many Idolatours Hereticks blasphemers and sacrilegious Caytiffs reuile the Name of the B. Virgin tread her Images vnder their feet detest to reuerence her and wilt thou through thy slothfulnes omit to make recompence for their wrongs done vnto her by louing her euen this very houre more feruently by honouring and worshipping her more deuoutly especially seeing both thy owne and the Angell keepers of these Blasphemers do demaund and expect it at thy hands On friday Frō this very howre In which Christ himselfe doth so much desire that thou shouldest reuerence his Mother doubtles thou wouldst haue cōsented to Christ had he in the midst of his cruell torments which he suffred for thy sake only demaunded this comfort frō thee standing hard by him that thou wouldst take from henceforth his Sacred and Holy Mother to be the ine yielding her due reuerēce what he then asked of S. Iohn that did he aske of thee this very houre yet asketh and dost thou not consent Wilt thou not now more truly reuerence her being demaunded of such an one at such a time with such words when thou oughtest of thine owne accord much more adore and reuerence her On Saturday Frō this very houre Wherein the B. Virgin most louingly remembreth thee occupied in thy daily affaires shee parlieth with thy Angell Guardian with others thy deare Patrons concerning thee for thy sake she interrupteth her B. Sonne otherwaies imployed she bestoweth on thee benefits without number and shall not such motherly care so tender affection so constāt charity once pierce thy heart with the most sweet dart of loue making thy Soule euen to languish and melt away with the desire of pleasing her Now after that for some short space of time you haue daily considered one of these points you must first striue to stirre vp in your selfe a desire and purpose all waies to serue the B. Virgin with moie feruour heereafter Then say either once Auc Maria or els this praier ensuing Holy Mary Mother of God and Virgin I from this very houre and for euer do choose you for my perpetuall Patronesse and Aduocate and take you for my Mother hence forth commending my selfe all my affairs vnto your protectiō wherfore take and receyue me likewise into the number of your deuout seruāts and let me though vnworthy be accoūted your Sonne be fauourable vnto me in all my actions and forsake me not but assist me in the hower of death Amen How much this Exexcise did auayle a wicked Souldier and notable Robber may worthily appeare for that the diuell did in humane shape for the space of fourteene whole yeares wayte on him hauing leaue by the permission of Allmighty God to breake his necke that very day wherein he should first omit this his holy custome of saluting the most Glorious Virgin Spec. Exempl exempl 6. Yea how much the whole worlde should haue needed the shelter of this Exercise when Christ our Sauiour incensed with wrath indignatiō against sinners did brandish and with threatning shake three speares or Lances one ouer the haughty neckes of the Proud another against the greedy bowels of the Couetous the third against those who followed the desirs of the flesh ready to destroy them all had not our B. Lady made intercession for the world at that very instant and brought forth her two most faythfull seruants S. Dominicke and S. Francis who should reclay me mortall men from sinne and bring them to true repentance B. Anton 3. p. Hist. tit 22. c. 3. CHAP. IV. An Exercise of the loue and trust we must haue in our Blessed Lady when we demaund any thing of her especially in the tyme of Aduersity FIrst you shal ponder how our Blessed Lady hearing these words of Christ Behold thy Sonne Ioan. 19. by which she was ordayned the Mother of all men presently enlarged her bowels and stretched abroad with her singular charity the armes of her mercyes to receiue and imbrace with a motherly affection such a company of children your selfe one amongst the rest 2. You may demaund that she will now in heauen remember these wordes that state of Christ and account vs her Sonnes as he was and as he commaunded her to do by tendring vs with the same care as she did him incarnate vpon earth 3. You shall vnfold all your necessityes vnto her crauyng help with confidence in her as from a most carefull and most diligent Mother Then add therto these 7. considerations 1. Throw your selfe downe as it were an infant before her feete with this or such like prayer OB. Mary my dearest Mother behold me heere as an infant not able to go or any way to vp-hold my selfe though alltogether vnworthy of your celestiall helpe yet doubt I not to craue that you will be pleased to shroude me vnder the armes of your singular protection as you did your Blessed Infant and Sonne IESVS 2. Offer your selfe as an infant al naked saying O B. Mary my most liberall Mother be hold me your poorest Child an infāt bereft of all vertues exposed to the iniuries of cold and spirituall repidity I do beseech you that as you did shroud sweet IESVS your Sonne in his swathing bands so you will be pleased to enwrappe me with the swathing clothes of vertue that I may so obtayne a spirituall heat 3. Offer your selfe as an infant hungry seeking his Mothers breasts O Blessed Mary my dearest Mother behold me your owne Sonne as an Infant euen starued and void of all food I most humbly desyre you that as you did giue the sweet milke of your breasts vnto your little Infant IESVS for his nourishment so you would giue vnto me the breasts of your loue the milke of deuotion 4. Offer your selfe as a Child that is to be spiritually circumcised and offered vnto God O Blessed Mary my most true Mother behold me your Sonne alltogether impure and therefore afraid to approach vnto the most holy Eucharist least insteed of life I should take iudgement death I humbly craue that as you did offer sweet IESVS the fountayne of purity newly circumcised in the Temple of Hierusalem vnto the Eternall Father with a payre of Turtle Doues as a most gratefull sacrifice so you will also be pleased to offer me your Sonne vnto the same Father first clensed by condigne pennance by your pious intercession from all spot filth of sinne and with the sharpe edge of mortification circumcised from all my inordinat passiōs adorned with humble simplicity loue of God and vnited to his dearest Sonne in the holy Eucharist 5. Offer your selfe as one that is banished driuen out of his owne country by the fury of his Enemies O my most potent Mother behold me your owne Sone whom the diuell the world and the flesh labour by all meanes to destroy crying out for helpe vnto you I humbly beseech that as you hiding most wisely your little Sonne IESVS conuayed him from Herods fury and
worthily to receaue that holy Sacrament First to beseech our B. Lady by that most immaculate Purity wherby she was made a pleasing Tabernacle for the Sonne of God to free her from the stayne of her sinnes by her intercessiō Secōdly by that most profound Humility wherby she deserued to be exalted aboue the Quires of Angells that she would be pleased to supply and make amēds for all her negligences Thirdly by that inestimable Loue wherby she was inseparably vnited vnto God that she would obtayne for her store and abundance of merits And the same S. Gertrud addeth that once vpon a tyme whilst the Religious drew neer to the Communion she did perceaue the Queene of Glory on the right hand of one who was amonge the rest clothing her with a Robe adorned and beautifyed with the flowers of prayer and deuotion desiring her sweet Sonne for her sake to haue this Virgin in particular regard Who at the petition of his B. Mother presently shewed great signes of grace and fauour vnto them all E. 4. Insin diuin cap. 49. You must likwise stir vp in your selfe frequent actes of Loue following therein the Example of Gods most Holy Mother For who cā comprehēd the fire of that loue which alwayes burned in the Blessed Virgins breast when she was ready to communicate being as it were euen changed into a Holocaust especially whē she considered that he was now wholy to be giuen vnto her who had before wholly giuen himselfe for all mankind as a bloudy Sacrifice vpon the Crosse Who had giuen those hāds and feet to be cruelly boared through That breast to be pierced with a lance which was yet more deeply wounded with loue And lastly who had giuen all his whole body to be moulded and as we may say baked with so many wounds that it might become therby bread more delicious to our tast Labour to beget in thy selfe the like loue vnion with Christ by calling to mynd euery tyme thou dost communicate some one passage or other of his passion so shalt thou do a thing most gratefull pleasing both to God and his B. Mother S. Lydwine the holy Virgin on a tyme lying sicke in her bed was very desirous to communicate but not hauing the commodity at that present she was comforted by her Angell Guardian who told her that very shortly Christ her Lord whome she so much desired would come and visit her Wherupon conuerting her selfe wholy to her prayers being wrapt in contemplation she perceaued diuers Angels comming towards bed her one carrying the Crosse another the Lance some the whippes others the reed the nayles crowne of thornes with all the Instruments of the passion In the midst of the troupe wēt the B. Virgin and last of all our B. Sauiour Being come into her Chamber they compassed her Bed round And then our Sauiour first turning towards her with a smiling countenance in the likenesse of a beautifull child presently appeared vnder the forme of an Host which she receaued with such aboundance of solide ioy that it was wonderfull how so narrow a brest could conteyne such an Ocean of diuine delightes In eiu◠vita mens April Oh that thou couldst obtayne but one only drop out of this Oceā of diuine Mercy by the intercession of the B. Virgin when thou art about to communicate Or at least that thou couldest with a sincere simple heart say with Thomas a Kempis O Lord my God my Creator and my Redeemer I do desire to receaue thee this day with the same affection reuerence prayse and honour with the same gratitude dignity and loue with the same Fayth Hope and purity that thy Most Holy Mother the Glorious Virgin Mary did receaue thee when most deuoutly and humbly she answered vnto the Angel Gabriel announcing vnto her the mystery of thy wonderfull Incarnation Behould the handmayde of my Lord be it dōe vnto me according to thy word lib. 4. cap. 17. What we are to do after Communion in imitation of the B. Virgin WHen you haue communicated you are principally to obserue three things 1. To giue thāks vnto so great a guest whom you haue receaued 2. To desire to be perpetually vnited vnto God 3. To demaund of him what may be necesary for your selfe and others in this or the like manner O with what great ioy and exultation with what celestial delight was the B. Virgin filled when she had receaued the B. Sacramet What infinite thanks did she render vnto the Diuine Maiesty for the same She did no doubt euer and anone repeate that Cāticle with Iubilation My soule doth magnify our Lord. With how great sincerity and simplicity of heart did she offer her selfe al she had vnto him whome she thē lodged within her brest Christ IESVS her Sōne her God Do you offer vp your selfe in the same manner and imagine that your Angel Guardian doth salute you with words of congratulation and ioy as did her Cosen S. Elizabeth our B. Lady Blessed art thou because thou hast belieued and receaned God in the sacred Communion And do you answere ioyfully againe My soule doth magnify our Lord c. pondering particulerly euery worde of that Canticle the better to beget in your selfe affections like vnto those which the Bles Virgin had when she song the same Ponder also with what desire the holy mother of God did burne of seing her Sonne not hidden vnder the Sacramentall forme of bread but with his face discouered shining with glory in heauen And that you may the better conceyue the same heare the B. Virgin herselfe declaring this her desire out of Rupertus in these wordes I did weepe sayth she could not speake a word for the aboundance of sighes that vehemently burst forth For how could I speake of him without weeping Yet those teares were my only consolation and my sole delight euen as any one may cōceaue by those which thēselues shal sweetly shed in memory of them whome they loue best and deerest And if Dauid could say My teares were my bread both day and night whilst it was said vnto him dayly Where is thy God how much more reason had I to say the same of my selfe when it was sayd vnto me dayly Where is thy God where is thy Son Or when I my selfe should say My God my sonne hath sent me hither into this banishment Rupert l. 5. in Cant. And lastly ponder with what feruor the B. Virgin did demaūd of Christ now her Guest new celestiall guifts both necessary for herselfe and others With what affectiō did she commend the vniuersal Church vnto him with al the faithfull both aliue and dead Do you seeke to imitate her heerein and conclude this Exercise of the holy Communion with the like petitions strengthned and seconded by the help and intercession of Gods most holy Mother CHAP. X. Of the Imitation of the B. Virgin in labouring with our hands or corporall Exercise SAint Bonauenture Euthymius Sophronius and others
strong seale signe confirme his first purpose of altering his manner of life into a better course giuing his Sword as a pawne sealing his intentiōs as it were in the motherly bosome of the Sacred Virgin He did offer also vp into the hādes of our B. Lady the Vowes which he and his fellowes made at Paris in her Chappel called The Mont of martyrs on the day of her Assumption commending in like manner to her the solemne profession made by himselfe and his fellows in Rome at S. Paules within her Chappell Neyther intended he any thing else when in the Rules of his Order he interposed these wordes Before the most Blessed Virgin Mary then that he might leaue it as a document vnto his Sonnes that as their Vowes so all their good purposes should be offered vp before the Blessed Virgin to the end that partly by the reuerence and respect due vnto her partly by the confidence of her assistance they may be made more ready and cheerefull in bringing them to effect OVR B. LADIES LITLE GARDEN THE SECOND BED planted with Roses Wherin diuers Exercises of Loue to our B. Lady are cōtained BEhold the Rose the second flower of this Virginall Garden an Embleme of Loue which if you gather with such deuotion diligence and constancy as it behooueth you may easily compose therof a most faire Garland fitt both in beauty and odour for the glorious Head of the Bles Virgin First therfore striue daily to stirre vp in your selfe as soone as you rise a tender and sweet affection vnto this glorious Queene remēbring as well her singular Perfections beauty as her infinite Mercies shewed vnto vs sinners Which two considerations will serue as fewell to increase and nourish within your breast the fier of diuine loue towards so beautifull a Queene so louing a Mother But least this heate of deuotion which you inioy in the morning waxe cold ere night by reason of many cares and imployments which daily are like to trouble you you must labour to kindle and quicken the same by frequēt though briefer deuotiōs as the practice following shall instruct you CHAP. I. The first way to stirre vp Affection to the B. Virgin is the contemplation of her Perfections and Beauty YOur cōposition of place shal be to imagine that you see the B. Virgin shining with infinite beauty and glory in the midst of men and Angels towards whome are directed the affections of euery Saint in particular Your petition shal be to demaūd grace of our Lord to perceaue tast in some sort how dearly our Bles Lady ought to be loued for her rare Pefections Beauty The first Point Of the multitude and greatnes of our B. Ladyes Perfections I Magin you see the Blessed Virgin in the midst of all creaturs darting our of her owne hart as from a bow innumerable arrows wherof euery one flying a diuers way woundeth a seuerall hart These arrowes are so many perfectiōs of hers which wounde the beholders of her beauty with loue to wit Men Angels yea God himselfe Thou art all faire O my beloued thou art all beautifull and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. Void she is from originall yea and from the very least blemish of actuall sinne Beautifull in body faire in soule pleasing in this life by grace resplendent in the other by glory most excelent worthy of loue aboue all creatures because she being first ordained predestinated and elected before all others by the mouth of the Higbest Eccles 24. was by law of birth-right by her portion of grace and inheritance of heauenly glory preferred by her celestiall Father before all creaturs Yea whatsoeuer otherwaies is foūd amongst Creatures good faire holy or amiable all that in a far more ample manner is fully contained in the B. Virgin Affections of Loue. WIth this consideration you shall stirre vp in your selfe affectiōs of loue reioycing to see your deare Mother indewed with so many perfectiōs worthy of al honour praise loue in such sort that if you enioyed the same she being depriued therof you would most willingly resigne thē all vnto her againe With this so ardent charity was Charles the Sonne of S. Brigit enflamed who receiued great comfort and exulted with ioy as often as he cōsidered the excellent prerogatiues of this B. Virgin but especially when he remembred how she amōgst all others was chosen by God to be the Mother of his only Sonne and he did often protest that he had rather choose to lye in the grieuous torments of hell for all eternity thē that the B. Virgin should be depriued although but for one momēt if it were possible of that dignity in which now she shineth This was a great expression of loue The second Point Of the exteriour Perfection and Beauty of our B. Lady AFter you haue thus in generall be held the admirable perfection of our B Lady you may begin by litle litle to descēd to pōder in particular euery part therof And in the first place remember to consider the excellent beauty which externally proceeded either from the admirable proportiō of her body or from the exteriour Portraiture of her diuine vertue Let not that worthy saying of Saint Denis or rather some other vnknowne though most excellent Writer goe out of your mind who in an Epistle to S. Paul after he had beheld our Bles Lady sayth thus of himselfe Eftsoons as I came into the presence of the sacred Virgin so great a light suddainly enuyroned me exteriourly and fully enlightened me interiourly so fragrant a smell of all kind of odours abounded in me as that neyther my vnhappy body nor my poore soule was able to sustaine the ensignes of such and of so great happines My hart fainted my spirit failed ouerwhelmed with the maiesty of so great glory I take God to witnes who was then present in the Virgin had not that doctrine which I learned of thee taught me the contrary I shold haue belieued that she had bene the true God So he If such were the beauty of this Virgin while she liued yet a pilgrime in this vale of tears how great may we imagine the same to be whilst she now triūpheth in the kingdome of heauen Affections of Loue YOu shall make a firme purpose to imploy allwaies hereafter the powers of your body and soule in celebrating the praises of this so glorious and beautifull Virgin speaking vnto her in the words of Blosius a most deuout Client of hers in Prec pijs endolog 4. Haile MARY Virgin most honourable Virgin more cleere then the sunne brighter thē the stars more sweet the balsamum more ruddy then the Rose whiter then the Lilly farre more gratious and comely then can be imagined Morouer you shall desire to vse the tongues of all men and Angels to play on all kind of instruments that so with most pleasāt harmony you might sound forth both in heauen and earth honour renowne
vnto the Name of MARY And for an example or patterne of this tender affection you may take Fa. Peter Faber of the Society of IESVS and one of the Ten first Companions of S. Ignatius who being presēt at Spire in a Church dedicared to the most sacred Virgin where he heard Euensong sung with as great pompe celebrity as possible could be vpon the eue of our B. Ladyes Assumption to heauen perceauing the Altar to be decked with flowers shining with cādels adorned with many holy reliques the wals hūg with Tapestry the Quiers sounding with variety of musicke was so rauished with inward ioy that he beganne to wish all happines vnto those who had rāked and lighted the candels in such good order who had adorned the wals with Tapestry had exposed the sacred reliques had gathered the musitians togeather In such affectuous manner did the signes of a mind reioycing in God and exulting at the Honour of our Bles Lady shew it selfe on euery side In eius vita The third point Of the internall Beauty of our Blessed Lady THat you may in some sort perceiue how great the internall Beauty of our Bles Lady is in very deede you shall consider first the beauty of a soule free from sinne indewed with vertues So great sayth S. Catharin of Siena is the beauty of a soule as that if it could be seene with corporall eyes there would be none who would not most willingly giue his life to conserue the same in so beautifull amiable estate Surius in eius vita For if all beauty grace comelinesse or amiablenesse whatsoeuer that shineth in any creature as in the Sunne Moone stars Gold Siluer Precious stones rich apparell gorgeous Pallaces rare Gardens curious Pictures or in the excellent feature and composition of body that either is was or shall be If I say all the beauty that might be gathered out of all and euery one of these should be amassed and put togeather to make one beauty although it seeme it would be almost infinite and incomprehensible yet would it not parallell that beauty which the least degree of Grace or of any vertue that commeth with it imparteth to a Soule Raise now your mind as high as you shal be able contemplate the beauty of the B. Virgin her soule endewed not only with one two or some few degrees of grace but with so many and those so great as that some Deuines renowned as well for piety as learning hould that she had imparted to her alon more grace in this life glory in the other thē all the rest of the Saints together as we sayd before in the Preface § 1. Affections of Loue. YOu shall admire praise these so great and singular perfections in the most Bles Virgin saying with Prouerb 31. vers 29. Many daughters haue gathered heaped vp riches yet haue you exceeded thē all You surmount the Patriarkes in Fayth the Prophets in knowledge the Apostles in zeale the Martyrs in patience in humility the Cōfessours and in purity the Virgins You being decked and trimmed vp with Iewels of inspeakable worth draw the heauenly Spirits to behould you You are as it were a most cleere Sunne voyde of Eclipse a Sunne displaying his beames from earth vpon heauen from heauen vpon earth euen a Sunne dissoluing the very cloudes of our iniquities After this you shall be sorry that hitherto you haue esteemed so lightly the admirable sanctity of this diuine Virgin and say O if she with the sweet pēsill of her singular mercy would but with the first ground or colour of diuine grace paynt my soule forth vnto her owne likenes O if she would clēse adorne it with such vertues as might make it acceptable vnto her selfe herdeare Sonne Then do you aspire with burning desires after that true beauty which only deserueth to be sought for and this to no other end but only that you may loue and be beloued of the most glorious and B. Virgin The Speach or Colloquy YOu shal adioyne to these Contemplations Affections of Loue thanks giuing to the most B. Trinity which hath beene pleased to set forth the most pure Virgin with so many gifts rare vertues which hath enriched her with so great perfection made her amiable in the eyes of all and therfore shall you also honour Her euen with the whole powers of your soule body prouoking with great and most liuely affectiō all Creaturs to doe the same Lastly you shall beseech the most B. Virgin that she would shoote one only dart of her Loue into your soule and grant you this only fauour that you may liue and dye her most true and Faithfull Seruant Then say Pater Noster Aue Maria. CHAP. II. The second contemplatiō to stirre vp loue in vs towards the B. Virgin is the remembrance of her mercyes benefits to vs. YOur Preamble shal be the same as in the former meditation THE FIRST POINT Of the greatnes of the mercyes of our B Lady by reasons he is the Mother of God THe second incitement to loue the most sacred virgin after the cōtemplation or her Perfectiōs Beauty is a pious consideration of her Mercy Liberality and Care of vs humane creatures The which that in some sort you may cōceiue how great it is remember her to be the Mother of God whose bowells doubtles were wholy turned into Mercy since therein shee bare for nine monethes togeather Mercy it selfe Whose hart breast were throughly enkindled with the fire of charity since she often imbraced and fostered in her bosome Fier Charity it selfe She well knew into what plight the loue of vs lost Sinners had brought euen God himselfe her dearest sonne she heard his words in which euery syllable was an argument of his loue to vs. Lastly she both saw felt how great the torments griefes molestatiōs were which he suffered onely for the redemption of makind And is it possible that she should not most vehemently thirst after our good and saluation who heard on the Crosse her dearest Sonne though all his body were torne and mangled with whips and scourges and his handes feete pierced with hard nayles yet notwithstanding more mindfull of vs then of himselfe cry out I thirst For if this voyce of our most beloued IESVS vnderstood by Fayth and distilled into the eares of the hart by meditation did mooue and incite those Apostolicall men those Paules those Dominickes those Francis'es those Ignatius'es those Xaucrius'es to so noble and heroicall attemps for the Saluation of their neighbours what did it not worke in the Bles Virgin who in the stage of Mount Caluary in that Scaffolde of diuine loue heard saw and euen felt the wonderfull loue her Sonne bare to mankind Affections of loue YOu shall proceede further beginne to tast and see how benigne and sweet our B. Lady is Then shall you congratulate with her for her most singular mercy wherby
carried him into Aegypt so you wil be pleased in all chaunces to guard and defend me with a Motherly charity against the force of all my most dreadfull Enemies 6. Offer your selfe as one wandering out of his way and say O my most wise Mother B. Mary behold me your most vnworthy SoÌ„ne like a lost sheep through ignoraÌ„ce straying from the right way I humbly beseech you that as you did seeke little IESVS being lost and after three dayes fouÌ„d in the Temple did bring him backe againe feeding sustaining nourishing him euen to the thirtith yeare of his age so you would be pleased to inquire after me your strayd child almost lost in the errour of imperfection and bring me backe to the Fatherly house of diuine grace and mercy instructing teaching me with your wise precepts in such sort that I may hereafter become perfect in all vertue 7. Offer your selfe as one being iudged to death O my most glorious Mother behold me your SoÌ„ne iudged by the diuine Iustice to death although vncertaine of the time of execution yet howerly expecting and searing the same Therefore as you did accoÌ„pany your Blessed Sonne IESVS with an vnspeakeable affection of griefe condemned to death for our sakes were present with him dying vpoÌ„ the Crosse In like manner I humbly beseech you to assist me with present ayde and not to forsake me in that last hower of my life And as you receiued into your bo some the body of your SoÌ„ne IESVS taken downe from the Crosse so receiue I humbly deseech you O Blessed Mary Mother of Grace Mother of mercy into those your Motherly armes my poore soule departing out of my body These seauen consideratioÌ„s may be deuided into the seauen dayes of the Weeke adding to the end of ech one the hymne Aue Maris stella And truly how great profit this kind of filiall confidence bringeth vnto our soules may easily be knowne by the example of S. Bernard to whome for this cause only our Blessed Lady descended from heauen giuing vnto him the milke of her owne breasts From whence as it is credible he sucked that admirable sweetnes intermixed with piety which euery line of his writings doth sauour off But what shall I say concerning Blessed Stanislaus Kostka a Nouice of the society of IESVS who euen from his infancy nourished in his brest so tender an affection vnto our B. Lady that he doubted not allwaies to call her his Mother and that with so great feeling of deuotion in so louing a manner that he alwayes moued exceedingly the standers by to piety Neyther did our B. Lady omit to shew her Motherly affection many times vnto him but chiefly when she placed her little Sonne IESVS in his bed as he lay sicke and thereby filled his Soule with comfort restored health vnto his body and departing coÌ„maunded him to enter into the Society of IESVS CHAP. V. That the often deuout remembrance of our B. Lady is an effect and signe of true loue towards her WHere thy Treasure is there is thy hart sayth the holy Scripture Where loue is there is often remembraÌ„ce of the thing beloued Hence it commeth that the true Seruants of our B. Lady do recreate as it were their minds with the remembrance and contemplation of her when they see any Image of hers then do they shew their deuotion by saluting her as present in the same with these or the lik words Haile Mother of beautifull loue of feare of knowledge of Holy Hope Shew your selfe to be a Mother c. Or else they haue alwayes in readines some other Iaculatory prayer Of which kind of deuotion S. Philip Nereus had great store as for example O Virgin Mary Mother of God pray vnto IESVS for me O Glorious Virgin grauÌ„t I may alwaies be mindefull of you c. Many more like vnto these had he gathered togeather to the number of the Beads of his Rosary reciting them ofte insteed of his Pater Nosters Aue Maries What we haue sayd heeretofore of shewing reuerence both to other things and to the pictures of our Bles Lady may be reduced vnto this place for the Reuerence we â—â—eated of there is a filiall duty ioyned with loue and proceeding from the same You may adioyne vnto the former discourse that which is recounted in the life of S. Dominicke concerning the first Friars of that Order who were allwaies accustomed to place in their Ceis our B. Ladyes picture imbracing her little Sonne Iesus with another of Christ hanging on the Crosse by the behoulding whereof their memory might be alwayes styrred vp and their exteriour senses gather new spirituall force Vita S. Dom. lib. 6. c. 20. Moreouer the louers of our Blessed Lady as if some sweet hony were distilled into their bowels do reioyce and exult as often as they heare her most Blessed Name which thing was most ordinary with B. Aloysius Gonzaga of the Society of IESVS who being yet but a child conceiued so great deuotion towards our B. Lady that as often as he heard her Name he seemed to be moued and begin to melt with a spirituall feeling of deuotion In eius vita lïb 1. c 6. And for this cause doth S. Bonauenture cry out not without reason O Blessed Mary how famous is your Name how can it choose but be famous seing it is neuer pronounced without some very great profit vnto the speaker Let your Bernard be witnes of this who sayth O Great O Godly O Worthy Mary You caÌ„not be so much as named but you enkindle vs with your loue nor thought vpoÌ„ without comfort vnto the minds of your Seruants You neuer do enter into the gates of our pious affection but you are accompanied with an heauenly sweetnes engrafted in you by the diuine hand Lastly all who are truly vigilant in the seruice of this Glorious Virgin do hourely when they heare the Clocke strike recite an Aue Maria in the honour of the Angelicall Salutation and the Incarnation of the Sonne of God for which kind of deuotion Pope Leo the tenth after him Paul the fifth haue graunted a thousand dayes pardon CHAP. VI. Another euident signe of Affection vnto the B. Virgin is to speake often of her THe tongue alwayes speaketh out of the aboundaÌ„ce of the heart whose Soule the loue of our Bles Lady doth once possesse his tongue doth challenge it as its owne For your speaches most B. Virgin are sweet in the mouth of them that loue you therefore they often vse them with great contentement heare theÌ„ vttered by others and vtter them vnto such as will heare them S. Bernardine being yet a child was carried with such feruour to talke of Christ his B. Mother that his coÌ„panions durst not bring in any other discourse in his presence In eius vita This also was obserued in B. Stanislaus Kostka aforesaid that although he spake frequently of the B. Virgin yet he alwaies inueÌ„ted new those
most magnificent Names wherewith be did entitle her and euer sought the highest degrees to place her in yea it seemed oftentymes grieuous to him that he could not parallell the excellency of his Iudgement with words and that he could not inuent some higher places to allot her Neyther would I haue you imagine in this place that our affection to the B. Virgin must be only declared in priuate meetings but also in publike Sermons by setting forth her prayses in great Assemblies by refuting Heretical blasphemyes and lastly by exorting Catholikes to a more feruent reuerence of her This deuotion was very profitable vnto a certayne Religious man a pious and Godly Preacher who for the singular affection he bore vnto the Bles Virgin was wont to end all his Sermons with the rehearsall of some miracle of hers This man being at the point of death was much strengthened by the assistance and visible presence of our B. Lady and ouerwelmed with incredible ioy iubily of hart singing the Virgins prayses the diuels storming in vaine he departed out of this life into heauen Spec. Exempl d. 7. Exemp 56. Nor can I omit the deuotion of S. Francis Xauier to our Bles Lady which he shewed in teaching the Christian doctrine in the Indies for in explicating the Articles of the Creed and the Ten commaundemets he vsed this method that in the end of Euery Precept he woulde first craue by reciting the Pater Noster our Sauiours help but afterwards he caused al the assembly to sing with a loud voyce these words Holy Mary Mother of God obtaine for vs grace of thy B. Sonne IESVS Christ allwayes to obserue this precept And not being contēt with this admirabe deuotion he allwayes did end his Catechisme with a Salue Regina whereby the whole company craued the assistance of the B. Virgin lib. 1. epist. Xauer ep 5. Out of the same fountaine of loue towards our Bles Lady springeth their piety who sing forth her prayses and celebrate them aswell by songs and dytties as by other their labours And truly all posterity may take for a parterne in this kinde S. Casimirus Sonne to the King of Polonia This man being very much addicted vnto the B. Virgin daily on his knees saluted her with most Excellet and learned verses made by himselfe wherin were contayned all the mysteryes of Christ incarnate Bellar. de offic c. 3. in eius vita CHAP. VII Another euidente signe of Loue towards our B. Lady is to honour and reuerence her Friends FIrst togeather with our Bles Lady we ought to loue reuerence and honour S. Ioseph whome our B. Lady esteemed as her most chast and dearest Spouse as most carefull in the education of Christ our Sauiour and defireth much that he be beloued and honoured by those who serue her There is extant a litle deuout Office vnto this holy Saint Ioseph as also many other deuotions which do require a longer discourse After him by order of good consequence do follow S. Ioachim S. Anne our B. Ladyes Father and Mother to whom there are many goodly prayers vsed by holy Church vs witnesses of the affection reuerence our Auncestors did beare vnto them To conclude all other Saints who for their singular deuotion haue beene deare vnto our Bles Lady ought also to be deare vnto vs and all who loue and honour her ought likewise to be beloued and honoured of vs Of the honour which we are to giue to the friends of our B. Lady these shall be the signes arguments 1. Among the other praises of the Saints to place this as most singular and excellent that they haue beene great louers of our B. Lady 2. To honour these Saints with great affection beseeching them that they out of the fornace of their loue to our B. Lady would send one onely sparke thereof into our hearts 3. To make great esteeme and to loue imitate the piety towards our B. Lady of such as we liue withall and willingly to conuerse with them chiefly principally for this cause 4. To pray often for the deuout Clients of the B. Virgin and with a great readines of mind to be willing to help them as far as lieth in our power when they stand in need of vs. To these kind of charitable Offices we are incited by the example of the Angels themselues who loue most intierely the friends of our Bles Lady indeauoring to cherish them with their presence helpe and consolation whereof let this example of S. Catharine of Siena giue vs testimony who euen about the fifth yeare of her age as often as she eyther went vp or came downe the stairs of her Fathers house did kneele at Euery step and recited an Aue Maria in which deuotion she was often lifted vp aboue the ground by the hands of Angells B. Ant. 3. p. Hist. tit 25. c. 14. Neither is this a wonder for that Virginity is a vertue which clay meth affinity with the celestiall Spirits who do admire loue prayse vphold promote the beautifull steps of the Virgins daughter that is of the Soule tending to Perfection in ornaments of reuerence and loue towards the B. Virgin And who can consider this affection of the Blessed Spirits Who can behold these dutiful offices without honouring the Virgin Mary and louing her followers Let vs adde vnto these another faire spectacle no lesse pleasant then pious S. Mary of Oegnta was accustomed euery yeare to goe in pilgrimage vnto our Ladyes Church at Oegnia situated about some two miles from her howse and although it was in the very depth of cold winter yet neuer was she in any case slack to performe that excellent worke euen on her bare feete For the internall feruour and heate of her deuotiō towards Christ and his B. Mother easily banished all the externall cold Through the sweet feeling of deuotion the vsed to shed teares of comfort wherewith her face garments were largly bedewed She breathed forth hoat flames of feruent aspirations crying out for flowers to vnderproppe her euen languishing with loue The Angells came straight to ayde her some of them holding her vp by the hands as she wēt others that she might not go astray in a blind crooked vnknowne way carryed before her a heauēly light others when it was needfull were ready to couer her head to defend her from the snow and rayne yea and brought her home safe againe from the iniury of ayre wind tempests Sur. in eius vita O what a spectacle was this to behold How is the feruour of a louing Soule euen in this life recompensed with the seruices of so many Angels O hart O tongue O affection O wordes Goe sigh runne fly vnto our sweetest Loues of IESVS and MARY OVR B. LADIES LITLE GARDEN THE THIRD BED florishing with Lillyes Wherin are contained Exercises proper for those who like vnto Lillies shining in purity of life and sincerity of affection doe after a peculiar manner
graces vertues In reciting the second Decade YOu shall imagine all the salutations to be a most sweet and gratefull harmony like vnto that which the Angells did sing in the Natiuity of our Lord and at other tymes when they salute the B. Virgin To those heauenly Quires conioyne your selfe and offer vnto her these your salutations which although thereby rudely vttered and pronounced with a harsh and vnpleasant voice neuertheles they are of themselues most gratefull to the eares of the B. Virgin Demaund withall that she will vouch safe to giue you a more â—killful voyce in heauen wherby to souÌ„d forth her mercies and prayses for euer In saying the third Decade IMAGINE that these Salutations of the Angell are as so many most fragraÌ„t Roses fit for the sight and smell of some great Princesse A certayne religious maÌ„ of the Order of the Minimes out of a pious custome did neuer tast meat before he had recited the crown of our B. Lady But as by nature we are often forgetfull and do fayle sometymes in those things which he haue before determined to do this good religious Man one day being set downe all the table as yet fasting he remeÌ„bred himselfe of his intermitted custome Being much perplexed and sad at last he asked obtained leaue of the Suepriour to rise and without further delay he went into the Church to say his crowne He had now wel neere finished the same when as one of the Religious was sent to call him away by order of the Superiour who comming into the Church saw the Mother of God vpon the Altar in a bright shining maner accompanied with two Angels who receaued from the mouth of the holy man as he prayed most beautifull Roses and put them vpon the head of their Lady and Queene Moreouer he obserued that as often as the other pronounced the most Holy Name of IESVS at the end of the Angelicall salutation the B. Virgin and the Angells did reuerently bow downe their heads Chron. Minim p. 3. l. 1. c. 36. 37. What contentment of mynd what measure of ioy and heauenly delight how great affection of loue towards the B. Virgin did both these Religious men tast at this spectacle cannot be declared Neyther shall it need since that whosoeuer shall read these things wil be able sufficiently to gather the same of himselfe and he much more who moued by this example shall dayly recite the sayd Crowne of the B. Virgin Another story not vnlike to this is recounted in the same place of a certaine Religious Nouice who had receiued from his spirituall Father this document as a most preset remedy against whatsoeuer teÌ„ptations to wit that euery day befor he tooke any corporall food he should recyte the Corone of our B. Lady On a tyme sundry imploymeÌ„ts imposed vpon him by holy Obedience did so distract his mynd as he became vnmindfull of his accustomed deuotion Being set downe at table and his Superiour aduertised of his errour commanded him to rise go to the Church to performe his deuotioÌ„s While be obeyed and was now deuoutly saying the Crowne an Angell was seene to staÌ„d by him who knitting togeather vpon a golden thrid ten Roses and therein also inserting a golden Lilly made a most fayre Crowne put it vpon the head of the sayd Nouice and for testimony of this miracle from the place where this deuout obedient BeadsmaÌ„ did kneele for a loÌ„g tyme after a most sweet fragrant odour of Roses and Lillyes did continue Thou therfore as if thou wert moued with the like spectacle shalt offer to the B. Virgin these Angelicall Salutations as so many Roses giuing a most fragrant smel both to her the Angells and thy selfe and being an humble suppliant vnto her thou shalt beseech her to vouchsafe to obtayne for thee the grace to send forth according to the the quality of thy state and condition the sweet odour of good example and pretious oyntement of her holy Name In reciting the fourth Decade YOu shall heere imagine that the Angelicall salutations which you recite are as most sweet hony in your mouth as a deuout graue Matrone of Cullen did experience who as often as she sayd the Rosary felt her mouth seasoned with so gratefull a relish as that she thought her spittle to be coÌ„uerted into hony Which thing a certaine Anchoret named Marsilius liuing a Recluse neere to the Church of S. Seuerinus vnderstanding did after her example daily say the Rosary and after six weekes space that he had so contidued he felt also that swetnes in his mouth whilst he pronounced the sayd Salutations which did far exceed all deliciousnes of hony Caesar lib. 7. c. 50. Do you in like manner tastyng these Salutations with spirituall gust declare vnto the Bles Virgin how sweet her prayses are vnto your thoate humbly beseeching her also that she will vouchsafe to accept of your praiers although presented her in a dish neyther very cleane nor precious that she will also be pleased to obtayne for you the sweetnes of heauenly consolations in respect of which all earthly things may seeme vnto you vnsauoury In saying the fifth Decade YOu shall thinke with your selfe that these Angelicall Salutations are as most holy and sacred things which ought to be touched with reuerence or as vessels full of precious treasures or finally as imbracings holy kisses offered vnto the feet both of the B. Virgin herselfe of her little IESVS That these salutations are most holy appeareth sufficiently since they were annoynted with the oyle of the Holy Ghost from whose sacred Mouth they were dictated pronounced by the Archangell Gabriel S. Elizabeth and the Church his holy spouse That also they are vessels of pretious Treasures may be gathered by the vision axhibited to S. Gertrude who in saying the Rosary beheld all the Angelicall Salutations that she vttered or rather euery word thereof to be as so many golden Crownes offred vnto the Mother of God out of the treasure of her heart which she with great coÌ„tent did handle made much more esteeme of then couetous men are wont of their money lib. 4. Reuel c. 55. And lastly as the B. Virgin gaue her little IESVS to be imbraced by the three Kings by the sheephearps by old Simeon and by many of her deuout Seruants in sundry apparitions as they haue byn saying the Rosary so do you imagine the same benefit to be now inuisibly giuen vnto you and testify to the B. Virgin that amongst all earthly things nothing is more holy pretious vnto you then with humility and deuotion to kisse the prints of her feet of her little IESVS with so many kisses of loue as you vtter wordes in saying the Rosary You shal also humbly demauÌ„d that the B. Virgin her selfe would accept of your salutations as things pretious and worthy of her selfe and that she would imbrace you in the armes of her mercy make you
happy place where she first had brought forth her sweet sonne who can imagine the inward ioy she felt and the teares of sorrow she shed in viewing this and other places whilst in the mean time she most studiously meditated vpon mysteryes which had there byn wrought Canisius de B. Virgin E 5. c. 1. Take you now the same matter and argumēt for your daily meditation thinke diligently often on the life of Christ and of his Holy Mother and be assured it will be most pleasing and gratfull vnto thē both F. Lewes dela Puente doth relate in the life of F. Baltazar Aluarez that to a certaine deuout woman replenished with the spirit of God and adorned with the gift of high Contemplation an Angell did one morning appeare when as making the spirituall Exercises of S. Ignatius she was meditating on the life of Christ his Blessed Mother telling her that he came of a message from the B. Virgin to let her vnderstand that those deuotions and spirituall Exercises which she vsed were most gratefull and pleasing vnto her especially those of the diuine Mysteries of her Blessed Sonne IESVS as being most apt to styr vp the affection vnto heauēly things Willing her also to go forwards daily as she had begon for that her selfe was both the Patronesse and Inuentresse of those kind of Exercises did first instruct S. Ignatius in the making therof and disposing thē into method And that also they were the same which herselfe had daily vsed whiles she liued vpon earth P. Burghesius in libello quod Societas fit Virgini sacrat c. 12. Of the solide purposes made by our B. Lady in meditation THat our Blessed Lady did exercise most solid acts and affections in her meditations S. Brigit will witnesse who treating of her continuall meditation in the Temple from her tēder years sayth thus Whē B. Mary being yet but an Infant began to conceyue a knowledge of God she did not childishly but maturely consider with feare and care to discharge her duty how much she was to honour and reuerence so high a Maiesty And when afterwards she came to vnderstād how God the Creatour of all things did behould iudge the liues actions of euery one she firmely purposed with her selfe to adore him in the humblest manner and to cōmit nothing that might be displeasing to so great a Maiesty Againe comming to know that this God was the peculiar Iudge of Israell who had byn always so good and gratious vnto that People she resolued to loue and honour him alone with all her hart mynd But when she came at last to vnderstand that he was to come into the world as a Redemer and to be borne of a Virgin she began so to burne with charity loue towards him that she thought of nothing nor desired nothing but him lib. 1. Reuel ca. 10. l. 3. c. 8. And Canisius speaking of her affections in meditatiō euē in her childhood saith That fayre Virgin who was most deare to God began euen thē to be woūded with the darts of the diuine Loue to be chosen out among thousands to be the only Beloued of God O what heate what fyre of loue did thē burne within her What scope or end had she of louing when the most sweet and pretious spirit of God did mooue her to shed pious louing teares and to send forth innumerable sighes Whose senses were so wholy absorpt therewith and suffered such diuine violēce that her mind would in a manner be rauished euē languish in the most sweet contemplation of the only Good Canis l. 1. c. 13. The Doctours of holy Church are of opiniō that whatsoeuer rapts illustrations diuine Contemplations Extasies were euer granted vnto any Saint or holy person the same were communicated to our Bl. Lady in a farre more perfect and excellent manner by her Blessed Sonne Imagine therfore that when you contemplate S. Paul burning with most ardent charity and crying out Who shall separate me from the charity of Christ Or when you see S. Mary Magdalen like snow melting away in a most tender passion of loue before the presence of her Lord Christ IESVS or Saint Augustin wounded to the hart with the Dart of Loue wholly languishing in the midst of his kisses bestowed vpon the wounds of Christ and dying to himselfe as vnto him he liued or S. Francis vttering of these word My God and my All whilst he imbraced the Crosse of his Loue with his Seraphicall armes or els S. Thomas of Aquin sighing vnto IESVS from his pure and feruent flames of loue I desire thee thy self nothing els but thee Or S. Ignatius with this motto of his Contemplation O how vile doth the Earth seeme when I looke vp to heauen And that other O God of my heart o that the world did but know thee Or that Earthly Angell B. Stanilaus Kostka whilest he was eleuated from the earth al wet with the teares of a teder deuotion and wholy rapt with cerestiall delight yea so burning with diuine loue during the tyme of his meditation as it was necessary often to apply a wet cloth to coole his burning bosome Imagine I say when you ponder these a thousand like rapts and extasies as the true liuely effects of Contemplation and compare them to that diuine most ardent flame which burned in the B. Virgins breast they will all appeare but as litle sparks only in regard of hers Oh that we could but warme our frozen hearts sometymes whilest we meditate at the fornace of her most arcent loue If thou wouldest when thou art dul drowsy propose Her vnto thy selfe as a patterne to be imitated If thou wouldest say vnto thy selfe whilest thou meditatest how much more feruētly would the B. Virg. handle this matter in which I so dully slothfully meditate with what zeale and affection with what higher desires and firmer purposes would she be vnited vnto God the only good Of the the Recollection of the Blessed Virgin IN the recollection which the Bl. Virgin vsed after her Meditation she was alwayes most carefull to keep in memory the illustrations which were diuinly reuealed vnto her during the tyme of her meditation as also all the good desires and purposes which she conceyued from thence All which she first preserued for her owne help then for ours as sayth Eusebius Emissenus Homil. 5. in festo Assump And betwixt her tymes of meditation she did so feed and stir vp the flame which was kindled in her hart by that which she had meditated that her whole life was no other then a perpetuall burning heate and an extreme excesse of loue as saith Rupert serm de Assump Neyther is it to be doubted but the same B. Virgin who instructed S. Jgnatius in the making that admirable Booke of his Spirituall Exercises as we haue formerly declared did teach him also that Addition wherein is prescribed that when we haue ended
her by the Priests of the Temple vnto the poore medit c. 13. Saint Ignatius also sayth she was very pittifull towards the poore and afflicted being always ready to help theyr necessityes in Canis l. 1. c. 13. From heÌ„ce may we imagine that she distributed all the offerings of the three Kings vnto the poore as also assisted towards the poore wedding in Cana of Galiley And how pleasing the giuing of Almes is vnto the B. Virgin may appeare out the life of S. Lydwyne before mentioned who by order of the B. Virgin was once conducted by an Angel into Paradise where she saw as it were an army of Saints in the midest of whom was the B. Virgin herselfe sitting at a Table richly couered with silke feeding vpon the Almes which S. Lidwyne had giuen vnto the poore in Earthen vessels but now set forth in dishes of gold and christall with admirable ioy and content Vpon whome herselfe also did seeme ioifully to wayte administer all things fitting After this vision she alwayes increased her liberality and almes vnto the poore Jn eius vita What should I say of the zeale of soules wherewith the B. Virgin did so burne whilst she liued on Earth She became all vnto all that she might gayne all perfectly knowing the end of the Law consumatioÌ„ therof to be only charity Wherfore as witnesseth S. Brigit she was the Mistresse of the Apostles Example of Martyrs Doctresse of Confessours Mirrour of Virgins Comfortresse of Widdowes wholsome admonshier of the marryed perfect strengthner of al in the Catholike faith by whose words works examples studies and honest labours many Iewes Ethnicks haue byn conuerted to the faith of Christ Neyther doth she now since her assumption into heauen cease continually to seeke the saluation of soules by all meanes possible She it is who seÌ„t ayde vnto S. Bernard S. Dominicke and S. Francis and to those of their Orders labouring in the world for the conuersion of soules She it is who hath led forth Ignatius Xauerius Barzeus and others into the lists field to fight the combats of Christ Iesus Whosoeuer therfore thou art that labourest in the conuersioÌ„ of soules remember that thou offer vp seriously commend thy functioÌ„ vnto this Glorious Virgin giue her thanks for all the fruite which thou already hast or shalt reap eyther by thy owne or by others labour in the Vineyard of our Lord. CHAP. XVIII The Imitation of the B. Virgin in the Loue of God WHatsoeuer hath bin hitherto said of the Excellency of the B. Virgins Sanctity is to be ascribed vnto her Loue of God wherof she was full and by which she was led vnto all the rest at the first Motion thereof Of this so great flame of her loue Sophronius thus writeth The loue of Christ saith he did beget the desire of his Mother the desire so increased enkindled within her being still repayred and augmented with fresh fewell that I belieue as at al times she surpassed all others so at sometymes she euen exceeded herselfe For who caÌ„ euer imagine with what vnquenchable flames of pious loue she burned who was so full of grace infused by the holy Ghost that there was nothing in her to violate her affection but a continual ardour rauishment of loue sermone de Assumpt Whosoeuer thou art that seekest after this most faire and odoriferous flower of Diuine Loue whoseouer thou art that with S. Augustin or S. Bonauenture desirest to haue the inermost bowells of thy soule pierced through with the most sweet and healthfull wound of the diuine loue or with S. Francis to haue thy mynd wholy absorpt and consumed in the fornace of the loue of God that thou mightst eueÌ„ dye for him who for thy loue was pleased to giue vp his life vpon the Crosse approach neere vnto the B. Virgin first contemplate her vertues and perfections froÌ„ which after thou shalt haue admired them as incomprehensible and innumerable thou mayst passe to the consideration of the fountaine of al these guifts graces to wit God himself in coÌ„parison of whom all the excellencyes perfections of the Bl. Virgin all her beauty sanctity yea and the whole masse of all her graces heaped togeather will seeme but as a droppe deriued from that Ocean of Goodnes Loue which is in him Who with this consideratioÌ„ doth not burne wholly consume with the Loue of God Who now will not cry out with S. Augustin Oh what is it that I loue louing my God! This contemplation you must accompany with feruent praiers vnto the B. Virgin that she wil imprint in your heart the inuiolable affection of this Charity O how readily how easily will she heare your petition comming from a heart sincere and pure To which end she gaue once vnto a certaine Virgin who had long desired that high fauour of her her litle Blessed soÌ„ne into her armes of whome Iesus demaunding whether she loued him or no She answered him yea euen more then her owne body He asked her how much more she sayd more then her heart He asked her agayne how much more theÌ„ her heart Wherunto the Virgin answered Let my heart answere for it selfe for I haue no more to say at which words it presently burst asuÌ„der with the vehemency of Loue wherin were written these words in golden letters I loue thee more then my selfe since thou hast created redeemed and espoused me Spec. exemp d. 9. ex 74 O sweet Eclypse of a louing soule O liuely Loue of God which by taking away this mortal doth lead vs vnto an immortal life O profitable Loue seruice of the Bl. Virg. which doth beget in our soules the Loue honour of Almighty God by so happy and blessed a death For so shall the louers of the B. Virgin dye who ready to depart out of this life drawing towards their last end laÌ„guishing more with the loue of God then the force of sicknes shal aspyre vnto the celestiall kingdome desire to be dissolued and be with Christ and turning vnto the B. Virgin shall in most humble manner implore her ayde assistance saying O B. Mary help me and protect me from myne enemyes and receaue me now in the houre of my death There needs no more to be said for one only sigh one only teare of such as are truly deuoted vnto the B. Virgin in their necessity affliction doth beyond all imagination so stir vp her motherly pitty coÌ„miseratioÌ„ that she preseÌ„tly is ready to assist them saying I am heere ready to help you be confident A worldly Mother may neglect her owne child a dying she may be absent or not care for his last imbracement but I cannot be vnmindful of you neyther will I euer forsake you And this is certayne For whilst they be prepared with their Viaticum for their last iourny armed with the shield of Extreme Vnction this most louing Mother sits by theÌ„ comforts them strengthens them and euen warmes theÌ„ in her owne most sacred bosome intreating her Blessed sonne to be propitious vnto them and imbrace theÌ„ and so ioyneth their harts vnto the hart of Iesus while the Angels sing and triuÌ„ph themselues intone that heauenly Canticle of Loue and Iubilation with old Simeon Let thy seruant now O Lord depart in peace according to thy word c. and in the middst of these celestiall ioyes do they securely giue vp their soules into the hands of God the B. Virgin to be crowned for all Eternity And as the Patriarch Noe did passe out of his Arke to wit out of the prison captiuity of his bodyly mansion so soone as the Doue did bring him an Oliue-branch so the B. Virgin bringing that sacred Oliue-branch her deare Sonne Iesus for their coÌ„fort consolation to this their last passage they send forth their soules with all alacrity ioy and Iubilation O death how bitter art thou to one in loue with the deceyt of the world O death how sweet art thou to one in loue with B. Mary the Mother of Mercy O death how fearfull and terrible art thou to one a dying agaynst whome Hell it selfe doth fight O death how secure and quiet art thou to one a dying whome the B. Virgin doth defend What horrour what desperation shal we then conceaue from the remembrance of our sinnes and chieflâ—y of our neglect of not honouring God and his Blessed Mother What ioy on the other side what hope shall we haue when we find that we haue serued her all our life Oh how terrible will it seeme to be when we come to dye among so many enemyes Oh how happy how secure to dye in the armes of the B. Virgin Wherein without doubt all shall dye that liue truly deuoted to her And this Flower to conclude of eternall SaluatioÌ„ doth this Garden of the B. Virgin offer vnto vs not to be gathered heere in this life but afterward in the Kingdome of Heauen FINIS
Sonne of God Homilia super Missus est You haue now heard sayth he O Virgin the tydings sent from heauen to wit that you are chosen to be the Mother of God the Angel expecteth your answere for it is time that he returne vnto him that sent him And we likwise O Lady expect a word of commiseration for behold the price of our Redemption is offered vnto you if you giue your consent we shall be forthwith set all liberty This humble supplication O pious Virgin the dolefull Adam with his miserable progeny cast out of Paradise doth presēt vnto you This is the humble request of Abrahā of Dauid and of the other Holy Patriarches your Progenitors who dwell in the region of darknes in the shaddow of death This the whole world prostrate at your feet doth expect And not without cause seeing that vpon your word dependeth the comfort of the miserable the redemption of the captiue the ransome of those that are condemned and finally the health and welfare of all the Children of Adam that are of your stock Thus S. Bernard O how glorious thinges with what feruor of affection haue byn sayd of you and hereafter ought to be vsed by vs O Citty O Mother of God! The third cause that ought to styrre vs vp to Feruor in honouring our Bles Lady is her infinite Mercy towards all mankind For as the Psalmist sayth in 86. Psal The habitatiō in you is as it were of al reioycing Verily of all and why reioycing but for the manifold benefits which she dayly heapes vpon vs In so much that I may boldly truly say with S. Bernard Let him be silent O B. Virgin in the prayses of your Mercy whosoeuer he be that hauing called vpō you in his distresses can truly say that you haue bin wanting to helpe him And because there is none such to be found therfore let none be silent but all ioy full and feruent let them honour the Lengh of her Mercies with a perpetual deuotion the Breadth with all kind of excellent Prayses the Height with most diuine worship the Depth with a most profound reuerence But of the benefits Mercyes of our B Lady we shal speake more afterward The second Companion is Constancy THere is to be pondred also another thing in thes words of the Psalmist The habitation in you is as it were of all reioycing Psal 86. The habitation sayth he such as is that of Cittizēs not an aboad of some few houres or of one day as that of Pilgrims is wont to be to giue vs to vnderstand that the flouds of heauenly graces and delightes are wont to be deriued vnto such only as are constant in the honour of our B Lady and do perseuere in piety towards her For those who honour or salute her as it were in passing by and make themselues as passengers only and strangers in her seruice do neglect their exercises of Deuotion begun towards her besides that they are liable vnto the punishement due to their incōstancy they incurre also the Displeasure of the Mother of God as may be gathered by the examples following of two otherwise most deuout vnto the B. Virgin and also Saints who were sharply reprehended by our B. Lady for their slacknes negligence in their wonted exercises of reuerence and deuotion towards her The first of these was one Herman who was so inflamed with deuotion towards the B. Virgin that therfore he deserued to be admitted of her for her Spouse giuing him the Name of Ioseph This man through many businesses and wordly cares being distracted in recyting his accustomed Hymnes and office of the B. Virgin and growne more negligent in her seruice our B. Lady one day met him not beautifull as she was wont but with an old withered and wrinckled face Behould sayd she I appeare such a one as I now am become with thee Where be now those times in which thou didest so often make mention of me salute me and prayse me Art thou not ashamed to be so remisse negligent in this point Is my remembrance with thee now growne old Hermā by this sweet correction renewed his first feruour Surius in eius vita 5. Aprilis The other was Thomas a Kempis whose name is famiously knowne to all to whome our B. Lady once appeared being yet a youth and going to Schoole at Dauen try in Gelderland was very angry with him for omitting his accustomed deuotions vnto her refusing to imbrace him as she did his other schoole-fellows Spec. Exem dist 10. n. 7. The third Companion is Discretion TO the end that Constancy in honouring of our B. Lady may be obserued the which so greatly she desyreth and is so necessary for the reaping of fruit it is requisite to adioyne a third Companion of Deuotion to wit Discretion which setteth downe a rule and order vnto the Exercises of Piety that neyther too many thinges togeather nor yet too hard or not agreeing with our state of life be vndertaken for which cause our deuotions are somtimes performed which anxiety little gust and ouer much hast finally are often through tediousnesse wholy omitted And this is the cause why so many Exercises are hereafter set downe in such plaine manner for we only meane to shew the practise and proue the same by some few Examples to the end that euery one may make choyce of such as are most fit for himselfe distributing them into diuers times some for euery day some for Sundayes holy dayes others for more principall sosemne Feastes THE TABLE OF Chapters THE I. BED NOt to go rashly and without recollection to prayer C 1. To commit our office of saluting the B. Virgin to the Angells Cap. 2. To honour the sacred Name of Mary Cap. 3. To salute her Image Cap. 4. To go on Pilgrimage to her Churches Cap. 5. To reuerence all things that belong vnto her Cap. 6. To honour her by often bending our knees Cap. 7. By prostrating our selues kissing the ground Cap. 8. To deny nothing lawfully and prudently asked in her Name Cap. 9. To dedicate all our purposes vnto her Cap. 10. THE II. BED TO stirre vp affection to the B. Virgin by contemplating her Perfections Cap. 1. By remembrance of her Mercyes and benefits to vs. Cap. 2. A renewing of our Loue deuotion vnto her Cap. 3. An Exercise of Loue Confidēce in the B. Virgin Cap. 4. Effects signes of true Loue towards her Cap. 5. 6. 7. THE III. BED HOw to commit our selues to the protection of the B. Virgin Cap. 1. How to dedicate our selues in speciall manner vnto her Cap. 2. 3. To deuote our selues vnto her by entring into Religion Cap. 4. THE IV. BED OF the Aue Maria or Angelicall Salutation Cap. 1. Of the Corone or Rosary of the B. Virgin Cap. 2. The second manner of saying the Rosary Cap. 3. The third manner Cap. 4. Of the Office of our B. Lady
to be held in great Reuerence esteeme by vs because by them the B. Virgin hereselfe hath bene honoured It is not necessary to discourse of all particulers because we may gather out of the ensuing Beds many flowers for this Exercise Let therfore these two Exāples of the Rosary which now I shall rehearse suffice for proofe of all the rest One Antony of the order of S. Francis in Spaine as he went to Vincentia being ouertaken by a great shower of raine finding no shelter at hand put his Rosary on his head crauing the protection of our Blessed Lady Scarce had he made an end of speaking but behould a strang thing as if his Beades had ben turned into some faire dry roofe they defended couered him so that he passed securely vnto the Citty through all the vehemency of the storme not touched with the lest drop of raine Chron. Min. p. 3. ◠1. c. 36. 37. Neyther can we omit to recount the deuotion of Alanus a Dominican Friar vnto the Rosary by reason of the often succour which he found in his great distresses by the vertue therof For hauing learned that deuotion of S. Dominike he did allwais esteeme most highly the Rosary yea before his admission into that order he recited it daily on his knees and not without fruit euē whils he was a lay man souldier And vpon a time being in the warres and in a conflict against the Hetetikes named Albigenses and enuironed on euery side by his Enemyes with great danger of his life the B. Virgin was seene standing by him fighting for him with 150 stones which throwne by her owne hād gaue an vtter ouerthrow vnto his foes making her Client a famous Conquerour Another tyme the same Alanus suffering shipwrake being in the midst of the sea tost hither and thither in most apparent danger of his life he saw suddenly by the fauour assistance of the Bles Virgin a 150. litle hillockes rising aboue the waues which all in ranke reached vnto the shore by the which he was safely cōducted to land A mā might say that the 150. beads of the Rosary were turned first into so many stones then into so many hils But that especially was a singular testimony of his deuotiō that not only his mouth which had oftentimes so piously pronoūced the Angelicall salutation but also his hands which had so reuerently touched the Rosary did shine like Cristall after his death Chron. S. Dom. l. 1. c. 34. O how mercifull is this B. Virgin who doth reward such small seruices piously performed by her seruants with such ample gaine Of whose benignity that we may make experience let vs study how to honour esteeme any thing whatsoeuer dedicated to her But on the contrary side let vs seriously take heed that we offer no abuse vnto them or apply them to prophane vses least we incur iustly the high displeasure of our B. Lady being well admonished by the example following In a certayne Sodality of our B. Lady there were two Pennes fayrly decked appointed to write the letters Patents which the fellows of that Sodality going frō one place to another were always accustomed to carry with thē One of these Pens a Youth of the same Sodality had secretly stolne who though by inward inspirations he felt himselfe often called to Religion by Almighty God yet notwithstanding being entangled with the loue of a certayne woman he neglected this vocation Vpon a tyme determining to write vnto the sayd woman and hauing taken the stolne penne in his hād he felt sodainly a great blowe giuen him on the eare and a voyce rebukinge him in these wordes And darest thou wicked fellow by thy vncleane attēpts defile a thing dedicated vnto me With which blow the youth being astonished altered his determinatiō but the print of the blow remayned for certayne dayes in his face shewing that it was a force more then humane which gaue it him Bonif. in hist Man l. 5. c. 1. ex Bencio CHAP. VII The seauenth Exercise of Reuerence to the B. Virgin is by bēding our knes to giue her the worship of Hyperdulia THis Honour of Hyperdulia is inferiour and lesse then that of Latria which is due only to God yet superiour greater thē Dulia which is common to other Saintes And it is conuenient that it be giuen to our B. Lady by reason of her Excellency You may practise the same by bending your knees after the manner following First standing before an Oratory or Image of our Bles Lady contemplate her sitting in a stately Throne exalted next vnto her Bles Sonne aboue all the quires of Angels full of maiesty and amongst all Creatures the most excellent Secondly obserue how all the Orders of Angels Saintes falling before her as to their Queen Lady with great submission honour her Thirdly acknowledging your selfe the most poorest and abiect of all her Seruants and most vnworthy to be admitted to so noble glorious a Cōgregation and so high an Office yet trusting in her benignity and clemency with an inward reuerence most profoundly submit your selfe before her with your armes cast a crosse vpon your breast or hands ioyned deuoutly humbly bowing your knees vnto the groūd without vttering a word of if you had rather speak only say and repeat these two Salue Maria or Aue Maria. Fourthly rising vp a litle after recollecting your selfe as before togeather with all the Court in heauen bend your knees againe and againe as often as discreet deuotion shall suggest You may commodiously thryce a day repeate this Exercise in honour of the 15. Mysteries contained in the Rosary Rising in the morning bend your knees 5. times in honour of the 5. glorious Misteries the first of which was performed at the time of the Resurrectiō of Christ our Lord but you may reuerence those Mysteries if bending your knees either with your hart alone or with your mouth also you say Hayle Mary whose Sonne rose againe Hayle Mary whose Son ascended into heauen and so concerning the rest c. About Noone bend your knees againe in honour of the 5. Dolorous Mysteries the chiefe of which was done about that time namely the crucifiyng of our deare Lord and Sauiour At Night before you go to bed bend agayne your knees in honour of the 5. Ioyfull Mysteries whereof the chiefest to wit the Annuntiation was accomplished as many Authors suppose at that time Vpon the solemnity of any Feast of the B. Virgin you may adde one bending of your knee more in honour of the Mistery then celebrated This Exercise hath byn very familiar and vsuall to many seruants of our Bles Lady And Saint Mary of Oegnia did as we read sometymes in the space of a day and a night bend her knees a thousād an hundred times saluting the mother of God perseuered in this kind of salutation 40. dayes togeather Sur. in her life 25 of Iune It is recounted that
she is made so deare acceptable vnto all persons yea you shalt reioice and cōgratulate with all mankind that our Lord God hath chosen so amiable a Mother to himselfe who also was to be vnto vs the Mother of Mercy With the sweetnes of this affection was S. Bernard filled when he spake vnto the same B. Virgin in these words We thy humble seruāts ô most glorious Queene reioyce and exult with thee for all the rest of thy Vertues but for this one we congratulate with our selues we praise thy Virginity we admire thy Humility we honour thy Modesty but thy Mercy to the miserable sauoureth more sweet we imbrace thy Mercy more louingly more often remember it more frequently call vpon it Serm. 4. de Assump THE SECOND POINT Of the greatnes extension of our B. Ladyes Mercyes TO the end you may the better conceaue the greatnes of her Mercyes you must measure thē after the manner of some corporeall substance taking the lēgth the breadth the height the depth thereof The Length may be sayed to be that continuance of her most singular fauours for so many ages alwaies to endure euen to the end of the world as S. Bernard noteth saying The length of her Pitty will endure vnto the last day and neuer be wanting those who shall call vpon it Ibidem vbi sup Turne ouer the Annalls and rehearse the times of our Forefathers you shall find no age no yeare no month no weeke no day no houre yea not so much as a moment in which haue not proceeded as out of a continuall fountaine shall alwaies prōceed as long as there shall be any distressed person rare and notable signes of her mercyes vnto vs. The breadth may be called the diuers and manifould extensiōs of her mercyes to all In so much as S. Bernard in the same place affirmeth the Latitude of her fauours to cōpasse the whole world and all the earth to be full of her mercies For if we consider the manifold benefits receiued frō her there will be found no guift neither corporall nor spirituall which was not deriued vnto vs chiefly by her meanes In corporall she helpeth women in child birth cureth woūdes and diseases defendeth from dangers granteth victories and triumphs vnto vs. In spirituall she procureth vs baptisme helpeth in the defence of chastity is present in desperation admitteth religious Families into the Church of God lastly neuer faileth vs in the houre of death Wherfore it seemeth to me that these so great mercies of this most sacred Virgin were not vnfittly expressed by that famous Cloud which couered the Children of Israell from the Aegiptiās pursuing thē which guided them through dāgerous wildernesses both by day and night which shaddowed them from the great heate of the sunne finally through which God did giue answers and Oracles Exod. 13. 14. Affections of loue YOu shall desire exceedingly to see all creaturs most gratefull to her from whose hands they haue receiued so many benefits that they would keep well registred in their mindes a perpetuall memory therof endeauoring alwais according to their ability by seruices of reuerence and deuotion to requite them O if you could by all your labours afflictions and toils obtaine that euen one of so many lukewarme worldlings would become feruēt studious in the seruice of this most glorious Queene how wel should you then haue bestowed your paines how worthy a seruice word it be of your labour Wherfore at least purpose most firmely allwais to defire and effect the same endeauoring to honour her which way soeuer you can imitating heerin S. Bonauenture who burning with this zeale inuiteth all the iust holy men who haue experienced the mercy of our B. Lady to recioyce cōgratulate and render millions of thanks giuings In Psalt Exult reioyce alyee iust in the B. Virgin in righteousnes of hart prāise her Approach vnto her with reuerence and deuotion Let your hart be delighted in saluting of her Offer sacrifices of Praises vnto her and be inebriated with the sweetnes that floweth from her breasts For shee will send through your harts the beames of her piety and clarify you with the splend our of her mercyes THE THIRD POINT Of the heigh and depth of our B. Ladies Mercies THe height of our B. Lagreat Pitty is such that it cannot possible be contayned in the strait bounds of this world it penetrates euen to the top of the Heauens where the most plesant fruite thereof buddes forth and from whence she shooteth on euery side the bright beames of her loue affection O that we did know or could for one moment only behould with what kind of ioy exultation pleasure she doth recreate the Citty of God sending forth the streams of her sweetnes as a most true Arch vpon those happy cytizens of the Celestiall Hierusalem whome she recreated with the ointments of her singular mercies being yet pilgrims in the desert of this world The depth of our B. Lamercies descēdeth euen vnto Hell it selfe For this is she who hath often withheld infinyte multitude of soules rūning head long into that bottomles pit of damnation by procuring grace of her beloued sonne for the amendemēt of their liues This is she who putteth to flight the roaring lyons of hell and breaketh their forces by helping vs against them in tyme of tēptation Lastly this is she who alwais refresheth with the sweet showers of her consolations the soules in Purgatory as herselfe reuealed to S. Gerirude Affections of Loue. YOu shall aspire to the kingdome of heauē that you muy with all the Angels and Saintes lay downe your hart at the feete of the B. Virgin setting forth her great mercyes togeather with the mercies of God and melting with oue as often as you shall heare repeated the sacted and holy Name of MARY You shall also imitate this Mercy of our B. La. by praying and offering such workes as may satisfy for the soules detained in Purgatory requesting her first that she will be pleased to free the poore soules from their paines and help them to heauen making therby her singular mercyes more knowne apparent to all creatures and increase the number of her Praysers And truly how gratefull this is vnto the B. Virg. she declared herselfe vnto John Ximenez a Coadiutor of the Society of IESVS who vpon the feast of all-Saints as he was praying before a picture of the Immaculate conception of our B. Lady for the Soules in Purgatory being throughly sorry to see the Faithfull liuing labour no more for the deliuering of the out of those exceeding paynes heard a voyce crying Ximenez Ximenez be mindfull of the soules in Purgatory by which wordes he was so greatly moued that vntill his dying day which was about 8. years after he offered vp all his deuotions prayers mortifications for no other end but only for their deliuery out of torments In vita P. Baltazaris Aluarez cap. 45. The
Speach or Colloquy IN the end of this Meditation you shall make your Colloquy thus First you shall giue thankes to the B. Virgin both in your owne all other creatures names for her exceding great mercyes towards vs. Secondly you shal lay downe your owne hart before the hart of our B. Lady which you may imagine to lye in the midst of the whole world wounded and pierced with darts of Loue by the most B. Trinity by all Angels Saintes by the Soules in heauen Earth and Purgatory For you are dearly beloued of all O Mother of God Mother of men Desire of the Eternal Hils Glory of humane nature Delight of the world I desire to offer vnto you a thousand and a thousand tymes multiplied all the prayses congratulations signes of ioy all the ditties songes and Canticles that euer any Creature made in your honour with them I also bequeath my selfe most straitly obliged vnto you by innumerable and these most iust titles This meditation exercise will be most gratefull to the B. Virgin and very meritorious also to your selfe wherin as it were in a great Pompe of all prayses you carry the name of our B. Lady in triumph as diuers Emperours did hauing obtained by her Intercession Victories ouer their enemies and in particuler Iohn Comnenus Emperour of Constantinople who after he had by the only ayde of the B. Virgin the yeare 1123. vanquisshed put to flight the proude Scithians inuading Thracia with their puislant army for thankes-giuing to this most glorious Queene he caused a most sumptuous Chariot to be made drawne by foure snow-white horses wherin he did place a faire Statua of the most glorious Mother of God riding in triumph The raines of the horses were managed by the chiefe Peeres of the Realme the Chariot was guided by his owne Kinsmen and he himselfe going on foote immediatly before carried a Crosse in his hands Nicetas in Annal Euen so let the Bles Virgin be honoured so let her triumph ouer you shining with no other pompe then the frequent Exercises of loue and carried in no other Chariot then in the seat of your owne Hart. CHAP. III. A Renewing of Lone and Deuotion towards the most B. Virgin to be made in the day time by a more briefe Recollection IT is not sufficient for a deuout Client of our B. Lady only to stirre vp himselfe in the morning by some long meditation to the loue of so noble a Queene vnles he also labour to renew it hourely by other though shorter Considerations all the day following For which kind of recollection it will not be amisse to practice this Excrcise following in imitatrō wherof you may forme to yourselfe diuers others to the same fastion First therfore laying a side for a while all other businesse and turning to your selfe you shal be hould with the eyes of your vnderstanding Saint John Euangelist with the most sacred Virgin placed at the foote of the Crosse hearing these words of our Sauiour Behould thy Mother and fulfilling that which is writiē of him And from that very houre the disciple of IESVS receiued her for his Mother Secondly you shall incite your selfe to imitate Saint Iohn and from that very houre to renew your affection vnto the Blessed Virgen insisting somewhat the longer vpon these words And frō this very houre making seauen meditations for the seauen dayes of the weeke First therfore begin with Sunday and say secretly to your selfe From this very houre wherinso many with filiall loue and affection do wholy deuote offer consecrate themselues to this their most louing Mother singing forth her praises in heauen and earth Put your selfe into the midst of them it is not possible but that the yee of your cold deuotiōs wil therwith be thawed dissolued O Seraphicall Flames ô singular deuotiōs of all the holy Saints Angels vnto the most Blessed Virgin Where are you Where are you Why will you not send forth at least one only sparke of affectiō vnto vs who are so dull so colde so negligent in celebrating the praises of your most glorious Queene On munday From this very houre Before which tyme perchāce you haue neuer serued the B. Virgin as it was fitting Good god Is it possible that you haue as yet rendred nothing vnto such a benefactrix so great a Queene hauing receiued almost euery momēt so many and so great benefits of so many howers as you haue liued neuer to haue spent one in the seruice of so deare a Mother Why are you so slow what hinders you that you do not euen now presently begin to offer cōsecrate vnto her seruice at the least this very Houre One Twesday From this very houre Wherein so many do perish for want of loue and recourse vnto the B. Virgin thousands perhaps thousads in this houre lying on their death beds being by the iust iudgement of Almighty God to be throwne in the next minute into the bottomeles pit of Hell wheras had they but once craued the aide of this glorious Virgin they should haue raigned and triumphed eternally in heauen What a thing is it to be damned eternally to perish eternally for al eternity to lye scorching and broyling amongst the blasphemous diuels for al eternity And how small a labour is it to call vpon MARY to loue and reuerence her See that you carefully performe this euen now that you may escape the other On Wednesday From this very houre In which on the one side three powerfull and dreadfull enemies the Diuell World and the Flesh do persecute vs being naked and vnarmed On the other side the diuine Iustice calleth vs to receiue punishment due vnto our sinnes Wee doubtles shal be ouerthrown with the violence of temptatiō we shall become a prey vnto our enemies vnlesse our B. Lady do assist vs vnlesse she make intercessiō for vs. Whosoeuer therefore thou be that readest this hauing thy conscience defiled with the least mortall sinne consider and ponder I pray thee thy owne estate in this sort following Thou being cast out of the protectiō of Almighty God in the which by grace thou didest remaine before bereaued of all the faire ornaments both of thy vertues and merits liker to a beast then a man and as another Nabuchodonosor feeding with wilde beasts in the desert of sinne all the Angels but chiefly thy good Angel bewailing thy calamity whose counsells hadst thou followed thou wouldest not now vnhappy wretch lye groaning oppressed with the weight of misery Thou liuest continually beaten with the whipps of thy guilty conscience all alone forsaken of thy frieds perhaps to morrow perhaps to day yea perhaps this very moment to be cited to the dreadfull Tribunall of the seuere iudge and canst thou yet liue in this estat Behold our Bles Lady the sanctuary refuge of sinners offering freedome security peace why the dost thou not fly vnto her On Thursday From this very howre In which so
consecrate themselues vnto our B. Lady CHAP. I. How profitable a thing it is to commit our selues in a speciall peculiar manner vnto the protection of our B Lady MANY things are wont to be offered vp vnto the Mother of God committed vnto herpeculiar protection and custody either by way of cōsecration oblation deuotion or the like And to speake of some in particular how many Kingdomes Prouinces Citties other such like places doe we see in these our dayes to be sollemnly deuoted consecrated vnto the protectiō of the B. Virgin And how many also haue we both heard and read off in former ages to haue beene offered dedicated vnto her with no lesse good successe then cleare testimony of that ancient piety But to omit others Rupertus first Bishop of Wormes in Germany prouiding for the eternall Weale of his Country dedicated all the Dukedome of Bauaria vnto the Mother of God the fruits of which oblatiō to say nothing of times past the present estate thereof now so much florishing to the great good of the whole Christian Commonwelth doth sufficiently testifie Constantinople whose first foūdation was laid vnder the protection of the B. Virgin was in former times so famous for the multitude of Churches built in her honour and celebrated whith so feruent deuotion that it was commonly called The Parthenian Citty that is dedicated vnto the Virgin Whiles this title remayned it neuer left rising vntill it arriued to that height of prosperity that riches chiualry honours victory peace and aboundance of all things might seeme to haue fixed their feate with the B. Virgin in her Virginall Citty But after that the impiety of Image-breakers the fury of Scismatikes had extinguished that ancient reuerence of the Mother of God all the glory of that Name and Empire soone vanished away And the Moone so often there triumphant fled from Constantinoples Banners to the Mahometan flagges eclipsed of her ancient beauty depriued of her former glory It is also an ordinary deuotion of Mothers especially in childbirth to giue and dedicate vnto the Virgin Mother the fruite of their wombe for the obtaining of a prosperous deliuery of which piety Margaret of Austria late Queen of Spaine wife to Philip the third left vnto posterity a very singular example For when she was neer the time of her trauaile both she her selfe did with peculiar deuotiō pray vnto the B. Virgin and also caused her whole Family to implore her assistance powerfull hand in time of her labour Amongst other particulers she commaunded nine dayes prayer with generall processions to be made vnto diuers Churches of our B. La. Which nine Masses were solemnly song in her honour The First of the Immaculate Conception of our B. Lady the second of her Natiuity the third of her Presentation the the fourth of her Annūciation the fifth of her Visitation the sixth of the Expectatiō of her Childbirth the seauenth of her Purification the eight of her Assumption and the ninth of the feast of our B. Lady ad Niues And in time of her Labour was song the office of the Childbirth of the B. Virgin and Natiuity of Christ our Lord. The Queene hauing thus prepared her selfe was very happily deliuered of a Sonne and not long after hauing caused the infant to be carried with a solemne Procession to a Church of our B. Lady named of S. Florentius there standing before her miraculous Image she deuoutly presented him vnto the B. Virgin and gained a copious blessing both for her selfe and her posterity as experience at this present doth and shall in future ages witnesse to postetity both at home and abroad to the ioy of the whole Church In hist. vitae mortis eius p. 2. c. 10. 11. But let vs passe vnto that oblation which in the ensuing Chapters we are to treate of It is euident that those who in peculiar manner do oblige themselues to be the Clients of our B. Lady are also in a peculiar manner beloued of her and do experience her present succour in all troubles difficulties Witnes hereof is S. Hermanus whose most ardent affectiō towards the Mother of God was carryed away with so violent a streame of diuine loue that he had no mind either to thinke or speake of any other thing then of God and his B. Mother And his Loue at length came to so high a pitch that one night as he was in prayer being presented by the hands of Angels before the face of the Mother of God by their aduise he gaue himselfe to be her Spouse after which affiance he tooke the name of Ioseph and shortly after experienced what wonderfull care his most beloued Espouse the V. Mary had of him not only in matters of great moment but also in euery occasion were it neuer so little As for example Once whē in his sicknesse he had beene let bloud he was directed by our B. Lady how he was to lye in his Bed the next night so that the veine which had been newly closed vp might not againe be opened Another time as he was going to vifit a Cloyster of Nuns the B. Virgin a little before he arriued there gaue them warning to entertayne him with all courtesy and kind nesse Many more such like examples there be of the loue and care that the Mother of God shewed towards him which may be read more at large in the history of his life in Surius the 5. April CHAP. II. The first way how to consecrate our selues with peculiar reuerence to our B. Lady common to all sorts of people EAuing first made your Confēssion receiued the holy Communion vpō some solemne Feast day if it may be on some Feast of the B. Virgin you shall place her Image in your Oratory or in some other decent place of your chamber and with a full true intention cōsecrating your selfe and all that you haue for euer vnto the Mother of God you shall say this prayer on your knees O most B. Virgin Mary Mother of God I N. N. a poore wretched sinner though in all respects most vnworthy to be numbred amongste the meanest of your seruants yet trusting in your exceeding great piety and mercy and moued with a great desire of seruing and honoring you do heere in presence of the whole Court of Heauen choose you this day for my peculiar Lady Patronesse and Mother and I doe most firmely purpose and promise henceforth to obey and serue you faythfully and also to procure with my whole power that others may do the like I do therfore most humbly beseech you O most mercifull Mother by the most pretious bloud which your sweet Son IESVS hath shed for our sake that you wold vouchsafe to admit me into the number of your Clients and to receyue me for your perpetuall seruāt to be present with me in all my affaires and obtaine for me grace of your most dearely beloued Sonne that I may so behaue
of the Mother of God in whose Family they liue as her househould seruāts or rather as her children Let them haue certayne peculiar Exercises conformable to their Rule Institute by the daily practise wherof they may honour our B. Lady Let them endeauour to increase and aduance the loue and reuerence of the B. Virgin and exhort them to the pious vse of reciting her Rosary and deuout celebration of her Festiuall dayes by frequenting the holy Sacraments other such deuout Exercises Finally and especially let them be mindefull daily to giue harty thankes and be very gratefull vnto the B. Virgin-Mother for the singular benefit of their vocation to Religion An Exercise proper to Religious Persons by which they giue thanks to the B. Virgin for the benefits receiued frō her and most especially for the benefit of their Vocation to Religion HAuing by way of preamble demaunded ayde of the holy Ghost you shal place your selfe in presence of the B. Virgin as if you did behould her enuironed with the Quiers of Angels and all the Saints of your owne Order looking vpon you with a mild and mercifull countenance And 1. Consider call to mind how many benefits you haue hitherto receiued of the Mother of God then deuide them into two parts wherof one may cōtaine the benefits bestowed vpon you before your Vocation the other of your Vocation and other benefits which you haue receyued after your entrance into Religion And this Motherly mercy of the B. Virgin towards you was figured by Rebecca Iacobs Mother who shewed two principall fauours to her Sonne from which as from two fountaynes all his felicity did flow For first with great solicitude she procured for him the benedictiō of his Father Jsaac Secondly she secretly cōueyed him out of his owne Country into Mesopotamia to declin the rage of his brother Esau where he marryed a wife and so became very rich Euen so the B. Virgin like another Rebecca a most louing Mother hath obtayned for you of the Eternall Father a benediction and other singular fauours and aboue all the grace of your Vocation She hath procured also that you departing out of your Country and forsaking all your friends should enter into Religion as into the land of Promisse flowing with milke and hony of consolation and merits 2. You shall ponder and weigh all these benefits both according to their multitude being indeed innumerable and according to their greatnes And amongst the rest consider how great that is that by this your vocation into Religion procured by the Virgin Mother you are made a mēber of that Congregation in which she is serued with so much Honour and Reuerence Out of which it proceedeth that all the worship deuotion which is performed towards the Blessed Virgin throughout your whole Order eyther by themselues or by their meanes is as much attributed vnto you as if you performed it your selfe Therfore you may truly say I am partaker O Lady of the merits of all those who do feare loue honour you eyther in this Religions Order or out of it by their labour and industry 3. By these Considerations you shall stirre vp in your self the affections following You shall humble and cast your selfe downe at the feete of the B. Virgin MARY houlding your self most vnworthy of so great loue and fauour You shal giue her thankes with as great feruour of deuotion as possible you can for her Motherly care ouer you you shall inuite all creatures to accompany you in thankesgiuing imitating yong infants who do most willingly acknowledg thēselues beholding to their Mother or Nurse for all they haue receiued But how may you recōpence so great a Benefactresse Assuredly you must purpose to requite her with a filiall affection and for euer to do her such seruice as the same requireth To this S. Beruard exhorteth vs saying sermone de Natiuitate B. Mariae Let vs adore the B. Virgin from the very bottome of our hart with the most inward affections and desirs as we can possibly For such is the will of him who will haue vs to receyue all by the meanes of the B. Virgin Mary she in all things by all meanes prouiding for the miserable She strengtheneth our hope she putteth diffidence to flight she erecteth our pusillanimity It will he also very profitable to the increasing of this gratitude and loue towards the B. V. to essay take as it were a tast by way of meditatiō of those most tender affections which diuers Religious Orders haue had towards that sacred Queene and in particuler the Order of S. Dominicke who hauing vnderstoode that they were seene by their owne Founder S. Dominicke and by a certayne holy Woman couered vnder the mantle of the Bles Virgin and imbraced with the Virginall armes of her loue peculiar affections so great was their deuotiō towards her euer after so enflamed their desire to loue and serue her so deuout and feruent were the prayers they cōtinually sōge vnto her so exceeding the confidēce trust they allwayes had in her protection so greedy and insatiable the contemplation of her Vertues and Excellencyes that no humane tongue would be able to expresse Jn vita S. Dominick l. 2. c. 12. and l. 5. c. 6. The like vision happened vnto Father Martinus Gutterus a Spanyard and a very holy Religious man of the Society of IESVS who as he was in feruent prayer saw the B. Virgin shining with vnspeakable beauty hauing her Robe spread all abroad vnder the same the whole Society contayned which she imbraced with a motherly affection shrowded vnder the winges of her most tender loue protection Hier. Platus l. 1. de bon stat Relig. OVR B. LADIES LITLE GARDEN THE FOVRTH BED adorned with Iacynths Wherein are contayned certayne Seruices and Dutyes towards the B. Virgin as if they were so many exercises of a heauēly life and conuersation of which the Iacynth is a token CHAP. I. Of the AVE MARIA or Angelicall Salutation BEFORE all other this Salutation is most gratefull to the B. Virgin as her selfe declared to Saint Maude who being in some anxiety of mynd what kind of seruice she might exhibit as most acceptable vnto her she beheld our Blessed Lady bearing in her breast the salutation of the Angell Gabriell written in golden letters and withall heard these words Higher then this Salutation none can euer arriue nor cā any one more sweetly salute me then with that accent of HAYLE with which God the Father was pleased to salute me freeing me by his Omnipotency from all trespasse and curse of sinne The Sonne of God with his diuine Wisedome hath also so throughly enlightned me that with the Name of MARY as with a most bright glittering Starre both heauē earth do shine The Holy Ghost by penetrating me with his diuine sweetnes hath filled me so FVLL OF GRACE that euery one who seeketh grace may by my meanes soone
worthy of the holy kisse of her motherly loue and fauour In reciting the sixth Decade YOu shall imagine that the acts of your vnderstanding will which you produce in saying the Rosary to be as so many flames most bright or rather dartes throwen from your hart transpierced with her loue into the heart of the B. Virgin Surely it was reuealed to S. Gertrude that the Archāgell Gabriel is so often enlightened with a new brightnes of the holy Ghost as often as the salutation pronounced by him to the B. Virgin is renewed recited vbi supra c. 12. Why then may we not say that these Salutations be Flames why not Darts when as we read also that the holy Mother Teresa one most addicted to the seruice of the Blessed Virgin was by an Angell pierced through with a golden dart of diuine loue Therefore in saying the sixt Decade of the Rosary you shall declare vnto the B. Virgin that these salutations as are so many Suns wherwith you desire to be enlightned as so many flames of loue wherewith you may burne as so many Darts with which your hart being pierced you may melt away cōsume You may also piously demaund that being drawne on by these your seruices although litle and far vnequall to her deserts she by the plentifull influence of her mercies will not cease in like manner to exhibite her loue vnto you especially that she wil be pleased to illuminate your mind with the knowledge of her perfections vertues woūd your hart with her loue that you may remayne faythfull vntill death In these considerations you may obserue another methode to wit that euery one thereof assigned to euery Decade may suffice for euery Rosary and so in this Chapter you haue six diuers manners of saying the Rosary CHAP. III. The second manner of saying the Rosary THe second māner is that wherin attētion chiefly is giuen to the sense of the words of the Angelicall Salutation and of the Pater Noster And that this attention may be the easier let vs cal to mynd that famous miracle which happened at Rome in the yeare 590. in a solemne procession which was ordayned for auerting the plague greatly annoying all Italy In this procession was carryed a most deuout and ancient picture of the Mother of God paynted by Saint Luke and with such happy successe that foorthwith in all places health was obteyned The Angels were heard singing by all that were there presēt whether with greater amazement or pleasure it is doubtfull cōgratulating with the B. Virgin in these words O Queene of heauen reioyce Alleluia because whome you haue merited to beare Alleluia hath risen as he sayd A leluia whereto S. Gregory being taught by diuine instinct in the name of all the people added Pray vnto God for vs Alleluia And shortly after an Angell who standing vpon the top of Adrians Tower and shewing himselfe to be a iust Reuenger of sinnes committed hauing allready drawne the sword of Iustice for punishment therof was seene to put the same againe into the scabbard in signe that mercy was obtayned and gotten for them Baron tom 8. ann 590. Now after you haue framed to your selfe the like imagination first consider on the one side that you pronoūce the words of the Archangell Gabriell enuironed with a troupe of Angels saluting the B. Virgin now triūphant in heauen as before he had done in Nazareth Then do you endeauour to stirre vp expresse in your selfe the same effects of reuerence gratulation praise ioy and such other like as the words require On the other side you shall imagine S. Elizabeth with all the holy and Blessed men leading a distinct Quire and congratulating the B. Virgin with the same applause loue ioy other affections wherwith in tymes past together with her holy infant S. Iohn Baptist whome she carryed in her wombe she had saluted her in these words Blessed art thou amongst women c. and do you imitate her with the same feeling and affection in pronouncyng the selfe same wordes Lastly you shall with the eye of contemplation behold the whole present militant Church vexed afflicted with many miseryes persecutions in this vale of teares lying prostrate at the feet of the B. Virgin and imploring her mercy in like manner as the former History did represent vnto you in the person of this Church you shall recite the last part of the Salutātion Holy Mary c. asking with all humility comfort ayde against so many euills and crauing her wholsome and efficacious intercession for the atcheyuement of all good things withall you may present vnto her your owne particular intention These cōsiderations may for your commodity be so parted and deuided that in the first two Decades you may attēd chiefly vnto the sense of the Angels words In the other two vnto the wordes of S. Elizabeth In the last two to the wordes of the holy Church And you may begin conclude this manner as the former CHAP. IV. The third manner of saying the Rosary THis manner also of saying the Rosary is very easie wherin chiefly Attention is vsed about the mysteries of the life of our Sauiour Christ his B. Mother interlacing withall the same after some sort with the former two Attentions spoken of before These mysteries alwayes assigned are fifteene which you shall deuide in this manner The mysteries of Ioy which are the Annunciation the Visitatiō the Natiuity of Christ our Lord his Presentation his finding amongst the Doctors in the Temple you may recite on Mūday Tuesday Wensday assigning to euery decade a seueral mistery As you recite the same you shall imagine your selfe to declare vnto the B. Virgin that mistery which you do contemplate and to relate the vertues expressed therein and benefits bestowed vpon vs by the same by reioycing thanks giuing offering your selfe and whatsoeuer is yours asking things conformable to the mystery and commending your particuler intention vnto her The dolorous mysteries which are The prayer of Christ in the Garden His whipping at the Pillar His Crowning with thornes His carrying of his Crosse and Crucifying you shall renew euery Friday and Saturday after the same manner as you did the Ioyfull adding therto chiefly affections of Compassion The Glorious mysteryes which are the Resurrectiō of our Lord his Ascension the comming downe of the holy Ghost the Assumption of the B. Virgin and her Coronation in heauen you shall recite vpon Sundayes and Thursdayes as you did the former exercising chiefly affections of Congratulation and desire of the Glory of Heauen Some deuide the whole life of Christ and of our B. Lady into two weekes after this manner On Munday they call to mynd 1. The Expectation of the birth of the B. Virgin from the very beginning of the world by how many Oracles the same was promised by how many figures represented and by how many supplications sought for 2. Her immaculate Cōception
any meditation we should alwayâ—s spend a quarter of an houre in examining the fruit and successe therof which both he himselfe did most diligently obserue by putting downe in writing all the conceyts and affections of his mynd euery day And the like did that holy man Fa Peter Faber of whome are extant a few but very pious Commentaries which he wrote of his daily actioÌ„s in Meditations to the end that no benefit which he receaued of God might escape his knowledge that he might be stirred vp to thanksgiuing for the same and to a greater loue of so bountifull a Father from whom he did acknowledge to haue receaued all his progresse in vertue all his heauenly consolations and delightes all the diuine reuelations and inward lights of his mynd and lastly all those graces and blessings which had byn any way bestowed vpon him And he acknowledged that he was first moued heerunto when as he deuoutly celebrated the Feast of our Lady De Portiuncula or Of the Angells CHAP. VIII Of the Deuotion and Reuerence of the B. Virgin towards the Sacrifice of the Masse SVarez and other Doctors are of opinion that the B. Virgin after her sonnes Glorious Ascension into Heauen did heare Masse euery day celebrated by S. Iohn or some other of the Apostles Nor can it be iustly doubted that the Bles Virgin whilst she liued in this mortall life did heare Masse daily since that she now triumphing in heauen hath byn often seene to come downe from thence and be present whilest the Holy Masse was celebrated It is recorded that S. Bonitus Bishop of Auuerne in France praying on a time all alone in the Church of S. Michael our Bles Lady descended from heauen accoÌ„panyed with a glorious troupe of Angels Saints commaunded him to say Masse which he forthwith performing the Angels serued him with all reuerence the Mother of God with all her heauenly CoÌ„pany hearing the same with great Deuotion vnspeakable signes of ioy Masse being ended she gaue vnto him in testimony of her presence of her deuotion to holy things a Vestement made of a strang and vnknowne and of a wonderfull white vnusuall light stuffe Sur. in eius vita Also the Bles Virgin did another tyme honour with her presence multitude Angels S. Andrew surnamed Carmelitanus Bishop of Fesuli whilst he was saying Masse saluting him with this no lesse honourable then friendly greting Thou art my seruant whome I haue chosen and in whome I will be glorified Sur. in eius vita But that which hapned vnto Henry the Emperour the great imitator of the B. virgins purity was yet more miraculous For coÌ„ming on a tyme to Rome and watching all the first night as his custome was in the Church of S. Maria Maior he found our Sauiour there ready to say masse hauing for his Deacon and subdeacon S. Laurence and S. Vincent the whole Church being full on euery side of celestiall Company among whom and aboue them all the B. Virgin did appeare The Angels did sing the Introit which was Suscepimus Deus misericordiam tuam c. in singing those words Iustitia plenaest dextera tua all the glorious Audience imitating IESVS his B. Mother did poynt with their hands towards the Emperour When the Ghospell was song our Sauiour his B. Mother all the other Saints and Angels in their order did kisse the book After which the B. Virgin made signe vnto the Angell who then held the Booke that he should likewise carry it to the Emperour to kisse with whose Virginity she was so much delighted All which whilst the Emperour beheld with exceeding ioy an Angell stroke him like another Iacob in the sinewes of his legge saying This shal be a signe of diuine loue and fauour vnto thee for thy Iustice and Chastity after which tyme he halted to his dying day Surin eius vita 19. Junii The holy Virgin hath not only manifested her Religious honour and reuerence to the holy Sacrifice of the Masse but also to all other things that do any pertaine vnto the same as to churchs Altars their ornaments also to the Priestly vestements some of which she is said to haue made adorned with her owne hands the which both whilst she liued heere on earth and whilst she now triumpheth in heauen she hath often manifested to haue in especiall regard and reuerence She once admonished Iohn a Senatour of Rome togeather with his wife in their sleepe that in that place which they should the next morning find couered with snow they should build a Church in her honour and that it was very pleasing vnto her that they had made her heyre of their wealth No lesse memorable is that apparition of the Blessed Virgin vnto S. Ildephonsus Bishop of Toledo who presented him with a sacred Vestment as he was ready to celebrate Masse saying Receaue from my haÌ„ds this small guift which I haue brought vnto thee out of the Treasury of my Sonne as a reward of thy Chastity and Purity and for that thou hast also defended my Virginity And whilest she spake these words with her owne handes she put the Vestement vpon him bidding him to celebrate masse therein vpon all the Feasts of her B. Sonne and Hers throughout the yeare Sur. in eius vita Of our B. Ladies behauiour during tyme of Masse THe Honour and more theÌ„ Angelical ReuereÌ„ce which the B. Virgin shewed vnto this most dreadfull Sacrifice by obseruiug and marking euery Ceremony therof with a most sweet tast of piety and denotion may easily appeare For if as hath byn sayd before she were so affected to all Holy places because by them she fouÌ„d her selfe stirred vp to the memory and contemplation of the diuine mysteries and actions of her B. Sonne IESVS perceaued in her selfe a sensible increase of sundry pious affections with how much more pleasure deuotion and loue may we imagine her to be present at this most Holy sacrifice of the Masse in which the mysteries of the life death of her B. Sonne who is there corporally really preseÌ„t are by the holy Ceremonies of the Church expressed called to mynd Do you therfore imitate the B. Vir. in hearing masse daily with reuerence and deuotion setting often before your eyes the example of her internall externall reuerence her admirable Charity in contemplating the seuerall mysteryes of that dreadful sacrifice lastly be you wholy inflamed with the fyer of deuotion especially at the tyme of Eleuation of the B. Sacrament supposing that then you euen see the B. Virgin offering vp her dearly beloued Sonne into the hands of his Eternall Father As S. Mary of Oegnia did vse to see vpoÌ„ euery CaÌ„dlemas day our B. Lady offering her little IESVS in the TeÌ„ple old Symeon imbracing him in his armes with admirable gust and content Vitriac in eius vita Imagine likewise the B. Virgin to be present at the Holy Sacrifice of the Masse