in the Canticles Thou art all fâ—ire o my beloued and there is no blemish in thee but alsoe she did and doth procure puritie in others by her exemplar life Blessed art thou among women THree maledictions did sinne bring vpon mankind from all which the B. Virgin was most free The first was layed vpon the woman that with corruption she should conceane with greife she should beare her burthen and with paine she should bring forth But the B. Virgin conceaued of the holie Ghost bore and bred with comfort and brought forth our Sauiour with ioye Springing it shall spring saieth the Prophet Isai 35. and shall reioyce ioyfull and praising The second Malediction was giuen to the man In the sweat of thy face thou shall eare bread from which the B. Virgin was free whoe attended to those things that appertaine to our 1. Cor. 7 Lord that she might be holy both in body and Spirit The Third Malediction was common to both sexes vdâ—t that 〈◊〉 should returne to dust and froÌ„ this the B. Virgin was alsoe free for we beleeue that he was raised after her death and assumpted into heauen which the holy Prophet foretold Psal 131. saying Aâ—ise Lord into thy rest thou and the Arke of thy sanctification Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Iesus IN the fruit which Eue did eate she sought for three things and was defrauded of her expectation in them all but the B. Virgin found in her fruit all she could desire The First thing which Eue sought for in her fruit was that which the deuill did falsly promise vdâ—t that she should be like vnto God but he lied for she by eating that fruit was not made like but vnlike vnto God for by sinning his image in her soule was much defaced and she estranged from God and banished out of Paradise But the B. Virgin the true mother of the liuing and all that by her meanes doe liue in spirit did and doe experience this in the sacred fruit of her wombe for through Christ both she and they are made like vnto God VVe kâ—ow saieth the Euangelist Ioh. 1. c. 3. that when he shall appeare we shall be like vnto him The Second thing which Eue expected was delectation because it seemed good to eate but alas it proued à bitter sweet for she knew he self straightwaies to be naked and had great serrow But in the fruit of the B. Virgin we find sweetnes and saluation He that eateth my flesh hath life euerlasting Ioh. 6. The Third thing which Eue sought in her fruit was the delight in beholding it because it was faire to the eye but of this alsoe she was soone defrauded when she considered with the eyes of her mynd that the beautie thereof 〈◊〉 false and deceiptfull But the fruit of the B. Virgin was most beautifull to behold as the Prophet witnesseth Psal 44 Goodly of beautie aboue the sonnes of men and most delightfull to contemplate as being the glory of the eternall Father whome the Angells behold with excessiue ioy and admiration Eue could not find in her fruit what she longeâ— for neither can à sinner in any sinne whatsoeuer Let vs therefore detest those false deceiuing fruits which exteriourly appeare faire and pleasant but interiourly are full of corruption and breed the worme of conscience and let vs seeke in the fruit of the B. Virgin the fulnesse of our hearts delight in which truely and onely it maie be found Holie Marie MOst fitly was the name of Marâ—e giuen vnto her for 〈◊〉 is by interpretation Stella mariâ— that is the starre of the sea and as those that saile by sea are directed by the starre of the sea vnto their desired hauen soe all Christians are directed by the B. Virgin â—arie vnto eternall rest Moreouer as that starre doth send forth it's raies without hurt to it self soe did the B. Virgin bring forth her sonne the light of the world without preiudice to her Virginitie The raies of à starre doe not diminish the brightnes of the starre neither did the Sonne of the B. Virgin diminish her integritie S. Bonauenture speaking of this holie pag 430 Lect. 1. name of Marie hath words to this effect This most holie most sweet and most worthy name saieth he was most sitly giuen to soe holie soe sweet and soe worthy à Virgin for Marie is by interpretation à bitter sea or the starre of the sea Marie signifieth illuminated or illuminatrice and Marie signifieth likewise Lady Marie is à bitter sea to the deuill drowning his power and brusing his head against the rocke which is Christ Marie is the starre of the sea to men guiding them through the turbulent waues of this world vnto the celestiall hauen Marie is illuminated by the glory of her diuine sonne Marie is an illuminatrice to the Angelicall spirits by the glory wherewith she is soe illuminated and vnto men by her exemplar life and exquisite vertues And Marie is the Lady of all creatures by being Mother to their Lord. O Marie thou bitter sea help vs that in true repentance we maie become bitter totally O Marie thou starre of the sea help vs that we maie be directed through the sea of this world spiritually O Marie thou illuminatrice help vs that we maie be illuminated in heauen eternally O Lady Marie help vs that we maie be gouerned by thy direction and power filially Mother of God S. Thomas of Aquine saieth that in the 3. p. q. 35. a. 4. sedcon Chapters of S. Cyrill approued by the Ephesine Councell is read I hat if any one doe not confesse Emanuel which is God Amoungst vs to be God in very truth and which followeth the B. Virgin to be the Mother of God for she carnally or according to the flesh conceiued and brought forth the word of God made flesh let him be Anathema that is excommunicated ad 1. In the same Article be further saieth That although it cannot be expressely found to be affirmed in the holy Scriptures that the B. Virgin is the Mother of God yet is expressely found in them that Iesus Christ is true God as in the first and in the 20. chapt of S. Iohn and that the B. Virgin is the Mother of Iesus Christ as appeareth in the first of S. Mathew wherefore it necessarily followeth out of the words of the holy Scriptures that she is the Mother of God Moreouer S. Paul teacheth That Christ who is aboue all things God â—d Rom 9. blessed for â—uer is according to the flesh of the Iewes but he is not otherwise of the Iewes then by the meanes of the B. Virgin therefore he who is aboue all things God blessed for euer is truely borne of the B. Virgin as of his Mother Alsoe in the same Article he alleadgeth these words of S. Cyrill in his first â—d 2. Epistle As the soule of man is borne together with it's body and is reputed to be one therewith soe
signified the coÌ„duits of grace and the preachers of Gods holie word and by lightnings the corruscation of miracles and the commination or threatning of the terrible iudgements of God according to that of the Prophet Isaie I will command the Clowds that they rayne Je. 5. noe shower vpon it and that of the Psalmist His lightnings shined to the round Psâ—l 96. world c. Let the earth blesse our Lord. The earth is the lowest and least of the sower Elements and à greate part thereof is ouer flowne with waters neuerthelesse it doth afford aboundant matter of the Creators praise to all that shall rightly consider the quantity disposition fertility and other properties thereof as alsoe how it is as it were the center of the Vniuerse and remaineth firme and immoueable in its place notwithstanding its exceeding weight which is not supported by any thing but hangeth wonderfully in the middest of the world By the stability and fertility thereof is signified constant and vertuous men whome the holie Ghost doth make fruitfull with the celestiall seed of the word of God according to that of S. Luc. 8. Luke The seed is the word of God and that which fell vpon good ground are they who in à good and perfect heart hearing the word doe retayne it and yeeld fruit in patience Mountaines and little hills blesse yee our Lord. By them are designed those that are of great and of small power authority in the holie Church and especially Prelates and such as excell in the gifts of grace according to that of the Prophet Ioell Mountaines shall distill sweetnesse and Ioell 3. the hills shall flow with milke All things that spring in the earth blesse yee our Lord. If we attentiuely consider the value beautie sweetnesse delightfulnesse and other innumerable properties of the things that are produced within the earth and of those that spring out of it we cannot sufficiently admire in them the wisdome sweetnesse and beautie of the omnipotent Creator Blesse our Lord yee fountaines Fountaines are certaine euident representations of almightie God who by reason of his Munificence liberalitie and immense goodnesse towards mankind is often tearmed in holye Scriptures à Fountaine By theÌ„ are signified Doctors preachers and Priests vnto whome it belongeth Psal 67. to communicate and impart to others the streames of wisdome and knowledge to saluation and distribute the gifts of grace and the holie Sacraments and of whome it is written In Churches blesse yee God our Lord of the Isa 12. fountaines of Israell and in another place You shall draw waters in ioy out of the Sauiours fountaines Seas and Riuers blesse yee our Lord There is one great sea called the Ocean and diuers other particular seas as it were armes of the saied great sea From the sea ' as from the first fountaine or head all Riuers issue according to that of Ecclesiastes All riuers enter into the sea and the Eccl. 1. sea ouerfloweth not to the place whence riuers issue forth they doe returne that they muie flow againe By the sea is sometymes expressed the inquietude restlesnesse bitternesse and commotion of this world to witt of secular men according to that of the Prophet Isaie The impious are as it were Psa 57. the raging sea which cannot be quiet Sometimes alsoe by the sea are designed the hearts of penitents mouing themselues with bitternesse and the waues of internall compunction By the riuers are signified the copious gifts of grace according to that of our Sauiour He that Ioh. 7. beleeueth in me out of his belly shall flow riuers of liuing waters and sometymes the excesse of tribulations according to that of Psal 92. the Psalmist The riuers haue lifted vp their waues about the voices of many waters VVhales and all things that moue in the waters blesse yee our Lord. These are the principall ornaments of the element of water and what mortall man is able to explicate the variety profit strength and other properties of the fishes of the sea Verily if we attend to what is written by Philosophers concerning the Whale we shall find an ample subiect of the Creators praise By that our Sauiour speaking to S. Peter and S. Andrew Mat 4. saied Come yee after mee and I will make you to bee fishers of men it should seeme that by fishes are vnderstood men in such sort that by the VVhale are designed the great powerfull men and by the other creatures mouing in the waters are signified the lesser simpler sort of people all regenerated by the waters of Baptisme receiuing thereby infused vertues and life of grace Blesse our Lord all yee foules of heauen to witt of the aire where birds flie Who can worthily admire the wisdome perfection and Maiesty of God in the diuersity sweet modulation swift motion and other proprieties of birds By them are sometymes signified proud men raysing themselues vnto the height of vanity and diuells flying in the aire of whome our Sauiour saied The fowles of the aire did eate Luc. 8. it that is did take away the seed of the word of God Yet in this place by the fowles of the aire some doe vnderstand Contemplatiues eleuated aloft by the wings of Praier and Meditation vnto whome maie fitly be applied that of the Psalmist VVho will giue me the wings of Psal 54. à doue and I will fly and rest and that of the Prophet Isaie VVho are these that Isa 60. fly as clowds and as doues to their windowes and againe in another place They that hope in our Lord shall change their Isai 40 strength They shall take wings as Eagies they shall runne and labour they shall walke and not faint All beasts and cattell blesse yee our Lord. In these alsoe the magnificence of the most high artificer is vnspeakably commended who to declare his singular wisdome in these his effects doth speake many things of them to his seruant Iob. S. Augustine affirmeth that those creatures which haue the least of quantity haue the most admiration for we more admire the workes of the Ante and Bees theÌ„ the vast bodies of other beasts Hugh alsoe of S. Victor conformably speaking saieth That the creatures which we admire for their littlâ—nes are soe artificially and wisely formed that we can scarce discerne whether we ought rather to admire the tushes of the Bore or the wings of the Moath the wings of the Griffon or of the Gnat the head of à Horse or of à Locust the thigh of an Elephant or of an Eagle c. For in these small bodies God almighty hath soe fully distributed all manner of lineaments sutable to their seuerall natures that nothing seemeth to bee wanting to them which nature hath formed in the greatest By beasts and cattell are signified men following sensuality who are inuited to blesse our Lord in that he hath soe gratiously spared them and with such pacience expected their amendment These
saied manner with great ioy exultation and gladnesse Let euery spirit praise our Lord. VVhat is vnderstood by the Chapters in this and the diuine office THe next in order followeth à Chapter The Chapters in this and the diuine office are nothing else but short Lessons taken out of the holie Scriptures by which name our holie Father S. Benedict maketh mention of cap. 12. 13. them in his Rule The holie Church well knowing the benefitt which is acquired by hearing the word of God read in due manner hath intermixed with all the houres of the diuine office Lessons out of the sacred Scriptures yet in such proportion that to the longer Nocturnes she assigneth longer Lessons and to the short daie houres shorter which she hath tearmed Chapters because they are short sections of Lessons which maie serue for refection of the mynd in all the daie houers The explication of the Chapter at Laudes taken out of the Canticles Cap. 6. Ver. 8. THe daughters of Sion haue seene her and declared her to bee most blessed All reasonable and intellectuall creatures vnited to God by Charity as well in the Militant as in the triumphaÌ„t Church doe frequently if not incessantly behold the most glorious Virgin and by how much the more eminent and illuminated they are by soe much the more profoundly and clearely doe they contemplate her dignity excellency and glory and deseruedly proclame her to be most blessed that conceiued and brought forth the Sauiour of all and the fountaine of true beatitude And the Queenes the soules of the Saints which haue gouerned themselues laudably and kept their flesh in due subiection to the spirit haue praysed her confessing her to bee the most pure of Virgins and the example of all perfection The exposition of the Canticle of Zachary commonly called Benedictus Luc. 1. BLessed bee our Lord God of all but in peculiar manner of Israel his elected people not onely of the progeny of Iacob according to the flesh but alsoe according to the Spirit because he hath visited assuming humane nature and wrought the redemption of his people freeing them from their inuisible enimies from eternall damnation from the guilt contracted by originall finne yea euen from all sinne in as much as is requisite on his part according to that of the Prophet Out of the Osee 13. hand of death I will deliuer them from death I will redeeme them The Incarnation of Christ is the beginning of our saluation which he accomplished by his passion for almightie God did not determine to saue vs by the Incarnation alone of his onely Sonne but he ordained to consummate our redemption by his passion What therefore Zachary saied He hath wrought is to be vnderstood as spoken in à propheticall manner for He will worke because he was afterwards compleatly to worke our saluation blot out our offences and reconcile vs to God according to that of Isaie He was wounded for our iniquities be was broken for our sinnes and againe Our Lord hath put vpon him the iniquity of vs all By his people are vnderstood not onely the Iewes but alsoe the elected people of what nation soeuer which are the people of God by eternall predestination and spiritually Israelites to witt the people seeing God or contemplating him by faith of whome the Apostle saieth Peace and mercy vpon the Gal. 6. Israell of God And bath erected the horne of saluation to vs. By à Horne is sometimes signified à publike denuntiation of some matter of momeÌ„t according to which interpretation these words of the Prophet may be thus expounded And hath published made knowne the Incarnation of Christ our Sauiour Sometimes alsoe by à Horne is designed power and strength particularly in diuers places of holy scriptures Royall Power and according to this sense the saied words are to bee vnderstood as followeth And hath erected that is hath raised vp the horne of saluation to vs to witt Christ his onely begotten sonne the King of Kings whome he sent into the world not to iudgs the world but that the world may bee saued by him In the house of Dauid his seruaÌ„t in the tribe familie of Dauid of whose seed progenie Christ was borne Some doe referre the erection of this horne of saluation to the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ because he did then clearely demonstrate the power and glory of beatitude by rysing to an immortall life bringing forth the Fathers out of Limbo ascending to the celestiall Kingdome This God almighty hath not done improuisedly but As he spake by the mouth of his holie Prophets that are from the beginning that is as he foretold by the Saints that haue been euer since the creation of the world who with words signes figures or deeds haue spoken of Christ and foreshewed his mysteries For as S. Augustine declareth Prophesie concerning Christ was not wanting in any age euen Adam by words and deeds did speake of him and in like manner the rest of the Patriarkes and Prophets haue done whence is that of S. Peter God who foreshewed by the mouth Act. 3. of all the Prophets that his Christ should suffer hath soe fulfilled it and againe To him all Act. 10. the Prophets giue testimony Indeed it was most meâ—t that soe great à mistery should bee foreshewed long before and diuers waies that the dignity thereof might bee knowne and being performed might bee proned more credible bee more firmely beleeued In this therefore our faith is most certainely confirmed that all things which we beleeue and hold concerning Christ we can proue to haue been in such manner foretold It is here saied in the singular number by the mouth of his holy Prophets because all of them with one spirit did prophesie of him and with one assent that he should come and worke saluation to vs. Saluation from our enimies especially from our inuisible enimies according as it is written For this â—ppeared the Sonne of God that he might dissolue the workes of the diuell Iob. 3. And from the hand of all that hate vs. By which words maie bee vnderstood our Sauiours deliuery securing of his elect from the power and wicked designes of peruerse men Not that he hath soe deliuered and secured the iust and righteous that they shall not bee afflicted persecuted or killed by them in this life but because our Lord by his death and passion hath obtained such grace for his beloued seruants that they shall not become subiect to the wills of bad men nor bee induced by them through inordinate feare to commit vice and doe vniustly but shall by patiently sustaining the tribulations and persecutions which they suffer by their meanes bee brought to eternall glory soe for euer freed from their infestation This is that which was promised by Micheas to the primitiue Micheat 4. Church Thy hand shall bee exalted oâ—er thyne enimies and all thyne enimies shall perish Thus therefore the God of