comforting them in their desolations for by these things we doe homage to our Lord JESUS in his distressed Little Ones deserve our selves to be releived in the like case according to the promises of our Lord that What ever we doe to One of his Little ones we doe to him nor shall a cup of cold water be unrewarded in the Kingdom of Heaven COLLOQUIE Alas My God! how barren has my Soul hitherto been in complying with the precepts of true solid Vertue How many precious houres of my life have idly passed without care of advancing my selfe as well in humble charitable deeds as in searching into thy hidden Excellencies Whereas thy Law is That each one shall reap according as he sowes My solitude shall not be henceforth idle but sometimes I will soare up as an Eagle by the wings of Contemplation love sometimes will I with the laborious Bee exercise my self in outward works of charity humility as well to please God the supream End crown of all good works as to releive my distressed neighbour to edify all by my outward Conversation for That which is momentany in this life worketh exceedingly in us an eternall weight of Glory Amen TENTH DAYES VOYAGE Highest Christian Perfection THE MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Union with Christ suffring CONSIDERATION COnsider that how ever high happy we be in our Divine Contemplation Unitive Life with God or Low by a prompt performance of the humble charitable Duties of our present State wee cannot hope succesfully to finish our holy Pilgrimage to the sublime State of Perfection we aime at in our Retyrement unlesse we be united to JESUS CHRIST in his fuffrings As each one by cordiall friendshipp is transformed into his Friend by an excess of heavenly Love into our glorious God so by our joy alacrity amidst the tribulations crosses of this life we are transformed into become One with our Crucified Saviour whom we then put on when his Spirit Counsells Grace Mortifications shine in our Soul actions The title of a good Christian Philothea should besides the name import a conformity in Life with CHRIST that Character of the Crosse whereby in the laver of our Spirituall Regeneration we are registred souldiers under the conduct of our Crucified Captain should ever mind us of our profession then made oft since renewed now so eagerly pursued that as our Divine Lord Master with joy marched up towards Hierusalem the place of his Passion encounters his raging persecutours voluntarily offers his body to be beaten on as an anvill his bloud to be powred forth himselfe to become a saving Sacrifice on the Altar of the Crosse so also we should with joy entertain patiently beare all losses crosses desolations which may befall us in our Christian Warfar This was S. Pauls Glory the Perfect joy of S. Francis the Delight of the renowned Martyrs who kissing their chains scourges embracing their Racks singing amidst swords whips flames purchased a coheritance with their glorified JESUS whose partners they were in his bitter sorrows suffrings It is the dignity of a Christian to be thus United to CHRIST nor doth any condition of this life render us more unhappy then want of tribulation Much Felicity makes us forget we are pilgrims to an endless endangers our falling into presumption while relying on present comforts we arm not our selves for ensuing combats by long peace leave our hearts unguarded against assaults of watchfull Enemies whereas the bloud of Martyrs has ever been the encrease of the Church Crosses the preservation strength of Christian Vertues though Summer be the sweetest season yet without cold winters earth would become unhabitable nor can our Souls long savour the sweetnes of piety unless seasoned with contradictiōs which wee neither may nor can escape only can sweeten while with joy courage wee welcom them when sent by Heaven to try our Vertues unite us unto CHRIST Though Expectation diverts not yet it diminishes the sharpness of tribulation which when sudden finds the mind unprovided unable to beare its weight for want of Resolution Lenitive Medicines What if a disease should bereave thee of health rest What if Poverty as an armed Enimie should rush upon Thee What if calumnies should defame degrade or cast thee into prison or banishmēt thou shouldst Philothea now prepare to welcome encounter these crosses with joy that their violence may not overwhelme Thee make thee loose thy Vertue in what thou maist not avoyd As Gods wise providence in governing us leads us to fastens us unto the Crosse so his fatherly Love will ever temper its severity render it easy delightfull Savage beasts will be smitten by their keepers 't is God that strikes thee it were rebellion to murmur or fly he has appointed their weight to the last dram for ends known to himfelfe none cā add or take thence onely our constancy love can make them light pleasant Although God be in himselfe immutable yet for our tryall he doth not always visit us after the same manner if He comes as a Iudge condemns us to suffer 't is much less then our sins deserve that a moments sorrow may expiate the enormous sins of an Age that thou maist become like him upon his Cross nigh him in his glory if as a tender Father t is to chastise us now that we perish not for ever if as an Espous of Bloud with a Cross in one hand the other pointing to his wounded heart 't is to show thy heart must be peirced too with the sword of tribulation if as a Friend suspending the influences of his comforting graces t is to try if thy heart be sound not loveing his crowns more then his crosses or his comforts more then himselfe Tribulations too are the cures of our sick minds though the body be sound the Soul may be distempred with pride incontinency envy idleness or the like 't is a rare spirit that has no disease no physick like an adversity If thy heavenly Physitian sends this to humble thy heart to make the continent meek or diligent in thy duty make him welcome be cheerfull in that sad state having thy Eie fixt on thy Exemplar the great weight of merit glory which it will work in the patient resigned heart Every bird can sing in a cleer heavē but that is most cōmendable which is merryest in a shower to stand silent before Herod or be joyfull in desolation is the property of a true Christian Study therefor Philothea ever to have a cleare spirit amidst tribulations thy righteousness will comfort Thee Gods glory will attend thee after this minute of pain an eternity of joy will crown thee AFFECTION O God how high yet how low is the State of Christian Perfection as Thou My Crucified Lord art God
God as a sheep that is lost seek thou thy servant I will not be unmindfull of thy commandements RESOLUTION I will not only henceforth mortify the senses of my body but the passions of my mind also that with my heart as well as lips I may honour glorifie my Saviour And I will stricktly examine every motion of my sensuall appetite that I may discover its maladies order its affections prevent those disquiets which my Passions have hitherto raised in Me That My beloved may say to Me Thou art a Garden of delights inclosed a spring shut up a fountain sealed THIRD POINT Mortification the property of a Christian CONSIDERATION COnsider That by means of this Mortification of our senses passions we are placed in a degree of perfection above beasts who being voyd of reason seek their content happinesse in sensuall delights therefor those carnall hearts which still wallow in the puddle of earthly pleasures following the allurements of sensible objects the disorders of their own passions degenerate into beasts Wheras Mortification is the speciall badg property of a true Christian Man who living according to reason grace crucifies the flesh with its concupiscences thereby belongeth to Christ But especially this perfect mortification of our sensuall appetites is the proper Companion true signet of the solitarie soul who retyring from worldly conversation obliges her selfe to imitate JESUS CHRIST in his sufferings to follow the stepps of the most zealous Christians of all Ages by resisting the irregular desires of sensualitie that the flesh may obey the spirit our spirit the Will of God for the Sanctification of the whole Man If therefor Philothea Thy senses passions have hitherto been loosly kept strayed after inordinate satisfactions now thou must have a watchfull care over them fasten them to the Crosse of Mortification promptly joyfully frequently perseverently universally that as all have been Ministers of vncleanesse they may also be promoters of pyety thy Eies in contemplating thy Crucifyed Redeemer reading holy bookes thy Eares in harkning to devout sermōs thy Tongue in prayer pious discourses thy Hands in performing good works thy Feet in visiting holy places thy whole body in bearing patiētly the miseries of this mortall Life undergoing acts of pennance for satisfaction of past prevention of new sins so contrary to thy Christian profession the great design now in hand AFFECTION I acknowledg my Dearest Lord that through thy precious bloud I am regenerated from my sinfull state sanctifyed to Christian holy duties strongly fortifyed agaynst the corrupted inclinations of my own sensualitie outward charms of earthly delights yet Alas how oft how vilely have I transgressed thy commands my own promises to be one of thy flock to become a mortified Christian to abandon all worldly contents suffer whatever austerities tribulations rather then to loose any part in Thee thy blessed Kingdome prepared for Me But thou O Lord art sweet mild aboundest with Mercies Have Mercy upon me O God have mercy upon me for my soul hath trusted in Thee RESOLUTION I will take a speciall View of all abuses committed through immortification of my senses passions consider all my evill Inclinations where at what time towards what Objects I am aptest to comply with them I will waryly watch over all my waies prevent dangers undertake such Mortifications as may keep my heart closse to my God stedfast in the observance of his Holy Commandements strengthen me O Lord with thy grace My Appetite shall be subject to Me I shall have power over it THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Dammages incurrd by Immortification AS the Love of God ioyned with selfe Contempt builds up the Citty of God in us so selfe Love reaching to the contempt of Gods holy Commandements that of Satan This Selfe-love is the First Mover in the sphear of the unmortifyed soul of all the passions of our sensualitie whence proceed all those calamities of sinfull desires the following disorders which restlesly warr agaynst Gods spirit in Us heavyly presse Us down even agaynst our Wills to those Miseries we now groan under long to be freed from Our first Parents complying with an Immoderate Appetite of the fruit of one forbiddē Tree amongst so many thousand excellent Ones allowed by Almighty God for their Use pleasure notwithstanding Gods severe prohibition under payn of his high dispeasure a tedious life forrowfull death all those penalties which daily draw so many teares from our Eies sighs from our hearts has brought Gods heavy wrath upon themselves us all those Rebellions of sensualitie Errours in understanding difficulties in obeying that torrent of cares sorrows which continually afflict our spirits yet We still add to our Miseries by an over-ready sideing with these our unruly passions Appetites What grater mishapp can befal a Soveraign Prince then to be deposed his Throne spoyled of his royall Prerogatives dignity to be banisht forth his own Dominiōs Thus it is with us now Each one of us had a peacefull kingdom within himselfe was Supream Lord therein in his Originall state No sooner did selfe Love creep in to our hearts seduce the powers of the soul to prefer sensualitie to reason Justice but God permits our Passions to overrun us tyrannize within us whence arise those varieties of Concupiscences boylings roulings of our affections Love Hatred Hopes Feares those numberlesse disquiets which torture our unmortifyed spirits He takes from us the safeguard of Justice Innocency whereby we are become unable to governe our hearts in the flight of evill pursuance of approved Good And we are banisht forth that Paradice which was the seat of our Earthly happinesse the Image of the heavenly are here condemn'd through sweats sighs Innumerable sorrows to weare out an anxious painfull Life These be the Miseries we have incurr'd Philothea through Immortification of our senses passions are still increased in us by giving reynes to our heady disorderly sēsualitie as we dayly experience in the misgovernment of our lives actions which certainly none can seriously consider without an extream horrour confusion Thou must therefor earnestly endeavour to suppresse all inordinate suggestions desires of flesh bloud through consideration of the great humiliation bitter sorrows the eating one forbidden Aple cost the Son of God The severe prohibitions God has made against unlawfall concupiscences his cōmands that we mortify our carnall appetites crucify our flesh chastise our bodies hate deny our selves The Examples of all the Saints Lovers of solitude the great dammages we have already still may incurr by consenting to our vicious affections Then by examining what passions abound most in Thee how thou maist timely prevent dangers of raising
separate the One from the Other As God caused the brightness of Christs tranfigur'd body on Mount Thabor which signifies the cleerness cheerfulness of our Spirit in holy actions so also he caused that darkness which o'respred the earth whilst CHRISTS body was disfigur'd on Mount Calvarie whereby is represented the droughts of a Soul in this state of spirituall desolation Wherefor behave thy felfe very cautiously in the pursuance of Christian perfection so that whither thou hast a feeling of piety or whither God for reasons known to himselfe deprives Thee thereof keep the same Evenness of heart constancy in thy duties during both States still multiplying acts of Love renewing thy purposes resigning thy selfe to Gods decrees concerning Thee following the direction of his Holy Spirit under whose conduct thou art now become conformable to thy sufferring Espous Imagine therefor that JESUS CHRIST has nayled Thee to this Cross through the great Love he has towards Thee to the end thou flyest not from him abandon the charge he has taken of thee or quitt thy customary duties that he may behold thy conflicts harken to thy mournfull sights supplications may more readily infuse spirituall helps wherefor humbly open thy heart to him disclosing all thy wants weakness advise also with some prudent person whom thou hast chosen for thy Guid follow his counsells punctually ever closeing with an entire Resignation to his sacred Will who thus Visits Thee COLLOQUIE What hast thou done My Innocent Lord that thou art thus severely treated Thy body is covered with wounds thy bloud streams forth from every part thy hands feet are nailed to the Cross thy head is crowned with thorns thy heart is peirced with a speare thy Soul fild to the brim with desolation when thou cryedst My God My God why hast thou forsaken Me Oh what Love what Mercy is here I have sinned the Son of God is smitten Oh rather let me fuffer who have provoked thy wrath Whither I feel the sweetness of thy comfortable presence or thou dost permit Anxieties to oppresse my spirit I will equally love Thee obey thy will And I will blesse God at all times his prayses shall ever be in my lips because he will be my Salvation in the day of sorrow SECOND DISCOURSE Phìlotheas Choyce HAving thus prosperously Philothea though with much difficulty in thy ten daies Voyage to Perfection passed through thy holy Solitude arrived to Mount Calvarie there found thy Crucifyed Lord the Author Exemplar Finisher of all Perfection repose thy selfe with joy under the shade of the Crosse offring up thy heart to him to be united with his by Love made conformable to his Will in all thy affections actions saying Behold I have gone far flying from the World its Vanities made my habitation in the Wilderness Under his shadow whom my Soul desireth will I sett This is my Resting place for ever ever here will I dwell because I have chosen it O blessed Flight O pleasant Repose O Divine Choyce whereby thy Soul will become a stranger to the Earth where she lives freely converse with God whom she loves Then make a breife review of thy ten daies Retirement See whither thou hast that value of Solitude its Entertainments which the perfectiō thereof deserveth And what inclinations thou hast to persever therein whither thou hast a cordiall apprehension of thy Sinfull State the Means God has established for thy salvation Whither thy Passions be any thing abated thy heart unchayned from Creatures that it may joyfully Fly to God Whither thou hast a perfect Calme in thy Soul canst Give eare to the whisperings of thy heavenly Espous beest every way fitted to take thy Repose in God And lastly whither thou hast a hearty resentement of the suffrings of thy Crucifyed Lord a willingness to Imitate him in his bitter seperations a desire to be wholly united to him in that sad ignominious state for unless thy heart be now united ūto that of JESUS suffring thou maist not hope hereafter to be united unto thy JESUS triumphing Fix thy Eie therefor steadily upon thy soveraign Lord bleeding dying upon the Cross thereby draw a Coppy in thy own heart by his wounded feet order thy affections by his peirced hands rectify thy actions by his crowned head purify thy thoughts by his opened side regulate thy Love by his sorrowfull Soul draw in thine the picture of Compassion imitation That for ever after the life of JESUS may be made manifest in Thee COLLOQUIE Behold here O Victorious Saviour of Men Angels my languishing sighing heart earnestly sueing to become One with Thee transformed into the likeness of thy love-wounded heart dying to all things but Thee that henceforth Thou onely maist live in me I for ever in Thee without being seperated from Thee O Amiable Union O delicious Transformation O Divine Life Oh that thou wouldest deep engrave in my heart the Image of thy Cross all thy suffrings thereon that as a bundle of myrrhe they may ever lay in my bosom by a perpetuall Memory of thy Love therein towards Me. To Thee therefor doe I now for ever sacrifize my whole heart to be wounded with the darts of thy ever flaming love that all my Affections Actions Thoughts Desires Ioyes may be ordred by Thee begin from Thee end in Thee O Endless End and Abysse of all Happiness Amen FINIS MEDITATIONS UPON THE PASSION For every day of the week SVNDAY Washing of the Feet CONS 1. Who washeth God thy Creatour Redeemer giver of all good things 2. Whose feet he washeth of ignoble persōs great sinners his own betrayer 3. Why he washeth to give example of meekness teach us to cleanse our Soul ere we approach his Altar Affect Oh my JESU that I could love thee all creatures as I ought thou desirest Resolve To practise the Vertue of Charitie shun Envie in occasions best known to thy self MVNDAY Prayer in the garden CONS 1. How CHRIST prayeth kneeling prostrate with instancy thou how tipid 2. What 's his prayer That his Chalice may passe yet with resignation to obey his Fathers will doe thou pray thus 3. How he sweats bloud in great drops in great sorrows wilt thou rely on thy own strength Affect Oh my JESU that I could hūble my self to Thee all creatures for thee Resolve To practise Humilitie shun Pride c. TWESDAY Mocking before Herod CONS 1. How JESUS betrayed apprehended manicled is led to Annas Caiphas Pilate Herod Follow him in this sorrowfull Pilgrimage 2. How He is every where falsly accused yet is silent be silent too when injur'd 3. How before Herod he is cloathed mocked as a Foole if thou beest a Christian imitate CHRISTS self-denyall Affect Oh my JESU that I could contemn my own will for thy sake Resolve To practise Self-denyall shun self-love c. WEDNESDAY Whipping at the Pillar CONS 1. How JESUS led back to Pilate is there accused as a Blasphemer Seducer Traitor Barabbas though a Murderer is perfer'd before him canst repine when vilifyed 2. How that Innocent Body unclothed bound to the Pillar is whipt for thy sins I sin Thow suffrest 3. How barbarously those Soldiers treat thy JESUS Oh cruelly this he suffers for the Bath thy heart in his saving bloud Affect Oh my JESU that I could bear all Crosses from all persons for the love of Thee Resolve To practise Patience shun Anger c. THVRSDAY Crowning with Thorns CONS 1. How JESUS thus bleeding is crownd with sharp Thorns this Crown is instead of a Crown of Glory 2. How they cloath him in scarlet put a reed in his hand for a Scepter then kneeling deride Him Thou art a King indeed reign for ever in my heart 3. How JESUS thus adorned is led forth by Pilate shown to the Jewes with Behold á Man O sad Spectacle Yet still they cry Crucify Him Oh the heavy weight of my sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could obey Thee even to loss of life Resolve To practise Obedience shun Sloath c. FRYDAY Carrying the Cross CONS 1. How JESUS thus derided whipped crowned goes forth carrying the Cross whereon he is to be sacrifized for thy Sins 2. What shouts of joy the Jewes make after Him through the streets of Jerusalem thus is Innocency despised 3. How the devout woemen meet bewaile Him thy hard heart sheds not one Teare amidst these sorrows or for thy sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could abandon all sensuall satisfactions for the Love of Thee Resolve To practise Temperance shū Gluttony c. SATVRDAY Crucifying of Iesus CONS 1. How JESUS with much pain shame arrived to Mount Calvary is again uncloath'd thus all his soares are renewed My Sins not blotted out by Repentance shall one day be disclosed to the whole World 2. How they streatch thy JESUS upon the Cross fastnīg him with nayles therunto thē raise him up where he hangs betweē two theeves Oh what ignominy 3. How He there hangs for the space of three houres reviled by Jews Gentiles forsaken by his Disciples drenched with gall vineger peirced to the heart with a speare yet He prays for his Enemies Enter make thy aboade in that love-wounded-Heart Affect Oh my JESU that I could imitate Thee in the purity of thy Life Doctrine Resolve To practise Modesty shun All contrary Therunto c. FINIS
perfections Gods Guifts without due reference to him COLLOQUIE I know acknowledg My Dearest Lord that of our selves we cannot either think or say or doe any thing worthy of thee therfore I will confesse to Thee the only Light strength of my Soul that without Thee I am nothing but Vanity blindnesse Misery unlesse thou do'st prevent me with thy blessings moisten my heart with the dew of thy heavenly Graces I shall be unto Thee like a barren Earth which is without water produce nothing but sin death confusion Alas my Soul flatter not thy selfe for even so it is yet how often hast thou relyed on thy own judgment force abilities for which God hath permitted thee to fall It were much better to acknowledg thy inward weaknesse to Vertue extoll Gods power Mercies in thy poverty that his greatnesse may be exalted in the vilenesse of thy Nothing Grant me O ever blessed Redeemer thy holy Grace but give me also true humility of heart that I may ever think on my own Nothing without Thee so shall the poore needy praise thy Name SECOND DICOURSSE Our Pronenesse to Evill SInce by help only of Gods grace we doe good 't is by our own bad Nature we incline to Evill Had man stood in his originall Innocency his Soul had ever been breathing forth the delicious odours of Morall Divine Vertues wherewith he was then full no sooner doth he withdraw himselfe frō his due Obedience to God but all those Vertues forsake him his Soul all her powers are smutted with sin We loose our right to our heavenly inheritance as a raging Sea having broken its banks we swell with evill inclinations break down all letts of Gods precepts prohibitions run over to all sorts of evill actions however contrary to our Allegiance vnto God Our Reason adorned with Prudence could discerne the Excellency of Vertue dictate all due circumstances of good laudable actions but now by sin it is become dull blind nor can it without new helps above our reach perswade from evill or direct in good Our Will formerly hedgd in with holy Lawes beautifyed with inclinations to Iustice strēgthned by heavenly lights graces was prompt to hearken to obey Gods Call but having lost the safeguard of Justice is weak in resisting sensual allurements ready to comply with every disorderly suggestion of lawlesse passions Our Concupiscence which guarded with Temperance stirrd up our inward Man to follow the prescripts of Reason seeke sweetnesse in laudable vertuous actions rebells against the spirit drawes towards earthly delights leads us captive in the bonds of unlawfull desires And the Irascible power of our Soul which armed with Fortitude helpt us to trample down all obstacles of piety runs now stiffe-neckt against God casts of the yoke of Obedience contemns all threts of his Justice against Violaters of their Divine Covenant These be those heavy shackles Philothea which keep us in the servitude of sin still presse our hearts down to the crimes we loath yet shun not Ah! How oft hast thou felt in thy selfe the weight of thy corrupted Nature How oft plunged in some greivous sin How dull thy spiritt then How black thy thoughts What remorses in thy mind and as one hanging at a small string over a deep lake full of toads serpents how full of terrours feares and yet not in the least sort able to help thy selfe How oft thus through pronenesse to sin Alas neither Rich by their treasures nor the Mighty by their power not the Beautifull by their loving charms can free themselves from this load of sin sinfull desires Nay even all Creatures are become so many snares whereby to entrapp enthrall our hearts whilst Satan by inward temptatiōs presseth us forward to covet them outwardly masketh them with apparent sweenesse to seduce us work our ruine plunging us in sin after sin till we forget there 's a God that sees all That marks all our stepps who will one day call us to an account for all COLLOQUIE O bitter servitude of sin which tyrannizeth in my fleshly members resisting the laws of the immortall Mind holding me captive in the fetters of my concupiscences Ah who will free me from the woefull slavery of my corrupted passions which heavely press me down to sensuall sinfull Desires Only Thou My bountifull Saviour shouldst Thou leave me to my selfe there 's not any sin so enormous into which I might not fall It is thy Mercy O Abysse of Mercies which prevents my stubborn will quells the rage of temptations graciously diverts those occasions which might intice me to offend Thee Oh that thou wouldst break the chaynes which fetter my spirit wouldst fasten my footsteps that I slip not in the way of thy holy Commandements Then will I sacrifize to thee a Sacrifice of praise and rejoyce exult in God my Saviour because he who is powerfull hath done great things for me Amen FOVRTH DAYES VOYAGE Man Repayred by Iesus Christ MORNING EXERCISE FIRST POINT Institution of the Holy Sacrement CONSIDERATION COnsider That having descended into thy selfe there discovered What thou art in thy sinfull state thy Body how Vile thy soul how wretched thy ignorance how great how weake thou art to good how prone to Evill and that now Thou findest thy selfe Philothea faln into the deep lake mentiōed last night full of filth Venom where thou neither seest the light of heavē nor enjoyest comfort frō any freind or quiet in thy mind nor canst hope for releife from any Creature that therein thou art like to sink deeper stick faster abide for ever if Almighty God harkens not clemently to thy woefull cryes and take pitty on thy weaknesse pouerty miserable state God could send an Angel to free thee thence or by his only word set thee at liberty but his love bounty is so great to thee that he sends his own only Son equall to himselfe in Majesty Wisedom Power cloathed in thy Mortality to release thee frō that loathsome Dungeō to wash Thee in his precious bloud to give thee an easy gracious Law to walk by to encourage thee to piety by doctrine Examples to establish Sacramēts for healing thy spirituall soares ulcers at lēgth that he may bestow his whole selfe on Thee in the Holy Eucharist as a Pledg of love whereby to sanctify bind thy heart to him as a Light to guid thee as a Staffe to support thee as a Viaticum to strengthen comfort thee in thy holie Pilgrimage to Perfection In this divine Sacrament is really substantially contained IESUS CHRIST God Man his Divinity which is the fountain of grace good workes glory his Soul full of Wisedome Holinesse his Body conceived of the Holie Ghost in the womb of the Immaculate Virgin his Bloud shed
in his Passion to redeeme Man from the tyranny of sin satan What greater argument of Love could God give to Miserable Man then this then when the Jews sought to destroy him all mankind had abandond him even then to bestow on us not fading honours riches or pleasures but himselfe who is the Maker of the whole world that as a Ransom to discharge us from our Captivity as a Physitian to cure our Spirituall diseases as a Father to protect us as an Espouse to comfort us as the Earnest of his eternall glory what greater bounty then this If the Jews with so great Reverence assisted at offred up their Sacrifices of beasts surely We should with far greater Veneration piety approach to our Altars whereon the living God in our Nature is offred up a Propitiatiō for the sins of the World a Reconciliation between God Man a Source of all blessings of grace glory No sooner does the Priest pronounce those words whereby that Mystery is wrought but the substance of the bread wine is changed into the body bloud of JESUS CHRIST the sensible elements thereof only remaining there he is whole in every part in all places where he is consecrated without division or multiplication in him selfe or departing from the right hand of the Father Certainly Philothea This guift that bounty these wonders wrought for our reparation from our sinfull state should strongly engage our hearts in Loue Duty to God AFFECTION I adore Thee my soveraign Lord hidden in this Divine Mystery acknowledge Thee to be there really present God Man my Redeemer Sanctifyer Glorifyer Alas My God all my Good how little have I hitherto thought on this thy inestimable love bounty to me whereby to releiue me from the slavery of sensuality satan to heale the deep wounds of my sinfull soul fill it with enlivning sanctifying graces what have I returned to God for all these favours bestowed upon me I will approach to Gods Altar with a repentant heart eate there the bread of salvation will call on the Name of God RESOLUTION I will ever have a lively faith towards this Mystery of the Holy Eucharist confirmed to me by CHRISTS own words the authority of Apostles Fathers the consent of all ancient modern Christians united under one supream head CHRISTS Vicar on Earth I will lay open all my wants weaknessesse before my Soveraign Lord here really present confiding in his comforting helps for the freeing my Mind from distractions Will from sinfull affections that I may profitably approach to him eate of that living bread sacrifize my soul to him by abnegation of my will my body by Obedience to Christian Duties SECOND POINT Fruits of the Holie Sacrament CONSIDERATION COnsider That approaching to Gods holy Altar there eating of that repayring fruit of the Tree of life We become like the Sacred Virgin conceiving him in her womb therefor should study to imitate her Humilitie Obedience Faith Charity whereby she was fitted to that great work raised to familiar conferences with JESUS CHRIST which we specially aime at in our holy Retyrement We become also Temples of God therefor our hearts should be Altars whereon to offer up our enflamed thoughts desires admitting no negotiation there but what may tend to the cleansing our souls from evill affections adorning them with divine vertues whereby it may be fitted to entertayn this heavenly Guest Had JESUS CHRIST when on Earth vouchsafed to make his aboade with us as in Bethania with Mary Martha with what solicitude would we have prepared all things befitting his sacred presence that nothing might appear in us undecent or wanting where with to give him a ioyfull welcome The like care should now be had My Philothea especially since he comes here to us in his glorifyed body environed with Angels invisibly present with hands full of blessings to bestow upon us In JESUS CHRIST abides the fulnesse of the Divinity therefor He giving him selfe to us in this heavenlie Manna containing all sweetnesse he gives withall the whole treasury of his heavenly guifts graces whereby the soul is cleansed from veniall sins mortall inculpably forgotten in confession Reason receives cleerer lights of spirituall truths the Will is enflamed to Christiā Duties the Conscience eased Inclinations to evil are weakned our Love to heavenly things strengthned encreased O living food of Angels be thou my Dayly bread fill my soul with thy divine sweetnesse that my conversation may be in heaven by the Imitation of the life of those blessed spirits by hopes of feeding for ever on that bread in the kingdom of thy Father AFFECTION Oh that I might conceive JESUS in my heart by Love bring him forth by performance of his Will then should I truly feed on this bread of Angels But alas too often have I approached Gods Altar with a Spirit full of earthly desires too frequently have I entertaind the great Lord of the world in a soul defiled with sinfull affections tepid in divine Exercises distracted with worldly sollicitudes therefor I still remain dry barren to good actions insensible to the comforting presence of JESUS within me Oh that Gods holy Spirit would overshadow my soul cleanse it from all imperfections enflame it with heavenly loue replenish it with his gracious blessings that it may be a fitt Sanctuary for the Saviour of Men Angels RESOLUTION I will banish forth of my heart whatever may displease my Divine Espouse adorning it with Vertues holy desires whereby it may be prepared to entertain him experiēce the sweetnesse of his comforting presence And I will endeavour that my outward decency in behaviour conversation may testify the inward tranquillity alacrity of my spirit an earnest longing to be One with him Live Thou O JESUS in my soul that I may live by the heat of thy divine flames walk by the light of thy inspirations from Vertue to Vertue till I see Thee my God in thy holy Sion THE THIRD POINT Intention in Communion CONSIDERATION COnsider That if in all actions of this life we study to have a due upright intention this ought then especially to be when we approach to the Holy Sacrament that great proofe of Gods Love to mankind that efficacious means of confirming us in our spirituall life a most assured pledg of our future blessed life above We may not then venture hither of meer custome or for companie sake nor to purchase a vain esteem of holinesse or an encrease of temporall blessings or some spirituall gust or sweetnesse in that great Act of Christian worship No Philothea we must goe to God for God himselfe that our loue to him may be greater our devotions quicker our Spirits stronger in performing the will of our Soveraign Lord and