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 first Pointe.

1. THe first pointe shallbee to cōsider, what my bo∣dye shallbee, after it is deade, & abandoned by the Soule, pondering especially three miseries. First, that it looseth the vse of its members, and Senses, without euer more beeing able to see, heare, or spea∣ke, nor to mooue to one side, nor other, nor to enjoy the goods of this mortall life. Now noe beautifull things, nor sweete musicke, nor pleasing odours, nor sauourye meates, nor things that are loft doe any wise affect it: all this is to it, as if it were not. For it hath lost the Instruments which it had whereby to enjoye it, and all that it hath enjoyed serueth it to litle proffit. The second miserye is, to remaine dis∣coloured, disfigured, deformed, horrible, stiffe, star∣ke, and stinking, walking with greate haste to cor∣ruption. In such sorte that it who a litle before re∣created the eye with its beautye, now puts horror in it with its deformitye. From whence proceedeth the third miserye, that all leaue it alone in the Chamber, in possession of those that are to shrowde it in a sheete, and euen those of the house, and the dearest friendes, holde it for a kinde of pietie to dis∣patche quickely, and to carry it out of doares.

2. From this Cōsideration I will collect, how assured a thing it is in my life time, to doe by degrees, some∣what of that which shall afterwardes bee dōne per∣force, & without proffit, carying myselfe as deade to the VVorlde, & to all that is flesh, & blood, procuring

to Imitate Deathe in three other things like to the aforenamed; mortifying my Senses, and depriuing myselfe of the Delightes thereof, not onely of the vnlawfull, but euen of some lawfull, and not neces∣sarye. So that like a deade man, I am to haue nei∣ther feete nor handes, nor eyes, nor eares, nor taste, nor tongue for any thing that is Sinne, or is against the perfection I professe. And for this reason the beautifull, and pleasing things of this Life, are to bee to mee, as if they were not, putting them ve∣der my feete, * 1.1 beholding (as S. Gregor saithe) not what they are now, but what they shall quickely bee: for attyre fleshe in clothe of Golde, and in silke neuer so much, nor so gaiely, yet still it is fleshe. * 1.2 And what is fleshe but grasse? and what is the glorye thereof but the flower of the fielde, that withereth with a blaste? Finally, I am to followe Vertue with a generous minde, that like as a deade man complaines not that all flye from him, and for∣sake him: so it should bee nothing to mee, that the VVorlde for sakes mee, flyes from mee, and abhor∣res mee like one deade, and crucified: rather I am to holde for a happinesse that of the Prophet Dauid; * 1.3 Those that savve mee, fled forth from mee, I am for∣gotten from the hearte, as one deade: I am made as a vessel destroyed, because I haue heard the reprehension of many that abyde round about. * 1.4 O that I vvere deade in Hearte, that I might not porceiue that men vsed mee like one deade! * 1.5 O that I vvere so deade, and cru∣cified to all that is in the VVorlde, that the VVorlde also holde mee for crucified, and deade! Graunt mee, o svve∣te IESVS, that by the Lavve of thy grace, I may die to the Lavve of Sinne, * 1.6 to liue to God, delighting to bee nailed vvith thee on thy very Crosse, so that novv, not I may liue, but thou in mee vvorlde vvithout ende. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Homil. 13. in Euangel.
• * 1.2

  Isai. 40.6.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 30.12.
• * 1.4

  Colloquie
• * 1.5

  Ad Ga lat. 6.14
• * 1.6

  Ad Gal. 2.20.