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.

IN concluding the first pointe I am to passe to the second, which is, to call to memory the ende whereunto all the other things of the Earthe were created: that is to say; that they might helpe man to attaine to the finall ende of his Creation, taking them for a meanes to serue God, our Lord, and to saue himselfe, according to that which the royall prophet Dauid saide of his People: God gaue them the Countryes of the Nations, & they possed the labours of the Peoples, that they might keepe his Iustifications or holy Commaundements, and seeke after his holy Lavve.

1. Vpon this Veritye I am to ponder first, how Li∣berall God hath shewed himselfe towardes mee in creating such a multitude of Creatures, so faire, and so admirable for my sake, and not onely created things necessarye to preserue my life, but also many other for my Delicacye, and Delight, and for the Recreation of my Sight, Hearing, Smelling, Ta∣sting, and Touching, for the which I am to giue him most infinite Thankes; seeing that the Good

which hee did to these Creatures, hee did it more to mee, then to them, for that hee did it to them in respect of mee. Let all these thy Creatures blesse thee, O Lord, and let my Soule praise, and glorifie thee for them all. I giue thee thankes for the beeing vvhich thou giuest to the Heauens, and to the Elements, to Beastes, and to Plantes, and to all the other Bodyes of the Earthe. I giue thee thankes, also for the Beautie of the Colours, for the Harmonie of the Soundes, for the Pleasantnesse of the Odours, for the Svveetenesse of the meates, for the Softnesse of our Rayments, and for all those things vvhich recreate my fiue Senses, seeing thou createdst them for mee, that I might praise, and serue thee vvith them.

2. And then I will ponder how well these Creatu∣res complye with the ende for which God created them, seruing mee, and nourishing mee, because God so commaunded it: & contrarily how euilly I haue complyed, and doe complye with my ende, vsing them euilly to offende God with all, placing in them my finall ende, as if I had beene created to enjoy them, making the ende, of that which was but the meane. And if I runne through my Senses, I shall finde that they haue gonne a whoring after the Creatures, vsing them onely for their Delight, and not to glorifye God that gaue them mee: for the which I justly deserued that God should take them from mee, and that hee should deliuer (as hee saide by Oseas) his Corne, and his VVine, his Floure, and his VVoll from the Seruitude they are in vnder my possession, vsing them against their Inclination to offende their Creator. O most iust Creator, hovv is it that thou didst not Iustice vpon him that so abu∣sed thy Creatures, vsing them against thee? O my Soule hovv art thou not confounded vvith such Trea∣chery as this? and hovv art thou not ashamed of this greate basenesse thou hast committed abasing thyselfe

to place thy finall ende vpon a thing so vile as is the Creature to the Iniurie of the Creator I O my God, hovv Ingratefull haue I beene for thy Soueraigne be∣nefits! for vvhat thou gauest mee to serue thee, I conuerted into an occasion to offende thee. Pardon, o Lord, my vnthankefullnesse, and assist mee, that from hence forvvard I may not vse that so euilly, vvhich thou gauest mee for my good.

3. I may also Consider that these Creatures were created (as the holy Scripture sayeth) that by them, I might knowe the Perfections, & Excellencies of the Creator, and that I might loue him with all my Hearte: and so I may imagine that euery one standes crying to mee, and saying: This perfection which I haue is better in God then in mee, hee gaue it mee, knowe him, loue him, and vse it for his Seruice. And with this Consideration I will pro∣uoke myselfe to ascende from the visible Creatures to the inuisible Creator, to vnite mee to him, as to my last, and finall ende.

Notes

• Psal. 104 44.
• Colloquie
• Oseae. 2.9
• Colloquie
• Sapient. 13.4. Ad Rom. 1.20.