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 XXXV. Meditation, of thankes giuing after Communion.

AFter wee haue communicated, it is of grea∣test Importaunce, to knowe how to enioie the swete Presence of the guest that wee haue receiued: for there is no better tyme to negotiate with him, then when wee haue him within vs: for here like∣wise it is truthe that hee saide; that while hee is in the litle worlde of euery mā, hee is the light of the world, * 1.1 and therefore it behooueth vs to walke whilest this light lasteth, before it bee hidden, and darknesse ouertake vs. And as this diuine sacrament is so soue∣raigne a Benefit, and so high a Guift of his diuine liberalitie, so we are to bee gratefull vnto him for it, with the greatest gratitude that possibly wee may;

applying herein the counsell of the wiseman: Suffer not the good daye to passe? Et particula boni doni non te praetereat, * 1.2 And let not so much as the least parcell of the good guift escape thee, but make vse of the good lot that hath befallen thee. For as wee much esteeme the leaste parte whatsoeuer of this sacrament, for that whole Christe is therein: so wee are to esteeme euery litle parte of the day, and tyme that wee haue him with in vs; seeing in eache parte therof hee his able to doe vs greate fauours, if with a deuout and thankefull minde wee dispose ourselues to recei∣ue them, especially for that this sacrament as S. Dio∣nisius saieth) is the cōsummation, * 1.3 fullfilling, and per∣perfection of all the other, and the most effectuall meanes that God hath giuen vs for our perfection, And seeing wee haue him present to communicate it vnto vs, it is reason to inlarge the vessell of our harte to receiue it. To this ende, wee are here to exercize with greatest feruour, the three actes of thankes gi∣uing, that were set downe in the 34. meditation: spending the tyme, not so much in newe considerati∣ons, seeing those that are set downe are sufficient, as in newe affections, and canticles of praise, and thankes giuing, in this forme ensuing.

The first Pointe.

1. FIrst I am greately to quicken my faithe of the presence of this our lord that is with in me, be∣holding the inuisible, as if I did visibly beholde him: and breifely pondering that hee is the same Lord, of whome I conceiued so greate excellencies, when I prepared myselfe to communicate. And seeing where the king is, there is the court, I may imagine (as S. Gregorie saieth) that hee is Inuironned with thou∣sandes of the courtiers of heauen, * 1.4 in whose companie prostrate in spirtte before his feete, and admiring that so greate a God is harboured in so humble a place, I

will breake out first into affections of humilitie, of reuerence, and of mine owne confusion: sometymes saying with S. Peeter; Departe from mee, o Lord, and goe forth from this wretched litle ship, for I am a great sinner. And sometymes with S. * 1.5 Elizabeth I will say vnto him: whence is it to mee, that my God, and my Lord commeth to visite mee? O eternall God vvhat is man that the ••art mindefull of him? Or the sonne of man that thou visitest him? Thou madest him lesse then the angells by beeing clothed vvith vile fleshe: and com∣mest thou from heauen accompanied vvith angells to harbour thyselfe vvithin him? O our Lord, and God hovv admirable is thy name thoroughout all the earthe, seeing thou hast made it thy Habitation as vvell as heauen.

2. * 1.6 Then will I breake out into affections of praise and thankes-giuing, vsing some canticles of the churche. Sometyme I will say as the Seraphins, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hostes, that hath humbled himselfe to dwell in this smoky, cloudie temple of my soule. Sometymes, I will crie out with the He∣brewe children that accompanied Christe on Palme∣sunday, saying: * 1.7 O king of Israel and Sauiour of the worlde, blessed bee hee that that hath come from on high to visit mee, I not knowing how to deserue it. * 1.8 Other sometymes with the three youthes that were in the furnace in Babilon, I will inuite all crea∣tures to praise our Lord, for this fauour that hee hath donne mee,

3. Or in imitation of this canticle, I will make a∣nother, inuiting to the same ende the nine quires of angells, and the quires of the patriarkes and prophets, of the apostles, and euangelistes: of the martirs, and doctors: bishops, and confessours: preistes, and le∣uites: virgins, and widowes; * 1.9 and all the Sainctes in heauen in this forme: May thy Angells, Archangells, and Principallities blesse thee, o Lord; may they praise,

and glorifie thee for euer. May thy povvers, Vertues and Dominations blesse, praise, and glorifie thee vvorlde vvithout ende. May the Thrones Cherubins and Sera∣phins blesse thee praise thee, &c. Blesse our Lord o yee Patriarkes and Prophetes, praise him and glorifie him for euer. Blesse our Lord, o yee Apostles and Euangelistes praise him &c. And in this manner I may goe through all the sainctes. * 1.10

4. I may likewise with Dauid inuite all faculties, and sences, and all the cogitations, and affections of my harte, that all togither may assemble to adore, and glorifie this our Lord, for the parte that they all haue in this soueraigne benefit. May my eies blesse thee, o Lorde, for they haue seene thee in this sacrament; and my lippes for they haue touched thee; * 1.11 and my tongue and pallate for they haue tasted thee; and my brest for hat it is thy habitation; * 1.12 and let all my bones say, O Lord, vvho is like vnto thee? Let my memory budde forth thy praises; my vnderstanding magnifie thee, my vvill loue thee, my appetites desire thee, and let them all bee dissoued in thy presence. singing the glorie of thy Com∣ming.

The Second Pointe.

1 Then am I to recall to my memory the Offices of Christ our lord, and the endes that hee had in comming to visite mee, beeing glad, and iojfull to haue within mee, my Redeemer, my phisition, my maister, and all my good: and with a greate af∣fection, I will spiritually embrace him with the ar∣mes of humilitie, and charitie, speaking that of the Canticles: * 1.13 I haue founde him vvhome my soule loueth: I vvill keepe him, and not let him goe; I will for no cause parte from his sweete Companie: and for no labour, * 1.14 nor tribulation, will I leaue his amitie: I will allwaies haue him with mee, till hee cary mee to the house of my mother, which is the caelestiall

Hierusalem, where I may enioye him with perfect security.

2. Then like Dauid, in the presence of this our lord, I will powre forth my praier, and set before him all my necessities, and miseries, recounting them as if hee knewe them not, because hee delighteth to heare them, beseeching him to doe his offices in remedy∣ing them, seeing this was the ende of his comming, and the comming of so greate a prince, should not bee in vaine. And therefore I may say vnto him: I, * 1.15 o Lord, am sicke of grieuous Infirmities and passions, pride, vvrathe, sensuallitie, and couetousnesse haue prostrated mee: Thou art the Omnipotent phisition, and hast come to my soule to cure mee: cure mee according to thy povver and leaue mee vvhole: say in this entraūce as thou saidest entring into the house of Zacheus, * 1.16 Hodie salus huic domui facta est, this day saluation is made to this house. And because thy saying is doing, it shallbee as thou saiest. I am likevvise full, of ignoraunces, and errours, in the darkenesse, and obscuritie of deathe: Thou art my ma∣ster, my light, and my guide, teache mee, illuminate me, and guide mee, for this vvas the ende of thy comming. In these and other like petitions, I will spend ano∣ther while, * 1.17 wrestling like Iacob with this angell of the greate counsel, with the wrestling of praiers, beseeching him not to departe, without powring out vpon mee his most copious Benediction.

The third Pointe.

FInally, I am to make some offers to this our Lord in thankefullnesse for the fauour hee hath donne mee, inuiting him, seeing hee inuiteth mee, * 1.18 for here∣upon hee sayeth in the Apocalips, that entring in∣to the soule hee would suppe with her, and shee with him: for shee suppeth of the celestiall guiftes that this our Lord communicateth vnto her, and he sup∣peth of the feruent affections, and purposes that shee

offereth vnto him. And so in communicating, I am to inuite Christe our lord, considering what is ac∣ceptable vnto him, and offering vnto him what is best to his liking.

2. And specially I will offer him my hearte, for that is the principall thing hee requireth of mee. And seeing hee giueth mee his hearte, * 1.19 what is it for mee to giue him mine? with a determination to admitte nothing that may bee contrary to his loue, nor no thought that may seperate mee from him. * 1.20 I will likewise exhibite to him my bodye as a living host, holy, and pleasing to his eyes, with a desier to carrye euer with mee his Mortification, and the signes of his Passion: resoluing particularly to mortifye, and make a cruell warre against that passion, that most hindereth mee to serue him as I ought. And besides this, it shallbee well that day to inuite Christe in the poore, bestowing on them some almes according to my abilitie.

3. And if I bee a religious man, I may anewe offer vnto him perpetuall obedience to his most holy will, most pure chastitie, and pouertie of spirit, according to my estate. And I will allwaies offer somewhat that I may accomplish the same daie, endeuouring to spēd it all in thēse exercizes of thankesgiuing, and Imitation, * 1.21 saying as the spouse. My beloued shallbee to mee to day, a nosegay of mirhe, I vvill beare him betvveene my breastes. And as the apostle: I liue, now not I, for I haue within mee Christe himselfe, who liueth in mee, in whose vertue I will goe like ano∣ther Helias to the mounte of God Oreb, ascending from vertue to vertue, vntill I clearely, and manife∣stly beeholde him whome in this blessed sacrament I receiue. I will conclude with a colloquie to this our Lorde, beseeching him, that allbeeit, the sacramentall species beeing consumed, hee depar∣teth, as concerning his corporall presence: that yet

hee would allwaies remaine with mee. according to his spirituall presence, awaking my memorie, that I may allwaies bee mindefull of him; illustrating my vnderstanding, that I may allwaies thinke, and meditate vpon him; and inflaming my will, that it may allwaies bee vnited with him, worlde without ende Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ioan. 9. & 12.
• * 1.2

  Eccles. 14.14.
• * 1.3

  De Ec∣cles. hi••∣rar. cap. 3. D. Tho. 4. q. 65. art. 3.
• * 1.4

  Lib. 4. Dialogo. cap. 58.
• * 1.5

  Luc. 5.8. Luc. 1.43. Psalm. 8.2. Colloquie
• * 1.6

  In the Preface. Isai. 6.3.
• * 1.7

  Math. 21.15.
• * 1.8

  Daniel. 3.52.
• * 1.9

  Colloquie
• * 1.10

  Psalm. 102.1.
• * 1.11

  Colloquis
• * 1.12

  Psalm. 34.10.
• * 1.13

  Cāt. 3.4.
• * 1.14

  Ad Gal. 4.26.
• * 1.15

  Colloquie
• * 1.16

  Luc. 19.9.
• * 1.17

  Gene. 32.24.
• * 1.18

  Apoca. 3.20.
• * 1.19

  Prouer. 23.26.
• * 1.20

  Ad. Rom. 12.1,
• * 1.21

  Cant. 1.12. Ad Gal. 2.20. 3. Reg. 19.8.