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

III. MEDITATION.

The Preparatory Prayer.

Actiones nostras quaesumus, &c.

FIRST POINT.

THE louer IESVS, after a weary search in vayne, of a quiet place to rest in, hauing spent therein a long and tedious night a broad with his head euen hoary with the serene and nightly dewesa 1.1 knockes at the gate of thy hart,b 1.2 and be∣cause thou lockst him out; greeues and complains against. thee.

2. Point. I wil seeke out the cause of these so tedious and irksome de∣layes, or what is it that stope so our eares, that we cannot perceiue the sound & voyce of him that raps at the doore. Surely it is, because the

inordinate passions doe mutiny and tumultuate with in vs, and stirre vp, not one only, but many deafe and dismal tempests, now of anger, now pusilanimity, now self loue, and many others; iust as it happens in a wel-freqūeted Tauerne, where the Ghests make such a noyse among themselues, as one cannot heare another, that one knowes not who comes in or who goes forth, or who knocks at the gate; such a world there is of Ghests within, such a rab∣ble of al sorts.

3. Point. I wil weigh the danger, least IESVS suffering a repulse so auerted, turne a side into some by∣wayes and corners, so as after he may not be found with the misera∣ble Spouse any more; whose com∣plaints are read in the Canticlesc 1.3 in this manner. I wil seeke whom my loues soule, in the streets & lanes, saying,

Haue you seen whom my soule loues? The watchmen of the Citty, haue met with me, smit me, and wounded me.d 1.4 Which hurts, wounds, and teares, surely had not been if she had but presently set open her doores to her beloued.

THE COLLOQVY.

SHAL be framed much after the manner of the earnest instance made heretofore, by the two Disci∣ples going to Emausa 1.5 saying: Mane nobiscum Domine. Come into the secret Closet of my hart; for if thou once but turnest thy back, who can follow thee, or euer looke to ouertake thee, that Giant, who in a moment runst from Heauen to earth, like a lightning and thun∣der-bolt in an instant casts forth a

flash, and vanishest with al; aud if thou getst not a place to harbour with vs, like a nimble kid or faune, thou takest thy flight to the moun∣taynes of Bethel,b 1.6 to the hea∣uenly Quyers of blessed spirits. I know somtimes, the stormes of my inordinate concupiscences arising make such obstre perous noyse with in me, as the pulses sound without cannot be heard; but yet doe thou good IESV, through thy power, wherewith thou art able to doe al things breake the brazen bar∣res of the gate, trust back the iron bolts, and so the doores vnlockt, enter into thy house and Sanctuary.

Pater. Aue.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Cant. 5.
• b 1.2

  Apoc. 3.
• c 1.3

  Cant. 3.
• d 1.4

  Cant. 5.
• a 1.5

  Luc. 24.
• b 1.6

  Cant. 2.