The Second Pointe.
SEcondly, * I am to consider before what Per∣sons, and in what things our Lord Christ encreased, in the manner aforesaide.
First, the Euangelist S. Luke sayeth, [ 1] that he encreased before God, and before men, teaching vs by his example to auoyde two vicious ex∣treames. The one is, of zealous indiscrete Per∣sons, who presume to encrease before God only, making no accoumpt of men, nor of their edi∣fication, or disedification, or scandall not remem∣bring that he that loueth God, ought likewise to loue his neighbour: and that he so ought to seeke his owne proffit, that it be not to the hurt of others, * attending (as S. Paul sayeth) to the edification of all. Another extreame is of Hi∣pocrites, such as faine zeale, who lay all their care in encreasing before men, doing whatsoeuer may helpe them to encrease in Opinion of San∣ctitye before them, without attending to the Page 299true augmentation, * which the Prophet Dauid calleth Augmentation in the Hearte. But Christ our Lord by his example teacheth vs, to embrace both, not permitting the one to prejudice the other, preposing first, the encreasing before God with true encreasing in his eyes: and secondly encreasing before men, doing likewise (as S. * Paul saieth) that which is good before them, not that they may honor, or praise vs, but that they may glorifye God, and may be edified, and proffited. And if doing what for my parte I ought to doe, some thorough their owne faulte be disedifyed, or scandalized, yet for all this I will not cease to encrease before God, and before those that are wise, and holy, and deserue the name of men.
Secondly, [ 2] S. Luke sayeth, that Christ our Lord encreased in wisdome, and grace: for in these two things true augmentation ought to consist.
First in Wisdome, * and in the Actes proceeding from her, which are Meditation, and Contem∣plation of celestiall thinges: Prudence, and dis∣cretion in Actions, and Affaires: the Estimation of all things in that degree which they merit, much esteeming eternall thinges, and temporall thinges but little: and consequently so speaking thereof, that our Wordes may be salted with this wisdome. Secondly, we are to encrease in grace, and in the Actes of Vertues that make vs gracious, & holy before God, and amiable before men: in the which our Sauiour Christ did exer∣cize himself at this time: such are the heroycall Actes of the Loue of God, of the feruent zeale of his glorye, and of the saluation of Soules: a vehement dolour for the offenses donne against God, and for the Soules that perish, and conti∣nuall Page 300Praier that they may not perish. Heerein he was so gratious, and pleasing to God, that (as hee himselfe saieth by the Prophet Isaias) his Spirit reioiced in him. * Besides this he edified men with rare examples of Modestye, Humil∣litye, Patience, Meekenesse, and Subjection; for the which he was pleasing to those Persons with whome he conuersed. For (as the same Prophet Isaias sayeth) his conuersation was neither sad, * nor harshe, nor turbulent, nor offensiue, nor distastefull to others.
O most sweete IESVS, * seeing thou art full of VVisdome, and Grace, and that from thy fullnesse the Iust receiue augmentation both in the one, and in the other; replenish me abundantly with both, and ayde me daily to encrease in them.
Lastly, to animate myselfe I will ponder, [ 3] how the most holy VIRGIN made her proffit of these two examples of her Sonne: for con∣templating them, she also in imitation of him encreased in wisdome, and grace before God, and before men; our Sauiour Christ reioicing to beholde the holy emulation that his mother had of him.
O most blessed mother, * ayde me with thy inter∣cession, that I may encrease as thou encreasedst, imi∣tating him whome thou didst imitate.
