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 XXVI. Meditation, wherein is set downe a forme of Prayer, applying the interiour faculties of the Soule to the contem∣plation of the mysteries, that haue beene meditated.

IN the eleuenth §. of the Introduction of this booke, I made mention of a forme of Praier, by application of the Senses vpon the mysteries of our faithe; and it is a forme rather of Con∣templation, then of meditation: for (as there it is saide in the tenth §.) Meditation runneth from one thing to another, seeking out bidden verities, as hitherto hath beene donne: but Con∣templation is a simple beholding of the Truthe without varietye of Discourse, with greate af∣fections of Admiration, and Loue: and as regu∣larly it is obtained after meditation, so after we haue meditated these mysteries of our Sauiour Christ, it shall not be amisse to runne ouer eache of them againe with this manner of affectuous Contemplation, which wee call Application of the faculties: for as the exteriour faculties doe very breifely without the windings of discourses perceiue their objects, and are delighted, and pleased in them: so in this Contemplation, the interiour senses of the Soule (which are her owne interiour faculties with the variety of their Actes) without newe discourses, presuppo∣sing those which haue beene donne at other times, per ceiue these Verities, and collect from thence meruailous affections of Deuotion, our

Lord preuenting them with his especiall grace, without the which we shall erre in entring into this manner of Contemplation, as in the place before cited hath beene saide. Allbeit we for our parte, may somewhat ayde ourselues in this manner that followeth.

The first Pointe.

THe first pointe shallbe to beholde with the interiour eye of the Soule, [ 1] be it the Ima∣ginatiue, or the Intellectuall, all such persons as were in the Inne at Bethlehem, or in the Temple of Hierusalem, and what they doe, with the circumstances which are the object of the Sight, collecting from them Affections of Admi∣ration, and Loue, of Ioye, or Compassion, or Imitation: and if from these, there happen to proceede any newe ponderations, and medita∣tions (as our Lord vseth to communicate in these cases) I am to admitte them, detaining my∣selfe in them all, the time that the light shall continue that was giuen me.

The practize is this; beholding God-man layed in a Stable, with Beastes, I will shrinke vp my shoulders with admiration, and astonishment of so profounde Humillitye to be resplendent in a Lorde of so greate majestie. Beholding him made a tender Babe to make himselfe more amiable (because Babes ordinarily are amiable) I will melt myselfe in the Loue of so precious, and beautifull a Babe, wantonning with him, as with my elder brother, the heire of my father, and so much mine, that he is borne for me, and for my benefit. Beholding the Hearte of the Childe burning in Loue, and in Desier

of my Saluation, shedding teares of Sorrowe for my Sinnes, and offring himselfe for them to the eternall Father, I will joyne my Heart vnto his, that he may fasten vnto it that Loue, and that Sorrowe, entring into Discourse with him, that he may joyne me vnto himselfe. So likewise beholding his Vertues, his Pouertye, Humillitye, Meekenesse, and Patience, I am to collect them to my owne vse, as one that gathereth a nosegay of mirrhe, to weare before his brest, and to joyne it to his Hearte, saying vnto him with greate tendernesse: * 1.1 My beloued shallbe to me as a bundle of myrrhe, I will alwaies haue him in my eye, that I may neuer loose the sight of him, nor neuer forget him. The like may be donne, contemplating our blessed LADYE the VIR∣GIN, and Mother, with affections of admi∣ration; contemplating with what Modestye, De∣uotion, and Reuerence she standeth before the Childe, with a Desier to imitate her: and be∣holding what compassion she hath of the Teares of the Childe, with a spitit to accompanye her; and to be compassionate with her. Beholding likewise S. Ioseph, or holy Simeon, and the fer∣uour, and Spirit resplendent in them, I will ad∣mire at the giftes that God hath giuen them, with a desier to imitate them in all that I ought, or am able according to my abilitie.

The Second Pointe.

THe second Pointe is, [ 2] to heare with the eares of the Soule the wordes that are there spoken, attending to hearken vnto the interiour Wordes, and Inspirations that God shall speake

vnto my Hearte. Wherein it is to be considered, that not only in this pointe, but for any other forme whatsoeuer of mentall, or vocall Praier, that (as was pointed at in the third §. of the Introduction of this booke) being placed be∣fore God, and contemplating these mysteries, it is good for a while to staye with reuerence, as one that attendeth to heare what is saied, or to receiue the almes that is vsually giuen him, placing himselfe as the Woman of Cha∣naan saide, * 1.2 like a whelpe that standeth at the table, fixing his eyes vpon those that eate, hoping they will cast him some small morsell of breade. * 1.3 Or as the Prophet Dauid sayeth, like the good Seruant that hath his eyes fixed vpon the handes of his Lord, attending what he commaundeth him, as did the Prophet Aba∣cuch when he sayed: * 1.4 I will stand vpon my watche, and fixe ••••y steppe vpon the munition: and I will be∣hold, to see what may be said to me, and what I may aunswere to him that rebuketh me. Which is to say: Seated in my Contemplation, I will hearken what God inspireth into me, & what he speaketh within my hearte, either reprehending, and cor∣recting me for the euill that I haue committed; or comforting, and exhorting me to the good that I ought to doe: or giuing me some inte∣riour aunswere to what I desier, as the holy Spirit did the like in praier to S. Simeon. And hauing continued a while in this silence, if I feele not some Inspiration of our Lorde, I am not to stand Idle, but to prouoke him to speake vnto mee, I speaking vnto him, and saying with Samuel: * 1.5 Speake Lord for thy Seruant heareth. Or as he himselfe sayed to the Spouse: Let thy Voice sounde in my eares, for thy Voice is very

sweete vnto mee.

O eternall God that saidest by thy Prophet, * 1.6 I will lead her into the wildernes, and will speake vnto her hearte, * 1.7 cause in my Spirit an interiour solitude of wandering Cogitations, that thou only maiest speake vnto me with thy Inspirations, and that I may heare, and fullfill what therein thou com∣maundest mee.

Then putting myselfe in the presence of the Childe IESVS, I will with the eare of my Soule hearken vnto the wordes which he speaketh to his eternall Father, and vnto the amorous colloquies he holdeth with him vpon the businesse of our Saluation rejoicing to heare them, and making my proffit of them: I will also hearken vnto the exteriour Lamentations that he maketh, and will learne to lament my sinnes: I will heare what this Childe would say vnto mee, if he should speake to me there where he was, how louingly he would repre∣hende my Pride, and Vanitye, and Curiositye in attire: how he would exhorte me to make my∣selfe a childe, and to present, and offer myselfe to the seruice of his eternall Father. All these wordes I am to receiue, & to heare, beseeching him to inspire them into my spirit with a De∣termination to fullfill them. I will likewise endeuour to heare what the blessed VIRGIN saide, and what the holy Spirit saide to Simeon, and what Simeon himselfe saide when he sawe his desire accomplished, I learning by those wordes to speake such other wordes vnto God.

The third Pointe.

THe third pointe is, [ 3] to smell with the in∣teriour smelling the most sweete odour, & celestiall fragrancye that issueth from this Childe IESVS, and from his Vertues; meditating how well they smell vnto God, vnto the Angells, and vnto the Iust: and how much honour, and glory they are vnto our Lord God, and of what edifi∣cation to his Church. And with this odour I am to comfort, and animate myselfe to imitate those Vertues. To doe this the more effectually, [ 1] I will ponder how the most sweete odour that issued from the workes, and Vertues of that Childe, did exceedingly recreate the eternall Father, * 1.8 who might say, as Isaac sayed of his Sonne Iacob: The sauour of my Sonne is as the sauour of a plentifull feilde which our Lord hath blessed. [ 2] Then will I ponder how much this odour recreateth the just Soules that smell it, * 1.9 as the Spouse that saied: we will runne after thee, in the odour of thy ointments. For the Pouerty of Christ, his Humillitye, and Meekenesse doe cast from them a fragrancye that vanquisheth the hearte, and carrieth it after him to joine it vnto him. [ 3] From hence I will come to contem∣plate how sweete an odour both to God, and vnto men is Obedience, and Modestie, Humil∣lity, Patience, and Charitye in any person what∣soeuer, that hath them in excellencye, and how much it edifieth the Church, and his neighbours. Whereupon S. * 1.10 Paul saieth of the Iust, that they are the good odour of Christ: and contrarily what an euill odour both to God, and to men

is Pride, and Disobedience, Immodestye, and euery other vice, pondering how farre this euill odour was, from that holy place, where the Childe, and his mother was, and how farre it ought to be from my Soule, not to giue any disguste to whome I owe so much dutye.

O sweete Childe, whose Vestements, * 1.11 which are thy workes, are like a feilde of odoriferous flowers: clothe me with them, that I may smell well to thy eternall Father, that for thee, hee may giue me the benediction, that for them thou didst merit, may my Soule resent the fragrancye of thy diuine odours, that it may runne after thee, imitating thy Ver∣tues, vntill it arriue to enioye the rewarde of them. Amen.

The fourth Pointe.

THe fourth pointe is with the interiour Taste, [ 4] to taste the sweetenesse of that blessed Childe, and of his Vertues: and how sweete they were to God, and to himselfe, and are to all those that exercize them in his imi∣tation, applying myselfe to proue what the Prophet Dauid sayeth: * 1.12 Taste ye and see that our Lord is sweete. O how it pleased the eternall Father, to beholde the Vertues of his Sonne! and what pleasure had the Sonne to giue full content to the Father! O what a sweetenesse felt this blessed Childe to see himselfe poore, contemned, & layed in a manger among beastes! how sweete vnto him were the teares that he shed! and how pleasing was it to him absolutely to fullfill the will of his Father! much more sauorye without comparison then the milke that he sucked from the brestes of his mother.

And in imitation of him, I will endeuour deepely to resent this sweetenesse that God putteth in Contempts, and Afflictions; in Pouertye, and Teares, sweetened with the example of this B. Childe. And with this Affection, I will prouoke in my Soule, a greate hunger to taste of these things, and to sauour the pleasing tastes of the Spirit, that the sweetenesse of the fleshe may be made vnsauorye vnto mee. With this affe∣ction I will contemplate the sweetenesse that holy Simeon felt at the presence of the Childe, which was so greate, that it lothed him to see, and taste any thing of this life, and sweetened vnto him euen deathe itselfe.

O eternall God, * 1.13 how greate is the multitude of sweetenesse which thou hast hidden for those that feare thee? but how much gerater shall it be to those that loue thee? giue me some parte thereof, o Lord, to prooue, that I may with a good will renounce the pleasures of the earthe, and take pleasure only in those of Heauen. Amen

Contrarily I may ponder how much bitter∣nesse lyeth hidden in Vice, and in the Soule that followeth her owne will, and yeildeth to her owne passions: and making reflexion vpon what passeth with myselfe, when I sinne, I shall taste this bitternesse that I feele in myselfe, and shall presently abhorre it, and spit it vp, with a de∣sire neuer more to taste of it, remembring that of the Prophet Hieremias: * 1.14 Thy owne malice shall reproue thee, and thy owne Sinne shall reprehend thee: know thou, and see that it is an euill, and bitter, thing for thee, to haue abandoned thy Lord God.

The fifth Pointe.

THe fifth pointe is, [ 5] with the interiour Tou∣ching spiritually to touche the Vestements of that Childe, the haye of that manger, the earthe of that stable, kissing, and embracing it with my Hearte, engendring in myselfe a greate estimation, price, and loue of it all, choosing it to myselfe as a thing of greate value: and as if I were present at all, I am to come to the Childe, and to beg leaue of him to touche his feete, to kisse, and embrace them bewailing my Sinnes, and like Mary Magdalen humbly begging remis∣sion of them. And then with greater Confidence to beg leaue of him to touche his handes, to kisse them, and to play with them, beseeching him to giue me his benediction: or like olde holy Simeon, I will take him in my armes, and em∣brace him with greate Loue, beseeching him to vnite me to himselfe, not permitting me to be seperated from him And if I could attaine to the perfection of the Spouse that saied: * 1.15 Let him kisse me with the kisse of his mouthe. I might aspire to the desier to touche that diuine face, and to vnite myselfe to his Deity, with the vnion of perfect Loue, satiating myselfe with only seeing him, and louing him. O what sweetenesse is felt in this spirituall touching! * 1.16 with the which as the same spouse saide, all her bowells were moued, & mollified, desiring to admitte therein her beloued.

I am likewise to touche the hardenesse of the Childes bed, the rigour of the colde that he suffered, the straightnesse of those mantles

wherein he was wrapped, and swadled: and to applye myselfe to desier, that for our Lordes sake my touching may touche alwaies rough, and harde things, auoyding soft, and dainety things which he so much abhorred.

This meditation should be concluded with a Colloquye to Christ IESVS our Lord, besee∣ching him to purifye, and cleare the senses of my Soule, that I may vnderstand him, and loue him, according to his will, desiring to reforme, and renewe my Senses (as S. * 1.17 Paul saieth) to proue, and approue effectually what the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God is, to his honour, and glorye worlde without ende.

Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cano. 1.12
• * 1.2

  Matt. 15.27
• * 1.3

  Psa. 122.2
• * 1.4

  Abac. 2.1
• * 1.5

  1 Reg. 3.9 Cant. 2.14.
• * 1.6

  Colloquie.
• * 1.7

  Ose. 2.14.
• * 1.8

  Gen. 27.27.
• * 1.9

  Cant. 1.3
• * 1.10

  2 Cor. 2.15.
• * 1.11

  Colloquie.
• * 1.12

  Psa. 33.9.
• * 1.13

  Colloquie. Ps. 30.20
• * 1.14

  Iere. 2.19
• * 1.15

  Cant. 1.1
• * 1.16

  Cant. 5.4
• * 1.17

  Rom. 12.2.