as from the sea do flow great quantities of waters which it receaues againe not being kept so do graces flow froÌ„ the Sea of Marie in great plentie yet with flowings and ebbings through our ingratitude and not making vse therof But if after our neglect of her fauours we returne as we ought to beg them againe though we receaue no effectual benefits by her first offers which we refused yet doth she dayly offer them againe with this differeÌ„ce from those flowings of the liquid seas that they go and come to and fro of course and at certain times with stints but she is readie euerie moment to communicate her fauours without limits so we wil but open the chanels of our harts to let them in As al Wels Springs and Fountaines deriue from the Sea the Sea virtually containes the nature and qualities of al Well-springs current fountaines and riuers By which waters are aptly vnderstood the three degrees of graces which through our Ladie flow into our harts to wit the Incipient or preuenient grace in the first beginnings of our conuersioÌ„s the Proficient by which we proceed to vertuous actions through grace receaued the Perfect grace which is the ful consummation therof and is indeed a constant perseuerance to the end in al vertues This Incipient or commencing grace is signifyed by the Well or spring of liuing waters because these springs haue their waters secret hiddeÌ„ vnder ground they suddenly arise and no man knowes from whence so preuenient grace is by vs not merited at al but springs and is powred into vs through a secret and hidden inspiration of GOD no man can tel how or whence but often comes through the intercession of the IncoÌ„parable Mother of mercie and the Sea of graces being called the liuing Waters for that by this grace are sinners dead in sinnes as viuifyed to life The Fountain-water is vnderstood to be grace ProficieÌ„t wherof is sayd the Fountain of the Gardens which gardens of GOD are the good Proficients in grace vertues in whome are the hearbs plants of al vertues in a flourishing state which yet could not spring at al nor grow a whit much lesse seeme to prosper flourish vnles by this fountain they were watered with grace being a Fountain indeed ascending from the earth which waters the vniuersal face therof By the Riuer-water which flowes with violeÌ„ce is perfect grace to be vnderstood which is sayd to flow with violence because such as are replenished therwith are very earnest and sollicitous in the works of vertue and proceed with feruour therin Looke where the force of the spirit leads them thither wil they go with a violence and impetuositie as it were The Sea is alwayes ful and neuer wasts and so our Ladie was announced by the Angel to be ful of grace as truly she was a vast and immense Sea of al graces Of whom the mellifluous S. Bernard sayth vpoÌ„ those words of Aue gratia plena In the mouth truly was she ful of affabilitie in her womb with the grace of the Deitie in her hart with the grace of chatitie in her hand or work with the grace of mercie and liberalitie So likewise are the waters of the Sea exceeding bitter and our Virgin Marie was amarum mare that is a bitter Sea for diuers respects First for sorrow for the losse of her Sonne in the Temple Behold thy Father and I haue sought thee with sorrow Then was she bitter meerly of compassion in beholding the Spouses in the Nuptials to be abashed confounded for want of wine she had compassion of the Iewish nation while she saw them to be reprobate and forsaken of GOD She pittied the Apostles in seing them dispersed in the passion of her Sonne But especially was she bitterly sorie at the passion of her Sonne when the sword of sorrow traÌ„sfixed her hart and lastly was she bitter for her tedious pilgrimage heer so long and therefore would she say Alas how my â—iâ—grimage is prolonged THE EMBLEME THE POESIE NO sooner was the infant-world disclos'd But that God's Spirit on the Sea repos'd Borne on the waters did impart a heat By influence diuine a fertil seat He made that vast and barren Ocean's wombe T was fruitful when the Holie-Ghost was come The sacred Virgin was a Sea like this But darknes on the face of the Abysse Was neuer on her Soule that shined bright From her first being for GOD sayd Let light Be made the Word was in this Sea compriz'd When th' Holie-Ghost the waters fertiliz'd THE THEORIES COntemplate first that when the world was first created that the waters were diuided as it were by the Firmament while part was put aboue the Firmament and part beneath the waters beneath on the earth were called by the name of Maria or Seas and the Spirit of GOD as we haue it in Genesis did incubare super aquas couer as we say or ouershadow the waters Which was a work of the first Creation So in the work of our Redemption where the blessed Virgin Maria by name which signifyes the Seas also it pleased the Eternal Word leauing the delicious bosome of the heauenlie Father to descend into this Sea of human miseries to take them vpon him and the Holie-Ghost likewise to ouershadow her withal Consider then in the Temple of Salomon that as besides other riches and ornaments there as the Propitiatorie aboue the Cherubins and Seraphins of each side therof the golden Candlestick in the midst the Altars of Perfumes and of Propitiation heer and there with the lamps the Veyle the Ark and the like in their places was planted a great vessel of Brasse ful of water at the entrance of the said TeÌ„ple where the Priests were to cleanse themselues before they entred to Sacrifice and this Vessel was called Mare aeneum or the brazen Sea So ought the Priests in our Churches before they enter or approach vnto the dreadful Sacrifice of al Sacrifices the Sacrifice of the Masse to recurre to this Mare aeneum our Blessed Ladie to procure them a puritie of soule to assist therat or approch thervnto Ponder lastly that as GOD the soueraigne Lord of al things communicates his offices and charges to men according to his most holie and Diuine dispensation very suitable and agreable to euerie one as to Moyses the office of a Law-giuer to his people of Israel to AaroÌ„ the office of high Priest to Iosue of Captain Leader of them into the land of promise and consequently gaue them talents accordingly to discharge the same very punctually in al things So is it likelie that in choosing his Mother he vsed the self-same tenour in his fayre dispositioÌ„ therof to wit in appointing her so to be the Starre of the Sea he ordeyned her no doubt to be the Ladie of the Sea as her name imports Now then as in the Seas he hath drencht and plunged as it were
such complacencie in the Rainebow that when he is in the highest point of his iust choler if he cast but his eye thervpon he is suddenly appeased I wil looke on my Bow and wil remember c sayth he And no maruel surely since the Bow he regards so much is the Symbol heer of his deerest Mother the Incomparable Virgin Let vs see then how this heauenlie Bow deciphers the Queen of Heauen this mirrour of Nature and the astonishment of man-kind The Generation and extract of anie thing discouers it most This Iris then or Raynebow is caused by the reflexion of the Sunnie beames vpon a lucid clowd concaue and waterish Clowdes are engendred of the marine vapours or exhalation of the seas where the vapoural parts of the Ocean are attracted by the vertue of the Sun which conglomerated togeather engender a clowd when the brackishnes of the Sea-water is turned to sweetnes And so was our Ladie a true clowd since in her were found these marine vapours that is incredible tribulations bitter and brackish of themselues though to her made sweet through the force and vertue of Diuine Loue. The Sunnie beames therefore that is the grace of GOD being a ray as it were of the Diuine Essence reflecting on the purest Virgin a lucid clowd concaue and waterish produced the Iris or Rainebow in the Hierarchie of the Church as in the firmament of the Heauens and therefore called the Iris or Celestial Bow a signe of the Reconciliation of GOD with al mankind She was concaue through humilitie and therefore very apt to receaue the rayes of the Sunne of Iustice the influence of Diuine graces as she was waterish no lesse through compassion and pietie because her hart was a Spring and her eyes as continual-standing pooles of teares A bow commonly hath a string is bent with an arrow in it and hath the horns conuerted towards vs as menacing the Foes Our Blessed Vigin is a Bow indeed but without the string of seueritie because most iust and without menaces and feare because most sweet and hath two horns withal to wit Grace and Mercie which she holdeth towards vs while grace she affordeth to the iust and mercie to sinners and is therefore called the Mother of Grace and Mother of Mercie Aboue al the Rayne-bow hath its proper subsistence in coulour which it seemes to borrow as Bede sayth of the foure Elements For of the fire it contracts a ruddie coulour from the water a Cerulean from the ayre the coulour of the Hyacinth and from the earth the green it hath al which seeme spiritually to be found in our Celestial Bow the Incomparable Ladie for red she was being wholy inflamed with the fire of Diuine loue which she tooke from the Diuine fire God being our consuming fire a fire indeed that burns and consumes others but not her because although she were a bush and burning too yet incombustible She might borrow that coulour likewise from her dead Sonne as he lay on her lap being taken from the Crosse al bathed with his precious Bloud which mixed with her faire complexion might wel appeare like to flames in our heauenlie Iris. She had the Cerulean which is the coulour of the Sea because she is properly the Starre of the Sea and hath therefore a great correspondencie with that liquid Element and through meer compassion was become as it were al liquid according to that of the Psalmist My hart is become as dissolued or liquifyed wax as wel for the abundance of teares she was wont to shed as the puritie of her mind which made them so limpid and cleare She had thirdly the coulour of the Hyacinth which she tooke as from the ayre since al her conuersation was in the ayre as it were abstracted from the earth or terrene cogitations She was wholy as the Bird of Paradise which hath no feet to touch the earth with from the time that her Sonne ascended to heauen from the mount Oliuet she could do nothing but cast vp her eyes thither-wards and so powerfully perhaps contracted that coulour through the vehemencie of her attention and application to that object til her Assumption haply when she left it by the way in her Bow to remayne for euer as a signe of her puritie But now to conclude with the green which she tooke from the earth what might it be but a continual Spring of al Graces and Vertues which she practised on earth Looke into a garden in that season of the Spring and whatsoever your eyes can behold truly delicious there in the greennes of the plots and arbours both open and close and in the green-sword allies and bancks your vnderstanding shal be able to paralel and find-out her vertuous conuersation on earth For if you consider her green walks they were al as streight as garden-walks for streight were the paths of her whole life If on the arbours you shal find her continually in her closet her plots were nothing els but how to become more gratful to her Sonne her Spouse her Lord and those alwayes new euer green so as in the garden of her mind was a perpetual Spring to be seen of al vertues while she liued amongst vs no maruel then the green was so dear vnto her to be put into her bow THE EMBLEME THE POESIE FRom heauen the Father viewes his Sonne below Vpon the Crosse as on a clowde a Bowe When vapours from the earth exhal'd arise The Mother likewise sees with mourning eyes Her Sonne al black blew pale wan red Green with a crowne of thornes fixt on his head Al which reflect by reflexion die The Mother like a Raine-bow in the skie To her for mercie when the Sinner sues The Sonne his Mother as a Raine-bow viewes That pleades for mercie to her Sonne appeales Who signes the Pardon and his Wounds are Seales THE THEORIES COntemplate first that if Nature be able to frame so rare a peece of workmanship as the Rayne-bow and that no wit of man can truly comprehend the reasō of its forme and figure with the admirable diuersitie of coulours in it so as among her other works most choice and rare the same is accounted as a cheef miracle in Nature in the visible Heauens I imagin the while what GOD himself is able to doe in his works of Grace being disposed as it were to vye with Nature in framing an Iris likewise in this Heauen of Heauēs to astonish not Mortals only but the Angels and blessed Spirits themselues better able to iudge of the diuersitie of coulours in her to wit the mysteries and graces wherewith he hath adorned her Consider then that as the Rayne-bow of it-self is no more then a meer Meteor in the ayre if it be so much whose whole luster it takes from the Sun and vanisheh as soone as he is either in a clowd or hath his aspect some other way since it is wholy of him and so of him as
himself was not contriued without them both And first for the Dining-roome King Salomon made him a Throne of the wood of Libanus which woodē Throne was the blessed Virgin because the heauenlie Prince and bride-groome sate and lay sweetly reposed in her armes and wombe delightful vnto him while he took flesh of her She was a Bride-chamber because a golden couch For as gold is beautiful incorruptible and refulgent So was her vertue golden because beautiful for sinceritie of manners incorruptible through priuiledge of Virginitie and refulgent for her luster of Vertues O how beautiful behold the beautie of her manners Chast generation see the priuiledge of Virginitie With clarity note the luster of Vertues Consider then that as a House hath also Galleries for recreation and delight so had our Mystical House heer delicious galleries to walke in and for varietie three to wit the lower the middle and the vpper gallerie The lower was sustained with siluer pillars and therefore is it sayd that wisedome erected siluer pillars The middle was paued with precious stones according to that The middle was strewed with charitie The highest was hangd with silks and purples and therefore is added a purple ascent The lower gallerie of this virginal house was the precious bodie of the Virgin the middle her purest soule and the highest her sublime and Angelical spirit Her bodie was the lower gallerie because her sensualitie was neuer prone to euil but alwayes cōformable to reason Her soule the second because strewed with precious stones that is Diuine vertues Her Spirit was the vpper gallerie adorned with purple hāgings for being so enflamed with charitie or wounded with the sorrow of her Sonne 's passion or sprinckled with his bloud Ponder lastly as a house especially the Pallace of Kings requires to be spacious and ample so was this House our Ladie being the House of GOD most spacious wide according to that which the Church sings of her Whom the heauens can not containe hast thou held in thy lap Secondly wide and ample in cōpassion while she receaues al and refuseth none into the bowels of her mercie receauing the tempted in prtoecting them from the snares of the Diuel Sinners in obtaining mercie and grace for them the Iust in conseruing thē in grace obtained and lastly the Dying in receauing their soules into her protection and therefore sayd to be Mother of grace and mother of mercie THE APOSTROPHE O Sacred House Temple of the Diuinitie Diuine Tabernacle of the liuing GOD A work surely much greater thē the workmāship of the world besides O sacred Pallace framed by the Diuine hand with admirable art and most exquisit choice matter a peece of workmāship without peer erected by the Diuine Wisedome imputrible Arck incorruptible vessel Celestial Tēple Cittie of God Oh what glorious things are sayd of thee Thou wast ordained eternally before the earth was made The Lord hath possessed thee frō the beginning of his wayes thou wast before his works Thou wast begot when as yet there was no abysses seen thou wast formed before moūtaines were yet placed Whē he prepared the heauēs was thou presēt By al the se faire prerogatiues we beseech thee Incōparable peece of his handie work so lōg designed premeditated before hād so exactly framed at last to his owne Idea designe that in vs likewise his eternal designe of predestinatiō through our defaults may not vtterly perish THE XVI SYMBOL THE HEN. THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Hen is that gentle Hart that contents herself with the common Apellatiue of her sex as others ambitiously vsurp strange titles as in Hawkes for males or females as the māner is to be called Ladie Mistris the like she wil go no higher then the stile of plaine Goodwif be called the Hen and wil take it amisse to be termed otherwise Yet is she the dear consort of the generous Chantecler and his deerest beloued partner and most indiuidual cōpanion She is very familiar and domestical and that so truly as she wil neuer goe from home so much as a flights shot But is so kind-harted to al especially to her owne children as she hath not a dish which she shares not among them It is sport to see how she knocks to her dresser to haue thē come quickly if she haue but a bit worth the eating and then to see what strife there wil be amōgst the litle fry of them for a single graine of corn as the ambitious of the world for a Crowne scepter or as Caesar and Pompey for the Empire and Dictatourship of Rome itself while the Hen falles a deluing and digging afresh for more She wil be as fierce as a Tigre or Nemean Lionesse against the assassinats who are so bold at to seaze on her familie when she wil bristle her self and fly in the faces of the cruelest Bandites that are of the lād or Pirats of the ayre on behalf of her brood and triumph as fast if she come but handsomly off with her owne And then must al the world take notice of her conquests and she be recounting the same to her deer consort who wil swel therat and bristle as fast and euen menace the skyes in his greatestcholer She is no great Arithmetician and hath but a shallow memorie for she neuer knowes how manie yong she hath so she haue anie at al she is pleased alike She loues not her children so much as the name of Mother which holds in one as wel as a 100. She is not a Castle or Bulwark which keep their stands attending the assailants but as a Pinck at sea wel man'd wil meet and encounter the Aduersaries themselues and defye them to their teeth and with the sayles of her wings wil seeme to fetch the wind of them to fly the fuller into their faces But if she be let alone and not prouoked there is noe Doue more meek and gentle them she THE MORALS TVTELA FIDISSIMA IT is hard to say which is better to giue protection to others or to find it for themselues this am I sure of the first is more specious and glorious the latter more happie and secure It is sayd indeed Beatius est dare quà m accipere because it is supposed who hath to giue hath otherwise no need to craue wherin the beatitude consists wheras who finds protection now was of late in distresse or feare of danger so as though he hath the happines now to dry vp his waterie eyes yet not the priuiledge to haue them neuer to dry To giue protectiō inuolues a power to be able to afford it to take the same implyes a necessite to recurre vnto it the first hath a kind of obligation with it if not of iustice of charitie at least to yeald his succours in which estate he euer stands cōsequently in a state of seruitude because obliged But the secōd discouers his impotencie only and
in the dust which especially they do for three causes as wel by busking therinto satisfy the itching they haue in thēselues to mēd their plumes feathers as also to shakeoff the venī about thē Our Hen likewise most willingly busked rould herself in herdust ashes also Dust is the beginning of humā generatiō the origin of our vile extractiō Ashes the verie Epilogue therof whence both are the Symbol of our birth end thēce Humilitie Al mē are earth ashes Why art thou proud thou earth ashes In these cogitations the like as in a heap of dust the most Blessed Virgin continually volued herself reuoluing nothing so much in mind as her dust and proper extraction Whence that Behold the handmayd of our Lord. God hath regarded the lowlines of his hand mayd But how then O mysterious Hen louest thou dust so wel hating al fowlnes and sordities so much Feltst thou the itching of Vanitie a whit that thou shouldst scrape in that sort No not the least itching of vaine ostentation infested thee the immaculate Virgin Or wouldst thou haue pranckt thy quils plumage of supernal affects It was not needful since they were without anie lets to hinder them at al. Or was thy intention to shake off at least any euil cogitations Not so likewise no such thing had euer accesse or ingresse into that purest mind No temptation of arrogancie ostentation or pride could euer find admittance there But truly this it was thou louedst Humilitie which thou knewest to be gratful and acceptable to thy Sonne which could no where more appeare then in the dust of human nullitie then in the ashes of mortalitie and thy proper annihilation An other reason may be also why thou diggest so in the dust of thy Nothing to find as Hens are wont in the dust some food more acceptable to them for this is a maine cause likewise of their so frequent scraping in the dust who knowes perhaps whether they may not light on a gemme or no for so it hath been knowne The most humble Virgin Marie indeed euen nourished herself with humilitie as a most sauourie food vnto her this she supposed to lye in the dust of her proper abiection and therefore with clawes of consideration neuer left she digging and scraping it forth nor was she anie whit deceaued the earth of her abstraction gaue her abundantly to feed most deliciously And which is more she found in so doing the precious gemme indeed which was so enamoured with her humilitie as he euen stoopt into the dust to be there found by this mysterious and blessed Hen. THE EMBLEME THE POESIE NO mother like the Hen preserues her yong Protects shelters with her wings her tongne Is clucking with a sad and doleful note Call's back her chickens when they are remote And if they come not chides sharp shril lowd With beck tallions fights for them Thus shrow'd OVirgin Mother while the Puttock flies The Prince of darknes who with watchful eyes Seekes for my Soule his prey The Hen is knowne Careful of al. Yet if she hath but one Her care 's as great So 's thine of one or other Then to me Sinner shew thy self a mother THE THEORIES COntemplate first the great magnanimitie of the Hen in defence of her chickens as aboue sayd And then reflect vpon the courage and fortitude of our victorious Patronesse the glorious Virgin especially in the protection likewise of her Children for to her enemies is she terrible as a battail wel arrayed As an armie wel marshalled is a terrour to the enemies and makes them fly at the sight thereof before they enter into fight so are the Diuels danted at the presence of this inuincible Champion standing in defence of her Clients and Children Consider then the great compassion of the Hen towards her yong which appeares in this that with the sick and infirme she wil be infirme she is so sollicitous in feeding them as she finds not a graine but she calles them to her to participate therof And for her care of preseruing them from danger she clucks them vnder her wings from the rapin of the kites and the like rauenous fowle And then weigh withal the tender compassion the Virgin-Mother hath euer shewen towards vs her Children and Seruants in being so sollicitous to feed vs while she was on earth with the food of her doctrine She hath opened her mouth in wisedome and the law of clemencie in her toung and for custodie how she hides vs vnder her wings and protects vs from the snares of the Diuel For this is she to whom was sayd that two great wings were giuen her The one the wing of Mercie to which Sinners do fly to be reconciled to GOD according to the Prophet Protect me vnder the shadow of thy wings The other that of Grace vnder which the Iust remaine to be conserued in grace and may say with him likewise She hath shadowed vs with her shoulders Ponder lastly how the Hen not only sits vpon her owne egs but sometimes strangers likewise as the egs of Ducks and pea-hens put into her nest which being hatched the Ducks according to kind wil betake themselues to the waters and there diue and plunge themselues ouer head and eares and the yong pea-hens enamoured with their owne beautie wil forsake their tender nurse that bred them vp And then weigh withal how manie strange and vngratful children our mysterious Hen the admirable Virgin cherishes and nurse with her daylie protection who requite her il for al her care in trayning them vp THE APOSTROPHE O Queen of Angels saluted hy the Archangel adored by the Powers of Heauen Mistrisse of Vertues Dutchesse of Principalities Ladie of Dominations Princesse of Thrones more highly aduanced then the Cherubins themselues more enflamed with ardour os Diuine loue then al the Seraphins The first next to God the second in the Role or Register of the Predestinate Thou most terrible to thy foes as an Host wel arrayed and yet infirme with the infirme as a Hen amid her chickens most tender of them a most sure bulwark for them against al incursions and assaults of forren and domestick enemies either visible or inuisible O thou who through thy Sonne and thy matchles humilitie hast crushed the Serpent's head through thy holie prayer and intercession I beseech thee let Sathan be trampled likewise vnder thy Seruants feet O grant this same mysterious and Indulgent Bird of Paradice THE XVII SYMBOL THE PEARL THE DEVISE THE CHARACTER THE Pearl or Margaret the Lillieamōg Iewels is the peerlesse Gemme of Nature so much happier then the rest as nobler descended then they this being bred in the womb of the sea and they in the bowels of the earth If they be stillicides from Heauen as some think they are the milkie drops distilled from Iuno's breast which Sol parcheth into seeds which seeds empearle in
this mysterious ship brought the Celestial Bread vnto vs being no lesse then from heauen to the earth an immense distance shewing yet a greater distance of natures in that this Bread consists of the Diuine and human nature which are infinitly distant one from the other togeather with the distance of merits because no merits had euer deserued that for our sakes GOD should become MaÌ„ Which bread it seemed she likewise made her self so signifyed by that Woman in the Ghospel who mingled togeather the three haÌ„d-fuls of meale as heer are vnited the soule the bodie and the Diuinitie itself O glorious Baker of so heauenline bread O Diuine bread so mysteriously made And most rich and precious Ship that conueighed the same to vs from parts so remote Lastly as the Ship vseth the Winds only to sayle with the Galley passes not to fro without the help of oares So likewise between the blessed Virgin and the rest of Saints this difference is that they as Galleyes performe the nauigation of this life with the strength of the oares as it were against the wind and tyde of carnal difficulties and trauel with infinit encounters of worldlie assaults vnto their heauenlie Countrie But the blessed Virgin with the gentle gale of the Holie-Ghost and the most sweet push thereof was conueighed thither And as the Ship is driuen with twelue sorts of seueral winds the blessed Virgin like a prosperous Ship with the twelue fruits of the Holie-Ghost which S. Paul reckons vp as with so manie fauourable winds without rebellion or impugnation of sinne or anie Remora to stop her course was sweetly wafted to the hauen of the Celestial Countrie THE EMBLEME THE POESIE A Iewish Rabby sayes the Angels fed On Manna But an other better read Affirmes ' t was Light condens'd so made meat For men which shin'd before God's glorious seat As food of Angels True for one of three The Second Person of the Trinitie Descends sayes He is the liuing bread He was the light whereon the Angels fed Which when the Holie-Ghost o'er cast his shade Was first condends'd when Flesh the Word was made In Maries womb wherewith our Soules are fed She is the Ship that brought from farre her bread THE THEORIES COntemplate first that as Ships of Salomon as we read of in the book of Kings brought most precious gold from Ophir to adorne the Temple he had built to the Maiestie of GOD So our mystical Ship brought forth our Lord the finest gold not from Ophir truly but from the most precious Mines of HeaueÌ„ with whose merits as the daughters of Hierusalem deckt their heads in memorie of Salomon's yealow hayre and Crowne So the Catholick Church is most gloriously enriched honoured and delighted by our second Salomon's glorious merits through whose valew and inestimable price great suÌ„mes of debts are defrayed with whose admirable vertue as with a most present antidote are the sick and infirme cured and the harts of the faythful coÌ„forted finally through his meruelous luster and bright splendour the Temple of the Church incredibly shineth Consider then that wheras other Ships are subiect to infinit dangers in the Seas being tossed with teÌ„pests and oftentimes cast away and swallowed vp in the waues or dasht against the Rocks for Ecclesiasticus sayth Who trauel on the seas do recount their perils either tyrannized by the winds or falling into the hands of Pirats or running on the Sirtes or Scylla and falling sometimes into the gulf of Charibdis lastly allured through the Sirens songs to their owne destruction Yet this Ship of our Ladie heer while of the one side the stormes of Original sinne had no power vpoÌ„ her so as she felt not the least internal rebellion of the bodie or mind against the rectitude of Reason and of the other was inuincibly through the Diuine assistance preserued against the assaults of the ghostlie Enemie So as neither the Syrtes or Scylla of riches nor the Charibdis of worldlie honour nor the Pirats of Concupiscence nor the Sirens of eternal delights could stopp or hinder her in the fayre nauigation she made vnto the heauenlie Countrie Ponder lastly that as heretofore in the vniuersal Deluge floud of Noë in that general inundation of the wrath furie of GOD was no maÌ„ saued or anie liuing creature besides except such only as fled to the Arck of Noë built in effect as a goodlie statelie Ship So no sinner escapes the indignation of GOD but such as hye theÌ„selues fly vnto the Virgin-Mother for refuge according to that of S. Bernard If thou darestnot approach to the Maiestie of GOD least thou melt as wax before the fire go to the Mother of Mercie shew her thy wounds she for thee wil shew her breast paps the Sonne to the Father his side wouÌ„ds The Father wil not deny the Sonne requesting the Sonne wil not deny the Mother crauing the Mother wil not deny the sinner weeping My children why feare you to go to Marie she is not austere she is not bitter but milke honie is vnder her toÌ„gue This is the Ladder and honie is vnder her tongue This is the Ladder of sinners this my great confidence this the whole reason of my hope And what meruel For can the Sonne repel the Mother or be repelled of the Mother Neither one nor other Let not therefore humane frailtie feare to approach vnto her For she is wholy sweet and sweetnes itself THE APOSTROPHE O Thou â—al and goodlie Arck thou valiant Woman valiant by excellence more faire then Rachel more gracious then Hester more pleasing then Sara more gentle and generous then Iudith more sweet and chast then Abiseig the Sunamite more officious and prudent then Abigail more magnanimous then Debora more illumined then Marie the Sister of Moyses Thou who hast found grace before the eyes of GOD work with thy prayers most dear Ladie O my most noble Princesse that I may alwayes find grace before thy Sonne Thou who through thy Sonne hast broken the head of the Serpent crush likewise through thy holie prayers his head vnder thy Seruants feet Thou Ship of the great GOD who from those counries so farre remote hast brought to vs the bread of Paradise true GOD in flesh Grant I beseech thee I may be fed with the bread of grace of life and wisdome and that receauing the sacred bread of Angels which is the precious Bodie of sweet IESVS thy Sonne I may euen suck in the fountain itself the most sweet pleasures and the most pleasing sweetnesses of the Diuinitie and be wholy inebriated with the torrent of Diuine consolations THE CONCLVSION TO HIS PROPER GENIVS NOW heer my Genius shalt thou dismisse thy Reader with his Ship ful fraught with the prayses of the sacred Parthenes and shutting vp thyself in this Parthenian Paradice walk in it vp and downe by thyself alone without eye or arbiter to witnes the secret