Meditations vppon the mysteries of our holy faith with the practise of mental praier touching the same composed in Spanish by the R.F. Luys de la Puente ... ; and translated into English by F. Rich. Gibbons ...

The eleuenth Meditation. Of the Iourney which the eternall VVorde Incarnate made in his Mothers VVombe, to the House of Zacharias to sanctifye his Fore∣runner S. Iohn the Baptist.

The first Pointe.

FIrst, I will consider, how the Worde made fleshe, beeing yet in the Wombe of his

blessed mother, with the exceeding greate desire hee had to saue men, presently fixed his eyes vpon Iohn, who was in the Belly of S. Elizabeth, and was to bee his Fore-runner: and seeing him to bee in Originall Sinne, hee was greiued thereat, and determined with himselfe forthwith to free him from that miserye, and to sanctifye him, taking possession of his Office of Redeemer which was giuen him in charge. And to this ende, hee effectually inspired his mother, speedily to goe visit her Cosin, that hee thereby might effect this his Worke. Wherein I am to ponder, First, [ 1] the greate Desier that this our Lorde hath of our Saluation, thanking him therefore, and confounding myselfe for the litle Desier that I haue of mine. [ 2] As also how carefull hee is of the good of his elected, and how vigilant in exercizing his office of Redeemer, seeing hee began it from the Wombe of his mother, not desiring to bee Idle any moment. [ 3] I will likewise ponder, what a greiuous euill Sinne is, and how much our Lord is displeased that his elect should bee in Sinne but a moment: seeing, for this cause hee inspired his mother, so hastily to vndertake that iourney, to free from Sinne his chosen Iohn Baptist.

O Diuine VVorde that madest thyselfe man to deliuer vs from Sinne, and deriuedst to enact this office with such speede, that thou tookest, for thy Surname: Make speede, hasten, robbe, and take Spoyles: seeing thy names are not emptye, but full, come Lord with speede to free mee from my Sinnes, make haste to sanctifye mee with thy Grace: robbe my Hearte for thy Seruice, and take it for the Spoyle of thy Victorye, that from hence forth I may begin feruently to serue thee.

The Second Pointe.

SEcondly, I am to consider, how our Lord hauing power to sanctifye the Baptist from the place where hee was, would notwithstanding inspire his mother to carrye him to the house of S. Elizabeth: and there to worke this mira∣culous sanctification for causes very admirable, and proffitable for our instruction. [ 1] First to giue newe Demonstrations of his Humillitye, and Charitye. For as these Vertues mooued him to come downe from Heauen, and to come into the Worlde to visite it, and to drawe it out of the Darkenesse, and Shadowe of Deathe wheerein it stood: so likewise they mooued him to come from Nazareth to visite Iohn, and to drawe him out of Sinne: the greater comming to visite the lesser, to honour him; and the Phisicion, the Sicke to cure him.

The second cause was, [ 2] that his most blessed Mother might haue a share in this Action, taking her for the Instrument of the first sanctification that hee wrought in this Worlde, iustifying by her meanes the Childe Iohn that was in Sinne, and replenishing with the holy Spirit his mother that was just: to the ende that wee Sinners might vnderstand that to obtaine Pardon of our Sinnes, the blessed Virgin was to be our Me∣diatrix: & that the Righteous might vnderstande, that by her meanes they were to obtaine full∣nesse of the holy Spirit, and of his grace, with the vertues, and giftes that descende from Heauen; and that therefore all might endeuour to loue, and serue her, and to be much deuoted vnto her.

O soueraigne VIRGIN, seeing to day togither with thy Sonne thou takest possession of the office giuen thee for our benefit, prosecute it this day with mee obtaining for mee pardon of my Sinnes, and abundance of spirituall Craces. Amen.

The third cause was, [ 3] for that it is the pro∣pertye of our Sauiour Christe in entring into a Soule, to inspire it with exercises of Ver∣tue, and to mooue it zealously to aspire to the Heigth of Perfection. Sometimes hee ins∣pireth it to exercise Praier, and Contempla∣tion, and the other Actions of a contempla∣tiue Life: Other sometimes to issue out of that retirement, and to exercize the workes of the actiue Life with their neighbours. And so in the instant that he entred into the Wombe of the blessed VIRGIN, hee mooued her to goe vp to the hill Countrey of Iudea, to exercize notable Workes of Charitye, Mer∣cye, and Obedience: He might speake to her Hearte that of the Canticles: Rise vp, make haste my beloued, my Doue, my Beautifull, and come: O fruitefull Doue that hast thy nest in the holes of the stone, and in the chinke of the VVall, con∣templating the Secrets of my Diuinity, and Huma∣nitye, and liuing allwaies vnder my Protection, arize vp in haste, issue out of this secret place, and get vp to the mountaines of Iudea, that there thou maist confesse, and glorifye mee with workes of Charitye to the good of those Soules that I haue created.

From hence I will collect, how it is likewise the Propertye of our Lord Christe, when hee entreth into the righteous by the Communion of the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar, to inspire into them the like exercizes of Vertue,

that they may clime to the perfection of both Liues Contemplatiue, and Actiue, inspiring euery one with what is most conuenient for him. And if I feele not in myselfe these inspi∣rations when I communicate, it is thorough my wicked Disposition, and thorough my ouer much slackenesse, whereby I make my∣selfe vnworthy of this fauour. For the which I am to confounde myselfe, and to beseeche him to vse towardes mee his mercye, inspiring mee effectually with what may bee agreable to his holy Will.

The third Pointe.

THirdly, I am to consider the perfect Obe∣dience of the sacred VIRGIN to this inspiration, the which the Euangelist noteth, saying: MARYE rising vp, went with speede vnto the Hill-Countrey of Iudea: [ 1] for first shee atten∣ded no precept nor expresse order, but assoone as shee perceiued that it was Gods pleasure that shee should visite her Cosen, this inspi∣ration was sufficient to make her performe it. For the perfectly Obedient fullfilleth what∣soeuer hee vnderstandeth, to bee most confor∣mable to the Will of God, and of his Supe∣riour.

Secondly [ 2] shee was very prompt, and punctuall: for shee deferred not for many Dayes her Vi∣sitation, but with what breuitye shee might, shee effected it, and went with greate haste thorough the efficacye of the Spirit, that moued her sodainely to fullfill her Obedience: for the diuine Grace is an Enemye of Slownesse, and Delay.

Thirdly, shee was very pure in her Intention, [ 3] pretending only the Glory of God, and the ac∣complishment of his holy Will, without mixture of terrene endes, such as vse to be in like Visitations: and shee went not (as S. Ambrose sayeth) to the house of Elizabeth thorough any Curiositye, or Doubt to prooue if it were true what the Angell had saied: but rather because shee was assured thereof, and would glorifye God in beholding the Worke that hee had donne.

Fourthly it was mixed with much Charitye, [ 4] Patience, and Humillitye, for without staying vpon the Dignitye that was giuen her of beeing the mother of God, shee was pleased to visite one meaner then herselfe, and to giue her the Much good doe it her, of the fauour that God had donne her. And allbeeit the waye was long, and rough, and shee tender, and vnaccustomed to such trauell, yet shee doubted not to abandon her retirement, and to issue out in publike, because such was the good pleasure of our Lord.

Lastly, [ 5] I will ponder the manner how this our blessed LADYE made her iourney: for shee carried a rare, and singular modestye, not cu∣riously diuerting herselfe to gaze on those that passed by the way; in such sorte, that if any happened to fixe their eyes vpon her, they were forthwith moued to Sanctitye, and Puritye. Shee carried her Hearte nailed to her Sonne, whome shee bare in her Wombe, with whome by the way shee framed sweete Colloquyes, and with him went so contented that shee felt not the trauell, nor the pouertye, and want of that which was necessarye.

O Soueraigne VIRGIN, how full thou art of God, and how delighted to accomplish his VVill! O how well it befitteth thee in this VVay to bee the Litter of the true Salomon, builded with admirable Arte to carry him from one parte to another. The siluer Columnes are thy Vertues; the Seate of Golde thy Contemplation: the ascent of Purple thy Humillity, and Patience: and that in the middest, which is thy Hearte, is adorned with Charitye: for within thee is God himselfe, who is all Charitye. And seeing all this was giuen thee, because of the Daughters of Hierusalem, which are weake Soules, I beseeche thee, o most pittifull mother, obtaine for mee such another like Ornament that imitating thy Vertues, my Soule may bee the Litter of thy Sonne, in the which hee may repose, and by which hee may bee made knowen to the whole VVorlde. Amen.

Notes

• Luc. 1.44
• Colloquie.
• Isa. 8.1.
• Luc. 1.79. Beda ibid.
• Colloquie.
• Inspira∣tions of our Sa∣uiour Christ.
• Cant. 2.14
• Perfect obediēce to Gods Inspira∣tions.
• Ex D. Amb. l. 2. in Lucā.
• Colloquie.
• Cant. 3.9