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 fauours, and rewardes of perfect chastitye.

THe first fauour that God our Lord will doe mee, if with a generous minde I resolue to fight against the rebellions of the fleshe, and to imbrace perfect chastitie, is, to sende angells to assist, and aide mee in this warre, that I may ouercome, and get the victorie: For the purer a man is, * 1.1 (saithe S. Ambrose) the more hee is garded, and incompassed with Angells, who delight to conuerse with virgins, and chaste men, because of the likenesse that is be∣tweene them. And as when the three chaste young men were in the fiery fornace of Babylon, an Angell descended among them, which diuided the flame, and with a humide winde, refreshed the fornace: so vnto those that are in the middest of the fornace of sensuall temptations, with a purpose to giue no con∣sent vnto them, Angells fauorably repaire vnto them, to the ende that these flames doe not burne them, nor touche them in the superiour parte of their soule: and with winde, and deawe of heauen, they quenche the heate of the fleshe, prouoking them to glorifie God, for the victorye hee hath giuen them against it. And therefore when I shall see myselfe forced with these temptations, * 1.2 I am to call vnto them, saying: O yee glorious Angells, gardians of vir∣gins, protectors of the chaste; Friendes and companions of men that are pure, come yee, and fauour mee, that the fier that circlith mee, may not burne mee: Disperse

the flame that burneth vvithin my fleshe, that it may neither touche, nor damnifie my spirit: and negotiate for mee the gentle vvinde of Gods spirit, that it may coole, and refreshe the ardours of my fleshe.

2. * 1.3 The second fauour is, that God himselfe with a particular protection, assisteth to garde such as are chaste, who by their puritie not onely make them∣selues like vnto angells, but euen to the Lord of the angells himselfe, the fountaine of all puritie, who is delighted to conuerse familiary with the chaste, and to admitte them to his freindship. O eternall God that feedest among the lillies, * 1.4 for it is thy foode, and thy plea∣sure to conuerse vvith chaste soules, indue mine vvith chastitie, that thou maiest daigne to inhabite it, and to conuerse vvith it.

From these two fauours, I am to collect a most ef∣fectual meanes tovanquishe temptations, when on a sodaine, and alone they assaile mee, by lifting vp pre∣sently the eyes of my soule vnto the Angel which is present: but much more to the presence of God him∣selfe, shaming to doe before them, what I would not doe before men: and with this consideration, I shall aunswere the temptation like as chaste Susanna did the dishoneste olde men that solicited her, I will rather die then sinne in the presence of my God.

3 The third fauour is, for the carnall mariage that I renounce, to admitte mee to a spirituall, espousing himselfe spiritually with my soule, with the espousal of faithe, mercie, and charitye, and communicating vnto mee such soueraigne delightes of the spirit, as I shall forget those of the fleshe, fullfilling heerein his worde which hee gaue, * 1.5 when hee saide: That whosoeuer should leaue a wife for his loue, renoun∣cing that facultie that hee had to bee married, hee would giue him an hundred fold in this life, that is, a delight so greate, that should a hūdred folde exceede

the delight hee should haue in mariage: for so excel∣lent is the sweetnesse of chastitye, * 1.6 that it is impossi∣ble to knowe it but by proouing it. O spouse of chaste soules, graunt mee such vertue that thereby mine may bee thy spouse. O my soul, seeing thou art such a louer of deli∣ghtes renoūce liberally the vile delightes of the fleshe, that thou maiest enioye the most svveete delightes of the spirit.

4 The fourth fauour is, for those carnall children which I might haue had, to giue mee abundance of spirituall children incomparably better, filling mee with good workes, with riche merits, and with many soules gained to Christe by my example, and worde, of which I may bee the spirituall father, and mother, * 1.7 fullfilling that which hee promised by his prophet, when hee saide: Let not the eunuche say, behold, I am a dry tree; for I will giue him in my house, and within the walles of my churche a place, and a name much more excellent then those that haue children, a sempiternall name that neuer shall perish.

O happie chaste man to whome God graunteth the soueraigne dignitie both of a sonne, and of a father: of a sonne by the singular grace of adoption: and of a father in spirit by the copious fruites of Benedictiō.

5 The fifth fauour, comprehendeth many very sin∣gular graces, and priuiledges, which hee graunteth them in testimonie of the greate loue hee beareth to chastitie: for as the chaste eleuate themselues a∣boue the ordinary lawes of nature, liuing in fleshe, as if they had no fleshe: so God will sometimes exalt them a boue the ordinary lawes of grace, in honour of their chastitie. The virgin our Blessed Ladie, tho∣rough the rare vowe shee made of virginitie, was exalted to the dignitie of the mother of God him∣selfe. The euangelist Sainct Iohn, for his pu∣ritye, was much beloued by our Sauiour Chri∣ste, from whome hee receiued extraordinarie

fauours in the supper, and on the crosse, and greate reuelations: in the which also for this cause were very famous Elias, Eliseus, Daniel, and other sonnes of the Prophets: and the fier of Babilon touched not the three children, because they had vanquished the fier of Luxurye.

6 The Last fauour is, * 1.8 that singular priuiledge to followe the lambe in glorye where euer hee goeth: for whosoeuer imitateth him in this life, imbracing his virginitie, * 1.9 and puritie, hee shall also imitate him in the other, participating of his most excellent glorye, vnited to his sweete companie with parti∣cular ioye. O most pure immaculate lambe, graunt mee that I may followe thy puritye both in bodye, and spirit, that in issuing out of this straite prison of the worlde, I may with thee in thy spacious Hea∣uen dilate myselfe, and reioice. Amen.

VVith the consideration of these sixe fauours, I am to arme myselfe, to resist those combats which shall happen to mee against chastitye: saying as chaste Ioseph saide to the woman that sollicited him: God hauing donne mee so many benefits, * 1.10 and pro∣mising mee such fauours, if I liue chaste: Quomodo possum hoc malum facere, & peccare in Deum meum? How can I committe this euill, and sinne against my God? * 1.11 O Lord of heauen, and of earthe, I vvill leaue, not onely my cloke like Ioseph, but my honour, vvealthe, and life rather then offend thee. For thou madest Ioseph for his chastitye, and loyaltie, vice-king of Egipt, but mee for mine, thou vvilt make a king in thy heauen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib. 1. de virgini∣bus ad sororem. Quo sā∣ctior quisque, eo muni∣tior. Daniel 3.49.
• * 1.2

  Colloquie
• * 1.3

  D. Basil. in lib. de vera virginit.
• * 1.4

  Colloquie Cāt. 2.2. D. Greg. ibi. & D. Hier. epist. ad Deme∣triadem. Ex Cas∣sian. col∣lat. 12. cap. 8. & lib. 6. cap. 9. Daniel. 13.23. Oseae. 2.19.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 19. Ita Cas∣sian. col∣lat. 12. c. 12. & 13
• * 1.6

  Colloquia
• * 1.7

  Isai. 56.3 Non di∣cat Eu∣nuchus &c.
• * 1.8

  Apocal. 14.4.
• * 1.9

  D. Aug. lib. de vera vir ginit. c. 27. D. Hier. lib. de laude virginit.
• * 1.10

  Genes. 39.9.
• * 1.11

  Colloquie