The devout hart or Royal throne of the pacifical Salomon. Composed by F. St. Luzuic S.I. Translated out of Latin into English. Enlarged with incentiue by F. St. Binet of the same S. and now enriched with hymnes by a new hand

THE PREAMBLE to the Meditation.

MOyses, it is to no purpose to take the aspersour in harta 1.1 and with a purple thread to tye the ysop so about it; with which dipt in the bloud of the victime; thou busily purgeth the Altar, the volume of the Law, the whole people, at∣tentiuely listning to the statutes and precepts of God: this shed & sprinc∣kled bloud, wil not expiate sinnes, ror to the Tabernacle or Leuits af∣ford any sanctity a whit nor wipe a∣way

the spots of leprosy, nor cancel the stigma or seared print of sinne; vnlesse with al thou reguardst this fountaine, this bloud, which alone can wash away the monstruous sor∣didues and which shed on the tree of the Crosse yeald life to soule imparts a candour and beauty to them, and that like to the ••unne, which in the ful of the Moone, powres forth his light vpon her orbe and to sick mortals makes her more amiable. Nor truly for ought els that water and bloud so flowed from the side of dying IESVS; then to ennoble soules, being cleansed with that purple to wash their robes, to make them fit and apt, that crowned with victorious laurels they may eternally triumph, with the imma∣culate Lamb.

Take therefore O IESVS, loue of my soule, from this infinit bath

of thine some few little drops, at least, and sprinckle thy Sanctuary therewith, I say, the ample field of my hart; whose shure possessīo, thou hast taken to thy self long since. But you, O smitting Angels, goe farre away hence, the house is marked already, the signes of Tau is prin∣ted on the doores: be-gone I say; for where this marke is seen, it is a crime to enter in. Oh would to God, my IESVS dearely beloued, with Dauids feruour, I could pray and obtaine this fauour at thy hands.

Lord blot out my iniquities, wash me yet more from my wickednes, purge me of my sinne. Thou shalt, sprinckle me with ysop, and I shal be cleane, thou shalt wash me, and I shal be whiter then the snow. Turne away thy face from my sinnes; and blot out al my iniquities. Create in me, O God, a cleane hart, and renew a right spirit in my bowels.b 1.2

Let there be no corner, I beseech thee, which thou purgest not no portion of my soule, which thou blessest not with the fruit of thy pre∣tious bloud. The swallow with her owne bloud restotes sight to her bling yong ones. The bloud of a Goat expels al manner of poyson. Againe, the bloud of doues, let forth beneath the wings, quickens the dulled species of the eyes: nor is it fit my God, nor iust that from thy precious bloud, my hart should not feel likewise the same effects. The bloud of victimes shed from the sacrificed Holocausts, bred no cor∣ruption, nor stench, nor flyes, that sordid creature, but rather eūn destroyed those importune and irk∣some things. The Sacrifice at Bethel c 1.3 offered vp by Iacob, they say, was so purely and holily performed that not a fly disquieted the Patriarch:

busy in this rites. I wil not, Lord I wil not haue my hart a Betha∣nues, or Temple of Beld 1.4 a pe∣stered with flyes, and ruining al with filthy & corrupt goare: where Belsebube 1.5 giues forth his Oracles, and exhibits himself, awful and terrible to men, in despaire of their saluation. How I hate these direful and dreadful Sacrifices, these rites! Thy bloud, O sweet IESV, is al∣wayes red with purple, and white with lylies intermixed.f 1.6 For these two colours thou affect'st, the purple red, & snowy vhite; wouldst thy Cliens, and deuotes addicted to them, and to be known by them. This bloud of thine, to thirsty soules quenches their heat, to hot and toyled spirits sends a humid breath; to broken and dismaid harts, giues fortitude and courage.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Exod. 24. Heb. 9.
• b 1.2

  Psal. 50,
• c 1.3

  Gen. 35.
• d 1.4

  Ose. 10.
• e 1.5

  4. Reg. 1.
• f 1.6

  Cant. 5.