of heauen and earth, help me by the vertue of thy intercession. Thou art the virgin of virgins, mother of piety, Queene of chastity: I beseech thee obtayne me this noble vertue, this gift is worthy of the maiesty of thy Sonne, & of thy intreaty: obtaine it therfore for me, O Virgin mother and puissant Queene, and vse some part of thy credit to beg me this my request. It shall be glory to the giuer, praise to the aduocate, health & saluation to the suppliant, & a new obligation to serue thee more deuoutly hereafter, and for euer to praise, with a hart more cleane, that maiesty thy self adorest there aboue. This done he shal prouide for his lodging & rest.

The eleuenth day. A Meditation vpon the seauenth Commandement; Thou shalt not steale. CHAP. XXV.

THE Meditatiō of the eleuenth day shalbe of the seauenth Commandement, THOV SHALT NOT STEALE. The two former concerned the body, this concerneth the goods. The beginning of the meditation shall be as the other.

The first point shall teach, that Theft is an vniust taking [Page 117] or vsing another mans goods, either by fraud or force,What Theft is. or by any other vnlawfull meanes, and therefore heerein is forbid­den, not onely theft by cutting of purses, or picking of our neighbours coffers, or in rouing by sea, or robbing at land, but also in ill Merchants, and Magistrates, in buying & selling in falsifying wares, measures, and workes, in selling iustice, & sacraments, & other things which should be giuen freely: In lending to vsury; in retayning what we finde without pur­pose of restoring, or enquiring for the owner; in keeping or buying that, which we know should be rendred to the right owners, in assisting and counselling theeues & robbers. And as there are diuers kindes of leachery, so are there of larceny;S. Tho. 1. 2. q. 99. the one more grieuous then the other. Sacriledge, which is the vsurpation of things sacred, is one of the greatest. Peculatus, or ill administration & iniust vsurpation of the publike treasure to ones proper vse, is very pernicious also, so that all iniust vsurpations are prohibited by this Law.

The 2. point shall obserue that the root of theft is the de­sire of hauing, the which S. Paul signifieth when he sayd;1. Tim. 9. They that desire to be rich, fall into temptations & snares of the diuell, and into many hurtfull and vnprofitable desires, The root of theft is couetise. which drowne men in de­struction: Those that will be rich (saith he) who are led with the desire of the goods of this world, are subiect to temptations, & to many other mischiefes.

The tentation is first to cast our eyes vpon the good of our neighbour; the vnprofitable desire is the consent we yield; the hand and execution, is the ruine & perdition.

The third shall consider the euills that come of these sinnes, and the remedies against them; for of picking & stea­ling come enmities, dissentions, clamours, murders, profana­tion of all holy things, and infinit other euills. The souerai­gne remedy to auoyde it, is not to set our mynd vpon earthly goods, but to be contented with mediocrity; and therefore Iesus Christ author of this law, and the wisest moderatour of men, teaching Christian perfection, in that excellent sermon vpon the mountaine, beginneth with the contempt of riches, with a maxime general and true, though a Paradoxe to the world, saying: Happy are the poore of spirit; that is,Matt. 5.3. they that of [Page 118] noblenes of hart,Aug. serm Domin. in monte l. 1. and religious magnanimity doe despise the riches of the world, & care not for hauing any thing els, so they may haue heauen: as worldly men account themselues happy, to possesse this britle & fraile world, which at last wil come to naught.

The prayer.The speach shall be thus: O my Lord thou hast done thy part in making good lawes to bynd the handes and hartes of men, that no wrong should be wrought to their goods, and that euery one, possessing his owne in peace, might liue in amity and friendship amongst themselues, with one hart and consent might together render vnto thee praises for al thy be­nefits: But men haue not gouerned themselues by thy lawes, but following the crookednes of their owne desires, haue of brethren,The mi­series of couetise. as thou didst make them, made themselues spoilers one of another, and are inraged one against another, worse then rauening wolues, sucking the bloud, life & substance one of an other, by fraude, by force, by suites, by killing, and a thousand other wayes; casting their enuy where thy cannot reach their handes, and reaching their handes whither their desires nor thoughtes should not extend. Couetise is so strong as neither thy Law can bridle,The ex­ample of our Saui­our a­gainst the couetous nor the shyning example of the liberality of thy only sonne Iesus Christ can mooue, who com­ming into this world made man for vs, left all the world, of which notwithstanding he was iust possessour, giuing his whole self for our Redemption, and promising himself also for our glory. It is an example liuely to teach men their duty, who haue not onely not learned this lesson to leaue their owne, but contrariwise they couet that of their neighbours, & if they may, will iniustly inuade it. O mortall men, whereto leuelleth the sight of your swollen eyes? where doe you cast the ancker of your light hopes? what get you? and to what danger of destruction doe you driue your selues? what shall become of riches gathered by theft and iniquity?Against world­linges. what shall become of your rapines & vsuries? what gayne you winning earth and loosing heauen? what heape you vp, but the trea­sure of the vengeāce of God? See you not hell open to swallow you, and eternall death expecting with her lawes, gaping to make a prey of your lost soules for euer and euer? O sweet [Page 119] Iesus make vs, if it may please thee, in loue with thy rich po­uerty, amorous of thy eternall riches, and contemners of these earthly treasures,Luc. 13.33. and feare full of dreadfull death and pouerty eternall. Neuer let it befall vs to cast our handes on other mēs goods, but to stretch them out to giue them of our owne, and get heauen in giuing earth, according to that holy trafike which thou hast taught vs.

The After-dinner and Euening of the eleuēth dayes Iourney. Diuers Considerations of Auarice punished, and Liberality practised by the Saintes. CHAP. XXVI.

IN this second part of the day,Diuers punish­ments of the coue­tous. the Pilgrime shal make some spirituall discourse neere vnto the morning meditation, he shall bring into his memory the punishment of theeues, rouers church-robbers, vsurers, and other breakers of this comman­dement, whome the reuenge of God hath already striken: he shall remember Achab & Iezabel, who for taking from their poore subiect his vineyard, and life also,3. Reg. 21 19. lost their owne life & kingdome from themselues & al their posterity: of Giezi who was striken with leprosy,4. Reg. 5.27. which did sticke to al his race after him for taking the guifts of Naman against right, and the will of his maister Elizeus: of one Heliodorus, 2. Macha. 3.26. who was beaten by armed Angells euen vnto death, for stretching his handes to the sacred treasure: of our Iudas who for a few pēce became a traytour and sacrilegious homicide of his God, & himself.Act. 1.6. To these, and such examples he shall oppose others of the cō ­trary vertue: In generall the first Christians, who brought their goods to the Apostles feete, for a present to God, and the poore: and in especiall of the glorious virgin,Act. 4.34 who in the imi­tation of her sonne lest all, hauing her hart & treasure in hea­uen in the land of the lyuing, & thousandes of other Christiās whereof the Ecclesiasticall histories doe speake. And so he shal passe the rest of the day, attentiuely beholding heauen, as the treasure of immortall riches, prepared for those that do holily contemne the transitory, and shal in this point end, & take his nightes rest.

The twelfth day. A Meditation vpon the eight Commandement. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy Neighbour. CHAP. XXVII.

THESE former Commandements doe order, & direct the hart and hand, and this following the tongue, that we abuse it not against our neighbour, nor against our selues by false depositions of good or euill. The morning meditatiō shall be thereof, beginning as before.

False wit­nesse in [...] iudgmēt forbiddē.The first point shall obserue, that by the principall intēt of this precept, it is forbidden to beare false witnes in Iudge­ment against our neighbour; which commonly being done by oath, carieth an vndoubted credit in that quality, if other­wise there be no cause of exception or chalenge. And if it be taken falsely,It is iniu­rious to God and pernici­ous to our Nei­ghbour. it is most iniurious to God, & pernicious to the person of our neighbour; for he vseth the name of God in opē Iudgement, to testify falshood, and is cause that iustice is per­uerted, that the right of inoncency is ouerborne, and the ini­quity of the wicked established: whosoeuer therefore wit­nesseth falshood against his neighbour, or also against him­self, as many do vpon the racke or tortour, he sinneth against this law in the princiapll point.

All diffa­mation forbiddē.The second point shall consider, that by this commande­ment is forbidden all sort of diffamation, detraction, calum­niation & al euill cariage of our tongue against our neighbour either by word or writing: for such offend God greatly, who vpon euery occasion or without occasion, make sport of other folkes faultes and imperfections, forgetting their owne: and they more grieuously, who impose feyned and false crimes; and yet most grieuously of all, they that write diffamatory libels, for the hurt is more vniuersal & the malice more bitter.

All lying forbiddē.The 3. point shall ponder that all kynd of lying is for­bidden in the compasse of this Commandement, but specially that which is against Religion: For this is a great lye that striketh directly at the supreme verity: a lye which Dauid de­tested with a sharp threat of perditiō, saying vnto God: Thou [Page 121] shalt destroy all those that speake lies: Psal. 5. such are in the highest degree the Arch-heretiks, whome S. Peter calleth, Maisters of lying, such as heeretofore were Arius, Manes, and in our time Luther, 2. Pet. 3. and Caluin.

The speach shall demand grace of God, well to gouerne our tongue, and to auoyd al wordes contrary to verity in these termes: My God, thou art the supreme verity, and all men are subiect to lying, as one of thy Prophets writeth.Psal. 115. Thou hast giuen me a desire of thy truth, may it please thee to giue me grace to auoid all lyes, not only of false witnesse against my Neighbour, or in Religion against the honour, and the fayth of thy Church, but of all sort or kind whatsoeuer, not only in thinges great and important, but also in light and little; for lying doth dislike thee, of what sort soeuer it be made, and to what intention soeuer it be spoken; and all those that vse it, are therein followers of thyne ennemy Sathan, the Father of lyes. Let my hart be in thy sight, right and true, and my ton­gue and handes conformable, and agreable with my hart, and that thy truth may resound with a sweet accord in my thoughts, wordes, and workes, in all, and aboue all to glori­fy thee.

The After-dinner, and Euening of the twelfth dayes Iourney. Of the nature and basenes of lying. CHAP. XXVIII.

IN the Afternoone the Pilgrime if he will not change the matter, may ruminate that of the morning,What ly­ing is. discoursing of the nature of lying, and of the diuers sortes thereof. He shal consider, that that is a lye,Putarch de puero­r [...]on edu­catione. where the word agreeth not with the thought, the mouth affirming that which the hart denieth; a vice directly opposite to God the supreme verity, and alto­geather base and seruile, as comming of dastardy, not daring to speake plainely and openly, and therefore hatefull & wor­thy of punishment, not only in such persons of honour,Aug. l. de Mendacio c. 7. & 8. but al­so in slaues, sayth a certaine Paynim with good reason. The holy Doctours, and namely S. Augustine do thinke, that it is in [Page 122] no sort lawfull for any man, not only to tell a lye against the good of their Neighbour, or the honour of Religion, but not the least that may be, not for recreation, nor profit, nor any thing in the world; for that action or word cannot be vertu­ous, which is done, or sayd against the truth of God, or with hurt of our conscience: of which discourse he shall ayde him­selfe to make a full purpose, neuer to lye, and so shall retyre himselfe.

The thirteenth Day. A Meditation vpon the ninth, and tenth Commandements: Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours wife. Thou shalt not couet thy Neighbours house,Exod. 20.17. nor his Oxe, nor his Asse, nor any thing that is his. CHAP. XXIX.

THESE two Commandements shall be the matter of Meditation for the thirtenth day: The beginning shalbe as before.

In the first point the Pilgrime shal consider, how these two Commandements do indirectly respect all the former, but di­rectly the sixth, which forbiddeth adultery, and the seauenth which prohibiteth theft, so that those do bind the will, hāds, and feet, that we neither consent nor proceed to the outward execution of the sinne;S. Thom. 1. 2. q. 77. art. 5. & 2. 2. qu. 122. art. 6. but these two doe command the will to rule the concupiscence, and desires of the sense, that they incline not to Couetise, nor retaine any cogitation of what is not lawfull to doe: by these is forbidden the deed, and the wil of the deed, and by these is forbidden in generall, to imbrace any vnlawfull desire, of reuenge, of harme, or the like, and in especiall not to see, or heare any sensuality, or carnall thought with delight or pleasure, nor admit any vnlawfull desire of other mens goods; for such cogitation, retayned with liking, and consent is a sinne, although we passe no further, or haue no will to put it in execution; euen as he, that of brauery, or lightnes of hart should receaue malefactours, willingly see them and make them good cheere, is intangled in their crime, although he be not, nor would be, eyther counseller, or coo­peratour to their offence.

For the second point, he shal note, that this prohibition of [Page 123] carnall desire extendeth it selfe to that which may cause it al­so, as to eating & drinking disordinatly,Il thogh­tes for­bidden and all that may cause thē which are neere and next causes of adultery; vaine and superfluous attire, wanton bookes, lasciuious pictures, curious sightes, and such other baites, whereof we haue spoken before.

For the third point he shall consider, that carnall thoughts not consented vnto, but rather resisted, and reiected, are not only no sinne, but also matter of merit, and therefore the de­uout soule must not be dismayd, when she feeleth against her will those thornes of her flesh; as the Apostle when he sayd: I know that in me (that is in my flesh) there dwelleth no good: Rom. 7. I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind, and making me captiue to the law of sinne, which is in my members. The corruption of his flesh made his members rebell, and made warre against him, but he resisted & wonne the victory ouer his rebelles: he would gladly haue beene altogeather deliue­red from them; but they will beare vs company as long as we liue heere: These are the thornes and thistles of our cursed earth, friends to our enemy, from which we cannot be alto­geather exempt in this life. It is reserued for the next,Gen. 3.17 where without all rebellion our soule shall rule and reigne in her body, in pure and plentifull peace: and therefore she must not loose courage, if she be assailed, but rather reioyce that she may with the grace of God ouercome all assaults, if not without any pricking, yet without any deadly or mortall wound, and of these briers, to erect monuments and trophies, of vertues and gaine a crowne of eternall glory by the victory.

The speach shall be to Iesus Christ in these wordes:A prayer to Iesus Christ. Heere it is, O Redeemer of my soule, that I haue need of thy help, valiantly to fight, my selfe against my selfe, & to get a goodly victory ouer my selfe, by resisting and ouercoming my owne flesh. If thy strength will assist, I am strong inough with my weakenesse to go conquerour from the combat, therewith I shall be maister ouer all couetise, and be a faithfull obseruer of this thy Commandement, neither shall any enemy stand in my handes, but I shall tread them vnder my feet. My sweet Iesus, my Lord, my hope, and my strength, thou madest thy selfe little and weake, to make vs great and strong; reach thy [Page 124] hand to thy poore seruant, help and rectify my crookednes, rule and direct my senses and cogitations according to the pu­rity and right of thy holy law, that my lookes, and my loue may leuell at nothing, but thy beauty; my eares to thy wor­des, and my handes to thy commandments, that nothing may settle in my soule, but for the desire of thy glory, and for sor­row of my sinnes; that my appetite and couetise be not of the flesh, but of the spirit, not of earth but of heauen; and that I may sooner giue to my Neighbour of my owne, then vniustly desire any thing that is his; that my hart may be full of thee, and empty of all the rest; for all besides thee, cannot content me, thou art the only center of my soule, the All of my no­thing, and the heap of my happines.

The After-dinner, and Euening of the thir­teenth dayes Iourney. The Decalogue is a spring, or branch of the law of Nature. CHAP. XXX.

THE Pilgrime hauing now runne ouer all the ten Commandementes in particuler, in the afternoone re­turning, as it were, to the whole, and entire subiect, shall shut vp his circle, resuming the compasse and contents of the Decalogue in generall, discoursing vpon those three in­structions, which the Christian and Hebrew Doctours haue noted.

The De­calogue is of the law of nature.The first is, that these ten Commandements are conclu­sions and branches of the law of nature. This law is a natural light giuen by God, teaching certaine generall maximes, out of which doe rise as out of rootes, certaine documents like lit­tle springs or branches. One of these Maximes is: VVe must do good, Psal. 33. & 36. 1. Pet. 3. Rom. 12. Math. 7.12. Luc. 6.31. and flye euill. A maxime marked by Dauid, when he sayd: [...]rne from euill, and doe good. And afterward by S. Peter, and S. Paul. Also: we must do vnto others, as we would be done vnto our selues; and not to do vnto others, what we would not haue done vnto vs. A maxime expounded by Iesus Christ in these termes: All that you would haue men do vnto you, doe you the like vnto them; for this is the law, and the Prophets. Also: VVe must soueraignly loue him [Page 125] that is all goodnes; soueraignely feare him, that is Almighty; Conclu­sions out of Nature souerai­gnely respect him, who is all wisedome. Out of which principles, and maximes, are deduced a [...] the foresayd Commandements, as conclusions and decrees recorded in the register of nature, to wit, that we must loue God with all our hart, serue him and not offend him, that we must loue our Neighbour, and doe him no wrong, neither in body, goodes, nor credit, nor desire vniustly any thing that is his. All these were hidden in the foresayd Maximes, neither had there beene need of ano­ther law, had mans sight remayned sound and cleare, and that naturall light had not beene darkened in him. But seeing that by the corruption of men, their vnderstanding was weakened, and the whole order of their morall acti­ons confounded, therfore God would help them by the Law of the ten Commandements, set a part, and brought in e­uidence out of the treasure of Nature, almost buried and for­gotten.

The second instruction is,All lawes referred to the Decalog and the law of Nature. that as these ten Articles are cō ­clusions out of the generall maximes of nature, so are they al­so as ten generall springs of all other particuler lawes, as well of the Iewes heeretofore, as now of Christians; neither is there any law at this day, either in Ciuill or Canon law, which is not referred to one of these ten. The Iewes drew six hundred and thirteen Commandments, wherof two hun­dred and fourty eight were affirmatiue,613. Cō ­mande­ments drawen out of the decalog. which as Physitians do say, is the number of the bones in a mans body; and three hundred and sixty fiue negatiue, which is the number of the sinewes, and ligatures in the same body, as also of the dayes in the yeare. The affirmatiue were such: VVe must belieue in God; and that he is one; and we must loue him with all our hart; we must instruct our children in the Law of God; we must scare him; The bo­nes of mans bo­dy 248. the si­newes & bindings 365. we must say grace after dinner, and such other written in their bookes. The negatiue are such: No Idol must be suffered among the people; No Sorcerer suffered; No stranger admitted to the Temple; No man to weare womans apparrell, no woman to weare mans. And such o­thers to be found in their foresayd books. Their Rabbins phi­losophating vpon this nūber, say that the faculties of the soule [Page 126] signifyed by the bones,The fa­culties of the soule signified by the bones. which we sayd were 248. and their accord and agreement signifyed by the sinewes & bindings which we sayd were 365. are perfected by all these 613. Cō ­mandements to make a man strong and constant in the seruice of God: they add also that the 17. first verses, which compre­hend the Catalogue,The ac­cord by the sin­newes. containe so many letters as be their Cō ­mandements affirmatiue and negatiue togeather, to wit 613. but indeed there are 34. letters more.

For the third, and last instruction, the Pilgrime shall re­member the words of S. Augustine, who speaking of the De­calogue,There be 647 let­ters which is 34. more then 613. sayth in Psal. 32. Con. 1. The Commandements of the law are ten. In the ten Commandements thou hast the Psalter of ten stringes: This is a perfect worke: There thou seest the loue of God ex­pressed in three: God speaketh aloud. The Lord thy God is one God: Behould one stringe. Take not the name of God in vaine: Behould an­other. Sanctify the Saboth: Behould the third. Honour thy Father & Mother: Aug. in Psal. 31. and strike the rest aloud. Playe vpon this Harpe, and per­forme this law which our Sauiour came to fullfill, teaching thee to performe it, not with feare, but with loue. And hauing well con­sidered these thinges, he shall in the euening sing with mouth or hart these wordes of Dauid: O Lord, I will sing a new song, I will sing vnto thee vpon my Harp, and instrument of ten stringes. Or els he may sing the Canticle following.

And hauing ended his iourney, and shut vp the day with thankes giuing, he shall take his lodging and rest.

The fourtenth day. Of the Euangelicall Counsels, and of Grace gratuite, and making gratefull; and of the effects thereof. CHAP. XXXI.

IN the law of grace, besides the ten Commandements gi­uen to the Iewes, and common to al the children of God,1. Cor. 7. Matth. 19 Luc. 10. Aug. 61. de temp. Ambr. ep. 28. ad Eccles. Hier. l. 1. adu. Iouin. & ep. 22. ad [...]usto [...]. there be also some other instructions and doctrines, which the Christian Church calleth, Euangelicall Counsells; because they are not commandements of necessity to be kept, as those the Pilgrime hath hitherto meditated vpon; but aduices of perfection, which euery one may choose without constraint, to attend more worthily, and with more facility to the seruice of the diuine Maiesty, in following more neerly Iesus Christ, who by worke and word hath thereunto inuited his Apostles and Disciples, and in their persons, all those that haue gene­rous and noble hartes, and the sinewes of their soules strong to vndertake, and performe a life more perfect in following his steppes.

The Pilgrime then in the end of his second weeke, shall make his Meditation of this matter, as the perfection of the Commandements, adding some other pointes, as well con­cerning [Page 128] the Commandements, as the Counsels.

The preparation shall be as before.

Math. 19.In the first point he shall marke, that these counsels left by Iesus christ are three principall. The first, to leaue all goods, dignities, honours of the world for the honour of God, which is performed by the vow of Pouerty.

Ibid.The second, to make deadly warre with all bodily plea­sures, euen such as are lawfull, and for this end is made the vow of Chastity.

Math. 16. Luc. 9.The third, to renounce our proper will, and to sacrifice it vpon the Altar of God, by the vow of Obedience.

In the second point he shall note, that for the performance as well of the Commandements, as of the Counsells, God giueth his grace,The gra­ce of God the gene­ral mea­nes to keep the Commā ­dements. and all necessary vertues. And as hauing made the world for the sustenance of his Creatures, he hath withall giuen them naturall industrie to seeke for it, & proper and fit instruments to practise, and vse their industry; to the bird, his wings and beake to flie; to the fish, his sinnes and bones as oares to swimme, & force for fishing; to beastes, clawes and teeth for hunting. In like sort giuing to man the Com­mandements of life euerlasting, he hath also giuen him meanes to practise the one, to the end, to gayne the other.

S. Thom. 1.2. qu. 111. art. 16.This meanes is Grace, not only that which Deuines call, Grace that maketh gratefull, but also the other called, Grace gratuite, which is indeed, a fauour of God, but of it selfe maketh him not absolutly good who hath it, such as are Eloquence, Prophecy, discerning of spirits, guifts of hea­ling, and such like presents and gifts from heauen common to the good and bad, which S. Paul comprehendeth in few wordes, in his first Epistle to the Corinthians: They are both giuen freelie, but the first is called Grace making grateful, for the noble effect thereof,1. Cor. 12. which is to iustify by remission of sinnes, and to make him that possesseth it, the friend of God, whose singular spirituall guift it is, & supernaturall; a diuine quality,Effects of grace to iustify & adorne the soule. which infused into the soule cleanseth from all filth, maketh it iust, & by those supernaturall vertues she bringeth with her, doth beautify her in all her faculties, enlighteneth the vnderstanding, rectifieth the will, fortifieth the memory, [Page 129] quencheth concupiscence, and finally driu [...]th out all, that may displease the eyes of that soueraigne beauty, & furnisheth her with all vertues (as it were with heauenly dressings and attires) that might worthily adorne her, as a spouse decked with her mariage garment and iewells, as S. Iohn speaketh,Apoc. 21.2. & so maketh her euery way gratious to her espouse & Creatour. Now then as God produceth in nature food and corporall su­stenance by natural causes, as Fishes, by the water; apples, by the aple-trees; Figs, by fig trees, and so other effects by their proper causes; in like sort doth he giue in his Church his gra­ces by the Sacraments, as by supernaturall causes,Sacra­mēts ves­sels & in­strumēts of this grace, contay­ning it as the cause doth the effect. which are therfore called, vessells and instruments of grace, which they containe, as the cause cōteyneth the effect; as the Sunne heat, the cherry-tree cherryes, and so in others. And these be seauen, all which haue this in common, to powre the grace of God into the soule, or to increase and augment it; & besi­des euery one produceth his particuler fruit and effect. Bap­tisme, giuing vs fayth, maketh the spirituall birth or regene­ration, and placeth a man in the number of the children of God. Confirmation giueth increase of heauenly strength, couragiously to confesse the same faith, and the name of Iesus Christ. The Eucharist is ordayned for the food of the soule, to keep it in good case, to preserue it from euill, and to put in the body the seed of a glorious resurrection. Pennance is a medicine against sinne, physike for the soule, and a reconcili­ation thereof with God. Mariage is for the comfort of the ma­ried, and for the holynes of corporal generation. Order is for the lawfull creation and multiplication of Priestes, Officers in the house of God. Extreme vnction is for necessary armour and defence in the last conflict of this life.

The third shall consider, that this grace on one side brin­geth with it, as we haue sayd,This gra­ce [...]a [...]s with it al vertues. the ornaments and riches of all the most goodly vertues euen as the heauēly riuer that flow­ed out of earthly Paradise, carrying in her course and streame, sands of most fine gold, and many sortes of precious stones, wherewith it enriched the land it watered: and on the other side, it puts force and vigour to the vertues,Gen. 2 11 which finding themselues in a sullied soule, are in a manner dead, wi [...]hout [Page 130] fructifying to life euerlasting. It giueth fayth to those that haue it not, as in Baptisme, and quickeneth their faith who haue it but dead, as to Christians in mortall sinne, whome she calleth to a better course, cleansing their sinne by the Sa­crament of Pennance: she giueth hope to them that want it, and fortifyeth them that haue it weakly; she giueth charity, or rather is charity her selfe, the most precious pearle, that is in the treasury of the holy Ghost, a vertu aboue all other most acceptable to God, and making the soule acceptable to him. These three vertues are called Theologicall,The ver­tues The­ological. Why so called. because they haue God (Theón) as their first and direct obiect, they speake of him as of their proper subiect, and do most neerly concerne his seruice; for by them we belieue in him, hope in him, and loue him, and honour him, as our soueraigne Lord according to his law, as we haue sayd els where.

The same Grace giueth, or perfecteth the other vertues, called Morall,The ver­tues Car­dinall. wherof some be called Cardinall-vertues, for being the principall spring of diuers others, and they are foure. Prudence, that maketh vs aduised in our actions, to the end, not to deceaue our selues, or our Neighbour. Iustice, that teacheth vs to giue euery one his owne. Temperence, which is the bridle of our desires, and appetites. And Fortitude, which giueth our soule courage, to sustaine any dangerous encounter, and valiantly to expose her selfe to death, for the honour of God, and our owne saluation, or our Neighbours: and out of these foure springs do arise, Diligence, Liberality, of Humility,The dau­ghters of the Car­dinal ver­tues. Religion, Piety, Chastity, and other qualityes, which she giueth, eyther altogeather, or els doth perfect thē, and adorne them, as that Queene was adorned, of whome Dauid song in these wordes: The Queene stood on thy right hand, cloathed in garments of gold, Psal. 44.10. compassed about with variety. This Queene is the deuout Soule: the gold is the grace of God, & this variety are the sondry, and diuers vertues and graces, wherewith she is garnished, as the body with precious attires of sundry stuffes and fashions.

The fourth and fifth pointes of the precedent Meditation. The seauen guiftes of the Holy Ghost, and the eight Beatitudes. CHAP. XXXII.

THE fourth point shall consider, how further to purify these foresayd vertues, and to rayse the prayse of them by some particuler quality God hath ioyned vnto them the guifts of the Holy Ghost, Wisedome, Vnderstanding, Coun­sell, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and the Feare of God.Esa. 11. Hier. 16. Amb. c. 20 Aug. 209. de temp. & 17. de Sanctis.

By Wisedome, we doe perfectly know our end, and con­stantly doe 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.
• [Page 132]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, constātly & 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 d [...] facili [...]ate, and make easy the obseruation of the Command [...]ments. CHAP. XXXIII.

THE after dinner shall passe in repeating some points of the morning m [...]di [...]tion,The coū ­sels do facilitate the Cō ­mande­ments. namely of the Counsels of our Sauiour. There the Pilgrime shall obserue, how the Coun­sells are more high in dignity of action, th [...]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 lo [...]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: 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 iudgmēt 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 [Page 135] 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 wō ­derful be­ginning o [...] 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 [...]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 [Page 136] 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 [...]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 thē the beastThe 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 shi [...]; 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 wo [...]ke and serue him, is worthy of eternall mi­sery and confusion, although he should do none other ill; but what death deser [...]eth he, that, not only dooth no good, but also committeth sinnes witho [...]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 [...]ay after this m [...]ditation of thy workes, and the workes of men? Vpon thy lawes, and their loyalty and obe­dience? What shall should sa [...] in my prayer of the m [...]s [...]y of man, & of thy greatnes? Of his ingratitude and thy libera [...]ity? Of my [Page 137] 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 actiōs, 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. 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 ō ­ly [Page 138] fayth sufficeth not for saluatiō,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. [...]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 outw [...]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.

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 actiō opposite to good workes, which were the matter of the [Page 140] 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 Com­mandm [...]nts. Ambr. de Poenit c. 8. Aug l. 22. cont. Faust c. 27 l 1. cont. ep. 1. Pe [...]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 beginning, and is cleansed by fayth in the Messias, & certaine ceremonies in the law of nature & Moyses; Conc. Tri. sess. 5. and after the comming of the Messias, by the fayth of the same professed in Baptisme, by the which we are made children of God, as by a second spirituall birth and generation.Actuall mortall sinne. Actuall, is that which man commit­teth by his owne free-will and worke, which if it be grieuous that is committed in any important matter, with deliberate will, and full consent, is called Mortall, because it bereaueth the sinner of the grace of God, which is the life of his soule, & maketh it guilty of death euerlasting, called by s. Iohn, The second death. 2. Cor. 6. Gal. 5. Apo. 21. Rom. 6. Apoc. 21. Rom. 6. And by S. Paul, The reward of sinne. Such a sinne was the pride of the first Angell, & his Complices, made Di­uells thereby. Such a sinne was the disobedience of Adam, A­ctuall in himselfe, and Originall to all his children. If the A­ctuall [Page 141] sinne be not grieuous, that is, if it be committed in a small matter, without full consent, as an idle word, a light negligence, an euill thought, a foule motion, without any stayed consent, it is that we call Veniall, of the Latin word Venia, which signifyeth Pardon, because it is easily pardona­ble, not making man enemy to God, and for defacing where­of, no Sacrament is necessary, as it is for mortal. Notwithstan­ding we must keep our selues, as farre from it as we can, for that it cooleth and quencheth charity, and christian deuotion, and maketh way for mortall, and it is well done to confesse them dayly, both to purge them, and to preuent them.Aug. ser. de Sanctis 41. epist. 19. Conc. Tri. sess. 14. c. 5. Now this distinction taught by the Catholike Church, as we learne in the Councell of Trent, and the ancient Doctours, & name­ly S. Augustine, may be vnderstood by a similitude in the bo­dy. For as there be certaine diseases and woundes deadly of their owne nature, as t [...]e Plurisie, the hoat ague, the wounds of the brayne, hart, or the like; & others are not so, as the ter­tian ague, and quartaine, the Migrame,Moratll woundes or diseases. and other woundes or blowes on the lesse vitall and noble partes of the body, which are small & healed soone; so it happeneth to the soule, the diseases and woūdes whereof are vices, and sinnes, which if they depriue it of the Grace of God, are mortall maladies,Sinne the wound of the soule. & deadly woundes, and is mortall sinne; if they doe not de­priue him thereof, but alter a little the harmony of his peace with God, these are light diseases, and are veniall sinnes.

The third point shall ponder, how sinne beginneth by suggestion, groweth by delectation, and is perfected by con­sent. By suggestion of the diuell, the world, or the flesh, some of these three enemies casting into our mynd some obiect cō ­trary to the lawe of God: to which suggestion suc [...]edeth a pleasing and lyking of the sense, willingly beholding the o­biect, as Eue was delighted to see the forbidden fruit. To pleasure succeedeth Consent, and to consent the execution & consummation of the sinne: So Eue after she had receaued the suggestion of the Serpent, cheapening it at the sight,The steps of sinne vnto the depth. and giuing her hart to delight thereon, she reached her hand to the execution, and bit of the apple, and tooke that morsell that infected all the race of mankind: Behold here (say our Do­ctours) [Page 142] the linkes, Gre. l. 4. mora. c. 25 Isido. l 1. de sum [...]o bo [...]. c. 23 Psal. 118. 2. Reg. 22. Prouer. 5. Aug. l. 8. contest c. 5 Greg. l. 25 moral c. 12 & rings of this strong chaine of sinne. Of sug­gestion commeth thought, of thought pleasure, of pleasure consent, of consent the worke, of the worke custome, of custome despaire, of despaire defence of ill, of defence boasting of boasting damnation. This is the chayne which that old Tyrant made of the worke, whereof himself was authour, that is of sinne: these are the cordes and boltes wherewith he fettereth the poore sinner, and in fine doth cast him hedlong bound hand & foot into the shipwracke of eternal damnation,

In the speach the Pilgrime shal desire of God grace to auoid sinne, and shall say: O infinite bounty, keep me from sinne if it please thee,The speach. and preserue me from any alliance with that abor­tiue impe so monstrous and infected. Let death armed with all sortes of torments pull my soule out of my body, rather than I should consent to any sinne, though neuer so small a­gainst thy holy Law, O sweet Iesu, and infinit bounty, how should I offend thee being so milde, good, and bountifull? Chast Ioseph said to his Mistresse who sollicited him to vnchast loues: How can I commit so great an offence against my Maister, of whome I haue receiued so many benefits? How can I then sinne against thee, O my Maister, and souueraigne Lord, seeing thou hast bound me with many better titles, by so many fauours and promises? Seeing thou hast bought me not with gold, or siluer, or any corruptible price, but with the ransome of thy most precious bloud, how can I then of­fend thee?

O glorious virgin Mother of the Allmighty, and who by speciall priuiledge from his Omnipotency wast preserued frō all spot in thy Conception and Birth,To the B. Virgin and in all thy actions, & wast preserued all pure, and beautified, enriched and adorned with a thousand vertues, help thy poore Pilgrime with thy credit and grace, and procure me pardon of my sinnes passed, and effectuall grace for hereafter to remaine without stayne of any sinne, euen veniall, if it may be by the grace of thy Sonne. Let myne eyes be enlightened with the heauenly beames, that they may neuer slumber into this deadly sleep, and that myne enemie may neuer say:Psal 124. I haue preuailed against him. This guift, O happy virgin, will redound to the glory of [Page 143] the Maiesty of thy Sonne, to the health of thy wearied Pil­grime, who honoureth & serueth thee, and by thy assistance desireth to serue with all his soule, that Lord whome thy self adorest.

The After-dinner, and Euening of the six­teenth dayes Iourney. Of the seauen Capitall sinnes, commonly called Mortall, and of their Branches. CHAP. XXXVII.

IN the Afternoone, and in the rest of the day, the Pilgrime shall persist vpon the same matter, for though it be but sowre to the taste, yet taken with a holy Meditation, and di­gested into the stomake of the deuout soule, it helpeth much to deface and detest sinne. He shall discourse vpon the seauen sinnes commonly called mortall, or more properly Capitall, for being the heades, and springes of diuers others. They are,The 7. Capitall sinne. Pride, Couetice, Lechery, Enuy, Gluttony, Anger, Slouth; hauing so many vertues opposite to encounter them, Humi­lity, Liberality, Chastity, Charity, Abstinence, Patience,The con­trary ver­tues. De­uotion or Diligence.

Pride is an inordinate desire of excellency, whether it reigne within the soule only, or be manifested or discouered by wordes or workes outwardly. This is the King of sinnes, altogeather abhominable before God,Aug. ep. 5 [...]. Greg. 3. Mora. 31. and the Capitall ene­my of all vertue; thence as from a pestilent root do all vices spring and take life, and especially these, Disobedience, Boa­sting, Hypocrisy, Contention, Pertinacy, Discord, and Curi­osity.

Couetice, is a disordinate appetit of hauing an insatiable thirst, making continually more drye, the more it drinketh:Basil. hom. in diuites 117. from thence come Treason, Fraudes, Deceit, periury, Dis­quietnes, violence, inhumanity, and hardnes of hart.

Lechery is a disordinate appetite of pleasures of the bo­dy, she bringeth forth blindnesse of spirit, inconsideration,Isido. l. 2. de bono. 39. in­constancy, precipitation in affaires, se [...]fe loue, hatred of God, greedines of this life, feare [...]n [...] horror of death and iudgment, and despaire of life euerlasting.

Basil hom. 11. de li­uore. Cir de zelo & liuore.Enuy is a sadnes or griefe at the good of others, and hate of their prosperity, or good successe; either of their Superiours because they cannot equall them, or of their inferiours, in that they would not haue them equalls: her daughters are, Ha­tred, Murmuring, Detraction, wicked Ioy of the euill, & wic­ked Grieft at the good of another.

Gluttony, is an inordinate desire of eating and drinking; her children are Foolish mirth, lesting, Prating, Scurrility, Stupidity of senses,Greg. mor. 31. and Vnderstanding.

Anger, is a disordinate desire of reuenge, of whome do rise, Debates, Swellings, Contumelies, Clamours, Indigna­tion,Bern. ser. de Asc. Blasphemy.

Slouth is a languour of spirit, remisse and flow to doe well,Greg. 3. part. curae past. 10. and a heauines, and sadnes in spirituall thinges: of her groweth Malice, Rancour, Pusillanimity, Despaire, a loa­thing of necessary commandements, Euagations.

The Pilgrime hauing this afternoone cast his eyes attē ­tiuely vpon these bodyes and branches, vpon these Captaines and their companies and recommending himselfe in the eue­ning with some particuler prayer to God, the B. Virgin, & his good Angell, that he may be alwayes assisted by their ayde against these enemies, he shall looke for lodging, and rest.

The seauenteenth Day. Of the first sinne which was of the Angells, and of the second which was of Adam, and of their effects: and of the sinnes of euery one in parti­culer, which maketh the third sort. CHAP. XXXVIII.

WELL, to penetrate and discouer the deformity of sinne, and to conceaue a du [...] hatred thereof, the Pilgrime shall bestow one day in the meditation of the effects of sin, therein cleerely to see it selfe: for as by the fruit the tree is knowne, and the workeman by his worke, so is the malice of sinne manifest by the euills thereof.

The sin of the Angells.The first point, shall b [...] to bring into his mind and me­mory the sinne of the first Angel, and his Confederates in that faction, who hauing beene created to the Image of God in e­state [Page 145] of grace, and endowed with many excellent guifts of nature, rebelling afterward against their Lord and Maker, of such noble spirits as they were, were made Diuels, & thrown headlong from heauen to hell, there for their rebellion to suf­fer the torments of euer-burning flames. Whereupon the Pil­grime vsing the light of his vnderstanding,How to discourse of the sin of An­gells. to enlighten and moue his will, and to stirre it vp to a detestation of sinne in ge­nerall, and to shame and confusion for his owne in particuler, shall thus discourse. If these diuine spirits, and the most good­ly and glorious creatures that were in heauen, for one onely sinne, were so turned and transformed from an extreme be­auty, to a monstrous foulnes and deformity; how abhomina­ble are those who commit many? Who doe nothing els? Who are plunged in their vices, as Swine in their durt?2. Pet. 25 And with what filthines haue I deformed my owne soule by so many as I haue committed? And if God spared not these noble Cittizēs of heauen, and seruants of his owne houshould, but hath cast them, as the Apostle sayth, with chaines of darknes into the dungeon of hell, reserued for that great day and generall iud­gement, what entertaynement may I expect at the handes of this soueraigne Iudge, if I amend not my life?

The 2. point shalbe appropriated to the consideration of the sinne of Adam, which is the second sinne in regard of the person which is man, differing in nature from the Angells:The sine of Adam heere the Memory shal represent to the Vnderstanding the do­lefull fall of our first Fathers, and their honourable estate chā ­ged into a miserable exile & banishment: how Adam hauing beene formed of durt, and quickned with a soule, bearing the Image and likenes of God, and Eue brought forth to the like­nes of man, of one of the sides and ribs of Adam, suffering thē ­selues to be persuaded by their capitall enemy, did eat of the forbidden fruit, and sodainly lost the grace and fauour of their Creatour, the life of the soule, and all that they had good be­sides, the guifts of the Holy Ghost, Iustice, Charity, their right to heauen, and the immortality of their body. Our Pil­grime then shall behould them as present, driuen out of Para­dise, cloathed in beastes skins, and from the place of pleasures and delights, cast into a countrey of death and malediction,Gen. 3.2. in [Page 146] which they performed a long & seuere pennance, that is 900. yeares and more; and finally he shall consider, the great cor­ruption, that hath come from this root, hauing like a generall plague infected all mankind, and thrust thousand-thousandes of persons to euerlasting death; out of which consideration, he shall draw light to discouer the poison of sinne, to hate and detest it.

Euery o­nes pro­per sins.The third point shall be to meditate in himselfe his owne faultes, which is the third sort of sinne in regard of the person. Heere our Pilgrime calling to remembrance, his owne enor­mityes shall consider, that many thousands are in hell, that perhaps had committed but one of those sinnes, that he hath done himselfe: he shall thinke that many are cōdemned to the same hell of euerlasting death for sinnes, lesse and fewer then his are, whereby he shall learne, how great the goodnes of God is toward him, hauing thus patiently expected him to pennance, and how great is the malice & malignity of sinne, hauing moued and incited the infinite bounty so farre, as to or­daine paines vnspeakable for the grieuousnes of them, and e­ternall for the lasting to punish it withall. With which consi­deration being heat and warmed, he shall speake in his speach thus to our Sauiour.

The speach.O souueraigne Lord and Redeemer of my soule, how great is the peruersity of this monster, whose foulenes thy light hath discouered to me in her effects: It made a reuolt in heauen among thy domesticalls, making them rebell against thee. It hath brought confusion and plagues to the families of Men, and hath marked them all, with her infernall brood; & her malignity was so great and strong, that there must be an eternity of punishments to chastice it: the infection so deadly, that the quickening, and life-giuing bloud was necessary to cleanse it. O mortall men, whereof thinke you, when you do the works of death? Where is your memory, not remembring what is passed? Where is your prouidēce, not regarding what is to come? Where is your hart and wit, yielding your loue to so monstrous and detestable an enemy? O sweet Iesus, made man for my sinnes crucifyed for my sinnes, and raised againe for my iustice, pardon me my sinnes, which were too great to [Page 147] be pardoned, were not thy mercy infinit; and by the same mercy keep me from offending thee any more: giue me tears to bewaile those I haue committed, & force to forbeare heer­after, both which guifts are worthy of thee, and both most ne­cessary to me. O Blessed Virgin yet againe,To the B. Virgin. now & alwayes be my Aduocate; it is the honour of thy sonne, that I may ob­taine my suite, and the saluation of thy poore and deuoted Pilgrime.

The after-dinner, and Euening of the seauen­teenth dayes Iourney. The effects of S nne, and diuers paines. CHAP. XXXIX.

THE rest of the day the Pilgrime shall imploy his houres to ruminate and repeat some particuler effects of sinne, the better to know and detest it: He shal see, how it made the chief Angell so impudent and wicked,The first exploit of the diuel. that with the first vse of his language, he durst accuse his Creatour of enuy and ma­lice, in that he had forbidden the tree of knowledge of good and euill, to Adam and Eue, that they might not be like Gods, carrying vnder the colour of this blasphemous calumniation,Gen. 3. that poisoned [...]art, wherewith he stroke to death this poore ill aduised woman, and by her, her husband Adam, & by him all mankind: he shall cast his eyes vpon the enuy of Cain, Gen. 7.21 which made him lift vp his hand to embrew the earth with his brothers bloud; to the dissolution of all mortall men, to­geather buryed in the reuenging waues of the vniuersall De­luge; to the pride of the Babylonians b [...]ilding against heauē to their owne confusion; the impurity of the fiue sinning Cit­tyes, drowned in fire and brimstone; the auarice of Giezi, Gen. 11.4 Gen. 19.25. 4. Pe [...]. 50. [...]atth. 26 Luc. 16.19. and of Iudas; to the riot of the rich Glutton, and other sinners, and sinnes. By the view whereof he shall conceaue an immortall hatred, and shal firmely purpose to serue God withall his hart for the tyme to come, without euer offending him neuer so little willingly, and towards night hauing made some parti­culer prayer to the Blessed Virgin, he shall thinke of his lod­ging

The eighteenth day. A meditation of Death, the first effect of sinne. CHAP. XL.

To whō the re­mēbrāce of death is grie­uous, & to whom profita­ble.THERE is nothing more vnpleasant then the memory of death to them that doe not liue well: nothing is more profitable to those that desire well to gouerne their acti­ons for to liue and reigne alwayes; and therefore the Pilgrime shall help himselfe with the meditation of death, very fitly af­ter that of sinne the father of death. This meditation shal haue all his whole and entire partes.

The Prayer preparatory as alwayes before.

The first Preamble shall represent a man stretched on his bed, in the agony of death.

The second shall demand grace to reape particuler profit of this exercise.

The first point shall set before myne eyes that decree and sentence of death, giuen by the supreme Iudge on the person of our first Father Adam: Gen. 3. Thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt re­turne againe, and executed on the body of him, & al that haue come of him, except Enoch, and Elias, who notwithstanding shall dye also in their tyme. And therefore S. Paul sayth: It is ordayned for all men once to dye. Heb. 9.17 Of this meditation he shall marke, that as there is nothing more sure and certaine then Death, so also there is nothing more vncertaine, then the houre and manner thereof, and the estate wherein it shall find the soule,Eccles. 9. whether in grace or in sinne, when it shall dislodge and remoue from her body. By which circumstance he must stirre vp himselfe to watch and seeke all the meanes, and wayes he can to put himselfe in good order and preparation, for feare of being surprised, and taken vnawares by reason of such vncertainty.

The second, shall be to consider the accidents, that do ac­company this last conflict,The con­flict of death. as well in soule as in body, the re­membrance of thinges passed, the feare of that is to come, the prickinges of griefs and desires, the assaults of the Diuell, the fayling of our senses and facultyes, the coldnes of our members and the benumming of all partes of the body, the dole and ex­treme anguish in the distresse of death; all which thinges fore­seene, [Page 149] will teach vs what danger it is,Math. 25. to deferre our pre­paration to the concurrence of so many calamityes, miseryes, and infirmityes, and to go buy oyle for our lampes,What follow­eth after death: the soule saued o [...] damned. when it will be tyme to enter into the bridegroomes chamber.

The third point shall meditate, what followeth inconti­nently after death, which is the iudgment of the soule, either to saluation or damnation; for she is eyther placed among the children of God, be it by passing by, if she need purgation, o [...] presently if she be cleane, to enter into heauen & reigne there for euer, or els carryed away in company of the Diuells to hell, there to suffer eternall torments, if she left the body sei­zed with any mortall sinne. The body in the meane tyme, is put into the ground for food to wormes & serpents; his goods are parted to the liuing, who will make merry therewith, & perhaps will laugh at him, for hauing laboured so much for them.

The speach shall be to Iesus Christ in these wordes: O my sweet Redeemer, thou hast suffered death to deliuer me from death, and hast ouercome death, to make me conquerour thereof, graunt me by this thy infinit charity, and diuine vi­ctory, the grace to vse and enioy the benefit, which thy death hath brought to me, and so well to prepare my selfe against this combat of death, so valiantly to wrastle with it,Psal. 115. and so happily to ouercome it, that my death may be of those the Prophet speaketh: The death of his Saints is precious in the eyes of God; and not of those of whome the same Prophet sayth:Psal. 33. The death of sinners is most miserable. Thou saydst sometimes to thy Apostles and Disciples: VVatch and stand ready, for the Sonne of Man will come at an houre, when you thinke not of him. And againe:Math. 24. & 25. VValke whilest you haue light, least darkenes do apprehend you. And againe by one of thy Scribes: Doe iustice before thy d parture, Ioan. 12. Luc. 19. Eccles. 14.17. for there is no food to be found in hell. These are thy aduertisements most excellent, and most worthy of a prudent & valiant Cap­itaine, for they comprehend and teach all that is necessary well to defend our selues, well to fight, and to ouercome, well to liue, and well to dye. Graunt then, O my soueraigne Lord, that I may follow this, point by point, & execute with a faithfull and constant obedience, all that thy loue & wise­dome [Page 150] hath aduised me for my saluation, that my life may be nothing but a prudent and continuall preparation to death, & my death a doore to life euerlasting.

The After-dinner, and Euening of the eigh­teenth dayes Iourney. Diuers sentences of Death. CHAP. XLI.

THE rest of the day the Pilgrime shall passe his tyme & way,Psal. 101.4.12. meditating some sentences of the Scripture, or the holy Fathers written of this subiect: As are, My dayes haue sai­led as a smoke, and my bones haue withered and dryed vp like small stickes. My dayes haue passed like a shaddow, and I haue withered like grasse. Iob. 14.5. And againe: The dayes of man haue passed, and the number of his monthes are in thy handes, thou hast set boundes which he cannot passe. 1. Pet. 1. And againe: All flesh is grasse, and the glory thereof like the flowre of the field; Eccl. 9.12 the grasse hath faded, and his flower hath fallen. And man knowe [...]h not his end, but as Fishes are taken with netts, and Birds with snares, so are the children of men taken in an euill tyme, when it cometh sodainly vpon them. Eccl. 9.10 And againe: Labour, and doe well with thy handes while thou canst, for in the graue whither thou goest, there is neyther worke nor industry, nor knowledge nor wisedo­me. Aug. l. 50 hom. 27. Also: The gate of pennance is open to vs, and the day of death hidden from vs, that by despaire we doe not increase our sinnes. Item: All the rest of our good and euill is vncertaine, onely death is certaine. Item:Idem. de verb. De. serm. 21. de ciuit. l. 13. cap 10 All the tyme of our life is but a race to death. With th [...]se sentences and the like, he may also remember the happy death of many persons, Martyrs, and others, borne to heauen, dy­ing to the earth; & of diuers wicked men, who by disastrous death haue begunne their hell in this world: and so he shall passe this day, and the next night, and euery night after when he goeth to bed, he shall remember death and his graue, re­presented by that action and place; for sleep is the image of death, as the bed is the graue. Death is a long sleep, and the graue a long lying; sleep and the bed are transitory, death & the graue firme and lasting.

The nineteenth Day, A Meditation of Iudgement, Particuler and Generall. CAHP. XLII.

AFTER death (sayth S. Paul) followeth Iudgment: Heb. 9. After the death of euery one in particuler, cometh particuler Iudgement; after the generall death of all men,The Me­ditation of iudge­mēt pro­fitable. commeth the generall Iudgement. The memory and meditation of these two is a strong bridle to hold men from sinne, & a sharp spur to incite him to pennance, and to prepare his pleas and books before he be presented to the examination of a Iudge so iust, wise, and mighty, as he that must heare and iudge him. Ther­fore the Pilgrime shall help himselfe with this consideration, to cleare himselfe before the iudgment come, and also to make him worthy to enter into the Sanctuary of that noble house the end of his Pilgrimage, and to visit it with the profit of his soule.

The Prayer preparatiue as alwayes before.

The first Preamble for particuler Iudgement, shall be to imagine a soule gone out of the body,Matth. 25. as presented before God to be iudged; and for the general, to behould Iesus Christ cō ­ming in maiesty, accompanied with Angells and Saints, to make a publike triall and iudgement of all mortall men, both in bodyes and soules, and to reward or punish euery one ac­cording to his workes good or bad.

The second Preamble shall demand a holsome feare of this fearefull day.

The first point shall be to meditate the sentences of Scrip­ture that make mention of that day with some great exagge­ration of speach, as that:Sayings of this Iugemēt 2. Cor. 5.10. Heb. 10. Psal. 142.2. Iob. 3. 2. Pet. 4.18. VVe must appeare before the Tribunall of Christ, that euery one may receaue in his body, as he hath done good or bad. And: It is a horrible thing to fall into the handes of the liuing God. The wordes also of Dauid, who though he were an holy man, yet trembling at the expectation of that day, he sayd: Lord, enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, for none liuing can be iustifyed in thy sight. And of Iob: VVhat shall I doe when God shall rise to Iudgement, and when he shall aske, what shall I answere? And of S. Peter; If the lust shall hardly be saued, where shall the sinner [Page 152] appeare? With which sayings, the soule shall spurre forward her selfe, saying: If the Saints haue so feared this iudgement, what shall I poore sinnefull creature do?

The ma­iesty of the Iudg.The second point shall bring in consideration the quality of the Iudge, wise to know all, iust to punish all, mighty to execute all his Iudgements and Decrees. Whose power none can escape, whose wisedome none can deceaue, whose equi­ty none can bow,Aug. l. de 10. chor­dis c 1. & 2. Innoc. l. 3. de ciuit. mundi. and from whose sentence none can appeale, as the Doctours say. And if we tremble before a Iudge, whō we thinke will not be corrupted, what shall the Proud doe before that Iudge, who infinitly detesteth that vice? What the couetous before the supreme bounty and liberality? The Le­cher before Purity it selfe? What other sinners before him, who is the Capitall enemy of all sinne?

The ge­nerall iu­gement.The third point shall set before our eyes that dreadfull generall Iudgement, whereof holy men speaking could not find wordes great inough proportionably to expresse the greatnes of it. Sound forth (sayth one of them) sound forth the trumpet in Sion, cry out on my holy mountaine, that all the Inhabi­tants of the earth may tremble; for the day of our Lord cōmeth, it is at hand, Seph. 1.4.15.16. a day of darknes, and obscurity a day of cloudes and tribulation. And another: The great day of our Lord is after this day: this is a day of wrath, a day of tribulation and anguish, a day of tumult and desolation, a day of darknes and obscurity, a day of cloudes and tem­pestes, a day of the sound of trumpets, and alarums. This is the day which properly is called, the Day of our Lord. The day of Iud­gement, when the whole world shall be iudged, when the iustice of the Iudge shallbe made manifest to all the world, when the iustice of the good shalbe published by open iudge­ment in the full assembly of Angells and men, and rewarded with a crowne of immortall glory. There (sayth one Saint) shall be no complaint, Aug. l. 20. ciuit. c. 11. such as often in the presse of this world, saying one to another; why is this wicked man so happy in his wickednes? VVhy is such a good man vnhappy and miserable in his vertue? VVhy do Robbers prosper, and poore Pilgrimes haue their throtes cut? For then true fe­licity shall be reserued only for the good, and extreme and true misery reserued only for the wicked. This then is called the day of our Lord, all other dayes are the dayes of men, this which is the [Page 153] shutting vp of them all, shall be our Lords day; for therein he shall shew manifestly the treasures of his infinit mercy and iu­stice, making for his glory the heauens and earth to leape, & all the most strong peeces of his power, wisedome & bounty.

O my soule tremble with feare,The Prayer. at the remembrance of this fearefull day; for if Dauid, Iob, the Prophets, if the pillars of vertue haue shaked, how great ought thy feare to be, poore sinnefull and feeble creature that thou art? With what sense & feeling shouldest thou meditate vpon the holding of this day, the Iudgement of iudgements, and the last of all? What wilt thou then doe? What Aduocate shalt thou haue? Who dareth defend thee from this iust Iudge, if he be offended with thee? How shalt thou heare the irreuocable sentence, when it shall be pronounced? What shalt thou do, if he condemne thee? O sweet Iesus, keep me from thy wrath to come, if it please thee, and giue me now a penitent hart, that may deserue both now and then, the voice of thy mercy. Let me in this banishment, suffer a thousand deathes, but at that day let me liue with thee. Afflict me, whippe me, cut me, burne, my soule, my life, my flesh, my bones, with al sorts of tribulation, persecution, tra­uaile and torments, but may it please thee to pardon me then for euer, O Lord. O Blessed Virgin my good Aduocate, whome I often see represented in this Iudgement, by the pi­ous pictures of the holy houses in the Church of thy Sonne, as suppliant for all mankind, intreat I beseech, O Virgin, for al and for me, who am of the number, and the most needy; and performe what the pictures represent. They signify that thou art now Aduocate of mortall men, to the end, that at that day they may be out of paine and danger. Aske now, O B. Virgin for this is the tyme of asking, and mercy, and not then, when there shall be no question but of iudging, rewarding, and pu­nishing: aske, and in good tyme obtaine for me, and for all those that seeke vnto thee: obtaine for me, O puissant Aduo­cate, the grace throughly to bewaile my sinnes, vertuously to correct my faultes, wisely to order my senses and actions, that at that day I may confidently behould the eye, and coun­tenance of that soueraigne Iudge set in his throne of Iustice, ioyfully heare the sentence he pronounceth, and happily be [Page 154] placed on the right hand in the number of his beloued.

The After-dinner, and Euening of the nine­teenth dayes Iourney. The separation of the good from the wicked, after Iudgement. CHAP. XLIII.

AFTER dinner the Pilgrime shall imploy his deuotiō in meditating what followeth Iudgement; setting be­fore his eyes, how the one sort take their flight vp to heauen with Iesus Christ, and his Angells, there to reigne with him happy and blessed for euer. The other full of misery and an­guish, broken-harted & desperate shall be swallowed downe body and soule to the Center of the earth, with the Diuells whome they serued, and hauing gone foreward a while in this thought, he shall also in the euening make some prayer to our Lord, and to the B. Virgin his glorious Mother, to the same end with that before dinner, and shall looke about to lodge himselfe in some place proper for a poore wearied Pil­grime to repose.

The twentith Day. A Meditation of Hell. CHAP. XLIV.

THE Pilgrime hauing purposed to cleanse his soule in this his Pilgrimage, and in good earnest to sweare em­nity for euer against sinne, the better to moue himselfe to pē ­nance, and to conceaue cont [...]ition requisite for such an effect, he shall help himselfe with the meditation of Hell, the second death and reward of sinne, as he helped himselfe hitherto with the meditation of the first death, and iudgement. This is a thundring peece,Eccl. 7.40 to beat at the eares and soule of a sleepy sin­ner, and with a wholsome alarum to awake him, and make him take armes, and looke to himselfe. Good men are also holpē therby; for though they follow vertue rather for loue then for feare, and serue God for himselfe, which is the seruice of true children, it profiteth them notwithstanding to medi­tate as well the punishmēt as the reward, drawing from thēce [Page 155] matter to prayse God in his iustice and mercy, and to stirre vp themselues to serue him well.

The Meditation shall haue his partes.

The prayer preparatory accustomed.

The first Preamble shall represent an obscure, and darke bottomlesse dungeon in the Center of the earth, ful of horrour and stench of fire, brimstone, and smoke, and soules inclosed in their bodyes plunged in these flames.

The second shall demand particuler grace, well to medi­tate of Hell, for euer to auoyd it.Hell most intollera­ble.

The first point shall consider, that as there is nothing in this life more horrible then death, nothing so dreadfull as Iudgement that followeth after: so nothing is more intolle­rable then Hell, and the punishments therof:Matth. 8.33.22.24 There (sayth the Scripture) is weeping & gnashing of teeth: there is the worme gnaw­ing of the soule and neuer dying, and killing alway without killing. Marc. 9.44. There is the fire that neuer quencheth; there is the darke Countrey co­uered with the cloud of death. There is the shaddow of death, where no order, but perpetuall horrour inhabiteth. Iob. 10.25 Apoc. 21.14. There the portion of the damned is in a lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, where the wicked shall be tormented world without end.

The second point shall represent the diuers sortes of pai­nes ordayned according to the diuersity of sins;Diuers paines for diuers crimes. for notwith­standing the horrour and disorder of this gulfe, the order of Gods iust [...]e neuerthelesse shall be kept, as the Apostle signi­fyeth, when he sayth, that he heard a voice from heauen, con­demning the Lecher to paynes, saying:Apec. 18.7. Giue him torments in that measure, that he hath had glory and delight in this life. Therfore there the Proud shall be oppressed with an extreme confusion and shame. The Couetous suffer an vnspeakable hunger and thirst. The Adulterers buryed in fire and brimstone, with an intolerable stench, and ech of all their partes, and specially of those that haue been instruments of their villanies. The Cho­lericke and cruell shal haue for their whips and scourges their owne passions, and the fury of the fiends. The Gluttons, shall be serued at the table of Hell, fed with serpents and toades, and drinke of the cuppe of the wrath of God. The Enuious, shall beare in their bosomes euer-liuing scorpions, who shall [Page 156] sting them to an immortall rage. The Slouthfull, shall be beaten with the rodes of his owne rechlesnes, & vexed with a particuler torment of body and soule. These shall be the proportions of euery one, and all in generall shall haue the horrour of that hellish company, of darknes, of cries, & how­linges one of another.

The eter­nity of hell tor­ments.The third point shall be to consider that al these torments besides that they are vnspeakable and continuall, shall also be euerlasting. This eternity is that, which giueth the forme & the name of Hell to that hellish misery, and without it there should be no Hell of torments, nor paradise of pleasure. This shall be the great hart-breake to the damned,The cause of the dā ­neds rage and sting their soule with a raging grief that they shal suffer without ceasing, & they shall also see, without ceasing, that it shall alwayes be so. They shall alwayes pay the interest of their sinnes com­mitted, and yet shal alwayes be behind in errerages: they shal alwayes pay, and their debt increase still, that which shall be past, though it were ten milions of ages, shall be reckoned for nothing, and the future tyme shall be followed, with another future as long as all Eternity.

The forme of this Eternity shall flye as a fierce fury, con­tinually before their eyes, beating her vnwearied wings; and hissing her horrour into their eares, shall couch it selfe in the depth of their imagination, and grauing there the marke and round circle of these eternall ages, shall breed therein the sting and immortall rage of a furious desperation.

O soueraigne bounty? What monster may sinne be, that could so incense either thyne anger, or thy clemency against it? O sinne, how abhominable art thou, seeing no payne is sufficient to punish and chastice thee, but eternall? O mortall men what thinke you of, when you defile your soules with the familiarity of this plague, this death, this confusiō? Where is your wit, to loose glory, delight and riches of heauen, for a fond pleasure, for a foule delight, for a brutish vanity, with this inestimable losse, throwing your selues head-long into e­uerlasting damnation. O my soule, thinke heereof, delay no longer, thinke of it betymes; all tyme of repentance is good tyme, flye the danger of eternall euills, whilest the mercy of [Page 157] God inuiteth thee, and doth promise thee help, and assistance, and recompence for thy labour. O my Lord, I will serue thee with all my soule, and withall my soule renounce all vanity; and doe vow from henceforth eternal emnity to thy great and immortall enemy, who hath furnished so much matter to thy iustice, to build these mansions of darknes, confusion & death. O Virgin, Queene, and Mother, most pure, most great, and puissant, further the desires of thy Pilgrime, and deuoted sup­pliant, and by thy credit obtayne that he may happily perfor­me the good desires and designements, which thy Sonne his Redeemer, and Lord hath by thyne interc [...]ssion planted in his hart.

The After-dinner, and Euening of the twen­tith dayes Iourney. Other Meditations of the paynes of the damned. CHAP. XLV.

THE two other partes of the day shall be employed in the consideration of the infinite number of soules lost,The lost soules. since the beginning of the world vnto this tyme: also an infi­nit number that daily are, and will be lost from this tyme to the end of this world: Soules, alas, lost, dead & deadly groa­ning in the gulfe of their torments, byting their tongue for fury, that seeke for death, and cannot find it;Apo. 18.10. being buryed in the bowells of death it selfe, dying alwayes and yet cannot dye, liuing alwayes, and yet cannot liue; that curse the day of their birth, and the name and memory of their Progenitours, detesting the earth they so much loued, the heauens and the starres that they could not see; and fo [...]ul measure of the [...] im­piety, they blaspheme the Maiesty of thy Creatour, and haue no rest neither day nor night. All thinges are to them afflicti­on, all is night and darkenes, all is gall and bitternes, all tears and gnashing, all griefe and despaire. Death can neither end them, nor ouercome them, & wheresoeuer they cast the eyes of their vnderstanding they find themselues on euery side cō ­passed and inclosed with the barres of eternity, without all hope, not only to escape out of the prison of this dolefull and [Page 158] lamentable being, and worse a thousand times then not being at all, but also to haue ease or respit. By this consideration the Pilgrime shall learne more and more the malignity of sinne, and shall harden himselfe to the hatred thereof: and at night he shall yield thankes to the mercy of God, for the tyme, and respit he hath giuen him, with a thousand meanes to do pen­nance in this life, and to abstaine from sinne, that he might a­uoyd these paines reserued for sinners in this euerlasting prison. And after he hath in good time taken vp his lodging, to prepare himselfe with leasure, to the last meditation of his third weeke, and the day of his arriuall.

The one and twentith Day. Of Generall Confession, and of the parts of Pennance. CHAP. XLVI.

THIS one and twentith day is the last of the first part of this Pilgrimage, wherin the Pilgrime must prepare him selfe with his best endeauour to pennance, & purgation of his soule, which is the end of this part, the more worthily to ap­peare in the house of the B. Virgin that he goeth to visit, a Virgin of purity, mother of purity, and Queene of purity. This preparation shall be in the chiefe foundation, and exact and entire confession of all his sinnes since his last Confession, or if need be,To whō generall confessiō is neces­sary. generally of all his life, since his yeares of discre­tion, or from some other markeable time.

This is the Confession commonly called Generall, neces­sary to him that was neuer so confessed, or was ill confessed, either by concealing any mortall sinne willingly, or for want of good disposition necessary to a Penitent, that is, without sorrow for sinnes committed,Sorrow and pur­pose of a­mende­ment ne­cessary. or firme purpose of amending, or for hauing beene confessed to such as wanted either know­ledge to help him, or authority to absolue him: to others that haue beene daily confessed, this generall is not necessary, yet to them also it is profitable; for thereby gathering as it were into one heape the multitude of our sinnes, we procure a confusion so much the more holesome, by how much it is greater,The pro­fit of ge­neral cō ­fession. by the viewing of our sinnes thus altogeather, and make vs more ready and prompt to satisfy by good workes, & [Page 159] more capable of the mercy of God by our humility: it stirreth vs vp more effectually to the loue of God, making vs see his long patience, hauing so long tyme mercifully supported so many faultes of ours. It giueth meanes to repaire our negli­gences which might pe [...]h [...]ps haue happened in the precedent Confessions, and putteth the Conscience in great peace, ioy, and tranquillity for afterward. And therefore it is good to vse it often, namely from yeare to yeare, not of all their life, but of the sinnes of that yeare, though they haue beene often confes­sed within the yeare; but that it be done alwayes with the counsell of a sage and discreet Confessour. The Diuell who is Father of the Proud, hateth all confessions of Christians,Why the Diuell hateth cō fession. but specially those who doe more humble the deuout soule, & put it in better estate, more easily to obtaine pardon and grace, & therefore as a crafty and malicious workemā, he withdraweth them by feare and shame, as much as he can, and by other lets, whereof the Pilgrime must take good heed, and arme himselfe with a strong resolution, to breake couragiously, through all the snares of this deceauer.

There is also another Confession generall in another sense,Generall confessiō in com­mon, be­fore chap 8. in the Pilgrims pre­paration. when one confesseth to God without a Priest, which may be called Generall, which should be made often in the day, with the ordinary Confiteor, or otherwise, as we haue sayd before. This we speake of heere, is the Generall Sacramen­tall. But whether the Pilgrime maketh this Generall, or els hauing made it already, confesseth now, since his last con­fession, he must vpon so good an occasion exactly cleanse his conscience of all sinne, and therefore to prepare himselfe, well, he shall bestow that morning in the meditation of pen­nance, well to doe it, in confessing himselfe, and attending to other good workes: his Meditation shall haue the whole and entiere pares.

The accustomed prayer preparatory.

The first Preamble shall represent Adam, and Eue, put out of Paradise to doe pennance all their life long: and our Sauiour, and his Precursour Saint Iohn Baptist, Matth. 2.1.4.17. beginning their preachings to men, themselues hauing [...]ad all their life in pennance.

What pe­nance is.The first point shall shew, that pennance is a Sacrament, wherein the sinner duely confessed and contrite, receaueth absolution of his sinnes, which power of absoluing was giuen to Priests by Iesus Christ,Conc. Tri. sess. 4. c. 1 & Can. 1. Conc. C [...]st. sess. 15. Ambr. l. 1 de Poe­nit. c. 2. & 7. Conc. Tri. sess. 14. c. 6. Can. 10. Ioan. 20. when he sayd to his Apostles, & in their person to all Priests: Receaue the Holy Ghost, whose sins you forgiue, shall be forgiuen, and whose you retaine shalbe retained. And againe: All that you bind in earth, shall be bound in heauen; and all that you loose in earth, shalbe loosed in heauen. It is God then, that absolueth, by the seruice of the Priest, and not the Priest by his owne power.

The second point shall note, that to obtaine the fruit of this Sacrament, and to be reconciled to God, three thinges must be done. The first, to leaue and detest his sinnes, and make a firme purpose to sinne no more; for such is truly con­trite. The second, to confesse. The third, to satisfy; for as we haue offended God in three sorts, by hart, by word, & worke, so by the same meanes we must recouer his fauour & grace, as the Scriptures,Psal. 50. 1. Ioan. 1. and the Holy Fathers doe teach vs: Thou shalt not despise a contrite and humble hart; this is the first. Let vs confesse our sinnes; this is the second. Redeeme thy sinnes with almes; this is the third.Ioan. 4. So it is sayd, that the Niniuites turned themselues to God, cryed vnto him, cloathed themselues with haire and fasted.Luc. 15. And the prodigall Child rose, cried Peccaui, and sub­mitted himselfe to punishment. S. Chrysostome sayth: Con­trition is in the hart, De poenit. t [...]ni. 5. Confession in the mouth, and all humility in wor­ke. This is perfect and profitable Pennance. And S. Augustine: God healeth those that haue a contrite hart, healeth those that confesse, hea­leth those that punish themselues. In Psal. 146. The other holy Doctours and Saints write in the same stile.

The third point shall first consider that the detestation & hatred of sinne required to contrition is grounded in the loue of God,True pē ­nance foūded in the loue: of God. and not in the feare of hell, or other temporall euill, that is to say, the Penitent must be sorry that he hath sinned, because he hath offended his Creatour, not that he hath in­curred punishment of Iustice; to purpose also heereafter to a­uoid sinne for the loue of God with a filiall feare, and not for any other euill, which shall be a seruill feare.

In the second place, he shall renew in his memory, the [Page 161] principall qualityes of true Confession, which are,Conditi­ōs of true Confession. that it be whole and entire, that is, of all his sinnes he can remember, since his last confession; that it be Simple without affectation of superfluous or choice wordes; also Faythfull, declaring his sinnes with their circumstances in truth, as before God who seeth all; accusing, not historically, that is, in way of accusing our selues, and not as telling a tale or story; and finally Hum­ble and respectiue, as comming from a contrite and an hum­bled hart, accusing it selfe before the Maiesty of so great a God offended, and asking pardon.

In the third place he shall note,Satisfa­ction a marke of the goodnes and Iustice of God. that Satisfaction which maketh the third part of pennance, doth not any thing derogat to the Passion of our Sauiour, but doth honour it more; for this Passion hath truly satisfyed for vs, paying for vs to the di­uine Iustice, that fine which we could not pay, to deliuer vs frō eternall death, but it was with a condition that we should contribute of good will what we could, & satisfy also by the merit of the same Passion. But as it is more honourable to God to worke miracles, not only by his owne handes, but also to giue power to his seruants to do the like, so is it greater glory to our Sauiour, to make his seruants works meritorious & sa­tisfactory, then if himselfe alone had merited and satisfyed. But in tne end of the reckoning, as al good cōmeth from him, as from the first fountaine and spring, so all the prayse of our satisfaction will redound vnto him, as to the last end.

Prayers and thankes-giuing to God, and the Blessed Virgin. CHAP. XLVII.

O Lord behould me at last arriued by thy fauour at the place I haue long desired, there to cleanse the spots of my soule, and to beautify it with the merits of thy pretious bloud, and to offer my selfe to thy seruice for euer, with a full and faythfull hart. This is my intention & end: it is thy grace and fauour, that must succour my intention, and crowne my end; the good of thy assistance, and the crowne of my end, shalbe thy glory. O glorious Virgin, I shall this day see that happy and holy house, magnificall with thy greatnes; may it please, that it may be to thy Sonnes honour, and thyne, & to [Page 162] the health of thy humble and deuoted Pilgrimes soule. Going out of his lodging in the morning after his meditation, he shall sing the Canticle following, as continuing to aske the ayde & help of the B. Virgin, and stirring himselfe vp to goe forward with a great courage.

This being done he shall make hast to come, if he may soo­ne inough, to heare Masse at that holy Chamber, and to haue all the after noone free to prepare himselfe to Confession: and as soone as in his way he shall haue discouered, and discerned the house of Loreto, he shall kneele downe, saluting the B. Virgin, according to the custome of Christiah Pilgrimes, which is to salute the places of their Pilgrimage, as soone as they see them. So the Christians going to recouer the holy Land, prostrated themselues at the first sight of Hierusalem; he shall therefore salute this noble discouery, greeting the B. Virgin, and saying: O sacred Virgin, honour be vnto thee, honour be vnto thee Mary full of grace, who hast happily brought me hither. O happy houre in which I beginne to see that little pallace of my great King and Redeemer, and of his glorious Mother. O heauely house, when shall I kisse the [Page 163] threshold of thy doore? The walles of thy house, and within the walls admire the wonders that haue made thee admira­ble? And hauing sayd this, he shall sing Te Deum, Thankes giuing at the arri­uall at Loreto. and being come vnto the place, as he shall feele himselfe comforted and rauished, he shall say in thankes-giuing: O holy Virgin, Ho­ly Mother, Virgin of Virgins, Mother of Iesus, Mother of Grace, most pure, most chast, most inuiolate Mother without touch, immortall thankes for thy fauours, ptaise, honour, and eternall glory for thy benefits; immortall thankes be to thee for that by thy intercession, I am happily arriued at this long desired place; and that with myne eyes, I see the house I haue so much longed and sighed after. Perfect and finish to my good, O gracious and faythful Aduocate, that which thou hast begun in me, and procure, that to the prayse of thy deere Sonne my Lord and Redeemer, I may cleanse my soule from all sinne, and so holily bestow my dayes in this holy Temple, that I may depart stored and enriched with all such meanes as shall be necessary forme to performe the rest of my way, as well for my returne to myne owne temporall house & home, as of my great Pilgrimage to the country of heauen; and this being sayd, he shall heare Masse and Matines of that morning.

The after-dinner, and Euening of the one and twentith dayes Iourney. Of choosing a good Ghostly-Father, or Confessour. CAHP. XLVIII.

IN the afternoone hauing visited the most markeable pla­ces there, and hauing vsed some prayers,To chose a good Confes­sour. he shall choose some pious Priest, learned and wise, and one who must be his spirituall Father, Iudge, and Physitian, to conferre with him about the estate of his soule, and to appoint a fit houre to make his Confession at euening, and shall for that tyme attend to the examen of his conscience for his Confession at the ap­pointed houre, and shall prepare himselfe to receaue the next morning the Blessed Body of our Lord and Sauiour. Before the examen he shall demand the assistance and grace of God by this, or the like prayer.

Of the examen before Confession. CHAP. XLIX.

THIS examen must be so much the more exact and di­ligent, by how much the longer the tyme is that must be examined, as ten, twenty, thirty, or more yeares. It is perfor­med in running ouer the ten Commandements, the seauen Capitall sinnes, the fiue senses with the circumstances. The particular calling of euery one, as of Clarke, Priest, Religious, Magistrate, Souldiour, Prelate, Superiour, Aduocate, Physi­tian, Artificer, euery one, beside the general duty of a Christiā hath proper pointes of his owne particuler calling, which he must looke ouer, if perhaps he hath failed in any of them.

How he must examine his Conscience for Confession. CHAP. L.

An exa­men vpō th Commande­ments.HE shall therefore examine himselfe vpon the first Com­mandement, searching if he hath thought, spoken, or [Page 165] done any thing against fayth, hope, or charity, which he oweth to God. If he hath doubted in any point of the Catholike Re­ligion, or spoken against it, read any hereticall bookes, or had any familiarity with Witches or Southsayers: and finally if he hath serued God, with all his hart & soule, as this first Precept importeth. He shall doe the like in the second, and the rest; running ouer the Capitall vices, called Mortall,Of the mortall sinnes. he shall exa­mine himselfe in his conscience, if he hath had any thought in presumption, if spoken any vanity, shewed any pride, & so in the sinne of Couetise, and the rest. Of the fiue senses he shall remember if he hath abused his eyes by any curious or lasciui­ous lookes; his tongue by speaking detraction,Of the 5. senses. or his eares by hearing it, and other vaine thinges, and so of the other senses. If he be a Church-man, besides that which is common to all Christians, he shall consider in particuler, how he hath carried himself in his estate, if he hath assisted at diuine seruice, if he hath sayd his Canonicall houres, if he hath learned what is required to his charge, to heare confessiōs, say Masse, preach. If he be Religious,Religious he shall call his consicience to account a­bout his Vowes, and rules; if he haue beene a proprietary, a­gainst the vow of Pouerty; if he hath committed any thing a­gainst Chastity, or hath beene disobedient. If he be a Prince,Prince. whether he hath maintained the honour of God, if he haue kept iustice, if he hath gouerned like a Father,Gentle­man. or grieued his people. A Gentlemā, if he hath done wrong to his neighbours, or abused them. If he be a Magistrate, Counseller, President, Iudge, if he haue diligently examined the right of euery one,Magistra [...] Iudge. and iustly rendred euery one his owne; if he hath taken bribes or iudged against his conscience. If he be a Consull,Consul. or chiefe Magistrate of the Citty, if he hath beene willingly, or negli­gently wanting to the publike good. An Aduocate,Aduocat. if he hath vndertaken the defence of vniust causes, or if he hath faithfully defended the right. A Proctor,Proctour if he hath dealt truely with his Clients, if he hath not vsed craft and cunning in prolonging suites, and hindering the course of Iustice. Capitaine,Captaine if he hath kept, & caused to be kept the military and martial laws, if he hath faithfully serued his Prince, if he hath beene cow­ardly, or stricken any wrongfully. A Souldiar, if he spoiled [Page 166] poore men,Souldier. if he hath beene true and faithfull, if he hath bea­ten or killed any man in villany out of warre. If he be a Su­periour or Prelate,Superior. whether he hath commanded iustly and prudently, if he haue beene arrogant or impious in his charge. A Regent, or Maister, if he haue diligently and faythfully taught his scholless,Scholler. giuing them in word and workes exam­ple of vertue. A Scholler, if he hath lost his tyme, or kept the lawes and order of the Schoole.Physitiā. A Phisitain, if he hath beene diligent and faythfull in attending his Patient, if by his fault any haue dyed,Apothe­cary. or fallen into any inconuenience of body. An Apothecary, if he hath made his Medicines of sound & entire Drugs, not sophisticated, if he hath faithfully followed the Physitians bill.Surgeon. A Surgeon, if he hath beene negligent in at­tending his hurt and sicke patient, if he hath prolonged the wound to get more money,Merchant and fill his purse. A Merchant, if he hath sold to deare, or vsed false weights or measures. Prin­ters or Booke-binders,Printer. Booke-binder. if they haue printed, or sould pernici­ous, hereticall, wanton, or diflamatory libells. Artificer, if he hath done his work fraudulētly, if he hath filched, wrought vpon the holy dayes:Artificer. and thus of other estates. Women and Maides shall also particulerly examine themselues about the vanity of their apparell, their too much speaking, or speaking euill, of their too much care of their corps, of impatience, choler, couetise, of the goods of this world, and of other vi­ces more familiar to their sexe. The Penitent shall discourse ouer all, and shall note wherin he hath failed, and shal make as it were a table of his sinnes, and kinds, in his memory, or in paper to confesse them. This examen being thus made, he shal say the prayer following, immediatly before he goeth to Confession.

A Prayer to say before Confession. CHAP. LI.

Mercy ready for the Peni­tent.ALMIGHTY God, who desirest the conuersion and life of a sinner, and not his death and perdition, and hast promised the grace of thy benediction and mercy whensoeuer and how often soeuer repenting, and confessing he shall cry thee mercy with an humble and contrite hart, giue me if it please thee, a firme voice & tongue to confesse the sinnes I re­member, [Page 167] and say wholsomly before thy secret Tribunall with the Prophet: I haue sinned, and done ill before thee alone. Psal. 50.5 Take frō me all feare, and vicious shame, that I may freely, simply, pu­rely, and entirely discouer all the faults, woundes, & griefes of my wounded soule to him, whome thou hast giuen me for Lieutenant of thy iustice, for the iudgement and remission of my sinnes. And if I haue dared with a damnable boldnes to incense thee with thousandes of sinnes, that I may dare also now with an humble confidence to confesse them, to aske and receaue pardon, in the name of thy Sonne Iesus Christ, who liueth and reigneth with thee, in the vnity of the holy Ghost, for euer and euer.

The order we must keep in Confession. CHAP. LII.

THIS prayer being sayd, and his sinnes noted, he shall present himselfe at the place, and houre appointed, to the Priest, and hauing asked and receaued his blessing, shall say his Confiteor. vnto mea culpae, and shall beginne to confesse his sinnes, according to the order of his examen, and memori­al, runing ouer his whole conscience faythfully, purely, sim­ply, humbly, and without affected ceremonies of wordes, or gestures; without accusing any other to excuse, or diminish his owne fault, without telling what he hath not done, but accusing himselfe alone, and only of his sinnes, with the grea­test sense and feeling of deuotion, and compunction that he can: and after he hath told all in his memory, he shall make an end of his Confiteor, and desire his Ghostly Father to aske him, and to bring into his remembrance, what he might haue for­gotten, and this done he shall receaue of him pennance & ab­solution, and shall prepare himselfe all the rest of the day, and some part of the night to communicate the next morning, and going from the place of Confession, shall for thankes-gi­uing say this prayer following.

A prayer to say after Confession. CHAP. LIII.

O sweet Iesu, the true Physitian, & healer of my diseases, the true life and peace of my soule, the true solace of my hart, I humbly thanke thee for all the benefites I haue recea­ued [Page 168] of thee since my first being, and namely for this last, wherby thou hast giuen me meanes to cast my selfe at thy feet, to aske thee mercy, & reconcile my selfe vnto thy Maiesty iu­stly offended with my faults, and to reuiue in me the ioy, and riches of thy good fauour and friendship. Alas, O my souue­raigne Sauiour, what had become of my poore soule, if thy iustice had according to my demerit, drawne her out of this body and life, in so miserable a plight, all couered and infected with the spirituall leprosy, dead in sinne, buried in her filth, abhominable before thyne eyes, a marke for thy fury, a prey to death and eternall confusion. O my Redeemer, immortall thankes be to thy infinite mercy for this great benefit: & since thy mercy hath no boundes, add also, O sweet Iesu, to this be­nefit, the firmnesse of a holy perseuerance, whereby I may al­wayes preserue the Temple of my soule & body, pure & neat from all filth & ordure of sinne. Conserue, O Lord, the house thou camest to purify,2. Mach. 14.36. Psal. 50.5. by the light & heat of thy holy Spirit: cleanse it, beautify it alwayes more and more, and more and more wash me from my sinnes, purge me of my sinnes, & giue me grace, that as I haue hitherto serued the Flesh, the World, and the Diuell, the most cruell enemies of my good and sal­uation, so I may with all my force, loue, honour, and serue thee for heerafter. O my life, my Creatour and Sauiour des­cended into earth, and made man to seeke me poore strayed sheep, and make me participant of thy deity; ascended also vp to the Crosse, there to shed thy precious bloud, to wash and cleanse me, there to dye, to giue me life: Graunt, O Prince of mercy, that for all thy benefits I may affoard thee an humble & an entire seruice vnto my last gaspe; to liue after this mor­tall soiourning eternally with thee, and to glorify thee in hea­uen, where thou liuest and reigning with the Father, in the vnity of the holy Ghost, for euer and euer, Amen.

This shalbe the shutting of the 21. day, and third weeke, finishing the first period of his pilgrimage, the which repre­senteth as we haue sayd the life of those which beginne the way of vertue, the way of Purgation, by vertues purgatiue. In the morning the Pilgrime shal begin his second part, which representeth the estate of those that are gone forward, and ad­uanced in the way of perfection and light.

The two and twentith day, and the first of his abode. A Meditation vpon the holy Eucharist. CAHP. I.

FOR the meditation of the first dayes iour­ney of this second Part of his Pilgrimage, the Pilgrime shall fitly take the subiect of the Eucharist; for he cannot better begin to honour this holy place, then with so ho­ly an action, nor more refresh & solace the trauaile of his pilgrimage, then by this refe­ctiō, nor better open the doore of his soule to the light of the Holy Ghost, then by the receauing of such a Sacrament; and this should be the first meale, and the last ban­quet of euery true Pilgrime; he shal make his Meditation ear­ly in the morning at the holy house with these partes.

The prayer preparatory accustomed, shal demand grace to direct all his actions to the glory of God, and saluation of his soule.

In the first preamble he shall set before his eyes the history [Page 170] of the two Pilgrimes,Luc. 14. Aug. epist. 50. ad Paulin. who first of all other Christians receaued at our Sauiours handes after his resurrection, in the village cal­led Emaus.

The second shall demand a speciall light, well to pene­trate the maiesty and profit of this mystery.

The first Point, Of three figures of the Holy Sacrament. CHAP. II.

THE first point of the meditation shall containe three old Figures,Gen. 14.18. among diuers others, of this B. Sacrament. The first is the Sacrifice of Melchisedech sometyme King of Salem, and high Priest, who entertayning Abraham, as he returned victo­rious from the battaile, offered to God, Bread and VVine, in thankes-giuing for the victory, blessed him and refreshed him, and his companie,Our Sa­uiour the true Mel­chisedech in figure of the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Iesus Christ, the Christian Eucharist, which the same Iesus Christ, the true Melchisedech, the true King of peace, and high Bishop did institute and ordaine, when in his last supper he did communicate his Apostles, giuing them his Body to eat, vnder the figure of Bread, and his Bloud to drinke vnder the figure of Wine, after the order, and forme of the Sacrifice of Melchisedech, and making them his Vicars and Deputies, com­manded them, and their Successours in their person, to do the same,Luc. 22.1 [...]. and to continue this Sacrifice and Supper in his name & remembrance: which hath heene alwayes performed hither­to, and shall be alwayes heereafter vnto the worldes end. For as Iesus Christ is Priest for euer, after the order of Melchisedech, and not of Aaron, whose Priesthood togeather with the sacrifi­ces were ended and fullfilled on the Crosse; so his Sacrifice ac­cording to this order of Melchisedech shall be perpetual and euer­lasting, in yielding of thankes to God, and in the feeding and refection of Christians the spirituall children of Abraham, Psal. 109. figh­ting in the Church heere militant on earth, and shall one day triumph altogeather in heauen, returning cōquerours from the combat.

The second Figure is the sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe, which was ordayned the night before the deliuerance of the Hebrewes,Exod. 12. from the captiuity of Aegypt, and continued in re­membrance [Page 171] of this great benefit, vntill that our Sauiour, the true Lambe, did institute our Eucharist of his precious Body and Bloud, in the euening before his Passion, and our Redēp­tion, and shall continue as a memoriall thereof vntill he come againe; not to be iudged and condemned to death as he was at his first comming, but to iudge the world, by the weights of their workes, to kill death for euer after, and to deliuer his children from all euill.

The third Figure is the Manna,Exod. 15.16. giuen from heauen to the Hebrewes, whilest they were Pilgrimes in the wildernesse, walking towardes the land of promise; euen so the Eucharist, the true bread of heauen, and the true drinke, is giuen in the Church of God, for the solace and sustenance of our soules, in the desert of this world, and for our prouision and food, vntill we be brought to the land of the liuing in heauen.

The second point, Of the Maiesty of our Sauiour in this Blessed Sacrament. CHAP. III.

THE second point shall be to meditate in this Sacrament, first, the power of our Sauiour,Power. conuerting by his al­mighty word the Bread into his body, and the Wine into his bloud. Second y, the goodnes of the same Sauiour, who ha­uing giuen himselfe a price and ransome for our Redemption,Goodnes. hath also vouchsafed to giue himselfe for food, and to vnite himselfe with his creature, soule to soule, body to body, in the straitest manner that can be imagined. Thirdly, the diuine wisedome,Wisedo­me. seasoning and tempering this precious food in so familiar and easy a fashion, vnder the forme, and taste of bread and Wine, of the one side facilitating our senses to the taking of his flesh and bloud without horrour, and on the other side in­structing our fayth to vnderstand and acknowledge the vnion of faithfull Christians, made heerby one Bread, one Body, one Bloud, one Flesh in Iesus Christ, to the likenes of materiall Bread, which is composed of diners graines, and wine made of many grapes, as our Doctours doe expound.

The third point, Of the effects of this Holy Sacrament. CHAP. IV.

The ef­fects of B. Sacra­ment. S. Tho. 3. quest. 79.THE third shall be to consider the effects of this diuine mystery, which are many. The 1. wherof is to Quicken and giue the grace of God, the life of the soule, as our Sauiour sayth: He that eateth me shall liue by me. The second, to Nourish, and increase the same grace, euen as corporall meate maintai­neth life,Ioan. 6. and maketh the body to growe. The third, to En­lighten the spirit, as appeareth by the first Communion which our Sauiour after his resurrection gaue vnto his two Disciples at Emaus, by the which their eyes were opened, & they knew their Maister presently,Luc. 24. Aug. epist. 59. ad Paulin. whome before they knew not, & they belieued that he was risen againe, whome they thought had beene still in his graue. The fourth, to Vnite the soule with God, and with our Neighbour, and to dissolue all emnity and discord; so teacheth our Sauiour: He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my bloud, Ioan. 6. Act. 4.31. remaineth in me, and I in him. An effect which did manifestly appeare in the first Christians, who receaued euery day, of whome it is sayd, that they were one hart & one soule. The fifth, to Enkindle deuotion, and Charity towardes God and men, euen as bread and wine doth increase the vitall spirits, and heate the body. The sixth, to Extinguish, & quench the concupiscence of flesh, and to preserue from sinne, as a re­medy against the flesh of our first Father Adam, by the which men were defyled, and made prone to sinne. The seauenth, to Fortify and strengthen vs against all the stormes and tribulatiōs of this mortall life; Dauid prophesying of this effect, sayd: Thou hast prouided a table for me, Psal. 22.5 against those that trouble me. So we read that the Prophet Elias persecuted by Queene Iezabel, and constrained to fly through the desert,3. Reg. 19 sustained the trauaile of fourty dayes and fourty nights with the refection of that bread which the Angell had brought him, which was a figure of this our Angelicall bread, the flesh of our Sauiour. The eight, to Contente, fill, and reioyce the soule, which of it selfe cannot be satisfyed or filled, or find any firme or solid repose in things of the earth, although she had them all alone: euen so Christi­ans in the beginning of the Church, made no reckoning of ri­ches, [Page 173] but reioyced in possessing nothing, and in suffering some thing for the name of Iesus. The last, to Bring to euerlasting glory; for this deified Flesh, holily and deuoutly receaued, breedeth in the soule, an insatiable desire of her heauenly Cō ­trey, and transporteth, and carryeth the hart and affection to heauen, and giueth to the body a seed of the glorious resurre­ction, which is signifyed by the wordes of our Sauiour:Ioan. 6.54 He that eateth my Flesh, and drinketh my Bloud hath life euerlasting, and I will rayse him againe at the last day. After these considerations, the Pilgrime shall admire the greatnes of this guift and benefit, and in his admiration shall say this prayer following.

A speach to God, and thankesgiuing. CHAP. V.

O My soueraigne Lord, and sweet Redeemer, I behould in all thy diuine workes, and especially in the Sacramēt of thy Blessed Body, that thy power is infinite, that thy wise­dome is a depth, thy bounty a sea without bottome or bounds; thou hast made all this visible world of nothing for the vse of man, thou hast allied thy selfe to the house of Adam, The libe­rality of our Saui­our. and taking thereof a mortall body, and matching, and marrying it with thy diuinity, wast made man to make man God, thou hast gi­uen this body on the Crosse a ransome for our redemption, & not content with so great a liberality, hast also left it in this mystical Table of thy Church, for the nourishing of our soules, and the resurrection of our bodyes, tying thy selfe with this se­cond band of loue and charity neuer heard of, with all & euery one of thy members. What shall I wonder at in this mystery, and guift? Thy almightines?His pow­er. Who hast so wonderfully chan­ged this common and mortall bread, into thy glorious and im­mortall Body, by the same authority and power, wherwith it made the whole world of nothing, but with greater meruaile and miracle; for this Body is more worth then a thousand worlds. Shall I admire thy wonderfull wisedome,His wise­dome. which in the heauēly Table of this thy body, dost teach vs Faith, Hope and Charity, Humility, Obedience, Prudence, Chastity, For­titude, Piety, Meeknes, and all other goodly Christian ver­tues. And whereas other bodyes could not nourish ours but for a tyme, this Body duly receaued doth feed, and fat the soule [Page 174] with spirituall riches,His boū ­ty. and powreth into our flesh the seed of immortality. Shall I admire thy infinit bounty, in making vs this present of thy Body, a present that surpasseth the price of al things created, a present of thyne owne selfe, of infinit valew, for with the same Body thou gauest vs thy soule and deity, which are inseparable companions, and therefore in this holy Table, we haue a liuely figure, and pledge of the future felici­ty, which shall be to liue in heauen of thy selfe, and to enioye the immortall food of thy selfe: what shall I then say of this banquet, O my Redeemer, but only that I am oppressed and ouerwhelmed in the consideratiō of thy infinite power, wise­dome, and goodnes! O deere depth! O sweet Sauiour, what wilt thou worke in them, who haue this grace to receaue thee holily? Do me, sweet Iesus, this fauour, thus to eate and re­ceaue thee, and to see my selfe alwayes drowned in the depth of thy infinite charity.

How to Heare Masse. CHAP. VI.

HAVING finished his prayer, he shall heare the diuine Office, and goe to Confession if he need, and shall heare Masse to receaue afterward, which to do profitably, it is good to know the manner that euery Christian must keep to heare it well.

Purity & deuotion to heare Masse.First he must haue his soule not only pure, as much as may be from sinne, but also prepared with a speciall deuotion; for sinne is a generall barre to all blessinges, and therefore whoso­euer will fruitfully assist the diuine mysteryes, & get good by hearing or dealing with them, he must be cleansed from sinne by Confession, and if he want meanes therto, by holy contri­tion and sorrow for his faults, with purpose to confesse at his next commodity, as we haue sayd elswhere.

Attentiō to help deuotiō.Secondly, he must be attentiue to euery part thereof, to enkindle deuotion. Our Pilgrime, as also any man els that lo­ueth piety, shall consider three thinges, which he must haue learned in the Cathechizme schoole.Masse the chiefe ac­tiō in the Church. The 1. that Masse is the most noble and high Action that is, or euer was done in the Church of God; for it is the sacrifice of Christians, a sacrifice of all sacrifices, the verity and vnity of all the old ones in the law [Page 175] of Nature, and of Moyses, Old sa­crifices gaue no grace. which were but figures and shadowes heereof. In those were only the bodyes of bruit beastes, & o­ther offeringes of small vertue or valew, as which could not forgiue sinne; in this is offered an vnbloudy sacrifice after the order of Melchisedech, that very body which was offered on the Crosse in a bloudy sacrifice, after the order of Aaron; Chrys. [...] c. 6 [...]. ad po. [...]nti [...] [...] 13 in Mat the body not of the creature, but of the Creatour; the Body of God, of inestimable valew; the Body whereby the soueraigne Iustice was fully satisfyed, & the whole world redeemed, and wher­with the soules of the faithfull are nourished, and their bodyes quickened, and in which the world shall be iudged; that Bo­dy which maketh an offering most highly acceptable to God, and most profitable to his Church, because it is the body of his Sonne, by the which he hath beene most highly honoured, as also because it was offered by the same Sonne himselfe, whose vicar only the Priest is; as in Baptisme, and the other Sacra­ments, wherein our Sauiour as the first cause, worketh, bap­tizeth, confirmeth, absolueth by the meanes of the Priest, as by an instrument: and this being the body of God, there is also his soule and deity, and all the Court of heauen, to honour the body of their King.

The second thing which the Pilgrime shall consider, is the admirable manner whereby this Body is made present vpon the Altar, and there remayneth present;How the body of Christ is present in the Masse for it is not by any naturall or common cause, but as we haue sayd, by the al­mighty word of our Sauiour who made the world of nothing, the which word doth transubstantiate the Bread & Wine into his Body and Bloud, that is, make the substance of his Body succeed the substance of Bread, which departeth: there remai­neth notwithstanding the colour, tast, and other accidents of Bread and Wine, vnder the which, as vnder a veile, the Body and Bloud of our Sauiour are present as long as these accidents remaine in their being which are so many wonders aboue na­ture, as there be sortes of thinges therein,The pro­fit which the well disposed soule re­ceaueth of the Masse. and so many testi­monies of the infinit power, wisedome, and goodnes of God, the worker of such high effects.

The third is the fruit we may reape by the good dispositi­on, wherewith we heare Masse, and the danger in hearing it [Page 176] negligently: our Pilgrime therefore shall, come prouided and instructed in the meditation of these three sayd thinges, and thereby shall take occasion to conceaue a profound respect, and a great admiration, with a like affection towardes this diuine and most admirable mystery. Besides this generall preparatiō, he shall endeauour also to be attentiue to all the parts of the Masse, and to draw particuler profit from each of them, fol­lowing with his eares, eyes, mouth, and hart, all the actions of the Priest sacrificing, and therefore hauing answeared him to the prayers, and the Confession which he maketh at his en­trance vnto the Altar, he shall accompany him through all the Actions of the Sacrifice, which are foure.

How the Christian should behaue himselfe in euery part of the Masse. CHAP. VII.

IN the first part of the Masse, which is from the beginning to the Offertory,Foure parts of the Masse he shall heare the Introite, or Entry of the masse, the Epistle, the Ghospell, the Creed, & the Offertory, and specially the prayers; and if he vnderstand no latin, it shall suffice that he know in generall, that the Priest readeth Scrip­ture, that he prayeth to God, and prepareth himselfe to the sa­crifice, which knowledge is sufficient to giue life and quicke­ning to his deuotion, and so for his part shall prepare himselfe, saying his owne prayers to God,The Masse an abrid­gemēt of al old Sa­crifices, and of all actes of deuotio. and specially he shall haue re­gard to the ceremonies of the Priest, which are naturall marks and signes, speaking in a language common and intelligible to all the world, both learned and ignorant, and distilling into the soule the Maiesty of this diuine action by all the meanes & wayes, that a mystery can be carryed to the hart of the behol­ders. For as the Eucharist is an abridgement of all the old Sa­crifices, so is the Masse of all the ceremonies which man doth naturally vse to confesse,Chrys. in Psalm. 9. Aug. ciuit. l 17. c. 20. Leoho. 8. de passio. Domini. Psal. 121. [...]. reuerence and adore the supreme de­ity, and which holy men haue vsed, as holy Scripture do teach vs. Therein the Priest employeth the noblest parts and ge­stures of his body, with all the facultyes of his soule, his vnder­standing, will, and memory: He hearkeneth what he readeth and what God sayth to him in his Scriptures, he lifteth his eyes to heauen, in token that there he acknowledgeth God to rei­gne [Page 177] whome he imploreth; he casteth them downe in signe of humility; he lifteth vp and ioyneth his handes,Luc. 18.13. Psal. 13 [...]. Phil. [...] stretcheth a­broad his armes, boweth his knees, turnes him from the East vnto the West, from the West vnto the East, from the South vnto the North, from the North vnto the South; he kis­seth the Altar with his mouth; he prayseth God with his tongue; he speaketh high, he speaketh low, he keepeth si­lence; he serueth the smelling with Incense; he takes & giues the refection of the sacrifice. Finally, he imployeth togeather with his soule, all the senses and religious offices of his body, to the homage of this mysterious and diuine seruice, and af­foardeth as many meanes to excite the hart vnto deuotion. The Pilgrime then shall note the whole, and shall draw pro­fit from the whole, conforming himselfe to the mouinges, and exteriour ceremonies, and performing interiourly accor­ding to his power, togeather with the Priest, that which they signify.

In the second part,The 2. part of the Masse which is from the Offertory to the Consecration, where the Priest offers to God the Bread and Wine to consecrate, and pronounceth with a low voice, sun­dry godly prayers, asking the diuine assistance. He shal offer with him, the bread and the wine offered by him and shall offer vp himselfe, namely when the Priest turneth him, ex­horting the assistants to pray to God, to the end [...]e [...]ceaue this sacrifice in a gratefull odour, saying:Orate fra­tres. Pray Bre [...]hren &c. at which warning he shall say the prayer, which he sayeth who serueth in the name of all the people, in these wordes: Our Lord receaue this sacrifice at thy handes, to the prayse and glory of his name, to our profit, and of his whole holy Church. Suscip. [...] Dominus ho. sacri [...] ­cium &c. After he shall offer vp his soule and body, with all that he hath, in holo­caust to this soueraigne Maiesty, who hath beene so liberall, and so gentle to vs, as to giue himselfe after so many fashions, and to familiarize himselfe in this action,Per [...]m [...]a [...]. s [...]ula [...]e. [...]. Dominus [...]o [...]m. Su [...] co [...] ­ [...]. with so amiable a presence, and so straite an amity.

When the Priest pronounceth the foure precedent clauses of the Preface, he shall answere therto with hart and mouth, and withall his might shall excite his fayth and loue towardes God, especially at these words: Sursum corda; Our harts on high, [...] [Page 180] what is myne. Come, O my Lord, and enter into the house of thy poore seruant, to strengthen it, to beautify it, to make it pure with thy purity, and beautifull with beauty, capable of thy blessings, enriched with [...] [...]races, and happy with thy present goodnes. Amen.

After, he shal receaue the body of our Lord at the handes of the Priest, withall the humility that a poore seruant can bring, receauing into his house the Maiesty of his God; and if any foolish conceit happen to fall into his fancy, such as the Diuell often vseth at that tyme to cast into the bosome of the deuout soule, to breake and disgust the tast of his deuotion, he shall contemne it, and make no reckoning thereof, but shall passe on, sticking to the Meditatiō of the B. Sacrament which he commeth to receaue.

In the last part of the Masse, which is all that followeth after the Communion, consisting in nothing but prayers and thankesgiuing, he shall thanke God, and say the prayer fol­lowing.

A prayer after receauing. CHAP. X.

IMMORTAL thankes be vnto thee for thy fauour, O my Creatour & Redeemer, thanks for this heauenly food, this virginall flesh, this deified body, for this precious purify­ing, quickening and deifying Bloud. In this banquet, O my Lord, I behould the meruailes of thy almighty power, of thy infinite goodnes and wisedome, and acknowledge that to be true, which thy Prophet did sing long since, Psal. 110. Our Lord hath made a memoriall of his wonderous workes, he hath prepa­red food for those that feare him. O my soule, now fill thy selfe, seeing that hauing taken this food, thou hast within thee him that filleth all: satisfy thy selfe on this meat, which giueth glory & life euerlasting. O my senses heere be you astonished; you my eyes see nothing but the whitenes & roundnes of the bred, & thou my tongue feelest only the tast of a fraile elemē [...], and thou my vnderstanding canst not with the wings of thy discourse ascend to the height and knowledge of this mystical banquet. It is true, but be not therefore sory, O my senses, for such a noble dish must be serued to a more noble taste, the tast of the soule; & not to the palate of the body, as other earth­ly [Page 181] meates are, taken indeed by the body, but chewed and tasted by the spirit, considered by the eyes of faith, and con­sumed and digested by the fire of heauenly charity, not by the heat of our body, or mortall stomacke. But you are not here left without your part also; for this flesh that seedeth the soule giueth also immortality to the body, and will bring you to the immortal glory in the general resurrection of al mankind. O flesh immortall! O flesh virginall! O flesh diuine! O fruit­full virgin! O most pure Mother, who hast seasoned this flesh and bread for vs; blessed be thou, and blessed be the fruit of thy wombe for euer and euer. Procure, O Virgin, by thy intercession, that it may conserue me in the loue of thy Sōne, in the purity of thy grace, and nourish me vnto life euerla­sting, Amen. Masse being done, and his prayers said, he shal retourne to his Inne to his refection.

How to heare a Sermon. CHAP. XI.

BECAVSE the hearing of the word of God after Masse is one of the most common & important actions of Chri­stians, and wherein diuers errours are committed, which depriue the soule of the fruit it might receaue thereby; the pil­grime that will profit,The art of hea­ring is as necessary as the art of spea­king wel. and get saluation by his deuotion must needes be instructed in this exercise, and know as well how to vse his eares, as the Preacher his tongue. The common sort thinke it sufficient, that the Preacher can speake well, and mount vp to a pulpit, or chaire furnished with goodly stuffe, thence to sell his words to the eares of hearers; but it is not so, for reason doth tell vs, that the art of hearing is as necessary, as the art of speaking, & our Sauiour the true wisedome doth teach vs, that the greatest part of the hearers of his word, loose their tyme for want of this art, and preparation. For of foure sortes he assigneth, he signifyeth,Matth. 1 [...] that three reape no profit thereof. The word of God is the meat and medicine of the soule, & as the body if it be ill prepared, insteed of being nou­rished by its materiall meat,The word of God, the me­dicine of the soule. or helped by the potion it recea­ueth into the stomack, were it the most exquisite in the world, waxeth worse, and ingendreth crudities, and dyeth by the medicine; in like sort he getteth little good by the sermon, [Page 182] who heareth it without due preparation: and the Aphorisme of that great Physician,Hippocra­tes. The more we nourish the body ill affected, the more we hurt it, is found most true by similitude in the soule; for the more that an impure and indisposed soule is preached vnto,Why the Pharisies waxed worse by our Saui­ours ser­mons. the more it becometh ouercharged and weake. And therefore the Scribes, and Pha isies waxed worse by hearing the sermons of our Sauiour. And that which Aristotle wrote, that young men, that is, such as suffer themselues to be c [...]ryed away with the heat of their sensuality and passion, are not proper schollers for the schoole of Philosophy, may b tter be verified of Chri tians ill disposed and prep [...]red to heare good instructions, that they are not capable to heare the word of God.

How it impor­te h to be prepared for the word of God.Contrarywise, a good and due preparation reapeth an vn­speakable fruit euen from a meane Pre cher, and we haue knowne sometimes hearers well disposed to haue vndertaken notable resolutions of pennance, and vertue, by one word, yea by some one gesture of him that spake; who at other tymes, without that disposition haue beene hardened and obstinate to the amplifications, and forces of the most fine and rare elo­quence. One sparke of fire is sufficient to kindle a whole bar­rell of powder, but a great cole is not sufficient to heat a peece of Brasse.

The word of God is the ele­ctuary of the soule.This therefore is a most necessary knowledge to heare well the word of God, the word of all wordes, the electuary of the soule, the bird of Paradise, which caryeth in her becke and vnder her wings the Manna of the true and heauenly phi­losophy. Our Sauiour the essential word of his Fa her taught vs this science,Matt. 13. in that notable sermon he made of the Seed, where assigning foure sorts of hearers, wherof three were ill, he sheweth what faults they should want,Three so tes of ill hearers signified. and what qualities they should haue, that would reape profit by his word. The first sort were those whome he compareth to the high way, where the seed of the sower falling, and not being couered with the earth, is pi [...]ked vp, and eaten by the Birds. The se­cond, those, who [...]ike a stony field, where the seed hauing sprung a little vp, and not finding root, is dryed vp and wi­thered by the heat of the Sunne. The third, those who are as [Page 183] a good field, but full of thornes, where the seed growing vp, is at last choaked. By the first similitude are declared those, who negligently heare the Sermon,The first are the negligēt [...]. or only to seed the eares with curiosity, to heare some fine wouen discourse, [...] choice wordes, some subtill sentences, without [...]y [...]a [...]e to learne how to know, or amend themselue [...] and finally who go to the sermon, as to some lecture or [...] Phi­losopher or Sophister. Such people haue their soule [...] [...] with a thousand fond cogitations, and are [...]po [...]l to the pre­kings of the Diuells, who like spirituall [...] snatch out of their memory, the graine of that diuine seed and will keep it from bringing forth any fruit, or growing to any greenesse.The 2. and [...]ut and sin­ners. By the second is noted the vice o [...] those who re­ceaue and hide this seed in their soule with some spiritual ioy, and gladnes, but into a small depth of good ground, o [...] true deuotion, whether it be that they are l [...]den with diuerse sinnes, as it were inward stones hardened by ill customes, or for that they are not throughly resolued to do well, and ther­fore subiect to wither at the least heate of temptation.The third worldly and co­uetous. By the third, he reprehendeth those, who are ouerwhelmed with the solicitude of worldly affaires who though they haue a soule good and well disposed, yet the heauenly seed cannot there growe, but is stifled and choaked with the presse and multitude of their worldly and thorny businesses.True he­arers of the word of God. To haue then the field of our soule we [...]isled, and our eares well pre­pared to heare, and receaue fruitfully the word of God, we must be free and exempt from these vices, and haue the con­trary qualities, and to bring vnto the sermon a sound and straight intention, to seeke our owne health and saluation,The hire­ling, and vaine preacher. which is also the true end of the Preacher. For he that prea­cheth for profit, is but a poore Mercenary, and a poore mer­chant in the house of God, giuing gold for straw; and he that preacheth for vaine glory, and to be esteemed, is a simple fel­low, and is like him that chargeth his harquebtize with pel­lets of gold, or Saphires, to shoot at Crowes.The faithfull Prea­cher. A faithfull prea­cher seeketh God, and the good and saluation of his hearers, and his Auditours must heare to that end also, and recea [...]e their instruction with a reciprocall eare, and equall intentiō, [Page 184] whereby he shall come with great desire, well to vnderstand the Preacher, with a firme resolution well to amend himself, and put in practise what he heareth. For to heare it attenti­uely only to remember it, and repeate it, is not to attaine to the chiefe point of profit; he must put it in execution, & shew by his workes, and not by wordes only that he doth well re­member it.Epi [...]tetus in l [...]nch [...]r. The sheep (sayth a certaine Philosopher) doth shew by her good milke, by her fine fleece, and by her sweet and sauoury flesh, that she is well fed, and not by casting what she eateth. So our Sauiour pronounceth happy, not those that heare his word, but those that heare and keep it. Those that haue their soule and eares so qualifyed before and after the sermon, make the fourth kind of hearers, whome our Sauiour approueth and prayseth,Luc. 1 [...].86. and those are only they that take pro­fit in hearing his word, and do reap greater or lesser haruest, according to the measure that the field of their soule is cultiua­ted with these vertues by more or lesse preparation. Our Pil­grime therefore shall endeauour to be of the best prepared, & most diligent, that he may be of the richest, in the reaping of those spirituall blessings.

The After-dinner, and the Euening of the two and twentith day. Exercises of Deuotion. CHAP. XII.

HE shal passe the Afternoone in the exercise of pious wor­kes, in the reading of some good booke, in visiting the holy place, in viewing the votiue tables hanging vpon the Church walls, contayning the miracles done there, by the in­tercession of the Blessed Virgin, in hearing the sermon, Euen­song, Litanies, and Hymnes that there are song by diuers Pilgrimes, to the honour of the Sonne, and his glorious Mo­ther, to giue almes if he hath wherewithall, to conferre with spirituall men about some matters meet [...]or the Virgins De­uote, especially hauing that day beene admitted to the Table of our Sauiour. Hauing thus bestowed the day, he shall retire himselfe to his refection, and rest at his lodging, with his ac­customed [Page 185] prayers, taking some point of his morning meditati­on, or of the Ghospell read that day in the Masse, or some o­ther subiect, which he shall chuse, or take of his spirituall Fa­ther.

The three and twentith day. A Meditation of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin. CHAP. XIII.

THE Pilgrime in the second day of his ariue, & the three and twentith of his voyage,Epiph. cont Collirid. ser. 10. & ser. de laud Mar. hauing prayed a while in his chamber, shall go early in the morning to the Chapell, and there shall make his principall meditation of the morning, drawne out of the subiect of the Conception of the B. Virgin.

For entry thereunto, he shall set before his eyes the history of S. Ioachin, & S. Anne, who being past hope of children, but by speciall fauour from heauen,Greg. Niss hom. de hum. Chr. gener. 17. finding themselues both barren by nature, and ouer-aged, they perseuered in prayer, deman­ding of God issue, to be deliuered from the reproch of sterili­ty, and making a vow to consecrate vnto God what he should send them.Niceph. l. 1. c. 17. Germ. Cō ­stant. Pat. de Mariae oblation. Niceph. l. 1. c. 7. ex Epiph. & Niss.

The first point shall containe the message which the An­gell brought from [...]eauen, that they should haue a daughter of great vertue, Ioachim being on the mountaine praying, and S. Anne in her garden.

The second point shall propose certaine figures of this fu­ture Conception; the first shal be taken from the history of the creation of the world, where it is sayd, That God created light before all thinges. This light was the matter whereof God framed the Sunne the fourth day, as S. Denu sayth, which is a figure of the Conception of the B. Virgin;Gen. 1.26 S. Denis c. 4. de diu. nominibus. the mysticall light whome God brought forth without corruption out of the ba­renesse of Ioachim and Anne, as of nothing, therof afterward to forme the humanity of Iesus Christ, the Sunne of the world, and to cause of her to be borne both God and Man,S. Tho. 3. p. q. 60. c. 12. the fourth day, that is in the Law of grace, which is the fourth estate, o [...] day of the world; the first day hauing beene vnder sinne, the second vnder the law of Nature, the third vnder the law of Moyses.

Procl. ser. de natiuit. Deiparat.The second figure shall be the earth whereof Adam was made which was free from malediction, wherto it was after subiect for sinne. As therefore the first earth, the matter of the first Adam was in the beginning without any curse or maledi­ction;S. Bruno Carth. in Psal. 101. so the second earth, whereof the second Adam Iesus Christ was to be formed, was without the malediction of that originall staine in her conception.

Pet. Dam. in serm. de virg. Ass. Dominic. tract de corpore Christi.The third shalbe Gedeons Fleece, wherein the Pilgrime shall consider, that as the Fleece is ingendred without corrup­tion, and feeleth no passion of the Body; so the Blessed Vir­gin, was in her generation without sinne, or any stayne of concupiscence, a prerogatiue giuen only to her aboue al other children of Adam ingendred by the ordinary course, in respect that she was to be the mother of God, by another prerogatiue vnheard of before.Luc. 2.44 Ieremy, and S. Iohn were indeed sanctifyed in the wombe of their Mother, notwithstanding they were first infected;Ierem 15. Hier. in 3. Isa. they were healed, but not exempted from that wound. The B. Virgin by a more noble priuiledge, was pre­serued both from the wound, and from the scarre thereof.

The third point shall consider some prophecyes of the same Conception,Psal. 84. as out of Dauid: Lord thou hast blessed thy earth: that is, the Sonne of God, who should preserue from sinne the Virgin that was to be his Mother.Ar. ibid. & Isid. ad Floren. Also: The Highest hath san­ctifyed his Tabernacle, that is the Virgin, who was to be the Ta­bernacle of God, and therefore was by him prepared and san­ctifyed from the beginning with a sanctificatiō most meet for such a Sonne,Psalm. 48. and such a Mother. In the same sense sayth Sa­lomon:Sap. 9. Wisedome hath built her selfe a house. It is then a most per­fect house, seeing Wisedome it selfe hath built it, a house all beautifull in the foundation, and euery part, according to an other prophecy:Cant. 4. Thou art all beautifull, and there is no spot in thee.

In the fourth point he must consider, that for diuers rea­sons,Why her concepti­on was sāctified. The first reason. The 2. this Conception was to be exempted from Originall sinne. 1. For that it was no way decent, that the Virgin, which should conceaue the Sonne of God, should be marked in her generation with that spot, which maketh men, children of the Diuell; for thereby the Sonne had beene some way dis­honoured. 2. Seeing that sundry seruants of her Sonne, were [Page 187] both before and after her sanctifyed in their mothers wombe, as Hieremy, and S. Iohn, as we haue sayd; it were reason, that the generation of the Mother of the Holy of Holyes should be honoured with some more noble prerogatiue, and that not ō ­ly she should be cleansed from sinne as other Saints were, but also preserued from all vncleanesse in her Mothers wombe, as she was in all her life.The third 3. For that in this prerogatiue do shine the power, wisedome, and goodnes of God; for heere appea­red the worke of an Almighty,Power. in hindring that the poison which infected all the children of Adam in their origen, should not in any sort touch, either flesh, or soule of her, who was chosen to beare the soueraigne Physician of mankind. There appeared the glory of his infinite wisedome,Wisedom in that he could separate vnto himselfe a Mother free from all sort of sin; ther­in appeared the liberality of his soueraigne bounty, not only in hauing so plentifully bestowed his graces vpon this glorious Virgin, but also in hauing preserued her from all euill,Bounty. from the first instant of her being. These shall be the 4. points of his morning meditation, out of all which the Pilgrime shall ga­ther cōclusions, either to exalt the greatnes of the diuine Ma­iesty, and to admire it in this his worke, or to stirre vp him­selfe to the reuerence of the Mother of God, and to enkindle himselfe to deuotion in her holy seruice, to the glory of the Creatour, admirable in th [...] framing of this his Creature.

Be thou therefore eternally praysed,A Prayer to God. O Creatour of all thinges, and soueraigne Maker of the Mother of thy Sonne, Thou didst appeare great & admirable in creating the heauēs the throne of thy Maiesty, and the earth thy footstoole: yet dost thou appeare more wonderfull in this worke; for thou madest in her an heauen and earth, of which stuffe thy Sonne was to make, and take the cloake of his holy humanity, a hea­uen which out of her substance should giue the Sunne of the world; an earth, that should bring forth the Sauiour of the world; a heauen and earth conceiued miraculously of the bar­ren, to conceaue afterward by a greater miracle, him that made heauen and earth, and all things of nothing. O happy houre that gaue the beginning to this diuine generation, and more happy that measured the progresse, and most happy that saw it [Page 188] perfect and finished.To the B. Virgin. O noble Virgin! O noble seed of our heauenly light! O earth of our fruit! O mother of our salua­tion, who can worthily speake of the course of thy life, seeing the very beginning thereof exceedeth the tongues, and capa­cities of men and Angells.

The After-dinner of the three and twentith Day. Of the purity of Christian actions in their intention. CHAP. XIIII.

IN the afternoone the Pilgrime shal attend, as the day be­fore, to pious works, shall hear [...] the sermon & diuine Of­fice, shall read some good booke, shall conferre with his Gho­stly Father, or other deuout persons, shall say his beads, giue almes, or beg for himselfe, or others, sing some Hymne of the B. Virgin, or heare the Salue Regina song, or some other for the tyme. In the euening he shall make his meditation in the Church vpon some point of his morning meditatiō, labouring throughly to know, and prayse the greatnes and goodnes of of God in the excellent purity of this Conception, & shall vn­derstand, that it is much more beseeming the Maiesty of God and his Mother, to be conceaued without original sinne, then to be cleansed from it; more noble to haue been light from the beginning, then of darknes to haue beene made light; more approaching to the sense and mind of the Catholike Church, which honoureth this conceptiō with a solemne feast, though she doth not condemne of heresy, those who belieue that she was touched with originall sinne, but after from heauen san­ctifyed.

Pure in­tion the foundati­on of all Christian actions. Luc. 11.34.36.He shall gather also certaine conclusions, and practicall rules of his spirituall discourse; as that our actions should be pure in their conception and beginning, in the thought, & in the will, that we must beginne by the light, to be children of the light; that the good and pure intention which our Saui­our calleth, The eye of the soule, ought to be the foundatiō of all our workes. These and such like rules he shall frame in his mynd, and shall verify them in the life of the Blessed Virgin, [Page 189] who from her infancy, neuer sought in her actions any thing but the glory of God. This hath beene her light, her begin­ning, her end, in all that she did, thought, or sayd. Vpō these reasons and examples, our Pilgrime shall make a full purpose to reforme his life to Godward, and to serue him with all his hart, to the imitation of his glorious Mother, and shall say.

O B. Virgin,To the B. Virgin. all bright and beautifull cast some beames of thy diuine fauour vpon the soule of this poore sinner thy deuoted seruāt; driue away my darkenes with my holy light, and my coldnes with thy heauenly hea [...]e, and strengthen my weaknes with thy merciful [...] power. Make me see that Sunne that came out of thy bowels; make me fe [...]le the vanity of this vaine world, and the firmenesse and solidity of those goods, which this thy Sonne hath g [...]tten for vs with his precious bloud; and that this may be the profit of the pi [...]grimage, which I haue vndertaken to thy house, and of the vow I haue made to thee, O Virgin of all Virgins.

The foure and twentith Day. A Meditation of the Natiuity of the glorious Virgin. CHAP. XV.

THE meditation of this morning shall be of the Natiuity of the Blessed Virgin in three points.

The first shall consider some figures of this Natiuity,The fir­mament. as the Firmament which God made, and filled with many goodly starres; to the likenes of this B. Virgin, a liuing heauen, and firmament, as the holy Doctours call her, high and sol [...]d in perfectiō, marked with a thousad goodly vertues in her soule,Earthly Paradise. as with spirituall starres. Also the earthly Paradise p [...]anted with most excellent fruites, and made, in the Month of Sep­ter for the dwelling of the first Adam, which is a figure of the Virgin giuen vnto the world in the same month, adorned with all sort of graces, a garden of delights, where the second Adam Iesus Christ should dwell much more happily,Exod. 2 [...].20. & plea­santly, then the other in the earthly paradise. Also the Arke of the Testament made of incorruptible wood, couered with plates of gold within & without,Heb. 9. where the heauenly Manna [Page 190] was kept, as this Virgin exempt from all corruption in her Conception, beautifyed both in soule and body with excel­lent guifts, hath giuen and kept the Manna that feedeth our soules, Iesus Christ: & discoursing vpon these figures, he shal admire the goodnes of God, bestowing on the world so noble a creature, and shall thanke him therefore, and stirre vp him­selfe to deuotion of the Creatour, and of this B. Virgin.

Prophe­cies of her Nati­uity. Num. 24.For the second point, he shall take some Prophecye, as among others, this: A starre shall rise out of Iacob, and a man from Israell. The B. Virgin is signifyed by this starre, so called by the Saints, by reason of her heauenly and eminent vertues, & her Sonne by the name of Man. For he is verily the Man of men,Cant. 6. and Sauiour of men. Also: VVho is she that cōmeth ascending like the morning rising, beautifull as the Moone, chosen as the Sunne, terrible as a battaile in aray: This is the B. Virgin appearing, & comming to the world with her celestiall purity, next and before the Sunne, the spirituall morning, and more beauti­full a thousand tymes, then our worldly morning; for she did not only bring tydings of the day at hand, but brought him forth, & not only did make the end of the night of this world, but also the day of the grace of our Redeemer. Also: A rodd shall rise out of the roote of lesse, Isa. 11. and from the roote thereof shall spring a flower. This Rod is the B. Virgin, sayth S. Hierome, hauing no other shrubbe ioyned with her:Hier. 16. The flower is her Sonne Iesus Christ,Cant. 2. The flower of the field, as he is called, issued from this Virgin, whereof the same Prophet sayd, cap. 7. Behold a a Virgin shall conceaue, Isa. 7. and bring forth a sonne. Vpon these & like prophecies he shall discourse in his meditation, still gathering the fruit of loue or admiration to the prayse of God, and this holy Virgin.

In the third point he shall meditate the Natiuity it selfe, reioycing therin & honouring it as the chiefest that hath byn among men,The nati­uity of the B vir­gin most honoura­ble, and ioyfull. worthy of all ioy and honour. Others hitherto haue beene of misery and sadnes, as the wiser sort of men haue acknowledged: and the Princes of the earth that made feastes vpon their birth day, were ill aduised and ignorant of their owne estate and condition, for their birth was but vncleanes and an entry vnto misery; but this is of good fortune and ioy, [Page 191] being without al deformity of sinne, the only cause of al euils, and for that therin the world hath receaued the neerest be­ginning of saluation, the Mother of Messias to come, of the Sa­uiour at hand, of that Sunne rysing which should bring vs the day so much desired, and therefore the Church singeth, and inuiteth her children to reioyce in this day, saying: Let vs with solemnity celebrate this feast of the Natiuity of her, who was euer a Virgin, the mother of God, Mary. This is the day that saw borne the liuing heauen, this blessed earth, this starre of the Sea, this paradise of pleasure, this Arke of the Testament, this Rod of lesse, this faire morning that bringeth the Sunne; and so shall discourse on the ioy of this Natiuity, and conclude with these or the like wordes.

O day desired aboue all the dayes of the precedent ages, or rather the only day, all the rest being but night;To the birth day of the B. Virgin. for seeing the morning did not appeare before thee, and the bright shyning and quickening sunne was yet farre distant from the Horizon of our Redemption, surely all the dayes before thee were nightes, and men that liued in those dayes liued in darknes al­togeather, or at most in that small & weake light of the Moon and starres of the law of Nature and Moyses. Be thou there­fore, O day of such a Natiuity, blessed aboue all the dayes of the world, and be thou, O chamber, honoured aboue all the Princely palaces of the earth, for hauing receaued into thy bo­some this rysing starre. O people of Sion, reioyce yee in the birth of this Virgin, whome your mysteryes haue so much celebrated, your Prelats so much foretould, your Fathers so desired, as the best and most noble flower of the race of your Kinges, & of your Synagogue. Reioyce also, O yee Gentils, behould the morning that endeth the night of your ignorance and bringeth you the light of heauen: a Virgin that shal beare you a Redeemer; a Queene that shall giue you a King, that shall make you all Kinges. Reioyce thou also, O my soule, that thy eyes doe see the place where this morning, this Vir­gin, this starre was first seene, and pray her there with a de­uout hart, that with the aboundance of her graces, she wold obtayne of this great God, whome she gaue vnto the world, light to vnderstand his holy lawes, loue to imbrace them, [Page 192] force to performe them, as long as thou shalt walke Pilgrime vpon the earth, that thou mayst prayse him eternally in hea­uen.

Hauing made his prayer, he shall heare Masse, and com­municate with his accustomed preparation, and employ all the morning in like exercises,

The After-dinner, and euening of the foure & twentith Day. Of the B. Virgins Auncestours, and of the vanity of worldly greatnes. CHAP. XVI.

IN the Afternoone hauing taken some honest recreation, in reading some good booke, or talking with his Ghostly Father, or some other of good conuersation, he shall heare Euensong, and the diuine Office, and shall haue his meditati­on ready against night,The B. Virgin her Aun­cestours. which shall be of the same matter of the first, gathering some new instructions and points; as of the nobility of the B. Virgin, hauing for her Auncestours the ho­ly Patriarches, Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, so many Kinges, Prin­ces, and Lords, as are recited, and named in the Ghospel of the day.The va­nity of worldly greatnes. Of the vanity of worldly greatnes, and the solidity of vertue and eternall goods, setting before his eyes on the one side the long list of those Princes, and that notwithstanding, the house of Dauid was brought to the condition of a poore Artificer, the Scepter thereof being vsurped by Herod, a strā ­ger and forrenner.How god raysed the house of Dauid. Considering on the other side, how God would rayse this royal house of Dauid, not by ordinary wayes by aboundance of honours and worldly treasures, but by gi­uing a Virgin that should surpasse the nobility of all the Kings of the earth, and who should bring forth a Sonne, that should restore the Kingdome,The spiri­tual kingdome of Dauid e­stabli­shed by Iesus Christ. and seat of his Father Dauid, by a way worthy of an Almighty King, changing earth to heauen, & tyme to eternity, writing his heauenly lawes in the harts of m [...]n, and making them to be published ouer all the world, e­stablishing with the price of his owne precious bloud, an hea­uenly and euerlasting kingdome, therin to crowne for Kings all his friends, and seruants, and to heape on them glory and [Page 193] euerlasting riches. Of these and like considerations, he shall take occasion to prayse our Lord, so wise as to find such wayes to repaire the ruines of mankind, so liberall to communicate his goods and graces to his creatures, and namely to this sacred Virgin, to make her Mother of his Sonne, and his Sonne Re­deemer of the world. And hauing made his speach, and con­clusion of his deuotion, he shall draw towardes his lodging, & shall finish the rest of his Iourney, saying our Ladyes Litanies, or other prayers, to take his repose, and rise the more fresh, & fit for his morning exercise.

The fiue and twentith Day. A meditation of the Presentation of the B. Virgin in the Temple. CHAP. XVII.

THIS day,The B.V. presented to the Temple. the Pilgrime hauing sayd his accustomed prayers at his lodging, shall goe to the holy House there to performe his principall Meditation, which shall be of the presentation of the holy Virgin, when her father Ioachim, and Anne her Mother,Niceph. l. 1. cap. 7. Niss. ser. de human. Christi. S. Euod. epist. ad Antioch. did bring her to the Temple of Hierusalem at three yeares of age, there to offer, and consecrate her to God.

The prayer preparatory as before.

The first preamble shall represent S. Ioachim, and S. Anne, as standing at the gate of the Temple to offer their little crea­ture this Virgin, to the high Priest to be admitted & receaued among the virgins consecrated to Almighty God.

The second preamble shall demand grace duely to vnder­stand this mystery.

The first point shall be to consider,Our Bl. Ladyes child­hood, wonder­full euery way. that as the Conception of the B. Virgin was a worke beyond the ordinary course and law, by a singular grace, wherby she was so conceiued of bar­ren and old parents, and by a speciall priuiledge aboue all the children of Adam preserued from all sinne and vncleanes, be­ing all pure, and heauenly; as also her Natiuity was diuine & correspondent to her Conception: so her childhood exceeded the common course of others, and was endowed with all the blessings that might make that age admirable: And if the holy [Page 194] Scripture sayth nothing thereof,The son of Cresus Zoroastes Hercules. S. Am­brose. Plato. it is because it may necessari­ly be presumed. Some children haue beene meruailous for speaking a little after their birth; others for laughing when they were borne; others for hauing killed serpents; S. Am­brose was honoured with a prodigious swarme of Bees, that set themselues on his mouth: who will not then belieue that the infancy of our B. Lady was honoured with all spirituall and rare graces, and that this part of her life was agreeable & pro­portionate to the two preceding,The ver­tus of this virgin in­fant. and ensuing parts thereof, which were all admirable: & therfore heere the contempla­tiue soule must represent her a little creature, as a wonder of creatures, a child prudent, sage, aduised, modest, deuout, ha­uing nothing childish but body and yeares, and hauing a great soule in a small body, and finally a Virgin bearing in her childhood all the qualityes & conditions that should make the foū ­dation of vertue, for the most noble, wise, couragious, and most vertuous Lady of the world. And in such discourses he shall prayse the greatnes of the workeman, for hauing made such a creature, and shall stirre vp his loue and deuotion to the seruice of him, and of this Virgin for the loue of him.

Why she was pre­sented. The first cause.The second point shall containe two causes among many other of this oblation, wherof the neerest is the promise of S. Ioachim, and S. Anne, who had vowed to God their fruite, to the imitation of that holy, but barren woman S. Anne the Mo­ther of the Prophet Samuel, who prayed vnto God with warm teares to take away the reproach of her sterility, with that promise,1. Reg. 12 11. that she would consecrate to his seruice the child he should giue her; and so hauing obtayned of God a little Sa­muell, that was to be a great Prophet, she did dedicate him to Gods seruice,1. Reg. 2. as soone as he was weaned: with like deuotion did Ioachim and Anne offer their daughter to the Temple,Niss. sup. Niceph. l. 1. c. 7. as a present receaued by the speciall fauour of God, and consecra­ted to God by promise and vow they had made.

The other cause of this oblation is more high, that is, the e­lection of God,The 2. cause. who had decreed before the creation of the world to make a paterne or principal worke in this B. Virgin, according as Wisedome maketh her selfe to say: I was created from the beginning, Eccl s. 14. and before the world, that is, foreseene in the [Page 195] councell of Eternity, and by the same Prouidence chosen by God to be the Mother of his Sonne; he would therfore, that as she was a singular worke of his hand, so should she be dedica­ted to him, as his owne from her infancy by this particular ce­remony, whereby giuing her to Ioachin and Anne, aboue the course of their naturall infirmity and yeares, he inspired also into thē to offer her as a proper guift of his liberality, that she might be blessed with all causes, as well supernatural as natu­rall, enriched with heauenly guifts in her soule, and honoured with the deuotion of her Progenitours, and made capable of greater benedictions.The offe­ring of the Virg. This was therefore the richest offering that hitherto was euer made to God in his Temple; it was al­so the most noble peece, that euer came out of the treasury of his holy Spirit: With what eye then think you did he receaue her, & with what admiration did the Angels-guardians of the Temple desire to behould this diuine starre, rysing in the hea­uen of the Temple of God? This heauenly Virgin, that was to be the Mother of their Lord and Maker?

The third point of the Meditation, Of Virgins and men consecrated to Almighty God. CHAP. XVIII.

IN the third point he shal meditate how God hath alwayes had in his Church,Women consecra­ted to God haue beene al­wayes. not only certaine men dedicated to his seruice, who by a common name were called Priests, but also women, as well Virgins (who after a certaine tyme did mary) as Widowes, who remayned in perpetuall widowhood; a cu­stome counted heauenly among the Iewes in the booke of Exod. 38. where he sayth, that Moyses made a Vessell, or Laua­tory of brasse with the foot,Exod. 38.8. of the looking glasses of those wo­men, which fasted and watched in great number before the doore of the Tabernacle, wherof Rabbi Abraham writing sayth:Rabbi A­braham. This was the custome of women to dresse, and adorne themselues euery morning, dressing their heades by a looking glasse of brasse, or of glasse. Now there were in Israell women pious and deuout, who leauing the follies of the world, did offer their Glasses to God, as needing them no more for the attiring of their bodyes, and they met euery day before the gat of the Sanctuary in great number, in manner of an army, & atten­ded i [...] prayer, and hearing the Law of God. Of which wordes we [Page 196] gather first, that Moyses made the foot of this Lauer of those Glas­ses of brasse, or steele molten, which being polished and bur­nished,Lyra and others. did serue for a Glasse to such as washed, to see if there were any vndecent spot in their face; though some Doctours haue lesse probably held, that these Glasses were not melted, but rather set on as plates or barres: both opinions come to one, but the first is more agreable to the text of Scripture.

Looking glasses the instruments of vanity.In the second place we gather, that these women did al­togeather renounce the pompe of the world; for in signe heer­of they offered to God their Glasses, principall instruments of their vanity to be applyed to some holy and sacred vse, & ser­ued God with all their strength, with goodly order and con­stancy, like spirituall Amazons, and women of warre, conse­crated in the house of God,Amazōs women of warre. euen as the Priests in their vocatiō made another sort of spirituall army, of which principally the Creatour in the Scripture is called, God of Hostes or Armies, as ruling, and pleasing himselfe in them aboue all other com­panies of men, they being the strength and ornament of his spirituall kingdome against the armies of Sathan, who being an Ape of Gods works hath not omitted to ordayne like com­panies in his Kingdome; for as among the Idolatours he had his sacrifices,Vestall Virgins exēpted from Pa­rents au­thority. his Temples, and Priestes, and other tokens of diuinity to the imitation of God, so caused he to be erected Houses of women in Aegypt, Greece and other places, & one the most noble of all the rest in the famousest seate of his Ty­ranny, which was Rome, of the Vestall Virgins consecrated to Vesta the Goddesse of fire, whome they serued vnto 30. yeares,Aul. Gell. l. 1. Noct. act. c. 12. Sueton. in Iul. Caes. c. 83. Hub. in suo Caesar. Alex. ab Alex. l. 5. cap. 12. ex Plutar. & alijs. and afterwardes married, were respected of all the world, and honoured with many priuiledges; for they were exempt from the power of their Father and Mother, from the day of their consecration, without any other letters of their emancipation; they had authority to make their will, & were of that credit and respect, that to them were giuen to keep the Testaments of the most noble men of Rome that died, and the publick contracts of peace and alliance. If the Magistrate met them in the street, he returned to make them place, and salu­ted them as if they had beene Goddesses, & if in the way they chaunced to meet with any condemned person, they deliue­red [Page 197] them for that tyme, neither durst any speake a dishonest word in their presence, as if they had beene a certaine Deity; at the Theaters they had the most honourable place by them­selues a part, which honours no doubt were giuen to the imi­tation of the Hebrewes, among whome these religious wo­men were inuiolable, and held in great reuerence, yet with­out all shew of superstition. Therfore the race of Hely the high Priest, was accursed and rooted out, because his sonnes,1. Reg. 21.22. be­sides other sinnes had violated some of these, as in the booke of the Kinges is signifyed. These women continued vnto the tyme of our Sauiour, who being brought to the Temple a child was ackowledged, and praysed by one of them called Anna, a Widow of 84. yeares,Luc. 2.37. who departed not from the Tē ­ple, 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 & [Page 198] 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 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 child­birth. [Page 200] 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. Rom. Pontif. hold the same. And Peter Damianus a noble writer of his age, sayth boldly, That, this is the fayth of the Catholike Church. And surely if our Sauiour being to goe out of this world vnto his Father, thought it not meet to commit the cu­stody of his Mother a Virgin, though of good yeares, to the keeping & trust of any but of a Virgin,Gers. ser. 5. de nat. B. Mariae. that is, to S. Iohn; is it not like, that being young, & not his Mother, he would mary her to a man that was not a virgin, and that had not made a vow to perseuere in that estate? we must thinke therfore that the B. Virgin was assured to Ioseph, and he to her againe, with purpose of perpetuall continency, instructed therunto by the secret instinct of the holy Ghost, and strengthned with a liue­ly fayth, that God would able them to liue both virgins, and married folkes togeather.

Secondly, this mariage was meruailous in this point aboue other common marriages, that notwithstanding the purpose of virginity in them both, yet was it a true mariage, and the Scripture doth plainely teach this truth;Ambr. de inst. virg. S. Thom. 3. p. q. 29. art. 1. for it calleth the B. Virgin, the spouse and wife of Ioseph; and this is the beliefe of the Doctours, and of the Church. S. Ambrose sayth: The Bl. Virgin the mother of our Sauiour, being betrothed to her husband, was called his wife, euen as mariage is called mariage, when it is made by [Page 201] common consent of wills; for it is not the losing of Virginity, Amb in 2. l. c. 1. in Luc. but the cō ­iugall consent & alliance that maketh the mariage. Againe: Meruaile not to heare the B. Virgin often in the Scripture called, the wife of Io­seph, although he neuer knew her; for this doth not signify, The es­sence of mariage. that she lost her virginity, but that she was married vnto him. He meaneth, as other Diuines do say, that the only consent, and lawfull, and mutuall vnion of willes, and not carnall knowledge, doth tye the band of Matrimony, and the essentiall knot of marriage. S. Augustine: Ioseph is called an husband, S. Aug. de nupt. & concupis [...]. l. 1. c. 11. by reason of the first fayth of his assurance giuen to the B. Virgin, although he neuer knew her car­nally, nor might doe; neither therefore was vaine, or false that name of husband, for this Virgin ought to be more holily and admirably pleasing to her spouse, who was to be fruitfull without the worke of man, vne­quall in lignage, equall in fayth and fidelity. And a little before ex­horting the faythfull to this continency,Wedding without bedding. vpon the example of this marriage: By this example (sayth he) is signifyed to married Christians, that mariage may be made and vowed by common consent, with the mutuall affection of the hart and spirit only, without lying to­geather. And indeed many haue liued in this sort; Henry the 2. Emperour with Chunegund, both a beautifull, & young Prin­ces; Valerian with S. Cecily; Edward King of England, with Editha; and that noble French-man Eleazarus with Delphinia that noble Lady; & a thousand others, whose names are writ­ten in the booke of life, though they be vnknowne to men.

Thirdly this marying is meruailous for the admirable vertues,The loue & fideli­ty of this couple. and namely for the coniugall fayth and charity of both parties, and by the excellency of lignage, and by all that may make a marriage complete: All the good of mariage was found heere, (sayth S. Augustine) the fruit Iesus Christ, Aug. l. 2. de nupt. & conc. c. 11. the fayth with­out adultery, and the Sacrament without diuorce; and the issue such as surmounteth the fecundity of all the Mothers that euer were, or shall be, as also the fidelity, charity, and all other vertues of married folkes, were there found singular and rare.

The second point of the Meditation. Of the causes of the Mariage be­tweene the B. Virgin, and S. Ioseph. CHAP XX.

THE second point shall meditate the causes of this mari­age; for both parties being resolued to keep continency, [Page 202] seemeth that they needed not to marry at al:S. Thom. 3. p. q. 28. art. 1. but the more this mariage may seeme to be against reason, so much the more may it seeme diuine, and considerable. The Saints yeild diuers causes, whereof one concerneth the person of the Sonne of God, others concerne his Mother, & some others, our Fayth.

Seauen causes of this mar­riage.The first is, that our Sauiour should not be reiected of the Iewes, who not belieuing that a Virgin could beare a child, would surely haue iudged him illegitimate, and to haue byn borne of a dishonest woman; wherof S. Ambrose sayth: Who could haue blamed the Iewes, S. Thom. 3. p q 29. art. 10. Ambr. in Luc. 7. or Herod, persecuting Iesus Christ, if he had beene thought to be illegitimate? And if they did persecute him not­withstanding, hauing a good conceit of his natiuity, what would they haue done, if they had iudged him, to haue beene borne of adultery?

The second, that he might be knowne to be the Sonne of Dauid by the Genealogy of his line and issue, which was al­wayes done by the line of the Father, as appeareth by S. Luke and S. Matthew, who deduced it; whereby Ioseph being pro­ued to be of the house of Dauid, they could not doubt but that the B. Virgin was so also (she being an heire who might not be maried out of their owne linage) and that the child borne of her was the Sonne of Dauid.

The third, that he might be helped not only by the care of his Mother, but also of her husband, for whome it was more meet to vndertake and menage such a businesse then for a wo­man. And therefore when he was to execute any thing, the commandement was alwayes directed to Ioseph, as when there was question of going to Aegypt,Matth. 2.13. Luc. 2.48 or returning backe, and o­ther like.

The fourth, to the end that the Virgin should not be infa­med or punished as vnchast; so that our Sauiour chose rather to be accounted the Sonne of a Carpenter, then of a dishonest woman: whereof very fitly sayth S. Ambrose in Luc. 17. He chose rather that some should doubt of his owne birth, then of his Mo­thers chastity, Ambr. in Luc. 17. and would not haue the fayth of his Natiuity sounded vpon the iniury of another, that is, of his Mother.

The fifth, that she might be comforted by the assistance of Ioseph, namely in her long iournyes and voyages, and dwelling many yeares in strang countreys, as she did.

The sixth, that the Church might haue a certaine testi­mony in S. Ioseph, that Iesus Christ was borne of a Virgin, for as none could better tell then he, that the Mother was a Virgin, so none could giue a more certaine testimony thereof, sayth S. Ambrose 7. in Luc.

The seauenth and last was, in the person of the B. Vir­gin to honour the estate of virginity and mariage, and therin to figure and represent the condition of the Church, which being a virgin, is notwithstanding marryed to Iesus Christ, and remayning a virgin doth bring forth children by Baptis­me. The 3. first causes concerne the person of our Sauiour, the fourth, and fifth his Mother, and the other the Church, and altogeather the honour of God and his Mother, and our good and saluation. The Espousals being done, the Virgin remay­ned in Nazareth, in her Fathers house,Philo Iud. de special. legib. which espousalls were as fast & of as great force a the mariage it self, so that if the es­poused should commit any fault in the house of her Father, she should be stoned as an Adulteresse, who had broken her fayth in her husbands owne house. In the same house the B. Vir­gin was saluted by the Angell, and there dwelt with Ioseph after the death of Ioachim and Anne, and not in the house of Io­seph (which by likelihood was at Bethleem) wherof the Scrip­ture giueth no reason, but only that by silence it signifyeth, that these espousals were of another quality then others were, and that she was alwayes a virgin, as those that remayne al­wayes in the house of their Fathers, and go not to the house of their husband to celebrare the marriage, as other marryed folkes do, who must loose their virginity. The Pilgrime shal marke all this, thereby to prayse the diuine Maiesty, and to giue him thankes, ending in this speach.

O heauenly marriage,The ma­riage of Adam, Abraham, Isaac, Ia­cob, To­bie. and worke worthy of the souerai­gne Wisedome, a marriage all spirituall and diuine, hauing nothing carnall or earthly in it; a marriage that did be [...]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. [Page 204] 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. Secōdly 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 [Page 206] 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 prayses. S. Chrysostome doubteth not to say, That he was eminent, in all thinges commendable, and accō ­plished in all vertues, hauing well discharged the office and duty of a true Father to Iesus Christ: neither was euer father so carefull of his owne sonne begotten of his body, as this spi­rituall Father was of this child: He had (sayth he) wisedome a­boue the law, he was alwayes attentiue to meditate the Prophets, and by these titles deserued the name of Iust, Hom. 2. de B. Virg. which the Scripture giueth vnto him, as we haue sayd S. Bernard with the like stile, exal­teth him for a man of singular fayth and perfection, & groun­deth his proofe vpon that he was the husband of this Virgin: VVe must not doubt (sayth he) but that this Ioseph was a good and faythfull man, seeing he was giuen for a Spouse to the Mother of our Sauiour, a faythfull seruant and a wise (say I) seeing our Lord gaue him for a solace to his Mother, Matth. 24 Luc. 12.41. a foster-father to his owne body, and a­lone chosen for a most faythfull Condiutor of that great Councell. The reason is good; for God being Wisedome it selfe, did choose no doubt an Espouse agreeable to the vertues of the Mother of his Sonne, and to the Maiesty of them both. All these great vertues which are not easily found in a young man,Whether Ioseph were an old man. gaue oc­casion perhaps to many to thinke that Ioseph was ould, when he was espoused to the B. Virgin, as the painters with their pensils haue amplified, making him all white, representing him old and gray headed; and whilest on the one side they would make his continency and other qualities, seeme more credible by the conueniency of his age, they haue on the other side abased the praise thereof, laying that vpon nature which was of grace, a beginning, or root much more noble, and not [Page 207] marking, that the mariage might haue beene suspected, by this inequality of age in the parties. It is probable indeed, that he was of good years, mature, and strong, and fit to exercise acti­ons of prudence, but not old; neither needed the Paynters to vse that fiction, seeing it is as easy to God to giue chastity to youth, as to age And if the anncient Patriarch Ioseph,Genes 39.7. who had no vow of continency, and was to be Father of many children, was at 18. yeares olde chast, with an vnchast mistresse; might not our Ioseph bound with vow of chastity, and specially assisted by the grace of God, be so with a most pure Virgin, except he were old? Heere therefore the Pil­grime shall take matter to meditate, of the sanctity and per­fection of this holy personage, and shall thereby learne, that his death was happy. Of the time wherof, the Scripture sayth nothing:Ioseph dyed som years be­fore our Sauiour. Epiph. con. haeres. 78. we may gather notwithstanding that he died before our Sauiour, for that it is not likely that in his life tyme, our Sauiour would haue commended his mother to S. Iohn, & not to him. Some say he departed, when S. Iohn Baptist began to preach. The opinion of Epiphanius, that he died about the 12. yeare of our Sauiour is more agreeable to holy Scripture, which neuer in her narration forgetting to name Ioseph, as long as he liued, neuer mētioneth him,Luc. 2, after the history telleth of our Sauiour found in the Temple at Hierusalem amongst the Doctours at 12. yeares of age, which certainely was, be­cause he died about that time. After these meditations and the like, the Pilgrime shall take his refection and rest, vntill his midnight meditation, which he shall make vpon the same subiect, or what other he shall choose.

The seauen and twentith Day. Of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God. Of the miseries of mankind, when this happened. CHAP. XXII.

HERE cometh the mayne and chiefe meditation of our Pilgrime all the tyme of his abode at Loreto. For it is of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God, the most high S [...] im­portant mystery of our Religion, announced [...]th B Vir [...] and performed in this holy Chamber and [...] [Page 208] to penetrate the Maiesty, as well of the Mysteries, as of the Embassage, he must appoint three tymes for meditation, mid­night, morning, and noone with the euening.

At midnight for the first point, setting before him the fall of our first father Adam, his estate and misery, he shal meditate withall, the goodnes of Almighty God, who made so great shew of his mercy to this his poore creature, at that very tyme when he was offended; for then accursing the Serpent, who by a woman had wrought all our misery, and in counteruaile threatning him with a woman, and the seed of a woman who should crush his head; he promised in the same wordes a Re­deemer to mankind, who should be borne of that woman: I will put (sayth he to this Seducer) emnity betweene thee and the wo­man, Iesus the seed of a woman. and betwixt her seed, and thy seed, and she shall crush & break thy head. This woman was the B. Virgin, and her Sonne Iesus Christ our Sauiour truely her seed, and borne of her on­ly seed; for those who are borne of other women, are of the seed of men and women both. This promise was signified by the beastes skinnes wherewith Adom and Eue were cloathed (after their fall) in the euening.Gen. 3.13 For this was a figure foretel­ling that the same God who then did speake, should take the flesh of man in the euening of the world, and should become a Lambe to be killed and sacrificed, and to gaine for vs by his death the robe of innocency in this life, couering the confusiō of our sinnes, with the stole of glory in the next life, meriting for vs the kingdome of Paradise; and this towardes the eue­ning, deferring the execution of this his comming by Iustice, that the pride,Why the Sonne of God was incarnate towardes the end of the world? wherby man was fallen into misery, might be punished, and man might be througly humbled, by the long knowledge and feeling of his infirmity, and so might crye to the Physician to be cured. If the Sonne of man had beene in­carnate presently, men would not haue acknowledged their maladies or woundes, and in tract of tyme they would haue forgotten the benefit of their saluation; for if we forget it al­ready, it being but fresh and the other day, hauing been done towardes the end of the world; what had we done, if he had come foure thousand years before? Besides it was conuenient, that many ceremonies, prophecies, sacraments, sacrifices, and [Page 209] other preparations should goe before so great a Lord into the world, to dispose and prepare the harts of men,Fit pre­paratiues to the cō ­ming of our Saui­our. to receaue him with a liuely fayth, profound humility, & a burning charity.

In the second point he shall meditate on the one side, the increase of corruption in our humane nature, going still from ill to worse, after its first fall vntill the comming of the Sonne of God incarnate: he shal consider the confusion and miserable condition of men, plunged for the most part in the darke dū ­geon of ignorance of God, and heauenly thinges, and opp [...]es­sed vnder the tyranny of him, who inthralled our first Father, and held all his posterity prisoners in the slauery of all sort of sinnes & vices,The pro­dence of God to­wardes man be­fore his sonnes cōming. infinitly more cruel then that which the Iewes suffered in Aegypt; for that was only a figure and shaddow of this. On the other side, he shall behould the diuine prouidē ­ce, not ceasing still to prouide help and succours, to prepare & dispose this patient by conuenient remedies, and to retayne men in their duty and vertue, by good lawes, and good wor­kes, by punishments, promises, threatnings, as the examples of the deluge, of the burning of Sodome, of his protecting of the iust do teach vs. And heere he shall remember, how the Father of mercy, in what measure he seeth our misery increase increaseth also & strengthneth his remedies, more liuely stir­ring vp his friends to the fayth & hope of his helpe and bene­diction: which namely he performed in the person of Abrahā, Gods promises for the comfort of the world. when hauing foretold him that his posterity should be captiue in a strange country, he promised also that in the fourth gene­ration they should be deliuered, and should retourne from whence they parted: which is according to the outward let­ter of the history, the deliuerance of the Hebrewes, the chil­dren of Abraham, happening in the fourth generation, that is, foure hundred yeares after they entred into Aegypt, allowing euery generation a hundred yeares,Foure di­uers ge­nerations and were put in possessi­on of the land of Promise. According to the interiour, or my­stical sense, it is the redemption of man, wrought by the com­ming of the Sonne of Man into the world, in the fourth kind of generation, which was this. For the first was that of Adam without Father and Mother; the second, that of Eue made of the substance of Adam, without a Mother; the third, is the or­dinary [Page 210] of all men, borne of Father and Mother by the com­mon law of Nature; the fourth then was this of the Sonne of God made Man, and borne of a Mother without a Father.

He shall note also in the same place, and marke, that faith and hope were alwayes entertained and renewed among the people of God, by diuers sacraments, sacrifices, ceremonies, and prophecies which did figure and foretel this future Messias & Redeemer of mankind, as is euident in all the law of Moyses.

The third point of the Meditation. The desires of the Saints, dead and liuing, of the comming of the Messias. CHAP. XXIII.

FOR the third point, the Pilgrime shall choose certaine places of Scripture, which declare the desires, and lon­ging of the Saints, who from the tyme of the law of Nature & Moyses, The Fa­thers de­sirous of the com­ming of Messias. bewayling the great miseries of mankind, and longing after the promised Redeemer, were in an incredible expecta­tion of his comming, and ceased not to cry for him with pray­ers, sighes, & teares, so much the more feruent, by how much the more they saw the greatnes of our euill and misery. Moyses sayd, Exod. 4. I pray thee, O Lord, send whome thou wilt send. He spake to the Father,Exod. 4. desiring him to send his Sonne. How long (sayth Dauid) O Lord, wilt thou turne thy face from vs? How long wilt thou forget our pouerty and anguish? Psalm. 43. How long shall our ene­mies lift vp their hornes, and glory in our destruction? Arise, O Lord, arise, and for the loue of thy name, send vs help and succour. As if he had sayd, Lord, if thou deferrest thy comming, to the end by thy staying to make vs acknowledge our owne misery, and pouerty, alas, we know already too well, and cannot suffi­ciently bewayle it, we know full well that without thy help, we are lost;Psal. 8.20. help vs then, O Lord, and shew vs thy face, & we shall be safe. Send vs this promised face, this valiant woman, this diuine seed,Gen. 3.13 that should crush the head of our enemy, shew thy image, thy face, thy Sonne incarnate, which fully doth resemble thee, to the end that we may be deliuered out of our misery. And in another place, as it were comforting himselfe in a holy hope, he singeth out this diuine generati­on:Psal. 71. He shall descend like a showre of raine vpon a Fleece, signifying the heauenly and virginall Conception of the Sonne of God. [Page 211] And this was the rayne, & dew which Esay the Prophet de­manded: O heauens, powre downe thy dew from aboue, Isay 45. and let thy cloudes rayne downe the Iust. Let the earth open, and bring forth our Sauiour. Let it bring forth this iust man, that must be borne of a Virgin, and beare our iniquityes. And againe:Isay 64. I would thou wouldest open the heauens and descend, the mountaines would melt at thy presence. His meaning was; O King of heauen, when wilt thou descend from thy heauenly throne, I would thou wouldest open the heauens, and come downe to vs, at thy only presence our spirituall enemies, the mountaines of pride, should be abased and confounded.

After these places of Scripture considered, he shall cast his eyes vpon those great and holy soules,The iust soules in Limbo or Purgato­ry. who after the death of the first Iust Abel, being shut in the prison of Limbo, or wrap­ped in the flames of Purgatory, did expect the comming of the Redeemer, in whome they belieued and hoped in their life tyme, and did inuocate him in this prison of hope, did pray him, and presse him for his mercy sake to make hast.Genes. 3.13. Adam sayd: Send this woman, and that seed (O my Maker) where­with thou didst threaten the pride of that old Dragon, the first cause of my f [...]ll, and finish this my long banishment. Abel sayd:Gen. 4.4. O Father of the whole world, send that Lambe, which thou madest me to figure by my first sacrifice, and open our prison gates. Noe sayd: O God Almighty, make that Prince of peace to appeare, signified in my tyme, by the raynebow in the clou­des, a figure of thy Couenant which thou didst promise to make with mortall men Abraham: O Lord,Genes. 12.3.18.18.22.18 46 4. Act. 3.25. thou didst often promise to multiply my seed, as the Starres of heauen, and as the sandes of the Sea, and to giue them the Country of Chanaan, and didst sweare vnto me by thy selfe, to blesse all Na­tions, in my seed: my race is multiplyed, the country of Ca­naan is giuen according to thy word; when will it please thee to accomplish the principall point of thy promise, and rayse that branch wherein the world shall be blessed, and draw vs out of these shadowes, into the possession of thy light and e­uerlasting felicity. Isaac and Iacob sayd as much.Genes. 36. Moyses pray­ed by that great ineffable Name, that it would please him to shew his face so much desired. Dauid sayd: When will my be­loued [Page 212] come, O Lord, my sonne, and my Father, whome I haue fortould, whome I haue song, whome I haue exalted in my mortall dayes? When will come that little Dauid elder thē his grand-father, truly to bury the Giant Goliath, whome I killed only in figure, and shaddow. Esay: when shall come that God, of whome I sayd to the people of Israell: God shall come in person, Isay 36. and saue you. Micheas: When shall he come of whome I prophecied, saying: Behould our Lord shall come out of his place, and descend, and all with one voice shall call vnto him. In meditating heereof he shall admire the Prouidence of God, who in so good tyme did promise a remedy of our fall in a Redeemer: his Wisedome, in that he deferred the execution thereof so many ages, to teach men the grauity of their sinne, to make them feele their owne infirmities, to humble them in their misery, to cause them to cry vnto heauen, and to beate at the gates of his mercy, with sighes, prayers, and teares, & to obtaine that by merit, which without merit was promised vn­to them. In this deuotiō, the Pilgrime shal passe the midnight, with thankes giuing to the goodnes of Almighty God.

The Meditation for Morning, and Noone. Of the Annunciation made to the B. Virgin, by the Angell Gabriell. CHAP. XXIV.

OVR Pilgrime hauing taken some rest, shall go betimes to the holy Chappell, there to make his morning Medi­tation, which shall be of the Annunciation of this mystery which he commeth to meditate.Prepara­tion to the Medi­tation. In the beginning of his me­ditation he shall conceaue in his mind, as profound reuerence towardes God, as possibly he can, as one that is to speake in his presence of a chiefe worke of his, of a mystery and Embas­sage full of maiesty; he shall with equall humility demaund a sufficient light to see it, and to profit by it. He shall not neere need to imagine a place where the history happened, as in his other meditations; for he shall meditate the mystery in the same place, where it was both tould, and performed; yet he may set before his eyes our B. Lady praying at the now Gos­pell corner of the Altar, when the Angell Gabriel brought her [Page 213] this tydings,The An­gell salu­ting the Virgin. glittering and shining with an extraordinary light, and accompanied with many of the chiefe of Angels, as we may piously belieue, and as we haue sayd before, Cap. 18.

The first point shall be taken of the beginning of the histo­ry, which sayth: In the sixth moneth, the Angell Gabriel was sent of God to Nazareth, a citty of Galily to a Virgin whose name was Mary, espoused to a man called Ioseph, of the house of Dauid. Behould an Embassage in euery point excellent and honourable. In the Maiesty of him that sent it, who is God; of the messenger sent, who was one of the principall Angells; of the person to whō it was sent, who was the greatest Lady that euer was in the sight of God;The ex­cellency of the Embassage. of the mystery or message it selfe that was brought, a mystery of all mysteries, which is the marriage of the Sonne of God, made with the Nature of man, agreed on by the sacred Senate of the glorious Trinity, for the comfort of men; of the end for which it was sent, which was to informe the B. Virgin, to haue her consent, and accomplish, and ce­lebrate the mariage. Heere now the deuout soule contem­plating the maiesty of this Embassage in the foresayd circum­stances, shall set before his eyes, all the ranckes of the heauen­ly Court of all those happy Angelicall spirits, reioycing there aboue in this mission, and the assembly of those iust Soules that before this departed, who hauing heard this good newes in Limbo, were in an admirable expectation of the comming of their Redeemer. It is sayd, that this message was done the sixth month. This at the first hearing seemeth to be referred to S. Iohn, who was six monthes elder then our Sauiour;Christ in­carnate in the 6. age. but in a mystical sense, the mention of this number goeth further, and teacheth, that this Conception of the Sonne of God, is annoū ­ced and accomplished in the sixth Age of the world, as Beda sayth. Also,Man cre­ated the sixth day which is Friday, on which day christ was cru­cifyed. that as God created Man in the sixth day of this world, which is our Friday, and that at the sixth houre of the day, which is our mid-day; so he descended into the earth the sixth day, and at the sixth houre of the day; for on such a day, was this Embassage made, to wit, the fiue & twenty of March which that yeare was Friday. And vpon the same day, and houre, he ascended vp the Crosse, as the Scripture doth ex­presly signify. Conueniences which doe easily declare that the [Page 214] benefit of our Redemption was no more by chance or aduen­ture, then that of our Creation, but proiected of purpose ma­ny ages before, euen from all Eternity: and this long proui­dence doth testify the ancient & fatherly loue of God towards vs.The Aue Maria thrice a day. The Catholike Church in remembrance of this Embas­sage, and Mystery which it teacheth, saluteth the Virgin at high noone, with these wordes of the Angell, as also at mor­ning and night, to giue thankes to God for so notable a bene­fit, in those three tymes which we haue shewed before to be remarkeable by the deuotion of the Saints; and therein she sheweth that she doth not loose the memory of that immortall benefit.

The second point shall consider the wordes following. When the Angell was entred to her, he saluted her thus: All haile full of grace, Luc. 2.28. our Lord is with thee, blessed be thou among women: But she hearing this, was troubled at his speach, and thought what manner of salutation this might be. And the Angell sayth to her: Feare not Mary, for thou hast found grace with God: behould thou shalt conceaue in thy wombe, The Ma­iesty of this salu­tation. and shalt bring forth a Sonne, and shalt call his name IESVS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Sonne of the most High: And our Lord shall giue him the seat of Dauid his Father, and he shall reigne in the house of Iacob eternally, and of his Kingdome there shall be no end. And Mary sayd to the Angell: How shall this be done, see­ing I know not man? And the Angell answering, sayd vnto her: The Holy Ghost shall come vpon thee, and the vertue of the Highest shall shadow thee, and therfore the Holy that shall be borne of thee, shall be called the Sonne of God. And behould Elizabeth thy kins-woman, she hath also conceiued a sonne in her old age; and this is the sixth month to her that is called barren, because euery word shall not be impossible with God. And Mary sayd: Behould the hand-mayde of our Lord, be it done vnto me, according to thy word. And the Angell departed from her.

Behould first a wonderfull saluation. The Angel pronoun­ceth the blessed Virgin full of grace, and fullnes cannot be but diuine: he sayth, that God is with her, no doubt with a singu­lar and speciall assistance, and therefore he calleth her Blessed among women: A salutation neuer heard or giuen to any cre­arure by a heauenly spirit. The most humble and wise Virgin [Page 215] was troubled, seeing the Maiesty of this messenger, and much more hearing the prayses he pronounced;The mo­desty of the Virg. and not presuming to open her mouth to answere, she thought vpon that she heard. A spirit very differēt from that of our worldly Dames, who insteed of troubling themselues at the prayses which the world giueth them, euen without ground or desert, they re­ioyce and tickle at the least blast of glory that bloweth in their eare; they lift vp themselues, and swell in their hart,The lightnes of worldly women. and the more is sayd to them in that kind, the wider haue they their hart and eares open to heare more of their prayses. The An­gell seeing the heauenly Mayd to blush, and reading as it were in her face and silence her astonishment, called her familiarly by her name; did assure her, and aduised her not to feare, ha­uing cause rather to reioyce, hauing so good a place in grace, and fauour of God, by him cherished, & chosen to be Mother of a King without a match, of a Sonne who should succeed in the throne of Dauid, who should reigne for euer in the house of Iacob, and of whose kingdome there should be no end, & fi­nally Mother of the Sonne of God; & pronounced her Great in that measure, that she accounted her selfe little.

But behould a question and doubt worthy of such a Vir­gin. She had consecrated to God, her soule and body,The B.V. first vow­ed virgi­nity. by the vow of Chastity, the first in this prayse and magnanimity a­mong all the daughters of Israell. She was troubled at his first wordes, by reason of humility; but hearing him speake of cō ­ceauing and bearing a sonne, she was troubled by reason of her virginity: she highly esteemed the grace promised, but she was carefull also of her owne fayth promised, and of her integrity, which she would not loose for all the treasure of the world. How many Virgins be there cleane contrary, who willingly abandone their body and soule, so they may get the loue of some earthly Lord? The Angell doth deliuer her also from this feare, and sheweth her that this Generation shall not be like others, by the company, or seed of man, or by any vio­lation of the body, but heauenly without hurt of her virgi­nall integrity, by the worke of the Holy Ghost, by the power of the Highest, by the grace of the same Sonne that shall be borne, the Holy of God, & the sonne of God: Adding that E­lizabeth [Page 216] her cousin being now both old & barren,Why the Angell maketh mention of Eliza­beth. had concea­ued a Sonne, & that it is as easy to God to make a Virgin con­ceaue, as an old and barren woman. The B. Virgin vnder­standing that her vow of virginity should be kept & preserued, agreed and gaue her consent, & belieued that God could doe what he sayd; and she that was called the Mother of the most Highest,The Dia­logue of the Angel and the Virgin, differing from that of the di­uell and Eue. calleth her selfe his seruant. O happy conference & dialogue, and much more fortunate then that of the seducing Angell, and the seduced Virgin, in the earthly Paradise, who harkening to a promise of Deity, if she would eate of the for­bidden fruit, suffered her selfe to be deluded with vanity, and made the first breach and entrance to the fall and ruine of mā ­kind.

O Virgin happy by thy virginity! more hapyy by thy hu­mility! yet most happy by thy liuely fayth! Thy virginity hath made the Sonne of God amorous of thee; thy humility hath made him descend into thy wombe; but thy fayth made thee conceaue rather of the spirit then of the body.The ex­cellency of virgi­nity. O verily full of grace, full of God, and verily blessed aboue all women: blessed aboue all Virgins in purity, aboue all Wiues in fecun­dity, aboue all Saints in fayth, hope, and charity, chosen from heauen to be the Mother of the Highest. For if a Virgin may be with child, nothing can she more fitly bring forth then the [...]onne of God; and if the Sonne of God will be conceaued and borne, he cannot more fitly be borne, then in the wombe of a Virgin.

The third point of the Meditation. How the Sonne of God was conceaued in the wombe of the Virgin. CHAP. XXV.

THE third point shall meditate, how so soone as the B. Virgin had pronounced the wordes of her consent, Be­hould the hand-mayde of my Lord, Luc. 1.38. be it vnto me according to thy word; the Word of God was incarnate, and made man in her wom­be, not after the manner of other men, whose bodyes are orga­nized after 40. dayes, and then receaue a reasonable soule, yet without the vse of reason: but in a manner altogeather di­uine [Page 217] and supernaturall this body was at that very instant pre­pared to lodge and receaue the soule, & to be animated,He was happy at the same instant. S. Thom. part. 3. q. 34. art. 4. al­though by little and little it did grow vnto the natiuity. And this soule vnited to the word of God, togeather with the body had also at the same instant the vse of reason & free will, was filled with al sort of spirituall graces aboue all men & Angels, and found it selfe ioyfull and happy in the vision of God. And al this in fauour of this admirable vniō; though by dispēsation of God, the body that was to be the subiect of our Redemptiō remayned passible and mortall, which otherwise had beene immortall; and the soule subiect to sadnes and sorrow, which hath no place with beatitude: so desirous was our Sauiour of our saluation, and so prodigall of his mercy as willingly, and cheerefully, and quickly to beare our sorrowes and miseries, in part he depriued himselfe of the possession and vse of his happines, to make vs thoroughly happy.

This Conception then was full of the meruailes of the bounty of God in so markeable signes of his loue, and of his almighty power in ioyning things so difficill, which the Prophet foretold as an effect neuer happened before:Ierem. 31. Our Lord hath created a new thing vpon earth: A woman hath compassed about a man. This is the B. Virgin conceiuing a Sonne in her wombe, who was a man as soone as a Child, hauing from the first instant of his Conception, all the vertues of men of perfect age;God ma­de man, and man God. and that in higher title of perfection, then euer was giuen to any creature. Behold then God made man, and man made God; behold God conceiued of a virgin according to the Pro­phesy of Esay: A Virgin shall conceiue. Behold the Word cloathed with our weaknes, & our weaknes maried to his Almightines;Esa. 7. two natures ioyned together in one person. Behold the des­cent of the Highest, figured by that he did heretofore, whē he sayd, I will descend to deliuer my people from the bondage of Egypt. Then without abasing himselfe he descended,Exod. 3.8 by the effects of his Iustice and power, to chastise a Tyrant, and deliuer the oppressed from a temporall euill: heer he is descended making himselfe man, making himselfe little,Phil. 2.12. emptying & humbling himselfe, as the Apostle sayth, to pull man from vnder the spi­rituall Tyrant, from the tyranny of sinne, and the euerlasting [Page 218] prisons.The ioy of the Iust & Saints at this concep­tion. To that deliuerance Moyses & the Hebrews sung a song of thankes giuing; to this descent, and to this marriage the Angels from heauen sung an hymne of a new note, & the iust soules in Limbo did leape for new ioy; and both were rauish­ed into admiration, seeing him that is called the Sonne of the Highest, vouchsafe to be the sonne of his owne creature, bowing himselfe downe to our littlenes, to lift vs vp to his greatnes. O soueraigne bounty what may I do to acknowledg this benefit?The prayer. what may I say to prayse it worthily? what may I alone render in recompence, where all men and Angels to­gether cannot yield one worthy thankesgiuing? what can I say stutting & stammering, when as the tongues of all the Angels cannot reach to the hundreth part, either of the greatnes of thy charity, or of the height of thy humility, or of the purity of this match & mariage? O Virgin most pure, most wise, most humble, most fruitfull, most rich, most charitable, chosen for spouse, for daughter, for mother, chosen to bring forth to the Angels the honour of heauen, and to men the saluation of the world, and to the whole Church of God the peace, kingdome & the glory of God: help thy poore Pilgrime with thy fauour and credit, obtayne for me light to vnderstand this immortall gift of God made man; obtayne for me vertues proper to thāke him withall, a charity celestiall to loue him, a strong memory to hold him alwayes in my hart. Let me neuer depart from this place, from this chamber, from this heauenly Temple, from this earthly heauen, without this fauour worthy of thy Sonne, and thee.

Hauing ended his meditation he shall prepare himselfe to receaue at his best commodity. At midnight he shal resume the same meditation, or some pointes thereof.

The After-dinner, and Euening of the seauen and twentith Day. Of the goodnes of God, in the mystery of his Incarnation. CHAP. XXVI.

IN the euening the Pilgrime hauing done his accustomed deuotions shal particularly meditate the greatnes of God in [Page 219] the mystery he hath considered, still more and more to per­ceiue therein an euident demonstration of his infinit goodnes,The In­carnatiō, a cleere testimo­ny of in­finit boū ­ty. wisedome, and power.

First he shall see, that this Incarnation is a cleere testimony of the infinit goodnes of God, in that he would be made man, and ioyne himselfe with so strait a band to our humane na­ture, and to lift vp our pouerty with the wings of his maiesty, to make himselfe man, to make man God (as S. Augustine saith) moued only with loue and charity toward his creature,De catech. rudibus c. 3. hauing no need, nor profit thereby, seeing he could as a soueraigne God with absolut power loose man from his misery, & restore him to his first estate, without these costes and charges, and without this coniunction, specially being already his enemies not only by the fault of their first Father, but by those they committed since. In hauing made the world, and presented it to man, he gaue all his goods; but in making himselfe man, he gaue himselfe, and hath communicated himselfe to him in the largest measure of his soueraigne bounty. The nature of bounty and goodnes (saith one Saint) is to impart the good it hath, and thereupon as all creatures are good in their nature,Dyon. de dium. no­minibus c. 1. so are they communicable; the sunne yieldeth without spa­ring, his light and influences; the fire his heat; the water his moisture, the earth her plantes; and beastes and other partes of the whole world do contribute to the entertainement & plea­sure of man, all that they can by this law of bounty:S. Tho. 3. p. q. 1. ar. 1. & man in what measure he is well borne and morally good, is also more liberall of his goodes. God then the chiefe and soueraigne goodnes hath communicated himselfe to man in a soueraigne sort, making himselfe man, and vniting in one person, our humanity with his diuinity: the vnion could not be more straite and noble, and therefore let the deuoute soule euen drowne her selfe in the consideration of this supreme liberali­ty, let her admire, adore, and drowne her selfe in a profound humility, seeing heere God made Man for sinnefull man, and to haue exalted this nature, fallen euen to the very center of the Earth, vnto a degree of honour higher then euer she could haue hoped, though she had neuer sinned.

Of the VVisedome of God, in the same Mystery. CHAP. XXVII.

SECONDLY, he must consider, how in this Mystery God hath shewed his infinit wisedome, hauing found so fit and conuenient a meane for the reparation of man,A most euident testimo­ny of wisedom in the in­carnatiō. to instruct him, to plant in his soule the seed of all the most noble ver­tues, by a way most plaine, short, and effectuall; for making himselfe man, & conuersing f [...]miliarly with men, he taught them by word of mouth the heauenly mysteries, & traced out the way of happines with the admirable examples of his own vertues. Hitherto he had taught by his creatures, by his ser­uants, by the bookes of his Prophetes; but being made man, he did speake in person, as S. Paul to the Hebrewes deduceth, he became his owne interpreter,Hebr. 1. he read the booke of his own knowledge, and expounded himselfe, and was the liuing glasse, practise, and proofe of the Text, which he had dicta­ted:Eccl. 52. Behould I that did speake am present, sayth he by his Prophet. He spake hitherto not being seene, behind the curtayne of his creatures, & within the cloudes of obscure and darke prophe­cies, and as being absent, by Prophets, as Embassadours. But making himselfe man, he is become visible, he hath presen­ted himselfe, he hath spoken, and with his owne mouth, & his owne workes hath taught vs our lesson from heauen. Whereupon S. Augustine sayth:Lib. 11. de Cunt. Dei c. 2. That man might boldly walk towardes truth, Truth it selfe the Sonne of God is made man, and hath layd the foundation of our Fayth. By the same les­son he hath planted hope in our hart also, for hauing 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. iu­d [...]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 [Page 221] 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 In­carnatiō. 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 [Page 222] 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 [Page 223] 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 cō ­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 is of another ranke; for being exalted aboue the highest, she humbleth her selfe to the lowest, waxeth light with her load, and insteed of rest vndertaketh a troublesome iourney to the Mountaines of Iudea. O wayes honourable with the steppes of such a Creature, carrying in her bow­ells the Creatour! O happy Hills that were troden with the heauenly feet of the Blessed Virgin, and Mother of the most high, neuer did you beare so precious a burden, ne­neuer did you performe a more honourable seruice! O my soule, see and contemplate here, behould this fruitfull Virgin, [Page 224] this daughter of Sion, this Mother of God, to fly with ioy, ca­ryed by him whome her selfe doth carry: behould her rysing as a faire morning, vpon the top of those beautiful mountaines ascending those hilly places like the Sunne rysing from vnder his Horizon: behould the beauty of her face and soule surpas­sing the most glistering starres, the modesty of her pace & go­ing, the fire of her charity, the greatnes of her diuine fortitude and courage.

The salu­tation of S. Eliza­beth.The second point shall be taken from the salutation of the Virgin, and the effect thereof. It is sayd that the Virgin ente­ring into the house of Zachary, saluted S. Elizabeth: And it hap­pened, when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the Infant exul­ted in her wombe: And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, and cryed out with a great voice, and sayd: Blessed art thou amongst wo­men, and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe: And how commeth this to me, that the Mother of my Lord should come vnto me? For behould, as the voice of thy salutation was made in my eares, the Infant in my wō ­be exulted with ioy: And blessed art thou which hast belieued; because those thinges shall be performed which haue beene spoken to thee by our Lord. In these wordes he must marke the meruailous vertue and force of the salutation of the B. Virgin, hauing so happily strucken the child and the Mother, that they were both san­ctifyed and filled with the Holy Ghost, & enabled to effects exceeding the common course of nature. The child receaued sense and vse of reason beyond his age, and leaped at the voice of the Mother of our Lord, honouring the sayd Lord by that his motion.

Elizabeth did pro­phesy of thinges past, pre­sent, and to come.The Mother was made a Prophetesse, knowing by reue­lation, what had passed, when she knew things secret, to wit, that the B. Virgin had belieued; knowing also the present, as that she was happy and blessed aboue all women, that she was great with a blessed fruit, with the Sonne of God our Lord: She knew also what was to come, foretelling that those things that were tolde her, should be accomplished. Wherupon the Pilgrime shall consider how much the Sonne of God hath ho­noured his mother in making her so soone the instrument of the Holy Ghost, and his cooperatresse to so high effects, & in what credit she must needes be now in heauen for the saluatiō [Page 225] of men, hauing been enriched since with a thousand merits and prerogatiues, and reigning with her Sonne, heaped with eternal glory, aboue all Angels and men. And if her simple voice and salutation that did passe, brought the Holy Ghost vnto the soules of men; of what efficacy shall be her firme and constant prayer, to obtayne vs the heauenly graces of the same Spirit to our saluation?

O B. Virgin, make this heauenly voice of thine soūd vnto thy Pilgrime! this voice so pleasing, so powerfull! this voice whereof the Spouse speaketh saying, Cant. 2.Cant. 2. Let thy voice sound in my eares, for it doth reioyce me. Make it be heard O virgin and therewith obtayne me necessary help, happily to accom­plish the course of my mortall Pilgrimage.

The third point of the Meditation. Of the Canticle of the B. Virgin. Magnificat. CHAP. XXX.

THE third point shall meditate the meaning of that nota­ble Cāticle which our B. Lady vttered after S. Elizabeth had spoken. Then saith the Gospell Mary sayd:Luc. 1. 1. My soule doth magnify our Lord. 2. And my spirit hath exulted in God my Sauiour. 3. Because he hath respected the humility of his hād-mayd: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed &c. The B. Virgin hauing heard so many blessings, and praises for those graces she had receiued, and knowing that forgetfullnes,Ingrari­tude ry­seth of Pride. & ingratitude are two branches of pride very displeasing to Almighty God, she tooke occasion to yield thankes vnto her benefactour, & to reioyce in him, and sayd in hart and mouth: I acknowledge my Lord, my soule doth magnify and extoll him as authour of all the good you haue praised, and prophesied in me. O my deare Cousin, I praise him from the bottome of my hart and with all my soule, and glory in his graces and bountifull libe­rality, not in myne owne merit: It is he that hath cast his eyes vpon my litlenes, and hath exalted me; It is his bounty and blessing that is the soueraigne cause, that all the nations of the world that shall liue vnder the scepter of his Sonne, shall call that Mother happy that did beare him.

[Page 226] Luc. 1.49.4. For he hath done great things vnto me who is mighty; & holy is his Name. A great thing it is, that a Virgin should vow virgi­nity among the Hebrewes; a great thing it is, that remayning a Virgin she should conceiue without man; a great thing it is, that she should be the most fruitfull Mother that euer was, ha­uing borne but one child; great things and vnheard of, that the seruant should bring forth her maister; the daughter her father; the morning the sunne; weaknes power; the Crea­ture her Creatour. These are the great things and the won­ders that are wrought in me his little Creature, for the which my soule doth now magnify, and exalt his holy Name.

Luc. 50.5. And his mercy is from generation to generation, to those that feare him. For the mercy of our Lord is allwayes and shall be for euer,Psal. 102.17. but to them that liue in the feare of his lawes. It was shewed to our first Father Adam promising him a Redeemer, to Abel, Noe, Abraham, & to all our forefathers, assisting them with gifts and graces, and strengthening them in the hope of this Redeemer; and will shew it selfe now more then euer, sending according to his promise, the same Redeemer, not an Angel, or only man; but his owne Sonne, God made man, to repaire the ruines of men by his owne bloud, & to exalt their condition aboue the Angells.

Psalm. 71 28.135.4.6. He hath wrought wonders with his arme, and hath scattered the proud in the mind of their hart. It is he onely, that is omnipo­tent, and mightily worketh these meruailes, and all others. It is he, that hath drawne this great All, from nothing, who hath created these lightes & heauenly pallaces, these 4. partes of the whole world, the fier, aire, water, and all that is made of thē: it is he, that hath powred downe these deluges of wa­ter and fire vpon the impiety and fifth of the world; that hath beaten downe the Tyrants of Egipt, made wayes for his people through the waues of the sea, opened the bosome of the wa­ter & the earth, to swallow down armed pride, or the proud army; who sent his Sonne to tye an euerlasting knot of amity and friend ship with men, to make himselfe litle & humble, & in his litlenes and humility to confound the counsell and ar­rogancy of the proud, and to ouerthrow the power of hell, and the world.

[Page 227]7. He hath put the mighty from their seate, & hath exalted litle me [...]. So is he King of Kings; it is he that placeth and displaceth according to his pleasure; he maketh the little great, and the great litle; he changeth times and ages, translateth kingdomes,Dan. 2. Ec. l. 10. Iob. 11. and establisheth them, he giueth the scepter of one people to another, because of iniustice and iniuries; he shall vnlose the girdles of Kings, and gird their loynes with a rope; he taketh the needy from the dust, and the poore from out of the smoke to make him sit in the company of Princes, and inherit a seat of glory.

8. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and hath sent the rich away empty. This is the worke of the mercy and iustice of God, to relieue the necessity of the needy, and to leaue empty the pride of those who do sumptuously solace themselues in the abundance of their riches.

9. He hath receaued his Child Israel, remembring his mercy. He seemed to haue forgotten, but he sheweth well the contrary; for as the father taketh his child in his armes, so hath he shado­wed vnder the protection of his wings poore Israell afflicted vnder the Tyranny of a Paynim, & poore mankynd which was to be his people, oppressed vnder the tyrāny of the Diuel & cometh now in person true King and true Redeemer of Ie­wes and Gentills to help both; to winne the Roman Ruler & make him one people with the Iew his vassall, and ioyne all in a sweet liberty and obedience of one law, of one faith, of one King, and herein he sheweth, that he hath remembred the old promises of his mercy, and that he meant to performe what he had spoken.Gen. 13.3 15.3.17.19.18.9. & 21.

10. As he did speake to Abraham, and to his seed for euer. For this is the holy Patriarch Father of the Iewes, and head of all the children of God, to whome he first promised expressly, that in his seed all nations of the world should be blessed,Gen. 26 4 and after to Isaac, Iacob, Dauid, and others who followed after; and this blessing should last as long as the world and the effects thereof vnto all eternity. This is the song and sense of this Canticle.Gen. 28.14.

O diuine finger of the praises of thy Sonne! Gabriel, Eliza­beth, the Angells, and men sing thy honour,Psal. 131.11. and thou singest the glory, power, bounty, mercy, and iustice of him that made [Page 228] thee worthy to be praised and exalted by men and Angels: & in what measure they cast their eyes vpon thy greatnes, the more thou humblest thy selfe,The ten Verses of the Mag­nificat, is the B. V. Harpe with ten stringes. and dost oppose thy humility to the greatnes of God. Dauid thy great Grand-father was a mer­uailous singer out of the great workes of the Creatour; thou art not inferiour to him in any thing, and thy Harpe often stringes, reacheth as neere to the throne of Maiesty, as his, & soundeth as loud as his, for euer in the sanctuary of the church of God. Learne heere, O Christian soules, to humble your selues, when you are magnifyed; and when any prayse doth sound in your eares, be you stirred vp to prayse him, whose guifts haue made you prayse-worthy. Teach me, O B. Vir­gin, teach thy Pilgrime the manner to sing after thee, the meruailous workes of the Creatour, teach me to acknowledg his good deedes, and my miseries, to extol him in his power, & to despise my selfe in my basenes, that my soule may mag­nify him, that my spirit may reioyce in him, that my tongue and hart may sing to him thankesgiuing for euer and euer. Amen.

After this meditation he shall heare masse, and the diuine Office, and then go to his dinner.

The After-dinner, and Euening of the eight and twentith Day. VVhat the B. Virgin did in the house of S. Elizabeth. CHAP. XXXI.

THIS After dinner the Pilgrime shall employ himselfe in his wonted exercises according to the time, in reading, conference, hearing the Sermon and Euensong; and occu­pying himselfe in such & like exercises, towards the euening he may make some short meditation, taking for his subiect the rest of the history, discoursing in his thoughts vpon those good workes, which the B. Virgin did in the house of her Cousin S. Elizabeth, during the three moneths she stayed there. For, now he shall see her praying in her Oratory, then lifting vp her hart to God, then humbling her selfe to his maiesty the [Page 229] more she did see & discerne it; sometime sighing for mankynd, whose Redeemer she carried in her bowells; at other tymes heare her discourse with her Cousin of heauenly things, of the greatnes of God, of his goodnes, of his prouidence, of his wonderfull workes, and other points of deuotion, which she had touched in her Canticle. He shall behold her also in her lesse businesses working with her needle, and employing her selfe with all humility and charity, in the meane seruices of the house for the solace and help of her Cousin Elizabeth. Two great La­dyes big with two great Saints. Finally lodging in this house, by contemplation he shall set before his eyes, these two admirable Ladies, the one great with a Saint that neuer had greater before him, the other great with San­ctity it selfe. A heauenly Guest of S. Elizabeth with whome she lodged, and an heauenly hostesse of God whome she lodged in her wombe! both mother and Virgin, rauishing with ad­miration both heauen and earth, with the most excellent be­auty of her vertues. And hauing at her returne accompanied her from the house of S. Elizabeth to Nazareth, he shall end the euening with thankes-giuing, & shal go to his lodging, there to end the day, and take his rest and resection.

The nine and twentith Day, and the eight of his Aboad. The Meditation for midnight, of the Natiuity of our Sauiour. CHAP. XXXII.

THE nine and twentith Day shall contayne 3. medita­tions at 3. times: at midnight of the Natiuity of our Sa­uiour, in the morning of the Circumcision, and at night of the adoration of the three Kings.

For preparation to the first, after hauing demanded the assistance of God, he shall first seeke and follow in spirit the way which the B. Virgin with Ioseph had held frō Nazareth to Bethleem, whither they of the house of Iuda came then as to their chiefe Citty, to giue vp their names to the enrolment which was made there and els where ouer all the world, by the appointement of Augustus Caesar, who commanded to be [Page 230] 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. [Page 231] 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. Circū ­stance 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 [Page 232] 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 this stable, & in this equipage of pouerty, he bruized the vanity, folly, and vaine delights of the world and flesh: he crushed them in his cradle with the weapons of his profound and vnheard of humility; not only in that he was made man, and clothed with the infirmity of our condition,The vi­ctory of the child Iesus. but also he would be the least and lowest a­mongst men: he would be borne not in a princely pallace in a soft bed royally arrayed, not in a house of his owne, nor yet in [Page 233] an Inne as some others did, to wit the poorest sort, but in a cribbe and stall for beastes, and that borrowed. This battaile is glorious, and which mortall men could neuer hitherto gaine to their race and nature, and so much the more glorious, as it was more quickly vndertaken and wonne by a child. The ancient Authors boast of their Heroes, for that in their cradle they strangled materiall serpents,Hercules. but though it were true and not feyned, it is nothing in respect of this childes exploit, ma­king proofe of his prowes & valour against the strongest ene­my of man, before he could speake: & this is that the Prophet song as a miracle neuer heard of: Call the name of this Child, Isa. 8. [...]. Make hast to spoile, make hast to pillage, for before the Child can call Father or mother, he shall carie away the spoile, and strength of Damascus; no­ting the age, the quicknes, the force and glory of this Conque­rour, and of the conquest wōne, & the goodly spoile of soules drawne out of the handes of Satan. O glorious fighter! O litle Child! O great God! welcome art thou into thine, and our world; thine because thou hast made it by thy almighty word, ours, because of thy infinit bounty thou hast bestowed it vpon vs! But how art thou heere entertayned, O King of Kings? where is the trayne of thy Court? Where are thy Princes and lordes, thy Gentlemen, pages & gromes of thy chamber? where is thy guard and all thy roiall furniture? O sweet Infant, the traine of thy Court is aboue, heauen is thy lowest Tower, the Angells are thy Princes, thy guard is thy selfe, who guardest all things, thy seruitours and pages are the starres, and all the creatures of the whole world. O Caesar, if thou knewest the King who is now borne in thy Empyre, if thou knewest whome thou inrollest in the Record of thy Registers, thou wouldst come in person, poore vassal, to present thy self at his feet to do him homage, and adore his cradle at Bethleem, whose maiesty the Angells admire and adore in heauen, and wouldst request him to make thee be enrolled in his great booke of life! O heauenly Angells, it is iust & wisely done,The An­gels s [...]g at this natiuity. to sing this night, and honour with your holy quires, & sweet melody of your heauenly musike, the natiuity of this King, to shew the shepheardes, to teach vs & them how we should receaue him, this is your office and duty; for you haue long serued him, and [Page 234] know the fashions of the ciuility of his Court; we poore mortal men ill taught and rude, cannot worthily performe this duty: but only thou, O Virgin-Queene, who hast learned this man­ner in the house of God,Hester. and as a heauenly Hester art prepared with attire and iewels, chosen out of the treasury and cabinet of the Father of thy sonne King of Kings, thou mayst cōfident­ly present thy selfe to see him, to receaue and handle him. But O heauenly Mother, how didst thou receaue & vse him, how didst thou entertayne this Sonne, this God, this Child giuen vs, this King of heauen and earth? In what spirituall cloathes didst thou wrappe him with what embracings didst thou che­rish him? With what deuotion didst thou adore him? What were the eleuations of thy mynd, hauing before thyne eyes thi [...] pretious gage issued out of thine owne bowells, come into the world a little Child, a great God, visible, palpable, the glory of heauen, the saluatiō of the earth, the hope of mākind, the ioy of men, and Angells? What a spectacle was this vnto thyne eyes beholding this diuine Sunne? What admiration to thy soule contemplating this obiect of infinit beauty? What extasies of loue imbracing this incomprehensible beauty? O little God, O Almighty child, grant me leaue by that infinit loue which made thee man to draw vs vnto thee, to come neere thee with my senses, to behold thee with myne eyes, to heare thee moane my miseries, to touch those heauenly hands, to kisse those sacred feet, to adore that litle humble humanity married vnto thy greatnes, to offer my soule and body to thy maiesty, & say a thousand times on thy birth day, Viuat Rex, & viuat Rex Regum in aternum: To him be all honour for euer, Amen. So he shall passe the houre of midnight, taking the rest of the night for his repose, or he may employe the whole night in meditating the song of the Angells, and the visite of the shepheards, who being warned, came to adore our Saui­our borne in Bethleem.

The Morning Meditation. Of the Circumcision of our Sauiour, and of the Name of Iesus. CHAP. XXXIV.

IN the morning the Pilgrime shal take for subiect of his me­ditations the Circumcision of the Sonne of God, made ac­cording [Page 235] to the Law, eight dayes after he was borne,Our Saui­our circū ­cised on the first day of the yeare cō ­secrated to Ianus. the first day of the yeare, and of guiftes, according to the ancient cu­stome of the Romans, and consecrated to Ianus their two faced God, with one face beholding the yeare past, with the other the new yeare to come.

The first and fundamentall point of this Meditation shall be to consider the institution of this Ceremony, the deuout soule calling to remembrance the commandment of God made to Abraham, to circumcise,Gen. 17. and in that place to cut his owne flesh, his sonne Ismaell, and all his hosue-hold, and to cause it from thenceforth to be kept, as a law to all his posterity,S. Thom. 1. 2 q. 102 p. 3. q. 68. as a token of the eternal Couenant betwixt God and them; to be also some remedy against originall sinne, and a profession of their fayth towardes the true God. Wherupon the Iewes kept it exactly euer after, causing their male children to be circū ­cised the eight day after their birth, and then giuing them their name, as we do now in Baptisme, whereof Circumcision was a figure: and as now he that wanteth Baptisme, is not recko­ned among the children of God, but is excluded from all right and hope of heauen, and hath neither name, nor honour in his houshould; so then were those who were vncircumcised.Gen. 1 [...].14. Heere therefore he must meditate, how Iesus Christ the true child of Abraham, according to the flesh, & by whome the race of Abraham, Why Christ would be circumci­sed. and all nations of the world were to receaue be­nediction and peace of God, would be 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 [Page 236] 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 becōming 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 coūterpoison 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 pen­nāce, & 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 mē surnamed by their actions. and were called by them; as Ioseph the Patriarch, Sauiour of the world, because by his prouidēce he had preuēted 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. 4 [...] 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 [Page 237] 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. [...]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: Za [...]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 mou [...]h of God, which is Wisedome it selfe?To impo­se names i [...] the worke of a wise mā 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 [Page 238] 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 ordered; that this Name may be a defence to vs against our enemies, a solace of our sorrowes in this mortall pilgrimage, the oyle and remedy of our woundes, and in the end, our life and saluation.

The Pilgrime hauing thus prayed, shall heare Masse at his tyme, & shall finish his accustomed deuotions of the morning.

The After-dinner and Euening of the nine and twentith Day. A Meditation, Of the Adoration of the three Kinges. CHAP. XXXV.

IN the euening after Euensong, the Pilgrime after the two precedent mysteries shall, meditate of the Adoration of the Kings, those notable & first Pilgrimes of the Paynims, come out of the East, by the inspiration of God to adore the King of the Iewes, at the place where they should find him borne; of whose birth they had a reuelation in their Cōntry without knowing in particuler where it should happen.

For ground of this meditation, he shall consider, how these [Page 239] Magi were men skillfull and learned in humane,The lear­ned amōg the Persi­ans were called Ma­gi. and diuine things, whether they were of Persia, or Arabia, or of any other country of the East, where they called such people Magi, as many Writers tell vs. And though these were men curious, yet no coniurers, according to S. Agustine. They were also Kings, as the preparations and presents they brought did de­clare; for meane personages had no meanes to come so farre, to offer gold, incense, and myrrh, and therefore also they were Magi; Tert. l [...]. Iud. Plin. l. 30. c. 1. & [...] l. 1. de [...]. for the Roialty could not there be without this Ma­gia in the East, & none might be Kings but Magi, and learned folkes, as amongst other authors one of our Doctours do note. And they are by the Euangelist rather called Magi, then Kings; for before God the name of Sage is more honorable then the name of King. This ground being layd, the first point of the meditation shall be to contemplate these holy Kings cōming out of the East, into strange coūtry, moued heerunto first by the inspiration of God, as Abraham left his coūtry to come into Canaan; secondly by the Prophesies, as well of Balaam their Ancestor who prophesied of a starre that should arise out of Iacob, as of the Sybills, who had most playnly written,Num. 24. that there must be borne a King of the Iewes,Ci ero 2. [...]uin. Sueton. in O [...]tau. c. 94. & in Vespas. who should rule all the world. It was also about that tyme a common bruit o­uer all the East, as profane Authors themselues doe testifie, Cicero, Suetonius, and others.

Thirdly, they were moued, and forcibly driuen to vnder­take this voiage by the visiō of the extraordinary starre which did appeare to them in the East, whereof they had heard the foresayd Prophesy of Balaam, & had long expected, accor­ding to our Doctors, as a signe of this King borne. They came then to Hierusalem, as to the chiefe and Metropolitane Citty of Iudea, there to learne this newes:Num. 24. they aske for him that is borne King of the Iewes. The earthly King entred into a rage and fury, enquireth also with them,Chrysos. & Hier. in Matth. not to adore with them, but to kill him if he could; he assembleth the Doctours, he demandeth of them who should answer the truth; he did all prudently, sauing what was the princi­pall, for he enquireth exactly after the truth, but will not imbrace the truth. They al tell, that this King must be borne [Page 240] at Bethleem, he exorteth them to go, and to aduertise him when they had found him, & he feygned that he would be good, to destroy goodnes it selfe. They goe on, and are guided by the new Starre, which had brought them from the East, which lead them euen to the house where the King they sought was: they find him, they prostrate themselues before him, they adore him: they behould a little Child, they belieue a great King, a small port and a great Maiesty, a mortall infant & an immor­tall God, and by their presents of Gold, Incense, and Myrrh, they do homage as to a King, adore him as God, and confesse him to be Man. And in this comming and adoration was ac­complished what Isay prophesied:Isa. 60. Arise Hierusalem, and be thou enlightned; for thy light is come, & the glory of thy Lord hath appeared vpon thee; and the Gentils shall walke in thy light, and Kings in the brightnes of thy birth. Psalm. 71. And King Dauid: The Kings of Tharsis and the Ilands shall offer guifts; the Kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring their presents; he shal liue, and the Gold of Arabia shall be brought vn­to him.

Then O Christians soule, instructed in the house of God, adore this King, seeing these poore Paynims, cōming out of the darkenes of their Paganisme,Vide S. Chrys. hom 14. in 1. Cor. 10. are come to adore: worship him after so many wonders wrought, seeing they did adore him being a child: adore him, prostrating thy selfe before him, and offering thy selfe as they did, and after offer thy presents; for first he regardeth the hart, and then thy guifts: so he cast his eye vpon Abell, Gen. 4.4. and after vpon his Sacrifice; adore him with fit and conuenient presents, with the Gold of Charity, with In­cense of deuotion, with Myrrhe of Purity; offer him thyne vnderstanding, thy will, and thy memory, thy spirit hum­bled, thy will ordered, thy flesh mortified, to confesse, loue, and serue him as thy true God, and true Redeemer.

The second point of the Meditation. A demonstration of the Power of Iesus, in the adoration of the Kings. CHAP. XXXVI.

THE second point shall be to consider how the Sonne of God did heerin an act of an Almighty King, although [Page 241] he appeared low and humble. The Kings of the earth when they are crowned, and take possession of their kingdomes, are visited by diuers Embassadours, and honoured by forren Prin­ces: Here our Sauiour entring into possession of his spirituall kingdome, is not only honoured by Embassadours, but ado­red by the Kings thēselues comming vnto him in person.Meruai­lous con­iūctions. Of which worke the contemplatiue soule shall take occasion to consider, the meruailous conioyning of things most different, which our Sauiour made in all the parts of his life. And euen as he had maried into one person two naturs infinitly distant, the natures of God and man, to be a mediator, God and man, betwixt God & mē: so hath he alwayes ioyned diuine actiōs to humane, and testified the truth of these two natures, by the diuersity and encounters of workes directly opposite. In his Incarnation, it was an act of great humility, & abasement that God was made man, yet was it a most high worke, that this man was borne without man, by the power of the Holy Ghost, of a Virgin. In his Natiuity, was seene the Son of God borne in a stable, hauing lesse then the least among men, but the same is song by the Angels, and adored aboue by the immortall spirits; he cometh weake out of the wombe of his Mother, yet mightily he preserueth the virginity of his Mother; he is swadled in poore cloathes, but is enlightned with the splendour of heauen. In his Circumcision, he was reckoned among sinners,Phil. 1. but he took a Name aboue al names whereat euery knee should bow in heauen, earth, and vnder the earth. In this apparition and visitation of the Sages, he seemed obscure, and a poore man among men, but he is ho­noured by the Starres, and adored by the Kinges. And so in all the rest of his life, and especially in his Death, wherin we may see a wonderfull weauing togeather in one webbe, of thinges contrary and opposite, which encounter in this Tra­gedy. The Sonne of God is nayled to a tree as feeble & faulty, and yet as soueraigne he giueth letters of grace, and as an Al­mighty God, of a great thiefe & malefactor, he maketh a great and holy Confessour; he endureth the torments of temporall death, and promiseth the Paradise of eternall life; men blas­pheme him on earth, and the starres do moane him in heauen. [Page 242] The Iewes more hard then stones, haue no compassion of his anguishes, but the Rockes rent, the Graues opened, the Sun darkened to mourne for his death. Of al these encounters the deuout soule shall learne the wisedome and power of this. Lord, hauing giuen vs so goodly instructions, to teach vs to admire, loue, and serue him.

The third parte of the Meditation. Of the Returne of the three Kinges. CHAP. XXXVII.

The pro­uidence of God towards the Iust. Psalm. 33.16.THE third point shal containe the Meditation of the Re­turne of the three Kinges, who being from heauen ad­uertised in their sleep not to returne by Herod, tooke another way towardes their country. In this aduertisement we must acknowledge and confesse the prouidence of God, watching in the protection of them that serue him with a royal mind, to deliuer them from danger, and conduct them to a sure hauen, notwithstanding all the stormes and contrary windes of this boysterous world, and her worldlings. By the same consi­deration is discouered the folly of the Tyrant Herod, who thought by his craft and subtilty to deceaue not only men,1. Cor. 3.19. but God also, and to catch him in the snares of his cruelty: but the soueraigne wisedome deluded his folly, and calling vnto him in spite of this worldly & bloudy King, these stranger-Kings to take honour and homage of them, signifieth vnto vs that happy prey of soules,The Ma­gi the first fruites of our faith. S. Leoser. 2. de Ep. which in the sight of Sathan, signifyed by Herod, he did carry with him in the person of these conuer­ted Kings, as the first fruits of our fayth, & Christian calling, gathered out of the haruest of the Gentils. And this is that, which God before by his Prophet sayd of his Sonne newly borne: Call his name, Hasten to spoile; for before the Child can call Father or Mother, the strength of Damascus shall be taken away, & the spoile of Samaria, Isa. 8.3. in presence of the King of the Assyrians. This is Iesus, who not tarying as other men do, for age fit to fight, hath being but a child gotten the victory, & this noble spoile, and subdued vnto him the force of Damascus and Samaria, tho strength of Idolatry, and the errours of the Pagan world, and [Page 243] this in the sight of the King of Assyria, Sathan, the king of this world; and vpon this consideration the good Pilgrime may say as followeth, speaking to himselfe, and to his God.

What sayst thou heere my soule? And where shall thy eyes rest in the variety of so many wonders?To his soule. Wilt thou con­sider the greatnes, or the littlenes of this Child? Eyther of thē exceed the conceites of man? Wilt thou behould the Maiesty, the modesty, the ioy of this heauenly Mother holding in her armes this litle-great King, whilest the other Kinges did ho­nour and adore with their deuotion and guifts? Thyne eyes are dazelled in the light of this Maiesty, and cleane lost in the depth of this humility. Contemplate the deuotion, the piety, the submission, the bounty of these thinges. Thou art not ca­pable to conceaue this; do better then, and confesse thyne in­capacity in all; adore this King as well in his littlenes as in his greatnes; admire the vertues of his Mother, imitate the humi­lity, and deuotion of these Kinges, and say with an humble and feruent hart, O my King and Sauiour, gouerne me,To God. saue me, be my guide in my pilgrimage, my confort in afflictions, my strength in temptations; giue me of thy Gold, Incense, and Myrrh, of thy bounty, of thy diuinity, of thy humanity, to make vnto thee a pleasant offering of my presents, and to returne by thy direction, and vnder thy protection, to myne owne country, whence my Father and all his posterity were banished. With these three Meditations he shall end this day.

The thirtith day, and the ninth, and last of his Aboad. A Meditation of the Presentation of IESVS in the Temple. CHAP. XXXVIII.

IN this last day of our Pilgrimes aboad, he shall prepare himselfe to confesse and receaue, happily to end and con­clude his nyne dayes of stay there, & to depart the next mor­ning, with the greater light and courage, being purged of his sinnes, and armed with this pretious food and Viaticum.

His meditation shall be of the Purification of the Blessed [Page 244] Virgin, and of the oblation she made of her deere child in the Temple, fourty dayes after that he was borne.

The Law of Purifi­cation. Leuit. 1 [...]. Luc. 2.At midnight he may briefly remēber the history of this old Ceremony of the [...]ews, which giueth the groūd to this Chri­stian solemnity, and to his meditation. The history is, that it was cōmanded by an expresse law, that the woman who was brought to bed, should be vncleane a weeke, if she brought forth a sonne, and two if a daughter, and should remaine sometyme in her house,The Sa­crifice for Purifica­tion. Leuit. 12. Luc. 2. before she came into the Temple, not touching any thing that was holy, to wit, fourty dayes for a sonne, & fourscore for a daughter; which dayes being expired she came to the Temple to offer her fruit, with a Lambe of one yeare old, or a Pigeon, or Turtle, which were sacrificed, the Lambe as an holocaust for thankes-giuing; the Pigeon, or Turtle for expiation of sinne. If the Mother could not haue a Lambe, either for the tyme of the yeare, or by reason of her pouerty,The males consecra­ted to God. she offered two Pigeōs or Turtles to the same effect. Moreouer the Male first-borne, by right of being the eldest was consecrated to God, and pertained vnto him to serue in his house: but because God had chosen all the Tribe of Leui for the seruice of his Altars, he permitted them of other Tri­bes to redeeme their first-borne, with fiue sicles of siluere and so to be deliuered of that obligation. The B. Virgin then fol­lowing the law came from Nazareth to Hierusalem (where was the only and the famous Temple of the Iewes) the four­tith day after the birth of her eldest Sonne, with a payre of Pi­geons. This is the history, whereon the Pilgrime shall dis­course in his spirit, and contemplate this heauenly Virgin cōming with the blessed fruit of her wombe, first to offer him to his Father, & to exercise her humility, submitting her selfe to the law of Purification, though neither the one nor the o­ther had any need thereof; and that the soueraigne Sauiour. Prince of the law, was aboue the law, and the Blessed Vir­gin was exempted, for not hauing conceaued so as she could become vncleane like other women, for whom this Law was made. And thus hauing made his midnight prayer, he may rest vntill the morning.

Ceremonies and feastes instituted for men to acknowledge Originall sinne, the root of all the misery of mankind. CHAP. XXXIX.

IN the morning he shall continue his meditation vpon the same mystery in three pointes.The cau­se of this ceremo­ny.

The first point shall be to consider, that the principall cause of this ceremony, was to make man vnderstand, and ac­knowledge his impute and vncleane generation, by reason of that infernall staine of originall sinne, wherwith all the chil­dren of Adam, borne by the ordinary course are infected. This is the confession which Dauid made, when bewailing in his owne person the misery of all mortall men, he sayd:Psalm. 50 Behould I am conceaued in iniquity, and my Mother hath conceaued me in sinne. And because this knowledge was necessary to men for to hū ­ble them, and make them call for help, whereby they might be cleansed from this corruption, God did institute certaine Ceremonies, which containe a lesson of this learning and knowledge, as were the ceremonies and sacrifices of the law of Nature, which did sufficiently shew the beginning of man to haue beene infected,Circum­cision in the law of nature and the great need he had of the fa­uour of God to be cleansed. But aboue all was the Circumci­sion commanded to Abraham, which was done by cutting the most rebellious part of the body, the instrument of concu­piscence, of generation, and corruption. In the law of Moyses, ceremonies were so much more multiplyed,Purifica­tion in the law of Moy­ses. as men were more deeply drowned in darknes, and the ignorance of their owne misery, and had need of more light to discouer it. For there was not almost any man beside the Iewes, that had any newes or notice of originall sinne, nor of the remedy thereof. The Paynime Philosopers boasted of knowing all thinges,Most [...] ignorant of origi­nal sinne. but they could not discouer the ground and roote of all those errours, and disorders wherein they saw mankind wander, which though being a reasonable creature should of all others haue beene best ruled and ordered. But among all these Iudaicall ceremonies ordained in the law, to discouer this euill, this of the Purification of the woman deliuered,Leuit. 11. held the first place; for it did plainly and publikely declare the [Page 246] corruption of our generation, and the necessity of the expiatiō thereof.

The first point thē doth make vs see on the one side, the mi­sery of the corruption of men, which beginneth at their first being, & on the other side, the obedience of the Sonne of God and his Mother, obeying the law they were not bound vnto; their humility, placing themselues among sinners, and offe­ring sacrifices for sinne; although the one was cleanesse it selfe come for to cleanse vs, and the other all pure and free, not only from actuall sinne, but also by a singular prerogatiue preserued from the touch of Originall, common to all men, as is sayd before.

God will be known in his guiftsThe second point shall meditate the ceremony of the of­ferings and sacrifices, & shall shew him, how the Iustice of God requireth that with thankesgiuing, we offer vnto him the good we haue receaued of him, and namely that Fathers and Mothers should offer their children, which is the best fruit of mariage;Good workes are spiri­tual chil­dren. & that all Christians should offer their good actions, which are their spirituall children, ingendred and brought forth by the inspiration and grace of God: and this was the morall sense of this ceremony.

In particuler the deuout Pilgrime shall marke, that this day was presented to the soueraigne God,The no­blest offe­ring that ouer was presented in the Temple. the most noble and rich offering that euer was presented in the compasse of the Sanctuary, and that by the handes of the greatest Lady of the world. The offering was his owne deere sonne, a sacred and liuing oblation, infinit rich & noble. She that presented it was his glorious Mother, gloriously endowed, enriched and adorned with al the vertues that might exalt a creature aboue all other creatures, humane or Angelicall. Anna made an ho­norable present,1. Reg. 1.24. when she offered to the Temple her little child Samuel, who was to be a great seruāt of God, yet he was but a seruant, a creature, a vassall or subiect: Heere is offered the Maister, the Creatour, the King, the Sonne of the Father, God of God, Almighty of Almighty, not by an ordinary Vir­gin or Mother, but by a Virgin singular, and without exam­ple in her degree, and a mother most singular, the mother of God. The Prophet foretould this present, and this day, spea­king [Page 247] in the person of him that receaued it: Behould I send my Angell, who shall prepare the way before my face and straight: Mala [...]h 3. the Lord whome you seeke, and the Angell of the Testament whome you desire, shall come vnto his holy Temple.

The Father is he who speaketh; the first Angell is S. Iohn Baptist; the face of our Lord, is his Sonne Iesus Christ, the naturall and true Image of his Father; the Lord and the An­gell of the Testament, is the same Sonne, which is offered God and man, the Angell and mediatour of the Testament, and Couenant betweene God and man, offered this day as man, and adored as God; for otherwise the Scripture would not haue sayd, that he came into his Temple, seeing that no pure creature may haue a Temple, no more then an Altar or Sacrifice; this preeminence being proper to the supreme dei­ty. In respect of this offering the second Temple of the Iewes being lesser in all outward humane respects, was by another Prophet preferred, before that of Salomon, Agg. 2. being much more magnificall in gold, siluer, and fashion, this being magnificall by the Maiesty of our Sauiour, who was there offered in per­son.

The third point of the Meditation. Of the Canticle, Nunc dimittis. CHAP. XL.

THE third point shal meditate the Canticle of venerable old Simeon, a man iust and fearing God, who a few dayes before had reuelation from the Holy Ghost, that before his death he should see the Annointed of our Lord, that is, the Sauiour of the world, IESVS 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. [Page 248] 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 mē ­bers of the same Sauiour & his Church, by the Iewes and Paynims: neither was there euer Religion planted or main­tayned [Page 249] 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 [Page 250] 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 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 [Page 251] 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 Chri­stiā Prin­ces. who vnder the protection of thy prouidēce do cōmand 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 [Page 248] [...] [Page 249] [...] [Page 250] [...] [Page 251] [...] [Page 252] 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 Grād-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 friēds 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 heauē 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 t [...]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 thank [...] [Page 253] 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 one and thirtith day of the Pilgrime of Loreto, and the first of his Returne. CHAP. I.

LAZARVS a man much beloued of God, wise, and well versed in the learning of Saints, and ye [...] deuour to the glorious Mother of God, departed from his Coū ­trey in the yeare 1583. to goe see the world in Christian Pilgrimage, with a little brother of his called Pauline, about 18 yeares of age at his departure, him­selfe being 24. and a Cousin of theirs called Theodosius, of the same age, a yong man of rare vertue, and excellent conuersa­tion, with a faithfull and pietis seruant of their Fathers, some­what elder then they, who was called Vincent. They had al­ready spent togeather six yeares, in the most famous Pilgri­mages of Christendome, and els where, and alwayes with these exercises of deuotion, which we haue set downe be­fore [Page 255] in the direction of our Pilgrime, still continuing the same, though not without difficulty: but in the beginning of the seauenth yeare, by mischance Pauline was taken prisoner, and made slaue to the Barbarians in Alexandria: and [...]s Lazarus be­ing at Constantinople, was ready to send his ransome,Pauline made prisoner. which he had gotten by meanes of the French Embassadour, he vnder­stood that he was dead, which newes did meruailously afllict him; notwithstanding being a Gentleman of great courage & vertue, he bare it patiently, hoping that his death was happy, by reason of the piety and deuotion, which he had alwayes marked in that youth, specially towardes our B. Lady. The other three returned towards Frāce, & came the second time to Loreto, for they had beene there at the beginning, and still caried themselues, as Pilgrimes of Loreto; and did their deuo­tions there certaine dayes, not forgeting to pray for the soule of Pauline, where also Lazarus caused his funerall to be kept. So they parted full of spirituall ioy, frō that holy place, and came along vntil they were within few dayes iourny of their Fathers house, whē good Theodosius was lost frō his cōpany, no man knowing what was become of him, notwithstāding the enquiry that Lazarus had foure or fiue dayes together caused to be made after him. This losse did so much the more grieue him, the lesse it was looked for, and almost at their home, as it were a shipwracke in the mouth of the hauen. He offered some vows to God, & our B. Lady of Loreto for him, & with a pious resolution, continued his way, hauing now no com­panion but Vincent, and conceaued a great hope in God, by the Protection of the B. Virgin, that he would haue a speciall care of her Pilgrimes. Now he had changed his name which he had from his infancy, which was Aime-dieu, and called him­selfe Lazarus, because he desired not to be knowne, but by ti­tle of a poore and humble seruant of God, which he sought with a Christian magnanimity from his hart, and with all auersion and disdayne did eschew the vanity and glory of the world, as a plague of al noble actions. The first euening ther­fore of these Ten dayes that I write, being at an Hospitall by a forrest, before going to bed he tooke for subiect of his mor­ning meditation following. The flight of our Sauiour into [Page 562] Aegypt, and conferred with his companion Vincent, these three pointes following.

The points of the meditatiō fol­lowing.The first, how S. Ioseph a little after the Presentation of our Sauiour to the Temple, was aduertised in his sleep by an Angel from God, to take the child & his mother, & to fly into Aegypt, by reason of the persecution of Herod at hand, who al­ready contriued his death.

The second, the B. Virgins abode in Egypt with her Sonne Iesus.

The third, the returne of our Sauiour to Iury, and his retyring to Nazareth.

Meditations vpon the flight of our Sauiour into Aegypt, togeather with his glorious Mother and Ioseph. CHAP. II.

EARLY in the morning an houre before going abroad, Lazarus and Vincent entred into the meditation of these points a part by themselues. Lazarus spake thus to God, and to his soule: My Lord and faithfull guide, direct (if it please thee) my affections and actions to thy honour, and glory, & to the profit of thy poore seruant. I behold thy deare Sonne, made a litle Infant and feeble for me, to fly the persecution of of Herod, vniust vsurper of the Scepter of the Hebrewes, thy children, and thy kingdome, and to be caried into Egypt in the armes of his diuine mother, as the Sunne in the heauē: I desire to see the course of this mystery, and to profit thereby (accom­plish my desire, seeing thou hast giuen it me) and to haue my vnderstanding enlightned with the beames of thy grace, well to meditate, & my Wil heated with the fire of thy loue, strait­ly to imbrace vertue, and to walke constantly in the wayes of thy commandements. I consider here (O my soule) the faythfull and sweet Prouidence of this heauenly Father, ad­uertising Ioseph by his Angel to fly, and to withdraw his Sōne from the cruelty of the Tyrant; for though he were sent, and came to dye, yet not in that age, nor in that sort, but in the flowre of his age, and by the death of the Crosse would he ac­complish our Redemption, and bestow on vs in the meane tyme, the benefit and vse of his life, to instruct vs by the ex­ample [Page 257] of his heauenly vertues and wonderfull workes, & by the doctrine of his holy preachings, to shew in his life and death, the signes of his infinite loue, with most manifest and cleere proofes. If he had beene put to death in his cradle, men had wanted all those euident testimonies of his Charity, so many motiues to belieue in him, and to receaue him for the promised Messias. This little child then persecuted so soone by the Princes of the world, visible and inuisible, taketh his way to Aegypt, and as weake giueth place to the Tyranny, which he could as well haue repressed by resistance, as auoid by fly­ing: But he would doe, what himselfe had before taught his seruants, and would by his example, shew his disciples what they should do in like case. So Iacob left the house of his Father to auoyd the fury of Esau; Moyses left the Court of Pharao to es­cape his hands; so little Iosias, 4. Reg. 2. the lawfull successour of the Crowne, was hidden from the massacre, which cruell Athalia made of the Princes of the bloud.

I see heere, that holy Ioseph obeyeth simply without excu­sing or asking why he,The obe­dience of Ioseph. whome he heard to be come to saue the world, would not rather saue himselfe staying in Iudaea, then by flying into Aegypt. It is inough to obey the voice of him, that commandeth, without searching the secret or reason of the commandement; teaching the true seruāts of God to obey their Superiours, without pleading or resistance. He arose in the night, tooke the child with diligence, tooke the Mother, and went towardes Aegypt, by the same desart whereby the Hebrewes passed to Iudaea. This tender Virgin bare her little child in her bosome, and closed in her armes whome the ca­pacity of the heauens could not comprehend; she feareth his danger, and relyeth in his prouidence, willingly endureth the horrour of the desart, and the wearisomnes of the way, and gathereth of her paines, the ioyes of iust soules, in the loue of him, who came into the desart of the world to suffer. O how gracious a spectacle to heauen is this little company! O desart more happy in these three Hebrew Pilgrimes, then in that infinite multitude that passed before. A desart sanctifyed by these heauenly trauaillers, signed and consecrated one day af­ter to be the repaire of sanctity, the earthly Paradise of deuo­tion, [Page 258] to thousands of Religious soules, who shal there sing the prayses of their Redeemer.The de­sart of E­gypt in­habited by Reli­gious. A desart more plentifull then all the orchards of Eden; then all the Gardens of Aegypt, yea then earthly Paradise it selfe; for although thy trees be barren, thou bearest notwithstanding at this tyme the fruit of life, the mo­ther of life, and the faithfull spouse of life. O Lazarus behould this pretty Pilgrime, behould this trauailer, and his faithfull Spouse, doe them some seruice in the way, giue them some fruit, some ease, or refreshment from thy hands, request of the B. Virgin that little load she carryeth in her armes, and take him into thyne to ease her: but alas, thou art not worthy, & although thou wert, yet she would not leaue him. This bur­den though it be more weighty thē the whole world, is light vnto her, yea giueth her vigour and strength to go the better. If she will not gratify thee in this, take boughes, and shadow this little God, who heeretefore shadowed his children in a cloud from the scorching Sunne, and enlightened them with a Pillar of fire in the shadowes of night;Psalm. 77.14. and if thou canst do them no other seruice, kisse humbly their shadow, kisse the steps of their feet, and haue compassion of the payns of this child, and confesse thy sinnes to be the cause.

He entred into Aegypt, according to the prophesy which he gaue many ages before: Behould, God shall ascend vpon a little cloud, Isa. 19.1. and enter into Aegypt, and the Idols of Aegypt shall be troubled at his face. This Cloud, is the precious humanity of the Sonne of God, in the which he is carryed: It may be also the glori­ous Virgin compared to a cloud, because she is heauenly and diuine, like the humanity of her Sonne, without any burden of sinne, hauing brought forth her Sonne, as the cloud doth the rayne without corruption, and carryeth him in Aegypt, & els where, as the cloud carryeth the rayne within her bosome. O celestiall cloud! O heauenly rayne! O diuine child! O di­uine Mother! He entreth into Aegypt, whence his Father cal­led him, as he foretould by his Prophet: I haue called my Sonne out of Aegypt. He had called before the Hebrewes his adoptiue sonnes,Ose. 11. and people out of Aegypt, he calleth now his naturall Sonne, borne of his owne substance, but in another manner. Then he called the Hebrews to recall them from a cruell sla­uery [Page 259] & bondage, & to make them enter into Iudaea: now cō ­trarywise he calleth this his Sonne from Iudaea to Aegypt, to en­ter there, and deliuer the Aegyptian himselfe from a more cruell seruitude, to crush their Idols, and breake the kingdom of Pharao, who oppressed them vnder his tyranny, with thou­sandes of horrible superstitions.

Arise then, O Aegypt, receaue with a good entertainement this little Sonne, & haue no feare of the plagues,Exod. 6. & 7. &c. wherewith the malice of thy Ancestours hath heretofore been pl [...]ged by him; he cōmeth to sanctify thee, & to saue thee; he is a great God, but is become a little child, affable, & of easy accesse, a King full of sweetnes and mercy: receaue him then, receaue with good cheere these three Pilgrims, the most noble that e­uer marched vpon thy groūd. The Sages of Greece, the Platoes, Philoso­phers haue visi­ted E­gypt. the Aristotles, the Gallants of the world, the Great Alexanders, braue Caesars, that haue heeretofore visited thee, were nothing but poore wretched slaues of Ambition, hauing their soules bound with chaines of iron, howsoeuer they seemed gold, & glittered only in the outward of worldly vanity; these heer doe passe the greatnes, the brightnes of the glory of a thou­sand worlds. This footman who is called Ioseph, bringeth one who is a Virgin and a Mother, the greatest Lady of the whole world, admired of the Starres and Angells, and shall one day be the admiration and refuge of al mortall men. And this mo­ther bringeth thee a Sonne, who is the Maiesty of the heauēs, the King of Angells, the Sonne of a Father, all mighty, all wise, all good, himselfe as wise, as good, and as old as his Fa­ther, in euery thing equall to his Father, Creatour of the hea­uens with th [...] Father, Gouernour of the whole world with the Father, and sent by his Father from heauen to redeeme vs here in earth. Receaue him then as a Pilgrime, seeing Herod chaceth him out of his Countrey, and whilest this Tyrant em­brueth Iudaea with the bloud of the litle Innocēts, make much of this little Innocent, father of them all, & rewarder of their life lost for him; make much of his Mother, and of his foster-father. O my sweet Iesus, & did it please thee so soone to be chaced out of thy Country, and to be a Pilgrime and banished mā, to bring me vnto my heauenly coūtry, whence my grād­father [Page 260] Adam hath so long been excluded? Wouldst thou suffer euen in thy cradle, what my sins deserued, and what shall I ēdure for thee in my Pilgrimage? O mother, who hast carryed this prety Pilgrim in a strange coūtry, who hast suffered with him, nursed & weaned him, who can conceaue the care, the Charity, the zeale, the diligence, & the seruices thou didst ē ­ploy in these seauē years thou wert in Aegypt, faithfully to nou­rish & bring vp this litle God, cloathed in the sackcloth of our mortality? The goodly example thou gauest of all vertues to that people, blacker in their superstitiō then in their cōplexi­on? O B. Virgin, that after thy exāple I might serue my God, not now like a Pilgrime, suffering in Aegypt, but as a Conque­rour triūphing in heauen! It is I, that am in Aegypt, this valley of affliction, where I haue need of his visit, and help, and of thyne! O fauourable Virgin, help thy Pilgrimes and deuotes

The seauen yeares of this Pilgrimage being expired, He­rod in Iudaea being dead, and the Lyon of Aegypt being buried, the Angell of God aduertiseth Ioseph in his sleep to returne in­to Palestine;The re­turne of Iesus to Palestine and because Archelaus the sonne of Herod, succes­sour both of his crowne and cruelty, reigned in Iudaea, he rety­red himselfe from Galiley vnto the Citty of Nazareth, where the little child, Father of all ages, seauen years old in his hu­manity, was brought vp by his Mother and foster-Father not manifesting himselfe by the markes of his greatnes, to any but to his glorious Mother, whose soule he enlightned at euery moment with the brightnes of his Deity: to men he shewed himselfe as a little child, and as such was subiect to this Father and Mother being adored of them both. He was Cittizen of Nazareth, as before Pilgrime of Aegypt, and ruling in the hea­uens, he suffered vpon the earth, and being greater then the heauen, was inclosed in the walles of a little Cottage. O Na­zareth, O happy citty of such a Cittizen, happy house of such a Guest, happy chamber of such an Inhabitant! how often hast thou beene honoured with the steps of this heauēly child walking vpon thy ground? how often sanctified by the pray­ers, the sighes, the talkes, and desires of this little Sauiour, preparing himselfe betymes with the sweat of his face to our redēption, for the which he descended from the bosome of his [Page 261] heauenly Father; and sanctifyed also with the charitable of­fices of his heauenly Mother? O my soule, canst thou expresse it, canst thou comprehend it? It is easier to honour them in si­lence, and to beg of the mother, and the Sonne grace to fol­low and imitate them.

I aske it of thee, O my Redeemer, withall my power, grant it me if it please thee for thy goodnes. I aske it of thee, O holy Mother, obtaine for me, for thou canst do it. Let the memory of this mansion, and of this Chamber (which by thy grace I haue visited) be vnto me a continuall spurre, to stirre me to the loue of him, who hath passed his youth in humility and voluntary pouerty for me.

1. The fountaine of Bees. 2. The dinner and meetinges. 3. Presages of eloquence, and the nature of Bees obserued fifty yeares by Aristo­machus. 4. The wonders of our Sauiour going into Aegypt. 5. The tree Persis adoreth him. 6. The Idols of Aegypt ouer­throwne. CHAP. III.

THVS prayed Lazarus in the morning according to the light God had imparted to him, Vincent for his part, ha­uing made the same meditation, and recommending them­selues to the protection of the B. Virgin, and their good An­gell, they began their iourney, saying their Itinerarum, and their other accustomed prayers. And they walked thus ioyful­ly vntill about noone, ouer the wild plaines, and barren, but only of briers, and broomes, wherof they saw good store in the bare Champion, without meeting either man or beast; and they felt themselues now well wearyed & tyred, as wel for hauing eaten little that morning, as for the excessiue heat of the Sunne. At last looking heere and there about them, & searching some place to refresh themselues in, they spyed on their right hand certaine willowes, behind a little hille, and hoping there to find some water, they went straight thither, and they found in the midest of these thicke, & shadowy trees a fountaine cleere as Chrystall, which bubling out plentifully made a litle brooke full of cressits, which was a signe that the water was good. It was some what deep, the bankes being high, and couered partly with mosse, and partly with herbes [Page 262] and floures of that season, for it was the moneth of May. Then sayd Vincent, Our way agreeth not ill with the matter of our meditation; for this morning we passed in spirit, through the desart of Arabia, desiring to suffer somewhat to the imitation of litle Iesus, and his good Mother, who suffered there diuers incommodities, we haue also passed this with some paine. It is true, replied Lazarus, we haue suffered but little, and good Iesus and his Mother had quickly compassion of vs, hauing at a pinch prouided vs of a resting place,The Pil­grimes dinner. so fit for our dinner and refreshing: and so they stucke their staues in the ground, and set them downe to take their repast. They had in their sackes two or three manchets, & a peece of cheese, with a few aples, and a little wine in their botles, and as they sett forth their prouision vpon their greene napery, they perceaued a farre off one wandering, hither and thither, seeking as they throught either his way, or some fountaine; they had compassion of him and thought it a worke of charity to set him in his way, or to make him partaker of their good fortune, therefore they hung their dinner vpon the bough of the neerest willow, least some wormes, or venemous beast might touch it vpon the ground, and ranne speedily where they had espied him. But they were amazed so soone to haue lost the sight of the man, and could not conceiue that he should so quickly be walked out of their view, in so large and open a champion; and they did not perceiue, that as soone as he saw them, taking them for theeues, he hid himselfe in a ditch behinde a little bush, through which he saw them not being seene, and beheld them running from one part to another, being sore afraid to be foūd and spoild of that little siluer he had, which he caried to buy stuffe for his shop, for he was a merchant. So they returned softly vnto their fountaine againe, persuading themselues that this fellow made such hast, thinking they were theeues, or els that it was some spirit, which they iudged more likly, because he vanished sodenly. Being returned to the willowes, they go for their dinner, and behold they found a swarme of bees lighted vpon one of their loaues, and had all couered it with their hony dew. Oh (saith Vincent) our Lord would sweetē our bread and our trauell: we must hope so (quoth Lazarus) [Page 263] for this little people is commonly a presage of good lucke and benediction. So it is sayd,S. Am­brose. that a like swarme did sit on the mouth of Saint Ambrose, being a little child, in his cradle; and the like is sayd to haue happened to Plato, Plato. in signe they should be such as they proued, Oratours endewed with a hea­uenly & honylike eloquence, the one amongst the Paynims, the other more happily in the chaire of truth in the Church of God: so they tooke the other two loaues and the rest for their dinner, leauing the third to the Bees not to scarre them so soone. But holding their bread in their hands they perceiued in the bodies of diuerse trees, certaine hides, out of one of the which this swarme came; they went to visit it, & tooke out two or three combes of hony for their dinner; when they had said grace and began to fall to their meat, these little crea­tures came flying and buzzing about them; some lighted vpō their bread, some vpon the grasse, kissing and pinching with their little mouth the flowres wherewith the beauty of the fountaine was diapred, and sucked out the liquour to make their hony: diuers drunke of the riuer, stryking at the little greene froggs, who lay like spies to entrappe them:Frogges [...] enemies to Bees. they came often about them without doing them any harme, but onely serued them for a sweete recreation. Vincent seeing their so great familiarity, began to say smyling; If we were thought theeues by the Pilgrime who became so quickly inuisible, be­hold now we are acquited of suspicion of this crime,Bees hate theeues. Plin. l. 21. cap. 16. by this familiar & friendly approach of these bees, for many say, that they haue theeues in horrour: Yea, but what will they say, (quoth Lazarus) when they fynd that we robbed them of their hony? This is not robbery, sayth Vincent, but a present of hos­pitality, which they offered vs, when they came swarming vpon our bread. Lazarus had more list to meditate then to eate, and the teares fell of from his eyes in eating. Vincent not knowing if it were of griefe, for the losse of Theodosius, asked him if he had any new cause of sorrow that procured those teares. No rather (saith Lazarus) it is a new ioy, in cōsidering the greatnes of God in these little creatures. For who would not be rauished with so many wonders heaped togeather, in these litle bodyes, & to see al the partes of a perfect Monarchy [Page 264] painted out in the policy of this prety people?Proper­ties of the Bees. Plin. l. 11. cap. 16. In behoulding them, they make me remember their King, their Magistrats, their distribution of offices, their obedience to their Superi­ours, their industry in framing their houses, in dressing their Loure, and the palace of their Prince, in making their hony, and hunting after flowres from morning vntill night, and la­bouring without ceasing; of their iustice in punishing their Drones, who steale their hony, and liue idly, and in pricking to labour those that are slouthfull among them; of their piety in burying their dead; of their affection in courting their King when he goeth abroad to the fieldes; and of the wisedome of their King, in encouraging them to their labour by his pre­sence; of his beauty, bearing a starre in his forhead as a crown or diademe; of his mildnes, hauing no sting, or at least not v­sing it, armed only with his Maiesty. Of their fidelity towards him, accompanying him in peace and warre, and exposing themselues couragiously to death for his safety and seruice; of their wisedome in keeping their prouision, and the publike treasure of their hyues, in giuing the signe to go forth in the morning to forrage,The ene­mies of the Bees. Plin. l. 11 cap. 17. to eate after their trauell, to sound the retraite for their rest, and for keeping of silence, in setting their guard at their gates, and to stop the entry to Spiders, hornets, frogges, swallowes, lizarts, and other capitall ene­myes of their estate, and Common-wealth.

Who will not, I say, be rauished to see in these smal crea­tures so admirable vertues,Aristo­machus obserued Bees 50. yeares. which Aristomachus a Cittizen of Soli, a Towne in the Iland of Cyprus, and Philuscus Tatien, and a certaine Gentleman of Rome did obserue, and many more which they marked not, although the first employed fifty whole yeares, to make his obseruations, and the second al his life,Philuscus al his life. Plin. l. 11. cap. 16. and the third made Hyues of horne, such as lanterns are made of, very transparent, to see and obserue at his pleasure and leasure their pretty order and gouernement. And to go no further for a subiect of admiration, behould the art of this combe, do you see the meruailous framing of their houses & celles?The art of the Combs. How properly and distinctly they are couched euery one with six corners of an admirable measure and proportion, the one to conserue the Hony, the other for lodging to couer [Page 265] the little wormes or seed that come of their waxe, & to draw them forth for the multiplication of their race? Was there o­uer an Architect or Builder, that could so wisely deuise, and build as these little creatures, so much the more admirable in that they do their worke within their hyues, in the darke, without confusion, and without all trouble, or instruments, sauing only their little feet and mouthes? And if the world heeretofore wondred, as at a great peece of worke, at the Bee of Myrmecides, that couered with her narrow winges,Plin. l. 6. c. 21. a Ship garnished with the sailes, and all her furniture and tackling; how shall we be astonished, if we be wise obseruers of the workes of God, to see inclosed within these little bodies, the resemblance of all persons, vertues, charges, and offices of a kingdome most politikly gouerned? Vincent was rauished with this discourse, and left eating, & Lazarus went forward saying:Their Chastity. And that which we should specially prayse and loue in the Bees, is, that they be Virgins, and Mothers both, for they haue their litle ones without ingendring, or corporall coniunction, bearing heerein a shadow of the B. Virgin her prerogatiue, whome we serue; and of the Church of Ie [...]us Christ, who bring forth their children without pollution. Their worke is also blessed, for their hony serueth both for meate, and for medicine, and rheit waxe is emploied for the most part to holy vses, seruing for light, to the Temples and Altars. They haue some resemblance also of a Religious life; for they haue nothing proper, they liue in common,They liue in com­mon. they strictly keep silence, and the rules of their gouernement and policy, and doing what God hath taught them, they sing also after their fashion; so that you see in this society, pouer­ty, chastity, and obedience, and the obseruance of a house of God. And haue not I then (friend Vincent) occasion to shed teares, not of water but of hony, if I had them, sufficiently to thanke the wisedome of this great God, who hath made these little creatures so prudent and so profitable; and his goodnes, who hath brought them forth for me? Haue I not occasion also to shed more bitter teares of pennance, in that I haue not employed my tyme with like feruour in doing good works, & keeping the laws of Christ, as this little world, to do their [Page 266] worke, and keep their lawes? And I am vnthankefull to my Creatour, for the good he hath done me, and namely at this tyme, giuing me not only rest and refection of my body in the way, but also a spirituall dinner in consideration of his crea­ture. But it is tyme to go forward, let vs say grace, and de­part hence. Vincent would gladly haue heard Lazarus still, so great delight he tooke in his discourse, and could not forbeare to say vnto him: I know not, if I may belieue the hony Com­be you haue eaten, hath honyed your tongue, and made it sweet, so hath your discourse flowed more sweet then hony into myne eares, and if you will yet be longer, I will not thinke it so.Ioan. 12.35. Let vs walke (sayth Lazarus) whilst it is day; it is the part of wise Pilgrimes, not to loose a minute of tyme, when they may go forward, and to rest in their Inne, not in their way.

They arose and sayd grace, and as they went to take their loafe,A battel of Bees. behould a Tragical spectacle presented vnto thē: there were two great armies of these little creatures hanging in the ayre, and ranged in battell aray, and ready to encounter. The swarme had left the loafe all mullied with hony, and made an host, and a swarme new come made another. Either of thē had their King, flying in the midst of his troupes, beautifull, shyning, bigger by halfe then any of his souldiers, and with his buzing exhorted them grauely, to shew themselues vali­ant in this present necessity. There were of either side sundry squadrons of diuers fashions, some round, some square, some triangular, some of the forme Croissant, all armed with the same armes, which was a coate of scales, & of equall courage, all Lanciers mounted vpon their winges. The signe being giuen by a confuse buzing of both sides, the shocke began, squadron against squadron, assaulting some tyme on the front sometyme on the flancke, sometyme defending, sometyme assaulting with such a furious encounter and slaughter, that a man might see in the ayre, as it were a haile of fire, or bullets of hargebushes,The way to depart & apease them. one flying against the other, & falling thicke and threefold to the ground; and had not Lazarus parted thē of purpose with a little honyed water, which he quickly made in his dish, these two people had beene vtterly ouer­throwne, [Page 267] so enraged were they the one against the other. Vincent was not well pleased heerwith being sory to see his good Hostesses (of whome he had receaued so good a refectiō both of body and spirit) to kill one another, and to ouer­throw their estate by this ciuill warre. And Lazarus conside­ring their great courage; I meruaile not, sayth he, if heereto­fore the Cittizens of Alba Gracia did help themselues with the succour of these Bees,Bonfin. l. 4. de 4. filling the campe of Amurath the King of the Turkes who assieged them, with hyues of Bees, giuing to their enemy an extreme trouble by the stings and buzings of those little creatures.

This peace being made they continued their way all the rest after dinner very ioyfully, with many good spirituall dis­courses, namely vpon the subiect of their morning meditati­on. Vincent recited the comfort he had in meditating the way of little Iesus in the desert of Arabia; for he seemed to see him carryed, sometyme in the armes of his glorious Mother, and sometyme in the armes of good Ioseph; then fastened to the tet of the Virgin sucking her milke, and taking refreshmēt, then laughing sometyme on the one, sometyme on the other, with a countenance full of grace and maiesty, giuing them by his diuine lookes strength and courage to sustaine the trauaile of their Pilgrimage; and himselfe, he sayd, was fortifyed vnto his iourney, by the meditation of this history, and he asked Lazarus, Angells accōpa­nied our Sauiour into E­gypt. if he thought not that Angells did often present thē ­selues to doe some seruice to their Lord, and his Mother? I doubt not (answered Lazarus) but as the Angell aduertised Ioseph to vndertake this iourney, so he did accompany them in the same; and as these heauenly spirits had visibly announ­ced his Conception, and honoured his Natiuity, that they did also conuey him through the desart in visible forme: and that the Scripture hath made no mention thereof, it is, because it could not be doubtful to those that could well coniecture it; and if it hath passed in silence thousands of miracls which our Sauiour wroughr in his life, as S. Iohn doth signify, those that were written sufficing to plant the fayth of his diuinity,Ioan. 21.25. is it meruaile that there is no mention made of diuers things hap­pened in this iourney, and in all the tyme our Sauiour abode [Page 268] in Aegypt? And therefore I belieue, that not only the Angells did assist them trauelling in the desart, and remayning in Ae­gypt, but also the Birdes and wild Beastes too, yea the very Trees and plants, driuen with a certaine extraordinary and supernaturall instinct, did acknowledge and adore in some sort their Creatour, and gaue some signe of ioy to see that di­uine company, walking vpon the ground, where they did grow.

The tree Persis.You know, that the Fayth of the Primitiue Church hath left vs from hand to hand what happened neere to Hermopolis, a Citty of Thebais, neere to which a Tree called Persis, a­dored by the poore superstitious people, by reasō of the huge greatnes, and the inchantments the Diuell there wrought, did all shake, and bow downe his highest branches, euen to the ground,S [...]zomen. l. 5. c. 20. at the cōming of our Sauiour into the Towne, as adoring him, and giuing testimony, that the Diuell who reigned there before, was driuen away, and receaued the be­nediction of his Creatour,Niceph. l. 10. c. 31. for that afterward, not only the fruit was more pleasant then before, but also cured & healed many incurable diseases, as also the leaues and barke did the like. The same tradition obserued by our Doctours doth teach vs,Isa. 19.1. that the Idols did fall to the ground at the presence of our Sauiour entring into this towne, which was the nursery of Idolatry, a signe that our Sauiour should destroy it throgh­out all the whole world, as heere he had battered it in her root and spring. And therefore Athanasius the Great magni­fied this exploit of little Iesus, and sayd: VVho among all the Iust, or Kinges made the Idols of Aegypt to fall by their coming? Athan. lib. de Intarn. Verbi. Abraham came thither, Moyses was borne there, and yet their errours remayned alwayes, and euery where; neither had ceased, had not the Sauiour of all come thither in his flesh, and beene carryed theron, as on a cloud, & descended to root them out. And Origen expounding the words which the Angel sayd to Ioseph (Fly into Aegypt &c.): Orig. hom. 3. It is to the end (quoth he) the workes of the handes of the Aegyptians, and their false Gods and Idols should be ouerthrowne, the Diuells terrifyed, and the machines of the Kings destroyed, in destruction of their Idols; and that by the coming of our Sauiour should be wrought the ruine of these fugitiue slaues, the wicked spirits. Thus Origen.

The arriuall 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 Capuchines, 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. CHAP. IIII.

COntinuing their discourse and way in this manner,The arri­ual of the Pilgrimes at the countrey House. they came in the euening to a prety Farm-house, about which fed certaine heards of Cattell and sheep pertaining to a good old man very rich, and withall very deuout to the B. Virgin, and very charitable to Pilgrimes. This good man was at that time in a chamber ouer his gate, which looked towards the way, as soone as he discouered these to be Pilgrimes by their staues, he came presently himselfe to meet them, and prayed them very hartily, like another good old Abraham, Abrahā inuited passēgers Gen. 13.1 to come lodge with him, alledging that it was late, and that there was no conuenient lodging to be had, neerer then three leagues, to which they could not reach, without walking long in the night, and exposing themselues to the mercy of the beasts, & theeues. The Pilgrimes stood meruailing at this honest and harty summon, & coniecturing that they should be happy in the company of such an host, they suffered themselues to be persuaded, and went with him. Entring into his house, they perceaued in the countenance of all the domesticalls, a cer­tayne ioy that they had of their comming. The host made them a signe to prepare some fruits, and taking the Pilgrimes by the hand: I know (saith he) that you would salute litle Iesus and his Mother, and brought them to a little Chappell looking towardes the East, built at the end of a basse-court, with an Aultar in it to say Masse very well adorned, and di­uers pictures of deuotion hanging vpon the walles. After they had prayed a while, Lazarus and Vincent set themselues to behold the Tables, and desired to vnderstand them; but their host told them, they must first drinke a draught of wine to refresh their wearynes, and brought them to a hall hard by, where euery one bestirred himselfe to set somewhat on the [Page 270] table; one bread, another curdes, another fresh cheese, and other raw Artichokes, & like fruite of the season. They drūke once, and eat a few cheries. The host seeing they would eate nothing els, I see well (quoth he) that you haue need of rest, and would haue brought them to a chamber to repose them­selues, whilst supper was making ready. The repose (sayth Lazarus) shal be it it please you to see your pictures. Wel, quoth the most, but with that condition, that we may sit; and so they returned to the Chappell.Diuers Pictures. They sate downe all three, hauing before them the pictures. In the first, set vpon the Altar on good dayes, was the house of Loreto, carried by the Angells from Nazareth to Sclauonia: The house of Loreto the picture was very pleasant, and the inuention good, the colours liuely, and the lines cleane &c. And the parts of the pictures composed with a proportiō very well measured, the Angells were hanging in the ayre in so many diuersities of placings, of wings, armes, legs, and all the parts of the body, as there were persons, with their sha­dowes so artificiall, that they raised, and represented so liuely their members and actions, as they seemed to be Images embossed, and to moue vpon the table. But aboue the rest was pleasant to behold the little Iesus, and his holy Mother, who held him fast in her hart-hand, that is, in the left, & imbraced him with the right. The beholding of him did breed in the soule a certaine inward ioy; and indeed Lazarus and Vincent could not be satisfied with the sight. On the right hand of this Table,The pi­cture of the Purification. was the Virgin presenting her Sonne into the Tēple, and ouer against it, that of his flight into Aegipt, where the painter had not forgot to place the Angells that accompanied our Sauiour in the desart, & the citty of Hermopolis in Thebau, and the great Tree Persis, who bowed downe his branches as this child passed by,Of the [...]light of our Saui­our into Egypt. and the Diuels who left their lodging & forsooke the tree, flying in the ayre, as scared crowes. Vincent looking vpon Lazarus: Loe (saith he) heere is our Mattins: Why? saith their Host? Lazarus taking the answer, he mea­neth (saith he) that the subiect whereof we did speake this morning, is here now represented vnto vs.

Tursel lib. 5. cap. 10.There were two other Tables by these, very marke­able; In the one was paynted a great Ship loden with mer­chandise [Page 271] and men, sayling within a thicke foggy mist, yet in some part cleere, and that so artificially, that the behoulders might discerne ouer against them, some of the men hol­ding vp their handes to heauen, calling vpon the help of the B. Virgin of Loreto, whose Image they had with them. They were in great danger, as appeared by the picture, for the painter had set round about this shippe certaine loistes of Pirats, who going about her this way, and that way, as it were groping and at aduenture, pursued this shippe at euery turne from sterne & soredecke, from prow to poope, chased & amazed like houndes, hauing lost the sight & sent of the beast. But the neerer they laboured to approach, the further they were off. It was easy to know the three first pictures, but con­cerning the fourth, Lazarus asked his Host, if it were not the shipe of the Ragusians, which returning frō Constantinople was miraculously deliuered from an euident danger of Pirats,Tu sel. lib. 5. cap. 10. by the help of the B. Virgin, to whome they had promised by vow a siluer Chalice for the Altar of her Sonne? It is the same saith his Host, and assure your selfe you saw the same picture at Loreto, whither within a while after these Merchants came to fullfill their vow, and to render thankes to God, and their good Aduocate.

But can you gesse what is contained in these two other;Two Ca­puchins deliuered frō ship­wracke, 1553. in one wherof you see hard by a ship, two Capucines plūged in the sea to their wast, hauing then hands ioyned; and in the other, these good countrymen with three companions stāding vpon the ridge of this silly houell, built of hurdles and straw, which the streame swelling with an excessiue [...]ayne, and ouerflowing al the chāpaine, pulled from his place, & caryed a great way in the waues? See you how they cry to God, and the B. Virgin, and finally how by their sauour, their lodge was fastened to a great tree, on the which they mounted to saue themselues, whilst that the rage of the waters ceased, & that they might walke by land, the riuer being retired into his channell?

Of the first, saith Lazarus, we haue heard before, they were two good Capucines, who returning Pilgrimes frō our Lady of Loreto in the yeare 1553. tooke shipping from the Marc of [Page 272] Ancona, to goe to Sclauonia; and the Merchants of the ship sal­ling in fury, by reason of the outragious tempest which had constrayned the maister and them to cast into the Sea, almost all their merchandize, to lighten and discharge the ship, and hauing nothing left against which they might discharge the rage of their despaire and fury, they cast also ouerbord these two poore Religious men, who they saw had nothing to loose but their life, being grieued that they had not lost some­thing as well as they. The poore Friers being left to the me [...] ­cy of the waues, had recourse to Iesus Christ, and his glori­ous Mother, whome they came to visit, & by their assistance escaped victorious the fury of the floting waues, and the rage of those mad Merchants, and carried by that Element that choketh others, they landed againe at the hauen of Ancona, and presently without shifting or drying their cloathes, they came all wet and mullied, to visit againe the holy Chapell, and before all thinges to render thankes to the Sonne, and the Mother of so notable a benefit.

Concerning the history of the other Table, I thinke it is that good Florentine Dominico de Castro, Tursel. l. 4. cap. 17. who had his house ioyning to the riuer of Elsa, and was surprised in the night, by the inundation of the sayd riuer, and was carryed downe the streame, almost two miles, with his sayd house flo­ting with him, and three of his companions also, and in the end were deliuered by the intercession of the sayd Virgin; & so we haue heard it told. The tale is very true, sayth their Host, as I haue alwayes vnderstood.

Lazarus would faine haue learned the history of the o­ther two Tables,Their supper. the Pictures whereof he admired without knowing the story, but their Host fearing to make them stay too long: Let vs leaue, sayth he, somewhat for afterward, in my opinion we were best now go to supper, the history may be told in Supper tyme, or after; so they returned to the Hall, where they found the Table couered with victualls. They washed their handes, sayd Grace, and sat them downe, euery one did his attendance, and the good old man was al­wayes calling vpon his guests to be of good cheere, with a sin­gular demonstration of harty good will; especially when he [Page 273] vnderstood they were French men, towardes whome he alwayes bare a particuler affection, and in signe of the greater friendship spake French with them. Whilst they supped di­uers discourses were proposed of matters, pious and pleasant both, such as talke at the Table should be. They talked of the Pilgrimages of the old Fathers in the law of nature, & of Christians now, of the piety of the ancient French men in that behalfe, of the misery and troubles of this present age, & of the prouidence of God therein towards his Church, what these Pilgrimes endured in their iournyes, and namely in the holy Land, by reason of theeues and robbers. And vpon this occasion their Host told them good tydings of their way, as long as they should trauaile in those parts, that a notable good Captaine with a certaine number of Hors-men did scoure the fields and the woods, by the Princes commandement, to chase away the robbers who infested the wayes, & had lately made an incursion, and lead away certaine Pilgrimes priso­ners fiue or six dayes since. At these wordes Lazarus fetched a deep sigh, for they went to his hart, doubting least Theodosius might fall into some mischance, and be perhaps one of those prisoners; for it was iust about that very time, that they lost him. The good old man marked how he became pensiue, & thinking it was vpon apprehension of these theeues and rob­bers, sayd vnto him: Feare you not, for the wayes are now cleare, and safer then they were any tyme these two yeares, and will be safer euery day, when these gallants, and good fellowes shal be catched, as no doubt but they wil be shortly. I hope (answered Lazarus) that though there should be dā ­ger, yet that God would assist vs, by the intercession of our good Aduocate, & giue vs grace either to auoyd all euil, or to profit by all that may befall vs by his permissiō. But I cannot choose to grieue at the absence of one of our Countreymen, a vertuous yong man, and faithfull companion of our pilgri­mage, who six dayes since strayed from vs, and we know not whether he be dead or aliue; and I feare much that he is fallen into the handes of some theeues, or which were more lamentable deuoured of some sauage beast; & the very point of my griefe is this, that I can neither help him, not heare [Page 274] any newes of him, since we first lost the sight of him, although we haue vsed all possible diligence; and we can now do no more, nor lesse, then to sigh & pray to God for him, wher­soeuer he be, and to hope in the prouidence of God, and in the help of this glorious Lady, to whome he was singularly deuoted: Behold the cause of my griefe, and my resolution. Your griefe (saith their Host) commeth of a singular loue & friendship, and your resolution is Christian. If I haue any experience of the particular assistance of God towards them, that serue him, with a true and loyall hart, and honour the Mother of his deare Sonne, I dare assure you, that you shall shortly see him safe and sound, and therefore be merry and make good cheere of this little we haue, and to which you are most hartily wellcome. Lazarus thanked him much, and found himselfe much comforted in this good old mans talke, taking it as a Prophesy, and shewed from thenceforth a more cheerefull countenance. When grace was sayd, he called im­mediatly for the narration of the miracles, attending to heare them for a sweet recreation after their supper. I remember (saith their host) I haue promised you to tel you two memo­rable histories, though I see you haue more need of rest then of talke; but I will not refuse what you request so courte­ously: heare then the first.

In the towne of Cabala neer to Gallipolis, a certaine Bur­gesse of note among the Catarians, Three sla­ues deli­uered. Tursel. lib. 4. cap. 1 [...]. called Michaell Boleta, had now remayned fiue yeares slaue among the Turkes, and not able any longer to endure so great affliction of body & spirit, tooke a secret resolution, with two of his companions of the same cōdition, to seeke some meanes to escape & be deliuered from their paine, and hauing long watched an occasion for this purpose, one day they found at the hauen, a barke fraighted, without maister or guard, they entred it, hoised vp the sailes, and hoping the wind would be for them, sailed into the full sea, as farre as they could with their oares. They had not gone farre, but their maister perceauing they had stayed longer, then they were wont, repayred to the port to heare newes of them, where at the same time, he found the maister of the barke, and both of them were informed, that [Page 275] three men had a little before taken the barke, as to go on fi­shing. Immediately they made out after them two Brigan­tines, furnished with men & weapons, who followed them so lustily with sailes and oares, that they discouered them three or fowre miles of; Michael and his mates discouered thē also, and saw them follow after them in all fury, comming within the very sight of their barke: there appeared no way to escape the handes of these Barbarians, nor the cruell tor­ments they were to endure, if they were taken. In the very point of the danger, they had recourse to the mother of him, who commandeth windes and waues, and they make a vow of Pilgrime go to our Lady of Loreto, euen when the Turkes were ready crying, to lay their hands vpon their barke. They had no sooner pronounced their vow, but streight behold a sodaine & furious tempest arose, which scattered the vessels, and separared them one farre from another, and so disordered the Pursuers, that they were forced to seeke rather some shore to saue themselues, then to take the ship they followed. These three that had thus fled, did see the other terribly tossed by the waues, caried sometimes hither and sometimes thither, sometimes aloft, sometimes below, whome they knew by their turbants, which made them be seene a farre of. Them­selues in the meane time held on their course, as in the calme Sea, driuen with a fauourable wynd, blowing in the poope, which did comfort them with a sweet admiration, seing in such contrariety of wether, of tempest, and of calme in the same time, & almost in the same place, that it was the stroke, not of the Sea, but of heauen, & an euident testimony of the fauour of God towards them. They sailed happily vntil they arriued at the port of Catara, & from thence went to Loreto, where cleansed from their sinnes by the Sacrament of Penāce and made partakers of the Table of our Sauiour, they rende­red immortal thankes to God, and the B. Virgin, by whose intercession they were deliuered from a double danger of bō ­dage, and of death.A French man of Prouence deliuered

The second history is of one of our Nation a French man of the Coūtry of Prouence, who hauing had newes of the death of his Father at Constantinople, whilst he followed the [Page 276] Embassador of France, being before Almener to the Duke of Mercury, returned in a common vessell; and as he came to the Ile of Zant, he saw himselfe enuironed with 4. Frigots of the Turkes, who approched swiftly vnto his shippe, & pre­pared themselues to the prey, both of men & merchandize, which they hoped to find. This good Gentleman seeing his danger so desperat, recommended himselfe hartily to our B. Lady of Loreto, as also did all his company: at the same instant almost, they found themselues brought vnto a hauen of Ca­labria, without knowing which way they came thither, nor yet what was become of the Pirats. They came immediatsly to Loreto to yield thankes to God and the glorious virgin, and told their good fortune to one, who told it me againe not long since. I doubt not but you haue heard of the first miracle, for it is one of the most ancient and recorded in the histories of Loreto, & perhaps also of the second; but you haue forced me to tell what you knew before, and brought me in danger to be importune, were it not that (as I persuade my selfe) you do willingly heare repeated the miracles which concerne the praise of our good Lady, not only without wearines, but also with delight. My good father (answered Lazarus) I learned alwayes, & haue now learned by this your narration, what I knew not; for of the later miracle I neuer heard before, & the other you haue represented with a greater Emphasis and force, then I had heard it hitherto. And I haue taken a singu­lar pleasure in your discourse, & do confesse by all these great miracles, more clearely then euer, that with good right and reason the Church calleth the B. Virgin, The Starre of the Sea; for by her intercession,The B.V. the starre of the Sea. as by the aspect of an heauenly starre, not only are defended those that saile the Seas, but are deli­uered also from many great dangers, which commonly the stars do not performe. The good old man, would willingly haue entertayned Lazarus longer, to heare him discourse, for he did perceiue vnder the habit of a Pilgrime, some thing ge­nerous & extraordinary in him, but thinking he was weary & that it was late, he durst not aske him any more demandes, and therefore hauing caused their collation to be brought, he conducted them both to a little chamber, where were [Page 277] prepared two beds, and a little Oratory to pray in: some of the houshold came to wash their feet, after the custome of Christian hostes, but Lazarus thanked them harrily, aledging for his excuse that it would m [...]ke their feet tender, & more easy to blister and take hurt, and so euery one retired them­selues. The host caused according to his custome the Letanies to be sayd to all his houshold; Lazarus said them with Vincent, which being done they cōferred togeather, about the subiect of their meditation for the morning following, which was of little Iesus, when his mother lost him, & found him againe in the Temple. The points were these.

• 1. The going of the B. Virgin, and holy Ioseph with little Iesus to the Temple.
• 2. The seeking & enquiry they made when he was lost.
• 3. How they found him in Hierusalem, and brought him to Nazareth.

These points being noted in their memory, either of them made their examen of conscience, & praiers for the Euening.The pra­ctise of the exa­men of confess [...]e

The examen of Lazarus was such, after he had sayd the Credo: My God enlightē my soule to see thy benefits: I thāke thee for the assistance I haue had of thy liberality, and speci­ally this day, by the meanes of this good housholder, thy ser­uant, who hath receaued vs into his house: Enlighten me al­so if it please thee, that I may see my faultes, and amend them by thy grace. I confesse O my soule, that in my morning me­ditation, I did not present my selfe before thy diuine Maiesty with that reuerēce I ought, nor made my prayer with due at­tention, and that by my only fault; for I did not well prepare my selfe according to the rules of deuotion, as neither to my examen in the morning, and after dinner. I haue wandered in my senses and thoughts, my phantasy hath often carryed me out of my selfe. I haue twice or thrice loosed the reines to my proper will, with some vaine delight & complacence, and to foolish impressions in my imagination, & opened my eyes to a carelesse and curious beholding of thy creatures, my eares to curiosity, and my tongue to many idle words. I confesse these sinnes, and belieue I haue committed many more which I know not: and who is he that knoweth his se­cret [Page 278] sinnes? I confesse them all, O Father of mercy, & hum­bly demand pardon of them, with a firme purpose to amend them, by the assistance of thy holy spirit. Giue it, if it please thee O Lord, to me, and to all of this house, and graunt that we may passe this night without offending thee, & without illusion of him, who day and night lyeth in watch to defile our body and spirit, and whilest our body sleepeth taking its rest,Cant. 5 2. that our ha [...]t may wake in the light of thy grace. Glori­ous Virgin assist vs, and thou my good Angell-keeper.

This was the tenour of his Examen, for the conclusion he sayd the Credo, the Pater noster, and Aue Mari [...], and cast himselfe vpon his bed in his cloathes, as his custome was. Vin­cent did the like, and being weary of their way, they fell a sleep straight. About midnight Lazarus had a dreame which frighted him; for hee seemed to see Theodosius his companion present himselfe before him,Lazarus his drea­me. all disfigured with a face pale & blacke, desiring him to call for the ayde and help of the B. Virgin for him; for that he was brought to a pittifull estate, and extreame danger, both of body and soule; he leaped off his bed, and asked Vincent, if any body had beene in their chamber? Vincent answered, that he thought no body, and knew well it was the violence of some vision, whereof he would question no further at that tyme, but wished him to go to bed againe, and not trouble himselfe with dreames, and that he himselfe had dreamed also he could not tell what, and so they slept againe▪ Lazarus sayd not one word more vnto him, but prayed God in his hart in this sort. O my sweet Iesus,Lazarus his pray­er. I haue been depriued of the company of my little Bro­ther, who I hope is now with thee: thou gauest me him as a faythfull companion of my Pilgrimage, him, whose image was presented vnto me this night; thou knowest if he be in that distresse my dreame told me, help him according to thy fauourable prouidence, wherwith thou assistest thy children and seruants. Content thy selfe if it please thee, with taking one, and forbeare this other for a while; aboue all keep him from offending thee, or committing any thing against thy ho­ly Law, & conserue in him the will which thou didst giue him, to serue thee alwayes, with an entire and perfect hart; [Page 279] and if that which was represented to myne imagination were only a dreame, and not a presage of some misfortune, and if my companion be not in that danger I feare, I know not­withstāding, that in what estate soeuer he standeth, he taketh care of me, as I doe of him; do vs the fauour once againe to see ech other. And thou glorious Virgin, help thy deuote; if he be tossed on the Sea by any furious tempest, thou art the Starre of the Sea, reach him thy helping hand; if he be in dan­ger of Theeues, thou hast deliuered many, deliuer him also, that we may togeather alwayes sing this thy fauour, among thousands of others we haue receaued of thee. Hauing thus prayed he slept vntill three of the clocke, when the day be­gan to breake, and the Cockes to crow. Then he arose and awaked Vincent to make their prayer, who was quikly ready.

The two and thirtith Day, and the second of his Returne. A Meditation of the history of little Iesus lost, and found amidst the Doctours, in the Temple. CHAP. V.

LAZARVS began his Meditation in this manner: [...] 2.42 I presume to present my selfe at the feet of thy Maiesty, hauing confidence in thy infinit Clemency, which vouchsa­feth to harken to the prayers of thy seruant: It is to meditate the Pilgrimage of thine only Sonne my Redeemer, when being twelue yeares old, according to his humanity, he wēt from Nazareth to Hierusalem to celebrate the feast which thou didst command thy people to obserue euery yeare. He hid himselfe from his mother three dayes, and at the end of the third day he was found againe in the Temple among the Do­ctours, hearing, and demanding. Heere is presented to the eyes of my vnderstanding, thy deare and only Sonne, that walked with his Mother, a litle Pilgrime towards thy Tem­ple, where he was honoured with thee, but was hidden in the cloud of his humanity, and was not seene but to those to whome thou hadst giuen the eyes of fayth. He went thi­ther on foot, and grew in labour as he did in yeares: when [Page 280] he fled into Aegypt, he was carryed in the armes of his deare Mother, now he is carryed vpon his owne feet with more paine. O Lord, make thy light shine vpon the eyes of my soule, that I may see the points of this mystery, and to thy glory reape profit therby.

By expresse Law, it was commanded to all the Iewes, to go offer sacrifice at Hierusalem where the Temple was,Thrice yeare mē went to Hierusa­lem. thrice in the yeare, at Easter, Pentecost, and the feast of Ta­bernacles. The women were left at liberty, whether they would go or no, by reason of the inconueniency of their sexe, yet the deuout did willingly vndertake the paine, choosing rather to vse their deuotion,Exod. 34.23. then their Priuiledge. The B. Virgin then watchfull of all occasions to doe well, went to Hierusalem, as alwayes, in the company of women, leading her little sonne with her, & Ioseph with men went another way. Take heere, O my soule, matter to condemne thine owne coldnes and flouth, and to stirre thy selfe vp to thy duty; thou seest Ioseph came from farre, to adore God in his Temple, how often hast thou omitted it, being hard by? How often hast thou omitted to heare Masse, when thou wert bound to be present? Or hast thou at least adored and serued God in the Temple of thy body,Our bo­dy the Temple of the holy Ghost. the Temple of his holy spirit, which thou carryest alwayes about thee? The B. Virgin taketh her iourney, choosing rather to haue merit with paine, then to vse her priuiledge for ease; and how often hast thou better liked of exemption, then of merit? How many tymes hast thou beene glader of some occasion or let that hindred thee,1. Cor. 3. & 6. & 2. Cor. 6. to watch, fast, or to performe some other worke of piety, then to be constrained to do thy diligence, and walke with others to the seruice of God? Iesus goeth with his mother, & his mother with him,Iesus and Mary, fit company and who should rather walke with the Virgin of virgins, then purity it selfe; and who rather with Iesus then the Virgin of Virgins? O heauenly company! O little Pilgrime! O way of my soule, and the goale & guerdō of my Pilgrimage! Graunt that I may be Pilgrime with thee, and with thee and thy holy Mother walke in this exile, to enter in your companie, into the Temple of the celestiall Hierusalem!

But heere behould a meruailous accident:Luc. 2.45. Iesus is gone from Mary, & Mary hath lost Iesus; Iesus without the know­ledge of his Father or mother,Our Lady seeketh Iesus. remayned behind in Hierusalē but without disobedience; for himselfe was maister, & might dispose of himselfe at his pleasure, and that he was subiect or obedient to any creature, it was humility, and not duty; Mary and Ioseph, returning from Hierusalem to Nazareth walked without him the first day, thinking he returned with his Vncles or kinsefolkes another way, as often it happened, thinking to meet him againe at night. But Iesus appealed not and Mary was amazed, and not without reason; for though there were no fault in her, and that the will of her Sauiour was the only cause, she was notwithstanding troubled with this chance, and could not endure the losse. The absence of her Iesus was an vnspeakable torment vnto her. Therefore in the morning she went backe againe, seeking her welbeloued in euery place and way, amongst his parents, and friends, but alas without finding him. O my soule, cōsider in this seeking, the thougthes of this afllicted Spouse, who languisheth for absence of her loue: Heare Mary saying in her affectiō, what the Spouse sayd in hers: I will arise, and go about the Citty, Cant. 5.2. and seeke through the streetes, and publike places, the wellbeloued of my soule. Who speaketh to her deare Sonne and sayth:Cant. 1.7. O the loue of my soule, tell me where thou doost take thy repast & repose at mid­day? who not fynding him replieth sorrowfully;Cant. 3. I haue sought and haue not found, I haue called, and he hath not answered. O sweet Spouse! O sweet Iesus! let thy selfe be found by thy deare Spouse, by thy mourning Mother, and answer her quickly, for she can no longer endure thy absence. She cannot be with­out her Iesus, her deere child, her Creatour, her Sauiour, her All in All. Shew thy selfe vnto her, and do not contristate her any longer. Let her not so soone feele the point of the sword, which Simeon foretould,Luc. 2. she shall haue time inough afterward at the great Combat of thy Crosse. See the sor­rowes of her soule, behold her teares,The B. V. cōplaint. heare her saying vnto thee: O my well beloued where art thou? Haue I displeased thee in any thing, that might cause this diuorce betwixt thee and me? Between thee and thy desolate Mother, who loueth [Page 282] thee more then her selfe? Art thou ascended vp to heauen, to the bosome of thy Father, for any discontentement thou hast receaued from me in thy little Nazareth? Alas, it was against my will, I wil do penance, appoint what punishment it plea­seth thee, I will willingly endure it for loue of thee, so that I may recouer thee, & haue thy presence. With thee I wil en­dure any thing, without thee all pleasure is paynfull. Thus the B. Virgin lamented her losse.

The de­uout sou­les care.O my soule behold heere, what a torment it should be to loose Iesus, keep him therefore well whilst thou hast him, hold him and loose him not; for what shall become of thee without him, and what shalt thou be without Iesus? But if he absent himselfe sometime from thee vpon his owne good pleasure without thy fault, as it happened heere to the B. Virgin, and leaue thee in tribulation and anguish of mynd, beare thy affliction patiently, but arise notwithstanding with diligence, and seeke him with teares and sighes, as his holy Mother did.

Iesus is not foūd amongst his kin­dred.Thou shalt find him at last as she did, not in the world, nor amongst his owne bloud and kindred, but in the Temple amongst the Doctours, and in the company of men of consci­ence and honour. O sweet Iesus be thou alwayes with me if it please thee, that I may alwayes be with thee, and beware of displeasing thee,Orig. hom. 19. or dryuing thee away from me. I know well that my sinnes & imperfections haue giuen thee a thou­sand occasions, but thou hast notwithstanding been vnto me Iesus, in all the afflictions of my Pilgrimage. Be so still, O good Iesus, be alwayes Iesus vnto vs, and guid vs. Succour our lost companion & do vs the fauour that we may find him; be vnto him Iesus and Sauiour, in his captiuity if he be cap­tiue, in his griefe if he be afflicted, in his difficulty, if he be in danger. Be Iesus to this good old man, who lodged vs for thy sake, and recompence his hospitality, and all his houshold with thy plentifull benediction, a hundred fold which is the measure of thy liberality.

1. Our Sauiour maketh not himselfe knowne vntill 12. yeares of age. 2. Theodosius found. 3. Lead away by Theeues. 4. Made pri­soner by the officers, with Lazarus and Vincent. 5. Lazarus his plea's. 6. All three deliuered. CHAP. VI.

THVS prayed Lazarus accompanying his prayers with sighes and teares. Vincent also performed his part on the same subiect. He rested principally vpon this consideration, how our Sauiour thought good to manifest himselfe to men by conuersation, being now somewhat growne and past in­fancy, to giue a glimpse of his Maiesty in such sort,Why Ie­sus Christ did not manifest himselfe before 12 yeares of age. as he sha­dowed it againe vnder the veile of his age. For if he had spo­kē in his cradle, if he had disputed with the doctours at three yeares old, the demonstration had byn forced; doing it at 12. years old, which is the beginning of the vse of reason, & whē youth beginneth to bud forth some blossomes and flowres of their spirit and towardnes, it was sweet, and yet sufficient to testify that he was somewhat more then man, and to prepare their harts to the beliefe of his Deity.The mo­desty of our Saui­our amōg the Do­ctours. It did also much com­mend the modesty of our Sauiour, who being Wisedome it selfe, yet obserued good manners, and the rancke of his age, carrying himselfe not as a Doctour among the Doctours, but rather as an hearer or disciple, and teaching not by sentences, and axiomes, but rather by questions and answers, but such as the Doctours were therewith both instructed and astoni­shed: An example (sayth S. Gregory) which teacheth young men and weake, to be disciples before they be Doctours.Beda in Luc.

He insisted also with great astonishment, in that which is sayd, that our Sauiour returned with Mary and Ioseph to Na­zareth, and was subiect vnto them. The Creatour (sayth Vin­cent in himselfe) is subiect to a creature,The obe­dience of our Saui­our. the Almighty to in­firmity, soueraigne wisedome to simplicity: And shall not I poore worme of the earth, be subiect to God, and to euery creature for his loue? Shall not I make great account of O­bedience, which the Creatour hath so much honoured?

When they had both ended their meditation, the good [Page 284] old man came vp vnto their chamber, and gaue them good morrow, and asked how they had rested that night: they re­saluted him; and for our repose (sayth Lazarus) weary Pilgri­mes cannot choose but rest well, when they find so good lod­ging as we haue had. If there be any thing good in my house (quoth their host) it is my good will, and your well-come, for the rest I am farre short of all others. But my Maisters there is good newes, which wil make you glad; a certaine Church man a friend of myne a man of honour, came hither late yester night,Their de­parture from the Country-house. who shall say you Masse this morning, and shall beare you company for these two or three dayes, for so long at least you must needs be my guests, by the law of good Pilgrimes. Good Father, sayth Lazarus, we are Pilgrims & passengers, will you haue vs insteed of such become dwellers and inhabi­tants of your house? I pray you be content with the payne we haue put you too, since yesterday till now, without for­cing vs to be troublesome and importune to you. For the cō ­ming of this good Syr, we are very glad, and shall count our selues honoured to enioy his presence, and shall be ready to be partaker of his prayers and Sacrifice, which we will heare when it shall please you, but I must needs request you for my selfe and my companion, that after Masse you would permit vs with your good leaue, to follow our iourney; for Pilgri­mes haue nothing more precious then tyme, as you know. Syr, sayth the good Host, will you not bestow a couple of dayes on your friends? Ten and more (quoth Lazarus) to do them good, but I know it is not for your selfe, but for our selues, that you would stay vs. Perhaps (sayth their Host) God may change your mind at the Altar; and so not pressing them any further, he brought them to the Chappell, where all the family was come togeather to heare Masse, which was to beginne. They heard it with an admirable contentment, and when it was done, they kissed the handes of the Priest, and saluted him humbly, who would willingly haue had some talke with them, but that he saw them ready to depart, and iudged it should be in vaine to importune them; yet not­withstanding they were constrained to take their breakfast, in which tyme the host forgot not to renew his request, and [Page 285] to intreat them a fresh to stay, with all the Rethorike his hart could furnish him with, but he could not persuade them. So he caused to put in their sackes, some bread and apples, and for either of them a crowne of gold, without saying any thing, so they tooke their leaue with a thousand thankes. The tears stood in the good old mans eyes, and he seemed as if they had beene his children, so great shew of loue did he make vnto them, & did bring them some good peece of their way, with the good Priest and some others of the house. When he could go no further on foot by reason of his age, he imbraced them the second tyme, and gaue them the direction for their best way, and thus was their departure this morning about seauen of the clocke.

So, they sayd their Pilgrimes prayers as they were wont to do, at the beginning of their iourney, they thanked the di­uine prouidence of his benefits, and namely of their good en­counter at this lodging: Then they fell on praysing the wō ­derfull charity of their good old Host, praying God plenti­fully to recompence his liberality. At the last Vincent, who longed to know the dreame that waked Lazarus that night, desired him to tell it. Lazarus told him all in few wordes, whereby Vincent tooke good cōiecture of the assistance of God; for seeing God hath reuealed vnto you that Theodosius is in danger, it is a signe that he is not dead, & that he would help him by your prayers. Yea, sayth Lazarus, if my prayers were worthy to be heard. He that will haue vs offer our prayers, quoth Vincent, will also take them: we will attend his mercy quoth Lazarus, but al this while you tel me not your dreame? O it is in exchange that you demand it, but I feare myne wil not match yours, and that you will laugh thereat, & so began to tell him. I dreamed, saith he, the same time that you wake­ned me, that we were shut in a greene Castle, & Feare with vs, and that we were fetched out three from thence, hauing entred but two, & that the dogs did deuour Feare. Behold my dreame, and if you be a good Diuiner expoud it me. Lazarus smyling, of what colour (quoth he) was this Feare, & how was he apparelled? I should be troubled to tell that, quoth Vincent, because it was night, and I saw him not but [Page 286] when myne eyes were shut; but as we see sleeping, me 'thought he had a foule face, and three legges, and yet could not go, and his coat of ash-colour. I confesse (quoth Lazarus) your dreame passeth my capacity, only I take it for a good signe, that Feare lodged with vs, was deuoured.

Thus they walked on with diuers discourses of feare and hope,Theodo­sius foūd. vntil an houre after noone, when they arriued at a little Burough called Bompas, whereby the Pilgrimes of Loreto do often passe. They entred into the Inne, not so much to bayt, as to see if they could heare any newes of Theodosius. They found there diuers Pilgrimes, talking of their fortunes & ad­uentures, some comming from Loreto, some going thither. Two that departed, about the same tyme that Lazarus did, recoūted how narrowly they escaped drowning, in a brooke which was risen, & thought that some were drowned there. Two others that went thither told of the danger of theeues, who did nothing but kill, and spoile passengers, as was told them. Both these discourses gaue Lazarus & Vincent cause of suspition. For the two first put him in feare that Theodosius was drowned, hauing taken the way where he must needes passe that brooke, insteed of the right: the two others put them in doubt of theeues, but that which astonished them most, was that they saw, as they thought, vpon one of the Pilgrimes, the hat and habit of Theodosius; and as they doubted & would haue asked the Pilgrime, himselfe sayd in discoursing, & not thinking of them, that he had bought his hat, and habit at Millet a village hard by. This stroke them to the hart, and made them almost wholy to belieue, that either he was drowned or killed, and his apparrell taken and fold, either by the Peasants, or by the robbers, and they had but small hope left of his good fortune. Yet they resolued not to omit any occasion of be [...]ring certaine newes of their companion, & to help him if they could. Therefore they went from thence to Millet, whither the Pilgrime did direct them, not aboue a good mile & an halfe from thence, a little wide of their owne way. They went apace that they might returne that night backe to their lodging. Of necessity they were to passe a cer­taine wood much haūted with theeues, because it was thicke [Page 287] and wynding with many blynd pathes, & very fit to hide & lay ambushments. As they were in the midst thereof, they discouered certaine Horsemen [...]bout 200. paces from them, & to make them, without being seene themselues, they stood behind certaine thicke bushes. They saw about 20. men wel armed, marching very inconstātly, sometimes they marched, sometime they strayed, as espying if they could discouer any body in the woodes. They saw also as they thought, a little off a dead body, with a dogge lying by to guarde it. Then sayd Lazarus: Eyther I am deceaued, or these be theeues; & there is no way to escape their fingers, but by hyding our selues. And yet it will be hard (quoth Vincent) if we be not discoue­red, for we need not doubt, but they will beat euery b [...]sh in the wood to find their prey; yet we must not, saith Lazarus, of brauery, cast our selues in their bosome, perhaps they shal not haue leasure to seeke vs, let vs go into this bush, and do what necessity compelleth vs vnto, and leaue the rest to God to help vs. So they entred that bush hard by them, very con­uenient to couer them, they layd downe their slaues,The Pil­grimes [...] thē ­selues. & thē ­selues along vpon the ground. Vincent espied a ha [...]e squatted at their feet, who stirred not, and said softly: Be of good cheere, behold one peece of my dreame, we haue Feare our fellow prisoner. That is well, saith Lazarus, The [...] a signe of [...]eare. and we are also in a greene castle. The ha [...]e had beene stroken with a crosse­bow, & retyred her selfe thither, & could not go, which put them after in great danger. The theeues came straight thither and with them certaine il-faced foot boyes. And because they heard that the Captaine who hunted them was in these quar­ters, with a great troupe of souldiers to entrappe them, they sent forth certaine spies and Coureurs, to see if they could discouer any thing, & they strayed about the bush, & talked together of places they must go vnto, if they perceaued their enemies to be too strong.

Now these had in their company Theodosius, Theodo­sius in the company of Thee­ues. whome they had taken six dayes before, & cloathed after their owne man­ner, and mounted vpon a good horse, hoping to haue him their companion, for they gathered all they could find fit for their māner of life & seruice, & they saw him to be of a good [Page 288] personage and faire behauiour, marked with diuers signes of a man of honour & quality, able to do good exploits, where he would vndertake them; neither were they deceiued here­in, but onely in hoping to haue him of their company, who had too pious & generous a hart, to forget himselfe so farre. Now it happened very well, that the Captaine asked him onely, if he were of opinion that they should be gone, who answered softly, that he thought it the surest way. Lazarus who had his eares open to harken, heard him, & sayd with in himselfe: This is the voice of Theodosius. But Theodosius is a gentleman of worth, a Pilgrime of Loreto, shal he in 24. houres turne thiefe? May I dare to thinke so? And when he could neither belieue, nor misbelieue, that it was he, he iogged Vincent, to listen, and marke his voice, but he spake no more; for straight came their spies all sweating, who sayd they must saue themselues by their feet, because the Captaine or Prouost Marshal was already within the wood with 60. horsemen & many footmen, who stayed all the passengers. Being terrifi­ed with this aduertisement, they dislodged without sound of trumpet, and got farre within the forrest. Theodosius found the occasion he sought for, sooner then he thought; for ha­uing forsaken his horse which had broken one legge, he stole out of their sight, whilst they were busy in sauing themselues, & drawing backe to seeke some fit place to hide himself, com­meth by good chance to the bush, where his companions were, who he thought had not beene so neere, no more then they looked for him: as he went about to find a handsome en­trance, and they thought it had beene some beast (for they could not see him) at last he found the way, and was within before they did perceaue him. They thought when he en­tred to haue cried out, and he also thought to haue done the like, whē he saw them flat vpon the ground, without know­ing them or being knowne; as he saw their Pilgrimes staues and weeds, he came and looked nearer vpon them, they lifted vp their heads, and then seeing and knowing each others, they would yet still haue cried out▪ they were so greatly sei­zed with amazemēt and ioy, but they had not the meanes ei­ther to talke o [...] stirre, for behold incontinent all the place was [Page 289] filled with souldiers that persued the theeues, and had al­ready taken some of them; they brought also with them houndes, which hauing the wynd of the hare in the bush,The Pil­grimes found in the bush. did nothing but baule about them, and made a terrible noyse, especially after they perceaued three men who frighted them and kept them from comming neere the hare. They kept such a crying that at last two men lighted of their horses, and came with some footmen to see what the matter was, and seeing there 3. men, Lo (say they) before God a fine nest.Theodo­sius esca­ping the theeues was takē prisone [...] by the Marshal. One of the Archers would haue shot at them, persuading himselfe that vndoubtedly they were theeues, the other with held him say­ing, they must take them aliue to examine them & to confesse their Confederates: so they carried them to the Prouost; the dogs in the meane tyme made their prey vpon the poore hare, whome they tooke with smal paine and difficulty for she had but three legges, and so was Vincents dreame fullfilled point by point, and Feare deuoured. The prisoners had their harts lifted vp to God and the B. Virgin: they were examined a part, and each one told the truth of his fortune,Feare de­uoured. and namely Theodosius, but they would not belieue them; for the place made them suspected, the wood being no ordinary way for Pilgrimes, and the rather because they were found hidden at that time, and one amongst them in habit of a souldier. Be­sides a certaine footeman one of the robbers who was taken, deposed that he had seene this yong man with his Captaine, pointing to Theodosius, and the merchant that was squatted the day before at the fountaine of Bees, being there by chāce to demand and recouer some Merchandise that they had takē from him, affirmed that, but the other day, he saw the other two running about the fieldes, in pilgrimes weeds, and that they had spoiled him, if he had not saued himselfe behynd a bush. The Captaine required no more proofe than these pre­sumptions & testimonies, & therefore aduised them to thinke of their conscience, for they had but one houre to liue.

Lazarus answered: Syr we are in your handes,Lazarus his defen­ce. and in the disposition of the diuine prouidence. If God permit vs be­ing Pilgrimes of Loreto to dye as theeues, we shall receaue the crowne of our innocency, and of the ignominy which we [Page 290] endure for Gods sake. But as you are sent to punish theeues, and defend the innocent, so thinke it to be your duty, to in­forme your selfe wel of the truth, that you may know the one from the other; we demand neither life nor mercy, if we be found faulty, we request onely that you would giue vs time and leasure to certify you of our innocency, and our request is not vnreasonable; for as you haue some coniectures to doubt of our honesty, so haue you no certayne proofe of any crime: Our habit at least should make you suspend the execution of your iudgement. For why should we be thus disguised? what should wee seeke for in the wood with our Pilgrimes wea­pons? Do theeues carry Pilgrimes slaues to performe their robberies? This merchant who calleth vs robbers, saying we would haue spoiled him, hath no cause so to say. The truth is, that seeing him yesterday wander in the wilde fieldes, thinking he had lost his way, we approched to him to direct him, & to make him partaker of our dinner, if he would haue taried, but he vanished I know not how. And he that depo­seth against our companion, may not cause him to be condem­ned, for his deposition doth not accuse him of being a theefe, but of being in their company, whereof I suppose he gaue you good reason, when you did examyne him, and de­clared why he was otherwise attired then we. As he spake in this sort, stept forth one of the company, saying: My Cap­taine, theeues are alwayes innocent if you will heare them talke. They were found amongst theeues with weapons in their handes, and taken as I may say in the manner, who can doubt what they are? If you heare my aduise, let them passe the pikes, and then this matter is dispatched. The Captaine was perplexed, not well knowing what to do; for Lazarus tale had touched him, & without hearing him speake, he saw in their countenances, markes rather of good soules then of robbers, and determined in himselfe to delay the matter as long as he could. At the same instant came two other saying: Syr why doubt we of the guiltines of these good fellowes, behold heere a man, whome they haue murdered, and brin­ging him six paces off, they shewed him a man lying al along dead, and a dogge by him. This was the body that Lazarus [Page 291] and Vincent had seene a little before. They were all three brought thither, where lifting vp their handes to heauē, they protested that they were innocent of this crime, and sayd no more. The Captaine found himselfe more troubled then be­fore. In the meane time behold there came a troope of Ar­chers, bringing two of those robbers whome they had sought after; whereof he was very glad, not onely for that they were taken, but that he hoped by them, to haue some certaine intelligence of the fact of Theodosius. He examined thē a part, if they knew such a man, whome he made be brought before them; they sayd they knew him, and told all the story of his taking, and of the changing of his apparell, iust as Theodo­sius had told it before, which did greately iustify & discharge him. He asked if they had killed the man, stretched there vpon the ground: they knew nothing thereof they sayd. They called another footman then to be examined vpō the matter, and as soone as he approched to the dead body, the dog did fly vpon him with gre [...]t fury, whereat euery man was asto­nished, & tooke it for a sure signe, that this man was guilty. The Captaine commanded him to confesse, if he knew any thing hereof. He confessed the truth saying it was a merchāt whome he had spoiled a little before with some of his com­panions without the knowledge of their Maister.A mur­derer dis­couered by a dog. This was a great iustification to Theodosius and his fellowes, but that which proued them altogether playnly innocent, was, that one of the Archers a tall fellow & well esteemed of the Cap­taine, who had knowne them at Loreto, and lodged them at his house, came at the same time,Plut. de industria animalium and remembring them imbraced them straight, testified their honesty, and offered to be bound his life for theirs to the Captaine. All the compa­ny then began to intreat for them, saying they were declared innocent by proofes diuine, rather then humane.The Pil­grimes released. The Cap­taine hauing his owne inclination fortified, with the wit­nesse and intreaty of so many, not onely deliuered them, but also gaue them a guard, to conuey them through the wood, vntill they were out of danger, and halfe a dozen crownes to beare their charges in the way. Lazarus and his companions thanked them, in the best sort & affectiō they could, & speci­ally [Page 292] the Archer his good host, calling him his Deliuerer. But they told the Captaine they had no need of mony, and desi­red him not to trouble any person for their conuoy, for they hoped the danger was past, but he would needes haue them take it in title of Almes, and sent six Archers with their old good host, who would needes be one, to set them out of the wood, they durst not refuse, but tooke their leaue of all the company.

Theodosius spake a word in the Captaines eares, which no man heard but himselfe, and gaue the sword he had to the good host for a pledge of their friendship: so they were con­ducted by the Archers, who returned to their Captaine at a place appointed, loaden with thankes, and full of contente­ment, that they had helped to the deliurance of so honest per­sons. But who can tell the great ioy, that these good Pilgri­mes had, with what harts and wordes they thanked the di­uine prouidence, and the glorious Virgin, for hauing deliue­red them from so imminent a danger of death and infamy, & brought them so happily togeather: or with what imbracings they saluted ech other after they had dimissed their conuoy. God (quoth Vincent to Lazarus) put it well in our mindes to resolue so soone of comming to Millet, & hath moreouer hea­ped good fortune vpon vs, and giuen vs much more then we looked for, and that with a remarkeable demonstration of his goodnes towardes vs. But, O my good friend (quoth Laza­rus to Theodosius) where were you yesternight, when we spake of you to the good old man, at the farme-house, who presaged what we see now present? Where were you at mid­night, when in my dreame you did earnestly solicity me, to help you in your great need? But do not I dreame now (quoth Theodosius) seeing you, and hearing you speake? For when I remember my fortune and my danger, me thinkes it is not possible, that I should so suddenly be set in your com­pany, nor yet to be deliuered out of the hands of the Robbers.

1. Theodosius taketh his pilgrimes weed againe. 2. He relateth his fortune. 3. The conuersion of Tristram. 4. How he found oc­casion to same himselfe. 5. The Robbers forsooke their Fort. 6. Theodosius escapeth out of their company. CHAP. VII.

DISCOVRSING in this sort,Theodo­sius ta­keth a­gaine his pilgrimes weed. they came to the towne called Bompas to bed, where they found againe the Pilgrime that had Theodosius his habit, who marked it straight way, & meruailing and smyling said to Lazarus, how commeth this to passe (saith he) behold I am found againe, you sought one Theodosius, and we haue found two? It is true, (saith Lazarus) if the habit make a Pilgrime. But if this good man be not Theodosius, yet hath he giuen occasion of fynding him, and recounted vnto him, what the Pilgrime had tolde them a little before. Well (replied Theodosius) I must needes haue my habit againe, yet with his good will that weareth it, in paying as much as it cost him. The host very ioyful to vn­derstād of the deliuery of Theodosius; Care you not, saith he, nei­ther for your habit, nor for your staffe, I haue a better then yours which I present vnto you. Not so (saith Theodosius than­king him) I like my owne better then any other; but if this good pilgrime will be content with this habit you offer me. I pray you giue it him in exchange for myne, and in recompēce of yours, take if it please you this which I haue on my backe, which was a doublet of Chamo [...]s new guarded with siluer lace and a russet beauer-hat, lyned with greene taffaty, with a cy­presse band of the same colour, the hose suteable to the dou­blet. The host was ashamed of this offer, for the change was much more worth then his gift, but he was constrayned to accept it, and brought withall for the Pilgrime, a coate, a hat, and a staffe, who found his change also much for his aduan­tage, and made no difficulty in restoring his to Theodosius, who went vp to a chamber with Lazarus & Vincent, & there putting of his new suit he gaue it to his host, and put on his owne which the Pilgrime had restored, & so euery man was [Page 294] pleased and contented. Well (sayd Theodosius) now I am in my old estate againe, let vs say Te Deum, in thanks-giuing for all benefits receaued. It is a good motion (quoth Lazarus & Vin­cent) and so they said it, adioyning thereunto a Salue Regina. Hasting ended their prayer, Lazarus desired Theodosius, to re­count his fortune since they first lost him.Theodo­sius recoū teth his fortune. It is reason (answe­red he) that seeing you haue suffered in your soule some part of my troubles, that you should haue some recreation to heare it related. The relation of stormes and dangers passed is plea­sant, to those that haue escaped and are in safety. Well harken then how the dayes of my absence were employed. You re­member that after we dined at Miette, I went to the Couent of Dominican Friers to speake with Frier Antony my Contrymā, whome you saw in the morning alone with me, by reason of my indisposition; as I returned to find you at our lodging to depart, the Pilgrime of Bosome whome we saw the day before, meeting me by the way, sayd, Syr whither go you? your cōpanions are already gone out of the towne at S. Iohns Gate. I could not belieue that you were gone without me, vntill that comming to the Inne, my hostesse told me that you were gone, and as she thought would returne no more. So I came to S. Iohns gate to enquire if any Pilgrimes had passed that way. The watch told me that a little before, there pas­sed three or fowre towards the brooke of L [...]sier. I verily thought you were of that company, and thinking you were before me, I hastened my pace to ouertake you, vntill I came vnto the brooke which was much risen by reason of rayne fallen the night before. I saw a farre off certaine Pilgrimes at the banke side for to passe, wherof I was very glad, thinking I had found you, but I was all amazed when approching to them I saw not you. I perceaue now (saith Lazarus) the cause why we parted, for when we had tarried a good while for you, we went to the Couent to take you with vs from thence, we passed by a street where that Pilgrime saw vs, & thought that we went from thence out of the towne, and told you after as himselfe thought. And when not fynding you at the Friars, we returned to our lodging, our hostesse told vs that you were gone out at S. Peters Gate, which also was our [Page 295] best way. We hastened to ouertake you as you did to ouer­take vs, and the faster we marched, the further off we were the one from the other,Minimus in principio error, ma­nimu [...] in [...]. Aug. euen as they that misse their way at a little turne at the beginning, which increaseth at euery step, and becometh so great, as the way [...]s long. But to your riuer side againe. Theodosius continuing his narratiō said. As the Pilgrims sought which way they might passe, & I was in doubt whe­ther I should returne or no, iudging that you had not taken that way; behold a troupe of horsemen crying to the Pilgri­mes with their swordes in their handes, and set vpon vs without doing vs any harme, but taking vs prisoners and bidding vs to follow them, and hauing brought vs to a deepe place of the brooke they made vs passe ouer vpon hurdels in some danger of drowning, as I verily thinke, some of the cō ­pany were. We found on the other side the whole troope, with certaine poore merchants whome they lead prisoners also, they parted them and sent them with the other Pilgri­mes I know not which way, to me they gaue a reasonable good horse, and brought me into a meruailous thicke wood, in the midst whereof they had for their retraite, an old rui­nous Castle, which they had fortified with hand; I was put in a chamber alone, I recommended my selfe to God & to the glorious Virgin, as hartily, as I could in that necessity. Two houres after, a boy brought me somewhat for my supper, & shewed me an ill fauoured bedsteed, with a straw bed on it, neere vnto the wardrobe to rest, if I would. I heard a great noyse in the hall where they supped, and in diuers places of the Castle where they played at cardes and dyce, crying and blaspheming, & continuing this stirre vntill midnight, when they must go sleepe a little: two men stood Centinels in two of the gar [...]ets which looked towardes that way which we came, & some other watched also for their guard In the mor­ning the Captaine called me, and asked me who I was, and whence I came, and whence the other Pilgrimes were, that were with me at the brooke. I answered that I was a French man and came from Loreto hauing accōplished my Pilgrimage which I had promised to the mother of God; and as for the other Pilgrimes, I knew them not, hauing met them there by [Page 296] chance. He heard me courteously inough, and caused me t [...] be caried backe to my chamber, without saying any more; where I remayned alwayes after the same sort; some came in the day to visit me to marke my countenance (as he told me of whome I shall tell you anone) and they meruailed much that I made no greater shew of discontentment, some in­terpreting it to be constancy, other some alteratiō of my mind, thinking that perhaps I could be content, to change my long Pilgrimes staffe for a short sword, and my buckeram cassocke for a coat of maile, and to be one of their company. Now all their occupatiō was to go hunt, not beastes, but men, alwayes bringing in some new prisoners. They rested neither night nor day; as well their body as their mynd was in a continuall disquietnes, and me thought I was in hell amongst Diuels, being among such a company of theeues, sauing for the com­fort I had to suffer some thing for Iesus Christ, who endured death for me, betwixt theeues; and to consider on the one side the grace God had done me in giuing me the feare & loue of his lawes, and on the other side the misery of those poore rogues, who suffered so much euill, at the last to endure the heape of all euils. Alas (said I within my selfe) if thou didst endure but as much for heauen, as these do for hell, if thou wert as constant to employ thy selfe in good works, to passe whole nights in prayer to saue thy selfe and others, as these do whole dayes in workes of iniquity, and vndertake a thou­sand paines in discomodities of body and soule, to destroy o­ther men & themselues! O Lord of the whole world I render thee immortall thankes for all benefits bestowed on me of thy infinite bounty, and beseech thee by the same bounty to en­large my hart, and to make it more capable of thy heauenly loue, & to increase the strength of my soule, that I may suffer more, and with a better courage, for the glory of thy name. Open the eyes of these poore blynd soules, giuing them to see the indignity of their condition, and the miserable estat of their soule, or els take from them all meanes to do any more harme. In these and the like discourses did I passe day and night, and learned to make purpose of liuing better, of the disdaine I conceaued in the ill life of this people; as it happe­neth [Page 297] oftentimes, that by the contemplation of the foulnes of vice, men betake themselues more earnestly to the loue of vertue.

Now there was amōgst them a certaine yong man called Tristram about 25. years of age born of a good house & neigh­bour to France, valiant, and expert in armes,The con­uersion of Tristram. and in that respect much esteemed by their Captaine, who seemed to haue some particular compassion of my captiuity, and came often to visit me, asking if I had need of any thing that was in his power: he came one day among others, and sayd to me in secret: Friend Theodosius (for now euery body knew my name) for that I haue holden you for a man of honour and conscience euer since I first knew you, I desire to declare one thing vnto you, which is very important, but you must sweare secrecy. Syr Tristrā (sayd I thē) if the secret be against God or iustice, I pray you tell it me not: no (saith he) the thing that I meane to tell you is iust, and the intention good, and therefore I wil tel it you. Then I promised him on faith of a Christian Pilgrime, that I would keepe his secret: he said, this is the matter. They heere haue resolued either to make you follow our manner of life, or els to kill you, for ran­some they looke for none of you. All that haue come to see you, haue beene so many spies to sound you, and see if there were any hope to persuade you, wherein they make diuerse and different reportes to our Captaine, and therefore looke to your selfe: thus much I know, because I was at the coun­sell and deliberation, when it was taken. When I heard this sectet, I doubted whether himselfe also came to sound me, and to feele my resolution, neither was I deceaued, though he did it with a good intention and meaning, and therefore I answered him roundly, that I was ready rather to dye, thē make shipwracke of my conscience, yea, or of my reputation and honour, in imbracing a vocation proper not for Christi­ans, but for Tartars or Ethiopians, who beleeue neither hel nor heauen, and I should make a dolefull reuolution of my Pil­grimage, to become of a Pilgrime of Loreto a robber & thiefe. This answer pleased him much, though I did not make it therefore, but only to declare vnto him my mynd in respect [Page 298] of God, and as a man of honour, and an honest man, as he esteemed me. Continuing his discourse he tolde me: Friend Theodosius, I would know this of you: I greatly commend your courage, and am not deceaued in the opinion I haue of your vertue. But this is not all, I tell you further, that I am determined with what hazard soeuer, to leaue this Laby­rinth into which I was drawne fiue yeares since, by the [...]and of some, and myne owne folly, neitheir can I endure to stay any longer, in such a dungeon, the very image of hell. This is the principall point, which I desire you to keep secret, and to assist me with your prayers, that I may put this proiect in execution, and deliuer my selfe from these chaines: though for regard of your selfe I aduise you to dissemble a while, & make no difficulty in leauing your habit and taking another when they shall offer it you, for therwith they wil beginne, and in the meane time seeke occasion to saue your selfe when it shall be offered, which in my opinion will be shortly, & I shall wa [...]te from one houre to another, with good deuoti­on, to put in execut on my own designes of leauing this lewd & execrable life. Here also I thoght he dissembled, as it were by digression to persuade me, & to make me by little & little to passe by the midst from one extreme to another: so I sayd vnto him.A strong resolutiō. Syr Tristrā I haue told you my resolution, & there is neither death nor torments that shall make me swarue frō honesty, nor to do any thing contrary to the law of God, & the faith of an honest man: for my apparrell it is in their po­er to take it away, and giue me other, such as they please, so it be without my fault, it is all one to me, to be in my shirt, or to be clad in sackcloth or silke; our Sauiour was spoiled of his cloathes, and clad in derision in a royall robe. For the rest, Syr Tristrā, if you speake in good earnest, your resolutiō is worthy of a noble courage, and you shall haue the honour thereof towards God and man, and doubt you not but he who hath opened your eyes to discerne the danger you liue in, will also giue you meanes and direction to performe your desire. I shall not faile to help you with my poore prayers, if they can preuaile any thing with God, & in any sort where­in my industry may be employed. He seeing me speake [Page 299] so frankly and hartily, imbraced me and sayd: Syr Theodosius, I reade in your wordes the sincerity, and the magnanimity of your courage, and count my selfe happy, in the midst of all my misfortunes, to haue beene acquainted with you: for not onely you haue confirmed me in my designement, but also haue giuen me a certaine hope happily to put it in execution by the help of God, and of the B. Virgin, vnder whose pro­tection you walke her pilgrime, and began to weepe; then I doubted no more of his vnfaynednes, but firmely belieued that he spake from his hart. I encouraged him further with the greatest shew of friend ship that I could, and counsailed him to make a vow to our Lady of Loreto, which he did most hartily, and departed for that time.

In the morning which was yesterday,How he found an occasion to escape. the sixth day of the moneth, and the seauenth of my taking and imprison­ment, a little before dinner he came with more secrecy than before, and told me that towardes night the troupe would dislodge from that place, by reason of a rumour they had he­ard, of certaine men of warre which were come to buckle with them, and how to that end they had sent forth some to discouer the matter, and this (quoth he) is I hope the occa­sion, which I watch for to saue my selfe, and whereof you may also help your selfe: for in the night if there happen any encounter, it is easy to take either party: yea (quoth I) if we be not surprised and entrapped by the enemies. I cannot (quoth he) fall into the handes of any enemies whome I feare so much as these, being that these do often kill both body and soule. As we were vpon these termes, the boy of my chamber, brought me a loaf, & a peece of biefe for my dinner: Tristram went out of my chamber; I passed all that after dinner in prayers and sighes, desiring of God light and direction, that in so dangerous a company, I might do nothing against his honour, and that if I should suffer any thing, it might be without my fault, and with perseuerance in his holy loue: I prayed also hartily for good Tristram that he might happily ridde himselfe from those bandes, & for all the troupe that God would inspire their mynd to liue better. About two of the clocke they dispatched spies to diuers pla­ces, [Page 300] to haue intelligence of the souldiers comming whome they feared; about seauen a clocke, came those whome they had sent before, saying for certaine there were souldiers in the field, who came directly to that place.

The Captaine thought it dangerous to stay there any longer,The theeues forsake their sort. he caused the Trumpet to be sounded low, through all the Castle and all about; euery one heard the alarme and was ready. The boye of my chamber came to call me, and brought me to a stable, where they brought me a Curtali sa­dled with a sadle of warre, and well furnished, and bad me mount, without saying any more, or giuing me any wea­pons; I mounted guirded with my Pilgrimes weed, & with my beads, which I had about my necke for a scarfe, and my Pilgrimes staffe, & euery man laughed to see such a Lance-Knight, and so resolute in their company: so we parted in hast without our supper, and walked foure houres in great silence, often staying to harken or attend one another, & we wrought our way through very thicke woodes, and hard to trauerse, and were many tymes fayne to passe a row, in little by-paths, where six men in ambushment might haue defeated vs all. I marked, and so did almost all the souldiers, certaine sparkes of fire blew tending towardes greene, which appea­red in the ayre, and ouer the heades of euery one, and very neere, like to the wormes which shine in the month of May where we dwell: some tooke this for a presage of good for­tune, as Mariners when they see any such light, which they call the Starre of the Sea, appeare in the obscurity of any furi­ous tempest: for my part I did interpret it a signe from hea­uen, menacing and warning euery one to looke to his con­science, and me thought it was a Synderesis or naturall light which was signifyed by these sparkes, which is giuen by God to euery sinner, to make him see that he doth ill, and to bite his conscience. About midnight we came to Millet whether you went to heare nowes of me, we went from thence, and tooke a little refection insteed of a supper, and fed well our horses. About morning when our Captaine saw the tyme of departing approached, he called me, and sayd with a merry countenance: My good friend Pilgrime, what thinke you of [Page 301] this kind of life? My Captaine (quoth I) in truth it seemeth to me very painefull, and this great labour deserueth to be employed about some good subiect. He replyed, are you re­solued to sight, if necessity driueth vs to it? Captaine (quoth I if it be to fight with the Diuell, I haue good courage, and am well armed for the purpose with my beads and staffe▪ to breake his hornes. If your courage serue you to encounter to puissant an enemy (quoth the Captaine) I do not thinke you will runne away from men, and because I haue a good opi­nion of your valour, I will put you in another atti [...]e▪ & fur­nish you with weapons; for it is not meet you should be with vs in this array. And commanding me to put off my prigtimes weed, he brought me a souldierly suite, that,Theodo­siu atty­red like a souldier. wherein you saw me enter, to assault the Fort, wherein you were in gar­rison with the Hare your Centinell Lazarus, and Vincent laughed: but I laughed not (quoth Theodosius) hearing my Captaine say thus; but I was put into an extreme perplexi­ty, fearing on the one side to be brought to some ill exigent, to loose either cōscience or honour, dying with such people. I stood resolued rather to loose all thinges then do any thing vnworthy a Pilgrime of Loreto, or an honest Gentleman; & I answered my Captaine, that he should haue no dishonour by my seruice, with which answere he was content, and Tristram more, who attended the houre when the Captaine should do that act. The host of the lodging tooke my staffe, my cassocke, and my cloake, & of him I thinke the Pilgrime bought it, my beades I kept. Then Lazarus lifting vp his handes to heauen; I thanke the diuine goodnes sayth he [...] that a little before this your great affliction, he presented you vnto myne eyes, that I might pray for you; for about this midnight past, I dreamed that you were before me de­solate, desyring my prayers, and I leaped off my bed, asking Vincent, if any body were in our Chamber.Theodo­sius esca­peth out of then company I remember it very well, quoth Vincent. From thence we came into the wood, sayth Theodosius following his tale, where you saw vs soaring, and coasting, & attending for newes from our spies, that were sent forth; & the man you saw slaine, was a poore Merchant that passed that way, whome two foot-men spoi­led, [Page 302] and left halfe dead, whereof one was taken this day, & noted by the dog as you saw. And as we stayed, all our spies with one accord did assure vs that the Prouost-Marshall was at hand, and a great company with him: We fled apace whe­t [...]er our Captaine lead vs, by good fortune my horse running with a great swiftnes entred on the left hand among certaine rootes of an old Oake halfe bare and vncouered, & stumbled so rudely as he cleane brake his legge, and cast me vpon the ground three or foure pace before him. This fal was an occa­sion frō heauen for me to saue my selfe; I rose quickly, others got the wood, I left my horse, and my spurres, for I had no need of them to go on foot, and came to find you where you attended me without any appointment, as I found you with­out searching for you. Behould in few wordes the course of my fortune, since I haue beene absent from you. But (sayth Vincent) you tell vs not what you sayd to the Captaine in his eare, when you parted from him: That is also a secret (quoth Theodosius smyling) yet I wil not sticke to tell it to my friends. It was, that I recōmended hartily vnto him good Tristram, if by fortune he should fall into his handes, and he promised to remember my commendations, and haue regard to the good will of him who recommended him. God be praysed, sayth Lazarus, for this fauour done vnto you, for deliuering you out of so great a danger, and for restoring vs our companion. In such discourses they spent their tyme in the chamber vntil super tyme, after which they retyred themselues quickly, sayd Letanies, made their examen, and tooke the points of their morning meditatiō of the subiect of our Sauiour, youth, or adolescence, which were three.

1. How our Sauiour remayned with great humility in Nazareth, vntill thirty yeares of age, without manifesting himselfe.

2. The exercises of the deuotion, and piety of Iesus, and his glorious Mother, and Ioseph liuing in Nazareth.

3. Of their offices and seruices.

Hauing marked these points in the Table of their memo­ry, they cast themselues vpon their beds to take rest.

The three and thirtith day, and the third of their Returne. A Meditation of the youth, and dwelling of Iesus Christ with his Mother and Ioseph, at Nazareth. CHAP. VIII.

ABOVT three of the Clocke in the morning the Pil­grimes began their meditation, that they might depart by foure, euery one by himselfe a part.The hu­mility of our Saui­our in not ma­king himselfe knowne.

Lazarus greatly tasted in the first point, the wonderfull humility of our Sauiour, hauing remayned in that litle house of Nazareth from twelue yeares to thirty, obedient to his Mother & nurse-father, bearing himselfe only for a Carpen­ters sonne, and an inhabitant of this poore vnknowne villa­ge. O great God of Israel, sayd he, before thou madest the world, thou wert hidden from the world an infinite number of ages, knowne only to thy selfe; and now being made a Cittizen of this little Towne of Palestine, thou remaynest in silence the most part of thy tyme, preparing thy selfe to speak vnto the world, to teach it, and redeeme it! O heauenly hu­mility of my Redeemer, and foolish presumption of thyne, O vaine man that thou art, who before thou knowest how to hold thy peace, wilt preach vnto the world, and vndertake to reach it wisedome; and wilt teach others the knowledge of heauen before thou hast learned thyne owne ignorance, & to make thy selfe be knowne before thou knowest thy selfe! O miserable pride, how foolish and senseles art thou, who wilt be a guide vnto the blind, thyne owne eyes being out!The ad­mirable silence of the scrip­ture:

Theodosius stayed vpon the second point, considering the admirable silence of the Scripture, telling nothing of all that our Sauiour did in this priuate dwelling the space of eighten yeares, which no doubt were wonderfull: but it had rather haue it to the beliefe and consideration of wise Contemplā ­tes of the workes of God, then to record them, to the end that the fruit of such knowledge might be reserued for them, who search them worthily, as also to teach men to send their workes before their wordes.

The obe­dience & exercise of Iesus in Naza­reth. Vincent was rauished in the Meditation of the third point, and he thought he was in Nazareth, & saw little Iesus going heere and there about that happy house; sometime seruing his Mother, sometyme Ioseph, sometyme praying, sometyme labouring. O heauenly house! O diuine family! O happy Ioseph, more happy Mother, and most happy Child!

1. A discourse with two Merchants. 2. The manner to liue well. 3. A sinner repulsed from entring Loreto. 4. It is impossible to serue God and the world. 5. How a man may be a good Christian, and a good Merchant. 6. No estate without difficulty. CHAP. IX.

THEIR meditation being ended, they tooke their leaue of their Host who would take nothing of them, and departed at foure a clocke in the morning. They sayd their accustomed prayers, and walked with great comfort & cou­rage to a place called Maisonette, foure leagues off, where ar­riuing about noone, they tooke their refection, and there stayed some tyme, discoursing of their deuotion, & the way, informing themselues thereof by their host, who knew it ve­ry well;Beaure­po [...] so they departed, all lusty to finish their iourney, & reach Beau-repos to bed, distāt from thence three leagues. Ha­uing walked one league, they saw on their left hand two Horse-men, accompanied with two foot-men, running by them, who galloped towardes them. They were two Mer­chants, who ouertaking them, saluted them courteously. One was called Gratian, the other Ludolph. Gratian sayd vnto thē: Well my friends, you come from our B. Lady of Loreto? La­zarus as being the last and neerest vnto them:A dis­course with two Merchāts marry do we Syr: it is not, replyed the Merchant, without hauing learned some good thinges. In truth (sayth Lazarus) we haue had good occasions; but to learne well in a good schoole, one must be a good scholer also, euen as to become rich by tra­fique, a man must be a good Merchant, and know well how to buy and sell▪ Gratian sauouring this answere wel, as stuffe out of his owne shop: It is well answered, sayth he, and this [Page 305] your answer maketh me belieue, you are come from that holy place good maisters of deuotion, and we pray you har­tily, make vs partaker of that you haue learned. For though we be not Pilgrims as you are, & that our estate is to trafique in merchandise, yet are we also Pilgrimes in that we are mortall, & haue no continuall aboad in this world no more then you. Lazarus perceiuing that they were merchants, and coniecturing by their wordes that they were men of vnder­standing and conscience, thought it would not be time lost to hold them some spirituall discourse, and sayd vnto them: My masters, I would I had digged so deep in the treasures of Loreto, that I might enrich you with bestowing freely vpon you what we haue learned there by experience, and haue often heard before, that this place is a heauenly repaire of de­uotion; for there is not any man so cold who is not warmed in the loue of heauenly things, at the very sight of this sacred house, which is without doubt, because God is there singular­ly present; as he shewe by an infinit nūber of miracles which are done in fauour of those who call for his help, by the in­tercession of the mother of his Sonne Iesus Christ. You can not choose but haue often heard speake thereof, seeing the fame therof is spread though all Christianity. I call miracles, not onely the healing of incurable diseases, the wonderfull and strange deliuering of innocents & trauailers, prodigious [...]ers, and such like effects in all foure Elements, but also the vnexpected conuersions of thousands of great sinners, leauing their euill life, and following the way of vertue, with an hea­uenly zeale and feruour; a miracle perpetuall in the continu­all benediction of that house which God rayneth vpon it, verifying therin what he promised to his Disciples, to wit, that if they sought first the kingdome of God, other temporall commodities should be giuen them in surplasage freely, & as it were ouer and aboue the bargaine.Matth. 6. Luc. 12. The merchants liked well this discourse, and perceiued well that these Pilgrimes were not ordinary, so they lighted of their horses, giuing thē to their footemen to leade, that they might talke more fami­liarly and leasurly. Lazarus knowing the cause of their des­cent, desired them to get vp againe, and not disease them­selues, [Page 306] he and his companion would easily follow them on foot; but they would not, and desired them also to cast their bags & their cloks vpon the sadle, but they excused it. These Merchants desired earnestly to teach them the way to liue well, and wynne heauen, and intreated Lazarus instantly to tell them somewhat thereof, and to make them partaker of their deuotions.

Lazarus sayd vnto them: Gentlemen, I am too infirme to read a lesson of good life to others, yet I will communicate with you by the way of discourse,The way to liue well is to keep the Commā ­dements. and talke what we haue heard often of Catholike Preachers, and sometymes read in Scriptures, that is, that the soueraigne and sure way of liuing well, is to keep the Cōmandements of God, to do pennance, to giue almes, and do other good workes, and to take (sayth he a flower out of the garden of our owne vocation, to be a good Pilgrime vpon earth,The end of pilgrimages, pennace & profit spiritual. and to this end are ordained all pilgrimages of deuotion, and whosoeuer doth them with a­ny other intention (as many perhaps do) he is but a Pilgrime for his weed and staffe, and looseth his tyme and trauaile; as contrarywise they that do it to mend their life, and become better, are wise and well aduised Pilgrimes. And this is that God desireth, and our B. Lady of their Pilgrimes; and the wonderfull workes that are wrought at Loreto tend to no o­ther end; & thereupon some who meant not to change their wicked life, were miraculously repelled from entring this holy Chappell, & I thinke you haue heard the story. It may be so (sayd Gratian but as our mind is filled with affaires of the world, these thinges dwell not long in our memory, and you shall do vs a pleasure, to tell vs some examples.

I will recount you one only (not to be troublesome or te­dious) and that of fresh date.Tu [...]s. l 5. cap. 20. There came once a certaine per­son to this holy place, loaden with many sinnes, and not ca­ring greatly to discharge himselfe,A great sinner re­pulsed from the holy Chapell. he entred into the Church to enter also with other Pilgrimes into the Chapell, but as he set his foot vpon the ground, behold a terrible Shape re­presented it selfe against him, and draue him backe with a fearefull countenance, as with a strong wynd. His consciēce told him straight that his sins had placed that porter there; [Page 307] so he went to confession, but as the Priest to whome he came, perceaued that he was not well prepared, and that he had not searched well his Conscience, since he had remayned many yeares in the filth of all sorts of sinnes, he counselled him to go to the Chapell, and recommend himselfe to God, and the glorious Virgin, to make a good examen of all his life past, the better to remember his sinnes & confesse them. He went thither, but because it was not yet with a sincere hart, vndertaking this examen and confession rather to auoid shame then sinne, the former disfigured shape did forbid him entrance againe; then he perceaued that this was don of pur­pose, and was touched with a liuely sorrow and repentance of his sinnes, conceauing a full and firme purpose to do pen­nance heereafter and liue better. And so hauing duely remē ­bred himselfe of his sinnes, he went to the feet of the Priest, and made a generall Confession, testifying with teares and sobbes, the truth of his Contrition, & the change of his soule, & was absolued by the Priest, who bad him go present him­selfe with a good courage, to the holy Place, saying that he should not be repelled: he went therefore the third tyme hū ­bled and ashamed, yea also fearing that it would not be per­mitted to so great a sinner as he was, to enter into the house where God, and his greatest Saints haue corporally dwelt, and which now so many Saints frequent: but God by the in­tercession of the B. Virgin, permitted his humility to enter into his sanctuary, as before he repelled his presumption.

It may be that many sinners haue entred there, and doe enter without difficulty, and their condition is neuer the bet­ter, yet this one example might serue for a paterne to vs, and all other Pilgrimes, and to teach all Christians, that to per­forme their pilgrimage duely, they should endeauour and intend the amendement of their life, and that to liue well they must forsake sinne, and commit it no more, & do good good workes: The good Tree bringeth forth good fruite, Mat. 7.17 and the tree which bringeth not forth good fruite is not good. Your discourse is true (saith the Merchant) but for vs it is very hard, I may say impossible, to abstaine from sinne, by reason of our vocation. Syr (sayth Lazarus) in euery vocation and [Page 308] in euery good action there is difficulty, and will you not graunt me, that it is as easy to be a good Christian, as to be a good Merchant? Yes verily, quoth Gratian. Nay I assure my selfe (sayth Lazarus) that you will confesse it to be much more easy; for there are a thousand and a thousand men who are good Christiās, that would neuer make good Merchants: It is then easier to abstaine from sinne, and be a good Chri­stian, then to traficke as a good Merchant; how do you thē thinke it so hard, as impossible for a Merchant to abstaine frō sinne, and liue honestly?

I compare not the vocation of a Christian, quoth Gratiā, with that of a Merchant, for I confesse the first is easier, but my meaning is,It is im­possible to serue God and the world that the first is meruailously hindred by the second, and I remember I haue heard our Preachers say, it was impossible to serue two maisters, God, and the World. And they called Riches, Thornes, by which the good seed of Gods word is choaked, whereof followeth that the estate of merchandise which attendeth to the world, and hath no­thing for her end but wealth, is a great stoppe and hindrance to Christian life. It is our Sauiour (sayth Lazarus) who saith, it is impossible to serue two maisters, and compareth Riches to Thornes,Mat. 6.24 but this rule, and this Parable do not condemne the estate of Merchants, nor riches neither (for both before, and since the comming of our Sauiour, there were many Merchants,Math. 13. and rich men too, good seruants of God) they cō ­demne only the folly of those who calling themselues Chri­stians, that is, seruants of God, and disciples of Iesus Christ, will also haue the World for their maister, obeying and plea­sing it; who say, they serue God, and suffer themselues to be carryed away by riches, who behold heauen with their left eye, and earth with their right, who take on both sides, and finally who saile to East and West both at once. Our Sauiour then sayth not, that it is impossible to be a good Christian & a good Merchant, but only sheweth it to be impossible to set their loue vpon the World, and earthly goods, and withall worke their saluation; which is very true doctrine, & ther­fore it is the loue of the world & auarice that crosseth Chri­stian vertue, & not the estate of a Merchāt. And in that sense [Page 309] S. Paul sayth: They that will become rich, fall into temptation, 1. Tim. 6. & the snares of the Diuell, and into many foolish and hurtfull desires, which drowne men in destruction and perdition; for Couetise is the root of all euill. So that, if the Merchant driue away all auarice and couetousnes from his shoppe, he shall receaue no more impediment of doing well, by his estate, then the Iudge doth by his office, or the Souldier by warre.

Friend Pilgrime (quoth the other Merchant) you haue touched the point,A man may be a good Christian & a good Merchāt both. for doubtlesse if the Merchant be not worldly or couetous, he may be a good Christian; but how many such doe you see? In my opinion it is as easy to find a white Crow, or a blacke Swan, or a Pike without a bone, as a Merchant without Couetise. Syr (quoth Lazarus) will you condemne all Merchants of that fault? And Syr (quoth the Merchant) can you name me one Merchant who would not gaine, and be richer still? Syr (replyed Lazarus) it is an­other matter to haue a desire to gaine honestly, and make a reasonable profit of ones mony and paines, & another thing to be couetous; for the second cānot stand with a good Chri­stian conscience; the first pertaineth to his estate, and hin­dreth not a good Merchant, but that he may be a good Chri­stian also. For a well ordered desire to get his liuing, and to gaine by buying and selling, neuer compelleth any man to do any thing against Gods law; but auarice will lay his fin­gers on all, and will fill his pouch with all manner of gaine. It wil make him corrupt his ware, take vsury, loue his shop better then the Church, his counting-house better then the Altar, and a reckoning, better then a Masse, or a sermon.Effects of couetise. It will make him loose his soule and heauen, rather then his earthly riches. It is auarice therfore, that alwayes corrupteth the merchant and his estate, but not that the estate is contra­ry to the obseruation of the lawes of God. And if there be a­ny difficulty of working saluation in this calling, besides auarice, it is a common case to all estates; for in euery one shall a man meet with difficultyes, which may turne him from the way of well doing, if he will suffer himselfe to be turned out: In being a King, a Iudge, a Captaine, and the like. There are the like also in euery age: Youth hath her [Page 310] faultes,All estats and ages haue their dif­ficultyes. and old age hath hers, and other ages haue theirs: but as for these obstacles we do not condemne all estates & ages, so must they not make vs condemne the estate of Merchants; for these are not impossibilityes to liue well, (for so all the world must become Religious) but matter to merit in euery vocation. For the more difficulty there is in any worke, so much more is the vertue, and reward, and glory in ouerco­ming it.

No estate without difficulty.To thinke we may exercise any estate in this mortall life without difficulty, is to imagine a Sea without tempest, or a Warre without encounters. The Religious themselues, who at one blow haue broken the greatest difficultyes, ca­sting from them the baggage of the world, and haue entren­ched themselues within the counsels of our Sauiour, out of the wyndes and stormes of this worldly sea, are not exempt from all difficultyes; for they carry their flesh about them, which is a seminary of many troubles, and the Diuell goeth euery where,Euery man car­ryeth his Crosse. Math. 16.24. Marc. 8.34. who alwayes cutteth worke for our infirmity, and euery where ech man carryeth his Crosse; for that, is a decree pronounced by the mouth of our great Maister. It is true, that all do not profit thereby, because they carry their Crosse ouerthwart without merit, as without patience. Syr sayth the Merchant, if difficulty make merit and glory, then our condition, and that of worldly men is in better case then the Religious, for that we haue more difficulty to be saued without comparison. I answere (quoth Lazarus) that world­ly men haue more difficultyes and letres of saluation then Religious, yet for al that they haue no more merit, but much lesse, because they breed the causes of their owne difficulty, and fasten the fetters on their owne feet. Whereas the Reli­gious do ouercome at one blow all the chiefe difficultyes, pulling themselues out of the presse of the world with a re­solute mind, forsaking all things, to submit themselues who­ly to the seruice of God, which are too great exploites of a noble mind, the one of fortitude, and the other of Charity; and if after, they haue lesse difficulty to liue well, they misse not therefore of more merit; for it is the fruit of their victory, and a continuall prayse of vertue to them, vali­antly [Page 311] to haue passed through the bowells of their enemies, and an increase of glory, to haue chosen so noble a field to fight in, and therein to gaine the crowne of euerlasting glory. The excellency of an estate doth not consist in the difficulty, but rather in the goodnes and beauty of her acti­ons,Wherein cōsisteth▪ the excellency of an estate. as in the foundation, and of the end thereof, as in the crowne. Therefore the vocation of Theology is preferred be­fore that of Phisicke, because it hath a higher subiect which is God, and a more noble end, which is the health of the soule; wheras Physicke respecteth onely the body and the health thereof; though physike perhaps may haue more diffi­culty then the other. Also when the difficulty cometh of the excellency of the thing, it is greater merit to ouercome it, as warfare is more laudable then tillage of the ground, because it is more difficult by reason of the greater worthines there­of. But if the difficulty arise of the fault of the party,What difficulty in­creaseth merit. it brin­geth no praise with it, & therefore he that accustometh him­selfe to good cheere, is not therefore more to be praised if he fast with difficulty, thē the Religious which fasteth with fa­cility, because he is vsed thereunto, but rather this facility to fast turneth to his greater commendation; no more nor lesse then he that hauing learned to play well of a musicall instru­ment, playeth with ease and facility, doth an action more commendable, then an Apprentise who doth the same with difficulty. What more merit, say you then, shall a merchant haue to surmount his difficulties? I answer, he shal haue more then another merchant who should ouercome lesse difficulty in the same exercise; also he that hath resisted more temptati­ons, more desires, more occasions of doing ill, shall haue more merit, which must be vnderstood of all other persons of like vocation. For example amongst diuers religious lyuing vn­der one rule, he that mortifieth his ill inclination with more force, that suffereth more, and laboureth with more charity; amongst diuers Christian souldiours, he that fighteth more valiantly, with more incommodities; amongst diuers Iudges he that amongst most crosses of iustice performeth Iustice, & so of others. The conclusion then is, that the true Religious hath more merit because he surmonts greater difficulty, and [Page 312] because he doth more worthy actions, and the merchant not­withstanding the impediment of his estate, may be a good merchant, & a good Christian, both traficke gainfully & liue holily if he will. And I say moreouer, that he hath one com­modity aboue other vocations alwayes at hand, to make pro­fit of his wealth and gaine heauen, which is Almes. For the­reby he may gaine a hundred for one, and buy with the gaine thereof the kingdome of heauen. My Maisters do you desire a more gainful traficke, or more faithfull vsury then this? In truth (quoth Gratian) your discourse shutteth our mouth to all excuses, and doth encourage vs to do better hereafter; and I would to God we were in that liberty, that I thinke you are in, without charge of wife and children, we would per­haps vse another kind of traficke, lesse exposed to the danger of the soule, & more profitable. But we are bound, and haue beene of those, who feele not the weight of our fetters, but when they hinder our walking, and when we repent with­out profit, the choice we haue made without prudence. My Maisters (quoth Lazarus) euery one wil not liue in religion, and many would that cannot, he that can and will, & is em­barqued, he receaueth an inestimable fauour of God, and is to be esteemed amongst the most fortunate Pilgrimes; for he is carryed in a vessell most assured that may be, against the waues, and danger [...] of the Sea of this world, and if he cast not himselfe ouerboard into the waters, he shall arriue no doubt at the hauen of heauenly blisse. But though e­uery one cannot be Religious, nor saile with such fortune, euery man notwithstanding may be a good Christian in his vocation; the Gentleman in his, the Doctour, the Merchant, the Artisan, the Labourer, in theirs; and euery man may therin saue himselfe. And heauen is not only for Religious, it is for all that will purchase it of him, who hath bought it for vs with his precious bloud, and doth sell it to good wor­kes, coyned with the stampe of his grace.

1. The traficke of Almes. 2. A memorable history of Almes. 3. Almes neuer without profit. 4. A combat betwixt a VVesell, and a Serpent. CHAP. X.

YET one word more Syr,The tra­ficke of almes. if it please you (quoth Gratiā) what traficke, and what vsury vnderstand you that to be which ryseth of almes? Marry the most rich traficke of all others (quoth Lazarus) and the most fertill vsury that can be vsed; and that not only lawfull, and no way against the law of God, but also with Gods speciall seruice. How may that be (quoth Gratian?) Syr (replyed Lazarus) haue you not heard oftentymes, that to those that leaue, or giue any thing for Gods sake, he will render an hundred fold recompence,Math. 19.29. and life euerlasting besides? To gaine an hundred for one, and a kingdome, and that of heauen, is it not a rich traficke, and an vsury both fruitfull and honourable? Gentlemen, if I feared not to be troublesome vnto you, I would tell you a memo­rable history of this matter, but it is inough for you that are instructed in a Christian schoole, to haue touched it in gene­rall. Syr, sayd they, you haue shewed vs so good stuffe, that the more we see, the more we desire to buy, we will take it of credit, and I pray you, do not depriue vs of the ware of this story. If you be weary get vp on one of our horses, they can­not carry a better charge, nor a worthier horseman. I am yet (quoth Lazarus) very well disposed on my legges, and ready to serue you with these little bribes, seeing you take pleasure in them. The history is. There was in Nisibu a towne of Per­sia, a certaine Christian woman marryed to a Paynim:A me­morable history. this fellow had fifty Crownes in his purse, and a great desire he had to multiply them, and sayd one day to his wife: Wife, I would fayne find a way to make profit of the siluer we haue, for if we take not heed it will be shortly all spent, one peece after another, we must put it forth to interest. The good wo­man answered, I am of your opinion husband, so that the v­sury be good: as high as we can find any, quoth he, thirty yea fifty in the hundred: you must giue it then, sayd she, to the God of the Christians. Shal we haue so much of him, quoth [Page 314] he? And more too (answered his wife) if you will. We will haue no more (quoth he) let vs giue it him hardly: but where shall we find him? You must (sayth she) deliuer it to his trea­surers: and where dwell they? Come you with me, sayd his wife, and bring the mony: & she brought him from thence to the Church of the Christians, and shewing him a great num­ber of Poore which begged almes at the gate: Behold (sayth she) these are the treasurers of the God of the Christians, to whome you must deliuer your mony to vsury. He being al­togeather abashed; Marry wife, quoth he, these are but ill as­sured Treasurers, do you not see that they are poore beggers, who haue neither credit, nor any ground in bargayning, & when they haue eaten the principall, who shall pay vs our interest? Nay, sayth she, we must not looke to their wealth or fortune, but to the credit and sufficiency of their Maister, who receaueth the money by their handes, and rendreth faythfully, to all that giueth them, and neuer yet deceaued a­ny. Belieue me only, & giue it them without feare; I would dy rather then deceaue you: without feare, sayth he, I cannot thus deliuer our mony, wherein consisteth all our wealth, but yet vpon thy word I will deliuer it. And so saying, he began to distribute his fifty peeces, shaking and trembling, as­king his Wife if he must not taken an obligation of them: to whome she answered, that it was not needfull, and so they returned home. Three months being expired, he sayd: Wife, behold the first quarter is come, shall we finger any mony to liue on? Yea, sayth she, go to the same place where you be­stowed it: he went, and found there some of those beggers, to whome he had giuen his mony, and diuers new besides; he stayed to see if they would say any thing to him of the matter, and he saw that insteed of giuing him any thing, they reached forth their hand, and begged more instantly then they did before: for the old beggers had told the other, that this man was a great almes-giuer, and very charitable, and that not long since he had giuen them a bountifull liberality, in such sort as they lookt to receaue so much as they did be­fore: whereas the good man had no such meaning, but bla­med the credulity of his wife, in giuing him so bad counsell, [Page 315] and his owne simplicity in hauing belieued her. Was not my wife (sayd he in himselfe) very venturous, to counsell me any such course? And was not I a very foole, for letting my selfe be ruled and persuaded by a woman? As he discoursed thus angerly, walking in the Church, he espied vpon the marble pauement, one of those peeces of gold that he had giuen, and so he returned halfe pacifyed, and told his wife, that he had not seene this God of the Christians, and that his treasu­rers were but poore officers, who were so farre from giuing me any thing, that they demanded more. Only I found vn­der my feet one peece of that I gaue before. That was the God of Christians, sayd she, who sayd it there, with that in­uisible hand wherewith he gouerneth all the world. Well husband, sayth she, go I pray you, & buy something therwith for our supper, and haue confidence in the prouidence of God: he went to the Market, and brought among other prouision a Fish, and comming home gaue it his wife to dresse, who opening the belly, found therein a great Diamond of a most cleare and beautifull lustre; she wondered at it, without knowing the worth, she shewed it her husband, who won­dered also, knowing the valew as little as she. When they had supped, he sayd to his Wife: giue me that stone to sell, perhaps we may get a Teston for it. He tooke it, and went to a Ieweller, who had already shut his shoppe, and presen­ted him this stone to sell: the Ieweller beheld it with admi­ration of the beauty and bignes of the Diamond, as neuer ha­uing seene the like before, and sayd vnto him: Well, what shall I giue you for it? He answered, what pleaseth you? The Ieweller told him he would giue him fiue Crownes; he that esteemed the stone worth but two Testons, thought he moc­ked him, and sayd, will you giue me so much indeed? The Ieweller also thought that his merchant iested with him, & for his part mocked at his small offer, and sayd: I will giue you ten Crownes. The good man thinking he was mocked still, sayd neuer a word. The Ieweller offered twenty, after thirty, and seeing he answered nothing, he came vp to fifty, shewing by his speach and fashion, that he was in good ear­nest. When he perceaued the Ieweller to speake without ie­sting, [Page 316] he began to thinke that his Diamond was of a notable valew, and sayd: Syr, you know better then I how much it is worth, and therefore without any more bidding, referre your selfe to reason, and giue me what a man of your estate would iudge it worth. The Ieweller was afraid, that he would haue gone to some other, and so he loose that good bargaine, sayd, what shall I giue then at a word? He answe­red at all aduenture; you shall giue me (sayth he) three hun­dred Crownes without abating one groat. He tooke him at his word, and told him out three hundred Crownes in three hundred peeces. So he returned home loaden with mony, with an vnexpected ioy. His wife seeing him all ioyfull, & thinking he had for his Diamond some Testons; demanded how much he had gotten for it: he cast all the three hundred Crownes vpon the table, saying: Loe what they haue giuen me for my stone. Then sayd his Wife: My good Husband, now confesse that the God of the Christians, is faythfull and rich, and payeth his Creditours; you demanded but 50. in the hundred, and he hath giuen you three hundred for 50. And know you also, that this is nothing in respect of that he will giue you, if you will belieue in him, and become a Christian. The good man opening his eyes at this miracle, and the wordes of his wife, caused himselfe to be instructed in the Christian Fayth, and being baptized liued afterward holily.

Behold Maisters an example of trafike and vsury, which may be vsed with praise and profit euerlasting.Alms ne­uer with­out fruit. If all that giue almes do not visibly fynd the gaine which this good man found, they must yet beleeue, if they be Christians, that they shall alwayes reape their hundred fold, according to the promise of our Sauiour,In pruto spirt. c. 185 and that by the prayers of the poore God doth by secret blessing multiply their wealth, preser­ueth them from many losses they should endure, and defen­deth them from theeues and robbers, and finally bringeth thē to heauen. If I haue troubled you with too long a discourse your piety was to blame, in making me begin. Friend Pil­grime (sayd Gratian) your discourse hath beene very plea­sing vnto vs. We do iudge it short, which hath made both [Page 317] our way and our tyme short, and by my consent we shal put in practise, this manner of trafike, which you haue expressed to vs in this example. It will sticke onely vpon our selues sayth Ludolph. Not onely (saith Gratian) but this good Pil­grime must help vs also with his prayers, as he hath done with his good precepts, that we may faithfully performe what he hath taught vs.

Continuing these discourses,A cōbat [...] betwixt a VVesil & a Serpēt. they came within 200. paces of Beau-repos, where Lazarus and his Companions wēt to lodge that night, and behold Vincent espied a Wesel chew­ing of Rue in an extraordinary manner, he stayed a while to behold her, and the rest stayed with him looking vpon this little beast. One of the Merchants asked Lazarus, Arist. l 7. de hist. ani. c. 6. if he tooke not this encounter for signe of ill fortune. That were heathe­nish superstition (quoth Lazarus,) I thinke cleane contrary that we must take it for a fauour of God,Plin. l. 29. cap. 4. who giueth vs occa­sion to contemplate his wonders in his creatures; for it is he that hath taught this little beast to do as she doth. And why saith Gratian? Therefore hath she eaten this herbe (quoth La­zarus) either because she hath fought with some serpent, or is to fight shortly, taking it for a defence & preseruatiue against her poison; and as he sayd so, behold the Wesel leaped forth against a great serpēt that lay hard by stretched forth in many circles against the sunne, which was then very warme. The battaile began, the Wesel bit him by the taile, & rising with a iumpe, thought to haue bit him in the belly. The serpent was not yet hoate, and therfore wynded about but heauily, the Wesell went about nimbly, skipping here and there to fasten on the serpent, without being bitten her selfe. The ser­pent by little and little waxed warme to the skirmish, and began already to swell in the necke, & lifted one foot aboue the ground, she turned and trayned, hissing and darting her tongue.

The Wesel alwayes fastened some hold of him, and pas­sed sometime ouer him, sometime vnder, sometyme ouer­thwart, so nimbly that she seemd to fly, & so dextrously that it was not possible for the serpent, to find any fastning for his teeth. The combat was doubtfull a while, but at last the [Page 318] Wesell watched her aduersary so well, that she fastened her teeth in his neecke, close by his head, and held him so hard crying, and casting her vrine, that the serpent hauing made many turnings, and ouer-turnings of his body in fighting with his head and taile, remayned dead vpon the place, and the little Wesel went conquerour out of the field, as it might seeme to eate rue againe. This combat greatly reioyced the company, & Lazarus was halfe rauished admiring the workes of God therein, hauing giuen so great a courage to so small a creature, & strength to ouercome another ten times as bigge as her selfe. So they marched together vnto Beau-repos, and because the Merchants meant to reach to Mondeuille, which was a Citty two leagues of, to come betimes to the feast, and certaine playes that should be there next morning, they wēt on, Gratian hauing left secretly a crowne with the host, for the three Pilgrimes charges; and either excusing themselues for their departure, with a thousand thankes to Lazarus and his companions, they tooke their horses againe, and rode to Mondeuille.

The Pilgrimes entred their lodging, sayd their prayers, examined their conscience euery one apart, expecting their supper. The Merchants went on talking of the good discourse they had heard. Good Lord (saith Gratian) what blynd fel­lowes be we, not to exercise this trafike whereof the Pilgri­me did speake? what poore merchants are we to forget that we are Christians, to be trafiquers of the earth? And what had we got if we had all the wealth in the world locked vp in our shops, & our soules eternally prisoners in hell? are we borne to inherit earth and not rather heauen? It was a great good happe for vs,The prai­se of ver­tue a sweet harmony. quoth Ludolphus, to haue met with these Pilgrimes, but we must further put in practise what we haue learned. It is easy to heare vertue well spoken of, for it is a sweet harmony to the eare of a reasonable man, but therein consisteth not the profit; we must stretch forth our hand to the execution, and not be of the number of those, who weep at the Sermon, and steale at market. You haue hit the very marke (quoth Gratian) and this is that whereat we should shoot.

So they passed the way to Mondeuille. The Pilgrims ha­uing supped, said the Litanies, & some other prayers, & tooke for the subiect of their morning Meditation, the Tentation of our Sauiour in the desart, in these three points following.

• 1. How our Sauiour after he was baptized went into the desart, and of the weapons of a Christian.
• 2. Of the weapons and malice of the diuell to tempt, and of the manner of our Sauiour in resisting.
• 3. How the Angels ministred to our Sauiour after his victory.

These 3. pointes being noted, they went to bed.

The foure and thirtith day, and the fourth of their Returne. Of the Tentation of our Sauiour in the desart, with what weapons, & in what manner we must fight with the diuell. CHAP. XI.

LAZARVS passed the 3. points of his meditation with great light and feruour, and discoursing vpon the first,Our Sa­uiour be­ing bap­tized is brought into the desert to be temp­ted. where the Baptisme of our Sauiour is represented, learned, that whosoeuer is baptized must enter into the desert of this world and fight: for that by baptisme he cōmeth out of Egipt by the red Sea, & is enrolled amongst the souldiours of Iesus Christ; according to which law S. Paul saith; No man shall be crowned who fighteth not valiantly. And therefore let no man expect the crowne of glory,1. Tim. 2. who hath not first fought against the Diuell, and his vpholders, the World, and the Flesh, and departeth conquerer from the combat, which he may obtaine by the grace of God, taking the weapons of Iesus Christ,The spi­ritual ar­mes of a Christian souldier. & fighting valiantly to his imitation. His weapons are, Purity of conscience, Praier, Fasting, the word of God. Of al which Christ gaue vs a modell and paterne in this tentation. The Purity of conscience is signified by Baptisme. To haue this peece of armour, we must often confesse, and wash our selues [Page 320] by Pennance, as by a second Baptisme, and keep our selues cleansed from our sinnes; and who fighteth without it, is ouerthowne; for he that in state of mortall sinne, will vn­dertake to fight against tentation, doth like vnto him who presenteth himself to the breach, with traytours that would destroy him, or confront his enemies being deadly wounded: within this desert our Sauiour prayed and fasted, and both for our example. Praier maketh vs one with God, and this vnion doth enlighten and strengthen vs, as also fasting doth, which the Doctours do fitt [...]y cal, The life of God, The food of Angels, because it doth nourish and fortify our Spi­rits; and therefore the Holy Church, the true warrier and daughter of the God of hostes, vseth often this food, and this armour after our Sauiours example. In Lent solemnely, and at other times often,Ambr. ser. 15. Heb. 4.12 and calleth such solemnities of prayer & fasting, the Forts and Campe of Christians her children. The word of God wherewith the diuel was heere throughly bea­ten, is a two edged sword,Apoc. 1.1. & 19.15. a weapon fit both for offence and defence, which we may take out of the storehouse of holy Scriptures, out of the Sermons, and conferences of holy Doctours.

Vpon the second point Lazarus noted, that the weapons and assaultes of the diuell are in generall, Gluttony, Vanity, Couetice;The wea­pons and malice of the Diuel armed with these he set vpon our Sauiour, as vpō all mortall men: he obserued also his subtility in that he came disguised, in the figure and habit of a good man, as of the Hermites, who in those times lyued in those desarts. Also that he assailed our Sauiour where he thought he was wea­kest, by hunger, and principally in that he demanded but a small matter,The sweet pretences of the Diuell. and that, as it seemed, reasonable, to wit, to turne stones into bread, to help his present necessity. So he maketh his hole little, to enter in subtilty, and with greater ease. So for one bit of an Apple he destroyed man; so also he asketh at the Witches handes but a haire of their head,Genes. 3. to tye a knot of friendship betwixt them; but one veniall sinne of deuout persons, but one litle imperfection of Religious men, by such little pathes to draw them at last to destruction. And as therefore Queene Semirami [...] hauing obtayned of her sonne [Page 321] the king of the Assyrians, to raigne but one day,Dion. de rebus per­ficis. tooke from him his crowne, and his life: euen so this our aduersary, if he become maister but once by one mortall sinne, depriueth vs at last of the kingdome of heauen. Lazarus also learned of our Sauiour, how to resist the malice of this enemy,Diod. Sicul l. 3. c. vlt. which is, in not giuing him any aduantage though neuer so smal, but repelling him euery where, and in euery thing, for such is the aduice of the Apostle saying, Giue not place vnto the Diuel. Phil. 4. Our Sa­uiour ser­ued by Angells. And so he was sent away with shame, & he that was temp­ted by the wicked Angels, was at the last serued of the good; shewing vs that after the victory, we shall be admitted to the table of God, filled with delightes, and crowned with the garland of glory.

Thus meditated Lazarus, and said vnto our Sauiour: O prudent & puissant Captaine, giue me the grace to vse those weapons, wherewith thou hast ouercome, to teach vs how we also should ouercome. For thy selfe there was no neces­sity of this triall or victory, heauen and earth knew full well, that thou with thy Almighty power wast stronge inough to reiect thyne enemy. And turning to our B. Lady.

O vailant warriour, saith he, who hast in this warre ouercome thy sexe,To the B. Virgin. and the valour of the most valiant Ama­zones that euer were, who didst first crush the head of our enemy this old serpent, take me, O heauenly warriour, vnto thy protection, arme me in the warre of thy Sonne, with his weapons and thine, direct me in this combat, that I may vse myne arme after his and thine example, that vnder thy defence I may get the victory, and that to him, and to thee for the loue of him, may redound the glory of my warfare.

1. An admirable combat. 2. A Pilgrime togeather with Serpents nourished by a stone. 3. The foundation of dreames. 4. The three bandes of the world. 5. How to chuse a Religion. 6. The end of worldly ioy. CHAP. XII.

SVCH was the meditation and prayer of Lazarus. Theo­dosius and Vincent held the same points with other veines [Page 322] of deuotion. Their prayers ended they tooke a draught of wine, and would haue reckoned with their Host, but he sayd he would haue none of their siluer, himselfe was rather in their debt, and so put in their hand the Crowne, which the Merchant had left the night before for their sup­per, of which himselfe would take nothing, but restored it whole to them as their owne. They desired him to bestow it on other Pilgrimes that passed that way, or on the poore, saying they had God be thanked, good prouision, & thanking him very hartily for his charity, they departed very well cō ­tent, and he remained much edified with their piety and de­uotion. After they had sayd their prayers for their iourney, and their beads, they began to discourse of their meditation, whereupon Lazarus sayd, he had had that night a dreame, that was all of warre, and wild beastes.

He affirmed moreouer, that this tentation was the most liuely and goodly patterne of a combat that could be repre­sented,An admirable cō ­bat. as contayning therein the manner well to assault, & valiantly to resist, and ouercome. Doe not you marke (sayth he) how this old Dragon disguiseth himselfe into the forme of a man, and of an honest man? How craftily he directed his battery,The Di­uell tēp­teth our Sauiour in a holy habit. to that place which he thought weakest, & ea­siest to enter at, assailing hunger with the hooke, and entice­ment of gluttony? changing his weapons according to occa­sions, from the desart to the Temple, from the Temple to the toppe of the mountaine? heere battering with guns of Gormandise, there with presumption, and after of ambition and auarice? and still in euery one shewing himselfe a mali­gne and impudent assaulter? See you, on the other side, our good Redeemer, couered with the cloke of our infirme na­ture, suffering himselfe to be carryed by his enemy to bring him to confusion? See you how his great humility, quickly pulled out the eyes of pride, which appeared by the second assault, when Sathan sayd vnto our Sauiour: If thou beest the sonne of God, cast thy selfe downe? Which was the discourse of a distracted spirit, ioyning a conclusion of phrensy to an Ante­cedent of Diuinity; for it is, as if he had sayd: Thou art Al­mighty, do therefore an act of extreme infirmity; for that to [Page 323] precipitate himselfe is an act of a base and cowardly hart: he should rather haue sayd, if thou beest the sonne of God, fly vp to heauen, or demand some such thing which might haue shewed some worthy proofe of such power, and might haue made some reasonable illation. And do you not thinke that our Challengers haue been at the schoole of this distracted Skirmisher,Against Chalen­gers. when pricked with a point of honour (as they cal it) but in truth with a point of some phrensy, they send let­ters of defiance to their enemies in these termes: If thou beest an honest man come try a sword with me, that is, come shew a tricke of dastardy, and cast thy selfe downe togeather with me, into euerlasting death and ignominy? And should we not answere to the humming of such a hornet: Go thy wayes ill aduised fond fellow, because I am an honest man,Duellists. I de­test thy defiance, as a summon proceeding out of the mouth of a frantike man, or scholler of Sathan, and the Diuells dis­ciple, not a Christian Caualier? Moreouer what shame think you receaued this King of the children of pride, when be­cōming yet in the second encounter more blind; and presu­ming of the victory in the third, he was reiected with these byting wordes, Get thee gone Sathan, pronounced with dis­daine, and anger of our victorious Sauiour, of whome he would haue beene adored on both knees.

In truth (quoth Vincent) it was a meruailous combat in euery respect, and the victory notable; as also these two were the greatest Captains that euer were, the one in power and wisedome, the other in strength and malice, as I sup­pose you could better penetrate then I. I stayed with great contentation in the first words of our Sauiour, wherewith he did beare off the first assault of the enemy, saying:Matth. 4. Man li­ueth not only by bread, but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. That is, as I haue heeretofore heard our Prea­chers say, by whatsoeuer God will nourish vs with all. For in this answere, I perceaued the wisedome, goodnes, and power of God, who both could, would, and knew how to giue meanes to liue, not only to man, but to all creatures, whereof some are nourished with herbes, some with fruits, some with water, others with wind. Man hath all the world [Page 324] and all creatures for his prouision, and sometyme is miracu­lously sustained,3. Reg. 17. euen by the beastes themselues, as Elias by the Crow, yea euen by direction of beastes, such as are hurt­full & pernicious to the life of man, as not long since I heard a notable example of a Pilgrime, who was nourished diuers wayes with a stone, which serpents had shewed vnto him. Theodosius knoweth wel this story; for he told it once in good company, and if it please him to renew the memory thereof vnto vs, he shall so farre solace our way. Truly (sayth Laza­rus) looking vpon Theodosius, you may not refuse this liberall offer. Theodosius answered, seeing that Vincent is in company, and hath so good a memory, as to remember a history that I tould foure years since, me thinkes he should rather pleasure and recreate the company therewith. I remember that I haue forgot it, replyed Vincent, if you will haue me recite it, first help my forgetfullnes, and after I will do my best. I see well (quoth Theodosius) Lazarus is lead away by Vincent, and I must be condemned by them both to tell this history; I am content to beare the sentence, but if I performe it ill, your eares shall beare the paine and pennance.

If I remember well (sayth he) then heare it as I learned it of that venerable Prelate Iohn Fisher an Englishman Bishop of Rochester, A Pilgri­me toge­ther with a serpent nouri­shed with a stone. in the booke which he put forth in the yeare 1526. against Oecolampadius the Heretike: there he sayth that he learned it of Vesalius Groningensis, a Frizlander, a man of good learning and credit, That a certaine Priest went into Italy about the beginning of winter, yet it happened that one day in very ill wether, walking vpon the Alpes, he lost his way, and turning heere and there, at last descended into a valley,Roff. l. 4. c. 22. con. Ooecolam. hoping there to find the right way, where if night should surprise him, he might also find some corner to couer himselfe from wind and snow, but looking on euery part, he found no issue or way to get out, all the ground being co­uered with snow. For his bed, he espied a little hole on the right hand, wrought naturally within the Rocke, and a lit­tle plaine before it, there he cast himselfe as into his graue, not looking to liue; for he had neither weapons nor muni­tion to sustaine the siege of two so great enemies as cold & [Page 325] hunger, which already began to buckle with him, and must needes shortly presse him without mercy, and take him with out striking a stroke. The Moone was at the full, & by good fortune began to shine; the heauens waxing cleare a little af­ter he had set himselfe supperles in his bed of stone, he wa­ked almost till midnight, when he saw a troupe of great Serpents, which came towardes his denne, trayning al along the snow; he was frighted at this sight, and blessed himselfe, and did not thinke that they had beene serpents indeed, be­cause he could not conceaue any naturall cause that should make them leaue their holes at this tyme, and thus trayne vpon the snow; and it came in his mind to thinke, that it was some illusion of the nights fancies, or perhaps some wic­ked spirits, who came in that figure to disquiet him; so he blessed himselfe againe, and recommended himselfe with all his hart to God, & the B. Virgin. The serpents approached and came to a stone, close by his denne, they go about it, & after they come to it, and licked it. He sate looking when they would leape on him, entring into his denne to deuoure him. But when they had taryed a while licking the stone, they returned the same way they came. He thanked God, that he was deliuered from this feare, and slept a little the rest of the night, and was all the next day without eating or seeing any thing, but the whitenes of the earth, and the light of heauen.

In the second, and third night at the same houre, the ser­pents came againe, and hauing done as they did before re­turned. Then he persuaded himselfe that they were very serpents, but he could not tell the cause why they should licke the stone. In the meane tyme he was almost starued with hunger, and thought that perharps those beastes did shew him, what he should do to sustaine himselfe. Therfore he goeth to the stone, putteth his mouth to it, and licketh it; and as soone as he had licked it (a strange thing) he felt him­selfe strengthned both against hunger and cold, as if he had taken some restoratiue or some strange meat, and in this sort he sustayned and defended himselfe all the winter long and a part of the spring, vntill the moneth of April, when the [Page 326] snow beginning to melte, and the wayes to open, he heard the voice of passengers whome he followed, and set himselfe in way with them to finish his iourney. Behould what you demanded of me; and surely Vincent had good oc­casion, to note the prouidence of God in those wordes of our Sauiour; for it is easy to see in this example, that God is all mercifull and almighty, hauing alwayes care of his creaturs, & able to maintaine them, not with bread only, but of what­soeuer shall please him, yea euen with stones if he will. And therefore Sathan, though he were crafty on the one side, in giuing the assault where he thought likelyest to haue sped,The folly of the di­uell. he was notwithstanding a great foole on the other side, in thinking it necessary to turne stones into bread to sustain the body, it being as easy for the Sonne of God, to draw nouri­shement out of a stone without bread, as to turne a stone into bread for nourishment. Loe (quoth Vincent) you are dischar­ged of your history, and I am contented. Truly (sayth Laza­rus) you haue reason to be contented, and I know not whe­ther we shall haue so good a dinner againe to day, as Theodo­sius hath giuen vs; for besides the spirituall refection, he hath giuen vs also a good lesson, teaching vs to expect with great fayth and confidence the assistance of our Sauiour, both for body and soule in all our necessityes.

But, sayth Theodosius, seeing you would breake your fast vpon that little I had in the sacke of my memory, bring you forth also the narration of your dreame you had the last night: you demand (quoth Lazarus) but a homely dish. Such as will serue for Pilgrims and footmen, answered Theodosius. If you will vndertake, replyed Lazarus, to giue the interpre­tation thereof as a good sauce, I am content to performe your wil. I wil do my best (quoth Theodosius.) Heare thē my dream & take heed you be not afraid,Lazarus his drea­me. for it is full of dangerous pee­ces. In the night me thought I saw come out of a towne di­uers squadrous of men, and furious beasts, of Lyons enraged against Foxes, and Foxes against Conies, Dogs against Wol­ues, and Wolues against Sheep: I saw also in the sea Ships sayling in diuers coastes, & amidst of this confusion & stirre, some Pllgrimes walking vpon the earth like our selues. Be­hold [Page 327] my dreame. Vincent began to laugh & said, that Theodosius needes not dreame much to expound this dreame. Why? (sayth Theodosius.) How can you misse (saith he) to interpret a thing so notorious and cleare? Who knoweth not that there is warre amongst men, and warre amongst beastes, and that diuers saile vpon the sea, and walke vpon the land? Truly (saith Lazarus) Vincent hath reason to laugh, for I dreamed nothing, but that euery man seeth without dreaming, and therefore Theodosius either laugh with him, or find some seri­ous interpretation to keepe you from laughing.

I thinke (saith Theodosius) that the most part of dreams are groūded vpō things that are in being & which we haue seen.The foū ­dation of dreames. For the imagination which is the couch & nursery of drea­mes, representeth cōmonly what she hath receiued; but rea­son slumbering when we sleepe, the fantasy can not make of her formes & figures any orderly or methodicall connexion,Order is a worke of the vnderstan­ding. for that is the worke of vnderstanding and reason: but like a fond chambermayd she maketh absurd connexions, putting the head of a beare, to the body of a goat, or the coppe of a mountaine vpon the necke of a man, or of a monkey: yet she layeth almost alwayes the ground of her representations v­pon things otherwise seene, or vnderstood in some sort: and I think also that dreames, come not only of nature, but also by the inspiration of God.Genes. 2 [...]. Iacob saw a ladder standing on the earth reaching to heauen, and Angels ascending and descen­ding theron, and is there any thing more common then to see a ladder and men ascending and descending by the steppes; yet this was a diuine dreame. Ioseph the sonne of this Patri­arch had a dreame composed of the sunne & moone,Genes. 37. and 11. starres, and another of many sheffes of corne.Genes. 41. Pharao saw in his dreame 7. fat Kyne, and 7. leane, seauen faire eares of Wheat and full of corne, 7. other empty and blasted. These were things naturall and vulgar, & yet the dreames were of God; and therfore I thinke Vincent meant but to recreat vs in laughing at yours, to the end that his laughing proceeding from a sophisme, might giue vs matter to laugh. You haue halfe ouercome me (saith Vincent) and there remayneth no more, but the exposition of the dreame, to stop my mouth [Page 328] altogeather, & your selfe to triumph, either of my laughing, or of my silence, if I cannot reply. For my part (saith Theo­dosius) I thinke that the matter of this dreame, as Lazarus did wisely iudge, came of the subiect of his meditation, & that it signifieth some other warre, then the ordinary of men and beastes, but I cannot expound it in particular: that pertaineth vnto you Lazarus, for I doubt not, but as God hath put this dreame into your fantasy, so also he hath in some sort writ­ten the interpretation thereof in your vnderstanding. I know nothing more (quoth Lazarus) then your selfe haue vnder­stood; God will shew it vs, if there be any thing els, to his honour, & the profit of his Pilgrimes. If you will haue any more than this at my handes, you must giue me leaue & lei­sure to aske of God, what you aske of me. If there be no­thing els but the representation of the imagination, we must be content with that knowledge, which you haue with me, and so Vincent may remaine victor in his laughing. Dis­coursing in this sort, and deceiuing the tediousnes of the way, they came at 10. of the clocke in the morning to Mon­deuille, where the merchants the day before had lodged, and were there still, Gratian hauing heard very ill newes. They went straight to the Church in the Suburbes, and hauing heard Masse, and done their ordinary deuotions, without going into the towne they went vnto an hospitall which was in the suburbes at the other end of the towne, to take a little repast and repose, and to gaine waye: but some told them, that they could not passe ouer the ditches, by reason of the inundation of waters, whith had marred the way, & that they must needes go through the towne, which was also the shorter way. They yielded to necessity. As they were entred a little into the towne, they met by good for­tune Syr Gratian, who saluted them courteously, and was much comforted in meeting them, namely for Lazarus sake, and vnderstanding that they went to the hospitall to rest a while, and after go on their way; I will meet you there by and by (saith he) I pray you Maister Lazarus do not de­part the towne, vntill I haue spoken a word with you, who promised to stay for him. In the streetes was nothing seene [Page 329] but troopes of horsemen, cloathed in rich & precious attire, who made much sport with the Pilgrims, iesting sometime at their Pilgrime staffe, sometyme at their buckeram cloake, wherewith the Pilgrimes were not much troubled; there they heard the fiffes, trumpets, and haut-boyes sound in di­uers places, especially where the list for the tourney was pre­pared, and the Theater for the playes of the feast, and all the towne was full of reioycing.

They met in passing, three companies of Caualliers,Three bā ­des of the world. with diuers habillements and ensignes. The first wore Caslockes and breeches of crimson damaske, powdred as with fethers of glittering siluer, with scarfes of Carnation taflata, with siluer fringe, hats of beauer lyned with the same, and edged with gold, and a band of greene silke, and for their plumes they had the fethers of the bird of Paradise, their armes were Gules, a Goat passant. The second band were clad in blacke veluet, figured in the ground with gold, scarfes of yellow cypresse, their hats plaited of blacke taffata, with a band of siluer with two branches, insteed of their plume, a nose-gay of double marigoldes. Their scutchion was Sable, a Mercu­ry argent with winged feet, and holding a wand of the same colour in his right hand. Those of the third band were clad in changeable taffata, laced richely with glittering gold, in manner of waues, their hates were garnished with the same stuffe, & richely embrodered without, the band was wound of gold and siluer of diuers branches, and a great plume of di­uers colours, scarfes of greene taffata fringed with gold: their Armes were Azure, a Wheele Or, and in Chiefe, three Moones greene, in a field Argent. Merefolly the guide & retrait of world­linges.

All this company went to the Inne of Mere-folly, as they sayd, there to banquet, and after to accompany her to the Theater, where she should be carryed in a triumphing chaire. They saw these things in passing, without making any great account thereof, and came straight vnto the Hospitall.Sap. 5. They had dined when Gratian came vnto them, who tooke Laza­rus apart, and wringing him by the hand,Affliction openeth the eyes, sayd with teares in his eyes: Syr Lazarus, although I haue not had the good fortune to know you but of late, yet the good discourses I [Page 330] heard of you yesterday, haue ēgrauen in my hart a great con­ceit of your vertue, as also a great confidence in your friend­ship. Our good Lord hath visited me, Syr Lazarus: yesterday a little after we came to this Towne, I had news that my wife was dead, and a little sonne I had, the hope of my house, and old age. I thought little of this accident, whē talking with you, I sayd that were it not for the hinderance of my family, I would willingly haue serued God, with that liberty as you do; and in saying this, he began to weep, and sobbe, that he could speak no further. Lazarus sayd vnto him: Syr Gratian, you haue lost nothing which you should not haue lost once, this is but a little preuenting the tyme,Death is a cōmon debt. and perhaps you haue gayned much heerein; for how know you, what fortune would haue followed your sonne, as if insteed of being the staffe of your old age, he might haue tormented and vndone you, your house, & himselfe, as hath fallen out to many Fa­thers? And if you had beene sure of his vertuous course, God would haue him, and bestow on him a farre better inheritan­ce, then you could haue left him, or at the least haue giuen you some other supporter insteed of your sonne. He tooke nothing but his owne, he gaue him you with this condition to take him againe when he would, and now he hath taken him, it is his right, and his will, to the which you neither may, nor can resist. It resteth only for you to haue Christian patience, and to profit by your losse. Gratian being somewhat asswaged, resumed his discourse, and sayd: Well seeing it hath pleased him thus to afflict me, in taking from me what was deerest in this world, I resolue to cast my selfe wholy into his armes, and heale my wound by that hand that made it. I haue now no band that bindeth me to the seruice of the world, and hindreth my liberty to serue God withall my hart, & to liue a true Pilgrime vpon earth: it is longe since the world did stinke vnto my nose, and my experience of her infidelity, hath breed in me a hatred, and loathing to deale with her, & this is the very matter that I would cōsult with you, and take aduise about retyring my selfe from vanity, to serue God in assurance all the rest of my life; and I coniure you in the name of God, and by the zeale which I know you [Page 331] haue to his honour, and the saluation of soules, to assist me with your direction. Lazarus told him in few wordes: Syr Gratian, I am of all other the vnfittest to instruct you, though I dare place my selfe among the first in harty affection tow­ardes you. I will tell you notwithstanding freely, that I be­hould in this accident a great prouidence of God towardes you; for I doubt not but he hath striken you with this blow, to bring you out of the gulfe, where you were in danger to haue made shipwracke of your soule, & me thinks you should not call affliction the death of two dearely beloued, but a double benefit, being vnto your selfe a doore with two hin­ges, to enter at your ease into the rest of Paradise in this life, and of eternall felicity in the next: he had prepared and dis­posed your hart heereunto, by making you tast the bitternes of the world, he graued therein by little and little a desire to leaue the vanityes thereof: now he vntyeth your feet and your handes, and openeth you a way to execute the desire he hath giuen you. For that you demand my counsell, you haue diuers Religious men of great learning and conscience, more capable then I without comparison, that may aduise you in this affaire, yet seeing it pleaseth you to addresse your selfe to the meanest, by way of friendship, I will tell you as a friend, that if you haue a mind to leaue the world, & to serue God withall your hart, you are in a good way, and you may your selfe alone decide the matter with Almighty God. The matter is extremely commendable, the intention holy, the conclusion cleare, what should you consult? In high and he­roicall enterprises there is more need of execution, then of consultation. All that you can doubt of, is, what choice to make of Religions; for euery Religion is not for euery body. You say well (quoth Gratian) and this is the principall point,How to choose a Religion. wherein I desire your direction. Heerein (sayth Lazarus) you must first take heed, to choose a Religion well ordered; for to go out of the world into a Religion debaucht & disor­derly, is to leaue Aegypt, and ioyne with the murmurers in the desart, there to be exterminated by serpents, or swallow­ed downe into the ground. There is nothing more goodly, or excellent in the Church of God, then a Religious compa­ny, [Page 332] walking according to their rules, towardes perfection; neither is there a confusion more pernicious, then a dissolute and vnruled congregation, hauing nothing of Religion but the title and the habit, and therefore in the first place, you must choose a Religion, that keepeth well its Order.

Secondly, among many Religions well reformed, you must choose that which hath the most worthy & noble end,The hig­hest and the best meanes. or rules of greatest perfection, and more Apostolicall, which hath more meanes and help to fashion, and frame the inward man, to cultiuate the soule, and plant therein the most noble vertues;S. Thom. contra re­trahentes à Relig. c. 2. that contributeth most to the seruice of God, and profit of our Neighbours, and therfore that which attendeth to Contemplation, is to be preferred before that which dea­leth only with Action, and that which tendeth to both, is the better.

A mans owne in­clinatiō.In the third place, he that will make his choise, must ob­serue whereunto himselfe is more apt, and inclined to God-ward; some imbrace austerity of life, others action, others contemplation: he shall therefore haue regard not only to the perfection of the rule, but also to his owne capacity, and shal thereupon conferre with God by prayers, and with some good spirituall Father by conference, to take resolution of the best. And to come to your selfe in particular, if you haue already cast your mind to any Religion, which hath the for­sayd qualities, I aduise you to set in good order your wordly busines, and being rid of all impediments, to confine your selfe as soone as you can to the seruice of God. Syr, sayd Gra­tian, you haue cleared all my doubts, & giuen me firme hope that God will direct me to that house, where I may best serue him. I will follow your counsell, and euer hold you for a fast friend. Syr (replyed Lazarus) I haue not deserued such an acknowledgement, but do take your friendship and your fortune for great fauours at the handes of God, hoping that I shall haue part of your prayers, and by their meanes some good help to prooue a good Pilgrime.

The end of worldly ioy.Well yet I haue somewhat to say to you all three (quoth Gratian) & made a signe to Theodosius & Vincent to come neer, that you do wisely depart quickly from this Towne. For I [Page 333] feare me greatly that the day of these sportes, will turne to some tragicall & dolefull issue, as it falleth out euery yeare, by reason of the vices & emnities that raigne amōg great & small, which will not faile to take euery occasion,The qua­litie, of a worldly Citty. to vtter their euill talent. Gluttony, Rebellion, Adultery, and all other vices, are alwayes heere, in their kingdome and fury: and this compasse of Walles and buildinges which you see built in so great number, is not a Citty and ciuill habitation of men, but a fearefull desart of Africa, full of Lyons, Beares, wild Boares, Mastiues, Serpents, Asses, Foxes, and all sortes of Beastes, which beat, and eat one another. And most of them that seeme men, are so but in appa­rence; for within they haue the soules of those Beastes I named. Whilest the Merchant talked thus, Theodosius beheld Vincent, as making a signe for him to harken to the expositiō of Lazarus dreame. And Gratian going forward, I will not deny (sayth he) but that there be some small number of men of knowledge, and piety, for whose sake God suffereth the Towne to stand, but they are as stangers and Pilgrimes. At these wordes Theodosius began to speake, and say to Vincent: Behold the whole interpretation, but he permitted the Mer­chant to conclude, who sayd: Well Maisters, I will esteeme you happy, that you haue directed the wayes of your Pilgri­mage better then I haue done, I entreat you, by your holy prayers, to obtaine for me, that I may walke hereafter so happily, and so hastily performe the rest of my way in this mortall life, that God may be glorified, & the repose of my soule assured, vnder the shadow of his mercy. Lazarus an­swering for all; we depart from this Towne (sayth he) com­forted with your generous resolution, with hope that God will preserue you from all the danger of this wicked world, and accomplish with a full measure, the good desire he hath giuen you: we will beare in our hart the remembrance of your loue and friendship, and will place you in the middest of our best prayers. This being sayd, they imbraced, and tooke leaue one of another. Gratian put into the hand of La­zarus some peeces of mony, desiring him to take it to defray the charges of their iourney: but he would none, saying he [Page 334] had inough, and thanked him of the almes, he had giuen thē before: so they went from the towne, where Gratian taryed not long after. Ludolph his companion continued his course of merchandize. As they were out of the gate [...], Theodosius forgot not to quippe Vincent, and aske, if he had now any list to laugh at Lazarus his dreame. To whome Vincent, let me (quoth he) make the examen of my conscience quietly, and so remayned a quarter of an houre silent in their examen, which they could not well dispatch before dinner. So they walked vntill night without any disturbance or ill fortune, and tooke vp their lodging for that night at a little towne called Bon-rencontre, three leagues from the place wher they dined. After they had supped and sayd their accustomed prayers, they did conferre vpon their morning meditation, which was the calling of the first fiue Disciples of our Saui­our, in three points.

1. How S. Iohn Baptist shewed our Sauiour, and prea­ched, and his disciples followed him.

2. How our Sauiour asked his Disciples: whome seeke you? who sayd: Maister where dwell you?

3. How Andrew brought his brother Simon to Iesus Christ, who gaue him the name of Cephas, that is, a Rocke.

With the memory of these points, they went to rest.

The fiue and thirteth Day, and the fifth of his Returne. Of the vocation of the first fiue Disciples of our Sauiour, Andrew, & his companion whome the Euangelist not, Peter, Philip, and Nathaniel. CHAP. XIII.

AN houre before day the Pilgrimes did make their ex­amen, and a little after, their meditation. Lazarus made it as followeth.

Our Sauiour going victorious out of the desart, came to preach publikely Pennance, which he had practised hither­to priuatly, he walked vpon the banke of the Riuer Iordan, [Page 335] where S. Iohn his Precursor did testify of him.S. Iohn sheweth and prea­cheth our Sauiour.

Behould, O my soule, and contemplate vpon these banks that blazing light which shewed the sunne, heare the voice of him who came out of the desart, cloathed in a Camells shin, neither eating nor drinking, but shewing in his life a patterne of perfect pennance, cryed and sayd: Behould the Lambe of God, who taketh away the sinnes of the world. Matth. 3. Marc. 1. Ioan. 1. O ioyfull newes! O desired coming of this Lambe, to produce so hea­uēly an effect! needs must his bloud be precious, which was to pay the fine for such a debt, and very effectuall which must cancell such and so ancient an obligation, and very powerfull, which must deface so great a number of infernal spots, and sinnes. This is that Lambe which is shewed and called, and drew Disciples to him, to haue first familiar and domesticall witnesses of his doctrine and actions, and after­wards trumpets to publish vnto the world what they had seene and heard. O sweet Iesus, make me gather profit of this, to thy honour and glory.

Andrew, and one of his companions, both disciples of S. Iohn, Saint An­drew the first disci­ple of our Sauiour. hearing that their Maister in few words gaue so diuine acommendation to Iesus, and vnderstanding that this was Messias, they went and followed him. But who is the com­panion of Andrew whome the Euangelist nameth not? It is a Disciple which is written in the booke of life; the Euangelist did not specify him, because it was not necessary, it is inough that he was named in generall. Content thy selfe,A disci­ple not named. O my soule, that thy name is written in the book of God, although it were vnknowne to all mortall men, & desire that it might be written in heauen, and not in earth. The names of thou­sands are great before men, whose soules are shut prisoners in hell, and the names of thousandes of others doe shine in heauen, which are vnknowne vpon earth. S. Iohn sheweth his Maister, and preacheth him with a wonderful testimony,The true Preacher sendeth his hea­rers to Christ. [...] his Disciples do follow whome he doth shew. So it is the [...]art of a true preacher to preach Iesus Christ, and to send his [...]earers and followers vnto him: he that in his preaching maketh himselfe admired, and not Iesus Christ, and draweth [...]he harts of his hearers after himselfe, and not after Iesus [Page 336] Christ, is a thiefe, employing his Maisters mony and guiftes to his owne vses, and not to his Maisters honour. God hath giuen thee thy tongue to prayse him, & thou by thy tongue procurest and seekest prayses for thy selfe; and dost thou not thinke, that this soueraine iustice will call thee to reckoning, and reuenge the wrong thou hast done him?

Iesus Christ seeing that these two disciples followed him, turning to them,Whome [...] seek you? asked what they sought. O Lord what a question is this? They do not seeke or search, but they haue found without seeking, that which hundred thousandes of iust men haue sought 4000. yeares without finding. They haue found that which the Embassadour did announce, that is the Lambe of God,Luc. 10. the Lambe promised, figured, prophe­cyed by the Scriptures, by the sacrifices, and by the Prophets of thy schoole and family. Why dost thou aske, O Lord, what they seeke? Is it perhaps to make them thinke better of the greatnes of him, whome they haue found, and to make them enter into a deeper knowledge of him? As if he had sayd vnto thē. Whome haue you found? Do you not know? What seeke you more? For many men find thee, O sweet Lambe, and yet search further, not knowing throughly the valew of the treasure they haue found,Many Christiās and Reli­gious, know not well their vocation. neither can vnder­stand it, except thou wilt turne thy selfe towardes them, gi­uing them light to know thee, as thou hast giuen them grace to find thee.

They sayd: Maister, VVhere dwellest thou? O Lord thou didst aske them, What seeke you? And insteed of an answer, they aske another question, saying: Maister, where dwellest thou? Why do they not answere directly, we seeke the Lā ­be of God, and the Messias promised in the Law, preached by our Maister. Is it, that enlightned with thy light in their spirit, they do thereby perceaue and acknowledge that they had found thee? And therfore they answered not, we seeke, but sayd in their hart, we see thee, & seeke nothing but thee, and we would know where thou dwellest. They answere therefore, what thy holy spirit had put into their hart, & mouth, Maister, where dwellest thou? And this question they aske, that they might in conuenient tyme and place, more [Page 337] priuately conferre with thee of holy things, & much impor­ting to their saluation. And thou dost answer them, Come & see; and dost gently inuite them to come to the place of thy dwelling. But O good disciples, know you well what you aske of this Maister,God is e­uery where. asking the place where he dwelleth He dwelleth in heauen, in earth, in the sea, in the North, and in the South, and euery where, and yet dwelleth in no place. For no place is capable to lodge him, he filleth all, and y [...]t is without all: but if you aske (as it seemeth you do meane) where this his Humanity visible to mortall men dwelleth? know you, that he hath no dwelling, and that he hath forsakē all to giue vs all, and to enrich vs by his pouerty, as you shall heare of him hereafter, that, Foxes haue holes, & birds of the aire haue neastes, and the Sonne of man hath no where to rest his head, Matth. [...]. which is so, because he came to be a Pilgrime, & not a citti­zen vpon earth.

The place then of his dwelling was a lodging borrowed not his owne, and to such a place he brought them, where they stayed a whole day with him. O day, a day indeed for these disciples, hauing so neere them the sunne of the world, casting into their soule this wholsome light and loue! What heauenly discourses were held in the houres of that day! What demands and what answers were made! What lessons were giuen of the mystery of this lambe whome they had found?

Andrew who was one of the two, met his brother Simon,Andrew brought Peter to Iesus who gaue him his name Peter. and by the light of this faire day becomming a Preacher, did shew him the sunne his maister, and said, we haue found the Messias, who is Christ the Annointed. And like a good disci­ple brought him to Iesus, to the Sauiour to saue him. Simon came desirous to see Iesus, of whome he had heard before somewhat, and was to heare much more afterward. And our Sauiour beholding him, before he spake vnto him (O behol­ding diuine, and most happy for thee, O Simon) to dispose him to the faith of his diuinity, called him by his name, and told him whose sonne he was. Thou art (saith he) Simon the sonne of Ionas; neuer hauing seene him, or his Father before with his corporall eyes; and changed his name, Thou shalt be [Page 338] called Cephas, which is to say, a Rocke. And declareth by this change what he was to do after, and what place he would giue him in his Church: which were so many testimonies that he was God, knowing his creatures euery one by their name; the name of the Fathers, as of the children, yea euen before they are borne into the world; and changing their na­ture as he changeth their name, bettering them by new gifts of graces: so he caused his Prec [...]sor to be called Iohn, which is to say Gracious, by reason of the aboundant grace he besto­wed on him. So he changed the name of Abram into Abraham, which is to say, Father of many nations, because he was or­dayned for such an end. So now he changeth the name of Si­mon into Peter (that is a Rocke) because he would giue him a faith, which should be a Rocke, & stone wherupon should be founded the great building of the Church. Behold then a remarkeable seruice of S. Andrew, bringing the sheep vnto the Shepheard; and a notable benefit to his brother, addres­sing him to a maister, who so soone was so liberal vnto him.

Galilee the high­er, & the lower.In the next morning our Sauiour went forth to go to­wards Galilie, not high Galilie which is of the Gentils, but low Galilie of the Iewes, and where the citty of Nazareth is, and there he found Philip, & sayd vnto him, Follow me. This Philip was of Bethsaida the citty of Andrew and Peter: Philip preached Messias to Nathaniell, & so by diuers meanes, all foure became disciples, of whome three afterward were made Apostles. This is the first calling of those that should follow our Saui­our: this is his grace. For if he do not preuent vs to draw vs vnto him, if he calleth vs not, if he say not, Follow me, we remayne fast in the presse of the world not able to mooue.

O my Redeemer and Sauiour reach me thy helping hand that I may rise out of my infirmities, turne towardes me that heauenly face, and alwayes and as oft as thou shalt se me wandering in chace, & pursuit of transitory things, say vnto me, What searchest thou? Say vnto me with such successe, as thou saidst it to these disciples in another subiect: Alas my Lord, I haue not alwayes sought thee, and so it hath fallen out that I haue not found thee. I haue sought the baites of the world, and pleasure, and repose in present things, as all the [Page 339] children of this world do, and haue at last found thornes & vanities, and could find no rest for my soule: & indeed how could I find thee out of thy selfe; but what sought I in the bogs and quagmires of this vaine world? And why sought I that repose among the thistles of this earth, and out of thee, who art the true and solid repose of men and Angels? My sweet repose I seeke thee now, and I desire to haue thee al­wayes, and to dwell with thee: suffer thy selfe to be found O my Sauiour, and let me enter where thou dwellest, that I may learne the lesson to liue perfectly before thee, and the way effectually to draw soules vnto thee: be with vs in the way of our Pilgrimage, and let vs alwaies lodge with thee in this time of our mortality, that we may walke with thee, & liue eternally with thee in that heauenly Country we as­pire vnto. And thou O glorious Virgin,To the B. Virgin. who giuing milke to this thy precious fruit, didst thy selfe sucke from him the milke and hony of his heauenly wisedome, his first scholler and learner of his lessons, and first nurse child of his sacred doctrine; make me by thy intercession, a good scholler of this maister, help me if it please thee to find him, and that with him, and in him, I may trauell & rest whilst I am Pilgrime, at last to be receaue [...] into his house, and into the company of his heauenly Cittizens.

1. The Nightingales. 2. The Hermitage. 3. The mysticall descrip­tion. 4. The charmed and inchanted drinke. CHAP. XIIII.

HERE ended Lazarus his meditation, as also his com­panions, and hauing payd their small reckoning,The Pil­grimes espied by a theef at the foun­taine. and drunke a draught of wine, they went out of their lodging onwards of their iourny, with their accustomed prayers: ha­uing walked about three leagues, and waxed somewhat weary, they saw a little out of their way, a goodly fountaine at the foot of a little hill, hauing on the left hand a copse wood, and thither they went to refresh themselues, and to eate a little: and Lazarus, as he opened his bagge to take out some bread, found therein a Crowne of gold, and Vincent [Page 340] found an other: this was the almes which the good host of the Country farme had hidden in their bagge without saying any thing. Loe (quoth Vincent) we are richer in crownes, thā we tooke our selues to be; they sayd grace, & sopping their bread, they did both eat and drinke togeather.

The Nightingales which were in great number in that wood, began to sing, striuing as it were who should do best; and to make a consort of musike with diuerse tunes and quires; and it seemed they had warning before hand to pre­pare themselues to sing the best aires, they had in their bookes of nature, whilest the Pilgrimes did eat. Lazarus was rauished, and a man might see in his countenance, that his soule song praises to the Creator, moued by the songs of these little birds. Theodosius and Vincent also tooke more pleasure to refresh their spirit with this musicke, than in feeding their body with meate and drinke, and they admired three of these, aboue all the rest; for in recording and answering one to another, they made an admirable melody to the eare, nei­ther was there any variety of tunes of accord, or voices, which they did not furnish: they song by nature, and did meruailously well mingle their flattes and sharpes together, now in the Dorian and the Lydian tune, to bring men asleep and refresh them, now in the Phrygian and Martiall, as it were giuing a signe of battell: They song the treble with a clere sound and a high, and after the base, with a throt stret­ched out, quauering with ascendants & descendants fu [...]l and graue. They might heare them a part sing the high counter and meane, and after together to sing three partes, a Trio of two trebles, & one Concordant, a Bourdon, and at last euery one song all alone the foure partes; they went softly, with longs and larges, and streight they stretched out their voices in quauering and warbling, so thicke and small, in so good measure and harmony, that it seemed the musike it selfe did sound in the brests of these little Qui [...]isters from heauen.

And thus these good Pilgrimes tooke their recreation, but they were not aduised of a certaine Robber, lurking as a spy behind them who cared not one whit for the Nightin­gales songs, but rather for the Pilgrimes purses, which he [Page 341] thought had beene full of Crownes, by reason of what he ouerheard a little before, and watched to worke them an ill turne, and harkened for no more but to know which way they went, and so crosse their way, & cut their purses, and perhaps their throates too. Hauing taken their refection, & sayd grace, they continued their way to go lodge at Meuriers, which was 3. leagues off. The Rogue failed not, so soone as they were departed, to go seeke his companions, who were seauē or eight in ambush a quarter of a mile off in the wood, he aduertised them that he had discouered three Pilgrimes loaden with gold and siluer, who went towardes Meuriers; and that they should arme themselues with their best wea­pons, for that he iudged by their coūtenance, that they were stout fellowes of their handes, and harts. So they departed in post to intrappe the Pilgrimes halfe a league oft in the wood; but God preserued them, for comming to a crosse­way parted into three wayes, they commended themselues to the B. Virgin, that she would leade them into the right; and insteed of taking the way to Meuriers, where the theeues lay in waite for them, they tooke another, which lead to an Hermitage, where there liued after the manner of the old Monks of Aegypt, a man of most holy Conuersation.

As they came in sight of this hermitage,The he [...] ­mitage. they mistrusted that they were out of their way, and to informe themselues they went straight thither, thinking it had beene some farme house, where they might find some body to shew them the way; but comming neere vnto it, they perceaued by a little Bell, that it was an hermitage. A good old man who serued for porter and clarke to the good Hermite to say Masse, and to go a begging, was then in his little garden set, before the the house on a little banke; they came to him and saluted him courteously, and he did the like to them, and with a friendly and kind countenance said vnto them, My good brethren haue you not misled of your way? Father (quoth Lazarus) I thinke you haue sayd true, but fynding this holy place we are glad we lost our way, for we hope that this good chance will set vs againe in our way, and bring vs some good fortune besides. It shall be you (quoth he) that shall [...] [Page 342] comfort to our good Father, for he doth willingly see all Pilgrims of Loreto, whence I gesse that you come; we come from thence indeed (quoth Lazarus) by the grace of God.

I will go tell him so much (quoth the good man) and went in where he met the good old Father cōming towards them, knowing of the Pilgrimes cōming by secret reuela­tion: so they made towards him, and he towards them, and imbraced them with a shew of great charity. They were all much moued to see so venerable an old man, all white, yet right vp and vigorous, with his long lockes beating vpon his shoulders, and a long beard, in a rugge gowne girded with a thicke rope, buttened with a mātle of the same stuffe, they saw not the hayre he wore next his skin. He said vnto them: My good brethren God be with you; The good An­gell hath brought you hither, for my comfort, and for your owne good; I haue long desired to see some Deuote of the B. Virgin the mother of my Sauiour; She hath directed you by a secret way to this little desert, and hath withall deliuered you from two imminēt dangers. The one from theeues, who this after dinner thinking you had more mony then you haue did watch for you in the right way to haue spoiled & mur­dered you; he that aduertised them was one of their compa­nions, who lay hidden behind the fountaine, when you opened your bags for bread: they remembred then well what they said, when they found their peeces of gold, and they harkened to the good old man as a Prophet, who fol­lowed his discourse. The other danger (saith he) you shall know by and by: let vs now go salute our Sauiour & the B. Virgin, and so brought them into an Oratory, where was a great Crucifixe of wood, hauing on the right side, a very deuout table conteyning the picture of the B. Virgin, with little Iesus in her armes, and on the left hand, another table of S. Antony. In this he vsed to say masse; they prayed there a while and from thence he lead them into a little chamber ioyning to his cel, which serued for a refectory, & gaue them for their collation a little bread and wine, with a few cher­ries, which the good porter had gathered a little before. After he asked them of their Pilgrimage to Loreto, of their for­tunes [Page 343] and aduentures; they told him in briefe the comfort they had receaued in the sacred House, the miracles that are daily wrought there, and finally their way, and aduentures they had had vntill that time, and namely th s of the rob­bers. But Aime-dieu (saith the Hermit) you te [...]l me nothing what you saw and suffered in your pilgrim [...]ge of Palestine & Aegipt, and other countries b [...]yond the Sea. The Pilgrimes were astonished to heare him name Lazarus by his owne name, hauing neuer seene him before, and perswading the­selues fu [...]ly, that this Hermit spake as a Prophet, they cast themselues downe at his feet. The Hermit lifted them vp streight, and Lazarus said vnto him: My reuerend Father, we need not discourse vnto you what hath hapened vnto vs in diuers countries during our seauen yeares pilgrimage, for as we see, God hath reuealed it vnto you, as well as my proper name, which I changed into Lazarus, thinking my selfe vn­worthy to be called Aime-dieu (that is a I ouer of God) not louing him with that perfection and purity I should; & haue taken the name of Lazarus, to remember that I am poore and needy. The name is good (saith the hermit) and the inuen­tion is better; and speaking to them all three, My good bre­thren, saith he, I will not put you to the paine to recount your fortunes, it sufficeth me to know, and thanke God the­refore, that you haue suffered much for his name, and that you are Deuotes of the B. Virgin, the most glorious mother of his Sonne. As he said this, the porter perceiued a far oft a great troupe of horsemen, who galloped with all fury to­wards the hermitage, and he cried out, my Father, we are vndone. Feare not (quoth the Hermit) not being any whit moued, we are stronger then they: they were aboue fifty, carying a cloud of dust, which their horses raised in the aire. As they came neere the hermitage, they went thrice about it, crying and shouting like mad men, and after they retur­ned whence they came, without doing any more harme. This is (said the Hermit) a company of souldiers, pertay­ning to the Captaine of that towne whence you came, who seeke nothing els but to hurt men, or at least scare them. And God did you a faire grace inspiring you not to stay at Mondeuil [Page 344] whereby you passed yesterday at dinner, that you were not entrapped in the sedition, that was raised a little after; and to direct you this day to this place, for without doubt you had suffered domage: & this is the second danger I signified vnto you before. Blessed be God, and the B. Virgin (quoth Lazarus) for this fauour & all others we haue receaued from his holy hand, as well which we know not, as which we know. Well (saith the Hermit) that you may haue occasion to praise yet more hartily that supreme bounty, I will tell you the qualities of another Citty, the mother of this, out of the which, he hath deliuered you long since, a benefit which you must alwayes haue before your eyes. The Pilgri­mes shewed great desire to vnderstand of this Citty, and her conditions, which the hermit knowing by their countenance sayd vnto thē; I will make you the description of this Citty by her causes and qualities, and if thereby you shall vnder­stand it, you will be glad that I haue made you remember it.

The des­cription of a my­stiall Cit­ty.This Citty (saith he) is built in the midst of the earth, & yet neere vnto the Sea, in a marish ground vpon great woo­den postes; the founder and gouernour therof was a naughty and seditious person, who reuolting from his King built this Citty, and made it his retraite and refuge of rebellion, and a denne of wicked persons. Insteed of walles he hath made great ditches, to the which he hath raised high rampires of earth, such as you haue seene, if you remember: and to the end to make himselfe strong against his lawfull Prince, if perhaps he would force him to his allegiance, he made both himselfe,The laws of the world. and his Citty vassall to a cruell Tyrant. The lawes it holdeth, are, to loue none but themselues; to haue no re­ligion, & to abuse all, for to preuaile in their intentions; to oppresse vertue and authorize vice, and namely, pleasure, couetice, and ambition; to loue and sow discord, to promise rest and honour, and to yield at last nothing but wind and smoke. Her faith is to betray her friends, and most cruelly to handle and destroy her most faithfull seruants, which com­monly are three great and ancient families of the same bloud with those three sortes of courtiers of Merefolly, whome you [Page 345] saw yesterdaye. And to the end that this towne doe not re­bell, being oppressed and offended with his cruelties,An en­charmed drinke. he hath dressed a feast of purpose, where he giueth them a certaine drinke, wherby the guests are so well charmed that they lose the remembrance of all that is past, and belieue that all that were killed died in their bed, and that they are happy, and haue alwaies a good opinion of their maister, if by good chāce they be not vncharmed by seeing the perfidiousnesse & folly of men, which trust vnto him, and serue him with so great loue for such wages. Those whome you saw euen now com­passe about this house like mad men, are not men, but wic­ked spirits in the shape of men, who reioycing in any tragedy acted to their desire, came to see if peraduenture they could entrappe any one to cary him to the towne, and to make him slaue to their great maister, by the means of their gouernour. Now there be neere vnto this Citty some good men, that en­ter therinto somtimes, but as strangers and forennners, and as neither he nor his Citty doth trust them, so do they trust it as little; and it falleth out well for them. For if they should be made Denizens, or take any right of burgesse amongst them, they must needs vndergo the same fortune with the naturall Cittizens. Our King hath purposed a lōg time to raze it down to the ground, and to cut in peeces these rake-hels, but by reason of those good and faythfull seruants of his Maiesty, he hath deferred and temporized hitherto, chusing rather like a good Prince, to pardon many enemies in respect of some friends, than to hurt his friends in chastising his enemies,Perea [...]t a­mici modo pereant in [...] mici. vox Ty­ranni. which is the humour of a tyrant. Behold my good Brother out of what Citty you are come, if it may be called a Citty, and not rather a labyrinth or enclosure of many parkes, filled with lions, serpents, foxes, rhinocerots, basiliskes, and other sa­uage and cruell beastes. Heere Theodosius and Vincent remēbred againe the dream of Lazarus, & al three did highly prayse God of this great fauour in hauing pulled them out of so dangerous a place, and they tooke a singular pleasure, in the narration of the good man; but they did not vnderstand what Citty he had described, neyther did they remember that euer they set foote i [...] any, that was of such situation, figure, and quality; neither [Page 146] in Aegypt, Palestine, nor in Christendome. Lazarus suspected that it was a Parable, and a mysticall description, allegorizing some spirituall Citty, and they requested him more plainly to expresse what Citty it was. Theodosius and Vincent, who had al­most taken all his wordes according to the letter, made yet more instance; but the Hermit for feare of holding then too long, and the better to prepare their hart and eare, aduised thē to eate somthing first, and rest a while; and that the houre of his prayer approched, promising for the rest to satisfy their de­mand in the morning, if they desired: they tooke a small refe­ction which serued for their supper, and after they went al­together to say Letanies in the Chappell, whence the good Hermite brought them to a litle place neere his Cell, where there was a table, and certaine mats layd vpon bordes to rest vpon; so he left them with his blessing, and retired himselfe to his Cell, to his accustomed deuotions, charging his man, to haue ready early in the morning, all thinges necessary for the Altar. The Pilgrims examined their conscience, tooke for subiect of their meditation, the sermon of the 8. Beatitudes (as they are called) which our Sauiour made in the moun­taine to his Apostles.

The six and thirtith day, and the sixt of his Returne. The Hermits prayer. CHAP. XV.

THE Hermit watched all night in prayer, and demaun­ded of God the grace happily to shut vp the last period of his mortall Pilgrimage, and to fauour his Pilgrimes, whome of his good assistance he had sent vnto him, that they might performe their course like true Pilgrims, and come at last to their heauenly home and coūtry. He prayed also in generall, that it would please him,The Her­mits praier. to cast forth the beames of his mercy ouer so many poore mortall creatures, who allured with the baytes of the world, and caryed with the wind of her vanities, posted vnto euerlasting perdition

O Lord (sayth he) what is this mortall world, and how [Page 147] great is the blindenesse of man,The shortnes of this life. who suffereth himselfe to be seduced by such a cosener, taking at his handes straw for gold, and shadowes for truth, I haue liued 80. yeares vpon the earth: alas, what is become of these yeares, and all that hath beene done since the Creation of the world? They came from no­thing, and to nothing they are vanished againe, and nothing can I make account of, but of a few houres employed in the seruice of thy Maiesty, if I haue employed any well; what is life but a passing shadow, and the pleasures and presents of the world but deceitfull vanities.

In such prayers & desires passed the good man al that night, talking to God in the closet of his hart, without sound of ton­gue. Lazarus and his compainions were vp soone after myd­night, and in great silence began their Meditation.

A Meditation vpon the eight Beatitudes. CHAP XVI.

EVERY one remembred the history of the Gospell which sayth: Iesus seeing the multitude ascended vp into a mountaine, Matt. 5.2 [...] and when he was set, his Disciples came vnto him; & opening his mouth he taught &c.

They noted in these words the signification of some great and high doctrine pronounced in a choice place, in a moun­taine, as a singular and high Law giuen by our Sauiour, sitting and opening his mouth as the Doctour of doctours, who ha­uing hertofore opened the mouth of his Angels and Prophets, openeth now his owne and speaketh in person; not to the cō ­mon sort, but to those whome he had ordained of the priuy Councell to his prouidence, the pillers of perfection, and the noble foundations of his Church; and that which they had no­ted in generall in this Preface, they did obserue, in euery one of the eight clauses which make this sermon.

The first saith: Happy are the poore of spirit, 1. The poore of spirit. Louers of pouerty. The humble. for theirs is the King­dome of heauen. The poore, not by fortune, but by will and vow; the humble, and that with a deliberate purpose despise the riches of the earth. This doctrine is very high, and altoge­ther a paradoxe to worldly men, who call rich men happy, and care litle for the Kingdome of heauen. The 2. Happy are [Page 348] the meeke,2. The meeke shall possesse the earth of the liuing Psal. 2 [...].141.6. O­rig. hom. 26 in Num. Bas. in Psal. 33. for they shall possesse the earth. This is the earth of the lyuing. This is also a paradoxe to the world, who esteemeth aboue all other, those that haue their choller and their hand ready at commaundement, and know how to be reuenged of their enemies, children and heires of the earth, but of the earth of the dead not of the liuing. The 3. Happy are those that weep for they shall be comforted. The world loueth better to laugh in this life, although they should be comfortlesse euer after, thē to bewayle their sinnes heere, and after to enioy the euerla­sting comfort of heauen. The 4. Happy are they that hunger & thirst after iustice, for they shall be filled; the hunger and thirst of this world, is hungerly to seeke and desire the transitory goods and honours, that fill, but satisfy not. The 5. happy are the merciful, for they shall obtaine mercy; The worldlings are coun­ted magnanimous, if they be vnmercifull and fierce, rather seeking to make others miserable, for their particular profit, than to shew themselues mercif [...]l vnto them in their necessity, for Gods sake. The 6. Happy are they that are cleane of hart, for they shall see God: the eye of the soule is the intentiō & cleane hart; this is the eye which shall see God, the obiect of eternal felicity, whereof the foule and vncleane soule is vncapable. The 7. Happy are the peace-makers for they shal be called the children of God: The louers of peace & concord shall carry this goodly title, honoured with the marke of their Father, who is God of peace; as contrariwise, they that make onely ac­count of warre, to sow discord and dissention, shall be called the children of the Diuel. The 8. Happy and those that suffer persecution for iustice, for to them appertaineth the Kingdome of heauen. This last clause encountreth right with the iudg­ment of men, who put their felicity in the friendship, fauours, and countenance of men, and accounteth him accursed that suffereth persecutiō. Iesus-Christ therfore opening his mouth hath controled the false opinion of the world, and sheweth how honourable a thing it is, to suffer for the honour of God, and that by his practise fortifyed the proofe of this his para­doxe, hauing himselfe chosen labours, persecutions, the death of the Crosse, the toppe & height of all persecution; & heere Lazarus concluded in these words.

O sweete Iesus excellent teacher of truth, and truth it self,The prai­er. giue me the grace well to vnderstand thy doctrine, and ho­lily to practise it, to be poore in spirit, and rich in thy bles­sings, and aboue all, for thy loue to suffer the wants and per­secutions of this life, and with thee to be partaker of that hire which thy doctrine promiseth in the other.

Thus prayed Lazarus. Theodosius and Vincent met in many points of their meditation, and all did conceiue,A sermon of Perfe­ction. that this ser­mon was a lesson of Apostolicall perfectiō, contein [...]ng the do­ctrine of most high Christian vertues, & the recompence that shall be rendred to euery one, according to the measure of their merit. This done they prepared thēselues to confession for to receiue, for they vnderstood by the Porter, that the good man had faculty of the Bishop to administer the Sacraments, when occasion should be offered.Math. 16.21. Rom. 2.6, He came to visite them in the morning, and giuing them the good morrow, he inuited them to Masse, which he beganne hauing heard their confes­sions, they receiued an admirable comfort, to see this heauen­ly old man celebrate the Sacrifice, and yet more in receiuing the body of our Sauiour.

1. The description of the world. 2. Her lawes. 3. Her fayth. 4. The good mingled with the wicked in this life. 5. Horrible sights. 6. To serue God is a thing honourable. CHAP. XVII.

THEIR deuotion ended the Hermite brought them to the chamber to take a litle refection for the necessity of their iourny. Lazarus for himselfe and his companions sayd, my good Father, we cannot eat, nor drinke hartily, except first we may enioy the performance of your promise, & may see that Citty neerer, which yersterday you shewed vs a farre off, and made vs wonder at the meruailous qualities you re­counted thereof; it is to early to eat yet, neyther can we haue a better breakfast at your hand, than the hearing of such a lesson. I remember well my promise (quoth the Hermite) & I will acquit my self, but it shall be in walking with you, [Page 350] for I will be your companion some peece of the way, & you shall be so much the forwarder on your iourny; giuing his benediction, he deuided the egs, which he caused to be sod­den in the shell; and to giue them example, began himselfe first. When they had done, which was soone; well (saith he) let vs now go on Gods name. The porter gaue him in his hād his staffe of pear-tree to rest himself on, & shutting the doore after him, he went out with them, the sunne being about an houre high. The Pilgrims were very aager and attentiue to heare the exposition of the allegory, which the good Hermit began in this sort.The des­cription of the world. S. Aug. 14 de ciuit. c. 26.

The Citty which I haue described vnto you (my good friends) is the world, the assemby and Citty of the diuell, foū ­ded in the midst of the earth; for those wicked persons who make this Citty, whersoeuer they be, they are in the midst of the earth, euery part of the earth being his midst, as euery line of a Globe in the midst of his circumferēce. The situation is a ma [...]ith ground, a place of durt & myre, ill assured, as her hopes base and vncertaine. It is neere to the sea; neere I say, in qualities, tossed with a thousand windes and tempests, full of daungers of vices and sinnes, as the sea is of rockes, sandes, monsters and such like.S. Aug. in Psal. 142. The founder is Self-loue, the eldest sonne of rebellion. Two loues (saith one Saint) built two Citties: Sel-floue built that of the Diuell to the contempt of God. The Loue of God built the Citty of God vnto the contempt of our selues; and this is founded in heauen in the midst of the Kingdome of God. Hee of it is that Abell the first member of that Citty, built no­thing vpon the earth,Why A­bell built no citty but Cain. because he was a Pilgrime & Cain the first reprobate and cittizen of Satans Citty, and of the world built a towne therin. This citty is a refuge of rebellion, a den of rake-hels, enemies to God, and preuaricatours of his law. Insteed of walles it hath deep ditchs, and great rampires of earth, for that her defences are but bottoms and hils of errour and pride. The first founder made himself vassall and tributa­ry to a Titant; for Selfeloue, & all the burgesses of that citty are alwayes rebels to God, & tributary to the Diuell; him they haue loued, to him they haue bowed their knee, though a tyrant of all tyrāts & the most cruell that euer was; & seeke [Page 351] help of him against their God.

The fundamentall lawes of that Citty are those fiue I tou­ched before: the first, for each man to loue himself,The laws of selfe-loue and the world and eue­ry thing for himselfe: for the humour of the world & world­ly men, is to affect onely their owne particular profit, hauing clean banished out of their hart, the loue of God, and their neighbour. The 2. to haue no Religion, to vse and abuse all for their temporall commodity: this is to too much verified by the experience of all the children of this world, whose com­mon custome is to make Religion a pretext of their designe­ments, and to make vse of the name of God for their owne glory; very hypocrites and sacrilegious impostors.To haue no Reli­gion. To authotize vice▪ and dis­grace vertue. The 3. to cast down vertue, and set vice aloft; according to this law, the world prayseth those that liue in delights, as most happy, and the pleasures of the body, as the ioyes of felicity. It cō ­mendeth the couetous as prudent, to aduance & further their own affaires. It bosteth of the ambitious, calling them men of valour and courage, and therefore it is, that this Citty is filled with the brood of these families,To sow discord. all great courtiers of Mere-folly. The 4. is to loue and sow dissention, and to enter­taine subiects with false reports, calumniations and other ma­licious meanes, thinking that by their discord and debility, their estate should be strong and firme. And as the Kingdom of God is peace and charity, and his spirit is to nourish and mainteine peace, so the Kingdome of the Diuell, & the estat of the world is trouble & hatred, & the spirit of the world is to make discord when there is question to do euill.To pro­mise ri­ches. The 5. is to entice & deceiue men by the promise of riches & honours, which passe & vanish: so many abused do perceiue, whē they come to dy, though late, that all they haue gotten is but sha­dowes & dreames.Psal. 75.6. The rich men (saith Dauid) haue slept their sleep, & in the end found nothing in their hands. They haue passed this life as a dream, & resting themselues on the saffran bed of their riches, and at the end haue found their braines troubled with fumes, their hands empty of good workes, & their con­science loaden with sinnes. These are the lawes of this world and of this Citty.

And as her lawes are but disorders, so is her fayth perfidi­ousnes, [Page 352] & her end nothing els but to ruine her acquaintance, and to send them to the slaughter that serue her best, and are most faithful vnto her: will you see this? Cast the eyes of your memory, vpon the histories of all ages passed; how many gallants hath she precipitated into confusion, after they had a while runne the race of their vanity in the sight of men? How many hath she most miserably strangled, that had to her performed most faithfull seruice? Was there euer any that more honoured or better serued her, then the Assuerus, Caesars, Alexanders, Pompeies, Neroes, Diocletians, Decians, and other like Princes and Lords of her Court, great admirers of her maiesty, sighing, seeking, nor breathing any thing els, but her greatnes; hath she not made them all dye death euerlasting? Thousands see this at euery moone, and euery day, but the world is such a cosener, that it bereaueth mortall men of their senses, and men are so foolish and simple that stil they suffer themselues to be seduced by her gaudies, & present delights, so that they honour and serue her as their soueraigne Lord, not able to open their eyes to behold eyther the misfortune of others, or their own danger, nor their eares to heare the voice of the iustice of God who threatneth them;The good mixed with the bad in this world and perse­uer in such sort vntill they be ouerwhelmed in the ditches of their enemie, without help or hope euer to come out. Now God, who is our soueraigne King will ruinate this Citty, & raze it to the ground; for he must iudge the world & drench the obstinate, but because there be diuers of his owne seruāts amongst these sinners, as of Lots in Sodome, he doth not yet exterminate the world, but expecting in fauour of the good, and by patience inuiting sinners to pennance in the tyme of mercy, not to incurre at the day of iudgement, the seuerity and rigour of his eternall iustice. This is the Citty of which I told you yesterday, & out of the which by the grace of God you haue beene long since sequestred, and shall be yet more, if you be good Pilgrims, as I esteeme you. Thus did the Her­mit expound his Allegory, often looking vp to heauen and sighing. The Pilgrims heard him with great attention and contentment, & their way seemed short. Lazarus seeing him hold his peace, sayd vnto him. My reuerend Father, you [Page 353] haue set before our eyes, a wholsome picture of the Citty of this world, and of the vanities of worldly men, & you haue bound vs in eternall benefit: we desire to be bound vnto you also for your praiers, and to obtaine for vs of our Lord, that as he hath already drawn vs from the snares of this deceifull world, so that he would giue vs grace to perseuer vnto the end in his loue and feare. He will do it (sayth the Hermit) do only what is in you, walk on euery day from good to bet­ter like good Pilgrims: be perfect before him, and you shall come by Gods grace to your desired country. The B. Virgin whome you serue will help you with the assistance of her praiers, the holy Apostles, our good Fathers the Hermits, S. Iohn, S. Paul, S. Anthony, S. Hilarion, S. Bruno, and others who haue trampled vpon the world with the feet of constan­cy, lyuing in the deserts as Pilgrims vpon the earth, will pro­cure you ayd happily to finish your course. You haue yet som way to dispatch and some crosses to endure, you shall passe not without paine and trauaile, but with the profit of your soules. As for you Lazarus, you shall be lamented of many, and your funerals shall be kept before your death, and those that shall most mourne for you, shall be most comforted in your fortune; and that you may the better remember what I haue foretold you, keep this; and gaue him a litle paper folded like a letter, conteining these foure verses.

As the Hermit said these things, and they entred further within the wood a great lion came vpon them with most ter­rible roring: the Pilgrims and the good porter were seized with an extreme feare, and Lazarus thought this had been the day of his funerall: but the Hermit knew presently, that it was the Diuell in likenes of a lion, he made the signe of the Crosse, and the lion vanished. Then they came to a litle O­ratory of S. Anthony, whither this good old man was wont to walke his station; where kneeling downe, and saying Pa­ter noster, and Aue, and demaunding the intercession of the [Page 354] Saint, he aduertised them, to take the right hand when they were out of the wood and to lodge if they could, at the Con­uent of the Charterhouse monks called Bon-heur, The Cō ­uent of Bon-heur which was six leagues of, and weeping he kissed them all three, and bad them farewell with his benediction, as they did him and his companion with a thousand thanks. After they had done the deuotions of the day, they kept silence a while walking on: Lazarus thought of that the good Hermit had told him of his funerals, as also vpon the verses written in the paper. He thought that his funerals should be the lamentation of them who would be grieued that he should dye to the world, in leauing it, and that the same afterward should be comforted; but he was troubled to penetrat the sense of the verse, yet he did interpret the last day, the death which he so much desired if it were the good pleasure of God, but he could not accord the resurrection of the dead without dying, nor their fune­rals. How, saith he, shall the dead see one another, after their funerals? It shall be then in heauen after they are dead vpon earth: such a sense did he finde, for these foure verses. When they had walked somwhile without saying a word, they be­ganne to discourse of diuers things pleasant and pious. Vincent had alwayes ready in his mouth, some pretty iest and often touched Theodosius, and so they marched all that day without disturbance, but at night they found themselues in a pecke of troubles. For being entred into a great forrest, wherin they thought to haue seene the Conuent of Bon-heur, and hauing entred a good way in without fynding any issue, after many turnings and returnings, they were ouertaken with night, and must needs staye, whereat they were much amazed, for they were very weary and faint, and had but one lofe and a litle wine left; and which troubled them most was, that they found themselues in this solitary forrest in euident danger of wolues and other wild beasts. So vpon their knees, they cō ­mended themselues to God, and the glorious Virgin, to S. Iohn Bapt. S. Anthony, S. Bruno, crauing their help in this ne­cessity. In praying they seemed to heare a voice saying: Get vpon the tree. There were hard by diuers great Oakes, and two especially very commodious to rest vpon, and easy to [Page 355] clime; they chose one: Lazarus first made Theodosius & Vin­cent ascend, and helped them with his shoulders, and bad them tye a cord which they had, to a high branch of the tree to help himself vp after them; he reached them all their three staues, and holding the cord he mounted last, clasping and clyming very nymbly: they placed thēselues as high as they could, about 20. foote from the ground, and found many branches of the greater boughs, which serued for formes to sit or sleep vpon without daunger: they eat a litle bread they had and some peares, and dranke the litle wine was left in their botle. The repast ended, Vincēt said; now behold we are lodged at the signe of the oake & the Sar, vpon a higher stage iwis by much, then we were foure dayes since in the green castle with the hare. But if it raineth what shall we doe? We wil doe (answered Theodosius) as they doe in Normandy. And what doe they there, replied Vincent? They let it raine, quoth Theodosius. After such prety deuises of honest recreation, they sayd their Litanies by hart, made their examen of consciēce, sayd their beads, and commended themselues to the prote­ction of God, the B. Virgin, and of their good Angell, with the best deuotion they could. It was about two houres after sunne set, the sky was very cleare and many starres did shine; the moone was in the first quarter, so that they might see rea­sonably in the shadowes of the night. Theod sius and Vincent slept, but Lazarus neuer shut his eyes, but tooke singular plea­sure in the present occasion of suffring somewhat for the loue of God: in beholding the heauens and starres, he drew mat­ter to admire and praise the Creatour of those goodly crea­tures, which he beheld with great attētion,Psal. 18.1. often repeating in his hart, the words of King Dauid: The heauens do declare the glory of God, and the firmament doth shew the works of his hands: he saw the signe of Libra, & that of the great Serpent, appro­ching toward the south, which shewed that the sunne being then in the 21. degree of Taurus (for it was the 11. of May) had already dispatched halfe of his course vnder the horizon of the Antipodes, and that it was about 11. clocke.A horri­ble spe­ctacle.

As he was fixed in the consideration of these heauenly bo­dies, there was presented before his eyes, a horrible specta­cle: [Page 356] for he saw by the moone light, a man accōpanyed with a woman, who caried in the aire, lighted like two flying owles, vnder the oake next to the Pilgrims. This fellow ha­uing made a great circle with a wand he had in his hād, mū ­bling certaine words, which he seemed to read in a booke, he caused to appeare also two other women, with a Goate of a monstrous bignes and falshion, carying betwixt his hornes a light candle which seemed to be of some black stuffe like pitch, the light burning blew & somewhat blackish; in the same instant he saw arriue diuers persons men and women, yong and old to the number of 66. euery one bringing their candle, which they must light at the goates candle, doing him homage, and kissing vnder his taile. Lazarus perceiued streight, that it was an assembly of Sorcerers, remembring what at other times he had read and heard; remēbring with­all that it was Friday, a day which the Diuell detesteth aboue all other, and dishonoureth all he can, and namely by such assemblies,11. a nū ­ber of [...]ll significa­tion and a marke of sinne. as the Church doth honour with holy ceremo­nies, to be a memoriall of our Sauiours victory gotten against these infernall troupes: the houre was also suspicious, for at eleuen of the clock in the night (a number of misfortune and a marke of sinne) the Diuell hath a custome to do his so­lemne abhominations, and the number of persons 66. that is 6.S. Aug. l. 15. de ciu. c. 20. times eleuen, did agree to that of the time. Theodosius & Vincent slept, not seeing any of all this. Lazarus commended himselfe and them, as hartily as he could to God, the B. Vir­gin and their good Angels, & consulted with himselfe whe­ther he should awake them or no; & he cōcluded that it was best so to do, that they might set themselues to their prayers: so he iogged them softly, but neuer were men so amazed as they, when their eyes were open, and saw so many candles and folks: they beheld that foule goate that lead the dance, drawing his dācers in a ring, skipping about with their backe one against another. At the end of the place one, vpon a banke raised of earth as vpon an Altar, made a sacrifice in derision (as may be thought) of that which is don in the Church of God. Vincent would haue cryed out, but Lazarus stopped his mouth with his hands, and bad him in his eare commend himselfe [Page 357] to God and sit still. And although neither the Goate, nor his Synagogue tooke any heed of the presence of these Pilgrims (as God would haue it) yet they felt the effect of their pray­ers: for they could not performe to their mind their charmes and abominations, and stayed many times looking about, if they could discouer any person, that might trouble them. At last the goate listing vp his head perceiued the three Pil­grims vpon the Oake: all the dance was dashed, and all their action at an end, and sodainly he dispatched vnto the oake three of his troope, to whome he gaue the figure of Wolues, who came straight to the foore of the tree, lifting vp their heads towards the Pilgrims. The Pilgrimes looked downe sadly vpon them againe without saying word, not thinking that they would come vp to them: but when they saw them clyme like cattes, and come almost to reach them, they sod­denly made the signe of the Crosse, & all three cried out to­gether as loud as they could, Iesus Maria, at which voyce the wolues fell downe vpon the earth like three sackes of corne, and all the assembly vanished, leauing behind them a smoke & stench most horrible, as if the plague had there burnt al the rags of her infection. Then sayd Vincent, neuer in my life was I so high mounted to see such dauncings, and such a parlamēt meeting of states or holding of estate, and if we be out of dā ­ger, I will say we haue scaped faire. I hope saith Theodosius we shalbe acquited of feare. We must not doubt (saith Lazarus) for we are in the protection of him, who bridleth the fury of these rebellious spirits, and without whose permission they can doe nothing: the issue of this spectacle may shew vs how weake they are against the children of God, for there were diuers diuels in company, & 66. persons besides, against three poore vnarmed Pilgrims, and they could not beare the sound of the name of Iesus, & his glorious Mother; but alas in what estate are those poore wretches, that by their owne sinne and folly, haue enthralled themselues into the chaines of so dete­stable and shamfull slauery.To serue God is honou­rable.

O my brethren, what difference is there to serue our God, and to follow the abominations of this infernall goate? How will he handle them when he shal haue them his slaues boūd [Page 358] in his eternall prisons, seeing he doth vse them so ignomi­niously, whilst they attend to his seruice? As Lazarus said this, and all three gaue thankes to God for their deliuerance, they heard a bell soūd as a farre of, which was the ringing to mat­tins, at the Conuent of Bon-heur a league and a half from that place: they thought it was the bell of some Church, but knew not of what: they were glad therof & slept a litle: whē the day began to breake, and that the starre of Andromades be­gan to appeare aboue our Horizon, Lazarus awakened his companiōs, aduertising them that it was time to be walking. Theodosius and Vincent came downe first by the rope, and La­zarus last, hauing tyed it with a running knot, that he might pull it downe after him. They hasted to see the place where these wretches had held their Sabaoth, there they found cer­taine gobbets of flesh rosted blacke, of bread, & fruits, which was the prouision of their banquet: also a chalice, and patten of siluer, certaine candles of blacke matter and stinking, some what like Pitch, a slice of a Turneppe made blacke, about the bignes of an host; two papers, in one whereof was written Hezares, and some other barbarous and vnknowne names, which were the names of Diuels.Hezares. In the other was a Catalog of the officers of this Hezares, and what euery one should per­forme in his seruice,The wo­rkes of witches. which were, to empoyson, bewitch, destroy the fruites of the earth, make folkes sicke, and to heale them, or such like things, by charmes and characters. They found also a wolues skin, and a peece of a parchment vnfolded like toile d'oignon, and some graines of frankincense, and other such abomiable trash; some they cast away, and some they caried to burne at their next lodging; Vincent loa­ded himselfe, litle knowing what imaginations that burden would breed him. Theodosius tooke the chalice and the pat­ten, and wiping it with leaues, put it in his bagge. It was full day when they began to walke, and sayd their wonted prayers for their iourny. After euery one set himselfe to me­ditate a part; the subiect of their meditation was of the Pas­sion of our Sauiour.

The seauen and thirtith Day, and the seauenth of his Returne. 1. Of distraction and euagation of the mind in prayer. 2. A Me­ditation of the Passion of our Sauiour. CHAP. XVIII.

THE Pilgrims walked and meditated in the morning in great si [...]ēce but with much trouble, for they felt no gust of deuotion in their soule,Euagatiō of spirit. and the more they forced and en­deauoured to penetrate the mistery they had vndertaken the more they found themselues dry and distracted, and which troubled them most, was, the matter of their meditation de­serued much deuotiō. So euery man examined his consciēce, to fynd out the cause of this drinesse and euagation of mind, without discouering so much one to another. Yet Lazarus perceiued somwhat in the countenance of his cōpanions out­wardly, that all went not well within, and laboured for his part to follow a good threed of his meditation, but when he saw, that it went worse and worse,The Di­uels craft to trou­ble prai­er. he perceiued it was an assault of those malicious spirits, who incensed by the shame they receiued in their Sabaoth, do reuēge themselues as wel as they can, sending these waspes and flies of distraction into the fancy of them who shamed them, and he remembred the importunate flying of the birds which flittered about the sa­crifice of Abraham, and which Abraham draue away with all his force and diligence; after they had walked a mile, & the houre of meditation expired,Gen. 15.11. Lazarus addressing himselfe to Vincent: Well my brother, quoth he, how goeth your medi­tation? Nay aske me rather (quoth Vincent) how goeth my distraction; for my meditation hath beene but a continuall Mosaicall worke of peeces of fantasy ill hanging togeather: When I would haue though of mount Caluary, the montaine Atlas came into my memory: when I would haue stuck vpon the straines of our Sauiours tormēts & his patience, my fancy was caried to the candles of their Sabaoth, & to other foolish imaginations, & I wotte not, if this trash I carry in my bagge [Page 360] doe worke me this euill, for I felt not a long tyme, so litle comfort in a meditation, specially vpon so worthy a subiect. Lazarus comforting him, we must not (saith he) seeke our own ease & pleasure in the bitternes of the Passion of Christ. I seeke at least (quoth Lazarus) to be attentiue, to that I would meditate. I see (quoth Theodosius) that I was not vagabond all alone: were you distracted too (sayth Lazarus?) much more than Vincent I doubt me, quoth Theodosius; well God pardon vs our faults, replyed Lazarus, & giue vs of his grace; I haue had my part of affliction also, for I could meditate nothing to the purpose no more than you: It is Gods prouidence to let vs see, how litle we can performe of our selues without his help, to the end to humble vs in the acknowledgment of our nothing: but let vs not loose courage for this, for if hauing done our diligence to prepare our selues, we haue not tasted the sweet hony of deuotion, we shall in humbling our selues find the profit of the sowre, which is more to be desired; for humility is more profitable and necessary to him that praieth and more pleasing vnto God than spirituall sweetnes;Humility better thā sweetnes of deuo­tion. and if the Diuell in despit of being driuen away by vs this night, will reuenge himselfe by these mystes which he casteth into our fantasies (God permitting him for our exercise) he shall yet receiue confusion by our patience and profit. Discousing in this manner, they came vnto the Conuent of Bon-heur, a­bout six a clocke in the morning; this was a Conuent of Chartherhouse Monks liuing in great austerity, and perfe­ction of life, straite obseruers of their rules, and great lo­uers of hospitality, and specially Dom-Prior, who was a ho­ly and venerable old man, and very deuout to our Lady of Loreto, as all that holy Order is. This Conuent was situate at the going out of the forrest, hauing many litle houses round about it, where dwelt such good folke as had dedicated them selues to the seruice of God in that house, called Oblati: one of these saluted them, and said vnto them, Messieurs you shall make very glad Dom-Prior, & al the Religious within by your comming.

The Pilgrims saluted him againe courteously, and entred with him into the Church, where they song Prime, present­ly [Page 361] after to celebrate high Masse, Dom-Procurator being ad­uertised of their coming, came to entertaine them with a cō ­tenance full of kindnes and courtesy, and brought them to the guests chamber. Lazarus deliuered him their letters patents from Loreto, which he would not see, taking their honest countenance for a sure Patent: he imbraced them all three and sayd; My deare brethren, Father Priour giueth you the good morrow, he hath commanded me to come entertayne you, you are all three hartily wellcome; your coming will bring ioy and good fortune by Gods grace in recompence of the displeasures we haue had these daies passed, with theeues and sorcerers. Good Father (sayth Lazarus) Dom Priors cha­rity and yours doth not stay long to shew it selfe in our be­half. It is we that come to the Conuent of Bon-heur, there to receiue good houre and fortune, and comfort in your deuo­tions; we bring nothing but matter of paine: but doe thee­ues and sorcerers trouble you also heere as well as Pilgrims? To our great paine, answered the Religious: they haue rob­bed our Church and spoiled our fruits, and done vs a thou­sand domages, and but yesterday we tooke a man whome we thought to haue beene of that cōpany, but we will talke therof afterward; now let vs go eate somthing. Good Father answered Lazarus we haue no need, for we haue not come farre, and it is early dayes, we pray you permit vs to go pray a litle, and heare Masse first of all: he vrged them no further, thinking they had rather dine at a good houre, and hauing laid vp their bags, he brought them to a Chappell, where they resumed the points of their meditatiō. Lazarus went on in this sort.

My Redeemer and Lord,Of the Passion of our Saui­our. thou knowest the trouble we endured this Morning, restore to vs, if it please thee now, the ioy of thy saluation. I enter into the meditation of thy do­lefull Passion and death, that great and admirable exploit of thy infinit mercy: open to me the gate of thy grace and light that in this act I may see the heauenly signes of thy greatnes. I behold the mountaine of Caluary, the mount of dead mens sculls, the sepulcher of our grandfather old Adam, and now the field of thy fight. O my Sauiour, who art the second A­dam [Page 362] without comparison more worthy then the first, a mon­taine made infamous before, by the burial of many malefactors there executed,Psal. 50. S. Amb l. 5 ep 19. S Aug. serm. 71. de temp. [...] to be afterward the house of glory, and refuge of deuotiō by thy death, couered now with people enraged, who persecute thee with their hands and tongues, and by all manner of hostility, cruelty and blasphemous outrages, one day to be the seat of a magnificall Temple, where thou shalt be adored.

I behold thee O sweet Lambe, hanging vpon the Crosse betwixt two theeues. Alas: what parity betwixt innocency and robbery? What doth the lambe with the wolues? Is it to make of a theefe a faithfull seruitour, or of a lambe a wolfe?

The death of our Sauiour for­told.I behold thee now, O my Lord, and turning the eyes of my memory vpon the ancient mystery of thy house, and the old Prophecies of thy great booke, I perceiue that long be­fore thou didst giue the figures and newes of this death, for gage of thy ancient loue towards the poore family of Adam; and for a preparation and disposition,By Sacri­fices and figures. to the perfect beliefe of thy wisedome and bounty, all the Sacrifices of the law of nature, all those that Moyses vsed in the bodies of beasts, did foretell vnto vs that which thou hast offered in this mount on the tree of the Crosse. Moyses stretching out his hands acrosse on the toppe of the mountaine,Exod. 17. and by secret inspi­ration furnishing the Hebrewes that were in fight, of force & succour, made a shadow of this truth which thou fulfillest now.Esa. 53. Thy Prophet fortold that thou shouldest be reckoned amongst theeues, thou wert crucifyed betwixt two theeues, yet put behind theeues,Psal. 68. and more vnworthily vsed then they all. Dauid complained that they gaue him gall to eate, and vineger to drinke; but himselfe neuer receiued such vsage at the Iewes hands: but it was thou, O sweet Lambe, the true Dauid who didst tast the bitternes of this gall, & the sharpnes of this vineger.Our Sa­uiour tor­mented ouer all his body. The same Prophet sayd, that they had num­bred his bones; of thee he did speake, for he beheld with his foreseeing and Propheticall eyes, thy precious body, stret­ched out vpon the Crosse with such violēce, that men might tell thy bones, and there was no part or member in thee, which had not his proper torment. Thy skinne was torne [Page 363] with the stripes of the roddes; thy head crowned with thornes; thy feete and hands nayled; thine eyes striken with the sight not onely of thine enemies, but also of thy friends, and namely of thy sorrowfull mother, whom I behold at the foote of thy Crosse,Our B. Lady at the foote of the Crosse. and whome thou seest also striken in her soule, with that sword of sorrow, which good old Simeon did foretell; thou seest her alas with an eye watered with teares and bloud: these are the torments of thine eyes. Thine eares are beaten with the blasphemies and mockeries of thy persecutors; thy hart is afflicted with our afflictions; thy backe loaden with the waight of our sinnes; and finally Da­uid did forsee thee in the light of his spirit which knew things to come: he did contemplate thee in this Crosse oppressed with torments and filled with reproaches, as a man forlorne without all help or force, The reproache of men, and the refuse of the people; who preferred a murderer and a thiefe before the author of life; a man who was thought to be forsaken and a­bandoned by God: there hence it is that thy grand-father wrote that verse, which thou camest to pronounce, O sweet Redeemer: My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? wordes that very emphatically doe declare the rigour of thy afflicti­on,Deus D [...] meus Psal. 21. Math. 27. Marc. 15. and with a diuine eloquence dost represent thee as for­saken of God: yet by interrogation without affirming; in apparence and outward shew, not in truth: For God had not forsaken thee, yea he hath nothing so deere in heauē or earth as thee his onely Sonne, which he testifyed at that time, by the dole and mourning of the whole world, when he com­manded the sunne to eclipse, when he made the moone loose her light, the earth to tremble, the rockes to riue, the graues to open in signe of thy griefes and sorrowes, and in detestatiō of the malice of thy tormentors.Why the death of our Saui­our was so long before fi­gured & foretold. It was therfore the enormi­ty of thy torments, which these words declared, and not any forgetfullnes of thy Father. Heere suffer me, O my sweet Sauiour, to aske thee, why thou didst cause the tenor and for­me of so many torments to be so liuely expressed and fortold, and why thou wouldest endure them? Hast thou foretold them, to proue therby that thou wert God, & that thy death was not by chance, but a voluntary charity, a designement [Page 364] of thy wisedome and infinite bounty, towards man, made long before hand, a mercy proiected in the closet and coun­sell of thy Eternity: for who could so particularly foretell so many and so diuers actions, happened in this tragedy that knew them not?Onely God per­ceiueth & forseeth future things. Esa 41.13 And who could know them, being so re­mote, and so vnl [...]kely but only God, but thy self to whose eye all things are present? And who could haue belieued, that thou wouldest loue vs so soone and so happily, and wouldest endure so much for vs, if thou hadst not giuen vs aduertise­ment before hand, of all that thou didest suffer vpon the Crosse?

But why wouldest thou endure so much, O the Redeemer of my soule, yea why wouldst thou suffer death or any paine at all, seeing to the Redemption of man, it sufficed that thou wert made man,Why our Sauiour suffered so much. though thou hadst suffered nothing, but liued in the glory of a rich King, in commanding the whole world, and taking homage of all thy creatures, which is due vnto thee by al titles of souerainty? Why O Lord making thy selfe man, wouldest thou abase thy selfe vnder our basenes, after thou hadst left all; and insteed of riches, pleasures and honours, didst choose pouerty, paine, and humility, & didst lead a life which was no [...]hing but a continuall pennance, thou wouldst besides suffer death, & the death of the Crosse, that is most bitter in griefes and anguishes, most cruell in tor­ments, most shamefull and ignominious in iniuries, a death armed with the fury of all the powers of hell, irritated with all the vices conspired together of all notable sinners, Kings, Princes, souldiers, Iudges, Priests, & all sorts of people wic­ked,The 1. cause, to shew his loue to his Father. The 2. to shew his loue to man. & proper to performe an exploite of enormous cruelty? Why O Lord hast thou chosen this thorny way? And this field so full of asperities? Is it to shew thy exceeding loue to thy Father, suffering for him in our behalf, whatsouer could be suffered? For it is the touchstone of affliction that maketh the sure proofe of firme friendship to any man. Or is it more­ouer to make man see the treasures of thy charity towards him, sparing nothing for his saluation; not onely making thy self poore to enrich vs, infirme to fortify vs, little to exalt vs, but also giuing thy life, the most precious gift, which a man [Page 365] can giue for his friend, and vndergoing death with a thou­sand torments, to deliuer vs from eternall death, with a plē ­tifull & abōdant fine of propitiation paiable to the diuine Iu­stice; and therefore the same Prophet sayd, that with our Lord is mercy, and with him is found plentifull Redemption. Hast thou not suffered so much to make man see the enormity of his sinne, Psal. 129. which must needs be purged with so precious a life & paine­full a death?The 3. cause to shew the enormity of sinne. My sinnes then are they that haue lifted thee v­pon the Crosse, they haue torne thy skinne, they haue crow­ned thee with thornes, they haue nayled thy hands and feete, they haue entertained thee with gall and vineger. O then my soule, sinne no more, for thy sinnes are the cause of this parricide; bring no more forth the butchers of thy Redeemer after hauing receiued so many signes of his fauour towards thee. Finally, O gentle Lambe, hast thou vndertaken and suffered this painfull and ignominious death, To teach thy chil­dren how they must suffer; 4. To giue vs exam­ple to suf­fer. Giuing them an excellent patterne of thy life, & of thy death to imitate and to suffer for the ho­nour of God, and to carry his Crosse? For seeing the head & captaine is the formost in the fight and assalt, seeing the King is the first, & hath the greatest part in paines and punishmēt, who can doubt but that his seruants & souldiours must fight also, and the subiects suffer to the example of their Prince?To the deceiued. And they that will not carry th [...]ir Crosse after so great a Lord, who content themselues with his suffering, & say that his torments are sufficient without ours, who will eate and drinke, sleepe and sport vpon the earth, and be at last hoisted vp to heauen without victory and without combat, are but monstrous members, quickened with a lazie spirit and not by this valorous head, cowardly souldiours and faint-harted, treacherous and impudent subiects, ignorant of the law of God and of vertue, vnworthy of the name of Christians, and of the reward of heauen, and most worthy of paine and con­fusion euerlasting. Neuer let me O Lord be one of that num­ber: and how can I be? How can I fly from trauell, and the Crosse, knowing, beholding and contemplating my head, my Captaine, my King nailed on the Crosse, fighting for me against myne enemies vpon the Crosse, crowned with thor­nes, [Page 366] torne with stripes, drunke with vineger, fed with gall, filled with reproches? shall I be so cowardly, so treacherous, so perfidious, to haue any such thought?

Giue me therfore a part, if it please thee, O Lord, of thy Crosse,The Prayer. and of thy cuppe; and as great as thou shalt thinke good, that I may be thy souldiour vnder good ensignes, vn­der the ensigne and banner of the Crosse, that I may glory in thy Crosse in carying mine owne; that the paine, bitternes, and shame of thy Crosse, may be my rest, delight, and glory in this world, and the meditation of thy Crosse a continuall spurre, to follow thee carying my Crosse, to the end that when thou doost recompence the louers of thy Crosse, I may haue part of the felicity, which thou hast gained for vs by the Crosse.

Most happy Virgin, present, if it please thee, this my re­quest vnto thy Sonne,To the B. Virgin. thou that hast beene blessed aboue all women; and aboue all men and women hast felt the sowre and sweet of the Crosse, and who hast receiued an immor­tall recompence, aboue all mortall creatures, that my request by thy fauour may be granted, for the honour of him, who hath giuen thee credit and authority, to obtaine all thou de­maundest for the good of thy Pilgrims and Deuotes.

1. Gratian accused. 2. Folkes transformed. 3. Gratian knowne. 4. Tables of Religion. 5. Bageuille. 6. The desires of a deuout soule. CHAP. XIX.

THIS was the Meditation of Lazarus that he made with great feeling of deuotion,Gratian transpor­ted and accused. as also Theodosius & Vincent for their part, and it seemed to them that the goodnes of God had multiplied their consolation, in that measure they suffered before bitternes and trouble, with the mistes and fantasies of their distraction. As they had ended, Dom-Prior was rea­dy to beginne high Masse, which being ended he forget not to goe entertaine the Pilgrims, whome already Dom-Procu­rator had brought to the guests chamber. After he had imbra­ced them & demaunded certaine questions about their iour­ny [Page 367] of Loreto, and vnderstanding how they had passed Monde­uill vpon the day of their triumphe, where they met almost by miracle one good man, amongst so many bad called Gratian, a merchant by his trade, he would haue brought them their breakfast, but vnderstanding by Dom Procurator that their dinner was in making ready, he continued to entertaine them still, and told them that euen then was in the mouth of all the Cōuent, that the wednesday before they were robbed by a Sorcerer as was thought, of some sacred vessells, & amongst the rest of a siluer Chalice, and that one of the theeues was found that day in the garden, who notwithstanding denieth stoutly himselfe to be any such man, though he confesse him­selfe a sinner, and that so frankly & feruently, that he doth verily persuade vs that he is an honest man, and that he was transported hither by some good Angell: what thinke you my brethren of this prisoner then? Good Father (sayth La­zarus) he is a good theefe, and a good sorcerer if he say truth▪ we must see and heare him to giue our opinion; perhaps we may bring some newes of the theefe, and also of the cha­lice: for if I be not deceiued, we haue brought the theefe that tooke it, and shewing him Theodosius, this Pilgrime (saith he) hath it in his bagge; but that which I commend much in him, is his good will to make restitution, but I pray you be good vnto him and shew him mercy. Dom-Prior smyling said, he shall not need seeing he is in so good dispositiō. I thought not (quoth Theodosius) to haue beene discouered so soone, nor see may bag in danger to be rifled, though indeed I thought vpon my conscience and the chalice too as soone as Dom-Prior complained of the theft; but that you may see farther that I am an honest theefe, I will restore vnto you also a Patten stolen (as I thinke) with your chalice. But if it please you make Lazarus first recount how the matter happened this night, and you shall heare a story, that shall as much astonish you, as th [...] chalice doth reioyce you. I pray you then hartily (quoth Dom-Prior) tell it vs; except you had rather deferre it vntill after dinner. Father (sayth Lazarus) I had rather it were now, I will dispatch it in a word. Nay not in a word (quoth Dom-Prior) but rather tell it at your leasure, with all [Page 368] the circumstances of the history; and as he was about to be­ginne, the seruants with Dom-Procurator, set their dinner v­pon the table: I see well (quoth Dom-Prior) that dinner will goe before your discourse, and it is good reason for the words shall be more strong, and I will cast the reckoning for you of purpose, I will bring you in the rekoning by and by. Ha­uing washed and said grace, he caused Dom-Procurator to sit and beare them company: when dinner was done & grace sayd, Lazarus made narration of all that had passed that night with such a force and weight of words, that Dom-Prior, and Dom-Procurator seemed not to heare but to see present, an as­sembly of sorcerers, in the midst of the wood, & hearing him tell of the wolues clyming vp the Oake, they were ready to cry out for feare, but when they vnderstood that they fell to the ground, and that their Sabbaoth vanished, as soone as the Pilgrims had pronounced the names of Iesus & Maria, they began to laugh. Lazarus hauing ended his story; you haue heard (saith he) our feare: now you shall see our booty, and therewith desired the seruants to bring in their bags, out of which Theodosius tooke the chalice and patten, and presen­ting it to Dom-Prior; Loe (sayth he) my Father, the testitu­tion I make of your goods. The good old man knowing it was that which they had lost: verily (sayth he) you restore truly what you tooke, and you pay liberally for your recko­ning: and if we haue alwaies such theeues as Syr Lazarus bringeth vs, we shall be sure to loose nothing. This is not all (quoth Lazarus) our fellow Vincent hath yet some fine things, and made him draw out of his bagge his witchery trash. Whē Dom-Prior saw the paper wherin was written the name of Hezares, the distribution of offices and the rest, O (sayth he with admiration) how cruell is this enemy of mankind and how abhominable are those who serue him in his cruelties?

But to what vse thinke you, was giuen them this wolfes skinne? To that end, that with the application thereof, this tyrant maketh those we call Loup-Garons; People transfor­med. for he charmeth & enchanteth so strongly the fantasy of those he giues it vnto, and that take it with a band of friendship, that they altoge­ther seeme to themselues wolues, and doe indeed assum [...] [Page 369] diuers of their qualities, as going on all foure, and going like other wolues to hunt, specially for little children, a prey for the rage of this infernall wolfe, who hateth cruelly men, and specially little innocents, whome Iesus-Christ loueth most tē ­derly, against the which this Antichrist setteth in fury these his wolues, who not onely doe take the inward feeling of the wolues, but also do outwardly so appeare to others, euen as Nabuchedonozor thought himself a beast,Dan. 4.3. and seemed so also to others; and that woman of whome Palladius writeth,Pallad [...] cap. 19. who seemed to be turned into a mare, and seemed so to euery one but to S. Macarius, who hauing prayed and cast holy water vpon her, made the charme vanish away, both from the wo­man who was healed, and also from the seers, who beheld her as she was before in the shape of a woman. Such were those illusions of men, whome in old time men falsely belie­ued to be turned into wolues, or other beasts,It is not in the Di­uels pow­re to chā ­ge one creature into an other. for it is not in the power of the Diuel to change one creature into another, specially man; for so his soule must dye, and the wolues or some others soule succeed in the place, which is impossible, mans soule being incorruptible and immortall. It is therfore witchcraft and illusion, and we must thinke that those wol­ues which came towards you vpon the oake, were men tran­sfigured in that sort, by the touch of this skinne, or by the meanes of some other superstition, and that they were hurt with the fall they had, and who so could fynd them, should see that they carry the marke thereof. My Father (answered Lazarus) this is very true, and I will shew you a shadow of the effect of this charme, and that is, that beholding my com­panion that carried it, me thought somtimes he looked like a wolfe, but very slender & inconstant, & vanishing as soone as it did appeare. Vincent taking his wordes, verily (sayth he) you make me bold in good cōpany, to tell my foolish thought that held me all this morning; when I did or endeuoured to meditate, still me thought I was a wolfe, and I doubt there was some secret charme in this ill fauored stuffe that I carried in my bagge, which I signified vnto you couertly, when I told you that I thought my distraction c [...]me of my cariage. But good Father can this skinne haue such force to alter the [Page 370] imagination and sense of men in such sort?How the Diuell al­tereth mens sen­ses. Sonne (answered Dom-Prior) it is not the skinne that bringeth forth these illu­sions, but rather the secret hand and malice of the Diuel, ha­uing as I sayd, a naturall power to trouble our outward and inward senses, if otherwise he be not hindered, and make things seeme of other figures than they are indeed; but he v­seth and abuseth creatures, and helpeth himselfe with the skinne of a wolfe, with the head of a catt, with latchets of the lions skinne, with Virgin-parchement, and with other such things as you found vnder the Sabboth oake, & put­teth such stuffe to worke, by ceremony, and affected malice, the more finely to deceiue men, and to entertaine them in their superstition by these visible things, and to induce them to greater sinne, making them abuse the creatures, against the honour of the Creator, to be honoured himself in them. But we haue spoken inough of sorcerers, wil you now go see our prisoner.Gratian knowne. Good Father (quoth Lazarus) your good & graue discourses haue enchanted vs, and made me almost forget your prisoner: we will gladly see him, if it please you. Dom-Prior brought them into the chamber where he was shut and entring said vnto him. Loe my friend, these good Pilgrims come to see you. The prisoner as soone as he saw them, cast himselfe vpon Lazarus his necke, who at first knew him not, and crying out, O happy meeting (saith he) Syr Lazarus! Lazarus looking on his face, and beholding his attire, cryed also, O my good friend, are you heere? Theodosius and Vin­cent imbraced him with the same affection. Dom-Prior, and Dom-Procurator, & all that were present were astonished cō ­sidering these entertainemēts, not knowing the cause. Laza­rus beholding Dom Prior; Father (quoth he) know you that this is the great good man Syr Gratian, whome we left foure dayes since at Mondeuill. Verily (sayth Dom-Prior) I am ama­zed and glad both of so happy a meeting, and of the testimo­ny you giue to him, whome we held for a false ladde. God forgiue vs if we iudged ill, and Syr Gratian also, and he must attribute it to the fault & misery of the time, which is naught and wicked, and of men who cannot see and iudge within, but onely by the exteriour, and are many tymes deceiued [Page 371] Good Father (quoth Gratian) if you haue esteemed me a sin­ner and a thiefe, you haue iudged right of me, for I am both; not for hauing stollen any thing, but for that I haue often & grieuously transgressed the law of my maister,Euery sin­ner is a theefe. oftē with held his interest and rents, which I ought him of the good which I had of his, and ill emploied the mony of his grace, and final­ly I haue beene a thiefe in so many points as I haue receiued commaundements and commodities from him: and therfore he is offended with me, and hath beaten me, but as a Father, striking me with the rod he is wont to chastice his children withall, shewing me mercy euen amidst the blowes of his iu­stice; for verily he hath taken from me all my tēporall goods, wise, children, and all the hope of my house and old age; but he hath giuen me in lieu of all this, meanes to saue my soule and gaine heauen, giuing me the mynd to mend my selfe & do penance for my sinnes, as I declared but foure dayes since to Sir Lazarus heere, and was ready to put it in execution; when the good Angell of God (as I beblieue) carried me to this house of Bon heur, by that meanes deliuering me from the danger I incurred that day that you p [...]ssed that way Syr Lazarus. For as the sports were ended, and that all the world was busied in making good cheere, some wicked Cittizens driuen with rage and enuy against them, that had wonne the prize, and against the Magistrates, that by pa [...]sicke sentēce had adiudged it them, set fire to the towne house, and raised in this publicke flame a most cruell sedi [...]ion against the Cit­tizens diuided amongst themselues▪ I found my self besieged in a lodging hard by the house, with diuers oth [...] merchants whome they sought to kill, and had already broken downe the doores to enter: fynding my selfe thus betwixt the fire and the sword, without meanes to escape a miserable death, I had recourse to God with al my hart, making a vow to him that if it would please him, to deliuer me from the danger of this dolefull day, I would not deferre to dedicate my selfe wholly to his seruice: and I was heard, for I had no sooner pronounced this vow, but I felt some body, without see [...]ng any, that seized on me with great violence, and carying me in the aire brought me hither in an instant, into the orchard [Page 372] where I was found the last wednesday. Therfore if it be God that hath giuen me will to doe well, if it be he also that made me be thus caryed to follow his counsells, your Fatherhood may iudge by the circumstances, and not refuse to open (if it please you) the gate of mercy to a poore penitent: & with these wordes he began to weep, and cast himselfe at the feete of Dom-Prior. And continuing his discourse, my Father (saith he) refuse not a prodigall child, whome to saue, the Sonne of God descended from heauen. If you account me a thiefe I haue confessed and doe still, that I am so: but I am also peni­tent, punish me here with you, for satisfaction I will con­tribute my life and death with you [...] therefore reiect me not for being a thiefe; our Sauiour would be crucified be­tweene theeues, and at the tyme of his death he shewed so much, and his last exploit of clemency and mercy was em­ployed in the behalf of a thiefe. But doe with me what you will, I will not goe from that place where the Angell of God hath put me, and so he held his peace, sighing and weeping. All that were present were much moued to compassion. And Dom-Prior sayd vnto him with a graue and gracious counte­nance; My friend your teares & sighes make me belieue that you are touched by God, and that your desire deserueth to be heard; but weigh well your strength and the designement you vndertake: and letting him kneele still, to try his con­stancy and patience,What he must doe who lea­ueth the world. went forward with him saying: My sonne you aspire to a high enterprise, you must wholly re­nounce the world and all her vanities, you must make dead­ly warre with your owne body, by labours, abstinence, fa­stings, watchings, hairecloth, disciplines, & other skirmishes troublesome & painefull to a man that is worldly, who hath nourished his flesh at a full table,Math. 16.24. and a soft bed; and which is most difficult of all, you must renounce your owne selfe, ac­cording to our Sauiours decree, that is giue ouer your owne iudgement and will, [...]au. 9.23. which are two of the most potent pee­ces of the soule, and which a man can leaue with more diffi­culty, then all the good of the world besides. You must be­come a litle childe, and when you shall iudge that any thing should be thus and thus done for you, you shall be comman­ded [Page 373] the contrary: when you would goe to the garden you shall be sent to the kitchen, you will loue to sing, they will set you to write, and finally you must be ruled by the rules of religion and your superiours, and not by your owne iud­gement. Are you content to contract with God and vs vpon these conditions? My father (quoth Gratian) I desire not to be admitted vpon any other condition,The world, then to doe all that your rule and commandement shall bid me. For as concer­ning the world, I haue renounced it already, and haue in hor­rour her vanities, which to my cost I know to be deceitfull, and pernicious; experience hath taught me that lesson.The flesh. And for my Flesh, I hope to handle it, as it deserueth, and payne shall be no great newes vnto it, for it hath laboured allready, and endured but too much for the world, and for farre lesse wages, then I expect for my labour in the seruice of God. My iudgement and my will are no more my owne, I now make an offering of them to God,Proper iudgmēt and leaue them vpon his Altar in your hands, and haue firme confidence in him, who hath giuen me the desire to consecrate my selfe wholly to his ser­uice, that he will also giue me strength to accomplish it. This was Gratians answere, which did wōderfully content all the company, and Lazarus turning to Dom-Prior; My Father (saith he) your benignity cannot deny this request, for it is iust, & the grant easy. I am content (quoth Dom-Prior) but so that you will be content to yield to one small request, which I shall make for him. There is nothing in my power (quoth Lazarus) that I will refuse. I require (quoth Dom-Prior) on­ly that you would stay this day with vs, nothing can be more reasonable, nor more easy; you shall comfort vs your friends; to morrow is Sunday, and this day a day of rest; say the word and Gratian is receiued. Father (quoth he) vnder correction, you should haue demaunded some better thing, you require nothing in this but to prolōg your paine, to your charge; but seeing it pleaseth you, that shall not hinder Syr Gratians contract with your Fatherhood. Arise then my dea­rely beloued (quoth Dom-Prior) I imbrace you now as my litle brother, you shall be no longer at prisoners table but sup with your host this night, and to morrow (god willing) [Page 370] [...] [Page 371] [...] [Page 372] [...] [Page 373] [...] [Page 374] you shall haue a maister, who shall begin to furnish you with the weapons of religion. The rumour of this miracle was presently caryed ouer all the Conuent. Dom-Procurator who was present, all ioyfull beheld Lazarus, I said wel Sir Lazarus that your coming would bring vs good fortune, for not only you haue recouered vs our sacred moueables, but haue also deliuered from suspicion this innocent, and will be a cause to make him our brother: It is not we (answered Lazarus) that brought good fortune hither, but we found it heere. But Dom-Prior was wonderfully glad of these good fortunes, and namely that the Pilgrims would stay vntill the morning.

All the afternoone vntill Euensonge was imployed in seeing the parts and offices of the Conuent, and the Cells of Religious. They saw three goodly pictures in a faire cham­ber, where they vsed to make their recreation. The first re­presented on one side, diuers persons, who caryed their pur­ses to the feete of certaine Prelates, and on the other a great ship tossed in a terrible tempest, the mast was brokē, & the shipmen vpon the hatches, casting all their merchandise and ware into the waues to discharge the ship. The second contained the picture of a Virgin set by an heap of wheate, compassed about with lillies, and trode vnder her feete a Hyena, so liuely drawne, that it seemed to moue and snarle against her. In the third was painted Isaac tyed and bound, & his eyes couered vpō an altar, & Abraham his Father lifting vp his sword to sacrifice him to God, and in the bottome of the table, a Religious man, leading in his hand a Lionesse to his Abbot. Lazarus perceiued streight that these were tables of the three essentiall vowes of religion; Pouerty, Chastity, & Obedience. And so did Theodosius & Vincent also; but Vincent indeed could not conceiue what was meant by the heap of wheate compassed with lillies, & by the Hyena, & was euen about to aske the exposition, which Lazarus without thin­king thereof gaue him: for Dom-Prior sayd to him: Hath not the holy Scripture well expressed the fecundity & honour of the virginity of our B. Lady the mother of God, by this heape of corne and these lillies? Lazarus answered, yes in­deed, for in the whitenes of the lilly, she hath brought forth [Page 375] of her virginall wombe,Cant. 1. the seed of immortall corne which multiplieth dayly into great heapes in the Catholike Church, and nourisheth her children vnto life euerlasting without all corruption or diminution,Hyena [...] Hieroglysse of mor­tall fle [...]. and which is more wonderfull remayning alwaies one. And of this Hyena (quoth D. Prior) what thinke you? It is (quoth he) to my iudgement meruailously well drawne, for it is very like a wolf, and yet it differeth being more rough, and hauing the hayre longer ouer all the body, as the haires of a woman. But the inuention doth please me yet better than the payn­ting; for in my iudgement this Virgin treading vpon this Hyena, signifieth the chast soule taming her rebellious flesh, well signified by the Hyena, which is a beast vncleane, of the night, charmeur, and cruell, counterfaiting the voice of man, digging vp graues in the night, not pardoning any she can catch: qualities that agree very well to our corrupted flesh, for it is foule, and feedeth of filth,A [...]t. de [...] 6. cap. 32. [...]. lib 8. cap. 3 [...]. taketh her greatest pleasure and delights in darknes, she flattereth, singeth, and charmeth by apparence of reason as by a mans voice, and if once she hath gotten & subiected a man to her euil customes, she in a thousand sorts tyrannizeth him with her concupis­cences. Vincent thanked Lazarus in his hart for this expositiō, and D. Prior tooke singular pleasure therin; and to giue him occasion to talke still; And for this Lionesse (quoth he) are you not afrayd of her. No (saith Lazarus) for I see she is tame and gentle, suffering herself to be lead by a simple Religious, and in myne opinion, this is an effect of blind Obedience, represented by Isaac blindfolded, for the Religious com­manded by his Abbot to go fetch this fierce beast, he went to bring her, shutting his eyes to the danger, opening them onely to the commandement of his Superiour, and God in fauour of his obedience made the lionesse tractable,Obediēce is the soule of religious life. & obe­dient also. This is (quoth D. Prior) a notable example for all Religious: and I doubt not (quoth Lazarus) but it is well practised in this holy family. I desire in truth it should be so (quoth D. Prior) for it is the hart and soule of all Religion; & this being said, he brought him and his companions to the refectory, and from thence to an orchard and garden, where [Page 376] they saw goodly rowes of choice trees, and knots of all sorts of rare flowers, wherewith they decke the Altar. Many Arbers of hasell and laurell, yielding a shaddow and smell most pleasant, with a thousand airies of sweet nightingals who in that season sang who should do best. They saw also a great Beare, whereof Vincent at the first was afraid, which Lazarus perceiuing sayd vnto him smyling; what are you afrayd, in so sure and secure a place? do you not know, that lions are gentle and tame in the house of God, as well as the lionesse which we saw euen now. In such discourses and visits, they passed the afternoone vntill Euensonge which the Pilgrims went to heare; after which retyring themselues into their chamber, they sayd their beades, and examined their conscience, and at fiue a clocke they went to supper: di­uers things were proposed of the vanity and misery of the world, of the breuity of this life, and of the prouidence of God ouer good men: Theodosius was desired to tell the nights and fortunes he passed with his bandites; Gratian also recoū ­ted once againe how he was trāsported from Mondeuill to this place: Whereupon Dom-Prior brought diuers examples out of the holy Scripture, that it was no new thing for Angells to transport bodies, from one place to another; and how the Prophet Abacuc was in a moment caryed from Palestine to Ba­bilon, Dan. 14. and S. Philip also from Hierusalem to Azotus. And that not onely good Angells,Act. 8. but the bad also haue had such power, and vsed it, when God did permit them, as appea­teth by the history of our Sauiour, who was himselfe caried by the tempter to the Pinnacle of the Temple, and to the toppe of a mountaine.