Of our Blessed Ladyes high, and holy Pedigree.
CHAP. I.

THOSE texts of the new Testamēt, wher­in the Mother of God is mentioned, are not vnfitly, by a graue Authour, compared to deep grounds in musicke, so cū ­ningly layd, as no discant of hu­mane prayses, can neerly expresse them.

Her lineal discent from Dauid registred by two of the Euange­lists, and her being Cosin to S. Elizabeth (as the Angell called her) do sufficiently assure vs, that her high and holy Pedigree was of Patriarchicall, Propheticall, Priestly, and Princely Progeni­tours iointly composed.

These foure sortes of Persons therein contayned, were as foure rootes, out of which, this flou­rishing branche of Iesse his tree, happily issued.

They were like to the foure Riuers flowing in Paradise, from whose cleare streames, meeting togeather, this inundation, and full of sea of heauenly graces (as we may rightly call this sacred Virgin) was deriued.

They were as foure Wheeles, on which this royall Chariot of Maiesty, and Loue, was brought [Page 3]vnto vs, prepared for the King of Heauens triumphant entrāce in­to this world, to conquer Sinne, Death, and Hell for vs.

She was (as S. John Damascene from an Apostolical tradition as­sureth vs) conceaued of barren and aged Parents, that Grace might preuayle aboue Nature, & Lust haue no place in her holy Conception. S. Ioachim and S. Anne (sayth this holy Father) were great Almes-giuers, and ve­ry deuout persons, both to de­serue at Gods hands, the blessing of such a child; and that sanctity likewise (as S. Ambrose writeth of S. John Baptist) might descend, as it were, hereditarily on her, in whome the Authour of sanctity was to be contayned.

An Angell is sayd to haue for­tould her birth, by whome, the ruines caused in heauen by the fal [Page 4]of Angells were to be repayred.

Her Patents, hauing in pious vses, giuen away, the greatest part of their worldly substance, & liuing as they did in a remote Prouince of Palestine, and that poore Village of Nazareth, pre­pared, as it were, the way to our heauenly Redeemers poore Na­tiuity, and humble life, lead af­terward among vs.

Of our B. Ladyes immaculate Con­ception. [Chap. 2.

AS Almighty God had elected this sacred Virgin, to the hi­ghest office, and greatest vnion with himselfe, which a pure crea­ture could be assumed vnto: so did he no doubt, singularly pre­pare her therunto, by conferring on her proportionable graces.

For as from our Sauiours high [Page 5]title, of being called the Son of God, S. Paul collecteth his infi­mite excellency aboue the Angels, only called Gods Ministers, and seruants: so may we in like man­ner from this B. Virgins souerai­gne title of being the mother of God, well gather her graces to haue been farre greater, then her diuine Father, Sonne, & Spouse had at any time before bestowed vpon the greatest of their ser­uants.

And, as she concurred in an es­peciall manner, to redeeme the world by communicating flesh, and bloud, to the heauenly Re­deemer thereof, the high prices of our redemption: So did she (no doubt) singularly partake the fruites therof, & holiest man­ner of being by him redeemed. That whereas other soules, in their first creation & vnion with [Page 6]bodies, contracte the hatefull foulenes of originall sinne; she by her sonnes sweet blessing, was frō that fowle infection graciously preserued: so as Nature, & Grace began togeather in her, and hap­pily conspired to make her cō ­plete, in naturall, and supernatu­rall perfection.

As a bright starre of the sea, according to the mysterious sig­nification of her name; a heauen­ly splend our in her first rising did wonderfully adorne her.

[...], out of which the flowing spring of all graces was to rise; no filth of sinne did euer defile her.

As a liuely, and most louely tabernacle of the highest, she was no sooner raysed, but the seauen-headded lampe of the Holy Ghost did flame in her: and as a mysterious Arke placed [Page 7]in the beautifull Temple of her body, her innocent soule, was with Cherubims wings, acts to wit of heauenly knowledge & loue, graced and protected.

Syria's King had no power to cast any of his deadly dartes, in­to this euer holy, and diuinely guarded Hierusalem.

This louely spouse of heauen­ly Assuerus, was from the rigou­rous penalty of his lawes, made not for her, but for ordinary subiects, graciously exempted.

The naturall, and immediate vnion which this sacred Virgin was to haue afterwards with her diuine sonne, preuay led far more with graces to enrich her, then her remote deriuation from Adam, sinfully to infect her.

Eues oldnes, had no place in this new womans cōception, or­dayned to be the gracious hel­per [Page 8]of the sonne of God, in our heauenly regeneration, and in graces therfore to be likened vn­to him.

And surely, that particular en­mity, which Almighty God pro­mised to place betweene her and Satan, in the hearing of our first parents, importeth her, to haue byn dearely vnited to the gra­cious Author of that promise, & neuer by any kinde of sinne en­thralled to him, ouer whome by her Sonne, she so gloriously triū ­phed: Pious eares, and harts ab­horring to heare spokē, that this sacred mother of their heauenly Redeemer inherited sinne (as o­ther children do) for her birth­right in this world, and became therby her enemies slaue, a child of wrath, hatefull to her diuine spouse, and guilty for a tyme of eternall damnation. No certainly [Page 9]it could not be, but that he, who by aboundant graces preserued her (as all Catholiques belieue) from venially offending him, by a like, and indeed far lesse priui­ledge of his loue, freed her also, from all mortall, and sinfull con­tagion.

Of our B. Ladyes Natiuity. [Chap. 3.

THis dawning of our Eternall Day, (as the Church calleth the sacred Virgin) being cleared in her first rising, and brightly mātled with that sunnes beames, which to illuminate the whole world, rose afterwards in her, S. Annes wombe, became as a quiet Oratory, for her to pray in, and render humble thankes to her diuine Lord, for his gracious fa­uours newly then conferred on [Page 10]her, with such an infused kind of knowledge, as S. Iohn Baptist had, when in his mothers wōbe, at his Redeemers presence, he ioyfully exulted.

Her first graces actuall and ha­bituall, were such (no doubt) as well became so diuine and libe­rall a Sonne, to bestow, for her first welcome into the world, v­pon so deseruing a Mother, as he foresaw, she would be vnto him.

The Eternall Father likewise, began euen then, as his humble handmaid, graciously to respect her: and the subsisting spirit of Loue and Bounty as his designed spouse, by wonderfull graces, to indeare her vnto him.

Angells, as their Lords future Mother, highly honoured this gracious Infant, and Gabriell a chiefe Prince amongst them, was then appointed, and most gladly [Page 11]accepted to be a Guardian vnto her, by whose happy birth, and holy life, all mankind was to be graced and blessed.

Her Infancy, was (as we may well call it) a holy Exercise of Charity towards God, brought into the earth with her, dutifull Loue to her Blessed parents, and glad Patience in sustayning all infirmities common to children; resembling then in her innocent, and holy demeanures, the like carriages of her diuine Sonne, in his childhood afterwards: so as she had no way ward fancyes, or childish passions, ordinarily pro­ceeding from the vse of reason, and actuall graces, wanting in o­ther children: but Innocency gra­ced her, from her first entrance amongst men, Purity consecrated her to her diuine spouse, Sanctity enriched her, Humility prepared [Page 12]her to receaue from him frequent and wonderfull fauours, Mode­sty did set out her rare bewtyes, & made them more gracefull to such as beheld her.

Of our B. Ladies Presentation, and life in the Temple. [Chap. 4.

THE mother of God, was in her tender yeares, to her own great comfort, and the merit of her holy Parents, planted (say th [...] S. Iohn Damascene) as a fruitfull Oliue in the house of God, to become fatned there, & to flou­rish with all graces.

As another Hester, she was trā ­slated, into heauenly Assucrus Pallace, to be adorned there, sweetned, and made ready for his future imbracements; where not Egeus the Eunuch, but Gabriel [Page 13]a chiefe Angell with his glorious cōpanions, tenderly regarded her by the appointmēt of their Lord, and familarized themselues with her.

Her life there (as S. Ambrose describeth it) was such, as she became therein, a mirrour to o­thers of vertuous perfection. To her superiours (sayth he) she was humbly obedient, courteous to her inferiours, and mildly sweet to her equals; not eating oftner, or more at any tyme, then natu­rall necessity inforced her vnto; praying much, sleeping litle, and neuer so, but that her hart was waking in a manner the while; often interrupting, with holy thoughts, the repose of her sen­ses.

Her bodily beauty, was like a flower, sweetned with internall graces, and blowne forth to the [Page 14]fulnes of corporall perfection, neuer faded much in earth, and in heauen now gloriously repay­red.

Her holy Parents hauing en­ioyed themselues, and yielded to the world, the blessing of such a child, happily departed this life (as great Authours haue conie­ctured) during her aboad in the Temple, because there is not in the Euangelicall History any mention at all of them; as cer­taynly there would haue byn, had they byn liuing at, and after our Sauiours Incarnation.

Of our B. Ladyes Espousalls to S. Ioseph. [Chap. 5.

THis sacred pure Virgin liuing amongst a carnall people, farre more respecting the blessing of [Page 15]children by marriage, then vir­ginall integrity, and perfection, was about the 15. yeare of her age by the will of them, who were Rulers of the Temple, espoused to a man of her owne Tribe, fit­ly chosen, first by God, and afterwards by them, as a husbād for her; ripe in yeares, chast in the profession of his life, & farre excelling (sayth S. Bernard) as well in the future dignity of his office, as in heauenly sanctity, that holy Patriarch, and best beloued sonne of Iacob, whose Name also he mysteriously en­ioyed; a true heyre of Dauids ver­tues, whose Sonne the Angell called him, and a man according to Gods owne hart, much more then he; worthy as a mortal man could be, to deuide the name of a Father with God himselfe, & to haue, as a good and faythfull [Page 16]Steward such heauenly treasures, as were the Incarnate Word, and his gracious Mother, recommen­ded vnto him.

Her being so espoused, was (sayth S. Hierome) for the legiti­mation of our Sauiours birth to the Iewes, and help of his educa­tion needfully required: and that also his being borne of a spotles Virgin, might be concealed from the diuell. Which reason allead­ged by great Jgnatius, who liued to know her and our Redeemer himselfe, seemeth to inferre, that neyther in the miraculous Con­ception of her child, or at any tyme after, infernall spirits dared to approach her, Angelically gar­ded, and like an Army ranged for a battayle, terrible vnto them.

Holy Ioseph was before mar­riage (as may be most probably ghessed) made acquainted with [Page 17]her virginall vow, & being him­selfe a Virgin purely and piously disposed, most willingly yielded thereunto, and resolued gladly to accompany her in the obser­uance thereof.

They liued to geather at her poore house in Nazareth S. Ioa­chims Sheepcote (as S. John Da­mascene calleth it) first graced with the B. Virgins happy birth, and afterwards more highly di­gnifyed, by the diuine Words Incarnation, and life lead there from his returne out of Egypt, till after his Baptisme: so that, as a sacred monument of Christia­nity, and a sure testimony of of our Sauiours pouerty, it was first by the Apostles themselues, conuerted into a Chappell, and since, not only preserued in the miserable ruines of Palestine, but from place to place, likewise [Page 18]for the greater veneration there­of, by Angels translated. Deuour people come from seueral Coun­tryes thronging vnto it; Princes haue with their votarie guifts & Donaries enriched it; miracles haue wonderfully graced it; and where now it remayneth, it is as a most precious Iewell, cabbined in a curious Couering of white marble, and hath besids a fayre Church built ouer it, wherin it standeth as a most holy Sanctum Sanctorū, breathing sanctity into the pious visitours thereof, and delighting (I doubt not) heauen­ly Creatures to behod it.

Of our B. Ladyes salutation by the Angell. [Chap. 6.

THe sacred Virgin, and her holy Spouse, had not liued lōg to­geather, but the fulnes of tyme [Page 19]was come, (as S. Paul calleth the happy instant of our Sauiours In­carnation) when the diuine per­sons, sent a chiefe Prince of their Court, as a Paranymph, to salute this pure Mayden from them­selues, and obtayne her consent, to be diuinely fecundated by the holy Ghost, and haue the Eter­nall Word Incarnate within her.

Who, knowing the wonderful Excellency of her to whome he was sent, saluted her with the hi­ghest Titles, which could be gi­uen to an vnglorified Creature, saying, Hayle full of grace &c. and he had further perchance dilated himselfe in her prayses, had she not by her humble feare, sweetly interrupted him.

Calling her Mary, familiarly afterwards (which at first for re­uerence he did not) he made her to know him, with whome, she [Page 20]had often, and familiarly conuer­sed before (as great Authours haue supposed, and is gathered from the Euangelists words) af­firming her to haue byn troubled not as his sight, but at his speach, and high Titles, therein giuen vnto her.

Feare not (said he) thou hast found grace with God; such a Grace indeed, as Hester found in Assuerus eyes, and hart togea­ther, when as a louely spouse, and Queene he meant to exalt her: Telling her further, that she shold conceaue in her wombe, and bring forth a Sonne promised by God (as the rest of his wordes do import:) foretould by his Prophets, Jsay especially, whose very wordes he vsed vnto her; diuine in himselfe, glorious like­wise, & eternall in his kingdome.

How (sayd she) shall this be [Page 21]done, because I know not man? Which question had byn idly made (as sundry ancient & great Fathers haue obserued) had she not byn debarred, by her virgi­nall vow, from knowing her hus­band.

When the Angell had cleared her difficulty, & told her, the di­uine & pure māner of her sonnes conception; with great humility and deuotion, she threw herselfe, as it were, into the opened armes of her omnipotēt gracious Spouse to be purely imbraced, and fecun­dated, with admiration and loue yielding herself vnto him: Behold (said shee) the handmaide of our Lord, be it vnto me, as you haue said.

O Happy Turtles voyce (sayth S. Bernard) sweetly vttered heere in earth, yet working wonders in heauen, by causing forthwith Gods eternall sonne, to descend [Page 22]from his Fathers bosome, into her sacred wombe, and therin to as­sume humane Nature personally vpon him.

Of the Eternall Word in her Blessed wombe. [Chap. 7.

IN this miraculous Conception of God, and Man, our heauenly Redeemer, not the Essence, but the manner only of humane ge­neration was many wayes altered, and of the Virgins pure bloud a humane body was sodainly, and perfectly framed, but not vnited with a gracious, and glorified soule, then created also, before they were by the diuine Word personally assumed, that she ma­ternally concurring in her sacred wombe to vnite them, might be the true mother of him that was perfect God, and perfect man, in [Page 23]one Person vnited.

This Celestiall Babe, behoul­ding himself at that happy instāt, by created graces, and a diuine greatnes, aboue all creatures infi­nitely exalted, adored likewise by all the Quires of Angells, and or­day ned to redeeme mortalls, a­mongst all the designed children of glory, then presented before him; he first, and most especially beheld his holy Mother, in na­ture neerest, in dignity chiefest, & in loue dearest vnto him, actu­ally then prepared in an humble ardour of heauenly loue to re­ceaue, what graces he would giue her, whose guifts no doubt, equal­led his measurelesse loue towards her, and aboundantly requited the harty welcome she gaue him.

And that her loue towards him naturally, as to her sonne, and su­pernaturally as to her God, might [Page 24]then and afterwards become hap­ply increased; he is conceaued by great Authors, to haue at that in­stant infused into her soule, a clearer sight of his personall Ma­iesty and greatnes, then Moyses, or any other Saint before her, en­ioyed, lying in her wombe as a louely Bride in his marriage bed sweetly reposed; as a tree of life newly planted in this heauēly Pa­radise; as a fragrant fayre flowre out of her flourishing braunches graciously budded; as a pretious Margarite in a cleere mother­pearle safely inclosed; finally as an amourous louer sweetly lulled in the Virgin-lappe of her, his chie­fly beloued, corporally growing in her nature, and liberally com­municating his spirituall guifts, and graces vnto her.

Of our B. Ladyes visit of S. Eliza­beth. [Chap. 8.

THis mayden-gracious-Mo­ther was no sooner wakened out of her sweet traunce of loue, & diuine fecūdity, but Humility prepared, and feruent Charity incited her to vndertake a payn­full iourney of 3. dayes trauell, ouer the craggy mountaynes of Iewry, to visit her aged Cosen S. Elizabeth in Hebron, and to sanctify S. John her sonnes Precursor, by the breath of her salutation; of which not the words, but effects are by the Euangelist declared, to haue byn heauenly light, and aboundant graces, diuinely infu­sed into the child first, and mo­ther afterwards; which he with exultation, and she with out­cryes of ioy and loue, propheti­cally [Page 26]vttered, conioyning in her blessings this sacred mother, and her diuine son; as in nature then and loue she beheld them graci­ously vnited: Blessed (sayd she) art thou amongst women, & blessed is the fruite of thy wombe.

Blessed indeed in herselfe, as hauing the height of all created blessings bestowed vpon her; and blessed in her sonne, the flowing fountayne of them. He, as the fruit of life growing in her wōbe was blessed, and she was blessed as the tree that bore him: & surely such a heauēly fruit, as the Incar­nat Sonne of God was, could not but haue a tree of rare goodnes to produce him, since the good­nes of trees are by their fruites to be chiefly discerned. This di­uine graine of corne falling from heauen into the earth according to his owne words in the Ghos­pell [Page 27]had no doubt, a fat, and fer­tile soyle to fall into; this preti­ous margarit of Heauen, had a cleere mother-pearle to breed it; this bright sonne of Iustice final­ly had a fayre dawning to rise in by his most resplendent beames, before other Saints mantled and adorned. Whence is it (sayd this Saint, admiring the B. Virgins Humility, and gratefull for her charity in comming to a person so much in dignity and graces in­feriour vnto her) that the mother of my Lord, is come vnto me?

S. Elizabeth was a great Saint, canonized and commēded high­ly with her husbād by God him­selfe; yet being humble & actu­ally illuminated to know the di­gnity and wonderfull graces of her Cosin, she saw her owne spar­cles by the others huge flames incomparably exceeded; her smal [Page 28]light by the others sūny bright­nes ecclipsed; and the mother of a Creature, by the blessed Parent of her Creatour and Redeemer himselfe, incomparably excelled.

Then gladly, & thankefully she acknowledged the holy effects in her child, and her selfe; of her sa­lutation, praysing her beliefe yielded to the Angells speaches, & prophetically assuring her, that all should be fulfilled, which he had tould her, concerning the greatnes of her sonne, redempti­on of the world by him, and glo­ry of his kingdome.

Of our B. Ladyes Canticle, and stay with her Cosin S. Elizabeth. [Chap. 9.

SAint Elizabeth is sayd to haue byn newly replenished with the Holy Ghost, before she spake to the mother of God; so were [Page 29] Zachary her holy husband, and Simeon, before they brake out into their propheticall Canticles. But before the B. Virgin entred into hers, no new inspiration is mentioned; to let vs thereby know, that she did no more ther­in, then a litle open the enriching Treasures of diuine Loue, and knowledge, hūbly by her before hidden, and euer concealed, but when in gratitude to the liberall Authour of them, she was sweet­ly enforced to discouer them. And as her Cosin had magnifyed her, so did she for them magnify her Lord: and as S. Iohn exulted in the wombe, so her spirit like­wise exulted in God her Sauiour: an hūble Prophetesse afterwards (sayth S. Basil) of her owne future greatnes, and a deuout Preacher in the rest of her high Canticle of her Creatour prayses, and mer­cyes, [Page 30]especially in sending his sonne graciously to redeeme vs. Behould (sayth she) from henceforth all Generations shall call me blessed, because he that is mighty hath done great things to mee &c. giuing vs to vnderstand, that holy soules euen to the worlds end, should admire Gods gracious goodnes towards her, and blesse not only him the Giuer, but her also the Receauer, of such wonderfull blessings.

Then sweetly delighted to vt­ter Gods mercifull loue to men, and dreadfull seuerity in tum­bling downe the proud Angells from their high seates for of­fending him, shee concludeth her sacred Canticle, with a fer­uent and gratefull acknowledge­ment of that high Blessing of Blessings, which by her, he inten­ded to his people.

She is sayd, to haue stayed, about three monethes with her Cosin, that this holy family, might lastingly enioy the com­fort of her presence, whose first approach had byn the cause of such blessings vnto them; & that the little Champion (as S. Am­brose calleth S. Iohn) might be the more fully annointed, and in the lappe and armes of this mayden, and gracious Mother of his di­uine Redeemer, haue new graces breathed into him. For by the Ecclesiasticall order, of celebra­ting the feast of our Ladyes Ʋisi­tation the day after S. Johns O­ctaue, we are giuen to vnderstād, that she stayed with her Cosin, vntill the childes circumcision.

Holy Zachary likewise, no stranger in his owne house, nor vnworthy to haue these secrets of heauen imparted vnto him, [Page 32]may well be supposed, to haue heard, in his owne miraculous si­lence, the propheticall outcryes of his wife, and mysterious Can­ticle of his Cosin, pōdering them deuoutly in his hart, vntill with his tongue in the circumcision of his child his speach was restored, and himselfe newly inspired to add his owne Cāticle vnto them.

Of our Sauiours Incarnation mani­fested to S. Ioseph. [Chap. 10.

AS the Mother of God, had e­minent graces, and fauours heaped from heauen continually vpon her; so had she two excel­lent vertues, Humility to wit, & Taciturnity to hide them, which after her returne to Nazareth she holily exercised. For in a short tyme the happy grouth of her diuine Babe, appeared in her [Page 33]wombe, and her sacred breasts, as pearly-bottels, tipped with ru­byes, and filled from heauen, to nurse God himselfe, in humane nature, plainely discouered that to S. Ioseph, her louing and be­loued Spouse, which she desired not to haue hidden from him.

Her knowne sanctity, & vowed purity of life, caused him not to suspect on the one side, any adul­terous sacriledge to haue byn committed by her, more & more stil appearing gracious vnto him; yet seeing on the other side eui­dent signes of her being with child, ignorant (sayth S. Hierome) of this high mystery, and holily resolued not to liue perplexedly with her, or to expose her to in­famy, and death ordayned by the Iewish law for adulterous wo­men, with a griefe (no doubt) proportionable to his great loue [Page 34]towards her, and vnspeakable de­light, which he tooke in her sweet society and presence, he resolued secretly, to leaue her: and she the while, though dearely respecting him, resolued not to satisfy him in his doubt, by re­uealing, without a diuine war­rant, such heauenly secrets reser­ued indeed by a heauenly mes­senger to be related vnto him.

Joseph sonne of Dauid (said the Angell vnto him in his sleepe) feare not to take Mary to thy wife, for that which is borne of her, is of the holy Ghost: she shall bring forth a Sonne, & thou shalt call his name IESVS, for he shall saue his people from their sinnes; ouerioying him (no doubt) by so happy a tidin­ges, & comforting him far more, then his intended departure from so deare, and gracious a spouse, had formerly afflicted him; for [Page 35]then he foresawe, and with due thankfulnes acknowledged such wonderfull fauours, and diuine blessings, as by being husband to such a wife, and foster-Father to such a child, as was the Incarnate Sonne of God himselfe, and Re­deemer of the world, would be heaped vpon him; making many feruent resolutions, with an aw­full loue, & glad diligence from thence-forth to serue them; and vttering them in a ioyfull and lo­uing maner to his Blessed spouse as humbly and thankfully acce­pting them. Such calmes after stormes, Almighty God is wont, for their triall, and merit, to be­stow on his seruants, & children dearest vnto him.

Of our B. Ladies Expecting, & lon­ging for the byrth of her Child. [Chap. 11.

THe Indian Oysters vse to shut vp within their shells, Pearles which they haue bred, so fast, as without violence they open not thēselues, to yield vp such trea­sures: But it was not so, in this sacred mother-pearle of Heauen, for as she had in her Virginall wōbe, for the worlds redēption, diuinely conceaued her sonne; so was she for this high end, desi­rous to produce him. Whome she well knew to lye, as a rich treasure mined within her body, which should no sooner be brought to light, but other holy persōs, the sheephards for exam­ple, the 3. Kings, old Simeon, An­na, and many with them, would [Page 37]togeather with her selfe, come to be enriched holily, and happly by it.

Or like a burning cole buryed vnder hot embers, he was inclo­sed in her wombe, which bared and layd open, would sparcle, & send forth flames, with which the whole world was afterwards to be fired, lightened, and purged, according to his owne words in the Ghospell; J came to send fire into the world, and what will J, but that it should be kindled? Or like a rich Iewell he lay cabbined vn­till his birth in her, with whose gracious lustre, when it came to be exposed, men and Angells, were to be exceedingly and e­qually delighted: or finally like some delicious holsome fruite, he lay shelled, and vntasted, vn­till he came by holy soules, to be relished, and fed vpon.

For her owne comfort also, this sacred Mother desired her sonnes birth, with vnspeakable longing, to see him, imbrace him, and performe all motherly du­ties vnto him, which whilst he lay in her pure wombe she could not. All that she could do there for him, was to adore him in his humility, yield the Enclosure of her body freely vnto him, em­bracing him as he lay within it, eating chiefly to sustayne him, esteeming herself happy in bea­ring him, and willing with her hart bloud, if she could, to haue yielded nutriment vnto him. Who was not dull the whilst, or careles in requiting her affec­tionate intertaynement; but as the sunne is wont more & more to mantle, & cleare the Easterne part of heauen, before his rising therein: so did this diuine foun­tayne [Page 39]of heauenly charity, illu­minate, inflame, and adorne with his brightest beames, the soule of this sacred Virgin, before his rising from her, in our earthly Horizon.

Of our B. Ladies iourney to Beth­leem. [Chap. 12.

CAEsars Edict hastned odedient Ioseph and his humble spouse towards Bethleem, there to be enrolled, then a ruinous poore Village, and farre different from what it had byn, when great Sa­lomon, as his fathers birth-place, with high wals, turrets, and sta­tely pallaces guarded graced and enriched it, yet neuer dignifyed the same so much, as did these poore strangers, by entring into it, and bringing with them Israels heauenly King, and great Cap­tayne, [Page 40]to be borne there, as long before Micheas had prophesied; so as it ioyed in an vnspeakable māner this holy couple, to know that they were now arriued, at the designed place of their Sōnes and Sauiours natiuity.

Weary of their foot-iourney friendles, & as poore persons re­iected at the Inne stored with richer guests, humbly & patiētly they betooke themselues to a poore stable, or Caue there (as S. Hierome calleth it) to beasts & beggars equally exposed; fitly chosen by the Sonne of God, notwithstanding, as mysteriou­sly represēting the worlds estate darkened by insidelity, & with horrible sinnes abominably de­filed, at his entrance into it. Ex­pressing withall, the obscurity, and vncleanenesse of soules, be­fore he come by heauenly graces, [Page 41]to be borne within them, when of foule stables, they become cleane tabernacles for the diuine persons to remayne in.

The pouerty likewise of the place, and want of all things ther­in, aptly yield exemplar docu­ments to holy soules, of contem­ning for his sake, pallaces, pōpes & worldly commodities, which this heauenly King for our me­rit and example, as in his birth, so throughout his whole life, vt­terly wanted.

Of our B. Ladies Child-birth. [Chap. 13.

SAint Bonauēture, in a holy cō ­templation of this sacred my­stery, conceaueth the B. Virgin being come to Bethleem, and en­tred into the stable, to haue byn [Page 42]excessiuely replenished with ioy that the long desired houre of her Diuine Sonnes Natiuity so neerly approached: and whilest prostrate on her knees in prayer, she delighted her soule with holy apprehensions thereof, and lon­ging to behold him, he miracu­lously ascended out of her vn­opened pure wombe, into her blessed armes, ready to imbrace him.

This high priuiledge (sayth S. Bernard) of being a mother, yet remayning still a Virgin, ha­uing byn for her singularly re­serued, whose child was God & Man personally vnited, able in his power, & willing in his loue to preserue his Mother from all payne, impurity, and corruption: in so much as learned Suarez con­ceaueth the pure Nest, in which this diuine Phenix and heaueuly [Page 43]Bird of loue was hatched, and ri­pened for his birth, to remayne entirely yet preserued, as it was at his going out from it, that An­gells intellectually, and Saintes corporally also may transparently in all eternity, and delighte­fully behold it.

Insteed of midwife, & women to help her, Angels in their kings birth, gladly became his Ado­rers, and her Attendants; so that a poore stable, by the happy birth of this diuine Babe therein, was sodainly cōuerted into an Empy­riall heauen; a hard crib in which she layd him, became this hūble Kings bed of State to repose in; poore cloutes in place of purple robes serued to inuest him; and the papps of a poore maiden, fil­led from heauen then, as her wombe had byn before, serued to giue him sucke, who fed the [Page 44]birds of the ayre at that instant, and attyred the flowers of the field in their fayre and various beauties; neuer greater, then in being so lessened; neuer more glo­rious then in being so obscured; neuer more exalted, then in be­ing so humbled; neuer more lo­uely, then in humane beauty as­sumed; neuer more powrefull, then in our infirmityes sustay­ned. Mercy moued him to vn­dertake the painefull taske of of our Redemption, Wisedome guided him, Fortitude hartned him, and Charity moued him ar­dētly to imbrace whatsoeuer he saw needfull, or expedient to be done, or suffered therein for vs.

Of our B. Ladyes intertayning the shepheards in Bethleem. [Chap. 14.

THe Angells of heauen hauing ioyfully themselues adored [Page 45]their king, hastned into the fields of Bethleem, to make the poore shephards, there watching their flockes, sharers of ioyes with them. Feare not (said the chiefest of them, appearing singly, and gloriously vnto them) for J come to, tell you a ioy which shall be to all people, because a Sauiour is borne vnto you this day in Bethleem; and forthwith to second these happy tydinges, the whole Host of hea­uen, was seene trooping in the ayre, & heard to sing, in a myste­rious canticle, the fruites of our Sauiours comming in earth and in heauen: Glory in the highest to God, and peace to men &c.

And they were no sooner mounted vp to heauen, but the shephards hasted to Bethleē, where at the cribbe of Christ, they ioy­fully vttered what the Angells had tould them. And our B. La­dy, [Page 46]is said mysteriously by the Euangelist to haue conserued, and conferred all these things in her hart, aswell to illuminate & delight her soule, by a high, and amourous contēplation of them, as she did all the passages of her sonnes life afterwards: as also to be able, for the good of others, and instruction perchance of this Euangelist himselfe, afterwards to relate them: who professing (as he doth) in the beginning of his Ghospell, to haue collected the sacred verities therof from such, as had byn ministers from the beginning, & witnesses of them; we may well thence inferre him to haue receaued from this sa­cred Virgins mouth, all such particulers of our Sauiours In­carnation, and infancy, as she a­lone could testify vnto him, ha­uing byn the chiefe, and happy [Page 47]actour in them, called therefore by sundry holy Fathers, the Mi­stresse of the Euangelists: and S. Cy­rill before his Thesaurus vpon S. Iohn, wondreth not, that like an Eagle he soared aboue his fel­lowes, hauing had frō his Lords Crosse, this sacred Arke and rich treasury of heauenly knowledge recōmended vnto him, who ha­uing liued with her diuine sonne, as his most inward, and wise se­cretary 30. yeares togeather, was all that tyme sitting, as it were, at a continuall bāquet, gustfully feeding, & delighting her soule, with the heauenly viandes of his mysterious speaches, and actions, conserued still in her hart, & de­uoutly considered.

Of our Blessed Ladyes nursing, and seruing her diuine Sonne. [Chap. 15.

AS it is certayne that our Sa­uiour was complete in the graces, and glory of his soule, from the first instant of his hu­mane conception, wanting only that experimentall knowledge, which was by degrees (as in vs) to be gayned by the vse of his sen­ses: so are we to conceaue this diuine Babe, to haue byn wholy free from all waywardnesse, vn­cleanenes, violency of passions, fancyes, and other childish im­perfections, intuitiuely still be­houlding those very obiects, which experimētally he learned.

And whereas other children, by frequent aspects, come to know the faces of their Mothers, [Page 49]and beginne a naturall loue to­wards them, for continuall fa­uours receaued; this diuine child did not only exteriously know his Mother, but interiourly also behold the humble thoughts & enflamed affections of her soule towards him, her pure intentiōs, and harty gladnes in doing mo­therly offices vnto him; and ac­cording to the wonderfull merit of them with heaped graces pre­sently requited them.

For surely they apprehend meāly the diuinesse of this child & Theandricall sublimity of his actions, who conceaue his hug­gings, kisses, and other like ex­pressions of filiall Ioue towards his B. Mother, to haue byn no more, then fruiteles and naked signes of childish affectiōs: wher­as indeed they were continuall breathings of new graces into [Page 50]her soule, euer humble and pre­pared to receaue them.

Naturall & supernaturall loue sweetly conspired (no doubt) to indeare them to ech other; He, as his naturall mother, and most excellent Creature, humanly and diuinly affected her; and she, as her God, and Sonne respectful­ly adored, and delightefully ser­ued him. Which harmony of mutuall loue, betweene them, neuer of her part sinfully inter­rupted, happily still increased; so as heauenly Creatures themsel­ues, were delighted to behould him recreated, and her enriched, by their mutuall affections.

Of our B. Ladyes sorrow in her sonnes Circumcision. [Chap. 16.

THe sonne of God was vpon the 8. day after his birth, in [Page 51]the pure partes of his body, paynefully circumcised, that he might, as in the end, so in the be­ginning of his life shed painefully his bloud for vs. For we are not to conceaue, that he who was aboue all lawes, and the Author of them, suffered this wound, because the Law commaunded him, but rather he made this law, that to fulfill the same, he might take an occasion, to be so woun­ded for vs.

This bloudy ceremony, & sa­cramentall remedy of originall sinne in Male children, (arguing therfore Christs wonderfull hu­mility in vndergoing it) was v­sually performed in ech parish by some Leuite, appointed by his office to do it, and the house where the child was borne, was the ordinary place of perfor­ming it; so as the Blessed Virgin [Page 52]may be conceaued, cōpassionatly to haue seene this first and paine­full wound, made in the tender body of her sonne, as she did af­terwards behould his last woun­dinges, agonyes, and torments, hauing byn indeed not casually, but diuinely ordayned, to share in sufferings with him.

Lust, the beastly and ouer-com­mon vice of men, was so hatefull to this heauenly Author of puri­ty, and Sonne of an immaculate Virgin, as in the very entrance of his life, he seemed to proclayme war against it, by causing the pure partes of his owne body, to smart, and bleed, that from such a fountayne of grace opened in himselfe, his deuout children, from raging heates and impuri­tyes in theirs, might become af­terwards cooled, and cleansed.

Neither was this wound only [Page 53]painefully made, but (as we read of Sichem and his people) the stiff­nes, and smarting payne therof continued many dayes after: so as we may well call this wound, a paynfull tast which our hea­uenly Redeemer was pleased to take, of his bitter, and deadly chalice; and a sharpe exercise of patience with-all, in his louing Mother, dressing this wound whilst it continued, and often bathing it, with flowing teares of tender compassion, as she did af­terwards, his deeper, and deadlier woundes, suffering still in her soule his bodily torments.

Of our B. Ladyes imposing on her Sonne, the Name IESVS. [Chap. 17.

WIth the sacramentall signe of Circumcision, children then [Page 54]were wont to be enrolled in the number of Gods people; and be­cause this name IESVS, impor­ted the saluation of mankind, he would not without shedding his bloud, whereby he was to redeeme vs, haue it imposed.

This Name, holy and high aboue all Names (as S. Paul tel­leth vs) was misteriously imposed vpon two Iosua's, or Jesus'es, ty­pes of our Sauiour in reducing Gods people from their first and second captiuity; but common­ly afterwards giuen to children, that the mysteriousnesse therof, might not become noted in him who was to performe the high office of sauing mankind, chiefly by it imported.

This name (IESVS) reuealed by the Angell to the B. Virgin first, and to S. Ioseph afterwards, with the comfortable meaning [Page 55]thereof, was as Oyle powred out, to mollify the griefe of his wound felt in her hart, and still to increase the gracious flame of her ardent loue towards him. It was like sweet Musicke in her eares, hony in her mouth, and a continuall iubily in her hart, to name it herselfe, or heare others name it. Her sons humane & di­uine greatnes hauing byn menti­oned by the Angell vnto her, for this end chiefly that she might cōceaue the mysteriousnes of it.

All vertues exercised by him in the worke of our Redēprion, his actions, his sufferings, and fruites of them, in earth, and in heauen, were continually to her by that holy name (IESVS) com­pendiously, and sweetely impor­ted: so as wee may well affirme her, to haue begun that Venera­tion to this holy Name heere in [Page 56]Earth, which is now to the same in heauen also yielded.

Of the Sages finding the Child with the B. Ʋirgin his Mo­ther. [Chap. 18.

THis humbled king of maiesty, and greatnes, was pleased to haue his poore birth graced by the comming of Gentill Princes, from the vtmost endes of the Earth, by the conductiō of a my­sterious and miraculous Star, in Bethleem to adore him, not deba­sed in their high thoughts, by his pouerty, but appearing ther­in, as a king of heauenly maiesty and greatnes; purposely so hum­bled, and disguised in humane nature, afterwards to redeeme them more louely and gracious, whilst with adorations, pro­strations, and guifts they testi­fied [Page 57]their faith in him.

And as the Childs greatnes, so his B. Mothers Excellency was discouered, no doubt, diuinely vnto them. Wherefore to inti­mate their ioyes, by behoulding her also increased, the Euange­list my steriously telleth vs, that, they found the child with Mary his Mother: viewing him as the bright Sunne of heauen newly appea­ring in our earthly Horizon, and her as that cleere dawning which he had chosen to rise in. His gra­cious beames adorned her, and she with her naturall bewty had sweetly attired him; so as her li­uely and louely forme, was in his humane face delightfully re­sembled.

Who in the silence of her sonne, became (as we may con­ceaue) his interpreter vnto them, and an humble relatour of such [Page 58]mysterious verities, as in loue, & dewty, they desired to know of him, concerning the miraculous manner of his Natiuity & Con­ception, and what the Angell had tould her, of his owne future glory, with the eternall greatnes of his kingdom: how likewise he had byn promised to the Pa­triarcks, Abraham, Jsaac, Jacob, & Dauid her propheticall Prin­cely Father; foretold by the Prophets, and expected by faith­full holy soules throughout all generations, according to the words of her diuine Canticle for merly vttered.

She knew them to haue made a long iourney, and not likely to stay long with her Sonne, es­specially after the Angell had warned them for their returne. Humility therefore, moued by charity, euer in holy soules (and [Page 59]most eminently in her, then and afterwards) conioyned, yielded to disclose such heauenly secrets of her diuine Sonne vnto them, as might confirme their faith, & increase in absence, their present loue towards him. So as we may well thinke, the day, and night which they spent in Bethleem, to haue byn a happy tyme, for their comfort, and instruction.

Of our B. Ladyes Purification. [Chap. 19.

THis facred Virgin albeit in the Conception and birth of her child rather purified then defiled, went notwithstanding as other womē did, to be legally clensed; carrying Christ into the Tem­ple with her, there to be offered, and as other children ceremo­niously redeemed. Who as the [Page 60]Lord of the Iemple himselfe, meant therby to make the glory of this second house, greater then that of the first, as had byn fore­tould by his Prophets, by being more highly graced and exalted by the corporall presence of him­selfe in it: and that likewise such holy persons, as Saint Simeon, & Saint Anne were, might happily enioy the promised and blessed sight of him.

Sincon is said to haue entred the Temple (in spirit) diuinely, to wit, inspired, and taught to know, amongst so many chil­dren, as were there continually presented, the bright Sunne of heauen (albeit then in humaue nature and pouerty wholy obs­cured) ordayned to be after­wards a light to the Gentils, and the glory of his people, as he sung in his Canticle, whilst he [Page 61]enioyed the sweet comfort of holding Christ in his armes for a moment, which the blessed Vir­gin and her Spouse, for many whole yeares togeather, happily enioyed.

And as if in ardent imbracings, and kissings of this diuine Babe, he desired to haue gasped out his holy soule into his sacred mouth, breathing sanctity into him, he cryed out to be dismis­sed, and let forth of this world, that he might not liue perchance to see this beloued and gracious Lord of his hart, persecuted in his Infancy, toyled in his life, ca­lumniated in his actions, contra­dicted in his doctrines, hared by those whome he hartily loued, and finally to be, before his Mo­thers eyes butchered and disgra­ced.

So as he could not contayne [Page 62]himselfe amidst his rauishing cō ­tentments, from sadly fortelling their ioynt griefes & sufferings; A sword of sorrow (sayd he bles­sing the Mother of God, and her spouse) shall passe through thy sou­le; metaphorically so expressing that killing-wound, or rather those many deadly woundes, which shold be made in her soule by behoulding, as she did after­wards, her sonnes agonies, and torments: and insinuating with­all, that noble kind of Martyr­dome which she was to suffer, without other woundes, then such as Loue made, by vniting her so neerly, and dearly to her sonne, as to feele in her very soule, by a strang kind of com­passion, his corporall torments.

Of our Blessed Ladyes flight with her Child into Egypt. [Chap. 20.

THe Sages entrance into Hieru­salem to seeke a new King, troubled Herod, yet their priuate departure homewards another way, seemed to argue, that they had not found him; but when such holy Propheticall persons, (as S. Simeon, and S. Anne were knowne to haue byn) had so pu­bliquely proclaymed him, this bloudy Tyrant sent out his mur­derous guardes, to kill all male Children of two yeares old and vnder, in, and about the Confines of Bethleem.

When the Angell had fore­warned S. Joseph in the night, of this danger, Loue quickly awa­kened him and his B. spouse, to prouide for the safty of the child, [Page 64]by flying into Egypt, as the An­gell had appointed them. Pouer­ty eased their care of carrying much with them, & the darkenes of the night, serued fitly to hide them from dangers approaching. The strangenes of the Country which they were sent vnto, did not trouble them; the length of the way did not terrify them; nor any other difficulty dismay them occurring in their iourney, which they made through a sandy vast Desart so blessed thē (sayth Baro­nius) by our Sauiours presence as it became afterwards a holy, and solitary retyrement of innu­merable Saintes, gladly leauing worldly noyses, & contentmēts, quietly there, and holily to serue him.

Their manner of carrying the child so long & paynefull a iour­ney, may be supposed to haue [Page 65]byn no other, then beggars vse, when trussed at their bosome, or backes, from place to place, they carry their children. Idolls are sayd to haue falne downe (as Da­gon before the Arke) and oracles to haue ceased, when the incar­nate Word and heauenly Author of Truth in that Countrey ap­peared.

Their entertaynmēt is by lear­ned Suarez, conceaued to haue byn no other, then such as beg­gars are wont to receaue amōgst strangers, vntill S. Joseph by the exercise of his poore trade, was towards their reliefe, able to gayne something. The place of their aboad is sayd to haue byn neere Ramasses, a Citty built long before, by the Israelites hard la­bours, during their captiuity: and in that place is yet shewed a well, wherein the B. Virgin is sayd [Page 66]haue washed her sonnes cloathes, watring a valley of Balme-trees, onely growing in that part of the Country, as if from that sancti­fied fountayne, the place had re­ceaued a singular vertue.

The chiefe, and vnspeakable Comforts of these holy Parents in their exile, may be thought to haue byn, the gracefull grouth of their diuine child, his wise speaches after he could speake, & louing behauiours towards thē.

Of our B. Ladyes returne, with her Child out of Egypt. [Chap. 21.

TAke the child (said the Angell the second tyme) and his Mo­ther, and returne into the land of Israell, for they are dead that sought his life &c. omitting not to giue the sacred virgin her highest title, to wit of being Mother to such [Page 67]a child, & insinuating withall by this manner of speaking (as lear­ned Suarez, with other great Au­thors obserueth) that this Bles­sed Saint was to respect her, not only as his wife, but as the Mo­ther of his redeemer withall; who with a reuerentiall & hūble kind of glad loue, yielded accordingly his ready seruices vnto her.

Herod (as Baronius gathereth from Iosephus, & other Authors) dyed the 7. yeare after his mur­der of the Infants, at which tyme our Sauiour could not be carried backe agayne in the armes of his Parents, as he had byn brought thither, nor well vndergoe the trauell of so long a iourney, but that his charity was such towards vs, as for our greater example, & merit, he would not in his very infancy from labours, and suffe­rings be spared.

His Parents returned with him to Nazareth a poore Village, sea­ted in the cōfines of Galile, where till his Baptisme he liued so mea­nely, as he was reputed no other then S. Iosephs naturall Sonne, succeeding him afterwards in his poore trade, and labouring to make a plow, who was able with­out labour to haue created many worlds at that instant; praying with the Nazarites, & the whilst, as their God, prayed vnto by them; gazing with his humane glorious soule on the diuine per­sons, and intuitiuely behoulding all created Obiects. So as he gayned no knowledg, but expe­rimentall from them, wherein with his yeares, he is by the holy Euangelist said to haue increased, and seemed exteriously to mens eyes more and more gracious in his person, and behauiour, not [Page 69]by any new graces gayned in his blessed soule, euer consummated in them, but in gracefull manife­stations, and expressions of san­ctity, and knowledge, ignorance being no defect of humane na­ture, needfull to be assumed by the sonne of God, to make & in­crease for our sinnes his intended satisfaction; but wholy indeed vnbeseming him, who was to be the heauenly teacher of soules, and to deliuer the highest veri­ties, as a cleere behoulder of them more then all the Prophets be­fore him, and able to secure and warrant, after an especiall man­ner, the infallible Authority of his speaches vnto vs.

With milliōs of holier thoghts, then ordinary Soules can con­ceaue, did his holy Parents con­tinually behould him, and draw from all his gracious behauiours [Page 70]and speaches (his B. Mother es­pecially) as bees do gather sweet hony from flowres, new motiues & increase of loue towards him; and he the whilst, was delighted in no earthly obiect more, then to see the wonderfull effects of graces in her soule, & to behold modelled as it were, his owne vertues in her, as in Archimedes christall Sphere, the vast Orbes of heauen, & their seuerall motions were wonderfully expressed: her guifts and fauours continually from him receaued, being no o­ther indeed, then flowings of his fountayne, sparcles of his flame, & beames of his infinite bright­nes. Sinne for example, was repu­gnant in him, to the maiesty of his owne person, and she by her neere vnion with him, was from the same, or any inclinatiō there­vnto totally preserued. Acts of [Page 71]vertue were Theandricall in him, and by the dooers person infini­tely dignified: and in her they were euer heroicall, and highly enobled by her wonderfull gra­ces. Finally, as in his bodily bew­ty he was like to her; so did she in her soule resemble more & more his gracious perfections, that so in both sexes humane nature might become graced and exalted, as it had byn before vilified by sinne, and extremely debased.

Of our B. Ladyes finding her lost sonne in the Temple. [Chap. 22.

IT was an yearely custome (as the Euangelist telleth vs) of Christ, and his Parents to cele­brate as other deuout people did, their Easter in Hierusalem, the sonne of God being pleased so to dignfy the Temple by his pre­sence [Page 72]therin, and grace those le­gall sacrifices, the types of his Passion.

The mysterious obseruances of that Feast ended, S. Joseph and his B. Spouse returned home­wards, conceauing their diuine sonne, then 12. yeares old, to haue gone with their kinsfolkes, and neighbours out of the citty be­fore them. Whome when at night they found not, with wearyed stepps, & carefull thoughts, they returned backe againe, presently to seeke him, and after much la­bour and griefe, they found him the third day, amidst the Do­ctours of the Temple, by his wise demaundes wonderfully astoni­shing them.

His Mother, when she could come to speake cōueniently with him, with an humble expostula­tion of ioy and loue, asked him: [Page 73] Sonne why hast thou done so vnto vs? as wifely knowing he was not absent, but by his owne will from them, thy Father and I, sor­rowing did seeke thee: naming her Husband first, to expresse her humble loue, & respect towards him; and how her owne sorrow, by his afflictions had byn increa­sed, whilst S. Ioseph by silence shewed his respect to them both, his aufull Reuerence restrayning loue, from any such boldenes, as the B. Virgin with a greater right, and neuer but with his leaue & gracious allowance, vsed towards him.

Know you not (answered our B. Sauiour) that I am to be in the things of my Father? Giuing them so to vnderstand, that for the ser­uice of his heauenly Father he had so stayed behind them: to teach perchance those Doctours [Page 74]& guides of his people by occasiō of his wise questions, some pro­fitable verities, fit to be knowne and taught to others by them; & that as the Iewes then, so now, wee might by such a glimse, con­ceaue his sunny brightnes, & those enriching treasures, of diuine wisedome & knowledge, which in his tendrest yeares, were hoar­ded vp in him.

We may also piously ghesse him, priuatly and alone in those 3. dayes of his absence to haue vi­sited the holy places of his fu­ture sufferings, and with an vn­speakable ardour of loue, and prompt obedience, to haue made his primitiue offerings seuerally in them, and vented, in lasting prayers and prostrations, the fer­uent longings of his gracious soule, afterwards to vndergo them.

His Parents are said to haue wondred at his words, and the B. Virgin, to haue conserued and con­ferred them in her hart; that so we might come truly to know, that she did euer do so, letting none of her diuine Sonnes mysterious words and actions to passe, but that by conseruing them in her fresh memory, & pondering them deuoutly in her hart, sheenriched and raysed her illuminated soule continually by them.

Of our B. Ladyes life with her sonne vntill his Baptisme. [Chap. 23.

THe Euāgelist concludeth our Sauiours whole life, from his being found in the Temple vn­till his Baptisme, in these words; He returned with his Parents, to Nazareth, and was obedient vnto them; to wit, by a voluntary sub­mission [Page 76]of himself, and a louing readines to do what they would haue him: who priuy to his hid­den maiesty and greatnes, with a louing boldenes, so cōmaunded him as their sonne, that as God the whilst, and their Redeemer, they humbly in their thoughts, and affections adored him.

Wherfore we may well cōceaue the blessed order of that family, wherein three persons only li­ued, one of them diuine, and the other two eminently holy, exer­cising Humility, and Charity to­wards ech other; he in obeying, and they in commaunding him, for the glory of his Father, and future instruction of his seruāts, subiected vnto them.

He with filiall loue respected his gracious Mother as the natu­rall, and instrumentall cause of his humane being, omitting at [Page 77]no tyme, the duty of a child to­wards her: and to S. Ioseph his re­puted Father, he yielded a grate­full behauiour for his many pain­full labours, and fatherly offices towards him, with heaped graces (no doubt) and diuine fauours, from tyme to tyme, liberally re­quiting them.

Their liuing with him alone, as his secretaries and seruants, for 30. yeares together (for S. Ioseph may be thought, not to haue dyed long before our Sauiours Baptisme) was as a long haruest of heauenly merits plentifully by them both (according to their aboundant sowing) happily rea­ped. And as this sunne of heauen­ly brightenes, by doctrine, and examplar actions, did shyne to others with whome he conuersed after his Baptisme, for 3. yeares together: so with the like, and a [Page 78]far greater clarity did he appeare louely, and imitably gracious in all his behauiours & speaches to these two only, knowing his greatnes, for 30. yeares together, & conuersing domestically with him, who were neither dull to conceaue, nor hard to belieue the mysterious verity of his speaches vnto them. And if that be true which Salomon sayth, that with the good, a man shall be good; how good then were these two who liued with goodnes it selfe, and had their soules euer opened, and prepared to receaue full streames flowing from the foun­tayne therof, continually into them?

And if our Sauiour proclay­med the eyes of his disciples hap­py in hauing seene him, whome so many Kings & Prophets had desired to see, and could not; and [Page 79]their eares likewise blessed in hearing his speaches: how happy, and blessed may we conceaue his holy Parents to haue byn, who with eyes and eares of soule and body together, more lastingly, clearely, and deuoutly beheld their diuine Sonne, pondering his mysterious speaches, and in their hartes (as it is sayd of the B. Vir­gin twice by the Euangelist) deeply, and delightfully conside­ring them?

Of the B. Virgins charitable sorrow, for S. Iosephs death. [Chap. 24.

WHen this Blessed man dyed, cannot out of the Ghospell be any wayes gathered: Only it may most probably be ghessed, that our Sauiour sent him to a happy rest, before he began his owne preaching & labours. The [Page 80]place of his death is likest to haue byn in Nazareth, where he liued, and the circumstances therof are vnknown further, then that as he was a iust man, aduanced to a dig­nity more then Patriarchicall, in being spouse to the Mother of God, and Foster-father to the incarnate Word himselfe, so was his end no doubt blessed, and his merits suitable vnto it.

And whereas we read of many Saintes, so diuinely fauoured in their sicknesse and death, as they had their good Angells visibly & comfortably attending them; this Blessed man enioyed a far greater priuiledge, when in his sicknesse and death, the sonne of God himselfe, and his gracious mother, with a most charitable diligēce were ready to performe all seruiceable offices vnto him.

The disease of which he dyed, [Page 81]seemeth to haue byn old age, and the vsuall infirmities thereof, in­creased perchance in him, by the hard labours of his life, as Pome­granuts vse to breake and fall to the ground, by the ouer-filling grouth of their sweet kernells, to rise againe in a new spring after­wards.

And whereas holy Men are said to dye in our Lord; Blessed S. Ioseph, may be said to haue dyed in him after a higher man­ner; to wit, reposed in the armes & imbacements (as we may con­ceaue) of his heauenly Redeemer, his immaculate louing Spouse not fayling the whilst to close his dying eyes, to kisse his cold cheekes & with flowing streames of teares, to take her leaue of him by whome liuing she, & her diuine Sonne had byn so purely beloued and faithfully serued.

His gracious soule was no soo­ner breathed out, but Angells there present ioyfully carryed it to the holy troopes of Patriarks, Prophets, and Saintes disceased before him, as their heauenly Redeemers Foster-father, to be honoured, imbraced, and ioyfully welcommed by them, whilst his Spouse & her diuine Sōne, caused his pure body, to be decently in­terred, & put into the earth; where perchance, it was from corru­ption graciously preserued, to be gloriously repayred in our Sa­uiours Resurrection, with other saintes bodies then miraculously raysed; since no Saint deserued more then he, to accompany his God, and Sonne, at his first en­trance into his heauenly King­dome.

Of the Blessed Ʋirgin, being in Cana with her sonne at a wedding. [Chap. 25.

AFter S. Joseph his death, the B. Virgin liued alone with her diuine sonne, flowing in heauen­ly delights, then without a part­ner, receaued continually from him, vntill his going to be bap­tized by S. John in the Riuer of Jordan: whence after his Bap­tisme, fasting in the desert, and calling of many disciples to fol­low him, he returned into Galilee, and was with his B. Mother at Cana inuited to a wedding, my­steriously graced, & shewed not to be sinfull (as some ancient He­retiques affirmed) by the sacred presence of two such guests, who pleased to be present at the same.

Whose wedding this was, is not known, but that the Brides were poore, may be well gathered, from their want of wine before the Dinner was ended: which want of theirs, being knowne by the mother of compassion, she came to her sonne well knowing his diuine power to effect, & her owne graciousnes to obtayne what she meant to aske of him, saying, they haue no wine, briefly intimating so their wantes, and her owne charitable desires of relieuing them, to him, who without words did (she doubted not) know them before hand, & would in his bounty there pre­sently redresse them.

His reply (woman what is that to thee, and me?) was not harsh (as Caluin wickedly affirmed) but mysterious; to let vs therby know, that not her will (albeit [Page 85]euer holy and pleasing vnto him) but the decree of his eternall Fa­ther did in doing miracles chiefly direct him. And by telling her, (that his houre was not yet come) yet doing withall what she in­treated him, he gaue vs sufficiētly to vnderstand, that her request made him to exercise, sooner thē otherwise he would haue done, his miraculous power, in perfor­ming that charity which she in­treated so of him; and by going afterwards to the wayters, and bidding them do whatsoeuer her Sonne commaunded them, she wisely and charitably prepared them (as Cardinall Tolet well noteth) not to hinder by their vnwillingnes, what she knew he intended, as hauing byn diuinely inspired to aske that miracle of him, and taught to know withall his manner of performing it, by [Page 86]causing, to wit, water to be drawn by the wayters, afterward into wine miraculously conuerted.

And the fruites of this first miracle so obtayned by her, are said to haue byn, the manifesta­tion of her sonnes glory, & con­firmation of his disciples.

Of our B. Ladies going to dwell at Capharnaum, with her Son. [Chap. 26.

OVr B. Sauiour, intending whē he began to preach, to trans­ferre his dwelling from Nazareth to Capharnaum, is sayd to haue taken his B. Mother with him, that mutually they might enioy ech others company, and withall that such persons as were con­uerted vnto him, might haue her a liuely mirrour of vertuous and exemplar perfection, conuersant with them.

So that this heauenly Sun of Iustice, shining heere on earth, had two Maries, bright starres indeed of the Sea (as their names importe) illustrated by him in their seuerall graces, and wayting louingly on him; the one euer a cleere mirrour of vnspotted per­fectiō, the other a liuely patterne at length of harty Contrition: Graces were in the one, as a bright sun-shine, neuer sinnefully clow­ded; and in the other as a radiant sky from storms newly cleared. The one was as a full fountayne of liuing waters neuer defiled; & the other as a deepe well, freshly clensed, and filled. The one neuer wanted a rich patrimony of hea­uenly graces, still by her won­derfully increased; & the other had hers, once wasted, graciously agayne, and with a great increase happily restored: and both were [Page 88]to him in their sweet societyes especially delighfull, contempla­ting his speaches, and noting his actiōs, to enrich their soules ho­lily by them; she especially, who from his childhood had byn ac­customed to do so; considering his miraculous curing of diseased and miserable persons not onely as acts of gracious loue and mercy towards them, on whom they were wrought: but as misterious representations likewise, of the like spirituall wonders, which then, & after he meant to worke in soules, by his heauenly graces.

Honours likewise done, and thankes yielded vnto him, for benefits receaued, delighted her humble soule; not only because they were deseruedly giuen vnto him, but for that wisely likewise she knew how liberally he meant afterwards to requite thē. As cō ­trarily, [Page 89]his disgraces much grie­ued her, not only as iniuries done vnto him, who no wayes deser­ued them; but as they were great sinnes in such as did cōmit them, & meanes to increase their eter­nall damnation.

Of the woman blessing the wombe & paps of the B. Ʋirgin. [Chap. 27.

IT cannot be doubted, but that such as belieued Christ to be the sonne of God, and their hea­uenly Redeemer, highly also res­pected his gracious mother, loue­ly in her person, and exemplarly holy in her cōuersation amongst them; inso much as a woman, ra­uished with the heauēly sweetnes of our Sauiours words, and diui­nely raysed in her thoughts to apprehend the blessednes of his Mother, vttered first that myste­rious outcry, Blessed is the wombe [Page 90]that bore thee & the paps which thou didst sucke; and since enlarged by the Church in that sweet versicle sung by her: Blessed are the bowells of Mary the Ʋirgin, which carryed the sonne of the eternall Father; and Blessed be the pappes which nursed Christ our Lord: fulfilling therein her owne humble prophesy, that all generations should blesse her.

Neither did our B. Sauiour in his reply to the woman, Yea but blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it, cōtradict the bles­sing of his mother; but (saith ve­nerable Bede) was couertly plea­sed, to intimate a more high and imitable commendation of his Mother, for that she had not on­ly corporally, but spiritually also conceaued him; wherby she de­serued not the womans blessing alone, but to haue his own pray­ses added vnto it.

For as learned Interpreters note vpō this misterious passage of the Ghospell, this sacred Virgin may after two manners be conceaued to haue byn the Mother of God; first barely, to wit, according to his corporall Conception and Natiuity, and so it was possible, for her to haue byn his mother, without any graces at all therby obtayned: and secondly as she was singularly chosen, and pre­pared with wonderfull graces, to that high office, of giuing a new nature, life, and being to her om­nipotent Creatour, for the glory of himselfe, and redemption of mortall Creatures; wherby she was raysed to the highest digni­ty, and greatest vnion with him­selfe, which a pure Creature could be assumēd vnto: Gods vsuall manner hauing euer byn as he raysed his seruants to high dig­nities, [Page 90]to bestow on them suita­ble graces. And it were a most de­testable wickednes to conceaue, that he dealt otherwise with his owne most sacred, and beloued Mother, who as in Nature was neerest, so in Loue was no doubt, dearest vnto him.

It is true, indeed, that as his creature, she was tyed in duty to do all motherly offices and ser­uices vnto him, without any o­bligation on his part, in iustice to requite them: But supposing the gracious, and free tye of his owne liberall promises, not to let so much as a cuppe of cold water, giuen for his sake, passe vnre­warded, togeather with the duti­full loue and piety of children towards Parents, commaunded by himselfe and accordingly, no doubt, obserued, may we not reasonably conceaue, & piously [Page 91]assure our selues, that he was nei­ther in the piety of a louing child nor bounty of a gracious Lord, wanting vnto her, who not only gaue him the integrity of human nature, but spent her whole life afterwards, in motherly offices, and seruices towards him, for which other children can make to their parents no equall requi­tall.

And supposing the sonne of God was able to rayse his most deseruing Mother to what mea­sure of sanctity, and heauenly nobility he would, for the good of her, and glory of himselfe, to whome she so neerely appertay­ned; why should any Christian, against the knowne goodnes of such a Lord, and Sonne, doubt him actually to haue done so?

Of our B. Ladyes expecting her Son, at the doore of a house in Caphar­naum. Math. 12. [Chap. 28.

OVr Sauiour teaching & doing miracles within a house at Capharnaum, being tould that his Mother, & Brethren (for so his Cosins are called in Scripture) stayed at the doore to speak with him; eyther not willing to be in­terrupted in his holy discourses, or glad rather of the occasion, to teach his Auditory a profitable lesson, to wit, how they also might spiritually become his Mother and Brethren, he exten­ded his hands towards his Apo­stles, asking, who is my mother, and who are my Brethren? And then answering himselfe sayd, with an earnest asseueration to the future comfort, and instruction of his [Page 93]seruants, He that heareth my words and keepeth them, he is my brother, my sister, and my mother.

Insinuating so, in the very or­der of his speach, by naming a Mother last, the especiall neerenes of a mother to a child, and so consequently her dearenes to him, who not only in her body corporally, but spiritually also in her soule, had conceaued, nursed, and brought him vp, to a won­derfull ripenes of heauenly per­fection; and was like to become in others a fruitefull Parent, and Nurse afterwards of him, being by her examplar life, as a sweet odour to draw others into the bedchamber of her sonne (sayth S. Ambrose) to be espoused, & fe­cundated also diuinely by him.

Her motherly power sayth an other deuout Author, hath byn the protection and helping of in­numerables [Page 94]soules to grace and glory; her greatnes their gayne, her treasures their enrichings, by being able, and euer ready, to obtayne fauours & blessings for her sounes children, by himself therefore vpon his Crosse recom­mended vnto her.

So that they belōg not to him or her (as children or seruants) who haue vilified her in their thoughtes, and debased her in speaches, so farre as to teach, that her diuine Sonne, did in those former words blame her for in­terrupting him vnseasonably in his doctrine, and plainely to re­noūce her for his mother: wher­as the Euangelist only affirmeth her, to haue stayed at the dore expecting him. And it proceeded out of the respect rather of o­thers towards her, that he was could of her being there, then [Page 95]that of her selfe, she sought to speake importunely vnto him.

And should she for iust causes or not, haue done so, had it not byn against the very duty of a child towards a Parent (as she was knowne to be vnto him,) common discretion also, & mo­rality it selfe, for so small a fault scandalously and publiquely to renounce her?

O monsters of men and vipe­rous brood of him whose head she crushed happily for vs, that dared (as some moderne hereti­ques haue done) to vtter such horrid, and groundesse blasphe­myes agaynst her! Whome ac­cording to the humble prophecy of her selfe, all generations, of ho­ly soules, were to call, and account eternally Blessed, as well for those great things, which Almighty God, did vnto herselfe, as for [Page 96]those many & vnspeakable bles­sings likewise which by her he bestowed vpon vs.

Of our Blessed Ladies suffering with her sonne. [Chap. 29.

AS Eue (sayth S. Austine) was made to helpe Adam, in mans naturall propagation; so was the B. Virgin ordayned, to help the sonne of God in our supernatu­rall regeneration. Those two were our old, and these two our new Parents: they, threw vs mi­serably downe, from the happy estate of innocency to sinne; and these, to more then lost graces happily raysed vs. Humane na­ture was in them by sinne vili­fied and debased, in both sexes; but contrarily by these, won­derfully dignified and exalted.

The sonne of God by his pas­sion [Page 97]soly redeemed vs, as Adam by his fault only condemned vs: yet withall, as Eue our old Mother by eating the forbidden fruit, & causing her husband to do the same, occasioned our ruine; so Mary our new Mother, by behol­ding the fruit of her wombe fast­ned to the tree of the Crosse, happily cōcurred to our raysing; & by sustayning deadly sorrow, with her diuine Sonne in his death, recompenced, in a sort, the others fault, and satisfyed for Eues sinfull sensualities, by her innocent sufferings.

For albeit she shed nor her bloud, nor had the faire Temple of her body, by woundes (as her Sonne was) lamentably defaced; yet suffered she a higher kind of Martyrdome, when loue so vni­ted her vnto him, as his agonyes became hers, by a tender com­passion, [Page 98]his griefes her dolours, his torments her tortures, his corporall woundings paynefull rendings of her very soule, and sharpe thrusts of that piercing sword of sorrow, which good old Simeon had foretold her. So that she could not haue liued to the end of them, had she not byn supernaturally assisted, to offer iointly with him to his Eternall Father, that redemptory Sacri­fice.

Iacobus Acosta in his booke de Christo reuelato, affirmeth the Royall Psalmist to haue sung the 19. Psalme in the person of this B. Virgin, standing vnder the Crosse of her sonne: Let our Lord heare thee in this day of thy tribu­lation; the name of Iacobs God pro­tect thee. Let him send help vnto thee, from his sanctuary; and from Syon defend thee. Let him he mind­full [Page 99]of thy whole sacrifice; and thy holocaust become a fat one. Let him giue vnto thee according to thyne owne hart; and confirme all thy counsell. We will reioyce in thy saluation &c. So that when in the Antiphone of Aduent (sayth this deuout Au­thor) the Church ordayneth me in her office to say before that Psalme, Maria dixit, I seeme to be therby, warned, as in the person of this sa­cred Mother, and with a sad memo­ry of her sufferings, vnder her sonnes Crosse, deuoutly to pronounce it.

Of our B. Ladyes last leaue taken of her Sonne in Bethania the euening before his Passion. [Chap. 30.

WE find not any where expressed in the Ghospell, that the Mother of God, was with her sonne the day before his death in Bethania, as we read of S. Mary [Page 100]Magdalens being there, and his Apostles with him: yet is there an insinuation, that other guests likewise were there present, a­mongst whome we cannot reaso­nably conceaue his B. Mother, dearest aboue all vnto him, to haue byn excluded; or that he o­mitted his affectionate & last res­pect vnto her, appointed to share the next day in deadly agonies with him.

But piously rather & prudently we may conceaue him to haue armed her for his farewell, a­gainst griefes then approaching, by manifesting, first his Fathers holy will vnto her, and the my­sterious causes of her sufferinges; secondly by telling her the hap­py fruites which were in hea­uen, and in earth to redound af­terwards of them; and thirdly how she was with himselfe to be [Page 101]glorifyed Eternally for them: Counselling, and enabling her by heauenly graces withall, to carry her selfe, (as she did) man­fully in them, when without out-cryes, soundings, or other passionate, and vnseemely ex­pressions of her griefes, she stood by his Crosse (as the Euangelist telleth vs) letting downe silently into her soule, the whole bit­ternes of his Chalice, and ope­ning as it were her brest, to re­ceaue the saddest, and deadliest stroakes which affliction could lay vpon it.

His last words to her, were (as we may conceaue) vttered with teares, and sadde expressions of loue and compassion towards her for those innocent sufferinges which were to be by his tormēts soon afterwards occasioned. And she for her last farewell to him, [Page 102]may be thought to haue vttered some such words as these, with motherly & affectionate imbra­cinges: Go my gracious sonne, and heauenly Redeemer to pay on thy paynefull Crosse, the high price of our Eternall Redemp­tion, wisely no doubt, and iustly by thy diuine Father exacted. Let this goodly Temple of thy sacred body, framed of mine, and miraculously raised, with bloud­dy woundes in sight also of me thy louing Mother, & obedient Creature, be (as thy cruell Ad­uersaries shall please) lamenta­bly, and painefully defaced; for now I can do no more motherly offices and seruices for thee: I of­fer heere my selfe willingly, to suffer all extremities with thee.

Of our B. Ladies seuerall griefes in her Sonnes passion. [Chap. 31.

AS our B. Lady is expresly said to haue stood neere to her sonnes Crosse in the tyme of his passion: so is it most probable, that she sadly beheld him in all his other publique torments, and disgraces, fearing not as the o­ther Iewes did to be defiled, by entring the Pretorian, & Courtes within it, sanctified by her sonns presence, and sacred streames painefully in them effused.

So that the accusations vrged by the Iewes to Pilate, and ioy­ned with outcryes against him, were as dolefull & deadly sum­mons of her sorrow. Disgracefull cueltyes done by Herod after­wards & his soldiars against him were as vnsheathings of that sharp [Page 104]sword which afterwards pierced her hart. The loud blowes and bloudy stripes lamētably tearing all partes of his body, were as wide rendings of her soule, and deadly piercinges of sorrow.

His thorny Crowne did sharpen the swordes point, and make it enter more deeply; and finally Pilats sentence, was as the stroke of a deadly thunderbolt vnto her.

Her iourney after her Sonne to Mount Caluary, was to them both, mutually grieued for ech other, a dolefull processiō, where the gaul giuen him, did increase the bitternes of her sorrowes; & when she saw his cloathes pluc­ked off, and raggs of flesh clea­uing vnto them, the smart of his woundes became in her soule freshly renewed; & when she saw him mercilesly throwne downe [Page 105]on the hard bed of his Crosse, she also was cast downe into the lowest depth of griefe with him; & had euen her hart pierced with those very nayles, which entred into him.

Those bloudy streames which she saw running from him to the ground, and there trodden vnder the Hangmens feet, did make the woundes of her soule bleed fre­shly; so, as she became cooled at that sad spectacle, & had instantly died (as persons do, wounded in the hart) had she not byn, to see her sonnes sacrifice fully ended, supernaturally preserued.

The Iewes were mysteriously forbidden by their law, to boyle the Kid in his Dams milke: yet heere they did more, when they caused the child to be crucified in the sight, and hart of his Mo­ther, by loue, and compassion [Page 106]so neerly, and dearly (as she was) vnited vnto him.

Of Christs speach to his mother and disciple, vpon the Crosse. [Chap. 32.

THis God of loue and mercy (as we may well call him) ly­ing bent like a bow on his Crosse, was no sooner lifted from the ground, but he began to dart vp­wards, towards the bosome of his Father, fiery and flaming ar­rows of loue to him, & men to­geather: first charitably excusing and praying for his enemies, who at the same instant blasphemed, and derided him, Father forgiue them for they know not what they do. Secondly, of tender and deare compassion towards his B. Mo­ther, dying togeather with him, woman (said he) behould thy sonne, [Page 107]meaning S. Iohn standing by her; and then to him, Behould thy Mo­ther.

He called her, woman, least by naming her Mother, he should haue moued the Iewes to out­rages against her, and myste­riously insinuating her withall, to be that woman which was or­dayned to crush the Serpents head long before, and vtterly to vanquish him. And he so com­mended her for a Mother to S. Iohn, as we also had a share (albeit after him) in this mysterious a­doption; so that we haue reason to glory, & thāke him for a dou­ble adoption: wherby he vouch­safed to make vs, as by his Fa­ther, so by his Mother likewise, bretheren vnto him; that, to the dewty which all owe her, for being Mother vnto himselfe, we might add filiall piety also, and [Page 108]seruiceable loue, to her who was euen as a Mother from his Crosse recommēded, to obtayne graces of her sonne, and Motherly bles­sings, temporall and eternall for vs.

Who indeed, if we consider the sad tyme, and circumstances of our adoption, whilst he with torments, and she with griefes were togeather languishing, we may be rightly called, as Beniamin was by his dying Mother, Benoni, Sonnes of sorrow; yet children of her loue withall, if we consider, well that ardent Charity, with which her diuine sonne bequea­thed vs for children vnto her; & that humble Loue, with which she accepted vs from him, actual­ly dying then with herselfe, gra­ciously to redeeme vs.

Of our B. Ladies particular sorrow in the death, and buriall of her Sonne. [Chap. 33.

OVr B. Sauiour hauing hung si­lently on his Crosse for almost three houres togeather, to tast more quietly, and feelingly the extremity of his torments (much increased throgh the coldnes of the ayre, darkened about him) awakened himselfe, and his bles­sed Mother buryed as it were in a traunce of deadly sorrowes, to­gether with him, by a loud com­plaint made to his eternall Fa­ther of being forsaken, and in the sensitiue part of his humane nature, left comfortles by him, O my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and roused himselfe vp withall to dye as it became him, breathing out his euer-bles­sed [Page 110]soule into the hands of his Fa­ther. And whē his body was dead & cold, more new anguishes were added to her former griefes, by beholding euen his dead corps not spared, but with the wide piercing of a speare wounded then againe, and more then be­fore lamentably defaced.

When he was taken downe from his Crosse, so as she might more neerly he hold his wounds, kisse, and bath them with her teares, sorrow seemed to be brought neerer to her hart, and his mangled cold body to haue byn buryed therin before it was embalmed, and layd in the se­pulcher; leauing it when others did, but carrying home with her a liuely, & sad memory of all his sufferings, in silent and deepe thoughts mournfully reuoluing them; wanting not, whither she [Page 111]went companions of affliction, & sorrowes to attend her.

So as Christs mother & friends returning from mount Caluary togeather, made a most dolefull procession to S. Marks house sea­ted vnder mount Syon, where the B. Virgin wasted with sorrow, receaued such comforts, as that afficted family of friends could affoard her. And S. Iohn not vn­mindful that he had byn adopted her sonne by his louing mayster, offered no doubt, with all loue & duty, filiall seruices vnto her.

Of our Sauiours first apparition to his B. Mother. [Chap. 34.

ALmighty God is said to wipe away teares from the eyes of his seruants; which he doth no otherwise, then by manifesting vnto them obiects of ioy, con­trary [Page 112]to the causes of their sor­rowes; which also he performed towards his B. Mother, early in the morning of his glorious Re­surrection, when according to the multitude, and greatnes of her griefes, he reioyced her hart, with diuine, and vnspeakable comfort.

She is noted by holy Authors, not to haue gone with the other deuout women, to embalme her sonnes Body, as faithfully no doubt persuaded, that he would rise againe the third day, as for­merly he had assured her, and confident withall so soone as he was risen, to be visited by him.

His apparition to her, is not by any Euangelist recounted, because a Mothers testimony of so great a mystery, might haue by n suspected, and the circum­stances of his apparition vnto [Page 113]her, were ouerhigh withall to be historically related, especially if learned Suarez coniecture there­of be true; that as she had sadly beheld, and accompanied him in his greatest humiliations, and af­flictions; so likewise she ioy­fully saw him in his highest glo­ry and contentments, with a double trayne of Angells, and Saintes triumphant, attending him; amongst whome we may conceaue her gladly to haue seene, bodily also perchance ray­sed, her beloued pure spouse S. Joseph, her holy Parents likewise, & others whome she had knowne before happily disceased: yiel­ding likewise gratefully vnto her amongst the rest, as to the gra­cious Mother of their Redeemer, due honors and prayses.

His fiue greater Woundes in his body still retayned, did shine [Page 114]then as rich Rubyes, by their colour to adorne the louely can­dour and transparency thereof, and their depth therin did shew them to haue byn flowing foun­taynes of graces, for vs once ope­ned on the Crosse, and neuer a­gayne closed. The tearings like­wise of the thornes and whips she saw beautifully in him, and glo­riously repayred.

By his louing imbracings he caused heauenly languishings in her soule, & by kisses of his sa­cred mouth, he breathed new feruours, and graces into her: & as he appeared first after his Re­surrection vnto her, so was he du­ring his stay on earth, most fre­quently with her.

Neither had she at any time (as is sayd of others when he appea­red vnto them) the eyes of ey­ther her body or soule restrained [Page 115]from knowing, and delightfully beholding him.

Finally, as the world from her wombe, by his natiuity, re­ceaued him: so did he in the day of his Ascension from her armes & imbracements ascend towards heauen.

Of our B. Ladyes receauing the holy Ghost. [Chap. 35.

AMongst the Apostles, and dis­ciples remaining in Hierusalem, expecting, and preparing them­selues to receaue that Diuine Pa­raclete and Spirit of truth, which our B. Sauiour had promised to send to them after his Ascension, S. Luke affirmes the B. Virgin to haue byn one, saying after he had named the Apostles; All these were persouering with one mynd in prayer, with the women, & Mary the [Page 116]Mother of IESVS; numbring her last as the humblest amōgst them & naming her alone with her so­ueraygne Title, of the Mother of Jesus, to grace that holy assembly the more by the presence of so sacred a person amongst them.

That diuine Spirit of loue and goodnes, came to the rest, first with eminent guifts and graces to possesse them; but he had come to her, twice before, to wit, in the Cōception of her selfe, & her Son, & was both times abōdātly replenished by him. This heauē ­ly builder came to rayse in them as from the ground a heauenly habitation for himselfe, and the other diuine persons; but he came to adorne her soule as a stately pallace already raysed, and accō ­plished by him.

This diuine Painter and beauti­fier of soules, began only to [Page 117]draw in them a liuely and loue­ly image of their gracious Re­deemer; wheras he perfected his former draughts in her, & made her an admirable, and matchles maister-peece of heauenly perfe­ction.

That working fire which Christ longed to kindle, and make to flame in the world, according to those his words, J came to send fire into the world &c. descended on the Apostles & disciples, to con­sume those drossie imperfections for which their mild Lord, had frequently blamed them; but on her, euer pure and cleane, the gracious effects of his diuine presence were cleere illustratiōs, inflamed affections, and the highest guifts, which for any end he cold bestow vpon a Crea­ture.

They finally as lesser vessells, [Page 118]yet great in respect of vs, were sodainly and happily filled from the flowing sea of all goodnes; but she who had already contay­ned within her, the euer full, and flowing fountayne of all graces, was as by a deeper tide, & larger Channell which it bad to runne in, made a full sea, and a blissefull depth of heauenly waters, flow­ing fully into her.

If any one should curiously aske me, what kind of graces were heaped so on her? I can only tell him, they were such as in the happy Course of her life after­wards, might be vsefull, and as the Mother of God, serue singu­larly to enrich and exalt her.

Of the aboad and manner of our B. Ladyes life, after her receauing the holy Ghost. [Chap. 36.

S. Iohn speaking of this sacred treasure recommended by his dying Maister vnto him, telleth vs, that he tooke her into his owne: not that he had any worldly for­tunes to bring her vnto, but that he had a louing care to performe all filiall dutyes vnto her; so that, till the Apostles dispersiō abroad she liued for the most at Hie­rusalem with him, sustayned by common almes, with other holy widowes, and greatly delighted in her pouerty, as formerly she had byn: where it ioyed her no lesse to see the zealous and fruit­full labours of the Apostles, in conuerting soules to the know­ledge of her diuine Sonne, then [Page 120]it comforted, and edified them all, to behold her humble and examplar conuersation amongst them, blessing her pure wombe which had miraculously concea­ued their heauenly Redeemer, her Paps which had nursed him, her Hands which had cloathed him, and the other partes of her louely body, which had byn ser­uiceable vnto him. And the more they were illuminated to con­ceaue the diuine maiesty of their Lord, the more highly they ap­prehended her excellency, and with a reuerentiall loue, accor­dingly respected her.

Afterwards when S. John with the other Apostles left Hierusalem, he tooke this B. Virgin to Ephe­sus with him, (as the Fathers of the first Generall Counsell hol­den there, traditionally affirmed) where she was no doubt holily [Page 121]delighted, to behould Iewes and Gentills together with her sonns graces happily, and equally enri­ched; holpen, no doubt, in their first conuersions, and much re­created to behould this modell of perfection, and second light, ordayned to shine in heauen, conuersant most humbly, and examplarly amongst them.

Neither were the holy places of Palestine so visited (as she is sayd to haue byn) by other deuout Christians; repayring thither to behold the mother of their Lord ready with an humble gladnes to welcome them, and to confirme them in their fayth, by relating many mysterious speeches, and passages of her sonnes life, which none, as an eye & eare witnesse, but her selfe, could deliuer vn­to them. And especially she is sayd, sweetly and frequently to [Page 122]haue repeated vnto them these words of her diuine sonne, Be you perfect, as your heauenly Father is perfect. A high lesson indeed, and by her fitly taught, who next vn­to the heauenly Authour therof practised the same, and liued so long after him for the comfort, & instruction of such holy soules as were by his Apostle (S. John especially) conuerted vnto him.

Of our B. Ladyes manner of prayer. [Chap. 37.

PRayer (sayth S. Augustine) is as the breathing of holy sou­les, whereby they draw the pure ayre of heauēly graces into them. Light & Loue are the chief fruits thereof, and best meanes to per­fect the same in vs: for Light in­creaseth Loue, and Loue when it is ardent augmenteth that hea­uenly [Page 123]Clarity, wherby it is pro­duced; and by mutually inten­ding ech other, both of them grow in holy soules to such perfection, as the one is sel­dome darkned, or the other coo­led at any tyme so but that like Ouens frequently & throughly warmed with new fyres, they e­uer retayne great warmth, & holy feruour in them.

Their fancies in sleep often imi­tate their Vnderstanding, and borrow as it were from the rich store-houses of their memories, holy Obiects, and Discourses, which as heauenly alarums do easily waken their wills, & make them interrupt often the repose of their senses, by breaking forth into holy aspiratiōs; as dry wood is with slender sparkles soone kindled, and inflamed.

This great guift of Prayer ar­riued [Page 124]in the mother of God, with her other graces, to a won­derfull perfection: so as her Soule therein, was with a heauenly splendor, next to Beatificall Cla­rity it selfe, continually raysed; and her Loue naturall and super­naturall, to her God and Sonne, like two fiery wings, mounted her thoughts & affections more & more towards him, by whome they were inflamed.

An immaculate innocency of life added a most gracious sweet­nes to this rising rod of all hea­uenly perfums and spices sweetly composed. Humility raysed it, a pure Intention made way for it, and a constant perseuerance ther­in did surely obtayne what by her prayer she intended.

The high Attributes of God, and the sacred mysteries of her sonnes life and death, still conser­ued [Page 125]in her memory, and confer­red in her hart, as the Euangelist twice telleth vs, were the vsuall subiects therof; & her discourses therein, were free from all man­ner of distractions, and by hea­uenly illuminations cleared so, as like Eagles mounted to their high pitch aboue the cloudes, she soared with little labour, and be­came in them, euer sweetly, and diuinely inflamed.

Of the wonderfull merit of our B. Ladyes actions. [Chap. 38.

LEarned Suarez writing of this fubiect, frō certaine groundes of fayth and Philosophy, gathe­red so strong a conclusion con­cerning the B. Virgins wonderfull manner of meriting, and redou­bling, by ech act, her former graces, as he dared not to publish [Page 126]his doctrine, vntill the learned Diuines of Spayne, had with their opiniōs approued it. The summe of his discourse is this.

As naturall habits are produ­ced by naturall acts, when they are intense and perfect; so super­naturall habits are by the diuine infuser of them, conferred on ho­ly soules, according to the perfe­ction of those supernaturall acts, wherby holy soules merit an in­crease of them. Wherefore since the B. Virgin, did in ech holy act done by her, cooperate with for­mer graces giuen her, fully, and according to their whole inten­sion, as hauing no sinfull inclina­tion to hinder her: so did she still merit, according to the full in­tension & perfection of her acts, to haue new graces infused into her, and consequently to haue former graces redoubled, by ech [Page 127]one of them; so that she heaped in her soule hourely, treasures of merits, and by them in the end of her life arriued to an immensity of graces.

Sinfull Ignorance did neuer darken her illuminated soule, Er­rour seduce, or Malice corrupt her. Sense neuer rebelled against Reason; and Concupiscence the roote of sinne, was according to S. Thomas euer kept from grow­ing, and totally at length extin­guished in her. Wherby this hea­uenly Sulamite, became ordered in all vertues so, as a high Wise­dom guided them in their seue­rall operations, & Charity com­maunded them; wherby she came, as weighty things remayne in their Center, to be in them im­moueably fixed.

Pride did at no tyme rayse her, or Pusillanimity deiect her. Pas­sions [Page 28]did not perturbe her, or sensuall Appetites disorder her. Sanctity did cleare, like a rich pearle, her gracious grouth; and an Angelicall Purity of mind and body, did for her diuine spouse consecrate & spotlesly conserue her. Humility to conclude, made her ponderous in all actions, O­bedience rounded her, and other graces smoothed her, in such sort, as finally she became in thē, a rare, and matchlesse vnion of Created Perfection, doing all her actions in the substance, and cir­cumstances of them, so, as it is a Catholique point of faith to be­lieue, she neuer offended, by o­mission, or commission venially in them.

Of our B. Ladies Sacramentall gra­ces heere gayned. [Chap. 39.

GReat Authors (S. Clement and others) haue affirmed our B. [Page 129]Sauiour himselfe to haue bapti­zed his Mother, aswell to bewti­fy her soule by the fairest chara­cter of that Sacrament, as to take an occasion therby, besides the wonderfull merit of her owne actions, to heape in his owne bounty, on her soule, vnconcea­uable graces.

The descension of the Holy Ghost vpon her in the day of Pentecost, was as an eminent vn­ction, and Confirmation of her graces therein receaued, and the most holy sacrifice, & sacrament of her sonnes body & bloud dai­ly with other Christians recea­ued, was as an euer-full, and flow­ing fountayne of heauenly bles­sings running into her.

Her oblation thereof in the Apostles hands, & preparation to receaue it, was suitable (no doubt [...]) to the immenfity of [Page 130]actuall and habituall graces in her soule: their Clarity did illu­minate her, their Feruour inflame her, Humility prostrated her, Piety disposed her, & faith made her so firmely to belieue her sonnes glorious, albeit inuisible, presence therein, as if she had ap­parently beheld him; humbly thanking him in behalfe of her selfe, and vs also, for that second annihilating, as it were of him­selfe, to communicate the fruites of his passion to faithfull soules worthily receauing him; fre­quently enioying glimses almost of beatificall Clarity it selfe, as often as she sacramentally recea­ued him; he recompencing so, in a sorte, the wonted, and desired Comforts of his visible prefence with her.

And if S. Mary Magdalen in her holy retyrement neere Mar­sills [Page 131]in France, had bodily rapts, Angelicall visits, heauenly melo­dy, and greater fauours, by her louing and beloued Lord, daily affoarded her; can we reasona­bly doubt, but that in higher & more delightfull manners he ex­pressed his loue to her, graciou­sly aboue all Creatures indeared vnto him?

Or do so many authenticall & vndoubted histories mention his glorious apparitions to other Saintes, men and woomen, for yielding them, yet aliue, particu­lar comforts, and instructions; and may we not iustly conceaue him to haue byn more open-han­ded, and liberall, in shewing his loue to her, who best deserued such fauours, and had as a gra­cious Mother, from a louing Sonne, most right to receaue them?

Of our B. Ladies death. [Chap 40.

SAint Denis not conuerted by S. Paul at Athens before the 16. yeare after our Sauiours Passiō, (as Baronius, with Suarez, and o­ther great Authors haue colle­cted) & writing as he doth of his hauing byn at Hierusalem with S. Peter, S. Iohn and others aswell A­postles as chiefe disciples of our Sauiour, at the death and funeral of this sacred Virgin, conuinceth her to haue liued well nigh 20. yeares after her Sonnes passion, to gayne no doubt a lōg & happy haruest of heauēly merits for her selfe, to comfort likewise the A­postles themselues in their holy labours, and to edify others by them conuerted by her gracefull person, exemplar life, & conuer­sation amongst them.

Her happy end may be thought to haue byn prophetically reuea­led to the Apostles, and disciples, that besides their mutuall com­fort of seeing ech other, they might also enioy so contentfull a blessing, as to be hould the ioy­full passage of this sacred Mother to her diuine Sonne, take their last leaue of her, heere in this world, and celebrate her fune­ralls with due loue and venera­tion.

The sicknes wherof she dyed may be thought to haue byn a rauishing excesse and sweet lan­guishment of heauenly loue, and longinging to hasten to her sonne, calling her vnto him, Come my beloued from Libanus, thou shalt be crowned: which freely yielded vnto by her, might cause such a concurrence of vitall spirits, to rayse the thoughts and affections [Page 134]of her soule, as they failed, to conserue a needfull disposition for life, in her bodily members and senses.

So as lying sweetly reposed on her bed, with all the Apostles, & many chiefe Disciples of her Sonne kneeling about her, ha­uing newly before, for a happy viaticum to heauen most deuou­tely receaued him, whom first in her wombe, she had diuinely conceaued, with an vnexpressible ardour of loue, giuing her bles­sing, and farewell to all present, she breathed out her gracious soule into her Sonnes hands, there present to receaue it, waited on by the most glorious Princes of his Court, gladly attending him their Lord, and her his be­loued Mother, in their triumphāt procession.

Of our B. Ladies Assumption. [Chap. 41.

PIous eares, and harts worthily abhorre to heare spoken, that corruption (sayth S. John Damas­cene) inuaded, and wormes de­uoured that sacred flesh, a part whereof the Author himselfe of immortality had assumed: or that this stately branch of Iesses root, euer rotted in the groūd, whose flowre was in Heauen so glo­riously ripened: or finally that this louely Tabernacle of the Highest became in the bewtifull frame therof, after death, vtterly dissolued.

No surely, as the same had byn whilst it was aliue, many wayes graced by her diuine sonne: so was it, being dead from loathsomnesse, and corruption [Page 135]totally preserued, as for many reasons it was fitting. First, in that it had not byn with sinne originally infected, as other bo­dies are, when soules void of grace are first vnited vnto them. Secondly for that it was euer a most pure habitation of her gra­cious soule, neuer by it actually defiled, or viciously inclined. Thirdly, because it had byn the subiect of heauenly wonders for her Creatours glory, and mans eternall saluation, wrought hap­pily in it; and ech part thereof made sacred, by immediate tou­ches, and seruices done to the Eternall Word Incarnate within it, and nursed by it.

Her wombe for example was (as the Spouse, for the wonder­full purity, and fertility thereof, calleth it in the Canticles) a Heape of heauenly Grayne, to [Page 136]nourish soules eternally, with lillyes inuironed: a pure Nest, wherein the celestiall Phaenix, and Birde of Diuine Loue was hatched: the Tyring-house wher­in the sonne of God was for high ends humanely disguised; finally a Bed-chamber, richly prepared for the celestiall Bride, to be­come therin, to our nature first, and to all holy soules afterwards, eternally espoused.

Her sacred breasts, were as two Pearly-bottels, tipped with rich rubies, and filled once from hea­uen, sweetly to nurse him, by whome (as the Church singeth in her Office) birds are fed, and all Creatures sustayned.

Her lappe was as an easy Couch wherein the sonne of God lay neere to her louing hart content­fully reposed.

Her armes and hands had byn [Page 138]for many yeares togeather, holy instruments fitly made and mo­ued, to imbrace, and serue him.

Her lipps were as two Ruby gates, at which her soule and her diuine sonnes had often met, & parlied with mutuall significa­tions of loue, and new breathings from him of heauenly graces in­to her.

Her eyes had byn as cleare windowes, for her soule, delight­fully to behould, for 33. yeares togeather, his corporall bewtyes and deepely to imprint in her hart a liuely, and louely image of him.

To conclude, all other parts of her virginall pure body, for ser­uiceable acts done to the omni­potent Authour therof, were by him after her death, highly res­pected (no doubt) gloriously per­fected, and wonderfully exalted.

Of the glory of our B. Lady assūpted. [Chap 42.

HEr sepulcher is sayd to haue byn placed in the garden of Gethsemani, wherein by the A­postles and other chiefe disciples of her Sonne, her body was so­lemnely and deuoutly intombed. And as flowers do smell sweetly in their first buddings; so this fayre flower, about to open it self in its immortall beauty, yielded to all present a heauēly fragran­cy (as S. Iohn Damascene from A­postolicall tradition recounteth) and sweetned that stony recepta­cle, and part of the earth, whence it was soone after into her sons heauenly garden, to be glorious­ly transplanted.

So that when the Apostolicall intombers thereof had left it, [Page 140]Angelical spirits, as a sacred trea­sury cōserued it, & attēded it vn­till the third day, when it was by their Lord, and her Sonne ioy­fully raysed, and with such a glo­rious change, as those celestiall Princes wondred to see agayne in her, as before they had seene in their Lord, a clodd of earth so curiously molded, & graciously transformed, asking ech other, not as ignorant who she was, but admiring her greatnes: Who is she that ascendeth from the desert, in delights, leaning on her beloued? Delights indeed (sayth S. Bernard) abounding in her, and flowing still in earth and in heauen gra­ciously from her, which can be no more expressed, then her glo­ries described: suitable no doubt to the graces of her soule, & such (sayth he) as well beseemed so diuine a sonne to bestow vpon [Page 141]so deseruing a mother.

His heauenly Father was like­wise openhāded at the same tyme in heaping gratious fauours on her, who had byn Mother of his eternall sonne, and ioint-parent with himselfe of him, & the ho­ly Ghost was effused no doubt in his boūty then to her, whom here on earth he had singularly espou­sed to himselfe, and made mother of a diuine child, first from him (saith S. Leo) in her soule, and afterwards in her wombe most graciously conceaued.

And as they had raysed her in the holy merits of her life far a­boue all Creatures: so was she at her entrance into heauen highly in throned, and supremely exal­ted for them.

Of our B. Ladyes Coronation. [Chap. 43.

THe Diademe with which this Queene of Heauen was crow­ned by her sonne, at her glorious entrance into his Kingdome, was in the riches thereof, suita­ble (no doubt) to her wonder­full merits, and graced with twelue such Starrs, as adorned the head of that mysterious wo­man mentioned in the Apoca­lyps, importing twelue peculiar Graces, conferred by the diuine Persons on her.

The first of them was, her ma­ternall dignity, and office of ha­uing the eternall word incarnate within her, wherby she came to haue a singular neerenes, and dearenes vnto him.

The 2. was, her immaculate [Page 143]conception, happily therein be­ginning a rich haruest of heauen­ly merits, brought out of her mothers wombe into the world with her.

The 3. was, her preseruation from venially offending after­wards, wherby she alone of all Adams naturall children equal­led Angells themselues, in the vnspotted innocency of her life, as in the graces of her soule, she incomparably excelled them.

The 4. added an Excellency to the former, & arriued to the hap­piest effect of originall iustice itself, which was to feele no Cōcu­piscence, or rebellion at all in her members & senses, but to haue nature and grace euer in her, har­moniously composed.

The 5. was, her virginall vow of Purity, wherby she consecra­ted herselfe to her Heauenly [Page 144]spouse; and before the Ghospell of her sonne, in this, and other graces arriued to the highest top of Euangelicall perfection.

To 6. was, the pure Conce­ption, and manner of her sonnes Natiuity, a Priuiledge indeed (sayth S. Bernard) for Gods mo­ther alone graciously reserued.

The 7. was, her hauing besides Fayth, and continuall Illustra­tions of heauenly Graces, in a most affectuous cleare manner, an experimentall knowledge of many chiefe mysteries of faith wrought by her Sonne; so as her selfe was with him an actour also in them, as his miraculous Con­ception, Natiuity &c. happily ser­uing to illminate & inflame her.

The 9. was, naturall & super­naturall loue towards him, as to her God and sonne sweetly con­ioyned, & like two fiery wings, [Page 145]ray sing her soule incessantly to­wards him.

The 9. was, her life led for 30. yeares & more, inseparably with him, affording her hourely occasions of doing motherly ser­uices immediately vnto him.

The 10. was, her great suffe­ringes for him, & martyrdome finally with him, caused by Loue, making his wounds & torments her own by a most tender Com­passion.

The 11. was, her happy end, graced by the Apostles present thereat, and much more highly honoured by her Sonnes perso­nall readines to receaue her bles­sed Soule, recōmended vnto him.

The 12. was her bodily Assum­ption after death, wherby she preuented the raysing of other Saints bodies in the generall re­surrection, and came to be with a [Page 46]complete fulnes of blessed ioyes, eternally possessed.

Where I leaue thee (O sacred Virgin, and gracious Mother of my heauenly Redeemer) in the bright Noone of thy glorious Clarity neuer setting; in the ar­dour of thy loue euer flaming; and in the flowing of thy delights neuer ebbing, but increasing still; so as holpen by thy powerfull in­tercession, I hope, albeit a farre of as men gaze on the starres, to be­hould thee on a stately Throne, neere thy sonnes right hand glo­riously exalted: purposing in the meane tyme during my mortall and miserable life, in all I may, next to thy diuine sonne, my Lord and Sauiour himselfe, to honour and serue thee.