holocausts of heauen pacifiing hosts of the Church triumphant Hecatombs of the Church militant you are the Lambes sacrificed without number in the Temple of Salomon whose death hath bene an odour of sweetnesse most precious before God You are the troupes of the spouse and the shorne sheep which assend going out of the Lauar and there is not one barraine amongst you You are the Birds which the good Noe second spring of humaine nature presented to God his father after the deluge of his passion and the inundation of your paines You make that goodly armie of witnesses clothed in garments as white as snowe for the puritie and holinesse of your life carying vpon your heades Crownes of pure golde that is to say of perfect charitie beset with Pearles and precious Stones apparelled with a garment of the same richly embroadered and beset all ouer with Pearles of great price The Diamonds are the inuincible force with which you ouercome the tyrants The Pearles the sweate of your browes and the teares which sell from your eyes in great aboundance The Carbuncles represent the woundes which you receaued and the bloud running from your veynes shed for his loue who is the true king of Martyrs The daughter of Sion the blessed Cittizens of Hierusalem come forth to meete you partly to honour you as the most substantiall partes of their bodie and partly to admire the rich ornaments with which you were adorned by the King of glory vpon the most happy day of your second natiuitie 2. Inuincible Champions most renowned for your Tryumphes who haue had the honour to drink of the Cup of the sonne of God and to strengthen with your bloud the foundations of his Church who as the Scripture saith are come from great tribulation haue washed and made white your garmentes in the bloud of the Lambe which assist before his Throne to doe him seruice day and night He possesseth you as his temples and dwelleth in you continually leading you to the fountaine of life wyping away the teares from your eyes and freeing you from all the lawes of mortalitie Wee haue our recourse to you as soldiers to their Captaines that we may receaue by your mediation force and courage without which we are not able to resist the assaults with which we are set vpon by enemies which are within vs round about vs and aboue vs. The flesh the world and the diuell These are the Tyrantes with whome we are now to encounter the swords the prisons y◠flames the scourges the racke◠the fier plats the brazen buls the gridyrons which we are to ouercome and that not once only but many times not one day onely but many dayes during our lamentable abode in this mortall life 3. You proposed before your eyes your Captaine and Genetall Iesus Christ hauing a more tender feeling of his paines then of what your selues suffered and endured for his loue O most happy soules seeing that neither tribulations nor anguishes nor stripes nor trauailes nor any thing else whether it were sweete or bitter vnto you were sufficient to seperate you from the charitie of Iesus Christ Aske for me this grace that liuing in body here in this world in heart soule and spirit I may be crucified with Iesus Christ 4. Foure remarkable vertues shine in your passions Faith Charitie Wisdome and Humilitie For which as an aeternall reward you haue the fruition of God in your will the possession of him in your vnderstanding the glory in your bodyes after the resurrection and certaine particuler speciall garlands ouer you correspondent to your torments and the particuler manner of your sufferings Wee may partake with you herein after seauen māners First when we dye for the Faith as the most part of you O victorious soules haue done Secondly when wee are killed for IESVS as it happened for you O you blessed Innocents first fruites of the Christian Church Thirdly when wee expose our liues for the good and saluation of our neighbours as did the Sonne of God your Lord and ours Fourthly when wee chuse rather to dye then to transgresse the Law of God as did the holy Machabees Fiftly when wee expose our bloud for the maintaining of the immunities and liberties of the Church as diddest thou O holy martyr St. Thomas Bishop of Canterbury Sixtly when as Abell wee are persecuted for Iustice out of the enuie of the wicked And lastly when wee loose our life for defence of the truth zeale of the honour of God saluation of our neighbour as thou didst O most holy precursor of our Lord our redeemer vnder Herod and thou Euangelicall Prophet vnder Manasses and you Ieremie and Zhacharie persecuted by popular furie Obtaine for vs O you witnesses of the liuing God the grace that wee may testifie the fidelitie which wee owe to our Redeemer after some one of these manners and that at least we may honour him when we dye whome wee honour so little whilest we liue Title 21. To the holy Doctors 1. THe high Priest in the law of Moyses during the time of his charge did weare by Gods ordinance and appoyntment a garment of colour like Hyacinth which was fringed bordered about belowe with Pomgranets mingled with belles of pure golde Ye are O masters of our soules the little belles which ring to make vs know the approching of the high Priest and the comming of the holy Ghost then when bowing downe the heauens of his greatnesse hee is pleased to drawe neere vnto vs in the Sacrifice of the alter Yee are the salt of the earth the light of the world the Citty builded vpon a mountaine the Candlesticke with seuen lamps the seauen Candlestickes in the midst of which not without great mysterie appeared the Sonne of Man Yee are the Startes of Daniell which shine aeternally I beseech you then O inflamed soules Cherubins for your wisdome and Seraphins for your charity that yee obtaine for vs but specially for the Pastors Preachers and Doctors of the Church the guift of knowledge wisdome and vnderstanding together with a sound foundation of the building of the soule which is a liuely and true Faith This I. aske by him who hath made your breasts the store-house of armour offensiue and defensiue against his enemies and ours your memorie a Iewell-house of vnderstanding your vnderstanding an Academie of knowledge wisdome your wills a fornace of Charitie your Pennes the instruments of his holy will and your tongues Organs to sound forth his Glorie Title 22. To the holy Confessors 1. CEdars of Libanus who with your sweet Odoriferous smell embalm the whole world Palmes of the terrestriall Paradice of the Church very high and eminent in highnesse Pomegranets sowed amidst the Bels and sky-coloured fringes of the garment of the high Priest which ioyne Charitie with Humilitie and good example Scarres called Hyades whose benigne influence cause the rayne of repentance and the dew of deuotion which neuer appeare but when the dayes of mercy
shall be for thy greater glory Title 31. In obeying our Superiours 1. I Honour thee O my God in them as in thy Image and protest that all the seruice I doe them I doe it for thee 2. I will loue them in thee and thee in them and will doe them no reuerence neither interiour nor exteriour but with intention that all redound vnto thee Title 32. In seeing the magnificencie of the Court. 1. FArre greater things are recounted of thee O heauenly Sion 2. All that I see here are no better then the sweepings of Heauen 3. When shall I see thee in thy owne brightnesse O King of glory 4. All this greatnesse passeth with the figure of the world but the greatnesse of Heauen continueth eternally Title 33. At our going out of our Lodging 1. SEt my feet in thy paths O my God my way my truth and my life 2. Make me auoide and shun all bad company and turne away from mee all occasion of sinne 3. The Riuers run to the Sea the Starres holde alway their course the Elements tend to their Sphere all heauy thinges naturally descend to the Center Euen so I goe to thee Center of my affections Sphere of my soule Heauen full of benigne influence great Ocean of Charitie and Mercie Title 34. In beholding any Garden or Meddow 1. O Architect of the world which hast powred forth vpon this immouable and insensible world so great beautie and such varietie of odours and colours why dost thou not the same to the territorie of my soule 2. If the earth of the dying be so beautifull how beautifull is the land of the liuing 3. The dewe the rayne the influences of Heauen are not so necessarie for these flowers as the grace of God and fauourable aspect of the holy Ghost are necessarie for my soule Title 35. In seeing a Field Couered with Flowers 1. THe odour of the Son of God and the blessed Virgin Mary is like to the odour of a field vpon which our Lord hath powred out his blessings 2. If heauen were locally to be deuided to all the blessed Saints as was the Land of promise to the Israelites euery one should haue more for his part then the whole world what do I then here and what stayeth me here O my God Title 36. When one smelleth to a Nosgay 1 O how much sweeter art thou my sweete and beloued Iesus 2. When thou shalt be pleased O the loue of my soule thou shalt smell in me the Rose of Charitie the Lilly of Puritie the Violet of humilitie the Gilliflower of hope 3. I would and desire many things according to sense many things which I cannot get I make of them all a Nosegay as beeing your spouse to present vnto thee O the Spouse of my soule Title 37. When we admire the beautie of any building 1. EVen so the Birds highly prize esteeme the Rockes where they build their nests and the Ants their little holes where they lodge 2. All this is common both to the friends and enemies of God 3. What an habitation is that which thou reseruedst for thy Children O God of Israell what and how delightfull shall be the Tabernacles of Iacob seeing thou art so liberall to the tabernacles of Moab 4. One day in the house of God is more worth thē a thousand yeares in this base lodging in which the Beasts lodge with me 5. If such bee the habitation of the body exposed to sinne and subiect to death what shall be the habitation of the soule when it shall bee by grace impeccable as it is by nature immortall Title 38. When you beholde your selfe in a Glasse 1. Sweet IESVS the looking glasse of my life when shall I see my selfe in thee and thee in mee 2. My onely desire bee to please thee and my onely feare be to displease thee 3. I shall be beautifull in thy eyes when I shal be displeasing in my owne 4. The beautie of the body withereth and rotteth if it be not accompanied with the beautie of the soule 5. I will looke vpon the life of Saintes to behold in it as in a glasse my owne deformities 6. There are certaine persons which are alwaies running to their Looking-glasses I will haue no other looking-glasse but thee O Sonne of God in whom the Father as in a glasse seeth his owne essence and beholdeth his perfections 7. O what a looking glasse is that in which God the Father taketh a view of himselfe wherein consisteth his blessednesse Thou art the looking-glasse O eternall worde which representeth the essence substance thou takest from him Title 39. In putting on our Apparell 1. I Stand in more neede of vertues with which to adorne my soule then of this apparell wherewith I set forth my body Cloth me O my God with thy grace and couer my spirituall nakednesse with the rich robe of perfect Charitie 2. Iesus my loue when shall I put on thee pardon me the too great sollicitude and the ouer long time I spend in apparelling and decking my body a sacke of wormes a tombe of death a masse of flesh which is neuer satisfied 3. How long shal I serue with such attention this my slaue and pamper this my domestical enemie 4. I deserue not the name of a Christian nor so much as to appeare in thy presence if I haue not at least as great care of the beautie of my soule as I am sollicitous about the beautie of my body 5. Should I not now bee a Saint if I had done and endured thought and cast about as much for the one as I haue done for the other pardon me this vanitie O my God by the merits of Iesus Christ thy Son who is the true and amiable beautie 6. What were the cogitations and thoughts of the Mother of God of St. Edowing Dutches of Poland of St. Elizabeth Queene of Hungarie when they did put on their apparell 7. Our naturall and borrowed dresses put the crowne of Thornes vpon thy head our cherry-red vermilion adorne thy face with bloud and spittle I protest to thy diuine Maiesty in the presence of the Angels Saints that all the sollicitude care paine that I will henceforth take about this my miserable body shall be purely and simplie to discharge the vocation to which it hath pleased thee to call me beseeching thee not to permit that any thing be in me that may offend thee or be an occasiō of offence to any 8. I had rather be the foulest creature in the world then that my body should bee but once the occasion of any ones falling but into only one deadly sinne Make then of it O my God an Organ of Puritie and an instrument of thy Glory Title 40. Inputting off our Apparell 1. THis body of mine is nothing else but the garment of my soule which I must put off when the night of death approacheth 2. I will treat my body from henceforth as I would wish to haue
THE INTERIOVR OCCVPATION OF THE SOVLE Treating of the important businesse of our saluation with GOD and his SAINTS by way of Prayer Composed in French for the exercise of that Court by the R. Father Pater Cotton of the Societiâ— of IESVS and translated into English by C. A. for the benefit of all our Nation Whereunto Is prefixed a Preface by the Translator in defence of the Prayers of this Booke to the Saints in Heauen But our Conuersation is in Heauen whence also wee expect the Sauiour our Lord Iesus Christ PHIL 3 20. Printed at Doway 1618. The Table of the Titles of this Booke A Doration Title 1. Thankesgiving Title 2. Petition Title 3. Protestation Title 4. To the Soule of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Title 5. To the B. Virgin Mary Title 6. To St. Michaell Title 7. To St. Gabriel Title 8. To the Angell Gardian Title 9. To the Angels Title 10. To the holy Patriacks Title 11. To the holy Prophets Title 12. To St. Iohn Baptist Title 13. To S. Ioseph Title 14. To S. Peter Title 15. To S. Paul Title 16. To S. Iohn the Euangelist Tit. 17 To the Apostles Title 18. To the holy Euangelists Title 19. To the holy Martyrs Title 20. To the holy Doctors Title 21. To the holy Confessors Title 22. To the holy Anchorites Hermits and Religious Title 23. To St. Anthony Title 24. To the holy Virgins Men and Women Title 25. A CoÌ„munication had with God vpon the Life Death and passion of our Sauiour Title 26. A Prayer agreeing with the former Communication and Conference had with God Tit. 27. When a man is tempted Title 28 When any thing falleth out that pleaseth vs. Title 29. When any thing displeaseth vs. Title 30. In obeying our Superiors Tit. 31 In seeing the magnificency of the Court. Title 32. At our going out of our Lodging Title 33. In beholding any Garden or Medow Title 34. In seeing a Fielde couered with flowers Title 35. When one smelleth to a Nosegay Title 36. When we admire the beauty of any building Title 37. When you beholde your selfe in a Glasse Title 38. In putting on your Apparell Title 39. In putting off your Apparell Title 40. In putting on Iewells and other ornaments Title 41. Washing our handes and our face Title 42. When you vse your Fanne Title 43 When the Clocke striketh Tit. 44. Touching the care wee are to haue of our Children Title 45. Concerning our Domesticals Title 46. In going to Masse Title 47. When one is Melanchollie or displeased at any thing Title 48. When wee feele our selues in any passion Title 49. After the happy successe of any affaire Title 50. Hauing receiued any grace Title 51. When wee receiue any consolation in Prayer Title 52. In time of Desolation Title 53. When wee feele our selues drie at Prayer Title 54. When one is dispised Title 55. Eleuations of spirit which may be done vpon euery occasion Title 56. THE TRANSLATORS PREFACE IN DEfence of the Prayers of this Booke to the Saints of God in Heauen GEntle Reader whatsoeuer thou bee This Booke is so fit for thee that I doubt not thou wilt con mee thanke for hauing taught it to speake English For if thou frequent the vse and practise of it it will teach thee the language of Heauen Wherein whensoeuer thou speakest to GOD and his Saints they will answer thee and whatsoeuer thou demaundest of them they cannot deny thee And though fearefully reading here there a little thou shouldst only take it in thy handes to sipp thereof as men are wont to doe of Phisick when they intend no more but to taste it yet it is impossible but that the lippes and the hands of thy soule which are thy will thy vnderstanding should not receiue some Tyncture and retaine some taste of the sweetnesse of it Bâ—t because it may so fall out with thee that hauing been brought vp as it were in some defiance with the Saints in heauen and thereby thinking all honor too much which is done them and euery request to bee no lesse then Idolatâ—y which is made vnto them thou shouldest in this respect bee scandalized with those excellent inuocations of them wherein is spent a principall part of this treatise and so bee prouoked either to detest or coÌ„temne the Booke it selfe I haue thought good to set thee downe two wayes how thou mayst both read and vse the foresaid prayers not onely without scruple and offence of conscience according to the opinion of thine owne Masters which is the first way but also according to the profession of Ours with great delight true spirituall comfort which is the other The first is supposing thou canst not thinke better to Imagine all the Prayers of this Booke to the Saints of heauen to be but a figure of Rethorick called Apostrophe or which is all one a fayned speech whereby to excite affectioÌ„ made vnto those thinges with cannot heare vs as to a Rocke to a Riuer to Birds or Beasts For in such figuratiue senses the most learned Doctors of thine owne religion do vnderstand those innumerable prayers to Saints which euery where they reade in the holy Fathers whereof I will here yeeld thee some few examples in their speeches alone to our Blessed Lady St. Athanasius the great coÌ„poser of that Creede which he learned in the Nizen Councell whereof hee was a principall part and which is read euery Athanasi 〈…〉 FuaÌ„ De sanctissimâ— noâ—tra Dâ—iâ—pera Sunday in your Churches maketh first this preface For as much saith this glorious Saint as hee who was borne of a Virgin is our King and the same likewise our Lord and our God therefore also the Mother which brought him foorth is truely and properly reputed a Queene a Lady and the Mother of God And then among other thinges hee speaketh vnto her in this manner Vnto thee therefore wee Cry bee mindfull of vs most B. Virgin who also after thy Child-birth didst remaine a Virgin Hayle full of Grace our Lord is with thee Blessed doe all the holy Quires of men and Angels call thee Blessed art thou among women Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe Mistris and Lady Queene and Mother of God make intercession for vs. St. Ephraim who liued in the same age was of such fame Ephraim that in some Churches after the Scripture his writinges were publickly read whose prayers most patheticall to our B. Lady in his SermoÌ„ of the praises of the most holy Mother of God and in diuers other places are too long to be recited in a proper Prayer to our B. Lady among other things he saith as followeth Bee present with me mercifull Clement and Benigne Virgin especially in this present life feruently protecting me repelling the assaults of mine enemies Conducting mee to saluation and at the point of â—y death preseruing my miserable soule driuing away the darkesome visions of wicked Spirits deliuering mee in the terrible day of
them Out of Pride or stomacke or presumption they wil not once open their mouthes to call vpoÌ„ them but rather vtterly refuse to receiue any benefit or consolation by them THE FOVRTH ARGVMENT Is Double or two folde being framed vpon two Paralels or parities clearely drawne out of the Scripture Wherby if thou marke it well thou shalt also finde that all those obiections are plainly refuted which the Protestants are wont to make against Prayer to Saints The first Paritie It is lawfull to pray vnto Angels Therefore it cannot bee vnlawfull to pray vnto Saints because no reason can bee giuen why the one should bee more allowed then the other Inuocation of Angels is prooued expresly by the example of Iâ—cob who Blessing the Sonnes of Ioseph 〈◊〉 The Angell that Gen 48 16. delâ—uerâ—â—h mee from all euill Blesse these Children Which to be spoken to a true Angell is witnessed by Saint Bazill li◠◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chriâ—ost hom â— â—n laâ—d St. Paul Iob 5 1. Bazill and St. Chrisostome This is also confirmed by the practise of the Church in the time of Iob vnto whome one of his three friendes spake as followeth Call if there bee any that will answer thee and turne thee to some one of the Saints Where by name of Saints Saint Augustine in his Annotations vnderstandeth S. August Angels And no sufficient reason can bee giuen why Iobs friend a man of singuler wisdome should aduise him to call vpon any of the Angels if it had not beene a laudable custome in those dayes for men in miserie to doe the like And the same may well bee saide of the Iewes who not vnderstanding our Sauiour when hee hung vpon the Crosse affirmed that hee called vpon Elias which is a probable Argument that it was no strange thing amongst them at that time to call vpon Elias The second paritie It is lawfull to pray to Saints that are liuing Therefore it is lawfull to pray vnto the Saints that are departed The consequence is proued because Almightie GOD is no more dishonoured by the one then by the other our Sauiour CHRIST no more forsaken nor sacriledge any more committed in the one of these more then in the other neither can any reason bee alledged out of Scripture why it should be better to desire the prayers of men on earth who haue enough to aske for themselues then to recommend our prayers to the Saints of Heauen who beeing sâ—cure of their owne may the better bee solicitous of the saluation of others especially considering they not onely heare vs but also sit with Christ in his owne Throne to gouerne and protect vs as hath beene proued Which Argument hath the more force because wee vse and that very commendably to request the prayers of those of whome wee are most vncertaine whether they bee friends or enemies of God Almightie Whereof it followeth That albeit it were no lesse vncertaine whether the Saintes of Heauen doe heare vs or not or whether their intercession may auaile vs or not yet vnlesse wee were sure of the contrary which no Protestant can bee this last reason alone might bee sufficient to induce any reasonable man to recommend himselfe vnto their prayers And truely the Protestants inlarging their consciences so farre in this particuler as to thinke it no sâ—â—nâ— at all but rather an act of P 〈…〉 e to request the prayers not onely oâ— vâ— whome they persecute as most contrary to themselues in many essentiall pointes of Faith but also of others who shew themselues most opposite to God himselfe in their Life and conuersation Fornicators Aculterers Vsurers Blasphemers Drunkards and the like It is a wonderfull thing how contemning the Authorititie of the Primitiue Church in the first Ages after Christ â—luding an Article of their â—reece Renoâ—n 〈…〉 part of those pre 〈…〉 â—s O lours which are the prâ—â—er 〈◊〉 S 〈…〉 t s Infâ—ingâ—â—g a titles of Loâ—e and fellowship with the Saints of Heauen And b 〈…〉 kiâ—g all bonds of â—uâ—iection and Subordination vnto them so contrary to those Scriptures before alleadged they should condemne euen the holy Fathers themselues of Sacriledge and Idolatrie for crauing their intercession and thinke it as bad or little better in vs to recommend our selues vnto the prayer of any Saint in Heauen then to the helpe or protection of the Deuill in Hell But farre more wonderfull it is that the Protestants here withall especially during the first fruites of their spirit and in their very beginning whereof I thinke some of their Schollers are now ashamed did not onely abridge and spoyle the Saints of Heauen of that little honour which men on earth were able to giue them as to the friends of God but did also dishonor and abuse their holy Reliques in such foule and hatefull manner as worse could not haue bene done to the bodyes bones of Deuils incarnate And if it bee monstrous impietie in the Sonne to treade vnder feete the dead Body of his Father or to mangle or destroy it or to cast it dispitefully on the Dunghill what cryme soeuer hee had committed what Barbarous inhumanitie and Heathenish impietie which God forgiue did the Protestantes performe vpon the Sacred Bodyes of those glorious Saintes that ought to haue bene a thousand times more deare vnto them then the flesh blood of their owne Fathers certainly the doers of these thinges could not bee sent from God Almightie who vouchsafeth to honour his Saints so exceedingly as hath beene shewed but from him who by the hands of Protestants hauing furiously torne the bodyes of their Saintes out of their graues would also haue pluckt their soules out of Heauen if hee had beene able THE FIFT ARGVMENT is taken from the exceeding many Mirracles and supernaturall effectes wherewith it pleased God in all ages to make most honourable demonstration of the glory of his Saints and of their infallible power through his vertue to help all those that call vpon them For a Miracle Exod. 11 10. Deut. 4 34. Math 12 3â— Mark 16 17. Deut. 18 22. Ioh. 5 â—6 10 38. 14 12. 15. 24. may well be called a Testimony or Certificate of the truth which it confirmeth published as it were to the worlae vnder the proper hand and great broad Seale of GOD him selfe which therfore is also called a Sign And which as aboue all other proofes the Iewes were commaunded to receiue in the olde Lawe so were they cast out of Gods fauour for disobeying the same in the newe It were too long to descend to perticulers for the which I referre me with Bellarmine to the Epistle of Nilus recited in the seuenth Nilus Theodor. generall Councell to Theodoret in his Historie lib. 5. cap. 24. lib. 8. ad Graecas To Saint Ambrose serm 19 Ambrose which is of Saint Agnâ—s To S 〈…〉 Augustine lib. 22 Augustin de Câ—â—tate Dei cap 8. Io. Gregoriâ— the great Lib. 3. Gregorie Dâ—al Cap. 22. 24. 25.
immaculate and vnspotted life the spring of all merit 13. Because thou appertainest to God obtaine pardon for me of whatsoeuer I haue voluntarily done said or thought contrary to God How often didst thou reioyce in the greatnesse and glory of God our common creator and Father and that much more for it then for that thou thy selfe wert by his grace Bring to passe that all my ioy may be in him my onely desire to please him my only feare to offend him 14. All thy actions were of infinite merit I beg O sanctuarie of the Diuinitie the participation of onely one by speciall application to me 15. Thou the onely storehouse of Loue and fornace of perfect Charitie dost more loue humaine nature and much more desire our soules perfections then all Angels and men together We cannot also nay we ought not to haue after God any better Lord and friend then thou I leaue then to thee the care of my saluation and of that perfection which thy Father requires in mee I leaue to thee the profit of thine owne merites to thee that which thou thy selfe desirest to thee that for which thou hast done saide and endured so much to thee that which cannot subsist but by thee to conclude to thee that which is as oftentimes thine as it hath pleased thee to be ours Title 6. To the blessed Virgin Mary 1. BLessed of God amongst Women and the happiest of all pure creatures Mary the Mother of God I prostrate my selfe in the profoundnesse of my thoughts before thee honouring with all my affection the eminent graces which it hath pleased the most high and puissant to place in thee as in the principall and chiefe workmanship of his handes after the humanitie of Iesus Christ thy Sonne whose desires concerning me I present vnto thee that by his merites and thy prayers they may bee as the abiect of his mercyes fully and perfectly accomplished in me 2. Pray then for mee mercifull Mother and in so dooing thou shalt pray also for thine owne Sonne seeâ—ng that hee desires in mee that which I aske of thee a thousand times more then I my selfe 3. I am also neuer resolued to aske any thing of thee for my selfe but for him I will speake vnto thee in his name I will presse theâ— by his merâ—tâ—s I will adiure thee by the languisâ—â—â—g desires of his soule and as it were coniure thee by the great and inestimable obligation that thou hast to him to deale so effectually with God the Father that all his desires may be accomplished in all creatures and especially in this poore soule of mine to which he hath giuen thee grace to desire that which he desireth If thou put not to thy hand O puissant Princesse all will passe into vapour and smoake of onely desires and I shall remaine a fable of the world and a scorne of hell 4. By these titles of incomparable honor with which thy head is crowned O Mother of thy Sonne O Daughter of the Father O Spouse of the holy Ghost bring to passe that I may one day with thee be heyre to the Father coheyre with the Sonne and partake of the inheritance reserued to the holy Ghost 5. Tower of Dauid Citty of refuge wilt thou refuse thy prayers to them to whome the fruite of the Virgins wombe hath not refused his bloud 6. Thou hast too great interest in thy Sonnes inheritance to neglect or disdaine to succour with the assistance of thy tongue those soules which thy Redeemer and ours did recouer with the losse of his life 7. He would that thou shouldst be his Mother but it was to the end that wee might also become his brethren What hindereth vs then from hauing the spirit of adoption towards his Father and our Father thy Sonne and our brother wee shall haue it when it shall please thee to bee our Mother by grace as thou art his by nature 8. Thou wast established Queen of Angels and of men euen from then when thou hadst a Sonne common to thee with God the Father and that thou couldst say vnto God thou art my Sonne O incomparable Mother ô maruaile of the world O the honour of humaine lineage wilt thou not in acknowledgment of these benefites and honours intended towards thee before thou couldst merit them wilt thou not procure in regard of the Almightie which hath done so great thinges for thee this little thing which I aske of thee which is nothing else but that I neuer offend him especially by deadly sinne and that in the whole course of my miserable life I may know and put in execution his diuine will 9. I am not worâ—hy of his loue but hee is worthy to be loued of me I deserue not to serue him but he well deserueth to be serued of me It is not due to me to liue in him alone and to dye for him but I owe it him and so dost thou thy selfe Pay then O most rich Empresse my debts and thy debts Acquite them both for mee and thy selfe and in doing that which is but duty and iustice towards him thou shalt doe a worke of compassion and mercy towards a creature of his and thy poore seruant 10. As amongst all pure creatures none euer approached to equall thee in regard of the incomparable excellencie of him that was borne of thee So no creature whatsoeuer shall be euer able to equall thee in mercy Shall it not be then to imitate thy Sonne and satisfie thy selfe if thou affoord thy ayde to the miserable thy succour to such poore sinners as I am For whome thy Sonne hath spent all hee had euen to the effusion of his most precious bloud If it be true that the sinne of Adam was the occasion that the Diuine word tooke flesh and was borne of thee it must needs also bee that my misery hath serued for a cause or an occasion of thy greatnesse my disgrace of thy grace my malediction of thy benediction and that which I am of that which thou art why then by exchange shall not thy mercy if I may so say serue to my misery thy felicitie to my infelicitie thy greatnesse to my basenesse that which thou art to that which I am Bee not thou that thou art or procure that I may be other then I am I should here beg of thee to haue in recommendation the Church her necessities if iâ— were possible that a Mother had not care of her Sonnes spouse Title 7. To Saint Michaell 1. PRince of the heauenly camp and inflamed Seraphin by thy most happy victorie which thou obtaynedst against those Apostata Angels of which now the infernall legions are composed assist vs in our combats so much the more dangerous in that we haue not onely to fight against flesh and bloud but against the spirits of darknesse which come marching against vs like Gyants with all the aduantage that the nature of Angels hath aboue Title 8. To Saint Gabriell 1. PAranymph of Heauen that
didst bring to the world the most happy newes that euer was or shall be by the loue of him who sent thee to the honour of him who was by thee Named and Announced and for the regard to her to whome thou broughtest the'mbassage obtaine for me the grace that I may be obedient to the Father pleasing to the Sonne and singularly deuoted to the Mother 2. O if I so willingly conceiued and so readily consented to the voyce of my God as did the blessed Virgin to thine I should march apace to perfection I beseech thee by the ioy that the spirit felt when the Diuine word effected thy word putting on the ragges of our mortalitie that thou wilt be pleased to obtaine for mee this fauour of God that I neuer resist his inspirations that I be attentiue to his voyce that for lacke of execution I make not sad the holy Ghost Obtaine I say for me this grace thou speciall embassador of the Diuinitie 3. Embassadour of God Legate of Paradice Nuncies of the coelestiall Empire if any thing bee cause of our ruines for repayring of which the Son of God espoused himselfe to a nature inferiour to thine it was frailtie and ignorance This appertaineth to the soule that to the body From both th' one and th' other thou art free being a spirit and full of knowledge I dare then adiure thee by that which thou art to remedy that which I am and to obtaine of him who did according to thy word more for me then thou shalt euer be able to doe that I may know from henceforth his holy will in all thinges and that in the execution I may be strong and puissant Thy most holy Name signifieth diuine force and valour obtaine for me this force against our common aduersaties and against the most daungerous enemie that I knowe which is the loue of my selfe 4. I salute thee and thanke thee with all my hart messenger of happy newes and I beâ—eech thee to encrease my obligacion by encreasing the seruice which by me thou maist render then when thou shalt obtaine for me the grace not to be as thou art but together with thee a fit Instrument and Organe to set forth the glory of God Title 9. To the Angell Guerdian 1. GOuernour of my life guide of my pilgrimage Torchbearer of my vnderstanding maister of my soule what thankesgiuing shall I render vnto thee for the infinite obliâ—ations â—a poore sinner haue vnto thee whome thou hast serued and assisted though vnworthy and vngratefull from the instant of my birth preseruing mee from so many euils of sinne as I might haue incurred from so many dangers as my body hath passed and had fallen into haddest thou not fauoured mee If I should thanke thee as often as I breath I could not satisfie my obligation neither will I nor can I doe it but in him by whom and for whose loue thou hast beene so faithfull to mee Aske then thy recompence of him for so many benefits and permit not that I dye vngratefull towards thee least I dye miserable in the fight of God 2. Vnfatigable friend the infamous odour of my sinnes might haue caused thee to haue withdrawne thy selfe from me as stinke chaseth away Doues and smoke Bees And yet notwithstanding thou hast had patience to stay neere to this dunghill with charitie greater then tongue can vtter and with longanimitie altogether Angelicall Thankes be giuen vnto thee by all the courts of Heauen and by all those creatures which haue interest in my saluation all whom thou hast together with mee obliged vnto thee If euer I come as by thy mediation I hope I shall to the hauen of beatitude I will render vnto thee O my louing and beloued Patroâ— the principall and arrerages of so many so speciall and so particular obligations in the presence of him whom thou incessantly lookest in the face How often had I fallen into riuers into flames into dungeons into the hands of my visible and inuisible enemies How often had Sathan styfled mee whilest I was drinking eating sleeping walking especially at those times when he perceiued mee to be out of the grace of God if thou O my guide and singuler benefactor hadst not broken his strength and dissipated his designes 3. So many times thou hast saued my life as thou hast preserued me from deadly sinne so many times thou hast rendered vnto me my life as thou hast raysed me out of deadly sinne A life a thousand times more precious then that of the body and consequently a benefit as much greater as aeternitie exceedeth time grace nature the glorious state of the Saintes the miserable condition of the damned Thankes therefore be vnto thee as many times as there are moments in time oâ— imaginable minutes in aeternitie 4. What shall I say of thy going from God to vs and returning from vs to God exciting the one appeasing the other carrying vp our prayers and bringing downe his presents what of so many inspirations secret motions benigne influences so many interiour and exteriour endes so many Angelicall inuentions deuises stratagems of Charitie as thou hast vsed to retire mee from vice and the inclinations of a corrupt nature to draw me to the loue of him whom loue made to dye for me There is no meanes how in this vally of teares and in the midst of this Aegyptian darknesse I may know the thousand part of these oblgations and how shall I then bee able to acknowledge them Finish then O sage Pilot this my perilous Nauigation end this chiefe work which hitherto hath put thee to so great paine For if thou shalt haue fully accomplished this I shall haue meanes to recompence that which is past to repaire that which is lost and to make euen my debts Looke well then into it as is thy custome O my guide it concernes thee exceeding much seeing thereupon depends the glory of God and the saluation of a soule coÌ„mitted to thy charge 5. And if it be possible that thou shouldst not be interessed in my saluation I am content that thou neglect both th' one and th' other Hee which was made man for mee that liued heere for me that dyed for me that hath giuen me his body for meat and his bloud for drinke hee that hath honoured mee with the title of sonne and brother hee that calleth and nameth himselfe my spouse hee who bowing downe the Heauens of his greatnesse vouchsafed to serue mee hee that would dye againe if it were needfull and for me endure againe all that hee hath suffered hee I say perswades yea nothing else Do then that which thou shalt iudge to be according to his will Sweet friend and charitable tutor I will put no other rule no no other then thou thy selfe dost put which is the very great glory of him to whom wee all appertaine by condition obligation and election to whome be all praise honour and glory world without end Title 10. To the Angels 1.
MOst happy Spirits which incessantly stand before the Throne of God and who as the elder brethren of his house haue care of his inheritance looke downe vpon vs with a mercifull eye vpon vs I say who are your younger brethren out of the respect and regard you bâ—â—re to him who is the head both of th' one and th' other nature that is both of Angels and men And whom you serue in helping vs and please in assisting vs. 2. You purchased your blessednesse good cheape with one onely act of your will and consent you were confirmed in grace and receiued that glory which you shall for euer enioy without all feare to loose it But we contrariwise after many good deedes and many torments suffered and endured are alwayes exposed to danger of shipwracke which many like to vs haue made neare to the hauen After many battailes wee are still in danger to bee ouercome but you after one victorie tryumph assuredly Many dayes passe before wee can ariue there whether you are come in an instant Haue then compassion vpon the imperfection of our beeing yee whose beeing is so perfect pitty our feeblenesse and weaknesse yee that are strong our ignorance yee that are so wise our malice yee to whome goodnesse and Charitie is continuall in the highest degree 3. You take and borrow nothing from naturall abiects as helpes to comprehend created verities For from the first instant of your creation you haue euer had imprinted in your vnderstanding the expresse image of euery naturall thing and beholding your selues you come to know all thinges that are without you And that by an action of simple intelligence running as it were without the helpe of any discourse from the principles to the conclusions and from the Antecedents to the consequents 4. Wee contrariwise can conceiue nothing with our vnderstandings which hath not first passed through the siffe of our sences And our sences depend of the obiects which oft deceiue them and make our iudgements erronious if they be not corrected in their deceitfull operations by reason and grace 5. Moreouer our discourses depend of our propositions and they of the termes of simple apprehension And the apprehension is made out of the imagination and sensitiue faculties And in all this Flux and reflux of thoughtes and Ideas O yee thrice and foure times happy intelligences who is able to expresse how many times we perticipate our selues into errour Taking then notice of the great aduantage you haue ouer vs and not only you but the wicked Deuils who haue lost nothing else but their grace and glory retaining still their nature in which they are equall to you fortifie and strengthen vs against the gyants of which the Scripture maketh mention Leuiathan Belzebub Baalmorith Asmode Astaroth and other princes of that armie of darknesse 6. We craue but the crums that fall from your table and the poore scrappes and remainders of your banquet Our petition to you is very reasonable which is no more then that yee the good Angels bee pleased to doe so much for our saluation as the wicked Deuils doe for our ruine and destruction That yee be as ready to succour vs as they are to annoy vs to heale and preserue vs as they are to hurt vs as diligent in conducting vs to God as they are in withdrawing vs from him and to doe vs all the mischiefe to which their knowledge and power can extend Title 11. To the holy Patriarckes 1. HOly soules who during your abode heere in this vale of teares were the salt of the earth light of the world how great haue your vertues beene how great your perfection had you liued vnder the Gospell as you liued vnder the Law of nature and Moses we are in the fulnesse of time to which you so much aspired and for which you so often suspired obtaine for vs the grace to acknowledge correspond to so great a benefit and that wee may liue as holily after the incarnation of the Son of God as you did before his comming and that wee may now doe as much for his glory as you would haue done if yee had liued in this happy time 2. By that ioy not to be vttered by any tongue wherewith you were then replenished when the most holy soule of our and your Redeemer descended to those places vnder earth in which you were detained expecting the Ladder of Iacob and the Key of Dauid to come forth I beseech you to obtaine of your deliuerer for all poore sinners such as I am that wee may get out of the darke dungeon of ignorance and the filthie quagmire of our bad and lewd customes And that as the gates of Hell could not preuaile against the King of glory so sinne may froÌ„ henceforth no more preuaile against such as beleeue in him in whome you placed your hope and with whom vpon the day of his tryumphant Ascention you ascended to glory crowned with immortall Lawrels carrying in your handes and sweetly tasting the fruites of your liuely Faith longanimity hope and inflamed Charitie 3. Yee hold the ranke of Patriarckes amongst those which beleeue in the name of the Son of God bee yee then vnto vs good Fathers for the loue of him vpon whom dependeth all Father-hood both in Heauen and Earth and obtaine for vs the spirit of the children of God a contrary spirit to that of mercinarie feare to the end that wee may one day come to be partakers of that inheritance of which ye now are peaceable possessors Title 12. To the holy Prophets 1. PRotonotaries of Heauen Registers of truth and mirrours of the Diuinitie your holy soules haue bene the organs and your mouthes the harmonious instruments of him who is the fountaine of wisdome oracle of all truth Obtaine for vs that we may see by Faith what you did fore-see by the spirit of Prophecie and possesse that by charitie which you hoped for 2. The light of Prophesie is a personall and free guift bestowed vpon you for the instruction of Israell and consolation of Christians Herein we content our selues onely to admire you but in another thing we desire to imitate you And that is in that interiour Attention you had to the presence of God the better to vnderstand his voyce and hauing vnderstood it to follow and put in execution his inspirations O when shall I see that desired houre in which I may say with one of you I will heare what our Lord saith in mee 3. His wordes are words of peace his voyce a voyce of benediction Why then O you holy censurers of our manners doe I so often lend him a deafe eare Awake by your prayers my spirit pacifie my affections illuminate my darknesse addresse mine intentions to the center of euery iust desire which is the accomplishment of his diuine Will onely to bee loued and desired Title 13. To Saint Iohn Baptist 1. PRaecursor of the Sonne of God voyce of the word and paranymph of the heauenly
Spouse by that wonderfull similitude of thy conception natiuitie life and death to that of him whose baptist thou wert by the graces priuiledges and prerogatiues extraordinarily bestowed vpon thee loose my tongue that I may praise God as thou didst loose the tongue of thy Father Zacharie Obtaine for me that I may flie the occasion of sinne according to that example thou hast left me who from thy tender yeares diddest retire thy selfe into the desert Obtaine I say that the dew of thy grace may fall aboundantly vpon me that I may be washed and clensed in the floud of pennance by the merites of that precious bloud the sacred vessels whereof were washed by thee in the floud of Iordan 2. And if I must be great let my ambition bee to aspire to that greatnesse which was in thee that is to bee great before God If I must be couetous that it may be after the imitation of thee a couetousnesse of the riches which are Eternall If voluptuous let it be of these pleasures which thou diddest seeke with thy haire and sackcloath 3. I haue I confesse a â—ee very contrary to that vertue wherewith thou wert indued and this vice is the too great loue and care of this body which is nothing else but a sacke of wormes a dunghill of corruption and sincke of miseries Obtaine for me O great Anchorite great Prophet and great Martyr that I may from henceforth become an enemy to the sensuall and brutish part of my soule and aduersary to this stinking dunghill and a rigorous iusticer towards this liuing carkasse It being a thing most certaine that no man can hurt him who hurteth not himselfe 4. Thou hast maintained truth and iustice with danger yea with losse of thy owne life procure for mee that the one may be immouably seated in my heart and the other inuariably placed in my mouth 5. Inconstancie mother of perfidiousnesse accompanieth me and I am the reede continually exposed to the windes from which thou wast shadowed Obtaine for me by the merites of this thy vertue and by the abundant heauenly succour which thou neuer wantedst that from henceforth I may be more firme constant in such resolutions as proceede from the holy Ghost I aske this of thee O Champion of the liuing God and vnconquerable Soldiour by all the victories which thou hast gotten to the honour of him who by a speciall grace did with his owne mouth canonize thee 6. Heauen hath powred vpon thee so many benedictions that thou hast beene a wonder of the world and an astonishment of all ages by these graces I aske of thee as of the Angell of great Councell wisdome as of a Patriarcke saith as of a Prophet hope as of an Apostle of God the Father charitie as of a Martyr constancie as of a Doctor vnderstanding as of a Confessor deuotion as of an Anchorite vâ—ion with God and the guift â—f teares as of a Virgin puriâ—ie as of one who was kinne to â—esus Christ and his holy Mother that holinesse and alliance which the Sonne of God hath promised to contract with them who shall doe his holy will To whome hee hath promised that he will take them and treat them as his brethren Mother and sister O inestimable honour Title 14. To Saint Ioseph 1. TReasure-house of the incomparable treasures of Heauen earth Foster-father of him who nourisheth all creatures true and faithfull spouse of the Mother of God what comparison betweene the commaund giuen by Pharaoh â—o Ioseph the Patriarch ouer all Aegipt and this commaund giuen by God to thee Moyses conducted the people of God thou hadst the conduction of God him selfe AbrahaÌ„ was Father to the children of adoption but the true Son of God called thee Father Dauid gouerned the people of Israel according to Gods harts desireâ— but thou wert the gouernour and as it were the maister of God him selfe The Queene of Saba iudged the seruants of Salomon happy because they were eye witnesses of his maiesticall cariage and great wisdome but thou hast bene an eye witnesse of him in whome are all the treasures of knowledge wisdome of the father and who was the very originall source or spring from which Salomon did draw the wisdome that was in him Many Kings and Prophetes desired to see but one of the dayes of him whome thou didst bring vp and nourish both in his childhood in his youth Simeon thought himselfe happy to haue receued him but once into his armes thou hast an hundred and an hundred times had him in thine and placed him in the armes of his Mother sweetly kissing his feete as the feete of thy God his hands as the hands of thy Lord his cheeke as the cheeke of the Infant of thy Spouse God conducted his people going out of Egypt thou conducted'st God going into Egypt Hee by Iosua brought them into the Land of promise and thou broughtest backe Iesus into Palestine and broughtest him into Nazareth God was in the middest of his people by the mediation of Angels by day in the forme of a cloud and by night in the figure of a pillar of fire God himselfe in person hath been dayes nights weeks monthes and yeares one of thy familie thy foster childe The Arke of God gaue victorie in time of warre and plentifull benediction to Obedience in time of peace the humanitie of the Sonne of God which he tooke of thy holy Spouse was the true Arke of God in which was kept the Manna of diuinitie the Rodde of discipline the Tables of exacte obedience to the lawe of his Father 2. What graces what vertues what blessings did the Father then power vpon thee by the merittes of his Sonne the Sonne by the prayers of his Mother O thrice and foure times happy Patriarch by these so great priuiledges obtaine I beseech thee for me this grace that I neuer abuse the graces of my God And seeing that in the heauenly Sacrament of the Eucharist wee haue the same Child Lord and God of which thy Spouse was deliuered at Bethelem in Iuda and which was carryed by thee into Egypt and Nazareth and there nourished by thee and called there thy Sonne by the credit thou hast with him and by thy instant prayer bring to passe that I may be most deuout to this holy Sacrament and that my soule may melt in the presence thereof and that I may liue as it is fit hee liue who so often partaketh of that ineffable mysterie 3. By that extaticall affection which thou feltst towards the Sonne of God when hee called thee Father and towards his holy Mother of whome thou wert the Spouse beg of God by thy intercession for me the guift of an intrinsceall vnion and familiaritie with God accompanied with three qualities which were very eminent in thee Tender loue Humble reuerence Loyall fidelitie Title 15. To Saint Peter 1. LOuing Apostle Porter of Paradice and supreame Leiftenant of the crowne of Heauen by the
beginneth to growe longer and the Sunne of our soules to send foorth more hot beames then ordinarie of his grace the hearbes of good thoughts begin to come on plants of good desires to bud forth the garden of our spirit to flourish throghout with diuer◠flowers promising to vs an happy haruest of good holy works O starres of happy and fauourable aspect worke all these wonders vpon the dry and barraine ground of my soule to the end that by worke and worde I may glorifie him whome yee haue confessed and professed with danger of your liues 2. Men with loynes girded handes with burning Lampes great numbers of you haue excelled in confessing the Faith ther 's haue beene singuler for Learning others admirable for austeritie of life others for heroicall workes appertaining to Christian perfection Obtaine then by your prayers in remembrance and acknowledgement of these graces that I hold fidelitie make knowne both to Heauen and earth that which I am to my God in euery occasion of temptation Seeing that to confesse by deede is nothing else but to leade a life worthy the name of a Christian 3. Our sweet Redeemer being Wisdome it selfe Iustice it selfe Truth it selfe Holinesse it selfe is it not so then that men by their sottishnes and stupiditie following the trace of their appetites like beastes without reason deny his wisdome following iniquitie deny his Iustice giuing themselues to lying deny his Truth and wallowing in the mire of their filthy pleasures renounce his holinesse Permit not O yee gouernours of our soules that I become one of those vngratefull wretches infringers and forsakers of their Faith but that vpon all occasions I may be that which I am to God most humble most obedient and most faithfull as well in effect as in affection as well in execution as in obligation though I should thereby loose my life as many millions of times as I speake or breath Title 23. To the holy Anchorits Hermits and Religious 1. MOuntaines of eminent perfection Sina vpon which God familiarlie speaketh to men Thabor where the Worde incarnate manifested his glory most noble portion only chosen of the heritage of Iesus Christ you are they to whom according to the sayings of the Prophet the waters are open in the desart and the brookes in the wildernesse You are they which haue transplanted the Cedar the white Thorne the Mirrhe the Oliue in the wildernesse You are they who set a fier with a burning desire of heauenly thinges haue with a noble courage frankly and freely renounced the goods and pleasures of this world You are they who being retired into the desarts of secret solitarinesse and straight Monastaries haue giuen your selues to a most austere life and most earnest study of solid vertues You are they who inuironed with bodyes haue surmounted the condition of bodyes and amongst the beasts haue lead the life of Angels You are they who haue made the places before hideous and full of horror by your presence the sanctuarie of God and tabernacle of the holy Ghost O when shall I following your example crucifie in my flesh all vices concupiscences and pleasures when shall I with you and after you embrace an heauenly conuersation in this terrene habitation when shall I haue the earth vnder my affections as I haue it vnder my feete Bring to passe by your merits and prayers O most happy soules tryed a thousand and a thousand times bring to passe I say by all possible meanes and whatsoeuer power you haue in that aeternall Citty especially you yee holy founders reformers and obseruers of regular discipline which haue consecrated by obedience your soules by pouertie your goods and by the vow of Chastitie your bodyes Obtaine for me that in those three thinges I may honour the author of all thinges that I may renounce my owne selfe dye to my owne will and liue to the will of God 2. We that liue in the world are esteemed Saints when wee doe or suffer the thousand part of that you haue done and suffered O what difference will there be betweene you and vs vpon the day when wee shall come to receiue our hyer But yet we wish that you may encrease to thousands and millions for you are our brethren and it is great consolation to vs and a great remedie of our miseries that our cōmon God and Father is honoured in you seeing hee is so little honoured in vs and that we haue elder bretheren which make amends for our faultes Bring to passe also that as wee reioyce that you are what you are and make you sad by being what we our selues are our ioy from henceforth may bee accomplished and alike in all we becomming by your prayers that which you haue beene and by your charitable mediation that which you desire Title 24. To Saint Anthony 1. CHampion of God ouercommer of Deuils fearefull to Hell the honour and wonder of the desart I addresse particularly to thee my sighes and to thee I lift vp the voyce of my desires knowing how much thou hast done for God and how much thou art able to doe with God Bee thou then pleased to obtaine for mee three graces of him who bestowed them vpon thee with many moe the one is the guift of Prayer and an inward conuersation with God the other a perfect victorie of my temptations and the third an inflamed Loue of him which is the lone of Heauen and earth IESVS the Son of God Thou hast so excelled in the first that during the time thou wert before God in prayer yeares were to thee but monthes monthes but weekes weeks but dayes dayes but howers and howers but minutes The Sunne going downe left thee praying and rising againe hee found thee praying and whilst he cast forth his beames somtimes vpon thy backe and sometimes vpon thy face the holy Ghost was working interiourly and effected wonderfull thinges in the most fruitfull soyle of thy soule As for temptations Hell trembled at thee and the Deuill remained as vanquished and taken captiue in thy presence For thou wentst not out of the skirmish as we doe who ordinarily are either beaten or discouraged Thy victories were intire thy lawrell boughes answerable to the strong and couragious resistance thou madest to the enemies of God Wherfore not being able to lay any holde vpon thy soule they exercised their rage vpon thy body bellowing like Bulles roaring like Lyons hissing like Serpents And when they had all done they could not take the forte of thy interiour resolution nor so much as shake the Rocke of thy inexpugnable will As for the loue of God thou said'st often to thy Disciples that the Deuils are affeard of humilitie temporance taming of the body prayer and the exercise of other vertues But aboue all the rest they feare most an inflamed charitie towards the Sonne of God What shall hinder mee then henceforth from shining in those three graces shall the let or hinderance bee on thy part or on mine
and with all the force of my soule that for the loue of your heauenly Spouse I liue no more but to him I take no life but from him I bring forth no fruite but his And that finally I may come to die for him 14. O good Iesus O meeke Lambe O Chast Spouse and rich Crowne of Virgin-soules let mee obtaine this mercy by the loue thou hast borne to them who haue loued none but thee that I be permitted here in this world to loue thee with my heart and to serue thee with other fidelitie then hitherto I haue done 15. Purifie the filth of my conscience restore to my soule her first puritie so as if I cannot follow thee so neere as thy more beloued in the street of the heauenly Ierusalem and in the most pure and cleane pathes paued all with fâ—â—e golde of which thy Apostle Disciple and Virgin Euangelist maketh mention yet at least I may carry in my hand the Lampe of good workes and one day bee admitted to thy marriage banquet and there be placed if not at the higher end of the holy table yet among those who sit at the lower end thereof Title 26. A Communication bad with God vpon the Life Death and Passion of our Sauiour 1. PErmit mee my GOD Father and Sauiour of my soule that prostrate before the Throne of thy Maiesty I put thee in mind and represent vnto thee the wonders which thou hast wrought for my loue and as much for all others as for me and no lesse for mee then for all I will speake vnto you in the simplicitie of my heart taking my assurance from your mercyes and placing my confidence altogether in immeÌ„sitie of your goodnesse without hauing any regard at this time to my owne exceeding great vnworthines which otherwaies would shut vp my mouth and not permit me to appeare before the eyes of your Maiesty 2. I was as thou truely callest me thy hartlesse Doue thy lost Sunamite thy strayed sheep when to make demonstration of the excesse of thy beneuolence thou resoluedst to make thy selfe like to mee to th' end that I might become like to thee Out of this motion thou descended'st from Heauen to Earth that so thou might'st lift mee vp from Earth to Heauen thou humbledst thy selfe to extoll me thou becommest passible to make mee impassible mortall that I might bee made immortall and thou becam'st Man after a sorte to deifie mee and make me God 3. Thou diddest take I say my humaine substance to communicate vnto me thy diuine thou tookest for spouse my humanitie to giue me for a dowrie thy diuinitie as if thou hadst saide O thou extaticall louer of my saluation when thou shalt see me conceaued be bolde to say that it is for no other end but to make thee conceiue in thy soule the spirit of God my Father wheÌ„ thou shalt see mee carried in the wombe of my Mother that it is to make thee to bee transported with an holy desire wheÌ„ borne and brought into the world by a Virgin that it is to make thee bring foorth by workes the fruites worthy of aeternall life 4. I will take my repose in the wombe of my holy Mother that thou maist come one day to take thy repose in my armes I will be content to bee shut vp in that darke prison to bring thee out of darknes into light I will make my selfe little to make thee great feeble and weake to make thee strong poore to make thee rich an imperfect childe to make thee a perfect man I will be naked to cloth thee trembling in thy Maunger for colde that thou maist bee warme tyed vp in swadling-bands to set thee as libertie laide vpon the hay and straw to place thee aboue the heanens between the Oxe and the Asse to procure thee the company of the Angels in a â—table and amidst the dung to make thee know that I will not disdaine to be borne amidst the filth of thy imperfections so as they be displeasing vnto thee 5. Thou wouldest that the Shepheards of Idumaea and the Kinges of the East should take notice of thee to shew that thou didst thinke long when thou wert new borne to make a present to God the Father of the first fruites both of Iew and Gentile Thou wast circumcised the Eight day to giue mee betimes the earnest penny of my redemption and to bestow vpon me the first fruites of thy labour some life 6. Thou wast carryed vpon the fourteenth day to the Temple thy holy Mother was there purif 〈…〉 and thou thy selfe presented to God thy Father and after Redeemed for fiue peeces of Coyne To what other end was all this but by the mediation of thy worthy Mother to present me to thy heauenly Father to obtaine for me internall purification and by the meanes of thy fiue wounds the onely price of my redemption to redeeme me from my vaine conuersation 7. The flight into Aegypt was to incourage me not to flie but to stand before the face of God whom I had prouoked to wrath and when thou wert found in the Temple it was to teach me that thou wilt be found in the midst of my heart and erect there a diuine Academie If so bee I make it a holy Temple dedicated to thy Maiestie and not a prophane house open to all vanitie which it shall not be hard for me to doe after the three dayes of contrition confession and satisfaction by meanes whereof thou hast promised to holde me in the ranke and qualitie of a Mother a Brother and a Sister 8. Thou wast subiect to Ioseph as a tutor and to his spouse thy Mother to put me vnder the tuition and protection of God thy Father Thou wast obedient to them to make easie to me the law of obedience and which is admirable thou wert vnknowne in the world for the space of 18. yeares to teach me humility and to make me knowne in ages to come with titles of honour due to diuine adoption 9. When thou wast pleased to manifest thy selfe vnto the world was it for any other end but to giue me knowledge of my felicitie and of the meanes by which I might attaine vnto it And when thou diddest change water into wine at the Marriage of Cana was it not to instruct me that thou wouldst change the water of my imperfections into the wine of perfection flowing from the precious vine of thy grace especially being ayded herein by the intercession of thy most honorable Mother And further to instruct me that it should not be hard or difficult for thee to change the materiall wine into thine owne bloud whensoeuer thou sholdst be pleased to make thy selfe as admirable and amiable in the nouriture of my soule as thou art in the refection and conseruation of my body 10. Didst thou not leaue vnto me a rare example of humilitie the strong foundation of the stately building of all vertues at the Riuer of Iordan when after the manner of
penetents which at the riuer receiued the baptisme of pennance thou wast content to be baptized of thy baptist and together with this abasing of thy selfe by touching the water with thy precious flesh giuing regeneratiue vertue to the waters which afterwards haue serued for a bath to wash away and cleanse originall sinne 11. Thou wast called an immaculate Lambe and why so if not because thou wast to be a victime for our sinne a pacifiing host in thasksgiuing for benefits a true holocaust in testimonie of loue 12. Thou enduredst hunger to feede and fill me thirst to quench my thirstie appetites colde and heate to remedie my passions 13. Thou diddest perseuer in prayer that I might learne to surmount the difficulties and tediousnesse which I finde in that exercise 14. Thou wert tempted permitting the Common enemie to assault thee was it not to driue him away from me and to giue me force to resist and ouercome him 15. The Angels come to serue thee after the victorie to assure me of the like and as it were to promise me that thou wouldst in person serue them which shall be victorious ouer the enemies of thy glory 16. Thou diddest call vnto thee Apostles mad'st choise of Disciples and it was to leaue me so many Masters and Teachers Thou reproouedst them for â—heir faults for the correction of mine Thou didst beare with them in their infirmities to make me knowe how paciently thou wouldst beare with mine 17. Thou didst restore to the lame their limbes to the blinde their sight hearing to the deafe speech to the dumb Thou didst Catechise the ignorant cure the Paralitiques raise the dead and all this to illuminate the eyes of my vnderstanding to open the eare of my hart to rectifie the gate of my affections to cureithe Palsey of my soule to vnloose my tongue that it might vtter thy prayses to set me at libertie from death of sinne to draw me out of the graue of my iniquitie to make me borne a newe by grace drawne out from vnder the marble of my naughtie habites and customes 18. Thou wert solde by one of thy Apostles to th' end that I might not bee solde to mine enemies thou wast forsaken of thy Disciples neuer to forsake abandon me thou wast seased with feare going to thy so ofteÌ„ desired temporall death to giue mee assurance and courage against the feares and frightes of aeternall death 19. Thou wast tyed that I might be vntyed contemptuously treated to make me respected cloathed with an ignominious garment of purple that I might be vested with the robe of honor thou carriedst a reede in thy hand to put in my hand the Sâ—epter of heauen and earth vpon thy head a crowne of Thorneâ— that I might come to weare a crowne of Glory Thou wert conuented before prophane Tribunalls that I might be iustified at the Tribunall of my Iudge It was saide of thee in mockerie Beholde the man thereby to recouer for me the most noble title of the childe of God which I had lost 20. Thou wast charged with the heauy burthen of the Crosse and wherefore If not to discharge me of the insupportable burthen of my iniquities 21. Why wert thou lead vp to the Mount Caluarie but to lift me vp to the mount of heauenly faelicitie why nayled in the midst between two theeues but to place me amidst the Angels why were thy armes stretched out vpon the Crosse but onely with tender loue and affection to embrace me 22. Mee thinke I heare thee say O the God of loue that if in dying thou bowe downe thy head it is to giue me the kisse of peace If one open thy side with a Speare it is that I may haue a place whether to retjre my selfe and to make me know that the affection of thy heart with which thou louest me surpasseth the passion of thy body in which thou dyedst for mee To conclude if thou dyedst it is to giue me life Title 27. A Prayer agreeing with the former CoÌ„munication and Conference had with God 1. O My God my Sauiour bestow vpon mee then that grace that I may conceiue thee by affection carry thee in the wombe of my soule by desire be deliuered of thee by such workes as are pleasing to thy diuine Maiestie to this end I implore the brests of thy mercy by the brests of thy holy Mother with thou didst sucke 2. Disdaine not the hay and straw of my vanitie the Maunger of my naughtie habites the filth of my indeuotions the brute beasts of my irascible and concupissible affections 3. I offer vp with the Shepheards the little I am in body and soule with the three Kings the Golde the Mirrhe Frankensence of my memorie of my vnderstanding and of my will 4. Circumcise and cut away all whatsoeuer is in me that is displeasing vnto thee and by the merite of thy first paine plucke vp by the rootes in mee the first young springings of all euill pleasures 5. Present me in the temple of grace to God thy Father and with thy fiue woundes as with the fiue peeces of money redeeme me from the seruitude of sinne 6. By the merit of thy flight into Aegypt obtaine for mee that I may flie and auoyde all occasions of sinne and that as at thy entrie into Egypt all the oracles of Idolatrie were silent so there may be in me a beginning laide of neuer sinning 7. Speake in mee my God make me heare thy voyce and for thy loue obedient to my superiour 8. What care I for beeing knowne in the world seeing thou wert so long vnknowne and mistaken I aske of thee so much honour or dishonour as is necessary for me for thy glory and no more 9. I present vnto thee not onely the reasonable actions of my life but also those which appertaine vnto sence and drinking eating sleeping and such others which I desire thee to looke vpon as vnited with those of my redeemer thy Son Graunt that with him I may ouercome my temptations that I may be washed in the Iordain of thy graces and that it may be saide of me This is the beloued seruant of God in whom he taketh great pleasure 10. I languish with desire to follow thee not as that miserable wretch that betrayed thee and solde thee to the Iewes but as thy faithfull Apostles who haue signed with their bloud and sealed with their death the faith fidelitie they had promised thee 11. Thou wilt change the dirtie and stinking water of my imperfections into the most precious wine of thy loue wheÌ„ by thy grace I shall no more loose the sight of thee and that neere vnto thee I shall make three tabernacles of my vnderstanding memorie and will in which thou shalt dwell and make thy abode with contentment 12. The filth of my imperfections hindreth me from presenting my selfe as I ought to thy holy Table wash then the feete of my affection that from hence-foorth it touch not the earth
and seeing that thou hast bestowed such vertue vpon the plants the stones the hearbes seeing the Sunne by the aspect and influence of the Beames doth worke such wonders in nature euen to the making and forming of mettalls in the very bowels of the earth seeing also the Adamant draweth vnto it the yron Amber the straw the Starre the steele by reason of a kinde of simpathie and naturall impression which thou the author of nature hast giuen vnto them Is it conuenient that thy most holy body and incomparable treasure honour my body with his presence that thy most precious bloud be in me and that thy diuine humanitie should really touch mine and not lift vp my soule to thy diuinitie Permit not this monster in Grace and this prodigious wonder in nature 13. Bestow vpon me the charitie which thou didst so straitly recommend vnto thy Apostles and graunt vnto me the guift of prayer and teares as well to accompany thee in thy prayers as that I may be able to resist my temptations according to thy instruction 14. By the feare which ceazed upon the inferiour part of thy soule and by the streames of bloud which did wonderfully run downe caused by thy sorrowe and vehement apprehension I beseech thee my benigne Redeemer to assist me at the houre of my death and to doe me the fauour that albeit my life hath beene so vnprofitable vnto thee yet at last I may honour and serue thee by my death which I desire may bee no other then that which thou shalt Iudge to be for thy greater glory 15. Grant that by the stroke of thy worde I may lay a long thy enemies and mine That I may be tyed and manacled in ropes and chaynes of thy loue That with thee and no otherwise I may appeare before the Tribunall of God thy Father That the Spirit of sweetnesse and meeknesse which thou didst holde towards that accursed fellow which did blindfold thee may accompany me in all occasions That I may be clothed with a white robe of Innocencie and with the purple garment of charitie that by the merrit of thy whipping my body may be a sanctified vessell instrument of thy glory That in vertue of the Crowne of Thornes which pierced thine head I neuer consent to any euil thoughts but especially to such as tend to any pride 16. When will the houre be when one seeing me may say not in derision as it was said of thee but in sinceritie and truth Beholde the man of God bring this to passe my sweet Iesus by the merrits of thy most profound humilitie 17. Then I shall be content with quietnes of minde hear the sentence and iudgement which the wicked shall giue of me and little regard what the world esteemeth of me at this time which passeth though it should be a definitiue sentence of death as vniust and detestable as was that which was pronounced against thee 18. I shall carrie the Crosse with thee such a Crosse I say as it shall please thy diuine prouidence to lay vpon my shoulder I shall edifie by my example the predestinate soules the true daughters of the heauenly Sion 19. But when shall I haue spoiled my selfe of selfe loue whē shall I be as it were naked in respect of thinges of this world to be nayled with thee to the Crosse It shall be then when the nayles of thy feet shal nayle my affections the nayles of thy hands my actions the Speare that pierced thy side shall pierce all my intentions 20 Wash me ô my God God liuing and dying for my loue wash me in the bloud which flowed from thy sacred person so as from hence-foorth I may appeare before thee as a newe washed sheep comne out of the pond as a Lamb without spot readie to be sacrificed 21. Pardon and forgiue all those which wish or doe me euill help all those which are in deadly sinne and neere to their end that they dye not in that pittifull estate as thou didst help the good Theefe in his extreamitie Commend me with the beloued disciple to the protection of thy vnspotted Mother acomplish in me the thirst of thy desires Consume whatsoeuer is displeasing vnto thee consummate all thy mercies towards me Abandō me not leaue me neuer alone Receaue my soule into thy hands as God thy father receaued thine at thy giuing vp thy Ghost Deliuer from Purgatorie the soules which are in paine as thou deliueredst the holy Fathers out of Lymbus where they were detayned Giue vs such a resurrection to life by grace as that we neuer more die by sinn And seeing that our hart ought to be where our treasure is seeing that thou the Lord of the world art placed at the right hand of thy Father lift vs vp to thee and transport our affections aboue the heauens Finally impart vnto vs some part of those graces bestowed vpon thy Apostles Disciples vpon the day of Penthecost that from hence foorth we may become the Temple of thy glorye thy heretage the chosen people with which thou takest pleasure to make thy abode Prayers and considerations as it were in passing according to the occurrences that fall out euery day Title 28. When a man is tempted 1. I Protest my GOD that I giue no consent in any sort to this temptation and that my will desireth the cōtrary of that which is proposed with as great affection proceeding from reason as I feele inclinations arising from sensualitie 2 I thanke thee O my gracious Creator that sence or feeling and consent or yeelding are two different thinges For if euery feeling were a yeilding ioyned with offence of thy diuine Maiestie I were vtterly vndone Temptation hath the one in his holde but none shall haue possession of the other but thy diuine Maiesty The world the flesh and the Deuill haue a power to make me feele but my consent or yeelding shall be euer in thy power 3. My God leaue me not alone deliuer me frō my selfe 4. I cannot liue without thee make mee then I pray thee liue to thee Title 29. When any thing falleth out that pleaseth vs. 1. IT is thou my sweet Iesu who art the author of all reasonable contentment from thee proceedeth all pure consolation I desire it not then but from thee in thee by thee and for thee Dispose thou otherwaies when thou shalt be pleased to depriue mee of it and I shall accommodate mee thereunto with all resignation and indifferencie Title 30. When any thing displeaseth vs. 1. I Accept of this displeasure as a present sent vnto me from my beloued Iesus Christ accoūting my selfe too happy y◠I may be worthy to participate to carry and to kisse his Crosse 2. The beloued of my soule shall be placed in my bosome as a bundle of Mirrhe 3. Looke with how great affection I desire to be deliuered of this affliction with no lesse I aske and aske againe the continuance thereof if O my God it
treated at the hower of death Giue me grace to doe it O my God 3. My apparell is the ornament of my body O that my body might serue for an ornament to my soule conuersing holily during the time of my abode in this world vntill thou O monarch of our liues commaund me to put off this mortall skin Title 41. In putting on Iewels and other ornaments 1. HOw much more precious are thy ornaments O blessed holy Ghost O my heauenly spouse the only beloued of my soule giue me the abillament of good example the Diamond of pacience the Rubie of charitie the Emrauld of hope the Topaze of humilitie the Sardonix of puritie 2. As our serges and clothes are the fleece of Sheepe our shooes the Skins of Beasts our Silkes and Veluetts the excrements of Wormes our Amber and perfumes the Mushrums of the Ocean and sweat of beasts our Feathers and Fannes the spoyle of the Birds our golde siluer white yellow earth euen so our precious stone are as it were the warts of the Orient mountains our Pearles the excrements of the Sea Such then is O God of truth the Attire of our vanitie Open then my eyes the eyes of all Christians that acknowledging our selues to be aparelled from the Brokers shop as kings vpoÌ„ the Stage as such miserable beggers as liue vpon the rich mens almes begged from the beasts We must seeke and take from thy liberal hand the ornaments of the soule which need cost vs nothing but the asking and the will to serue our selues of them Title 42. Washing our hands our face 1. MY hands my face were neuer soule by either speaking or looking but the face of my soule hath beene often defiled both by the one and the other 2. Wash me then and cleanse me O my God by all the teares of Iesus Christ thy Son by the bloudy sweat which issued out of his diuine person in the Garden of Gethsemanie by the miraculous water which together with blud issued out of his side It is the imperiall and heauenly water distilled by the fier of his charitie which alone can take away the spots of my soule and make the same pleasing vnto thy eyes powre it vpon me O God of puritie Title 43. When you vse your Fanne 1. DIuine winde which proceedest from the mouth of the Father the Son as froÌ„ one Origen coole and refresh the heat of my passions the distemper of my affections 2. Amiable Spirit desired winde dissipate the noughtie Ayre of our temptations the fierie exhalations raised by the irassible part of my soule the misty vapours exhaled from my concupiscence Title 44. When the Clocke striketh 1. SO much the lesse of my life is to runne 2. The Yard yâ— measureth our mortall Life is the houre out of which it followeth that neither mid-night nor mid-day euer strike but death hath taken away twelue yardes of my peece of cloath that is so much time of life or rather so many houres of my life 3. Soueraigne steward of our liues and disposer of our daies make me so passe this hower to come as I would haue wished to haue imployed all the houres of my life 4. I make an offer vnto thee O my God of all that euer I shall say doe or thinke vntill the next hower vniting them to the deedes wordes thoughts of Iesus Christ thy Sonne 5. The Periods of all time are comprised in the moment of thy aeternitie nothing is past nothing is to come before thee and all is there present And yet neuerthelesse we are free to doe or not to doe that which thou desirest And consequently it is in our power to giue thee either contentment or discontentment aeternall Permit not O my God that I euer charge thee with any such discontentment but make mee such an one temporally as thou desirest to see mee aeternally That so I may rather giue thee eternall contentment then one minute of discontentment 6. I make an offer vnto thee of all the time that I haue lost and euill imployed and in supply thereof I make a present of that time which hath measured the life and actions of my Lord thy Sonne beeing sorrie from my heart that I cannot recall those yeares that I haue so ill imployed I make then O my God an offer and sacrifice no lesse of that which I caÌ„not then of that which I can 7. O how late haue I known thee thou infinite goodnesse how late haue I loued thee ancient beautie that neuer fadest but alwaies coÌ„tinuest the same 8. Looke how many minutes there are in the houres or how many houres according in time eternall which are without number So often doe I blesse thee O thou ancient of dayes and I giue thee thankes more for that which thou art then for that which I am Title 45. Touching the care wee are to haue of our Children 1. THese are the beames of thy grace O Father of light these are thy gifts the workmanship of thy hands I offer them vnto thee as thine and I besâ—ech thee to take care of them as of thinges without comparison more oppertaining to thee then to me 2. Accept of all that I haue done doe or shal doe for them as being aliue wholy for thee for I haue no interest in them but from thee from whome they haue and of whome they holde body soule life 3. Abraham made but once only a sacrifice of his only son I make it not onely of mine but of my selfe and of all that I haue that so often as I breath foorth or take in my breath 4. When I feele in my selfe certaine effectes of tender loue towards them I begin to conceaue a new confidence and a wonderfull hope O my God knowing how much more tenderly thou affectest them then I doe or can Being assured that thy loue far surmounteth mine and that without all comparison O thrice happy condition of soules which call themselues are called by thee thy daughters 5. Haue I any right to these Children or any intrest comparable to that which thou hast I am ashamed to recommend them vnto thee For it were as much as to pray thee to haue care of that which is thine 6. No man buildeth a house to plucke it downe no man planteth a vinyard to root it vp nor soweth a field to burne the haruest How then canst thou neglect these yong plants planted by thy grace in the Orchard of thy Church watered with thy bloud designed by thee to be transported one day into the Garden of thy aeternitie 7. I sinne blinde buzzard that I am as too couetous louing to much that which they haue take away this ouerplus O Father of mercie Or if the force of nature must so farre preuaile that it must needs remaine impure the same to the excesse of that affectioÌ„ which I owe to all that with appertayneth to thee 8. I fall somtimes into certain
secret diffidencies and distrusts I dare not say they are altogether against my wil thogh they displease me doubting somewhat lest thou thinkest not vpon my children nor vouchsafest to haue that care of them that I feele in my selfe O God of infinit goodnes pardon me my offence deale not with me and theÌ„ according to our demerits Title 46. Concerning our Domesticals 1. VVHat did I before I was by which I might deserue to haue this honourable conditioÌ„ that I haue might not I haue bene borne in Barbary of some slaue or haue bene borne here in these partes of as base condition as these that serue me why then doe I expecte so much seruice why am I so hard to please so imperious rough towards such as serue me Permit not this any more O my God but giue me abenigne haâ—t full of compassion and rather of a Father then Master towards those of my familie 2. Grant me the grace yâ— I may become their seruant seruing them in things appertaining to their soules as they serue me in things apertaining to my body 3. Our soules are made all of one substance and if there be any difference it is in the vse we make of them if they make better vse then I they are better then I so as peraduenture I am before thee as much their inferior as I am according to yâ— world their superior and better 4. I should blush for shame tremble for feare and be exceedingly confounded to see that such as serue me haue more care to please me more feare to offend me then I haue to please or displease the eyes of thy diuine Maiestie 5. My God my true Lord Master reforme this disorder and make that at least I may be such an one towards thee as they are or as I desire they should be to me I am too sensible of euery fault or defect or negligence committed in my seruice I obserue it too exactly I censure it too rigorously O my God King of Kinges and Lord of Lords proceede not with me as I proceed with â—heÌ„ weigh me not in that ballance and with those weights with with I wright them measure not vnto me according to that measure 6. True there is no comparison betweene thee and me or between the faults committed against me with the faultes I commit against thee and for which I am aâ—ountable to thee But no lesse true is it that there is no proportion betweene thy goodnes and my naughtines thy mercy and my miserie thy fortitude and my frugalitie thy prudence and my imprudencie thy diuinitie my humanitie 7. Wilt thou leaue to be that which thou art because I am not that which I should be Title 47. In going to Masse 1. I Accompany thee my sweete IESVS to the Mount Caluarie make me partaker of that Charitie which conducted thee thither 2. Make me haue that feeling which the Daughters of Sion had when they met thee with the Crosse vpon thy shoulders with the rope about thy necke with thy Crowne of thornes vpon thy head 3. Grant me that resignation of my will to thine which was in thy blessed Mother standing at the foote of the Crosse and by the merites of her sorrowes and constancie in them graunt vnto me the guist of constancie and perseuerance in thy loue and seruice Title 48. When one is Melanchollie or displeased at any thing MElancholly is the seate of Sachan he endeauoureth to make me that seat now succour mee O my God I protest that I coÌ„sent not to any thoght that now I haue I renounce all suspitions iudgements indignation waywardâ—es auersion vnquietnes and all such other passions which assault me and will trouble and tosse my spirit if thou coÌ„mand not the furie of the sea enraged if thou allay not the windes which cause this tempest in my soule Speake theÌ„ my assured Pilot and my heart shal feele a calme Say the word and it will straight bee faire weather Title 49. When we feele our selues in any passion PAssion is a coloured glasse which giueth its colour to our eyes and the obiects wee looke vpon thorow it Wherefore O my God I deny I resist I reiect and that with all the force I can all that which then I had the will and was resolued to doe And I put my heart my will and my consent into thy handes Title 50. After the happy successe of any affaire IT is thou my beloued which hadst the care to prosper with happy successe this affaire and to bring the same to so good an end I accept of it as from thy hand I giue â—hee thankes for it beseeching thee O my blessednesse neuer to permit that I be withdrawne from thee by any thing which I haue not but of thee I desire that which thou desirest and no more Title 51. Hauing receiued any grace IT is by thy meanes sweet Iesus by thy merites and by thy mediation that I haue receiued this grace thanke thou God the Father for me For in so doing thou shalt thanke him for thy selfe The grace which is done vnto me is done asmuch if not more vnto thee because it was granted vnto me as desired of thee merited by thee Title 52. When wee receiue any consolation in Prayer DEfend mee O my GOD from all vaine glory and selfe liking a man may thinke himselfe gracious in thy eyes with whome thou art offended And another that is neare and deare vnto thee may feare himselfe to be farre off and altogether out of thy fauour I will not therefore holde any certain iugdement of my selfe out of any deceitfull opinion I may haue of my selfe but my confidence shall be in thy mercyes and I will reioyce in thee my God and my Lord who art good with inuariable goodnes from whence shall proceede all true firmnesse and strength of my heart and all solid repose and quietnesse of my soule I renounce then all vaine motions whether of Ioy or sadnesse which take their Origen and spring from selfe-loue Title 53. In time of Desolation I Will carry this Crosse cheerfully and not drag draw it after me discontentedly there being no reason that vnder a head of thornes any member should be at case Many will haue the Crucifix but without the Crosse That is they would be saued but they would not be crucified others carry the Crosse but without the Crucifix that is are crucified but shall not be saued They presume and these dispaire I will desire both the one and the other and consecrate my selfe vnto them both Come then O the spouse of my soule though neuer so much dyed in thine own bloud come I say wheÌ„ thou pleasest and come with thy Crosse It is the bed vpon with thou and I must sleepe and vpon which we will die together It is my Paradice to be with thee whersoeuer thou art I loue thee as much amidst the Launces the Nayles the Thornes as amongst the Oliues the boughs
the adorned streets through which thou diddest passe with triumph as much vpon the mount Caluarie as vpoÌ„ the mount Thabor as much dying as liuing as much buried as risen again as much in Lymbus as in Heauen Onely grant that I may be thine and that I neuer depart froÌ„ thee whether I be in consolation or desolation poore or rich in plentie or in want all shall be one to me so I may be wholly and only thine Title 54. When we feele our selues drie at Prayer I wil continue with perseuerance before thee not giue ouer O my God I will honour thee with my body seeing I cannot doe it with my soule It is good foe me that thou hast humbled me Now I begin to knowe and feele what I I am Now I touch with my hands my owne misery well perceiue that I am able to do nothing with out thee This is as it were a returning to the nothing from which I took my origen out of which I was drawn by thy omnipotency Blessing praise thankes be to thee my God for euer I merrit not so much as once to enter into thy thought or that thou shoudst once think of me And should be to happy it that I might serue thee but in the condition of a stone or thing without sense and life Receiue the homage don by my miserabie condition to thy blessed selfe who art independant of any hast all contentment in thy self Title 55. When one is despised O My God I haue lost nothing so long as I loose not thee haue I any thing that appertaineth vnto me whether it be goods honours bodie or soule Can any thing fall out in the worlde without thy prouidence Is any thing done sinne only excepted which is not done by thy will If then thou be pleased that I be dispised why should any opposition be made who is he so insolent so bolde a Theife that dare entermeddle with things appertaining to thee contrary to thy will maist not thou doe with that which is thine according to thy pleasure when I am honoured should I reioyce there at for my selfe Is it a thing appertayning to me or to thee It is inough for me O great God that I be thine whether I be an Ant or an Elephant an Egle or a Gnat dirt or golde Title 56. Eleuations of spirit which may be done vpon euery occasion 1. MY God my all IESVS the delight of Heauen earth when shall I be all thine as thou art wholy mine 2. Father of mercy make me such an one as thy Sonne hath deserued and thy holy spirit desireth I should be 3. God of my life when shall I die to my selfe that I may liue to thee 4. Take me my God whether I wil or no seeing I am not so wise as to giue my selfe vnto thee as to haue the will to giue my selfe vnto thee 5. If it should fall out my beloued that I should desire any thing but thee which I desired not for thee I renounce it euen froÌ„ now as if it were then and protest that I haue nothing to loose or gaine besides thee 6. O God God of my soule permit me not to bee at all or procure by thy grace that I may be to serue thee as I am and haue my being from thee 7. I will haue â—o eye but to look vpon thee no eare but to heare thee no tongue but to speake of thee no heart but to think vpon thee no hands but to worke for thee no feet but to walke seek after thee no body but for to offer vp vnto thee no life but to make a sacrifice therof to thy honour and glory 8. God which art Loue giue me Charitie 9. God which wert made Man graunt me Humilitie 10. God which art a pure Spirit bestow vpon me Puritie 11. Omnipotent power strenghthen my weaknesse 12. Eternall wisdome illuminate my darknesse 13. Incomparable mercy pardon my haughtinesse 14 Incomparable beautie to late I haue loued thee 15. Infinite goodnes too late haue I knowne thee 16. Hee that loueth not thee what doth he loue 17 He that admireth not thee what doth he admire I will loue my self not because I am mine but because I am thine I will haue care of my selfe not for any oâ—her reason but because thou so willest and commaundest I esteeme my selfe more happy in thy happines thâ—n I count my selfe wretched for my owne miserie And the contentment I take that thou art that which thou art farre exceedeth the discontentment I feele by being that which I am Be thou then my God for euer that which thou art make me other then I am That is wheras I am my selfe miserable I shall be in thee blessed and happy To thee in thee by thee for thee O my God be all things Amen