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 preparatory Prayer.

Actiones nostras quesumus, &c.

THE PRELVDE.

VVHen he shal appeare, we shal be like to him: because we shal see him, as he is: And whosoeuer hath this hope in him, sanctifies himself as he is holy.

1. Point. Consider how great a good, how excellent, how delecta∣ble it is, most cleere to behold one God in essence, three in Persons, Father, Sonne, and Holy-Ghost, and that eternally in the mirrour of

the hart: Surely, the eye hath not seen, nor eare heard, nor hath it ascended into the hart of man what God hath prepared for such as loue him:a 1.1 Tast with the inward sense these delights of the heauenly Paradise, and loath the leeke, and garlike of AEgipt the miry bogs, the empty husks & filthi∣nes of the world. Oh if thou couldst but take a tast or assay before hand with the glorious S. Augustin of the ioyes of the Blessed, thou wouldst say with him: How sweet to me sudenly it vvas to vvant those svveets of idly toyes, and vvhat before vvas a griefe to loose vvas novv a ioy to forgoe vvholy thou eiectedst them from me, the true and chie∣fest svveetnes, and entredst thy self in; insteed of them, svveeter farr then al pleasure.b 1.2

2. Point. Ponder how, much this same cogitation may and ought auayle to endure and goe through

with any hart and difficult entre∣prise for God and our saluation. What changes sudenly and altera∣tions of minds, those fruites wrought whith come from the land of Pro∣mise, c 1.3 which made them surmōut the difficulties, they feared so much before? What doe not the wrastlers generously performe and suffer in sight of the goal and crownes pro∣posed? Surely the sufferings of this time are not condigne to the future glory, vvhich shalbe reuealed in vs.d 1.4 With which only napkin, (as S. Gregory obser∣ues e 1.5 that glorious and illustri∣ous Champion of the Christian lists S. Paul. wiped away al the sweat of the infinit and most greeuous la∣bours and troubles he sustained; and so likewise the rest of Martyrs. But this especially when S. Adrian being a Soldiours, in the flower of his ••ge, beheld a great number of Chri∣stians

to runne very ioyful and glad into torments, scaffolds, gibbets, Crosses, fires, as it were to a wed∣ding, asked what hope it was that drew & led them to it: and when it was answered they hoped for those goods which the eye hath not seen, nor eare heard, nor hath ascended into the hart of man, he was so mooued and changed therewith, that presently he gaue vp his name to be put into the list, and vnder Maximian most stoutly and valiantly suffred Martyr∣dome. So much the hope of beati∣tude could worke.

3. Point. See how immense and powerful is the diuine loue of IESVS, which through grace at last leads a man vnto the vision it-self, of the diuine effence, wherewith euen God himself is blessed. Then thinke what thou oughtst to yeald to recompence this loue againe: no

lesse no doubt then reciprocal loue. For when God loues, he would no more then to be loued againe; knowing thē who loue him only, to be truly blessed. So S. Bernard in his 83. Sermon on the Canticles. But to the end thou maist loue God thou art wholy to empty thy hart from the loue of al other things. For euen as a vessel (which is S. Anselmes dis∣course) the more water is in it or any other liquour, conteynes lesse oyle; so the more the hart is taken vp with other loues the more it excludeth this. There is yet ano∣ther, that as stench is contrary to a good ••dour, and darknes to light, so is al other loue contrarie, to this: As therefore con∣traries doe neuer agree wel together; so this loue agrees not with any other loue in the hart.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Rom. 8.
• b 1.2

  Lib. 9. Conf. cap. 1.
• c 1.3

  Num. 13.
• d 1.4

  Rom. 8.
• e 1.5

  in Iob cap. 7.