The first Pointe.

IN those dayes there was a man in Hierusalem named Simeon, and this man was iust, and reli∣gious, expecting the consolation of Israel, and the holy Ghoste was in him, and he had receiued an aunswere from the holy Ghoste, that he should not see deathe, vnlesse he sawe first the Christ of our Lord.

Vpon this pointe I will consider first, [ 1] how the holy Ghoste desiring to manifest IESVS Christ newly borne, raised vp two Prophets that might knowe him, and manifest him, as he made Zacharias, and Elizabeth Prophets to manifest him before he was borne: to this ende he layed his hande vpon Simeon, preparing him for his office with those admirable Vertues recounted by the Euangelist: saying first, [ 1] that he was a iust man, and religious, fearing God, and puntuall in the obseruation of the whole lawe, without ad∣mitting any breache thereof: for no man is saide to feare, but he that auoydeth the leaste sinnes of all, according to that saying of the wiseman: He that feareth God, * Nihil negligit, despiseth nothing, by making small accoumpt thereof. Secondly, that he had greate hope, [ 2] and therewith feruent desires of the comming of Christ for the saluation of his people. [ 3] And thirdly he Page  239joyned thereunto feruent, and continuall praiers, earnestly requiring this comming, and that hee might be worthy to enjoy it. In this manner he spent his life, and with these Vertues he made himselfe worthy to be the habitation of the holy spirit. From whence I will collect that greate puritye, and Sanctitye of life giue a man greate confidence to aske, and desire greate things at Gods handes; * like Moyses when he saide vnto God: Shewe me thy glorye, and discouer thy face vnto mee. And like the Spouse in the Canticles: Tell me, o thou whome my Soule loueth, where thou feedest thy flocke, and where thou reposest at noone daye. And like this holy olde man who desired to beholde the Messias with his eyes, & obtained it: for (as S. Bernard saieth, * Greate faithe meriteth greate things, and the farther thou stretchest thy foote of Confidence into the benefits of our Lorde, the greater thou shalt obtaine of his liberall hande.

Secondly, [ 2] I will ponder how the holy Spirit (who doeth the will of those that feare him, and heareth the desires of the poore that loue him) would consolate, and rewarde this holy olde man, aunswering to his petitions, with an excellent promise, that he should see Christ be∣fore his Deathe: that we might vnderstand, what a happinesse it is, to knowe how to treate with the holy Ghoste, and to haue him within vs withfullnesse of grace. For he himselfe (as S. Paul saieth) requesteth in vs, and for vs, * with gronings vnspeakeable, giuing vs assurances, that the praier which proceedeth from him shallbe heard, and dispatched in conuenient time, albeit the accomplishment thereof be somewhat de∣layed; as it happened to holy Simeon: * for God will haue vs to be vnwearied with hoping, & Page  240in this manner to dispose ourselues to receiue what we hope for.

Thirdly, I will ponder, [ 3] how that which is promised to all the Iust after their deathe, is sometimes graunted in parte to such as are very deuoute, before their Deathe: that is, to beholde Christ in this life with the eye of Contempla∣tion, * fullfilling heerein vnto them, that promise which saieth: Blessed are the cleane of Hearte, for they shall see God. O eternall God, which saidest, No man can see me, and liue, Moriar vt te videam, videam vt hic moriar. May I die to be∣holde thee, and may I beholde thee that I may die, may I beholde thee in this life by contemplation, that I may die to myselfe with perfect mortification: and may I die this happy deathe, that I may after∣wardes beholde thee in thy soueraigne Glorye. Amen.

The Second Pointe.

THe same day that the blessed VIRGIN carried her Sonne to the Temple, * holy Simeon inspired, and moued by the holy Ghoste went likewise thither, and seeing them enter, he knewe by the light of Heauen that that Childe was Christ: and taking him in his armes he blessed God, and saide: Now thou doest dismisse thy Seruant, o Lord, according to thy worde in peace, because mine eyes haue seene thy Saluation, &c.

Heere I will consider first the Fidellitye, [ 1] and Liberallitye of the Spirit in fullfilling his worde, and consolating this iust man, giuing him more then he promised him. He promised him that he should see Christ, and he giueth him leaue Page  241to take him in his armes, to embrace, and kisse him, and very louingly to vnite him to himselfe, for as the Apostle sayed: * God is powerfull to doe all things more abundantly then we desire, or vnderstande: wherewith I am to animate myselfe earnestly to serue this our Lord, who is large in promising, but much more liberall in accomplishing what hee promiseth, if there be faithe in him that receiueth it. But applying this, to what now passeth, I will consider, that as when as the blessed VIRGIN entred into the Temple, albeit there where there present many persons of all estates, and Conditions, as learned men, Preistes, noble men, and Plebeyans: only to Simeon God opened his eyes with his celestiall light, that he might knowe him in rewarde of his good life, and of the Spirit wherewith he came to the Temple: the rest making no diffe∣rence betweene that Childe, and others, because exteriourly he differed not from them: so like∣wise now among many that come vnto the Church, there are but fewe that knowe with celestiall light the presence of IESVS in the blessed Sacrament, and adore him with Deuo∣tion, meriting to receiue him in their heartes, and with ioye to be partakers of his giftes. For albeit our Sauiour Christ desireth to giue him∣selfe to be knowen of all men, yet fewe dispose themselues like Simeon, that he may accomplish his desire in them.

O my Soule come in Spirit to the Temple where IESVS is, that thou mayest enioy his happy sight, * and mayest embrace him with the armes of his sweete Loue.

Secondly, [ 2] I will ponder the greate alacritye of this holy man, and the abundance of ioye Page  242that he receiued with the beholding, & touching of that holy babe, and the greate fullnesse that his Soule receiued, acknowledging himselfe well rewarded for all the Afflictions passed in the long life that he had liued. And as it seemed vnto him that he had no more to desier, nor no more to see in this life, hauing seene the Sauiour, he conuerted all that was in him to glorifye God, and to praise him for this fauour, protesting that now he should dye in peace, whensoeuer it was Gods pleasure.

O my Soule, * seeke the eminent knowledge of IESVS, with the which thou shalt esteeme all that is created as dung, * that thou mayest gaine Christ in whome thou shals haue whatsoeuer thou canst desier. If thou beholdest him with a liuely faithe, what more wilt thou beholde? If thou em∣bracest him with strict Charitye, what more wouldest thou possesse? And if he be thine, what can be wanting vnto thee? Graunt me, o good IESVS, by the merits of this Sainct, some raye of that light which thou gauest him on this daye, that I may knowe thee, and loue thee, as he knewe, and loued thee, for ouer, and euer, Amen.

From this example of holy Simeon, I am to collect two things very proffitable to attaine to a good Deathe; [ 1] the first, that deuoute holy men experiment in this life the accomplishment of the diuine promises, as is that hundreth times as much as they left for Christ, to be heard in their praiers, to be protected by the diuine pro∣uidence in their necessities, and dangers; and with this experience they recouer greate hope, that God will accomplishe vnto them the pro∣mises of the life to come: and animated with this hope they desier Deathe to enioy them, Page  243saying with Dauid: In peace I will sleepe, * and re∣pose, for thou, o Lord, hast singularly confirmed me in hope. [ 2] The second is, that those holy men who haue arriued by Contemplation to see Christ, & his greatenesses, & haue tasted the sweetenesse of eternall things, are forthwith weary of tem∣porall, as of things vile, and vnworthy of their veiwe: and so they holde life in torment, and Deathe in desire, saying with S. Paul: * I desire to be dissolued, and to be with Christ, to beholde him, and to enioy him for euer. Therefore, o my Soule, if the peace, and quietnesse wherein the Sainctes, and holy men dye, be pleasing vnto thee, imitate the feruour, and spirit wherein they liue, for a feruent life is the cause of a quiet Deathe.

Finally, [ 3] I will ponder what content the B. VIRGIN receiued to see her Sonne knowne, and reuerenced, * and to heare the meruailes that were spoken of him: for (as S. Luke the Euangelist reporteth) she, and S. Ioseph were meruailing to heare these things, and glorified the eternall Father, for the knowledge that thereof he gaue vnto men.

The third Pointe.

THe blessed VIRGIN being in the middest of this ioye, Simeon blessing her, * saide vnto her with a propheticall Spirit: Behold this Childe is set vnto the ruine, and vnto the re∣surrection of many in Israel, and for a signe which shallbe contradicted; and thine owne Soule shall a sworde pearce, that out of many Heartes cogitations may be reuealed.

Concerning this prophecye, [ 1] I will consider first, the dessignes of God in alaying the Con∣tentments of the VIRGIN; for that when as she was most joyfull of the honour that was donne vnto her Sonne, he would discouer vnto her the Afflictions that the Childe was to suffer, & the sworde of sorrowe that for his sake should peirce her Soule, that forthwith she might begin to beare the peircing of that sworde, and might taste the bitternesse of his passion.

O most wise, * and most louing God, how much thou likest to giue vnto thy elected these mixtures of Con∣solations, and disconsolations! sometimes thou exal∣test them vnto heauen, * and againe thou abasest them vnto the depths: sometimes thou woundest their heart with the woundes of Loue, and some∣times with the sworde of dolour; demonstrating in the one, and in the other the profundity of thy wisdome, and the sweetenesse of thy Charitye: which seeing thou hast so dessigned, beholde me heere pre∣pared for all: peirce my Soule with this sworde as thou wilt, so that I may be accounted in the number of thy elected. Amen.

Secondly, I will ponder two memorable things, [ 2] that Simeon prophecyed of the Childe: the first, that he was set for the resurrection, and falling of many: for that many for his cause should raise themselues from Sinne to a high degree of Sanctitye; and others, for that they would not make their proffit of his comming, * should come to fall into the depth of ini∣quitye, of the which they themselues are in the faulte; for Christ our Lord for his parte desireth to be a resurrection vnto all, and not a stone of offence vnto any. The second is, that he should be a newe prodigious, and admi∣rable Page  245signe, but yet a signe which his enemies should contradict, resisting his Doctrine, ca∣lumniating his miracles, and persecuting his life, euen vnto the nailing him to a Crosse, * where he should be to the elected a signe of life, but to the reprobate of Damnation, by whose power should be discouered the fidelli∣tye, and loyaltye of the Disciples, which was couered in their Heartes.

Pondering these two things which continue euen to this daye, I am to be astonished at the iudgements of God in this case, and to be compassionate for the perdition of such a multitude of Infidells, and euill Christians, procuring to haue my Soule peirced with the sworde of Dolour, as that of the blessed VIR∣GIN was peirced, and withall beseeching this our Lord, that his comming bee not to my fall, but to my resurrection, and that it may be to me a signe of life, in whome I may beleeue, and hope, and whome I may loue, and imitate in being one of his Disciples, whome he calleth by the Prophet Isaias, a signe, and a prodigye, * endeuouring that my Wordes, and Actions may be admirable like his. And if heereupon it shall happen that many doe contradict, and persecute me, I am to reioice thereat, taking it for an assurance that I am much fauored by God, seeing he maketh me so like vnto his Sonne.

The fourth Pointe.

AT this time also the holy Spirit was pleased to manifest the Childe to another holy woman, * as he manifested him to a holy man, choosing to this Page  246ende an auncient widowe whose name was Anne, who spent her life in fasting, and praier, seruing God in the Temple day, and night. And by Inspiration of the holy Spirit she went vnto the Temple when the Childe entred, and knowing by the light of Heauen that he was the Messias, she brake sorth into the praises of God, and into speaking meruailes of the Childe to all that expected the redemption of Israel.

Heerein we may contemplate the seuerall wayes, that God hath to cherish, [ 1] and comfort his Seruantes: for to Simeon before he sawe the Sauiour, he promised that he should see him, to kindle the desire that he had to see him, and to entertaine him with the promise; but vnto Anne we knowe not that he made any such promise, but that he sodainely inspired her to goe see Christ our Lord, with whose sight he comforted her, and rewarded the good, and long seruices that in fourescore, and foure yeares she had donne him.

Secondly, [ 2] I will ponder sixe vertues of this holy widowe, whereby she made herselfe worthy of this fauour, that is, Chastitye, continuall Praier, Fasting, Obseruation of Gods lawe, Deuotion to such things as belonged to the diuine worship, with Perseuerance in all for many yeares. In these vertues I am to endeuour to imitate this holy woman, if I desier to obtaine that, which by them she obtained.

O king of glory, * giue me these sixe wings of the Seraphines that serue thee in the temple of thy Church, that I may flye with them in thy seruice, vntill I arriue to enioy thee in the Temple of thy glorye worlde without ende. Amen.