A golden treatise of mentall praier with diuerse spirituall rules and directions, no lesse profitable then necessarie for all sortes of people. First composed by the venerable and blessed father, Fr. Peter de Alcantara, of the Seraphicall Order of S. Francis. Beatified the 18. of Aprill. 1622. Translated into English by G.VV. To vvhich is prefixed a breife relation of the life, and death of the same father vvritten by G.VV. of the same order and obseruance.

A Meditation for Munday.

THis day after thou hast seigned thy selfe with the signe of the Crosse, thou shalt meditate vpon the washinge of the disciples feete, and institution of the blessed Sacrament.

Consider, ô my soule, at this supper sweet IESVS himselfe to be present, con∣template that inestimable example of hu∣militie, which he there proposed vnto thee for imitation; when risinge from the table, where he sat with his disciples, hee would be pleased to wash their feete: O sweete IESVS, what is it that thou doest? O sweet IESVS, why doth thy mightie Maiestie thus diminish it selfe? O my soule, what woul∣dest thou haue thought to see God tum∣blinge at the feete of men, and prostrate before IVDAS? O barbarous and cruel man, could not so great humilitie molifie

thy heart? was not so great bountie and sweetnes able to penetrate thy entrals, and to reclaime thee from thy intended mischeife? can it be that thou determi∣nest to sell this meeke lambe for so small a price? nay if it be so, how couldest thou yet endure to behold so rare an example? I wonder it did not wound thy guiltie soule with compunction for thy greuious crime? O delicate hands, howe could you touch so filthie, sordide, and with sinne contaminated feete? O pure and vnspotted hands, howe could you endure to wash those feete, that were fouled with goinge and cominge to make a sale of your precious bloud? O thrice happie Apostles, did you not trem∣ble and stand amazed at the sight of so great humilitie? What dost thou doe PETER? canst thou permitt the Lord of Maiestie to wash thy feete? S. PETER wholly astonished with the admiration of this spectacle, when he sawe our blessed Sauiour fallinge downe at his feete, cryed out: Domine tu mihi lauas pedes? Lord doest thou wash my feete? what, art not thou the Sonne of the euer-liuinge God? art not thou the creatour of the whole world, the beutie of heauen, the Paradise of An∣gels, redeemer of mankind, splendour

of thy Fathers glorie, most deepe fountai∣ne of the eternall wisdome? and doest thou wash my feet? howe cometh it to passe, that thou Lord of so great maiestie and glorie shouldest thus debase thy selfe to so vile a seruice?

Thē cōsider, howe he washed all his dis∣ciples feet one by one, and after washinge, wiped them with a linnen cloath wher∣with he was girded, open the eies of thy mind to behold in these misteries a repre∣sentation of our redemption. This linnen cloath so wiped their feet, that all the dirt which was vpon their feet did sticke on the linnen cloath: not without miste∣rie.

For what more foule then mā concei∣ued in sinne? What more pure thē CHRIST conceiued by the operation of the holy Ghost? Dilectus meus candidus & rubicundus electus ex milibus:* 1.1 My beloued saith the spouse in the canticles is white and rudly chosen of thousands. Yet not withstan∣dinge most pure, most beutifull CHRIST tooke vnto himselfe all the spots of our soules: frō which that he might clēse vs (as you may see him vpō the Crosse) he would be pleased to defile himselfe with the filth of our impuritie. Consider lastly with what words our Blessed Sauiour closed vp

this humble action: Exemplum dedi vobis vs quemadmodum ego feci vobis, ita & vos faciati••. I haue giuen you an example that as I haue done to you, you may doe the like. Which words doe not only pertaine to this pre∣sent action, and example of humilitie: but likwise to all the actions of CHRIST through-out his wholl life, vvhich is a most absolute and perfect rule for vs to square our actions by, especially of humilitie, which is here to life represented vnto vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cant. 5.