is at their beds feete who the same night is to let fly his dart and arrowe at them and to sende them from their bed to hell and from their soft boulster to a burning furnace of fire and of eternall flames Hapned it not so to Holofernes c Sisara d the rich glutton e to the slouthfull seruant in the gospell f â—o a thousand others who laying theÌ„ downe like vnto these and falling a â—leepe in perfect health haue bene found stone dead on the morrow morninge a Malach. 1. 6. Mat. 5. 6. 23. Rom. 8. 15. 16. b l. 1. c. 1. c Iudith 13. d Iudg. 4. e Luc. 16. f Luc. 12. Watch yee therfore saith our Lord that is to say stande vpon your garde put your selues in good estate for you know not when the Lord of the house cometh at euening or at midnight or at the cock crowing lest coming vpon a sodaine be finde you sleepinge that is to say in sinne without care without solicitude for the saluation of your soule and that which I say to you I say to all watch Marc. 13. 35 §. 1. Of the examen of our conscience The examen of our conscience consisteth in three pointes 1. To thanke God for all benefitâ— receiued and particularly of that day 2. To search and seeke forth diligently all the thoughtes wordes and workes of that day in the selfe same maner as if one should confes himself 3. To excite an act of Contrition with a firme purpose of amendment and to be confest with the first occasion See the act of Contrition pag. 265. Next to recommend him selfe to the good protection of almighty God of our B. Ladie his Angell gardian and of his patrons This practise is maruellous profitable for by an act of true contrition all sinnes are forgiuen albeit we remaine obliged to confes them to the priest in so much that if a person hauinge committed a great number of mortall sinnes after he shall haue excited in him such an act of contrition should come to die sodainly not hauing the meanes for to confes them he should be assured of his saluation as contrariwise not hauing made this act he should be damned infallibly See you the importance Marke now what the holy scripture and holy fathers say In the 4. psal 5. The thinges that you say in your hartes be yee sorry for that is to say for euill thoughtes and with much more reason for euill workes in your chambers That is to say aske God forgiuenes in going to bed Which S. Chrisostome explicating saith What meaneth this The thinges that you say in your hartes c. that is to say after supper when you goe to bed being alone in peace and silence iudge your conscience and demand an account of your selfe seeke forth all the bad actions of the day and hauing set â—hem before you take vengance of them and put them to death by a holy compunction And in the 76. Psal v. 6. I thought vpon old dayes and the eternall yeares I had in minde and I meditated in the night with my hart and I was exercised and swept my spirit that is to say examining my conscience and cleansing iâ— by a holy sorrow as S. Aug. expoundeth it And the same that holy Dauid did the same did kinge Ezechias as is to be found in Isay 38. 15. S. Anthonie was wont to recommend it seriously to his Disciples Athanas in his life as also S. Cyprian ser de pass Christi S. Basil ser commonit admonach ser de Ascen ser dâ— instit monach The marchants of the worlde saith S. Efrem are accustomed to calculate euery day the gayne or losse betyded to them in their traffique and you euery euening consider in what termes your traffique standeâ—h examine what you haue done that day and in the morninge that which you haue done during the night Ser. Ascet de vita relig See S. Chrisost Hom. 43. in Mat. S. Greg. Hom 4. in Ezech 35. moral in Iob. c. 6. 7. S. Iohn Climach grad 4. S. Doroth. de vita recte piè instit c. 11. S. Bernard ad fratres de monte Dei. S. Benet c. 4. of his rule instru 48. according to the explication of Trithemius l. 1. comment in hanc reg S. Bon. in opusc de purit cons c. 12. alibi Tho. a Kemp l. 1. de Imit Christic 19. l. 2. de discipl claust c. 9. discipl mon. c. 11. The Act of Contrition put in practise An excellent praier which euery Christian ought to haue by hart MY Lord Iesus Christ true God and true man who art my Creator and my Redeemer I am sorry from my very hart for that I haue offended thee and this for that thou art my God and for that I loue thee aboue all thinges And I purpose firmely neuer more to offend thee and to withdraw my selfe far off from all occasions of sinne I purpose also to confes me and to fulfill the pennance which shall be imposed me Moreouer I offer vnto thee in satisfaction of all my sinnes my life my labours and all the good workes which I shall euer doe And as I humbly aske pardon of my sinnes so I hope in thy goodnes and infinite mercy that thou wilt forgeue them all thorough the merits of thy most pretious blood death and passion and giue me the grace for to amend me and to perseuer in good estate vnto the end Amen EXAMPLES OF CONtrition 1. Thomas of Cantimpre somtimes Suffragan to the Archbishop of Cambray writeth that a wicked man after he had violated his owne daughter came to the reuerend Archbishop of Sens to confes him selfe vnto him of his sinne and hauinge declared it with many teares and true remorce of soule he demanded if he might hope for pardon at Gods handes Yes quoth the Archbishop if you be ready to fulfill the pennance which I shall giue you All whatsoeuer your Lordship shal please answered the penitent although I should endure a thousand deathes I enioyne you only quoth the Archbishop seauen yeares of pennance What is that replied the penitent Albeit I should doe pennance vntill the ending of the worlde yet shall I not satisfie sufficientlie Goe said the Archbishop I will that thou fast only three daies with bread and water Here the poore man began to weepe beseeching him to impose vpon him a pennance answerable to his crime The Archbishop seeing him so truly contrite said vnto him finally Iâ— ordaine that thou only say one Pater â—oster assuring thee that thy sinne is forgiuen thee Which the peniteÌ„t hearing he entred in to so great compunction that hauinge cast forth a deepe sighe he fell downe starke dead vpon the place The Archbishop assured since in his sermon that this man by reason of his great contrition went straight to heauen without passinge thorough Purgatorie Tract de vniuerso lib. 2. c. 51. p. 7. 2. Iacobus of Vitry Cardinall writeth the like of a
hurtfull to it shall we not haue the same of our soule What permutation shall a man giue for his soule Matt. 16. 26. Marc. 8. §. 2. Of the mindfulnes of the presence of God This also is a most singular remedy for who is he I pray you vnles he be quite out of his wittes that dares and would offende when he calls to minde that God that almightie and redoubted iudge seeth euen to the very bottome of his hart In all thy waies thinke on him and he will direct thee in thy steppes Pro. 3. 6. I will shew thee o man what is good what our Lord requireth of thee verely to doe iudgment and to loue mercie and to walke solicitous with thy God Mich. 6. 8. He hath said in his hart God hath forgotten he hath turned away his face not to see foreuer psal 10. 11. Remember God thou shalt neuer sinne saith S. Ignatius Martyr epist. 6. Behould the whole meanes neuer to sinne if one suppose God to be alwaies nere vnto him Clem. Alex. 1. 3. pedag c. 5. The remembrance of God shuts the gate to all sinne S. Hierom. l. 7. c. 22. Euen as at the arriuing of the Prouost theeues withdraw them selues from their commō hauntes euen so at the remembrance of the presence of God the infamous passions of the soule are chased away and it becometh the temple and habitation of the Holie Ghost But where the memorie of God is not there doth darknes dominiere with stench and all kinde of wickednes is there exercised S. Ephrem l. de virtute tom 2. c. 10. Thinkest thou that thou art alone when thou committest fornication And rememberest not that the eyes of God doe behould the whole worlde All the holy Trinitie is hard by thee the Angells his ministers the Cherubins and Seraphins which continuallie cry Holy holy holy all the earth is full of thy maiestie Thinkest thou that in the brothel house Iesus Christ doth not behould thee he who saw thee enter into the same Thinkest thou that he seeth thee not committing adulterie he that seeth the adulterie which thou conceiuest in thy soule S. Amb. in psl. 118. Serm. 1. O carelesse Christians o mortall men how then liue you You offend God as if God saw you not What God that great God doth he not see you He that is aboue you beneath you round about you yea euen within you GOD IS EVERY WHERE What doost thou then forgetfull of thy God what doost thou Hearken in what place soeuer you be Shall a man be hid in secrets and shall not I see him saith our Lord Ierem. 23. 24. Heare this tremble for feare for GOD SEETH ALL. What saist thou thou who art forgetfull of God What doost thou say What he that planted the eare shall he not heare psl. 93. 9. I liue saith our Lord according as you haue spoken I hearing it so will I doe to you Num. 24. 28. Take heede then what you say for GOD VNDERSTANDETH ALL Alas what thinke you in your hart What doe you thinke What knowe you not then that at that great day he wil visit and examin Hierusalem with torches Sophon 1. Deceiue not your selues it is a point most assured that GOD KNOWETH ALL. Yea euen the most secret thoughtes What dare you then offend God in his owne presence No Christian let vs say now let vs say for euer rather die then be dāned rather die then be defiled rather die then to offende before the face of so great and so good a God Dan. 13 28. EXAMPLES 1. The holie scripture speaking of the old men who coueted carnally the chast Susanna saith And they subuerted their sence and declined their eyes that they would not see heauen nor remember iust iudgments Dan. 13. 9. And a litle after Perplexities are to me on euery fide for if I shall doe this it is death to me and if I doe it not I shall not escape your handes But it is better for me without the act to fall into your handes then to sinne in the sight of our Lord. v. 22. O right worthie and generous resolution 2. S. Dorotheus Abbot writeth that at the begining whē Dosithus his disciple tooke the habit of religion he gaue this sentence worthy to be written in letters of gould Let God be neuer out of thy hart thinke alwaies that God is present with thee and that thou art before his face Which Dosithus imprinted so deeply in his hart that he neuer forgot it no not in his greatest sicknes And by this exercise of the presence of God he profited so well that of a knight and soldiar of the worlde of one debauched and vtterly addicted vnto vanities he became a most perfect and a most holy religious person and was seene after his death of diuers holy personages most glorious and triumphant in heauen amongst the holy Anchorets S. Doroth. in his life 3. Saint Catharine of Sienna to keepe her selfe alwayes recollected amiddest the distractions and occupations which her mother prescribed her made according as her heauēly spouse had taught her an oratory of her hart in the midst wherof she placed her God O most goodlie and wholsome practise Raymond in her life 4. Palladius affirmeth to haue learned of a certaine religious man called Diocles that a deuout person as soone as he leaueth the remembrance of the presence of God becomes a beast or else a diuell In hist lausia c. 93. 5. An vnmannerly woman who dwelt hard by the house where S. Ephrem was one day lodged in Edessa came and solicited him to lubricitie The Saint asked her if she were content to come vnto the open market and that there he would satisfie her demand What quoth she dare we doe this before men If we dare not doe this before men replied the Saint how dare we to doe it before God who vnderstandeth all thinges euen the most secret and is to iudge vs of all our workes These wordes touched the woman so exceeding deeply that detesting this enterprise and all her fore-passed life from that very houre she gaue the farwell to the flesh and the worlde retyring her selfe according to the councell of the Saint into a monastery where she liued and died most holily Blessed Lord what change doth thy remembrance make within a hart Giue it vs we beseeche thee continually to the end that this euill neuer arriue vs as to sinne in thy presēce §. 3. Of the remembrance of the most dolorous passion of our Lord. O Christian canst thou offende thy God and thy Redeemer when thou remembrest that he was wounded for our iniquities and that he was broken for our sinnes I say 53. 5. Canst thou well commit any kinde of sinne when thou remembrest those lamentable cries of thy Sauiour all peirced and wounded vpon a Crosse O all yee that passe by the way attend and see if there be sorrow like to my sorrow Thren 1. 12. If in the greene wood they doe
the houre of risinge slack not thy selfe but run before first into thy house there withdraw thy selfe and there pray saith the wiseman Eccl. 32. 15. For feare lest that befall thee as it did to the Spouse in the Cant. Whilst thou deliberatest to arrise Iesus Christ thy spouse doe depart Can. 5. In arising and making thee ready reiect saith S. BonaueÌ„ture al the dreames and thoughts of the night wherin the deuil endeuoreth to occupy thee offer to God the first fruites of all thy thoughtes and labor by meditation or by prayer to excite good thoughtes and affections of deuotion and this will make thee more prompt and readie to doe good workes all the day after Tract de interiori Hom. p. 1. c. 4. Clymachus c. 21. Recite the Pater Aue Credo Anima Christi or the soule of Christ c. We ought saith S. Ambrose euery morning before day to say especially the Creede as the seale lock of our hart and as often as we are seased with any feare for when is it I pray you that the soldiar entereth into his tent or marcheth in battaile without his watch-word S. Amb. l. 3. de Virg. S. Aug. saith the same tom 9. l. de simb ad catechum c. 1. l. 2. Being apparrelled fall vpon your knees in your oratorie or before some picture and say with hart and with affection I giue thee thankes o my God for all the benefits which I haue receiued of thee and in particular for hauing preserued me this night from all euill I offer vnto thee my soule and bodie to thy seruice with all whatsoeuer I shall doe to thy greater glorie and honor I purpose likewise to liue better then I haue done and rather to die a thousand times then once to offend thee mortally O my God giue me the grace to put in practise this my good purpose Then addressing you to the Queene of Angells and of Saintes you shal say Holy Marie mother of God pray for me My Angell gardian pray for me My patron Saint N. pray for me All the Saintes of heauen pray for me Pater Aue Credo De prosundis It is good to confes to our Lord that is according to the exposition of Card. Bellarmine it is reasonable profitable and delectable to singe to thy name ô Highest to shew forth thy mercie in the morning and thy truth in the night psal 91. 1. It is now the houre for vs to rise from sleepe for now our saluation is nâ—erer then when we beleeued The night is passed and the day is at hande let vs therfore cast off the workes of darknes and doe on the armour of light As in the day let vs walke honestly not in banquettinge and drunkennes not in chamberinges and impudicities not in contention and emulation but doe yee on our Lord Iesus Christ and make not prouision for the flesh in concupiscences Rom. 13. 11. Alas who knowes but only God whither that houre wherin thou arisest shall not perhaps be the very last of all thy life Watch yee therfore because you know not the day nor the houre Mat. 25. 13. EXAMPLES 1. Ioannes Niderus writeth to haue knowen a gentleman of note named Sucher who whilst he kept in a castle nighe the towne of Halle in Germany as he grew cold in the seruice of God nor frequenting the Sacraments as he was wonte because of the quarrells which he had against those of Halle went and fild his castle with a companie of lewed seruants all trained vp in warres and enured to their weapons the diuell disguised like a soldiar came also to present and offer his seruice to him This couetous gentleman seeing that this soldiar offred to serue him without any wages he accepted of him and made him his horse-keeper The deuil began from that time to serue his master with all fidellitie but it was obserued after a longe while that he neuer went vnto the Church conducting his master only vnto the doore then returning to his worke The gentlemaÌ„ although desbauched yet still continued his good custome now theÌ„ to heare Masse weÌ„t not to bed nor yet arose but first be made the signe of the Crosse and said some certaine Aue Maries And hauing bene could and obseruing him selfe that his horse-keeper neuer went to Church he vrged him vpon a day to tell him freely who he was The hors-keeper tould him that he was the deuill but bid him for all this not to haue any apprehention sithe he had still til then found him faithfull and should still finde him more and more from that time forward The gentleman was at the first a litle afraid notwithstanding moued with couetousnes resolued to keepe him yet a while One night as he slept behould this diuell horse-keeper awaked him with a sodaine starting crying Master Master The gentleman asked what was the matter Quickly quickly quoth the diuell put on your apparell and your armes for those of Halle are coming for to take your castle The gentleman affrighted at these newes clothed him and put on his armes with all possible speed neuertheles not forgetting him selfe to make the signe of the Crosse and to say his prayers he was wont to say Being vp and ready he looked forth at all the windoes and saw nothinge whence he perceiued that this was nothing but a false alarum and all in cholar asked of his deuill what had moued him so to trouble and molest him in the midst of his sleepe The diuell aÌ„swered him that he had done it for this designe thinking that the affrithtment and sodaine haste to get him vp would haue made him forgot the making of the signe of the Crosse and saying of his prayers and by this meanes he would haue set vpon him The gentlmaÌ„ hearing this was euer after much more dilligent in this his dutie then he was before but he could not for all this be quit of this deuelish seruant vntill such time as he began to frequent the SacrameÌ„ts for the very first time wherin he had recourse vnto them the diuell vanished quite away and he neuer saw him afterwardes Niderus l. 3. form Loe what diligence the diuel vseth to hinder vs to pray in the morning What virtu the signe of the Crosse hath the Aue Marie the SacrameÌ„ts If the diuell tempt vs we haue also a good Angell which doth counter-gard vs. God hath giuen his Angells charge of thee that they keepe thee in all thy wayes Psalm 9â— 11. 2. S. Raimondus of the order of the friar Preachers had an Angell which often times appeared vnto him and for the most part before the belles were ruÌ„ge to Matins at midnight in the Couents where he was who awakened him inuited him to praier 3. S. Cecily and S. Francis the RomaÌ„ and one S. Stilites of Edessa who liued nine and fortie yeares vpoÌ„ a pillar had an Angell which shewed him selfe vnto them visibly and conuersed with them
familiarly Surius and Ribadeneira Raderus in virid sanct p. 2. c. 5. 4. Ioannes Carrera of the societie of Iesus from the time that he was a nouice had a familiar Angel with whom he discoursed very often and receiued of him the full resolution of his doutes who was wont euery day about four a clock in the morning to awake him And as once ouercome with sleepe he did not arise at the Angels waking he was depriued for certaine dayes of his visitation vntill such time as hauing done pennance he entred againe into his fauour Notwithstanding the holy Angell wild him that from thence forward he should be more diligent to arise earlie L. 13. hist soc anno 1551. If we al haue a particular Angel who doth accompanie and secure vs euery where is it not reason that we should honor him and often reclayme him But marke with all what a hart griefe it is to our good Angell when he must attende nere vnto vs whilst we play the truants slouthful sluggards in our beds For inuocation of Saintes see § 3. following sect 2. §. 2. Of thanks giuing which we ought to render to God in all times but particularly after meate and drinke If all benefits require at the lest a God-a-mercie the Christian who at euery moment receiueth so many benefits and fauours of almightie God can he doe lesse morning and euening and somtimes also during the day then render humble thaÌ„kes vnto him The Cocks and Hennes albeit vnreasonable neuer drinke but they lift vp their head and eyes to heauen as if they would at euery beak-ful acknowledg and thankfully blesse God their Creator O Christian art not thou worse then the beastes if so often fed and refreshed by the liberall hande of this our Lord thou vouchsafest not once to lift thine eyes towards heauen to giue and rendar thankes vnto him If a man condemned to perpetuall imprisonment were euery day fed deliciously by one which would let him down from aboue both meate and drinke should he not be a very beast if he daigned not to lift vp his head to see and acknowledge that good person which should doe so great a good vnto him Alas we are all prisoners as longe as we liue in this valley of teares our good God notwithstanding moued with mercie and compassion causeth to fall vpon vs from heauen an infinite number of good thinges he clotheth vs giueth vs both to eate and to drinke there is no moment nor yet minute wherin he doth not poure into vs of his fauors both for our body and our soule Yet how many are there notwithstanding which not at euery houre nor yet in euery day daigne so much as to lift vp their head towards heauen to acknowledg him Our Lord gaue vpon a day to vnderstand how greeuously he tooke it that hauing healed ten Leapers there was but one of them which returned to thanke him Luc. 17. I haue brought vp children and exalted them but they haue despised me saith our Lord by his prophet Isay 1. 2. 3. In al thinges giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus 1. Thes 5. 18. When thou hast eaten and art full thou maist blesse the Lord thy God Deutrâ— 8. 10. Although thou eate twice a day yet take alwaies thy meate with giuing of thankes S. Ephrem adhort 1. What may we saith S. Aug thinke speake or write better then Deo gratias thankes be to God! Nothing can be pronounced more briefly heavd more willinglie nor practised more profitably Aug. ad Marcellinum ep 5. EXAMPLES Father Martinus Delrio in his treatise of Magick writeth that three lewed companions in a certaine place of Flanders eache he with his eache she after they had set at table till midnight was past the one of them said We haue eate and drunke it is now time to giue God thankes As for me replied another I giue thankes vnto the diuell for he it is whom we doe serue These wordes were entertayned of all with great laughter but not of God for as they lay by their strumpets behould how on a sodaine the chamber doore opened of it selfe with a great noise and a man of a high pitch in the habit of a hunter horribly frightfull black of face and his eyes sparkling entred in and two seruants after him who carried a countenance and instruments as if they were Cookes Hauing walked awhile vp and downe the chamber he turned him towards the beds wherin these whores and knaues were lodged and said Where is he that not longe since gaue me thankes I come to requite him for his kindnes And as none made answere he him selfe approached to the bed where this blasphemer was more dead then aliue tooke him by the armes puld him forth vpon the floore then commanded his two Cookes to put him vpon the spit and to roste him The which was done as instantly for he was put vpon the spit and after rosted like a quarter of mutton so that the others from their beddes felt the odor and the smell After that he was all rosted this great diuell thus disguised addrest him to those others who remayned in their beddes You quoth he haue merited as much as he but God hath not giuen me power saue only vpon him who gaue me thankes amend your selues or else you also shall shortly be myne which hauing said he disappeared Where I leaue you to thinke whither the residue of that night seemed longe vnto them yea or no and â—n what a transe they passed the same The day being come they lept out of their beds and a thing most fearfull saw their companion all rosted and starke dead Ah good God what a horrible spectacle and what an example for them and for vs beloued Reader Delrio disq magic l. 3. p. 1. q. 7. §. 3. Of prayer examen of conscience and Inuocation of Saintes which a Christian ought to make before he sleepe Reason willes that the childe acknowledg his father saluting him at his vprising and before he goe to bed to reconcile him selfe vnto him and to aske him blessing The soldiar conuinced of enormous crimes and for the same in danger of his life should he not merit to be hanged without mercie if he might haue presently pardon for his faultes by casting him selfe only with true repentance at the feetâ— of his captaine and yet should disdaigne to doe it Now so it is that God the Creator is our father a yea our Head and soueraigne Emperor as we haue said here before b what then doe they deserue who daigne not to acknowledg him laying them selues downe in their beddes like very beastes without thanking him for the benefits receiued the same day without demanding his blessing to escape the dangers of the night and that which is yet more to be weighed without making any reuiew of their life past and asking him forgiuenes for the faultes committed in the day In the meane while death perhaps
which he said S. Paulinus in his life §. 1. Of the efficacie of the worde of God Why are not my wordes as fire saith our Lord and as a hammer breaking a rocke Ierem. 23. 29. They are also called Trumpets Isay 58. Iosue 6. By the trumpets which the priests caused to be sounded the walles of Hiericho were ouerthroweÌ„ a most assured presage that at the voice and sound of the preachers the true trumpets of the church the walles and ramparts of our vices should be ouerthrowen EXAMPLES 1. A certaine woman that had poisoned her husband hearing S. Hughe bishop of Grenoble preache felt so greiuous a sorrow in her hart for hauing committed so great a sinne that without regarding where she was she confest it aloud and publiquely Ribad in the life of S. Hughe 2. S. Vincent Ferrier being about to preache he perceiued two wicked persons which were a leading to the gallouse he made them to be brought vnto him and a cloth to be put before their face Then he preached of the malice and deformitie of sinne and of the paines of hell and that with such feruour and efficacie that these two theeues touched with repentance for their sinnes began to sweate and to smoake or reake as if they had bene burnt and their faces being discouered they were seene become as black as coales Platus de bono stat relig l. 2. c. 32. O what reformation would there be both in townes and villages if sinners would frequent sermons and catechismes But al as it is to be feared lest that which our Lord said to his Apostles arriue not to sundry Christians Whosoeuer shall not receiue you nor heare your wordes amen I say to you it shall be more tollerable for the lande of the Sodomites and Gomorrheans in the day of iudgment then for that cittie Mat. 10. 14. THE X. CHAPTER Of the singular deuotion which the good Christian ought to haue to our B. Lady ALl the holy Saintes haue bene so affected to the mother of God haue thought so highly of the desire which God hath of her honor and her seruice that they haue bene bould to assure that who so shall be truly deuoâ—t vnto her shall be neuer damned but that she will obtaine him of her Sonne all that which shall be necessary for him to be saued They proue the same by the wordes of the wise man Prou. 8. 34. saying Blessed is the man that heareth me he that shall finde me shall finde life and shall draw saluation of our Lord. For this cause S. Epiphanius calleth the holie virgin the roote and seede of glorie orat de Annunt And in Eccles 24. 24. I am the mother of beautifull loue and feare and of knowledge and of holie hope in me is all grace of way and truth they that explicate me shall haue life euerlastinge S. Anselme and S. Bonauenture lib. 1. phar cap. 5. say Sicut o beatissima c. Euen as o blessed virgin all auerted from thee and despiced of thee must needes perish euen so all conuerted to thee and respected of thee it is impossible they should perish Heare S. Bernard God hath placed the whole plenitude of all good thinges in Marie that we should know that if there be any hope in vs any grace of heauen any hope of saluation all this comes from God by the handes of Marie Ser. de nat virg Mariae And in another place She is called the Qâ—eene and mother of mercie because we beleeue that she openeth the bottomles depth of diuine mercie to whom she will when she will and aâ—ter what maner and fashion she will in so much that euen the most enormous sinner caÌ„ not perish if this Saint of Saints honor him with her intercession asâ—…tance Serm. 1. in Salue regina Who hath euer saith a certaine holie personage reclaymed thy most powerfull fauour with a faithfull hart and hath bene reiected Neuer neuer hath one bene heard of Eutichianus in vita Theoph. anno 600. The same Saint Bernard saith in the sermon vpon the Assumpâ—…on EXAMPLES 1. My mother aske said king Salomon to Bersabee for it behoueth not that I turne away thy face 3 Reg. 20. Salomon was a figure of the Sonne of God and Bersabee of our B. Lady 2. When Iesus therfore had seene his mother from the Crosse wheron he was nayled and the Disciple standinge whom he loued he saith to his mother Woman behould thy Sonne And after that he saith to the Disciple behould thy mother Ioan. 19. 26. From which houre S. Iohn tooke her for his mother Our Lord recommended vs also then vnto his mother in the person of S. Iohn Haue we not then iust occasion to hould her for our mother as well as hee 3. S. Thomas of Aquin assured before his death neuer to haue asked ought of our Lord by the meanes of our B. Lady which he obtained not Ribad 7. of Marche The same is reade also of S. Dominick Ibid. 4. of August 4. Theophilus hauing giuen his soule vnto the diuell and signed the gift with his owne hande had recourse vnto our Lady and praied vnto her so feruently and so efficatiously that the diuel was forced to bring him back againe his bill Metaphrast 4. of Fâ—b and. S. Antoninus Which the B. Cardinall Damian admiring saith What may be denied thee o most holy virgin to whom was not denied to pluck Theophilus out of the very throat of hell Certainly nothing is impossible for hee sith thou canst from the very bottom of the bottomles depthe raise vp the despaired to lift them vp into the bosome of glorie 5. See such other like examples in the historie of Loretto by Horatius Turselinus lib. cap. 4. cap. 33. In Cesarias lib. 6. mirac cap. 26. 27. In Delrio disq magic lib. 6. cap. 2. S. 3. q. 3. 6. A certaine Hermit vpon a day saw our Lady sitting vpon a sumptuous throane and at her feete S. Wadrus and S. Aldegundus who besought her to doe iustice vpon Theodoric Count of Auesne who vniustlie vsurped the goods of the Church Our Lady answered them that his wife helde her handes for as much as euery day she offred for him sixtie Aue Maries In the 3. volume of the annales of Hainnaâ— cap. 19. 7. Lewis kinge of France and Emperor sonne of Chaâ—lemaine bore alwaies the picture of our Lady hanging at his neck as did also S. Heduuige Dutchesse of Polâ—gnia Sur tom 5. and if he were ether wearie of huntinge or stayed amongst the thickets he fastned this picture vpon some tree and offered vp his praiers vpon both his knees In the historie of France Canis l. 5. cap. 2â— Crautz 7. Andronicus Emperor of the caste being reduced by a sodaine acciâ—ent to the point of death and seeing that he could not receiue the most pretious body of our Lord for his voyage foode he put within his mouth a golden image of the most holy virgin which he alwaies bore about