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Chapter 19Entretiens.1.19

Entretien XIX. Des vertus de saint Joseph

The Palm Tree of Justice

The author introduces the metaphor of the palm tree to describe the unique variety and excellence of Saint Joseph's justice.

Ps. 91:13.¹ The just person is made like the palm, just as holy Church has us sing on every feast of the holy Confessors; but as the palm tree has a very great variety of special properties above all other trees, being the prince and king of the trees both for its beauty and for the goodness of its fruit, so too there is a very great variety of justice.² Although all the just are just and equal in justice, still there is a great disparity among the particular acts of their justice, as the robe of Joseph of old represents, which was long down to^✦³ 37:3, the heels, embroidered with a beautiful variety of flowers.⁴ Every just person has the robe of justice, which hangs down on them as far as⁵ Isaiah 61:10; Baruch^✦⁶ This means that all the faculties and powers of the soul are covered with justice, and both their inner and outer lives show nothing but justice, remaining just in every movement and action, whether internal or external.⁷ Even so, we must admit that each robe is embroidered with many kinds of beautiful flowers, and their differences don't make them any less pleasing or any less worthy of praise.^✦ The great Saint Paul the Hermit was just with a most perfect justice; yet no one can doubt that he never practiced as much charity toward the poor as Saint John, who was known as the Almsgiver for that very reason.⁸ He never had the opportunities to practice magnificence, so he didn't possess that virtue to the same degree as many other saints. He had all the virtues, but not all to the same extent as others.⁹¹⁰ The saints have excelled, some in one virtue and others in another; and although they are all saved, they are saved in very different ways, as there are as many different kinds of holiness as there are saints. With that in mind, I note three particular properties that the palm has among many others—properties that best suit the saint whose feast we are celebrating, who is, as the holy Church tells us, like the palm.^✦¹¹ Oh, what a saint the glorious Saint Joseph is!

The Virginal Guardian

Saint Joseph is presented as the guardian of Mary's virginity, likened to a male palm tree that protects the fruitfulness of the female.

He is not only a Patriarch, but the chief of all the Patriarchs; he is not merely a¹² Confessor.¹³ but more than a Confessor, for in his confession are contained the dignities of bishops,¹⁴ the magnanimity of the Martyrs, and of all the other Saints.¹⁵ So it is with good reason that he is compared to the palm, which is the king of trees, and which has the property of virginity, that of humility, and that of constancy and valor—three virtues in which the glorious Saint Joseph has greatly excelled; and if one dared to make comparisons, there would be several who would maintain that he surpasses all the other Saints in these three virtues.¹⁶ Among palm trees, there are both male and female. The palm tree,¹⁷ which is the male, doesn't bear fruit, yet it isn't barren, because the female palm wouldn't bear any fruit without him and his gaze. If the female palm isn't planted near the male and isn't looked upon by him, she remains barren and bears no dates, which are her fruit. Conversely, if she is looked upon by the palm tree and stands in his sight, she bears a great quantity of¹⁸ Pliny¹⁹ , Natural History²⁰ fruits.²¹ She produces, yet she produces virginally.²² (i.²³ XIII, ch.²⁴ VII, virginally, for she is in no way touched by the male palm: if al.²⁵ IV), with the notes of various commentators.²⁶ Even though she is gazed upon by him, no union takes place between the two of them, so she produces her fruit in the shade and under the gaze of her male palm, yet she does so entirely purely and virginly.²⁷ The male palm contributes nothing of his substance to this production; nevertheless, no one can say he doesn't have a great share in the fruit of the female palm, since without him she would bear none of it and would remain sterile and barren. God, having destined from all eternity, in his divine²⁸ Isaiah 7:14.^✦²⁹ providence that a Virgin would conceive a Son who would be God and man all at once, nonetheless willed that this Virgin should be married.^✦³⁰ But, O God! For what reason, the holy Doctors ask, did he ordain two things so different—being a virgin and married at the same time? Most of the Fathers say it was to keep Our Lady from being slandered by the Jews, who wouldn't have been willing to spare Our Lady from calumny and disgrace, and would have made themselves examiners of her purity; and that, to preserve this purity and this virginity, it was necessary that divine Providence entrust her to³¹ the care and keeping of a man who was a virgin, and that this Virgin should conceive and give birth to this sweet Child.³² II, 3.³³ the fruit of life, Our Lord, under the shadow of holy marriage. Saint Joseph, then, was like a male palm tree: though it bears no fruit itself, it is not barren for all that, but has a great share in the fruit of the female palm—not that Saint Joseph contributed anything to this holy and glorious bringing-forth, except only the shadow of marriage, which kept Our Lady and glorious Mistress from every kind of slander and from the censures her pregnancy would have brought upon her.³⁴ Although he contributed nothing of his own to it, he still had a great share in this most holy fruit of his sacred Spouse. She belonged to him and was planted right beside him like a glorious palm beside her well-beloved palm tree. According to the order of divine Providence, she could and should bear fruit only under his shadow and in his presence—I mean under the shadow of the holy marriage they had contracted together, a marriage that was not of the ordinary kind, both in the sharing of exterior goods and in the union and joining of interior goods. O, what a divine union between Our Lady and the glorious Saint Joseph!³⁵ It was a union that made this Good of eternal goods, who is Our Lord, belong also to Saint Joseph just as he belonged to Our Lady. This wasn't according to the nature he had taken in the womb of our glorious Mistress—a nature formed by the Holy Spirit from the most pure blood of Our Lady—but according to grace, which made him a sharer in all the goods of his dear Spouse and made him grow marvelously in perfection. This came about through the continual sharing he had with Our Lady, who possessed all the virtues in such a high degree that no other pure creature could reach it; yet the glorious Saint Joseph was the one who came nearest to it.^✦³⁶³⁷ And just as you see a mirror set opposite the sun's rays receive those rays most perfectly, and another mirror placed face to face with the one that receives them—although that last mirror takes or receives the sun's rays only by reflection, it still reflects them so faithfully that you can hardly tell which receives them immediately from the sun, which is set opposite the sun, or which receives them only by reflection: so it was with Our Lady, who was like a most pure mirror set opposite the³⁸ , IV.³⁹ . 2. rays of the Sun of Justice — rays that brought into her soul all the virtues in their perfection, perfections and virtues that made so perfect a reflection in Saint Joseph that he almost seemed as perfect as she was, or as though he possessed the virtues in as high a degree as the glorious Virgin, our Lady, possessed them.⁴⁰ But in particular, to keep to the subject we began with: to what degree do we think he possessed virginity, which is a virtue that makes us like • Matt.^✦ 22:30;^✦⁴¹ If the most holy Virgin was not only a Virgin wholly pure and wholly white, but rather (as holy Church sings in the responsories of the Matins lessons, "Holy and immaculate virginity," etc.)⁴² she was virginity itself — how great, do we think, must he have been who was appointed by the eternal Father as guardian of her virginity, or rather as companion, since she had no need of being guarded by anyone but herself — how great, I say, must he have been in this virtue? They had both vowed to keep virginity for the whole of their lives, and then God wills that they be joined by the bond of a holy marriage—not to make them go back on their vow or regret it, but to reconfirm them and strengthen each other to persevere in their holy undertaking; that is why they vowed again to live virginally together for the rest of their lives. Chapter^✦ viii, 8–9.^✦⁴³ In the Song of Songs, the Bridegroom uses wonderful words to describe the modesty, the chastity, and the utterly innocent purity of his divine love for his dearly beloved Bride. He speaks like this: Our sister, this little girl—alas, how little she is!^✦ She has no breasts; what will we do for her on the day when she must be spoken for?^✦ But if she is a wall, let us build her silver bulwarks; and if she is a door, we must strengthen her and reinforce her with cedar planks, or some other wood that doesn't decay.^✦⁴⁴ See how this divine Spouse speaks of the purity of the most holy Virgin, of the Church, or of the devout soul; but this is addressed first of all to the most holy Virgin, who was this divine Shulamite par excellence, above all others.⁴⁵ Our sister is little; she has no breasts—that is to say, she doesn't think of marriage at all, for she has neither breast nor care for that: what will we do for her on the day when she must be spoken for?^✦⁴⁶⁴⁷ What does that mean—'on the day when she must be spoken for'? Doesn't the divine Spouse always speak to her whenever it pleases him?⁴⁸ On the day when she must be spoken for—that means the main word that is spoken, the one used when people talk to young women about marrying them; because it is a word of real weight, since what is at stake is the choice and election of a vocation and of a state of life in which one must afterward remain.⁴⁹ But if she is a wall, says the sacred Spouse, let us build her silver bulwarks; if she is a door, far from wanting to force it open, we will reinforce or strengthen it with cedar planks, which is a wood that doesn't decay.^✦⁵⁰⁵¹ The most glorious Virgin was a tower and⁵² [Unreadable OCR fragment]⁵³ [Unreadable OCR fragment]⁵⁴ [Unreadable OCR fragment]⁵⁵ [Unreadable OCR fragment]⁵⁶ high walls, within whose enclosure the enemy could not enter at all, nor was there any design other than to live in perfect purity and virginity.⁵⁷⁵⁸ What shall we do for her? For she must be married—He who gave her this resolve of virginity having thus made her wholly incorruptible.⁵⁹⁶⁰ Let's see how the divine Spouse spoke of the purity of the most holy Virgin: This tower is pure; she is not open to change—that is, she cannot enter into ordinary marriage.⁶¹ As the Song of Songs says: "We will build upon her."^✦⁶² She is entirely like a wall—Our Lady herself.^✦⁶³ So that the Enemy might not reach this Spouse.⁶⁴ If she is a tower or a wall, let's set silver bulwarks upon her that will strengthen the tower all the more, rather than tearing it down.^✦⁶⁵ What is the glorious Saint Joseph if not a strong bulwark set over Our Lady, since, as his spouse, she was subject to him and he took care of her? Far from Saint Joseph being set over Our Lady to make her break her vow of virginity, he was given to her as a companion in that vow, so that Our Lady's purity might persevere even more admirably in its integrity under the veil and shelter of holy marriage and the holy union they shared.⁶⁶ If the most holy Virgin is a door, says the eternal Father, we don't want her opened, for she is an eastern gate, as in Ezekiel.⁶⁷ Ezekiel 44:1–2.⁶⁸ through which no one can enter or leave; on the contrary, it must be doubled and reinforced with incorruptible wood—that is, she must be given a companion in her purity, who is the great Saint Joseph. For this purpose, he had to surpass all the saints, even the angels and the cherubim themselves, in this highly commendable virtue of virginity, a virtue that made him like the palm tree, as we have said.⁶⁹

The Hidden Flower of Humility

The author explores the second property of the palm, humility, which keeps virtues hidden until the heat of eternal life.

Let's move on to the second quality and virtue I find in the palm tree. I maintain, for my purpose, that there is a true likeness and conformity between Saint Joseph and the palm in their virtue—a virtue that is nothing other than most holy humility. For although the palm is the prince of trees, it is nonetheless the humblest, which it shows by hiding its flowers in spring, when all the other trees display theirs, and not letting them appear until the height of the summer heat. The palm keeps its flowers tucked away inside sheath-like pouches; this represents very well the difference between souls that aim at perfection and the rest, the difference between the just and those who live according to the world. For worldly and earthbound people, who live by the laws of the earth, as soon as they have some good thought or some idea that seems to them worth being esteemed, or if they have some virtue, they are never at rest until they have displayed it and made it known to everyone they meet.⁷⁰ In this, they run the same risk as trees that are quick to put out their flowers in spring, like almond trees; for if by chance the frost catches them, they perish and bear no fruit.⁷¹ These worldly people, so quick to make their flowers open in the springtime of this mortal life through a spirit of pride and ambition, always run the risk of being caught by the frost that makes them lose the fruit of their actions. On the contrary, the just always keep all their flowers held tight in the sheath of most holy humility, and as far as they can, they do not let them show until the full heat of summer, when God, that divine Sun of justice, will come to warm⁷² uil, 1.⁷³ their hearts with great force in eternal life, where they will bear⁷⁴ forever the sweet fruit of happiness and immortality.⁷⁵ The palm tree doesn't let its flowers be seen until the sun's fierce heat comes and splits open the sheaths, cases, or pouches in which they are enclosed; after that, it suddenly shows its fruit.⁷⁶ The just soul does the same, for she keeps her flowers hidden—that is, her virtues—under the veil of most holy humility until death, in which Our Lord makes them open and lets them appear outwardly, since the fruits must not be slow to show. O how faithful this great Saint of whom we speak was in this!⁷⁷ It cannot be told in its full perfection, for notwithstanding what he was,⁷⁸ in what poverty and lowliness did he not live all his life—poverty and lowliness under which he kept his great virtues and dignities hidden and covered. But what dignities, my God!⁷⁹ To be the guardian of Our Lord—and not only that, but to be his foster father, and the spouse of his most holy Mother!⁸⁰ Truly, I have not the slightest doubt that the angels, carried away with wonder, came throng upon throng to look at him and admire his humility when he held this dear Child in his poor workshop, where he worked at his trade to feed both the Son and the Mother who had been entrusted to him.⁸¹ There's no doubt at all, my dear Sisters, that Saint Joseph was more valiant than David and had more wisdom than Solomon; still, seeing him reduced to the work of carpentry, who could have judged that, if he had not been enlightened by heavenly light—so tightly did he keep hidden all the outstanding gifts with which God had graced him?⁸² But what wisdom did he not have, since God entrusted to him his most glorious Son and he was chosen to be his guardian? If the princes of the earth take such care—as being a most important matter—to give their children a guardian who is among the most capable, then since God could make the guardian of his Son the most accomplished man in the world in every kind of perfection, according to the dignity and excellence of the one governed, who was his most glorious Son, universal Prince of heaven and earth, how could it be that, having been able to do it, he would not have willed it and done it?⁸³ So there is no doubt at all that Saint Joseph was endowed with all the graces and all the gifts that the charge the eternal Father meant to give him deserved: the temporal and household care of Our Lord and the guidance of his family, which was made up of only three persons, who represent for us the mystery of the most holy and most adorable Trinity.⁸⁴ It’s not that he had any less than Solomon—or anyone else—and yet, there he is, reduced to the work of carpentry.⁸⁵ There is no real comparison, except regarding Our Lord, who is one of the Persons of the most holy Trinity—for the others are creatures; but we can still put it this way: it is a trinity on earth that in some fashion represents the most holy Trinity.⁸⁶ Mary, Jesus, and Joseph; Joseph, Jesus, and Mary—a trinity wonderfully worthy of praise and honor. You can see how high Saint Joseph's dignity was raised and how full he was of every kind of virtue; yet you also see how low he was brought, humbled more than can be said or imagined.⁸⁷ This one example makes it clear: he travels to his own country and to his own town of Bethlehem. And no one is turned away from every lodging but him, at least so far as anyone knows; so that he was forced to withdraw and lead his chaste Spouse into a stable, among the oxen and the donkeys.⁸⁸ Oh, to what an extreme—Luke 2,⁸⁹ 4–7.⁹⁰ was his abjection and humility reduced! His humility was the cause, as Saint Bernard explains,⁹¹ that he wanted to leave Our Lady when he saw she was with child; for Saint Bernard says that he made this speech in Matthew⁹² 1.^✦⁹³ 19.⁹⁴ He asked himself, "What is this?"⁹⁵ I know she is a virgin. for we have made a vow together to keep our virginity and purity, which she would never want to break; moreover I see that she is pregnant and that she is a mother: how can it be that motherhood is found in virginity, and that virginity does not prevent motherhood at all?⁹⁶ O God! He said to himself, "Could this perhaps be that glorious Virgin of whom the Prophets assure us, who will conceive and be the Mother of the Messiah?"^✦⁹⁷ O, if that is so. God forbid.⁹⁸ , vti, •«.⁹⁹ That I should stay with her—I, who am so unworthy of her.¹⁰⁰ It would be better for me to leave her secretly because of my unworthiness, and not live in her company any longer.^✦¹⁰¹ It is a feeling of admirable humility, the same that made Saint Peter cry out in the boat^✦¹⁰² —that same boat where he was with Our Lord when he saw His almighty power shown in the great catch of fish made at the mere command to cast the nets into the sea: “O Lord,” he said, wholly carried away by a humility like Saint Joseph’s, “withdraw from me, for I am a man^✦¹⁰³ who is a sinner, and so I am not worthy to be with you.”^✦¹⁰⁴ I know perfectly well, he meant to say, that if I throw myself into the sea, I’ll perish; but you, who are almighty, will walk on the water without danger. That is why I beg you to withdraw from me, rather than that I should withdraw from you.¹⁰⁵ But if Saint Joseph was careful to keep his virtues shut away under the shelter of most holy humility, he took especially particular care to hide the precious pearl of his virginity; that is why he consented to be married, so that no one could know of it, and so that under the holy veil of marriage he could live more under cover. From this, virgins and those men or women who wish to live chastely are taught that it isn't enough to be virgins if they aren't humble, and if they don't keep their purity locked away in the precious box of humility; otherwise, the same thing will happen to them as to the foolish virgins who, for lack of humility and merciful charity,^✦¹⁰⁶ 25:7–12.¹⁰⁷ were driven away from the Bridegroom's wedding feast and forced to go to the wedding feast of the world, where people don't follow the counsel of the heavenly Bridegroom, who says that one must be humble to enter the wedding feast—I mean Luke 14:8, 10.¹⁰⁸ that one must practice humility: for, he says, when you go to a wedding feast, or are invited to one, take the lowest place. In this we see how necessary humility is for the preservation of virginity, since without a doubt, no one will share in the heavenly banquet and the wedding feast that God prepares for virgins in the heavenly dwelling, unless they are accompanied by this virtue. You don't leave precious things—especially fragrant ointments—out in the open air; for besides those scents evaporating, the flies would spoil them and make them lose their price and value.^✦¹⁰⁹ Likewise, Ecclesiastes¹¹⁰ , 10. 1.^✦ the just souls, fearing to lose the price and value of their good works, ordinarily shut them away in a box—but not in a common box, any more than precious ointments are, but rather in an alabaster box, such as the one Saint Mary Magdalene poured out or emptied on the sacred head of Our Lord, Matthew¹¹¹ , 26:7. when He restored her to virginity—not essential virginity, but repaired virginity—which is sometimes more excellent, being acquired and restored by penance, than the virginity that has received no stain yet is accompanied by less humility.¹¹²¹¹³ This alabaster box, then, is humility, in which we must, in imitation of Our Lady and Saint Joseph, shut away our virtues and everything that can win us esteem from others, contenting ourselves with pleasing God and remaining under the sacred veil of our own lowliness, waiting, as we have said,¹¹⁴ until God, coming to draw us into the place of safety—which is glory—himself makes our virtues appear for his honor and glory.¹¹⁵ But what more perfect humility can one imagine than that of Saint Joseph? I’m setting aside that of Our Lady, because we’ve already said that Saint Joseph received a great increase in all the virtues by way of the reflection that those of the most holy Virgin made in him.¹¹⁶ He has a very great share in this divine treasure he had in his home, which is Our Lord and our Master; and yet he keeps himself so abased and humbled that it hardly seems he has any share at all; and still it belongs to him more than to anyone else after the most holy Virgin.¹¹⁷ And no one can doubt it, since He was of his family and the Son of his Spouse, who belonged to him.¹¹⁸ I am used to saying that if a dove (to make the comparison more fitting to the purity of the saints I am speaking of) carried a date in its beak and let it fall into a garden, wouldn't one say that the palm tree growing from it belongs to the one who owns the garden? Now if that’s the case, who can doubt that the Holy Spirit, having let this divine date fall, like a divine little dove, into the enclosed and shut garden of the most holy Virgin—^✦¹¹⁹ 4.¹²⁰ 12.¹²¹ —sealed, and hedged in on every side by the holy vow of virginity and wholly immaculate chastity—which garden belonged to glorious Saint Joseph as the wife or spouse belongs to her husband: who will doubt, I ask, or who can say that this divine palm tree, which bears fruits that feed us for immortality, does not also belong at the same time to this great Saint Joseph, who yet does not raise himself any higher for it, does not grow prouder of it, but only becomes always humbler?^✦¹²²

Strength, Constancy, and Valor

The third property of the palm, strength and valor, is illustrated through Joseph's steadfastness in exile and his patient endurance of poverty.

O God, how good it was to see the reverence and respect with which he treated both the Mother and the Son!¹²³ If he had been quite ready to leave the Mother when he did not yet fully know the greatness of her dignity, what admiration and deep self-abasement he was in afterward, when he saw himself so highly honored that Our Lord and Our Lady made themselves obedient to his wishes and did nothing except by his command!¹²⁴¹²⁵ This is something that cannot be understood; that is why we must move on to the third property I notice in the palm tree: valor, constancy, and strength—virtues found to a very high degree in our Saint. The palm tree possesses a strength, valor, and great constancy beyond all other trees, which is why it stands first among them all.¹²⁶ The palm tree shows its strength and constancy in this: the more it is laden, the higher it rises and the taller it becomes. This is the exact opposite of other trees and all other things, which sink lower toward the ground the more they are burdened. But the palm tree shows its strength and constancy by never yielding or stooping under any load placed upon it; for its instinct is to rise upward, and so it does, without anyone being able to stop it. It shows its valor in the fact that its leaves are shaped like swords. And it seems to have as many for battle as it bears leaves. It is certainly with very good reason that Saint Joseph is said to resemble the palm tree; for he was always strong, brave, steadfast, and persevering. There is a big difference between constancy and perseverance, and between strength and valor. We call a man constant who stands firm and ready to endure his enemies' assaults without being startled or losing courage during the fight; but perseverance looks mainly to a certain interior weariness that comes upon us as our trials drag on—an enemy as powerful as any we can meet.¹²⁷¹²⁸ Now perseverance makes a person scorn this enemy so thoroughly that he remains victorious over it, through a continual evenness of spirit and submission to God's will.¹²⁹ Strength is what makes a person resist his enemies' attacks powerfully; but valor is a virtue that makes us not only stay ready to fight or resist when the opportunity presents itself, but attack the enemy at the very moment when he still says nothing.¹³⁰ Our glorious Saint Joseph was endowed with all these virtues, and he practiced them wonderfully well. As for his constancy, how greatly, I ask you, did he show it when, seeing Our Lady with child and having no idea how that could be—my God, what distress, what anguish, what torment of mind did he not suffer?¹³¹ Still, he doesn't complain; he doesn't grow harsher or more ungracious toward his Spouse for it; he doesn't mistreat her because of it, remaining as gentle and as respectful toward her as he had always been. But what valor and what strength does he not show in the victory he won over man's two greatest enemies, the devil and the world? He did this through the exact practice of a most perfect humility, as we have noted, throughout his entire life. The devil is so hostile to humility because, for lack of it, he was cast out of Heaven and¹³² Isaiah 14.¹³³ Verses 12-15.¹³⁴ cast down into hell* (as if humility could have been his—yet he would not choose it as his inseparable companion), so that there is no device or trick he will not use to make a person fall away from this virtue, and all the more because he knows it is a virtue that makes a person infinitely pleasing to God; so that we can well say: Valiant and strong is the one who, like Saint Joseph, perseveres in it, because that person remains at once conqueror of the devil and of the world, which is full of ambition, vanity, and pride.¹³⁵ As for perseverance—the opposite of that interior enemy, the weariness that overcomes us when we stick to lowly, humiliating, painful tasks, to hard luck, if you will, or to the various mishaps that befall us—oh, how hard-pressed this Saint was, as if humility were the very reason he refused to choose it as his inseparable companion.¹³⁶ He had every reason to hold it dear, tried as he was by God and even by men on his journey!¹³⁷ The Angel commands him to leave at once and to take Our Lady and her most dear Son into Egypt.¹³⁸ Matthew¹³⁹ 2,¹⁴⁰ But look—suddenly he leaves without a word; he doesn't ask, "Where shall I go?"¹⁴¹ What road shall I take?¹⁴² What shall we live on? Who will take us in there?^✦ He sets out into the unknown with his tools on his back, so he can earn his poor living and his family's by the sweat of his brow.^✦¹⁴³ Oh, how hard this weariness we speak of must have pressed upon him!¹⁴⁴ especially since the Angel had not told him how long he was to stay there, so that he could settle into no secure home, not knowing when the Angel would order him to return.^✦¹⁴⁵ If Saint Paul so greatly admired Abraham's obedience,¹⁴⁶ 11:8-9—¹⁴⁷ when God commanded him to leave his land,^✦¹⁴⁸ .¹⁴⁹ Genesis 12:1.¹⁵⁰ Inasmuch as God didn't tell him which way he would go, and Abraham for his part didn't ask him, "Lord, you tell me to leave, but then tell me whether it will be by the south gate or toward the north"; rather, he set out on the road and went as the Spirit of God led him. How admirable is this perfect obedience of Saint Joseph!¹⁵¹ The Angel did not tell him how long he would stay in Egypt, and he does not ask.¹⁵² He stayed there for five years, as most people believe. without asking about his return, sure that the One who had commanded him to go there would command him again when he should have to return—and to that he was always ready to obey.¹⁵³ He was in a land that was not only foreign but hostile¹⁵⁴ to the Israelites, since the Egyptians still resented that they had left them, and had been the reason a large part of the Egyptians were drowned when they pursued them.¹⁵⁵ I'll let you imagine how much Saint Joseph must have longed to go back, given the constant fears he faced among the Egyptians. The distress of not knowing when he would leave must have deeply afflicted and tormented his poor heart; yet he remained himself—always gentle, calm, and steadfast in his submission to God's good pleasure, by which he allowed himself to be fully led; for¹⁵⁶ Matt. 1¹⁵⁷ 19.¹⁵⁸ since he was just, he always kept his will aligned, joined, and conformed to God's will.¹⁵⁹ To be just is nothing other than to be perfectly united to God's will, and to remain always conformed to it in every situation, whether prosperous or adverse. No one can doubt that Saint Joseph was, on every occasion, perfectly submitted to the divine will. Don't you see it? Look at how the Angel directs him at every turn.¹⁶⁰ He tells him he must go to Egypt, and he goes; he orders him to come back, and he comes back. God wants him to always be poor—one of the strongest trials He can put us through—and Joseph submits to it with love, and not just for a time, for it was his whole life. But what kind of poverty? A poverty that was despised, rejected, and needy. The voluntary poverty that religious people profess is very lovable, since it doesn't stop them from receiving and taking what they need, forbidding and depriving them only of what is superfluous.¹⁶¹ But the poverty of Saint Joseph, of Our Lord, and of Our Lady was not like that; even though it was voluntary, because they loved it dearly, it was still lowly, rejected, despised, and deeply destitute.¹⁶² Everyone regarded this great Saint as a poor carpenter, who no doubt couldn't earn enough¹⁶³ • suit.¹⁶⁴ xm.¹⁶⁵ so that they would not lack necessary things, even though he toiled with matchless affection to support his whole little family.¹⁶⁶ After that he submitted himself most humbly to God's will in the continuation of his poverty and lowliness, without letting himself be overcome or cast down at all by the interior weariness that no doubt made many attacks on him; but he always remained constant in that submission which, like all his other virtues, was continually growing and being perfected—just as with Our Lady, who each day gained an increase of virtues and perfections that she took from her most holy Son, who could not grow in anything, inasmuch as from the instant of his conception he was such as he is and will be eternally.¹⁶⁷ made it so that the holy¹⁶⁸

The Heavenly Reward

The conference concludes with a reflection on Saint Joseph's bodily assumption and his powerful intercession for those who imitate his virtues.

[Source fragment unreadable in the supplied text.]¹⁶⁹ The family in which He lived was always growing and advancing in perfection—Our Lady drawing her perfection from His divine Goodness, and Saint Joseph receiving it, as we have already said, through Our Lady's mediation.¹⁷⁰ What more is left for us to say, except that we shouldn't doubt in any way that this glorious Saint has great credit in Heaven with the One who favored him so much as to raise him there in body and soul—which is all the more probable since we have no relic of him down here on earth; and it seems to me that no one can doubt this truth, for¹⁷¹ how could the One who had been so obedient to him all His life have refused this grace to Saint Joseph?¹⁷²¹⁷³ No doubt when Our Lord descended into Limbo, Saint Joseph addressed Him in this way: My Lord, please remember^✦¹⁷⁴ that when You came from Heaven to earth I received You into my house, into my family, and that as soon as You were born I received You into my arms.¹⁷⁵ Now that You must go to Heaven, take me with You: I received You into my family; receive me now into Yours, since You are going there. I carried You in my arms; now take me up in Yours; and just as I took care to feed You and guide You throughout the course of Your mortal life, take care of me and guide me into immortal life. And if it's true—as we must believe—that by the power of the most holy Sacrament we receive, our bodies will rise again on the day of judgment,^✦¹⁷⁶ (John 6:55).¹⁷⁷ how could we doubt that Our Lord raised glorious Saint Joseph with him to Heaven, body and soul—Joseph who had had the honor and the grace of carrying him so often in his blessed arms, arms in which Our Lord took such delight?¹⁷⁸¹⁷⁹ Oh, how many kisses he gave him so tenderly from his blessed mouth, to reward his labor in some way! So Saint Joseph is in Heaven in body and soul—that is beyond doubt.¹⁸⁰ Oh, how happy we'll be if we can deserve a share in his holy intercessions! for nothing will be refused him, either by Our Lady or by her glorious Son. If we put our trust in him, he'll obtain for us a holy growth in every kind of virtue, but especially in those we've found he possessed in a higher degree than any others: the most holy purity of body and spirit, the most lovable virtue of humility, constancy, courage, and perseverance—virtues that will make us victorious in this life over our enemies, and that will make us deserve the grace of going to enjoy, in eternal life, the rewards prepared for those who imitate the example Saint Joseph gave them while he was in this life; a reward that will be nothing less than eternal happiness, in which we'll enjoy the clear vision of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.¹⁸¹ Blessed be God.

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• Ps. xci, 13. Le juste est fait semblable à la palme*, ainsi que la sainte Eglise nous fait chanter en chaque feste des saints Confesseurs; mais comme le palmier a une trèsgrande variété de propriétés particulières au dessus de tous les autres arbres, comme estant le prince et le roy des arbres tant pour la beauté que pour la bonté de son fruict, de mesme il y a une très-grande variété de justice. Bien que tous les justes soyent justes et égaux en justice, neantmoins il y a une grande disproportion entre les actes particuliers de leur justice; ainsi que représente la robe de l'ancien Joseph, laquelle estoit longue jusques • Gen. , XXXVII, 3, aux talous, rccamée d'une belle variété de fleurs *.

Chaque juste a la robe de la justice qui luy bat jusques •is. , Lxi, 10; Bar. , aux talons*, c'cst à dire, toutes les facultés et puissances de l'ame sont couvertes de justice, et l'intérieur et l'extérieur ne représentent que la justice mesme, estant justes en tous leurs mouvemens et actions tant intérieures qu'extérieures. Mais pourtant, si faut-il confesser que chaque robe est recamée de diverses belles variétés de fleurs, dont l'inégalité ne les rend pas moins agréables ni moins recommandables. Le grand saint Paul hermite fut juste d'une justice tres-par faite, et si neantmoins nul ne peut douter qu'il n'exerça jamais tant de charité envers le^ pauvres comme saint Jean qui fut pour '•ela appelle rAumosnier. ni n'eut jamais les occasions de pratiquer la magnificence; et partant, il n'avoit pas ceste vertu en un si haut degrë que plusieurs autres Saints, il avoit toute< les vertus, mais non pas en un si haut degré les unes que les autres. Les Saints ont excellé, les uns en une vertu, les autres en une autre; et si bien ils sont tous sauvés, ils le sont néant moins tres-differemment, y ayant autant de différentes saintetés comme il y a de Saints ^^K Cela estant donc ainsi présupposé, je remarque trois propriétés particulières qu'a '" la palme, entre toutes les autres qui «^ont en très-grand nombre, lesquelles propriétés conviennent mieux au Saint dont nous celé brons la feste, qui est, ainsi que la sainte £glise nous fait dire, semblable à la pilme. O quel Saint est le glorieux saint Joseph!

11 n'est pas seulement Patriar^'he, ains le coryphée ^«^ de tous les Patriarches; il n'est pas simi)l(inent Confes. seur. mais plus que Confesseur, car dans sa confession sont encloses les dignités des Evesques. la générosité des Martyrs et de tous les autres Saints. C'est donc à juste raison qu'il e^t accomparé à la palme, qui e<;t le roy des arbres, et lequel a la propriété de la virginité, celle de l'hunulité et celle de la constance et vaillance, trois vertus csquelles le glori^^ux saint Jos^'ph a grandement excellé; et si l'on osoit faire des con^j)araisons, il y en auroit plusieurs qui maint iendroyent qu'il surpasse tous les autres Saints en ces trois vertus.

Entre les palmes, se trouve le masle et la femelle. Le Imier. qui est le masle. ne porte point de fruict, et si neantmoins il n'est pas infructueux, car la palme femelle ne porteroit point de fruict sans luy et sans son aspect; Les vrays Entretiens spirituels de sorte que si la palme femelle n'est plantée auprès du palmier masle, et qu'elle ne soit regardée de luy, elle demeure infructueuse et ne porte point de dattes, qui est son fruict; et si, au contraire, elle est regardée du palmier et est à son aspect, elle porte quantité de • Cf. Piin. , Hist. fruicts*. Elle produit, mais pourtant elle produit virginat.

(i. XIII, c. VII, nalement, car elle n'est nullement touchée du palmier: si al. IV), cum notis n • variorum. bien elle en est regardée, il ne se fait nulle union entre eux deux, si qu'elle produit son fruict à l'ombre et à l'aspect de son palmier, mais c'est tout purement et virginalement. Le palmier ne contribue nullement de sa substance pour ceste production; neantmoins, nul ne peut dire qu'il n'ayt grand part au fruict de la palme femelle, puisque sans luy elle n'en porteroit point et demeureroit stérile et infructueuse.

Dieu ayant destiné de toute éternité, en sa divine •is. , VII, 14. providence, qu'une Vierge concevroit un Fils * qui seroit Dieu et homme tout ensemble, voulut neantmoins que ceste Vierge fust mariée. Mais, ô Dieu! pour quelle raison, disent les saints Docteurs, ordonna-t'il deux choses si différentes, estre vierge et mariée tout ensemble? La pluspart des Pères disent que ce fut pour empescher que Nostre Dame ne fust calomniée des Juifs, lesquels n'eussent point voulu exempter Nostre Dame de calomnie et d'opprobre, et se fussent rendus examinateurs de sa pureté; et que, pour conserver ceste pureté et ceste virginité, il fut besoin que la divine Providence la commist à 1? charge et e^i la garde d'un homme qui fust vierge, et que ceste Vierge conceust et enfantast ce doux • Gant. , II, 3.

fruict de vie, Nostre Seigneur, sous l'ombre du saint mariage *. Saint Joseph donc fut comme un palmier, lequel ne portant peint de fruict n'est pas toutefois infructueux, ains a beaucoup de part au fruict de la palme femelle; non que saint Joseph eust contribué aucune chose pour ceste sainte et glorieuse production, sinon la seule ombre du mariage, qui empeschoit Nostre Dame et glorieuse Maistresse de toutes sortes de calomnies et des censures que sa grossesse luy eust apportées. Et si bien il n'y contribua rien du sien, il eut néantmoins une grande part en ce fruict tres-saint de son Espouse sacrée; car elle luy appartenoit et estoit plantée tout auprès de luy comme une glorieuse palme auprès de son bien-a>'mé palmier, laquelle, selon l'ordre de la divine Providence, ne pouvoit et ne devoit produire sinon sous son ombre et à son aspect; je veux dire sous l'ombre du saint mariage qu'ils avoyent contracté ensemble, mariage qui n'estoit point selon l'ordinaire, tant pour la communication des biens extérieur^ comme pour l'union et conjonction des biens intérieurs O quelle divine union entre Nostre Dame et le glorieux saint Joseph! union qui faisoit que ce Bien des biens éternels, qui est Nostre Seigneur, fust et appartinst à saint Joseph ainsi qu'il appartenoit à Nostre Dame; non selon la nature qu'il avoit pris dans les entrailles de nostre glorieiuse Maistresse, nature qui avoit esté formée par le Saint Esprit du tres-pur sang de Nostre Dame, ains selon la grâce, laquelle le rendoit participant de tous les biens de sa chère Espouse, et laquelle faisoit qu'il alloit merveilleusement croissant en perfection; et c'est '*' par la communication continuelle qu'il avoit avec Nostre Dame, qui f)ossedoit toutes les vertus en un si haut degré que nulle autre pure créature n'y sçauroit parvenir; néant moins le glorieux saint Joseph estoit celuy qui en approchoit davantage. Et tout ainsi comme l'on void un miroir opposé aux rayons du soleil recevoir ses rayons tres-parfaitement, et un autre miroir estant mis vis à vis de celuy qui les reçoit, bien que le dernier miroir ne prenne ou reçoive les rayons du soleil que par réverbération, les représente pourtant si nalfvcment que l'on ne pourroit presque |>as juger lequel c'est qui Il «a pvftctkNi; t et 356 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels les reçoit immédiatement du soleil, ou celuy qui est opposé au soleil, ou celuy qui ne les reçoit que par réverbération C'^); de mesme en estoit-il de Nostre Dame, laquelle [était] comme un tres-pur miroir opposé aux • Maiach. , uit. . 2.

raj^oiis du Soleil de justice"^, rayons qui apportoyent en son ame toutes les vertus en leur perfection, perfections et vertus qui faisoyent une réverbération si parfaite en saint Joseph, qu'il sembloit presque qu'il fust aussi parfait ou qu'il eust les vertus en un si haut degré comme les a voit la glorieuse Vierge nostre Maistresse.

Mais en particulier, pour nous tenir en nostre propos commencé, en quel degré pensons-nous qu'il eust la virginité, qui est une vertu qui nous rend semblables • Matt. , XXII 30; q^x Auges *? Si la tres-sainte Vierge ne fut pas seule- ment Vierge toute pure et toute blanche, ains (comme chante la sainte Eglise aux respons des leçons des Matines, « Sainte et immaculée virginité, » etc.) elle estoit la virginité mesme, combien pensons-nous que celuy qui fut commis de la part du Père éternel pour gardien de sa virginité, ou pour mieux dire, pour compagnon, puisqu'elle n'avoit pas besoin d'estre gardée d'autre que d'elle-mesme, combien, dis-je, devoit-il estre grand en ceste vertu? Ils avoyent fait vœu tous deux de garder virginité tout le temps de leur vie, et voila que Dieu veut qu'ils soyent unis par le lien d'un saint mariage, non pas pour les faire dédire ni se repentir de leur vœu, ains pour les reconfirmer et se fortifier l'un l'autre de persévérer en leur sainte entreprise; c'est pourquoy ils le firent encores de vivre virginalement ensemble tout le reste de leur vie.

• Cap. uit,, 8, 9. L'Espoux, au Cantique des Cantiques *, use de termes admirables pour descrire la pudeur, la chasteté et la candeur tres-innocente de ses divins amours avec sa chère Espouse bien-aymée. Il dit donc ainsi: Nostre sœur, ceste petite fillette, helas, qu'elle est petite!

elle n'a point de mammelles: que luy ferons-nous au jour qu'il luy faudra parler? Que si c'est un mur, faisons-luy des boulevars d'argent, et si c'est une porte, il la nous faut renforcer et doubler d'ais de cèdre ou de quelque bois incorruptible. Voicy comme ce divin Espoux parle de la pureté de la tr'*s-sainte Vierge, de l'Eglise, ou de lame dévote; mais principalement cecy s'adresse à la tres-sainte Vierge, qui fut ceste diNnne Sulamite par excellence au dessus de toutes les autres. Nostre saur elle est petite, elle n'a point de mammelles, c'est à dire, elle '^^ ne pense point au mariage, car elle n'a ni sein ni soin pour cela: que luy ferons^ nous au jour qu'il luy faudra parler? Qu'est-ce à dire cela: au jour qu'il luy faudra parler? le divm Espoux ne luy parle-t'il pas tousjours quand il luy plaist? Au jour qu'il luy faudra parler, cela veut dire, de la parole principale, qui est quand on parle aux filles de les marier; d'autant que c'est une parole d'importance, puiscju'il y va du choix et de l'élection d'une vocation et d'un estât auquel il faut par après demeurer. Que si c'est, dit le sacré Espoux, un mur, faisons-luy des boulevars d'argent; si c'est une porte, au contraire que nous la veuillions enfoncer, nous la doublerons ou renforcerons dais de cèdre, qui est un bois incorruptible.

La tres-glorieuse Vierge cstoit une tour ^ et des •Cml. nr. 4. vu. 4. murailles bien hautes dans l'enclos desquelles lennemy ne pouvoit nullement i'*' entrer, ni nulle sorte de destn autres que de vivre en parfaite pureté et virginité. Que luy ferons-nous? car elle doit estre mariée, Celuy qui luy a donné ccste resolution de la virgiiuté l'ayant ainsi (|) bott tmcofrmptiblt.

- Voy«« oomoM W divin Eêçttax p«rW <fe U purHi à» U trm-«Aânte Vicrga: Sottfê t9ur ê%t PHttt, elle m*m p*%mi de mtsmmtétUt, e*«l k ààn, «U« nr pm%f pa« au maiiafr. L'rxi du oooUDIWsaMBt: Vom mi* Alto M («il fraivW. cllr r%t tout* ç€mU A mATMr; mêÈê HoÊtn Dmb*. Alaté qiM l'Mnemr wm c«l«iu Etpous, 358 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels ordonné. Si c'est une tour ou une muraille, estahlissons au dessus des houlevars d'argent, qui, au lieu d'abattre la tour, la renforceront davantage. Qu'est-ce que le glorieux saint Joseph, sinon un fort boulevard qui a esté establi au dessus de Nostre Dame, puisqu'estant son Espouse, elle luy estoit sujette et il avoit soin d'elle? Au contraire donques que saint Joseph fust establi au dessus de Nostre Dame pour luy faire rompre son vœu de virginité, il luy a esté donné pour compagnon d'icelle, et à fin que la pureté de Nostre Dame peust plus admirablement persévérer en son intégrité sous le voile et l'ombrage du saint mariage et de la sainte union qu'ils avoyent par ensemble. Si la tres-sainte Vierge est une porte, dit le Père éternel, nous ne voulons pas qu'elle soit ouverte, car c'est une porte orientale par 'Ezech.

,xLiv, 1,2. laquelle nul ne peut entrer ni sortir *; au contraire, il la faut doubler et renforcer de bois incorruptible, c'est à dire, luy donner un compagnon en sa pureté, qui est le grand saint Joseph, lequel devoit pour cest effet surpasser tous les Saints, voire les Anges et les Chérubins mesmes en ceste vertu tant recommandable de la virginité, vertu qui le rendit semblable au palmier, ainsi que nous avons dit.

Passons à la seconde propriété et vertu que je trouve au palmier. Je dis, selon mon propos, qu'il se fait une juste ressemblance et conformité entre saint Joseph et la palme en leur vertu, vertu qui n'est autre que la tres-sainte humilité. Car encor que la palme soit le prince des arbres, elle est neantmoins le plus humble, ce qu'elle tesmoigne en ce qu'elle cache ses fleurs au printemps où tous les autres arbres les font voir, et ne les laisse paroistre qu'au gros des chaleurs. La palme tient ses fleurs resserrées dedans des bourses qui sont faites en forme de gaines ou estuis; ce qui nous représente très-bien la différence des âmes qui tendent à la perfection d'avec les autres, la différence des justes d'avec ceux qui vivent selon le monde; car les mondains et hommes terrestres, qui vivent selon les loix de la terre, di's qu'ils ont quelque bonne pensée ou quelque cogitation qui leur semble estre digne d'estre estimée, ou s'ils ont quelque vertu, ils ne sont jamais en repos jusques à tant qu'ils l'avent manifestée et fait cognoistre <™> à tous ceux qu'ils rencontrent. En quoy ils courent la mesme risque que les arbres qui sont prompts au printemps de jetter leurs fleurs, comme >ont les amandiers; car si d'aventure la gelée les surprend, ils périssent et ne portent point de fruict.

Ces hommes mondains qui sont si légers à faire espanouir leurs fleurs au printemps de ceste vie mortelle, par un esprit d'orgueil et d'ambition, courent tous^ours fortune d'estre pris par la gelée qui leur fait perdre les fruicts de leurs actions Au contraire, les justes tiennent tousjours toutes leurs fleurs resserrées dans l'estuy de la tres-sainte humihté, et ne les font point paroistre, tant qu'ils jx^uvent, jusques aux grosses chaleurs W, lors que Dieu, ce divin Soleil de justice^, viendra à rëchauf- • MaUcù. uil, 1. fer puissamment leurs cœurs en la vie étemelle, où ils pcjrttTunt. \ jamais le doux fruict de la félicité et de l'immortalité. 1^ palme ne laisse point voir ses fleurs jusques à tant que l'ardeur véhémente du soleil vienne à faire fendre st^ gaines, estuis ou bourses dans lesquelles elles sont encloses, après quoy, soudain elle fait voir son fruict. De mesme en fait l'ame juste, car rllc tient cachées ses fleurs, c'est à dire ses vertus, sous le voile de la tres-sainte humilité jusques à la mort, en laquelle Nostrc Seigneur les fait esclorre et les laisse paroistre au dehors, d'autant que les fruicts ne doivent pas tarder h paruistrr O combien ce grand Saint dont nous parlons fut fidclc en cecy! il ne se peut dire selon sa perfection, car nonobstant ce qu'il estoit. en quelle pauvreté et en quelle abjection ne vescut-il pas tout le temps de sa vie; pauvreté et abjection sous laquelle il tenoit cachées et couvertes ses grandes vertus et dignités.

Mais quelles dio-nités, mon Dieu! estre gouverneur de Nostre Seigneur, et non seulement cela, mais estre encor son Père putatif, mais estre Espoux de sa tres-sainte Mère! 0 vrayement je ne doute nullement que les Anges ravis d'admiration, ne vinssent troupes à troupes le considérer et admirer son humilité, lors qu'il tenoit ce cher Enfant dans sa pauvre boutique, où il travailloit de son mestier pour nourrir et le Fils et la Mère qui luy estoyent commis.

Il n'y a point de doute, mes chères Sœurs, que saint Joseph ne fust plus vaillant que David et n'eust plus de sagesse que Salomon; neantmoins, le voyant réduit en l'exercice de la charpenterie, qui («) eust peu juger cela s'il n'eust esté esclairé de la lumière céleste, tant il tenoit resserrés tous les dons signalés dont Dieu l'avoit gratifié? Mais quelle sagesse n'avoit-il pas, puisque Dieu luy donnoit en charge son Fils tres-glorieux et qu'il estoit choisi pour estre son gouverneur? Si les princes de la terre ont tant de soin, comme estant une chose très-importante, de donner un gouverneur qui soit des plus capables à leurs enfans, puisque Dieu pouvoit faire que le gouverneur de son Fils fust le plus accompli homme du monde en toutes sortes de perfections, selon la dignité et excellence de la chose gouvernée, qui estoit son Fils tres-glorieux, Prince universel du ciel et de la terre, comment se pourroit-il faire que l'ayant peu il ne Tayt voulu et ne l'ayt fait? Il n'y a donc nul doute que saint Joseph n'ayt esté doiié de toutes les grâces et de tous les dons que meritoit la charge que le Père éternel luy vouloit donner, de l'œconomie temporelle et domestique de Nostre Seigneur et de la conduite de sa famille, qui n'estoit composée que de trois, qui nous représentent le mystère de la tres-sainte et tres-adorable Trinité. Non qu'il y ayt de la io) que Salomon — et que les autres quels qu'ils fussent; et neantmoins, le voila réduit à l'exercice de la charpenterie. Qui XIX Des Vertus de saint Joseph 361 comparaison, sinon en ce qui regarde Nostre Seigneur, qui est l'une des Personnes de la tres-sainte Trinité, car quant aux autres ce sont des créatures; mais pourtant nous pouvons dire ainsi, que c'est une trinitë en terre qui représente en quelque façon la tres-samte Trinité. Marie, Jésus et Joseph; Joseph, Jésus et Marie; trinité merveilleusement recommandable et digne d'estre honnorée.

Vous entendez donc combien la dignité de saint Joseph estoit relevée, et combien il estoit rempH de toutes sortes de vertus; neantmoin^s, vous voyez (*î> d'ailleurs combien il estoit rabaissé, et humilié plus qu'il ne se peut dire m imaginer. Ce seul exemple suffit pour le bien entendre: il s'en va en son pais et en sa ville de Bethlehem. et nul n'est rejette de tous les logis que luy, au moins que l'on sçache; si qu'il fut contraint de se retirer et conduire sa chaste Espouse dans un estable, parmi les bœufs et les asnes •. O en quelle extrémité • Luc», 11. 4-7. estoit réduite son abjection et son humilité î Son humiUté fut la cause, ainsi que l'exphque saint Bernard •, * ""*"»! ** »• *«p*^ qu'il voulut quitter Nostre Dame quand il la vid enceinte •; car siiint Bernard dit qu'il lit ce discours en • Mjtt. 1.

19. soy-mesme: Et qu'est cecy? Je sçay qu'elle est vierge. car nous avons fait un vœu par ensemble de garder nostre virginité et pureté, à quoy elle ne voudroit aucunement manquer; d'ailleurs je voy qu'elle est enceinte et qu'elle est mère: comment se peut faire que la maternité se trouve en la virginité, et que Li virginité n'empesche point la maternité? O Dieu! dit -il en soyracsme, ne scroit-ce point peut cstre ccste glorieuse Vierge dont les Prophètes asseiu'ent qu'elle concevra et sera Mère du Messie •? O si cela est. à Dieu ne plaise • i».

, vti, •«. que je demeure avec elle, moy qui en suis si indigne. Mieux vaut que je l'abandonne secrettement à cause de mon mdignité, et que je n'habite )>oint davantage en sa compagnie. S<*ntiment d'une humilité admirable, et laquell«* ht escrier s«iint Pierre dans la n. icelle où il estoit avec Nostre Seigneur, lors qu'il vid sa toute-puissance manifestée en la grande prise qu'il fit de poissons, au seul commandement qu'il leur avoit fait de jetter les filets dans la mer: 0 Seigneur, dit-il, tout transporté d'un semblable sentiment d'humilité que saint Joseph, retire-toy de moy, car je suis un homme • Luca, V, 3-8. pecheur"^, et partant ne suis pas digne d'estre avec toy.

Je sçay bien, vouloit-il dire, que si je me jette en la mer, je periray; mais toy, qui es tout-puissant, marcheras sur les eaux sans danger; c'est pourquoy je te suppHe de te retirer de moy, et non pas que je me retire de toy.

Mais si saint Joseph estoit soigneux de tenir resserrées ses vertus sous l'abri de la tres-sainte humilité, il avoit un soin très -particulier de cacher la pretieuse perle de sa virginité; c'est pourquoy il consentit d'estre marié, à fin que personne ne la peust cognoistre, et que dessous le saint voile du mariage il peust vivre plus à couvert. Sur quoy les vierges et celles ou ceux qui veulent vivre chastement sont enseignés qu'il ne leur suffit pas d'estre vierges s'ils ne sont humbles, et s'ils ne resserrent leur pureté dans la boite pretieuse de l'humilité; car autrement il leur arrivera tout ainsi qu'aux folles vierges, lesquelles, faute d'humilité et de charité miséricordieuse, •Matt. , XXV, 7-12. furent rechassées des noces de TEspoux *, et partant furent contraintes d'aller aux noces du monde, où l'on n'observe pas le conseil de l'Espoux céleste qui dit qu'il faut estre humble pour entrer aux noces, je veux dire • Luc», XIV, 8, 10. qu'il faut pratiquer l'humilité: car, dit-il*, allant aux noces, ou estant invité aux noces, prenez la dernière place. En quoy nous voyons combien l'humilité est nécessaire pour la conservation de la virginité, puisqu'indubitablement aucun ne sera du céleste banquet et du festin nuptial que Dieu prépare aux vierges en la céleste demeure, sinon entant qu'il sera accompagné de ceste vertu.

L'on ne lient pas les choses pretieuses, sur tout les onguens odoriferans, à l'air; car, outre que ces odeurs viendroyent à s'exhaler, les mousches les gasteroyent et feroyent perdre leur prix et leur valeur*. De mesme, • Ecck». , x. i. les âmes justes craignant de perdre le prix et la valeur de leurs bonnes œuvres, les resserrent ordinairement dans une boite; mais non dans une boite commune, non plus que les onguens pretieux, ains dans une boite d'albastre, telle que celle que sainte Magdelaine respandit ou vuida sur le chej sacré de Nostre Seigneur • • Matt. , xxyi, 7. lors qu'il la restablit en la virginité non essentielle mais reparée, laquelle est quelquefois plus excellente, estant acquise et restablie par la pénitence, que non pas celle qui n'ayant p>oint receu de tare est accompagnée de moins d'humilité. Cette boite d'albastre ebt donques l'humilité, dans laquelle nous devons, à l'imitation de Nostre Dame et de saint Joseph, resserrer nos vertus et tout ce (jui nous peut faire estimer des hommes, nous contentans de plaire à Dieu et demeurans <*) sous le voile sacré de l'abjection de nous-mesmes, atten dans, ainsi que nous avons dit.

que Dieu venant pour nous retirer au heu de seureté, qui est la gloire, fasse luy-mesme paroistre nos vertus pour son honneur et gloire.

Mais quelle plus parfaite humilité se peut-il imaginer que celle de saint Joseph? Je laisse à part celle de Nostre Dame, car nous avons desja dit que saint Joseph recevoit un grand accroissement en toutes les vertus par forme de réverbération que celles de la tres-siintc Vierge faisoyent en luy. Il a une tres-grandc part en ce thresor divin qu'il avoit chez luy, qui est Nostre Seigneur et nostre Maistre, et cependant il se tient si rabaissé et humilié qu'il ne semble point qu'il y ayt de part; et toutefois il luy appartient plus qu'à nul autre après la tres-saintc Vit-rgr. et nul n'en peut douter, puisqu'il côtoit de sa famille et 'e FiU d*» «^on Espotue qui luy appartenoit. J'ay accoustumé de dire, que si une colombe (pour rendre la comparaison plus conforme à la pureté des Saints dont je parle) portoit en son bec une datte laquelle elle laissast tomber dans un jardin, diroit-on pas que le palmier qui en viendroit appartient à celuy à qui est le jardin? Or, si cela est ainsi, qui pourra douter que le Saint Esprit ayant laissé tomber ceste divine datte, comme un divin Colombeau, dans le jardin clos et fermé de la tres-sainte Vierge, jardin • cant. , IV. 12.

scellé*, et environné de toutes parts des hayes du saint vœu de virginité et chasteté toute immaculée, lequel appartenoit au glorieux saint Joseph comme la femme ou l'espouse à l'espoux, qui doutera, dis-je, ou qui pourra dire que ce divin palmier qui porte des fruicts qui nourrissent à l'immortalité, n'appartienne quant et quant à ce grand saint Joseph, lequel pourtant ne s'en esleve point davantage, n'en devient point plus superbe, (") ains en devient tousjours plus humble?

O Dieu, qu'il faisoit bon voir la révérence et le respect avec lequel il trait toit tant avec la Mère qu'avec le Fils! S'il avoit bien voulu quitter la Mère, ne sçachant encor tout à fait la grandeur de sa dignité, en quelle admiration et profond anéantissement estoit-il par après, quand il se voyoit estre tant honnoré que Xostre Seigneur et Nostre Dame se rendissent obeissans à ses volontés et ne fissent rien que par son commandement! Cecy est une chose qui ne se peut comprendre; c'est pourquoy il nous faut passer à la troisiesme propriété que je remarque estre en la palme, qui est la vaillance, constance et force, vertus qui se sont trouvées en un degré fort eminent en nostre Saint La palme, elle a une force et une vaillance et incMnc une constance très-grande au dessus de tous les autres arbres; aussi est-elle le premier de tous. La palme monstre sa force et sa constance en ce que, plus elle est chargée, et plus elle monte en haut et devient plus haute; ce qui est tout contraire non seulement aux autres arbres mais à toutes autres choses, car plus l'on est chargé, et plus l'on s'abaisse contre terre. Mais la palme monstre sa force et sa constance en ne se sousmettant ni abaissant jamais pour aucune charge que l'on mette sur elle; car c'est son instinct de monter en haut, et partant elle le fait sans que l'on l'en puisse empescher. Elle monstre sa vaillance en ce que ses feuilles sont faites comme des espées. et semble en avoir autant pour batailler, comme elle porte de feuilles.

C'est certes à très-juste raison que saint Joseph est dit ressembler à la palme; car il fut tousjours fort, vaillant, constant et persévérant. Il y a beaucoup de différence entre la constance et la persévérance, la force et la vaillance. Nous appi'llons un homme constant, lequel se tient ferme et préparé à souffrir les assauts de ses ennemis, sans s'estonner ni perdre courage durant le combat; mais la persévérance regarde principalement un certain ennuy intérieur qui nous arrive en la longueur de nos peines, qui est un ennemy aussi puissant que l'on en puisse rencontrer. Or, la persévérance fait que l'homme mesprise cest ennemy en telle sorte qu'il en demeure victorieux, par une continuelle égalité et sousmission à la volonté de Dieu. La force, c'est ce qui fait que l'homme rt^sistc puissamment aux attaques de ses ennemie; mais la vaillance est une vertu qui fait que l'on ne se tient pas seulement prest pour combattre ni pour résister quand l'occasion s'en preM*nte, mais que l'on attaque l'ennemy à l'heure mesme qu'il ne dit mot <■>.

366 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels Or, nostre glorieux saint Joseph fut doué de toutes ces vertus, et les exerça merveilleusement bien. Pour ce qui est de sa constance, combien je vous prie, la fit-il paroistre lors que voyant Nostre Dame enceinte, et ne sçachant point comment cela se pou voit faire, mon Dieu, quelle détresse, quel ennuy, quelle peine d'esprit n'avoit-il pas? Neantmoins il ne se plaint point, il n'en est point plus rude ni plus mal gratieux envers son Espouse, il ne la maltraitte point pour cela, demeurant aussi doux et aussi respectueux en son endroit qu'il souloit estre. Mais quelle vaillance et quelle force ne tesmoigne-t'il pas en la victoire qu'il remporta sur les deux plus grands ennemis de l'homme, le diable et le monde? et cela par la pratique exacte d'une tres-parfaite humilité, comme nous avons remarqué, en tout le cours de sa vie. Le diable est tellement ennemy de l'humilité, parce que, manque de l'avoir, il fut dechassé du Ciel et • is. , XIV. H-15.

précipité aux enfers* (comme si l'humilité pou voit mais dequoy il ne l'a pas voulu choisir pour compagne inséparable), qu'il n'y a invention ni artifice duquel il ne se serve pour faire decheoir l'homme de ceste vertu, et d'autant plus qu'il sçait que c'est une vertu qui le rend infiniment agréable à Dieu; si que nous pouvons bien dire: Vaillant et fort est l'homme qui, comme saint Joseph, persévère en icelle, parce qu'il demeure tout ensemble vainqueur du diable et du monde, qui est rempli d'ambition, de vanité et d'orgueil.

Quant à la persévérance, contraire à cest ennemy intérieur qui est l'ennuy qui nous survient en la continuation des choses abjectes, humiliantes, pénibles, des mauvaises fortunes, s'il faut ainsi dire, ou bien es divers accidens qui nous arrivent, ô combien ce Saint fut enfers; comme si l'humilité estoit la cause de ce qu'il ne la voulut pas choisir pour compagne inséparable. Il de — l'affectionner esprouvé de Ihvu et des hommes mesmes en son voyage <*'>! L'Ange luy commande de partir promptement et de mener Nostre Dame et s<jn Fils très-cher en Egypte *. •Mai». , n. 13, mle voila que soudain il part sans dire mot; il ne s'enquiert pas: Où iray-je? quel chemm tiendray-je? de quoy nous nourrirons-nous?

qui nous y recevra? Il part d'aventure avec ses outils sur son dos, à fin de gaigner sa pauvTe vie et celle de sa famille à la sueur de son visage. O combien cest ennuy dont nous parlons le de voit presser! veu mesmement que l'Ange ne luy avoit point dit le temps qu'il y devoit estre, si qu'il ne pouvoit s'establir nulle demeure asseurée, ne sçachant quand l'Ange luy commanderoit de s'en retourner i*>').

Si saint Paul * a tant admiré l'obéissance d'Abraliam •Hcb. , xi, 8, 9. lors que Dieu luy commanda de sortir de sa terre*, • 0*0. . xii, 1. d'autant que Dieu ne luy dit pas de quel costé il iroit, ni moins Abraham ne luy demanda pas: Seigneur, vous me dites que je sorte, mais dites-moy donc si ce sera par la porte du midy ou du costé de la bise <«*), ains il se mit en chemin, et alloit selon que l'Esprit de Dieu le conduisoit, combien est admirable ceste parfaite obéissance de saint Joseph! L'Ange ne luy dit point jusques à quand il demcureroit en Eg>'pte, et il ne s'en enquiert pas. Il y demeura l'espace de cinq ans, comme la pluspart croyent.

sans qu'il s'informast de s^in retour, s'asseurant que Celuy qui avoit commandé qu'il y alld>t, luy commanderoit derechef quand il s'en faudroit retourner, à quoy il estoit tous jours prest d'obéir. Il cstoit en une terre non seulement estranf^ere *, mais ennemie • Het. ubi des IsraéUtes, d'autant que les Egyptiens se rcsscntoyent encor dequoy ils les avoyent quittés, et avoyent esté cause qu'une grande partie des Eg>'ptiens avoyent 368 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels esté submergés lors qu'ils les poursuivoyent. Je vous laisse à penser quel désir devoit avoir saint Joseph de s'en retourner, à cause des continuelles craintes qu'il pouvoit avoir emmi les Egyptiens. L'ennuy de ne sçavoir quand il en sortiroit devoit sans doute grandement affliger et (^') tourmenter son pauvre cœur; neantmoins il demeure tousjours luy-mesme, tousjours doux, tranquille et persévérant en sa sousmission au bon plaisir de Dieu, auquel il se laissoit pleinement conduire; car, • Matt. , 1. 1-,. cofnme il esioit juste "^, il avoit tousjours sa volonté ajustée, jointe et conforme à celle de Dieu.

Estre juste n'est autre chose qu'estre parfaitement uni à la volonté de Dieu, et y estre tousjours conforme (^'^ en toutes sortes d'evenemens, soit prospères ou adverses. Que saint Joseph aj^t esté en toutes occasions, tousjours parfaitement sousmis à la divine volonté, nul n'en peut douter. Et ne le voyez-vous pas? regardez comment l'Ange le tourne à toutes mains. Il luy dit qu'il faut aller en Egypte, il y va; il commande qu'il revienne, il s'en revient. Dieu veut qu'il soit tousjours pauvre, qui est une des plus puissantes espreuves qu'il nous puisse faire, et il s'y sousmet amoureusement, et non pas pour un temps, car ce fut (*') toute sa vie. Mais de quelle pauvreté? d'une pauvreté mesprisée, rejettée et nécessiteuse.

La pauvreté volontaire dont les Religieux font profession est fort aymable, d'autant qu'elle n'empesche pas qu'ils ne reçoivent et prennent les choses qui leur sont nécessaires, défendant et les privant seulem. ent des superfluités; mais la pauvreté de saint Joseph, de Nostre Seigneur et de Nostre Dame n'estoit pas telle, car encor qu elle fust volontaire, d'autant qu'ils l'aymoyent chèrement, elle ne laissoit pas pourtant d'estre abjecte, rejettée, mesprisée et nécessiteuse grandement; car XIX. Des Vertus de saint Joseph chacun tenoit ce grand Saint comme un pauvre charpentier*, lequel sans doute ne jxjuvoil pas tant faire. • suit. xm. 55; qu'il ne leur manquast plusieurs choses nécessaires, bien ^^'^'^ ' ^'' ^ qu'il se peinast avt»c une affection nompareille pour l'entretien de toute sa ^^'^ petite famille. Apres quoy il se sousmettoit tres-humblement à la volonté de Dieu en la continuation de sa pauvreté et de son abjection, sans se laisser aucunement vaincre ni terrasser par l'ennuy intérieur, lequel sans doute luy faisoit maintes attaques; mais il demeuroit tousjours constant en la 1^'> sousmission laquelle, comme toutes ses autres vertus, alloit continuellement croissant et se perfectionnant; ainsi que de Nostre Dame, laquelle gaignoit chaque jour un surcroist de vertus et de perfections qu'elle prenoit en son Fils tres-saint, lequel ne pouvant croistre en aucune chose, d'autant qu'il fut dés l'instant de sa conception tel qu'il est et sera éternellement •. faisoit que la sainte * Heb.

, xtu, t. famille en laquelle il estoit alloit tousjours croissant et avançant en perfection, Nostre Dame tirant sa perfection de sa divine Bonté, et saint Joseph la recevant, comme nous avons desja dit, par l'entremise de Nostre Dame. Que nous reste-t'il plus à dire maintenant, sinon que nous ne devons nullement douter que ce glorieux Saint n'ayt beaucoup de crédit dans le Ciel auprès de Ccluy qui l'a tant favorisé que de l'y eslever en corps et en ame; ce qui est d'autant plus probable que nous n'en avons nulle relique ça bas en terre, et il me semble que nul ne peut douter de ceste vérité; car. comme eust peu refuser ceste grâce à saint Joseph Ccluy qui luy avoit esté si obéissant tout le tem|>s de sa vie? Sans doute que Nostre Seigneur descendant au Limlx», fut arraisonné par saint Joseph en ceste sorte: Mon Seigneur, ressouvenez- vous, s'il vous plaist. que quand vous vinstes du Ciel en terre je vous rccctis en ma maison, en ma famille, et que dés que vous fustes né je 370 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels VOUS receus entre mes bras. Maintenant que vous devez aller au Ciel, conduisez-moy avec vous: je vous receus en ma famille, recevez-moy maintenant en la vostre, puisque vous y allez. Je vous ay porté entre mes bras, maintenant prenez-moy sur les vostres; et comme j'ay eu soin de vous nourrir et conduire durant le cours de vostre vie mortelle, prenez soin de moy et de me conduire en la vie immortelle.

Et s'il est vray, ce que nous devons croire, qu'en vertu du tres-saint Sacrement que nous recevons, nos corps ressusciteront au jour du juge• joan. , VI, 55. ment*, comment pourrions-nous douter que Nostre Seigneur ne fist monter quant et luy au Ciel, en corps et en ame, le glorieux saint Joseph qui avoit eu l'honneur et la grâce de le porter si souvent entre ses bénits bras, bras auxquels Nostre Seigneur se plaisoit tant? O combien de baisers luy donnoit-il fort tendrement de sa bénite bouche pour recompenser en quelque façon son travail 1 Saint Joseph donc est au Ciel en corps et en ame, c'est sans doute. O combien serons-nous heureux, si nous pouvons mériter d'avoir part en ses saintes intercessions! car rien ne luy sera refusé, ni de Nostre Dame ni de son Fils glorieux. Il nous obtiendra, si nous avons confiance en luy, un saint accroissement en toutes sortes de vertus, mais spécialement en celles que nous avons trouvé qu'il avoit en plus haut degré que toutes autres, qui sont la tres-sainte pureté de corps et d'esprit, la tres-aymable vertu d'humihté, la constance, vaillance et persévérance; vertus qui nous rendront victorieux en ceste vie de nos ennemis, et qui nous feront mériter la grâce d'aller jouïr en la vie éternelle des recompenses qui sont préparées à ceux qui imiteront l'exemple que saint Joseph leur a donné estant en ceste vie; recompense qui ne sera rien moindre que la félicité éternelle, en laquelle nous jouirons de la claire vision du Père, du Fils et du Saint Esprit. Dieu soit béni.

Scripture echoes

↩Gen.37.3 — Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves.
↩Isa.61.10 — I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with garments of salvation, a robe of righteousness he has wrapped around me, as a groom wears a priestly crown, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
↩Gen.37.3 — Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves.
↩Ps.91.13 — You will tread upon the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.
↩Isa.7.14 — Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Look, the young woman will conceive and bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel.
↩Isa.7.14 — Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Look, the young woman will conceive and bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel.
↩Luke.1.35;Matt.1.18-Matt.1.20 — And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore also the one to be born will be called Son of God." Matt.1.18 — Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened in this way: after his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit. Matt.1.19 — And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly. Matt.1.20 — But as he was considering these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.'
↩Matt.22.30 — For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
↩Matt.22.30 — For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
↩Song.8.8-Song.8.9 — We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for? Song.8.9 — If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with a plank of cedar.
↩Song.8.8-Song.8.9 — We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for? Song.8.9 — If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with a plank of cedar.
↩Song.8.8 — We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?
↩Song.8.8 — We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?
↩Song.8.9 — If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with a plank of cedar.
↩Song.8.8 — We have a little sister, and she has no breasts. What shall we do for our sister on the day when she is spoken for?
↩Song.8.9 — If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with a plank of cedar.
↩Song.8.9 — If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with a plank of cedar.
↩Song.8.9-Song.8.10 — If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with a plank of cedar. Song.8.10 — I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers; then I was in his eyes as one who finds peace.
↩Song.8.9 — If she is a wall, we will build upon her a battlement of silver; but if she is a door, we will enclose her with a plank of cedar.
↩Matt.1.19 — And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly.
↩Isa.7.14;Matt.1.22-Matt.1.23 — Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: Look, the young woman will conceive and bear a son, and she will call his name Immanuel. Matt.1.22 — All this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: Matt.1.23 — "Look, the virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call his name Immanuel," which means, "God with us."
↩Matt.1.19 — And Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to expose her to public disgrace, planned to divorce her quietly.
↩Luke.5.3-Luke.5.8 — He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. Luke.5.4 — When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water, and let down your nets for a catch." Luke.5.5 — And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled through the whole night and caught nothing. But at your word I will let down the nets." Luke.5.6 — And when they had done this, they enclosed a great number of fish, and their nets were breaking. Luke.5.7 — They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so that they began to sink. Luke.5.8 — When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.'
↩Luke.5.3-Luke.5.8 — He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little from the land. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. Luke.5.4 — When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water, and let down your nets for a catch." Luke.5.5 — And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled through the whole night and caught nothing. But at your word I will let down the nets." Luke.5.6 — And when they had done this, they enclosed a great number of fish, and their nets were breaking. Luke.5.7 — They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats so that they began to sink. Luke.5.8 — When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.'
↩Luke.5.8 — When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.'
↩Matt.25.7-Matt.25.12 — Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. Matt.25.8 — The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' Matt.25.9 — But the prudent ones answered, saying, 'No — there will not be enough for us and for you. Go instead to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' Matt.25.10 — But while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came, and the ready ones went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut. Matt.25.11 — Afterward the other virgins also come, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' Matt.25.12 — But he answered, 'Truly, I tell you, I do not know you.'
↩Eccl.10.1 — Dead flies make the perfumer's oil stink and ferment; so a little folly can outweigh wisdom and honor.
↩Eccl.10.1 — Dead flies make the perfumer's oil stink and ferment; so a little folly can outweigh wisdom and honor.
↩Song.4.12 — A garden locked, my sister, bride; a spring locked, a fountain sealed.
↩Song.4.12 — A garden locked, my sister, bride; a spring locked, a fountain sealed.
↩Matt.2.13-Matt.2.15 — Now after they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him." Matt.2.14 — So when Joseph got up, he took the child and his mother by night and withdrew to Egypt, Matt.2.15 — And he remained there until the death of Herod, in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'
↩Gen.3.19 — By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
↩Matt.2.13-Matt.2.15 — Now after they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to seek the child to destroy him." Matt.2.14 — So when Joseph got up, he took the child and his mother by night and withdrew to Egypt, Matt.2.15 — And he remained there until the death of Herod, in order that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 'Out of Egypt I called my son.'
↩Gen.12.1 — Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your land and from your kindred and from your father's house to the land that I will show you.
↩1Pet.3.19 — in which also he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,
↩John.6.55 — For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.

Notes

1 ↩Source uses Vulgate-style Roman numbering (xci, 13). In modern Protestant numbering this is commonly Psalm 92:12 (Justus ut palma florebit).
2 ↩palme/palmier: the liturgical image of the just as a palm (palme) is then developed through the palm tree (palmier) as prince and king of trees.
3 ↩Sentence is cut mid-phrase at the Genesis citation marker (• Gen.); completion and verse continue in s5. 'ancien Joseph' rendered as Joseph of old (the patriarch).
4 ↩Corrected OCR: 'talous' → 'talons' (heels); 'rccamée' → 'recamée' (embroidered). Completes s4: robe long to the heels (Gen 37:3).
5 ↩Reading «bat jusques» with the following «aux talons» as the idiom of a garment that hangs down to the heels; the sentence is cut by a scripture citation mid-phrase.
6 ↩Printed fragment «, Lxi, 10; Bar.» continues the Isaiah citation begun in s1; the Baruch reference is incomplete in the source.
7 ↩Normalized «c'cst» → «c'est»; continues the hanging-to-the-heels image from s1 after the interruption of the scripture note.
8 ↩Normalized OCR: «tres-par faite» → «très-parfaite»; «le^ pauvres» → «les pauvres»; «pour '•ela appelle rAumosnier» → «pour cela appelé l'Aumônier» (St. John the Almsgiver).
9 ↩«Magnificence» kept as the classical moral-theological virtue of great, fitting liberality, not mere splendor.
10 ↩Normalized «degrë» → «degré»; «toute<» → «toutes»; light punctuation supplied between the two main clauses for readability.
11 ↩Restored from OCR damage: «néant moins» → «néanmoins»; «celé brons» → «célébrons»; «£glise» → «Église»; «pilme» → «palme»; «qui «^ont» → «qui sont»; discarded page-noise «^^K» as a likely break before «Cela».
12 ↩Normalized from corrupted OCR: '11 n'est… Patriar^'he… coryphée… simi)l(inent Confes.' → 'Il n'est pas seulement Patriarche, ains le coryphée de tous les Patriarches; il n'est pas seulement Confes…'. Mid-word break before 'seur' (Confesseur).
13 ↩Fragment 'seur.' completes 'Confesseur' from the previous sentence; rendered as the English completion 'Confessor.'
14 ↩'Confession' here means Joseph’s standing and witness as a Confessor-saint (and the dignity contained in that confession of faith), not primarily sacramental confession.
15 ↩French 'générosité' in this hagiographic register is closer to magnanimity / noble largeness of soul than to almsgiving; rendered 'magnanimity'.
16 ↩Normalized OCR: 'e^t accomparé… e<;t le roy… hunulité… csquelles… glori^^ux saint Jos^'ph… con^j)araisons… maint iendroyent' → 'est comparé… est le roi… humilité… esquelles… glorieux saint Joseph… comparaisons… maintiendraient'.
17 ↩Source reads «Le Imier.»; corrected as «Le palmier» (the palm tree) from context and the following relative clause «qui est le masle.»
18 ↩Stripped running header «Les vrays Entretiens spirituels» and trailing footnote cue «• Cf.» as print apparatus embedded in the sentence; sense continues into the Pliny citation fragments and «fruicts» in the following refs.
19 ↩Source «Piin.» read as «Plin.» (Pliny), the opening of a marginal citation interrupted mid-sentence.
20 ↩Source «, Hist.» taken as the work title in the Pliny citation (Hist. nat.), not free prose.
21 ↩Completes the clause broken in s4 («elle porte quantité de … fruicts»). The asterisk marks a footnote whose citation body was split into s5–s6 and the next section.
22 ↩Source ends «virginat.»; reconstructed as the start of «virginalement» (virginally), completed in the following section («nalement, car elle n'est nullement touchée…»).
23 ↩Source fragment is an incomplete printed citation/footnote marker, not continuous prose. Left as the recoverable citation opening.
24 ↩Printed citation fragment (`XIII, c.`); rendered as a chapter reference. Likely part of a Pliny (or similar) apparatus continued from the previous section.
25 ↩Normalized reading takes `nalement` as the severed ending of `virginalement` from the previous section (`...elle produit virginat.` + `nalement` → `virginalement`). `VII,` and trailing `si al.` look like mixed citation debris and the broken start of `si bien` (continued in s5).
26 ↩Latin bibliographic tag `cum notis ... variorum` (with notes of various [authors/editors]). The bullet and lone `n` are treated as print damage, not content.
27 ↩`si qu'` rendered as resultative “so that.” `aspect` keeps the older sense of looking/presence used in the previous section (not modern “appearance”). Opening `bien` is read as completing `si bien` begun at the end of s3.
28 ↩Source ends in the OCR fragment «•is.»; the intended continuation is almost certainly «providence» (picked up in s3), yielding «en sa divine providence».
29 ↩Printed fragment «, VII, 14.» is treated as a scriptural reference, almost certainly Isaiah 7:14 (the virgin shall conceive), which fits the surrounding virgin-conception argument.
30 ↩Asterisk after «Fils» is treated as a note marker (likely pointing to the Isaiah 7:14 citation), not as part of the sentence wording.
31 ↩Source ends «la commist à 1?»; the trailing «1?» is treated as OCR/footnote junk, and the sense continues into s7 as «à charge et à la garde…».
32 ↩Reconstructed from OCR: «charge et e^i la garde» → «charge et à la garde»; «ce doux • Gant» → «ce doux Enfant» (this sweet Child), which fits the next section’s «fruict de vie, Nostre Seigneur».
33 ↩Fragment «, II, 3.» appears to be a damaged in-text citation or note marker; book identity is uncertain from the local witness alone.
34 ↩Normalized 'ne portant peint de fruict' as 'ne portant point de fruict' (bearing no fruit), the only sense that fits the male-palm analogy.
35 ↩Restored 'bien-aimé' from corrupted 'bien-a>'mé' and 'extérieurs' from 'extérieur^'.
36 ↩'Communication' rendered as 'sharing' (spiritual interchange of goods and life), not Eucharistic Communion.
37 ↩Restored 'glorieuse', 'possédait', and 'néanmoins' from OCR forms 'glorieiuse', 'f)ossedoit', 'néant moins'; dropped stray '*' before 'par'.
38 ↩Heavy OCR/page-header corruption mid-sentence ('nalfvcment', '|>as', 'Il «a pvftctkNi', and intrusion of '356 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels') reconstructed as the standard mirror-reflection comparison: one can scarcely judge which mirror receives the rays directly and which only by reflection. Terminal '• Maiach' is almost certainly the citation label Malach. (Malachi), continued in s6–s8 and in Entretiens.1.19.8 ('rayons du Soleil de justice').
39 ↩Source fragment ', uit.' treated as a corrupt chapter citation, most plausibly ', IV.' of Malachi, matching neighboring verse '2.' and the next section's Sun-of-justice theme (Mal 4:2).
40 ↩Source opens with the corrupt reading «raj^oiis du Soleil de justice"^»; corrected as «rayons du Soleil de justice» (rays of the Sun of Justice), continuing the previous section’s mirror metaphor. Mid-sentence «les a voit» is read as «les avoit» (she had them).
41 ↩Source fragment ', XXII 30; q^x Auges *?' is a broken citation line. Readable core is Matt. 22:30 (virginal/angelic state). 'q^x Auges *?' is unresolved OCR/corruption—possibly a note key plus 'Anges' (angels) or another authority—and was not silently restored in the English.
42 ↩Old French 'ains' = 'but rather / on the contrary,' not modern 'ainsi' (thus). 'Toute blanche' keeps the traditional purity/whiteness image rather than flattening to a generic 'spotless.'
43 ↩Printed source 'uit,, 8, 9.' is corrupt; context points to Song of Songs chapter viii, verses 8–9 (cf. the following section’s quotation).
44 ↩boulevars = bulwarks/battlements (not modern 'boulevards'); ais = boards/planks.
45 ↩Normalized OCR damage: très-sainte; l'âme dévote (not 'lame'); divine Sulamite (not 'diNnne').
46 ↩Wordplay on sein/soin ('neither breast nor care'): the author reads 'no breasts' as spiritual unreadiness for marriage and freedom from concern about it.
47 ↩saur → sœur; stripped OCR junk ('^^, ferons^).
48 ↩divm → divin.
49 ↩puiscju'il → puisqu'il.
50 ↩'au contraire que nous la veuillions enfoncer' rendered as 'far from wanting to force it open' (protecting virginity rather than breaching the door).
51 ↩dais → d'ais (with planks/boards).
52 ↩Normalized corrupt OCR «cstoit» to «estoit» (was). The printed sentence is broken mid-phrase before the walls clause that continues after OCR debris in s6; trailing «•Cml.» is treated as non-text noise, not as content.
53 ↩Source surface «nr.» is not recoverable French prose; almost certainly margin/page debris split out of the middle of s1 («•Cml. nr. 4. vu. 4.»).
54 ↩Source surface «4.» looks like numeric debris from a marginal note or page furniture, not a sentence of the conference.
55 ↩Source surface «vu.» is not recoverable prose in context; treated as OCR debris from the same broken marginal string as s2–s5.
56 ↩Source surface «4.» is numeric debris, not conference text.
57 ↩Reconstructed «lennemy» → «l'ennemi»; «i'*'» → «y»; «destn» → «dessein» (purpose/design). The clause continues the broken s1 construction «une tour et des murailles…».
58 ↩«dessein» could also be plural «desseins» (designs/intentions); sense is the same: nothing inside the enclosure except the life of pure virginity.
59 ↩Reconstructed «ccste» → «ceste»; «virgiiuté» → «virginité»; trailing corrupt «(|) bott tmcofrmptiblt» → «toute incorruptible», matching the chapter's incorruptible-wood imagery and the sense that God sealed her virgin resolve.
60 ↩The French is elliptical after «l'ayant ainsi»: the sense is that the Giver of her virgin resolve has thereby rendered her wholly incorruptible (so marriage will not violate that resolve). A missing participle such as «faite/rendue» is possible but not required for the meaning.
61 ↩Source is severely OCR-corrupted. Reconstructed from legible stems (Voyons/comment/divin/pureté/très-sainte Vierge/tour/pure/c'est à dire/ne peut pas/mariage) and the chapter's Song of Songs tower imagery; 'Espoux' and 'n'est point de mutabilité' are conjectural.
62 ↩Nearly unreadable OCR. Taken as the Song of Songs lead-in to the silver-bulwark verse that s5 develops (Si murus est / silver battlements).
63 ↩Reconstructed from OCR stems: Elle est toute comme une muraille; même Notre Dame.
64 ↩Sentence mixes a few recoverable words (l'Ennemi; Espouse) with clear running-title/page furniture ('358 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels ordonné'), which is omitted from the English. Full sense is uncertain.
65 ↩Source 'houlevars' = boulevards in the older military sense (bulwarks/bastions), not modern avenues; rendered 'bulwarks'. 'estahlissons' read as 'établissons'.
66 ↩'compagnon d'icelle' refers back to the vow of virginity (not merely companionship in general): Joseph is companion of the vow itself.
67 ↩Source ends mid-citation ('par \'Ezech.'); the following section supplies the rest (Ezek 44:1–2).
68 ↩Source reading `,xLiv, 1,2.` is a garbled citation fragment continuing the previous sentence’s `Ezech.`; treated as Ezekiel 44:1–2 (Roman xliv), the shut eastern gate of the sanctuary.
69 ↩`il la faut doubler et renforcer de bois incorruptible` continues the gate image for Our Lady: the “incorruptible wood” is allegorically Saint Joseph as her companion in purity, not literal timber.
70 ↩Normalized corrupt OCR forms: 'di's' → 'dès' (as soon as); 'l'avent' → 'l'aient' (until they have); discarded stray '<™>' markup; 'estuis' read as 'étuis' (cases).
71 ↩Normalized 'comme >ont les amandiers' to 'comme font les amandiers' (as almond trees do); stray '>' treated as OCR noise.
72 ↩Normalized OCR damage in the French: tous^ours→tousjours; humihté→humilité; jx^uvent→peuvent; sentence ends mid-word at rëchauf- (réchauffer), continued in later sentence refs.
73 ↩Source 'uil, 1.' is unrecoverable OCR debris (likely page/signature noise) interrupting the split word réchauffer between s1 and s3.
74 ↩Restored continuations: leading fer completes réchauffer from s1; étemelle→éternelle; pcjrttTunt→porteront.
75 ↩Leading '\ jamais' read as 'à jamais' (forever), completing où ils porteront à jamais le doux fruit… from s3.
76 ↩Normalized 1^→La; st^→ses.
77 ↩Normalized rllc→elle; Nostrc→Nostre; h paruistrr→à paraître; fidclc→fidèle; esclorre→éclore.
78 ↩il ne se peut dire selon sa perfection most naturally refers to Joseph's fidelity in hiding his virtues (from s6); nonobstant ce qu'il estoit is incomplete and continues into s8.
79 ↩Source reading 'dio-nités' is a clear OCR break of 'dignités', continuing the previous section's close on Joseph's hidden 'grandes vertus et dignités'.
80 ↩'Père putatif' is the traditional juridical title for Joseph as Jesus's legal/reputed father; rendered 'foster father' for modern readability while keeping the sense of earthly paternal charge without natural paternity.
81 ↩Leading '0' is treated as exclamatory 'Ô' / intensifier absorbed into 'Truly'; not as a numeral.
82 ↩Source has OCR noise «qui («) eust peu»; read as «qui eût pu» (who could have).
83 ↩Source «l'ayant peu il ne Tayt voulu» read as «l'ayant pu il ne l'ayt voulu» (having been able, he would not have willed it).
84 ↩«œconomie temporelle et domestique» rendered as temporal and household care (Joseph's management of the Holy Family's earthly life), not economic theory.
85 ↩Source is corrupt at «de la io) que Salomon». Reconstructed as «de la moins que Salomon» (any less than Solomon), matching the recoverable contrast with carpentry.
86 ↩Stripped running head «Qui XIX Des Vertus de saint Joseph 361». Opening appears truncated before «comparaison»; reconstructed as a negative comparison disclaimer continuing the Holy Family / Trinity analogy from s4. Also corrected «trinitë»→«trinité» and «tres-samte»→«tres-sainte».
87 ↩Normalized OCR: rempH→rempli; neantmoin^s→néanmoins; (*î> noise dropped; dire m imaginer→dire ni imaginer.
88 ↩Normalized OCR: rejette→rejeté; si qu'→si bien qu'/de sorte qu'; estable→étable; asnes→ânes.
89 ↩Source 'Luc», 11.' is corrupt; neighboring '4-7.' and the Bethlehem/stable narrative make Luke 2:4-7 the intended citation. Sentence continues into s5–s6.
90 ↩Verse numbers only; almost certainly completing Luke 2:4-7 with s4.
91 ↩Joined to s4 as 'O en quelle extrémité était réduite...'. Normalized: humiUté→humilité; exphque→explique; trailing quotation garbage dropped.
92 ↩Leading OCR junk dropped. Normalized: vid→vit; siiint→saint; lit→fit (made this discourse); Mjtt→Matt. Complements s6's 'Son humilité fut la cause... qu'il voulut quitter...'.
93 ↩Likely chapter cue for Matthew 1, completed by the next section's '19.' (Matt. 1:19).
94 ↩Citation fragment only (likely the verse number continuing Matthew 1 from the previous section: Matt. 1:19). Not a full sentence of discourse.
95 ↩Reading soy-mesme as the start of Joseph’s interior monologue (en soy-mesme / to himself), following St. Bernard’s framing of Joseph’s discourse in Matt. 1:19.
96 ↩Normalized OCR 'Li virginité' as 'la virginité'.
97 ↩Corrected heavily corrupted OCR: soyracsme→soy-mesme; scroit→seroit; cstre→estre; ccste→ceste; asseiu'ent→assurent. Sense: Joseph’s interior wonder that Mary may be the prophesied virgin-mother of the Messiah.
98 ↩Trailing OCR debris '• i».' ignored. The clause is incomplete and continues in the next section (…that I should remain with her, I who am so unworthy of her).
99 ↩Source is unreadable OCR debris (', vti, •«.'). No recoverable French clause. The previous section ends with 'à Dieu ne plaise,' which almost certainly governs the 'que…' clause in s2.
100 ↩Read as the complement of the preceding 'à Dieu ne plaise' (God forbid…): 'à Dieu ne plaise que je demeure avec elle…'.
101 ↩Corrected OCR: 'mdignité' → 'indignité'; 'secrettement' → 'secrètement'; 'n'habite )>oint' → 'n'habite point'.
102 ↩Reconstructed from heavy OCR damage: 'Sentiment d'une humilité admirable, et laquelle fit escrier saint Pierre dans la n[acelle/nef]…'. 'ht escrier' read as 'fit escrier'; 's«iint Pierre' as 'saint Pierre'. Sentence continues into s5 with 'icelle où…'.
103 ↩Read '0 Seigneur' as 'O Seigneur'; 'vid' as 'vit'. Closing of the quotation and 'sinner' continue in s6. Printed citation: Luca V, 3–8.
104 ↩Completes Peter’s cry begun in s5: '…car je suis un homme pécheur, et partant ne suis pas digne d’être avec toy.' OCR noise on 'pecheur"^' ignored.
105 ↩Source surface 'suppHe' is treated as OCR corruption of 'supplie' ('I beg / I entreat').
106 ↩Sentence ends mid-clause at a print citation marker (•Matt.); sense continues in s3–s4.
107 ↩Citation-only fragment completing the Matthew reference begun at the end of s2 (•Matt., XXV, 7–12).
108 ↩Normalized OCR form TEspoux to l'Espoux (the Bridegroom); clause continues the foolish-virgins subject from s2.
109 ↩Source 'L'on ne lient pas' is grammatically irregular (plural verb with indefinite 'l'on'); translated as the intended sense 'one does not leave/set out' (likely 'laisse' or similar) given the ointment-and-air metaphor that follows.
110 ↩Source 'Ecck' is a broken citation label; resolved as Ecclesiastes (cf. the ointment/flies allusion and ch. 10 v. 1 that follow).
111 ↩Source 'chej sacré' read as 'chef sacré' (sacred head); 'ains' rendered 'but rather'.
112 ↩'Virginité non essentielle mais reparée' rendered as 'not essential virginity, but repaired virginity'—i.e., integrity restored by penance rather than never-lost physical virginity; keep theological force of 'essential' vs. 'repaired'.
113 ↩Source 'p>oint' normalized as 'point' in 'n'ayant point reçu de tare'.
114 ↩Normalized damaged forms: 'ebt'→'est', '(jui'→'qui', 'atten dans'→'attendant' (sentence continues into the next section).
115 ↩Source reads «au heu de seureté»; translated as the clear intended «au lieu de seureté» (the place of safety/security).
116 ↩Normalized OCR garble "tres-siintc" as "très-sainte" (most holy).
117 ↩Normalized OCR forms "tres-grandc" → "très-grande" and "tres-saintc Vit-rgr" → "très-sainte Vierge".
118 ↩Heavily damaged OCR reconstructed as "puisqu'il étoit de sa famille et le Fils de son Espouse qui luy appartenoit" (He was of Joseph's household / family, and the Son of Joseph's spouse).
119 ↩Sentence is truncated mid-phrase at "jardin • cant."; continuation belongs to the next section ("scellé..."). "jardin clos et fermé" alludes to the enclosed garden of Song of Songs; trailing "cant." is likely the start of a Canticle citation split across s6–s8.
120 ↩Fragment ", IV." almost certainly the chapter number of a Canticles citation (Cant. IV. 12), split from neighboring sentences by OCR/segmentation.
121 ↩Fragment "12." almost certainly the verse number completing Cant. IV. 12 (Song of Songs 4:12).
122 ↩Section opens mid-clause with 'scellé*' (asterisk retained in source), continuing the previous sentence's 'jardin clos et fermé' of the Virgin. The print artifact '(")' before 'ains' is ignored as non-lexical noise.
123 ↩Source reading 'trait toit' treated as 'traitoit' (treated/dealt with).
124 ↩Source reading 'Xostre Seigneur' treated as 'Nostre Seigneur' (Our Lord).
125 ↩'anéantissement' rendered as 'self-abasement' in the Salesian sense of self-emptying before God's greatness, not physical destruction.
126 ↩Corrupt token 'incMnc' read as 'encore' ('also/still'), matching the parallel 'une force et une vaillance et encore une constance'. A sentence break is also supplied after 'nostre Saint', where the source runs on into 'La palme'.
127 ↩Normalized appi'llons as appelons (we call).
128 ↩ennuy intérieur: rendered as 'interior weariness' (tedium/distress of spirit from prolonged trials), not mere boredom.
129 ↩égalité: rendered as 'evenness of spirit' (equable composure), not mathematical equality.
130 ↩Reconstructed corrupted forms: rt^sistc → résiste; ennemie → ennemis; preM*nte → présente; trailing mark <■> ignored as non-lexical.
131 ↩Source has OCR split 'pou voit' for 'pouvoit' (could).
132 ↩Sentence is truncated mid-clause at 'et'; trailing OCR junk '• is.' is likely a footnote marker plus the start of an Isaiah citation. The narrative continues in Entretiens.1.19.31 with 'précipité aux enfers'.
133 ↩Source fragment ', XIV.' is almost certainly a damaged biblical chapter citation (Isaiah XIV), not prose body text.
134 ↩Source fragment 'H-15.' is likely a corrupted verse range (12-15) attached to the Isaiah 14 citation, not independent prose.
135 ↩This section continues the previous sentence on the devil as enemy of humility (cast from Heaven and precipitated into hell). The parenthetical is garbled in the source ('comme si l'humilité pou voit mais dequoy…'); the rendering takes the most plausible sense that the devil would not take humility as inseparable companion. The asterisk after 'enfers' likely marks a scripture note (cf. neighboring fragment 'XIV', probably Isaiah 14).
136 ↩Source reading «fut enfers» is corrupt; rendered as «hard-pressed» (cf. possible intended «enferré», «exercé», or «éprouvé»). The trailing «comme si l'humilité…» clause may be OCR bleed from the previous section’s devil/humility parenthetical; «la» most naturally points to perseverance (or humility), but the referent of «il» is ambiguous.
137 ↩Source is badly broken: «Il de — l'affectionner esprouvé de Ihvu et des hommes mesmes en son voyage». Reconstructed as «Il devait l'affectionner, éprouvé de Dieu et des hommes mêmes en son voyage» (perseverance as the object of «l'affectionner»; «Ihvu» read as «Dieu»).
138 ↩Normalized «s<jn Fils» to «son Fils» (her Son).
139 ↩Source «•Mai».» is almost certainly an OCR fragment of a Gospel citation label (Matt.), beginning the Matthew 2:13 reference completed across s5–s6.
140 ↩Source «, n.» read as the chapter numeral in a broken «Matt. 2, 13» citation spanning s4–s6.
141 ↩Leading «13, mle voila» reconstructed as verse marker «13» plus «Mais voilà» (But see / And look).
142 ↩«chemm» normalized to «chemin».
143 ↩Normalized OCR 'pauvTe' as 'pauvre' (poor).
144 ↩Reading corrupt 'le de voit presser' as 'le devoit presser' (must have pressed him), which fits the surrounding sense and orthography.
145 ↩Trailing OCR garbage 'i*>')' ignored as non-lexical artifact.
146 ↩Source OCR reads 'Abraliam' and 'Hcb.'; corrected as Abraham and the start of a Hebrews citation.
147 ↩Citation fragment belonging with the preceding Hebrews reference: Heb. 11:8-9.
148 ↩Trailing OCR junk '• 0*0.' is treated as a damaged Genesis citation, completed by s5 ('xii, 1').
149 ↩Source sentence is only a stray period from a broken citation; no independent prose content.
150 ↩Rendered as Genesis 12:1 from the fragment 'xii, 1.', matching the leave-your-land command in s3.
151 ↩Old French 'ains' rendered as 'rather' (contrastive 'instead'). 'midy' and 'bise' are the south and the north wind/side.
152 ↩Corrected OCR 'demcureroit' to 'demeureroit' and 'Eg>'pte' to 'Égypte'.
153 ↩Normalized OCR damage: s^in → son; alld>t → allât; tous jours → toujours.
154 ↩Normalized OCR: cstoit → estoit/était; estranf^ere → étrangère. Trailing marker '• Het.' treated as corrupt citation/print debris rather than content.
155 ↩Stripped page-header intrusion '368 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels'. Normalized: ubi des IsraéUtes → des Israélites; rcsscntoyent → ressentoyent; Eg>'ptiens → Égyptiens.
156 ↩Kept Salesian 'bon plaisir de Dieu' as 'God's good pleasure' (divine will/pleasure, not mere liking).
157 ↩Fragmentary citation crumb ', 1.' after 'Matt.' in s5; rendered as chapter reference.
158 ↩OCR fragment '1-,.' read as verse 19 of Matthew 1, matching the following claim that Joseph was just.
159 ↩Normalized OCR: cofnme → comme; esioit → estoit/était.
160 ↩«à toutes mains» is an old idiom meaning in every direction / this way and that (as one turns an object about in the hands); rendered 'every which way'.
161 ↩Source ends mid-word at «seulem»; completed as «seulement» from the following sentence's «ent des superfluités».
162 ↩Opening «ent des superfluités» is the completion of «seulement» from s1. Trailing «car XIX.» treated as page/running-header intrusion and omitted from the English.
163 ↩Corrupt «jxjuvoil» read as «pouvait». Leading «Des Vertus de saint Joseph» treated as a running header, not part of the spoken sentence.
164 ↩Source is OCR debris («• suit.»), likely a catchword, footnote mark, or fragment of the preceding/following line, not recoverable prose.
165 ↩Source is OCR debris («xm.»); no recoverable sentence content.
166 ↩Normalized corruptions: «avt»c» → «avec»; «nompareille» → «nonpareille». Leading «55;» and caret/footnote marks treated as page/OCR noise. Completes the thought begun in s3.
167 ↩Stripped OCR marks («1^'>», trailing bullet). «abjection» rendered as «lowliness» for modern register while keeping the sense of despised low estate.
168 ↩Fragment continues into the next section («famille en laquelle il estoit...»). Trailing «* Heb.» treated as footnote/scripture apparatus, not prose.
169 ↩Supplied reading ', xtu, t.' is OCR/print debris with no recoverable French sense; left as a marked gap rather than invented wording. Neighboring flow suggests it may interrupt the join from Entretiens.1.19.37 into 'la sainte famille...'.
170 ↩Sentence begins mid-clause ('famille en laquelle...'). From prior context (Entretiens.1.19.37), the likely head is 'la sainte famille'; 'il' is taken as Christ, in whose family Mary and Joseph keep growing.
171 ↩Normalized OCR 'Ccluy' as 'Celuy'/'Celui' (Him/the One). Sentence ends on 'car', bridging into s4.
172 ↩Reading 'Celuy qui luy avoit esté si obéissant' as Christ, who was obedient to Joseph: the One who obeyed Joseph could hardly refuse him the grace of being raised body and soul. Alternative parsing (Joseph as the obedient party) is less natural with 'refuser... à saint Joseph'.
173 ↩Corrected 'tem|>s' to 'temps'; 'Ccluy' to 'Celuy'/'Celui'.
174 ↩Normalized 'Limlx»' as 'Limbes' (Limbo). 'Arraisonné' rendered as 'addressed' (spoken to / reasoned with).
175 ↩Corrected 'rccctis' to 'reçus'. Removed intrusive running head/page matter '370 Les vrays Entretiens spirituels' from the middle of the sentence.
176 ↩Source ends 'au jour du juge• joan.' Read as 'au jour du jugement' with the following citation beginning (Joan. / John); 'ment' opens the next prose sentence after the verse tag.
177 ↩Fragment ', VI, 55.' continues the Joan./John citation after s1; rendered as John 6:55.
178 ↩Leading 'ment*' is the completion of 'jugement' from s1 after the verse citation; not translated as a separate word.
179 ↩'quant et luy' is older French for 'along with him / together with him'.
180 ↩The '1' between 'travail' and 'Saint' is treated as a print/footnote artifact, not as the numeral one in the prose.
181 ↩Source 'humihté' corrected to 'humilité' (humility).

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