To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
THe next daye in the morning S. Ioseph, * 1.1 and the blessed VIRGIN retourned to Hieru∣salem, to seeke the Childe IESVS, and the third day entring into the Temple, they founde him sitting in the middes of the Doctors, hearing them, and asking them: at the which they meruailed greately.
Vpon this pointe I am often to consider the Time, and Place where the blessed VIRGIN founde the Childe: the Companye, and businesse wherein he was employed: and the Ioye that she had when she same him: collecting out of all this the Spirit included therein.
First, [ 1] the Time was the third day after he was lost, in the which time the sacred VIRGIN suffered so many howers (litle more, or lesse) of Affliction, and Desolatenesse, as she did, from the Passion to the Resurrection, wherein he appeared vnto her liuely, and glorious. And the mysterye heereof is to signifye vnto vs, that when the Soule looseth God, and the grace of Deuotion, it findeth him not presently: rather he vseth to hide himselfe for some time, either to chastize it for hauing lost him, if it were in fault: or to exercize it in Patience, and Humillitye: and that with this delay, it care, and Diligence to seeke him may encrease, & that it may be made worthy to finde him more speedily, and with more abun∣dance of grace. And this is signifyed by the number of three dayes, to encourage our Hope that we be not dismayed, by thinking that our remedye shallbe long deferred, according to that saying of the Iust in Affliction: * 1.2 After two dayes he will reuiue vs, and the third day he will raize vs vp againe, and we shall liue in this presence.
Secondly, [ 2] the Place where he was founde was the Temple, and House of God, which is the house of Praier, and of Recollection, dedicated to the Worship, and Workes of Diuine seruice: to signifye that our Lord Christ is not founde in flesh, and blood, nor among the Pamperings, and Vanities of the Worlde, but within the Catholike Church, and within the liuing Temple of our
Hearte, making it a House of Praier, and exer∣cizing it in exercizes of Sanctitye. For heereupon it is sayed in the booke of Canticles, * 1.3 that the Spouse founde not her beloued, which is God, in the bed, and quietneste of the pampering of the fleshe; nor in the streetes, and places of the trafficke of the worlde, but in the renunciation of all this: leauing the comfort of the Creatures to finde out the Creator. Therefore, o my Soule, looke where thou seekest God, if thou hast a desier to finde him; for as holy Iob saieth: * 1.4 He is not founde in the Lande of those that liue sweetely at their ease.
Thirdly, [ 3] I am to ponder what Companye he was in, and what he did at such time as the VIRGIN entred into the Temple: for by speciall Prouidence he was then in the middes of the Doctors, hearing them, and asking them, that she might thereby vnderstand the cause why he left her, and remained in the Temple; * 1.5 and that I might vnderstand, that our Sauiour Christ is founde among the Doctors of the Church, who by their teaching, and Direction are a meanes to finde him: and that they might vnderstand that Christ is in the middes of them, hearing what they speake, and teache, to chastize them if they speake euill, and likewise to ayde them to speake well, if thorough their fault he be not diuerted.
Fourthly, [ 4] I will ponder the greate ioye of our blessed LADYE the VIRGIN, when she sawe her Sonne, and founde whome she had lost, and sought with such sorrowe. She seemed this third day as if she were raised from Deathe to Life; * 1.6 and as Anna the mother of Tobias who bewayled the absence of her Sonne with reme∣dilesse
teares, when she sawe him, wept for pure ioye: so it is to be beleeued that her ioye was in as full measure, as her paine, that being full∣filled of the Prophet Dauid: * 1.7 According to the multitude of my dolours in my Heart, thy Consola∣tions haue gladded my Soule.
O Soueraigne VIRGIN, * 1.8 I reioice at the ioye that thou hadst at this hower at the sight of thy Sonne. * 1.9 Hope deferred afflicted thy Soule: but the full∣filling of thy desier was vnto thee a tree of Life, finding him that is the tree of Life vnto all. Obtaine for me, most blessed VIRGIN, that I may so seeke him, that I may sinde him, that I may enioy the life that proceedeth from that tree. Amen.
But withall I will ponder the modestye where∣with the blessed VIRGIN accompanied this Ioye: for albeit she sawe her Sonne in the middes of the Doctors with the admiration, & astonish∣ment of all, yet she vsed not such gestures, and behauiour as other women vse to doe, boasting to haue such. Children: but wondering to see him there, she reuerenced what she sawe, where∣by she teacheth vs to conjoine togither Mo∣destye, and Alacritye, according to the saying of S. * 1.10 Paul: Reioice in our Lord alwaies, againe I say reioice; let your modestye be knowen to all men; our Lord is nigh. As if he should say: So reioice that you loose not modestye, for our Lord is neere you, and beholdeth you, and in his presence there ought to be no immodest Ioye.
Luc. 2.45.
Osea 6. mysticè.
Cant. 3.1
Iob 28.13
Cant. 3.3.4.
Tob. 10.4
Ps. 93.19.
Colloquie.
Pro. 13.12
Phil. 4.4.