al the celestial Hierarchies there and Mother of the supreme Monarck and Creator of euery thing Neither-doth her dominion terminate or end heere but as she is Queene of Angels and of Heauen so also is she of Earth the Inhabitants thereof and for this reason the Diuines cal her frequently Regina mundi the Queen of earth S. Gregory often intitles her to the name of Lady of al Christians so with good reason may she bee who was so great a part of our redemption for God had neuer been made man but for her and consequently had neuer suffered for vs nor gone through with the worke of our redemption which ought to be a powerful Motiue to induce vs to honour and reuerence her Nay euen the very diuels themselues do dread her power at the sole inuocation of whose name they al are put to flight When I pronounce but Aue Maria sayes the deuout S. Bernard the Heauens do smile the Angels reioyce the world exults hel trembles and the diuels are in dismay S. Bridgitt in the first booke of her Reuelations sayes that the B. Virgins rankes and dignity in heauen is so supreme as the diuels are constrained to honour it and she addes That as often as any shal be molested by their temptations let them but inuocat her sacred name and presently they al shal vanish and be put to flight of whose sole Command they more stand in awe then of al their torments so as whensoeuer she vndertakes the cause of any soule they dare not withstand her in it as witnesseth this story registred in the Promptuary of her Miracles and taken out from thence by Pelbert in his Stellary of the B. Virgin There was a man sayes he of a nature so euil inclined and peruerse as he neuer was exercised in any good but only in some few reuerences and praiers which he daily offered vp to the B. Virgin This man though often inspired to leaue his wicked life was yet so farr from it as he persisted more obstinat in it euery day vntil at last in drawing his latest breath he imagined himself hurried by a crew of diuels with horrible noyse and howlings vnto the tribunal of the Iudge where they demaunding iustice and the Iudge putting them to declaration of the cause they clearly proued him a most wicked man and as such desired sentence should be giuen on him When the B. Virgin standing vp in his defence declared whatsoeuer good she had knowne by him like a most faithful Aduocate but scarce had she finished her speech when in an insolent manner the diuels argued against her thus is this al you are able to say for him vnlesse you defend his cause better then so and bring more proofes of goodnes in him what for his bad wil become of him may be easily seen heere he began to add vnto the list of his offences thousands and thousands more when the B. Virgin seeing their number so great as by the way of Iustice there was no hope for him shee strait addrest her selfe by that of mercy and prostrating her selfe before the Iudges feete no sooner he had raised her vp but she began if these pretenders to Iustice sayd shee were interessed in the cause more then out of malice they should carry it and I would not so much as dispute it with them but to what end al this long recapitulation of crimes what concernes it them whether your inspirations were obeyed or no or since when haue they been soe iealous of your honour that they should care so much where you were dishonored certainly if there be any fault it is cheifly theirs and if there be any offence it is only yours it is you only whom he hath offended and to you alone he is ready to make satisfaction not with any boast of merit or that he stands on iustifying his cause but with repentance in his heart teares in his eyes sighs in his mouth to obtaine of your mercy what of iustice he cannot hope for I cōfesse the quantity quality of his crimes are so enormious great that they deserue nothing but death dānation but if my prayers were euer powerful with you now hear my prayers for him and by these breasts which had the honour once to giue you sucke I coniure you for so many drops of milke you haue receiued from them to bestow one drop of bloud of the aboundance you haue shed for sinners to washe this man from his sinnes for his life hereafter I wil vndertake so as you wil pardon what is past for I see al signes of a repentant sinner in his heart his eyes and al and concluding heere with a profound reuerence the Iudge remained a while with his eyes fixt vpon the ground in great suspence now weighing the mightines of his crimes now of her power that interceded for him whilst either part was wauering betwixt hope and feare at last lifting vp his eyes casting them on her with a gracious regard Though it be exceeding much you aske said he yet were it much more I could not deny it such an intercession for your sake then I pardon him this once but neuer let him hope for pardon againe if he abuse it now hauing sayd this the diuels confounded departed with horrible cryes saying We knew wel enough what would be the end of it shee euer hath the better of vs and 't is our folly to contend with her she is too powerful an Aduocate and too gracious with the Iudge so they vanished away and the poore man returning to himself againe recounted to al this horrible vision and deceiuing the Phisicians for his corporal health and the diuels for his spiritual he recouered both making of either such vse for the time to come that he entred into Religion and there to his dying day ledd a most holy life By which we may see the preciousnes of the sacred bloud of Christ our Lord and how preualent with him and powerful ouer our aduersaries is his Glorious Mother and our most faithful Aduocate Of the great honour we owe to the B Virgin for her being our most deare and merciful Mother CHAP. VI. THE Blessed Virgin standing at the foote of the Crosse on Mount Caluary accompanied with S. Iohn Our Sauiour Christ beholding her with a pittiful and gracious eye sayed vnto her Woman behold thy sonne meaning S. Iohn and then addressing his speech to him he sayd Behold thy Mother from that time sayes the holy Scripture he made account of her as his owne and to the end of his life obserued her accordingly From hence the learned gather this great mystery how our Sauiour in recommending her vnto S. Iohn for his Mother commended al the faithful vnto her for her children for if S. Iohn say they represented them al as there is no doubt of it the B. Virgin being assigned him for Mother was likewise assigned vnto al Christians Whereupon S. Bernard fals into
and may need the wiping away of it As for Mortal sinne by the grace of Alm. God we may preserue our selues vntouched by it as many good Religious do euen to the vttermost period of their dayes but for venial it is impossible nor is there any of Adams descendants that at some time or other haue not falne into it The Apostles themselues although adorn'd with richest sanctity were not exempted from it only the B. Virgin hath had this singular priuiledge aboue the rest as the holy Church conceiues of her in her Office You are all faire O B. Mary and there is no spot in you Now our B. Sauiour for the cleansing vs from the staynes both of venial mortal sinne hath prouided vs of the remedie of the Sacrament of Confession And so S. Bernard sayes Ama Confessionem si affectas decorem Loue Confession as thou louest to be faire meaning that it is the imbellishment of a soule and so certainly there is nothing that more efficaciously purges the soule from vice then to frequent quent this holy Sacrament Al the Sacraments of the Church according as the Councel of Trent defines were instituted by our Sauiour Christ himselfe and had their first origin from his sacred side at what time both blood water came issuing forth and are so many rindets as it were by which his aboundant grace is deriued vnto vs. Let them therefore who frequent them make account especially this of Confession that they haue recourse by it to the ouer flowing fountaine of our Sauiours pretious bloud by vertue of which their soules are wash't and cleansed from the foulnes of their sinnes which the Apostle S. Iohn doth insinnuat where he sayes The bloud of our Sauiour Christ purges vs of our sinnes O how merciful and gratious hath God ben to vs the whilst how excessiue his loue to giue vs so pretious a remedy by which as often as we please we may be purged and cleansed from our sinnes and as often as we are dead in mortal sinne we may be reuiued and raysed to life againe passing from the death of sinne vnto the life of grace from vice to vertue from eternal paine vnto eternal blisse Of al deformities mortal sinne is that which renders a soule most deformed in so much as could we but see à soule in state therof we should euen die for horrour it would be a sight so feareful and hideous whereas no sooner it hath been cleansed by the sacrament of Penance but it produces againe a new beauty for mosity So S. Gregory the great sayes Could we but see a soule made to the resemblance of God euen in puris naturalibus we should admire it to adoration beleeue the Creatours beauty himselfe hardly superiour to it For which reason sayes the learned Tilleman God hath inclosed it in this corps of clay least it beholding it-self should be in danger of that Luciferian pride which was so many Angels perdition And for this cause those ancient Fathers of the Aegyptian deserts in eleuating their mindes to their soules high 〈◊〉 and taking the true altitude of their creatiōs were as it were alienated from themselues In so much as we reade of S. Antony as often as he was called on to pay the debt of nature either in food or sleep or any such corporal necessity he euen blush't for shame that so noble a substance as the soule should be interessed in such base reckonings Now if a reasonable soule be of it-selfe so beautiful what great addition must it needs receiue from the Sacrament of Penance which restoring it to its natiue luster add to it besides that of God Almighties supernatural grace Certainly there is no eloquence in the world can speak it sufficiently no liuing imagination can conceiue the hundreth part of its excellence The Sunne sayes S. Chrisostome with his cleare rayes doth not so illuminat the world as the Grace of Alm. God can do a soule Which that of S. Catharine of Sienna wel declares who hearing a Preacher once discoursing of the excellēcy thereof and how exceedingly it beautifyed a soule conceiued an ardent desire to behold a soule in Grace and aduantaged with al the beauties thereof Ful of this desire she was no sooner departed from the sermon but she hard a voice from heauen saying vnto her Catherine presently thou shalt see the fruite of thy desire and retiring her into her Oratory she there besought God for the performance of his promise and sodainly beheld a person of incredible Maiesty al Circled about with light and shining with clear splendours at the sight of which she was so rapt in admiration and reuerence as she presently prostrated her selfe before its feete with intention to adore it had it not with these words prohibited her Catherine for beare for I am not God as thou imaginest and who then answered the Saint I am sayd it the soule of a certaine Murtherer you prayed for not long since in seeng me ledd to execution who being new cleansed in the fire of Purgatory and going al purified to heauen after I shal haue left you satisfied of your desire by the commandement of Alm. God And after this time the holy Saint had a particular in fight by Alm. God bestowed vpon her of the natures of each soule and she was wont to affirme vnto her Glostly Father that if he sawe but the beauty of a soule she was assured he would spend 1000. 1000. liues for the sauing of one The grace of this holy Sacrament of Penance hath a wondrous vertue not only to purifie the soule confessant from the staines of finne but also to beautify it with good inclinations and from a slaue of sinne and vnapt for good to render it free expedite which we wil declare by an example out of Caesarius There was a learned Diuine say's he exemplar in al vertue called Thomas who approching to his end saw in a corner of his chamber the diuel appearing in a fearful shape to whom he with an vndanted couragc thus spake What art thou there cruel beast sayd he tel me I coniure the what amongst Christians is the thing which afflicts the most but he forbearing to answer him the holy man iterating his admiration in the name of God charged him to speake when at last the diuel thus answered him Know sayd he there is nothing in the Church of God afflicts vs more then the frequenting the Sacrament of Confession seeing when a man is in mortal sinne he is as it were bound hand and foote wholy disabled from doing any good and when he repayres to Confession those bonds are broken and he is restored to liberty againe and so certainly sinnes are nothing else but so many chaines which tye vs as it were vnto the gates of hel and so the Priest in the act of Absolution sayes I absolue thee from thy sinnes and a mighty power the Confessours hath or rather a mighty loue our Sauiour
wil you destroy nature with your superfluous watchings thus Do not you know the night was ordain'd for man to rest and that sleep is the principal stay and support of life Alasse you are yet in the April of your yeares haue a care then of your self be ruled by me if not for your owne sake at least for your Orders whose safety wholy depēds on yours you are of a strōg robustious complexion promising a long life if you shorten it not by your indiscret austerityes beleeue it these extrauagant deuotions are infinitly displeasing to Alm God who in al things is most delighted with mediocritie The Saint hearing this and by this discouering the malice of the wicked Enemie to delude him by a false suggestiō suddainly started vp and al naked ran to the adioyning wood where he so long rowled him self amōg the sharpe thornes bristy thistles til the bloud issued amaine frō euery part of him when in mockery of his body now said he had it not been better for you to haue attended stil to the suffrings of your God then to suffer this for attending to the Enemy He had no sooner vtter'd this but instantly behold a cleer light spred it-self ouer al the wood and chasing darknes thēce on the one side he saw the ground al icye for it was in the hart of winter and on the other close by the thornes he embrewed in his bloud the white and red rose freshly springing whilst the Angels in multituds made a lane for him from that place vnto the Church singing in triumphant manner as he went Goe happy Francis goe where thou art expected by the King and Queen of Heauen and he knew it was no illusion by their so miraculously reuesting him a new then gathering fower and twenty of those Roses mixt of either sort he went towards the Church treading on riche tapistry al the way the Angels as we said before making a lane for him on the right hand and on the left where being arriued he beheld our Sauiour seated accompanied as in the former apparition when with al low submission casting him as his feete Most sacred Maiestie sayd hee before whom both heauen and earth do homage it pleased your goodnes to grant mee formerly a plenary Indulgence in that manner as I desired it now my petition is you would appoint a certaine day for the obtaining of it and this for your most deare and gratious Mothers sake Our B. Sauiour thus answered him Francis thy deserts are such I can deny thee nothing wherfore I grant thee thy petition and appoint the first of August to be it then the Saint rendring him al possible thankes replied but how O Lord shal this bee divulged vnto the world or on whose faith wil they take on trust so great a miracle For that said our Bl. Sauiour be it my care to prouide in the meane while haue you recourse againe to my Vicar heer on earth carrying with you eye-witnes of this apparition one of your brothers with some of those Roses you haue gathered there and feare not you shal see your desires accomplished In this amiable sweet and admirable manner was granted to Holy S. Francis the famous Indulgence of our Lady of Portiuncula by the soueraige Monarch of Heauen and earth a grace so great a fauour so sublime as neuer was heard of neuer mortal man receaued the like By which and the fore mentioned Institution of the Rosary by the great Patriarch Saint Dominick wherby his Order hath been so much ennobled may cleerly be perceiued how extraordinarily this bountious Ladye recompences them who serue her affectionally and faithfully THE III. PRIVILEDGE Hovv the B. Virgin helps and Comforts her faithful seruants in their afflictions THE third Priuiledge this heauenly Lady honors her fauourits which is neuer to be wanting to them in their afflictions a thing which neither ought nor can be doubted of For if she loues them and if she loues by effects to shew it what greater effects of it then in their most necessitous times to receiue and succour them or when is the tyme to declare ones loue and affection if not then A true frende loues at al tymes sayth the holy Ghost and a brother is tried in affliction and can wee thinke any in heauen or earth more true to those she loues then the B. Virgin is or that in her affection she serues the times loues not so wel in pouerty as in riches in sadnes as in mirth in aduersity as in prosperity Oh no A true freind alwayes loues but especially in time of affliction for that is the touch stone of true freindship indeed and then she shews hers most What a happines what a felicity is it then for those who loue serue her faithfully to haue so powerful a freind as she who when the burthen of misery lies heauiest on vs can lighten vs when we are deseruing more of pittie then of loue out of pittie loues vs more and who lastly in the dark passage of death where so many leese their way leads vs safely out of it and not forsakes vs then when al the world besides forsakes vs but comforts vs on our death-beds when al in this life turnes to our more discomfort which we did most affect and stands vnto vs when whole legions of diuels are beseidging our souls sheilding vs from euery harme now defending vs from impatience by assuaging our griefes or fortyfijng our mindes against it now from sorrow with the ioy she brings vs now from despaire with the assured hope of our saluation and finally with a new re-inforcement of Angels puts al our Infernal enemies to flight The glorious S. Antony of Padua as is recorded in his life when he was assalted with any temptation vs'd no other weapon then to repeate this Hymne of hers O gloriosa Domina c. when presently he should come off with victory As it happened one day when being at his prayers the diuel at defiāce stil with al good workes set so furiously on him and strayn'd his throat so cruel hard as he had almost strangled him til the Saint hauing recourse to his accustomed armes inforc't him to leese his hold In like manner al the article of his death being prepar'd vnto it before with al the sacraments and saying with his brethren the seuen penitential Psalmes he concluded al Deuotions with that to which he was euer so deuout O gloriosa Domina c. when behold the B. Virgin appeared vnto him infinitly cōforting him with her apparition and adding to the Consolation of it the sight of her deare sonne and his deare Lord at which with incredible ioy he deliuered his soule into his Bl. hands Go reade al histories search into al records see if you can find any that euer trusted her with their confidence and were deceau'd who inuoked her in their necessities and were not releiued by her so as we may wel applye those words of
the Wise man to her and say Behold al yee nations of men and Know that none hath plac't their trust in this soueraine Lady been Cōfounded And could we but see rising from their sepulchers al those who haue been deuoted to her and could Demand of them where euer she had fayld ' them at their need or no Infallibly they would al with one accord say with S. Bernard cōuerting themselues towards her Let him be silent O Bl. Virgin who can say you wer euer wanting to them when they inuoked you in their necessityes We wil add another Example taken out of Scala caeli of a high miraculous straine exemplifying this priuiledge to the life and so conclude it A certaine Matron of excel-cellent endowments and much deuoted to the Queene of heauen sending her sonne to serue a certaine Prince in whose seruice his father had spent his life charg'd him before he went by al the tyes by which Heauen and nature had obliged him to her to be deuout vnto the B. Virgin in al his necessities to implore her ayde and neuer omit dayly at least to say vnto her honour an Aue Maria with that short prayer O B. Virgin bee propitious to me at the houre of death This he faithfully promised and being at Court inuiolably obserued though for the rest Youth easily falling into disorder and the Court being a place most slippery this yong Gentleman frequenting the societies of some deboished ones soone tooke the taint of their societies and became as deboish't as they and as there is no stay in wickednes when one is falling once at last he was so deepely plunged in it as the Prince when no admonition would serue the turne first banish't him his presence then his Court and last of al his territory Impatient for this disgrace and conuerting that was intended for his cure vnto his great maladie what did this desperat youth but associat himselfe with certaine theeues who harbouring in the woods infested al the Prouinces about and was soone chosen their Captain when hauing a more spatious feild to exercise his wickednes in he soone became so ingeniously fierce so wittily cruel as in fiercenes and cruelty he excelled them al sparing no humane creature and no sort of inhumanity But see Heauens instice which comes with the greater force vpon vs the greater turne it makes ear it comes at vs. He raigned some yeares thus in his wickednes til at last it was his fortune to be taken and deliuered vp bound hand and foot to the publick Magistrate by them to prison where the same day he was condemned to die of this hauing secret intelligence strait as if the maske of his wickednes were but then taken off he began to perceaue the vglines of it so as to detest it be wayle and curse his fortune and euen waxe desperat for the greefe and shame it had brought vpon himself and his family When behold while he was in this dispose of minde there entred dungeon a man of mightie stature and horrible aspect who addressing himselfe vnto him Offered if he would be ru'ld by him to free him thence and who are you sayd he almost freed by his promise from the feare of his apparance I am the diuel sayd he sent hither by my Prince to deliuer you obey but his commands at hearing this without any long delay the prisoner as it is ordinary with wicked men to preferr the safety of their bodyes before their soules answered What-so'ere you are you wil oblige me by so great a benefit to what soeuer you demand then first said the diuel you must renounce Iesus Christ his merits and al the principality he hath ouer you I doe sayd he and it suffices to haue found a Prince of your Maister so ready to pleasure me next you must renounce al the Sacraments communion with his Church and that too answered he Then to Mary his mother and al your hope of fauour and assistance from her at this he demurr'd and entring into himself call'd al his thoughts together in consult of what he had promised his Mother what he had performed til then when resolued at last he answered that he would neuer doe farr be it from me sayd he how neere soeuer my life be cōcern'd in it to offer such an affront to my deare Patronesse and so to iniure her who so hath obliged me No rather I offer her my self if she daine to accept it whether she would haue me liue or die to be wholy and absolutly at her dispose Confounded with this his resolution the diuel vanished when he touched vnto the quick with a repentance for his hainous offences against his Lord Sauiour at first began to weep sigh most bitterly then had his recourse to the ordinary refuge of sinners the Mother of God saying vnto her with a sobbing voice a thousand times interrupted by his greefe O most sacred Mother of mercy haue pitty on me miserable sinner and do not quite reiect me from before your sight I aske not of you deliuerāce from my bonds I beg not of you to saue my life for that cōsidering the heinousnes of my crimes were too much for me to aske and you to grant I only hūbly craue you would obtaine for me pardō of my sinns of your B. Sōn and assist me as I haue often petitioned you at the houre of my death in this sorrowful and deuout manner he past al night and the day was no sooner come but he sent for a Confessours and confest him of al his sinnes this done he was led forth to execution the poore soule vpon his way euer calling vpon the Blessed Virgin his Patronesse to assist him at that time of neede On the way it was his chance to passe by a litle Chappel where was erected a statue of our B. Lady which he beholding vehemently cried out sighing in most dolorous māner O thou hope of sinners help me the Image at this aduanc't a litle and in sight of al the people fauourably beckened vnto him with the head which he perceiuing besought the Magistrate he might be suffred to approach vnto it and kisse its feete in thankfulnes for so great a fauour which being graunted him behold iust as he bowed downe to kisse its feete the Image laid hold of him and held his arme so fast as al the force the Officers vsed could not take him thence the people beholding so great a miracle presently al cried out a pardon a pardon deliuered him whether the Magistrate would or no in presence of whom he made the ful relation of al his passed life praysing and glorifying God in his B. Mother for it whence returned into his Countrey he became so reformed a man as he became as remarkable afterwards for goodnes and vertue as he had been before for vice and wickednes From this History we may vnderstand that the Mother of God is neuer wanting to her seruants in their
middest of this foule weather and fowler wayes why answered the father againe it seemes to me I spye a house some quarter of a league hence where perhaps we may be lodged for God Alm s sake I know it wel said the father but it wil be ill coming thither for vs the Maister of it being a wicked man no freind to God nor to his seruants and such an enemie to himself as for these 30. yeares as the report goes he hath neuer been at Confession howsoeuer sayd the Father let vs goe for there is no remedy now and God is neuer wanting to his seruants at such necessitous times as this So they sett on towards the house where being arriued and asking a lodging for God Alm s sake the Mistres of the place moued with compassion to see them in such pitious plight tould them her husband was forth a hunting and for her selfe she was desirous to accommodat them with al her hart but if her husband came to haue notice of it either of them should incurr his greeuous displeasure by it she for receiuing them and they for being receiued but come what would she durst not deny them for God Alm s sake and had rather then fal into his displeasure incurr her husbands by it a thousand times so shee entertained them in a more remote part of the house with the greatest secrecie and charitie she could In the meane time her husband returning from the chace finding al things prepared against his cōming home sate downe to supper where he was plentiously serued whilst the goodnes of his appetite equaled the goodnes of the prouision his wife considering the wants of the poore Religious men in comparison of the plenty which was there could not but expresse some sorrow for it in her countenance which her husband obseruing asked her wherefore she was so sad and she a while excusing her selfe at last he more more importuning her she plainly tould him vpon his promise he would not be offended with it how she had entertayned those poore Religious men in their extreame necessity for God Alm s sake preferring by it the feare of God before the feare of him and how whilst they by the fire side were plentiously feasting it those poore soules pinched with hunger cold were ready to starue to death the cōpassion of whose incommodities with reflexion on their commodities the while made her so sad and sorrowful in her minde and hauing this discouered with teares in her eyes her husband was so moued thereat as he presently arose from the table and commanding they should be fetcht into the roome he himself went out to meete them and welcomed them with such signes of affection as for his owne mother he could not haue expressed more this moued the wonder of al that were present there but much more that which followeth when he seeing their garments hang al frozen stiffe about them and their feete and leggs chapt through the extremity of cold was so moued thereat as he presently seating them by the fire caused a bath of hott water to be brought and he himselfe washed their feete then after he had a while refreshed them there he comanded a chamber next his owne to be prepared for them whither hauing conducted them he addressing himselfe vnto the father sayd My good father resolue me I beseech you in curtesy whether one who hath liued al his life a greeuous sinner and yet hath neuer Confest him his sinns may possibly be saued There is no doubt Sir answered the Religious man but whosoeuer with requisite penance for his sinns satisfies the iustice of Alm. God may arriue at last to his saluation for so God hath sayd At what time soeuer a sinner shal repent him of his sinnes he should liue If it be so replied the Gentleman for Gods sake oblige me so much as to heare my Confession the good father exceeding weary and opprest with sleepe considering it a worke of much time to heare the Confession of such a one as he encouraging him in his good desires desired him to deferr it til morning when he might at better leisure examine his Conscience and consider more maturely of what he was to do but who can assure me answered the Gentleman to liue til the morning but for that as it pleaseth God and so he retired him to his rest meane while the Religious man moued with an extraordinary solicitud of this his new Converts saluation was no sooner at priuacy in his chamber but casting himself vpon his knees he besought Alm. God to dispose al that concerned him for his greater good and thereupon be tooke himself to his bed where in the profoundnes of his sleepe he beheld in vision the Angels and diuels at great debat about the soule of this Gentleman newlly deceased the one challenging it to be theirs the other denying it the diuels alleadging for their side the many and greeuous crimes he had cōmitted in his life the Angels for theirs some slight and few good workes which he had done but with soe litle successe as the Iudge was euen vpon the point of giuing iudgement for his condemnation when his Angel Guardian interposed and sayd I beseech your diuine Maiestie remember what I had almost forgot the charitable entertaiment he gaue to those Religious men but yester-night and I trust it wil more then incite you to pardon him at this the Iudge demurring at last in consideration of this one act of his he gaue sentence for his saluation and so his accusers departed frustrat of their intents Heer the vision vanished and the Religious man starting out of his sleepe called to his Companion saying My brother my brother the Gentleman of this house is dead and which is more is saued and heere he related to him the whole progresse of his vision Hereupon they both rose and calling to them of the house aduertised them of what had happened telling them for certaine that the Maister of the place was dead at this al were wonderfully amazed and his wife the most afflicted woman in the world not so much for his temporal death as his eternal which withgood cause she feared til the Religious assured her that he was saued and that by the same meanes he came to the knowledge of his death by the same he vnderstood of his eternal life So a great part of her sorrow being taken away the rest she bestowed vpon his Obsequies al that either knew his life or death admiring in it the wonderful meroies of Alm. God From this Example let sinners take Instruction to be alwayes charitable to the poore though their sinnes be neuer so many yet neuer to despaire of the sweet goodnes of Alm. God but cheifly let them learne from hence to correspond to the Inspirations of Alm. God and preuayle themselues of the occasions offered them by fauourable heauen for their conuersions eternal good for so did this Gentleman both in wil
this deuout exclamation O worthy of al admiration behold thy Mother c. for know thou if Mary be thy Mother Iesus Christ is thy brother his Father consequently thine then embrace thy happines in her And so assuredly it is God is our Father Our Father which art in heauen We are brothers to our Sauiour Christ Goe vnto my brothers c. sayes he to the holy Magdalen and for the B. Virgins being our Mother there can be no doubt at al and heare S. Anselme proving it Iesus Christ the sonne of Mary is our brother sayes he therfore consequently his Mother must be ours How much then ought we to reioyce and how excessiue great our contentment ought to be hauing for our Mother the Mother of God himselfe Queen both of heauen and earth And not only she is our Mother but a most benigne and gracious Mother sauouring of nothing but mercy and sweetnes exercising nothing but the works of piety and pitty towards vs. So as her most ordinary title is the Mother of grace and mercy Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae and so in that other Antiphon she is called Mater misericordiae c. where we who lye fighing and weeping in this miserable vale of teares implore her aide and gentle pittie of our calamities And wherefore is it that in euery publick place her Image occurr vnto our eyes holding her sacred Infant in her armes but only to signify she is alwayes in actual Tendring of him vnto vs for our good as if she would saye heer take my sonne and the sonne of the Eternal Father who for your sakes descended from heauen to earth and putt on the vestment of humanity in which he sufferd so many indignities euen at last to vndergoe an ignominious death feare not but approach vnto him heer with confidence he is al gratious al pittiful and affable and if your sinnes deterr you from comming neare remember how to make you great he is become a little infant and their angers are euer easily appeas'd on my word take him then and enioy him as a guift frō me whose possession can not but much aduantage you and to render your selfe more worthy of the interest in him wholly renounce al interest in vice and casting your selfe humbly at his feete resigne vnto him your hart and your best beloued desires and in recompence thereof he wil bestow on you a lasting good and happines aboue the iniury of death or time O happy and a thousand times happy are those soules who harken to these silent invitations of hers and hauing recourse vnto her in al their afflictions know how to prevayle themselues of her benignity let them assure themselues they shal neuer finde the gates of her liberality shutt nor sitt downe with a repulse of what soeuer they law fully desire God forbit sayes deuout S. Bernard that I should thinke you can euer abandon those who haue placed theyr Confidence in you And Theophilus in the Booke intitled The mirrour of the B. Virgin is introduced saying I know O soueraine Lady your Care of vs how excessiue great it is for who euer hath hoped in you and been confounded who euer implored your aide and been abandoned And to this purpose is that saying of Origen I hould for certainly true that the B. Virgin being instantly beseeched for any thing is neuer wanting to the necessities of him who beseeches her for that she is al mercy and so ful of grace and therefore she cannot choose but haue Compassion of those who craue her helpe Excellent words and able to animat the most desperat to a hope of his saluation and allay the most outragious affliction which was euer in any breast Being our Mother then she cherished vs with a maternal loue and hath more care of vs then euer any Mother had of her only child neuer fayling vs with succour in our necessities assistance in our dangers comfort in our afflictions nor finally deliurance from any euil what soeuer when soeuer with confidence and deuotion we importune her for it So is she our aduocate in heauen with Alm. God where she gladly vndertakes our protection defends our cause procures to assure vs the possession of Eternal blisse and finally neglects no occasion of putting vs faire with her B. Sonne and working vs into his grace In consideration of the great prerogatiue we haue in heauen by such an Agent for vs S. Bernard encourages man to present himselfe without feare before Alm. God Go Go with Confidence saies he before the throne of his diuine Maiestie where the sonne beholds the Mother and the father the sonne the sonne shews his father his hands and feete and side al wounded the mother vnto her sonne her sacred breasts that gaue him suck so as there is no feare of a repulse where so many signes of loue and charity are But yet this is not al nor doth this careful Lady and Mother of ours only procure vs fauours but she assures them vs by appeasing her Sonne when we haue offended him and reconciling his loue vnto vs againe but for her how often had the world been thundred by that iust Iudge aboue how often had the soules therein for their offences been precipitated and cast downe head long into Eternal hel Of which a more cleare example cannot bee then that memorable visiō of S. Dominick who praying one night behold in vision our Sauiour Christ seated at the right hād of his Alm. Father al inflamed with wrath furie holding three terrible thunderbolts in his hand ready to discharge on earth in punishment of three sinnes then frequently raigning amongst men Pride Auarice and Luxury when the Blessed Virgin to mitigate his wrath prostrating her selfe before his feete and straitly embracing them I appeale I appeale sayd she from this your anger how euer iust it bee vnto that wonted clemency of yours beseeching you by it if not absolutly to reuoke your sentence yet at least to surcease for a while the execution of it for alas what wil you do against whom do you prepare these armes and whose ruine haue you resolued vpon wil you annihilate your owne workmanship and bee the perdition of those whom you haue saued with so much cost of paine and bloud and would you replied her sonne hauing rays'd her vp seated her by his side would you haue such crimes as these vnpunished who would not then in hope of impunity committ them hereafter in despight of me no it were but to prostitute my Iustice to their abuse not to exercise it heere and now to pardon them were to make my pardon for euer more vile and contemptible why alas deare sonne sayd she as they are apt to offend so ar they to be sorry for it doubt not then but at your first summons of them to repentance they wil be obedient to it and to this effect behold heere ready two seruants of yours pointing out to S. Frācis and S.
the hand of your holy Angel to your sublime Altar in the fight of your diuine Maiestie c. And as they are assistant to vs during our liues so at our deaths are they much more powerfully defending vs from al the assaults of the Infernal Enemy as testifies B. Aloysius Gonzaga of the Societie of Iesus in that his deuout meditation of our Angel Guardian where hee sayes that our Angel Custos at the time of our death is most diligent in assisting vs against the Enemy preseruing vs cheifly from those two sinnes which are most incident to men in that article of time Infidelity and despaire to the end that making heer a happy end they may repaire with them to heauen vnto their euerlasting habitation And in prosecuting his discourse he sayes that as soone as the soule once is free from the captiuity of the body its Angel presently conducts it to the Tribunal of Alm. God animating and encouraging it on the way to put its cheifest confidence in the merits of the sacred bloud of our Sauiour Christ and if it chance the better to be purified from its sinnes to be adiudged vnto the purging flames he visits it often there comforts it brings it the suffrage and succour of those prayers and merits which are offred for it in the other world and encourages in middest of its suffrances with the hope it can not be long in suffering and in fine when the time is expired he conducts it out and al bright and purified leades it vnto heauen and in the twinkling of an eye presents it vnto Alm God to receaue from him the Crowne of eternal beatitud prepared from al eternitie for those who heer sighe after it in this vale of teares O happy and a thousand tymes happy is that soule which hauing been faithful to its Creator and pliant to his hand to be ledd whither soeuer his least motion carried it in following his good Angel for guide leauing the world ful of the vertue of his example arriues at last vnto that Kingdome of eternal felicity where with God and his Saints it shal for euer raigne But now touching the practise of this particular deuotion to our Angel Guardian first being assured that we are committed to his Regencie and that so noble and excellent a creature as al the eloquence of the world rather diminishes then add to its cōmendations vouchsafes to keep vs perpetuall company and defends vs from al euil with his careful watchings his comfortable aduise we are on our parts to endeauour a requital First by comporting our selues with al deuotion and due respect vnto his presence and next honouring him with al competent honour Let vs then consider if we stood perpetually in the sight of some earthly Prince or Monarke how careful we should be so to compose our outward behauiour as might render vs most grateful in his sight with how much more care and diligence ought we in the presence of our Angel Guardian to comport our selues Heare what S. Bernard sayes in explication of these words For he hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee to guard thee in al thy wayes c. O mortal man sayes he what reuerence what deuotion and confidence art thou to conceiue in thy breast from these comfortable words of the Royal Prophet reuerence in standing in presence of thy Angel deuotion for his loue of thee confidence for his care Be therefore vigilant neuer to exceed the bonds of thy respect while these holy spirits are alwayes in thy sight by the appointment of Alm. God himselfe attending them thy preseruation in al thy wayes and wheresoeuer thou art either in priuat or publique be alwayes careful neuer to commit that indecency before him which before me thou wouldest not doe Thus S. Bernard in his deuout and pious manner Secondly we are to honour them with these reuerences we haue formerly treated of which may be best performed when into priuat we haue retir'd our selues especially before we retire our selues to rest with a profound inclination we are to say Angele Dei qni Custos es mei c. beseeching him to keep vs in our sleepe from the assalts of the Enemy that euer watches to harme and mischiefe vs so when we awake we are to commend our selues vnto them that day following whatsoeuer busines we are to vndertake that it may sort a wished conclusion and we should do wel often to commend vnto them in some vocal manner a deuout conception of our hart in our occurrant necessityes beseeching them to assist vs in the mannage of this or that particular affaire This deuout custome had one Alexander Luzaqua an Italian Gentleman of a most holy and vertuous life that as often as he saluted any man he mentally intended that reuerence vnto his Angel Guardian whom he saluted and an excellent consideration it was to thinke a celestial spirit more worthy the salutation then an earthly worme Let vs imitate this deuotion and in saluting any say thus in our minds I offer this reuerence to the Angel Guardian that attends vpon him or he whom I salute And most happy it wil be for vs if we do so for by this meanes we shal indeare our selues in the loue and care of those B. spirits who can do more for our real aduancement and good then al the world besides Jn What manner We are to proceed in the exercise of these Adorations Worthily to honour the Mother of Alm. God CHAP. XIII VVE being composed of two parts the superiour inferiour of body and soule by the singular prouidence and goodnes of Alm. God that we might honour him with both both heer and in the world to come a great part of our corporal honour Consists in these fore sayd Adorations which not only the Saints haue practised but euen our B. Sauiour himself we oftē reade how he bowed of whom his knees vnto his eternal father and prostrated on the ground as namely the night preceding his Passion when according to the Euangelist S. Luke He kneeled and fel prostrated on his face And. SS Matthew Marke he prostrated on the ground by which words we may gather how our Sauiour reuerenced his eternal Father in spiritu veritate in spirit and verity with each part both of body and soule Let the deuout Christian then desirous to render honour to the B. Virgin accompany his interiour deuotion of the soule with the exterior of the body first when thou art retired in secret for so when thou wouldst Pray enter into thy chamber sayes the holy Scripture thou art to begin with this Consideration how excellent she is whom thou art to reuerence and the excellency of the reuerence thou exhibit'st to her which the whole Court of heauen take for highest honour to be imployed in And touching the exllency of her thou art to consider her large portion of glorie aboue al the other Saints and represent her to the eies of thy