Of the love of our only Lord and Saviour, Iesus Christ: Both that which he beareth to vs; and that also which we are obliged to beare to him. Declared by the principall mysteries of the life, and death of our Lord; as they are deluiered [sic] to vs in Holy Scripture. With a preface, or introduction to the discourse.

The entiere Conformity of the B. Virgins will, to the will of God, is prosecuted; And it is shewed, how a world of priuiledges, and perfections, which seeme incompatible, were assembled in her.

CHAP. 92.

VERILY we Christian Catholikes, are much bound to God, for infinite(a) fa∣uours; & it deserueth to go amongst the grea∣test of them, that he sets before vs, such puis∣sant & yet delightfull obiects as these. A God incarnate, dying vpon a Crosse, and an An∣gell incarnate, and more then a whole Quire of Angells, in the person of his B. Virgin Mo∣ther, at the foote therof. They draw vs vp to∣wards them, by depressing vs downe, below our selues. For euen what Saint, will not run out of cōntenance as farre as the feete of shame can carry him, and shrinke into a feeling knowledge that he is indeed a kind of no∣thing, if he be cōpared, I say not only to Christ our Lord, but to our B. Lady?

When the body is tormented, the mind will help to hold it vp, but when the Mar∣tyrdome is indured, by a sword of such sor∣row in the soule, what is able to stay it, but such a perfect obedience, and patience, , and loue, as hers; which tyed it, after an immo∣ueable manner, to the pillar of Gods will; and which(b) planted that house of her hart, vpon a rocke so firme, as could not once be shaken,

by all the waues of earth, and hell. The visi∣ble Sunne did hide it selfe at that tyme, as in the discourse of the Passion was declared; & so also did the inuisible Sonne which was the the Sonne of this sacred Virgin, hide himselfe in her. For where did he shine, and burne, but there? Dilectus meus mihi, & ego illi, was then the word of them both, hand to hand; and she might well affirme in a much more e∣minent manner, then S. Paul, that her life was hidden vp with Christ in God.

What(c) a world of things, which seeme incompatible with one another, do we see en∣counter, and imbrace themselues, in this sa∣cred Virgin? In her, we see affliction and ioy; Nobility and pouerty. A cleere knowledge that she was the Cedar of Excellency, with a perfect contempt, and making herselfe the shrubb of hysop by humility. The fire of Cha∣rity, and the snow of Purity. Her person v∣pon earth; her conuersatiō in heauen. A child of Adam in nature, and his mother in Grace; and a child of Christ our Lord in grace, & his mother in nature. So that shee is both mo∣ther and daughter; nay she is both Virgin, & Mother. In her sacred wombe, she coupled God and man; Et qui creauit me, requieuit in ta∣bernaculo meo: and he (sayth she) who created me, hath reposed in this(d) Tabernacle of mine. She gaue a new, and that an Eternall being, to him, who gaue the totall being which is inioyed, both by her and all other creatures. She was Grauida, as S. Bernard saith, but not Grauata,

great with child, but it was a burthen without any weight. For she carried him in her wōbe, who carried, and conducted both him, and the world, in his three fingars. She was tur∣bata, non perturbata; troubled at the salutation of the Angell, but not disturbed by it, as is al∣so affirmed by the same S. Bernard. She is a faire full riuer, which could neuer fall; but did o∣uer flow so far as to be a Sea, but subiect to no tempest; and alwayes, if we will, we may glasse our selues in her smooth & shining wa∣ters. A Sea she is, to saile in; and a port to rest in. She is also a well sealed vp, but yet we may all draw that from thēce, which will quench our thirst; for she is not only well, but water. She is also a garden shut vp; but yet we all may gather of those excellent, and odoriferous flowers. Nay though she be a garden, her∣selfe is also a flower; and the best but one, in all that heauenly Paradise of God. She is the true mother of Pearle; but yet withall she is a Pearle; and the richest after that other, which doth adorne the Throne of the Diuinity. She is the woman, whome, in the Apocalips, S. Iohn saw cloathed with the sunne; and he also saw, in his Ghospell, of Verbum caro factum est, that the Sonne was cloathed and kept warme by her. She is also said to be like the sunne in bright∣nes, yet not glareing, or dazeling; but togea∣ther with the brightnes of a sunne, she hath the sweetnes, of a neuer-wayning or changing Moone.

She is sweet, but strange after the ex∣ample

of Christ our Lord, Qui disponit omnid suauiter, & pertingit, â fine vsque ad finem fortiter. And for this, she is also said to be Terribilis, vt castrorum acies ordinata; as terrible as a battell placed in good array. The terrour, which a complete Army giues, is great; but that is only to the enemies; for, to friends, it is a spectacle, both of security, and glory. She(e) conquers with curtesy, and mercy; or if she do it, by force, yet is it not to kill, but to take prisoners; & to enchaine them, in the armes of her protectiō. She is that strōge Tower of Dauid; but yet with∣all, she will needs be so weake, as to yield her∣selfe, vpon the call of any afflicted creature.

In(f) fine she had God the Father, for her Father; and God the Sonne for her Sonne; and God the holy Ghost, for her Spouse. Her Sonne was wholly his Sonne, in one of his natures; & his Sonne was wholly hers, in the other; and yet it was but one, and the selfe same Sōne of thē both. Who as he did infini∣tely (after a sort) enrich that Humanity which he receiued from her; so it became his Maiesty and greatnes, and wisedome, & goodnes (be∣sides his filial reuerence, and loue) to impart himselfe to her as hath bene said, in the most abundant manner, and withall those priuiled∣ges, & graces which any meere creature could receaue.

Notes

• (a)

  Out Lord doth seeke to draw vs to him by obiects of incom∣parable strength & sweet∣nes.
• (b)

  The house of our B La∣dies hart was im∣moueable
• Cant. 2.
• Coloss. 3.
• (c)

  Our B. Lady did abound with thin∣ges which seem in∣compati∣ble with one ano∣ther.
• Eecl. 42.
• (d)

  Her sacred wombe.
• S. Bern. hom. 3. super Mis∣sus est, post med.
• Fons sig∣natus. Cant. 4.
• Hortus cōclusus. Cant. 4.
• Apoc. 1••••
• Ioan. 11
• Sap. 8.
• (e)

  The most sweet con∣dition of our B. Lady Cant. 4.
• (f)

  How our B. Lady was allied & lincked with all the three Persons of the B. Trinity.