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.

O Sweet harmony! O diuine con∣fort! Or are we mocked the white? I heare me-thinke a lute, the harpe playes, the flutes and cor∣nets wind, a whole Quire is kept in the hart; and if I be not deceiued it is a song of three parts; they seeme to play according to the number of

the musitians that play. For the Angels here of th'one side, though they vse diuers instruments; yet soun∣ding but one thing seeme to play but one part; then IESVS the skilful and most exquisit Musitian tunes his voyce, and beares his part; lastly the hart hath his. For amidst these numbers it sings and dances al at once. How quaintly and aptly the strings, wind instruments, and voyce al agree: With how admirable a pleasure the numbers quauer and iump with al. But then how noble a Hymne is sung the while how cu∣rious & elegant IESVS stands in the midst, not only a singer, but as a Re∣ctour of the Quire also with a magi∣strat rod in hand now lifted vp, and then let fal; keeping the time, and ordering the key and ayr of the whole song. If you aske me the sub∣iect of the dicty the Royal Psalmist

a 1.1 had designed and penned it long a goe, when he sayd: I wil chant the mercies of the Lord for euer. For to this purpose IESVS the prime Christ, records his ancient loues to the hu∣mane hart, & now mixing with admi∣rable skil flats with sharps, sharps with flats, the tenour with the base, & running diuersly diuisions he touches with a sweet remēbrance now vvith a moderate, novv remisse, now slow, and novv vvith a quick voyce, the innumerable number of his benefits vvhere-vvith heretofore he hath vvooed the hart: Wherefore recor∣ding things in this manner, novv he stirres vp pious desires, vvhich he had often enkindled before, novv vvith a grauer tone, he exaggerats the horrid feares of sinnes, and hel, vvhich he not rarely had inculcated heretofore, and novv againe vvith a sharper streyne of the voyce, cal he

to mind the liuely and sudden im∣pressions of compunction for sin∣nes, the agitations and excitations, of the mind, determining a change of life, nevv vndertakings of great things, heroical entreprises, and a thousand other of the sort; vvith vvhich diuine loue is vvont to play and dully in the harts of louers. Meane vvhile the Angels tune their instruments and strings to this argu∣ment, and while themselues for asto∣nishment cannot open the mouth or expresse a word; they betake them to their instruments, and apply al the industry and art they haue to play vpon them, and with a sacred silence, tacitly admire the diuine mercy towards men, and euen with the gesture of this dumb admiration most vehemently stirre vp and incite themselues to magnify and extol the praises of God to the Heauēs! whose

manner is and cheife delight, to res∣cue mortals from the iawes of hel, to put the burning coles of diuine loue the cold, tepid, and slouth ful minds, and with water as it were to extinguish the flames of libidi∣nous lust. Lastly with one glance or cast of the eye, as with a thunder∣bolt to ruine and depresse the proud and haughty and for the humble and modest, with the only beck of his wil to raise them sudenly. But what doth the hart while, in whose musike roame is al this harmony made? Now it dilates it-self, now contracts, now it riseth, now fals, it feares, it hapes, it loues, it hates, it composeth and wholy frames it∣self and al it's appetites to the rules, numbers, and sweet modulation of musike.

Then truly it obserues and clearly discernes the difference between the

celestial, that true, stable, melodious musike, and the false voyces, the harsh, the trembling, the broken, & vngrateful tunes of the world. For tel me I pray, what is that bewit∣ching, or, as you cal, delicious musi∣que of the world, but confusions of B••bel, mad baulings, strāge clamours, vnquoth noyses? One sings the peri∣lous tops of dignities, the smokes of honours, the vncertaine degrees of Magistrates, the vayne breath of po∣pular glory: another with a sordid mouth sounds for the obseene and foule delectations of the flesh, be∣stial delights, wine, feasts, and banc∣kets: another sings outrage in's an∣gers: another with a fayned voyce dissembles, choler and rancour, har∣bouring within. Some like rather to flatter, as Syrens, some with singing to plot and coner guile and deceit Thus are al the songs of the world

but a hydeous and tumultuous noise, no harmony; inarticulate and hoarse murmurs, no musike; or if a harmony it be, it dulles truly as wel the hea∣rers as singers; and euen kils with the very absurdnes thereof, since peace indeed cannot rest with the wickedb 1.2 nor any quietnes be among tumults, nor tranquility, nor calmes, amidst the black, & hydeous stormes and tempests of malice. Whereas on the contrary, heauenly musike delights the hart, wipes away troubles and tediousnes, com∣poseth the euil motions of the sick mind, repels the force of the enemies lastly puts Sathan to flight, as here∣tofore was signifyed in Dauid; who restored Saul to his wits againe being taken and vexed by an euil spirit, with the only playing on a harp.c 1.3

Now therefore my hart (for now remaynes thy part) sing a ioyful and

triumphant song. Io, liue IESVS Victorious, liue he foreuer: liue IESVS the triumphers, the terrour of hel, & father of life. Liue IESVS the Spouse of Virgins, the Doctour of Prophets, the fortitude of Mar∣tyrs. Liue IESVS Prince of Hea∣uen and earth, IESVS triumph, the only possessour of my hart. Let IESVS, I say, liue; raigne, and triumph eternaly.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Psal. 88.
• b 1.2

  Isa. 48.
• c 1.3

  1. Reg. 16.