consider that God our Lord assoone as Adam and Eua had sinned was willing to reueale vnto them the mysterye of the Incarnation for the Remedye of their Sinne and of the Punishment that therefore they had deserued to demonstrate heerein the greatenesse of his Charitye and mercye towardes men This was resplendent in that comming as a Iudge to take accoumpt of Adam and Eua for their Disobedience and to denounce vnto them the Sentence of Deathe which thereby they had incurred withall as a mercifull Father hee promiseth them not only to make himselfe man for them but also to dye to deliuer them from Deathe pretending heerein that by their Faithe in this Redeemer they should not distrust the Diuine mercye nor of the pardon of their Sinne but that they should forthwith procure it by Penance greiuing to haue offended him that had shewed them so much Loue. So that when God cast our first Parents and all their Posteritye out of the terrestriall Paradise hee then promiseth them him that shall open the Gates of the Celestiall Paradise And when hee chargeth them with Maledictions for Sinne hee offereth them of his meere Grace the Author of all Heauenly Benedictions And when they are vanquished by the Diuell hee assureth them that there shall bee borne of them a man that shall free them from his Tirannye O Father of Mercyes and God of all Consolation Colloquie I humbly thanke thee for that in the middest of thy Wrathe thou art mindefull of thy infinite mercye Abac. 3.2 And when all men by the first Adam deserued to bee accursed thou didst promise vs the second Adam by whome wee should bee blessed Shewe oâ— Lord this thy mercye to mee deliuering mee from the Maledictions which I deserue thorough my Sinnes replenishing mee with the Benedictions which thy Sonne gained by his Merites O Sonne of the euer liuing God Apoc. 13. Lambe that wast slaine from the beginning of the VVorlde for then was published thy Slaughter and true Life was giuen to men that sinned I humbly thanke thee for this fauour that thou diddest vs for the which I beseeche thee to applye vnto mee the fâ—â—ite thereof that beeing free from the Deathe of Sinne I may obtaine by thee Life of Grace Amen I will likewise ponder the Infinite mercye of God in not deferring this promise of our Redemption many Dayes nor yet many Howers but euen the selfe same day that Adam sinned hee came to giue him aduise both of his Transgression of his Remedye for that hee greately desireth that the Sinner allbeeit hee sinne thorough frailtye should not detaine himselfe so much as one day in his Sinne for the greate Hurt that thereof redoundeth vnto him but should presently bee conuerted and doe Penance All this I am to applye to myselfe considering that many times our Lord when I haue sinned in steede of chastizing mee with Iustice preuenteth mee with Inspirations offering mee pardon with mercye For the which I ought humbly to render vnto him many thankes procuring the selfe same day that I sinne to raize vp myselfe presently thorough Penance So that as S. Ephes 4.16 Paul saieth the Sun goe not downe without taking from mee Anger and Pride and euery other Sinne whatsoeuer The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the Conuenience of the Time that God chose to execute the Decree of his Incarnation to the ende to make his infinite Mercye the more eminent Heerevpon I am to beholde in what state the Worlde stood when God came to redeeme it running thorough the Thoughtes Wordes and Deedes of men and comparing them with those of God Isa 55.9 the which as the Prophet Isaias saieth were as different as Heauen and Earthe are distant First I will lift vp my Eyes to Heauen and beholde the most B. TRINITYE in the Throne of his Glorye considering what Thoughtes hee had and what plots hee was then laying to remedye man by the meanes of the Incarnation of the Diuine Worde And as the three Persons of the Deitye when they would create Adam Cant. 1.26 saide Let vs make man to our owne Image and Likenesse so now they sayed Let vs remedye man vhome wee created repairing the Image and Likenesse that wee gaue him O how greate Pleasure had they in this Discourse What Alacritye to beholde the time arriued of executing their Determination And what Ioy had eache Person to prepare themselues for what belonged vnto them in this Worke The Father to sende his Sonne into the Worlde The Sonne to come to vnite his Diuine Person with our nature And the holy Spirit to worke this so soueraigne an Vnion I thanke thee o most blessed TRINITYE Colloquie for that thou hadst pleasure to treate of my Remedye O that I might treate with much Delight of all that belongeth to thy seruice Then will I abase my Eyes to see what then passed in the Worlde considering how it was then arriued to the Abysme of Iniquitye The Gentiles were growen to such a Heigth in their Idolatries that they caused themselues to bee adored as Gods The Iewes were full of Hypocrisies Auarices Ambitions and other innumerable Sinnes The Earthe was wholely drowned with a Deluge of Vncleane-nesses and Carnallities one Waue of Blood as saith the Prophet Oseas ouertaking another Oscae 4.2 All this was God beholding from Heauen for from him nothing is hidden and though this so greate multitude of Sinnes prouoked him to greate furye yet were they no cause to make him deferre his Determination Rather this most mercifull God Abac. 3.2 as saide the Prophet Abacuch when hee had most occasion to shewe his wrathe was then mindefull to doe vs the greatest mercye and in steede of drowning the Worlde againe with another Deluge or burning it with fier like Sodome hee would drowne it with abundance of mercies and burne it with the fier of his Loue giuing it his owne Sonne to remedye it and his Sonne comming to redeeme it Cant. 8.7 O Infinite Charitye whose Flames could not bee quenched with the many Waters of the Riuers of innumerable Sinnes but rather increased with greater Demonstrations of Loue doing the greatest of all fauours to vs that euery day made ourselues more vnworthy thereof I giue thee thankes o most louing and mercifull Lord for this Loue which thou didst shewe vs for the which I beseeche thee though I as a wicked VVretche deserue thy Indignation yet that thou as a good God cease not to fauour mee with the Greatenesse of thy Mercye This Consideration I am likewise to applye to myselfe pondering how it hath many times happened that when I was actually offending God by my Workes then was God doing mee greate Benefits and deuising yet to doe mee greater as to drawe mee out of the Worlde into Religion or such other like for the which I am to giue him many Thankes From hence I may likewise ascende to ponder how much the Infinite Mercye of
their former life and these walke in the waye which wee call the Purgatiue way whose ende is to purifye the Soule of all these Vices and to obtaine Cleannesse of Hearte Others passe more forward and bee Proficients in Vertue and these walke in that way which wee call the Illuminatiue waye of which the ende is to Illustrate or lighten the Soule with the Splendour brightenes of many Verities and Vertues and to obtaine greate augmentation and increase thereof Others are allready perfect and very much exercized and these walke in that waye which wee call Vnitiue whereof the ende is to vnite 1. Cor. 6.18 and joyne our Spirite to God in the Vnion of perfect Loue. Eache one of these Persons is to haue matter of Meditation accomodated agreing to his Estate and Pretence from the which hee may easily drawe out the Affections and Purposes that his necessity requireth And albeit this matter may bee reduced to three Orders of Misteries and Verities accomodated to those three estates and wayes which haue beene set downe yet for the greater perspicuitye and cleerenesse wee reduce it in this booke to sixe partes assigning two to those that are Principiants or beginners two to those that are Proficients and other two to those that are most Perfect in this forme ensuing Sinners which desire truely to bee conuerted and to turne vnto God and to change their life are to take for the matter of their meditation their owne Sinnes all such things as may aide them to knowe the number and Greiuousnesse of them or that may cause a detestation of them and Sorowe for hauing committed them And forasmuch as Feare is vsually the beginning of Iustification whatsoeuer awaketh this Feare is matter of meditation accomodated to them such are the last things of man as Deathe Iudgement particular and vniuersall Hell and such other like things which shall bee put in the first parte with certeine formes of Praier accomodated for the examination of the Conscience for Confession and Communicating and for the obtaining of perfect Iustification which is the ende of the Purgatiue waye Such as are already justified and desire to horde vp Vertues and to increase in them are to take for the proper matter of their meditation the mysteries of the Humanitye of our Lord IESVS Christe whilst hee liued in this mortall Life for that his Life and Doctrine his Passion and Deathe was a most perfect patterne of all Vertue for all sortes of them that are just Tract 5. super 1. canonic Ioan. D. Th. 2. 2. q. 24. art 9. albeit in a different manner for as S. Augustine saithe and after him S. Thomas Charity when it is already engendred and is borne by the meanes of Penance hath those three Estates which haue ben mentioned of spirituall Childhood of Augmentation or increase and of Perfection The newly Iustified which are the Principiants or Beginners and as it were Infants newly begotten in the beeing of Grace are to take for the matter of their meditation the mysteries of the Incarnation Childehood of our Sauiour IESVS Christ of the which wee treate in the second parte and in those meditations they shall finde sufficient motiues aswell to prosecute and continue on the Iourney of the Purgatiue VVay mortifying and purifying themselues from those Vices and Passions which haue remained in them as Dregges of their former life as also to begin the journey of the Illuminatiue waye storing vp Vertues contrary to their Vices and accomodated to their Estate Such as are Proficients and goe onward increasing in Vertue haue two wayes to this the one by Doing and the other by Suffering I would say either by exercizing of their owne election diuerse workes of Vertue which appertaine to the actiue contemplatiue Life or by suffering with greate perfection greate Troubles Persecutions and Afflictions inflicted vpon them by the hande of another And this way though it bee the sharper is the most effectuall to increase in Vertues and to attaine to their perfection These twoe wayes our Sauiour Christe walked with greate Excellencye In Psal 49. of whome S. Augustine saithe that his exercises among men were Mira facere mala pâ—tiâ— To doe meruailous things and to suffer painefull things and all for our Instruction of which wee treate in the meditations of the third and fourth parte For in the third wee will set downe the mysteries of what hee did and sayed the three yeares of his Preaching from his Baptisme vnto his last entraunce into Hierusalem And in the fourth the mysteries of his Passion and Deathe And albeit both mysteries teache vs to doe and to suffer yet the one is most resplendent and shyning in the first and the other in the last which are the most prowerfull to mooue vs to all kinde of Vertue with greater Excellencye and Perfection Finally those which arriue to the Estate of Perfection walking in the Vnitiue vvaye haue two other pathes to attaine to the perfect Vnion of Loue. The first is by contemplating the gloglorious life of our Sauiour Christe and the wonderfull workes that hee did after his Resurrection sending vpon his Disciples the holy Ghoste which is the Spirit of Loue and of these mysteries treateth the fifth parte The other way is by contemplating the mysteries of the Diuinitye and Trinitye of God his Perfections and Benefits whereof the sixt parte entreateth And these two last partes are most proper to such as are perfect according to the saying of Dauid in the 103. Psalme Psal 103 18. Collat. 10 cap. 13. The high mountaines for harts the Rocke a refuge for Irchins giuing to vnderstand in a mysticall sense as Cassianus noteth that perfect men who like stags runne lightly in the waye of Heauen feede themselues with the consideration of the mysteries of the Diuinitye and Glorye of Christe figured by the high mountaines but men pricklie like Irchins with the prickles of their Sinnes and Imperfections or afflicted with Trauells take for remedye the consideration of their earthe and dust and the mysteries of the Humanitie and Humillitie of Christ IESVS our Lord figured by the Rocke in whose woundes they repose and with whose Doctrine and Examples they sustaine and proffit themselues By what hath beene saied it ensueth that the meditations of these sixe partes are as the sixe wings of the Seraphins which God hath vpon Earthe Isai 6.2 like vnto those which the Prophet Isay sawe with the which they departe from what is terrene and earhlie and flye to that which is coelestiall and Heauenlie where after they haue purified illustrated and perfected themselues they flye likewise to purifye illustrate and perfect others desiring to haue all burne with the Loue with which they burne for that these meditations are ayding to all these endes and in all of them ought all men to bee exercised yea euen those that haue most proffited but with a different ende and manner And the reason is because as in
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
multitude of businesse to disturbe them with Pride and Ingratitude to make them drye And seeing wee ought to bee no lesse prouident and carefull of our good then the Diuell is of our euill it is greate reason so to order our workes and businesses of the Daye that they may all helpe to further well our Praier And so with this in some sorte wee shall fullfill what Christe our Sauiour saide Luc. 18.1 It behoueth alvvaies to praye and not to bee vvearye for hee alwaies prayeth that spendeth his whole time in praier or in preparing himselfe thereunto VVith this Confidence I am to enter into mentall Praier saying to the Diuells that of the Psalme Psal 118.115 Departe from mee ye malignant and I vvill searche the Commaundements of my God And to my Powers Cogitations and Affections I will say that of another Psalme Psal 94.6 Come let vs adore and fall dovvne and vveepe before our Lord that made vs because he is the Lord our God and vvee the People of his pasture and the Sheepe of his hand Of the maner how wee may aide ourselues with the Imagination and the Tongue and the rest of the faculties for Mentall Praier §. 7. ALbeeit Mentall Praier as hath beene saied is the worke of the three supreme faculties of the Soule in respect of that parte which is pure spirit and is called Mens from whence this Praier also is called Mentall ◠yet notwithstanding the other faculties of the Soule which are more Inferiour doe ayde to the exercise of the same 1. Among these the first is the Imaginatiue the which when it is vntamed and disordered as it notably hindreth Praier so also it aydeth much when it can with facilitye forme within it selfe certaine figures or Images of such things as are to bee meditated for this is as it were to tye it to one onely place and to set before the Soule spiritually the thing that it meditateth as if it were present According to this it were good before wee begin meditation to procure with the Imagination to forme within ourselues some figure or Image of the things wee Intende to meditate with the greatest viuacitye and propriety that wee are able If I am to thinke vpon Hell I will imagine some place like an obscure straight and horrible Dungeon full of fier the Soules therin burning in the middest of those flames And if I am to meditate in the birth of Christ I will forme the figure of some open place without shelter and a Childe wrapped in swadling Cloutes layed in a manger and so in the rest But heere wee are to aduertise that this bee donne without breaking the heade for whosoeuer findeth much difficultye in forming such figures it were better to leaue them and vse onely the spirituall Faculties in the manner aforesaide And contrarily those that are very Imaginatiue are to bee very well aduised because their vehement Imaginations may bee vnto them an occasion of many Illusions supposing their Imagination to bee reuelation that the Image which they forme within themselues is the same thing which they Imagine And so thorough their indiscretion they vse to breake their heade and conuert to their hinderaunce that which taken with moderation might haue beene to their proffit 2. The tongue likewise may helpe in Praier for as S. Thomas sayeth Mentall Praier 2. 1. q. 83 art 12. Vocall which is donne with exteriourwordes are not contrarye but Sisters that helpe one another Mentall Praier vseth sometimes to breake out into Vocall speaking to our Lord Exteriour wordes arising from the Interiour feruour Psal 15.9 and deuotion and vocall Praier vseth to quicken the Soule to make it more attentiue to mentall For when therein wee perceiue ourselues to bee distracted or drye it is a good remedye to speake some wordes that may awaken Ex D. Aug. epis 121. ad Probam cap. 9. and recollect vs either speaking to our Lorde or to ourselues for as the Body aideth the Soule so the workes of the Bodye are accustomed to ayde those of the Soule and the exteriour worde and that which the Tongue speaketh Processu 7. religionis cap. 3 vseth to touch the Hearte This as S. Bonauenture aduertiseth may bee practized in twoe manners The one is euery one composing the wordes as his necessity or Deuotion shall dictate vnto him not standing vpon this whither they bee well or ill ordered for our Lord regardeth rather the agreement of the Hearte and the feruour of the Affections then of the VVordes and hee is better appeased with the rude speaches of the stammering Childe and penitent Sinner then with the well composed wordes of a Learned man that is prowde The other manner is saying some Praier made by another as are those of the Churche or of some Saincte appropriating them to himselfe and speaking them with such feeling and affection as if hee himselfe were composing them after that manner which in the 9. § wee shall prescribe 3. As for our Corporall senses there can bee no certaine rule giuen for some finde themselues best holding their eyes shut others helpe themselues with opening them looking vp to Heauen or beholding some Image Some are troubled with the hearing of any thing others are inflamed with hearing some Song or Musicke of the Churche Some feele deuotion with striking themselues often on the brest as S. Hierome did in Imitation of the Publican Others with much bending of the knee as did Symeon of the Pillar who praied bowing the knee with his heade euen to the grounde and then raising vp himselfe and repeating thus Innumerable times The like wee may say of other motions comportments of the Bodye as to stretch the armes in forme of a Crosse to lye prostrate on the grounde to stande fixed in one place to walke in some parte or to sit in some lowly seate in all which wee must make choise of that which helpeth most to the quietnesse and deuotion of the Hearte hauing consideration of the VVeakenesse of him that prayeth and of the edification of such as are present if the place bee publike for in such case that setling of the Bodye is to bee vsed that may not bee offensiue to the standers by Of the examination of Praier and of the fruites that may bee drawne from thence §. 8. PRayer being ended it is ëxceeding proffitable to examine what hath passed vs therein and albeit this examination ought to bee made after any worke or exercize whatsoeuer of Vocall Praier whither it bee Diuine offices the Rosarye or the Masse yet particularly it ought to bee donne after retired Mentall Praier wherein a man hath spent one or more houres 1. First I am to examine whither I haue obserued the aduertisements of those things that are precedent to Praier as whither I premeditated the matter of the meditation whither I put myselfe well in the presence of God whither I offered vnto him this Action in Spirit
with the same measure that wee shall mete it shall bee measured to vs againe for our liberallity encreasing towardes our neighbours the liberallitie of God shall encrease towarde vs 2. Cor. 9.6 so that hee that soweth much shall reape much Therefor o my soule bee liberall towardes God and for his loue towardes others God by himselfe and by others willbee liberall towardes thee Prou. 11.24.25 Alij diuidunt propria ditiores fiunt For the soule vvhich blesseth shall bee made fatte that which giueth shall bee inriched and he that inebriateth himselfe also shalll be inebriated receiuing much because it giueth much 3. From hence I will mount to ponder the greate benefits that I shall receiue if I embrace the second waye of mortifing auarice forsaking all things for Christe and giuing them to the poore because as this is a much greater liberallitye towardes God so God shall bee much more liberall towardes mee fullfilling the promise which hee made to giue in this life a hunder folde for what wee giue him and afterwardes life euerlasting with a speciall promise to giue vs at the daye of iudgement thrones of greate glorye to iudge the tribes of Israel Mat. 19.28 Colloquie and the nations of the worlde O happye poueritie that is revvarded vvith so greate riches O blessed liberallitie vvhose guerdon is a measure so abundant O if I could mortifie the loue of terrene riches to obtaine diuine possessing all thinge in God O most svveete IESVS that camest from heauen to earthe to giue vs an example of pouertie by the vvhich vvee may mount from earthe to heauen and madest choise to dye naked vpon a crosse departing the vvorlde vvithout possessing any thing of the vvorld graunt mee to abhorre temporall riches that I may serue thee vvith perfection and obtaine riches euerlasting Amen 4. From these considerations I am to collect a very firme resolution to mortifie auarice in all things that in the first pointe haue beene spoken of obseruing some manner of pouertie conformable to my estate First liuing content with my estate though it bee but meane without coueting what is superfluous or what belongeth to others Secondly in vsing well what I haue and beeing liberall to those that wante Thirdly in taking away the ouergreate loue thereof 1. Cor. 7.30 possessing it as if I possessed it not Fourthly in delighting sometymes to suffer want of some thing to imitate in some thing the pouertie of my redeemer Finally endeuoring to serue him not because hee should giue mee temporall goods but because hee is worthy to bee serued with a hope that hee will giue me goods euerlasting Amen The XXII Meditation of wrathe and Impatience The first Pointe VVrathe is a disordinate appetite of reuenging iniuries D. Th. 2.2 q. 158. 1.2 q. 48. a disordred inflaming of the hearte for things that happen against our liking from whence proceede three sortes of sinnes Some of Thought as are the hatred of our neighbour determining to be reuenged of him desiring some misfortune to him reioycing at his mishaps sorrowing for his good happe and taking delight in reuenge Some sinnes are of the Tongue to witte Vindicatiue and iniurious wordes in presence or murmuring in absence maledictions high and vntuned wordes demonstrating choller contention and peruersenesse in disputations to maintaine a mans owne opinion and other such like Other sinnes there are of Facte contrarye to the fift commaundement as to kill to strike or euilly to entreate our neighbour against reason and iustice or to doe some acte onely to reuenge an iniurie or to require this reuenge of the iudges not for loue of iustice but for rancour and hatred not to pardon him that hath donne the iniurye when hee asketh pardon but giuing exteriour demonstrations of enimitye against him Also discordes processes brawlings schismes factions and warres proceede from wrathe with many other sinnes that accompagnie them 4 Finally with wrathe goeth ioyned Impatience for the euills that happen to vs against our healthe honour or wealthe ouercharging ourselues with heauinesse thorough a vehement and disordinate desire to be deliuered from them from whence vse to proceede many sinnes against God against our neighbour and against our selues Such as are complaintes against our Lord because hee afflicteth vs with appearances of blasphemye litle conformitye to his will Distrustes irksomnesse of life impatient desires of deathe and ragingly to lay violent handes vpon ourselues To bee ill-conditioned rough and intractable towardes others giuing them occasion of indignation and liuing at discorde with those of our owne house beeing angrie euen with the beastes and insensible things Ionae 3.9 as Ionas was angrye with the iuye that withered whē the sunne oppressed it with heate Considering these sinnes and finding myselfe culpable thereof before God I will conuert my wrathe against myselfe onely because I haue sinned beseeching our Lord that hee will assist mee to vanquish it O infinite God vvhose vvrathe is terrible Psalm 4.5 Colloquie but yet iust against those that are angrie vvithout measure cleare the eyes of my soule that considering the terrible chastizements that proceede from thy sacred indignation I may restraine those euill and vehement passions that proceede from mine The second Pointe SEcondly Ex D. Gre. li. 5 moral c. 30. circa illud Iob. 5. Stultū interficit iracūdia I will consider the dammages and chastizements of this vice as well those it bringeth with as those which God of his iustice addeth in this life in the life to come First anger destroieth the likenesse with God whose workes are ful of greate trāquillitie it disquieteth the conscience it stoppeth the fountaine of Gods mercie it strangleth the spirit of deuotion and the consolations of the holy ghoste who dwelleth and reposeth in the humble and meeke hearted Ex D. Basil hom de Ira. and flyeth from the wrathefull in whome the euill spirite inhabiteth For furious wrathe is a frenesye of the soule a short madnesse and a voluntary diuell that prossesseth the spirit with such visages as the diuell maketh when hee possesseth the bodye 2 Besides this as our Lorde is the God of vengeance hee exercizeth it with rigorous iustice against those that wrathfully reuenge themselues by killing or opressing their neighbours For the which sentence was giuen against the two first wrathfull homicides that were in the worlde Genes 4.15 24 Cain and Lamech that of Cain vengeance should bee taken seuen folde and of Lamech that was not warned by Cain seuenty times seuen that is a vengeance so compleate that it comprehendeth all the kindes of torments that are in this life 3 But aboue all I will ponder what Christe our Lord Mat. 5.23 saide in his gospell against this vice vvhosoeuer is angry vvith his brother shall bee in daunger of iudgement And vvhosoeuer shall say to his brother Raca shall bee in daunger of a councell and vvhosoeuer shall say thou foole
it with mentation of grace and glory 4 Finaly I am to make another most effectuall resolution to amend my life and no more to returne to the sinnes that I haue committed For if this purpose be wanting the Contrition is fained the Confession sacrilegious the satisfaction litle auailable and the absolution of no effect for his sinnes are not remitted to him that hath a purpose to returne vnto them and though it were but a veniall sinne it shall not be pardoned vnlesse there bee a purpose of amendment of it 1. VVith this preparation conseruing these holy Affections and purposes I may securely come to this holy saerament putting in practise what I haue determined with a defire to renew my life to make a great change therein Hierem. 31. iuxta 70. D. Hier. ibi cogitationes operibus tunge imagining that that of the Prophet Hieremie is spoken to me Get thee vp to a watch tower set before thee thy bitternesses bewailing bitterlie thy sinnes direct thy harte in the right way wherein thou wast wont to walke da cor tuum super humeros tuos And put thy haite vpon thy shoulders taking with loue the yoke of obedience to fulfill what God and his ministers shall commande me The xxxii Meditation of Thankes-giuing after Confession Hauing ended the ConfessioÌ„ of my sinnes receled AbsolutioÌ„ it is very coÌ„uenieÌ„t to giue some litle time to the Confession of praises for the fauour that God hath donne me for both Coufessions our Lord exacteth of vs according to the saying of the Prophet Oseas Oseae 14.3 Turne o Israel to the Lord thy God seeing thou hast fallen thorough thine owne Iniquitye take wordes with you and conuert you to our Lord saying vnto him Take from vs o Lord all our sinne receiue our good Intention for wee offer vnto thee the calues of ourlippes that is in steede of the ealues which of olde they offered thee in sacrifize wee offer vnto thee now the calues of wordes confessing our sinnes that that thou maiest remitte them and confessing thy mercyes when thou hast remitted them Psalm 49.23 This sacrifize of praise as Dauid saithe honoreth God much and in it consisteth the waye and meanes to obtaine perfect healthe which is coÌ„firmed thereby to the gratefull is ordinarily much debilitated in the ingratefull Luc. 17.17 To this ende it will helpe to consider how much our Lord Christe was pleased with the leprous Samaritan who going to present himselfe to the preist was cured as hee went of his leprofie and forth with returned backe to giue thankes for the health that was giuen him contrarily how much hee was displeased with his other nine companions who hauing receiued the like benefit retourned not to acknowledge it and to giue vnto God the Glory which thy owed him as wee shall farther consider in the meditation of this miracle Therefore hauing ended my Confession I will recollect myselfe in the Churche before the most blessed Sacrament or in some other conuenient place where beeing set in the presence of the euer-liuing God I will reuiue the Faithe of the fauour hee hath donne mee wherein with my bodily eares I haue heard that fauorable sentence and most sweete word I absolue thee Psalm â—0 10 D. Thom. 2.2 quastiâ— 107 art 2. A worde powerfull to doe what it signifieth to giue ioye to my eares and gladnesse to my humbled bones And so trusting in the goodnesse and mercye of God that hee hath made good and ratified this sentence I will endeuour to exercize three actes of thankes giuing which are to acknowledge the benefit to praise God for it and to offer vnto him some seruice The first Pointe FIrst I will ponder in my heart the manifolde benefits that in this holy sacrament I haue receiued of the which the prophet Dauid made a breife catalogue by waye of praise in the 102. Psalme Psalm 102. and they may bee reduced vnto sixe The 1. is to pardon mee all my sinnes not onely the confessed but also the forgotten sinnes and those which without my fault I could not haue knowledge of The 2. is to heale the spirituall Infirmities of my soule as are vices and passions heauinesse and feares and other afflictions putting a moderation in all according to reason The 3. is to deliuer mee from the eternall Deathe whereunto I was condemned by my sinne and from the most bitter deathe which the priuation of Gods grace bringeth with it The 4. is to crowne mee with mercye and the workes of mercye fauoring mee to gaine the victorie of temptations wherwith I haue beene and shall bee combated delinering mee from other innumerable miseries and offering mee his ayde that I may no more retourne to them The 5. is to fill my desier with good things giuing mee his grace and Charity with the rest of the vertues or newe augmentation ther of The 6. is to renewe my youth like the eagle vnclothing mee of the workes and customes of the olde man clothing mee with those of the newe man and restoring vnto mee the first feruour-of spirit with newe gladnesse of my hearte to exercize newe workes of vertue with greate perfection These benefits our lord for his parte graunteth to those that confesse themselues as they ought Ex D. Tho. 1.2 q. 106. act 2. And so much the greater are the benefits by how much more freely they are giuen without any merit of ours and in this behalfe the true penitent ought to bee the more gratefull And with this spirit I will greately exagerrate the infinite liberalitie of God towardes mee and with a silence of admiration I will yeilde myselfe vanquished thereby The second Pointe THen will I breake out into a canticle of praise with greate affection saying the wordes of this Psalme Psalm 102. Blesse our Lord o my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name blesse our lord o my soule and bee not forgetfull of the fauour that hee hath donne thee hee remitteth all thy sinnes and healeth all thy Infirmities hee redeemeth thy life from deathe and crowneth thee with mercy and mercifull workes hee filleth with good things thy desire and like an eagle reneweth thy youth hee hath not chastized mee according to my sinnes nor inflicted on mee that punishment that my iniquities deserued as farre as the east is distant from the west so fare hath hee put from mee all my Impieties as the father hath compassion of his children so our lord hath compassion of those that feare him for hee well knoweth our weakenesse and the masse wherof we were formed Colloquie O God of my soule if the mercies are so greate that thou hast donne mee vvhat shall I doe not to hee behinde kande in thankes giuings I desire to procure vvith thy Aide that vvhich thou hast begun in mee by thy mercy and seeing thou hast pardoned my sinnes I vvill neuer more retourne vnto them Seeing thou hast deliuered
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
possible for her Strength Thirdly that in euery worke shee vsed greate Wisdome and Discretion with singular Constancye vntill shee had effected it Fourthly that with euery one shee mixed much Variety of Affections and Vertues to augment iointely in all For these foure Excellencyes the Angells admired her Cant. 6.9 saying VVhoe is shee that cometh forth as the morning rysing faire as the Moone elect as the Sunne terrible as the Army of a Campe set in aray what is this Childe that maketh her Progresse from Vertue to Vertue increasing like the Light of the morning without staying or turning backe beautifull like the full moone with plenty of Graces without any waning therein elected as the Sun that there is none in Earthe to bee her equall And who is this that beeing a weake maide by nature is most firme by Grace containing within her an armye of all Vertues ordered with the Order of inuincible Charitye Thus spake the Angells with Affection of Admiration and God rejoiced in beholding her Feruour and men that behelde her were edified in seeing so greate Sanctity in so tender yeares But I both admiring and rejoicing heereat will withall confound myselfe considering how farre I am from it thorough my Negligence and Coldnesse and desiring to get out of it to imitate her example Then will I ponder how this Childe spent a greate parte of the daye in ascending and descending that mysticall Ladder of Iacob Gen. 28.12 which reached from Earthe vnto Heauen in whose top stood the Omnipotent God Ex D. Ber. in scala claustralium and whose Degrees as before hath beene saide are Reading Meditation Praier and Contemplation One while of the daye shee spent in Reading holy Scriptures to the greate consolation of her Soule allmighty God opening vnto her the Sense that shee might penetrate and vnderstand them From hence shee ascended to meditation conferring with herselfe what shee had reade searching out newe Verities that illustrated her Soule and inflamed it with the fier of Loue and Deuotion From hence shee mounted another space by the Degree of Prayer desiring of God with greate feruencye the giftes of his Grace not only for herselfe but for her Companions and for all the People And lastly shee ascended to the Degree of Contemplation wherein shee spent very much time vniting her Soule to God from whome shee receiued such sweetenesse and consolation and such extraordinary abundance of celestiall Giftes that none can comprehend or knowe them but God that gaue them shee that receiued them rejoicing in that hidden Manna Apoc. 21.7 whose taste none attaineth vnto but hee that receiueth it And in these Exercices shee was visited by the Angells that garde this Ladder comforting those that ascende it but much more this blessed Virgin whose Puritye was greater then theirs for seeing her mount vp they spake with Admiration that of the Canticles VVhat is shee Cant. 3.6 that ascendeth by the desert as a little rodde of smoke of the aromaticall spices of Myrrhe and frankincense and of all pouders of the Apothecary Who is this young Maiden that liueth in the Desert of this Worlde and in the Solitarinesse of this Temple and sprowteth vp not like a Rodde but like a Twigge that is small and humble in her owne eyes but most odoriferous and gracious in the eyes of God in the which shee goeth allwayes ascending and increasing with the Myrrhe of Mortification with the Incense of Praier and with the continuall Exercize of all Vertues Finally in descending this Ladder this blessed LADYE was exercized in working with her handes for the seruice of the Temple to the commodity of her Cōpanions mingling her exteriour workes with Praier for which it is saide of her that her Garments smelled of Incense O soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie Cant. 4.11 Rodde that sprungest from the roote of lesse ascendedst to thy Beloued like a most odoriferous Sprigge of Perfume obtaine for mee that I also may bee litle in Humillitye carefull to mount by the Ladder of Praier by which thou ascendedst Isa 11.1 vntill I vnite myselfe with allmighty God descending also to exercize the workes of Mortification in myselfe those of Piety towardes my neighbours increasing in all Vertues giuing vnto all men the Odour of good Example for the which they may glorifye God worlde without ende Amen The fifth Pointe FIfthly Of her Vowe of Virginitye I am to consider how in this time this Soueraigne VIRGIN made another very newe offer to our Lord God and a very pleasing which was the Vowe of perpetuall Virginitye offering it vnto him by speciall inspiration of the holy Spirit and with extraordinary Deuotion For the greatenesse of the Loue that shee bare vnto God mooued her to desire to deliuer vnto him her whole Heart and to take him to her Spouse occupying herselfe totally in meditating vpon him and in pleasing him without diuiding herselfe in other things 1 Cor. 7.33.34 as those are diuided that are married And shee knowing that Virginity was more precious with a Vowe then without it shee was not contented with a single Purpose of preseruing it but shee made a particular Vowe thereof because shee allwaies desired to doe what was best most firme and most secure and that which was most to the Glorye of God our Lord. Then was fullfilled that which her Spouse sayed of her My sister spouse is a Garden inclosed a Garden inclosed a Fountaine sealed vp Cant. 4.12 Hee twise calleth her an inclosed Garden for that shee was perfectly chaste both in Soule and in Bodye confirming it with a perpetuall Vowe which serued as a Locke for her greater Security adding for Gardes Humillity Modestye Silence and Abstinence by reason whereof hee also callet◠her a Garden to giue vs to vnderstand that her Virginity was not barren but accompanied with many Flowers of Vertues and with excellent fruites of good Workes Some that beautified the Soule Others that adorned the Bodye that shee might bee Sancta corpora Spiritu 1 Cor. 7.34 Holy in Body and in Spirit O how pleasing was this Garden to the diuine Spouse hee was recreated with the Vowe Odour of the Flowers of her Vertues hee eate of the sweete fruictes of her good Workes Cant. 5.1 hee rejoiced to beholde it so well inclosed with a Vowe delighting much in the Locke Gardes that it had And therefore hee watered it with greate abundance of heauenly Consolations and Giftes making in them a Fountaine Well of the liuing Waters of his Graces inclosed with his diuine Protection From this Heroicall Example of the sacred VIRGIN I will collect a hearty Desire of Chastity offering myselfe to preserue it with the greatest perfection that possibly I may according to my Estate taking the blessed VIRGIN for my Patronesse Defendresse in this Enterprise saying vnto her that verse which holy Church singeth O Virgin singular among all other in meekenesse
Holye Ghoste are perfect hee came withall vpon her with newe fuullnesse of Grace to dispose her to so soueraigne a Worke. The second that the Power of the most high should ouershaâ—owe her preseruing her from sensuall Delight in Conception and forming of her purest blood the Bodye of this Childe as the bird couering her egges with her Wings giueth them Life with her Heate The third Promise was a Giuing a Reason of the other two Because that which was to bee so holily conceiued should bee the Sonne of God not by Adoption as the rest of the Iust but by the Vnion of Humane nature with the Diuine Person so that hee should bee Holy not by Priuiledge but by the Power of his holy Conception O what an exceeding ioye caused these three Promises in the Virgin O most blessed VIRGIN Colloquie if when the Angell entred thou wast already full of Grace how much more fuller shallt thou bee the holy Ghost comming vpon thee with this newe Plenitude If before our Lord were with thee for thy Gouernment Protection and Consolation how much more shall hee bee now the Power of the most High comming to ouershadowe thee now mayest thou o blessed LADYE say with a newe Title Cant. 2.3 I sate vnder the Shadowe of him whome I desired and his fruite is sweete to my Throate Thou art seated vnder the Shadowe of the most High which shall take from thee the sensuall Pleasure in Conceiuing and the fruite of thy Conception shall bee Delectable to God pleasing to the Angells sweete vnto thee and to the Saluation of vs. Much good may doe thee o Purest VIRGIN so greate a fullnesse so happye a Shadowe with Hope of so sweete a fruite And seeing thou hast this day founde so greate Grace with the Holy Spirit beseeche him to come anowe vpon mee and with his Power to ouershadowe mee that beeing seated vnder his louing Protection I may taste the sweete fruites of his Diuine Presence From hence I am to collect that whereas for the Virgin to conceiue the Sonne of God it was necessary that the Holy Ghost should come vpon her from Heauen to accomplish this Worke and that the Power of the most High should ouershadowe her so likewise that I may conceiue in my Soule the Spirit of Saluation Isa 26.8 Ex D Fulgentio lib. de Incar natione cap. 20. whereby I become the adoptiue Sonne of God it is necessary that the Holy Ghost doe inspire mee and that the Power and Omnipotencye of God doe ouershadowe mee tempering the Heate of my sensuall Concupiscences and protecting mee in all Temptations daungers and in this Faithe I am to crye to Heauen saying Colloquie O most Holy Spirit come from on High to my poore Soule sowe in it the seede of thy Diuine inspiration that it may conceiue within itselfe the Spirit of Saluation Psal 16.8 Psa 139.8 O power of the most High protect mee with the Shadowe of thy VVings couer mee with them in the Day of Temptation that the Puttockes of Hell preuaile not against mee and that I loose not through myne owne VVeakenesse what thou hast begun in mee by thy Grace Amen The fourth Pointe TO what had beene saide the Angell added Luc. 1.36 Beholde Elizabeth thy Cosin shee also hath conceiued a Sonne in her olde age and this moneth is the sixt to her that is called barren because there shall not bee impossible with God any worde In these Wordes the Angell pretended three meruailous things the first to reueale to the blessed VIRGIN a thing that would giue her much Content because of the Abundance of her Charitye Rem 12.15 whose Propertye is to weepe with those that weepe and to rejoice with those that rejoice And as the blessed VIRGIN had a feeling of the Barennesse of her Cosin because of the greife that shee receiued thereby so shee rejoiced at the newes of her beeing with Childe because of the greate Ioye that it would giue her The second was to confirme his Embassage with some sensible Token as if hee should say Seeing shee hath conceiued that was olde and barren thou maiest well beleeue that a Virgin shall conceiue for with God nothing is impossible hee can doe the one with as greate facillitye as the other Whereby wee see how it is the Propertye of the good Spirit to chastize the incredulous that require a Signe or a miracle with an affection of Incredulitye as this S. Gabriel himselfe chastized Zaâ—harias Luc. 1.20 because hee asked a signe to bee assured that hee should haue a Sonne himselfe beeing olde and his Wife barren whereas contrarily to those that haue Faithe hee giueth a Signe allbeeit they aske it not as hee did to our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN to chere and to comfort her and by the waye to confirme her more and more in her Faithe From whence I will collect how much it importeth constantly to beleeue the matters of Faithe for to beleeuers our Lord vseth to giue interiourly greater signes of his Truthe Ioan. 15. which hee denyeth to the incredulous Isa 7.9 iuxta 70. according to that of the Prophet Isaâ—as If you beleiue not you shall not vnderstand The third was that the Angell pretended to discouer the fundamentall reason of all that had beene spoken Luc. 1.37 adding that so glorious Worde that to God nothing is impossible which is to say Hee can doe all that hee will can accomplish all that hee promiseth especially those two miraculous things that I haue tolde thee of to witte That the Barren and the Virgin may conceiue bring forth From whence I will collect two other for my spirituall Comfort The first that by the Omnipotencye of God our Lord any Soule whatsoeuer that hath beene long time barren of good Workes how deepe rooted soeuer this Barennesse bee in it may bee altered and become fertile And as barren Elizabeth conceiued Iohn which signifieth Grace so it may conceiue in itselfe the fruites of Grace and of Benediction very gracious and pleasing vnto God And with this Hope I am to cheere and animate myselfe to pretende this happye Fertillitye remembring what is saide by the Prophet Isaias Isa 54.1 Gal. 4.27 and the Apostle S. Paule Reioite thou barren that bearest not breake forth and crye thou that trauailest not for more Children shalt thou haue that wast barren like Sara then shee that was fruitefull like Agar The second is that as our B. LADYE the VIRGIN by Vertue of the Holy Ghoste might conceiue and haue a Sonne which should bee worth a hundred thousand so those which promise and keepe Virginity shall conceiue Spirituall Children which shall bee incomparably more worthe then the Carnall Matt. 19.29 Isa 56.4 our Lord fullfilling vnto them that Promise which hee made them thereof by the Prophet Isaias as was declared in the first Parte and the 20. Meditation The eigth Meditation Of the finall Answere giuen
with her Soueraigne Prudence and Vertue and full of Ioye for hauing fullfilled what allmighty God gaue him in charge for these two things are matter of speciall Ioye to the Angells and to the Righteous for there is no Ioye equall to the accomplishing the Will of God and to see it accomplished by others for therein Psal 29.6 according to that of the Prophet Dauid consisteth our Life Secondly I am to consider how the Angell departed presently to Heauen without staying any moment more to giue vs to vnderstand that the Angells hauing fullfilled that ministery which allmighty God incharged them with on Earthe make no tariaunce there but forthwith retourne to their Center which is Heauen Instructing vs especially such as bee Religious that hauing fullfilled our Ministeries with our neighbours wee make no causelesse tariaunce among them but that forthwith wee retire ourselues to our Oratorye which is our Heauen to repose ourselues with God And as wee after our humane fashion imagine that the Angell entring into Heauen gaue account to allmighty God of his Embassage and presented himselfe readye to serue againe in whatsoeuer hee should bee commaunded so wee hauing fullfilled our Obligations are to present ourselues before God ready to accomplish whatsoeuer hee shall anewe impose vpon vs or giue vs in charge according to that of holy Iob Iob 38.35 Shalt thou peraduenture send lightenings and will they goe and returning shall they saye to thee heere wee are O eternall and omnipotent king Colloquie make mee like one of these caelestiall lightenings resplendent with thy light inflamed with the fier of thy Loue quicke in obeying thy holy VVill and thankefull in retourning to giue the thankes for the accomplishment thereof I may likewise piously contemplate how the Angell S. Gabriell beeing entred into heauen preached to his companions the excellent Humillitye Wisdome and Sanctitye of the blessed VIRGIN all of them beeing full of alacritye for that God had founde vpon earthe a Person that was as pleasing and acceptable vnto him as the inhabitantes of heauen for it is the Propertye of the Saintes to rejoice that there are many others that supplye what they want in louing and seruing with greate feruour our Lord God to whome bee Honour and Glorye worlde without ende Amen The ninth Meditation Of the execution of the Incarnation and of some Circumstances thereof as concerning the bodye of our Lorde Christ The first Pointe FIrst D. Th. 3. p. q. 32. 33 I am to consider how the blessed VIRGIN hauing giuen her Consent in the very same instant the Holy Ghoste formed of her purest blood a most perfect Bodye and created a most excellent reasonable Soule and joyned them togither with the Person of the eternall Worde God beeing made man and man God Ioan. 1. and God beeing espoused with Humane nature in that Virgin Chamber and the Virgin herselfe exalted to the Dignitye of the Mother of God In this Action wee are to ponder the Content of all those Persons that are interposed heerein principally the Contentment of the most blessed TRINITYE to see his promise fullfilled and to haue made this Demonstration of his Omnipotencye and of his Bountye and Charitye O how joyfull was the eternall Father for hauing giuen vs his Sonne and with what infinite Loue loued hee this his Sonne true God and man And how was hee pleased in him aboue all that was created seeing as S. 1. p. q. 20. ar 4. ad 1 Thomas sayeth God much more loueth Christ alone then all the Angells and men and then all the Creatures togither Phil. 2.9 for hee would giue him a name aboue all names which is the name and beeing of God And therefore was much more pleased and did more rejoice to beholde him then to beholde all the rest of the Created or to be created With this Consideration I will rejoice at this Ioye of the Father and will bee thankefull vnto him for the fauour hee hath donne vs beseeching him that seeing hee so much loueth this Sonne for his sake hee will also loue mee and graunt mee his holy Loue. O eternall Father and our Protector Colloquie Psal 83.10 beholde the newe face of thy Christ in whome thou art so much pleased and seeing hee made himselfe semblable to vs in our nature make vs semblable to him in his Grace Then will I ponder what Contentment the eternall Worde had to see himselfe made man and with what hearty Loue hee loued that his most sacred Humanitye vniting it to himselfe with a purpose neuer to forsake what once hee had taken vpon him And in respect thereof hee desired to embrace and to put into his bowells all mankinde as his kinred And therefore I may confidently say vnto him as Ruth saide to Booz Ruth 3.9 Colloquie Spreade thy mantel vpon thy seruant because thou art nigh of kinne O diuine VVorde true Booz and Fortitude of the Father seeing thou hast made thyselfe of the kinred of men spreade vpon mee the cloke of thy diuine Protection vnite mee vnto thee in Faithe and Charitye and giue mee the kisse of Peace with the kisse of thy mouthe Cant. 1.1 Cant. 2.6 and embrace mee with the right hande of thy Omnipotencye that nothing created may bee able to seperate mee from thy Friendship Wee may likewise contemplate the Contentment of the Holy Ghoste for hauing acted this Worke which is attributed vnto him because Goodnesse and Loue is proper to this Person and it seemeth that then hee satisfied fully his Desier when hee had acted the supremest Worke of Loue that hee could Vpon which the Prophet Isaias saide Isa 11.1 A Rodde shall sproute not of the roote of lesse and from that roote a flower vpon which the Spirit of our Lord shall take rest For in this eternall Worde Incarnate figured by this Rodde and flower of Iesse the holy Spirit founde rest and perpetuall Ioye as in the thing that hee most loued From hence I will passe on to consider the Ioye of that most sacred Humanitye when it sawe itselfe exalted to so greate a greatenesse and that from the depth of nothing it had mounted to the heighth of the Diuine essence saying with greate Ioye that of the Spouse in the Canticles Cant. 3.4 I haue founde all that which my Soule could desire I will with greate Constancye preserue it and will neuer forsake it O most sacred Humanitye Colloquie I ioye for thy Ioye and for thy good fortune and seeing thou art so content with thy beloued giue vs parte of that Loue which thou hast that togither with thee wee also may enjoye it Then will I ponder the Content of the most blessed VIRGIN in that instant of the Incarnation for God our Lorde gaue vnto her an extraordinary Light whereby shee sawe the manner how this misterye was wrought in her Intrailes for when shee sawe God made man within herselfe and saâ—e herselfe a Virgin and a
inspire it with exercises of Vertue and to mooue it zealously to aspire to the Heigth of Perfection Sometimes hee inspireth it to exercise Praier and Contemplation and the other Actions of a contemplatiue Life Other sometimes to issue out of that retirement and to exercize the workes of the actiue Life with their neighbours And so in the instant that he entred into the Wombe of the blessed VIRGIN hee mooued her to goe vp to the hill Countrey of Iudea to exercize notable Workes of Charitye Mercye and Obedience He might speake to her Hearte that of the Canticles Cant. 2.14 Rise vp make haste my beloued my Doue my Beautifull and come O fruitefull Doue that hast thy nest in the holes of the stone and in the chinke of the VVall contemplating the Secrets of my Diuinity and Humanitye and liuing allwaies vnder my Protection arize vp in haste issue out of this secret place and get vp to the mountaines of Iudea that there thou maist confesse and glorifye mee with workes of Charitye to the good of those Soules that I haue created From hence I will collect how it is likewise the Propertye of our Lord Christe when hee entreth into the righteous by the Communion of the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar to inspire into them the like exercizes of Vertue that they may clime to the perfection of both Liues Contemplatiue and Actiue inspiring euery one with what is most conuenient for him And if I feele not in myselfe these inspirations when I communicate it is thorough my wicked Disposition and thorough my ouer much slackenesse whereby I make myselfe vnworthy of this fauour For the which I am to confounde myselfe and to beseeche him to vse towardes mee his mercye inspiring mee effectually with what may bee agreable to his holy Will The third Pointe THirdly Perfect obediēce to Gods Inspirations I am to consider the perfect Obedience of the sacred VIRGIN to this inspiration the which the Euangelist noteth saying MARYE rising vp went with speede vnto the Hill-Countrey of Iudea for first shee attended no precept nor expresse order but assoone as shee perceiued that it was Gods pleasure that shee should visite her Cosen this inspiration was sufficient to make her performe it For the perfectly Obedient fullfilleth whatsoeuer hee vnderstandeth to bee most conformable to the Will of God and of his Superiour Secondly shee was very prompt and punctuall for shee deferred not for many Dayes her Visitation but with what breuitye shee might shee effected it and went with greate haste thorough the efficacye of the Spirit that moued her sodainely to fullfill her Obedience for the diuine Grace is an Enemye of Slownesse and Delay Thirdly shee was very pure in her Intention pretending only the Glory of God and the accomplishment of his holy Will without mixture of terrene endes such as vse to be in like Visitations Ex D. Amb. l. 2. in Lucā and shee went not as S. Ambrose sayeth to the house of Elizabeth thorough any Curiositye or Doubt to prooue if it were true what the Angell had saied but rather because shee was assured thereof and would glorifye God in beholding the Worke that hee had donne Fourthly it was mixed with much Charitye Patience and Humillitye for without staying vpon the Dignitye that was giuen her of beeing the mother of God shee was pleased to visite one meaner then herselfe and to giue her the Much good doe it her of the fauour that God had donne her And allbeeit the waye was long and rough and shee tender and vnaccustomed to such trauell yet shee doubted not to abandon her retirement and to issue out in publike because such was the good pleasure of our Lord. Lastly I will ponder the manner how this our blessed LADYE made her iourney for shee carried a rare and singular modestye not curiously diuerting herselfe to gaze on those that passed by the way in such sorte that if any happened to fixe their eyes vpon her they were forthwith moued to Sanctitye and Puritye Shee carried her Hearte nailed to her Sonne whome shee bare in her Wombe with whome by the way shee framed sweete Colloquyes and with him went so contented that shee felt not the trauell nor the pouertye and want of that which was necessarye O Soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie how full thou art of God and how delighted to accomplish his VVill O how well it befitteth thee in this VVay to bee the Litter of the true Salomon Cant. 3.9 builded with admirable Arte to carry him from one parte to another The siluer Columnes are thy Vertues the Seate of Golde thy Contemplation the ascent of Purple thy Humillity and Patience and that in the middest which is thy Hearte is adorned with Charitye for within thee is God himselfe who is all Charitye And seeing all this was giuen thee because of the Daughters of Hierusalem which are weake Soules I beseeche thee o most pittifull mother obtaine for mee such another like Ornament that imitating thy Vertues my Soule may bee the Litter of thy Sonne in the which hee may repose and by which hee may bee made knowen to the whole VVorlde Amen The twelfth Meditation Of what happened in the blessed VIRGINS Visitation of S. Elizabeth The first Pointe FIrst I will consider the entrance of the VIRGIN into the house of Elizabeth and the greate Benefits that entred in with her For the blessed Virgin as beeing the most humble saluted her first and the Worde Incarnate which was in her Wombe tooke the Wordes of his Mother for an instrument to acte meruailous workes in the Babe that was in the Wombe of Elizabeth He cleansed him from Originall Sinne hee iustified him with his Grace hee filled him with the holy Spirit he hastened vnto him the vse of Reason he made him his Prophet he gaue him Light and knowledge of the mysterye of the Incarnation and he communicated vnto him so greate Ioy that he leaped for pleasure in his mothers wombe manifesting aswell as he could the Delight that hee tooke in the comming and Visitation of his Lorde and all this was in one moment wherein I am to ponder two things of greate Consolation The first is the Omnipotencye and Liberallitye of our Sauiour that hath come seeing so sodainely hee doth so greate workes of his meere grace without any merit of his that receiueth them accomplishing heerein the saying of the Wiseman Pro. 20.8 The king that sitteth in his Throne of Iudgement with his Countenance disperseth all euill for this king of kings seated in the Throne of the Virgins wombe behelde with the eyes of mercye his Fore-runner and with this only viewe in a moment he dissipated all the euill of Sinne that he had Vpon which I may builde an assured Confidence that he will vse mercye towardes me remembring that saying of Ecclesiasticus Eccl. 11.22.23 Be confident my Sonne for in the eyes of God it is an easy thing to remedye the Poore
Lordes sake my touching may touche alwaies rough and harde things auoyding soft and dainety things which he so much abhorred This meditation should be concluded with a Colloquye to Christ IESVS our Lord beseeching him to purifye and cleare the senses of my Soule that I may vnderstand him and loue him according to his will desiring to reforme and renewe my Senses as S. Rom. 12.2 Paul saieth to proue and approue effectually what the good acceptable and perfect will of God is to his honour and glorye worlde without ende Amen Another manner of applying in Prayer the interiour Senses with the actes of seuerall Vrrtues Among those Vertues that perfect our Vnderstanding D. Bonau in Itinerario mētis ad Deū c. 4. and Will which are the spirituall Senses of the Soule those fiue are most excellent which are correspondent to the fiue senses of the bodye with whose actes is practized a forme of Praier very profitable exercizing them in this forme about the mysteries that haue beene spoken of The Sight is the Light of Faithe with the which we see albeit thorough a mirrour and in obscuritye what God hath reuealed in euery mysterye actuating it by beleeuing it with admiration and pause as hath beene declared in the 34. Meditation of the first parte saying to the Childe IESVS Domine Luc. 17.5 adauge mihi fidem O Lord encrease faithe in mee and so quicken it that I may liue before thee as if thou were still present in my eyes The Hearing is the Vertue of Obedience with the which I am to heare all that God commaundeth or counselleth in that mysterie by worde or by example offering myselfe to accomplish it with greate readinesse and speede saying vnto him My hearte o Lord Psa 56.8 is ready to obey thee commaunde what thou wilt and giue me what thou commaundest me that I may obey thee according to thy will The Smelling which by the odour perceiueth things absent and distant is the Vertue of Hope which comforteth vs with assurance of Gods promises before they be manifested and accomplished hoping that he will heare my Praiers that he will ayde me with the succours of his grace that he will haue a care of all things belonging to me and that I may be able to followe his examples and to obtaine his rewardes and that all the rest that is represented in this mysterie may be the object of this Vertue as hath beene sayed in the place before recited saying vnto our Lord that of the Apostle Colloquie Rom. 15.13 O God of hope replenish me with all Ioy and peace in beleeuing that I may abounde in Hope and in all Vertues with the fullnesse of the holy Ghoste Amen The Taste is Deuotion with Loue to whome it pertaineth to finde sauour in the things belonging to God I rejoicing that God is whome he is and at the greatenesses and Vertues that are represented in that mysterie applying myselfe to take a pleasure in imitating him and in seruing him with all the Deuotion that I may saying with the Prophet Abac. 3.18 Ego autem in Domino gaudebo exul abo in Deo IESV meo I will rejoice in our Lord and will be glad in God my IESVS and my Sauiour The Touching is perfect Charitye which joyneth herselfe to her beloued and embraceth him with her two armes which are the Loue of God 1 Cor. 6.17 Cano. 8.6 and of her Neighbour and of all things that may please him making it my pleasure that my Spirit may be vnited with his and that his Hearte may be as a Seale imprinted in mine O beloued of my Soule Colloquie seeing thou commaundest me to put thee as a Seale vpon my Hearte and vpon my arme that my Affections and Actions may be like vnto thine conioyne thee so vnto mee that I may be vnited vnto thee worlde without ende Amen The 27. Meditation Matt. 2. Of the flying into Egipt The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider what greate persecution was raised against our Sauiour Christ being but newe borne the causes thereof and the meanes that he chose to defend himselfe Pondering first how our Lord God permitted king Herod instigated by the Deuill and by his occasion the Iewes to petsecute Christ the king newe borne with a desier to depriue him of his life albeit for different endes Herod as a Tirant fearing that he would haue taken from him his temporall kingdome The Iewes as Flatterers to please their earthely king The Diuell as Prince of this Worlde fearing leaste this miraculous Childe should doe him some greate Hurte But the eternall Father ordained this to much higher endes willing that his Sonne should from his Infancye walke in the waye of Persecutions and afflictions Psa 87.16 that beginning to be fullfilled which Simeon had prophecyed Luc. 2.34 that he should be a signe which all should contradict to giue vs to vnderstand that his comming was contrary to the Intentions of the Worlde which abhorreth not nor persecuteth those that are of it faction but those which are contrary vnto it And that wee may see imprinted in this example the State of the Primitiue Church and of the righteous Soules which conceiuing Christ within themselues and desiring to manifest him by their workes are to be persecuted by the Dragon of Hell who as S. Apoc. 12.17 Iohn saieth in his Apocalips desireth in them to kill the Spirit of Christ that it may not growe vp in their Heartes with the exercizes of notable Vertues And this may serue me for an aduise and Consolation when I shall see myselfe persecuted for Vertues sake remembring what our Sauiour Christ sayed to his Disciples Ioan. 15.20 The Seruant is not greater then his maiester if they haue persecuted me you also they will persecute Neither is it reason that I should be exempted from that vniuersall rule mentioned by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3.12 All those that will liue godly in Christ IESVS shall suffer persecution the Diuell prouoking it by himselfe and by his ministers the Worldelings Secondly I will ponder how our Sauiour Christ being able to free himselfe from this persecution by many very easy meanes as either by killing Herod or by making himselfe inuisible yet he would not but tooke this meanes of flying an argument of weakenesse and miserye and this he did principally for two causes the first because as to be borne in the Worlde he left the Commodities that he might haue had in the Citty of Nazareth so also he would leaue them thoroughout all his infancye going farre of from his kinred and parentage And for this cause now that he would flye though he might haue gonne into the Countrey of the three Sages where he should haue beene knowen and adored he would not but went into Egipt among Strangers and Enemyes to haue occasion to suffer more teaching me by this example to flye from that which is pleasing to the flesshe
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
this time such are the heroycall Actes of the Loue of God of the feruent zeale of his glorye and of the saluation of Soules a vehement dolour for the offenses donne against God and for the Soules that perish and continuall Praier that they may not perish Heerein he was so gratious and pleasing to God that as hee himselfe saieth by the Prophet Isaias his Spirit reioiced in him Isa 42.1 Besides this he edified men with rare examples of Modestye Humillitye Patience Meekenesse and Subjection for the which he was pleasing to those Persons with whome he conuersed For as the same Prophet Isaias sayeth his conuersation was neither sad Isa 42.1 Matt. 12.19 nor harshe nor turbulent nor offensiue nor distastefull to others O most sweete IESVS Colloquie seeing thou art full of VVisdome and Grace and that from thy fullnesse the Iust receiue augmentation both in the one and in the other replenish me abundantly with both and ayde me daily to encrease in them Lastly to animate myselfe I will ponder how the most holy VIRGIN made her proffit of these two examples of her Sonne for contemplating them she also in imitation of him encreased in wisdome and grace before God and before men our Sauiour Christ reioicing to beholde the holy emulation that his mother had of him O most blessed mother Colloquie ayde me with thy intercession that I may encrease as thou encreasedst imitating him whome thou didst imitate The third Pointe THirdly I will consider how in all this time our Sauiour Christ as the same Euangelist sayeth was subject to his mother Luc. 2.52 and S. Ioseph obeying them in all that they commaunded him Heere I am to ponder who it is that obeyeth and subjecteth himselfe and to whome in what thinges and in what manner He that obeyeth is God Infinite the Creatour and supreame Gouernour of the Worlde vnto whome all are obliged to obey and to be subject And albeit it was not much that as man he should obey his eternall Father yet it is admirable that he should subiect himselfe to obey his mother and a poore Artificer the Creator subiecting himselfe to the Creatures the Lord to his Seruauntes and the king to his Vassalls wherewith I may confounde my owne Pride and Rebellion O vile VVorme Iosue 10.12.13 why doest not thou subiect thyselfe to man for God seeing God subiecteth himselfe to man for thee If God obeyeth the voice of a man why doest not thou wretched man obey the voice of God O Sun of Iustice that mouedst thyselfe and stayedst at the voice of these two men to whome for my Loue thou diddest subiect thyselfe graunt me that I may subiect myselfe to those whome thou hast left me in thy place delighting to denye my owne will to accomplish theirs Then will I ponder the things wherein he obeyed that is to say in such base things as are vsed to be donne in the house of a poore Carpenter and in that manner that Children vse to serue in the house of their Parents when they are poore And this did our Sauiour Christ with greate Humillitye and Punctuallitye with meruailous promptnesse and alacritye and with all that perfection that perfect Obedience requireth the which equally embraceth greate and litle easy and difficult honorable and contemptible For seeing that God himselfe humbled himselfe to be obedient in things that were so base all things in is estimation are very high and esteemeth nothing base in the house of God if he commaundeth it for if God commaundeth it is sufficient to make honorable the execution thereof as S. Raphael helde it for an high honour to serue Tobias in things very base Tob. 5.15 20. because God commaunded it From whence I will collect that the excellencye of spirituall Life consisteth not so much in doing workes of themselues very glorious such as are to preache to gouerne to teache as in doing those workes that God commaundeth though of themselues they be base but yet after an excellent manner that is with much Loue of God with a pure Intention of his glorye with greate promptnesse and alacritye of Hearte and with a feruent desier in all these things to please him And in this sence it is that the VViseman sayeth Eccl. 33.23 that we should endeuour to excell in all our workes doing them in such sorte that in the eyes of God they may be very excellent And so Christ our Lord as touching the manner of working with a spirit of Sanctitye was no lesse excellent in the worke of sawing then in the worke of preaching or doing some miracle And our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN shewed no lesse the excellencye of her Sanctitye when she spun then when she serued her Sonne or suffered any thing for his sake And heerein I am to imitate our Sauiour Christ and his blessed mother if by the shortest waye I would attaine to greatest perfection The fourth Pointe FOurthly I will consider how Christ our Lord vntill he was thirtie yeares olde exercized the trade of a Carpenter as may be collected from the speeche of those of his owne Countrey according to the reporte of S. Marke the Euangelist Is not this the Carpenter Mar. 6.3 the Sonne of MARY Heere I will ponder the causes that our Sauiour Christ had to choose this trade of Life and to continue it euen till after the Deathe of S. Ioseph if it be true that he dyed before Christ had attained to thirty yeares of age The first was to auoyde Idlenesse and to giue vs an example of labouring and being euer employed Eccl. 33.29 for Idlenesse as the VViseman sayeth is the Originall of all mischeife The second was of his owne free will to subject himselfe to the malediction that God imposed vpon Adam Gen. 3.19 when he sayed vnto him In the sweate of thy browe thou shalt eate thy breade And therefore all this time he gained his meate with the labour of his handes from whence S. Paul Act. 20.34 and other Sainctes tooke example of labouring to eate of their owne labours The third was to exercize Humillitye employing himselfe in a vile and contemptible Occupation for Christ our Lord in the iugdement of the Worlde and of his owne Countryemen did not vse this occupation of his owne will as some noble and wise Gentlemen vse to learne some mechanicke Trade for their pleasure but of meere necessitye and to get his meate and so he was then treated by Gentlemen and those of the principall sorte as at this day such mechanicke Artificers are treated Out of all this I will collect Affections of Admiration and Imitation pondering aswell the Spirit wherewith our Sauiour Christ exercized this office labouring with the bodye and praying with the Hearte to imitate him when I shall labour in any bodily workes as did those valiaunt Souldiours the Machabees 2 Mach. 15.26.27 of whome the Scripture sayeth that they fought with their handes and prayed with