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 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
Theophylact you are a powerful protectrix of man for O immaculat Virgin who euer plac't his hope in you and was confounded or who amongst men hath implor'd your clemencie and been abandoned Free then from doubt and assured of the truth let vs haue recourse in our necessities to this most powerful and pittiful Lady and make our selues worthy of those high fauours and prerogatiues shee so boūtiously rewards her faithful seruants Withal shee is as wee haue sayd the Treasuresse and dispensatrix of al the guifts of God shee is the neck sayd S. Hierom by which our Sauiour who is the head infuses into his body the Church al that spiritual sense and motion by 't is animated and sustained shee is the body of the tree by which the roote imparts life vnto the boughs producing flowers leaues fruit and al that in the tree excels either for ornamēt or vse Shee is the Concaue of the fountaine which first receaues plenty of its liuing waters of grace and after distributs them to seueral pipes according to their seueral capacities Wherefore S. Bonauenture most maturely sayes it is wonderful what a collection there is in the Virgin of al the pleintines of grace how from thence it is deriued to others as from its proper source so aboundantly as S. Bernard affirmes al the Citizens of heauen al the men in the world al the souies in Purgatory nay euen in Hel itselfe do homage to her as to their soueraigne Lady bowing their knees before her in submissiue beseeming reuerence So there is no profession nor estate but is subordinate to her especially Religious the glory and richest ornament of the Church which is euer sheltered vnder the protection of her wings whose founders haue in particular māner stil been deuout vnto her by which meanes they haue obtained for them and their spiritual children particular fauours stil Who is not astonish't at the admirable loue of that great Patriark Saint Dominick to the B. Virgin from whom next to God his Order acknowledges a dependency and to haue receaued al its lustre and conseruation For what remarkable graces and fauours hath he not receaued by her intercession Of this loue vnto her seruice although there were no other proofe yet that of the inuention of the Rosary were sufficient For how manie thousand sorts may we imagine hath this holy Saint led by this excellent deuotion to the honour and seruice of the Queen of heauen how many Princes and Monarkes of the world how many Queens and Ladyes of worth honour how many of al sorts and professions euen whole people and whole worlds as witnes the new World Antipodes to ours neither can we passe in silence the surpassing affection S. Francis bare to her which was so great as he would often in amorous passion compose verses to her praise and either sing them himselfe or cause them to be sunge by his Religious From whence it came that he stil obtaine'd whatsoeuer fauour he demanded of Alm God for himselfe in particular or his Order in general by the intercession of this beloued Virgin One amongst the rest for its raritie I cannot but recount and it is one of the greatest and most stupēdious miracles of the world by which such an infinity of soules haue been deliuered and dayly are from the very torments and paines of Hel it selfe And this is that great and admirable Indulgence granted at the request of S. Francis by our Sauiour Christ in the presence of the B. Virgin and innumerable blessed spirits to the Church of Assisium commonly cal'd Our Lady of Portiuncula which by reason al Christendome is so much taken with the deuotion as also it being ful of rare mysterie and worthy of general notice we wil breifly make you the narration of S. Francis once feruently praying for the saluation of soules an Angel appeared to him and summon'd him to the Church where it said our B. Sauiour and his mother with a world of Angels were expecting him At this he ran thither where being arriued he saw our B. Sauiour seated on the high Altar in a maiestike seate accompanied by his Mother and incircled by multituds of Angels When falling prostrat at his feete he was soone excitated by this comfortable voice of his most gratious Lord Know Francis thy praiers are arriued vnto mine eares and for that I know the affection and solicitud of you and your Order for the saluation of soules demand of me what grace you please for their avayle and I wil grant it you S. Francis at first al trembling at sight of such a maiestie by the sweetnes of these words secur'd at last waighing the importance of them thus answered O Lord not but that I am conscious of my great vnworthines to obtayne any grace from you much-lesse so great an one but that you are pleased to add this to the number of my innumerable obligations besides I accept your gratious offer and humbly beseech of you for the good of euery Christian that al who visit this Church hauing first duely confest and communicat may obtaine a plenary pardō and Indulgence of al their sins And you O glorious Virgin and gracious aduocatrix of euery Christian I beseech you ioyne your powerful intercession with my Petition for it when in concurrency with it conuerting her selfe towards her B. Sonne she sayd My deerest sonne whom I once had the honour to beare in this wombe of mine grant I beseech you this his petition to your faithful seruants since the saluation of soules then which there is nothing you more esteeme is so much concern'd in it Grant it to my Temple heer to your honour and the edification of your holie Church When his diuine Maiestie casting a gratious eye towards S. Francis there prostrat before his throne saye vnto him Francis though what thou demand'st be much yet thy desire merits much more in being so conforme to mine wherefore I grant thee the Indulgence thou desirest with this condition that thou haue recourse vnto my soueraigne Vicar who hath the free dispose to bind and loose al heer on earth and of him demand from mee the grant of it So the vision vanished when early the next day S. Francis tooke his iourney towards Perugia where Pope Honorius then resided with the Court of Rome and there humbly kissing his feete he declared how al had past and the occasion of his comming there At hearing of which the Pope granted him a Plenary Indulgence in manner afore sayd for one day in the yeare though as yet what day in the yeare was vndetermined it hauing neither been presixed by his diuine Maiestie nor his Holines vntil al last vpon this occasion S. Francis returned to his Conuent was once at mid-night in deepe contemplation in his Cel when the Angel of darknes transform'd in shape and voice appeared to him like an Angel of light and said Poore Francis why are you such a Tirant to your selfe why
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
his great fauours towards her and so she begins her Canticle My soule doth magnifie our Lord and my spirit exults in God my Sauiour And to the model of this excellent vertue of hers are al her deuout seruants to conforme their actiōs and expresse the portraiture of it in their soules when how grateful wil thy appeare in the eyes of this glorious Queene when they present themselues before her in this riche equipage Certainly there is none hath any vnderstanding or discourse in him that wil not humble himselfe vnto the ground and thinke him the most abiect of al other things who shal but consider how profoundly humble the B. Virgin was euen in that exalted state of hers of being Mother of God more holy then the Angels and more pure then the very sun-beames themselues And who considering his owne vilenes and extraction only from a litle earth his being subiect to such a world of faults and imperfections his becoming through sinne enimie to God and companion of the diuel wil not in imitation of the B. Virgin cast themselues into the bottome of humility from the topp of pride and presumption whereon they stand A great and neere Imitator of this humility of hers was her great seruant S. Francis who was ambitious of nothīg so much on earth as to be accounted the most abiect of al his brethren and for his owne part he esteemed himselfe no better then a collation of al the abhominable vices in the world and one of the most greeuous sinners as euer was which in one so great a Saint and in whom so many vertues were assembled was the more rare and worthy the greater wonder and imitation And although this in general might suffice to affect vs to this excellent vertue yet I wil sett you downe in particular a Method for the attayning it giuen by B. Tecelam a Religious of the third Order to a certaine freind of his who demanding of him by what meanes the vertue of Humility was to be acquired he answered Contemne thy selfe and al thou hast in the world esteeme euery one more perfect then thy selfe and haue a slight opinion of none make great esteeme of thy faults and litle of thy vertues perfections count litle al the good thou dost to others and the harme thou dost for great and thou shalt be in a faire way to Humility To this we may add S. Bonauentures advice for the attayning this holy vertue Abase thy selfe as lowly as thou canst sayes he Imagine al men thy betters and thy selfe hardly worthy to be their slaue and so thou shalt arriue to a tranquillity of mind and neuer be molested with offence or moved to impatience By which excellent documents we may learn to find out true humility and the wayes that lead vnto a Iourney so profitable for our soules which our B. Sauionr perswads vs to vndertake saying Learne of me to be meeke and humble of hart And those seruants of the B. Virgin who are so indeed especially women-kind are to shew it in their exterior comportments as they goe abrode in publique shewing neither pride nor vanity in their lookes nor apparel and compasing both according to the exact rules of vertue and decency For what an vnworthy thing were it in them to appeare in the B. Virgins sight lesse vertuously adorn'd or decently behaued things which she in her selfe so much abhorr'd as S. Epiphanius testifies of her together with diuers others that her owne habit was euer plaine and simple without al affectation of riches or novelty and which is an euident signe of her owne purity neuer subiect to any spott or stayne but stil the more whit as it wer for her wearing it This humility in their habits then let women learne of her euen for the loue of our B. Saiuiour Christ who died naked on the ignominious Crosse for vs and let not such vanity vnworthy of a Christian appeare in their habits and exterior garbe Surius in the life of S. Elizabeth daughter of Andreas King of Hungary and wife of the Lantgraue of Turing recounts a storie that comes wel to purpose here She says he one day attired in her Maiestick robes in al her pompe and brauery entred the Church where beholding iust at the entrance a Crucifix she sodainly made a stand and in great bitternes and compunction of hart began in this manner to enter into comparison of her self with it Shal my Lord and Sauiour remaine al naked nayled to this hard Crosse shal I miserable sinner as I am go at pleasure vested in these costly robes curiously embrodered with gold and precious stone Shal my sweet Redeemer haue these diuine hands of his fastned to the Crosse with cruel nayles shal I weare on mine al the delicacies that can be gott O my Iesus shal I see thee the only Spouse of my hart haue thy head transpearc't with those sharp thornes shal I with such magnificence weare a crowne on mine Alas and can I behold him abandoned by al his freinds and inhumanely left for a prey to the outragious vsage of his enemies and sett vp as a marke for them to shoote their horrible blasphemies at whilst I my self go with so great a trayne wayted vpon and honoured at euery turne O miserable most miserable as I am is this the loue I beare to my Sauiour Christ are these my acknowledgment and gratitud for al his benefits And in saying this a sodaine palenes ouercast her face and a greeuous fainting cast her in a trance when returning out of it she firmely purposed neuer to admit of superfluity againe in any thing she wore de facto euer after she went so mortified in her apparrel as most commonly she had vnder it a rugged hayre cloth and as often as the Dukes occasions absented him from her she would be so coursly attired as no poore woman but went better clad And certainly it is a deplorable thing euer with teares of bloud to see what excesse of apparel voluptuousnes raignes amongst women now a dayes so as they seeme to place al their their felicity as it were in a newfangled fashion or attire I would they knew or considered how displeasing it is to Alm God or how many soules their vaine curiosities and foolish pride haue precipitated and cast downe to Hel and what lamētable harmes haue had their origin from thence for they are not only the cause of their owne sinnes but also of others participation with them whilst in regarding them the bayte hath been but layd by the Enemy to draw thousands vnto hel Which perhapps we should hardly Credit did not the holy Ghost it selfe affirme it Turne away thy face sayes he from a woman Curiosity adorned for many haue been taken by the beauty of women and become reprobate a horrible thing to imagination And how many Religious men haue we seene drawne by the attraction of beauty first to insinuat themselues into their familiarityes
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
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
without pronouncing any word at al but only imagining with themselues now I honour the first Quire now the second and now the third c. Now it rests that we assigne one day of the weeke for the exercise of this Deuotion and what more proper thē that the Church hath appointed to honour the B. Angels on to witt the Tewsday Let that then be it and on that day let vs most particularly honour them those that al Preists saying Masse of the Angels for them those of the laity deuoutly hearing it c. And because Psalmody is exceeding grateful to them if it be accompanied with due attention of spirit those who are imployed in that laudable exercise are to endeauour to comport themselues with al due reuerence and deuotion imagining themselues in presence of the Angels while they are performing it I wil sing Psalmes in the presence of Angels I wil adore in his holy Temple and praise his holy name And to this accords wel that which we reade of S. Bernard in the hystory of the illustrious men of the Cistercians how he sawe the B. Angels while Te deum was sung to goe from one Quire to another encouraging the Religious to sing it with feruour and deuotion Another tyme he sawe them busily writing downe what the Religious pronounced those in golden better which were pronounced with force of spirit and from the hart those in siluer which were vttered with attention but not such feruour as the former were those in inke which proceeded from them with a litle admixture of distraction and those finally in puddle-water which were pronounced without al sense of deuotion Moued then by this example and knowing that the B. Angels are assistant at our deuotions let vs performe them with such a spirit not only worthy of the Oratory that we are in but also of the Company that is there Happy and thrice happy are they who shal so honour them since they shal be rewarded for it not only by the Angels intercessions in heauen continually for them but also by their assidual assistance of them heer from al dangers both of bodily and ghostly enemies til at last receiuing vs at the honour of our deaths they take vs out of this transitory and miserable life and tranfferr vs to a happy and eternal on Of the honour and reuerence we ovve vnto our Angel Guardian CHAP. XII AND who sees not how reasonable it is in lieu of so many benefits we receiue from them to honour and reuerence the B. Angels for it and in particular our Angel Guardian who hath the care protection of vs committed to his charge For certaine it is auerred by al learned men that excepting our B. Sauiour each man hath his peculiar Angel attending stil on him whence we may perceiue how great is the goodnes and charity of Alm. God towards man who we being such contemptible creatures as we are hath not only been contented to create the Elements for our seruice mixt bodies for our vse and finally al corporal creatures els but also hath encharged the holy Angels with our protection and defence creatures so excellent so sublime in glory wisdome and power to be our instructours in vertue and our guides to truth But if goodnes be to be admired in bestowing them vpon vs no lesse admirable is his power in creating them in such innumerable multituds that the very lowest Quire of them is sufficient to furnish with Angels guardiās not only al the men that are but al that haue been or shal be as long as the world shal last so according to the probable coniecture of the learned there being a matter now of some million million of soules in al the world not only euery one of them hath an Angel guardian but one so particularly vnto himself as he was neuer Guardian to any one before nor euer shal be to any after him God whensoeuer he creates a soule appointing a pecular Guardian that neuer in that office was imployed before And who can imagine then how many millions of millions there must be to serue for so many millions of men that haue been shal be vntil the general Iudgement day And this opinion is the more probable not only because of Gods omnipotēce which is more illustrated thereby but also of a certaine congruency on the Angels part who if they should not suffice in number to afford each one a Guardian it would follow that the number of men would exceed that of them which would argue a deficiencie in them and take from that proportion by which it is supposed that as the Archangels exceed the Angels ten to one c. so there should be ten times more of Angels then of men The necessity we stand in of their caelestial aide is great and vrgent first because our soules are spiritual and consequently spirits can best see their necessityes next because we our selues are weake and ignorant of the force and imagination of the Enemy to ensnare and ouercome vs were it not for them Who watching continually by vs obserue al their wayes and carefully meete them with preuention But heere some may obiect how can they be continually by vs when our Sauiour sayes they continually behold the face of Alm. God in whose vision consists their cheisest beatitud Angeli eorum semper vident faciem Patris mei qui in caelis est To this I answer with S. Gregory that it is true the Angels are stil in heauen euen when corporally they are employed els-where else we could not reconcile that other place of Scripture with this where it is sayed that God imployes them on his Embassages heer on earth so as while in contemplation of the heauenly essence they are stil in heauen we must grant them really the while to be on earth And to incite in vs a greater deuotion towards them I wil endeauour to summe vp the many good offices they dayly do vs which although infinit in themselues may yet be reduced to three heads The first is they deliuer vs from many euident dangers by their careful custody of vs which the holy Prophet testifies where he sayes He hath giuen his Angels charge of thee to looke to thee in al thy wayes and beare thee in their handes least thou shouldst dash thy foote against a stone And heer let each one Cal to minde how many-fold dangers they haue escaped Heer one the falling of a house vpon his head which if he had not sodainly changed his mind he had gone iust vnder it as it did fal and to whom can he attribute this change of mind but to his Angel Guardian Another being prepared to goe some voyage puts it off he knowes not why and after wards vnderstands that if hee had gone he had falne into the hands of Pirats or of theeues and this was the worke of his good Angel also with a hundred others the like Which the Patriarke Iacob acknowledged to come from his
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
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