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 fourth Pointe.

WHile S. Ioseph was thus thinking, beholde the Angell of our Lord appeared to him in sleepe, saying: Ioseph Sonne of Dauid feare not to take MARAE thy VVife: for that which is borne in her, is not by the worke of man, but of the holy Ghoste. And she shall bring forth a Sonne, and thou shallt call his name IESVS: for he shal saue his People from their sinnes.

Heerein is to be considered the fidellitye of the Diuine Prouidence, [ 1] in comming to re∣medye the Affliction sof those that are his, when they are arriued to the last, and sharpest pointe, vsing diuine meanes, when humane meanes doe faile. For whereas our Lord sawe that S. Ioseph could not conceiue the cause of that beeing with Childe, he sent an Angell after a very sweete manner to reueale it vnto him: for calling him by his proper name Ioseph, he addeth, Sonne of Dauid, to reduce to his me∣mory, that to Dauid was made the promise of the Messias, that he should descende from him. He saieth to him, Feare not, to take from him both Scruple, and Anguish; which is the pro∣pertye of good Angells. he saieth, that the VIR∣GIN had conceiued by the Holy Ghoste, to take

from him all suspicion, and to cleare the Honour of our LADYE. And wholely to conuerte his mourning into Ioye, he addeth that she shall bring farth a Sonne, of whome he must haue as tender a care, as if he were his owne: and that to him it should belong to giue him his name, which should be IESVS, which is as much to say, as Sauiour for that he was to be the Sauiour of the Worlde. And all this was reuealed vnto him with so greate Illumination, that forthwith he gaue entire credit thereunto.

From hence I will ascende to ponder the ala∣critye of S. [ 2] Ioseph at the hearing of these newes, that beeing fullfilled in him that is written in Iob: VVhen thou shalt think thyselfe consumed thou shalt rise like the daye starre. O how full of Con∣tent was he to see himselfe freed from his suspicion! How ashamed that he had admitted it, though it were ignorantly, and without any fault of his! How warye afterward not to iudge euill of any bodye! How thankefull to God, for hauing giuen him a Spouse so Holy, and of so greate Dignitye, & for committing to his charge the care of his only begotten Sonne! And how joyfull to see, that now was the time come of the Redemption of the Worlde!

I will likewise ponder the greate Ioy of the blessed VIRGIN to see her Husband so fall of quiet, [ 3] and content; how much she was confir∣med in the Hope of Gods Prouidence; and how thankefull to our Lord for vndertaking her cause; our Lord fullfilling in her, what he spake by the Prophet Oseas: I will put her in the valley of Achor, that is, of Affliction, to confirme her a newe in hope, and she shal renewe her Songs to see herselfe free from her paines.

I giue thee humble thankes, o eternall God, for the greate care thou hadst of these two glorious Sainctes, turning for them, as thou art wont, the valley of Achor into the foode, and augmentation of their Spirit. By their merits I beseeche thee, to make me worthy to enioy the fruite of thy fatherly Prouidence, relying thereupon with greate securitye in the middest of my Afflictions, seeing it is most certaine, that thou in thy good time wilt come to remedye them.

Notes

• Mat. 1.20
• Iob 11.17.
• Oseae •• 15
• Colloquie.
• Oseae 2.15