The treasury of deuotion Contayning diuers pious prayers, & exercises both practicall, and speculatiue. Togeather vvith the seauen little offices in Latin and English: and sundry other deuotions, for yong beginners in vertue. Collected by I.VV.P.

ANNOTATIONS.

FOR the due performing of the former Meditations it is to be vnderstood, that the Vertues of our Sauiour may be meditated vpon, three manner of wayes.

1. First, that we may vnderstand their nature and perfection, as the Phi∣losophers vse to contemplate the heauens for the vnderstanding of their nature.

2. Secondly, for the praysing, & magnifying of him, who had so excel¦lent vertues. And this second manner is both more noble, and more gratefull to God; for that it hath a more excel∣lent, and a more perfect end, that is, the praysing of Gods Godnes.

3. Thirdly, for imitation, and purchasing of thē: & this is the best mā∣ner of all, and more excellent then the other two, and more pleasing to God.

For besides that, that it comprehendeth the excellency of the two other, it hath withall a most noble end, which ma∣keth a man like vnto the sonne of God. And that is, the greatest perfection of all, that a reasonable creature hath, or can haue in this life.

Moreouer in this manner be exer∣cised the three powers of the soule. The Memory layeth before the eyes Christs life, as the acts of vertue••, which he ex∣ercised, whiles he liued. The Vnder∣standing discourseth about the vertues, and the qualityes of then••. And the Wil to the same vertues applyeth Affection which helpeth to the attayning of those vertues, for in that in which a thing is loued, in that it is sought for to be at∣tained.

The vtilityes of his last manner be diuers.

1. The first purgeth the soule from

vices. For while the vertues are planted, the vices are destroyed in it.

2. The second restoreth it to the former beauty, and seemlynes, and di∣recteth it: for that by the vertues the passions are brought backe againe to their naturall order, that they doe no more, then what they are swayed vnto by reason.

3. The third illuminateth: for that the soule informed, and furnished with vertues, and not troubled with passions, both seeth, discerneth, & iud∣geth the better.

4. The fourth maketh it grate∣full to the Creatour, and to all other creatures, sith there is nothing, that maketh a man so amiable, as doth ver∣tue, which draweth the very enemyes to loue and admire it.

5. The fifth enricheth it with merits, for that all the vertuous acts of

him, who is in grace, be meritorious.

And the way of reaping some fruit in these Meditations, is this, that a man put on an effectuall, and earnest desire of attayning the said vertues, for from this desire proceedeth the exercise ther∣of, which is the principall, and only way to purchase them. Wherfore vpon Sunday he, who meditateth of the hu∣mility of Christ, must exercise many acts of Humility. Vpon Munday, he must exercise acts of Obedience, and so of the rest. It is not euer neces∣sary to meditate vpon all the fiue points of the Meditation, but it is inough to insist vpon one, or two, and oftentymes in the day to exercise the vertue, that be hath meditated vpon, & to craue grace of God to go forwardes therein, euery day more and more.