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 XXVIII. Meditation. Of the murder of the holy Innocents: and of the retourne from Egipt.

The first Pointe.

FIrst, I am to consider how king Herod fea∣ring, least that king whome the Sages had spoken of, should depriue him of his kingdome: and perceiuing that he was deluded by them, he cruelly commaunded to be murdered all the men Children that were in Bethlehem, & in all the borders thereof, from two yeare old, and vnder.

Wherein, [ 1] is first to be considered what an abominable Vice is Ambition, and the Desier of raigning, and commaunding, from whence ensued such horrible mischeifes, the cheife of all which, was to desier to take away the life of Christ, to vsurpe his kingdome, and to raigne by himselfe. As also how proper it is to Ambitious men to be suspitious, and timorous, suspecting least others should depriue them of their greatenesse, and fearing where there is no neede of feare, as the Tyrant Herod was afraide without cause: for our Lord Christ came not to take away temporall kingdomes, but to giue celestiall.

Secondly, [ 2] I will ponder the greate greife that our Sauiour Christ had being in Egipt: seeing from thence the murder of the holy Innocents for his sake: for it is to be beleeued, that the sworde which wounded the bodye of eache one of them, peirced his Soule with Dolour of Com∣passion,

thorough the exceeding loue where∣with he loued them, suffering so many martir∣domes in his Spirit, as they altogither suffered in bodye.

O most glorious king of Martyrs, who on this day conquerest in them, and sufferest with them, haue compassion on my weakenesse, and ayde me with thy grace, vanquishing in me all whatsoeuer is contrary vnto thee.

Thirdly, [ 3] I will ponder the greate spirituall good, which accrewed vnto these Children by the temporall Deathe which they suffered, being assured thereby of their eternall saluation: and therefore that was a louing prouidence which Christ vsed towardes them, albeit with the coste of the life of their bodye, which is of lesse worth then that of the Soule. And for this reason, our Sauiour Christ rejoiced at the glo∣rious Deathe of his martyrs, by the which they became partakers of so glorious, and eternall a life: that being fullfilled heere, which holy Iob sayeth of God, that he laugheth at the paines of the innocent, because be is recreated with the good that commeth vnto them thereby. I would, o my God, that I might suffer for thy sake, that my paines might be thy Laughter, and mirthe, catching me with deathe like these Children, before malice chaunge my Hearte, and Deceite alter my Soule, for I rather desier to dye, then to liue to offend thee.

The Second Pointe.

ANd when Herod was deade, beholde an Angell of our Lord appeared in sleepe to Ioseph in Egipt, saying: Arize, and take the Childe, and his mother,

and goe into the lande of Israel, for they are deade that sought the life of the Childe.

Heere is first to be considered, [ 1] how Herod seeking to take away the life of Christ, d••ed without compassing his intent, and dyed a disastrous deathe both of bodye, and Soule, for the Iustice of God, though it dissembleth for a time, chastizeth in the ende; and though the punishment of the wicked be deferred, yet it commeth at last, and when men least thinke, then Deathe seazeth vpon them, when as they pay for all their wickednesse togither: what proffit had Herod by his Ambition, and Crueltye, and extreame care to preserue his kingdome? for he lost all in one day, and with all lost his Soule, bewailing this remedilesse losse, as the rest of the Damned doe bewaile it, who say: What hath our Pride auailed vs? and the boasting of our Riches what hath it profited vs? all is passed like a Shadowe, and now in our wickednesse we are consumed, paying the penaltye that therefore we deserued.

Secondly, [ 2] I will ponder the prouidence of God, in sending presently his Angell to signifye this newes to S. Ioseph, and to free him from his exile, commaunding him to retourne to his Countrey. O how confirmed was he heereby in his confidence in God? and how contented was he to see the care he had of them? from whence I will collect, how securely I may be carelesse of the successe of my owne affaires, casting my cares in the handes of God, in the which are my lots, and my times, and my prospe∣rities, and aduersities, he taking it to his charge, to dispose them as shallbe most conuenient for my good.

O Father, most carefull of thy Children, I cast all my Cares vpon thee, because thou art so carefull of me. One only desier I haue to serue thee, that thou maiest desier to remedye me.

Thirdly, I will ponder, [ 3] that aswell in this reuelation, as in the other, the Angell calleth not the blessed VIRGIN by her name, nor sayeth vnto him, Take thy wife, and the Childe: but Take the Childe, and his mother: to teache vs, that the most glorious name of our B. LADYE is to be the mother of God: by this name the Angell calleth her, and the Euangelistes, and by this name we ought to call her, reuerencing the greatenesse of that name, and rejoicing therein.

O mother of God, bee thou happy in this name, and make vs the worthy Children of him that holdeth thee for his mother.

The third Pointe.

IOseph obeying the Commaundement of the Angell, departed towardes Israel, and fearing to goe into Iudea, he was warned in his sleepe to goe vnto Na∣zareth, that it might be fullfilled which was saide by the Prophets, that Christ shallbe called a Nazarite.

Heere is first to be considered the greife of all the people of that Cittye, [ 1] where these Sainctes had liued, for their departure from them, thorough the greate taste that they had of their holy conuersation, and for that it is credible that they left many, whome they had conuerted to the true Faithe.

Secondly, I will ponder, [ 2] how S. Ioseph in all his doubtes had recourse to the remedye of Praier, alwaies tourning himselfe vnto God, and

how readye God was to heare him, and to free him from his doubtes, I collecting from hence desiers to haue recourse likewise to God in all mine with Praier, and Confidence. For if I truely desier to be assured of Gods holy will, God will giue me light for to knowe it.

Thirdly, [ 3] I will ponder that name of our Sauiour Christ, Nazarite, which hee tooke of the Cittye where he was conceiued, and brought vp, and it is as much to saye, as holy, or florishing, si∣gnifying by this name that he was to be excel∣lently holy, and the holy of holyes, florishing in all kinde of flowers of admirable vertues, and wholely dedicated to God, without hauing any other employment in this mortall life more then in things belonging to his diuine seruice; giuing vs an example of being spirituall Naza∣rites resplendent in vertue in imitation of him.

O most sweete IESVS with all my Hearte, I desire to imitate thee, to obserue the lawes of the spirituall Nazarites, seperating myselfe from what∣soeuer is created, that may make me druncke with disordinate Loue, and not touching any deade thing that may defile my Soule, nor admitting any razour vpon my Heade, that may cut of the high thoughtes, and affections of my Spirit, preseruing them all entirely for thy Seruice. O most florinshing, and most holy Nazarite, ayde me to compasse my intention, seeing without thy aide, I can neither beginne, nor attaine the desired ende thereof.

Notes

• Matt. 2.16.
• Colloquie.
• Iob 9.23.
• Colloquie.
• Sap. 4.11
• Matt. 2.19.
• Sap. 5.8.
• Ps. 30.16.
• Colloquie.
• Colloquie.
• Matt. 2.19.
• Colloquie. Num. 6.3.