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
it compasse it intent according to that of the Prophet Dauid Seeke our Lord and be confirmed in him Ps 104.9 seeke alwaies his face And to that of the Prophet Isaias If you seeke our Lord seke him Isa 21.12 that is seeke him in truthe as such a Lord deserueth to be sought and you shall finde him for he hath saide You shall seeke me Ier. 29.13 and you shall finde me when you seeke me with all your Hearte And if I finde him not it is because I faile in some of these things and therefore making a reflection vpon them I will consider which of them it is to amend myselfe and to procure it Finally I am to ponder the breuitye and succinctenesse of the blessed VIRGINS speeches not only excusing superfluous wordes but also smothering in silence some that might seeme necessarye to declare her minde more amply and ciphering them all vnder that shorte worde Siâ— why haste thou so donne wherein is confirmed the care of our blessed LADYE to keepe her Tongue and to measure her wordes as at other times hath beene pondered but at this time somewhat more especially For that she declared how she had mortified and restrained the violence of speaking which in such cases issueth from the hearte The fourth Pointe TO this Question of the VIRGIN Luc. 2.49 our Sauiour Christ aunswered VVhat is it that you sought me did you not knowe that I must be about those things that are my Fathers This aunswere was no lesse graue and admirable then any of those which this our Lord made to the Demaundes of the Doctors and therefore it is to be pondered as giuen by the Infinite Wisdome of God And first I will ponder that worde Quid est quod me quaerebatis What is it that you sought me or for what cause which worde at first veiwe seemeth drye harshe sharpe and reprehensiue as if he should haue sayed wherefore sought you me with such sorrowe seeing I being what I am could not be lost And this he sayed that it might be vnderstood that he was more then man and that the blessed VIRGIN might make Demonstration of her Heroycall Patience and Humillitye silently suffering this distastfull aunswere and reuerencing it with greate reuerence Ex D. Ioa. Clim gradu 4. and Loue. And by the waye our Lord Christ teacheth vs that such as gouerne Religious Persons that are desirous of perfection they are sometimes to exercize them with sharpe aunswers and with reprehending them when there is no cause to discouer what Humillitye and Patience they haue and to make proffit thereof for to be silent when I am reprehended for a faulte it is not much seeing my owne Conscience also reprehendeth me but to be silent when my Conscience excuseth me is a token of an Heroycall Vertue Secondly I will ponder the other worde which he sayed Did you not knowe that I must be about those things that are my Fathers As if he had sayed seeing you knowe me and knowe who I am you likewise knowe that I am to be about those things that pertaine to the honour of my heauenly Father for I haue no Father on Earthe Wherein our Lord Christ tought vs that his whole businesse and imployment was wholely to attend to the seruice of his celestiall Father without diuerting to any other thing confirming that which afterward hee sayed that he descended from Heauen not to doe his owne will Ioa. 6.38 but the will of him that sent him and that he must worke the workes of him that sent him Ioan. 9.4 whiles it was daye In imitation of this our Lord I am to endeuour that my whole imployment be not in the things of this worlde nor of fleshe nor of selfe Loue but in the things which are of God and for God confounding myselfe to see how farre I haue liued from obseruing this aduise employing myselfe wholely in my owne businesse and carelesse of Gods O good IESVS Colloquie seeing thou wast so stedfastly set about the things that were thy Fathers that thou heldest it for a rule that such as knewe thee should finde thee imployed therein Ayde me I beseeche thee that I may neuer finde myselfe without them employing myselfe in Louing accomplishing them It is iust o Lord that my Memorye Vnderstanding and VVill my Senses and all that I am should be employed alwayes in thee and in that which concerneth thy Honour seeing thou alwaies employest thyselfe to my proffit The fifth Pointe FIfthly I will consider how hauing sayed thus without more replying the Childe retourned with his mother and with S. Ioseph to Nazareth And it is to be beleeued that by the Way the blessed VIRGIN would aske him of all that had passed those three dayes and that the Childe made relation thereof vnto her And she as S. Luc. 2.51 Luke saide preserued and kept all these things in her Hearte recording them ruminating and pondering them to her greate consolation and proffit From whence I will learne to recollect in my Memorye whatsoeuer God shall teache me to make my proffit thereof For otherwise that of the Prophet will happen vnto me Aggaei 1.6 that eating much I shall alwaies be weake and gathering togither greate riches I shall alwayes be poore because I cast them into a broken sacke Finally I will ponder how wary and circumspect the blessed VIRGIN was from thenceforth not to loose the sight of her Sonne being afraide by what was passed leaste such another chaunce should happen And the like Circumspection ought I to haue not to loose Christ nor his giftes taking my aduise from what hath happened before times O most sacred VIRGIN Colloquie I reioice at thy ioye when thou foundest thy Sonne and at thy gladnesse to haue him alwayes in thy Companye ayde me that I may neuer loose him nor neuer departe from him vntill with thee I enioy him in his eternall glorye Amen The XXXI Meditation Of the life that our Sauiour Christ ledde in Nazareth vntill he was thirty yeares olde The first pointe I Am first to consider how our Sauiour Christ all this time according to S. Luc. 2.52 Luke Proficiebat sapientia aetate gratia apud Deum homines As he grewe in age so also he increased in Wisdome and Grace before God and before men Concerning which I am first to ponder how although our Lord Christ from the first instant of his Conception was so full of immense Wisdome and Sanctitye that he could not increase therein yet he increased in the exercizes thereof giuing dayly greater demonstrations of Knowledge and Vertue of Wisdome and Sanctitye like the Sun which though in itselfe it increaseth not yet the light that proceedeth from it when it rizeth in the morning goeth alwayes increasing vntill it be midday This our Lord disposed of to teache vs by his example what a desier he hath that his Children should daily increase and proffit in Vertue For
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
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
and humbly to subiect mee to vndergoe what penaunce soeuer that reason shall dictate and the Confessor shall impose vpon mee And dolour as an executioner is to torment mee breaking Psal 4.5 and shiuering my hearte for the offences I haue donne to my creator These foure Iudiciall actes am â—to doe within the hall of my hearte quickening them with the considerations which to this ende are ordained Iob. 23.4 35.14 Isai 43.26 and much more with the remembraunce of the presence of God the iudge of the quicke of the deade whom I am to beholde seated in the Throne of his maiestie as in the 9. Meditation hath beene declared for that the viewe of this most righteous Iudge will bee a cause to make mee doe it with greater diligence The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider D. Tho. 3. p. q. 90. act 2. that our Lord Christ would that our owne actes should bee partes of this sacrament to witte contrition confession and satisfaction which aunswere to the three sortes of sinning by thought worde and deede that I myselfe might concurre to the grace of my Iustification and that seeing I sinned with my actes with the same I might dispose myselfe to receiue my pardon And now that it hath beene the good pleasure of our Lorde to ennoble my actes making them the Instruments of his grace it is reason that I should exercise them with the greatest excellencie that I may Eccles 33 23. labouring as the VViseman saithe to bee in them superexcellent requiring of the three Persons of the Godheade particular fauour for euery one of them Of the holy Spirit to whome is attributed Charity I will begge contrition of hearte beseeching him that hee will kindle in my soule the fier of his loue from the which may proceede such a dolour as may consume all the drosse of my sinnes Of the SoÌ„ne of God who is the word of the eternal Father to whome is attribued wisdome I will begge light to knowe my sinnes and such humble wordes to coÌ„fesse them that I may bee purified and cleansed of of them Of the eternall Father to whome is attributed Power I will begge force for the workes of satisfaction with perseueraunce vntill I haue paide all the paines that I owe for my sinnes Colloquie O most blessed Trinitie assist in my hearte in my lippes that I may vvorthily confesse all my sinnes and obtaine compleate remission of them Amen Then am I to consider all that is necessarie to exercize these three actes with greate perfection discoursing of euery one of them The Second Pointe 1. AS coÌ„cerning the first acte Of Contrition which is sorrowe for sinnes I am to procure to haue it the most perfect that may bee not contenting myselfe with an imperfect sorrowe which they call Attrition proceeding from feare of the paines of hell but procuring the perfect sorrowe which they cal ContritioÌ„ and procedeth from the loue of God aboue all things as before hath beene saide And this sorrowe must bee the greatest that possiblie may bee because it is the measure of the grace that is giuen in this sacrament So that if the sorrowe bee imperfect and little the grace shall bee litle if it bee perfect and greate the grace shall bee greate for looke as sorrowe encreaseth so shall grace and if there bee no sorrowe no grace shall bee giuen And therefore the principall parte of this preparation consisteth in the perfectioÌ„ of sorrowe vnto the which I am to mooue myselfe with the coÌ„siderations that were set downe in the fift Meditation and with some similitudes deduced out of holy scripture to mooue vs vnto the teares of loue 2. Of the teares of loue Hierem. 6.26 Sometymes it telleth mee that I should weepe bitterly as a mother weepeth for the deathe of her onely begothen vpon whome shee had laied all her loue and repose so will I weepe for the spirituall deathe of my soule which is my onely one and by reason is much to bee loued yet I myselfe haue cruelly slaine her by sinne and subiected her to deathe euerlasting And seeing I haue so greate a feeling of the losse of those things that I loue a much greater feeling am I to haue of this because it is the greatest of all and herein teares are well employed For a mother let her weepe neuer so much shee shall not giue life to her sonne that is deade but I with the teares of Contrition shall obtaine life for my deade soule O infinite God Colloquie I am very much greaued for the iniurie I hune donne thee by killing vvith sinne the soule that thou gauest mee and seeing it is more thine then mine haue mercie vpon it Deliuer my soule from the svvorde of death Psalm 21.21 my only one from the dogg of Hell that I may liue to thee and confesse thy holy name amen 2 I will likewise weepe for my sinnes because with them I haue killed the only begotten Sonne Zacha. 12.10 Ad Heb. 6.6 who through excellencie meriteth this name Christ Iesus my Lord whome within myselfe I haue crucified againe and haue as much as lieth in me giuen occasion that he should die O only begoten Sonne of the Father I am exceedingly sorroufull for my sinnes Colloquie for hauing binne thereby a cause of thy death returne a Lord to liue in my soule vvith thy grace seeing thou dydst die to giue it life 3 Othersometimes it telleth mee that I should weepe like a Bride that hath by death lost her beloued spouse vpon whome depended her whole remedie and reliefe thereby remaining a widowe poore and abandoned And so will I weepe for my sinnes by the which I haue lost God the spouse of my soule and with him haue lost the iewells of his grace and Charitie and the giftes that he had giuen me remaining like a widowe not able to engender children of good workes merittes of life euerlasting but abandoned Colloquie and left dessolate without the protectioÌ„ of so sweete a spouse O if my harte vvould shiuer and breake vvith the force of dolour for hauing lost such a spouse such Ievvells and such amiable protection And yet notwithstanding if I perceiue that my harte is still hardned and melteth not with the considerations of loue Ex D. Bern. serm 16. in Cant. I will make vse of those of feare before mentioned that feare as S Barnard saieth may quickne me and open the dore to loue excitetur vt excitet Let feare be awakned that it may awake me Feare o my soule the face of the Iudge whome the powers of heauen doe feare the wrathe of the Omnipotent the face of his furie the noise of the worlde that shall perish the fire that shall burne it the voice of the Archangell and the most rigorous wordes of the finall sentence Feare the teeth of the DragoÌ„ the belly of Hell the roating of fierce beastes that stand readie to
Glorye is to doe what God willeth and in imitation of him I will procure by Gods grace to clothe myselfe with his Fortitude to accomplish in all things the Diuine Will Shee to whome the Embassage commeth is a poore Virgin forgotten by the Worlde despoused to a poore Artificer that liued in a litle Citty of so base esteeme that it was hardely beleiued that any good could come out of it Ioa. 1.46 But shee was most holy pure and therefore so esteemed of God that shee was preferred before the Daughters of the kings and Emperours of the Worlde for in the eyes of God there is no such Greatenesse as Sanctitye neither in mine ought there to bee I esteeming only what God esteemeth The Intent of the Embassage is to require the Consent of the VIRGIN to bee the Mother of God for this our Lord is of so noble a condition that though hee bee an absolute Lord hee will not bee serued by his Creatures in such waighty Affaires without their free Consent For though to bee the mother of God was a thing very excellent yet greate Afflictions were annexed vnto it it was therefore meete that the Virgin should of her owne freewill accept the Dignitye with the Charge that shee might merit the more and it might be the more sweete and easy vnto her And so likewise neither will God enter to inhabit in men by Grace nor exalt them to the Dignitye of the Sonnes of God without their free Consent hauing attained to the vse of Reason From hence I will passe spiritually to consider this Embassage applying it to myselfe and pondering how God our Lord sendeth mee euery day Inuisibly many Embassages with his Inspirations Tract de 7. donis Spiritus sancti c. 6. ex Richa de sancto Victore Ex D. Ber. ser 1. de Pentec the which as S. Bonauenture saieth are the Inuisible Embassadours and messengers of God and by them hee speaketh vnto mee and discouereth his Will and solliciteth mee to giue him entrance into my Soule and to employ myselfe allwayes in his Seruice And therefore in feeling within myselfe these Inspirations I am to reuerence them as Embassadours of God giuing him many Thankes for that hee daigneth to speake vnto mee by them consenting presently to all that hee requireth of mee and beseeching him more often to speake vnto mee O most louing Father that solicitest my Consent with so greate Loue and Care Colloquie as if that which importeth mee imported thee Inspire mee what thou willt for I am ready to consent to whatsoeuer thou inspirest mee The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the Entrance of the Angell to the VIRGIN and the manner how hee saluted her Pondering how hee tooke of Ayer a most beautifull Bodye of Humane shape And in this manner hee entered where the blessed VIRGIN abode with rare Modestye Reuerence and Grauitye and with such an exteriour semblance of Sanctitye as well declared what interiourly shee was to instruct vs what Apostolicall men ought exteriourly to bee who as S. 2 Cor. 5.20 Ephe. 6.20 Paul sayeth are the Embassadours of Christ and likewise what Religious men ought to bee that professe an Angelicall Life whose exteriour behauiour ought to represent Sanctitye and to mooue thereunto all that beholde them The Angell in entring saluted the B. VIRGIN not with vaine Salutations but with those diuine Wordes that God put in his mouthe saying vnto her HAILE full of Grace S. Ambr. Beda in Luc. 1. our Lord is with thee Blessed art thou among Women This Salutation as say the holy Saintes was newe and neuer heard of in the Worlde inuented by the most holy TRINITYE to honour the sacred VIRGIN and to declare her rare Sanctitye newe Dignitye as the Misterye was newe for the which it was ordained Ier. 31.22 For as Christ was a newe man contrarye to the olde Adam so the blessed VIRGIN that conceiued him was a newe Woman contrary to the olde Eua. With this Spirit and esteeme wee are to say and to meditate this newe Salutation pondering in euery worde the Greatenesse that it signifyeth with affections of Ioy and Thankes giuing rejoicing that the blessed VIRGIN hath such Greatenesse and giuing Thankes to God for giuing it her desiring of him some parte thereof and purposing to imitate what is imitable AVE First the Angell to manifest his Ioye and the Ioyfull newes that hee brought and to assure the VIRGIN entreth saying Aue which is as much to say as Haile or God saue thee peace bee with thee bee cheerefull assured for the newes that I bring is of peace and Prosperitye O soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie with all the Affection of my Hearte I salute thee and say Aue Haile God saue thee For by thee began our Saluation conceiuing him that was the Author thereof Ecclesia in Hymno Aue maris stella Thou hast changed the name of Eua defeating her miseries and replenishing vs with mercyes The other Eua was the beginning of Sinne thou the beginning of Grace By the other Deathe entred into the VVorlde by thee Life Gen. 3.15 The other subiected vs to the Serpent thou hast broken his Heade Bee cheerefull o blessed VIRGIN for the good lot that hath befallen thee and renew my Hearte that I may daily sing this newe Canticle of Praise with newe feruour of Spirit Amen Psal 32.3 Secondly I am to ponder the cause why the Angell in this first salutation named not the Virgin by her proper name saying Haile MARYE but Haile full of Grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou among VVomen This hee did that wee might vnderstand that allmighty God gaue her newe and most glorious names as hee gaue to the Messias Isa 9.6 the which for Excellencye are to bee attributed vnto her in the Church so that as wee call Salomon the VVise and S. Paul the Apostle so wee may call the blessed VIRGIN the Full of Grace or the Blessed among VVomen Isa 7.14 And as the name of the Mossias is Emanuel which is as much to say as God with vs so the name of the VIRGIN may for excellency bee Colloquie Our Lord with thee O most sacred VIRGIN let others call thee the Rod of Iesse the Porte of Heauen the House of VVisdome and other like names I will now call thee as did the Angell full of Grace the Inhabitation of our Lorde and the blessed among VVomen and declare to thy glorye the Greatenesses signified by these names GRATIA PLENA First I will ponder what fullnesse this is and how the blessed VIRGIN was full of Grace with all manner of fullnesse Shee was full of the Grace that Iustifieth full of Charitye Faithe and Hope of Humillitye Obedience and Patience with the rest of the Vertues full likewise of Wisdome of knowledge of Pietye and the Feare of God with all the other giftes of the Holy Spirit Her memory was full of
with more perfection by flying in secret for to this purpose the night is more proper Fourthly I will ponder with what Ioye and Content they trauelled albeit their iourney was troublesome and tedious and deuoide of temporall Commodities which yet they felt not much thorough the greatenesse of their interiour alacritye which relyed vpon two thinges First in that it was the will of our Lord God which they helde for their greatest consolation Secondly in that they carried with them IESVS whose Companye was sufficient to comfort them in any solitarinesse or abandoning whatsoeuer without diuerting themselues to regard or to procure any other refreshing which Trauellers vse to seeke after O omnipotent God Colloquie that gauest to these thy beloued Sainctes such Obedience by their merites I beseeche thee to assist me that I may obey thee with subiection of my iudgement with promptnesse of Will with readinesse in execution and with alacritye of Hearte only to fullfill thy VVill relying vpon thy prouidence that it will haue a care of me if in this manner I obey thee The fifth Pointe FIfthly I am to consider how they remained in Egipt vntill the Deathe of the Tyrant Herod which was fiue or seuen yeares pondering the speciall things that hapned in this time As first the greate Pouertye wherein they liued sustaining themselues with the Labour of their Handes in a poore house among a straunge and barbarous People and yet bearing all this very ioifully for the two causes aforesaide From whence proceeded the greate Quietnesse that they there had in such sorte that they neither desired the Deathe of Herod nor were afflicted with the delaye of their retourne but remitted all to Gods prouidence Being also so zealous as they were of the glorye of God they liued there in continuall dolour for the Idolatrye and perdition of that nation so that of eache of them might be sayed 2 Pet. 2.8 as S. Peter saied of Lot when he was in Sodome that in sight and hearing he was iust dwelling with them who from day to day vexed the iust Soule with vniust workes So it is likely that the sacred VIRGIN S. Ioseph were vexed in Spirit for the Sinnes of that People yet alwaies in the middest of them they preserued their puritye Sanctitye shining like Lightes of Heauen in the middest of that wicked nation And it is to be beleeued that the Sanctitye Modestye and celestiall conuersation of our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN and of S. Ioseph mollified the heartes of that barbarous people and caused in them admiration and respect and some by their example were conuerted to God and came to fauour them with almes and with giftes which they being poore accepted for their sustenance O happy he Colloquie that might be present in this banishment to accompanye and serue the Childe and the mother Ayde me o my God with thy Grace that in my Exile I may liue with alacritye conforming myselfe vnto thy will and giuing good example to such as liue with me that many by my meanes may serue thee with perfection Amen The XXVIII Meditation Of the murder of the holy Innocents and of the retourne from Egipt The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider how king Herod fearing least that king whome the Sages had spoken of should depriue him of his kingdome and perceiuing that he was deluded by them Matt. 2.16 he cruelly commaunded to be murdered all the men Children that were in Bethlehem in all the borders thereof from two yeare old and vnder Wherein is first to be considered what an abominable Vice is Ambition and the Desier of raigning and commaunding from whence ensued such horrible mischeifes the cheife of all which was to desier to take away the life of Christ to vsurpe his kingdome and to raigne by himselfe As also how proper it is to Ambitious men to be suspitious and timorous suspecting least others should depriue them of their greatenesse and fearing where there is no neede of feare as the Tyrant Herod was afraide without cause for our Lord Christ came not to take away temporall kingdomes but to giue celestiall Secondly I will ponder the greate greife that our Sauiour Christ had being in Egipt seeing from thence the murder of the holy Innocents for his sake for it is to be beleeued that the sworde which wounded the bodye of eache one of them peirced his Soule with Dolour of Compassion thorough the exceeding loue wherewith he loued them suffering so many martirdomes in his Spirit as they altogither suffered in bodye O most glorious king of Martyrs Colloquie who on this day conquerest in them and sufferest with them haue compassion on my weakenesse and ayde me with thy grace vanquishing in me all whatsoeuer is contrary vnto thee Thirdly I will ponder the greate spirituall good which accrewed vnto these Children by the temporall Deathe which they suffered being assured thereby of their eternall saluation and therefore that was a louing prouidence which Christ vsed towardes them albeit with the coste of the life of their bodye which is of lesse worth then that of the Soule And for this reason our Sauiour Christ rejoiced at the glorious Deathe of his martyrs by the which they became partakers of so glorious and eternall a life Iob 9.23 that being fullfilled heere which holy Iob sayeth of God that he laugheth at the paines of the innocent because be is recreated with the good that commeth vnto them thereby I would Colloquie o my God that I might suffer for thy sake that my paines might be thy Laughter and mirthe catching me with deathe like these Children before malice chaunge my Hearte Sap. 4.11 and Deceite alter my Soule for I rather desier to dye then to liue to offend thee The Second Pointe ANd when Herod was deade Matt. 2.19 beholde an Angell of our Lord appeared in sleepe to Ioseph in Egipt saying Arize and take the Childe and his mother and goe into the lande of Israel for they are deade that sought the life of the Childe Heere is first to be considered how Herod seeking to take away the life of Christ dâ—ed without compassing his intent and dyed a disastrous deathe both of bodye and Soule for the Iustice of God though it dissembleth for a time chastizeth in the ende and though the punishment of the wicked be deferred yet it commeth at last and when men least thinke then Deathe seazeth vpon them when as they pay for all their wickednesse togither what proffit had Herod by his Ambition and Crueltye and extreame care to preserue his kingdome for he lost all in one day and with all lost his Soule bewailing this remedilesse losse as the rest of the Damned doe bewaile it who say What hath our Pride auailed vs Sap. 5.8 and the boasting of our Riches what hath it profited vs all is passed like a Shadowe and now in our wickednesse we are consumed paying the penaltye that
MEDITATIONS VPPON THE MYSTERIES OF OVR HOLY FAITH WITH the practise of mental praier touching the same 〈…〉 Composed in Spanish by the R. F. LVYS DE LA PVENTE of the Societie of IESVS natiue of Valladolid AND Translated into English by F. RICH. GIBBONS of the same Societie THE FIRST PART The contents of this woorke are to be seene in the page folowing SIT NOMEN DOMINIBENEDICTUM IHS Printed with priuiledge M.DC.X. THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORKE These Meditations goe diuided into six partes which be correspondent to the three wayes PVRGATIVE ILLVMINATIVE VNITIVE the first two parts for Principiants in Vertue the other two for those that Goe forward and the two last for the Perfect And all six doe helpe for Preachers and Masters of perfection The first part of Sinnes and Last things of man with Meanes of praier to purifie the heart from vices The second part of the Mysteries of the Incarnation and Childhoode of IESVS Christ our Lord vntill his Baptisme The third part of the Principall mysteries of his life Diuinitye and Miracles vnto the ende of his preaching The fourth part of all the Mysteries of the Passion The fifth part of the Mysteries of the Resurrection Apparitions Ascēsion till the comming of the holie Ghost publishing of the Gospell The sixt part of the Mysteries of the Diuinitye Trinity Perfections of God of the Benefits natural supernaturall that proceede from him Accordinge to the order of the historye there goe inserted also meditations of all the Life of our LADYE and of some Saints of whome the Gospell and the booke of the Actes of the Apostles make mention of which and of those that be vpon the Gospells of the Sundayes holie dayes thoroughout the yeare there be Tables in the ende of the whole worke TO THE VERTVOVS AND DEVOVTE GENTLEWOMAN MISTRES CICILIE MORGAN DAVGHTER to the worshipfull Mistres MARIE MORGAN SOme peraduenture may and will also Vertuous Gentlewoman marueil not a little what moued me to dedicate this booke rather vnto you then to diuers other persons of no meane calling in our nation whoe might with great reason haue expected the same at my hands especially I being as they will suppose obliged to sundry of them for diuers respects To whome for satisfaction of my part and that this their woundring may cease I answere in fewe words that as touching particular obligation to any person I found none in my selfe that might with iust cause haue moued me to alter this my intended course other then that Rom. 13.8 to which the Apostle exhorteth saying Nemini quidquam debeatis nisi vt inuicem diligatis Owe no man any thing but that you loue one an other More ouer if any obligation there be towards others certes it is most towards you for whome I haue giuen my word in such sort that I am bound by all the meanes I possibly may to further your spirituall good aduance you in that kind of perfection to which you so much aspire Whereunto I add that if this my labour such and so much as it is be aniwise due to those which were the cause I first tooke it in hand I neither can nor will deny but that your often and feruent calling vppon me to aford you sufficient matter for meditation with the manner how to performe the same in such sort as it ought to be donne was the occasion that hauing seene this worke I tooke in hand to translate it findinge it to be such as in it selfe contained all that which either you with reason could require of me or I thinke good to performe of my part as necessary for your spirituall instruction profit in this kind of exercise And heere I wittinglie and willinglie leaue to speake of your godlie and vertuous behauiour of your feruent affection in the seruice of almighty God of your holie desire to conforme your selfe in all your words thoughts and woorks to his most holie will and pleasure of your renouncing the world and the contentments thereof with so generous a resolution of the continuall mortification of your selfe with so inuincible courage which all and many more your rare vertues vnknowne to others then to those whoe of dutie ougt to knowe them had ben sufficient without anie further cause to haue presented you these my small paines such as they are thereby to forward you in this happy course of life which you haue vndertaken to perfect you in the same as much as in me lieth As for my labour if it may with Gods holie assistance profit others then your self let them con you thankes whoe haue ben the motiue thereto but if it may further your owne spirituall good as I nothing doubt but with the grace of God and your owne vertuous endeauour it will if you perseuer and continue in the practise of meditation as you haue begunne I hope I shall not be defrauded of your good merites praiers in which I hartilie desire to be remembred wishing you all abundant increase of grace and goodnes in this world that growing from vertue to vertue Psal 83.8 you may at the length as the Psalmist saith see the God of Gods in Sion that is see his diuine Maiestie face to face and inioy him for euer and euer in the world to come Your louing friend that wisheth you all good RICH. GIBBONS THE PROLOGVE TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader SO proper it is to the Religious of our lest Society or Company of IESVS to procure by Gods grace not onely our owne saluation and perfection but also our neighbours that wanting health to exercise other duties ordained to this ende not to bee wholely wanting to the ende of my vocation I inclined to write this booke by meanes whereof I might ayde them to negociate their owne saluation which is the finall ende of all Christians and therewith also the excellency of Euangelicall perfection which is the speciallest ende of such as are Religious And whereas all those which liue in this greate house of the Churche of what estate or condition soeuer they bee are called by God to pretend in some sorte this soueraigne perfection for to all is intended or directed that sentence of our Sauiour which saith Matth. 5.48 Bee you perfect as also your heauenly Father is perfect So likewise this booke I direct vnto all to teache as S. Ad Coloss 1.28 Paul saith and to procure that euery man may bee perfect in Christe though most particularly it is directed to those who by reason of their Religious estate professe this perfection and pretende to attaine thereunto by the meanes of Prayer and Meditation whereof this booke doth entreate wherein aswell as I can according to my poore habilitie I desire to fullfill what S. Augustine counselleth vs in his 3. sermon vpon the 33. In illud Magnificate Dominum mecum Psalme saying Si amatis Deum rapite omnes ad amorem Dei qui vobis iunguntur
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
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
before propounded pondering how the causes rootes of this worke were not our merites but onely the bountye and mercye of God and the endes were the Redemption of the VVorlde and the manifestation of his diuine Goodnesse and Charitye Aftervvardes I will consider the proffit that thereby came vnto vs to wit Pardon of Sinnes Destruction of Deathe Entraunce into Heauen and such other like And then the losse wee had sustained if this worke had not beene donne remaining all Enemies of God Slaues of the Diuell and Damned to Hell Finally the Circumstances of this worke touching Place and Time and Manner and what properties of Bodye and Soule God tooke when hee was Incarnate In eache of these things the Vnderstanding is to make a pawse detaining itselfe in euery one so long as it shall finde Deuotion and Spirituall Gust without caring to passe to another mouing the VVill to diuerse Affections of Loue and Confidence as hath beene saied making Petitions and Colloquies with our Lord according to what hath beene meditated and desired And when our Vnderstanding hath pondered well one of these things it may passe to another with the like quietnesse and calmenesse of minde and so proceede in the rest Of all this wee shall see plaine examples in the meditations ensuing especially in the first which shall bee a patterne for the rest I onely aduertise that when the holy Spirit with speciall Inspiration moueth vs to pray all is easy sweeet for that hee recollecteth the memorye reuiueth the discourses raineth showers of meditatiōs inkindleth the Affections accordeth the Petitions ordereth the Colloquies and maketh perfect the whole VVorke of Praier ourselues cooperating without Trouble But when this speciall Succour is wanting it is necessary that wee ourselues vsing our freewill with the assistaunce of Grace which neuer faileth vs apply our faculties to the exercise of their Actes in the forme aforesaide whereby wee prouoke the holy Spirit to ayde vs with the speciall Succour of his Inspirations For Spirituall men which treate of Praier should not bee like Ships of high building that cannot saile with out winde but rather like Gallies that nauigate both with the winde with the Oare and when they faile of the prosperous winde of diuine Inspiratiō they are to nauigate with the Oare of their faculties aided by the diuine fauour though it bee not so sensible And this kinde of Praier is wonte to be sometimes most profitable though it be not so pleasing for the much that it meriteth fighting against Distractions and Drynesse of Hearte And if wee perseuer rowing and praying at his time Christe our Lord will come to visit vs with whose visitation this tempest shall cease as it happened in a like case to the holy Apostles as hereafter wee shall see Matt. 14.25 The Armes to fight against these Distractions of Hearte Drouthe of Spirit are principally foure 1. The first is profound Humillitye Mar. 6.48 acknowledging our VVeakenesse and miserye and beeing ashamed of ourselues to stand before God with such distraction and accusing ourselues of our offences passed and present for the which wee are chastized therein Lucae 14.11 For whosoeuer in this manner humbleth himselfe in Praier shall bee therein exalted 2 The second is Fortitude of minde making a manly resolution not aduisedly to admitte any Cogitation that may separate vs from that whereof wee pray though it bee of a matter that ministreth to vs much pleasure or seemeth of very much Importance for at that time none Importeth so much as to attend to my Praier and to God before whome I am to pray and when vnwittingly I finde myselfe diuerted I will turne againe to tye the thrid of the good Cogitation and Discourse begun and if a thousand times I shall bee diuerted I will turne a thousand times to the same without loosing my Courage or Confidence Genes 15.11 D. Greg. lib. 16. mor. c. 19 remembring that Abraham perseuering to chase away the Importunate birdes that approached to the Sacrifice came to sleepe a mysterious Sleepe wherein God discouered vnto him greate Secrets and passed like Fier thorough the midst of the sacrifice in testimonye that hee accepted it So I labouring with Perseuerance to chase away Importunate Cogitations that disquiet mee in the Sacrifice of Praier shall come with Gods fauour to sleepe the quiet sleepe of Contemplation wherein hee may illuminate my Soule with his light that I may knowe him and inflame it with the fier of Loue that I may loue him 3. The third VVeapon is Praier it selfe beseeching our Lorde to builde in our Soule a Citty of Hierusalem Psal 146.2 that may bee a Vision of Peace recollecting my Thoughtes and wandring Affections that they may Inhabite therein and busy themselues quietly in Praier The like will I beseeche the holy Angells who assist those that pray And in this meane I will Imploye all my force for Praier is so powerfull that it can obtaine of God all things and it selfe with them vsing in the middest of these Disturbations some breife Praiers to this Purpose Sometimes I will say with Dauid My Hearte hath forsaken mee Psal 39.13 it may please thee to Lord to deliuer mee from the violence I suffer and haue respect to helpe mee Other times I will say with the same royall Prophet My Soule as Earthe without water to thee Psal 142.6 Matth. 8.25 heare mee quickly to Lord my Spirite hath fainted Other sometimes I will crye out with the Apostles in the middest of the Tempest Saue mee o Lord for I perishe Or like the blinde whose Praier was hindred by the presse of the People I will lift vp my voice saying Luc. 18.38 Sonne of Dauid haue mercye vpon mee And if I perseuer crying though it bee with Drouthe and Violence our Lord Christe will not faile to haue compassion on mee as hee had on this blinde man which wee shall ponder in its place 4. The last weapon must bee a greate Confidence in God our Lorde perswading ourselues that seeing hee commaundeth vs to praye hee will giue vs grace and help for the same whereby wee may bee able to resist the Diuell to bridel our Imagination to represse our Passions to moderate our cares and to cast from vs our lukewarmenesse that they may not hinder vs in the exercise of Prayer But with this Confidence wee must joyne Diligence Collat. 9. c. 2. collat 10. c. 13. Cap. 48.49.50 procuring as Cassianus sayeth before Praier to remoue all such occasions as wee would not should distract vs therein imitating in this the subtlety of our Aduersarye who as S. Nilus the Abbot sayeth ordaineth all his Temptations wherewith in the day time hee tempteth spirituall Persons to hinder them from Praier and the fruite thereof Hee tempteth them with Gluttonye to make them in Praier heauye and sleepye Hee tempteth them with Impatience to disquiet them with Curiositye of the Senses to distract them with
multitude of businesse to disturbe them with Pride and Ingratitude to make them drye And seeing wee ought to bee no lesse prouident and carefull of our good then the Diuell is of our euill it is greate reason so to order our workes and businesses of the Daye that they may all helpe to further well our Praier And so with this in some sorte wee shall fullfill what Christe our Sauiour saide Luc. 18.1 It behoueth alvvaies to praye and not to bee vvearye for hee alwaies prayeth that spendeth his whole time in praier or in preparing himselfe thereunto VVith this Confidence I am to enter into mentall Praier saying to the Diuells that of the Psalme Psal 118.115 Departe from mee ye malignant and I vvill searche the Commaundements of my God And to my Powers Cogitations and Affections I will say that of another Psalme Psal 94.6 Come let vs adore and fall dovvne and vveepe before our Lord that made vs because he is the Lord our God and vvee the People of his pasture and the Sheepe of his hand Of the maner how wee may aide ourselues with the Imagination and the Tongue and the rest of the faculties for Mentall Praier §. 7. ALbeeit Mentall Praier as hath beene saied is the worke of the three supreme faculties of the Soule in respect of that parte which is pure spirit and is called Mens from whence this Praier also is called Mentall ◠yet notwithstanding the other faculties of the Soule which are more Inferiour doe ayde to the exercise of the same 1. Among these the first is the Imaginatiue the which when it is vntamed and disordered as it notably hindreth Praier so also it aydeth much when it can with facilitye forme within it selfe certaine figures or Images of such things as are to bee meditated for this is as it were to tye it to one onely place and to set before the Soule spiritually the thing that it meditateth as if it were present According to this it were good before wee begin meditation to procure with the Imagination to forme within ourselues some figure or Image of the things wee Intende to meditate with the greatest viuacitye and propriety that wee are able If I am to thinke vpon Hell I will imagine some place like an obscure straight and horrible Dungeon full of fier the Soules therin burning in the middest of those flames And if I am to meditate in the birth of Christ I will forme the figure of some open place without shelter and a Childe wrapped in swadling Cloutes layed in a manger and so in the rest But heere wee are to aduertise that this bee donne without breaking the heade for whosoeuer findeth much difficultye in forming such figures it were better to leaue them and vse onely the spirituall Faculties in the manner aforesaide And contrarily those that are very Imaginatiue are to bee very well aduised because their vehement Imaginations may bee vnto them an occasion of many Illusions supposing their Imagination to bee reuelation that the Image which they forme within themselues is the same thing which they Imagine And so thorough their indiscretion they vse to breake their heade and conuert to their hinderaunce that which taken with moderation might haue beene to their proffit 2. The tongue likewise may helpe in Praier for as S. Thomas sayeth Mentall Praier 2. 1. q. 83 art 12. Vocall which is donne with exteriourwordes are not contrarye but Sisters that helpe one another Mentall Praier vseth sometimes to breake out into Vocall speaking to our Lord Exteriour wordes arising from the Interiour feruour Psal 15.9 and deuotion and vocall Praier vseth to quicken the Soule to make it more attentiue to mentall For when therein wee perceiue ourselues to bee distracted or drye it is a good remedye to speake some wordes that may awaken Ex D. Aug. epis 121. ad Probam cap. 9. and recollect vs either speaking to our Lorde or to ourselues for as the Body aideth the Soule so the workes of the Bodye are accustomed to ayde those of the Soule and the exteriour worde and that which the Tongue speaketh Processu 7. religionis cap. 3 vseth to touch the Hearte This as S. Bonauenture aduertiseth may bee practized in twoe manners The one is euery one composing the wordes as his necessity or Deuotion shall dictate vnto him not standing vpon this whither they bee well or ill ordered for our Lord regardeth rather the agreement of the Hearte and the feruour of the Affections then of the VVordes and hee is better appeased with the rude speaches of the stammering Childe and penitent Sinner then with the well composed wordes of a Learned man that is prowde The other manner is saying some Praier made by another as are those of the Churche or of some Saincte appropriating them to himselfe and speaking them with such feeling and affection as if hee himselfe were composing them after that manner which in the 9. § wee shall prescribe 3. As for our Corporall senses there can bee no certaine rule giuen for some finde themselues best holding their eyes shut others helpe themselues with opening them looking vp to Heauen or beholding some Image Some are troubled with the hearing of any thing others are inflamed with hearing some Song or Musicke of the Churche Some feele deuotion with striking themselues often on the brest as S. Hierome did in Imitation of the Publican Others with much bending of the knee as did Symeon of the Pillar who praied bowing the knee with his heade euen to the grounde and then raising vp himselfe and repeating thus Innumerable times The like wee may say of other motions comportments of the Bodye as to stretch the armes in forme of a Crosse to lye prostrate on the grounde to stande fixed in one place to walke in some parte or to sit in some lowly seate in all which wee must make choise of that which helpeth most to the quietnesse and deuotion of the Hearte hauing consideration of the VVeakenesse of him that prayeth and of the edification of such as are present if the place bee publike for in such case that setling of the Bodye is to bee vsed that may not bee offensiue to the standers by Of the examination of Praier and of the fruites that may bee drawne from thence §. 8. PRayer being ended it is ëxceeding proffitable to examine what hath passed vs therein and albeit this examination ought to bee made after any worke or exercize whatsoeuer of Vocall Praier whither it bee Diuine offices the Rosarye or the Masse yet particularly it ought to bee donne after retired Mentall Praier wherein a man hath spent one or more houres 1. First I am to examine whither I haue obserued the aduertisements of those things that are precedent to Praier as whither I premeditated the matter of the meditation whither I put myselfe well in the presence of God whither I offered vnto him this Action in Spirit
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
mee desiring that God would speake vnto him and shewing himselfe prepared to complye with whatsoeuer hee should saye These twoe manners of Praier or Contemplation by spirituall Seeing and Hearing holy Iob touched Iob. 42.5 when hee saide to God VVith the hearing of the eare I haue heard thee but novv my eye seeth thee wherein hee giueth to vnderstand as S. Gregorie noteth that it is a more noble manner of knowing God Lib. 35. moral cap. 4. by an Interiour Beholding then by the Hearing for the Hearing hath more obscuritye in the Darkenesse of Faithe and the Sight more perspicuitye beholding God more neere and as it were more present albeeit other times in the Scripture supreame Contemplation is declared by meanes of Hearing as in the Introduction of the third parte wee shall see 3. The third manner of Gods communicating himselfe interiourly is by a spirituall Smelling infusing into the Soule an Odour and fragrancye of spirituall things so sweete that it comforteth the Hearte and reuiueth it to pretende and seeke them running as it is said in the booke of Canticles after the odour of his sweetest Ointements Cant. 1.4 Ex D. BonoueÌ„t sup distinct 6. And the glorious Euangelist S. Iohn as one well experienced in this inward conuersation with God was wont to saye Odor tuus Domine eccitauit in nobis concupiscentias aternas Thy odour o Lord hath raised in vs eternall desires and Affections Odour hee calleth a very spirituall sensibillity of eternall things which wee see not and yet beleeue and hope to obtaine from which proceede foruent Actes of Hope with inkindled desires to pretend them and greate animositie and courage to vse all possible meanes to obtaine them Ad Rom. 12.12 with a greate alacritye which the Apostle S. Paule calleth Reioycing in hope For as Houndes by the sent followe the chase with greate swiftnesse and pleasure not staying till they come to the place where if they can they laye holde on it so Soules that in Praier receiue this sent and Odour of the Diuinitie of God our Lorde and of his most sacerd Humanitye of his Charitye and Bountye and his other Vertues runne with greate feruour and diligence in the pretention of those eternall thinges which they haue sented not staying till they possesse them in such manner as they may in this life with hope to possesse them entirely in the other Of the which wee haue some token in such Persons as God calleth to a religious life and giueth them any Sence and Odour of the Sweetenesse Security and Sanctitye that they shall finde therin for the which they treade vnder foote a thousand difficulties and rest not till they obtaine what they desire And for this very cause saieth S. Paule 2. Corin. 2.15 that the just are the good Odour of Christe our Lorde For that their notable examples doe comfort and mooue vs to followe them and to imitate Christe from whome they principally doe proceede 4. The fourth manner of God our Lordes communicating himselfe is by a Spirituall Taste communicating to the Soule such feruour and sweetenesse in spirituall thinges that those of the flesh seeme vnsauorye vnto him Psal 83.3 And as Dauid sayeth The fleshe itselfe togither with the Spirit rejoiceth in the liuing God and in all his workes and by the experience of this sweetenesse and of the meruailous effectes thereof commeth to knowe the Greatenesse of God the Excellencye of his Lawe of his Vertues and celestiall Rewardes VVhereupon Dauid sayde Psal 33.9 Taste yee and see that our Lord is svveete that is to say If you taste what God is and the workes that hee doth within you by this taste you shall knowe how sweete hee is how good how wise how potent how liberall and how mercifull And after the same manner may wee say Taste and see how sweete is his yoke and his Lawe how sweete is Obedience and Humillitie Patience Temperance Chastitie and Charitie For euery Vertue hath his proper sweetenesse where vpon the same Dauid sayed Psal 30.20 hovv greate is the multitude of thy svveetenesse o Lord vvhich thou hast hidde for them that feare thee Hee calleth it greate and manifolde to signifye that as in meate there is varietie of sauours so God hath in his mysteries and Vertues much varietie and greatenesse of Consolations Sap. 16.20 For yf Manna beeing but one meate had the sauour of all meates to cherishe the just with this corporall sweetenesse with how much more eminencie hath God the sweetenesse of all things for the consolarion of those that conuerse with him by the meanes of Praier for to some hee geeueth it meditating his Perfections to some meditating his Benefits and to others meditating his holy Lawe Psal 18.11 118.103 which Dauid saide was more sweete vnto him them hony and the hony combe But this sweetenesse is hidden for those that feare God and reuerence him for they onely taste it with most abundance yea and hauing tasted it they haue saithe Cassianus no tongue to declare it Collat. 12. c. 12. for it farre surpasseth all whatsoeuer that our sense attaineth vnto Truthe it is that God giueth parte heereof to Principiants yea and to Sinners to weane them from the milke of their terrene Consolations but much more abundantly hee giueth it to those who for his Loue haue mortified themselues in depriuing themselues thereof 5. The fift manner of Gods communicating himselfe is by a Spirituall Touching touching with his amourous Inspirations the inwardest of the Hearte and our Lord himselfe joyning himselfe to the Soule with such Gentlenesse Affection as cannot bee expressed but by those Similitudes whereof Osculetur me osculo oris sui Ad tactuÌ„ eius coÌ„mota suÌ„t viscera mea Dextera eius amplexabitur me 1. Cor. 6.17 Cantic 3.4 the Booke of Canticles maketh mention which I omitte leaste our grosâ—enesse should bee dazeled with so much tendernesse but yet all rest in this saying of the Apostle S. Paule That He that cleauet to God is made one Spirit with him for God interiourly imbraceth him with the Armes of Charitie and chearisheth him giuing him inwarde Testimonyes of his Presence of the Loue that hee beareth him and of the care that hee hath of him with greate tokens of Peace and very familiar friendship And whosoeuer perceiueth himselfe so fauored imbraceth himselfe with God himselfe with the Armes of Loue saying that of the Bride I helde him neither vvill I let him goe And heere are exercised those tender Colloquies those Petitions with gronings vnspeakeable and those Actes called Anagogicall high eleuated in matter of Spirit which our Lord graunteth of his faire Grace to whome hee pleaseth but these are not to bee pretended but receiued when they shall bee giuen as already hath beene saide These are the extraordinary manners of our Lordes communicating himselfe by the Interiour Senses of the Soule It belongeth to our account onely Ex D. Bonauen
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
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
wee are in o whoe beguiled thee and brought thee vnto vs Finally the Soule shall bee stript naked of those morall D. Th. in addit q. 98. ar 1. ad 3. Ibid. art 7. and politike Vertues which it acquired in this Life it shall remaine without Prudence or Fortitude or Iustice or any other and if any Sciences bee left it that it gotte with its industrie it shall bee to its greater paine for not hauing negotiated therewith the Science that might haue redeemed it from all this miserie In this manner shall bee accomplished therein that dreadefull sentence of holy Iob Iob. 20.14 Colloquie His breade in his belly shall bee turned into the gall of Aspes the riches vvhich he hath deuoured he shall vomite out and God shall dravve them forth out of his belly O my Soule looke that thou doest not vomite vvith thy VVill the Riches of Grace and Charitie that thou receiuedst for aftervvardes they vvill make thee vomitte perforce Faithe and the Vertues that thou hadst gained And those Sciences vvich novv thou gainest vvith delight shall turne into the gall of Aspickes to torment thee These are the principall fruites which out of these Considerations I am to collect endeuouring to negotiate with those Talents that God hath giuen mee Matt. 25 26. leaste at the reckoning daye God take them from mee as from the slothefull seruant leauing mee onely those which like Aspickes Dragons shall most cruelly gnawe my Hearte because I proffited myselfe so euilly with them The fifth Pointe 1. FIftly I am to consider the finall Sentence which in that very Instant of Deathe Christe our Lord pronounceth against the Sinner intimating it vnto him with an Interiour and terrible voice saying to him alone the same wordes that hee will afterwardes say to all the VVicked in the Generall Iudgement Matt. 25 41. Depart from mee thou accursed of my Father into that eternall fier that is prepared for Satan and his Angells that is to say get thee from hence abominable Sinner that meritest not to stand in my presence nor to enter into my Glory goe into eternall fier which thy Sinnes doe deserue in Companye of Satan to whose Infernall Power I remitte thee that hee may carry thee with him 2. This Sentence beeing giuen in the very same Instant God forsaketh the Soule and the Angell Gardian abandoneth it saying to it as to Babilon Ierem. 51.9 I did enough to cure thee labouring thy Saluation and thou wouldst not therefore I leaue thee to the power of him who shall take that Vengeance of thee which thy Rebellion deserueth And in the very same moment the Diuell shall attache the wretched Soule without either admitting or hearing Supplications or Praiers and carry it into Hell So that the Sinner in the twinckling of an eye from his bed where hee lay very delicately inuironned with many friendes and kinsmen Iob. 21.23 dieth as Iob saithe in a moment with a Deathe to appearance happy and peaceable but in the very same moment hee descendeth to Hell passing from one extreame of temporall good to another extreame of eternall euill O what will the vnhappy Soule feele in that first entrance into Hell when it seeth what it left and what it findeth Isai 14.11 when it seeth and feeleth a bed of fier the matresses of wormes the company of Diuells and all the rest of Torments from which shee hath no hope euer to escape O Iust Iudge haue mercye vpon mee Colloquie Et cum veneris Iudicare noli me condemnare And when thou commest to Iudge doe not condemne mee O my Soule feare this Sentence of eternall Damnation and liue in such sort that thou maiest meritte to bee deliuered from it The sixt Pointe SIxtly I am to consider the Sentence that shall bee giuen to the Iust Christ our Redeemer saying inuisibly to him with an amiable voice Matt. 25 34. Matt. 25 21. Come thou blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared for thee from the foundation of the vvorlde VVell fare thee good and faithfull Seruant because thou hast beene faithfull ouer a fevve things I vvill place thee ouer many things enter into the ioye of thy Lord. And at that very Instant the Deuill departeth affronted and the Angell Gardian receiueth the Soule other Angells as they came to the Soule of poore Lazarus comming to accompanye it Luc. 16.22 and all with greate ioy carry it to heauen to enjoy that eternall good when it hath nothing to bee purged in Purgatorie O what ioye shall the Soule haue in that her first and so much desired entrance that which was before full of Dolours humbled with Contempts and troubled with Feares in a moment shall see herselfe farre otherwise all her Paine turned into Glorie and her mourning into Rejoicing in the Companye of Angells in a place of repose and ingulfed in the viewe of her God 2. These things considered I will make Comparison betweene the good and the euill and I shall see as Dauid saithe the Deathe of the wicked most vile Psal 33.22 Psal 115 15. and abhominable the ende of their Rest and Beginning of their Torments And contrarily the ende of the good is precious in the sight of God the ende of their Labours and beginning of their rest and herewith I will animate myselfe to procure a good Deathe wherein I may receiue a good Sentence encouraging myselfe to Penance and to the exercizes of Vertues trusting in the benignitie of the Iudge who will sentence mee with mercie if in my Life I make proffit thereof 3. I will conclude with a speeche to the most blessed Virgin who at that hower interposeth not herselfe in this Iudgement for when the Soule departeth the bodye the Doore of Intercession and pardon is locked vp and that of rigorous Iustice is opened beseeching her that now presently shee willbee my Aduocatrice Intercessour negotiating for mee this good Sentence and obtaining for mee workes worthie thereof To which ende it will aide mee to saye with Spirit those last wordes which the Churche putteth in the praier of the Aue Maria and those which it vseth in another Hymne saying Maria mater gratiae Mater misericordiae Tu nos ab Hoste protege Hora mortis suscipe Marye mother of Grace mother of mercye defende vs from the Enemye and at the hovver of Deathe receiue vs. O Soueraigne Virgin seeing thou art the Aduocatrice of Sinners bee my Aduocatrice before thy Sonne appease with thy Intercession his wrathe obtaining for mee time of true Repentance before the time bee past wherein I may doe it And seeing the Sentence giuen in Deathe is irreuocable negotiate for mee o most benigne mother that it may bee fauourable towardes mee that I may see the blessed fruite of thy wombe IESVS and enjoy him in thy companye worlde without ende Amen To the Intention of this meditation is much to the purpose that which in the third parte shall
bodye and contemne that vvhich is present vvith the vievve of that vvhich is to come Amen Finally I will consider that I cannot tell whither it will fall to my Lot to haue so honorable funeralls or whither our Lord will permitte for chastizement of my Sinnes Ierem. 22.19 3. Reg. 9. that I bee buried in the belly of fishes or of wilde beastes or as Ieremie saithe in the sepulchre of Asses or bee eaten by Crowes or by Dogs like vnhappy Iezabel which I haue well deserued for my Sinnes for to a beâ—â—iall life is due the sepulcher of beastes And therefore as much as lyeth in mee I will abhorre the vaine pompe of wordely sepulchers desiring both in life and deathe to choose for myselfe the humblest place of the Earthe I may also spiritualize what hath beene saide in these three pointes applying it to my Soule deade by Sinne which remaineth ougly and deformed and vnabled to doe meritorious woorkes of eternall life her passions carrying her to bee interred in the profunditye of euill couering her with the graue-stone of obstinacye vntill shee descende to the obscure and dreadefull Sepulcher of Hell Ex D. Aug. All which is to mooue mee to compassion for if I bewaile the bodye from which the Soule is absent much more reason haue I to bewaile the Soule from which God is absent And seeing I would giue life to the deade bodye if I could there is reason that I should procure the life of the Soule by those meanes that God hath giuen mee to that ende before bodye and Soule Colloquie dye togither without remedye O eternall God permitte mee not to carrye in a liuing Bodye a deade Soule but quicken it vvith thy grace that vvhen the Bodye dyes the Soule may obtaine life euerlasting Amen Of this Consideration shall bee spoken in the third parte in the meditation 39.40 and 41. meditating on those three that Christe raized from Deathe The eleuenth Meditation of the remembrance of Deathe For Ashe vvednesday and of the dust whereinto wee shall bee conuerted in the Graue THis meditation shall bee grounded vpon those wordes which the Churche vseth on Ashwednesday Genes 3.19 Memento homo quod puluis es in puluerem reuerteris Remember man that thou art Dust and to Dust thou shalt returne which wordes our Lord spake vnto Adam after hee had sinned intimating vnto him the Sentence of Deathe which his Sinne deserueth and by the waye declaring vnto vs what wee were what wee shall bee and what wee are saying that all is but Duste The first Pointe 1. FIrst wee are to consider that God our Lord though hee might haue created the bodye of Adam of nothing as hee created his Soule yet hee would not but made it of a matter of the one side most vile and grosse and on the other visible and palpable Genes 2.7 De limoterrae which is the Dust and slime of the Earthe to the ende that man seeing daily with his corporall eyes this Durte might continually remember his Originall and Beginning for 2. endes First that hee might humble himselfe profoundely and vnderstand that of himselfe hee deserueth to bee contemned trodden vnder foote trampled vpon like Durte and that hee hath nothing though hee haue greate goods whereof to bee prowde for that all haue their foundation in Dust And secondly that hee might bee moued to loue and to serue his so louing and powerfull Creator who from vile Dust raised him to so gâ—â—ate an heigth as to bee a man according to the Image and likenesse of God himselfe 2. So that Dust and Durte may serue for Alarums to recall to my memorye my Originall the matter whereof I was formed imagining when I see them that they crye out to mee and say Remember that thou art Dust humble thy selfe as Dust Loue serue and obey thy Creator that tooke thee from the Dust And when I waxe prowde with the giftes that I haue I am to imagine that they crie vnto mee repressing my Vanitye saying vnto mee Of what art thou prowde Dust and Ashes Eccl. 10.9 Isai 45.9 Colloquiâ— VVhy art thou puffed vp Vessell of claye Bee warned by forgetfull Adam who forgetting that hee was Dust presumed to bee as God and rebelled against thy Maker O Omnipotent Creator permitte not in mee so praeiudiciall an obliuion that I fall not into so greate a daunger Cleare my eyes that I may in spirit beholde the Durt vvhereof I vvas formed and open mine eares that I may heare the clamours thereof so imprinting them in my hearte that I may neuer forget them AmeÌ„ Of this pointe wee shall speake largely in the sixt parte in the twenty and sixt meditation The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider that God our Lord seeing the forgetfullnesse and pride of Adam condemned him to the Sentence of Deathe and to retourne into the Dust whereof hee was formed wherein principally hee pretended three endes for his good ours First to chastize therewith his Sinne that all wee might perceiue how greiuous an euill Sinne is eeing it is sufficient to destroye and to turne into dust so beautifull riche a frame as is man for if Adam had not sinned hee had not died but had beene translated into Heauen in bodye and soule with all hiâ— Integrye and Perfection But thorough his Sinne the soule is forced to abandon the bodye and the bodye is dismured or vnwalled and turned into small dust according to that of the Apostle Ad Rom. 5.12 By one man Sinne entred into this vvorlde and by Sinne Deathe 2. The second ende was that the memorye of Deathe and that wee are to retourne into Dust might bee a most effectuall medecine for our pride seeing it was not sufficient to humble vs that hee had made vs of Dust So that the Dust and Durt of the earthe which I see and feele is not onely a watch-bell to recall to my remembrance the Originall from whence I began but also the ende wherein I am to staye and when I beholde it I am to imagine that it is crying out and saying vnto mee Remember thou art to retourne to earthe and Duste and that like mee thou shalt bee trampled trodden vpon Then why art thou prowde thou art now fleshe thou shalt shortly bee dust Eccl. 10.9 Colloquie wherefore art thou puffed vp O Father of mercye I giue thee thankes for that vvith the chastizement of my Sinne thou hast made a medicine for my Pride Graunt mee that I may not bee deafe to these cryes that Dust giueth mee that the chastizement of a pious Father turne not into the punishment of a seuere Iudge 3. The third ende was for that the feare of this Chastizement and of this Dust wherein the flesh is to rest might bee a spurre to our backwardenesse to doe Penance for our Sinnes committed and a bridle to our sensuall liuelynesse to curbe our Passions So that if the
art ignorant what shall become of thee to morrowe for thy life is as a Vapour which soone vanisheth awaye Therefore it were fitter thou shouldst say If our Lorde will and If I shall liue I will doe this or that for otherwise thou shallt finde thyselfe deceiued if God haue determined the contrarye The second Deceite is to promise to myselfe not onely long life but also to assure myseffe that I shall haue healthe strength and content with all the goods that I possesse and that they also shall last as long as I from whence it proceedeth that hereupon I exhort my Soule saying Requiesce comede bibe epulare Take thy rest eate drinke and make good cheere giue thyselfe to banquetting and Pleasure for thou shallt want nothing And this is a most grieuous Illusion for all this dependeth vpon God who can take from mee my goods before my life bee ended and though hee take not away them Eccles 5.18 hee may as ecclesiastes saith take from mee my healthe and strength that I may not enjoy them The third Deceite is to forget to prouide what is necessarye for the other life as if there were no more but this present And this was the most quallified folly of this riche man that hauing prouided his Soule of so much wealthe to passe this temporall life hee was alltogither obliuious to prouide it of those necessarye goods for life euerlasting for the which it must needes bee that the vnhappy Soule that in this miserable life did eate drinke and banquet must afterwardes endure perpetuall Hunger and Thirst and eternall miserye Pondering these three deceites I will examine if my Soule bee beguiled with them and will exhort her contrarily to this riche man saying vnto her O my Soule promise not to thyselfe many yeares Colloquie for peraduenture thou shallt not liue out this present Glory not of to morrovve for thou knovvest not vvhat the daye that is to come shall bring forth Giue not thyselfe to rest but to labour not to feastings and banquets but to Fasting and Teares Prouer. 27.1 Eccles 9.5 Haue a care of eternall life vvhich attendeth thee for after Deathe there is no meanes to meritte any durable rest or saciety O eternall God deliuer mee of thy Infinite goodnesse from these miserable Deceites before Deathe seaze vpon mee in them Exhort thou my Soule to vvorkes that are pleasing vnto thee that this day it may more and more separate itselfe from all such things as offend thee Amen The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the greate losses they suffer in Deathe that haue beene thus beguiled all their Life drawing them from the wordes of our Lord God to this riche man Stulte hac nocte animam tuam repetent à te quae parasti cuius erūt Thou foole this night they require they Soule of thee and the goods that thou hast scraped together whose shall they bee wherein are touched fower greiuous losses Psal 33.22 for the which king Dauid had greate reason to say that the Deathe of Sinners is very euill 1. Stulte The first Losse is to dye in his very Folly without falling into a reckoning thereof till it bee past remedye For late or earely both good and euill shall come to perceiue their errours but in a different manner for the wicked continue in their errour vntill Deathe and then with the experience of their torments and miseries they fall into a reckoning how much in their life time they were beguiled Sap. 5 calling themselues Insensati men without wit or Iudgement But the good in their lifetime perceiue their errour by the light of faithe prepare themselues for Deathe before Deathe seaze vpon them Therefore o my Soule to perceiue thine owne errours take for thy mistresse this diuine Light if thou willt not haue the experience of eternall miserye to bee thy mistresse and beware by other mens daungers before this Losse light vpon thee with thyne owne 2. Hac nocte The second Losse is to dye in the night that is by a sodaine and hasty Deathe in the midst of their Crimes for oftentimes when men are healthefull contented as this riche man was God intimateth vnto them the Sentence of Deathe and executeth it with all passing from a temporall night to an eternall Matth. 8.12 from the interiour Darkenesse of the Heart to the exteriour of Hell VVith this feare I will aske very earnestly of our Lorde that hee would in such manner aduise mee of the perill of my Deathe that I may haue time to dispose myselfe thereunto Isai 38.1 4. Reg. 20.1 as hee aduised king Ezechias by the meanes of the Prophet Isaias saying vnto him Order thy house for thou shalt dye But to this ende I am not to expect Reuelations from Heauen but my Prophet Isaias must bee the light of Faithe and of reason the Inspiration of God the Experience of the Deathe of others the greiuous sicknesse that assaileth mee and the aduise of the Phisition when hee telleth mee I am in daunger And generally seeing I haue no certaine daye of Life and euery daye I may expect Deathe it is wisdome to imagine that God sayeth this daye vnto mee Order to day thy Soule for to morrowe thou shalt dye to doe it presently 3. The third Losse is to dye by force Repetent and with violence requiring and pulling out their Soule in despite of them VVherein I will ponder the difference betweene the Iust vnbeguiled and betweene Sinners beguiled for the Iust offer themselues voluntarily to Deathe when Gods will is that they should dye and they say vnto him with Dauid Psal 141.8 Psal 30.6 Deliuer o. Lord my Soule out of this prison that it may praise thy holy name and Into thy handes I commend my Spirit for thou redeemedst mee o God of Truthe And although nature somewhat shunneth Deathe yet Grace preuaileth against it when God requireth of thē their Soule they yeilde it with greate resignation But the wicked abhorre Deathe and beare it very Impatiently therefore it is saide that the Deuills the ministers of Gods Iustice doe require and pull from them their Soule against their will Colloquie O eternall God graunt mee that I may liue so vnfleshed from all things of this life that there may bee no neede to pull from mee my Soule perforce Require it of mee vvhen thou vvilt for I am ready and vvilling to giue it vnto thee in vvhat day soeuer thou requirest it The third Pointe 1. THirdly I am to consider the dreadefullnesse of that terrible question that God our Lord maketh The things that thou hast prouided vvhose shall they bee wherein is represented the finall Losle of those who as hath beene saide liue forgetfull of Deathe which is sodainely and with greate griefe to leaue the goods which they possessed without enjoying them or disposing of them or knowing to whome they shall come
life and much more for the good credit or his Gouernment that all may see that hee was both wise and holy in all whatsoeuer hee ordained Psal 82.19 Ierem. 12.1 Abacuc 1.6 1. Cor. 4.5 and permitted So that neither the good may complaine any more then that Vertue was oppressed nor the wicked glorye that Vice was exalted and finally to confounde the rashe Iudgements of those that dared to iudge what they knewe not Hereupon the Apostle counselleth that wee should not iudge before the time vntill our Lord come who also will lighten the hidden things of Darkenesse and will manifest the Counsailes of the hartes The third cause is the glory of Christ IESVS our Lord that hee may not onely discouer himselfe in Heauen to the good but also that in Earthe where his Ignominye was apparent hee may manifest himselfe to the wicked and that those which sawe his Humilliation may see the rewarde thereof And for this cause the place of Iudgement shall bee the Valley of Iosaphat Ioel. 3.2 neere to Ierusalem and the mount of Oliues that in the same place where hee was Iudged condemned and crucified for our Sinnes they may all see him with greate honour to bee the Iudge both of the quicke Actuum 10.42 and the deade and that hee that ascended to Heauen in the fight of a fewe Disciples shall descende as it was tolde by the Angells in the sight of the whole worlde to Iudge them all Actuum 1.11 For these causes the remembrance of Iudgement may moue mee to Ioye Thankefullnesse and Praise glorifying God for his soueraigne Prouidence wherewith hee designed it for so high endes Psal 95.11 8. and wiâ—h â—â—uid inuiting all Crearures to rejoice and clap their handes for Ioye for that our Lord shall come to Iudge the Earthe and shall Iudge all People and all Princes with Iustice and equitye righting wrongs without acception of Persons The second Pointe SEcondly Matt. 24 5. Marc. 13 5. Luc. 21.8 Erunt signa in sole c. Sapien. 5 18. are to bee considered the signes precedent to this Generall Iudgement as Christe our Lord reckoneth them in his Gospell pondering their number and terrour the things which they signifye the effectes which they shall cause in men the manner how they shall come to passe and with all the causes wherefore they come to passe 1. First I am to ponder the number of them for all Creatures as the VViseman saieth shall bee armed to take vengeance on the Enemies of their Creator all the worlde shall fight for him against rashe incoÌ„siderate Sinners And as all haue beene instruments of Gods mercye to doe them greate benefits so then they shall bee instruments of Gods Iustice to doe them greate Dammages and with greate reason for that they abused them to the iniurye of their Creator And although they now dissemble this wrong then they shall manifest it with terrible signes 2. Secondly I will ponder their terriblenesse discoursing of some of them The Sun shall bee obscured the Moone shall bee turned into the colour of Blood The Starres or Comets shall fall from Heauen like Lightening and the powers of Heauen shall bee mooued for they shall make a fearefull noise like a Clocke when it is let loose to strike the hower the Earthe shall dreadefully tremble like Mongibels opening it selfe in many partes the Sea shall bee in a tumult with terrible waues the windes encountring one another shall raize horrible Tempestes Dreadefull thunder claps with fearefull flashes of Lightening shall sounde in the aire Sapiâ—n 5 22. 2 Mach. 5.2 and there shall appeare affrighting visions and horrid monstres much more horrid then in Egipt Ierusalem The wilde and sauage beastes and venemous Serpents shall stray vp and downe running in all partes with horrible howlings roarings and hissings 3. But how terrible soeuer these signes bee they will afflict much more with the terrour of the things which they signifye and which men apprehende Haec autem omnia Initia sunt maloruÌ„ because all these are but as a draught of the dreadefull euills which they expect for the worlde shall bee the very pourtraiture of Hell The darkenesse of the Sun menaceth eternall Darkenesse in chastizement of the darkenesse of the Soule The blood of the Moone is the signe of the Indignation of God which shall take vengeance of them for staining themselues with the blood of Sinnes The falling of the Starres from Heauen is the signe of the most vnhappy fall which they shall take from the Heauen of the Churche to the bottomelesse pit of Hell for they threwe themselues downe headlong from the heigth of Grace to the Depth of Sinne. The furye of the Elements and Beastes prognosticateth the terriblenesse of the Infernall Furyes against them for liuing like Beastes without any order AresceÌ„tibus hominibus prae timore or gouermnent of their Passions 4. From hence it will arise that men shall wither with feare and Astonishment aswell for the euills which they experiment as for those which they expect Prou. 17.22 being seized vpon by the sad Spirit that withereth the bones O what a difference shall there bee in this case betweene those that haue a good and secure and those that haue an euill and vnquiet Conscience for albeeit that all shall feare yet the feare of the good shall bee mixed with greate confidence in Gods mercye And so our Sauiour Christe comforteth them saying Lucae 21.28 VVhen these things begin to come to passe open your eyes and lift vp your heades for they are signes that your redemption is at hande the ende of your labours and the beginning of your rest But the feare of the wicked shall bee full of Desperation Sap. 17.10 Psal 13.5 and greate Impatiencie for as the VViseman saithe an euill Conscience augmenteth their feare and paine And if already saithe Dauid they tremble with feare where they haue nothing to dreade how much more will they tremble where they haue so much to tremble at beginning presently to haue that trembling and gnashing of teethe which they shall euer haue in Hell Pondering all these things and euerye one of them I will exhort myselfe to the feare of God and detestation of my Sinnes saying to myselfe How is it o my Soule that thou fearest not the wrathe of allmighty God who the more mercifull hee is now shall then bee the more rigorous why embracest thou not with loue the Sacraments and signes of his Grace before the terrible signes of his wrathe fall vpon thee If the Pillars of Heauen shall then tremble why doest not thou fortifye thyselfe with a celestiall Life that though thou fearest yet thou maiest not fall O infinite God naile my fleshe vvith thy holy feare Colloquie Psal 118 120. making mee feare thy terrible Iudgements Let my bones bee vvithered vvith sorrovve for hauing offended thee rather then I should bee vvithered vvith an vnproffitable feare Let
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
if I parte my goods liberally to others Or contrarily If I bee prowde and vindicatiue If I seeke my temporall proffit with the hurt of my neighbour and with the losse of spirituall good and so making reflexion hereupon I will endeuour to bee a Sheepe of this soueraigne Shepheard confidently trusting that with greate prosperitye hee will place mee on his right hande The fourth Pointe Of the publication of ConscieÌ„ces D. Tho. in addit q. 87. 1. Cor. 4.5 Daniel 7.10 Apoc. 20.12 Libri aperti suÌ„t alius liber quâ—Ì„ est vitae THe fourth Pointe shall bee to consider the Publication that shall bee made at the day of Iudgement of all the Consciences of the good and euill before men and Angells discouering as the Apostle S. Paule saith the things that were couered in darkenesse and manifesting the Secrets that were inclosed in their heartes with a speciall light that God shall communicate to haue them seene VVherein I will ponder how God our Lord in that day shall open as the holy Scripture saieth and vnfolde the bookes of Consciences which during the time of this life were shut vp so that all shall reade what is written in the booke of euery ones coÌ„science euery one what is written in the booke of conscience of all and according to the contents of those bookes Iudgement shall bee made and Sentence pronounced that all may see the vprightnesse of Gods Iustice aswell for the honour of the good as for the confusion of the wicked From whence I will collect how much it behoueth mee too consider well what I write in the booke of my conscience for I may now write what I list and couer it as I will but in that day in spite of my Heart all shall come to light and if the booke of my conscience bee well written according to the booke of Life which is Christe IESVS my booke saithe Iob shall bee my defence my honour Iob. 31.35 and my Crowne But if it bee contrary to that of Christ IESVS it shall bee my accuser my dishonour Colloquie and Condemnation O most pious Sauiour vvhose booke in the daye of Iudgement shall bee opened that thy life may bee as a Lavve and liuing rule by the vvhich Iudgement shall bee made of ours permitte mee not to vvrite in the booke of my Conscience any thing that may bee contrary to thy booke and if at any time thorough my frailetye I shall so vvrite ayde mee to blott it out vvith penance that in the daye of my account thou seeing mee conformable to thee in Life mayest likevvise make mee conformable to thee in Glorie Amen 2. But particularizing more at large what is to passe in this publication I will ponder that then the secret Sinnes of the Hearte shall bee published and the foule Sinnes of Acte that were committed in corners and those which for Shame were concealed in Confession or were couered with excuses and shiftes Then shall also bee manifested damned Intentions secret Treasons Hipocrisies and all other workes that seemed holy and were in truthe wicked There shall bee knowne vnfaithfull Seruauntes false friendes fained Christians with very greate confusion to see themselues discouered for if I feele it so much to haue my secret Sinne published before ten men how shall I feele it to haue all my Sinnes togither published before all men and before all the Angells O my Soule hovv darest thou sinne in secret if thou beleiuest that thy Sinne shall bee published and manifested before all the VVorlde Hovv canst thou in confession couer some Sinnes for Shame if thy Faithe telleth thee of this confusion that thou shallt suffer for concealing them Remember vvhat thy Redeemer saithe Luc. 12.2 Nihil opertum quod non reueletur neque occultum quod non sciatur Nothing is hid that shall not bee reuealed nor secrete that shall not bee knovven Therefore cease to committe that Sinne that thou wouldst not haue manifested 3. Then will I ponder how God our Lord shall manifest the good VVorkes of the Iust how secret soeuer they haue beene their pure thoughtes their holy affections their intentions so close hidden that the left hand knewe not what the right did and their exteriour workes which they couered for Humillitye and those which the worlde esteemed for euill and for them calumniated and condemned them for the which not withstanding they shall bee honoured and exalted O how foule and abhominable shall Vice then appeare and how pleasing and beautifull Vertue O what honour and credit shall it then bee to haue beene obedient and humble and to haue suffered Injuries silently without execuses or diuertings O happy they which embrace these Vertuous exercises seeing for them they shall receiue so greate glorye Couer o my Soule Colloquie thy good vvorkes vvith Humillitye that Pride may not robbe thee of them for in his good time our Lord to thy greate glorye shall discouer them 4. Lastly I will ponder how the Iust Iudge in that daye will discouer as well the good workes which the euill did as the euill workes which the good did buth with a different ende and successe For the good workes of the euill shall arise to their greater Ignominie for not hauing perseuered in that good loosing the rewarde thereof for mingling them with many euills And when they shall see the aduises and good Counsells which they gaue to the elect they shall bee much the more ashamed that they tooke them not for themselues nor made proffit of them Contrarily when God shall publish the Sinnes committed by the Iust hee will likewise publish the Penance which they did and the good they collected thereout so that they shall not bee to them an occasion of confusion but rather a motiue to praise God that pardoned them and freed them by his greate mercye from so greate miserye And all shall redounde to the greater confusion of the wicked seeing others that committed the same or greater Sinnes then theirs in so greate honour for hauing donne Penance for them in time The fifth Pointe Of the Accusations and Imputations against the VVicked Apoc. 12 10. Orat. 1. de amore erga DeuÌ„ proximum THe fifth Pointe shall bee to consider the terrible accusations and imputations that shall arise out of this publication against the wicked in fauour of the good For first of all the Diuell the Accuser and Calumniatour of men at this day which is the last of his office shall doe it with greate vehemencie exaggerating the Sinnes of the wicked the more to confounde them as S. Basile saieth before the whole VVorlde for turning himselfe to the Iudge hee will say I created not these neither gaue I them life nor sustenance nor the goods which they enjoyed I neither suffered nor died for them nor promised them any eternall rewarde and yet not wich standing forsaking thee that diddest all these things for them they serued and obeyed mee Therefore mine they
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
it aydeth much to diue deepe into the knowledge of our selues to discouer the rootes of our sinnes and to applye vnto them the remedies thereof In this first place I will set downe the meditations of the Seuen deadely sinnes D. Th. 1.2 q. 84. ar 4. Apocal. 12.3 For in them as in seuen heades the other sinnes are virtually included and for this cause our principall battaile muste bee against them for whosoeuer perfectly vanquisheth them vanquisheth the Dragon with the seauen heades which maketh warre vpon the sainctes and destroyeth the seuen nations of Enemies which hinder the entrance into the lande of promise Deuter. 7.1 Itē Collat 5. cap. 16. not terrenne but coelestiall as Cassianus largely prosecuteth it in those bookes which hee wrotte of this matter From whence it proceedeth that the principall ende of these Meditations must not bee onely to knowe the malice and deformitie of these vices and to abhorre it but to lay presently handes to the worke and to mortifie those disordinate Passions and Affections Reg. 7 ex fusis that haue taken deepe roote in our hearte for as S. Basile saithe Vices are not vanquished nor vertues gained with bare cōsiderations but with strong exercises of mortification for the which Meditation and praier is a helpe moouing our will to bee willing to bee mortified and obtaining of our lorde forces to that ende And allbeit it is truthe that all mortall sinnes are taken away togither and at an instant by contrition and confession wherein one mortall sinne is not pardoned without another yet vicious customes that remaine in the soule passions of the apetite vpon which they are founded are to bee mortified by parcells by litle litle for the which Moyses said to his People speaking of the seuen nations aboue mētioned Deuter. 7.22 Ipso consumet nationes has in conspectu tuo paulatim at que per partes non poteris eas delere pariter He vvill consume these nations by litle and litle and by partes thou canst not destroye them all togither The diuine Prouidence so ordaining it for our exercize and humilliation because the warre continuing longer the victorye shall bee more secure and more proffitable For this cause wee will make a speciall meditation of euery one of these vices teaching the manner how to make warre vpon them by their contrary actes To which ende wee shall ponder in euery one three things First in what manner a man may sinne in euery vice setting downe not onely greate but also light sinnes that those which are desirous of perfection may knowe more often what things they are to mortifie The Second shall bee the losse which followeth such a vice and the temporall punishements wherewith God vseth to chastize it and the eternall which in the other life are especially correspondent vnto it The third shall bee the greate fauours and rewardes which they enioye that valourously doe mortifie it and embrace the contrarye vertue declaring some actes and excellencies thereof that feare and loue may animate vs to mortification The Eightenth Meditation of pride and Vaine-glorye The first Pointe FIrst D. Tho. 2.2 q. 162. I am to consider what Pride is and in what manner a man may sinne therein pondering how contrary it is to all reason how iniurious to God how pręiudiciall to our Neighbour and how hurtfull to vertue for all this is discouered in euery one Cassian l. 12. c. 2. collat 5. c. 12. as the fathers haue noted it Pride is a disordinate appetite of excellencie and it is in two manners The one is carnall and worldely which placeth its excellencye in corporall goods as wealthe Parentage beautye honnorable office c. The other pride is spiritual which fatteneth it selfe in the spirituall goods of sciences and vertues And this hath foure actes The First is D. Greg. lib 34. moral c. 18. D. Greg. 25. moral cap. 7. Psalm 11.5 Isa 10.13 to attribute to himselfe that which is Gods as if it were his owne due to his nature or acquired by his owne Industrie without acknowledging God for the author thereof The Second is that although hee thinketh that it is from God what hee hath yet to atribute to his owne merits that which is of pure grace The Third is to thinke of himselfe that hee hath much more good then in truthe hee hath as well in vertue as in learning and other naturall or acquired giftes and to flatter himselfe with them The fourth is to thinke that hee is singular and excellent aboue all in those good paites which hee hath or to desire-vainely to bee so that all may yeelde and subiect themselues vnto him From pride spring many other vices with sundry actes of sinnes the which D. Tho. 2.2 q. 132. like the seuen heades of this infernall dragon wee may reduce vnto seuen The first is her eldest daughter Vaine glorio which is disordinate appetite to bee knowen esteemed and praised of men whose actesare to boaste himselfe of what hee hath as if hee had not receiued it from God to boaste of what in truthe hee hath not or of a thing vnworthy of Glorye for beeing wicked and most base to desire vainely to delight men saying or doing things that they may praise him to reioice vainely when hee is praised delighting to heare his owne praises though they bee false flatteries D. Basil de cōstit monast c. 11. orat 17. D. Th. 2.2 q. 112. This vaine glorie is most abhominable in matter of vertues for it is a sweete poison and a secret theefe that robbeth and destroyeth them The Second vice is Boasting whose actes are to praise himselfe telling of those good partes that hee hath not or superfluously exaggerating and blasoning those that hee hath or discouering without any necessitye those which hee should couer Hiere 48 2.2 q. 131. The Thirde is Ambition disordinately coueting honours and dignityes whose disorder consisteth in coueting those which hee deserueth not or in procuring them by euill meanes or with ouermuch affection hauing no other ende but worldly honour The fourth is Presumption presuming greate matters of himselfe more then hee is able to performe and thorough his vanitie casting himselfe inconsiderately into them The fifth is Hypocrisye faining that vertue and good Intention that hee hath not to bee accounted a holy man and doing good workes to this ende with a dissembled Goodnesse The sixth is Stubbornnesse in his owne iudgement preferring it before the iudgement of others yea although they bee his superiours in matters wherein it were good for him to subiect himselfe to the opinion of others not to bee beguiled The seuenth is Contempt of others making small account of them First of his inferiours then of his equalls and aftervvards of his superiours vntill hee come to despise God himselfe For pride as Dauid saieth is allwaies increasing Psalm 73.23 and these budde out of it other innumerable sinnes Discordes disobediences
after these goods with ouer greate Care setting our whole hearte vpon them treading vnder foote for this cause the commaundements of God and of his Churche and the obligations of our estate from whence spring many sinnes that are the Daughters of auarice to witte lyes fraudes periuries violences tirannies cruelties sutes discordes and innumerable others 1. Ad Timoth. 6.10 VVherupon the Apostle saide that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill Fourthly whosoeuer hath made a vowe of pouertye sinneth against it in vsurping to himselfe without licence of his superiour what is giuen him by others or in alienating what is giuen him or in hiding it or in vsing what hee hath to a prohibited vse or after a proprietary manner that is with an affection so disordinate as if it were his owne beeing sad or complaining when they by iust title depriue him of it Fifthly wee may sinne doing good workes principally for temporall interest or for onely omitting workes obligatorye treading vnder foote the rules of our estates and office This examination beeing made I will consider whither I haue any thing that may bee an Idoll for my auarice to adore seeing S. Ad Ephe. 5.5 Ad Coloss 3.5 Paul saithe auarice is the seruice and adoration of idolls And if I shall finde any such thing in my possession or in my hearte any such affection and desire thereof I will confesse these sinnes before God our Lord with greate shame that I haue coueted any thing against him resoluing to roote out this affection and if I can also to disapropriate myselfe of that which is the cause thereof To which ende I shall bee ayded with these considerations ensuing The Second Point SEcondly I am to consider the dammage and chastizement of auarice reducing them to the three kindes that haue beene spoken of 1 First 1. ad Timoth 6.9 I will ponder that auarice as S. Paul sayeth is the roote of twoe sortes of euills in the which are summed all the euills of this life to witte Transgressions and paines sinnes and dolours the which are ioyned togither to chastize the mother that ingendreth and sustaineth them so that shee is the tormentour of herselfe putting the couetous man in greate vexations and afflictions to gaine or preserue riches with a miserable seruitude and slauery of them It is likewise a snare of sathan wherewith hee draggeth him thorough thornes pricky shrubbes of temptations clowdes of faithe remorses of conscience and of cares that sting him and in the ende hee hangeth him like Iudas betweene heauen and earthe neither permitting him to enioie the goods of the earthe nor to attaine to those of heauen 2 To these chastizements God sometimes addeth others to shewe how much hee abhorreth this vice and such as sinne therein in any of the fiue wayes before rehearsed of euery one I will set downe an example Iosue 7.25 Achan because hee tooke certaine things of Iericho contrary to the precept of Iosue was by Gods commaundement stoned to deathe and all his wealthe consumed with fier 1. Reg. 25.27 Nabal ouerwhelmed with auarice denyed Dauid the almes that hee asked and because hee was harde hearted to him that was needye hee died with his hearte as harde as a stone 3. Reg. 21.23 4. Reg. 9.36 Actuum 5.1 Aug. ser 27. de verbis Apost vide Belar to 1. lib. 2. de Monach c. 20.4 Reg. 5.27 Ioan. 12.6 Act. 1.18 Iezabel with a disordinate desire to haue Naboths vineyarde to get possession thereof caused him to bee put to deathe and shee was throwen out of a windowe and eaten with dogges Ananias and Suphira because when they had vowed pouertie they reserued to themselues parte of the price of the sale of their lande they died disastrously Giezi vanquished with couetousnesse demaunded monie of Naaman for the health that Eliseus the prophet had giuen him and was therefore strooken with a leprosie Finally Iudas harried and drawen by his auarice admitted sathan to enter into him and beeing not content to steale what they gaue his maister hee solde him hanged himselfe O my soule hovv is it that thou art not affraide of so fierce a vice that assaileth ouerthrovveth kings plebeians riche poore secular and religious seruauntes of the prophetes and primitiue christians one of the tvvelue apostles 3 After these chastizements come the eternall punishements of hell where the couetous shall suffer very greate dolour with the apprehension of their terrible necessitie seeing they want all that their auarice desired and by how much more riche and couetous they were heere so much the more they shall there bee tormented like the riche couetous man whose abundance ended in horrible miserie Colloquie O omnipotent God riche in dooing mercie deliuer mee from this auarice out of vvhich spring so many miseries for I had rather vvithout it suffer temporall necessities then vvith it fall into eternall The third Pointe THirdly Of Pouertya liberallitie I am to consider the greate benefits that are included in the perfect mortificacation of auarice And for that there are two wayes of mortifying it one keeping still the domination of my Riches and mortifying onely the disordinate affection vnto them wherein consisteth the first degree of pouertye of spirit wherewith goeth the vertue of liberallitie which distributeth its goods when and as it is conuenient and the vertue of mercye which with them remedieth the necessities of the poore The other waye is forsaking all the riches that I haue or might haue the more to disroote my affections from them wherein consisteth the voluntary pouerty of religion in both wayes are included greate benefits for generally to all the poore of spirit Christe our Lord promised the kingdome of heauen Mat. 5.3 Ad Rom. 14.17 as well the kingdome of the other life as that which is enioyed in this life which is iustice peace and ioye in the holy spirit So that if I mortifie and vanquish auarice I shall enioye three benefits iustice with abundance of good workes peace without any noise of disturbance and spirituall ioye free from heauinesse and vexation because I shall haue taken awaye the roote of these euills that hinder this good 2 Besides this auaricie beeing vanquished if I shall bee liberall towardes God in giuing for his sake what I haue God shall bee most liberall towardes mee in giuing mee his benefits aswell the temporall which shall bee befitting mee as also the spirituall both in this life and in the other For it is hee that saide Luc. 6.38 Giue and it shall bee giuen to you good measure and pressed dovvne and shaken togither and running ouer shall they giue into your bosome where it shall bee very secure and well loued And hee saithe Dabunt they shall giue to signifie that our giftes are the cause that God giueth vs this measure with those foure conditions that it may haue when it is most abundant And hee addeth that
by vvhose sentence the faint hearted and slothefull perished in the desert vvithout entring into the lande vvhich thou hadst promised them I confesse that for my slothe I deserue to bee cast out of thy house to bee excluded from thy kingdome and beeing bounde hande and foote to bee cast into vtter darkenesse I am grieued o Lord for my former slackenesse deliuer mee from it for they mercie that I may merit to enter into the lande of eternall promise Amen The third Pointe THirdly I will consider the greate benefits that I shall obtaine by vanquishing slothe and imbracing spirituall alacritye and feruour in the seruice of God Mat. 20.12 for First the workes of vertue shal bee easie and sweete vnto mee I shall labour litle and thriue greately encreasing much in a litle time like to those workemen who comming late to the vineyarde laboured so feruently that thy merited as greate rewarde in one hower as the slacke did that had laboured many howers bearing the burthen of the daye and of the heate which burthen they had not felt if they had feruently laboured for the alacritye of the spirit maketh the burthen of the lawe very easye and the yoke thereof very sweete And besides this it augmenteth merites it doubleth the talents receiued it causeth greate peace in the soule and it much assureth Perseuerance to the obtaining of glorye 2 I may likevvise ponder that God our Lord exceedingly delighteth to bee serued with zeale and alacritye for as hee is essentially alacritye itselfe and as all the workes that hee doeth and the rewardes that hee giueth vs are with greate alacritye reioicing in dooing vs good most iustly hee commaundeth mee to serue him and giue him what hee requireth not with yrksomnesse and sadnesse not perforce with repugnancye but with feruencye and alacritye of harte Hilarem enim datorem Psalm 103.31 Psalm 99.2 2. Corin. 9.7 Psalm 36.4 Psalm 50.14 Colloquie Psalm 18.6 diligit Deus For God loueth a cheereful giuer To such a one hee doth greate fauours and heareth the petitions and desires of his hearte And finally hee giueth him a taste of that alacritye that is enioyed in heauen because hee fullfilleth cheerefully Gods will vpon earthe And therefore I am most earnestly to begge of God our Lord this most noble spirit of alacritye in his seruice saying vnto him with Dauid Render vnto mee the ioye of thy saluation and confirme mee vvith the principall spirit O sauiour of the vvorlde that reioycedst like a giant to runne thy carreere though it vvere very sharpe graunte mee that healthe and allacritie of spirit that thou gainedst for mee that I may in such manner runne my carreere that I may merit to gaine an eternall crovvne Amen The XXV Meditation D. Th. 1.2 q. 100. ar 4. 5. seq vpon the ten Commaundements of the lawe of God FOr the ende of this meditation it will much helpe to forme in the imagination a figure like the vision which the Prophet Zacharie had Zachar. 9.1 wherein hee sawe a volume or parchment extended which was ten cubits in breadth and twenty in length wherein were written the sinnes of him that stealeth and of him that sweareth falsely and the malediction that shall therefore light vpon him which volume came flying to his house and destroied it vntill it had consumed all the wood and the stone In the same manner I will imagine before mee a greate booke or parchement very broade and long and in one side thereof I will beholde written my oathes theftes murmurations and all other sinnes that I haue committed against the ten commaundements of the lawe of God for as I goe writing them in the booke of my conscience God goeth writing them in the booke of his iustice to chastize the in his time And on the other side I will beholde written all the maledictions and punishments that God menaceth to such as breake these ten commaundements or any ofthem making comparison betweene the sinnes and the punishments in number grieuousnesse and continuation For if my sinnes bee many the punishments shall bee manye and if they were very grieuous and of long continuance the punishments shall bee very grieuous and of so long continuance that they shall bee eternall And for that chastizements when they are behelde very farre distant terrifye but litle I will imagine that this booke of Gods iustice commeth flying very swiftly to light vpon the house of my soule Volumen volans and peraduenture it is allreadye very neere and will this day light vpon it deathe or chastizement seazing sodainely vpon mee For if I make haste to sinne God will likewise hasten his punishments and make desolate my bodye soule honour wealthe and all that I haue VVith this holesome apprehension I will beseeche our Lord to illuminate my soule that I may knowe the sinnes that are written in this booke and the chastizements that I haue deserued ayding mee with his grace bitterly to bewaile them that with my penance I may blotte out the sinnes and that his mercy may likewise blotte out the maledictions that hee had written against them This beeing presupposed I will begin the meditation discoursing vpon the ten commaundements of the lawe of God with aduertissement that as Cassianus sayeth the commaundements of God haue Collat. 14 two senses one literall and the other spirituall Collat. 14. cap. 11. D. Bonauent opusc de dieta salutis tit 3. sermon de 10. praeceptis tâ—mo 2. Exod. 20.3 The first serueth for ordinarie people that pretende no more but to saue themselues The second for those that desire greater perfection who are not content to flye onely mortall and veniall sinne but also desire to flye whatsoeuer imperfection is contrarie to the ende of the precept And according to this second sense I will declare in what manner wee sinne against euery commaundement The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider what God commaundeth and prohibiteth in his holy lawe and in what sorte wee doe sinne against it running through the ten commaundements and thorough that which spiritually they include within them The first commaundement commaundeth the principall workes that appertaine to the vertue of faithe hope charitie and religion that is to say to adore one onely God to beleeue firmely all such things as hee hath reuealed to his churche to expect those which hee hath promised and to loue him more then all things that are created Against this I may sinne First by idolatrie or infidelitie adoring false Gods or denying that which God hath reuealed or doubting thereof I may likewise sinne as the holy scripture sayeth adoring the idole of mine owne iudgement 1. Râ—g 15.23 Ad Phil. 3.19 Ad Tit. 1.16 and will rebelling against the will of God or holding for my God my belly or money or denying God by my workes or not obseruing due loyalltye vnto him Secondly I sinne in despairing that I shall obtaine heauen or pardon for
my sinnes or that God will heare my praiers according to his promise and contrarilie in presuming to obtaine this without vsing the meanes that God hath therefore ordained Thirdly thorough hatred or want of loue louing some creature more then God or reiecting the will of God to fullfill that of the creature or in beeing slacke in louing him with all my heart minde and soule and with all my force much forgetting both him and his benefits 2 The second commaundement prohibiteth euery defect whatsoeuer in the truthe iustice reuerence and necessitie of an oathe so that I may not by swearing affirme any thing contrarie to my beleefe or promise any thing without intention to fullfill it or any thing that is euill or not fullfill that which is good nor swear without necessitie or vtillitie nor without considering well what I saye nor without that reuerence that is due to the soueraigne name of God whensoeuer I take it in my mouthe I may likewise sinne breaking my vowe or causelessely differring to fullfill it or beeing slacke in the obseruation of it derogating from the perfection that I professe 3 In the third of sanctifying the feastes I may sinne in doing in them any seruile worke that is prohibited or in not hearing a whole masse or in not assisting thereat with due reuerence and attention or wasting such dayes in things vnworthy of the feaste and of the ende for the which they were instituted which is to praie and to glorifie God 4 The fourth commaundeth to honour our parents according to the fleshe to susstaine them in their necessities and to obey them in their iust preceptes and in like manner our spirituall fathers prelates and superious obeying their ordinances without contradiction or without peruersenesse of iudgement without repugnancy of the will and without delay in the execution Ad Philip 2.3 1. Petr. 2.13 And to drawe this out more curiously I am in humillitie to holde all for my superiours honoring all and subiecting myselfe to euery humaine creature for God 5 The fifth not to kill prohibiteth all that hath beene declared in the two and twentieth meditation of wrathe and spiritualizing the seuerall wayes of killing First I kill my soule by sinne taking away from it the life of grace Secondly 1. Ad Thess 5.19 Ad Heb. 6.6 I extinguish the spirit that is the inspirations of the holy spirit reiecting those good desires wherewith hee inspireth mee Thirdly I crucifie Christe with in mee and trample vpon his blood doing workes for which hee might againe bee crucified if the first crucifying had not suffized Fourthly I kill the soules of my neighbours with scandall beeing to them a stumbling blocke by my euill example D. Amb. d. 16. c. pasce fame morientem si non pauisti occidisti 2. Corin. 2.17 Ex Cassian collat 14. cap. 11. or not succouring them with correction or counsaile or spirituall almes when charitie obligeth mee thereunto as wee call it killing of the poore when wee succour them not with the corporall workes of mercie 6 The sixth not to committe fornication prohibiteth all that which is declared in the 20. meditatiō of Luxurie But yet there are other sortes of spirituall fornication and adulterie forsaking God which is the true spouse of our soules to ioyne mysefe by disordinate loue vnto some creature or adulterating the workes and wordes of God doing and saying them not to please him or to ingender spirituall children that may bee pleasing vnto him but for my owne pleasure or temporall proffit Or finally beeing alltogither forgetfull of God and diuerted with idle occupations The seuenth not to steale prohibiteth all that hath beene spoken of in the one and twenteth meditation of auarice and besides this spiritually I robbe and destroie many things pertaining to others conrarie to the will of their owner For I robbe God of his glorie and play the banqueroute with his giftes I am an vnthrift of the time that I had to spende in his seruice I pay him not the debtes that I owe him by reason of my sinnes or of his benefits satisfying for the one and beeing thankefull vnto him for the other I robbe my will which I deliuered him by my vowe of obedience D. Basil sermo de abdicatione rerum and I vsurpe his authoritie interposing myselfe to iudge the secrets of my neighbours which belong to his tribunall And in like manner I destroye the charitie and spirituall riches of my neighbours ayding the Captaine of theeues the diuell who is continually busied in robbing them 8. The eigth not to beare false witnesse prohibiteth all sinnes of the tongue that are against the honour and fame of our neighbour whereof mention was made in the two and twenteth meditation of wrathe Also to iudge rashly of his affaires or to suspect euill of them taking them in the worst parte without a sufficient foundation or to deceiue him by any manner of lye or fiction as is that of hipocrisie adulation flatterie worldely compliments and offers hauing no purpose to fullfill them And spiritualizing this precept I beare false witnesse against God when I thinke basely of his goodnesse and mercie of his iustice and prouidence And when by my euill workes I defame and discredit his lawe and his doctrine and am a cause that his holy name is blasphemed among the gentiles Isai 52.5 Ad Rō 2.24 or lesse esteemed and reuerenced among the faithfull I also lye to God when I fullfill not my worde hauing giuen it vnto him nor the resolution that I made to doe some thing in his seruice The ninth and tenth commaundements are declared in the sixth and seuenth After I haue considered these sinnes I am to charge myselfe with them before our Lorde with greate dolour and shame for hauing committed them And allbeeit I had broken but one commaundement onely Iaco. 2.10 I may esteeme myselfe as the Apostle S. Iames saithe gilty and culpable of all for in euery sinne I shall finde that which is spiritually prohibited in all for one mortall sinne onely in the forme that hath beene declared is as idolatrye infidelitie hatred adulterye theft infamye and homicide And therefore reprehending myselfe Colloquie I may call myselfe by these infamous names saying Idolater infidell adulterer theefe hypocrite and homicide hovv hast thou dared to iniurie so many vvaies a God of so infinite maiestie VVhy doest thou not breake thy hearte vvith griefe for hauing broken the so iust commaundements of thy Lorde O God of my soule Psalm 118.136 that I might say to thee vvith Dauid Mine eies haue gushed forth issues of vvaters because they kept not thy lavve Graunt vnto mee these teares so abundaunt that I may vvashe therevvith my innumerable sinnes The second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider the maledictions that God powreth out vpon the breakers of his lawe and the terrible punishments that hee menaceth vnto them both in this life and in the other 1. This I
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
it with mentation of grace and glory 4 Finaly I am to make another most effectuall resolution to amend my life and no more to returne to the sinnes that I haue committed For if this purpose be wanting the Contrition is fained the Confession sacrilegious the satisfaction litle auailable and the absolution of no effect for his sinnes are not remitted to him that hath a purpose to returne vnto them and though it were but a veniall sinne it shall not be pardoned vnlesse there bee a purpose of amendment of it 1. VVith this preparation conseruing these holy Affections and purposes I may securely come to this holy saerament putting in practise what I haue determined with a defire to renew my life to make a great change therein Hierem. 31. iuxta 70. D. Hier. ibi cogitationes operibus tunge imagining that that of the Prophet Hieremie is spoken to me Get thee vp to a watch tower set before thee thy bitternesses bewailing bitterlie thy sinnes direct thy harte in the right way wherein thou wast wont to walke da cor tuum super humeros tuos And put thy haite vpon thy shoulders taking with loue the yoke of obedience to fulfill what God and his ministers shall commande me The xxxii Meditation of Thankes-giuing after Confession Hauing ended the ConfessioÌ„ of my sinnes receled AbsolutioÌ„ it is very coÌ„uenieÌ„t to giue some litle time to the Confession of praises for the fauour that God hath donne me for both Coufessions our Lord exacteth of vs according to the saying of the Prophet Oseas Oseae 14.3 Turne o Israel to the Lord thy God seeing thou hast fallen thorough thine owne Iniquitye take wordes with you and conuert you to our Lord saying vnto him Take from vs o Lord all our sinne receiue our good Intention for wee offer vnto thee the calues of ourlippes that is in steede of the ealues which of olde they offered thee in sacrifize wee offer vnto thee now the calues of wordes confessing our sinnes that that thou maiest remitte them and confessing thy mercyes when thou hast remitted them Psalm 49.23 This sacrifize of praise as Dauid saithe honoreth God much and in it consisteth the waye and meanes to obtaine perfect healthe which is coÌ„firmed thereby to the gratefull is ordinarily much debilitated in the ingratefull Luc. 17.17 To this ende it will helpe to consider how much our Lord Christe was pleased with the leprous Samaritan who going to present himselfe to the preist was cured as hee went of his leprofie and forth with returned backe to giue thankes for the health that was giuen him contrarily how much hee was displeased with his other nine companions who hauing receiued the like benefit retourned not to acknowledge it and to giue vnto God the Glory which thy owed him as wee shall farther consider in the meditation of this miracle Therefore hauing ended my Confession I will recollect myselfe in the Churche before the most blessed Sacrament or in some other conuenient place where beeing set in the presence of the euer-liuing God I will reuiue the Faithe of the fauour hee hath donne mee wherein with my bodily eares I haue heard that fauorable sentence and most sweete word I absolue thee Psalm â—0 10 D. Thom. 2.2 quastiâ— 107 art 2. A worde powerfull to doe what it signifieth to giue ioye to my eares and gladnesse to my humbled bones And so trusting in the goodnesse and mercye of God that hee hath made good and ratified this sentence I will endeuour to exercize three actes of thankes giuing which are to acknowledge the benefit to praise God for it and to offer vnto him some seruice The first Pointe FIrst I will ponder in my heart the manifolde benefits that in this holy sacrament I haue receiued of the which the prophet Dauid made a breife catalogue by waye of praise in the 102. Psalme Psalm 102. and they may bee reduced vnto sixe The 1. is to pardon mee all my sinnes not onely the confessed but also the forgotten sinnes and those which without my fault I could not haue knowledge of The 2. is to heale the spirituall Infirmities of my soule as are vices and passions heauinesse and feares and other afflictions putting a moderation in all according to reason The 3. is to deliuer mee from the eternall Deathe whereunto I was condemned by my sinne and from the most bitter deathe which the priuation of Gods grace bringeth with it The 4. is to crowne mee with mercye and the workes of mercye fauoring mee to gaine the victorie of temptations wherwith I haue beene and shall bee combated delinering mee from other innumerable miseries and offering mee his ayde that I may no more retourne to them The 5. is to fill my desier with good things giuing mee his grace and Charity with the rest of the vertues or newe augmentation ther of The 6. is to renewe my youth like the eagle vnclothing mee of the workes and customes of the olde man clothing mee with those of the newe man and restoring vnto mee the first feruour-of spirit with newe gladnesse of my hearte to exercize newe workes of vertue with greate perfection These benefits our lord for his parte graunteth to those that confesse themselues as they ought Ex D. Tho. 1.2 q. 106. act 2. And so much the greater are the benefits by how much more freely they are giuen without any merit of ours and in this behalfe the true penitent ought to bee the more gratefull And with this spirit I will greately exagerrate the infinite liberalitie of God towardes mee and with a silence of admiration I will yeilde myselfe vanquished thereby The second Pointe THen will I breake out into a canticle of praise with greate affection saying the wordes of this Psalme Psalm 102. Blesse our Lord o my soule and all that is within mee praise his holy name blesse our lord o my soule and bee not forgetfull of the fauour that hee hath donne thee hee remitteth all thy sinnes and healeth all thy Infirmities hee redeemeth thy life from deathe and crowneth thee with mercy and mercifull workes hee filleth with good things thy desire and like an eagle reneweth thy youth hee hath not chastized mee according to my sinnes nor inflicted on mee that punishment that my iniquities deserued as farre as the east is distant from the west so fare hath hee put from mee all my Impieties as the father hath compassion of his children so our lord hath compassion of those that feare him for hee well knoweth our weakenesse and the masse wherof we were formed Colloquie O God of my soule if the mercies are so greate that thou hast donne mee vvhat shall I doe not to hee behinde kande in thankes giuings I desire to procure vvith thy Aide that vvhich thou hast begun in mee by thy mercy and seeing thou hast pardoned my sinnes I vvill neuer more retourne vnto them Seeing thou hast deliuered
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
gratefull vnto him for it with the greatest gratitude that possibly wee may applying herein the counsell of the wiseman Suffer not the good daye to passe Et particula boni doni non te praetereat Eccles 14.14 And let not so much as the least parcell of the good guift escape thee but make vse of the good lot that hath befallen thee For as wee much esteeme the leaste parte whatsoeuer of this sacrament for that whole Christe is therein so wee are to esteeme euery litle parte of the day and tyme that wee haue him with in vs seeing in eache parte therof hee his able to doe vs greate fauours if with a deuout and thankefull minde wee dispose ourselues to receiue them especially for that this sacrament as S. Dionisius saieth is the coÌ„summation De Eccles hiâ—rar cap. 3. D. Tho. 4. q. 65. art 3. fullfilling and perperfection of all the other and the most effectuall meanes that God hath giuen vs for our perfection And seeing wee haue him present to communicate it vnto vs it is reason to inlarge the vessell of our harte to receiue it To this ende wee are here to exercize with greatest feruour the three actes of thankes giuing that were set downe in the 34. meditation spending the tyme not so much in newe considerations seeing those that are set downe are sufficient as in newe affections and canticles of praise and thankes giuing in this forme ensuing The first Pointe 1. FIrst I am greately to quicken my faithe of the presence of this our lord that is with in me beholding the inuisible as if I did visibly beholde him and breifely pondering that hee is the same Lord of whome I conceiued so greate excellencies when I prepared myselfe to communicate And seeing where the king is there is the court I may imagine as S. Gregorie saieth that hee is Inuironned with thousandes of the courtiers of heauen Lib. 4. Dialogo cap. 58. in whose companie prostrate in spirtte before his feete and admiring that so greate a God is harboured in so humble a place I will breake out first into affections of humilitie of reuerence and of mine owne confusion sometymes saying with S. Peeter Departe from mee o Lord and goe forth from this wretched litle ship for I am a great sinner And sometymes with S. Luc. 5.8 Luc. 1.43 Psalm 8.2 Colloquie Elizabeth I will say vnto him whence is it to mee that my God and my Lord commeth to visite mee O eternall God vvhat is man that the â—art mindefull of him Or the sonne of man that thou visitest him Thou madest him lesse then the angells by beeing clothed vvith vile fleshe and commest thou from heauen accompanied vvith angells to harbour thyselfe vvithin him O our Lord and God hovv admirable is thy name thoroughout all the earthe seeing thou hast made it thy Habitation as vvell as heauen 2. In the Preface Isai 6.3 Then will I breake out into affections of praise and thankes-giuing vsing some canticles of the churche Sometyme I will say as the Seraphins Holy holy holy is the Lord God of hostes that hath humbled himselfe to dwell in this smoky cloudie temple of my soule Sometymes I will crie out with the Hebrewe children that accompanied Christe on Palme-sunday saying Math. 21.15 O king of Israel and Sauiour of the worlde blessed bee hee that that hath come from on high to visit mee I not knowing how to deserue it Daniel 3.52 Other sometymes with the three youthes that were in the furnace in Babilon I will inuite all creatures to praise our Lord for this fauour that hee hath donne mee 3. Or in imitation of this canticle I will make another inuiting to the same ende the nine quires of angells and the quires of the patriarkes and prophets of the apostles and euangelistes of the martirs and doctors bishops and confessours preistes and leuites virgins and widowes Colloquie and all the Sainctes in heauen in this forme May thy Angells Archangells and Principallities blesse thee o Lord may they praise and glorifie thee for euer May thy povvers Vertues and Dominations blesse praise and glorifie thee vvorlde vvithout ende May the Thrones Cherubins and Seraphins blesse thee praise thee c. Blesse our Lord o yee Patriarkes and Prophetes praise him and glorifie him for euer Blesse our Lord o yee Apostles and Euangelistes praise him c. And in this manner I may goe through all the sainctes Psalm 102.1 4. I may likewise with Dauid inuite all faculties and sences and all the cogitations and affections of my harte that all togither may assemble to adore and glorifie this our Lord for the parte that they all haue in this soueraigne benefit May my eies blesse thee o Lorde for they haue seene thee in this sacrament and my lippes for they haue touched thee Colloquis and my tongue and pallate for they haue tasted thee and my brest for hat it is thy habitation Psalm 34.10 and let all my bones say O Lord vvho is like vnto thee Let my memory budde forth thy praises my vnderstanding magnifie thee my vvill loue thee my appetites desire thee and let them all bee dissoued in thy presence singing the glorie of thy Comming The Second Pointe 1 Then am I to recall to my memory the Offices of Christ our lord and the endes that hee had in comming to visite mee beeing glad and iojfull to haue within mee my Redeemer my phisition my maister and all my good and with a greate affection I will spiritually embrace him with the armes of humilitie and charitie speaking that of the Canticles CaÌ„t. 3.4 I haue founde him vvhome my soule loueth I vvill keepe him and not let him goe I will for no cause parte from his sweete Companie and for no labour Ad Gal. 4.26 nor tribulation will I leaue his amitie I will allwaies haue him with mee till hee cary mee to the house of my mother which is the caelestiall Hierusalem where I may enioye him with perfect security 2. Then like Dauid in the presence of this our lord I will powre forth my praier and set before him all my necessities and miseries recounting them as if hee knewe them not because hee delighteth to heare them beseeching him to doe his offices in remedying them seeing this was the ende of his comming and the comming of so greate a prince should not bee in vaine And therefore I may say vnto him I Colloquie o Lord am sicke of grieuous Infirmities and passions pride vvrathe sensuallitie and couetousnesse haue prostrated mee Thou art the Omnipotent phisition and hast come to my soule to cure mee cure mee according to thy povver and leaue mee vvhole say in this entrauÌ„ce as thou saidest entring into the house of Zacheus Luc. 19.9 Hodie salus huic domui facta est this day saluation is made to this house And because thy saying is doing it shall bee as thou saiest I
helpe for Preachers and Masters of perfection The first part of Sinnes and Last things of man with Meanes of praier to purifie the heart from vices The second part of the Mysteries of the Incarnation and Childhoode of IESVS Christ our Lord vntill his Baptisme The third part of the Principall mysteries of his life Diuinitye and Miracles vnto the ende of his preaching The fourth part of all the Mysteries of the Passion The fifth part of the Mysteries of the Resurrection Apparitions AsceÌ„sion till the comming of the holie Ghost publishing of the Gospell The sixt part of the Mysteries of the Diuinitye Trinity Perfections of God of the Benefits naturall supernaturall that proceede from him Accordinge to the order of the historie there goe inserted also meditations of all the Life of our LADYE and of some Saincts of whome the Gospell and the booke of the Actes of the Apostles make mention of which and of those that be vpon the Gospells of the Sundayes holie dayes thoroughout the yeare there be Tables in the ende of the whole worke TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL VERTVOVS AND DEVOVTE LADY THE LADY LVYSA DE CARVAIAL THIS child borne in Spaine your natiue soile fertile of such worthie wights Vertuous Imps being clod in English attyre though not in Courtlike fasshion as too too delicate for his graue education religious pretense but in ordinarie sute yet well beseeming his intention in no point disagreeing from his parentage hath ben so bold incouraged by me his foster-father as to present himself Right Vertuouse Madame to your worshipfull seruice not doubting but that at your deuoute hands he shall receaue such intertainment as the place from whence he had his beginning his parents Allies so addicted to your self your noble familie and his owne merites doe worthilie deserue To all which yf I should adde my commendation of him or my diligence such as it is and your self may easilie perceaue in setting him forwards directing him to your presence although it may seeme to manie as to my self it doth that it were in a manner to cast water into the sea yet considering that to so kind noble a hart as yours is and so giuen to pietie and deuotion my good will to pleasure and serue yow in this sort cannot be but acceptable I doe in the best wise that I am able commend vnto your worshipfull custodie and protection this gracious infant to be cherished of yow as he is worthie And so desiring Madame to be remembred in your best deuotions I wish yow all heartie contentment in him that is our true contentment Yours Madame in Christ IESVS to commaund RICH. GIBBONS THE SECOND PART OF MEDITATIONS APPERtaining to the Illuminatiue waye vpon the Mysteries of the Incarnation and Childehood of our Lord and Sauiour Christ IESVS vntill his Baptisme VVith these are inserted Meditations of the life of our blessed LADIE vntill the same time THE INTRODVCTION Of the perfect Imitation of our Sauiour Christ which is the ende of these Meditations THE Meditations pertaining to the Illuminatiue waye whereof in this second parte wee begin to intreate haue for their subiect the Mysteries of the life of our Sauiour Christe from the time of his Incarnation vntill his Deathe vpon the Crosse The which as it appeareth by what hath beene saide in the Introduction of this booke in the fourthe Paragraphe are diuided into three partes Some of his Incarnation and Childhood Othersome of his Preaching and Others of his Passion and Deathe after the which ensueth the Glorified life which pertaineth to the Vnitiue waye albeit vnto this also are much accordant the mysteries of the Passion wherein our Sauiour Christe discouered the finenesse of his loue as hereafter shall bee declared All these mysteries the diuine wisdome ordained to the ende that with a pleasing variety they might bee the spirituall sustentation of those soules that trauaile to perfection into the which soules this soueraigne King entereth in the wineseller of his precious wines Cant. 2.4 And from these mysteries as from celestial vessells hee draweth the feruorous wine of Loue and of other most ardent affections wherewith hee cheareth sustaineth and maketh them drunken ordering Charity in them with that order wherwith our Lord himselfe exercised his actes vnto the which hee inuiteth and exhortâ—h vs saying I came into my garden Cant. 5.1 I reaped my myrrhe with myne aromaticall spices I eate my honycombe with my honye I dranke my wine with my milke eate o friendes and drinke and bee inebriated my beloued Which is to say By my Incarnation I came into the Garden of my Churche and in entring into the worlde I cut the Myrrhe of many bitternesses and mortifications that I suffered in my Infancye with the Aromaticall spices of most odoriferous vertues I preached my doctrine and practized it with as much pleasure as hee that eateth the hony-combe with his hony I became so drunken with the wine of my loue that I remained naked and deade vpon a Crosse beeing as much pleased with drinking the chalice of my Passion as hee is that drinketh wine with his milke Therefore ô my frindes my beloued prepare the garden of your soules for in them I desire to woorke other three like effectes you yourselues also working them thorough my grace to imitate my lyfe First of all Cut Myrrhe and the Aromaticall Spices of Vertues that may mortifye your Passions and preserue you from the Corruption of your Sinnes imitating herein my Puritye Then eate my hony-combe with his honye meditating vpon the excellent Doctrine that I preached figured by the Waxe of the hony-combe that giueth light But you are not to eate it alone but with the imitation of the Heroicall Vertues included therein figured by the honye that nourisheth with it sweetenesse And finally drinke and bee drunke with the Wine of my perfect Loue mingled with the milke that I will giue you of my diuine Consolations with the which you shall so easily renounce the Affections of all earthly things that you shall if neede bee remaine naked vpon another Crosse to imitate my nakednesse and to loue mee as I loued you These are the three principall Exercices of Charitye well ordered in her three Estates of Beginning Augmentation and Perfection And these same in that forme and degree prescribed are the principall endes wherevnto are ordained the Meditations of the Childhood Preaching and Passion of our Sauiour Christe whereof the three partes that followe doe entreate Among the which those of this second parte which are of his Childhood haue this Excellencye that thei moue vs to loue him with more tendernesse and to imitate him with more sweetenesse for that as in making himselfe a Childe for vs hee accomodated himselfe as the Prophet Isaâ—as saieth to eate the Isai 7.15 foode proper to Children which is milke and Honye so also to those that meditate the mysteries of his Infancye specially to
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
three yeares before shee was presented in the Temple shee presently began with greate feruour to negotiate with those giftes and Graces which shee had receiued by those meanes which in the fourth pointe shal be declared The third Pointe THirdly Of the Presentation of our blessed LADIE in the Temple I am to consider how the blessed VIRGIN beeing but of small age as it is thought of three yeares by Gods inspiration was by her Parents presented in the Temple that shee might there bee dedicated and occupied in his diuine seruice with other Damosells that had made the like Profession Concerning this Presentation wee are to fixe our eyes vpon three Persons interposed therein The first was the Maiestye of God who elected this blessed Childe and inspired in her this her retiring into the Temple demonstrating his Fatherly prouidēce towardes her in drawing her from the noise and trafficks of the Worlde and attracting her to his howse and Temple for that shee was to bee the House where hee would bee incarnate and the liuing Temple where hee himselfe would liue And therefore with greate loue hee saide vnto her Hearte those wordes of the Psalme Psal 44.11 Heare ô Daughter and see and incline thyne eare and forget thy People and the Howse of thy father and the king will couet thy Beautye The blessed VIRGIN hearkened to this Voice and Inspiration of God shee sawe the fauour that heerein was donne her shee inclined her Eare speedily to obey what was commanded shee wholely forgot her People and renounced the howse of her terrestriall Father to accomodate herselfe to the good liking of her celestiall Father who called her his Daughter And so much increased her beautye with this newe Obedience and Humillitye that the king of Heauen and of Earthe cast his Affection vpon her and reioiced for hauing elected her to bee his mother From hence will I collect how greate a fauour God doeth to him whome hee effectually inspireth and withdraweth from the Occasions and Perills of the Worlde making him to abandon his Countrey and the House of his Father for his seruice and how greate Reason wee all haue to bee obedient to such an inspiration when wee perceiue it seeing it is a true signe that God loueth vs as his well beloued Children Gen. 11.31.12.4.19.12 drawing vs like holy Abraham from the fier of the Chaldeans or like iust Loth from the burning of Sodome Secondly may bee pondered the Deuotion of S. Ioachim and S. Anne the Parents of the blessed VIRGIN who as holy people not only diuerted not the good desiers of their daughter but tooke her by the hande and mooued by the inspiration of God himselfe offered vnto him the only fruite of their wombe retourning vnto him what hee had giuen them esteeming themselues happye that God might bee serued by their daughter and depriuing themselues of her to giue her vnto him And this they did with no lesse spirit 1. Reg. 1 24. then Anna the mother of Samuell offered her sonne vnto God because they knewe how acceptable this offering would bee to him From whence I may also learne to offer vnto God with spirit and feruour the onlie and best beloued daughter of my soule which is Libertye the principall of her Affections which is Loue with de termination to will nothing but what hee willeth and to loue only what hee loueth offering myselfe to giue him what soeuer hee shall aske mee Thirdly I will ponder the Deuotion of the blessed Virgin herselfe in this Presentation For her parents had no sooner tolde her that they would carrye her to the Temple but shee was replenished with ioye saying that of the Prophet Dauid Psal 121. I reioiced in those things that were saide vnto mee we shall goe into the House of our Lorde But in arriuing at the Temple Ezech. 40.6 shee began to mount the fifteene degrees or steps with greate feruour of spirit resoluing to ascende by all the degrees of Vertue vnto the highest toppe of Perfection Psalm 83.6 fullfilling that of the Prophet Dauid Blessed is the man whose helpe is from thee he hath disposed ascensions increases in his hearte in the valle of tears in the place which to this end he hath appointed They shall ascende from Vertue to Vertue the God of Gods shall be seene in Sion O manlike Colloquie Psal 45.6 and blessed Babe whome God fauoured with his ayde and to assist whome hee was earely vp in the morning what zealous resolutions makest thou in thy Hearte and how well dost thou dispose the Augmentation of Vertue in this place which thou hast chosen for thy habitation Ascende now happily by these degrees from Vertue to vertue for thou hast an entrance by the Contemplation of allmighty God to looke into this holy cittye of Sion No sooner was the blessed Virgin ascended the Temple but that prostrate vpon the earthe shee adored the Diuine Maiestye and presented and offered herselfe to his perpetuall seruice for her Intention was not to offer herselfe for a yeare or for ten like other damosells but for euer with a resolution as much as lay in her to serue him all her Life in his holy Temple O how was allmighty God pleased with this Offering With what pleasure might hee accept it and what Thankes and Giftes might hee retourne vnto her The VIRGIN might say Beholde mee heere o Lord I am come into thy house to bee thy perpetuall slaue receiue mee into thy seruice for I desire no other Lot more glorious then to serue thee To this our Lord might aunswere within her hearte Come my Spouse enter into my garden Cant. 5.1 for in thee I will place my Throne thou shalt bee the Sun where I will assent my habitation Psal 18.6 and issue out of it as the bridegroome from his chamber Adorne it with the flowers of Vertues for the time shall speedily come of celebrating therein my mariage In Imitation of this blessed LADYE I am to present myselfe before God and to offer myselfe to his seruice as his perpetuall slaue with a determination neuer to seperate myselfe from him The fourth Pointe FOurthly Of the Life our blessed LADYE ledde in the Temple Lib 2. do Virg. Prou. 4.18 Eccl. 33.23 I will consider the most excelleut Life that this Childe ledde in the Temple For first as shee grewe in Age shee grewe in Spirit before God and before men And as S. Ambrose sayeth shee accompanied euery step of her body with exercice and augmentation of Vertue increasing like the Light of the morning vntill perfect day For the Holy Spirit sollicited her with his Inspirations and shee cooperated with all the force that shee had endeuouring as sayeth the Wiseman to bee most excellent in all her Workes with foure Excellencyes First that in euery one shee increased in Charitye and Sanctitye Secondly that they were all workes replenished with the greatest proofe fullnesse of perfection that was
God was resplendent in hauing awaited then to make himselfe man when Iudea was in such a Disposition that men thorough their wicked Life were to abhorre him and thorough Enuye to persecute him euen to the bereauing him of his Life taking Occasion from hence to redeeme them by his Deathe O Infinite VVisdome of God Colloquie how contrary art thou to the VVisdome of the VVorlde seeing thou treatest of redeeming it when thou art to haue greatest Occasions to suffer for the redemption of it O how contrary to this VVisdome are the Imaginations of my fleshe which flyeth the occasions of Affliction and seeketh the Occasions of it owne Ease Chase away so Lord my Imaginations that I may followe thine embracing Affliction as thou embracedst it for my Example The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider why our Lord deferred his comming into the Worlde so many thousands of yeares pondering especially two causes for my owne proffit The first is for that in this time men by the Experience of their Innumerable and most greiuous Sinnes knewe the extreeme necessitye that they had of their Redeemer Who as hee came from Heauen to bee the Phisition of our Greiuances hee expected that they might increase and bee manifested that his Infinite Wisdome and Omnipotencye might likewise bee manifested in curing so greiuous Infirmities with so proportioned Remedyes For this cause when Pride was growne to that excessiue heighth in the Worlde that man would vsurpe the Greatenesse of God then would God take the forme of a man to cure so abhominable Pride with so profounde Humillitye And when the Desier of Riches Honours and Delicacyes was most egre and hot then would God clothe himselfe with Pouertye Contempt and Dolour to cure such an ardent Desier of temporall Goods with so ardent a Contempt of them O soueraigne Phisition Colloquie I humbly thanke thee for hauing come in such a season to cure our Infirmities with such precious Medicines Beholde o Lorde my woundes are much increased deferre not to remedye them that in mee may bee discouered the greatenesse of thy Mercies The second cause of this delaye was for that it is the good Pleasure of our Lord that his Giftes especially when they are very greate should bee esteemed required and solicited with Praiers and Gronings as did all this time the Fathers that were in Lymbo and the Reighteous that liued on the Earthe And by the waye likewise with this deferring hee made proofe of the Confidence and Patience of the Iust to whome this promise was made for it is an Heroicall Vertue not to loose Confidence Hebr. 11. though the accomplishment of the promise bee long time deferred Whereupon saide a Prophet Abac. 2.3 Yf hee shall made tariance expect him because comming hee will come and will not slacke that is Though hee delaye according to the Desier of thy Hearte hee will not delaye according to the Order of his diuine Prouidence to accomplish what thy necessity requireth for hee will come infallibly in his determinate time when his Comming shall much more auaile thee These two Causes I am to applye to myselfe pondering how God our Lord sometimes permitteth his Elected a long time to suffer greate Afflictions and Drouthes that by experience heereof they may knowe what neede they haue of Gods Visitation that they may bee grounded in profound Humillitye and that by this delaye the desiers of their remedye may increase and their Faithe and Confidence may bee prooued and that so they may come to make greate esteeme of the Gift of God and with greate Care to preserue it Heerewith entring into Consideration what a greate Happinesse it was to mee to bee borne after this soueraigne misterye was executed to enjoy more abundantly the Graces and Giftes that were thereby communicated vnto men my Longings and Sighes my Desiers and Gronings must bee to this ende that God by his Grace may come vnto my Hearte and visite my Soule with abundance of his giftes taking to name like another Daniel The Man of Desiers Dan. 9.23 10.19 Aggei 2. employing them in desiring the comming of him that tooke to name The Desired of Nations without beeing weary of solliciting it though it seeme to mee to bee long deferred for that there is no daye that commeth not at last And the greater the Sollicitation the lesser the delaye and the greater the Rewarde The sixt Meditation Of the comming of the Angell S. Gabriel to annunciate to the Virgin the Misterye of the Incarnation and of the manner how hee saluted her and remoued her Feare The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider what passed in Heauen when the appointed time was arriued wheerein God our Lord would make himselfe man Imagining how the most sacred TRINITYE beeing on the Throne of his Glory desiring to giue notice heereof to her that was to bee the Mother of the Worde Incarnate determined to send her a very glorious Embassage to moue her to accept it the beginning whereof is recounted by the Euangelist Luc. 1.26 saying The Angell Gabriel was sent of God into a Cittye of Galilee called Nazareth to a Virgin despoused to a Iust man whose name was Ioseph of the House of Dauid and the name of the Virgin was MARYE In this Embassage I am to ponder Who sendeth it Who bringeth it to whome it commeth and vpon what cause collecting out of all Proffit to myne owne Soule Hee that sendeth it is the Omnipotent God who without hauing neede of his creatures only of his meere bountye and to doe good vnto men delighteth to communicate with them and to sende them messages and embassages vsing for his ministers heerein creatures so noble as are the Angells Who as S. Heb. 1.14 Paul sayeth are ministers of God for the good of those that are to receiue the inheritance of Saluation And their continuall ministery is to ascende and descende that Ladder that Iacob sawe Gen. 28.12 bringing downe messages from God to men and carrying vp messages and Petitions from men to God O God of Immense maiestye Colloquie Psal 8.5 what is man that thou art mindefull of him Or the Sonne of man that thou visitest him May thy Angells praise thee for the tender Loue thou hearest vnto men Hee that bringeth this Embassage is an Archangell so excellent Ex D. Gre. hom 34. in Euang. that hee hath to name Gabriel which is to say Fortitude of God to signifye the Fortitude that is resplendent in our Lord that sent him and in him that is to bee Incarnate and in the Workes that the Word Incarnate is to doe and in the ministers that hee shall take to publish them whome this Embassadour representeth who in the Vertue of God was strong Psal 102.21 and Potent to fullfill whatsoeuer hee commaunded him not only in this case that was so glorious but in any other how humble soeuer as heereafter wee shall see In the 13. Meditation For his
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
by the VIRGIN to the Angell consenting to his Embassage The first Pointe THe blessed VIRGIN hauing heard all that was spoken to her by the Angell saide vnto him Beholde the Handmaide of our Lord Luc. 1.38 bee it donne to mee according to thy VVorde And heere I am to consider what a longing desire the Angell had expecting the Aunswere of the Virgin and not only the Angell but the Holy Ghoste himselfe her Spouse who spake vnto her Hearte that of the Canticles Cant. 2.14 Let thy Voice sounde in my Eares for thy voice is sweete and pleasing vnto mee And hee himselfe likewise inspired into her the Wordes shee should say exercising therein some most excellent Vertues wherewith shee perfectly disposed herselfe to bee the Worthy Mother of God The first was greate Faithe giuing Credit to the Wordes of the Angell and beleeuing that shee might bee a Mother and a Virgin imagining highly of the Omnipotencye of God The second was profounde Humillitye in the midst of those Greatenesses that were offered her calling herselfe the Handmaide of our Lord and consequently judging herselfe vnworthy to bee his mother placing herselfe as much as lay in her in the Lowest place as is that of the Handmaides The third was greate Obedience and Resignation into the Handes of God offering herselfe to fullfill what the Angell saide and all whatsoeuer God should commaunde Colloquie O most prudent Virgin who hath instructed thee to conioine with such excellencye things so farre distant If thou beleeuest that thou art to be the Mother of God why callest thou thyselfe his Handmaide And if thou holdest thyselfe for a Handmaide why doest thou offer thyselfe to bee the mother of God What hath a mother to doe with beeing a Handmaide And how are they compatible a Faithe of such basenesse with a Faithe of so greate Highnesse and so profounde an Humillitye with so exalted a magnanimitye O Heigth of the Wisdome of God! O miracles of his Omnipotencye Thine o Lord are these Meruailes and thou art hee that hast knowledge and abillity to conieine Mother and Virgin Handmaide and Mother Humillitye and Magnanimitye and Faithe of all this with Humane Vnderstanding O Heauenly Father Matt. 11.25 Prou. 11.2 thou that hidest thy Secrets from the Prowde and reuealest them to the Humble and therefore where Humillitye is there dwelleth thy VVisdome teache mee to choose with Humillitye the lowest place on Earthe and to pretende with Magnanimitye the highest in Heauen conioining the nothing that I am of myselfe with the much that I may bee by thy Grace The Second Pointe FOr that the Mysteries are many which are included in these Wordes of the VIRGIN it will not bee amisse to meditate euery one by itselfe pondering the Spirit therein contained for our Proffit ECCE This Worde Ecce Beholde the Scripture vseth to denote or to signifye some greate thing worthy of much Consideration and the Angell vsed it in the beginning of his Embassage saying Ecce concipies Be holde thou shallt conceiue a Sonne And therefore also would the most holy VIRGIN vse the same in her aunswere saying Ecce Ancilla Domini Beholde the Handmaide of our Lorde for as the Angell had greate Desiers that our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN should ponder the Greatenesses which hee promised her from God so the Virgin had as greate Desiers that the Angell should ponder how meane and lowely a Handmaide shee was of herselfe and how feruent longings shee had to obey whatsoeuer God commaunded her For the Humble when the giftes they haue of God are published doe very earnestly desire that the miseries should bee knowen which they haue of themselues that those Giftes bee not attributed to their owne merittes but to the bounty of him that gaue them to whome they desier to bee very thankefull and therefore very obedient ANCILLA DOMINI In this Worde What an Honour it is to be Seruant or Bondman of God Gal. 4. Rom. 8. Handmaide of our Lord the blessed VIRGIN declared what a backwarde Conceipte shee had allwayes had of herselfe euer since shee had the vse of Reason And allbeeit the name of Seruant or Bondman when as it signifieth to serue God with a Spirit of Feare and as it were by force is dispraised in holy Scripture yet when Seruant is joyned with Loue it is a most glorious name For the Slaue is not his owne but his Lordes hee hath not Libertye to doe what hee listeth but what his Lord commaundeth him Hee serueth him neither for Salarye nor Daye-wages but because hee is obliged thereunto Hee laboureth not for himselfe but for his Lord neither serueth hee him only in person but also all those of his House and Familye in the which hee holdeth the basest Place and hath alwayes giuen him the worst and that which is most contemptible All this the blessed VIRGIN our LADYE imagined in herselfe when shee called herselfe the Handmaide of our Lorde For first shee helde not herselfe to bee her owne but a thing proper to God our Lord and in his Possession aswell for that hee created her as also for that shee had wholye dedicated herselfe to his perpetuall Seruice saying in her Hearte those Wordes which the Prophet Isaias reporteth of the Righteous Isa 44.5 Hee shall say I am of God and with his owne hande hee shall write and signe that hee is our Lordes And as the faithfull Bondman neuer flyeth from his master nor is at any time absent neither will serue any other master because no man can at once serue two Masters Matt. 6.24 so the blessed VIRGIN neuer seperated herselfe one moment from the Seruice of God neither serued shee any other Lord but God Matt. 4.10 Deut. 6.13 fullfilling most perfectly that Precept Thou shallt adore the Lord thy God and him only shallt thou serue In all other things also shee did not what shee list but what God commaunded for shee had no will of her owne nor Liberty of fleshe but was so fastned to the Will of our Lord as if shee had had no liberty to departe therefrom esteeming herselfe as a Handmaide Psal 12 24.2 that hath her eyes allwayes placed vpon the handes of her Lord suffering herselfe to bee managed by him and to bee moued by euery becke that hee should make Besides this shee serued not God for salarye or Day-wages pretending principally any rewarde but because as his Handmaide shee was obliged thereunto and tooke Delight in pleasing her Lorde And therefore shee had setled in her Hearte that Verity which afterwardes our Sauiour Christe taught his Disciples Luc. 17.10 VVhen you shall haue donne all things that are commaunded you say VVee are vnproffitable Seruantes wee haue donne that which wee ought to doe From hence it proceeded that all whatsoeuer shee did or laboured to doe shee attributed it not to her selfe but to her Lord for allbeeit it is Truthe that the Merit and Rewarde was for her yet shee attributed
to giue them an example of all Vertue thou bee borne in a poore manger thou bee circumcized and persecuted by Herod and the Iewes and that thou bee taken whipped crowned with Thornes and dye vpon a Crosse with greate Dolour and Contempt Therefore seeing thou louest mee for my Loue and for the good of thy Bretheren Ioan. 10.18 14.31 accept these Afflictions To this Will of the Father which our Lord Christ calleth the Commaundement and precept of his Deathe hee readily aunswered offering himselfe with a prompt and ready will to suffer all whatsoeuer and then was fullfilled that saying of S. Heb. 12.2 Paule That abandoning the Ioye of this Life and contemplating the eternall Ioye of the other hee embraced the Crosse not regarding that it was very Ignominious Then allso with an effectuall Will hee dranke the bitter chalice of his Passion and was baptized with the Baptisme of his Ignominies Mar. 10.39 and Dolours perseuering as hee himselfe saide in the bitternesse of this Drinke and of this Baptisme all the dayes of his Life vntill in the ende thereof hee effectually dranke it accomplishing all that his Father had ordained him But his Charitye and Obedience passed yet farther for that allthough that was so much that hee was to suffer yet not contented heerewith with a most generous Hearte and most ardent Thirst hee offered himselfe to suffer much more if his Father would ordaine it and that it might bee needefull for our good Act. 21.13 for if S. Paule when the Prophet Agabus tolde him that hee was to bee bounde Prisoner in Hierusalem aunswered that hee was readye not only to bee bounde but to dye also for the name of our Lord IESVS how much more would our sweete Lord IESVS when his Father related vnto him the Afflictions of his Life and Deathe immediately aunswere that hee was prepared not only to suffer those afflictions but others also much greater for his Loue. And that I may perceiue how much I am indebted to this our Lorde I am to consider how in that instant hee presented vnto his memory all mankinde and myselfe among them and offered himselfe to suffer all this for euery one in particular and for mee myselfe as if I alone had stoode in neede of his Remedye So that then was fullfilled that saying of S. Paul Gal 2.20 Hee that loued mee and deliuered himselfe for mee to Deathe offering himselfe thereunto for my Loue. O tender Babe and valorous Gyaunt Colloquie wherewith shall I repaye thee the Affection with which thou this day offerest thyselfe to runne thy Carreere Psal 18.6 accepting withall all those Afflictions which in the course thereof thou art to endure May the Angells praise thee for this singular fauour that thou hast donne vnto men and may my Soule glorifye thee for the Loue that then thou diddest beare mee for the which I offer myselfe to suffer whatsoeuer shall happen vnto mee in the Carreere of my Life thou fauouring mee with thy grace that therein I may not faile The eleuenth Meditation Of the Iourney which the eternall VVorde Incarnate made in his Mothers VVombe to the House of Zacharias to sanctifye his Forerunner S. Iohn the Baptist The first Pointe FIrst I will consider Luc. 1.44 how the Worde made fleshe beeing yet in the Wombe of his blessed mother with the exceeding greate desire hee had to saue men presently fixed his eyes vpon Iohn who was in the Belly of S. Elizabeth and was to bee his Fore-runner and seeing him to bee in Originall Sinne hee was greiued thereat and determined with himselfe forthwith to free him from that miserye and to sanctifye him taking possession of his Office of Redeemer which was giuen him in charge And to this ende hee effectually inspired his mother speedily to goe visit her Cosin that hee thereby might effect this his Worke. Wherein I am to ponder First the greate Desier that this our Lorde hath of our Saluation thanking him therefore and confounding myselfe for the litle Desier that I haue of mine As also how carefull hee is of the good of his elected and how vigilant in exercizing his office of Redeemer seeing hee began it from the Wombe of his mother not desiring to bee Idle any moment I will likewise ponder what a greiuous euill Sinne is and how much our Lord is displeased that his elect should bee in Sinne but a moment seeing for this cause hee inspired his mother so hastily to vndertake that iourney to free from Sinne his chosen Iohn Baptist O Diuine VVorde that madest thyselfe man to deliuer vs from Sinne Colloquie and deriuedst to enact this office with such speede Isa 8.1 that thou tookest for thy Surname Make speede hasten robbe and take Spoyles seeing thy names are not emptye but full come Lord with speede to free mee from my Sinnes make haste to sanctifye mee with thy Grace robbe my Hearte for thy Seruice and take it for the Spoyle of thy Victorye that from hence forth I may begin feruently to serue thee The Second Pointe SEcondly I am to consider how our Lord hauing power to sanctifye the Baptist from the place where hee was would notwithstanding inspire his mother to carrye him to the house of S. Elizabeth and there to worke this miraculous sanctification for causes very admirable and proffitable for our instruction First to giue newe Demonstrations of his Humillitye and Charitye For as these Vertues mooued him to come downe from Heauen and to come into the Worlde to visite it Luc. 1.79 Beda ibid. and to drawe it out of the Darkenesse and Shadowe of Deathe wheerein it stood so likewise they mooued him to come from Nazareth to visite Iohn and to drawe him out of Sinne the greater comming to visite the lesser to honour him and the Phisicion the Sicke to cure him The second cause was that his most blessed Mother might haue a share in this Action taking her for the Instrument of the first sanctification that hee wrought in this Worlde iustifying by her meanes the Childe Iohn that was in Sinne and replenishing with the holy Spirit his mother that was just to the ende that wee Sinners might vnderstand that to obtaine Pardon of our Sinnes the blessed Virgin was to be our Mediatrix that the Righteous might vnderstande that by her meanes they were to obtaine fullnesse of the holy Spirit and of his grace with the vertues and giftes that descende from Heauen and that therefore all might endeuour to loue and serue her and to be much deuoted vnto her O soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie seeing to day togither with thy Sonne thou takest possession of the office giuen thee for our benefit prosecute it this day with mee obtaining for mee pardon of my Sinnes and abundance of spirituall Craces Amen The third cause was Inspirations of our Sauiour Christ for that it is the propertye of our Sauiour Christe in entring into a Soule to
inspire it with exercises of Vertue and to mooue it zealously to aspire to the Heigth of Perfection Sometimes hee inspireth it to exercise Praier and Contemplation and the other Actions of a contemplatiue Life Other sometimes to issue out of that retirement and to exercize the workes of the actiue Life with their neighbours And so in the instant that he entred into the Wombe of the blessed VIRGIN hee mooued her to goe vp to the hill Countrey of Iudea to exercize notable Workes of Charitye Mercye and Obedience He might speake to her Hearte that of the Canticles Cant. 2.14 Rise vp make haste my beloued my Doue my Beautifull and come O fruitefull Doue that hast thy nest in the holes of the stone and in the chinke of the VVall contemplating the Secrets of my Diuinity and Humanitye and liuing allwaies vnder my Protection arize vp in haste issue out of this secret place and get vp to the mountaines of Iudea that there thou maist confesse and glorifye mee with workes of Charitye to the good of those Soules that I haue created From hence I will collect how it is likewise the Propertye of our Lord Christe when hee entreth into the righteous by the Communion of the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar to inspire into them the like exercizes of Vertue that they may clime to the perfection of both Liues Contemplatiue and Actiue inspiring euery one with what is most conuenient for him And if I feele not in myselfe these inspirations when I communicate it is thorough my wicked Disposition and thorough my ouer much slackenesse whereby I make myselfe vnworthy of this fauour For the which I am to confounde myselfe and to beseeche him to vse towardes mee his mercye inspiring mee effectually with what may bee agreable to his holy Will The third Pointe THirdly Perfect obediēce to Gods Inspirations I am to consider the perfect Obedience of the sacred VIRGIN to this inspiration the which the Euangelist noteth saying MARYE rising vp went with speede vnto the Hill-Countrey of Iudea for first shee attended no precept nor expresse order but assoone as shee perceiued that it was Gods pleasure that shee should visite her Cosen this inspiration was sufficient to make her performe it For the perfectly Obedient fullfilleth whatsoeuer hee vnderstandeth to bee most conformable to the Will of God and of his Superiour Secondly shee was very prompt and punctuall for shee deferred not for many Dayes her Visitation but with what breuitye shee might shee effected it and went with greate haste thorough the efficacye of the Spirit that moued her sodainely to fullfill her Obedience for the diuine Grace is an Enemye of Slownesse and Delay Thirdly shee was very pure in her Intention pretending only the Glory of God and the accomplishment of his holy Will without mixture of terrene endes such as vse to be in like Visitations Ex D. Amb. l. 2. in Lucā and shee went not as S. Ambrose sayeth to the house of Elizabeth thorough any Curiositye or Doubt to prooue if it were true what the Angell had saied but rather because shee was assured thereof and would glorifye God in beholding the Worke that hee had donne Fourthly it was mixed with much Charitye Patience and Humillitye for without staying vpon the Dignitye that was giuen her of beeing the mother of God shee was pleased to visite one meaner then herselfe and to giue her the Much good doe it her of the fauour that God had donne her And allbeeit the waye was long and rough and shee tender and vnaccustomed to such trauell yet shee doubted not to abandon her retirement and to issue out in publike because such was the good pleasure of our Lord. Lastly I will ponder the manner how this our blessed LADYE made her iourney for shee carried a rare and singular modestye not curiously diuerting herselfe to gaze on those that passed by the way in such sorte that if any happened to fixe their eyes vpon her they were forthwith moued to Sanctitye and Puritye Shee carried her Hearte nailed to her Sonne whome shee bare in her Wombe with whome by the way shee framed sweete Colloquyes and with him went so contented that shee felt not the trauell nor the pouertye and want of that which was necessarye O Soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie how full thou art of God and how delighted to accomplish his VVill O how well it befitteth thee in this VVay to bee the Litter of the true Salomon Cant. 3.9 builded with admirable Arte to carry him from one parte to another The siluer Columnes are thy Vertues the Seate of Golde thy Contemplation the ascent of Purple thy Humillity and Patience and that in the middest which is thy Hearte is adorned with Charitye for within thee is God himselfe who is all Charitye And seeing all this was giuen thee because of the Daughters of Hierusalem which are weake Soules I beseeche thee o most pittifull mother obtaine for mee such another like Ornament that imitating thy Vertues my Soule may bee the Litter of thy Sonne in the which hee may repose and by which hee may bee made knowen to the whole VVorlde Amen The twelfth Meditation Of what happened in the blessed VIRGINS Visitation of S. Elizabeth The first Pointe FIrst I will consider the entrance of the VIRGIN into the house of Elizabeth and the greate Benefits that entred in with her For the blessed Virgin as beeing the most humble saluted her first and the Worde Incarnate which was in her Wombe tooke the Wordes of his Mother for an instrument to acte meruailous workes in the Babe that was in the Wombe of Elizabeth He cleansed him from Originall Sinne hee iustified him with his Grace hee filled him with the holy Spirit he hastened vnto him the vse of Reason he made him his Prophet he gaue him Light and knowledge of the mysterye of the Incarnation and he communicated vnto him so greate Ioy that he leaped for pleasure in his mothers wombe manifesting aswell as he could the Delight that hee tooke in the comming and Visitation of his Lorde and all this was in one moment wherein I am to ponder two things of greate Consolation The first is the Omnipotencye and Liberallitye of our Sauiour that hath come seeing so sodainely hee doth so greate workes of his meere grace without any merit of his that receiueth them accomplishing heerein the saying of the Wiseman Pro. 20.8 The king that sitteth in his Throne of Iudgement with his Countenance disperseth all euill for this king of kings seated in the Throne of the Virgins wombe behelde with the eyes of mercye his Fore-runner and with this only viewe in a moment he dissipated all the euill of Sinne that he had Vpon which I may builde an assured Confidence that he will vse mercye towardes me remembring that saying of Ecclesiasticus Eccl. 11.22.23 Be confident my Sonne for in the eyes of God it is an easy thing to remedye the Poore
was replenished with God vttered with her mouthe this soueraigne Canticle full of Affections of God which Canticle hath ten verses and is as it were a Psalterion or Harpe of ten strings like to those Psal 42.4 91 4. 143.9 which Dauid commaundeth vs to touche for to glorifye God and therefore it shall not bee amisse to meditate all her Wordes that wee may knowe how spiritually to rehearse them to the honour of the VIRGIN ioyning to euery worde or Verse some holy Affection or ioye of the Vertues of this our Ladye with the peticion and colloquye belonging vnto it My Soule doth magnifie our Lord. In this first Verse the sacred VIRGIN teacheth vs the Spirit of praising God thinking highly and magnificently of him magnifying that which is his in all that is possible that is his Bountye and Mercye his Wisdome and Charitye the excellencye of his Gouernment And this not only with corporall wordes but with the Soule and all her interiour Faculties inuiting them with Dauid to praise our Lord. Psal 102.1 103.1.33 And shee sayed not My Soule did magnifye or will magnifye but doth magnifye to signifye that her principall office and perpetuall occupation was to magnifye God doing on Earthe that which the Angells doe in Heauen O that my Soule might allwayes magnifye our Lorde Colloquie Eccl. 43.30 o Lord of infinite greatenesse litle can I magnifye thee with my praises But as I may I praise and magnifye thee and confesse that thou art greater then I am able to say or to thinke O Soueraigne VIRGIN Psal 33.4 whose Soule allwayes magnified our Lord and like another Dauid inuited all others to magnifye him impetrate for mee that my Soule may likewise magnifye him occupying herselfe continually in singing his Greatenesses worlde without ende Amen And my Spirit hath rejoiced in God my Sauiour In these Wordes the B. VIRGIN discouereth the manner of our rejoicing in God The manner of rejoicing in God nothing fiue Conditions of this Ioye to make it pure and perfect For first wee are not to place our principall Ioye and Alacritye in corporall thinges but in things spirituall nor so much in giftes receiued as in the giuer of Giftes who is God himselfe And allbeeit we are to rejoice in God as he is our Creator yet principally as he is our Sauiour and Sanctifyer for in this sorte he is the fountaine of spirituall Alacritye which is founded vpon the Saluation of the Soule sanctified by Gods grace And this loye is principally to consist in the Spirit or superiour parte of the Soule that it may be the more pure from all that tasteth of fleshe as the sensuall Ioye of the Bodye vseth to doe allbeeit sometimes the Ioye of the spirit redoundeth likewise into the fleshe Psal 83.3 15.9 according to that of Dauid My Hearte and my Fleshe reioiced in the liuing God Finally our Spirit is not to reioice in itselfe as if it had thorough it owne merites those giftes for which it reioiceth but our Ioye is to bee in God our Sauiour who gaue them vnto vs and vpon whome our ioye is to rest as saithe the Prophet Dauid My Soule shall reioice in our Lorde Psal 34.9 and shall bee delighted in our Sauiour Such was the Ioye of the blessed VIRGIN who at this instant behelde our Sauiour whome shee bare in her Wombe and rapt with his exceeding Loue shee saide My Spirit hath reioiced in God my Sauiour O my Soule exalt thyselfe aboue thyselfe in Spirit like the VIRGIN and reioice purely in Christ thy Sauiour placing in him only all thy Alacritye Psal 36.4 Ioan. 16.32.24 Matt. 25.21.23 If thou desirest Ioye reioice in God and hee shall fullfill the desires and petitions of thy hearte that thy ioye may bee full and that none may depriue thee of it vntill at last thou maiest enter into the eternall ioye of thy Lorde Because he hath regarded the Humillity of his Handmaide In this Verse and in those following the B. VIRGIN declareth ten soueraigne benefits three speciall and seuen generall which are the principall causes and respectes that shee hath to magnifye God to reioice in him and to shewe herselfe so thankefull The first is for that he regarded the Humillitye and lowlinesse of his Handmaide In which wordes the VIRGIN pointeth at two rootes of the Diuine Benefits The one principall of Gods parte and the other of our parte It is of allmighty Gods parte that he daigneth to regarde vs with a good eye and to be mindefull of vs to doe vs good For allbeeit it is truthe that he seeth all things yet he is not saide to regarde nor make account of those which he leaueth in the abysme of nothing or in the profunditye of their miserye but of those which he regardeth to vse towardes them his greate mercye The roote of our parte is the acknowledgement of our Lowelinesse by the which we may dispose ourselues to receiue the giftes of his Diuine Liberallitye And so the blessed VIRGIN as illuminated by God joyned both these togither magnifying God for that he daigned to regarde the Humillitye of his Handmaide By the which wordes shee confesseth not so much of herselfe that she hath the Vertue of Humillitye as she exercizeth it for as a true humbled one either she esteemeth not so herselfe or she would haue concealed it but with Humillitye shee confesseth that she is lowly base and contemptible as a Slaue or a Handmaide and that notwithstanding all this allmighty God disdained not to regarde her Whereby shee teacheth vs that the foundation of the Praises of God and of Thankesgiuing for the benefits he doth vs is to bee the acknowledging of our owne basenesse and indignitye for in this sorte there will be no perill of mixing vaine selfe-pleasing as it happened to the prowde Pharisee Luc. 18.14 Rather this Lowlinesse is to be the respect why to beseeche allmighty God to regarde mee with a good eye and to doe mee greate fauours Psa 112 6 for his Condition as Dauid sayeth is to beholde the lowely things in Heauen and on Earthe and to doe them greate mercyes Psal 30.8 And this the saide Dauid had experience of saying of himselfe Because God regarded my Humillitye and Lowelinesse he deliuered my Soule from all her miseries O highest God whose Habitation is in the highest Heauens Colloquie Psa 112.5 beholde the lowelinesse of this thy vile Slaue and vse towardes him thy accustomed mercye raising this begger from the Dust and this poore wretched one from the Dunghill to place him with Princes and to sanctifye him aswell as they Amen Beholde from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed And this is the seconde respect that the B. VIRGIN had to magnifye God for that from that moment that he behelde her Humillitye and that he regarded her all the nations of men that beleeued in Christ aswell the present as those to
her but abandon her secretly Vpon this Veritye I am to consider the secret Iudgements of God in not reuealing this mysterye to S. Ioseph as he reuealed it to Zacharias and to S. Elizabeth whose ende was herevpon to take occasion to exercize the VIRGIN and her Spouse For S. Ioseph perceiuing his Wife to be with Childe S. August S. Chryso alij might without any sinne as many Sainctes say haue judged that she was an Adulteresse or doubt of a thing that was to him so newe and so straunge And this afflicted him much it beeing a case so much to his dishonour but much greater was the Affliction of his Spouse from whome this could not bee hidden it being a greate Infamye for a Virgin so pure to bee helde by her owne Husband for an Adulteresse and to see herselfe therefore at the pointe of beeing abandoned All this our Lorde disposed of for the greate good that arizeth from these Afflictions and Humilliations by the which he pretended to perfect these two notable Sainctes and to dispose them to greater things For as the blessed VIRGIN had receiued greate fauours in the Annunciation of the Angel S. Gabriel and in the house of Elizabeth our Lord God was willing that she should suffer this Infamye and Humilliation to exercize her in greater Humillitye and to dispose her for those fauours which soone after shee was to receiue in the Citty of Bethleem for Humilliation is the euening of Exaliation Ex D. Ber. ser 34. in Cant. and Affliction is the Vigill of a greate feaste of Consolations And peraduenture for this cause the holy Churche singeth the Cospell of this mysterye on the Vigill of the Natiuitye and for the same reason God exercized S. Ioseph to receiue the reuelation of so high a mysterye and that he might be his sufficient witnesse From hence I will collect that allbeeit one be very holy and conuerse allwayes with holy persons and employ himselfe in holye workes yet in this life he shall not faile of Humilliations and Afflictions caused sometimes euen by those holy things wheerein he conuerseth For the life of man is a warfare and the righteous man ought to be prepared for temptation Iob. 7.1 Eccl. 2.1 I am rather to holde Afflictions from God as a fauour especially when they happen without any fault of mine and much more when they happen in a case that deserueth honour as the blessed VIRGIN for that which was most excellent in her came to suffer this Humilliation which likewise her Sonne did afterwardes suffer Encouraged with these examples I will with the Prophet Dauid say to our Lord Psal 25.1 Colloquie Prooue me o Lord and tempt me burne my reines and my hearte because thy mercye is before myne eyes and I am glad in thy Truthe Which is to say Exercize me in diuerse temptations and Afflictions of bodye and Soule for I am assured of thy mercye and of thy faithfullnesse that thou willt measure them according to my strength and willt conuert them into the augmentation of newe Giftes The third Pointe THen will I consider the excellent Vertues which vpon this newe Occasion and proofe were discouered and exercized by these two excellent Sainctes for our imitation seeing for this ende also our Sauiour permitted those Afflictions which they suffered First S. Ioseph demonstrated greate Patience and Prudence Patience hee demonstrated in suffering this Injurye with silence without seeking to be reuenged of his Wife by Iustice or complaining of her to her parents kindredâ— and without murmuring at her or speaking to her Injurious wordes rather as a Iust man that contented not himselfe with what only was lawfull he sought what was most perfect resoluing himselfe to be silent and to suffer his paine within himselfe He demonstrated Prudence in seeking and finding a meanes how on the one side to preserue the honour of his Wife and on the other side not to bring to his house her whome he suspected to be an Adulteresse nor giuing her a secret bill of diuorce which was lawfull in the olde Lawe nor with some good occasion absenting himselfe from her And likewise he demonstrated Prudence in not doing this rashly or on a sodaine without first meditating and considering it well as may be collected from these wordes Matt. 1.20 Haec autem eo cogitante But as he was thus thinking for he had a greate scruple to inhabite with her that seemed an Adulteresse and he had likewise as greate a scruple to abandon her that seemed a Sainct With this Consideration I am to confound myselfe for my small Patience in Affronts for my much Indignation against those that doe me Injurye and for the Facillitye wherewith I murmure at and defame my neighbours and discouer their secret faultes and for that Furye with the which sodainely without deliberation I cast myselfe into all this And in this manner confounded I will beseeche our Lord thorough the merits of this Sainct to ayde me to imitate his notable example But the blessed VIRGIN as she was more holy discouered more excellent Vertues exercizing foure very excellent ones proper to those that are most perfect in such cases to witte rare Humillitye and Silence greate Confidence in Gods prouidence continuall Praier Thorough Humillitye shee was silent not desiring to manifest the secret mysteries of God though her greate honour might ensue thereof nor consenting that S. Elizabeth or Zacharias should discouer them And allbeeit it is very ordinary among good maried folke to communicate their secrets one to another yet she communicated not this to S. Ioseph all though shee conjectured what might happen if her husband were ignorant thereof Thorough Humillitye likewise she was silent when shee sawe herselfe disgraced in the opinion of her Husband not seeking to excuse herselfe nor to stand vpon her honour neither to alledge sufficient witnesse but absolutely with greate Confidence casting herselfe into the diuine Prouidence and putting her Honour into the handes of God she made continuall praier to his maiestie that he would be pleased to remedye that Ignominye in such sorte as should to him seeme most conuenient With this example I will likewise confounde myselfe for that pride and vaine boasting of mine wherewith I publish whatsoeuer may honour mee and for that peruersenesse wherewith I excuse my faultes standing vainely vpon my Puntillos of Honour and for my litle confidence in God lesse recourse vnto Praier To this purpose I am to imagine that God speaketh vnto me that of Ezechiel Ezech. 43.20 D. Greg. lib. 24. moral c. 6 Sonne of man shewe to the howse of Israel the temple and let them be confounded at theire iniquities and let them measure the frame and be ashamed of all things that they haue donne O my Soule beholde this liuing Temple of God the blessed VIRGIN contemplating the meruailous vertues wherewith she is adorned that thou maiest be confounded at those vices whereinto thou hast fallen
measure her meruailous frame pondering the excellencye and harmonye of her workes that thou maiest be ashamed of the basenesse and discorder of thine O Temple of the Worde Incarnate Colloquie beseeche this greate God whome thou carriest in thy Wombe to adorne me with such Vertues that I may be a worthy Temple wheerein he may inhabite by his Grace O my Soule Matt. 13.21 consider that the iust ought to be like a graine of mustard seede which when it is ground discouereth the heate and force that it hath therefore if God be pleased to grinde thee with Afflictions animate thyselfe feruently to exercize these Vertues The fourth Pointe WHile S. Mat. 1.20 Ioseph was thus thinking beholde the Angell of our Lord appeared to him in sleepe saying Ioseph Sonne of Dauid feare not to take MARAE thy VVife for that which is borne in her is not by the worke of man but of the holy Ghoste And she shall bring forth a Sonne and thou shallt call his name IESVS for he shal saue his People from their sinnes Heerein is to be considered the fidellitye of the Diuine Prouidence in comming to remedye the Affliction sof those that are his when they are arriued to the last and sharpest pointe vsing diuine meanes when humane meanes doe faile For whereas our Lord sawe that S. Ioseph could not conceiue the cause of that beeing with Childe he sent an Angell after a very sweete manner to reueale it vnto him for calling him by his proper name Ioseph he addeth Sonne of Dauid to reduce to his memory that to Dauid was made the promise of the Messias that he should descende from him He saieth to him Feare not to take from him both Scruple and Anguish which is the propertye of good Angells he saieth that the VIRGIN had conceiued by the Holy Ghoste to take from him all suspicion and to cleare the Honour of our LADYE And wholely to conuerte his mourning into Ioye he addeth that she shall bring farth a Sonne of whome he must haue as tender a care as if he were his owne and that to him it should belong to giue him his name which should be IESVS which is as much to say as Sauiour for that he was to be the Sauiour of the Worlde And all this was reuealed vnto him with so greate Illumination that forthwith he gaue entire credit thereunto From hence I will ascende to ponder the alacritye of S. Ioseph at the hearing of these newes that beeing fullfilled in him that is written in Iob Iob 11.17 VVhen thou shalt think thyselfe consumed thou shalt rise like the daye starre O how full of Content was he to see himselfe freed from his suspicion How ashamed that he had admitted it though it were ignorantly and without any fault of his How warye afterward not to iudge euill of any bodye How thankefull to God for hauing giuen him a Spouse so Holy and of so greate Dignitye for committing to his charge the care of his only begotten Sonne And how joyfull to see that now was the time come of the Redemption of the Worlde I will likewise ponder the greate Ioy of the blessed VIRGIN to see her Husband so fall of quiet and content how much she was confirmed in the Hope of Gods Prouidence and how thankefull to our Lord for vndertaking her cause our Lord fullfilling in her what he spake by the Prophet Oseas I will put her in the valley of Achor that is of Affliction Oseae â— 15 to confirme her a newe in hope and she shal renewe her Songs to see herselfe free from her paines I giue thee humble thankes Colloquie o eternall God for the greate care thou hadst of these two glorious Sainctes Oseae 2.15 turning for them as thou art wont the valley of Achor into the foode and augmentation of their Spirit By their merits I beseeche thee to make me worthy to enioy the fruite of thy fatherly Prouidence relying thereupon with greate securitye in the middest of my Afflictions seeing it is most certaine that thou in thy good time wilt come to remedye them The fifth Pointe IOseph obeying the commaundement of the Angell Matt. 1.24 forthwith arose and carryed the VIRGIN to his house and liued with her most chastely vntill the birth of her Sonne and much more afterwardes Wherein I am to consider not so much the obedience of S. Ioseph for it was not much to carrye to his house so excellent a woman as the manner thereof that is with what Reuerence he carried her speaking to her some wordes like to those of S. Luc. 1.43 Elizabeth Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord entereth into my house O how greate was his Loue and Affection to our blessed LADYE how carefull was he of her what holy discourses were betweene them two what more then Angelicall Puritye of Life and what conformitye of willes how subject and obedient was the VIRGIN to S. Ioseph as to her heade how did shee reueale vnto him the particularities of what the Angell had declared vnto her in the Annunciation and what had passed in the house of Zacharias for now was the time come that shee might speake to informe him of the mysterye to the honour and glorye of him that had wrought it O happy Sainct Colloquie to whose lot it fell to haue so good companye O happy is that Soule that serueth them and learneth of them their obedience and Charitye O Seraphins of the Earthe Isa 6.2 as pure as those of Heauen who with your wings flye lightly to accomplish the will of God inflame my Hearte with the Loue of this our Lord that I also may serue him with the like Obedience that both of you had and may loue all my Bretheren with that purenesse of Charitye wherewith you loued one another The fiftenth Meditation Of the expectation of our blessed LADYES deliuerye and of the preparation for the birth of our Sauiour Christ FOr that in Spaine eight dayes before the birth of our Sauiour Christ wee celebrate the feaste of the Expectation of our B. LADYES deliuerye I insert heere this meditation for that daye and the dayes ensuing till the natiuitye in which whee are to consider the liuely desiers that three persons had of this soueraigne Deliuerye and Birth that is to say the Childe the VIRGIN S. Ioseph in whome are represented the faithfull that firmely beleeue this mysterye and in their imitation desire to prepare themselues worthily to celebrate it The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider the most feruent desier that our Lord IESVS Christ had being in the wombe of his mother to perfect and bring to ende the businesse of our Redemption and consequently to be borne in the Worlde to frame all things according to the will of his Father For euen from his mothers belly that Sentence was true that afterwardes he vttered I am to be baptized with a baptâ—me Luc.
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
Greg. l. 24 moral c. 6 in such sorte as the foure holy Beastes following the Impulsion of the holy Spirit did strike one another with their Winges prouoking as it were one another to followe him the more feruently Secondly they shewed greate obedience for albeit the Angell commaunded them not expressely to goe to Bethlehem yet they contented themselues that hee shewed that it was the good liking of God for to this ende he reuealed and Inspired it And to one perfectly obedient it suffizeth to haue any signification whatsoeuer of the diuine Will to put it presently in practize albeit it were needefull to leaue therefore as the Shepheardes did both his flocke and all that he hath Thirdly they executed the Will of God with greate zeale And heereupon it is sayde that they went with speede moued by the diuine Spirit with a desire to see the Worde that the Angell had saiede vnto them which was the eternall Worde of God made fleshe for our sakes And their zeale made them worthye to finde what they sought the Angell guiding them to the manger where he was O that I might Imitate the zealous obedience Colloquie and diligence of these holy Shepheardes to seeke and to finde out the Sauiour O soueraigne Shepheard whose Sheepe all other Shepheardes are discouer vnto mee with thy diuine Illumination the place where thou lyest and feedest in thy holy Natiuitye that I may so seeke thee and finde thee that I may knowe and loue thee worlde without ende Amen The second Pointe HEere is to be considered what these deuoute Shepheardes did when they founde what they sought The first is to beleeue that in entring into the Stable there did shine from the face of the most blessed Babe such a light and splendour as penetrated their Vnderstandings and discouered vnto them by a liuely faithe how he that was there was God and man the Sauiour of the worlde and the Messias promised in the Lawe and with this light inflamed in his Loue with greate reuerence prostrating themselues on the grounde they adored him and were thankefull for his comming into the worlde beseeching him to goe forward with this worke to be compassionate to his people of Israel and likewise they offered themselues to serue him with wordes very full of Deuotion It is likewise credible that they offered him somewhat of what they had according to their pouertye for our Lord reduced to their memorye that of Deuteronomye which sayeth Thou shalt not appeare before our Lord emptye handed Deut. 16 16. O with what affection might they offer and with what Loue might the Childe accept retourning vnto them such abundant giftes of his grace that they should not departe emptye from his presence It is also credible that the blessed VIRGIN was thankefull with Humillitye and that they spake vnto her with greate respect admiring at her resplendent sanctitye and recounting vnto her all that had passed with the Angells whereat she receiued exceeding greate Ioye for the glorye of her Sonne O sweete IESVS Colloquie I adore thee with these holy Shepheardes and I desire to adore thee with that deuotion that they adored thee and not to come emptye into thy presence I offer thee my hearte and libertye and all that I haue And I beseeche thee o my God suffer me not to departe emptye from thy presence but fill me with thy grace that I may therewith serue thee and obtaine Life euerlasting Amen The third Pointe And the Shepheardes retourned glorifying Luc. 2.20 and praising God in all that they had seene and hearde and they published it to all that they mette causing greate admiration in all but MARIE kept all these wordes conferring them in her hearte Concerning this Veritye it shall not be amisse to consider for our owne proffit foure sortes of Persons that were in Bethlehem and the confines thereof and the manner how they behaued themselues about this natiuitye of the Sonne of God applying it to myselfe for my owne proffit Some came not at all to the Inne in Bethlehem for allbeit they heard what the Shepheardes sayed and admired to heare it yet notwithstanding we reade not that they went to see it beeing drunke in their owne Affaires and Businesses as there are many now who come not to contemplate these mysteries thorough Sloth and thorough busying themselues in other affaires of their owne pleasure Others by chaunce entred into the Inne in passing by but they neither knewe the Infant nor the mother nor stayed vpon more then that exteriour that they sawe before their eyes Such are they who assist in these mysteries with a deade faithe without staying vpon them or sounding the depth of them and so they gather no proffit Others like the Shepheardes entred being moued by God and with a liuely faithe adored the Childe and reaped greate proffit thereof but they remained not there but retourned to their office praising God and publishing his wonderfull workes Such are the Iust who at times giue themselues to Praier and Contemplation of these mysteries and from thence goe to fullfill their Obligations and to preache what they haue knowen of God mouing others to seeke and to knowe him Others finally as S. Ioseph and the blessed VIRGIN were allwaies in the Inne assisting the Childe and seruing him with Loue keeping in their memorye all that they sawe and hearde and conferring it in their Hearte O how diuine a conference the blessed VIRGIN had of all this She conferred what God was in Heauen with what that Childe was vpon Earthe what the Prophets saide with what she behelde with her eyes what the Angel and Shepheardes had spoken with what was present in that manger and this conference was not drye but tender full of greate admiration and of feruent affections of Deuotion And in this she spent the eight dayes vntill the Circumcision This our LADYE they imitate that dedicate themselues largely some dayes to the Contemplation of these mysteries making these spirituall conferences in their heartes Happy are those that in this manner can and knowe how to assist this Infant in the manger O soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie teache me to conferre within myselfe what Faithe doth dictate vnto me of thy Sonne and that which thou diddest conferre of him in thy Hearte that Imprinting it in my spirit I may neuer departe from his presence but employ myselfe in knowing louing and seruing him for euer and euer Amen In the 26. Meditation shall be pondered another manner of meditating this mysterye The twentieth Meditation D. Th. 3 p. q 37. ar 1 Luc. 2.14 Of the Circumcision of our Sauiour on the eigth daye The first Pointe FIrst is to be considered how on the eigth day after the natiuitye the blessed VIRGIN and S. Ioseph determined to circumcize the childe in accomplishment of the Lawe Leuit. 12.3 with Imposed vpon the Parents a precept thereof vpon which I am to ponder First the obedience of the VIRGIN
and of S. Ioseph which was very puntuall and prompt to accomplish this precept though they knewe that the execution thereof would bee very dolorous and painefull to the Childe whome they so much loued yet the will of God was to bee prefered before all which the blessed VIRGIN esteemed so much that if neede had beene she herselfe like another Se hora would haue taken the knife Exod. 4.25 and would haue circumcized the Childe some say that she herselfe did circumcize him some others that S. Ioseph did it but howsoeuer certaine it is they were prepared to put in execution whatsoeuer they should esteeme to be most agreable to the Will of almighty God Secondly I will ponder the Charitye and Deuotion of the blessed VIRGIN who doubtlesse would be present at this spectacle both to cherishe her Sonne to cure him his Wounde being one whome she so much loued as also to gather vp the most precious bloud that he there shed and to keepe that litle peece of fleshe that was cut of for she knewe it to be the blood of God and to be of infinite value O with what deuotion did she kisse it with her mouthe and keepe it in her brest O what Loueacts vsed she with that precious blood and how did she beseeche the eternall Father that for it hee would pardon the Worlde beseeching him if it were possible he would content himselfe with this alone it beeing so Infinitely worthe She likewise directed her speeches to the holy Ghoste whose spouse she was saying vnto him as Sephora saide to Moyses being in an Inne with her Sonne Exod. 4.25 O most holy Ghoste though thou art to me a Spouse of blood desiring that the blood of my Sonne should bee shed bathing therewith his sacred feete yet for all this I will not leaue thee as Sephora left Moyses for I esteeme more thy Will then my owne though it were needefull to shed my owne blood to fullfill it On the other side the blessed VIRGIN was transperced with Compassion and Dolour for the suffering of her Sonne She wept with him to see him weepe and for the cause for which he wept saying O originall Sinne how deare doest thou cost my Sonne O Sinne of the terrestriall Adam how bitter art thou to this caelestiall Adam O most B. Colloquie VIRGIN that I might accompanye thee in this Lamentation bewailing my Sinnes to obtaine the remedye of them by the Vertue of the precious blood of thy Sonne The second Pointe SEcondly I will consider the Heroicall Actes of Vertue which our Sauiour Christ exercized in his Circumcision which in him was not alone an exercize of suffering as in other Children which want the vse of reason but it was a worke of most excellent Vertue First it was Obedience to the Lawe for albeit that as he was God and the supreame Law-giuer he might haue dispensed with himselfe heerein and had sufficient cause therefore being not obliged by the rigour of the Lawe for that he was not conceiued by the worke of man nor with the debt of contracting Originall Sinne yet for all this he would of his owne will obey this painefull and rigorous precept protesting therewithall that he would ohserue all the olde Lawe for as S. Gal. 5.3 Paul sayeth euery man circumciding himselfe is a debter obliged to accomplish the whole lawe how burthensome soeuer it bee and therefore this blessed Childe offered himselfe at that time to vndergoe this heauy burthen Psal 39.9 setting this whole Lawe as himselfe sayeth by the Prophet Dauid in the middest of his hearte to the ende to giue vnto vs a perfect patterne of obedience O my Soule Colloquie why doest not thou offer thyselfe to beare the burthen and sweete yoke of the newe Lawe when thy Sauiour offereth himselfe to beare for thee the most heauy burthen and insupportable yoke of the olde Lawe If he for thy example obeyeth in hard things whereunto he is not obliged why doest thou denye to obey him in those easy things that he hath commaunded thee Pardon o Lord my disobedience and ayde me to followe the example which thou gauest me obferuing thy Lawe in such sorte as thou allwaies obseruedst it The second Vertue was Humillitye for albeit this our Lord could not accoumpt himselfe as a Sinner seeing he neither was nor could be so yet hee would be held so to be subjecting himselfe to Circumcision which was the signe of sinfull Children so that such as sawe him circumcized might haue saide that he was a Sinner which he ordained for the confusion of vs who being sinners will not seeme so to bee but take vpon vs the maske of being righteous Therefore o my Soule seeing thou art humbled by Truthe Ex D. Ber. ser 42. in Cant. be humbled also by Charitye seeing thou knowest thyselfe to be worthy of Humilliation for thy Sinnes desire with thy Lord to be humbled though thou were without Sinne. The third Vertue was Patience for other Children wanting the vse of Reason feare neither Circumcision nor the knife nor the Wounde and till the blowe light vpon them they feele it not but this blessed Childe as a perfect man knewe what was in hande and naturally feared the blowe and the Wounde yet for all this he was as quiet without mouing himselfe as if he had not knowne it And though when he felt the Wounde hee wept like a Childe and greately lamented thorough the delicacye of his Complexion yet in his Hearte he was merry for shedding his blood with such dolour delighting in this Affliction to accomplish the Will of his Father for our good The fourth Vertue was most feruent Charitye shedding that litle blood with so greate Loue that if neede had beene to shed all presently he would haue effected it and if it had beene conuenient to receiue forthwith many other and much greater Woundes he would haue offered himselfe for the Loue of his Father and for our good O Immense Charitye o Inuincible Patience Colloquie o profounde Humillitye and perfect Obedience of my Redeemer Exo. 29.8 Exo. 39.1 O soueraigne Vertues wherewith is weaued the Preistlike garment of our high Preiste IESVS much more precious then Graine or Purple then Hyacinthe and wreathed Holland O high Preiste that on this day didst clothe thyselfe with this garment to offer this sacrifize of the morning and didst afterwardes againe put it on on the Crosse to offer the sacrifize of the euening Inuest me with such another that I may offer vp my bodye Rom. 12.1 and Soule a liuing Host holy and pleasing to thy soueraigne maiestie I am ashamed o Lord Apoc. 3.18 to see myselfe so naked of these foure Vertues let thy grace aide me to Inuest me with them and to couer my nakednesse Amen The third Pointe THirdly I am to consider the spirituall Circumcision that our Lord Christe exacteth of me with the example of this his corporall Circumcision
wherewith he moueth teacheth me to circumcize and cut of all my Superfluities in Pampering Honour Rem 2.28 Colos 2.11 and commodities of the fleshe mortifying my disordinate Vices and Affections to accomplish the Lawe of God yea if neede were therefore to shed my blood for in this manner is the true Spirit obtained Serm. 10. And in this sence saide an holy man as S. Dorotheus reporteth Da sanguinem accipe Spiritum Giue blood and thou shalt receiue Spirit for the perfection of the Spirit is not obtained but with the coste of blood mortifying and circumcizing all the affections of fleshe blood Besides this I am willingly to suffer others to circumcize me and to ayde mee to take away these superfluities whither they doe it with a good intention or with an euill intention to to doe me disgrace suffering them with Patience to circumcize and cut of from me some of my Delicacye my Honour and Commoditye although it be with the shedding of my blood for as S. Heb. 12.1 Paul saide It maketh not much who fighteth against sinne when he commeth not to resist it vnto blood as our Sauiour Christ did Vnto whome I am to say Exo. 4.25 Sponsus sanguinis tu mihi es My beloued thou art to me a Spouse of blood for for thy sake I will suffer with a good will any Circumcision or mortification that may happen though it be to the shedding of my blood for thee To this ende it will helpe me to consider that our Sauiour Christ shed his precious blood in three places and by the handes of three sortes of persons First in Circumcision by the minister of God that did it to a holy ende Secondly in the Garden by himselfe with the consideration of the Afflictions of his Passion which made him to sweate blood Thirdly in the house of Pilate and on mount Caluary by the hande of the Tormentors and ministers of Sathan And all this that I may perswade myselfe that I am likewise to be prepared to shed my blood and to suffer in these three sortes First subjecting myselfe to what the ministers of God shall ordaine although it be to the cutting of and circumcizing what I most loue Secondly I being the Tormentor of myselfe mouing myselfe with such Consideration to workes of Penance and mortification chastizing my fleshe and depriuing myselfe of whatsoeuer hindereth me in the Seruice of God though it greiueth me neuer so much Thirdly suffering those Dolours and Afflictions which happen vnto me by the handes of my enemies though they doe it with a damnable intent O good IESVS Colloquiâ— by that blood which thou shedst vpon these three occasions I beseeche thee encourage my hearte that if neede be it may offer itselfe to shed it blood vpon the like occasions And seeing it hath so much to circumcize which selfe Loue detaineth it from doing circumcize it o Lord by thy owne hande and lay a plot that others may circumcize it that there may remaine in it no superfluous thing that may be displeasing to thy diuine maiestie Of this shedding of blood which happened in the Circumcision there may be made another very deuoute meditation in that forme that shall be set downe in the fourth parte concerning the blood that our Sauiour Christ shed in his passion The XXI Meditation Luc. 2.21 D. Th. 3. p. q. 37. ar 2 Of Imposing vpon our Sauiour the name of IESVS The first Pointe FIrst I am to consider who Imposeth this name vpon the Childe and for what cause and how he accepteth it Pondering how the principall giuer of this name was not the VIRgin nor S. Ioseph nor the Angell but the eternall Father for the excellencye of this Childe is so greate that no Creature neither of Earthe nor of Heauen was able of himselfe to giue him a name befitting him but only his eternall Father who knewe him and knewe the ende wherefore he was Incarnate and what office he was to execute as he was man And for this cause among many names that he might haue giuen him he would haue him called IESVS which is to say a Sauiour For his comming into the Worlde was principally to saue vs and this was his Office And albeit others had this name yet they were but figures and shadowes of this Soueraigne Childe who with full mouthe and thorough his excellencye deserueth to be called IESVS Sauiour and Deliuerer not only of bodyes but also of Soules which he doeth with three admirable excellencyes First for that he deliuereth vs from all kinde of euills of Ignorances and Errours of Sinnes and of Punishments aswell temporall as eternall So that there is no euill so greate from the which this Sauiour is not able to deliuer vs. Secondly for that he not only deliuereth vs from euill but also graunteth vs most excellent good that our Healthe and Saluation might be most abundant and perfect and therefore hee communicateth vnto vs celestiall grace and Wisdome the Vertues and Giftes of the holy Ghoste with abundance of merits to gaine the crowne of glorye vntill we enter euen into the lande of promise not as IESVS the Sonne of Nun Deut. 31.7.20 into the lande that floweth with the milke and honye of temporall Delicacies which recreate the bodye but into the Lande that floweth the milke and honye of eternall Delicacyes which recreate and fill the Soule without ende The third excellencye is in the manner of sauing vs by reason of which this name of IESVS could not agtee with him that was only God nor only man nor to any of all the Angells that are created but only to Christe whose properly it is by reason of his being true God and true man for being man alone he could not saue vs being God alone he might haue saued vs meerely by his mercye but as God and man he saueth vs also with the rigour of Iustice gaining by the Speares pointe and by his owne merits the Saluation signified by his name Isa 63.1 And therefore this our Lord being asked who he was aunswered Ego qui loquor Iustitiam qui propugnator sum adisaluandum I that speake Iustice and am a defendor to saue O most sweete IESVS Colloquie happy may be vnto thee this name so glorious which is giuen thee this daye I reioice that it is not an emptye name nor a name of Shadowe as others haue had it but a name full of truthe and of all perfection Reioice o my Soule with the excellencies of this so soueraigne a Sauiour and say with the Prophet I will ioye in our Lord Abac. 3.18 and will reioice in God my IESVS and my Sauiour for he is my fortitude he will giue me feete like a Stagge to runne away from Sinne and as a Conquerour he will exalt me aboue the Heauens with his Saintas with whome I may praise him with Hymnes and with Psalmes worlde without ende Amen I may likewise ponder how our
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
Prophets that might knowe him and manifest him as he made Zacharias and Elizabeth Prophets to manifest him before he was borne to this ende he layed his hande vpon Simeon preparing him for his office with those admirable Vertues recounted by the Euangelist saying first that he was a iust man and religious fearing God and puntuall in the obseruation of the whole lawe without admitting any breache thereof for no man is saide to feare but he that auoydeth the leaste sinnes of all according to that saying of the wiseman He that feareth God Eccl. 7.19 Nihil negligit despiseth nothing by making small accoumpt thereof Secondly that he had greate hope and therewith feruent desires of the comming of Christ for the saluation of his people And thirdly he joyned thereunto feruent and continuall praiers earnestly requiring this comming and that hee might be worthy to enjoy it In this manner he spent his life and with these Vertues he made himselfe worthy to be the habitation of the holy spirit From whence I will collect that greate puritye and Sanctitye of life giue a man greate confidence to aske and desire greate things at Gods handes Exod. 33.18 Cant. 1.6 like Moyses when he saide vnto God Shewe me thy glorye and discouer thy face vnto mee And like the Spouse in the Canticles Tell me o thou whome my Soule loueth where thou feedest thy flocke and where thou reposest at noone daye And like this holy olde man who desired to beholde the Messias with his eyes obtained it for as S. Bernard saieth Serm. 32. in Cant. Greate faithe meriteth greate things and the farther thou stretchest thy foote of Confidence into the benefits of our Lorde the greater thou shalt obtaine of his liberall hande Secondly I will ponder how the holy Spirit who doeth the will of those that feare him and heareth the desires of the poore that loue him would consolate and rewarde this holy olde man aunswering to his petitions with an excellent promise that he should see Christ before his Deathe that we might vnderstand what a happinesse it is to knowe how to treate with the holy Ghoste and to haue him within vs withfullnesse of grace For he himselfe as S. Paul saieth requesteth in vs and for vs Rom. 8. with gronings vnspeakeable giuing vs assurances that the praier which proceedeth from him shall be heard and dispatched in conuenient time albeit the accomplishment thereof be somewhat delayed as it happened to holy Simeon Daniel 10.2 for God will haue vs to be vnwearied with hoping in this manner to dispose ourselues to receiue what we hope for Thirdly I will ponder how that which is promised to all the Iust after their deathe is sometimes graunted in parte to such as are very deuoute before their Deathe that is to beholde Christ in this life with the eye of Contemplation Matt. 5.8 Exod. 33.20 D. Aug. in Soliloq c. 1 fullfilling heerein vnto them that promise which saieth Blessed are the cleane of Hearte for they shall see God O eternall God which saidest No man can see me and liue Moriar vt te videam videam vt hic moriar May I die to beholde thee and may I beholde thee that I may die may I beholde thee in this life by contemplation that I may die to myselfe with perfect mortification and may I die this happy deathe that I may afterwardes beholde thee in thy soueraigne Glorye Amen The Second Pointe THe same day that the blessed VIRGIN carried her Sonne to the Temple Luc. 2.27 holy Simeon inspired and moued by the holy Ghoste went likewise thither and seeing them enter he knewe by the light of Heauen that that Childe was Christ and taking him in his armes he blessed God and saide Now thou doest dismisse thy Seruant o Lord according to thy worde in peace because mine eyes haue seene thy Saluation c. Heere I will consider first the Fidellitye and Liberallitye of the Spirit in fullfilling his worde and consolating this iust man giuing him more then he promised him He promised him that he should see Christ and he giueth him leaue to take him in his armes to embrace and kisse him and very louingly to vnite him to himselfe for as the Apostle sayed Eph. 3.20 God is powerfull to doe all things more abundantly then we desire or vnderstande wherewith I am to animate myselfe earnestly to serue this our Lord who is large in promising but much more liberall in accomplishing what hee promiseth if there be faithe in him that receiueth it But applying this to what now passeth I will consider that as when as the blessed VIRGIN entred into the Temple albeit there where there present many persons of all estates and Conditions as learned men Preistes noble men and Plebeyans only to Simeon God opened his eyes with his celestiall light that he might knowe him in rewarde of his good life and of the Spirit wherewith he came to the Temple the rest making no difference betweene that Childe and others because exteriourly he differed not from them so likewise now among many that come vnto the Church there are but fewe that knowe with celestiall light the presence of IESVS in the blessed Sacrament and adore him with Deuotion meriting to receiue him in their heartes and with ioye to be partakers of his giftes For albeit our Sauiour Christ desireth to giue himselfe to be knowen of all men yet fewe dispose themselues like Simeon that he may accomplish his desire in them O my Soule come in Spirit to the Temple where IESVS is that thou mayest enioy his happy sight Colloquie and mayest embrace him with the armes of his sweete Loue. Secondly I will ponder the greate alacritye of this holy man and the abundance of ioye that he receiued with the beholding touching of that holy babe and the greate fullnesse that his Soule receiued acknowledging himselfe well rewarded for all the Afflictions passed in the long life that he had liued And as it seemed vnto him that he had no more to desier nor no more to see in this life hauing seene the Sauiour he conuerted all that was in him to glorifye God and to praise him for this fauour protesting that now he should dye in peace whensoeuer it was Gods pleasure O my Soule Colloquie seeke the eminent knowledge of IESVS with the which thou shalt esteeme all that is created as dung Phil. 3 8. that thou mayest gaine Christ in whome thou shal s haue whatsoeuer thou canst desier If thou beholdest him with a liuely faithe what more wilt thou beholde If thou embracest him with strict Charitye what more wouldest thou possesse And if he be thine what can be wanting vnto thee Graunt me o good IESVS by the merits of this Sainct some raye of that light which thou gauest him on this daye that I may knowe thee and loue thee as he knewe and loued thee for ouer and euer Amen
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
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
come thoroughout all Ages should call her blessed Wherein the VIRGIN taketh not for the motiue of her Ioy her owne praises but the greatenesses that God had giuen her vpon which they were founded and the good that should arize thereof to all those that should serue her and praise her O Soueraigne VIRGIN Colloquie I for my parte am willing to fullfill this prophecye of thine and to be one of those that call thee blessed Luc. 11.28 Thou art blessed as thy Cosin saide because thou beleiuedst and thou art blessed for bearing our Sauiour in thy Wombe but much more blessed for hearing his VVorde and keeping it Thou art blessed likewise with those eight Beatitudes preached by thy Sonne our Sauiour vpon the Mount Thou art poore in spirit Matt. 5.3 and thine is the kingdome of Heauen Thou art meeke and possesseth the Lande of the Liuing Thou mournedst for the Sinnes of the VVorlde therefore art comforted Thou didst hunger and thirst after Iustice therefore now thou art filled Thou art mercifull and obtainedst mercye Thou art a peace-maker and therefore for thy excellencye thou art the Daughter of God Thou art cleane of Heart and now thou art clearely beholding God Thou sufferedst persecution for Iustice and now the kingdome of Heauen is thine and thou art the supreme Queene of all the Inhabitantes thereof O soueraigne Queene I reioice that thou art blessed for so many respectes O that all the nations of the VVorlde were conuerted to thy Sonne and might all with greate Faithe call thee blessed that by thy mediation they might all come to be blessed imitating heere on Earth thy life and enioying afterwardes thy Glory in Heauen From hence I will likewise collect what a greate motiue it is to rejoice in God to haue an assured Hope to be blessed For the which our Sauiour Christ saide to his Disciples Luc. 10.20 Reioice not in this that the Spirits to wit the Diuells are subiect vnto you but reioice in this that your names are written in Heauen Rom. 12.12 And S. Paule saithe that wee should rejoice in Hope to obtaine the blessednesse that is promised vs. Because he that is mighty hath done greate things to me and holy is his name This is the third respect the blessed VIRGIN alledgeth to glorifye God for at this instant shee reuolued in her memory the wonderfull things that God had wrought in her and the greate benefits he had donne her from the instant of her Conception vntill then especially that greate miracle of beeing a VIRGIN and a MOTHER and that not any mother whatsoeuer but the mother of God himselfe admiring at all which greatenesses she praised God for them attributing them to his Omnipotencye and to the Holinesse of his name for with his Omnipotencye hee wrought them and with his Holinesse he would enact them that thoroughout all Ages his name might be sanctifyed and glorifyed And in saying that God did greate things to her she giueth likewise to vnderstand that hee magnified her in those things that magnifye men before God which is Sanctitye and Caelestiall giftes for the Sonne beeing greate the mother was likewise to be magnifyed Whereby it appeareth that it is not contrary to Humillitye to acknowledge in ourselues the giftes of God rather as S. 1 Cor. 2.10 Paul sayeth the diuine Spirit itselfe discouereth them vnto vs that wee may bee thankefull for them attributing them not to our owne merits but to the power and Sanctitye of God making a connexion of these two Attributes as did the foure holy Beastes which gaue Glory to God saying Holy Apoc. 4.8 Holy Holy Lord God omnipotent which was which is and which shall come And his mercye from Generation to Generations to them that feare him This is the fourth respect why the blessed VIRGIN magnifieth God not only for the benefits receiued but for many other which she hopeth to receiue and not only for her owne benefits but also for those which all the nations of the worlde doe receiue rejoicing that the Mercye of God is Continuall Infinite and Sempiternall and extendeth itselfe to all those that serue and feare him of what nation soeuer they bee For it is the propertye of holy men when they acknowledge the fauours that God hath donne them to expect of his mercye that hee will doe them many others as S. Paul saide 2 Cor. 1.10 God hath deliuered and doth deliuer vs out of so great dangers in whome we hope that hee will yet also deliuer vs. It is likewise the propertye of holy Persons to thinke that the Sun of Iustice rizeth not vpon their houses only but to conceiue highly of his mercye and that he extendeth himselfe to many others and thoroughout all Ages for the which they are thankefull vnto God taking the generall benefit of all as their owne in particular and rejoicing to haue a God so mercifull that hee denyeth his mercye to none that feare him as Dauid confesseth in the 102 Psalme Psal 102. wheerein hee doth nothing els but glorifye God for these two respectes of mercye towardes himselfe and towardes the rest of the Iust He hath shewed might in his Arme. The fifth respect to glorifye God is the Workes of his Omnipotencye which hee hath donne by his owne Vertue and Fortitude without the aide of any other the which the VIRGIN recorded in her memorye calling to her remembrance the Creation of the Worlde the Conseruation and Gouernment thereof with so greate and so admirable Prouidence the prodigious things that he did deliuering his People out of Egipt and carrying them thorough the desert vnto the Lande of promise with all the other things that the Scripture reporteth and principally shee called to minde this worke of the Incarnation wheerein God shewed his power and the might of his Arme. For all these regardes she magnified God declaring in one worde that which Dauid did at large Psal 135. recounting all these potent workes of God very particularly Besides this in this Verse NOTâ— and in the following the VIRGIN not only recounteth what God hath donne but what he vseth and accustometh to doe conformable to his Goodnesse and therefore shee glorifieth him for that with his Arme hee vseth to worke powerfully and to doe powerfull Actions when and how he will and with whome he will and as he did them in times past he doth them at this present and will doe them in time to come All which may be a greate motiue to make me to rejoice in God trusting that in me also he will doe powerfull things with the might of his Arme. He hath dispersed the prowde in the conceite of their Hearte The sixth respect to glorifye God is not only the Omnipotencye that he sheweth in the workes of his Mercye but also what he hath shewed in the Workes of his Iustice chastising the prowde defeating their inuentions and the imaginations of their heart This the VIRGIN reuolued in
her memorye recording how our Lord God had defeated the plottings of prowde Lucifer who had saide Isa 14.13 I will ascend vp in to Heauen I will exalt my throne aboue the Starres of God will be like vnto the most High As also the plots of those prowde ones that would haue builded the towre of Babel Gen. 11.5 Exod. 10. 11. Dan. 4.28 and the punishments that he inflicted vpon Pharao vpon Nabuchodonosor and other such prowde ones And for all these regardes she likewise magnified God seeing for them he is worthy to be praised as did our Sauiour Christ when he saide Matt. 11.25 I confesse to thee o Father Lord of Heauen and Earthe because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent hast reuealed them to litle ones He hath deposed the mighty from their seate and hath exalted the humble The hungrye he hath filled with good things and the riche he hath sent away emptye These two Verses containe two other respectes of praising God for the coniunction he maketh of his Mercye with his Iustice demonstrating his power in deposing the mighty of this Worlde from their Thrones and Seates depriuing them of the Kingdomes Dignities and Greatenesses which they helde and in their place exalting and inthronizing the lowely and humble As he threwe from the celestiall Throne the prowde Angells and in their place exalted humble men from the Throne of this Worlde he cast the prowde Prince Sathan who had tirannized ouer it and in his place exalted Christ the master of Humillitye Dan. 2.34 who beeing litle as a Stone descended from Heauen without handes or worke of men ouerthrewe the Statue which signified the Foure monarchies of the Worlde and by his Humillity increased till he came to be a greate mountaine And this custome he hath alwayes obserued Iob 5.11 40.6 seq as it is saide in the booke of Iob fullfilling that which is written That he that exalteth himselfe shall bee humbled and he that humbleth himselfe shall bee exalted And in like manner the poore and hungrye that are in necessitye which hunger and thirst after righteousnesse he replenisheth with spirituall benefits fullfilling their desiers and contrarily the riche that thinke they haue abundance and that they haue no necessity of others he sendeth awny emptye according to that of the Prophet Dauid The riche were hungrye and in want Psa 33.11 but those which seeke God shall haue abundance of all good things O my Soule magnifye thy Lord for this most noble condition that hee sheweth Colloquie in fauoring so much the humble and hungrye of the Earthe O my Spirit reioice in God thy Sauiour Psal 102.4.5 for that he crowneth thee with mercyes and filleth thy desier with innumerable benefits Prize thyselfe for beeing lowely hungry and full of neede that God may exalt thee fill thee and replenish thy Desiers but tremble to be prowde riche and disdainefull least hee cast thee out of thy seate and leaue thee emptye of his Grace He hath receiued Israel his Childe beeing mindefull of his Mercye as he spake to our fathers to Abraham and his seede for euer These two Verses containe other two most powerfull respectes to moue vs to rejoice in God and to praise his most holy name One is the Care and Prouidence that hee hath to prouide for those whome he hath taken to his charge as for his Children and Domesticalls comming personally to redeeme them And allbeeit it seemeth that for a time he forgetteth them yet when he seeth time he is mindefull of his mercye and remedyeth them as he was mindefull of Israel and of the whole worlde comming to remedye it when he made himselfe man The other respect is the greate fidelitye that God hath in accomplishing the promises hee had made to our fathers fullfilling them faithefully to all their seede for euer vnto the ende of the worlde As he fullfilled his Worde to Abraham and to Dauid which he gaue them that hee would come to remedye them and to giue to their Children life and Saluation worlde without ende These two considerations inflamed the Soule of the VIRGIN to magnifye God and her Spirit to rejoice in God her Sauiour and with these my Soule and my Spirit are to bee inkindeled with the like affections seeing euery day I beholde this Prouidence that God hath of his Children and with what faithfullnesse he accomplisheth complisheth what he promised to the Apostles our Fathers not forgetting the faithfull which are their seede vnto the ende of the worlde And these are the ten causes and respectes alledged in this Canticle by the blessed VIRGIN to glorifye God inspired thereunto by the eternall Worde Incarnate whome shee bare in her Wombe of the which I may make another Psalter and Harpe of ten strings to the same ende praising and glorifying God sometimes for one respect and sometimes for another which because I cannot doe as I ought I am humbly to beseeche the Incarnate Worde to teache mee as he taught his blessed mother and her to obtaine it me for the glorye of her Sonne Amen The fourth Pointe FInally I am to consider how the sacred VIRGIN remained with her Cosin about three moneths Pondering the greate good shee might doe to all that dwelled there with her Discourses and with her examples of Modestye Humillitye and Charitye for if she did so much at her first entrance it is to be beleiued that in those three moneths she would augment what she then did especially towardes S. Elizabeth discoursing of these mysteries and both of them exhorting one another to Praier and Conuersation with God and to diuerse Exercises of Vertue For if because the Arke of the Testament was three moneths in the house of Obed-enlom God filled him 2 Reg. 6.11 and all his with so greate benefits that Dauid with an holy Enuye desired to drawe the Arke to his owne house that God might cast vpon it his benedictions how much more are we to beleeue that this diuine Arke of the newe Testament within the which was Christ himselfe hauing remained about three moneths in this house would fill it with a thousand benedictions And if I with a liuely Faithe could vnderstand them I would presently be desirous to drawe it to my house and that the Deuotion to this Soueraigne LADYE should dwell in my Soule not only three moneths but all my whole life that she might replenish mee with all spirituall Benedictions But it is not without a mysterye that our Lord by meanes of the blessed VIRGIN hauing donne so greate mercyes to S. Iohn and to his mother yet would not heale his Father Zacharias nor dispense with the Sentence pronounced by the Angell that hee should be dumbe vntill the birth of the Childe for God is just and this was conuenient to obserue the order of his Iustice also he reserued this his mercye for another time more conuenient From whence I