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 Second Meditation. Of GODS infinite Charitye resplendent in this Mysterie of the Incarnation, and of the greate Benefits that wee receiue thereby.

ALlbeeit, all the Diuine Perfections are (as hath beene saide) resplendent in the De∣cree of the Incarnation: yet aboue them all, Charitye most florisheth, of which this meditation shallbee: (leauing the others to the sixt parte.) And it shallbee founded vpon that which our Sauiour Christ saide to Nicodemus: * 1.1 So God loued the VVorlde, that hee gaue his only-begotten Sonne; that euery one which beleeueth in him, perish not, but may haue Life euerlasting. In which wordes our Sauiour disciphered three most principall things of this Soueraigne my∣sterie; to witt: The principall Fountaine from whence it proceeded: The Greatenesse thereof: The Endes, and Admirable effectes thereof.

The first Pointe.

FIrst, * 1.2 I am to consider the infinite Greatenesse of the Person that loued vs, and did vs this soueraigne benefit, and the infinite Basenesse of him that is loued, and to whome this fauour

is donne, comparing the one with the other. First, [ 1] I will ponder, how the Originall of this soueraigne benefit was the infinite Charitye, and Loue of God; who as touching his owne Proffit, and Blessednesse, had no neede to loue any bodye but himselfe: for with only beholding, and louing himselfe, hee is infinitely blessed. Yet for all this, of meere Grace hee would loue the Creatures, and doe good to them; only because hee is Good, and to demonstrate in them the Riches of his Bountye: according to that of the Apostle: God which is riche in mercye, * 1.3 for his exceeding Charitye loued vs: that is to say: Hee loued vs, not because hee had neede of vs, nor because wee of right did merit it: but only for that his Mercye was compassionate of our miserye: and his Charitye would needes breake forth from him to loue others.

Secondly I will ponder, [ 2] how Gods infinite Charitye passed yet farther, in desiring so to loue the Worlde, hee beeing who hee is. I call the Worlde the multitude of sinfull men, that sinned in Adam, contracting from him the foule spot of Originall sinne, and afterwarde thorough their owne Will fell into most greivous, and actuall Sinnes, by the which they made them∣selues most vnwoorthy to bee loued, & deserued to bee very much abhorred. In so much that God not only loued men when they were not, and so consequently were neither Freindes, nor Enemyes: but hee loued them also when they were Enemyes, Rebells, and Vnthankefull for other innumerable Benefits that hee had donne them, to discouer heerein the infinite Treasures of his Mercye, and Charitye.

Thirdly, [ 3] I will make comparison betweene that which God doeth in Heauen, and that which men doe vpon Earthe: pondering how God loueth the Worlde, that abhorreth him; and how the Worlde abhorreth God, that loueth it. The Worlde employeth itselfe in offending God: and God desireth to employ himselfe in benefitting the Worlde: admiring therefore with myselfe at the abhominable Wickednesse of the Worlde, and at the infinite Bountye, and Cha∣ritye of God.

O God of infinite maiesty, * 1.4 why daignest thou to loue a Worlde of infinite Basenesse! Thou knowing what the Worlde is, why doest thou not abhorre it? why doest thou not sinck, and anthilate it? Blessed bee thy immense Charitye, in whose bosome is contained the Loue of so vngratefull a Creature. Domonstrate it, o Lord, towards mee, in making mee to loue thee, as thou louest mee, and to serue thee, as thou doest merit.

These three things I am to applye to myselfe, putting myselfe in the place of the worlde, who vngratefully, and forgetfully haue abhorred, and offended God: and yet for all this, God hath not omitted to loue mee, desiring to doe mee good, that I might heartely loue him.

The Second Pointe.

SEcondly, * 1.5 I am to consider the infinite Greatenesse of the Gift, that God gaue to the Worlde, which was his only begotten Sonne. Wherein I am first to ponder, [ 1] that the Loue of God is not a Loue of Wordes only, and faire compliment, but a Loue of Deede, and of Action, doing good to those whome hee

loueth: and the more hee loueth, the greater Benefits hee bestoweth vpon the beloued. From hence it is, that to demonstrate the infinite Greatenesse of his Loue, hee gaue vs the most precious thing that hee could giue vs, which was his only begotten Sonne, of equall dignitye with his Father, and one, and the same God with him, willing that hee should become man like vs, * 1.6 that within one man might dwell the fullnesse of God, of the which all might parti∣cipate. And for this cause Christ our Sauiour desiring to endeare the greatenesse of the diuine Loue, saide: So God loued the wo lde, * 1.7 that hee gaue his only-begotten Sonne: as who-should say: Hee could not loue it more then to giue his Sonne; and that not any Sonne; but his naturall, sole, and only begotten Sonne. And in steede of this Worde, Hee loued: hee might haue put some other like Wordes, saying: So God esteemed the Worlde; so hee honored it: so hee glorifyed, and exalted it: so hee inriched, and protected it, that hee gaue his only-begotten Sonne: and this freely, and of meere Grace: for there was none that could merit so infinite a Gift.

Then will I ponder, [ 2] vpon whome this so precious Gift was bestowed: which was vpon a Worlde, peruerse, ingratefull, and forgetfull: vpon a Worlde so bestiall, that this greate, and onely-begotten Sonne of God comming to liue therein; Mundus eum non cognouit: * 1.8 The Worlde knewe him not; neither esteemed, nor reuerenced him, as it ought: neither knewe it how to bee thankefull vnto him for the greate Honour, and Benefit, which from him it receiued. And so comparing what God doeth for men, which is, to giue them his Sonne: and what men doe

against God, which is, to offende him, and to bee vngratefull for his Gift: I will greately admire the infinite Charity of God, desiring earnestly to loue him for this fauour, endeavouring actually to demonstrate my Loue, that as God gaue mee the only Sonne that hee had: so I may giue him the onely Soule, and the onely Hearte that I haue, employing my Memory, Vnderstan∣ding, and Will, with all my Senses, and Faculties to loue, and serue such a Father, that gaue such a Sonne to such a Worlde.

O eternall Father, * 1.9 I giue thee all the thankes that I can, for the infinite Loue that thou hast borne vs, giuing vs the most beloued, and precious thing thas thou hadst. I desire lo loue thee, as thou louedst mee, giuing thee the most precious thing that is within mee. Receiue my Hearte in pledge of this Loue, that from this day forward, I may not only loue thee in Wordes, * 1.10 and in Tongue, but in Deede, and in Truthe, seeking allwayes thy Glorye without mixture of any thing that is prophane. Amen.

The third Pointe.

THirdly, I am to consider the ende wherefore God gaue vnto the Worlde this his only-begotten Sonne, * 1.11 and what infinite Benefits re∣dounde vnto men by this Gifte: Wherein I am to ponder how the Sonne of God came into the Worlde (as hee giueth testimonye of himselfe: Vt saluificem Mundum) to saue the Worlde with a most perfect Saluation, the which consisteth in two things: First, [ 1] in taking from it all things that are the cause that it should perish, and bee con∣demned, pardoning it of it Sinnes, deliuering it

from the Slauery of the Deuill, and from the eternall Prison of Hell, and from all other mise∣ries that are annexed to Sinne, and are the cause of returning vnto it. [ 2] Secondly, in giuing vnto it the Life of Grace, with all the supernaturall Ver∣tues that accompanye it, and finally Life euerla∣sting. And in these two things are included innumerable others, which heereafter wee shall haue occasion to speake of.

And finally to seale vp the Greatenesse of this Benefit, [ 3] God willeth that it should extende itselfe to all the men of the Worlde, of what Estate, and Condition soeuer, without excluding for his parte, any that will beleeue in him with a liuely Faithe, who shall not perishe, but shall all of them obtaine Life euerlasting. Now this beeing so, to mee also this Benefit is extended, and I may applye all these wordes to myselfe, saying with all truthe: so God loued mee, that hee gaue mee his onely-begotten Sonne, that beleeuing in him with a liuely Faithe, I may not perish, but obtaine Life euerlasting.

O only-begotten Sonne of the Father, * 1.12 what thankes shall I giue thee, for hauing come into the VVorlde to free vs from so many euills, and to heape vpon vs so many Benefits! Thou pardonest our Sinnes, dispoylest Hell, openest the Gates of Paradise, Vanquishest the Deuill, Triumphest ouer the VVorlde, Tamest our Flesh, Cuttest of our Perills, Comfortest our Heauinesses, Quickenest our VVorkes, Augmentest our Merits, Giuest vs Perseuerance in thy Grace, and finally Crownest vs with thy Glorye. VVithout thee wee had had nothing of this, and now by thee wee possesse it all: for by thee descende from Heauen all the Benedictions, and Mercies that replenish the Earthe. Blessed bee the Father that gaue thee vnto vs for our remedye:

and Blessed bee thou his Sonne that camest to reme∣dye vs. Remedie mee effectually, o Lorde, that I may not perish, but obtaine by thee Life euerlasting. Amen.

By what hath beene saide in this, and in the precedent Meditation, it appeareth, that the causes, and motiues of the Incarnation, may bee reduced to three rankes, inchayned owne within another. One, [ 1] in regarde of the diuine Perfe∣ctions, to manifest them: Another, [ 2] in regarde of our miseries, to remedye them. And the third, [ 3] in regarde of the supernaturall Riches of Grace, and Glorye to communicate them. Of these three things wee are to weaue a most strong triple Corde, * 1.13 wherewith strongly to binde vs to this diuine Worde Incarnate, joyning vs vnto him with perfect Loue: seeing wee haue so many motiues to loue him, as are the diuine Perfe∣ctions that hee hath discouered vnto vs, and the miseries from which hee hath freed vs, and the Graces, and Vertues that hee hath merited vnto vs.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ioan. 3.16 1 Ioan. 4.••.
• * 1.2

  Sic Deus dilexit mundum.
• * 1.3

  Ephes. 2.4
• * 1.4

  Colloquie.
• * 1.5

  Vt Filium suumvni∣genitum daret.
• * 1.6

  Coloss. 2.9
• * 1.7

  Ioan. 3.16
• * 1.8

  Ioan. 1.10
• * 1.9

  Colloquie.
• * 1.10

  1 Ioan. 13 18.
• * 1.11

  Vt omnis qui credit in ipsum non pere∣aet: sed habeat vitam ae∣ternam. Ioan. 12.47.
• * 1.12

  Colloquie.
• * 1.13

  Eccl. 4.12