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 second Pointe.

SEcondly, I am to consider the comming of the Iudge to Iudgement, his descending from Hea∣uen: the Maiestie of his Person: the traine that ac∣companye him: his Royall Standard, his glorious Throne, the Semblance of his Countenance, and his Assistantes that are on either side.

1. First, I will ponder how Christ our Lord shall really, and truely descende from Heauen, and come the second time into the worlde, to judge it, but in a fashion very different from that which hee came in the first time. For at this second comming, hee shall come with a glorious, and resplendent bodye, crowned with a Crowne of Glorie, & Immortallitie, with such splendor, that the Sun, moone, and Starres shall not giue light in his presence: and with such Maiestie that Angells, & men, Righteous, & Sinners, yea, and the Diuells themselues, shall subject them∣selues to him, and adore, and (be they neuer so loth) acknowledge him for their God, & their Lord. For then shall the eternall Father fullfill the promise that hee made him, to subject all things vnto him, & to put his enemies vnder his feete: that euery knee shall bowe in his presence, & euery tongue confesse

that Christ IESVS our Lord is in the glory of God the Father. O my Sauiour, very iust it is, that thy second comming should discouer that glorye, vvhich at thy first comming thou didst couer. Graunt mee, Lord, to imitate the humillitie of the first, that I may enioye the glorye of the second.

Then will I ponder the Traine that accompanieth him: for (as Enoch prophecyed) our Lord shall come with thousande of Sainctes, incircled with the whole Armye of Heauen, with the three Hierar∣chies, and nine Quires thereof, assuming (as may piously bee beleiued) aereall bodyes resplendent like the Sun, discouering therein the beautye, and excellencye of their Hierarchie, and Quier. Before him, (as is collected out of the Gospell) shall come the banner of the Sonne of man, which is the royall Standard of the holy Crosse with an admirable splendour. The which beeing one and the same, shallbee most pleasing, and delightfull to the Iust that in this life embraced, and esteemed it, cruci∣fying their fleshe with the Vices, and Concupiscen∣ces thereof: but most horrible, and dreadefull to the wicked, who beleiued not in it, or abhorred it beeing Enemyes thereof, because they helde their belly for their God. And therefore in seeing it, they shall weepe bitterly, for they shall see in it the just cause of their Damnation. O my Soule, follovve the banner of the Crosse in this life, that thou maiest see it vvith peace, and securitie in the other. Bevvaile the Enmitye thou hast had against it, that thou ma••est then behold it vvith alacritie.

Fourthly, I will ponder, how our Lord Christ comming to the valley of Iosaphat shallbee seated in a most excellent Throne made of a most beau∣teous, and bright shining cloude, and his diuine face beeing one, and the same, shall yet appeare most amiable to the good, and to the wicked most

terrible, so that to beholde him onely they shall remaine full of terrour, and confusion. And from the most sacred woundes, of his feete, handes, and side, shall issue out rayes of Light, and delectable splendour to the good, who by the corporall viewe of these woundes shall receiue speciall comfort, considering how infinite the loue was of this soue∣raigne king to receiue them for their sakes. But from the same woundes shall issue rayes of wra∣the, and as it were of fier against the wicked, who (as the Scripture saithe) shall bitterly bewaile, that of them they reaped so litle proffit: But much more shall the lewes, and Gentiles weepe, that with so greate crueltye made these woundes. O most svveete IESVVS by these thy most sacerd vvoundes I besee∣che thee, giue mee vvings, like the vvings of a doue to flye vnto them, and to dvvell in them vvhile I liue, mourning for my Sinnes, for vvhose cause thou recei∣uedst them, that at the daye of iudgement I may be∣holde them vvith alacritye, and thorough them may bee admitted to they glory. Amen.

Then will I ponder how on Christ our Sauiours side shallbee placed another Throne of exceeding greate glorye for his most sacred mother; for it is very iust that in this Iudgement, shee like another Bethsabee should bee seated on the side of the true Salomon, not to bee the Aduocate for Sinners, for that time is now paste, but to confounde them, be∣cause they would not make vse of so holy a mother, and so powerfull an Aduocate as they had: as also that the righteous may bee cheered with her pre∣sence, and shee herselfe bee honoured before all the worlde, for the Humilliations that shee suffered in this Life, from those that knewe her not, and did her outrage in the passion of her Sonne. O souerai∣gne Virgin, I rejoice for the glory thou shalt haue at that daye, ayde mee with thy intercession that

then also I may be ioyful with thy Presence.

6. Finally rounde about the Throne of our Lord Christe shall stand other thrones, where his Apost∣les, (as hee promised them) shall sit to iudge the twelue tribes of Israel, and all the nations of the worlde, condemning with their exemplary life the euill life of Sinners, approouing the Sentence of the supreame Iudge, and in his name declaring the righteousnesse thereof. And as many holy Fa∣thers affirme, there shall likewise bee seated in Thrones of Glorie, the Poore of spirit who in imi∣tation of the Apostles, left all things for Christe. O how astonied will the Tyrants, and Emperours bee, that martyred these Apostles, when they shall see them with so greate glorye exalted! O how much shall the poore Religious bee honored, who in this worlde liued contemned! O soueraigne Iudge, if thou doest thus honour those that are voluntarily poore, I embrace Pouerty vvith a greate good vvill, not so much for my honour, as for the glorye vvhich to thee ensueth thereupon.

Notes

• Matt. 24 30.
• Psal. 109 1. 1. Cor. 15 25.
• Ad Phil. 2.11. Colloquie
• In episto∣la Iudae. Daniel. 7 10. Matt. 16 27. & 25 31. Et omnes Angeli cum eo. Matt. 24 30. Parebit signum filij ho∣minis.
• Ad Phil. 3.19. Colloquie
• Zachar. 12.10. Apocal. 1.7. Psal. 54.7.
• 3. Reg. 2.
• Matt. 19 28. Isai. 3.13.
• D. Th. q. 89. addit art. 1. & 2. Iob. 36.6
• Colloquie