Meditations vppon the mysteries of our holy faith with the practise of mental praier touching the same composed in Spanish by the R.F. Luys de la Puente ... ; and translated into English by F. Rich. Gibbons ...

THE PROLOGVE TO THE CHRISTIAN Reader.

SO proper it is to the Re∣ligious of our lest Society or Company of IESVS, to procure, by Gods grace, not onely our owne salua∣tion, and perfection, but also our neigh∣bours, that wanting health to exercise other duties, ordained to this ende: not to bee wholely wanting to the ende of my vocation, I inclined to write this booke, by meanes whereof, I might ayde them to negociate their owne saluation, which is the finall ende of all Christians, and therewith also, the excellency of Euan∣gelicall perfection, which is the special∣lest ende of such as are Religious. And whereas all those which liue in this greate house of the Churche, of what

estate, or condition soeuer they bee, are called by God, to pretend in some sorte this soueraigne perfection, for to all is intended or directed that sentence of our Sauiour which saith: * 1.1 Bee you perfect as also your heauenly Father is perfect: So likewise this booke I direct vnto all, to teache (as S. * 1.2 Paul saith) and to pro∣cure, that euery man may bee perfect in Christe; though most particularly it is directed to those, who by reason of their Religious estate professe this perfection, and pretende to attaine thereunto by the meanes of Prayer, and Meditation, whereof this booke doth entreate, whe∣rein, aswell as I can, according to my poore habilitie, I desire to fullfill what S. Augustine counselleth vs in his 3. ser∣mon vpon the 33. * 1.3 Psalme, saying; Si amatis Deum, rapite omnes ad amo∣rem Dei, qui vobis iunguntur, & om∣nes qui in domo sunt vestra. Si ama∣tur à vobis corpus Christi, id est vni∣tas Ecclesiae, rapite eos ad fruendum, & dicite: Magnificate Dominū me∣cum, & exaltemus nomen eius in idi∣psum.

If you Loue God, attract and drawe to the Loue of God, all those that are joyned with you, and all those that liue in your house. If you loue the bodye of Christe which is the vnitye of the Churche, attract them all to enjoy God, and say vnto them with Dauid, Magnifye ye our Lord with mee, and let vs praise his name together: and herein bee not spa∣ring, nor backward, but Rapite quos potestis hortando, portando, rogādo, disputando, rationem reddendo cum mansuetudine, & lenitate. Gaine vnto God as many as you can by all possi∣ble meanes according to your habili∣tie, by exhorting them, by supporting them, by entreating them, by dispu∣ting with them, and by giuing them reason for all things, appertaining to Christian Faithe, & perfection with all Meekenesse, and Lenitye to the ende that all may magnifie God with one, and the same spirite of loue. For this diuine fier whose propertye is, * 1.4 neuer to say, enough, is not contented to inflame

the hearte of him whome it possesseth, that hee alone, with all whatsoeuer is wi∣thin him, should burne in the loue of his Creator, but without all trace of enuie, it extendeth its sparkles and flames to all his kinred, freindes, and neighbours, & to all those that are any way joyned vnto him; but especially to those of his owne house, that liue vnited with him in the same profession, that there may bee no one at all therein, but may loue, and glo∣rifye God with great feruor, in such sort that inkindled with this fier, they may fasten it vpon others, and those others vpon more, that so it may bee dilated thoroughout the whole worlde, fulfilling that desire wherewith our Lord IESVS Christ came from heauen, as hee him∣selfe declared it, * 1.5 saying: I came to cast fier on the earth, and what will I, but that it bee kindled? And this was my intention in writing these meditations, wherewith by the vertue of Gods Spirit, * 1.6 this coelestiall fier may bee inkindled in our heartes. The forme whereof, with other Aduertisements how to make best

proffit of them, I will set downe in the Introduction which followeth, especially in the fourth, and last paragraph ••. And if it shall please our Lord that I attaine to what I pretend, I beseeche the Christian Reader, that shall parti∣cipate of this fier, to put in vre the coun∣sell of the Psalmist, * 1.7 and of his Commen∣tator S. Augustine, with mee magni∣fying, and praising God the fountaine of all good, and procuring that this fier may bee communicated to others, to the ende that all men both present, and to come, may loue, magnifye, and praise our Lord God, world with out end.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matth. 5.48.
• * 1.2

  Ad Co∣loss. 1.28.
• * 1.3

  In illud Magnifi∣cate Do∣minum mecum.
• * 1.4

  Pro. 30.16.
• * 1.5

  Luc. 12.49.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 38.4.
• * 1.7

  Psal. 33.4.