A proper looking glasse for the daughters of Sion or St. Augustines life abbridged, and reduced into points of meditation VVith meditations for a spirituall exercise at clothings and professions. By Thomas Carre their confessour.

THE SECONDE POINTE. That by the vovve of chastitie you are truly maried to God

Consider to what a highth of dignitie you are admitted by this heauenly vowe: certes to noe lesse then an absolute mariage with God. So were we taught by Tertullian 14. hundred yeares agoe; spea∣king to a virgine: thou art maried to Christ: to him didst thou deliuer vp thy body: to him thon didst betrouth thy maturi∣tie. Walke on then, according to thy spouse his vvill and pleasure. Whence the Church of God till this day, appoints these words to be said at your re∣ceiuing of the veyle: receiue this sacred veyle, vvherby you

may be knovvne to haue contem∣ned the vvorld; and to haue subiected or espoused your selfe for euer to Christ the spouse of virgines.

AFFECTION and RESOL.

O admirable dignitie of the Virgine, where the hum∣ble handmayde is raysed to the honour of a Bride to Christ himselfe, the Bride∣grome! whom when she loues, she's chaste: whom when she touches, she's pure: whom when she takes in ma∣riage, she is a virgine! O supercelestiall mariage! from whence fidelitie, and fertili∣tie are expected, as well as in other mariages: because such as breake the first faith, haue damnation, saith the Apostle. Yea, the happie state of vir∣gines,

assures S. Augustine, is more fruitfull and fertile; not by hauing great bellies, but great myndes: not by hauing breasts full of mylke, but hartes full of candour: and in lieu of binging forth earth out of their bowells, by bringing forth heauen by their prayers. Hence issues a noble progenie; puritie, iusti∣ce, patience, myldnesse, cha∣ritie attended by all her no∣ble traine of vertues; the holy virgins heauenly issue.