as the Angells although in diuers language and that vvee are before the same God before vvhom the Angells tremble and euen as man vvho did speake to a king should becomâ— verie attentiue fearing to committ some fault bâ— if notvvithstanding all his care hee did happen tâ— faile hee vvould blush incontinentlie so likevviâ—â— ought wee to doe in the Office staÌ„ding vpon ouâ— gaurd fearing to faile More-ouer it is requisite tâ— haue attention to pronunce vvell and to say as it 〈◊〉 ordayned aboue all in the beginning but if vveâ— happen to committ some defect therein vvee muâ—â— humble our selues for it vvithout astonishmenâ— since it is no strang thing for vvee doe it elswhere but if vvee happen to doe it manie times and thaâ— this continue there is a signe that vvee haue noâ— conceaued a true displeasure of our first fault anâ— it is this negligence vvhich should bring vs verie much confusion not because of the presence of the Superiour but for the respect of God and of his Angells vvho are present vvith vs. Novv it is allmost a generall rule that vvhen vvee committ so often one and the selfe same fault it is a signe vvee vvant affection to amend it and if it bee a thing vvhere-of vvee haue been oftentimes aduertised there is apparence that vvee neglect the aduertisment § 10. More-ouer you ought not to haue a scruple of omitting in the vvhole office tvvo or three verses by mistake prouided that you did it not of purpose but if you slumber a good part of the office although you say your verses on your quire you are obliged to say it againe but vvhen you doe things that are necessarie to bee done in the Office as to cough or to spitt or that the Mistris of the ceremonies speaketh for matter of the office then you are not obliged to say it againe VVhen they enter into the Quire the Office being begun they must place themselues in their ranke vvith the others and follovv on the Office vvith them and after that it is sayed you must retake that which the Quire had sayed before you were there ending vvhere you had taken it if not you must say vvith a lowe voice that vvhich the Quire hath sayed then hauing ouertaken it coÌ„tinue therevvith in case your assistance there bee truelie necessarie You must not say your Office againe for hauing been distracted in saying of it prouided it bee not voluntarie and althoug you should find your selues at the end of some psalme not being vvell assured that you haue sayed it because that you haue bene distâ—acted not thinking there-on omitt not to pass forvvard humbling your selues before God for vve must not allvvaies thinke that vvee hauâ— been negligent vvhen the distraction hath beeâ— long for it may verie vvell bee it vvill endure thâ— length of an Office vvithout any fault of ours and hovv bad soeuer it vvere vvee should noâ— bee troubled but make simple refusalls of it from time to time before God I desire that vve shoulâ— neuer bee troubled for the bad motions that vvâ— haue but that vve faythfullie and couragiouslie imploy our selues not to consent there-vnto sincâ— there is verie great difference betvveene to feele and to consent § 11. You desire that I speake something oâ— prayer manie are verie much deceaued beleeuing that much method is necessarie to doe it vvell anâ— they trouble themselues to find out a certayne arâ— vvhich they thinke is necessarie to bee knovvn therein neuer ceasing to subtilize and pry abouâ— their prayers to see hovv they haue made them oâ— hovv they shal be able to doe it according to their likeing thinking they must not cough nor moue durâ—ing the time for feare that the spiritt of God vvith dravve it selfe A verie great follie truely as if thâ— spiritt of God vvere so nice that it depended of thâ— methode and countenaÌ„ce of those vvho praye I doâ— not say that vve must not vse those methodes vvhicâ— are appoynted vs but vvee ought not so tye ouâ—selues vnto them as those doe vvho neuer thinkâ— they haue made their prayer vvell if they haue noâ— made their considerations before the affection that our Lord giueth them vvhich is notvvithstanding the end for the which vvee make considerations such persons resemble those vvho findeinâ— themselues in the place vvhither they pretended tâ— goe retourne backe againe because they are noâ— come by the vvay that hath been taught them Neuertheless it is requisite vvee behaue our selue◠〈◊〉 great reuereÌ„ce speaking to the diuine Maiestie since the Angells who are so pure tremble in his presence but good God! will some soules say I cannot allwaies haue this feeling of the presence of God which causeth so great an humiliation to the soule nor this sensible reuerence which annihilateth mee so sweetlie and acceptably before God Now it is not of this that I entend to speake but of that which the superiour part and the topp of the spiritt worketh houlding it selfe abiect and in humilitie before God in acknowledgmeÌ„t of his infinitt goodnes and our profouÌ„nd littlenesse indignitie § 12. VVee must also haue a great resolution neuer to abaÌ„don prayer for any difficultie that may bee found there-in nor to goe with any preoccupation of desires to bee comforted and satisfied there-in for this will not bee to yeald our will vnited and ioyned to that of our Lord whose will is that entring to prayer wee bee resolued to suffer the payne of continuall distractioÌ„s drinesse and disgust which shall come vpoÌ„ vs there-in remayning as coÌ„stant as if wee had had much consolation and traÌ„quillitie since it is certayne that our prayer shall not bee less acceptable to God nor lesse profitable to vs for being made with more difficultie prouided that vvee allvvaies place iustlie our vvill with the vvill of the diuine Maiestie remayning in a simple atteÌ„tioÌ„ and dispositioÌ„ to receaue the euets of his good pleasure with loue bee in it prayer or other occurraÌ„ces hee will cause that all things shal be profitable to vs and acceptable to his diuine goodnes Therefore this shall be to pray vvell my deare daughters to keepe your selues in peace and tranquillitie neere our Lord or in his sight vvithout any other desire or pretentioÌ„ but to bee vvith him and to content him § 13. The first methode theÌ„ for to entertayne our selues in prayer is to take some point as the misteries of the death Life and passion of our Lord the which are the most profitable and it is a verie rare thing that wee cannot bee able to profit by the consideration of that which our Lord hath done vvho is the souerayne Maister vvhom the eternall Father hath sent into the world to teach vs what wee ought to doe and therefore besides the obligation that wee haue to forme our selues according to this diuine modell we ought to bee verie exact to consider his actions for to imitate them because it is one of the most excellent intentions that vvee
resolution to follow him among thâ— disgusts drinesses repugnaÌ„ces and asperities 〈◊〉 a spirituall life with out consolation sweetnesâ— tenderness and gusts that they beleeue theâ—selues not to be worthy of other treating foâ—lowing our diuine Sauiour with the pure poiâ— or quintessence of the spiritt hauing no otheâ— prop or stay then that of the diuine will whicâ— would haue it so Behould then how I desiâ—â— you should walke my Deare daughters But now you demaund of me wherin this soul ought interioulie 'to imploy her selfe which iâ— totally abaÌ„doned into the haÌ„ds of God she shaâ—â— doe nothing but remayne neere vnto our Lorâ— with out care of any thing no not of her own bodie nor of her soule for since she is imbarkeâ— vnder the prouidence of God what hath she tâ— doe to thinke of that which is to come ouâ— Lord to whome she hath totallie left her selfe will prouide sufficieÌ„tlie for her Yet my meaning â—s not that she think not of those things to which she is obliged according to her charge for a Superiour ought not vnder colour of â—bandoning her selfe to God and reposing in â—is care neglect to read and learne the documents which are proper for the exercise of her â—harge It is most true that she ought to haue great confidence to forsake her selfe in such manner with out any reseruation to the diuine â—rouidence Moreouer that when wee abandon â—ur selues wholie our Lord taketh care of all â—nd conducteth all but if we reserue any thing of the which we confide not in him he leaueth vs as if he sayed You thinke to be wise enough with out mee I leaue you to gouerne you â—hall see how you will find your selues there-in Those who are dedicated to God in Religion ought to abandon all with out any reseruation Sainct Marye Magdalene who was totallie giuen ouer to the will of our Lord remayned at his feete and did hearken whilst he spake â—nd when he ceased to speake she also ceased to â—earken but she did not therefore remoue from being neere him euen so the soule which is so giuen ouer hath noe other thing to doe then to remayne beweene the armes of our Lord as a child in the bosome of his Mother who when â—he setteth him on the ground for to goe he goeth vntill such time as she taketh him vp againe and when she will carrie him he permitteth it for he knoweth not nor thinketh whether he goeth but leaueth himselfe to be carryed or lead whether it pleaseth his Mother in the same sort this soule louing the will of the good pleasure of God in all things that arriue vnto her leaueth her selfe to be carried and walketh neuerthelesse perfâ—rming with great diligence the will of God as farre foâ—th as it is signified vnto her § 3. You aske now if it be possible that our will may be so dead in our Lord that we may come in a sort to know no more what we will or what we will not I say in the first place that it neuer hapneth so to abandon our freedome and the libertie of our free will that it remaynes not with vs so that allwaies we haue some desire and some will but these are not absolute wills and formed desires for so soone as a soule which hath plunged it selfe into the good pleasure of God perceaueth in it selfe any will she incontinently maketh it to dye in the gooâ— will of God § 4. You would also know if a soule which is yet vnperfect may be able to remayne profitably before God with this simple attention to his holy presence in prayer I tell you iâ— that God place you there you may well remayne there for it hapneth very often that our Lord giueth these quietnesses tranquillities to some soules that are not well purged but whiles it is expedient that they purifie them selues more perfectlie they ought out of prayer to consider what is necessarie for their amendment For although God would allwaies hould them throughly recollect yet haue they sufficient libertie besides to discourse with the vnderstanding vppon diuers indifferent things where-fore then may they not consider and make resolutions for their amendment and the practice of vertues There â—re verye perfect persons to whom our lord â—euer giueth such sweetnes nor this quietâ—es who doe all with the Superiour parte â—f their soule and make their will to die with â—n the will of God by a sweet and liuelie â—orce and with edge of reason this death speake of is the death of the spouse the â—hich is much more excellent and generous â—â—en the other and ought rather to be called 〈◊〉 sleeping then a death for this soule which â—s imbarked in the ship of the prouidence of â—od permitteth her selfe to saile sweetlie â—s a person who sleeepth with in a shipp vpon a calme sea yet doeth not cease therefore â—o goe forward this manner of death so sweet â—s giuen by way of grace the other is giuen by â—ay of merit § 5. You would further know what founâ—ation our confidence ought to haue It must â—e founded vppon the infinite Goodnes of God and vppon the meritts of the death â—nd passions of our lord IESVS-CHRIST with this condition on our part that we haue â—nd know in our selues an entire and firme reâ—olution to be wholic Gods and to abandon our â—elues totallye with out any reseruation to his â—rouidence I desire allwaies that you marke â—hat I say not that we must feele this resoâ—ution of being totallie Gods but only that â—t must be had and knowen in vs for so much as we must not studie or muse on that wee feele or on that wee feele not because the most part of our feelings and sattisfactions â—re no other then delayes of going forward instigated by selfe loue Also it must not be vnderstood that in all these things heere spoken of renuntiation and of indifferencie wâ— neuer haue desires contrarie to the will of God and that nature doe not repugne at the euent of his good pleasure for this may often happeÌ„ these vertues are those which make their residence in the Superiour part of the soule thâ— inferior ordinarilie knoweth nothing of it anâ— no account must be made of what that inferiouâ— part feeleth but not regarding what it willeth or willeth not wee ought to imbrace this diuine will vnite our selues there vnto whether it will or no There are few persons thaâ— arriue to this degree of perfect forsaking themselues but wee all of vs neuerthelesse oughâ— to pretend it each one according to her abillitiâ— and capacitie LJVE IESVS LJVE THE THIRD ENTERTAINEMENT Vppon the flight of our Lord into Egipt Wherin is treated of the Constancie which wâ— ought to haue in the middest of the accidents of this World 1. WEE Celebrate the octaue of thâ— feast of the Holy Innocents oâ— which day the holie Churcâ— causeth to be read the Gospell that treateth how the Angell of our Lord spake â—o the glorius S.
Ioseph in a dreame that is to â—y in sleepe that he should take the Child and â—is mother and fly into Egipt for so much as Herod being iealous of his Royaltie did search â—fter our Lord to put him to death for feare cast he should depriue him of it and being â—lled with choller because the wise men did not â—etourne to him into Ierusalem as he expected â—e commaunded that they should kill all the â—hildren from wo yeares ould and vnder â—eleeuing our Lord should be found among â—â—em and thar by this meanes he should be â—ssured of the possession of his kingdome â—his Gospell is full of diuers excellent consiâ—eratioÌ„s I will content my selfe with such â—s shall serue vs for an entertaynment aswell â—easing as profitable § 2. I begin with the first remarkable note â—hich the great S Ihon Chrysostome maketh â—hich is of the inconstancie varietie and instaâ—ilitye of the accidents of this mortall life O â—ow profitable is this consideration for the â—ant there of is that wich carrieth vs into â—iscouragment and fantasticallnesse of spiritt â—nquietnesse varietie of humours inconstancie â—nd instabilitye in our resolutions for we would â—ot encounter in our way with any difficulty â—r contradiction nor any payne we would â—â—waies haue consolations and be free from â—â—idities and drinesse of spiritt we would allâ—aies haue good things with out mixture of â—ny euill health with out sicknes repose with â—ut labour peace with out trouble Alas who â—eth not our follie for we will that which cannot be Vnmingled puritie is to be foundâ— no other place then in heauen and in hell iâ— heauen goodnes pleasure rest and consolation are in there puritie with out mixture oâ— any euill trouble oâ— affliction on the contrariâ—â— there is found in hell euill dispayre troubâ—â— and vnquietnesse in their puritie with oâ— mixture of any good hope tranquillitie oâ— peace But in this decaying life of ours good 〈◊〉 neuer found with out euill riches with oâ— vnquietnesse rest with out labour consolatioâ— with out affliction health with out sicknes 〈◊〉 breife all is mixed and mingled the good wiâ—â— the badd there being a continuall variety â— diuers accidents Euen so would God diuersiâ—â— the times of the yeare that Sommer should bâ— followed by the autumne and winter by thâ— spring to shew vnto vs that temporall thing are perpetuallie mutable inconstant and suâ—iect to change and that nothing is permaneâ— in this life And the defect of the knowledâ— of this truth is as I haue sayed that whicâ— maketh vs mutable and changing in our hâ—mours for so much as we doe not serue oâ— selues with the reason that God hath giuen vâ— the which reason causeth vs to become immâ—table firme and solide and therefore like to Goâ— When God sayed Let vs make man to our liknâ— he immediatly gaue vnto him reason and thâ— vse there of to discourse consider and discerâ— good from euill and those things which deserâ— to be elected or reiected It is reason that makeâ— vs Superiours and lords ouer all creatures Wâ—â— God had created our first parentes he gaue thâ— entire dominion ouer the fishes of the sea aâ— beastes of the earth and consequentlie gaue â—hem the knowledg of their diuers kindes and â—eanes to rule them and become their maister â—nd lord God hath not onely done this grace â—o maÌ„ to make him lord of creatures by meanes â—f the gift of reason giuen vnto him by the which he becommeth like vnto himselfe but â—urthermore he hath giuen him full power ouer â—ll sortes of accidents and euents It is sayed that â— wise man that is to say a man that is guided â—y reason shall cause himselfe to be absolute â—aister of the planetts what is the meaning of his but that by the vse of reason he shall reâ—ayne firme and constant in the diuersitie of â—ccidents and eueÌ„ts of this mortall life whether â—he time be fayre or that it rayne whether the â—yre be calme or the wind blowe the wise man â—aketh no thought therfore knowing very well â—hat nothing is stable and permanent in this life â—his not being the place of rest In affliction â—e dispayreth not but expecteth consolation â—n sicknnes he doeth not vex himselfe but exâ—ecteth health or if he perceaue the euill to be â—uch that death is to follow he blesseth God â—xpecting the repose of an immortall life to â—ollow this yf he encounter pouertie he is not â—fflicted for he knoweth well that riches are â—ot in this life with out pouertie if he be despiâ—ed he knoweth well that honour heere hath â—ot any perpetuitie but is ordinarilie pourseâ—ed with dishonour or contempt In breife in â—ll sortes of euents be it prosperitie or aduersity â—e remayneth firme stable and constant in his â—esolution of pretending and tending to the â—â—nioyng of eternall goods § 3. But we must not onelie consider thiâ— varietie change and mutation in materiall anâ— transitorie thinges of this mortall life no buâ— we ought to coÌ„sider them also in the successe oâ— our spirituall life where stabilitie and constaÌ„ciâ— are so much the more necessarie by how mucâ— the spirituall life is raysed farre aboue the corporall and mortall life It is a very great abuse not to haue a will to suffer or feele mutation and changes in our humours whiles we do not gouerne our selues by reason neither wiâ—â— be gouerned by others we say eommolieâ— behould this Child he is very young but yeâ— for all that he hath allreadie the vse of reasonâ— euen so many haue the vse of reason who yeâ— for all that euen as Children doe not gouernâ— themselues by the commaundement of reasonâ— God hath giuen man reason for his guide buâ— not with standing there are verie few whicâ— permitt it to rule in them contrariwise theâ— giue ouer themselues to be gouerned by theiâ— passions which should be subiect and obedienâ— to reason according to the order which goâ— requireth of vs I will make it more easy to bâ— vnderstood for the most part persons of thâ— wotld yeald them selues to be gouerned anâ— guided according to their passions and noâ— according to reason they are also ordinarilyâ— iarring varying and changing in their humors if they haue a desire to goe to bed earlie or late they doe it and if they haue a mind to walke in the feeldes they rise betimes in the morning and if to sleepe they effect it when they will they breake their fast sooner or latter as theâ— please and they are not onely iarring and vnconstant in this but they are the same likewise â—n their conuerâ—ation they will that euerie one â—hould accommodate them selues to their huâ—ours but they will not be accommodated to â—hose of others they giue themselues ouer to â—e carryed by their inclinations particular affeâ—tions and passions and this is not esteemed â—itious among worldlie people prouided â—hey doe not much disturbe the minds of their â—eigbour they are not esteemed fleeting and â—nconstant and wherfore is
can haue for all whatsoeuer wee doe to performe it because our Lord hath done it that is to say to practice vertues because that our Father hath practiced them and as hee hath practiced thē The better to comprehend this wee ought faythfullie to ponder see and consider them in prayer for the child that loueth his Father well hath a great affection to conforme himselfe to his humours to imitate him in all that hee doeth That which you say is true that there are soules who cannot settle themselues nor busie their spiritts vpō any misterie being drawne to a certayne sweete simplicitie which houldeth them in great tranquillitie before God without any other consideration then to know that they are before him who is all their good they may remayne so profitably and this is good but generallie speaking we ought to prouide that all the sisters begin by the methode of prayer which is the most sure which carrieth them to the reformation of life and māners which is this wee speake of which is made about the mysteries of the Life and death of our Lord there wee walke in securitie Therefore wee ought to apply our selues sweetlie and simply about our Maister to learne that which hee vvould wee should doe and likevvise those that can vse their imagination ought to doe it but it must bee vsed soberlye verie simply breiflie The holie Fathers haue left many pious and deuout considerations which wee may vse for this subiect for since the great sancts and holie men haue composed them who shall dare to refuse piouslie to beleeue that which they haue piouslie beleeued VVee must goe assuredlie after these persons of so great authoritie But not contenting themselues vvith that vvhich they haue left many men haue made numbers of other imaginations and it is of these vvhereof vvee must not serue our selues for meditation for so much as it may bee preiudiciall VVee ought to make our resolutions in the feruour of prayer vvhen the sunne of iustice shineth vppon vs and inciteth vs by his inspiration I vvill not say therefore that vvee must haue great feelings and consolations although vvhen God giueth them vs vvee are obliged to make our profitt of them and to correspond to his loue but vvhen hee doth not giue them vs vvee ought not to vvant fidelitie but to liue according to reason and the diuine vvill and to make our resolutions vvith the point of our spiritt and superiour part of our soule not omitting to effectuate and putt them in practice for any drynesse repugnance or contradiction that can or may present it selfe Behould then heere the first manner of meditating vvhich manie great saincts haue practiced vvhich is verie good vvhen it is made as it ought § 14. The Second manner of meditaeting is not to vse the imagination but to hould themselues to the foote of the Letter that is to say to meditate purelie and simply the Gospell and the misteries of our fayth entertayning themselues familiarlie and verie simply vvith our Lord of that vvhich hee hath done and suffered for vs vvithout any representation Novv this manner is much more high and better thē the first and so it is more holie and more assured vvherefore vvee ought to bee carried easilie by the least attract that vvee haue there-vnto obserueing euerie degree of prayer to keepe our spiritt in holie liberty for to follovv the lights and motions that God vvill giue vs But for other kinds of prayer more eleuated vnlesse that God send them absolutelie I praye you that you vndertake them not of your selfe and without the aduise of those vvho guide you LIVE IESVS THE NINETEENTH INTERTAINEMENT VPON THE VERTVES OF Sainct Ioseph 1. THe iust man is made like to the Palme-tree as the holie Church causeth vs to sing in euerie feast of holie Confessours But as the palme-tree hath a verie great varietie of particulier properties aboue all other trees as being the prince and king of trees as well for the beautie as goodnes of his fruit euen so there is verie great varietie of Iustice although that all the iust bee iust and equall in Iustice notvvithstanding there is a great disproportion betvveene the particular acts of their Iustice euen as the garment of the Patriarke Ioseph doth represent vnto vs vvhich vvas long euen vnto the heeles imbrodered vvith a goodlie varietie of flovvers euerie iust man hath a garment of iustice vvhich couereth him euen to the heeles that is to say all the powers faculties of his soule are couered vvith iustice and his interiour and exteriour represent no other thing then iustice it selfe being iust in all his actions and motions asvvell interiour as exteriour but notvvithstanding it must bee confessed that euerie garment is embrodered vvith varietie of diuers fayre flovvers vvhereof the inequallitie maketh them not the less delightfull nor lesse commendable The great Sainct Paul the Hermitt vvas iust with most perfect iustice and yet neuertheless it is not to bee doubted that hee did neuer exercise so much Charitie tovvards the poore as Sainct Iohn vvho therefore vvas called the Almes-giuer nor had hee euer the occasions to practice Magnificence and therefore hee had not this vertue in so high a degree as manie other Saincts hee had all vertues but some of them not in so high a degree as the others the Saints haue excelled some in one vertue others in another and although they are all Saintcts yet verie differentlie there being asmuch difference in Sainctitie as there is in Saincts This therefore being presupposed I note three particular properties that the Palme-tree hath among all others vvhich are in verie great nūber vvhich properties appertayne best to the Sainct whose feast vvee celebrate who is as the holy Church ordayneth vs to say like to the Palme tree O vvhat a Sainct is the glorious Sainct Ioseph vvho is not onelie a Patriark but the cheife of all the Patriarcks hee is not simply a Confessour but more then a Confessour for in his Confession are contayned the dignities of Bishops the generositie of Martyres and of all the other Saincts Therefore it is with iust reason that hee is compared to the Palme-tree which is the king of trees and which hath the propertie of virginitie of humilitie and of constancie and valour Thre vertues vvhere-in the Glorious Sainct Ioseph hath exceedinglie excelled and if vvee durst make comparisons there vvould bee manie vvho vvould mayntaine that hee passed all the other Saincts in these three vertues Among the Palmes is found the male and feemale The male beareth not fruit and neuerthelesse hee is not vnfruitfull for the Palme female vvould not beare fruit vvithout him and his aspect in such sort that if the Palme female bee not planted neere to the male-Palme tree and in his aspect she remaineth vnfruitfull bereth not dates vvhich is her fruit and on the contrarie if she bee regarded of the male Palme and bee in his aspect she produceth
Glorious virgin was a tower compassed with verie high walls within the which inclosure the enimie could not enter nor any kind of other desires then of liueing in perfect puritie and virginitie vvhat shall vvee doe to her For she is to bee vvedded hee vvho hath giuen her this resolution of virginitie haueing so ordayned it If she bee a tovver or vvall lett vs fasten vpon it bulvvarks of siluer vvhich in steed of beating dovvne the tower shall fortifie it more vvhat is then the Glorious Sainct Ioseph but a strong bulvvarke vvhich hath been ordayned ouer our Blessed Ladie since beeing her spouse she vvas subiect to him and hee had care of her Therefore Sainct Ioseph vvas not appointed ouer our Bl. Ladie for to make her breake her vovv of virginitie but contrarivvise he vvas giuen her for a companion there-of and to the end that the puritie of our Ladie might more admirably perseuered in its integritie vnder the vaile and shadovv of Mariage and of the holy vnion they had together If the most holie virgin be a dore sayeth the eternall father vvee will not haue it opened for it is the orientall gate whereby none can enter nor goe forth but contrarivvise it must hee doubled and fortified vvith incorruptible vvodde that is to say giue her a companion in her puritie vvhich is the great Sainct Ioseph who ought for this office to surpasse all the Saincts yea the Angells and the Cherubins themselues in this so recommendable vertue of virginitie a vertue vvhich made him become like to a Palme tree as vvee haue sayed § 3. Lett vs passe to the second propertie and vertue that I find in the Palme I say to my purpose that there is made a iust resemblance and coÌ„formitie betvveene Sainct Ioseph and the Palme tree in their vertue vvhich is no other then holie humilitie for althoug that the Palme bee the prince of trees it is notvvithstanding the most huÌ„ble the vvhich it vvitnesseth in this that it hideth his flovvers in the spring time vvhen all other trees sett them forth to the shevve and lets them not appeare but in the great heates The Palme keepeth itt flovvers vvithin pouches or purses vvhich are made in forme of sheaths or sizzarcases vvhich doth represent verie vvell vnto vs the difference of soules vvho tend to perfection from others and the preseÌ„ce of the iust from those vvho liue according to the vvorld for the vvorldlings and earthlie men who liue according to the Lawes of the earth assoone as they haue some good thought or some good cogitation vvhich in their opinion is vvorthy to bee esteemed or if they haue some vertue they are neuer in rest vntill such time as they haue manifested it and made it knovvne to all those they meete vvithall vvhere-in they runne the same hazard that the trees that are forvvard to budd forth their flovvers in the spring time as the Almonde trees are for if peraduenture the frost ouertake them they perish and beare no fruit these vvorldlie men vvho are so light to make their flovvers bloome and sprout out in the spring of this mortale life by a spiritt of pride and ambition allvvaies are in danger to ruÌ„ne hazard to bee taken by the frosts vvhich maketh them loose the fruit of their actions contrariâ—â—se the iust â—hould allvvaies all their flovvers close-vvithin the case of most holie humilitie and permitt them not to appeare as much as they can vntill the great heates vvhen that God the diuine sunne of Iustice shall come povverfullie to vvarme their hart in eternall life vvhere they shall beare for euer the svveete fruit of felicitie and immortalitie The Palme permitteth not its flovvers to bee seene vntill such time as the vehement heat of the sunne come to make its sheaths cases or buggetts vvherin they are enclosed to cleaue or riue asunder after the vvhich its fruit appeareth suddenlie to the vevve in like maÌ„ner doth the iust soule for she keepeth her flowers that is to say her vertues hidden vnder the vaile of holie humilitie vntill death vvherein our Lord causeth them to bee disclosed and letteth them appeare outvvardlie for so much as the fruits are not to withhould there apparence long after O how excellently faythfull heerin vvas this great Sainct of vvhom vvee speake it cannot bee sufficientlie declared according to its perfection for notwithstaÌ„ding being such as hee was in what pouertie and in vvhat abiection did hee not liue all the time of his life vnder the vvhich pouertie and abiectioÌ„ hee kept hidden and couert his great vertues and dignities but vvhat dignities my God to be gouernour of our Lord and not onelie this but furthermore to bee his supposed father and to bee the spouse of his most holie Mother O truelie I doubt not at all that the Angells rauished vvith admiration did come in troopes after troopes to coÌ„sider him and to admire his humilitie vvhen hee did retayne this deare child in his poore shopp vvhere he laboured in his trade to nourish the sonne the Mother vvho were committed to him There is no doubt my deare sisters but that Sainct Ioseph was more valiant then Dauid and had more wisdome then Salomon Notvvithstanding behoulding him reduced vnto the exerâ—ise of a carpenter who could haue iudged so much of him if he had not beeÌ„ illuminated with celestiall light so fast did hee shut vp and keepe all the siâ—guler giftes wherwith God had gratified him for vvhat wisdome had not hee since that God gaue him in charge his most glorious sonne and that hee was chosen to bee his gouernour If the Princes of this vvorld haue so much care as being a matter of importance to giue to their children gouerners who are most capable then God being able to make that the gouerner of his sonne should bee the most accomplished and coÌ„pleat man of the world in all perfectioÌ„s according to the dignitie and excellencie of the thing gouerned which was his most glorious sonne the vniuersall prince of heauen and earth hovv should it bee that haueing povver to doe it hee vvould not or hath not done it Therefore there is no doubt but that Sainct Ioseph was endovved with all the graces and giftes which did deserue the office that the eternall father vvvould impose vppon him giueing him the temporall and domesticall stevvardshipp of his sonne and conduct of his familie which was composed but of three which doth represent vnto vs the misterie of the most holie and most adored Trinitie not that there is any comparison but in that which respecteth our Lord who is one of the Persons of the most holy Trinitie for touching the others they are creatures but noâ—withstaÌ„ding wee may say euen so That it is a Trinitie on earth which in some sorte doth represeÌ„t the most holie Trinitie Marie Iesus and Ioseph Ioseph Iesus and Marie a Trinitie meruelouslie recoÌ„mendable and vvorthy to bee honoured You vnderstaÌ„d theÌ„ how exceedinglie the dignitie of S. Ioseph was