thou didst well ponder the terriblenesse of Hell Iob. 10.21 O good Iesus ayde mee to bevvaile bitterly my sinnes that I may not goe to this Tenebrous land couered vvith the shadovve of Deathe the lande of those that are in Despaire The fifth Pointe FIfthly I am to consider the misery wretchednesse and discorde of the Inhabitantes of this place which are Captiues in this prison Pondering how they want all the good respectes that are of Bountye discretion Nobillitie Parentage Frendship and loyalltie and are clothed with all the contrary respectes with straunge abhomination For in Hell are all sortes of Persons some were Angells of seuerall Hierarchies and Quiers beautifull Potent and verie resplendent Others were Emperours kings and Princes with diuerse estates and Titles of nobillitye Others were sage Philosophers eloquent and learned in diuerse sciences Others courteours discreete affable liberall gratefull and well conditioned Others Parents kinsmen and Allyes Fathers and sonnes Brothers or Cosin germanes Others very greate freindes and acquaintance Companions and Neighbours But in entring into Hell they loose all these respectes Iob. 10.22 without hauing as Iob saieth any order or Concorde but confusion and horrour All make themselues mortall enemyes one to another filling themselues with wrathe rancour enuye impatience and rage one against another that one can not endure to see the other nor to giue him a good worde The father abhorreth the sonne and the sonne the Father the Lord his vassall and the vassall his Lord one cursing another and biting themselues with rage And specially those which in this life loued with a disordinate loue and were Companions in sinnes shall much more abhorre one another and their paines shall bee augmented with the rage to see themselues togither For as burning coales when they are togither the one kindleth the other so these infernall Coales kindled with the fier of their wrathes shall adde heate to the ardent heate of their companions Adde to this the most painefull imagination that perforce in despight of them they shall bee eternally togither not being able to flye or diuide themselues one from another For flying from one whome thy much abhorre they light vpon anothere that is worse and so shall they haue a perpetuall and cruell warre hauing no bodye to pacifye nor to comforte them for from the earthe none will goe though hee could nor none shall come from heauen though hee would For none that is good will daigne to entre into so infamous a place Insomuch that Christe our lorde when hee descended into Hell entred not into this place nor gaue them any comfort VVhat will Princes then thinke to see themselues consorted with Plebeyans and entreated by them with such insolencie and hatred what a torment will it bee to liue perforce with my enemyes that actually abhorre mee and curse mee without beeing able either to stoppe their mouthes or myne owne eares what a paine will it bee neuer to see person that wisheth mee well nor is compassionate of my miseries but that rather encreaseth them Cassian collat 16. c. 2. 1. Cor. 13.13 O my soule grounde all thy friendshipt vpon true charitie For this onely is eternall and perisheth not and vvithout it all the rest shall perish Haue peace as much vs in thee lyeth vvith all men that thou maiest not enter into the companye of so man vvicked The sixte Pointe SIxtly I am to consider the terriblenesse of those hellish tormentours and executioners First generally in hell euery one of the damned is a Tormenter of all and all are tormenters of one saying and doing things as is abouesaide to torment them Moreouer the diuells are terrible tormenters of men reuenging themselues vpon them for the rage they haue against God and against IESVS Christ And therefore they torment them with affrighting visions with horrible imaginations and with all other meanes that their fierce Cruelty can invent Besides all this the third and the most cruell tormenter is the worme of conscience which biteth and shall eternally bite with terrible crueltye For the damned wretche remembring the sinnes hee hath committed and the inspirations hee had to get out of them and to haue freed himselfe of those torments and yet that thorough the sinne of his owne peruers freewill hee entred into them himselfe will bee his owne torturer and will bite himselfe and would rent himselfe in peices with incredible bitternesse and rage heerein fullfilling that punishement where of S. Augustine speaketeh lib. 1. cōfessionū Thou dist commaunde it o Lord and so it commeth to passe that the disordinatt minde should bee its owne tormente for his sinnes are his tortures and his vnbrideled passions his tormentours so that hee himselfe is most greiuous to himselfe Learne then o my soule Colloquie Mat. 5.26 to hearken to this beating of thy conscience and make peace vvith thy good Aduersarye that priketh thee vvhen thou sinnest for in hell like a madde dogge the vvill barke and bite reuenging the iniurye thou didst her vvhen in this life thou contemnedst her The fourth tormentour will bee the Inuisible hande of God which dischargeth it selfe vpon the dāned sing his omnipotentcie against them who knowing this turne their rage against him breaking out into horrible blasphemyes and desiring that he-might cease to bee Colloquie But all is turned to the increase of their doulour and torment O most heauy hande of the omnipotent vvho can abide thee O vvhat a dreadfull thing is it to fall into the handes of the liuing God beeing offended sunder o Lord very farre from mee this thy hande of Chastizement and touche mee vvith that of thy mercie that beeing freed from these feares I may euer enioye thee vvorld vvithout ende Amen The seuenteenth Meditation of the paines of the Senses and interiour faculties and of the paine of losse or Damnation which is suffered in hell AS the sinner embraceth two greate euills which are to seperate himselfe from God the Fountaine of liuing water Ierem. 2.13 and to turne vnto the creatures to enioye their perishing delightes so in Hell he is punished with two sortes of paines one which they call of Losse or Damnation Paena Damni Paena sensus Hiere 2. for the first euill and another which they call of Sense for the second and with this wee will begin because to haue sense is most easye The first Point 1. FIrst Paena sensus Sapien. 11.17 I am to consider the paine which the Damned doe suffer when they haue a bodie For according to the lawes of Gods iustice Per quae quis peccat per haec torquetur By vvhat things a man sinneth by the same also he is tormented And seeing sinne entreth by the senses in them must bee thee punishement thereof This may bee pondered running thorough all the fiue The Sight shall bee tormented by beholding their Enemies neere them and by suffering horrible visions which the diuells will set before them taking
Lordes sake my touching may touche alwaies rough and harde things auoyding soft and dainety things which he so much abhorred This meditation should be concluded with a Colloquye to Christ IESVS our Lord beseeching him to purifye and cleare the senses of my Soule that I may vnderstand him and loue him according to his will desiring to reforme and renewe my Senses as S. Rom. 12.2 Paul saieth to proue and approue effectually what the good acceptable and perfect will of God is to his honour and glorye worlde without ende Amen Another manner of applying in Prayer the interiour Senses with the actes of seuerall Vrrtues Among those Vertues that perfect our Vnderstanding D. Bonau in Itinerario mētis ad Deū c. 4. and Will which are the spirituall Senses of the Soule those fiue are most excellent which are correspondent to the fiue senses of the bodye with whose actes is practized a forme of Praier very profitable exercizing them in this forme about the mysteries that haue beene spoken of The Sight is the Light of Faithe with the which we see albeit thorough a mirrour and in obscuritye what God hath reuealed in euery mysterye actuating it by beleeuing it with admiration and pause as hath beene declared in the 34. Meditation of the first parte saying to the Childe IESVS Domine Luc. 17.5 adauge mihi fidem O Lord encrease faithe in mee and so quicken it that I may liue before thee as if thou were still present in my eyes The Hearing is the Vertue of Obedience with the which I am to heare all that God commaundeth or counselleth in that mysterie by worde or by example offering myselfe to accomplish it with greate readinesse and speede saying vnto him My hearte o Lord Psa 56.8 is ready to obey thee commaunde what thou wilt and giue me what thou commaundest me that I may obey thee according to thy will The Smelling which by the odour perceiueth things absent and distant is the Vertue of Hope which comforteth vs with assurance of Gods promises before they be manifested and accomplished hoping that he will heare my Praiers that he will ayde me with the succours of his grace that he will haue a care of all things belonging to me and that I may be able to followe his examples and to obtaine his rewardes and that all the rest that is represented in this mysterie may be the object of this Vertue as hath beene sayed in the place before recited saying vnto our Lord that of the Apostle Colloquie Rom. 15.13 O God of hope replenish me with all Ioy and peace in beleeuing that I may abounde in Hope and in all Vertues with the fullnesse of the holy Ghoste Amen The Taste is Deuotion with Loue to whome it pertaineth to finde sauour in the things belonging to God I rejoicing that God is whome he is and at the greatenesses and Vertues that are represented in that mysterie applying myselfe to take a pleasure in imitating him and in seruing him with all the Deuotion that I may saying with the Prophet Abac. 3.18 Ego autem in Domino gaudebo exul abo in Deo IESV meo I will rejoice in our Lord and will be glad in God my IESVS and my Sauiour The Touching is perfect Charitye which joyneth herselfe to her beloued and embraceth him with her two armes which are the Loue of God 1 Cor. 6.17 Cano. 8.6 and of her Neighbour and of all things that may please him making it my pleasure that my Spirit may be vnited with his and that his Hearte may be as a Seale imprinted in mine O beloued of my Soule Colloquie seeing thou commaundest me to put thee as a Seale vpon my Hearte and vpon my arme that my Affections and Actions may be like vnto thine conioyne thee so vnto mee that I may be vnited vnto thee worlde without ende Amen The 27. Meditation Matt. 2. Of the flying into Egipt The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider what greate persecution was raised against our Sauiour Christ being but newe borne the causes thereof and the meanes that he chose to defend himselfe Pondering first how our Lord God permitted king Herod instigated by the Deuill and by his occasion the Iewes to petsecute Christ the king newe borne with a desier to depriue him of his life albeit for different endes Herod as a Tirant fearing that he would haue taken from him his temporall kingdome The Iewes as Flatterers to please their earthely king The Diuell as Prince of this Worlde fearing leaste this miraculous Childe should doe him some greate Hurte But the eternall Father ordained this to much higher endes willing that his Sonne should from his Infancye walke in the waye of Persecutions and afflictions Psa 87.16 that beginning to be fullfilled which Simeon had prophecyed Luc. 2.34 that he should be a signe which all should contradict to giue vs to vnderstand that his comming was contrary to the Intentions of the Worlde which abhorreth not nor persecuteth those that are of it faction but those which are contrary vnto it And that wee may see imprinted in this example the State of the Primitiue Church and of the righteous Soules which conceiuing Christ within themselues and desiring to manifest him by their workes are to be persecuted by the Dragon of Hell who as S. Apoc. 12.17 Iohn saieth in his Apocalips desireth in them to kill the Spirit of Christ that it may not growe vp in their Heartes with the exercizes of notable Vertues And this may serue me for an aduise and Consolation when I shall see myselfe persecuted for Vertues sake remembring what our Sauiour Christ sayed to his Disciples Ioan. 15.20 The Seruant is not greater then his maiester if they haue persecuted me you also they will persecute Neither is it reason that I should be exempted from that vniuersall rule mentioned by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.12 All those that will liue godly in Christ IESVS shall suffer persecution the Diuell prouoking it by himselfe and by his ministers the Worldelings Secondly I will ponder how our Sauiour Christ being able to free himselfe from this persecution by many very easy meanes as either by killing Herod or by making himselfe inuisible yet he would not but tooke this meanes of flying an argument of weakenesse and miserye and this he did principally for two causes the first because as to be borne in the Worlde he left the Commodities that he might haue had in the Citty of Nazareth so also he would leaue them thoroughout all his infancye going farre of from his kinred and parentage And for this cause now that he would flye though he might haue gonne into the Countrey of the three Sages where he should haue beene knowen and adored he would not but went into Egipt among Strangers and Enemyes to haue occasion to suffer more teaching me by this example to flye from that which is pleasing to the flesshe
to bee sanctified graunt mee that it may bee so for thyne ovvne glorye O Angells of Heauen O most blessed Saintes I that haue attained to the ende for the vvhich you vvere created beseeche this our Lord vvhome you enioy that I may also obtaine him ascending vp to enioy him in your Compagnie vvorlde vvithout ende Amen The second Pointe IN concluding the first pointe I am to passe to the second which is to call to memory the ende whereunto all the other things of the Earthe were created that is to say that they might helpe man to attaine to the finall ende of his Creation taking them for a meanes to serue God our Lord and to saue himselfe according to that which the royall prophet Dauid saide of his People Psal 104 44. God gaue them the Countryes of the Nations they possed the labours of the Peoples that they might keepe his Iustifications or holy Commaundements and seeke after his holy Lavve 1. Vpon this Veritye I am to ponder first how Liberall God hath shewed himselfe towardes mee in creating such a multitude of Creatures so faire and so admirable for my sake and not onely created things necessarye to preserue my life but also many other for my Delicacye and Delight and for the Recreation of my Sight Hearing Smelling Tasting and Touching for the which I am to giue him most infinite Thankes seeing that the Good which hee did to these Creatures hee did it more to mee then to them for that hee did it to them in respect of mee Colloquie Let all these thy Creatures blesse thee O Lord and let my Soule praise and glorifie thee for them all I giue thee thankes for the beeing vvhich thou giuest to the Heauens and to the Elements to Beastes and to Plantes and to all the other Bodyes of the Earthe I giue thee thankes also for the Beautie of the Colours for the Harmonie of the Soundes for the Pleasantnesse of the Odours for the Svveetenesse of the meates for the Softnesse of our Rayments and for all those things vvhich recreate my fiue Senses seeing thou createdst them for mee that I might praise and serue thee vvith them 2. And then I will ponder how well these Creatures complye with the ende for which God created them seruing mee and nourishing mee because God so commaunded it contrarily how euilly I haue complyed and doe complye with my ende vsing them euilly to offende God with all placing in them my finall ende as if I had beene created to enjoy them making the ende of that which was but the meane And if I runne through my Senses I shall finde that they haue gonne a whoring after the Creatures vsing them onely for their Delight and not to glorifye God that gaue them mee for the which I justly deserued that God should take them from mee and that hee should deliuer as hee saide by Oseas his Corne Oseae 2.9 and his VVine his Floure and his VVoll from the Seruitude they are in vnder my possession vsing them against their Inclination to offende their Creator Colloquie O most iust Creator hovv is it that thou didst not Iustice vpon him that so abused thy Creatures vsing them against thee O my Soule hovv art thou not confounded vvith such Treachery as this and hovv art thou not ashamed of this greate basenesse thou hast committed abasing thyselfe to place thy finall ende vpon a thing so vile as is the Creature to the Iniurie of the Creator I O my God hovv Ingratefull haue I beene for thy Soueraigne benefits for vvhat thou gauest mee to serue thee I conuerted into an occasion to offende thee Pardon o Lord my vnthankefullnesse and assist mee that from hence forvvard I may not vse that so euilly vvhich thou gauest mee for my good 3. Sapient 13.4 Ad Rom. 1.20 I may also Consider that these Creatures were created as the holy Scripture sayeth that by them I might knowe the Perfections Excellencies of the Creator and that I might loue him with all my Hearte and so I may imagine that euery one standes crying to mee and saying This perfection which I haue is better in God then in mee hee gaue it mee knowe him loue him and vse it for his Seruice And with this Consideration I will prouoke myselfe to ascende from the visible Creatures to the inuisible Creator to vnite mee to him as to my last and finall ende The third Pointe THe third Pointe is a practicall Conclusion drawne from what hath beene saide in the two precedent pointes that is to say The manner how from hence forward I am to vse the Creatures and what Indifferencye my VVill hath to holde in the vse of thē not coueting more then that which may helpe mee to serue my Creator and to obtaine the ende for which I was created procuring as much as lyeth in mee not to desire rather Riches then Pouertye Honour then Dishonour Healthe then Sickenesse Long life then Short but onely that which shall bee most conuenient for my Saluation for it is a good parte of VVisdome not to take of the meanes more then is meete to obtaine the ende as of Rubarbe or of any other purgation wee take not a greater quantitye then is necessary for our Healthe 2 VVith this Consideration I am also to enter into my Hearte and to make an Anatomie of the disordered Inclinations and Affections that it hath to Riches Honours and Delicacies to Parents kinred and freindes and to its owne Healthe and Life labouring to moue my VVill to desire to mortifye the superfluous Loue of the Creatures perswading myselfe heereunto by the reason aforesaide and by others that I may inquire out with my Discourse especially by that of the diuine Prouidence which most carefully assisteth those that wholely resigne themselues into the handes of God casting vpon him 1. Petr. 5.7 as S. Peter saieth all their Cares to serue him with the greater perfection For it is most certaine that Christe our Lord will fullfill his worde which hee gaue vs when hee saide Matth. 6 33. Seeke first the kingdome of God and the Iustice of him and all these things shall bee giuen you besides as if hee should haue saide First seeke the kingdome of God which is your finall ende and the Iustice thereof which are the meanes to obtaine him and thus doing bee assured that the Prouidence of your Heauenly Father will prouide you of temporall things necessary to sustaine your Life 3. But because with myne owne forces I am not able to attaine to this resignation I am to haue recourse to him that can giue them mee framing some Colloquie with our Lord and saying vnto him very earnestly I confesse o my God that my Heart very much cleaueth and is tyed to the Creatures vvith disoordinate Loue Seeing therefore I am so vvretched and feeble that hauing fastned myselfe to the Creatures I cannot vnfasten mee fauour vvith thy Omnipotencie my vveakenesse destroying
Principianâ—s hee vseth to giue more aboundantly the milke and Honye of diuine consolations to weane them from terrene and to animate them to the imitation of his Heroicall Vertues To attaine to these endes wee are to procure by the meanes of these Meditations to knowe Christ IESVS our Lorde true God and man with so certaine proper entire and perfect a knowledge that it may arriue to vnderstand and penetrate the infinite dignitie of his Person and the inestimable riches treasures of his grace with greate esteeme and valuation thereof For in this knowledge as is testified by our Sauiour himselfe consisteth Life euerlasting Ioan. 17.3 Psal 38 4. and from it as from seede proceede the meanes to obtaine it and with the breathe thereof is inkindled in meditation the fier of Charitye which inflameth vs in his Loue Sermone de perfecta forma hominis Christiani from which springeth fortitude of hearte to imitate his Life with so greate perfection that according to that of S. Gregory Nyssenus a Christian may bee called alter Christus Another Christ in Humillity Patience and all the other Vertues as wee say of a Wiseman that hee is another Salomon The manner of meditating vpon these Mysteries Ex Patre Ignatio in primo exerciâ—io secundae tertiae hebdomadae to effectuate what wee pretende must bee to carrye our eyes fixed vpon foure things and to ponder them with attention The first is to beholde the Persons that are interposed in the Mysterye with the Excellencyes and interiour affections that are in them The Second is to consider the Wordes they speake and the ende wherefore and the manner wherewith they speake them The thirde is to beholde their Workes and the Vertues resplendent in those Workes The fourth is to consider what things they suffer with all their Circumstances pondering the endes thereof and motiues therevnto Out of all these foure things I am allwayes to drawe some proffit to my selfe animating my selfe to imitate what may bee imitated In the introductioÌ„ §. 1. and 2. with those other Affections and Colloquyes that wee spake of in the beginning of this Booke All this is to bee donne in euery Pointe that the meditation shall haue following the Order of the Historye as in the Progresse thereof shall bee seene And for that among the Persons that are touched in many of these mysteries especially in those of this second parte the most principall is our blessed LADIE the VIRGIN wee must most principally attende to drawe out of these meditations the knowledge and Loue of her and the imitation of her Heroicall Vertues ascending from the imitation of the mother to the imitation of her Sonne 1. Cor. 11.1 seeing shee may say vnto vs much better then Sainct Paule Bee yee folowers of mee as I also of Christ To dispose vs the better to the pretense and estimation of the ende that hath beene spoken of the meditation folowing of Vocation to imitate our Lord IESVS Christ will help very much as a foundation of these meditations imagining him in the likenesse of a most excellent King elected by God Ex Patre Ignatio in principio secundae hebdomadae that should raise vp men to make warre vpon his enemies inuiting his vassalls to followe him and promising them that if they accompany him in the fight they shall enioye with him the spoiles of the victorye The fundamentall Meditation of the infinite Excellencye of the celestiall King Christ IESVS our Lord and of the Vocation that hee maketh inuiting all men to followe him The first Pointe FIrst The ExcelleÌ„cyes of our Sauiour Christe as hee is a King Psal 2.6 I am to consider that our Lord Christe is a most excellent king elected by the eternal Father to rule and gouerne men commaunding all to obey him as their proper king and lawfull Lord according to that which hee himselfe saide by the Prophet Dauid I am appointed king by him ouer Sion his holy hil preaching his precept Vpon this truthe I am to ponder first the infinite Charity of the eternall Father in the election of this soueraigne king for that beeing resolued to giue men a king hee made choice of the best that hee could giue vs whoe on the one side should bee true man as concerning our nature that hee might bee before vs with his example and entreate vs with Meekenesse and Compassion and on the other side should bee true God and his onely begotten sonne that by his infinite power hee might remedye Sermon 1. de Natiuitate and aide vs. For as Sainct Leo the Pope saith If hee had beene man onely hee could not haue remedied vs and if hee had beene God onely hee could not haue giuen vs Example From hence I will ascende to consider the excellencyes of this king in whome concurre all the Quallities that may bee in a most perfect king as is manifest by those Psalm 44 3. c. Iere. 23 5â— Zachar. 9.9 that are attributed vnto him by the Prophets But principally I will poÌ„der his infinite Wisdome whereby hee knoweth our necessities and miseries his Omnipotencye to remedye them his Mercye in beeing compassionate of them his Bountye and Charitye in desiring to remedye them his Prouidence in being carefull for our Good his Meekenesse and Affabillitye in entreating vs as Bretheren his Liberallitye and Magnificence in sharing among vs his riches and giuing vs all that hee hath euen vnto his very bodye and blood his Iustice and Prudence in Gouernment directing vs with greate Integritye and Vprightnesse and finally his Eternitye with perpetuall Constancye in his coelestiall Empire which shal neuer haue an ende And to make mee more entirely affectionate herein I will make a comparison betweene earthly kings and this heauenly king Isai 10.13 for they impose tributes and taxations vpon their vassalls and exact them with rigour this quitteth all those and louingly payeth their debtes they impouerish their vassalls to inrich themselues this impouerisheth himselfe to inriche them with his Pouertye 2. ad Cor. 8.9 they erre oftentimes in their gouernment thorough ignorance passion or malice this neuer erreth because hee is infinitely Wise Iust Good Math. 11.23.4 29. They impose very heauy Lawes vpon their subjectes yet excuse themselues to fullfill them this imposeth Lawes very sweete and by his owne example animateth men to fullfill them Finally those are teÌ„porall kings that ende with Deathe Dani. 2.32 their Empires bee they of golde or siluer of brasse or of iron shall perish because they are founded vpon feete of Clay but this king is eternall and his kingdome shall neuer haue ende because it is founded vpon God From these three considerations and from euery one of them I am to extract seuerall affections of Praise Ioy and Thankesgiuing with greate Resolutions and Offers to doe much in the seruice of this Soueraigne king sometimes to this purpose I will speake to the
was replenished with God vttered with her mouthe this soueraigne Canticle full of Affections of God which Canticle hath ten verses and is as it were a Psalterion or Harpe of ten strings like to those Psal 42.4 91 4. 143.9 which Dauid commaundeth vs to touche for to glorifye God and therefore it shall not bee amisse to meditate all her Wordes that wee may knowe how spiritually to rehearse them to the honour of the VIRGIN ioyning to euery worde or Verse some holy Affection or ioye of the Vertues of this our Ladye with the peticion and colloquye belonging vnto it My Soule doth magnifie our Lord. In this first Verse the sacred VIRGIN teacheth vs the Spirit of praising God thinking highly and magnificently of him magnifying that which is his in all that is possible that is his Bountye and Mercye his Wisdome and Charitye the excellencye of his Gouernment And this not only with corporall wordes but with the Soule and all her interiour Faculties inuiting them with Dauid to praise our Lord. Psal 102.1 103.1.33 And shee sayed not My Soule did magnifye or will magnifye but doth magnifye to signifye that her principall office and perpetuall occupation was to magnifye God doing on Earthe that which the Angells doe in Heauen O that my Soule might allwayes magnifye our Lorde Colloquie Eccl. 43.30 o Lord of infinite greatenesse litle can I magnifye thee with my praises But as I may I praise and magnifye thee and confesse that thou art greater then I am able to say or to thinke O Soueraigne VIRGIN Psal 33.4 whose Soule allwayes magnified our Lord and like another Dauid inuited all others to magnifye him impetrate for mee that my Soule may likewise magnifye him occupying herselfe continually in singing his Greatenesses worlde without ende Amen And my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Sauiour In these Wordes the B. VIRGIN discouereth the manner of our rejoicing in God The manner of rejoicing in God nothing fiue Conditions of this Ioye to make it pure and perfect For first wee are not to place our principall Ioye and Alacritye in corporall thinges but in things spirituall nor so much in giftes receiued as in the giuer of Giftes who is God himselfe And allbeeit we are to rejoice in God as he is our Creator yet principally as he is our Sauiour and Sanctifyer for in this sorte he is the fountaine of spirituall Alacritye which is founded vpon the Saluation of the Soule sanctified by Gods grace And this loye is principally to consist in the Spirit or superiour parte of the Soule that it may be the more pure from all that tasteth of fleshe as the sensuall Ioye of the Bodye vseth to doe allbeeit sometimes the Ioye of the spirit redoundeth likewise into the fleshe Psal 83.3 15.9 according to that of Dauid My Hearte and my Fleshe reioiced in the liuing God Finally our Spirit is not to reioice in itselfe as if it had thorough it owne merites those giftes for which it reioiceth but our Ioye is to bee in God our Sauiour who gaue them vnto vs and vpon whome our ioye is to rest as saithe the Prophet Dauid My Soule shall reioice in our Lorde Psal 34.9 and shall bee delighted in our Sauiour Such was the Ioye of the blessed VIRGIN who at this instant behelde our Sauiour whome shee bare in her Wombe and rapt with his exceeding Loue shee saide My Spirit hath reioiced in God my Sauiour O my Soule exalt thyselfe aboue thyselfe in Spirit like the VIRGIN and reioice purely in Christ thy Sauiour placing in him only all thy Alacritye Psal 36.4 Ioan. 16.32.24 Matt. 25.21.23 If thou desirest Ioye reioice in God and hee shall fullfill the desires and petitions of thy hearte that thy ioye may bee full and that none may depriue thee of it vntill at last thou maiest enter into the eternall ioye of thy Lorde Because he hath regarded the Humillity of his Handmaide In this Verse and in those following the B. VIRGIN declareth ten soueraigne benefits three speciall and seuen generall which are the principall causes and respectes that shee hath to magnifye God to reioice in him and to shewe herselfe so thankefull The first is for that he regarded the Humillitye and lowlinesse of his Handmaide In which wordes the VIRGIN pointeth at two rootes of the Diuine Benefits The one principall of Gods parte and the other of our parte It is of allmighty Gods parte that he daigneth to regarde vs with a good eye and to be mindefull of vs to doe vs good For allbeeit it is truthe that he seeth all things yet he is not saide to regarde nor make account of those which he leaueth in the abysme of nothing or in the profunditye of their miserye but of those which he regardeth to vse towardes them his greate mercye The roote of our parte is the acknowledgement of our Lowelinesse by the which we may dispose ourselues to receiue the giftes of his Diuine Liberallitye And so the blessed VIRGIN as illuminated by God joyned both these togither magnifying God for that he daigned to regarde the Humillitye of his Handmaide By the which wordes shee confesseth not so much of herselfe that she hath the Vertue of Humillitye as she exercizeth it for as a true humbled one either she esteemeth not so herselfe or she would haue concealed it but with Humillitye shee confesseth that she is lowly base and contemptible as a Slaue or a Handmaide and that notwithstanding all this allmighty God disdained not to regarde her Whereby shee teacheth vs that the foundation of the Praises of God and of Thankesgiuing for the benefits he doth vs is to bee the acknowledging of our owne basenesse and indignitye for in this sorte there will be no perill of mixing vaine selfe-pleasing as it happened to the prowde Pharisee Luc. 18.14 Rather this Lowlinesse is to be the respect why to beseeche allmighty God to regarde mee with a good eye and to doe mee greate fauours Psa 112 6 for his Condition as Dauid sayeth is to beholde the lowely things in Heauen and on Earthe and to doe them greate mercyes Psal 30.8 And this the saide Dauid had experience of saying of himselfe Because God regarded my Humillitye and Lowelinesse he deliuered my Soule from all her miseries O highest God whose Habitation is in the highest Heauens Colloquie Psa 112.5 beholde the lowelinesse of this thy vile Slaue and vse towardes him thy accustomed mercye raising this begger from the Dust and this poore wretched one from the Dunghill to place him with Princes and to sanctifye him aswell as they Amen Beholde from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed And this is the seconde respect that the B. VIRGIN had to magnifye God for that from that moment that he behelde her Humillitye and that he regarded her all the nations of men that beleeued in Christ aswell the present as those to
as heereafter we shall see The seuententh Meditation Of the birth of our Sauiour Christe in a Stable in Bethlehem The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider what the Worde Incarnate did in the wombe of his mother when the hower was come of his deliuerance from thence Pondering first that as he would not anticipate the time of his birth so also hee would not deferre it but would puntually be borne at nine moneths ende to manifest himselfe vnto the worlde with an hearty desier to begin his carreere with greate feruour and Alacritye of Hearte fullfilling that of Dauid Psal 18.7 He hath reioiced as a Gyaunt to runnet he waye his comming forth from the top of Heauen not staying till he come to the other extreeme For albeeit he knewe what a sharpe carreere he was to haue from his natiuitye to his Deathe yet he rejoiced with fortitude to begin it issuing out from the wombe of the VIRGIN which was his Heauen and presently setting his feete vpon the vilest and basest place that was on the Earthe For the which I ought humbly to thanke him beseeching him to giue mee light to knowe and vnderstand what passed in this his entrance O Childe more strong Colloquie and valiant then a Gyant seeing that respleudent like a newe Sun thou wilt issue by thy Orient to run thy Carreere vnto the Occident of the Crosse Illuminate my Vnderstanding and inflame my Will that I may beholde contemplate thy egression and may loue with feruent zeale the Vertues thou discouerest therein Then will I ponder how liberall he then shewed himselfe to his mother D. Th. 3. p. q. 35. ar 6. like as a mighty and riche man hauing beene lodged in the house of a poore labouring man who hath giuen him good entertainement not for any interest but to serue him vseth at his departure to recompense him well and to giue him some precious gift either in gratitude or for almes so likewise for that the blessed VIRGIN had so well harboured her Sonne for nine moneths at such time as he meant to departe from his lodging hee gaue her the richest giftes of grace a most high Contemplation of that mysterye and certaine extraordinary Iubilees of gladnesse in steede of those paines that other women vse to feele when they are in trauell of Childe For it was not reason that she that had no sensuall pleasure in conceiuing should haue any paine in bringing forth And allbeeit as touching the suffering Dolours he dispensed not with himselfe yet he would not that his mother in this case should suffer any In like sorte I may consider that when our Sauiour Christ entreth Sacramentally into vs at his first entrance he giueth vs Sacramentall grace and if we giue him good hospitallitye before his departure he giueth vs riche Iewells of Affections of Deuotion and Contemplation and Iubilies of Alacrity wherewith he recompenseth the good entertainement that we giue him Therefore o my Soule Colloquie regarde how thou harbourest this soueraigne guest that he may leaue thee riche and abundantly stored with the giftes of Heauen Thirdly Before in the 14. Meditation 3. pointe I will ponder how our Sauiour Christ would for the same cause issue out of his mothers wombe after a miraculous manner shee not suffring any losse of her Virginitye for it was no reason that he should departe out of a house where he had beene so well entertained with the indammaging of the Integritye that it had honoring heerein his mother and aduising vs all that to entertaine him and to serue him wee shall receiue no detriment rather if neede be he will doe some miracle to that ende For though he did none to preserue himselfe from suffering yet he vseth to doe it to preserue his elected when it is conuenient for them O soueraigne master Colloquie how well thou teachest me by this Example the Condition of true Loue which is rigorous to itselfe and gentle to others for â—â—selfe it will haue rigours to afflict it but for it neighbour it will haue fauours to delight him ayde me with thy abundant grace that in both things I may imitate thy feruent and admirable Charitye The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider what the blessed VIRGIN did when by those Iubilies she knewe that the hower of her deliuery was come pondering her Affections her Actions and her Wordes For recollecting herselfe in a corner of the stable and setled in very high Contemplation she brought forth her only begotten Sonne and forthwith she tooke him in her Armes O what content and Ioye she receiued at that first viewe not staying vpon the outward beautye of the bodye but passing to the beautye of the Soule and of the Deitye On the one side she embraced him and kissed him louingly as her Sonne on the other side shee shruncke backe and humbly retired considering that he was God for with these two armes God desireth to bee embraced with Charitye and Humillitye with Loue and Reuerence and the like am I to doe spiritually taking him as it were in my armes louing him and reuerencing him approaching to him with Loue and retiring myselfe with Humillitye This donne the VIRGIN swathled her Sonne in such swathling cloutes and mantles as she had prepared and with an Affection of Humillitye shee layed him in a maunger esteeming herselfe vnworthy to holde him in her Armes and falling on her knees she adored him as her God and her Lord and very louingly she spake vnto him for she was assured that hee vnderstood her She humbly thanked him for the greate fauours he had donne to mankinde in comming to redeeme it She likewise gaue him thankes for hauing taken her for his mother without any merits of hers there she offered to serue him with bodye and Soule and with all her forces employing them all in his Seruice And all this she vttered with such louing wordes and tender Affections as they are rather to be imagined then possible to be explicated The like did S. Ioseph adoring the Childe humbly thanking him for taking him for his foster-father acknowledging it for a greate fauour and offering himselfe truely and really to serue him The like am I to doe accompanying these Sainctes in heartye thankefullnesse offering vnto him my bodye and Soule and all my faculties O most sweete and most soueraigne Lord Colloquie what thankes may I giue thee for this greate fauour thou hast donne mee in comming to remedye mee as a Childe and in so extreeme Pouertye O that I might haue beene present at that time to serue thee in thy Infancye I heere present myselfe in Spirit before thy diuine maiestie and I offer vnto thee all that I am or may bee able to bee to employ it wholely in thy Seruice accepte o Lord this my good Will and giue me thy grace to effect it The third Pointe THe third and principall pointe is to consider the meruailous greatenesses of that