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, * 1.1 to consider the greate good which the holy curbing, and mortificati∣on of the the senses bringeth with it. First, for that besides shutting the dore against so many euills as haue bene spoken of, it openeth it for the spirit of God to enter into the soule, which willingly inha∣biteth in soules mortified to the fleshe, and to the delightes of the senses. It likewise openeth it to let in the spirit of praier, deuotion, and contemplation: for our Lord loueth to conuerse with soules that are inclosed gardens, and there hee speaketh vnto their hearte, conforting, and communicating vnto them his giftes. And for this cause when wee pray, * 1.2 hee commaundeth vs, to enter in to the closet of our hearte, and to shut after vs the gate of our senses, that nothing may enter in to disturbe our praier, & to interrupt the conuersation wee haue with our ce∣lestiall Father.

2. Besides this, the senses when they doe their a∣ctes according to the will of God, which is the ende of their mortification, are the dores, and windowes whereby life entreth: and what they seee and heare, taste, and speake, aydeth them to obtain. the spiritual life of grace, and augmentation therof From whence I am to inferre what S. * 1.3 Iames the a∣postle saithe. That as a fountaine giueth not forth out of one hole sweete, and sowre water: so from the selfe same tongue ought not to procede blessing, and cursing: good wordes to blesse God, and euill wordes to curse our neighbour: but all ought to bee good wordes, pleasing to God, profitable to my neighbour, and sweete to my owne conscience and

in like manner in at the selfe same eyes, and eares ought not to enter life, and deathe: but they ought allwaies to be shut to all that is an occasion of dea∣the: and open to that which should giue mee life, & herein consisteth their true abnegation.

3. To this I am to adde, that the modestie, and mortification of the senses is a signe, and testimony of the interiour vertues: it much edifieth our neigh∣bours, and casteth from it such a fragrancie, that it filleth the house of the Churche, * 1.4 and religion with good credit, and renowne: for as a good portall ho∣noreth the house, and giueth a desire to enter in, to see what is within: so the modestly, and composing of the senses, and exteriour membres, is the most be∣autifull portall of vertue, and a religious life, ma∣king it so amiable, that it prouoketh a desire to enter in, to enjoy what interiourly is inclosed within it, wherupon saide S. * 1.5 Paul, That our modestie should bee manifest to all men, for that God is nigh, and present with vs, and in the presence of so potent a king, all wee his seruauntes ought to carrie our sel∣ues very modestly.

Finally the fiue senses shall receiue in heauen, (as afterward shallbe seene) particular crownes of glo∣ry, with greate pleasure in rewarde of the mortifica∣tion that they suffered on earthe. And so with the hope of all these benefits, I will encourage myselfe to mortyfie them with greate feruour.

I wil conclude this meditation with a sweete colloquye with our Lord Christ crucified, ponde∣ring the mortification of his fiue senses, which hee suffered on the Crosse. The which on the one side was most holy, casting forth resplendent rayes of admirable vertues: and on the other side was most paineful, with the mixture ofterrible dolours, which hee suffered for the sinnes, that I with my fiue senses committed. And discoursing how his eyes were

obscured with spittle, his eares tormented with blasphemyes; his smelling with the smell of mount Caluarye: his taste with gall, and vineger: and his touching with VVhippes, thornes, and nailes, beeing compassionate of all this, I will say vnto him: * 1.6 It grieueth mee, o svveete Sauiour, for the sinnes that I vvith my fiue senses haue committed, for the vvhich thine vvere so direfully tormented; by the dolours vvher¦eof pardon, I beseeche thee, the many sinnes of mine. With the blood that issued out of thy fiue precious vvoundes, vvashe the staines that haue issued from these my fiue impostumated fountaines. Cease novv, o Lord, their abhominable current, and ayde mee vvith thy grace to destaine it, that imitating the mortification that thou didst exerctze in thy life, and sufferedst in thy deathe, I may meritte to obtaine thy glorie. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mortifi∣cation of the Sen∣ses.
• * 1.2

  Math. 6.6.
• * 1.3

  Ia••ob. 3.11.
• * 1.4

  Ex D. Ambr. lib 2. de virgini∣bus.
• * 1.5

  Ad Phil. 4.5.
• * 1.6

  Colloquie