Spouse by that wonderfull similitude of thy conception natiuitie life and death to that of him whose baptist thou wert by the graces priuiledges and prerogatiues extraordinarily bestowed vpon thee loose my tongue that I may praise God as thou didst loose the tongue of thy Father Zacharie Obtaine for me that I may flie the occasion of sinne according to that example thou hast left me who from thy tender yeares diddest retire thy selfe into the desert Obtaine I say that the dew of thy grace may fall aboundantly vpon me that I may be washed and clensed in the floud of pennance by the merites of that precious bloud the sacred vessels whereof were washed by thee in the floud of Iordan 2. And if I must be great let my ambition bee to aspire to that greatnesse which was in thee that is to bee great before God If I must be couetous that it may be after the imitation of thee a couetousnesse of the riches which are Eternall If voluptuous let it be of these pleasures which thou diddest seeke with thy haire and sackcloath 3. I haue I confesse a â—ee very contrary to that vertue wherewith thou wert indued and this vice is the too great loue and care of this body which is nothing else but a sacke of wormes a dunghill of corruption and sincke of miseries Obtaine for me O great Anchorite great Prophet and great Martyr that I may from henceforth become an enemy to the sensuall and brutish part of my soule and aduersary to this stinking dunghill and a rigorous iusticer towards this liuing carkasse It being a thing most certaine that no man can hurt him who hurteth not himselfe 4. Thou hast maintained truth and iustice with danger yea with losse of thy owne life procure for mee that the one may be immouably seated in my heart and the other inuariably placed in my mouth 5. Inconstancie mother of perfidiousnesse accompanieth me and I am the reede continually exposed to the windes from which thou wast shadowed Obtaine for me by the merites of this thy vertue and by the abundant heauenly succour which thou neuer wantedst that from henceforth I may be more firme constant in such resolutions as proceede from the holy Ghost I aske this of thee O Champion of the liuing God and vnconquerable Soldiour by all the victories which thou hast gotten to the honour of him who by a speciall grace did with his owne mouth canonize thee 6. Heauen hath powred vpon thee so many benedictions that thou hast beene a wonder of the world and an astonishment of all ages by these graces I aske of thee as of the Angell of great Councell wisdome as of a Patriarcke saith as of a Prophet hope as of an Apostle of God the Father charitie as of a Martyr constancie as of a Doctor vnderstanding as of a Confessor deuotion as of an Anchorite vâ—ion with God and the guift â—f teares as of a Virgin puriâ—ie as of one who was kinne to â—esus Christ and his holy Mother that holinesse and alliance which the Sonne of God hath promised to contract with them who shall doe his holy will To whome hee hath promised that he will take them and treat them as his brethren Mother and sister O inestimable honour Title 14. To Saint Ioseph 1. TReasure-house of the incomparable treasures of Heauen earth Foster-father of him who nourisheth all creatures true and faithfull spouse of the Mother of God what comparison betweene the commaund giuen by Pharaoh â—o Ioseph the Patriarch ouer all Aegipt and this commaund giuen by God to thee Moyses conducted the people of God thou hadst the conduction of God him selfe AbrahaÌ„ was Father to the children of adoption but the true Son of God called thee Father Dauid gouerned the people of Israel according to Gods harts desireâ— but thou wert the gouernour and as it were the maister of God him selfe The Queene of Saba iudged the seruants of Salomon happy because they were eye witnesses of his maiesticall cariage and great wisdome but thou hast bene an eye witnesse of him in whome are all the treasures of knowledge wisdome of the father and who was the very originall source or spring from which Salomon did draw the wisdome that was in him Many Kings and Prophetes desired to see but one of the dayes of him whome thou didst bring vp and nourish both in his childhood in his youth Simeon thought himselfe happy to haue receued him but once into his armes thou hast an hundred and an hundred times had him in thine and placed him in the armes of his Mother sweetly kissing his feete as the feete of thy God his hands as the hands of thy Lord his cheeke as the cheeke of the Infant of thy Spouse God conducted his people going out of Egypt thou conducted'st God going into Egypt Hee by Iosua brought them into the Land of promise and thou broughtest backe Iesus into Palestine and broughtest him into Nazareth God was in the middest of his people by the mediation of Angels by day in the forme of a cloud and by night in the figure of a pillar of fire God himselfe in person hath been dayes nights weeks monthes and yeares one of thy familie thy foster childe The Arke of God gaue victorie in time of warre and plentifull benediction to Obedience in time of peace the humanitie of the Sonne of God which he tooke of thy holy Spouse was the true Arke of God in which was kept the Manna of diuinitie the Rodde of discipline the Tables of exacte obedience to the lawe of his Father 2. What graces what vertues what blessings did the Father then power vpon thee by the merittes of his Sonne the Sonne by the prayers of his Mother O thrice and foure times happy Patriarch by these so great priuiledges obtaine I beseech thee for me this grace that I neuer abuse the graces of my God And seeing that in the heauenly Sacrament of the Eucharist wee haue the same Child Lord and God of which thy Spouse was deliuered at Bethelem in Iuda and which was carryed by thee into Egypt and Nazareth and there nourished by thee and called there thy Sonne by the credit thou hast with him and by thy instant prayer bring to passe that I may be most deuout to this holy Sacrament and that my soule may melt in the presence thereof and that I may liue as it is fit hee liue who so often partaketh of that ineffable mysterie 3. By that extaticall affection which thou feltst towards the Sonne of God when hee called thee Father and towards his holy Mother of whome thou wert the Spouse beg of God by thy intercession for me the guift of an intrinsceall vnion and familiaritie with God accompanied with three qualities which were very eminent in thee Tender loue Humble reuerence Loyall fidelitie Title 15. To Saint Peter 1. LOuing Apostle Porter of Paradice and supreame Leiftenant of the crowne of Heauen by the
cause of true loue being the good of another To loue one truly is to wish him all the good that may be and to loue very much is to will or to wish the same very much vnto him And because it is the Nature of the will and by consequence of loue to doe that which it willeth vnlesse it be hindered Therefore it produceth in vs not onely a desire to heare and vnderstand the good and euill of the partie beloued but moueth vs likewise by all the meanes wee can to prosecute the one and to auoyde the other For the which cause loue is said to bee more effectuall then affectuall Plus enim facit quam â—fficat and according to Saint Gregorie Probatio amonis est exhibitio operis And therefore Loue without these acts and fruits of loue is worse then the Fig-tree which our Sauiour cursed and is indeed no loue at all From whence also it followeth that albeit wee may loue those whom we know not in perticuler as belonging to such an One or as the parts of such a Communitie which is principally beloued of vs and may content our selues with that generall good which we are able to doe them yet if our loue be perfit it is impossible we should not desire to know them and to doe for them also in perticuler if we be able or if our attendance to the perticuler knowledge and seruice of them do not hinder some greater good which otherwise we might performe in generall towards them By which it is manifest that either the Saints in heauen desire to heare vs to releiue vs not onely in generall but also in perticuler when we call vpon them because the one in them can be no hinderance to the other Or else it must needs be granted that they doe not loue vs. For that without this desire it is very plaine they care not for vs. I know some Protestants do here obiect against this perticuler care the same which many Atheists haue also obiected against the prouidence of God Affirming that the Saints of heauen Caluin instit lib. 3. cap 20 per. 24 cannot giue eare to our Prayers or attend to our affaires without some trouble and impeachment to their felicitie But the Protestants granting as they doe that this is no trouble at all neither to the person of God nor to the soule of Christ nor to the Angels themselues Psal 90. 11. Dan. 10. 13. Zac. 1. 12. Math. 18. 10 Lue. 15. 10. Acts. 12. 15. Apoc. 8. 3. make this Obiection against the Saints of God with lesse reason and more malice then it was made by their Masters before them against God himselfe Secondly therfore this desire of theirs will yet better appeare by the consideration of the Nature of Charitie in perticuler For according to that which hath bene said as to loue another is to will the good and by consequence the will of another which is also the reason that a wicked man because he willeth not his owne good as he is wicked can neuer be truely beloued so to loue God is nothing else but to will the will of God and therefore in effect to desire that it may be perfitly fulfilled both in our selues in all other Creatures And because as the Apostle speaketh This is the will of God Thes 4. 3 oâ—r sanctâ—fication or which is all one the saluation of our selues and others Therefore to loue God about all thinges wherin consisteth the nature of all charitie includeth a will to attend aboue all other thinges vnto the sanctification saluation first of our selues and secondly of all our Brethren Now then to goe forward as nothing is desired but that which is good so the greater the good is if it be well knowne and considered the more it is desired And therfore as there is nothing so good as the will of God so nothing by many degrees can bee so much desired of those that truely loue God as that his will be most perfitly fulfilled in the sanctification and saluation of all men Againe as the will of God himself is the end of all things so the loue of his will and the desire of dooing thereof is the end of all other loues and all other desires And therefore as God himselfe hath ordained so it must needs bee that our loue of his will and desire to fulfill the same if our loue be right doe exceede with like proportion all other worldly loues or desires whatsoeuer Wherefore to conclude this point if true loue in the lowest degree not onely of grace but also of Nature produceth in vs a perpetuall and constant desire not onely to heare and vnderstand the good and euill of the parties beloued but also to endeauour by all good meanes and courses to releeue them how great must the floud and Torrent bee of that desire which floweth continually in the highest degree from the Fountaine and sowrse of all loue which is God himselfe into the Soules of the Saints of heauen to complie and cooperate with his eternall will by all the meanes they can in the sanctification and saluation of others And if the zeale of men on earth not onely in the time of grace but also vnder the dead letter of the Law extend it selfe with such desire not only to heare and vnderstand but also to succour and redresse by their daily prayers infinit dangers continuall labours and miseries of their brethren coÌ„passing both Sea and Land as our Sauiour saith to make one Math 23 15 Proselite or to conuert one soule vnto Christ how much more doth the inflamed charitie of the Saints in heauen transforme their soules into the like desire And admiring so much as wee doe the vehement loue of Moyses and zeale of Saint Paul while they liued amongst men to their Naturall brethren the Exod. 32 32. Iewes not refusing to bee strucken out of the Booke of life and to bee made an Athema if need Rom. 9. 3 should be for their saluation How wonderfull and vnmeasurable thinke you is the desire of the Saints of heauen to procure the saluation of their brethren here on earth and how effectuall to recommend their perticuler prayers which here euen in this world is the least and most easie office that one friend can do for an other certainly this desire in these golden vials must needs so farr exceed the former in those eartheÌ„ vessels as the easines of the one exceedeth the difficultie of the other And as their knowledge and loue of God whome now they see exceedeth the obscure knowledge which they had of him and their imperfect loue towards him when they could not beholde him Adde vnto all this that the felictie of the Saints of heauen is much increased and perfited by the saluation of their brethren on earth And therfore as much as they desire the perfectioÌ„ of their owne felicitie they can no lesse desire to receiue and to recommend our prayers vnto God
most humble pardon for all the honour which since I came first to the vse of reason I haue giuen to creaturs without referring it actually or habitually to thee who art the fountaine of all greatnesse and excellencie it selfe of which excellencie honour is but a testimonie and marke 9. To conclude I acknowledge and adore thee O soueraigne Deitie Father Sonne holy Ghost as often as I breath or as there are minutes in an houre starres in the Skye leaues vpon the trees sands in the sea thoughts in the hearts of men and Angels 10. Dispose of the world as it shall please thee doe with me and with all creatures as seemes best to thy Maiestie raise vp plucke downe chastice cherish be thou such to Angels men in Heauen in earth in time and in aeternitie as stands best with thy liking In all and by all and alwaies I will adore thy prouidence I will conforme my selfe to thy will as the onely paradice of my soule And I will make good to all against all this most certaine truth that thou canst not do but that which I will for I will whatsoeuer thou dost Title 2. Thankesgiuing 1. I Thanke thee O my GOD that thou art as thou art the greatest good that can befall mee 2. I thanke thee O mightie Father that knowing thy selfe thou ingendrest a word which is thy Sonne and another thy selfe 3. I present most humbly thanksgiuing O incomparable Father that thou louest thy Sonne and thy Sonne loueth thee with such a loue and so admirably perfect that it carryeth with it the common essence nature and substance of you both 4. I thanke thee O my God for the extraordinary graces which thou hast bestowed vpoÌ„ the soule of our Sauiour Iesus Christ thy Son and I thanke thee my sweete Iesus for those which thou hast imparted to thy worthy Mother and I thanke thee O mercifull holy Ghost for those which the Angels the Patriarches the Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Virgins and all the Court of Heauen haue receiued from thee not onely during their abode heere in earth but also since their happie abode in Heauen 5. And in particuler I giue thee thankes for the grace and glory thou hast bestowed vpon mine Angell guardian and vpon the Saint my patron of whom by thy especiall prouidence I haue my name 6. What thanksgiuing shall I render vnto thee for the goods of my soule and body which I haue receiued from thee I doe giue thee thankes for them in him for whome and by whom thou hast bestowed them vpon me who is Iesus Christ thy Sonne And I giue thee thanks that in his name and by his merites I haue receiued them not willing to haue any thing but by him and for him I present vnto thee the same thanksgiuing which the soule of my Lord thy Sonne did offer vnto thee at that instant when it knew it selfe created of nothing and personally vnited to the word 7. I giue thee thankes for thy guifts not because they are mine but because they are thine not because they are agreeable to my will but because they are conformable to thine being most ready and willing to be depriued of them when it shall please thee to take them to thee againe beseeching thee that thou wilt so doe when thou shalt iudge it more for thy glory 8. Thou hast bestowed graces vpon mee which through thy grace I know and acknowledge and thou hast bestowed vpon me others of which through mine owne blindnesse I am ignorant Thou hast bestowed and wouldst yet bestow more if it were not long of my selfe Thou wilt bestow also others which I shall not acknowledge and which through my frailtie and accustomed ingratitude I shall abuse For all which my God God of infinite goodnesse mercy I giue thee thanks with all the force that it hath pleased thee to bestow vpon mee not knowing nor being able to doe it as I should I doe it in Iesus Christ thy Sonne with the same affection acknowledgement and thanksgiuing which his holy humanitie hath giuen and doth giue incessantly to thy Diuinitie for whatsoeuer fauours or graces it receiued of thee 9. I am also to giue thee thankes for those graces and fauours which I neuer receiued and which out of thy infinite goodnesse and prouidence thou hast forborne to bestow vpon me as knowing that I would haue abused them and thereby haue become more accomptable to thy most exact and most perfect iustice 10. Ouer and aboue all this as I stand greatly oblieged vnto thee for thy fauours and graces themselues So it is true that I am much more obliged for that loue charitie out of which thou hast bestowed them vpon me For the which because it is infinite I giue thee infinite thankes in him who is the efficient instrumental meretorious and finall cause of all thankefulnesse Iesus Christ thy Sonne for whom and by whom thou hast done all praise loue and glory bee vnto thee in him and by him world without end Amen Title 3. Petition 1 IF I were mine owne O my God I would demaund many thinges according to my owne sence and will but seeing it hath pleased thy merciful Charitie that I should not be mine owne but thine what can I desire for my selfe which is not for thee and according to thee Doe thâ—â— for me as for thy selfe and dispose of me as of a thing that is thine 2. O Lord I am thine by creation by conseruation by redemption and by especiall vocation by condition of nature and election of my owne will why then dost thou permit that a stronger take from thee thine inheritance that I or any other should enter into possession of that of which the peaceable proprietie appertaines to thee why dost thou endure that any other will then thine should be accomplished in me of whome thou art onely and wholy possest 3. Hee that doth that which is more doth easily that which is lesse thou giuest thy selfe to me take me then vnto thee To create me it cost thee only thy word but to regenerate me it cost thee thy life To forme me an act only of thy will was sufficient but to reforme me th' effusion of thy bloud was iudged necessary Both the one and the other being effected by thee nothing remaineth but that thou doe and say what thou wilt so as thou dispose of mee according as thou hast deserued 4. So often as I aske of thee any thing doe the contrary if the contrary shall bee more agreable to thy will and to thy greater glory For such is the intention of my Petition 5. My wils are no wills my petition refusals my desires so many detestations when thou wilt otherwise then I desire 6. If I knew in euery thing what is thy will O God the center of my soule I would make knowne both in Heauen and earth that I haue no other intention then to accomplish thy holy will 7. Can one
immaculate and vnspotted life the spring of all merit 13. Because thou appertainest to God obtaine pardon for me of whatsoeuer I haue voluntarily done said or thought contrary to God How often didst thou reioyce in the greatnesse and glory of God our common creator and Father and that much more for it then for that thou thy selfe wert by his grace Bring to passe that all my ioy may be in him my onely desire to please him my only feare to offend him 14. All thy actions were of infinite merit I beg O sanctuarie of the Diuinitie the participation of onely one by speciall application to me 15. Thou the onely storehouse of Loue and fornace of perfect Charitie dost more loue humaine nature and much more desire our soules perfections then all Angels and men together We cannot also nay we ought not to haue after God any better Lord and friend then thou I leaue then to thee the care of my saluation and of that perfection which thy Father requires in mee I leaue to thee the profit of thine owne merites to thee that which thou thy selfe desirest to thee that for which thou hast done saide and endured so much to thee that which cannot subsist but by thee to conclude to thee that which is as oftentimes thine as it hath pleased thee to be ours Title 6. To the blessed Virgin Mary 1. BLessed of God amongst Women and the happiest of all pure creatures Mary the Mother of God I prostrate my selfe in the profoundnesse of my thoughts before thee honouring with all my affection the eminent graces which it hath pleased the most high and puissant to place in thee as in the principall and chiefe workmanship of his handes after the humanitie of Iesus Christ thy Sonne whose desires concerning me I present vnto thee that by his merites and thy prayers they may bee as the abiect of his mercyes fully and perfectly accomplished in me 2. Pray then for mee mercifull Mother and in so dooing thou shalt pray also for thine owne Sonne seeâ—ng that hee desires in mee that which I aske of thee a thousand times more then I my selfe 3. I am also neuer resolued to aske any thing of thee for my selfe but for him I will speake vnto thee in his name I will presse theâ— by his merâ—tâ—s I will adiure thee by the languisâ—â—â—g desires of his soule and as it were coniure thee by the great and inestimable obligation that thou hast to him to deale so effectually with God the Father that all his desires may be accomplished in all creatures and especially in this poore soule of mine to which he hath giuen thee grace to desire that which he desireth If thou put not to thy hand O puissant Princesse all will passe into vapour and smoake of onely desires and I shall remaine a fable of the world and a scorne of hell 4. By these titles of incomparable honor with which thy head is crowned O Mother of thy Sonne O Daughter of the Father O Spouse of the holy Ghost bring to passe that I may one day with thee be heyre to the Father coheyre with the Sonne and partake of the inheritance reserued to the holy Ghost 5. Tower of Dauid Citty of refuge wilt thou refuse thy prayers to them to whome the fruite of the Virgins wombe hath not refused his bloud 6. Thou hast too great interest in thy Sonnes inheritance to neglect or disdaine to succour with the assistance of thy tongue those soules which thy Redeemer and ours did recouer with the losse of his life 7. He would that thou shouldst be his Mother but it was to the end that wee might also become his brethren What hindereth vs then from hauing the spirit of adoption towards his Father and our Father thy Sonne and our brother wee shall haue it when it shall please thee to bee our Mother by grace as thou art his by nature 8. Thou wast established Queen of Angels and of men euen from then when thou hadst a Sonne common to thee with God the Father and that thou couldst say vnto God thou art my Sonne O incomparable Mother ô maruaile of the world O the honour of humaine lineage wilt thou not in acknowledgment of these benefites and honours intended towards thee before thou couldst merit them wilt thou not procure in regard of the Almightie which hath done so great thinges for thee this little thing which I aske of thee which is nothing else but that I neuer offend him especially by deadly sinne and that in the whole course of my miserable life I may know and put in execution his diuine will 9. I am not worâ—hy of his loue but hee is worthy to be loued of me I deserue not to serue him but he well deserueth to be serued of me It is not due to me to liue in him alone and to dye for him but I owe it him and so dost thou thy selfe Pay then O most rich Empresse my debts and thy debts Acquite them both for mee and thy selfe and in doing that which is but duty and iustice towards him thou shalt doe a worke of compassion and mercy towards a creature of his and thy poore seruant 10. As amongst all pure creatures none euer approached to equall thee in regard of the incomparable excellencie of him that was borne of thee So no creature whatsoeuer shall be euer able to equall thee in mercy Shall it not be then to imitate thy Sonne and satisfie thy selfe if thou affoord thy ayde to the miserable thy succour to such poore sinners as I am For whome thy Sonne hath spent all hee had euen to the effusion of his most precious bloud If it be true that the sinne of Adam was the occasion that the Diuine word tooke flesh and was borne of thee it must needs also bee that my misery hath serued for a cause or an occasion of thy greatnesse my disgrace of thy grace my malediction of thy benediction and that which I am of that which thou art why then by exchange shall not thy mercy if I may so say serue to my misery thy felicitie to my infelicitie thy greatnesse to my basenesse that which thou art to that which I am Bee not thou that thou art or procure that I may be other then I am I should here beg of thee to haue in recommendation the Church her necessities if iâ— were possible that a Mother had not care of her Sonnes spouse Title 7. To Saint Michaell 1. PRince of the heauenly camp and inflamed Seraphin by thy most happy victorie which thou obtaynedst against those Apostata Angels of which now the infernall legions are composed assist vs in our combats so much the more dangerous in that we haue not onely to fight against flesh and bloud but against the spirits of darknesse which come marching against vs like Gyants with all the aduantage that the nature of Angels hath aboue Title 8. To Saint Gabriell 1. PAranymph of Heauen that
speciall prerogatiues and fauours bestowed vpon thee by the Sonne of God obtaine for me that I may loue him and that his loue come from my heatt from my whole soule from all my forces and thoughts as did thy loue 2. By the authoritie which thou heldest from him and by that Crosier which he put in thy hand procure that his flocke and thine may be extended ouer all Countries on the earth and the soules committed to thy charge and the charge of thy Successors may be defended from the teeth and wyles of the iâ—fernall Woulfe who as a roaring Lyon seeketh whome he may deuoure 3. By all the testimonies of the extraordinary beneuolence that thou receiuedst from thy Maister and ours by all the documents instruments which thou heardest from his owne mouth by all the admirable and miraculous workes hee wrought in thy presence we in all humilitie and earnest affection beseech thee that our holy Father who at this day is gouernour of the Church and all they which shall succeede him in that thy charge may succeede thee also in thy vertues and in the fatherly care thou haddest of the sheepfolde pertaining to the Son of God So as hereafter no one of the sheepe which recognise their Soueraigne pastor and are called Christians may be lost or become a prey to hell 4. And so much as concerneth my particuler I beseech thee O Coriphe of the Apostles Prince and Pastor of my soule that as Iesus Christ changed thy name in signe of the superioritie and prerogatiue which he gaue to thee aboue the rest of the Apostles so he will be pleased to change my manners and to reforme me to his greater glory Thou wert euer placed and mentioned first let my ambition bee to giue place to no man in the loue of my God 5. Thou walkedst vpon the waters to come to thy maister procure that I may treade vnder feete my imperfections to come vnto him 6. By speciall reuelation thou hadst notice that he was the Sonne of God obtaine for mee by thy mediation the guift of a singuler and liuely faith 7. The gates of Hell according to the Diuine promise haue not preuailed nor shall euer preuaile against the Church which the soueraigne Architect built vpon thee guard me so by thy protection that temptations may not preuaile against my soule 8. Iesus Christ payed tribute for thee and himselfe shewing thereby that thou shouldst be the head of his familie obtaine for me by thy prayers that he be pleased to pay to God for me the debt I owe to his diuine Iustice and to make me master Lord and superiour ouer my passions 9. It was thou who at two seuerall times didst drawe to the shore the Nets full of Fish we swimme and tumble as fishes in the tempestuous sea of this world drawe vs to the hauen of blessednes by faith accompanied and quickned by charitie 10. Thou wert commaunded to lauch into the depth and from the hinder part of thy ship Christ Iesus did Catechise the multitudes of the people lift me vp by the force of thy prayers examples and merittes to the highest topp of perfection and procure that I neuer giue eare to any Teacher but to him whose instruction is conformable to the doctrine of the Church 11. The Diuell desired to sift thee but the prayer of the Son of GOD gaue an inuincible force to thy Faith wilt thou not then obtaine for me a vigour strength not to be ouercome by any snares or forces of the infernall legions 12. Thou wast one of the first to whome Iesus Christ appeared after his resurrection obtaine for me that I be not one of the last to whome he will vouchsafe to giue his hand when I shall be in danger of temptation or detained in the paines of purgatorie 13. The diuine worde prostrated himselfe at thy feete with so great humilitie as at last thou wert content he should wash them be he pleased by thy prayers to wash away thâ— filth of my iniquities to purifie mine intentions that I put no obstacle to any thing which he desireth to effect in me 14. It was said to thee alone followe me Oh when shall the hower come and that desired time in with I may follow in all and euer the blessed motion of the holy Ghost liuing no more to my selfe but to him who afforded thee the grace to dye for him and after his example vpon the Crosse 15. Thou didest worke the first miracle vpon the person of Anamas thou madest the first Sermon to the Gentiles and to the Sinagogue after the comming down of the holy Ghost thou didst hold the first Counsell thou didst first visite such as were new baptized for thee as for her head the Church was solicitous and prayed when thou wast in prison St. Paul did not holde his Reuelations for assured that is hee did not thinke they would haue beene accepted for such vntill he had conferred with thee the Churches in which thou wert resident as Bishop are all accounted Patriarchals the Chaire of Rome by thy meanes is the Mother and Mistresse of the rest I beseech thee O Father and Pastor of all ages by this primacie to obtaine for mee the Princedome and absolute Monarchie ouer my selfe hauing so often experience that by subiecting my selfe to my affections and passions I become a miserable and deplorable slaue 16. Who is hee that would not deliuer out of the gallyes â— a slaue if it should cost him but his word Speake then O thou so much fauoured of God for with a word that thou shalt speake in my fauour I a miserable wretch shall be deliuered out of captiuitie and set at libertie that libertie of spirit which Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs with the effusion of his blood Doe it then O blessed spirit moued thereunto by remembrance of the sinne which was forgiuen thee and for which thou didst weepe so bitterly and of those keyes of knowledge Iurisdiction and order which were committed to thy charge 17. When the Sunne in the Spring doth cast the beames vpon the mountaine couered with snowe the snow melteth and of the water distilling from the snow arise great floudes Such were the watrie teares which flowed from thine eyes when the Sunne of our soules cast the eyes of his compassion vpon thy Apostacie why then wilt not thou by thy intercession and mediation procure that the Ice of my sinne may melt in the beames of that beautifull eye of the world Iesus Christ the Sonne of God 18. Pray vnto him that he be mercifull vnto mee and I will thanke him for the mercy that he shewed vnto thee be a suppliant for mee and I will praise him for thee make me such an one as hee commaunds and in so doing thou shalt doe according to his will 19. Thou art able to doe as much as the Angell that deliuered thee out of Prison and made the Chaynes fall from thee wherwith thou wert tyed
and with all the force of my soule that for the loue of your heauenly Spouse I liue no more but to him I take no life but from him I bring forth no fruite but his And that finally I may come to die for him 14. O good Iesus O meeke Lambe O Chast Spouse and rich Crowne of Virgin-soules let mee obtaine this mercy by the loue thou hast borne to them who haue loued none but thee that I be permitted here in this world to loue thee with my heart and to serue thee with other fidelitie then hitherto I haue done 15. Purifie the filth of my conscience restore to my soule her first puritie so as if I cannot follow thee so neere as thy more beloued in the street of the heauenly Ierusalem and in the most pure and cleane pathes paued all with fâ—â—e golde of which thy Apostle Disciple and Virgin Euangelist maketh mention yet at least I may carry in my hand the Lampe of good workes and one day bee admitted to thy marriage banquet and there be placed if not at the higher end of the holy table yet among those who sit at the lower end thereof Title 26. A Communication bad with God vpon the Life Death and Passion of our Sauiour 1. PErmit mee my GOD Father and Sauiour of my soule that prostrate before the Throne of thy Maiesty I put thee in mind and represent vnto thee the wonders which thou hast wrought for my loue and as much for all others as for me and no lesse for mee then for all I will speake vnto you in the simplicitie of my heart taking my assurance from your mercyes and placing my confidence altogether in immeÌ„sitie of your goodnesse without hauing any regard at this time to my owne exceeding great vnworthines which otherwaies would shut vp my mouth and not permit me to appeare before the eyes of your Maiesty 2. I was as thou truely callest me thy hartlesse Doue thy lost Sunamite thy strayed sheep when to make demonstration of the excesse of thy beneuolence thou resoluedst to make thy selfe like to mee to th' end that I might become like to thee Out of this motion thou descended'st from Heauen to Earth that so thou might'st lift mee vp from Earth to Heauen thou humbledst thy selfe to extoll me thou becommest passible to make mee impassible mortall that I might bee made immortall and thou becam'st Man after a sorte to deifie mee and make me God 3. Thou diddest take I say my humaine substance to communicate vnto me thy diuine thou tookest for spouse my humanitie to giue me for a dowrie thy diuinitie as if thou hadst saide O thou extaticall louer of my saluation when thou shalt see me conceaued be bolde to say that it is for no other end but to make thee conceiue in thy soule the spirit of God my Father wheÌ„ thou shalt see mee carried in the wombe of my Mother that it is to make thee to bee transported with an holy desire wheÌ„ borne and brought into the world by a Virgin that it is to make thee bring foorth by workes the fruites worthy of aeternall life 4. I will take my repose in the wombe of my holy Mother that thou maist come one day to take thy repose in my armes I will be content to bee shut vp in that darke prison to bring thee out of darknes into light I will make my selfe little to make thee great feeble and weake to make thee strong poore to make thee rich an imperfect childe to make thee a perfect man I will be naked to cloth thee trembling in thy Maunger for colde that thou maist bee warme tyed vp in swadling-bands to set thee as libertie laide vpon the hay and straw to place thee aboue the heanens between the Oxe and the Asse to procure thee the company of the Angels in a â—table and amidst the dung to make thee know that I will not disdaine to be borne amidst the filth of thy imperfections so as they be displeasing vnto thee 5. Thou wouldest that the Shepheards of Idumaea and the Kinges of the East should take notice of thee to shew that thou didst thinke long when thou wert new borne to make a present to God the Father of the first fruites both of Iew and Gentile Thou wast circumcised the Eight day to giue mee betimes the earnest penny of my redemption and to bestow vpon me the first fruites of thy labour some life 6. Thou wast carryed vpon the fourteenth day to the Temple thy holy Mother was there purif 〈…〉 and thou thy selfe presented to God thy Father and after Redeemed for fiue peeces of Coyne To what other end was all this but by the mediation of thy worthy Mother to present me to thy heauenly Father to obtaine for me internall purification and by the meanes of thy fiue wounds the onely price of my redemption to redeeme me from my vaine conuersation 7. The flight into Aegypt was to incourage me not to flie but to stand before the face of God whom I had prouoked to wrath and when thou wert found in the Temple it was to teach me that thou wilt be found in the midst of my heart and erect there a diuine Academie If so bee I make it a holy Temple dedicated to thy Maiestie and not a prophane house open to all vanitie which it shall not be hard for me to doe after the three dayes of contrition confession and satisfaction by meanes whereof thou hast promised to holde me in the ranke and qualitie of a Mother a Brother and a Sister 8. Thou wast subiect to Ioseph as a tutor and to his spouse thy Mother to put me vnder the tuition and protection of God thy Father Thou wast obedient to them to make easie to me the law of obedience and which is admirable thou wert vnknowne in the world for the space of 18. yeares to teach me humility and to make me knowne in ages to come with titles of honour due to diuine adoption 9. When thou wast pleased to manifest thy selfe vnto the world was it for any other end but to giue me knowledge of my felicitie and of the meanes by which I might attaine vnto it And when thou diddest change water into wine at the Marriage of Cana was it not to instruct me that thou wouldst change the water of my imperfections into the wine of perfection flowing from the precious vine of thy grace especially being ayded herein by the intercession of thy most honorable Mother And further to instruct me that it should not be hard or difficult for thee to change the materiall wine into thine owne bloud whensoeuer thou sholdst be pleased to make thy selfe as admirable and amiable in the nouriture of my soule as thou art in the refection and conseruation of my body 10. Didst thou not leaue vnto me a rare example of humilitie the strong foundation of the stately building of all vertues at the Riuer of Iordan when after the manner of
this point is euidently testified euen by Protestant Authors For Fulke a Fulk â—n his reâ—oinder to Bristow confesseth that Ambrose Augustine and Hierome held inuocation of Saints to be lawfull That b Agaiâ—st the Reâ—ish Teâ—tament Nazianzen Basill Chrisostome make mention of inuocation to Saints That Theoderet speaketh of prayers vnto Martyrs That Leo ascribeth much to the prayers of Saint Peter All 2 Pet. 1 these auncient Fathers And more in particuler That c Answer to Counteâ—feit Caâ— pag. 46 Saraâ— in defeâ— tract diuersiâ— c. paâ— 349. 346. Morâ— Apol fâ— part pâ— 227. 2 Ormâ— Pist p pag. 2 Vigillantius the heretick wrote against the inuocation of Saints him saith hee Hierome reproueth For the which likewise Sarauia a great Caluinist and Beza himself do acknowledge that Vigillantius was charged condemned by the Fathers Morton likewise acknowledgeth in expresse tearmes That all antiquitie taught the inuocation of Saints Adde vnto these Ormerod who therfore saith That the Fathers did not ponderously consider of this question And Perkins who speaking of the Primitiue Church setteth downe these wordes that follow Perkins Prob. pag. â—3 There was in the Church intercession to Saints in perticuler for men or thinges in perticuler And afterward hee presumeth to say That the auncient â—bid pag. Fathers especially after 400. yeares of Christ did sinne in the inuocation of Saints yea were guilty of sacriledge And so damneth to Hell the greatest Saints of Heauen now crowned with glory to iustifie the Dreames and fantasies of his owne deuices Now then my good friend to conclude this my first argument out of Scripture let any well minded Protestant consider whither not beleeuing these Councels Fathers but coÌ„demning them of sacriledge he doe not incurre the censure of our Sauiour that hee is no better then a Heathen for not beleeuing the Church it selfe and whither it be not only the heresie of Vigillantius reproued by St. Hâ—â—rome to disallow the inuoâ—ation of Saints but also as St. Augustine speaketh most insolent madnesse to dispute against it THE SECOND ARGVMENT Supposing the Creed of the Apostles to bee the infallible worde of GOD and if not Scripture yet certainly contained in Scripture I prooue the lawfulnesse or rather necessitie of prayer to Saints out of our Beliefe of the Communion of Saints Which doubtlesse for this cause among other reasons it hath pleased God to make an Article of our Creede to excite vs so much the more thereby to this kinde of pyous worship inuocation of them For if sinfull men on earth are truely vnderstood to bee here comprehended vnder the name of Saints much lesse may the Blessed soules of Heauen be here excluded from that tytle And who can imagine that the Soules of the iust are seperated by death from the communion of the Church wherein they liued For as Saint Augustine saith why doe they run so fast to the Sacrament of Baptisme in extreame danger of death that were neuer in the Church before Or why doe they make such hast to be reconciled therunto before they dye that are deuided from it vnlesse it be to inioy after death the communion of it Wherefore I do not see how we can beleeue that there is one Communion of the Saints in heauen and the Saints on earth according to our Creed except we beleeue a Communion or which is all one a Communication of Mutuall offices betweene them wee praying to them and they praying for vs the greater helping the lesse and the lesse in all their necessities hauing recourse vnto the greater THE THIRD ARGVMENT Is also in explication and confirmation of the former And supposing that if it be lawfull to pray the Saints of Heauen it is no lesse lawfull to pray vnto them as I haue shewed before in the third consideration It may be framed in this maÌ„ner It is lawfull to recommend our wants by way of prayer or intreatie vnto all the friends of God that are desirous to heare vs and are able to helpe vs in perticuler But such are all the Saints of Heauen Therefore it is lawfull in such manner to commend our selues and our wants vnto them The Maior is so euident euen by the light of Nature that there needeth no Scripture to confirme it For as now at this day so no doubt before the Scripture was written it was lawfull for the childe to recoÌ„mend himselfe vnto the prayers of his Father or of any other holy man because it was beleeued that such kinde of men were able and willing to helpe them by their prayers And the onely reason of any waight which the Protestants alleadge for their not praying to Saints is especially this because they thinke the Saints of heauen doe not heare them Wherefore if they heare and can and will helpe vs there is no further doubt but that wee may pray and beseech them to relieue vs. The Minor therefore that the Saints in Heauen are most desirous and likewise most able both to heare and helpe vs is prooued first a Posteriore or from the effect and secondly a Priore or from the cause a Posteriore thus They doe actually present or recoÌ„mend our prayers vnto God The foure Apoc. 5. â— Beasts and the 24. Elders hauing golden vialls full of Odours which are the Prayers of Saints Therefore they not onely know our prayers in perticuler vnlesse thou wilt imagine that they Offer them sealed vp in a Bag as ignorant of that which is contained in them but also are a meane to God for vs and helpe vs to obtaine them The same is also prooued a Priore three manner of waies And first by the perfit loue and charitie which is between the Saints in heauen and their brethren here on earth For as Saint Paul saith Charitas nunquam excidit Charitie which is the loue of God and our brethren neuer falleth away but remaineth with his Saints for euer And the reason thereof is manifest For louing God so perfitly as they doe they must needes loue all those whom they know to bee so much beloued of him as that he gaue his onely Son to redeem them This therefore being supposed out of Scripture and the Minor consisting of two parts The first that the Saints of heauen desire to heare and helpe vs And the second that they are able to doe both the one the other The first part I proue by the latter in this manner The Saints of God desire it therefore they cannot want the means to performe it That they desire it is proued first out of the Nature of all true loue in generall For the which you must vnderstand That Loue being the first act of the Will and the formall obiect of both the act and power of the will beeing that which is good to loue another is nothing else but to will him that which is good especially for this reason because it is good vnto him So that the finall and formal
But seeing O soueraigne truth thou canst not iudge of thinges or take them otherwise then they are and that if I doe seeke my selfe thou canst not but know that I doe so I am content if it be so But with this condition O my God and not otherwise that thou looke vpon me from henceforth as a thing yâ— is thine and that thou impute the loue of my sâ—lfâ— as an affection bestowed vpon a thing that is wholly thine As the sonne whatsoeuer he gets hee gets to the bâ—nefit of his father so long as hee is vnder the power of his father and as a bond slaue whatsoeuer he gets is to his maisters profit 12. From henceforth all the solicitude I shall haue either for apparell or meate or drinke or any such like thinges all my affections reflections goings forth returnings backe that I shall haue either in my selfe of my selfe or about my selfe all my ioy all my feare all my sorrowes all my pleasures all whatsoeuer appertaining to my vanitie past and the inordinate care yâ— I haue had of my selfe all this my God shall from henceforth be wholly addicted to thy seruice vnto the preseruation of a thing which is thine neither more nor lesse then if all this were done by me to any poore creature in an Hospitall or any other towards whome all this exercise of diligence and charity should be pleasing to thee Allow this O my God receiue this O my Father accept of this O my gracious Lord by the merits of him whose workes wordes and thoughts neuer strayed from thy will He hath liued for me he dyed for me euen so I will dye to my selfe and liue to him and so my life shall be hidden in his and shall appeare before thee as if it were his and all the care I shall haue shall not bee of a thing that is mine but it shal be O the onely beloued of my soule as of a thing that is thine And what other meanes O God of my soule can be found tâ— cut off the heade and kill this most horrible Hydra of self-selfe-loue considering the great malice thereof Title 5. To the soule of our Sauiour Iesus Christ 1. MOst holy and most happy soule Empresse of Heauen and earth I beseech thee by thy incomparable grace which thou receiuedst wheÌ„ at the instant of thy creation thou wa 〈…〉 â—ited to thy diuinitie and supported by the person of the word that thou wilt be pleased to obtaine for mee those vertues of which thou hast left vs both a Commandement and an example aboue all others Chartitie humilitie and puritie 2. By the blessednesse thou didst enioy euen then beholding the Essence of the Sonne of God to whome thou are personally vnited deliuer mee from the loue of my selfe and the great miserie of my imperfections 3. Thy holy Mother was impeccable by grace thou wast so by nature as well for that thy diuine Will did gouerne thy humane as also because by thy vnderstanding thou didst possesse and by thy will created thou hadst fruition of the Diuine essence I dare not aske impeccabilitie but onely the grace neuer to sinne and if the power to sinne be left me yet that the effect of that power be taken from me 4. Soule seate of wisdome which containest in thee the treasures of thy Fathers science thou hast been indued with knowledge diuine blessed and insused ouer and aboue the knowledge experimentall and acquisite which was euery day encreased in thee Obtaine for me by these so rare priuiledges and prerogatiues that I may haue knowledge both of diuine and humaine thinges so as I may neuer stray from the right path of faith and charitie 5. Soule the splendor of the glory of the Father and the Image of his goodnesse be my guide and conductor in the midst of the perils and temptations of the dangerous life of this world Dissipate the cloudes of my passions driue away the night of my ignorance making me euer and in all things to acknowledge his will to whoÌ„ thou art personally vnited 6. Ouer and aboue the grace of vnion hipostaticall and blessed thou baâ—st also the grace of Capitall vnion as being the head of men and Angels Make me then to draw aboundantly out of this plentifull well and to pertake to the greater glory of thy Father of those influences which flow vpon thy misticall body the Church militant and Triumphant 7. Who is able to expresse the thanksgiuing when of nothing and out of that bottomlesse depth of not being any thing common to all creatures thou perceiuedst thy selfe to bee transported to a personall vnion with God who is able to recount that holocaust and sacrifice that thou madest of thy selfe for the accomplishing of that excellent worke of our redemption with what excesse of Charitie diddest thou consecrate thy selfe to God the Father with what an eye of compassion didst thou behold humaine Nature of which thou wast a noble sprig and branch In remembrance of all those thy internall eminent actions for the loue of thy Hypostasie by the merites of thy abode in this world and by all whatsoeuer appertaineth to thy incarnation I beseech thee to thanke him for me to whome thou art vnited to giue and sacrifice me to his glory to present vnto him my actions vowes intentions and thoughts to make my miserable abode in this world pleasing vnto him to make vnto him an holocaust of my life and a sacrifice of my death 8. Thou wast no sooner vnited to that body framed in the womb of the Virgin drawne and taken out of the most pure substance of thy virgin Moâ—â—er but that thou wast receiued and supported by the word O so 〈…〉 Queene of men Princesse of Angels obtaine for me by this grace the grace that I may be deliuered from the cogitation of the body and infection of the flesh from which thou wast preserued being by an extraordinary manner without Adam ioyned to the flesh which descended from Adam 9. Ignorance frailtie and malice are the furniture of this corrupt Masse from which wee are drown'd and of that first fault from which thou wast the deliuerer and the deliuered I beseech thee to guard me from the falls to which I am subiect by my naturall corruption and that by the merits of thy incomparable integritie puritie and holinesse 10. Thy heart was alwayes attentiue to God of whome thou neuer didst loose the sight obtain that I may liue in his presence in him euer and euer before him 11. In vertue of the deiformitie of thy soule my sweete Iesus I begg of thee the guift of conformitie and vniformitie with thee 12. By reason of thy Hypostaticall vnion thy actions were of infinite merit and the onely act of thy incarnation sufficient to redeeme a thousand worlds What shall I not then obtaine of God thy Father if thou shalt please once to present vnto him that which thou hast offered and shed for mee which is thy precious bloud and thy
holocausts of heauen pacifiing hosts of the Church triumphant Hecatombs of the Church militant you are the Lambes sacrificed without number in the Temple of Salomon whose death hath bene an odour of sweetnesse most precious before God You are the troupes of the spouse and the shorne sheep which assend going out of the Lauar and there is not one barraine amongst you You are the Birds which the good Noe second spring of humaine nature presented to God his father after the deluge of his passion and the inundation of your paines You make that goodly armie of witnesses clothed in garments as white as snowe for the puritie and holinesse of your life carying vpon your heades Crownes of pure golde that is to say of perfect charitie beset with Pearles and precious Stones apparelled with a garment of the same richly embroadered and beset all ouer with Pearles of great price The Diamonds are the inuincible force with which you ouercome the tyrants The Pearles the sweate of your browes and the teares which sell from your eyes in great aboundance The Carbuncles represent the woundes which you receaued and the bloud running from your veynes shed for his loue who is the true king of Martyrs The daughter of Sion the blessed Cittizens of Hierusalem come forth to meete you partly to honour you as the most substantiall partes of their bodie and partly to admire the rich ornaments with which you were adorned by the King of glory vpon the most happy day of your second natiuitie 2. Inuincible Champions most renowned for your Tryumphes who haue had the honour to drink of the Cup of the sonne of God and to strengthen with your bloud the foundations of his Church who as the Scripture saith are come from great tribulation haue washed and made white your garmentes in the bloud of the Lambe which assist before his Throne to doe him seruice day and night He possesseth you as his temples and dwelleth in you continually leading you to the fountaine of life wyping away the teares from your eyes and freeing you from all the lawes of mortalitie Wee haue our recourse to you as soldiers to their Captaines that we may receaue by your mediation force and courage without which we are not able to resist the assaults with which we are set vpon by enemies which are within vs round about vs and aboue vs. The flesh the world and the diuell These are the Tyrantes with whome we are now to encounter the swords the prisons y◠flames the scourges the racke◠the fier plats the brazen buls the gridyrons which we are to ouercome and that not once only but many times not one day onely but many dayes during our lamentable abode in this mortall life 3. You proposed before your eyes your Captaine and Genetall Iesus Christ hauing a more tender feeling of his paines then of what your selues suffered and endured for his loue O most happy soules seeing that neither tribulations nor anguishes nor stripes nor trauailes nor any thing else whether it were sweete or bitter vnto you were sufficient to seperate you from the charitie of Iesus Christ Aske for me this grace that liuing in body here in this world in heart soule and spirit I may be crucified with Iesus Christ 4. Foure remarkable vertues shine in your passions Faith Charitie Wisdome and Humilitie For which as an aeternall reward you haue the fruition of God in your will the possession of him in your vnderstanding the glory in your bodyes after the resurrection and certaine particuler speciall garlands ouer you correspondent to your torments and the particuler manner of your sufferings Wee may partake with you herein after seauen māners First when we dye for the Faith as the most part of you O victorious soules haue done Secondly when wee are killed for IESVS as it happened for you O you blessed Innocents first fruites of the Christian Church Thirdly when wee expose our liues for the good and saluation of our neighbours as did the Sonne of God your Lord and ours Fourthly when wee chuse rather to dye then to transgresse the Law of God as did the holy Machabees Fiftly when wee expose our bloud for the maintaining of the immunities and liberties of the Church as diddest thou O holy martyr St. Thomas Bishop of Canterbury Sixtly when as Abell wee are persecuted for Iustice out of the enuie of the wicked And lastly when wee loose our life for defence of the truth zeale of the honour of God saluation of our neighbour as thou didst O most holy precursor of our Lord our redeemer vnder Herod and thou Euangelicall Prophet vnder Manasses and you Ieremie and Zhacharie persecuted by popular furie Obtaine for vs O you witnesses of the liuing God the grace that wee may testifie the fidelitie which wee owe to our Redeemer after some one of these manners and that at least we may honour him when we dye whome wee honour so little whilest we liue Title 21. To the holy Doctors 1. THe high Priest in the law of Moyses during the time of his charge did weare by Gods ordinance and appoyntment a garment of colour like Hyacinth which was fringed bordered about belowe with Pomgranets mingled with belles of pure golde Ye are O masters of our soules the little belles which ring to make vs know the approching of the high Priest and the comming of the holy Ghost then when bowing downe the heauens of his greatnesse hee is pleased to drawe neere vnto vs in the Sacrifice of the alter Yee are the salt of the earth the light of the world the Citty builded vpon a mountaine the Candlesticke with seuen lamps the seauen Candlestickes in the midst of which not without great mysterie appeared the Sonne of Man Yee are the Startes of Daniell which shine aeternally I beseech you then O inflamed soules Cherubins for your wisdome and Seraphins for your charity that yee obtaine for vs but specially for the Pastors Preachers and Doctors of the Church the guift of knowledge wisdome and vnderstanding together with a sound foundation of the building of the soule which is a liuely and true Faith This I. aske by him who hath made your breasts the store-house of armour offensiue and defensiue against his enemies and ours your memorie a Iewell-house of vnderstanding your vnderstanding an Academie of knowledge wisdome your wills a fornace of Charitie your Pennes the instruments of his holy will and your tongues Organs to sound forth his Glorie Title 22. To the holy Confessors 1. CEdars of Libanus who with your sweet Odoriferous smell embalm the whole world Palmes of the terrestriall Paradice of the Church very high and eminent in highnesse Pomegranets sowed amidst the Bels and sky-coloured fringes of the garment of the high Priest which ioyne Charitie with Humilitie and good example Scarres called Hyades whose benigne influence cause the rayne of repentance and the dew of deuotion which neuer appeare but when the dayes of mercy
It shall proceed from vs both if thou neglect to pray for me and I neglect to cooperate with the grace which by thy prayers thou canst obtaine for mee 2. Thy famous name by interpretation signifieth flourishing bring to passe then O great Anthony by the exceeding credit with thou hast with God that I may florish alwaies in all kinde of vertues and that neuer by any temptation the sweete and beautifull flower of the grace of God fade wither or drie vp in my soule 3. Saint Athanasius writeth of thee that as a Bee in the beginning of thy coÌ„uersion thou wentest gathering together the vertues which thou obseruedst to bee most eminent in the seruants of God whether they were men or women gathering Humilitie from one from another Prudence Charity Patience Abstinence and so of other excellent qualities which afterwards so adorned and enriched thy soule Obtaine for me the same grace that from henceforth all the stay I shall make vpon earth may bee a coÌ„tinuall amassing together of vertues and that all my actions may giue good example to those with whom I conuerse Title 25. To the holy Virgins Men and Women 1. VEssels of honour Fountaines sealed vp Parkes walled round about Lillies of the territorie of Eden Angels with bodyes the white Troupe of the Sonne of God albeit you cannot but graunt that all the inhabitants and cittizens of Heauen enioy the blessed presence of him who is blessednesse it selfe and of whome they are infinitly beloued tenderly cherished exceedingly honored immortally comforted and refreshed So is it notwithstanding that the holy Scripture and the Reuelations recorded by the beloued Disciple teach vs that soules cloathed with the nuptiall Robe of the Lambe with is no other then most pure and most odoriferous Virginitie receiue from him greater demonstration of loue and are honoured by him with a more Emperiall and noble crowne then other saints You are they then O holy troupe who leaping for ioy which can not bee expressed looke vpon attentiuelie pray most effectually yâ— holy Lambe beeing beheld by him after a perticuler and speciall manner and receiuing from him perticuler ioy not to be expressed with tongue Yee are they who playe continually vpon the Harpes vpon which none can playe but you Yee are they who sing a new song before the throne of God following vndefiled euery where the Lamb without spot or staine 2. O thrice and foure times happy Virgins yee are the Eunuches which out of your own free will haue made your selues such for the kingdome of heauen and for the loue of him who is the brightnesse of aeternall light and looking-glasse without staine 3. Yee are those greene Cedars who by the Aromaticall odors of your vertues haue chased away and killed the serpent of sensualitie yee are vallyes for your humilitie Parkes for your integritie I beseech you obtaine for me of your heauenly Spouse sixe vertues represented by the sixe flowers growing forth of the tops of the Lillie and hauing all sixe but one stalke 4. The first is sobrietie and abstinence from superfluous meates seeing that gluttonie is the Cosen-german to impudicitie as sobrietie is to constancie 5. The second is honesty and plainnesse in apparell of the body appertaining to the ornament of my person according to the state and condition to the which it hath pleased God to call mee taking from me all delicatnesse curiositie and superfluitie 6. The third is mortification and exact custodie of my interiour exteriour sences principally of my sight and hearing the two gates by which ordinarilie sinne entereth into my soule 7. The fourth great circumspection in my speech and conuersation that neither by word or gestures I operate or cooperate to any wickednesse 8. The fift a feare and horror of sinne so as I tremble at the very shadow thereof and that I resist to suggestions and temptations with great courage and magnanimitie vpon the first sence and feeling of them 9 The sixt some honest and profitable occupatioÌ„ by which I may auoide and flie Idlenesse the mother and nurse of vice which may keepe me alwayes busie in some interiour occupation for God O had I the guift of vnion and the grace to liue alwayes in the presence of God! what temptation could take holde of mee I neuer loosing the sight of him 10. It is painfull I graunt to resist the motions of sensuality know that it is also a Martyrdome without bloud and that onely Virgins and such as are continent after your example in the Church of God make a continuall holocaust and sacrifice of themselues as Origen noteth who was a great louer of Chastitie but his zeale thereof was too great 11. And if so bee there be any paine and toyle in fighting against temptations the toyle and paine is greater which must be vndergone when wee haue basely and cowardly yeelded vnto them 12. Bring to passe then by your prayers and suffrages O companions of the Lambe graunt that of these two paines I choose the lesser and that albeit the paine were farre greater I refuse no labour to get and maintaine a treasure of so great valew as in comparison thereof golde siluer and precious stones haue neither weight nor price O Puritie O Chastitie O Integritie reuerenced of the Angels feared by the Deuils admired by the wise fauored and cherished by God himselfe 13. O if I could worthilie conceiue the beautie of the wayes the pleasantnesse of the little hillesâ— the delight of the odoriferous Mountaines the good pasture of the heauenly meadowes the Cloth of Arras of immortalitie wrought with an hundred thousand colours the delicious Garden of the great Assuerus as it were enamaled with varietie of all flowers the Ornaments and rich furniniture of his royall Pallace the liuely Springâ—â— and delightfull Fountaines at the which the Lamb takes his recreation with his blessed Mother the Queene of Virgins yâ— perpetuall spring time that Aprill without end that incessant Iubilation that Brooke of pure vndefiled delights at which you drink not after the manner of the world which drinketh not but at the durtie puddle of Aegipt and at the slimie ponds of Assiria No nor as other Saints who haue not the honour to carry your garlands vpon their heads but after a speciall maÌ„ner and with a singuler dilectation exceedingly eminent aboue that which is common to the rest of the Saints If I could O choise soules penerrate into the least part of the happy recompence that crowneth your labours be partaker but only of one of the crummes which fall from your table taste but one drop of that great Ocean of your imcomparable delightes O how much should I loath the vanities abhorre the pleasures contemne whatsoeuer ornameÌ„ts or beautie of this world then the honey of this life and sugar of this world would bee as insupportable to me as most bitter gall and wormwood I deserue it not neither doe I aske of you this sight but in all humilitie I beg
shall be for thy greater glory Title 31. In obeying our Superiours 1. I Honour thee O my God in them as in thy Image and protest that all the seruice I doe them I doe it for thee 2. I will loue them in thee and thee in them and will doe them no reuerence neither interiour nor exteriour but with intention that all redound vnto thee Title 32. In seeing the magnificencie of the Court. 1. FArre greater things are recounted of thee O heauenly Sion 2. All that I see here are no better then the sweepings of Heauen 3. When shall I see thee in thy owne brightnesse O King of glory 4. All this greatnesse passeth with the figure of the world but the greatnesse of Heauen continueth eternally Title 33. At our going out of our Lodging 1. SEt my feet in thy paths O my God my way my truth and my life 2. Make me auoide and shun all bad company and turne away from mee all occasion of sinne 3. The Riuers run to the Sea the Starres holde alway their course the Elements tend to their Sphere all heauy thinges naturally descend to the Center Euen so I goe to thee Center of my affections Sphere of my soule Heauen full of benigne influence great Ocean of Charitie and Mercie Title 34. In beholding any Garden or Meddow 1. O Architect of the world which hast powred forth vpon this immouable and insensible world so great beautie and such varietie of odours and colours why dost thou not the same to the territorie of my soule 2. If the earth of the dying be so beautifull how beautifull is the land of the liuing 3. The dewe the rayne the influences of Heauen are not so necessarie for these flowers as the grace of God and fauourable aspect of the holy Ghost are necessarie for my soule Title 35. In seeing a Field Couered with Flowers 1. THe odour of the Son of God and the blessed Virgin Mary is like to the odour of a field vpon which our Lord hath powred out his blessings 2. If heauen were locally to be deuided to all the blessed Saints as was the Land of promise to the Israelites euery one should haue more for his part then the whole world what do I then here and what stayeth me here O my God Title 36. When one smelleth to a Nosgay 1 O how much sweeter art thou my sweete and beloued Iesus 2. When thou shalt be pleased O the loue of my soule thou shalt smell in me the Rose of Charitie the Lilly of Puritie the Violet of humilitie the Gilliflower of hope 3. I would and desire many things according to sense many things which I cannot get I make of them all a Nosegay as beeing your spouse to present vnto thee O the Spouse of my soule Title 37. When we admire the beautie of any building 1. EVen so the Birds highly prize esteeme the Rockes where they build their nests and the Ants their little holes where they lodge 2. All this is common both to the friends and enemies of God 3. What an habitation is that which thou reseruedst for thy Children O God of Israell what and how delightfull shall be the Tabernacles of Iacob seeing thou art so liberall to the tabernacles of Moab 4. One day in the house of God is more worth thē a thousand yeares in this base lodging in which the Beasts lodge with me 5. If such bee the habitation of the body exposed to sinne and subiect to death what shall be the habitation of the soule when it shall bee by grace impeccable as it is by nature immortall Title 38. When you beholde your selfe in a Glasse 1. Sweet IESVS the looking glasse of my life when shall I see my selfe in thee and thee in mee 2. My onely desire bee to please thee and my onely feare be to displease thee 3. I shall be beautifull in thy eyes when I shal be displeasing in my owne 4. The beautie of the body withereth and rotteth if it be not accompanied with the beautie of the soule 5. I will looke vpon the life of Saintes to behold in it as in a glasse my owne deformities 6. There are certaine persons which are alwaies running to their Looking-glasses I will haue no other looking-glasse but thee O Sonne of God in whom the Father as in a glasse seeth his owne essence and beholdeth his perfections 7. O what a looking glasse is that in which God the Father taketh a view of himselfe wherein consisteth his blessednesse Thou art the looking-glasse O eternall worde which representeth the essence substance thou takest from him Title 39. In putting on our Apparell 1. I Stand in more neede of vertues with which to adorne my soule then of this apparell wherewith I set forth my body Cloth me O my God with thy grace and couer my spirituall nakednesse with the rich robe of perfect Charitie 2. Iesus my loue when shall I put on thee pardon me the too great sollicitude and the ouer long time I spend in apparelling and decking my body a sacke of wormes a tombe of death a masse of flesh which is neuer satisfied 3. How long shal I serue with such attention this my slaue and pamper this my domestical enemie 4. I deserue not the name of a Christian nor so much as to appeare in thy presence if I haue not at least as great care of the beautie of my soule as I am sollicitous about the beautie of my body 5. Should I not now bee a Saint if I had done and endured thought and cast about as much for the one as I haue done for the other pardon me this vanitie O my God by the merits of Iesus Christ thy Son who is the true and amiable beautie 6. What were the cogitations and thoughts of the Mother of God of St. Edowing Dutches of Poland of St. Elizabeth Queene of Hungarie when they did put on their apparell 7. Our naturall and borrowed dresses put the crowne of Thornes vpon thy head our cherry-red vermilion adorne thy face with bloud and spittle I protest to thy diuine Maiesty in the presence of the Angels Saints that all the sollicitude care paine that I will henceforth take about this my miserable body shall be purely and simplie to discharge the vocation to which it hath pleased thee to call me beseeching thee not to permit that any thing be in me that may offend thee or be an occasiō of offence to any 8. I had rather be the foulest creature in the world then that my body should bee but once the occasion of any ones falling but into only one deadly sinne Make then of it O my God an Organ of Puritie and an instrument of thy Glory Title 40. Inputting off our Apparell 1. THis body of mine is nothing else but the garment of my soule which I must put off when the night of death approacheth 2. I will treat my body from henceforth as I would wish to haue
treated at the hower of death Giue me grace to doe it O my God 3. My apparell is the ornament of my body O that my body might serue for an ornament to my soule conuersing holily during the time of my abode in this world vntill thou O monarch of our liues commaund me to put off this mortall skin Title 41. In putting on Iewels and other ornaments 1. HOw much more precious are thy ornaments O blessed holy Ghost O my heauenly spouse the only beloued of my soule giue me the abillament of good example the Diamond of pacience the Rubie of charitie the Emrauld of hope the Topaze of humilitie the Sardonix of puritie 2. As our serges and clothes are the fleece of Sheepe our shooes the Skins of Beasts our Silkes and Veluetts the excrements of Wormes our Amber and perfumes the Mushrums of the Ocean and sweat of beasts our Feathers and Fannes the spoyle of the Birds our golde siluer white yellow earth euen so our precious stone are as it were the warts of the Orient mountains our Pearles the excrements of the Sea Such then is O God of truth the Attire of our vanitie Open then my eyes the eyes of all Christians that acknowledging our selues to be aparelled from the Brokers shop as kings vpoÌ„ the Stage as such miserable beggers as liue vpon the rich mens almes begged from the beasts We must seeke and take from thy liberal hand the ornaments of the soule which need cost vs nothing but the asking and the will to serue our selues of them Title 42. Washing our hands our face 1. MY hands my face were neuer soule by either speaking or looking but the face of my soule hath beene often defiled both by the one and the other 2. Wash me then and cleanse me O my God by all the teares of Iesus Christ thy Son by the bloudy sweat which issued out of his diuine person in the Garden of Gethsemanie by the miraculous water which together with blud issued out of his side It is the imperiall and heauenly water distilled by the fier of his charitie which alone can take away the spots of my soule and make the same pleasing vnto thy eyes powre it vpon me O God of puritie Title 43. When you vse your Fanne 1. DIuine winde which proceedest from the mouth of the Father the Son as froÌ„ one Origen coole and refresh the heat of my passions the distemper of my affections 2. Amiable Spirit desired winde dissipate the noughtie Ayre of our temptations the fierie exhalations raised by the irassible part of my soule the misty vapours exhaled from my concupiscence Title 44. When the Clocke striketh 1. SO much the lesse of my life is to runne 2. The Yard yâ— measureth our mortall Life is the houre out of which it followeth that neither mid-night nor mid-day euer strike but death hath taken away twelue yardes of my peece of cloath that is so much time of life or rather so many houres of my life 3. Soueraigne steward of our liues and disposer of our daies make me so passe this hower to come as I would haue wished to haue imployed all the houres of my life 4. I make an offer vnto thee O my God of all that euer I shall say doe or thinke vntill the next hower vniting them to the deedes wordes thoughts of Iesus Christ thy Sonne 5. The Periods of all time are comprised in the moment of thy aeternitie nothing is past nothing is to come before thee and all is there present And yet neuerthelesse we are free to doe or not to doe that which thou desirest And consequently it is in our power to giue thee either contentment or discontentment aeternall Permit not O my God that I euer charge thee with any such discontentment but make mee such an one temporally as thou desirest to see mee aeternally That so I may rather giue thee eternall contentment then one minute of discontentment 6. I make an offer vnto thee of all the time that I haue lost and euill imployed and in supply thereof I make a present of that time which hath measured the life and actions of my Lord thy Sonne beeing sorrie from my heart that I cannot recall those yeares that I haue so ill imployed I make then O my God an offer and sacrifice no lesse of that which I caÌ„not then of that which I can 7. O how late haue I known thee thou infinite goodnesse how late haue I loued thee ancient beautie that neuer fadest but alwaies coÌ„tinuest the same 8. Looke how many minutes there are in the houres or how many houres according in time eternall which are without number So often doe I blesse thee O thou ancient of dayes and I giue thee thankes more for that which thou art then for that which I am Title 45. Touching the care wee are to haue of our Children 1. THese are the beames of thy grace O Father of light these are thy gifts the workmanship of thy hands I offer them vnto thee as thine and I besâ—ech thee to take care of them as of thinges without comparison more oppertaining to thee then to me 2. Accept of all that I haue done doe or shal doe for them as being aliue wholy for thee for I haue no interest in them but from thee from whome they haue and of whome they holde body soule life 3. Abraham made but once only a sacrifice of his only son I make it not onely of mine but of my selfe and of all that I haue that so often as I breath foorth or take in my breath 4. When I feele in my selfe certaine effectes of tender loue towards them I begin to conceaue a new confidence and a wonderfull hope O my God knowing how much more tenderly thou affectest them then I doe or can Being assured that thy loue far surmounteth mine and that without all comparison O thrice happy condition of soules which call themselues are called by thee thy daughters 5. Haue I any right to these Children or any intrest comparable to that which thou hast I am ashamed to recommend them vnto thee For it were as much as to pray thee to haue care of that which is thine 6. No man buildeth a house to plucke it downe no man planteth a vinyard to root it vp nor soweth a field to burne the haruest How then canst thou neglect these yong plants planted by thy grace in the Orchard of thy Church watered with thy bloud designed by thee to be transported one day into the Garden of thy aeternitie 7. I sinne blinde buzzard that I am as too couetous louing to much that which they haue take away this ouerplus O Father of mercie Or if the force of nature must so farre preuaile that it must needs remaine impure the same to the excesse of that affectioÌ„ which I owe to all that with appertayneth to thee 8. I fall somtimes into certain
bee importune to him of whome he seekes the honour loue and seruice according to the measure of his will If I will any thing else heare me not grant it me not O my God 8. Content thou thy selfe in me and I shall be content dispose of me as of a thing that is thine and I shal be too happy 9. Why doe I wretch that I am mine owne will contrary to thy will or why preuailes my will which is not mine against the will which is both thine and mine 10. Haue I any secret corner of a stolne will to which I am not able to resist If it bee so O searcher of hearts plucke vp by the rootes from out of thy field this naughtie hearbe with all the dependants thereof But if there be no such thing lay holde on mee wholly for thy selfe seeing nothing can hinder me from being thine but an euill will the which I renounce as often as it is possible for mee to will or nill any thing 11. Herein thou hast particulerly formed me to thine owne Image and likenesse that I can will what thou canst will and as thy power is infinitely extended the capacitie of our will is of like extent with all the dimensions then of this will I beg of thee instantly the accomplishment of thy will and the annihilating of mine if any be to be found in me which is not thine 12. I could perticularly tye my will to some certaine obiect but I doe it no further then it ioynes with thy will this by thy grace I will this I intend this I protest 13. Why am I not then henceforth such an one as thou desirest I should bee shall it be said that my miserie hath preuailed against thy mercy my malice against thy goodnesse my nothing against thy omnipotencie my frailtie against thy inuincible strength my pouertie against thy riches my basenesse against thy greatnesse my indignitie against thy dignation my inconstant will against thy will which is eternall and immutable to be short that which I am against that which thou art Endure it not suffer it not permit it not O my God for this would redound much to thy dishonour 14. When I present vnto thee my desires either I present nothing or I intend to present vnto thee those very desires of Iesus Christ thy Son Giue place then O mercifull Father to the desires of thy Sonne in the person of thy seruant 15. Hee hath promised that thou wouldst grant vnto vs whatsoeuer we should desire in his name for his merits then accomplish his desires This is it which he I and thou wilt 16. My Redeemer thy Sonne hath two willes the one diuine th' other humaine His diuine will demaunds and commaunds that I be humble pacient charitable meeke aliue to thee and dead to my selfe His humaine will demaunds the same and hath deserued it Graunt then O Father graunt vnto thy Sonne the accomplishment of both wils both diuine and humaine So thou thy selfe shalt be serued thy sonne honoured the holy Ghost true God of loue be as he well deserueth loued Thy eternall Wisdome infinite godnesse did bestowe vpon me in my creation a free will I perceiue that it will not be vnlike vnto it selfe in forcing my will Neither shall it be needfull for thee so to doe if it shall please thee to bestow a grace vpon me so agreable to my will that without any violence I shall incline it to that which thou wilt This effectual grace I doe desire and aske of thee my God by the desires and merites of Iesus Christ thy Sonne my sole and solid hope 17. If I be troublesome importune and ouer bolde in asking I shall content my selfe O my God to haue obtained one grace which is that I may euer be correspondent and answerable to thy graces 18. My Lord if I know not what to doe grant that I may giue thee leaue to doe and that my doing at the least may bee to permit thee to doe 19. Take from thy selfe then that offence to see one so miserable giue vnto thy selfe that contentment that I may be such a one as thou wouldest I should be 20. Doe it not for me but for thy selfe not because I will so but because so is thy will not because I deserue it but for the merites of my Lord thy Sonne 21. There is not a wound in his sacred humanitie there is not a thorne in his crowne which maketh not intercession for me and beggeth not of thee incessantly that which thou commandest 22. Thou comaundest they demaund but I amend not my selfe who shall preuaile at the last in this fight 23. O Father get thee another Sonne of lesse merit then hee and of another nature then thine or doe his will and restore vnto him his merite 24. His infinite merit was not for himselfe the glory of his body and the exaltation of his name onely excepted These are my inheritance these are my riches this is my portion Deny me not that which it hath pleased thee to bestow vpon me and in doing iustice to thy Sonne exercise mercy towards thy seruant 25. If I were honoured with his prayers thou wouldst heare him and heare me So is it then that I can aske thee nothing I can desire nothing of thee that he doth not aske and desire and that with groanes which cannot be expressed Permit mee then to argue thus for thee against thee O my God 26. It is the will of God the holy Ghost that I bee perfect God the Sonne deserues it God the Father then being one and the same God with them ought to effect it 27 Most honourable Father in the consideration of that blessednesse thou hast in thy Son Word most amiable in contemplation of that being which thou haddest of thy Father Holy Ghost God of Charitie in remembrance of that Diuinitie which was communicated vnto thee by the Father and Sonne graunt that I be such as thou wouldst I should bee and that there be nothing in mee that may displease thee And hauing obtained this I will importune you no more 28. I am not worthy to pray for any whosoeuer no not so much as to appeare in thy presence or once to thinke of thee O God of soueraigne Maiestie which makes me first most humbly to aske thee pardon that I dare lift vp my thoughts so high as to thee And after this to craue that thou wilt be pleased to receiue my prayers not as proceeding from me but as inspired by thee And that the effects of them may answer thy desire and thy greater glorie to ioyne them with these of Iesus Christ thy sonne of his holy Mother of the Apostles Martyrs Doctors Virgins and confessors and those of either Church triumphant and militant It being so that the prayers sacrifices and good workes which we call past are alwaies existent subsistent present before thee The time past present and to come being one and the same thing in thy
didst bring to the world the most happy newes that euer was or shall be by the loue of him who sent thee to the honour of him who was by thee Named and Announced and for the regard to her to whome thou broughtest the'mbassage obtaine for me the grace that I may be obedient to the Father pleasing to the Sonne and singularly deuoted to the Mother 2. O if I so willingly conceiued and so readily consented to the voyce of my God as did the blessed Virgin to thine I should march apace to perfection I beseech thee by the ioy that the spirit felt when the Diuine word effected thy word putting on the ragges of our mortalitie that thou wilt be pleased to obtaine for mee this fauour of God that I neuer resist his inspirations that I be attentiue to his voyce that for lacke of execution I make not sad the holy Ghost Obtaine I say for me this grace thou speciall embassador of the Diuinitie 3. Embassadour of God Legate of Paradice Nuncies of the coelestiall Empire if any thing bee cause of our ruines for repayring of which the Son of God espoused himselfe to a nature inferiour to thine it was frailtie and ignorance This appertaineth to the soule that to the body From both th' one and th' other thou art free being a spirit and full of knowledge I dare then adiure thee by that which thou art to remedy that which I am and to obtaine of him who did according to thy word more for me then thou shalt euer be able to doe that I may know from henceforth his holy will in all thinges and that in the execution I may be strong and puissant Thy most holy Name signifieth diuine force and valour obtaine for me this force against our common aduersaties and against the most daungerous enemie that I knowe which is the loue of my selfe 4. I salute thee and thanke thee with all my hart messenger of happy newes and I beâ—eech thee to encrease my obligacion by encreasing the seruice which by me thou maist render then when thou shalt obtaine for me the grace not to be as thou art but together with thee a fit Instrument and Organe to set forth the glory of God Title 9. To the Angell Guerdian 1. GOuernour of my life guide of my pilgrimage Torchbearer of my vnderstanding maister of my soule what thankesgiuing shall I render vnto thee for the infinite obliâ—ations â—a poore sinner haue vnto thee whome thou hast serued and assisted though vnworthy and vngratefull from the instant of my birth preseruing mee from so many euils of sinne as I might haue incurred from so many dangers as my body hath passed and had fallen into haddest thou not fauoured mee If I should thanke thee as often as I breath I could not satisfie my obligation neither will I nor can I doe it but in him by whom and for whose loue thou hast beene so faithfull to mee Aske then thy recompence of him for so many benefits and permit not that I dye vngratefull towards thee least I dye miserable in the fight of God 2. Vnfatigable friend the infamous odour of my sinnes might haue caused thee to haue withdrawne thy selfe from me as stinke chaseth away Doues and smoke Bees And yet notwithstanding thou hast had patience to stay neere to this dunghill with charitie greater then tongue can vtter and with longanimitie altogether Angelicall Thankes be giuen vnto thee by all the courts of Heauen and by all those creatures which haue interest in my saluation all whom thou hast together with mee obliged vnto thee If euer I come as by thy mediation I hope I shall to the hauen of beatitude I will render vnto thee O my louing and beloued Patroâ— the principall and arrerages of so many so speciall and so particular obligations in the presence of him whom thou incessantly lookest in the face How often had I fallen into riuers into flames into dungeons into the hands of my visible and inuisible enemies How often had Sathan styfled mee whilest I was drinking eating sleeping walking especially at those times when he perceiued mee to be out of the grace of God if thou O my guide and singuler benefactor hadst not broken his strength and dissipated his designes 3. So many times thou hast saued my life as thou hast preserued me from deadly sinne so many times thou hast rendered vnto me my life as thou hast raysed me out of deadly sinne A life a thousand times more precious then that of the body and consequently a benefit as much greater as aeternitie exceedeth time grace nature the glorious state of the Saintes the miserable condition of the damned Thankes therefore be vnto thee as many times as there are moments in time oâ— imaginable minutes in aeternitie 4. What shall I say of thy going from God to vs and returning from vs to God exciting the one appeasing the other carrying vp our prayers and bringing downe his presents what of so many inspirations secret motions benigne influences so many interiour and exteriour endes so many Angelicall inuentions deuises stratagems of Charitie as thou hast vsed to retire mee from vice and the inclinations of a corrupt nature to draw me to the loue of him whom loue made to dye for me There is no meanes how in this vally of teares and in the midst of this Aegyptian darknesse I may know the thousand part of these oblgations and how shall I then bee able to acknowledge them Finish then O sage Pilot this my perilous Nauigation end this chiefe work which hitherto hath put thee to so great paine For if thou shalt haue fully accomplished this I shall haue meanes to recompence that which is past to repaire that which is lost and to make euen my debts Looke well then into it as is thy custome O my guide it concernes thee exceeding much seeing thereupon depends the glory of God and the saluation of a soule coÌ„mitted to thy charge 5. And if it be possible that thou shouldst not be interessed in my saluation I am content that thou neglect both th' one and th' other Hee which was made man for mee that liued heere for me that dyed for me that hath giuen me his body for meat and his bloud for drinke hee that hath honoured mee with the title of sonne and brother hee that calleth and nameth himselfe my spouse hee who bowing downe the Heauens of his greatnesse vouchsafed to serue mee hee that would dye againe if it were needfull and for me endure againe all that hee hath suffered hee I say perswades yea nothing else Do then that which thou shalt iudge to be according to his will Sweet friend and charitable tutor I will put no other rule no no other then thou thy selfe dost put which is the very great glory of him to whom wee all appertaine by condition obligation and election to whome be all praise honour and glory world without end Title 10. To the Angels 1.