the lib. 9. Confes c. 1. li. 4. de oratione c. 2. â— 10. saied hymnes of the orientall Church as S. Augustine affirmeth Suarez saieth that the holie Church was moued by the especiall prouidence of God to institute that the confession and glorification of the B. Trinitie by the accustomed Hymne Glorie be to the Father c. should be added to the end of euery Psalme because saieth he the vse of the Psalmes was of greater antiquitie then the law of grace and by this meanes they doe participate the proper perfection thereof and become compleate and consummate Cornelius à Lapide dilating vpon these words of the Apostle For of him and by Rom. 11. him and in him are all things to him be glorie for euer Amen doth expound this hymne of glorification in fauour of such who repeat it often Glorie saieth he be to the Father of whome all things are as of the prime origine Glorie to the Sonne by whome all things are made as by wisdome and men redeemed as by their mediator Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome are all things as it were in à bond and consummation Glorie to the Father of whome is all paternitie in heauen and vpon earth Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all filiation Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all holines and sanctification Glorie to the Father of whome is eternitie Glorie to the Sonne by whome is all forme beautie Glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all felicitie and fruition Glorie to the Father of whome is all vnitie glorie to the Sonne by whome is all equalitie glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all loue and concord Glorie to the Father of whome is all powâ—r glorie to the Sonne by whome is all wisdome glorie to the holie Ghost in whome is all goodnes Glorie to the Father who created me glorie to the Sonne by whome I am redeemed glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I am iustified Glorie to the Father who hath predestinated me glorie to the Sonne by whose precious bloud I am washed and made cleane glorie to the holie Ghost in whome I shall be glorified for euer Amen Alleluia NEXT in order followeth the Angelicall Hymne Alleluia which is song froÌ„ Easter vntill Septuagesima not without good reason for holie Dauid Psal 146. Psa 99. exhorteth To our God let there be à pleasant and comely praise againe Make ye iubilation to God all the earth serue ye our Lord in gladnesse enter ye before his fight in exultation And this hymne signineth praise God with à heart dilated through excesse of ioye The holie Church therefore because we ought neuer to surcease from praising God noe not then when we recount the miserable estate of man by the fall of our first parents hath ordained that in lieu of this hymne of exultation the verse Praise be to thee â— Lord King of eternall glorie shall be recited from Septuagesima vntill Paster which is à tyme of mourning and pennance li. 2. de Ritibuâ— c. 20. Stephen Durantus disputeth this question at lardge why the holye Church should omitt Alleluia from Septuagesima and yet place in lieu thereof à praise which seemeth equiualent thereunto after many solutions at length he answereth with S. Thomas and the Glosse vpon the ninth of the Apocalipse that this Hymne Alleluia besides the ordinary praise doth insinuate à iubilation which cannot be expressed in words Leo the 9. saieth that these two Hymnes Cap. de Consecr Hi. duo Dist. 1. onely are mentioned in the New Testament to haue been song by the Angells that is to saie Alleluia and Gloria in excelsis both which are intermitted in Septuagesima to shew that for the sinne of our first parents we are banished from communicating with the Angells in Iubilation which Adam in the state of innocencie did enioy as S. Iohn Damascene li 2. de Paradis affirmeth in these words Adam in bodie was delighted in the terrestriall paradise but in mind he was present with the quires of Angells in the paradise of holie spirits The same alsoe in effect S. Gregorie the Great affirmeth in his Dialogues Dialog 2. to witt that man in paradise was accustomed to enioy the words of God and to be present with the blessed Angeliall Spirits in puritie of heart and hight of contemplation But we alas doe now Psal 64. sit and weepe in Babilon of this wretched life and vpon the bankes of the riuers thereof whilest we remember that Syon where the Prophet saieth An hymne becommeth God VVisupra â— S. Leo aboue named giueth this reason why Alleluia is intermitted for nine weeks precisely and reassumed in the tenth weeke There are saieth he nine quires of Angells and the tenth quire sell by the sinne of Pride and thereby disturbed the ioye of the rest vntill Man was created to supplie their number but when he fell alsoe by disobedience they were againe greatly discomforted vntill our Sauiours birth at which tyme they begane to reassume their songe of ioye and afterwards at his Resurrection and Ascension together with those blessed soules which accompanied him vnto his throne of glorie they conceiued full hope that their number should be made compleate and their praise perfect S. Augustine saieth that although this Li. 2. Hymne might be interpreted both in de doctrina Christiana c. 10. Greeke and Latin yet it hath remained intire because it relisheth best in its owne originall to witt in the Hebrew Whosoeuer out of curiositie shall desire to soe more of the signification of this Hymne let him peruse the 137. Epistle of S. Ierome to Marcella where he maie receiue satisfaction The Inuitatorie verse IN the diuine office the Inuitatorie verse is vsually varied according to the nature of the office appointed for each daie and it is thus defined by Peter Damian Tom. 3. c. 7. in his booke intituled Dominus vobiscum The Inuitatorie saieth he is that by which the communion of the faithfull is inuited to the praise of God Concerning which you must note that the communion of true beleeuers be they scattered abroad in neuer soe many seuerall countreys doe yet make but one mysticall bodie whereof Christ is the head in whome they maie and doe meete together in spirit in the diuine praises by the feete of their soules which are the affections and in this sort they are inuited to come and ioyne with vs in the praise of almightie God S. Augustine affirmeth that if two iust In Psal 94. men be placed one in the East and the other in the West yet maie they truely be saied to be together because they are both in God but although à iust man and à wicked man be linked in one chaine yet are they farre à sunder for the one by louing iniquitie hath seperated himself farre from God and the other by louing God is nearely adioyned vnto him and if two such should praise
in this inferiour world in the sight of all men by which meanes he that before did dwell in inaccessible light was seene vpon earth and was conuersant with men The second is that Christ hath put his saied tabernacle in the Blessed Virgin in whose wombe he dwelt for nine months Our Lord Ierem. 31. saieth Ieremy hath created à new thing vpon the earth A woman shall compasse à man and the Prophet Zachary Praise and Zach. 2. reioyce ô daughter of Sion because loe I come and will dwell in the middest of thee The Blessed Virgin is called the sunne in regard of the most excellent splendor of diuine grace in her of whome the Spouse saieth in the Canticles Thou art Cant. 4. all faire ô my loue and there is noâ— Ã spot in thee and in another place Faire as the Moone elect as the Sunne as alsoe for that she gaue light and life to thee world And himselfe Christ our Lord as à bridegroome comming forth of his bridechamber to wit out of the wombe of the Blessed Virgin in which by putting on humane flesh he did espouse the holie Church vnto him He hath exulted as à giant Christ shall come ioyfully and descend with longing desire into the wombe of his most deare Mother to runne the way to prosecute the worke of our Redemption with all speede and to shew vs the way of life in his holâ—e conuersation His comming from the top of heauen to wit from the bosome of his eternall father into the wombe of the Blessed Virgin from the intellectuall heauen vnto the sensible earth This his descent was not by change of place but by appearing after à new and vnheard of manner And his recourse his returne or ascension euen to the top thereof vnto the same place whence he came fortâ— as our Sauiour witnesseth of himself saving I came forth from the Father and Iob. 16. came into the world againe I leaue the world and I goe to the Father Neither is there that can hide himself from his heate None can excuse themselues from the loue of Christ for his benefits are soe many soe great and manifest that none can plead ignorance or thus none can hide themselues from the operation of the holie Ghost who is the burning loue proceeding from the Father and the sonne or thus in the law of Christ grace will soe abound that none can with iust cause subtract themselues from the receipt thereof The plaine literall exposition AMongst all things created all which doe in their manner praise God The heauens by their beautie greatnes motion and influx into these inferiour things doe most cleerely and in à transcendent manner shew forth the glorie of God affording aboundant matter to excite all such as shall contemplate them to confesse the Majestie wisedome power and prouidence of the Creator and the firmament wherein God almightie Gen. 1. placed the Sunne Moone and starres declareth the workes of his hands of what sorte and excellencie they are Moreouer the heauens doe not onely shew forth the glorie of God but alsoe doe manifest it after an admirable and stupendious manner First without intermission or ceasing The daie present vttereth vnto the daie following the word to wit certaine sensible signes which doe represent vnto vs the glorie of God and in like manner the night present sheweth vnto the night following Knowledge which maie bee learnt by contemplating those principall workes of God in the firmament to wit the Moone and starres in such sort that what we are not able to draw out of such consideration in one daie and night we maie more fully conceiue by the succeeding daies and nights Secondly they shew forth the glorie of God in the words of all formes of speech for There are noe languages or speeches whose voice are not heard or thus according to the latin text There are noe languages or speeches of which the voices of them to wit of the heauens the firmament daie aâ—d night are not heard for these doe by the foresaied sensible signes as it were speake all languages and speeches and euery one heareth them that is vndestandeth them in his owne language and consequently there are noe people how barbarous soeuer that doe not perceiue and vnderstand the doctrine which the heauens the firmament daie and night doe deliuer concerning God Thirdly they shew forth the glory of God to the whole world for Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth and vnto the ends of the round world the words of them By the word sound is not here vnderstood any corporall consent or harmony such as some philosophers did suppose but that confession of praise which doth arise out of the beautie of the heauens considered by men He God almightie who remaineth euer in the heauen of the blessed is there beheld cleerely as he is in himselfe in this world as being à place of peregrination hath put his Tabernacle or Pauilion in the Sunne as in the most noble portion of the heauens whence he is gratiously pleased to represent himself vnto vs in à manner best suting with the estate we now liue in and fittest to manifest the admirable effects of his immense power and infinite goodnes for the Sunne is the common parent of all things giuing life and light vnto them and himselfe to wit the Sunne returning from the lower Hemisphere and ascending our horizon all glorious and resplendent is as à to wit like vnto à comely and ritchly arrayed bridegroome coming forth of his bridechamber He the Sunne hath reioyced exulted and shewed signes of alacrite and infatigabilitie to runne the way to passe the immense space of the heauens with wonderfull celeritie much like as a couragious and mightie giant doth to runne à race His coming forth is from the top the extreame part of heauen to wit the East where he ariseth and his recourse circuition or returne euen to the top thereof to the other extreame to wit the West neither is there any man or created thing what soeuer that can hide himself or it self from his heate influence and viuificating vertue which penetrateth euen into the depth of the sea and the most intime bowells of the earth In this sort the heauens the firmament and all their resplendent ornaments which we behold with our eies doe declare vnto vs the glorie of God excite vs to his praise but the diuine law which we perceiue by our eares doth much more clearely shew vs â—ow to direct our liues in order to God and farre more efficaciously moue vs to conforme our actions to his diuine will as maie appeare by the properties thereof For first The law of our Lord is immaculate free from reprehension not permitting sinne as humane lawes doe but rendring the obseruers thereof pure and without blame Conuerting soules causing men to descend into their interiour and there to consider their bad waies and returne to God and liue withdrawing them from vnlawfull
to themselues the others part which custome is much to be disliked both for that it occasioneth scruples as alsoe for that such whispering doth often disturbe others hinder their owne attention and tacitly infringe the common practise of alternation Wherefore such are to know that it is farre better for them to attend diligently to what the other part doth recite and spare such their super fluous and preiudiciall labour But perhaps they will saie that they cannot sometymes heare distinctly what the other doth recite to which maie be answered that they are not bound to heare euery word distinctly pronounced but it sufficeth that they perceiue the others are not negligent in performing their part and they themselues haue lisseâ—ed attentiuely For as much as concerneth the manner of reciting in priuate the diuine office and consequently the office of the B. Virgin by one alone the practise in all ages doth likewise shew it to be both sufficient and conuenient Yet because some clauses or passages in the saied offices seeme to suppose more then one person concurring as for example the Benedictions which are giuen in the plurall number and Venite exultemus Come let vs reioyce the word Oremus Let vs pray which is vsually recited before euery Praier Benedicamus Domino and diuers others where in the plurall numbers expressed In answer there vnto I will here set downe what Peeter Damian in his booke entituled Dominus vobiscum answereth in generall to such like obiections vz. That the rule of Ecclesiasticall tradition is to be vniformely obserued whether the office be recited by one alone or more For saieth he if the Doctors of the Church had iudged it meet they would haue prescribed one forme of the diuine office for one alone and an other for two or more which since they haue not but haue taught vs to keepe one order with inuiolable obseruance we are to obey their holie institution which is founded vpon good reason deduced out of the authoritie of the holie Scriptures For they foresaw that whatsoeuer is offered with due reuerence in the diuine office by euery particular member of the holie Church the same is exhibited vniuersally by the faith and deuotion of the whole Church for the Spirit of the Church is one where with one body is viuificated or quickned which is gouerned by Christ the head thereof Moreouer the whole Church doth consist of à coniuncture of diuers members yet it is without doubt but one body founded vpon the soliditie of one faith and anoynted with one vertue of the viuificating Spirit whence it is that the Apostle saieth One body and one Spirit as you are called in one hope of your vocation Wherefore he concludeth â—t is meet that whatsoeuer is particularly done in the sacred offices by any one whomesoeuer that the holie Church herself should be esteemed to doe it with one consent by vnitie of faith and loue of Charitie THE EXPLICATION OF OVR LORDS PRAIER IT maie seeme great Presumption in me to attempt to explaine this holie Praier it being in it self most perfect as hauing been composed by the VVisdome of God the second person of the Trinitie our deare Redeemer Christ Iesus and besides it hauing been already explicated at large by very many of the holie Fathers who haue compiled whole treatisses therevpon Notwithstanding in regard I haue vndertaken to saie something concerning every part of the office of the B. Virgin as God almightie shall please to inspire me with for that the saied office is vsually begun with this holie Praier as alsoe for that few or in à manner none of the saied expositions of the auncient Fathers are extant in our vulgar tongue confiding in the assistance of our B. Sauiour whose honor I principally intend I will endeauour after my vnskilfull manner to open this rich casket and expose the pretious gemmes therein contained to the veiw of well minded soules Our Father ALmightie God who in the law of Moyses would be stiled Lord and appeared alwaies to the children of Israel with such exceeding terror that they desired that Moyses might speake vnto them and not he being in the law of grace sweetly inclined to mercy by the perfect conformitie of his onely and well beloued sonne our deare Redeemer Christ Iesus to his holie will in all things was graciously pleased to take vpon him à more familiar name that deposing all seruile feare we might be incouradged to treat with him with filiall reuerence loue and confidence S. Ianes â—aieth That we mâ—st aske in Ia. 1. saith nothing doubting if we will receaue any thing of our Lord. And what is there soe efficacious to increase confidence inflame the affect on and reioyce an humble soule as to be assured that the true liuing and almightie God is soe benigne that he is not onely willing but alâ—oe desirous to be called Father by the faithfull Our Sauiour therefore by this sweet and louing name of Father inuiteth vs to come to God witâ— Ã filiall loue and firme confidence in his benignitie assuring vs that he will embrace vs with à tender affection and that he â—ill be solicitous that nothing be wanting vnto vs. VVhat man is there of you saieth he Math. 7 whome if his child shall aske bread will he reach him à stone or if he shall aske him à fish will he reach him à serpent if you then being naught know how to giue good gâ—ifts to your children how mâ—ch moâ—e will your Father who is in heauen giue good things to them that aske him And in another place Be not carefull for your life what you shall eate neither for your body what rayment you shall put oâ— c. For your Father knoweth that you neede all these things Seeke therefore first the kingdome of God and the iustice of him and all thâ—se things shall he giuen you Although by the word Father in this Praier may be vnderstood the first Person of the blessed Trinitie whoe is properly in the saied Trinitie God the Father yet according to S. Augustine by the word Father the whole Trinitie is here designed to whose Image we are created by whose prouidence we are gouerned by whose grace we are adopted and by wâ—ose infinite mercy we are redeemed By that our Sauiour would haue vs to saie our Father rather then mâ— Father he signifieth that all the faithfull are fellow brethren all sonnes of one and the same Father and therefore bound to reuerence loue and praie for one an other Yea that we are his brethren as being by him adopted the sonnes of God and coheires with him of the euerlasting kingdome and made by grace what he is by nature Moreouer thereby is signified that God is the vniuersall good with whome there is no acception of persons who loueth and seeketh the common good VVhich are in Heauen THat is in the Imperiall Heauen where he is pleased to glorifie those whome he hath ordained to eternall happinesse It may alsoe
vs the holie life and Passion of his deare Sonne Christ Iesus our Lord and Sauiour or the acts and vertues of the blessed Virgin and the rest of the Saints now in glory we maie hereby correspond on our part to soe great loue and in token of gratitude breake forâ—h into his praise with some sweet sentences expressing the affections of our hearts admiring his goodnesse glorifying his name for euer These sentences are vsually repeated in the Responsories that they maie make the deeper impression in our hearts as alsoe to shew that when we haue praised God all we can we maie beginne againe and againe and yet neuer bee able to praise him to the full The Lessons here being wholly of the blessed Virgin and insinuating vnto vs her Motherly care and sincere affection towards all mankind the Responsories are composed answerable to the Lessons and are certaine pious affections towards her extolling the immeÌ„se goodnesse of God for his wonderfull mercies shewed towards her his infinite graces bestowed vpon her aboue all pure creatures and his singular workes wrought in and by her to the benefit of all mankind The exposition of the Second Lesson ANd soe in Sion to wit in the holie Church speculating diuine things was I established made firme and powerfull as being replenished with all vertue and grace that I might bee able to succour and releeue all faithfull soules and in the sanctified Cittie to wit in the holie Church likewise I rested corporally and spiritually corporally soe long as I liued in the world in mortall flesh and afterwards euer since I was assumpted into heauen I cease not to rest spiritually in the holie Church recommended vnto my custody and my power was in Ierusalem in the triumphant and militant Church In the triumphant I am alotted à prime place of dignitie in respect of my maternall authoritie by which I am made the Mother of God and for which I am exalted aboue all the Angelicall spirits The Kingdome of mercy in the militant Church is alsoe conferred vpon me for which I am stiled the Queene of mercy and haue dominion ouer the inuisible enemies And I tooke roote in an honourable people to wit in the Christian people for whome I haue obtained that they maie take roote and bee established in all grace and vertue by frequent procuring them diuine gifts and pious reformation and by strengthening them in good And in the portion of my God his inheritance to wit the inheritance of the saied Christian people for by my intercession that portion which almightie God hath allotted to his beloued to wit eternal happinesse shall bee the inheritance of those faithfull Christians who are predestinate by him from all eternitie to enioye his essentiall vision and my abiding is in the full assembly of the Saints that is amongst the deuout and holie ones I am detayned and will perseuere for with such I am well pleased to remaine The explication of the Third Lesson I Am exalted as à Cedur in Libanus Like as the high tree called à Cedar is eleuated in mount Libanus sendeth forth à sweet sauour and is not subiect to putrifaction soe I am deuoutly honoured by all good Christians aboue all pure creatures highly reuerenced experienced sweet to euery one and am intire and free from all corruption of sinne and reprehension And as the fruit of the Cedar hath vertue to heale languishing people soe my fauour my praier and my consolations haue power to cure all diseased hearts And as à Cyprus tree in mount Sion Like as that most solide tree doth yeeld to noe burthen nor can bee suppressed by any weight but doth sublimely appeare in mount Sion Soe I remaine amongst Christian people most strong hardy neither did I euer yeld to any vice or was ouercome by any tentation but haue obtained for that people manifold comforts by my intercession and merits As à Palme tree in Cades I am exalted Like as the Palme tree in the towne of Cades doth appeare most gorgeously and in its top branches is most comely and pleasing to behold Soe I by the gifts and ornaments of grace and glorie am made most bright and delightfull to the veiw aboue all creatures And as à Rose plant in Iericho As the Rose is the most beautifull of all flowers soe the blessed Virgin is the most beautifull of all women and like as the water distilled out of Roses doth asswage paine and cleanse the eies soe the blessed Virgin doth mitigate all the anguishes sorrowes of this present life and illuminate the internall eies As à faire Oliue tree in the feilds Like as the oliue tree is euer greene and flourisheth produceth à sweet fruit and designeth peace pietie and mercie Soe the most illustrious and vnparalleld Virgin hath continually flourished in wisdome and vertue hath brought forth à most sweet fruit generated the restorer of peace to all mankind doth from tyme to tyme reconcile vs to almighty God and is the Mother of all mercie and the source of pietie And as à Plane tree by the water in the streets I am exalted By the Plane tree whose leaues are soft and broad is here expressed that the most blessed Virgin is altogether meeke gentle and curteous that her words and workes are most ample by the latitude of Charitie and that like as vnder the broad spreading branches of the saied tree people maie bee defended from the scorching beames of the Sunne or the violence of à suddaine storme soe all that shall flie for succour vnto the secure harbour of her power pietie shall bee graciously receiued and protected from the heate of persecution and boysterous stormes of tentations and tribulations I gaue an odour as Cinamon and aromaticall balme Like as Cinamon is sweet of tast hath à strengthening operation is good against indigestion and debility of the stomacke Soe I am sweet to those that loue me and doe strengthen them that they maie bee able to digest the foode of their soules and become ruminating and cleane creatures meditating daie and night of those things which appertaine vnto God I send forth alsoe à fragrant sauour of good fame Charitie Pietie and wisdome wherewith I recreate and delight those that reuerence and serue me And like as aromaticall balme that odoriferous royall exquisite and exceeding pretious tree hath the vertue or operation of warming strengthening Soe the incomparable and most pure Virgin singular most excellent sprong of à royall stemme solaceth all deuouâ— soules and procureth them the grace of fortitude and feruour of diuine loue As chosen Myrrhe haue I giuen the sweetnes of odour Like as the best Myrrhe is bitter preserueth from corruption scattereth abroad à pleasant odour Soe the blessed Virgin was replenished with the bitternesse of most vehement compassion when she beheld her beloued Sonne nayled vpon the Crosse and doth continually condole with sinners obtaining for innumerable people the grace of compunction she preserueth
aduersitie shall euer enter nor danger approach it whose Cittizens are filled with eternall benediction whose borders are peace in such sort that they exult in the inestimable securitie of their perpetuall confirmation being satiated with the beatificall fruition of all goodnesse fed with the most pleasant tast of peace and resting inuariably in the delightfull embraces of their Creator The exposition of the Chapter in Vespres FRom the beginning and before the world was I created The sense of these words as they are mystically expounded and applied by the holy Church to the blessed Virgin is I whoe being ordained from all eternitie to bee the Mother of God the Sauiour and Redeemer of the world was alsoe constituted Mistresse Queene and Patronesse of all whoe shall be saued through the merits and Passion of him my beloued sonne and vnto the worlds end I shall not cease to performe that chardge and by continuall intercession to obtaine eternall happinesse for such as shall haue recourse to mee and implore my assistance and in the holie habitation I haue ministred before him protecting and gouerning the hearts of the faithfull in the Militant Church with dominion ouer their inuisible enimies and reigning in the Triumphant as Queene of Merciâ— and abounding with the graces of à Mother and à Virgin The argument of the Canticle of the most glorious Virgin Mother of God IT hath been graunted to some of the old Testament that hauing receiued singular benefits of almightie God they should compose and offer vnto him à Canticle in memorie of them as now we see the same fauour bestowed vpon the blessed Virgin who considering the ineffable benefits of God conferred vpon her and wrought in her could not containe her selfe from rendring praise thankefulnesse especially for that the onely begotten Sonne of God did vouchsafe to assume humane flesh in her wombe Hereof there was formerly à type in Anna whoe hauing by supernaturall bountie conceiued and brought forth Samuel did sing this reioycing verse My 1. Reg. 2 heart reioyced in our Lord. which in some things is the same with this of the blessed Virgin The exposition of the Canticle MY soule doth magnifie our Lord. O beloued Cosen Elisabeth you beholding in spirit what hath happened vnto me doe praise extoll and magnifie me stiling me blessed among women and â—other of your Lord but I knowing that I neither haue nor am any thing of my selfe doe ascribe all my good to God almightie praise him and depresse my selfe Indeed my soule altogether rauished and eleuated in the contemplation of the fauours receiued from his immense Majestie doth magnifie him celebrating his praises with all its forces she imploies all her faculties powers to sing his infinite greatnesse and publish his incomprehensible goodnesse And my spirit hath exulted in God my Saâ—iour I haue soe many occasions of gladnesse that my spirit is altogether in extasie and replenished with ioy aboue imagination that my heart is astonished with amazement I haue exulted with excesse of internall consolation in that God my Sauiour haâ—â— been pleased to serue himselfe of me to bring his saluation into the world Because he hath regarded the humilitie of his hand maid for behold from hence forth all generations shall call me blessed He hath respected approued been â—â—ll pleased with my humilitie the sub 〈…〉 sion and pouertie of spirit whereof I haue euer made constant profession the most humble seruice which I haue dedicated vnto him and soe hath had pittie of the affliction in which I liued to behold the Scepter of my Father Dauid in the profane hand of à stranger and such à multitvde of soules lost precipitated into darkenesse by the Prince of error and alsoe of the anxietie of my spirit expecting the light of the Messias that soe long delaied his comming But aboue all he hath daigned to regard the humilitie of his poore vnworthie seruant hath beheld my will purely resigned to his therefore from henceforth by reason of that benediction wherewith it hath pleased his goodnesse to replenish me Behold now he will come without faile and all sorts of nations shall call me eternally happie and blessed And not with out good reaâ—on Because he that is mightie hath done great things to me and holie is â—is name Indeed the gifts which it hath pleased the almightie to bestow on me surpasse in greatnesse and excellencie all other gifts how adâ—â—rable rich exquisite magnificeÌ„t soeuâ—â— for what is there comparable to the fauour which God hath shewed me electing me for his Mother being à Virgin of humble condition that God would be come Man in my wombe to the end that one daie he might make Man God that he hath rendred me Mother of his Sonne conseruing intiâ—e the seale of my vowed virginitie All these gifts exceed humane sense and iudgement Wherefore referring all to his omnipotencie my soule hath iust cause to magnifie him my spirit to bee reioyced and all the whole world to stile me for euer happie and I am obliged by all the lawes of gratitude to blesse his glorious and holie name vpon which depends sactification and saluation à name admirable à name sacred à name holie à name of which the vertue and power maie bee as little comprehended as limited And his mercie from generation vnto generations to them that feare him As his omnipotencie is without limits his mercie alsoe hath made it selfe appeare infinite extending it selfe from generation to generation from Fathers to their children vpon all those that loue and serue him with à filiall feare obserue his precepts He hath shewed might in his arme he hath dispersed the proud in the conceit of their heart He hath wrought most excellently and shewed the inexpugnable power of his arme which is the Mâ—ssâ—as his onely Sonne by the inuincible hand of whome he hath made all things He hath not imploied for this admirable worke the Angells and celestiall powers by whome he was serued heretofore but he hath assisted himselfe by his owne strong arâ—e his powerfull Sonne to saue humane nature and recouer it from the mouth of hell and accursed Sathan with his proud impostors whose arrogant and impudent designes he hath frustrated subuerting his Empire vnder which he endeauored to subiect the whole world He hath deposed the mightie from their fear and hath exalted the humble He hath â—â—posed these mutinous and proud rebellâ— from the glorious thrones of which they were vnworthie esteeming that what they had in their power Fortitude and beautie proceeded from noe other then themselues from their proper merits without being willing to acknowledgâ— the true author He hath transferred the Priesthood the Scepter and iudgement from the hands of them who abused their power and hath placed them in the â—ands of the humble meeke and patients who presume nothing of themselues but rather with all submission are humbled vnder the all powerfull hand of his diuine Majestie
thee to witnesse whome no subtile glosses can deceaue and may doe it with securitie I haue no internall pride neither doe I expresse any by externall gestures Neither haue I walked in great matters nor in maruelous things aboue mee Neither haue I vainely bragged of any matters of consequence I haue done can yet performe or inted to archieue affecting popular applause or being ambitious of glorie neither haue I presumptuously attempted any worke beyond my power to accomplish If I was not humbly minded but exalted my soule If I haue not composed my selfe â—o equalitie with others but haue had an higher esteeme of myselfe then was fitt or haue arrogated any thing to my selfe as of my selfe my soule not acknowledged her sufficiencie to haue been froÌ„ thee As the weaned child is towards his Mother sâ—e retribution in mysoule As it fareth with an Infant by some bitter oyntment newly forced to forsake the Mothers brest sitting sadly on her lap now with a longing appetite looking towards the teat and straite with drawing his waterie eies with à loathing disdaine beating the place he chiefly loued lamenting to bee depriued of the pleasant food he sucked fromthence soe let it bee with my soule Let her bee debarred of the delightfull influence of thy diuine comforts remaine respectiuely to her capacitie a like discoÌ„solate A more vnhappie punishment I cannot conceiue the greatnesse of which miserie he alone doth know to whome thou hast graciously afforded à tast of their excessiue sweetnesse Let Israel hope in our Lord from hence forth now and euer Since I then whome thou hast aduanced to such high dignitie as to bee the King of Israel and hast enriched with such exquisite dowries of nature grace dare not eleuate my selfe aboue the vulgar nor presume any thing of my selfe as of my selfe but haue the eie of my hope euer fixed on thee let my people of Israel doe the like both at this present from this time forward for eternitie The Exposition of the Chapter in Compline I Am the Mother of beautifull loue and of feare and of knowledge and of holie hope These words spoken by Ecclesiasticus of the eternall and increated Wisdome are fitly applied by the Catholique Church to our blessed Ladie not onely as being Mother to Christ whoe is the Word Wisdome of his eternall Father but alsoe as being an especiall singular Mediatrix for al faithful soules She is therefore saied to be Mother of beautifull loue which is the prime act of perfect charitie in as much as by her mediation and intercession wee begge and obtaine that guift of almightie God 〈◊〉 in like fort of filiall feare whereby wee are deterred from doeing â—uill because it is dipleasing to God whome wee truly loue and of Knowledge to witt the guift of vnderstanding which the Prophet begged of almigâ—tie God thereby to direct him else in the search of his law and could act himselfe in the path of his commaundements and of holie hope which is à pious confidence in God from whose goodnesse and mercie wee may with out presumption expect to receiue eternall happinesse in the future life if soe bee wee loue and feare him in this present and endeauour to conforme our wills to his by obseruing his precepts The Argument of the Canticle of Symeon ALthough this Saintlike old Father reputed himselfe very vnworthie to touch the holie of holies yet excesse of loue ouercame reason imboldening him to receaue the child Iesu froÌ„ the armes of his blessed Mother whome when he had embraced with much affection deuotion and reuerence like to the Swan before her departure he sung this Canticle blessing praysing and giuing thankes to God that had now been better vnto him then his promise which was that he should not die till he had seene Christ our Lord he now not onely beholding Christ Luc. 2. but being vouchsafed the comfortable honour to beare him in his armes This Canticle is fitly placed at the end of Compline it happily crowning that houre which compleateth the rest of the diuine office In religious Conuenâ—s recited it is last at night because at that time chiefly men ought to lay aside all thoughts but of God and their saluation that with internall peace they may dispose themselues to rest piously in our Lord bearing with holie Symeon Christ Iesus if not in their armes yet with much feruour in their deuoutly amorous hearts The Exposition of the saied Canticle 1. Now thou doest dismisse thy seruant â— Lord according to thy word in peace 2. Because myne eies haue seene thy saluation 3. VVhich thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples O Lord I haue languished long in restlesse expectation longing for that happie day wherein trusting in thy promise I might solace my heart and delight myne eies in beholding myne and the worlds Sauiour the onely thing that strengthned my Soule patiently to sustaine her wearisome confinement in the dangerous prison of this bodie of death but now I hope thou wilt not prolong her enlardgement thy promise being fulfilled for thou doest dismisse thy seruant according to thy word in peace my desires being amply satisfied Because with my corporall and intellectuall eies I haue beheld Christ God and man by whome thou hast decreed to saue all mankind Which saluation of thyne thy onely begotten Sonne who according to his Diuinitie is incomprehensible and with thee doth in 〈…〉 light inaccessible thou hast maruelously by the operation of the holie Ghost rendred manifest and visible to men and disposed fitly to conuerse and dwell amongst them he assuming our humane nature to his Diuinitie in the vnitie of his person that he might be seene and knowne both by the Iewes and Gentils dispensing his ineffable mercie betweene them as agreed bâ—â—t with their condition respectiuely A light to the reuelation of the Gentils who sitt in the darknesse of infidelitie shaddow of death ignorant in the sauing knowledge of the true God A light illuminating them internally by infusion of diuine grace and externally by word and example And the glory of thy people Israel And the glorie of the progenie of Iacob the peculiar elect people of God whome he hath honored with that high prerogatiue as of their line to take humane flesh whome he now visiteth in person and for whose redemption he is princip 〈…〉 descended à glorie not graunted to any other people of the world wherein they excell all other how potent rich or magnificent soeuer By what is saied in this small treatise it will appeare I hope to the indifferent and courteous Reader that all things in this office of our blessed I adie are instituted ordained and disposed according to right reason true prudence diuine wisdome which I doe heartily wish and humbly begge may be vsed frequently recited deuoutly by all euerie one as well to the great honour and glorie of almightie God and of the blessed Virgin as to the singular profit and spirituall benefit of themselues FINIS
grace which God almighty hath giuen or bestowed on him The first diuision is into Interiour attention and Exteriour Interiour attention is that by which one applieth his mind either to the holie words that he maie recite them or harken to them with due reuerence or to the pious signification of those words that he maie recreate his spirit thereby Exteriour attention is that by which one doth actually pronounce the words distinctly and without errour keeping his eies and the rest of the parts of his body in modest and decent composition doeing nothing willingly which maie diuert or hinder his saied interiour attention The second diuision is taken out of S. Thomas of Aquine and consisteth of 2. 2. â— 43. à 13. three pars The first is Attention to the words which maie be fulfilled by taking care that you read not one word for another ouerpasse nothing nor make too much hast and endeauouring to pronounce euery word distinctly and reuerently The second is Attention to the sense of the words which may be obserued by attending to the sense or meaning of the words either literall or mysticall that your affections maie be inflamed thereby The Third is Attention either to God or to the thing wee demaunde of him which maie alsoe be kept by attending to the presence of God contemplating his infinite goodnes that is gratiously pleased to be euer present with vs beholding our actions rewarding what is well done and rectifying what is amisse or by conuerting our thoughts to our sweet Sauiour Christ Iesus calling to mind the infinite loue where with he wrought that admirable worke of our Redemption and taking for our subiect to ruminate vpon some one or more of the passadges of his holy life or bitter passion afterwards sometimes darting our affections and gratitude towards him by some short but efficacious or burning aspiration or by hauing attention to the benefitts â—e aske of God vizt either Chastitie Humilitue Patience Faith Hope the diuine loue euerlasting life or the like As for example whilest we recite the Psalme Venite exultemus to thinke vpon these words in the mystery of our Creation Let vs make maÌ„ to our image and likenes discoursing breifly there of in our interiour As thus O great dignitie to be like to God With what care ought I to conserue this thy image in my soule Graunt me my deare Lord that I neuer defile it or the like And whilest we recite the rest of the parts of the office to take to coÌ„sideratioÌ„ some thing of the life passioÌ„ or death of our Sauiour beginning with the mysterie of his holy Incarnation discoursing thereof in our interiour As thas O my soule behold the force of loue That we might become the sonnes of God God became the sonne of à poore maide or the like sometimes praising almightie God sometimes giuing thankes vnto him and sometimes begging some grace or benefitt according to our necessitie at other tymes wishing that his will may be accomplished in and by vs and all creatures resigning our selues to be disposed of by him for tyme and eternitie as maie be for his greater glory In which imployment if we spend the whole tyme that we are reciting the office it will be very profitably spent notwithstanding that we be soe attent thereunto that we scarce perceiue that we are reciting the words of the office The first member of this diuision will suffice but yet it is the meanest Attention The second is better but yet is proper onely to schollers or such whome God almightie hath illuminated by extraordinarie fauour whoe can picke out here and there pious considerations to moue their affections The Third is generally held the best is indiffereÌ„t both to the learned and vnlearned Sharpnesse of witt and subtilitie of vnderstanding is not soe much required to performe this well as is à good will and pure intention for as S. Thomas affirmeth in the place à fore saied euen Idiotes by this attention are very often eleuated in spirit aboue themselues and all things created If those that are learned will vse their vnderstanding in this affaire noe further or other wise but to excite their will by proposing sweet and mouing considerations vnto her and helping her by prettie industries of loue to continue her holie desires and affections then they maie seeme to haue aduantage of the simple and vnlearned in the practise of this attention but if they doe vse their vnderstanding to search curiously into hidden Mysteries with quiddities of art and busie themselues more in speculation then in procuring and conseruing good affections then are they farre short of simple and ignorant but well minded soules for such their meditation will proue sterill and altogether voide of that fruit which should be sought by meditation which it pious holie and ardent affections and desires to inflame our soules with diuine loue Moreouer those that are learned are for the most part more subiect to distractions as hauing their heads filled with multiplicitie of conceipts caused by sciences and much speculation whereas the simple and vnlearned are free from such thoughts contenting themselues to admire high mysteries with an humble reuerence captiuating their vnderstandings to beleeue with all obedience simplicitie of heart whatsoeuer their Pastors and spirituall guides shall declare vnto them concerning almightâ—e God and how they ought to serue reuerence worship and loue him in noe sort presuming to search into high misteries further then he is pleased to reueale them either by this ordinarie meanes vizt by his substitutes or by himself when they are treating with him in their interiour and soe doe for the most part make lesse vse of their vnderstanding in praâ—er and more vse of their will and consequently Caeteris paribus as they tearme it the praier of such simple poore wretches is as gratefull to almightie God and beneficiall to their owne soules as is the praier of à great Doctor and perhaps more In the Cronicles of S. Francis his order it is registred that one Brother Giles of the order of S. Francis an vnlearned but à holie man on à time spake to S. Bonauenture the Generall of the saied holy order and à great light of Gods Church in these words Great mercy hath God shewed to you learned men and great meanes hath he giuen you wherewith to serue and praise his diuine Maiestie but we ignorant and simple people whoe haue no parts of witt or learning what can we doe which maie be pleasing vnto him Vnto whome the holy Saint answered If our Lord did no other fauour to man then that he might be inabled to loue him this alone were sufficient to oblige him to do God greater seruice then all the rest putt together The good Brother Giles replied And can then an ignorant person loue our Lord Iesus Christ as well as à learned man Yea saied S. Bonauenture à poore old woman maie perhaps loue our Lord better then à great
faile of his promise Here Imagine that you behold our Sauiour nailed to the crosse and discourse with your selfe in this or the like manner O My soule behold the effect of loue Loue drew him from the bosome of his eternall Father loue caused him to conuerse with vs poore wretches loue hath nailed him vpon the crosse in this cruell manner loue hath done all this But what loue Verily noe other but that immense loue which he bore towards thee euen from eternitie Why tremblest thou at this Take courage his mercies are about all his workes Come let vs fall downe at his feete let vs weepe in his presence let vs open the secrets of our hearts vnto him he will gladly giue vs audience His feet are fast nailed he will not shrinke from vs. His armes are spred abroad to receiue and embrace vs. His precious bloud doth flow from all the parts of his body to cleanse and refresh vs His head is bowed downe to giue vs the sweet kisse of peace and reconciliation His heart is open to giue vs free entrance to his loue These tormeÌ„ts these wounds and all arâ— ours Come let vs offer him to his eternall father let vs beseech him to shew his precious wounds to his beloued father and what he hath suffered for vs and nothing will be denied Aspirations in forme of à Dialogue betweene Christ Iesus and à deuouâ— Soule Christ Iesus O My sonne behold how I haue loued thee I haue knowne thee in my offence from all eternitie I haue created thee and infused into thee à soule wherein I haue liuely impressed my owne image and that thou mightst know how noble à creature I haue made thee I haue not refused to assume the self same nature and to become vested with flesh and blood that I might redeeme thee Here it will not be needfull that I expresse all the signes of loue which God hath manifested by the admirable worke of our Redemption and the good inspirations and callings where by he hath withdrawne vs from bad courses and hath as it were lead vs by the hand vnto the way of life but it is much better that euery one call to mind excogitate the good motions and benefites he hath receiued and where with he finds himself best moued and suppose God almightie to haue charged him with these graces and testimonies of his loue answering in this or the like manner The Soule IT is most true my deare Lord thou didst create me and redeeme mee but I haue defiled my self and am not worthy now to looke thee in the face It was in thy power to haue made me à stone or à tree or what els had been thy pleasure but such was thy immense goodnes that thou hast made me one of thy most noble creatures I know most sweet Lord that thou hast made nothing in vaine Tell me then I beseech thee tell me thy poore seruant for thy owne sake what is it thou requirest of me Thou hast giuen me grace and light to decerne that I am not made for my self for I haue oft experienced that when I haâ—e giuen way to my owne desires and affections they haue lead me into manifold inconueniences Vouchsafe therefore to tell me what thou wouldst haue me to doe Behold I am ready to performe whatsoeuer thou shalt please to commaund Then saie vnto yourself these words of the Psalmist I will heare what our Lord will speake in me because he will speake peace to his people and listen in silence supposing him to answer thus your pious request Christ Iesus O My deare sonne I haue giuen thee all that thou art or hast yet I haue giuen thee one thing soe free at thy owne disposing that thou maiest giue it to whome or to what thou pleasest If thou art as thou saiest ready to doe whatsoeuer I commaund my will is that thou giue me this one thing and I freely permitt thee to vse all the rest of my gifts as best liketh thee This alone will content me and although thou shouldest giue me all the rest and detaine this from me I shall esteeme them all as nothing Thy Heart it is I aske Sonne giue me thy heart The Soule O My deare Lord who doth better deserue it then thy self who can more enrich it I wish it â—ere in my power to giue thee all mens hearts What doe I desire more then that my heart maie be inflamed with the fire of thy diuine loue Behold I giue thee my self doe thy will in me for tyme and eternitie O Lord such is thy gracious clemency and benignitie that thou despisest noe man reiectest noe man that desireth to come to thee yea thou callest euery man thou allurest euery man and vnto euery man thou shewest the way to come to thee for it is thy delight to be with the sonnes of men What is this o Lord but à most euident proofe that thou art soe good that thou art not able to denie thy self to them that seeke the with all their heart What greater loue dan one shew then â—o giue his owne self â—s thou arâ— alâ—â—â—â— ready and desirous to doe to all 〈◊〉 seeke after theâ— with à sinceere â—â—ynd Let vs therefore if it shall soe stand with thy blessed will make à couenant betweene vs. Thou shalt take care of my welfare and remedy and I will take care of thy honor and seruice and thou shalt doe with me what thou wilt and shall see to be expedient for thy greater glory and my saluation and I will be wholy thine and depend vpon thee alone Graunt me sweet Iesus that I may desire nothing but thee and that I maie soe intirely and absolutely resigne my self vnto thee without all reserhation that I maie neuer hereafter take my self from thee O fire vouchsafe to burne me o charitie vouchsafe to inflame me o light vouchsafe to illuminate me O my Repose o my Consolation o my Hope o my Treasure o my Life o my Loue that alwaies burnest and art neuer consumed When shall I perfectly loue thee When shall I embrace thee with the armes of my soule When shall I for the loue of thee contemne both myself and all the world When shall my soule with all her powers be perfectly vnited vnto thee When shall she be wholy drowned and immerged in the bottomelesse abisse of thy diuine loue O most benigne sweet beautifull wise rich noble precious and most worthy to be beloued and adored when shall I loue thee in such sort that I shall be wholy conuerted into loue O life of my soule who to giue me life didst suffer death O good Iesu o my sweet Lord and Sauiour Graunt me I beseech thee that I maie altogether shunne and detest all manner of sinne and that in all sinceritie of heart I maie conuert my self to thee in such sort that all my thoughts my desires my memory and all the powers of my soule and body maie be fixed on the alone I
materiall temple to wit in the house of Praier yet much rather in his immateriall temple to wit the mynd or spirit for our Sauiour saieth God is à spirit and they that adore Ioh. 4. him must adore in spirit and veritie and in another place VVhen thou shalt praie enter Math. 6. into thy chamber and hauing shut the dore praie to thy Father in secret to wit with à setled and recollected mynd Let all the earth bee moued before his face let all the inhabitants of the earth bee moued to chast loue admiration and obedience and bee auerted from their bad waies and conuerted to God attending the benigne presence and sweet Maiestie of Christ Saie ye ô ye Apostles and ye that shall succeed them vnto the Gentils to whose conuersion and information ye are sent that our Lord hath reigned in the whole vniuerse and especially in the hearts of the faithfull by faith and Charitie Concerning which you are to note that God hath raigned in heauen and earth by his omnipotency euen from the beginning but his spirituall Kingdome in the hearts of men where he raigneth by faith beganne not especially in the hearts of the Gentils vntill the coÌ„ming of our Sauiour who by his passion and death dispossessed and cast forth the diuell as maie bee gathered by these words of our Lord Now the Prince of the world Ioh. 12. shall bee cast forth and I if I bee exalted from the earth will draw all things to myselfe S. Augustine and diuers others of the auncient Fathers doe read the last part of this verse as followeth Our Lord hath reigned from the wood to wit from the holie Crosse whereon he redeemed the world Which words of the wood were aunciently in the interpretation of the 72. Interpreters and haue been raced out by the Hebrews as S. Iustine affirmeth which notwithstanding Fortunatus hath placed them in the Hymne which is sung by the holie Church in Passion weeke The Prophet sheweth here by the effect that our Lord hath raigned because he hath exercised his regall power For he hath corrected the round world which shall not bee moued he hath conuerted the vniuersall Church spread and diâ—ated through the whole world from Idolatry and vice by his owne increpation and reprehension according to that of the Prophet He stroke the earth with the rod of Isa 11. his mouth c. as alsoe by the preaching of his disciples and other seruants and hath established it soe firmely that notwithstanding it shall bee soie shaken by the tempests and whirlwinds of tribulation and tentation yet shall it not bee moued in whole whilst the world shall indure He will iudge peoples in equitie The iudgement here mentioned is the iudgement wherewith our Sauiour iudged in his first comming to wit the iudgement of discretion or seuering one from another mercifully calling some to faith and grace and iustly forsaking others which discretion was altogether most iust notwithstanding that our weake iudgements are not able to comprehend the reason thereof Let the heauens bee glad and the earth reioyce the Sea bee moued and the fulnesse thereof to wit all therein contained the fields shall bee glad and all things that are in them What is spiritually vnderstood by these hath been sufficiently declared in the precedent Psalmes Then shall the trees of the woods reioyce before the face of our Lord because he cometh because he cometh to iudge the earth By this repetition of be cometh is insinuated the two commings of Christ in both which the Prophet inuiteth all creatures to reioyce in his first comming because he came then in the forme and shape of à man and sought to winne all hearts vnto him by his sweet benigne conuersation consecrating and disposing all things towards their perfection and the end for which they were created and in his second comming alsoe because he will come to refine and renew and constitute them in such perfectioÌ„ that they shall remaine for eternitie He will iudge the round world in equitie to wit without respect of persons and peoples in his truth to wit in iustice rendring to euery one according to his workes Tha title and argument of the Psalme and 8. in the Nocturne Office TO this Dauid when his land was restored to him For that there is noe mention at all made in this Psalme of King Dauids recouery of his Kingdome which Absalon had taken from him the expositors thereof doe generally agree that King Dauid vpon occasion of the recouery of his land being inspired by the holie Ghost did sing the restoring of the Kingdome of Christ in the hearts of all maÌ„kind which the diuell had vsurped by fraudulently inducing our first parents to transgresse Gods commandement and had withheld from him vntill he by his painefull death vpon the Crosse vanquished that tyrant and obtained all power in heauen and vpon earth In the first verse the Prophet speaketh of this saied restoring of Christ our Sauiours Kingdome vnto him to wit al mankind or the Church of the elect according to that Aske of me and I will giue thee the Gentils Psal 2. for thy inheritance and thy possession the ends of the earth but in the rest of the Psalme he describeth the dreadfull comming of Christ to the generall Iudgement when his Kingdome shall bee established in such sort that it remaine for euer The exposition of the Psalme OVr Lord of whome it is saied in the Apoc. 19. Apocalipse That he hath in his garment and in his thigh written King of Kings and Lord of Lords from the tyme of his glorious Resurrection hath reigned in the militant Church or in the hearts of his elect wherefore let all the earth reioyce let all nations liuing vpon the continent or maine land congratulate him in this his regall dignitie and not onely they but alsoe let many Ilands bee glad let the inhabitants of great Britanie Ireland Cyprus Sicilie all other Ilands very many in number which shall bee conuerted make triumph and signes of ioy thereat for of these the Prophet Isaie saieth The Ilands shall expest his Isa 42. Ibidem law and againe They shall giue glorie to the Lord and shall declare his praise to the Ilands A cloud and mist shall appeare round about him when he shall come to iudge the world with much power and Maiestie that Infidels and reprobate Christians maie neither haue à cleare veiw of his glorified body with their externall eies nor of his diuinitie with their internall but onely some litle glimpse of his glorie to their greater confusion Iustice iudgement with mercy and iudgement seueritie of iustice shall bee the correction or supporters of his seate or the sentence of correction which shall proceed from his tribunall Iustice and iudgement according to S. Ierome is here saied to bee the correction of the seate of our Lord because the iudgements of God before he cometh to iudgement doe seeme somewhat imperfect in
which I will here particularize First the mynd which is perhaps as it were tired with the intense study of praier maie by this meanes haue tyme to breath and gather new forces Secondly the mynd will bee much recreated and delighted with the gratefull variety profitable vicissitude of praier and reading Thirdly those who perhaps would not otherwise haue the opportunity by reasoÌ„ of their many exteriour imployements to heare the Scriptures read by this meanes doe participate of that benefit and Fowerthly the mynd is by such reading furnished with aboundant matter to moue holie affections becometh fattened strengtâ—ned with good desires in vertue where of it maie with much facilitie passe through the rest of the office according to that of the Psalmist As with marrow and fatnesse let Psal 62. my soule bee filled and my mouth shall praise with lippes of exultation Notwithstanding that the words of the insuing Lessons are literally applied to our Sauiour yet are they placed in this office by the holie Church which is directed by the holie Ghost according to that of the Euangelist The holie Ghost Ioh. 14. whome the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and suggest vnto you all things whatsoeuer I shall saie to you and are mystically expounded of the blessed Virgin both by the auncient moderne Fathers in effect as followeth The explication of the First Lesson THe most blessed Virgin the immaculate Mother of the eternall wisdome saieth as followeth In all these things to wit which are before rehearsed in the saied Chapter I sought rest for indeed the most pious Aduocatrix of mankind doth aboue all the blessed spirits and next vnto her deare Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Christ Iesus couet the saluation of all people and desire to inhabite haue her place of residence and repose in all mens hearts by holie remembrance vertuous imitation and sweet louingnesse and I shall abide in the inheritance of our Lord to wit in the faithfull and vertuous elect who are the inheritance and Church of our Lord. Then the Creator of all commanded and saied to me that which immediatly followeth in the next sentence and he that created me to wit the eternall word hath rested in my Tabernacle to wit in my wombe where he assumed humane nature and being made an infant did reremaine for the space of nine moneths He hath alsoe most graciously rested in the tabernacle of my mynd euen from my first conception And he saied to me commanding that which followeth Inhabite in Iacob to wit in the Primitiue Church consisting of the Iewish elect for in it our most blessed Lady was corporally conuersant liued most exemplarily and holily and afterwards did and doth spiritually remaine in the whole militant Church possessing protecting gouerning the hearts of the faithfull and in Israel to wit contemplatiue religious and spirituall persons and eminent in the practise of all vertues inherite that thou maiest as it were by right of inheritance possesse them as being their Mother their Queene and their Aduocatrix and they alsoe maie possesse thee by incessant most pure and feruent loue as thy seruants and Sonnes and take roote in myne elect by impetrating for them the gifts of grace and vertues that soe they maie bee radicated in Christ and euer cohere and cleaue to thee At the end of this Lesson as like wise of the rest is added Tu autem Domine miserere nobis that is to saie But thou ô Lord bee mercifull vnto vs which custome is obserued at the end of the Lessons in all other offices except those of the faithfull departed By which words is signified as Rupertus affirmeth that euen the office l 1. de diuinis officijs c. 12. of shewing forth the diuine word cannot bee performed by vs without contracting some small dust of blame For as S. Augustine saieth The word of predication is heard with more securitie then pronounced and the reason thereof is because when the Preacher or denouncer of the word shall perceaue that he saieth well and deserueth praise it is à very hard matter if he bee not touched in some slight manner with the spirit of elation and therefore in respect that he walketh vpon the earth and hath his feete soiled with dust although he bee otherwise wholy pure and cleane yet in regard hereof it will bee needfull for him to implore the diuine mercy that soe he maie bee washed in that part and become altogether neate and pure After the Reader hath pronounced the foresaied words to wit But thou ô Lord bee mercifull vnto vs the whole quire answereth Deo gratias that is to saie l. â—itato c. 14. ThaÌ„kes to God which as Rupertus affirmeth is not referred to the saied last praier of the Reader but to the whole precedent Lesson the quire thereby giuing thankes to God for that he hath graciously vouchsafed to breake vnto them the bread of his diuine doctrine least they should haue perished with famine of hearing the word of God S. Augustine Ep. 77. Alipio Aurelio doth extoll this manner of thankes giuing as followeth What better thing saieth he can we beare in our mynd or pronounce with our mouth or expresse with our penne then Deo gratias there can noe sentence bee saied more breefly neither is there any thing more ioyfull to bee â—eard nor more loftie to bee vnderstood nor more fruitfull to bee done then this c. This it is which S. Paul doth soe frequently inculcate vnto 1. Thessal 5. vs in his Epistles saying In all things giue thankes for this is the will of God This the Prophet Dauid was most carefull to obserue Psalm 33. I will blesse our Lord saieth he at all tymes his praise alwaies in my mouth The holie Church therefore with good reason doth ordaine this manner of thankesgiuing to bee often iterated in the diuine office that thereby we maie ascribe to God vnto whome doth belong all that is best whatsoeuer is well done in our praier and render him thankes therefore Of Responsories NExt in order after euery Lesson there followeth à Responsory which is soe called because one alone hauing song à Lesson all the quire doth answer and sing that which followeth which vsually is taken out of the same part of the holie Scriptures as the Lesson or otherwise is composed of certaine amorous affections towards God and sweet sentences corresponding to the nature of the office of that daie The institution of them is very auncient and most authors are of opinion that the greatest part of the Responsories which are placed in the Breuiary were collected composed by S. Ambrose They seeme to bee ordained for this reason to wit that whereas in the Lessons we doe as it were heare God almighty most gratiously to speake vnto vs and put vs in mynd of his wonderfull workes and of his excessiue loue towards the saluation of mankind or to propose vnto
he shall speake to the diuels and wicked men in the last iudgement he shall not be confounded but rather shall confound and conuince them of iniustice and imbecillitie For the whole contention of Christ with the diuell and his ministers which hath continued euen from the beginning of the world and shall endure till the consummation thereof hath been is and will be about the saluation of mankind whome the diuell hath doth and will labour by all meanes possible to drawe with him totally into hell and to this end he in euery age raised vp persecutions of the Iewes Paganes heretiks and wicked men of all sorts to bande against the holie Church But when at the daie of iudgement he shall behold soe many millions of the elect reigning and triumphing gloriously with Christ and most iustly crowned and of the contrarie all power to be taken from him and his adherents noe more hope remaining for him and them euer to renew warre with the elect then Christ shall not be confounded but shall confound all his enemies In this Psalme we are taught to attribute the beginning conseruation processe consummatioÌ„ of good workes to God alone Moreouer we are taught to extirpate pride embrace humilitie and soe to proceed to the sleepe of the elect The argument of the 127. Psalme and last in None IN this Ninth graduall Psalme the Prophet treateth of the Ninth degree of internall ascension to witt Filiall feare whereby wee are deterred from doing euill out of à desire not to offend almightie God whome wee truely loue It proceedeth therefore from loue and is proper to those whoe as the Apostle saieth haue receiued the spirit of adoption of ad Rom. 8. sonnes and the Spirit of loue where as those that abstaine from doing euill out of à seruile feare that is merely for feare of punishment which they desire to auoide maie iustly be saied according to same Apostle to haue the Spirit of seruitude Ibid. This degree is exceeding necessarie for them that desire to make good progresse in à short space for we read in Ecclesiasticus that He that is without feare Eccles 1. cannot be iustified The explication of the Psalme BLessed are all now in hope that feare our Lord with à filiall feare that walke in his waies in his diuine precepts not in their owne inuentions and after the prauitie of their owne heart as it is written of the impious man He hath gone wandring in the waie of his owne heart c. Because thou shalt eate the labours of thy hands Because thou whosoeuer thou art that hast this holie feare imprinted in thy heart and walkest in the waies of our Lord shalt eate in heauen the fruit of thy good endeauours meritorious actions according to that The soule of them that Prouerb 13. worke shall be made faâ—â—e c Blessed art thou now in hope and it shall be well with thee hereafter For it is saied in the Ghospell Blessed is he that Luc. 14. shall eate bread in the Kingdome of God Or thus Because thou shalt liue and sustaine thy selfe with the fruit of thy owne hand labour procuring foode and other necessaries for thy selfe by thy proper industrie blessed art thou and it shall bee well with thee for indeed such labour is very meritorious Thy wiâ—e wisdome giuen thee by almightie God as à fruit full vine shall produce holie workes in the sides of thy house in the intime powers of thy soule Wisdome is the knowledge of diuine things and is called the wife and spouse of à man liuing in holie feare according to that Her haue I loued and haue sought her out from Sap. 8. my youth and haue sought to take her for my spouse and I was made à louer of her beautie By this wife maie alsoe bee vnderstood the eternall increate wisdome which is the spouse of à deuout soule doth fructifie thereiÌ„ like to à well cultiuated vine Thy children thy acts springing out of wisdome shall bee as young plants of oliue trees euer flourishing many comely and strong round about thy table in the circumference of thy faith wherein all good workes are founded and radicaâ—ed By Thy children maie alsoe bee vnderstood such spirituall children as by thy wisdome and preaching are generated brought forth to Christ Whence the Apostle saieth In Christ Iesus by the Ghospell Cor. 4. Gala. 4. I begate you and againe My little children whome I trauaile with all againe vntill Christ bee formed in you These children wisely instructed by thee as young plants of oliue trees shall bee annointed with the vnction of diuine grace become flourishing fruitfull in Christ round about thy table in the circuit of spirituall doctrine wherewith thou doest nourish them as with the bread of life and water of wisdome Behold soe shall the man bee blessed Such gifts of grace shall bee conferred vpon the man that feareth our Lord as is aboue saied For VVith him that feareth our Lord Eccles 1. saieth Ecclesiasticus it shall bee well in the later end and in the daie of his death he shall bee blessed Indeed since nothing doth seperate vs from God but sinne nor any thing can hinder infusion of grace but our owne negligence by this that feare doth shake of negligence retract from vice and expell sinne it disposeth our heart to all goodnesse is as it were the cause of all our good Our Lord out of Sion to witt the militant Church blesse thee by his Prelats and Pastours and graunt that thou maist see the good things of Ierusalem the happie estate and continuall progresse of the holie Church all the daies of thy life And tha◠〈◊〉 maist see thy childrens children them thou hâ—â—t spiritually begotten begett others in like sort that the holie Church maie bee augmented in meritt number and soe thou maist behold the Peace of Christ vpon Israel thy selfe and other Christians contemplating God The preamble to Vespres THe auncient Fathers are soe cleare for this houre make soe expresse mention of it that noe man could euer raise doubts of it especially about its institution and antiquitie The time allotted for Vespres is the euening First by reason of the proportion which it holdeth with Laudes for as Laudes are song in the last houre of the night soe Vespres should bee song in the last houre of the daie Secondly because our holie Father S. Benedict ordained that Vespres bee song alwaies by daie light yet still in the euening Cassian alsoe compareth Vespres to the labours of those who were last called and sent into the vineyard of our Lord who begane their worke onely at Eleuen and ended not vntill twelue The mysticall significations of this houre maie be diuers First it be tokeneth the institution of the blessed Sacrament which was in the euening for as the euening sacrifice holocaust or burnt offering and the Paschal Lambe which was to be made at that houre in