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THirdly, I am to consider the causes why our Lord God was willing to become a Babe, * 1.1 and to bee conceiued in the Wombe of a Woman, when as hee might haue taken the bodye of a perfect man, as hee formed the bodye of Adam. The causes heereof, omitting those
which were touched in the 3. Meditation were these. * 1.2 First to make himselfe (as the Apostle sayeth) in all things to bee like to men his bretheren, & to oblige them heereby to loue him more tenderly. * 1.3 O most louing God, who as a mother bearest vs in thy Wombe, who hath made thee a Babe inclosed in the wombe of thy mother? Thy Loue doubtlesse is the cause heereof, and the greate desier thou hast to bee loued: for that if wee should not loue thee for the Greatenesse that thou shewest, as thou arte God, yet wee should loue thee for the Tendernesse thou thewest towardes vs, as thou arte a Babe.
The second Cause was, [ 2] to giue vs an Example of Humillitye, and to affectionate vs thereunto, when with the eyes of Faithe wee should see the God of Maiestye made a litle litle Babe; and see him whome Heauen, & Earthe cannot containe, contained in the narrowe boundes of the wombe of a Woman. And so comparing the greatenesse of God with this Littlenesse, I will breake into Affection of Admiration, and Imitation, saying to this our Lorde: * 1.4 O diuine VVorde, who as thou art God, art in the Immense besome of thy Father, and as thou art man, inclosedst thyselfe in the narrowe bosome of thy Mother, cleare the eyes of my Soule, that considering the greatenesse thou hast in the one bosome, and the litlenesse thou hast in the other, ad∣miring at both, I may adore thy greatenesse with trembling, and embrace thy Littlenesse with Humil∣litye.
The third cause was, * 1.5 to enter into the Worlde, [ 3] giuing vs an Example of Patience, and most perfect Mortification, suffering for nine moneths a horrid, obscure, and narrow prison, such as is the Wombe of a Woman, in which this Babe was streightned, and pressed, not beeing able to
mooue himselfe from one side to another, nor to stirre hande, nor foote, nor to see, nor to heare, nor to smell, nor to taste any thing. Of which although other babes haue no feeling, because they haue not the vse of Reason, yet this most blessed Babe hauing the most perfect vse thereof, had a feeling of it, and yet with a good will suffered this Imprisonment, and this mortification of Senses, to free vs from the euerlasting prison: and to satisfye for the liber∣tye, and ouermuch loosenesse of Eua, who going to recreate herselfe in Paradise, bebelde the fruite of the Tree, and contrary to Gods com∣maundement tasted thereof. And so likewise to satisfye for the libertyes, and Lightnesses of my Senses, and to animate mee by his Example to mortifye them, and to suffer any shutting vp, or streightnesse whatsoeuer in my Chamber, or bed, or in whatsoeuer else pertaineth to the pampering of my fleshe.
I humbly thanke thee, o diuine VVorde incarnate, * 1.6 for this entrance thou hast made into the VVorlde, suffering so streight a goole, such a horride prison, and so long, and tedious a mortification of thy fleshe: by the which I humbly beseeche thee to deliuer mee from the eternall Prison of Hell, and from the trou∣blesome gaole of my Vices, ayding mee to mortifye my passions, and with the spirite to restraine the disordinate vse of my Senses.
Isa. 9.6.
Heb. 2.17 Isa. 46.3.
Colloquie.
Colloquie.
Ecclesia in Hymno. Non hor∣ruisti Vir∣ginis vte∣rum.
Colloquie.