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 XXIX Meditation, wherein is set downe ano∣ther forme of praying at three times of the daye, making a particular examination of some one vice to pull it vp by the Rootes.

BEsides the generall care which wee ought to haue, to cleanse the soule of all her vices and sinnes, it is very conuenient (as the holy fathers say, * 1.1 and specially Cassianus) to imploie a particular stu∣die to disroote some one vice of those that vse most to indaunger vs, for with this so speciall care it shall∣bee the more easely vanquished; & this vanquished, wee may take hearte to get the victorie of another, vntill wee haue vanquished them all: As the 7. na∣tions that were enemies to the Israelites, were van∣quished by litle, and litle, and by partes. To this end our glorious father Ignatius, taught vs a forme of making a particular examinatiō of one vice, wherein is included another forme of praying very proffita∣ble,

diuided into three times of the daye, to witte morning, noone, and night, the which are much celebrated in sacred scripture, by that which Dauid saieth of himselfe: In the euening, in the morning, and at midday, * 1.2 I will recount vnto God my miseries, hoping that hee will heare mee, and deliuer mee from them. And of Daniel, the scripture saithe: That three times a daye hee fell on his knees, and adored God, making confession before him of his diuine praises, and of his owne sinnes. According vnto this, wee will diuide this forme of praier into three poin∣tes, which may serue for the three times aforesaide.

The first Pointe.

FIrst in the morning, in clothing mee, kneeling on my knees like Daniel, and putting myselfe in the presence of God, I will adore him, giuing him than∣kes for my life, quietnesse, and sleepe, which hee gaue mee the night passed, and for the perills from which hee deliuered mee, and by the waye, I will likewise examine, if since I lay downe, sleeping, or waking, any thing that might bee a sinne, hath happ∣ned vnto mee, and with all my hearte to bee sorry therefore. 2. Thē will I make an offer vnto our Lord of all things whatsoeuer that I shall doe that daye, ordaining them purely to his honour, and glorie, re∣quiring of him preseueraunce in this pure intention vntill the ende of the daye, and of my life: and be∣seeching him to accept my workes in the vnion of those which his onely beegotten Sonne offered vnto him for mee in this life.

3 This donne, I will make a valiaunt, and deter∣minate resolution that day, by Gods grace to sepera∣te myselfe from all kinde of sinne, after the manner that Dauid did, * 1.3 when hee saide, that in the morning hee killed all the sinners of the earthe, not with a sworde of steele, but with a very steeled, and coura∣gious

resolution to destroye them all, so farre forth as they were aduersaries to God, desiring that in the citty of my soule there may nothing liue to offend him. But particularly I must most resolutely determi∣ne, to departe from that vice which I desire to dis∣roote frō my hearte, conceiuing against it a holy ha∣tred for the hurt that it doth mee.

4. That this purpose may bee effectuall, it will helpe mee much not to take thinges by the bulke, beeing ignoraunt of their difficulties, but to prouide for them with the eyes of prudence, and in the morning to imagine all the difficulties, vexations, contempts, and occasions of stumbling, that probably may bee offered vnto mee that daye, considering the qualli∣tie of my person, estate, and office, and the affaires, and persons with whome I am to conuerse. VVhich hauing considered, I will endeuour willingly to ac∣cept for the loue of our Lord God, whatsoeuer shall happen against my liking, determining by Gods gra∣ce for no such occasiōs, to faile in humillitie, and pa∣tience; nor to admitte any thing that may bee a sin∣ne, founding this purpose, not vpon my owne force, but vpon the force that God shall giue mee, and vpon some strong reasons that may conuince mee, and make mee affectionate to execute it: as Christe our redeemer in the garden of gethsemani, set before his eyes all the tormēts that the daye following hee was to suffer, and accepting them with greate loue, * 1.4 wrastled against feares, and sorrowes with discour∣ses, and praiers, as in its place wee shall see.

5. And if those who are very zealous will yet passe farther, and excell more in vertue, they may take the counsaile that a holy Abbot, (as Cassianus reporteth) gaue to those, who by liuing in solitarinesse haue no occasions to exercize humillitye, and patience: that they should imagine terrible dolours, iniuries, con∣tempts, and torments come vpon them by the handes

of their enemyes, or of their companions vnder the pretext of pietye, such as were those which the mar∣tyrs, and holy confessors haue suffered, and to ac∣cept them all very heartily, yea, and to desire that they might bee offered them, and to begge them of our celestiall father with those wordes of Dauid: * 1.5 Proue mee, o Lord, and trye mee, burne my hearte, and my reines, for thy greate mercye is before mee, and therein I trust that thou vvilt avde mee; and with this confidence, I may say vnto thim. O if in this daye, some bodye vvould stricke mee vpon one cheeke, hovv vvillingly for thy loue vvould I offer him the other! Or if any vvould speake vnto mee any iniurious vvorde, or beare false vvitnesse against mee, hovv heartily vvould I bee silent, and suffer it for thy loue! O if my prelatet vvould commaunde mee any very sharpe, and difificult thinge, that I in accomplishing it might shovve the loue that I beare thee! VVith such purposes as these, ver∣tues are much augmented, and the hearte becōmeth strong to resist vices: but yet the imperfect, and luke∣warmee, must walke warily in such like meditations, leaste perhaps thorough their imbecillitye that which should haue beene a meanes of their good, turne into a snare of their temptation.

The seconde Pointe.

SEcondly, at Noone before dinner, setting my∣selfe in the presence of God, and hauing asked of him light to come to the knowledge of my sinnes, I will examine those which I haue committed that morning in that particular vice: which if they were many, I am to bee ashamed that I haue not fullfilled the resolutiō that I made, nor kept my worde which I gaue to God, accusing my selfe of infidellitye, in∣constancye, and mutabillitye, and beeing sorrowfull for my transgressions herein, for beeing against a God that is so faithfull, and constant in benefitting

mee, and in accomplishing whatsoeuer hee purpo∣seth to doe for my good. I am to reprehend myselfe (as Cassianus saieth) saying to myselfe: * 1.6 art thou hee that this morning didst purpose such greate matters, and offeredst thyselfe to suffer very terrible iniuries? then how comes it that so light an occasion hath ouerthrowne thee? Thou didst purpose to kill all the enemyes of God, and hast thou renderd thyselfe to the leaste of them? Bee ashamed of thy cowadize, humble thyselfe before God, and turne a newe to determine, trusting with more viuacitie in his mer∣cie, that it may ayde thy greate weakenesse. I will likewise examine the cause, and occasion of hauiug failed, to auoyde it, or to preuent it, wholely resol∣uing vpon amendement the rest of the daye.

2. I may likewise at this time remember, that Christe our Lord was crucified at midday, and per∣seuered a greate parte of the euening, suffering most grieuous paines vpon the crosse with greate constan∣cie vntill hee gaue vp the ghost. And in thankefull∣nesse for this benefit, I am to purpose to bee very constant in not yeilding to the lust of my fleshe, nor to my owne will in that vice, that it may dye in mee, or I may dye fighting against it, vntill I vanquish it. Sometimes againe I may call to minde, that Christ our Lord likewise at midday ascended aboue all the heauens to enioy the fruite of his labours. And with this cōsideratiō I may animate myselfe to fight a newe against my passions: and with both conside∣rations I may saye vnto him that of the Canticles: O thou beloued of my soule, * 1.7 showe vnto mee with thy celestiall light the place where at midday thou reposest, and feedest thy sheepe, that I may there fixe my hearte, and my desires, and not goe wandring any more to seeke after vices.

The third Pointe.

AT night before I sleepe, I will make another ex∣amination like that which I made before dinner, comparing the times that I sinned in the morning, with those that I sinned in the euening: and if they were fewer I will giue thankes to God for this amē∣dement, because it hath come from his hande; but if they were more, I am to confounde myselfe, to see, that insteede of going forwarde, I turne backe: but yet I am not to bee dismayed, but to purpose anewe, a very hearty amendment: for with such a like bat∣taile, * 1.8 the victorie is obtained. For hereupon saide the holy Ghoste: The iust man falleth seuen times a daye, and shall rise againe: giuing to vnderstand, that falling, and yet rising againe, hee shall come by Gods fauour to stand vpright. The same compari∣son I am to make betweene the sinnes of one daye, and those of another, according to the counsell of S. Basile: * 1.9 and betweene those of one weeke, and those of another, according to the counsell of S. Dorothe∣us, helping my memory by noting them with two lines, or strakes for euery daye in the weeke: put∣ting in the one line as many prikes as I haue sinned times in the morning, and in the other those of the euening.

It will likewise helpe mee to giue myselfe a stroke on the brest when I fall into this sinne: the one to remember the times that I haue sinned, by the times that I haue strickē my breste: and the other, forth∣with to moue mee to contrition for my sinne, and to obtaine pardon thereof. * 1.10 For in this sense also said the holy Ghoste, the iust man falleth seuen times a daye: and riseth againe, giuing to vnderstand, that when hee falleth, hee hath light to knowe that hee hath fallen: and if hee falleth while it is daye, hee stayeth not to rise vp at night: rather if hee fall

seuen times, hee riseth seuen times assoone as hee hath fallen, sorrowing for his fall, and purposing amendement: and in this manner, his frequent falling shallbee turned into frequent praying, and into good affections, and purposes, which with newe grace re∣paire the hurte of the fall. Other meanes of exami∣ning, and reflecting vpon our workes, shallbee set downe in the sixt parte in the meditation of what God saide, hauing finished the worke of the Creati∣on of the worlde.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Collat. 5. cap. 14.
• * 1.2

  Psalm. 54.18. Daniel. 6.10.
• * 1.3

  Psalm. 100.8.
• * 1.4

  In the medita∣tion 22. of the 4. part. Collat. 19. cap. 14.
• * 1.5

  Psalm. 25.2. Colloquie
• * 1.6

  Collat. 19. cap. 14.
• * 1.7

  Cant. 1.6.
• * 1.8

  Prouerb, 24.16.
• * 1.9

  Ser. de abdic. re rum ser∣mo. 10.
• * 1.10

  Frouerb. 24.16.