practize of mentall Praier exercizing Affections Petitions and Colloquies yet no man is to bee tied to those wordes wherein they are deliuered but hee himselfe must inuent them as our Lord shall dictate them vnto him and the light of the Veritie which hee considereth §. 2. Ex D. Bern. ser 45. in cantic and his owne feeling of Deuotion the which as allready hath beene saide is the Tongue of the Soule and whosoeuer hath it knoweth very well how to speake with God and without it is as it were dumbe and then it is good to make vse of those Colloquies heere set downe making them as if they were his owne 3. The third ende of reading these meditations may bee to practize them with others for it belongeth to spirituall masters and Confessors to giue such like pointes of meditation to their Disciples and Penitents industriating them in this manner of Praier when they are capable thereof but they are not to giue all alike to all but to select those meditations Pointes and Considerations that are most accomodated to the estate and capacitye of him that receiueth them And besides this they may also helpe themselues herewithall for their Sermōs or spirituall speeches which are vsed to bee made in common to such as liue in religion or out thereof with desire to obtaine that perfection that is proper to their Estate 4. For all these endes I haue procured that the Meditations should goe founded and accompanyed with places of diuine Scripture which was written for the same endes So that heere are declared in a manner all the foure Euangelistes the greater parte of the Actes of the Apostles the beginning of Genesis and many other places of the olde and Nevve Testament And because many of them may haue diuerse Senses I haue procured to make choise of the most receiued according to the exposition of the Saintes from whome I haue collected these Considerations as also from that which other spirituall men haue experienced to whome our Lord hath communicated these tasts and feelings So that heereupon such as are Louers of Varietie in these exercizes of the Spirit shall finde in this booke diuerse meditations for the seuerall times of Aduent Lent Sundayes and Principall Feastes of the yeare accomodating themselues in euery time to the spirit which therein the Church representeth And because many haue a deuotion to haue meditations distributed for the seuen dayes of the weeke they shall heere also finde Varietie thereof Those which treate of purifying themselues from Vices in the Purgatiue vvay shall finde meditations of the Seuen deadely Sinnes for euery daye its meditation and they themselues may easily recollect others of the seuen principall things that are in this life that is to say Meditation of Sinnes Deathe Iudgement particular Iudgement vniuersall Hell Purgatory and Glorye As also of the seuen notorious Sinners that our Sauiour Christe conuerted namely S. Mathevv S. Mary Magdalen the VVoman of Samaria the vvoman founde in Adulterye Zacheus the good Thiefe and Saul Those which treate of gaining Vertues in the Illuminatiue vvay shall finde Meditations of the Seuen Petitions of the Pater noster of the Eight Beatitudes of the Seuen stations vvherein is consummated the vvole Passion of Christe our Lorde of the Seuen vvordes that hee spake vpon the Crosse and they may easily make choise of Seuen Parables or Seuen of his most notable miracles for the seuē dayes of the weeke Those which treate of Vnion in the Vnitiue Life shall finde meditations of the Seuen diuine Attributes wherein principally this Vnion is fed that is to say Bountie Charitie Mercie Immensitie VVisdome Omnipotencie and Prouidence And if they will meditate Gods benefits they shall finde meditations of the vvorkes that God did the first Sixe dayes of the vvorlde and his rest vpon the Seuenth day Also the Seuen revvardes of Glorye which Christe our Lord declared in his Sermon of the Beatitudes and those vvhich hee promised the seuen Bishops in the Apocalips And after this manner shall they finde sundry meditations of the most blessed Sacrament and of our blessed Ladye the Virgin and for the fifteene mysteries of the Rosarye All which they may easily seeke in the Tables that shall bee put in the ende of the booke Finally euery parte of the sixe which this Booke hath wherein are diuers meditations with diuerse manners of Praying Contemplating is like a banquet of many and diuerse meates drest after many fashions the which are set vpon the table not that euery one that is inuited should eate of all although hee may make an assay of all but for that hee should eate principally of that meate that giueth him most gust or which is most agreable to his complexion or necessity leauing the rest for others that shall finde gust where hee findes it not because they haue another cōplexion or necessitye different from his For it should bee a greate ignorance in this matter to seeke to leade all after that forme of Praying that liketh mee contemning those that vse another waye And therefore euery one guiding himselfe partely by the Counsell and Direction of his Spirituall master partely by the experience of his owne Comforte and Proffit must lay holde vpon those meditations and formes of Praier which arme him best to this ende 1. Thess 5.21 although it is not amisse to trye all for paraduenture our Lord will open to mee a way where I thought hee had helde it very close shut By what hath beene saide I conclude that those which desire daily to clime the mysticall Ladder of Iacob Genes 28.12 In tomo 9. which S. Augustine calleth the Ladder of Paradise and S. Bernard the Ladder of men that are Religious whose steps are Reading Meditation Praier and Comtemplation they shall finde in this booke matter and instruction for this mounting relying principally vpon Gods grace by whose fauour wee shall all bee albe to clime and arriue to that Vnion with our Lord who is in the top inuiting vs to mount vp thereby and to this ende hee sendeth his holy Angells who ascende and descende for our good they ascende to present vnto God our desires and petitions and they descende with the good dispatche thereof and allwaies animate vs to clime vp euery daye with greate Perseuerance vntill wee enter into the Paradise of our God where wee may see him and enjoy him worlde without ende Amen THE FIRST PARTE OF THE MEDITATIONS OF SINNES and of the last endes of Man with formes of Praier appropriated to those which walke in the Purgatiue Waye to purifye them selues of their Vices The Introduction concerning Puritie which is the ende of the Meditations of the Purgatiue Waye AMong those Excellencyes which the frequent vse of Meditation and Mentall Praier hath the first that openeth the waye for many others is to purifye as S. Lib. 1. de considerat ad Eugeniū Bernard saieth the same Fountaine from whence it springeth And because it
is suffered in this life is but litle and for a little time and is very proffitable to encrease in vertue and to meritte augmentation of grace and glorye But in purgatory much is suffered and vnproffitably for the endes before saide And therefore I am to beeseeche our Lorde that if I shall bee carelesse of this payment it will please him to purifie mee with the fier of afflictions that I may pay here with gaine that which I shall afterwardes pay without gaine O my Sauiour that didst promise to purifie the sonnes of thy churche as golde and siluer is purified in the fier Colloquie Malac. 3.3 purisie mee as thou vvillt in this life that in departing out of it I may goe to enioye thee Amen The 3. intention is to auoide as much as possibly I may veniall sinnes 1. Cor. 3.12 seeing as the Apostle saieth they are no other thing but wood hay and stubble to make fewell for the sier that shall burne mee in purgatorye The which is a greate rashnesse if I haue the eyes of faithe to beholde it for if I should see a man cut wood from a mountaine and carry it to his house and asking him wherefore hee carryed that wood he should aunswere mee that it was to kindle a fier wherein to burne himselfe should not I holde him for a mad man then am not I much more madde doing things with so greate pleasure Colloquie Ex D. Thom. ibidem that shall burne mee in Purgatorie O my soule seeing thou art founded vpon so pretious a foundation as is Christe our Lord builde vpon it vvorkes of greate value Golde of charitie siluer of Innocencie And precious stones of solid vertues vvhich may remaine vvith thee vnto life euerlasting Bevvare thou minglest not vvith them vvorkes that shall perishe the vvood of auarice the haye of sensuallitie and the stubble of vanitie louing vvith some disorder the goods of this life for this shall bee sevvell for the sier that shall burne thee in the life to come O good Iesus deliuer mee from such madnesse preseruing mee from these sinnes by thy grace The fourth Pointe FOurthly I am to consider two notable things that are in the soules of purgatorie The first is the greate resignation that they haue in the will of God as touching the greatenesse and continaunce of their paines and the greate patience wherewith they suffer and accept their torments beeing pleased that God is iust and chastizeth them according to their merits and that hee purifieth them in that fiery fornace that beeing refined they may enter into heauen From whence I will learne to haue patience in my afflictions if I desier they should bee my purgatorie and not my hell seeing the lesser they are the more proffitable they are to pay my debtes with all and are contriued by Gods iustice to that ende And seeing what soeuer is in God is to bee loued if I loue him in deede I am to rejoice that hee is a iusticer Cant. 5.16 and that hee hath a place appointed to chastize my sinne beeing as it is so worthy of Chastizement The second is the greate desier that these soules haue to bee ayded by the faithefull that liue vpon the earthe with sacrifices prayers almes fastings and other satisfactorie workes As also with indulgences and other suffrages to get out quickely from those paines and to goe to enioy God which ought to mooue mee to fauour them as much I may though I take it from myselfe to giue vnto them For if I should see my freinde burne in a greate fier and could get him out without burning myselfe or any other hurt it were a greate crueltie not to get him out Then if by faithe I see these soules burne in such a terrible fier and may deliuer them with masses Indulgences and other good workes it will bee a greate charitie to bee carefull heerein And if what I would for myselfe I am to will for my neighbour it is iust to doe what I may to deliuer him that paineth in purgatorie as I would that others should doe for mee when I am there Ex D. Greg. lib. 4. Moral c. 57. Especially for that with this care I make myselfe worthy that God should then inspire others to ayde mee for the mercifull shall obtaine mercie in that kinde wherein they themselues vsed it And these very soules when they come to beholde God are very gratefull to those that fauored them in their afflictions and will solicite the fauour of God for vs in ours And all bee it I take from my selfe the satisfaction of the worke that I apply to the deade yet in giuing it for almes I augment the merit for charitie increaseth by taking from myselfe that I had neede of to succour the needy For all these reasons the holy scripture saieth that it is a holy 2. Machab 12.46 and meritorious care to pay for the deade that the paines of their sinnes may bee pardoned them for of this care followe those benefits that haue beene declared to those that pray for them VVith this meditation is concluded all that appertaineth to the purgatiue waie and to puritie which is the proper ende thereof whose defectes if any were in this life are remedied in the purgatorie of the other to enter with entire puritie into glorie which is the finall and last thing of the iust whereof meditations shall bee made in the ende of the 6. parte for that it is the last of Gods benefits and the farthest ende of the vnitiue way In the which the lust shall rest vnited vnto their God worlde without ende Amen The ende of the first Parte A TABLE OF THE CONTENTS IN THIS First Part. THe prologue to the Christian Reader page 1. The introduction to these meditations wherein is set downe a summarie of such things as are comprehended in the practise and exercize of mentall praier page 6. § 1. VVhat mentall praier is pag. 9. § 2. How we at to speake vnto God in mentall praier pag. 14. § 3. Of the vertues that accompanie mentall praier and of their excellencies pag. 20. § 4. Of the matter of mentall praier for meditation pag. 23. § 5. Of entrance into praier pag. 29. § 6. Of the manner of meditating and discoursing in praier and how we are to resist distractions that then doe combatte vs pag. 34. § 7. Of the manner how we may ayde our selues with the imagination and the tongue and the rest of the faculties for mentall praier pag. 40. § 8. Of the examination of praier and of the fruites that may be drawne from thence pag. 43. § 9. Of the seuerall formes of praying in diuerse matters accomodated to different persons and tymes pag. 46. § 10. Of contemplation and of the manner how some may vse mentall praier without manifoldnes of discourse pag. 50. § 11. Of the extraordinary formes of mentall praier and in what diuers manners God communicateth himself therein pag.
that are there burning for one onely Sinne. Some for one Perjurie others for a dishonest Thought consented vnto and others for some other Sinne of VVorde or of Deede And then I will consider how all these condemned Persons were men aswel as I and many of them as I Christians that enjoyed the same Sacraments and Sacrifices and those Sermons and sacred bookes that I enjoye and were perhaps sometime very holye and highly in fauour with God but by litle and litle they grewe carelesse and came to fall into that mortall Sinne and by the Iust Iudgements of God Deathe attached and set vpon them therein and for it they were most justly condemned Iacob 2.10 For as the Apostle S. Iames saieth VVhosoeuer falleth into one onely Sinne breaking a Commaundement is made guilty of all as hee that breaketh manye for hee offendeth the God of Infinite maiestie who commaundeth them all to bee obserued 2. Then am I to make Comparison of this Sinne with many of minne pondering with how much more reason I deserued to bee in Hell as those Soules are for hauing offended God not once but many times and in other kindes of Sinnes without number O hovv iustly had I deserued that Deathe should haue attached mee in committing my first Sinne and that God should haue giuen mee no time of Repentance VVhat moued thee o my God to expect mee more then these I confesse that I deserued to bee in their Companye but seeing thy Maiestie hath vvith so much mercie expected mee I resolue vvith thy grace to bee very truely and intirely penitent 3. I may also consider that it is no lesse a benefit of God to haue preserued mee from Hell detaining mee from descending to euerlasting Torments then if after I had beene descended he had diliuered mee from them For the which I may say that of Dauid I vvill confesse to thee o Lord my Psal 85.12 God vvith all my Hearte vvill glorifie thy name for euer for thy mercie hath beene very greate towardes mee deliuering my Soule from the deepest Hell And to knowe how to esteeme aright of this merced so repaye it as I ought I am to speake to myselfe saying If God should deliuer one of these Soules out of Hell and giue it a time of repentance vvhat rigourous penance vvould it doe hovv thankefull vvould it bee to God and vvith vvhat feruour vvoult it serue him Thou therefore art to doe the like considering that God hath donne thee so singular a fauour as to deliuer thee from the Daunger before thou didst fall into it The fourthe Pointe Of the greatnesse of our Sinnes by the Paines that Christe our Lord suffered for them THE fourth Pointe shall bee both matter of a sweete Colloquie and of a most deuoute consideration to knowe the greatenesse of Sinne and the dreadefullnesse of Gods Iustice by another example much different from the forepassed but no lesse effectuall then they that is by the Chastizements which the diuine Iustice inflicted vpon Christe IESVS our Lorde not for his owne Sinnes but for mine and for those of the whole VVorlde that I may vnderstand how hee will chastize man loden with his owne Sinnes that so chastized him that bore the burthen of other mens Sinnes and how the guiltye Slaue shal bee handled when the innocent Sonne was so terribly punished Calling to minde that dreadefull Sentence which our Redeemer spake to the Daughters of Ierusalem Luc. 23.31 If in the greene vvood they doe these things in the drye vvhat shall bee donne As if hee should say to mee If I bee treated with such rigour being a greene tree and full of fruite with what rigour shallt thou bee treated that arte a drye tree and without any fruite at all Then I am to set before mine eyes Christe IESVS crucified beholding his Heade crownde with thorâ—es his Face spit vpon his Eyes obscured his Armes disioincted his Tongue distasted with gall and vineger his Handes and Feete pierced with nailes his Backe and Shoulders torne with whippes and his Side opened with a Launce and then pondering that hee suffereth all this for my Sinnes I shall drawe sundrye Affections from the inwardest parte of my Hearte sometimes trembling at the rigour of Gods Iustice who as the Prophet Zacharias saide vnsheathed his Sworde against the man that was vnited with him in person Zacha. 13.7 sometimes bewailing my Sinnes which were the cause of these Dolours and sometimes animating myselfe to suffer somewhat in satisfaction of my offences Isai 53. seeing Christe our Lord suffered so much to redeeme them And finally I will beg pardon of him for them alledging to him for a reason all his Troubles and Afflictions saying vnto him in an amorous Colloquie Colloquie O my most svveete Redeemer vvhich descendedst from Heauen and ascendedst this Crosse to redeeme men paying their Sinnes vvith thy Dolours I present myselfe before thy Maiestie grieued that my grieuous Sinnes haue beene the cause of thy terrible paines Vpon mee o Lord these Chastizements had beene vvell imployed for I am hee that sinned and not vpon thee that neuer sinnedst Let that Loue that moued thee to put thyselfe vpon the Crosse for mee moue thee to pardon mee vvhat I haue committed against thee By thy Thornes I beseeche the dravve out of my Soule the thornes of my Sinnes by thy Scourging pardon my Theftes By thy Gall and Vinegre pardon my Gluttonyes By the nailes of thy Handes pardon my Euill VVorkes and by those of thy Feete pardon my Euill Steps Psal 83.10 O eternall Father behoulde the face of thy Sonne and seeing in him thou diddest chastize my Sinnes let thy vvrathe vvith these Chastizings bee appeased and vse tovvardes mee thy mercies Michae 7 19. throvving all my VVickednesse into the bottome of the Sea in Vertue of that Bloud that vvas shed for them Amen This point wee shal prosecute largelie in the fourth parte The third Meditation of the multitude of Sinnes and of the grieuousnesse of them for being so many and contrarye to Reason The first Pointe 1. THE first pointe is to call to minde the multitude of Sinnes that in all my former Life I haue committed to which ende I am to runne thorough all the Ages thereof and thorough all the places where I haue liued and thorough the Offices Occupations and Imployments that I haue had regarding how and wherein I haue faulted in euery one of the seuen Sinnes wee commonly call Mortall and in euery one of the Commaundements of the Lawe of God and of his Churche and in euery one of the Lawes and Rules of my Estate and Office To which ende it will helpe mee to knowe the sortes of Sinnes that may bee committed in these matters as they shal bee put in the first pointes of the eighteenth meditation and of the nine following And this Remembrance of Sinnes must not bee drye but moistened with teares full of Confusion and Shame as was that of the
are by right for I vanquished them and they yealded themselues to mee and they esteemed mee more then thee This will prowde Sathan say as one that after his raging manner desireth to triumphe ouer Christ our Lorde and to reuenge himselfe of him in his creatures O how ashamed and out of Countenance shall the wicked become for hauing obeyed him Colloquie Flye o my Soule to obey him that vvill giue thee so evill recompence Turne for Christes honour that created and redeemed thee deceiving his Enemye in this life that hee may not beguile thee in the other 2 Secondly I will ponder the terrible imputations that Christ himselfe wil interiourly impose vppon them calling to every ones memorie the benefits that hee hath donne them I will hee say created thee to myne owne image and similitude and thou distainedst it with many sinnes I redeemed thee with my pretious blood and thou with thy evill wayes didst treade it vnder foote I gaue thee the Sacrament of Baptisme making thee a membre of my Churche and thou profanedst it living with standall therein I offered thee the sacrament of Penance to restore to thee my grace and thou choosedst to remaine in sinne I invited thee with my bodye and blood for thy sustenance and thou dispisedst it for the fleshepots of Egipt I called thee with many inspirations and thou with pertinacie wast rebellious vnto them I menaced thee with Chastizements I regaled thee with benefits and I animated thee with promises of greate rewardes and of all these thou madest no account O wretched man what could I doe more for thee then I did and thou what couldest thou doe more against mee then thou didst esteeming more thine owne honour then mine Isai 5.2 O my Angells and ministers iudge you and see what could I haue donne for this vine that I did not and hoping that it vould haue brought forth grapes it hath brought forth nothing but sower ones Pondering all this I will with great feeling pronounce those wordes of David Psalm 6.2 Lord rebuke mee not in thy furye nor chastise mee in thy vvrathe but correct mee in thy mercye whilest yet there is time for Amendment To this reprehension of Christe the very Angells of out garde will assist Colloquie alledging how much they did to divert the wicked from their evill life and yet with what rebellion the wicked contradicted them The â—ust likewise that are present shal accuse them some for that they reiected their Counsell others because they received from them greate wrongs and others for the perill wherein they sawe themselues thorough their evill example All this the VVretches shall heare and see in the interiour parte of their soule Ad Rom. 2. and of their vnhappie conscience the which as the Apostle saithe shall bee the most terrible accuser of all for beeing convinced with the euidence of Truthe and seeing the reason that all haue to accuse her shee shall haue nothing to aunswere but much whereof to accuse herselfe O how much better had it beene for her to haue willingly and proffitably accused her selfe in this life Colloquie then to accuse herselfe at that time perfocre and with out remedie O svveete IESVS graunt mee that I may vorthily accuse myselfe of my sinnes before thee and before the confessor that is to absolue mee that they may not accumsemee of the in Iudgement to condemne mee The fiftenth Meditation of the Sentences in favour of the good and against the VVicked and of the execution of them THe forme of the sentences that Christ ourlord shall pronounce as it is beleeved Abul q. 333. in Matth. Iansenius sotus alij with a sensible voice in favour of the good and against the wicked is expressed in the holy Gospell beginning with that in favour of the good that wee may vnderstand how much more God our Lord is Inclined to rewarde then to punishe The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider that Christe our Lord seated in the Throne of his glorie looking towarde the righteous with a gentle Math. 25.34 and amiable voice shall say vnto them Come yee blessed of my Father possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the VVorlde for I vvas hungrye and you gaue mer to eate etc. This sentence wee will meditate worde by worde pondering the mystery that every worde containeth conformable to the second forme of Praying set downe in the ninth § of the introduction And yet wee will here doe no more but pointe at the considerations of these wordes for that hereafter they shall bee handled more at large Venite THe first worde is Come wherein I am to ponder for what cause hee sayeth vnto them Come from whence they are to come and whither they are to come Hee saithe vnto them come to recall to their memorye their first vocation when hee called them to followe him saying vnto them Math. 11.28 16.24 Come yee to me that labour and are burdened and I vvill refresh you and If any man vvill come after mee let him denye himselfe and take vp his Crosse and folovve mee And because they hearkened to this Vocation hee calleth them with such a nother like worde as if hee should saye seeing you came after mee embracing the crosse and mortification to followe my life Come to receiue the rewarde following mee in glorye Come from Mount Libanus of my Churche wherein yee were baptized Cant. 4.8 and washed with the teares of Penance and grewe vp like Cedars in all Vertues Apocal. 7.14 Come from the greate Tribulation wherein you haue lived washing your robes and making them white in my precious blood Come from the Dennes of the Lyons and the inhabitations of Tygers in whose companye you haue lived suffering greate persecutions Come out from amongst the middest of them and come to bee crowned and to receiue the rewarde that you haue merited for the many Victories you haue obtained Colloquie O my soule heare speedily the voice of Christe vvherevvith het calleth thee to imitate his life that thou mayest bee vvorthy to heare this svveete voice vvherevvith hee shal call thee to receiue the Crovvne Benedicti Patris mei THe second worde is yee blessed of my Father Hee calleth them blessed that all may vnderstand the immensitie of Benefits that hee hath donne doth Psalm 23.5 and wilt doe thoroughout all eternitie fullfilling that of the Psalmist that the innocent and Pure of hearte should receiue the benediction of our lord and the mercye of God his saviour And hee sayeth not Come yee blessed of Abraham Isaac and Iacob nor yee blessed of Moyses or of the Patriarches Ad Ephes 1.4 and Prophets but yee blessed of my eternall fathet who hath blessed you with all kinde of caelestiall benediction communicating vnto you the goods of his grace and now entirely those of his glorye And hee sayeth not yee blessed of God but of my Father that it
after these goods with ouer greate Care setting our whole hearte vpon them treading vnder foote for this cause the commaundements of God and of his Churche and the obligations of our estate from whence spring many sinnes that are the Daughters of auarice to witte lyes fraudes periuries violences tirannies cruelties sutes discordes and innumerable others 1. Ad Timoth. 6.10 VVherupon the Apostle saide that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill Fourthly whosoeuer hath made a vowe of pouertye sinneth against it in vsurping to himselfe without licence of his superiour what is giuen him by others or in alienating what is giuen him or in hiding it or in vsing what hee hath to a prohibited vse or after a proprietary manner that is with an affection so disordinate as if it were his owne beeing sad or complaining when they by iust title depriue him of it Fifthly wee may sinne doing good workes principally for temporall interest or for onely omitting workes obligatorye treading vnder foote the rules of our estates and office This examination beeing made I will consider whither I haue any thing that may bee an Idoll for my auarice to adore seeing S. Ad Ephe. 5.5 Ad Coloss 3.5 Paul saithe auarice is the seruice and adoration of idolls And if I shall finde any such thing in my possession or in my hearte any such affection and desire thereof I will confesse these sinnes before God our Lord with greate shame that I haue coueted any thing against him resoluing to roote out this affection and if I can also to disapropriate myselfe of that which is the cause thereof To which ende I shall bee ayded with these considerations ensuing The Second Point SEcondly I am to consider the dammage and chastizement of auarice reducing them to the three kindes that haue beene spoken of 1 First 1. ad Timoth 6.9 I will ponder that auarice as S. Paul sayeth is the roote of twoe sortes of euills in the which are summed all the euills of this life to witte Transgressions and paines sinnes and dolours the which are ioyned togither to chastize the mother that ingendreth and sustaineth them so that shee is the tormentour of herselfe putting the couetous man in greate vexations and afflictions to gaine or preserue riches with a miserable seruitude and slauery of them It is likewise a snare of sathan wherewith hee draggeth him thorough thornes pricky shrubbes of temptations clowdes of faithe remorses of conscience and of cares that sting him and in the ende hee hangeth him like Iudas betweene heauen and earthe neither permitting him to enioie the goods of the earthe nor to attaine to those of heauen 2 To these chastizements God sometimes addeth others to shewe how much hee abhorreth this vice and such as sinne therein in any of the fiue wayes before rehearsed of euery one I will set downe an example Iosue 7.25 Achan because hee tooke certaine things of Iericho contrary to the precept of Iosue was by Gods commaundement stoned to deathe and all his wealthe consumed with fier 1. Reg. 25.27 Nabal ouerwhelmed with auarice denyed Dauid the almes that hee asked and because hee was harde hearted to him that was needye hee died with his hearte as harde as a stone 3. Reg. 21.23 4. Reg. 9.36 Actuum 5.1 Aug. ser 27. de verbis Apost vide Belar to 1. lib. 2. de Monach c. 20.4 Reg. 5.27 Ioan. 12.6 Act. 1.18 Iezabel with a disordinate desire to haue Naboths vineyarde to get possession thereof caused him to bee put to deathe and shee was throwen out of a windowe and eaten with dogges Ananias and Suphira because when they had vowed pouertie they reserued to themselues parte of the price of the sale of their lande they died disastrously Giezi vanquished with couetousnesse demaunded monie of Naaman for the health that Eliseus the prophet had giuen him and was therefore strooken with a leprosie Finally Iudas harried and drawen by his auarice admitted sathan to enter into him and beeing not content to steale what they gaue his maister hee solde him hanged himselfe O my soule hovv is it that thou art not affraide of so fierce a vice that assaileth ouerthrovveth kings plebeians riche poore secular and religious seruauntes of the prophetes and primitiue christians one of the tvvelue apostles 3 After these chastizements come the eternall punishements of hell where the couetous shall suffer very greate dolour with the apprehension of their terrible necessitie seeing they want all that their auarice desired and by how much more riche and couetous they were heere so much the more they shall there bee tormented like the riche couetous man whose abundance ended in horrible miserie Colloquie O omnipotent God riche in dooing mercie deliuer mee from this auarice out of vvhich spring so many miseries for I had rather vvithout it suffer temporall necessities then vvith it fall into eternall The third Pointe THirdly Of Pouertya liberallitie I am to consider the greate benefits that are included in the perfect mortificacation of auarice And for that there are two wayes of mortifying it one keeping still the domination of my Riches and mortifying onely the disordinate affection vnto them wherein consisteth the first degree of pouertye of spirit wherewith goeth the vertue of liberallitie which distributeth its goods when and as it is conuenient and the vertue of mercye which with them remedieth the necessities of the poore The other waye is forsaking all the riches that I haue or might haue the more to disroote my affections from them wherein consisteth the voluntary pouerty of religion in both wayes are included greate benefits for generally to all the poore of spirit Christe our Lord promised the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.3 Ad Rom. 14.17 as well the kingdome of the other life as that which is enioyed in this life which is iustice peace and ioye in the holy spirit So that if I mortifie and vanquish auarice I shall enioye three benefits iustice with abundance of good workes peace without any noise of disturbance and spirituall ioye free from heauinesse and vexation because I shall haue taken awaye the roote of these euills that hinder this good 2 Besides this auaricie beeing vanquished if I shall bee liberall towardes God in giuing for his sake what I haue God shall bee most liberall towardes mee in giuing mee his benefits aswell the temporall which shall bee befitting mee as also the spirituall both in this life and in the other For it is hee that saide Luc. 6.38 Giue and it shall bee giuen to you good measure and pressed dovvne and shaken togither and running ouer shall they giue into your bosome where it shall bee very secure and well loued And hee saithe Dabunt they shall giue to signifie that our giftes are the cause that God giueth vs this measure with those foure conditions that it may haue when it is most abundant And hee addeth that
by vvhose sentence the faint hearted and slothefull perished in the desert vvithout entring into the lande vvhich thou hadst promised them I confesse that for my slothe I deserue to bee cast out of thy house to bee excluded from thy kingdome and beeing bounde hande and foote to bee cast into vtter darkenesse I am grieued o Lord for my former slackenesse deliuer mee from it for they mercie that I may merit to enter into the lande of eternall promise Amen The third Pointe THirdly I will consider the greate benefits that I shall obtaine by vanquishing slothe and imbracing spirituall alacritye and feruour in the seruice of God Mat. 20.12 for First the workes of vertue shal bee easie and sweete vnto mee I shall labour litle and thriue greately encreasing much in a litle time like to those workemen who comming late to the vineyarde laboured so feruently that thy merited as greate rewarde in one hower as the slacke did that had laboured many howers bearing the burthen of the daye and of the heate which burthen they had not felt if they had feruently laboured for the alacritye of the spirit maketh the burthen of the lawe very easye and the yoke thereof very sweete And besides this it augmenteth merites it doubleth the talents receiued it causeth greate peace in the soule and it much assureth Perseuerance to the obtaining of glorye 2 I may likevvise ponder that God our Lord exceedingly delighteth to bee serued with zeale and alacritye for as hee is essentially alacritye itselfe and as all the workes that hee doeth and the rewardes that hee giueth vs are with greate alacritye reioicing in dooing vs good most iustly hee commaundeth mee to serue him and giue him what hee requireth not with yrksomnesse and sadnesse not perforce with repugnancye but with feruencye and alacritye of harte Hilarem enim datorem Psalm 103.31 Psalm 99.2 2. Corin. 9.7 Psalm 36.4 Psalm 50.14 Colloquie Psalm 18.6 diligit Deus For God loueth a cheereful giuer To such a one hee doth greate fauours and heareth the petitions and desires of his hearte And finally hee giueth him a taste of that alacritye that is enioyed in heauen because hee fullfilleth cheerefully Gods will vpon earthe And therefore I am most earnestly to begge of God our Lord this most noble spirit of alacritye in his seruice saying vnto him with Dauid Render vnto mee the ioye of thy saluation and confirme mee vvith the principall spirit O sauiour of the vvorlde that reioycedst like a giant to runne thy carreere though it vvere very sharpe graunte mee that healthe and allacritie of spirit that thou gainedst for mee that I may in such manner runne my carreere that I may merit to gaine an eternall crovvne Amen The XXV Meditation D. Th. 1.2 q. 100. ar 4. 5. seq vpon the ten Commaundements of the lawe of God FOr the ende of this meditation it will much helpe to forme in the imagination a figure like the vision which the Prophet Zacharie had Zachar. 9.1 wherein hee sawe a volume or parchment extended which was ten cubits in breadth and twenty in length wherein were written the sinnes of him that stealeth and of him that sweareth falsely and the malediction that shall therefore light vpon him which volume came flying to his house and destroied it vntill it had consumed all the wood and the stone In the same manner I will imagine before mee a greate booke or parchement very broade and long and in one side thereof I will beholde written my oathes theftes murmurations and all other sinnes that I haue committed against the ten commaundements of the lawe of God for as I goe writing them in the booke of my conscience God goeth writing them in the booke of his iustice to chastize the in his time And on the other side I will beholde written all the maledictions and punishments that God menaceth to such as breake these ten commaundements or any ofthem making comparison betweene the sinnes and the punishments in number grieuousnesse and continuation For if my sinnes bee many the punishments shall bee manye and if they were very grieuous and of long continuance the punishments shall bee very grieuous and of so long continuance that they shall bee eternall And for that chastizements when they are behelde very farre distant terrifye but litle I will imagine that this booke of Gods iustice commeth flying very swiftly to light vpon the house of my soule Volumen volans and peraduenture it is allreadye very neere and will this day light vpon it deathe or chastizement seazing sodainely vpon mee For if I make haste to sinne God will likewise hasten his punishments and make desolate my bodye soule honour wealthe and all that I haue VVith this holesome apprehension I will beseeche our Lord to illuminate my soule that I may knowe the sinnes that are written in this booke and the chastizements that I haue deserued ayding mee with his grace bitterly to bewaile them that with my penance I may blotte out the sinnes and that his mercy may likewise blotte out the maledictions that hee had written against them This beeing presupposed I will begin the meditation discoursing vpon the ten commaundements of the lawe of God with aduertissement that as Cassianus sayeth the commaundements of God haue Collat. 14 two senses one literall and the other spirituall Collat. 14. cap. 11. D. Bonauent opusc de dieta salutis tit 3. sermon de 10. praeceptis tâ—mo 2. Exod. 20.3 The first serueth for ordinarie people that pretende no more but to saue themselues The second for those that desire greater perfection who are not content to flye onely mortall and veniall sinne but also desire to flye whatsoeuer imperfection is contrarie to the ende of the precept And according to this second sense I will declare in what manner wee sinne against euery commaundement The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider what God commaundeth and prohibiteth in his holy lawe and in what sorte wee doe sinne against it running through the ten commaundements and thorough that which spiritually they include within them The first commaundement commaundeth the principall workes that appertaine to the vertue of faithe hope charitie and religion that is to say to adore one onely God to beleeue firmely all such things as hee hath reuealed to his churche to expect those which hee hath promised and to loue him more then all things that are created Against this I may sinne First by idolatrie or infidelitie adoring false Gods or denying that which God hath reuealed or doubting thereof I may likewise sinne as the holy scripture sayeth adoring the idole of mine owne iudgement 1. Râ—g 15.23 Ad Phil. 3.19 Ad Tit. 1.16 and will rebelling against the will of God or holding for my God my belly or money or denying God by my workes or not obseruing due loyalltye vnto him Secondly I sinne in despairing that I shall obtaine heauen or pardon for
lawe to those that obserue it and for the experience that I myselfe haue of the greate good I shall get by obseruing it feeling greate peace and serenity of conscience and greate allacritie and confidence in God And contrarilie of the greate euill that befalleth mee when I breake it hauing my Hearte broken with sinnes excessiue feares remorses of conscience and many other miseries And finally because at the houre of deathe nothing will more torment mee then to haue broken the lawe of God nor nothing more content mee then to haue obserued it because vpon this dependeth my damuation or saluation Hereup on I will coÌ„clude as Ecclesiastes coÌ„cluded his booke saying feare God and keepe his Commaundements Cap. vltim 13. for this is the whole man that is to say Heerein consisteth the whole beeing of man and the accomplishment of the obligations of the whole man and whosoeuer faileth heerein faileth in the integritie and perfection of a man and doeth like a beaste The XXVI Meditation vpon the fiue Senses and exteriour Faculties The first Pointe THe first pointe shall be to recall to my remeÌ„brance the sinnes that I haue committed by my fiue senses and exteriour faculties of my bodye accusing myselfe thereof before our Lorde 1 First with my eyes I haue sinned delighting to see beautifull vaine curious or hurtfull things onely for vanitye or curiositye or sensuallitye with immodestye and libertye of fleshe and disedification of others So that many times I sinne in the things that I beholde or in the intention wherewith I beholde them or in the manner of beeholding them carrying faulcons eyes and lightly mouing them to one side and to another My eares I haue had open to heare vaine and curious talke impertinent nouelties flaterings and praises of myselfe murmuringes and detractions of others without reprehending them or stopping them or as much as shewing an euill liking of them when I was obliged thereunto And hauing so much gust in hearing these things I haue beene disgusted to to heare good talke and displeased to heare sermons and the aduises and corrections of those that were obliged to giue me them VVith the smell taste and touching I haue manifoldly sinned in gluttonye and luxurye as hath beene declared in the meditations of these vices 2 But of the sinnes of the tongue what shall I say For some wordes I haue spoken against the due respect to the name of God some against the honour and fame of my neighbour And some to the greate hurt of my soule as appareth by what hath beene set downe in the first pointes of the precedent meditatioÌ„s Other some wordes haue beene vicious by failing in the due circumstances speaking things vndecent for my estate and profession or in places and times prohibited as to talke much in the churche at masse or at sermon time to the scandall of others or when by my rules if I bee religious I am obliged to keepe silence or when I speake after an ill fashion hastily inconsiderately very affectedly and vntunedly In such sorte that considering the sinnes of my wordes I may affirme with the apostle S. Iacob 3.6 Iames that my tongue hath beene vniuersitas iniquitatis a whole worlde of iniquityes where they haue all beene assembled and a fier that hath inflamed and burnt the wheele of my natiuitye thoroughout the whole course of my life 3. VVith these sinnes I may ioyne others of immodestye and disorder in the vse of the rest of the members and exteriour faculties as are ouermuch laughter scorning mocking and light gestures of the heade feete or handes or going affectedly vntuâ—edly and ouerhastily and other such like which shewe but small grauitye Eccles 19.27 of which the VViseman saieth That the attire of the bodye the laughing of the teethe and the going of a man discouer what hee is and what vertue hee hath Pondering these sinnes I am greately to confounde myselfe for hauing so much abused the faculties that God gaue mee vsing them for my owne pleasure pampering and honour Colloquie O greate god hovv hast thou suffred in mee so greate disorder O miserable man hovv is it that thou hast dared thus to denounce vvarre against God! The seconde Pointe THen will I consider the greate hurt that commeth to mee by these senses ill guarded and vnmortified 1. For first they are the gates and windowes whereby as the Prophet Hieremye saith the deathe of sinne entreth into the house of my Soule Hierem. 9.21 destroyeth the life of grace and suffocateth the vitall heate of charitye for by them enter the temptations of the diuells who like theeus robbe the house of my conscience dispoiling it of the guiftes of God and of all vertue whereupon saithe the same Prophet Thren 3.51 My eye hath robbed my soule For as the eye robbed Eua of her Originall iustice Dyna of her virginitye and Dauid of his chastitye and iustice so it robbeth mee sometimes of my temperance sometimes of my deuotion And the like doeth the eare and tongue Prou. 25.28 For as a citty beseeged by enemies if the gares bee left open and vngarded is entred sacked and destroyed so is the soule that hath no garde ouer its senses 2 These also giue entrance to the images and figures of visible things which disquiet the imagination and memorie with distractions and vagations these disorder the appetites with disagreement of passioÌ„s and disturbe the hearte casting vs out of it And for this cause likewise it is truthe that my eye robbeth my soule because it robbeth my attention cogitation and affection causing my soule not to bee so much within mee as out of mee in the thing that it meditateth and loueth And I myselfe likewise by theses portes issue out of myselfe to wander thorough the whole worlde and after mee issueth out the spirit of deuotion praier and contemplation So that when I would returne to enter into myselfe I hitte not the right way nor finde anie quietnesse in mine owne howse because of the tumultes that I experiment therein and from hence procede innumerable defectes and damages in praier and the priuation of the fauours of heauen for God is not pleased to put the liquor of his giftes Deuteâ— 19.15 Aggei 1.6 in a vessell that hath no coouer and that in fiue partes is full of holes 3. Finally greate are the chastizements that God hath inflicted vpon those that haue beene notably rechlesse in the garde of their senses and tongue giuing them liberty against the precepts and counsells of Gods lawe as may appeare by what hath beene related in the precedent meditation VVhereupon saithe Ecclesiasticus Eccl. 28.28 hedge in thy eares with thornes and hearken not to the euill tongue make a dore for thy mouthe and a locke for thy eares take heede thy tongue slippe not and thou fall before thy enemies for thy fall may bee irremediable and the cause of thy death sometymes of thy temporall death and sometymes
examining and reflecting vpon our workes shall bee set downe in the sixt parte in the meditation of what God saide hauing finished the worke of the Creation of the worlde Meditations for before Confession and Communion AS the Puritie of the soule which is the ende of the purgatiue way is perfectly obtained with the vse of the two sacraments of Confession and CoÌ„munion it shall not bee amisse here to set downe certaine Meditations whereby wee may prepare ourselues worthily to receiue them and by the way to teache principiants the manner how to make this preparation causing them to holde in estimation the frequencye of these two remedies that God hath left vs for our Saluation The XXX Meditation of the Excellencyes of the holy Sacrament of Confession of the Vertues that are exercised therein and of the Graces that are receiued The first Point FIrst D. Tho. 3. p. q. 84. art 6. 7. I am to consider the greate fauour that God hath donne to his churche and to mee as a member thereof in hauing instituted the holy sacrament of penaunce pondering some things that discouer the greatenesse of this benefit and animate mee to the vse thereof First it beeing proper to God alone to pardon sinnes Isai 43.25 IoaÌ„ 20.23 hee would put this power in the handes of the priestes assuring vs that hee would approoue in heauen the sentence that they should giue vpon earthe And hee ordained that these priestes should bee men subiect likewise to sinne and in neede of the selfe same remedye that they might bee the more compassionate of sinners And the power that hee gaue them was so ample that hee reserued to himselfe alone no sinne how greate soeuer nor limited vnto them the number of sinnes nor how often they were to pardon them for hee saide to S. Matth. 18.22 Peter that pardon should bee giuen not onely seuen times but seuenty times seuen that is without number or limitation In all which is apparent the goodnesse of this greate God Colloquie and the desire that hee hath to forgiue vs. O mercifull father seuenty and seuen times and thousands of times more may the angells of heauen lavvde thee for the fauour thou doest to vs sinners that liue vpon earthe As often as vve can sinne so often if vvee aske pardon of thee thou vvill pardon vs for thy mercye is greater then our miserye I vvill confidently approache to aske pardon for the iniurye seeing hee himselfe that is iniuried so liberally doth offer it mee 2. Secondly I will ponder how this soueraigne iudge beeing to make a most strict iudgement of our liues in the ende of them and in the ende of the worlde would mercifully chaunge this rigorous iudgement of our sinnes into the mercifull iudgement that wee shall make of them in this sacrament 1. Corin. 11.31 D. Cypr. serm de passione Nahum 1.9 so that as the Apostle saithe if here wee shall bee iudged and absolued wee shall no more bee iudged and condemned for those sinnes for to this ende the scripture saithe that hee neither iudgeth nor chastizeth one thing twise Finally this Sacrament according to the Prophecye of Zacharias is a fountaine of liuing water that God hath in his churche to washe the vncleanesse of our sinnes to heale the infirmities Zachar. 13.1 and woundes of our vices to restore vnto vs the life of grace the beautye of charitye and the splendour of vertues to repaire lost merites and to remedye the other hurtes of our sinnes And it is a continual and open fountaine for it is neuer drye nor God will neuer shut it so long a wee liue rather hee desireth that assoone as euer wee haue sinned wee should approache to washe our selues therein Colloquie Isai 12.3 O blessed bee the fountaine of Gods goodnesse from vvheÌ„ce springeth this fountaine of so greate mercye â—ome o my soule for vvater to this fountaine of thy Sauiour come vvith heauinesse by reason of thy sinne but vvith ioye thorough hope to vvashe thyselfe therein This pointe shall bee handeled more largely in the fift Parte The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider what an excellent worke the acte of confession is to affect vs the more to exercise and frequent it pondering how Christ our Lord instituted this Sacrament in his churche that the faithfull might take occasion by their owne sinnes to exercise excellent actes of vertues wherewith they might not onely repaire the losses they receiued by them but also might gaine newe commodities These actes are principally seuen 1. The First is of faithe beleiuing firmely that the pardoning of sinnes which is proper to God alone hath beene communicated to Preistes Math. 18 18. putting in their handes the keyes of heauen wherewith they shall open the gates thereof that from thence may descende the celestiall giuftes and graces that iustifie sinners and that sinners may enter therein to enioy the kingdome which is promised to the iust The 2. acte is of hope aboue all humane hope for the confession of our owne crime which in the tribunalls of the worlde is a meanes to condemne the guiltye in this tribunall of heauen is a meanes to absolue him The 3. Acte is of charitye to which it pertaineth to bee greately sorrye for hauing offeÌ„ded the infinite Goodnesse of God lost his grace and freindship desiring to repaire it by louing and seruing him with all our heartes The 4. is of heroicall humillitye humbling ourselues not onely before God but before men discouering vnto his ministers the secret things that are to humble vs and to cause in vs greate shame and confusion embracing this contempt for the loue of God and delighting that others should holde vs in that figure that wee holde ourselues The 5. is of excellent obedience in a matter as hath beene saide that is so harde and difficult and in subiecting ourselues to our confessors as to our superiours with a minde to obey them in whatsoeuer they shall ordaine to this ende The 6. is of iustice highly eleuated exercizing its actes as shall bee declared of accuser guilty witnesse iudge and executioner and subiecting ourselues to Gods minister not perforce but willingly with a minde to vndergoe his sentence and with a zeale to reuenge in ourselues the iniuries wee haue donne against God and to repaire and restore the hurtes that wee haue donne to our neighbour The 7. is of admirable fortitude ourselues vanquishing ourselues and the vehement inclination that men haue to couer their sinnes to defende and excuse them like Adam from whome all men doe inherite it Iob. 31.33 For which as holy Iob noteth whosoeuer vanquisheth himselfe herein is more then a man and sometimes wee had neede of no lesse fortitude to confesse with humilitie the sinne committed lib. 22. Moral cap. 12. then not to committe it For as S. Gregory saieth wee vse to suffer a greater warre in manifesting the sinne committed then would haue beene suffered
instant From hence it is that for the Glorye of the Redeemer and of his Redemption it was very conuenient to vse this mercye towardes her that was to bee his mother redeeming her with the best manner of Redemption that was possible preseruing her from the Infamye and Miserye of Originall Sinne at such time as shee was to fall into it honoring and beautifying her with his Grace that the mother might bee like vnto the Sonne in Puritye they beeing both conceiued without Sinne hee by Right and shee by Priuiledge hee as the Redeemer of the Worlde and shee as his Coadjutrice in the worke of the Redemption O Sonne of the liuing God Colloquie Ephe. 5.27 that beeing borne of the Virgin becamest man to make a glorious Churche without spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection I render vnto thee all the thankes that I can for that it was thy good pleasure that thy blessed Mother by speciall Grace should enjoye euen from her Conception that puritye from Sinne that the rest of the Elected obtaine in Glorye O most Glorious mother I rejoice at the Puritye wherewith thou entredst into the Worlde bright shining with the Light of Grace as entred thy Sonne the Sun of Iustice Well mayest thou say in this first entrance as hee saide in his Psal 39.9 That thou art readye to accomplish the Will of God and that in the middest of thy Hearte is imprinted his Lawe which is His Grace and his Charitye And seeing my Redeemer graunted thee this fauour that thou mightest assist him in his Office beseeche him to applye vnto mee his Redemption with Excellencye pardoning mee my Sinnes committed and preseruing mee from those I am likely to committe with so greate an horrour of Sinnes that I may not continue in them so much as a moment And this is the principall fruite that I am to collect from this consideration beholding this spot-lesse Mirrour the most sacred Virgin Sap. 7.26 to imitate her Puritye with the greatest perfection that possibly I may remembring what God saide to his People Bee perfect Deut. 18.13 Ex D. Th. 3. p. q. 27. ar 3. sequent and immaculate in my Presence The second Priuiledge was to take from her Fomes Peccati the Roote Seede and Foode of Sinne which is the Rebelliō of the Fleshe against the Spirit and of Sensuallity against Reason that the house of her Soule with all the inhabitants thereof which are the Faculties might haue perpetuall Peace and Concord for that it was to bee the Habitation of the Prince of Peace whose Dwelling place saithe Dauid is in Peace itselfe Psal 75.3 So that this blessed Ladye neuer felt that interiour Warre which all wee feele and mourne for for her flesh lusted not against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 nor the Spirit founde any Difficulty in gouerning the fleshe Rom. 7.23 the Lawe of the Appetites contradicted not the Lawe of Reason neither did Reason labour to subdue the Passions of the Appetites nay rather with greate pleasure they were vnited and accorded in subjecting themselues to the eternall Lawe of their God O Princesse of Peace Colloquie much good may it doe thee the interiour Peace that thou enjoyedst without hauing past thorough any Conflict or Warre obtaine for mee most B. Ladye that the interiour Warre which I suffer may bee moderated to the ende that I may some what enjoy the sweetenesse of thy Peace The third Priuiledge was after a most singular manner to confirme her in Grace so that in all the time of her Life shee should neuer sinne actually neither in Deede nor in Worde nor so much as in Thought our Lord assisting her in all her Workes with particular Prouidence that they might all bee as S. Ephe. 5.27 Paul saieth of the Churche Workes glorious and pure in the three Degrees of Puritye that is without spot of mortall Sinne without wrinckle of Veniall Sinne without any Imperfection at all shee leauing not only Euill but also Imperfect lesse good choosing all waies what shee helde for Best imprinting in euery worke the glorious Purity that is in the Triumphāt Church This manner of Purity in that degree that it is possible for mee I am to procure to aske it of our Lord saying vnto him O eternall God that didst sanctifye the Tabernacle of thy Mother Colloquie Psal 45.5 assisting immutably in the middest of her euery day rising very earely to aide her in all her Workes sanctifye also my Soule assist her perpetually arize earely preuenting mee with thy Grace that my VVorkes may bee pure without spot or wrinckle or any thing else that may bee displeasing vnto thee Amen The fourth Priuiledge was to replenish her in that instant with Grace and Charitye with the other Vertues Giftes of the Holy Ghost with such Plentye Aboundance that shee exceeded the Angells Seraphins of heauen to the end shee might bee the worthy Mother of God Queene of the Angelicall Hierarchyes Heb. 1.4 making her so much better holyer then they as the name was better which hee intended to giue her of his mother then that which they had of Seruantes and ministers in his house so that this sacred Virgin began her Carreere where the Angells ended theirs beeing on earthe had greater Degrees of Sanctitye then those which liued in heauen excepting that which is proper to that estate fullfilling in her that which the Prophet Dauid sayeth of the Citty of God Psa 36.1 That her foundations were vpon the high mountaines for the beginnings of her Life were higher raised in Sanctitye then the highest height that euer the greatest Sainctes of the Church arriued vnto O what contēt receiued the most B. Trinitye in beholding the excellencye of this Childe The eternall Father rejoiced in hauing such a daughter The Sonne of God was exceed ingly pleased to see her so beautifull that was to bee his mother And the Holy Spirit was full of Ioye to haue such a Spouse And all Three entred in her by grace dwelled in her with high Delight O Angells of Heauen that adored afterwardes the Sonne of God when hee entred into the VVorlde Colloquie come now at this instant to reuerence her that is to bee his Mother your Queene O Queene of Angells I now salute thee in the VVombe of thy Mother Luc. 1.29 with those VVordes which shall after bee spoken vnto thee by the Angell S. Gabriell Haile full of Grace our Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among VVomen for in the first instant of thy Conception thou foundest Grace before God aboue them all Beseeche him B. Ladye to purifye my Spirit to bridle my fleshe to moderate my Passions to replenish mee with his Grace that I may begin to serue him with greate feruour and perseuerance vntill I obtaine the Crowne of Glorye Amen The fourth Meditation Of the Life of our blessed LADIE vntill the Incarnation
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
and from being knowen and reuerenced by men delighting to conceale and hide myselfe vntill God bee pleased to manifest me The second cause of his flying into Egipt was by the waye to doe good to that Idolatrous nation abandoned by God that beginning to be fullfilled which was prophecyed Beholde our Lorde will ascende vpon a light Clowde Isa 19.1 and will enter into Egipt and the idolls of Egipt shall be moued at his presence For our Lord Christ entring into Egipt clothed with the light clowde of his Humanitye in the armes of the resplendent Clowde his mother began to treade vnder his feete those Idolls which the Worlde adoreth to witte Riches Honors and Delicacyes embracing there Pouertye Contempt and Affliction And with this example he layed the foundation of that perfection which afterwardes shone brightly in Egipt and that which he planted thoroughout the whole Worlde trauelling thoroughout it in the light Clowde of his primitiue Church and of the Congregation of his Apostles and Disciples and vnto this day he ceaseth not to plant it O most sweete IESVS Colloquie who in the light clowde of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar entrest daily into thy faithefull enter into this darke Egipt of my Hearte and throwe downe those Idolls of earthly affections which it adoreth that from henceforth I may only loue what thou louest and abhorre what thou abhorrest Amen Likewise by this flight of our Sauiour Christ into Egipt because of the persecution of Herod is represented how the Primitiue Churche flying the persecution of the Iewes should goe to the Gentiles carrying with it the Faithe Apoc. 12.6 and Lawe of Christ. And genetally if one man persecute him with his Sinnes he is wont to flye and to seeke out another that will receiue him and therefore if Christ haue beene borne in my Soule I am to endeuour not to persecute him with my passions and Luke-warmnesse Apoc 3.11 leaste he forsake me and goe to another that shall receiue my Crowne The second Pointe THe Angell of our Lord appeared in sleepe to Ioseph saying Arize and take the Childe Matt. 2.13 and his mother and flee into Egipt and be there vntill I shall tell thee for it will come to passe that Herod will seeke the Childe to destroy him Vpon this reuelation I am to ponder who imposeth this Obedience who intimateth it vpon whome it is imposed and with what wordes He that principally imposeth this Commaundement is the eternall Father to manifest the Prouidence that he hath of his only begotten Sonne for allbeit he had determined that he should dye by men yet because that hower was not yet come he had a care to defend him in signe that he hath the like care of the rest of his adoptiue Children for the Loue that he beareth to this his naturall Sonne He that declared this ordenance was an Angell in the name of God himselfe for his diuine Maiestie will haue vs accustomed to obey him in his ministers whose office is not only to doe his diuine Will but to declare it to others in his name and therefore he saide of them Luc. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me And for this cause likewise he sayed by Malachias the Prophet Mala. 2.7 That the Preiste is the Angell of our Lorde from whose mouthe we are to heare what God commaundeth From hence it is that this obedience was intimated to S. Ioseph and not to the VIRGIN because Ioseph was heade of that familye and Gods will was that the VIRGIN should obey S. Ioseph in all that he sayed he had hearde of the Angell and should suffer herselfe to be gouerned by him And so she did for as she was humble and obedient she stood not vpon this that the aduise was not giuen to her but to her Husband neither did she vainely boaste that God or his Angells should speake vnto her like the other Marye who sayed Num. 12.1 Hath our Lord spoken by Moyses onlie hath he not spoken to vs aso in like manner Wherein I am to learne this manner of Humillitye and Obedience of our blessed LADYE desiring to be gouerned by others and that greater account should be made of others then of mee holding it for a greate happinesse to knowe the Will of God and to fullfill it whither I knowe it by reuelation from God or from his Angells or by the speeche and ordination of men For albeit the first seemeth more glorious yet in the second more humillitye is exercized subjecting our iudgement and Will not only to God but to man also for Gods sake And so the blessed VIRGIN was no lesse resplendent in obeying S. Ioseph then S. Ioseph was in obeying the Angell and then the Angell was in obeying God O eternall God Colloquie 1 Pet. 2.13 graunt me that I may subiect myselfe to euery humane Creature for thy Lone obeying what thou commaundest me by men as thou in heauen art obeyed by Angells fullfilling thy will vpon Earthe with that deuotion that it is fullfilled in Heauen Amen The third Pointe THen will I consider the Wordes wherewith the Angell declared the Commaundement of our Lord the which were graue breife imperious and with Circumstances very conuenient to make proofe of the Obedience of that Sainct to whome they were deliuered For in this sorte God vseth to commaunde somewhat to men that are perfect to exercize them that they may make demonstration of their Obedience as another Angell vsed the like wordes in the obedience which he intimated to Abraham to departe out of his owne Countrey Gen. 121 22.2 and to sacrifize his Sonne Isaac And for this cause he entereth not vsing circumloquutions or preambles which the Worlde commonly vseth not requesting but commaunding Arize saith he take the Childe and his mother and flee into Egipt and be there vntill I shall tell thee c. In these Wordes we are to ponder the Circumstances that make difficult this Ordination and declare the value of the Obedience First The manner of imposing obedience vpon the perfect 1 Reg. 3.3 c. it was intimated by night S. Ioseph being at rest and asleepe when men vse to haue greatest horrour of trouble to signifye that in the middest of our ease and prosperitye we are to be prepared for Afflictions and that at all times we are to be readye whensoeuer God shall commaunde to leaue our bed and our rest to obey him as he proued Samuel calling him three or foure times in the night and making him arize out of the bed wherein he slept to exercize him in Obedience and in the abnegation of his owne will Secondly the Angell commaunded him to take only the blessed Childe and his mother leauing the companye of all others and the furniture and other temporall things that he had in his house to be able the more freely to flye and escape from the rigorous intention of king Herod and to get away with lesse noise
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
and Puritye deliuer vs from Sinne and make vs meeke and chaste Amen And in imitation of her I will shut vp the Garden of my Bodye and Soule if God shall inspire mee therevnto vnder the locke of a Vowe and if in this manner I cannot locke it vp I will place for Garders those Vertues that garde Chastitye The Sixt Pointe SIxthly Of the Betrothing to S. Ioseph D. Tho. 3. p. q. 29. Mat. 1.18 Luc. 1.34 35. I am to consider how the time of the Incarnation approaching very neere the blessed VIRGIN our LADYE by reuelation from God was batrothed to a just man named Ioseph shee beeing certified that it should bee without perill of her Chastitye to the which shee readily obeyed Vpon the which I will ponder the causes why God our Lord would that his mother should bee despoused wherein hee discouereth the Prouidence hee hath of those that are his The first was to conceale the mystery of the Incarnation the Childe bearing of the VIRGIN vntill the full time Hee had likewise heerein a Care of the Honour of his Mother that they might not esteeme her as an Adulteresse As also that shee might haue one to sustaine and serue her in her Afflictions and to accompany her in her Peregrinations that her Sonne might haue a Tutour or Foster father to bring him vp and prouide for him And finally to haue occasion to magnifye S. Ioseph exalting him to such a Dignitye as to bee the Spouse of the Mother of God the Foster father of the Sonne of God O most louing Father Colloquie I giue thee thankes for the care thou hast of thy Children Seruants prouiding for their Honour for their Ease and sustentation preuenting in time the Remedye of what may molest them and seeking out Occasions to magnifye them Happy is hee that is vnder thy Wing and Protection Prouide for mee o Lord that am thy Creature that I may allwayes bee imployed in seruing thee seeing thou art allwayes imployed in gouerning mee Secondly I am to ponder in the VIRGIN the greate Faithe and Confidence that shee had in God that her Chastitye should not bee indaungered by her Mariage As also the greate Obedience that shee shewed in accepting this Estate which shee had so earnestly refused denying her owne will and resigning it to the Will of God Wherein I am to imitate her according to my Estate perswading myselfe that for my Obedience to God if I trust in him with a liuely Faithe I shall not loose Vertue nor Consolation nor any thing whatsoeuer in reason I can desier for my Saluation For God hath both Knowledge and Power to ioyne Virginity with Wedlocke Contemplation with Occupation and the Beautye of Rachel with the fruitefullnesse of Lia without receiuing any harme the one by the other The seuenth Pointe SEuenthly Of the feruent zeale wherewith shee desired the Incarnation I am to consider the feruent Desires the blessed VIRGIN had of the comming of God into the Worlde the which so much the more increased by how much the time of the Incarnation approached neerer the holy Spirit inspiring them into her whose propertye is when hee will graunt any thing to the elected to inspire into them liuely desires thereof that with their Desier with Praier they may dispose themselues to receiue it Besides this 2 Cor. 5.14 the VIRGIN was sollicited by her owne Charitye with the two most noble Actes thereof Loue of God and of our neighbour zeale of the Glorye of God and of the Saluation of Soules for as shee very much loued God shee desired to see him allreadye made man the better to knowe his Greatenesses to beholde his meruailous Workes and to conuerse familiarly with him Then vsed shee vnto him that of the Canticles Cant. 8.1 VVho shall giae to me thee my Brother sucking the Breastes of my mother that I may finde thee without and kisse thee and now no man dispise mee I will take holde of thee and bring thee into my Mothers howse there thou shallt teache mee and I will giue thee a cuppe of spiced wine and new wine of my Pomegranates O how happy were I if I might see thee allreadye in humane fleshe sucking at the breastes of some Woman and might finde thee out of thy Heauen conuersing visibly with men vpon Earthe that I might giue and receiue of thee the kisse of Peace Then would I procure to conuerse with thee and to heare thy Doctrine in this Temple and to inuite thee to what thou most of all desirest giuing thee my whole Loue with many Affections and Actes of Charitye Hereunto was added that her feruent zeale did eate her vp seeing the offences against God and the perdition of men and therefore with many and greate Gronings and Praiers desiring of God to come to their Remedye shee repeated with greate Affection the praiers of Dauid and of Isaias which the Church vseth in the Aduent Psal 79.3 84.8 Isa 64.1 45.8 saying vnto allmighty God Raise o Lord thy might and come to saue vs Shewe vs thy mercye and giue vs thy Saluation O that thou wouldest breake the Heauens and descende Drop dewe ye Heauens from aboue and let the clowdes raigne the Iust Be the Earthe opened and bud forth a Sauiour Finally the Praiers of the blessed VIRGIN preuailed so much with God our Lorde that though the Worlde were so wicked as soone after wee shall see and that mankinde no wayes merited this fauour shee only counterpeised the Demerits of all and with her merits and Praiers was a meane that the Sonne of God hastened his Incarnation without making any accoumpt of the Indignitye of the Worlde O meruailous efficacye of the Praier of the VIRGIN I rejoice o blessed LADYE Colloquie that thou wast so powerfull with God as to make him mende his pace and hasten his comming beseeche him also to make haste to come to visit mee and that I may bee worthy of his visitation Inuocate the Diuine Spirit to inspire mee with feruerous Desires thereof Amen The fifth Meditation Of the time that God chose to annuntiate and execute the Mysteries of the Incarnation THree times might our Lord God haue made choise of D. Th. 3. p. q. 1. ar 5. 6. to execute the Decree of his Incarnation The first was in the beginning of the Worlde assoone as Adam had sinned The second in the middle of it Continuance Abac. 3.2 which the Prophet Abacuch calleth In the midle of yeares The third about the ende But the Diuine Wisdome made choise of the first time to promise this mysterie as concerning the Remedye of Sinne of the second to execute it And of all the rest to gather the copious fruites that from it were to spring ordaining it thus for our Good for the Causes that in the ensuing pointes shall bee pondered The first Pointe FIrst D. Th. 2.2 q. 2. ar 7. ex Gen. 3. I am to