Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	affection_n	love_v	world_n	4,727	5	4.9827	4	true

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A11368	An admirable method to loue, serue and honour the B. Virgin Mary With diuers practicable exercises thereof. Al inriched with choice examples. Written in Italian by the R. F. Alexis de Salo, Capuchin. And Englished by R.F.	Salo, Alessio Segala de.; R. F., fl. 1639.	1639 (1639)	STC 21628; ESTC S100011	150,784	636

of honouring and reuerencing the Angels saying as followeth pag. 384 Of the honour and reuerence we owe vnto our Angel Guardian pag. 391 In what maÌ„ner we are to proceed in the exercise of those Adorations vvorthily to honour the Mother of Alm. God page 415 How in the like manner we are to reuerence God as also the Saints in Heauen page 424 How these genuflexions may deuoutly be exercised before any Image of our B. Lady page 433 The Reuerences we are to make in saying our Beads page 448 Remarkable Instructions how to say the Beads extracted out of the second Tome of Nauarrs Commentaries and others Authours page 462 How alternatim or by turne we may say our Beads page 467 Of the most excellent deuotion of the Rosary page 472 Twelue most notable Adorations to be made in the honour and memory of twelue dignities priuiledges bestowed on the blessed Virgin by Alm. God answerable to the twelue Starrs which go to the composing of a crowne for her most sacred Head p. 497 The declaration of the first Starr pag. 490 The secoÌ„d Starr declared p. 494 The declaration of the third Starr p. 499 The fourth Starr declared p. 504 The declaration of the fifth Starr p. 521 The sixt Starr declared p. 527 The declaration of the seauenth Starr pa 534 The eighth Starr declared 529 The declaration of the ninth Starr pa. 537 The teÌ„th Starr declared p 545 The declaration of the eleuenth Starr pa. 552 The twelfth Starr declared 560 Another sort of Adoration which for the greater variety of the deuout seruants of the B. Virgin I haue heere annext pa. 566 Tvvelue Reuerences correspondent to the B. Virgins 12. prerogatiues pa. 569 An excellent vvay of adoring the B. Virgin in remembring the ioyes vvhich she had heere p. 579 Of the interiour Reuerences vve are to exhibit to the glorious Queene of heauen and of the place time and occasion of exercising them pag. 590 AN ADMIRABLE METHOD TO LOVE SERVE and Reuerence the Glorious Virgin Mary our B. Aduocate Or a pious Exhortation to be deuoted to the Queene of Heauen EVERY faithful Christian is to Indeauour to his vtermost to become deuot and duly resighned to the seruice of the Glorious Queene of Heauen whom the Angels serue the Arch-Angels adore the Thrones honour the Cherubins and Seraphins respect and in fine the highest aduaÌ„ced in the Court of Heauen account it their Glory to make Court vnto Knowing how aduantagious her fauour would be to them for if a Courtier heer accounts it for so high a felicity to haue the glory of possessing the heard of some great Princesse as promissing himselfe great honours and dignities from thence and how much more if besides al this he were assured of that dearer place in her memory as shee could refuse him nothing but if he chaunced to fal into disgrace would vndertake his defence reconcile him with his Prince againe free him from the punishments he had merited obtaine his repeal if he were banished from the Court and not only restore him to his former estate againe but aduance him higher then euer he was before what a blessing what an excesse of Ioy would this fortunat fauourit receiue from thence what would he do or rather what nor do in gratitud for so great an obligation what meanes what sort of seruices would he most inuent to honour her withal assueredly both night day he would haue no other thought then how to expresse his thankfulnes to her in some particular manner and then would be no danger so great no seruice so painful he would not go through with al to maintaine himself in her better graces stil And yet farr more happy a thousand times are the seruants fauourits of the Queene of Heauen in that they are assured she is perpetually mindful of them that she beares them an vnequald loue that they may hope the Greatest of fauours from her and that she cannot be wanting to them in their afflictions that as a faithful Aduocate she doth Embrace their protection in al occurrences that she preuails her self of al occasioÌ„s to render the Eternal king her B. SoÌ„ne propitious to them and what is most of al deliuers theÌ„ from eternal paines brings them in fine to the possesion of the glory and happines of the Kingdome of Heauen From al which we may gather fiue rare Priuiledges those truely deuote vnto the Mother of God Inioy thereby the first is that she loues them with a profound and cordial affection the second that she honours them with diuers particular fauours the third that she is alwayes ready to assist them in their necessities as after as they implore her aide the fourth that as a most careful Aduocate with particular solicitud she vndertake their deffence and renders them propitious the eternal King of Heauen reconciling them into him when they haue offended him the fifth and last that she deliuers them from eternal damnation Let vs consider then and examine them on by on which great exactnes to animat euery soule to the affection of so deare and great a Lady THE I. PRIVILEDGE How affectionat the B Virgin is to al deuout Christians who serue and honour her with humble reuerence ALTHOVGH 't is true the sacred Virgin being al loue charity loueth al like the Sunn sayes the deuout Saint Bernard displayes a like the beams of her sweetnes benignity ouer al the world Yet certaine it is withal shee beholds those with a more deere regard who loue her and render her the most dutiful seruices and are most assidual in reuerencing her And most laudable and holie is that obsequiousnes by whose exteriour signes is manifested the interiour affections of the hart for so as S. Gregory says the proofe of the affection is the performaÌ„ce of the thing Now how reciprocal the B. Virgins loue is to vs againe her self declares in those words attributed to her by the Holy Ghost those who loue mee I loue as much as to say I haue a particular loue for those who affect mee with al their hart and soule and endeauour to render such honour as they imagine the most acceptable and what sort of loue it is her self declares in another passage of Scripture where shee sayes I am the mother of beautious loue signifying the loue shee affects her seruaÌ„ts with to be firme compleat at al parts and truly worthy so diuine and louing a mother This glorious Queene tenders vs as her owne Children in that shee is our Mother and so neare and strait a bond tyes vs together as her being a desceÌ„dant from our generation flesh of our flesh bloud of our bloud bone of our bone for which reason shee cannot but affect vs much especially if wee endeauour to deserue it by our constancie and fidelitie in seruing her Shee is the Mother of Iesus-Christ true God and Man God is our Father Our Father which art in heauen his Sonne Iesus-Christ

wil you destroy nature with your superfluous watchings thus Do not you know the night was ordain'd for man to rest and that sleep is the principal stay and support of life Alasse you are yet in the April of your yeares haue a care then of your self be ruled by me if not for your owne sake at least for your Orders whose safety wholy depeÌ„ds on yours you are of a stroÌ„g robustious complexion promising a long life if you shorten it not by your indiscret austerityes beleeue it these extrauagant deuotions are infinitly displeasing to Alm God who in al things is most delighted with mediocritie The Saint hearing this and by this discouering the malice of the wicked Enemie to delude him by a false suggestioÌ„ suddainly started vp and al naked ran to the adioyning wood where he so long rowled him self amoÌ„g the sharpe thornes bristy thistles til the bloud issued amaine froÌ„ euery part of him when in mockery of his body now said he had it not been better for you to haue attended stil to the suffrings of your God then to suffer this for attending to the Enemy He had no sooner vtter'd this but instantly behold a cleer light spred it-self ouer al the wood and chasing darknes theÌ„ce on the one side he saw the ground al icye for it was in the hart of winter and on the other close by the thornes he embrewed in his bloud the white and red rose freshly springing whilst the Angels in multituds made a lane for him from that place vnto the Church singing in triumphant manner as he went Goe happy Francis goe where thou art expected by the King and Queen of Heauen and he knew it was no illusion by their so miraculously reuesting him a new then gathering fower and twenty of those Roses mixt of either sort he went towards the Church treading on riche tapistry al the way the Angels as we said before making a lane for him on the right hand and on the left where being arriued he beheld our Sauiour seated accompanied as in the former apparition when with al low submission casting him as his feete Most sacred Maiestie sayd hee before whom both heauen and earth do homage it pleased your goodnes to grant mee formerly a plenary Indulgence in that manner as I desired it now my petition is you would appoint a certaine day for the obtaining of it and this for your most deare and gratious Mothers sake Our B. Sauiour thus answered him Francis thy deserts are such I can deny thee nothing wherfore I grant thee thy petition and appoint the first of August to be it then the Saint rendring him al possible thankes replied but how O Lord shal this bee divulged vnto the world or on whose faith wil they take on trust so great a miracle For that said our Bl. Sauiour be it my care to prouide in the meane while haue you recourse againe to my Vicar heer on earth carrying with you eye-witnes of this apparition one of your brothers with some of those Roses you haue gathered there and feare not you shal see your desires accomplished In this amiable sweet and admirable manner was granted to Holy S. Francis the famous Indulgence of our Lady of Portiuncula by the soueraige Monarch of Heauen and earth a grace so great a fauour so sublime as neuer was heard of neuer mortal man receaued the like By which and the fore mentioned Institution of the Rosary by the great Patriarch Saint Dominick wherby his Order hath been so much ennobled may cleerly be perceiued how extraordinarily this bountious Ladye recompences them who serue her affectionally and faithfully THE III. PRIVILEDGE Hovv the B. Virgin helps and Comforts her faithful seruants in their afflictions THE third Priuiledge this heauenly Lady honors her fauourits which is neuer to be wanting to them in their afflictions a thing which neither ought nor can be doubted of For if she loues them and if she loues by effects to shew it what greater effects of it then in their most necessitous times to receiue and succour them or when is the tyme to declare ones loue and affection if not then A true frende loues at al tymes sayth the holy Ghost and a brother is tried in affliction and can wee thinke any in heauen or earth more true to those she loues then the B. Virgin is or that in her affection she serues the times loues not so wel in pouerty as in riches in sadnes as in mirth in aduersity as in prosperity Oh no A true freind alwayes loues but especially in time of affliction for that is the touch stone of true freindship indeed and then she shews hers most What a happines what a felicity is it then for those who loue serue her faithfully to haue so powerful a freind as she who when the burthen of misery lies heauiest on vs can lighten vs when we are deseruing more of pittie then of loue out of pittie loues vs more and who lastly in the dark passage of death where so many leese their way leads vs safely out of it and not forsakes vs then when al the world besides forsakes vs but comforts vs on our death-beds when al in this life turnes to our more discomfort which we did most affect and stands vnto vs when whole legions of diuels are beseidging our souls sheilding vs from euery harme now defending vs from impatience by assuaging our griefes or fortyfijng our mindes against it now from sorrow with the ioy she brings vs now from despaire with the assured hope of our saluation and finally with a new re-inforcement of Angels puts al our Infernal enemies to flight The glorious S. Antony of Padua as is recorded in his life when he was assalted with any temptation vs'd no other weapon then to repeate this Hymne of hers O gloriosa Domina c. when presently he should come off with victory As it happened one day when being at his prayers the diuel at defiaÌ„ce stil with al good workes set so furiously on him and strayn'd his throat so cruel hard as he had almost strangled him til the Saint hauing recourse to his accustomed armes inforc't him to leese his hold In like manner al the article of his death being prepar'd vnto it before with al the sacraments and saying with his brethren the seuen penitential Psalmes he concluded al Deuotions with that to which he was euer so deuout O gloriosa Domina c. when behold the B. Virgin appeared vnto him infinitly coÌ„forting him with her apparition and adding to the Consolation of it the sight of her deare sonne and his deare Lord at which with incredible ioy he deliuered his soule into his Bl. hands Go reade al histories search into al records see if you can find any that euer trusted her with their confidence and were deceau'd who inuoked her in their necessities and were not releiued by her so as we may wel applye those words of

our brother Go to my brothers sayes he to Mary Magdalen Oh infinit sweetnes of loue Go to my brothers and tel them I ascend to my father your father to my God and yours The Blessed Virgin is then our Mother Iesus Christ the increated Word our brother and the Eternal father our father Conforme to this S. Bernard on these words Ecce mater tua behold thy Mother argues thus If Mary be thy mother O man sayes he then Iesus Christ is thy brother his father thine his Kingdom thou hast right to and Consequently the grace of Mary is thy riches since the mother Vsually layes vp for the Children so thy necessities goe vnto her hart for the mother for these wants of her Children is moued at hart O take her then for thine Thus S. Bernard that eloquent Doctour And certainly our condition is most great and highly aduantag'd aboue al others to haue the Mother of God Empresse of the Vniuerse for Mother and her only sonne the King of glory glory of Kings and our true God for brother An honour the Angels could neuer glorie in For when or where sayes S. Paul did God euer say to them as he sayd to man speaking to our Sauiour Christ Thou art my sonne to day I haue begotten thee These spirits as happy as they are haue neuer an Angel of them al inuested with their Angelical nature they can say is God whilst wee inuested with our humane haue the God of Angels himselfe wee cannot only say is man but euen our brother too nor do wee find it was euer sayd to any of theÌ„ as it was to man Behold thy Mother in the person of S. Iohn who according to the Doctours personated and stood at the foote of the Crosse for al mankind whilst the Sauiour of vs al deliuer'd him the pretious treasure of his Mother in trust Let vs conclude then that her loue is generally towards al but in a more particular manner towards those who assume her for their Mother and by most affectionat wayes seeke out her safeguard and protection Moreouer wee must conclude this glorious Queen hath shewed more affection to men then euer shee did to Angels In imitation of the eternal Father whom in her actions shee of al others most nearly imitats and for proofe that his loue is more to vs then them but consider with what pretious guifts he hath honoured vs for so the greatnes of the presents giuen by the louer to its beloued manifestly declares the greatnes of its affection to it and what guifts are those the eternal Father hath bestowed on the sonnes of the earth Let the Angels harke and the Archangels lend an eare and al the heauenly Hierarchies remaine astonish't at so wondrous a liberalitie Behold the infinit present the infinit guift with God hath giueÌ„ presented the world withal neuer to be enough vallued neuer to be aequalled God hath so loued the World as for it he hath giuen his only sonne out of his excessiue loue to free it from the miserie in which it was and what on the Angels hath he bestowed the whilst nothing but their eternal beatitud merited as the Diuines hold by one sole act of their Wil another thing it is and of other valuation which he hath bestowed on men to giue his owne Sonne to saue them then his giuing the Angels their eternal beatitud so sayes S. Bonauenture To giue his only Sonne for the impieties of men was a greater matter then to the merits of Angels to giue eternal life Let vs grant then and freely acknowledge the loue of God his holy Mother more spleÌ„didly shinning on men then Angels since more admirable haue been the effects produced of it towards them then these and more obliging to repay them reciprocally againe But this is not al nor doth our gratious Mistris stay heere to repay affection with affection but by the transport of her loue shee passes to honour her seruants sometimes with her visits sometimes to comfort them with her owne deare presence her Blessed sonns An example of which amongst an infinitie of others wee haue in the new reformed Mirrour of Examples and it is this There was a yong Virgin some 14. yeares of age so deuoted to the Mother of God as shee employed in her seruice almost al her dayes and nights in which her pious exercises shee continued for almost seauen yeares space euer beseeching her deere mistres patronesse so to fauour her as shee might behold her B. Sonn iust as shee had brought him into the world vntil at last one night and 't is beleued to haue been Christmas night retiring her selfe into an Oratorie shee had in her fathers house there with prayers and teares iterating her petition behold sodainly there appeared vnto her the Queene of heauen accoÌ„panied with Myriads of Angels who gratiously reaching her from her owne armes to hers her heauenly Infant sayd Behold heer my dear daughter what you haue so much desired take him embrace him and at your pleasure solace you with him at this the deuout Virgin tooke him in her armes and embracing and kissing him vsed al the tendernesses Ã deuout loue could expresse an affection in when in the heate of her kisses embraces the diuine Infant darting a look at her had been ableto haue pierc'd a farr harder hart theÌ„ hers asked her if shee loued him that I do said shee and confirmed it with a thousand new blandishmeÌ„ts but how much do you loue mee more then my body and how much more more then my very hart yet how much more then that alasse said shee it is impossible to tel you that let it speak for mee and so with a profound sigh shee coÌ„cluded the dialogue and with that her life her hart bursting in the midst vnable to containe so much of loue was in it when we may piously imagine the B. Virgin tooke her white soule in her armes deliuering it into the hands of Angels they with sweete and melodious harmonie conducted it to heauen At sound of which celestial musick those of the house accurring forceing open the Oratory doore found the dead corps extended on the ground and exhaling so much sweetnes as it seemed al the most pretious perfumes of the world had gon to the embalming it Amongst the rest two Fathers of S. Dominicks Order were present who as they dissected her to find out he cause of so sudaine strange a death perceiued her hart inscribed with these wordes in golden letters O my Iesus I loue thee more then my selfe for hauing Created redeemed and adopted mee by thy holy grace Whereby wee may perceaue how great was the loue shee bore to the sacred Mother and her Sonne and how greatly they are aduantag'd by it who loue them with such tendernes of affection I am inuited by this so excellent an Example to the recital of one other no lesse excellent taken out of the first part of our

Chronicles of S. Francis one of the most Exemplar patterns of deuotion to the B. Virgin as euer was This holy Saint in visiting a certaine Conuent somewhat remote had appointed him for companion one of raw yeares and rawer experience in Religion They being arriued at their iourneys end the Saint after some light refection retired himselfe some-what more early then ordinary to his repose the bitter to rise at the accustom'd houre of Mattins with the rest Meane while his CoÌ„panion singling out one of the CoÌ„uent of as litle spirit as himself began with bitter inuectiues to inveigh against the Saint saying by way of mockery that he could eate drinke and sleepe with the best of them and euen to passion seek his owne commodities the whilst he kept them short enough and slinted them as he listed after many such idle misbe seeming speeches resolued at last to watch him narrowly that night whither he rose at the nocturnal Houres with the rest or no and so he did When behold about the second Vigil of night he might perceaue him rise take his way towards the adioyning Wood and following him stil with his obseruation at last he saw him fal prostrat on the ground directing many a sigh to heauen many a praier wing'd with the fire of loue vnto the Queene of heauen beseeching her of the fauour to let him see her B. Sonne iust as he was infanted into the world scarce had he vtter'd this when the B. Virgin al enuironed with celestial light appeared vnto him with incredible sweetnes presented him from her owne armes with her B. Sonn The Saint rauish't with so high a fauour and rendring al possible thanks for it began to vie kisses regards of him to the emulatioÌ„ of his mouth eies whether should take the more delight in him This amorous duel lasted til breake of day not only to the exceeding consolation of the S. himself but of that Religious too wheÌ„ being constrained to restore his pretious burthen to his Mothers arme againe the visioÌ„ rauished At sight of this so diuine a miracle the poore imperfect Religious man was so moued edified as he threw him self presently at S. Francis feet beseeching him of forgiuenes for his fault which he humbly there confest and dying afterwards to his imperfections became to liue a perfect Religious man consummat in al vertue and perfection From these two examples results an infallible proofe of this first priuiledge the B. Virgins exceeding loue to those who hold deare her memory and employ themselues for her sake in works of piety whilst they become each day more faithful and feruent in seruing her And these are those shee most especially doth regard these are those shee most particularly doth protect neuer abandoning them vnlesse they abandon her vntil shee hath happily guided her to heauen Al with the deuout S. Bernard in thÃªse few words doth comprehend It is impossible for you B. Lady to forsake him who places his Confidence in you since you are the Mother of mercie it selfe Who would not endeauour then to the vtter most of his forces to be deuout to her who to gaine the fauour of such a Queene would not count it honour to seeke out al occasions of seruing her 't is no smal one I grant to ingratiate ones selfe with an earthly Queen but with the Queen of heauen 't is the greatest that can be imagined an honour not only to be preferred before al the greatnesses of the earth but al wee can receaue from any Saint in heauen And thus much may suffice for the first Priuiledge THE II. PRIVILEDGE Js that the B Virgin is most liberal and accustomed to bestovv frequent graces fauours on her seruants LOVE that is true perfect as daily experience teacheth is neuer satisfied in cherishing the thing beloued and obliging it by guifts and fauours euen to dispoile it selfe of al it hath most precious to giue vnto it So IonathaÌ„s loue to Dauid was so great as the scripture sayes of him Ionathan loued him as his very soule he pluck't off his richer garments gaue to him to paint his freindship forth in more liuely colours it adds He gaue him euen his sword his cincture and his bow Now if worldly loue hath such force ouer the harts of men what hath the diuine ouer the harts of the Saints in heauen especially of the B. Virgin who excels al men and Saints together in the perfection of loue Let vs vnanimously saye and acknowledge then that shee is so affectionat to those who honour her as shee neuer ceaseth showring on them the heauenly deaw of the most pretious guifts and richest treasures there for which reason she is deseruedly stiled by our holy Doctours the Treasuresse of al the riches in heauen and dispensatrix of al the guifts of God A dignitie to which his diuine Maiestie hath exalted her in heauen an honour to which aboue al his subiects he hath preferred her The keyes of euerlasting riches are in her hands the coffers of Paradise ful fraught with diuine treasures are at her command of which shee is nothing sparing but liberally giues to al that wil to al that aske to al that can pretend least right vnto them shee being most riche and powerful and her wil equaling her power both in heauen and earth To you al power is giuen sayes the mellifluous Doctor deuoutly discoursing with her both in heauen and earth so as you haue ability to do what you wil and so her selfe auowes how riche she is in diuine treasures where shee sayes The grace is in mee of al way and truth in mee al hope of vertue and of life And knowing how much they import vs her selfe inuites vs to demand them of her Come to mee al sayes shee who are desirous of mee and be replenish't with my generations See how ready our riche celestial Mistris is to make vs participant of her celestial riches and see how much she affects our good who offers vs so bountiously those goods and honours as are neither beholding to Time nor fortune Why doe wee tarry then why are wee then so slow why shake wee not off this dulnes that possesses vs doe wee feare perhaps a disdainful repulse from her a difficult accesse a fastidious regard ah no shee is so farr from it as shee is very sweetnes meeknes it selfe and there is nothing in earth or heauen more affable more courteous then shee as S. Bernard testifies of her where he sayes What humane fragilitie is it that feares to approch haue accesse to the Virgin Mary in whom is nothing austere or terrible but shee is al humanitie al ful of charitie and curtesie towards al. Let vs then with the common opinion of Doctors hold for certaine that whosoeuer hath recourse to her in their necessityes and duly implore her ayde are neuer by her frustrated of their hopes O sweet Lady says the ancient

for these yong louers in the heat of their poursuite the easier to attaine to their desires dissemble their natural inclinations and appeare more mild and gentle then they are but those once attayn'd off goes the maske of their dissimulation and then you shal see how iealous they can be how harsh and crosse in their dispositions how iniurious to you in words and not seldone also in deeds But suppose them of a more temperat humour and more gently inclin'd what priuiledge enioy they by it If you shal giue me leaue I wil tel you what To beare a painful burthen in the wombe nine moneths together to waxe leane and pale with it to be subiect to a thousand languors and disguifts the while if you haue no Children Lord what discontents what repinning at it If you haue with what danger and how often in giuing their life do Mothers loose their owne what care and trouble in their education What feares least al their labours should be lost and death make his haruest of what they had sowne with paine then what disconforts do they bring their parents with their lewdnes and vntowardnes some liuing so as they wish they had neuerben borne others dying so as they wish-they had neuer lived so as both a liue and dead they seeme only borne for their Parents affliction At this Nereus crossing his armes and lifting vpp his eys like one in extasie concluded thus O happy then the state of virginity which exempts vs from al these miseries and vnites the soule that is honored with it to Alm. God O most riche and incomparable treasure whose possession exceeds al esteeme and repaires al losse and O Diuine loue and more then humane fortitude by which a weake woman can subdue the flesh with a generosity aboue the weaknes of her sexe wage warr with the world ouercome her appetites and vanquish the forces both of death and hel itself for which they shal one day enioy a Crowne with which none in heauen shal be honoured but they With these speeches of her deuout seruants but much more with those which heauen spoke to her inward hart the Lady was so moued as she presently consecrated her Virginity to God for whose loue vnto the palme of Virginity she after added that of Martyrdome Now we are to note there are three sorts of Chastitys in the Church by either of which the B. Virgins deuout seruants may become grateful vnto her The first is Matrimonial Chastity when man and wife loyally obserue their Coniugal faith to one another The second is Vidual Chastity when Widowes free from the obseruance of man liue afterwards in perpetual continency this excels in excelleÌ„cy the first degree as S. Paul saies speaking of widowes Yet they are more happy so sayes he If you wil Credit me The third is Virginal Chastity more excellent then both the other more perfect and more meritorious and this is when we coÌ„serue our selues in our integrity of body mind dedicating our virginities to Alm. God which oh how grateful how acceptable it is to the B. Virgin who preferrs it before al other oblatioÌ„s Seing then al these three sorts of Chastity are with proportion both good and laudable and with the B. Virgin of pretious esteeme let those that are deuoted to her be they maid widow or wife endeauour in their seueral degrees to present her with this grateful offering to which end they are to resolue to fight manfully for the Enemies that oppugne it are both many and powerful their Arts ful of al ambushes and their endeauours incessaÌ„t for the ouercoming of vs so as S. Augustine considering the difficulty of the fight and rarenes of the victory with good reason sayd Amongst al the warrs the Christians had that of Chastity was the most sharpe and pressed vs most where the Combat lasted alwayes and an entire victory was neuer gott attayned vnto and those that naturely ponder it find it true For but consider how few they are that fight it manfully indeed in compare with those who cowardly yeild vnto the Enemy and we may truely saye the diuel gaines by nothing more then this for how many of al ages and conditions of either sexe doth the Enemy precipitate into this vice who for the rest stood firme enough To which purpose S. Augustin hath a feareful saying Excepting Infants saies he this only sinne is the occasion that so few of the rest are saued Who at hearing of this is not astonished conceiues not a pitty of our miserable estate to see how headlong al runne vnto this vice And as for the seruants of the B. Virgin what excuse can they pretend for their excesses herein what wayes they to please her whilst they displease her heere Do they thinke that saying their beads frequently wil do it or their fastings on Saturdayes and the like Alas no they doe but deceiue themselues and the vsurpiÌ„g such an honourable title as to be her seruants whilst they are such Doth but more encrease their damnation whilst they abuse that name to the dishonour of Chastity by which ought to be cheefly honoured and while they put on the face of wearing her liuery but weare the badge of her Enemy in their harts Alas how many may we imagine now in hel who were once deuoted to the B. Virgin as wel as we till with a foolish presumption of their saluation they with a deafe eare past ouer her saving and diuine suggestions fel to which if wee desire to be saued indeed we must lend an attentiue eare banishing from our harts al motions of sensuality and entertaining al chast ones in their place or else we leese her fauour and it wil be wo with vs. But aboue al for conseruation of our Chastity it is necessary to flie al occasions and inducements to the contrary for this is such a kinde of victory as is best gained by flight and they that frequently expose themselues to daunger in it are ouercome at last Wherefore let none enter into an ouer-wening of theÌ„selues or their forces for any former victory for they may easily leese in a moment what they haue been in an age a getting and slight occasion may rauish from them that which many difficult ones went to the obtaining of and let no humane or nice respect make them be wanting heer to the care they ought to haue of their chastity for many out of punctillios of honour haue stood so long vpon it till they haue falne and many by daungerous familiarities haue been deceiued Rather let them flie carefully the aspect and haunt of those whose companies may endanger them following the Counsel of our Sauiour in it If thy hand or feet scandalize the cut them off c. or if thine eye pluck it out which counsel some Saints haue followed so neer as S. Bridget in particular not only auoided in her self al occasions of sinning in this particular but to auoid it also in

was one day to become man and this man should be their God Whereupon the B. Spirits with regard vnto the time honoured him as such and consequently as Suares sayes in following Saint Thomas his opinion they odored his Mother as her who was to inuest him in mortal flesh And 't is an approued veritie of al the Doctours and the cheife of them al S. Paul that the Sonne of God being come into the world al the Angels came to adore him So sayes he when he sent his first borne sonne into the world he sayd Let al the Angels of God adore him And S. Bonauenture and other deuout writers saye that when the Infant Iesus was borne in the Stable al the Angels in their seueral Quiers came to adore him and that perhaps visibly in humane shapes the more to honour his Humanity After which they did their seueral reuerences to his B. Mother the one and the other singing diuine and melodious Canticles of prayse Now if the B. Spirits with such profound reuereÌ„ce adored the B. Virgin while she was yet resident in the world what excessiue honours may we imagine do they render her now in heauen where next to God she holds the second place invested with incomparable glorie at the right hand of her B. Sonne For my part I am of opinion that their most ordinary exercise is to honour the Sonne Mother with incessant adoration and so we read how S. Iohn rauished in extasye beheld the Angels incircling the Throne of God and falling on their faces before it adoring the B. Trinity and the sacred Virgin daughter of the Eternal Father Mother of the Sonne and spouse of the holie Ghost by which doth clearly appeare the excellency of this adoration both Latria and Hyperdulia exhibited by al the Court of heauen vnto their King and Queen If then these glorious spirits honour with so soueraigne and magnificent a kind of Adoration the Mother of Alm. God with greater reason ought we to honour her by how much greater her fauours and graces haue been to vs then to them Let vs then honour her with al possible reuerence to shew our selues grateful vnto her for her benefits Of which we reade a rare and excellent Example in Scala caeli and it is this A certaine holy Monke in England being much deuoted to the Queene of heauen and amongst other his deuotions vsing often to salute her with profound reuerence and bow downe as often as he hard her name pronounced this holy name through extremity of age becoming so feeble as he scarce could moue himselfe or so much as stirre him in his bed the Abbot assigned him one to attend on him in his chamber but he not being able to be alwayes present to his occasions it happened that once in his absence he desirous to remoue himselfe and hauing twice or thrice attempted it in vaine at last hauing recourse vnto his prayers beseeching the B. Virgins assistance behold she sodainly appeared to him waited on by a faire traine of Virgins two of which by appointment set him in that posture which he desired when the B. Virgin after she had most sweetly comforted him as a pledge of her deare acceptance of his deuotion added vnto his terme of life twenty yeares and restored him to his perfect health againe A strange fauour which coÌ„ferr'd not so much vnto the corporal vigour of the man as it did to his spiritual in deuoutly seruing her But in the laudable exercise hereof we are not so much to regard the otward comportment of the body as the inward disposition of the mind in framing a deuout conceipt of the B. Virgin imagining her present as often as we exhibit to her any corporal reuerence and beholding vs the while with a deare regard whereby this one deuotion will become more familiar to vs and our remembrance of her more deare and cordial so as we shal take pleasure to speake with her and of her on al occasions and more confidently preferr our petitions to her in our necessities And this affection whosoeuer shal conceiue of her in his mind is in a most happy estate may wel presume of his saluation and to be one of the number of the elect whence he cannot but experience an incredible ioy of minde since according to a certaine graue Authour If thou feele in thy hart sayes he a singular affection and deuotion to the glorious Virgin it is a signe of thy Praedestination to eternal life and thou mayst wel be glad and reioyce at it These holie motions and pious affects of loue reuerence were found in that deuout woman of whom it is recorded in Scala celi That being of noble birth though fortune were wanting to her nobility and hauing two daughters whom shee carefully had educated in deuotion to the B. Virgin and the seruice of Alm. God It chanced at last that their pouerty was soe great as they had nothing to sustaine their life nor defend them from the extremity of pouerty at which the mother exceedingly afflicted had recourse one day vnto the Church where before an Image of the B. Virgin deuoutly kneeling down she with a voice often interrupted with her sobs and sighes in this manner deuoutly supplicated her O most holy Virgin the refuge of such miserable creatures as my selfe behold my two daughters here which it hath pleased Alm. God to bestow on me being brought vnto extreme necessity whom now I resigne ouer vnto your care and motherly Prouidence since mine no longer can auayle them accept them then and prouide for them as you see best since al humane protection fayleth mee Hauing finished her supplication and being ready to depart the Church behold a yong man of rauishing feature wee may wel imagine some Angel sent from heauen presented her with a hundred poundes saying This money Lady I haue long owed to your deceased husband pardon my so long delaying the payment of it So he departed and she vnto her home where with the money she made prouision what was necessary for the adorning her daughters according to their quality which made the world euer inclined to imagine and speake the worst report them to haue by lesse chast wayes arriued at that pleÌ„ty which it saw they had the noble mother no sooner had notice hereof but with teares in her eyes calling her daughters to her she sayd vnto them My daughters go to the B. Virgin vnder whose patronage you are and commend your fame and reputation vnto her who now is more concerned in it then I to fetch you faire clearly off againe they did so with al the attestations as deuotion could suggest they beseeched their diuine Mistresse to releiue them in their fame as she had in their pouerty neither was it in vaine for in short time after they became so vertuously reported of as the Prince of the countrey moued by the common fame that went of them constituted them Abbesses of two seuerall

Monasteries of his foundation How acceptable to the Blessed Virgin these reuerences adorations are CHAP. II. THERE is none so ignorant that doth not know that the more we honour where it is deserued the more we ingratiat our selues with the honoured This supposed we hauing in the precedent chapter declared the B. Virgins meriting in the highest kinde this sort of Adoration which we cal Hyperdulia consequently our honouring her therby cannot but be most grateful and acceptable to her It is an exercise as we haue insinuated practised by the Angels themselues in heauen and who soeuer practises it on earth becomes as it were by it equale vnto them Angels of earth in honouring and reuerencing the soueraigne Queene of heauen Neither are we to imagine that honour we exhibit vnto her here lesse grateful vnto her then that which they do there nay perhaps there are some men on earth so zealous in her seruice who acquit them so wel of their deuotions and with such vigour of spirit goe reuerencing her that their seruices to her heere are more grateful then theirs here and consequently in their reward of glory also they shal out strip then farr Dul-sighted as we are then not to see of how great glorye we depriue our selues when we endeauour not in al we may to please the B. Virgin in honouring her Certainly to fast to watch to weare hayrcloth say our Beads Offices or such deuotions are very meritorious and pleasing vnto her but it is impossible for al the learning and eloquence of the Quire of Seraphins to expresse vnto the life the infinit gladnes and extreme pleasure she receaues from these Adorations proceeding from the interior of the minde and accompanied with the respectiue comportment of the exterior Besides al the Angels and the Celestial Court do take particular contentment in the honour and reuerence exhibited to their soueraigne Queene for if earthly Courtiers reioyce when any new honour redounds vnto their Prince how much more reioycing may we imagine to be in heauen when they see their Princesse so honoured heere and of this reioycing the B. Trinitie hath its part when it beholds her reuerenced in whom they haue lodged al their supreme and singular delights the Father reioyces to see his daughter so honored the Sonne his Mother and the holy Ghost his Spouse Let al men then of what estate sexe or condition they be with al diligence and solicitud procure to honour the Glorious and euer B. Virgin Mary with al becoming reuerence especially since the honour due to her redounds vnto her B. Sonne as the honour done to Saints doth to God who made them so In honouring the B. Virgin then as the most excellent of creatures we honour God her Creatour confessing al those excellencyes we honour her for proceeding from his liberality vnto her and thanking and praysing him for making a creature of our owne Condition so worthy and excellent besides the honour and seruices done vnto the Mother for the Sonns regard the Sonne takes as done to him and proceeding from the loue and respect we beare him nay which is more the deuotion towards the Mother encreases the deuotion towards the sonne in that she as most true vnto his honour referrs al vnto it that is offered her and leade them vnto him who addresse themselues vnto her Iust so then as in honouring and glorifiing the B. Virgin we do but honour and glorify God so we in placeing our Confidence in her but place it in God himselfe for what is it to confide in him but to confide in those meanes which he hath prouided vs for our saluation and amongst al the meanes one of the most efficatious is to Commend our selues vnto her patronage as we are instructed by the holy Church in that her Antiphon Spes nostra salue eia ergo aduocata nostra illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos conuerte Haile O our hope and O our aduocate Conuert your eyes of mercy towards vs. And that great light of the Church S. Augustine sayes to the same effect You are the only hope of sinners froÌ„ you Ã´ Glorious Virgin We expect pardon of our sinns recompence for our good works Knowing then for certaine that in honouring the B. Virgin we do but honour God we are often to procure to honour her and both day and night offer vp vnto her our reuereÌ„ces especially in the night when the time is more silent and more fitt for our deuotions This how grateful it is vnto her she her self declared to a certaine Capuchine of our order one most deuout vnto her This good Religious man had a laudable custome profundly to incline vnto her a hundred tymes a day til hauing some special charge of the Conuent the performance of which exacted much time of him not able to Comply with both he cutt-off one halfe of his deuotions diminished them vnto fifty tymes Now it happened that one day whilst he was busily imployed in his pious exercises the B. Virgin appeared vnto him inuested with most glorious ornaments wearing a riche mantle ouer them with only one halfe of it embroydered with starrs and addressing her speech vnto him she sayd how comes it my sonne thy loue is growne so cold in thee that hauing begun to imbellish this mantle with so many bright shiuing starrs thou hast giuen ouer and left the rest vndone it is a worke so grateful vnto me the performance of it as nothing can bee more vngrateful vnto me then the neglect of it wherefore as you respect my loue finish your deuotions as you haue wel begun and so vanished away leaving the good Religious man making his profit of her so mild reproofe renewing his ancient deuotions agayne he exercised them vnto the end of his life in that ful number he began withal And let none imagine this a deuotion only for women or the simpler and vulgar sort for al are equally obliged to honour her of what sexe estate or condition soeuer they be the Patriarkes Prophets as the Diuines affirme acknowledged her worth and reuerenced her for it thousands and thousands of yeares before she was borne into the world But what do I talke of Patriarkes and Prophets when the Angels them selues at the first instant of their creation beholding her in the Eternal Word humbly reuerenced and adored her as one that should one day be their Queene in heauen and be the mother of their King on earth And what should we say more euen God himselfe become man was obedient vnto her commands and obserued her with al filial loue and reuence To descend now to the Christians of the Primitiue Church the Apostles reuerenced her dedicated Temples to her seruice erected Altars to her and according to the opinions of some coÌ„secrated to her the famous house of Loretto But omitting these let vs come to the Potentates of the world how many Emperours Kings and soueraigne Bishops haue there been who haue

this deuout exclamation O worthy of al admiration behold thy Mother c. for know thou if Mary be thy Mother Iesus Christ is thy brother his Father consequently thine then embrace thy happines in her And so assuredly it is God is our Father Our Father which art in heauen We are brothers to our Sauiour Christ Goe vnto my brothers c. sayes he to the holy Magdalen and for the B. Virgins being our Mother there can be no doubt at al and heare S. Anselme proving it Iesus Christ the sonne of Mary is our brother sayes he therfore consequently his Mother must be ours How much then ought we to reioyce and how excessiue great our contentment ought to be hauing for our Mother the Mother of God himselfe Queen both of heauen and earth And not only she is our Mother but a most benigne and gracious Mother sauouring of nothing but mercy and sweetnes exercising nothing but the works of piety and pitty towards vs. So as her most ordinary title is the Mother of grace and mercy Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae and so in that other Antiphon she is called Mater misericordiae c. where we who lye fighing and weeping in this miserable vale of teares implore her aide and gentle pittie of our calamities And wherefore is it that in euery publick place her Image occurr vnto our eyes holding her sacred Infant in her armes but only to signify she is alwayes in actual Tendring of him vnto vs for our good as if she would saye heer take my sonne and the sonne of the Eternal Father who for your sakes descended from heauen to earth and putt on the vestment of humanity in which he sufferd so many indignities euen at last to vndergoe an ignominious death feare not but approach vnto him heer with confidence he is al gratious al pittiful and affable and if your sinnes deterr you from comming neare remember how to make you great he is become a little infant and their angers are euer easily appeas'd on my word take him then and enioy him as a guift froÌ„ me whose possession can not but much aduantage you and to render your selfe more worthy of the interest in him wholly renounce al interest in vice and casting your selfe humbly at his feete resigne vnto him your hart and your best beloued desires and in recompence thereof he wil bestow on you a lasting good and happines aboue the iniury of death or time O happy and a thousand times happy are those soules who harken to these silent invitations of hers and hauing recourse vnto her in al their afflictions know how to prevayle themselues of her benignity let them assure themselues they shal neuer finde the gates of her liberality shutt nor sitt downe with a repulse of what soeuer they law fully desire God forbit sayes deuout S. Bernard that I should thinke you can euer abandon those who haue placed theyr Confidence in you And Theophilus in the Booke intitled The mirrour of the B. Virgin is introduced saying I know O soueraine Lady your Care of vs how excessiue great it is for who euer hath hoped in you and been confounded who euer implored your aide and been abandoned And to this purpose is that saying of Origen I hould for certainly true that the B. Virgin being instantly beseeched for any thing is neuer wanting to the necessities of him who beseeches her for that she is al mercy and so ful of grace and therefore she cannot choose but haue Compassion of those who craue her helpe Excellent words and able to animat the most desperat to a hope of his saluation and allay the most outragious affliction which was euer in any breast Being our Mother then she cherished vs with a maternal loue and hath more care of vs then euer any Mother had of her only child neuer fayling vs with succour in our necessities assistance in our dangers comfort in our afflictions nor finally deliurance from any euil what soeuer when soeuer with confidence and deuotion we importune her for it So is she our aduocate in heauen with Alm. God where she gladly vndertakes our protection defends our cause procures to assure vs the possession of Eternal blisse and finally neglects no occasion of putting vs faire with her B. Sonne and working vs into his grace In consideration of the great prerogatiue we haue in heauen by such an Agent for vs S. Bernard encourages man to present himselfe without feare before Alm. God Go Go with Confidence saies he before the throne of his diuine Maiestie where the sonne beholds the Mother and the father the sonne the sonne shews his father his hands and feete and side al wounded the mother vnto her sonne her sacred breasts that gaue him suck so as there is no feare of a repulse where so many signes of loue and charity are But yet this is not al nor doth this careful Lady and Mother of ours only procure vs fauours but she assures them vs by appeasing her Sonne when we haue offended him and reconciling his loue vnto vs againe but for her how often had the world been thundred by that iust Iudge aboue how often had the soules therein for their offences been precipitated and cast downe head long into Eternal hel Of which a more cleare example cannot bee then that memorable visioÌ„ of S. Dominick who praying one night behold in vision our Sauiour Christ seated at the right haÌ„d of his Alm. Father al inflamed with wrath furie holding three terrible thunderbolts in his hand ready to discharge on earth in punishment of three sinnes then frequently raigning amongst men Pride Auarice and Luxury when the Blessed Virgin to mitigate his wrath prostrating her selfe before his feete and straitly embracing them I appeale I appeale sayd she from this your anger how euer iust it bee vnto that wonted clemency of yours beseeching you by it if not absolutly to reuoke your sentence yet at least to surcease for a while the execution of it for alas what wil you do against whom do you prepare these armes and whose ruine haue you resolued vpon wil you annihilate your owne workmanship and bee the perdition of those whom you haue saued with so much cost of paine and bloud and would you replied her sonne hauing rays'd her vp seated her by his side would you haue such crimes as these vnpunished who would not then in hope of impunity committ them hereafter in despight of me no it were but to prostitute my Iustice to their abuse not to exercise it heere and now to pardon them were to make my pardon for euer more vile and contemptible why alas deare sonne sayd she as they are apt to offend so ar they to be sorry for it doubt not then but at your first summons of them to repentance they wil be obedient to it and to this effect behold heere ready two seruants of yours pointing out to S. FraÌ„cis and S.

Dominick apt ministers to employ therein and to exhort them vnto penance after which if they persist in their wickednes do your iustice what it wil with them I haue done with them Hereupon his diuine Maiestie let his thunder fal out of his hands his boyling anger coole and at his Mothers prayers was for that once content to pardon man Hauing then a Mother in heauen so powerful as she let vs haue recourse to her and put vs in shelter vnder her as children do vnder their Mothers when they fly their Fathers wrath and that especially when wee finde our selues most prest with ill fortune or calamity and say vnto her Sub tuum praesidium c. O mother of God and of vs wee put our selues vnder your paotection refuse vs not in our necessities nor abandon vs vnto the afflictions that threaten vs and haue a firme confidence that she wil succour you and haue pitty of your miserable estate who neuer refuses those who haue recourse to her In so much as a holy Doctour sayes If so great be the enormity of our crimes as we feare to appeare with them before Alm. God our best course were to addresse our selues to her and she infallibly wil succour vs. And S. Chrysostom in one of his Sermons sayes vnto her You haue been chosen from eternity sayes he Mother of God to the end that those whom God in iustice cannot saue should arriue by your pittiful intercession vnto saluation And with this accords wel that Vision which B. Leo had one of holy S. Francis companions in which he had a representation of the finall Iudgement day where he sawe two ladders reared vpp the one a read one reaching from earth to heauen where our B. Sauiour al in terror sate the other of white iust of the same proportion extended to the B. Virgins throne where she sate in al sweetnes and affability and he obserued that those who mounted vp by that read one did fal to grouÌ„d agayne some from the neather rounds and so vpwards euen vnto the very topp vntil Saint Francis called to them and admonished them to clime by that white one and he would assure them of better speed and he sawe that those who followed his counsel were gratiously receiued by our Lady introduced into heauen From which vision and we haue before deduced results an euideÌ„t proofe of her motherly Care of vs and how she loues vs euer to passion procuring with extraordinary solicitud al wee stand in need of both in heauen and earth With good reason then ought we to reuerence her and haue her in honour and veneration with good reason are we to serue her affectionately and consecrat vnto her the best desires of our hart and this al lawes both diuine and humane exact of vs to witt that if she be our mother we should loue and honour her and if a loue and honour be due from vs to our parents who engender vs into this world with how much more reason is it due to her who so carefully procures our regeneration to a better life Let vs not cease then to loue reuerence this soueraigne Lady both of heauen and earth since God himselfe doth it as wel as we and according to Methodius hath a kind of obligation also to doe it she being his Mother and consequently the precept of honouring our parents hauing also reference vnto him yea and it seemes in more particular manner vnto him then vs since she was more particularly his parent then any can be ours both because he had no other on earth but her as also because she could haue no other sonne You haue good reason to reioice sayes the sayd Methodius since you haue him in a manner on the score with you to whom al mortals are indebted else And so he went still honouring her heer on earth as his deare Mother and as such was obedient to her et erat subditus illis as the holy Scripture sayes neither doth he lesse honour her now in heauen but as some deuout Doctors sayd after his glorious resurrection first saluting her with a Salue sansta Parens he iterated it at her Assumption into heauen and there seating her at his owne right hand al the Court of heauen doing reuerence to her the while he constituted her in absolut power and authority ouer the trine Empire of the Vniuerse where al bow down before her as to the daughter mother and spouse of the Alblessed Trinity the Queene of Angels Empresse of the World and most faithful Mediatrix of al Christian soules vnto her Blessed Sonne who grants al things at her request Hovv to put these reuerences in practise wherby the B. Virgin is to be honored CHAP. VII IN the precedent chapters we haue seen of what excellency and valour is the exercise of Reuerences to the B. Virgin and how acceptable vnto her it is we haue moreouer sufficiently informed our selues of the reasons which should moue vs vnto her reuerence as that she is the mother of the king of heauen her surpassing glory there and that she is of higher dignity then al the quiers of heauen that she hath al power heer on death and finally that she is our Mother and soueraigne Lady also And yet much more could alleage I alleage to moue vs to deuotion did not the feare deterr me of ingulfing my self into so wide and profouÌ„d an Ocean Wherfore now it remaines that I treat of the Method we are to vse to put in practise this so laudable deuotion First then I say we are to endeauour by often genuflexions and inclinations of the body to honour her in which the better to actuat our selues we are to banish from vs al tepidity and drowzynes and make choice of time and place most conuenient for it and first touching the circumstance of place priuary is the cheifest thing we are to regard of time the night seemes fittest as that which is freest from distraction best composeth the mind We reade in Surius how S. Elizabeth daughter of the King of Hungary exercised herselfe with such affections in this so laudable deuotion as she appointed one of her women euery night to awake her at a certaine houre by some secret way she had when she would rise vnknowne to the Prince her husband and spend most part of the insuing night in these adorations which the Roman Breuiary makes mention of Shee rising in the nights says it from her husband and the time in prayer and genuflections At which time no doubt but the Angels reioyced to see her vertuously imployed being riche and noble by birth but far more by vertue and her true deuotion and finally her performing that on earth which the Angels account themselues happy to do in heauen Now for the number of them I wil prescribe none but leaue it to the deuotions of those who are desirous to exercise themselues therin nor the manner how it is to be done either of

the hand of your holy Angel to your sublime Altar in the fight of your diuine Maiestie c. And as they are assistant to vs during our liues so at our deaths are they much more powerfully defending vs from al the assaults of the Infernal Enemy as testifies B. Aloysius Gonzaga of the Societie of Iesus in that his deuout meditation of our Angel Guardian where hee sayes that our Angel Custos at the time of our death is most diligent in assisting vs against the Enemy preseruing vs cheifly from those two sinnes which are most incident to men in that article of time Infidelity and despaire to the end that making heer a happy end they may repaire with them to heauen vnto their euerlasting habitation And in prosecuting his discourse he sayes that as soone as the soule once is free from the captiuity of the body its Angel presently conducts it to the Tribunal of Alm. God animating and encouraging it on the way to put its cheifest confidence in the merits of the sacred bloud of our Sauiour Christ and if it chance the better to be purified from its sinnes to be adiudged vnto the purging flames he visits it often there comforts it brings it the suffrage and succour of those prayers and merits which are offred for it in the other world and encourages in middest of its suffrances with the hope it can not be long in suffering and in fine when the time is expired he conducts it out and al bright and purified leades it vnto heauen and in the twinkling of an eye presents it vnto Alm God to receaue from him the Crowne of eternal beatitud prepared from al eternitie for those who heer sighe after it in this vale of teares O happy and a thousand tymes happy is that soule which hauing been faithful to its Creator and pliant to his hand to be ledd whither soeuer his least motion carried it in following his good Angel for guide leauing the world ful of the vertue of his example arriues at last vnto that Kingdome of eternal felicity where with God and his Saints it shal for euer raigne But now touching the practise of this particular deuotion to our Angel Guardian first being assured that we are committed to his Regencie and that so noble and excellent a creature as al the eloquence of the world rather diminishes then add to its coÌ„mendations vouchsafes to keep vs perpetuall company and defends vs from al euil with his careful watchings his comfortable aduise we are on our parts to endeauour a requital First by comporting our selues with al deuotion and due respect vnto his presence and next honouring him with al competent honour Let vs then consider if we stood perpetually in the sight of some earthly Prince or Monarke how careful we should be so to compose our outward behauiour as might render vs most grateful in his sight with how much more care and diligence ought we in the presence of our Angel Guardian to comport our selues Heare what S. Bernard sayes in explication of these words For he hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee to guard thee in al thy wayes c. O mortal man sayes he what reuerence what deuotion and confidence art thou to conceiue in thy breast from these comfortable words of the Royal Prophet reuerence in standing in presence of thy Angel deuotion for his loue of thee confidence for his care Be therefore vigilant neuer to exceed the bonds of thy respect while these holy spirits are alwayes in thy sight by the appointment of Alm. God himselfe attending them thy preseruation in al thy wayes and wheresoeuer thou art either in priuat or publique be alwayes careful neuer to commit that indecency before him which before me thou wouldest not doe Thus S. Bernard in his deuout and pious manner Secondly we are to honour them with these reuerences we haue formerly treated of which may be best performed when into priuat we haue retir'd our selues especially before we retire our selues to rest with a profound inclination we are to say Angele Dei qni Custos es mei c. beseeching him to keep vs in our sleepe from the assalts of the Enemy that euer watches to harme and mischiefe vs so when we awake we are to commend our selues vnto them that day following whatsoeuer busines we are to vndertake that it may sort a wished conclusion and we should do wel often to commend vnto them in some vocal manner a deuout conception of our hart in our occurrant necessityes beseeching them to assist vs in the mannage of this or that particular affaire This deuout custome had one Alexander Luzaqua an Italian Gentleman of a most holy and vertuous life that as often as he saluted any man he mentally intended that reuerence vnto his Angel Guardian whom he saluted and an excellent consideration it was to thinke a celestial spirit more worthy the salutation then an earthly worme Let vs imitate this deuotion and in saluting any say thus in our minds I offer this reuerence to the Angel Guardian that attends vpon him or he whom I salute And most happy it wil be for vs if we do so for by this meanes we shal indeare our selues in the loue and care of those B. spirits who can do more for our real aduancement and good then al the world besides Jn What manner We are to proceed in the exercise of these Adorations Worthily to honour the Mother of Alm. God CHAP. XIII VVE being composed of two parts the superiour inferiour of body and soule by the singular prouidence and goodnes of Alm. God that we might honour him with both both heer and in the world to come a great part of our corporal honour Consists in these fore sayd Adorations which not only the Saints haue practised but euen our B. Sauiour himself we ofteÌ„ reade how he bowed of whom his knees vnto his eternal father and prostrated on the ground as namely the night preceding his Passion when according to the Euangelist S. Luke He kneeled and fel prostrated on his face And. SS Matthew Marke he prostrated on the ground by which words we may gather how our Sauiour reuerenced his eternal Father in spiritu veritate in spirit and verity with each part both of body and soule Let the deuout Christian then desirous to render honour to the B. Virgin accompany his interiour deuotion of the soule with the exterior of the body first when thou art retired in secret for so when thou wouldst Pray enter into thy chamber sayes the holy Scripture thou art to begin with this Consideration how excellent she is whom thou art to reuerence and the excellency of the reuerence thou exhibit'st to her which the whole Court of heauen take for highest honour to be imployed in And touching the exllency of her thou art to consider her large portion of glorie aboue al the other Saints and represent her to the eies of thy

a mighty treasure by the helpe of which recouering out of his necessity he liued in a more noble way then euer Now it hapned the time drawing nigh when as he had promised he was to take his iourney with his wife vnto the place appointed and she perceiuing that som-what extraordinary was in hand by his hasty warning her to prepare to take horse with him and the trouble of his Countenance when she could by no meanes gett out of him what it was she recommended the matter to the B. Virgin presently tooke horse so obedient to her husband as neuer to examine further his intentions Now it hapned on their way that passing by a litle Chappel dedicated to our B. Lady the Lady by the consent of her husband lighted and went in only in mind to do her deuotions and returne againe but behold whilst with prayers and teares she commended to the Queene of heauen the good successe of her affayres she was diuinely cast into a sleepe meane while the B. Virgin assumed her shape and with her husband went on her way They were no sooner arriued at the entry of the wood but the diuel with great noyse and furie appeared vnto the Gentleman not daring to approch vnto him for feare of our B. Lady whom presently he knew but casting on him a sterne regard in this manner he spake vnto him vngrateful and perfidious as thou art is this al the reward I haue for those great benefits thou hast receiued of me didst thou not promise to conduct thy wife hither vnto me and in her steed had thou brought heer the mother of Alm. God It was against thy wife since against this I cannot I intended to auenge my selfe for her being so diligent in the honour and firme affection to the Queene of heauen Wherunto the B. Virgin thus answered him and whence is this temerity thou abhominable Feind that thou shouldst dare to offer any iniury to those who loue and reuerence me goe hence to Hel againe and desist from malicing them vpon payne of a greater hel then euer yet thou feltst When the diuel with a violent clatter as if al the wood had been torne vp by the rootes strait vanished away and left the Gentleman in such affright as he fell flatt to the ground before the B. Virgins feet beseeching her pardon for his offence who sharply reprehending him for it commanded him to goe back vnto the Chappel to awake his wife out of her trance and returning home with her to discharge his house of al those il gotten goods so damnable to keepe Al which he punctually did and quitting both those goods and his euil together he became in short time of more plentiful fortune then euer he was before by the special fauour of the Queene of heauen who is alwayes succourable and merciful to those who implore her ayde in their necessityes and aduantage them with high graces and priuiledges who endeauour to honour her with this excellent sort of Adorations as wel exterior as interior which hitherto we haue largely treated of together with the reasons discourse authority and wondrous examples which should induce vs to the embracing of it which is the principal scope and ayme of al this work And now at last we haue brought it to an end by the particular fauour and assistance of Alm. God obtained through the intercession of his glorious Mother our most benigne and B. Lady whom we beseech by the same intercession to render vs worthy of the participation at last of eternal good which being only that which can satiat indeed can only render vs on al parts happy and content FINIS Faults escaped in the Print PAge 8. line 1. read vvhich God p. 13. l. 2. the cause p. 16 l. 14. vanished at sight of p. 17 l. 17 al vvhich p. 36 l. 18 at his p. 38 line 9 Soueraigne p. 48 l. 1. the Dungeon p. 51 l. 9 Confessour p. 59. l. 15 freed p. 61 l. 7 heare our l. 10. supplicat p. 63. l. 7 vvas a p. 64 l. 12 at the p. 65. l. 2 tendernes p. 72 l. 9 conclude p. 88 l. 3 offered p. 98 l. 10 Sauiour p. 103 l. 19 curiously p. 109 l. 12 abiectly l. 13 at the vvorlds p. 111 l. 1 they presently vndertooke p. 115 l. 8. moneths space p. 121 l. 12 adorning p. 113 l. 7 title of p. 131 l. 8 not such p. 147 l. 11 chose p. 148 l. 8. the like p. 157 l. 9 that p. 164 l. 17 vvords p 169 l. 3 execution p. 178 l. 8 high nobility p. 182 l. 13. them most p. 186. l. 1 neere the p. 189 l. 1. altar p. 210 l. 18 gust p. 218 l. 4 holy man 131. l. 14 man of l. 15 may vvel p. 236. l 22. their 's there p. 237 l. 2. them p. 260. l. 5 this deedr p. 262 l. 11 aftervvards p. 184 l. 15 at al p. 289 l. 16 then p. 315 l. 4 protection p. 322 l. 3 earth l. 6 could I alleage p. 329 l. 19 better p. 338 l. 17 at each p. 349 l. 3 at Paris p. 374 l. 15 them l. 20 he sayes p. 390 l. 22 houre p. 400 l. 8 fiercenes p. 416 l. 8 bevved his knees p. 446 l. 18 he vvas p 455 l. 5 aske p. 463 l. 6 and the p. 464 l. 5 lavvyer p. 473 l. 16 of his p. 437 l. 17 enuironed p. 492 l. 2 he hath p. 520 l. 12 she vvas p. 534 l. 19 fell p. 553 l. 16 mediatrix p. â—81 l. 11 conceiued

gratiously regarding vs and taking notice of each particular action pointing vs out to the Angels about her thus such one doth and thus such a one therefore haue a particular care of them to defend them from their enemies and when their soules are free from their mortal prisons be careful to conduct them higher vnto me Which is coÌ„firmed from this ensuing example recounted by F. Razzi a Dominican in his Hortulus of a certaine Shepheards daughter axceedingly deuoted to the Queen of Heauen in so much as seing her picture in an old ruinous Chappel one day while she was tending her fathers sheepe and much greeuing to see it so neglected she sayd O B. Virgin were it in my power this your Image should be in greater veneration but what it wants in exteriour ornament I desire my interiour deuotion may supply which desire of hers was so grateful to the Queene of Heauen as minding to reward her for it and her innocent life with an euerlasting crowne of glory she sent her first a sicknes the fore-runner of her death and iust as that was ready to approach vnto her Two deuout Religious men the one in vision the other in prayer had eyther of them this reuelation Concerning her they first saw a Procession of Virgins richly habited al shining with glorious light which passing by them another troupe followed them more riche and glorious then the former al clothed in white and lastly a third whose garmeÌ„tsbeing red in ornament and beauty farr surpassed and out-shined al those that went before in the closing of this last trayne a Queene of incomparable Maiesty appeared infinitly exceeding al that can be imagined of venerable and amiable at the feete of whom those Religious men prostrating themselues desirous of her to be informed who she was she thus answered them I am the Mother of God and al those troupes you see marching before are those who haue conseru'd their virginities al their life time the first troupe not fully resolued of their course of life haue yet died Virgins and receiued the reward thereof the second is of those who haue consecrated their virginities by vow vnto their heauenly Spouse and the last who to the Crowne of virginity haue added the glorious palme of Martyrdome al which are now attending me to a hamlet heere to receiue the departing soule of a poore sheapardesse whom for her deuotion to me in mine Image I meane to place amongst these heauenly Quires and reward her with the glory of an euerlasting Crowne This Reuelation it hapened these two Religious men coÌ„municated each to the other when inquiring who this poore Shepardesse should be at last they were directed to a litle cotage where lay this poore yong Girle vpon a padd of straw euen ready to breathe her last When seeing these Religious men entring in Good Fathers sayd she in reward of your charity I would to God I could shew you what a glorious Company is heer awayting to beare my soule to rest hauing sayd this she rendred vp her soule into their hands who willingly receaued it By which example we may see how acceptable to the B. Virgin are our reuerencing her deuoutly in her Images Now to the end the frequent aspect of her Images may excite vs frequently to hononr her I would counsel euery deuout Catholicke to adorne their chambers with some Image of hers or procure rather to haue some portable one which they are neuer to depart withal In imitation of S. Heduing a Dutchesse of Polonia who to honour the glorious Mother of God more frequently would neuer be without her Image in her hand the two first fingers thumbe of whose right hand at the opening of her Tomb some fiue and twenty yeares after her decease were found whole incorrupt al the rest of her body being wasted vnto to bone holding betwixt them an Image of the B. Virgin so fast as neither when she dyed nor then could they take it thence So when in any place her sacred Image occurs vnto our sight we are deuoutly to honour it in vncouering the head bowing the knee c. According as the ancient ChrestiaÌ„s were accustomed the like reuerence we are to do when we heare her name pronouÌ„ced a deuotion so punctually obserued by the ancient Christians Saints as S. Gerard Bishop of Pannonia commanded it through al his Diocese And that which we sayd of reuerencing her name inuites me likewise to say a word or two of the reuerence we owe to that of our Sauiour Christ First for the name of the holy Trinity how venerable it is in the holy Church witnesseth that verse in the conclusion of euery Psalme Gloria Patri c. Glory to the Father c. in pronouncing of which al rise vp and do reuerence not only the Quires on earth but also in heauen it-selfe as is manifest by that wondrous example recounted by Petrus Damianus There was a deuout man sayes he who one night while they were singing Matins rauished in extasy beheld the B. Virgin accompanied with an infinity of Angels Virgins entring the Church and leading the Procession vp the high Altar he saw theÌ„ al kneele down and whilest each Gloria Patri c. was singing they al fell prostrat on their face who demanding the reason of his extraordinary reuerence it was answered him that as often as thatverse was sung on earth they in heauen were particularly touched with the reuerence exhibited vnto the holy Trinity and reioyced that their ordinary exercise in heauen of adoring the Al Blessed Trinity was in such vogue on earth And how seuerely any irreuerence vnto this sacred verse is punished by Alm. God we haue a cleare Example in the secoÌ„d part of the Fr. Minors Chronicles of a Religious man who for not inclining while this verse was pronounc't out of a negligent custome he had gott was after death punished in this manner she was punished placed on a most highe and narrow pillar inuironed about with sea where a hundred tymes a day and as oft by night he was condemned to most profound inclination vntil he had satisfied for his neglect of them in the other world Which punishment being expired he reuealed vnto one of his fellow Religious that at euery inclination he felt such a horrible feare as if at the instant he had ben falling into hel As for the B. name of Iesus there needs no other testimony nor incitement to honour it then those words of holy Scripture where it is sayd That at the name of Iesus al knees should bow both in heauen Earth and the Infernal deepes below So likewise do we reuereÌ„ce those words of S. Iohns Gospel Et Verbum Caro factum est and the worde was made flesh and that other particle of the Nicen Creed Et incarnatus est c. by which we are reduced to memory of the sweet goodnes of Alm. God and his infinit loue which caused him for our sakes to

vndergo so many tormeÌ„ts afflictions in this mortal life and that man were a very monster of Ingratitud should he refuse to honour him for it Admirable truely and worthy the notice of al the world is that history which Cesarius an author worthy of credit recounts There was sayes he a yong Gentleman of a proud and hauty nature who being present once at Masse sung in the Cathedral Church whilst al at pronouncing these words Incarnatus est c. bowed downe their knees in humble reuerence he neuer offered to stirr or moue him from his seate In punishment of which irreuerence it pleased Alm. God to permit the diuel presently to appeare vnto him in a most horrible and frightful shape who giuing him a furious blow on the face sayd vnto him Poore impious man dost thou not know that the Eternal God became man for thee and art thou not ashamed then to Sitt while others kneele beare thy selfe so high for whom God stoop't so lowe and what art thou more then others or what priuiledge hast thou aboue therest vngrateful as thou art if he whom thou neglect'st so much had done but a hundred part so much for me as he hath done for thee I would not only bow downe vnto the earth vnto him but euen vnto gel it selfe For the honour which appertaines to Images hauing by the way spoken of it before I wil heer omit it and passe vnto The Reuerences We are to make in saying our Beads CHAP. XVI HAVING spoken of diuers sorts of Adorations that which we intend to speak of now humbly to incline our selues at euery Aue Maria in saying of our Beads of al others is the most excellent we may gather from the excellency it selfe of Rosary and the Angelical salutation And first for the Beads or Rosary its excellency Consists in this that it is a deuotion wholy composed of our Lords Prayer the Archangels wordes with and addition of Saint Elizabeths out of the holy Ghospel c. vnto which the holy Church hath no deuotion comparable Then for the number it consisting of 63. Aue Marias being the number of yeares the B. Virgin liued on earth it is both deuout and mysterious wherefore it were good that in saying ouer the Beads we inclined at euery Aue Maria in memory of each yeare of her B. life and each vertue in which she was exercised the while which if it be duely performed what an excellent deuotion must it necessarily bee whilst we commemorat how she liued an infant how in womans state and how al her life in euery age thereof according to the seueral decades of our Beads ' vpon euery one whilst we make deuout and humble reuerence me thinkes we exceed in deuotion euen the Angel whom we imitat for he only once saluted her but we as often as there are Beads in the Rosary and as oft as we shal say them ouer And whilst we are exercised in this deuotion what do we else but compose a Garland for our selues of the Roses and lillyes of immortal life with which after this mortal life we shal be Crowned or rather she doth it for vs to whom we offer vp this our deuotion as whilst a certaine deuout Virgin saye her Beads an Angel was obserued on a goulden thread for each Aue Maria to thread a Rose for each Pater noster a lilly which the following Miracle giues worthy credit vnto taken out of the third part of the Fr. Minors Chronicles and it is this A certaine Guardian had commanded a Nouice of his called Lewis Albanois to say euery day his Beads ouer before he eate or drunke This deuotion the good Nouice once by chance hindred by other busines did omitt which the Guardian vnderstanding instantly commanded him to performe it iust when they were then sitting downe to eate seuearely reprehending him for his negligence the Nouice obeyed and repayred vnto the Church where after he had for some good space remained the Guardian sent one of the Religious to seeke him out who going found the Nouice on his knees before the highe Altar deuoutly saying his Beads and saw an Angel clofe by him threading of roses and lillyes on a golden thread as we haue sayd before wherupon he remaining astonished at the thing the Guardian dispatch't another in search of him who hauing found him out ioyn'd with him in astonishment at so rare a spectacle In fine one in traine of another being sent and none returning thence the Guardian at last with the rest arose and al repayring to the Church were al witnesses of the Miracle In testimony of which after the Angel disappeared which was not til the Nouice had finished his take the place remaind ' for a long while as freshly sauouring of roses and lillyes as if they had growne there For diuers reasons is this deuotioÌ„ of the Beads to be exceedingly esteem'd First for that the Angelical salutation cosists of words inuented first in the consistory of the sacred Trinity and afterwards pronounced by the Archangel Gabriel one of the chiefest in heauen for which reason Albertus magnus sayes on these words Missus est c. that the Angel saluted the B. Virgin with these words Aue gratia plena hayle ful of grace not in his person but of the B. Trinity Secondly be cause they are words pronounced first by one of the highest Seraphins according to S. Gregory the great and diuers others and certainly there was a congruency in it he should be one of the highest in the Court of heauen who should be imployed from Alm. God in a busines of the highest Consequence on earth Thirdly by reason of the obiects dignity which is the B. Virgin whose soueraine greatnes and perfections are farr transcending al other Saints Fourthly because of the magnificence and respectful manner this heauenly Embassage was deliuered her by the Angel Gabriel who accompanied with multituds of Angels apparailed in a white vestment sett of with shining beames of light with countenance full of cheere and humble demeanour saluted the B. Virgin with the glorious titles of ful of grace our Lord being with her Aue gratia plena Dominus tecum c. so as with good reason the holy Scripture sayes she was troubled at the aspect of so great Maiesty and magnificence and especially at so vnaccustomed a salutation attributing so much honour to her and dignity for as Lyra wel obserues it was that and not the Angels presence she was so amazed at for they had often been present with her before but Aue gratia plena Dominus tecum she had neuer heard before and so the scripture sayes she stood musing at that salutation comparing the dignity of it with her owne vnworthines as she imagined and that high fauour with her low estate The excellency finally of this Angelical Salutation consists likewise in this that it containes al the vertues graces prerogatiues dignities and greatnesses which God hath aduantaged his

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