Page:MeditationsOnTheMysteriesOfOurHolyV1.djvu/270

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ebriateth, also shall be inebriated himself," [1] receiving much because it gives much.

iii. Hence I will ascend to consider the great benefits that I shall receive if I embrace the second way of mortifying avarice, forsaking all things for Christ, and giving them to the poor; because as this is a much greater liberality towards God, so God will be much more liberal towards me, fulfilling the promise which He made to give in this life " a hundredfold" for what we give Him, and afterwards " life everlasting," [2] with a special promise to give us at the day of judgment thrones of great glory, to judge the tribes of Israel and the nations of the world.

Colloquy. — O happy poverty, which is rewarded with so great riches! O blessed liberality, whose guerdon is a measure so abundant! Oh that I could mortify the love of earthy riches to obtain divine, possessing all things in Almighty God! O most sweet Jesus, who earnest from heaven to earth to give us an example of poverty, by which we may mount from earth to heaven, and chosest to die naked upon a cross, quitting the world without possessing anything of the world, grant me to abhor temporal riches, that I may serve Thee with perfection, and obtain riches everlasting! Amen.

2. From these considerations I must draw a very firm resolution to mortify avarice in all the things which have been spoken of in the first point, observing some sort of poverty conformable to my estate, i. Living content with my estate, though it be but mean, without coveting what is superfluous or what belongs to others, ii. In employing well what I have, and being liberal to those that want, iii. In taking away the too great love of it, possessing it as though I " possessed it not." [3] iv. In delighting some-

  1. Prov. xl 25.
  2. Matt. xix. 28.
  3. 1 Cor. vii. 30.