THE GARDEN OF OVR B. LADY OR A deuout Manner of ſeruing her in her Roſary.
What the Beades ſignify.
CHAP. I.
THE Holy Scripture bindeth vs to pray alwayes,1. Theſ. 4. and willeth vs to performe our prayer deuoutly, becauſe it is that Incenſe
which we are to offer vnto God in euery place. And therfore accurſed is that man who doth this work of God deceitfully.Rom. 12. Apoc.
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. Pſal 14. Hier. 48. Many wayes there be of praying: ſome mentall, ſome vocall, others manuall, by well performing our daily functions; and ech of theſe is deuided into ſundry branches: all good, but not all fit for euery one, by reaſon of the diuerſity of mens inclinations. All cannot mount vp with the Apoſtles vnto the height of myſteries,Math. 5.8 but the multitude muſt ſtay below in the vale of Vocall Prayer, and there ſerue God in reading deuout bookes, & in ſaying their Beades: which humble way of prayer was practiſed by moſt men before Luthers tyme for ſome hundreds of yeares, although there wanted
not moſt learned, wiſe, and godly men, who moſt deuoutly employed themſelues, as wel in Marthaes deuotion, as in Maryes high contemplation.
For long before, eſpecially ſince the time of S. Dominicke, the Vicar of Chriſt, with the approbation of his authority, approued and priuiledged the vſe of Beades, the Holy Church vniuerſaily receaued them,The generall vſe of Beads. all good Catholikes in al Chriſtian countries ſeriouſly and with great veneration vſed them. The Congregations of the B. Virgin (which are innumerable) haue admittted the Roſary for their eſſentiall Character, all the Chriſtian world admitts the Beades in their Banners, as a chiefe Ornament, therby to be knowne and diſtinguiſhed from
the Conuenticles of Heretikes, & Infidels.
And although this forme and number of the Beads now in practiſe, and ordinarily vſed, beareth not the antiquity of aboue 500. yeares;The antiquity of the Beads yet this praying by number is a thing moſt auncient, and practiſed by thoſe old Inhabitants of the wilderneſſes, as appeareth in holy Paphnutius his life,Ioachim Perionius in his life. who was accuſtomed at the recitall of euery prayer, to let fall a little ſtone, he hauing gathered many togeather for that purpoſe, till he came vnto the number which he had preſcribed vnto himſelfe. And no doubt but this holy Father ſaw this practiſed by his predeceſſors, which may well proue the antiquity of this deuotion. So that we ſee the firſt vſe
of Beades is moſt auncient: and this now in vſe to be the very ſame brought into method, and applyed to the honour of the B. Virgin mother of God, and Mediatrix of mankind.
Of the fruites of praying on the Beades.
CHAP. II.
AS the end of all prayer (whether it be mentall or vocall) is the glorifying of God,The end of prayer the manifeſtation of our loue, the performance of our duety, the exhibition of gratitude, and the fulfilling of Chriſts Commandement, who biddeth vs to watch and pray leaſt we fall into temptation: ſo the fruit of praying, eſpecially vpon our Beades, deuoutly
performed, is twofold, Internall, and Externall.
Internall fruit is remiſſion of ſinnes, victory ouer our inordinate paſſions, obtayning and increaſing of grace and infuſed vertues; all which concerne the generall eſtate of our ſoules. Moreouer we gaine therby particuler giftes for euery power of the ſame as light of knowledge, wiſdome, faith, prudence, art, and ſuch like intellectuall habittes, which purify and cleere our vnderſtanding. Alſo, a celeſtiall flame of charity, conſuming in our will the impure loue of this world, and enkindling in our harts, the fire of Gods loue. Laſtly, we obtaine a ioyfull remembrance of Gods goodnes, manifoldly diſcouered vnto vs by infinite
benefittes hourely beſtowed vpon vs, wherewith our memory is inuited, and encouraged continually to remēber him who is the fountaine of all goodnes, & inceſſantly to thanke him for his infinite mercies, powred out ſo plentifully euery inſtant vpon vs.
Externall fruite of prayer is likewiſe manifold: firſt, deliuery from many bodily harmes, which might happen to our ſelues, our friends, our followers, our goods, or poſſeſſions, by infinite caſualties of fire, water, tempeſt, and many the like worldly chaunces, or by the malice of the Diuell, as happened to holy Iob.
Iob. 7. Secondly obtaining of temporall happines, as of health, honour, wealth, lawfull paſtimes, and
preferments, when either they are expedient for the increaſe of Gods glory, the good of his Church, or furtherance of our ſaluation. Thirdly the preſeruation of the whole world from periſhing; for were it not for the feruent prayers of diuers ſeruants of God, who earneſtly pray both for themſelues, and others, as did bleſſed Abraham, Ieremie, S. Stephen, and others, the whole world would, periſh; Mans ſinnes crying vengeance againſt him. Let therfore euery deuout ſoule do his beſt endeauour by daily ſaying the Beades, to auert the ſcourge of God from vs, and all mankind, which hangeth hourely ouer our heads, for our offences & ill behauiour towards our maker. Let vs alſo by the
ſame deuotion inceſſantly make ſupplication for increaſe of Gods grace, that we may run the pathes of his Commaundements, all the courſe of our life, and at the end of our race happily arriue at the hauen of heauen.
Laſtly the reuerent wearing, and due vſing of our Beades,VVhy vve vveare publikely our beads. increaſeth the externall act of religion; it aduanceth God, and his Bleſſed Mothers honour, adorneth their Clients, pleaſeth God, reioyceth Angels, triumpheth ouer Diuells, confoundeth Heretikes & Infidels, conſerueth peace and vniformity in the Church of God.
Of Preparation to ſay the Beades.
CHAP. III.
AS by all ſpiritual men the life of man is conſidered to be threefold, to wit, Actiue, Contemplatiue, and Mixt of both; ſo we may very well ſay that Prayer is, Vocall anſwering to Actiue; Mentall to Contemplatiue, and Mixt to both. Of thoſe three former kinds, it is concluded by the generall conſent of all, that the third is moſt perfect, to wit the Mixt, conſiſting of both the other. Now whether in prayer the purely mentall, or mixt (to wit mentall, and vocall conioyned togeather) be moſt perfect, I will not heere diſpute. It is inough for
my purpoſe to declare that I vnderſtand the ſaying of the Beads,The beads a mixt
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ind of praying. to be mixt prayer, wherin vocall and mentall are conioyned, the words which we pronounce, giuing our mind occaſion of meditation: therefore what preparatiō we find requiſite for either vocall or mental prayer, let vs vſe before and in the ſaying of our Beades, which conſiſteth of both the fornamed manners of praying.
To prepare our ſelues to prayer we are cōmanded,Eccleſ. 18.
leaſt we be like to thoſe who tempt God. They who runne indiſcreetly, and irreuerently to prayer, performing it coldly, with many voluntary diſtractions, do often looſe their labour, and purchaſe Gods diſpleaſure; for of ſuch vndeuout ſeruants he complaines, ſaying:Iſa. 29.
This
people honoureth me with their lippes, but their harts are farre off from me. God requireth of his ſeruants, that they ſerue him with their harts, ſaying:Matt 15. M
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rc. 7. Prou. 23.
My ſonne offer vp to me thy hart. In which words two things are included, namely Corporall Preparation, and Spirituall Diſpoſition in fruitfully ſaying our Beads. The former of theſe two dependeth vpon the exteriour diſpoſition of our body to this exerciſe, which conſiſteth in theſe pointes.
Corporall Preparatiō
Firſt in decent placing of our body, in the well ordering of our fiue outward ſenſes, in well endeauouring to keepe them from diſtractions, as alſo by ſo ſcituating our ſelues that the ouermuch diſeaſing of the body, eyther by continuall kneeling, or proſtrating
our ſelues vpon the ground, by extenſion of the armes in manner of a croſſe, and the like mortifications, cauſe not the diſtraction of our minds. Wherfore for the tyme thou prayeſt, I could wiſh thee not to put thy ſelfe to any great corporall affliction, but ſo to diſpoſe of thy body, that it remayne quiet, and if it were poſſible, as if thy ſoule were for that tyme ſeparated from it.
The later,Spirituall diſpoſition namely ſpirituall diſpoſition, is a reſtraint of all our internall ſenſitiue powers, in keeping them attent, and wholy imployed about our prayer; alſo a deuout applying of our three ſpirituall faculties of the ſoule, namely our Will, Vnderſtanding, and Memory, with all their actions, and functions, to Gods ſeruice in
this holy exerciſe. For ſeeing God hath created both ſoule, and body to his ſeruice, commanded vs to loue him with all our ſoule, hart, mind, and power, and ſeeing the performance of the worke is a proofe of our loue; it ſtandeth with great reaſon we ſhould endeauour to imploy our ſelues in this action wholly and ſincerely performing it with all reuerence both of ſoule and body.
Of the ſeuerall parts of the Beades.
CHAP. IIII.
I Intend to diſcourſe vpon this pious manner of praying plainly and cleerly, to the end that the explications I ſhal here make may be more generally vnderſtood.
Wherefore I will ſpeake only of ſuch parts thereof as are appointed by our holy Mother the Catholike Church, to wit, the Creed, Pater Noſter, and Aue Maria.
An vſuall payre of Beads cō
monly conſiſteth of one Creed, three Aues, ſix Decades, or ſix tymes ten Aues more, and ſeauen Pater Nosters. The decade, or ten Aues is ſayd in remembrance or honour of the ten Commandements of God. The Creed ſignifieth the Vnion of our Fayth, according to that of the Apoſtle: One fayth,
Epheſ. 4
one God, one Baptiſme, and therfore is but once ſayd in the Beads. The Pater Noſter betokneth hope, and is ſeauen tymes repeated, and that for diuers reaſons. Firſt in reſpect of the ſeauenfold graces, or gifts
of the holy Ghoſt, which we ſtill pray for. Secondly for the extirpation of the ſeauen deadly ſinnes out of vs. Thirdly, for the obtayning of the ſeauen contrary vertues. Fourthly for the ſincere and pure vſe of the ſeauen Sacraments. Fiftly, for the Chriſtian practiſing of the ſeauen Workes of Mercy, as well ſpirituall, as temporall.
The Aue ſignifieth Charity, and is repeated ſixty three tymes after the Creed, in ſaying ouer the beads, to wit thriſe after the Creed and ten tymes in ech of the ſix decades; and this for three cauſes, Firſt in honour and remembrance of our B. Ladies age, who liued on earth ſixty three yeares. Secondly, to inſinuate vnto vs the frequent vſe of workes of mercy, &
of all moral Vertues, whoſe good habits help our weake powers with their aſſiſtance in al our operations. Thirdly, and eſpecially, to teach vs, that the Works of charity ought farre to ſurpaſſe in number and value, all the actions of intellectuall and voluntary habits.
Of the
Creed in generall.
CHAP V.
IN ſaying our beads we alwaies begin with our Creed,
By the Creed Faith is expreſſed. which is a briefe ſumme of our fayth, and a bridgment of Chriſtian Religion. The reaſon why we begin with our Creed, is, becauſe the deuout ſaying of it, is an expreſſe profeſſion of our faith, which is
to be made in the firſt place. Quia accedentem ad Deum oportet credere: becauſe he that commeth vnto God muſt belieue. Againe prayer is an acceſſe of the Creature to his Creatour, which can by no meanes be more aduanced, then by an act of Faith. Laſtly, the foundation of iuſtice, which by prayer we ſeeke for, is Faith, which is compriſed in our Creed. To this purpoſe the Apoſtle ſaith: with hart we beleeue to iuſtice,
Rom. 10.
and with mouth we make profeſſion to ſaluation.
In which ſentence we are taught two things touching our Creed. Firſt an inward action of our ſoule, which is nothing els but a ſpirituall motion of our mind and will towards God the giuer of all vertues, and the only
rewarder of the ſame.VVhat fayth is. For faith is an infuſed habit, proceeding frō God, which perfecteth our Vnderſtanding, and inclineth our Will with a pious affection to belieue in God, and conſequently by the meanes of his diuine grace, to attaine vnto Iuſtification.
Secondly, we are taught an outward action of our body, conſiſting in a profeſſion of our faith, when with words we outwardly make knowne to others that faith which inwardly in hart, & mind we belieue: Which action alſo cōioyned with charity doth bring vs vnto Iuſtification. Wherfore in ſaying the Creed, we muſt attend to foure things. Firſt to the words, and their meaning. Secondly to the perſons to whome they are directed, who are alwaies
God the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghoſt. Thirdly to the myſteries cōpriſed in thoſe twelue articles, which are many, and admirable. Fourthly to the manner and faſhion wherwith the B. Trinity doth cōmunicate to mankind thoſe his manifold, and exceeding great benefites.
Of the words of the
Creed, and their ſenſe.
CHAP. VI.
ADMIRABLE are the ſacred words of the Creed, becauſe they are ſignes, leading vs into an Ocean of diuine myſteries, whoſe ſignification is myſticall: vpon which I wil only ſtay, omitting the pious conceites of ſome
vpon the number of the words, which in latin are 75. but in other vulgar languages 77. for the latin word Credo in all vulgar tongues is two words, I Beleeue, Ie crey, Io Credo &c. which word being twice inſerted into the Creed, maketh vp ſeauenty ſeauen; and theſe words ſignify the whole eſſence of our beleife. I will not ſay theſe 77. words in our Creed ſignify the 77.Matth.
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. tymes we ought to forgiue our brethren when they offend vs, nor that they betoken the Grand Iubiley, becauſe S. Luke writeth in the 77. generation from Adam downward, Chriſt our Sauiour was borne,Gen. 4. who as Origen and diuers other of the Fathers vpon Geneſis haue noted, did ſuperabundantly ſatisfy for all mankind. Theſe and the like pious coniectures
omitted, I will come to the ſignification of the words.
The ſenſe and meaning of theſe words in our Creed, ought to be diſcuſſed ſeriouſly, and with great attention, for they import, & ſignify meruailous things. Wherfore as the Iſraelites departing out of Egypt carryed away with them the borrowed treaſures of the coū
try,Exod. 3. and that by Gods owne appointement: ſo the twelue Apoſtles, the pillars of the Catholike Church, at the departure out of Iury, & diſperſing into the whole world, made (by the inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt) this abridgement of Chriſtian beliefe, carryed it away with them, as an infinite treaſure, and diſperſed it through out the whole world.
And to the end thou mayeſt
orderly proceed in finding out the true literall and myſticall ſenſe of euery word, begin with the firſt word of thy Creed, which is Credo, and by it learne how to meditate vpon the reſt. Search, and diue into it profoundly; this only word I aſſure thee, is ſufficient to hold thy vnderſtanding imployed all they life tyme. In this one latin word, are theſe two Engliſh, words, I belieue. In this word I, thou mayeſt contemplate al things belonging to man his ſubſtance, his being this man and not an other, his body and ſoule vnited, and alſo ſeparated, his inclinations, end, helpes, miſeries, whēce they do ſpring, and the like. And when by conſideration of theſe particulers thou haſt ſatiſfied thine vnderſtāding, endeauour to ſtirre
vp in thy will, ſome good affection of loue, hope, ioy, deſire, or thankſ-giuing &c. For this is the end of all prayer, to prayſe God, and to inflame our affection in his loue, deteſting ſinne and deſiring grace, & all vertues: which good affection being once enkindled in thy hart, by the help of Gods grace, endeauour to continue, and increaſe it by feruent prayer, recollection, purpoſes of good life, & ſo begin thy Beades, deſiring perfect obtayning of that good purpoſe and affection, which thou ſeeleſt in thy ſoule. And thus by example of this firſt Word thou mayſt perceaue the manner how to vnderſtand and conſider with ſpirituall profit the reſt of the words of the Creed.
Of attention to the Diuine Perſons.
CHAP. VII.
THIS attention here required is vnto the Maieſty of the three Diuine Perſons, God the Father, God the Sonne, and God the Holy Ghoſt; who are three diſtinct Perſons, vnited in one Nature: theſe Perſons are expreſſed in our Creed by theſe termes, Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghoſt. The nature of theſe Perſons is expreſſed by the word, God.The cheife obiect of prayer. Vnto theſe Perſons, as to the chiefe obiect of thy prayers, thou art to haue a ſerious attention, conſidering with thy ſelfe, that in
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aying thy Creed thou makeſt the profeſſion of thy faith before
theſe diuine Perſons, whoſe maieſty is ſuch, that al the reuerence, and attention thou canſt make, is not ſufficient to ſhew the leaſt part of thy allegiance: and hauing duely conſidered, before what a Maieſty thou treateſt, ſay deuoutly thy Creed in profeſſing thy beliefe touching theſe diuine Perſons.
Before the firſt Aue, ſay: O God the Father of heauen, eſſentially endued with all perfection, haue mercy vpon me; and ſo offer vp thy Memory in ſaying the firſt Aue. Before the ſecond, ſay: O God the Sonne, Redeemer of the world, eſſentially endued with all perfection, haue mercy vpon me, & ſo offer vp to him thine Vnderſtanding, in ſaying the ſecond Aue. Before the third Aue, ſay: O
God the holy Ghoſt, ſanctifier of the whole world, eſſentially replēiſhed with all perfection, haue mercy vpon me, offering vp to him thy Will, and Affection, as deuoutly as thou canſt. Then ſay the firſt Pater
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oſter, in aſking grace fruitfully
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o meditate vpon the diuine perfections, included in the Holy Trinity.
Before the firſt decade or ten, conſider the firſt Attribute or Perfection,Omnipotent. which is the Omnipotency of God, who can do all things, when, how, and where he pleaſeth; to whome no creature can
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eſiſt, to whome nothing is ei
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her impoſſible, or hard to do: who with one word created all
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hings, gouerneth the world withall facility, and with one blaſt can annihilate it againe.
This omnipotency with all thy ſoule belieue, hope in, loue, and adore; to this ſubmit thy ſelfe; of this craue pardon, whome through thy weaknes, and frailty thou haſt ſo often offended▪ To this Omnipotency entierly commend, and reſigne thy ſelfe beſeeching the Saints in heauen to aſſiſt thee in louing & prayſing this Omnipotency, by ſaying▪
Gloria Patri &c. Glory be to God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost, becauſe they are omnipotent, As they were in the b
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ginning, now and alwayes, world without end▪
Amen. This done ſay one Decade, or ton Aues, and a Pater noster, in prayſing his Omnipotency, and in humbly deſiring alwayes to be directed and defended by the ſame.
Before the ſecond Decade cal
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o mind the Infiniteneſſe of God,Infinite. his power, wiſdome, goodnes in
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ll his actions &c. For example,
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ehold his Infiniteneſſe in wiſdome; firſt in ſo prudently crea
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ing Heauen, Earth, Angells, Men, &c. Secondly in ſo diſ
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reetly diſpoſing and ordering all
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hings in number, order, and meaſure. Thirdly, in ſo proui
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ently gouerning the whole world, and all therin contained.
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ourthly in prouiding ſo abun
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antly all neceſſaries for ech crea
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ure in his kind. Fiftly in cer
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ainly foreknowing from all eter
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ity all future euents, till the
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orlds end. And laſtly, in pre
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eſtinating all the elect by moſt
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onuenient, and ſweet meanes,
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o the attayning of eternall glory;
all which belieue, hope for, admire, adore; and then with the celeſtiall Court thanke God moſt humbly for the ſame in ſaying, Glory be to the Father, Sonne, an
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the holy Ghoſt, for their Infiniteneſſe in Nature, and Power, a
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it was in the beginning, is now, an
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alwayes ſhalbe, world without end Amen. Then ſay ten Aues and one Pater noſter in prayſing Gods Infiniteneſſe, and in humbly beſeeching alwayes to be guided, and directed by it.Eternall.
Before the third Decade, conſider the Eternity of God, that he was alwayes, before the world was made, and, that he ſhall euer ſo remaine God, thrice happy▪ whoſe Eternity is part of his nature, cauſe, and meaſure of all time. See how all other things had
their being, beginning, and continuance from him: then lifting vp thy affection, to adore this true Eternity, ſay with all the bleſſed Inhabitants of heauen, Glory to God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, who are Eternall, as they were in the beginning, and euer ſhalbe, world without end, Amen. After this ſay ten Aues and one Pater noſter, that thou mayeſt be his faithfull ſeruant in this world, and partaker of his glorious viſion in all eternity.
Before the fourth Decade thinke vpon the Imutability or vnchangeablenes of God,Vnchangeable. who was, is, and euer ſhalbe the ſame God he was from Eternity, both in Nature and Operation, without all chang or alteration whatſoeuer; ſo that now he is the ſelfe
ſame God in all reſpects, that he was a million of millions of years paſt, and as he ſhalbe, and continue world without end: for heauen and earth ſhall paſſe and change, but thou (O Lord) remayneſt for euer. Heere deploring thy continuall decay, & howerly alteration, and admiring his vnchāgablenes, inuite the Saints, and all Pilgrimes of the militant Church, to prayſe God, in ſaying: Glory be to God the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, for their vnchangeablenes, as they were in the beginning, and now, and euer ſhalbe vnchangeable, world without end, Amen. Heere ſay ten Aues & one Pater, demaunding perſeuerance in Grace, Charity, Purity of life, and all other vertues.
Before the fifth Decade, looke into
incomprehēſible Goodnes of God,Good. who is goodnes it ſelfe, all other Creatures good by participation of his Goodnes. Furthermore, God is not only Goodnes it ſelfe and maker of all things good, but alſo he worketh with his creatures all thoſe workes which are good: for without him we can do nothing:Ioan. 15. and in this reſpect we are called (when we do well) Cooperatours,Ioan. 3. and (as S. Paul ſaith) Coadiutours with God,1. Cor. 3. who ſaith of himſelfe:Phil. 4.
I can do all things in him who comforteth me: but moſt plainly of all, the Prophet Iſay teacheth vs this truth ſaying: Thou, O Lord,
Iſa. 26.
our God haſt wrought in vs all our works.
Conſider alſo this ineffable goodnes of God which hindereth infinite euills, which the wicked
ſpirittes, and their complices euill men would do, if Gods goodnes did not hinder them. Againe thoſe euill works which men do bring to paſſe by Gods permiſſion, by this goodnes of God in the end, turne to the good of his faithfull ſeruants, as witneſſeth his Apoſtle: Al things tend,
Rom. 8.
and cooperate to the good of them that loue God. Laſtly this goodnes of God, neyther is, neither can be cauſe of euill, but only of good: for of goodnes what can proceed but good?Oſe
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. 13. Hence the Prophet ſayth: Thy ſaluation, O Iſrael, is of me, but thy perdition is from thy ſelfe. And ſo being rauiſhed in the loue of this ineſtimable goodnes, implore the aſſiſtance of all the Saints, and with them giue glory to the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, for their ineſtimable
goodnes, as they were in the beginning, are now, and euer ſhall be world without end, Amen. Then ſay ten Aues, and one Pater Noster in extolling this goodnes, & humbly beſeeching to be wholly inamoured of it.
Before the ſixt Decade open thine Vnderſtanding,Merciful. and looke as well as thou mayeſt into Gods mercy, which in all reſpects is infinite. Firſt, moſt firmely beleeue, that as humane miſery (which is the proper obiect of Gods mercyThe obiect of Gods mercy.) ſurmounteth in greatnes all other morall accidents caſual vnto man (for miſery accompanieth al men their ſoules, bodies, and whatſoeuer, for it is their companion into the world, it continually attendeth them till their dying day, yea & from ſome it neuer parteth
for all Eternity) ſo in regard of vs, and our neceſſities, the mercy of God ſurpaſſeth all other diuine attributes,Eccl 18.
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. 140. or powers, as the prophet fitly to this purpoſe ſayth: The mercy of our Lord is aboue all his workes.
Secondly, in particuler conſider the mercy of God the Father, towards vnfortunate mankind, who hauing but one only begottē Sonne,Ioan. 3. condemned him to a moſt cruell death, to reſtore vs to life againe.
Thirdly, ſo vnmeaſurable is the mercy of God the Sonne, that he tooke vpon him our mortality,Rom. 8. ſuffered for our ſakes moſt ſhamefull reproaches, and death it ſelfe, to free vs captiues to Sathan, and to make vs who were vaſſalls to ſinne, heires of his Kingdome.
Fourthly, God the holy Ghoſt is ſo naturally indued with mercy that he in proper perſon continually ſanctifieth, guideth, and gouerneth the vniuerſall Church of God in vnity of truth,Ioan. 14. euen vntill the worlds end.
Fifthly, all the three diuine Perſons ioyntly and equally, are as mercifull to euery man in particuler, as they are towards all the world in generall; and therfore moſt truly ſaid S. Auguſtine:
In Confeſſ.
God loueth euery one man, as much as he loueth the whole world: the reaſon is, becauſe God loueth euery man infinitely, and can loue all men togeather but infinitly.
Sixtly, ſo ready and attendant is Gods mercy for euery man all the time of this tranſitory life,Ezech. 18 that at what houre ſoeuer any ſinner
will accept of it, repentant for his ſinnes returning vnto God by amendment of his life, God is moſt ready to receaue him to his mercy, to indew him with his grace, and to bring him to the crowne of glory. Let no ſinner therfore deſpaire of Gods mercy, though he be at the laſt gaſpe, yea and ouerwhelmed with a world of ſinnes: for greater is Gods mercy then mans ſinnes or miſery, becauſe Gods mercy is infinite.
Laſtly conſider his goodnes in being readier to pardon men al their offences, then men can be deſi
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ons to be pardoned, as appeareth in Chriſt towards the good theefe. And heere admiring Gods infinite mercy, and crauing the aſſiſtance of the celeſtiall ſpirits, in exalting Gods prayſes, ſay:
Glory be to the Father, the Sonne and the holy Ghoſt, for their vnſpeakable Mercy, as it was in the beginning, is now, and euer ſhalbe, world without end, Amen. And then ſaying ten Aues and one Pater, inſtantly deſire to be alwayes partaker of Gods mercy. Thus for a taſt haue I giuen thee an exāple how to meditate vpon God Almighty, and the three Diuine Perſons in Trinity, in ſaying thy Beades.
Of the Pater Noster.
CHAP. VIII.
THE holy Scripture commandeth vs to hope,By the Pater Noſter hopers ſignified. Ioan. 16. it being the anker of our ſaluation. To this end Chriſt ſaith: Haue hope, for I
haue ouercome. Wherupon the Apoſtle ſaith: Hope neuer confoundeth. The reaſon is, becauſe hope is a heauenly Vertue infuſed by God into our ſoules, wherby with a certaine confidence, we expect at Gods hands life euerlaſting. Things to be prayed for, are of two ſortes, either good or bad. For the former, wee pray they may be giuen vs; from the later we pray we may be deliuered. Diuers are the good things we ſtand in need of, both for ſoule and body; ſome ſpirituall, others temporall, and all of them help vs to the attayning vnto our finall & complete happineſſe. Infinite are the euills, as well ghoſtly, as bodily, which greatly encomber vs in this our pilgrimage, from which euils we earneſtly pray to
be deliuered: and all theſe, both good and bad in generall,Matth. 6. were by our Sauiour briefely compacted togeather in our Pater noſter, which containeth in it all the things that are to be hoped for, as alſo all thoſe things, that we deſire to be deliuered from.
In ſaying the Pater noster, firſt let thy mind be fixed vpon Almighty God, who is the perſon vnto whome thou offereſt thy prayer. Secondly, penetrate the ſenſe, and meaning of euery word, beginning (for example) with the firſt word, Our. This word ſheweth, that God is a Father vnto vs all; and as to all, ſo is he to euery one. Firſt conſider that he would be called Ours, that we ſhould not repine to offer vp our ſelues, and all we haue to him,
to obtaine that ſweet title to be called his Secondly inflame thy affection, & conſider how happy thou art if thou mayeſt rightly ſay this word Our, for then thou art his, and he thine. Thirdly in this word imbrace thy neighbour, who by it is made thy brother & fellow heire of Eternall felicity.
Then go to the ſecond word, Father; not Lord, nor Iudge, nor Creatour, nor King, or the like; but Father: a name of loue, lincking himſelfe vnto vs, as neere as may be, to make vs loue him like dutifull children. He is our Father for ſix cauſes. 1. For making the ſubſtance of which we are compoſed. 2. For caſting the mould wherof we were forged. 3. For faſhioning the frame of our bodies. 4. For
creating and vniting our ſoules to our bodies. 5. For bringing vs vp and giuing vs whatſoeuer we haue. 6. Laſtly, and eſpecially, for adopting vs heyres to his eternall Kingdome, giuing vs all the meanes poſſible to attaine therto, guiding, gouerning, and conducting vs thither, as it were by the hand. Which ſix points apply to the ſix Decades.
If followeth, Which art, which may alſo be conſidered by ſix points, and may be applied to the Beads, as the former. Firſt, how God is abſolute in himſelfe. 2. How God is only of himſelfe, and independant of any other. 3. And for himſelfe, not to any further end, being his owne bleſſednes, and end of all things. 4. How all creatures whatſoeuer they be,
euen Angels & men, are of God, for he made vs, and not we our ſelues 5. All things are in God, for. In him we liue, moue, and are. 6 Laſtly, to God all creatures belong, as to their Cauſe, Maker, Redeemer, Sanctifier, Gouernour, and laſt end: for God made all things for himſelfe.
In heauen, to put vs in mind of our Country and inheritance, to which we were borne: for this place in which we liue, commonly called the World, is our exile, and place of pilgrimage, pennance and probation,2. Cor. 5. but heauen is our home, Citty, and country. Now ſeeing that God is our Father, let vs his children learne, firſt fully to know the worthines of our vocation,Rom. 8. and adoption, who are by grace made the children
of God. Secondly to direct all the courſe of our life to the attayning of this ſupernaturall end Thirdly, to moderate with reaſon all our paſſions and inclinations; for if God be our Father, we ought to loue and feare him, with the feare and loue of children, to truſt in him ſtedfaſtly, to rely on him only, and ſo to gouerne all our motions, like well nourtured children, in the preſence of our Father who alwayes is with vs, and ſtill beholdeth vs. Fourthly to conuerſe with our heauenly Father (from whome we cannot fly, becauſe he is euery where) moſt dutifully, and with all cordiall reſpect, in humility, charity, patience, obedience, and all other vertuous comportments. Fiftly, not only to conforme our
willes to his will, but alſo quite to caſt off our owne will, and to put on his, by taking all things (aduerſities as wel as proſperities) as ſpeciall fauours ſent from him, for our particuler good. Sixtly, ſeeing that this our Bleſſed Father hath his glorious Pallace in heauen, let vs abhorre all euill conuerſation of this world, all exceſſe in apparell, pleaſures, feeding of our ſenſes, and the like actions common to brute beaſts and hau
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our hopes & affections in Heauen,
Epheſ. 2. whoſe Cittizens we are, and of which we are made Coheires with Chriſt.
Hallowed be thy name. Heere we pray for the increaſe of Gods honour, and conſequently for the increaſe of the number of the faithfull; for by thoſe only the honour
of God is propagated. Alſo for the augmenting of Gods grace in vs, and extirpation of mortall ſinne, for without his grace, we can no wayes cooperate to the honour of God, for they muſt be pure veſſels that ſerue to the increaſe of Gods honour, and therfore was S: Paul taken forth to preach the name of Chriſt to Nations, becauſe he was Vas el
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ctionis, a choſen veſſell.
Thy Kingdome come. In this we pray for our Childs part in the other world, which is life euerlaſting; as alſo for the meanes to attaine vnto it, which are infuſed vertues, and ſupernaturall helpes, as grace, faith, hope, and charity, and all other vertues, eſpecially the eight Beatitudes, which are as it were ſo many
ſteppes or aſcents towards heauen.
Thy will be done. Heere we reſigne our ſelues entirely to the will of God, for by wiſhing the performance of his will, we ſubmit our owne to his: in which reſignation (thoſe that haue experience of it) do find the greateſt comfort & quietnes of mind that may be, and within themſelues ſuch a peace, as the world cannot giue. To ſuch a ſoule as wholy layeth her ſelfe in the hād of Almighty God, what can come amiſſe? Nothing without doubt, for ſuch a ſoule at the comming of any accident whatſoeuer, ſaith not, This ſuch a one hath done, mine enemy, one that hath watched to doe me this ill turne, and the like; but contrarily
ſaith: This is ſent me from the hand of God, the guift of a Father to his child, his will be done, and bleſſed be his name for euer.
In earth, as it is in heauen. We pray here like thoſe that are perfect, let vs in all our actions ſhew our ſelues to be louers of perfection, in imitation of our Father, in wiſhing that Gods bleſſed will may be performed as exactly here in earth, as in heauen; we do wiſh alſo that there may be no greater repugnance in our obeying here vnto it, then there is in heauen. And in this we pray for that perfection, which euery true Chriſtian ought to aſpire vnto: and then how ſweet and pleaſant would the ſeruice of Almighty God be vnto euery one, in being wholy conformed vnto his holy
will, as the Saints of heauen are. This was that perfection which S. Paul arriued vnto, when he burſt forth into thoſe words of perfect reſignation: Now I liue no more, but Chriſt liueth in me.
Giue vs this day our daily bread. By theſe words we aſke all neceſſary food, as well ſpirituall as corporall. We ſay not, Lend vs, ſince we owe him ſo much already, that we neuer ſhalbe able to pay him any thing, but ſtill muſt increaſe our debt. Neither ſay we, Pay vs, for God oweth vs nothing, but we owe all what we haue vnto him: and therfore beſeeching his infinite goodnes to be bountifull towards vs ſtill, we intreat to giue it vs. This day, ſignifieth the ſhortnes of our life, our daily want, our continuall
failing,Matth. 6. and perpetuall need of Gods prouidence towards vs. Daily bread, putteth vs in mind of only neceſſaries, and neither to demaund, nor care for ſuperfluities.
Forgiue vs our treſpaſſes, as we forgiue them that treſpaſſe againſt vs. So that if we will not forgiue any that hath offended vs, God will not forgiue vs our offences, and ſince this is our owne petition, we muſt take heed we condemne not our owne ſelues.
Lead vs not into temptation, by permitting our frailty to fall; but ſupport vs from falling, that is from conſenting to ſinne.
Deliuer vs from euill, becauſe without Chriſt we cā do nothing hauing enemies on euery ſide of vs, & the chiefeſt of all within vs,
to wit our ſelues.
Amen, as a ſeale is added, which ſignifieth Be it ſo, if it pleaſe thee. And thus much for the literall ſenſe of our Pater Noster.
Of the
Aue Maria. CHAP. IX.
OF all affections, that of the mother to her child is held to be the tendereſt;By the Aue Maria Charity is vn
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rſtood. there being betweene theſe two, the greateſt naturall vnion and participation one of the other, that can be. But if this naturall affection be rayſed to a degree aboue nature, to wit made ſpirituall, that is a naturall affection refined or purified; then without doubt there can be nothing
added to the perfection of it In this height of affection which is tearmed Charity, doth this B. Virgin loue mankind, being euer towards him as a moſt tender Mother, a Mother of Grace, a mother of Mercy, that is a Mother vnto all thoſe, that by her mediation aske mercy. To this mother let vs come with an inflamed affection, with a feruent deſire to imitate her charity and purity.
Now let vs proceed to the litteral explication of the Aue Maria. In the fi
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ſt part, is contained an Honorable Salutation of our B. Lady, vttered by the Angell Gabriel, ſent vnto her as a meſſenger from the B. Trinity about the buſines of mans Redemption, in which this B. Virgin was a ſpeciall Agent. Haile Mary full of grace,
our Lord is with thee: ſhe cannot be ſaluted by a greater title then full of grace, ſince in it all other dignities are contained. The Angel would not call her mother of God for as yet ſhe had not giuen her louing conſent to be a mother, & yet a Virgin. Yet in calling her full of grace, he did ſignify that ſhee was come to ſuch height of perfection, as was not to be giuen to any but to the mother of God; and he was cōmanded ſo to entitle her, by that Diuine Counſell that ſent him. She is called by the Angell full of grace, that all ſinners might haue recourſe vnto her for grace, ſince being her ſelfe full, we might by our humble prayers touch that veſſell, that ſome of thoſe graces might fall vpon our ſoules.
Our Lord is with thee, in a moſt eminent manner, by deſire corporally to inhabit in her to make her the Mother of his only begotten Sonne. Theſe words alſo tell, from whome the greeting came, from the B. Trinity that made her ſo admirable a peece of workemanſhip, that out of her was drawne, by the hand of the holy Ghoſt, the Humanity of Chriſt Ieſus God and man. Our Lord was with her euen at the very inſtan of her Conception, then ſhewing himſelfe vnto her a Lord & Protectour, in defending her from the originall, and generall blemiſh of mankind. Hitherto the Angell Now follow the words of S. Elizabeth, admiring and praiſing the happines of this B. Virgin her Coſen.
Bleſſed art thou amongeſt women. For ſix ſingular priuiledges, which thou mayeſt apply vnto the ſix Decades.
Six priuiledges that ma
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e the holy Virgin Bleſſed amongeſt vvomen. 1. In being choſen out of thouſands from all eternity as moſt fit to beare the Sauiour of the world. 2. In giuing her obedient conſent vnto the Angell, who ſpake things ſhe vnderſtood not. 3. In contayning God the ſecond Perſon in Trinity nine moneths in her ſacred wombe. 4. In being a mother remayning a Virgin. 5. In hauing her owne maker all his whole life obedient vnto her. 6. In being priuiledged immediatly after her death, to haue her body reunited to her glorious ſoule.
And Bleſſed is the fruit of thy wombe, Ieſus. This laſt word explicateth the whole ſentence: for this Bleſſed fruit of her wombe,
was nothing elſe but ſwet Ieſus;
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nd this fruit grew vpon no other
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eethen vpon the B Virgin from whom we receaue this pleaſant & vitall fruite. In this Virgin (a Paradiſe of pleaſure) theſe ſpiritual fruits abound; for cōtayning this one fruit, which hath the nature of heauenly Manna, ſhe ſatisfieth the taſt of all ſpirituall ſoules; for Ieſus is a fruit contayning in it ſelfe all delightes.
We come now vnto the laſt of theſe three harmonicall parts, which is ſung by our holy mother the Catholike Church, and adioyned vnto the two former parts of the Angel, & S. Elizabeth. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for v ſinn
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rs, now, & in the houre of our death. Had the Church ſayd only, Holy Mary pray for vs, her high preheminence
of being mother of God had bin left out. And had it bin only ſayd, Mother of God, pray for vs, her Dignity indeed had bin ſpecified, but it had not bin made knowne from what lowlineſſe ſhe was exalted,Luke. 8.
Quia reſpexit humilitatem ancillae ſuae, from the humility and lowlineſſe of a hand-maid ſhe was rayſed to be the mother of God; therefore we ſay, Holy Mary mother of God: by Mary, ſignifying her humility, & by the Mother of God, the dignity vnto which her being humble Mary, rayſed her.
Pray for vs ſinners, thou that wert exempt from all ſinne, thou that beganſt the ouerthrow of ſinne, thou that knoweſt the malice of ſinne being the mother of grace pray for v
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ſinners, that haue ſo oftē
offended thee, by offending thy deare Sonne: who deſerue nothing of our ſelues,Bernard. ſerm. 12. in Apoc. nor can better aske for mercy then through thy Bleſſed mediation, knowing thy Sonne Chriſt Ieſus can deny thee nothing. Of thee therfore, O bleſſed Virgin, we begge to pray for vs.
Now, and in the houre of our death. By the firſt word Now, we conſider our preſent life, the miſery and calamity of the ſame. We beſeech therfore the B. Virgin to aſſiſt vs in this life of miſery, that we may make this Now a paſſage vnto happines, which ſhall laſt for Euer. And in the h
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ure of our death, in which we haue moſt need of her powerfull ayde, conſidering that vpon that inſtant, our eternall eſtate dependeth.
This is the time in which the tree falleth, where it ſhall remayne for Euer. We may here out of theſe words reflect vpon the tender loue of the Catholike Church towards all her children, aduiſing them by this prayer (which ſhe hath taught them) to make recourſe vnto ſo potent a friend, as the Mother of God is, at this moſt important houre, after which immediatly inſueth Euer. Let theſe two words Now and Euer ſound in thine eare perpetually. Neuer thinke vpon the one, but let thy thought imbrace alſo the other. Neuer let thy conceit ſtay vpon Now, to wit vpon this preſent life and the miſeries therof, but thinke alſo vpon Eu
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r, to wit the ioyes of heauen, prepared for thoſe that paſſe through
theſe miſeries conſtantly; and let not the fond and falſe pleaſures of this life repreſent themſelues vnto thee, vnleſſe thou alſo ſet before thee the eternity of paynes due to thoſe that neglecting their ſaluation, follow theſe ſhort delights in blindnes. Let Now commit nothing, that it ſhalbe aſhamed to auouch before Euer: but let both theſe proue and examine the action of ech other, that ſo we may Now ſeruing this great Virgin faithfully, enioy her in happines for Euer.
OF THE SIX FEASTS OF OVR B. LADY.
HAVING breifly explicated the Pater, Aue, and Creed, we will deſcend vnto the feaſts of
our B. Lady, applying them to our Beads, making triall whether we can make vſe of what hath bin hitherto ſaid. And beginning with her pure Conception, we will runne through her ſix feaſts, ending with her Aſſumption; ſince moſt of theſe feſtiuities were meanes vnto our Redemption, which ought to ſtirre vp in vs the more affection and deuotion, to contemplate vpon them.
The Conception of our B. Lady.
CHAP. I.
CONSIDER, that ordinarily the Conception of man is in ſinne,The firſt feaſt. Pſal.
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0. according to that of the Royall Prophet, Et in iniquitatibus concepit me mater mea: & in ſinne
my mother conceaued me.
This ſinne in children is tearmed Originall ſinne, as well becauſe it is deriued vnto vs from our firſt Parents,The effects of originall ſinne. as becauſe it poſſeſſeth euery one at his firſt being, or comming into this world. This ſinne infecteth the whole man, body and ſoule, ſhutteth Heauen gates againſt him, making him ſlaue vnto Sathan.
The penalties of Originall ſinne are diuers: Bodily deformation, all kind of ſicknes, and death it ſelfe, dimneſſe of Vnderſtanding, weaknes of our Will, proneſſe to ſinne, and damnation if we dye in it, without the remedy of Baptiſme.
Our B. Lady by ſingular priuiledge was preſerued from
this Originall ſinne, and conſequently preuented with grace in her Mothers wombe: and at the firſt inſtant of her Conception was indued with all vertues, as Originall Iuſtice, and the like:
She was by the ſame priuiledge, adorned with all naturall perfections of body, as health, beauty, ſtrength, and the like graces.
Laſtly, ſhe was not ſubiect to any actuall ſinne, not ſo much as veniall, preſeruing ſtill entier
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er Originall Iuſtice; much leſſe was ſhe ſubiect to damnation.
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onder euery one of theſe ſix points according to thy deuotion applying them to the ſeuerall parts of thy Beads.
The Natiuity.
CHAP. II.
FIRST conſider her no leſſe wonderfull natiuity:The ſecōd feaſt. for as ſhe was conceiued without ſinne, ſo was ſhe borne of her aged mother S. Anne, as wee may piouſly preſume, without all paine.
How ioyfull to Angels was her birth, becauſe ſhe was to beare the King of Angels, and to be their Queene.
Glorious to vs men was her Natiuity, becauſe ſhe was to be the Aduocate of Gods Church, and potent Mediatrix betweene her Sonne, and mankind.
Gladſome was her Natiuity to the B. Trinity, becauſe ſhe was
from al eternity predeſtinated the Eſpouſe of God the Father, Mother to God the Sonne, and Tabernacle to the holy Ghoſt.
Terrible to the infernall powers was this Natiuity of hers, becauſe ſhe was to bruſe the Serpēts head.
Gen. 3.
Laſtly, comfortable to all ſinners of the Catholike Church was this Natiuity; becauſe ſhe is borne a mother of mercy. Queene of heauen, and Refuge of ſinners, to whome all haue free acceſſe, to whome God the Sonne will deny nothing; and whoſe clemency is ſuch as ſhe taketh vpon her to obtaine all ſinners humble petitions.
Apply theſe points as the former to the ſix Decades.
The Preſentation.
CHAP. III.
FIRST, our B. Lady being choſen out of the whole world to be mother of God,The 3. Feaſt. was by degrees diſpoſed to this office; for being only three yeares old, ſhe was by diuine inſpiration preſented, and offered vp to God in the Temple.
In the ſacred Temple, being come to riper years, firſt amongſt all the Iewes, ſhe made a vow of perpetuall Virginity.
In the Cloyſter of this Tēple ſhe ſerued God in all Iuſtice and Sanctity of body and ſoule; giuing an example to all thoſe that abandon the world, to leaue with
the world themſelues alſo; for without perfection invertue, ſhe knew no incloſure to be ſtrong inough againſt the world; teaching the beſt & ſureſt incloſure to be that of our affections.
Fourthly in that retyred place, ſhe continually exerciſed all vertues, and good workes ſutable to her calling.
There ſhe mortified that Virginall body of hers, imitating in the ſpirit of Propheſy, her Bleſſed Sonne,S. Amb. lib de Virgin. who although he could not be ſubiect vnto any rebellion againſt the law of reaſon, yet did by faſting and praying giue example to all that followed him, that the way vnto the Kingdome which he promiſeth, is ful of mortifications and croſſes.
Being thus trayned vp in all
kind of vertue, hence ſhe was exalted to be the mother of God. A vertuous life in this world is a diſpoſition to attaine vnto happines in the next.
The Viſitation.
CHAP. IIII.
FIRST our B. Lady being declared,The fourth feaſt. by the meſſage of the Angell, to be the mother of God, tooke a tedious iourney on foot, paſſing the mountaines towards her coſin Elizabeth to viſit her.
Withall patience & ſpirituall ioy ſhe performeth this iourny and that with great ſpeed: for S. Ambroſe vpon this place ſaith: Deuotion done with ſpeed yeldes moſt abundant fruit, becauſe there is diſcouered
the feruour of Charity.
Entring into her coſin Elizabethes houſe, ſhe ſaluteth her courteouſly, whoſe ſalutation cauſed ioy both to S. Elizabeth & to her ſonne S. Iohn, yet in her wombe.
Our B. Ladies vertues being deſeruedly praiſed by S. Elizabeth ſhe beareth her ſelfe notwithſtanding moſt humbly and modeſtly.
She referreth al honour vnto God, ſinging her ſacred Canticle: Magnificat anima mea dominum, my ſoule doth magnify our Lord. In which many myſteries are contayned, and documents for our inſtruction, how to referre all our actions to the honour and glory of God.
Laſtly, our B. Lady hauing ſerued with al care and reſpect her
aged coſin, for the ſpace of three monethes, retourneth to poore Nazareth with her Spouſe S. Ioſeph expecting the time of her meruailous deliuery.
The Purification.
CHAP. V.
FIRST our B. Lady remayning a Virgin,The fifth Fe
•
ſt. and yet now made a mother by bringing forth the light of the world, out of her humility obſerued the legall number of dayes for her retirement; and keeping all the other accuſtomed rites, went vp to Hieruſalem, there to make her great offer of Thankes-giuing for the high dignity beſtowed vpon her: Quia fecit ei magna qui potens est,
Luke. 1 becauſe
he that is mighty hath done great things vnto her. For great benefittes, great thankes muſt be giuen.
And according to her pouerty & purity, ſhe offered a paire of Turtle Doues, the beſt gift ſhe could make, inſtructing vs to offer vp to God the beſt we haue, ſince indeed we giue it not, but reſtore it to him of whome we haue receaued it.
Conſider, that the great giftes offered to her Bleſſed Sōne by the three Kings, were by the B. Virgin and her Spouſe ſpeedily giuen away in almes, ſince two Doues were now the beſt gift they had to offer.
Holy Simeon receauing his Sauiour into his armes, ſingeth: Nunc dimittis,
Luc 2. now thou doeſt
diſmiſſe thy ſeruant, O Lord,
•
ecauſe mine eyes haue ſeene thy
•
aluation. This holy Saynt ha
•
ing ſeene his Sauiour, deſired not to liue any longer. Here ſet
•
ing before thine eyes Happines, which is the viſion of God, & the Miſeries of this world, make reſo
•
utions worthy of thy choice.
Our B. Lady hearing both holy Simeon & Anne to propheſy of the greatnes of our Sauiour, ſtood withall humility in the Temple, conuerting none of all theſe praiſes to her ſelfe, who was
•
udged worthy by heauē to beare
•
his Sauiour of the world.
Laſtly, her behauiour towards al that were preſēt (in ſuch a concourſe of praiſes & admirations) was ſuch, as ſhe endeauoured to make them eſteeme of her but as
of an ordinary woman, who needed Purification.
The Aſſumption.
CHAP. VI.
The ſixt Feaſt.FIRST, the moſt happy ſoul
•
of this B Virgin ſeparated frō her body by death, is by Angelicall powers tranſported vp to heauen.
In like triumph her body by ſingular priuiledge is carryed vp by Angels, and in all happines reunited to her ſoule.
Reflect vpon the ioy at this vnion, applauded by the three Perſons in the B. Trinity, and all the Quiers of Angels and Saintes.
At the hands of her glorious Sonne, ſhe receaueth a Crowne,
of eternall bliſſe.
She is placed at the right hand of her Sonne, and proclaimed Queene of Heauen.
Laſtly endeauour thou by al meanes poſſible, to make this Queene of glory, adored alſo heere on earth, by drawing and exhorting as many as thou canſt, to deuote themſelues vnto her.
And thus by theſe ſix feaſts, I haue giuen thee ſome light how to apply any myſtery to thy Beads. But whē thou art growne expert in this kind of Prayer, thou mayeſt either ſaying thy whole Beads meditate vpon one only myſtery, as for example the Conception of this B. Virgin; or elſe th
•
u mayeſt apply to euery decade or ten, one of theſe myſteries, & ſo in thy ſix decades thou
ſhalt runne through all the ſix myſteries.
And thus much concerning the Beads, conſiſting ordinarily of ſix decades. Now we will paſſe vnto the Roſary, conſiſting of 15. Decades, or 150. Aues, and of 15. Pater noſters.
OF THE ROSARY.
THE Roſary,The Roſary. which diuers Sodalities both Religious & ſecular, daily vſe, is made of 15. D
•
cades, or fifteen tymes 10. Aues, and 15. Pater nosters, & is deuided into three Crownes, ech crowne containing fiue Dacades of Aues, and fiue Pater noſters. And to proceed with the firſt fiue, we will apply vnto it the fiue Ioyfull myſteries, to wit, The Annuntiation,
Viſitation, The Natiuity of our Lord, his Preſentation, his finding in the Temple. Which fiue myſteries are to be applyed to the firſt Crown, ech myſtery to a ſeuerall Decade.
Of the firſt Ioyfull mystery, which is the
Annuntiation. CHAP I.
CALL to mind the Hiſtory of the Annuntiation,
The firſt ioyful miſtery. Luke. 1. as it is recorded by the Euangeliſt, in which narration, ſix points are remarkable. Firſt the Conſultatiō made in heauen by the three Diuine Perſons in Trinity, how they might aſſiſt man, and bring him againe into the way of ſaluation▪ and no other meanes
was found more expedient, then that the ſecond Perſon of the B. Trinity ſhould become man.
Conſider then the obedience of the Angell in vndertaking and diſcharging the Embaſſage he was willed to beare vnto the Virgin Mary, dwelling in N
•
zareth: as alſo how the Angell carryed himſelfe towardes this choſen Queene, he diſcourſing with her in an humble low voice, briefly, and grauely, after the manner of treating with Princes.
Likewiſe her Virginall modeſty, bein
•
troubl
•
d at the merueilous ſpeaches of the Angell, and her deep ſi ence,Luke. 1.
conſidering with her ſelfe what a kind of ſalutation this was.
Againe, Her ſingular wiſdome,
•
aving with her ſelfe:
Quomodo fiet istud? How ſhall this be done? conioyned with a purpoſe of purity, becauſe ſhe knew not man.
Alſo her holy feare, Feare not O Mary, thou haſt found grace before God; for that the holy Ghoſt ſhall come vpon thee, and the power of the highest ſhall ouer-ſhadow thee.
Laſtly contemplate vpon the meruailous fruitfulnes promiſed her in giuing her conſent:The obedience of the B. V
•
rgin highly revvarded.
Behold thou ſhalt conceaue and bring forth a Sonne, and thou ſhalt call his name Ieſus. End this point with admiration at the B. Virgins exceeding promptnes and humility: Behold the handmayd of our Lord: her courage; Let it be done vnto me; Her faith and confidence: According to thy word; and laſtly her deuout thankes-giuing: My
ſoule doth magnify our Lord.
The Viſitation.
CHAP. II.
The ſecōd ioyfull my
•
tery.SET before thine eyes, the firſt pilgrimage of our B. Lady, in viſiting her Coſin S. Elizabeth mother of S. Iohn the Baptiſt; wherin conſider theſe ſix points, applying one to euery Decade.
Firſt contemplate the B. will of God to be, that this iourny ſhould then be vndertaken by the B. Virgin to ſanctify S. Iohn, by her gracious ſalutation.
The B. Virgin knowing it to be the will of God that ſhe ſhould take this iourney, ſodenly, without any delay roſe vp, & went into the mountaines; by the
which the holy Fathers vnderſtand perfection in all vertue, at which the whole Euāgelical law aymeth.
3. Make thy ſelfe preſent and ſee the pious ſtrife betweene theſe happy women, allied neerer in vertue then in bloud, endeauouring each one to exceed in acts of humility and charity.
4.If vve be forced to diſcouer our ovvne vvorth let vs do it as rather be
•
ng mortified th
•
n pleaſed to make knovvne vnto oth rs vvh re our meaſure lyeth. The glorious mother of God, although ſhe could not hide from her Coſin the greatnes wherto ſhe was called; yet her humble manner of diſcloſing it, was ſuch as could not proceed but from the mother of God, repleniſhed with all grace and vertue.
5. Then conſider the vertues practiſed by the B. virgin for the tyme that ſhe ſtayed with S. Elizabeth, which was three months.
6. And out of ech of theſe flowers, ſucke like an induſtrious Bee ſome ſweet document: and admiring this Virgin-Mothers vertues, and thoſe of S. Elizabeth, namely their deuotion, diligence, courteſy, & humility, moſt humbly demaund grace, now to be both prayſer and follower of their vertues, and after thy death, partaker of their glory.
The Natiuity of our Lord.
CHAP. III.
The third ioyfull miſtery.GOE, and put thy ſelfe into the company of ſheepheards, and by thy humility and pouerty, diſpoſe thy ſelfe for the inuitatiō of Angels, to go and behold, in poore Bethliē
the King of Kinges,
thy Sauiour and Reedemer.
1. Conſider the B. Virgin being now in her iourney, to ſatisfy the proud law of Auguſtus Caeſar, being come to Bethleem, there brought forth the Redeemer of the world Chriſt Ieſus.
2. Ieſus thus preferring poore Bethleem, before great Hieruſalem for his birth place, was borne in a ſtable, all other houſes refuſing his B. Mother & him, becauſe they were poore.
3. Behold the wonderfull pouerty this Bleſſed Company was reduced vnto: he who prouideth for all creatures in all abundance, feeleth the miſery and want of all thinges.
4. See the B. Mother ſeeking all meanes poſſible, to defend her happy infant from the iniuries of
a moſt ſharpe ſeaſon, being the depth of winter, wrapping the Creatour of the world, and maker of al things, in a few ſimple clouts hauing no other company to aſſiſt her, but her eſpouſe S. Ioſeph, and an Oxe, and an Aſſe.
5. Holy Ioſeph knowing al what had paſſed, admireth at this goodnes of God, and reflecteth vpon the viſion made to the Patriarch Ioſeph,
Gen. 37. Heb. 5.7. who, in his dreame ſeemed to b
•
hold the ſunne, moone, & starres adoring him. This viſion our holy S. Ioſeph with great humility applied to ſweet Ieſus, the new borne Sauiour, who was infinitely reſpected by his heauenly Father, being heard for the reuerence that was borne vnto him, & adored by the B. Virgin his Mother, and by Quiers of Angels.
6. Endeauour to imitate this true pouerty & profund humility of our B. Sauiour and his holy Mother, by exerciſing, (at laſt ſome times) acts of pouerty, to wit the want of ſome comodity: as alſo of humility,Vertue is not
•
o
•
ten but by practiſe. by preferring others before thy ſelfe. And certainly know, that vnleſſe thou practiſe thy ſelfe in theſe vertues, thou ſhalt not obtaine them, much leſſe the reward due vnto them.
The Purification.
CHAP. IIII.
SEEING this miſtery hath bin treated of before in generall,The fourth ioyfull miſtery. we will heer only ſpeak therof ſo, as it may informe the acts of our vnderſtanding, and will, in imitation
of this B. Virgin.
1. Firſt thou art to conſider this Cerimony not to haue bin neceſſary, the B. Virgin being moſt pure before, in, and after her happy deliuery. Learne to do workes of ſupererogation which are of exceeding great value, as in puniſhing in thy ſelfe little offences with puniſhment due vnto great. And ſo in like manner in the exerciſe of vertues, content not thy ſelfe with an ordinary victory ouer thy paſſion, but lift thy ſelfe farre aboue it, to the end it may be the further of from thee, if it ſhould at any time returne to aſſault thee. Let vs, ſaith S. Gregory, debarre our ſelues of lawfull things, that we may be the further off from vnlawfull.
2. Since thou canſt not offer,
with that charity which this B. Virgin did, endeauour neuertheles to do it in the beſt manner thou canſt. Offer vp vnto God al that thou art; offer vp daily all thy wordes, thoughtes, and actions.
3. Offering vp before Almighty God theſe thy oblations, endeauour to make them pure, and let them be the firſt begotten, to wit, when thou riſeſt, that they may be patterns to thoſe, that ſhould follow the whole day after.
4. Holy Simeon, receaued anſwere of the holy Ghoſt,
Luke 2.
that he ſhould not ſee death, vntill he ſaw firſt the anoynted of our Lord; the reaſon of this wonderfull priuiledge was becauſe, as it is recorded,The vvay to ſee God. he was Iuſt, and Religious, expecting the
conſolation of Iſrael.
5. The cheife cauſe why this holy Company reſorted thus vnto the Temple, was Ieſus: do thou neuer mingle thine intentions, nor debaſe them with other thoughts, but enter into the Temple purely for Ieſus, there paſſing thy tyme ſo, as thou mayeſt not offend the eyes of him that beholdeth the moſt inward paſſages of thy mind.
6. Wiſh thy ſelfe preſent to ſee this myſtery performed, that thou mighteſt learne to offer the beſt thou haſt with the B. Virgin, how to imbrace ſweet Ieſus with Simeon, and how to prayſe Gods goodnes with all this holy troope.
The finding of Ieſus in the Temple.
CHAP. V.
ACCORDING to their yearly cuſtome the B. Virgin, and her Spouſe S. Ioſeph,
The fifth ioyfull Miſtery. Luke 2. leading betweene them their only Comfort and Conſolation Ieſus, went vp to Hieruſalem, there to adore. Here marke another act of ſupererogation, eſpecially in Bl Ieſus, whoſe humanity had alwayes conioyned with it his Diuinity.
2. Behold the voluntary pouerty of theſe happy Pilgrimes ſuffering many wantes & diſcommodities in the way, to teach vs ſom
•
ymes to leaue our eaſe and to put
our ſelues for Gods ſake into ſom wants, that we may the better humble our ſelues, and in a more liuely manner imitate theſe mouing examples.
3. The ſolemnity ended, the parents of Ieſus retourned homward, and hauing trauailed one dayes iourny frō Hieruſalem towards Nazareth,
Luke 2.
at night in their Inne they miſſed the child, and ſeeking him amongeſt their kinsf
•
lkes, and acquaintance, they found him not. Note that they did not paſſe many dayes without reflection vpon the loſſe of Ieſus; do not thou deferre thy conuerſion, nor refuſe to returne by pennance into the fauour of God, euen vpon the very firſt day of thy tranſgreſſion.
4. At night in their Inne the
•
miſſed the child: although the vanities
of the world haue poſſeſſed thee the whole day, yet at night at leaſt find him againe whome thou haſt ſtrayed from. At night examine thy conſcience, & looke into that Inne of thy ſoule, that hath entertayned all thoſe paſſengers, and if thou find Ieſus to be abſent, impute it vnto thine owne great offences, that haue cauſed him to leaue thee.
5.Seeke vvhere Ieſus is to be found.
And ſeeking him among their kinsfolkes and acquaintance, they found him not. Since thou ſeeſt he is not to be found amongeſt carnall acquaintance and kinred, why doeſt thou yet ſpend thy time in vaine, ſince thou knoweſt where thou ſeekeſt, thou ſhalt not find him: and if thou findeſt not him, thou looſeſt with thy ſelfe, all.
6. Laſtly, ſince the world affordeth thee him not, go into the Temple, a place pure, ſegregated from worldly thoughts,The force of good Motions. there thou ſhalt find him teaching thee, and diſputing with the doctours, with thy peruerſe wil, that thinks it knoweth much, but it ſhall find it ſelfe confounded by a child: for euery good motion, be it neuer ſo yong, is ſufficient to confound & put to ſilence, the moſt obſtinate will that may be.
Of the fiue ſorrowfull myſteries. The praying in the garden.
CHAP. VI.
VVE muſt not looke in this Garden for delightes o
•
paſtimes,The firſt ſorrovvfull M
•
ſtery. ſuch as the world affoardeth.
No fountaines heere are to be ſeene, but ſuch as ſweat bloud. No Statuaes heere are placed, vnleſſe thou wilt behold Ieſus kneeling immoueable, and in an agony. No banquets heere prepared, only an Angell appeareth with a cuppe of dolours; therfore let none enter into this Garden but with a firme purpoſe and deſire to ſee nothing els but cauſes and arguments of teares, and bitter compaſſion.
1. Firſt, ſweet Ieſus being in anguiſh of mind,Luke 22. knowing that the hower of his betraying grew neere, he went into the Garden of Gethſemani to pray; teaching vs in all our affliction to make recourſe vnto Almighty God by prayer, that being the only way to attaine vnto the perfect peace of
mind.
2. And his ſweat became droppes of bloud. The Iewes had not his firſt bloud that was ſhed, but Diuine loue that wounded him had the honour to draw the firſt bloud from him: if thou ſpend thy bloud, let it be for Gods cauſe, and then thy wounds are honourable.
3. Here our ſweet Sauiour was in an agony, & the bloud retired to his bleſſed hart, as to the laſt hold to haue aſſiſted it, but his infinite loue, which commaunded ouer this hart, ſendeth backe all ſuccour, and refuſeth ayd, whence proceedeth this bloudy ſweat. Endeauour to aſpire vnto this greatnes of ſpirit, as to refuſe all conſolations, much leſſe to ſeeke after them, when it ſhall pleaſe God to
giue thee the priuiledge to ſuffer for him.
4. Notwithstanding, not my will but thine be done. This infinite cloud of ſorrow was not able to oppreſſe Chriſt Ieſus, or to remoue him from his reſolution to dye for mankind, for we may wel perceaue by the perfect reſignation of his will to his heauenly Father, that he deſired nothing more then the performance of his will;The only tranquility in this vvorld. the cure of all our afflictions is the reſigning of our ſelues vp into the handes of Almighty God.
5.Matt. 17. He awaketh his diſciples & biddeth them pray leaſt they enter into temptation. S. Peter and the other two diſciples Iames & Iohn had ſeene part of his glory in mount Thabor, and yet here they
ſleep. No triall is like to that of affliction: ſleep not when Chriſt deſireth to ſuffer in thee, but be watchfull and attent, to receaue Gods inſpirations.
6. The
•
pirit is ready, but the fle h is weake. The true deſcription of our B. Sauiour in his agony, which was nothing but a conflict betweene the ſuperiour and inferiour part of his ſoule which with this act of reſignation were appeaſed. Let not the ſuperiour part of thy ſoule, be led by the inferiour, ſenſe guiding reaſon; but in all thine actions ſhew thy ſelfe a reaſonable creature, ſuppreſſing al
•
ſenſuall deſires.
His whipping.
CHAP. VII.
CONSIDER how the B. Virgin miſſing her Ieſus,
The ſecōd ſorovvfull Miſtery. ſought him with penſiue hart, and at the laſt findeth him, not in the Tēple diſputing, but in Pilates houſe bloudily whipped; not arguing the caſe, or alleadging his inocency, but moſt meekly and patiently receauing the crueleſt blowes thoſe bloudy executioners could lay on; who ſtriued one with another, who ſhould exceed either in number, or greatnes of ſtripes.
2. Looke vpon this ſpectacle with his B. Mother, and weeping with her, aske with the deepeſt ſorrow thou canſt pardon of thē
both, as cauſe, through thy ſinnes, of this their ſo extreme affliction.
3. Behold their cruel manner of tying ſwet Ieſus his hands to a piller which reached no higher thē his knees,As appeareth by the piller yet extant in Rome. to the end there might no part of him be defended from their blowes. Bleſſed Ieſus would let no part of him alſo be exēpted from ſuffering for thee: Endeauour to ſuffer ſomewhat (at leaſt) for him that ſuffered ſo much for thee.
4. Amongeſt all the wounds theſe hard-harted Iewes gaue him,As appeareth in the holy Syndon at Turin. two eſpecially procured him moſt paine, ouer each hippe one, for there the force of the whippes met and many wounds were there vnited.
5. Behold the hands of him
that is omnipotent tyed faſt to a piller, the innocent whipped, the creature abuſing the Creatour, and man God; the Holy of Holies reuiled, and euery thing done by contraries, to the end thou mighteſt proceed in order, permitting thy Reaſon to comaund ouer thy Senſe.
6. In ſeeing al theſe inſolences & enormities committed againſt thy Sauiour, looke ſtill into the cauſes, why he would ſuffer ſo much; and thou ſhalt find thy ſelfe to be the cauſe, who art not yet content with theſe his torments, but doeſt endeauour daily to increaſe them (as much as lyeth in thee) by thy greiuous offences. For one of thy vngratefull ſinnes committed againſt his goodnes afflicteth him more, then all theſe
bloudy ſtripes, and millions o
•
wounds.
His crowning with thornes.
CHAP. VIII.
GO forth with the daughter
•
of Hieruſalem,
The third ſorovvfull Miſtery. and behold thy King crowned, not with a diademe of honour and power, but with a ſharp wreath of thornes in deriſion and contempt.
1. Firſt conſider the malicious intent of the Iewes to appare
•
him like a ridiculous King, applying this vnto ſweet Ieſus for ſaying he was their King: they crowne him therfore with thorns place in his hand a reed for his ſcepter, and apparell him with an old purple ragge.
2. Behold the cruelty of the ſetting on of this crowne of mockery; they preſſe it, and beate it vpon thoſe ſacred browes to the end the ſharpe pointed thornes ſhould euery one pierce a veyne; that no part of that diuine head ſhould want torment; and that no part of this cruell diademe ſhould be left vnuſed, thoſe thorns (which were few) that lighted not vpon the ſacred head of Ieſus, were ſent by diuine loue, as darts to penetrate thy ſtony hart.
3. No doubt his Bleſſed face was all imbrued with the aboundance of bloud continually falling from his wounded head, yet had it not hitherto ſuffered any thing (only the traiterous kiſſe of his fallen diſciple excepted) and therfore he permitteth a wicked Iew
to box and buffet the ſame, in the beholding where of Angels place their happines. The ſame was alſo ſpit vpon, and made the moſt deformed place of all.
4. Thus whipped, crowned, apparelled, and in al reſpects infinitely infuſed, he is brought forth to the Iewes, to know whether yet they were ſatiffied in his puniſhment: Behold the man. And heere before thou depart, ſpend ſome teares in beholding this Man that is ſhewed thee. Thinke with thy ſelfe what an infinite loue muſt this Man beare thee that would be brought into this miſery meerly for thee. Behold the man, this is he that left Heauen, the ſeat at the right hand of his Father, & would be borne poorly, circumciſed ſeuerely, in agony ſweat bloudily,
whipped cruelly, crowned ſcornfully, and all to gaine thy loue. This was he▪
Behold the man, if thou canſt for weeping.
5. Imagine thy ſelfe to heare thoſe incredulous Iewes, crying out vnto Pilate with open mouth, Free not this man, not this, but Barabbas. Do not only imagine thy ſelfe to heare & ſee this as a looker on, but thou mayeſt well thinke thou didſt beare a part of this helliſh muſick,As often as vv
•
follovv vnlavvfull pleaſures vve preferre Barabbas before Ieſus in ſo often times preferring ſoule ſenſuall delights before the diuine inſpirations of thy Sauiour, giuing Barabbas life, and crucifying in thy ſoule ſweet Ieſus.
6. Laſtly ſee the fond ceremony of Pilate to condemne thy Sauiour, and yet pretend innocency by waſhing his hands. How often haſt thou through thine offences
condemned ſwet Ieſus, extinguiſhed the good motions ſent thee from the holy Ghoſt with thy idle pretenſes and euaſions. This waſhing thy hands will not hold for a ſufficient excuſe at the day of iudgmēt: ſoules there ſhalbe looked vpō: clenſe thine here by penance that it may be found pure there, & capable of eternall glory.
The bearing of his Croſſe.
CHAP. IX.
BEHOLD how ſweet Ieſus after all theſe conflicts with his enemies, knowing he ſhould end with victory,The fourth ſorovvfull My
•
y
•
ry. marcheth forth towards the place of his laſt battell, bearing the enſigne vpon his ſhoulders, wherin he was to conquer;
this we may well imagine to be the diſcourſe of Ieſus within himſelfe.
1. But ſince we are yet in ſorrowes, let vs heere conſider him loadē with an heauy Croſſe, & drawne haſtily away towards the place of execution.
2. How fit was Ieſus to beare this weight, being extreme weake and faint through the loſſe of ſo much bloud, in his ſweat in the garden, his whipping, and crowning: Conſider his infini
•
e goodnes towards thee, who will neuer lay a greater weight vpon thee then thou art able to beare.
3. He himſelfe fainteth vnder the Croſſe, and another is cōpelled to help him. Admire his ſeuereneſſe towards himſelf, and his me knes towards thee, telling
thee, that the yoke which he will lay vpon thee is ſweet, and the burthen light. Imitate thy Sauiour in this point: be ſeuere vnto thy ſelfe, mild, and gentle towards others.
4. Sweet Ieſus beholding the multitude that followed him out of the gates of Hieruſalem, and diuers tender-harted women lamenting him, turned and ſayd vnto them:Luke 23.
daughters of Hieruſalem weep not vpon me, but weep vpon your ſelues, and vpon your children. Imagin thou didſt hear him moſt meekly ſay the ſame vnto thy ſoule, not abſolutely forbidding thee to compaſſionate his ſufferings, but cheifly to greiue vpon thy ſelfe, who haſt bin cauſe of this his bitter Paſſion, & through daily offences doſt as it were increaſe
the ſame.
5. Being come vp vnto mount Caluary, after their rude pulling and haling of him; They gaue him to drinke win mingled with myrrh, & he tooke it not:
Matt. 17. Whether this were a comfortable drinke they offered him, that he might liue to endure yet greater torments, or were it noyſome, ſince tasting it, he would not drinke, I leaue to thy deuout conſideration.
6. And now being ready to crucify him, they haſtily pulled of his garments, which being faſt clouen to his feſtered wounds, ſet thoſe bloudy fountaines againe on running, to the exceſſiue torment, and weakning of dolorous Ieſus: and heere weeping (if thou canſt teares of bloud) lay thy ſelfe
downe at the feet of thy tormented Sauiour, and keep that precious bloud from being loſt, opening thy hart to receaue it.
His crucifying.
CHAP. X.
AS thou approacheſt to contemplate the bitter Paſſion of our Sauiour,The fifth ſorrovvfull Miſtery. ſo therin commeth he neerer and neerer to the conſummating of thy Redemption. Heere ſee, how farre thy loue can extend it ſelfe towards ſweet Ieſus, that loueth thee vnto death.
1. View the ſacred body of Ieſus flung downe vpon the ground, and being drawne vnto the Croſſe, was layd rudely theron.
Sweet Ieſus endured this with vnſpeakable patience,Iſa. 7. behauing himſelfe like a lambe drawne to the ſlaughter.
2. There were thoſe ſacred hands and feet cruelly pierced with nailes, which woundes being made in the moſt feeling parts of the body, cauſed vnto Ieſus greater griefe then any he had yet felt.
3. Thus mild Ieſus being nailed in forme of a Croſſe, is lifted vp into the ayre, there to be expoſed vnto all lookers on, as a patterne of dolour and miſery-Heare him in the Prophet crying out: Of all yee that paſſe by the way, attend, and ſee if there be any griefe like vnto my griefe.
4. Thus placed in the ayre betwixt heauen and earth, a true
mediatour, heare him crying out to thy ſoule:Chriſt vpon the croſſe, a true mediatour. Ioan. 12.
If I be exalted from the earth, I will draw althings vnto my ſelfe. See thy Sauiour exalted from the earth and yet thou remayneſt vpon earth, togeather with thy earthly affections; accuſe not thy Sauiour, and ſay, thou art not drawne: but accuſe thine owne peruerſe affections, that feeling him draw thee, refuſeſt to follow him.
5. Conſider the fond wiſdome of the world in conſpiring here with the enemies of Ieſus,
VVorldly vviſdome confounded. to expoſe him thus ignominiouſly, to the end he might be forſaken of all, & that the contempt of the world which he preached, might by this reproachfull death of his, be quite (with him) extinguiſhed. Who therfore knowing
Ieſus to be able to haue freed himſelfe (if he had pleaſed) from all theſe miſeries, would not preferre miſery before worldly felicity, and with the Saints of God, a crowne of thornes before the diadem of Princes? None without doubt, but thoſe that loue not Ieſus, ſince if they truely loue him, they cannot but loue to imitate him.
6. Laſtly, placing thy ſelfe vnder thy Sauiour crucified, reflect vpon thy happy choice of that holy refuge, being there defended from all aſſaults of thine enemyes. Raiſe in thy ſoule acts of loue towards this louing Sauiour of thine, and giue him thy affection, ſince thou haſt nothing elſe to giue, for nothing canſt thou giue more acceptable.
And thus much for theſe fiue ſorrowfull myſteries. And in this laſt I haue purpoſely abſtained from ſpeaking in particuler of the fiue ſacred wounds of our Sauiour vpon the Croſſe, of his ſpeaches vttered there, and of the meruailous ſignes then ſhewed, intending to giue thee points to meditate vpon them a part.
Of the fiue Glorious Myſteries.
Of Chriſt his Reſurrection.
CHAP. XI.
LEAVING ſorrowes, and paſſing beyond ioyes, we mount here vnto the conſideration of theſe myſteries which are in themſelues glorious,The firſt glorious Miſtery. and are of
power (if we profitably contemplate vpon them) to make vs alſo glorious; ſince the light of our ſoule is increaſed by nothing more, then by contemplation of diuine things, the mind drawing, as it were, into it ſelfe the obiect vpon which it fixeth it ſelfe, the which being glorious, cannot but impart vnto the ſoule ſome of the light wherwith it is endued.
1. And now in this Reſurrection of our Sauiour, fixe the eye of thine vnderſtanding ſtedfaſtly vpon that glorious body which thy mind hath ſet before it. Behold it caſting forth beames of light, penetrating the monument where it lay, dazeling the eyes of the guard that kept it, and through his owne power rayſing himſelfe in that admirable manner which
thy fayth teacheth. Adore thy riſing Sauiour, & endeauour to riſe with him, ſince thou haſt long bin dead in ſinne,Penance rea
•
ueth thoſe former
•
ood vvo
•
k
•
vvhi h ſinne had k
•
lled. ariſe by pennance, which is of that power that it reuiueth thy former good workes which were before killed, by ſinne.
2. If thou looke into the cauſes why the body of our Sauiour ſhould now appeare more glorious then either in his birth, or in the reſt of his life, many will repreſent themſelues vnto thee. As for example, he being now as it were no more of this world, nor to conuerſe with men, he reſumed vnto himſelfe that robe, which he had till his death voluntarily layd aſide, & by this meanes he would triumph ouer death and hell. But I would haue thee piouſly to imagine
great part of the brightnes of this body, to proceed from thoſe precious wounds of his, which now in heauen giue forth extraordinary light. Adore thoſe wounds and ſeeke occaſion to ſuffer for God, ſince ſufferings are the ſeedes of glory.
3. In this myſtery we will alſo comprehend the aparitions of our Sauiour, firſt to his B. Mother comforting her by his preſence, and committing to her care his beloued diſciples, and in them all good Chriſtians. Behold the ioy of the B. Virgin, in beholding him, whome ſhe knew to be hers although ſince ſhe ſaw him he ſeemed vnto her much aduanced in glory.
4. Next he appeareth vnto the bleſſed Magdalen,
Luc. 4. out of whōe
he had caſt ſeauen diuels.Marc. 16. Behold the care ſweet Ieſus hath of comforting that ſoule whome he hath once conuerted. Contemplate the affectionate diſcourſe of the B. Magdalen with him in habit of a Girdener; & hauing once knowne him, ſhe cryeth ſtreight Lord, that is, Commander of my ſoule. As ſoone as thou perceaueſt thy ſoule moued from God Almighty, cry with out all delaye as this happy Penitent did, Lord, that is, I moſt humbly thanke thee for thy bleſſed inſpiration, thou ſhalt command ouer my ſoule, and it ſhall obey thee as Lord.
5. He ioyneth himſelfe with two of his diſciples in their way to Emmaus, where hauing many diſcourſes with them,Luke 24. and arguing their incredulity, vouchſafing
alſo to ſuppe with them, he preſently vaniſhed away. Heare the Diſciples ſay: Nonne cor nostrum ardens erat in nobis,
Luke 24.
dum loqueretur in via? Was not our hart burning in vs, whiles he ſpake in the way, and opened vnto vs the Scriptures? Whiles thou trauaileſt in this world vpon the way towards thy country and true inheritance, ſeeke by thy life and cōuerſation to haue Ieſus ſtil with thee, & thy hart cannot but burne with his loue.
6. Laſtly, he maketh himſelfe knowne to his diſciples gathered togeather in Hieruſalem, ſaying vnto them: Pax vobis, ego ſum.
Luke 24. Peace be with you, it is I. Our B. Sauiour found them togeather, & yet he wiſheth vnto them peace: to let vs vnderſtād, that the peace
of the mind is that which he requireth in vs, which he found wāting in his diſciples, who were yet wauering in belieuing the miſtery of his Reſurrection He telleth them, It is He. If thou find in thy rebellious nature repugnance in hauing charity, & peace with thy neighbour, heare B. Ieſus telling thee, It is I, who inioyne thee to haue peace with all, It is I, who for thee &c. And ſo run through the parts of Chriſts Paſſion, and imagin him moſt louingly alleadging his ſufferings, and by them intreating thee to haue peace, and to forgiue thine enemies.
His Aſcenſion.
CHAP. XII.
THIS our potent Redeemer Chriſt Ieſus hauing runne his race of perfection,The ſecōd glorious Myſtery. and abſolute example to all Chriſtians his followers, beginning to be our inſtructour from his very birth, till his life was conſumated vpon the Croſſe, and after his glorious Reſurrection, out of his infinite loue to his B. Mother, and to his diſciples ſtaying yet vpō earth forty dayes, appearing vnto them in a moſt comfortable manner, inſtructing them how to behaue themſelues in his abſence, is now called by his Eternal Father to come vnto him, and to aſcend vnto his
Throne of glory.
1. In their ſight he was eleuated.
Act. 1. Conſider with thy ſelfe the deſire the holy diſciples had of longer enioying their glorified maiſter, beleeuing in him now more firmely then euer, yet euen in the wanting of this heauenly comfort they are moſt reſigned, expecting the comming of the holy Ghoſt.
2. The hower of our Sauiour his Aſcenſion being come, behold the large bleſſing he beſtowed vpon them, and ſpecially vpon his deereſt Mother, promiſing her a crowne of immortall glory for her Motherhood towards him and his diſciples; and ſo giuing thankes (yet here vpon earth) vnto his Eternall Father for eſtabliſhing of his Church
by his meanes, and for the opening of heauen againe vnto mankind, in their ſight he is eleuated.
3. And a cloud receaued him out of their ſight:
Exod. 33. The eyes of mortall men cannot behold glory, and liue, which is as much to ſay, this world is not a place of glory but of miſery, our eyes are opened & made capable of glory by death. Hence we may ſee that euen to the eyes of theſe bleſſed men, glory is denyed, and a cloud is interpoſed: which as it did in them, ſo let it in vs increaſe acts of diuine hope, one day to ſee this King of glory face to face, without any Eclyps,Let our life be conformable to our hope. or interpoſition of clouds. Let thy life heere vpon earth be conformable to this hope of thine, hauing for the ground of thy hope thy cooperation with
Gods goodnes.
4. Viri Galilaei quid statis aſpicientes in caelum &c. Yee men of Galiley why ſtand you looking into heauen?Act. 1. Conſider the extaſy of this holy compamy, following their deereſt beloued Ieſus, as farre as their eyes could carry them, and not being able to purſue him further, they ſtand fixed in contemplation, and with their affections looking into heauen. But our Sauiour appointed Angels to comfort them, and aske why they ſtood thus looking into heauen; which was not only an awaking vnto them, but an admonition, that ſince they were not yet to follow him, before they had alſo dyed for him, as he had don before for them, they ſhould returne vnto Hieruſalem, and
expect the promiſed Comforter.
5. Hic Ieſus ſic v
•
ni
•
t quemadmodum vidistis &c. This Ieſus (ſay the Angels) ſhall ſo come as you haue ſeene him going into heauen, to wit, in the like glory and maieſty. And as now he aſcēdeth in triumph carrying with him the trophies of his victories ouer the world, and infernall powers: ſo ſhall he come in the latter day to ſhew himſelfe a Iudge of mankind.Terrour vnto thoſe vvho loue not Chr ſt his Croſſe. Then ſhall his glorious Croſſe appeare, vnto the which whoſoeuer hath not bin conformable, ſhall not be accounted off as his. Adore thy Sauiour heere aſcending & through thy perfect imitation of his ſufferings, arme thy ſelfe againſt this his terrible comming, who ſhalbe as a ſeuere and impartiall iudge,
not as an indulgent Redeemer.
6. Laſtly returne with theſe diſciples to Hieruſalem, and imitating their vnion in ſpirit, expect the comming of the Holy Ghoſt. If thou deſire to know Gods holy will, retire thy ſelfe as they did, and in this inward attention vnto the voice of thy Sauiour, perſeuere praying to know his diuine will, and no doubt but he will impart it vnto thee,Luke 12. which, when thou knoweſt put it in practiſe, otherwiſe the imputatiō of knowing the will of thy maiſter, and not performing it, will lye heauy vpon thee.
The comming of the holy Ghoſt.
CHAP. XIII.
YOV haue ſeene in the precedent myſtery what diligent preparation theſe holy followers of Chriſt made,The third glorious Miſtery. to the end they might be more fit veſſels to receaue the holy Ghoſt. And beſides the former points, of their peace, and vnity amongſt themſelues, and retyring from the conuerſation of the world, it is moreouer ſpecified in holy Scripture, that the better to make this retirement of theirs,Act. 1.
They went vp into an vpper chamber: Of which words I would haue thee a pious interpreter, and to imagine this vpper roome to be the ſuperiour part of
the foure, to wit thy reaſon, in which thou muſt dwell, whenſoeuer thou deſireſt to know the will of God, neuer ſtaying below in the ſenſuall part, which in ſuch a buſines ſerueth for nothing but to blind thine vnderſtanding. Let thy ſenſe be commanded by reaſon, and it will preſently teach thee, that God is to be ſerued before the world, and the Creatour before the Creature.
1. Conſider at the comming of the holy Ghoſt, There was made
•
ſound from heauen,
Act 2.
as of a vehement wind comming, by which noyſe,The povver of the holy Ghoſt. thou mayeſt conſider the power of the holy Ghoſt, which, as it oftentimes ſt rreth vp in vs great conflicts, betweene our owne peruerſe nature, and Gods Grace, that offereth to enter into
it; ſo alſo it maketh vs moſt valiant and conſtant in the ſeruice of Almighty God, and the maintayning of his glory; the ſound pre-figuring vnto vs the difficulties which outwardly may ariſe by the conſtant profeſſion of his holy name.
2. Moſt fitly is the comming of the holy Ghoſt expreſſed by fier, the ſigne of loue and charity, the holy ſpirit proceeding from the Father, and the Sonne, by a feruorous act of loue. Neuer reſiſt this holy ſpirit, which will breath diuine loue into thy ſoule, ſeparating thine affections from earthly things.
3. No ſooner had theſe fiery tongues lighted vpon the heades of theſe holy diſciples, but with the gift of tongues, which was
then infuſed into them, they doe ſpeake of the great workes of God. Imitate the feruour of theſe, and let neuer the grace of God be void in th e,
1. Cor. 15. but put in practiſe thoſe giftes which God hath giuen thee by vſing them ſincerely in his ſeruice.
4. Conſider how vncapable of ſpirituall things thoſe are, who meaſure all things by the conceit of the world; this gift of tongus is interpreted in the Apoſtles to proceed from madnes, or from ſome exceſſe committed. Let not the fond interpretation of the world hinder thee from the ſeruice of God; for if the Croſſe of Chriſt were (as the Apoſtle ſaith) to the Gentils a fooliſhnes, and euen to the very Iewes a ſcand
•
ll,
1 Cor. 1. neuer be detected if the world
laugh at thy proceedings, which it vnderſtandeth not;Matt. 10.
for the diſciple muſt not place himſelfe aboue his Maiſter.
5. The cooperation of theſe holy diſciples with the grace of God was ſuch, as they were all repleniſhed with the holy Ghoſt, working miracles in the face of Hieruſalem,
Act. 5. and their very ſhadowes were potent to heale infirmities. At the gate of the Temple S. P
•
ter giueth an almes of health to a lame creature from his Natiuity.Act. 3. Act. 2. He conuerteth three thouſand at his firſt Sermon. See of what great vertue the holy ſpirit is, without which, neither in thy ſelfe, nor in others thou canſt make conuerſions.
6. Beholding with thy ſelfe attentiuely how this ſpirit is attained
vnto, how neceſſary it is to haue it, and how eaſily it is loſt; make reſolutions in thy ſoule fit for one who hath this ſpirit, knowing it giueth life vnto thine actiōs; and abhorre ſinne that expelleth it.
The Aſſumption of our B. Lady.
CHAP. XIIII.
The fourth glorious Myſtery. Cant. 8.BEHOLD this glorious Virgin aſcending, Flowing in delightes, leaning vpon her beloued: & with all contemplate vpon our B. Sauiours tender affection towards his deareſt Mother, requiting (as it were) her loue, who in his infancy was borne in her bleſſed armes, and leaned vpon her; now he aſſiſting her in this glorious triumph,
beares her vp towards the place of her Eternal Happines.
1. Thou mayſt here conſider the happy paſſage of this B. Virgin out of this life (feare not by conſidering this death to fall back vnto ſorrowfull myſteries ſince death is heere glorious) how the Apoſtles diſperſed through the whole world, were miraculouſly brought togeather, to be at this glorious departure of the mother of God. Togeather with the Apoſtles were alſo there preſent S. Denis,
Dionyſ. ad Timeth. Damaſ. de dormit. Deip.
S. Timothy Diſciple vnto S. Paul, and S. Hierotheus. Ponder the exceſſiue ioy of theſe Saintes behoulding the troupes of Angels attending the inſtant of her happy ſoules departure, ready to accompany it into heauen. No griefe could heere enter, ſince all things
gaue arguments of ioy, and thoſe teares that fell from the Apoſtles when the B. Virgin made her laſt pathetical ſpeach vnto them, were teares of comfort, and conſolation.
2. As S. Denis writeth, the B. Virgin ending this mortall life and beginning an immortall,Ep
•
ſt ad T m
•
th.
S. Thomas was abſent, and comming to Hieruſalem three dayes after her departure (all which time S. Denis ſaith, that himſelfe with the reſt heard moſt melodious harmony of Angels) and vnderſtanding ſhe was buryed in Gethſemani, requeſted he might behold her dead, whome he was vnfortunate in not ſeeing to dye.
3. And to ſatisfy the deuotiō of S. Thomas they opened the monument,ib d. which breathed forth
moſt ſweet ſauours,Conſider the antiquity of this holy tradition. and finding the body taken away; they al firmely beleeued, it was alſo by the hands of Angels carryed into heauen, and reunited to her glorious ſoule, this priuiledge being but cō
formable to the reſt with which ſhe was indued in her life.
4. As in this, ſo in other verities, reuerēce the authority of Traditions in the Catholike Church which hath deuoted it ſelfe euen from the Apoſtles time vnto this glorious myſtery of the Aſſumption of the mother of God.
5. Conſider the true reſignation of this holy company aſſembled at the bleſſed departure of the mother of God, al of them bearing that reſpect vnto her liuing, as they now doubted not to find her in heauen a moſt carefull mother of
them. Deuote thou thy ſelfe (by the imitation of theſe thy holy predeceſſours) vnto this B. Virgin that thou mayeſt alſo find her a Mother, and mediatrix of Grace.
6. Laſtly, let thy ſoule affect with an extraordinary loue, this holy mother of Grace, particulerly in this her ſweet departure out of this life, and in her miraculous Aſcenſion; begging by the merits of them both, that ſhe will aſſiſt thee with her potent care at the hower of thy death, that thou maieſt enioy her for euer in bliſſe.
The Coronation of our B. Lady.
CHAP. XV.
SINCE thou art to contemplate vpon this high miſtery of the
Coronation of the Queene of heauen,The fifth glorious Myſtery. dwell willingly in thoſe celeſtiall parts with thy mind, and till thou haſt accompliſhed thy deuotion, looke not downe vpon earth, nor to the diſtractions it beareth, and ſay vnto thy mind, with holy Macarius the Eremite: Thou haſt Angels, Archangels, Cherubims,
Ioachimus Perionius in vita.
and Seraphims, yea God himſelfe for thy obiect. Make therfore for a while thy aboad in heauen, ſince no where can be found ſo noble obiects. But it were too much for thee to haue thy mind ſo obedient vnto thee, as this Bleſſed Saintes was, which for the ſpace of two whole dayes togeather remayned fixed vpon thoſe heauēly delights, without any diſtraction at all.
1. Firſt behold this celeſtiall Queene, in this day of her Coronation,
moſt beautifully adorned withall perfections both of mind and body, all the bleſſed inhabitants of Heauen attending her, & reioycing at the increaſe of her glory. If theſe happy ſoules be ſo ioyfull at their Queenes exalting, what oughteſt thou to be, ſince thou art farre off from that happines, and deſireſt to attaine vnto it by her mediation.
2. Behold the three Bleſſed Perſons in Trinity ioyntly cooperating to the triumph of this glorious Virgin, all of them placing with one conſent a Diademe of glory vpon her head, the reward of her faithfull ſeruice to their Deity in this world. And meruaile not at the extraordinary glory ſhe is endued with, but conſider the high vocation ſhe
was called vnto, and in how great a buſines ſhe was imployed in this world, and how completely ſhe performed the ſame.
3. Contemplate the allegiance which all the Orders of Angels, with the reſt of the Bleſſed Soules in Heauen, performed to their new crowned Queene, all ſinging her praiſes, and extolling her dignity & worthines.
4. This crowne of glory imagine to be her moſt perfect beholding of Almighty God,The B. Virgins Crovvne. (as much as any pure Creature can do) receauing from him as from the fountaine of al glory & light, theſe her beames of brightnes.
5. According to the capacity of euery ſoule glory is infuſed: ſome are more glorious then others, and yet all full of glory.
This glorious Virgin was full of grace heere vpon earth, and therfore muſt needes be full of glory in heauen; which fulneſſe of glory proceedeth from the happy viſion of Almighty God, which ſhe enioyeth, according to the large meaſure of her merits.
6. Laſtly, reioyce in the higheſt degree thou canſt, at the happy eſtate of this Queene of Glory; and thinke no ſmall happines redoundeth vnto thee, ſince thou haſt choſen for thy Patroneſſe, & Aduocate one ſo glorious and powerful; and renew thy feruent deſires to ſerue her with all fidelity, laying open before her eyes of mercy thyne afflictions, & begging redreſſe at her mercifull hands, by her potent interceſſion to her Sonne.
And thus I haue brought thee to an end of theſe conſiderations vpon the fifteen myſteries of the Roſary, which (as thou haſt ſeene, are deuided into Ioyfull, Sorrowfull, and Glorious, the which thou mayeſt not vnfitly apply vnto the three Eſtates of men in this world,The application of theſe myſteries. who carefully worke their ſaluation, to wit, of thoſe who begin, thoſe who profit, & thoſe who are perfect: the which three eſtates are termed by ſpirituall men, the Purgatiue, Contemplatiue and Vnitiue. For by the Sorrowfull myſteries we may comprehend griefe for our ſinnes paſt, which is the way to purge vs, ſince pennance is the next bath vnto Baptiſme. By the Ioyfull we may vnderſtand Contemplatiue when we meditate and
ponder vpon thoſe Myſteries which are full of ioy. And laſtly to the Glorious we may fitly apply the eſtate of Vnion with Almighty God, ſince Glory is nothing but an effect of this happy Vnion, vnto which we all aſpire, it being the end wherto we were created.
OF THE SEAVEN Wordes of our Sauiour vpon the Croſſe, applied vnto the ſeaue
̄ Dayes of the Weeke.
HAVING ended the Roſary, I intend to lead thee into the contemplation of the ſeauen words ſpoken by our Sauiour vpon the Croſſe, applying ech word or ſentence to a ſeuerall day
of the weeke; that thou mayeſt the better harken vnto this ſweet Sauiour of thine, who neuer leaueth preaching vnto thee. For vpon his bitter Croſſe he teacheth thee theſe diuine documents, ſhewing euen at his death, the exceeding loue he bare vnto thee, being then moſt mindfull of thee, that thou mighteſt the oftener remember him, and chiefly vpon his Croſſe.
THE FIRST VVORD.
Pater ignoſce eis, quia neſciunt quid faciunt. Father forgiue them, for they know not what they do. CHAP I.
FIRST conſider the exceeding loue of our Sauiour ſhewed inLuke 23.
theſe wordes,A meditation for Sonday. whoſe afflictions (although they were extreme) could not make him forget our miſery, but that crowned with thornes, torne with whippes, wearied out with paines, his ſacred hands and feet pierced with groſſe nailes, he would yet beg pardon for his enemies, neglecting his owne painfull eſtate. Loue this louing Sauiour of thine, and loue him ardently, ſince thou canſt neuer loue him inough, who loued thee ſo entierly.
2. He ſeeketh all meanes poſſible how to obtaine their pardon, for he calleth vpon God by the name of Father, a name of meekenes, a name of mercy; as if he ſhould ſay: I thy obedient Sonne who ſuffer heere vpon the Croſſe, call
vpon thee my Father, to forgiue them, for they know not what they do. In imitation of thy Sauiour, forgiue thine enemies, & endeauour to make others to do the like, diminiſhing their errours & hiding their offences.
3. Conſider that our Sauiour did not only pray for theſe preſent perſecutors of his, but for all who euer did, or ſhall offend him, euen from our firſt Parents to the worlds end; & imagin that when thy deereſt Sauiour pronounced theſe words, he beheld euery particuler ſinne of thine, pondered the circumſtances, conſidered the occaſions, and marked the great malice of thy ſinne, in deſpiſing him, and preferring before him ſome idle tranſitory pleaſure, and yet would aske thy pardon, ſo
earneſtly excuſing thine offence. Oh then loue this ardent louer, & weep bitterly that euer thou haſt offended him.
4. One only offence in the Angells was eternally puniſhed,God more ſeuere to Angels then to men. and yet for thy many offences the ſecond Perſon in Trinity maketh interceſſion, & chooſeth his time when he knew he ſhould mooue his Father moſt vnto compaſſion. Let feare be a companion vnto thy loue in this place, for as he beggeth pardon, ſo can he begge reuenge, and puniſh men, as well as Angells.
5. Our actions ought to be ſutable to our words: we are conuinced in our vnderſtanding that the perfect imitation of our Sauiour is to forgiue our enemies, & if it be asked of vs, whether we
ought to doe it, we acknowledge that we ought. Let therfore our actions be conformable to our opinion, by hartily, and willingly for giuing our enemies, imagining it to be (as really it is) an act of the greateſt courage that may be; true Fortitude conſiſting in the conqueſt of our ſelues.
6. Laſtly, conſider what great rewards are prepared for thoſe that are perfect imitatours of Chriſt; neither is this a point of high perfection or counſaile, and not a commaundment for if we forgiue not our enemies, we daily giue ſentence againſt our ſelues, deſiring God to forgiue vs no otherwiſe, then we our ſelues forgiue our enemies.
Theſe ſix points apply to the ſix Decades of thy beads, and ſo
conſequently do with the meditations following, humbly beſeeching the Mother of Grace to obtaine for thee thoſe vertues which are treated of.
THE SECOND VVORD.
Amen, dico tibi, hodie mecum eris in Paradiſo. Amen, I ſay vnto thee, this day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe. CHAP. II.
A meditation for Munday.VVE gather out of the holy Scripture & the Fathers who write vpon this place, that of thoſe two Theeues crucified with our Sauiour,SS. Amb. and Aug. vpon S. Luke, lib. 3. de conſ. Euang. one only blaſphemed him; for this happy Theefe (whoſe ſorrow obtained ſo ſudden a pardon) rebuked his
companion, ſaying: Neither doest thou feare God,
Luke 23.
wheras thou art in the ſame damnation? And we indeed iuſtly, for we receaue worthy of our doings: but this man hath done no euill. And he ſayd to Ieſus: Lord remember me when thou ſhalt come into thy Kingdome.
1. Firſt conſider how gratefull vnto our Sauiour this act of Faith was, being as it were of power to exact a ful pardon at his hands, according to his promiſes, & acording to the example which he ſhewed in the Penitent Magdalen: Lord (ſaith this happy offender) remember me. Behold his ſingular faith in the middeſt of all thoſe reproaches, when our Sauiour ſeemed leaſt able to help him, he deſireth him to remember him. Imitate this faith, and when humane
helps appeare leaſt, then let thy recourſe be moſt vnto this Sauiour, who heareth vs ſooneſt when we are in moſt diſtreſſe, our prayers being then moſt full of confidence in him.
2. No ſooner had this Theefe vttered theſe beleeuing wordes, but our B. Sauiour (whoſe mercy was moſt tender) being touched, ſayd vnto him: Amen, which is as much as, Truly, I ſay vnto thee, this day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe. This act ſhalbe ſufficient to obtaine thy pardon. Were thy ſinnes as ſcarlet thy penance (cooperating with my grace) ſhall make them as white as ſnow:
Iſa
•
. 1. admiring this infinite mercy of thy Sauiour vpon the Croſſe who was moſt glad of this poore ſinners cō
uerſion, promiſing vnto him preſently
Paradiſe. Behold how he attends thy conuerſion in like mā
ner, deſirous to giue thee heauen if thou wouldeſt but only be ſorrowfull for thine offences.
3. Some good workes it is like thou haſt done in thy life, but probably this Theefe neuer did any, as by his death (the re
•
ard of his life) appeareth. Shall then one act of ſorrow for his ſinnes gaine him a Kingdome, and thou neglecting thy conuerſion (after many vertuous acts) dying vnrepentant, for ſome particuler ſinnes of thine, looſe the ſight of Almighty God eternally, and be tormented foreuer?Differing amendment dangerous. Commit not ſo great a madneſſe, but while time is giuen thee, repent: all ſhall not haue the grace to be called at the laſt houre, for where one obtayneth
it, thouſands are denyed it.
4. Ponder the greatnes of the reward, beſtowed vpon this ſinner for his true conuerſion: he is promiſed Paradiſe, to wit, the fruition of God Almighty and his bleſſed Viſion, the greateſt and higheſt gift that can be beſtowed vpon the beſt deſeruing creature and from a world of calamities both of body and ſoule, is this penitent Theefe deliuered,The force of Pēnāce. and brought into a Paradiſe of pleaſures. O ſtrange alteration wrought by the powerfull hand of penance! Be thou as penitent in time, and by Gods grace thy pennance ſhalbe as potent.
5. Chriſt differreth not this reward, but ſaith: This day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe, a diligent
rewarder of a ſmall ſeruice, and in this is declared the difference betweene the rewardes which the world beſtoweth vpon his ſeruants, and thoſe which are giuen by Chriſt vnto his; the world promiſeth delights, but payeth miſery; Chriſt whathe promiſeth performeth, giuing a Paradiſe, to wit himſelfe: the ſeruice of the world in rewarded with lōg hopes, which in the end proue vaine. Chriſt ſaith, This day thou ſhalt be with me: art thou not led by a higher loue, then the loue of rewards? yet this very loue will teach thee to chooſe Chriſt rather then the world.
6. This fortunate ſinner maketh this glorious confeſſion in the face of Chriſts enemies, when all the Apoſtles fled, & hid themſelues
for feare, & yet (as it is probable) he was neuer acquainted with Chriſt before, nor had euer heard him preach of the hundredfold rewards promiſed to thoſe that followed him,Matt. 19. and yet he now cryeth our: O Lord remember me when thou ſhalt come into thy Kingdome. How ſoone he gaue his aſſent to that infuſed faith which was ſet before him. The Apoſtles as they went towards Emaus were ſlow in belieuing, & yet this publike offender no ſooner had our faith propoūded vnto him, by Gods holy inſpiration, but he preſently proclaimed that with his mouth what his hart had giuen conſent vnto.
THE THIRD VVORD.
Ecce mater tua, ecce filius tuus. Be
hold thy mother, Behold thy Sonne. CHAP. III.
BEFORE we enter into contemplation of theſe words, let vs heare what the holy Euangeliſt ſpeaketh,A meditation for Tueſday. Iohn 19. who will giue vs no ſmall light: And there stood beſide the Croſſe of Ieſus his mother, & his mothers ſiſter Mary of Cleophas, and mary Magdalen. When Ieſus therfore had ſeene his mother & the diſciple ſtanding whome he loued, he ſayd to his mother: Woman behold thy Sonne. After that he ſayd to the diſciple: Beheld thy mother, and from that houre the diſciple tooke her
to his owne.
1. Conſider that out of this third Word many fruitfull documents may be gathered, as firſt the infinite deſire that Chriſt had to ſuffer for vs, and to offer vnto his heauenly Father a full, and rigorons ſatisfaction for our offences; for this cauſe was he willing to haue his deere mother, and the diſciple whome he loued, beholders of his affliction, to the end his torment might be increaſed by their preſence, adding to his paſſion a greater griefe of compaſſion.
2. Our deere Redeemer Chriſt Ieſus powred forth foure fountaines of his moſt precious bloud; he would haue his Mother, & his beloued diſciple preſent, that they might alſo powre forth
foure fountaines of teares; he rereceauing as great greife at the effuſion of their compaſſionate teares, as at the loſſe of his owne deereſt bloud. Heate thy deere Sauiour ſpeake being now nailed vpon the Croſſe:Pſal. 17. Luke. 2. Bellar. de 7. verbis.
The paines of death haue compaſſed me about, but the ſword of ſorrow foretold by Simeon that ſhould pierce my most innocent mothers ſoule, doth afflict me as much as any torment I feele vpō this Croſſe. O bitter death, doeſt thou thus ſeparate not only the ſoule from the body, but even the mother, and ſuch a mother, from her ſome, and from ſuch a Sonne? For this reſpect loue would not permit me to ſay Mother, but Woman behold thy ſonne.
3. Looke vpon the three womē who ſtood neere vnto the Croſſe of our Lord.VVhat the three. Maries ſignifie.
Mary Magdalē
beareth the perſon of Penitents, that is of Beginners, Mary of Cleophas, of Proficients, or of thoſe that profit in the way of ſpirit, and Mary Mother of God, and yet a Virgin, ſignifieth thoſe who are perfect, vnto whome we may ioyne pure S. Iohn who was alſo a Virgin. Chriſt recommendeth his deere mother to the pure cuſtody of a Virgin, preferring therby the ſtate of virginity, S. Iohn being the diſciple whome he loued; yet are all others, who are ſignified by the two other Maryes, admitted to the priuiledge of ſtanding neere the Croſſe, of which we may make a vertue, if we will, ſince all eſtates of life whatſoeuer, abound with Croſſes.
4. Learne by this word the office of a Parent towards his
child. Parents ought to loue their children, yet ſo that the loue of their children do not hinder the loue of God; this did the B. Virgin exactly obſerue, for ſhe ſtood neere vnto the Croſſe (vpon which her ſonne hung bleeding) with greife, and conſtancy equal. Her greife,The B. Virgin moſt reſigned. ſhewed her to be a mother, and her conſtancy made manifeſt her reſignation vnto God Almighty. Could ſhe do otherwiſe then grieue for this Sonne of hers, knowing what a Sonne he was? And could ſhe be otherwiſe then reſigned being the mother of God and full of grace?
5. Reflect vpon the happines of S. Iohn, to haue this ſinguler priuiledge graunted him by his beloued mayſter, dying vpon the croſſe, who bequeathed vnto him
his deereſt mother. Who would not haue byn deſirous to haue liued with her, in whome the ſecond perſon in Trinity dwelt corporally? Who would not haue piouſly enuied the Apoſtle in this great bleſſing? yet ſince Chriſt Ieſus hath made vs his coheires & brethren, ler vs with humble confidence begge, that recommending vs vnto this his mother, he will ſay, Behold thy children, that we may be alſo coheires of her loue.
6. Laſtly, that we may be the better prepared to heare this word of comfort ſpoken by our Sauiour to his mother, Behold thy children, let vs ſtirre vp in our ſelues an ardent deuotion towards this B. Virgin whome we deſire to make our mother, imitating her virginall
purity, or at leaſt, purity in our ſtate of life, and let vs animate, our ſelues the rather to deuote our ſelues wholy to this B. Virgin, it being one of the ſureſt ſignes we can gather in this life, of our future ſaluation.
THE FOVRTH VVORD.
Deus meus, Deus meus, vt quid dereliquiſti me? My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? CHAP. IIII.
IN the three former wordes which our Sauiour pronunced vpon the Croſſe,A meditation for vvendeſday. we haue deſcribed him newly crucifyed, now we come to the midle of the day in which (for the horrour Nature had to behold her maker thus abuſed)
darknes was ſpread ouer the face of the whole earth, the ſunne by a miraculous Eclypſe denying his wonted light, darcknes being ſo deep, as at midday the ſtarres were the greateſt lights that appeared.
1. The firſt word ſpoken in this darcknes, was: My God, my God,
Philogon. lib. 2.
why haſt thou forſaken me? Conſider that our Sauiour by theſe words would ſhew vs the greatnes of the torments he ſuffered. Hitherto we might haue thought he had had a body impaſſible, or not feeling what was done vnto him, his patience in all his whole paſſion being ſo admirable, permitting them to whippe him, crowne him with thornes, naile him to the Croſſe, and neuer ſo much as to giue one ſigh,
or the leaſt ſigne of diſlike, of what was done vnto him; now with a lowd voice he giueth forth theſe words, that we might ſee what he ſuffered for vs, and that he was ſenſible of the leaſt thorne that had wounded him. And as he deſired we ſhould ſee what he ſuffered, ſo was his deſire that we ſhould ſee it with fruite; conſidering for whoſe ſake he brought himſelfe moſt voluntarily into theſe ſtraites,Iſa. 53. ſince he was offered becauſe himſelfe would.
2. That we might the better attend vnto him, and conſider what he did ſuffer for vs, he tooke this opportunity to ſpeake vnto vs in this great darknes, when all diſtractions were taken from vs, and when we might be wholy attent vnto him. Publike meetings
are not the places where the inſpirations of God Almighty are heard but put thy ſelfe into the darkneſſe of retyrement, & there thou ſhalt heare thy Sauiour ſpeaking vnto thee, and inſteed of hearing, My God, my God, why hast thou forſaken me, thou ſhalt heare him ſay: My creature, my creature, why haſt thou forſaken me.
3. Let vs heere reflect vpon theſe three houres; from ſix vnto nine, in which our Sauiour was ſilent; horrour had inuaded the whole world, by reaſon of the vnwonted darkeneſſe, and our Lord hung ſtil vpon his painful Croſſe; in his whole life (which was nothing but a courſe of greife) he neuer ſuffered more afflictions, and yet neuer ſuffered them more willingly: for now by the wearineſſe
and hanging downe of his body, his woundes were more and more enlarged; & with them his greife, by the abſence of the ſunne, and ſharpnes of theaire, was increaſed and with all his naked and torne body more tormented; and yet all there afflictions ſeemed eaſy vnto him, in reſpect of the infinite deſire he had to redeeme vs. Let vs reioyce if at any time we haue occaſion giuen vs to ſuffer for him, who ſuffered theſe intollerable paines for vs.
4. Why hast thou forſaken me? Theſe words proceeded from an ardent deſire of ſuffering, ſince he would haue no part of him free froth enduring ſomewhat for vs. This voice therfore may be truly ſayd to be of the tongue, which being ſorrowfull, that it had yet
endured nothing for vs cryed out: My God, why haſt thou forſaken me? That all men may be redeemed, let all Ieſus be tormented,The moſt innocent tongue of Chriſt ſuffered alſo for vs. that no part may want his ſpeciall redeemer, eſpecially the tongue, the inſtrument of ſo many off
•
nces, of detractions, bearing falſe witnes, of impure words, and oftentimes denying Chriſt: this petition was heard,Math. 27.
and incontinently one of them running tooke a ſpunge & filled it with vinager, and put it on a reed, and gaue him to drinke.
5. In the three firſt Words our maiſter Chriſt Ieſus recommēded vnto vs three great vertues: Charity towards our enemies, Mercy towards thoſe who are miſerable, and Piety towards our Parents. In this fourth Word he cōmendeth vnto vs Humility, a
vertue moſt neceſſary for all men and where could he ſhew vs more humility, then in theſe words, My God, my God, why haſt thou forſaken me? For here Chriſt ſheweth (through the permiſſion of God) all his glory and excellency, to be quite obſcured before the face of the whole world, as appeared by thoſe ſtrange obſcurityes in the heauens. Vidimus gloriam eius, ſaith S. Iohn, we haue ſeene his glory,Iohn 1. but it was not heere where he ſaw it. Great was the difference betweene mount T
•
abor, and mount Caluary: in one Chriſt could not be ſeene for light, in the other he could not be ſeene for darknes.
6. Laſtly, conſider that this darknes was light to ſome, being an argument of beliefe, & meanes to the light of faith. Learne out of
this, to make thy beſt of euery thing. If light may be gathered out of darknes, farre eaſier may vertues be drawne out of afflictiōs which although they be brought vnto vs by a certaine neceſſity; yet may we make this neceſſity a vertue, & by our intentiō giue life to that, which otherwiſe would haue bin a dead action.
THE FIFTH VVORD.
Sitio: I thirſt. CHAP. V.
HAST thou not yet, my ſweet Sauiour, receaued torments inough?A meditation for Thurſday. Will that Thirſt of thy diuine loue towards man, neuer be extinguiſhed? O dolorous Ieſus, vnfould this myſtery, and let our
thirſty ſouls receaue the influence of thy graces, that we may thirſt after nothing but thee the fountaine of life.
1. Firſt contemplate vpon this word, I thirſt, and take it litterally, ſeeing our Sauiour through the loſſe of ſo much bloud, could not but feele an exceeding thirſt, his natural moyſture being almoſt wholly ſpent, his ſacred veynes being empty, his tongue ſcarſe able to mooue for very drought, which forced him to ſpeake in one only word, I thirſt, as if he ſhould haue ſaid: In this exceſſiue torment which I feele of Thirſt, is there none who will affoard me any refreſhment? See thy Sauiour in this diſtreſſe and ſtill be ſorrowfull for thy ſinnes, that were the cauſe of theſe his afflictions.
2. I thirſt after the conſummation of the buſineſſe I haue in hand,The cauſe of his thirſt. the redemption of man, for whoſe loue I thirſt after more torments. I thirſt after afflictions, that men (an eaſy imitation of me) ſhould not deſire, and thirſt after offences; my thirſt is ſatisfied with gall and vinagre, that thine might be ſatisfied with thoſe heauenly ioyes which I promiſed thee. I am content to endure all hardnes for thee, only requiring at thy hands, that thou wilt make vſe of my ſufferings.
3. We read in holy Scripture only twice where Chriſt diſcouered his thirſt; once to the Samaritan woman,Iohn 4: Iohn 19. and now heere vpon his Croſſe; in both he diſcouered his infinite charity towards mankind, thirſting after the conuerſion
of ſoules; he asked drinck of the Samaritan, only to giue her occaſion by diſcourſing with him, to know, that he was able to giue her water of life, if ſhe demaunded it; and heere he thirſteth the generall good of ſoules, and their true returne vnto him, and to the end that may be effected, he thirſteth after torments, yea death it ſelfe.
4. Deſires are well termed thirſtes, what we deſire that we are ſayd to thirst after: our good deſires Chriſt thirſteth after to haue them perſeuere to the end, for our euill he thirſteth after the extinguiſhing of them; if our thirſt be after heauen, how pleaſant is it to the ſoule; that thirſt is as great a fulneſſe as can be poſſeſſed in this world, where true
happines is only poſſeſſed by deſiring it, but if our thirſt be after tranſitory things, as riches, honours, pleaſures, and the like which the world falſely calleth goods, then we ſhall truly experience, that this thirſt is a torment, and an inſatiable deſire, which is more and more increaſed, by how much more we poſſeſſe what we deſire.
5. Wonder, and with greife conſider with thy ſelfe, how thou canſt behold thy Sauiour in his whole life and paſſion, ſo ardently thirſt after thy ſaluation, and yet thou thy ſelfe remayne careleſſe of the ſame, as if thy ſaluation were a thing of nothing, and that it concerned thee not; how thou canſt deſire and continually thinke vpon gayning
thoſe thinges which thou muſt leaue, perchance to morrow, and neglect thoſe things which remayne, and which in ioy thou mayſt poſſeſſe for euer.
6. Laſtly, Chriſt thirſted after that glory which he had voluntarily put o
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liuing in this vale of miſery 33. yeares, apparelled in our naturall habit; & now knowing the end of his pilgrimage to approach, he deſired the glorious company of his heauenly Father. Reflect heere vpon thy ſelfe, and conſider that where thy treaſure is, there is thy thirſt, thy hart, thy deſire; imitate thy Sauiour in thirſting after heauenly thinges, and if there be thy treaſure, there wilbe thy thirſt;
VVhere thy treaſure is there is thy thirſt. but if thy treaſure lye vpon earth, thy deſires alſo wilbe earthly, for deſires alwaies
take their natures from thoſe things which are deſired.
THE SIXT VVORD.
Conſummatum eſt: Is it con
ſummated. CHAP. VI.
CONSIDER heere a Proclamation for the generall pardon of the ſinne of mankind,A meditation for Friday. endited by the eternall Word, written by the finger of God, in the paper of our humane Nature, vpon the altar of the Croſſe, ſealed with the bloud of the Lambe, ſubſcibed by the holy Trinity, dated the houre of Chriſt his death, recorded by S. Iohn the Euangeliſt, and pronounced by the mouth of Ieſus then crucified,
in theſe words, It is conſummated, that is, mans ranſome i
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payed Gods wrath is appeaſed, men ſhall haue mercy, grace and glory; Gods Iuſtice is fully ſatisfied, the ruine of Angels repayred, mankind made free of heauen, Glory be to God, peace to men.
1. Contemplate heere with holy S. Augustine vpon this place that our Sauiour had an eſpeciall eye and regard vnto thoſe truthes which he had giuen forth by the Prophets,Aug. in cap. 19. Ioan. all being (euen vntill his death) moſt exactly fulfilled which they had foretold, there remayned only to be verifyed his death. He confirmeth therfore by this word, It is conſummated, all that had bin ſaid of him, yea euen his death. For hauing ſayd: It is conſummated, bowing downe his head
he gaue vp the Ghost.
2. Conſider alſo with S. Chryſoſtome theſe words to haue bin ſayd in regard of the power of thoſe who had crucified him, which was now conſummated and ended:Rom. 6.
Mors ei vltra non dominabitur, death ſhall no more inſult ouer him. He is freed from his laborious pilgrimage, and brought againe vnto that glory which he moſt willingly left for our redemption. The greateſt ſacrifice of all is now offered and conſummated, in which ſacrifice the Prieſt was both God and man, the Altar was the Croſſe; the Lambe the ſacrifice, the fire of this ſacrifice was Charity, and the fruite of it the Redemption of the world.
3. Since we haue ſeene the exact fulfilling of the propheſies
before Chriſt, and that by this very word, It is conſummated, all that was foretold was verified; why are we ſo incredulous of thoſe things which are to come, and are foretold by Chriſt himſelfe, and his Prophets? We haue heard of the generall puniſhment by water,Gen. 7. and in the time of Nöe it was executed.2. Petr. We heare daily of the worlds conſuming by fire at the later day, and yet we liue as if we beleeued it not, and with ſuch greedines imbrace thoſe things, which if we liue to thoſe times, ſhalbe taken out of our armes by conſuming fire.
4. As thou haſt meditated before with holy S. Chryſostome that by this word, It is conſummated, was vnderſtood the conſummation of that weariſome and
dolorous pilgrimage of Chriſt: So here conſider that although it were moſt panifull, yet it laſted but thirty three yeares, a moment in regard of Eternity, in which he ſhall poſſeſſe perpetuall ioyes. The Iewes triumphed for an houre (as it were) ouer Ieſus; Iudas had an houre of content in his auarice; Pilate enioyed for an houre the friendſhip of Auguſtus; but how many yeares haue theſe already bin puniſhed for that houres falſe contentment, and yet their torments ſhal neuer end. Let vs thinke them moſt happy, who from their youth take vp the Croſſe of Chriſt, and ſeeke thus meritoriouſly to be afflicted as long they can in this life, ſince the paſſions of this time (ſo ſhort & tranſitory)Rom. 8.
are not condigne to the
glory to come, that ſhalbe reuealed in vs.
5. By this word, It is conſummated, is vnderſtood the victory which Chriſt made ouer hell, & the infernall ſpirites, when by his victorious death he tooke mankind out of the Diuels power, arming vs with his grace againſt all aſſaults. Since Chriſt our glorious Redeemer hath ſo vanquiſhed our ennemy, and as it were taken his ſting from him; why do we ſo often yeild our ſelues vnto one who is ſo weake, hauing him on our ſide, whoſe very name putteth him to flight? Since ſo many by thy aſſiſtance of Chriſt Ieſus our Captaine, haue giuen this enemy ſo many ouerthrowes; why ſhould we feare, why ſhould we doubt, but
to be able to do the like, hauing the like helpes?
6. Conuince thine vnderſtanding with this former argument,Lib. 8. Confeſ. c. 11. as S. Auguſtin did, placing before himſelfe many Saintes who had giuen this ouerthrow to the enemy; and among the reſt he ſet before him diuers tender Virgins, and ſayd vnto himſelfe: Why canst not thou do what theſe, and theſe haue done? Theſe and theſe could not haue dōe theſe things without the help of their Lord and God. Heere ſay vnto thine enemy: It is conſummated, thou ſhalt haue no more power in me, ſince all thy power proceedeth from my ſelfe, no man receauing wounds but from his owne hands.
THE SEAVENTH VVORD.
Pater, in manus tuas cōmendo ſpiritum meum. Father, into thy hands I commend my ſpirit. CHAP. VII.
THAT our redeemer Ieſus endured all theſe afflictiōs moſt voluntarily,A meditation for Saturday. & not by conſtraint or violently forced, is moſt euident, ſince he needed not haue ſuffered vnles he would; therefore if euer action were free, this was it, the which in no part was forced: and the more free it was, the more it bindeth vs to loue him to deale alſo more freely with him that dealt thus freely with vs. And that theſe ſufferings proceeded
out or a naturall propenſion he had to ſuffer for vs, appeareth out of his manner of ſuffering for he endured moſt for vs in the end of his paſſion: In finem dilexit nos,
Ioan. 13. he loued vs to the end, there receauing more paines for vs then euer. The condition of al naturall motion is to be greater in the end then in the beginning, which proueth well to our purpoſe, for the Euangeliſt here recordeth,Luc. 23. that Ieſus cryed out with a loud voice, which before he was not wont to do: Father into thy hands I commend my ſpirit, and ſaying this he gaue vp the Ghoſt.
1. Conſider the literall ſenſe of theſe words, he ſaith: Father, and with great right, becauſe he was his obedient Sonne euen vnto death: Into thy hands, that is, vnto
thine vnderſtanding knowing al things, and vnto thy will able to do all thngs, I do commend, as it were giuing vnto thee as a depoſitum or pledge, that it may be reſtored me when due time ſhall come My ſpirit, that is, my corporall life, which I recommend vnto thee My Father, that thou wilt ſhortly reſtore it to my body which now it leaueth.
2. Conſider why our Sauiour ſhewed this care of his body, recommending vnto his heauenly Father his ſpirit that it might not long leaue the body deſtitute. Our Sauiour was not ſollicitous for his ſoule, for he knew that was already moſt bleſſed, and needed none to defend it, he only had care of that which had need of care; teaching vs to prouide and
be ſollicitous for that part of vs which requireth our care, to wit our ſoule, by often recōmending it into the hands of him who created it, and without whoſe helping grace it would degenerate & ſtray from that end vnto which it was created. As for our bodies the leaſt care is to be had, ſince (do we what we can) they will fall into duſt,The end of pampering our bodies. and the more we pamper them, the greater banquets we make for wormes, and perhaps fuell for hell-fire.
3. Let vs contemplate vpon the wonderfull accidents which happened immediatly after theſe words were pronounced:Matt. 27.
And behold the Veyle of the Temple was rent in two peces, from the toppe euen to the bottome: by which was ſignified the opening of heauen vnto
mankind; the Veyle that tooke from vs the beholding of the Holy of Holies being rent in two, and man made capable of the bleſſed viſion of God. It was rent from the toppe to the bottome, to ſhew, that this holy viſion of God was granted to all from the higheſt to the loweſt: but as our Sauiour ſaith, There are many māſions in the houſe of my Father,
Iohn 14. which ſignifieth the difference amongeſt the bleſſed in their poſſeſſing of God almighty; and as there are great, ſo are there minimi in regno caelorum,
Mat. 5. thoſe who are the leaſt in heauen.
4. And the earth did quake:
Mat. 27. Imagine with thy ſelfe the great terrour which was ſpread ouer the whole face of the earth at the death of the Author of Nature, great and wonderfull mutations
being made at this earth-quake;Luke. 23. yet the change which was moſt acceptable to God, was that of the Iewes, Who returned knocking their breaſts; this was the earthquake intended by our Sauiour, who endeauoured to draw thoſe vnto him by feare, who would not be drawne by loue.
5. And the rockes were rent, and the graues were opened. Heere conſider the true conuerſions that were to enſue vpon our Sauiours Paſſion
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, and ſignified heere: by the renting of the rockes, and opening of graues: obdurate harts were to relent, and euen breake with ſorrow, for their ſinnes, and they who had bin long buryed in ſinne, & ouerwelmed with earthly thoughts through the paſſiō of Chriſt & the force of his ſuffering,
were to raiſe themſelues out of their loathſome ſepulchers, and begin to liue againe to Chriſt. Seek from thy hart to be amongſt thoſe who are thus conuerted, & know that one of the powerfull meanes to make this rocke of thine, thy hart, tender, is to bath it in teares.
6. Giue God humble thankes for thoſe holy inſpirations which his diuine Goodnes hath giuen thee, in meditating vpon theſe his laſt ſeauen Words opon the Croſſe, and be a moſt deuout fulfiller of thoſe things which he hath inſpired thee to doe or ſuffer for him; aſſuring thy ſelfe that as theſe were his laſt, ſo did he mean to leaue them vnto thee as documents of exceeding great comfort.
Hauing ended the Conſiderations vpon the ſeauē laſt Words of our Sauiour vpon the Croſſe, I wil lead thy pious mind vnto contemplation vpon his fiue moſt glorious and principall wounds, that thou mayeſt the oftener thinke vpon him crucified, yea for thee crucifyed,The moſt profitable and moſt delightful thoughts. and tormented in that cruell manner. The moſt happy conſideratiōs which thy mind can make, are about this obiect of infinite loue; well mayſt thou thinke thy thoughts ill ſpent vpon buſineſſes of this world, but behold this obiect as long as thou wilt, and thou ſhalt neuer need to repent thee of thy labour, ſince there can be nothing thought vpon with more profit, or more delight then Chriſt Ieſus crucifyed.
OF THE FIVE WOVNDES of our Bleſſed Sauiour.
The right Hand.
CHAP. I.
LET vs contemplate vpon thoſe ſacred hands of our Sauiour pierced with ſharp nailes, & faſtened to the Croſſe, and firſt let vs performe our deuotion to the right hand.
1. Conſider thoſe words of the Prophet:Habac. 3.
His brightnes ſhalbe as the light, hornes in hands, or (as the hebrew verſion hath) ſplendour in his hands: there is his ſtrēgth hid. Behold this ſacred wound, & admiring the ſplendour and beauty therof, deſire euer to remayne
vnder the protection of the ſame.
2. Ponder with thy ſelfe what an admirable light proceedeth now from this ſacred hand.The brightnes proceding from the vvoūds of our Sauiour. If the martyrs of Chriſt ſhall haue their bodies glorifyed, and chiefly in thoſe parts in which they ſuffered; how glorious ſhall this right Hand of thy Sauiour be, whoſe ſufferings were of infinite merit, and conſequently whoſe glory muſt be infinite? Imagine the light of a thouſand Sunnes vnited togeather, to be very darknes in compariſon of that infinite ſplendour, ſhining in this moſt glorious wound.
3. After thou haſt conſidered the admirable beauty of this his glorious right hand as it is in heauen, caſt thine eye vpon it faſtened vnto the painefull Croſſe,
there thou ſhalt ſee nothing but ſtreames of bloud, guſhing out of that tormented hand of thy dolorous Sauiour. Here is no glory, no ſplendour, no light. Here is his strength hid, heere this potent right hand createth no worlds, but is vſed as the moſt abiect of creatures: here it iudgeth none, but is iudged to exceſſiue torments: in fine no power is here ſhewed, all lyeth couered vnder the veyle of humanity, and heere is his strength hid. Loue and admire this act of infinite fortitude in thy Sauiour, in ſo many iniuries and torments,In the right hand fortitude. to hide his ſtrength and to deliuer that hand to be pierced, which was of power to deſtroy that world which it had created.
4. The enemy of mankind,
and cheife agent in the bitter paſſion of our Sauiour, hauing hitherto vſed the Iewes as inſtruments in this Tragedy, and hauing giuen them counſaile to whippe him moſt cruelly, crown him moſt bloudily, and load him with his heauy Croſſe, and yet perceauing his inuincible fortitude, willeth thē at laſt to pierce his ſacred hands, imagining there to lye hid his ſtrength, as indeed it did, they being amongſt the laſt wounds which he receaued liuing O my Sauiour and Redeemer, thou who heldeſt out in thy feruour of charity to ſuffer for me till thy laſt ſtrength was exhauſted, giue me thy grace to deſire feruently neuer to be ouercome in ſuffering for thee.
5. Since we ſee it is the greateſt
ſtrength to be weake for Chriſt,The more vvoundes the greater victory in Chriſtes quarrell. and the greateſt victory to take moſt wounds for him, why ſtand we ſo much vpō our guard fearfull to ſpend our bloud in his quarrell? Temerity is to be auoyded, leaſt preſuming vpon our forces we fall, but when the combat is offered, then imitate thy Sauiour in putting forth thy right hand, & ſubmitting al thy forces, bind them faſt vnto the Croſſe, which is the ſtandard in which thou art to ouercome.
6. Laſtly conſider, that although outwardly the ſtrength of this right Hand lay hid, yet how powerfully it wrought vpon the Theefe who hung vnder it, by drawing him vnto it, and making of a great ſinner, a great Saint: Dextera tua inueniat omnes
qui te oderunt,
Pſal. 20. ſayth the prophet, O Sauiour, let thy right hand find all thoſe who hate thee; either by puniſhing them with thy iuſtice, or conuerting them by thy mercy. Here was alſo verified that of the Spouſe:Cant. 5.
Manus meae distillauerunt myrrham, my hands haue diſtilled myrrh that is, the ſweet odour of pennance & contrition which the happy Theefe collected & gathered togeather, and offered vp vnto his deere Redeemer, in odorem ſuauitatis.
Apply (as thou haſt done before) theſe ſix points vnto thy ſix Decades, ſaying thy beads before ech wound, begging of the dolorous Virgin Mary, whoſe ſoule was pierced with a ſword of afflictions to giue thee ſome of her compaſſion, in beholding thy
Sauiour thus wounded for thy ſinnes.
The left Hand.
CHAP. II.
ADORE with like affection the glorious left hand of thy Sauiour, and contemplate vpon thoſe words of the ſpouſe:Cant. 2.
his left hand vnder my head, and his right hand ſhall imbrace me. Thou haſt already beheld the imbracing of the right hand, which was ſtretched forth vpon the Croſſe, ready to imbrace and intertaine all ſinners: this was cleerly ſhewed by calling the Theefe out of ſinne, into grace, and out of a world of torments into a Paradiſe of ioyes. Now let vs conſider the
left hand.
1. Firſt behold it as full of bloudy ſtreames as the right, and in euery point as full of paine, & what comfort could the Eſpouſe take in laying this bloudy, and painfull hand vnder her head? Perhaps ſhe deſired to haue the impreſſion of this bloudy hand, left in her hart, to the end ſhe might neuer forget it: ſtriue to cō
ſerue freſh in thy memory this left hand of thy Sauiour,The left hand Iuſtice. by which his Iuſtice is ſignified, and by the impreſſion of it, remember that ſacred bloud which was ſhed for thee, of which they who make not the beſt vſe, ſhall find a ſeuere iudge; who as he called one at his right hand, ſo he permitted an other at his left to periſh.
2. Endeauour to keep this left
hand vnder thy head. Betweene the earth and thee, let the Iuſtice of Almighty God mediate. Earth cā attempt nothing againſt thee, when it ſhal behold how ſtrongly thou art guarded. Weigh all thy actions in the ballance of Iuſtice, and thou ſhalt neuer offend. If thou lay pleaſure in one ſcale, lay torments due vnto it in the other. If this life, being but a moment, preſent delights vnto thee, call Eternity vnto thee, and let it confront that moment, and it will ſoone haue victory.
3. His left hand vnder my head. Loue is commonly diſtinguiſhed betweene filiall, and ſeruile, That is, the loue of a child to his Father, and of a ſeruant to his Maiſter: let this Left hand, to wit, the Iuſtice of our Sauiour
be vnder our head, that is, betweene the earth, and vs, let at the leaſt the feare of Iuſtice be placed. If we ariue not to that perfection (which we al ought to tend vnto) to contemne the pleaſures, and vanities of the world meerly for the loue of God, preferring that pure affection before all things; yet let vs contemne them for the dangers that are in them, and for feare of the ſeuere hand of Iuſtice, which puniſheth thoſe who follow them.
4. His left hand vnder my head and his right hand ſhall imbrace me: ſo that vnleſſe his left hand be vnder thy head, his right hand ſhall not imbrace thee. Doth thy ſoule deſire the louing imbracements of thy Sauiour, and the ſweetnes of his mercy? lay vnder
thy head the feare of his Iuſtice, let that be thy foundation, and the beginning of thy wiſdome,
Pſal. 110. then ſhall his right hand imbrace thee, when it ſhall find his left hand vnder thy head.
5. The Eſpouſe deſireth his left hand may be vnder her head, that is, from her beginning, from the firſt entrance into this world, till her going out of it, that al the dayes of her life; ſhe may walke the pathes of his Iuſtice. Moſt fitly was this ſpoken of the immaculate Virgin & Mother, who had this left hand vnder her head, being (euen in her very Conception) indued with originall Iuſtice, the which, vnder her head, as it were, in her firſt beginning moſt graciouſly preuenting her, made her worthy to beare the
Sonne of God, and Sauiour of the world.
6. His left hand vnder my head. As thou haſt hitherto applied this left hand to the Iuſtice of God; ſo heere apply it to that Iuſtice which euery true Chriſtian, that is, which euery follower of Chriſt, ought to beare towards himſelfe. If we our ſelues lay this left hand vnder our head, and become our owne iudges in this world, meaſu ing our actions by the rule of Iuſtice, and making them ſtreight by penance; then ſhall we facilitate our iudgement in the next world, preuenting Gods ſeuere and rigorous ſentence; then ſhall his rig
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t hand imbrace vs, becauſe our owne left hand hath chaſtiſed vs. Apply theſe points as the former.
The Side.
CHAP. III.
AND now deſcending from the Mercy & Iuſtice of our Sauiour, let vs repoſe our ſelues in the ſeat of his diuine Loue; and beholding it as it is in heauen glorious, let vs adore thoſe ſtreames of his ardent Loue, which iſſued out of that ſacred hart, the Cittizens of heauen exulting at the ſight of ſo immenſe charity.Pſal. 45.
Fluminis impetus laetificat ciuitatem dei, The violence of this riuer (ſayth the Prophet) maketh the Citty of God Ioyfull, when thoſe bleſſed Inhabitants beheld the violence and force of this bloudy riuer, bringing into that hauen of felicity
new Colonies, to repleniſh the ſeates of fallen Angels; this being that riuer which iſſued out of the place of pleaſure,
Gen. 2.
to water Paradiſe, as well that celeſtiall Paradiſe by repleniſhing it with daily increaſe of glory, as the terreſtrial Paradiſe of the Church, by proſpering and increaſing his graces, the ſeeds of glory.
1. Firſt therfore let vs behold this glorious wound in the ſide of our Sauiour hanging vpon the Croſſe, in which we are not to conſider any griefe, this wound being inflicted after his death; out of the circūſtances therfore frame thy pious meditation, as that, as ſoone as the ſoldier with a ſpeare had opened his ſide,
Iohn 19.
preſently there came forth bloud and water; that being here fulfilled which was prefigured
by Moyſes ſtriking the rocke with his rodde.Exod. 18. O happy wound of the gracious ſide of our Sauiour, out of which,
Tract. 9. in Ioan. (ſaith holy S. Augustine) iſſued the holy Sacraments.
2. That Riuer which watered Paradiſe deuided it ſelfe only into fower, but this that ſtreamed from the ſacred ſide of Ieſus; multiplyed it ſelfe ſeauen times, making ſeauē moſt precious bathes, whoſe nature is to waſh ſoules, & make them pure for heauē. When thou makeſt thy acceſſe vnto theſe diuine Sacraments, remember the ſourſe whence they did ſpring, and let thy deuotion be ſutable to the dignity of thoſe myſteries thou deſireſt to be partaker. Thinke (ſaith S. Chryſoſtome) when thou commeſt to drinke
of the holy Chalice,
Hom. 84. in Ioan.
thou doeſt put thy mouth vnto Chriſt his ſide, and ſucke thence his ſacred bloud.
3. Conſider with thy ſoule how zealous Diuine Loue ſhewed it ſelfe towards mankind in the buſines of his Redemption. Nature endeauouring to ſuccour the humanity of Chriſt, drew into the laſt hold as much ſtrēgth as was poſſible, ſtriuing to fortify the hart, diuine Loue triumphed ouer this humanity in ſuch ſort, as euen after death, it entred this ſacred fort, being the ſole commaunder therof, and drew forth all thoſe forces, with which Nature endeauoured to haue reſiſted. As thou doeſt admire this feruour of Loue, ſo bend thy forces to imitate the ſame, and ſticke not vpon toyes, and trifle
of this world,Ponder this vvell. that endeauour to keep thee from an entier oblation of thy ſelfe to Almighty God. Canſt thou ſee thy Sauiour opening his very hart to giue thee his laſt bloud, and yet retaine vnto thy ſelfe ſuch foule reſolutions, that are ſo much diſpleaſing vnto him?
4. No part of our Sauiour was free from a particuler affliction, but the hart was partaker of all the torments which euery part endured; the hart was whipped, the hart was crowned with thornes, with the hands and feet the hart was pierced, the hart was tormented in them all, as the Prince in his ſubiects; and therfore whiles any part ſuffered, the hart deſired to be entyer, that it might feele part of all. To all the
tormented parts of thy Redeemer how infinitely art thou bound, & cheifly to this ſacred hart that ſuffered moſt of all for thee, and only to gaine thy hart? Stirre vp thy frozen affection, and with a moſt feruent zeale deſire with holy S. Anſelme, to haue no feet but ſuch as ſhould trauaile for thy Sauiour, no hands but ſuch as ſhould labour for him, no head but that which ſhould thinke of him, and no hart but that which ſhould moſt ardently loue his diuine goodnes.
5. Behold the infinite conuerſions of ſoules wrought by the powerfull ſide of thy Sauiour, the which powring forth a bath of bloud vpon them, hath cleanſed them from all impurity, as it were creating a new, cleane harts: Filij tui de longe venient,
Iſa. 60.
et filiae tuae
de latere ſurgent: O Lord, thy ſonnes ſhall come from farre, and thy daughters ſhall riſe from thy ſide; they who were greateſt ſinners, and were farre off from thy grace, ſhall render themſelues thine, and thy ſacred ſide ſhall as a fruitfull wombe bring forth a ſpirituall generation.
6. Of which happy generation, begge (by the mediation of the B. Virgin) that thou mayeſt be one, and hoping that ſhe hath obtayned for thee thy petition, behaue thy ſelfe as a child of ſo admirable a parent, who to bring thee forth was faine to dye, and to haue his hart pierced with a Lance, that thou mightſt liue; be euer mindfull of thy ofſpring, which was ardent Charity; & be not ſo baſe as to degenerate by
doing any thing that ſhould be cōtrary to this vertue,Charity th
•
r
•
le of our act
•
ōs. which hath made thee the child of God, and Coheire with Chriſt Ieſus.
The right Foote.
CHAP. IIII.
BEHOLD thy louing Sauiour moſt willingly putting forth his ſacred right Foot to be nayled to the Croſſe, for the loue he bare vnto thee, being moſt conſtant in his ſufferings for thee, louing thee thus ardently to the very end; and deſiring of thee no other recompence, then loue for loue, and conſtancy and perſeuerance in thy loue; not to fly from him for difficulties, for he followed thee, leauing the ninty nine,
to wit, thoſe glorious troupes which adored him in heauen, & cōming downe here vpon earth, laboured to ſeeke thee, deſiring to gayne thee, though it were through miſeries, reproaches, and death it ſelfe, which conſtant loue of his, faſtened him to this Croſſe, and pierced his ſacred hands, hart, and feet.
1. Let thy firſt conſideration fix it ſelfe as the former, in conceauing the exceſſiue paine thy deare Redeemer endured in the piercing of this ſacred right foot, which conſiſted of ſo many ioynts; in the middeſt of which a groſſe nayle vvas rudely driuen, putting all thoſe tender parts out of their places, and with great violence tearing, and breaking all that made any reſiſtance vnto
that cruell inuaſion; no torment could be greater then this, and yet thy dolorous Ieſus endureth it as if he felt it not, loue ouercomming griefe, the greatnes and firmeneſſe of his reſolution, ſurmounting al afflictions that could be impoſed vpon him.
2. Conſider with thy ſelfe the nature of the affections of this world.The nature of the affection of the vvorld. The world loueth as long as any intereſt remaineth, when that ceaſeth, the worlds loue ceaſeth; hauing alwayes for it obiect thoſe cold words (as S. Bernard tearmeth them) Meum & Tuum, Mine and Thine. The affection of our Sauiour towards man was moſt entier & pure, not capable indeed of any Meum or Tuum, or priuate intereſt, ſince he beſtowed incomparably more vpō man by making
himſelfe man, then man could poſſibly render vnto him, if he ſhould haue ſtriued to haue ſhewed himſelfe moſt gratefull, which Chriſt knew many, and moſt men would not do; out of which conſideration admire the conſtancy of his loue which held out to the end,VVhat motiue Chriſt had to loue vs. hauing no other motiue to make him loue, then that he was abſolutely reſolued to loue.
3. Contemplate the powerfull operation of the glorious ſufferings inflicted vpon the feet of thy Sauiour, which redoubled their forces after they were pierced, and by their woūds receaued ſtrength; if before his Paſſion they were of force to conuert all thoſe who came neere them,Mat. 9. to penetrate the happy Magdalens hart,Luke. 7.
who ſtood but behind them, and to draw teares from that rock; what would they haue don now, when ſtreames of bloud, anſwere to droppes of teares? heere conſider how powerfully conſtant Ieſus worketh with ſoules, infinitely ouercōming them in euery thing he deſireth of them. If he deſire our hart, he giueth vs his owne wounded: if he bid vs take vp his yoke, he maketh it light for vs, but loadeth himſelfe with a moſt heauy Croſſe: in fine, if he aske teares of vs, he giueth vs his bloud.
4. This dolorous Foot putting it ſelfe ſo readily into the path of afflictiōs, teacheth vs what way to walke in this worldly p
•
lgrimage, preferring the way of the Croſſe, before the way of Pleaſure,Eccleſ. 7.
and the houſe of ſorrow,
before the houſe of ioy. Our Sauiour could haue ended his iourny with out theſe painfull ſteppes, but he ſparing no griefe, was as it were prodigall in his ſufferings, that he might recouer man who was be come prodigall in his offences. All who detract
•
d from thee (ſaith the Prophet) ſhall adore the ſteps of thy feet,
Iſa. 60. when through thy conſtant loue, they ſhalbe confounded, and conuert themſelues againe vnto thee, whome they had moſt vngratefully forſaken.
5. Shall we imagine this ſacred Foot to haue receaued any eaſe or reſt from that ſtep that was placed vnder it, and vpon which it ſtood? No;Bellar de 7 verbis. Iſa. 1. as from the ſole of the foot vnto the toppe of the head there was no whole part in him; ſo was there no eaſe. This was
that done,Gen. 1.
who find ng not where his foot might reſt, for the exceeding deluge of bloud, retyreth himſelfe into the Arck of his diuine Loue, which was as strong as death,
Cant. 8. and inabled his body to beare what we imagine, as it were impoſſible to be endured; if we truly and ſincerely imitate his loue, we cannot but imitate his ſufferings.
6. Let vs not only looke or admire at this wonderfull act of conſtancy in our bleſſed redeemers ſuffering, as if beholding it, or admiring were inough; thoſe beheſts of ours are dead actions, vnles they bring forth imitation, in which is the only truly beholding of Chriſt crucified; as now all thoſe dolorous parts do as it were ſue vnto vs to haue compaſſion
on our owne miſerable eſtates, and ſend forth beames of ardent loue to inflame vs, and ſet vs forward in this generous actiō of conſtancy in fighting againſt our corrupt inclinations, ſo ſhall they in the day of iudgement change all thoſe fauourable aſpects, and ſhine like ſtars, threatning againſt vs,Reg. 2.
if the feet of his Saints ſhalbe kept, and the impious be ſilent; let vs not imagine that theſe thrice glorious feet ſhalbe forgotten, but that euery drop of bloud ſhall be recounted at that day, and layd before the impious man, who in ſilence ſhall ſtand confounded.
The left Foot.
CHAP. V.
AS we haue noted in the right Foot Conſtancy in the loue of our Sauiour;The left foot reſignation to the vvil of God. ſo in this we will conſider Conformity of our wil vnto God Almighties, which is one of the higheſt Perfections we can ſeeke after in this life; the which although we can neuer ariue vnto, in that perfection in which our Sauiour had it, his wil being the will of his Father: yet we are bound to aſpire to the higheſt perfection in it that can be attained vnto by creatures; praying daily to haue the will of God here on earth performed as exactly as in heauen.
1. See with what readines our Sauiour giueth vp his left foot, to be dealt withall like vnto the right, and ſeeing it to be the will of his heauenly Father that the ſteps of each Foot ſhould be alike,S Iuſtinus in-dial. cū Tryph. moſt mildly permitteth his Crucifiers to place it by the other and to pierce it alſo with a naile. What torments thou haſt imagined to be in the other, conſider the ſame to haue bin in this; and heere ſee that of the Prophet fulfilled: Foderunt manus me as et pedes meos,
Pſal. 21.
dinumeraucrunt omnia oſſa mea: they haue digged my hands and my feet, they haue numbred all my bones.
2. Learne out of this painful experience which thy Sauiour would giue thee of his moſt perfect reſignation, to conforme thy
ſelfe in al things to his bleſſed wil and to take all things as ſent from the hand of a moſt louing Father, and thinke not in this that thou doſt a matter of ſupererogation, for whether thou wilt or no, theſe & theſe Croſſes will happen vnto thee, of which it lyeth in thy hāds to make crownes of glory, or perpetuall puniſhments. This reſignation of thine to the wil of God, is but rationabile obſequium,
Rom. 12. a ſeruice which ſtandeth with reaſon, vnto which whoſoeuer ſhal cō
mit the contrary, ſhall not ſhew himſelfe a reaſōable creature, but be like beaſts that haue no vnderſtanding.
3. It is requiſite the will of God be layd open vnto vs before we follow it, our will being led by our vnderſtanding; but when
that bleſſed will of our Sauiour is knowne, then
•
s it (as far as we are able) to be put in execution, our wills ſeruing as handmaids vnto his. Prompt & ready was the Prophet Dauid in conforming himſelfe to the voice of God: Lucerna pedibus meis verbum tuum,
Pſal. 128.
et lumen ſemitis meis: thy word (ſaith he) is a lampe vnto my feet, and a light vnto my pathes; ſo that he attributeth all the light he had vnto the inſpirations of our Lord, to the which hauing an obedient eare he walked in great light, and without danger of erring.
4. Laui ped
•
s meos,
Cant. 5.
quomodo inquinabo eos? I haue waſhed my feet, how ſhall I defile them? thus ſaith our B. Sauiour to the Eſpouſe. Twice only we read of the
waſhing of our Sauiours feete; once they were waſhed with the teares of his beloued Magdalen, & here they were waſhed with his owne moſt precious bloud, both precious bathes, the one of Pennāce the other of Innocēcy, both of loue: the one of loue recalled, the other of loue conſummated, both in a moſt fit time: the one at the entring into the painfull iourney, of his paſſion, the other at the end of it; and of theſe waſhings of his feet he ſpeaketh to the Eſpouſe; and conſidering they were cleanſed with ſuch precious bathes, he is loath to haue them defiled againe, through the offences of men.
5. Imitate thy Sauiour, and if it be not graunted thee to waſh thy feet in bloud, and to dye for
him, yet waſh them in teares of deepeſt Contrition, wherewith thoſe feet that are defiled in the wayes of this world are only cleanſed: and hauing once purified them by this moſt ſoueraine bath, endeauour to keepe them ſo by walking the wayes of innocency and purity. If vncleane thoughts endeauour to draw thee forth, and ſeek to make thee defile thoſe feet of thine (already made by the bath of teares more pure then ſnow,) aske them, Quomodo inquinabo eos? my feet are waſhed, my wayes are purified, how ſhould I defile them? Infinitely wert thou blinded if being now pure, thou wouldeſt returne to thyne vncleaneſſe, which cannot be waſhed againe but by teares.
6. Thinke not with thy ſelfe
that a bath of teares is eaſily purchaſed,Hovv hardly true teares are gotten. and with conceite deluded make ſleight of defiling thy ſteps, preſuming eaſily to purge & cleanſe them againe; nothing is more hard (aſſure thy ſelfe) then to gaine true teares of contrition; eſpecially for him who is habituated in ſinne. Chriſt neuer wrought a greater miracle then in conuerting the holy Magdalen. Let vs not looke for more miracles to be wrought vpon vs, for if Gods infinite mercy hath giuen vs now teares of true repentance, let vs keep our ſelues from defiling, and our ſoules from thoſe wounds, which require ſo precious a medicine, and ſo hard to be found.
And heere the meditations end of the fiue glorious Wounds
of our Sauiour, which I haue placed only as lights, to lead thee into further contemplation vpon them, out of which infinite comfort floweth daily vpon ſoules who are deuoted vnto them. I wil now ſet before thee the foure laſt Ends which thou art ſubiect vnto, which are moſt profitable for euery good Chriſtian to meditate vpon, being ſtayes or props to keep vs vpright in our iourny in this world, in which (were it not for them) we might eaſily be loſt:Prou. 18.
Impius cùm ad profundū venerit peccatorum, contemnit: the impious (ſaith the Wiſe man) when he ſhall come into the depth of ſinnes, contemneth. Leaſt therfore forgetting our ſelues we ſhould go ſo farre in the way of ſinne as to come to the depth where contempt
dwelleth, the Wiſeman giueth vs theſe foure helps to call vs backe, if at any time we ſhould ſtep awry:Eccleſ. 7.
In omnibus op
•
ribus tuis memorare n
•
u
•
ſſima tua, et in aeternum non peccabis: In all thy works (ſaith he) remember thy later end, and thou wilt not ſinne for euer.
OF THE FOVRE laſt Things.
Of Death.
CHAP. I.
OMITTING the diuers explications which deuout mē haue made of Death, let vs only
conſider that there is a good and a bad death, the one an entrance into ioyes, the other into torments. Of thoſe who dye a happy death, we haue this Beatification out of holy Scripture:Apoc. 14.
Beati mortui, qui in Domino moriuntur, Bleſſed are the dead who dye in our Lord; where I would haue thee note, that they are tearmed Bleſſed who are dead, and afterwards dye. Bleſſed are the dead who dye, not the liuing: whence we may conclude, that it is a Bleſſednes to begin betimes to dy to this world, and not to be found liuing when death ſhall come. Of the other death the Royall Prophet telleth vs what it is:Pſal. 33.
Mors peccatorum peſſima, the death of ſinners is the worſt; and the reaſon is, becauſe ſinners take vpon
them to liue to much in this life, and neglecting the memory of death, thinke there ſhalbe no end of enioying their pleaſures. To this effect the ſame Prophet ſaith: Vidi impium ſuperexaltatum et eleuatum ſuper cedros Libani:
Pſal. 36.
et tranſiui et ecce non erat, &c. I haue ſeene (ſaith he) the impious man highly exalted, and aduanced as the Cedars of Libanus: and I paſſed by, & behold he was not, and I ſought him, and his place was not found; and indeed happy it were for the ſinner if after this life he had no place or being, ſince both his place & being ſhalbe ſo miſerable.
1. Conſider mans nature to be ſuch that it cannot poſſibly auoyd death it remayning as a puniſhment for that ſinne which we all conſented vnto in our firſt parent:
therfore that thou mayſt the better cōſider this death, imagine thy ſelfe (who muſt once dye) to lye vpon thy death bed, lamented by thy freinds, deſpaired of by Phiſitians, and expecting hourly to giue vp thy laſt breath.
2. Then thou wilt eaſily perceaue thy folly in ſpending ſo much time (which was giuen thee to ſerue God) in the ſeruice of the world, in following thine owne vnlawfull appetites, and reiecting Gods holy inſpirations. Then thou wilt make many purpoſes of ſatisfying for thy ſinnes,Make vſe of time. of liuing a more exemplar life, of abandoning euill company, of reſiſting foule ſinnes and the like; but alas thy time is ſhort, thou haſt many purpoſes, but where is the time to performe them in?
After this life there is no time of ſatisfaction or of merit. Aſſure thy ſelfe that theſe diſcourſes thy ſoule will haue at that terrible hower, therefore vſe time which is now ſo mercifully giuen thee:De imitat Chriſt. lib 2. Cap. 25.
and do now, what thou wouldeſt then haue wiſhed to haue done.
3. This is the hower of indifferency in which thy eyes being opened, thou ſhalt ſee things as they are, not painted and falſly ſet forth by thy preiudicate affection. Here what thou eſteemedſt in thy life time beautifull, will ſeeme foule; what then was moſt pleaſant, thou wilt not now endure to behold. Since by the conſideration of death we grow ſo iudicious, to eſteeme euery thing as it deſerueth, would to God we did alwayes carry about with vs
the memory therof; how ſincerely ſhould we then ſerue God, and performe the end for which we were ſent into this world? how innocently ſhould we liue? how charitably one to another? how diligēt in performing many good works, and how ſtrong in reſiſting ſinne.
4. Contemplate with thy ſelfe, being in this agony (thy life being more and more deſpayred off) that ſaying of the Prophet: Et qui iuxta me erant, de longe ſteterunt,
Pſal. 37. and they who were neere me ſtood a farre of from me; euen thy very freinds will leaue thee, ſhewing their greateſt affection by ſhedding a few vnprofitable or faygned teares for thee: and being thus left of all, conſider what the friendſhip of this world
is, which is ended by death, if it laſt ſo long: make thy freindſhip therfore with the Saints and Angels, who will neuer leaue thee, but chiefly make freindſhip with good Works, gather as many togeather as thou canſt, whileſt thou art in perfect health, for they are thoſe who are to be thy chiefeſt friends, who will not feare to appeare with thee before that ſeuere Iudge, & alleadging ſtrong arguments for thee, will bring thee to eternall happines.
5. It is a matter of great moment to imprint in thy ſoule the conſideration for what place we were created. If we perſwade our ſelues we were made for this world, we are much deceaued, for placing thy ſelfe as thou diddeſt before in the point of death,
thou ſhalt ſee thou wert created for an other world which is to laſt for euer. It is but the body, the meaner part of thee, that dieth now, thy ſoule is immortall,The different cōdition of the ſou
•
e and the body. and muſt either ioy or lament eternally If it depart from the body into blyſſe, it is becauſe it ruled the body, and made that ſenſuall part obey vnto reaſon; but if thy ſoule departing from thy body be condemned to eternall paines, it is becauſe thy ſoule behaued it ſelfe like a ſlaue, obeying her ſeruant, and permitting that to comaund, which was created to obey.
6. If the placing of thy ſelfe neere vnto death hath made thee more capable to vnderſtand the danger of thine eſtate, ſeriouſly thinke with thy ſelfe and without any art of perſwaſion, that thou
mayſt be neerer thy death then thou imagineſt, from which thou art no moment free. There is no actiō, no place, no time, in which death hath not ſurprized men. Think ſeriouſly vpō theſe things for it may be theſe are the laſt good purpoſes that euer thou ſhalt make, and the laſt good worke that euer thou ſhalt do; & ſo thinke of al thinges whatſoeuer thou doeſt:Let vs think euery action to be our loſt. it may be this ſhalbe the laſt Prayer that euer thou ſhalt make, do it therfore deuoutly. In taking thy refectiō thinke this may be the laſt time that euer thou ſhalt haue need to feed that carkaſſe of thine, do it therfore with ſobriety. In conuerſing with men, thinke this may be the laſt tim that euer thou ſhalt diſcourſe, let it be therfore of ſome vertuous
ſubiect; and ſo deale with all thy actions, thinking they ſhalbe thy laſt, and by this meanes thou ſhalt make them to be thy beſt.
After thou haſt contemplated vpon theſe ſix points, and applyed thy ſix Decade vnto them, earneſtly beſeeching the Mother of Grace to increaſe in thee the memory of Death, and to aſſiſt thee in that agony; I would haue thee peruſe this enſuyng table which will more fully informe thee of the nature of death, and make the ſame more familiar vnto thee.
OF DEATH.
- 1. The Neceſſity Proceedeth from
- 1.
- Reuelation.
- Naturall reaſon.
- Experience.
- 2. The Vncertainty Proceedeth from
- 2.
- The Time.
- The Place.
- The Manner.
- 3. The Terriblenes Proceedeth from
- Proceedeth from
- The Generality.
- The Seuerity.
- The Peremptorines.
- 4. Our vnwillingnes Proceedeth from
- 4.
- Ignorāce of heauen.
- Our bad life.
- Feare of future eſtate.
- 5. A happy death Proceedeth from
- 5.
- Memory of dea h.
- The hate of ſinne.
- The loue of God.
Of Iudgement. CHAP. II.
FOR the better performing of thy pious Conſiderations vpon this point, imagine thou ſeeſt one newly departed this life and carryed before the dreadfull Tribunall of Almighty God, there to be moſt ſtrictly examined of all his words, thoughts, and actions, done whiles he liued in this world, according to that of the Apoſtle: We must all be ſummoned before the tribunall ſeat of Chriſt,
2. Cor. 5.
& euery man receaue either good or euill, according as he hath behaued himſelfe, whiles he liued vpon earth. But our bleſſed Sauiour himſelfe more particulerly ſpeaketh of this
Iudgement in theſe words:Matth. 12.
I ſay vnto you, that euery idle word that men ſhall ſpeake, they ſhall giue account therof in the day of Iudgement.
1. Conſider that if ſo ſtrict an account ſhalbe made of all-things at that day, and that ſo ſmal a matter as an idle word ſhal not eſcape, but ſhalbe weighed in the ballance of iuſtice, what ſhall become of the ſinner, who hath walked in the path of ſinne ſo many yeares togeather, and perhaps euen from his yeares of diſcretion; hauing committed ſo many, ſo vile and abhominable offences? Oh how terrible will that day be vnto him, when euen the iuſt ſhall tremble.
2. All thoſe offences of his ſhalbe layd open to the whole
world, which muſt needs procure a wonderfull confuſion, when not only his actions (which he did ſo cunningly conceale in this world) but euen his very thoughts ſhalbe made manifeſt to all: of what valew will one ſatiſfactory act of pennance done heere be,The comfort of a meritorious action. and how will his good Angell alleage it for him, lamenting (as it were) that he hath no more to ſay for him. On the other ſide behold the enemy of his ſoule, laying before the moſt iuſt Iudge the multitude of his offences, asking for iuſtice, and comparing his many & greiuous ſinnes committed, not ōly againſt a Creator but alſo a Redeemer, with his owne one only ſinne committed but againſt his Creatour.
3. All things being layd open and made ſo cleare that he hath no place for any appeale, with infinite feare and trembling he expecteth the definitiue ſentence which Chriſt Ieſus now being a ſeuere Iudge, and no more a mild Redeemer, is to paſſe vpon him; Goe thou accurſed into euerlasting fire,
Mat. 25.
which was prepared for the D
•
uell and his Angels: for I was hungry, & thou gaueſt me not to eat, I was thirsty & thou gaueſt me not to drinke &c.
4. Turne thine eye from this wofull ſinner, and for thy comfort behold a ſoule who hath bin a diligent ſeruant of Almighty God in this world, and now ending the courſe of life is brought alſo before this iuſt Iudge to receaue according to her deſerts.
To the confuſion of the diuels & triumph of this ſoule all the good worckes that euer ſhe hath wrought, ſhalbe layd open to the whole world, and thoſe frailties alſo for which due pennance hath bin performed in this world, ſhall nothing auaile the aduerſary who alleadgeth them. Behold the B. Virgin and Mother of God, the Angell Guardian, and all the reſt of the Saintes vnto whome this ſoule hath bin deuoted, recommending her vnto the iuſt Iudge to giue her a crowne according to her deſert. Heare the vpright Iudge giuing his ſentence:Mat. 25.
Come thou bleſſed of my Fath
•
r, poſſeſſe the Kingdome prepared for thee frō the beginning of the world, for I was hungry, and thou gaueſt me to eat, I was thirsty and thou gaueſt me to
drinke &.
5. What a ſtrange alteration will the ſinfull Creature behold himſelfe in,The d fference of men in this vvorld and in the next. when he ſhall ſee him who was abiect in this world, he who lodged meanely, fed hardly, was apparelled poorly, and in all reſpects of this world was much his inferiour, to be exalted ſo highly, and to be tearmed bleſſed, and himſelfe ſo much debaſed, & to be curſed and condemned to eternall puniſhment. On the other ſide what comfort will that other ſoule haue when he ſhall thus arriue into that hauen vnto which liuing in this world he aymed; then how ſweet will thoſe ſufferings ſeeme when euery action ſhall haue his crowne.
6. Beholding with thy ſelfe theſe two ſoules, and the differences
of them, with the diuers manner of the Iudges proceeding towards them, and hauing ſeene the true and reall cauſe of the reward of the one and the puniſhment of the other, reſolue to lead thy life according as thou deſireſt to be dealt withall in this Iudgement. If thou deſireſt happines,Make a vvorthy choyce. let thy life be ſutable to thy deſire, ſince according to our actions euery one of vs ſhalbe iudged; according to that of our Sauiour himſelfe, ſpeaking of the power of his Iudgment: Meruaile not at this (ſaith he) becauſe the houre commeth,
Ioh. 5.
wherein all who are in the graues ſhall heare his voice, and they who haue done good things ſhall come forth into the reſurrection of life; but they who haue done euill into the reſurrection of Iudgement.
Of Heauen. CHAP. III.
BY heauen thou art to vnderſtand nothing elſe but a place of complete Happines;In vvhat conſiſteth happines. and as bleſſednes or happines in this world conſiſteth in the exerciſe of Charity and other vertues, ſo doth it conſiſt in the next in the viſion of Almighty God; and although this happines in heauen be poſſeſſed diuerſly by thoſe moſt happy enioyers therof, yet the difference proceedeth not by reaſō of the obiect, or that which is ſeene, which is Almighty God, the ſelfe ſame vnto all; but from the manifold wayes of ſeeing it. It is true:Pſal. 35.
In lumine eius vid
•
bimus
lumen, In his light we ſhall ſee light; but this light beateth not vpon all with the like ſplendour, but moderateth it ſelfe according to the capacity of the glorified ſoule who ſeeth it. That all the bleſſed receaue their happines by ſeeing and enioying the ſelfe ſame thing,Matth. 20. the holy Fathers gather out of that peece of mony which the maister of the vineyard gaue vnto his work-men, beginning from the laſt to the firſt; where they who came laſt, had the ſame giuē them which was giuen to the firſt which ſheweth that the obiect is the ſame vnto all. And that the ſame is differently poſſeſſed, we are taught alſo by our Sauiour telling vs,Iohn. 14.
That there are many manſions or dwelling places in the houſe of his Father.
1. Conſider (as well as thou art able) the happines of a ſoule in this place, where, at the firſt arriual finding nothing but ioyes and ſuch as it neuer yet experienced or could conceaue, being the moſt perfect that may be, free from any mixture of ſorrow, or feare of ending; it muſt needs be wholy rauiſhed in the loue of him whome it poſſeſſeth. O how wil that ſoule magnify the goodnes of Almighty God, in giuing it grace to ariue vnto this infinite happines, and how will it reioyce in hauing cooperated with the ſame in this world.
2. Heere it will reflect, with exceeding ioy and contentment, vpon the afflictions it endured in this world, moſt clearly perceauing,Rom. 2.
that the paſſions of this life,
are not condigne to the glory that ſhalbe reuealed. And now this ſoule moſt euidently ſeeth, with what great crownes ſmall actions are rewarded, how important it is to haue ſerued God Almighty, to haue contemned the world, to haue kept in ſeruitude the body, and to haue fed the ſoule with cō
templation of heauenly things; oh how abiect and vile will all contentmēts of this world ſeeme to this bleſſed ſoule! how mad and fenceleſſe will it eſteeme thē to be who preferre theſe worldly fooleries before thoſe ioyes which are in heauen.
3. If it were poſſible for a ſoule in heauē, hauing bin ſhewed thoſe delights which God hath prepared for thoſe who loue him, to be taken thence againe and
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placed in this world, what would not that ſoule do to be brought to that ſight once againe, although it were but to endure for one houre? If penāce were the meanes to obtaine it, what would it not vndergoe? If abnegation of it ſelfe, how perfect would it becōe in that admirable vertue? If by exerciſing acts of charity, how feruent would it be, ſeeking occaſions to exerciſe it? If for the enioying of that happines ſo ſmal a time, a ſoule who had ſeene it, would vndergoe ſo much, what ſhould we do, vnto whome the poſſeſſion of theſe ioyes is moſt certainly promiſed for euer? Bleſſed are they who beleeue before they ſee,
Ioh. 20. ſince our faith increaſeth our reward.1. Cor. 2.
For neither hath the eye ſeene, nor eare heard: neither hath
it aſcended into the hart of man, what God hath prepared for them who loue him.
4. And God ſhall wipe away all teares from their eyes,
Apoc. 21.
and death ſhalbe no more, nor crying; neith
•
r ſhall there be ſorrow any more, becauſe the firſt things are paſt. This will Almighty God do to all his conſtant ſeruants, who haue ſuffered any thing for his ſake in this world; as ſoone as euer they are made partakers of this happines, their eyes ſhed no more teares, neither ſhall there be ſorrow any more, becauſe the firſt things are gone, and paſt as a ſhadow, which vaniſheth away at the preſence of light. All things that are in this world, are ſhort, and endure a ſmall time: and as the pleaſure of it is ſhort, which blind man ſo
much ſeeke after, ſo are the pūiſhments which are inflicted vpon the good; and this ſhort, and as it were momentary ſuffering is to end, and to be rewarded without end, according to that of the Apoſtle:1. Cor. 4.
For that our tribulation which preſently is momentany and light, worketh aboue meaſure exceedingly an eternall weight of glory in vs, we not conſidering the things that are ſeene, but that are not ſeene. For the things that are ſeene are temporall, but thoſe that be not ſeene, are eternall.
5. Heere conſider (in the beſt manner thou canſt) the admirable eſtate of a ſoule in bleſſednes: and as thou haſt ſeene before that this bleſſednes conſiſteth in our vnderſtanding, which is moſt properly explicated by this word,
Viſion: yet doth it not ſo conſiſt therin as that it excludeth our wil which is made partaker therof by the delight which a ſoule receaueth from that diuine viſion of Almighty God. And to know what that delight is, and how great, no vnderſtanding vpon earth can conceaue; the reaſon is becauſe we cannot poſſibly conceaue what God is, from the ſight of whom this delight proceedeth. Our beſt way is to make a compariſon, though it be infinitely defectiue, with the delights of this world, and thoſe of heauen. If we delight in the poſſeſſion of any thing in this world, let vs conſider how many defects are in the thing poſſeſſed, as alſo in the poſſeſſour, which hinder the completenes of this happines: both
are changeable and ſubiect to infinite alterations and ends; neuer was there yet any worldly contentment ſo enioyed, but that if it were truely looked into, there was conioyned with it ſome coraſiue that might change the taſt of the Enioyer. But in heauen both that which is poſſeſſed, and the Poſſeſſour are moſt permament, and this fruition is not capable of any alteration or end, this delight is complete, mingled with no ſorrowes, ſince from God that delight floweth, in whome there is nothing but delight.
6. When we haue arriued by the contemplation of heauen vnto the delights therin, our vnderſtanding preſently butteth vpon Almighty God, who is a Non plus vltra, and the end of all that
we can thinke of, ſince in him all this Beatitude is contayned, as in a place inacceſſible vnto mans vnderſtanding. Well may we, whileſt we are in this world, goe about this hidden treaſure to wit, the Nature of Almighty God, & by outward ſignes in his Creatures gheſſe ſomewhat at that which is included in him; but neuer can we truly comprehend, and know what this infinite happines is,Exod. 53. till we ſee him facie ad faciem, face to face, and be partakers of that diuine torrent of pleaſure. How feruently haue all Gods Saints deſired the enioying of his felicity!Phil. 1.
S. Paul deſired to be diſſolued, and to be with Chriſt, becauſe he had ſeene thoſe things in his high extaſie, which were not lawfull for man to ſpeake. S. Peter
hauing but ſeene a glimpſe of Chriſt his glory which then was far inferiour to that with which he now ſhineth in heauen; yet as hauing ariued to the toppe of felicity,Math. 17. he deſireth to remayne there. And leauing the infinite number of Saints betweene their time & ours whoſe deſires were the ſame, let vs behold the bleſſed Father Ignatius de Loyola, who in his contemplations vpon heauen cryed out with a true contempt of this world.In his life.
Quam ſordet terra, cùm caelum intu
•
or! how baſe and foule ſeemeth this earth, when I behold heauen! Oh that we would imitate theſe great Saintes, whoſe eyes were truly purged, contemning this earth & the thornes that grow thereon; and hauing their thoughts fixed in heauen, and vpon
true happines, were euer in a continuall flame and deſire to attaine thervnto.
Of Hell.
CHAP. IIII.
THE calling backe of thy Vnderſtanding from the toppe of heauen, and leading it to the Center and bottome of the earth where the damned ſoules are tormented, muſt needs breed a great alteration in thee, and by it alone perſwade thee, that this world is full of changes, and that our Vnderſtanding is as mutable as the ſame; the which although it worke vpon the beſt ſubiect that may be, yet doth it require a chang. If we were comfirmed in
grace, it is certaine the thoughts of heauen and of thoſe high Beauties would be euer profitable vnto vs; but being as we are lutea vaſa, veſſels of earth which are eaſily broken, we muſt walke betweene loue and feare, Ioy and Sorrow. S. Paul himſelfe maketh this cleere:1. Cor. 12.
Leaſt (ſaith he) the greatnes of my reuelations might extoll me, there was giuen me an angell of Sathan to buffet me.
1. Conſider therfore firſt the place where theſe vnfortunate ſoules lye deſpayring, who vnmindful of the world to come, and eternity,Luke. 16.
receperunt bona in vita ſua, enioyed their pleaſures in this world: and in the middeſt of all their proſperity, when they leaſt thought of it, Venit mors ſuper illos,
Pſal. 54.
et deſcenderunt in infernum
viuentes, death came vpon them, and they deſcended quicke into hell. Frame to thy ſelfe an exceeding vaſt place, capable to receaue infinite millions of ſoules, which is rightly tearmed A land of miſery and dar
•
kneſſe,
Ioh. 10.
where the ſhadow of death is, & no order, but euerlasting horrour inhabitet
•
; where nothing is heard but weeping and gnaſhing of teeth,
Matt. 8. mingled with lamentable voyces of deſpayre, and intollerable blaſphemies againſt their iuſt Iudge, who deſeruedly condemned them for their demerites, to that place of eternall puniſhment.
2. Reflect vpon the torments inflicted vpon theſe Caytiffes, and behold with what malice thoſe infernall Spirits, the inſtruments of Gods wrath, impoſe
thoſe vnſpeakable torments vpon men, taking this as a part of reuenge againſt mankind, for poſſeſſing their ſeates in heauen. Behold thoſe ſoules how diuerſly they behaue themſelues in theſe endles miſeries, ſome ſighing, others weeping, ſome rauing and crying hideouſly by reaſon of their paines, others blaſpheming againſt God, and curſing moſt bitterly the houre of their natiuity. Behold others in all their paines out of very enuy and malice ſilent, not being able to expreſſe the hatred they beare to God, nor the miſeries they endure. Oh Chriſtian ſoule who art yet liuing, and in a ſtate capable to ſhun theſe vnſpeakeable pains of Hell; how canſt thou truly thinke of theſe thinges, and yet
commit ſinne ſo freely, by which thou art made ſubiect to all theſe torments?
3. Amongſt all theſe afflictions two exceed (if they may not be tearmed all of them to exceed) to wit the cogitatiō of what they haue loſt, and the worme of conſcience, which are the greateſt torments they haue. All Deuines conclude, that the paine of the ſenſe which theſe ſoules feele, in the middeſt of theſe moſt cruel and neuer-dying flames, is but dull in regard of the ſharpnes of of the memory of what they haue loſt, thoſe fallen Angels informing euery other ſoule, for their increaſe of torment, what they haue loſt by looſing heauen. Heere the vnderſtanding of thoſe ioyes procureth intollerable
griefe, for ioy in it ſelfe delighteth none but thoſe who either poſſeſſe it, or at the leaſt are in hope to poſſeſſe it; but theſe ſoules neither poſſeſſe it, nor yet are in hope euer to do, but are baniſhed from the moſt bleſſed ſight of God for all eternity, being at the end of an hundred thouſand thouſands of yeares, as farre of from the end of this endleſſe puniſhment, as now.
4. Conſider the griefe which proceedeth frō the guilt of Conſcience, which like a gnawing worme lyeth continually tormenting the hart of a damned creature. Heere is a continuall warre, and diſcuſſion of matters paſſed in this life, of Graces rec
•
aued from the mercifull hand of God Almighty, & of reiecting
the ſame, of the opportunity offered of leauing that ſinfull courſe, and imbracing a vertuous life; of ſo many purpoſes made of amendement, and the deferring therof. Oh how will this worme of Conſcience teare the hart of a ſinner, when he ſhall ſee himſelfe condemned out of his owne mouth; and were it poſſible for him to dye, this thought would end him; but theſe greifes are endles, hauing a ſubiect to worke vpon that neuer endeth: heere harts may wither but neuer dye, bodyes burne but neuer conſume.
5. If thou haſt ſeene in the Conſiderations of Heauen what a ſoule would vndergoe to be made partaker of thoſe ioyes, hauing once knowne them before; imagine heere on the contrary
what one of theſe vnfortunate ſoules would endure to be freed from this damnation, if it might returne to this life againe; what wonderfull alteration ſhould we ſee in that ſoule; former pleaſures turned into teares of penance, the former loſſe of time into an exact obſeruation of howers, and a moſt perfect imployment therof, all banquetings would be turned into faſtings, rich apparell into hayrecloth; what a ſtrait guard would be placed ouer al the ſēſes; not ſo much as the leaſt thought of rebellion in thē eſcaping without ſome ſeuere puniſhmēt. Thus would this ſoule do if it were to liue againe: but this cannot be heard, the irreuocable ſentence is paſſed, and the moſt iuſt Iudge will not recall it, but for euer and
euer world without end, this ſoule is to be tormented; and all ſuch wiſhes a
•
e moſt vaine, and ſerue for nothing but for greater torment, ſince they can neuer be obtayned.
6. Laſtly returne vnto thy ſelfe (O Chriſtian ſoule) and thinking ſeriouſly vpon theſe things, as thoſe which moſt of al import thee, amēd thy life, which led in the offence of God, conducteth thee directly vnto theſe endles tormēts. If thou wouldeſt examine thine actions by eternity it would make thee (no doubt) a bleſſed Saint in heauen and free thee from the torments of hell. Thinke with thy ſelfe (which thought may be made in a moment) when thou vndertakeſt any action: doth this action, this
thought, or this word I am ready to vtter, deſerue the loue or hatred of Almighty God? if it deſerue loue, reioyce with thy ſelfe, and go forward in it: if hatred, leaue it, fly from it as from a ſerpent, that would enthrall thee, and bring thee to this eternity of torment O eternity, eternity that men would oftener thinke vpon thee!
ANOTHER BRIEFE WAY HOW TO SAY THE BEADES. Wherein is contained the whole life of our B. Lady. Taken out of holy Scripture, and the Do
ctours of the Church, applying to euery
Pater Noster, one of the gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, and to euery
Aue Maria, one of theſe enſuing conſiderations, or briefe eleuations of the mind.
I. PATER NOSTER.
The gift of Wiſdome.
1. AVE Maria. In the beginning of the world ſhe is promiſed to mankind, A w
•
m
•
n
ſhall bruiſe thy h ad.
2. She is prefigured in many holy women, as in Iudith, Heſter and others.
3. She is foretould to her parēts by the Angell: Conceaued without Originall ſinne.
4. She is borne full of grace aboue all creatures.
5. Her Natiuity reioyceth the whole world.
6. After three yeares ſhe is preſented in the Temple.
7. She goeth vp the
•
5. ſtepps of the Temple without help, beyond the ordinary power of that age.
8. Praying in the Temple, ſhe is often viſited by Angels.
9. She giueth example of all vertue to the Virgins who liued with her.
10. She is the firſt, who made a vow vnto God of Virginity.
II PATER NOSTER. The gift Vnderſtanding.
1. AVE. The Hygh Prieſt with the people pray, to deliberate about her now mariageable, according to the will of God.
2. It is reuealed by an Angell that ſhe ſhould ſeeke her an Eſpouſe.
3. She is eſpouſed vnto Ioſeph, of the family of Dauid
4. God being pleaſed with her Humility chooſeth her to be the Mother of his ſonne.
5. The Angell of God telleth her, ſhe ſhall be mother of God, remayning a Virgin.
6. Behould (ſayth ſhe) the handmayd of our Lord, let it be done
vnto me according to this word.
7. Hauing conceaued, ſhe goeth towards the Mountaynes to ſerue her Coſin S. Elizabeth.
8. By her ſalutation S. Elizabeth and S. Iohn Baptiſt were ſanctified: the one propheſying the other exalting for ioy in the wōbe of his Mother.
9. Her ſpirit reioycing, ſhe ſingeth M
•
gnificat &c.
10. A little before the birth of S. Iohn Baptiſt, ſhe returneth ioyfull to her houſe at Nazareth.
III. PATER NOSTER. The gift of Counſell.
1. AVE The Angell ſaith vnto Ioſ
•
ph, Feare not &c. becauſe that which ſhall be borne of her, is of the Holy Ghoſt.
2. She goeth towards Bethleem
with her Spouſe to be enrolled, and to pay Tribute vnto Ceſar.
3. Of her is borne our Lord: ſhe wrapps him in clouts, layeth him in the manger, and giueth him ſucke.
4. She reioyceth that he is reuealed vnto the Sheepheards, ſhe ſheweth him vnto them, and meditating vpon al theſe things, ſhe keepeth them in her hart.
5. The eyght day ſhe cauſeth her Child to be circumciſed: the name of IESVS is giuen h
•
m, as it was ordayned by the Angell.
6. She admireth the adoring of the Kings, and receaues their myſticall gifts.
7. She preſenteth her ſonne in the Temple: and although moſt immaculate, yet obſerueth the law of purification.
8 She heareth the propheſy of Simeon, who fortelleth vnto her Griefe, and to Iſrael Redemption.
9. She flieth with her ſonne and S. Ioſeph into Egypt.
10. She endureth in that baniſhment much hardnes, for the loue of her ſonne.
IIII. PATER NOSTER. The gift of Fortitude.
1. AVE. By the admoniſhment of the Angell ſhe returneth into the Land of Iuda.
2. Fearing Archilaus the ſonne of H
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rode, ſhe retireth her ſelfe vnto Nazareth.
3. She goeth towards Hieruſalem to the Temple, according to the cuſtome, where ſhe loſt the Child IESVS.
4. After three dayes ſhe finds him in the Temple in the mideſt of Doctors.
5. Contemplate how ſuch a mother conuerſeth with ſuch a ſōne for thoſe 30. yeares in which he was ſubiect vnto her.
6. At the Marriage in Cana of Galilee, ſhe ſayd, Sonne, they haue no wine, whēce followed the firſt miracle of water turned into wine.
7 She heareth oftentimes her Sonne preaching.
8. She ſeeth him worke miracles, and reioycing giueth the glory vnto God.
9. She heareth the woman ſay, Bleſſed is the wombe that bare thee.
10. Her ſōne reuealed vnto her the moſt cruell death which he was ſhortly to vndergoe.
V. PATER NOSTER. The gift of Knowledg.
1. AVE. Her ſonne takes his laſt leaue of her, going towards his death, he comforteth her, and giues her his Benediction.
2. She vnderſtands that her ſōn is betrayed by Iudas, and taken by the Iewes; and carried and drawn from tribunal to tribunal.
3. She behoulds him whipped, crowned with thornes, ſhewed to the people: Behould the man.
4. She heares the cry of the people, Crucify him, and free Barabbas.
5. She meets her ſonne on the way, with his Croſſe vpon his ſhoulders, who was conducted in haſt to Mount Caluary
6. She ſeeth (or at the leaſt heareth)
the blowes of the hammers with which her ſonne was crucified.
7. She ſuffereth with her ſonne, who betweene two theeues was lifted vp on the Croſſe, whileſt ſhe beares him company vnder the Croſſe.
8. She heares her Sonne ſaying; Woman behould thy ſonne, to wit S. Iohn, being pure man, inſteed of the ſonne of God.
9. She ſeeth her ſonne giue vp his laſt breath vpon the Croſſe, his ſide being opened with a launce after his death
10. Contemplate how ſhe receaued into her armes the body of her ſonne taken downe from the Croſſe, by deuout perſons, and with her teares ſhe waſheth it.
VI. PATER NOSTER. The gift of Piety.
1. AVE. To her, firſt of all, as moſt worthy Chriſt appeareth, being gloriouſly riſen, accompanied with many Saints.
2. She is often viſited by him in thoſe 40. dayes before his Aſcenſion.
3. She accompanieth her Sonne with her eyes, and moſt deuoutly with her hart, whileſt he aſcends into heauen.
4. She expects the Holy Ghoſt with the Apoſtles, comforting, & confirming them in their faith.
5. After the Aſcenſion of her ſonne ſhe often viſits thoſe places in which her ſonne had bin, and there ſhe renewes her greife.
6. Being ariued to the age
of 63. yeares, her d
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parture out of this life is reuealed vnto her by her ſonne.
7. Before ſhe dieth, ſhe behouldeth all the Apoſtles preſent, ſhe giuen them her laſt ſalutation, and recommends vnto them the Church.
8. Chriſt deſcends from heauen to meet and receaue her, and ſhe is carried into heauen by Angells.
9. She is exalted aboue the Quiers of Angells, and crowned Queene of all Saints.
10. Sitting at the right hand of her ſonne in great glory, ſhe prayeth for the Church, appeaſeth the wrath of God, whileſt our ſinns prouoke him to reuenge.
VII. PATER NOSTER. The gift of the Feare of God.
1. AVE. Next vnto God the Father, ſhe is moſt potent.
2. Next vnto God the Sonne, ſhe is moſt wiſe.
3. Next vnto God the Holy Ghoſt of moſt goodneſſe, and of moſt ardent Charity.
Laus Deo, B. Q. V. M.
FINIS.