Greg. l. 24 moral c. 6 in such sorte as the foure holy Beastes following the Impulsion of the holy Spirit did strike one another with their Winges prouoking as it were one another to followe him the more feruently Secondly they shewed greate obedience for albeit the Angell commaunded them not expressely to goe to Bethlehem yet they contented themselues that hee shewed that it was the good liking of God for to this ende he reuealed and Inspired it And to one perfectly obedient it suffizeth to haue any signification whatsoeuer of the diuine Will to put it presently in practize albeit it were needefull to leaue therefore as the Shepheardes did both his flocke and all that he hath Thirdly they executed the Will of God with greate zeale And heereupon it is sayde that they went with speede moued by the diuine Spirit with a desire to see the Worde that the Angell had saiede vnto them which was the eternall Worde of God made fleshe for our sakes And their zeale made them worthye to finde what they sought the Angell guiding them to the manger where he was O that I might Imitate the zealous obedience Colloquie and diligence of these holy Shepheardes to seeke and to finde out the Sauiour O soueraigne Shepheard whose Sheepe all other Shepheardes are discouer vnto mee with thy diuine Illumination the place where thou lyest and feedest in thy holy Natiuitye that I may so seeke thee and finde thee that I may knowe and loue thee worlde without ende Amen The second Pointe HEere is to be considered what these deuoute Shepheardes did when they founde what they sought The first is to beleeue that in entring into the Stable there did shine from the face of the most blessed Babe such a light and splendour as penetrated their Vnderstandings and discouered vnto them by a liuely faithe how he that was there was God and man the Sauiour of the worlde and the Messias promised in the Lawe and with this light inflamed in his Loue with greate reuerence prostrating themselues on the grounde they adored him and were thankefull for his comming into the worlde beseeching him to goe forward with this worke to be compassionate to his people of Israel and likewise they offered themselues to serue him with wordes very full of Deuotion It is likewise credible that they offered him somewhat of what they had according to their pouertye for our Lord reduced to their memorye that of Deuteronomye which sayeth Thou shalt not appeare before our Lord emptye handed Deut. 16 16. O with what affection might they offer and with what Loue might the Childe accept retourning vnto them such abundant giftes of his grace that they should not departe emptye from his presence It is also credible that the blessed VIRGIN was thankefull with Humillitye and that they spake vnto her with greate respect admiring at her resplendent sanctitye and recounting vnto her all that had passed with the Angells whereat she receiued exceeding greate Ioye for the glorye of her Sonne O sweete IESVS Colloquie I adore thee with these holy Shepheardes and I desire to adore thee with that deuotion that they adored thee and not to come emptye into thy presence I offer thee my hearte and libertye and all that I haue And I beseeche thee o my God suffer me not to departe emptye from thy presence but fill me with thy grace that I may therewith serue thee and obtaine Life euerlasting Amen The third Pointe And the Shepheardes retourned glorifying Luc. 2.20 and praising God in all that they had seene and hearde and they published it to all that they mette causing greate admiration in all but MARIE kept all these wordes conferring them in her hearte Concerning this Veritye it shall not be amisse to consider for our owne proffit foure sortes of Persons that were in Bethlehem and the confines thereof and the manner how they behaued themselues about this natiuitye of the Sonne of God applying it to myselfe for my owne proffit Some came not at all to the Inne in Bethlehem for allbeit they heard what the Shepheardes sayed and admired to heare it yet notwithstanding we reade not that they went to see it beeing drunke in their owne Affaires and Businesses as there are many now who come not to contemplate these mysteries thorough Sloth and thorough busying themselues in other affaires of their owne pleasure Others by chaunce entred into the Inne in passing by but they neither knewe the Infant nor the mother nor stayed vpon more then that exteriour that they sawe before their eyes Such are they who assist in these mysteries with a deade faithe without staying vpon them or sounding the depth of them and so they gather no proffit Others like the Shepheardes entred being moued by God and with a liuely faithe adored the Childe and reaped greate proffit thereof but they remained not there but retourned to their office praising God and publishing his wonderfull workes Such are the Iust who at times giue themselues to Praier and Contemplation of these mysteries and from thence goe to fullfill their Obligations and to preache what they haue knowen of God mouing others to seeke and to knowe him Others finally as S. Ioseph and the blessed VIRGIN were allwaies in the Inne assisting the Childe and seruing him with Loue keeping in their memorye all that they sawe and hearde and conferring it in their Hearte O how diuine a conference the blessed VIRGIN had of all this She conferred what God was in Heauen with what that Childe was vpon Earthe what the Prophets saide with what she behelde with her eyes what the Angel and Shepheardes had spoken with what was present in that manger and this conference was not drye but tender full of greate admiration and of feruent affections of Deuotion And in this she spent the eight dayes vntill the Circumcision This our LADYE they imitate that dedicate themselues largely some dayes to the Contemplation of these mysteries making these spirituall conferences in their heartes Happy are those that in this manner can and knowe how to assist this Infant in the manger O soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie teache me to conferre within myselfe what Faithe doth dictate vnto me of thy Sonne and that which thou diddest conferre of him in thy Hearte that Imprinting it in my spirit I may neuer departe from his presence but employ myselfe in knowing louing and seruing him for euer and euer Amen In the 26. Meditation shall be pondered another manner of meditating this mysterye The twentieth Meditation D. Th. 3 p. q 37. ar 1 Luc. 2.14 Of the Circumcision of our Sauiour on the eigth daye The first Pointe FIrst is to be considered how on the eigth day after the natiuitye the blessed VIRGIN and S. Ioseph determined to circumcize the childe in accomplishment of the Lawe Leuit. 12.3 with Imposed vpon the Parents a precept thereof vpon which I am to ponder First the obedience of the VIRGIN
will learne to reuerence the secret Iudgements of God to humble myselfe and to passe ouer his Deuises expecting the conuenient time of his visitation seeing there is no day that commeth not at last and what this day hee graunted to S. Elizabeth he gaue afterwardes more largely to Zacharias The thirtenth Meditation Of the birth of S. Iohn the fore-runner of our Sauiour Christe The first Pointe FIrst For the feaste of S. Iohn Baptist Luc. 1.11 I will consider what happened before the Conception of this Sainct for God hauing elected him for his fore-runner was willing to honour him to demonstrate in him the greatnesse of his mercye and the heigth of the office that he gaue him in charge all for the glorye of Christ IESVS whose fore-runner he was As first he would that he should be miraculously conceiued of barren Parents that he should be the Sonne of holy Parents and the Sonne of Praiers holy Desiers for Praier is the meanes that God vseth to execute the Deuises of his eternall predestination as S. Gregory sayeth Lib. 1. dial c. 5. speaking of the birth of the Patriarch Isaac Whereby he moueth vs to haue greate Affection Confidence in Praier though it be concerning things that seeme difficult seeing for all it is auaileable He would likewise that his Conception should be annunciated by the Angell S. Gabriel who annunciated that of his Sonne and with the selfe same spirit of prompt Obedience the Angell came to declare both the one and the other because it was God that commaunded it Tob. 5.5 In the same manner that S. Raphael came to serue Tobias in very base things with no lesse pleasure then if God had commaunded him things of greate heigth for all the Angells place their Glory in accomplishing the will of God Then will I ponder what Greatenesses S. Gabriel spake of the Childe that he might be esteemed by all and to instruct his Father in the manner of his education for so high an office The first was that the Angell himselfe in Gods behalfe gaue him the name he was to haue saying that he should be called Iohn which is as much to say as Crace to signifye that he should be an absolute Portraiture of Grace in whome should be shewen the riches of Gods grace for he truely founde grace before God who without any merits of his elected and called him Isa 49.13 and was mindefull of his name euen from the Wombe of his mother The second that he should be greate before God in those things that God esteemeth for greatenesse which are Vertues and Giftes of Sanctitye So that he should be greate in Humillitye Patience and Obedience greate in Praier and Contemplation and greate in the office that the greate ones haue of the house of God The third that he should be exceeding temperate without drinking wine or sicer as a man of Nazareth wholely dedicated to the seruice of God And for that the Diuine promises are not emptye but full giuing a sufficient portion for all that is promised he addeth the fourth excellencye that hee should be replenished from the Wombe of his mother with the holy Spirit with that fullnesse that was requisite for the Dignitye of his Office because he was elected beginning from the wombe of his mother going on forwarde to his Deathe The fifth that he should goe before our Lord as his Precursor with the zealous spirit of Elias conuerting to God many Israelites and preparing him a People perfectly industriated to receiue the newe Lawe that he was to teache So that according to the Sentence of the Angell this Childe should be perfect in all manner of perfection towardes God towardes himselfe and towardes his neighbours For towardes God he should be greate in the giftes of his Grace towards himselfe rigorous in the workes of mortification and Penance and towardes his neighbours he should be zealous in seeking their Saluation not contenting himselfe to be perfect but endeuoring that all might be perfect and ordaining all this to the glorye of our Lord Christ This patterne of perfection which is the same that is taught vs by the Prophet Micheas I am to set before my eyes for imitation Mich. 6.8 c. And of the Greatenesses that God so much esteemeth I am to pretende for myselfe those which are conuenient for my Estate beseeching his diuine maiestie to giue mee them for the Loue he bare to this Precursor to whome so liberally he graunted them The Second Pointe SEcondly Luc. 1.39 are to be considered the fauours that our Lord did to this holy Babe beeing in the wombe of his mother in the sixth mōneth of his Conception the Worde Incarnate himselfe comming in the Wombe of his mother to visite him and to sanctify him as is declared in the precedent meditation from the which wee may recollect three excellencyes of this Sainct First that S. Iohn was the first fruites of all the Sainctes that our Sauiour made after his Incarnation and therefore he sanctifyed him with greate excellencye giuing him greate Sanctitye and many graces giuen gratis after a very perfect manner graunting him the vse of reason and free will Illuminating his Vnderstanding to knowe his Incarnation and Inflaming his will with feruent affections of Admiration and Loue and with Iubilees and rejoicings in the holy Spirit The second excellencye was that whereas the giftes of God Rom. 11.29 In Luc. 1. as S. Paul sayeth are without repentance it is to be beleeued as sayeth S. Ambrose that he tooke not from him the vse of reason that he had graunted him and consequently that whereas the blessed VIRGIN those three moneths that she was in the house of Zacharias ayded S. Elizabeth to growe in all Vertue so the Childe IESVS that was in the wombe of the VIRGIN ayded the Childe Iohn who was in the wombe of Elizabeth to growe vp in that holinesse that he had graunted him prosecuting it with newe actes of his free-will inflamed with diuine grace by the holy Spirit of whome hee was full The third excellencye was as holy men reporte that in respect of the Childe Iohn Ambr. Bed in Luc. God did so many fauours to his mother that he filled her with the holy Ghost and with the Spirit of Prophecye to giue vs to vnderstand how much he esteemeth this Childe and what good he will doe vs for his sake For the which I am to procure greate Loue to this fore-runner rejoicing at the fauours that he receiued and giuing thankes to God that gaue them him and beseeching him to bee an Intercessor for mee that I may haue some parte in them The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the most speciall things that happened in the birth of S. Iohn The first was that comming to circumcize him his Parents by Gods Inspiration Luc. 1.59 against the will of their kinred saied his name should bee Iohn which is as much to say as
himselfe and for the Glory giuen to him by the Saintes in heauen and for the seruices donne him by the Iust vpon the earthe and rejoicing within ourselues for the hope of eternall good and for the possession which the blessed doe enjoy saying that of the Apocalips Apoc. 19.6 Alleluia because our Lord God the omnipotent hath raigned Let vs bee glad and reioice and giue glory to him because the mariage of the Lambe is come and his vvife hath prepared herselfe Thankesgiuings are Actions of thankefullnesse for the benefits wee haue receiued of our Lorde recounting them all very often and praising him for euery one of them and I am not onely to giue him thankes for the benefits I my selfe haue receiued but also for those which hee hath donne to the Angells in Heauen and to all the men vpon earthe and to the insensible creatures that knowe not how to thanke him yea and for those hee hath donne to the Deuills themselues and to the Damned that haue no will to bee thankefull vnto him VVith these 4. Affections wee may speake to our Lord in Praier to the ende to glorifye him procuring as S. Paul sayeth the holy Spirit to bee the beginning of our Interiour speeches the midle or Mediatour to bee Christe IESVS our Sauiour and the ende and person to whome they bee directed to bee the Father euerlasting albeeit as hath beene saide they may likewise bee directed to all the three Persons 2. The second ende why wee are to speake vnto God our Lord is to require of him newe coelestiall guiftes and graces ordained to our owne saluation and perfection and to his Glory These Petitions and Colloquies may bee made in many formes according to the diuerse disposition of him that prayeth and speaketh to God Sometimes wee are to speake vnto him as a Sonne speaketh vnto his Father asking of him all such things as a good Sonne may and ought to aske of a good Father with the Spirit of Loue and Confidence And in this sorte wee speake vnto God in that praier of our Pater noster where Christe our Lord declareth what things wee are to aske as wee shall see in the Meditation which shall bee made vpon that praier in the third parte Sometimes wee are to speake vnto God as a poore wretche doth to a riche and mercifull man begging of him an almes Psal 24.16 39.18 Ad Rom. 10.12 VVith this Spirit prayed Dauid very often calling himselfe a poore wretch and a begger begging a spirituall almes of God who as S. Paule saith is riche tovvard all that inuocate him Sometimes wee may speake to God as a sicke man speaketh to a Phisition declaring vnto him his Infirmityes and desiring remedie thereof or as a man that hath a processe or one that is guilty speketh to a Iudge when he informeth him of his right requireth a fauourable sentence or pardon of his Crime And in this case our Colloquye must bee accompanied with Affections of humilliation of Sorrowe for Sinne of Purposes of satisfaction amendmēt Of the which wee shall see forward many exāples in the meditations vpon the Miracles Parables of our Sauiour Christe Finally other sometimes wee may speake vnto God with that Spirit that a Scholler speaketh vnto his Master requiring of him Light and Instruction in such things as wee knowe not Or as one friende speaketh vnto another when hee talketh with him of some waighty affaire asking him Counsaile Direction and Aide And if Confidence and Loue shall so farre imbolden vs our Soule may speake vnto God as the Bride speaketh to her Spouse in seuerall Colloquyes wherewith the booke of Canticles is replenished In all these sortes wee may speake to our Lord in praier clothing ourselues with the foresaide affections sometimes with one and sometimes with another for all are fitting vnto vs with our God who is our Phisition our Iudge our Friende and the Spouse of our Soules Truth it is that the greatest certainety in these Petitions Colloquyes dependeth principally vpon the holy Spirit Ad Rom. 8.26 who as S. Paule saith requesteth for vs vvith gronings vnspeakeable for with his inspiration hee teacheth vs and mooueth vs to aske ordering our petitions and rowzing vp those Affections wherewith they are to bee made To which purpose S. Serm. 15. in Cantica Bernard saide that Deuotion is the Tongue of the Soule which whosoeuer hath is very skilfull in talking and reasoning with the eternall VVorde But this notwithstanding wee for our parte must aide ourselues and learne to treate and conferre with God obseruing the manner and the affection wherewith men speake one to another in the cases rehearsed VVhereunto I adde that albeit Praier is properly a speeche Colloquy with our Lord wee may not withstanding speake therein to ourselues haue conference with our owne Soule Sometimes our selues as S. Paule saieth exhorting ourselues Ad Colos 3.16 reuiuing ourselues in the affections petitions rehearsed Other sometimes reprehending ourselues for our faultes for our want of zeale beeing ashamed of our selues that wee serue God so euilly In this sorte Dauid spake many times to his Soule saying O my Soule why arte thou sorrowfull Psal 41.12 42.5 Psal 61.6 and why art thou troubled hope in God for still I haue time to praise him and to confesse that hee is my Sauiour and my God Subject thyselfe to God o my Soule for vpon him dependeth my Patience From these Colloquyes wee must make a step to speake to God himselfe as did the prodigall Sonne when hee spake to himselfe saying Hovv many of my Fathers hirelings haue aboundance of breade and I heere perish for famine Luke 15.17 I vvill arise and vvil goe to my Father and say to him Father I haue sinned against Heauen and before thee I am not novv vvorthy to bee called thy Sonne make mee if it so please thee as one of thy Hirelings Finally wee may likewise in Praier speake to our blessed Lady the Virgin to the Angells and Saintes for the same forsaid two endes either to praise and blesse them for their Sanctitye Vertues and for the benefits which they doe vs or to require them to aide and fauour vs in the businesse of our Saluation For the which wee may likewise alledge vnto them some of those Titles which we laid downe in the precedent § other speciall ones beseeming eche of them To the most sacred Virgin may bee alledged that shee is our mother and the Aduocatrice of Sinners and that for our remedie her Sonne gaue her this Office in charge alledging also the Loue that shee beareth him and her desire that all should loue and serue him beseeching her to doe for vs the office of a mother and an Aduocatrice and to demonstrate vnto vs that her Loue and Desire in obtaining for vs what wee request that wee may the better serue him whome shee so dearely loueth Also to our
before propounded pondering how the causes rootes of this worke were not our merites but onely the bountye and mercye of God and the endes were the Redemption of the VVorlde and the manifestation of his diuine Goodnesse and Charitye Aftervvardes I will consider the proffit that thereby came vnto vs to wit Pardon of Sinnes Destruction of Deathe Entraunce into Heauen and such other like And then the losse wee had sustained if this worke had not beene donne remaining all Enemies of God Slaues of the Diuell and Damned to Hell Finally the Circumstances of this worke touching Place and Time and Manner and what properties of Bodye and Soule God tooke when hee was Incarnate In eache of these things the Vnderstanding is to make a pawse detaining itselfe in euery one so long as it shall finde Deuotion and Spirituall Gust without caring to passe to another mouing the VVill to diuerse Affections of Loue and Confidence as hath beene saied making Petitions and Colloquies with our Lord according to what hath beene meditated and desired And when our Vnderstanding hath pondered well one of these things it may passe to another with the like quietnesse and calmenesse of minde and so proceede in the rest Of all this wee shall see plaine examples in the meditations ensuing especially in the first which shall bee a patterne for the rest I onely aduertise that when the holy Spirit with speciall Inspiration moueth vs to pray all is easy sweeet for that hee recollecteth the memorye reuiueth the discourses raineth showers of meditatiōs inkindleth the Affections accordeth the Petitions ordereth the Colloquies and maketh perfect the whole VVorke of Praier ourselues cooperating without Trouble But when this speciall Succour is wanting it is necessary that wee ourselues vsing our freewill with the assistaunce of Grace which neuer faileth vs apply our faculties to the exercise of their Actes in the forme aforesaide whereby wee prouoke the holy Spirit to ayde vs with the speciall Succour of his Inspirations For Spirituall men which treate of Praier should not bee like Ships of high building that cannot saile with out winde but rather like Gallies that nauigate both with the winde with the Oare and when they faile of the prosperous winde of diuine Inspiratiō they are to nauigate with the Oare of their faculties aided by the diuine fauour though it bee not so sensible And this kinde of Praier is wonte to be sometimes most profitable though it be not so pleasing for the much that it meriteth fighting against Distractions and Drynesse of Hearte And if wee perseuer rowing and praying at his time Christe our Lord will come to visit vs with whose visitation this tempest shall cease as it happened in a like case to the holy Apostles as hereafter wee shall see Matt. 14.25 The Armes to fight against these Distractions of Hearte Drouthe of Spirit are principally foure 1. The first is profound Humillitye Mar. 6.48 acknowledging our VVeakenesse and miserye and beeing ashamed of ourselues to stand before God with such distraction and accusing ourselues of our offences passed and present for the which wee are chastized therein Lucae 14.11 For whosoeuer in this manner humbleth himselfe in Praier shall bee therein exalted 2 The second is Fortitude of minde making a manly resolution not aduisedly to admitte any Cogitation that may separate vs from that whereof wee pray though it bee of a matter that ministreth to vs much pleasure or seemeth of very much Importance for at that time none Importeth so much as to attend to my Praier and to God before whome I am to pray and when vnwittingly I finde myselfe diuerted I will turne againe to tye the thrid of the good Cogitation and Discourse begun and if a thousand times I shall bee diuerted I will turne a thousand times to the same without loosing my Courage or Confidence Genes 15.11 D. Greg. lib. 16. mor. c. 19 remembring that Abraham perseuering to chase away the Importunate birdes that approached to the Sacrifice came to sleepe a mysterious Sleepe wherein God discouered vnto him greate Secrets and passed like Fier thorough the midst of the sacrifice in testimonye that hee accepted it So I labouring with Perseuerance to chase away Importunate Cogitations that disquiet mee in the Sacrifice of Praier shall come with Gods fauour to sleepe the quiet sleepe of Contemplation wherein hee may illuminate my Soule with his light that I may knowe him and inflame it with the fier of Loue that I may loue him 3. The third VVeapon is Praier it selfe beseeching our Lorde to builde in our Soule a Citty of Hierusalem Psal 146.2 that may bee a Vision of Peace recollecting my Thoughtes and wandring Affections that they may Inhabite therein and busy themselues quietly in Praier The like will I beseeche the holy Angells who assist those that pray And in this meane I will Imploye all my force for Praier is so powerfull that it can obtaine of God all things and it selfe with them vsing in the middest of these Disturbations some breife Praiers to this Purpose Sometimes I will say with Dauid My Hearte hath forsaken mee Psal 39.13 it may please thee to Lord to deliuer mee from the violence I suffer and haue respect to helpe mee Other times I will say with the same royall Prophet My Soule as Earthe without water to thee Psal 142.6 Matth. 8.25 heare mee quickly to Lord my Spirite hath fainted Other sometimes I will crye out with the Apostles in the middest of the Tempest Saue mee o Lord for I perishe Or like the blinde whose Praier was hindred by the presse of the People I will lift vp my voice saying Luc. 18.38 Sonne of Dauid haue mercye vpon mee And if I perseuer crying though it bee with Drouthe and Violence our Lord Christe will not faile to haue compassion on mee as hee had on this blinde man which wee shall ponder in its place 4. The last weapon must bee a greate Confidence in God our Lorde perswading ourselues that seeing hee commaundeth vs to praye hee will giue vs grace and help for the same whereby wee may bee able to resist the Diuell to bridel our Imagination to represse our Passions to moderate our cares and to cast from vs our lukewarmenesse that they may not hinder vs in the exercise of Prayer But with this Confidence wee must joyne Diligence Collat. 9. c. 2. collat 10. c. 13. Cap. 48.49.50 procuring as Cassianus sayeth before Praier to remoue all such occasions as wee would not should distract vs therein imitating in this the subtlety of our Aduersarye who as S. Nilus the Abbot sayeth ordaineth all his Temptations wherewith in the day time hee tempteth spirituall Persons to hinder them from Praier and the fruite thereof Hee tempteth them with Gluttonye to make them in Praier heauye and sleepye Hee tempteth them with Impatience to disquiet them with Curiositye of the Senses to distract them with
and what puritye of Intention I had therein with such like being very sorrowfull for any defect that I shall finde and purposing from that time forwarde to amende it 2. Secondly I am to examine whither I were attentiue or distracted whither deuoute or drye whither I contented myselfe with discoursing onely for that were no Praier but studye or whither I had good affections and purposes whither I begged of God and spake vnto him in my Colloquies with reuerence and confidence or without it And if I finde that it hath gonne well with mee in all I will giue thankes to God for it attributing this good successe not to my diligence but to his grace and mercye But if I finde that it hath gonne ill with mee I will examine the cause whither it were any fault of mine or any passion or disordered Affection or any negligence or remissenesse and being sorrie for my fault I will purpose to amende with determination to mortify my selfe and to remooue away the cause of this harme 3. Thirdly I am to examine the motions and Inspirations or Illuminations and spirituall Taste that I haue felt marking well what effectes they haue wrought in mee to knowe whither they spring from a good Spirit or not and to gaine experience that may helpe mee to knowe the Variety of Spirits To which ende it will helpe much to knowe the rules that are prescribed for this of which wee shall set downe many in the discourse of these meditations 4. Fourthly I am to examine the Resolutions that I made in Praier to see when and how I am to put them in execution and generally I am to examine what fruite I drawe from Praier and Conuersation with God for if my Praier bee a Tree without fruite Matt. 21 19. it will bee cursed like the figtree and presently wither but if it beare fruite it shall bee blessed and growe vp like a Tree planted nigh to the streames of waters Psal 1.3 The fruites of Praier are these To reforme manners to withdraw vs from Sinnes bee they neuer so light to auoyde the occasions of them and of all Imperfection to subdue Passions to curbe the Senses to mortifye sinister Inclinations to vanquish the repugnancies and difficulties that I finde in Vertues to fight valiauntly against Temptations to animate myselfe to suffer much Affliction with alacritye to incourage myselfe to fullfill readily the will of God declared in his holy Lawe in the Euangelicall Counsells and in the rules and Orders of my estate and office To procure also the augmentation or increase of Vertues imitating those of Christe IESVS our Lorde especially his Charitye and Humillitye his Obedience and Patience in Afflictions his Loue of the Crosse and of Contempt and of Chastizing the fleshe And particularly euery one is to procure to haue that Vertue that hee hath most neede of according to the quallitye of his Estate whither it bee Modestye or Chastitye or Fortitude or any other of the Theologall or Morall Vertues with a most effectual resolution and purpose as shall be set downe in the 29. meditation of the first part And when I shall make an examination of Praier I must make good Triall whither I haue drawne out any of these fruites in the manner aforesaide Of the seuerall formes of Praying in diuerse Matters accomodated to different Persons and Times §. 9. THE taste of man is so disgusted in spirituall Exercises that it easily begetteth tediousnesse and loathing if his meate bee giuen him dressed allwaies after one fashion though it bee neuer so precious Num. 21.5 as the Israelites were lothed with Manna though it were exceeding sweete because it was alwaies the same For this cause the Sainctes and Spirituall masters haue Inuented diuerse formes of Praier accomodating Praier in sundry manners with this Variety to take away the wearinesse wee might haue in the exercise thereof when the Spirit of God goeth not alwaies renewing the delight of the same making vs Psal 95.1 97.1 as Dauid saith alwaies to sing vnto our Lord a newe song Herein the Seraphicall Doctor S. Bonauenture was very excellent in his very many and large treatises that hee made of these matters and no lesse was our glorious Father Ignatius couching in his litle booke not onely variety of matter for meditation but also seuerall formes of praying for the examination of the Conscience for the application of the Interiour Senses of the Soule and for diuerse Similitudes and Parables and especially hee taught three very proffitable formes of Praier accomodated to those which walke in the three wayes aboue-saide Purgatiue Illuminatiue and Vnitiue although they are all three of greate profit for them all 1. The first forme of Praying is vpon Gods Commaundements vpon the seuen Capitall Vices commonly called the seuen deadely Sinnes vpon the three faculties of the Soule and vpon the fiue Senses taking all this for matter of Meditation and Praier This forme is proper to those that walke in the Purgatiue waye labouring to cleanse themselues of their Sinnes And so wee will declare this forme in the first parte making speciall meditations of all these things with the rest that pertaine to the manner of praying examining the Conscience and preparing a mans selfe for Confession and Communion whereby is obtained the puritye of the Soule 2. The second forme of Praying is vpon VVordes taking for matter of meditation some Psalme of Dauid or some Sermon or Sentence of our Sauiour Christe or some Praier or Hymne of the Churche ruminating euery worde by it selfe and drawing out the Spirit and Affection that is in it For as the wordes of holy Scripture were dictated by the holy Spirit they haue all some misterye worthy of Ponderation And as the Churche is gouerned by the same holy Spirit it speaketh not a worde but it containeth much Spirit The forme of meditating these is to consider who speaketh that worde to whome it is spoken or directed to what ende with what manner and Spirit it was spoken and what is the signification thereof that is to say what it is that it commaundeth or counselleth threateneth or promiseth or what it is that is required or pretended therein drawing out of all Affections agreeing with what hath beene pondered For in another sorte are those wordes to bee meditated which God speaketh to man then those which man speaketh to God The first as a man that heareth God who is his Master Law-giuer Counsellor Protector and Rewarder hearing him with Desire to learne what hee teacheth to execute what hee commaundeth to followe what hee counselleth to feare what hee threateneth to hope for what hee promiseth and to loue him for what hee sayeth The second are to bee ruminated with that Spirit with which hee that ordained them spake them according to the ende whereunto they are directed The which is manifestly seene in the Psalmes of David for some hee made with a Spirit of praising God and thanking him for
I inferre for the comfort of some Persons that are desirous to vse Mentall Praier and yet for want of healthe or some other cause dare not discourse nor diue to the bottome of that which is inclosed within the mysteries of our Faithe that they dispaire not of the Principall contained in this soueraigne exercise for to such God vseth to graunt vnder the title of their Necessity or Infirmitye what hee giueth vnto others vnder the title of many Seruices and large meditations wherein they haue beene exercized For as hee is so liberall and easily contended hee asketh of no man more then what according to his portion hee can giue him supplying that which wanteth The epilogue of Mentall Praier with his diuine Illustrations Such Persons ought therefore to bee aduertized that the ende of all the meditations and Discourses that shall bee put in the sixe partes of this Booke is to attaine to three notions or knowledges One of himselfe and of his innumerable necessities and miseries of Bodye and Soule The other of Christe IESVS our Lord true God and man and of his excellent Vertues especially those which were resplendent in his Natiuitye Passion and Deathe And the third of God Trine and One and of his infinite perfections and benefits as well naturall as supernaturall that procede from him These three knowledges goe linked one with another entring and issuing from one to another ascending from himselfe and from Christe to God and descending from God to Christe and to himselfe Ioan. 10.2 2 q. 82 art 8. and from them saithe S. Thomas springeth that Deuotion which comprehendeth three sortes of Affections corrispondent to them in the VVill. Some Affections be with himselfe confounding himselfe for his Sinnes and want of zeale beeing exceeding sorrowfull for them purposing amendment and humbling himselfe for that in steede of fruite hee hath brought forth nothing but Sinne. Others be with Christe our Lorde compassionating his Afflictions rejoicing in his Vertues desiring therein to Imitate him and requiring his grace to that ende Others be with God our Lord admiring at his Greatenesse praising him therefore giuing him thankes for the benefits hee hath donne vs and offering ourselues very really to serue him for the same mingling herewith all Petitions of celestiall Graces and guiftes for himselfe and for the whole Churche and for other his neighbours particularizing those things whereof hee hath greatest necessity This presupposed any Person whatsoeuer desirous to vse Mentall Praier how weake soeuer hee bee may put himselfe in the presence of the Liuing God whome hee hath neere him and within him and renewing the notice which hee hath by Faithe of the three things aforesaide may quietly exercise the Affections correspondent vnto then Sometimes confessing to God all his miseries one by one with Affections of Dolour Humilliation desiring remedye of them Sometimes calling to memorye the Vertues resplendent in some misterye of Christe our Lord his Humillitye Obedience and Patience with Affections and Desires to Imitate them Other times recounting the benefits that hee hath receiued of God with affectiōs of Thankesgiuing or remembring the infinite perfections of God his Bountie Mercie Prouidence with Affections of Praier and Ioye And these Affections by Gods fauour will bee drawne out without any difficultie for the mysteries and verities of our faithe are like flint-stones which in touching them with the steele of any single consideration cast out sparkles of Loue which if the Soule like Tinder bee well disposed to receiue they presently raise vp flames of greate feeling and affection To doe this with more facillitye it will helpe much to haue reade first some one of the meditations which ensue labouring alwaies to recollect in the memorie some of the most notable Verities of our Faithe which may bee as it were the baite of these feelings saying with the Bride Cant. 1.13 a bundle of Myrrhe my beloued is to mee he shall abide betvveene my Brestes giuing vs to vnderstand that shee had recollected many Verities of those mysteries which pertaine to her Beloued which shee set before her regarding them simply with the eyes of the Spirite and embracing them with the inkindled Affections of the Heart and applying them to herselfe with effectuall purposes of Imitation Of these wee are to take sometimes one and sometimes another for the foundation of Mentall Praier as did our Sauiour Christe recollecting himselfe to pray in the garden of Gethsemani who tooke three times for the Theame Mat. 26.39 and foundation of his Praier these breife wordes My Father if it bee possible let this chalice passe from me neuerthelesse not as I vvill but as thou And in the pondering sense of these wordes hee spent a greate space as in its place wee shall see Of the extraordinarye formes of Mentall Praier and in what diuerse manners God communicateth hîmselfe therein §. 11. BY those things that haue beene saide concerning Praier Epis 105 prope medium it manifestly appeareth as S. Augustine saithe that it is the guifte of the holy Spirit promised by God our Lord to his Churche when hee saide I will powre downe vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the Inhabitantes of Hierusalem Spiritum gratiae precum the Spirit of Grace Zacha. 12.10 2. Corin. 2.5 Ad Rom. 8.26 and of Praier without which Spirit none prayeth assuredly for as S. Paule saithe wee of ourselues are not able to haue a holy Thought neither knowe wee how to pray as wee ought if the Spirit of God doe not teache vs and moue vs thereunto For the which hee hath diuerse wayes guiding some one waye and some another so that it should bee an intollerable errour to Imagine that all are to goe by the same way that I am guided for the Spirit of God est vnicus multiplex is onely Sapient 7.22 and manyfolde onely in the substance and principall ende which it pretendeth and manifolde in the meanes and wayes it taketh to obtaine it These wayes in generall are two Vide D. Th. 2.2 q. 174. art 1. ad 3. Ex D. Isid art 3. q. 155. art 1. 2. ad 1. 2. one ordinary which comprehendeth all the formes of Praier that hitherto wee haue treated of the other extraordinary which comprehendeth other formes of Praier more supernaturall speciall which wee call Praier of quietnesse or Silence with Suspensione Extasis or Rauishments with Imaginary figures of Truthes which are discouered or with onely an Intellectuall light of them with reuelations and Interiour Speeches and with other Innumerable meanes that God hath to communicate himselfe to Soules whereof no certaine rule can bee giuen for that they haue no other rule but the teaching and Direction of the Soueraigne master who teacheth it to whome hee will and how hee will For such sorts of Praier are not to bee pretended nor procured by our Selues vpon paine of beeing proude and presumptuous and in that case
remembrance of the soueraigne benefit that God did vs to take vs out of the dust of the Earthe bee not sufficient to spurre and to curbe vs yet at least the remembrance may suffice that when wee leaste thinke of it wee shall bee turned into Dust and so what Loue could not doe let Feare bring to passe Therefore o my Soule Colloquie Micheae 1.10 take Counsell of the Prophet vvho sayeth In the house of Dust couer thyselfe vvith Dust and seeing thou liuest in fleshe vvhich is Dust and art shortely to dvvell in the house of Dust vvhich is the graue couer thyselfe vvith Dust and Ashes doing penance for thy Sinnes and vvith the remembrance of this Dust beduste the svveete and pleasing things of this life that they may not carrye thee after them to Deathe euerlasting The third Pointe 1. FRom hence I will ascende to consider the spirit that is included in these wordes pondering that not without cause they say not vnto mee Remember that thou wast Dust but that thou art Dust at this present to signifye that of my corrupt nature I am earthe Dust for that I am inclined to earthly things as Riches Honors and pampering of the fleshe and that like Dust I am mutable and instable Psal 1.4 suffering myselfe to bee tossed with the winde of euery temptation especially of Vanitye And if I restraine not myselfe I shall turne into Earthe and Dust following my Inclinations and tourning myselfe into a terrene ambitious sensuall and vaine man For the which I am greately to humble myselfe and to tremble at my owne mutabillitye and weaknes and at the perill wherein I liue 2. Then will I ponder how by Gods grace I may free myselfe from these Daungers remembring that aswell I myselfe as all those earthly things that I loue are to ende and to tourne into Dust And with this spirit when I shall beholde a riche and potent man whose riches and power carry my eyes after him that Auarice and Ambition may not ouerthrowe mee I will remember that hee is but Dust and that his gould and Siluer is earthe that all shall retourne thereinto And if I see any beautifull woman that I may not bee tempted and vanquished by Luxury I will also remember that shee and all her Ornaments are Dust and that therein they shall rest And with this spirit I will applye these wordes to all things vpon Earthe saying to myselfe Remember that what thou seest and desirest is Dust and shall turne into Dust and Ashes and if thou doest loue it disordinately thou likewise shalt bee Dust and Earthe as it is Therefore loue God onely and celestiall Riches that by Vertue of his Grace it may bee saide vnto thee Thou art Heauen and to Heauen thou shallt retourne transforming thyselfe by loue into Heauen which thou louest The fourth Pointe FOurthly I am to consider that God our Lorde by the meanes of the Deade and of their Skulles and Bones sayeth vnto mee these very wordes Remember that thou art Dust and that into Dust thou shallt retourne that they may bee the more strongly imprinted in my Hearte and that out of them I may collect the greater prossit This I may ponder calling to memorye that memorable Sentence of Ecclesiasticus Eccles 38 23. which comprehendeth the sense and spirit of the saide wordes Memor esto Iudicij mei sic enim erit tuum mihi heri tibi hodie Remember my Iudgement for so shall thine bee yesterday for mee to daye for thee And for that the Deade had two Iudgements one of his bodye by which hee was condemned to turne to Dull and to VVormes the other of his Soule by which hee receiueth Sentence conformable to his meritteâ— of both of them hee willeth vs to remember ourselues And therefore in seeing any deade bodye or the sculles and bones of the deceased I am to imagine that they say vnto mee Remember that where thou seest thyselfe I sawe myselfe and where I now see myselfe thou shalt see thyselfe yesterday ended my life to day peraduenture thine shall bee ended Yesterday I turned into Dust to daye the like will begin for thee Yesterday the Bells rung for mee to day perhaps the same shall ring for thee Yesterday I gaue an accounte to God of my workes to day thou shallt giue a reckoning of thine Yesterday I receiued Sentence according to my merits to day thou shallt receiue according to thine Consider well that all this shall bee to daye for all the time of thy Life is but as a daye Ad Hebr. 3.13 Colloquie and peraduenture for thee this day shall bee thy last and thou shallt not liue till to morrowe O my Soule heare the crye of the Deade hearken vnto the Lecture that vvithered bones doe reade thee Consider vvell vvhat Iudgement passed on them for such shall bee thine Liue as they vvishe that they had liued prepare thyselfe as they vvould that they had prepared themselues passe often aliue this carriere that they haue passed that when thy houre approcheth thou maiest run it in such sorte that thou mayest obtaine Life euerlasting Amen The twelfth Meditation of the most grieuous Deceites and Daungers which the forgetfulnes of Deathe bringeth with it and of the manner hovv they are to bee remedied THis meditation I will grounde vpon the speeche of our Sauiour Christe concerning a riche man Of the parable of the couetous riche man whose fieldes hauing yeilded him plenty of fruites hee thought within himselfe to inlarge his grainaries or barnes to gather to keepe them and speaking vnto his Soule hee sayed vnto it Soule Luc. 12.19 thou hast much goods layed vp for many yeares take thy rest eate drinke and make good cheere But God saide vnto him Thou foole this night they require thy Soule of thee and the things that thou hast prouided vvhose shall they bee In the person of this riche man so forgetfull of his Deathe are represented vnto vs those that haue the like forgetfullnesse especially when they are riche healthfull and young which I am to applye to myselfe in the forme ensuing The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider three greate Deceites which the forgetfullnesse of Deathe bringeth with it by reason whereof our Lord God calleth this Richeman foole The first Deceite is to promise to myselfe many yeares of Life and to beethinke mee what I shall doe with them as if this depended onely vpon my VVill and not vpon Gods who peraduenture hath determined to take from vs our Life the very same night or day wherein wee thought it should haue beene largest And herewith hee defeateth our Imaginations and discouereth how much they went astraye VVhereupon I will reprehende myselfe with the wordes of the Apostle S. Iaco. 4.13 Iames saying to myselfe How darest thou say to morrowe I will goe into such a Cittye and there I will spende a yeare and will trafficke and make gaine when thou
and had they not beene like the Divells impenitent they should not haue beene cast into the eternall fier prepared for them Colloquie O God of Vengeance and vvith all Father of Mercye seeing thou rather desirest to pardon sinners vvith mercye then to chastize them vvith Vengeance giue mee time of true Penitence that I bee not chastized vvith the impenitent Divells Amen Esuriui enim non dedistis mihi manducare THen declareth the Iudge the iust reason of his sētence saying for I vvas hungrye and you gaue mee not to eate nor exercized to wardes mee the other workes of mercye And the Danmed desiring to excuse themselues not to haue failed with Christe in such workes hee wil say vnto them VVhat you did not to one of these litle ones you did not to mee for I was in them and therefore what you did not to them you did not to mee 1. Ioan. 4.20 For hee that loveth not his neighbout whome hee seeth visibly with his eyes how can hee loue God that is inuisible and hee that forgetteth the Image of God whome hee hath present how will hee remembre God himselfe whome hee esteemeth as absent I vvill also ponder that Christe our lord in the reason of the sentence all edgeth those sinnes that seeme the lesser to giue vs to vnderstand with how much more rigour hec will chastize the greater sinnes of which hee will also make mention And especially hee will declare to every one that all shall vnderstand it the cause wherefore hee condemneth him saying to the Luxurious Departe from mee yee cursed to the fier everlasting for the luxuries and Carnallities wherein you lived And to the Perjured and Blasphemours Departe from mee be cause you prophaned my holy name I having had so greate care of honoring yours etc. Mathê 7.22 Thirdly I will ponder that the wicked in the Day of Iudgement will alledge for their discharge some glorious workes that they did saying to Christe Matth. 7.22 Lord Lord did not vvee prophecye in thy name and in thy name cast out Divells and in thy name vvrought many miracles then why doest thou separate vs from thee But our Lord will aunswere them I never knewe you Departe from mee you workers of iniquitye which is to saye This Faithe and these graces that you had I knowe for I gaue you them but you abused them mingling them with haynous sinnes and it had bene reaseon that you prophecying to others should haue prophecyed to yourselues and casting out Divells out of other mens bodyes should haue cast them out of your owne soules and dooing miraculous workes should also haue donne vertuons workes which seeing you did not doe I neither knowe you nor approoue you and though you call mee your lord I will not admitte you as my seruantes because you were not obedient vnto mee From whence I will collect that if at that time no account shall bee made of Prophecie and the Grace to doe miracles without Vertues lesse account shall bee made of Nobilitie Riches Dignities sciences and other much lesser things which yet are much esteemed of men For to all in generall hee will say I knowe you not Departe from mee you workers of iniquitie The Damned hearing the Thunder of this dreadefull sentence Psal 76.19 Colloquie Psal 76.19 96.4 a mortall raving sadnesse shall fall vpon them For if the signes of Iudgement which like Lightenings are precedent to this Thunder shall wither their bones with feare what a Terrour shall the Thunder it selfe cause what affliction the Flashe and what Torment the fier O soveraigne Iudge sende the Lightenings of thy divine inspirations vpon the Earthe of my soule that contemplating vvhat is to passe in Iudgement I may tremble and quake and so alter my life that thou maiest alter the sentence Psal 76.11 Chaunge my Hearte vvith thy right hande that in that daye I may not bee placed on thy left hande Et cum veneris iudicare noli me condemnare And vvhen thou commest to Iudgement doe not condemne mee Let thy mercye novv pardon mee that then thy Iustice may not condomne mee Amen The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the execution of these sentences Math. 25.46 of the which our saviour Christe saieth Et ibunt he in supplicium aeternum iusti autem in vitam aeternam And these shall goe into punishement everlasting but the iust into life everlasting First I will consider the execution of the sentence giuen against the wicked for in the instant that it shall bee giuen without any delaye in viewe of the Righteous the earthe shall open vnder their feete and the Divelle laying holde on them they shall all togither descende vnto Hell and the earthe shall presently close vp againe they remaining for ever buried in that abysme of Fier Then shall bee fullfilled that Malediction written in the Psalme Psalm 54.16 Apocal. 20.14 let Deathe come vpon them and let them goe dovvne quicke into Hell And that which Saint Iohn speaketh of in his Apocalips That the Divell and Deathe and Hell and all those that were not written in the booke of life were cast into the Lake of fier and brimstone where with Antichriste and the false Prophet they shall bee tormented Day and might for ever and ever And this is the second Deathe bitter and eternall which comprehendeth the soules and Bodyes that died the first Deathe of sinne and the corporall Deathe that ensued therevpon O what a furious Raving shall possesse the Damned seeing themselues not able to resist nor to impeache the execution of this sentence O what a bitter Envye shall penetrate their entrailes to beeholde the glory of the righteous from whome they are divided O what a desperate sadnesse shall they receiue by this second Deathe and in their first entrance into that stinking infernall poole O what raging Agonyes beholding themselues covered with mountaines of Earthe bolted vp with eternall boltes and bounde handes and feete with Chaines of perpetuall Damnation Then shall they see by experience how evill and bitter it was to haue divided themselues from theire God and to haue abandoned his holy feare Ierem. 2.19 Feare o my soule the terriblenesse of this second Deathe that thou maist avoide the iniquitie of the first Deathe Enter vvith thy spirit into these Openings of the Earthe and hide thy selfe therein Isai 2.10 beholding quietly vvhat passeth there that thou mayest feare the vvrathe of the Almighty and escape his furye I vvill likewise ponder how Ioyfull the righteous shall bee as David saieth to beholde the vengeance that Gods iustice taketh on wicked Psalm 57.11 for although among the Damned bee hee that was his Father or mother Brother or Frende they shall receiue no paine but rather Ioye to see the greate reason that God hath for vvhat hee doeth Exod. 15.1 Apocal. 15.3 so that they shall sing the song that Moyses sung when the Egyptians were drowned in the
fornace of sensuall temptations with a purpose to giue no consent vnto them Angells fauorably repaire vnto them to the ende that these flames doe not burne them nor touche them in the superiour parte of their soule and with winde and deawe of heauen they quenche the heate of the fleshe prouoking them to glorifie God for the victorye hee hath giuen them against it And therefore when I shall see myselfe forced with these temptations Colloquie I am to call vnto them saying O yee glorious Angells gardians of virgins protectors of the chaste Friendes and companions of men that are pure come yee and fauour mee that the fier that circlith mee may not burne mee Disperse the flame that burneth vvithin my fleshe that it may neither touche nor damnifie my spirit and negotiate for mee the gentle vvinde of Gods spirit that it may coole and refreshe the ardours of my fleshe 2. D. Basil in lib. de vera virginit The second fauour is that God himselfe with a particular protection assisteth to garde such as are chaste who by their puritie not onely make themselues like vnto angells but euen to the Lord of the angells himselfe the fountaine of all puritie who is delighted to conuerse familiary with the chaste and to admitte them to his freindship O eternall God that feedest among the lillies Colloquie Cāt. 2.2 D. Greg. ibi D. Hier. epist. ad Demetriadem Ex Cassian collat 12. cap. 8. lib. 6. cap. 9. Daniel 13.23 Oseae 2.19 for it is thy foode and thy pleasure to conuerse vvith chaste soules indue mine vvith chastitie that thou maiest daigne to inhabite it and to conuerse vvith it From these two fauours I am to collect a most effectual meanes tovanquishe temptations when on a sodaine and alone they assaile mee by lifting vp presently the eyes of my soule vnto the Angel which is present but much more to the presence of God himselfe shaming to doe before them what I would not doe before men and with this consideration I shall aunswere the temptation like as chaste Susanna did the dishoneste olde men that solicited her I will rather die then sinne in the presence of my God 3 The third fauour is for the carnall mariage that I renounce to admitte mee to a spirituall espousing himselfe spiritually with my soule with the espousal of faithe mercie and charitye and communicating vnto mee such soueraigne delightes of the spirit as I shall forget those of the fleshe fullfilling heerein his worde which hee gaue Mat. 19. Ita Cassian collat 12. c. 12. 13 when hee saide That whosoeuer should leaue a wife for his loue renouncing that facultie that hee had to bee married hee would giue him an hundred fold in this life that is a delight so greate that should a hūdred folde exceede the delight hee should haue in mariage for so excellent is the sweetnesse of chastitye Colloquia that it is impossible to knowe it but by proouing it O spouse of chaste soules graunt mee such vertue that thereby mine may bee thy spouse O my soul seeing thou art such a louer of delightes renoūce liberally the vile delightes of the fleshe that thou maiest enioye the most svveete delightes of the spirit 4 The fourth fauour is for those carnall children which I might haue had to giue mee abundance of spirituall children incomparably better filling mee with good workes with riche merits and with many soules gained to Christe by my example and worde of which I may bee the spirituall father and mother Isai 56.3 Non dicat Eunuchus c. fullfilling that which hee promised by his prophet when hee saide Let not the eunuche say behold I am a dry tree for I will giue him in my house and within the walles of my churche a place and a name much more excellent then those that haue children a sempiternall name that neuer shall perish O happie chaste man to whome God graunteth the soueraigne dignitie both of a sonne and of a father of a sonne by the singular grace of adoption and of a father in spirit by the copious fruites of Benedictiō 5 The fifth fauour comprehendeth many very singular graces and priuiledges which hee graunteth them in testimonie of the greate loue hee beareth to chastitie for as the chaste eleuate themselues aboue the ordinary lawes of nature liuing in fleshe as if they had no fleshe so God will sometimes exalt them a boue the ordinary lawes of grace in honour of their chastitie The virgin our Blessed Ladie thorough the rare vowe shee made of virginitie was exalted to the dignitie of the mother of God himselfe The euangelist Sainct Iohn for his puritye was much beloued by our Sauiour Christe from whome hee receiued extraordinarie fauours in the supper and on the crosse and greate reuelations in the which also for this cause were very famous Elias Eliseus Daniel and other sonnes of the Prophets and the fier of Babilon touched not the three children because they had vanquished the fier of Luxurye 6 The Last fauour is Apocal. 14.4 that singular priuiledge to followe the lambe in glorye where euer hee goeth for whosoeuer imitateth him in this life imbracing his virginitie D. Aug. lib. de vera vir ginit c. 27. D. Hier. lib. de laude virginit and puritie hee shall also imitate him in the other participating of his most excellent glorye vnited to his sweete companie with particular ioye O most pure immaculate lambe graunt mee that I may followe thy puritye both in bodye and spirit that in issuing out of this straite prison of the worlde I may with thee in thy spacious Heauen dilate myselfe and reioice Amen VVith the consideration of these sixe fauours I am to arme myselfe to resist those combats which shall happen to mee against chastitye saying as chaste Ioseph saide to the woman that sollicited him God hauing donne mee so many benefits Genes 39.9 and promising mee such fauours if I liue chaste Quomodo possum hoc malum facere peccare in Deum meum How can I committe this euill and sinne against my God Colloquie O Lord of heauen and of earthe I vvill leaue not onely my cloke like Ioseph but my honour vvealthe and life rather then offend thee For thou madest Ioseph for his chastitye and loyaltie vice-king of Egipt but mee for mine thou vvilt make a king in thy heauen The xxj Meditation of Auarice The firste Pointe AVarice is a disordinate desire of riches and temporall Goods wherein we may many waies sinne First in desiring to take that which is another mans contrary to the tenth commaundemēt of the lawe of God or taking it in deede or retaining it cōtrary to the seuenth which is not to steale Secondly with nigardise abusing that which is our owne not shating it when the lawe of iustice or of charitie and mercye obligeth vs with the needye but beeing harde-hearted against them Thirdly in in seeking
Enuie of grace and brotherly charitye and it is one of those sinnes which are against the holy Ghoste beeing sad and heauy that our neighbour should bee vertuous and should haue the graces and giftes of the holy spirit wishing that hee had them not from whence proceedeth the most grieuous sinne of scandal which is to saie or doe something to cause our neighbour to loose grace and charitie Such was the enuie of the diuell against man by the which saieth the wiseman deathe entred into the worlde Sapient 2.24 whome all they imitate that are of his faction This might suffice to abhorre this so abominable vice which maketh mee an imitatour of sathan And so confounding myselfe for the sinne which in this matter I haue committed I will saye to myselfe seeing thou wast called to imitate Christ imitate not his enemie for if thou imitatest him inenuie thou shallt bee partaker of the deathe that entred thereby The seconde Pointe SEcondly I will consider the innumerable euills of sinne and paine that spring from enuie by Gods iust punishement that itselfe might bee the most cruell tormentour of him that is subiected vnto it aswell in this life as in the other First enuie is avenemous breathe of the infernall serpent by the which hee casteth out all his poison togither seducing to most grieuous sinnes obscuring reason inraging the soule corrupting the bodie and rotting the bones and much more destroying the strong vertues of the hearte And on the other side Prouer. 14 30. it is like a disease incurable or very difficult to bee cured for as it is a vice infamous and proper onely to base mindes wee are ashamed to manifest it to the spirituall phisition and with what successe soeuer it bee though it bee contrary prosperous or aduerse it is baited and augmented All which may be pondered by certaine examples of holy scripture in all estates of persons according to the degrees of enuie that wee spake of Cain thorough enuie Genes 4.8 that God accepted the sacrifice of his brother Abel killed him by deceite and cruellty yea hee would haue couered his sinne from God and hee dispaired of mercye and remedy The bretheren of Ioseph thorough enuie put him in a well and solde him for a slaue Genes 37.24 and though hee humbled himselfe vnto them they were not appeased Core Dathan and Abyron enuing Aaron and Moyses Num. 16 31. would haue vsurped their dignitie and haue put the people in a tumult for the wich the earthe opened and swallowed them aliue Saul thoroughe Enuie persecuted Dauid with such obstinacy that hee liued as if hee had beene possessed with a diuell and killed himselfe like a man in despaire Finally the Ievves for the Enuy they bore against our Sauiour Christe commited the greatest sinnnes and suffred the greatest punishments that haue happened in the worlde 3. From hence I will passe to consider the punishments of hell where the Enious with incredible rage shall turne against themselues biting their owne fleshe and that cruell worme that gnaweth their consciences shal whet their teete with Enuy remembring what goods they lost and others obtained specially when after the day of Iudgement they shall see the glorie of the righteous whome here they despised 4 Finaly Enuy is so euill and cruell that it conuerteth al things to its owne hurt Prou. 17.22 From other mens good it draweth a spirit of heauinesse that dryeth vp the bones And from other mens harmes it draweth such a manner of ioy that with the sinne it maketh it selfe partaker of them And therefor in hell the good euill of others shall bee the proper tormēts of the enuious Now this being so why doe not I trēble at this cruell Beaste How dare I dwell with this basiliske that with his eye killeth tormenteth mee Iudas Apostolus in sua canonica 11. Colloquie O how truely may I apply to myselfe that of the Apostle VVoe to mee that vvickedely haue follovved the vvaies of Cain persecuting for enuy my bretheren like Balaam haue giuen them euill counsell to ouerthrovve them in sinne like Core haue pretented to exalt myselfe by debasing of them I haue deserued o my God that the earthe should svvallovve mee as it did Core that I should perishe miserably like Balaam and that thou shouldst caste mee for euer out of thy presence like Cain imiating in paine those vvhome I imitated in sinne But heerein by thy grace I differ from Cain confessing that thy mercy is greater then my vvickednesse and therefore I hope to obtaine intire pardon therof The third Pointe THirdly I will consider the greate benefits which are included in the perfect mortificatiō of Enuy in embracing brotherly Charitye Pondering First the actes of this charitie as they are contrarye to enuie The first is to resiste euill motions Ex D. Bern. serm 49. in cant in such sorte that though I feele myselfe to bee assailed with heauienesse for the prosperitie of my neighbour that yet I giue not consent thereunto Another and better is to reioice at his good as if it were myne owne and to giue him the much good may it doe him The third and most perfect is to wishe that many had the same excellencies that I haue yea and greater if God shall bee so pleased reioicing the reat for this cause as if they were mine owne To moue mee to so excellent actes I am to ponder that it is the generositie of a christian minde to seeke more Gods pleasure then mine owne and the glorie of God much more then mine owne and that it may bee spread amongst many and in many things And if it bee Gods will and for his glorie that others should haue greater naturall or supernaturall giftes then I it is iust that my will should condescende thereunto I must not bee like Iosue the seruant of Moyses who was enuious that others should prophecie but like Moyses himselfe who saide Num. 11.27 29. I would I might vnderstand that all did prophecie that all were wise prudent and holy and that all did serue and glorifie God I must not bee like the disciples of Iohn Baptist Ioan. 3.26 who were enuious that Christe should baptize and that all should followe after him but rather as the Baptist himselfe who saide It behoueth that Christe encrease and I diminishe I reioice that my neighbour is axalted I humbled and so it is meete when God will haue it so Besides this brotherly charitie contrarily to enuie draweth out of all things good to itselfe for reioicing at the good of my neighbour I make it myne owne and grieuing at his euill I shall free miselfe therefrom for by such actes I dispose myselfe that God may giue mee the one and deliuer mee from the other in such sorte as shall bee most conuenient for mee Finally with this charitie whose fruite is peace and ioie in the holy ghoste I shall beginne euen from
hell and the fewell of those eternall fiers whereupon-saieth S. Serm. de resurrect Bernard let selfe VVill cease and there shall bee no hell for if selfe will cease there shallbe◠〈◊〉 sinnes and then what neede is there of hell And besides this if there bee any Hell in this life our owne will is a hell to it selfe for all the miseries of this life so farre are the causes of extreame affliction and heauinesse as they are contrarie to our owne will which if it cease by our conforming ourselues to Gods will that wich is hell is turned into purgatorie and into augmentation of meritte and of crowning in heauen VVhereupon saieth S. Lib. 1. de vocatione gentium ca. 8. Ambrose Our owne will is blinde in desires puffed vp in honours full of anguish in Cares and vnquiet in suspitions more carefull of glorie thē of vertue a greater louer of fame then of a good conscience and much more miserable enioying the things that it loueth then when it wanteth them for her experience augmenteth her myserie Out of all this I will conclude how greate my miserie hath beene in hauing subiected myselfe to my owne will contrary to the will of God bewailing my blindenesse and purposing firmely to abhorre it and to denye it Ioan. 6.38 in imitation of our Lord Christe who descended from heauen not to accomplish his owne will but the will of him that sent him And beeing in the heauinesse and agonies of deathe hee saide to his Father Not my vvill bee donne but thine O soueraigne master I confesse that I am not vvorthy to bee called thy disciple Lucae 22.24 Colloquie because I haue not proffited by thy example May thee sorrovves and Agonye of deathe come vpon mee for the times that I haue sayed against thee not thy vvill bee donne but mine Seperate o my Sauiour from my mouthe so cursed a vvord and fauour mee vvith thy grace to mortifie my ovvne vvill that intirely I may accomplish thine 1. Corin. 10. may I from henceforth seeke not that vvhich is mine but vvhat is thine and my neighbours pretending their proffit and thy glorie vvorlde vvithout ende Amen The third Pointe THe third Pointe shall bee to consider the sinnes disorders of the other interiour faculties of the soule which are the imaginatiō sensitiue appetites with the hurt that procedeth from them First I vvill ponder that my Imaginatiue Facultie is like a hall painted with many images and figures some foule some prophane and others ridiculous monstruous and deformed entertaining it selfe in painting them taking pleasure to beholde them solliciting the vnderstanding to gaze vpon them oftentymes drawing it after it to cogitate vpon them From whence originally spring many sinnes which they call delectatio morosa a continuing or lingering delight in matter of carnallities reuenges Ambitions and auarices delighting myselfe with the imaginanation of these things as if they were present 2. Then will I ponder Ex D. Th. 1.2 q. 23. a. 4 how my appetitiue Faculties are like a rough troubled sea combated with eleuen waues of passions encountring one with another to witte loue and hatred desiring and flying heauynesse and ioy hope and despaire feare and audacitye and anger All which for the most parte I apply vnto euill with greate disorder For I loue that which I ought to abhorre and I abhorre that which I ought to loue I desier that which I ought to flye and I flye that which I ought to desier I reioice in that for which I ought to bee sorrowfull and I am sorrie for that wherein I ought to reioice From whence greiuous sinnes doe arize for the appetites with these affections sollicite the will and carry it after them that with them it may giue its consent 3 Hereupon it is that these passions are the armes and snares of the deuills to combatte vs D. Amb. lib. 1. offic ca. 4. and to intangle vs in greate sinnes for in seeing any passion rize vp they are ioyfull to see it and presently make vse thereof to frame their temptation so that I myselfe giue vnto my enemye the principall armes wherewith hee doth combatte persecute and destroy mee Besides this these passions are my torturers and tormentors for they make warre within mee against the poore spirit molesting mee to make mee will Ad Rom. 7.15 what I would not to doe according to the desiers of my fleshe And so likewise they are one contrary to another for the passion of delight maketh mee desier that which the desier of honour abhorreth and the desire of honour that which the passion of auarice flyeth For as the wiseman saithe I allwayes will Prou. 13.4 and I will not I will vertue because it is good and I will it not because it is laborious I will vice because it is delectable and I will it not because it is dishonest And these willings and nillings of my passions Colloquie Iob. 7.20 Ad Rom. 7.24 are the tormentours of my miserable hearte O vvith vvhat greate reason may I lament mee to myselfe saying to our Lorde VVhy hast thou made mee so contrary vnto thee And hovv am I so heauy troublesome to myselfe Vnhapy man that I am vvho shall deliuer mee from the bodye of this deathe Let thy grace o Lord fauour mee to deliuer mee from so great a miserye From this consideration I am to drawe a very resolute determination to gither with my owne will to mortifie these passions for this giueth life to my Passions and my passions giue life vnto it therefore they must dye togither to bee vanquished following herein the counsell of Ecclesiasticus who sayeth walke not after thy owne passions Eccl. 18.30 and desires and separate thyselfe from thy owne will for if thou grauntest vnto thy soule her concupiscences thy will make thee the laughing stocke of thy enemies To put this in execution wee shall bee assisted with the examinations that shall bee setdowne in the meditations ensuing The XXVIII Meditation wherein is set downe a forme of praying making euery night an Examination of the Conscience ONe of the most effectuall meanes to purifye the soule of vices D. Basil sermo 1. de instit Monach. D. Chrisost Hom in Psal 4. is the continuall vse of examining the conscience euery daye before wee goe to bed which the holy fathers and spirituall maisters doe very earnestly recommend vnto vs. That forme of making this examination which was taught vs in fiue pointes by our glorious Father Ignatius is the most proffitable of all that I haue seene for that it containeth a most excellent forme of praier for all sortes of persons For the vnderstanding whereof D. Bern. alij I breifely aduertize that euery daye wee doe newly charge ourselues with two debtes to our Lord although very different and for very diuerses respectes The first debt is for the innumerable benefits wee receiue of him The second for the
him with the same liuing Faith I shall receue the same grace Againe there is hee that went thorough the world teaching preaching curing the sick rasing the dead and doing good to all with innumerable miracles And especially I will ponder that it is hee himselfe that for my sake was takeÌ„ scourged crouned with thornes scorned and crucified who being nailed on the Crosse praied for his enemies pardoned the theefe and promised him his paradice And seeing hee himselfe in parson is in the most blessed Sacramente representing his passion with the same blood that he shed therein he likewise both may and will worke in me the same effectes Finally he that dispoiled hell rose againe in glory and sitteth on the right hand of his eternall Father and shal afterwardes come to Iudge the whole worlde euen he himselfe with the same glory is in this holy Sacramente for not content to haue his Courte and Throne in heauen hee will also haue another Throne on earth for the comforte of vs that liue therein And there he doth to vs the offices that hee was wont to doe in the worlde of our Master Phisition Redeemer Pastor and High Preiste desiring that we should come vnto him with the same Faith and confidence as if we did see him in his mortall and visible fleshe seeing he himselfe is really there though couered vnder the accidents of bread wine O my svveete Redeemer Colloquie vvhat thankes may I giue thee for thy bovvles of mercy vvherevvith thou comest euery day to visit vs from on high VVhy chall not I considently come vnto thee seeing thou comest from heauen only for mee I adore thee glorifie thou in this venerable sacrament and in spirit I cast myselfe as thy feete like Mary Magdalen that thou maist pardon mee vvith the vvoman that had the fluxe of blood Ioan. 20.27 I much thy sacred Vestment that thou maist cure mee and vvith S. Thomas I feele thy soueraigne VVoundes that thou maiest illuminate mee quicken my Faith vvith the vvhich I say and confesse that thou art my Lord and my God vvorthy of Highest honour glory vvorlde vvithout ende Amen The Second Pointe Secondly I am to consider in what gentle and amiable maner Christe our Lord commeth to visite mee I being so miserable and abhominable a sinner 1. Numer 21.8 Ioan. 3.14 First I will ponder that it might haue sufficed for my saluatioÌ„ to beholde this most blessed SacrameÌ„t as it suffized the Israelites beeing wounded by serpeÌ„ts that their wouÌ„des might bee healed to beholde a Breazen serpent erected vpon a pole which was the figure of this Sauiour Or it might haue suffized onely to touch it with the haÌ„de Luc. 8.44 as the woman that had the fluxe of blood was whole with touching only the hem of his garment and to giue mee but this libertie were an ouergreate honour But the Charitie of this greate God was not contented herewith but that hee will also ioyne himselfe vnto mee with the most entire and penetrating vnion that any corporal thing can ioyne itselfe to man for in the forme of meate he entreth in at my mouth and passeth thorough my throate and maketh his dwelling and habitation within my breaste so long as the species of the sacrament doe remaine and so renueth that famous miracle whereof the prophet Hieremye spake Hierem. 31.22 a newe thing hath God done vpon the earthe Famina circundabit virum A woman shall beare within her a perfect man in wisdome and sanctitie which is Christe for euery day whatsoeuer womaÌ„ or other Person that communicateth beareth within them for that time this man perfect in age and as greate and beautifull as hee is in Heauen 2 But this will seeme a much greater nouelltie vnto mee if I consider the vilenesse of the persone that beareth it within him the basnesse horible straightnesse of the house whereinto he entreth Colloquie O Soueraigne nevve man calestial Adam vvhat nevve inuentions of loue are these that shou makest to cherish meet knovvest thou peradueÌ„tur into vvhat house thou entresiâ— Behoulde vvhat I am a vessell of inyquitie a caue of basiliskes a house of perdition Then why wilt thou enter into so vild a harbour or how dare I entertain thee therein My tongue is a worlde of impieties how shall I touch therewith him that is the fouÌ„tain of all good My throteâ—â—s a sinke of gluttonie and drunkennesse then how shall the auathor of purity sanctitie passe thorough it My brest is a puddle of wicked cogitations and desiers how shall I harbour therein him that is Charitie itselfe O Soueraigne kinge how well it befitteth thee to be the Father of mercy seeing thou wilt dwell in a house of so greate miseries Reneue it first o Lord cleanse adorne it that it may bee for thee a worthy abiding place O infinite God Inclina Caelos â—uos descâ—nde Incline thy heauens descende Psalm 143.5 And seeing thou wilt descende humble thyselfe to dwell within me what is it for the heauens to humble themselues descend Let come the celestial vertues into my soule let come liuely Faith assured Hope much enkindled Charitie let come humilitie obedience deuotion conuerte into heauen that which must be the habitation of the king of heauen himselfe 3 The like Colloquies I am to make to the three persons of the Godheade beseeching them that they would make me a nâ—we man renued in spirit to receiue this new Celestiall Adam that is willing to harbour himselfe in my soule especially I will say to the holy Spirit O most holly Spirit that didst purifie adorne the soule of the most sacred Virgin that it might be avvorthy habitation for her some Purifye mee also and adorne me vvith thy grace seeing the some God that entred into her is to enter into me The third Pointe THirdly I am to coÌ„sider the endes that Christe our lord preteÌ„deth in this coÌ„ming beseching him assone as he entreth to put theÌ„ in executioÌ„ that my indignitie may be no meanes of the hinderance thereof This may be pondred running through some of the offices that this our Lord did in the worlde which hee commeth to exercise in my soule 1. First he commeth as a Sauiour to pardon mee my sinnes applying vnto me the price of the blood hee shed for them Secondly he commeth to cure al my spirituall infirmities like a Phisition that entreth into the house of a sicke man and coÌ„meth neere him to apply vnto him his remedies Thirdly hee commeth as a Master to illustrate me with the light of his inspirations and to instruct mee in the way of vertue and perfection Fourthly he commeth as a high Preist to apply vnto me the fruite of the bloody sacrifice which hee oftred for me vpon the Crosse and to moue me to offer vnto him the sacrifice of an humble and contrite harte the Hostia of of
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
things with facultye to make others also greate before God by Participation of his Greatenesse The third that in such manner he shall be her Sonne that hee shall bee likewise the Sonne of the most High God The fourth that his eternall Father shall giue him the Throne and the Empire ouer all the Elect figured by the Seate of Dauid and by the House of Iacob of whome according to the fleshe hee descended The fifth that his kingdome shall bee eternall and haue no ende O glorious Embassage O most ioyfull newes Happye Virgin to whome such a Sonne is promised and blessed Sonne in whome so greate Greatenesses are contained of all which the Angell gaue notice to the Virgin that shee might knowe that this Sonne whome shee was to conceiue was the Messias promised by the Prophets of whome so greate Excellencyes were written From whence I will collect a greate Estimation and Loue of this soueraigne Messias rejoicing at eache one of these fiue Excellencyes rehearsed and recording the fiue woundes that hee receiued on the Crosse that vnto his Elected and to mee hee may applye the fruite of them for on the Crosse they were all made manifest as heereafter when time serueth shall bee declared I will now meditate only how these Greatenesses had their Originall from the most profounde Humillitye of the only begotten Sonne of the euerliuing God which is included in the first Worde spoken by the Angell to the Virgin Ecce concipies in vtero â—eholde thou shallt conceiue in thy wombe as who should say This Sauiour and this eternall king beeing so greate yet will so farre humble himselfe as to streighten himselfe to the smallnesse of an infant conceiued in the Wombe of a Woman And â—â—om this smallnesse his greatenesse shall haue beginning complying with that of the Prophet Isaias Isa 9.6 A litle Childe is borne to vs and a Sonne is giuen to vs and Principallitye is made vpon his Shoulder his name shall bee called Admirable Counsellour God Puissaunt Father of the Worlde to come Prince of Peace His Empire shall bee multiplied thorough the whole Worlde and there shall bee no ende of Peace O Soueraigne Prince that descendedst from Heauen Colloquie Dan. 2.34.45 as a Stone without heades beeing without thee action of man conceiued in the VVombe of a Virgin and then camest to bee so greate a mountaine as to fill the VVhole Earthe dilating therein thy kingdome which is a kingdome eternall and without ende I humbly thanke thee for hauing chozen so straunge a smallnesse to bee the Originall of so soueraigne a Greatenesse Graunt mee o Lord that I vnder-propped not by mine owne handes but by thine may conceiue such resolutions in thy seruice that they may increase to very greate workes of thy Glorye Amen The Second Pointe THe blessed VIRGIN hauing heard this Embassage Luc. 1.34 saide to the Angell How shall this bee donne because I knowe not man As if shee should say I doubt not of Gods Omnipotencye nor of thy promise but I desire to bee informed how I should obey this Commaundement hauing made a vowe not to knowe man In this aunswere the holye VIRGIN discouered aswell greate Wisdome as excessiue Loue of Virginitye and therefore with much reason Holy Church calleth her the most Prudent Virgin For though the promise of the Angell was so greate yet shee was not presently hooked therewith vntill shee might perceiue how it would accord with her Vowe shee had made of Chastitye vnto the which shee was so entirely affected that shee made difficulty to bee the mother though it were of such a Sonne with the Losse thereof And all bee it shee knewe by the Prophecye of the Prophet Isaias That the Mother of the Messias should bee a VIRGIN Isa 7.14 yet shee would prudently examine the Reuelation of the Angell to see how it agreed with the Reuelation of the Prophet From whence I will collect a feruent and heartye Loue of Chastitye auoyding as much as lyeth in mee all whatsoeuer that may bee any Occasion to impaire it yea though it carrye with it an appearance of Piety and Religion For in imitation of the most sacred VIRGIN I am to examine well the Spirit that shall incline mee to a thing wherein there may bee daunger fearing leaste it may bee the Spirit of Sathan who as sayeth the Apostle S. 2 Cor. 11.14 Paul transfigureth himselfe into an Angell of Light to deceiue those which are either very simple or ouer-confident or exceeding zealous of other mens good without regarding their owne Secondly I am to consider in these wordes A rule to speake PrudeÌ„tly beeing the first that wee reade of the blessed VIRGIN foure Circumstances with the which shee did speake them in the which is pourtrayed an admirable rule how to speake prudently for these wordes were but fewe and no more then necessarye and in a case of greate importance and in a very humble and decent manner It seemeth that the Virgin helde firmely in her memorye that counsell of Ecclesiasticus which sayeth Eccl. 32.10.11 Habeat caput responsum tuum Young man speake in thine owne cause scarcely more then is needefull if thou bee asked â—wise let thy aunswere haue an head that is let it bee breife and to the purpose In many things bee as it were ignorant and heare holding thy peace and withall asking All this the B. VIRGIN meruailously obserued in these breife Wordes which shee vttered not till the Angell had spoken to her twise And though shee had occasion to inlarge herselfe in this Question yet shee touched no more then the necessarye Pointe and that with greate bteuitye declaring the Vowe of Chastitye that shee had made with humble and chaste wordes but sufficient for the Angell to vnderstand her saying vnto him I knowe not man O most sacred VIRGIN Colloquie Cant. 4.5 11. with much reason was the diuine Spouse pleased with thy Lippes saying That they were like a girdle of Scarlet in graine and like the Honnye-combe that distilleth by litle and litle for thy Wordes are well girt and much pondered and vttered with repose sweetnesse and Charitye And seeing this rule in speaking is so pleasing vnto him beseeche him to imprint it in my Hearte that my Wordes may proceede from it well ordered and ruled The third Pointe TO this Question of the Virgin the Angell made aunswere saying Spiritus sanctus superueniet in te c. Luc. 1.35 The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most High shall ouershadowe thee And therefore also that which of thee shall bee borne Holye shall bee called the Sonne of God In these wordes may bee pondered three most excellent promises made by the Angell to the most sacred VIRGIN First that this Conception should not bee by the worke of man but by the power of the Holy Ghoste who from Heauen should come vpon her to accomplish this Worke. And for that the Workes of the
Holye Ghoste are perfect hee came withall vpon her with newe fuullnesse of Grace to dispose her to so soueraigne a Worke. The second that the Power of the most high should ouershaâ—owe her preseruing her from sensuall Delight in Conception and forming of her purest blood the Bodye of this Childe as the bird couering her egges with her Wings giueth them Life with her Heate The third Promise was a Giuing a Reason of the other two Because that which was to bee so holily conceiued should bee the Sonne of God not by Adoption as the rest of the Iust but by the Vnion of Humane nature with the Diuine Person so that hee should bee Holy not by Priuiledge but by the Power of his holy Conception O what an exceeding ioye caused these three Promises in the Virgin O most blessed VIRGIN Colloquie if when the Angell entred thou wast already full of Grace how much more fuller shallt thou bee the holy Ghost comming vpon thee with this newe Plenitude If before our Lord were with thee for thy Gouernment Protection and Consolation how much more shall hee bee now the Power of the most High comming to ouershadowe thee now mayest thou o blessed LADYE say with a newe Title Cant. 2.3 I sate vnder the Shadowe of him whome I desired and his fruite is sweete to my Throate Thou art seated vnder the Shadowe of the most High which shall take from thee the sensuall Pleasure in Conceiuing and the fruite of thy Conception shall bee Delectable to God pleasing to the Angells sweete vnto thee and to the Saluation of vs. Much good may doe thee o Purest VIRGIN so greate a fullnesse so happye a Shadowe with Hope of so sweete a fruite And seeing thou hast this day founde so greate Grace with the Holy Spirit beseeche him to come anowe vpon mee and with his Power to ouershadowe mee that beeing seated vnder his louing Protection I may taste the sweete fruites of his Diuine Presence From hence I am to collect that whereas for the Virgin to conceiue the Sonne of God it was necessary that the Holy Ghost should come vpon her from Heauen to accomplish this Worke and that the Power of the most High should ouershadowe her so likewise that I may conceiue in my Soule the Spirit of Saluation Isa 26.8 Ex D Fulgentio lib. de Incar natione cap. 20. whereby I become the adoptiue Sonne of God it is necessary that the Holy Ghost doe inspire mee and that the Power and Omnipotencye of God doe ouershadowe mee tempering the Heate of my sensuall Concupiscences and protecting mee in all Temptations daungers and in this Faithe I am to crye to Heauen saying Colloquie O most Holy Spirit come from on High to my poore Soule sowe in it the seede of thy Diuine inspiration that it may conceiue within itselfe the Spirit of Saluation Psal 16.8 Psa 139.8 O power of the most High protect mee with the Shadowe of thy VVings couer mee with them in the Day of Temptation that the Puttockes of Hell preuaile not against mee and that I loose not through myne owne VVeakenesse what thou hast begun in mee by thy Grace Amen The fourth Pointe TO what had beene saide the Angell added Luc. 1.36 Beholde Elizabeth thy Cosin shee also hath conceiued a Sonne in her olde age and this moneth is the sixt to her that is called barren because there shall not bee impossible with God any worde In these Wordes the Angell pretended three meruailous things the first to reueale to the blessed VIRGIN a thing that would giue her much Content because of the Abundance of her Charitye Rem 12.15 whose Propertye is to weepe with those that weepe and to rejoice with those that rejoice And as the blessed VIRGIN had a feeling of the Barennesse of her Cosin because of the greife that shee receiued thereby so shee rejoiced at the newes of her beeing with Childe because of the greate Ioye that it would giue her The second was to confirme his Embassage with some sensible Token as if hee should say Seeing shee hath conceiued that was olde and barren thou maiest well beleeue that a Virgin shall conceiue for with God nothing is impossible hee can doe the one with as greate facillitye as the other Whereby wee see how it is the Propertye of the good Spirit to chastize the incredulous that require a Signe or a miracle with an affection of Incredulitye as this S. Gabriel himselfe chastized Zaâ—harias Luc. 1.20 because hee asked a signe to bee assured that hee should haue a Sonne himselfe beeing olde and his Wife barren whereas contrarily to those that haue Faithe hee giueth a Signe allbeeit they aske it not as hee did to our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN to chere and to comfort her and by the waye to confirme her more and more in her Faithe From whence I will collect how much it importeth constantly to beleeue the matters of Faithe for to beleeuers our Lord vseth to giue interiourly greater signes of his Truthe Ioan. 15. which hee denyeth to the incredulous Isa 7.9 iuxta 70. according to that of the Prophet Isaâ—as If you beleiue not you shall not vnderstand The third was that the Angell pretended to discouer the fundamentall reason of all that had beene spoken Luc. 1.37 adding that so glorious Worde that to God nothing is impossible which is to say Hee can doe all that hee will can accomplish all that hee promiseth especially those two miraculous things that I haue tolde thee of to witte That the Barren and the Virgin may conceiue bring forth From whence I will collect two other for my spirituall Comfort The first that by the Omnipotencye of God our Lord any Soule whatsoeuer that hath beene long time barren of good Workes how deepe rooted soeuer this Barennesse bee in it may bee altered and become fertile And as barren Elizabeth conceiued Iohn which signifieth Grace so it may conceiue in itselfe the fruites of Grace and of Benediction very gracious and pleasing vnto God And with this Hope I am to cheere and animate myselfe to pretende this happye Fertillitye remembring what is saide by the Prophet Isaias Isa 54.1 Gal. 4.27 and the Apostle S. Paule Reioite thou barren that bearest not breake forth and crye thou that trauailest not for more Children shalt thou haue that wast barren like Sara then shee that was fruitefull like Agar The second is that as our B. LADYE the VIRGIN by Vertue of the Holy Ghoste might conceiue and haue a Sonne which should bee worth a hundred thousand so those which promise and keepe Virginity shall conceiue Spirituall Children which shall bee incomparably more worthe then the Carnall Matt. 19.29 Isa 56.4 our Lord fullfilling vnto them that Promise which hee made them thereof by the Prophet Isaias as was declared in the first Parte and the 20. Meditation The eigth Meditation Of the finall Answere giuen
O omnipotent king Colloquie shewe towardes mee thy Omnipotencye deliuering mee from my euill and filling me with thy good that the greatenesse of thy mercies may bee discouered in one so vnworthy of them Giue to mee as to thy Praecursor remission of my Sinnes Light and knowledge of thy Incarmatien add Spirituall Alacritye in thy seruice Amen The second thing to bee considered is the efficacye of the Worde of the blessed VIRGIN by beeing the mother of God and how much shee may bee able to obtaine of her Sonne in a moment seeing by her meanes so many benefits togither were sodainely heaped vpon the Baptist who was the first fruites of our Sauiour Christ and of his Redemption and he by the mediation of his mother was willing to ripen this first fruite before his due time to giue vs Confidence that by her Intercession we shall be preuented and ayded by the mercye of God And therefore I am humbly to beseeche this Soueraigne Queene to vse in my behalfe this her greate Power obtaining for me somewhat of that much that by her mediation was giuen to this happy Fore-runner The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider how S. Elizabeth likewise was replenished with the holy Ghoste allmighty God communicating vnto her by meanes of this salutation the light and knowledge of this mysterye and the gift of Prophecye Whereby he meruailously discouered fower effectes which these giftes caused in her in the which are resplendent fower properties of the Interious Visitation of our Sauiour Christ and of the presence of the holy Ghoste when hee replenisheth Soules with his giftes The Properties of the Interiour Visitations of God First S. Elizabeth with most greate affection mooued by the holy Ghoste brake forth into Praises of God and of his blessed mother saying with a lowde voice Blessed art thou among VVomen and blessed is the fruite of thy VVombe As if shee had saide True it was that the Angell saide vnto thee that thou art Blessed among women to the which I adde that blessed is also the Sonne of thy Wombe for hee beeing blessed thou also art blessed because from him as from a fountaine proceede all celestiall Benedictions Whereby wee may see that it is the Propertye of the holy Ghoste to moue vs to glorifye Christ and his mother with greate feruour of Spirit for that such Praises are very acceptable vnto him Secondly shee greately humbled herselfe with a profounde knowledge of her owne basenesse and with another very high of the greatenesse of that blessed LADYE that visited her saying VVhence is this to mee Luc. 1.43 that the mother of my Lorde commeth to visite mee And then presently with an affection of Thankesgiuing shee confessed the greatenesses of God and published them to one that knewe that for them shee was to praise and glorifye him saying to the Virgin Assoone as the voice of thy Salutation sounded in my eares Luc. 1.44 the Infant in my VVombe did leape for Ioye Where I will ponder how it is also the propertye of the holy Spirit to cause Humillity thankesgiuing in the middest of the fauours that hee doeth vs that they may bee proffitable vnto vs and that his giftes may bee secure holding ourselues as vnworthy thereof and giuing Thankes for them to the Giuer And therefore in imitation of this Sainct when our Lord God shall interiourly visite me or when I shall bee to receiue him in the most blessed Sacrament I am to reuiue in myselfe these two knowledges of myne owne basenesse and of his heigth and beholding the Originall from whence so greate a Good commeth vnto mee which is the meere Bountye of God himselfe with greate astonishment I will say VVhence is this to me that my Lord commeth to visite me to me so vile a Slaue to mee so ingratefull Colloquie and wretched a Sinner to me commeth my Lord who is a Lord of infinite greatenesse and maiestie to visite mee and to enter into my poore Cottage from whence to mee so greate a fauour Is it peraduenture for my seruices or merits or by my nature or owne industrie O blessed bee the immense Charity of God that meerely of his owne infinite mercye daigneth to visite so base a Creature Fourthly S. Elizabeth confirmed the blessed VIRGIN in her Faithe and Resolution saying vnto her Blessed art thou that beleeuedst Luc. 1.45 because doubltesse those things shall bee accomplished that were spoken vnto thee by our Lord In the which wordes shee discouered the soueraigne gift of Prophecye that shee had receiued knowing all that appertained to the VIRGIN aswell that passed which the Angell had saide as the present of being the mother of God the accomplishment of that which was to come Whereby wee see that it is the propertye of the holy Spirit to inspire the righteous to make vse of his giftes to the benefit of their neighbours confirming them in Faithe and in the Loue of God In these Fower meruailous affections I will endeuour to imitate S. Elizabeth beseeching her to obtaine for me of our Lord grace to that ende And lastly I will ponder how this day was published the most glorious name of the VIRGIN which is the MOTHER OF GOD which shee heard with greate Humillitye and Ioye and with it I am to salute her and to giue her the Much good doe it her of this name praising him that gaue it her The third Pointe VVheerein is Meditated the Canticle of Magnificat THe third pointe shall bee to consider what the VIRGIN aunswered hauing hearde the Wordes of S. Elizabeth for shee likewise was forthwith replenished with a most high Spirit of Prophecye and composed thereupon the soueraigne Canticle of Magnificat concerning which wee are to ponder First how the blessed VIRGIN hauing heard so greate things in her owne praise directed not her aunswere to S. Elizabeth who praised her as commonly men vse to doe in respect of shewing themselues gratefull but all her wordes shee directed to God our Lord teaching vs the manner how wee are to conuerse with men when they praise vs for the best and securest is to alter the Discourse and to speake vnto God from whome proceede those giftes for which wee are praised Secondly I am to ponder how the blessed VIRGIN who was so breefe and so measured her wordes when shee spake with Angells and with men dilated herselfe much more when she spake to God recounting his Greatenesses For the first is Prudence and Respect but the second is Excesse of Loue and Thankefullnesse according to that of the Wiseman Eccl. 43.33 Yea that blesse our Lord exalt him all that you can for hee is greater then all your praise And as he that is replenished with God all his Discourse is of God with affections of God to magnify and glorifye him in all that he is able for of the abundance of the Hearte the mouthe speaketh Matt. 12.34 So our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN as shee
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
measure her meruailous frame pondering the excellencye and harmonye of her workes that thou maiest be ashamed of the basenesse and discorder of thine O Temple of the Worde Incarnate Colloquie beseeche this greate God whome thou carriest in thy Wombe to adorne me with such Vertues that I may be a worthy Temple wheerein he may inhabite by his Grace O my Soule Matt. 13.21 consider that the iust ought to be like a graine of mustard seede which when it is ground discouereth the heate and force that it hath therefore if God be pleased to grinde thee with Afflictions animate thyselfe feruently to exercize these Vertues The fourth Pointe WHile S. Mat. 1.20 Ioseph was thus thinking beholde the Angell of our Lord appeared to him in sleepe saying Ioseph Sonne of Dauid feare not to take MARAE thy VVife for that which is borne in her is not by the worke of man but of the holy Ghoste And she shall bring forth a Sonne and thou shallt call his name IESVS for he shal saue his People from their sinnes Heerein is to be considered the fidellitye of the Diuine Prouidence in comming to remedye the Affliction sof those that are his when they are arriued to the last and sharpest pointe vsing diuine meanes when humane meanes doe faile For whereas our Lord sawe that S. Ioseph could not conceiue the cause of that beeing with Childe he sent an Angell after a very sweete manner to reueale it vnto him for calling him by his proper name Ioseph he addeth Sonne of Dauid to reduce to his memory that to Dauid was made the promise of the Messias that he should descende from him He saieth to him Feare not to take from him both Scruple and Anguish which is the propertye of good Angells he saieth that the VIRGIN had conceiued by the Holy Ghoste to take from him all suspicion and to cleare the Honour of our LADYE And wholely to conuerte his mourning into Ioye he addeth that she shall bring farth a Sonne of whome he must haue as tender a care as if he were his owne and that to him it should belong to giue him his name which should be IESVS which is as much to say as Sauiour for that he was to be the Sauiour of the Worlde And all this was reuealed vnto him with so greate Illumination that forthwith he gaue entire credit thereunto From hence I will ascende to ponder the alacritye of S. Ioseph at the hearing of these newes that beeing fullfilled in him that is written in Iob Iob 11.17 VVhen thou shalt think thyselfe consumed thou shalt rise like the daye starre O how full of Content was he to see himselfe freed from his suspicion How ashamed that he had admitted it though it were ignorantly and without any fault of his How warye afterward not to iudge euill of any bodye How thankefull to God for hauing giuen him a Spouse so Holy and of so greate Dignitye for committing to his charge the care of his only begotten Sonne And how joyfull to see that now was the time come of the Redemption of the Worlde I will likewise ponder the greate Ioy of the blessed VIRGIN to see her Husband so fall of quiet and content how much she was confirmed in the Hope of Gods Prouidence and how thankefull to our Lord for vndertaking her cause our Lord fullfilling in her what he spake by the Prophet Oseas I will put her in the valley of Achor that is of Affliction Oseae â— 15 to confirme her a newe in hope and she shal renewe her Songs to see herselfe free from her paines I giue thee humble thankes Colloquie o eternall God for the greate care thou hadst of these two glorious Sainctes Oseae 2.15 turning for them as thou art wont the valley of Achor into the foode and augmentation of their Spirit By their merits I beseeche thee to make me worthy to enioy the fruite of thy fatherly Prouidence relying thereupon with greate securitye in the middest of my Afflictions seeing it is most certaine that thou in thy good time wilt come to remedye them The fifth Pointe IOseph obeying the commaundement of the Angell Matt. 1.24 forthwith arose and carryed the VIRGIN to his house and liued with her most chastely vntill the birth of her Sonne and much more afterwardes Wherein I am to consider not so much the obedience of S. Ioseph for it was not much to carrye to his house so excellent a woman as the manner thereof that is with what Reuerence he carried her speaking to her some wordes like to those of S. Luc. 1.43 Elizabeth Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord entereth into my house O how greate was his Loue and Affection to our blessed LADYE how carefull was he of her what holy discourses were betweene them two what more then Angelicall Puritye of Life and what conformitye of willes how subject and obedient was the VIRGIN to S. Ioseph as to her heade how did shee reueale vnto him the particularities of what the Angell had declared vnto her in the Annunciation and what had passed in the house of Zacharias for now was the time come that shee might speake to informe him of the mysterye to the honour and glorye of him that had wrought it O happy Sainct Colloquie to whose lot it fell to haue so good companye O happy is that Soule that serueth them and learneth of them their obedience and Charitye O Seraphins of the Earthe Isa 6.2 as pure as those of Heauen who with your wings flye lightly to accomplish the will of God inflame my Hearte with the Loue of this our Lord that I also may serue him with the like Obedience that both of you had and may loue all my Bretheren with that purenesse of Charitye wherewith you loued one another The fiftenth Meditation Of the expectation of our blessed LADYES deliuerye and of the preparation for the birth of our Sauiour Christ FOr that in Spaine eight dayes before the birth of our Sauiour Christ wee celebrate the feaste of the Expectation of our B. LADYES deliuerye I insert heere this meditation for that daye and the dayes ensuing till the natiuitye in which whee are to consider the liuely desiers that three persons had of this soueraigne Deliuerye and Birth that is to say the Childe the VIRGIN S. Ioseph in whome are represented the faithfull that firmely beleeue this mysterye and in their imitation desire to prepare themselues worthily to celebrate it The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider the most feruent desier that our Lord IESVS Christ had being in the wombe of his mother to perfect and bring to ende the businesse of our Redemption and consequently to be borne in the Worlde to frame all things according to the will of his Father For euen from his mothers belly that Sentence was true that afterwardes he vttered I am to be baptized with a baptâ—me Luc.
euen vntill deathe Pouertye Contempt Dolours Psa 87.16 and Afflictions and in all these thinges he suffered a thousand kindes of Afflictions electing such a manner of Life contrary to that of the Worlde to discouer by his example the Deceites and Errours of worldelings that doe followe it For as S. Bernard saieth It is a matter very euident that the worlde erreth choosing for his Companions Riches Honours and Delicacies when as Christ the Infinite wisdome who can neither deceiue himselfe nor beguile vs chooseth the contrarye With this Consideration I am to confounde myselfe in the presence of this most blessed Babe seeing how contrarily I haue liued to that which he teacheth purposing to imitate him from hence forwarde choosing to suffer what he suffereth and beseeching him to make me worthy to suffer with him and as he not of necessity but acceptably and willingly for his Loue. O soueraigne Childe Colloquie 2 Reg. 23.8 who like another Dauid art the wisest Prince among three for of the three diuine Persons thou art the second to whome wisdome is attributed what doest thou seated here in this chaire of the maunger being silent without speaking vnto vs Thou art the most tender litle worme of the wood that violently killest eight hundred for with the Contempt and Humilliation that thou hast in the worme-eaten wood of thy poore harbour thou killest with the violence of thy diuine Loue the innumerable violences of the Loue of the worlde O most wise and most valiant Prince which silently instructest and silently killest teache me to followe with silence thy Contemptes and kill in my Hearte worldely Affections that making myselfe a Worme in imitation of thee I may merit to ascende to beholde thee in the throne of thy Glorye Amen The eightenth Meditation Luc. 2.9 D. Th. 3. p. q. 36. Of the Ioye of the Angels at the Natiuitye of the Sonne of God and of the newes which they tolde to the Shepheardes The first Pointe FIrst I will consider what passed in Heauen at such time as our Sauiour Christe was borne on Earthe For the Hierarchies of the Angells as they clearely behelde the infinite maiestie and greatenesse of God and on the other side sawe him so humbled so thrust vp into a corner and so vnknowne among men they extremely admired this so greate Humillitye and being very carefull that he should bee honored and reuerenced by all desired if God would giue them leaue to come downe into the Worlde to manifest him make him knowne Then did the eternall Father giue that commaundement vnto all which the Apostle S. Heb. 1.6 Paule pondereth Et cum iterum introducit primogenitum in orbem terrarum dicit adorent eum omnes Angeli eius And when againe he bringeth in the first begotten into the Worlde hee sayth And let all the Angells of God adore him he saieth all not excepting any one And all of them from Heauen adored with high reuerence this Babe who being on Earthe behelde what they did The Seraphines inflamed in Loue beholding him helde themselues as frozen and with profounde Humillitye acknowledged him for their God The Cherubins full of knowledge in presence of this Childe esteemed themselues as Ignorant and with greate trembling adored him and reuerenced him as their Lord And the like did the other Quires of the Angells I reioice o all my Good Colloquie to see thee adored by thy Angells and it greiueth me greately to see thee so forgotten and vnknowne among men I o Lord adore thee togither with these blessed Spirits and doe heartily desire that all men might knowe and adore thee and if it lye in my power to giue them netice heereof Ecce ego mitte me Beholde me here Isa 6.8 send me For if thou sendest me I will flye with those wings which thou shalt giue me and like the Seraphines I will crye out thorough the Worlde saying Holye Holye Holy art thou Lord God of Hostes the earthe is full of thy glorye albeit with the smoke of the Humilliation which thou hast in this poore Stable it seemeth to be obscured The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider how the eternall Father would manifest the birth of his Sonne to the Shepheardes that were neere about Bethlehem watching and keeping their flocke sending to this ende an Angell which as it is thought was S. Gabriel inuested with a resplendent Bodye who inuironing them with a celestiall light sayed vnto them Luc. 2.10 Beholde I euangelize to you greate Ioy that shall bee to all the People because this day is borne to you a Sauiour which is Christe our Lord in the Citye of Dauid And this shal be a signe to you you shall finde the Infant swadled in clothes and laâ—ed in a manger Vpon this passage I will consider first how God would not manifest this mysterye nor send this Angell to the Sages of Bethlehem for they were prowde nor to the Riche for they were couetous nor to the noble for they were pampered but to the Shepheardes because they were poore humble labouring men that were watching and attending their office for such dispositions as these God requireth in those to whome he imparteth his mysteries and if he Imparteth them not with me it is because I want such a disposition seeing it was for this that he saied that he hideth these things from the wise Matt. 11.25 and prudent and reuealeth them to the litle ones that are humble and lowely Secondly I will consider that it is a matter of very greate Ioy that a Sauiour is borne to vs. He is not borne to himselfe for he commeth not to saue himselfe nor he is not borne to the Angels for he commeth not to saue them but to men and to me for he commeth to saue me For me he is borne and circumcized and all whatsoeuer he did and suffered it is all for me And that which passeth in the manger is all to pardon my Sinnes to inflame me in the Loue of Vertues and to inriche me with those merits O sweete IESVS Colloquie that which to thee is matter of Dolour is to me matter of Ioye I reioice that thou art so good that thou embracest my Dolours to giue mee thy Ioyes let not me o Lord be so vnhappye that thou being borne for the good of all men I should liue as if thou hadst not beene borne for the good of mee hunting prowdely after greatenesse and forgettyng thy lewelinesse and Humillitye Thirdly I will ponder how the signes to finde out the Sauiour that is borne are Infancye Swadling Cloutes and a maunger O infinite Greatenesse of God Colloquie who would euer haue imagined that things so base should be the signes to finde out and to knowe the God of maiestie but I now knowe o Lord that thou art delighted with these debasings and that thou art in the middest of them to moue me to procure them teaching me by the waye that
the signes to knowe that thou art borne spiritually within me Ex D. Berser 4. de Resurr are Innocency of an Infant in Life Silence in Tongue Pouertye in Habit and Humillitye in choosing to myselfe that vhich is most vile and contemptible on Earthe Imprint them o my Sauiour in my Soule that it may be like vnto thee that thou maiest be pleased to be borne and to inhabite therein The third Pointe ANd while the Angell was telling this to the Shepheardes Luc. 2.13 sodainely there was with him a multitude of the Heauenly armye praising God and saying Glory in the highest to God and in Earthe peace to men of goodwill Vpon this pointe I am to consider who sent these Angells and to what ende and the Hymne or Canticle which they repeate He that sendeth them is the eternall Father to honour his Sonne who was so humbled for his Loue for he had allwaies a care to exalt him when he humbled himselfe and that the Angells likewise might instruct men by their example what they are to doe in this case I humbly thanke thee Colloquie o eternall Father for this care that thou hast to honour him that humbleth himselfe VVell hath he merited that thou shouldst honour him seeing he hath humbled himselfe to honour thee And seeing it is iust that I should honour praise him teache me to sing this Hymne of the Angells with the same spirit that they sang it Gloria in Altissimis Deo Glorye in the Highest to God Luc. 2.14 In these wordes the Angells teache vs that all this worke of the Incarnation is the Glorye of God in a supreame excellencye so that none of his workes is so glorious vnto him as this for the which he meriteth to be praised by all such as professe Highnesse of Life and in Heauen for this hee is especially glorified and reason would he should be so heere on Earthe seeing for this cause it is full of the glorye of God as the Seraphines saide Isa 6.2 when the Prophet Isaias sawe the glorye of this our Lorde O king of glorye lift vp my Hearte to the highest that I may glorifye thy name on Earthe Colloquie Ioa. 12.41 1 Cor. 10.31 as the Angells doe glorifye it in Heauen VVhatsoeuer I shall doe or say let it be to thy glorye without seeking my owne and from my mouthe shall neuer departe this worde Glorye be to God three and one-Glorye to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghoste Glorye to the Father for that he gaue me his Sonne Glory to the Sonne for that he became man for my redemption and glory to the Holy Ghoste from whose Loue this VVorke did proceede Et in terra Pax. And in Earthe peace which is to saye Luc. 2.14 By this notable worke commeth Peace to the inhabitantes of the Earthe and not a peace limited but very compleate Peace with God and with Angells Peace to euery one with himselfe and with all other men for this Sauiour bringeth Reconciliation of the worlde to his Father the Remission of Sinnes Victory ouer the Deuills Subiection of the fleshe to the Spirit Vnion and Concord of willes one with another and with God from whence proceedeth Alacritye of Conscience Phil. 4.7 and that Peace which passeth all Vnderstanding O Prince of Peace seeing it is written that in thy dayes Iustice should be borne Colloquie and Abundance of Peace till the moone should haue an ende Psal 71.7 I humbly beseeche thee to take from me all worldely mutabillitye and to fortifye mee with diuine Sanctitye and Peace Hominibus bonae Voluntatis To men of good will Luc. 2.14 In this third worde we are to ponder that allbeeit Peace originally springeth from the good will that God beareth vs with the which he offereth it vnto all men yet in effect they only enjoye it that haue good Will well intentioned conformable to the Will of God and subject to his diuine Lawe So that Peace is not promised to men for beeing of good Vnderstanding or sharpe wit neither for greate abillities nor notable talents and naturall partes for with all these things there may be much Warre and Discorde and Enmitye with God whereas if all these should faile me yet Peace shall not be failing vnto me if I haue good Will And therefore I am to make more account thereof then of all the rest Hom. 5. in Euang. for as S. Gregory sayeth Nihil ditius bona voluntate There is nothing more riche more amiable nor more peaceable then good Will As contrarily there is nothing more miserable more full of Disturbance and of Horrour then euill Will And therefore with greate feruencye I am to beg of the Sauiour that is borne that hee will deliuer me from the euill and giue me the good seeing it lyeth in his Gift Heerepon another Text sayeth Hominibus bona voluntas Bee good Will vnto men O most sweete Sauiour Colloquie giue me this good VVill which thou offerest vs that I may denye my owne VVill Rom. 12.1 and may followe thine good pleasing and most perfect seeing thine is the beginning of all good and mine left to it owne free will the roote of all euill The fourth Pointe THe Angells hauing been a while with the Shepheardes retourned to Heauen and we may piously beleeue that they went by the Inne of Bethlehem without any sensible noise and that there they renewed their Song so that the blessed VIRGIN and S. Ioseph might heare it and adore the Childe newe borne with greater reuerence as their God and their king O what content receiued the blessed VIRGIN with this Musicke and how thankefull was shee to the eternall Father for the honour he did to his Sonne and how Ioyfull to beholde so greate an Hoste of Angells and how confirmed in Faithe calling to mynd that which is written Heb. 5.6 Let all his Angells adore him I o my God adore thee with them Colloquie and with them I sing Gloria in this poore maunger of thine and I desire that all the VVorlde may sing it vnto thee in thy Church that by all thou maiest be glorified worlde without ende Amen The ninetenth Meditation Of the going of the Shepheardes to Bethlehem and what there happened vnto them and all the rest vnto the Circumcision The first Pointe THe Angells being departed Luc. 2.15 the Shepheardes exhorted one another saying Let vs goe ouer to Bethlehem and let vs see with our eyes this worde that is donne which our Lorde hath shewed to vs. And they came with speede and they founde MARIE and Ioseph and the Infant layed in the Manger Where I am to ponder first how the Shepheardes forgot not this reuelation but charitably animated one another to this iourney for that the Inspirations and Commaundements of God are not to be forgotten but executed exhorting vs with wordes examples to the Accomplishment heereof Ezech. 3.13
Treasures which they had brought shut all the waye and to offer giftes to the Childe in signe of their Vassallage and in protestation that they would serue him with their persons and with all that they had And with the same giftes they protested the faithe that they had for they offered him Gold as to their king Incense as to a God high Preiste Mirrhe as to a mortall man But much greater were the interior giftes wherewith they accompanied these exterior offering them vnto him with the golde of Loue with the Incense of Deuotion with the mirrhe of the mortification of themselues to serue their Lorde fullfilling that which was spoken by the Prophets Psal 71.10 Isa 60.6 that the kings of Arabia and of Saba should offer him giftes and presents of Incense mirrhe golde with praises of our Lord. Then will I ponder how pleasing to the Childe IESVS was the offering of these men beholding the Faithe Deuotion and Loue wherewith they did offer it for if he was so much pleased with the widowe that offered her two mites Luc. 21.2 3. because of the good will wherewith she did offer them how much more was he'pleased with these kings who with so greate good will offered vnto him like Abel Gen. 4.4 of the most precious that they had O what thankefullnesse demonstrated he vnto them not with exteriour wordes for he spake not but with the interiour wordes of Inspirations communicating vnto them great and celestiall giftes And heere I may piously consider that in retourne of these three giftes he gaue them other three largely augmenting in them the gold of Wisdome and Charitye and the Incense of Praier Deuotion graunting vnto them the mirrhe of Incorruption preseruing them from falling into greiuous Sinnes with perseuerance in Loue. In imitation of these holy kings I am to prostrate myselfe before the Childe IESVS with all possible Humillitye Ioan. 4.24 and to adore him as he will be adored in spirit and in truthe and to open the treasures of my hearte not in the presence of men to bee pleasing vnto them but in the presence of God only to giue him contentment and to offer vnto him the burning and shining golde of Charitye Loue towardes God and towardes my neighbours the most odoriferous Incense of Praier with high eleuated Affections of Deuotion and the most selected mirrhe of perfect mortification of myselfe exercizing vertuous workes without opening my treasures in such manner that the Theeues of Pride and Vaine-glorye may robbe me of them And particularly euery exteriour worke that I shall doe should carry these three giftes for Companions doing it for Loue with Praier and Deuotion and with necessary Mortification that it may be donne well and perfectly relying vpon the Liberallity of this our Lord who will also rewarde thys my offering retourning me in exchaunge greate augmentation of these giftes Eccles 31.27 Prouerb 22.29 seeing heereupon the holy Spirit saith that hee that is swifte and diligent in his workes shall haue no infirmitye and shall obtaine fauour with kings Besides this if I bee a religious man I am to offer vnto him anewe the three vowes that of Chastitye with the mirrhe of mortification of the fleshe that of Pouertye with the Golde of all the temporall things that are in the worlde desiring to giue him them all if they were mine and the vowe of Obedience denying myselfe melting molike Incense in the fier of Diuine Loue to giue myselfe wholely to God Goe to then o my Soule offer thy Vowes Colloquie and Presents to our Lorde beholding him not like Dauid as he is dreadefull and terrible Psal 75.13 as he taketh away the spirit and Life from the Princes and kings of the Earthe but as he is an amiable Childe giuing to these kings a diuine Spirit by taking away their worldely spirit O king of Heauen accept the Vowes and Giftes that I haue offered thee taking from me my owne Spirit that beguileth me and giuing me thy spirit that reuiueth mee The fourth Pointe THen I am to consider the sweete Conference betweene the blessed VIRGIN these kings they making relation vnto her of the starre which they had seene in the Easte and of what had passed in Hierusalem pondering how they offered themselues to her seruice how full of admiration they were to beholde the resplendent Sanctitye of our LADYE and to see the pouertye of the place where shee was And albeit S. Ioseph was not present at their first entrance that the Sages might vnderstand that the Childe had no father on earthe yet a while after he might come and they might discourse with him of the same things O how full of Content might the VIRGIN be to heare them and how might she keepe them in her memorye to meditate vpon them by herselfe How thankefull might she be to the Sages for the trauell they had vndertaken in comming to adore her Sonne and what diuine things might she recounte vnto them to confirme them in their faithe 3 Reg. 10. 1. c. O Queene of Saba that in person of these kings thy Children commest anewe with giftes to beholde the true king Salomon how full of admiration wast thou contemplating the infinite wisdome that shined in his poore house and in his poore Companye o with what an affection mightest thou saye beholding the blessed VIRGIN and S. Ioseph Blessed o Lord are thy Seruants that stand euer before thee hearing and learning thy infinite wisdome O Soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie more wise then the Queene of Saba who like a mistresse diddest on this day teache the Sages the wisdome of Heauen which the Worlde attaineth not vnto teache me the waye how to serue thy Sonne as these newe Disciples of his and thine did serue him Finally I will consider how the Sages being doubtfull whither they should retourne to Horod or no because of their worde that they had giuen him and desiring to knowe the will of God with this care they lay downe to sleepe And in their sleepe they receiued an aunswere Matt. 2.12 from our Lord that they should not retourne to Herod and so they went backe another waye into their Countrey Wherein is resplendent the prouidence and care that God hath ouer those that serue him aduising these Sages what was meete for them not only to deliuer the Childe from the persecution of Herod but also to free them from the vexations they should haue had by that cruell Tyrant if they had retourned vnto him Whereby I may see how happy I shall be if I relye vpon God seeing his Prouidence will not faile me in Afflictions but will cut of Perills before I fall into them The Kings hauing heard this Commaundement did presently fullfill it desiring rather to obey God then men esteeming more to heare the Worde that God spake vnto them then to keepe that which they had giuen vnto man for there is no
greater wisdome nor assurednesse then to heare the voice of God and to stand for his Gouernment seeing as our Lord himselfe saide by the Prophet Isaias Isa 32.17 all is ordained for our righteousnesse and abundant peace O how full of Contentment retourned these kings on their waye and how well did they thinke their Labour and Trauell employed for the things of God although they bee painefull in the beginnings they haue alwaies good endes And therefore it is greate Wisdome to begin by that Labour whose ende shall be temporall and eternall repose rejoicing in God worlde without ende Amen The XXIIII Meditation Of the Purification of the B. VIRGIN and of the Presentation of the Childe in the Temple The first Pointe THe olde Lawe commaunded Leui. 12 2 Luc. 2.12 that a woman hauing conceiued by a man if she brought forth a male childe she should remaine forty dayes retired in her house as vncleane at the ende whereof she should goe to the Temple to be purified offering for her Sinne a Lambe The heroical vertues of the B. Virgin a Turtle if she were poore a paire of Turtles or Pigeons desiring the preiste to pray vnto God for her This Lawe the B. VIRGIN accomplished with the exercize of admirable Vertues especially she exercized sixe like the sixe leaues of the whitest Lillye for the which the speeche of the celestiall spouse is very fitting vnto her Cantic 2.2 As the Lillye among Thornes so is my beloued among the Daughters The first Vertue was greate Loue to retirednesse with such delight therein that albeit the Lawe had not commaunded it yet it would haue pleased her to continue those forty dayes in her secret Corner attending only to contemplate the greatenesses of her Sonne to nourish him wherewith she remained so full of contentment that in regarde of him shee respected not the Companye of the whole worlde The second Vertue was greate Loue to puritye and cleane-nesse of Hearte giuing good demonstrations thereof in that shee being most pure delighted to be more purified obseruing the Lawe of Purification that her beloued might say of her Thou art all faire my beloued Cantic 4.7 and there is no spot in thee The third Vertue was Heroicall Obedience for albeit she knewe that she was not obliged to keepe this lawe for that she had not conceiued by the worke of man yet notwithstanding as her Sonne fullfilled the Lawe of Circumcision so she would entirely fullfill this Lawe to conforme herselfe with other women to obserue the common Lawes of all without hauing exemption priuiledge nor dispensation and without vsing therein Ambages or Interpretations euen in that wherein she might lawfully haue vsed them And so the forty dayes being fully ended with greate puntuallitye and readinesse she set forward on her waye to Hierusalem with rare modestye and Alacritye rejoicing with her Sonne whome she bare in her armes by whose example she learned this manner of Obedience The fourth Vertue was rare Humillitye in willing to be treated as one vncleane and as one that stood in neede of being purifyed as if she had not beene a VIRGIN demonstrating heerein greate Loue to puritie Humilliation by whose example I may be ashamed to see myselfe so prowde so desirous to bee reputed as pure and holy being contrarily a sinner that so foule abhominable that my righteousnesse as saieth the Prophet Isaias is like a cloth stained with menstrueous blood Isa 64.6 The fifth Vertue was greate Loue to Pouertye the sister of Humillitye for though with the golde that these kings gaue her she was able peraduenture to buye a Lambe and to offer it as riche noble Women vsed to doe yet she would be treated like a poore woman and offer the Sacrifize that was assigned to the poore which was a paire of turtles or two young pigeons The sixth was the greate Deuotion and Reuerence wherewith she gaue this offering to the Preiste requesting him with greate Humillitye to pray vnto God for her shee herselfe being one that might haue prayed for all For as the Lilly within her sixe leaues containeth other sixe little sprigs with their buttons like golde so the blessed VIRGIN to these sixe Vertues conjoyned diuerse Affections of an intention purely and directly for the glorye of God inkindled with the fier of Charitye and resplendent with the golde of caelestiall Wisdome O most sacred VIRGIN Colloquie I reioice to beholde thee so riche in Vertues and so carefull and diligent in exercizing them Cant. 2.2 Ex D. Ber. serm in Cant. now I perceiue how exceeding true it is that thou art as a Lilly among Thornes for in comparison of thee we are blacked and besmeared with the thornes of our Sinnes and thou art a most white and pure Lilly with the sixe leaues of these soueraigne Vertues VVell may we see o soueraigne Queene that thou diddest allwayes contemplate this king layed in his manger and in thy lappe seeing thy Spirit like spikenard gaue it accustomed odour to imitate him Cant. 1.11 sending out the most sweete odour of Puritye Humillitye and Obedience inkindled with the fier of Charitye obtaine for me o blessed LADYE that I may beholde him and thee with such a spirit as may send forth the like odour Amen The second Pointe THe Lawe likewise commaunded that all the first borne of the Hebrewes should be offered to God as holy Exod. 13.2 in acknowledgement of the fauour he did them in bringing them out of Egipt killing in a night all the first borne of the Egiptians And for the accomplishment of this Lawe our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN carried her Sonne to the Temple to offer him to the eternall Father Heere I am to consider first the Spirit and Deuotion wherewith the blessed VIRGIN made this offering in her name and in the name of all mankinde saying to the eternall Father Beholde heere o eternall Father thy only begotten Sonne as he is God and my only first borne as he is man he that was represented by all the first borne that hitherto haue beene offered vnto thee and whose offering thou so much hast desired I offer him with all my Hearte in thankesgiuing for hauing giuen him mee for I haue nothing more precious to offer vnto thee thine he is take him vnto thee in whome he shall be better employed then in mee I likewise offer him vnto thee in the odour of sweetenesse for the saluation and redemption of the whole worlde Receiue o my God this offering more precious then that of Abel more sweete then that of Noe more holy then that of Abraham and more excellent then all those that Moyses ordained and by this I beseeche thee to pardon all mortall men and to admitte them into thy grace and freindship O how well pleased might the eternall Father be with this oblation aswell for the deuotion of the person that offered it as for the Sanctitye of
Prophets that might knowe him and manifest him as he made Zacharias and Elizabeth Prophets to manifest him before he was borne to this ende he layed his hande vpon Simeon preparing him for his office with those admirable Vertues recounted by the Euangelist saying first that he was a iust man and religious fearing God and puntuall in the obseruation of the whole lawe without admitting any breache thereof for no man is saide to feare but he that auoydeth the leaste sinnes of all according to that saying of the wiseman He that feareth God Eccl. 7.19 Nihil negligit despiseth nothing by making small accoumpt thereof Secondly that he had greate hope and therewith feruent desires of the comming of Christ for the saluation of his people And thirdly he joyned thereunto feruent and continuall praiers earnestly requiring this comming and that hee might be worthy to enjoy it In this manner he spent his life and with these Vertues he made himselfe worthy to be the habitation of the holy spirit From whence I will collect that greate puritye and Sanctitye of life giue a man greate confidence to aske and desire greate things at Gods handes Exod. 33.18 Cant. 1.6 like Moyses when he saide vnto God Shewe me thy glorye and discouer thy face vnto mee And like the Spouse in the Canticles Tell me o thou whome my Soule loueth where thou feedest thy flocke and where thou reposest at noone daye And like this holy olde man who desired to beholde the Messias with his eyes obtained it for as S. Bernard saieth Serm. 32. in Cant. Greate faithe meriteth greate things and the farther thou stretchest thy foote of Confidence into the benefits of our Lorde the greater thou shalt obtaine of his liberall hande Secondly I will ponder how the holy Spirit who doeth the will of those that feare him and heareth the desires of the poore that loue him would consolate and rewarde this holy olde man aunswering to his petitions with an excellent promise that he should see Christ before his Deathe that we might vnderstand what a happinesse it is to knowe how to treate with the holy Ghoste and to haue him within vs withfullnesse of grace For he himselfe as S. Paul saieth requesteth in vs and for vs Rom. 8. with gronings vnspeakeable giuing vs assurances that the praier which proceedeth from him shall be heard and dispatched in conuenient time albeit the accomplishment thereof be somewhat delayed as it happened to holy Simeon Daniel 10.2 for God will haue vs to be vnwearied with hoping in this manner to dispose ourselues to receiue what we hope for Thirdly I will ponder how that which is promised to all the Iust after their deathe is sometimes graunted in parte to such as are very deuoute before their Deathe that is to beholde Christ in this life with the eye of Contemplation Matt. 5.8 Exod. 33.20 D. Aug. in Soliloq c. 1 fullfilling heerein vnto them that promise which saieth Blessed are the cleane of Hearte for they shall see God O eternall God which saidest No man can see me and liue Moriar vt te videam videam vt hic moriar May I die to beholde thee and may I beholde thee that I may die may I beholde thee in this life by contemplation that I may die to myselfe with perfect mortification and may I die this happy deathe that I may afterwardes beholde thee in thy soueraigne Glorye Amen The Second Pointe THe same day that the blessed VIRGIN carried her Sonne to the Temple Luc. 2.27 holy Simeon inspired and moued by the holy Ghoste went likewise thither and seeing them enter he knewe by the light of Heauen that that Childe was Christ and taking him in his armes he blessed God and saide Now thou doest dismisse thy Seruant o Lord according to thy worde in peace because mine eyes haue seene thy Saluation c. Heere I will consider first the Fidellitye and Liberallitye of the Spirit in fullfilling his worde and consolating this iust man giuing him more then he promised him He promised him that he should see Christ and he giueth him leaue to take him in his armes to embrace and kisse him and very louingly to vnite him to himselfe for as the Apostle sayed Eph. 3.20 God is powerfull to doe all things more abundantly then we desire or vnderstande wherewith I am to animate myselfe earnestly to serue this our Lord who is large in promising but much more liberall in accomplishing what hee promiseth if there be faithe in him that receiueth it But applying this to what now passeth I will consider that as when as the blessed VIRGIN entred into the Temple albeit there where there present many persons of all estates and Conditions as learned men Preistes noble men and Plebeyans only to Simeon God opened his eyes with his celestiall light that he might knowe him in rewarde of his good life and of the Spirit wherewith he came to the Temple the rest making no difference betweene that Childe and others because exteriourly he differed not from them so likewise now among many that come vnto the Church there are but fewe that knowe with celestiall light the presence of IESVS in the blessed Sacrament and adore him with Deuotion meriting to receiue him in their heartes and with ioye to be partakers of his giftes For albeit our Sauiour Christ desireth to giue himselfe to be knowen of all men yet fewe dispose themselues like Simeon that he may accomplish his desire in them O my Soule come in Spirit to the Temple where IESVS is that thou mayest enioy his happy sight Colloquie and mayest embrace him with the armes of his sweete Loue. Secondly I will ponder the greate alacritye of this holy man and the abundance of ioye that he receiued with the beholding touching of that holy babe and the greate fullnesse that his Soule receiued acknowledging himselfe well rewarded for all the Afflictions passed in the long life that he had liued And as it seemed vnto him that he had no more to desier nor no more to see in this life hauing seene the Sauiour he conuerted all that was in him to glorifye God and to praise him for this fauour protesting that now he should dye in peace whensoeuer it was Gods pleasure O my Soule Colloquie seeke the eminent knowledge of IESVS with the which thou shalt esteeme all that is created as dung Phil. 3 8. that thou mayest gaine Christ in whome thou shal s haue whatsoeuer thou canst desier If thou beholdest him with a liuely faithe what more wilt thou beholde If thou embracest him with strict Charitye what more wouldest thou possesse And if he be thine what can be wanting vnto thee Graunt me o good IESVS by the merits of this Sainct some raye of that light which thou gauest him on this daye that I may knowe thee and loue thee as he knewe and loued thee for ouer and euer Amen
From this example of holy Simeon I am to collect two things very proffitable to attaine to a good Deathe the first that deuoute holy men experiment in this life the accomplishment of the diuine promises as is that hundreth times as much as they left for Christ to be heard in their praiers to be protected by the diuine prouidence in their necessities and dangers and with this experience they recouer greate hope that God will accomplishe vnto them the promises of the life to come and animated with this hope they desier Deathe to enioy them saying with Dauid In peace I will sleepe Psal 4.10 and repose for thou o Lord hast singularly confirmed me in hope The second is that those holy men who haue arriued by Contemplation to see Christ his greatenesses haue tasted the sweetenesse of eternall things are forthwith weary of temporall as of things vile and vnworthy of their veiwe and so they holde life in torment and Deathe in desire saying with S. Paul Phil. 1 23 I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ to beholde him and to enioy him for euer Therefore o my Soule if the peace and quietnesse wherein the Sainctes and holy men dye be pleasing vnto thee imitate the feruour and spirit wherein they liue for a feruent life is the cause of a quiet Deathe Finally I will ponder what content the B. VIRGIN receiued to see her Sonne knowne and reuerenced Luc. 2.33 and to heare the meruailes that were spoken of him for as S. Luke the Euangelist reporteth she and S. Ioseph were meruailing to heare these things and glorified the eternall Father for the knowledge that thereof he gaue vnto men The third Pointe THe blessed VIRGIN being in the middest of this ioye Simeon blessing her Luc. 2.34 saide vnto her with a propheticall Spirit Behold this Childe is set vnto the ruine and vnto the resurrection of many in Israel and for a signe which shall be contradicted and thine owne Soule shall a sworde pearce that out of many Heartes cogitations may be reuealed Concerning this prophecye I will consider first the dessignes of God in alaying the Contentments of the VIRGIN for that when as she was most joyfull of the honour that was donne vnto her Sonne he would discouer vnto her the Afflictions that the Childe was to suffer the sworde of sorrowe that for his sake should peirce her Soule that forthwith she might begin to beare the peircing of that sworde and might taste the bitternesse of his passion O most wise Colloquie and most louing God how much thou likest to giue vnto thy elected these mixtures of Consolations and disconsolations sometimes thou exaltest them vnto heauen Ps 106.26 and againe thou abasest them vnto the depths sometimes thou woundest their heart with the woundes of Loue and sometimes with the sworde of dolour demonstrating in the one and in the other the profundity of thy wisdome and the sweetenesse of thy Charitye which seeing thou hast so dessigned beholde me heere prepared for all peirce my Soule with this sworde as thou wilt so that I may be accounted in the number of thy elected Amen Secondly I will ponder two memorable things that Simeon prophecyed of the Childe the first that he was set for the resurrection and falling of many for that many for his cause should raise themselues from Sinne to a high degree of Sanctitye and others for that they would not make their proffit of his comming Isa 8.14 15. should come to fall into the depth of iniquitye of the which they themselues are in the faulte for Christ our Lord for his parte desireth to be a resurrection vnto all and not a stone of offence vnto any The second is that he should be a newe prodigious and admirable signe but yet a signe which his enemies should contradict resisting his Doctrine calumniating his miracles and persecuting his life euen vnto the nailing him to a Crosse Isa 11.10 where he should be to the elected a signe of life but to the reprobate of Damnation by whose power should be discouered the fidellitye and loyaltye of the Disciples which was couered in their Heartes Pondering these two things which continue euen to this daye I am to be astonished at the iudgements of God in this case and to be compassionate for the perdition of such a multitude of Infidells and euill Christians procuring to haue my Soule peirced with the sworde of Dolour as that of the blessed VIRGIN was peirced and withall beseeching this our Lord that his comming bee not to my fall but to my resurrection and that it may be to me a signe of life in whome I may beleeue and hope and whome I may loue and imitate in being one of his Disciples whome he calleth by the Prophet Isaias a signe and a prodigye Isa 8.18 endeuouring that my Wordes and Actions may be admirable like his And if heereupon it shall happen that many doe contradict and persecute me I am to reioice thereat taking it for an assurance that I am much fauored by God seeing he maketh me so like vnto his Sonne The fourth Pointe AT this time also the holy Spirit was pleased to manifest the Childe to another holy woman Luc. 2.36 as he manifested him to a holy man choosing to this ende an auncient widowe whose name was Anne who spent her life in fasting and praier seruing God in the Temple day and night And by Inspiration of the holy Spirit she went vnto the Temple when the Childe entred and knowing by the light of Heauen that he was the Messias she brake sorth into the praises of God and into speaking meruailes of the Childe to all that expected the redemption of Israel Heerein we may contemplate the seuerall wayes that God hath to cherish and comfort his Seruantes for to Simeon before he sawe the Sauiour he promised that he should see him to kindle the desire that he had to see him and to entertaine him with the promise but vnto Anne we knowe not that he made any such promise but that he sodainely inspired her to goe see Christ our Lord with whose sight he comforted her and rewarded the good and long seruices that in fourescore and foure yeares she had donne him Secondly I will ponder sixe vertues of this holy widowe whereby she made herselfe worthy of this fauour that is Chastitye continuall Praier Fasting Obseruation of Gods lawe Deuotion to such things as belonged to the diuine worship with Perseuerance in all for many yeares In these vertues I am to endeuour to imitate this holy woman if I desier to obtaine that which by them she obtained O king of glory Colloquie giue me these sixe wings of the Seraphines that serue thee in the temple of thy Church that I may flye with them in thy seruice vntill I arriue to enioy thee in the Temple of thy glorye worlde without ende Amen The XXVI Meditation wherein
with more perfection by flying in secret for to this purpose the night is more proper Fourthly I will ponder with what Ioye and Content they trauelled albeit their iourney was troublesome and tedious and deuoide of temporall Commodities which yet they felt not much thorough the greatenesse of their interiour alacritye which relyed vpon two thinges First in that it was the will of our Lord God which they helde for their greatest consolation Secondly in that they carried with them IESVS whose Companye was sufficient to comfort them in any solitarinesse or abandoning whatsoeuer without diuerting themselues to regard or to procure any other refreshing which Trauellers vse to seeke after O omnipotent God Colloquie that gauest to these thy beloued Sainctes such Obedience by their merites I beseeche thee to assist me that I may obey thee with subiection of my iudgement with promptnesse of Will with readinesse in execution and with alacritye of Hearte only to fullfill thy VVill relying vpon thy prouidence that it will haue a care of me if in this manner I obey thee The fifth Pointe FIfthly I am to consider how they remained in Egipt vntill the Deathe of the Tyrant Herod which was fiue or seuen yeares pondering the speciall things that hapned in this time As first the greate Pouertye wherein they liued sustaining themselues with the Labour of their Handes in a poore house among a straunge and barbarous People and yet bearing all this very ioifully for the two causes aforesaide From whence proceeded the greate Quietnesse that they there had in such sorte that they neither desired the Deathe of Herod nor were afflicted with the delaye of their retourne but remitted all to Gods prouidence Being also so zealous as they were of the glorye of God they liued there in continuall dolour for the Idolatrye and perdition of that nation so that of eache of them might be sayed 2 Pet. 2.8 as S. Peter saied of Lot when he was in Sodome that in sight and hearing he was iust dwelling with them who from day to day vexed the iust Soule with vniust workes So it is likely that the sacred VIRGIN S. Ioseph were vexed in Spirit for the Sinnes of that People yet alwaies in the middest of them they preserued their puritye Sanctitye shining like Lightes of Heauen in the middest of that wicked nation And it is to be beleeued that the Sanctitye Modestye and celestiall conuersation of our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN and of S. Ioseph mollified the heartes of that barbarous people and caused in them admiration and respect and some by their example were conuerted to God and came to fauour them with almes and with giftes which they being poore accepted for their sustenance O happy he Colloquie that might be present in this banishment to accompanye and serue the Childe and the mother Ayde me o my God with thy Grace that in my Exile I may liue with alacritye conforming myselfe vnto thy will and giuing good example to such as liue with me that many by my meanes may serue thee with perfection Amen The XXVIII Meditation Of the murder of the holy Innocents and of the retourne from Egipt The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider how king Herod fearing least that king whome the Sages had spoken of should depriue him of his kingdome and perceiuing that he was deluded by them Matt. 2.16 he cruelly commaunded to be murdered all the men Children that were in Bethlehem in all the borders thereof from two yeare old and vnder Wherein is first to be considered what an abominable Vice is Ambition and the Desier of raigning and commaunding from whence ensued such horrible mischeifes the cheife of all which was to desier to take away the life of Christ to vsurpe his kingdome and to raigne by himselfe As also how proper it is to Ambitious men to be suspitious and timorous suspecting least others should depriue them of their greatenesse and fearing where there is no neede of feare as the Tyrant Herod was afraide without cause for our Lord Christ came not to take away temporall kingdomes but to giue celestiall Secondly I will ponder the greate greife that our Sauiour Christ had being in Egipt seeing from thence the murder of the holy Innocents for his sake for it is to be beleeued that the sworde which wounded the bodye of eache one of them peirced his Soule with Dolour of Compassion thorough the exceeding loue wherewith he loued them suffering so many martirdomes in his Spirit as they altogither suffered in bodye O most glorious king of Martyrs Colloquie who on this day conquerest in them and sufferest with them haue compassion on my weakenesse and ayde me with thy grace vanquishing in me all whatsoeuer is contrary vnto thee Thirdly I will ponder the greate spirituall good which accrewed vnto these Children by the temporall Deathe which they suffered being assured thereby of their eternall saluation and therefore that was a louing prouidence which Christ vsed towardes them albeit with the coste of the life of their bodye which is of lesse worth then that of the Soule And for this reason our Sauiour Christ rejoiced at the glorious Deathe of his martyrs by the which they became partakers of so glorious and eternall a life Iob 9.23 that being fullfilled heere which holy Iob sayeth of God that he laugheth at the paines of the innocent because be is recreated with the good that commeth vnto them thereby I would Colloquie o my God that I might suffer for thy sake that my paines might be thy Laughter and mirthe catching me with deathe like these Children before malice chaunge my Hearte Sap. 4.11 and Deceite alter my Soule for I rather desier to dye then to liue to offend thee The Second Pointe ANd when Herod was deade Matt. 2.19 beholde an Angell of our Lord appeared in sleepe to Ioseph in Egipt saying Arize and take the Childe and his mother and goe into the lande of Israel for they are deade that sought the life of the Childe Heere is first to be considered how Herod seeking to take away the life of Christ dâ—ed without compassing his intent and dyed a disastrous deathe both of bodye and Soule for the Iustice of God though it dissembleth for a time chastizeth in the ende and though the punishment of the wicked be deferred yet it commeth at last and when men least thinke then Deathe seazeth vpon them when as they pay for all their wickednesse togither what proffit had Herod by his Ambition and Crueltye and extreame care to preserue his kingdome for he lost all in one day and with all lost his Soule bewailing this remedilesse losse as the rest of the Damned doe bewaile it who say What hath our Pride auailed vs Sap. 5.8 and the boasting of our Riches what hath it profited vs all is passed like a Shadowe and now in our wickednesse we are consumed paying the penaltye that
Purification of the B. VIRGIN and of the Presentation of the child in the Temple 230 The xxv Meditat. Of what happened in the Presentation with Simeon and Anna Prophetesse p. 238. The xxvi Meditat. VVherein is set downe a forme of praier applying the interiour faculties of the soule to the contemplation of the mysteries that haue beene meditated 247 Another manner of applying in Praier the interiour senses with the actes of seuerall Vertues p. 256. The xxvij Meditation Of the flying into Egipt p. 258. The xxviij Meditat. Of the murder of the holy Innocents and of the retourne from Egipt p. 271. The xxix Meditat. Of the comming of our Sauiour Christ to the Temple of Ierusalem and of his remaining there among the Doctors 276 The xxx Meditat. Of what the B. VIRGIN did when shee sawe shee had lost her Sonne vntill shee founde him 281 The xxxi Meditat. Of the life that our Sauiour Christ ledde in Nazareth vntill he was thirty yeares olde 294 A TABLE OF THE PRINCIPALL MATTERS CONTAINED IN THIS SECOND PART ABsence of God from the soule of diuers sorts and for diuers causes page 283. Aduent how we must prepare our selues vnto the same 164. Affections of deuotion wine of the vessels of Gods wine-sellars 2. Angels with what speedines they doe theire messages 66. 67. Though of small importance 143. Aue Mary is declared word for word 70. 125. 126. Benifits of God towards vs from whence they proceede 131. Charitie that God shewed men in the mysterie of the Incarnation 25. 26. ours towards God hath three estates 3. Christ see IESVS Circumcision of Christ 195. our spirituall Circumcision 199. Grace of God how great good it is to find grace with God 78. Hand-maid of God what an honour it is and what excellent spirit was included in these words of the B. VIRGIN 92. Hearing spirituall of the soule 249. Humilitie findeth grace before God 78. It is the euening of exaltation yf it be well taken 152 It is to be exercised in base offices 303. in matters of learning 304. IESVS The excellencies of this name and the offices that it signifieth 201. 202. The mysteries of his Incarnation life till thirtie yeares of age ar declared in this second part by order Of his Imitation 1. He is a king eternall most worthy and that inuiteth vs to folow him 6. Illustrations see Inspirations Incarnation The decree of it 14. The diuine excellencies that doe shine in the same 21. The infinite charitie of God therein 25. why God would be incarnate in the wombe of a woman 30. 31. 105. The time that he tooke to declare and execute it 58. How it was annunciated 66. The forming of the body and the properties thereof 100. 104. The excellencies of Christ his soule 108. The heroicall actes of vertue this soule did exercise in the first instant of the Incarnation 111. Inconstancie in goodnes how preiudiciall it is 296. Innocents martyrdome 271. Inspirations embassadours of God 68. the seede of grace 86. they moue to woork spedilie 120. Intention the puritie thereof in woorks is to be procured 302. Iohn Baptist his natiuitye and excellencies 143. S. Ioseph his great holiues and vertues 149. The vertues he discouered seeing our LADY with child 153. and when he was commaunded to fly into Egipt 263. 267. Ioy spirituall to be ioyned with modestie 288. the conditions it must haue 130. Life Actiue and Contemplatiue ioyned in our B. LADY 50. Loue of carnall parents how to be moderated 279. Magnificat declared at large 128. Mary mother of God her predestination election 30. 31. Her conception 37. Her natiuitie and name 42. Deuotion to her a signe of predestination 43. Her presentation in the Temple 46. Her vowe of Virginitie 52. Of her loue towards this vertue 82. Of her Betrothing to S. Ioseph 54. The vertues she discouered in the Annunciation 75. In visiting S. Elizabeth 121. In the Cantiele Magnificat 128. and when her spouse would haue left her 154. in her Purification 230. when she had lost her sonne 282 She was the instrument of the first iustification that our Sauiour wrought 119. Mercy of God how it shewed it self in the Incarnation 15. Mortification is a spirituall circumcision 199. Offices base and abiect to be exercised by vs. 303. Parents carnall must be left when the glorie of God so requireth 278. how regardlesse we must be of them to imitate Christ 278. Patience in reprehensions 292. Peace which the Angels did announce in the natiuitye of Christ 187. Prayer the manner thereof by applying the interiour senses 247. by pawsing a while with Reuerence to heare what God saith 250. by manner of a louing complaint to God 288. Preacher must not preache vntill he be of mature age and well grounded in humilitie 305. 306. Presence of God in diuers sortes 73. Profit spirituall how we must growe in vertues 290. it must be before God and men 298. Prouidence of God towards the iust afflicted 156. towards such as be persecuted 261. 273. Puritie of heart the end of the vocation and election of the faithfull 36. Purposes good ought to be fullfilled and the damage yf they be not 162. Senses the manner of praying by them 247 Silence how to be kept 83. Sinne the grieuousnes thereof by that which our Sauiour felt in the instant of his Incarnation 113. Sloath in seeking Christ and the punishment thereof 211. Speeche how to be vsed discreetelie 83. Spirit good taketh away disordinate feare 77. chastizeth the incredulous and fauoureth such as beliue when they ought 87. the effects of it when it inwardlie visteth vs. 125. Tongue how it must be gouerned 83. Touching spirituall what and how performed 255. Tribulations how God by them proueth his elect 151. Visitations of God interiour why they be wanting manie times 283. The properties and effects of them 125. VVill good how pretious a thing it is 188. FINIS