[Meditationes seu Contemplationes devotissimae]

All by divine law bow their heads and the primates obey Jesus Christ. Hence, faithful soul, it is a matter of the necessity of salvation to be under the Roman Pontiff. This person can be named among the sheep of Christ, or called a Christian, who would say he is not under the care of the Roman Pontiff.

It was most fitting, good Jesus, that you should rise to the immortal and incorruptible life, and that you should exalt your assumed human nature gloriously into heaven, which is an incorruptible place and a suitable dwelling for immortal beings. You exalted it as much higher above the heavens as you then made it a participant in goodness beyond other creatures. Furthermore, this was fitting for the perfection of the integrity of our faith. It was indeed becoming that, after you had proven yourself the Lord of all things that are on earth, in the sea, and in the underworld, you should now confirm yourself as the Lord of the heavens, so that now it might be meritoriously owed to you that at your name every knee should bow, of those in heaven, on earth, and in the underworld, and every tongue should confess that you are in the glory and at the right hand of the Father. You desired, moreover, good Jesus, that you should ascend glorious into heaven so that you might prepare for us the possession of that which you bought for us with your precious blood?. Therefore, we may worthily expect? to live? in this valley of tears?.

But we have penetrated to the highest of the heavens, and through your ineffable glory we are to receive that which we had lost through the envy of the devil, since the Son of God has incorporated into himself those whom the devil cast down from the happiness of the eternal dwelling, and has placed them above all the orders of angels at the right hand of God the Father. Nor should this pass from your contemplation, faithful soul: with what power, supported by no help but walking in the multitude of his strength, and with the angels joyfully jubilating, our Savior himself ascended. For as he ascended, heaven trembled, the stars were moved, trumpets sounded, and mingled sweet melodies with the joyous choirs. Exult, therefore, faithful soul, with spiritual joy and with worthy thanksgiving before God, and with liberated eyes of the heart, lift yourself toward that height to which Christ has ascended and remains, and strive with all your strength to ascend and follow him with the steps of faith and love.

It was clearly consistent with your greatness, good Jesus, that after your glorious triumph over the ancient enemy, and after you, Lord God of hosts, had considered the magnificence of the throne of your glory, you should show your magnificence to the faithful through a great outpouring of gifts and graces. And so it was most fittingly done that you ascended on high, leading captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.