Debora Iud 4.13 The valley of Terebinthus where Dauid a child fighting the field for the hoast of the Lord of hoastes 1. Reg. 17 caused the great Giant Goliath to kisse the ground and cut off his head with his owne sword getting the victory which was a notable figure of our redemption Places sanctifyed in the law of Grace The new testament doth also affoard vs many places famous in this fashion The desert wherein S. Iohn who waâ— sanctifyed in his mothers wombe passed all his youth in austerity of seuere pennance instructing sinners to purge themselues and those that were good to perfect themselues The other desert where our Sauiour fasted fourty dayes fourty nights Matth. 4. and repelled the Diuell his tempter with confusion that where he filled fiue thousand men with fiue loaues two Fishes Ioan. 6. The mountaine of Thabor where he shewed the glory of his body transfigurated to Moyses Matth. 17 Elias and his three Apostles and the other where he made that worthy sermon coÌ„tayning the eight Beatitudes most of them Paradoxes to the wisedome of the foolish world The mount of Caluary The mountaine of Caluary where fighting in the field of his Crosse he ouercame the truâ— Goliath and his troupes giuing him a deadly blow in his forehead with the weapons and stones of his death and humility The parlour of the Eucharist The house wherein he changed water into wine also where he made his last supper with the Paschall Lambe substituting for it the true Lambe in the institution of the Sacrament of his body That where he powred downe that heauenly loue of the Holy Ghost in forme of fiery tongues Of the Holy Ghost and a thousand places more illustrated with some worke of the almighty power wisedome or goodnes Profane writings also haue their places famous in this respect their mountaines of Olympus Parnassus Ossa Pelion and such other bearing the memory of some worke of their pretended Goddes or of some great man in their Law their Lake of Lerna where Hercules killed Hydra dreadfull to the whole countrey of the Argians Strabo 〈◊〉 8. Their denne of Salamine where Euripides wrot his Tragedie and other places which I omit not to be too long in laying forth a verity for the which the testimony of Gentils are too commoÌ„ and too often giuen in their bookes full of recommendation of such like places But when we shall haue reckoned vp by name the most renowned places of all the world as well out of profane Writers as out of the sacred Scriptures the Chamber of Loreto exceedeth them all in this condition The chaÌ„ber of Loreto more famous in such mysteries in hauing been the closet where the marriage of the Sonne of God with our humane Nature was celebrated in the B. Virgins womb the most high and mysterious worke that the holy Trinity maker of all thinges did euer accomplish for therein God was made man the Creator a creature the supreme cause an effect the Word flesh the spirit did take a body the first â—s become last and Alpha Omega the incomprehensible is enclosed in the wombe of a Virgin Eternity hath subiected it selfe to tyme the Almighty is become weake the soueraigne wisedome goeth to schoole to learne the souueraigne goodnes doth suffer and contrarywise on the other part Man was made God the Creature Creator flesh was made the word â—he body tooke a spirit the last was made first and Omega Alpha the little became incomprehensible tyme hath passed â—o eternity infirmity became almighty folly supreme wiseâ—ome mortality became to giue life and suffering felicity This is the mystery of mysteries the first foundation of all that the Christian fayth adoreth in the Church of God The IncarnatioÌ„ is the ground of al mysteries Christian feasts Natiuity Circumci ioÌ„ c. The fouÌ„dation of that of the Natiuity of the Circumcision of the Passion Resurrection Ascension of the sending of the Holy Ghost of all the feastes of Saints of the B. Virgin his mother his Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Virgins For the Son of God being once made man gaue ground and footing to all these solemnities and without it we had had none al were inclosed in the sacred bosome of this worke and mystery and can there be any thing greater or more admirable May the Creation of a thousand worlds be compared to the maiesty of this exploit And this diuine Chamber hauing beene the House and Closet wherein it was performed doth it not coÌ„prise in it selfe the very maiesty of all the remarkable thinges and places of the old Testament all which did figure and had relation to this Incarnation Hath it not more honour in it then if it had beene a Temple with a thousand altars or an altar or a thousand sacrifices More then the mountaines of Moria Thabor Then the valley of Terebinthus of S. Iohns desert Or finally then all the places in the world honoured with any token or signe of diuinity put togeather O little Chamber more capable at that tyme then the whole world enclosing with thy walles the Virgin that was great with him whome the largenes and capacity of the Heauens could not comprehend a Chamber more rich then all the Princely pallaces that euer ware contayning the endles treasure of felicity a chamber more cleere and bright then the day hauing in thy bosome the glorious morning and true Sunne Thrice honourable for this mystery alone The chaÌ„ber of the B. Virgin the first chappell of Christians and thrice honourable also for hauing beene the first of all earthly houses erected and dedicated for a Christian Temple by the Apostles where the body of the same Sonne of God was as it is still offered in an vnbloudy sacrifice and Masse was celebrated after the descent of the holy Ghost in that happy infancy of the Church of God made therein a most worthy noble match to that parlour which entertayned our Sauiour when he instituted the sacrament and sacrifice of his B. Body before his Apostles the night before he was deliuered for vs more honourable in this respect then the Temple of Salomon which contained nothing but Altars where the bodyes of dead beastes were sacrificed The holy of holies or the saÌ„ctuary of the Temple whereas in this Chappell was also an Altar which caryed the oblation of the body of the sonne of God more worthy also by this honour then the place of the sayd Temple which is called Sancta Sanctorum Holy of Holyes for there was but the materiall arke of the Hebrews whereas this Chappell containeth in verity Iesus Christ the Holy of all Holyes That the House of Loreto is renowned by miracles CHAP. XIX THE seauenth cause that maketh a place venerable The 7. cause of miracles are miracles which either are done or haue beene done thereat which are most certaine testimonies of the presence of God there seeing
we see that all Palestine in generall is called the Holy Land because it was inhabited and haunted by Abraham Isaac Iacob and other holy Patriarches but principally because the Sauiour of the world being made man there conuersed with men and hath sanctifyed it by his pilgrimages therein after him the Apostles and other the chiefe and first ornaments lights of the primitiue Church In particuler we read of diuers places inhabited by Saints to haue beene in great honour reuerence Places holy by the habitation of Saints as among others was that Denne in the desert where S. Iohn Baptist dwelt froÌ„ his childhood vntill he came forth to preach pennance testify Iesus Christ Also Bethania the house of Mary Magdalen and Martha neere vnto Hierusalem Io. 11.18 where our Sauiour raysed their brother Lazarus from death at which place S. Hierome sayth was built a Church for christians All Aegypt and Syria Hier. de locu sacru was heeretofore full of places sanctifyed in this sort as there be also many such yet amongst Christians But if euer place were priuiledged in this respect it is this Chamber of the B. Virgin for it hath receaued and entertayned for guests and inhabitants the noblest persons of Heauen and earth Nicâ—ph l. 〈…〉 First the B. Virgin was there borne and brought vp vntill the third yeare of her age when she was presented in the Temple of Hierusalem where hauing remained eleauen yeares or therabout she returned to Nazareth remayned there almost vntill the death of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the holy of holyes dwelt there after his returne out of Aegypt about the seauenth yeare of his age 〈◊〉 9 5â— vntill the thirtenth yeare when he began to manifest himselfe to the world and not to haue as he sayd to those that desired to follow him any house of his owne wherein to rest his head I speake not of S. Ioachim S. Anne Luc. 9.58 S. Ioseph that dwelt there also neither of S. Zachary S. Elizabeth S. Iohn the Apostles and Disciples of our sauiour and all those worthy lights of the Law The Saints who dwelt in the house of the B. Virgin and the Ghospel both before the death of our Sauiour and after who were all often there It is inough of these two starres Iesus Christ I meane and his glorious Mother and especially of the one of them not only to exalt the dignity of this little house aboue the greatnes of all royall pallaces that euer were but also aboue the maiesty of Salomons Temple and aboue the sanctity of all the holy places held in veneration all the tyme of the Law of Nature and of Moyses inough to make this house to be truly called an heauenly Pallace or a terrestriall Heauen where God and his heauenly and angelicall Court doth dwell For who can doubt but that the sacred Trinity was there daily present after a speciall and singular manner the Father and the Holy Ghost with the Sonne when this Sonne the selfe same essence with them cloathed with our Nature dwelt there corporally visible and continually And there being God in his Maiesty The court of heauen could the Angells Archangells Principalityes Powers Vertues Dominations Thrones Cherubims and Seraphims faile to be there in state and magnificall array to admire serue adore this supreme Deity this diuine Humanity O little House 9. orders of Angels O royal Pallacâ— O diuine lodging O sacred Cabinet O paradise not earthly as that of Adam but heauenly seeing thou hast entertayned within thee the God of maiesty the felicity and happines and most bright and glorious light of heauen How the house of Loreto is admirable for diuers diuine touchings CHAP. XVII OF this habitation whereof I speake ensueth another cause which doth greatly aduance the honour of this place in a thoâ—sand manners For since our Sauiour The fifth cause of touching his holy Mother and diuers other Saints dwelt there how often in this their dwelling lid they sanctâ—fy it by their comming and going by their breathing and looking by their holy talke communication by the spirit and fire of their prayers and by so many workes of Religion of piety of mercy and other actions of vertue which they did during their residence there How often hath the holy Humanity sighing for our miseries Iesus Christ honoured this House sanctifyed with his breath the walles of that chamber How many tymes walking and working therein hath he hallowed it with his steppes of Obedience How often longing sighing after our RedeÌ„ption hath he honoured this house by there laying vp his sighes and desires How often hath the glorious Virgin his Mother made this place honourable by the offices and seruices of Charity of deuotion of piety of teares other signes and markes of sanctity Chaines sanctifyed And if by the only touch of the Apostles or Martyrs bodyes bandes and iron chaines haue become more noble then the Crownes Scepters of Kings and haue receaued power and vertue to expell wicked spirits to heale innumerable diseases and to raise the dead what glory and satisfaction shall we thinke that this little ChaÌ„ber hath receaued so often honoured with the conuersation of these most holy guests Which hath beene so familiarly visited and haunted by the presence of such noble bodyes Which hath beene so cleerly enlightned by the beams of these diuine stars And if the Crosse The Crosse which was the bed of our Sauiours last ill rest and torment if the launce which pierced his side if the sponge which reached him Vinegar to drinke if the thornes that crowned his head if the nailes that pierceâ— his handes feet if the other instruments of his paine and Passion if the Sepulcher that lodged his body if so many places as this body touched were made diuine by a short touch and as it were in passin g who will doubt but that ground of this holy house troden on by the feet of this Lord and Lady ayred witâ— their breath touched with their handes for so many yeare hath beene thereby singularly sanctifyed What place therforâ— in the earth what habitation in the whole world is more noble and honourable by this title then that of Loreto Places famous for some great or mysticall effects and that heerein Loreto is more admirable then them all CHAP. XVIII The sixth cause of mystery THE holy Scripture as also profane Histories do reporâ— vnto vs diuers places that are made memoraâ— by thâ— sixt cause that is by some high and secret worke by some action of rare vertue some sacrifice some battaile some victory some sacrament or some other thing verily diuine or sâ— accounted The old Testament recoÌ„mendeth vnto vs the mouÌ„taine Moria made noble by the obedience of Abraham Gen. 22.2 when hâ— layd his sonne Isaac vpon the Altar to sacrifice him The mouÌ„â— Thabor was made famous by the noble victory of
vow of Pilgrime go to our Lady of Loreto euen when the Turkes were ready crying to lay their hands vpon their barke They had no sooner pronounced their vow but streight behold a sodaine furious tempest arose which scattered the vessels and separared them one farre from another and so disordered the Pursuers that they were forced to seeke rather some shore to saue themselues then to take the ship they followed These three that had thus fled did see the other terribly tossed by the waues caried sometimes hither and sometimes thither sometimes aloft sometimes below whome they knew by their turbants which made them be seene a farre of Themselues in the meane time held on their course as in the calme Sea driuen with a fauourable wynd blowing in the poope which did comfort them with a sweet admiration seing in such contrariety of wether of tempest and of calme in the same time almost in the same place that it was the stroke not of the Sea but of heauen an euident testimony of the fauour of God towards them They sailed happily vntil they arriued at the port of Catara from thence went to Loreto where cleansed from their sinnes by the Sacrament of PenaÌ„ce and made partakers of the Table of our Sauiour they rendered immortal thankes to God and the B. Virgin by whose intercession they were deliuered from a double danger of boÌ„dage and of death A French man of Prouence deliuered The second history is of one of our Nation a French man of the CouÌ„try of Prouence who hauing had newes of the death of his Father at Constantinople whilst he followed the Embassador of France being before Almener to the Duke of Mercury returned in a common vessell and as he came to the I le of Zant he saw himselfe enuironed with 4. Frigots of the Turkes who approched swiftly vnto his shippe prepared themselues to the prey both of men merchandize which they hoped to find This good Gentleman seeing his danger so desperat recommended himselfe hartily to our B. Lady of Loreto as also did all his company at the same instant almost they found themselues brought vnto a hauen of Calabria without knowing which way they came thither nor yet what was become of the Pirats They came immediatsly to Loreto to yield thankes to God and the glorious virgin and told their good fortune to one who told it me againe not long since I doubt not but you haue heard of the first miracle for it is one of the most ancient and recorded in the histories of Loreto perhaps also of the second but you haue forced me to tell what you knew before and brought me in danger to be importune were it not that as I persuade my selfe you do willingly heare repeated the miracles which concerne the praise of our good Lady not only without wearines but also with delight My good father answered Lazarus I learned alwayes haue now learned by this your narration what I knew not for of the later miracle I neuer heard before the other you haue represented with a greater Emphasis and force then I had heard it hitherto And I haue taken a singular pleasure in your discourse do confesse by all these great miracles more clearely then euer that with good right and reason the Church calleth the B. Virgin The Starre of the Sea for by her intercession The B.V. the starre of the Sea as by the aspect of an heauenly starre not only are defended those that saile the Seas but are deliuered also from many great dangers which commonly the stars do not performe The good old man would willingly haue entertayned Lazarus longer to heare him discourse for he did perceiue vnder the habit of a Pilgrime some thing generous extraordinary in him but thinking he was weary that it was late he durst not aske him any more demandes and therefore hauing caused their collation to be brought he conducted them both to a little chamber where were prepared two beds and a little Oratory to pray in some of the houshold came to wash their feet after the custome of Christian hostes but Lazarus thanked them harrily aledging for his excuse that it would mâ—ke their feet tender more easy to blister and take hurt and so euery one retired themselues The host caused according to his custome the Letanies to be sayd to all his houshold Lazarus said them with Vincent which being done they coÌ„ferred togeather about the subiect of their meditation for the morning following which was of little Iesus when his mother lost him found him againe in the Temple The points were these 1. The going of the B. Virgin and holy Ioseph with little Iesus to the Temple 2. The seeking enquiry they made when he was lost 3. How they found him in Hierusalem and brought him to Nazareth These points being noted in their memory either of them made their examen of conscience praiers for the Euening The practise of the examen of confessâ—â—e The examen of Lazarus was such after he had sayd the Credo My God enlighteÌ„ my soule to see thy benefits I thaÌ„ke thee for the assistance I haue had of thy liberality and specially this day by the meanes of this good housholder thy seruant who hath receaued vs into his house Enlighten me also if it please thee that I may see my faultes and amend them by thy grace I confesse O my soule that in my morning meditation I did not present my selfe before thy diuine Maiesty with that reuereÌ„ce I ought nor made my prayer with due attention and that by my only fault for I did not well prepare my selfe according to the rules of deuotion as neither to my examen in the morning and after dinner I haue wandered in my senses and thoughts my phantasy hath often carryed me out of my selfe I haue twice or thrice loosed the reines to my proper will with some vaine delight complacence and to foolish impressions in my imagination opened my eyes to a carelesse and curious beholding of thy creatures my eares to curiosity and my tongue to many idle words I confesse these sinnes and belieue I haue committed many more which I know not and who is he that knoweth his secret sinnes I confesse them all O Father of mercy humbly demand pardon of them with a firme purpose to amend them by the assistance of thy holy spirit Giue it if it please thee O Lord to me and to all of this house and graunt that we may passe this night without offending thee without illusion of him who day and night lyeth in watch to defile our body and spirit and whilest our body sleepeth taking its rest Cant. 5 2. that our haâ—t may wake in the light of thy grace Glorious Virgin assist vs and thou my good Angell-keeper This was the tenour of his Examen for the conclusion he sayd the Credo the Pater noster
their health and recouery of body or soule or both togeather F. Horatius Turselinus hath made a Catalogue of those he knew himselfe there haue beene many thousands which men haue not knowne written in the booke of God Secret almes great merit Mat. 6.4 who can well find their names in the day of generall Iudgement to giue them openly and in good company the reward and recompence of the good they haue done for his name in secret The wretched misbelieuer who draweth poison out of all this good iuice and turneth light into darkenes will say that this was the marke wherat the couetousnes of Priests did shoot and that to obtaine that they haue so much preached magnifyed this place drawing thither all the world by affected commendations but the faythfull which haue eyes to see the workes of God doe acknowledge the treasures of his heauenly blessing hauing by the meanes of this sacred House brought aboundance of all good as heeretofore to the house of Obededom by the presence of the Arke of Testament 2. Reg. 6. not for to fill the auarice of the Priests but for his owne glory for the ornament of his house and for the maintenance of his seruants and of the poore for all which there is spent euery yeare 30000. Crownes Moreouer it is answered to Calumniatours and misbelieuers that this place hath not beene made famous by the tongues of men this not being in their power but by the wonderous workes of God euen before men could frame any designement of the celebrity of this place or settle any hope of temporall goods therein it is the hand of God that hath done this great worke and hath wrought these blessinges and whosoeuer doth attribute it vnto auarice he is ignorant of the power of God and blasphemeth against his graces and benefits But leauing these calumniations of those that haue lost their fayth let vs say for the end of this discourse that seeing the proofes which we bring doe manifestly teach that the markes and tokens whereof each one might make a place honourable are found altogeather in this place we must necessarily conclude Loreto an abridgement of all holy places that it is an abridgement of all the holy places in the holy Land and of all Christianity as we sayd at the beginning and therefore a place worthy aboue all the places in the whole world to be honoured and visited It remayneth now to speake of the preparation furniture of our Pilgrime and to declare the condition of all mortall men and after to set downe the meanes and way happily to performe his pilgrimage according to the lawes and rules of that condition THE PREPARATION AND Furniture of the Pilgrime Of the end and Allegorie of Christian pilgrimages and of the continuance of our mortal course signified and taught by the number of Fourty CHAP. I. THE Pilgrime of Loreto hauing beene instructed in the knowledge he should haue of the place All men pilgrims vpon the earth must now take some aduertisements and afterward learne the necessary meanes to vndertake and performe his voyage He shall note then in generall in the first place that all men haue euer beene and are still in their condition pilgrimes and trauailers vpon the earth as the liues and wordes of Saints do teach vs and these whome we call in special pilgrimes to certaine places of the world doe no more sauing that they doe that of a speciall purpose and desire which all mortall men do of necessity walking to their graue if they be prudent Pilgrimes drawing towardes their heauenly couÌ„try Of this we haue diuers examples and figures in diuers ages of the world The Patriarcheâ— who trauailed in the law of nature In the law of Nature we know the pilgrimages of the holy Patriarches which we touched before and shall declare further for it is a point meet for the Pilgrime to know we know the voiages of Abraham who going out of his Countrey of Chaldea by the calling of God became a straÌ„ger and pilgrime in the land of Canaan of Iacob who trauailing from Canaan to Syria saw in his sleep a wonderful Lader of the pilgrime Iacobs trauailling from Canaan and the vision of the lader reaching vp vnto heauen hauing God leaâ—ing on the toppe thereof and the Angells ascending and descâ—nding vpon the same his children also to wit the Hebrews were Pilgrimes in Aegypt three or foure ages before the Law and after the law was giuen in the mountaine of Sina they walked pilgrimes in the desert of Arabia fourty years at which tyme they had the Arke of the Testament as a Tabernacle a moueable Temple to carry with them for their comfort solace of religion in their pilgrimage Afterward being come to the land of promise all the iust and holy men among them caried themselues as pilgrimes So Dauid for al sayd vnto God I am a stranger and pilgrime before thee Psalm 38 18. aâ— all my forefathers were Therefore these particuler pilgrimages were figures and mysticall instructions of mans condition and the wordes of this King and Prophet containe an exposition of the same In the law of Grace Pilgrims of the law of Grace Christians haue so much cleerer acknowledged this condition and directed their life according to the forme of true pilgrimes by how much the more they haue receaued the light and heate of the Holy Ghost so much the more piously and diligently haue they practised these particuler pilgrimages to holy places and namely to this holy house as well in Galilee as in Italy since it came there as they haue receaued more aboundance of truth of loue and of desire of the life to come and other guifts of the same spirit The pilgrime shall marke this instruction as being the mayne and maister-point of his pilgrimage Three ends of pilgrims as he shall perceaue by by by an expresse meditation In the second place he shall note that these Christian pilgrimages are vndertaken principally for three ends all which tend to one which is perfectly to performe the pilgrimage of this life The first is to honour God and his Saints visiting those places 1. To honour god and his Saints 2. To doe pennaÌ„ce 3. To increase deuotion where he manifesteth himselfe by his guifts graces bestowed by their prayer and intercession vpon the true pâ—lgrimes the members of his Church The second to do penneÌ„ce in patiently enduring the trauaile and incommodityes of the way and the third to increase deuotion beholding and imitating the notable exploits of Saints they visit and all this to obtaine the felicity of our heauenly countrey walking by the wayes of Gods coÌ„mandements This is the marke that Christian pilgrimages do shoot at and therefore those that vnder the title of pilgrims wander ouer countreyes without deuotioÌ„ or which is worse leade in their pilgrimages a disorderly life are dissolute vagabonds not Christian pilgrimes
of neighbours and for him is made the first commandement which shall make the meditation of the eight day in this sort The Morning Meditat on of the 4. Commandement Honour thy Father and thy Mother to the end thou maist liue long vpon the earth CHAP. XIX THE Prayer preparatiue as before The first Preamble shall set before his eyes The first Preamble the wordes of this Commandement HONOVR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER The second shall aske grace of God to gather profit of this meditation For the first point the Pilgrime shall meditate the equity of this commandement taught by the wiseman saying The 2. Honour thy Father thy mother and forget not the paines of thy mother Eccl. 27.9 and remember that without them thou hadst not beene borne and render vnto them as they haue done vnto thee He meaneth they are cause that thou art in the world Why Fathers should be honoured and haue suffered much for thee they haue nourished and brought thee vp with great labour and trauile thou art then bound by law of nature to render them honour to succour them if they haue need of thy help to obey them so they command thee nothing against the commandments of God or the counsells of our Sauiour as to kill another to be an heretike not to follow the way of perfection if God call thee for then we must sticke to that exception taught by our Sauiour himselfe He that hateth not his father Luc. 14. Act. 5. and mother is not worthy to be my disciple And that which S. Peter sayth VVe must obey God before men The name of father extendeth to all parents and Superiours For the second point the pilgrime shall marke that in this Cōmandement are comprehended Fathers Mothers Vncles Ants and all sortes of superiours spirituall and temporall as are Prelats Pastours Priests Maisters Kings Princes Magistrats Tutors and such like to whome to euery one by this law is due honour respect and obedience in all that toucheth their charge with the foresayd exception that they command nothing contrary to God In the third point he shall note that this law doth secretly teach that Fathers and Mothers should carry themselues Christianlike towards their children to the end they may deserue and retaine worthily the right of this honour commanded by God to them to loue them with a Christian loue to giue them good example and edification in wordes and workes to bring them vp in vertue and in the feare of God Eph. 6.4 You Parents sayth the Apostle bring vp your children in the doctrine of our Sauiour To prouide for their necessityes but specially that concerne the life of their soules for this is the end of true and fatherly loue as all the care of beastes toward their yong ones is the life of their bodyes the like should other Superiours performe with due proportion to their subiects The speach shall prayse the diuine Maiesty in the iustice of this his Commandement The speach and shall demand grace for all children that they may honour and serue their parents for al subiects that they may respect and obey their Kinges Superiours and Magistrates for Fathers Kinges Pastours Magistrates and Superiours that they may discharge toward God that fatherly care they owe to their children subiects and that both by the one and the other he may be praysed blessed in the execution of this his Commandement shall end with this prayer It was not inough for thee O Lord to giue vs lawes cōcerning thyne owne honour thou hast made lawes also for thy creatures seeking to haue euery thing wisely and iustly ordered in thy house for this is the house of thy soueraigne Wisedome and iustice the creature with his Creatour the creatures among themselues giuing and taking euery one his due that appertayneth vnto him and that man should honour thee not only in thy selfe but also for the loue of thee in thy workes Powre forth O Lord thy holy spirit in aboundance vpon all fathers and children subiects and superiours and namely those that liue in the compasse of thy holy Church that they may holily accomplish thy commandement and by a reciprocall performance of honour and obedience prayse thy holy name and merit eternall glory the reward of good and faithfull subiects The after-dinner and Euening of the eight dayes Iourney The corporall and spirituall VVorkes of mercy CHAP. XX. IN this afternoone the Pilgrime shall frame some Meditation of the workes of mercy both corporall and spiritual for in them we make proofe of our loue to our Neighbour The corporall are 1. To giue meate to the hungry 2. To giue drinks to the thirsty Matth. 25 3. To cloath the naked 4. To lodge the pilgrime 5. To visit the sicke 6. To visit prisonners 7. To bury the dead Tob. 1.2 2. Reg. 9. The spirituall are 1. To correct the sinner 2. To instruct the ignorant 1. Tim. 5.20 3. To counsell those that doubt 4. To set those that erre into the right way 5. To comfort the afflicted 6. To pardon iniuryes 7. To beare patiently the troublesomnes of others 8. To pray for the liuing and the dead By all these workes men make triall of the loue they beare vnto their Neighbour and principally by the spirituall which concerne the health of the soule by those also principally the Son of God hath shewed his infinite loue towards vs attending to no other exercise euen to his last breath In particuler for that which concerneth this fourth Commandement the Pilgrime shall haue ready some examples of holy Scripture of such as singularly haue beene true children of their Fathers and Mothers as were Isaac Iacob Tobie and such like Plin. l. 7. cap. 36. as also among the Gentils that Roman Damsell who nourished many dayes with her own milke her Mother being condemned to dye by famine in prison by visiting her in the way of comfort Vai Max. l. 5. c. 4. secretly giuing her her breasts to sucke and was the cause that the Iudge wondring at this piety not only deliuered this prisonner but gaue her also a perpetuall pension out of the publicke treasure The piety of Storkes The like is written of a Grecian Lady towardes her Father Cimon prisonner in his extreme age He shall consider also the like piety in some vnreasonable creatures as in Storks who nourish their father and mother growing old and impotent bringing them their prey into their neast as they were wont to nourish them when they were yong But aboue all he shall admire the Sauiour of the world who not only honoured his heauenly Father by his obedience but also his Mother and Creature the B. Virgin Mary and his presumed father Ioseph He was subiect to them sayth the Scripture that is Iac. 2.51 he respected them he honoured them he obeyed them O sweet Iesus O Creatour of heauen and earth O
direct all our actions to the glory of God By Vnderstanding we are eleuated to the vnderstanding of the mysteryes of our faith Counsell causeth vs to take good assured aduice against the crafts and subtiltyes of the Diuell to make vs resist and preuent them Knowledge sheweth vs most liuely the will of God as Fortitude giueth vs strength to execute it Piety maketh vs specially deuoute and obedient Feare is as a faithfull Schoole-maister keeping vs from sin Wisedome which is the first guift eleuateth vs to God Aug. 209. de temp and Feare which is the last doth depresse and humble vs in our selues for God sayth S. Augustine and by this counterpoise our soule is kept in an euen estate of iustice But because the hope of reward hath a great force to excite men to good The Beatitudes baites for vertues in the fifth point shall be noted how our Sauiour hath left vs those heauenly lessons of his sermon in the mountaine composed of eight Maximes of heauenly Philosophy putting to euery one his price of the same height and valour though of diuers names and sortes to the end by this heauenly bayte to draw vs to the obseruation of his Commanments and Counsells and to the getting and practising of the foresayd vertues and guifts of the Holy Ghost These eight Maximes are eight aduertisements called Beatitudes for that each one carrieth in his forehead the name and promise of Beatitude and giueth it at the last to euery one in his ranke and order 1. Blessed are the poore in spirit Math. 5. for theirs is the kingdome of heauen 2. Blessed are the meeke for they shall possesse the earth 3. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted 4. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for iustice for they shall be satisfyed 5. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy 6. Blessed are the cleane of hart for they shall see God 7. Blessed are the peace-makers for they shall be called the Sonnes of God 8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for Iustice for theirs is the kingdome of Heauen The speach shall be made by thanks-giuing and request in this sort O my Creatour and soueraigne Redeemer my vnderstanding is too small to conceaue the greatnes of thy liberality my tongue vnsufficient worthily to thanke thee for the thousand part of thy benefits nor all my partes although they could all speake with the tongues of Angels I thanke thee notwithstanding from the bottome of my hart and with the best accent of my language that my mouth can vtter the confession of my insufficiency is a faithfull cleare witnesse of thy great bounty Thou hast dictated to me thy lawes to direct my feet into the way of thy iustifications the path of heauen Thou hast left me thy heauenly counsells to make me a good scholler in the schoole of perfection and to make me capable of greater glory in thy great day Thou hast left me a thousand meanes of thy grace of thy vertues of the guifts of thy holy Spirit a thousand baites and allurements of thy liberall promises to keep accomplish easily constaÌ„tly couragiously all that thou hast commanded counselled What couldest thou do more O my King for thy poore vassal And what can I now doe but confesse that I am ouerwhelmed with thy benefits and confounded for not hauing performed my duty wherto I was bound by so many titles What But beseech thy Maiesty by thyne owne great name by the great merit of thy only Sonne my Redeemer that it would please thee to continue alwayes to be liberall in my behalfe and giue me grace abundant and effectuall that I be no more vngratefull vnto thee but a thankfull child seruing thee with all my hart in this mortall life to the end I may prayse thee for euer in the life to come The after-dinner and Euening of the fourteenth dayes Iourney The Counsells dâ— faciliâ—ate and make easy the obseruation of the Commandâ—ments CHAP. XXXIII THE after dinner shall passe in repeating some points of the morning mâ—diâ—â—tion The couÌ„sels do facilitate the CoÌ„mandements namely of the Counsels of our Sauiour There the Pilgrime shall obserue how the Counsells are more high in dignity of action thâ—n the Commandements are and yet notwithstanding they help to performe them the better As for example none can more easily and exactly performe the first three Commandements more easily and holily adore God hallow his Name sanctify his Feastes then he that forsaketh all things to serue him with al his hart offe ing himselfe an holocaust to the diuine maiesty None do more easily honour Father and Mother lesse iniure their Neighbours in body and goods then he that loueth all with a perfect loâ—e and acknowledgeth in all the Image of God that prayeth for all desireth heauen to all that employeth himselself to all that hath left the vse and right of all pleasure and taken his leaue of all earthly desires not caring but for heauen Counsels like wheeles so that these counsells are as the wheeles of a Cart where though the drawing of the wheeles do increase the weight yet it maketh the drawing more easy to the horses He may also entertaine himself in the meditation of some of the Beatitudes and therein behould the practise of the Son of God of his glorious Mother and of other Saints The glorious Virgin perfect in vertue aboue all Saints who haue beene markeable in pouerty of spirit that is in voluntary pouerty and vowed to God for deuotion in mildenesse and meeknes in cleanesse of hart and in all he shall see that glorious Lady holdeth the highest place of perfection When night is come he shall giue speciall thankes to God and to this holy Virgin his Aduocate that he hath happily ended the second weeke of his way and so he shall end his dayes iourney and retire himselfe to his rest The fifteenth day A Meditation vpon Good workes CHAP. XXXIV IN the morning of this fifteenth day the Pilgrime shall make his meditation vpon Good Workes as order requireth for after the Commandements Counsells Grace Vertues the guifts of the Holy Ghost are giuen and reward promised for working well doth very fitly follow these meditations that haue beene made of all them The beginning shall be as before All the Bible exhorteth to good-works The first point shall be to meditate how as well the old Testament as the new euery where exhorteth man to do wel and to abstaine from euill shewing him that to that end God made him placing him as soone as he was made in Paradise to keep and labour it with a law of obedience not to touch the Tree of the knowledge of good and euill and to the same end after his fall Gen. 2.15 giuing his commandements with promise of reward to those that should keep them and punishment to the transgressours Gen. 17. who shall giue themselus to vice
the spirituall leprosy dead in sinne buried in her filth abhominable before thyne eyes a marke for thy fury a prey to death and eternall confusion O my Redeemer immortall thankes be to thy infinite mercy for this great benefit since thy mercy hath no boundes add also O sweet Iesu to this benefit the firmnesse of a holy perseuerance whereby I may alwayes preserue the Temple of my soule body pure neat from all filth ordure of sinne Conserue O Lord the house thou camest to purify 2. Mach. 14.36 Psal 50.5 by the light heat of thy holy Spirit cleanse it beautify it alwayes more and more and more and more wash me from my sinnes purge me of my sinnes giue me grace that as I haue hitherto serued the Flesh the World and the Diuell the most cruell enemies of my good and saluation so I may with all my force loue honour and serue thee for heerafter O my life my Creatour and Sauiour descended into earth and made man to seeke me poore strayed sheep and make me participant of thy deity ascended also vp to the Crosse there to shed thy precious bloud to wash and cleanse me there to dye to giue me life Graunt O Prince of mercy that for all thy benefits I may affoard thee an humble an entire seruice vnto my last gaspe to liue after this mortall soiourning eternally with thee and to glorify thee in heauen where thou liuest and reigning with the Father in the vnity of the holy Ghost for euer and euer Amen This shal be the shutting of the 21. day and third weeke finishing the first period of his pilgrimage the which representeth as we haue sayd the life of those which beginne the way of vertue the way of Purgation by vertues purgatiue In the morning the Pilgrime shal begin his second part which representeth the estate of those that are gone forward and aduanced in the way of perfection and light THE PILGRIMES ABODE AT LORETO The two and twentith day and the first of his abode A Meditation vpon the holy Eucharist CAHP. I. FOR the meditation of the first dayes iourney of this second Part of his Pilgrimage the Pilgrime shall fitly take the subiect of the Eucharist for he cannot better begin to honour this holy place then with so holy an action nor more refresh solace the trauaile of his pilgrimage then by this refectiō nor better open the doore of his soule to the light of the Holy Ghost then by the receauing of such a Sacrament and this should be the first meale and the last banquet of euery true Pilgrime he shal make his Meditation early in the morning at the holy house with these partes The prayer preparatory accustomed shal demand grace to direct all his actions to the glory of God and saluation of his soule In the first preamble he shall set before his eyes the history of the two Pilgrimes Luc. 14. Aug. epist 50. ad Paulin. who first of all other Christians receaued at our Sauiours handes after his resurrection in the village called Emaus The second shall demand a speciall light well to penetrate the maiesty and profit of this mystery The first Point Of three figures of the Holy Sacrament CHAP. II. THE first point of the meditation shall containe three old Figures Gen. 14.18 among diuers others of this B. Sacrament The first is the Sacrifice of Melchisedech sometyme King of Salem and high Priest who entertayning Abraham as he returned victorious from the battaile offered to God Bread and VVine in thankes-giuing for the victory blessed him and refreshed him and his companie Our Sauiour the true Melchisedech in figure of the Sacrifice of the Body and Bloud of Iesus Christ the Christian Eucharist which the same Iesus Christ the true Melchisedech the true King of peace and high Bishop did institute and ordaine when in his last supper he did communicate his Apostles giuing them his Body to eat vnder the figure of Bread and his Bloud to drinke vnder the figure of Wine after the order and forme of the Sacrifice of Melchisedech and making them his Vicars and Deputies commanded them and their Successours in their person to do the same Luc. 22 1◠and to continue this Sacrifice and Supper in his name remembrance which hath heene alwayes performed hitherto and shall be alwayes heereafter vnto the worldes end For as Iesus Christ is Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech and not of Aaron whose Priesthood togeather with the sacrifices were ended and fullfilled on the Crosse so his Sacrifice according to this order of Melchisedech shall be perpetual and euerlasting in yielding of thankes to God and in the feeding and refection of Christians the spirituall children of Abraham Psal 109. fighting in the Church heere militant on earth and shall one day triumph altogeather in heauen returning cōquerours from the combat The second Figure is the sacrifice of the Paschall Lambe which was ordayned the night before the deliuerance of the Hebrewes Exod. 12. from the captiuity of Aegypt and continued in remembrance of this great benefit vntill that our Sauiour the true Lambe did institute our Eucharist of his precious Body and Bloud in the euening before his Passion and our Redēption and shall continue as a memoriall thereof vntill he come againe not to be iudged and condemned to death as he was at his first comming but to iudge the world by the weights of their workes to kill death for euer after and to deliuer his children from all euill The third Figure is the Manna Exod. 15.16 giuen from heauen to the Hebrewes whilest they were Pilgrimes in the wildernesse walking towardes the land of promise euen so the Eucharist the true bread of heauen and the true drinke is giuen in the Church of God for the solace and sustenance of our soules in the desert of this world and for our prouision and food vntill we be brought to the land of the liuing in heauen The second point Of the Maiesty of our Sauiour in this Blessed Sacrament CHAP. III. THE second point shall be to meditate in this Sacrament first the power of our Sauiour Power conuerting by his almighty word the Bread into his body and the Wine into his bloud Second y the goodnes of the same Sauiour who hauing giuen himselfe a price and ransome for our Redemption Goodnes hath also vouchsafed to giue himselfe for food and to vnite himselfe with his creature soule to soule body to body in the straitest manner that can be imagined Thirdly the diuine wisedome Wisedome seasoning and tempering this precious food in so familiar and easy a fashion vnder the forme and taste of bread and Wine of the one side facilitating our senses to the taking of his flesh and bloud without horrour and on the other side instructing our fayth to vnderstand and acknowledge the vnion of faithfull Christians made heerby one
is the promise of S. Ioachim and S. Anne who had vowed to God their fruite to the imitation of that holy but barren woman S. Anne the Mother of the Prophet Samuel who prayed vnto God with warm teares to take away the reproach of her sterility with that promise 1. Reg. 12 11. that she would consecrate to his seruice the child he should giue her and so hauing obtayned of God a little Samuell that was to be a great Prophet she did dedicate him to Gods seruice 1. Reg. 2. as soone as he was weaned with like deuotion did Ioachim and Anne offer their daughter to the Temple Niss sup Niceph. l. 1. c. 7. as a present receaued by the speciall fauour of God and consecrated to God by promise and vow they had made The other cause of this oblation is more high that is the election of God The 2. cause who had decreed before the creation of the world to make a paterne or principal worke in this B. Virgin according as Wisedome maketh her selfe to say I was created from the beginning Eccl s 14. and before the world that is foreseene in the councell of Eternity and by the same Prouidence chosen by God to be the Mother of his Sonne he would therfore that as she was a singular worke of his hand so should she be dedicated to him as his owne from her infancy by this particular ceremony whereby giuing her to Ioachin and Anne aboue the course of their naturall infirmity and yeares he inspired also into thē to offer her as a proper guift of his liberality that she might be blessed with all causes as well supernatural as naturall enriched with heauenly guifts in her soule and honoured with the deuotion of her Progenitours and made capable of greater benedictions The offering of the Virg. This was therefore the richest offering that hitherto was euer made to God in his Temple it was also the most noble peece that euer came out of the treasury of his holy Spirit With what eye then think you did he receaue her with what admiration did the Angels-guardians of the Temple desire to behould this diuine starre rysing in the heauen of the Temple of God This heauenly Virgin that was to be the Mother of their Lord and Maker The third point of the Meditation Of Virgins and men consecrated to Almighty God CHAP. XVIII IN the third point he shal meditate how God hath alwayes had in his Church Women consecrated to God haue beene alwayes not only certaine men dedicated to his seruice who by a common name were called Priests but also women as well Virgins who after a certaine tyme did mary as Widowes who remayned in perpetuall widowhood a custome counted heauenly among the Iewes in the booke of Exod. 38. where he sayth that Moyses made a Vessell or Lauatory of brasse with the foot Exod. 38.8 of the looking glasses of those women which fasted and watched in great number before the doore of the Tabernacle wherof Rabbi Abraham writing sayth Rabbi Abraham This was the custome of women to dresse and adorne themselues euery morning dressing their heades by a looking glasse of brasse or of glasse Now there were in Israell women pious and deuout who leauing the follies of the world did offer their Glasses to God as needing them no more for the attiring of their bodyes and they met euery day before the gat of the Sanctuary in great number in manner of an army attended i◠prayer and hearing the Law of God Of which wordes we gather first that Moyses made the foot of this Lauer of those Glasses of brasse or steele molten which being polished and burnished Lyra and others did serue for a Glasse to such as washed to see if there were any vndecent spot in their face though some Doctours haue lesse probably held that these Glasses were not melted but rather set on as plates or barres both opinions come to one but the first is more agreable to the text of Scripture Looking glasses the instruments of vanity In the second place we gather that these women did altogeather renounce the pompe of the world for in signe heerof they offered to God their Glasses principall instruments of their vanity to be applyed to some holy and sacred vse serued God with all their strength with goodly order and constancy like spirituall Amazons and women of warre consecrated in the house of God Amazōs women of warre euen as the Priests in their vocatiō made another sort of spirituall army of which principally the Creatour in the Scripture is called God of Hostes or Armies as ruling and pleasing himselfe in them aboue all other companies of men they being the strength and ornament of his spirituall kingdome against the armies of Sathan who being an Ape of Gods works hath not omitted to ordayne like companies in his Kingdome for as among the Idolatours he had his sacrifices Vestall Virgins exēpted from Parents authority his Temples and Priestes and other tokens of diuinity to the imitation of God so caused he to be erected Houses of women in Aegypt Greece and other places one the most noble of all the rest in the famousest seate of his Tyranny which was Rome of the Vestall Virgins consecrated to Vesta the Goddesse of fire whome they serued vnto 30. yeares Aul. Gell. l. 1. Noct. act c. 12. Sueton. in Iul. Caes c. 83. Hub. in suo Caesar Alex. ab Alex. l. 5. cap. 12. ex Plutar. alijs and afterwardes married were respected of all the world and honoured with many priuiledges for they were exempt from the power of their Father and Mother from the day of their consecration without any other letters of their emancipation they had authority to make their will were of that credit and respect that to them were giuen to keep the Testaments of the most noble men of Rome that died and the publick contracts of peace and alliance If the Magistrate met them in the street he returned to make them place and saluted them as if they had beene Goddesses if in the way they chaunced to meet with any condemned person they deliuered them for that tyme neither durst any speake a dishonest word in their presence as if they had beene a certaine Deity at the Theaters they had the most honourable place by themselues a part which honours no doubt were giuen to the imitation of the Hebrewes among whome these religious women were inuiolable and held in great reuerence yet without all shew of superstition Therfore the race of Hely the high Priest was accursed and rooted out because his sonnes 1. Reg. 21.22 besides other sinnes had violated some of these as in the booke of the Kinges is signifyed These women continued vnto the tyme of our Sauiour who being brought to the Temple a child was ackowledged and praysed by one of them called Anna a Widow of
honour the estate of virginity and mariage and therin to figure and represent the condition of the Church which being a virgin is notwithstanding marryed to Iesus Christ and remayning a virgin doth bring forth children by Baptisme The 3. first causes concerne the person of our Sauiour the fourth and fifth his Mother and the other the Church and altogeather the honour of God and his Mother and our good and saluation The Espousals being done the Virgin remayned in Nazareth in her Fathers house Philo Iud. de special legib which espousalls were as fast of as great force a the mariage it self so that if the espoused should commit any fault in the house of her Father she should be stoned as an Adulteresse who had broken her fayth in her husbands owne house In the same house the B. Virgin was saluted by the Angell and there dwelt with Ioseph after the death of Ioachim and Anne and not in the house of Ioseph which by likelihood was at Bethleem wherof the Scripture giueth no reason but only that by silence it signifyeth that these espousals were of another quality then others were and that she was alwayes a virgin as those that remayne alwayes in the house of their Fathers and go not to the house of their husband to celebrare the marriage as other marryed folkes do who must loose their virginity The Pilgrime shal marke all this thereby to prayse the diuine Maiesty and to giue him thankes ending in this speach O heauenly marriage The mariage of Adam Abraham Isaac Iacob Tobie and worke worthy of the soueraigne Wisedome a marriage all spirituall and diuine hauing nothing carnall or earthly in it a marriage that did beâ—re the beauty of all the goodliest alliances of the world doth exceed them in honour as farre as the heauens in largenes exceed the earth The marriage of Adam and Eue made and blessed by the hand of God himselfe the mariage of Sara with Abraham of Rebeca with Isaac of Rachel with Iacob of Sara with Tobie All these mariages were nothing in comparison of this and the most worthy of them were honourable in this respect that they gaue seed and beginning to these two maried folkes of this husband and this wife children of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and of twenty other Kinges their ancestours in the house of Iuda married to God by an excellent band of Fayth Charity and inuiolable Virginity O noble paire O noble husband Psal 44.10 and more noble wife and verily the daughter of the great King clothed in gold and adorned with the richest iewells that euer came out of his cabinet O worthy mariage of this couple A mariage most worthy to be honoured with the most glorious fruit that euer woman bare Spirituall mariages O daughter of Sion O Christian daughters learne thus to marry your selues to marry your selues to God to giue him your body and soule feare not either the priuation of that pleasure which passeth like a dreame nor yet the barrennes of your body for your pleasures you shall haue the delightes of earth and heauen and for the children of your body a thousand goodly workes that shall accompany you aboue as an honourable and immortall posterity and a thousand crownes of glory insteed of the children you might haue had but if you be marryed already after the fashion of these holy Dames let it be to the same end for posterity not for pleasure and alwayes with the honour of christian chastity and coniugall fidelity O soueraigne Lord authour of these virginall marriages be thou alwayes praysed in them as in all thy workes O Virgin obtaine for me that spirit that made thee so to marry and thou holy Ioseph a heauenly branch of the house of Dauid giuen for solace and succour to this diuine Virgin solace vs with thy prayers succour vs with thy help that we may follow thy fayth and word and may be made partaker of that reward and recompence which thou hast receaued in heauen This shall be the Pilgrimes meditation in the morning after which he shall heare Masse and doe his accustomed deuotions vntill Noone when he shall take his repast The After-dinner and euening of the six and twentith Day Of the rare vertues of S. Ioseph CHAP. XXI IN the afternoone he shall follow his former exercises only the subiect of the meditation changed which he shall vary according to the diuersity of the thinges he did meditate in the morning Hauing heard Euensong he shall employ some tyme to read or meditate the vertues of S. Ioseph The vertues of Ioseph which without doubt were rare and worthy of a man chosen to be the spouse of the greatest Lady of the world before God and the foster-father of the sonne of God himselfe His innocency his fayth his hope his charity obedience magnanimity prudence humility and other royall vertues appeared in his actions performed in matters most difficult to belieue and most hard to execute Why he is called Iust which may easily be verified by some examples First when it was first perceaued that the Virgin had conceaued not knowing either the cause or the mystery he shewed himselfe a perfect wise man when on the one side he deliberated to dwell no more with her not to consent in his conscience to any suspicion of dishonesty and on the other side he would not defame nor rayse scandall without cause about her reputation Matth. 1 19. for the which cause he is called Iust by the Euangelist by a name that comprehendeth al the qualityes of a holy soule SecoÌ„dly he shewed his fayth and vertue when without contradiction he belieued the words of the Angell aduertising him that his wiues being Great was a worke of the Holy Ghost and obeyed him with promptitude and humility taking againe his Spouse at that instant louing reuerencing her more then euer seeing she was chosen to be the mother of such a child so much the more assisting her with loue and solid respect His respect to the B. V. by how much it was founded more in the soule then in the body more in the beauty of the spirit then in the fairenes of the face and if holy Elizabeth was thought to haue so much reuerenced the Virgin for hauing by sweet inspiration vnderstood that she was the mother of God how great may we thinke was the reuerence that Ioseph did beare her in this respect being informed by so cleare testimonyes and oracles of this truth of her vertues hauing also experience thereof by dayly and domesticall conuersation What care besides what diligence what patience what prudence His prudence must he needes haue shewed in conducting this Virgin from one Country to another flying the persecution and fury of Herod the Tyrant Dwelling so long in Aegypt a strange Country Alwayes firme in fayth and Charity Surely the holy Doctours could not tell with what wordes to expresse his
is of another ranke for being exalted aboue the highest she humbleth her selfe to the lowest waxeth light with her load and insteed of rest vndertaketh a troublesome iourney to the Mountaines of Iudea O wayes honourable with the steppes of such a Creature carrying in her bowells the Creatour O happy Hills that were troden with the heauenly feet of the Blessed Virgin and Mother of the most high neuer did you beare so precious a burden ne-neuer did you performe a more honourable seruice O my soule see and contemplate here behould this fruitfull Virgin this daughter of Sion this Mother of God to fly with ioy caryed by him whome her selfe doth carry behould her rysing as a faire morning vpon the top of those beautiful mountaines ascending those hilly places like the Sunne rysing from vnder his Horizon behould the beauty of her face and soule surpassing the most glistering starres the modesty of her pace going the fire of her charity the greatnes of her diuine fortitude and courage The salutation of S. Elizabeth The second point shall be taken from the salutation of the Virgin and the effect thereof It is sayd that the Virgin entering into the house of Zachary saluted S. Elizabeth And it happened when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary the Infant exulted in her wombe And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost and cryed out with a great voice and sayd Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe And how commeth this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come vnto me For behould as the voice of thy salutation was made in my eares the Infant in my wōbe exulted with ioy And blessed art thou which hast belieued because those thinges shall be performed which haue beene spoken to thee by our Lord. In these wordes he must marke the meruailous vertue and force of the salutation of the B. Virgin hauing so happily strucken the child and the Mother that they were both sanctifyed and filled with the Holy Ghost enabled to effects exceeding the common course of nature The child receaued sense and vse of reason beyond his age and leaped at the voice of the Mother of our Lord honouring the sayd Lord by that his motion Elizabeth did prophesy of thinges past present and to come The Mother was made a Prophetesse knowing by reuelation what had passed when she knew things secret to wit that the B. Virgin had belieued knowing also the present as that she was happy and blessed aboue all women that she was great with a blessed fruit with the Sonne of God our Lord She knew also what was to come foretelling that those things that were tolde her should be accomplished Wherupon the Pilgrime shall consider how much the Sonne of God hath honoured his mother in making her so soone the instrument of the Holy Ghost and his cooperatresse to so high effects in what credit she must needes be now in heauen for the saluatiō of men hauing been enriched since with a thousand merits and prerogatiues and reigning with her Sonne heaped with eternal glory aboue all Angels and men And if her simple voice and salutation that did passe brought the Holy Ghost vnto the soules of men of what efficacy shall be her firme and constant prayer to obtayne vs the heauenly graces of the same Spirit to our saluation O B. Virgin make this heauenly voice of thine soūd vnto thy Pilgrime this voice so pleasing so powerfull this voice whereof the Spouse speaketh saying Cant. 2. Cant. 2. Let thy voice sound in my eares for it doth reioyce me Make it be heard O virgin and therewith obtayne me necessary help happily to accomplish the course of my mortall Pilgrimage The third point of the Meditation Of the Canticle of the B. Virgin Magnificat CHAP. XXX THE third point shall meditate the meaning of that notable Cāticle which our B. Lady vttered after S. Elizabeth had spoken Then saith the Gospell Mary sayd Luc. 1. 1. My soule doth magnify our Lord. 2. And my spirit hath exulted in God my Sauiour 3. Because he hath respected the humility of his hād-mayd for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed c. The B. Virgin hauing heard so many blessings and praises for those graces she had receiued and knowing that forgetfullnes Ingraritude ryseth of Pride ingratitude are two branches of pride very displeasing to Almighty God she tooke occasion to yield thankes vnto her benefactour to reioyce in him and sayd in hart and mouth I acknowledge my Lord my soule doth magnify and extoll him as authour of all the good you haue praised and prophesied in me O my deare Cousin I praise him from the bottome of my hart and with all my soule and glory in his graces and bountifull liberality not in myne owne merit It is he that hath cast his eyes vpon my litlenes and hath exalted me It is his bounty and blessing that is the soueraigne cause that all the nations of the world that shall liue vnder the scepter of his Sonne shall call that Mother happy that did beare him Luc. 1.49 4. For he hath done great things vnto me who is mighty holy is his Name A great thing it is that a Virgin should vow virginity among the Hebrewes a great thing it is that remayning a Virgin she should conceiue without man a great thing it is that she should be the most fruitfull Mother that euer was hauing borne but one child great things and vnheard of that the seruant should bring forth her maister the daughter her father the morning the sunne weaknes power the Creature her Creatour These are the great things and the wonders that are wrought in me his little Creature for the which my soule doth now magnify and exalt his holy Name Luc. 50. 5. And his mercy is from generation to generation to those that feare him For the mercy of our Lord is allwayes and shall be for euer Psal 102.17 but to them that liue in the feare of his lawes It was shewed to our first Father Adam promising him a Redeemer to Abel Noe Abraham to all our forefathers assisting them with gifts and graces and strengthening them in the hope of this Redeemer and will shew it selfe now more then euer sending according to his promise the same Redeemer not an Angel or only man but his owne Sonne God made man to repaire the ruines of men by his owne bloud to exalt their condition aboue the Angells Psalm 71 28.135.4 6. He hath wrought wonders with his arme and hath scattered the proud in the mind of their hart It is he onely that is omnipotent and mightily worketh these meruailes and all others It is he that hath drawne this great All from nothing who hath created these lightes heauenly pallaces these 4. partes of the whole world the fier aire water and all that is made of thē it
ordered that this Name may be a defence to vs against our enemies a solace of our sorrowes in this mortall pilgrimage the oyle and remedy of our woundes and in the end our life and saluation The Pilgrime hauing thus prayed shall heare Masse at his tyme shall finish his accustomed deuotions of the morning The After-dinner and Euening of the nine and twentith Day A Meditation Of the Adoration of the three Kinges CHAP. XXXV IN the euening after Euensong the Pilgrime after the two precedent mysteries shall meditate of the Adoration of the Kings those notable first Pilgrimes of the Paynims come out of the East by the inspiration of God to adore the King of the Iewes at the place where they should find him borne of whose birth they had a reuelation in their CoÌ„ntry without knowing in particuler where it should happen For ground of this meditation he shall consider how these Magi were men skillfull and learned in humane The learned amoÌ„g the Persians were called Magi and diuine things whether they were of Persia or Arabia or of any other country of the East where they called such people Magi as many Writers tell vs. And though these were men curious yet no coniurers according to S. Agustine They were also Kings as the preparations and presents they brought did declare for meane personages had no meanes to come so farre to offer gold incense and myrrh and therefore also they were Magi Tert. l â— Iud. Plin. l. 30. c. 1. 〈◊〉 l. 1. de 〈◊〉 for the Roialty could not there be without this Magia in the East none might be Kings but Magi and learned folkes as amongst other authors one of our Doctours do note And they are by the Euangelist rather called Magi then Kings for before God the name of Sage is more honorable then the name of King This ground being layd the first point of the meditation shall be to contemplate these holy Kings coÌ„ming out of the East into strange couÌ„try moued heerunto first by the inspiration of God as Abraham left his couÌ„try to come into Canaan secondly by the Prophesies as well of Balaam their Ancestor who prophesied of a starre that should arise out of Iacob as of the Sybills who had most playnly written Num. 24. that there must be borne a King of the Iewes Ci ero 2 â—â—uin Sueton. in Oâ—tau c. 94. in Vespas who should rule all the world It was also about that tyme a common bruit ouer all the East as profane Authors themselues doe testifie Cicero Suetonius and others Thirdly they were moued and forcibly driuen to vndertake this voiage by the visioÌ„ of the extraordinary starre which did appeare to them in the East whereof they had heard the foresayd Prophesy of Balaam had long expected according to our Doctors as a signe of this King borne They came then to Hierusalem as to the chiefe and Metropolitane Citty of Iudea there to learne this newes Num. 24. they aske for him that is borne King of the Iewes The earthly King entred into a rage and fury enquireth also with them Chrysos Hier. in Matth. not to adore with them but to kill him if he could he assembleth the Doctours he demandeth of them who should answer the truth he did all prudently sauing what was the principall for he enquireth exactly after the truth but will not imbrace the truth They al tell that this King must be borne at Bethleem he exorteth them to go and to aduertise him when they had found him he feygned that he would be good to destroy goodnes it selfe They goe on and are guided by the new Starre which had brought them from the East which lead them euen to the house where the King they sought was they find him they prostrate themselues before him they adore him they behould a little Child they belieue a great King a small port and a great Maiesty a mortall infant an immortall God and by their presents of Gold Incense and Myrrh they do homage as to a King adore him as God and confesse him to be Man And in this comming and adoration was accomplished what Isay prophesied Isa 60. Arise Hierusalem and be thou enlightned for thy light is come the glory of thy Lord hath appeared vpon thee and the Gentils shall walke in thy light and Kings in the brightnes of thy birth Psalm 71. And King Dauid The Kings of Tharsis and the Ilands shall offer guifts the Kings of Arabia and Saba shall bring their presents he shal liue and the Gold of Arabia shall be brought vnto him Then O Christians soule instructed in the house of God adore this King seeing these poore Paynims coÌ„ming out of the darkenes of their Paganisme Vide S. Chrys hom 14. in 1. Cor. 10. are come to adore worship him after so many wonders wrought seeing they did adore him being a child adore him prostrating thy selfe before him and offering thy selfe as they did and after offer thy presents for first he regardeth the hart and then thy guifts so he cast his eye vpon Abell Gen. 4.4 and after vpon his Sacrifice adore him with fit and conuenient presents with the Gold of Charity with Incense of deuotion with Myrrhe of Purity offer him thyne vnderstanding thy will and thy memory thy spirit humbled thy will ordered thy flesh mortified to confesse loue and serue him as thy true God and true Redeemer The second point of the Meditation A demonstration of the Power of Iesus in the adoration of the Kings CHAP. XXXVI THE second point shall be to consider how the Sonne of God did heerin an act of an Almighty King although he appeared low and humble The Kings of the earth when they are crowned and take possession of their kingdomes are visited by diuers Embassadours and honoured by forren Princes Here our Sauiour entring into possession of his spirituall kingdome is not only honoured by Embassadours but adored by the Kings theÌ„selues comming vnto him in person Meruailous coniuÌ„ctions Of which worke the contemplatiue soule shall take occasion to consider the meruailous conioyning of things most different which our Sauiour made in all the parts of his life And euen as he had maried into one person two naturs infinitly distant the natures of God and man to be a mediator God and man betwixt God meÌ„ so hath he alwayes ioyned diuine actioÌ„s to humane and testified the truth of these two natures by the diuersity and encounters of workes directly opposite In his Incarnation it was an act of great humility abasement that God was made man yet was it a most high worke that this man was borne without man by the power of the Holy Ghost of a Virgin In his Natiuity was seene the Son of God borne in a stable hauing lesse then the least among men but the same is song by the Angels and adored aboue by the immortall spirits
and Aue Mari◠and cast himselfe vpon his bed in his cloathes as his custome was Vincent did the like and being weary of their way they fell a sleep straight About midnight Lazarus had a dreame which frighted him for hee seemed to see Theodosius his companion present himselfe before him Lazarus his dreame all disfigured with a face pale blacke desiring him to call for the ayde and help of the B. Virgin for him for that he was brought to a pittifull estate and extreame danger both of body and soule he leaped off his bed and asked Vincent if any body had beene in their chamber Vincent answered that he thought no body and knew well it was the violence of some vision whereof he would question no further at that tyme but wished him to go to bed againe and not trouble himselfe with dreames and that he himselfe had dreamed also he could not tell what and so they slept againe Lazarus sayd not one word more vnto him but prayed God in his hart in this sort O my sweet Iesus Lazarus his prayer I haue been depriued of the company of my little Brother who I hope is now with thee thou gauest me him as a faythfull companion of my Pilgrimage him whose image was presented vnto me this night thou knowest if he be in that distresse my dreame told me help him according to thy fauourable prouidence wherwith thou assistest thy children and seruants Content thy selfe if it please thee with taking one and forbeare this other for a while aboue all keep him from offending thee or committing any thing against thy holy Law conserue in him the will which thou didst giue him to serue thee alwayes with an entire and perfect hart and if that which was represented to myne imagination were only a dreame and not a presage of some misfortune and if my companion be not in that danger I feare I know notwithstāding that in what estate soeuer he standeth he taketh care of me as I doe of him do vs the fauour once againe to see ech other And thou glorious Virgin help thy deuote if he be tossed on the Sea by any furious tempest thou art the Starre of the Sea reach him thy helping hand if he be in danger of Theeues thou hast deliuered many deliuer him also that we may togeather alwayes sing this thy fauour among thousands of others we haue receaued of thee Hauing thus prayed he slept vntill three of the clocke when the day began to breake and the Cockes to crow Then he arose and awaked Vincent to make their prayer who was quikly ready The two and thirtith Day and the second of his Returne A Meditation of the history of little Iesus lost and found amidst the Doctours in the Temple CHAP. V. LAZARVS began his Meditation in this manner 〈◊〉 2.42 I presume to present my selfe at the feet of thy Maiesty hauing confidence in thy infinit Clemency which vouchsafeth to harken to the prayers of thy seruant It is to meditate the Pilgrimage of thine only Sonne my Redeemer when being twelue yeares old according to his humanity he wēt from Nazareth to Hierusalem to celebrate the feast which thou didst command thy people to obserue euery yeare He hid himselfe from his mother three dayes and at the end of the third day he was found againe in the Temple among the Doctours hearing and demanding Heere is presented to the eyes of my vnderstanding thy deare and only Sonne that walked with his Mother a litle Pilgrime towards thy Temple where he was honoured with thee but was hidden in the cloud of his humanity and was not seene but to those to whome thou hadst giuen the eyes of fayth He went thither on foot and grew in labour as he did in yeares when he fled into Aegypt he was carryed in the armes of his deare Mother now he is carryed vpon his owne feet with more paine O Lord make thy light shine vpon the eyes of my soule that I may see the points of this mystery and to thy glory reape profit therby By expresse Law it was commanded to all the Iewes to go offer sacrifice at Hierusalem where the Temple was Thrice yeare mē went to Hierusalem thrice in the yeare at Easter Pentecost and the feast of Tabernacles The women were left at liberty whether they would go or no by reason of the inconueniency of their sexe yet the deuout did willingly vndertake the paine choosing rather to vse their deuotion Exod. 34.23 then their Priuiledge The B. Virgin then watchfull of all occasions to doe well went to Hierusalem as alwayes in the company of women leading her little sonne with her Ioseph with men went another way Take heere O my soule matter to condemne thine owne coldnes and flouth and to stirre thy selfe vp to thy duty thou seest Ioseph came from farre to adore God in his Temple how often hast thou omitted it being hard by How often hast thou omitted to heare Masse when thou wert bound to be present Or hast thou at least adored and serued God in the Temple of thy body Our body the Temple of the holy Ghost the Temple of his holy spirit which thou carryest alwayes about thee The B. Virgin taketh her iourney choosing rather to haue merit with paine then to vse her priuiledge for ease and how often hast thou better liked of exemption then of merit How many tymes hast thou beene glader of some occasion or let that hindred thee 1. Cor. 3. 6. 2. Cor. 6. to watch fast or to performe some other worke of piety then to be constrained to do thy diligence and walke with others to the seruice of God Iesus goeth with his mother his mother with him Iesus and Mary fit company and who should rather walke with the Virgin of virgins then purity it selfe and who rather with Iesus then the Virgin of Virgins O heauenly company O little Pilgrime O way of my soule and the goale guerdō of my Pilgrimage Graunt that I may be Pilgrime with thee and with thee and thy holy Mother walke in this exile to enter in your companie into the Temple of the celestiall Hierusalem But heere behould a meruailous accident Luc. 2.45 Iesus is gone from Mary Mary hath lost Iesus Iesus without the knowledge of his Father or mother Our Lady seeketh Iesus remayned behind in Hierusalē but without disobedience for himselfe was maister might dispose of himselfe at his pleasure and that he was subiect or obedient to any creature it was humility and not duty Mary and Ioseph returning from Hierusalem to Nazareth walked without him the first day thinking he returned with his Vncles or kinsefolkes another way as often it happened thinking to meet him againe at night But Iesus appealed not and Mary was amazed and not without reason for though there were no fault in her and that the will of her Sauiour was the only
before men whose soules are shut prisoners in hell and the names of thousandes of others doe shine in heauen which are vnknowne vpon earth S. Iohn sheweth his Maister and preacheth him with a wonderful testimony The true Preacher sendeth his hearers to Christ 〈◊〉 his Disciples do follow whome he doth shew So it is the â—art of a true preacher to preach Iesus Christ and to send his â—earers and followers vnto him he that in his preaching maketh himselfe admired and not Iesus Christ and draweth â—he harts of his hearers after himselfe and not after Iesus Christ is a thiefe employing his Maisters mony and guiftes to his owne vses and not to his Maisters honour God hath giuen thee thy tongue to prayse him thou by thy tongue procurest and seekest prayses for thy selfe and dost thou not thinke that this soueraine iustice will call thee to reckoning and reuenge the wrong thou hast done him Iesus Christ seeing that these two disciples followed him turning to them Whome â— seek you asked what they sought O Lord what a question is this They do not seeke or search but they haue found without seeking that which hundred thousandes of iust men haue sought 4000. yeares without finding They haue found that which the Embassadour did announce that is the Lambe of God Luc. 10. the Lambe promised figured prophecyed by the Scriptures by the sacrifices and by the Prophets of thy schoole and family Why dost thou aske O Lord what they seeke Is it perhaps to make them thinke better of the greatnes of him whome they haue found and to make them enter into a deeper knowledge of him As if he had sayd vnto theÌ„ Whome haue you found Do you not know What seeke you more For many men find thee O sweet Lambe and yet search further not knowing throughly the valew of the treasure they haue found Many ChristiaÌ„s and Religious know not well their vocation neither can vnderstand it except thou wilt turne thy selfe towardes them giuing them light to know thee as thou hast giuen them grace to find thee They sayd Maister VVhere dwellest thou O Lord thou didst aske them What seeke you And insteed of an answer they aske another question saying Maister where dwellest thou Why do they not answere directly we seeke the LaÌ„be of God and the Messias promised in the Law preached by our Maister Is it that enlightned with thy light in their spirit they do thereby perceaue and acknowledge that they had found thee And therfore they answered not we seeke but sayd in their hart we see thee seeke nothing but thee and we would know where thou dwellest They answere therefore what thy holy spirit had put into their hart mouth Maister where dwellest thou And this question they aske that they might in conuenient tyme and place more priuately conferre with thee of holy things much importing to their saluation And thou dost answer them Come see and dost gently inuite them to come to the place of thy dwelling But O good disciples know you well what you aske of this Maister God is euery where asking the place where he dwelleth He dwelleth in heauen in earth in the sea in the North and in the South and euery where and yet dwelleth in no place For no place is capable to lodge him he filleth all and yâ—t is without all but if you aske as it seemeth you do meane where this his Humanity visible to mortall men dwelleth know you that he hath no dwelling and that he hath forsakeÌ„ all to giue vs all and to enrich vs by his pouerty as you shall heare of him hereafter that Foxes haue holes birds of the aire haue neastes and the Sonne of man hath no where to rest his head Matth. â— which is so because he came to be a Pilgrime not a cittizen vpon earth The place then of his dwelling was a lodging borrowed not his owne and to such a place he brought them where they stayed a whole day with him O day a day indeed for these disciples hauing so neere them the sunne of the world casting into their soule this wholsome light and loue What heauenly discourses were held in the houres of that day What demands and what answers were made What lessons were giuen of the mystery of this lambe whome they had found Andrew who was one of the two met his brother Simon Andrew brought Peter to Iesus who gaue him his name Peter and by the light of this faire day becomming a Preacher did shew him the sunne his maister and said we haue found the Messias who is Christ the Annointed And like a good disciple brought him to Iesus to the Sauiour to saue him Simon came desirous to see Iesus of whome he had heard before somewhat and was to heare much more afterward And our Sauiour beholding him before he spake vnto him O beholding diuine and most happy for thee O Simon to dispose him to the faith of his diuinity called him by his name and told him whose sonne he was Thou art saith he Simon the sonne of Ionas neuer hauing seene him or his Father before with his corporall eyes and changed his name Thou shalt be called Cephas which is to say a Rocke And declareth by this change what he was to do after and what place he would giue him in his Church which were so many testimonies that he was God knowing his creatures euery one by their name the name of the Fathers as of the children yea euen before they are borne into the world and changing their nature as he changeth their name bettering them by new gifts of graces so he caused his Precâ—â—sor to be called Iohn which is to say Gracious by reason of the aboundant grace he bestowed on him So he changed the name of Abram into Abraham which is to say Father of many nations because he was ordayned for such an end So now he changeth the name of Simon into Peter that is a Rocke because he would giue him a faith which should be a Rocke stone wherupon should be founded the great building of the Church Behold then a remarkeable seruice of S. Andrew bringing the sheep vnto the Shepheard and a notable benefit to his brother addressing him to a maister who so soone was so liberal vnto him Galilee the higher the lower In the next morning our Sauiour went forth to go towards Galilie not high Galilie which is of the Gentils but low Galilie of the Iewes and where the citty of Nazareth is and there he found Philip sayd vnto him Follow me This Philip was of Bethsaida the citty of Andrew and Peter Philip preached Messias to Nathaniell so by diuers meanes all foure became disciples of whome three afterward were made Apostles This is the first calling of those that should follow our Sauiour this is his grace For if he do not preuent vs to draw vs vnto him if
haue present the holy Apostles thy seruants wast receiued body soule into the heauenly habitations of the celestiall spirits as Queene of the Angels mother of their Lord maister The Prayer I Humbly beseech thee be my Aduocate in all tymes and places and deliuer me from sodaine and vnprouided death and when I shall passe out of this world defend me from all the temptations of the diuell that my soule may haue free accesse to the ioyes of my God and Sauiour Of the Coronation The Oblation Glori ∣ ous 5 O Most high glorious Lady Empresse of the whole world I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues one Pater noster to the glorious mistery of thy Coronation which was the accomplishment of all thy ioyes and the crowne of all thy deserts when thou wert exalted aboue the Angelicall spirits and to the blessed Trinity the Father Son and holy Ghost thou wert crowned and appointed Queene Lady of all and the defendresse and aduocate of all that inuocate thee The Prayer WE reioyce O B. Lady at thy exaltation and glory and beseech thee that froÌ„ the high throne where thou art placed thou wouldest remember thy poore children which wander heere in this vale of teares and that thou wouldest obtaine for vs plentifull gifts and graces that we may deserue with thee and all the holy Saints to enioy the B. Trinity Amen THE CORONE OF B. LADY THe manner of saying the Corone of our B. Lady consisting of 63. Aues six Pater noster in remeÌ„brance of the 60. yeares of her life euery Pater noster with the 10. Aues are to be sayd and offered in the honour and remembrance of 10. yeares of her life and of what 〈◊〉 did or suffered in that time with a prayer eyther before or after crauing those graces and vertues which most did shine in the actions of those yeares The Oblation of the 1. O Most innocent and immaculate Virgin I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues one Pater noster in honour of the first 10. yeares of thy life and all thou didst therein in honour of thy immaculate Conception miraculous Natiuity of a barren wombe of thy blessed infaÌ„cy and Presentation into the Temple and all thy vertuous exercises and deuotions there whereby thou wert disposed and prepared to be a meete mother for the sonne of God The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that I may offer my best first times to the seruice of God and by exercise of vertue and eschewing occasions of sinne I may dispose my soule to receiue Gods grace in this life and his glory in the next The Oblation of the 2. O Most happy and chosen Virgin I humbly offer vp 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of the high vertues which dayly increased in thee first vowing chastity and espousing thy selfe to chast Ioseph receiuing with ioy humility and resignation the ioyfull newes of the Incarnation of the Sonne of God in thy virginall wombe bearing thy Creatour swadling and resting him in the manger seeing him glorifyed by the Angells visited by the shepheards adored by the Kings circumcised presented and redeemed in the Temple at thy Purification didst nurse him and giue him sucke and stedst with him into AEgypt and there in a strange Idolatrous Country didst worke for his maintenance and thine The Prayer I Beseech thee obtaine for me part of these ioyes which in this tyme thou didst receiue and the imitation of thy chastity and speciall loue of pouerty which thou and thy sonne so greatly did imbrace The Oblation of the 3. O Most B and patient Virgin I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues a Pater noster in remeÌ„brance of thy poore pilgrimage entertaynement in AEgypt and in thy returne from thence the feares thou hadst at returning thy sorrow in loosing and ioy in fynding thy Son in Hierusalem and in honour of all that sweetnes and ioy thou receiuedst in the conuersation company of thy heauenly guest child The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that in all my pilgrimage of this life I may haue thine and thy sonnes company neuer long want the comfort of his gracious presence doctrine and Sacraments The Oblation of the 4. O Most happy gracious Virgin I huÌ„bly offer vp to thee 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of all that ioy and pleasure â—ou hadst in the presence of thy sweet Iesus eating drinking talking and wo king with him that giueth meate drinke speach and strength to all creatures The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that in all my life and actions I may be so conioyned with Iesus so communicate with him that whether I eate or drinke or whatsoeuer I do I may do it in his presence and to his onely glory and praise The Oblation of the 5. O Most ioyfull dolorous Lady I humbly offer vnto thee 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of those pangs and 〈◊〉 which after all the ioyes thou receiuedst by departing of thy Sonne from thee of thy cares and feares thou hadst of him and the excessiue griefe thou tookest when he was betrayed taken bound led captiue beaten spit vpon mocked whipped crowned with thornes blindefolded buffeted condemned crucifyed blasphemed pierced taken downe and buried in remeÌ„brance also of thy great ioyes in his Resurrection Apparition Ascension sending of the holy Ghost The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that among the comforts discomforts of this life I may remaine firme and constant at the foote of the Crosse with thee and thy blessed company that at last I may be partaker of the ioyes and glory of his resurrection and Ascension and of the comfort of his holy spirit The Oblation of the 6. O Most perfect patient and blessed Lady I humbly offer vnto theâ— 10. Aues and a Pater noster in remembrance of thy most holy life heere on earth after the Ascension of thy Sonne of the longing thoâ— hadst to be with him and loathing of this life of the light comfoâ—â— and example thou gauest to the Apostles and all Christians of thâ— zeale for the glory of thy Sonne of thy deuotion to his B. Body and often visitation of the holy places of his life Passion Resurrection The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that being heere on earth I may haue like longing to be with thy Sonne and loathing of this life with deuotion to all his remembrances and Sacraments The Oblation of the 7. O Most happy and glorious Virgin I humbly offer vnto thee 3. Aues and a Pater noster in honour of the last three yeareâ— of thy life of the ioyfull expectation of thy depositioÌ„ with most perfect workes and more feruent desires in remembrance of thy great ioy at the calling of thy Sonne and spouse of thy visitation of Angels and their heauenly melody the presence of the Apostles praysing and lauding him and finally in remembrance honour of thy most happy passage ioyfull Assumption and glorious Coronation The Prayer PRay for me I beseech thee that I may so liue as I may expect a ioyfull end and a comfortable passage that I may not want the rites and ceremonies of thy holy Church nor the comfort and company of thy seruants but may be protected by my good Angels my soule by them caryed where thou doost sit in glory and behold the face of the most blessed Trinity the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost Amen FINIS
Virgin then following the law came from Nazareth to Hierusalem where was the only and the famous Temple of the Iewes the fourtith day after the birth of her eldest Sonne with a payre of Pigeons This is the history whereon the Pilgrime shall discourse in his spirit and contemplate this heauenly Virgin coÌ„ming with the blessed fruit of her wombe first to offer him to his Father to exercise her humility submitting her selfe to the law of Purification though neither the one nor the other had any need thereof and that the soueraigne Sauiour Prince of the law was aboue the law and the Blessed Virgin was exempted for not hauing conceaued so as she could become vncleane like other women for whom this Law was made And thus hauing made his midnight prayer he may rest vntill the morning Ceremonies and feastes instituted for men to acknowledge Originall sinne the root of all the misery of mankind CHAP. XXXIX IN the morning he shall continue his meditation vpon the same mystery in three pointes The cause of this ceremony The first point shall be to consider that the principall cause of this ceremony was to make man vnderstand and acknowledge his impute and vncleane generation by reason of that infernall staine of originall sinne wherwith all the children of Adam borne by the ordinary course are infected This is the confession which Dauid made when bewailing in his owne person the misery of all mortall men he sayd Psalm 50 Behould I am conceaued in iniquity and my Mother hath conceaued me in sinne And because this knowledge was necessary to men for to huÌ„ble them and make them call for help whereby they might be cleansed from this corruption God did institute certaine Ceremonies which containe a lesson of this learning and knowledge as were the ceremonies and sacrifices of the law of Nature which did sufficiently shew the beginning of man to haue beene infected Circumcision in the law of nature and the great need he had of the fauour of God to be cleansed But aboue all was the Circumcision commanded to Abraham which was done by cutting the most rebellious part of the body the instrument of concupiscence of generation and corruption In the law of Moyses ceremonies were so much more multiplyed Purification in the law of Moyses as men were more deeply drowned in darknes and the ignorance of their owne misery and had need of more light to discouer it For there was not almost any man beside the Iewes that had any newes or notice of originall sinne nor of the remedy thereof The Paynime Philosopers boasted of knowing all thinges Most 〈◊〉 ignorant of original sinne but they could not discouer the ground and roote of all those errours and disorders wherein they saw mankind wander which though being a reasonable creature should of all others haue beene best ruled and ordered But among all these Iudaicall ceremonies ordained in the law to discouer this euill this of the Purification of the woman deliuered Leuit. 11. held the first place for it did plainly and publikely declare the corruption of our generation and the necessity of the expiatioÌ„ thereof The first point theÌ„ doth make vs see on the one side the misery of the corruption of men which beginneth at their first being on the other side the obedience of the Sonne of God and his Mother obeying the law they were not bound vnto their humility placing themselues among sinners and offering sacrifices for sinne although the one was cleanesse it selfe come for to cleanse vs and the other all pure and free not only from actuall sinne but also by a singular prerogatiue preserued from the touch of Originall common to all men as is sayd before God will be known in his guifts The second point shall meditate the ceremony of the offerings and sacrifices shall shew him how the Iustice of God requireth that with thankesgiuing we offer vnto him the good we haue receaued of him and namely that Fathers and Mothers should offer their children which is the best fruit of mariage Good workes are spiritual children that all Christians should offer their good actions which are their spirituall children ingendred and brought forth by the inspiration and grace of God and this was the morall sense of this ceremony In particuler the deuout Pilgrime shall marke that this day was presented to the soueraigne God The noblest offering that ouer was presented in the Temple the most noble and rich offering that euer was presented in the compasse of the Sanctuary and that by the handes of the greatest Lady of the world The offering was his owne deere sonne a sacred and liuing oblation infinit rich noble She that presented it was his glorious Mother gloriously endowed enriched and adorned with al the vertues that might exalt a creature aboue all other creatures humane or Angelicall Anna made an honorable present 1. Reg. 1.24 when she offered to the Temple her little child Samuel who was to be a great seruaÌ„t of God yet he was but a seruant a creature a vassall or subiect Heere is offered the Maister the Creatour the King the Sonne of the Father God of God Almighty of Almighty not by an ordinary Virgin or Mother but by a Virgin singular and without example in her degree and a mother most singular the mother of God The Prophet foretould this present and this day speaking in the person of him that receaued it Behould I send my Angell who shall prepare the way before my face and straight Malaâ—h 3. the Lord whome you seeke and the Angell of the Testament whome you desire shall come vnto his holy Temple The Father is he who speaketh the first Angell is S. Iohn Baptist the face of our Lord is his Sonne Iesus Christ the naturall and true Image of his Father the Lord and the Angell of the Testament is the same Sonne which is offered God and man the Angell and mediatour of the Testament and Couenant betweene God and man offered this day as man and adored as God for otherwise the Scripture would not haue sayd that he came into his Temple seeing that no pure creature may haue a Temple no more then an Altar or Sacrifice this preeminence being proper to the supreme deity In respect of this offering the second Temple of the Iewes being lesser in all outward humane respects was by another Prophet preferred before that of Salomon Agg. 2. being much more magnificall in gold siluer and fashion this being magnificall by the Maiesty of our Sauiour who was there offered in person The third point of the Meditation Of the Canticle Nunc dimittis CHAP. XL. THE third point shal meditate the Canticle of venerable old Simeon a man iust and fearing God who a few dayes before had reuelation from the Holy Ghost that before his death he should see the Annointed of our Lord that is the Sauiour of the world IESVS
Christ who cōming then in spirit into the Temple when the B. Virgin and S. Ioseph brought him hauing confessed and adored him tooke him in his armes and song a Canticle of thankesgiuing which the Church hath vsed euer since for the conclusion of the diuine Office sayd Nunc dimittis c. Now thou dimissest thy seruant O Lord according to thy word in peace For my eyes haue seene thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people A light to the reuelation of the Gentills and the glory of thy people Israell And as the B. Virgin and Ioseph meruailed at these thinges that were sayd Simeon did congratulate them and call them happy and spake to Mary the Mother of the child saying Behould he shall be put for the ruine and the resurrection of many and for a signe which shall be contradicted and the sword of sorrow shall pierce thy hart that the cogitations of many may be made manifest In which history the pious soule shall contemplate the notable faith charity deuotion and ioy of this noble old Man expressed by his wordes and gestures he confessed and adored by his confession the Annointed of God though a little child in the eyes of men He foretold the redemption at hand of mankind which he should bring to passe he straitly imbraced this precious pledge of our saluation he did exalt and magnify him Our Sauiour the ruine of the obstinate and prophecyed of him and of his Mother he foretold that he was set for the fall of many obstinate for their malice such as were Herod the Scribes and Pharisies such like who running against him as against a hard stone should ruine both their soule and body and as since them haue done many Tyrants and persecutours of the same Sauiour his Church all in the end buryed in the ditch themselues diged and strucken to eternall death by the Iustice of him whome they persecuted He foretould also the resurrection of many The resurrectiō of the good who belieuing in him should liue holily and should be raysed from sinne to be made afterwards happy and glorious and by this meanes haue the cogitations of many beene knowne the hate or the loue which the Iewes and Paynimes did beare to our Sauiour he foretould that he should be a signe or marke of contradiction Our Sauiour a signe or marke of contradiction and as a butt for the vnbelieuing to shoot the arrowes of their tongues against this marke but most plainely and cruelly in his Passion when he was not only the marke of the calumniations and blasphemies of the wicked but also of the cruelty of those butchers striking all partes places of his body And this was the sword that pierced the soule of the Blessed Virgin beholder of his cruell Passion The like contradiction hath alwayes followed the mēbers of the same Sauiour his Church by the Iewes and Paynims neither was there euer Religion planted or maintayned with more contrarieties and opposition of all sortes of people then the Christian for as it is the perfectest of al other The height of the Christiā fayth enemy to the flesh the world and the diuell so hath it found most resistance in the corruption of mankynd which were very great very generall Behold the Christiā perfection it eleuateth the vnderstanding of man to the beliefe of things altogether repugnant to fleshly humours It preacheth the Crosse contempt of wisedome of the world as also of her honours and riches and by many Maximes to the world so many Paradoxes striketh iust vpon the face of her pride maketh warre to defiance with the pleasures of the body honoureth Virginity a chiefe enemy to sensuality imbraceth fastings watchings disciplines and such like austerities that hāper the body otherwise then it well liketh promiseth in this life nothing but persecution This world being corrupted could not digest this doctrine nor the flesh vnderstād it but had it in horrour and abhomination Sathan bestirred himselfe and entred into a rage and kyndled fire to those fond and foolish soules and put them in a fury therefore the more maligne the malady was the stronger the medicine so much more obstinate hath beene the contradiction and the sicke so much the more incensed against his Physitian Psal 117.13 as his frensy was fierce and burning But if the Sauiour hath beene persecuted and so contradicted he hath not for all that beene ouercome he hath beene thrust at Why God permitted these persecutiōs but not throwne downe to the ground and God hath permitted these persecutions to shew therein that his Sonne was God omnipotent and too strong for the strength and gates of hell and to draw from them his owne glory and the good of his elect The Pilgrime hauing meditated all this The zeale of Saint Anne shall turne the eyes of his Spirit vpon that which is sayd That at the same houre the most holy and deuout widow Anne did praise our Sauiour in the Temple and spake of him to all the faithfull Iewes whome she found there so was our Sauiour magnified in his Temple by the testimony of two persons diuerse in sex venerable in age singular in sanctity Heere the Pilgrime hauing found in his meditation the sense of this ceremony shall learne the truth in the shadow shal acknowledge the misery and corruption of man from the first instant of his Conception infected with original sinne he shall learne to humble himselfe and to make small account of the nobility of his birth which he seeth to be so base and abiect in the beginning he shal offer what he hath good to God the giuer of all good he shall imitate holy Simeon imbracing in his armes with like loue and purity the litle child Iesus either when he receaueth the B. Sacrament of the Altar couered vnder the visible forme as a child swadled in his litle cloathes or when he doth meditate ioyne himselfe to him by loue He shall praise him with holy Anna the Prophetesse and shall preach him to euery one by good speaches and examples of good workes and finally he shall offer him vnto God his Father as the B. Virgin did for our saluation and shall offer himselfe for his honour and seruice Hauing ended his meditation and heard Masse he shall receaue the blessed Body of our Sauiour the Viaticum of his Returne as it was of all the rest of his Pilgrimage and shll say to God the prayer following The Pilgrimes prayer at his departure from Loreto CHAP. XLI MY Lord and most merciful Father myne eyes behold thy bounty and myne owne misery more cleerly then euer heeretofore by the light it hath pleased thee to giue me It remayneth to finish my vowes and desires and to conclude my most humble prayers and requests at the end of my aboad heere If thy clemency doth willingly harken to the groanes of poore sinners to heare