The first Pointe.

FIrst, * I will consider what happened before the Conception of this Sainct: for God ha∣uing elected him for his fore-runner, was willing to honour him, to demonstrate in him the great∣nesse of his mercye, and the heigth of the office that he gaue him in charge, all for the glorye of Christ IESVS whose fore-runner he was. As first he would that he should be miraculously conceiued of barren Parents, [ 1] that he should be the Sonne of holy Parents, and the Sonne of Praiers, & holy Desiers: for Praier is the meanes that God vseth to execute the Deuises of his eternall predestination; as S. Gregory sayeth, * speaking of the birth of the Patriarch Isaac. Whereby he moueth vs to haue greate Affection, & Confidence in Praier, though it be concerning things that seeme difficult, seeing for all it is auaileable. [ 2] He would likewise that his Conce∣ption should be annunciated by the Angell S. Gabriel, who annunciated that of his Sonne: and with the selfe same spirit of prompt Obedience, the Angell came to declare both the one, and the other, because it was God that commaunded it. * In the same manner that S. Raphael came to serue Tobias in very base things, with no lesse pleasure then if God had commaunded him things of greate heigth: for all the Angells place their Glory Page  144in accomplishing the will of God.

Then will I ponder what Greatenesses S. Ga∣briel spake of the Childe, that he might be esteemed by all, and to instruct his Father in the manner of his education for so high an office. The first was, [ 1] that the Angell himselfe in Gods behalfe, gaue him the name he was to haue, saying, that he should be called Iohn, which is as much to say as Crace, to signifye that he should be an absolute Portraiture of Grace, in whome should be shewen the riches of Gods grace: for he truely founde grace before God, who without any merits of his, elected and called him, * and was mindefull of his name euen from the Wombe of his mother. The second, [ 2] that he should be greate before God in those things, that God esteemeth for greatenesse, which are Vertues, and Giftes of Sanctitye. So that he should be greate in Humillitye, Patience, and Obedience: greate in Praier, and Contemplation; and greate in the office that the greate ones haue of the house of God. The third, [ 3] that he should be exceeding temperate, without drinking wine, or sicer, as a man of Nazareth, wholely dedi∣cated to the seruice of God. And for that the Diuine promises are not emptye but full, giuing a sufficient portion for all that is promised, he addeth the fourth excellencye, [ 4] that hee should be replenished from the Wombe of his mother with the holy Spirit, with that fullnesse that was requisite for the Dignitye of his Office, because he was elected, beginning from the wombe of his mother, & going on forwarde to his Deathe. The fifth that he should goe before our Lord, [ 5] as his Precursor with the zealous spirit of Elias, conuerting to God many Israelites, and preparing Page  145him a People perfectly industriated to receiue the newe Lawe that he was to teache.

So that, according to the Sentence of the Angell, this Childe should be perfect in all manner of perfection, towardes God, towardes himselfe, and towardes his neighbours. For towardes God, he should be greate in the giftes of his Grace; towards himselfe rigorous in the workes of mortification, and Penance: and towardes his neighbours he should be zealous in seeking their Saluation, not contenting him∣selfe to be perfect, but endeuoring that all might be perfect, and ordaining all this to the glorye of our Lord Christ. This patterne of perfection (which is the same that is taught vs by the Prophet Micheas) I am to set before my eyes for imitation. * And of the Greatenesses that God so much esteemeth, I am to pretende for myselfe those which are conuenient for my Estate, beseeching his diuine maiestie to giue mee them for the Loue he bare to this Precursor, to whome so liberally he graunted them.

The Second Pointe.

SEcondly, * are to be considered the fauours that our Lord did to this holy Babe, beeing in the wombe of his mother in the sixth mō∣neth of his Conception, the Worde Incarnate himselfe comming in the Wombe of his mother to visite him, and to sanctify him, as is de∣clared in the precedent meditation, from the which wee may recollect three excellencyes of this Sainct.

First, [ 1] that S. Iohn was the first fruites of all Page  146the Sainctes that our Sauiour made after his In∣carnation: and therefore he sanctifyed him with greate excellencye, giuing him greate Sanctitye, and many graces giuen gratis after a very perfect manner, graunting him the vse of reason, and free will: Illuminating his Vnderstanding to knowe his Incarnation, and Inflaming his will with feruent affections of Admiration, and Loue, and with Iubilees, and rejoicings in the holy Spirit. The second excellencye was, [ 2] that whereas the giftes of God, * (as S. Paul sayeth) are without repentance; it is to be beleeued (as sayeth S. Ambrose) that he tooke not from him the vse of reason that he had graunted him: and conse∣quently, that whereas the blessed VIRGIN those three moneths that she was in the house of Zacharias, ayded S. Elizabeth to growe in all Vertue: so the Childe IESVS that was in the wombe of the VIRGIN, ayded the Childe Iohn who was in the wombe of Elizabeth, to growe vp in that holinesse, that he had graunted him, prosecuting it with newe actes of his free∣will, inflamed with diuine grace by the holy Spirit, of whome hee was full. [ 3] The third excel∣lencye was (as holy men reporte) that in respect of the Childe Iohn, * God did so many fauours to his mother, that he filled her with the holy Ghost, and with the Spirit of Prophecye, to giue vs to vnderstand how much he esteemeth this Childe, and what good he will doe vs for his sake. For the which I am to procure greate Loue to this fore-runner, rejoicing at the fa∣uours that he receiued, and giuing thankes to God that gaue them him; and beseeching him to bee an Intercessor for mee, that I may haue some parte in them.

The third Pointe.

THirdly, I am to consider the most speciall things that happened in the birth of S. Iohn. The first was, [ 1] that comming to circumcize him, his Parents by Gods Inspiration, * against the will of their kinred, saied his name should bee Iohn, which is as much to say, as Grace: to signifye, that whereas this Childe by Circumcision, was loden with the heauy burthen of the olde Lawe, * God gaue him most abundant Grace to beare it, and to be after a sorte the beginning of the newe Lawe, which was the Lawe of Grace, of which some parte fell to his Lot, and in which, this Grace is graunted vnto all. And therefore I will beseeche our Lord, that seeing he hath imposed vpon me the burthen of his Lawe, he will graunt me abundance of his grace to full∣fill it.

The second miracle was, [ 2] * to restore vnto his father Zacharias his specche, whome he forth∣with filled with the holy Spirit, giuing him the spirit of Prophecye, wherewith he composed the Canticle of Benedictus Dominus Deus Israel, beginning with the praises of God, who shewed himselfe so liberall in comming to visite vs, and then with the praises of his Fore-runner. For it is the propertye of the diuine Spirit to inspire praises of God for his benefits: & of his Sainctes for the giftes that he hath giuen them. But the excellencye of this Childe, and the much that God loueth him is most resplendent, this being graunted to his Father, assoone as he had written in a table the name of Iohn, that we may per∣ceiue the grace and fauour that he will doe for Page  148his respect to those, that with deuotion shall worship his holy name.

O glorious Childe, * I reioice that thou art so beloued of our Lord, and seeing thou according to thy name, art so full of Grace, obtaine for me of our Lord, that I may be replenished therewith, that I may perpetually serue him, and in thy Companye may enioy him worlde without ende. Amen.

The third that hapned, * [ 3] was greate Alacritye with greate Reuerence, and Admiration, in all People to whose knowledge these things ar∣riued, fullfilling that which the Angell had saied, that many should rejoice in his birth, to signifye, that God our Lord gaue him to his Church, as the Aduocate of spirituall Alacritye, which is the effect of Deuotion, & the pledge of Life euerlasting.

The last, and most glorious is, [ 4] that which the Euangelist sayeth in the beginning of his Life, * that the hande of our Lord was with him, that is, that his Omnipotencye fauored him, and wrought for him greate things, and moued, and directed him in all his wayes, and protected him in all his necessities: for the which the Churche applyeth vnto him that of the holy Prophet Isaias: * Our Lord hath called mee from the wombe from the belly of my mother he hath beene mindefull of my name; he hath protected me in the shadowe of his hande, and hath put me as a chosen arrowe, in his quiuer he hath hidden me.

O happy Arrowe, * that mouedst not by thyne owne impulsion, but by the impulsion of the all-mightye. O selected arrowe, directed by the holy Spirit to greate things, neuer leauing thee out of his power∣full hande. O hande of the Allmighty that mo∣uedst Page  149thy Fore-runner, moue me with thy impulsion to fullfill thy holy VVill: and be euer assistant vnto mee, for thou knowest that without thee, I am able to doe nothing.