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 third Pointe.

THe third Pointe shallbee, to call to Memorie some mortall Sinne, as Perjurie, Carnallitye, or such other like, for the which many Soules are bur∣ning in Hell, and that very justly, for hauing donne Injurie to the infinite maiestie of God.

1. I am then to descende with my Consideration to Hell, which is full of Soules, among which I shall finde many that are there burning for one onely Sinne. Some for one Perjurie; others for a dishonest Thought consented vnto; and others for some other Sinne of VVorde, or of Deede. And then I will consider how all these condemned Per∣sons were men, aswel as I; and many of them, as I, Christians, that enjoyed the same Sacraments, and Sacrifices, and those Sermons, and sacred boo∣kes that I enjoye, and were perhaps sometime very holye, and highly in fauour with God: but by litle, and litle they grewe carelesse, and came to fall into that mortall Sinne, and by the Iust Iudgements of

God, Deathe attached and set vpon them therein, and for it they were most justly condemned. * 1.1 For (as the Apostle S. Iames saieth) VVhosoeuer falleth into one onely Sinne, breaking a Commaunde∣ment, is made guilty of all, as hee that breaketh manye; for hee offendeth the God of Infinite ma∣iestie, who commaundeth them all to bee obserued.

2. Then am I to make Comparison of this Sinne with many of minne, pondering with how much more reason I deserued to bee in Hell, as those Soules are, for hauing offended God, not once but many times, and in other kindes of Sinnes without number. O hovv iustly had I deserued that Deathe should haue attached mee in committing my first Sin∣ne, and that God should haue giuen mee no time of Repentance? VVhat moued thee, o my God, to expect mee more then these? I confesse that I deserued to bee in their Companye, but seeing thy Maiestie hath vvith so much mercie expected mee, I resolue vvith thy grace to bee very truely, and intirely penitent.

3. I may also consider that it is no lesse a benefit of God to haue preserued mee from Hell, detaining mee from descending to euerlasting Torments, then if, after I had beene descended, he had diliuered mee from them. For the which I may say that of Dauid: I vvill confesse to thee, o Lord my, * 1.2 God vvith all my Hearte, & vvill glorifie thy name for euer, for thy mercie hath beene very greate towardes mee, deli∣uering my Soule from the deepest Hell. And to kno∣we how to esteeme aright of this merced, & so re∣paye it, as I ought, I am to speake to myselfe, saying: If God should deliuer one of these Soules out of Hell, and giue it a time of repentance, vvhat rigourous penance vvould it doe, hovv thankefull vvould it bee to God, and vvith vvhat feruour vvoult it serue him? Thou therefore art to doe the like, considering that God hath donne thee so singular

a fauour, as to deliuer thee from the Daunger, before thou didst fall into it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iacob. 2.10.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 85.12.