The first Pointe.

THe first Pointe, * and the Foundation of those that followe, shallbee, to consider the Decree that God our Lord made in his Eter∣nitye, for the Remedye of mankinde, that was lost by the Sinne of Adam, pondering the causes that moued him therevnto; some in the behalfe of his infinite Mercye, and others in the behalfe of our owne Miserye, and of the lamentable meanes whereby wee incurred it.

First, * I wil consider that our Lord hauing created two sortes of Creatures to his owne image, and likenesse to serue, and to praise him; to witte, Angells, and Men; Angells in the Empyrean heauen, and men in the terrestriall Paradise: and hauing seene that a greate parte of the Angells Page  16sinned, and so likewise the men: hee determined to demonstrate the terriblenesse of his rigorous Iustice by chastizing the Angells, * bending against them the rigorous Bow of his Indignation, and throwing them immediately From Heauen into Hell, not giuing them any time of Repentance. But to men, though they deserued the same punishment, hee was desirous to shewe the Ri∣ches of his infinite mercye, determining to re∣medye them, and to drawe them out of those miseries, into which they had fallen, by giuing them meanes to obtaine pardon of their sinne. For in nothing is the mercye of God so resplen∣dent, * as in pardoning Sinnes, and taking Com∣passion on his very Enemyes: neither were it reason that mercy should omitte to shewe it selfe in a thing, that so greately doth magnifye it. And thus did hee with men, according to that of S. Paul; * The Benignitye, and Kindnes toward man of our Sauiour God h•th appeared, in that hee hath saued vs, not by the workes of Iustice which wee did, but according to his infinite mercye. For the which euery one of vs ought to giue infinite thankes to this our Lord, considering that wee beeing creatures so vile, that wee deserued to bee vn∣protected by his Iustice; Yet hee tooke vs vnder the protection of his mercye, reiecting the An∣gells that were much more noble then wee. * O eternall God true Father of mercye, wherewith shall wee repay thee so soueraigne a benefit as this, that without any merit of ours, thou giuest vs a remedye to obtaine pardon of our Sinnes? may the Angells that remaine in Heauen laude thee for this fauour: may the men that liue vpon the Earth, acknowledge it, and make vse of it: and may my soule melt it selfe in thy Loue, singing the multitude, and Greatenesse of thy Page  17mercye, by the which I beseeche thee to pardon my Sinnes, ayding mee, that I may neuer more returne vnto them. This Consideration I am to applye to myselfe, pondering, that allbeeit God our Lorde thorough his mercye hath made a De∣cree to pardon Sinners, and effectually par∣doneth those that submitte themselues: yet to the Rebellious bee vseth his rigorous Iu∣stice, condemning them, as hee did the Deuills. And therefore I am to endeuour not to resist Gods mercye, leaste I fall into the handes of his Iustice.

Then will I ponder the causes that in some sorte mooued the Diuine Mercye, [ 2] to haue Com∣passion on our miserye: One was, for that Adam by his Sinne, not only indammaged himselfe, * but allso all that descended of him; who were to bee borne Sinners, condemned to Deathe, and to perpetuall Prison, incurring these damages, not by their owne personall Will, but by that which they had in their first Parent. But whereas God was so mercifull, that his Clemencye could not permitte, that his whole worke, for one mans Transgression, should perishe without re∣medye: and that all this visible worlde, that was created for man, should bee frustrate of his ende, seruing the sinner, hee therefore resolued to finde out the Remedye. From whence I will collect two motiues to repose my Confidence in Gods mer∣eye, alleaging them as Dauid did, for respectes, wherefore hee should remedye my miserye. [ 1] * The one, because I was cōceiued in Sinne; frō whence originally spring all my miseryes: [ 2] The other, for that I am, the worke of his handes, for the which I am, neither to bee contemned, nor abhorred; seeing hee abhorreth nothing that hee made. Page  14 〈1 page duplicate〉 Page  15 〈1 page duplicate〉 Page  16 〈1 page duplicate〉 Page  17 〈1 page duplicate〉 Page  18O most mercifull Father, * seeing thou knowest the masse, wheref wee thy Children were formed, which issued good from thee, and by Adam was made euill, haue Compassion on vs, remedying the Hurt donne by Adam, to reforme the Good donne by thee. My handes haue defaced in mee the worke of thy Handes: les thine by thy aboundant grace, repaire what mine did thorough my greate sinne.

Another cause was, [ 2] * for that man sinned beeing tempted, and seduced by the Deuill, partely for the enuye that hee had of his good: partely for his rage against God, •esiring to reuenge him∣selfe of the Creator in the Creature, who by him was so fauoured, and in whome his diuine image was stamped: wherevpon God himselfe mooued to Compassion, would take to himselfe the cause of man, with a determination to remedye him, because his Enemye should not remaine for euer victorious. And therefore hee saide vnto him, * when Adam had sinned: I will put en∣mityes betweene thee, and the VVoman, and thy seede, and the seede of her: and they shall breake thy Heade, vanquishing him that vanquished them, and triumphing ouer him that triumphed ouer them. Whereby hee also putteth mee in hope, that hee will haue Compassion on mee, and take my cause for his owne, seeing the Deuil now persecuteth mee with the like Enuye, * and Rage: and so I may say vnto him with Dauid: Arize, o Lord, Iudge thyne owne cause, ayding mee with thy Grace to breake the heade of the Serpent, who allwayes persecuteth mee, because hee ab∣horreth thee.

The Second Pointe.

SEcondly, I am to consider the admirable Decree, made by the most sacred Trinitye, that the second Person, who is the Sonne of God, should bee made man to redeeme man∣kinde, lost by the Sinne of Adam; pondering the causes that mooued him thereunto, some in re∣garde of our owne greate necessitye, & miserye: and others in regarde of his infinite Bountye, and Mercye.

First, [ 1] I will consider, how the most holy Tri∣nitye, s•eing in his Eternitye many meanes that hee had to remedye men, either by pardoning them by hos sole, and pure mercye: or by crea∣ting another newe man to satisfye for them: or by imposing this charge on the Seraphines: hee would not make choice of a meane that was more easy, nor lesse perfect; nor would hee im∣pose the charge of this worke vpon another, but chose the best meanes that was possible, plot∣ting that the Sonne of God should become man, for the remedye of man: In such wise, that hee coulde not giue vs a better Remedier, * nor a more powerfull Remedye, nor a more copious Redemption, willing that where Sinne aboun∣ded, there Grace should more infinitely abound.

To ponder this Veritye the more, [ 2] I will con∣sider what the first man did against God, and what God doth for man; comparing the Thoughtes, and Deuises of the one, with those of the other. Adam plotted with Pride to rebell against God himselfe, desiring to vsurpe his Di∣uinitye, and Wisdome; and to haue Signorye ouer all things: whereby hee deserued that God Page  20should abhorre, and humble him, and should annihilate his peruerted nature. But God of his infinite Goodnesse, was not only willing to par∣don this iniurye, but to that ende chose a meanes of the greatest Honour, and Proffit, for man, and of the greatest Humilliation, and Trauaile for God: for that the Diuine Worde beeing of infi∣nite Greatenesse, and Majestye, sticked not (as S. * Paul saithe) vpon exinaniting, and humbling himselfe, to take the forme of a Seruant, and to Inuest himselfe with the mortall, and passible nature of his very Enemye, joyning it to himselfe in vnity of Person, to drawe him out of that greate misery, whereinto hee was fallen thorough Sinne, and to exalt him to that high Honour, and Happinesse, that hee might lay holde vpon by his Grace. * For (as S. Augustine saieth) God made himselfe man to make man God: that by the Vertue of God made man, men might bee Gods by Participa∣tion.

Finally, considering this soueraigne Decree, [ 3] I will with greate Astonishment admire the infinite Bounty, and Mercye of God, which sometimes with Moyses I will magnifye, saying: Dominatour Lord God mercifull and clement, * patient, and of much compassion, and True, which keepest mercye vnto thousands of generations, which takest away iniquity, and wicked factes, and Sinnes; and without whome no man of himselfe is Innocent before thee. Othertimes with the Seraphines, couering with my wings the face, and feete of God, and adoring this conjunction of his Diui∣nitye, and Humanitye, I will crye out, saying: Holy, * Holy, Holy is the Lorde God of Hostes all the Earthe is full of his Glorye thorough the Great∣nesse of his mercye. And othersometimes, I Page  21will giue thankes to this our Lorde for this so glorious a benefit, saying vnto him.

O Eternall God, * I most humbly thanke thee for this soueraigne Plot which thou inuentedst for my remedye, taking vpon thee my basenesse, to commu∣nicate vnto mee thy Greatenesse: Graunt that I may humble myselfe to serue thee, as thou diddest humble thyselfe to remedye mee; and that I may doe all that I can for thy seruice, seeing thou diddest all that thou couldest for my Remedye. O my Soule, doe for thy God all that thou canst, for all is but litle, * considering how much thou dooest owe him. Learne to esteeme God, as hee esteemeth thee: and seeing hee hath exalted thee to such a Greate∣nesse, doe not thou any thing that may bee vnbe∣seeming it.

The third Pointe.

THirdly, I am to consider, how in this worke of the Incarnation, our Lord God pretended withall to discouer vnto vs the infi∣nite Excellencye of all his Perfections, and Ver∣tues, employing them with the greatest perfe∣ction that was possible, and to our greatest com∣moditye. This may bee pondered discoursing breifely of the most principall.

First, [ 1] hee shewed his infinite Bountye in com∣municating himselfe with the greatest cōmunica∣tion that might bee, giuing his personall beeing to a humane nature, and in this manner joyned in kinred with the whole Linage of man. [ 2] Hee shew∣ed his Charitye in vniting to himselfe this nature with so strict an vnion, that one, and the same might bee man, and God, to the end that all men might bee, one, and the same thing with God, by Page  22the vnion of Loue, giuing them freely, and li∣berally the thing that hee most loued, * and estee∣med, and with it all other things whatsoeuer. Hee shewed his infinite Mercye, [ 3] brothering it meruailously with Iustice: * for there could not bee a greater mercy then for God to come per∣sonally to remedye our miseries, and to make himselfe capable of sorrowe, that hee might bee truly compassionate of them. Nether could there bee greater Iustice, then for God himselfe made man, to pay our proper debt, suffring therefore the paine of deathe that our sinnes had deserued: neither could there bee greater Brotherhood, then to applye to vs men by mercye, that re∣warde which God man merited by Iustice: giuing mee an assurance to obtaine all things that are conuenient for mee, seeing this our Lord gained them all by Iustice, and applyeth vnto mee his merits by infinite mercye. [ 4] * Hee also shewed his immense Wisdome, in inuenting a meanes how to conjoine things so distant, as are God, and Man; Eternall, and Temporall: Impassible, and Passible: [ 5] and in plotting how to vnloose the most difficult knot of our Sinnes, the Diuine mercye pardoning them, without preiudice of his Iustice. Hee shewed his Omnipotencye, [ 6] in doing for man all that possibly hee might to honour, and to inriche him: for among all the diuine workes there is none greater, then for God to make himselfe man. Finally, [ 7] hee demon∣strated his Sanctitye, and all his Vertues, im∣printing them in God made man, that hee might bee a visible patterne of them all, animating vs by his Example to imitate them, and ayding vs by his Grace to procure them, which not doing, no man can bee excused. For if God loue his Page  23neighbours, who should not loue them? If God doe good to his enemyes, who should doe euill to his? If God humble himselfe, who should bee prowde? If God suffer, and endure, who should bee impatient, and ill suffering? And if God obey, why should not man bee obedient?

These seuen Diuine Perfections resplendent in this worke, are to moue mee to praise God seuen times a day, yea, seuen thousand, if I may, desiring to loue and to serue him, with the grea∣test perfection that may bee possible. For if before God made himselfe man, hee required that wee should loue him with all our Hearte & Soule, Spirit, & Forces: * with how much greater reason may hee now require of mee this degree of Loue, and Feruour in his Seruice? * And seeing workes are the proofe of Loue, I am in them to demōstrate this my Loue, endeuoring to imitate those most excellent Perfections, that hee dis∣couered in this worke: to witte: his Bountye, Charitye, Liberallitye, Mercye, and the rest which are imitable, and especially those Ver∣tues, that this God Incarnate exercised in the worlde for our Example.

O most blessed Trinitye, * what thankes shall I giue thee for hauing discouered in this worke, those infinite Greatenesses, that thou heldst closed in thy breaste? VVhat shall I giue thee, that shall not bee all to little for so soueraigne a gift? How shall I loue, and serue thee therefore? Behold mee heere wholely dedicated to thy Seruice, with a Desire to loue thee, as thou louedst mee: and to imitate those Vertues, that thou discoueredst vnto mee. And seeing thou hast giuen mee that which is more, giue mee also that which is lesse, graunting mee that I may loue thee, for the infinite gift that thou gauest mee. Amen.