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 xxj. Meditation, of Auarice.

The firste Pointe.

AVarice is a disordinate desire of riches, and temporall Goods, wherein we may many

waies sinne. First, in desiring to take that which is another mans, contrary to the tenth commaundemēt of the lawe of God: or taking it in deede, or retai∣ning it cōtrary to the seuenth which is not to steale. Secondly, with nigardise abusing that which is our owne, not shating it; when the lawe of iustice, or of charitie, and mercye obligeth vs, with the needye, but beeing harde-hearted against them. Thirdly, in in seeking after these goods with ouer greate Care, setting our whole hearte vpon them, treading vn∣der foote for this cause the commaundements of God, and of his Churche, and the obligations of our estate: from whence spring many sinnes that are the Daughters of auarice: to witte: lyes, fraudes, per∣iuries, violences, tirannies, cruelties, sutes, discor∣des, and innumerable others. VVherupon the Apostle saide, that couetousnesse is the roote of all euill. Fourthly, whosoeuer hath made a vowe of pouertye, sinneth against it in vsurping to himselfe (without licence of his superiour,) what is giuen him by others, or in alienating what is giuen him, or in hiding it: or in vsing what hee hath to a pro∣hibited vse, or after a proprietary manner, that is, with an affection so disordinate, as if it were his owne, beeing sad, or complaining when they by iust title depriue him of it. Fifthly, wee may sinne, doing good workes principally for temporall interest, or for onely omitting workes obligatorye, treading vnder foote the rules of our estates, and office.

This examination beeing made, I will consider whither I haue any thing that may bee an Idoll for my auarice to adore: seeing (S. Paul saithe) auarice is the seruice, and adoration of idolls. And if I shall finde any such thing in my possession, or in my hearte any such affection, and desire thereof, I will confesse these sinnes before God our Lord, with greate shame that I haue coueted any thing against

him: resoluing to roote out this affection, and if I can also, to disapropriate myselfe of that which is the cause thereof. To which ende I shall bee ayded with these considerations ensuing.

The Second Point.

SEcondly, I am to consider the dammage, and cha∣stizement of auarice, reducing them to the three kindes that haue beene spoken of.

1 First, I will ponder, that auarice (as S. Paul say∣eth) is the roote of twoe sortes of euills, in the which are summed all the euills of this life, to witte: Transgressions, and paines: sinnes, and do∣lours: the which are ioyned togither to chastize the mother, that ingendreth, and sustaineth them: so that shee is the tormentour of herselfe, putting the couetous man in greate vexations, and afflicti∣ons, to gaine, or preserue riches with a miserable seruitude, and slauery of them. It is likewise a snare of sathan, wherewith hee draggeth him thorough thornes, & pricky shrubbes of temptations, clowdes of faithe, remorses of conscience, and of cares that sting him; and in the ende hee hangeth him like Iudas betweene heauen and earthe, neither per∣mitting him to enioie the goods of the earthe, nor to attaine to those of heauen.

2 To these chastizements God sometimes addeth others, to shewe how much hee abhorreth this vi∣ce, and such as sinne therein in any of the fiue wayes before rehearsed, of euery one, I will set downe an example. Achan because hee tooke certaine things of Iericho, contrary to the precept of Iosue, was by Gods commaundement stoned to deathe, and all his wealthe consumed with fier. Nabal ouerwhelmed with auarice, denyed Dauid the almes that hee asked, and because hee was harde hearted to him that was needye, hee died with his hearte as harde

as a stone. Iezabel with a disordinate desire to haue Naboths vineyarde, to get possession thereof, caused him to bee put to deathe: and shee was throwen out of a windowe, and eaten with dogges. Ananias, and Suphira, because when they had vowed pouertie, they reserued to themselues, parte of the price of the sale of their lande, they died disastrously. Giezi vanquished with couetousnesse, demaunded monie of Naaman, for the health that Eliseus the prophet had giuen him, and was therefore strooken with a leprosie. Finally Iudas harried and drawen by his a∣uarice, admitted sathan to enter into him, and bee∣ing not content to steale what they gaue his maister, hee solde him, & hanged himselfe. O my soule, hovv is it that thou art not affraide of so fierce a vice that assaileth, & ouerthrovveth kings, & plebeians, riche & poore, secular and religious: seruauntes of the prophetes, and primitiue christians, & one of the tvvelue apostles?

3 After these chastizements come the eternall puni∣shements of hell, where the couetous shall suffer very greate dolour with the apprehension of their terrible necessitie, seeing they want all that their auarice desired: and by how much more riche, and couetous they were heere, so much the more they shall there bee tormented; like the riche couetous man, whose abundance ended in horrible miserie. O omnipotent God, riche in dooing mercie: deliuer mee from this auarice, out of vvhich spring so many miseries, for I had rather vvithout it suffer temporall necessities, then vvith it fall into eternall.

The third Pointe.

THirdly, I am to consider the greate benefits that are included in the perfect mortifica∣cation of auarice. And for that there are two wayes of mortifying it, one, kee∣ping still the domination of my Riches,

and mortifying onely the disordinate affection vnto them; wherein consisteth the first degree of pouertye of spirit, wherewith goeth the vertue of liberallitie, which distributeth its goods when, and as it is con∣uenient: and the vertue of mercye, which with them remedieth the necessities of the poore. The other waye is, forsaking all the riches that I haue, or might haue, the more to disroote my affections from them; wherein consisteth the voluntary pouerty of religion, in both wayes are included greate benefits: for generally to all the poore of spirit, Christe our Lord promised the kingdome of heauen, as well the kingdome of the other life, as that which is enioyed in this life, which is iustice, peace, and ioye in the holy spirit. So that if I mortifie, and vanquish aua∣rice, I shall enioye three benefits: iustice with abun∣dance of good workes: peace without any noise of disturbance: and spirituall ioye free from heauinesse, and vexation: because I shall haue taken awaye the roote of these euills that hinder this good.

2 Besides this, auaricie beeing vanquished, if I shallbee liberall towardes God, in giuing for his sake what I haue, God shallbee most liberall towar∣des mee in giuing mee his benefits, aswell the tem∣porall which shallbee befitting mee, as also the spirituall, both in this life, and in the other. For it is hee that saide: Giue, and it shallbee giuen to you, good measure, and pressed dovvne, and shaken togither and running ouer shall they giue into your bosome, where it shallbee very secure, and well loued. And hee saithe, Dabunt, they shall giue, to signifie, that our giftes are the cause that God giueth vs this mea∣sure, with those foure conditions that it may haue, when it is most abundant. And hee addeth, that with the same measure that wee shall mete, it shall∣bee measured to vs againe: for our liberallity encrea∣sing towardes our neighbours, the liberallitie of

God shall encrease towarde vs, so that hee that soweth much shall reape much. Therefor; o my soule, bee liberall towardes God, and for his loue towardes others, & God by himselfe and by others, willbee liberall towardes thee. For the soule vvhich blesseth, shallbee made fatte: that which giueth, shall∣bee inriched, and he that inebriateth, himselfe also shalll be inebriated, receiuing much, because it gi∣ueth much.

3. From hence I will mount to ponder the greate benefits that I shall receiue, if I embrace the second waye of mortifing auarice, forsaking all things for Christe, and giuing them to the poore: because as this is a much greater liberallitye towardes God; so God shall bee much more liberall towardes mee, fullfilling the promise which hee made, to giue in this life a hunder folde for what wee giue him, and afterwardes life euerlasting: with a speciall promise to giue vs at the daye of iudgement thrones of gre∣ate glorye, to iudge the tribes of Israel, and the na∣tions of the worlde. O happye poueritie that is re∣vvarded vvith so greate riches? O blessed liberallitie, vvhose guerdon is a measure so abundant! O if I could mortifie the loue of terrene riches to obtaine diuine, pos∣sessing all thinge in God? O most svveete IESVS that camest from heauen to earthe, to giue vs an example of pouertie, by the vvhich vvee may mount from earthe to heauen, and madest choise to dye naked vpon a crosse, de∣parting the vvorlde vvithout possessing any thing of the vvorld: graunt mee to abhorre temporall riches, that I may serue thee vvith perfection, and obtaine riches euerlasting. Amen.

4. From these considerations I am to collect a very firme resolution to mortifie auarice in all things, that in the first pointe haue beene spoken of, obser∣uing some manner of pouertie conformable to my estate. First liuing content with my estate, though

it bee but meane without coueting what is superflu∣ous or what belongeth to others. Secondly, in vsing well what I haue, and beeing liberall to those that wante. Thirdly, in taking away the ouergreate loue thereof, possessing it, as if I possessed it not. Fourthly in delighting sometymes to suffer want of some thing, to imitate in some thing the pouertie of my redeemer. Finally endeuoring to serue him, not because hee should giue mee temporall goods, but because hee is worthy to bee serued; with a hope that hee will giue me goods euerlasting. Amen.

Notes

• 1. Ad Timoth. 6.10.
• Ad Ephe. 5.5. Ad Co∣loss. 3.5.
• 1. ad Ti∣moth. 6.9.
• Iosue 7.25.
• 1. Reg. 25.27.
• 3. Reg. 21.23. & 4. Reg. 9.36. Actuum. 5.1. Aug. ser. 27. de verbis. Apost. vi∣de Belar. to. 1. lib. 2. de Mo∣nach. c. 20.4. Reg. 5.27. Ioan. 12.6. Act. 1.18.
• Colloquie
• Of Po∣uertya, & libe∣rallitie.
• Mat. 5.3. Ad Rom. 14.17.
• Luc. 6.38.
• 2. Cor. 9.6.
• Prou. 11.24.25. Alij di∣uidunt propria, & ditio∣res fiunt.
• Mat. 19.28. Colloquie
• 1. Cor. 7.30.