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.

FOurthly, I will consider the entrance of the blessed VIRGIN into Bethlehem, which was in an occasion of so greate a concourse of People, that shee founde no bodye that would lodge her, neither was there any roome in the Inne where shee was: so that she was forced to haue recourse to a poore Stable for beastes: the di∣uine prouidence so disposing it, that the Sonne of God might enter into the Worlde begging, and suffering, hauing no bodye to be compas∣sionate of his Afflictions.

Vpon this passage, I am to ponder the excel∣lencye of this our Lord, who seeketh a Chamber to bee borne in, & findeth none: the blindenesse

of men, that knowe him not, nor prouide him one: the benefits whereof they depriue them∣selues, for not giuing him one, and how he chooseth for himselfe the worst of the worlde; collecting out of all this, tender Affections: and harty feelings. [ 1] First, I will ponder how the men of the Worlde haue Palaces, and Howses well accommodated: and the riche of Bethlehem were vnder good shelter, and warmely lodged at their ease: but the Sonne of the eternall Father, * 1.1 lord of all that is created••, comming to seeke a Lodging, in his owne Citty, of whence naturally he was, and among those of his owne tribe, and familye, he findeth none that would harbour him.

O eternall VVorde incarnate, * 1.2 how soone the worlde beginneth to reiect thee, thou hauing come to redeeme it! now maiest thou well say, * 1.3 that the foxes haue holes, and the foules of the aire haue nestes wherein to hatche their egges, and to bring vp their little ones: but the Sonne of man, and his poore mother, finde not where to repose their heade. The foxes chase thee from their Caues: for the craftye, and riche of the Earthe, abhorre thy Simplicitye, and Pouertye. The Birdes admitte thee not into their nestes, for the noble, and prowde of the worlde despise thy humillity, and lowlinesse: and therefore thou goest to a poore, and humble Stable, * 1.4 where the Oxe will knowe his Owner, and the Asse will leaue his maunger to resigne it to his master. O Lord of Lords, and Owner of all that is created, cast out of my Soule all foxelike Subtleties, and high-soaring Prides that possesse it, that thou mayest finde therein a fit lodging for thyselfe.

From hence I will ascende to consider, [ 2] how the cause that our Sauiour Christ founde no

harbour in Bethlehem, was the Ignorance of that People: for God comming to their gates, they acknowledged him not, neither knewe what good might came to them by admitting him, admitting other guestes of whome they could receiue litle, or no proffit. O how happy had he beene that had harboured this our Lorde, that he might haue beene borne in his house! what spirituall riches would he haue giuen him? how well would hee haue recompensed his hospitallitye, as he recom∣pensed Martha, and Zachous? O how happy were my Soule, if it should happen to harbour this our Lorde, and to giue him place to be borne spi∣ritually therein!

O infinite God which inuironest the portes of my Hearte, * 1.5 calling with Inspirations, that I might open vnto thee, with a desier to enter therein, to inriche it with the giftes of thy grace: permitte me not to shut the porte, not to knowe thee: nor to dispatche thee away, not to esteeme thee: Come, o Lord, come, and call, for I will heare thee; knocke at my dore, and I will open vnto thee: and I will giue vnto thee the best parte of my house, which is my Hearte, that thou maiest therein repose at thy pleasure.

Finally, [ 3] I am to ponder the Patience where∣with the B. VIRGIN, and S. Ioseph carried this Affliction, and Abandoning: and with what ala∣critye they suffered the reproches of those, who rejected them because they were poore: & with what content they retired themselues to the Stable, taking for themselues the most contem∣ptible place of the Earthe: whereby they mer∣uailously insistered Humillitye, & Pouertye, with Patience, and Alacritye. In imitation of whome, I will endeuour to desier for myselfe, that which is worst, and most contemptible in the worlde,

carrying it with alacritye, when it falleth to my lot: for there is no better lot then to imitate these glorious Sainctes, as they imitated our Sauiour Christ, in such sorte as heereafter we shall see.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ioan. 1.11
• * 1.2

  Colloquie.
• * 1.3

  Luc. 9.58.
• * 1.4

  Isai. 1.3••.
• * 1.5

  Colloquie. Apoc. 3.20.