to the grounde yea and to prostrate myselfe as did our Lord IESVS Christe in the Praier of the Garden Ad Hebr. 5.7 of whome S. Paul saithe that hee was heard by the eternall Father for the greate reuerence hee bare him giuing vs to vnderstand how much it importeth to reuerence God in Praier to the ende that hee may heare vs. 3. This Humiliation beeing made I will kneele downe in the place appointed for Praier and forthwith it is good to blesse myselfe with inward feeling of the wordes that then are spoken desiring of God by that signe to deliuer mee from those Enemies that vse to molest vs in Praier saying with this affection Per signum cruâ—is de inimicis nostris libera nos Deus noster and then presently I will adde In nomine Patris Filij spiritus Sancti as one that intendeth to beginne his Praier not in his owne Vertues but in the Vertues of the most blessed Trinitye Some are wont presently to say the generall Confession Ex Prou. 18.17 iuxta 70 to beginne with Humilliation and to complye with the saying of the VViseman that the Iust man in the beginning of Praier is an Accuser of himselfe Others vse to begin with Thankesgiuing following the order that S. Basile prescribeth whereof wee will speake in the first parte in the meditation of the Examination of the Conscience But althoughe euery one may begin with that which shall bee most helpefull to his Deuotion yet that which generally is conuenient for all is to begin with a shorte Praier Preparatorye as it were to that which wee pretende wherein wee may beseeche our Lord to directe that VVorke to his Honour and Glory and to giue vs Grace necessary to doe it as hee requireth This breife Praier I am to make speaking to God our Lord whome I beholde present saying vnto him with greate earnestnesse and affection of Hearte I offer vnto thee o Lorde vvhatsoeuer I shall heere thinke speake or treate to the ende that all may bee ordained purely to thy Honour and Glorye and I beseeche thee by vvhat thou arte to assist mee in this hovver to the ende that I may assurdely pray in such manner as thou requirest for the glorye of thy most holy name and for the proffit of my soule Amen This manner of Praier may bee directed to the three Diuine Persons in this forme Sometimes to the eternall Father saying vnto him Soueraigne Father I offer vnto thee this my Praier vnited and Incorporated with that of thy onely begotten Sonne Christe IESVS my Lord for whose sake I beseeche thee to ayde mee to pray in such manner as hee praied that my Praier as his was may bee acceptable vnto thee Other sometimes it may bee directed to the Sonne of God saying vnto him as did the Apostles My Redeemer Luc. 11.1 and master teache mee to praye and ayde mee to pray with attention purity and feruour like to that which thow hadst when thow didst praie to thy Father that my Praier as thine was may bee acceptable vnto him Other times to the holy Ghoste saying vnto him that of the Apostle S. Paule Ad Rom. 8.26 most holy Spirit I am an ignorant and wretched Sinner I knowe not what to pray nor to aske as it behooueth mee thow my God aske in mee moouing mee to aske with gronings vnspeakeable that my Praier may bee well receiued proceeding from so noble beginning as thou art to whome bee honour and glorye worlde without ende Amen In this sorte is fullfilled C. 3. de diuinis nominibus that which S. Dyonisius saieth that euery Theologicall or Diuine Acte which is it that beholdeth God and treateth of him and with him ought to beginne with Praier inuocating and calling vpon the fauour of the most holy Trinitie which is present in euery place deliuering vp ourselues vnto the same with pure petitions with a setled vnderstanding and with an Affection well disposed for the Vnion which wee pretende in this holy Exercise Of the manner of meditating and discoursing in Praier and how wee are to resist Distractions that then doe combatte vs. §. 6. THE worke of the Vnderstanding which wee call Meditation is one of the most difficult and hard that is in mentall Praier For though it bee easy to meditate vpon diuerse thinges running from one to another without order or methode yet it is very difficult to meditate vpon one thing alone with attention hauing the Memory and Vnderstanding fixed vpon God without beeing distracted diuerted to other things Yea the greatest Sainctes were wont to bee herewith sometimes molested and they complaine thereof Iob. c. 17.11.12 Iob saide of himselfe My cogitations are dissipated tormentinge my heart they haue turned night into day because they depriue mee of the quietnesse of recollection wherein I was wont to waste the night Psal 39.13 And Dauid cryed to God saying My heart hath forsaken mee and is departed my house bee good vnto mee to Lord and deliuer mee from this Trouble This very hurt wee all haue experience of and it is wont to proceede from diuerse rootes beginnings First from the Diuell to hinder vs from the fruite of Praier Secondly from our owne Imagination which is free vntamed instable and ill-gouerned Thirdly from some Affections vnmortified which drawe our thoughtes after them for where the Treasure is there is also the Heart Matt. 6.21 Fourthly from Cares which sting and diuide the hearte into a thousand partes Fiftly from vveakenesse and coldenesse thorough not inforcing nor applying ourselues to this so noble Exercise Sixtly from Ignoraunce thorough not knowing how to discourse nor meditate nor how to searche out the hidden verities nor to ponder them in such sorte as they may moue the VVill and stirre vp Affections of Deuotion This Ignoraunce by the fauour of Heauen shall bee remedied with that forme and method which heere I shall prescribe First in meditation wee are to actuate our selues very well in the Veritye of the mysterie which Faithe teacheth vs labouring to beleeue and to vnderstand it truely as it passed and as it is reuealed Secondly wee are to inquire the true causes and rootes from whence proceeded the matter that wee meditate excluding the causes that are false and apparent Then by discoursing wee are to searche out the true endes wherefore it was ordained excluding all others that are contrarye Fourthly wee are to inquire the effects proceeding from the matter that is the good or hurt that it bringeth with it And lastly certaine properties and circumstances that accompagnye it as shall bee clearely vnderstood by this Example If I would meditate vpon the misterye of the Incarnation First I must well consider vnderstand what our Faithe teacheth that is to say That the Sonne of God joyned to himselfe in vnitie of Person our humane nature in such sorte that truely God is man and man is God Then I am to inquiere out the things
eternall Father other sometimes to this royall king his Sonne and other sometimes to my selfe exhorting my selfe heere vnto in this manner Colloquie O my Soule praise and glorifye the celestiall Father for hauing giuen thee a King so potent so wise and so holy Rejoice at the good fortune that hath befallen thee to haue so louing a king of whome thou maiest obtaine fauour and interiour freindship If men make so much accoumpt to bee the minions of earthly kings how much more oughtest thou to accoumpt thyselfe for being the minion and fauorite of the king of Heauen O Soueraigne king I rejoice at those so infinite Greatenesses that thou hast for the which I beseeche thee to take mee vnder thy Protection Psal 22.1 for seeing thou art hee that doest gouerne mee I am sure te want nothing The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the speeche that this Soueraigne king maketh to all his Vassalls Psal 2.6 perswading them to accomplish the precept of his Father saying vnto them My most Iust Will is 1 Ioa. 3.8 In hoc apparuit filius Dei. vt dissoluat opera diaboli Ioan. 12.26 to make Warre vpon mine Enemies the Deuill the Worlde and the Fleshe and vpon all Vices and Sinnes and triumphing ouer them to enter into the kingdome of my Father Therefore whosoeuer will followe mee in this enterprize let him liue like mee and hee shall raigne like mee let him imitate mee in the fight and doubtlesse hee shall haue parte in the Victorye And this is founded vpon that which the same our lord saide by S. Iohn If any man minister vnto mee let him followe mee where I am there also shall my minister bee which is to say Whosoeuer offereth himselfe to my seruice must liue as I liue and so shall hee enjoye the eternall rewarde that I enjoye Vpon this Vocation I will discourse pondering the sweetenesse and efficacye thereof and the greate reasons that are vsed to moue mee to heare and to followe this lord First for that hee that calleth mee is a king of so greate maiestie so greate a Benefactor and so franke a Giuer that for a thousand respects I am obliged to his seruice Secondly for that the enterprize is Iust and much more to my proffit then to his seeing it is ordained to destroye my Enemyes from whome I receiue so greate dammages Thirdly because hee goeth fighting before mee and descended From Heauen to giue mee an example heereof and is it much that a meane Souldiour should doe that which his Captaine Iudic. 7.17 9.49 and his king doth when as Gedoon and Abimelech but in saying to their Souldiours Doe what you shall see vs doe were Instantly obeyed Fourthly for the assurance that hee promiseth vs of the Victorye and the greate rewarde that hee wil giue vs if wee conquere Fiftly for the greate Glorye and Honour that will ensue heereof as well to him as to his Father and to all his Vassals O eternall king Colloquie Osea 11.4 I giue thee thankes for the sweetenesse where with thou callest vs attracting vs to thy seruice with Adams cordes weaued with so effectuall reasons O that all men by thy diuine Light might vnderstand them that all with ardent Charity might followe thee The third Pointe THirdly I will consider the diuerse kindes of men that are in the worlde to whose notice this Vocation arriueth The first is of those that make themselues deafe to this Calling who beeing deluded with the goods of this Life wil not followe this king pondering the Ingratitude and disloyaltye of these wretches compassionating their Deafenesse and condoling that the number of them should bee greate for as S. Serm. 21. in Cant. Bernard saieth All Christians desire to arriue where Christ is and yet fewe will followe after Christ All would haue the rewarde of those that followe him but there are not many that will endure the trauell to followe him who in chastizement of their disobedience Luc. 14.18 like those that were called to the banquet and excused themselues shall neuer attaine to enjoye his sweete Society to whome our Lord swore that they should neuer more taste of his supper vsing likewise vnto them that speeche of the diuine Wisdome Prou. 1.24 Because I called you and you heard mee not I will laugh at your perdition chastizing your Rebellion with Deathe euerlasting The second kinde is of those which are willing to followe this king and to accompanye him in this warfare marry yet not to neere contenting themselues to keepe his Commaundements desiring to remaine with their Riches and Dignities and to enjoye the lawfull Pleasures of Matrimonye because they haue not a minde to arriue to greater perfection like that young man that from his infancye had kept the Commaundements of God Matt. 19.21 and when Christ saide vnto him That if hee would bee perfect hee should sell all that hee had and giue it to the poore and come followe him hee went away sad and would not doe it contenting himselfe with doing what hee was wont to doe These allbeit they doe what is sufficient for their Saluation yet as their imitation commeth short so allso their rewarde shall bee short For it is a kinde of Shortnesse for a Souldier not to imitate his Captaine in all that hee can to his vttermost power when as his Captaine doth for him more then hee is obliged vnto The third kinde is of those who with a generous minde offer themselues to followe this king in all and thorough all obseruing not only his Precepts but allso his Counsells as hee himselfe obserued them liuing in Pouertye Chastitye and Obedience renouncing Riches and the lawfull Pleasures of Matrimonye yea and their owne Liberty perfectly to imitate their Lorde And these are Religious men who as they imitate Christ with more perfection so also they shall receiue of him a more copious rewarde one in this Life which is the hundred folde Matt. 19.29 and the other afterwarde in Life euerlasting Vnto this manner of Life it were reason that wee should all of vs offer ourselues not so much for the temporall and eternall interest that ensueth thereof as for the infinite obligation that wee haue to loue and serue this greate king And Because as the Wiseman saieth It is greate Glorye to followe our lord with Perfection Eccl. 23.38 Matth. 5.48 Luc. 6.46 And the neerer wee followe him the greater shall bee our glorye labouring to bee perfect as our heauenly Father is perfect and as is the king and master that for our example hee hath giuen vs. From hence it is that those who by a speciall Vocation haue not beene called to this kinde of Life are to make demonstration of the good will they haue to serue this Soueraigne king saying vnto him with the royall Prophet Dauid Psal 107.2 My hearte is prepared o God my hearte is prepared beholde mee heere readye to fullfil thy precepts
of his Sonne for the Seruices hee did him and the Paines that for his loue hee endured Othertimes speaking to the Sonne of God alledging vnto him the Loue that hee bare vs the Office that hee holdeth of our Redeemer and Aduocate and the greate Price that wee cost him Othersome times speaking to the Holy Ghoste begging of him the like for the Loue that hee beareth to Christ IESVS our Lord and for his merites And heere likewise we may make another Litanye of the Vertues of our Redeemer alledging his Humillitye of Hearte his Pouertye of Spirite his Meekenesse his Obedience his Patience his Mercye and his Charitye and all the rest Other Titles there are on the parte of our Necessitye and Miserye alledging before our Lord like Dauid that wee were conceiued in Sinne Psal 50.7 that wee haue terrible passions strong enemies very greate occasions and daungers and that with out him wee are able to doe nothing Psal 118 73. That wee are his Creatures made according to his owne Image and Likenesse and that for this cause the Deuill persecuteth vs to destroye vs and that therefore it belongeth to him to protect vs. And in conclusion wee may make another Catalogue of our owne Sinnes and Miseries counting them before God and exaggerating or amplifying them very much with Sorrowe of our Hearte for the more wee shall exaggerate them the more wee prouoke Gods mercye to remedye them Besides this men that are perfect may in some case alledge with Humillity their fore-passed seruices in Imitation of holy king Ezechias 4. Reg. 20 3. who asked of God prorogation or prolonginge of his Life alledging vnto him that hee had walked before him wth a perfect Hearte And the like did Christe our Lorde when after the Sermon of the supper hee praied to his Father Ioan. 17.4 as in his place shall bee seene These three kindes of Titles may bee mingled one with another Psal 24.11 after the forme that Dauid saide for thy name o Lord thou shalt be propitious to my sinne for it is much These and other such like reasons may bee alledged in Praier rather to moue our owne Heart to aske with Feruour Deuotion and Confidence then to moue God to heare vs. For our Lord much more desireth to heare vs Lib. de verbis Domini sermone 5. 29. and to giue vs the good Spirit that wee aske then wee to receiue him seeing as S. Augustine saithe God would not haue commaunded vs to aske of him if hee had not a will and a desire to giue vs what wee aske and asking of him in the manner aforesaide wee fullfill all that which the Apostle commaundeth vs when hee saieth Ad Philip 4.6.1 Ad Tim. 2.1 That our Petitions should presente themselues before God not alone but accompanied with three meruailous Actions that is to say with Praier which may raise our Spirit and the Affections thereof to the presence of God Ex D. Th. 2.2 q. 83. art 17. with Obsecrations that may alledge Titles to bee hearde and with Thankesgiuing for benefits receiued which may dispose vs to receiue those which wee aske afresh These are the principall things which mentall Praier comprehendeth Lib. de Spiritu anima cap. 70. qui ei tribuitur whose Order S. Augustine declared saying Meditatio parit scientiam scientia compunctionem compunctio deuotionem deuotio vero perficit orationem Frequent meditation engendreth science and knowledge of a mans selfe and of God knowledge engendreth affections of compunction for our sinnes and miseries compunction awaketh affections of deuotion towardes God for his greatenesse mercies and deuotion perfecteth Praier making our Spirit to joyne it selfe louingly to God to aske of him things decent fitting in such manner as is conuenient It resteth that wee explicate and declare the manner how euery one of these things is to bee donne beginning with that which is most proper and essentiall to Praier How wee are to speake vnto God in Mentall Praier §. 2. BY what hath beene saide it appeareth that the essence or nature of Mentall Praier properly consisteth in speaking within our selues to God our Lorde for two principall endes 1. The first is to praise him and blesse him for what hee is and to giue him thankes for the benefits and rewardes hee bestoweth vpon vs exercizing that soueraigne manner of Praier which S. Paule counselleth vs saying Ad Eph. 5.19 Ad Coloss 3.16 Bee filled vvith the Holy Spirit speaking to yourselues in Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall Canticles chaunting singing in your heartes to our Lorde giuing thankes al vvaies for all things in the name of our Lord IESVS Christe to God the Father In the which wordes the holy Apostle pointeth at foure diuine affections wherewith wee may speake in our heartes to God our Lorde for the ende aforesaide that is to say Psalmes Ex D. Th. lectio 7. in ad Ephes 5. Hymnes spirituall Canticles and Thankesgiuing Interiour Psalmes are Actions of the Loue of God with effectuall desires and determinations to serue and obey him offering ourselues to keepe most perfectly his Commandements and Counsailes This is that Musicke which Dauid calleth the Psalter of ten strings Psal 32.2 for as hee that plaieth on the Psalter or Harpe handleth all the ten strings thereof sometimes some of them sometimes othersome and sometimes all of them togither so in Praier making this musicke to God wee are to haue feruent desires to exercise the Vertues of Obedience Humillitye Patience and the rest now one then another sometimes alltogither as likewise stedfast purposes to keepe Gods Commaundements his Counsells laying handes now vpon one then vppon another and sometimes vpon alltogither Hymnes are Affections of the Praises of God reckoning vp all the excellencies perfections that hee hath and the workes that hee hath donne for the which hee is worthily to bee praised glorified of all creatures Sometimes I may say with the Seraphins Holy Holy Holy the Lord God of Hostes Isai 6.3 or in steede of this worde Holy I may put in other like wordes saying Good Mercifull Iust VVise and Povverfull arte thou my Lord and my God and most worthy to haue thy Sanctity and thy Greatenesse preached by the Seraphins Sometimes with the Seniours in the Apocalips Apoc. 5.12 I will say vvorthy art thou o Lambe of God vvhoe didst dye for vs to receiue Povver and Diuinitye and VVisdome and Strength and Honour and Glory and Benediction for euer and euer Amen And othersome times with the three Children of Babilon Dan. 3.57 Psal 102 1. that were in the fornace I will inuite all Ceatures to praise and glorify God And wth Dauid I will prouoke myne owne Soule and all the faculties thereof to blesse our Lord. Spirituall Canticles are Affections of Spirituall Ioy and Alacritie rejoicing that God is who hee is and for the Infinite good that hee hath in
himselfe and for the Glory giuen to him by the Saintes in heauen and for the seruices donne him by the Iust vpon the earthe and rejoicing within ourselues for the hope of eternall good and for the possession which the blessed doe enjoy saying that of the Apocalips Apoc. 19.6 Alleluia because our Lord God the omnipotent hath raigned Let vs bee glad and reioice and giue glory to him because the mariage of the Lambe is come and his vvife hath prepared herselfe Thankesgiuings are Actions of thankefullnesse for the benefits wee haue receiued of our Lorde recounting them all very often and praising him for euery one of them and I am not onely to giue him thankes for the benefits I my selfe haue receiued but also for those which hee hath donne to the Angells in Heauen and to all the men vpon earthe and to the insensible creatures that knowe not how to thanke him yea and for those hee hath donne to the Deuills themselues and to the Damned that haue no will to bee thankefull vnto him VVith these 4. Affections wee may speake to our Lord in Praier to the ende to glorifye him procuring as S. Paul sayeth the holy Spirit to bee the beginning of our Interiour speeches the midle or Mediatour to bee Christe IESVS our Sauiour and the ende and person to whome they bee directed to bee the Father euerlasting albeeit as hath beene saide they may likewise bee directed to all the three Persons 2. The second ende why wee are to speake vnto God our Lord is to require of him newe coelestiall guiftes and graces ordained to our owne saluation and perfection and to his Glory These Petitions and Colloquies may bee made in many formes according to the diuerse disposition of him that prayeth and speaketh to God Sometimes wee are to speake vnto him as a Sonne speaketh vnto his Father asking of him all such things as a good Sonne may and ought to aske of a good Father with the Spirit of Loue and Confidence And in this sorte wee speake vnto God in that praier of our Pater noster where Christe our Lord declareth what things wee are to aske as wee shall see in the Meditation which shall bee made vpon that praier in the third parte Sometimes wee are to speake vnto God as a poore wretche doth to a riche and mercifull man begging of him an almes Psal 24.16 39.18 Ad Rom. 10.12 VVith this Spirit prayed Dauid very often calling himselfe a poore wretch and a begger begging a spirituall almes of God who as S. Paule saith is riche tovvard all that inuocate him Sometimes wee may speake to God as a sicke man speaketh to a Phisition declaring vnto him his Infirmityes and desiring remedie thereof or as a man that hath a processe or one that is guilty speketh to a Iudge when he informeth him of his right requireth a fauourable sentence or pardon of his Crime And in this case our Colloquye must bee accompanied with Affections of humilliation of Sorrowe for Sinne of Purposes of satisfaction amendmēt Of the which wee shall see forward many exāples in the meditations vpon the Miracles Parables of our Sauiour Christe Finally other sometimes wee may speake vnto God with that Spirit that a Scholler speaketh vnto his Master requiring of him Light and Instruction in such things as wee knowe not Or as one friende speaketh vnto another when hee talketh with him of some waighty affaire asking him Counsaile Direction and Aide And if Confidence and Loue shall so farre imbolden vs our Soule may speake vnto God as the Bride speaketh to her Spouse in seuerall Colloquyes wherewith the booke of Canticles is replenished In all these sortes wee may speake to our Lord in praier clothing ourselues with the foresaide affections sometimes with one and sometimes with another for all are fitting vnto vs with our God who is our Phisition our Iudge our Friende and the Spouse of our Soules Truth it is that the greatest certainety in these Petitions Colloquyes dependeth principally vpon the holy Spirit Ad Rom. 8.26 who as S. Paule saith requesteth for vs vvith gronings vnspeakeable for with his inspiration hee teacheth vs and mooueth vs to aske ordering our petitions and rowzing vp those Affections wherewith they are to bee made To which purpose S. Serm. 15. in Cantica Bernard saide that Deuotion is the Tongue of the Soule which whosoeuer hath is very skilfull in talking and reasoning with the eternall VVorde But this notwithstanding wee for our parte must aide ourselues and learne to treate and conferre with God obseruing the manner and the affection wherewith men speake one to another in the cases rehearsed VVhereunto I adde that albeit Praier is properly a speeche Colloquy with our Lord wee may not withstanding speake therein to ourselues haue conference with our owne Soule Sometimes our selues as S. Paule saieth exhorting ourselues Ad Colos 3.16 reuiuing ourselues in the affections petitions rehearsed Other sometimes reprehending ourselues for our faultes for our want of zeale beeing ashamed of our selues that wee serue God so euilly In this sorte Dauid spake many times to his Soule saying O my Soule why arte thou sorrowfull Psal 41.12 42.5 Psal 61.6 and why art thou troubled hope in God for still I haue time to praise him and to confesse that hee is my Sauiour and my God Subject thyselfe to God o my Soule for vpon him dependeth my Patience From these Colloquyes wee must make a step to speake to God himselfe as did the prodigall Sonne when hee spake to himselfe saying Hovv many of my Fathers hirelings haue aboundance of breade and I heere perish for famine Luke 15.17 I vvill arise and vvil goe to my Father and say to him Father I haue sinned against Heauen and before thee I am not novv vvorthy to bee called thy Sonne make mee if it so please thee as one of thy Hirelings Finally wee may likewise in Praier speake to our blessed Lady the Virgin to the Angells and Saintes for the same forsaid two endes either to praise and blesse them for their Sanctitye Vertues and for the benefits which they doe vs or to require them to aide and fauour vs in the businesse of our Saluation For the which wee may likewise alledge vnto them some of those Titles which we laid downe in the precedent § other speciall ones beseeming eche of them To the most sacred Virgin may bee alledged that shee is our mother and the Aduocatrice of Sinners and that for our remedie her Sonne gaue her this Office in charge alledging also the Loue that shee beareth him and her desire that all should loue and serue him beseeching her to doe for vs the office of a mother and an Aduocatrice and to demonstrate vnto vs that her Loue and Desire in obtaining for vs what wee request that wee may the better serue him whome shee so dearely loueth Also to our
the three degrees of Soules to witte the Vegetatiue proper to Plantes the Sensitiue proper to brute Beastes and the Rationall proper to Men the Superiour besides his owne workes doth likewise the woorkes of the Inferiour though after a more excellent manner so also as S. 2.2 q. 24 art 9. maxime ad 3. Thomas sayeth in the three Estates of People that dedicate themselues to Praier and to the Seruice of God those which are Proficients or Goers forward are to exercize themselues in the meditations and workes of the Beginners or Principiants and the Perfect in those of them both but after a more perfect manner drawing out of them the fruite which they pretende with more aduauntage that is more perfect mortification of themselues and a more excellent manner of Imitating our Sauiour Christe in his Vertues Besides this Experience teacheth that when a greate Spirit or Affection of any Vertue whatsoeuer is predominant in a Soule vpon what thing soeuer it meditateth it taketh occasion to feede and augment it If the Spirit of Humillitye predominate whither hee meditate vpon Hell or vpon Heauen whither hee thinke vpon his owne Miseries or vpon the Diuine Excellencies hee will extract or drawe out of all Affections of Humillitye And if in his Hearte the Spirite of Loue doe predominate though hee meditate vpon Iudgement and Hell hee conuerteth all into the Affections of Loue. So likewise Prinâ—ipiants Proficients and those that are Perfect vpon whatsoeuer they meditate they may drawe out those Affections and Purposes that are fitting to their state and necessitye From hence it is that albeit by the ordinary Lawe wee are to obserue the Order propounded yet neede wee not to bee so tied to it that it shall not bee lawfull to change it nay rather sometimes it is conuenient for some cannot applye themselues to Considerations of Feare who yet are easily moued with meditations of Loue and other contrarily Some finde Deuotion and Proffit in considering the misteries of the Childehood of our Sauiour Christe others in considering the mysteries of his Passion some in one mysterie and some in another and it is not good to force them ouermuch nor to drawe them from their consideration to passe them to another wherein they shall not finde what they desired And for this cause our Lord hath prouided the matter of meditation to bee so copious and ample that euery one may finde some that is fitting to his Purpose Of Entrance into Praier §. 5. IT is the Counsell of the holy Ghoste before Praier to prepare the Soule Eceles 18 23 for to goe without preparation is as it were to tempt God pretending the ende and fruite of Praier with out vsing the meanes ordained to obtaine the same It is therefore necessary before wee enter into Praier to carrye the matter forseene which wee are to meditate vpon for regularly meditation cannot bee attentiue nor recollected if the matter bee not first prepared well digested and diuided into pointes after that manner that wee heere shall prescribe And yet for all this wee hinder not if our Lorde by speciall Inspiration shall mooue vs to thinke vpon some other thing but that wee may occupye ourselues therein omitting till some other time that which before wee had premeditated because Diuine Impulsion or mouing is the principall cause of this worke which wee are to followe but with this aduertisement that it procede not from lightnesse of minde nor Instabillitye of Hearte to dashe out of one matter into another without sufficient cause This beeing presupposed before wee begin meditation wee are to doe these things following 1. First wee are to lift vp our Heart and the Faculties of our Soule to God our Lord beholding him as hee is there present with an Interiour attentiue reuerende and louing aspect for that if a man bee to speake with a Prince it is necessary that hee goe to his Palace or to the place where hee is and present himselfe before him for with one that is absent wee cannot speake and seeing God is present in Heauen and in Earthe and in euery place assisting all and beholding all when I am to pray and to speake vnto him I neede not goe seeke him in any other place but to quicken my Faithe and to beholde how hee is there present perswading myselfe that when I pray I am not alone but that there is also with mee the most holy Trinitye Father Sonne and Holy Ghoste to whome I speake who seeth mee heareth mee is accustomed to aunswer within my hearte with Inspirations Illuminations communicating the light of Truthe to the Vnderstanding feruent affections of Deuotion to the VVill and infusing guiftes and Vertues and other Graces into the Soule as before hath beene saide Sometimes I may beholde God as hee is rounde about mee incompassing mee on euery side myselfe within him as the fishes are within the Sea Othertimes I may beholde him as hee is within mee by Essence Presence and Power knowing what I doe and ayding mee to doe it And in this manner is fullfilled the saying of our Lorde christe VVhen thou shalt pray enter into thy chamber Matt. 6.6 Ex D. Hilario can 5. in Matth. Amb. lib. 6. de sacra c. 3. Aug. coÌ„e 2. in Psal 33. that is into thy Hearte hauing shutt the dore of thy senses pray to thy Heauenly Father in secret thy Father vvhich is there and seeth in secret vvill repay thee that is will giue thee what thou askest This Truthe of the Presence of God within mee round about mee wheresoeuer I am praying I am much to quicken that it may moue mee to reuerence and confidence to due Attention And if with this consideration I shall perceiue myselfe moued to these and other like affections of Deuotion I may well detaine myselfe to enjoy this morsell that God giueth mee for the time it will last for this already is a Praier and a very good one But the ordinary shall bee to detaine myselfe in this Cogitation a Pater noster while albeit in all the time of my meditation I must not loose out of sight the presence of God according to that of Dauid Psal 18.15 The meditation of my Heart is in thy sight alvvaies but in the time of my Petitions Colloquyes I must fenewe it with more feruour povvring out Psal 141 3. as Dauid saithe our Praier in the sight of our Lorde This donne secondly I am to make a greate and 2. Para. vlt. flecto genu cordis mei profounde reuerence to the maiestie of God bending before him the knees of my hearte and of my bodye once and three times as they doe that enter into the presence of kings I am to adore him in Spirit acknowledging him for my God and my Lorde the Father of immense Maiestie and the king most worthy of infinite reuerence and with my bodye to humble myselfe euen to the fastening my mouthe
vs with thy Glorye VVithout thee wee had had nothing of this and now by thee wee possesse it all for by thee descende from Heauen all the Benedictions and Mercies that replenish the Earthe Blessed bee the Father that gaue thee vnto vs for our remedye and Blessed bee thou his Sonne that camest to remedye vs. Remedie mee effectually o Lorde that I may not perish but obtaine by thee Life euerlasting Amen By what hath beene saide in this and in the precedent Meditation it appeareth that the causes and motiues of the Incarnation may bee reduced to three rankes inchayned owne within another One in regarde of the diuine Perfections to manifest them Another in regarde of our miseries to remedye them And the third in regarde of the supernaturall Riches of Grace and Glorye to communicate them Of these three things wee are to weaue a most strong triple Corde Eccl. 4.12 wherewith strongly to binde vs to this diuine Worde Incarnate joyning vs vnto him with perfect Loue seeing wee haue so many motiues to loue him as are the diuine Perfections that hee hath discouered vnto vs and the miseries from which hee hath freed vs and the Graces and Vertues that hee hath merited vnto vs. The third Meditation Of the Decree that GOD made to be borne of a VVoman and of the election of our Blessed LADYE to be his Mother and of the singular Graces that therefore hee graunted her in the Instant of her Conception The first Pointe FIrst D. Th 3. p. q. 31. ar 4 I am to consider how God hauing determined to make himselfe man although hee might haue taken the bodye of a perfect man as was that of Adam yet hee would not but bee borne of a Woman as S. Gal. 4.4 Paul saithe and haue a mother as other men had And this hee reuealed in the beginning of the Worlde saying vnto the serpent Gen. 3.15 That the Seede of the Woman should breake his Heade To this Determination there were many causes that moued him wherein to our proffit hee discouered his infinite Charitye The first for that the diuine Bountye which so much loueth to communicate itselfe to it creatures might bee more dilated and to greater Greatenesses in both the sexes of Humane Nature exalting a Man to the infinite Dignitye of the naturall Sonne of God and exalting a Woman to the Dignity of the Mother of God which as S. 1. p. q. 25. ar 6. ad 4 Thomas saieth is in some sorte likewise infinite whereby hee giueth vs assurances that without acception of persons his intention is to doe good vnto all Gal. 3.28 For according to that of the Apostle in Christ IESVS there is no difference of male nor female of Bond nor of free of little nor of Greate The second cause was That as our Perdition began by a Man and a Woman so our Redemption should begin by another Man and another Woman principally by Christ as beeing the Heade and our onely Mediator and Father of the Worlde to come And secondly Isa 9.6 by his Mother as by his Assistant in the Worke of our Redemption to both whome men should repaire for the Remedye of their necessities with that Confidence that they vse to haue recourse to their owne Father and mother But especially our Lord Christ would haue a mother that shee might likewise bee the Mother and Aduocatrice of Sinners who if thorough Pusillanimitye they should bee afraide to haue recourse vnto him for that hee is not onely man and our Aduocate but also God and a Iudge most Iust they might confidently approche to his blessed Mother D. Ansel lib. de excell Virg. cap. 6. to whome it pertaineth not to bee a Iudge but an Aduocatrice that shee as a Mother full of Mercye and Pitty might bee an Intercessour for all Whereby wee may see the greate longing that God hath of our Saluation and that wee should bee confident to obtaine it seeing hee hath inuented therefore so greate meanes so sweete and so effectuall I giue thee thankes Colloquie o eternall Father for hauing giuen vs a Father and Mother of our owne Nature by whose mediation wee may securely negotiate thy Grace I giue thee thankes o diuine Worde for that it was thy holy Will to haue a Mother who should likewise bee Ours by whome wee should finde entrance vnto the Throne of thy infinite mercye that wee may not bee condemned by the rigour of thy Iustice. The last cause was for that it was the pleasure of God to make himselfe a Childe for vs and to haue a Mother on Earthe to whome to obey and subject himselfe like other men to giue vs an Example of Humillitye and of other Vertues as shall bee seene in the ninth Meditation and in the other ensuing The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the election of our blessed LADYE the Virgin to bee the Mother of God pondering how the most holy Trinitye among the innumerable Women that hee sawe in his Eternitye cast gaciously his Eyes vpon the blessed Virgin and made choice of her for those Greatenesses that in the precedent Pointe wee haue spoken of that is to say for beeing the Mother of the Diuine Worde Incarnate and his Cooperatrice in the Redemption of the Worlde the Mother and Aduocatrice of Men and shee to whome God himselfe as hee was man did subject himselfe and obey Vide Frāciscum Suarez tom 2. in 3. p. disp 1. This election as say the holy Fathers was the Roote of the other Greatenesses of our LADYE of which shee alwayes made greate estimation and for which shee was euer very thankefull considering that it proceeded from meere Grace without any merit of hers for when as almighty God made choice of her to bee his mother hee might haue chosen many other Women as well as her and made them like vnto her But yet I am to rejoice that this good Lot fell vpon her and to giue her the Much good doe it her therefore saying vnto her O most blessed Virgin Colloquie I exceedingly rejoice that thou wast elected for so soueraigne a dignitye as to bee the mother of the same whose Daughter thou art And seeing with this dignitye it was graunted thee likewise to bee the mother and Aduocatrice of Sinners shewe thyselfe to bee our Mother in fauouring vs and Aduocating for vs that wee may bee the worthy Children of him of whome thou art the Mother The third Pointe FRom hence I will mount to consider that God our Lord in his Eternitye hauing made choice of our blessed LADYE to bee his Mother Of the Predestination of our blessed LADYE D. Th. 3. p. q. 7. ar 10 Ex D. Aug. lib. de nat grat c. 38. Cant. 6.9 did withall elect her to bee the most excellent Vessell of his Mercye with whome hee would leaue in trust all the Greatenesses of Grace and Glorye that were conuenient for the Mother of such a Sonne and
VVherein is treated of her Natiuitye her Presentation in the Temple and her Betrothing to S. Ioseph The first Pointe FIrst Of the Natiuitye of our blessed LADIE Natiuitas tua gaudium annunciauit vniuerso mundo I am to consider how the nine Moneths after the Conception of the Virgin beeing accomplished shee was borne in the house of her Parents to the ioye of the whole Worlde according to the saying of the Church Pondering the ioye of the most holy Trinitye in seeing the birth of this his beloued Childe by whome hee intended to worke things so glorious for his owne Glorye and our Benefit And therefore it is to bee beleued that vpon that day hee communicated to the Angells of heauen and to the Righteous on earthe and to the holy Fathers in Limbus a newes of accidentall Alacritye allbeit all knewe not the cause thereof as a Prognostication of the Ioy that they should receiue by the comming of God into the Worlde whose Mother that Childe was to bee as the birth of the Morning causeth a certaine kinde of ioy and solace in liuing Creatures because it is a token of the rising of the sun For if many reioiced at the natiuitye of S. Iohn Luc. 1.14 because hee was the Day-starre and fore-runner of Christe many more doubtlesse reioiced at the Birth of the blessed VIRGIN who was to bee his mother And with this consideration I will moue myselfe to affections of Praise and ioye giuing the Much good doe it to the most holy Trinitye for the birth of this Babe To the eternall Father for that there is borne vnto him such a Daughter To the Sonne of God for that shee is borne that is to bee his Mother To the holy Spirit for that there is borne vnto him such a spowse O most blessed Trinitye Colloquie much good may it doe thee the Birth of this thy Beloued share to mee of that ioye which thou giuest to others because shee was borne also for me From hence I am likewise to collect another motiue of greate spirituall ioye Deuotiō to our blessed LADIE is a signe of predestination pondering that as the Natiuitye of the Virgin caused Alacritye in the Worlde for that it was a signe of the comming of the Sauiour to redeeme it so also when the Deuotion of the Virgin is bredde in the soule it causeth therein wonderfull ioye beeing a greate pledge that allmighty God will come to visite it and to saue it Heerevpon saide S. Anselme Lib. de excellent Virginis cap 4. That to bee much deuoted to our blessed LADY is a signe of being predestinated in heauen For with deuotion to her enter the effectes of Predestination shee negotiating them for such as are deuoted vnto her Shee as a mother solliciteth for vs the Inspirations of Heauen the Vocation of God the Grace of Iustification the Victorye of Temptations the Preseruation from falls the Augmentation of Merits the Perseueration in Grace and the Crowne of Glorye Colloquie Eccl. 24.16 as in the discourse of the Meditations ensuing shall bee seene O sacred and soueraigne Virgin who by the Commandement of God layest deepe rootes in the elected for Heauen fixe in my soule so deepe Rootes of thy deuotion and Imitation that they may bee assured pledges of my eternall Predestination The Second Pointe SEcondly Of the name of MARIE I am to consider how the Parents of this our blessed Ladye gaue vnto her the Name of MARYE as is credibly supposed by reuelation from God who also reuealed the name of the Baptiste and consequently with the name God pretended to declare the Greatenesses of this Childe Luc. 1.13 Nomen Virginis MARIA which as they were very many so also hee chose a name that in diuerse languages should haue many significations because shee was borne for the good of all Ex D. Bonauent in specul B. Virg. c. 3. Num. 24.17 For MARYE interpreted signifyeth Starre of the sea or Bitter sea Ladye or the Exalted Illuminated or Illuminatrice or Mistresse of People And all this is founde in the Virgin Shee is the Starre of the sea for that shee is the Light Consolation and Guide of those that sayle in the sea of this Worlde combated with the greate waues and tempestes of temptations and Perills of their damnation who by the Praiers of the blessed VIRGIN with her examples and with the fauours that shee doeth them are cheered and fortified and guessing at the right way arriue at the Porte of Saluation Shee is a Bitter Sea for diuerse respectes Ex D. Ber. serm 2. in missus est a Sea for the Immensenesse of celestial Graces contained within her communicated by the liberallitye of him that elected her for his Mother Bitter for the Immensenesse of Bitternesses that shee suffered in the Passion of her Sonne for God vseth to mete equally the measures of Consolations and Afflictions and so did hee with this sacred VIRGIN Shee is a Lady and Exalted for that shee was supereminently a Lady and Gouernesse ouer her Faculties and Appetites and ouer her Imagination and senses commaunding all with supreame Authority as already hath beene saide Shee is likewise Ladye of the Angells exalted aboue them all and is that much when as after a sorte shee was likewise the Ladye of God himselfe she commaunding him as hee was Man and hee obeying her as a sonne that was subiect vnto his Mother She is the Illuminated or Illuminatrice Luc. 2.51 for that shee receiued from God greate light of ce lestiall Wisdome not alone for herselfe but to illuminate others and therefore shee was the Mistresse of the Apostles and of all the faithfull as heereafter wee shall see With these breife considerations I will awake in my soule seuerall Affections of Ioye and Confidence and of greate Deuotion to the sacred name of MARIE beseeching the VIRGIN to doe vnto mee those offices that her name doth signifye O most sacred VIRGIN Colloquie with much reason I may say that thy blessed name like that of thy sonne is Oyle powred out for that it illuminateth cōforteth Cāt. 1.2 heateth and reioyceth my hearte Powre vpon mee this so pretious Oyle with a liberall hande and seeing thou art the Starre of the Sea guide and protect mee in my temptations and perills Seeing thou art a Sea of Graces and Bitternesses share them also with mee for it is no lesser a Grace to receiue giftes from Christ then to bewaile with bitternesse his paines Bee thou my Mistresse illuminating my ignorances ayding mee to bee Master of my Passions and guide mee in the pathe of Perfection that with the inuocation of thy holy name I may arriue to the toppe and excellencye thereof Amen Heere also may bee considered Vide Suarez tom 2. disp 3. sect 7. how this blessed Babe beginning to haue the vse of Reason whither in the wombe of her mother by speciall priuiledge like S. Iohn Baptist or about
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
with a good will suffered this Imprisonment and this mortification of Senses to free vs from the euerlasting prison and to satisfye for the libertye and ouermuch loosenesse of Eua who going to recreate herselfe in Paradise bebelde the fruite of the Tree and contrary to Gods commaundement tasted thereof And so likewise to satisfye for the libertyes and Lightnesses of my Senses and to animate mee by his Example to mortifye them and to suffer any shutting vp or streightnesse whatsoeuer in my Chamber or bed or in whatsoeuer else pertaineth to the pampering of my fleshe I humbly thanke thee o diuine VVorde incarnate Colloquie for this entrance thou hast made into the VVorlde suffering so streight a goole such a horride prison and so long and tedious a mortification of thy fleshe by the which I humbly beseeche thee to deliuer mee from the eternall Prison of Hell and from the troublesome gaole of my Vices ayding mee to mortifye my passions and with the spirite to restraine the disordinate vse of my Senses The tenth Meditation Of the excellencyes of the most holye Soule of our Sauiour Christ D. Th. 3. p. q. 34. etiam q. 7 cum sequ and of the heroycall Actes of Vertue that hee exercised in the first instant of the Incarnation The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider the Graces and Excellencyes of our Sauiour Christ as hee was man his Soule beeing vnited with the Deitye the which were Immense for as his Fore-runner saide of him Ioa. 3.14 God gaue him not his Spirite by measure for the Father loueth the Sonne and hath giuen all things into his hande that is to say To the rest of the Sainctes hee giueth them his Spirit by measure and the graces of the holy Spirit as S. 1 Cor. 12.81 Paule sayeth are diuided among them some beeing giuen to some others to others but to our Sauiour Christ his Father gaue him his Spirit without measure for hee gaue him these graces all at once Ephes 4.7 not only for himselfe but with power to distribute them to others giuing to euery one his measure for hee loueth him as his only begotten Sonne with a most singular Loue and therefore hee communicated vnto him such fullnesse of Wisdome Grace as was fitting for the Glorye of such a Sonne whereupon his Euangelist S. Iohn saide of him VVee sawe the glory of him Ioan. 1.14 glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace Veritye Besides this the eternall Worde hauing communicated to this most blessed Soule the principall thing which hee had which was his owne personall Essence it pertained vnto his Honour to communicate likewise vnto it the Immensenesse of those Graces giftes that were conuenient for that which had so noble a Beeing These graces wee may reduce vnto 7. heades The first was Immense Puritye in such sorte 1 Pet. 2.22 that hee neither sinned nor could sinne nor erre nor bee deceiued nor haue any Imperfection that might bee repugnant to this Puritye and Cleanesnesse of Hearthe Ioa. 1.17 for hee was the Lambe of God not the earthly but the heauenly Lambe the most Innocent Lambe without any blot whose comming was to take away the Sinnes of the Worlde and so by Right was free himselfe from them all The second is the Grace of Sanctitye the which incomparably exceeded that of men Angells all togither And in this measure hee had Charity and Humillitye and Obedience and the rest of the Vertues in such sorte Dan. 9.24 Isa 11.2 that for Excellencye hee is called the Holye of Holyes in whome the holy Spirite reposed filling him with his seuen giftes with an Immense Plenitude The third was Grace consummated which is Blessednesse and the blessed-making Vision for from that very first instant his Soule sawe the Diuine Essence with greater Clearenesse then all the Blessed togither and in this proportion it loued God and rejoiced with vnspeakeable Ioye for the which it is saide of him that God annointed him with the oyle of Gladnesse aboue all his Companions Psal 44. â— From hence proceeded the 4. Colos 2.3 Grace which comprehendeth the Treasures of the Wisdome and knowledge of God not diuided but all togither as S. Paule saieth that hee might knowe all things created passed present and to come and that nothing might bee couered from him hee beeing to bee the Iudge of all things to rewarde the good and to chastize the euill The fifth is the Power of doing miracles without any Limitation meerely by his owne Will by the which hee had power to giue Life to the Deade Luc. 4.14 32.36.39 to heale all that were sicke to cast out Deuills out of Bodyes possessed to commaunde the Windes and the Sea and all the Elements all subiecting themselues to his commaunde The sixt is Matt. 6.9 vltim 18. the Power of Excellencye in pardoning Sinnes conuerting Sinners chaunging their Heartes ordaining Sacraments and Sacrifizes and distributing among men Graces and supernaturall Giftes The seuenth is Colos 2.10 Eph. 1.22 the Grace of beeing a Heade as well of the Church militant as of the Triumphant of men and of Angells beeing superiour to all and the Fountaine of all the celestiall blessings and of all the giftes and Graces that proceede from the Father of Light Iac. 1.17 for the good of the mysticall Bodye whose Heade is Christe From hence it is that this our Lorde was the first and principall of all the predestinated for whose respect our Lorde predestinated others that hee might haue many Companions in Glory but especially for that hee might bee as the Apostle S. Rom. 8.29 Paul saieth the first borne of many Bretheren like and conformable vnto him in the giftes of Grace as they were in nature and so hee entred first before all men into this Glorye and sawe the diuine Essence and opened the Gates of Heauen that the rest might enter in to beholde it Considering these 7. kindes of Graces that our Sauiour Christ hath and euery one of them I am to collect from them seuerall Affections sometimes blessing and praysing the eternall Father for the Giftes hee gaue to his Sonne as hee was man sometimes rejoicing at the benefits which this our Lord hath giuing him the Much good doe it him thereof and sometimes beseeching him to imparte vnto mee of what hee hath for of his fullnesse all wee haue receiued Ioan. 1.16 and therefore with greate Loue I may say vnto him O Sonne of the liuing God Colloquie Psal 44.3 Cant. 5.10 Zacha. 3.9 I reioice to see thee so beautifull aboue all the Sonnes of men white red elected among a thousand O liuing and corner stone how sightly thou art with these seuen eyes of vnspeakeable splendour put into thee by the hande of thy Father O Sonne of man how well doe these seuen starres become thee giuen thee for thy Glorye Apoc. 1.16
and to imparte of their Light to the whole VVorlde O VVorde made fleshe full of grace and of Veritye Ioan. 1.14 seeing from this thy fullnesse men doe receiue one grace for another euery man his fill my Soule with this grace that thereby I may bee thankefull vnto thee and may merite the rewarde of thy Glorye Amen The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the Heroycall Actes of Vertue which this most sanctified Soule of our Sauiour Christ exercized in that first Instant towardes God our Lorde for as shee clearely behelde the diuine Essence with that clearenesse that hath beene spoken of and on the other side behelde the Innumerable benefits which without any merits of her owne shee had graciously receiued at the instant shee very forcibly budded out Foure excellent Affections like the Foure Riuers that spring from Paradise that is to say a most feruent Loue of God a most greate Thankefullnesse for so greate Benefits a most profounde Humilliation in his presence considering the nothing shee had of herselfe and a most readye Offer to obey him in all whatsoeuer might bee to his Liking desiring that Occasion might bee offered her actually to make Demonstration heereof O what sweete Colloquyes had then this blessed Soule with all the most holy Trinitye sometimes with the Father thatvnited it to his Sonne sometimes with the Sonne that had it vnited to himselfe and sometimes with the holy Ghoste the Worker of this Vnion giuing them with the Foure Affections before-saide a celestiall musicke of Foure Voices the eternall Worde to whome it was vnited as a master of a Chappell guiding it therein O Diuino VVorde giue to my Soule parte of that Light which thou gauest vnto thine Colloquie vnite thyselfe therewith with the Vnion of Charitye that it may make thee such other musicke as this Incline my Hearte to the lowest with Humillitye exalt it to the Highest with Thankesgiuing drawe it out at length in the Spirit with Loue and accorde it in all it VVorkes with promptnesse of Obedience that it may allwayes glorifye thee and accomplish thy holy VVill. Amen These Foure Affections I am to exercise in this Consideration pondering with that Light which I haue of Faithe the Infinite Bountye of God and the multitude of Benefits that hee hath donne mee without any merit of mine The third Pointe THirdly I will consider the most excellent Actes of Vertue which our Lord Christ exercised in that very Instant towardes his neighbours For first hee behelde the Sinnes of men and the greate Injuries they did vnto God how the Diuell was possessed of the Worlde Hell was peopled with Soules and all this caused him terrible Paine and Greefe partely to see the Father Injuried whome hee so much loued and whose Glorye hee so much desired partely to see how men his Bretheren according to Humane nature were cast away and destroyed And this Interiour Dolour was the greatest that euer was or shall bee in this Life there beeing in one the same Soule extreeme Ioy thorough the viewe of Almighty God and extreeme Sorrowe thorough the viewe of our Sinnes O Worde Incarnate Colloquie what a Dolour is this which possesseth thee If it bee an Importunate thing to ioyne Musicke with Lamentation Eccl. 22.6 why ioynest thou so greate Ioy with so greate Sorrowe Hardely hadst thou entered into the VVombe of thy Mother but that the zeale of the House of God had eaten thee vp Psal 68.9 Cause oâ— Lord that the like zeale may eate vp mee tormenting myselfe with Sorrowe for hauing offended thee and consuming in mee all that may bee any occasion to offende thee anewe From hence I will collect how greate an euill mortall Sinne is seeing that the Sin of other men was sufficient to cause so extreeme Sorrowe in a Soule so full of extreeme Ioye And is there not much more reason that I should bee very sorrowfull for myne owne Sinnes when as Christ IESVS our Sauiour was so sorrowfull for them And hee deferred not this Sorrowe to the ende of his Life but had it euen in the first instant thereof that I should not deferre Sorrowing and doing Penance for my Sinnes but should as soone as I fall into them bee heartily greiued Secondly I will ponder how this our Lorde in that very instant perceiued that it was the will of his Father that hee should bee the Redeemer and Remedier of men that heerein hee would that hee should repay the giftes that hee had giuen him in louing and remedying them and that to this ende hee had giuen him a Bodye mortall and Passible that hee might dye for them And in the very instant that hee vnderstood this with the like force that hee loued the Father hee loued vs and offered himselfe to redeeme vs and to dye for our remedye beeing full of gladnesse that an occasion was offered wheerein hee might manifest the Loue hee bare to his Father and the zeale that hee had of his Glorye and of the good of his Bretheren And therefore hee spake vnto him that of the Psalme Psal 39.7 The Sacrifice and oblations of our Elders thou acceptedst not neither were their Holocaustes sufficient for the remedye of men but seeing thou hast giuen mee a bodye fit to bee sacrifized I offer myselfe thereunto with a good will Heb. 10.5 6 Ecce venio vt faciam voluntatem tuam Deus Beholde mee heere I came into the Worlde in this and in all to performe thy holy will writing thy Lawe in the middest of myne owne Hearte O how pleasing to the eternall Father was this offer Heb. 10.10 and will of his Sonne seeing thereby as S. Paul sayeth wee were all sanctifyed hee meriting for vs Grace and Sanctification In Thankefullnesse for this generous Will wherewith our Sauiour Christ offered himselfe to bee my Redeemer I will offer vnto him a Will to serue him so effectually that thereby hee may dispose mee to receiue that Sanctification which hee gained for mee and in Imitation of him I will say Ecce venio vt faciam Voluntatem tuam Deus Colloquie Beholde mee heere o Lord ready to accomplish thy VVill and thy holy Lawe shall bee from hence forth euer more in the middest of my Hearte This I would haue donne in the very first instant that I had vse of Reason as thou diddest in the very first instant of thy Life Psal 76.11 but allbeeit I did it not then I now say Nunc coepi Now I will beginne to serue thee with a Resolution so to continue euen vnto Deat he The fourth Pointe FInally the better to knowe the Greatenesse of the Charitye and Obedience of our Sauiour Christe in that instant I am to consider how then the eternall Father discouered vnto him all the Afflictions that hee was to suffer from the time of his Incarnation to his Deathe vpon the Crosse saying vnto him My Sonne it is my Will that to redeeme men and
euen vntill deathe Pouertye Contempt Dolours Psa 87.16 and Afflictions and in all these thinges he suffered a thousand kindes of Afflictions electing such a manner of Life contrary to that of the Worlde to discouer by his example the Deceites and Errours of worldelings that doe followe it For as S. Bernard saieth It is a matter very euident that the worlde erreth choosing for his Companions Riches Honours and Delicacies when as Christ the Infinite wisdome who can neither deceiue himselfe nor beguile vs chooseth the contrarye With this Consideration I am to confounde myselfe in the presence of this most blessed Babe seeing how contrarily I haue liued to that which he teacheth purposing to imitate him from hence forwarde choosing to suffer what he suffereth and beseeching him to make me worthy to suffer with him and as he not of necessity but acceptably and willingly for his Loue. O soueraigne Childe Colloquie 2 Reg. 23.8 who like another Dauid art the wisest Prince among three for of the three diuine Persons thou art the second to whome wisdome is attributed what doest thou seated here in this chaire of the maunger being silent without speaking vnto vs Thou art the most tender litle worme of the wood that violently killest eight hundred for with the Contempt and Humilliation that thou hast in the worme-eaten wood of thy poore harbour thou killest with the violence of thy diuine Loue the innumerable violences of the Loue of the worlde O most wise and most valiant Prince which silently instructest and silently killest teache me to followe with silence thy Contemptes and kill in my Hearte worldely Affections that making myselfe a Worme in imitation of thee I may merit to ascende to beholde thee in the throne of thy Glorye Amen The eightenth Meditation Luc. 2.9 D. Th. 3. p. q. 36. Of the Ioye of the Angels at the Natiuitye of the Sonne of God and of the newes which they tolde to the Shepheardes The first Pointe FIrst I will consider what passed in Heauen at such time as our Sauiour Christe was borne on Earthe For the Hierarchies of the Angells as they clearely behelde the infinite maiestie and greatenesse of God and on the other side sawe him so humbled so thrust vp into a corner and so vnknowne among men they extremely admired this so greate Humillitye and being very carefull that he should bee honored and reuerenced by all desired if God would giue them leaue to come downe into the Worlde to manifest him make him knowne Then did the eternall Father giue that commaundement vnto all which the Apostle S. Heb. 1.6 Paule pondereth Et cum iterum introducit primogenitum in orbem terrarum dicit adorent eum omnes Angeli eius And when againe he bringeth in the first begotten into the Worlde hee sayth And let all the Angells of God adore him he saieth all not excepting any one And all of them from Heauen adored with high reuerence this Babe who being on Earthe behelde what they did The Seraphines inflamed in Loue beholding him helde themselues as frozen and with profounde Humillitye acknowledged him for their God The Cherubins full of knowledge in presence of this Childe esteemed themselues as Ignorant and with greate trembling adored him and reuerenced him as their Lord And the like did the other Quires of the Angells I reioice o all my Good Colloquie to see thee adored by thy Angells and it greiueth me greately to see thee so forgotten and vnknowne among men I o Lord adore thee togither with these blessed Spirits and doe heartily desire that all men might knowe and adore thee and if it lye in my power to giue them netice heereof Ecce ego mitte me Beholde me here Isa 6.8 send me For if thou sendest me I will flye with those wings which thou shalt giue me and like the Seraphines I will crye out thorough the Worlde saying Holye Holye Holy art thou Lord God of Hostes the earthe is full of thy glorye albeit with the smoke of the Humilliation which thou hast in this poore Stable it seemeth to be obscured The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider how the eternall Father would manifest the birth of his Sonne to the Shepheardes that were neere about Bethlehem watching and keeping their flocke sending to this ende an Angell which as it is thought was S. Gabriel inuested with a resplendent Bodye who inuironing them with a celestiall light sayed vnto them Luc. 2.10 Beholde I euangelize to you greate Ioy that shall bee to all the People because this day is borne to you a Sauiour which is Christe our Lord in the Citye of Dauid And this shal be a signe to you you shall finde the Infant swadled in clothes and laâ—ed in a manger Vpon this passage I will consider first how God would not manifest this mysterye nor send this Angell to the Sages of Bethlehem for they were prowde nor to the Riche for they were couetous nor to the noble for they were pampered but to the Shepheardes because they were poore humble labouring men that were watching and attending their office for such dispositions as these God requireth in those to whome he imparteth his mysteries and if he Imparteth them not with me it is because I want such a disposition seeing it was for this that he saied that he hideth these things from the wise Matt. 11.25 and prudent and reuealeth them to the litle ones that are humble and lowely Secondly I will consider that it is a matter of very greate Ioy that a Sauiour is borne to vs. He is not borne to himselfe for he commeth not to saue himselfe nor he is not borne to the Angels for he commeth not to saue them but to men and to me for he commeth to saue me For me he is borne and circumcized and all whatsoeuer he did and suffered it is all for me And that which passeth in the manger is all to pardon my Sinnes to inflame me in the Loue of Vertues and to inriche me with those merits O sweete IESVS Colloquie that which to thee is matter of Dolour is to me matter of Ioye I reioice that thou art so good that thou embracest my Dolours to giue mee thy Ioyes let not me o Lord be so vnhappye that thou being borne for the good of all men I should liue as if thou hadst not beene borne for the good of mee hunting prowdely after greatenesse and forgettyng thy lewelinesse and Humillitye Thirdly I will ponder how the signes to finde out the Sauiour that is borne are Infancye Swadling Cloutes and a maunger O infinite Greatenesse of God Colloquie who would euer haue imagined that things so base should be the signes to finde out and to knowe the God of maiestie but I now knowe o Lord that thou art delighted with these debasings and that thou art in the middest of them to moue me to procure them teaching me by the waye that
the signes to knowe that thou art borne spiritually within me Ex D. Berser 4. de Resurr are Innocency of an Infant in Life Silence in Tongue Pouertye in Habit and Humillitye in choosing to myselfe that vhich is most vile and contemptible on Earthe Imprint them o my Sauiour in my Soule that it may be like vnto thee that thou maiest be pleased to be borne and to inhabite therein The third Pointe ANd while the Angell was telling this to the Shepheardes Luc. 2.13 sodainely there was with him a multitude of the Heauenly armye praising God and saying Glory in the highest to God and in Earthe peace to men of goodwill Vpon this pointe I am to consider who sent these Angells and to what ende and the Hymne or Canticle which they repeate He that sendeth them is the eternall Father to honour his Sonne who was so humbled for his Loue for he had allwaies a care to exalt him when he humbled himselfe and that the Angells likewise might instruct men by their example what they are to doe in this case I humbly thanke thee Colloquie o eternall Father for this care that thou hast to honour him that humbleth himselfe VVell hath he merited that thou shouldst honour him seeing he hath humbled himselfe to honour thee And seeing it is iust that I should honour praise him teache me to sing this Hymne of the Angells with the same spirit that they sang it Gloria in Altissimis Deo Glorye in the Highest to God Luc. 2.14 In these wordes the Angells teache vs that all this worke of the Incarnation is the Glorye of God in a supreame excellencye so that none of his workes is so glorious vnto him as this for the which he meriteth to be praised by all such as professe Highnesse of Life and in Heauen for this hee is especially glorified and reason would he should be so heere on Earthe seeing for this cause it is full of the glorye of God as the Seraphines saide Isa 6.2 when the Prophet Isaias sawe the glorye of this our Lorde O king of glorye lift vp my Hearte to the highest that I may glorifye thy name on Earthe Colloquie Ioa. 12.41 1 Cor. 10.31 as the Angells doe glorifye it in Heauen VVhatsoeuer I shall doe or say let it be to thy glorye without seeking my owne and from my mouthe shall neuer departe this worde Glorye be to God three and one-Glorye to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghoste Glorye to the Father for that he gaue me his Sonne Glory to the Sonne for that he became man for my redemption and glory to the Holy Ghoste from whose Loue this VVorke did proceede Et in terra Pax. And in Earthe peace which is to saye Luc. 2.14 By this notable worke commeth Peace to the inhabitantes of the Earthe and not a peace limited but very compleate Peace with God and with Angells Peace to euery one with himselfe and with all other men for this Sauiour bringeth Reconciliation of the worlde to his Father the Remission of Sinnes Victory ouer the Deuills Subiection of the fleshe to the Spirit Vnion and Concord of willes one with another and with God from whence proceedeth Alacritye of Conscience Phil. 4.7 and that Peace which passeth all Vnderstanding O Prince of Peace seeing it is written that in thy dayes Iustice should be borne Colloquie and Abundance of Peace till the moone should haue an ende Psal 71.7 I humbly beseeche thee to take from me all worldely mutabillitye and to fortifye mee with diuine Sanctitye and Peace Hominibus bonae Voluntatis To men of good will Luc. 2.14 In this third worde we are to ponder that allbeeit Peace originally springeth from the good will that God beareth vs with the which he offereth it vnto all men yet in effect they only enjoye it that haue good Will well intentioned conformable to the Will of God and subject to his diuine Lawe So that Peace is not promised to men for beeing of good Vnderstanding or sharpe wit neither for greate abillities nor notable talents and naturall partes for with all these things there may be much Warre and Discorde and Enmitye with God whereas if all these should faile me yet Peace shall not be failing vnto me if I haue good Will And therefore I am to make more account thereof then of all the rest Hom. 5. in Euang. for as S. Gregory sayeth Nihil ditius bona voluntate There is nothing more riche more amiable nor more peaceable then good Will As contrarily there is nothing more miserable more full of Disturbance and of Horrour then euill Will And therefore with greate feruencye I am to beg of the Sauiour that is borne that hee will deliuer me from the euill and giue me the good seeing it lyeth in his Gift Heerepon another Text sayeth Hominibus bona voluntas Bee good Will vnto men O most sweete Sauiour Colloquie giue me this good VVill which thou offerest vs that I may denye my owne VVill Rom. 12.1 and may followe thine good pleasing and most perfect seeing thine is the beginning of all good and mine left to it owne free will the roote of all euill The fourth Pointe THe Angells hauing been a while with the Shepheardes retourned to Heauen and we may piously beleeue that they went by the Inne of Bethlehem without any sensible noise and that there they renewed their Song so that the blessed VIRGIN and S. Ioseph might heare it and adore the Childe newe borne with greater reuerence as their God and their king O what content receiued the blessed VIRGIN with this Musicke and how thankefull was shee to the eternall Father for the honour he did to his Sonne and how Ioyfull to beholde so greate an Hoste of Angells and how confirmed in Faithe calling to mynd that which is written Heb. 5.6 Let all his Angells adore him I o my God adore thee with them Colloquie and with them I sing Gloria in this poore maunger of thine and I desire that all the VVorlde may sing it vnto thee in thy Church that by all thou maiest be glorified worlde without ende Amen The ninetenth Meditation Of the going of the Shepheardes to Bethlehem and what there happened vnto them and all the rest vnto the Circumcision The first Pointe THe Angells being departed Luc. 2.15 the Shepheardes exhorted one another saying Let vs goe ouer to Bethlehem and let vs see with our eyes this worde that is donne which our Lorde hath shewed to vs. And they came with speede and they founde MARIE and Ioseph and the Infant layed in the Manger Where I am to ponder first how the Shepheardes forgot not this reuelation but charitably animated one another to this iourney for that the Inspirations and Commaundements of God are not to be forgotten but executed exhorting vs with wordes examples to the Accomplishment heereof Ezech. 3.13
greater wisdome nor assurednesse then to heare the voice of God and to stand for his Gouernment seeing as our Lord himselfe saide by the Prophet Isaias Isa 32.17 all is ordained for our righteousnesse and abundant peace O how full of Contentment retourned these kings on their waye and how well did they thinke their Labour and Trauell employed for the things of God although they bee painefull in the beginnings they haue alwaies good endes And therefore it is greate Wisdome to begin by that Labour whose ende shall be temporall and eternall repose rejoicing in God worlde without ende Amen The XXIIII Meditation Of the Purification of the B. VIRGIN and of the Presentation of the Childe in the Temple The first Pointe THe olde Lawe commaunded Leui. 12 2 Luc. 2.12 that a woman hauing conceiued by a man if she brought forth a male childe she should remaine forty dayes retired in her house as vncleane at the ende whereof she should goe to the Temple to be purified offering for her Sinne a Lambe The heroical vertues of the B. Virgin a Turtle if she were poore a paire of Turtles or Pigeons desiring the preiste to pray vnto God for her This Lawe the B. VIRGIN accomplished with the exercize of admirable Vertues especially she exercized sixe like the sixe leaues of the whitest Lillye for the which the speeche of the celestiall spouse is very fitting vnto her Cantic 2.2 As the Lillye among Thornes so is my beloued among the Daughters The first Vertue was greate Loue to retirednesse with such delight therein that albeit the Lawe had not commaunded it yet it would haue pleased her to continue those forty dayes in her secret Corner attending only to contemplate the greatenesses of her Sonne to nourish him wherewith she remained so full of contentment that in regarde of him shee respected not the Companye of the whole worlde The second Vertue was greate Loue to puritye and cleane-nesse of Hearte giuing good demonstrations thereof in that shee being most pure delighted to be more purified obseruing the Lawe of Purification that her beloued might say of her Thou art all faire my beloued Cantic 4.7 and there is no spot in thee The third Vertue was Heroicall Obedience for albeit she knewe that she was not obliged to keepe this lawe for that she had not conceiued by the worke of man yet notwithstanding as her Sonne fullfilled the Lawe of Circumcision so she would entirely fullfill this Lawe to conforme herselfe with other women to obserue the common Lawes of all without hauing exemption priuiledge nor dispensation and without vsing therein Ambages or Interpretations euen in that wherein she might lawfully haue vsed them And so the forty dayes being fully ended with greate puntuallitye and readinesse she set forward on her waye to Hierusalem with rare modestye and Alacritye rejoicing with her Sonne whome she bare in her armes by whose example she learned this manner of Obedience The fourth Vertue was rare Humillitye in willing to be treated as one vncleane and as one that stood in neede of being purifyed as if she had not beene a VIRGIN demonstrating heerein greate Loue to puritie Humilliation by whose example I may be ashamed to see myselfe so prowde so desirous to bee reputed as pure and holy being contrarily a sinner that so foule abhominable that my righteousnesse as saieth the Prophet Isaias is like a cloth stained with menstrueous blood Isa 64.6 The fifth Vertue was greate Loue to Pouertye the sister of Humillitye for though with the golde that these kings gaue her she was able peraduenture to buye a Lambe and to offer it as riche noble Women vsed to doe yet she would be treated like a poore woman and offer the Sacrifize that was assigned to the poore which was a paire of turtles or two young pigeons The sixth was the greate Deuotion and Reuerence wherewith she gaue this offering to the Preiste requesting him with greate Humillitye to pray vnto God for her shee herselfe being one that might haue prayed for all For as the Lilly within her sixe leaues containeth other sixe little sprigs with their buttons like golde so the blessed VIRGIN to these sixe Vertues conjoyned diuerse Affections of an intention purely and directly for the glorye of God inkindled with the fier of Charitye and resplendent with the golde of caelestiall Wisdome O most sacred VIRGIN Colloquie I reioice to beholde thee so riche in Vertues and so carefull and diligent in exercizing them Cant. 2.2 Ex D. Ber. serm in Cant. now I perceiue how exceeding true it is that thou art as a Lilly among Thornes for in comparison of thee we are blacked and besmeared with the thornes of our Sinnes and thou art a most white and pure Lilly with the sixe leaues of these soueraigne Vertues VVell may we see o soueraigne Queene that thou diddest allwayes contemplate this king layed in his manger and in thy lappe seeing thy Spirit like spikenard gaue it accustomed odour to imitate him Cant. 1.11 sending out the most sweete odour of Puritye Humillitye and Obedience inkindled with the fier of Charitye obtaine for me o blessed LADYE that I may beholde him and thee with such a spirit as may send forth the like odour Amen The second Pointe THe Lawe likewise commaunded that all the first borne of the Hebrewes should be offered to God as holy Exod. 13.2 in acknowledgement of the fauour he did them in bringing them out of Egipt killing in a night all the first borne of the Egiptians And for the accomplishment of this Lawe our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN carried her Sonne to the Temple to offer him to the eternall Father Heere I am to consider first the Spirit and Deuotion wherewith the blessed VIRGIN made this offering in her name and in the name of all mankinde saying to the eternall Father Beholde heere o eternall Father thy only begotten Sonne as he is God and my only first borne as he is man he that was represented by all the first borne that hitherto haue beene offered vnto thee and whose offering thou so much hast desired I offer him with all my Hearte in thankesgiuing for hauing giuen him mee for I haue nothing more precious to offer vnto thee thine he is take him vnto thee in whome he shall be better employed then in mee I likewise offer him vnto thee in the odour of sweetenesse for the saluation and redemption of the whole worlde Receiue o my God this offering more precious then that of Abel more sweete then that of Noe more holy then that of Abraham and more excellent then all those that Moyses ordained and by this I beseeche thee to pardon all mortall men and to admitte them into thy grace and freindship O how well pleased might the eternall Father be with this oblation aswell for the deuotion of the person that offered it as for the Sanctitye of
the offering that was presented him Secondly I will consider the Spirit wherewith this most blessed Childe offered himselfe in the Temple to his eternall Father Beholde heere might he say o eternall Father thy only begotten Sonne who was made man to obey thee and commeth into the Temple to honour thee heere I present myselfe before thy maiestie and I offer myselfe to thy seruice and to the accomplishment of thy Will Psalm 36.77.51 And for that neither the Deathe of so many first borne as perished in Egipt nor the offering of the first borne of Israel hath beene acceptable vnto thee for the saluation of men I offer myselfe to dye for them that my Deathe and the sacrifize of my blood may appease thy wrathe and deliuer thy people from the seruitude of sinne In this sorte was fullfilled that speeche of S. Paul Qui dilexit nos Ephes 5.2 tradidit semetipsum hostiam oblationem Deo in odorem suauitatis Who loued vs and deliuered himselfe for vs an oblation and host to God in an odour of sweetenesse And it is to bee beleeued that this offering happened in the morning at such time as in the temple was offered the sacrifize of the Lambe Exod. 29.39 Num. 28.4 called the morning Lambe that there might be a correspondence betweene the figure and the figured O how sweete was this offering to the eternall Father how content remained he therewith as one that was desirous thereof for that the offrings of all the other first-borne were of no value but as they were representations of this Thirdly I am to imagine that albeit our Sauiour Christ made this offering for all men yet he made it likewise particularly for mee holding me present in his memorye Hearte And with this consideration in the Temple of my Soule I will present myselfe in spirit before the eternall Father and in companye of the blessed VIRGIN and of the Childe himselfe I will offer him vnto him in Thankesgiuing for hauing giuen him to me for my Redeemer and master beseeching him to accept this offering and for it to reconcile mee to himselfe and to make me partaker of his giftes O soueraigne Father with all the affection of my Hearte I offer vnto thee thy only begotten Sonne Colloquie and though it being I that doe offer him I deserue to be reiected yet the offering being such as it is I hope to be admitted receiue it o Lord in an odour of sweetenesse and for it graunte mee remission of my Sinnes that with a pure Hearte I may appeare in thy presence in the Temple of thy glorye Amen The third Pointe THe same Lawe likewise commaunded that these first-borne should be redeemed for fiue sicles Exod. 13.13 Leuitic 27.6 and so the blessed VIRGIN redeemed her Sonne paying them to the Prieste who tooke them and retourned her Sonne vnto her Vpon this passage I am to consider who maketh this sale of the Childe who it is that buyeth him with what price and for whome and what benefits arize thereof First I will consider how the eternall Father to whome this Childe offered himselfe will not keepe to himselfe that which was giuen him but would a newe giue him to the Worlde and to men and sell him to them for their good demonstrating heerein his infinite Liberallitye and Bountye which is so farre from repenting to haue giuen vs what he once gaue vs that he ratifieth the Donation inuenting newe respectes to giue vs what he hath giuen vs. She that buyeth and redeemeth him is the blessed VIRGIN to bring him vp as her Sonne and yet she also will not detaine him to herselfe but will nourish him for vs and buy him that he may be employed for our good The price is no more but fiue sicles O eternall Father Colloquie how cheape doest thou sell a thing that is so precious why doest thou equall this first-borne in price with the rest if the rest were redeemed for fiue sicles this was to be redeemed for many millions for he is infinitely more worth then all the rest But I now perceiue o Lord that this is to aduise me that although the name of this ransome soundeth sale and price yet he is giuen vs freely and of meere grace that I may incessantly thanke thee for this newe grace for the which mayest thou be glorifyed and praised by all thy Creatures worlde without ende Amen I may also consider the Spirit that is included in the price of these fiue sicles by the which is signified the price wherewith is bought the most precious golde of diuine Wisdome which is Christ Apoc. 3.17 Isa 55.1 in such sorte as it may be bought This price is the mortification of the fiue senses and the actes of the fiue Vertues which dispose vs to obtaine Grace and the perfection thereof that is to say Liuely faithe Feare of God Dolour for Sinnes Confidence in Gods mercye and an effectuall Resolution to obey God and wholely to accomplish his holy will Therefore Colloquie o my Soule if thou desirest to haue Christ to be thine consider that he is not bought with golde nor siluer but with these fiue sicles of the Spirit offer them to the eternall Father and he will giue him vnto thee Fourthly I will ponder the ende wherefore he is redeemed and bought which is to be the Slaue and Seruant of men and to deliuer himselfe for them vnto Deathe O sweete IESVS Colloquie how willingly doest thou suffer thyselfe to be solde and redeemed to vndoe by thy sale that which I by sinning did with my Soule and to redeeme it with thy ransome that it might bee perpetually thine and yet thy Loue stoppeth not heere for thou art readye to be solde againe by a false Disciple and bought by thy enemies to take from thee thy life making an ende of our redemption with thy Deathe Blessed be thy immense Charitye that is neuer satisfied nor wearied in doing vs good O my Soule reioice that the blessed VIRGIN hath bought her Sonne for thee be glad that IESVS is alreadye thine seeing his Father hath giuen him thee for fiue sicles O good IESVS thou art mine by this newe buying but I yeilde myselfe to be thine Cant. 2.16 and with greate Confidence will say My beloued to me and I to him bee it so o Lord that thou leaue not me nor I neuer leaue thee Amen The XXV Meditation Of what happened in the Presentation Luc. 2.25 with Simeon and Anna the Prophetesse The first Pointe IN those dayes there was a man in Hierusalem named Simeon and this man was iust and religious expecting the consolation of Israel and the holy Ghoste was in him and he had receiued an aunswere from the holy Ghoste that he should not see deathe vnlesse he sawe first the Christ of our Lord. Vpon this pointe I will consider first how the holy Ghoste desiring to manifest IESVS Christ newly borne raised vp two
omnes qui in domo sunt vestra Si amatur à vobis corpus Christi id est vnitas Ecclesiae rapite eos ad fruendum dicite Magnificate Dominū mecum exaltemus nomen eius in idipsum If you Loue God attract and drawe to the Loue of God all those that are joyned with you and all those that liue in your house If you loue the bodye of Christe which is the vnitye of the Churche attract them all to enjoy God and say vnto them with Dauid Magnifye ye our Lord with mee and let vs praise his name together and herein bee not sparing nor backward but Rapite quos potestis hortando portando rogādo disputando rationem reddendo cum mansuetudine lenitate Gaine vnto God as many as you can by all possible meanes according to your habilitie by exhorting them by supporting them by entreating them by disputing with them and by giuing them reason for all things appertaining to Christian Faithe perfection with all Meekenesse and Lenitye to the ende that all may magnifie God with one and the same spirite of loue For this diuine fier whose propertye is Pro. 30.16 neuer to say enough is not contented to inflame the hearte of him whome it possesseth that hee alone with all whatsoeuer is within him should burne in the loue of his Creator but without all trace of enuie it extendeth its sparkles and flames to all his kinred freindes and neighbours to all those that are any way joyned vnto him but especially to those of his owne house that liue vnited with him in the same profession that there may bee no one at all therein but may loue and glorifye God with great feruor in such sort that inkindled with this fier they may fasten it vpon others and those others vpon more that so it may bee dilated thoroughout the whole worlde fulfilling that desire wherewith our Lord IESVS Christ came from heauen as hee himselfe declared it Luc. 12.49 saying I came to cast fier on the earth and what will I but that it bee kindled And this was my intention in writing these meditations wherewith by the vertue of Gods Spirit Psal 38.4 this coelestiall fier may bee inkindled in our heartes The forme whereof with other Aduertisements how to make best proffit of them I will set downe in the Introduction which followeth especially in the fourth and last paragraph ◠And if it shall please our Lord that I attaine to what I pretend I beseeche the Christian Reader that shall participate of this fier to put in vre the counsell of the Psalmist Psal 33.4 and of his Commentator S. Augustine with mee magnifying and praising God the fountaine of all good and procuring that this fier may bee communicated to others to the ende that all men both present and to come may loue magnifye and praise our Lord God world with out end THE INTRODVCTION TO THESE MEDITATIONS Wherein is set downe a Summarye of such things as are comprehended in the practise and exercize of Mentall Praier SO high and soueraigne is the exercise of Mentall praier wherein wee meditate vpon the mysteries of our holy Faithe and conuerse familiarly with God our Lorde that the principall master thereof can bee no other but the holy Ghost himselfe who as S. 1. Ioan. 2 27. Iohn saithe is the Vnction that teacheth all things by whose inspiration the holy Fathers learned it and left vs in writing many aduises and documents of much importance how to exercize it with proffit following the motion of that principall master whome they followed in imitation of whome making my proffit of their doctrine and experience I will heere make a summary of the principall things wich mentall praier comprehendeth which stallbee briefe cleare and distinct that all may vnderstand it and reduce it to practize omitting larger declarations and discourses of what I shall saye to that which other Doctors haue written thereof Neuerthelesse for the manifestation of the truthe and authority of what I am to saye aswell in this summary as in the meditations of this booke I will alledge in the margent the Fountaines from I whence I haue drawne it which are three The first is the Sacred Scripture Ioan. 5.39 the principall Founte of this Spirituall Science wherein is contained life euerlasting and the most excellent meanes that are to arriue to haue a taste of it in this life and full possession of it in the life to come The second Fountaine is the holy Fathers who were the masters of mysticall Theologie or diuinitie making choise of the most auncient and by God most illustrated or lightened therein such as were S. Dyonise S. Basile S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Cassian S. Gregory S. Bernard and such others and with them I will likewise take for my Guide our Father and Founder Ignatius of glorious memorye following the order and forme which hee left vs in his booke which hee made of Spirituall Exercises the authoritie whereof is very greate aswel for that wee beleeue and not without much foundation that hee wrotte it by speciall reuelation and inspiration of God as the holy Spirit interiourly dictated vnto him and taught him these Exercises as also for that it was approoued by Pope Paulus Tertius in a Bull graunted the yeare 1548. which goeth in the beginning of the saide Booke whose approbation experience hath confirmed with meruailous effects which our Lord God hath wrought and daily worketh in those which exercize his meditations as it is largely prosecuted by Father Pedro de Ribadeneyra in the Historye Lib. 1. cap. 8. which hee wrote of the life of this excellent man I will heere adde onely concerning his booke that the kingdome of Heauen which is comprehended in the Doctrine thereof Matth. 13.32 is like as is also the diuine Scripture from whence hee extracted it to a graine of mustard seede which being the leaste of all seedes groweth to such greatenesse that it becommeth as it were a tree vpon whose branches the foules of the aire doe repose for if wee beholde but the outside and apparence of this booke it is litle and breife and written in a plaine and simple stile but if wee regarde what is contained within it is effectuall in vertue ardent in affections lofty in sense large in discourse and ample in the seuerall manners of praying and contemplating in such sorte that vpon the branches thereof they may finde rest and spirituall foode who like the foules of the aire soare aloft in contemplation Ad Philip 3.20 hauing as S. Paule saith their conuersation trafficke in heauen All this shall bee clearely made manifest by that which wee shall pointe at in this breife Introduction shall more amply discourse of in the sixe partes of this booke which are as it were sixe branches of the tree of these soueraigne Exercises Cant. 2.3 Apoc. 22.2 Cant. 2.5 whose shadowe shall bee the refuge of such as
are Tempted and afflicted the leaues thereof shall bee the healthe of such as are Soule-sicke the odoriferous flowers thereof shall comfort such as are Young beginners in Vertue the sweete fruites thereof shall fortifye such as are Proficients and doe goe formard therein and the round cup thereof shal bee the resting place of such as are Perfect For all shall finde meditations and formes of Praying accomodated to their Estates as soone after shall bee seene And that it may appeare how the Pietie and Soueraignety of misticall Theologie is founded vpon the rigorous veritie of Scholasticall Diuinitie the third Fountaine of what I shall say shal bee the Schoole-Doctors of whome I will onely alledge the Angelicall Doctor S. Thomas for that hee alone is auaileable for ten thousand witnesses whose Doctrine is sounde secure and well approoued and with the Verities of Scholasticall Theologye hee pointeth at the profoundest conceiptes and highest sense of mysticall Diuinitie for both of them are Sisters and in both is notably excellent this glorious Doctor as was his master S. Augustine and his Companion S. Bonauenture of whose Doctrine I shall likewise make vse And because that notwithstanding I haue had so good guides yet as a man I may erre in what I shall write my will is that all whatsoeuer shall bee subject to the correction of holy mother Church which is the foundation and piller of Truthe from the which whensoeuer either thorough ignoraunce or negligence I shal departe I forth with reuoke whatsoeuer I shall haue saide VVhat Mentall Praier is § 1. MEntall Praier whereof wee heere intreate is a worke of the three interiour Faculties of the Soule Memory Vnderstanding and VVill Ex P. Ignatio in 1. exer citio primae hebdomadae Ex D. Tho. 2.2 q. 83. art 1. q. 180. art 1. 3. 4. 3. p. q. 31. exercising by Gods fauour their Actes about those mysteries and Truthes which our holy Catholike Faithe teacheth and speaking within our selues to God our Lord conuersing familiarly with him begging of him his guiftes and negotiating all what soeuer is necessary for our Saluation and perfection in such sorte that the Substance of mentall Praier consisteth principally in these foure thinges 1. The first is with the memory to bee mindefull of God our Lorde with whome wee are to speake and to negociate and to bee mindefull also of the mysterie that is to bee meditated passing breifely thorough the memorye with clearenesse and distinction that which is to be the matter of the meditation as it is taught by faithe and as it is diuided into seuerall pointes in the forme that heereafter wee shall set downe And that this memorye or recordation bee not drye it is good to joyne thereunto the Actions of Faithe beleeuing with the greatest liuelynesse that wee can the verities of that mysterie because God whoe is all Truthe hath reuealed them making of Faithe a Ladder to mount vp to perfect knowledge Cap. 7. iuxta 70 D. Hier. ibid. seeing that as Isaias saithe vnlesse you beleeue you shal not vnderstand 2. The second thing is with the vnderstanding to make seuerall discourses and considerations about that mysterie inquiring and searching out the Verities comprehended therein with all the causes proprieties effectes and circumstances that it hath pondering them very particularly In such sorte that the Vnderstanding may forme a true proper and entire conceipt of the thing that it meditateth and may remaine conuinced and perswaded to receiue and to embrace those Truthes that it hath meditated to propound them to the VVill and to moue it therby to exercize its Actions 3. The third is with Free will to drawe out sundry Affections or vertuous Actes conformable to that which the Vnderstanding hath meditated some ordained to himselfe others ordained to God our Lord as are Hatred of our selues Sorrowe for our Sinnes Confusion of our owne misery Loue of God Trust in his mercye Praises of God Thankesgiuing for benefits receiued Desire to obtaine true Vertues effectuall Purposes to doe good workes and to change and amende our Life Resignation of our selues to the VVil of God offering to doe and to suffer whatsoeuer God shall ordaine and dispose and other such like the which wee call Affections for that they are to bee donne with the Affection and Liking of the VVill moued by what the Vnderstanding hath demonstrated vnto it and in these consisteth that which wee call substantiall Deuotion from the which ariseth the spirituall peace and alacritye of the Soule And to them as saith S. 2.2 q. 82 art 3. q. 180. art 7. ad 1. Lib. 3. de fide orthodoxa cap. 24. Thomas is principally ordained meditation and contemplation and those other Actes of the Vnderstanding which are exercized in Mentall Praier for which cause S. Iohn Damascene saide of it that it is Ascensus mentis in Deum an Ascending of our Spirit to God joyning vs with him by actuall knowledge and Loue. 4. The fourth thing is to make Petitions to God our Lord holding speeche and conference with him in reason to aske of him what the VVill hath desired and the Vnderstanding hath seene and all else that wee haue neede of wherein consisteth that which wee properly call Praier which is an humble confident and feruent Petition of such things as are conuenient for vs and wee desire to obtaine of our Lorde These Petitions and colloquies or speeches are to bee directed sometimes to the eternall Father other sometimes to his onely begotten Sonne Christ IESVS and other sometimes to the whole most blessed Trinitye alledging to them Titles and Reasons that may moue them to graunte vs what wee demaund These Titles may bee taken from three partes Ex D. Th. 2.2 q. 83. art 17. some from the parte of God as hee is God to witte asking him something for his Goodnesse for the Loue that hee beareth vs for the Desire hee hath of our good for that hee Commandeth vs to aske him for the Glorye of his holy name that hee may bee praised by all his Creatures and finally there may bee made as it were a Litanye of his Perfections and Attributes saying vnto him Graunt mee o Lord what I require of thee for thy owne sake for thy Charitye for thy Mercye for thy Liberallitye for thy VVisdome for thy Omnipotencye for thy Immensitye and Eternitye c. Other Titles there are on the parte of Christ IESVS our Lord true God and man to witte by his Incarnation and Natiuitye by his Circumcision and Presentation in the Temple by his flying into Egipt by his Fastings by his Hunger Colde and Nakednesse and by all the Labour and Trauell of his Preaching Againe by the Dolours Ignominies and Torments of his Passion and Deathe alledging his Sweating of Blood his Imprisoning his Scourging his Crowne of Thornes his Nailing his Gall and Vineger and the rest Sometimes speaking to the eternall Father beseeching him to heare mee for the Loue
Angell Gardian may bee alledged that hee comply with the Office hee holdeth to present our praiers vnto God and to procure a good dispatche of them and that his honour is interessed in our beeing good and hauing a happy issue of our pretention of Heauen and that seeing the Deuill sleepeth not to tempt vs that hee sleepe not but bee watchfull to defende vs. After this sorte wee may speake to the rest of the Sainctes that shall offer themselues in the matter of meditation or to whome wee are deuoted rather to stirre vp deuotion in ourselues then to moue them thereby for as they loue vs and desire our Saluation they are very much inclined to sollicite it Of the Vertues that accompany Mentall Praier and of their Excellencies §. 3. BY what hath beene deliuered in the two precedent paragraphes it followeth how excellent a thing Mentall Praier is wherein are exercized so many Lib. 2. de orando Deo ad finém and so heroycall Actes of the most principall Vertues that are in Christian life For the which S. Iohn Chrysostome saide with very greate reason That as when a Queene entreth into a Citty there enter with her in her Company many Ladyes Noblemen of the Courte beside her Garde and Innumerable People that followe her so when Praier entreth into the Soule there enter with her all the Vertues accompanying the Spirit of Praier Some Vertues goe before preparing the waye and disposing the Soule to pray as it ought as are Faithe Humillitye Reuerence and Puritye of Intention and others which hereafter wee shall speake of according to that saying of the VViseman Eccles 18 â—3 Before Praier prepare thy Soule and bee not as a man that tempteth God Other Vertues goe side by side with her as are Charitye Religion and Deuotion and VVisesedome and those other guiftes of the holy Ghost which illuminate the Vnderstanding and ayde meruailously to Praier as in the 27. meditation of the fifth parte of this woorke shall bee seene Innumerable other Vertues followe after her as are feruent Desiers and Purposes of all that is good in matter of Obedience and Patience of Temperance Modestye Chastitye and the rest And aswell the one as the other inweaue themselues with Praier and among themselues exercize diuerse Actes that are an Ornament and Decking the one of the other for Humillitye ioyneth herselfe with Confidence and Charitye D. Chri. lib. 2. de orando â— Deo Homil. in Psal 4. Nilus ca. 13. de oratione Climacus gradu 28 Charitye with Religion and Thankesgiuing Religion with Obedience and Resignation and thus with a celestiall and diuine Consort they make a musicke of many voices VVhereupon many holy Fathers say That Praier maketh men like Angells not onely for that it is a VVorke of the superiour faculties wherein men are like them but for that it communicateth vnto men an Angelicall life full of puritye and Sanctitye By Praier when it is perfect they participate the ardent Loue of the Seraphins the fullnesse of knowledge of the Cherubins the peace and quietnesse of the Thrones the rule ouer themselues of the Dominations the power against Diuells of the Povvers the Magnanimity for meruailous thinges of the Vertues the discretion in gouernment of the Principallities the Fortitude in difficult and hard things of the Archangells and the Obedience in all things of the Angells and finally the VVisdome Chastitye and Cleane-nesse of the celestiall Spirites For there can bee nothing saithe S. Chrysostome more wise nor more just nor more holy then a man that speaketh to God as it is meete for him from whome hee receiueth most aboundantly those gâ—â—â—â—es and graces wherein consisteth true VVisdome and perfect Iustice and Sanctitye The reason hereof is because as our Lord is very courteous and gentle and Inspireth vs to pray hee speaketh to vs when wee speake to him and conuerseth familiarly with those that enter into theire heart to treate and conuerse with him and the conuersation and speache of God is not of wordes alone but of workes Serm. 45. in Cantica for as S. Bernard saieth Locutio verbi est infusio doni For God to speake is to communicate guiftes infusing his Graces and Vertues vpon them to whome hee speaketh filling them with that spirituall joy that cannot bee expressed with that peace that passeth all Vnderstanding 1. Petr. 1.8 Ad Phil. 4.7 Psal 84.9 And hereupon saide Dauid I will heare what our Lord God will speake in mee because hee will speake peace vpon his People vpon his Saintes and vpon them that are conuerted to the Heart Hereupon it is that in Praier wee are in such sorte to speake vnto God that wee bee attentiue to hearken and to heare what hee speaketh vnto vs by his Inspirations to obey them and to dispose ourselues to receiue those guiftes which thereby hee pretendeth to communicate vnto vs as wee shall see in the second parte in the 26. meditation By what hath beene saide appeareth the excellencye and necessitye of mentall Praier of the which Cassianus saith Colla. 9. c. 1. That it hath such a connexion with all Vertues that neither they can bee perfectly obtained nor conserued without Praier nor perfect Praier bee obtained without them for it saith hee is the ende of all and to it are directed all the Labour and Trauell wee take to gaine them Forasmuch as Praier whereof wee here treate in its perfect degree embraceth vnion with God by the mean 〈◊〉 actuall knowledge and Loue with greate Ioye in possessing him Gradu 28. From whence it ariseth that God as S. Iohn Climacus sayeth in Praier payeth in readye mony a hundreth times double of that which is left or laboured for his cause besides greate pledges of the last rewarde that is to bee giuen in the life euerlasting Many things I might say of this Soueraigne Vertue which I omitte because this booke is written for those that desire to exercise it in respect of the greate estimation they holde of it And in the Prologues and Introductions to euery one of the sixe partes of this booke some thinge shall bee spoken to discouer the excellencye of this soueraigne exercise and the good that proceedeth of it Of the matter of Mentall Praier for Meditation §. 4. THE matter of Mentall Praier wherein the three Faculties of the Soule especially the Vnderstanding are to exercize their Actes is all that which God hath reuealed in the Diuine Scripture especially the principall mysteries of our Faithe which therein are most expressed and recommended These mysteries may bee reduced in generall to three Orders Ex D. Dionys cap. 3. de Eccles Hierar cap. 5. P. Ignatius in annot annotatio 10. Iacob 4.8 Psal 33.6 accomodated to the diuerse Estates of those that meditate among the which some are sinners that desire to get out of their Sinnes or young Principiants or beginners that desire to mortifye the Vices and Passions of
vnworthy of them nay rather of our parte wee are to refuse them with Humillitye because of the Daunger wee may incurre of being deluded by Sathan transfigured into an Angell of Light But when God shall communicate them they are to bee receiued with Humillitye and Thankesgiuing and with greate Cautele In the 19 meditation and Prudence following certaine Aduertisements which wee shall giue in this booke especially in the third parte meditating the miracle wherin Christe was helde for a Phantasme And in the fifth parte meditating the apparitions In the 3 meditation and the resifolovving and reuelations that Christe our Lord made to his Apostles Disciples wherein wee will set downe the signes and effects that are wrought in the Soule by the visitation of God the comming of the holy Spirit to what height of Life hee exalteth by the meanes of his seuen guiftes celestiall Inspiratiōs which is that wee all ought to desire pretende But that wee may haue some Light of these extraordinary and meruailous meanes that God hath to cheare Soules to communicate himselfe vnto them in Mentall Praier I will pointe at some of them wherein also are touched certaine things that passe ordinarily in all and it is good to knowe them for they will helpe to vnderstand an ordinarye forme of Praier by application of the Sences whereof wee are hereafter to treate For declaration whereof I aduertise that as the Bodye hath his fiue exteriour Senses wherewith hee perceiueth the visible and delectable things of this life taketh experience of them so the Spirit with his faculties of Vnderstanding and VVill hath fiue interiour Actes proportioned to these Sences which wee call Seeing Hearing Smelling Tasting and Touching spiritually with the which hee perceiueth the inuisible and delectable things of God and taketh experience of them Ex Cassian collat 12. cap. 13. Ex Gerson 3. p. tract de mistica Theologia cap. 2 de diuinis nominibus from which springeth the experimentall notice or knowledge of God which incomparably exceedeth all the knowledges that proceede of our Discourses as the sweetenesse of Honye is much better knowne by tasting a litle of it then by making greate Discourses to knowe it And so by these Experiences misticall Theologye is obtained which is the sauoury wisdome Science of God in such sorte that S. Dionisius saithe of Diuine Hierotheus that hee had knowledge of Diuine things not onely by the Doctrine of the Apostles nor onely by his Industrye and Discourse but by Affection and Experience of them the which is obtained by meanes of the fiue Interiour Senses of which the saied Scripture maketh much mention Aug. lib. 10. cōfes lib. de spiritu anima c. 9. Bern. lib. de digni natura amoris diuini c. 6. sequentibus Serm. 22 in Cant. Ad Heb. 11.27 and the holy Fathers especially S. Augustine S. Gregory S. Bernard and others whose sayings S. Bonauenture copiously alledgeth in his Treatinge of the seuen wayes to eternitye in the sixt waye from whome I will borrowe somewhat of that which I here shall deliuer presupposing that as the glorious S. Bern. saithe In huiusmodi non capit Intelligētia nisi quantum experiētia attingit In many of these things the Vnderstāding attaineth no more thē that which Experience perceiueth And therefore I will goe also pointing as it were to that which belongeth to all 1. First God our Lord communicateth himselfe sometimes by a spirituall presence with his Illuminations communicating to the Vnderstanding a manner of Light so eleuated that by it like another Moises it beholdeth and regardeth the Inuisible as if it were visible And albeit it rest with the Vertue of Faithe yet it resteth so illustrated and perfected concerning the mysteries thereof that it appeareth another light This sight vseth to goe accompanyed with a kinde of Spirituall Alacritie which is called Iubilie leaping as it were with pleasure and Ioye for the strangenesse of the Diuine Greatenesses that it hath seene according to that which is written in Iob Iob. 33.26 I will make Praier to God and will appease him and I shall see his face with Iubilie To this manner of Contemplation or Interiour beholding our Lord himselfe inuiteth vs saying Vnbusy yourselues Psal 45.11 and see for I am God which is to say Cease from Sinnes and disoccupye yourselues from terrene businesses and attend carefully to the consideration of my VVorkes and you shall come to see with greate light that I onely am God glorious among the nations and exalted ouer the whole Earthe Psal 76.3 96.11 Somewhat hereof our Lord communicatcth very ordinarily to his Seruauntes by certaine sodaine Illustrations which like Lightenings discouer vnto them some Veritie of our holy Faithe after a manner very different from what they perceiued before which allbeeit they passe sodainely yet they leaue the Heart very much Inflamed in manifolde Affections of the Loue of God or Sorrowe for Sinnes according as the Veritie requireth which with that light they haue seene VVith these same Illuminations our Lord God also toucheth Sinners to conuert them discouering vnto them on a sodaine the gratenesse of their Sinnes the Daunger of their Damnation and other like Verities to moue and affectionate them to chaunge their liues which wee shall speake largely of in the fift parte in the twentieninth meditation of the conuersion of S. Paul 2. The second manner of our Lordes communicating himselfe vnto vs is by a Spirituall Hearing speaking within our Soule by his Inspirations certaine interiour liuely and effectuall wordes at times as distinct as those which are heard with our bodily eares with the which hee teacheth some Veritie or discouereth his VVill with such efficacie that it affecteth the fullfilling thereof And at times Cantic 5.6 as the Spouse saieth of herselfe the Soule is mollified waxeth tender and melteth in the Loue of God And that which helde the Hearte sad dismayed frozen and indurate or hardened for spirituall matters with one of these interiour wordes in a moment maketh it joyfull confident inkindled and softned for whatsoeuer God will doe with it And allbeeit these Interiour speakings vse to come after such an extraordinary manner that it is onely knowen to him that heareth them yet after another ordinary manner they passe thorough all and are called Inspirations for as the glorious Doctor S. Augustine saith The Interiour speaking of God our Lord is a secret Inspiration Lib. de triplici habitaculo by the which inuisibly hee discouereth to the Soule his VVill or his Truthe VVith this hee speaketh to the Iust and to Sinners but oftnest to those that are very spirituall whome hee teacheth correcteth reprehendeth or exhorteth comforteth moueth to the workes of Vertue and Perfection And therefore Dauid Psal 84.9 as one well experimented in feeling these Inspirations and diuine Impulsions saide I vvill heare vvhat our Lord God vvill speake in
meanes of Praier we so dispose ourselues that God may take them to his charge doe with his Omnipotencie and VVisdome what wee ourselues are not able to doe by reason of our Imbecillitye and Ignoraunce And if at any time for true want of healthe or for other lawfull or vrgent cause wee shal bee forced to Interrupt our Praier the impediment beeing past wee are forthwith to retourne to our Exercise that the interruption which began thorough necessitie bee not prosecuted by Slothe Lastly that no man may exempt himselfe from this so high soueraigne an exercise I adde that all in generall aswell those which haue a set time of retired praier if they will conserue their deuotion as also those that haue not this time to supplye this defect ought to exercize themselues often times euery daye in the briefe Actes of Mentall or Vocall Praier which wee call Iaculatorye Praiers whereof in the ninth Epis 121 ad Probā cap. 10. Chrisost hom 79. ad popúlum § wee haue made mention in the which as S. Augustine reporteth the Fathers in the Deserts exercized themselues very often euery daye briefely putting themselues in minde of God of his benefits or else of their owne Sinnes and shooting of by and by like a Darte a feruent Affection to heauen or some briefe Petition for some Vertue saying as it might bee thus O Lord that I neuer had offended thee O my God that I may Loue thee O that I may obey thee Giue mee o Lord Puritye of Soule Humillitye of Hearte Pouertye of Spirit Pardon my Sinnes o my Redeemer for they are very greate This manner of Praier beeing short Lib. 2. de institutis cap. 10. coll 9. cap. 35. In cōstitutionib Monast c. 2. is easy to all and may bee made with very greate attention and zeale as Cassianus aduertiseth vs. And for this cause they vse to bee very effectuall to obtaine of our Lord what wee require for as S. Basile saithe It is more auaileable to pray a litle and well with attention then to pray much after another manner for God is not ouercome with the much-nesse of Praiers but with the waight and feruour of them The breuitye of these praiers is to bee recompensed with the frequencye labouring by meanes thereof to fullfill in some sorte that which our Sauiour Christe saide Luc. 18.1 It behoueth allvvaies to praye and not to bee vvearye that is not to faile neither in the time assigned for Praier nor in the feruour thereof nor in confidence nor in possible frequencye Psal 75.11 multiplying these Iaculatory Praiers which as Dauid saithe are the reliques of those holy Cogitations that wee had in the morning making to ourselues a Feast preseruing Deuotion all the Daye S. Chrisostome saithe Lib. 1. de orando Deo ad finem That at least wee ought euery howre to offer vnto God one of these prayers Vt orandi cursus cursum diei aequet That the course of Praier may goe equall with the Course of the Day so that when the Clocke strikes the houre it may serue as an Alarum to Praier But those that are very feruent procure much more frequencye imitating the holy Monkes of Egipt of whome Cassianus saith that when they laboured Lib. 3. c. 2. lib. 2. c. 14. they also prayed all day Preces Orationes per singula momenta miscentes Mingling with their handy worke Praiers and Affections euery moment of the Day and by this short cut they arriued in litle time to much Sanctitye and attained to greate merites And it is not much that wee should bee very couetous of this holy exercize for as S. Opusc de perfectio vitae .c. 2. Bonauenture saieth at all times and at all howers wee may gaine by Praier that which is of much more value then the whole VVorlde And wee see manifestly that so it is for if a man should waste the whole daye in framing interiour Actes of Blasphemies Vengeances Hatred of God and Purposes of other greate Sinnes in the ende of the daye hee shall haue merited a terrible Hell So contrarily if hee spende it in the interiour Actes of this mentall Praier frequenting good Desires and Determinations to please God with Petitions of Vertues in the ende of the daye hee shall finde himselfe with incredible gaine of celestiall giftes and of an euerlasting rewarde for God is no lesse liberall in rewarding then hee is rigourous in chastizing VVee will put manye of these laculatorye praiers in the meditations of this booke specially in the third parte pondering some short praiers that were made to Christe our Lorde by some Leprous and blinde men by the VVoman of Chanaan the Sisters of Lazarus and such other like Certaine Aduertisements concerning the Meditations ensuing §. 13. FOR the good vse of the meditations ensuing I aduertise that there may bee diuerse endes in the reading of them as there were in the writing 1. The first ende is to imploy some litle tyme in that most noble and proffitable exercise which wee call Spirituall reading Aug. ser 22. ad frat D. Isid lib. 3. de summo bono .c. 8. D. Bern. ser 50. ad sororem wherein as the holy Fathers say God speaketh to the Hearte the same that is in the booke illustrating the Vnderstanding with the Light of the Verities there written and inkindling the VVill with the fier of other such like Affections And for this cause in some meditations I inlarge myselfe somewhat mixing certaine aduises and rules of Perfection concerning the Vices or Vertues whereof therein I treate that they which reade them to this ende may learne allso this Science of the Spirit But they must reade them with attention and repose ruminating and pondering what they reade with inward feeling thereof so that with their reading they joyne some manner of Meditation first beseeching our Lord to illuminate them and to speake vnto their Heartes the wordes of that booke 1. Reg. 3.10 saying with Samuel Speake Lord for thy seruant heareth 2. The second principall ende of reading these meditations is to recollect matter of retired Praier and Contemplation alone by himselfe with our Lord. In scala claustralium For as S. Bernard saieth Reading disposeth and aydeth to meditation which without it or some thing equiualent vseth to bee straying wandering and distracted And in such cases they are onely to reade those pointes that serue them to meditate in their hower assigned And because some times some pointe is large comprehending some three or foure considerations whose number is noted in the margent it shall bee good to diuide such a pointe into manye and breifely to gather for the meditation two or three verities of those considerations to ruminate them more at leasure And if any one desire to haue more copious matter of meditation hee may make of two poinres one Yet it is to bee noted that although wee prescribe in them the
Apocal. 4.2 22.3 I will Imagine God our Lorde seated in a throne of Infinite maiestie like an Immense Sea from whence issue out the Riuers of Creatures all retourning to him and hee attracting them all to himselfe as to their finall ende and place of their perpetuall rest Then will I humbly beseeche him for what I pretend in this meditation that is to say Celestiall Light to knowe my true finall ende and to directe according thereunto my crooked Life saying that of Dauid Psal 42.3 Sende forthe o Lord from on high thy light and thy truthe that they may guide mee and bring mee to thy holy mounte and to thy euerlasting Habitations for thou createdst mee to liue in them This donne I will begin my meditation in the forme ensuing The first Pointe THe first pointe shall bee to call to Memorye the ende wherefore man was created Ex P. Ignatio in fundamento Exercitiorum Ad Rom. 6.22 Ex Cassiano vbi supra that is to praise reuerence and serue his God and by this meanes to saue his Soule according to the saying of S. Paule to the Romanes You haue your fruits vnto Sanctification and your ende Life euerlasting as if hee should say The aime and ende of your workes in this Life is to serue God with puritye and Sanctitye and the finall ende whereunto they are ordained is to obtaine Life euerlasting Vpon this Veritye the Vnderstanding is to forme its Discourses to bring to light what is comprehended therein pondering thus VVho created mee and ordained mee to this ende and for what cause How soueraigne an ende this is How ill I haue pretended it in my forepassed life in what perill I haue beene to loose it VVhat heauye losses I sustaine by loosing it and How greate goods ensue if I obtaine it and That there is greate reason that from this daye forward I should vigilantly pretend to obtaine it VVith euery one of these Considerations I will moue the VVill to the Affections and Actes that it requireth in this manner 1. First I am to ponder how the Infinite Maiestie of God which hath no neede of his creatures not for my merits but of his meere Goodnesse created mee to his Image and Likenesse Not that I should liue at randome to followe myne owne Lustes nor that I should seeke Honours or Dignities Riches or Delicacyes or any other thing created but onely That I should reuerence and praise him That I should loue and obey him in this mortall Life and afterwardes obtaine Life euerlasting And although it had beene sufficient to giue mee for my Ende that which my Nature required yet God was not herewith contented but of his meere mercie hee ordained and raised mee to another more high and soueraigne ende which is to see him manifestly to enjoy him and to bee happy and blessed as are the Angells or as God is himselfe according to that of S. Iohn 1. Ioan. 3 〈◊〉 Colloquie VVee shall bee in glorie like vnto God because wee shal see him as hee is O Immense Charitie of our Soueraigne God! VVhat is this o Lorde that thou doest A Creature so miserable as this litle silly vvorme Man doest thou exalt to so high an ende as to see thee apparently in thy Glorye vvhat vvas not I obliged to serue thee freely for nothing as thy Slaue Then vvhy doest thou assigne mee so excellent a revvarde Blessed bee thy Infinite mercy and let all the Angells laude thee for this soueraigne Benefit VVhat shall I retourne thee o Lord Psal 115 12. for so greate a merced I offer myselfe to serue thee freely all my Life vvithout pretending any other interest more then to serue thee for to serue God is to raigne And seeing thou art my first beginning and my last ende giue forthvvith beginning to my nevve Life and ayde mee vvith thy grace that I may attaine to the finall ende thereof Amen 2. This donne I will ponder how ill I haue pretended this ende in my forepassed life liuing as if I had beene created not to serue God but to serue my owne Lustes and to seeke Honours Delicacies and Riches committing for this cause innumerable Sinnes 1. Thesal 4.3 Galat. 5.13 as if the ende of my Vocation had not beene Sanctification but Vncleanenesse not liberty of the Spirit but Libertye of the fleshe O vvretched I hovv blindely haue I gonne astray in that vvhich it most imported mee to knovve O hovv Ingratefull haue I beene to him that created mee to so high an ende and hovv euilly haue I repayed him that did mee so much good O my Creator that I had neuer offended thee Pardon o Lord my Transgressions for thyne ovvne sake and helpe mee to get out of them that I may leade the remainder of my life conformably to the ende for vvhich thou hast giuen it mee 3. Then will I consider the greate losses I sustaine by loofing this ende for what losse can bee greater then to loose my Soule to loose Gods diuine grace to loose the peace and alacritye of Conscience and to loose all Blessednesse to which are joyned eternall Damnation Matth. 16.26 and the forfaiture of God himselfe For what shall it proffit mee to gaine the whole worlde if I loose my Soule and my God in comparison of whome all the worlde is as nothing 4. Contrarily if I attaine to this ende I obtaine the possession of God himselfe I shall saue my Soule I shall haue peace and cheerefullnesse of Hearte I shall bee protected by the Diuine Prouidence I shall finde quietnesse and perpetuall repose as all things finde in their Ende and Center This then beeing so as it is animate they selfe o my Soule to seeke the ende for which thou wast created by God and heerein imploye all thy care for there is nothing that more importeth thee Ex D. Cypr. ferm de Ascensione Conuert thyselfe to God who is thy rest for besides him all whatsoeuer is torment If thou seruest God what wilt thou more If thou hast God what seekest thou more If God bee thy Possession what wantest thou Giue him pleasure in pretending him and bee confident to obtaine him for hee loueth his Creatures and is delighted that they should obtaine the ende for which hee created them Ex D. Aug. lib. 1. confes cap. 1. O Infinite God Center of my Soule conuert mee to thee that I may take rest for thou madest mee for thee and my Heart is vnquiet vntill it come neare thee O eternall Father seeing thou createdest mee that I might loue thee as a Sonne giue mee grace for thyne ovvne sake that I may loue thee as a Father O onely begotten Sonne of the Father and Redeemer of the VVorlde seeing thou createdst mee and redeemedst mee that I might obey and imitate thee ayde mee that I may allvvaies obey thee imitate thee in all things O most Holy Ghoste seeing that of thy Goodnesse thou didst create mee
that are there burning for one onely Sinne. Some for one Perjurie others for a dishonest Thought consented vnto and others for some other Sinne of VVorde or of Deede And then I will consider how all these condemned Persons were men aswel as I and many of them as I Christians that enjoyed the same Sacraments and Sacrifices and those Sermons and sacred bookes that I enjoye and were perhaps sometime very holye and highly in fauour with God but by litle and litle they grewe carelesse and came to fall into that mortall Sinne and by the Iust Iudgements of God Deathe attached and set vpon them therein and for it they were most justly condemned Iacob 2.10 For as the Apostle S. Iames saieth VVhosoeuer falleth into one onely Sinne breaking a Commaundement is made guilty of all as hee that breaketh manye for hee offendeth the God of Infinite maiestie who commaundeth them all to bee obserued 2. Then am I to make Comparison of this Sinne with many of minne pondering with how much more reason I deserued to bee in Hell as those Soules are for hauing offended God not once but many times and in other kindes of Sinnes without number O hovv iustly had I deserued that Deathe should haue attached mee in committing my first Sinne and that God should haue giuen mee no time of Repentance VVhat moued thee o my God to expect mee more then these I confesse that I deserued to bee in their Companye but seeing thy Maiestie hath vvith so much mercie expected mee I resolue vvith thy grace to bee very truely and intirely penitent 3. I may also consider that it is no lesse a benefit of God to haue preserued mee from Hell detaining mee from descending to euerlasting Torments then if after I had beene descended he had diliuered mee from them For the which I may say that of Dauid I vvill confesse to thee o Lord my Psal 85.12 God vvith all my Hearte vvill glorifie thy name for euer for thy mercie hath beene very greate towardes mee deliuering my Soule from the deepest Hell And to knowe how to esteeme aright of this merced so repaye it as I ought I am to speake to myselfe saying If God should deliuer one of these Soules out of Hell and giue it a time of repentance vvhat rigourous penance vvould it doe hovv thankefull vvould it bee to God and vvith vvhat feruour vvoult it serue him Thou therefore art to doe the like considering that God hath donne thee so singular a fauour as to deliuer thee from the Daunger before thou didst fall into it The fourthe Pointe Of the greatnesse of our Sinnes by the Paines that Christe our Lord suffered for them THE fourth Pointe shall bee both matter of a sweete Colloquie and of a most deuoute consideration to knowe the greatenesse of Sinne and the dreadefullnesse of Gods Iustice by another example much different from the forepassed but no lesse effectuall then they that is by the Chastizements which the diuine Iustice inflicted vpon Christe IESVS our Lorde not for his owne Sinnes but for mine and for those of the whole VVorlde that I may vnderstand how hee will chastize man loden with his owne Sinnes that so chastized him that bore the burthen of other mens Sinnes and how the guiltye Slaue shal bee handled when the innocent Sonne was so terribly punished Calling to minde that dreadefull Sentence which our Redeemer spake to the Daughters of Ierusalem Luc. 23.31 If in the greene vvood they doe these things in the drye vvhat shall bee donne As if hee should say to mee If I bee treated with such rigour being a greene tree and full of fruite with what rigour shallt thou bee treated that arte a drye tree and without any fruite at all Then I am to set before mine eyes Christe IESVS crucified beholding his Heade crownde with thorâ—es his Face spit vpon his Eyes obscured his Armes disioincted his Tongue distasted with gall and vineger his Handes and Feete pierced with nailes his Backe and Shoulders torne with whippes and his Side opened with a Launce and then pondering that hee suffereth all this for my Sinnes I shall drawe sundrye Affections from the inwardest parte of my Hearte sometimes trembling at the rigour of Gods Iustice who as the Prophet Zacharias saide vnsheathed his Sworde against the man that was vnited with him in person Zacha. 13.7 sometimes bewailing my Sinnes which were the cause of these Dolours and sometimes animating myselfe to suffer somewhat in satisfaction of my offences Isai 53. seeing Christe our Lord suffered so much to redeeme them And finally I will beg pardon of him for them alledging to him for a reason all his Troubles and Afflictions saying vnto him in an amorous Colloquie Colloquie O my most svveete Redeemer vvhich descendedst from Heauen and ascendedst this Crosse to redeeme men paying their Sinnes vvith thy Dolours I present myselfe before thy Maiestie grieued that my grieuous Sinnes haue beene the cause of thy terrible paines Vpon mee o Lord these Chastizements had beene vvell imployed for I am hee that sinned and not vpon thee that neuer sinnedst Let that Loue that moued thee to put thyselfe vpon the Crosse for mee moue thee to pardon mee vvhat I haue committed against thee By thy Thornes I beseeche the dravve out of my Soule the thornes of my Sinnes by thy Scourging pardon my Theftes By thy Gall and Vinegre pardon my Gluttonyes By the nailes of thy Handes pardon my Euill VVorkes and by those of thy Feete pardon my Euill Steps Psal 83.10 O eternall Father behoulde the face of thy Sonne and seeing in him thou diddest chastize my Sinnes let thy vvrathe vvith these Chastizings bee appeased and vse tovvardes mee thy mercies Michae 7 19. throvving all my VVickednesse into the bottome of the Sea in Vertue of that Bloud that vvas shed for them Amen This point wee shal prosecute largelie in the fourth parte The third Meditation of the multitude of Sinnes and of the grieuousnesse of them for being so many and contrarye to Reason The first Pointe 1. THE first pointe is to call to minde the multitude of Sinnes that in all my former Life I haue committed to which ende I am to runne thorough all the Ages thereof and thorough all the places where I haue liued and thorough the Offices Occupations and Imployments that I haue had regarding how and wherein I haue faulted in euery one of the seuen Sinnes wee commonly call Mortall and in euery one of the Commaundements of the Lawe of God and of his Churche and in euery one of the Lawes and Rules of my Estate and Office To which ende it will helpe mee to knowe the sortes of Sinnes that may bee committed in these matters as they shal bee put in the first pointes of the eighteenth meditation and of the nine following And this Remembrance of Sinnes must not bee drye but moistened with teares full of Confusion and Shame as was that of the
not hee thy Father that hath possessed thee and made and created thee God that begatte thee thovv hast forsaken and hast forgotten our Lorde thy Creator and Redeemer 2. Secondly I will ponder the benefits of my Redemption where enter the Incarnation of the eternall VVorde and all the Labours and Trauailes of the Life Passion and Deathe of our Lord Christe beholding him as our Father Pastor Phisition Master and Sauiour So that with my Sinnes I haue injuried him that holdeth all these Titles with mee And as the Apostle saithe I haue crucifyed IESVS Christe within mee Ad Heb. 6.6 10.29 I haue trodden vpon the Sonne of God I haue trampled vpon his bloud I haue despised his examples I haue troden vnderfoote his Lawes and his Precepts and I haue liued as if no such Redemption for mee had euer passed in the worlde Colloquie Then hovv is it o my Soule that thou meltest not in Toares hauing offended such a Father such a Master such a Pastor and Redeemer Hovv is it that thy Hearte doth not cleaue asunder vvith Griefe for hauing offended vvith thy Sinnes him that dyed to deliuer thee from them O my Redeemer hovv much grieueth it mee to haue offended thee Pardon o Lorde my offences VVashe vvith thy bloud the spots of my Transgressions by vertue vvhereof I purpose vvith thy grace no more to retourne to pollute myselfe vvith them 3. In this sorte I may ponder the benefits of my Sanctification where entreth Baptisme and the rest of the Sacraments especially that of Penance and Eucharist and the Inspirations of the holy Ghoste and other innumerable both manifest and secret Benefits as also the promise of future benefits in the Glorification and Resurrection with all the which I am to charge myselfe and with greate astonishment to admire at myselfe that I haue aunswered so many benefits with so euill seruices holding competencie or sufficiencie with God hee by doing mee fauours and giuing mee greate giftes and I by doing him Injuries and committing grieuous Sinnes considering that euery Sinne after a sorte is an Infinite Ingratitude for beeing against an Infinite Benefactour and against infinite benefits that from his hande I haue receiued giuen with infinite Loue without any merits of mine To exaggerate the more the grieuousnesse of my Sinnes in this respect it shall bee good to profit my selfe of some Histories that make to this purpose as of that of Ioseph Genes 39 9. that it seemed vnto him impossible to sinne with the wife of his Lorde of whome hee had receiued so many benefits And that of Saul 1. Reg. 19 6. who though he were a cruell persecutor of Dauid yet hee grewe meeke when hee heard tell the greate Seruices that hee had donne him And when hee sawe that Dauid killed him not when hee had power to kill him hee had compunction and saide Thou arte Iuster then I 1. Reg. 24 18. for thou hast donne mee good turnes and I haue rendred thee euill O my Soule hovv canst thou sinne against thy God Colloquie and Lord from vvhome thou hast receiued all the Good thou hast O God of my Heart hovv much more iust art thou then I for thou ceasest not to doe mee mercies and I cease not to doe thee offenses Thou hauing povver to take avvaye my Life and my Beeing yet doost it not and I hauing no povver to take avvay thine yet as much as it lyeth in mee I attempt to doe it Thou didst cut of the Heade of the Giant and didst breake the Heade of the Serpent to deliuer mee frem Deathe and I subiect myselfe thereunto by offending thee VVho is it that hauing povver to kill his Enemye killeth him not and yet thou vvilt dye that hee may not dye Pardon o Lord my bestiall Vnthankefullnesse and ayde mee vvith thy abundant grace that I may no more returne to fall into so horrible a miserie The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider what motiue I had to Sinne for doubtlesse it encreaseth the greatenesse of the Injurie when it is donne vpon a very light cause and Occasion For why did I offend God For a Litle VVantonnesse of the Flesh for a Punctillo of Honour for a Small Interest of VVealthe for a slight pleasing of myne owne VVill finally for things most vile that passe like Smoke and are as if they were not in Comparison of God And yet beeing such for them I denyed by my VVorkes the liuing God Ad Titū 1.16 and made of them to myselfe an Idoll and false God esteeming them more then the true God crucifying Christe within mee to giue life vnto Barrabas which is Sinne. O my Lorde Ierem. 2.12 Colloquie vvith greate reason sayest thou to the Heauens that they should bee affrighted and to the gates of Heauen that they should breake and breake vvith amazement for tvvo euils vvhich thy People committed and yet I vvretched Sinner haue committed them infinite times leauing thee that art the fountaine of liuing VVater to dravve vvith Labour out of broken Cisternes that cannot containe VVater O Labour ill employed◠O Inconsiderate Chaunge I left the infinite God and the perpetuall Fountaine of infinite and eternall Good for a thing of nothing of Temporall and perishing Good vvhich like a broken Cisterne looseth vnperceaueably the vvater that it holde Gen. 25.34 and remaineth drye O my Soule if the Deede of Esau seeme so vile vnto thee that solde his birth-right for a small Dishe of Pottage Ad Heb. 12. hovv much more vile shall thine bee that sellest thy birt-bright of Heauen for a litle interest of Earthe Hee soulde it to redeeme his Life and thou to sell it incurrest Deathe And if hee founde no place of Repentance to reuoke the sale it vvere very iust that thou also shouldst not finde it seeing thy sinne vvas greater then his But set seeing that Gods mercie is greater approache vnto it vvith Humillitye that hee may defeate by his Grace the euill sale that thou madest by thy Sinne. Finally in this meditation and in the following I am to laye fast holde on this Veritie for it is an incredible follye to beleeue by Faithe what I beleeue and yet to liue in that manner that I liue that is to beleeue that Sinne is so euill as wee haue described it and yet for all this to committe it to beleeue that God is so good and so right a Iusticier and yet notwithstanding to offende him and so in the rest The fourth Pointe THE fourth pointe shall bee to breake out with these Considerations into an exclamation with an Affection vehement and full of Amazemene As that the Creatures haue suffered me I hauing so greiuously offended their Creator and Benefactor Genes 3.24 That the Angells who are the ministers of Gods Iustice haue not vnsheathed their fiery swordes against mee That they haue garded mee and beene the Aduocates of so wicked a man as I. That the Sunne Moone and
giue mee vvings like the vvings of a doue to flye vnto them and to dvvell in them vvhile I liue mourning for my Sinnes for vvhose cause thou receiuedst them that at the daye of iudgement I may beholde them vvith alacritye and thorough them may bee admitted to they glory Amen Then will I ponder how on Christ our Sauiours side shall bee placed another Throne of exceeding greate glorye for his most sacred mother for it is very iust that in this Iudgement shee like another Bethsabee should bee seated on the side of the true Salomon not to bee the Aduocate for Sinners 3. Reg. 2. for that time is now paste but to confounde them because they would not make vse of so holy a mother and so powerfull an Aduocate as they had as also that the righteous may bee cheered with her presence and shee herselfe bee honoured before all the worlde for the Humilliations that shee suffered in this Life from those that knewe her not and did her outrage in the passion of her Sonne O soueraigne Virgin I rejoice for the glory thou shalt haue at that daye ayde mee with thy intercession that then also I may be ioyful with thy Presence 6. Matt. 19 28. Isai 3.13 Finally rounde about the Throne of our Lord Christe shall stand other thrones where his Apostles as hee promised them shall sit to iudge the twelue tribes of Israel and all the nations of the worlde condemning with their exemplary life the euill life of Sinners D. Th. q. 89. addit art 1. 2. Iob. 36.6 approouing the Sentence of the supreame Iudge and in his name declaring the righteousnesse thereof And as many holy Fathers affirme there shall likewise bee seated in Thrones of Glorie the Poore of spirit who in imitation of the Apostles left all things for Christe O how astonied will the Tyrants and Emperours bee that martyred these Apostles when they shall see them with so greate glorye exalted O how much shall the poore Religious bee honored who in this worlde liued contemned Colloquie O soueraigne Iudge if thou doest thus honour those that are voluntarily poore I embrace Pouerty vvith a greate good vvill not so much for my honour as for the glorye vvhich to thee ensueth thereupon The third Pointe Of diuiding the good frō the euill THirdly I am to consider that Christe our Lord to finish his Iudgement shall seperate the good from the euill as the Shepheard seperateth the Sheepe from the Goates The righteous shall bee placed on his right hande Matt. 25 32. and the wicked on his lest Concerning the which I am to ponder first that this VVorlde and the Churche is now like a flocke of Sheepe and Goates of good and euill so mingled togither that wee cannot allwaies discerne who is the Sheepe of Christe or the Goate of Sathan And thorough this ignorance oftentimes wee honour the Sinner as a Iust man and despice the Iust man holding him for a Sinner From whence also it proceedeth that the Iust and the vnjust haue not allwaies that place which they merit For oftentimes wicked men vsurpe the right hande and most exalted place of the Earthe and the good stand on the left hand in the most contemptible place of the worlde For the which Salomon saide Eccles 3.16 10.6 I savve a greate euill vnder the Sun in the place of Iudgement Impiety and in the place of Iustice Iniquitie and I saide in my Hearte the Iust and the Impious God shall iudge and then shall bee sceene what euery one is 2. Now this time beeing come Christe our Lord Matt. 3.12 13 30. 47 to scatter these Deceites and Oppressions shall seperate the wheate from the cockle the graine from the chaffe the good fishe from the bad the Lambes from the kids And the good hee shall place on his right hande taken vp as S. Paule saithe into the aire that all the worlde may knowe them 1. Ad Thess 4. and honour them as Saintes and the wicked hee shall place on his left hande leauing them vpon the Earthe that all may knowe them and despise them as Sinners O how greate shall the confusion bee of the wicked who in this life had the right hande and were mighty when they shal see themselues on the left hand in such an extremitie of basenesse O what a raging enuye will they haue against the righteous when they shall see them so honored and themselues so contemned what will the Prince and the Lord saye when hee shall see his Slaue exalted to so highe a place VVhat the Prelate and the master when he seeth his subject and Disciple so preferred before him Sap. 5.4 All at once will say that of the booke of VVisdome VVee senselesse esceemed their life madnesse and their ende vvithout honour beholde hovv they are counted among the children of God and their lotte is among the Sainctes vvee therfore haue erred from the vvaye of truthe and the Light of Iustice hath not shined to vs and the Sun of Vnderstanding rose not to vs. Colloquis O Sun of Righteousnesse cleare the eyes of my Soule vvith thy coelestiall light that I may beholde the blindenesse of these vvretches and bee vvarned in time by their miserye Contrarily the Righteons shall bee very full of Content to see themselues on the right side of Christe and Christe our Lord very joyfull to see them at his side for then that saying of Dauid beginneth to the letter to bee visiblye fullfilled Psal 44.10 The Queene sate on thy right hande vvith a golden Garment vvrought vvith meruailous Varietie O how glorious then will that Congregation of the Iust bee there like a Queene that shall soone bee placed in the kingdome of her Spouse rejoicing to beholde herselfe set at the right hande of her beloued adorned with Vertues In this life it was much humbled with contempts and now it is seene in an instant exalted to greate honours O happy hee that seateth himselfe in the lowest place of the VVorlde for then Christe will say vnto him Luc. 14.10 Amice ascende superius Freinde sit vp higher ascende aboue the prowde of the Earthe Colloquie and forthwith thou shallt ascende with mee to the Thrones of Heauen O my Soule choose in this life a lovve place among men that at the daye of Iudgement Christe may giue thee a high place among the Angells Make no account of the right or left hande that thou hast in this VVorlde but of that thou shalt haue in the Tribunall of Christe endeuouring to liue vvith such puritie that thou maiest meritte to bee on his right hande Amen Lastly if I would knowe what hande I shal bee on at the daye of Iudgement I am to consider whither I bee a Sheepe or a Goate that is If I heare the voice of my Pastor Christe if I haue meekenesse and humillitye if I suffer with Patience aduersities and Injuries and
thou didst well ponder the terriblenesse of Hell Iob. 10.21 O good Iesus ayde mee to bevvaile bitterly my sinnes that I may not goe to this Tenebrous land couered vvith the shadovve of Deathe the lande of those that are in Despaire The fifth Pointe FIfthly I am to consider the misery wretchednesse and discorde of the Inhabitantes of this place which are Captiues in this prison Pondering how they want all the good respectes that are of Bountye discretion Nobillitie Parentage Frendship and loyalltie and are clothed with all the contrary respectes with straunge abhomination For in Hell are all sortes of Persons some were Angells of seuerall Hierarchies and Quiers beautifull Potent and verie resplendent Others were Emperours kings and Princes with diuerse estates and Titles of nobillitye Others were sage Philosophers eloquent and learned in diuerse sciences Others courteours discreete affable liberall gratefull and well conditioned Others Parents kinsmen and Allyes Fathers and sonnes Brothers or Cosin germanes Others very greate freindes and acquaintance Companions and Neighbours But in entring into Hell they loose all these respectes Iob. 10.22 without hauing as Iob saieth any order or Concorde but confusion and horrour All make themselues mortall enemyes one to another filling themselues with wrathe rancour enuye impatience and rage one against another that one can not endure to see the other nor to giue him a good worde The father abhorreth the sonne and the sonne the Father the Lord his vassall and the vassall his Lord one cursing another and biting themselues with rage And specially those which in this life loued with a disordinate loue and were Companions in sinnes shall much more abhorre one another and their paines shall bee augmented with the rage to see themselues togither For as burning coales when they are togither the one kindleth the other so these infernall Coales kindled with the fier of their wrathes shall adde heate to the ardent heate of their companions Adde to this the most painefull imagination that perforce in despight of them they shall bee eternally togither not being able to flye or diuide themselues one from another For flying from one whome thy much abhorre they light vpon anothere that is worse and so shall they haue a perpetuall and cruell warre hauing no bodye to pacifye nor to comforte them for from the earthe none will goe though hee could nor none shall come from heauen though hee would For none that is good will daigne to entre into so infamous a place Insomuch that Christe our lorde when hee descended into Hell entred not into this place nor gaue them any comfort VVhat will Princes then thinke to see themselues consorted with Plebeyans and entreated by them with such insolencie and hatred what a torment will it bee to liue perforce with my enemyes that actually abhorre mee and curse mee without beeing able either to stoppe their mouthes or myne owne eares what a paine will it bee neuer to see person that wisheth mee well nor is compassionate of my miseries but that rather encreaseth them Cassian collat 16. c. 2. 1. Cor. 13.13 O my soule grounde all thy friendshipt vpon true charitie For this onely is eternall and perisheth not and vvithout it all the rest shall perish Haue peace as much vs in thee lyeth vvith all men that thou maiest not enter into the companye of so man vvicked The sixte Pointe SIxtly I am to consider the terriblenesse of those hellish tormentours and executioners First generally in hell euery one of the damned is a Tormenter of all and all are tormenters of one saying and doing things as is abouesaide to torment them Moreouer the diuells are terrible tormenters of men reuenging themselues vpon them for the rage they haue against God and against IESVS Christ And therefore they torment them with affrighting visions with horrible imaginations and with all other meanes that their fierce Cruelty can invent Besides all this the third and the most cruell tormenter is the worme of conscience which biteth and shall eternally bite with terrible crueltye For the damned wretche remembring the sinnes hee hath committed and the inspirations hee had to get out of them and to haue freed himselfe of those torments and yet that thorough the sinne of his owne peruers freewill hee entred into them himselfe will bee his owne torturer and will bite himselfe and would rent himselfe in peices with incredible bitternesse and rage heerein fullfilling that punishement where of S. Augustine speaketeh lib. 1. cōfessionū Thou dist commaunde it o Lord and so it commeth to passe that the disordinatt minde should bee its owne tormente for his sinnes are his tortures and his vnbrideled passions his tormentours so that hee himselfe is most greiuous to himselfe Learne then o my soule Colloquie Mat. 5.26 to hearken to this beating of thy conscience and make peace vvith thy good Aduersarye that priketh thee vvhen thou sinnest for in hell like a madde dogge the vvill barke and bite reuenging the iniurye thou didst her vvhen in this life thou contemnedst her The fourth tormentour will bee the Inuisible hande of God which dischargeth it selfe vpon the dāned sing his omnipotentcie against them who knowing this turne their rage against him breaking out into horrible blasphemyes and desiring that he-might cease to bee Colloquie But all is turned to the increase of their doulour and torment O most heauy hande of the omnipotent vvho can abide thee O vvhat a dreadfull thing is it to fall into the handes of the liuing God beeing offended sunder o Lord very farre from mee this thy hande of Chastizement and touche mee vvith that of thy mercie that beeing freed from these feares I may euer enioye thee vvorld vvithout ende Amen The seuenteenth Meditation of the paines of the Senses and interiour faculties and of the paine of losse or Damnation which is suffered in hell AS the sinner embraceth two greate euills which are to seperate himselfe from God the Fountaine of liuing water Ierem. 2.13 and to turne vnto the creatures to enioye their perishing delightes so in Hell he is punished with two sortes of paines one which they call of Losse or Damnation Paena Damni Paena sensus Hiere 2. for the first euill and another which they call of Sense for the second and with this wee will begin because to haue sense is most easye The first Point 1. FIrst Paena sensus Sapien. 11.17 I am to consider the paine which the Damned doe suffer when they haue a bodie For according to the lawes of Gods iustice Per quae quis peccat per haec torquetur By vvhat things a man sinneth by the same also he is tormented And seeing sinne entreth by the senses in them must bee thee punishement thereof This may bee pondered running thorough all the fiue The Sight shall bee tormented by beholding their Enemies neere them and by suffering horrible visions which the diuells will set before them taking
fornace of sensuall temptations with a purpose to giue no consent vnto them Angells fauorably repaire vnto them to the ende that these flames doe not burne them nor touche them in the superiour parte of their soule and with winde and deawe of heauen they quenche the heate of the fleshe prouoking them to glorifie God for the victorye hee hath giuen them against it And therefore when I shall see myselfe forced with these temptations Colloquie I am to call vnto them saying O yee glorious Angells gardians of virgins protectors of the chaste Friendes and companions of men that are pure come yee and fauour mee that the fier that circlith mee may not burne mee Disperse the flame that burneth vvithin my fleshe that it may neither touche nor damnifie my spirit and negotiate for mee the gentle vvinde of Gods spirit that it may coole and refreshe the ardours of my fleshe 2. D. Basil in lib. de vera virginit The second fauour is that God himselfe with a particular protection assisteth to garde such as are chaste who by their puritie not onely make themselues like vnto angells but euen to the Lord of the angells himselfe the fountaine of all puritie who is delighted to conuerse familiary with the chaste and to admitte them to his freindship O eternall God that feedest among the lillies Colloquie Cāt. 2.2 D. Greg. ibi D. Hier. epist. ad Demetriadem Ex Cassian collat 12. cap. 8. lib. 6. cap. 9. Daniel 13.23 Oseae 2.19 for it is thy foode and thy pleasure to conuerse vvith chaste soules indue mine vvith chastitie that thou maiest daigne to inhabite it and to conuerse vvith it From these two fauours I am to collect a most effectual meanes tovanquishe temptations when on a sodaine and alone they assaile mee by lifting vp presently the eyes of my soule vnto the Angel which is present but much more to the presence of God himselfe shaming to doe before them what I would not doe before men and with this consideration I shall aunswere the temptation like as chaste Susanna did the dishoneste olde men that solicited her I will rather die then sinne in the presence of my God 3 The third fauour is for the carnall mariage that I renounce to admitte mee to a spirituall espousing himselfe spiritually with my soule with the espousal of faithe mercie and charitye and communicating vnto mee such soueraigne delightes of the spirit as I shall forget those of the fleshe fullfilling heerein his worde which hee gaue Mat. 19. Ita Cassian collat 12. c. 12. 13 when hee saide That whosoeuer should leaue a wife for his loue renouncing that facultie that hee had to bee married hee would giue him an hundred fold in this life that is a delight so greate that should a hūdred folde exceede the delight hee should haue in mariage for so excellent is the sweetnesse of chastitye Colloquia that it is impossible to knowe it but by proouing it O spouse of chaste soules graunt mee such vertue that thereby mine may bee thy spouse O my soul seeing thou art such a louer of delightes renoūce liberally the vile delightes of the fleshe that thou maiest enioye the most svveete delightes of the spirit 4 The fourth fauour is for those carnall children which I might haue had to giue mee abundance of spirituall children incomparably better filling mee with good workes with riche merits and with many soules gained to Christe by my example and worde of which I may bee the spirituall father and mother Isai 56.3 Non dicat Eunuchus c. fullfilling that which hee promised by his prophet when hee saide Let not the eunuche say behold I am a dry tree for I will giue him in my house and within the walles of my churche a place and a name much more excellent then those that haue children a sempiternall name that neuer shall perish O happie chaste man to whome God graunteth the soueraigne dignitie both of a sonne and of a father of a sonne by the singular grace of adoption and of a father in spirit by the copious fruites of Benedictiō 5 The fifth fauour comprehendeth many very singular graces and priuiledges which hee graunteth them in testimonie of the greate loue hee beareth to chastitie for as the chaste eleuate themselues aboue the ordinary lawes of nature liuing in fleshe as if they had no fleshe so God will sometimes exalt them a boue the ordinary lawes of grace in honour of their chastitie The virgin our Blessed Ladie thorough the rare vowe shee made of virginitie was exalted to the dignitie of the mother of God himselfe The euangelist Sainct Iohn for his puritye was much beloued by our Sauiour Christe from whome hee receiued extraordinarie fauours in the supper and on the crosse and greate reuelations in the which also for this cause were very famous Elias Eliseus Daniel and other sonnes of the Prophets and the fier of Babilon touched not the three children because they had vanquished the fier of Luxurye 6 The Last fauour is Apocal. 14.4 that singular priuiledge to followe the lambe in glorye where euer hee goeth for whosoeuer imitateth him in this life imbracing his virginitie D. Aug. lib. de vera vir ginit c. 27. D. Hier. lib. de laude virginit and puritie hee shall also imitate him in the other participating of his most excellent glorye vnited to his sweete companie with particular ioye O most pure immaculate lambe graunt mee that I may followe thy puritye both in bodye and spirit that in issuing out of this straite prison of the worlde I may with thee in thy spacious Heauen dilate myselfe and reioice Amen VVith the consideration of these sixe fauours I am to arme myselfe to resist those combats which shall happen to mee against chastitye saying as chaste Ioseph saide to the woman that sollicited him God hauing donne mee so many benefits Genes 39.9 and promising mee such fauours if I liue chaste Quomodo possum hoc malum facere peccare in Deum meum How can I committe this euill and sinne against my God Colloquie O Lord of heauen and of earthe I vvill leaue not onely my cloke like Ioseph but my honour vvealthe and life rather then offend thee For thou madest Ioseph for his chastitye and loyaltie vice-king of Egipt but mee for mine thou vvilt make a king in thy heauen The xxj Meditation of Auarice The firste Pointe AVarice is a disordinate desire of riches and temporall Goods wherein we may many waies sinne First in desiring to take that which is another mans contrary to the tenth commaundemēt of the lawe of God or taking it in deede or retaining it cōtrary to the seuenth which is not to steale Secondly with nigardise abusing that which is our owne not shating it when the lawe of iustice or of charitie and mercye obligeth vs with the needye but beeing harde-hearted against them Thirdly in in seeking
all which allthough they are temporall accomodated to the estate and condition of that imperfect people yet they are a signe of others much greater and spirituall which God giueth to Christian people who with all want not these temporall after a more excellent manner Mat. 6.26 for the prouidence of our heauenly Father as his sonne himselfe did promise vnto vs is carefull to prouide for vs those that are meete Psalm 144.16 giuing them for an addition to those that obserue his lawe For thee that openeth his hande and filleth with his blessing brute beastes shall open it much better to replenish his children 2. From hence I will ascende to ponder the spirituall benedictions which God giueth to those that keepe his lawe in the keeping whereof hee hath with greate excellencye included three kindes of good to witte honest good proffitable good and delectable good Psalm 18.8 of the which Dauid in the eighteenth Psalme maketh another sweete catalogue For first the law of God is most pure and most holy conuerting soules replenishing them with wisdome and all vertues It is also most proffitable to obtaine all good that may bee desired not onely for the soule but for the bodye as healthe Prou. 3.2 Psalm 18.11 Eccl. 24.27 long life sustenance and prosperitye And therefore it is more to bee desired then Golde or then precious stones or more then all the treasures of the earthe It is also most delectable much more then honye or the honye combe and cheereth mens heartes with a greater alacritye then any that can bee giuen by all the sweet things of this life From hence it is that God preuenteth principiants with the benediction of delight Psalm 20.4 Psalm 83.8 that they may cheerefully begin the waye of his commaundements To those which are proficients this diuine lawgiuer giueth his benedietion that they may encrease from vertue to vertue vntill they arriue to the height of perfection Prou. 10.6 Psalm 23.5 Mat. 25.34 And vpon the heades of the iust that are perfect hee powereth his blessing in abundance giuing them some taste of what in glorie they shall enioie And finally in the daye of iudgement hee will giue them the supreame benediction saying vnto them Come yee blessed of my father to possesse the kingdome prepared for you as allready wee haue pondered Considering these blessings and comparing them with the curses which in the precedent pointe were declared I am principally to collect three affections of very much importance The First is agreate Sorrovve for hauing infringed a lawe so holy so profitable and so sweete making myselfe vnworthy of its celestiall benedictions incurring the three euils contrarie to the three goods that haue beene spoken of for togither with the breache of the lawe marche those vices that pollute both bodie and spirit all the temporall and eternall hurtes that bodie and soule doe suffer and all the heauinesses and bitternesses wherewith our heart is afflicted 2 The Second affection is of Confidence assuredly hoping that if I obserue the lawe of God I shall obtaine the blessings that hee promiseth mee calling to mindethose memorable wordes of Ecclesiasticus who saieth Homo sensatus credit legi lex illi fidelis The wise man beleiueth the lawe of God Eccl. 33.4 and the lawe is faithfull vnto him which is to say The iust man and the lawe are faithfull one to another The iust is faithfull in obeying the lawe and the lawe is faithfull in rewarding the iust It defendeth him in perills It comforteth him in his aduersities it directeth him in his prosperities it counselleth him in his doubtes it fauoureth him in his businesses it maketh his praiers to bee hearde it aideth him in life it protecteth him in deathe and finally it croweneth him in glorie Colloquie O my soule bee faithfull to the lavve of God and the lavve shall bee very faithfull to thee Faile not thou in doing vvhat it commaundeth thee and it vvill not faile to doe vvhat it promiseth thee Praise thy soueraigne lavvgier vvith the psalterion of ten strings keeping his ten commaundements Psalm 32.2 Malach. 3.14 and thou shallt forthvvith bee partaker of his promises Say not vith the vvicked Israelits It is a vaine thing to serue God and vvhat prossit haue I in keeping his commaundemenis Conuert thyselfe truely to our Lord vvith a contrite heart for hauing broken them and thou shallt see by experience the difference betvveene the iust and the sinner betvveene those that obserue his lavve and those that infringe it 3 The third affection must bee greate loue and estimation of the lawe of God Prou. 3. 7. endeuoring as Salomon saieth to write it in the tables of my hearte which are the three faculties of my soule In my Memorie to bee alwaies mindefull of it In my Vnderstanding to meditate continually thereon and in my VVill to loue it and if neede were to laye downe my life for it saying Deute 6.7 as Moyses to his people I will meditate thereon in my house and vpon the waye at my downe lying and vp rising I will put it as a signall in my handes to worke thereafter and I will haue it before my eyes to guide mee thereby saiyng with Dauid Lord Psalm 118.97 how haue I loued thy holy lawe all the whole day it is the matter of my meditation O most sweete lawgiuer who when thou becamest man didst forthwith put this lawe in the middest of thy hearte and by thy grace write it in the heartes of thy elect Psalm 36.31 Ierē 31.33 write it also in my hearte in such manner as may neuer be blotted out that I may bee worthy to bee written in the booke of life without euer being blotted out thereof worlde without ende Amen The Conclusion of what hath beene saide OF all that hath beene saide in this meditation I will recollect a briefe summe of the Titles therein aswell to procure greate contrition for hauing broken the lawe of God as to animate myselfe to keepe it with perfection First beause it is iust and holy and with greate excellency imbraceth al kind of good Secondly to deliuer myselfe from the maledictions plagues both temporall and eternall that it menaceth Thirdly to enjoye the innumerable benedictions that it promiseth in this life and in that to come Fourthly and principally for the lawgiuer that gaue it to witte God infinitely good wise and potent and my infinite benefactour vpon whome dependeth all my good both temporall and eternall And this reason onely shall suffice to moue mee to loue a lawe giuen by such a Father and to bee infinitely sorry to hauen broken it The fifth Title is for that the lawemaker himselfe becomming man put it in the middest of his hearte and came to fulfill it entyrely without omitting any iotte or tittle to moue mee by his example to the perfect accomplishement therof The sixth is for the fidelity of the
hell and the fewell of those eternall fiers whereupon-saieth S. Serm. de resurrect Bernard let selfe VVill cease and there shall bee no hell for if selfe will cease there shallbe◠〈◊〉 sinnes and then what neede is there of hell And besides this if there bee any Hell in this life our owne will is a hell to it selfe for all the miseries of this life so farre are the causes of extreame affliction and heauinesse as they are contrarie to our owne will which if it cease by our conforming ourselues to Gods will that wich is hell is turned into purgatorie and into augmentation of meritte and of crowning in heauen VVhereupon saieth S. Lib. 1. de vocatione gentium ca. 8. Ambrose Our owne will is blinde in desires puffed vp in honours full of anguish in Cares and vnquiet in suspitions more carefull of glorie thē of vertue a greater louer of fame then of a good conscience and much more miserable enioying the things that it loueth then when it wanteth them for her experience augmenteth her myserie Out of all this I will conclude how greate my miserie hath beene in hauing subiected myselfe to my owne will contrary to the will of God bewailing my blindenesse and purposing firmely to abhorre it and to denye it Ioan. 6.38 in imitation of our Lord Christe who descended from heauen not to accomplish his owne will but the will of him that sent him And beeing in the heauinesse and agonies of deathe hee saide to his Father Not my vvill bee donne but thine O soueraigne master I confesse that I am not vvorthy to bee called thy disciple Lucae 22.24 Colloquie because I haue not proffited by thy example May thee sorrovves and Agonye of deathe come vpon mee for the times that I haue sayed against thee not thy vvill bee donne but mine Seperate o my Sauiour from my mouthe so cursed a vvord and fauour mee vvith thy grace to mortifie my ovvne vvill that intirely I may accomplish thine 1. Corin. 10. may I from henceforth seeke not that vvhich is mine but vvhat is thine and my neighbours pretending their proffit and thy glorie vvorlde vvithout ende Amen The third Pointe THe third Pointe shall bee to consider the sinnes disorders of the other interiour faculties of the soule which are the imaginatiō sensitiue appetites with the hurt that procedeth from them First I vvill ponder that my Imaginatiue Facultie is like a hall painted with many images and figures some foule some prophane and others ridiculous monstruous and deformed entertaining it selfe in painting them taking pleasure to beholde them solliciting the vnderstanding to gaze vpon them oftentymes drawing it after it to cogitate vpon them From whence originally spring many sinnes which they call delectatio morosa a continuing or lingering delight in matter of carnallities reuenges Ambitions and auarices delighting myselfe with the imaginanation of these things as if they were present 2. Then will I ponder Ex D. Th. 1.2 q. 23. a. 4 how my appetitiue Faculties are like a rough troubled sea combated with eleuen waues of passions encountring one with another to witte loue and hatred desiring and flying heauynesse and ioy hope and despaire feare and audacitye and anger All which for the most parte I apply vnto euill with greate disorder For I loue that which I ought to abhorre and I abhorre that which I ought to loue I desier that which I ought to flye and I flye that which I ought to desier I reioice in that for which I ought to bee sorrowfull and I am sorrie for that wherein I ought to reioice From whence greiuous sinnes doe arize for the appetites with these affections sollicite the will and carry it after them that with them it may giue its consent 3 Hereupon it is that these passions are the armes and snares of the deuills to combatte vs D. Amb. lib. 1. offic ca. 4. and to intangle vs in greate sinnes for in seeing any passion rize vp they are ioyfull to see it and presently make vse thereof to frame their temptation so that I myselfe giue vnto my enemye the principall armes wherewith hee doth combatte persecute and destroy mee Besides this these passions are my torturers and tormentors for they make warre within mee against the poore spirit molesting mee to make mee will Ad Rom. 7.15 what I would not to doe according to the desiers of my fleshe And so likewise they are one contrary to another for the passion of delight maketh mee desier that which the desier of honour abhorreth and the desire of honour that which the passion of auarice flyeth For as the wiseman saithe I allwayes will Prou. 13.4 and I will not I will vertue because it is good and I will it not because it is laborious I will vice because it is delectable and I will it not because it is dishonest And these willings and nillings of my passions Colloquie Iob. 7.20 Ad Rom. 7.24 are the tormentours of my miserable hearte O vvith vvhat greate reason may I lament mee to myselfe saying to our Lorde VVhy hast thou made mee so contrary vnto thee And hovv am I so heauy troublesome to myselfe Vnhapy man that I am vvho shall deliuer mee from the bodye of this deathe Let thy grace o Lord fauour mee to deliuer mee from so great a miserye From this consideration I am to drawe a very resolute determination to gither with my owne will to mortifie these passions for this giueth life to my Passions and my passions giue life vnto it therefore they must dye togither to bee vanquished following herein the counsell of Ecclesiasticus who sayeth walke not after thy owne passions Eccl. 18.30 and desires and separate thyselfe from thy owne will for if thou grauntest vnto thy soule her concupiscences thy will make thee the laughing stocke of thy enemies To put this in execution wee shall bee assisted with the examinations that shall bee setdowne in the meditations ensuing The XXVIII Meditation wherein is set downe a forme of praying making euery night an Examination of the Conscience ONe of the most effectuall meanes to purifye the soule of vices D. Basil sermo 1. de instit Monach. D. Chrisost Hom in Psal 4. is the continuall vse of examining the conscience euery daye before wee goe to bed which the holy fathers and spirituall maisters doe very earnestly recommend vnto vs. That forme of making this examination which was taught vs in fiue pointes by our glorious Father Ignatius is the most proffitable of all that I haue seene for that it containeth a most excellent forme of praier for all sortes of persons For the vnderstanding whereof D. Bern. alij I breifely aduertize that euery daye wee doe newly charge ourselues with two debtes to our Lord although very different and for very diuerses respectes The first debt is for the innumerable benefits wee receiue of him The second for the
the Prophet answered him Our Lord likewise hath pardoned thy sinne So that if in the examination at night I say vnto God with all my heart It greiueth mee o my God that I haue offended thee because I loue the aboue all things created and would willingly haue lost them all rather then haue sinned and with thy grace I purpose to confesse all my sinnes with a determination neuer more to retourne vnto them at that very instant I remaine iustifyed And if that night I should dye sodainely without beeing able to confesse mee allbeeit I had committed many mortall sinnes I should not bee condemned for them VVhereby is seene the importaunce of this dolour before my going to bed for if I haue sinned mortally and deathe assault mee in my sleepe as hee hath assaulted many with this dolour I shall bee saued and without it I shall bee damned To prouoke mee to this contrition Ex. D. Greg. lib. 25. Moral c. 26. it is very auaileable to compare that of the first pointe with that of the third that is the greate benefits that in this daye God hath donne mee with the sinnes that I haue committed being ashamed of myselfe for hauing offended so good a God and so liberall a benefactour and greeuing that I haue aunswered such benefits with such offences To which ende serue the meditations ofsinnes which wee haueset downe especially the fifth And that which shall bee declared in the 31. Meditation The fifth Pointe THe fifth pointe is to make a very effectuall purpose by Gods grace to amend the day following and not to fall into the like sinnes Psalm 118.106 with that earnestnesse wherewith the Prophet Dauid saieth I haue sworne and determined to keepe thy commaundements eternally not for a day nor for two but thoroughout all my life and all eternitye And that this purpose may bee such besides that which shall bee declared in the meditation following it is necessaryeto haue examined the occasions that I had to fall by reason of such a place or such a person or such a beesinesse and withall to determine to seperate myselfe from this occasion if I can leaue it and if not to resolue to vse greater circumspectnesse and to enter into it with preuention Ad Phil. 2.13 But because our resolutions are very weake and mutable if our Lord with his grace doe not fortifye and establish them I am to beseche him that seeing hee gaue mee such a purpose hee will likewise giue mee grace to accōplish it and so I will conclude with the praier of the Pater noster making a pause with feeling in the three last petitions thereof forming in this manner an amorous colloquy I acknovvledge o my God Colloquie the tvvo debtes vvherevvith I am charged for thy benefits and for my sinnes all that I haue here donne is but litle to satisfie them for that vvhich vvanteth I offer vnto thee the most precious blood of thy Sonne shed vvith infinite loue and thankefullnesse and vvith excessiue dolour and paine For the vvhich I beseeche thee pardon the debtes of my sinnes and ayde mee that I may no more retourne vnto them permitte mee not to fall into the temptations that shall assaile mee but deliuer mee from all euill for the glorie of thy holy name Amen The XXIX Meditation wherein is set downe another forme of praying at three times of the daye making a particular examination of some one vice to pull it vp by the Rootes BEsides the generall care which wee ought to haue to cleanse the soule of all her vices and sinnes it is very conuenient as the holy fathers say Collat. 5. cap. 14. and specially Cassianus to imploie a particular studie to disroote some one vice of those that vse most to indaunger vs for with this so speciall care it shall bee the more easely vanquished this vanquished wee may take hearte to get the victorie of another vntill wee haue vanquished them all As the 7. nations that were enemies to the Israelites were vanquished by litle and litle and by partes To this end our glorious father Ignatius taught vs a forme of making a particular examinatiō of one vice wherein is included another forme of praying very proffitable diuided into three times of the daye to witte morning noone and night the which are much celebrated in sacred scripture by that which Dauid saieth of himselfe In the euening in the morning and at midday Psalm 54.18 Daniel 6.10 I will recount vnto God my miseries hoping that hee will heare mee and deliuer mee from them And of Daniel the scripture saithe That three times a daye hee fell on his knees and adored God making confession before him of his diuine praises and of his owne sinnes According vnto this wee will diuide this forme of praier into three pointes which may serue for the three times aforesaide The first Pointe FIrst in the morning in clothing mee kneeling on my knees like Daniel and putting myselfe in the presence of God I will adore him giuing him thankes for my life quietnesse and sleepe which hee gaue mee the night passed and for the perills from which hee deliuered mee and by the waye I will likewise examine if since I lay downe sleeping or waking any thing that might bee a sinne hath happned vnto mee and with all my hearte to bee sorry therefore 2. Thē will I make an offer vnto our Lord of all things whatsoeuer that I shall doe that daye ordaining them purely to his honour and glorie requiring of him preseueraunce in this pure intention vntill the ende of the daye and of my life and beseeching him to accept my workes in the vnion of those which his onely beegotten Sonne offered vnto him for mee in this life 3 This donne I will make a valiaunt and determinate resolution that day by Gods grace to seperate myselfe from all kinde of sinne after the manner that Dauid did Psalm 100.8 when hee saide that in the morning hee killed all the sinners of the earthe not with a sworde of steele but with a very steeled and couragious resolution to destroye them all so farre forth as they were aduersaries to God desiring that in the citty of my soule there may nothing liue to offend him But particularly I must most resolutely determine to departe from that vice which I desire to disroote frō my hearte conceiuing against it a holy hatred for the hurt that it doth mee 4. That this purpose may bee effectuall it will helpe mee much not to take thinges by the bulke beeing ignoraunt of their difficulties but to prouide for them with the eyes of prudence and in the morning to imagine all the difficulties vexations contempts and occasions of stumbling that probably may bee offered vnto mee that daye considering the quallitie of my person estate and office and the affaires and persons with whome I am to conuerse VVhich hauing considered I will endeuour willingly to accept for the
loue of our Lord God whatsoeuer shall happen against my liking determining by Gods grace for no such occasiōs to faile in humillitie and patience nor to admitte any thing that may bee a sinne founding this purpose not vpon my owne force but vpon the force that God shall giue mee and vpon some strong reasons that may conuince mee and make mee affectionate to execute it as Christe our redeemer in the garden of gethsemani set before his eyes all the tormēts that the daye following hee was to suffer and accepting them with greate loue In the meditation 22. of the 4. part Collat. 19. cap. 14. wrastled against feares and sorrowes with discourses and praiers as in its place wee shall see 5. And if those who are very zealous will yet passe farther and excell more in vertue they may take the counsaile that a holy Abbot as Cassianus reporteth gaue to those who by liuing in solitarinesse haue no occasions to exercize humillitye and patience that they should imagine terrible dolours iniuries contempts and torments come vpon them by the handes of their enemyes or of their companions vnder the pretext of pietye such as were those which the martyrs and holy confessors haue suffered and to accept them all very heartily yea and to desire that they might bee offered them and to begge them of our celestiall father with those wordes of Dauid Psalm 25.2 Colloquie Proue mee o Lord and trye mee burne my hearte and my reines for thy greate mercye is before mee and therein I trust that thou vvilt avde mee and with this confidence I may say vnto thim O if in this daye some bodye vvould stricke mee vpon one cheeke hovv vvillingly for thy loue vvould I offer him the other Or if any vvould speake vnto mee any iniurious vvorde or beare false vvitnesse against mee hovv heartily vvould I bee silent and suffer it for thy loue O if my prelatet vvould commaunde mee any very sharpe and difificult thinge that I in accomplishing it might shovve the loue that I beare thee VVith such purposes as these vertues are much augmented and the hearte becōmeth strong to resist vices but yet the imperfect and lukewarmee must walke warily in such like meditations leaste perhaps thorough their imbecillitye that which should haue beene a meanes of their good turne into a snare of their temptation The seconde Pointe SEcondly at Noone before dinner setting myselfe in the presence of God and hauing asked of him light to come to the knowledge of my sinnes I will examine those which I haue committed that morning in that particular vice which if they were many I am to bee ashamed that I haue not fullfilled the resolutiō that I made nor kept my worde which I gaue to God accusing my selfe of infidellitye inconstancye and mutabillitye and beeing sorrowfull for my transgressions herein for beeing against a God that is so faithfull and constant in benefitting mee and in accomplishing whatsoeuer hee purposeth to doe for my good I am to reprehend myselfe as Cassianus saieth saying to myselfe Collat. 19. cap. 14. art thou hee that this morning didst purpose such greate matters and offeredst thyselfe to suffer very terrible iniuries then how comes it that so light an occasion hath ouerthrowne thee Thou didst purpose to kill all the enemyes of God and hast thou renderd thyselfe to the leaste of them Bee ashamed of thy cowadize humble thyselfe before God and turne a newe to determine trusting with more viuacitie in his mercie that it may ayde thy greate weakenesse I will likewise examine the cause and occasion of hauiug failed to auoyde it or to preuent it wholely resoluing vpon amendement the rest of the daye 2. I may likewise at this time remember that Christe our Lord was crucified at midday and perseuered a greate parte of the euening suffering most grieuous paines vpon the crosse with greate constancie vntill hee gaue vp the ghost And in thankefullnesse for this benefit I am to purpose to bee very constant in not yeilding to the lust of my fleshe nor to my owne will in that vice that it may dye in mee or I may dye fighting against it vntill I vanquish it Sometimes againe I may call to minde that Christ our Lord likewise at midday ascended aboue all the heauens to enioy the fruite of his labours And with this cōsideratiō I may animate myselfe to fight a newe against my passions and with both considerations I may saye vnto him that of the Canticles O thou beloued of my soule Cant. 1.6 showe vnto mee with thy celestiall light the place where at midday thou reposest and feedest thy sheepe that I may there fixe my hearte and my desires and not goe wandring any more to seeke after vices The third Pointe AT night before I sleepe I will make another examination like that which I made before dinner comparing the times that I sinned in the morning with those that I sinned in the euening and if they were fewer I will giue thankes to God for this amēdement because it hath come from his hande but if they were more I am to confounde myselfe to see that insteede of going forwarde I turne backe but yet I am not to bee dismayed but to purpose anewe a very hearty amendment for with such a like battaile Prouerb 24.16 the victorie is obtained For hereupon saide the holy Ghoste The iust man falleth seuen times a daye and shall rise againe giuing to vnderstand that falling and yet rising againe hee shall come by Gods fauour to stand vpright The same comparison I am to make betweene the sinnes of one daye and those of another according to the counsell of S. Basile Ser. de abdic re rum sermo 10. and betweene those of one weeke and those of another according to the counsell of S. Dorotheus helping my memory by noting them with two lines or strakes for euery daye in the weeke putting in the one line as many prikes as I haue sinned times in the morning and in the other those of the euening It will likewise helpe mee to giue myselfe a stroke on the brest when I fall into this sinne the one to remember the times that I haue sinned by the times that I haue strickē my breste and the other forthwith to moue mee to contrition for my sinne and to obtaine pardon thereof Frouerb 24.16 For in this sense also said the holy Ghoste the iust man falleth seuen times a daye and riseth againe giuing to vnderstand that when hee falleth hee hath light to knowe that hee hath fallen and if hee falleth while it is daye hee stayeth not to rise vp at night rather if hee fall seuen times hee riseth seuen times assoone as hee hath fallen sorrowing for his fall and purposing amendement and in this manner his frequent falling shall bee turned into frequent praying and into good affections and purposes which with newe grace repaire the hurte of the fall Other meanes of
praise and the Holocaust of loue Fiftly he commeth as meate to sustaine me as to a child with the milke of his delitiousnesse and to vnite himselfe to me with the vnion of perfect loue and to giue mee the kisse of peace of reconsiliation and perfect amitie fullfilling the desire of the soule that said Let him kisse me with the kisse of his mouthe Cantic 1.1 make peace with me And in this forte I may runne through his other offices imagining that he cōmeth as a shepheard to gather me to his folde as a protector to defend mee and as a consuming fier to purifie inflame me 2 VVithall as I am pondring theese offices which Christ our Lord is willing to doe for me I will also ponder the great necessitie that I haue of them behoulding myselfe as a man captiued by the deuill for my sinnes sicke of diuers passions ignorante with many errours weake poore needy of sustētation for my soule to haue peace with my Creator and to bee gouerned protected and fauored by my Sauiour And making comparison betweene him and mee and beeweene his excellent offices my innumerable miseries I will breake out on the one side into affections of admirations and on the other into feruent desires of his comming Colloquie 3 Reg. 16.21 4. Reg. 4.34 saying vnto him O God of immense maiestie how is it that I am not beside myselfe considering this plotte of thy infinite Charitie Helias and Heliseus shrunke vp themselues ioyning themselues to a deade childe to restore him to life but thou restrainest thyselfe much more to a morsell of meate to ioyne thyselfe vnto mee and to raize mee againe to a newe and feruorous life It had beene sufficient that with thy worde thou hadst commaunded what thou wouldst and presently it had beene donne or that some seruaunt of thine like Gyezi had touched mee with thy staffe that I might liue but thou wouldest not but come in person to heale mee to reuiue mee and to recale mee Come then o my Sauiour and delaye not come and dissolue the miseries of thy seruaunt Awake thy omnipotencie and come that thou maiest presently saue mee Isai 64.17 Isai 45.8 O that thou wouldst breake the heauens and come that with thy comming the mountaines of my passions might dissolue and all my bowells might melt themselues in thy loue O heauens send this dewe O clowdes raine downe this iust one O land of the liuing bud out vnto mee this Sauiour O most sweete Sauiour come to my soule that longeth to receiue thee take from her all impeachements of thy entraunce exercize in her the offices that thou pretendest by thy comming Ioyne thee speedily vnto mee for I desire to see myselfe vnited with thee my onely summum bonum worlde with out ende Amen 3. This kinde of feruent Desiers is much to bee exercized in this Pointe for Christe our Lord will bee receiued with Desire and Hunger of his comming And this meate with how much the greater Hunger it is eaten with so much the more proffit it entreth And herein wee shall bee ayded with other places of diuine scriptur like vnto those which haue ben produced wherein the holy fathers declared the fēruent desier they had of the cōming of the Messias for the redemption of the worlde VVithe these desires I am to ioyne others of carrying the greatest purity of hearte that may bee endeuouring that as the body goeth to communicate fasting from all Corporall meate so that from the midnight before it must not haue eaten nor drunke any thinge how litle soeuer so also the soule may that day goe fasting of all sinne In such sorte that as neere as possibly may be from the night before 2. Corin. 7.1 it bee not spotted with any vncleanesse of fleshe or of spirit and that from my mouth there hath issued no idle worde nor from my hearte any euill thought for Christ our Lord being puritye itselfe it is our Dutie to receiue him with the greatest purity that possibly wee may And if thorough our Imbecility we doe fall into any sinne 1. Corin. 11.28 wee are first to purifie our selues thereof by the meanes of Confession the which is obligatorie if it be a mortall sinne or by the meanes of Contrition when it is but a light sinne and that wee were lately at Confession The XXXIV Meditation of spirituall Communion which is a disposing for Sacramentall Communion and for hearing Masse profitably SPirituall communion is an exercize of excellent Interiour actes 3. p. q. 80. a. 1. ad 3. by the which as S. Thomas saieth without receiuing the Sacrament wee participate the fruite of the Sacrement which is vnion with Christe And it serueth for two tymes and for two endes The first is duely to prepare ourselues before sacramentall Communion adorning the soule with actes of vertues proportioned to this caelestiall banquet The 2. is to heare masse euery day with proffit As the preiste when hee saieth masse togither offereth the sacrifize and receiueth the Sacrament so when I heare masse it is good that I doe other two such like things The first is to offer that sacrifize in thankes giuing for the benefits receiued or in satisfaction of my sinnes or of the sinnes of them that are departed And to obtaine of God the benefits that I require him for myselfe and for the whole churche for to all this is this sacrifize ordained as in the fourth parte shall bee declared The 2. is to receiue likewise the Sacrament spiritually eating Christ our Lord with a desire by meanes of the Actes of the three Theologicall Vertues Faith Hope Charity according to the which the same Lord himselfe said I am the bread of life Ioan. 6.3 s. he that commeth to me shall not hunger and hee that beleeueth in mee shall neuer thirst The manner of this communion disposing itselfe for the sacramentall is that which foloweth The first Pointe First we are to exersize actes of faith concerning this mysterie Actes of Faithe breifely pondring first the excelency and firmenesse of the foure pillars vpon which this Faith relieth that is to say that God wanted not infinite wisdome to inuent this meanes of our spirituall sustentation nor goodnesse to will it nor omnipotencie to execute it And seeing God is infallible truth in all that he reuealeth and that hee hath reuealed this mystery I am to beleeue him with all assurednesse much more then if I had seene him with my bodily eies 2. Vpō this foundation Faith is to exercize her actes denying the Iudgmēt that proceedeth from the sences and firmly beleeuing that vnder those species of bread and wine is Christ Iesus true God and man with all the integritie glorie maiestie that hee hath in Heauen And as there he inuiteeh and filleth the Blessed with the cleare sight of his Diuinitie humanitie so here hee will inuite and fill our desires of good thinges with the sight by
a liuely faithe of himselfe inclosed in this sacrament And to this ende faithe must helpe itselfe with meditation and contemplation penetrating the greatenesses of this Lord as hath bene saide in the first pointe of the precedent meditation The actes of faith are to be exercized in this forme I beleiue that vnder this vaile is couered Iesus Christe my Lord his body his soule his blood and his diuinitie I beleiue that there is present the Sonne of the euerliuing God infinite eternall immense allmightie wise and holy yea wisdome and sanctitie itselfe I beleeue that there is my Sauiour my master my father my iudge and my glorifier hee that for mee was borne in a maunger and was whipped crowned with thornes and crucifyed All this I beleeue for that hee himselfe hath reuealed it and I am most assured that he had knowledge Colloquie power and will to doe it O my king and my God although I see thee not clearely it suffizeth mee to knovve that thou art there that I may reuerence adore and glorify thee as if I did see thee I reioice to haue thee present and I giue thee thankes for that thou daignest to bee vvith mee quicken my faithe o Lord that I may loue euer to bee vvith thee Amen The second Pointe Actes of Hope Secondly are to bee exercized the Actes of Hope resting vpon the same foure pillars that faithe doth to witte vpon the infinite wisdome goodnesse and omnipotencye of God and vpon his fidellitie to fullfil all that hee promiseth seeing hee hath knowledge Power and will to performe it Vpon this foundation Hope is to exercize its Actes ayding itselfe with prayer to aske and obtaine what it hopeth and desireth And what here is to bee hoped and desired is the performaunce of the promises that Christe our Sauiour made to those that worthily receiue him in this sacrament as may bee collected out of the 6. chapter of S. Iohn saying thus vnto him Ioan. 6.35.50 c. I hope o my Sauiour that if I eate this breade of life I shall neuer die I shall liue for euer I shall remaine in thee and thou in mee vnited thou with mee and I with thee I hope that as thou liuest by thy Father so I shall liue by thee and by thy meanes I shall obtaine life euerlasting and thou willt raize mee againe at the last daye Colloquie O breade of life I come to receiue thee vvith greate confidence that thou vvillt quicken my spirit comfort my hearte cheare vp my soule for tifie my povvers make chaste may fleshe and chaunge mee into another man Aug. 7. confess cap. 10. for I shall not chaunge thee into mee vnlesse thou chaungest mee into thee O most svveete Sauiour augment in mee confidence that I may bee vvorthy to obtaine thy soueraigne promise But hope must passe yet farther hoping in the goodnesse and omnipotencie of this our Lord who is not tied vnto the sacrament but may graunt mee all these benefits onely for a liuely desire in mee to receiue him and therefore beholding this diuine sacrament I may exercize these actes of faithe and confidence Math. 8.8 sometimes with the Centurion saying vnto him Lord I am not vvorthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe but onely say the vvorde and my soule shall bee saued Numer 21.8 And sometimes I will say vnto him If to beholde the brasen serpent suffized to heale those that were wounded it may likewise suffize mee to beholde thee with a liuely faithe and thee to looke vpon mee with thy mercye that thou mayest deliuer mee from all miserye Other sometimes as the woman that had the fluxe of blood Luc. 8.44 Actuū 5.15 I will say within myselfe if I can but touche the garment that couereth my Lorde without doubt I shall bee safe And if the shadowe of his apostle healed the sicke how much more shall the shadowe of his diuine sacrament heale my soule VVith this confidence ought I to enter into the churche to assiste at masse and to beholde the sacred hoste and chalice when they are eleuated For as S. Bernard saieth Serm. 38 in Cant. greate faithe attaineth to greate things and the more the affection of confidence dilateth itselfe the more wee shall obtaine of Gods mercy The third Pointe FInally Actes of Charity Charitie is to exercize her actes with the which spiritually wee are vnited and Ioyned with Christe our Lorde with the Vnion of loue which is pretended in the Communion of this blessed sacrament The principall actes are to reioice in the goodnesse charitie omnipotencie and liberalitie of Christ which is resplendent in this banquet to joie to see mee so beloued of him that hee giueth himselfe vnto mee for meate to desire all waies to bee vnited with him by actuall knowledge and loue and to bee like vnto him in all his vertues To desire that all may knowe loue and reuerence him in this most blessed and soueraigne sacrament and may enjoie the benefits that therein are inclosed And to offer myselfe with greate earnestnesse to haue in all things the same willling and nilling that hee hath placing my whole liking in complying with his Colloquie O my most svveete Sauiour vvhere soeuer thou art thou art exceedingly amiable but in this sacrament thou art most vvorthy to bee beloued vvith all the vvhole forces of loue O that I did loue thee vvith all my hearte vvith all my soule vvith all my spirite and vvith all my fortitude May I loue thee for the bounty that herein thou discouerest for the loue that herein thou demonstratest vnto mee for the benefits vvhich herein thou doest mee for the euills from vvhich thou deliuerest mee for the good thinges vvhich thou promisest mee and for the much that thou desirest that I should loue thee Fullfill o Lord this desire vvhich thou hast and vvhich I haue graunting mee to loue thee as thou desirest to bee loued vniting mee vnto thee vvith the vnion of perfect charitie that it may remaine vnto life euerlasting Amen Diuerse other Meditations with seuerall formes of preparing our selues to communicate shall bee set downe in the partes that followe following the order of the euangelicall historie and shall easily bee found by the table The XXXV Meditation of thankes giuing after Communion AFter wee haue communicated it is of greatest Importaunce to knowe how to enioie the swete Presence of the guest that wee haue receiued for there is no better tyme to negotiate with him then when wee haue him within vs for here likewise it is truthe that hee saide that while hee is in the litle worlde of euery mā hee is the light of the world Ioan. 9. 12. and therefore it behooueth vs to walke whilest this light lasteth before it bee hidden and darknesse ouertake vs. And as this diuine sacrament is so soueraigne a Benefit and so high a Guift of his diuine liberalitie so we are to bee
the soule 140. That of the wicked how terrible it is 147.170 VVhat passeth with the bodie at death 154. the remembrance thereof verie profitable 162. The forgetfulnes of it daungerous 167. Of the dreadfull death of king Balthasar 173. Delight spirituall God hath and vseth diuers waies to cōmunicate spiritual delite in prayer 55. It is granted to some to weane them from worldly delits 62. Deuotion VVherein it consisteth 11. It is the tongue of the soule according to S. Bernard 18. How it is obtayned 53. See Affections Diligence That in Gods seruice what good it dooth against Sloth 272. Distractions Those of praier whence they proceede and the remedies against then 35 37.38.39 Diuel Hee presseth and streighteneth vs at the hower of death 138. He accuseth in the particular iudgment 141.142.144 And in the vniuersall 194. Doctors Schoole-Doctors the third fountaine of mysticall diuinitie 8. End The finall end of all Christians 1. The speciall end of religious folkes 1. Twoe principall ends of mentall praier 14.17 The end of mentall praier and meditations contained in this woorke 52. The last end of man and how it is to be sought for 80. The last end of other visible creatures Enuie VVhat it is whence it groweth the actions hurts and remedies thereof 263. Estates Three sorts of them to wit of Beginners of Proficients and of the Perfect 24. Examination of Cōscience That which we must make at the end of praier 43. That which God will make of the sowle at the particular iudgmēt 146. and in the vniuersall iudgment 191. How we ought to make it euerie inght of the sinnes we commit in the day-time 301. How it must be made of same particular vice to roote out and amend the same 397. How it must be donne before confession 320. Exercises spiritual Those of our glorious Father Ignatius how excellent they are 7. Faith The acts thereof relying vppon fower pillars 341. Fathers Holy fathers the masters of mysticall diuinitie 7. Feare That which afflicteth for giuing account at the hower of death 137. Feare of Gods punishments 116. That which will afflict vs in the generall iudgment 191. It prepareth vs to contrition 323. Fier Diuine and heauenlie fier what propertie it hath 3.4 That of hell 224. Gluttony The acts harmes and remedies thereof 239. The rewards of mortifiyng the same 242. God He is our last end 80. Hearing How God is spiritually heard 59. Hell VVhat and how terrible it is 212.217 The eternitie therof 214. The continuation and varietie of paines therein 216. The miserie of the inhabitants in it and their discord 219. The dreadfullnes of its tormētors 220. The paine of Sense of the damned in hell 222. The paine of fier that they indure 224. The paine of theire interiour senses 225. Their paine of losse or damnation 227. Humility It riseth of the knowledge of our selues 76. Humiliation the onlie meanes to get it 238. Hope That which wee must haue going to communion 342. Himmes VVhat spirituall himmes be 15 Iesus The misteries of his life 25. Ignatius His booke of spirituall exercises of what autoritie it is 7. Ignorance Not knowing in what sort to discourse or meditat the remedies of it 35. That of death what euiles it causeth 167. It is a proper vice of the vnderstanding 293. Impatience The acts hurts and remedies thereof 258. Inspirations How God speaketh by them See Talk How God doth communicate them 55. Intention The authors intention in this woorke 1.4 Intention that wee must haue in praier 32.33 Ioy. How profitable spirituall ioy is 272. See delite Iudgment The particular that is made of the soule at the hower of death with the circumstances of the Assistants Iudge Accusers Time Place and Sentences 140. till 154. The rigorous account to be made therein 146. The terrible sentence in it against the wicked 150. Generall iudgment and the causes thereof 175. The signes going before it 177. That fire that shall before it burne the worlde 180. The resurrection and summoning of the dead to iudgment 183. The comming of the iudge 185. The separation of the good from the euil 188. The publication of consciences to be made at that time 191. The terrible accusations that shall flow vppon this 194. The sentences in fauour of the good and against the wicked and the execution of them 196. Sacramentall iudgment in confession and the acts thereof 320.321 Rash indgmēt and the euils of it 294. Self-iudgment and the hurt thereof 295. Kingdome That of heauen is giuen wholie to the elect in the day of iudgment 199. The kingdome of this life and of the other is promised to the poore of spirit 256. It is iustice peace and ioy in the holie Ghost 256.317 Knovvledge That of God Christ and of our selues the end of mentall praier 52. Experimentall knowledge of God wherein it consisteth and how it is gotten 57. Knowledg of our owne miseries the roote of humilitie and how wee may obtaine it 76. Lavve of God Ten commaundements of Gods lawe and two wayes of vnderstanding them 274. The meanes of sinning against them 275. Maledictions of those that breake them 279. Benedictions of those that keepe them 282. How they must be written in the tables of our hearts 289. Reasons mouing to obserue them 286. Lecherie The acts and chasisements thereof 244. Lent Of the Ashes which wee take in the beginning of Lent 162. Liberalitie The rewardes of it as it is contrarie to Auarice 255. Loue. Our loue towards God hath three estates of spirituall childhood grouth and of perfection 25. Luxurie See Lecherie Masse The manner to heare it by communicating spirituallie 304. Meditation The matter of meditation 23. How it must be made 34. It causeth the fountaine whence it springeth 75. See Praire Meekenes The acts and rewardes of it 161. Mentall praier See Praier Mercie How much Christ will esteeme the workes thereof at the day of iudgment 200. Modestie The importance thereof and the manner how to keepe it 292. Mortification VVherein it consisteth and how it resēbleth death 154. It must be by degrees by little and little and is most necessarie to attaine to vertue 229. Mortifications of the senses what good it bringeth vnto vs. 291. Oathes Chastisements of those that be ill made 273. 282. Paines Paines of hell pag. 212. till 230. See Punishment Patience It is contrarie to Anger 261. Penance The excellencies of Sacramentall Penance 315. The graces fauours that God bestoweth in it 317. Perfection All men ar called by God to persection 2. Petitions To whome they must be directed and from whence they must be taken 11. why they ar to be alleaged in praier 13. How we must present them before God 14. How they be made to God 17. They depende chiefelie of the holy Ghost 18. Pouertie The contraritie that pouertie of spirite hath to couetousnes 255. Praier The holy ghost chiefe master of mentall praier 6. VVhat mentall praier is and how the substance thereof cōsisteth in
Principianâ—s hee vseth to giue more aboundantly the milke and Honye of diuine consolations to weane them from terrene and to animate them to the imitation of his Heroicall Vertues To attaine to these endes wee are to procure by the meanes of these Meditations to knowe Christ IESVS our Lorde true God and man with so certaine proper entire and perfect a knowledge that it may arriue to vnderstand and penetrate the infinite dignitie of his Person and the inestimable riches treasures of his grace with greate esteeme and valuation thereof For in this knowledge as is testified by our Sauiour himselfe consisteth Life euerlasting Ioan. 17.3 Psal 38 4. and from it as from seede proceede the meanes to obtaine it and with the breathe thereof is inkindled in meditation the fier of Charitye which inflameth vs in his Loue Sermone de perfecta forma hominis Christiani from which springeth fortitude of hearte to imitate his Life with so greate perfection that according to that of S. Gregory Nyssenus a Christian may bee called alter Christus Another Christ in Humillity Patience and all the other Vertues as wee say of a Wiseman that hee is another Salomon The manner of meditating vpon these Mysteries Ex Patre Ignatio in primo exerciâ—io secundae tertiae hebdomadae to effectuate what wee pretende must bee to carrye our eyes fixed vpon foure things and to ponder them with attention The first is to beholde the Persons that are interposed in the Mysterye with the Excellencyes and interiour affections that are in them The Second is to consider the Wordes they speake and the ende wherefore and the manner wherewith they speake them The thirde is to beholde their Workes and the Vertues resplendent in those Workes The fourth is to consider what things they suffer with all their Circumstances pondering the endes thereof and motiues therevnto Out of all these foure things I am allwayes to drawe some proffit to my selfe animating my selfe to imitate what may bee imitated In the introductioÌ„ §. 1. and 2. with those other Affections and Colloquyes that wee spake of in the beginning of this Booke All this is to bee donne in euery Pointe that the meditation shall haue following the Order of the Historye as in the Progresse thereof shall bee seene And for that among the Persons that are touched in many of these mysteries especially in those of this second parte the most principall is our blessed LADIE the VIRGIN wee must most principally attende to drawe out of these meditations the knowledge and Loue of her and the imitation of her Heroicall Vertues ascending from the imitation of the mother to the imitation of her Sonne 1. Cor. 11.1 seeing shee may say vnto vs much better then Sainct Paule Bee yee folowers of mee as I also of Christ To dispose vs the better to the pretense and estimation of the ende that hath beene spoken of the meditation folowing of Vocation to imitate our Lord IESVS Christ will help very much as a foundation of these meditations imagining him in the likenesse of a most excellent King elected by God Ex Patre Ignatio in principio secundae hebdomadae that should raise vp men to make warre vpon his enemies inuiting his vassalls to followe him and promising them that if they accompany him in the fight they shall enioye with him the spoiles of the victorye The fundamentall Meditation of the infinite Excellencye of the celestiall King Christ IESVS our Lord and of the Vocation that hee maketh inuiting all men to followe him The first Pointe FIrst The ExcelleÌ„cyes of our Sauiour Christe as hee is a King Psal 2.6 I am to consider that our Lord Christe is a most excellent king elected by the eternal Father to rule and gouerne men commaunding all to obey him as their proper king and lawfull Lord according to that which hee himselfe saide by the Prophet Dauid I am appointed king by him ouer Sion his holy hil preaching his precept Vpon this truthe I am to ponder first the infinite Charity of the eternall Father in the election of this soueraigne king for that beeing resolued to giue men a king hee made choice of the best that hee could giue vs whoe on the one side should bee true man as concerning our nature that hee might bee before vs with his example and entreate vs with Meekenesse and Compassion and on the other side should bee true God and his onely begotten sonne that by his infinite power hee might remedye Sermon 1. de Natiuitate and aide vs. For as Sainct Leo the Pope saith If hee had beene man onely hee could not haue remedied vs and if hee had beene God onely hee could not haue giuen vs Example From hence I will ascende to consider the excellencyes of this king in whome concurre all the Quallities that may bee in a most perfect king as is manifest by those Psalm 44 3. c. Iere. 23 5â— Zachar. 9.9 that are attributed vnto him by the Prophets But principally I will poÌ„der his infinite Wisdome whereby hee knoweth our necessities and miseries his Omnipotencye to remedye them his Mercye in beeing compassionate of them his Bountye and Charitye in desiring to remedye them his Prouidence in being carefull for our Good his Meekenesse and Affabillitye in entreating vs as Bretheren his Liberallitye and Magnificence in sharing among vs his riches and giuing vs all that hee hath euen vnto his very bodye and blood his Iustice and Prudence in Gouernment directing vs with greate Integritye and Vprightnesse and finally his Eternitye with perpetuall Constancye in his coelestiall Empire which shal neuer haue an ende And to make mee more entirely affectionate herein I will make a comparison betweene earthly kings and this heauenly king Isai 10.13 for they impose tributes and taxations vpon their vassalls and exact them with rigour this quitteth all those and louingly payeth their debtes they impouerish their vassalls to inrich themselues this impouerisheth himselfe to inriche them with his Pouertye 2. ad Cor. 8.9 they erre oftentimes in their gouernment thorough ignorance passion or malice this neuer erreth because hee is infinitely Wise Iust Good Math. 11.23.4 29. They impose very heauy Lawes vpon their subjectes yet excuse themselues to fullfill them this imposeth Lawes very sweete and by his owne example animateth men to fullfill them Finally those are teÌ„porall kings that ende with Deathe Dani. 2.32 their Empires bee they of golde or siluer of brasse or of iron shall perish because they are founded vpon feete of Clay but this king is eternall and his kingdome shall neuer haue ende because it is founded vpon God From these three considerations and from euery one of them I am to extract seuerall affections of Praise Ioy and Thankesgiuing with greate Resolutions and Offers to doe much in the seruice of this Soueraigne king sometimes to this purpose I will speake to the
sinfull men that sinned in Adam contracting from him the foule spot of Originall sinne and afterwarde thorough their owne Will fell into most greivous and actuall Sinnes by the which they made themselues most vnwoorthy to bee loued deserued to bee very much abhorred In so much that God not only loued men when they were not and so consequently were neither Freindes nor Enemyes but hee loued them also when they were Enemyes Rebells and Vnthankefull for other innumerable Benefits that hee had donne them to discouer heerein the infinite Treasures of his Mercye and Charitye Thirdly I will make comparison betweene that which God doeth in Heauen and that which men doe vpon Earthe pondering how God loueth the Worlde that abhorreth him and how the Worlde abhorreth God that loueth it The Worlde employeth itselfe in offending God and God desireth to employ himselfe in benefitting the Worlde admiring therefore with myselfe at the abhominable Wickednesse of the Worlde and at the infinite Bountye and Charitye of God O God of infinite maiesty Colloquie why daignest thou to loue a Worlde of infinite Basenesse Thou knowing what the Worlde is why doest thou not abhorre it why doest thou not sinck and anthilate it Blessed bee thy immense Charitye in whose bosome is contained the Loue of so vngratefull a Creature Domonstrate it o Lord towards mee in making mee to loue thee as thou louest mee and to serue thee as thou doest merit These three things I am to applye to myselfe putting myselfe in the place of the worlde who vngratefully and forgetfully haue abhorred and offended God and yet for all this God hath not omitted to loue mee desiring to doe mee good that I might heartely loue him The Second Pointe SEcondly Vt Filium suumvnigenitum daret I am to consider the infinite Greatenesse of the Gift that God gaue to the Worlde which was his only begotten Sonne Wherein I am first to ponder that the Loue of God is not a Loue of Wordes only and faire compliment but a Loue of Deede and of Action doing good to those whome hee loueth and the more hee loueth the greater Benefits hee bestoweth vpon the beloued From hence it is that to demonstrate the infinite Greatenesse of his Loue hee gaue vs the most precious thing that hee could giue vs which was his only begotten Sonne of equall dignitye with his Father and one and the same God with him willing that hee should become man like vs Coloss 2.9 that within one man might dwell the fullnesse of God of the which all might participate And for this cause Christ our Sauiour desiring to endeare the greatenesse of the diuine Loue saide So God loued the wo lde Ioan. 3.16 that hee gaue his only-begotten Sonne as who-should say Hee could not loue it more then to giue his Sonne and that not any Sonne but his naturall sole and only begotten Sonne And in steede of this Worde Hee loued hee might haue put some other like Wordes saying So God esteemed the Worlde so hee honored it so hee glorifyed and exalted it so hee inriched and protected it that hee gaue his only-begotten Sonne and this freely and of meere Grace for there was none that could merit so infinite a Gift Then will I ponder vpon whome this so precious Gift was bestowed which was vpon a Worlde peruerse ingratefull and forgetfull vpon a Worlde so bestiall that this greate and onely-begotten Sonne of God comming to liue therein Mundus eum non cognouit Ioan. 1.10 The Worlde knewe him not neither esteemed nor reuerenced him as it ought neither knewe it how to bee thankefull vnto him for the greate Honour and Benefit which from him it receiued And so comparing what God doeth for men which is to giue them his Sonne and what men doe against God which is to offende him and to bee vngratefull for his Gift I will greately admire the infinite Charity of God desiring earnestly to loue him for this fauour endeavouring actually to demonstrate my Loue that as God gaue mee the only Sonne that hee had so I may giue him the onely Soule and the onely Hearte that I haue employing my Memory Vnderstanding and Will with all my Senses and Faculties to loue and serue such a Father that gaue such a Sonne to such a Worlde O eternall Father Colloquie I giue thee all the thankes that I can for the infinite Loue that thou hast borne vs giuing vs the most beloued and precious thing thas thou hadst I desire lo loue thee as thou louedst mee giuing thee the most precious thing that is within mee Receiue my Hearte in pledge of this Loue that from this day forward I may not only loue thee in Wordes 1 Ioan. 13 18. and in Tongue but in Deede and in Truthe seeking allwayes thy Glorye without mixture of any thing that is prophane Amen The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the ende wherefore God gaue vnto the Worlde this his only-begotten Sonne Vt omnis qui credit in ipsum non pereaet sed habeat vitam aeternam Ioan. 12.47 and what infinite Benefits redounde vnto men by this Gifte Wherein I am to ponder how the Sonne of God came into the Worlde as hee giueth testimonye of himselfe Vt saluificem Mundum to saue the Worlde with a most perfect Saluation the which consisteth in two things First in taking from it all things that are the cause that it should perish and bee condemned pardoning it of it Sinnes deliuering it from the Slauery of the Deuill and from the eternall Prison of Hell and from all other miseries that are annexed to Sinne and are the cause of returning vnto it Secondly in giuing vnto it the Life of Grace with all the supernaturall Vertues that accompanye it and finally Life euerlasting And in these two things are included innumerable others which heereafter wee shall haue occasion to speake of And finally to seale vp the Greatenesse of this Benefit God willeth that it should extende itselfe to all the men of the Worlde of what Estate and Condition soeuer without excluding for his parte any that will beleeue in him with a liuely Faithe who shall not perishe but shall all of them obtaine Life euerlasting Now this beeing so to mee also this Benefit is extended and I may applye all these wordes to myselfe saying with all truthe so God loued mee that hee gaue mee his onely-begotten Sonne that beleeuing in him with a liuely Faithe I may not perish but obtaine Life euerlasting O only-begotten Sonne of the Father Colloquie what thankes shall I giue thee for hauing come into the VVorlde to free vs from so many euills and to heape vpon vs so many Benefits Thou pardonest our Sinnes dispoylest Hell openest the Gates of Paradise Vanquishest the Deuill Triumphest ouer the VVorlde Tamest our Flesh Cuttest of our Perills Comfortest our Heauinesses Quickenest our VVorkes Augmentest our Merits Giuest vs Perseuerance in thy Grace and finally Crownest
consequently the greatest that might bee graunted to any one beeing but a meere Creature for the which it is saide of her that shee is Electa vt Sol Elect as the Sun for as the Sun is only and singular in his Excellencyes among all the Starres So the blessed Virgin was elected to bee the only and most singular in the Giftes of Grace among all the pure Creatures so that neuer any should bee equall vnto her This I may ponder in generall by that saying of S. Paul Ephes 1.4 that God elected vs Vt essemus sancti immaculati in conspectu eius in Charitate That wee might bee holy and immaculate in his sight in Charitye In all which the Election of our blessed LADYE the Virgin was supereminent For first shee was chosen to bee holy with all the Degrees of Sanctitye and in all kindes of Graces and Vertues that were to bee bestowed vpon all the other creatures and with much greater Eccellencye vpon her then vpon any of them Serm. de Assumpt to 4. For as Sainct Hyerome saithe Those Graces that were distributed among other Sainctes were giuen all togither with greate fullnesse vnto MARY because of her was to bee borne the Author of all Graces Christ IESVS Matt. 1.21 who as hee is the Holy of Holyes would sanctifye her that was to bee his Tabernacle Psal 45.5 that among all pure creatures shee should bee as it were the Holye of Holyes superiour to all in sanctitye Secondly shee was chosen to bee pure and without spot withall those degrees of Puritye that might bee founde in a pure Creature without hauing any staine of sinne or any trace thereof For as S. Lib. de conceptâ—… Virg. cap. 18. Anselme saieth It was conuenient that the Virgin should bee resplendent with such a Puritye that next vnto God none should bee greater because shee was to bee the Mother of him that is Puritye itselfe who as in beeing God hee hath a Father by his Diuine Essence pure and cleane from all Sinne so in beeing Man hee would haue a mother pure and cleane with like Puritye thorough speciall Grace that his earthely Mother might heerein resemble his heauenly Father Thirdly shee was chosen to bee holy In conspectu â—ius in charitate and immaculate not howsoeuer but in the presence of God that is that with Sanctitye and Puritye true and not fained not exteriour only but also interiour shee should walke in the presence of God aswell in the presence of his Deitye contemplating and pleasing him as a faithfull daughter in all her Workes as also in the presence of God made man nourishing him and ministring vnto him as a mother louing him for both respectes with most inkindled Charitye and gathering togither with such seruices innumerable and most notable merites for which hee might afterwardes communicate vnto her his amiable Presence and resplendent Countenance with greater Excellencye of glorye then to all the rest of the elected All which proceeded from the infinite Charitye wherewith the most sacred Trinitye loued her aboue all and predestinated her to so greate a Glorye The Father for that shee was to bee the mother of his owne Sonne The Sonne for that shee was to bee his owne Mother And the holy Ghoste for that hee was to worke in her the Conception of this Sonne true God and true man And this is the ende of the Election and Predestination of the B. Virgin for the which I am to praise the most holy Trinity and to rejoice at the Glory that from hence redoundeth to her whome I holde for my Mother And seeing God our Lord hath also called mee thorough his infinite Charitye to bee holy and immaculate in his presence I am in all this to take for my patterne the sacred Virgin imitating her in the three things that haue beene declared and for my Aduocatrice that shee may obtaine them for mee of her Sonne 2 Pet. 1.10 I for my parte endeuouring as S. Peter saieth with good Workes to make sure my Vocation and Election O sacred Colloquie and soueraigne Virgin I rejoice that as the Sun thou arte elected in whome there might bee no obscurity of Sinne but greate Splendour of Grace and finally bright shining light of Glorye as farre exceeding all other Sainctes as the Sun excelleth the Starres Doe to mee the Office of the Sun lightening my Darkenesse that I may bee pure Dan. 12.3 and resplendent like a Starre of the Firmament shining in perpetuall Eternityes O euer-liuing God by whose Charitye without our merites wee were elected to bee immaculate and Holye in thy Presence I most humbly thanke thee for hauing elected this sacred Virgin with so soueraigne an election for whâ—se sake I beseeche thee to purifye my Soule from her Sinnes and to adorne it with thy Vertues that I may liue for euer in thy Presence and obtaine Life euerlasting Amen The fourth Pointe FOurthly I am to consider The Conception of our B. LADYE how the time beeing come wherein God would make himselfe man to laye the first Stone of this building hee created the B. Virgin that was to bee his mother and in the very instant of her Conception hee communicated vnto her most excellent Graces and singular Priuiledges as was meete for such a Sonne to giue vnto his Mother hauing chosen her thorough his owne Will and thorough his greate Charitye and beeing most Riche and Potent to inriche her with the Treasures of his Grace These Priuiledges wee will reduce vnto foure pondering breifely some Reasons thereof and in what manner wee may participate of them The first Priuiledge hee graunted her was to preserue her from Originall Sinne into which by beeing the daughter of Adam shee was to fall sanctifying her Soule in the first instant of her Creation when hee joyned it to the bodye So that like as God our Lord at one instant gaue to the Sun Beeing and Light and to the Angells and to our first Parents Adam and Eua hee gaue jointely nature and Grace So in one and the same instant hee created and sanctifyed the Soule of the B. Virgin electing it as the Sun that it might not bee touched by the darkenesse of Sinne. The reason heereof beside what hath beene saide in the precedent Pointe was for that our Sauiour Christ came into the Worlde to redeeme men and to free them from all Sinne especially from Originall The which hee might doe in two sortes either by drawing them out of Sinne after they were fallen into it or by preseruing them from falling into it And this second manner is much more excellent for in it is most resplendent the Omnipotencye and Mercye of the Redeemer 1. parte in the 6. Meditation because as before hath beene saide as there is no greater miserye then the foule staine of Sinne so there is no greater mercye then so to preserue vs from Sinne that it may not touche vs so much as for an
instant From hence it is that for the Glorye of the Redeemer and of his Redemption it was very conuenient to vse this mercye towardes her that was to bee his mother redeeming her with the best manner of Redemption that was possible preseruing her from the Infamye and Miserye of Originall Sinne at such time as shee was to fall into it honoring and beautifying her with his Grace that the mother might bee like vnto the Sonne in Puritye they beeing both conceiued without Sinne hee by Right and shee by Priuiledge hee as the Redeemer of the Worlde and shee as his Coadjutrice in the worke of the Redemption O Sonne of the liuing God Colloquie Ephe. 5.27 that beeing borne of the Virgin becamest man to make a glorious Churche without spot or wrinkle or any other imperfection I render vnto thee all the thankes that I can for that it was thy good pleasure that thy blessed Mother by speciall Grace should enjoye euen from her Conception that puritye from Sinne that the rest of the Elected obtaine in Glorye O most Glorious mother I rejoice at the Puritye wherewith thou entredst into the Worlde bright shining with the Light of Grace as entred thy Sonne the Sun of Iustice Well mayest thou say in this first entrance as hee saide in his Psal 39.9 That thou art readye to accomplish the Will of God and that in the middest of thy Hearte is imprinted his Lawe which is His Grace and his Charitye And seeing my Redeemer graunted thee this fauour that thou mightest assist him in his Office beseeche him to applye vnto mee his Redemption with Excellencye pardoning mee my Sinnes committed and preseruing mee from those I am likely to committe with so greate an horrour of Sinnes that I may not continue in them so much as a moment And this is the principall fruite that I am to collect from this consideration beholding this spot-lesse Mirrour the most sacred Virgin Sap. 7.26 to imitate her Puritye with the greatest perfection that possibly I may remembring what God saide to his People Bee perfect Deut. 18.13 Ex D. Th. 3. p. q. 27. ar 3. sequent and immaculate in my Presence The second Priuiledge was to take from her Fomes Peccati the Roote Seede and Foode of Sinne which is the Rebelliō of the Fleshe against the Spirit and of Sensuallity against Reason that the house of her Soule with all the inhabitants thereof which are the Faculties might haue perpetuall Peace and Concord for that it was to bee the Habitation of the Prince of Peace whose Dwelling place saithe Dauid is in Peace itselfe Psal 75.3 So that this blessed Ladye neuer felt that interiour Warre which all wee feele and mourne for for her flesh lusted not against the Spirit Gal. 5.17 nor the Spirit founde any Difficulty in gouerning the fleshe Rom. 7.23 the Lawe of the Appetites contradicted not the Lawe of Reason neither did Reason labour to subdue the Passions of the Appetites nay rather with greate pleasure they were vnited and accorded in subjecting themselues to the eternall Lawe of their God O Princesse of Peace Colloquie much good may it doe thee the interiour Peace that thou enjoyedst without hauing past thorough any Conflict or Warre obtaine for mee most B. Ladye that the interiour Warre which I suffer may bee moderated to the ende that I may some what enjoy the sweetenesse of thy Peace The third Priuiledge was after a most singular manner to confirme her in Grace so that in all the time of her Life shee should neuer sinne actually neither in Deede nor in Worde nor so much as in Thought our Lord assisting her in all her Workes with particular Prouidence that they might all bee as S. Ephe. 5.27 Paul saieth of the Churche Workes glorious and pure in the three Degrees of Puritye that is without spot of mortall Sinne without wrinckle of Veniall Sinne without any Imperfection at all shee leauing not only Euill but also Imperfect lesse good choosing all waies what shee helde for Best imprinting in euery worke the glorious Purity that is in the Triumphāt Church This manner of Purity in that degree that it is possible for mee I am to procure to aske it of our Lord saying vnto him O eternall God that didst sanctifye the Tabernacle of thy Mother Colloquie Psal 45.5 assisting immutably in the middest of her euery day rising very earely to aide her in all her Workes sanctifye also my Soule assist her perpetually arize earely preuenting mee with thy Grace that my VVorkes may bee pure without spot or wrinckle or any thing else that may bee displeasing vnto thee Amen The fourth Priuiledge was to replenish her in that instant with Grace and Charitye with the other Vertues Giftes of the Holy Ghost with such Plentye Aboundance that shee exceeded the Angells Seraphins of heauen to the end shee might bee the worthy Mother of God Queene of the Angelicall Hierarchyes Heb. 1.4 making her so much better holyer then they as the name was better which hee intended to giue her of his mother then that which they had of Seruantes and ministers in his house so that this sacred Virgin began her Carreere where the Angells ended theirs beeing on earthe had greater Degrees of Sanctitye then those which liued in heauen excepting that which is proper to that estate fullfilling in her that which the Prophet Dauid sayeth of the Citty of God Psa 36.1 That her foundations were vpon the high mountaines for the beginnings of her Life were higher raised in Sanctitye then the highest height that euer the greatest Sainctes of the Church arriued vnto O what contēt receiued the most B. Trinitye in beholding the excellencye of this Childe The eternall Father rejoiced in hauing such a daughter The Sonne of God was exceed ingly pleased to see her so beautifull that was to bee his mother And the Holy Spirit was full of Ioye to haue such a Spouse And all Three entred in her by grace dwelled in her with high Delight O Angells of Heauen that adored afterwardes the Sonne of God when hee entred into the VVorlde Colloquie come now at this instant to reuerence her that is to bee his Mother your Queene O Queene of Angells I now salute thee in the VVombe of thy Mother Luc. 1.29 with those VVordes which shall after bee spoken vnto thee by the Angell S. Gabriell Haile full of Grace our Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among VVomen for in the first instant of thy Conception thou foundest Grace before God aboue them all Beseeche him B. Ladye to purifye my Spirit to bridle my fleshe to moderate my Passions to replenish mee with his Grace that I may begin to serue him with greate feruour and perseuerance vntill I obtaine the Crowne of Glorye Amen The fourth Meditation Of the Life of our blessed LADIE vntill the Incarnation
and Puritye deliuer vs from Sinne and make vs meeke and chaste Amen And in imitation of her I will shut vp the Garden of my Bodye and Soule if God shall inspire mee therevnto vnder the locke of a Vowe and if in this manner I cannot locke it vp I will place for Garders those Vertues that garde Chastitye The Sixt Pointe SIxthly Of the Betrothing to S. Ioseph D. Tho. 3. p. q. 29. Mat. 1.18 Luc. 1.34 35. I am to consider how the time of the Incarnation approaching very neere the blessed VIRGIN our LADYE by reuelation from God was batrothed to a just man named Ioseph shee beeing certified that it should bee without perill of her Chastitye to the which shee readily obeyed Vpon the which I will ponder the causes why God our Lord would that his mother should bee despoused wherein hee discouereth the Prouidence hee hath of those that are his The first was to conceale the mystery of the Incarnation the Childe bearing of the VIRGIN vntill the full time Hee had likewise heerein a Care of the Honour of his Mother that they might not esteeme her as an Adulteresse As also that shee might haue one to sustaine and serue her in her Afflictions and to accompany her in her Peregrinations that her Sonne might haue a Tutour or Foster father to bring him vp and prouide for him And finally to haue occasion to magnifye S. Ioseph exalting him to such a Dignitye as to bee the Spouse of the Mother of God the Foster father of the Sonne of God O most louing Father Colloquie I giue thee thankes for the care thou hast of thy Children Seruants prouiding for their Honour for their Ease and sustentation preuenting in time the Remedye of what may molest them and seeking out Occasions to magnifye them Happy is hee that is vnder thy Wing and Protection Prouide for mee o Lord that am thy Creature that I may allwayes bee imployed in seruing thee seeing thou art allwayes imployed in gouerning mee Secondly I am to ponder in the VIRGIN the greate Faithe and Confidence that shee had in God that her Chastitye should not bee indaungered by her Mariage As also the greate Obedience that shee shewed in accepting this Estate which shee had so earnestly refused denying her owne will and resigning it to the Will of God Wherein I am to imitate her according to my Estate perswading myselfe that for my Obedience to God if I trust in him with a liuely Faithe I shall not loose Vertue nor Consolation nor any thing whatsoeuer in reason I can desier for my Saluation For God hath both Knowledge and Power to ioyne Virginity with Wedlocke Contemplation with Occupation and the Beautye of Rachel with the fruitefullnesse of Lia without receiuing any harme the one by the other The seuenth Pointe SEuenthly Of the feruent zeale wherewith shee desired the Incarnation I am to consider the feruent Desires the blessed VIRGIN had of the comming of God into the Worlde the which so much the more increased by how much the time of the Incarnation approached neerer the holy Spirit inspiring them into her whose propertye is when hee will graunt any thing to the elected to inspire into them liuely desires thereof that with their Desier with Praier they may dispose themselues to receiue it Besides this 2 Cor. 5.14 the VIRGIN was sollicited by her owne Charitye with the two most noble Actes thereof Loue of God and of our neighbour zeale of the Glorye of God and of the Saluation of Soules for as shee very much loued God shee desired to see him allreadye made man the better to knowe his Greatenesses to beholde his meruailous Workes and to conuerse familiarly with him Then vsed shee vnto him that of the Canticles Cant. 8.1 VVho shall giae to me thee my Brother sucking the Breastes of my mother that I may finde thee without and kisse thee and now no man dispise mee I will take holde of thee and bring thee into my Mothers howse there thou shallt teache mee and I will giue thee a cuppe of spiced wine and new wine of my Pomegranates O how happy were I if I might see thee allreadye in humane fleshe sucking at the breastes of some Woman and might finde thee out of thy Heauen conuersing visibly with men vpon Earthe that I might giue and receiue of thee the kisse of Peace Then would I procure to conuerse with thee and to heare thy Doctrine in this Temple and to inuite thee to what thou most of all desirest giuing thee my whole Loue with many Affections and Actes of Charitye Hereunto was added that her feruent zeale did eate her vp seeing the offences against God and the perdition of men and therefore with many and greate Gronings and Praiers desiring of God to come to their Remedye shee repeated with greate Affection the praiers of Dauid and of Isaias which the Church vseth in the Aduent Psal 79.3 84.8 Isa 64.1 45.8 saying vnto allmighty God Raise o Lord thy might and come to saue vs Shewe vs thy mercye and giue vs thy Saluation O that thou wouldest breake the Heauens and descende Drop dewe ye Heauens from aboue and let the clowdes raigne the Iust Be the Earthe opened and bud forth a Sauiour Finally the Praiers of the blessed VIRGIN preuailed so much with God our Lorde that though the Worlde were so wicked as soone after wee shall see and that mankinde no wayes merited this fauour shee only counterpeised the Demerits of all and with her merits and Praiers was a meane that the Sonne of God hastened his Incarnation without making any accoumpt of the Indignitye of the Worlde O meruailous efficacye of the Praier of the VIRGIN I rejoice o blessed LADYE Colloquie that thou wast so powerfull with God as to make him mende his pace and hasten his comming beseeche him also to make haste to come to visit mee and that I may bee worthy of his visitation Inuocate the Diuine Spirit to inspire mee with feruerous Desires thereof Amen The fifth Meditation Of the time that God chose to annuntiate and execute the Mysteries of the Incarnation THree times might our Lord God haue made choise of D. Th. 3. p. q. 1. ar 5. 6. to execute the Decree of his Incarnation The first was in the beginning of the Worlde assoone as Adam had sinned The second in the middle of it Continuance Abac. 3.2 which the Prophet Abacuch calleth In the midle of yeares The third about the ende But the Diuine Wisdome made choise of the first time to promise this mysterie as concerning the Remedye of Sinne of the second to execute it And of all the rest to gather the copious fruites that from it were to spring ordaining it thus for our Good for the Causes that in the ensuing pointes shall bee pondered The first Pointe FIrst D. Th. 2.2 q. 2. ar 7. ex Gen. 3. I am to
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
glorious a Salutation shee was astonnied not so much at the sight of the Angell as because shee founde in her selfe no foundation of such Praises and greatenesses as hee declared And then shee shewed her Prudence in thinking well what Salutation this might bee and to what ende it was ordained And therefore shee would not thrust to aunswere inconsiderately till the Angell had somewhat more opened himselfe Whereby shee shewed how much shee loued Silence holding her peace at that time and retourning for aunswere the exteriour semblance of her humble bashefull amazement O most pure VIRGIN how well befitteth the at this Instant that which thy Spouse saide Cant. 1.9 Thy Cheekes are beautifull like the Turtles a bird shamefast chaste for in them is resplendent the beautye of thy Chastitye the splendour of thy humble VVisdome These Vertues of the Virgin are more eminent Gen. 3.3 comparing her with the first Woman Eua who when shee was yet a Virgin went wandering and gazing thorough Paradise and the first Question that the euill Angell in forme of a Serpent did aske her shee made aunswere and helde a long discourse with him wheerein shee discouered Pride Curiositye Imprudence and Desire of talking other Vices wheerein wee her Children doe imitate her Which considering I am to bee astonished imploring the ayde of this most prudent VIRGIN that in the like Occasions I may followe her Vertues The fourth Pointe THe Angell knowing the holy Disturbance and Feare of the B. VIRGIN saide vnto her Feare not MARYE for thou hast found Grace with God Wheerein I am first to consider that it is the propertye of the good Spirit to pacify and calme any Feare or Disturbance of the Hearte whatsoeuer that it may quietly receiue the Reuelation and Visitation of God And allbeeit the Astonishment of the B. VIRGIN was without any kinde of Sinne or imperfection yet thereby wee may gather with what Care the good Angell endeuoreth to take away those Disturbances that spring from sinne or our owne imbecillitye And I for my parte am to labour to remoue them leaste they hinder mee of the Visitations of God remembring how Christ our Sauiour reprehended Martha when hee saide Martha Martha Luc. 10.41 thou art carefull and art sroubled about very many things when as but one thing only is necessarye And this am I to require of the Angell of my Garde saying vnto him O most blessed Angell Colloquie remoue from my Heart all vaine feare that it may bee capable of Diuine Loue appease the Disturbance that it suffereth in earthly things that it may contemplate the things of Heauen contenting myselfe with that one wheerein consisteth my eternall rest Amen Secondly I will ponder that most sweete Worde added by the Angell to perswade the blessed Virgin not to feare For that sayeth hee thou hast founde Grace with God How greate a good it is to find grace with God which was to say vnto her Thou needest not to feare the Deuill nor Hell nor visible nor inuisible Enemyes neither hast thou cause to suspect the Greatenesses that I haue spoken to thee of in this Salutation nor other greater that I shall presently tell thee of for I doe thee to wit that thou art fallen into Grace with God And this is sufficient to secure thee for from hence it proceedeth that thou art full of Grace that our Lord is with thee and that thou art blessed among Women for whosoeuer findeth Grace with God what benefits shall hee not receiue from his liberall hande O happy a thousand times happy is that Soule that findeth Grace with God! If it be helde among men for a high felicitye to fall in grace with an earthly king how much greater shall it bee to fall in Grace with the king of Heauen From that grace proceedeth abundance of Riches Honours Dignityes and many other temporall benefits that a king bestoweth vpon his Fauorite and yet sometimes all endeth with Disgrace But from this Grace proceedeth an abundaunce of Vertues heauenly giftes that God bestoweth on his beloued for the which it is saide in holy Scriptures of the greatest Sainctes as of Noe Gen. 6.8 Exo. 33.17 Act. 7.46 Moyses Dauid and other such like that they founde Grace with God but aboue all the most sacred VIRGIN founde much greater and neerer Grace with God yea so neere that shee was allwayes with him and hee with her euen to the containing him in her Wombe as his mother O sweetest mother Colloquie I rejoice that thou hast founde Grace before God with such singular fauour And seeing Queene Esther for that shee founde grace before king Assuerus Esth. 2.9 was a cause that her People founde the like and was by him very much fauoured bee thou our Mediatrix that wee may finde Grace before God and obtaine that perfect Grace which is eternall Glorye Amen But I am very carefully to consider that allbeeit God doth not this fauour thorough the merits of man but thorough his meere mercye yet Humillitye doth most of all dispose vs to obtaine it by the which the blessed VIRGIN obtained it And therefore saide the holy Spirit The greater thou art Ecol 3.20 humble thyselfe in all things and thou shallt finde grace before God bocause the might of God only is greate and he is honoured of the humble Hee sayeth that the Humble doe him Honour for that they attribute vnto him the Honour and Glorye of all that they haue for the which God honoreth them much more and they finde greater Grace before him Therefore o my Soule if like the blessed VIRGIN thou willt finde Grace neere vnto God humble thyselfe in all things like her For God resisteth the prowde and giueth his abundant grace to the Humble Iacob 4.6 The seuenth Meditation Of the manner how the Angell annunciated and declared to the blessed VIRGIN the Misterye of the Incarnation The first Pointe THe Angell hauing quieted the holy Amazement of the blessed VIRGIN deliuered his Embassage in this manner Luc. 1.31 Beholde thou shallt conceiue in thy Wombe and shalt beare a Sonne and thou shalt call his name IESVS He shall bee greate and shall bee called the Sonne of the most High and our Lord God shall giue him the seate of Dauid his Father and hee shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall bee no ende In these wordes are to bee pondered the greatenesses and Excellencyes of the Sonne that the Angell promiseth to the Virgin The first is that hee shal bee IESVS the Sauiour of the Worlde with greater excellencye then all other that had this name as heereafter shall bee declared The second that hee shall bee greate aboue all greates without any Limitation greate in his Diuinitye and Humanitye greate in Wisdome and Sanctitye In Life and in Doctrine In Example and in Worde and finally greate in Power for that hee shall haue power aboue all
yet God willeth that his should obey it for he is pleased that we should obey our Superiour in all that lawfully they shall commaunde vs albeit they commaunde it for their owne interests Matt. 23.3 and damned endes acknowledging God in them whose Lieutenantes they are And this Obedience our Sauiour Christ himselfe raized to the heigth making this iourney to accomplish the will of the eternall Father who had ordained that his Sonne should be borne in Bethlehem of Iuda Miâ—h 5.2 Matt. 2.6 albeit his Prouidence tooke this Edict of the Emperour Augustus as a meanes to compasse his intent Ioan. 6.32 And as our Lord Christ came into the worlde not to doe his owne will but the will of him that sent him he would be borne in that place which his Father had ordained and be borne obeying as he died obeying that all of vs might learne to obey O my beloued Colloquie Psal 29.6 seeing my life consisteth in doing thy will may my entrings in and goings out and all whatsoeuer I shall doe be conformable to thy will for euer and euer Amen The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the iourney of the VIRGIN the manner how she trauailed and the Vertues that she exercized with desier to imitate her therein pondering how she beeing poore the waye long and in the rigorous time of winter she wanted not much trouble and yet she carried all with admirable patience and alacritye She bare a greate modestye in her eyes her harte beeing placed on God and on the Sonne that she bare in her wombe with whome shee entertained those Colloquies and Discourses which before haue bene spoken of If some other while she talked with her Husband In the 10 Meditation the 3. pointe it was wholely of God and with very great sweetenesse and she was not wearye though she went greate with Childe for her Sonne was not burthensome and the hope to see him speedily brought forth gaue her greate alacritye and pleasure to parte from Nazareth that she might the more quietly enjoy her Sonne beeing borne out of it Colloquie Cant. 2.10 O blessed VIRGIN there is no neede to say vnto thee as to the Spouse That thou shouldst make haste because VVinter was passed the foule weather was ceazed and the flowers of the spring began to appeare for the desire of suffering obeying maketh thee trauell in the rigour of VVinter that the flower of Iesse may bee brought forth in whome consisteth our repose O that I might imitate the Vertues thou didst exercize in this iourney accompanying thy Steps in Spirit though it were not graunted me to doe it with my bodye The fourth Pointe FOurthly I will consider the entrance of the blessed VIRGIN into Bethlehem which was in an occasion of so greate a concourse of People that shee founde no bodye that would lodge her neither was there any roome in the Inne where shee was so that she was forced to haue recourse to a poore Stable for beastes the diuine prouidence so disposing it that the Sonne of God might enter into the Worlde begging and suffering hauing no bodye to be compassionate of his Afflictions Vpon this passage I am to ponder the excellencye of this our Lord who seeketh a Chamber to bee borne in findeth none the blindenesse of men that knowe him not nor prouide him one the benefits whereof they depriue themselues for not giuing him one and how he chooseth for himselfe the worst of the worlde collecting out of all this tender Affections and harty feelings First I will ponder how the men of the Worlde haue Palaces and Howses well accommodated and the riche of Bethlehem were vnder good shelter and warmely lodged at their ease but the Sonne of the eternall Father Ioan. 1.11 lord of all that is createdâ— comming to seeke a Lodging in his owne Citty of whence naturally he was and among those of his owne tribe and familye he findeth none that would harbour him O eternall VVorde incarnate Colloquie how soone the worlde beginneth to reiect thee thou hauing come to redeeme it now maiest thou well say Luc. 9.58 that the foxes haue holes and the foules of the aire haue nestes wherein to hatche their egges and to bring vp their little ones but the Sonne of man and his poore mother finde not where to repose their heade The foxes chase thee from their Caues for the craftye and riche of the Earthe abhorre thy Simplicitye and Pouertye The Birdes admitte thee not into their nestes for the noble and prowde of the worlde despise thy humillity and lowlinesse and therefore thou goest to a poore and humble Stable Isai 1 3â— where the Oxe will knowe his Owner and the Asse will leaue his maunger to resigne it to his master O Lord of Lords and Owner of all that is created cast out of my Soule all foxelike Subtleties and high-soaring Prides that possesse it that thou mayest finde therein a fit lodging for thyselfe From hence I will ascende to consider how the cause that our Sauiour Christ founde no harbour in Bethlehem was the Ignorance of that People for God comming to their gates they acknowledged him not neither knewe what good might came to them by admitting him admitting other guestes of whome they could receiue litle or no proffit O how happy had he beene that had harboured this our Lorde that he might haue beene borne in his house what spirituall riches would he haue giuen him how well would hee haue recompensed his hospitallitye as he recompensed Martha and Zachous O how happy were my Soule if it should happen to harbour this our Lorde and to giue him place to be borne spiritually therein O infinite God which inuironest the portes of my Hearte Colloquie Apoc. 3.20 calling with Inspirations that I might open vnto thee with a desier to enter therein to inriche it with the giftes of thy grace permitte me not to shut the porte not to knowe thee nor to dispatche thee away not to esteeme thee Come o Lord come and call for I will heare thee knocke at my dore and I will open vnto thee and I will giue vnto thee the best parte of my house which is my Hearte that thou maiest therein repose at thy pleasure Finally I am to ponder the Patience wherewith the B. VIRGIN and S. Ioseph carried this Affliction and Abandoning and with what alacritye they suffered the reproches of those who rejected them because they were poore with what content they retired themselues to the Stable taking for themselues the most contemptible place of the Earthe whereby they meruailously insistered Humillitye Pouertye with Patience and Alacritye In imitation of whome I will endeuour to desier for myselfe that which is worst and most contemptible in the worlde carrying it with alacritye when it falleth to my lot for there is no better lot then to imitate these glorious Sainctes as they imitated our Sauiour Christ in such sorte
diuine Childe layed in the maunger Pondering the Dignitye of his person the Wordes that he spake in his Hearte the Workes that he did and the Things that he suffered and for whome and how and the heroycall Vertues that he there did exercize All this I am to ponder as the most sacred VIRGIN did ponder it in this forme First I will beholde the Person of that Childe Of the person of the Childe making a comparison betweene what he is as he is God and betweene what he is there as he is man with an Affection of Admiration and Loue the greatest that I am able pondering how this Childe is that God of maiestie Isa 66.1 Psal 79.2 whose seate is Heauen whose Throne are the Cherubins and whose seruants the Hierarchies of Angells are beeing in the middest of them as an Emperour whome all doe adore to whome all acknowledge subiection And on the other side he is layed in a maunger in the middest betweene two dull beastes Abac. 3.2 inxta 70. Ioan. 1.1.3 Heb. 1.2.3 Ps 103.2 Heb. 1.3 And he that is the worde of the eternall Father by whome he created all things and whoe sustaineth them with his power is become a Childe not yet able to speake his handes and feete beeing swathled and he not able to stirre And he whose Vesture is the Infinite Light of the Deitye beeing the brightnesse of the glorye of his Father he who clotheth his Creatures with beautye and with a liberall hande giueth them sustenance for the conseruation of their Life he euen he is wrapped vp in poore mantles and ragges and hath neede to be sustained with the milke of his mother O most excellent Colloquie Ex D. Ber. ser 1. in Epiph. and most humbled Babe and in all venerable and amiable in all yet quanto pro me vilior tanto mihi carior the more thou art despised for me the more worthy thou art to be loued and the more thou art humbled the more to be exalted for in thy Humilliations thou demonstratest the greatenesse of thy Incomprehensible Charitye O that I could loue thee as thou deseruest 〈◊〉 that I could debase and humble myselfe as I deserue to be for to debase me with myselfe were to magnifye me with thee How is it o my Soule that thou art not confounded to see this person so greate and yet so humbled and to see thy owne person so vile and yet so prowde Learne of this Childe to humble thyselfe for he that with him shall humble himselfe on Earthe Matt. 18.3 Of the Wordes shall by him be magnified and exalted in Heauen Secondly I will ponder the wordes this Childe might speake not with the tongue but with the spirit not with voice but with examples To his eternall Father he might speake giuing him thankes because that hower was come and that it was his pleasure to haue him layed in that maunger offering vnto him with greate Loue all the Afflictions that he was to suffer in the worlde and againe saying vnto him that which the Apostle pondereth he might say in entring into the worlde he added Heb. 10.9 Psal 39. Beholde me heere o Lord I am come to accomplish thy will But to men he spake likewise and cryed out to them with his examples speaking that from he maunger which he afterwardes spake while he preached Learne of me for I am meeke Matt. 11.29 18.3.4 humble of Hearte and vnlesse you be conuerted and become as litle Children you shall not enter into the kingdome of Heauen and whosoeuer shall humble himselfe as this Childe he shal be greater in the kingdome of Heauen These other like wordes he is there preaching by his Example which I am to hearken vnto with greate deuotion beseeching him to open the Eares of my Hearte that I may vnderstand this Language and put it in practize O soueraigne Childe Colloquie Mar. 10.16 that euen from this maunger art inuiting mee to become a Childe wast allwayes so greate a Louer of Children that thou didst louingly embrace them make me like thee a Childe in Innocencye a litle one in Humillitye an Infant in Silence and tender in Charitye In these soure thinges consisteth the making ourselues Children to become greate in the eyes of God Then will I contemplate the workes that he doth Of the Workes that he doeth wherein there is one meruailous thing to consider for being a man as perfect in Iudgement as when he was thirtie yeares olde he did all the Actions gestures and semblances of a Childe not counterfaited nor fained but really and truely as other Children doe with an Admirable Harmonye for him that knoweth how to ponder the connexion of these two things togither In particular I will now ponder that weeping of the Childe and the causes of his teares he weepeth not so much for greife of what he suffereth as other Children doe as for that which we suffer by our Sinnes louingly bewailing them and with those teares joyning interiourly most zealous praiers to the eternall Father Heb. 5.7 doing as S. Paule sayed of him That in the dayes of his fleshe he offred praiers and Supplications to God with greate Clamour and Teares And it is to be beleeued that the blessed VIRGIN wept seeing her Sonne weepe and considering the causes wherefore he wept O sweete IESVS Colloquie why lamentest thou so bitterly my miseries forgetfull of thine owne O my Soule why weepest thou not seeing this Childe weepe that so weepeth for thee Weepe thou for Compassion to see him weepe weepe because thou art the cause of his weeping and weepe for thy Sinnes that afflict his Hearte and if this make thee not weepe then weepe because thou art so harde hearted that thou canst not weepe hauing so much reason to shed abundance of Teares Matt. 5.5 O most sacred VIRGIN obtaine for me the gift of Teares if it be but to accompanye thee with them to comfort thy Sonne who is comforted to see vs weepe and sayed Blessed are they that mourne for they shal be comforted Lastly Of the things that he suffereth I will contemplate what things this Childe suffereth which are Pouertye Contempt Colde and Dolour with other discommodities all which he suffereth not forcibly nor of necessitye but willingly and pleasingly for as he is God and man in Iudgement D. Th. 3. p. q. 35. ar 8 he maketh choise of all that he suffereth He chose to be borne in the most rigorous time of the Winter in the coldest hower of midnight in the most vile Ex D. Ber. ser 3. de Natiu and contemptible stable of all the Cittye with the greatest Pouertye Contempt and forgetfullnesse of men that was possible and all with such a maske of Humillitye that beeing voluntary it seemed forced and consequently most vile and contemptible Finally from the maunger as he himselfe saieth in one of the Psalmes hee tooke for his inseparable companions
B. LADYE the VIRGIN declared in the Circumcision the name of her Sonne whose excellencies she most perfectly knewe since the time that the Angell reuealed them vnto her and in her hearte she did ruminate and conferre them and therefore on this day she with greate reuerence and deuotion tooke his name in her mouthe sayed his name shall be IESVS O what greate Ioye felt the most sacred VIRGIN when this first time shee pronounced this most sweete name of IESVS and not she only but glorious S. Ioseph and the rest that were present and hearde this name felt a celestiall fragrancye sweetenesse For then began to be fullfilled that which is written in the Canticles Cant. 1.2 Oile powred out is thy name therefore haue young maydes loued thee Vntill this hower this sweetest name made no odour of itselfe because it was locked vp and inclosed now that it manifested itselfe it powred out a most sweete and odoriferous fragrancye cheering comforting and affecting those pure and chaste Soules that either pronounce it or heare it the which are inflamed with the Loue of this our Lord thorough the sweetenesse of his holy name but aboue all our most blessed LADYE the VIRGIN being most pure and vndefiled and knowing best the soueraigne mysteries of this name O with what pleasure repeated this B. LADYE those wordes of her Canticle My Soule doeth magnifye our Lord and my spirit reioiceth in God my IESVS and Sauiour Because he hath regarded the humillitye of his handmaide for beholde from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed because he that is mighty hath donne greate thinges to me and holy is his name O Soueraigne VIRGIN beseeche thy Sonne to imprint in my Hearte that estimation Colloquie and loue of this holy name that he imprinted in thine O most sweete name poure downe vpon me thy Celestiall fragrancye that my weake sicke and miserable Soule may be comforted and healed therewith and may be free from those miseries wherein it is plunged enioying the fruite of her abundant faluation Lastly I may ponder how this blessed Babe accepted the name and office of our Sauiour and ioyed therein offering with greate delight to his eternall Father to stand for the honour of this sweetest name and entirely to fullfill all whatsoeuer it signified for the good of men I thanke thee o good IESVS Colloquie for this will which thou hadst to saue vs accepting the office with the name of Sauiour fullfill it o Lord effectually in mee and seeing thou art IESVS Este mihi IESVS Be to me IESVS be my Sauiour The Second Pointe SEcondly I will consider the causes why this name was giuen him on the eigth day at his Circumcision for albeit the Angell declared it before the Incarnation to the blessed VIRGIN and afterwardes to S. Ioseph yet in the Circumcision it was manifested for twoo principall causes First for the honour of the Childe for his father seeing him so humbled that he bare the likenesse of a Sinner would that he should then be exalted giuing him a name aboue all names which is the name of IESVS that we might vnderstand that not only he hath no Sinne but that he is the Sauiour of Sinners and pardoner of Sinnes This is to moue me to giue infinite thankes to the eternall Father for thus honoring his Sonne when for his Loue he humbleth himselfe whereby he giueth me an assured pledge that if I humble myselfe he will also exalt me Apoc. 2.17 and will giue me a newe name so glorious that none shall knowe how to esteeme it as it ought to be esteemed vntill he receiue it and that God communicateth his greatenesses in glorye Secondly to make manifest that the name and office of Sauiour was to cost him the shedding of blood for without shedding of blood saieth the Apostle there is no remission of Sinnes Heb. 9.22 And therefore our sweete IESVS taking the office of a Redeemer giueth in earnest of the price that he is to pay for our ransome a litle of that blood which he sheddeth in his Circumcision with a determination to pay the whole price entirely in his passion shedding for vs all the blood that he hath True it is that this litle was a sufficient price for all the Sinnes of the Worlde yea if there had beene a thousand other Worldes because it was the blood of God but his Charitye and Liberallity would that the price should be all his blood to which ende he gaue licence to all the instruments that are on Earthe for shedding of blood to drawe out his blood with greiuous Dolour and Contempt to witte the Knife Whippes Thornes Nailes Speare The knife on this daye opened the first fountaine of blood but that was presently closed The other instruments afterward opened others which closed not till all his blood was runne out O sweetest Sauiour Colloquie Isa 12.3 vhose fountaines albeit they are of blood shed with greate dolour yet they are also fountaines of the liuing water of infinite thankes which are to be gathered with greate reioicing and Loue. May my Soule praise thee for this infinite Charitye wherewith thou openest these fountaines commaunding me to approache with alacritye to enioye the price that thou sheddest with such paine O my Soule what hast thou reason to doe for thy owne Saluation when as thy Sauiour doeth so much for it If it cost him his blood is it much that it should cost thee thine Beholde me heere o Lord readye to shed my blood for thy Loue so that thou wilt make me partaker of thine Amen The third Pointe THirdly I will consider the greatenesses of this sweete name the greate proffit that wee reape by it and the manner how we are to make our commodity thereof but before we enter into this consideration I am to beseeche the eternall Father that for the glorye of this most holy name he will be pleased to illuminate me that I may knowe his greatenesse for if as S. 1 Corint 12.3 Paul sayeth no man can duely say IESVS but in the holy Ghoste then can no man worthily ponder and vnderstand what is contained in the name of IESVS if he be not preuented and ayded by the same holy Ghoste This presupposed I will consider how the name of IESVS is a Summarye and memoriall of all the greatenesses that are in Christ our Lord reducing them to three heades for that it is the Summe of all the perfection that agree to him as he is God and of all the graces and Vertues that he hath as he is man and of all the Offices that as hee is God and man hee doeth vnto men So that I may well inferre if he is IESVS then is he infinitely good holy wise omniponent and full of mercye and the very Goodnesse sanctitye and Wisdome of God for all this is needefull to complye with the name of IESVS 1 Corint 1.30 who as S. Paul sayeth is made
vnto vs Wisdome Iustice Sanctification Redemption Likewise if he be IESVS then he is exceedingly milde humble patient couragious modest obedient and Charitable for he is to be the patterne of all these Vertues Ioan. 1.16 and of his fullnesse all men are to receiue the Graces and Vertues wherewith they are to be saued Againe if he be IESVS then he is our master our Phisicion our Father our Iudge our Pastor our Protector and our Aduocate So that in IESVS only we haue all thinges and therefore I may say vnto him IESVS meus omnia O my IESVS Colloquie and my all thinges If I be sicke thou art my Healthe Ex D. Amb. lib. de Virg. ad finem and my all thinges If I be sicke thou art my Healthe if hungrye thou art my fullnesse if I be poore thou art my Riches if weake thou art my Strength if I bee ignorant thou art my Wisdome and if I am a sinner thou art my Iustice my Sanctification and Redemption O my IESVS and my all things graunt me that I may loue thee aboue all things and that in thee only I may seeke my repose and perfect sacietye for in thee only is altogither all that which can satiate mee for thou only art my sole summum bonum to whome be honour and glorye worlde without ende Amen Heereupon I may also discourse how in this sweetest name are included all the glorious names that the Prophets giue the Messias such as are those related by the Prophet Isaias saying Isa 9.6 That he shal be called God Strong Admirable Counseller Father of the Worlde to come and Prince of Peace Pondering how the name of God is fitting to IESVS for if hee had not beene God he could not haue remedied vs and the name of Strong or valiaunt for he is to fight against and to vainquish the Deuills the name of Admirable for all that is in him his Incarnation Life and Deathe is all newe and meruailous IESVS likewise is a Counsellor and the Angell of the greate Counsell for his Doctrine is repleate with admirable Counsells IESVS is the Father of the VVorlde to come engendring vs in the being of Grace and giuing vs the inheritance of Glorye He is the Prince of Peace pacifying vs with God and with men with abundance of all peace O greate IESVS Colloquie how well befitteth thee the greatenesse of these names and seeing they are not names emptye but full worke in me that which all of them signifye that I may glorifye thee for the glory that thou hast from them Amen From hence I may ascende to ponder the benefits that I haue in this sweete name of IESVS the which is the only meanes to obtaine pardon of all my Sinnes is the reason why I should be hearde in my praiers is the medicine of all my spirituall infirmities is my offensiue and defensiue Armour against the Diuells in all my Temptations is my Protection in all Daungers is my Light and my Guide in all my ignorances is to me a patterne and Example of all Vertues and finally is the fier and pricke that inflameth and inciteth me to procure them From these Considerations I am to collect a greate Desier that this most holy name may bee alwaies fixed in my memorye to be mindefull of it in my vnderstanding to meditate on it and in my Will to loue and to rejoice in it I am to imprint it in my Hearte that it may be alwayes vnited with me and to keepe it in my Tongue to praise and to blesse it delighting to publish the greatenesses thereof taking it for the beginning and ende of all my speeches and naming it with high reuerence both interiour and exteriour Phil. 2.10 seeing as the Apostle sayeth In the name of IESVS euery knee boweth both of Heauen Earthe and Purgatorye yea and those of Hell in dispite of them shall be forced to respect him O sweete IESVS Colloquie be IESVS vnto me in all my faculties exercizing in them the office of IESVS that they may likewise be exercized in all that pertaineth to thy honour for euer and euer Amen The XXII Meditation Of the comming of the three kings of the Easte to adore the Childe and of their entrance into Hierusalem The first Pointe FIrst D. Th. 3. p. q 36. ar 7. 8. Matt. 2.1 is to be considered the apparition of the Starre in the East when it appeared for what ende and what effectes it wrought in those three kings or Sages First I will ponder how the eternall Father desiring that his Sonne newe borne in Bethlehem should be knowen and adored not only of some Iewes but also of some Gentiles hauing sent an Angell to declare the newes of this birth to the Shepheardes the same daye he created in the East a most beautifull and bright shining Starre to be a signe that the Messias and king of Israel was borne of whome Balaam had prophecyed Num. 24.17 desiring that they also should come to acknowledge and to adore him seeing for the good of all in generall he was borne I giue thee thankes o soueraigne Father Colloquie for the care thou hast that thy Sonne should be knowen and adored by the Gentiles aswell for his Glorye and Honour as also for the proffit of those that are to knowe and to adore him O that all did knowe and adored him that all might participate the fruite of his Comming Secondly I will ponder Slothfulnesse in seeking Christ and the punishment thereof how that there were many in the Easte that sawe this Starre that admired at the beauty of it and that vnderstood what it signified but there were none that moued but only the three kings who resolued to goe to seeke out this king whose Starre they had seene the rest would not stirre for they were loth to leaue their Houses their wealthe their Wiues and their freindes and to departe out of their owne Countrey to vndertake such a long and laborious iourney into a straunge Lande and to an vncertaine place and the fleshe and the Diuell augmented all these difficulties to hinder them from this iourney that being fullfilled in them which is written The Sluggard sayeth A Lyon Prou. 22.13 26.13 and a Lyonesse are in the waye I shall be killed in the middest of the Streete to auoyde this Daunger I will not goe from home But these wretches flying from the Lyon encountered with the Beare Amos 5.19 and flying from temporall Deathe fell into eternall for it is to be beleeued that this was the cause of their eternall Condemnation they remaining in the darkenesse of their Infidellitye And this I am to applye to myselfe pondering how often the Starre of diuine Inspiration appeareth within my Soule solliciting me to seeke Christ and to embrace his Pouertye Humillitye and Vertues and albeit I vnderstand what this Starre meaneth yet I will not moue nor stirre a foote to seeke
perill they might put themselues vnto of being put to deathe by Herod for asking in his Countrey and Courte for another king yet for all this they entred not hiddenly nor demaunded secretly in Corners but publikely and in his owne pallace O heroicall Confidence o couragious Portitude inspired by this newe-borne king who though he hidde from these Sages the light of the visible Starre he hid not from them the inuisible light of faithe by whose power the Sainctes ouercome kingdomes Heb. 11.33 worke Iustice and obtaine the fullfilling of all their promises Colloquie O my Soule haue a liuely Faithe in thy God for by his power thou shalt breake Walles Psal 17.30 animate thyselfe to breake thorough difficulties feare not to set vpon Daungers for he will protect thee and set thee at liberty from them From this Faithe and Fortitude of these Sages it proceeded that albeit at the hearing of this demaunde Herod was troubled and all Hierusalem with him yet they themselues were not troubled Wherein I will ponder how Herod was troubled because he was a Tirant and ambitious and so feared leaste he that was borne might depriue him of his kingdome But that which is most to be admired is that the Iewes also were troubled at that for which they should rather haue rejoiced attending more to flatter and to giue Contentment to a Tyrant king then to the king of Heauen that was promised vnto them Whereby I may learne how perillous a thing it is to entertaine strict amitye with potent and vicious Personages which are easily troubled with Passions of Hatred Anger Reuenge and Ambition for they being troubled I may also be troubled with them But if I trust in God as did the Sages I shall not be troubled though all others be troubled rather I shall say with the Prophet Dauid Psal 26.1 c. Our Lord is my Lighte my Healthe whome shall I feare Our Lord is the Protector of my life who shall make me tremble If Armyes of enemies come against me my Heart shall not feare and though they make greate warre against me I will not be dismayed but will hope in our Lord. The fourth Pointe FOurthly I am to consider how Herod hauing heard this demaunde consulted thereupon with the high Preistes and the Scribes of the People who aunswering him that this king should bee borne in Bethlehem of Iuda for that it was so foretalde by Micheas the Prophet Mich. 3.2 he saide vnto the Sages that they should there inquire seeke for the Childe whome hauing founde they should giue him aduise thereof Wherein the prouidence of God is many waies resplendent First in that he maketh vse of the wiched to fauour the intentions of those that are good as he made vse of Herod to discouer vnto the Sages the place of the birth of our Sauiour fullfilling that which is written Pro. 11.29 Rom. 8.28 and to them that loue God all things cooperate to their good Secondly it is resplendent in that by meanes of his ministers although they are wicked he discouereth the Veritye of holy Scripture to those that desier to knowe it for their proffit as in this case he consented not that the high Preistes and Teachers of the Lawe should conceale this Veritye from the Sages And if I with a good zeale desier to knowe the Will of God God will discouer it vnto me by the meanes of his ministers Mala. 2.7 of whome he saieth by a Prophet that their Lippes keepe knowledge which they holde as it were in a cheste of truste to teache the doubtefull things of the Lawe to those that demaunde them for they are the Angells and messengers of our Lord and the manifesters of his will The Prouidence of God is likewise resplendent in hauing giuen vs the diuine Scriptures wherein there is most sufficient light to knowe Christ to seeke and to finde him without hauing neede of any miraculous Starre or newe reuelation but only feruent Praier and profounde meditation according to that which our Sauiour Christ sayed vnto the Iewes Searche the Scriptures Ioan. 5.39 for you thinke in them to haue life euerlasting and the same are they that giue testimonye of me O sweete IESVS that saydest Aske Colloquie and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde illuminate me that I may seeke thee in thy sacred Scriptures so that I may finde thee and that I may searche out the eternall life contained in them in such sorte that I may obtaine it Finally the secret iudgements of God resplendent in this case may affright me and make my haire stande on ende for that the Gentiles comming from Countreys so farre distant and with so greate labour and trauell to seeke Christ the Iewes who so many yeares had expected him being so neere him yet mooued not to seeke him And though they aduised the Sages where they might finde him yet they tooke not this aduise to themselues that the veritye of that might be manifested which was afterwardes spoken by this our Lord Ioa. 6.44 No man can come vnto me vnlesse the Father that sent me drawe him But these wretches were not drawen by the Father for they delighted more in pleasing a Tyrant and deferring their going till the Sages were retourned they neuer performed it Wherefore taking warning by other mens harmes I will remoue all impediments that may any waies hinder the eternall Father from calling me by his inspirations and joyning me with Christ not deferring to another time to obey those which he shall giue me for delaye may be peraduenture the cause of my perdition O eternall Father Colloquie Psal 65.5 whose iudgements vpon the Sonnes of men are terrible but yet iust by that Loue which thou bearest to thy Sonne I beseeche thee that seeing thou hast so greate a desier that he should bee knowen and adored by all men cast me not of thorough my owne Sinne and slackenesse leauing me ouerwhelmed therein but with efficacye pull and drawe me vnto thee that I may seeke and finde him knowe and adore him worlde without ende to thy Glorye Amen The XXIII Meditation Matt. 2.9 Of the departure of the Sages from Hierusalem and their entrance into the Inne at Bethlehem and what happened there The first Pointe THe Sages hauing heard Herods aunswere departed from Hierusalem the waye of Bethlehem in quest of the newe borne king and at that very instant the Starre againe discouered it selfe vnto them at whose sight they reioiced with exceeding greate ioye Gauisi sunt gaudio magno valde Heere I am to ponder first the Care of these kings in prosecuting their intention for assoone as they had knowledge of what they desired they departed from Hierusalem and from the Courte of king Herod flying from the noise and vnquietnesse thereof whereby they teache vs how puntually we ought to applye ourselues to the businesse of our Saluation departing from the noise of the Worlde and flying to
where he was how louingly he would reprehende my Pride and Vanitye and Curiositye in attire how he would exhorte me to make myselfe a childe and to present and offer myselfe to the seruice of his eternall Father All these wordes I am to receiue to heare beseeching him to inspire them into my spirit with a Determination to fullfill them I will likewise endeuour to heare what the blessed VIRGIN saide and what the holy Spirit saide to Simeon and what Simeon himselfe saide when he sawe his desire accomplished I learning by those wordes to speake such other wordes vnto God The third Pointe THe third pointe is to smell with the interiour smelling the most sweete odour celestiall fragrancye that issueth from this Childe IESVS and from his Vertues meditating how well they smell vnto God vnto the Angells and vnto the Iust and how much honour and glory they are vnto our Lord God and of what edification to his Church And with this odour I am to comfort and animate myselfe to imitate those Vertues To doe this the more effectually I will ponder how the most sweete odour that issued from the workes and Vertues of that Childe did exceedingly recreate the eternall Father Gen. 27.27 who might say as Isaac sayed of his Sonne Iacob The sauour of my Sonne is as the sauour of a plentifull feilde which our Lord hath blessed Then will I ponder how much this odour recreateth the just Soules that smell it Cant. 1.3 as the Spouse that saied we will runne after thee in the odour of thy ointments For the Pouerty of Christ his Humillitye and Meekenesse doe cast from them a fragrancye that vanquisheth the hearte and carrieth it after him to joine it vnto him From hence I will come to contemplate how sweete an odour both to God and vnto men is Obedience and Modestie Humillity Patience and Charitye in any person whatsoeuer that hath them in excellencye and how much it edifieth the Church and his neighbours Whereupon S. 2 Cor. 2.15 Paul saieth of the Iust that they are the good odour of Christ and contrarily what an euill odour both to God and to men is Pride and Disobedience Immodestye and euery other vice pondering how farre this euill odour was from that holy place where the Childe and his mother was and how farre it ought to be from my Soule not to giue any disguste to whome I owe so much dutye O sweete Childe whose Vestements Colloquie which are thy workes are like a feilde of odoriferous flowers clothe me with them that I may smell well to thy eternall Father that for thee hee may giue me the benediction that for them thou didst merit may my Soule resent the fragrancye of thy diuine odours that it may runne after thee imitating thy Vertues vntill it arriue to enioye the rewarde of them Amen The fourth Pointe THe fourth pointe is with the interiour Taste to taste the sweetenesse of that blessed Childe and of his Vertues and how sweete they were to God and to himselfe and are to all those that exercize them in his imitation applying myselfe to proue what the Prophet Dauid sayeth Psa 33.9 Taste ye and see that our Lord is sweete O how it pleased the eternall Father to beholde the Vertues of his Sonne and what pleasure had the Sonne to giue full content to the Father O what a sweetenesse felt this blessed Childe to see himselfe poore contemned layed in a manger among beastes how sweete vnto him were the teares that he shed and how pleasing was it to him absolutely to fullfill the will of his Father much more sauorye without comparison then the milke that he sucked from the brestes of his mother And in imitation of him I will endeuour deepely to resent this sweetenesse that God putteth in Contempts and Afflictions in Pouertye and Teares sweetened with the example of this B. Childe And with this Affection I will prouoke in my Soule a greate hunger to taste of these things and to sauour the pleasing tastes of the Spirit that the sweetenesse of the fleshe may be made vnsauorye vnto mee With this affection I will contemplate the sweetenesse that holy Simeon felt at the presence of the Childe which was so greate that it lothed him to see and taste any thing of this life and sweetened vnto him euen deathe itselfe O eternall God Colloquie Ps 30.20 how greate is the multitude of sweetenesse which thou hast hidden for those that feare thee but how much gerater shall it be to those that loue thee giue me some parte thereof o Lord to prooue that I may with a good will renounce the pleasures of the earthe and take pleasure only in those of Heauen Amen Contrarily I may ponder how much bitternesse lyeth hidden in Vice and in the Soule that followeth her owne will and yeildeth to her owne passions and making reflexion vpon what passeth with myselfe when I sinne I shall taste this bitternesse that I feele in myselfe and shall presently abhorre it and spit it vp with a desire neuer more to taste of it remembring that of the Prophet Hieremias Iere. 2.19 Thy owne malice shall reproue thee and thy owne Sinne shall reprehend thee know thou and see that it is an euill and bitter thing for thee to haue abandoned thy Lord God The fifth Pointe THe fifth pointe is with the interiour Touching spiritually to touche the Vestements of that Childe the haye of that manger the earthe of that stable kissing and embracing it with my Hearte engendring in myselfe a greate estimation price and loue of it all choosing it to myselfe as a thing of greate value and as if I were present at all I am to come to the Childe and to beg leaue of him to touche his feete to kisse and embrace them bewailing my Sinnes and like Mary Magdalen humbly begging remission of them And then with greater Confidence to beg leaue of him to touche his handes to kisse them and to play with them beseeching him to giue me his benediction or like olde holy Simeon I will take him in my armes and embrace him with greate Loue beseeching him to vnite me to himselfe not permitting me to be seperated from him And if I could attaine to the perfection of the Spouse that saied Cant. 1.1 Let him kisse me with the kisse of his mouthe I might aspire to the desier to touche that diuine face and to vnite myselfe to his Deity with the vnion of perfect Loue satiating myselfe with only seeing him and louing him O what sweetenesse is felt in this spirituall touching Cant. 5.4 with the which as the same spouse saide all her bowells were moued mollified desiring to admitte therein her beloued I am likewise to touche the hardenesse of the Childes bed the rigour of the colde that he suffered the straightnesse of those mantles wherein he was wrapped and swadled and to applye myselfe to desier that for our
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
and from being knowen and reuerenced by men delighting to conceale and hide myselfe vntill God bee pleased to manifest me The second cause of his flying into Egipt was by the waye to doe good to that Idolatrous nation abandoned by God that beginning to be fullfilled which was prophecyed Beholde our Lorde will ascende vpon a light Clowde Isa 19.1 and will enter into Egipt and the idolls of Egipt shall be moued at his presence For our Lord Christ entring into Egipt clothed with the light clowde of his Humanitye in the armes of the resplendent Clowde his mother began to treade vnder his feete those Idolls which the Worlde adoreth to witte Riches Honors and Delicacyes embracing there Pouertye Contempt and Affliction And with this example he layed the foundation of that perfection which afterwardes shone brightly in Egipt and that which he planted thoroughout the whole Worlde trauelling thoroughout it in the light Clowde of his primitiue Church and of the Congregation of his Apostles and Disciples and vnto this day he ceaseth not to plant it O most sweete IESVS Colloquie who in the light clowde of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar entrest daily into thy faithefull enter into this darke Egipt of my Hearte and throwe downe those Idolls of earthly affections which it adoreth that from henceforth I may only loue what thou louest and abhorre what thou abhorrest Amen Likewise by this flight of our Sauiour Christ into Egipt because of the persecution of Herod is represented how the Primitiue Churche flying the persecution of the Iewes should goe to the Gentiles carrying with it the Faithe Apoc. 12.6 and Lawe of Christ. And genetally if one man persecute him with his Sinnes he is wont to flye and to seeke out another that will receiue him and therefore if Christ haue beene borne in my Soule I am to endeuour not to persecute him with my passions and Luke-warmnesse Apoc 3.11 leaste he forsake me and goe to another that shall receiue my Crowne The second Pointe THe Angell of our Lord appeared in sleepe to Ioseph saying Arize and take the Childe Matt. 2.13 and his mother and flee into Egipt and be there vntill I shall tell thee for it will come to passe that Herod will seeke the Childe to destroy him Vpon this reuelation I am to ponder who imposeth this Obedience who intimateth it vpon whome it is imposed and with what wordes He that principally imposeth this Commaundement is the eternall Father to manifest the Prouidence that he hath of his only begotten Sonne for allbeit he had determined that he should dye by men yet because that hower was not yet come he had a care to defend him in signe that he hath the like care of the rest of his adoptiue Children for the Loue that he beareth to this his naturall Sonne He that declared this ordenance was an Angell in the name of God himselfe for his diuine Maiestie will haue vs accustomed to obey him in his ministers whose office is not only to doe his diuine Will but to declare it to others in his name and therefore he saide of them Luc. 10.16 He that heareth you heareth me And for this cause likewise he sayed by Malachias the Prophet Mala. 2.7 That the Preiste is the Angell of our Lorde from whose mouthe we are to heare what God commaundeth From hence it is that this obedience was intimated to S. Ioseph and not to the VIRGIN because Ioseph was heade of that familye and Gods will was that the VIRGIN should obey S. Ioseph in all that he sayed he had hearde of the Angell and should suffer herselfe to be gouerned by him And so she did for as she was humble and obedient she stood not vpon this that the aduise was not giuen to her but to her Husband neither did she vainely boaste that God or his Angells should speake vnto her like the other Marye who sayed Num. 12.1 Hath our Lord spoken by Moyses onlie hath he not spoken to vs aso in like manner Wherein I am to learne this manner of Humillitye and Obedience of our blessed LADYE desiring to be gouerned by others and that greater account should be made of others then of mee holding it for a greate happinesse to knowe the Will of God and to fullfill it whither I knowe it by reuelation from God or from his Angells or by the speeche and ordination of men For albeit the first seemeth more glorious yet in the second more humillitye is exercized subjecting our iudgement and Will not only to God but to man also for Gods sake And so the blessed VIRGIN was no lesse resplendent in obeying S. Ioseph then S. Ioseph was in obeying the Angell and then the Angell was in obeying God O eternall God Colloquie 1 Pet. 2.13 graunt me that I may subiect myselfe to euery humane Creature for thy Lone obeying what thou commaundest me by men as thou in heauen art obeyed by Angells fullfilling thy will vpon Earthe with that deuotion that it is fullfilled in Heauen Amen The third Pointe THen will I consider the Wordes wherewith the Angell declared the Commaundement of our Lord the which were graue breife imperious and with Circumstances very conuenient to make proofe of the Obedience of that Sainct to whome they were deliuered For in this sorte God vseth to commaunde somewhat to men that are perfect to exercize them that they may make demonstration of their Obedience as another Angell vsed the like wordes in the obedience which he intimated to Abraham to departe out of his owne Countrey Gen. 121 22.2 and to sacrifize his Sonne Isaac And for this cause he entereth not vsing circumloquutions or preambles which the Worlde commonly vseth not requesting but commaunding Arize saith he take the Childe and his mother and flee into Egipt and be there vntill I shall tell thee c. In these Wordes we are to ponder the Circumstances that make difficult this Ordination and declare the value of the Obedience First The manner of imposing obedience vpon the perfect 1 Reg. 3.3 c. it was intimated by night S. Ioseph being at rest and asleepe when men vse to haue greatest horrour of trouble to signifye that in the middest of our ease and prosperitye we are to be prepared for Afflictions and that at all times we are to be readye whensoeuer God shall commaunde to leaue our bed and our rest to obey him as he proued Samuel calling him three or foure times in the night and making him arize out of the bed wherein he slept to exercize him in Obedience and in the abnegation of his owne will Secondly the Angell commaunded him to take only the blessed Childe and his mother leauing the companye of all others and the furniture and other temporall things that he had in his house to be able the more freely to flye and escape from the rigorous intention of king Herod and to get away with lesse noise
and say nothing teaching vs by this example two things of very much importance First how regardlesse he was of the fleshe how regardlesse we are all to be of all that concerneth fleshe and blood and of carnall Loue to our Parents freindes and acquaintance leauing them whensoeuer it is necessarye to attende more carefully to the businesse of our heauenly Father And that carnall Parents freindes may vnderstand that we are not to remaine with them any longer time then it is the will of God Secondly that when I presume that my Parents or freindes would hinder mee from accomplishing the Will of God whither it be by ignorance or good Zeale or thorough malice or euill Zeale it is better to leaue them and say nothing although they greiue and lament and reprehend me afterwardes for it treading all this vnder foote with a manlike Courage to fullfill the Will of God according to that which is written Deut. 33.9 He that sayed to his Father and to his mother I knowe you not ank to his bretheren I knowe you not these kept thy worde and obserued thy couenant Otherwise our Sauiour Christ will say vnto me Matt. 10 37. Colloquie He that loueth Father or mother more then me is not worthy of me O most sweete Childe I am confounded to see how I am tyed to fleshe and blood omitting to doe the will of thy heauenly Father for feare of displeasing my carnall Parents or freindes Giue me o Lord Act. 5.29 Eph. 4.30 a manlike heart to leaue them all for thy loue choosing rather to obey God then men and to contristate the humane Spirit rather then the Diuine The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider how our Lord Christ with that zeale which he had of the saluation of Soules would then make some demonstration of the wisdome and grace wherewith he was replenished discouering somewhat thereof to these Doctors of the Lawe the which he did with admirable Modestye Humillitye Discretion and zeale of the Loue of God manifesting these Vertues in a manner accommodated to his age He shewed Modestye in his Countenance and in the Grauitye of his wordes and gestures the which was so greate that it moued the Doctors to admitte him to dispute with them Humillitye in that being able to be master of all he entred among them as a Disciple demaunding and hearing as one that would learne Discretion in aunswering meruailously to whatsoeuer they demaunded him in such sorte that they all admired his prudence Zeale in that he ordained all this not for vaine ostentation of his owne Wisdome but for the glory of God and good of Soules and especially to confounde the prowde Learned men that were there and to illuminate learned men that were humble and to open their eyes that they might knowe that he was alreadye about the worke of their redemption O good IESVS Colloquie a Childe in yeares but a man in VVisdome a Lambe in meekenesse but a Shepheard in Discretion I reioice to see thee play the Shepheard with this greater flocke giuing them the pasture of eternall Life fullfilling that which is written a litle Childe shall feede them Isa 11.6 O that I had beene present to heare thy Questions and to enioy thy admirable aunswers repeate them o Lord to my hearte that I may enioy the fruite thereof From this consideration I am likewise to collect a greate desire to imitate these foure vertues of our Sauiour Christ confounding myselfe in his presence for the want I haue of them especially to see my owne litle modestye and humillitye and that in Wordes and gestures I would make demonstration of more knowledge then I haue and that being ignorant I disdaine to learne what I knowe not presume to teache others what I haue not learned The fourth Pointe FOurthly is to be considered what this most blessed Childe might doe those three dayes that he was in the Temple without his Parents pondering how beside the time that he spent with the Doctors the rest he might spende in perpetuall Watching and Praier before the eternall Father for the saluation of the Worlde and of the People that entred therein It is also to be beleeued that he remained there in the night taking the grounde for his bed and some benche for his bolster and that he did eate of such almes as were giuen him or passed the time without eating for of all these temporall matters he made but small reckoning It is likewise certaine that it was a greate torment vnto him to see the vnreuerence of some that entred there and the Sinnes that they there committed for he had then so feruent a zeale as when S. Iohn testifyed of him that of the Psalme The zeale of thy house hath eaten me Ioan. 2 1â— although at that time he dissembled it Out of all this I will collect Affections and Resolutions of Imitation in that wherein I ought to imitate him and to be compassionate of his Pouertye and solitarinesse albeit he made small reckoning of his earthly Parents being in the house of his celestiall Father The XXX Meditation Of what the blessed VIRGIN did when shee sawe shee had lost her Sonne vntill shee founde him The first Pointe SAinct Ioseph Luc. 2 4â— c. and the blessed VIRGIN hauing trauelled a dayes iourney from Hierusalem on their waye to Nazareth eache thinking that the childe had beene with the other for they went in seuerall Companyes at night in their Inne they missed the Childe and seeking him among their kinssolke and acquaintance they founde him not Wherein I am to ponder the Intention of God in willing to afflict these Sainctes without any fault of theirs and vpon the occasion of a good Worke which they did to honour him and in a thing which might most of all greiue them which was the losse of such a Childe All which he plotted to exercize them in Patience Humillitye and feruorous Diligence and in other Vertues that were resplendent in the blessed VIRGIN and in S. Ioseph in this case for our example Their Patience was resplendent in that they were not troubled nor lost the peace of their Soule nor complained of our Lord but endured this losse with yeilding to Gods ordination though it was an exceeding greate losse Their Humillitye in that like good People they feared a faulte or a negligence where none was or at least they attributed this to their owne Indignitye they feared least our Lord would alreadye leaue them and followe some other course of Life or least themselues had omitted their dutie in looking after him and they confessed themselues to be vnworthye of his Companye Their Diligence in that they went forthwith to seeke him full of Carefullnesse and paine to complye with their obligation and for that Loue sollicited them and though they sought him among their kinsfolke and acquaintance yet for all this they founde him not for if Christ would haue beene with any of his
kinsfolke he would soonest haue beene with his mother To these three things was added the fourth of feruent and long Praier And especially I will ponder what a sad night that was to the blessed VIRGIN how solitarye she was without her Sonne and how she spent it wholely in meditating and mourning like a Doue praying with greate zeale and beseeching the eternall Father not so soone to depriue her of the care of her Sonne but to looke after him wheresoeuer he was and not long to deferre the restoring him againe O Soueraigne VIRGIN thou art entred into a perillous Sea Colloquie there is no remedye for thee but to praye the losse of thy beloued hath beene to thee a bitter and tempestuous Sea the waues of Sorrowe haue entred into thy Hearte and afflicted it with many Cares the Darkenesse of night hath stopped thy passage and thou art as is were ouerwhelmed in the depth of Disconsolation thou findest no ease vpon Earthe and therefore with the cables of praier thou doest presently cast forth the Anchor of thy hope into Heauen hoping for remedye from thence and thy hope shall not be deceiued for the Heauenly Pilot who is thy Father knoweth not how to loue and to abandon nor forsaketh he for euer those that hope in him With this Successe and the cause thereof The absence of God in the Soule I am to lift vp my Spirit to consider the mysterye that it signifyeth Poudering how our Lord God many times absenteth and hideth himselfe from men they not knowing nor perceiuing it according to that of holy Iob If he come to me Iob 9.14 21. I shall not see him and if he departe from me I shall not vnderstand all though I shall be simple the self same my Soule shall be ignorant of And this ignorance vseth to last all day vntill it be discouered at night as in this case it happened to our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN to S. Ioseph and it happeneth diuerse wayes First it happeneth thorough hidden mortall Sinne being committed with culpable Ignorance or by the Illusion of the Diuell vnder the Cloke of Vertue And then God absenteth himselfe man not knowing it and this ignorance vseth sometimes to last the whole daye of this life vntill the night of Deathe when man thinking he hath God findeth himselfe without him whereupon sayeth the VViseman Pro. 16.25 There is a waye that seemeth right vnto a man and the ende thereof leadeth vnto Deathe And this Absence is most terrible because after it followeth the eternall and therefore I am to beseeche our Lord not to absent himselfe from me in this manner and to say vnto him with Dauid Psal 18.13 24.7 Cleanse me o Lord from my hidden Sinnes and call not to minde my Ignorances Other times it happeneth thorough a secret Pride and Vaineglorye the which consumeth substantiall Deuotion and depriueth the Soule of the fauorable presence of God but this is not knowen during the daye of Prosperitye for Vaine-glorye vseth to put a relish vpon good things but the night of Aduersitye and Humilliation comming man beginneth to perceiue the absence of God and the want of true Vertue and findeth himselfe disconsolate and pusillanimous Sometimes againe it happeneth thorough the secret Prouidence of our Lord God who absenteth himselfe and depriueth vs of sensible Deuotion to exercize vs in Humillitye and this vseth to happen vpon solemne festiuall dayes and in the exercizes of good exteriour Workes and albeit we sometimes perceiue not this during our exteriour imployment yet we afterwardes perceiue it in our recollectednesse In these cases it is alwayes most secure to presume that this absence is thorough my Sinnes and in chastizement of my negligences and Omissions albeit I knowe them not saying with the royall Prophet Dauid Ps 118.67 75. Before I was humbled I sinned and thou in thy Truthe didst humble me because iustly for my Sinnes I merited this Humilliation But yet all this notwithstanding I am to beleeue that when I want the grace of Deuotion and the fauorable visitations of God whither it be thorough my fault or no that all happeneth by the disposing of Gods Prouidence for my greater good Ps 118.71 according to that of the Prophet Dauid It is good for me that thou hast humbled me that I may learne thy Iustifications In all these Cases I am to exercize those foure Vertues which were resplendent in the blessed VIRGIN and in S. Ioseph laying deepe roote in Humillitye arming myselfe with Patience animating myselfe to seeke God with Diligence and soliciting him with feruent Praiers for it is written Aske and it shall be giuen you Luc. 11.9 seeke and you shall finde O sweete IESVS that spakest generally to all Colloquie VVhosoeuer seeketh shall finde graunt me such feruour in asking thy sight that I may obtaine it and ayde me to seeke thee in such sorte that I may finde thee for euer and euer Amen The second Pointe THe next daye in the morning S. Ioseph Luc. 2.45 and the blessed VIRGIN retourned to Hierusalem to seeke the Childe IESVS and the third day entring into the Temple they founde him sitting in the middes of the Doctors hearing them and asking them at the which they meruailed greately Vpon this pointe I am often to consider the Time and Place where the blessed VIRGIN founde the Childe the Companye and businesse wherein he was employed and the Ioye that she had when she same him collecting out of all this the Spirit included therein First the Time was the third day after he was lost in the which time the sacred VIRGIN suffered so many howers litle more or lesse of Affliction and Desolatenesse as she did from the Passion to the Resurrection wherein he appeared vnto her liuely and glorious And the mysterye heereof is to signifye vnto vs that when the Soule looseth God and the grace of Deuotion it findeth him not presently rather he vseth to hide himselfe for some time either to chastize it for hauing lost him if it were in fault or to exercize it in Patience and Humillitye and that with this delay it care and Diligence to seeke him may encrease that it may be made worthy to finde him more speedily and with more abundance of grace And this is signifyed by the number of three dayes to encourage our Hope that we be not dismayed by thinking that our remedye shall be long deferred according to that saying of the Iust in Affliction Osea 6. mysticè After two dayes he will reuiue vs and the third day he will raize vs vp againe and we shall liue in this presence Secondly the Place where he was founde was the Temple and House of God which is the house of Praier and of Recollection dedicated to the Worship and Workes of Diuine seruice to signifye that our Lord Christ is not founde in flesh and blood nor among the Pamperings and Vanities of the Worlde but
within the Catholike Church and within the liuing Temple of our Hearte making it a House of Praier and exercizing it in exercizes of Sanctitye For heereupon it is sayed in the booke of Canticles Cant. 3.1 that the Spouse founde not her beloued which is God in the bed and quietneste of the pampering of the fleshe nor in the streetes and places of the trafficke of the worlde but in the renunciation of all this leauing the comfort of the Creatures to finde out the Creator Therefore o my Soule looke where thou seekest God if thou hast a desier to finde him for as holy Iob saieth Iob 28.13 He is not founde in the Lande of those that liue sweetely at their ease Thirdly I am to ponder what Companye he was in and what he did at such time as the VIRGIN entred into the Temple for by speciall Prouidence he was then in the middes of the Doctors hearing them and asking them that she might thereby vnderstand the cause why he left her and remained in the Temple Cant. 3.3.4 and that I might vnderstand that our Sauiour Christ is founde among the Doctors of the Church who by their teaching and Direction are a meanes to finde him and that they might vnderstand that Christ is in the middes of them hearing what they speake and teache to chastize them if they speake euill and likewise to ayde them to speake well if thorough their fault he be not diuerted Fourthly I will ponder the greate ioye of our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN when she sawe her Sonne and founde whome she had lost and sought with such sorrowe She seemed this third day as if she were raised from Deathe to Life Tob. 10.4 and as Anna the mother of Tobias who bewayled the absence of her Sonne with remedilesse teares when she sawe him wept for pure ioye so it is to be beleeued that her ioye was in as full measure as her paine that being fullfilled of the Prophet Dauid Ps 93.19 According to the multitude of my dolours in my Heart thy Consolations haue gladded my Soule O Soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie I reioice at the ioye that thou hadst at this hower at the sight of thy Sonne Pro. 13.12 Hope deferred afflicted thy Soule but the fullfilling of thy desier was vnto thee a tree of Life finding him that is the tree of Life vnto all Obtaine for me most blessed VIRGIN that I may so seeke him that I may sinde him that I may enioy the life that proceedeth from that tree Amen But withall I will ponder the modestye wherewith the blessed VIRGIN accompanied this Ioye for albeit she sawe her Sonne in the middes of the Doctors with the admiration astonishment of all yet she vsed not such gestures and behauiour as other women vse to doe boasting to haue such Children but wondering to see him there she reuerenced what she sawe whereby she teacheth vs to conjoine togither Modestye and Alacritye according to the saying of S. Phil. 4.4 Paul Reioice in our Lord alwaies againe I say reioice let your modestye be knowen to all men our Lord is nigh As if he should say So reioice that you loose not modestye for our Lord is neere you and beholdeth you and in his presence there ought to be no immodest Ioye The third Pointe THe blessed VIRGIN seeing her Sonne A forme of Praier mixed with an amorous complaining vnto God sayed vnto him with an amorous complaining Sonne why hast thou so donne to vs beholde thy Father and I sorrowing did seeke thee All these wordes are full of mysterie and therefore it shall not be amisse to consider well eache one by itselfe First we are to consider that worde Fili cur fecisti nobis sic Sonne why hast thou so donne to vs Whereby her intention was not to aske or demaunde of him the cause of what he had donne for this had beene an excusable curiositye but only to declare the greife of her Hearte and therefore holy men vse this manner of speaking to our Lord when they are afflicted and it is a manner of Praier wherein quietly they aske a remedye of their Affliction For on the one side they attribute their Affliction to his diuine Prouidence who ordained or permitted it for their good and on the other side they confesse that to him it belongeth to remedye and preuent it In this manner I may pray saying sometimes to our Lord with Iob VVhy hast thou set me contrary to thee Iob 7.20 and I am become burdenous to myselfe why doest thou not take away my Sinne and why doest thou not take away myne Iniquitye VVhy hidest thou thy face Iob 13.24 and thinkest me thine Enemye Other sometimes Ps 21.1 c. Matt. 27.46 Luc. 2.48 I may say with our Sauiour Christ himselfe nayled on the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me neither was it without a mysterie that the blessed VIRGIN sayed not Sonne Sonne why hast thou donne so to me but to vs for it is the Propertye of holy People when they suffer any necessitye that is common to many not to complaine of their owne hurt only nor to aske remedye for themselues alone but to greiue for the hurt of all and to aske remedye for all for Charitye seeketh not only it owne good but the good of many saying with the royall Prophet Ps 43.24 VVhy turnest thou away thy face from vs and forgettest our Pouertye and our tribulation But in these plaintes we are to endeuour not to loose our Loue and Confidence in God and therefore we are to ioyne therewithall some worde to discouer this as the blessed VIRGIN vsed this Worde Sonne and our Sauiour Christ vpon the Crosse this worde My God my God which are wordes of Confidence and Loue. Secondly I am to ponder that worde Pater tuus ego Thy Father and I wherein is resplendent the Humillitye of the blessed VIRGIN not only in naming S. Ioseph before herselfe for the respect she had of him but also in calling him before all the Father of Christ whereby they might imagine that he was conceiued by the worke of man which was to her owne Humilliation but the sacred VIRGIN being most humble more esteemed her Husbands honour then her owne in giuing him so honorable a name teaching vs by her example how to honour our neighbours though it be to the impairing of ourselues Thirdly I am to ponder that Worde Dolentes quaerebamus te Sorrowing did seeke thee Wherein we are aduised to seeke God with Sorrowe proceeding from Loue such as was the Sorrowe of the blessed VIRGIN for true Loue causeth all these effectes to witte Sorrowe Psa 41.4 Sap. 1.1 and Teares for the absence of it beloued Puritye of intention in seeking him with Sinceritye not for it owne interest or sensible Pleasure but to be ioyned vnto him Diligence in all the meanes and exercizes ordained to finde him with perseuerance in them vntill
betweene the Sonnes of the terrestriall Adam and those of the celestiall Adam Gen. 8.21 there is this difference that they from their youth vpward are inclined to euill and as they increase in yeares they increase in Vices that of the Prophet Dauid being fullfilled in them Ps 73.23 The pride of those that abhorre thee doth alwayes increase But these as the Prophet Hieremye saieth from their youth vpwardes carrye the yoke of Gods lawe Thren 3.27 and exalt themselues aboue themselues for as they encrease in yeares they encrease in Vertues exalting dayly their Spirit aboue themselues and aboue what they before had that forgetting things passed they may extend themselues to other things that are greater Phil. 3.13 vntill they arriue to perfection This so singular a fauour our Sauiour Christ did to his blessed Mother and to his fore-runner S. Iohn as hath beene saide and this he hath donne to other notable Sainctes who from their infancye began to serue God and proceeded forward like the Light of the morning Pro. 4.18 encreasing vntill perfect day But particularizing this more amply I may likewise consider diuerse sortes of men that begin to serue God either in their Childehood or in some other parte of their Age. Some there are that in steede of going forward turne backe leauing of the vertuous life that they began of whome our Sauiour Christ sayed Luc. 9.62 No man putting his hand to the plough and looking backe is apt for the kingllome of God and then consequently he must be apt for Hell And therefore I am to tremble at turning backe in this manner taking warning as our Lord Christ counselled by Lots wife Luc. 17.32 who turning backe to looke vpon Sodome from whence she had departed was turned into a statue of salt and into a markestone to terrifye those that prosecute not the waye of Vertue Others there are that begin with feruent zeale and in steede of encreasing therein they decrease either omitting some vertuous exercizes or the feruencye of zeale wherewith they did them And these albeit they be iust yet they are in greate daunger of destruction Apoc. 2.4 like that Bishop whome our Sauiour Christ praised for his good Life but yet he sayed he had a fewe thinges against him for that he had left his first Charitye that is that feruour of Charitye which he vsed to haue D. Bern. epist. 91. And then he addeth Be mindefull therefore from whence thou art fallen and doe penance and doe the first workes but if not I will come to take an account of thee D. Greg. l. 1. in 1. Reg. 2. D. Aug. ser 15. de verbis Apost alij and will depriue thee of the Dignitye thou hast as if he should saye take heede for to loose thy feruour is to fall from high to lowe which if thou repairest not thou deseruest not to be in so high a place as I haue placed thee There be others that begin and goe forward slowely without desier of encreasing or passing farther and these albeit outwardly they seeme not to empaire yet inwardly they turne backe ordinarily and will altogither shrinke for as the holy Fathers say in the way to Heauen there is no stopping but either to goe forward or turne backe Finally there are others who assoone as they beginne with the ayde of our Lord as the Prophet Dauid sayeth resolue in their hearte to goe forward euer encreasing Psa 83.6 so long as they liue in this valley of teares and the celestiall Law-giuer helping them with his copious benediction they fullfill their resolutions ascending from Vertue to Vertue vntill they see the God of Gods in Sion And these are the true imitatours of Christ IESVS whome it is reason that I should imitate confounding myselfe at those many times that I haue turned backe in the waye of Vertue or that I haue fallen from the first feruencye that I began with or that I haue walked on in a lukewarme life as if I had beene tired encouraging myselfe from hence forward greately to encrease in zeale saying to our Sauiour Christ Colloquie O Sun of Iustice Illustrate Inflame my Soule in such sorte that her pathes may be like the light of the morning Pro. 4.18 which gooth on and encreaseth till it be perfect day O Soueraigne Law-giuer giue me thy copious benediction that as thou desirest I may encrease in vertue and Sanctitye ascending from one degree to another vntill I clearely beholde thee in thy celestiall Sion worlde without ende Amen The Second Pointe SEcondly The manner of encreasing in Vertues Luc. 2.52 I am to consider before what Persons and in what things our Lord Christ encreased in the manner aforesaide First the Euangelist S. Luke sayeth that he encreased before God and before men teaching vs by his example to auoyde two vicious extreames The one is of zealous indiscrete Persons who presume to encrease before God only making no accoumpt of men nor of their edification or disedification or scandall not remembring that he that loueth God ought likewise to loue his neighbour and that he so ought to seeke his owne proffit that it be not to the hurt of others Rom. 15.19 attending as S. Paul sayeth to the edification of all Another extreame is of Hipocrites such as faine zeale who lay all their care in encreasing before men doing whatsoeuer may helpe them to encrease in Opinion of Sanctitye before them without attending to the true augmentation Psa 83.6 which the Prophet Dauid calleth Augmentation in the Hearte But Christ our Lord by his example teacheth vs to embrace both not permitting the one to prejudice the other preposing first the encreasing before God with true encreasing in his eyes and secondly encreasing before men doing likewise as S. Rom. 12.17 2 Cor. 8.21 Paul saieth that which is good before them not that they may honor or praise vs but that they may glorifye God and may be edified and proffited And if doing what for my parte I ought to doe some thorough their owne faulte be disedifyed or scandalized yet for all this I will not cease to encrease before God and before those that are wise and holy and deserue the name of men Secondly S. Luke sayeth that Christ our Lord encreased in wisdome and grace for in these two things true augmentation ought to consist First in Wisdome Coloss 4.2.3 and in the Actes proceeding from her which are Meditation and Contemplation of celestiall thinges Prudence and discretion in Actions and Affaires the Estimation of all things in that degree which they merit much esteeming eternall thinges and temporall thinges but little and consequently so speaking thereof that our Wordes may be salted with this wisdome Secondly we are to encrease in grace and in the Actes of Vertues that make vs gracious holy before God and amiable before men in the which our Sauiour Christ did exercize himself at
are by right for I vanquished them and they yealded themselues to mee and they esteemed mee more then thee This will prowde Sathan say as one that after his raging manner desireth to triumphe ouer Christ our Lorde and to reuenge himselfe of him in his creatures O how ashamed and out of Countenance shall the wicked become for hauing obeyed him Colloquie Flye o my Soule to obey him that vvill giue thee so evill recompence Turne for Christes honour that created and redeemed thee deceiving his Enemye in this life that hee may not beguile thee in the other 2 Secondly I will ponder the terrible imputations that Christ himselfe wil interiourly impose vppon them calling to every ones memorie the benefits that hee hath donne them I will hee say created thee to myne owne image and similitude and thou distainedst it with many sinnes I redeemed thee with my pretious blood and thou with thy evill wayes didst treade it vnder foote I gaue thee the Sacrament of Baptisme making thee a membre of my Churche and thou profanedst it living with standall therein I offered thee the sacrament of Penance to restore to thee my grace and thou choosedst to remaine in sinne I invited thee with my bodye and blood for thy sustenance and thou dispisedst it for the fleshepots of Egipt I called thee with many inspirations and thou with pertinacie wast rebellious vnto them I menaced thee with Chastizements I regaled thee with benefits and I animated thee with promises of greate rewardes and of all these thou madest no account O wretched man what could I doe more for thee then I did and thou what couldest thou doe more against mee then thou didst esteeming more thine owne honour then mine Isai 5.2 O my Angells and ministers iudge you and see what could I haue donne for this vine that I did not and hoping that it vould haue brought forth grapes it hath brought forth nothing but sower ones Pondering all this I will with great feeling pronounce those wordes of David Psalm 6.2 Lord rebuke mee not in thy furye nor chastise mee in thy vvrathe but correct mee in thy mercye whilest yet there is time for Amendment To this reprehension of Christe the very Angells of out garde will assist Colloquie alledging how much they did to divert the wicked from their evill life and yet with what rebellion the wicked contradicted them The â—ust likewise that are present shal accuse them some for that they reiected their Counsell others because they received from them greate wrongs and others for the perill wherein they sawe themselues thorough their evill example All this the VVretches shall heare and see in the interiour parte of their soule Ad Rom. 2. and of their vnhappie conscience the which as the Apostle saithe shall bee the most terrible accuser of all for beeing convinced with the euidence of Truthe and seeing the reason that all haue to accuse her shee shall haue nothing to aunswere but much whereof to accuse herselfe O how much better had it beene for her to haue willingly and proffitably accused her selfe in this life Colloquie then to accuse herselfe at that time perfocre and with out remedie O svveete IESVS graunt mee that I may vorthily accuse myselfe of my sinnes before thee and before the confessor that is to absolue mee that they may not accumsemee of the in Iudgement to condemne mee The fiftenth Meditation of the Sentences in favour of the good and against the VVicked and of the execution of them THe forme of the sentences that Christ ourlord shall pronounce as it is beleeved Abul q. 333. in Matth. Iansenius sotus alij with a sensible voice in favour of the good and against the wicked is expressed in the holy Gospell beginning with that in favour of the good that wee may vnderstand how much more God our Lord is Inclined to rewarde then to punishe The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider that Christe our Lord seated in the Throne of his glorie looking towarde the righteous with a gentle Math. 25.34 and amiable voice shall say vnto them Come yee blessed of my Father possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the VVorlde for I vvas hungrye and you gaue mer to eate etc. This sentence wee will meditate worde by worde pondering the mystery that every worde containeth conformable to the second forme of Praying set downe in the ninth § of the introduction And yet wee will here doe no more but pointe at the considerations of these wordes for that hereafter they shall bee handled more at large Venite THe first worde is Come wherein I am to ponder for what cause hee sayeth vnto them Come from whence they are to come and whither they are to come Hee saithe vnto them come to recall to their memorye their first vocation when hee called them to followe him saying vnto them Math. 11.28 16.24 Come yee to me that labour and are burdened and I vvill refresh you and If any man vvill come after mee let him denye himselfe and take vp his Crosse and folovve mee And because they hearkened to this Vocation hee calleth them with such a nother like worde as if hee should saye seeing you came after mee embracing the crosse and mortification to followe my life Come to receiue the rewarde following mee in glorye Come from Mount Libanus of my Churche wherein yee were baptized Cant. 4.8 and washed with the teares of Penance and grewe vp like Cedars in all Vertues Apocal. 7.14 Come from the greate Tribulation wherein you haue lived washing your robes and making them white in my precious blood Come from the Dennes of the Lyons and the inhabitations of Tygers in whose companye you haue lived suffering greate persecutions Come out from amongst the middest of them and come to bee crowned and to receiue the rewarde that you haue merited for the many Victories you haue obtained Colloquie O my soule heare speedily the voice of Christe vvherevvith het calleth thee to imitate his life that thou mayest bee vvorthy to heare this svveete voice vvherevvith hee shal call thee to receiue the Crovvne Benedicti Patris mei THe second worde is yee blessed of my Father Hee calleth them blessed that all may vnderstand the immensitie of Benefits that hee hath donne doth Psalm 23.5 and wilt doe thoroughout all eternitie fullfilling that of the Psalmist that the innocent and Pure of hearte should receiue the benediction of our lord and the mercye of God his saviour And hee sayeth not Come yee blessed of Abraham Isaac and Iacob nor yee blessed of Moyses or of the Patriarches Ad Ephes 1.4 and Prophets but yee blessed of my eternall fathet who hath blessed you with all kinde of caelestiall benediction communicating vnto you the goods of his grace and now entirely those of his glorye And hee sayeth not yee blessed of God but of my Father that it
may bee vnderstood that all these blessings proceeded from the fatherly loue that God bare them in respect of his sonne And for that his benediction is effectuall and performeth presently what it promiseth with this sweete worde hee wil replenish them with a newe and extraordinarye alacritie Possidete paratum vobis regnum a constitutione mundi THirdy hee saieth vnto them possesse you the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the vvorlde In which wordes I am to ponder what kingdome this is how long time agoe since it was prepared that it is prepared for the Righteous and that to them is giuen the possession thereof in all which is resplendent the infinite Charitie of our caelestiall Father For first hee would that the inheritance and eldership of his Children should bee a kingdome so soveraigne that for excellencie thereof it meriteth the name of a kingdome for it is no terrene but a caelestiall kingdome whose riches are infinite and the pleasures thereof so inestimable that they make blessed their possessors This kingdome was prepared for them from all eternitie predestinating them of his mere mercye to raigne with him And from the foundation of the worlde hee created the Heauen called Empyreall that it might bee a royall Cittye and habitation of these blessed kings And with greate tendernes hee addeth that worde Vobis for you as who should saye This kingdome was not prepared principally for the Angells and for want of them for you entring in place of those that lost the seates of this kingdome But it was prepared equally for all the iust Angells ad men and for you for your soules and for your bodyes Come then to take peaceable possession of this kingdome so noble and so auncient out of the which you shall never bee eiected enter into the ioyes of my Father which shall never bee taken from you Apocal. 3.21 Colloquie sit downe to raigne with mee in my throne as I am seated with my eternall Father in his O most loving Father I giue thee thankes for this so soveraigne kingdome vvhich thou hast prepared for thy elect to shevve in them the infinite Riches of thy Grace and Charitye Graunt mee o Lord that I may in such manner prepare my soule that thou maist raigne therein by thy grace and aftervvardes carry it to possesse this eternall kingdome of thy Glorye Amen Esurivi enim dedistis mihi manducare c. THen declareth the iudge the reason of his sentence and the merites for which hee geâ—eth them his kingdome saying I vvas an hungred and you gaue mee to eate I vvas a thirst and you gaue mee to drinke I vvas a straunger and you tooke mee in naked and you couered mee sicke and you visited mee I vvas in Prison and you came to mee to set mee at libertye And the iust admiring that for so little workes hee should giue them a kingdome so greate and that hee should so much esteeme these workes of mercye as if they had beene donne to his owne Person shall aske him not so much with wordes as with affections and inward feelings of greate admiration saying Lord when did wee see thee hungrye and Thirstye and gaue thee to eate and to drinke Or when did wee see the a straunger naked sicke or in prison and vsed towarde thee such mercye Then our Lord will aunswer them Amen I say vnto you as long as you did it to one of these my leasle Bretheren you did it to mee Colloquie for I was in them and though but little ones I yet esteeme my selfe to holde them for my Bretheren O happy poore that are accounted as his Bretheren by the Iudge that shall Iudge them and by the eternall king that shall revvarde them vvho likevvise revvardeth others for doing them good O happy vvorkes of Mercye vvhose principall obiect 〈◊〉 Christe and vvhose Revvarde is his kingdome O blessed are the mercifull seeing in this daye they shall obtaine so greate mercye Lastly I wil ponder that albeeit Christe our Lord in the Gospell alledgeth onely for the reason of his sentence the workes of mercye to wardes our Neighbours yet hee will also declare the other good workes of obedience and mortification necessarye to enter into Heauen And as the voice of God is of infinite Vertue hee will to every one mentally declare in such sorte that all may vnderstand the speciall workes for the which hee giveth him his kingdome To the Martyr hee will saye Come thou blessed of my Father to possesse the kingdome prepared for thee because thou shedst thy blood formee And to the Virgin hee will say Come thou blessed of my Father for the Virginitie which thou preservedst with puritie of Bodye and soule And to the Religious man Come thou blessed of my Father for thou lestst all things to followe mee And in this manner I may runne thorough all the other Estates of the iust O what Content will all receiue with the sweete voice of this comfortable sentence Psalm 50.10 Ioan. 10.3 with the which God will giue to their eares compleate Ioy and alacritie and the Bones that were humbled shall reioice Happy the sheepe that in this life heare the voice of their shephearde and followe his steppes for on this day being placed on his right hande they shall heare the voice that calleth them to the eternall pastures O soveraigne shepheard Colloquie ayde mee vvith thy abundaunt grace that I may bee vvorthy to heare so favourable a sentence Amen The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider that towardes the wicked the Iudge wil turne his Angrye Countenance and with a dreadefull voice wil say vnto them Departe from mee you cursed into fier everlasting vvhich is prepared for the deuil and his Angells for I vvas an huÌ„gred and you gaue mee not to eate etc. This sentence like the former wee may ponder by the wordes for that heerein are declared all the kindes of Paines that are in Hell of the which wee shall heereafter make a large consideration Discedite a me 1. THe first worde is Departe from mee In the which hee condemneth them to that eternall paine Paena Damni Payne of losse or danatioÌ„ which they call of losse or daÌ„nation which is a perpetuall Banishment from Heauen and a depriving them of the sight of God for ever And the more to wound them shewing himselfe so glorious vnto them hee sayeth Departe from mee that am your God your first beginning and last ende Departe from mee that am your Redeemer from â—nee that made myselfe man for your sakes and receiued these woundes for your remedye from mee that invited you with pardon and you would not accept it Therefore departe for ever from my freindship from my protection from my kingdome from my Paradise from my cleare sight and from the copious River of my Delightes And for that whosoever is separated from Christ is also separated from those that goe with Christe in saying to them Departe from