helpe for Preachers and Masters of perfection The first part of Sinnes and Last things of man with Meanes of praier to purifie the heart from vices The second part of the Mysteries of the Incarnation and Childhoode of IESVS Christ our Lord vntill his Baptisme The third part of the Principall mysteries of his life Diuinitye and Miracles vnto the ende of his preaching The fourth part of all the Mysteries of the Passion The fifth part of the Mysteries of the Resurrection Apparitions AsceÌ„sion till the comming of the holie Ghost publishing of the Gospell The sixt part of the Mysteries of the Diuinitye Trinity Perfections of God of the Benefits naturall supernaturall that proceede from him Accordinge to the order of the historie there goe inserted also meditations of all the Life of our LADYE and of some Saincts of whome the Gospell and the booke of the Actes of the Apostles make mention of which and of those that be vpon the Gospells of the Sundayes holie dayes thoroughout the yeare there be Tables in the ende of the whole worke TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL VERTVOVS AND DEVOVTE LADY THE LADY LVYSA DE CARVAIAL THIS child borne in Spaine your natiue soile fertile of such worthie wights Vertuous Imps being clod in English attyre though not in Courtlike fasshion as too too delicate for his graue education religious pretense but in ordinarie sute yet well beseeming his intention in no point disagreeing from his parentage hath ben so bold incouraged by me his foster-father as to present himself Right Vertuouse Madame to your worshipfull seruice not doubting but that at your deuoute hands he shall receaue such intertainment as the place from whence he had his beginning his parents Allies so addicted to your self your noble familie and his owne merites doe worthilie deserue To all which yf I should adde my commendation of him or my diligence such as it is and your self may easilie perceaue in setting him forwards directing him to your presence although it may seeme to manie as to my self it doth that it were in a manner to cast water into the sea yet considering that to so kind noble a hart as yours is and so giuen to pietie and deuotion my good will to pleasure and serue yow in this sort cannot be but acceptable I doe in the best wise that I am able commend vnto your worshipfull custodie and protection this gracious infant to be cherished of yow as he is worthie And so desiring Madame to be remembred in your best deuotions I wish yow all heartie contentment in him that is our true contentment Yours Madame in Christ IESVS to commaund RICH. GIBBONS THE SECOND PART OF MEDITATIONS APPERtaining to the Illuminatiue waye vpon the Mysteries of the Incarnation and Childehood of our Lord and Sauiour Christ IESVS vntill his Baptisme VVith these are inserted Meditations of the life of our blessed LADIE vntill the same time THE INTRODVCTION Of the perfect Imitation of our Sauiour Christ which is the ende of these Meditations THE Meditations pertaining to the Illuminatiue waye whereof in this second parte wee begin to intreate haue for their subiect the Mysteries of the life of our Sauiour Christe from the time of his Incarnation vntill his Deathe vpon the Crosse The which as it appeareth by what hath beene saide in the Introduction of this booke in the fourthe Paragraphe are diuided into three partes Some of his Incarnation and Childhood Othersome of his Preaching and Others of his Passion and Deathe after the which ensueth the Glorified life which pertaineth to the Vnitiue waye albeit vnto this also are much accordant the mysteries of the Passion wherein our Sauiour Christe discouered the finenesse of his loue as hereafter shall bee declared All these mysteries the diuine wisdome ordained to the ende that with a pleasing variety they might bee the spirituall sustentation of those soules that trauaile to perfection into the which soules this soueraigne King entereth in the wineseller of his precious wines Cant. 2.4 And from these mysteries as from celestial vessells hee draweth the feruorous wine of Loue and of other most ardent affections wherewith hee cheareth sustaineth and maketh them drunken ordering Charity in them with that order wherwith our Lord himselfe exercised his actes vnto the which hee inuiteth and exhortâ—h vs saying I came into my garden Cant. 5.1 I reaped my myrrhe with myne aromaticall spices I eate my honycombe with my honye I dranke my wine with my milke eate o friendes and drinke and bee inebriated my beloued Which is to say By my Incarnation I came into the Garden of my Churche and in entring into the worlde I cut the Myrrhe of many bitternesses and mortifications that I suffered in my Infancye with the Aromaticall spices of most odoriferous vertues I preached my doctrine and practized it with as much pleasure as hee that eateth the hony-combe with his hony I became so drunken with the wine of my loue that I remained naked and deade vpon a Crosse beeing as much pleased with drinking the chalice of my Passion as hee is that drinketh wine with his milke Therefore ô my frindes my beloued prepare the garden of your soules for in them I desire to woorke other three like effectes you yourselues also working them thorough my grace to imitate my lyfe First of all Cut Myrrhe and the Aromaticall Spices of Vertues that may mortifye your Passions and preserue you from the Corruption of your Sinnes imitating herein my Puritye Then eate my hony-combe with his honye meditating vpon the excellent Doctrine that I preached figured by the Waxe of the hony-combe that giueth light But you are not to eate it alone but with the imitation of the Heroicall Vertues included therein figured by the honye that nourisheth with it sweetenesse And finally drinke and bee drunke with the Wine of my perfect Loue mingled with the milke that I will giue you of my diuine Consolations with the which you shall so easily renounce the Affections of all earthly things that you shall if neede bee remaine naked vpon another Crosse to imitate my nakednesse and to loue mee as I loued you These are the three principall Exercices of Charitye well ordered in her three Estates of Beginning Augmentation and Perfection And these same in that forme and degree prescribed are the principall endes wherevnto are ordained the Meditations of the Childhood Preaching and Passion of our Sauiour Christe whereof the three partes that followe doe entreate Among the which those of this second parte which are of his Childhood haue this Excellencye that thei moue vs to loue him with more tendernesse and to imitate him with more sweetenesse for that as in making himselfe a Childe for vs hee accomodated himselfe as the Prophet Isaâ—as saieth to eate the Isai 7.15 foode proper to Children which is milke and Honye so also to those that meditate the mysteries of his Infancye specially to
sup distinct 4. Lib. de spiritu anima c. 9. by Gods grace to mortifye very well the fiue corporall Senses that God may open vnto vs the spirituall for as S. Gregory saieth yf the exteriour Sense be shut forth with the Interiour Sense is open And contrarily as S. Augustine saieth the Interiour Sense sleepeth if the Exteriour be giuen ouer to his Pleasures Besides this wee may vse another meanes more easye to applye the Interiour Senses of our Soule vpon the mysteries of our holy Faithe the practize whereof shall bee seene in the second parte in the twentie-sixth meditation with the which let vs so dispose ourselues that our Lord if it bee his good pleasure may communicate vnto vs that parte which shall bee conuenient for vs of what hath beene saide Of the ordinarie and extraordinarie time that is to bee imployed in Mentall Praier and of jaculatorie Praiers §. 12. THE time that is to bee spent in mentall Praier is of two sortes the one ordinarye for euery daye so long as Life and Health shall endure the other extraordinarye recollecting ourselues at certaine times for the space of a weeke or two o◠more spending them all in these meditations and exercises which may bee donne for diuerse endes and vpon diuerse Occasions 1. First when one is heauy loden with Sinnes and desireth to make a true Confession and perfect Conuersion it is an admirable meanes to with drawe a mans selfe for some eight dayes or more to some retired place spending all that time in thinking vpon his Sinnes and in meditations that may mooue to sorrow for them and to make a very perfect chaunge of Life 2. Secondly when any one desireth to learne this mysticall Science of the Spirit to knowe how to pray mentally and to conuerse with God and to gaine heerein some vse and experience It is good to dedicate a moneth or two to this exercise vntill hee prooue well Industriated For albeit that the principall master of this Science is God yet it is also a helpe to haue a visible Tutour that may direct him and to take time to learne and practise what hee shall teache 3. The third occasion is when one desires to take some Estate of Life and doubteth which were fittest for him to take for his Saluation perfection or when hee desireth to begin any greate enterprise in the seruice of God and standes in doubt of our Lordes will Pleasure or if he be assured thereof desireth to enter with good footing and to prepare himselfe with Praier negotiating Gods fauour to haue good successe therein In such cases it is very conuenient to take some time of retirednesse Math. 4.2 as Christe our Lord before hee began to preache retired himselfe fortye dayes in the desert 4. The fourth occasion is when those that vse this mentall Praier perceiue themselues key colde distracted and drye therein and withall finde themselues very slacke in matters of Diuine seruice In these cases the most effectuall meanes to renewe themselues and to reenter into feruour is to dedicate eight dayes to these meditations spending therein the greatest parte of the day and because this slackenesse ordinariely entreth by litle and litte into all it is good once euery yeare to recollect a mans selfe some eight dayes to this ende Finally allbeeit a man finde no slackenesse yet it is good now and then to giue himselfe a sacietie and fullnesse of God to increase in his Loue and to excell the more in his seruice as many Sainctes were accustomed to doe who by this meanes attained to very high degrees of Sanctitye As for the Ordinary time there can no generall rule bee giuen for all for this time must bee measured with the healthe habilitie with the State and Office and with the necessary Obligations Occupations of euery man But all this considered the more time that may bee imployed in this exercise without beeing wanting to the things aboue-saide the better it is Ordinarily it were meete for a man to retire himselfe an houre in the morning or night seeing not without cause our Sauiour Christe spent an houre in that retired praier which hee made in the Garden of Gethsemani as wee may collect out of the reprehēsion hee gaue S. Matth. 26.40 Peter saying Could you not vvatche one houre vvith mee But hee that by reason of his businesses cannot bee an hower let him bee halfe an hower and if hee cannot halfe an hower yet let him imploy if hee please but a quarter of an hower in that mentall Praier which wee call Examination of the conscience In the tvventie eight meditation of this first part in that manner that wee shall hereafter prescribe and let him giue some more time to prayer vpon holy Dayes for they were instituted to bee consecrated to God Concerning this ordinary time wee must bee very considerate that after a man hath set downe his time that hee intendeth to imploye euery day in Praier bee it for the rule of his Estate as some Religious doe or by speciall Deuotion or Direction of his ghostly Fathers hee must bee very constant in spending that whole time intirely in his holy exercise without letting slippe one onely daye or loosing one onely Credo time of the hower for the Diuell with greate solicitude inuenteth a thousand occasions sometimes of corporall excuses and sometimes of Cares and Businesse vnder the title of Pietie to make vs to interrupt our Praier for omitting it one daye through Slothe or through any other wrested ende a man comes to omitte it afterwardes another and another daye Lib. 1. de orando Deo and at length to omitte it altogither VVhereupon S. Chrysostome saieth That a just man should holde it for a thing more sorrowfull then Deathe it selfe to bee depriued of Praier imitating heerein the holy Prophet Daniel Daniel 6.10 who was accustomed to pray three times a Day and albeeit the king of Persia commaunded that no man vpon paine of his life should pray to God in thirty dayes yet hee would not omitte his accustomed Praier Ne tantillum quidem temporis sustinuit ab orando cessare He did not so much as for a very litle time cease to praye for hee vnderstood that his spirituall life depended vpon Praier and for feare of the deathe of the Bodye hee would not indanger the life of his Soule which saith Chrysostome is as deade when it wanteth Praier as the Bodye is deade when it is abandoned by the Soule And as Daniel although by occasion of Praying liee put himselfe in daunger of Deathe for hee was cast into the Lyons den yet in effect hee died not for God deliuered him from that Daunger shutting the Mouthes of the Lyons because hee opened his mouthe to praye So also wee may beleeue that for accomplishing the taske of our Praier wee shall loose neither life nor healthe nor content nor the good dispatche of other businesses nay rather by the
will consider the extreamest that may bee truely saide of Sinne which is that though the euills of paine onely which are suffered in Hell are so terrible yet it is Incomparably a greater euill then all they In such sort that if one man should suffer the paines of Hell without Sinne and another should haue but one mortall Sinne onely this last should bee more euill and miserable then the other And if all the paines of Hell deuoyde of Sinne were put on one side on the other side one mortall Sinne onely and that I must of necessity choose one of these two I saith S. Lib. de similitudinibus c. 190. Bern. sermo 35. in Cant. Anselme would choose rather to throwe myselfe into Hell then to committe onely one mortall Sinne. And with holy Eleazar I would say Praemitti velle in infernum That I would rather enter into Hell itselfe without Sinne then remaine with Sinne in the VVorlde for the Deathe of Sinne saieth the VViseman is most wicked and the worst that may be Eccle. 28 25. Colloquie Et vtilis potius Inferus quam illa The graue yea Hell itselfe as touching paine is more profitable then it O Infinite God settle this Truthe in my Hearte that I may feare Sinne much more then Hell seeing in truthe there is no vvorse hell then to bee in Sinne. O my Soule bevvaile bitterly thy Sinnes not onely for Hell vvhich thou hast deserued but much more for the greate euill thou hast committed against God Cease presently to Sinne that God may not strike thee vvith a cruell chastizement and vvith the stripe of an Enemye Ier. 30.14 permitting thee to vvaxe obdurate in thy Sinnes to chastise thee vvith neuer ending paines Concerning this last Ponderation it is to bee considered that it is not set downe because it is needefull to make this Comparison For Hell is neuer without Sinne neither can there bee any case wherein Hell may bee chosen not to committe a Sinne but onely that heereby wee may see how greate an euill Sinne is and how worthy it is to bee much more extreemely abhorred then Hell yea allbeeit there were no Hell at all VVhereupon S. Ambrose saithe Lib. 3. de offic c. 4. 5. That there is no paine more greiuous then the VVounde of Conscience nor no Iudgement more rigorous then the Domesticall where with euery one iudgeth himselfe guilty And though the Iust man saieth hee had Giges ring with the which hee might doe what hee would Inuisible yet would hee not Sinne for hee departeth not from Sinne for feare of Punishment but for the horrour of VVickednesse and Loue of Vertue That which in this meditation hath beene declared in generall shall more manifestly bee seene by that which shall bee declared particularly in the ensuing of the Last things of man and in the speciall Punishments that corresponde to the seuen deadely Sinnes Meditations of our last things to mooue vs to a Detestation of Sinnes THE meditations of the last things of man which are Deathe and the Graue Iudgement particular and Vniuersall Hell Purgatorie and Glorye are of most efficacye to moue vs to a Detestation of our Sinnes and to an effectuall Resolution neuer more to retourne vnto them Heereupon saide the Ecclesiasticus Eccles 7.40 Deut. 32 29. In all thy vvorkes remember thy last ends and thou shallt not Sinne foreuer And for the same reason saide Moyses to his People O that they vvere vvise and vnderstood and vvould prouide for their Last thinges giuing to vnderstand That our true VVisdome Vnderstanding and Prouidence consisteth in well meditating and ruminating those things which are to happen to vs in the ende of ouâ— Life and to bee prouided therefore And especially the meditation of Deathe as Experience teacheth vs is very proffitable for all those that walke in any of the three wayes Purgatiue Illuminatiue and Vnitiue wherein all men ought often to exercize themselues though with different endes The Principiants to purge themselues of their Sinnes before Deathe assaile them and take them vnprouided The Proficients to make hast to store vp Vertues seeing the Time of meriting is very short and Deathe cuts it of on a sodaine The Perfect to despise all things created with a Desire to vnite themselues by Loue with their Creator And therefore wee will pointe out Considerations that may proffit all but most especially those that aide to the ende of the Purgatine Life whereof at this time wee entreate The seuenth Meditation of the Properties of Deathe IN this meditation wee will consider some Properties of Deathe and what endes our Lorde pretended in them for our Proffit reducing them to three which are the most Principall The first Pointe THe first Propertye of Deathe is to bee most Certaine Ad Heb. 9.27 from the which none can escape in the time that God hath determined 1. VVherein wee are to ponder first That God our Lord from all eternitye hath determined the yeares of our Life Psal 38.6 and assigned the moneth the Day and Hower wherein euery one is to dye so that it is Impossible sayeth Iob to passe one minute thereof Iob. 14.5 neither is there any King nor Monarke that can adde to himselfe nor to any other one moment of Life aboue that which God hath determined So that as I entred into the VVorlde the same Daye that God would and not before so shall I departe out of the VVorlde the same Daye that God will and not afterwardes That by this I may Vnderstand that what daye soeuer I liue I receiue it of Grace and that those I haue liued haue beene of grace for our Lord might haue assigned mee a shorter time of Life as hee assigned to others that died in their Mothers wombe or in their Infancye And seeing my Life so dependeth vpon God there is just cause why I should spend all the time thereof in his Seruice that gaue it mee holding it for a greate Ingratitude to employe one onely moment to offend him 2. Secondly I am to consider that God our Lord in this his Decree shortned or inlarged the dayes that some men according to their naturall Complezion might haue liued for the secret endes of his soueraigne Prouidence For to some either for their owne praiers or for the praiers of other Sainctes hee inlarged the dayes of their Life as to king Ezechias hee added fifteene yeares 4. Reg. 20.6 because with Teares hee required it And the like hath succeeded to the Deade who miraculously haue beene raized to Life To some others hee shortneth the dayes of their life for one of two endes either for their Saluation Sap. 4.11 cutting them off as the VViseman saithe in their youth lest Malice should chaunge their vnderstanding or lest fiction might deceiue their Soule Or contrarily to punish their grieuous Sinnes and to stop their passages that they might not make an addition of greater Psal 54.24 VVhereupon Dauid fayed
Ecclesiasticus is very bitter to him that hath peace with Riches Eccles 41 1. and Dignities and is desirous to liue to enjoy them longer and the Sinnes hee committed in procuring and in abusing them shall augment this bitternesse Gods Iustice so ordaining it that those things which in their life were the Instruments of their vicious Delightes should in their Deathe bee their Executioners and Tormentours Then shall bee fullfilled that which is written in Iob of a Sinner His breade in his belly Iob. 20.14 which hee did eate with much Sauour suallbee turned into the gall of Aspes vvithin him the riches that hee hath deuoured he shall vomite out and God shall dravv them forth out of his belly He shall suck the Heade of the Aspes and the Vipers Tongue shall kill him that is to say his Delightes shall bee turned into Gall his Riches shall make him disgorge but hee shall neither haue Courage to dispose of them nor to leaue them vntill Deathe take them away by force the Serpents and Vipers of Hell tormenting him for hauing gotten and possessed them with Sinne. Secondly in that hower I must forcibly departe from my Parents and Brethren friends and Acquaintance and from all those that I loue whither it bee with a naturall Loue or with a Lawfull or vnlawfull Loue. D. Greg. 1. moral 13. And as wee leaue not without griefe what wee possessed with Loue and by how much the greater the Loue is wherewith it is possessed so much the greater griefe is felt in abandoning it exceeding greate will the Sorrowe bee that I shall feele to departe from so many persons and things that are so fastned to my Hearte And in these Anguishes I shall say with that other king Siccine separat amara mors Doth bitter Deathe thus separate 1. Reg 15 32. Is it possible that I should leaue those whome I so loue And shall I neuer more see them nor enjoy them O cruell Deathe how much doest thou exasperate my Hearte depriuing mee with such Sorowe of what I possessed with such Ioye 3. Lastly in that hower my Soule is to departe from my Bodye with whome it hath helde so strict and auncient Amitye and consequently it is to departe from this VVorlde and from all things therein contained without hope for euer againe to see heare taste or touche them And if the Loue I beare to my Bodye to my Life and to the other things of this visible worlde bee a disordinate Loue of force I must needes feele exceeding greate griefe to departe from them which I may easily make experience of by that sensible feeling I haue when they take from mee my VVealthe my Honour and Fame or exile mee from my Countrey and force mee to liue from my friendes like a Pilgrim among Strangers or cut of some member of my Bodye For all this together in a troope succeedeth in Deathe after another and a more painefull manner which is without hope euer to retourne againe to possesse it in this Life In euery one of these three Considerations pondering a while what is to bee noted I will enter into myselfe examine whither I carry a disordinate Loue to any of these things repeated which if I finde that I doe I will endeuour to vnroote it with the force of this consideration and with the exercize of Mortification for this is to dye in life and with proffit taking as it were by the hande Deathe Sap. 3.1 so not to feele Deathe as Religious men doe that abandon all things for Christe our Lorde whome I am to beseeche to ayde mee herein saying vnto him Colloquie O eternall God in vvhose hande the Soules of the Iust are and vnder vvhose Protection the Torment of Deathe doth not touche them take from my Soule the disordinate Loue of all visible things that in departing from them it may haue no feeling of Torment O my Soule if thou desirest that these three bitternesses of Deathe should not touche thee Loue not those things that Deathe can take from thee for if thou possesst them not vvith Loue thou shalt leaue them in Deathe vvithout Dolour or griefe I am likewise to ponder in these considerations how greate a madnesse it is to offend God and to indanger my eternall Saluation for things that I am so soone to abandon resoluing valourously with myselfe presently to auoyde any person or thing whatsoeuer that may expose mee to this perill dying to it rather then for its cause to dye to God and separating it from mee rather then it should separate mee from God Matt. 10 34. Luc. 12.51 Colloquie Seeing for this saide our Sauiour Christe that hee came to sende the sworde and Diuision vpon Earthe separating from men all Persons and Things that might hinder their Saluation O svveete Redeemer put forthvvith into my hande the svvorde of Mortification that I may separate from mee vvhatsoeuer might separate mee from thee dying to all that is created to liue to thee my Creator vvorlde vvithout ende Amen The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the greate Affliction and Anguishe that the feare of the Account I am to make with God and of the rigorous Iudgement whereinto I am to enter will cause mee at that hower as also that I know not the Sentence that shall bee pronounced in the businesse of my Saluation VVherein I am to ponder the dreadefullnesse of this feare for three causes First for that the euill that is feared is the Supreme of all euills yea it is an eternall euill and remedilesse and I am now at the gates thereof Secondly for that the Sentence which is to bee giuen is definitiue and irreuocable and at the Instant is to bee executed without resistance Thirdly for that the cause on my side is very doubtfull because the Sinne that I committed is apparent to mee but not the true Penance that I did and my Conscience accuseth mee to haue offended the Iudge but I knowe not whither I haue appeased him Eccl. 9.1 1. Cor. 4.3 For no man knovveth vvhither hee bee vvorthy of Hatzed or Loue and though I finde no Sinnes in myselfe yet it may bee that God will finde them For all these Causes the feare will at that time bee most terrible For if those that haue a Sute in any waighty businesse wherein all their VVealthe their Honour or Life is Interessed haue very greate feare the day that they expect the Sentence how much greater feare shall I haue when I am neete the day wherein the diffinitiue Sentence is to bee giuen of my Saluation or Damnation And if the greatest Saintes are then afraide how much more shall I feare that am a miserable Sinner This Anguish and Feare vseth to bee augmented by the craft Apoc. c. 12.12 and Subtletye of the Diuell who in that hower tempteth most furiously because hee seeth hee hath but a litle time remaining and therefore hee stirreth vp greately all that may prouoke to
innumerable sinnes wee commite against him The first is payed with thankes giuing the second with dolour And it is reason that in the ende of euery daye wee should paye them both beginning with the first debt aswell because it disposeth to pay well the second as also because as sainct Basile saieth when wee goe to prayer De constitutionibus Monasti cis c. 2. wee are not all waies to enter begging by and by for our owne proffit for therein it seemeth wee giue to vnderstand that wee seeke therein principally our own interest but sometimes wee must begin with the praises of God giuing him thankes for the fauours hee hath donne vs for hereby wee giue to vnderstand that wee principally seeke the glorie of God and that wee esteeme it more then all other things 2.2 q. 83. art 17. The same thankesgiuing also will serue vs as S. Thomas saithe for a pretext to obtaine our petitions for God willingly giueth vs what wee aske him when hee seeth that wee are thankefull vnto him for what hee hath giuen vs. 3 Besides this because I am to stirre vp the stinking sinke of my sinnes least they should cause mee such despaire Serm. 11 iu cātic cap. 48.9 and heauinesse as should swallowe and consume mee it is good as S. Bernard saith to preuent mee with the remembrance of Gods benefits praising him for them taking as Isaias saieth this bridle of praise which hee putteth in my mouthe that I bee not throwne downe headlong and perish And all beeit it is truthe as S. In speculo disciplinae p. 2. cap. 6. Bonauenture saithe that it is not allwaies necessarie to obserue this order in the beginning of praier Yet in this present exercize it comes much to the purpose for the reasons declared The first Point THe first pointe shall bee breifely to call to memorie the benefits I haue receiued of our Lorde as well generall as speciall and particularlie those that this very day hee hath donne mee giuing him very hearty thankes for them all acknowleding how greate they are aswell for the greatenesse of him that bestoweth them with so greate loue as for the basenesse of him that receiueth them without meriting them And reckoning them one by one I may say I geue thee thankes o my God for that thou createdst mee of nothing and hast vnto this day preserued my life I thanke thee for that thou redeeme dist mee with thy precious blood and madest mee a christian and a member of thy chruche blessed bee thou for that thou hast this present day fed mee and clothed mee and deliuered mee from greate perills of bodye and soule and giuen mee many good inspirations ayding mee to fullfill some workes of obligation c. All the good that is in mee is thine and to thee belongeth the glorie thereof and for it all the thankes that I can I render vnto thee with the whole affection of my Hearte And I beseech the Quires of angells and all the blessed spirits to praise thee for mee and to giue thee thankes for the fauours thou hast donne mee Of this pointe wee shall speake largely in the sixt parte The second Pointe THe second pointe shall bee to aske of our Lord with greate instancie light to knowe my sinnes and grace to bee contrite for them alledging vnto him thee respectes of my greate necessitie and miserie in this behalfe The first is the greate forgetfullnesse of my memory The second the greate blindenesse of my vnderstanding The third the greate coldnesse of my will From whence it proceedeth that the diuell holdes mee strongly tied with a threefolde corde of my sinnes which hardely I can breake because some sinnes I forget with the same facillitie that I committe them others thorough ignoraunce I knowe not and those which I doe knowe thorough my greate coldnesse I deplore not as I ought Therefore o my God with thy inspiration remedie my forgetfullnesse with thy light illuminate my darkenesse and with thy fier of loue chaze away my coldenesse that I may knowe my sinnes and in such manner bewaile them that I may obtaine pardon of them The third Pointe THis petition beeing made I will lift my heart to God beholding him as a iudge that is to iudge mee with greate rigour Sophon 1.12 searching as Sophonias saith the corners of Hierusalem which is my soule and the faculties thereof with candels discouering al the finnes that are therein bee they neuer so small examining as Dauid saithe not onely my vnrighteousnesse Psalm 74 3. but also my righteousnesse good workes with the which euil circumstances vse to bee mixed VVith this consideration full of a holy feare in the presence of God I will begin to examine all the sinnes which in that daye I haue committed by thought worde and deede and by omission or negligence and I will very attentiuely endeuour to finde out Psalm 18.13 whither I haue any of those which Dauid calleth hidden sinnes hauing committed them thorough ignoraunce or culpable inconsideratenesse or by the illusion and deceite of the deuill holding them for workes of vertue as if I should holde for zeale that which is Anger For this examination that will helpe much that hath beene saide in the first points of the meditations vpon the 7. deadely sinnes and vpon the commaundements senses faculties of the soule for therein all that may bee matter for a very often and diligent examination is set downe The manner of making this examination shall bee diuiding the daye into partes and considering what I did in the two first howers of the daye then in the other two separating the precious from the vile and if I finde any good I will with thankes attribute it to God and the euill I will attribute to my corrupted libertye and of all togither with a very deepe shame and confession I will make an humble confession before God fullfilling that of Dauid I haue saide Psalm 31.5 I wil confesse to our Lord my vnrighteousnes against miselfe that is to say I haue determined to confesse my sinnes before God not to excuse but to accuse myselfe not lightening but aggrauating my sinnes and pondering much the iniustice I did against God in committing them for this is the daye to obtaine pardon of them The fourth Pointe THe fourth Pointe shall bee to procure so greate a dolour for my sinnes that it may come to bee cōtrition sorowing for them principally for beeing offenses against God my summum Bonum whome I desire to loue and doe loue aboue all things for with this so perfect dolour sinnes are remitted hauing a purpose in fit time to confesse them as it happened to Dauid himselfe who in saying Psalm 31.5 I will confesse my vnrighteousnesse against myselfe hee presently addeth And thou didst pardon the impiety of my sinne 2. Reg. 12.27 And hardely had hee before Nathan the Prophet pronounced this word I haue sinned against our Lord when
holy Cogitations her Vnderstanding of greate Illuminations of God her Will of feruent Actes and Affections of Loue and zeale with inward and hearty desires of the Glory of God of the comming of the Messias and of the Redemption of the Worlde And this fullnesse shee actually had when the Angell entred to salute her for shee was busied in the Contemplation of these mysteries which was in a manner her continuall Occupation Besides this shee was full of Grace in her Workes for they were all workes full entire and massiue with that fullnesse that they might haue of pure Intention feruour Loue So that God could not say vnto her as hee saide to that other Bishop Apoc. 3.2 I finde not thy VVorkes full in my presence Then will I ponder the Greatenesse of this plenitude for many Vessells are full of precious liquor but the greater containeth the greater quantitye So many Sainctes were full of Grace but the blessed VIRGIN as sayeth S. Thomas aboue all 3. p. q. 27 art 5. for shee was a much greater Vessell her fullnesse was conformable to the Dignitye of the mother of God which farre exceedeth the Dignityes and offices of the other Sainctes and shee euery day with the vse of Graces amplifyed the Vessell and made it capable of other greater O most sacred VIRGIN who is able to recount the fullnesse of Grace that thou hast aboue all the Sainctes that were filled therewith Colloquie They were like Riuers but thou according to thy name art full like the Sea It gladdeth me that for excellencye S. Gabriel calleth thee the full of Grace it seeming vnto him that there was no other that had the like fullnesse and that he and his Companions in comparison of thee might call themselues emptye I thanke thee most blessed TRINITYE for the fullnesse of Grace Ecol 1.7 that thou gauest to this Soueraigne VIRGIN by whose merits I beseeche thee to giue mee some parte thereof that the Vessell of my Soule though but a litle one may bee filled according to the capacitye thereof O Mother of mercye and Immense Sea of Grace seeing the Riuers issue out of the Sea whereinto they entred let there issue from thee some Riuer of Graces to fill the vacant places of my Soule that my VVorkes may bee full perfect before God Amen DOMINVS TECVM In this third Worde the Angell mounteth to the Heigth of the Salutation saying Our Lord is with thee that is he is in thee by excellencye in all those manners that hee may bee in his pure Creatures He is with thee not only by Essence Presence and Power as hee is with all men not only by Grace as hee is with all the Righteous but with eminencye of Grace assisting in thee with speciall Grace and Amitye and with strict familiaritye He is with thee in all thy Faculties vniting them with himselfe He is in thy memorye surprizing it that thou mayest allwayes remember him In thy Vnderstanding illuminating it that thou mayest perpetually knowe him and in thy Will inflaming it that thou mayest euerlastingly loue him He is with thee likewise assisting in all thy Affaires with speciall Prouidence and Protection gouerning thee with his Inspirations and directing thee in all that thou doest He is in thee as in his Heauen in his Temple in his Chamber in his House of Recreation shortly hee will bee in thy Wombe as thy Sonne therefore for excellencye with a full mouthe I say vnto thee Dominus tecum I will also ponder that the Angell sayeth not Our Lord is was or shall bee with thee but our Lord with thee to signifye that hee was is shall bee perpetually with her as if hee should say from thy Creation God was with thee and now is shall bee thoroughout all eternitye Psal 45.6 He shall not departe nor be alienated from thee neither shall there bee in thee any Chaunge that may impaire the Diuine Prouidence O blessed VIRGIN Colloquie I rejoice at the greate good thou hast in hauing with thee God himselfe firmely and constantly enioying his sweete Conuersation Beseeche him that he will be with me thorough Grace possessing me with such Loue that hee neuer departe from mee nor I from him for euer and euer Amen BENEDICTA TV IN MVLIERIBVS With this fourth Worde the Angell concludeth the Salutation saying Blessed art thou among VVomen for thou shallt be freed from the Curse of Barrennesse with out Losse of Virginitye and thou shallt bee free from the Malediction of bringing forth with Dolour because thou shallt not conceiue with Pleasure Thou shhalt be blessed among Women because as a Woman was the beginning of all the Maledictions Ephe. 1.3 that fell vpon men so thou shalt be the beginning of all the caelestiall benedictions that shall light vpon them by the blessed fruite of thy Wombe by whome thou shalt breake the Heade of the Gen. 3.15 Serpent and deliuer them from those Maledictions which his cursed Suggestion heaped vpon them For the which thou shalt be blessed and praised among all Women and both the Angells in Heauen and the men on Earthe shall giue thee a thousand benedictions aswell the Righteous as Sinners for all haue a parte in thy copious benediction And I also thy vnworthy seruaunt doe praise Colloquie blesse and glorify thee and doe reioice that all should praise blesse and glorifye thee and I beseeche thee to make mee partaker of those blessings which thy most sweete Sonne our Heade by thee as by his necke communicated to the Church Deliuer mee o blessed LADYE from the Maledictions of Sinne and Pnnishment whereunto I liue subiect that I may blesse thy Sonne and serue him worlde without ende Amen The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the manner how the blessed VIRGIN receiued this Salutation for hauing hearde it shee was troubled Luc. 1.29 and thought within herselfe what manner of Salutation this might bee In which shee discouered foure excellent Vertues wheerein wee may imitate her to wit Chastitye Humillitye and Prudence with Silence Shee shewed her excellent Chastitye Lib. 2. de Virginib in exhortatiene ad Virgines Yob 31.1 beeing astonished as S. Ambrose saieth at the sodaine veiwe of a man in her Chamber shee being alone for it is the property of a modest circumspect Virgin to bee astonished at any veiwe or worde whatsoeuer of a man As it is likewise the propertye of a chaste man to close vp his Eyes like Iob leaste hee should haue any euil Thought against a Virgin But principally shee shewed her rare Humillitye for that at such time as the Angell entred in forme of a man this B. LADYE was recollected in her Chamber in greate Contemplation of the Greatenesses of God and of the Messias and of her that was to bee his Mother Thorough her profounde Humillitye shee helde a very meane conceite of herselfe And when shee heard so straunge and yet so
Grace to signifye that whereas this Childe by Circumcision was loden with the heauy burthen of the olde Lawe Luc. 16.16 Lex Prophetae vsque ad Ioannem ex eo regnum Dei euangelizatur God gaue him most abundant Grace to beare it and to be after a sorte the beginning of the newe Lawe which was the Lawe of Grace of which some parte fell to his Lot and in which this Grace is graunted vnto all And therefore I will beseeche our Lord that seeing he hath imposed vpon me the burthen of his Lawe he will graunt me abundance of his grace to fullfill it The second miracle was Luc. 1.64 to restore vnto his father Zacharias his specche whome he forthwith filled with the holy Spirit giuing him the spirit of Prophecye wherewith he composed the Canticle of Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel beginning with the praises of God who shewed himselfe so liberall in comming to visite vs and then with the praises of his Fore-runner For it is the propertye of the diuine Spirit to inspire praises of God for his benefits of his Sainctes for the giftes that he hath giuen them But the excellencye of this Childe and the much that God loueth him is most resplendent this being graunted to his Father assoone as he had written in a table the name of Iohn that we may perceiue the grace and fauour that he will doe for his respect to those that with deuotion shall worship his holy name O glorious Childe Colloquie I reioice that thou art so beloued of our Lord and seeing thou according to thy name art so full of Grace obtaine for me of our Lord that I may be replenished therewith that I may perpetually serue him and in thy Companye may enioy him worlde without ende Amen The third that hapned Luc. 1.14.65 was greate Alacritye with greate Reuerence and Admiration in all People to whose knowledge these things arriued fullfilling that which the Angell had saied that many should rejoice in his birth to signifye that God our Lord gaue him to his Church as the Aduocate of spirituall Alacritye which is the effect of Deuotion the pledge of Life euerlasting The last and most glorious is that which the Euangelist sayeth in the beginning of his Life Luc. 1.68 that the hande of our Lord was with him that is that his Omnipotencye fauored him and wrought for him greate things and moued and directed him in all his wayes and protected him in all his necessities for the which the Churche applyeth vnto him that of the holy Prophet Isaias Cap. 49. Our Lord hath called mee from the wombe from the belly of my mother he hath beene mindefull of my name he hath protected me in the shadowe of his hande and hath put me as a chosen arrowe in his quiuer he hath hidden me O happy Arrowe Colloquie that mouedst not by thyne owne impulsion but by the impulsion of the all-mightye O selected arrowe directed by the holy Spirit to greate things neuer leauing thee out of his powerfull hande O hande of the Allmighty that mouedst thy Fore-runner moue me with thy impulsion to fullfill thy holy VVill and be euer assistant vnto mee for thou knowest that without thee I am able to doe nothing The fourtenth Meditation Of what hapned when S. Matt. 1.18 Ioseph would haue forsaken the Virgin seeing her with Childe and of the reuelation made vnto him by the Angel concerning this mysterye The first Pointe FOr the foundation of this Meditation Of the sanctitye of S. Ioseph I am to consider the greate Sanctitye of S. Ioseth and the Vertues and Graces graunted him by our Lord for being the worthye Spouse of his mother and his worthy Foster-father so that he should be helde for his Father Luc. 2.48 and was so indeede as concerning the office of educating and sustaining him For as our Lord filled with grace and with the holy Spirit the Baptist and the Apostles with that abundance that was conuenient to exercize worthily the Offices that he incharged them so also would he replenish S. Ioseph with most excellent giftes and graces with the which he might fullfill those ministeries that he recommended vnto him and he so skillfully negotiated with the giftes receiued that euery daye he encreased them and was therefore called Ioseph Gen. 49.22 which is to say Accrescens Encreasing or he that encreaseth First he encreased his Sanctitye aboue all the Sainctes that had preceded him for he had greater Faithe and Obedience then Abraham more Patience in Afflictions then Iacob more Chastitye then his Sonne Ioseph more familiar Conuersation with God then Moyses more Charitye towardes the People the â—amuel and more Humillitye and Meekenesse then Dauid In these and other Vertues he was resplendent and daily augmented them that being fullfilled in him that was spoken by the Prophet Dauid Blessed is the man whose helpe is from thee Psa 83.6 for with thy fauour hee hath disposed ascensions in his Hearte ascending from one Vertue to another vntill he see the God of Gods in Sion Especially this happy Sainct increased mounting that spirituall Ladder which as we haue saide his Spouse did ascende by whose example he was ayded these two Seraphins prouoking one another to flye with their wings and to glorifye the Holye of Holyes in their Praier Isa 6.3 And to doe this with more libertye of Spirit by Inspiration of the holy Ghost he chose to obserue perpetuall Chastity 1 Cor. 7.35 which as S. Paul sayeth remoueth the impediments of Praier and therein he proceeded so farre that by speciall fauour he felt no euill motion though he conuersed with a Virgin exceeding beautifull but withall so admirably chaste that meerely to beholde her inflamed one with desier of Chastitye And in this very Action he discouered his greate Loue to allmighty God for whose sake he renounced the pleasures of matrimonye accepting the burthen of that estate without the delightes thereof With these Vertues he joyned other whereof wee shall by and by speake in the which I am to endeuour to imitate him beseeching him to be my aduocate vnto his Spouse Christ IESVS our Sauiour for doubtlesse he may preuaile much with them both for the great seruices that he did them O glorious Patriarch Colloquie Gen. 49.26 whose beautye the Hierarchies of Heaueâ— doe admire beseeche the Desired of the eternall Hilles who powred forth vpon thy Heade his copious benediction that he will likewise powre it forth vpon mine that in imitation of thee I may encrease in good workes and augment in Vertues perseuering with Constancye to the gaining of the euerlasting Crowne Amen The Second Pointe AFter that the blessed VIRGIN came from the house of Zacharias her Husband seeing her with Childe and not knowing the cause felt a greate affliction but as he was a just man he would not carrye her to his owne house neither yet would he defame