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 ...

Esuriui enim, & non dedistis mihi manducare.

THen declareth the Iudge the iust reason of his sē∣tence, saying: for I vvas hungrye, [ 1] and you gaue mee not to eate, nor exercized to wardes mee the o∣ther workes of mercye. And the Danmed desiring to excuse themselues not to haue failed with Chri∣ste in such workes, hee wil say vnto them, VVhat you did not to one of these litle ones, you did not to mee, for I was in them, and therefore what you did not to them, you did not to mee. For hee that loveth not his neighbout, whome hee seeth visibly with his eyes, how can hee loue God that is inuisible? and hee that forgetteth the Image of God whome hee hath present, how will hee remembre God himselfe, whome hee esteemeth as absent? I vvill al∣so ponder that Christe our lord in the reason of the sentence all edgeth those sinnes that seeme the lesser, to giue vs to vnderstand with how much more ri∣gour hec will chastize the greater sinnes, of which hee will also make mention: And especially hee will declare to every one (that all shall vnderstand it) the cause wherefore hee. condemneth him, say∣ing to the Luxurious: Departe from mee yee cur∣sed to the fier everlasting for the luxuries, and Car∣nallities wherein you lived. And to the Perjured. and Blasphemours: Departe from mee, be cause you prophaned my holy name, I having had so greate care of honoring yours. etc.

Thirdly, I will ponder, that the wicked in the

Day of Iudgement will alledge for their discharge some glorious workes that they did, saying to Chri∣ste. Lord, Lord, did not vvee prophecye in thy name? and in thy name cast out Divells? and in thy name vvrought many miracles? then why doest thou separate vs from thee? But our Lord will aunswere them, I never knewe you, Departe from mee you wor∣kers of iniquitye; which is to saye, This Fai∣the, and these graces that you had I knowe, for I gaue you them: but you abused them, mingling them with haynous sinnes: and it had bene reaseon that you prophecying to o∣thers, should haue prophecyed to yourselues: and casting out Divells out of other mens bodyes, should haue cast them out of your owne sou∣les: and dooing miraculous workes, should also haue donne vertuons workes: which seeing you did not doe, I neither knowe you, nor approoue you: and though you call mee your lord, I will not admitte you as my seruantes, because you were not obedient vnto mee. From whence I will collect, that if at that time no account shall bee made of Prophecie, and the Grace to doe miracles without Vertues: lesse account shall bee made of No∣bilitie, Riches, Dignities, sciences, and other much lesser things, which yet are much esteemed of men. For to all in generall hee will say, I kno∣we you not, Departe from mee you workers of iniquitie.

The Damned hearing the Thunder of this dreadefull sentence, a mortall raving sadnesse shall fall vpon them. For if the signes of Iudge∣ment, (which like Lightenings are precedent to this Thunder) shall wither their bones with feare, what a Terrour shall the Thunder it selfe cause? what affliction the Flashe? and what Tor∣ment the fier? O soveraigne Iudge, sende the Ligh∣tenings

of thy divine inspirations vpon the Earthe of my soule, that contemplating vvhat is to passe in Iudgement, I may tremble, and quake, and so al∣ter my life, that thou maiest alter the sentence. Chaunge my Hearte vvith thy right hande, that in that daye I may not bee placed on thy left han∣de. Et cum veneris iudicare, noli me condem∣nare, And vvhen thou commest to Iudgement doe not condemne mee. Let thy mercye novv pardon mee, that then thy Iustice may not condomne mee. Amen.

Notes

• 1. Ioan. 4.20.
• Mathê 7.22.
• Matth. 7.22.
• Psal. 76.19. Colloquie Psal. 76.19. & 96.4.
• Psal. 76.11.