bodye and contemne that vvhich is present vvith the vievve of that vvhich is to come Amen Finally I will consider that I cannot tell whither it will fall to my Lot to haue so honorable funeralls or whither our Lord will permitte for chastizement of my Sinnes Ierem. 22.19 3. Reg. 9. that I bee buried in the belly of fishes or of wilde beastes or as Ieremie saithe in the sepulchre of Asses or bee eaten by Crowes or by Dogs like vnhappy Iezabel which I haue well deserued for my Sinnes for to a beâ—â—iall life is due the sepulcher of beastes And therefore as much as lyeth in mee I will abhorre the vaine pompe of wordely sepulchers desiring both in life and deathe to choose for myselfe the humblest place of the Earthe I may also spiritualize what hath beene saide in these three pointes applying it to my Soule deade by Sinne which remaineth ougly and deformed and vnabled to doe meritorious woorkes of eternall life her passions carrying her to bee interred in the profunditye of euill couering her with the graue-stone of obstinacye vntill shee descende to the obscure and dreadefull Sepulcher of Hell Ex D. Aug. All which is to mooue mee to compassion for if I bewaile the bodye from which the Soule is absent much more reason haue I to bewaile the Soule from which God is absent And seeing I would giue life to the deade bodye if I could there is reason that I should procure the life of the Soule by those meanes that God hath giuen mee to that ende before bodye and Soule Colloquie dye togither without remedye O eternall God permitte mee not to carrye in a liuing Bodye a deade Soule but quicken it vvith thy grace that vvhen the Bodye dyes the Soule may obtaine life euerlasting Amen Of this Consideration shall bee spoken in the third parte in the meditation 39.40 and 41. meditating on those three that Christe raized from Deathe The eleuenth Meditation of the remembrance of Deathe For Ashe vvednesday and of the dust whereinto wee shall bee conuerted in the Graue THis meditation shall bee grounded vpon those wordes which the Churche vseth on Ashwednesday Genes 3.19 Memento homo quod puluis es in puluerem reuerteris Remember man that thou art Dust and to Dust thou shalt returne which wordes our Lord spake vnto Adam after hee had sinned intimating vnto him the Sentence of Deathe which his Sinne deserueth and by the waye declaring vnto vs what wee were what wee shall bee and what wee are saying that all is but Duste The first Pointe 1. FIrst wee are to consider that God our Lord though hee might haue created the bodye of Adam of nothing as hee created his Soule yet hee would not but made it of a matter of the one side most vile and grosse and on the other visible and palpable Genes 2.7 De limoterrae which is the Dust and slime of the Earthe to the ende that man seeing daily with his corporall eyes this Durte might continually remember his Originall and Beginning for 2. endes First that hee might humble himselfe profoundely and vnderstand that of himselfe hee deserueth to bee contemned trodden vnder foote trampled vpon like Durte and that hee hath nothing though hee haue greate goods whereof to bee prowde for that all haue their foundation in Dust And secondly that hee might bee moued to loue and to serue his so louing and powerfull Creator who from vile Dust raised him to so gâ—â—ate an heigth as to bee a man according to the Image and likenesse of God himselfe 2. So that Dust and Durte may serue for Alarums to recall to my memorye my Originall the matter whereof I was formed imagining when I see them that they crye out to mee and say Remember that thou art Dust humble thy selfe as Dust Loue serue and obey thy Creator that tooke thee from the Dust And when I waxe prowde with the giftes that I haue I am to imagine that they crie vnto mee repressing my Vanitye saying vnto mee Of what art thou prowde Dust and Ashes Eccl. 10.9 Isai 45.9 Colloquiâ— VVhy art thou puffed vp Vessell of claye Bee warned by forgetfull Adam who forgetting that hee was Dust presumed to bee as God and rebelled against thy Maker O Omnipotent Creator permitte not in mee so praeiudiciall an obliuion that I fall not into so greate a daunger Cleare my eyes that I may in spirit beholde the Durt vvhereof I vvas formed and open mine eares that I may heare the clamours thereof so imprinting them in my hearte that I may neuer forget them AmeÌ„ Of this pointe wee shall speake largely in the sixt parte in the twenty and sixt meditation The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider that God our Lord seeing the forgetfullnesse and pride of Adam condemned him to the Sentence of Deathe and to retourne into the Dust whereof hee was formed wherein principally hee pretended three endes for his good ours First to chastize therewith his Sinne that all wee might perceiue how greiuous an euill Sinne is eeing it is sufficient to destroye and to turne into dust so beautifull riche a frame as is man for if Adam had not sinned hee had not died but had beene translated into Heauen in bodye and soule with all hiâ— Integrye and Perfection But thorough his Sinne the soule is forced to abandon the bodye and the bodye is dismured or vnwalled and turned into small dust according to that of the Apostle Ad Rom. 5.12 By one man Sinne entred into this vvorlde and by Sinne Deathe 2. The second ende was that the memorye of Deathe and that wee are to retourne into Dust might bee a most effectuall medecine for our pride seeing it was not sufficient to humble vs that hee had made vs of Dust So that the Dust and Durt of the earthe which I see and feele is not onely a watch-bell to recall to my remembrance the Originall from whence I began but also the ende wherein I am to staye and when I beholde it I am to imagine that it is crying out and saying vnto mee Remember thou art to retourne to earthe and Duste and that like mee thou shalt bee trampled trodden vpon Then why art thou prowde thou art now fleshe thou shalt shortly bee dust Eccl. 10.9 Colloquie wherefore art thou puffed vp O Father of mercye I giue thee thankes for that vvith the chastizement of my Sinne thou hast made a medicine for my Pride Graunt mee that I may not bee deafe to these cryes that Dust giueth mee that the chastizement of a pious Father turne not into the punishment of a seuere Iudge 3. The third ende was for that the feare of this Chastizement and of this Dust wherein the flesh is to rest might bee a spurre to our backwardenesse to doe Penance for our Sinnes committed and a bridle to our sensuall liuelynesse to curbe our Passions So that if the
possible for her Strength Thirdly that in euery worke shee vsed greate Wisdome and Discretion with singular Constancye vntill shee had effected it Fourthly that with euery one shee mixed much Variety of Affections and Vertues to augment iointely in all For these foure Excellencyes the Angells admired her Cant. 6.9 saying VVhoe is shee that cometh forth as the morning rysing faire as the Moone elect as the Sunne terrible as the Army of a Campe set in aray what is this Childe that maketh her Progresse from Vertue to Vertue increasing like the Light of the morning without staying or turning backe beautifull like the full moone with plenty of Graces without any waning therein elected as the Sun that there is none in Earthe to bee her equall And who is this that beeing a weake maide by nature is most firme by Grace containing within her an armye of all Vertues ordered with the Order of inuincible Charitye Thus spake the Angells with Affection of Admiration and God rejoiced in beholding her Feruour and men that behelde her were edified in seeing so greate Sanctity in so tender yeares But I both admiring and rejoicing heereat will withall confound myselfe considering how farre I am from it thorough my Negligence and Coldnesse and desiring to get out of it to imitate her example Then will I ponder how this Childe spent a greate parte of the daye in ascending and descending that mysticall Ladder of Iacob Gen. 28.12 which reached from Earthe vnto Heauen in whose top stood the Omnipotent God Ex D. Ber. in scala claustralium and whose Degrees as before hath beene saide are Reading Meditation Praier and Contemplation One while of the daye shee spent in Reading holy Scriptures to the greate consolation of her Soule allmighty God opening vnto her the Sense that shee might penetrate and vnderstand them From hence shee ascended to meditation conferring with herselfe what shee had reade searching out newe Verities that illustrated her Soule and inflamed it with the fier of Loue and Deuotion From hence shee mounted another space by the Degree of Prayer desiring of God with greate feruencye the giftes of his Grace not only for herselfe but for her Companions and for all the People And lastly shee ascended to the Degree of Contemplation wherein shee spent very much time vniting her Soule to God from whome shee receiued such sweetenesse and consolation and such extraordinary abundance of celestiall Giftes that none can comprehend or knowe them but God that gaue them shee that receiued them rejoicing in that hidden Manna Apoc. 21.7 whose taste none attaineth vnto but hee that receiueth it And in these Exercices shee was visited by the Angells that garde this Ladder comforting those that ascende it but much more this blessed Virgin whose Puritye was greater then theirs for seeing her mount vp they spake with Admiration that of the Canticles VVhat is shee Cant. 3.6 that ascendeth by the desert as a little rodde of smoke of the aromaticall spices of Myrrhe and frankincense and of all pouders of the Apothecary Who is this young Maiden that liueth in the Desert of this Worlde and in the Solitarinesse of this Temple and sprowteth vp not like a Rodde but like a Twigge that is small and humble in her owne eyes but most odoriferous and gracious in the eyes of God in the which shee goeth allwayes ascending and increasing with the Myrrhe of Mortification with the Incense of Praier and with the continuall Exercize of all Vertues Finally in descending this Ladder this blessed LADYE was exercized in working with her handes for the seruice of the Temple to the commodity of her Cōpanions mingling her exteriour workes with Praier for which it is saide of her that her Garments smelled of Incense O soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie Cant. 4.11 Rodde that sprungest from the roote of lesse ascendedst to thy Beloued like a most odoriferous Sprigge of Perfume obtaine for mee that I also may bee litle in Humillitye carefull to mount by the Ladder of Praier by which thou ascendedst Isa 11.1 vntill I vnite myselfe with allmighty God descending also to exercize the workes of Mortification in myselfe those of Piety towardes my neighbours increasing in all Vertues giuing vnto all men the Odour of good Example for the which they may glorifye God worlde without ende Amen The fifth Pointe FIfthly Of her Vowe of Virginitye I am to consider how in this time this Soueraigne VIRGIN made another very newe offer to our Lord God and a very pleasing which was the Vowe of perpetuall Virginitye offering it vnto him by speciall inspiration of the holy Spirit and with extraordinary Deuotion For the greatenesse of the Loue that shee bare vnto God mooued her to desire to deliuer vnto him her whole Heart and to take him to her Spouse occupying herselfe totally in meditating vpon him and in pleasing him without diuiding herselfe in other things 1 Cor. 7.33.34 as those are diuided that are married And shee knowing that Virginity was more precious with a Vowe then without it shee was not contented with a single Purpose of preseruing it but shee made a particular Vowe thereof because shee allwaies desired to doe what was best most firme and most secure and that which was most to the Glorye of God our Lord. Then was fullfilled that which her Spouse sayed of her My sister spouse is a Garden inclosed a Garden inclosed a Fountaine sealed vp Cant. 4.12 Hee twise calleth her an inclosed Garden for that shee was perfectly chaste both in Soule and in Bodye confirming it with a perpetuall Vowe which serued as a Locke for her greater Security adding for Gardes Humillity Modestye Silence and Abstinence by reason whereof hee also callet◠her a Garden to giue vs to vnderstand that her Virginity was not barren but accompanied with many Flowers of Vertues and with excellent fruites of good Workes Some that beautified the Soule Others that adorned the Bodye that shee might bee Sancta corpora Spiritu 1 Cor. 7.34 Holy in Body and in Spirit O how pleasing was this Garden to the diuine Spouse hee was recreated with the Vowe Odour of the Flowers of her Vertues hee eate of the sweete fruictes of her good Workes Cant. 5.1 hee rejoiced to beholde it so well inclosed with a Vowe delighting much in the Locke Gardes that it had And therefore hee watered it with greate abundance of heauenly Consolations and Giftes making in them a Fountaine Well of the liuing Waters of his Graces inclosed with his diuine Protection From this Heroicall Example of the sacred VIRGIN I will collect a hearty Desire of Chastity offering myselfe to preserue it with the greatest perfection that possibly I may according to my Estate taking the blessed VIRGIN for my Patronesse Defendresse in this Enterprise saying vnto her that verse which holy Church singeth O Virgin singular among all other in meekenesse
Holye Ghoste are perfect hee came withall vpon her with newe fuullnesse of Grace to dispose her to so soueraigne a Worke. The second that the Power of the most high should ouershaâ—owe her preseruing her from sensuall Delight in Conception and forming of her purest blood the Bodye of this Childe as the bird couering her egges with her Wings giueth them Life with her Heate The third Promise was a Giuing a Reason of the other two Because that which was to bee so holily conceiued should bee the Sonne of God not by Adoption as the rest of the Iust but by the Vnion of Humane nature with the Diuine Person so that hee should bee Holy not by Priuiledge but by the Power of his holy Conception O what an exceeding ioye caused these three Promises in the Virgin O most blessed VIRGIN Colloquie if when the Angell entred thou wast already full of Grace how much more fuller shallt thou bee the holy Ghost comming vpon thee with this newe Plenitude If before our Lord were with thee for thy Gouernment Protection and Consolation how much more shall hee bee now the Power of the most High comming to ouershadowe thee now mayest thou o blessed LADYE say with a newe Title Cant. 2.3 I sate vnder the Shadowe of him whome I desired and his fruite is sweete to my Throate Thou art seated vnder the Shadowe of the most High which shall take from thee the sensuall Pleasure in Conceiuing and the fruite of thy Conception shall bee Delectable to God pleasing to the Angells sweete vnto thee and to the Saluation of vs. Much good may doe thee o Purest VIRGIN so greate a fullnesse so happye a Shadowe with Hope of so sweete a fruite And seeing thou hast this day founde so greate Grace with the Holy Spirit beseeche him to come anowe vpon mee and with his Power to ouershadowe mee that beeing seated vnder his louing Protection I may taste the sweete fruites of his Diuine Presence From hence I am to collect that whereas for the Virgin to conceiue the Sonne of God it was necessary that the Holy Ghost should come vpon her from Heauen to accomplish this Worke and that the Power of the most High should ouershadowe her so likewise that I may conceiue in my Soule the Spirit of Saluation Isa 26.8 Ex D Fulgentio lib. de Incar natione cap. 20. whereby I become the adoptiue Sonne of God it is necessary that the Holy Ghost doe inspire mee and that the Power and Omnipotencye of God doe ouershadowe mee tempering the Heate of my sensuall Concupiscences and protecting mee in all Temptations daungers and in this Faithe I am to crye to Heauen saying Colloquie O most Holy Spirit come from on High to my poore Soule sowe in it the seede of thy Diuine inspiration that it may conceiue within itselfe the Spirit of Saluation Psal 16.8 Psa 139.8 O power of the most High protect mee with the Shadowe of thy VVings couer mee with them in the Day of Temptation that the Puttockes of Hell preuaile not against mee and that I loose not through myne owne VVeakenesse what thou hast begun in mee by thy Grace Amen The fourth Pointe TO what had beene saide the Angell added Luc. 1.36 Beholde Elizabeth thy Cosin shee also hath conceiued a Sonne in her olde age and this moneth is the sixt to her that is called barren because there shall not bee impossible with God any worde In these Wordes the Angell pretended three meruailous things the first to reueale to the blessed VIRGIN a thing that would giue her much Content because of the Abundance of her Charitye Rem 12.15 whose Propertye is to weepe with those that weepe and to rejoice with those that rejoice And as the blessed VIRGIN had a feeling of the Barennesse of her Cosin because of the greife that shee receiued thereby so shee rejoiced at the newes of her beeing with Childe because of the greate Ioye that it would giue her The second was to confirme his Embassage with some sensible Token as if hee should say Seeing shee hath conceiued that was olde and barren thou maiest well beleeue that a Virgin shall conceiue for with God nothing is impossible hee can doe the one with as greate facillitye as the other Whereby wee see how it is the Propertye of the good Spirit to chastize the incredulous that require a Signe or a miracle with an affection of Incredulitye as this S. Gabriel himselfe chastized Zaâ—harias Luc. 1.20 because hee asked a signe to bee assured that hee should haue a Sonne himselfe beeing olde and his Wife barren whereas contrarily to those that haue Faithe hee giueth a Signe allbeeit they aske it not as hee did to our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN to chere and to comfort her and by the waye to confirme her more and more in her Faithe From whence I will collect how much it importeth constantly to beleeue the matters of Faithe for to beleeuers our Lord vseth to giue interiourly greater signes of his Truthe Ioan. 15. which hee denyeth to the incredulous Isa 7.9 iuxta 70. according to that of the Prophet Isaâ—as If you beleiue not you shall not vnderstand The third was that the Angell pretended to discouer the fundamentall reason of all that had beene spoken Luc. 1.37 adding that so glorious Worde that to God nothing is impossible which is to say Hee can doe all that hee will can accomplish all that hee promiseth especially those two miraculous things that I haue tolde thee of to witte That the Barren and the Virgin may conceiue bring forth From whence I will collect two other for my spirituall Comfort The first that by the Omnipotencye of God our Lord any Soule whatsoeuer that hath beene long time barren of good Workes how deepe rooted soeuer this Barennesse bee in it may bee altered and become fertile And as barren Elizabeth conceiued Iohn which signifieth Grace so it may conceiue in itselfe the fruites of Grace and of Benediction very gracious and pleasing vnto God And with this Hope I am to cheere and animate myselfe to pretende this happye Fertillitye remembring what is saide by the Prophet Isaias Isa 54.1 Gal. 4.27 and the Apostle S. Paule Reioite thou barren that bearest not breake forth and crye thou that trauailest not for more Children shalt thou haue that wast barren like Sara then shee that was fruitefull like Agar The second is that as our B. LADYE the VIRGIN by Vertue of the Holy Ghoste might conceiue and haue a Sonne which should bee worth a hundred thousand so those which promise and keepe Virginity shall conceiue Spirituall Children which shall bee incomparably more worthe then the Carnall Matt. 19.29 Isa 56.4 our Lord fullfilling vnto them that Promise which hee made them thereof by the Prophet Isaias as was declared in the first Parte and the 20. Meditation The eigth Meditation Of the finall Answere giuen
wherewith he moueth teacheth me to circumcize and cut of all my Superfluities in Pampering Honour Rem 2.28 Colos 2.11 and commodities of the fleshe mortifying my disordinate Vices and Affections to accomplish the Lawe of God yea if neede were therefore to shed my blood for in this manner is the true Spirit obtained Serm. 10. And in this sence saide an holy man as S. Dorotheus reporteth Da sanguinem accipe Spiritum Giue blood and thou shalt receiue Spirit for the perfection of the Spirit is not obtained but with the coste of blood mortifying and circumcizing all the affections of fleshe blood Besides this I am willingly to suffer others to circumcize me and to ayde mee to take away these superfluities whither they doe it with a good intention or with an euill intention to to doe me disgrace suffering them with Patience to circumcize and cut of from me some of my Delicacye my Honour and Commoditye although it be with the shedding of my blood for as S. Heb. 12.1 Paul saide It maketh not much who fighteth against sinne when he commeth not to resist it vnto blood as our Sauiour Christ did Vnto whome I am to say Exo. 4.25 Sponsus sanguinis tu mihi es My beloued thou art to me a Spouse of blood for for thy sake I will suffer with a good will any Circumcision or mortification that may happen though it be to the shedding of my blood for thee To this ende it will helpe me to consider that our Sauiour Christ shed his precious blood in three places and by the handes of three sortes of persons First in Circumcision by the minister of God that did it to a holy ende Secondly in the Garden by himselfe with the consideration of the Afflictions of his Passion which made him to sweate blood Thirdly in the house of Pilate and on mount Caluary by the hande of the Tormentors and ministers of Sathan And all this that I may perswade myselfe that I am likewise to be prepared to shed my blood and to suffer in these three sortes First subjecting myselfe to what the ministers of God shall ordaine although it be to the cutting of and circumcizing what I most loue Secondly I being the Tormentor of myselfe mouing myselfe with such Consideration to workes of Penance and mortification chastizing my fleshe and depriuing myselfe of whatsoeuer hindereth me in the Seruice of God though it greiueth me neuer so much Thirdly suffering those Dolours and Afflictions which happen vnto me by the handes of my enemies though they doe it with a damnable intent O good IESVS Colloquiâ— by that blood which thou shedst vpon these three occasions I beseeche thee encourage my hearte that if neede be it may offer itselfe to shed it blood vpon the like occasions And seeing it hath so much to circumcize which selfe Loue detaineth it from doing circumcize it o Lord by thy owne hande and lay a plot that others may circumcize it that there may remaine in it no superfluous thing that may be displeasing to thy diuine maiestie Of this shedding of blood which happened in the Circumcision there may be made another very deuoute meditation in that forme that shall be set downe in the fourth parte concerning the blood that our Sauiour Christ shed in his passion The XXI Meditation Luc. 2.21 D. Th. 3. p. q. 37. ar 2 Of Imposing vpon our Sauiour the name of IESVS The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider who Imposeth this name vpon the Childe and for what cause and how he accepteth it Pondering how the principall giuer of this name was not the VIRgin nor S. Ioseph nor the Angell but the eternall Father for the excellencye of this Childe is so greate that no Creature neither of Earthe nor of Heauen was able of himselfe to giue him a name befitting him but only his eternall Father who knewe him and knewe the ende wherefore he was Incarnate and what office he was to execute as he was man And for this cause among many names that he might haue giuen him he would haue him called IESVS which is to say a Sauiour For his comming into the Worlde was principally to saue vs and this was his Office And albeit others had this name yet they were but figures and shadowes of this Soueraigne Childe who with full mouthe and thorough his excellencye deserueth to be called IESVS Sauiour and Deliuerer not only of bodyes but also of Soules which he doeth with three admirable excellencyes First for that he deliuereth vs from all kinde of euills of Ignorances and Errours of Sinnes and of Punishments aswell temporall as eternall So that there is no euill so greate from the which this Sauiour is not able to deliuer vs. Secondly for that he not only deliuereth vs from euill but also graunteth vs most excellent good that our Healthe and Saluation might be most abundant and perfect and therefore hee communicateth vnto vs celestiall grace and Wisdome the Vertues and Giftes of the holy Ghoste with abundance of merits to gaine the crowne of glorye vntill we enter euen into the lande of promise not as IESVS the Sonne of Nun Deut. 31.7.20 into the lande that floweth with the milke and honye of temporall Delicacies which recreate the bodye but into the Lande that floweth the milke and honye of eternall Delicacyes which recreate and fill the Soule without ende The third excellencye is in the manner of sauing vs by reason of which this name of IESVS could not agtee with him that was only God nor only man nor to any of all the Angells that are created but only to Christe whose properly it is by reason of his being true God and true man for being man alone he could not saue vs being God alone he might haue saued vs meerely by his mercye but as God and man he saueth vs also with the rigour of Iustice gaining by the Speares pointe and by his owne merits the Saluation signified by his name Isa 63.1 And therefore this our Lord being asked who he was aunswered Ego qui loquor Iustitiam qui propugnator sum adisaluandum I that speake Iustice and am a defendor to saue O most sweete IESVS Colloquie happy may be vnto thee this name so glorious which is giuen thee this daye I reioice that it is not an emptye name nor a name of Shadowe as others haue had it but a name full of truthe and of all perfection Reioice o my Soule with the excellencies of this so soueraigne a Sauiour and say with the Prophet I will ioye in our Lord Abac. 3.18 and will reioice in God my IESVS and my Sauiour for he is my fortitude he will giue me feete like a Stagge to runne away from Sinne and as a Conquerour he will exalt me aboue the Heauens with his Saintas with whome I may praise him with Hymnes and with Psalmes worlde without ende Amen I may likewise ponder how our
with more perfection by flying in secret for to this purpose the night is more proper Fourthly I will ponder with what Ioye and Content they trauelled albeit their iourney was troublesome and tedious and deuoide of temporall Commodities which yet they felt not much thorough the greatenesse of their interiour alacritye which relyed vpon two thinges First in that it was the will of our Lord God which they helde for their greatest consolation Secondly in that they carried with them IESVS whose Companye was sufficient to comfort them in any solitarinesse or abandoning whatsoeuer without diuerting themselues to regard or to procure any other refreshing which Trauellers vse to seeke after O omnipotent God Colloquie that gauest to these thy beloued Sainctes such Obedience by their merites I beseeche thee to assist me that I may obey thee with subiection of my iudgement with promptnesse of Will with readinesse in execution and with alacritye of Hearte only to fullfill thy VVill relying vpon thy prouidence that it will haue a care of me if in this manner I obey thee The fifth Pointe FIfthly I am to consider how they remained in Egipt vntill the Deathe of the Tyrant Herod which was fiue or seuen yeares pondering the speciall things that hapned in this time As first the greate Pouertye wherein they liued sustaining themselues with the Labour of their Handes in a poore house among a straunge and barbarous People and yet bearing all this very ioifully for the two causes aforesaide From whence proceeded the greate Quietnesse that they there had in such sorte that they neither desired the Deathe of Herod nor were afflicted with the delaye of their retourne but remitted all to Gods prouidence Being also so zealous as they were of the glorye of God they liued there in continuall dolour for the Idolatrye and perdition of that nation so that of eache of them might be sayed 2 Pet. 2.8 as S. Peter saied of Lot when he was in Sodome that in sight and hearing he was iust dwelling with them who from day to day vexed the iust Soule with vniust workes So it is likely that the sacred VIRGIN S. Ioseph were vexed in Spirit for the Sinnes of that People yet alwaies in the middest of them they preserued their puritye Sanctitye shining like Lightes of Heauen in the middest of that wicked nation And it is to be beleeued that the Sanctitye Modestye and celestiall conuersation of our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN and of S. Ioseph mollified the heartes of that barbarous people and caused in them admiration and respect and some by their example were conuerted to God and came to fauour them with almes and with giftes which they being poore accepted for their sustenance O happy he Colloquie that might be present in this banishment to accompanye and serue the Childe and the mother Ayde me o my God with thy Grace that in my Exile I may liue with alacritye conforming myselfe vnto thy will and giuing good example to such as liue with me that many by my meanes may serue thee with perfection Amen The XXVIII Meditation Of the murder of the holy Innocents and of the retourne from Egipt The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider how king Herod fearing least that king whome the Sages had spoken of should depriue him of his kingdome and perceiuing that he was deluded by them Matt. 2.16 he cruelly commaunded to be murdered all the men Children that were in Bethlehem in all the borders thereof from two yeare old and vnder Wherein is first to be considered what an abominable Vice is Ambition and the Desier of raigning and commaunding from whence ensued such horrible mischeifes the cheife of all which was to desier to take away the life of Christ to vsurpe his kingdome and to raigne by himselfe As also how proper it is to Ambitious men to be suspitious and timorous suspecting least others should depriue them of their greatenesse and fearing where there is no neede of feare as the Tyrant Herod was afraide without cause for our Lord Christ came not to take away temporall kingdomes but to giue celestiall Secondly I will ponder the greate greife that our Sauiour Christ had being in Egipt seeing from thence the murder of the holy Innocents for his sake for it is to be beleeued that the sworde which wounded the bodye of eache one of them peirced his Soule with Dolour of Compassion thorough the exceeding loue wherewith he loued them suffering so many martirdomes in his Spirit as they altogither suffered in bodye O most glorious king of Martyrs Colloquie who on this day conquerest in them and sufferest with them haue compassion on my weakenesse and ayde me with thy grace vanquishing in me all whatsoeuer is contrary vnto thee Thirdly I will ponder the greate spirituall good which accrewed vnto these Children by the temporall Deathe which they suffered being assured thereby of their eternall saluation and therefore that was a louing prouidence which Christ vsed towardes them albeit with the coste of the life of their bodye which is of lesse worth then that of the Soule And for this reason our Sauiour Christ rejoiced at the glorious Deathe of his martyrs by the which they became partakers of so glorious and eternall a life Iob 9.23 that being fullfilled heere which holy Iob sayeth of God that he laugheth at the paines of the innocent because be is recreated with the good that commeth vnto them thereby I would Colloquie o my God that I might suffer for thy sake that my paines might be thy Laughter and mirthe catching me with deathe like these Children before malice chaunge my Hearte Sap. 4.11 and Deceite alter my Soule for I rather desier to dye then to liue to offend thee The Second Pointe ANd when Herod was deade Matt. 2.19 beholde an Angell of our Lord appeared in sleepe to Ioseph in Egipt saying Arize and take the Childe and his mother and goe into the lande of Israel for they are deade that sought the life of the Childe Heere is first to be considered how Herod seeking to take away the life of Christ dâ—ed without compassing his intent and dyed a disastrous deathe both of bodye and Soule for the Iustice of God though it dissembleth for a time chastizeth in the ende and though the punishment of the wicked be deferred yet it commeth at last and when men least thinke then Deathe seazeth vpon them when as they pay for all their wickednesse togither what proffit had Herod by his Ambition and Crueltye and extreame care to preserue his kingdome for he lost all in one day and with all lost his Soule bewailing this remedilesse losse as the rest of the Damned doe bewaile it who say What hath our Pride auailed vs Sap. 5.8 and the boasting of our Riches what hath it profited vs all is passed like a Shadowe and now in our wickednesse we are consumed paying the penaltye that