know there is but one only Sunne more simple thou art then answered she againe to beleeue that we haue more Gods then one though so many Hosts as thou seest euery where deriue themselues from his diuinity and at this the Iew confounded left the place The B. Virgin not only adored this B. Sacrament on earth but now in heauen actually Continues her Adoration which we may confirme by a storye taken out of Vincentius his Mirrour Historial the. 17. booke confirmed by diuers other Authors of worthy credit There was sayes he a Curat of euil life addicted to his pleasures and one who studied more to flay and kil his flock then to feed them It happened in his parish at the same tyme there-fel sicke a riche Gentleman of prime quality and a poore widow of a vertuous life the Vicar choosing rather to visit the Gētleman as one from whom there was some what to be hoped for left the widow without help abandoned and after he had dispatch't with him slightly hearing his Confession and administring the other Sacramēts yet he remained lingering there so long impertiēntly flattering the Gentleman with hope of life though he euen saw death in his Countenance only in hope of some temporal benefitt vntil the widow mindful of her eternal good sent for him being almost in her last Agonie but he sticking fast there in hope of gaine could not be drawne from thence which his Vicar perceiuing moued with compassion alasse Sir sayd he suffer not this poore woman to dye thus destitute of help but at least send me thither if you wil not goe your selfe Goe if you wil sayd he for my part I wil not leaue this Gentleman where there is hope of some what to be gott to visit a begger where there is nothing but misery hereupon the Vicar went with the B. Sacrament for her Viaticum to visit this infirme creature poor indeed of worldly riches but riche in heauenly without which al is pouerty and he was no soener arriued at the doore where the poore soule lay only vpon a litle straw but he beheld the glorious Queene of heauen accompanied with innumerable troopes of Angels and Virgins assisted at her happy departure at the sight of which the Vicar suspēded in his thoughts a while whether he should enter or no at last reflecting from his owne vnworthines on the dignity of him who was in the Sacrament which he brought with him he confidently entred in when the B. Virgin and al her Glorious trayne with humble reuerence adored it and presently vanished away When the good Vicar in extreme consolation approched to the Couch where the poore widow lay and hauing heard her Confession and communicated her the happy soule presently loosened from its mortal bones tooke flight immediatly to heauen In the meane while things succeeded cleane cōtrary at the riche mans house whither the Vicar was no sooner returned but he beheld the Gentlemans bed al incircled in with ougly black spirits with horrible noyse skreekings and roarings affrighting of his soule whilest he cried out in horrible dismay helpe helpe my freinds these wicked spirits are haling me and with their gripes they euen presse me to the hart alasse I am a lost and miserable man and at last whilst the Curat and the rest were labouring in vaine to comfort him his aking soule weary of those momentary and painful gripes issuing out of its body was receiued by those Feinds and carried where was nothing but eternal torments Imagine but what impressions the whilest the concurrancy of these two Visions made in the heart of the good Vicar and how deuoutly afterwards he reuerenced the B. Sacrament hauing seene with what deuotion the B. Virgin did it and al her heauenly traine At least the professed seruants of this B. Virgin ought to make their profitt of this Example and learne from thence to reuerence the B. Sacrament and also to haue the often receiuing of it in highe esteeme not withstanding the friuolous opinions of some who hold it an irreuerence the often frequenting of it not considering that it is stiled our dayly bread that S. Luke and S. Denis the Areopagite affirmes it to haue been the Custome of the Primitiue Christiās to receiue it dayly with incredible Consolation For their better instruction let them heare Saint Ambrose exhorting to the frequent receiuing it The seruants of Alm. God sayes he receiue this bread dayly since dayly thou hast need of it for thy Comfort refreshment and purging thee from thy sinnes And the Angelical Doctour S. Thomas sayes That whosoeuer experienceth an increase of grace and deuotion by their often receiuing it both may and ought to frequent it still and that although it be Commendable sometimes for humility to abstaine from it Yet it is more Commendable out of loue to receiue it often As witnesseth that example of S. Bonauenture who in his yonger yeares at his first entrance into the Order of the Frier-Minors out of the profoundnes of his humility would oftentimes forbeare to cōmunicate vntil hearing Masse one day it pleased Alm. God to send him a particle of the Blessed Host by the hands of Angels to communicate withal by this singular fauour both rewarding his humility and encouraging him to more frequent receiuing it And heere we wil cease all further Discourse of these Conditions requisit in the seruants of the Blessed Virgin and treate of the due reuerence which wee owe to her and first we wil declare the Excellence thereof Heere endeth the first Part. The second Part. Of the Excellency of those Reuerences We are to exhibit in honour of the Queene of Heauen CHAPITRE I. AMONGST al the most noble and excellent seruices appertaining to the diuine honour that Adoration which the Diuines cal Latria and which is only appropriat to God in regard of the infinities of his Maiesty holdes the first ranke and place This adoration according to S. Iohn Damascene consists in an interiour Act by which the Creature testifies his submission vnto his Creatour by some exteriour signe either of vncouering the head bowing the knee inclining the body or the like With this supreme sort of Adoration the three Kings adored the Infant Iesus in his Mothers armes And entring the house sayes S. Mathew they found the Infant with Mary his mother falling on the ground they adored him words which excellētly wel declare the greatnes of this adoration by which the Kings and Monarks of the earth humbly bow the head and knee vnto the King and Monarke of the heauens Now to speake of the adoration proper to the B. Virgin the next degree to that of God himselfe the Diuines distinguish it by the name of Hyperdulia from the rest by which al creatures both in heauen and earth count it as honour to adore the sacred Queene of heauen According to the opinion of some Diuines God had no sooner created the Angels but he let them vnderstand how his B. Sonne
the hand of your holy Angel to your sublime Altar in the fight of your diuine Maiestie c. And as they are assistant to vs during our liues so at our deaths are they much more powerfully defending vs from al the assaults of the Infernal Enemy as testifies B. Aloysius Gonzaga of the Societie of Iesus in that his deuout meditation of our Angel Guardian where hee sayes that our Angel Custos at the time of our death is most diligent in assisting vs against the Enemy preseruing vs cheifly from those two sinnes which are most incident to men in that article of time Infidelity and despaire to the end that making heer a happy end they may repaire with them to heauen vnto their euerlasting habitation And in prosecuting his discourse he sayes that as soone as the soule once is free from the captiuity of the body its Angel presently conducts it to the Tribunal of Alm. God animating and encouraging it on the way to put its cheifest confidence in the merits of the sacred bloud of our Sauiour Christ and if it chance the better to be purified from its sinnes to be adiudged vnto the purging flames he visits it often there comforts it brings it the suffrage and succour of those prayers and merits which are offred for it in the other world and encourages in middest of its suffrances with the hope it can not be long in suffering and in fine when the time is expired he conducts it out and al bright and purified leades it vnto heauen and in the twinkling of an eye presents it vnto Alm God to receaue from him the Crowne of eternal beatitud prepared from al eternitie for those who heer sighe after it in this vale of teares O happy and a thousand tymes happy is that soule which hauing been faithful to its Creator and pliant to his hand to be ledd whither soeuer his least motion carried it in following his good Angel for guide leauing the world ful of the vertue of his example arriues at last vnto that Kingdome of eternal felicity where with God and his Saints it shal for euer raigne But now touching the practise of this particular deuotion to our Angel Guardian first being assured that we are committed to his Regencie and that so noble and excellent a creature as al the eloquence of the world rather diminishes then add to its cōmendations vouchsafes to keep vs perpetuall company and defends vs from al euil with his careful watchings his comfortable aduise we are on our parts to endeauour a requital First by comporting our selues with al deuotion and due respect vnto his presence and next honouring him with al competent honour Let vs then consider if we stood perpetually in the sight of some earthly Prince or Monarke how careful we should be so to compose our outward behauiour as might render vs most grateful in his sight with how much more care and diligence ought we in the presence of our Angel Guardian to comport our selues Heare what S. Bernard sayes in explication of these words For he hath giuen his Angels charge ouer thee to guard thee in al thy wayes c. O mortal man sayes he what reuerence what deuotion and confidence art thou to conceiue in thy breast from these comfortable words of the Royal Prophet reuerence in standing in presence of thy Angel deuotion for his loue of thee confidence for his care Be therefore vigilant neuer to exceed the bonds of thy respect while these holy spirits are alwayes in thy sight by the appointment of Alm. God himselfe attending them thy preseruation in al thy wayes and wheresoeuer thou art either in priuat or publique be alwayes careful neuer to commit that indecency before him which before me thou wouldest not doe Thus S. Bernard in his deuout and pious manner Secondly we are to honour them with these reuerences we haue formerly treated of which may be best performed when into priuat we haue retir'd our selues especially before we retire our selues to rest with a profound inclination we are to say Angele Dei qni Custos es mei c. beseeching him to keep vs in our sleepe from the assalts of the Enemy that euer watches to harme and mischiefe vs so when we awake we are to commend our selues vnto them that day following whatsoeuer busines we are to vndertake that it may sort a wished conclusion and we should do wel often to commend vnto them in some vocal manner a deuout conception of our hart in our occurrant necessityes beseeching them to assist vs in the mannage of this or that particular affaire This deuout custome had one Alexander Luzaqua an Italian Gentleman of a most holy and vertuous life that as often as he saluted any man he mentally intended that reuerence vnto his Angel Guardian whom he saluted and an excellent consideration it was to thinke a celestial spirit more worthy the salutation then an earthly worme Let vs imitate this deuotion and in saluting any say thus in our minds I offer this reuerence to the Angel Guardian that attends vpon him or he whom I salute And most happy it wil be for vs if we do so for by this meanes we shal indeare our selues in the loue and care of those B. spirits who can do more for our real aduancement and good then al the world besides Jn What manner We are to proceed in the exercise of these Adorations Worthily to honour the Mother of Alm. God CHAP. XIII VVE being composed of two parts the superiour inferiour of body and soule by the singular prouidence and goodnes of Alm. God that we might honour him with both both heer and in the world to come a great part of our corporal honour Consists in these fore sayd Adorations which not only the Saints haue practised but euen our B. Sauiour himself we oftē reade how he bowed of whom his knees vnto his eternal father and prostrated on the ground as namely the night preceding his Passion when according to the Euangelist S. Luke He kneeled and fel prostrated on his face And. SS Matthew Marke he prostrated on the ground by which words we may gather how our Sauiour reuerenced his eternal Father in spiritu veritate in spirit and verity with each part both of body and soule Let the deuout Christian then desirous to render honour to the B. Virgin accompany his interiour deuotion of the soule with the exterior of the body first when thou art retired in secret for so when thou wouldst Pray enter into thy chamber sayes the holy Scripture thou art to begin with this Consideration how excellent she is whom thou art to reuerence and the excellency of the reuerence thou exhibit'st to her which the whole Court of heauen take for highest honour to be imployed in And touching the exllency of her thou art to consider her large portion of glorie aboue al the other Saints and represent her to the eies of thy
the Wise man to her and say Behold al yee nations of men and Know that none hath plac't their trust in this soueraine Lady been Cōfounded And could we but see rising from their sepulchers al those who haue been deuoted to her and could Demand of them where euer she had fayld ' them at their need or no Infallibly they would al with one accord say with S. Bernard cōuerting themselues towards her Let him be silent O Bl. Virgin who can say you wer euer wanting to them when they inuoked you in their necessityes We wil add another Example taken out of Scala caeli of a high miraculous straine exemplifying this priuiledge to the life and so conclude it A certaine Matron of excel-cellent endowments and much deuoted to the Queene of heauen sending her sonne to serue a certaine Prince in whose seruice his father had spent his life charg'd him before he went by al the tyes by which Heauen and nature had obliged him to her to be deuout vnto the B. Virgin in al his necessities to implore her ayde and neuer omit dayly at least to say vnto her honour an Aue Maria with that short prayer O B. Virgin bee propitious to me at the houre of death This he faithfully promised and being at Court inuiolably obserued though for the rest Youth easily falling into disorder and the Court being a place most slippery this yong Gentleman frequenting the societies of some deboished ones soone tooke the taint of their societies and became as deboish't as they and as there is no stay in wickednes when one is falling once at last he was so deepely plunged in it as the Prince when no admonition would serue the turne first banish't him his presence then his Court and last of al his territory Impatient for this disgrace and conuerting that was intended for his cure vnto his great maladie what did this desperat youth but associat himselfe with certaine theeues who harbouring in the woods infested al the Prouinces about and was soone chosen their Captain when hauing a more spatious feild to exercise his wickednes in he soone became so ingeniously fierce so wittily cruel as in fiercenes and cruelty he excelled them al sparing no humane creature and no sort of inhumanity But see Heauens instice which comes with the greater force vpon vs the greater turne it makes ear it comes at vs. He raigned some yeares thus in his wickednes til at last it was his fortune to be taken and deliuered vp bound hand and foot to the publick Magistrate by them to prison where the same day he was condemned to die of this hauing secret intelligence strait as if the maske of his wickednes were but then taken off he began to perceaue the vglines of it so as to detest it be wayle and curse his fortune and euen waxe desperat for the greefe and shame it had brought vpon himself and his family When behold while he was in this dispose of minde there entred dungeon a man of mightie stature and horrible aspect who addressing himselfe vnto him Offered if he would be ru'ld by him to free him thence and who are you sayd he almost freed by his promise from the feare of his apparance I am the diuel sayd he sent hither by my Prince to deliuer you obey but his commands at hearing this without any long delay the prisoner as it is ordinary with wicked men to preferr the safety of their bodyes before their soules answered What-so'ere you are you wil oblige me by so great a benefit to what soeuer you demand then first said the diuel you must renounce Iesus Christ his merits and al the principality he hath ouer you I doe sayd he and it suffices to haue found a Prince of your Maister so ready to pleasure me next you must renounce al the Sacraments communion with his Church and that too answered he Then to Mary his mother and al your hope of fauour and assistance from her at this he demurr'd and entring into himself call'd al his thoughts together in consult of what he had promised his Mother what he had performed til then when resolued at last he answered that he would neuer doe farr be it from me sayd he how neere soeuer my life be cōcern'd in it to offer such an affront to my deare Patronesse and so to iniure her who so hath obliged me No rather I offer her my self if she daine to accept it whether she would haue me liue or die to be wholy and absolutly at her dispose Confounded with this his resolution the diuel vanished when he touched vnto the quick with a repentance for his hainous offences against his Lord Sauiour at first began to weep sigh most bitterly then had his recourse to the ordinary refuge of sinners the Mother of God saying vnto her with a sobbing voice a thousand times interrupted by his greefe O most sacred Mother of mercy haue pitty on me miserable sinner and do not quite reiect me from before your sight I aske not of you deliuerāce from my bonds I beg not of you to saue my life for that cōsidering the heinousnes of my crimes were too much for me to aske and you to grant I only hūbly craue you would obtaine for me pardō of my sinns of your B. Sōn and assist me as I haue often petitioned you at the houre of my death in this sorrowful and deuout manner he past al night and the day was no sooner come but he sent for a Confessours and confest him of al his sinnes this done he was led forth to execution the poore soule vpon his way euer calling vpon the Blessed Virgin his Patronesse to assist him at that time of neede On the way it was his chance to passe by a litle Chappel where was erected a statue of our B. Lady which he beholding vehemently cried out sighing in most dolorous māner O thou hope of sinners help me the Image at this aduanc't a litle and in sight of al the people fauourably beckened vnto him with the head which he perceiuing besought the Magistrate he might be suffred to approach vnto it and kisse its feete in thankfulnes for so great a fauour which being graunted him behold iust as he bowed downe to kisse its feete the Image laid hold of him and held his arme so fast as al the force the Officers vsed could not take him thence the people beholding so great a miracle presently al cried out a pardon a pardon deliuered him whether the Magistrate would or no in presence of whom he made the ful relation of al his passed life praysing and glorifying God in his B. Mother for it whence returned into his Countrey he became so reformed a man as he became as remarkable afterwards for goodnes and vertue as he had been before for vice and wickednes From this History we may vnderstand that the Mother of God is neuer wanting to her seruants in their
vnder the pretence of sanctity and spiritual conuerse and after by degrees so deeply engaged in their societies as without hazard of their saluations they haue neuer been able to get out The whilst with a deafe eare they haue neglected al the inspirations of heauen flattering themselues with certaine pernicious Maximes grounded vpon I know not what imaginarie shew of good manners and curtesy For what will they say should we turne our backes to them and what were that but to giue them cause to thinke vs Clownes and iustly to accuse vs of discurtesy and inciuility But happy is the soule the whilst that reiects these vaine feares in a matter in which their saluation is so much concern'd and preferr their soules immortal good before al other humane respects Let women therfore take warning and leaue off in time al affectation and superfluity in their behauiour attire least they incurr as great or greater punishment then she did whose story I wil here relate out of the second part of the Chronicles of the Frier-Minors A Religious man of the Prouince of Sicily praying one day in the Church of his Conuent had the apparition of a woman al naked presented before his eyes whom he coniuring in the name of God to declare vnto him what she was she answered with great shame and confusion I was said she a woman of fashion and quality in my dayes and of plentious fortune al which I abused so to his offence who gaue it me as in al my life I had no other thought than how to adorne me in most curious manner and follow still the fashions of the time till coming to die it was God Almightyes mercy to me I should repent me of my sinns and with true Contrition make an entire Confession of them by which meanes I had them al forgiuen me on this cōdition that I should for penance of my former vanity off attire wander in this manner naked vp and downe the world and hauing sayd this she dis-appeared Where is to be noted that although the poore soule for its greater Confusion imagined she was a spectacle to al yet none saw her but those whom God Almightie pleas'd to reueale this his secret iudgement vnto in whom it excited rather a holy feare of the seuere punishments of Alm. God then any vnlawful imagination or desire Let those then who desire to render themselues acceptable in the eyes of the B. Virgin endeauour with al their might to become humble both in the exteriour exteriour humility being the only vertue on which God bestowes his most aboundant fauours God resists the proud says the holy Scripture and giues his grace to the humble And the most sure and infallible way to heauen is true Humility Humility says S. Augustin is the Queene of vertues the destruction of vice the mirrour of Virgins and the throne of the holy Trinity In fine humility is that which best teaches vs both to Know the deceipts of the diuel to auoyd them being knowne as was reueal'd to S. Anthony when beholding one day in vision al the world sett with snares about he cried out O Lord how is it possible for one to escape al these and he was answered by a voice from heauen by being humble Anthony for onely Humility stoopes so low 't is neuer entangled by them And so we reade how the diuel once appear'd to S. Macarius with a mightie scithe in his hand threatening him as if he would haue mowed him off crying out against him O Macarius what a cruel strife is there betwixt vs two and yet how impossible it is for me to ouercome thee I do al that thou doest and more for thou watchest sometimes and I neuer sleepe sometymes thou fastest but I neuer eate I thinke as obiectly and sett as light as by the worlds vanityes as thou only one thing there is in which thou surmountest me which is that profound humility of thine We see then what admirable force this Christian Humility hath to ouerthrow pride and triumphe ouer the stratagems and forces of the Enemy a force so great as the very mention of it is enough to put al the armies of Hel to flight which I wil confirme by an example taken out of the Frier Minors Chronicle and it is this In the Conuent of Perusia the Prouince where S. Francis was borne there was a Guardian of an austere life endowed with al the vertues of a good Religious man now it happened that a noble man of the Countrey on Christmas-Eue sent an expresse messinger to desire him to send one of his Religious the next day to say Masse for him and it hapned iust at the instant that two of his Religious returning from a long iourney weary with trauayling and almost dead with cold and hunger he presently commaunded them to satisfie the desire of the Noble-man which they as presently vndertake without once murmuring and repyning at his cōmaund or alleadging for their excuses their great necessities Going then with great humility and obedience behold they were scarce halfe way on their iourney but they were ouertaken by night and involued in so thicke a darcknes that they could not see their way which incommodity ioyned to that of their hunger and cold made their case the more commiserable when seeing themselues so destitut of al humane helpe they had their ordinary recourse to the diuine helpe beseeching Almighty God to succour them in their so great necessitie and in the meane time going on though whether right or no they could not tel at last they hard the ringing of a Bell and their eares directing their steps at last they arriued at a Monastery as it seem'd where hauing knockt the gate was presently opened and al the Religious in flock came to salute them from thence they convey'd them to their chamber where they had al things prepar'd for their rest refreshment with great diligence At last the Religious departing from them exacted of them a promise to make them some short exhortation before the next dayes Matins Wel the morning being come and it ringing to Matins the Religious were al assembled and one of these good Fathers an excellent Preacher began to make them an exhortation taking for his text these words of the Prophet Esaias A child is borne vnto vs and a sonn is giuen vs on which he discoursed most diuinely of our Sauiours humility in descending so low to take vpon him our humane nature and whilst he was in the heat of his exhortation he might perceiue al the Religious one after another slinking away till at last there was only left the Abbot in the Quire Whē al amazed demanding of him the reason why his Monkes had left him so your self are the cause sayd he how is that possible answered the good man againe Why sayd the Abbot you haue discours't in such manner of I know not what humility of the sonne of God as they neither would nor
and may need the wiping away of it As for Mortal sinne by the grace of Alm. God we may preserue our selues vntouched by it as many good Religious do euen to the vttermost period of their dayes but for venial it is impossible nor is there any of Adams descendants that at some time or other haue not falne into it The Apostles themselues although adorn'd with richest sanctity were not exempted from it only the B. Virgin hath had this singular priuiledge aboue the rest as the holy Church conceiues of her in her Office You are all faire O B. Mary and there is no spot in you Now our B. Sauiour for the cleansing vs from the staynes both of venial mortal sinne hath prouided vs of the remedie of the Sacrament of Confession And so S. Bernard sayes Ama Confessionem si affectas decorem Loue Confession as thou louest to be faire meaning that it is the imbellishment of a soule and so certainly there is nothing that more efficaciously purges the soule from vice then to frequent quent this holy Sacrament Al the Sacraments of the Church according as the Councel of Trent defines were instituted by our Sauiour Christ himselfe and had their first origin from his sacred side at what time both blood water came issuing forth and are so many rindets as it were by which his aboundant grace is deriued vnto vs. Let them therefore who frequent them make account especially this of Confession that they haue recourse by it to the ouer flowing fountaine of our Sauiours pretious bloud by vertue of which their soules are wash't and cleansed from the foulnes of their sinnes which the Apostle S. Iohn doth insinnuat where he sayes The bloud of our Sauiour Christ purges vs of our sinnes O how merciful and gratious hath God ben to vs the whilst how excessiue his loue to giue vs so pretious a remedy by which as often as we please we may be purged and cleansed from our sinnes and as often as we are dead in mortal sinne we may be reuiued and raysed to life againe passing from the death of sinne vnto the life of grace from vice to vertue from eternal paine vnto eternal blisse Of al deformities mortal sinne is that which renders a soule most deformed in so much as could we but see à soule in state therof we should euen die for horrour it would be a sight so feareful and hideous whereas no sooner it hath been cleansed by the sacrament of Penance but it produces againe a new beauty for mosity So S. Gregory the great sayes Could we but see a soule made to the resemblance of God euen in puris naturalibus we should admire it to adoration beleeue the Creatours beauty himselfe hardly superiour to it For which reason sayes the learned Tilleman God hath inclosed it in this corps of clay least it beholding it-self should be in danger of that Luciferian pride which was so many Angels perdition And for this cause those ancient Fathers of the Aegyptian deserts in eleuating their mindes to their soules high 〈◊〉 and taking the true altitude of their creatiōs were as it were alienated from themselues In so much as we reade of S. Antony as often as he was called on to pay the debt of nature either in food or sleep or any such corporal necessity he euen blush't for shame that so noble a substance as the soule should be interessed in such base reckonings Now if a reasonable soule be of it-selfe so beautiful what great addition must it needs receiue from the Sacrament of Penance which restoring it to its natiue luster add to it besides that of God Almighties supernatural grace Certainly there is no eloquence in the world can speak it sufficiently no liuing imagination can conceiue the hundreth part of its excellence The Sunne sayes S. Chrisostome with his cleare rayes doth not so illuminat the world as the Grace of Alm. God can do a soule Which that of S. Catharine of Sienna wel declares who hearing a Preacher once discoursing of the excellēcy thereof and how exceedingly it beautifyed a soule conceiued an ardent desire to behold a soule in Grace and aduantaged with al the beauties thereof Ful of this desire she was no sooner departed from the sermon but she hard a voice from heauen saying vnto her Catherine presently thou shalt see the fruite of thy desire and retiring her into her Oratory she there besought God for the performance of his promise and sodainly beheld a person of incredible Maiesty al Circled about with light and shining with clear splendours at the sight of which she was so rapt in admiration and reuerence as she presently prostrated her selfe before its feete with intention to adore it had it not with these words prohibited her Catherine for beare for I am not God as thou imaginest and who then answered the Saint I am sayd it the soule of a certaine Murtherer you prayed for not long since in seeng me ledd to execution who being new cleansed in the fire of Purgatory and going al purified to heauen after I shal haue left you satisfied of your desire by the commandement of Alm. God And after this time the holy Saint had a particular in fight by Alm. God bestowed vpon her of the natures of each soule and she was wont to affirme vnto her Glostly Father that if he sawe but the beauty of a soule she was assured he would spend 1000. 1000. liues for the sauing of one The grace of this holy Sacrament of Penance hath a wondrous vertue not only to purifie the soule confessant from the staines of finne but also to beautify it with good inclinations and from a slaue of sinne and vnapt for good to render it free expedite which we wil declare by an example out of Caesarius There was a learned Diuine say's he exemplar in al vertue called Thomas who approching to his end saw in a corner of his chamber the diuel appearing in a fearful shape to whom he with an vndanted couragc thus spake What art thou there cruel beast sayd he tel me I coniure the what amongst Christians is the thing which afflicts the most but he forbearing to answer him the holy man iterating his admiration in the name of God charged him to speake when at last the diuel thus answered him Know sayd he there is nothing in the Church of God afflicts vs more then the frequenting the Sacrament of Confession seeing when a man is in mortal sinne he is as it were bound hand and foote wholy disabled from doing any good and when he repayres to Confession those bonds are broken and he is restored to liberty againe and so certainly sinnes are nothing else but so many chaines which tye vs as it were vnto the gates of hel and so the Priest in the act of Absolution sayes I absolue thee from thy sinnes and a mighty power the Confessours hath or rather a mighty loue our Sauiour
middest of this foule weather and fowler wayes why answered the father againe it seemes to me I spye a house some quarter of a league hence where perhaps we may be lodged for God Alm s sake I know it wel said the father but it wil be ill coming thither for vs the Maister of it being a wicked man no freind to God nor to his seruants and such an enemie to himself as for these 30. yeares as the report goes he hath neuer been at Confession howsoeuer sayd the Father let vs goe for there is no remedy now and God is neuer wanting to his seruants at such necessitous times as this So they sett on towards the house where being arriued and asking a lodging for God Alm s sake the Mistres of the place moued with compassion to see them in such pitious plight tould them her husband was forth a hunting and for her selfe she was desirous to accommodat them with al her hart but if her husband came to haue notice of it either of them should incurr his greeuous displeasure by it she for receiuing them and they for being receiued but come what would she durst not deny them for God Alm s sake and had rather then fal into his displeasure incurr her husbands by it a thousand times so shee entertained them in a more remote part of the house with the greatest secrecie and charitie she could In the meane time her husband returning from the chace finding al things prepared against his cōming home sate downe to supper where he was plentiously serued whilst the goodnes of his appetite equaled the goodnes of the prouision his wife considering the wants of the poore Religious men in comparison of the plenty which was there could not but expresse some sorrow for it in her countenance which her husband obseruing asked her wherefore she was so sad and she a while excusing her selfe at last he more more importuning her she plainly tould him vpon his promise he would not be offended with it how she had entertayned those poore Religious men in their extreame necessity for God Alm s sake preferring by it the feare of God before the feare of him and how whilst they by the fire side were plentiously feasting it those poore soules pinched with hunger cold were ready to starue to death the cōpassion of whose incommodities with reflexion on their commodities the while made her so sad and sorrowful in her minde and hauing this discouered with teares in her eyes her husband was so moued thereat as he presently arose from the table and commanding they should be fetcht into the roome he himself went out to meete them and welcomed them with such signes of affection as for his owne mother he could not haue expressed more this moued the wonder of al that were present there but much more that which followeth when he seeing their garments hang al frozen stiffe about them and their feete and leggs chapt through the extremity of cold was so moued thereat as he presently seating them by the fire caused a bath of hott water to be brought and he himselfe washed their feete then after he had a while refreshed them there he comanded a chamber next his owne to be prepared for them whither hauing conducted them he addressing himselfe vnto the father sayd My good father resolue me I beseech you in curtesy whether one who hath liued al his life a greeuous sinner and yet hath neuer Confest him his sinns may possibly be saued There is no doubt Sir answered the Religious man but whosoeuer with requisite penance for his sinns satisfies the iustice of Alm. God may arriue at last to his saluation for so God hath sayd At what time soeuer a sinner shal repent him of his sinnes he should liue If it be so replied the Gentleman for Gods sake oblige me so much as to heare my Confession the good father exceeding weary and opprest with sleepe considering it a worke of much time to heare the Confession of such a one as he encouraging him in his good desires desired him to deferr it til morning when he might at better leisure examine his Conscience and consider more maturely of what he was to do but who can assure me answered the Gentleman to liue til the morning but for that as it pleaseth God and so he retired him to his rest meane while the Religious man moued with an extraordinary solicitud of this his new Converts saluation was no sooner at priuacy in his chamber but casting himself vpon his knees he besought Alm. God to dispose al that concerned him for his greater good and thereupon be tooke himself to his bed where in the profoundnes of his sleepe he beheld in vision the Angels and diuels at great debat about the soule of this Gentleman newlly deceased the one challenging it to be theirs the other denying it the diuels alleadging for their side the many and greeuous crimes he had cōmitted in his life the Angels for theirs some slight and few good workes which he had done but with soe litle successe as the Iudge was euen vpon the point of giuing iudgement for his condemnation when his Angel Guardian interposed and sayd I beseech your diuine Maiestie remember what I had almost forgot the charitable entertaiment he gaue to those Religious men but yester-night and I trust it wil more then incite you to pardon him at this the Iudge demurring at last in consideration of this one act of his he gaue sentence for his saluation and so his accusers departed frustrat of their intents Heer the vision vanished and the Religious man starting out of his sleepe called to his Companion saying My brother my brother the Gentleman of this house is dead and which is more is saued and heere he related to him the whole progresse of his vision Hereupon they both rose and calling to them of the house aduertised them of what had happened telling them for certaine that the Maister of the place was dead at this al were wonderfully amazed and his wife the most afflicted woman in the world not so much for his temporal death as his eternal which withgood cause she feared til the Religious assured her that he was saued and that by the same meanes he came to the knowledge of his death by the same he vnderstood of his eternal life So a great part of her sorrow being taken away the rest she bestowed vpon his Obsequies al that either knew his life or death admiring in it the wonderful meroies of Alm. God From this Example let sinners take Instruction to be alwayes charitable to the poore though their sinnes be neuer so many yet neuer to despaire of the sweet goodnes of Alm. God but cheifly let them learne from hence to correspond to the Inspirations of Alm. God and preuayle themselues of the occasions offered them by fauourable heauen for their conuersions eternal good for so did this Gentleman both in wil
ground and lifting his hands and eyes to heauen Seeing it is so O B. Vigin sayd he and that each poore thing that is don for you is so richly rewarded I heere promise and vow in imitation of this deuout seruant of yours euery saturday to fast in your honour as long as it shal please Alm. God to giue me life and health which afterwards he inuiolatly obserued but for the rest continuing stil his haunt of robbing it happened once that being ouer matched by passingers he had his head cut off and they thinking they had made him sure went on their way glorying in what they had done whē behold the head cried out Confession for the loue of God Cōfession when imagine in what affright they were vnable a long while for amazement to stirr or moue vntil at last they came vnto the next village and certified the Curat of what had hapned who running thither accompanied with many of his parishioners brought thither by Curiosity behold rhey hauing ioyned the head vnto the body he with a loue and audible voice that al might heare him sayd vnderstand al of you that I neuer did any good in al my life but only in honour of the B. Virgin fasting Saturdayes for which reason when my soule was issuing forth of my body as it was seperated from my head and the diuels ready to intercept it were al assembled behold the B. Virgin hindred them nor would she suffer it to issue forth of my body vntil by Cōfession it were expiated of its crimes and therupon hauing confest himselfe and desiring al the assistants to pray for him he exchanged this life for a happier on This day then being particularly consecrated to the honour of the B. Virgin we should do wel to add vnto our fasts this deuotion of lowly inclining and reuerencing her It being of such excellency as we haue declared before of which each one may offer vp as many as his deuotion shal suggest and time and place permit How euer for the more certainty might I prescribe them a taxed number it should be the number of the Beads to wit sixty three in honour of those yeares which according to some Doctours the B. Virgin liued vpon earth and so it were best to number them vpon their Beads performing them the while with that attention as if the B. Virgin were really present there and while they do it they may at earth one pronounce those first words of the Angelical salutation Aue Maria which some are of opinion the Angel pronounc't in actually bowing his knee and lowly reuerencing her with bowing downe his head But of this we shal speak more amply in the 11. chapter of this booke where we shal teache an apt Method of putting in practise this exercise and what I say of the Saturday may be obserued when any of her lesser feasts occurr As for the Greater feasts the greater the solemnity is with the greater deuotion we are to solemnize it wherfore it were wel if on such dayes as those we encreased to a hundred the number of those reuerences it being a number much celebrated in the holy Scripture for perfect and mysterious but I would not wishe you to performe them al at once for feare of taediousnes but to diuide them so as both morning noone afternoone euening and night may haue its parting which in the former number of sixty three I would likewise haue obserued that we may come to it with fresh deuotion and renue the memory of our B. Lady more affectionatly and often And if the feast be celebrated with an Octaue we may celebrat each day of the Octaue with this deuotion when if we begin the vigil with a hundred and ten and so continue the Octaue out we shal make compleatly vp the number of a thousand a number perfect sacred and mysterious This excellent deuotion was most frequent with S. Margaret daughter of the king of Hungary Religious of the Order of Saint Dominick who as Doctor Querin of the same Order recounteth in her life was so affectionatly deuoted to the Queene of heauen as she no sooner sawe her Image in any place but she presently kneeled downe before it reciting in her honor the Angelical salutation and on the Eues of her most solemne feasts she alwayes fasted with bread and water from which day til the conclusion of the Octaue she sayd a thousand Aue Marias at each one of which she humbly prostrated her selfe on the ground making it her greatest delight next to honouring Alm. God to honour his B. Mother Of the Feasts of our Sauiour Christ CHAP. IX VPON occasion of treating of the feasts of our B. Lady I am put in minde to speake a word of the feasts of our B. Sauiour which we are to honour aboue al the rest and with good reason for if the feasts of creatures as we haue sayd may be celebrated in their honour how much is the Creatour on his feast to be honoured Al those deuotions we may exercise on his feast which we haue taught to be exercised on the feasts of our B. Lady alwayes prouided that we reuerence him in a higher straine of Latria only proper to God himself Thou sbalt honour serue the Lord thy God c The principal feasts of our Sauiour Christ which are celebrated with their Octaues are fiue the Natiuity the three Kings adoration the Resurrection the Ascension that of Corpus Christi or the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist amongst which I place in the highest ranke that of the Natiuity because on that al the Quires in heauen descended vnto the earth to adore their King then an infant lying in the manger or in his mothers lap And so the deuout soule that exerciseth theis deuotions on that day is to frame a liuely imagination of the place imagining themselues in Bethleem and adoring amongst the rest him whom al both in heauen and earth adore The feast of the three Kings puts vs in minde of nothing but adorations since on that day they al adored our Blessed Sauiour in his Mothers lapp and in them al the nations of the world and with how much deuotion it was accompained may be gathered from this pathetical expression of it by the Euangelist Saint Mathew And entring into the house sayd he they found the infant with Mary his Mother and falling on the ground adored him The glorious Resurrection to the dignity of which al other feasts giue a kinde of pre-heminence deserueth Adoration likewise because on it our Sauiour rose againe al victorious and victory charged with the spoyles of hel while the Angels adored him reioycing at his triumph and singing in his prayses their songs of ioy And what should I say of his most glorious Ascension on which our Lord and Sauiour after his victories made his magnificent entrance into Heauen and there being seated at the right hand of his Eternal Father to whom he was euery way equal in
particular care and protection of those that are deuoted vnto them perpetually procuring for them fauours and assistances from Alm. God this verity is Orthodox confirmed and approued by many Councels and holy Doctours Now for the Saints Founders of Religious Orders which by excellence are called Patriarcks because as Abraham for exāple was stiled by that name for that so many people descended from him so from them so many Religious are propagated in the Church Of this sort is S. Benet S. Augustine S. Francis and S. Dominick and of later-yeares S. Ignatius c. Al which are to be had in highest veneration by those of their holy Orders not only on the particular dayes when their feasts are honoured but euery day of the yeare besides and that Religious man who desires to augment in him the deuotion he hath to the Founder of his Order should do wel to assigne a particular day of the week for honouring him that Wednesday in particular as the most conuenient for this effect when with some extraordinary deuotion of fasting praying reuerēcing him and the like he is to procure to honour him more particularly referr vnto that end al which he doth that day which finally hath reference al vnto the honour of our Sauiour Christ and to imploy some houres of the day in the meditation of the particular vertues of that Blessed Saint It is the general doctrine of the learned that the Founder of each Religious Order hath a particular care not only of the Order in general but also of each Religious in particular more or lesse according as their merits are and that they assidually defend them strengthening their forces and weakening the enemies who oppugne and fight against them Of which great priuiledge and prerogatiue Brother Leo in particular had an excellent reuelation vision of holy S. Francis which I wil heer recount S. Francis being happily departed vnto rest hauing rendred his body to the earth and his soule to heauen Brother Leo one of his most affectionat disciples bearing impatiently the absence of one whom he loued so dearely wel prayed instantly vnto Alm. God to make him so happy that once more in this life he might enioy the happy aspect againe of his beloued Maister and iterating his petition both earnestly often it pleased Alm. God that one day he being retired into a solitary place he beheld S. Francis appearing vnto him in a strāge mysterious shape al shining with glorious light but for the rest winged with golden wings and tallonted both hands and feete with Eagles clawes The Brother transported with ioy al sight of him was running to embrace and kisse his hands and feete but espying in what strange equipage they were he al amazed demanded of the Saint the reason why he appeared in that sort the Saint answered againe vnderstād these are no other then markes of the affection I beare my Order and the Religious thereof and these do signifie that amongst al the other riche prerogatiues his diuine Maiesty hath honoured me withal since my arriuing into heauen one is the authority power to vindicat my Religious from their necessities and defend them from any aduersity that presses them as often as with confidence they invoke my aide and these wings and tallons now I haue assumed to signify my readines and promptitud in succouring mine and the force and violence with which I oppugne al those who iniure them Good reason then haue the Children of this great Pattiarcke to reioice on earth for hauing so powerful a protector of him in heauen so louing a father and so careful an Aduocate I would aduise them to be assidual in honouring him with those reuerences of which we haue spoken and particulary to salute him euery day with fiue times bowing their knees vnto the ground in honour of the fiue woūds so miraculously imprest vpon him while he liued reioycing and congratulating with him for so highe and so sublime a dignity It being no doubt one of the most acceptable deuotions we can exhibit vnto him now he is in heauen Of the Adoration of the Angels CHAP. XI AND if we be obliged to honour the B. Saints with that due reuerēce appropriated their worship as we haue amply proued in the precedent Chapters with farr more reason are we to honour the holy Angels as the noblest in substance of al created things and representing most liuely their Creatours vnlimited power and magnificence And although it be true that both men and Angels are both Creatures of Alm. God and workes of that soueraigne Artificer that they are either framed according to his Image and by the faculties of their memory vnderstanding their wil capable of his grace and of being participant of his glory and eternal felicity and that many circumstances there are which equal Man with Angels yea and in consideration of the Hypostatical vnion and the Mother of our Sauiour Christ it may pretend some pre-eminence aboue them also Yet if we weigh their natures and ballance them equally one against the other no doubt but we shal find the one farr exceeding the other and as lead can neuer arriue to the excellency of siluer nor siluer of gold no more can a body any way equal in excellency a soule nor the soule of man naturally speaking the most inferiour Angel that is in heauen Vnto which our B. Sauiour infallibly alluded when he sayd Verily I say vnto you amongst the sonnes of men hath not been borne a greater then Iohn Baptist neuerthelesse the least in the Kingdome of heauen is farr greater then he But now before we wade any further into this matter we are to vnderstand that the word Adoration is a notion general to good Angels and men In conformity to which we find it in holy Scripture indifferently vsed for either as where it is sayd that the Israelits adored both their king God they bowed downe sayes he and adored God and afterwards their King So the Children of Israel adored their brother Ioseph then Gouernour of AEgypt after his brothers had adored him c. For which reason the Doctours both ancient moderne haue distinguished it into three seueral species of Adoration Latria Dulia and Hyperdulia the first being exhibited only vnto God himselfe as a souueraine kinde of adoration only fitted to the soueraine power he hath with the second we honour Saints and Angels And as for the third it appertaines to the B. Virgin alone and vnto her who surpasseth in excellence both Angels and al rest of Saints besides and of this in the precedent Chapters we haue discours't at large In breefe then we establish this conclusion we are to adore Angels and men deseruing it and this is an Article of faith according to Suares defined by Pope Felix the first of that name in the Councel at Rome the 7. th Synod And S. Augustine speaking of the B. Apostle S. Peter sayes An infinit number of the
Angel keeper when blessing the children of his sonne Ioseph he sayd The Angel who hath preserued me from al euil blesse these children c. And so did Iudith returning victorious from Holofernes campe So it hath seemed good vnto our Lord said she whose Angel hath guarded me in going forth in remayning there and in returning backe And though the B. Angels care extends it-selfe as wel vnto the bad as to the good yet not withstanding they more specially impart their aide vnto the iust as the Psalmist testifies where he sayes Qui habitat in adiutorio Altissimi c. Who dwelleth in the aide of the Highest remaynes in the protection of the God of heauen And there is no doubt but God hath a most particular care of the iust and vertuous and consequently commends them in a most deare manner vnto their Angels Guardians as may be gathered out of that passage of holy Scripture He hath giuen his Angels charge of you c. As if he would saye those who are Gods faithful seruants may goe securely in the midst of dangers for God hath giuen the charge vnto his Angels to haue especial care of them Whether they sleepe or wake they need not feare for being in this particular protection of God and their Angel Guardian it may be sayd vnto them They may walke on the Aspick and the Basiliske and tread the Lion Dragon vnder their feet What a wonderful priuiledge is this to be able to contemne the Aspick and Basiliske which euen kils with its sight and the Lion and Dragon the most formidable of al other beasts and who restraynes the killing lookes of the one or cohibits the others fieccenes but only our Angel Guardian The second benefit which we receiue from them is the wholsome Counsel and aduice which they are stil infusing into our minds And of this we haue a cleere example in the Angel that accompanied Tobias on his way and gaue him such wise and prudent instruction in point of his mariage how he should comport himselfe with his new spouse for to escape the fate which had sent so many of her husbands vnto death as namely that he was to begin his mariage quite contrary to the custome now a dayes with watchings prayers and deuotion In the like manner an Angel Guardian is continually suggesting wholsome counsels vnto vs now deterring vs from euil now inciting vs to good which without their incitement we should neuer doe now proposing to vs the example of our Sauiour Christ before our eyes now of some other Saint for to awake our Imitation then inflaming our wils to embrace the occasion of imitatating them lastly they go somtymes spurring vs on by the consideration of the mercy of Alm. God now refrayning vs againe by that of his iustice and seuerity so euer directing euen our course betwixt heauen and hel that neyther the consideration of the one extoll vs too much nor the other too much depresse vs. And tel me now haue you neuer experienced when you were about to committ any greeuous crime a remorse of Conscience and certaine shrinkings backe and bidding vs forbeare and what should this be but our Angel Guardian appointed to this office by Alm. God Besides how oftentymes may we imagine God offended with our crimes to haue been in mind to haue pluck't vs from the earth like vnfruitful trees and throwne into the fire of Eternal hel had it not been for their interceding for vs like him who sayd vnto the man in the parable being minded to pluck vpp his figg-tree which for three yeares he had obserued never to haue borne fruit that he should haue patience with it another yeare and after he had cultiuated it if it bore not fruit he should doe his pleasure with it The Doctours in explicating this passage saye We are these vnfruitful trees Alm. God the Lord of the Orchard and our Angel Guardian he that intercedes and vndertakes for vs Imagine then how much we contristat him if we be wanting vnto his promises and to the hopes which he conceiues of vs The third and last benefit for which we are liable to our Angel Guardian is that he accompanies vs perpetually from the houre of our birth to the final period of our liues and neuer abandons vs euen when we are abandoned by euery one besides and such a freind we haue of him as the world hath none For behold a beautious Virgin in the flower of her yeares and pride of her beauty how many seruants she hath that make court to her and with what obsequiousnes they obserue her til that flower fading and the winter of her yeares and decayes of age falne on her beauty once they fal of as fast and she is left only to solitud and neglect who was before the only one frequented and to whom al respects were payd Whereas our good Angel is so constant a freind of ours as no change of fortune qualifyes or time makes vs goe lesse with him but he is euer the same and neuer alters in loue vnto vs euen when he sees vs hated of God and man and the reason of this is because he knowes not as yet the final reprobation of him whom he hath in charge otherwise he would not haue such care of wicked men as most certaine it he hath Another benefit for which we stand infinitely obliged vnto thē is that they carefully present our Petitions vnto Alm. God our almes watchings and al our good works we doe which by those words of the Angel to Tobias is rendred euidēt When thou prayedst with teares and buriedst the dead when thou didst leaue thy repast and didst conceale the dead by day in thy house and didst bury them by night I offred thy prayer vnto our Lord. And this by that mystical ladder of Iacob was vnderstood where the Angels were seen ascending and descending betwixt heauen and earth to signifie the continual commerce they haue with either for our avayle not by local motion but by a farr more ready way Sometimes one Angel presents to Alm. God the generous victory of this man ouer his temptations another sayes behould O Lord the profitable vse which this soule makes of that precious bloud you shed for it vpon Mount Caluary and of al those other graces which with so liberal a hand you haue bestowed on it A third cries out Good Lord receiue this charitable persons almes bestowed vpon you in the person of the poore or these deuout teares shed only out of an affectionat loue of you Another finally present the oblation of this good Religious person in wholy renouncing al worldly commodityes or this Preists pietie and zeale in offering vp the holy sacrifice of the Masse or meditating our Sauiours Passion and this the Canon of the Masse confirmes saying Iube haec perferri per manus sancti Angeli tui in sublime Altare tuum in conspectu diuinae maiestatis tuae Command this to be carryed by
mind Inthroned in a most glorious manner aboue al the rest as becomes the soueraine Empresse of them al al ful of glory and of Maiestie encompassed round about with innumerable Saints and Angels perpetually making Court to her and honouring her with humble reuerences amongst whom thou art to imagine they selfe and making thy first approches of adoring her without vttering any word but only fixing thy mind vpon her excellent beauty and Maiesty procuring to begett in thy mind the whilst frequent acts of affectionat loue and complacency in so much beauty and Maiesty as thou conceiu'st to be in her congratulating with her that her high dignity of being Mother of God and consequently Queene of heauen and earth Acts which if they be performed with due intention and deuotion it is impossible to imagine how grateful they wil be to her and how profitable for those who are exercised therein We haue an example of a deuout Religious woman recounted by F. Heroide Dominican who being afflicted with a greeuous malady after much paine and sufferance died thereof whose soule appearing some dayes after to the sub-Prioresse of the Conuent said amongst other discourses Know Mother that the reward which Alm. God bestowes vpon the least good work of ours is so excessiue great as if it were putt to my choice I would returne euen from the ioyes of heauen vnto the earth againe and suffer al my former afflictions only to recite one Aue Maria that returning thence againe I might acquire a new merit by it in heauen and this although I were not certaine to say it without tepidity or distraction so that I were but in grace the while and free from al mortal sinne And if this holy Religious woman would haue exposed her self to such cruel paine and sufferances only for the merit of so smal an act how great shal their merit be who exercise themselues in this deuout exercise of reuerencing her being one of the greatest most excellent seruices which a Christian can render vnto the Mother of God Hitherto we haue treated of the interior cōportment of the mind during this our actual reueencing the B. Virgin Now let vs come to the exterior of the body First we are to bow the knee in crossing our hands before our breast with a litle inclination of the head and after hauing prayed in that māner we are to rise agayne and iterat the same deuotion for the second time and so forwards as our deuotion shal instruct vs the which Adorations we likewise may performe only with bowing one knee to the ground ioyning of our hands and fixing of our thoughts on the Maiestie of the B. Virgin the while and if any through infirmity find difficulty in these inclinations they may helpe themselues by leaning or the like or only bow downe their body or make some light inclination with the head Alwayes remembring that this exteriour behauiour is not the cheifest thing we are to regard but that which is proceeding from the interiour as the words pronounc't or by the hart or mouth the whilst now saying I adore you ô sacred Mother of God repeating it as oftē as we make our reuerēces or els pronouncing these two words only of Aue Maria with which the Angel Gabriel saluted her and in that reuerent manner it is supposed which we heer prescribe to her deuout seruants to imitat so doing we shal performe that Angelical office too as wel as he nay in a manner more excellent for he saluted her but as a humble Virgin we as the Mother of God and daughter of the most holy Trinity he in the lowly house of Nazareth and we in the highe Court of heauen where she sitts maiestically enthroned and crowned Queene of the whole Vniuerse he finally while she was yet subiect to mortality and the incommodities it goes annex't withal but we now when she is aboue it participant of eternal life glory and felicity Great then is their prerogatiue who salute her so and great shal their merit bee if they do it with that due deuotion and reuerence as they ought Hov in the like manner We are to reuerence God as also the Saints in Heauen CHAP. XIV HAVING spoken of the Interiour Exteriour reuerences we are to honour the Mother with al Let vs make application of them vnto God himselfe with the soueraine honour of Latria due to his most diuine Maiestie We must then procure to reuerence him so as these exteriour deuotions may proceed from the redundancy of the Interiour to which effect be fore we put in practise the foresaid reuerences we are to fixe our interiour eyes on the Maiesty of Alm. God confidering his immense greatnes incomprehensible perfections in which we are infinitly to take complacence as in his being what he is so exceeding good so exceeding great and then we are to accompany this Interiour act of ours with most profound reuerences and inclinations bowing euen vnto the ground before that Maiesty before whose glorious Throne the Angels themselues adore in prosterning their faces on the ground And to acquit our selues the better of this deuotion we are especially euery morning when we rise as at night when we retire to rest most profoundly to reuerence this our Alm. Lord and whilst we remaine in that humble posture on our knees we are to cast the eyes of our mind with an affectionat regard on that high incomprehensible Maiestie so to begett interiour acts of Ioy and complacency of the soueraine power he hath and soueraigne goodnes accompanying it And this let vs do as often as we bow our knees in reuerencing Alm. God accompanying it stil with some interiour act of the loue of him an act which no creature in heauen and earth can truly imagine the excellency of it being an operation which God continually is exercising in himselfe to wit of ioy and complacencie in his infinit goodnes whence doth proceed the loue of it which must likewise be infinit These acts of loue then let vs endeauour to stirr vp in our selues and assure our selues that the least of them is sufficient to rayse a soule to a most highe degree of perfection As witnesseth this story extracted out of the second part of the Chronicles of the Friers Minors A certaine Religious matron beheld in vision thirty Religious of the Conuent of Paris al departing this life at once whereof fiue only were cōdemned to Purgatory the rest went al immediatly to heauen one amongst the rest had his place assigned him amongst the Seraphins She being returned from her vision and astonished thereat had recourse to the Guardian of the Friars where she liued and declared vnto him al that she had seen who like a prudent man aduised her to beseech Alm. God in continuation of his former fauour to reveale vnto her the name of him who was so highly aduanced aboue the rest therby more particularly to know the truth of the vision
of deuotion before they begin their beads I would counsel them to frame an Imagination of the B. Virgin in one of these three manners as vulgarly they are accustomed to delineat her Either with the Angel saluting her or holding her B. Sonne betwixt her armes or finally al glorious in heauen ready to heare and grant our Petition and this there is none but may make benefit of for the stirring them vp vnto deuotion And that learned man Nauarr when he was fowerscore yeares of age not only made vse of this Imagination in reciting of the Rosary but also in al his other deuotions and prayers still Imagined the dignity of the person to whom he directed them Which manner of stirring vpp attention is both easy recreatiue and deuout maintayning the spirit in attention and recollecting the memory the whilst opening a way to great familiarity with Alm. God and his B. Mother which if as we ought we practise and esteeme according vnto its dignity we shal in short time make wondrous progresse in the way of spirit and shal heape vp in heauen riches enough to make vs happy for al eternity There only rests that I add to this a most stupendious accident by which we may see the great importance of this deuotion the great benefit those of the Confraternity of the Rosary enioy thereby it is extracted out of a litle booke intitled The Rosary of our Lady At what time S. Dominik preached in the Kingdome of Aragon a certaine yong Virgin of good account called Alexandria made instance vnto him as he came downe from out of the Pulpit where he had omitted nothing might make for the commendations of the Rosary to be admitted into the Sodality thereof which she obtained although for the rest her life was no wayes accordingly she being one who spent much more time in adorning her body then to haue her soule wel adorned Now it hapned that two Gentlemen at once making suite vnto her it was sufficient ground of quarrel as they in their madnes thought one to challenge the other into the feild where they both remayned dead vpon the place The freinds of either hearing of this sad accident and imagining her as it was true the cause to be revenged on her they rushed into her house and notwithstanding she desired at least but so much respit as to confesse her selfe they would not allow it her but presently cutt of her head and threw it into a pitt But our B. Lady who has euer a special care of her deuoted seruāts though neuer so defectiue reuealed the fact vnto S. Dominick who in order to her merciful commands went to the pit called on Alexādria by her name when behold a wondrous accident the Angels visibly in sight of al the people brought vp the head from the bottom of the pit which ioyned vnto the body she besought the Saint to heare her Confession which being done she declared three things worthy of particular note arriued vnto her both before and after she was dead The first that by vertue of her being of the Confraternity of the Rosary she had a perfect act of Contrition at the instant of her death without which infallibly she had died eternally The second that assoone as she was dead the diuels putting her to great affright she was maruelously secured comforted by the glorious Queene of Heauen The third that for Penance and satisfaction of the death of those two Gentleman she was condemned to Purgatory for two hundred yeares for fiue hundred more for her vanity in attire the cause of that so lamentable effect But that she hoped by the merits of the same Confraternity to be soone deliuered from that punishment and hauing sayd this after she had remained a liue two whole dayes for the confirmation of the miracle and to augment the deuotion of the Sodality she left this life againe whose body was honorably interred by the sodalists there When fifteen dayes after she appeared againe vnto S. Dominick al in glory clothed in resplendant beames of light declaring vnto him after a world of thankes for the inestimable benefits she had receiued of him two things of especial note concerning this deuotion of the Rosary the one was that she was delegated to him from the soules in Purgatory with a Petition to be likewise inrold in the Sodality to receiue the benefit of it amongst the rest The other that the Angels much reioyced at the erection of his Sodality and that God instiled himselfe the Father of it the B. Virgin the Mother c. And hauing sayd this shee flew away to heauen This example ought to be a great incitement vnto euery one to make themselues of this Sodality and the better to become participant thereof to recite euery weeke the whole Rosary at least a payre of beads cannot be burthensome vnto any one of what imployment soeuer they be at the end of euery decad thereof they are to make a profound inclination saying with hart and mouth O most holy Mother of God I adore you and wishe the Saint and Angels may reuerence and adore you a thousand and a thousand times together with whom I haue firme confidence through the grace of Almighty God and your fauourablé assistance to blesse praise and adore you hereafter for euer and euermore Twelue most notable Adorations to be made in the honour memory of twelue dignities and priuiledges bestowed on the B. Virgin by Alm. God answerable to the twelue Starrs which go to the composing of a Crowne for her most sacred head CHAP. XIX THE B. Euangelist S. Iohn in his sublimes Reuelations of the Apocalypse beheld a woman of incomparable beauty euironed with Sun beames the Moone vnder her feete and on her head a crowne of twelue brighter starrs by which according to the exposition of the holy Doctors and Interpreters our B. Lady is vnderstood by the Sun the glory and Maiestie which she shines withal in heauen by the Moone which she treads vnder foote is signified how al that is vnder God such as are sublunary and earthly things she is Superiour too and for the twelue starrs which adorn her head are prefigured twelue singular priuiledges and prerogatiues which Alm. God hath endowed her with al aboue al the Monarks in this world and highest Angels and Seraphins in heauen and these her words haue a relation vnto it in that so excellent Canticle of hers where after she professes her soule doth magnifie our Lord she adds the reason why quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est because he hath don great things for me sayes shee which in that she specifies not what they are we may imagine to bee aboue al expression These then how infinit and vnspeakable they are we shal endeauour to speake a word or two of reducing them vnto the number of twelue answerable to the twelue Starrs which go to the composing of her Crowne The declaration of the
sonn but would withal he should be truly the only and natural sonne of the B. Virgin also and this not as of two seueral persons but the person of the sonn of God was likewise the person of the sonn of the Virgin also and so the contrary By which we see that she was truely the Spouse of the holy Ghost who wrought in her womb the Conception of the sonn of God and by this she becomes euery way allyed vnto al the persons of the B. Trinity To conclude then this dignity and prerogatiue we say as we haue sayd before is the greatest in a creature as can possibly be imagined The declarotion of the fifth Starr THe fifth starr brightly shining and adorning this celestial Princesse is the Illustration of her spirit by the holy Ghosts ouer-shadowing her conformable to that which the Angel sayed in her salutation Spiritus sanctus superueniet in te virtus Altissimi obumbrabit tibi which diuine obumbration was then when the Sonne of God was incarnat in her wombe the disposition to so miraculous a conception and ouershadowing her with its diuine vertue the better to enable her to endure those celestial ardours which inflamed her breast the while and which doubtlesly but for it had wholy consumed her the flames of diuine loue were so vehement the while Neither according to S. Augustin and S. Iohn Damascen did the holy Ghost obumbrat her body only but her soule likewise which obumbration is no other then its light and grace which was conferr'd vpon to her most abundantly when the Sonne of God was Incarnat in her womb at which tyme her spirit was enlightened the darknes of ignorance wholy expeld from thence by which diuine light was clearly reuealed vnto her the profound mystery of the Incarnation and diuers other mystical secrets of heauen as also the vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures and the spirit of Prophecy was communicated to her thereby in a more ample manner then it euer was before to any other of the Prophets And it is the opinion of diuers Saints and learned men as namely of S. Antonin S. Bernard S. Cyprian Vrsin and Cassal c. that what tyme the Sonn of God was Incarnat in the B. Virgins womb she was often rauish't vp to the Third heauen where she beheld the cleere vision of Alm. God more face to face then eyther Moses or S. Paul And Rupertus on these words of the Canticles Oculi tui columbarum thy eyes are the eyes of Doues clearly sayes that shee was rauish't vp to the third heauen where shee beheld in a more excellent manner then S. Paul did those secrets which it is not lawful for me to know This if it were granted to any as most certaine it is it hath no doubt but it was to the B. Virgin who as farr excels al Saints and Angels as the Sunn in splendour and brightnes a litle Starr But what tongue can worthily expresse the sacred motions of her hart while the Sonn of God was Incarnat in her wōb the light and splendour which illustrated her mind and vnderstanding the fire and ardour which embrac't her wil the Ioy finally which her blessed soule possest when the Word eternal taking flesh from her ennobled her with the high title of his Mother What beames and rayes of light may we suppose reflected from her countenance while the Diuine spirit illustrated her soule in whose eyes were two continual fires burning with Diuine loue al who beheld her and yet in an admirable manner quenching al carnal loue the whilst And if Moses issuing forth from conuersation with an Angel had his face shining with such maiestick beames as struck an awful reuerence in the children of Israels harts what may we imagine of the B. virgin who was perpetually accompanyed with Angels who tooke it for honour euer to be seruing her In the meane while her vnderstanding was so cleerly illuminated as she had perfect knowledge of the Creator and al his creatures and how much loue she was to bestow on euery particular thing and so she burned in the loue of God as she loued him not only aboue al earthly things but aboue her very soule aboue her life both spiritual and temporal aboue al glory and finally aboue al desired felicity and beatitud in heauen So she enioyed such a tranquillity of mind and had al her apprehensiue and concupiscible powers so wholy at her Command that the inferiour part of her soule neuer rebeld against the superiour but was alwayes in subiection subordination to it Whence it was that she breathed forth in al places where she came so excellent and sweet an odour of sanctity which increased in her daily more and more the longer she went with our B. Sauiour in her wombe which sanctity of hers we cannot better praise nor speake of then by silent admiration notwithstanding euery one is to make some reflexion on it in his mind and seeke to draw forth from thence some spiritual profit by it The sixt Starr declared THE sixt starr of the B. Virgins Crowne which was one of the cheifest motiues the Omnipotent God had to choose her for his Spouse Was her plenitud of diuine grace and of euery vertue else Of this there needs no other testimony then the Angels words vnto her Hayle ful of grace c. Which plenitud of grace in her sayes S. Augustin was a disposition no lesse then necessary for conceiuing the Sonne of God And although many Saints haue ben sayd to be ful of grace and of the holy Ghost as Zacharias and Elizabeth with S. Iohn Baptist their sonne the Apostles the seauen Deacons and many more Yet none of them al in that plenitud as she the word admitting a superlatiue one B. Sauiour as the fountaine of al grace deriving it vnto others from himselfe according to their seueral capacities now the B. Virgin being the most capacious of al no wonder she had more in her then al the rest But yet it was a greater plenitud the Angel meant by saluting her so and the greatest indeed that possibly could bee in any Creature aplenitud which as S. Bernard saies deriuing it felfe to others giues liberty to the captiue comfort to the afflicted to sinners pardon grace to the Iust to the Angels Ioy glory to the holy Trinity and to the Eternal Word the substance of her proper flesh Besides as S. Hierom sayes Grace was giuen vnto others by parcells only but to her fully and in its intire perfection in that the fulnes of al was included in her and consequently by this fulnes of grace she must be ful of al other vertues else which euer yet any Saint was endowed with al Nay the holy Fathers and in particular S. Cyril and S. Hierom say she was not only ful of grace but had al other vertues diuine guifts and endowments congregated in her alone which in scattered peeces were dispersed amongst al the other Saints There
of this world reioycing at your greatnes congratulating your glory your souerainty and the place you hold at the right hand of you B. Sonne where becoming wholy in a manner diuine and hauing nothing of mortal in you you gouerne the heauens at pleasure illuminat the Sunn rule the world trample vnder foote the pride of hel and haue dominion ouer the starrs the elements serue you the seasons obey you the Angels adore you the diuels stand in awe of you whole nations and Kings bow their knees before you and doe you honour and reuerence O Lady of heauen and earth hel your Maiesty and Empire is so great a thousand tongues cannot speake it to the ful and euen the foules of the aire the beasts of the land and the fishes of the sea do al acknowledge it at your beck the flowers spring vp plāts grow and seeds sprout forth the earth is fertilized riuers flow winds do blow the lest wil of yours can incline the destinies and order second causes whilest the first is wholy at your dispose Cast a gratious pittiful eye vpon vs poor sinners heere declare the greatnes of your power by helping vs to ouercome our selues and to obtaine remission of our sinns grace heere glory in the life to come by your prayers and merits vnto which is nothing impossible that after this miserable life we may come to enioy that happy life where we shal see our soueraine Lord in whose sight consists al our felicity The declaration of the eleuenth Starr THE eleuenth starr whose splendour not only adornes her head but the rayes of it thēce do likewise reflect on vs crown vs with a supreme felicity is her Mediation betwixt God and man one of the cheif reasōs according to the holy Doctours why God from eternity chose her for Mother that as a most powerful mediatrix her maternal prayers for sinners might moder at the rigour of the diuine iustice and occasion a reconcilement Iesus Christ says S. Bernard was sufficient it is true for our reparation from whom proceeds al that suffiseth thereunto but it was wel for vs he ioyned with him such an one as she for although as he is man he be our most faithful and powerful Aduocat Yet such dayeling beames break through his humane nature from his diuinity that we cannot looke vpon him with that confidence and though he be infinitly gratious yet being Iudge with al offenders haue smal hart to approch vnto him for which reason the B. Virgin was chosen for Aduocat and meditatrix betwixt God and man to whom there is none can feare to approch she hauing nothing in her of formidable or austere but rather being al sweetnes and benignity and abounding in al goodnes and mercy Thus S. Bernard None then how great sinners soeuer they be but may be confident of their saluation if they haue but recourse to this our sweet and pitiful Lady who being constituted the mediatrix betwixt Sinners and Almightie God most faithful performes the charge and like a true Mother of mercy stands alwayes with open armes ready to embrace those sinners who haue their refuge vnto her it is impossible they should perish if they haue but recourse vnto her as they ought if you wil beleeue S. Anselme in his Booke of the miracles of the B. Virgin O happy Mary sayes he as the sinner whom you forsake and detest cannot but perish so who converts him vnto you and you receiue and our Sauiour cannot but be saued To which concords these excellent words of S. Bernard so frequent with preachers to giue hope vnto the desperat sinner O man saye this great Doctor thou hast a sure accesse to God where the sonne beholds the mother and the father beholds the Sonne whilst the Mother shews her sonne the breasts that gaue him suck and her chast wombe the sonne to his father his wounds pierced side where so many louing signes concurr to the entertayning thee thou canst not be repelled And this cannot but be a great comfort to poore sinners that they know they haue with the Eternal Iudge such an Aduocat stil present or rather a mother indeed who is his mother also For so in the person of S. Iohn our Sauiour on the Crosse by these words Woman behold thy sonne commended her for mother vnto vs al at which time she had two sonnes on Mount Caluary both dead the one in body the other in soule one by the torments of the crosse the other by languishing of spirit of which one was her natural sonne the other only by adoption the one innocent the other culpable This in these words S. Anselme would say O shure refuge that we haue sayes he the Mother of God is our mother also and either of her children suffred death in his passion the one vpon the crosse the other by Infidelity Iudge you in what bitternes of mind the while was the B. Virgin c. And so there is no Mother would more reioyce to see her only sonne reuiued from death to life againe then the B. Virgin doth when a sinner repents and hath recourse to her and for me I am of opinion that she glories in no title more excepting that of Mother of God then of being Mother of sinners and consequētly is most glad when she may shew it most Maria mater gratiae mater misericordiae sayes the holy church the very sound of whose name me thinks hath a certaine sweetnes in it that promiseth al grace and clemency In confidence of which S. Ignatius the martyr who liued in the Apostles tymes thus supplicats vnto her Receiue me then sayes he in the bosome of your maternal piety you who are the mother of the soueraine Deity true Mother of our Sauiour and of sinners by Adoption She is painted in a long vestment vnder which many are protected to signify the maternal care she hath ouer them amongst the rest the Fathers of S. Dominicks Order are pictured so vpon this occasion as S. Brigit receiued it by Reuelation S. Dominick neare his happy end thus with teares in his eyes conuerted himselfe vnto the B. Virgin and sayd Receiue O soueraine Queene receiue my brothers whom with such care I haue nourished and educated vnder the spreadīg vaile of your great mercy gouerne them and giue them such force and courage as their ancient Enemy may neuer preuayle against them To whom she answered I promise you my beloued Dominick for that you haue loued me better then your selfe to take a tender care and protection of yours to receiue both them and al those who shal embrace your Rule vnder the couert of my veyle which is my mercy the benefit of which and but demand it I refuse to none From whence we may perceiue how great her mercy is to her deuoted seruants to sinners who haue recourse vnto her and finally to al in that she is the Mother of God the Mother of grace
the wisdome of Alm. God 9. O B. Virgin c. for your being so highly seated in an eminent Throne aboue al the Quires of Angels 10. O B. Virgin I hartily congratulat and reioyce with you for the great power and authority you haue ouer al the Vniuerse and for that both heauen earth the depts below obey your Commendements 11. O B. Virgin c. and with our selues for your being our reful affectionat Mother and like a faithful Aduocat procuring euery way our greater good and aduancement 12. O B. Virgin c. finally for that al the world honours and adores your name celebrats your prayses and prayses your graces merits perfections And this deuotion of taking complacence in the B. Virgins perfections and dignityes is souerainly grateful vnto her as was manifest to S. Brigit in her Reuelations vpon this occasion Her sonne being a braue and noble spirit dying in the holy warrs she anxious for his soule besought the B. Virgin to reueale vnto her in what estate it was when behold when she was in the greatest feruour of her deuotion the B. Virgin appeared vnto her and comforted her in this sort my deare daughter sayd she be no longer solicitous for your sonne for I haue taken care of his saluation in visiting him before his decease and rendring his hart inaccessible to al sorts of temptations and so as no doubt of faith could bow it from the rectitud it was in nay more I made the passage of death both sweet and easy for him to the end the feare and terrour of it might not transport him either to impatience or despaire So I cleared his chamber of those diuels assembled there to lay snares for his soule and intrapp it at its departure thence and at the instant of his soule and bodyes separation I took it in my ne aryues vnder the protectiō of which I caryed it safe away from its infernal enemyes And the reason of this tēdernes of hers she declared in another reuelation when one day the holy Saint making her prayers at the Sepulcher of Christ was rauisht in extasy into a sumptuous Pallace where she beheld our Sauiour Christ on an Imperial Throne and his B. Mother seated by his side with an infinity of Angels incircling them about Presently after she beheld her sonne present al trembling in great dismay before this Throne to receiue his Iudgement there his Angel Guardian on his right hand and the diuel on his left who with a horrible voyce thus cryed out most omnipotent Iudge I appeale to you for Iustice and right of the greatest iniury that was euer offered me your Mother against al equity hath rauisht that wicked soule out of my hands entring his chamber at the houre of his death and excluding me and my company hath debarred me of that priuiledge which you haue granted me to tempt euery soule at the article of tyme when it wil best be testified whether they belong to me or you then which greater iniustice can there be imagined To this the B. Virgin answered though thou art the father of lyes yet in this thou hast but declared the truth I haue don al this indeed and my reason for it was this This soule while it was couuersant in the world was so deuoted to me as it reioyced and tooke complacency in my dignity of being Mother of Alm. God and at my exaltation aboue al the quires of heauen the pleasure of which it would not haue exchanged for al the contentments and pleasures of the world Iudge then if I had not iust reason to do what I did O but replyed the diuel al this cannot excuse it from an Iniury to me your debarring me accesse to tempt him as also your receiuing his departing soule and conueying it hither which cheifly belongs to me when conuerting himself vnto the Iudge he sayed of you then I demand iustice who ought to be as equitable as you are powerful against this wicked soule heer who being arriued vnto the yeares of discretion in steed of taking the right hand way of your commandements went on the left in his transgressing them wherefore I demand but Iustice that he be condemned and heer he insisted in particularising his mortal and venial sins at this his good Angel interposed himselfe saying thou wicked feind al this is but true I grant what thou hast sayd but knowest thou not that his holy Mothers prayers incessantly offered vp vnto Alm. God for him haue cancelled these and obtayned for him a true contrition and sacramental absolution for them before he dyed besides her and his many other holy workes don in satisfaction of them how then canst thou haue the impudence to vrge them any more goe home and keepe company with damned soules looke not after him for he is a saued one At this the diuel vanished away And by this we may see the benefit of being deuoted to the B. Virgin of the prayers of others for them and of dying in a good estate prepared vnto it by true contrition and Confession An excellent way of adoring the B. Virgin in remembring the ioyes vvhich she had heere CHAP. XX. THE common opinion is that the B. Virgin had in this world seauen ioyful times in particular The first was at her Annunciation The second the Visitation of S. Elizabeth The third the glorious Natiuity of our Sauiour Christ The fourth the Adoration of the three Kings The fifth at the finding of her B. sonne in the Temple The sixth at our B. Sauiours apparition to her after his most glorious Resurrection The seuenth her happy decease and glorious Assumption into Heauen Now her deuout seruants may dayly administer her matter of fresh Ioy by calling these vnto remembrance and occasion to themselues a great increase of merit and glory The Angel Gabriels salutation to her of Aue c. was no other then an Inuitation to reioyce according to the interpretation of Origen so the holy Church sings her Antiphon Gaude virgo gloriosa c. and in other Regind caeli laetare c. and bids her reioice and be glad and in a third Gaude laetare Virgo Maria. Let vs then announce vnto her Ioy by commemorating those her seauen Ioyful mysteries in this following Method making at each one of them a low reuerence 1. Reioyce O B. Mary for that vpon the salutation of the heauenly messinger you concerued in your sacred wombe your sonne to the incredible consolation of your soule 2. Reioyce O B. Mary for that you burning with diuine loue and incited by the holy Ghost ouercome the toyle and labour of passing ouer the high mountaines of Iury and visited your cosen Elizabeth where you heard her vttering your celestial praises and magnifyed in spirit your Lord and Sauiour 3. Reioyce O B. Mary for that at the end of nine moneths you brought forth into the world the so long expected Messias bright as the sun of heauen while al the
celestial Angels played in the beames of him to your vnspeakeable comfort 4. Reioyce O B. Mary for that you saw the three Kings adoring your B. Sonne and conceiued a fortunat presage from thence of the Gentils conuersion 5. Reioyce O B. Mary for that after three dayes search you found your B. Sonne to your excessiue gladnes amongst the Doctours in the Tēple where you were astonisht amōgst the rest to heare him expound the deepest mysteries of the holy Scripture soe clearly and with such admirable perspicacity 6. Reioyce O B. Virgin for that after three dayes deluge of teares by the appearing of your glorious Sonne in his Resurrection they were al dryed vp and you exceedingly reioyc't and comforted 7. Reioyce O B. Mary for that al the Apostles being assembled together at the happy houre of your departure out of this mortal life the third day after you were gloriously Assumpted into heauen where now you sitt crowned and instated by the holy Trinity Queene of Angels and of all the Vniuerse S. Anselme amongst our B. Ladyes miracles records this for one that a certaine deuout Religious man whose custome it was dayly in his deuotiōs to remember the 7. Ioyes of our B. Lady being now neere his end and exceeding fearful of that last Agonie our B. Lady appeared vnto him and comforting him sayd my sonne why should you feare you who haue so often reioyced me with the remembrance of the greatest Ioyes I had in my mortal life take courage and assure your selfe no euil shal happen vnto you but you shal soone be partaker of those Ioyes which you haue so often announced to me with whose celestial presence he was so comforted that forgetting his sicknes while he endeauoured to rise and through ioy to cast himself at her feet his soule preuented his body and went out before to the fruition of those Ioyes which she had promised him The foresayd Ioyful mysteries may be distributed to each Houre of the Office of the B. Virgin The first at Mattins the second at Prime the third at the Third Houre The fourth at the Sixt The fifth at the Ninth the sixt at Vespers and the seauenth at Complin On each one of which we way deuoutly meditat the while and so in the like manner we may meditat then on our Beads a deuotion most acceptable to our B. Lady as from this Example we may perceiue recounted by Pelbert in the Stellary of the B. Virgin There was sayes he a yong man who making himselfe Religious of S. Francis his Order was accustomed before he entred into Religion to crowne a certaine Image of our Lady with a wreath of flowers which he dayly gathered for that intent but being once become Religious wanting the commodity of flowers he intermitted this deuotion though so vnwillingly as the leauing that made him resolue at last to leaue being Religious also and being vpon the point of departing the Conuent behold our B. Lady appeared vnto him saying leaue off that your so pernicious resolue vpon so triuial an occasion and if you desire to vndertake a deuotion grateful vnto me in steed of making me a material crowne of flowers offer me vp a spiritual one of salutations and I shal be farre more delighted with it and the forme of it shal be this you shal first say a Pater noster in memory of the Ioy I conceiued when the Angel saluted me and the Eternal word was Incarnat in my wombe and say 10. Aue Marias in consequence thereof Secondly you shal do as much in memory of the Ioy I had in visiting my cosen Elizabeth and so forth vnto the seauenth Ioy I had which you shal conclude with the last three Aue Marias of your Beades so the whole number wil amount to 7. Paters and 63. Aue Marias which deuotion if you shal dayly performe in mine honour know you shal much more please me then in that other deuotion which you had and hauing sayd this she vanished away leauing him exceedingly comforted and strengthened in his vocation Now it hapned that whilst one day he was performing this deuotion a certaine Religious beholding him by chance sawe an Angel standing by him threading on a golden thread as many roses as the Nouice sayd Aue Marias and for each Paternoster a golden lilly al which when the Nouice had done he ioined them together and crowned his head with them the Religious man astonished at this vision charged him by vertue of holy obedience to declare vnto him what deuotiōs he vsed which he doing with great sincerity the Religious man encouraged him to persist therin assuring him it was a deuotion the B. Virgin was delighted with And S. Bernard exercising this deuotion our B. Lady appeared vnto him once saying vnto him my sonne this deuotion of thine is exceeding grateful to me and that thou mayst perceiue so much I haue obtained of my sonne for thee in reward thereof the grace of preaching and of working miracles besides I promise you one day to make you participant of those Ioyes which you dayly cal to remembrance and de facto soone after the holy Saint began to be famous indeed for miracles and to abound in innumerable graces and conuerted a world of soules by his learned preachings and force of his miracles Of the Interiour Reuerences we are to exhibit to the Glorious Queene of Heauen and of the place time occasion of exercising them CHAP. XXI HITHERTO we haue spoken of the Adorations we are to make the exteriour accompanying the interiour with relation to mans composition consisting both of body and soule Now because those exteriour are not alwayes to be performed neither are all places and times accomodate for them we wilonly speak of such interiour Adorations as we may be exercising they being only acts of adoration produced by the Wil which according to S. Thomas are those which the Blessed in heauen only exhibitvnto Alm. God These then there is none but may performe when in the performance of the others they are hindred either for want of commodity of place or time and these indeed are the most excellent of al and most acceptable to Alm. God as those without which the others were nothing worth And it being our principal scope to treat of reuerencing the Mother of God we wil only exemplifye in that and instruct her votaries in the place and Time when and where they are principally to be exercised In al times and places they may comodiously be produced but cheifly when for the company of others we cannot exercise any other deuotion as also when we ride walke eate or take repose at al which times it is but lifting vp our mind to heauen and to say with our hart I humbly adore you O B. mother of my Sauiour Christ I adore you O Queene of Angels or the like in only doing of which we sanctify al we do making euery one of those indifferent actions aequiualent to prayer happy the