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 fiftenth Meditation. Of the expectation of our blessed LADYES deliuerye: and of the preparation for the birth of our Sauiour Christ.

FOr that in Spaine eight dayes before the birth of our Sauiour Christ wee celebrate the feaste of the Expectation of our B. LADYES deliuerye, I insert heere this meditation for that daye, and the dayes ensuing till the natiuitye: in which whee are to consider the liuely desiers that three persons had of this soueraigne De∣liuerye, and Birth: that is to say: the Childe, the VIRGIN, & S. Ioseph in whome are represented the faithfull, that firmely beleeue this mysterye, and in their imitation desire to prepare them∣selues worthily to celebrate it.

The first Pointe.

FIrst, I am to consider the most feruent de∣sier that our Lord IESVS Christ had, being

in the wombe of his mother, to perfect, and bring to ende the businesse of our Redemption; and consequently to be borne in the Worlde, to frame all things according to the will of his Father. For euen from his mothers belly that Sentence was true, that afterwardes he vttered: I am to be baptized with a bapt••me, * 1.1 o how am •• straitened vntill it be dispatched? For howsoeuer his bodye was pressed, and straitened in that straite Wombe of his mother, his hearte was much more pressed, and straitened with the force of this vehement desier: for the which I ought to giue him infinite thankes, and to be correspondent vnto him, with such another hearty desier truely to serue him. But notwith∣standing this desier, he would not be borne be∣fore the nine moneths, which is the time wherein commonly all other Children are borne. First, to conforme himselfe vnto all, [ 1] and to suffer that prison entirely without omitting as much as a daye: for in that which concerned suffering, he would vse with himselfe no dis∣pensation, exception, nor priuiledge: and there∣fore he would not be borne at the euen moneths, nor at the eight, but at the wine mo∣neths compleate. Secondly, [ 2] for that he tooke all this time, as a time of retirednesse for his en∣trance into the Worlde, spending it in perpetuall Praier, and Contemplation. As he was r••••ired fortye dayes in the Desert, before he mani••••••ed himselfe to the Worlde by his Preaching: ••••••ui∣sing vs heerein, how we ought to recollect ••ur∣selues, dedicating some time to retired praier, and to be vacant to God only, before we issue out in publike, and begin any greate enterprize: as likewise how we should recollect ourselues

to celebrate with Deuotion his holy natiuitye.

The Second Pointe.

SEcondly, I will consider the feruent desiers of the most sacred VIRGIN to see her Sonne borne, and that now was arriued the happy hower of his natiuitye. [ 1] First, that she might knowe face to face him, that was not only her Sonne, but the Sonne also of the euer∣liuing God; to behold that sacred Humanitye that he had taken from her flesh, and to enioy his excellent Beautye.

Secondly, [ 2] to adore him, to serue, and nourish him, and to doe towardes him the office of a mother, in thankefullnesse for that greate fauour that he had donne her, in electing her to that ende. And therefore with greate tendernesse of Hearte she might applye to him that of the Canticles: Who shall giue thee me, o my Sonne, * 1.2 Vt inueniam te foris, & deosculer te: that I may see thee out of this thy inclosure, to kisse thee, to cherish, and to serue thee, as thou doest merit?

Thirdly, [ 3] that the Worlde might enioy that good, that was inclosed in her: for allbeit she exceedingly loued him, yet she would not haue him for herselfe alone, but for all, because he was Incarnate for all vniuersally. * 1.3 And as Hope that is delayed afflicteth the hearte, euery day seemed to her a whole yeare: though on the other side she was most contented to containe him within her, vnderstanding that such was his pleasure. With these Considerations I am to moue my hearte, and to awake therein feruent desiers, that this Sonne of God might be borne

spiritually within my Soule, and within the Soule of all men, that by all he might be adored, serued, and loued, repeating to this ende certaine verses of the Psalmes, and of the Prophets, which holy Church vseth in the time of Aduent: which are to say: * 1.4 Awake o Lord, thy power, and make haste to saue vs. Would thou wouldest breake these Heauens, and descende, that in thy presence all my Vices might be dissolued. O Heauens distill from on high this diuine dewe: O clowdes raine for me this Iust one: and open o thou Earthe, and bud out to me this Sauiour: shewe thy-mercye, o Lord, and graciously giue me thy Saluation. To this purpose I may frame certaine Iaculatorye Praiers, like to those which in these dayes the holy Church vseth, in those seuen Antiphone which are sung at Euensong, calling our Sauiour Christ by those names, which hee holdeth as he is God, or as he is man, by reason of the offices he doth in those Soules, whome he visiteth. * 1.5 And therefore I may say vnto him: O infinite Wisdome, come to gouerne me in the way of Heauen! O Splendour of the glorye of the Father, come to illuminate me with the splendour of thy vertues! O Sun of Iustice, come to giue light, & heate of Life to him, that is seated in the Shadowe of Deathe! O King of kings, descende to gouerne me! O master of nations, come to instruct me! O Sauiour of the VVorlde, make hast to saue me. And in this forme may be framed other such like petitions, conforming myselfe to the Spirit of the Church at this time.

Finally, I may spiritualize the desiers of the blessed VIRGIN, and of her Sonne whome she bare, in her Wombe, quickening my desier, that those good purposes, which by the Inspiration of the holy Ghost I haue conceiued, may come

to light, and be effected in such time, place, and season, as God shall require, absolutely confor∣ming myselfe to his most holy will. For as the infant conceiued, naturally desireth to come into the light of this Worlde at his due time, and if he commeth not, he tormenteth his mother, and dieth, indaungering likewise her life; So the good purpose, which the holy Ghost inspi∣reth me with, of altering, or bettering my life, is as it were crying, and desiring to come to light in his due time. And if by negligence, or Contempt, it be not effected, it tormenteth the Conscience with remorses, and vseth to be an occasion of greate falles, * 1.6 God permitting them as a chastizement, for hauing extinguished the Spirit, and the good purposes that proceeded from his Inspiration. * 1.7 And heereupon the holy Spirit saieth, that Desiers kill the slouthfull: that is, Desiers conceiued by the Vertue of God, and not accomplished thorough our owne Slothe.

The third Pointe.

THirdly, [ 1] I am to consider the assured hope that our blessed LADYE had, that her Virginity should suffer no losse by this birth, firmely beleeuing, that as she was a Virgin in conceiuing the Sonne of God, without the worke of man, so likewise should she be in bringing him forth, without any prejudice of her Virginities Integritye; for the experience of what was passed, assured her of what was to come, remembring that both these things were jointely prophecyed by the Prophet Isaias, saying: Beholde a VIRGIN shall conceiue, * 1.8 and bring forth a Sonne, whose name shallbee Emanuel, which is to

say being interpreted, God with vs. These wordes shee might reuolue within herselfe, and with greate admiration might say: VVhence to me so greate good, that I should be this miraculous VIR∣GIN? what, is it possible that I haue conceiued within me that very Sonne, whome the eternall Father con∣taineth within himselfe? And that this Emanuel is with me, whome so many haue desired to be with them: and that without losse of my Virginitye, he should issue out of me, to bee, & remaine with all vniuersally? I giue thee thankes, * 1.9 o most blessed Emanuel, for hauing chosen this humble VIRGIN for thy mother. O that the hower of thy birth were now come, for allbeeit as thou art man, thou issuest out of mee, yet as thou art God, thou willt alwaies remaine with mee. With such Affections as these might the blessed VIRGIN be at this time, this Hope filling her with greate alacritye, for the greate Loue she bare to Vir∣ginitye.

From hence it proceeded that shee was free from those feares, that other childing women haue, and from those cares of their deliuerye, which vse to afflict them with greate paine: for she only was carefull to prepare her Soule with notable Actes of Vertue, the better to serue her Sonne, and likewise to prouide (as farre forth as her Pouertye would suffer her) for all things needefull for his birth. In imitation of her, I am to prepare myselfe for the natiuitye, that I expect of the Sonne of God, remouing those impediments that I shall finde in my Soule, and adorning it with excellent Actes of Vertue, according to that which in the precedent pointes we haue declared, and to that which holy Church commaundeth on those dayes, * 1.10 with the very wordes of S. Iohn Baptist: Prepare the waye of our

Lorde: make straight his pathes: * 1.11 euery valley shallbe filled, and euery mountaine, and Hill shallbe made lowe: crooked wayes shal become straight, and rough waies plaine: and all fleshe shall see the saluation of God. Which is to say: Remoue from you vices, that are contrary to the Sauiour that is borne: and adorne you with Vertues, like vnto his. Remoue the basenesse of Pusillanimitye, the loftinesse of Pride, crooked Intentions, and rough manners, endeuouring in all that is possi∣ble, to exalt your Spirit to the highest with Confidence, and to abase it to the lowest with Humillitye; directing your intentions to that which is heauenly, without any mixture of what is earthly; being meeke, and gentle to all, without giuing occasion of stumbling to any; for such is the Sauiour that is to be borne, and with such dispositions you are to receiue him. These foure Vertues opposite to the foure Contrary Vices, I am to procure for the ende aforesaide, by the mediation of our B. LADYE the VIRGIN, saying vnto her:

O most sacred VIRGIN, * 1.12 who with feruent desiers expectedst the natiuitye of thy Sonne, and with excellent workes disposedst thyselfe to beholde, and to embrace him, negociate for me, that I may remoue from me the impediments of his comming, and may with greate dilligence prepare myselfe there∣unto. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luc. 12.50
• * 1.2

  Cant. 8.1.
• * 1.3

  Prou. 13.12
• * 1.4

  Colloquie. Psal. 79.3 Isai. 64.1 Isa. 45.8.
• * 1.5

  Colloquie.
• * 1.6

  1 Thess. 5.19.
• * 1.7

  Pro. 21.25
• * 1.8

  Isa. 7.14. Mat. 1.23
• * 1.9

  Colloquie.
• * 1.10

  Luc. 3.4.
• * 1.11

  Ex Isai. 49.3.
• * 1.12

  Colloquie.