Chronicles of S. Francis one of the most Exemplar patterns of deuotion to the B. Virgin as euer was This holy Saint in visiting a certaine Conuent somewhat remote had appointed him for companion one of raw yeares and rawer experience in Religion They being arriued at their iourneys end the Saint after some light refection retired himselfe some-what more early then ordinary to his repose the bitter to rise at the accustom'd houre of Mattins with the rest Meane while his Cōpanion singling out one of the Cōuent of as litle spirit as himself began with bitter inuectiues to inveigh against the Saint saying by way of mockery that he could eate drinke and sleepe with the best of them and euen to passion seek his owne commodities the whilst he kept them short enough and slinted them as he listed after many such idle misbe seeming speeches resolued at last to watch him narrowly that night whither he rose at the nocturnal Houres with the rest or no and so he did When behold about the second Vigil of night he might perceaue him rise take his way towards the adioyning Wood and following him stil with his obseruation at last he saw him fal prostrat on the ground directing many a sigh to heauen many a praier wing'd with the fire of loue vnto the Queene of heauen beseeching her of the fauour to let him see her B. Sonne iust as he was infanted into the world scarce had he vtter'd this when the B. Virgin al enuironed with celestial light appeared vnto him with incredible sweetnes presented him from her owne armes with her B. Sonn The Saint rauish't with so high a fauour and rendring al possible thanks for it began to vie kisses regards of him to the emulatiō of his mouth eies whether should take the more delight in him This amorous duel lasted til breake of day not only to the exceeding consolation of the S. himself but of that Religious too whē being constrained to restore his pretious burthen to his Mothers arme againe the visiō rauished At sight of this so diuine a miracle the poore imperfect Religious man was so moued edified as he threw him self presently at S. Francis feet beseeching him of forgiuenes for his fault which he humbly there confest and dying afterwards to his imperfections became to liue a perfect Religious man consummat in al vertue and perfection From these two examples results an infallible proofe of this first priuiledge the B. Virgins exceeding loue to those who hold deare her memory and employ themselues for her sake in works of piety whilst they become each day more faithful and feruent in seruing her And these are those shee most especially doth regard these are those shee most particularly doth protect neuer abandoning them vnlesse they abandon her vntil shee hath happily guided her to heauen Al with the deuout S. Bernard in thêse few words doth comprehend It is impossible for you B. Lady to forsake him who places his Confidence in you since you are the Mother of mercie it selfe Who would not endeauour then to the vtter most of his forces to be deuout to her who to gaine the fauour of such a Queene would not count it honour to seeke out al occasions of seruing her 't is no smal one I grant to ingratiate ones selfe with an earthly Queen but with the Queen of heauen 't is the greatest that can be imagined an honour not only to be preferred before al the greatnesses of the earth but al wee can receaue from any Saint in heauen And thus much may suffice for the first Priuiledge THE II. PRIVILEDGE Js that the B Virgin is most liberal and accustomed to bestovv frequent graces fauours on her seruants LOVE that is true perfect as daily experience teacheth is neuer satisfied in cherishing the thing beloued and obliging it by guifts and fauours euen to dispoile it selfe of al it hath most precious to giue vnto it So Ionathās loue to Dauid was so great as the scripture sayes of him Ionathan loued him as his very soule he pluck't off his richer garments gaue to him to paint his freindship forth in more liuely colours it adds He gaue him euen his sword his cincture and his bow Now if worldly loue hath such force ouer the harts of men what hath the diuine ouer the harts of the Saints in heauen especially of the B. Virgin who excels al men and Saints together in the perfection of loue Let vs vnanimously saye and acknowledge then that shee is so affectionat to those who honour her as shee neuer ceaseth showring on them the heauenly deaw of the most pretious guifts and richest treasures there for which reason she is deseruedly stiled by our holy Doctours the Treasuresse of al the riches in heauen and dispensatrix of al the guifts of God A dignitie to which his diuine Maiestie hath exalted her in heauen an honour to which aboue al his subiects he hath preferred her The keyes of euerlasting riches are in her hands the coffers of Paradise ful fraught with diuine treasures are at her command of which shee is nothing sparing but liberally giues to al that wil to al that aske to al that can pretend least right vnto them shee being most riche and powerful and her wil equaling her power both in heauen and earth To you al power is giuen sayes the mellifluous Doctor deuoutly discoursing with her both in heauen and earth so as you haue ability to do what you wil and so her selfe auowes how riche she is in diuine treasures where shee sayes The grace is in mee of al way and truth in mee al hope of vertue and of life And knowing how much they import vs her selfe inuites vs to demand them of her Come to mee al sayes shee who are desirous of mee and be replenish't with my generations See how ready our riche celestial Mistris is to make vs participant of her celestial riches and see how much she affects our good who offers vs so bountiously those goods and honours as are neither beholding to Time nor fortune Why doe wee tarry then why are wee then so slow why shake wee not off this dulnes that possesses vs doe wee feare perhaps a disdainful repulse from her a difficult accesse a fastidious regard ah no shee is so farr from it as shee is very sweetnes meeknes it selfe and there is nothing in earth or heauen more affable more courteous then shee as S. Bernard testifies of her where he sayes What humane fragilitie is it that feares to approch haue accesse to the Virgin Mary in whom is nothing austere or terrible but shee is al humanitie al ful of charitie and curtesie towards al. Let vs then with the common opinion of Doctors hold for certaine that whosoeuer hath recourse to her in their necessityes and duly implore her ayde are neuer by her frustrated of their hopes O sweet Lady says the ancient
Queene of this Vniuerse hath ouer it an absolut command and that al are to obey her and render her that honour and obeissance which from Vassals is due to those who are ouer them And in admiration of this power of hers was that deuout exclamation of holy S. Bernard O blessed Mary sayes he al power is giuen you both in heauen and earth do as you can do al that you desire Among al the title of Greatnes which our Mother the holy Church honours her with that of Queene of heauen she vses most frequently Lady of Angels Reginacaeli Domina Angelorum c. Now the greater the extent of ones Dominion is the greater euer is their power and magnisicence so as if one could attaine to the Dominion ouer al the world how absolute and vnlimited should their power to be and yet what is al this world to the Heauens amplitude which she is Lady of and where her subiects are perpetually honoring her so as we may say of her The Heauens declare the glory of Mary and the heauenly Courtyers take it for honour to obey her commands To conclude it is but litle we can say of her greatnes how great soeuer that litle may seeme to be and arriuing euen to admiration which euer there takes vp where humane knowledge leaues And so is it not an admirable thing that the whole roundour of the earth in comparison of the Heauens should be but as the center point compared to a mightie Spheare who can imagine then the immensity of that when the earth which containes Empires Kingdomes and Prouinces is so meere a nothing in comparison thereof Some are of opinion that the element of water is ten times bigger then the land the aire ten times bigger then the water the fire then that and so with proportion each heauen bigger then another c. And to giue you some dimme light of its magnitud the Moone which in lesse then a moneth surrounds its Orbe would be incircling the starry heauen according to the most expert of the Mathematiciens thirty sixe thousand yeares and more which notwithstanding compared to the Coelum empyreum or habitation of the Blessed is but a poore litle Circle for magnitud not worthy the speaking of For which reason some Authours are of opinion cited by Philip Diez that if a milstone were throwne from thence it would be a thousand fiue hundred yeares in falling down Who admires not in hearing this and cries not out with him O Lord I haue considered your workes and remaine astonished and out of my self with wonder One of the ancient Prophets in consideration of the greatnes of this glorious Pallace of Alm. God exclaime O Israel how great is the house of God how mighty great is the place of his possession he is great and hath no limits he his high and cannot be measured And we may wel imagine it to bee great since euery Saint shal haue a habitation a part and a place proportioned vnto its merits And this we haue from our Sauiour Christ himselfe in comforting his afflicted Disciples for his departure where he sayes Let not your harts be troubled for in my fathers house are many mansions And S. Vincent of S. Dominiks Order speaking of these Mansions sayes that each of the Blessed in heauen shal haue assigned them for their habitation a larger circuit them is betwixt the east and west Now there being incomparably more Saints in heauen then there be men on earth I leaue it to you to imagine how infinit great the heauenly Kingdome is Now the B. Virgin being Queen of this so immense dominion hath al the Blessed there consequently for her subiects Courtiers who being in due Order rankt about her Throne alwayes make tender vnto her of their seruices and obsequiousnes and if as S. Iohn Chrisostome sayes while she was yet on earth she was attended vpon by such an infinity of Angels to defend her against al the assaults of hel and conserue vnto their king this faire tabernacle of his Inuiolat how much more gloriously attended is she now in heauen where she sits crown'd in possession of so highe a dignitie It is impossible to imagine the number that waytes vpon her there which the Prophet endeauouring to speake of sayes Ten thousand serue thee and a hundred times ten thousand assist before thee setting downe a finit number for an infinit And S. Denys sayes that the number of Angels by many parts exceeds the number of al Corporal and material things And for those we know how the sublunary bodies yeild in greatnes to the celestial bodyes and they vnto the tother the more high they are in so much as not a starr of the least magnitud but is farr greater then al the globe of inferior things together We know besides that euery man from Adam to the Consummation of the world hath had and shal haue an Angel Guardian to attend vpon them be they good or bad al equally participating of this benefit whence it followes as we haue sayd before that the number of Inferiour Angels deputed to that charge exceedeth the number of al men that euer were are and shal bee which being so how innumerous must the superiour bee since as we haue formerly deduced they increase in proportion the more superior they are Certainly more easy it were to number al the starrs in heauen the drops of the Sea the leaues of trees the plants of the earth and the Atomes of the Sun then the multitud of Angels knowne only to God himselfe Let vs add moreouer the better to sett of the glory of our soueraigne Queene a second wonder in traine of this to wit That al the Angels as infinit as they are haue each one yet a diuersity among themselues and if it be such a delightful sight to see a Garden al planted with variety of flowers how much more delightful must it bee to see these Angelical flowers adorning the heauenly Garden with each one their seueral species according to their seueral dignity and merits And heere our Imagination hath a spatious feild to exercise it selfe in deuout conceipts of the B. Virgins perfections and excellence for if the Courtiers striue with so much splēdor how much more splendid must needes that Maiestie bee on whom they al attend For so these B. Spirits are perpetually attending before her Throne adoring her and ready at the least twinkling of her eye to execut her commands which are commonly for the good and saluation of man This is the opinion of S. Augustine where he sayes S. Michael and al the other Angels haue an eye in heauen vnto the B. Virgin to see where shee would Command them any things for the good of soules on earth Let vs conclude then that her Greatnesse are vnspeakeable and incomprehensible not only by men but euen by the Angels themselues and that next to God she hath the most soueraigne command in heauen as being Queene of
gratiously regarding vs and taking notice of each particular action pointing vs out to the Angels about her thus such one doth and thus such a one therefore haue a particular care of them to defend them from their enemies and when their soules are free from their mortal prisons be careful to conduct them higher vnto me Which is cōfirmed from this ensuing example recounted by F. Razzi a Dominican in his Hortulus of a certaine Shepheards daughter axceedingly deuoted to the Queen of Heauen in so much as seing her picture in an old ruinous Chappel one day while she was tending her fathers sheepe and much greeuing to see it so neglected she sayd O B. Virgin were it in my power this your Image should be in greater veneration but what it wants in exteriour ornament I desire my interiour deuotion may supply which desire of hers was so grateful to the Queene of Heauen as minding to reward her for it and her innocent life with an euerlasting crowne of glory she sent her first a sicknes the fore-runner of her death and iust as that was ready to approach vnto her Two deuout Religious men the one in vision the other in prayer had eyther of them this reuelation Concerning her they first saw a Procession of Virgins richly habited al shining with glorious light which passing by them another troupe followed them more riche and glorious then the former al clothed in white and lastly a third whose garmētsbeing red in ornament and beauty farr surpassed and out-shined al those that went before in the closing of this last trayne a Queene of incomparable Maiesty appeared infinitly exceeding al that can be imagined of venerable and amiable at the feete of whom those Religious men prostrating themselues desirous of her to be informed who she was she thus answered them I am the Mother of God and al those troupes you see marching before are those who haue conseru'd their virginities al their life time the first troupe not fully resolued of their course of life haue yet died Virgins and receiued the reward thereof the second is of those who haue consecrated their virginities by vow vnto their heauenly Spouse and the last who to the Crowne of virginity haue added the glorious palme of Martyrdome al which are now attending me to a hamlet heere to receiue the departing soule of a poore sheapardesse whom for her deuotion to me in mine Image I meane to place amongst these heauenly Quires and reward her with the glory of an euerlasting Crowne This Reuelation it hapened these two Religious men cōmunicated each to the other when inquiring who this poore Shepardesse should be at last they were directed to a litle cotage where lay this poore yong Girle vpon a padd of straw euen ready to breathe her last When seeing these Religious men entring in Good Fathers sayd she in reward of your charity I would to God I could shew you what a glorious Company is heer awayting to beare my soule to rest hauing sayd this she rendred vp her soule into their hands who willingly receaued it By which example we may see how acceptable to the B. Virgin are our reuerencing her deuoutly in her Images Now to the end the frequent aspect of her Images may excite vs frequently to hononr her I would counsel euery deuout Catholicke to adorne their chambers with some Image of hers or procure rather to haue some portable one which they are neuer to depart withal In imitation of S. Heduing a Dutchesse of Polonia who to honour the glorious Mother of God more frequently would neuer be without her Image in her hand the two first fingers thumbe of whose right hand at the opening of her Tomb some fiue and twenty yeares after her decease were found whole incorrupt al the rest of her body being wasted vnto to bone holding betwixt them an Image of the B. Virgin so fast as neither when she dyed nor then could they take it thence So when in any place her sacred Image occurs vnto our sight we are deuoutly to honour it in vncouering the head bowing the knee c. According as the ancient Chrestiās were accustomed the like reuerence we are to do when we heare her name pronoūced a deuotion so punctually obserued by the ancient Christians Saints as S. Gerard Bishop of Pannonia commanded it through al his Diocese And that which we sayd of reuerencing her name inuites me likewise to say a word or two of the reuerence we owe to that of our Sauiour Christ First for the name of the holy Trinity how venerable it is in the holy Church witnesseth that verse in the conclusion of euery Psalme Gloria Patri c. Glory to the Father c. in pronouncing of which al rise vp and do reuerence not only the Quires on earth but also in heauen it-selfe as is manifest by that wondrous example recounted by Petrus Damianus There was a deuout man sayes he who one night while they were singing Matins rauished in extasy beheld the B. Virgin accompanied with an infinity of Angels Virgins entring the Church and leading the Procession vp the high Altar he saw thē al kneele down and whilest each Gloria Patri c. was singing they al fell prostrat on their face who demanding the reason of his extraordinary reuerence it was answered him that as often as thatverse was sung on earth they in heauen were particularly touched with the reuerence exhibited vnto the holy Trinity and reioyced that their ordinary exercise in heauen of adoring the Al Blessed Trinity was in such vogue on earth And how seuerely any irreuerence vnto this sacred verse is punished by Alm. God we haue a cleare Example in the secōd part of the Fr. Minors Chronicles of a Religious man who for not inclining while this verse was pronounc't out of a negligent custome he had gott was after death punished in this manner she was punished placed on a most highe and narrow pillar inuironed about with sea where a hundred tymes a day and as oft by night he was condemned to most profound inclination vntil he had satisfied for his neglect of them in the other world Which punishment being expired he reuealed vnto one of his fellow Religious that at euery inclination he felt such a horrible feare as if at the instant he had ben falling into hel As for the B. name of Iesus there needs no other testimony nor incitement to honour it then those words of holy Scripture where it is sayd That at the name of Iesus al knees should bow both in heauen Earth and the Infernal deepes below So likewise do we reuerēce those words of S. Iohns Gospel Et Verbum Caro factum est and the worde was made flesh and that other particle of the Nicen Creed Et incarnatus est c. by which we are reduced to memory of the sweet goodnes of Alm. God and his infinit loue which caused him for our sakes to
Monasteries of his foundation How acceptable to the Blessed Virgin these reuerences adorations are CHAP. II. THERE is none so ignorant that doth not know that the more we honour where it is deserued the more we ingratiat our selues with the honoured This supposed we hauing in the precedent chapter declared the B. Virgins meriting in the highest kinde this sort of Adoration which we cal Hyperdulia consequently our honouring her therby cannot but be most grateful and acceptable to her It is an exercise as we haue insinuated practised by the Angels themselues in heauen and who soeuer practises it on earth becomes as it were by it equale vnto them Angels of earth in honouring and reuerencing the soueraigne Queene of heauen Neither are we to imagine that honour we exhibit vnto her here lesse grateful vnto her then that which they do there nay perhaps there are some men on earth so zealous in her seruice who acquit them so wel of their deuotions and with such vigour of spirit goe reuerencing her that their seruices to her heere are more grateful then theirs here and consequently in their reward of glory also they shal out strip then farr Dul-sighted as we are then not to see of how great glorye we depriue our selues when we endeauour not in al we may to please the B. Virgin in honouring her Certainly to fast to watch to weare hayrcloth say our Beads Offices or such deuotions are very meritorious and pleasing vnto her but it is impossible for al the learning and eloquence of the Quire of Seraphins to expresse vnto the life the infinit gladnes and extreme pleasure she receaues from these Adorations proceeding from the interior of the minde and accompanied with the respectiue comportment of the exterior Besides al the Angels and the Celestial Court do take particular contentment in the honour and reuerence exhibited to their soueraigne Queene for if earthly Courtiers reioyce when any new honour redounds vnto their Prince how much more reioycing may we imagine to be in heauen when they see their Princesse so honoured heere and of this reioycing the B. Trinitie hath its part when it beholds her reuerenced in whom they haue lodged al their supreme and singular delights the Father reioyces to see his daughter so honored the Sonne his Mother and the holy Ghost his Spouse Let al men then of what estate sexe or condition they be with al diligence and solicitud procure to honour the Glorious and euer B. Virgin Mary with al becoming reuerence especially since the honour due to her redounds vnto her B. Sonne as the honour done to Saints doth to God who made them so In honouring the B. Virgin then as the most excellent of creatures we honour God her Creatour confessing al those excellencyes we honour her for proceeding from his liberality vnto her and thanking and praysing him for making a creature of our owne Condition so worthy and excellent besides the honour and seruices done vnto the Mother for the Sonns regard the Sonne takes as done to him and proceeding from the loue and respect we beare him nay which is more the deuotion towards the Mother encreases the deuotion towards the sonne in that she as most true vnto his honour referrs al vnto it that is offered her and leade them vnto him who addresse themselues vnto her Iust so then as in honouring and glorifiing the B. Virgin we do but honour and glorify God so we in placeing our Confidence in her but place it in God himselfe for what is it to confide in him but to confide in those meanes which he hath prouided vs for our saluation and amongst al the meanes one of the most efficatious is to Commend our selues vnto her patronage as we are instructed by the holy Church in that her Antiphon Spes nostra salue eia ergo aduocata nostra illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos conuerte Haile O our hope and O our aduocate Conuert your eyes of mercy towards vs. And that great light of the Church S. Augustine sayes to the same effect You are the only hope of sinners frō you ô Glorious Virgin We expect pardon of our sinns recompence for our good works Knowing then for certaine that in honouring the B. Virgin we do but honour God we are often to procure to honour her and both day and night offer vp vnto her our reuerēces especially in the night when the time is more silent and more fitt for our deuotions This how grateful it is vnto her she her self declared to a certaine Capuchine of our order one most deuout vnto her This good Religious man had a laudable custome profundly to incline vnto her a hundred tymes a day til hauing some special charge of the Conuent the performance of which exacted much time of him not able to Comply with both he cutt-off one halfe of his deuotions diminished them vnto fifty tymes Now it happened that one day whilst he was busily imployed in his pious exercises the B. Virgin appeared vnto him inuested with most glorious ornaments wearing a riche mantle ouer them with only one halfe of it embroydered with starrs and addressing her speech vnto him she sayd how comes it my sonne thy loue is growne so cold in thee that hauing begun to imbellish this mantle with so many bright shiuing starrs thou hast giuen ouer and left the rest vndone it is a worke so grateful vnto me the performance of it as nothing can bee more vngrateful vnto me then the neglect of it wherefore as you respect my loue finish your deuotions as you haue wel begun and so vanished away leaving the good Religious man making his profit of her so mild reproofe renewing his ancient deuotions agayne he exercised them vnto the end of his life in that ful number he began withal And let none imagine this a deuotion only for women or the simpler and vulgar sort for al are equally obliged to honour her of what sexe estate or condition soeuer they be the Patriarkes Prophets as the Diuines affirme acknowledged her worth and reuerenced her for it thousands and thousands of yeares before she was borne into the world But what do I talke of Patriarkes and Prophets when the Angels them selues at the first instant of their creation beholding her in the Eternal Word humbly reuerenced and adored her as one that should one day be their Queene in heauen and be the mother of their King on earth And what should we say more euen God himselfe become man was obedient vnto her commands and obserued her with al filial loue and reuence To descend now to the Christians of the Primitiue Church the Apostles reuerenced her dedicated Temples to her seruice erected Altars to her and according to the opinions of some cōsecrated to her the famous house of Loretto But omitting these let vs come to the Potentates of the world how many Emperours Kings and soueraigne Bishops haue there been who haue
willing to put it to the venture persisted stil in his Petition yet at last vpon more mature reflexion he resolu'd if the fauour were granted him to reserue on eye at least whilest only with the other he regarded it And so it happened that she appearing vnto him in a most glorious and resplendent manner that one eye with which he regarded her being ouercome with the excellency of the obiect became wholy blind but so farr was he from euer repenting it as with iterated petition he be sought her to appeare but vnto him in that glory once agayne and he would be also willing to forgoe the other eye the B. Virgin to content his deuotion did as he desired her but was so farr from inflicting that penalty vpon him which he did expect as she restored him his other eye againe wher with we may imagine how contented a man he was Neither doth she exceed al the Angels and Saints in beauty and splendour only but also in ioy and felicity which with out doubt she hath in as supereminent degree aboue the rest as her glory aboue the rest is more high and eminent And for that there are diuers Doctours who affirme that she alone hath more glory then al the Saints together this being so imagine of what ioy felicity she is possest the while the quality of which is so exceedingly rauishing that S. Augustine doubts not to affirme of it that one dropp of heauenly felicity but falling into hel would sweetenal its torments O strange expression of the wōdrous sweetnes and deliciousnes thereof if one dropp of it could worke such effects in hel what must whole torrents of it worke in the harts of those who are possest of it The Apostles vpon an arid and barren mountains topp sawe but only a litle glimpse of the glory of heauen in our Sauiours Transfiguration and tasted by it but a litle superficial ioy and yet you see they could haue been content to haue remained there al their liues But that example which I shal now declare deserues yet greater admiration A certaine Religious Monke of holy life exercised long in the contemplation of the Ioyes of Heauen conceiued at last such a feruent desire of it that he incessantly besought Alm. God that to comprehend it the better if it were possible he might haue some tast of it in this mortal life and continuing in this deuotion many yeares at last close by his Cell he heard a bird sing so wondrous delightfully as rauished with it he presently lyed him out to enioy more freely its delicious melody and following it a flight or two at last it ledd him into a wood therby where it begann to sing and he rauish't in hearing it satt downe nighe the tree wheron it was where he might both see heare it best nor did he know with whether he was delighted most who when he beheld the beauty of it wished himself al eyes when he heard its diuine notes wished himselfe al eares againe In fine feasting these two senses so long he satt till the Bird cea'st its melody and flew quite away when he arising tooke his way towards his Monastery imagining he had been away only some houre or two but beig returned back againe he foūd it almost al rebuilded a new againe and knocking at the gate the Porter and he were both so strange one to another as they admired at either the Porter that the Monke should say he was Religious of the house the Monke that he should say he had been Porter there many yeares In fine the Abbot came being informed thereof whom he as litle knew as the Porter and vnto whom he was as litle knowne who in fine examining him foūd by the Records of the House that those Religious whom he named to haue liued in that Monastery with him were deceased so long before as by computation of time they found he had been absent three hūdred and sixty yeares If then so many yeares seemed but a short houre to that Religious man charmed with the sweetnes of that Musick he listned vnto perform'd perhaps by some Angel of heauen how delicious sweet and rauishing must the Ioyes of Heauen needs bee where al the Angels sing together incessantly praising and glorifying their heauenly King And if this good Religious man could remaine expos'd vnto the iniuries of the time so many yeares rauished with tasting but one dropp as it were of the deliciousnes of heauen O God who can imagine the delight of those who in al comfortable Eternity shal bee feasted with it to al satiety They shal bee inebriated with the abundance of thy house and drink of the torrent of thy delights sayes the holy Scripture Seeing then the B. Virgin next to God is Mistresse and Lady of this Pallace of deliciousnes and as it were the pipe that cōueyes al its deliciousnes from God the fountaine of it to al that participat of its Ioy in heauen Let vs honour adore and reuerence her with al those due acknowledgments of which we haue already treated or shal herafter treate That we ought to adore the B Virgin for that she is the soueraine Lady of all Creatures both in earth and heauen CHAP. V. APERSON which is riche noble and vertuous deserveth honour the more they excel in it the more honour they deserue as we see by experiēce in persons most eminent in the world The Blessed Virgin then being so great a paterne of sanctity a Compendium of al perfections chosen by God for his Mother and elected to a supreme height of dignity aboue al the Quiers of Angels and finally being Empresse of al superiour and inferiour Creatures with good reason both Angels and men are to honour and reuerence her as the soueraigne Queene of the whore Vniuerse neither should there be any me thinks so impudent to dispute her title to it nor so impious as to offer to defraude her of those sublime honours due to so sublime a title she were a Queene if there were no other reason but only because her sonne is a King King of Kings Lord of Lords and who knowes not that the King and Queenes honours goes so conioyn'd in one as from the dishonouring the one redounds to the other a dishonour too The B. Virgin being as formerly we haue said daughter to God the Father Mother of his Sonne and Spouse of the holy Ghost and consequently daughter mother and spouse of the holy Trinity considering her alliance and coniunction with God and namely with the humanized Word of God the Sōne whom this great Al acknowledges for King of her being Queen can be no doubt al and this S. Athanasius affirmes where he sayes He being King and Lord his mother who engendred him hath consequently the reputation of Queene and Mother And S. Iohn Damascen She was vndoubtedly declared Queene sayes he of al Created things when she became Mother of the Creatour Let vs then conclude that she being
ground and lifting his hands and eyes to heauen Seeing it is so O B. Vigin sayd he and that each poore thing that is don for you is so richly rewarded I heere promise and vow in imitation of this deuout seruant of yours euery saturday to fast in your honour as long as it shal please Alm. God to giue me life and health which afterwards he inuiolatly obserued but for the rest continuing stil his haunt of robbing it happened once that being ouer matched by passingers he had his head cut off and they thinking they had made him sure went on their way glorying in what they had done whē behold the head cried out Confession for the loue of God Cōfession when imagine in what affright they were vnable a long while for amazement to stirr or moue vntil at last they came vnto the next village and certified the Curat of what had hapned who running thither accompanied with many of his parishioners brought thither by Curiosity behold rhey hauing ioyned the head vnto the body he with a loue and audible voice that al might heare him sayd vnderstand al of you that I neuer did any good in al my life but only in honour of the B. Virgin fasting Saturdayes for which reason when my soule was issuing forth of my body as it was seperated from my head and the diuels ready to intercept it were al assembled behold the B. Virgin hindred them nor would she suffer it to issue forth of my body vntil by Cōfession it were expiated of its crimes and therupon hauing confest himselfe and desiring al the assistants to pray for him he exchanged this life for a happier on This day then being particularly consecrated to the honour of the B. Virgin we should do wel to add vnto our fasts this deuotion of lowly inclining and reuerencing her It being of such excellency as we haue declared before of which each one may offer vp as many as his deuotion shal suggest and time and place permit How euer for the more certainty might I prescribe them a taxed number it should be the number of the Beads to wit sixty three in honour of those yeares which according to some Doctours the B. Virgin liued vpon earth and so it were best to number them vpon their Beads performing them the while with that attention as if the B. Virgin were really present there and while they do it they may at earth one pronounce those first words of the Angelical salutation Aue Maria which some are of opinion the Angel pronounc't in actually bowing his knee and lowly reuerencing her with bowing downe his head But of this we shal speak more amply in the 11. chapter of this booke where we shal teache an apt Method of putting in practise this exercise and what I say of the Saturday may be obserued when any of her lesser feasts occurr As for the Greater feasts the greater the solemnity is with the greater deuotion we are to solemnize it wherfore it were wel if on such dayes as those we encreased to a hundred the number of those reuerences it being a number much celebrated in the holy Scripture for perfect and mysterious but I would not wishe you to performe them al at once for feare of taediousnes but to diuide them so as both morning noone afternoone euening and night may haue its parting which in the former number of sixty three I would likewise haue obserued that we may come to it with fresh deuotion and renue the memory of our B. Lady more affectionatly and often And if the feast be celebrated with an Octaue we may celebrat each day of the Octaue with this deuotion when if we begin the vigil with a hundred and ten and so continue the Octaue out we shal make compleatly vp the number of a thousand a number perfect sacred and mysterious This excellent deuotion was most frequent with S. Margaret daughter of the king of Hungary Religious of the Order of Saint Dominick who as Doctor Querin of the same Order recounteth in her life was so affectionatly deuoted to the Queene of heauen as she no sooner sawe her Image in any place but she presently kneeled downe before it reciting in her honor the Angelical salutation and on the Eues of her most solemne feasts she alwayes fasted with bread and water from which day til the conclusion of the Octaue she sayd a thousand Aue Marias at each one of which she humbly prostrated her selfe on the ground making it her greatest delight next to honouring Alm. God to honour his B. Mother Of the Feasts of our Sauiour Christ CHAP. IX VPON occasion of treating of the feasts of our B. Lady I am put in minde to speake a word of the feasts of our B. Sauiour which we are to honour aboue al the rest and with good reason for if the feasts of creatures as we haue sayd may be celebrated in their honour how much is the Creatour on his feast to be honoured Al those deuotions we may exercise on his feast which we haue taught to be exercised on the feasts of our B. Lady alwayes prouided that we reuerence him in a higher straine of Latria only proper to God himself Thou sbalt honour serue the Lord thy God c The principal feasts of our Sauiour Christ which are celebrated with their Octaues are fiue the Natiuity the three Kings adoration the Resurrection the Ascension that of Corpus Christi or the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist amongst which I place in the highest ranke that of the Natiuity because on that al the Quires in heauen descended vnto the earth to adore their King then an infant lying in the manger or in his mothers lap And so the deuout soule that exerciseth theis deuotions on that day is to frame a liuely imagination of the place imagining themselues in Bethleem and adoring amongst the rest him whom al both in heauen and earth adore The feast of the three Kings puts vs in minde of nothing but adorations since on that day they al adored our Blessed Sauiour in his Mothers lapp and in them al the nations of the world and with how much deuotion it was accompained may be gathered from this pathetical expression of it by the Euangelist Saint Mathew And entring into the house sayd he they found the infant with Mary his Mother and falling on the ground adored him The glorious Resurrection to the dignity of which al other feasts giue a kinde of pre-heminence deserueth Adoration likewise because on it our Sauiour rose againe al victorious and victory charged with the spoyles of hel while the Angels adored him reioycing at his triumph and singing in his prayses their songs of ioy And what should I say of his most glorious Ascension on which our Lord and Sauiour after his victories made his magnificent entrance into Heauen and there being seated at the right hand of his Eternal Father to whom he was euery way equal in
mind Inthroned in a most glorious manner aboue al the rest as becomes the soueraine Empresse of them al al ful of glory and of Maiestie encompassed round about with innumerable Saints and Angels perpetually making Court to her and honouring her with humble reuerences amongst whom thou art to imagine they selfe and making thy first approches of adoring her without vttering any word but only fixing thy mind vpon her excellent beauty and Maiesty procuring to begett in thy mind the whilst frequent acts of affectionat loue and complacency in so much beauty and Maiesty as thou conceiu'st to be in her congratulating with her that her high dignity of being Mother of God and consequently Queene of heauen and earth Acts which if they be performed with due intention and deuotion it is impossible to imagine how grateful they wil be to her and how profitable for those who are exercised therein We haue an example of a deuout Religious woman recounted by F. Heroide Dominican who being afflicted with a greeuous malady after much paine and sufferance died thereof whose soule appearing some dayes after to the sub-Prioresse of the Conuent said amongst other discourses Know Mother that the reward which Alm. God bestowes vpon the least good work of ours is so excessiue great as if it were putt to my choice I would returne euen from the ioyes of heauen vnto the earth againe and suffer al my former afflictions only to recite one Aue Maria that returning thence againe I might acquire a new merit by it in heauen and this although I were not certaine to say it without tepidity or distraction so that I were but in grace the while and free from al mortal sinne And if this holy Religious woman would haue exposed her self to such cruel paine and sufferances only for the merit of so smal an act how great shal their merit be who exercise themselues in this deuout exercise of reuerencing her being one of the greatest most excellent seruices which a Christian can render vnto the Mother of God Hitherto we haue treated of the interior cōportment of the mind during this our actual reueencing the B. Virgin Now let vs come to the exterior of the body First we are to bow the knee in crossing our hands before our breast with a litle inclination of the head and after hauing prayed in that māner we are to rise agayne and iterat the same deuotion for the second time and so forwards as our deuotion shal instruct vs the which Adorations we likewise may performe only with bowing one knee to the ground ioyning of our hands and fixing of our thoughts on the Maiestie of the B. Virgin the while and if any through infirmity find difficulty in these inclinations they may helpe themselues by leaning or the like or only bow downe their body or make some light inclination with the head Alwayes remembring that this exteriour behauiour is not the cheifest thing we are to regard but that which is proceeding from the interiour as the words pronounc't or by the hart or mouth the whilst now saying I adore you ô sacred Mother of God repeating it as oftē as we make our reuerēces or els pronouncing these two words only of Aue Maria with which the Angel Gabriel saluted her and in that reuerent manner it is supposed which we heer prescribe to her deuout seruants to imitat so doing we shal performe that Angelical office too as wel as he nay in a manner more excellent for he saluted her but as a humble Virgin we as the Mother of God and daughter of the most holy Trinity he in the lowly house of Nazareth and we in the highe Court of heauen where she sitts maiestically enthroned and crowned Queene of the whole Vniuerse he finally while she was yet subiect to mortality and the incommodities it goes annex't withal but we now when she is aboue it participant of eternal life glory and felicity Great then is their prerogatiue who salute her so and great shal their merit bee if they do it with that due deuotion and reuerence as they ought Hov in the like manner We are to reuerence God as also the Saints in Heauen CHAP. XIV HAVING spoken of the Interiour Exteriour reuerences we are to honour the Mother with al Let vs make application of them vnto God himselfe with the soueraine honour of Latria due to his most diuine Maiestie We must then procure to reuerence him so as these exteriour deuotions may proceed from the redundancy of the Interiour to which effect be fore we put in practise the foresaid reuerences we are to fixe our interiour eyes on the Maiesty of Alm. God confidering his immense greatnes incomprehensible perfections in which we are infinitly to take complacence as in his being what he is so exceeding good so exceeding great and then we are to accompany this Interiour act of ours with most profound reuerences and inclinations bowing euen vnto the ground before that Maiesty before whose glorious Throne the Angels themselues adore in prosterning their faces on the ground And to acquit our selues the better of this deuotion we are especially euery morning when we rise as at night when we retire to rest most profoundly to reuerence this our Alm. Lord and whilst we remaine in that humble posture on our knees we are to cast the eyes of our mind with an affectionat regard on that high incomprehensible Maiestie so to begett interiour acts of Ioy and complacency of the soueraine power he hath and soueraigne goodnes accompanying it And this let vs do as often as we bow our knees in reuerencing Alm. God accompanying it stil with some interiour act of the loue of him an act which no creature in heauen and earth can truly imagine the excellency of it being an operation which God continually is exercising in himselfe to wit of ioy and complacencie in his infinit goodnes whence doth proceed the loue of it which must likewise be infinit These acts of loue then let vs endeauour to stirr vp in our selues and assure our selues that the least of them is sufficient to rayse a soule to a most highe degree of perfection As witnesseth this story extracted out of the second part of the Chronicles of the Friers Minors A certaine Religious matron beheld in vision thirty Religious of the Conuent of Paris al departing this life at once whereof fiue only were cōdemned to Purgatory the rest went al immediatly to heauen one amongst the rest had his place assigned him amongst the Seraphins She being returned from her vision and astonished thereat had recourse to the Guardian of the Friars where she liued and declared vnto him al that she had seen who like a prudent man aduised her to beseech Alm. God in continuation of his former fauour to reveale vnto her the name of him who was so highly aduanced aboue the rest therby more particularly to know the truth of the vision
we ground al her prerogatiues her singular graces and her supreme glory for natural reason teacheth vs that the mother is more nigh to her sonne excepting the Father then any other kynn Wherefore the B. Virgin being the Mother of Iesus Christ who was Incarnat in her sacred flesh must needs be nigher her sonne in grace and glory too then any else besids Soe he would not ranke her amongst the Hierarchies of Angels for then there had been others higher aduanced then she amongst the Powers and Thrones nor amongst them because the Cherubins and Seraphins surpast them in dignity but next vnto himselfe as was most fitt that his Mother might not be inferiour vnto his seruants nor the Queene vnto her subiects where she sitts enthroned with incredible pompe and Maiesty making a Hierarchie more high and excellent by her selfe then any of them al. But what vnderstanding can comprehend or what tongue expresse the Glory she is possessed of For if the eye hath neuer seen the eare neuer heard nor the hart of man euer conceiued what God Alm. hath prepared for those who loue him how can one conceiue what he hath prepared for her who not only loued him but brought him forth nourished educated and serued him with such affection diligence Only this we may imagine and say of it that glory and felicity next to Alm. Gods is the greatest that is in heauen and that in comparison of creatures she is holy aboue al holyes happy aboue the happiest hath more grace then those who haue most besides and hath more glory then the most glorious The holy Doctors speake marvayles of this Exaltation of hers and amongst the rest S. Bernard sayes that the glory she enioyes in heauen beares a proportion to the plenitud of grace she had on earth aboue al creatures els and adds that as on earth there was not a more sanctified place then the sacred Temple of the Virgins wombe which contained God himselfe so in heauen there is not a more glorious then her Throne where she sitts exalted at the right hand of God In another place he sayes the vnderstanding of man cannot conceiue her glory nor his tongue declare it which puts the Inhabitants of heauen it selfe to their admiration in beholding it Andraeas Cretensis sayes that her glory can not be comprehended for that it exceeds the glory of al the Saints and Angels putt together S. Iohn Damascen that there is a mighty difference betwixt the seruants and the Mother of God S. Iohn Chrisostom that the B. Virgin is more glorious incomparably then the Seraphins B. Laurentius Iustinianus that al the glory and felicity which in scattered peeces is distributed amongst the Saints is found vnited in the B. Virgin And the Seraphike S. Bonauenture sayes that the greatnes and goodnes of God doth more manifestly appeare in the B. Virgin only then in al the rest of creatures and that al their perfections are in a more excellent manner to be found in her then them and he concludes that as in grace and merits she surpasseth al other Saints so likewise doth she in felicity and glory This and much to this effect is sayd by them of the B. Virgins high exaltation answerable to the height of her other merits and prerogatiues who being Mother of God the supremest dignity which any creature could be aduanced vnto on earth Correspondent to it is this ninth Starr and one of the brightest in her glorious Crowne of being aduanc't to so supreme a dignity in heauen The tenth Starr declared THe tenth and that a most resplendant one is the Empire and soueraine command she hath ouer the whole Vniuerse al creatures both in heauen earth and in the deapes below acknowledging her superiority in reuerencing her for it and adoring her there being a congruency sayes S. Iohn Damascen that the mother should partake of the sonnes dignity And since he says S. Athanasius who was borne of her is King and soueraine Lord of al consequently she who bore him is to beheld for soueraine Lady and Queene so says S. Bernard who can deny her a legitimat claime to be Lady ouer al of which her sonne is Lord. Let vs then acknowledge her authority ouer al to be as great and vnlimited as her wil. In consideraton of whose greatnes S. Bernard breakes forth into this exclamation Al power O soueraigne Lady in heauen and earth is giuen you to do what you wil withal S. Brigitt in one of her Reuelations sayes that at the instant of her solemne entry into heauen God aduanc't her aboue al the heauens gaue her the Empire of al the Vniuerse and constituted her Lady and Mistres of the Angels and she confirmes it in these wordes dictated vnto her by the holy Ghost The principality of al people and nations she had says she and by her vertue she treads vpon the harts of the Proudest and highest there And truely a wonderful dignity it is which equals her in a manner with the Lord of al but a more wonderful and stupendious it is that she should haue an authority euen ouer him which that it may seeme lesse strange vnto the eares of flesh and bloud let vs remember only that she is his Mother and our admiration wil cease for that filial obedience he owed her heere on earth he stands not so quitt of in heauen but it induces a kind of obligation in him to grant her whatsoeuer she desires whom there we may Imagine speaking vnto her thus Demand of me deare Mother whatsoeuer you please it is not lawful for me to turne away my face This our triumphant Empresse to expresse vnto vs more vnto the life the greatnes of her dignity declares vnto vs in these remarkable words fower things I alone haue incircled the round of heauen and haue penetrated the depth of the Abisse and haue walked on the waues of the sea and haue the principality of al nations signifying by the first part of the text the dominion she hath in heauen by the second that which she hath in hel by the third the benefit the soules in Purgatory receiue by her and by the fourth her dominion ouer al the world and what can be more sayd of her dignity Vnlesse what a deuout seruant of hers in a certaine prayer vnto her hath sayd O most pure sayes he and singularly happy Virgin al ful of grace and glory the most blessed amongst al women who surmoūtest the Angels in purity and all the Saints in benignity next to your B. Sonne you only cōmand ouer this world in cheife extending your fauourable hand to al who lye and craue your ayde and there is no houre nor moment equally amiable and admired who haue conceiued the Sonne of the Highest and brought for the Sauiour of the world O Mother of saluation fountaine of mercy we miserable sinners in rendring of them vp without last breaths sighe and grone to you praying saluting and acknowledging you Queen
AN ADMIRABLE METHOD TO LOVE SERVE AND HONOVR THE B. Virgin MARY With diuers practicable Exercises thereof Al inriched with Choice Examples Written in Italian by the R. F. ALEXIS DE SALO Capuchin And Englished by R. F. By Iohn Cousturier M.DC.XXXIX Collegium Emmanuelis Cantabrigiae TO THE NOBLE AND VERTVOVS LADY the Lady Audley MADAM I present you vvith this translation not to remaine in your hāds but through them to pass vnto the publick So shal it doubly bee aduantaged First more gratefully accepted of comming immediatly from one so worthy as your self and next be beleeued worthie the acceptation that J dare offer it to your sight so wel verst in at the Original Languages So Madam goe my obligations multiplying to the Jnfinite whilst J cannot think of paying you one curtesy but I receiue for it two The whilst I must euer remaine Your most obliged R. F. A SVMMARY of the whole contense of this present Booke for the Readers better comprehension thereof THE whole scope of this present Treatise is no other then to teach in a deuout and excellēt manner how to Reuerence and adore with profound Inclinations our B. Lady and mistrisse the Queene of Heauen as a preparatiue to which we haue indeauoured to declare her heroical vertues greatnesses excellencies and sublime prerogatiues And by the way is to be considered that although Adoration be peculiar to God alone yet according to diuines distinction thereof it also may be appropriated to the B. Virgin to Angels and other Saints and thereby become common to God Man As we may cleerly gather from diuers passages of the holy Scripture as namely in Paralip chap. 26. when it is sayd And they inclined and adored first God and afterwards the King These Adorations then admit a three-fould distinction of Latria Dulia and Hyperdulia where of the first is proper vnto God alone in regard of his infinit and increated Greatnes the second hath reference to such creatures as aduance in sanctity and glory aboue the rest which sanctity and glory arriuing in any on to more sublimity as in the B. Virgin with the more sublime honour of Hyperdulia cōsequently we are to reuerence them But before we proceed to the exercise of this Adoration we prefix an exhortation to deuotion towards her and declare fiue Priuiledges her seruants are indowed with al setting down as preamble to the worke those conditions and qualities which are requisit in her deuots Then we pass to the explication of these Adorations in the first Chapter declaring their excellency in the second how grateful and acceptable they are to the B. Virgin and in the fower following ones fower forcible argumēts are established to proue her deseruing that adoration The first deduced from her being the Mother of Almighty God The next for her being elected aboue al other Saints and al the Quires of Heauen The third for her soueraine power and authority ouer al Creatures And the fourth and last for her being an affectionat Mother vnto vs al. Then we come to the practise of these Adorations or Genuflexions shewing how they are deuoutly to be performed as wel in the interiour as exteriour and heervpon we take occasion to inlarge our discourse touching the Adorations due to God to his Blessed Saints and Angels c. Imploying the remaine of the following Chapters in setting down diuers practical wayes of honouring the B. Virgin applying to euery on its proper Reuerence and Adoratiōs but principally we insist vpon those twelue sublime prerogatiues of hers prefigured by the twelue Starres in her crowne of which S. Iohn in his Apocalips make mention Now this aduertisement is giuen to al that although the choice of many exercises of adoratiōs be proposed in this present worke notwithstanding they are only to fix on which they may find most gust and comfort in and especially to beware-of entergiuing to much at once least they become thereby but more negligent in performance of them and a too precipitious desir of cōming soon to end make them but hast too much vpon the way and performe them without fruit and deuotion Wherefore we councel rather to make choice of some few we may performe with mediocrity of deuotion then of many with danger of tepidity distraction Notwithstanding when any feast occurs vnto which we haue a particular deuotion as those of our Blessed Sauiour his Mother or the like we may then multiply our Genuflexions to a hundred a day for example or a thousand distributed equally to seueral dayes or nights of the octaue as we please as we shal more largely declare in the following Treatise by the assistance of Almighty God and the fauour of his holy Mother al which we dedicat to the praise of God from whom al Good proceeds to the Blessed Virgin his most holy Mother and to Saint Francis our Glorious Patriarch A TABLE OF THE Chapters contained in this Booke OR pious exhortation to be deuoted to the queen of heauen The first Priuiledge How affectionnat the Blessed Virgin is to aldeuout Christians who serue and honour her with humble reuerence page 1. The second Privuiledge Is that the B. Virgin is most Liberal and accustomed to bestow frequent graces and fauours on her seruants page 19. The third Priuiledge How the B. Virgin helps and comforts her faithful seruants in their afflictions page 39. The fourth Priuiledge Of the deuoted to the B. Virgin which is to haue her in heauen for their assured Aduocats page 55. The fifth Priuiledge How the mother of God saues her deuout seruants and renders them worthy of eternal life pag. 73. Of the second condition which the deuout seruant of the B. Virgin ought to haue which is chastity page 117 The third Condition which is requisit in the honourers of the B. Virgin of cleanes and purity of mind pag. 43 The fourth Condition requisit in the seruants of the B. Virgin for the conseruation of this purity of hart which is the frequentation of the Sacraments especially of that of Confession pag. 173 Of the excellency of those Reuerences we are to exhibit in honour of the Queen of heauen pag. 222 How acceptable to the B. Virgin these reuerences and a dorations are page 235 That the quality of Mother of God obliges both men and Angels to the adoring of her pag. 250 How we ought to reuerence and adore the B. Virgin in regard of sublimity of her glory aboue al other Saints page 266 That we ought to adore the B. Virgin for that she is the soueraine Lady of al creatures both in earth and heauen page 282 Of the great honour we owe to the B. Virgin for her being our most deare and merciful Mother page 303 How the aptest time for the exercise of these deuotions is the particular feasts of our B. Lady p. 332 Of the feasts of our Sauiour Christ page 342 Of the feasts of Saints page 354 Of the adoration of the Angels page 362 The practising
in their necessities and espouse the care of their affaires but with al she deliuers them with her prayers from merited punishment and directs them vnto heauen which soueraigne fauours ought to oblige vs perpetually to serue her especially this last which I esteeme the principal'st of al and worthiest of greatest admiration in that according to the common opinion of Doctours 't is in a manner impossible that any one should be damned who liues dies deuote vnto her be they neuer so farre gone in wickednes but they recouer at last and through the mercy of God as we haue a daily experience make a happy end Now if any obiect that this cannot be without a praeuious dispose of Grace and a sufficient sorrow for their sinnes I answeer it is true but this the incessant prayers of the B. Virgin obtaineth for them too whose power is so great with her B. Sonne as by vertue of that she obtaines for them a perfect Contrition and entire remission of their sins And this the deuout S. Ambrose in these words affirmes O B. Mary sayes he you embrace with a maternal affection the poore sinner despised by al the World and neuer forsake him til God pacified by your prayers hath receaued him vnto Grace Let vs Confirme this verity by the example of a common Curtezen conuerted by the intercession of our B. Lady We reade in the great Marial of a lewd woman wholly abandoned to vice and licentiousnes who not with standing neuer omitted dayly seauen times to bow downe in reuerence of the B. Virgin and to say an Aue Maria in honour of her Now amongst her frequent prostitutions it happened one of principal quality haunted her company whose wife being a vertuous Lady and one singularly deuoted to the Queene of Heauen did beare her husbands il demeanour so impatiently as one day prostrating her selfe before an Image of the B. Virgin she sayd O most soueraine Lady mirrour of al purity how can you suffer this to see one so shamefully abused and an impudent woman thus glory in my iniury I beseech you punish her so exemplarly that she may be a terrible warning hereafter for al the rest Grant this request O soueraine Lady if not vnto the deseruing of my prayers and heate of my seruices Yet at least to the pitty of my Cause and the intolerables of my iniurye When behold a wonder the Image thus answered her deare seruant it is impossible for me to satisfie your desire I know your wrongs and the iust cause you haue to be offended at them but know whital she is so deuout to me in midst of al her wickednes as I cannot proceed against her as you desire only this I wil doe for your comfort I wil petition my Sonne for her that he would turne her hart and that she may turne vnto amendment which was done for within few dayes after there happened a miraculous Change in both the Adulterers both he and she reforming of their liues and liuing chastly exemplarly euer after And is not this a rare priuiledge then of those deuoted to the Queene of Heauen that let them be neuer so deeply plunged in the abysse of sins yet she can deliuer them thence I cal it a priuiledge since for their particular deuotion to the Queene of Heauen they are particularly exempted from the law of other finners This affectionat deuotion besides to the B. Virgin is a probable and experimented signe of predestination I say only a probable one because 't is true none knowes whether they be worthy of loue or hate and an infallible one in this life there is none With what contented harts then should we liue did we but exercise our selues in good works and frequent acts of deuotion towards the B. Virgin and what hope of eternal felicity should our minds be raysed vnto free from al those doubts and feares of their saluation which those who walke not in the way of God and the seruice of his B. Mother do meet withal so often And from hence proceeded the firme Confidence of Saints grounded on the knowledge they had of the excessiue liberality promises of Alm God to Conquer as it were the Kingdome of heauen by the force of Christs merits and their owne cooperations by which they were so encouraged in the midst of their most greeuous sufferances as nothing could daunt or discourage them S. Bernard in his sermons on Septuagesima sayd that although 't is true no man knowes for certaine whether he be in the grace of God or no since in this life no man hath an infallible knowledge of his saluation Yet sayes he and 't is a saying of vnspeakable comfort those who are perseuerant in good we are not to be disanimated nor giue ouer the working of our saluation with an anxious feare since we haue for our comfort a hope of it arising from so many euident signes of it as it seldome or neuer deceiues our trust Heare himself le' ts neuer trouble our selues says he with any such doubt as this for we haue such certaine markes manifest arguments of our saluation as in those who haue them there is no doubt at al. The Example of S. Hilarion comes wel to the Confirmation of this drawing towards his end and being affrighted with the apprehensions of death in this manner encouraged himself Go out my soule said he What fearest thou 't is seauenty yeares since thou begon'st to serue thy God and now art a feard of death Behold what an assurance and firme hope of saluation a vertuous life can giue to the seruants of God and how cleere and euident the markes are of eternal saluation to those who liue vertuously Let euery Christian then endeauour to liue so and he shal feele in himselfe the contentment of this security which is so great as it exceeds al the other Contentments we can haue in this mortal life Which S. Francis wel experienced when hauing had a reuelation how he was predestinated to be saued through excessiue ioy for a long tyme he could vtter nothing else but Blessed be God blessed be God And if these signes of Predestination are to be seene in any in a most particular manner are they to be seene in those who are deuoted to the B. Virgin which from this following Example wil be made manifest S. Anselme in his booke of the miracles of our B. Lady recounts this story how the Diuel who out of his inueterat hate to man seekes al meanes possible to ruine him once putt himselfe in seruice to a noble man hauing first taken on him a humane shape whose humour he knew so wel to comply withal as in short space he had al the care of his family committed to his charge and pursuing the aduantage he had ouer his wil and his affections he was still suggesting some mischeife or other to him now counseling him to wrong this man now to murther that so as no day past in
she brother you shal pardon me I wil not sell soe pretious a Iewel for so slight a thing After him the Painter came vnto her with the same request offering one of his best peeces in exchange but she refused him as she had don the former Then the Cooke the Perfumer came next this profering for it one of the delicatest perfums he had the other the most sauory dishe he could inuent but they as the former fayling of their pretenses the fift lewd Companion addressing himselfe vnto her who knew wel the arts of perswasion and how to instil his words into the mind offred her for it after a world of smooth and soothing word her choice of a hundred Paramours But being as the rest reiected it hapned not long after that a mighty King moued by the fame of this riche Iewel came to demand it of her off ring to marry her on the condition that he might haue it giue her for dowry his Immortal Kingdome when she ouercome by the greatnes of his offers but much more by the goodnes of the Offerer thus answered him My Lord it were Impudence in me to refuse you wherefore behold I freely giue it you without any reserue at al and desire no other recompense for it but that you would vouchsafe to accept it and excuse the smalnes of her merit that giues it you This similitud the holy man would explicat in this manner The Virgin is the soule the Iewel the Free wil she hath her fiue brothers her fiue Corporal senses the King Alm. God as for the rest is obuious enough And heere I could take occasion to inveigh against those who would beheld deuout forsooth to the B. Virgin and haue no Care the while of bridling their senses but let them run on to al licentiousnes nay which is worse they continue so til the end of their liues without any remorse out of a vaine presumption they shal be saued because of some odd deuotions they exercise then which what greater folly can there be what greater blindnes not to see how the diuel drawes them as it were bound hand and foote to hel For example you shal see many I speake it with greefe and shame enough so addicted to the devotion of the Annunciat as they would not omitt it for a world and 't is commendable in them but marke how they abuse it the miraculous effects which they so spread of it makes them presume the like for what wil they say neuer tel me of Hel nor of the paines thereof though I sinne neuer so much I serue a Mistres who hath both wil and ability to helpe me out of it and let me but Confesse my sinnes at the houre of my death and I am sure of heauen see how these miserable wretches talke drawing a wrong consequeuce from an Antecedent most true that the B. Virgin both can and wil succour her seruants but they must be such as make due vse of her fauours and employ thē in working their saluation such indeed shee sometitimes helpes so efficaciously as in shipwrack she keepes then from perishing in the sea and frees them from al dangers on land of enimyes theeues and Murtherers and al this to bring them to amendment of their liues But those who rather grow worse by it or out of presumption of it seeke not to amend at al for my part I hold their safeties desperat Then there is a difference of sinners for some sinne of deliberat wil and make not due vse of their deuotion to the B. Virgin nay as I haue sayd before euen abuse it to greater licentiousnes of life and such are in a most dangerous estate Others only sinne out of humane frailty and by giuing too much liberty to their senses doing it with a remorse of Conscience and greeuous desire to amend their faults though they be neigligent to put their good desires in excution and for such it is easier for them to dispose them selues for grace and preuayle themselues of those Inspirations the B. Virgin procures them for the amendment of their liues themselues both the one and the other are to honour the B. Virgin and reuerence her with al becoming reuerence that she may obtayne for them of her B. sonne condigne penance for their sinns amendment of their life Let them like wise endeauour to make themselues partakers of that laudable deuotion of the Annunciat since those who haue been of it haue been in fine recompenced for it and I exhort as wel the Iust and those of better life to this as also sinners and euil liuers sithence if these find such benefit of it how much more must they who are intimate freinds as it were to God and his B. Mother as those who are in deadly sinne are capital enimies as this story taken out of the Cronicles of the Friers Minors doth manifest A certaine Frier Minor of holy life vsing to recommend himselfe vnto the prayers of euery one he mett it happned he entring once into a towne mett a woman there of euil fame and indeed of as euil life and desired her likewise to remenber him in her prayers to Alm God and his B. Mother At which quite astonished she answered him Alas father what good wil my prayers do you who am the wickedest sinner in the world bee what you wil sayd he your prayers wil do me no hurt I am confident When behold a miraculous accident the woman entring into the Church and Kneeling before an Image of the B. Virgin to say an Aue Maria for him was rauish't in extasy and behold the mother of God humbly supplicating her sonne for him and he demanding of her why she would harken to the prayers of an Enemeys although it was for a freind she prayed Be therefore merciful to her sayd she agayne and for your freinds sake receiue her to freind ship also The poore woman returning from her extasy hastned to find out the Religious man to whom with great wonder she recounted what had past and hauing made a general Confession of al her sins she liued there after a most exemplar life in the seruice of that great Patronesse of sinners the Queene of heauen Let al who serue her then if they desire to please her carefully avoid al mortal sinne and preserue their hearts pure and innocent so shal they likewise obteyne the fauour of Alm God since as the holy scripture sayes they who loue purity of heart infallibly shal haue the king for freind The fourth Condition requisit in the seruants of the B. Virgin for the conseruation of this purity of hart which is the frequentation of the Sacraments especially of that of Confession ALTHOVGH the profession of being seruants to the B. Virgin be a great stay vnto vs from falling into sinne neuerthiesse standing on such slippery ground with this waight of flesh on vs inclining vs to fal we canot but sometimes do it and contract some blemish by it
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
hath of vs to instruct furnish them with so great a power as they haue We see say the holy Fathers when a Criminal confessed his sinnes vnto an' earthly Iudge he is condemned for it but the contrary happens at the Tribunal of the Church where the Priest presides and represents the person of our Sauiour Christ himselfe For those who confesse goe away wholy acquited and absolued Al good Christians then as soone as they are falne into mortal sinne are presently to procure to purge themselues of the foule staine of it at the fountaine of Confession and if we be so careful when the least spott appeares vpon our garments to washe it out how much more careful ought we to be to washe out the blemishes of our soule for the which although Contrition may suffice accompanied with a firme purpose of Confession not with standing who can secure his Conscience whether he hath had true Contrition or no or that rather it hath not been a greefe lesse perfect for his sinnes proceeeding rather from the feare of punishments then a true loue of God Almighty as it ought to do such as the Diuines cal Attrition neither sufficient of it selfe to deliuer vs from our sins nor constitute vs in the state of Grace nor consequētly to free vs from damnation should we dye in that state of minde whereas but ioyne it with Confession and it is aboundantly sufficient the Sacrament supplying al that was wanting to it of true Cōtrition Who sees not then the vertue of this Sacrament and how necessary it is for our saluation For which cause the seruants of Alm. God were euer exceeding careful to Confesse them euen of their lightest faults especially 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of their deaths at which tyme although they had led such Saint-like liues as it hath pleased God to testifie it euen by miracle yet being to approach to the soueraigne purity they imagined could neuer be pure enough And so a certaine learned Authour sayes that a soule in Grace at its separation from its body if it should but see the least blemish of venial sinnes adhearing to it would be so ashamed of it as rather thē to appeare with it before the face of Alm. God it would volūtarily plunge it self into Purgatory there to be cleansed from it nay which is more wōderful he sayes that should an Angel descend thither vnto it while it were suffering the sharpest and most exquisite torments there putt it to its choice to go to heauen with some blemish of sinne vpon it or remaine there purging from it til the day of doome the soule without any demurr vpon it would make election of the last thereby to render it selfe more worthy the sight of God whom it loues so wel who cannot endure any obiect of impurity The purity of hart then being a thing of so singular recommendation with the Queene of heauen let al who professe themselues her seruants seeke to purchase it and purchasing it once embrace it with al their might to which end lett them know that according to the opinion of al there is no more efficacious way to do it then that of the Sacrament of Confession the benefits of it are so many that they are impossible to be reckoned vp For those who confesse often heape grace upon grace purity on purity beauty on beauty and make themselues the greatest treasure of it in heauen those who confesse often haue a more vigilāt eye to the cōseruing of their cōscience in purity which in the fountaine of penance they so lately purified those who Cōfesse often haue a special care not to fal into those sins for shame from which so lately their Confessors help't them out those who confesse often make more easily the examen of their Consciences and goe with lesse difficulty to Confession and are better disposed to the receiuing of our Sauiour Christ in the Sacrament of the Alas In fine those who confesse often enioy both day and night great tranquillity of mind which only accompanies a pure Conscience and is the greatest blessing in the world This the sacred Catechisme confirmes where it sayes Those who holily and religiously receiue this holy Sacrament acquire by it a great tranquillity of Conscience accompanied with as great content of mind and hart But what needs other testimoneis of this than experiēce it-selfe How vnwillingly they go to Confession who haue their conscience charged with a long reckoning of sins how ful of sadnes and anxiety how heauie the burthen of them seemes to be til being lightened of it at last by Confession how great Consolation do they feele then in their soules how chearful they are how embraced with the loue of God for which now they could be content to die who before cared not to liue for it and if the practise of this do often occurr Oh! how happy doe they lead their dayes on earth euen as they were in another heauen to participat of this so great a benefit no Christian if he rightly considered it but would goe a thousand and a thousand miles rather then want so great a commodity how much the greater shame is it then for those who vouchsafe not to stirr fower or fiue paces out of their way to discharge themselues of the burthen of their sinnes And yet in how farr worse estate are those who remaine fiue or ten yeares without this benefit how may we imagine do the Angels in heauen deplore so great a retchlesnes of this sort how many wicked liuers are there who pretend some deuotion to the B. Virgin as saying their beades fasting on saturdayes in her honour and the like who for the rest neuer think of heauen or of timely repenting them for their sinnes Of whom what should we saie and of their cruelty to their owne soules whose cheifest contentment they so lightly prize Certainly we could wishe they would at least since they make profession of seruing her beseech the B. Virgin amongst their other deuotions to obtaine for them of her B. Sonne a true knowledge and contrition for their sinns which if they doe with a sorrowful hart indeed without doubt she wil grant them their request and it wil be amaine disposition for them to obtaine the diuine Grace seeing as the Diuines affirme the workes of charity although done in mortal sinne haue yet the force to dispose the sinner vnto Grace and Consequently vnto eternal life An example of which it being ful of rare document befides out of the second part of the Frier Minors Chronicles we thought good to record Two Frier-Minors going from the Conuent of Paris in the depth of winter were besides the dirty wayes so incommodated with cōtinual showers of raine as the elder of the two towards the euening wholy tired out sayd vnto his Companion My deare brother what shal we do I am so weary that I am scarce able to stirr a foote alas Father sayd the other we cannot remaine heere in the
know there is but one only Sunne more simple thou art then answered she againe to beleeue that we haue more Gods then one though so many Hosts as thou seest euery where deriue themselues from his diuinity and at this the Iew confounded left the place The B. Virgin not only adored this B. Sacrament on earth but now in heauen actually Continues her Adoration which we may confirme by a storye taken out of Vincentius his Mirrour Historial the. 17. booke confirmed by diuers other Authors of worthy credit There was sayes he a Curat of euil life addicted to his pleasures and one who studied more to flay and kil his flock then to feed them It happened in his parish at the same tyme there-fel sicke a riche Gentleman of prime quality and a poore widow of a vertuous life the Vicar choosing rather to visit the Gētleman as one from whom there was some what to be hoped for left the widow without help abandoned and after he had dispatch't with him slightly hearing his Confession and administring the other Sacramēts yet he remained lingering there so long impertiēntly flattering the Gentleman with hope of life though he euen saw death in his Countenance only in hope of some temporal benefitt vntil the widow mindful of her eternal good sent for him being almost in her last Agonie but he sticking fast there in hope of gaine could not be drawne from thence which his Vicar perceiuing moued with compassion alasse Sir sayd he suffer not this poore woman to dye thus destitute of help but at least send me thither if you wil not goe your selfe Goe if you wil sayd he for my part I wil not leaue this Gentleman where there is hope of some what to be gott to visit a begger where there is nothing but misery hereupon the Vicar went with the B. Sacrament for her Viaticum to visit this infirme creature poor indeed of worldly riches but riche in heauenly without which al is pouerty and he was no soener arriued at the doore where the poore soule lay only vpon a litle straw but he beheld the glorious Queene of heauen accompanied with innumerable troopes of Angels and Virgins assisted at her happy departure at the sight of which the Vicar suspēded in his thoughts a while whether he should enter or no at last reflecting from his owne vnworthines on the dignity of him who was in the Sacrament which he brought with him he confidently entred in when the B. Virgin and al her Glorious trayne with humble reuerence adored it and presently vanished away When the good Vicar in extreme consolation approched to the Couch where the poore widow lay and hauing heard her Confession and communicated her the happy soule presently loosened from its mortal bones tooke flight immediatly to heauen In the meane while things succeeded cleane cōtrary at the riche mans house whither the Vicar was no sooner returned but he beheld the Gentlemans bed al incircled in with ougly black spirits with horrible noyse skreekings and roarings affrighting of his soule whilest he cried out in horrible dismay helpe helpe my freinds these wicked spirits are haling me and with their gripes they euen presse me to the hart alasse I am a lost and miserable man and at last whilst the Curat and the rest were labouring in vaine to comfort him his aking soule weary of those momentary and painful gripes issuing out of its body was receiued by those Feinds and carried where was nothing but eternal torments Imagine but what impressions the whilest the concurrancy of these two Visions made in the heart of the good Vicar and how deuoutly afterwards he reuerenced the B. Sacrament hauing seene with what deuotion the B. Virgin did it and al her heauenly traine At least the professed seruants of this B. Virgin ought to make their profitt of this Example and learne from thence to reuerence the B. Sacrament and also to haue the often receiuing of it in highe esteeme not withstanding the friuolous opinions of some who hold it an irreuerence the often frequenting of it not considering that it is stiled our dayly bread that S. Luke and S. Denis the Areopagite affirmes it to haue been the Custome of the Primitiue Christiās to receiue it dayly with incredible Consolation For their better instruction let them heare Saint Ambrose exhorting to the frequent receiuing it The seruants of Alm. God sayes he receiue this bread dayly since dayly thou hast need of it for thy Comfort refreshment and purging thee from thy sinnes And the Angelical Doctour S. Thomas sayes That whosoeuer experienceth an increase of grace and deuotion by their often receiuing it both may and ought to frequent it still and that although it be Commendable sometimes for humility to abstaine from it Yet it is more Commendable out of loue to receiue it often As witnesseth that example of S. Bonauenture who in his yonger yeares at his first entrance into the Order of the Frier-Minors out of the profoundnes of his humility would oftentimes forbeare to cōmunicate vntil hearing Masse one day it pleased Alm. God to send him a particle of the Blessed Host by the hands of Angels to communicate withal by this singular fauour both rewarding his humility and encouraging him to more frequent receiuing it And heere we wil cease all further Discourse of these Conditions requisit in the seruants of the Blessed Virgin and treate of the due reuerence which wee owe to her and first we wil declare the Excellence thereof Heere endeth the first Part. The second Part. Of the Excellency of those Reuerences We are to exhibit in honour of the Queene of Heauen CHAPITRE I. AMONGST al the most noble and excellent seruices appertaining to the diuine honour that Adoration which the Diuines cal Latria and which is only appropriat to God in regard of the infinities of his Maiesty holdes the first ranke and place This adoration according to S. Iohn Damascene consists in an interiour Act by which the Creature testifies his submission vnto his Creatour by some exteriour signe either of vncouering the head bowing the knee inclining the body or the like With this supreme sort of Adoration the three Kings adored the Infant Iesus in his Mothers armes And entring the house sayes S. Mathew they found the Infant with Mary his mother falling on the ground they adored him words which excellētly wel declare the greatnes of this adoration by which the Kings and Monarks of the earth humbly bow the head and knee vnto the King and Monarke of the heauens Now to speake of the adoration proper to the B. Virgin the next degree to that of God himselfe the Diuines distinguish it by the name of Hyperdulia from the rest by which al creatures both in heauen and earth count it as honour to adore the sacred Queene of heauen According to the opinion of some Diuines God had no sooner created the Angels but he let them vnderstand how his B. Sonne
reuerently taken their Crownes of their heads and offered them at her feete What titles of prayse and honour by the Doctors of the Church haue anciently been bestowed vpon her by S. Hierome S. Augustine S. Chrysostom and innumerable others how Diuinely hath S. Thomas spoken in her prayse how deuoutly S. Bonauenture and how affectionatly Albert the Great in humble acknowledgement of the learning which hereceiued from her Let vs fixe vpon Alexander de Hales amongst the rest as one singularly deuoted vnto her and recount the motiue he had to leaue the world and inrol himselfe in the seruice of our Sauiour Christ vnder the banner of s. Francis of Assisium This Alexander of Hales being English by nation was of a sublime spirit and of singular erudition the first professor of Theologie in the Vniuersitie of Paris one so affectionatly deuoted to the B. Virgin as he made a vowe neuer to refuse any thing that should be asked him in her name A certaine Gentle woman vnderstanding this persuaded the Bernardines to make their vse of it by winning him to their Order and illustrating it by so great a light of learning which they resolued to doe and repairing to him they made their approaches a farr off discoursing of learning and deuotion but God Alm. permitted not that at that time they should come neerer to him the Gentle woman vnderstanding what was done had recourse vnto the Frier Preachers next animating them and putting them in the way to make him one of their Order as she done the Bernardines before which was attempted also by them iust as they were putting him to his vowe by chance two Frier Minors coming in one of them diuinely inspired thus sayd vnto him Alexander it is highe time for you to with draw your selfe from those vanityes which haue abused you so long wherefore in the name of God and his B. Mother I coniure you to take the habit of S. Francis for I know his Order hath need of such as you are Alexander touched with these words as by the finger of the holy Ghost and remembring the vow he had made answered him presently Goe you hence good fathers and I wil instantly follow to the ful effecting of your desires and so he did taking on him the holy habit til being in his probation he was greeuously tempted to cast it off agayne by reason of some austerities he could not vndergoe so wel and iust as he was vpon the point of doing it behold S. Francis appeared vnto him in his sleepe bearing on his shoulders a heauie Crosse with which he endeauoured to clime a stipe hil at which he was so moued with compassion as he offered him his seruice to helpe him vp with it wherupon the Saint beholding him with an angrie eye goe offer thy seruice sayd he to suche weaklings as thy selfe for if thou canst not carry thine that is so light how canst thou help me to beare my heauier one the Novice perceiuing strait his mind from this his reprehension resolued to continue in the Order not withstanding al the difficulties thereof and concluded there was no other waye to heauen then by bearing the Crosses which are offered vs. That the quality of Mother of God obliges both men and Angels to the adoring of her CHAP. III. AMONG al dignities graces greatnesses and prerogatiues with which Alm. God hath honored the B. Virgin there is none more highe and sublime then that of being Mother of God it surpassing al of which any creature can be capable surmounts the heauens and the celestial Hierarchies comes neere to diuine immense and incomprehensible in fine goes beyond al that can be express't by words or conceiued by any Angelical or humane thought This S. Augustine in the beginning of his book of the B. Virgins Assumption doth intimate where he sayes There is no hart that conceiue or tongue that can expresse the effect of this grace and dignity And S. Bernard in diuers places and diuers manners aymes at the expression of this great dignity S. Anselme in his Treatise of the B. Virgins magnituds sayes that next to the being God there is no dignity in heauen or earth can equal hers To say only sayes he of the B. Virgin that she is Mother of God is a thing that exceeds al sublimity which next to God can be said or imagined From hence the holy Fathers inferr that the title of being Mother of God is the foūtaine from whence do flow al her other graces and prerogatiues for so say they whence was it that from al eternity she was in a particular māner predestinat because she was to be the Mother of God Why was she sanctified by the holy Ghost in her Mothers wombe to be the more worthy receptacle of the Sonne of God Why in her Conception was she exempted from original sinne that the eternal Word might from her body take immaculat flesh Why was she exalted aboue al the Thrones celestial Hierarchies but because she was the Mother of God who is the soueraine King of heauē earth Whence in fine is it that the Princes of heauen and earth nay euen of Hel it selfe bow downe and do reuerence at mention of her name but only because she is Mother to the supreme Lord of al to whom al do homage and in whose presence al the great ones that are shrinke vp to nothing and not appeare at al. O wonderful greatnes of this highe and excellent dignity bestowed vpon a simple Virgin Who is not astonished who is not alienated from his senses with admiration to be at once a mother and a Virgin to containe in the narrow inclosure of her wombe him whom the heauens with al their height latitud can not containe to be Mother of the most deare delights of the Eternal Father and the most glorious obiects of Angels and finally which is the most prodigious of al to haue produced her Creatour and brought her Father forth These are things aboue al capacity rauishing nature with astonishment and wonder so as with good reason the holy Church sayes of her Nature admired when you brought forth that holy one who brought forth you The B. Virgin then merits in being Mother of God al imaginable honour from one creature to another and in particular that which the Diuines intitle Hyperdulia which also admits of a subdiuision according to Suarez into superiour inferiour with the Inferiour those are honored who haue some particular excellence aboue the rest as to S. Iohn Baptist the Apostles for their eminency of place to S. Francis for the singular testimony of his sanctity giuen by Alm. God in the impression of the sacred Stigmats but with the superiour the Mother of God alone who only had the honour to beare bring forth nourish educat the only Sonne of the only Eternal God And in regard of this high and most eminent dignity of hers al Creatures in heauen and earth reuerence
to see them now the instruments of rage furye only which were once only of deuotiō and piety O therfore haue mercy vpō him who of none with more right can expect it then of you restor ' him to that health he so wel imploied in your honor hertofore This said he dis-appeared and the yong man felt instantly the effect of his prayers by his recouery which was so speedy miraculous as acknowledging the B. Virgins particular fauour in it he to gratifie her for it entred into an austere Religiō where he liued died as became one who held his life on such a pious tenour of his good Angel and his better Aduocate Hovv we ought to reuerence and adore the B Virgin in regard of the sublimity of her glory aboue al other Saints CHAP. IV. SEEING the Saints which are now in heauen in possession of their eternity of happines are to be honoured with that fort of reuerence which the Diuines cal Dulia which is the lowest sort of reuerēce appropriated to any Saint the higher they are in dignity with the more high and particular reuerence are they to be honoured what supreme honour may we imagine due vnto our soueraigne Lady and Queene of heauen who by so many degrees of dignity is preferred before them al seated at the right hand of her B. Sonne so neere and deare vnto him as she is and whom the rest of Saints only a farr off reuerence and admire And if it be true that each ones glory beares a proportion with the grace they haue the more their grace on earth the more their glory in heauen how excellent in glory must she bee aboue them al who was so farr superiour to them in grace for who knowes not how from the very instant of her Conception when she was sanctified in her Mothers wombe God went heaping more and more graces vpon her stil vntil her death when the accumulation was Complete and how in al tymes she cooperated with him in al her actions in al occurēces stil meditating how to add vnto it accompanying al her exteriour workes with the interiour intention of the minde Which Albert the great exemplifies very wel in that treatise of his de beata Virgine and S. Bernard more particularly where he sayes This Virgin and mother of the highest not only waking but euen sleeping had the fruition of heauenly things in Contemplation no earthtlye affaire being so forcible as to interrupt her Commerce of thought with heauen in so much as euen in her sleepe she was busyed more in Contemplation then the rest of the Saints when they were most perfectly awake Who then of what intelligent a spirit soeuer they bee can comprehend the immensity of the grace and merits of the glorious Virgin consequently the infinit glorie she had in recompence seeing as the same Doctours affirmes The more she excelled others in grace on earth the more glory she obtained in heauen Let vs conclude then that her glory there is incomprehensible and surpasses by infinite degrees that of al the Saints Angels Conformable to that saing of S. Iohn Chrysostome What is there more holy than the B. Virgin says he neyther the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Patriarcks Angels Trones Dominations Seraphins nor Churubins in fine there is no visible nor Created thing more great or more excellent then she And S. Anselme Ineffable says he and euer-more admirable is the grace and greatnes of this Virgin And in prosecuting his discourse And what O B. Lady is there more to be sayd when but Considering the immensity of your grace glory and felicity I am destitut of forces and my Voice fayleth me And yet not only from the abūdance of Grace which was in her but much more from her humility may we argue the greatnes and dignity which she hath in heauen for it being an approued verity to al the world that the more we abase our selues on earth the more shal we be exalted for it in heauen as is testifyed by verity it self Vvho humble themselues shal be exalted c. And that great light of the Church S. Ambrose sayes The more abiect we are on earth the more we shal be exalted for it in heauen And he adds That by so many degrees of humility we descend on earth by so many of glory we shal ascend in heauen Since no creature euer thought so humbly and abiectly of her selfe as this B. Virgin did we may wel imagine that by this pretious vertue she so wonn the hart of God and gott such hold of his affections that she euen obliged him by it to descend from heauen to earth into her wombe and choose her for his spouse and mother which she in that Canticle of hers Confesses of her selfe Because he hath regarded the humility of his hand-maid c. Which shewes the excellency of her humility And S. Bernard sayes of it that when the Angel saluted her her answering him in that manner so humble and resigning her selfe entirely vnto the Wil of God Behold the hand-maid of our Lord c. Was more grateful vnto God and meritorious for her then al the actions of men and Angels put together and that by it alone she merited the being Mother of our Sauiour Christ Neuer sayes S. Bernard had she been exalted aboue the Angels if she had not humbled her selfe before And if some Saints as namely S. Francis haue merited by their humility to be ranged amongst the Seraphins the cheifest Order of Angels and next to the Diuinity to what immensitie of glory are we to imagine the B. Virgin is exalted for the profoundnes of her humility which descended lower then euer any Saints could doe In consideration of which we may wel imagine that her glorie and felicity as farr surpasseth that of al other Saints as the heauēs do a litle point the cleare light of the Sunne a candle the Ocean a smale drop of water or al the earth the least graine of sand With good reason then since she is exalted to such a height of dignitie we are to honour her as the soueraine Queene and Empresse of men and Angels and as eminent as she is in dignity so is she in beautye and amability able to obscure with the brightnes of its splendour not-only al humane eyes but euen those of the Angels themselues as appeares by this story recorded by Herod Religious of the Order of S. Dominick There was a yong scribe sayeshe much deuoted to the B. Virgin who being some-what conuersant in the holy Scriptures where her excellent beauty is commended with such Encomiums he at last grew passionatly desirous to see her in that beauty she appeared with in heauen praying for the accomplishment of his desires he heard a voyce reprehending him for it in that he ask't a thing aboue his capacity which his eyes were too weake to behold nor could it cost him lesse then his sight the beholding it but he
Dominick apt ministers to employ therein and to exhort them vnto penance after which if they persist in their wickednes do your iustice what it wil with them I haue done with them Hereupon his diuine Maiestie let his thunder fal out of his hands his boyling anger coole and at his Mothers prayers was for that once content to pardon man Hauing then a Mother in heauen so powerful as she let vs haue recourse to her and put vs in shelter vnder her as children do vnder their Mothers when they fly their Fathers wrath and that especially when wee finde our selues most prest with ill fortune or calamity and say vnto her Sub tuum praesidium c. O mother of God and of vs wee put our selues vnder your paotection refuse vs not in our necessities nor abandon vs vnto the afflictions that threaten vs and haue a firme confidence that she wil succour you and haue pitty of your miserable estate who neuer refuses those who haue recourse to her In so much as a holy Doctour sayes If so great be the enormity of our crimes as we feare to appeare with them before Alm. God our best course were to addresse our selues to her and she infallibly wil succour vs. And S. Chrysostom in one of his Sermons sayes vnto her You haue been chosen from eternity sayes he Mother of God to the end that those whom God in iustice cannot saue should arriue by your pittiful intercession vnto saluation And with this accords wel that Vision which B. Leo had one of holy S. Francis companions in which he had a representation of the finall Iudgement day where he sawe two ladders reared vpp the one a read one reaching from earth to heauen where our B. Sauiour al in terror sate the other of white iust of the same proportion extended to the B. Virgins throne where she sate in al sweetnes and affability and he obserued that those who mounted vp by that read one did fal to groūd agayne some from the neather rounds and so vpwards euen vnto the very topp vntil Saint Francis called to them and admonished them to clime by that white one and he would assure them of better speed and he sawe that those who followed his counsel were gratiously receiued by our Lady introduced into heauen From which vision and we haue before deduced results an euidēt proofe of her motherly Care of vs and how she loues vs euer to passion procuring with extraordinary solicitud al wee stand in need of both in heauen and earth With good reason then ought we to reuerence her and haue her in honour and veneration with good reason are we to serue her affectionately and consecrat vnto her the best desires of our hart and this al lawes both diuine and humane exact of vs to witt that if she be our mother we should loue and honour her and if a loue and honour be due from vs to our parents who engender vs into this world with how much more reason is it due to her who so carefully procures our regeneration to a better life Let vs not cease then to loue reuerence this soueraigne Lady both of heauen and earth since God himselfe doth it as wel as we and according to Methodius hath a kind of obligation also to doe it she being his Mother and consequently the precept of honouring our parents hauing also reference vnto him yea and it seemes in more particular manner vnto him then vs since she was more particularly his parent then any can be ours both because he had no other on earth but her as also because she could haue no other sonne You haue good reason to reioice sayes the sayd Methodius since you haue him in a manner on the score with you to whom al mortals are indebted else And so he went still honouring her heer on earth as his deare Mother and as such was obedient to her et erat subditus illis as the holy Scripture sayes neither doth he lesse honour her now in heauen but as some deuout Doctors sayd after his glorious resurrection first saluting her with a Salue sansta Parens he iterated it at her Assumption into heauen and there seating her at his owne right hand al the Court of heauen doing reuerence to her the while he constituted her in absolut power and authority ouer the trine Empire of the Vniuerse where al bow down before her as to the daughter mother and spouse of the Alblessed Trinity the Queene of Angels Empresse of the World and most faithful Mediatrix of al Christian soules vnto her Blessed Sonne who grants al things at her request Hovv to put these reuerences in practise wherby the B. Virgin is to be honored CHAP. VII IN the precedent chapters we haue seen of what excellency and valour is the exercise of Reuerences to the B. Virgin and how acceptable vnto her it is we haue moreouer sufficiently informed our selues of the reasons which should moue vs vnto her reuerence as that she is the mother of the king of heauen her surpassing glory there and that she is of higher dignity then al the quiers of heauen that she hath al power heer on death and finally that she is our Mother and soueraigne Lady also And yet much more could alleage I alleage to moue vs to deuotion did not the feare deterr me of ingulfing my self into so wide and profoūd an Ocean Wherfore now it remaines that I treat of the Method we are to vse to put in practise this so laudable deuotion First then I say we are to endeauour by often genuflexions and inclinations of the body to honour her in which the better to actuat our selues we are to banish from vs al tepidity and drowzynes and make choice of time and place most conuenient for it and first touching the circumstance of place priuary is the cheifest thing we are to regard of time the night seemes fittest as that which is freest from distraction best composeth the mind We reade in Surius how S. Elizabeth daughter of the King of Hungary exercised herselfe with such affections in this so laudable deuotion as she appointed one of her women euery night to awake her at a certaine houre by some secret way she had when she would rise vnknowne to the Prince her husband and spend most part of the insuing night in these adorations which the Roman Breuiary makes mention of Shee rising in the nights says it from her husband and the time in prayer and genuflections At which time no doubt but the Angels reioyced to see her vertuously imployed being riche and noble by birth but far more by vertue and her true deuotion and finally her performing that on earth which the Angels account themselues happy to do in heauen Now for the number of them I wil prescribe none but leaue it to the deuotions of those who are desirous to exercise themselues therin nor the manner how it is to be done either of
bowing one knee to the ground or both of lifting vp their hands or crossing them before their breasts but let them choose that posture which likes them best and which makes most for their deuotion Only I wil speake a word or two in the commendations thereof in general as first of the facility wherewith it is don there being none so much employed or infirme who cannot with ease do somewhat in this kind either in bending the knee or bowing the head actions which are compatible with al in what estate or imployment soe'r they be Then it is a king of deuotion this of adoration of al others the most noble and acceptable to the Queene of Heauen the office of Angels and who then would not be ambitious of it to doe the same on earth which al the celestial Courtiers do in heauen and I beseech deuout persons that they would but consider how diligently and with what care your earthly Princes are serued and honoured by their followers and Courtyers which whosoeuer shal but obserue must needs blush for shame if they be not as careful and assiduous in seruing their Queene of Heauen And to incite our deuotions thereunto it would do wel to read of the diligence of Saints in this particular as namely in Surius of S. Albert how he bowed his knees a hundred times a day and fifty times prostrated himself on the ground saying each time an Aue Maria in honour of the Queene of Heauen And of S. Catherine of Sucina daughter of S. Brigit how according to the same Authour she was from her tender infancy so exercised in prayer as besides our Ladye Office which she recited euery day with the Penitential Psalmes other such deuotiōs she imploy'd her selfe fower houres euery day continually in this exercise of genuflexions vnto the B. Virgins honour accompanying it with many teares As for that which S. Iohn Damascen hath left written of Simon Stilites it doth more cause our wōder then imitation his standing on a pillar exposed vnto the rigors of winters and scorching of sōmers heate thirty fixe cubits highe situated on an eminent Mountaines topp and this continued for more then thirty yeares making a thousand and a thousand genuflexions and inclinations euery day and one of the seruants of B. Theodoret Bishopp of Cyrene obseruing him one day counted aboue a thousand two hundred and forty inclinations of his and that of those more painful ones he bowing as it were euen round in performing them So of the glorious Apostle S. Bartholomew we reade that a hundred times a day and as many by night he vsed to bend his knees which was more in one who was so perpetually and assidually imployed in preaching and conuerting of the world then a hundred times so much were in another man Wel did he vnderstand of how highe price and value with the B. Virgin these Reuerences and adorations were vnderstanding things in such an illuminatiue manner as he did or els he had neuer been so careful punctual in performing them But no wonder that the holy Saints and freinds of Alm. God haue produced such strāge effects as these left to vs so litle hope of imitating them since the diuine grace that superabounded in them the ardent fire of the holy Ghost that incessantly inflamed their harts and that height of perfection they had attained vnto al concurred vnto the rendring them actiue vigours and diligent in this holie exercise But as for vs weaklings as we are destitut of those spiritual forces which they had and that mind to apply those forces to the best if we cannot imitat them so nearly yet at least a farr off we may do somewhat in their imitation and bitter is it so to do do it deuoutly then weary our selues by enterprizing too much and so become wholy dulled and dis-animat and rather loose spirit then gayne by the excesse There is an Example concerning this taken out of the Mirrour of examples which is this A certaine Religious woman had a daily deuotion to say an hundred and fifty Aue Maries accompanying each one with a profound reuerence but she growing cold in the performance of them by reason the number seemed excessiue great was diuinely admonished in vision to diminish them to a third part vnder the condition that she should say those with greater feruour deuotion And S. Hierome to this purpose sayes it is farr better to say one Psalme deuoutly and with alacrity of spirit then the whole Psalter with negligence and tepidity Notwithstandiug supposing al be equal certainly much better it is to do more then lesse in these or any other exercises of piety since good workes ar the more meritorious stil with the more difficulty they ar perform'd and the more grateful is the doing of it to those vnto whose reuerencs it is exhibited Hovv the aptest time for the exercise of these deuotions is the particular feasts of our B. Lady CHAP. VIII THE Church euer guided by the holy Ghost hath in al tymes erected Tēples and consecrated Altars in reuerence of the sacred Queene of Heauen and hath honoured her with vowes Hymnes Canticles and Laudes and diuers other deuotions and seruices which the feare of detayning the Reader too long makes me forbeare the relation of but aboue the rest some feasts it hath commaunded to be kept wheron she is more particularly honoured Those may be diuided into two Classes the greater the lesser the greater include her Conception Natiuity Purification Annunciation and her Assumption into heauen The lesser which are not of precept her Praesentation Visitation others among which we may add the Saturday To begin then from the lowest the Saturday is dedicated by the holy Church vnto her honour namely in the Councel of Trent where it is ordained that Masses and Offices should be sayd of her on those dayes when they concurr not with any other feast Moreouer it hath been an antient custome of deuout Christians to fast that day in her honour which kind of deuotion is most acceptable vnto her as appeares by this following story S. Anselme writes of a certaine Theefe who entring once into a poore widowes house with intent to despoile her of what she had and finding her so slenderly furnished as he imagined it not worth his paines he to decline the suspition of what he came for ask't her what victuals she had whither she had broke her fast that day God forbid replied she that I should violat so my vow I haue made to the B. Virgin of fasting in her honor euery saturday why so sayd the theefe because sayd she agayne I haue heard a certaine learned preacher say that whosoeuer did it should neuer die without Confession The theefe was so strucken at the report of this as remayning a long time in consideration of his wicked life at last he started out of that melancholy posture wherin he was and setting one knee to the
power vertue al the heauēly Hosts the while humbly inclining before his Throne did him most prosound honour and reuerence Now let vs come to the feast of Corpus Christi or the B. Sacrament in which al the others are comprised and consequently more then al the others we are to reuerence it And is not this continually celebrated each day and in each place almost throughout the world do we not behold a world of Masses sayd and people dayly communicating throughout al Christendome do we not see in euery kingdome almost euery litle village the B. Sacrament kept and adored with vnspeakeable reuerence where our Sauiour Christ is as really present as he is in heauen where Angels and Saints are incessantly adoring him Wherefore we are neuer to enter into any Church or passe by any Altar where the B. Sacrament is kept but we are humbly on our knees to reuerence it And happy are those who performe this deuotion not perfunctoriously or for custome as many do but with gust of deuotion and from their harts relishing the sweetnes of the exercise they do perhaps they may deliuer some soule out of Purgatory by it with such deuotion it may be done which arriuing vnto heauen wil there become perpetual intercessors for them to Alm. God than which a greater benefitt cannot be imagined But alas I cannot speake it without teares we see Christians the while scarce vouchsafe to vncouer their heade or bend a knee before this B. Sacrament so vnreuerent and weak they are in their faith of it Impudent and irreligious as they are not to know how this mystery surpasses al discourse and al humane capacity and that faith heer is al the light we haue Let faith Commend to vs what we can neither see nor comprehend sayes the holy Church in one of its Hymnes and in another place Ad firmandum Cor sincerum sola fides sufficit For to Confirme a hart sincere only faith sufficient were And yet how many cleare testimonies haue we had of the verity of this by euident miracle sometimes it hath appeared in the forme of a litle child in the Preists hands at the Eleuation some times the very beasts themselues lesse beasts then some men therein haue acknowledged their Lord and Creatour in it as witnesse those Miracles which I shal here recount Al Paris in the yeare 1258. a certaine Preist saying Masse in a Chappel adioyning to the Pallace as he eleuated the sacred Host a litle child of incredible beauty appeared in the place of it Which Miracle being reported to S. Lewis King of France and some soliciting him to goe and see it amongst the rest he made answer worthy of so pious a Prince Let those goe who doubt of the reality of his being there says it for my part I behold him daily with the eyes of faith The other Miracle happened at Tholouse in Frāce recorded in the Chronicles of the Minims as also by Surius and diuers others and it is this S. Anthony of Padua being there had a fearce dispute one day with an obstinat heretike denying the reality of our Sauiours body in the B. Sacrament who being vanquish't by the reasons of the Saints Yet not willing to Confesse it sayd vnto him What need al these words and disputations by which although by Sophismes I Confesse I am ouercome yet my reason remaines vn-conuinced If then you wil do any good with me let me see a miracle in confirmation of what you say and I promise you I wil turne to your opiniion the Saint accepted of the condition and confident that the Authour of the verity would not be wanting to the confimation thereof he bid the Heretick to conuince him the more euidently name himselfe what miracle he desired should be done and he answered him he had a mule at home which he would keepe fasting three whole dayes and then procure him in the publick market place where let one of your Preists be sayd he with your God in the Sacrament and if the mule refuse to eate of the oates I shal offer him to adore him there I wil promise you I wil be ready to adore him also This was done and at the fame of this there being a mighty confluence of people from al parts to behold what the issue of it would bee The day assigned being come al things ordered as was agreed vpon the mule at sight of the oates euen wild with famine running towards them and hauing taken some of them in his mouth was in this manner coniured by the Saint with the Blessed Sacrament in his hand In the name of God sayd he whom I although vnworthy hold heer betwixt my hands I command thee to leaue that provinder and come presently hither to adore and reuerence him When behold a most stupendious miracle the beast not only forbore to eate any more but euen let fal out of his mouth that prouinder it had and ran presently bowing downe the head and on his knees adored the holy and blessed Sacrament to the vnspeakeable ioy and alacrity of al the Catholicks the Hereticks confusion and the conuersion of the man Now Friday being the day dedicated to the memory of our Sauiour in particular by reason of his death and passion I would aduise the deuout Christian besides his ordinary deuotions in honour of his fiue precious wounds to make fiue reuerences which can not but be very meritorious and acceptable to the Maiesty of Alm. God Of the Feasts of Saints CHAP. X. HAVING spoken of the adoration of our B. Sauiour and his holy Mother it wil not be out of the way of my purpose to say somewhat also of the adoration of Saints since the holy Church celebrates them for no other end but to incite vs vnto their reuerence This article of faith is confirmed and ratified by many Councels and lastly by the Councel of Trent in the 25. Section where Angels and Saints are declared honourable with the reuerence of Dulia proper and appropriated vnto them On the dayes then when any Saints are to be honoured especialy the more principally sort of them we are to do it with the foresaid reuerēces On simple feasts and those of lesser obligation it may suffice before we go to bed to incline only once or twice in their reuerence and when 't is the feast of those to whom we haue any particular deuotion or whom we haue chosen for Patron or Aduocate we ought with more particular Adoratiōs to honour them more or lesse according to the deuotion affection of euery one Let al those then who desire with due reuerence to honour those Saints to whom they are deuoted accustome themselues before they goe to bed to make profound reuerence vnto them imagining the while them really present and beholding what they do for so although corporally they be not there yet spiritually they are and both wel know and vnderstand what is done in their honour there and haue a
particular care and protection of those that are deuoted vnto them perpetually procuring for them fauours and assistances from Alm. God this verity is Orthodox confirmed and approued by many Councels and holy Doctours Now for the Saints Founders of Religious Orders which by excellence are called Patriarcks because as Abraham for exāple was stiled by that name for that so many people descended from him so from them so many Religious are propagated in the Church Of this sort is S. Benet S. Augustine S. Francis and S. Dominick and of later-yeares S. Ignatius c. Al which are to be had in highest veneration by those of their holy Orders not only on the particular dayes when their feasts are honoured but euery day of the yeare besides and that Religious man who desires to augment in him the deuotion he hath to the Founder of his Order should do wel to assigne a particular day of the week for honouring him that Wednesday in particular as the most conuenient for this effect when with some extraordinary deuotion of fasting praying reuerēcing him and the like he is to procure to honour him more particularly referr vnto that end al which he doth that day which finally hath reference al vnto the honour of our Sauiour Christ and to imploy some houres of the day in the meditation of the particular vertues of that Blessed Saint It is the general doctrine of the learned that the Founder of each Religious Order hath a particular care not only of the Order in general but also of each Religious in particular more or lesse according as their merits are and that they assidually defend them strengthening their forces and weakening the enemies who oppugne and fight against them Of which great priuiledge and prerogatiue Brother Leo in particular had an excellent reuelation vision of holy S. Francis which I wil heer recount S. Francis being happily departed vnto rest hauing rendred his body to the earth and his soule to heauen Brother Leo one of his most affectionat disciples bearing impatiently the absence of one whom he loued so dearely wel prayed instantly vnto Alm. God to make him so happy that once more in this life he might enioy the happy aspect againe of his beloued Maister and iterating his petition both earnestly often it pleased Alm. God that one day he being retired into a solitary place he beheld S. Francis appearing vnto him in a strāge mysterious shape al shining with glorious light but for the rest winged with golden wings and tallonted both hands and feete with Eagles clawes The Brother transported with ioy al sight of him was running to embrace and kisse his hands and feete but espying in what strange equipage they were he al amazed demanded of the Saint the reason why he appeared in that sort the Saint answered againe vnderstād these are no other then markes of the affection I beare my Order and the Religious thereof and these do signifie that amongst al the other riche prerogatiues his diuine Maiesty hath honoured me withal since my arriuing into heauen one is the authority power to vindicat my Religious from their necessities and defend them from any aduersity that presses them as often as with confidence they invoke my aide and these wings and tallons now I haue assumed to signify my readines and promptitud in succouring mine and the force and violence with which I oppugne al those who iniure them Good reason then haue the Children of this great Pattiarcke to reioice on earth for hauing so powerful a protector of him in heauen so louing a father and so careful an Aduocate I would aduise them to be assidual in honouring him with those reuerences of which we haue spoken and particulary to salute him euery day with fiue times bowing their knees vnto the ground in honour of the fiue woūds so miraculously imprest vpon him while he liued reioycing and congratulating with him for so highe and so sublime a dignity It being no doubt one of the most acceptable deuotions we can exhibit vnto him now he is in heauen Of the Adoration of the Angels CHAP. XI AND if we be obliged to honour the B. Saints with that due reuerēce appropriated their worship as we haue amply proued in the precedent Chapters with farr more reason are we to honour the holy Angels as the noblest in substance of al created things and representing most liuely their Creatours vnlimited power and magnificence And although it be true that both men and Angels are both Creatures of Alm. God and workes of that soueraigne Artificer that they are either framed according to his Image and by the faculties of their memory vnderstanding their wil capable of his grace and of being participant of his glory and eternal felicity and that many circumstances there are which equal Man with Angels yea and in consideration of the Hypostatical vnion and the Mother of our Sauiour Christ it may pretend some pre-eminence aboue them also Yet if we weigh their natures and ballance them equally one against the other no doubt but we shal find the one farr exceeding the other and as lead can neuer arriue to the excellency of siluer nor siluer of gold no more can a body any way equal in excellency a soule nor the soule of man naturally speaking the most inferiour Angel that is in heauen Vnto which our B. Sauiour infallibly alluded when he sayd Verily I say vnto you amongst the sonnes of men hath not been borne a greater then Iohn Baptist neuerthelesse the least in the Kingdome of heauen is farr greater then he But now before we wade any further into this matter we are to vnderstand that the word Adoration is a notion general to good Angels and men In conformity to which we find it in holy Scripture indifferently vsed for either as where it is sayd that the Israelits adored both their king God they bowed downe sayes he and adored God and afterwards their King So the Children of Israel adored their brother Ioseph then Gouernour of AEgypt after his brothers had adored him c. For which reason the Doctours both ancient moderne haue distinguished it into three seueral species of Adoration Latria Dulia and Hyperdulia the first being exhibited only vnto God himselfe as a souueraine kinde of adoration only fitted to the soueraine power he hath with the second we honour Saints and Angels And as for the third it appertaines to the B. Virgin alone and vnto her who surpasseth in excellence both Angels and al rest of Saints besides and of this in the precedent Chapters we haue discours't at large In breefe then we establish this conclusion we are to adore Angels and men deseruing it and this is an Article of faith according to Suares defined by Pope Felix the first of that name in the Councel at Rome the 7. th Synod And S. Augustine speaking of the B. Apostle S. Peter sayes An infinit number of the
without pronouncing any word at al but only imagining with themselues now I honour the first Quire now the second and now the third c. Now it rests that we assigne one day of the weeke for the exercise of this Deuotion and what more proper thē that the Church hath appointed to honour the B. Angels on to witt the Tewsday Let that then be it and on that day let vs most particularly honour them those that al Preists saying Masse of the Angels for them those of the laity deuoutly hearing it c. And because Psalmody is exceeding grateful to them if it be accompanied with due attention of spirit those who are imployed in that laudable exercise are to endeauour to comport themselues with al due reuerence and deuotion imagining themselues in presence of the Angels while they are performing it I wil sing Psalmes in the presence of Angels I wil adore in his holy Temple and praise his holy name And to this accords wel that which we reade of S. Bernard in the hystory of the illustrious men of the Cistercians how he sawe the B. Angels while Te deum was sung to goe from one Quire to another encouraging the Religious to sing it with feruour and deuotion Another tyme he sawe them busily writing downe what the Religious pronounced those in golden better which were pronounced with force of spirit and from the hart those in siluer which were vttered with attention but not such feruour as the former were those in inke which proceeded from them with a litle admixture of distraction and those finally in puddle-water which were pronounced without al sense of deuotion Moued then by this example and knowing that the B. Angels are assistant at our deuotions let vs performe them with such a spirit not only worthy of the Oratory that we are in but also of the Company that is there Happy and thrice happy are they who shal so honour them since they shal be rewarded for it not only by the Angels intercessions in heauen continually for them but also by their assidual assistance of them heer from al dangers both of bodily and ghostly enemies til at last receiuing vs at the honour of our deaths they take vs out of this transitory and miserable life and tranfferr vs to a happy and eternal on Of the honour and reuerence we ovve vnto our Angel Guardian CHAP. XII AND who sees not how reasonable it is in lieu of so many benefits we receiue from them to honour and reuerence the B. Angels for it and in particular our Angel Guardian who hath the care protection of vs committed to his charge For certaine it is auerred by al learned men that excepting our B. Sauiour each man hath his peculiar Angel attending stil on him whence we may perceiue how great is the goodnes and charity of Alm. God towards man who we being such contemptible creatures as we are hath not only been contented to create the Elements for our seruice mixt bodies for our vse and finally al corporal creatures els but also hath encharged the holy Angels with our protection and defence creatures so excellent so sublime in glory wisdome and power to be our instructours in vertue and our guides to truth But if goodnes be to be admired in bestowing them vpon vs no lesse admirable is his power in creating them in such innumerable multituds that the very lowest Quire of them is sufficient to furnish with Angels guardiās not only al the men that are but al that haue been or shal be as long as the world shal last so according to the probable coniecture of the learned there being a matter now of some million million of soules in al the world not only euery one of them hath an Angel guardian but one so particularly vnto himself as he was neuer Guardian to any one before nor euer shal be to any after him God whensoeuer he creates a soule appointing a pecular Guardian that neuer in that office was imployed before And who can imagine then how many millions of millions there must be to serue for so many millions of men that haue been shal be vntil the general Iudgement day And this opinion is the more probable not only because of Gods omnipotēce which is more illustrated thereby but also of a certaine congruency on the Angels part who if they should not suffice in number to afford each one a Guardian it would follow that the number of men would exceed that of them which would argue a deficiencie in them and take from that proportion by which it is supposed that as the Archangels exceed the Angels ten to one c. so there should be ten times more of Angels then of men The necessity we stand in of their caelestial aide is great and vrgent first because our soules are spiritual and consequently spirits can best see their necessityes next because we our selues are weake and ignorant of the force and imagination of the Enemy to ensnare and ouercome vs were it not for them Who watching continually by vs obserue al their wayes and carefully meete them with preuention But heere some may obiect how can they be continually by vs when our Sauiour sayes they continually behold the face of Alm. God in whose vision consists their cheisest beatitud Angeli eorum semper vident faciem Patris mei qui in caelis est To this I answer with S. Gregory that it is true the Angels are stil in heauen euen when corporally they are employed els-where else we could not reconcile that other place of Scripture with this where it is sayed that God imployes them on his Embassages heer on earth so as while in contemplation of the heauenly essence they are stil in heauen we must grant them really the while to be on earth And to incite in vs a greater deuotion towards them I wil endeauour to summe vp the many good offices they dayly do vs which although infinit in themselues may yet be reduced to three heads The first is they deliuer vs from many euident dangers by their careful custody of vs which the holy Prophet testifies where he sayes He hath giuen his Angels charge of thee to looke to thee in al thy wayes and beare thee in their handes least thou shouldst dash thy foote against a stone And heer let each one Cal to minde how many-fold dangers they haue escaped Heer one the falling of a house vpon his head which if he had not sodainly changed his mind he had gone iust vnder it as it did fal and to whom can he attribute this change of mind but to his Angel Guardian Another being prepared to goe some voyage puts it off he knowes not why and after wards vnderstands that if hee had gone he had falne into the hands of Pirats or of theeues and this was the worke of his good Angel also with a hundred others the like Which the Patriarke Iacob acknowledged to come from his
she did so it was reuealed vnto her that his name was Venance here-vpon the Guardian dispatcht an Expresse to Paris to informe him of those who were lately dead in that Cōuent whose nūber being giuen him vpp he found them exactly to agree with that of the Vision and that this Venance was only a simple lay Brother amōgst the rest whose Office was to haue care of the Friars habits and mend them when they were torne which it seemes he had executed with such charity as he had merited by it that highe place in heauen Now if this good Religious man in exercising this slight and manual Office could merit so high a degree of glory those who are exercesed in this Angelical deuotion which we treat of if they do it with that attention as they ought how farr more high an one must they needs merit by it And for our encouragemenr it were good to consider how farr more profitably we may be exercised in it then the blessed Angels whose continual imployment it is for they with al that they can do can never aduāce higher by it an Angel can neuer become an Archangel an Archāgel can never sitt equal with the Thrones nor a Cherubin in fine be embraced with the fire of a Seraphin whereas we may not only accumulat merits so to rayse vs from men to Angels but euen surpasse them themselues and being eleuated higher then Principalities and Thrones become euen equal with the Seraphins and by this only exercise may al this be effected So likewise may we apply this deuotion to the honour of Dulia proper to the Saints by the only turning of the minds intention and this more particularly on the dayes wheron they are honoured and their feasts are celebrated when besides these external reuerences we are to procure to honour them from our hearts by elicit acts from thence of congratulaion for their felicities and thanksgiuing vnto Alm. God for hauing predestinated thē from al eternity to that high dignitie to which he hath promoted them to which they haue arriued by so many vertuous and meritorious wayes leauing to vs their Imitation to trace their glorious foot steps after them That day likewise we are to ascend in mind to the particular actions of their liues considering the ardent charity of this one this others profound humility and the like according as their liues shal giue occasion In conclusion this aduertisement I wil giue out of that holy Cardinal Bellarmine touching these exteriour reuerēces to wit that they are only to be distinguished whether don in the honour of Alm. God of his B. Mother of Angels or of Saints by the internal intētion of the mind and the merit and excellency of those they are directed to As for example we adore and reuerence Alm. God for the immensenes of his gratnes and Maisty for his infinit goodnes and for being both our beginning and final end We honour the Saints as those who participat of his diuine grace and celestial glory and the B. Virgin as Mother of Alm. God and surpassing in excellency of title al Creatures both in heauen and earth Conformable to this we see in holy scripture how Abraham with the same sort of veneration bowed downe both to God Angels and men indifferently honouring them according to their dignities and in this manner we are to vnderstand the holy Scripture when it occurrs to speake in any other passage of these venerations How these genuflexions may deuoutly be exercised before any Image of our B. Lady CHAP. XV. IT is an ancient Custome of the church to honour Images both of our Sauiour his B. Mother and his holy Saints nay an article of faith from Apostolical Tradition receiued as we are taught by diuers Concels This only is to be noted that while we honour them we direct not our reuerences vnto them as they are materially what they are of wood or stone c. but as they represent them whose Images they are it represents according to that ancient axiome the honour of the Image is referred to those whom it represents And this the Councel of Trent inferts where it sayes In the Images which we honour and fal downe before we adore Iesus Christ and reuerence his Saints And so the 7. Synod sayes Who adore the Images adores the soueraigne king it represents the like we may say by the Image of the Queene of heauen and it is confirmed by Origen where he sayes Who beholds any mans Image sayes he may be said to behold him whom it represents This verity then so Catholike for the better performing this holy exercise we should do wel to procure som Picture both deuout and faire before which we are to do our reuerences although of this there be no necessity I say faire for faire obiects do soonest stirr vp the affections of the mind as appeares by that example of S. Bernardine who while he was but very yong was so taken with deuotion to a certaine picture of our B. Lady more comly then the rest that he was neuer wel but when he was on his knees before it and heer it was where he layd the foundation of his sanctity which afterwards he built so high vpon as it was an admiration to the world Which manner of adoring the B. Virgin in her Images is a forcible remedy against the temptations of our infernal Enemie as this following example doth declare taken out of S. Iohn Damascen by F. Suarez of the Society of Iesus There was a deuout Religious man sayes he accustomed to worship the Mother of God in a certaine Image of hers who being one day fiercely assalted by the Enemy with a greeuous temptation as he was carefully imploying al his force for the repelling it the diuel appearing to him promised him if he would forbeare to honour that Image he would not only free him from that present temptation but neuer molest him with the like againe But the good Religious man in defiance of him fel a fresh to honour it before his face and the diuel and temptation both vanished away And a great help it would be to this deuotion to imagine the B. Virgin the while beholding vs from heauen as without al doubt she doth taking complacence in our honouring her to make the Imagination worke the liuelyer let vs frame a conceipt that if an earthly Queene should take such delight in being honoured in picture as she should place her selfe where she might behold with what alacrity and affection it were done and bountiously reward those whom she sawe most forward in their honouring it what concourse would there be by al who desired to ingratiat themselues and indeare their seruices to her Maiesty and if this for an earthly Queene would be don with such forward greedy desire how much more prompt and ready ought we to be to doe it to please gratify the Queen of heauen which while we doe deuoutly we may suppose her
be done eyther walking in the feilds or visiting the stations in the streets or the maisters or mistresses of families convocating them together may distribut thē in Quires do it with much profit deuotion which if it be done with due attention it is impossible to imagine how grateful it wilbevntothe Queen of heauen To conclude this Chapter then I wil only recount a certaine Miracle in confirmation thereof What tyme the B. Brother Bernardin of Felthe preached at Pauy a certaine noble Matron had this deuotion to teach al her children daily before they went to schoole to say their beads before a certaine Image of the Queene of heauen which she had in her Chamber now it happened that one of the least of them one day fel into the Riuer in passing ouer a bridge of which accident the Mother being aduertised she presently casting her self vpon her knees before the Image of our Lady in lifting vp her eyes to heauen al bedeawed with teares O mother of God sayd she the vsual hope of the afflicted if it be your blessed wil saue my poore child if not your B. wil be done and concluding with the Angelical salutation deuoutly sayd she ran to the place where many people were assembled to saue the child and was no sooner arriued at the bridge but behold she saw her child floting vpon the water and calling her by her name at which much reioicing she cried out take strong cheere my child cal vpon the B. Virgin and my life for yours when presently the child was taken vp safe and brought vnto its mother when embracing it the child said vnto her its is not to men I owe my deliurāce but to our B. Lady before whose Image you so often instructed me to pray and therupon it recounted vnto her how being falne in she had receiued it in her armes and bore it aboue the waters At this al the Assembly moued to deuotion towards the B. Virgin did render praise and thankes to Alm. God and his B. Mother for being so fauourable and succourable to those who deuoutly inuoke her in their necessities Of the most excellent deuotion of the Rosary CHAP. XVIII THOSE who are diligent in seruing of great princes are stil inuenting some new way of honouring them and so we Christians being seruants of Alm. God and of his B. Mother are to do the like Now amongst al the Inuentions of which deuotion hath ben most fertil none hath been comparable to the Inuention of the Rosary And to say nothing of the name or whether it were fo called to signifie that as the Rose holdes the first ranke amongst al flowers so the Rosary amongst al deuotions or that the contexture of it seemes to be as a Garland of roses for to crowne the head of her whom we honour in it Finally there is none more vniuersally exercised then this deuotion of the Rosary whose Invention the whole Christian world owes to that great Patriarke S. Dominike as the propagation thereof vnto the Religious of this Order who take care to celebrate it euery where on earth Neither is it celebrated on earth alone but the very Angels in heauen do exercise it too as is confirmed by this vision recorded by two graue learned Authors Lanspergius the Carthusian and Blosius the famous Abbot in his spiritual Mirrour as followeth The Prior of the Carthusians at Treuers a very holy man and one much exercised in this deuotion of the Rosary one day rauished in vision as he was frequently beheld the glorious Cittizens of heauen praising and blessing with ineffable ioy our Lord Iesus-Christ and his B. Mother by commemorating the mysteries of the Rosary and recommendation of al those who deuoutly exercised it heere on earth besides he obserued that singing in their praise as often as they repeated the glorious names of Iesus and Maria they made humble obeissance to it and lastly it was reuealed to him that those who deuoutly exercised this deuotion on earth should obtaine by our Ladyes intercession a plenary Indulgence of al their faults with diuers priuiledges in this life and more then can be imagined in the next From whence we may gather the excellency of the Rosary how acceptable it is to our Lord and Sauiour Christ to his B. Mother al the Court of Heauen Wherfore we are to endeauour to performe it with al due reuerence attention if we desire to be grateful vnto them and to haue them propitious vnto vs. The whole Rosary consists of fifteene Decads of Aue Matias and fifteene Pater noster that is a hundred and fiftie Aue Marias which admitting of a triple diuision your beads of fiue decads are those most ordinarily in vse Now the manner of Meditating on them the seueral mysteries of our Sauiours and B. Ladyes life is this On the first fiue decads they vse to meditat the fiue Ioyful mysteries to witt vpon the first the Angelical salutation when the Eternal Word by the holy Ghosts cooperation was conceiued Vpon the second decad the Visitation of S. Elizabeth On the third the Natiuity of our Sauiour Christ On the fourth the Presentation in the Temple of our Sauiour Christ where holy Simeon and Anna the Prophetesse foretold to his glad mother his future greatnes and miracles And on the fifth our B. Ladyes finding her B. Sonne in the Temple disputing with the Doctors c. On the fiue next decads we are to meditat the fiue Dolorous mysteries The first of which is our B. Sauiours prayer in the Garden where he fel into that bloudy Agony The second the cruel Flagellation or his whipping at the Pillar til he was al goary bloud The third the crowning him with thornes their spittings in his face buffeting reuiling him and the like The fourth the Carrying of the crosse on his B. shoulders to Mount Caluary when his body so enfeebled as before must needes sinke often vnder the heauy waight The fifth his Crucifixion or nayling vpon the Crosse with vnspeakable cruelty and indignity On the last 5. Decads we are to Meditat first our Blessed Lord and sauiours glorious Resurrection next his Ascension into heauen Thirdly the happy departure of the B. Virgin hence Fourthly her Assumption into Heauen Fiftly and lastly her glorious Coronation there where she is declared Queene ouer the vniuersal Kingdomes of heauen and earth Where is to be noted that for the obtaining of the Indulgences granted to the sodality of the Rosary then which I do not knowe any more ample it is not requisit to meditat al these mysteries in order as we haue sett them down but it may suffice to entertaine ones mind the while with meditating any one or two of them in which we shal find the greatest deuotion nay only to say our beads ouer vocally according to Nauarrs opinion is sufficient so it be don with due attention and deuotion Now for the more ignorant that they may participat likewise of the fruit
of deuotion before they begin their beads I would counsel them to frame an Imagination of the B. Virgin in one of these three manners as vulgarly they are accustomed to delineat her Either with the Angel saluting her or holding her B. Sonne betwixt her armes or finally al glorious in heauen ready to heare and grant our Petition and this there is none but may make benefit of for the stirring them vp vnto deuotion And that learned man Nauarr when he was fowerscore yeares of age not only made vse of this Imagination in reciting of the Rosary but also in al his other deuotions and prayers still Imagined the dignity of the person to whom he directed them Which manner of stirring vpp attention is both easy recreatiue and deuout maintayning the spirit in attention and recollecting the memory the whilst opening a way to great familiarity with Alm. God and his B. Mother which if as we ought we practise and esteeme according vnto its dignity we shal in short time make wondrous progresse in the way of spirit and shal heape vp in heauen riches enough to make vs happy for al eternity There only rests that I add to this a most stupendious accident by which we may see the great importance of this deuotion the great benefit those of the Confraternity of the Rosary enioy thereby it is extracted out of a litle booke intitled The Rosary of our Lady At what time S. Dominik preached in the Kingdome of Aragon a certaine yong Virgin of good account called Alexandria made instance vnto him as he came downe from out of the Pulpit where he had omitted nothing might make for the commendations of the Rosary to be admitted into the Sodality thereof which she obtained although for the rest her life was no wayes accordingly she being one who spent much more time in adorning her body then to haue her soule wel adorned Now it hapned that two Gentlemen at once making suite vnto her it was sufficient ground of quarrel as they in their madnes thought one to challenge the other into the feild where they both remayned dead vpon the place The freinds of either hearing of this sad accident and imagining her as it was true the cause to be revenged on her they rushed into her house and notwithstanding she desired at least but so much respit as to confesse her selfe they would not allow it her but presently cutt of her head and threw it into a pitt But our B. Lady who has euer a special care of her deuoted seruāts though neuer so defectiue reuealed the fact vnto S. Dominick who in order to her merciful commands went to the pit called on Alexādria by her name when behold a wondrous accident the Angels visibly in sight of al the people brought vp the head from the bottom of the pit which ioyned vnto the body she besought the Saint to heare her Confession which being done she declared three things worthy of particular note arriued vnto her both before and after she was dead The first that by vertue of her being of the Confraternity of the Rosary she had a perfect act of Contrition at the instant of her death without which infallibly she had died eternally The second that assoone as she was dead the diuels putting her to great affright she was maruelously secured comforted by the glorious Queene of Heauen The third that for Penance and satisfaction of the death of those two Gentleman she was condemned to Purgatory for two hundred yeares for fiue hundred more for her vanity in attire the cause of that so lamentable effect But that she hoped by the merits of the same Confraternity to be soone deliuered from that punishment and hauing sayd this after she had remained a liue two whole dayes for the confirmation of the miracle and to augment the deuotion of the Sodality she left this life againe whose body was honorably interred by the sodalists there When fifteen dayes after she appeared againe vnto S. Dominick al in glory clothed in resplendant beames of light declaring vnto him after a world of thankes for the inestimable benefits she had receiued of him two things of especial note concerning this deuotion of the Rosary the one was that she was delegated to him from the soules in Purgatory with a Petition to be likewise inrold in the Sodality to receiue the benefit of it amongst the rest The other that the Angels much reioyced at the erection of his Sodality and that God instiled himselfe the Father of it the B. Virgin the Mother c. And hauing sayd this shee flew away to heauen This example ought to be a great incitement vnto euery one to make themselues of this Sodality and the better to become participant thereof to recite euery weeke the whole Rosary at least a payre of beads cannot be burthensome vnto any one of what imployment soeuer they be at the end of euery decad thereof they are to make a profound inclination saying with hart and mouth O most holy Mother of God I adore you and wishe the Saint and Angels may reuerence and adore you a thousand and a thousand times together with whom I haue firme confidence through the grace of Almighty God and your fauourablé assistance to blesse praise and adore you hereafter for euer and euermore Twelue most notable Adorations to be made in the honour memory of twelue dignities and priuiledges bestowed on the B. Virgin by Alm. God answerable to the twelue Starrs which go to the composing of a Crowne for her most sacred head CHAP. XIX THE B. Euangelist S. Iohn in his sublimes Reuelations of the Apocalypse beheld a woman of incomparable beauty euironed with Sun beames the Moone vnder her feete and on her head a crowne of twelue brighter starrs by which according to the exposition of the holy Doctors and Interpreters our B. Lady is vnderstood by the Sun the glory and Maiestie which she shines withal in heauen by the Moone which she treads vnder foote is signified how al that is vnder God such as are sublunary and earthly things she is Superiour too and for the twelue starrs which adorn her head are prefigured twelue singular priuiledges and prerogatiues which Alm. God hath endowed her with al aboue al the Monarks in this world and highest Angels and Seraphins in heauen and these her words haue a relation vnto it in that so excellent Canticle of hers where after she professes her soule doth magnifie our Lord she adds the reason why quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est because he hath don great things for me sayes shee which in that she specifies not what they are we may imagine to bee aboue al expression These then how infinit and vnspeakable they are we shal endeauour to speake a word or two of reducing them vnto the number of twelue answerable to the twelue Starrs which go to the composing of her Crowne The declaration of the
first Starr THE first starr or rather prerogatiues which our heauenly Lady is adorned with al is her Eternal and particular Predestination who before the Creation either of heauen or earth before al times was diuinely elected and predestinated vnto sanctification the plenitud of Grace and the accumulation of al heauenly guifts to the end that she adorned therwith might be the better disposed to the Cōception of the Eternal Word The holy Church makes mention of her diuine predestination in these words of the holy Scripture attributed vnto her Dominus possedit me ab initio viarum suarum the Lord hath had the possession of me from the beginning of his wayes And this other Ab initio ante saecula Creata sum c. from the beginning I was created before al times So S. Bernard discoursing with the B. Virgin vpon this point You haue ben predestinated sayes he in the Spirit of God before al creatures to the end you should ingender God himselfe This then is the first starr which crownes the B. Virgin Where we may obserue that what is future and to come to vs is present and as it were past vnto Alm. God So S. Paul speaking of the predestination of Alm. God speaks of things to come as if they were already past Those whom she hath praedestinated sayes he he hath called and iustified and glorified This B. Virgin then hauing euer been present to the eyes of Alm. God as the most endeared obiect of his loue may wel say of her selfe ab initio ante saecula creata sum And so at the first instant of the Angels creation amongst the Idaeas which they beheld as in a Christal mirrour presented vnto their eyes one of the most beautiful of al next to the humanity of our Sauiour Christ was this celestial Virgin when with what delight and delectation may we imagine them to haue contemplated her and in her the mystery of her redemption and the restauration of humane kind Where were you sayes the Wiseman when the morning starrs did prayse me and al the children of God ioyfully cried out Hauing been then in so particular a manner of predestination elected before al creatures by consequence in excellency she was to excel them al for so vndoubtedly being honoured with the greatest dignity which a creature could be capable of she likewise had as great grace and sanctity as in any Creature possibly could bee with al the other endowments requisit for one who was to be Mother of Alm. God who in preparing her vnto that dignity hath heaped vpon her more perfections and shewed greater proofes of his Omnipotence wisdome and infinit goodnes in creating her then in creating the whole Vniuerse besides and so whosoeuer had an eye so cleare and piercing to penetrat God Alm. work in her would admire it more then his worke manship in al other things beside in perfectioning of whom he hath been more exact then in whatsoeuer else The second Starr declared THE second Starr which adornes and imbellishes our dearest Lady is the prerogatiue of her sanctification or Conception in which her most pure soule when it was vnited to her body receiued no staine of original sinne at al it being endowed euen at that instant with more aboundant grace then any celestial or terrestrial creature else euen at their greatest height of sanctity for which it necessarily followes that in the wombe of her holy Mother she should haue more perfect vse of reason then any other at the ripest yeares by which she both knew loued and contemplated her God and Creatour in a more perfect manner then al the Cōgregation of Saints and Angels could together Naturally speaking it is true indeed as descēdant of Adam she should haue been subiect to original sinne as also al other miseries which follow in trayne thereof had not God with his superabondant Grace preuented her as one whom he had chosen to be his Mother from al eternity and so by an especial Priuiledge exempted from the common condition which al the rest are generally borne vnto through our first Fathers disobedience and so it was most conuenient if we consider the excellency and dignity of the Sonne of God and his B. Mother Now the manner by which was don was this At the same instant as Alm. God created the soule of the B. Virgin and infused it into her body thē newly receiuing forme in S. Anne her mothers wombe it pleased Alm. God to enriche it with his grace so as to free it from the contagion of al sinne which else naturally it had been infected with in such manner as the diuel neuer had any interest in it but to say in what aboundance it was not only exceeds my capacity and expression but that of al other creatures besides For God at that instant did not consider her as issuing from Adam a sinner and his enemy but as his Mother chosen out for the reparation of our sinnes and to bruze the head and trample on the pride of the Infernal Enemy Which being so if as they say the Empyreal Heauen be composed of so noble a substance and shine with so pure and rarified a light only because it is the medium wherein the obiect of Alm. God is seene how pure and noble must the B. Virgin haue been who was chosen to be the tabernacle where he was to inhabite and in which the eternal Word was to vnit himselfe to his holy Humanity And what a glory is this for humane one of their owne linage not only thus exempte from al original and actual sinne but also from the very instant of her natiuity to begin to lead a life ful of grace celestial and diuine What a consolation is this for poore sinners who desire to conuert them from their sinnes to haue one to ayde them who hath so gloriously triūphed ouer them what comfort to those who fight against them to haue her assistāce in the fight who formerly hath ouercome them But yet not only men but Angels themselues reioyce and glory in it to see their Queene and the mother of their king graced with so ritch so ritch endowmēt with so many graces adorned and accumulated with so many priuiledges al deriued from this her immaculat Cōception For which reason S. Vincent Ferrerius saies that at what instāt the B. Virgin was cōceiued there was vniuersal Ioy throughout the court of Heauen The declaration of the third Starr THE third Starr or prerogatiue that goes to composing the Crowne of our B. Lady is her Virginal purity with which shee was endowed by the holy Ghost at the first instant of her Immaculat Conception and if before her birth shee was so pure and holy how pure and holy must she necessarily haue been afterwards finally so pure shee was as S. Anselme sayes of her that next to God there was not to be imagined the like Theodoret sayes shee surpast in purity al the Angels in heauen treating
of these words of the Canticle There are sixtie Queenes amongst the saued soules of men sayes he shee who had the honour to bring forth Iesus Christ the Virgin Mary his mother no doubt surmounts both the Cherubins and Seraphins in purity And so holy so pure was this B. Virgin stil as shee held that strict guard ouer her affections that neuer any disordinat action came neere them neuer any vnlawful desire or repugnant to her deuoir had neuer any accesse vnto her finally neuer had she cōmitted any venial sinne as the sacred Councel of Trent obliges vs to beleeue seconded by the opinion of al the most famous Doctours of the Church And the exceeding affection she bore to this Angelical vertue as S. Anselme sayes was it which made her consecrat to God her virginity from her most tender yeares so as shee was the first Inuentrix of this rare and excellent vertue which equals men with Angels and the first who by perpetual vow hath offered vp her virginity to God and led the way which so many since haue followed so as with good reason she is stiled Virgo virginum the Virgin of virgins besides we must beleeue a rare purity was requisit in her who was to be the habitation of the holy Ghost Mother of the Eternal father sonne the light of Heauens and mirrour of al purity and perfection Besides such an affectionat loue she had to this pretious flower of Virgiginity as in her tender yeares she left parents freinds and al worldly delights to retire her selfe within the inclosure of the Temple amongst other Virgins there where she remained til the fourteenth yeare of her age the great fortunes which accrued vnto her by her father and mothers death which hapned about the eleuenth yeare thereof not being able to diuert her from her holy resolution meane while she refused al offers of mariage being at marigeable estate professing that she had consecrated her virginity to God and that she had rather suffer a thousand deaths then once in the least thought violat her vow Wherupon the Priests of the Temple suspended at the strange nes and nouelty of the thing betooke themselues to prayer and consulting the diuine Oracle how they were to comport themselues in this affayre it was reuealed vnto them they should assemble al the men of the Image of Dauid and he to whose lott she fel should haue her for his wife which being don she hauing a reuelation on the other side that such was the wil of heauen it was S. Iosephs lott to marry her who had the happines by it to be the Foster-father of Alm. God The fourth Starr declared THe fourth starr which in splendor and beauty surpasses al the rest is her being the Mother of Alm. God so great a prerogatiue according to S. Augustin that no mortal greatnes can equal it and nothing can goe beyond it but God himselfe so much it hath in it of the Infinit as S. Thomas sayes being so neerly conioyn'd with the infinit person of the Sonne of God and this dignity of hers it is sayes he that implyes in vs an obligation to adore her with a more excellent sort of Adoration then any other Saint But is it not a wondrous thing that a Virgin in the closet of her wombe should containe him whom heauen and earth and sea cannot containe who hath appointed to the Sun and Moone and starrs their seueral orders and stations which maruayles are sufficiently exprest in these three verses Quem terra pontus aethera c. Cui luna sol omnia c. Beata mater munere c. Is it not a wondrous thing the same woman should be both mother and a mayde that one should conceiue and bring forth a child without any detriment of her Virginity that she should haue a mothers faecundity ioyned with the purity of a Virgin that she should haue a sonne both in heauen in his fathers bosome and on earth in his mothers wombe together which sonne in heauen should be ingendred without mother and without father on earth These are the exclamations of the great and learned Origen on these words Cum esset desponsata c. O grace sayes he to bee admir'd O incredible sweetnes O Sacrament eneffable the same is both mother and Virgin the same both mother and seruant too and engendred one at once both God Man who hath heard of such wondrous things as these so farr Origen And so great and incomprehensible is this diuine mystery as the B. Virgin her selfe although she were most extraordinarily illuminated by the holy Ghost yet could she not comprehend when the Angels tould it her how it could be that she who was a Virgin could conceiue a child without any detriment of her virginity as appeareth by her Quomodo fiet hoc quoniam virum non cognosco c. neither could the Angel too informe her how but he remitted her to the holy Ghost Spiritus sanctus superueniet in vos for the vnderstanding of the mystery O mystery of mysteries maternal dignity to be admir'd both of Angels and men and neuer sufficiently to be vnderstood but let vs yet proceed to delineat her prayses more vnto the life When God out of the ribbs of Adam had framed Eue he waking out of his sleep sayd to himselfe this now is bone of my bone flesh of my flesh wherfore a man is to leaue both father and mother and ioyning himself to his wife to become one flesh with her Let vs apply this mystery now to our Sauiour Christ and say that in like manner the humanity of our Sauiour Christ by its vnion with God vnited humane nature so straitly with the diuinity that the B. Virgin might as properly say of our Sauiour Christ this is flesh of my flesh bone of my bone c. seeing as S. Augustin sayes the flesh of Christ was the B. Virgin flesh From whence S. Peter Damian inferrs that God not only was present to her by his vnlimited being as he is vniuersally withal nor by his grace as he is only with the Iust but in a farr more excellent manner of Identity in that that the sonne of God is her sonne also and as we haue sayd flesh of her flesh c. hauing taken from her the substance whereof his sacred body was composed a dignity in her so great as admiration must there take vp where humane discourse layes downe and with its tongue of silence only celebrat it This so streit vnion or Identity betwixt Alm. God and the B. Virgin is by the Angelical Doctor S. Thomas styled Parentela or affinity betwixt God and her which can be sayd of no other creature liuing besydes her selfe neither of man nor Angel to be naturally allyed with God like her hauing the natural sonne of God for her sonne In consideration of which S. Anselme sayes The Eternal father had not the hart to suffer that his only beloued sonn should be only his
is nothing sayes S. Herom if we consider it wel of pure splendious or of vertuous which shinnes not in the glorious Virgin most particularly Now if so large a portion of vertues fel vnto her share before she was Mother of God how must they afterwards be augmented when shed was indeed assuredly no tongue is able to expresse how infinit incomprehensible they were sayes S. Bernard the greatnesses perfections of God being infinit and incomprehensible his Mothers who conceiued him in her wombe must needs participat of the incomprehensibility infinitnes of them also Besides there was also congregated in her al moral vertues in greater measure then euer was in any one nay had an Angel come to the earth inuested in humane flesh it could not haue been more perfectly accomplished then she for proofe of which assertion I wil summ vp in a catalogue those most excellent parts of hers which are recorded to haue been in her by diuers holy men the admirablenes perfection of whose life was propos'd as a paterne for virgins to imitat by S. Ambrose in these words Neuer did she offend any sayes he though she had neuer so iust a cause but she both wished and willed wel vnto euery one and did wel them too she was reuerent towards her superiours and no way molestful to her equals she shun'd al boast al her actions were conformable to reason and she loued al vertues with her heart she neuer contristated her parents and neuer with freind or acquaintance entredinto contest she disdained not the humble derided not the simple nor thought it shame to accompany the poore there was no affectation in her behauiour nor dissolution in her gate and her words were so tēpered as the modesty which shined in them and her actions sufficiently declared her interiour sanctity and in ward vertue perfectiō of mind no otherwise then a sumptuous Portal doth the magnificence of the Pallace that is within Neuer but to the Temple did she stin abrode and then neuer but accōpanied with her father Mother kinsfolkes or the like within doores she was delighted with solitud and imployed her thought alwayes in some what of good and profitable for her soule This much S. Ambrose who hath much more besides And S. Hierom describing her Heroick vertues celestial māner of life in the Temple amongst the sacred Virgins sayes She alwaies endeauoured to be the first at Vigils of the night to be best instructed in the law of God the most humble in her demeane the most eagre in the workes of Charity the purest in purity and most perfect in al sorts of vertues and perfections she was assidual in prayer as the Prophet sayes meditated night and day in the law of God she was iealous of the honours of those she conuersed with and that without any disgust or molestation of theirs Deo gratias was her answer to al salutations and in fine her whole life was such as for prayer humility modesty solitud silence virginal bashfulnes and the like noble vertues of her sexe she was a paterne and model for al to imitat The seauenth Starr declared THe seauenth Starr nothing inferior in brightnes to the rest is her neere Communication of trust and secrecy with Alm. God so as no earthly Prince was euer more confident with Secretary or chamberlaine then he with her nor none euer more secret and faithful then she to him When he was an Infant she with incredible care and diligence attended him made him ready and vnready gaue him milke from her sacred breasts and with her virginal lipps tenderly kissed him Al which she did with such deuotion and respect as according to Albertus Magnus she never layed him to rest nor tooke him vpp but she adored him first with profound reuerence and entred so farr on the consideration of his infinit loue that made him doe what he did for vs as for the most part she fel into extasy Afterwards for the space of 30. yeares in al times in al occasions she was present to his necessityes in al his trauails miseryes and calamities both winter and summer in cold and heat raine or snow she euer willingly would accompany him neyther was he wanting on his part to correspond vnto the dearenes of her affection communicating with her the greatest secrets of his diuinity so as she neuer desired him to vnfould any hidden mystery as of the Trinity the Quires of Angels the vocation of the Gentils the vnion of the faithful with his holy Church but he did it presently if he reuealed to his disciples with such candour and promptitud the secrets of his heauēly Father I cal you no longer seruāts but freinds says he for what I haue heard frommy Father I haue declared to you much more would he do to his B. Mother we suppose And if in frequēting of his cōpany hearing of his doctrine only during his last three yeares he could render them so learned expert in the diuine mysteries how much more learned expert must she needs be who both frequented heard him for more then 30. yeares whilst he reuealed vnto her those mysteries heere on earth which the very Angels of heauen were ignorant of As Princes then vse to ennoble those with great titles of honours and dignityes whom they entrust with their persons and secrecies so not only did our Sauiour heere on earth aduance the B. Virgin to eminent dignity but much more now in heauen doth he intitle her to the highest degree of glory and excellence not ranking her with the quires of Virgins Cōfessours Martyrs Apostles Prophets nor Patriarks but to a high sublimity aboue them and aboue al the heauenly Hierarchies he hath aduāced her seating her at his owne right hand where she sits instaled Queene of heauen The Queene is at thy right hand sayes the Prophet Dauid adorned with al varieties whilst al the Blessed grant her the precedencie willingly and deferr it vnto her as their soueraine Queen Finally she rules ouer the whole Vniuerse and al the most important affaires of the B. Trinity in a manner do passe through her hands so as al the heauenly Cittizens the inhabitants of the earth the soules in Purgatory nay euen hel it selfe acknowledge he power and reuerence her for it with al humility The eighth Starr declared THE eight starr is the high Priuiledge she had of Contemplation and enioyed al her life so as from the very first instant of her sanctification in her mothers wombe according to Suarez she had the vse of reason conuerted it to the knowledge loue and contemplation of Alm. God from which nothing could diuert her euer after and he confirmes it for if this guift sayes he was bestowed on the Angels at their first Creation with greater reason may we imagine it bestowed vpon the Mother of Alm. God and Queen of them Whilest she was resident in the Temple with those other consecrated Virgins she
was still in highest contemplatiō supplicating the diuine Maiesty with the feruorous prayer oftē interrupted with amorous sighes for the Incarnation of the Messias that was to come the whilst there are graue Authours who report that the Angels daily administred her her food still entertayning her with some heauenly newes or some diuine rapts she had during those nine moneths the Incarnat Word lay couched in her sacred wombe Some times she being wholly transported from her selfe and absorpt in God at other times her soule making such sallyes forth per modum transeuntis according to some as cleerly to behold God face to face and no wonder she hauing so spacious a feild for her Contemplation to walke in euen to the third heauen and farther if it were possible as her B. sonne then actually present with her his heauenly ffathers delight and Mothers ioy who can say or so much as imagine her sweet transports through the consideration of the maruaylous excesse of that loue of his that had inclosed him in womb whom the Heauens cannot containe and held him in the restraintof a litle body who in his hand held al that is comprised in this great vniuerse ffor my part I am of opinion with SS Bernard Bonauenture and the learned Canisius that she continued whole nights rauished in contemplation of these diuine and wondrous mysteries for we may beleeue she was of a complexion and temper so excellent as she required but litle sleepe and during that litle time she slept F. Suares is of opinion that she was so inflamed with the loue of God that she often started out of her sleepe as loue is a restlesse thing and was transported by the force of loue to God the only obiect of her affections and S. Bernardin affirmes that she enioyed so supernatural a contemplation that she had the vse of it in sleepe in a farr more excellent manner then euer any Saint in waking had Howsoeuer whether waking or sleeping or howsoeuer imployed we may wel affirme with the learned Canisius that she neuer interrupted her meditations but thad al her life was but a continual exercise of extasy and contemplation whilst euery thing ministred matter to meditation she read with incredible affection the holy scripture which she vnderstood exactly wel both by her owne cleere vnderstanding as also by the light communicated vnto her from Alm. God and to her meditations a great helpe was the moderatnes and temperature of her diet which together with her solitud and silence disposed her spirit to meditation and vnion with Alm. God with whom she was so perpetually vnited as she rather seemed diuine them mortal For which reason perhaps it was that God would haue no mention made in holy Scripture neither of her father nor mother to witt that we might consider her rather a celestial creature coming from heauen then a terrestrial borne on earth Meane while the Angels that she might the more wholy attend to contemplation did dayly bring her food a miracle which we are the lesse to admire since we reade of S. Paul some what to the like effect who was one by infinit degrees inferior in sanctity and perfection vnto her And what wonder is it that she should seeme more diuine then humane when she was arriued to such a high degree of innocencye that she neuer fett into the least defect nor was euer transported so much as with the first motion of any disordination which were no wonder if as a graue Authour affirmes she were borne impeccable a quality sayes he but in a manner necessary for her who was destinat to the high honour of being the Mother of Alm. God Neither was it possible for her to be other wise considering how Alm. God tooke vpp al the lodging with in her for himselfe while she considering her owne humility on the one side and the high honour on the other to which God had aduanced her was so studious how to comply with her obligation to him for so great a benefitt as her thoughts had neuer leasure to thinke of any thing besides To say nothing of the absolut mortification of her body and exterior senses and the continual watch the Angels kept ouer her by turnes that no euil should approch her as one who was the liuing Tabernacle of the liuing God As for the diuels they fled her more then they follow others as we may wel imagine if S. Antony S. Bernard and other Saints were so formidable to them as they durst not approche their sight And for her she fled synne more then any wicked person followed it as knowing that whosoeuer sinned ipso facto felt into the disgrace of Alm. God a thing which of al other she dreaded most so as al her delight was in the exercise of vertue and sanctity of life To conclude she despised al honours of the world as knowing she was shortly to go to the possession of that supreme honour of being Queene of Heauen hauing nothing then to diuert her from it and al helps and incitements to it how could she choose but be perpetually in contemplation The Declaration of the Ninth Starr THe Ninth Starr of our B. Ladyes crowne is the Dignity she is exalted to aboue al creatures both in Heauen and earth which by proper name we may cal her Exaltation since by it she is exalted aboue the highest heauens aboue al the Orders of Saints and Hierarchies of Angels as the holy Church sings of her prayse Exaltata es sancta Dei genitrix super choros Angelorum ad Caelestia regna Neither can we admire that next vnto himself the soueraine king of glory should aduance her to the greatest he had for she being his Mother there was a kind of obligation on his part to honour her and do her al good he could since the honour which Children are bound to giue to their parents Consists not only in words and ceremonious respect but much more in effect and really doing for them Wherfore sayes Hippolytus he who hath commanded this Honora patrem matrem honour thy father and thy mother to fulfil the law which he himselfe prescribes to others would not we must suppose be wanting to his Mother in soeuer honour grace and glory he could bestow vpon her Now al the priuiledges and aduantages aboue others which the B. virgin hath are founded vpon these two principalls the first the infinit power of her B. sonn in consideration of which S. Augustin speaking of her Assumption both in soule and body sayes that God could do it and why he did it not those who denied it were to giue him a reason for it The like argument we may vse in point of the B. Virgins glory The seconc is her dignity in being the Mother of God who is infinit wherefore as the title of Sonn of God is the foundation on which we ground the excellency of the humanity of Christ so the title of Mother of God is that on which
and mercy the mediatrix betwixt God and man one of the greatest dignityes she hath in heauen The Twelfth Starr declared THe twelfth and last Starr which diffuses ouer the world its brighter rayes is the Vniuersal honour exhibited to our B. Lady both from the Angels in heauen and men on earth al calling her Blessed in fulfilling that prophetie of hers Behold al nations shal cal me blessed and she giues the reason Because the Almighty hath done great things for me Thus this diuine Oracle of verity hath presaged of her selfe that for her gratious priuiledges and sublime dignityes heretofore declared she should be called Blessed by al the nations of the Vniuerse And so it is for there is no climat so remote no nation so barbarous no people so vncultiuat where the mother of God is not blessed and adored and her name celebrated by the tilte of the Queene of Heauen and earth The first Christian consecrated Temples and erected Altars to her honour those now make solemne vowes and institut Sodalities in her name so as there is no countrey great or litle fertile or barren where some Church or Oratory is not dedicated to her name nor any man so impious and wicked who hath not some particular deuotion to her yea the Iewes themselues according to Iosephus in his Antiquityes though mortal enemyes to the name of Christan are yet effused in her prayse and S. Bonauentur sayes this they affirme of her that though on the one side she was exceeding beautiful yet on the other she neuer stirred vpp in her beholders other then chast desires her modest and maiestick presence repelling al vnchaste thoughts and purifying their mindes with whom she was present Neyther do the Nations more Infidel Barbarous render her lesse reuerence since according to S. Antonin in the third part of his Summe the very Turkes and Moores in their Mosquees prayse and honour her and haue her name in such veneration as whosoeuer blaspheme or speake irreuerently of it they punish them most rigorously Whence we may see how vniuersally honoured she is which is the dignity represented by the Twelfth Starr with which we conclude the contexture of her glorious Crowne The faithful Christian then who would cal to memory these twelue prerogatiues of the B. Virgin or rather would crowne her with these 12. bright starrs must euery day in memory of them make twelue reuerences or inclinations which while he doth in profound silence he is to cal to mind the immensity of her greatnes in them and endeauour to produce as many Acts of complacence and congratulation with her for them according to the instructions we haue giuen heretofore There are many spiritual persons who in memory of those 12. starrs vse to recite twelue times the Aue Maria saluting her as often in that manner as the B. Archangel S. Gabriel did I would counsel also to do these reuerences with more deuotion and to stirr vp our affection more to the seruice of the B. Virgin that at euery reuerence they would expresse by word of mouth her seueral dignities and prerogatiues which for that purpose I haue breifly heere expressed 1. I reuerence and adore you O blessed Mary the most illustrious Daughter of the soueraine and eternal Emperour 2. I reuerence and adore you the celestial Spouse of the holy Ghost 3. I reuerence and adore you the glorious Mother of the Incarnat Word 4. I reuerence and adore you Mother of the Omnipotent God 5. I reuerence and adore you both Daughter Spouse and Mother of the holy Trinity 6. I reuerence and adore you who are highly seated in a Throne of glory aboue al the Hierarchies of Heauen 7. I reuerence and adore you Treasurer of al the riches and graces of the Diuinity 8. I reuerence and adore you most glorious Queen of Heauen 9. I reuerence and adore you most worthy Lady of the Angels 10. I reuerence and adore you Empresse of al the Vniuerse 11. I reuerence and adore you our most pittiful Mother and faithful Aduocat 12. I reuerence and adore you whom al Kings and Monarkes of the earth do reuerence and whom al heauenly Courtiers adore Another sort of Adoration which for the greater variety of the deuout seruants of the B Virgin I haue heere annext 1. I Reuerence and adore you O B. Virgin Mary with al the Angels of heauen 2. I reuerence and adore you with al the Archangels 3. I reuerence and adore you with al the Vertues 4. I reuerence and adore you with al the Principalities 5. I reuerence and adore you with al the Powers 6. I reuerence and adore you with al the Dominations 7. I reuerence and adore you with al the Thrones 8. I reuerence and adore you with al the Cherubins 9. I reuerence and adore you with al the Seraphins 10. I reuerence and adore you O B. Virgin Mary with al the Nations of the world 11. I reuerence and adore you with al the faithful departed soules 12. I reuerence and adore you with al Creatures of Heauen earth and depts below These 12. reuerences the zealous honourer of the B. Virgin is to make with great resentment and reflexion of mind because of the profound mysteries contained in them And by so doing he shal adorne the head of the B. Virgin a more grateful Crowne of these 12. Starrs then if it were al composed of 12. of the richest Iewels in the world nay of 12. of the most radiant Starrs in heauen Touching the acts of complacence which we formerly mentioned I haue heere sett downe a forme of them which each one may exercise according to their deuotion Twelue Reuerences correspondent to the Blessed Virgins 12. prerogatiues 1. O Blessed Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for your being predestinat from al eternity to be Mother of our Sauiour Christ and the liuing Sanctuary of the holy Ghost 2. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for being conceiued without al spott of original sinne in such manner as you out-shine in purity splendor the very Angels themselues 3. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for your being the first in consecrating your Virginity to God which so many Virgins haue imitated since 4. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for being Mother of the Omnipotent the highest honour which you haue in heauen and on which al your dignity depends 5. O B. Virgin c. for the holy Ghosts illuminating you in so excellent a manner at the holy Incarnation of the Sonne of God 6. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for your being so replenished with diuine grace endowed with al rare vertue and perfection 7. O B. Virgin c. for your dignity of being of nearest trust and secrecy with the soueraine Monarke both of heauen and earth 8. O B. Virgin c. for that high priuiledge of yours to haue perpetual fruition of
ground they goe on happy the bread they eate the rest they take who are so exercised the while So when the Clock strikes it were a good deuotion in this sort to eleuat our mind as also before each Houre of our B. Ladyes Office producing an act of interiour complacence saying with our heart I exceedingly reioice O B. Virgin for your high honor of being Mother of God of being Queene of heauen c. which cannot but be most acceptable and grateful vnto her In the meane time this deuotion were best perfomed on their knees it being a posture most repugnant to slouth and tepidity Besides for those who are troubled with infirmity age or any other weaknes this deuotion were best as that which without any difficulty they may performe since there is none but haue their spirit free or at least so free as for a glance or so they may reflect it vpon heauen how euer otherwise they are incumbreds And a great consolation this ought to be to euery one that without any other paynes then the only lifting vp the mind to God so it be don with spirit and viuacity one may merit so much as to arriue to most high perfection When one then is sitting by the fire or reposing on the bed let them but exercise their mindes in these Interior acts of deuotion and euen when they seeme to men most idle they shal appeare vnto God most vertuously imployed O most happy imployment that a man in a manner doing nothing may do as the very Angels in heauen And while some to finde out solitud and deuotion retire them to the Desarts and liue Eremites liues he that exerciseth but these adorations hath al that within himself which they seeke abrode and may assoone arriue to the height of perfection by this easy way as by the most fatigable they can go Besides these acts of Adoration haue yet another benefit that they expose vs not to vainglory which others perhaps may do as being only betwixt God and our selues performed in the interiour of our soule which by so much the more innobles them aboue the other as the soule exceeds the body in nobility and therfore of the bodyes operations we are to haue no regard at al further then they go accōpanied with the attention of the mind cōformable to that saying of the Apostle Corporalis exercitatio ad modicum vtilis est But to returne to our purpose the seruant of the Queene of heauen is to the vttermost bent of spirit and industry to imploy himselfe in these interiour Adorations as farr forth as the circumstances of time place occasion shal giue him leaue Notwithstanding he is to haue regard the while to accompany them if he can with exterior reuerence both because the one much aydes the other as also because the neglect of them alwayes implyes an inexcusable negligence which that Example which Pelbert recounts doth wel declare happening in his time in Hungary and recounted vnto him by a Religious man of worthy credit and it is this A Religious of the same Order was accustomed euer at the Aue Maria bel or Angelus Domini to rise out of his bed at the houres of night and humbly on his knees salute the Queen of heauen This deuout custome once being perswaded by slouth and lazines he omitted when behold being falne a sleepe againe he seemed in his sleepe to see the Church steeple euē incline it self vnto the ground which sight three times being represented vnto him in sleepe at last he imagined that he heard these words Miserable and negligēt creature as thou art art thou not ashamed to see euen senslesse creatures thus bow down themselues in reuerence to the Mother of God whilst thou sensible as thou art neglectest it by which vision touched with a liuely sorrow for this neglect he became more feruorous thereafter in his deuotions These interiour Reuerences then although of themselues they be of neuer so high worth and dignity yet when commodiously they may be done we are neuer to neglect the exteriour but stil accompany the one with the other that the feruour of the one ioyned with the other payne may render them more meritorious and the best place for the exercising these deuotions is when the commodity of some Chappel or Oratory is offred vs at which time we are vpon our knees in a more particular manner to commend our selues to Alm. God and his B. Mother And of this we haue for paterne our Sauiour Christ who as often as he ascended to Hierusalem repayred euer to the Temple the first thing he did to offer vp to his eternal Father his prayers and adoratiōs In imitation of which those of the Capucines Order haue a constitution that when they arriue in any place they are first of al to resort vnto the Church and there to adore the Blessed Sacrament the words of the Constitution are these Being arriued to the place where we are to goe to shew our selues true sonnes of the Eternal father we are first to visit the Church where hauing don reuerence c. And diuers by these meanes haue escaped imminent dangers as appeares by this following story recounted by the Illustrious Iames Voragius Archbishop of Genua in his history of the B. Virgins Assumption There was sayes he a person of quality whose wife excelled in al vertues but principally in deuotion to the B. Virgin so as no day past that in some reuerent and Religious manner she did not honour her Now it happened that her husband through his excessiue prodigality at last fel into want and misery in so much as one day some noble men inuiting themselues to dinner with him and he wanting meanes to entertayne them in that splendid and aboundant manner as he was wont to avoyd the shame went forth into a wood where he intended to absent himself while they might be come and gone without taking notice of their visiting him whilst in a Melancoly passion he wandred vp and down then revoluing in his mind into what misery he was falne behold a person of a horrible aspect mounted vpon a horse no lesse horrid then he appeared vnto him requesting him to let him know his cause of discontent To whom the Gentleman after he had recollected his spirits which feare with its dismay had putt to flight at first declared his whole fortunes at which quoth the other if that be al take comfort for I wil promise you grant me but one request to reduce you to an estate more riche and opulent then euer you were in before It must be a strange request sayd the Gentleman I should not grant you vpon that condition nay it is but easy in performance sayd the diuel for it was he disguised in that shape to witt that on such a certaine day and houre you bring your wife along with you and meete me in this place this being agreed vpon the diuel directed him to a caue where he foūd
the wisdome of Alm. God 9. O B. Virgin c. for your being so highly seated in an eminent Throne aboue al the Quires of Angels 10. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for the great power and authority you haue ouer al the Vniuerse and for that both heauen earth the depts below obey your Commendements 11. O B. Virgin c. and with our selues for your being our reful affectionat Mother and like a faithful Aduocat procuring euery way our greater good and aduancement 12. O B. Virgin c. finally for that al the world honours and adores your name celebrats your prayses and prayses your graces merits perfections And this deuotion of taking complacence in the B. Virgins perfections and dignityes is souerainly grateful vnto her as was manifest to S. Brigit in her Reuelations vpon this occasion Her sonne being a braue and noble spirit dying in the holy warrs she anxious for his soule besought the B. Virgin to reueale vnto her in what estate it was when behold when she was in the greatest feruour of her deuotion the B. Virgin appeared vnto her and comforted her in this sort my deare daughter sayd she be no longer solicitous for your sonne for I haue taken care of his saluation in visiting him before his decease and rendring his hart inaccessible to al sorts of temptations and so as no doubt of faith could bow it from the rectitud it was in nay more I made the passage of death both sweet and easy for him to the end the feare and terrour of it might not transport him either to impatience or despaire So I cleared his chamber of those diuels assembled there to lay snares for his soule and intrapp it at its departure thence and at the instant of his soule and bodyes separation I took it in my ne aryues vnder the protectiō of which I caryed it safe away from its infernal enemyes And the reason of this tēdernes of hers she declared in another reuelation when one day the holy Saint making her prayers at the Sepulcher of Christ was rauisht in extasy into a sumptuous Pallace where she beheld our Sauiour Christ on an Imperial Throne and his B. Mother seated by his side with an infinity of Angels incircling them about Presently after she beheld her sonne present al trembling in great dismay before this Throne to receiue his Iudgement there his Angel Guardian on his right hand and the diuel on his left who with a horrible voyce thus cryed out most omnipotent Iudge I appeale to you for Iustice and right of the greatest iniury that was euer offered me your Mother against al equity hath rauisht that wicked soule out of my hands entring his chamber at the houre of his death and excluding me and my company hath debarred me of that priuiledge which you haue granted me to tempt euery soule at the article of tyme when it wil best be testified whether they belong to me or you then which greater iniustice can there be imagined To this the B. Virgin answered though thou art the father of lyes yet in this thou hast but declared the truth I haue don al this indeed and my reason for it was this This soule while it was couuersant in the world was so deuoted to me as it reioyced and tooke complacency in my dignity of being Mother of Alm. God and at my exaltation aboue al the quires of heauen the pleasure of which it would not haue exchanged for al the contentments and pleasures of the world Iudge then if I had not iust reason to do what I did O but replyed the diuel al this cannot excuse it from an Iniury to me your debarring me accesse to tempt him as also your receiuing his departing soule and conueying it hither which cheifly belongs to me when conuerting himself vnto the Iudge he sayed of you then I demand iustice who ought to be as equitable as you are powerful against this wicked soule heer who being arriued vnto the yeares of discretion in steed of taking the right hand way of your commandements went on the left in his transgressing them wherefore I demand but Iustice that he be condemned and heer he insisted in particularising his mortal and venial sins at this his good Angel interposed himselfe saying thou wicked feind al this is but true I grant what thou hast sayd but knowest thou not that his holy Mothers prayers incessantly offered vp vnto Alm. God for him haue cancelled these and obtayned for him a true contrition and sacramental absolution for them before he dyed besides her and his many other holy workes don in satisfaction of them how then canst thou haue the impudence to vrge them any more goe home and keepe company with damned soules looke not after him for he is a saued one At this the diuel vanished away And by this we may see the benefit of being deuoted to the B. Virgin of the prayers of others for them and of dying in a good estate prepared vnto it by true contrition and Confession An excellent way of adoring the B. Virgin in remembring the ioyes vvhich she had heere CHAP. XX. THE common opinion is that the B. Virgin had in this world seauen ioyful times in particular The first was at her Annunciation The second the Visitation of S. Elizabeth The third the glorious Natiuity of our Sauiour Christ The fourth the Adoration of the three Kings The fifth at the finding of her B. sonne in the Temple The sixth at our B. Sauiours apparition to her after his most glorious Resurrection The seuenth her happy decease and glorious Assumption into Heauen Now her deuout seruants may dayly administer her matter of fresh Ioy by calling these vnto remembrance and occasion to themselues a great increase of merit and glory The Angel Gabriels salutation to her of Aue c. was no other then an Inuitation to reioyce according to the interpretation of Origen so the holy Church sings her Antiphon Gaude virgo gloriosa c. and in other Regind caeli laetare c. and bids her reioice and be glad and in a third Gaude laetare Virgo Maria. Let vs then announce vnto her Ioy by commemorating those her seauen Ioyful mysteries in this following Method making at each one of them a low reuerence 1. Reioyce O B. Mary for that vpon the salutation of the heauenly messinger you concerued in your sacred wombe your sonne to the incredible consolation of your soule 2. Reioyce O B. Mary for that you burning with diuine loue and incited by the holy Ghost ouercome the toyle and labour of passing ouer the high mountaines of Iury and visited your cosen Elizabeth where you heard her vttering your celestial praises and magnifyed in spirit your Lord and Sauiour 3. Reioyce O B. Mary for that at the end of nine moneths you brought forth into the world the so long expected Messias bright as the sun of heauen while al the
celestial Angels played in the beames of him to your vnspeakeable comfort 4. Reioyce O B. Mary for that you saw the three Kings adoring your B. Sonne and conceiued a fortunat presage from thence of the Gentils conuersion 5. Reioyce O B. Mary for that after three dayes search you found your B. Sonne to your excessiue gladnes amongst the Doctours in the Tēple where you were astonisht amōgst the rest to heare him expound the deepest mysteries of the holy Scripture soe clearly and with such admirable perspicacity 6. Reioyce O B. Virgin for that after three dayes deluge of teares by the appearing of your glorious Sonne in his Resurrection they were al dryed vp and you exceedingly reioyc't and comforted 7. Reioyce O B. Mary for that al the Apostles being assembled together at the happy houre of your departure out of this mortal life the third day after you were gloriously Assumpted into heauen where now you sitt crowned and instated by the holy Trinity Queene of Angels and of all the Vniuerse S. Anselme amongst our B. Ladyes miracles records this for one that a certaine deuout Religious man whose custome it was dayly in his deuotiōs to remember the 7. Ioyes of our B. Lady being now neere his end and exceeding fearful of that last Agonie our B. Lady appeared vnto him and comforting him sayd my sonne why should you feare you who haue so often reioyced me with the remembrance of the greatest Ioyes I had in my mortal life take courage and assure your selfe no euil shal happen vnto you but you shal soone be partaker of those Ioyes which you haue so often announced to me with whose celestial presence he was so comforted that forgetting his sicknes while he endeauoured to rise and through ioy to cast himself at her feet his soule preuented his body and went out before to the fruition of those Ioyes which she had promised him The foresayd Ioyful mysteries may be distributed to each Houre of the Office of the B. Virgin The first at Mattins the second at Prime the third at the Third Houre The fourth at the Sixt The fifth at the Ninth the sixt at Vespers and the seauenth at Complin On each one of which we way deuoutly meditat the while and so in the like manner we may meditat then on our Beads a deuotion most acceptable to our B. Lady as from this Example we may perceiue recounted by Pelbert in the Stellary of the B. Virgin There was sayes he a yong man who making himselfe Religious of S. Francis his Order was accustomed before he entred into Religion to crowne a certaine Image of our Lady with a wreath of flowers which he dayly gathered for that intent but being once become Religious wanting the commodity of flowers he intermitted this deuotion though so vnwillingly as the leauing that made him resolue at last to leaue being Religious also and being vpon the point of departing the Conuent behold our B. Lady appeared vnto him saying leaue off that your so pernicious resolue vpon so triuial an occasion and if you desire to vndertake a deuotion grateful vnto me in steed of making me a material crowne of flowers offer me vp a spiritual one of salutations and I shal be farre more delighted with it and the forme of it shal be this you shal first say a Pater noster in memory of the Ioy I conceiued when the Angel saluted me and the Eternal word was Incarnat in my wombe and say 10. Aue Marias in consequence thereof Secondly you shal do as much in memory of the Ioy I had in visiting my cosen Elizabeth and so forth vnto the seauenth Ioy I had which you shal conclude with the last three Aue Marias of your Beades so the whole number wil amount to 7. Paters and 63. Aue Marias which deuotion if you shal dayly performe in mine honour know you shal much more please me then in that other deuotion which you had and hauing sayd this she vanished away leauing him exceedingly comforted and strengthened in his vocation Now it hapned that whilst one day he was performing this deuotion a certaine Religious beholding him by chance sawe an Angel standing by him threading on a golden thread as many roses as the Nouice sayd Aue Marias and for each Paternoster a golden lilly al which when the Nouice had done he ioined them together and crowned his head with them the Religious man astonished at this vision charged him by vertue of holy obedience to declare vnto him what deuotiōs he vsed which he doing with great sincerity the Religious man encouraged him to persist therin assuring him it was a deuotion the B. Virgin was delighted with And S. Bernard exercising this deuotion our B. Lady appeared vnto him once saying vnto him my sonne this deuotion of thine is exceeding grateful to me and that thou mayst perceiue so much I haue obtained of my sonne for thee in reward thereof the grace of preaching and of working miracles besides I promise you one day to make you participant of those Ioyes which you dayly cal to remembrance and de facto soone after the holy Saint began to be famous indeed for miracles and to abound in innumerable graces and conuerted a world of soules by his learned preachings and force of his miracles Of the Interiour Reuerences we are to exhibit to the Glorious Queene of Heauen and of the place time occasion of exercising them CHAP. XXI HITHERTO we haue spoken of the Adorations we are to make the exteriour accompanying the interiour with relation to mans composition consisting both of body and soule Now because those exteriour are not alwayes to be performed neither are all places and times accomodate for them we wilonly speak of such interiour Adorations as we may be exercising they being only acts of adoration produced by the Wil which according to S. Thomas are those which the Blessed in heauen only exhibitvnto Alm. God These then there is none but may performe when in the performance of the others they are hindred either for want of commodity of place or time and these indeed are the most excellent of al and most acceptable to Alm. God as those without which the others were nothing worth And it being our principal scope to treat of reuerencing the Mother of God we wil only exemplifye in that and instruct her votaries in the place and Time when and where they are principally to be exercised In al times and places they may comodiously be produced but cheifly when for the company of others we cannot exercise any other deuotion as also when we ride walke eate or take repose at al which times it is but lifting vp our mind to heauen and to say with our hart I humbly adore you O B. mother of my Sauiour Christ I adore you O Queene of Angels or the like in only doing of which we sanctify al we do making euery one of those indifferent actions aequiualent to prayer happy the