that wicked enemy is cleere enough by this that not enduring sinners to remaine any longer in these lists bidding them depart he banisheth them into such miserable dungeons of eternal punishments 2. Point Attend besides with what study and diligence he commaund the monsters of vices to pack away from our hart like as a noble General in warr as soone as he hath taken some Towne or fort either by a sodaine stratagem or assault remoues the ancient Magistrates and pute the souldiours in Garrison from their ranck and place nor suffers any one to remaine behind that might stirre vp the least sparckle of any treason 3. Point Now with what iubiley and joyful signes the Angels exult and triumph in a manner when they behold that infamous rable of portents to be thrust forth and chased from our hart How stand they amazd in the meane tyme at so great a multitude and deformity of enemies But how especially they admire that infelicity or stupidity of ours that we should euer seeme to afford any place to such execrable and damned Ghosts as these THE COLLOQVY OH what dulnes of mind is this what stupidity of hart that we should so long suffer these monsters to rest and abide with vs as if they were some friends and familiars of ours Oh truly admirable goodnes of God! who hath attended and expected vs so long to returne to the duty and office of good men and now at last most powerfully hath brought vs into liberty wherefore we wil stedfastly purpose and determine hereafter to die rather then once to afford any place in our hart to sinnes Pater Aue. IESVS THE LIVING FOVNTAINE IN THE HART THE HYMNE BEhold the fountaines liuing springs Both here there in Angel bring Souls soyl'd with vgly spots within Oh how I now am loathing sin Which nought could wash but streames of bloud That issued from Christs wounds ô floud The sourse from whence thy torrent flowes Is IESVS hart 't is that bestowes Eu'n the lasts drop to cleanse my spots O scribled hart with blurrs blots Of horrid crimes wash wash with teares Thy sinnes Thy paper written bâ—ares Being once made white what doth afford Al ioy content repose the WORD THE INCENTIVE 1. IF IESVS be absent I am arid dry and with out iuice so as neither I feele God nor any thing of God Oh cruel aridity O fatal drought 2. IF IESVS be present he sheads diuine dewes of graces he opens springs of incredible sweetnes the hart flotes only and swimes and sincks in these torrents of celestial delights Oh grateful dewes O blessed springs O ineffable delights 3. Angelical hands lade heither those waters of life sprinckle therewith my hart and soule cleanse water them with endles springs of Paradise THE PREAMBLE to the Meditation O Holsome streames of Siloe Whereof the blind no sooner drinke but they presently recouer the Light of their eyes O powerful waters of Iordan where in Naaman plunging himself his flesh became imediately like the flesh of a little Child and so was cleane O profouÌ„d Spring which streaming downe in the midst of Paradise thence diuides it-self into foure heads so many riuers wherewith it washeth a great part of the earth The one called Phison which passeth by the Region Heulach with a most commodious riuer for the vse of mortals washes and waters al the parts of the world The other Gâ—hon passeth along by Ethiopia The third Tigris that rapid and violeÌ„t streame with scours the AssyriaÌ„ The fourth Euphrates so renowned in the monuments of sacred Writ And oh to me sweet waters of Iacobs wel with one draught whereof the poore Samaritan woman felt the thirst and head of concupiscence slacked and quenched in her which til that tyme no springs nor yet whole flouds could take away quite or so much as refresh or diminish neuer so little Nor can I choose but admire thee O prodigious springs which with an endles streame sprungst from the iaw bone with whose Herculean strength Sampson as armed with a triple knotted club foyled and vanquished a thousand Philistins Lastly O thou most blessed Spring at whose waters those so happy flames of nuptial affects betwixt Isaac and Rebecca were anciently kinled But O miraculous things behold here from the bottome of the hart an endles spring to arise plenteously watering with seauen channels the vniuersal face of the earth Behold there that master pipe more large and ample then the rest from whose head as it were eternal waters flow into the other six But â—ix thine eyes especially vpon IESVS who keeping in the center of the hart in prodigal and profuse vrnes or cesterns distributes whole flouds of graces Hence mayst thou discerne the primary springs of iustification to breake forth thence more copious streames of conseruation to flow and of the other side the flux or flow of graces to swel againe and grow into a vast sea of waters These are dealt to such as first begin those are offred them who walke the way of perfection others with ful channel are powred forth to such as climbing the â—ublime mount of vertue are got to the top Casting thine eyes here also behold how in these streames of limpid veynes certaine little Ethiops who I know not are washed with the ministery of Angels and how bring cleansed from the coale-black race of crowes they are transmitted into the candid family of doues Come hâ— ther then you dry thirstie soules flock you hither Why drinke you so long of those bloudy streames of Egypt Why carouse you so those muddy marish waters of the durty Babylon Why prize you those false bewitching cups of the world to with that Câ—cean hag Here maist thou rather o thou foole drinke thy belly-ful of endlesse liuing waters and wash if thou wilt and rinsh thy whole mouth with which draught thou maist put off the old man quench thy thirst take courage lastly deriue thee a whole streame of water Springing to eternal life a Wherefore doe thou wash me Lord from mine iniquity which vow was familiar with Dauid Wash I pray and first my wil alas defiled with the filth of extrauagant and wandring affections and especially with the sordid dust of self loue Wash my mind also and with al wipe away al darknes of ignorance and errour from it Wash likwise my hands ah how I blush for them so fowly dight with crimes Wash my mouth how I blush againe how slow infamous impudent Wash my tongue I euen tremble to say it so intoxicated with the poyson of scurrility and calumny Wash my palat alas with sootist relishes corrupted Wash mine eies ouer-cast with the noxious colours of wrath and melancholy humours myne eares enchanted with the enticiÌ„g charmes of witches Syrens my feet also soyled with the dust and mire of lewd concupisceÌ„ce my hayr and lastly cogitations for these also are in foule plight so is there nothing in me that is not impure and
il affected Ah! I dye of thirst and desire of thy loue Oh quench and extinguish the thirst the heat of my dying hart O eternal loue inexhaustible Spring But your thrice happy Cittizens of heauen o glorious Angels who as certaine riuers flow from this fountaine of al good receiue and shut vp first with ful minds the whole spring it-self them in the open lakes of your harts plunge this my dry and thirsty hart drowne it in the ocean of loue So I coniure your by that very loue which is the immense spring and fountaine it-self from whence you haue taken both your nature and spirit of whose draught you stil liue and shal liue as long as Eternity lasts very happy and blessed VI. MEDITATION The preparatory Prayer Actiones nostras c. FIRST POINT COnsider sinne to be a true leprosy for as this infects and fouly spots the body so that vitiates and corruptes euery part of the hart and soule and though the act be past yet leaues a foule and vgly blot behind it 2. Point Consider further this most vgly foule blot is not washed away but with the bloud of the only immaculate Lamb which neither the sacrifices or ceremonies of the old Law nor fasts nor other austerities of this kind can wipe away without the sprinckling of this bloud For without bloud remission is not had 3. Point Consider lastly that as heretofore the posts and threshal of the house being smeared with the bloud of the Lamb with held the sword now drawn and ready to strike of the smiting Angel from killing them in the house by a death so studiously prepared so with this bloud al hellish power is expelled and restrained that those wicked foes of our saluatioÌ„ may not touch the very entrance of our hart or dare so much as looke vpon it Lastly as the Preistly robes yea the Sanctuary it-self was sanctified and hollowed by the bloud of the Lamb so beleeue from the bloud of Christ al sanctimony deriues into our minds THE COLLOQVY LOrd wash me againe from mine iniquities and cleanse me from my sinne Wash the mind and let al the clouds of ignorance vanish quite Wash the wil and purge il appetits conceiu'd from the false nuages of transitory things wash the memory and wipe away self-loue growing from an ouer-weening of my self and my own doeings Cleanse my feet hands eyes and tongue nor let any thing remaine in me that is foule and polluted or wich may any wayes offend thy Maiesty neuer so little Pater Aue. IESVS PVRGETH THE HART WITH expiatory bloud THE HYMNE OHart lie open freely take These sprinckled drops enough to slake The flames of lust and quench the fire Of bel it-self O Hart desire Thy Lord now is he entred in To put to flight the deuil sinn The world thâ— flesh Behold h 'is gone Thy contrite hart plow'd harrowd sown May watâ—red with his heauenly dew Spring forth and fructify anew To which annex some pearlik drops That thou with ioy maist reap thy crops Raine followes wind sigh teares begin And drown as with a deluge sinn THE INCENTIVE 1. ALthough the hart be vnworthy and wholy vncapable of score of celestial graces yet IESVS howsoeuer of his soueraign goodnes powrs thereon and sprinckles it at least with some little drops thereof to instil thereby into the soule the first loues of heauen and to excite a thirst thereof 2. Behold in IESVS absence how dry dul vntoward poore miserable the hart languisheth and pines away how the Angels likewise scanding round about and ful of horrour are amazed the while with reuerence are praying to IESVS to be moued at so great a misery of the humane hart 3. Goe to then water water O most sweet IEVSV this vnhappy hart sprinckle it at least with some little drop of the ful fountaines of thy sweetnes It is now enough sweete IESVS for loe the hart came presently to it-self againe as soone as it felt but one little drop of thy diuine loue to be spriÌ„ckled on it THE PREAMBLE to the Meditation MOyses it is to no purpose to take the aspersour in hart and with a purple thread to tye the ysop so about it with which dipt in the bloud of the victime thou busily purgeth the Altar the volume of the Law the whole people attentiuely listning to the statutes and precepts of God this shed sprinckled bloud wil not expiate sinnes ror to the Tabernacle or Leuits afford any sanctity a whit nor wipe away the spots of leprosy nor cancel the stigma or seared print of sinne vnlesse with al thou reguardst this fountaine this bloud which alone can wash away the monstruous sordidues and which shed on the tree of the Crosse yeald life to soule imparts a candour and beauty to them and that like to the â—unne which in the ful of the Moone powres forth his light vpon her orbe and to sick mortals makes her more amiable Nor truly for ought els that water and bloud so flowed from the side of dying IESVS then to ennoble soules being cleansed with that purple to wash their robes to make them fit and apt that crowned with victorious laurels they may eternally triumph with the immaculate Lamb. Take therefore O IESVS loue of my soule from this infinit bath of thine some few little drops at least and sprinckle thy Sanctuary therewith I say the ample field of my hart whose shure possessiÌ„o thou hast taken to thy self long since But you O smitting Angels goe farre away hence the house is marked already the signes of Tau is printed on the doores be-gone I say for where this marke is seen it is a crime to enter in Oh would to God my IESVS dearely beloued with Dauids feruour I could pray and obtaine this fauour at thy hands Lord blot out my iniquities wash me yet more from my wickednes purge me of my sinne Thou shalt sprinckle me with ysop and I shal be cleane thou shalt wash me and I shal be whiter then the snow Turne away thy face from my sinnes and blot out al my iniquities Create in me O God a cleane hart and renew a right spirit in my bowels Let there be no corner I beseech thee which thou purgest not no portion of my soule which thou blessest not with the fruit of thy pretious bloud The swallow with her owne bloud restotes sight to her bling yong ones The bloud of a Goat expels al manner of poyson Againe the bloud of doues let forth beneath the wings quickens the dulled species of the eyes nor is it fit my God nor iust that from thy precious bloud my hart should not feel likewise the same effects The bloud of victimes shed from the sacrificed Holocausts bred no corruption nor stench nor flyes that sordid creature but rather euÌ„n destroyed those importune and irksome things The Sacrifice at Bethel offered vp by Iacob they say was so purely and holily performed
breake of day Vouchsafe to send with lustre heat To make it lightsome feruent neat THE INCENTIVE 1. SO long as IESVS is absent from my hart Ah me what monsters what sordityes what Gorgons what wicked fiends what hels are centered there 2. When IESVS enters into the hart and therein pours his light Good God what foule what horrible prodigies of vices the mind discouers there which the eyes had neuer yet detected I say while IESVS puts forth his rayes what bestial manners what perfidiousnes what blots of an vngrateful mind what haynous crimes are represented in this detestable hart 3. At these portents the very Angels tremble Yet goe thou on my most sweet IESVS Illuminate the darksom corners of the foule cleanse this foule infamous stable Amid this Cymerian darknes with glimps of thy light bewray me to my self that being hateful to my self I may abhorre and shune my self and so at length may fly to thee loue nothing els but thee Oh the only Darling of my soule O only loue of my hart my little IESVS THE PREAMBLE to the Meditation LOrd enter then into the Tower set open to thee and dismantled wholy which thou long since hast purchased with the price of thy bloud and in this thy triumphal entry as it were so shoot forth the diuine rayes of thy countenance that the clouds being vanished quite and slunck away the strange portents of vices and restles Enemyes which lurke therein may be constrayned to fly away Search Lord with thee shiniÌ„g lamp of thy knowledge al the hidden corners of this thy Sanctuary Ay-me what horrible beasts haue we here What harpyes what hydreas or other monsters more foule and virulent then these harbour in this Porch of Hel Ambition auarice those base and detestable beasts here set vp their rests here the ominous screechoules here the black and fatal progeny of rauens haue built their nest Oh! my Dearly beloued goe on Search with thy lanterne the closest corners of the hart and discouering the swarine of lewd concupiscences which here euen pester the miserable hart crush destroy them quite I haue groan'd to thee long but hitherto my sighs were intercepted and the broken sound of my strayn'd voyce the stronger out-cryes of the Enemyes haue so choaked and stifled as we could not be heard Aboue al things for hence must you begin survey and illumine my God the abstruse and winding corners of my mind and bringing in the light of the knowledge banish thence foule ignoraÌ„ce of things euen necessary for the conseruation of thy Sanctuary Alas what a faint and languishing light of faith haue we here vnles it borrow force of thy light it cannot dissipate the fogs nigh palpable which here haue place whereas if thou shal but shead the lightest beame of thy presence thereinto streight shal infidelity apostasy ignorance of thy mysteries or any other errour blinding the mind euen banish quite Goe forward then bring thou thy clearest lamp into the inmost cabins of my wil. Alas how foule it is How like it is Augias stable or a sty for Swine I blush thereat How crooked and vntoward is my wil from thine my God who are euen rectitude sanctity and goodnes it-self Correct direct this crookednes of mine frame my vowes and effects to the most iust square and norme of thy diuine wil. But now bring that both of thine into the regions of the memory Ayme what corners and windings haue we here againe of brawles of enmityes which frequent thoughts of iniuries feede foster cherish whereas indeed they should not once be thought vpon But as soone as thou shalt shine therein I know wel those foule notes of ingratitude vnmindfulnes of benefits memory of iniâ—ries deeply rooted shal cleane be expunged thence Goe further now if you please into those blind holes search there with in those blacke and vgly dens I say those secret allyes of the hart and bowels Oh how I tremble-at it to see how many snakes there are What spiders what scorpions and other such like plagues and alas what a huge swarme there is of them How many busy buzzing gnats peeuish wasps il-fauoured butterflyes What a vast throng of wormes there is and what a stench from thence exhales to heauen-wards O thou most burning Sunne who with daâ—ting of thy rayes heretofore didst sodainly scortch and wither the greene and flourishing Iuy soake and dry vp the noxious humour of concupiscence which enuirons the hart til thou hast quite exhausted al. The cloudy Pillar in times past detecting a farre off the snares of the Enemy as a faithful Guide of the way went before and conducted the people So let thy heauenly rayes of thy countenance strike then with a dread and horrour who haue the face or rather are so impudent as to dare once hostily to inuade the hart by thee so rescued saued and purchased for thy self Be there no night hereafter in this place but let a cloudles seren and perpetual day here raigne and as in the seats of the blessed Spirits the Sunne nor Phebe's face is to be seen but thou Sunne of iustice plac'd in the midst of a most bright and quiet Kingdome spreadst round about and sendst forth a glorious light so I beseech thee shine burne and flame forth in this little orbe of my hart O immense light O dateles and infinit verity of my God IIII. MEDITATION The preparatory Prayer Actiones nostras c. THE PRELVDE THe eyes of our Lord are more lucid then the Sunne more bright then lightning and yet saith he I wil suruey Hierusaelems with lamps b 1. Point Consider in IESVS his absence with how many and what mists of obscurities the hart of man is beset IESVS indeed is the true light which illumines a like the Angelical and sublunary world For as wel from Angelical spirits as humane minds with light diuinely shed he banisheth the darknes of ignorance and errours which shining forth anon giues euery thing it's price and estimation while the good the euil the profitable and hurtful are knowne distinguished as they are indeed and lastly thou maist easily discerne whither thou art black or white euen as the Sun arising giues to each thing its colours which the darke and sable night had confounded before 2. Point Consider then how powerfully IESVS as soone as admitted to enter into the hart expels banisheth al sinnes from the secretst nookes thereof to wit his most capital enemyes wherewith he would not haue any thing to doe and surely what society can be between light darkness Marke this also how aptly vices are expressed in the formes of Serpents owles toads dragons and what els in Styx or Libia is more vgly foule pernicious 3. Point Behold how the Angels are astonished seeing those monsters of vices so detected chased away by IESVS What madnes say they or blindnes is this of men to suffer so importune and vicious a pest to domineer and
that not a fly disquieted the Patriarch busy in this rites I wil not Lord I wil not haue my hart a Bethanues or Temple of Bel a pestered with flyes and ruining al with filthy corrupt goare where Belsebub giues forth his Oracles and exhibits himself awful and terrible to men in despaire of their saluation How I hate these direful and dreadful Sacrifices these rites Thy bloud O sweet IESV is alwayes red with purple and white with lylies intermixed For these two colours thou affect'st the purple red snowy vhite wouldst thy Cliens and deuotes addicted to them and to be known by them This bloud of thine to thirsty soules quenches their heat to hot and toyled spirits sends a humid breath to broken and dismaid harts giues fortitude and courage VII MEDITATION The preparatory Prayer Actiones nostras c. THE PRELVDE IN the midst of the Temple was placed a huge brazen vessel whÌ„ece many channels yssued forth apt to communicate their waters for the vse of Preists and Leuits where with they washed themselues when they went to sacrifice Weigh the munificence of God who thought it not enough for declaration of his famous and good wil towards vs to water the hart of man with his owne bloud vnles he left vs also a fountaine famous for seauen channels from whence the guifts of graces might plentifully prodigally flow into our minds to wit seauen Sacraments instituted to this end to wash vs to expiate our sinnes and to wipe al steynes from the hart 2. Point Consider the grace which flowes from the fountaines of the Sacraments to be a golden water which turnes al it touches into gold and that so powrefully and diuinely as there is not the least action of our life so it be sprinckled with the liquour of diuine grace which we ought not to make more reckoning of then of al the treasures and riches of the world as meritorious and worthy of eternal happines 3. Point Consider now how al graces merits depend of the only Sonne of God and thence â—re deriued by certaine pipes or aqueducts as from the rock or head of these liuing waters Wherefore we are most studiously to receiue and keep this liquour of grace least any whit thereof should breake from the bancks of our hart nor is any occasion of heaping merits to be omitted which we greedily reach or catch not at THE COLLOQVY TO the wounds of our Sauiour MY soule O God hath thirsted after thee vnles thou replenish it with heauÌ„ely waters who shal recreate or refresh it My soule is blacker then a coale who shal wash it whiter then snow vnles thou powrest forth thy grace into it which clearer then any chrystal fals from the streames of thy side hands and feet Oh sacred springs of Syloe infusing light to the blind Oh Springs of Elun which refreshed the heat of the people of Israel dying nigh with thirst amid those parched sands of that vast desert Oh rock smit cruelly with the tongue and hand of the Sinagogue a rock I say not exhaling flames of fire but powring out aboundant streames and flouds of benedictions which with a continued course accompanyed the pilgrime people into Palestine Oh you holsome Iourdan waters of Naaman flow with a copious channel into my hart that no locks or sluce at any tyme may hinder your course But your O you heauenly Ministers of God and mans saluation diue and plunge in this fountaine placed in the midst of the house of God those Ethiops our minds I say so vgly and deformed with the wretched colour of vices that by your meanes being rised and cleansed once they may issue forth like doues Amen Pater Ave. IESVS RVLES AND REIGNES IN THE louing deuout hart THE HYMNE OMightie Souer aigne if you please To deigne a looke view our seas Where harts like ships with wind tide Are sayling some at anker ride Some with waues and boystrous windes Tost to fro ' mongst them you find My floating hart with euery blast Of greife or of affliction past As ' t were immersed with in the maine But yet Greate Monarch if you deigne To be my Neptune or to guide The sterne of my poore hart beside The surges flying ore my decks Reigne in my hart let Hel play reks THE INCENTIVE 1. VVhen IESVS sits in the hart as in a Throne there commands the hart is a Paradise our cogitations affects desires are euen as Angels Cherubins yea Seraphins so here doe al things burne with diuine loue 2. God raignes nor rules not Sinne therefore swayes and beares the rule most tyrant-like and strikes and wounds the miserable hart already stretched on the cruel rack and torture with terrours scruples horrid spectres bestial appetits no hart but euen a Hel. 3. Little King great God tame my rebellious hart subdue it to thy heasts and eternally commaund it Surely I wil doe what I can to dedicate and consecrate it to thee doe thou defend the place wherein thou likest wel to be shut vp THE PREAMBLE to the Meditation THe pacifical Salomon in those dayes of old had built him a Throne of iuory six degrees or steps in height on both sides whereof watched a Lyon very exquisitly wrought the truest symbol of regal Maiesty and likewise for the people beneath in the midst of the Temple he erected a very eminent and stately Chapel And so to thee Immortal God the heauen is a Throne the earth a foot-stoole For thou sit'st as sacred scriptures tel vpon the wings of Cherubins whence thou giuest Oracles prescribest lawes to the world and euen with the only looke maiesty and state becomst most terrible to the haughtiest mids Hence thou exactst iust punishments from the damned hence thou inebriatst the blessed Citizens of Heauen with the nectaral honey of thy goodnes lastly hence thou carrousest cups mingled with the gal of iustice and honey of pure goodnes to the earth suspended betweene heauen and hel Besides in the triumphant Church the celestial spirits whom we cal Thrones are thy royal seat and in the militant the sacred Altar is thy lodging chamber where thou sweetly takest thy rest But nothing is thine owne so much or due vnto thee with a better title then the hart of man which with a low abasement of thy self and a singular obedience to thy father thou hast lawfully recouered and bought with the price of immense labour and paynes yea redeemed with thy bloud a shameful death on the Crosse. Here o pacifical Salomon thou rulest there thou commaunds with a beck in this soyle or seat as in thine owne dominion thou swayst in that manner as there is none so bold or of so impudent a face that dares vnbidden step in a foot or not touched with the point of thy golden scepter looke in a-doores Here thou hearest the humble suits and petitions of thy subiets here thou stiflest
alone foyled vanquished at once a huge army of the proud Senacherib Wherefore auant you hellish troops packe hence away fly vnto those darkesome vaults There is none of you that dares abide before the Tower of the hart where the armes of the Supreame Numen are now set vp in sight whereof the Angelical squadrons stand in battle array where not only horrour and dread but immâ—nent most present ruine waits vpon you For death himself at the sight only of the Crosse turnes his back sinne also takes his flight a long with him and both togeather with thâ—ir common Captain Sathan the deuil in great dispaire tumble headlong in the lowest Hel. XI MEDITATION The preparatory Prayer Actiones nostras c. THE PRELVDE Pvâ—â—â— as a signe vpon thy harâ— Be thou as wax for euery forme I vvil be the seale and imprint the armes of my passion in thee 1. Point In the coÌ„quered vaÌ„quished Tower of the hart the victorious Iesus placeth the trophies triumphs of his passion forsooth as Lord and Master of the place least any one hereafter may chance to chalenge it to himself or seek to inuade it 2. Point There can be no such force or power of teÌ„ptations which vvith the liuely appreheÌ„sion of these armes may not vtterly be defeated no aduersity so great which may not cheerfully be borne no such alluremeÌ„ts of worldly pleasures which with a generous loathing may not be reiected 3. Point How happy the soule which is nayled with Christ vpoÌ„ the Crosse how rich while vnder that wood are found to be the riches of Heauen earth how defensible secure against al the power of Hel being the imprenable Tovver of Christians whereon a thousand targets hang the whole armary of the stroÌ„g either to endure the shock of the enemyes or to assaile them THE COLLOQVY SHal be made by turniÌ„g the speach by way of Apostrophe to al the symbols of Christs Passion as nailes lance vvhips and also vnto Christ himself crauing most earnestly of him as wel to conserue in our minds the memory of those things which he hath suffred for our sakes as to admit vs into the society and communion of his most bitter chalice that we may also merit one day to enioy our part of glory eternal felicity Pater Aue. THE HART CONSECRATED TO THE loue of IESVS is a flourishing garden THE HYMNE IESVS thy power and gratious wil Is alwayes drawing good from il And life from death and ioy from grones And Abrahams childreÌ„ makâ—st of stones Behold a quick-set is my hart With thornes and bryars on euery parte One drop of bloud alone thou shedst Wil make a rose wheres'er thou treadst Oh may my hart sweet odours breath Of vertue Ah! thy thorny wreath That pearâ—'d into thy brayne made red And parple roses on thy head Then for my sinnes that I may mourne With roses grant a pricking thorne THE INCENTIVE 1. IF IESVS be in thy hart thou needst not feare the vnlucky accidents of man's life for he of very thornes makes sweetest roses 2. The most sweet odour of the white ruddy rose which IESVS is recreates and refreshes men and Angels kils the rauenous fowles Hence when the hart with IESVS is beset and closed in with roses sinne and the deuil get them far enough for they cannot abide the smel of them 3. Wilt thou be a soft couch wherein litle IESVS may like to repose and rest in let the Hart be crown'd with the roses of vertues with the snowy flower of innocence with the purple of patience and breath the frangrancy of true deuotion Here IESVS feedes here he sleepes THE PREAMBLE to the Meditation Ovr litle bed is flourishing our garden likewise is al beset with flowers Here the sweet smelling balme exhales an odoriferous breath here amid the snowes of lillyes the rose-grow al purple here Cinamon with safron cassia mixed with mirrh haue a fragrant odour with them there is nothing here that breathes not admirable sweetenes to the smelling Come therefore O loue of my hart my beloued that feedst among the lillyes who delightst in flowers come into the sweet delicious bed or rather if thou wilt walke the spacious allyes of the orchard and in the walkes Oh my Sun dart those fruitful rayes of thine eyes and with thy sweetest breath more gentle then Zephirus inspire an odoriferous soule into the flowers wherewith my hart being hedg'd in like garden-plot euen smiles vpon thee Here the humble violet fairer for her lownes euen wooes thee with her soothing flatteryes the higher sending her odours as she stoopes the lower a noble symbol of a lowly mind which vertue as a first begotten daughter thou hast kissed from the cradle and tenderly embraced Here the lilly rising somewhat higher from the ground amidst the whitest leaues in forme of a siluer cup shewes forth her golden threads of safron in her open bosome a noble Hierogrisike of a snowy mind a candid purity and a cleane hart which now long since haue been thy loues for hence that strange obsequiousnes of thine in those thy yonger dayes seeking and complying so with thy Virgin-Mother Here now besides the pourpourrizing rose the flower of Martyrs dyed with the sanguine tincture of their bloud represents that incredible loue which put thee o loue piously cruel and nayled thee on the Crosse so as it is lesse to be wondered it should dare so afterwards to cast the martyrs into flaming furnaces into cauldroÌ„s of melted lead into burning fires with liuing coales load them with Crosses gibbets punishments and take away those actiue soules which yet these generous and noble Champions very willingly lay'd downe of their owne accord Here also that bitter mirrh but bitter now no more whose chiefe force consists in preseruing bodyes from corruption distils those first teares of hers more bitter then the later ones that follow after but so much sweeter as more powerful This shewes and represents those teares sighes pressures labours which thy dearlings Confessours MoÌ„ks Anchorites haue taken voluntarily vpon theÌ„ while in the doubtful course of this life the pious Pilgrims hyed them to the heauenly countrey But O most sweet IESVS to rauish thee aboue the rest with admiration and his loue the heliotropion of my hart that flower the genuine image of the Sun conuerts it-self to thee whom therefore so assiduously it followes for hauing so from nature such a hidden force and sympathy with that eye of the world the parent of al light In this flower doe nestle harts enflamed with thy loue whose voyce is euen the very same with that of thy Spouse My beloued to me and I to him Deliciate thy self then IESV the delight of my hart amidst these amenityes of flowers and from those fragrant odoriferous garden beds let the blessed Spirits thy companions weaue them coâ—onets delightful garlands more pleasing I dare say to thy diuine Maiesty then
amost mightie conquerour and victorious Captain with those 24. Seniours in the Apocalips are we to offer vp our crownes palmes laurels with this solemneverse of theirs Benediction and clarity and thancks gi-uing honour and vertue and fortitude for euer and euer be to IESVS the Conquerour and triumpher to come Amen Pater Aue. IESVS CELEBRATES THE HEAVENLY Nuptials in the hart THE HYMNE THe nuâ—tâ—al supper now I see O happy soule preparâ—â—d for thee The table 's coâ—erd but what seaâ— Hast thou for thy repose What meat Except a Lamb I nothing find The amourous Spouse is now so kind That what â—e fed thee with before From th' eye shal be conceal'd no more As with a fleece in species white He long in earth appear'd in sight As with a fleece by grace gaue heat But now behold the Lamb thy meat In â—im repose freed from annoy By seeing comprehend enioy THE INCENTIVE 1. IESVS the bloudy Spouse or Spouse of bloud leads his beloued whom now long since he purchased with the price of his life vnto the Nuptial supper of the Lamb into the heauenly Bride-chaÌ„ber The hart therefore who admires not is the banqueting roome of these Nuptials and the Bed-chamber of the Spouse IESVS himself 2. It is a supper truly because these ioyes are not affoarded til after the toyles of the day and labours past Expect not lampes here hanging on sumptuous and precious seelings These Pallaces shine within and without sunne moone and starres The Lamb himself is the lamp within and he the banqueâ— Host and Ghest who is the Spouse 3. Seest thou this royal Table here These things are al prepared for thee Seekest thou daintyes Hardly are thy seen of mortal eyes Such as sit downe here are alwayes feeding they drinke without gluttony are alwayes satiated and yet a-thirst without any loathing or irksomnes at al. Behold al things are ready Come to the wedding the Spouse cals THE PREAMBLE to the Meditation IESVS receiues the soule whom he gratiously beheld though fowly dight with her immundityes before and now hauing cleansed her with purging waters and adorned with feminine brauery takes her I say not only to his Spouse but if she keep her holily and chastly to him casting her out of the most miserable banishment of this life he leades her vnto the great solemnity of the Nuptials into the heauenly house of his Father where he tyes her eternally to him with an indissoluble knot of wedlock Whereto belongs that sacred Epithalamium Let vs reioyce and exult and giue glory to him because the Nuptials of the lamb are come and his Spouse hath made herself ready and she hath had giuen her shining and whâ—e silke to weare Yt is surely a great matter to be reckoned of the family of the King of Kings more to be accounted among his freinds and familiars but most of al to beheld the Sonne of God the brother and coheyr of Christ I wil speake more boldly yet this same is surely more honourable then al these to be called in the weding the Spouse or Wife of the Lamb that is partaker in a manner of his bed and bord companion of his throne crowne And this is that honour if I be not deceiued which the Prophet Esay meanes I wil giue then a place in my house and within my wals and a better name then sonns and daughters For children being but a slender part or portion of parents chalenge and retayne indeed much of their right and substance from them but for man and wife so great is the society and community between them of their whole life of al their goods and titles and they are bound together with so streight a tye as how farre so euer they be asunder yet are held to be as is were in one place and al one which happens also in the celestial wedlock of IESVS with the soule For who adheares to God is in al one spirit with him as the Apostle hath taught Whence it is that the soule perfectly vnited with God is not only diuine but in a certaine manner if I may so say is made God And hence is al whatsoeuer it is which is surely very great that dignity profit and sweetnes of these nuptials For looke whatsoeuer els besides haue any connexion with them doe al euen flow from thence as from an endlesse spring of al good and beatitudes especially those three to say nothing of those of the body to wit the most singular and eminent dotes of the soule espoused wedded to IESVS as Vision Comprehension Fruition Which are not procured her either of parents or nature it-self but being so poore a Spouse are most bountifully affoarded her by IESVS the Spouse himself as with Kings is wont when they match with any of low degree most richly to endow their beloued Spouses by reason of their nuptials had between them But in reguard these things of themselues are greater then can be worthily weighed by vs much lesse expressed the diuine Scriptures doe lightly shadow at least and adumbrate in a sort al the excellencies and delicious fruits thereof with the pleasant and most apt figure for our capacity of royal nuptials and a wedding supper The reason is for that no noises of affaires negotiations nor cares which commonly fal out by day doe not trouble or disturb the peace and delights of suppers for the feasts of royal Nuptials they vse especially to be very curious and dainty indeed where no part of the senses abounds not with exquisite delights Here the eyes are fed with various Emblems of the tapistries of the Hal most gallant to behold with the gorgeous apparel of the Ghests and waiters also with the gold of the plates and iewels of the whole furniture there Here the eares are charmed with the artificious harmony of musical instruments voyces Here the sent most sweetly is perfumed with the delicate odours of flowers and herbs and boxes ful of the sweetest oyntmeÌ„ts the palat seasoned relished with delicious wines and the daintyest viands purchased with the greatest study and industry and sought for farre and neere by al the exquisit meanes that may be deuised and dressed especially by the rarest Cookes Lastly to the end the sense of feeling the most brutish sense of al the rest might not want it 's peculiar delights also the touching hath its proper delectation from the softnes of downy beds and curious carpets from the feathers and downe of swans and the like Let vs runne ouer a while if you please the gardens pictures of the great Assuerus that from that feast the royallest perhaps that euer was in the memory of men by ghesse at least we may gather in some manner what a baÌ„quet it is which IESVS furnisheth forth in the hart of his Spouse He then as wel to shew the riches of the glory of his Kingdome and the greatnes and the