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 seconde Pointe.

THen will I consider the greate hurt that com∣meth to mee by these senses ill guarded, and vnmortified.

1. For first they are the gates, and windowes, whe∣reby (as the Prophet Hieremye saith) the deathe of sinne entreth into the house of my Soule, * 1.1 destroyeth the life of grace, and suffocateth the vitall heate of charitye: for by them enter the temptations of the diuells, who like theeus robbe the house of my conscience, dispoiling it of the guiftes of God, and of all vertue: whereupon saithe the same Prophet. * 1.2 My eye hath robbed my soule. For as the eye robbed Eua of her Originall iustice, Dyna of her virginitye, and Dauid of his chastitye, and iustice: so it robbeth mee sometimes of my tem∣perance, sometimes of my deuotion. And the like doeth the eare, and tongue. * 1.3 For as a citty beseeged by enemies, if the gares bee left open, and vngarded, is entred, sacked, and destroyed: so is the soule that hath no garde ouer its senses.

2 These also giue entrance to the images, and figu∣res of visible things, which disquiet the imagination and memorie with distractions, and vagations: these disorder the appetites with disagreement of passiōs,

and disturbe the hearte, casting vs out of it And for this cause likewise it is truthe, that my eye robbeth my soule, because it robbeth my attention, cogitati∣on, and affection, causing my soule not to bee so much within mee, as out of mee, in the thing that it meditateth, and loueth. And I myselfe likewise by theses portes, issue out of myselfe to wander tho∣rough the whole worlde, and after mee issueth out the spirit of deuotion, praier, and contemplation. So that when I would returne to enter into my∣selfe, I hitte not the right way, nor finde anie quiet∣nesse in mine owne howse, because of the tumultes that I experiment therein: and from hence procede innumerable defectes, and damages in praier, and the priuation of the fauours of heauen: for God is not pleased to put the liquor of his giftes, * 1.4 in a vessell that hath no coouer, and that in fiue partes is full of holes.

3. Finally, greate are the chastizements that God hath inflicted vpon those that haue beene notably rechlesse in the garde of their senses, and tongue; giuing them liberty against the precepts, and coun∣sells of Gods lawe: as may appeare by what hath beene related in the precedent meditation, VVhere∣upon saithe Ecclesiasticus, * 1.5 hedge in thy eares with thornes, and hearken not to the euill tongue: make a dore for thy mouthe, and a locke for thy eares: take heede thy tongue slippe not, and thou fall be∣fore thy enemies; for thy fall may bee irremediable, and the cause of thy death; sometymes of thy tempo∣rall death, and sometymes of thy eternall in hell: where the fiue senses (as allready hath beene noted) shall suffer incredible torments, in chastizement of their vnbrideled appetites. Therefore, o my soule shut the dores, and vvindovves of thy senses if thou vvillt not haue deathe, & disorder enter in thereat. Stoppe, and bridle thy mouthe, that thyne ovvne tongue doe not kill

thee. Hedge in thy eares vvith Thornes, that others mens tongues doe not pricke thee, dravving from vvhat thou hearest, sinnes of thyne ovvne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hierem. 9.21.
• * 1.2

  Thren. 3.51.
• * 1.3

  Prou. 25.28.
• * 1.4

  Deute••. 19.15. Aggei. 1.6.
• * 1.5

  Eccl. 28.28.