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 fifth Pointe. * 1.1

THe fifth Pointe shallbee to consider the terrible accusations, and imputations that shall arise out of this publication, against the wicked in fa∣uour of the good. For first of all, the Diuell the Accuser, and Calumniatour of men at this day, which is the last of his office, shall doe it with greate vehemencie, exaggerating the Sinnes of the wicked, the more to confounde them (as S. Basile saieth) before the whole VVorlde: for turning him∣selfe to the Iudge, hee will say: I created not these, neither gaue I them life, nor sustenance, nor the goods which they enjoyed: I neither suffered, nor died for them, nor promised them any eternall re∣warde; and yet not wich standing, forsaking thee that diddest all these things for them, they serued, and obeyed mee. Therefore mine they are by right, for I vanquished them, and they yealded them∣selues to mee, and they esteemed mee more then thee. This will prowde Sathan say, as one that af∣ter his raging manner desireth to triumphe ouer Christ our Lorde, and to reuenge himselfe of him in his creatures. O how ashamed, and out of Coun∣tenance shall the wicked become, for hauing obeyed him! * 1.2 Flye, o my Soule, to obey him, that vvill giue

thee so evill recompence. Turne for Christes honour that created, and redeemed thee, deceiving his Enemye in this life, that hee may not beguile thee in the other.

2 Secondly, I will ponder the terrible imputa∣tions that Christ himselfe wil interiourly impose vp¦pon them, calling to every ones memorie the bene∣fits that hee hath donne them. I (will hee say) crea∣ted thee to myne owne image, and similitude, and thou distainedst it with many sinnes. I redeemed thee with my pretious blood, and thou with thy evill wayes didst treade it vnder foote. I gaue thee the Sacrament of Baptisme making thee a membre of my Churche, and thou profanedst it living with standall therein. I offered thee the sacrament of Pe∣nance to restore to thee my grace, and thou choo∣sedst to remaine in sinne. I invited thee with my bodye, and blood for thy sustenance, and thou dis∣pisedst it for the fleshepots of Egipt. I called thee with many inspirations, and thou with pertinacie wast rebellious vnto them. I menaced thee with Chastizements, I regaled thee with benefits, and I animated thee with promises of greate rewardes, and of all these thou madest no account. O wret∣ched man, what could I doe more for thee then I did? and thou, what couldest thou doe more a∣gainst mee then thou didst, esteeming more thine owne honour, then mine? * 1.3 O my Angells and mini∣sters, iudge you, and see, what could I haue donne for this vine that I did not, and hoping that it vould haue brought forth grapes, it hath brought forth nothing but sower ones? Pondering all this I will with great feeling pronounce those wordes of David, * 1.4 Lord rebuke mee not in thy furye nor chastise mee in thy vvrathe: but correct mee in thy mercye whilest yet there is time for Amendment.

To this reprehension of Christe the very Angells of out garde will assist, * 1.5 alledging how much they

did to divert the wicked from their evill life, and yet with what rebellion the wicked contradicted them. The ••ust likewise that are present shal accuse them: some for that they reiected their Counsell; others, because they received from them greate wrongs: and others for the perill wherein they sa∣we themselues thorough their evill example. All this the VVretches shall heare, and see in the interiour parte of their soule, * 1.6 and of their vnhappie consci∣ence, the which (as the Apostle saithe) shall bee the most terrible accuser of all: for beeing convinced with the euidence of Truthe, and seeing the rea∣son that all haue to accuse her, shee shall haue no∣thing to aunswere, but much whereof to accuse herselfe. O how much better had it beene for her to haue willingly, and proffitably accused her sel∣fe in this life, * 1.7 then to accuse herselfe at that time perfocre, and with out remedie? O svveete IESVS, graunt mee, that I may vorthily accuse myselfe of my sinnes before thee, and before the confessor that is to absolue mee, that they may not accumsemee of the in Iudgement to condemne mee.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Of the Accusa∣tions, and Imputa∣tions a∣gainst the VVicked. Apoc. 12 10. Orat. 1. de amore erga Deū & pro∣ximum.
• * 1.2

  Colloquie
• * 1.3

  Isai. 5.2.
• * 1.4

  Psalm. 6.2.
• * 1.5

  Colloquie
• * 1.6

  Ad Rom. 2.
• * 1.7

  Colloquie