her age wheÌ„ she vvas offered vp and presented in the Temple Admirable in her life and conuersation and aboue al admirable in that she vvas both Mother and Virgin Admirable also in her constancy at the foot of the crosse admirable in knowledge in grace and in all kind of vertue These thinges and the like considered will giue vs perfect vnderstanding how she is indeed Mater admirabilis an admirable Mother 2. The second point is to ponder the admirable departure of her Blessed soule out of her sacred body and out of this life For she liued 72. yeares dyed not of any disease or distemper of disordered humors but of pure loue and longing desire to be with Christ her dearest Sonne which was an admirable death Besides all the Apostles then liuing were miraculously gathered togeather at her departure and most solemly performed the dutyes of her exequies After three dayes our Sauiour descended from heauen accompanyed with his Quires of Angells and assumpted her into heauen body and soule where she vvas seated in such maiesty and crowned with so great glory there to raigne for euer 3. The third point shall be to admire this Elected Queene of Angells passing through the Blessed company of Virgins leauing behind her the constant Confessors glorious Martyrs the holy Apostles Patriarkes and Prophets mounting aboue the nine Quires of Angells seated aboue the Cherubims and Seraphims in a Royall Throne by her selfe as best befitted so glorious admirable a Mother And if we will at length come to the height of admiration let vs behould this diuine Empresse vested with the Sunne crowned with stars and treading the Moone vnder her victorious feet that is in exceeding great glory answerable both to her admirable titles and singular vertues For as we haue already meditated she was enriched with more grace and spirituall gifts then al Saints and Angels besides and therfore must haue a Crown of glory answerable thereunto which must exceed the glorious crowns of them all And by these three points we see how she was admirable in life admirable in her departure admirable in glory so most worthily called Mater admirabilis an admirable Mother O most admirable and euer happy Mother who art in all points so much to be admyred Colloquium be now vnto vs a powerful aduocate that we may as far as our weaknes will permit imitate thy admirable vertues in our life that we may find comfort at our death and deserue to receaue a Crown of glory with thee in heauen for all eternity Amen O gloriosa Domina THE XIII MEDITATION Mater Creatoris ora pro nobis Mother of the Creatour pray for vs. MANY of these Titles are the same in effect with Mother of God yet we will so consider them that we may conceaue some particuler reason of this the like titles whereby the great dignity of the B. Mother of God may the more appeare For although sometymes we vse to attribute Omnipotency to God the Father Wisedome to the Sonne and Bounty to the holy Ghost yet being all but one God they are all equally Omnipotent Wise and Bountifull And because in their outward actions as the Deuines speake ad extra they work inseparably so that whatsoeuer the one doth they are sayd to worke all three togeather Creation is as well attributed to the Sonne as the Father and in this sense the B. Virgin is called Mater Creatoris Mother of the Creatour For indeed so he was since as S. Iohn sayth omnia per ipsum facta sunt all thinges were made by him Heere therfore we are to consider how the infinite wisedome of God found out so sweet meanes to communicate himselfe to man as to shut himselfe within the B. Virgins sacred wombe whereby we worthily say Quem caeli capere non poterant tuo gremio contulisti He whome the wide heauens could not contayne thou hast inclosed in thy sacred womb 2. Secondly consider that the B. Virgin being mother of our her Creatour she is the fittest Patronesse for all sinners to chose that the worke of their creation may not be frustrate seeing then that God hath created all thinges for vs and our selues for himself â—t vs make recourse to the Blessed Mother of the Creatour of all things that by her powerfull intercession we may vse them according to the end for which they were created make of them a â—adder to clime and ascend to the â—eight of that dignity for which we vvere ordayned by the eternal Prouidence of God 3. Thirdly we may contemplat how Creation is nothing els but the making of a thing of nothing and this can only be performed by the Omnipotent hand of God we then considering our selues to be nothing we may say with the Kingly Prophet Cor mundum â—rea in me Deus spiritum rectum innoua in visceribus meis Create a cleane hart in me O God and renew a right spirit in my bowels since of this nothing of ours he is able to make most excellent work by the sending his diuine spirit amongst vs. For as we see the scorched fields in the middst of Summer refreshed by some gentle shower or the face of the earth after a long and tedious winter renewed by a pleasant spring so doth the presence of this diuine spirit make vs all new againe Therefore if we feele our vertues dying or our resolution fayling let vs not cease to cry Emitte spiritum tuum creabuntur renouabis faciem terrae Send forth O Lord thy holy spirit al things now turned to nothing wil receaue another being and thou wilt renew the face of the earth and to obtayne our petition of the Creatour of all thinges let vs not be vnmindfull of his Blessed Mother but with this worthy title say Mater Creatoris ora pro â—obis Mother of our Creatour pray for vs. THE XIV MEDITATION Mater Saluatoris ora pro nobis Mother of our Sauiour pray for vs. THIS most Venerable Title doth inuite vs to contemplat a while vpon the sweet name of Iesus for Iesus and Sauiour are the same and to be Mother of our Sauiour is to be the Mother of Iesus let vs therfore vvith attention diligently ponder the greatnes of the gift that our deuotion towardes the giuer may increase the more 1. First then let vs consideâ— how vve vvere all lost in perpetuall boundage in euerlasting thraldome and captiuity of sinne vntill this B. Mother brought 〈◊〉 forth a Sauiour a Redeemer vvhose most pretious bloud vvas the only ransome of our sinnes vvhose death vvas vnto vs life and vvhose bleeding woundes vvere the only cure and most soueraigne balme of our festred soules For darke night she brought vs cheerefull day for a hard and sharp winter a svveet pleasant spring for our mortall vvounds immortall medicines for our pining soules bread of life and lastly for all our misery the Father of mercyes This the glorious Angell song vnto the seely
most pleasing to the B. Virgin for she knowing best the valew of such dainty flowers and considering how much they are esteemed by her sweet Sonne must needs haue a particuler loue therto and a peculiar care therof that such choice flowers be not defiled or trampled on by incursioÌ„ of bruit beasts And as one that is the first founder of some holy Religious Order hath a most diligent care both to defend aduance his religious Institute and taketh great delight in the increase and progresse therof so the B. Virgin being the first that euer found out this Angelicall life the first that layd the ground and foundation of vowed Chastity the first that displayd the banner vnder which all chast virgins ought manfully to fight vnder which so many haue already winne the goale gotten the victory and worne the Crowne She I say must needs take great delight in the groth of these so faire flowers of her louing Sonne as he takes great content in gathering of them Witnes those beautifull flowers of virginity constant pillars of renowned Chastity transplanted by our Sauiours â—and from this garden of misery â—nto the heauenly place of Paradise S. Catherine S. Agatha S. Lucy S. Agnes S. Cecily S. Winifride and thousands more in like manner who rather made choice to loose their liues then liue to be depriued of so rare a Iewel and with the vnspoted Ermyn seemed rather to dye then be defiled And thus hauing viewed the excellency of Virginity in it selfe the esteeme it hath in the sight of God the prize it beares vvith the Blessed Virgin and considering hovv truly she is Virgin of Virgins let vs stir vp in our selues a reuerend loue vnto this excellent vertue and desire this Virgin of Virgins to pray for vs that we may euery one in his estate and according to his calling imitate this glorious Virgin in keeping our soules and bodyes as the chast vessels and chosen tabernacles of the Holy Ghost bringing forth fruit some thirty some sixty and some â—n hundred fold whereby we shall be most pleasing to God beâ—oued of the B. Virgin and shall â—e of the happy number of that â—elect band of so many thousands of most holy vnspotted virgins whose priuiledge is to follow the Lambe wheresouer and whithersoeuer he goeth to which effect let vs say Aue Maris stella c. THE V. MEDITATION Mater Christi ora pro nobis Mother of Christ pray for vs. HAVING contemplated the excellent dignity of the Holy Mother of God let vs now consider her as Mother of Christ which although it be the same in effect yet heere we will ponder some particuler points as it were deriued from this word Christ wherby it may the better appeare what dignity hath redounded to the B. Virgin by being called Mother of Christ. Christ therfore is as much to say as Annointed because he was indeed the annointed of his Father Vnxit te Deus Deus tuus O God thy God hath annointed thee and that Oleo laetitiae prae consortibus tuis with oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes By which diuin vnction is signifyed the abundance of heauenly grace wherewith the sacred Humanity of Christ was beautifyed aboue al others Priests Prophets and Kings are wont to be annoynted to signify the particuler grace which they haue giuen them to perform their functions and Christ Iesus being both Priest Prophet and King ought by al titles to be Christ that is Annoynted so that by Christ we vnderstand as it were the flowing fountain of all graces from whose fullnes we al receaue to satisfy our wants Now if we seeke the head of this diuine fountaine we shal find it hath one beginning in heauen from all eternity of his Father another on earth in fine temporum towards the end of the world Homo in fine temporum when being made Man he came to pay the ransome of our sinnes and that is his blessed Mother heere iustly intitled Mater Christi Mother of Christ Let vs now consider foure propertyes of oyle which will in some sort declare vnto vs the wonderfull effects of this diuine oyle whereby the greatnes of the benefit we haue receaued of the B. Virgin who was Mother vnto this Annoynted Sonne of God and brought him into this world among vs may appeare the more The first property of Oyle is to feed vs and this S. Bernard noteth and experience teacheth Christ is he who is our true food without whom no soule can liue for vnles we eate his flesh and drink his bloud we cannot auoyd eternall death The Israelites in the desert were cloyed with the heauenly Manna and sayd they vvere vveary of so light meates therefore by the povverfull hand of Almighty God they vvere soarely chastized with fiery Serpents the stinging wherof could not be cured but by the beholding of the brazen serpent So if we be cloyed with this diuine food vvhich the Blessed Virgin hath brought vnto vs what can we expect but the annoyance and byting of fiery serpeÌ„ts that is of vnruly passions disordered and disordinate lustes of the flesh neuer ceasing to afflict vs vntil we cast our eyes vpon our B. Sauiour nayled to the Crosse sigured in the brazen serpent vvhich if we do vvith true deuotion firme fayth and harty repentance of our sinnes we shall be cuâ—ed and our soule shall find it selfe refreshed vvith the oyle of gladeâ—es for as S. Augustine sayth de â—ccato dolet de dolore gaudet a sinner grieueth for the sinne committed reioyceth that he is sorrowfull for it The second property gathered out of the same S. Bernard is that it giueth light and as Christ himselfe auerreth he is the light of the world Lux sum muÌ„di I am the light of the world therfore who soeuer findeth himselfe oppressed with the darke cloudes of dull ignorance let him haue recourse vnto this diuine lampe of burning oyle and let him with the blind man call vpon him and say Lord haue mercy on me if most bountiful Iesus shal demand what thou wouldst haue Thou shalt answere Lord that I may see light What light The light of thy celestiall doctrine of thy heauenly grace of thy eternall glory Another property of oyle is to cure wounds as the same Holy Saint recordeth of which we haue an euident proofe out of the parable of the miserable man who descending from Hierusalem to Hierico fell into the handes of theeues being sore wounded was cured by oyle and wine The precious bloud of Christ is the medicinable oyle powred forth for the cure of our soules salue of our soars this must be the only remedy of our bleeding wounds The last property of oyle is as S. Gregory writeth to swim aboue all other liquors which is the true effect of the grace of Christ to make them who are indued therewith to swim aboue al waters of tribulation and though for a tyme they may seeme to be cast
to obtaine of him what we most desire Yea let vs not looke only into this mystical glasse but also let vs vse it as a powerful help to obtain our wished suite and petition let vs frame our actions according to the liuely portraict of her excellent vertues that we may with greater confidence implore her powerfull ayde let her be our Patterne and Patronesse in life and death let vs deuotly say Speculum Iustitiae ora pro nobis Myrrour of al perfection pray for vs. Aue Maris stella THE XXII MEDITATION Sedes Sapientiae ora pro nobis The seate of wisdome pray for vs. IT is written by the diuine instinct of the holy Ghost and left for our instruction that Wisdome built himselfe a howse vnderpropped and borne vp with seaueâ— stately Pillars which not vnfitly we may apply vnto the Eternal Wisdome of the Sonne of God iâ— beautifying and adorning the B. Virgin for his mother and making her indeed Sedes sapientiae thâ—â— seate of Wisdome Let vs therfore consider the seauen stately Pillars which ouâ— Sauiour did erect in this his spirituall Soule his mysticall seate for doubtlesse they were the seauen guifts seaueÌ„-fould grace of the holy Ghost to wit WisdoÌ„ Vnderstanding Counsell Fortitud Science Piety feare of our Lord al which how eminent they were in our B. Lady no true Christian wil cal in question wherby she became the worthy seate of VVisdome the princely throne of the true Salomon the holy mother of God 1. And for two reasons vve may call the B. Virgin the Royall seate of VVisdome First in that she was the most blessed and selected Creature chosen amongst and aboue all women to be his holy mother in whose sacred wombe he was to take his nyne moneths â—â—est and then to be most louingly â—feâ—ded in her tender armes and seated on her lappe with all respect vnto him as her God and no lesse loue as to her Sonne and therfore was the seate of VVisdome 2. The second reason why shâ— may be so intytled is because iâ— wisdome be taken for the grace of the holy Ghost or the spiritual dwelling of Christ in a soule we shall find that neuer in any pure Creature the like aboundance oâ— wisdome was found the like graces fauours supernaturall gifts And because she so carefully kept these gracious guifts that she alwayes deserued to keep God in her blessed soule therfore she may more properly be said to be the seate of wisdome For although Christ many tymes visiteth most mercifully the vnworthy howse of our soules yet by reason of ouâ— strange ingratitude wee do not esteeme as we ought the heaueÌ„ly company of so worthy a ghest the singular fauours of so speciall a friend but by our offences we expell him from the howse of our soules and yeild his rightfull seate vnto his vsurping enemy But our blessed Lady was alwaies constant euer true vnto him and therfore his perpetuall seate according as our Sauiour witnesseth of euery iust man Ioan. 14. ad eum veniemus mansionem apud eum faâ—iemus vve vvill come vnto him and make our mansion or place of abroad with him O Blessed and euer most happy Virgin Mother Colloquium the Regall seat of Eternall wisdome Let thy povverfull intercession so preuayle vvith thy louing Sonne that vve may in such sort receiue him into the hovvse of our soules that vve do not vngratefully cast him forth againe but vvithall honour and respect so serue him in this life that vve may deserue to dwell in those heauenly mansions of Eternity Amen Salue Regina THE XXIII MEDITATION Causa nostrae laetitiae ora pro nobis Cause of our Ioy pray for vs. HEEREVVE are to conside the great ioy vvhich the B. Virgin brought into the world a her sacred birth according to thaâ— which we read in the office of heâ— Natiuity Natiuitas tua Dei Gentrix Virgo gaudium annunciauâ— vniuerso mundo Thy Natiuity 〈◊〉 Virgin Mother of God hath been the long desired messenger of ioy to all the world for of thee is borne the some of Iustice who destroying the former curse brought a generall blessing vnto vs all Yet for the better vnderstanding of the greatnes of the ioy we all reâ—eiued by her happy comming it vvill be good to make vse of this contemplation 1. Imagine after a long and â—edious vvinter hovv gratefull â—he approach of a pleasant spring â—oth seeme not only vnto man â—ut euen vnto brute beasts seeâ— birds yea in some sort to the â—ery plants and the earth it self vvho vesteth herselfe in nevv apâ—arell to vvelcome the neere apâ—roach of the gladsome Sunne â—â—e pretty birds in their laÌ„guage df the like to shevv the greatnes oo their ioy vvith their best musicke 2. Or els consider how gratefull is the beautifull breaking of a fayre morning after a darke tempestuous night telling vs vvith a gladsome blush that the ioy ful Planet the Sunne is neere a hand 3. Ponder moreouer hovv comfortable vvas the comminâ— of Iudith to the sorrovvfull gate of beseiged Bethulia vvhen shâ— brought them certaine nevves oâ— their present deliuery and futuâ— safety Then apply all this to thâ— B. Virgin cause of our ioy wâ—â— after so long and tendious a wiâ—ter of sinne and vvickednes 〈◊〉 her happy comming into thâ— world did signify vnto vs thâ— the Lambe of God who taketh avvay the sinnes of the world was novv neere at hand that the bright shyning lampe of heauen would spread ere long his beautiful beams of light vpon the earth that the Sunne of Iustice would shortly appeare vnto vs that it might be fulfilled as the Prophet had foretold The people that sate in darkenes saw great light and to them that dvvelt in the region shaddovv of death light is risen Her happy birth was the fore runner of greater light and her appearing in this world the ioyfull dawning of a blessed day her prudent demeanour and religious cariage of farre more profit and comfort vnto vs then the wonder and vvonderfull acts of Iudith to the Bethulians She to one people only was the cause of ioy out B. Lady vnto all Nations she vnto one Citty the B. Virgin vnto al the world brought ioy and gladnes Let vs therfore not only acknowledge this great benefit but let vs encourage our selues Colloquium with greater confidence to inuocate her blessed Name and say Causa nostrae laetitiae ora pro nobis Cause of our ioy pray for vs that as by her persoÌ„ the Sonne of God became man for our redemption so by her holy intercessioÌ„ we may profit our selues by so pricelesse a ransome Salue Regina THE XXIIII MEDITATION Vas Spirituale ora pro nobis Spirituall vessell pray for vs. HEERE we call vpon the B. Virgin by the name of Spirituall vessell to signify the great abundance of her spirituall Graces and blessings wherwith she was replenished We will therfore coÌ„sider the sweet odours