Wretch Art thou not ashamed to remain still in thy wonted negligences imperfections tepidities to sing still the same sinful song after so many years past over so many iterated Confessions so many received Sacraments and so many good Resolutions made to the contrary Wallowest thou still in the same Mire and lyest thou still snorting in the same Bed of Sensuality O horrid ingratitude If thou wert now summon'd to give up thy just accounts what couldest thou answer for so much time mispent so many inspirations neglected so many graces abused Thou approachest nearer death and Eternity but recoylest backward in religious Piety and Perfection Wilt thou still lie sleeping in this dangerous Lethargy Is this the grateful and dutiful service thou rendrest thy Creator for having afforded thee all convenient means to do Penance and for having so patiently expected thy conversion and amendment Alas my confounded Soul What will become of thee What course wilt thou steer When and how wilt thou begin Ah sinful Wretch Prodigal Child Disloyal friend Sue to thy Physician Return to thy Father Repent thee of thy disloyalty Request pardon grace and love Resolve to do Penance for what is past and to amend for the time to come Yes Lord even this Day this Hour this very Moment will I begin to be a new Creature I renounce all my former follies I renew all my former good Resolutions I consecrate the whole remainder of my life to thy love and service And for this end I will presently leave such Company such Curiosities such Vanities c. and abandon whatsoever holds my heart captive and my Affections enslaved to the prejudice of thy Honour and my Souls perfection I wil willingly undergo such and such difficulties endure such contradictions crosses afflictions and whatsoever thy fatherly hand shall impose upon me O all powerful Creator since thou hast given me the Grace to frame this Resolution give me also the strength and courage to put it in execution Then endeavour to make an act of perfect Contrition which contains 1. A Detestation of your sins past grounded on Gods love and goodness 2. A firm Purpose of Amendment for the future 3. A Confidence in Gods mercy 4. A will to do Satisfaction 5. A total Resignation to the Divine disposition An act of Contrition and Prayer before Confession O My good God! Father of all comfort and compassion Creator of Heaven and Earth and Redeemer of my Soul Behold here a poor Worm prostrate at the feet of thy divine Majestie humbly craving pardon for all his iniquities and impurities I am going O my sweet Lord Jesu to the Tribunal of thy Mercy to present my self before thy Minister and Vice-gerent and there to give thee an exact account of my miserable life by humbly confessing detesting and lamenting all the ingratitudes impieties and spiritual fornications which I have presumed to commit in thy presence with so little respect and for so vile and base ends that the very remembrance thereof breeds an extream Shame Fear and Sorrow in my now sensible and penitent Soul Shame for having left an infinite Good to embrace an empty fading filthy Nothing Fear for having forsaken the light of Heaven and the life of Eternity to temain in eternal death and darkness Sorrow for having offended thee my God who art to me so good so merciful so loving and so liberal Oh! that my heart could rend asunder with true Contrition and Compunction and my Eyes dissolve into a floud of tears for having been disloyal to so faithful a Friend and disobedient to so free-hearted a Father Mercy O dear Father to thy prodigal Child Mercy O good Lord to thy sinful Servant Give to my Understanding Light to see and know my faults to my heart Sorrow to hate and detest them to my eyes Tears to lament and weep bitterly for them and to my mouth so sincere and entire a Confession of them as if it were the first good Confession that I ever made or should be the last Confession that ever I should make which thou only knowest O my all-knowing Lord and Maker I therefore most humbly beseech thee Dear Jesu my Saviour and Redeemer By all thy Pains and Tears by the Prayers of thy most Blessed Mother by the past Sorrows of all Penitents who are now in Heaven secure of their own Salvation and sollicitous of mine encrease my Contrition release my Crimes Pardon O meek Lamb of God who takest away the Sins of the world my past faults pitty my present folly and protect my future frailty that with a clean quiet and contented soul I may strive to please and praise thee all my life-time hereafter and in the end die happily in thy favour and friendship O my crucified Jesu my only hope and refuge bathe me in thy Blood beautifie me with thy Merits bless me with thy Grace By the tears that issued forth of thy Eyes by the Prayers which came forth of thy Mouth by the Blood which gushed forth of thy Wounds and Heart by all the pains of thy Body and pangs of thy Soul by all the mercies of thy Divinity and merits of thy Humanity by all that is dear and near unto thee in Heaven and Earth cleanse quiet cloath comfort and content my sick sinful weak wounded and wretched soul In Confession THen full of confident Humility and humble Confidence cast your self at the feet of your Ghostly Father in whose person you are to consider two Priests the one Visible to whom you speak the other Invisible which is Christ Jesus whose place he represents wherefore honouring them both dreading them both and reverently inclining your head and body to them both begin your Confession in this manner In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Benedicite that is I beg your blessing Which blessing being received you begin your Confiteor either in English or in Latin Though having before recited it in the Examination of your Conscience it is not necessary to repeat it here or you may do well when the want of time and the multitude of other Penitents require hast to abridge your Confiteor thus I confefess unto Almighty God to all the Saints and to you my Ghostly Father that I have exceedingly sinned in Thought Word and Deed through my Fault my Fault my exceeding great Fault Then without impertinent Preambles say I Accuse my self That since my last Confession which was eight days fifteen days or a month ago I have done this omitted this c. Having declared briefly and clearly what you could remember you may thus conclude your Confession For these and all other my Sins and Imperfections I am heartily sorry purpose amendment humbly beg pardon of God and Penance and Absolution of you my Ghostly Father Then bowing down your head and body proceed with Therefore I beseech the blessed Virgin Mary all the Saints and you my Ghostly Father to pray unto our Lord God for me
right And I must must now either give my self to thee or thou must take me unto thy self Not that I aspire to those excellent prerogatives of thy dearest servants No my Lord it sufficeth me to be in the out-rank of thy meanest slaves to be stamp'd with thy mark and link'd fast in thy chains that I may never more have the power to fly from thee O grant me this favour most merciful Father Which thy dear Son hath purchased for me by the price of his death and Passion 3. We Sin of our selves but cannot arise from it without the Divin assistance I Am fall'n without thee by my own frailty but can never hope to rise but by thy mercy O my Lord and only support I am sick without thee but cannot be cured without thee O my heavenly Physician I am dead without thee but can never be reviv'd but by thee O Life of my Soul So true it is that to make me come to thee thou O most gracious Lord God! must first come to me O the admirable goodness of my loving Lord Even this little I am doing is rather thine own work than mine 'T is thou O my Lord who puttest Repentance into my soul Desires into my heart Sighs into my breast Confession into my mouth Prayer into my lips Remorse into my memory Resolution of amendment into my will 'T is thou O gracious God! who chiefly actest all this good in me by me and for me O my All do then all in me what thou desirest And particularly overwhelm I beseech thee my whol interiour with perfect Contrition not coming from a slavish and servil fear but from a faithful and filial love Grant me a true and intire grief for having offended thee not because of thy Promises or Threats but because thou art in thy self good amiable adorable and worthy all love and honour 4. How great an Evil it is to destroy Gods Grace in our Souls by Sin OR if mercenary interest do yet more move thee as surely it seems to bear the greatest sway with thee my sensual and sinful Soul For how hainously dost thou take a small injury how deeply dost thou resent a little disgrace the loss of a dear friend of health of honour or the like temporal and perishable commodities O whence is it then that thou so little apprehendest thy loss of Grace and thy eminent imminent danger of eternal Damnation Is it a small matter to be Gods Enemy To lose the good will of Heaven To destroy Gods Image To cut up life root branch To side with the accursed Devils thy Creators sworn Enemies To hatch Treason and enter Conspiracie with the damned Yea and to kill as much as in thee lies him who by his own death gave thee life O brutal and unnatural ingratitude Surely the annihilating of Heaven Earth Angels Men and all Nature cannot be compar'd with this malicious evil and wilfull destruction of thy grace O Lord in my Soul Since the least degree of a higher order surpasses the highest degree of the lower order O eternal God! What a Monster have I been in Grace what a prodigie in Nature who have so little car'd to commit such enormous Crimes But O my Lord I will even now change my life I here detest all Sin I make a firm purpose of amendment I have a full confidence in thee my Creator a good will to do satisfaction and a total resignation to thy Divine pleasure 5. The root and source of all our Sins is our perverted Will. I Am the woful Criminal O just Judg of my Soul and I will be also the accuser and witness the Advocate and Executioner in this Tribunal I summon you therefore O detestable Pride O abominable Envy O execrable Avarice O beastly Lubricity and all you accursed crew of Sins how long will you reign on earth how long will ye dispeople Gods inheritance who brought you in amongst Gods Children 'T is the perverted Will of man O dread Soveraign which hath don all these mischiefs Rectifie O my Lord I beseech thee this my crooked Will and murther these horrible monsters in me and grant that I may henceforth rather expose my body to a thousand Deaths than my Soul to deadly Sin Thy Saints will rejoice O God! at my amendment and thy Angels will make a Feast but thy own resentment of joy will be infinite because thy love is infinite which goes hand in hand with thy Essence and comprehends all Love in supream eminency I will therefore expect from thee O heavenly Father the exact remembrance from thee my Redeemer the perfect knowledg from thee O holy Spirit a true repentance and from thee O Sacred Trininity an intire Absolution and plenary Indulgence from all my Iniquities 6. Our greatest Sorrow is not equivalent to the greatness of our Sins THe grief I feel for my past Offences the hatred I have against each Sin at this present and the resolution I make to avoid all iniquity for the future are not equivalent in me to their enormity and hainousness I therefore humbly crave O holy Lord God! that thou wilt accept thy own hatred against Sin for that which I should and would have and instead of the Sorrow I want I offer that of thy Son my sweet Redeemer with the Sacrifice of his immaculate Life and innocent death And since I cannot be impeccable by Nature O my Lord nor dare presume to ask to be so by Grace give me leave to prostrate my self before thy infinite bounty and clemency and to beg by the merits of Jesus Christ thy dear Son and by the desires of thy essential love the blessed holy Ghost that though I may not be impeccable yet I may never sin more and if I must somtimes Sin through my frailty yet I may never Sin mortally This I desire O Lord this thou demandest this thou commandest O give me what thou commandest and command me what thou pleasest 7. An Act of perfect Contrition which is elsewhere repeated as being of great efficacy O My good Lord Jesu who art the Lord of my Life and shouldst be the love of my Soul did I not like an ungracious and ungrateful wretch give my heart sell my affection to fond frail filthy and fading Creatures and comforts which are so far from affording me either quiet of Mind peace of Conscience purity of Soul or perfection of Spirit which my obligation and vocation require of me that they leave me nothing but trouble confusion and remorse with a world of dismal and desperate thoughts violent passions and vicious inclinations Amidst all which disorders I find no other refuge nor remedy than to return to thee my true Center to convert my self to thee my Soverain Creator To cast my self at thy sacred feet my sweet Lord Jesu and there with an humble and contrite spirit to sue for Mercy Remission Reconciliation O Heavenly Father I confess and acknowledg my ingratitude treachery rebellion And I am
reflect upon my sinful life I tremble at deaths memory and approach But O dear Jesu when I consider thy infinit merits and mercies I am comforted I become confident and I remain content to dy whensoever it shall be thy good pleasure because thou being my God sufferedst Death to give me eternal Life 10. How long art thou content to ly languishing in Sickness and after death to remain punished in Purgatory Even as long as it shall please thee my Lord and Lover for in Sickness in Death and after death I wholly resign and abandon my self to thy sacred Will and Disposition 11. 1. Have I not been bountiful liberal and loving to thee 2. Hast thou well requited this my love and liberality 3. What thanks dost thou give me 4. At least what do I deserve from thee O my Lord Thy Liberality Mercy Goodness and Love to me thy most ungrateful Vassal hath been excessive immense unmeasurable and alas I have never requited the least of thy benefits by any faithful service fervent affection or sincere gratitude But now O my Royal Benefactor behold I here 1. render thee all the humble thanks benedictions and praises I am able 2. I heartily wish it were in my power to praise honour and love thee with that purity fervor and affection as thou deservest and I desire 3. Since I know my self to be altogether uncapable to pay what I owe thee therefore I beseech thee to pay thy self out of thy own infinit stock of mercy and thy Sons immense treasure of merits 4. Thy self O my Soverain Lord God! is thy own praises and this I offer up unto thy divin Majesty 12. How much did I suffer on the Cross 2. For whom 3. What moved me to it 4. What did I thirst after in dying and crying Sitio 5. Compare thy pains with mine is there any proportion 6. Will not all this move thee to suffer a little Sickness and Death for me O my dear Redeemer I am not able to conceive much less to express the dismal torments thou enduredst at thy Death 2. Yet I know it was all to Redeem Sinners and my self in particular 3. And the only motive was the great affection thou hadst to save my soul that I might Love Praise and Enjoy thee eternally 4. I believe thy Thirst was after my love and salvation 5. And I wish that mine may be after thy only Love and Honour 6. In thanksgiving for all which thy love favours and benefits and because thou art my God I absolutly resign my self to suffer and die when how and where it shall please thy divin Majesty 13. But what if thou art not of the number of my Elect and that out of my severe Justice I should send thee into Hell fires O my God! I remit my self wholly to thee and were I assured of that fearful Separation from thee yet I would still endeavour to love thee serve thee and adhere to thee during this my pilgrimage on earth with all possible diligence sincerity and fidelity 14. Dost thou not much desire in dying to have the fruit of the Sacraments and the presence and Prayers of thy Ghostly Father and of my holy Church This O my dear Lord is my most hearty desire but I prefer thy blessed Will before both I care not how suddenly Death may seize on me so it finds me not unprovided All this which is by me spoken and answer'd to my Lord and Savior with perfect use of Sence and Judgment I will by his divin Grace never revoke or deny where and howsoever I lead and end my life Of all which I take for witness my Lord God himself in whose presence I am and the whol Court of Heaven humbly offering up these my desires intentions and resolutions to the Throne of the divin mercy to be there ratifi'd confirm'd and perfected by the merits of my dear Redeemer Christ Jesus and by the intercessions of his and my blessed Mother Mary and heartily begging the assistance of the whol Church both Militant and Triumphant for the full and perfect performance thereof Blessed be my God for ever Amen Protestations to be made by the Sick Person either Vocally if he be able or els Mentally being distinctly read and suggested unto him ✚ In the Name of the Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost I N. wretched and miserable sinner do Protest before Almighty God who sees the secrets and sincerity of my heart before you my good Angel and all the Court of Heaven and also before you my Ghostly Father and Friends here present 1. That I have a firm constant and setled will and desire to die in the true Catholick Faith and Church wherein all the Saints are departed understanding and believing all the Articles of my Faith in that sense and meaning which my holy Mother the Catholick Church the Spouse of Christ and Pillar of truth hath and doth propose them to be understood and believed 2. Also I protest that I do with all my heart and soul detest all the sins of my life past humbly beg pardon for all my Commissions against God my Neighbour my self in Thought Word and Deed and for all my Omissions in observing the precepts of God and his Church the Rule and Constitutions of my Profession the works of mercy either spiritual or corporal as also for having abus'd the Sacraments refus'd Gods grace rejected his inspirations neglected his vocations been careless in the custody of my heart and senses scandalous in my life and manners tepid in tending to perfection and generally for all my sins scandals disedifications and for whatsoever I have any way offended my Creators divin Majesty and goodness Humbly beseeching him by his own infinit Mercy by the Merits of my dear Saviour Christ Jesus by the Intercession of the powerful Virgin Mary and by the Prayers of all the Angels and Saints that he will be pleased to supply all the defects of my Sacramental Confessions and that now at last he will furnish me with grace and strength to produce this one Act of true and sincere Contrition O my God! be merciful unto me a Sinner In the pronunciation whereof I could be content my heart would break asunder with grief and sorrow for having offended so infinitly amiable a Lord and Lover 3. Also I protest that I do heartily forgive all such as have ever any way offended hurt or injur'd me and that I most humbly crave pardon of all them whom I have any way knowingly or ignorantly offended hurt injur'd in words in deeds or by my bad example offering my self ready to make them full and ample satisfaction to the utmost of my power 4. Also I protest that I am altogether uncapable to render worthy thanks to the divin Majesty for his infinit favours blessings and benefits from time to time in general and in particular bestow'd upon me his undeserving unworthy and ungrateful Servant wherefore I do beseech the blessed Virgin my
name of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Monks Heremites Virgins Widows and all the Saints of Paradise Let thy place be this day in peace and thy habitation in the holy Sion O God of infinit Goodness Clemency and Sweetness who art graciously pleased out of the greatness of thy Mercy to pardon repentant Sinners Behold this thy poor creature with the Eyes of thy wonted pity and compassion and grant him the general pardon which he most heartily desires and we most humbly beg for him O Lord redress the losses repair the breaches remit the offences which he hath contracted through human frailty or diabolical temptation and let this Member for whom thou hast mercifully spilt thy sacred Blood be happily united to the body of thy holy Church We recommend you our dear Brother or Sister to Almighty God and remit you to his care and custody whose creature you are hoping that when you shall have paid to nature the Tribute of Death you shall return to him who is the Authour of your Life And we most humbly and heartily beseech his Divin Majesty that at the instant of your Souls departure out of its imprisoning body the heavenly Quires of Angels may receive it the holy Colledg of Apostles may meet it the triumphant Martyrs may accompany it the glorious Confessors Virgins Widows and all the celestial Citizens may joyfully conduct it to the happy vision and fruition of sweet Jesus in his eternal Kingdom O Divine Jesu The Lord of our lives and the love of our Souls We beseech thee by that ardent Charity which mov'd thee to become man for us By the price of thy Blood which thou pouredst forth for us and by the merits of thy Death and Passion which thou enduredst for us that thou wil◠be graciously pleased to let thy goodness mercy and pity appear in the person of this thy poor servant who is now summoned to leave this world and to come before thee his dread Judg and Soveraign Dispose his Soul Dear Jesu and prepare it for this great trial Suffer it not to quit its Body without a true and hearty contrition for its Sins and a faithful and filial conversion to thee its Saviour Visit him clear him and comfort him with that efficacious grace wherewith thou art wont to purifie justifie and sanctifie repentant Sinners Deal with him in mercy O sweet Redeemer as thou didst with the good Thief and encourage his languishing heart with the like cheering words This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise At the very time as near as may be guessed of the souls departure out of the body say Subvenite Sancti Dei c. As in the Roman Ritual ¶ XI Some devout Prayers for the Souls departed A Prayer to God the Father for the Soul newly departed O Eternal Father whose nature is goodness and whose work is mercy cast thy compassionate Eyes upon the poor Soul of this our departed Brother or Sister N. or upon the poor Souls suffering in Purgatory and remembring it to be thy own creature redress its miseries remit its punishments release it from its imprisonment Receive O gracious Soveraign the superabundant sufferings of thy Son Jesus for a full satisfaction of thy divine Justice and for his dear sake pardon this thy poor servants past impieties forget his frailties and cancel all his omissions commissions and ingratitudes I humbly acknowledg Great Lord of Heaven and Earth that if thou lookest only upon his deserts he must needs be a long time the object of thy severe Anger and Rigour but if in Mercy thou wilt be pleas'd to look upon Jesus his Redeemer and to apply to him the merits of his bitter Death and Passion thou wilt soon free him from all his miseries and bring him to the enjoyment of thy eternal Felicity O my God! That I were capable to satisfie thy Divine Justice in the behalf of this poor Soul for whom I now petition thy Mercy how willingly would I exact in my own person that which detains him in Purgatory And though my unworthiness may hinder this desired effect yet such is thy Goodness O my gracious Soveraign as that I may hope to have my will accepted my petition granted and this poor Soul pardoned succoured delivered and speedily admitted to praise love and honour thy sacred Majesty with the rest of thy celestial Citizens for evermore To Christ Jesus O Jesu the Saviour of our Souls whose inclination to do good to poor Mankind is so great that thou often pressest him to ask and promisest to grant his petitions Receive I beseech thee this Prayer which I most humbly present to thy Throne of Mercy in behalf of this my departed Brother or Sister the Souls suffering in Purgatory Remember O most compassionate Redeemer that it is a Thing bought with thy Blood design'd to thy Glory intended to be a Co heir with thee in thy heavenly Kingdom Look upon it sweet Jesu as the noble conquest of thy Cross and the sacred Trophee by thy powertorn out of the Devils clutches and as such a thing afford it some solace in its sufferings and free it from those flames fetters and prisons which hinder it from enjoying that Glory whereunto thy Mercy hath predestinated it which thy Passion hath purchased and which thy Goodness hath prepared for it If the tears of Mary and Martha did so pierce thy tender Heart that they obtained the raising of their dead Brother Lazarus out of his Sepulchre Be not less favourable and flexible O dear Saviour to these my sighs tears and prayers which I now pour forth before thee for the Soul of my departed Brother or Sister Speak only the word O all powerful Redeemer N. come forth of those Flames and Purgatory will render thee a most prompt Obedience and the delivered Soul will eternally magnifie thy Mercies To the glorious Virgin Mother I Most humbly salute thee Great Queen of Heaven and Earth Glorious Mother of JESVS Powerful Advocatrix of Mankind and compassionate Comfort of the afflicted These blessed Titles embolden me thy unworthy servant to beg thy prayers for the poor Soul of my departed Brother now suffering as I probably both fear and hope in the place of Purgatory and to petition thee that thou wilt be pleased to employ the Power the Priviledg and the Friendship thou hast with thy dear Son my Saviour in his behalf and for his release comfort and pardon O Great and Glorious Virgin Mother Consider this suffering Soul as by thy Son redeemed and by thy self beloved and since thou hast interest in the salvation and joy of the Souls purchased with the price of thy Sons precious Blood take pity upon this Soul longing to behold thy Son and thy self in Glory and to sing forth Divine praises with the blessed Saints for all eternity To S. Joseph O Faithful Steward of Gods sacred Family Worthy Guardian of Jesus and Mary Great and Glorious S. Joseph Permit me to make my most
how ardent are my wishes that all things that have a being would more glorifie thee more highly exalt thy holy Name more zealously seek thy honour and more religiously respect and reverence thy Majesty O that thy glory were infinitly greater in heaven and earth O that all created liberties were more perfectly addicted to thy Love and all Spirits had a clearer knowledg of thy incomparable goodness excellency and amability And yet how highly doth it please me that all that which the best of creatures can endeavour to do for thy Love and Service is so far inferiour to thy essential worth and dignity Live my dread Soveraign Be thou what thou art Infinit Eternal Incomprehensible Remain O powerful Emperour of the whol universe for ever exalted upon the Throne of thine own greatnesses and glories I love thee in them all and each of them in thee as if I were all one with thee they all mine own and I equally concern'd in them all 2. The same Charity wherewith we love God induceth us to love all his Creatures our Neighbours and our Selves I Love all things O my Lord in thee and for thee Thy Creatures are the products of thy power they are so many bright beams issuing from thy bounty they are under thy dominion and jurisdiction thy proper goods and possessions and appurtenances to thy glory Lord I admire adore praise and love thee in all and every of them My Neighbour is yet a neerer shadow of thy goodness O divine Creator a livelier Image of thy greatness thy own adoptive child bought at the dear purchase of thy precious bloud and designed to be partaker of thy heavenly Paradise O shall it ever enter into my heart to hate or offend any one of these thy lovely creatures Is it possible I can truly love thee My Lord and my God! and loath that soul which is stamp'd with thy sacred similitude intended for thy greatest glory and predestinated to chant forth thy eternal praises amongst the blessed quires of Saints Angels Ah! how can that body which shal be one day resuscitated to heavenly bliss imbellisht with glorious dowries of immortallity be now odious unto me aiming at the like happiness No my Lord I love my Neighbours most truly tenderly particularly in thee and for thee I will henceforth cherish them all for thy sake and contract a durable peace with them Be they vicious envious ugly ulcerated they are still my fellow Brethren and thy lovely creatures and therefore fit objects of my affection Confirm me O my God! in this ample and diffuse charity O let all my joy and complacency all my wishes and desires in loving them drive at the only glory of thy infinit goodness And now O my Lord and Lover reflecting my Charity upon my own Soul I most humbly beseech thee that I may henceforth so truly love my own eternal welfare as never more to adventure the loss of thy grace by the admittance of wilful sin Imprint O my God this important resolution with indelible characters in my heart Never to sin wilfully in thy sight were it to save the whol World or to gain Heaven to a million of souls much less to please any earthly friend or purchase any temporal commodity Ah unequal chang Ah poor return of profit to win a world and lose my own soul 3. Three effects of Charity 1. It makes us truly love our Selves 2. It contracts a friendship with God 3. It is the form of all other Virtues THou hast no where expresly enjoyned me to love my Self O great Master of Perfection because to love thee seek thee serve thee perfectly purely punctually is to love my Self solidly truly unfainedly These loves O my Soul cannot be the least separated thou lovest thy Self really when thou lovest thy God intirely thou hatest thy Self absolutly when thy love hath not his goodness for its object Dost thou not then hate thy Self when thou hazardest thine own Salvation Dost thou love thy Self when by voluntary sin thou leav'st thy self in danger of eternal Death and Damnation Dost thou love thy Body when thou pamper'st it and permittest such pleasures as must be paid with perpetual punishments O fals feigned and foolish affection which tends to thy own ruine and destruction No my Lord 't is thy only Love which is the true model of Self-love O let masked and mistaken Charity never more betray me let me love my self in loving thee serving thee obeying thee renouncing all proper contentment and desiring thy only satisfaction If you love me saith the Lord of Love you will keep my Laws and if you fulfil my precepts you are my friends O sublime Dignity to contract friendship and familiarity with the King of Glory O divine Promotion How highly are thy friends honoured O heavenly Monarch How firmly is their Principality established Wilt thou not O my Soul court cherish and covet this sacred Charity which procures thee such inestimable nobility pleasure and profit Ah silly Worldlings what do you what seek you what pretend you After all your pains what is your pay at the best but a little pelf a puff of honour a name at Court a favour from a King a friendship with an Emperour and what is in all these that is not frail and full of danger Ah! how long will you sweat in these unsure and unsatisfying persuits when as to be Gods friend and favorite I am so if I will even at this very instant O the heavenly prerogative of perfect Charity 'T is thou alone O glorious Charity which givest unto Virtues their true form life value worth denomination and perfection since thou guidest them all unto God who is the end whereto they are to be referred and to his glory for which they are to be practised to make them truly Virtues To thee therefore O King of my heart I dedicate my works to thee O my Soveraign good my only end and sweet center I consecrate all my future endeavours I will not now live but to love thee not breath but to bless thee not have any being at all but to be all thine All I shall do think speak during the whol residue of my days is design'd to thy glory I give up tree branches leaves flowers fruit all to this only end by an entire irrevocable and eternal Donation Whatsoever shall hereafter happen contrary to this my resolution I here protest in thy presence O my God! to be a meer surprisal and altogether involuntary And therfore now for then utterly disavow it and chuse thee embrace thee aim at thee O my blessed Creator as the final period of all my Faith Hope Love Actions Intentions and Pretensions whatsoever 4. The habit of Charity may daily encrease during this life O Unlimited Virtue of which a Soul is by so much the more capable and susceptible by how much she hath thee in a higher perfection How passionatly doth my heart desire the increase of thee O my Lord I ask thee
Lord God! who ever accompaniest thy Judgments with Equity and accomplishest all thy works with prudence and perfection grant unto me thy poor servant here prostrate before thy tribunal of infinit Majesty a competent portion of this most exquisit and necessary Virtue O let it be still present at all my proceedings assistant to all my resolutions and chief president over all my counsel that being by it powerfully sway'd instructed and directed I may know how when where to act omit consult judg order and execute wisely uprightly discreetly undauntedly all that which is conformable to thy divine will and liking O thrice happy they who have attain'd the perfection of this amiable Virtue My Soul submits to thee O sacred Prudence as to her directing Mistress and commanding Queen that by thy safe conduct she may pass onward in the holy track of true piety advance daily in the practise of all solid virtues and arrive finally at thee O my God! my eternal bliss and beatitude the only end and aim of all her hopes and endeavours 2. The Parts of Prudence Prudence must have eight parts to make it perfect Memory Vnderstanding Docility Subtility Reason Providence Circumspectioo Precaution AH my poor Soul how far art thou from solid Wisdom since thou art destitute of all the requisit qualities and conditions Thou O Divine and undrainable fountain of all knowledg who frely openest the veins of Wisdom to them who humbly confess their own indigence and heartily implore thy heavenly assistance Distill I beseech thee these several rivulets into my imprudent indiscreet and ignorant spirit that I may be more capable upon all occasions to discern between verity and vanity and distinguish good from evil that so making Virtue the sole measure of all my desires and doings my life may be here pleasing to thy Majesty and my Soul after death may enjoy thee in thy blessed Eternity 3. The chief effects of Prudence are these 1. It helps us to discover and avoid our enemies ambushes 2. It is the sustainer director moderator and conserver of all virtues 3. It is the light by which we see how to guide our steps towards our heavenly home O That my Soul could always feel the admirable fruits and effects of this amiable Virtue O that I could dispose all my thoughts desires affections words and actions according to the dictamen of Discretion O that I could still consult maturely judg discreetly and execute virtuously upon all important occasions Give me O Eternal Wisdom Circumspection to discern my enemies deceits that I may shun them Give me Prudence of Heart to remember things past dispose of things present and provide for things to come Give me Prudence of Mouth to moderate all my Speeches Give me Prudence of Action to cancel all evil choose what is laudable And since O my Lord there can be no Virtue without Prudence which gives them order form beauty and all that denominates them rather Virtues than Vices Since this is the Salt which thou commandest to be offered in all Sacrifices wherby they become favoury to thy sacred Majesty O grant that I may be henceforth truly prudent discreet and well advised in all my enterprises that so I may in all things more perfectly please thee 4. The Vices directly opposit to Prudence Though all Vices Sins are opposite to Prudence yet Temerity or Precipitation Inconsideration Inconstancy and Negligence are its greatest enemies and more directly destroy it WAtch and Pray O my weak Soul that thou fall not into these precipices Ah how often hast thou been hitherto dash'd against these dangerous Rocks and what mervail if thou still remain'st so weak wounded wicked that thou liest yet wallowing in the mire of sin and art almost drown'd in the deluge of thy sensuality without making any progress in the way of the spirit since thou runnest on hood-winck'd headlong blindly rashly without consulting or considering the end and order of thy actions How long wilt thou defer through Negligence or desist through Inconstancy to effect what Prudence perswades thee as most convenient commendable and conducing to thy desired happiness Direct me henceforth O divine and essential Wisdom and preserve me from relapses into these dismal gulfs of rashness inconsideration inconstancy and negligence Let the whol design of my pious practise by thy only honour the perfection of thy holy Love in my Soul that being here united to thee it may hereafter enjoy thee in thy Eternal Glory 5. Other Vices opposit though not so directly to Prudence are those which are contrary to its several parts Forgetfulness Ignorance Indocibility Stupidity Want of Reason Improvidence Incircumspection and Vnwariness HElp me O my Lord my only refuge and buckler of defence to conquer all these enormous monsters Draw me powerfully out of these deluges of imperfections wherein either my natural weakness or my malicious wickedness have so frequently implung'd me and do yet daily and dangerously ingage me Dissipate I beseech thee these dark clouds with the infused light of thy divine Grace Indue my forgetful ignorant stupid spirit with Docility to receive my Superiours Counsels and Commands with Solicitude for my Souls eternal safety with Providence Precaution and all other necessary Weapons against the wiles of my adversaries that leading a life free from Vice I may expect Deaths call without terrour 6. Other Vices opposit to prudence by excess as the former were by defect are The Wisdom of the flesh Craft Deceit Fraud an over-eager carefulness for temporal conveniencies and too much solicitude for the future AH sick World how sad and deplorable is thy condition All is full of fleshly Prudence Persidiousness and perpetual Perplexity Each one seeks for poor and soon passing commodities of nature but the eternal treasures laid up in Heaven for our immortal Souls are little look'd after Ay me shall the children of darkness be more Prudent in their Generation than thou my Soul who pretendest to be an infant of Light Wilt thou be less covetous of Spiritual grace than worldlings are of Temporal goods O what a shame what a confusion is it that they should more fervently affect things pernicious than thou the profitable that they should run more nimbly to their death and ruine than thou to life and beatitude Away then with these false feigned pretended and worldly Wisdoms I will henceforth follow thy sweet invitation O Saviviour of my Soul and be no more solicitous what I shall eat and drink or wherewith I shall be cloathed I will only seek thy Kingdom and for the rest rely upon thy care and remain quiet content and comforted with thy paternal Providence 7. The Conclusion of this Exercise containing an humble Petition for perfect and Evangelicall Prudence O Saviour the great Exemplar and pure Idea of all Wisdom who hast taught me by thine own sacred mouth what Prudence is most pleasing to thy Divine Majesty saying Be ye wise as Serpents and simple as Doves Enlarg I beseech thee
free from the infectious leprosie of Sin and Sensuality All is out of order O my Lord I acknowledg it to my own shame and confusion each sense is gone astray each member of my body is corrupted and each power of my Soul is perverted My Understanding is obscured with self-love my Memory distracted with sensual objects my Will possess'd with peevish inclinations My affections are vain my passions violent my dispositions vitious My body is burdensom my imagination troublesom my life irksom These are my Wounds O my heavenly Surgeon O put to thy helping hand I beseech thee see sear and search them before the Gangrene enters and the Grief grows incurable My soul is sick even to death if thou wilt O my Lord thou canst both cleanse and cure me To this end thou descendest from Jerusalem to Jerico O pious Samaritan from heaven to earth O compassionate Saviour where thou findest me in this pitiful plight sore beaten wounded half dead and utterly despoil'd of all natural and spiritual riches by Thieves and Robbers which are the Senses of my Body and the Faculties of my Soul O pass not by me sweet Jesu but mercifully bind up my bleeding Wounds with the swathing bands of thy Death and Passion pour upon them the wine of thy precious Blood and supple them with the oyl of thy heavenly Grace 4. A firm Resolution of a total Reformation of our lives and manners I Intend O my Lord strengthen me in this hour I intend O sweet Saviour a total reformation of my life and manners an entire mortification of my corporal senses and spiritual faculties an absolute change in my whole man O grant me I beseech thee my loving Lord the powerful assistance of thy special Grace for the performance of this great and good purpose Teach me now O blessed Master to live inwardly piously spiritually as I lov'd formerly to live outwardly vainly sensually O let me henceforth yield to thy divine motion obey thy call imitate thy example and follow thy will O let me never more act or omit any thing be it never so little for my own liking but purely and perfectly for thy love 5. A desire of perfect Conformity both in all our Actions and in all our Senses to our dear Saviour GRant O Good Jesu that at each word of my mouth at each glance of my eye at each morsel I eat at each member I move at each inward and outward action I undertake I may first ask thy leave and permission so do it or leave accordingly as thy holy inspiration allows me O that I could perform each natural and necessary work with an actual reflection upon thy praise and pleasure and with a pure intention to be united to thee My Lord and my Love Thy outward Senses O my sweet Saviour were exactly subject to thy Reason and perfectly obedient to thy sacred Soul O let mine be swallowed up I beseech thee gracious Jesu and sanctifi'd by the merits of thine Let me live love move and make use of my senses purely and only in thee for thee and by thee Thy sacred Hands O holy Jesu were harshly nail'd to the tree of the Cross preserve mine I beseech thee from all sinful touch ng Thy blessed Feet were likewise pierced and fastned to the same rood O fix my steps that I run not to evil actions direct them in thy paths and make me speedy in all works concerning thy honour and the assistance of my neighbour Thy holy Mouth was free from guile full of Wisdom put thy Words sweet Jesu into mine let it always speak of thy love und only sing thy praises Thy divin Ears were fill'd with blasphemies and derisions Let not mine be open to hear vanities and detractions Thy sweet Eyes poured out floods of tears for me O give unto mine tears of compassion for thy Sufferings and of compunction for my own Sins Thy Taste was tormented with the noysome potion of Gall and Vinegar O take from me I beseech thee all desire of delicacies let me not eat or drink but for meer sustenance and necessity Thy whole Humanity O gracious Jesu was martyr'd and murther'd O grant that I may be truly and totally mortifi'd Let me not see feel hear taste smell eat drink do any thing or make use of any thing as following my own gust sensuality and self-seeking but in pure conformity to thy divin Will and Pleasure 6. Petitions for the Conformity of our whole inward man to our Lord and Saviour O Merciful Redeemer how great and grievous were the inward sufferings of thy holy Soul O for those thy sorrows and thy tender mercies sake cleanse cure inlighten inform reform and transform all my inward man O permit not my Vnderstanding where the knowledg of your greatness and goodness should be only seated to be overspread with ignorance and errour Let not my Memory which should be totally taken up with thee be stuffed with vain fancies or impertinent curiosities Let not my Will which thou gavest me to desire and love thee O my only Lord and Love above all thy creatures be inslav'd to any inferiour affection Repair O gracious Redeemer this lively image of the lovely Trinity which is almost defac'd by my brutish Sensuality Grant O dear Saviour that my Vnderstanding Will and Memory may be incessantly busied in knowing loving and remembring thee that they may forget and forgo all other Objects but only in thee and for thee 7. An absolute Disengagement of our selves from created objects and Adhesion to the Divinity O That my heart were perfectly dis-ingaged from the love of all Creatures Drain it sweet Jesu and deliver it from all forreign and domestick Affection and fill it up again with thine only that it may never love desire nor will any thing but thee alone O my Lord my Love and my All O that my Will were conformable to thine without any reservation or retraction Take it unto thee Dear Lord freely and fully for time and eternity I will have no will but thine dispose of me as thou pleasest both here and hereafter O that my Memory were disincombred from all imaginations and purg'd from all impressions but of thee only Empty it O thou only amiable object of my soul and then replenish it with such holy and heavenly notions as may best please thy divin Majesty O that my Vnderstanding were imbued with some measure of the knowledg of thy Divinity O my Lord infinit in goodness dreadful in Majesty and unspeakable in all perfection O my great gracious and glorious God quicken it sharpen it elevate it and illuminate it that knowing thee I may not choose but love thee and that knowing and loving thee I may be eternally happy Behold Lord I make an absolute divorce with all self-love sensuality and affection to creatures and give thee my self by an irrevocable donation Behold Lord the keys the lodging the treasure and the Master prostrate at thy sacred feet
In hope of which happiness all Sufferings shall seem sweet to me as proceeding from your paternal hands and I here disavow all expressions of complaint which the violence of my Disease may hereafter draw from my Tongue but not from my Heart which is wholly resign'd to my dear Lord's will and pleasure Nor will I care to be informed how long I must lie languishing in this my Infirmity or whether Death shall in this battle be defeated or become victorious over my life No my Lord I absolutely leave the disposal of my Body Soul and all that concerns me to thy divin Will and Pleasure and desire nothing as to my life and death but that the short remainder of my life may be spent in loving thee serving thee and suffering for thee and that whensoever thou shalt send death to cut its thread my Soul may be found ready prepared for her happy eternitie In the mean space it matters not whether I am cherished or contristated I will endeavour to be indifferent to either since I deserve not the one and my Sins render me worthy of the other Thy innocent Son O Eternal Father who suffered not as I do for his own Sins was deserted by his Disciples and even by thy self also and shall I after this example expect from men any assistance tenderness and compassion I only beg of thee my bountiful and compassionate Creator some small communication of that Spirit wherewith thy patient Son my sweet Saviour suffered that so uniting all my pains to his Passion they may acquire the dignity which their own nature denies them to be acceptable to thy divin Majesty Whose sacred Name be praised by me and all creatures for evermore Demands to a Sick Person at the receiving of the Viaticum or Extream Vnction or at other fit times 1. DO you firmly heartily and humbly believe all the Articles of Faith and all the Holy Scripture according to the sense of Catholick Doctors and Definitions of the Church 2. Do you detest all Superstitions Schisms and Heresies condemn'd by the Church 3. Are you glad and desirous to die a Member of this true Catholick Apostolick Roman Church in the Faith taught by our Lord Jesus and participation of the holy Sacraments 4. Do you acknowledg that you have grievously offended God your Creator who hath been so bountiful unto you and are you sorry for all your sins ingratitudes negligences omissions commissions lost time and opportunities rejected Inspirations 5. Do you ask pardon of the divin Majesty and all your Neighbours whom you have any way offended disedified contristated wronged or scandalized 6. Doth your Sorrow for all these things proceed not so much for fear of death hell and punishment as for the offence displeasure and dishonour of God whom you should have loved above all things 7. Are you fully resolved by Gods grace and assistance if you out live this sickness to amend your Life and rather to leave lose and suffer any thing than to offend God And do you desire life only to this effect that you may better serve him 8. Do you wish you could love God with as great sincerity as the blessed Saints do in Heaven and as the most perfect Souls do upon Earth 9. Have you perform'd such Penance made such Restitution done such Satisfaction to God and Man as your Confessor hath enjoyned you or are you content and ready to do it 10. Do you recommend your self to the Prayers of the blessed Virgin Mary of your special Patrons and in particular of your good Angel Guardian 11. Do you distrust disavow and renounce all your own merits vertues and perfections and trust to be saved by the Mercies of God and Merits of your dear Redeemer 12. Do you render hearty thanks to the divin Majesty for all his favours blessings and especially for that of your Conversion and Vocation to his true Church and Faith And also for all the Crosses he hath permitted to befal you and even for this your present Sickness in which you now languish 13. Do you absolutely and entirely resign your self to his sacred Will and Disposition for all time and eternity and are you indifferent to Sickness or Health to Life or Death to Comforts or Crosses and to whatsoever shall be conformable to the Divin liking and pleasure 14. If the Devil tempts you in matter of Faith What will you answer him I believe in God and his Church Or In matter of Despair 'T is true I am a great Sinner and deserve Hell yet my Saviour is my hope my pledge and my surety and when God ceases to be good and Jesus to be my Saviour then will I cease to hope for Mercy and not before 15. But if your Ghostly enemy continues to afflict affright and terrifie you with the memory of your Sins Gods Judgments and Hells torments what will you do I will say Live Jesus my Lord and my Love and I will put his Death and Passion betwixt me and them all 16. If through the suggestion of Satan or any self-frailty or surprisal you should chance to fall and swerve from any of these good purposes and resolutions I now declare it to be of no force for evermore and I will by Gods grace return speedily to him again Other Questions proposed to a Penitent languishing and loving Soul by her Confessor to dispose her to a happy Death with her Answers unto the same by way of a Dialogue between God and her This is proper for more Spiritual Persons GOD. My Child the last hour of thy mortal life runs now in the Watch of my divin Providence This is the moment on which depends thy Eternity Answer me therefore heartily conscionably and confidently to these points which I shall here propose unto thee Soul O my God! be thou blessed for evermore and thy sacred Will be done in me and in all thy Creatures Speak Lord for thy servant hears attentively and will answer sincerely as in thy presence who penetratest into the secrets of my heart And I most humbly beseech thy Divin Majesty that I may supply by my inward Will and Desires what I am unable to express by my outward Words and Gestures I confess and acknowledg my imperfection ignorance and unworthiness to speak to thee My Lord and my Maker or to be by thee remembred or regarded but hoping in thy gracious assistance I will humby obey thy commands 1. Art thou willing to dy a Member of my Church at this Time in this Place and Company O my God! I desire even from my very heart to die a true Child of thy holy Church believing all that the said Church teaches and am ready rather to lose my life than leave my Faith As for all other circumstances of my death I am altogether indifferent how when and where I shall live or die so it be in thy sweet favour and friendship and according to thy sacred Will and Pleasure 2. Doth not thy Soul
Oblation of my whol self purely and entirely to thy divin Majesty which I beseech thy infinit goodness and mercy to receive from my Hands and Heart and to seal it in Heaven that it may be there warranted and confirmed for evermore And because the necessities frailties and infirmities which accompany this my Pilgrimage and which will probably most of all overwhelm me in deaths Agony permit me not according to my desire to be always employed in thy praises therefore I now prostrating my self before thy Throne of Majesty whom I reverently Adore with the greatest Affection that thou O my Lord God! know'st may be given by any creature and to whom I Offer in supply of my own unworthiness all the ardent affections mental excesses supernatural jubilations and amorous unions of all devout Souls in Heaven and Earth as though I felt them all in my own heart humbly express this my present Covenant Contract and Agreement with thee my Soveraign Creator Father Son and Holy Ghost in this manner That as often as I shall either Interiourly or Exteriourly either in Heart silently or with my Tongue verbally think or say any of these things following I Adore I Thank I Offer I Resolve I am Sorry I Desire I Resign I Believe I Hope I Love O my Lord O my Jesu And so passing no further shall there end My intention is to make as perfect an Act of Adoration Thanksgiving Oblation Resolution Contrition Petition Resignation Faith Hope and Charity as is possible for any creature to make And I do now for then declare denounce and testifie that my will and desire is whensoever I shall think or pronounce any of the words aforesaid to make exercise and perform all the Acts contain'd in this Book in all the devout Books that ever were or shall be written and which the blessed Virgin Angels and Saints do and shall do in Heaven for all eternity Receive and ratifie most gracious Soveraign this my humble Act Contract and Covenant as to all and each one of its branches and members and whatsoever is therein explicitly and implicitly included receive it as a pledg of my hearty desire to serve praise and honour thy divin Majesty purely perfectly eternally Receive it once for all which I wish to present unto thee every moment and minute to produce as often as I breath and to iterate as frequently as any Act can possibly be repeated and multiplied And I invite and conjure all the celestial Spirits and faithful Souls to sacrifice unto thy sacred Majesty more perfect holocausts of praise and benediction for evermore In this manner a pious Soul may incessantly praise and please God and with little labour acquire much merit For having once sincerely made and daily weekly or monthly repeating this Act according as it is here largly described it may hourly be practised with great ease and comfort by the meer direction of the mind and simple reflection of the spirit towards God upon all occasions and in whatsoever company and employment OF all other Devotions the use of a Crucifix is chiefly to be recommended to a Sick Person Kissing it Embracing it speaking somtimes to the Crucifix somtimes to his own Soul Nothing is more easie nothing more pious nothing more profitable For in the contemplation of that Sacred object you may with great facility adore praise bless thank invoke the divin Majesty and admire his infinite mercy love and liberality in this or the like manner as his Holy Spirit shall suggest unto you O holy Cross O deep Wounds O sacred Blood O cruel Sorrow Dear Lord at how dear a rate hast thou bought me O sweet Jesu be unto me a Jesus Let not the Soul perish which cost thee so great a price Destroy not thy own workmanship Lose not thy own labour pains and passion O Jesu Thou art my Friend and my Physician my Lord and my Love my Portion and my Possession my Peace and my Patience my Light in Darkness my Health in Sickness my Comfort in Sadness my Plenty in Want my Life in Death my Heaven in Purgatory my God and my All for Time and Eternity A larger Exercise in Contemplation of the Crucifix Fixing your Eyes upon the Crucifix or taking it reverently into your hands and humbly embracing it with an ardent desire to honour imitate and conform your self as far forth as God shall enable you to the last thoughts words and affections of your dying Saviour Read or cause to be read this following Exercise leisurely distinctly and devoutly ruminating upon each point and relishing every aspiration and affection The first Consideration ALl Christs Actions are our Instructions and as his Life is the prime exemplar of holy living so his Death is the perfect pattern of happy dying which he exhorts all Christians to imitate saying Take up your Cross and follow me O My Soul how ill have we imitated our sweet Saviour in our life manners and conversation Let 's at least strive to imitate him in his death by taking patiently this present Cross which he layes upon our shoulders and following him cheerfully to Mount Calvary O Jesu my Redeemer and the worlds Saviour how happy are they who are enabled by thy Grace to imitate thy Virtues who desire to live only for thee and are ready to die with thee who live in thy friendship and die in thy favour O glorious Son of God! Thou wert Incarnated and Crucifi'd for my ungrateful Soul O that I might be martâ—r'd and crucifi'd for thy sake to the end I might be conform-able to thee in dying though I have been so unlike to thee in living O my dear Saviour though my Soul is not forc'd out of my body by such a violent death as thine yet imprint in it I beseech thee such sweet thoughts and affections as thou felt'st when thou diedst for my sake The Second Consideration JESUS dy'd willingly patiently resignedly O My God! Give me health or sickness give me life or death give me whatsoever thou pleasest not my will but thine be done O Jesu By vertue of thy perfect Resignation to the divin Will strengthen mine in Deaths Agony Behold I bind my self to that blessed conformity of thine to thy heavenly Father and in union thereof I most willingly embrace the design thou hast over me be it for life or for death O my Saviour Thou being Gods innocent Son diedst in the flower of thine age and shall I desire long life who am a sinner a rebel a criminal I yield Lord I yield and submit to Deaths summons Farewel Earth farewel world farewel this Vale of tears and miseries Heaven is my happier home Paradise is much more pleasant and agreeable and Death is my way to it The Third Consideration JESUS pray'd for strength succour and courage in his Deaths Agony O My Eternal Lord and Lover Behold thy poor child encompass'd with miseries and calamities on every side knowing not what to choose or desire but only
who art Goodness it self Have mercy on me a miserable sinner O most loving father take pitie on thy poor Child and forsake me not in this my last and greatest need O sweet Saviour Jesu Son of the living God! I beseech thee by the vertue of thy most blessed and bitter Passion grant me thy Grace give me a pardon of my sins and vouchsafe me a portion of thy Glory I challenge not dear Lord a place in thy Heaven for any worthiness of my own merits for alas I am but dust and ashes but for thy Passion 's sake whereby thou wert pleased to redeem me miserable man and to purchase Heaven for me at the price of thy precious Blood I beseech thee therefore O Jesu my Saviour by thy sufferings on the Cross for me especially at that hour when thy blessed Soul left thy Bodie have mercy on my poor Soul at the time of her departure When he draws nearer his end he is chiefly to make use of short and pithy Aspirations of Love Desire c. As for Example O My Lord I love thee I love thee and I wish I could love thee more As the fainting Hart desires the refreshing Fountains so doth my Soul thirst after thee my Saviour I thirst Lord and thou only canst quench my thirst Lead my poor Soul O my all powerfull Creator out of this loathsom prison that it may love and praise thee for evermore O beautiful Jerusalem my happy home when shall I come to live and lodg in thee O ye blessed Quires of Saints and Angels who perfectly injoy God and unweariedly intone his Eternal praises when shall I come to love and land my dear Lord with you O Sacred Virgin Mary Mother of power pitie and compassion Be thou now to me a Mother and take care of thy weak child O my glorious Patrons be pleased now to remember me to assist me to pray for me O my good Angel pitie me protect me comfort me strengthen me in this hour of my Agonie Take courage my poor Soul take courage Eternity comes on our miserie and sorrow will soon have an end and our peace and plenty is beginning without end Frequent these in the time of your Health that they may occur easily to your memory in the time of your Sickness And then ruminate them sweetly quietly and discreetly according as your Soul shall relish them without violence eagerness or anxiety An Exercise of holy Dying consisting of four Acts. FOur things are requisite to dy well 1. A Spiritual Death to all creatures Strive then O my Soul to deny thy self in all things and to dy to thy self to the whole world in love affection that thou may'st live to God only who alone can comfort thee in Dying content thee after Death Thou wilt find it no trouble to leave what thou dost not inordinatly love And what is it thou so lovest find it out and forsake it leaving that and all to find one and all and aspiring often What do I hope for in Heaven and what do I look for upon Earth O my God my All be thou all mine and let me be all thine and let all other things go which way they will 2. A cordial and profound humility This gives the greatest Grace to the living and Comfort to the dying Proud spirits are always in extreams either they dy blindly presumptuous or Death opening their eyes they fall into despair at the sight of their miserable estate O my Soul humble thy self since thou hast nothing to be proud of for alas what wert thou before thy late receiving of a being What hast thou which proceeds not from thy Creators bounty Why then art thou proud of it as if it were thine own What hast thou receiv'd which thou hast not abused What sinful Soul would not have been a Saint had it receiv'd such favours as thou hast misimployed and buried How long ere this might'st thou have most justly been hurried head-long into Hell-fire for thy pride and impiety since the damned spirits who there are and shall be eternally tormented sinned once only in Pride and thou so often since they had somthing to be proud of and thou nothing since their sin was only in thought and thine also in word and work O my God! I acknowledg Hell to be my Center and the place which is proper for the entertainment of so perverse a wretch and shouldst thou send me thither thou art Just and righteous are thy Judgments 3. A firm Confidence in God Let not Humility hinder your Confidence in the divine mercy and goodness for by this token it will be easily known to be false and ill grounded Yet trust not in your own merits good works good life good will but 1. in the infinit goodness and mercy of God 2. in the abundant Merits and Redemption of Jesus 3. in his sweet promises of pardon and protection 4. in the prayers and patronage of your Mother of Power and particular Patrons 5. in the custody of your good Angel 6. in the participation and union you have with the Church Militant and Triumphant And O my soul is not this enough Lord I am thine I trust in thy mercy and if thou killest me yet I will still hope in thee 4. An entire Resignation to the divine will and disposition in all things for time and Eternity O my Soul this is the Act of acts at the dreadful hour of Death and O my Lord I offer up my self to endure all pains disgraces and desolations in this life and to suffer all punishments in Purgatory and in Hell it self if thy Justice will have it so in the next life not reflecting what shall become of me either in this my Sickness or in my Life or after my Death but leaving all to thy sacred Will and sweet Disposal When the sick person is in his last Agony The Priest or Charitable assistants should suggest unto him some of these devout words thoughts and considerations 1. TAke Courage Dear Christian Brotheo or Sister suffer patiently for a little while that you may be happy for all Eternity 2. Christ Jesus dyed for you and be you content to dye for him 3. Though your Sins are great yet greater is Gods mercy 4. Though your Tongue is put to silence yet let your Heart speak affectionatly to your sweet Saviour O Jesu thy will be done O my Lord I love thee I adore thee I thank thee c. And I beseech thee O my merciful Creator that every sigh every thought every eye cast up to heaven may be acceptable to thy sacred Majesty according to that irrevocable covenant contract and intention which I formerly made and here humbly renew in thy divine presence When the Agony is of long continuance it may be very profitable comfortable and convenient to read over the Passion of our Saviour or some passages thereof so it be done 1. Discreetly without troubling or disturbing the sick person 2.
Mat. 2. 7 g Of the Octave of the Epiphany 8 A Of the Octave 9 b Of the Octave 10 c Of the Octave 11 d Of the Octave With a Comem of Hyginius Pope and Mart. 144. 12 e Of the Octave 13 f The Octave Day of the Epiphany 14 g Hilarius B. of Poictiers in France Con. 348 with a Com. of S. Felix Pr. and Mar. 280 15 A Paul the first Hermit in Egypt Con. 308. And Maurus Ab. Con. one of S. Benedicts first Disciples who died in Fran. 583 16 b Marcellus Pope and Mart. 309 17 c Antony Ab. Hermit in Egypt Con. 330 18 d The Chair of S. Peter at Rome in memory of the Translation of his Seat from Antioch to Rome about the y. 40. With a Com. of St. Prisca Virg. Mart. of 13. y. old 269 19 e Marius and Martha Husband and Wife with their Children Audiface and Abacum 45 20 f Fabian Pope and Mart. 251. And Sebastian Martyr 284 21 g Agnes a Noble Virgin Martyr of 13 year old 304 22 A Vincent Deacon Mart. in Spain 300. And Anastasius a Persian Monk and Mart. 617 23 b Emerentiana Vir. Mart. comp of S. Agnes 304 24 c Timothy Bish of Ephesus Mart. 50 25 d The Conversion of S. Paul the Apost 2 years after our Saviours Ascension Act. 9.20 26 e Policarp Bish of Smirna Mart. 150 27 f John Chrysostom B. of Constant D. Con. 400 28 g Agnes the 2d time Or a com of her appearing to her Par. on the 8. day after her Bur. 29 A  30 b Martina Virg. Mart at Rome 233. 31 c  February Hath Days 28 Sun Rises 1. Day at 7.17 m. Fasting Days 2 Sun Rises 15. Day at 6.54 m. Festival Days 2 Sun Rises last Day at 6.16 m Roman 1 d Ignatius B. of Antioch Mart. 110. And the Vigil of the Purification Fast 2 e The Purification of the Bl. V. Mary call'd Candle-Mass Day Luk. 2. 3 f Blasius B. of Sebasté in Armen Mart. 286 4 g  5 A Agatha Virg. Mart. at Catana in Sicily 253 6 b Dorothy V. Mart. at Caesarea in Cappad 280 7 c Romualdus Ab. Con. Institutor of the Monks of Camaldula 1007 8 d  9 e Apollonia Virg. Mart. of Alexandria 247 10 f Scholastica Virg. Sister to S. Benedict 535. 11 g  12 A  13 b  14 c Valentin Priest Mart at Rome 270 15 d Faustinus and Jovita Mart. at Brixia 122 16 e  17 f  18 g Simeon B. of Jerusalem Mart. crucified in the 120 y. of his age and of Christ 109 19 A  20 b  21 c  22 d The Chair of S. Peter at Antioch in memory of his first fixing there in the year 39 23 e The Vigil of St. Matthias the Apost Fast 24 f Matthias Apost Mart. substituted instead of Judas the Traytor 74 25 g  26 A  27 b  28 c  March. Hath Days 31 Sun Rises 1. Day at 6.24 min Fasting Days 1 Sun Rises 15. Day at 5.52 m. Festival Days 2 Sun Rises last Day at 5.24 m. Roman 1 d  2 e  3 f  4 g Casimir Con. Son to Casimir K. of Poland 1489. with a Com. of Lucius Po. Mar. 257 5 A  6 b  7 c Thomas of Aquin Doct. Con. 1274 8 d  9 e Forty Martyrs Soldiers in Cappadocia 313 10 f The Spring Equinoctial 11 g  12 A Gregory Sirnamed the Great Doct. Con. the Apost of England 604 13 b  14 c After this Day Lent cannot begin 15 d  16 e  17 f  18 g  19 A Joseph of Nazareth Bride-groom of the B. V. Mary reputed Father of Jesus Mat. 1. 20 b Joachim Con. Father of the Bl. Virg. Mary 21 c Benedict the Great Ab. Con. and Patriarck of Monks in the Western Church 542 22 d  23 e  24 f The Vigil of the Annunciation Fast unless it falls in the Pascal time 25 g The Annunciation of the B. V. Mary when the Arch-Angel Gabriel brought her the happy tidings of Christs Incarnation Lu. 1. 26 A  27 b  28 c  29 d  30 e  31 f  April Hath Days 30 Sun Rises 1. Day at 5.20 m. Fasting Days 0 Sun Rises 15. Day at 4.51 m. Festival Days 2 Sun Rises last Day at 4.26 m Roman 1 g  2 A Francis of Paula Con. Institutor of the Order of Minims 1507 3 b  4 c  5 d  6 e  7 f  8 g  9 A  10 b  11 c Leo. I. Pope Con. surnamed the Great 461 12 d  13 e Hermenegildus Mart. Son of Leovigildus K. of the Goths 604 14 f Tiburtius Valerianus and Maximus Mar. 225 15 g  16 A  17 b Anicetus Pope and Mart. 175 18 c  19 d  20 e  21 f  22 g Soterus and Caius Popes Martyrs the first at Rome 179. the second 296 23 A George Mart. in Capadocia 282 the General Patron of the English Nation 24 b  25 c Mark the Evangel at Alexandria Mart. 64 Upon this Day are said the Great Litanies and Abstinence from Flesh 26 d Cletus and Marcellus Popes and Mart. the first at Rome 93. the 2d 304 27 e  28 f Vitalis Martyr at Ravenna under Nero 51 29 g Peter Mart. slain by the Hereticks 1252 30 A Catherine of Siena Virgin 1380 May. Hath Days 31 Sun Rises 1. Day at 4.23 m. Fasting Days 0 Sun Rises 15. Day at 4.3 m. Festival Days 1 Sun Rises last Day at 3.50 m Roman 1 b Philip and Jacob Apostles the first stoned to Death 54. the second named our Lord Brother and James the Lesser was the 1. B. of Jerusa where he was Mart. in the y. 63 2 c Athanasius B. of Alexan. a glorious Con. 377 3 d The Invention or finding of the Cross by Helena the Mother of Constantine 326 4 e Monica Widow Mother of S. Augustin 389 5 f  6 g John at Port-Latin A solemnity in mem of the mirac deliv of S. John the Evangelist out of the Tub of boyling Oyl 83 7 A Stanislaus B. of Cracovia in Pol. Mart. 1079 8 b The Apparition of S. Michael the Arch-Ang upon Mount Garganus in Apulia 495 9 c Gregory B. of Nazian Doct. Con. 389 10 d Gardianus and Epimachus Martyrs 366 11 e  12 f Nereus and Achilleus Bro. Mart. Domitilla V. Mart. 92. Pancratius 14 y. old Mart. 287 13 g  14 A Boniface Mart. at Tharsis in Cilicia 290 15 b  16 c Ubaldus B. of EugubiuÌ„ in Umbria Con. 1260 17 d  18 e  19 f Prudentiana Virg. Daugh. of Pudens 161 20 g  21 A  22 b  23 c  24 d  25 e Urbanus the first Pope and Mart. 233 26 f Eleutherius Pope Mart. 194. This P. sent Fugatius and Damian to convert K. Lucius 27 g John the first Pope and Mart. 526 28 A Â
impossible for poor Man who is tossed too and fro like Autumn leaves with the Winds of Inconstancy to persever long in his Virtuous enterprises Pious purposes and holy Resolutions 16. And to descend now to the particulars of this Evening Exercise The First thing you are to do O devout Christian having recollected your self in some place of retirement Is to render humble and hearty Thanks to the Divine Majesty for all Favours Blessings and Benefits bestow'd on you generally in your whol life-time and particularly that present Day Benefits which his boundless Goodness dayly Renews by still continuing them And how particularly his Paternal Affection Compassion and Providence have appeared in your behalf even in the divers Occasions and Dangers of this now past Day your Eyes if they will only open cannot but admiringly behold Now since he looks for no other return for his Bounty than a bare Gratitude which will cost thee Nothing Wilt thou refuse O Creature to thy Creator Wilt thou deny O Christian to thy Redeemer one dayly Act of thy Memory one dayly Resentment of thy Heart one dayly Acknowledgment of thy Tongue for his dayly continued Love and Liberality In the next place you are to begg Light to discern and Ayd to correct such Crimes as you have that day committed For how can you Hope without the help of Heavenly Light to perceive the many faults excesses omissions which your Frailty your Rashness your Indiscretion your Proness to evil your Perverse customs have drawn upon your Thoughts your Desires your Discourses your Actions amongst so many Objects Occasions Assaults either expresly against his Divine Will and Precepts or at least contrary to his Love and Liking Thirdly proceed to the particular Discussion of your Conscience upon those four Points prescribed by St Bernard 1. How much have you advanced forwards or gon backwards in the way of Virtue and Perfection 2. What you are in your Manners what in your Affections 3. How like you are to your Saviour how unlike 4. How nearly you are united to him or how far distant you are from him Then reflect briefly upon the Companies Discourses Objects Affairs of the past Day Considering what Passions what Imperfections what Omissions what Commissions what expence of time c. And here the more Spiritual persons may fitly make use of St. Leo's method Let every Christian says he sift and sound his Conscience in this Manner 1. Whether the Peace profferr'd to all by our Saviour find's a Resting place in his Heart 2. Whether any Carnal Concupisence impugn's the pious purposes of his Soul 3. Whether he hates mean and humble things and fancies sublime and high matters 4. Whether the inordinate desire of Gain or a Greediness of encreasing his temporal means commodities honours worldly glory and esteem transports him 5. Finally whether hiâ— Neighbours Prosperity provokes him to Envy or his Enemies Calamity excites him to Joy and gladness If in your Examination you have taken notice of any Mortal Crime Be sure to confound your self presently in your Creators presence by an humble acknowledgment of your strange Malice Ingratitude Frailty Look upon the dismal inexplicable interminable torments of Hell which you have deserved even now at this very instant Then praise and magnify the Divine Mercy which permitted not the Earth to swallow you as Dathan and Abiron or the Waves to ingulph you as Pharao with his Egyptian Army or Fire to consume you as Sodom and Gomorra or his Sword to cut you off as the rebellious crew in the Wilderness or his Breath to blast you with sodain Death as Ananias and Saphira or some other Instrument of his severe Justice to revenge his Injury raze you from off the earths Surface and cast you headlong into the place which is only proper and therefore prepared to receive such ungrateful and perverse Wretches as divers Others who have been Death-struck in the very height of their sinful fact and hurried away to Hell before they had perfected their begun impiety And why is this favourable delay of the Divine Justice afforded you O undeserving Wretch but to give you time to call upon his Mercy Call therefore Poor and miserable Criminal Call instantly upon the Divine Clemency Petition him presently for a Pardon Purpose seriously to Correct speedily to Confess willingly to Satisfy for your Transgression And suffer not O Christian suffer not any Mortal Sin which is not absolutly Renounc'd Revok'd Abjur'd by a Retractation of your Will to harbour in your Heart to nestle in your Soul and to sleep one whol Night with you in your Bosom For since you dread to admit a Serpent for your Bedfellow how dare you sleep securely having this horrid Serpent not with you but within you not in your Bed but in your Breast to destroy your Soul by an eternal Death and Damnation if your sleeping Body should be surpriz'd by a temporal Death and Dissolution And have not many Sinners been so serv'd Ah! my Friend That which happens to One may happen to any One and may justly be dreaded by every One. In matters of such moment where the loss if it happens is irreparable Precaution is necessary to prevent the Danger But this Act of Contrition must not have the Fear of your own eternal Punishment and the Dread of Hell-fire for its only Object This is too mean a Motive for your Sorrow and unsufficient for your Salvation You are to take the rise of your Grief from a more glorious Origin the Consideration of the heavenly Felicity whereof this Sin of yours hath eternally depriv'd you unless your true and timely Repentance re-instates you The Kingdom of Heaven suffers Violence Your Sorrow O Sinner must force your passage thither and your Sighs and Tears must make a Breach for your entrance Neither must you yet stay here but soare higher than Heaven it self elevating your afflicted Spirit even to the Throne of the Divine Majesty offended Yes O penitent Soul The Divine Goodness offended is the only pure Motive and ought to be the prime Object of your Sorrow and Contrition O my Father said the Repentant Prodigal I have sinned against Heaven and in your presence He says not I am worthy of your Punishment unworthy of your Inheritance but I have offended you and injur'd your Goodness The consideration of having offended his loving Father more lively pierces his Soul than the fear of Punishment or the loss of his Portion To be sorry for our Sins by reason of the incurr'd Punishment is a Slaves property by reason of the lost reward is the part of a Mercenary by reason of Gods Goodness is a loving Child's Duty The Slave shunns Blows the Mercenary seeks for Gain the Child shews his Duty The first is an act of Constraint the next of Covetousness the last of Love The Punishment is indeed to be dreaded and the Reward is to be desired but Gods Love is chiefly to be regarded His Love should be mans only
Motive because Himself is the only Object which deseru's all his Affection the only Good which can replenish his capacious Heart the only worthy to draw us and the only able to satisfy us the only Center whether we are to stear our Course and the only End which can terminate it Finally 't is He only who is our All in All our Perfection or Crown our eternal Felicity Behold Devout Christians the true means whereby you may be evermore ready for the Time which is always ready for you and may steal upon you when you least think of it unless you dayly think of it God give us all his Grace to practise well these pious Instructions and to husband wisely the precious Time he lends us that so the Time wherewith he threatens us may not surprise us Your Time says he to you all his loving beloved Children is always ready Death still attends at your doors but where or when it will enter and seize upon you you know not It is therefore your part to expect it every day and in every place and to make so good use of your Time here as that you may hereafter through my assisting and proferr'd Grace come to the Eternity of my promised and prepared Glory To which lead and conduct us all the eternally Blessed Father Son and Holy Ghost THE CHRISTIANS Daily Exercise aforesaid Reduc'd into Practice With the Intermixture of many Usefull Instructions and Directions ¶ I. 1. The Exercise for the Morning HAving satisfi'd Nature with convenient and competent rest and sleep remember presently upon your first awaking to mark your self with the common and mysterious badge of Christianity saying In the name of the Father c. Then breath forth some brief Aspirations befitting that time as IN the name of my crucifi'd Lord Jesus I will now arise He bless me keep me save me protect me and direct me this day and evermore Illuminate my Eyes O Lord that I may not sleep in death and that my Enemy may never say I have prevailed against him My Soul hath desired thee in the night O my Lord and my Love and in the morning I will watch after thee Arise thou that sleepest arise my dull and drowsie Soul and Christ will enlighten thee To thee O my Lord do I lift up my Eyes my Hands my Heart from this Bed where my Body hath taken its nightly repose towards thy Heaven where my Soul expects her eternal rest Here I am but thither I aspire This is only my Inne that 's my Habitation Unseel my Eyes O my God! which sleep hath thus long closed darkness lately cover'd them let thy divine grace now clear them Excite thy self O my Soul from this drowsiness which depressed thee break these Fetters and fly up freely towards thy Creator Thou hast satisfi'd thy Bodies necessity settle thy self now to thine own Duty which is to contemplate and love thy soveraign good Look up to heaven where thy servitude shall one day cease and where thy action shall still continue without this tiring interruption and troublesome subjection to thy enslaving Body which here ties thee to its corruption and compells thee to comply with that which retards thee withholds thee overcharges thee And thou my Body since thou hast sufficiently reposed rowse up thy self to serve thy Mistress Soul which during this long nights season hath desisted from her own functions to condescend to thy frailty Make her a return of thy civility and imploy all thy powers to obey her precepts as she hath given way by a cessation of all her faculties to the reparation of thy weakness Excite your self to a speedy and early rising and habituate your Body to get the victory over sloath and sluggishness by making use of some instance of affection towards your loving Lord and Saviour as Thou summonst me O my God! by thy Angel my Guardian to appear before thee and to praise thy divine Majesty I seem to hear thee sweetly calling me inviting me expecting me Arise my Love my Dove my Spouse my Fair one and come The night is past the day is present cast off therefore all works of darkness and put on the armour of my light and love And I most joyfully answer thee O my loving Lord behold my heart is ready to love and praise thee this day and evermore Assure thy self that the observation of this small and seemingly unnecessary Rule to wit of rising early and speedily will add great courage and comfort to thy Soul in the progress and practice of thy spiritual Exercises whereas on the contrary you shall prove by experience that a little laziness in the Morning leaves a certain lumpishness and tepedity in your interiour whence it falls out that your works of the whol day following want either fervour of affection or purity of intention Every small temptation or contradiction overcomes you discomposes you and puts all out of order You may here consider 1. That whilst you were sleeping in your Bed the blessed Quires of Angels and Saints were singing Gods praises in heaven 2. That many poor Souls have pass'd the pangs and agonies of death and receiv'd their dreadful doubtful and eternal doom 3. That many others have in this very night fall'n into sundry mischiefs and miseries some pining away with hunger others languishing in their sicknesses others perishing by fire water desolation despair c. From these Considerations will arise several affections of love admiration gratitude c. Having thus entertained your Soul with these or such like pious thoughts and ardent ejaculations from the time of your awaking till you have cloathed your body with its garments as with its sackcloths of Penance you are to cast your self devoutly on your knees before Christ crucifi'd sacrificing to him your first fruits by making briefly and devoutly these acts following of Adoration Thanksgiving Oblation Protestation Petition 1. I adore thee O omnipotent Creator from the very depth of my heart and soul as my soveraign and only Lord and Love from whom I had my first beginning have my present being and hope my future happiness 2. I return all possible thanks to thy infinite goodness for all thy gracious blessings and benefits bestowed on me a most unworthy undeserving sinful wretch 3. I offer to thy divine Majesty to supply my own indignity the most dearly beloved heart of Jesus thy Son and my Saviour with all the merits of his blessed life and bitter passion and whatsoever is gratefull unto thee in heaven and earth 4. I protest and promise for the future amendment of my life reformation of my manners performance of my duty and a more serious tendency to thy love and service 5. Grant unto mee I beseech thee O my gracious Lord God! and to all them for whom I ought to pray wisdom to know thy holy will and courage to execute it give me grace to avoid sin and scandal and to work and walk uprightly in thy presence this day
tyrannize over your Nature 3. To what imperfections you have been most subject 4. How you have perform'd your Morning resolutions of doing this avoiding that 5 How you have comply'd with the Obligations which concern your special calling charge and condition 3. Marking particularly upon each one of these heads your most notorious Excesses Omissions Commissions Negligences Then conceiving a general hatred horrour and detestation of all sin say briefly O my Soul How ill have we imployed our Time and Talent lent us to merit Eternity O my Lord and Maker I am most heartily sorry for all these sins defects and imperfections which by thy divine grace and light I have now discover'd and discern'd in my soul and humbly implore thy mercifull pardon both for them and all such others as have escaped my memory But if in the Examination of your conscience you there take notice of any mortal Crime Be sure to confound your self presently in your Creators presence Crying out in the bitterness of your Soul O my strange Frailty Malice Ingratitude Whence is it that thou my justly irritated Creator commandedst not the Earth instantly to swallow me or Fire from Heaven to consume me or thy exterminating Angel to cut me off Whence is it that thou withheldst thy breath from blasting me in the very height of my sinfull action with sudden death or that thou sent'st not some of thy instruments of Justice to revenge this horrid injury by razing me from off the Earth's surface and hurrying me head-long into the dismal inexplicable interminable torments of Hell being the place which is only proper and therefore prepar'd to receive such ungratefull ungracious and perverse wretches And why is this favourable delay of thy divine Justice afforded me O my patient and compassionate Lord God! but only to give me time to recall my self from my wickedness and to call upon thy Mercy and Goodness Behold O my Creator I call I cry I come to thee as a poor wretched miserable Criminal I call to thee for Pity I cry to thee for Mercy I come to thee for Pardon And I resolve purpose and promise by the assistance of thy Grace seriously to correct speedily to confess and willingly to satisfie for what is amiss in me And this not for fear of Hell-fire which I have deserved not for the loss of Heaven which I have forfeited but for the love of thee my Lord God! whom I have offended I acknowledg my self worthy of thy Punishment unworthy of thy Inheritance but that which chiefly grieves me is the having injur'd thy Goodness The consideration of having offended thee my loving Father more lively pierces my soul than the apprehension of my sufferings or the loss of my Childs portion Wherefore even for thy own sake O compassionate Father pity relieve and receive thy poor repenting and returning Prodigal who even for thy own and only sake heartily detests all his sins sincerely promises his amendment and humbly craves thy pardon They who have more time and leisure and who desire to become more truly spiritual may here before they betake themselves to their rest make these five internal and affectionate acts 1. A Spiritual uncloathing of our Souls REturn securely O my Soul into thy place of rest Repose sweetly quietly confidently in the bosom of the divine Bounty Rely entirely upon thy Lords love and mercy And cutting off all cares and curiosities all fears and desires remain here contentedly without diverting thy self with any other Objects Behold O my Lord and Lover I absolutely renounce all but thee humbly casting my self into the arms of thy most holy Disposition Providence and Protection I will henceforth aim at nothing but the advancement of thy Honor the accomplishment of thy Will the encrease of thy Love and an Union with thy self O how truly happy wouldst thou be my yet unmortifi'd Soul were thy Affections once free and not clasp'd to any Creature that thou couldst readily resolutely resignedly throw off all and take the naked Cross for thy total Inheritance Thou O my loving Lord Jesu wert born naked in a Stable diedst naked on a Cross wert put naked into thy dolefull Mothers arms to be first bath'd in her Tears and then buried naked in anothers Sepulchre and shall not my Heart and Soul burn with love of external and internal Nakedness Live my Lord Jesus depriv'd of Father and Mother on the Cross Live Mary depriv'd of thy only Son at the foot of the Cross Live naked Cross and live this holy Nakedness Live my Beloved to me and I to him Uncloath me therefore O Jesu 1. Of all sin 2. Of all affection to sin 3. Of all curiosity and vanity 4 Of all sensuality 5. Of all inordinate passion 6. Of all self-complacency self-judgment self-love self-will 7. Of my whol self and whatsoever is displeasing to the pure eyes of thy divine Majesty 2. A most profound Humiliation of our Souls O My Soveraign Creator I most heartily acknowledg my own baseness misery weakness wickedness nothing I perfectly hate dislike and loath my self and all my own proceedings Behold me O Lord lying here prostrate at thy feet as a poor Publican not worthy to lift my Eyes towards Heaven or to take thy sacred Name into my sinfull mouth But what more can I do O my Maker than offer up to thy Majesty an humble and contrite heart fully prepar'd to suffer what thou shalt please to command it And lo I present my whol self bound hand and foot before the Throne of thy Mercy to be adjudg'd according to thy Will Lord I fly not from thee I appeal not from thy Sentence I pretend no priviledge I plead no excuse Be thou the Knife and I the Flesh Hack and hew me cut me and crucifie me as thou pleasest Only pardon my sins Let me live in thy service Die in thy favour and Enjoy thy Love for all Eternity 3. A recommendation and resignation of all to the divine Majesty INto thy holy hands O heavenly Father I recommend my Spirit my Memory my Will my Understanding my Senses my Actions all that I have and am I cast all at thy sacred feet imploy them all as best liketh thee that by them all thou mayst be praised served and loved purely perfectly perpetually I entirely resign my self and all to thy most sacred Will in life and in death for time and for Eternity And will resolutely chearfully and affectionately say and sing at all times in all places upon all occasions Our Lords Name be ever praised his honour always promoted his Will eternally perform'd by me and by all his Creatures 4. A hope and confidence that God whom we Love and who Loveth us will effect what is best for us BEhold O Heavenly Father I here place my self under the wings of thy paternal protection by an immutable Act of filial Confidence and faithful Affection humbly committing all that any way concerns me to thy most holy Providence In this Center O
my Creator I will irrevocably fix my Heart and Hope making it my sole imployment during this my lives Pilgrimage to please praise and love thee and not doubting but thou wilt provide for me preserve me perfect me and at thy own appointed time bring me to thy perpetual bliss and felicity In this Act of Love Hope and Confidence I will securely sleep expire and die the death of Love living no more to my self for my self in my self but thou my loving Lord living within me leaving to thee all care of my self and not Fearing what can befall me in all future time and eternity 5. A Divine Sleep of Contemplation ANd now composing my Body to sleep my Heart shall remain awak'd to thee my Lord and Lover Though my Understanding remains vacant from all discourse and image my Will shall be still working watching and melting away in Acts of Love to thy divine Majesty O sweet and secure sleep O sincere and solid repose O pure and perfect pleasure O the difference between this spiritual and all fleshly contents How great O Lord is the multitude of thy sweetness which thou hast laid up in store for all such as truly love and faithfully serve thee O Lights O Delights O Extasies of Spirit O sweet Spouse of my soul Wound me Burn me Consume me Annihilate me in the abyssal depths of thy divine Love and Union Then put off your Garments with all modesty and civility being never without some pious thought in your heart or some Jaculatory prayer in your mouth As O Saviour how barbarously wert thou uncloath'd to be nail'd naked to the Cross Uncloath my soul sweet Jesu of all its evil habits and idle affections c. Composing your self in your Bed you may say or think thus This Bed may perhaps be my Grave this sleep my Death and my next Uprising may be my Summons to the Soveraign Judges terrible Tribunal O dear Saviour dispose of me at thy pleasure for time and eternity Endeavour to take your Sleep which is a natural action with a Spirit of Devotion so making meritorious each minute of time whereof Sleep seems to rob you by loving God with your Soul even whilst your Body hath no use of Sense either Actually by breathing forth affectionate Aspirations as oft as you awake or Vertually by the vigour of your now well made Intention And thus you may say with the Spouse in the Canticles I sâ—…p but my heart watcheth Then quietly shut your Eyes and fall asleep upon some good Cogitation or pious Affection For the last thought at Night occurs commonly first in the Morning saying with Jesus on the Cross Into thy hands O heavenly Father I commend my Spirit If sleep seizes not presently upon you say three Pater-nosters and Aves The first for the faithfull departed The second for the now sick and agonizing The third for all your enemies Which are Three Spiritual Alms-deeds ¶ II. Directions for Prayer and Meditation THey who aim at the perfection of Virtue and mean to make a solid progress in Spirituality must besides the Morning and Evening Exercises before prescribed daily duly and perseverantly apply themselves to Prayer at fit and set times and never omit it upon any pretext whatsoever as far forth as Obedience Charity and Discretion will permit There are four sorts of Prayer Vocal Mental Aspirations Transcendent 1. VOcal Prayer is the most imperfect of all as having the least share of Spiritual light Yet it is the most proper for Beginners till the Soul becomes more internal And it is to be perform'd especially when it is of obligation punctually leisurely distinctly devoutly Be sure to make a good choice of your Vocal Exercises preferring those before all others which excite you to most Devotion and which afford the sweetest relish to your Souls appetite 2. MEntal Prayer consists of three parts Preparation Meditation Conclusion Preparation hath three Acts The first is a Lively Humble and Amorous apprehension of Gods Presence who is with you within you your Life your Love your All. The second is Purity of Intention protesting you come to Prayer only to praise please and honour the divine Majesty and happen what will that you will do as far forth as his powerfull Grace shall enable your weak endeavours The third is Invocation by which you heartily beg light from the Father of lights humbly acknowledg your own Nothing and entirely abandon your self into Gods holy hands in all things whatsoever Meditation hath also three Acts. Consideration or a quiet search into the matter proposed that you may win your will to God Affections and Desires to do this leave that love God hate vice c. Resolutions firm purposes and protestations to practise as your Will is inclined as your Vnderstanding is convinced and as your Soul is now inspired Conclusion hath likewise three Acts. Thanksgiving for all Gods benefits in general and particular especially for the grace he hath now given you Petition craving that by your Creators mercy your Redeemers merits and the Saints mediation all your Defects may be pardoned your Wants supplied your Wounds cured your Wishes accomplished and imploring a special assistance for the putting in execution of your now made Resolutions Oblation of your self body soul present prayer all to the divine Majesty 3. PRayer of Aspirations or Jaculatory Prayers are short sweet frequent and fervent desires requests elevations and affections of the Soul to God These are of several sorts and may be made either in the Heart only or by the Heart and Mouth joyntly Of this sort of Prayer see more in our Spiritual Conquest 4. THe last purest perfectest and highest manner of Prayer is made only by a certain adhesion of the devout Soul to the divine Will without any Vocal expressions Mental discourses or any Images whatsoever But by a simple general obscure light of Faith and a Fervent Attentive Intensive motion and Vnion of Love Of this Prayer See also our Spiritual Conquest A way to Meditate upon any Virtue or Vice 1. AFter a lively apprehension of the divine Presence an humble acknowledgment of your own unworthiness and a rectifying of your intention as above Ponder wherein the Virtue you desire or the Vice you derest doth really consist 2. What need you have to get this and to root out that How happily you should live could you obtain it What you lose by not having it 3. What did your blessed Saviour teach and practise What our blessed Lady or such a Saint What saith your Rule or your Conscience or what is your Obligation touching this matter 4. Now what means are there to purchase it What are the occasions which nourish this Vice this Passion this Imperfection and hinder this Virtue or Perfection What Remedies What Practise 5. Then purpose and resolve upon them couragiously and confidently not doubting but that in due time you shall tast the fruits of your faithfull labours and diligence c. And to perswade
lost thy life for me and can I imagin thou wilt ever leave me unless I first leave to love thee O love capable to cure all sickness able to give life to the dead Ah my heart How canst thou choose but be softned to compunction and hightned to confidence with these efficacious comforts and sweetnesses Thou hast not only delivered me from sin but call'd me to sanctity with thy holy Vocation giving me thy grace in Baptism continually repairing it with thy other Sacraments separating me from the vast multitude of infidels and hereticks which are out of the Church-way to beatitude not only permitting me to possess a place amongst thy faithful Christians but fetting me in an high and honorable condition wherein I may make use of all aids all helps all means to farther me in virtue and goodness in this life and to purchase glory in the next O loving Lord how greatly do all these endearings demonstrate the earnest desire thou hast to save me If thou art further called to the more perfect state of Priesthood or Religion O how highly doth it inforce this motive of thy Hope O my God! how infinite is thy goodness how manifold thy blessings how innumerable thy benefits corporal and spiritual general and particular performed and promised And can I suspect that thou who hast done so much for me wilt not accomplish what is yet behind O my Lord my life my love I put my whole confidence in thee and expect from thy bounty all the benefits thou hast promised me because I know thou art truth it self which never can deceive nor be deceived but thy Word is infallible and thy Work immutable 4. Fear is also to be joyned with our Hope because God is terrible in his works in his chastisements and in his Counsels YEt least Hope without Fear may make me insolent and negligent in providing for my Salvation crucifie my flesh with thy Fear O my Lord for I tremble at thy Judgments O give me a chast and filial apprehension of thee my loving Father that I may reverently and incessantly honor thy infinite Mercy and never dare displease thy dread Majesty Give me that Fear which is Hopes daughter and begotten by thy pure Love in my soul that my continual care may be to please thee purely and perfectly for thine own sake not servilely for mine own interest 'T is true O my Lord my Sins are many and grievous I confess it and am confounded and affrighted at the memory of them But is there any blemish so foul which my Redeemers blood cannot cure Thy mercies and merits dear Saviour are so immense that should my only conscience be burden'd with all offenses of all mankind I would not despair of thy pardon I will therefore remember thy sacred Wounds O Jesu and there will I confidently hide my self till my iniquities be pass'd over Thou say'st O eternal Lover As I live I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he return to me and live And I also cordially hopefully and confidently answer As I live I desire rather to die than to commit a deadly sin and I beseech thee to take my soul out of my body before thou tak'st thy love and this resolution out of my soul O generous Resolution O the infinite mercy of my blessed Creator And canst thou any longer doubt my Soul but the same divine goodness hath eternally chosen and predestinated thee to his glory which hath now thus graciously endued thee with these heroick thoughts so befitting thy duty What dreadest thou O thou of little Faith He hath blessed thee with spiritual blessings chosen thee before the foundation of the world predestinated thee into the adoption of a child through Jesus Christ according to the resolution of his good pleasure O my Lord blessed be thy eternal Love and ever praised be thy infinite Mercy how happy art thou my poor Soul and how much obliged to thy dear and dread Soveraign who hath vouchsafed a favourable glance of his eye upon thee from all Eternity Lord I will henceforth love thee as an obedient child doth his loving Father I will serve thee couragiously cordially and cheerfully for thine own infinite goodness sake which hath given me such hopes of my being enroll'd amongst thy adopted children and of having a blessed portion alloted me in thy heavenly inheritance 5. The Sins contrary to Hope are Despair Presumption and too much Confidence in Creatures Despair is a certain aversion from Beatitude or rather a leaving off from looking after it under a false colour of impossibility to attain to it GRant yet furthermore O most gracious Lord God! that I may not so dread thy Judgments as to despair of thy Goodness O let me never be seized with the least disgust against piety or distrust of thy promised Beatitude Let me at no time desist from patiently pursuing it upon any pretence of impossibility to purchase it No my Lord my Love my Life my Strength my Mercy my Refuge to thy power all things are possible I acknowledg thee to be the most undrainable source of all sanctity the bountiful giver of all grace the encourager comforter and raiser up of sinners I hear thee speaking to my dejected Spirit It is I fear nothing I am thy protector whereof art thou apprehensive I came to call sinners to cure the sickly to comfort the sorrowful O my God! what sweet and ravishing Words are these to my sad and sinful soul Art thou so good to the most wicked O how gracious wilt thou be to them that devoutly seek thee desire to please thee and are unwilling to offend thee O ever blessed be thy infinite bounty and benignity Let the most depraved in the world leave off their sinfulness and look on thy sweetness and they may confidently hope in thy Goodness and let the most holy ones incessantly and eternally praise the immensity of thy Mercies 6. Presumption is a disordered expectation of good things from the divine Bounty LEt me also ground all these my Hopes of happiness purely in thy power O my Soveraign Lord and maker and upon thy promises let me expect nothing from thy mercy disorderly nor from my own merits presumptuously O my poor soul What folly what frenzy what vanity is it for thee to hope in thy own goodness unsupported by the divine grace to think of scaling heaven without heavenly help to dream that in doing or living contrary to thy own knowledg and conscience thou shalt gain so great a good as is an eternity of glory As though thou my Supream Creator didst so highly prize this caitif Creature as not to punish him according to his wilful wickedness or never deprive him of those felicities which thou hast laid up for thy faithful friends and favourites No Lord Thou hast disposs'd all things in their due number weight and measure thou hast set certain limits to thy creature which are impossible to be pass'd and thou hast
my heart soul and affections to receive retain and practice this heavenly Lesson Give me O my gracious Lord God! the Serpent's prudence precaution sagacity subtilty He hath a piercing and ever open Eye to prevent and avoid danger He exposes his Body to secure his Head He shuts his Ears to delude the Charmers cunning He casts his Skin to renew his decaying Age Grant me O Lord by this example a quick-sightedness to discover my enemies deceits Teach me to preserve my Head which is my Faith in thee my Creatour and undauntedly to expose my Body Goods All for the just defence thereof Let me wisely and warily stop up the windows of my Heart and Senses from admitting the slie suggestions of my enchanting Concupiscence And let me finally despoil my self of the old man and re-vest my Soul with the new garment of thy Grace Love Justice and Verity And lest Wisdom alone should degenerate into Malice give me also O meek and debonnair Jesu the Doves simplicity sweetness innocency purity she neither wrongs other Birds nor revenges her own injuries she is without Gall envy and bitterness she loves to bath and glass her self in the clearest Waters she testifies her ardent affection by her perpetual sighs and having lost her Mate she remains free from all future embraces O that I could perfectly imitate this Mildness towards all men Let me never more O my sweet Saviour strive to vindicate defend or excuse my self never more render evil for evil never more retain the least grudg against my enemies never more covet any pleasures but such as are permitted O let me still sigh after thee the only Spouse of my Soul testifying thereby how little I prize this place of banishment how much I long and languish after thy lovely presence how deeply I am disgusted with all degenerate Affections and how highly I disdain all things which aim not directly at thy Divine Love and Glory O simple Subtilty and subtle Simplicity that I could joyntly compass you how purely should I live to my God how peaceably in my Self how pleasingly to my Neighbour Lord let the happy Nuptials between the Serpent and the Dove be celebrated in my Soul never more to be divorced either by carnal cunning or brutish stupidity O let my Conversation be henceforth holy and harmless my Actions devoid of folly and vanity and my whol Life led on through the intricate mazes and by ways of this wicked world by the conducting Clew of Evangelical Prudence and Discretion to a blessed death Thus living thus dying I shall finally and infallibly be joyned to my JESU the only end of all endeavours to whom I desire to live and in whom I hope to die in thy glorious Eternity The sixth Exercise Of Justice the second Cardinal Virtue 1. The Essence of Justice Justice is a Moral Virtue inclining our Wills to give every one his due by lawful means Several sorts of Justice O Most excellent and universal Virtue Wert thou exactly observed how soon would all complaints controversies and contentions cease amongst the children of men How happy and holy an Order would be establish'd and follow'd in the world Our dread Soveraign enjoying his due Honours and his creatures the respective Rights which appertain to them Whence is it O rare Virtue which art the very tye and cement of the whol Universe that thou art not more strong and powerful in the hearts or all rational Beings Thou O prime and essential Equity who hast placed Justice amongst the first of thy Precepts saying Thou shalt justly do that which is just Grant thou commandest and let it flourish gloriously in my soul that I may exactly return thy own gifts to thy eternal glory O my Soul with how many obligations art thou charged Give me O great and glorious King of Justice a discerning Spirit to comply with them all and permit me not to invade any creatures just prerogatives Let me no longer covet to possess what appertains not to me Ah! how contemptible are all earthly Commodities farther than they either profit me in order to my Souls perfection or relate O my God! to thy eternal glory Alas they will neither accompany me in Death nor comfort me in Judgment nor assist me in Hell Ah wordlings how ill advised Bankers are you who endeavouring to gain Earthly treasures endanger the eternal loss of your own Souls 2. Of Religion the Sister of Justice Religion is a Moral Virtue inclining us to render unto God that Soveraign worship which is due to him by reason of his Excellency and Dominion over all things This Worship consists in divers Acts wherby we declare Gods supream excellency and our humble subjection and servitude The Acts are either Interiour as Devotion Prayer Vows or Exteriour as Sacrifice Adorations Genu flections Praises Protestations Oblations Tithes the use of the Sacraments and briefly the practice of all Virtues All which actions are due to Gods infinit and adorable Dignity HOw necessary is this Virtue for the advancement of thy honour O mighty Monarch of Heaven and Earth O that thou wouldst be pleas'd to implant it deeply in my Soul that I might perpetually praise thee alwaies adore thee and continually content thee with all thy just dues if nor as devoutly as thy divine Excellencies deserve yet as much as thy Precept obligeth me and my weakness and poverty permit me Confirm great God! thine own glorious Kingdom re-take thy true Dominion in my heart make use of thine own just rights and prerogatives and powerfully draw from me and all thy creatures as much Religious duty service homage and honour as our Natures assisted and elevated by thy Grace are capable to render thee Which way O my weak Soul wilt thou satisfie all these duties O that my Religion were thus active and my Will thus operative O Jesu my Saviour who gavest to God thy Father all his dues in a most divine manner and satisfiedst in rigour of Justice for all my irreligiousness look compassionatly upon thy needy and naked creature and lift up my nothing to a capacity of rendring in some measure the worship and honour appertaining to thy immense and infinit Majestie Make me O my merciful Redeemer truly Religious dispose me with courage to serve thee with constancy to confess thy greatness with humility to acknowledg my own indigency with fervour to practise all Acts of Virtue and with perseverance to perform all thy Precepts that Thou O my God my Lord my All may'st be always honored by me ever praised in me and perpetually pleased with me O let me never imagin to have satisfied the smallest parcel of that debt which is by so many titles due to thy divine excellency and dignity For what alas is the best of my service homage and gratitude in respect of thy goodness towards me and thy greatness in thy self O dread Soveraign for whose only glory I and all creatures were placed in this world when shall we unanimously conspire and
intention and confirm me in my present purpose which is to observe perfectly thy most just and and holy Ordinances and all theirs whom thou hast placed over my head in that very manner both in substance and circumstance as thou O supream Law-maker demandest and commandest The Seventh Exercise Of Fortitude the third Cardinal Virtue 1. The Essence of Fortitude Fortitude is a Moral Virtue enabling our Wills to do good and avoid evil in great and dreadful difficulties and dangers So that we either expect them or suffer them or shun them or set upon them without excessive Fear or over rash Boldness MY Life O my Lord is a perpetual warfare my Soul is beset during this her pilgrimage with innumerable enormous powerful and implacable enemies so that I am forced either to fight and conquer or to fall and be conquered O how greatly then do I stand in need of this glorious armour of Fortitude to animate my fearfulness to shelter my feebleness temper my rashness and to accompany me in all my dangerous skirmishes Give this vertuous strength to thy weak yet willing servant O my God who art incomparable in power invincible in might the great Lord of Hosts the glorious overcomer in the day of battel the shield and salvation of all them that combat under thy banner and I shall not fear thousands of foes encompassing me for I can do all things in thee my comforter 2. The chief degrees of Fortitude are three 1. Not to be affrighted at the great difficulties wherewith we must necessarily encounter in our spiritual course but to be resolute in suffering them manful in setting on them yea and confident to conquer them through Gods assisting grace 2. To rejoyce cordially in such sufferings for so good a cause 3. To expose our selves couragiously to all calamities for the promotion of Gods glory and our Neighbours spiritual good O Thrice happy those Souls which are thus valiant Ah! shall I for want of a little courage be an eternal slave to Sin Satan Sensuality Arise to my aid O invincible King of Glory under whose feet Death Devils and Hell it self do groan And thou my Soul what dreadest thou advance thy self undauntedly into the field of battel Thou fightest under thy Saviours Ensigns who hath already conquer'd thy foes for thee upon his sacred Cross Reflect upon what thou art his Soldier his Servant his Son Lose not heart nor hope in thy just quarrel since thy Lord looks upon thy just combats invites thee to courage assists thee to conquer and expects to crown thee Eternity is at stake and Heaven thy reward 3. Martyrdom the most heroick act Fortitude is a voluntary acceptation enduring of a violent Death for the testimony and defence of the true Faith or of Virtue ALL hail O ye valiant Champions of my heavenly King how highly doth my heart prize your courage how humbly doth my soul honour and emulate your constancy were not your Bodies passible as mine is and your Material parts molded out of the same mass of Clay by the same merciful and powerful Artificer Whence is it then that you appeared so faithful in your hottest trials I prove so fearful in my least temptations O I am utterly ashamed of my own former baseness and I resolutly and readily offer up my self to die here for thy sake O my sweet Saviour that I may live in thy love eternally 4. Three Virtues allied to Fortitude Magnanimity Patience Perseverance Magnanimity or greatness of courage is a Moral Virtue and inclining our Wills to heroick and honourable actions in the prosecution of Virtue in as much as such actions are hard and worthy of an high Courage THou hast made me O glorious Creator for great matters for thy Heaven for thy self and shall I rest any longer in petty trifles and aim only at inglorious objects No my worthy Soul form'd to thy Lords lovely likeness Child of the most high and Heir apparent to his kingdom It becoms not thee to content thy self with common Perfection We will henceforth have higher thoughts and aspire to more sublime generous and noble enterprizes We will couragiously climb up the several degrees of the most seraphical Virtues and set upon holy and honourable works tending to our own greater good and our Gods eternal glory Yes Lord we desire to be as truly patient as thy servant Job as zealous of thine honour as thy Apostle Paul as penitent for our sins as the pious Magdalen as pure in our life as the holy Angels and as ardent in thy love as the highest Seraphins O my Soul that we could reach these glorious Perfections 5. Patience is a Moral Virtue which moderates our Sadness proceeding from the resentment of some present evil and hinders us from acting thereupon any thing misbecoming our Reason O My Soul what joy what peace what holiness what happiness do still accompany any this divine Virtue when wilt thou truly possess thy self and perfectly please thy Saviour by the exact practise of Patience amidst all thy pressures troubles and tribulations O why shouldst thou only expect to be a delicate member under Christ thy head crowned with cruel thorns Lord Jesu I must suffer as a Christian I deserve to suffer as a Sinner I desire to suffer as thy Servant O let not my suffrances become lost to my soul by my impatience in induring them Let no torment or trouble of my life tire my setled resolution of suffering willingly for thy love O my crucified Saviour and persevering constantly in thy service Let Hell Death and Devil arm their whol fury against me Let all creatures conspire to annoy me Let all sickness seize on my body all sadness on my Soul and all sorts of damages disgraces and dismal chances be pour'd forth upon my only head I will remain quiet in thee O meek and patient Jesu and submissive to thy sweet providence disposition 6. Perseverance is a Moral Virtue whereby we go on in our well begun enterprises till they are fully accomplished THis is the Virtue O my Soul and this only which gives thee true rest from all thy sufferings This rewards all thy laborious endeavours and this puts a happy period to thy painful life Without Perseverance how vain are all thy Virtues and how useless thy past labours and diligence Ah! my Soul be no longer like a Fool changeable with the Moon like a Reed shaken with every Blast like the Sensualists who begin in the spirit but end in the flesh No my dear Lord I will never leave to love thee till I leave to live I will not cease to persecute my passions and pursue the enemies of my perfection till they be all dead and utterly destroyed I will keep the years of Eternity ever fresh in my memory that no temporary sufferings may seem long tedious or troublesome Thou O Jesu my Redeemer O most constant lover of my poor Soul for whose sake thou patiently remainedst on thy cruel Cross
till the whol work of Redemption was perfectly consummated make me I most humbly beseech thee constant in virtue couragious in thy Love faithful in my Calling and perseverant in thy Service that I may be finally crowned in thy heavenly Kingdom 7. The Conclusion of this Exercise humbly petitioning for perfect and Christian Fortitude BUt what is my strength O my gracious Lord God! that I should be able to resist fight conquer and persever Ah! my weakness how well art thou known to me and how much better to shee O my all knowing Creator Fortifie therefore my frailty O my only hope and helper against the vast multitudes of enemies which compass me round about striving to devour my poor soul and still plotting to deprive me of thy divine favour and friendship Let no labour tire me O my Lord my Virtue my Fortitude nor difficultie terrifie me nor danger daunt me nor any thing whatsoever draw me from one title of thy true love or make me degenerate in the least degree from my well settled-resolution of going on faithfully chearfully perseverantly in thy service Ah! Shall the lovers of honours pleasures riches and such like worldly trash and trifles be more valiant vigilant vigorous than I am who love thee O true treasury of all goodness O indeficient fountain of all felicitie Shall these greedie slaves rather than generous lovers take such pains and care to purchase a lye a smoak a vanitie and shall not I couragiously fight sweat bleed die to possess thee O my essential substantial eternal Happiness and Beatitude Yes Lord I will joyfully undergo all things for thy Love I will esteem it as a singular honour not only to suffer but to be sacrific'd for thy sake only assist me with thy grace and support me with thy strength which is the Armour of proof wherein I place my whol Confidence and the sure ground upon which I boldly give defiance to all my enemies the Buckler wherewith I doubt not but to defend my self in the day of battel and the impregnable Fort wherein I can only hope for safety against all assaults made from without by the Prince of this world and powers of darkness To this secure Sanctuary O my God! I will humbly continually and confidently make my retreat during this my warfare and pilgrimage in expectation of being admitted according to the time prefix'd by thy holy will and pleasure to thy blessed City of Peace where finding no more Battails to fight nor Sieges to sustain nor Enemies to conquer I will joyfully hang up the Trophe's of thine and my Victory and eternally sing forth the praises of thy glorious and triumphant Majesty The eighth Exercise Of Temperance the fourth Cardinal Virtue 1. The Essence of Temperance Temperance in general is a Moral Virtue retaining us within the the limits of Reason amidst the difficulties which arise from the delights of our five corporal Senses O My Lord the eternal and essential Purity who commanded me thy frail and feeble servant to live soberly piously justly purely temperatly in the world and to abstain from all things which defile my Soul wherein thy self desirest to take thy chast pleasure and delight Give me I beseech thee a true sense of thy spiritual and solid sweetness wean me and win me from all affections to sin strengthen me against the allurements of sensuality and wound me with thy only pure and perfect Love O let not the poor pleasures of flesh and bloud prevail any longer over my Reason Let not my Senses get the Empire over my Heart and dispossess thee of thy there desired habitation Ah my disorder'd Appetites my deceive'd Affections my deprav'd Desires Tell me is this Creature this Object this worldly Bubble which witholds you from your heavenly Creator better than he is worthier to be preferred more lovely in your sight more deserving in it self or more beneficial to you Speak my seduced Soul Dost thou expect ever to be quieted by enjoyning it at the hour of Death will it defend thee in the day of thy Judgment and Gods wrath will it plead for thee and protect thee Is it able to make thee here Holy and eternally Happy Alas nothing less Ah then What blindness what bruitishness what madness is it to leave God and love it to forsake God and adhere to it No my Lord thou art more to me than all I love thee above all and for thy sake I freely forsake all I know Lord that the Eye is never satisfied with seeing the Ear with hearing the Mind with possessing nor the Soul with loving any thing but thee her only amiable and satisfying Object I acknowledg the best of sensual pleasures to be poor mean short in durance nothing in substance Why then O my Senses do you still roam abroad Why beat you the air for vanities and seek after lyes Why O my Soul dost thou persevere to covet that which thou cofessest can never perfectly content thee Curb all these disorders O my God! with the bridle of discreet Temperance Teach me to use thy Creatures with Sobriety to be always at defiance with worldly Delights and to be totally taken up with the real solid pleasures which proceed only from thy ravishing Love and sweet presence in my Soul 2. The Rules of Temperance are these 1. The Law of God Ordinances of his Church and Orders of our Superiors 2. The Necessities of our lives according to our estates offices means conditions dispositions 3. Decency which is a love of that which well beseems us 4. Shamefacedness which is a certain fear and horror against all that is contrary to a just Moderation For nothing is more opposit to mans Dignity than to mistake himself in making use of corporal Delights O My Saviour the incomparable pattern of Temperance These Rules shall be henceforth the Laws of my life I will be ashamed to be any longer like the Horse and Mule which are devoid of understanding but will rationally make use of thy gifts in order to support my self for thy only service I will not covet what may serve for my pleasure but what may suffice for my necessity I will confidently expect from thy divine promise paternal providence who hast a tender care over all thy Creatures meat and cloathing convenient for my sustenance and competent to my condition and so rest fully content in thee and faithfully grateful to thee the free bestower of all blessings 3. The means to acquire Temperance are 1. Frequently to reflect upon and punctually to practise the before prescribed Rules 2. To keep our bodies and minds honestly employed 3. To fly from such objects actions persons occasions as provoke our senses to unlawful Pleasures 4. To think seriously upon Death and Eternity 5. To make Mortification our continual exercise O My Lord who by thy most powerful and prudent ordination hast disposed all things in perfect measure number and weight give Grace to thy poor servant so to watch over his
Whilst your Spiritual Father pronounces your Absolution produce either with heart or mouth some of these short Acts following 1. Of Sorrow O God be merciful to me a sinner 2. Of Humility Not unto me Lord but to thy Name be given all praise and glory 3. Of Love and Confidence My God and my All My comfort and my content my secure rest and sole refuge Remain with me sweet Jesus and it is sufficient 4. Of Spiritual joy and alacrity Take courage my poor dejected desolate Soul Jesus is our guide and we are going to Heaven what matters it whether we get or lose in this World have friends or foes sink or swim live or die upon earth If Jesus loves us and we Him it is enough Live the Cross and my crucified Redeemer Adieu world Farewel Self-love Heaven is my Home Jesus is my Hope and Happiness Also At the time of Absolution Imagine you feel Christs sacred Blood distilling into your Soul and that you hear those his sweet words directed unto your ears Go in peace thy Sins are forgiven thee now sin no more lest some worse thing befal thee O words full of sweetness and comfort After Confession REtire your self a while 1. To give God thanks 2. To say your Penance 3. To renew your good purposes and resolutions 4. To offer up your self and all your actions with whatsoever you are and have to be hereafter employed for your sweet Saviours honour love and service 5. To beg of him who died on the Cross with his Eyes full of Tears Body full of Wounds and Heart full of Mercy for the salvation of your Soul to supply all defects which may have occurred in this or any other your Confessions Then ejaculate sweetly some of these Sentences CLeanse me O Lord from my secret sins from my vitious customs inclinations and affections and permit me not to participate with others in their offences nor to be involved in their crimes by my consent and connivency Return my Soul into thy rest for thy Lord hath done well for thee What have I in heaven and what would I have on earth O my God! thou art the God of my heart my part my portion and my inheritance for ever I desire to be dissolved and to be with thee my Lord and Saviour But who will free me from the body of this death I would gladly be separated not only from Sin and the occasions thereof but even from this body of Sin which I can bear about me That so being absolved and dissolved my departing soul might unspottedly ascend to her eternal rest in the very Act of this vehement and amorous Contrition Yes my good and gracious Creator I would willingly be sequestred from my self and all creatures that I might be totally united to thy self my first beginning my final end my hope my happiness my All. It is good for me to stick fast to my Lord to place my confidence in God my Saviour Let others seek other contents I and my house will serve thee our Lord and Maker A Prayer after Confession O Merciful Redeemer of my Soul what praise love and thanks shall I return to thee for having made a Bath of thy Bloud a Garment of thy Grace to cleanse and cloath my defiled and naked Soul in the Sacrament of Penance Let my Body Soul and all that is within me bless thee eternally and let Heaven Earth and all that is within them say Amen Alleluja Receive I beseech thee O my dear Lord Jesu by the bowels of thy Mercy by the breasts of thy Mother and by the merits of all thy blessed Saints this my Confession Let it be pleasing to thy sacred Majesty and profitable to my own Soul Let thy infinite sweetness of love and bitterness of sorrow supply all its defects whether it be want of Contrition or of Integrity or of Humility or of Clarity or of Simplicity or of a true sense and feeling of my Sins heynousness or of a full Resolution of amendment or any other Circumstance Negligence or Error whatsoever Forget and forgive all the crimes ingratitudes impurities of my life past and in particular whatsoever through my own carelesness may have escap'd my memory whatsoever the common Enemy may accuse me of at the hour of my death and whatsoever thou my dread Judg maist in the rigour of thy Justice lay to my charge at the day of thy dreadful Judgement I repenr me heartily for all that I have done amiss I renounce all that is opposite to thy perfect love and liking I resolve to amend all and to avoid all sinful occasions I resign body soul all to do Penance make all possible Satisfaction And lastly for thine own sake sweet Jesu I beseech thee to pardon all relying upon thy goodness confiding in thy mercy rejoicing at what thou art to wit so loving and so worthy of all love so good in thy self so good to all others so good to me the least and worst of all others Let all creatures joyn with my soul to love honour serve and praise thee her glorious Creator her gracious Redeemer her liberal Sanctifier this day and for all eternity And now my Lord Jesu I here again lay down the whole burrhen of my Sins at thy sacred Feet and take up thy Cross in exchange Resolving by thy gracious assistance to pass on my lives pilgrimage in the perpetual practise of Penance Patience and Purity abandoning Body Soul Goods Limbs Life all to thy service Accept my offer O dear Lord Jesu and admit me henceforth for one of thy meanest Bond-slaves Let me live and dy in the performance of this my promised duty obedience and submission to thy holy Will and Precepts Let me never more offend thee but loath and abhor the very name and shadow of Sin more than Death or Hell it self Teach me O Lord how to persevere in thy love and to correspond to my vocation with a zealous fervor joyned with prudence and discretion That serving thee my Soveraign Lord and Master during my abode in this prison of Mortality with fidelity simplicity sincerity I may at the end of my lives course be received into immortality with security and that as I here justly sing forth thy Mercies for having used such sweet and efficacious means to bring my sinking Bark into the safe Haven so I may there joyfully intone eternal Canticles of thy Divine praises in thy Kingdom of glory Amen ¶ 6. An easie and necessary method of Examining the Conscience for the making of a General Confession General Advertisements concerning General Confessions 1. THe motive which obliges all Christians who are desirous to perform their Duty and settle their souls in the state of Grace to make a General Confession is only this When upon just and rational Grounds and not out of an erroneous or scrupulous Understanding they doubt of the Validity of any of their former Confessions by reason-of some essential Defect which accompanied them The
to introversion and compunction so full of imperfections and immortifications 6. So little confidence in my Saviours mercy so little patience in my misery and almost no performance of my good purposes 7. So curious to censure others so careless to keep my self and curb my own senses Finally all is self-love self-will self-conceit self-seeking pride propriety partiality which are my daily and dangerous diseases O Father of Mercies and only Phisician of my Soul Thou art Almighty and All-bounty these are my wounds and impurities and if thou wilt thou canst both cure and cleanse me and if thou wilt not I will remain content as I am I am willing to continue weak so I be not wicked to be wearied and wounded so I be not utterly tired overturned defeated lose the victory Cut kill crucifie O Lord only spare me for eternity 2. Our Wants for we are not only needy but naked not only poor but beggers who neither know how to deserve an alms nor how to desire it O My poor Soul What do we want nay what do we not want 1. True light true liberty true love true life 2. A setled attention a simple intention a serious introversion a sincere conversion 3. Humility of heart conformity of will purity of soul indifferency of spirit 4. Wisdom to know Gods Will strength to execute it patience to persevere in it 5. Resolution to suffer for our Saviour devotion to sigh after him diligence to find him constancy to remain with him 6. Courage to endure all Faith to forgo all Hope to expect all Charity to give all and Confidence to gain all Finally we want all we should have Yet our loving Lord is ready to bestow on us all that he hath O my God and all Thou art all that I want give me thy self and all my wants and wishes will be at an end Thou art all my safety and my only security all my refuge and my only center until I can return unto thee or wholly turn into thee let thy Cross be my Purgatory and thy Will my Paradise for other heaven upon earth I can never hope to find Until then I must be content to sweat and sigh under the burden of this mortal life to sit like Job upon a dunghil forlorn and forsaken by all full of sores and sorrows to remain a perpetual and pitiful patient scarcely feeling patience in my self and finding no compassion in others 3. Our Wishes and desires What can a wounded wretch wish but to be cared for and cured What can a naked begger desire but to be cloathed and comforted with some few rags and crums What can a blind and cold person ask but light and love THis O my Soveraign and sweet Lord is the sum and substance of all my wishes and requests O that I could go out of my self and get into thee O that I were dissolv'd from my loathed body to the end I might dilate my heart in thy love contemplate thy divine face in perfect liberty and please and praise thee eternally for in this prison of flesh and vale of tears I faint under the weight of temptations I fall under the burden of my troubles and I continually fail in the prosecution of my pious purposes Oh! that thy Will did so rule me and reign over me that it were a torment to decline never so little from it O that thy Love did so freely and fully possess my heart that there were no room at all remaining for any bastard or base love of things created Good Jesu how truly happy and holy should I be if I could clearly behold my own nothing in thy All If I could embrace crosses as Crowns and swallow down all contempts and confusions as milk and hony O when shall I be so elevated in spirit above my self by extasie of love as to be able and willing to humble my self under all creatures without repugnancy Alas Shall I never be content to forsake all and be forsaken by all Yea having lost and left all for One to be left by that One who is my All and so remain quiet in my own nothing How long shall I lie wallowing in flesh and bloud how long shall I delay and dally in false loves How long shall I sigh and not enjoy Seek and not find live and not love Come my Lord and Love Lord Jesu come quickly Let the fire of thy sweet love so consume in me all dross of self-love and so transform my spirit into thee that I may take all from thee indifferently give all to thee liberally and rest and repose in thee eternally Lord Let me be thine or nothing Love or not live The third Part is the Conclusion which consists also of three Acts. 1. Contrition which is a hearty and humble Sorrow for our Sins Ingratitudes Disloyalties Tepidities c. O My God! How little did I love thee when I so carelesly offended thy divine Majesty Oh! that I had never sinned mortally though it had cost me my life immediatly O that I were sure never more to swerve from thy Sacred Will and Commandments Let me henceforth endure dear Jesu a thousand deaths of my body rather than admit one deadly sin again into my soul O pity and pardon my past follies and frailties and prevent me with thy gracious blessings against future failings How great O Lord is my obligation to serve and please thee were it but for thy favours conferred thy benefits bestowed and thy love powred out upon me and yet ungrateful wretch that I am how poorly have I corresponded Oh! that I had so deep a sense of my Sins that my Heart might break with sorrow Hide not O Lord thy face from me shut not up thy Mercy gates against me for though I have most grievously gone astray yet I am resolved upon an entire amendment correction reformation of my whole man this strong Resolution which is thy gracious gift grounds my hope in thy goodness emboldens my confidence in thy mercy and gives me courage and comfort in thy love 2. Resignation in all our Wants Wishes Desolations and Distresses to the divine Will and pleasure I Am indifferent O my dear Lord to sickness and health to light and darkness to delight and desolation I am thine sweet Jesu put me where thou wilt do with me as thou wilt send me what thou wilt I am content not only to have nothing but to be nothing so thou O my Lord be all things unto me I acknowledg my self unworthy to beg and less worthy to obtain and therefore I resign my self still to beg and yet still to want even that which I most wish which is all Light all Liberty all Love all Comfort all Content yea even all Virtue Peace Perfection so long as it shall please thee O Father I am thine ever thine all thine body and soul for time and eternity Live Jesus only 3. Complacence and Confidence the first that our God is what he is the next
dive into my own baseness weakness misery nothing that knowing what I truly am I may really loath hate distrust despise and deny my self and all my own proceedings sincerely love thee only trust and hope in thee and rely wholly upon thy divine Providence and Protection I am not only content O my Lord God! but even willing and desirous that all thy creatures should take me and treat me according to my true condition and unworthiness And I am resolved by thy grace to humble my self not only under thy mighty hand but also under all their feet as their servant and slave to be troden on abhorred avoided and detested by them all as a sink of sin and filthiness I will be desirous to be esteemed and used as Dross among Metals Chaff among Grain a Wolf among Sheep and as Satan amongst the Children of God I acknowledg my self unworthy of all grace and comfort from God or man and worthy of all pain punishment crosses contradiction confusion desolation death damnation I will be henceforth ashamed to complain of any aggrievances and be content to suffer whatsoever the World the Devil and Hell it self can inflict upon me 2. A rational consideration of what we are were and shall be ANd to strengthen this my resolution I will rationally consider before thee O my Lord what I really am what I was and what will become of me both touching my body my soul and my whole being Ay me I have a body all clay a soul all sin a life all frailty a substance all nothing And this is all I have to vaunt of in thy presence O my Lord and my Maker My material part is but slime of the earth the very worst part of the unworthiest Element Ah poor man and canst thou look so big who cam'st from so base an extraction Be asham'd to lift up thy head vile mud and dirt since thy pedigree is so well known and the ingredients of thy being are so mean and contemptible And when I consider what this my body was in the womb how it was conceiv'd in concupiscence nourish'd with filthiness and brought up in darkness I am asham'd to own my own beginning which is so horrid and loathsome and who then can justly boast of state strength beauty or nobility since the groundwork of all is but a little dung and corruption Ah poor worm what a dismal prison wert thou detained in for nine months space of thy time What nasty and poysonous food was thy diet how wretched was thy birth how weak and woful thy infancy and what art thou in thy best and most flourishing condition in the world but a clog and cage to thy inthrall'd soul a painted sack or pargetted sepulcher full of filth froth and ordure O my Lord give me grace to frame an impartial judgment of what I am and then how soon shall I check all risings of pride and presumption 3. We deplore our own misery and implore Gods mercy I Came into this world O my Lord with groans and tears I live in it with griefs cares I shall go out of it with pangs and fears and lastly I must become a horrour to the eyes of my dearest friends a prey of vermin and a companion of rottenness Ah! how canst thou be proud of thy perfections poor clay ashes why should'st thou look to be so highly priz'd and so daintily pamper'd thou stinking puddle Dust thou art and to dust thou must return Hast thou not always before thine eyes these ashes for thy glass and death for thy mistress why then dost thou suffer so many sparkles of vanity to arise from this thy caitiff condition And thou my poor soul the spiritual part of my composition O what shall I say of thee to thy great Lord and Maker What thou hast hitherto been I well know wretched wicked sinful What thou now art I know not being uncertain of Gods grace love What thou shalt be hereafter I am altogether ignorant because doubtful of thy correspondency with grace and fearful of thy perseverance in goodness Ah sad condition I came O my Lord into this world in original sin I am bred up in actual sin and if death and deadly sin meet together I shall feel the smart of them both eternally O how much need have I then of thy grace O merciful Lord God! to avoid Sin since I cannot eschew Death O let me rather admit a deadly wound than commit a deadly Sin 4. A deep Consideration of our own Nothing WHat art thou then O my whole man consisting of body and soul What wert thou O. N. from all eternity before thy conception in the womb and birth into the world Nothing Ah poor no thing what is less than nothing where dwels this nothing who can describe a nothing which more differs from the least atome in the Sun than Gods infinit greatness from the least of his creatures O proud nothing What hast thou that thou hast not receiv'd Nothing Why then art thou puffed up with it as if thou hadst not received it I acknowledg my whole being to be from thy only bounty O my great good and glorious Maker and since I possess nothing but what I have from thee since I shall also necessarily fade away into my first nothing if thou withdrawest from me thy conserving hand but a moment I will no longer glory in that which is none of mine but I will here lay the foundation of my spiritual edifice upon this sure and solid ground of thy All and my own nothing I will endeavour to frame a true conceit of my own misery frailty insufficiency and nothing that so I may fully speedily and solidly come to this desired self-knowledg and humility I will run over my lesson repeat my questions learn my answers and strive to grow skilful in this necessary and sacred science What have I received that I have not abused Nothing Body Soul Will Judgment Memory Understanding Affection Senses Meat Drink Company Habit books Prayer Sacraments all Creatures Can I then be proud of Sin Filthiness rottenness labour grief infirmity blindness obstinacy corruption death and damnation which are worse than nothing Shall I boast of thy gifts O my God! which are not mine or of my own abuses and ingratitudes The one is to rob thee of thy honour the other is to be honoured for thy dishonour 5. A serious Reflection upon Gods gifts and graces and our strange Ingratitude WHat creature ever sinned so grievously as I have done and yet sorrowed so little and suffered less Who ever forsook so great and good a God for so little and vain a toy as I have done What sinful soul is there now in hell that would not have been a glorious Saint in Heaven if it had had the helps favours feelings and visits which I have both had and abused Who ever received so many mercies so sweet comforts and so great graces from thee O bountiful Lord God! and made so
if I had formerly hated thee and betrayed thee as Judas did I would now with penitent Magdalen run to thy blessed feet weep and bemoan my misery and hope to obtain thy mercy And finally O my Lord I absolutely entirely and irrevocably renounce my whole Will in all things and totally resign whatsoever any way concerns me to thy holy will and pleasure I offer up unto thee the full sacrifice both principal and accessory of all that by thy gift and grace I am have and can my self goods graces body soul senses heart will all I leave no right or title to any selfness in any thing whatsoever I am no more my self but thy slave O Lord Not my will but thine be don for time and eternity O let me will what thou wilt or not will at all Let all my desires be involuntary if they swerve never so little from thy divin pleasure Die Self-will Live Jesus my Lord my Love my All. The Seventh Exercise Of Conformity to Christ Crucified 1. Ardent Wishes and Desires of perfect Conformity to Christ our Saviour CRucified JESV Thou only Lord of my life life of my love and love of my soul O that I could reform my life deiform my love and conform my soul to thee the absolute pattern of all perfection O that I could imprint thy lively and lovely image in my Heart fasten all my affections and imperfections to thy sacred Cross drown all my desires and defects in thy dear Wounds put off my self totally and put thee on entirely O sacred humanity O my suffering Saviour O that I could perfectly imitate thee the pure exemplar of all Virtues that I could give up my whole self to thee by an Act of irrevocable donation as thou demandest and commandest But alas I am yet O my Jesu all self-love sin and sensuality I acknowledg O my Lord what I have and what I want I know what I desire and what I deserve I confess I am wounded I am wicked I am wretched and I tremblingly come to thee my heavenly Physician to be cured converted comforted O sweet Saviour for thy mercies sake and for thy passions sake Forget and forgive what I have been pitty what I am satisfie for what I deserve and supply what I desire 2. We cast our selves at our Saviours Feet where we beg Humility BEhold most merciful Jesu I first cast my self at thy sacred Feet pierced and fastned to the cruel Cross for my trangressions Pierce my flesh O my Lord with thy fear and fasten my soul to thy love O let not pride presumption nestle any longer in that Heart which thou O meek Saviour lovest so tenderly and hast redeemed at so dear a rate O my vain-glory and arrogancy what have I to do with you how much do I now detest you Wash off these stains O Jesu from my poor soul in these sweet streams flowing from thy wounded Feet O drown these my imperfections in these sacred Seas of piety Give me O gracious Lord such true humilty of Spirit that I may perfectly perceive the abyss of my own nothing and naughtiness and rightly conceive the immensity of thy greatness and goodness wherereby I may depress my self unfeignedly and exalt thee only in my soul Let me be content to be contemned by all Creatures desire to be despised be willing to be troden on as dirt and dust and the very outcast of the whole world O let me really hate all honour and humbly pronounce with mouth and mind I am nothing have nothing deserve nothing desire nothing but only to please thee perfectly my Jesu praise thee perpetually love thee purely and live with thee eternally 3. Before the same Wounds of our Saviours Feet we beg the virtues of Obedience Patience Silence GRant me also Good Jesu by the merits of these your Wounds the Virtue of perfect Obedience O let me never tire in trampling down self-will in forsaking my own sense in subduing Self-judgment in submiting my spirit inwardly to thy inspirations and outwardly not only to my Superiors injunctions but even to the commands of all thy Creatures O let me have no propriety affection or affectation in my own proceedings but wholy mind thy holy pleasure in all things Let me lay down all my desires at thy sacred Feet O my Jesu saying Lord what wilt thou have me to do so transforming my Will into thine by an absolute forsaking denying and annihilating my whol self Let me receive O my Saviour as from thy secret providence and permission not only patiently but thankfully all pain all poverty all shame all sickness and all sufferings whatsoever acknowledging that I truly deserve worse and desiring willingly to endure more that so I may have a more perfect resemblance with thee my crucified Lord Let me learn O my Lord by thy blessed example the holy lesson of discreet Silence not only from ill and idle talk but even from all needless and unprofitable discourses Let me rather edifie by the purity of my life and conversation than by multiplicity of words and conceptions O give me sweet Jesu a free and frequent access to thy sacred Feet during the whol course of my life and a sure comfort in them at the hour of my death 4. Petitions for several Virtues before the Right hand of our Crucified Redeemer FRom thy blessed Feet O my dear Lord I raise my humble devotion to thy all-holy Hands and beg leave to cast into the sweet Fountain issuing from thy powerful right Palm my manifold Sins of Malice and Injustice with all my faults of Hypocrisie and Ingratitude Falshood and Infidelity Rancor and Revenge Renew O Lord God! a right spirit within my bowels Let exact Justice be the square of all my actions Truth the touchstone of my words and Sincerity the subject of my thoughts Let me be punctual in performing my duty to thee zealous in punishing my self and charitable in compassionating my neighbour Let me ever yield first unto thy Sacred Majesty all honour and glory reverence and respect laud and love gratitude and obedience with my whol heart soul and strength next to my Superiours equals and inferiours and lastly to my own body soul and senses that which is my duty and each one of their respective dues O let me fully perform what I am bound to carefully eschew what is forbidden me and uprightly walk according to my calling O let me never presume to slight scorn suspect judg or condemn any person but sincerely serve succour and seek the temporal and spiritual good of all men whatsoever even of my profess'd and most peevish Enemies Lord Jesu give me grace to imitate thy Virtues to be grateful for thy Gifts and to make use of thy Goodness in order to my souls advancement in the way of thy dear love and desired union with thy divin Majesty 5. Other Petitions before the Left-hand ANd in the Sacred wound of thy Left-hand I humbly intomb all my offences of Negligence
Tepidity Sluggishness Cowardise and Pusillanimity all my my Covetous desires all Impurity and all Intemperance Purge me O my powerful Lord purifie me O my merciful Saviour Give strength comfort and courage to my feeble and frail nature that I may pass undauntedly through all difficulties and dangers to come to thee and to repose in thee the only center of my desires Grant me O my Lord Chastity of body and Cleanness of heart Temperance in my appetites and Sobriety in my senses Gravity in my deportment and Moderation in all my proceedings that nothing may dislike thee in my soul nor dissolve the sacred knot wherewith thou hast fastned me unto thee Give me also O Jesu my Lord perfect Poverty of spirit O permit not my soul designed to enjoy thee her only solid and satiating object to be intangled with the least affection to the poor and perishable trifles of this world Behold I cast my self uncloathed from all creatures into thy naked embraces O crucified Saviour I desire to clip nothing in my folded arms but a breast burning with desires to please thee my Redeemer and a heart melting away in thy love I make choice of thy baâ—e Cross O Christ for my best inheritance I stretch out my opened folds to meet thy holy and heavenly huggings O let me never more be unclasp'd from thy blessed bosom Be thou O my great-little naked-Jesu my rest during the short time of my life and my refuge at the dreadful hour of my death 6. More humble Petitions before the Sacred Head and Face of our Crucifi'd Saviour ANd now O merciful Saviour I humbly convert my eyes and contemplation to thy sacred Head crowned with thorns and thy divin Face all besmeared with gore and spittle for my sake Here I implore strength O Jesu for the weaknesses of my head and pardon for the wickednesses of my five Wits and Senses O my Lord I desire to bury in these thy innumerous Wounds the enormous number of my iniquities and I beseech thee for these thy sufferings sake to adorn my weak capacity with so much solid Wisdom as may fitly suit with my condition O let me never think speak or act any thing which is not season'd with the salt of Discretion Let me seriously weigh each circumstance and patiently wait thy leave and leasure before I leap into any work Enlighten me to see cleerly thy will and pleasure and impower me exactly to fulfil and follow it Open the eyes of my Understanding to behold my own baseness and wickedness and give me thy gracious assistance to reform it Help me to frame a right judgment of the real vileness and vanity of all transitory things and indue my heart with courage to contemn them Inebriate my affection O amiable Jesu with the sweetness of thy love and let all worldly solaces savour of bitterness to my soul Let me be deaf blind and dumb to all things which are not thy self O my crucified Saviour Let me prudently discern and piously perform each parcel of my duty in its due circumstance of time place order measure and manner Let that holy and innocent Simplicity which is the Virtue of thy Saints shine in all my actions Let me not be curious to know much but careful to practise much and cordial to love thee much O my only Lord and love Cleanse my Will from all self-seeking Keep my Memory from all superfluities Close up my Senses from all vanities that my happy soul seperated from all sensible images may quietly tend to thee only sweetly repose in thee and continually enjoy thy blessed presence O let thy pure and perfect love Dear Lord Jesu be the faithful Scout-watch over all my proceedings that no forreign affection no sinister intention no self liking or self seeking may steal into my heart and defraud or disturb its happy enjoyment of thee and holy unity with thy divin Spirit Grant O my Lord that I may prudently turn all good events and all bad accidents to my spiritual profit by reflecting wherefore they befall me of what they warn me and how far they concern me Let me learn thereby gratitude to thy Goodness fervour in Prayer contempt of my self humility of spirit care of my actions resignation to thy will amendment of my life or what else thy holy Spirit shall please to intimate by these fatherly visitations O sacred Head of my crucified Saviour be thou my certain succour during my lives conflict and my sure place of retreat in my last agony of Death 7. And finally Ardent Petitions before the Heart of JESVS wounded with a Launce ANd Lastly I reverently approach to thy dear Heart O amiable Lord Jesu opened with a cruel Launce in the sight of thy blessed Mother and thy beloved Disciple for the love of my Soul O my Jesu I here implore thy pardon for all my perverss affections and irregular appetites Give me thy leave O my loving Lord to creep into this sweet hole of the rock this sacred cleft of the wall this unlock'd closet of heavenly treasures this saving Ark of the New Testament and shut you O Jesu the door from without that free from the deluges of all wickedness and dangers of the World Flesh and Devil I may sit solitarily silently and sweetly hearkning to thy divin whispers in my elevated Soul Purge all my impurities O my dear Saviour in the precious Blood streaming from thy patent side and replenish my heart with thy perfect love Oh! drown me wound me burn me and consume me in thy divine flames of affection that I may love thee strongly purely perfectly perseverantly O grant that I may leave all things with alacrity for thee my beloved Jesu though never so great to loath all things joyfully for thy love though never so good to do all things contentedly for thy honour though never so hard to suffer all things patiently for thy sake though never so painful and to persever constantly in my pious practices for the sole satisfaction of thy holy Will and the accomplishment of thy blessed pleasure O let me be incessantly calling and knocking at this sacred gate of Mercy Let me be still sighing and seeking after thee my Jesus my Saviour my Lord and my Love Let me be always thinking ever talking and perpetually tending to unite my heart to thine to conform it unto thine to transform it into thine that so I may be all thine and thou all mine for time and eternity Grant also dear Jesu that I may truly love all others in thee and for thee O inflame my Charity quicken my Faith rectifie my intentions strengthen my confidence in thee destroy all complacency in my self establish me in all these my good purposes and let me be as often minded of my now-promis'd duty and encouraged to proceed forwards in the path of perfection as I shall eye the sacred image of thy crucified humanity Elevate my desirous Soul unto thy self O Jesu my Lord above all chances changes
of thee O Son of Justice dissolve with a beam of thy brightness the frost of my heart and resolve it into tears of affection 5. We declare our Weariness of all things and our desire of divin Vnion O Beautiful and best-beloved of my Soul I am weary of this wretched world and I breath thirst and sigh after thee the sweet fountain of life-giving and soul-saving waters O true rest and refresher of my faint and feeble heart out of whom there is neither comfort nor content Let me shroud my self under the shadow of thy wings until iniquity and infirmity have an end Come Lord Jesu Speak thy sweet words of love to my languishing soul for thy servant hears thee Give me courage alacrity fervour and fidelity in thy service during the few remaining moments of my wretched and wearisom pilgrimage O rest long expected and much sighed after where shall I seek thee and when shall I find thee where sleepest thou O dear Spouse at Mid-day in the heat of love Where is thy secret cabinet of Contemplation which thou hidest from the wisdom of Worldlings and revealest to little ones and humble of heart O shew me the bed of divin Union wherein thou reposest with the simple solitary and mortified soul O let my poor heart have the honour and happiness to rest in thee to remain with thee and to be united to thee O God of love wound my soul with thy sweet wounds of love which nothing can cure but death wean it from the worlds vanity and wed it to thy increated verity that treading all creatures under me I may be rapt into thee my Creator above my self and there like the happy dove in the secure Ark repose my weary and faint limbs in thy bosome my Soveraign Lord and lover 6. We humbly beg that One thing which is only necessary O Divin Wisdom Lead me into the solitude speak unto my heart teach me thy holy will in all occurrences My deep sighs secret desires are not hid from thee And thou knowest nothing can fully cure comfort and content me but thy self the one and only necessary thing O then take my self and all and give me that one thing in whom are all things O sweet waters of divin Love which flow from the blessed bosom of the Divinity and from the open side of my Saviors Humanity Run into my bowels and like pure oyl penetrate and possess every parcel of my spirit Irrigate and inebriate it overflow and absorp it that it may be transformed conformed to the divin Spirit so that all my actions cogitations and affections may be spiritual divin Deiform O let my ravish'd Soul full of life and fire break forth into these flames of joy and jubilation I have found him whom my soul loves I have him and I will hold him This is it which by reading I sought by meditation I found by prayer I desired and by contemplation I enjoy O how the earth stinks how loathsom are all creatures to me O tast O sweetness O true and solid pleasure O how great is the difference between this spiritual and all fleshly delights O the multitude of thy sweetnesses which thou hast laid up O Lord for them that fear and love thee O Lights O Delights O Extasies of spirit Wound me O sweet God! burn me consume me crucifie me Let me cry out with that Lover Retain O Lord the floods of thy grace or inlarge my heart for I can old no longer I thirst Lord give me this water O when how long how much 7. Our enamoured Souls rest sweetly in this secure home and harbour O My Soul how good is it for us to be here O sweet and secure home and harbour Let us remain and rejoice here for ever I will keep thee O my dearly beloved and I will kiss thee I will conjure thee to remain with me I will rather lose my self than leave thy presence My beloved is mine his honour is mine his heart is mine his heaven is mine And I am his behold the key the keeper the soul the body the lord the whol O my God! is thine Behold my liberty my life my love all is thine O my Jesu and thine alone Repose therefore as a sweet posie between my breasts sleep like a bridegroom in my heart and reign like a King in the closet of my Soul Come Lord Jesu come quickly take full possession of thy own Come and please thy self love thy self and serve thy self in me as thou desirest and deservest to be pleased loved served Let thy love O King of love be the life of my Soul and the lease of my life that when I cease to love I may cease to live In thy love O Jesu I end this act of love though my desire actually to love thee is endless Oh! let me live and die in thy love and for thy love that by love I may for ever reign and remain with thee in thy Kingdom of love Amen ¶ 8. Devotions Exercises and Elevations for Communion 1 What is to be done before Communion THe due Preparation to this divin Banquet requires Two things 1. Purity from all Mortal sin and from all affection to it This purity is obtained by an humble Confession a hearty Contrition fervent Prayer a careful custody of heart and a right intention in Communicating 2. An actual Recollection and Devotion which is gotten by pious and affective Considerations by Faith and Confidence in Gods Mercy by a thirsty desire to See Enjoy and be united to God who is our sweet and Soveraign Good our Father Friend and Food our Guest our Master and our Meat Several Considerations before Communion To move our Souls to Affections and to excite them to an ardent Thirst and Desire of JESUS 's presence 1. WHat is the blessed Sacrament But a pure Fountain flowing out of Paradise watering the whol Church refreshing all the Pilgrims of this world and quenching all their passions temptations I desire O my Lord to drink of this water Dispose my heart Dear Jesu thou who art Author of the desire Let me not bring a heart of paper to this Fountain which after a little received dew of childish devotion will presently fleet away for want of care and custodie Nor let me bring a heart like a Sieve which will retain no moisture But let my heart be like a Sponge to receive and retain the dews of thy divin Graces and Blessings and to be totally imbru'd inebriated satiated with thy heavenly sweetnesses 2. What is in this Sacrament My God and all that is good My Saviour and with him his Body Blood Soul Humanity Divinity My Jesus and with him all his mercies and merits Who would not desire an Union with so great a God so good a Saviour so gracious a Jesus 3. How did the poor Magdalen lament the loss of her Master at the Monument Ah my sweet Lord where art thou what can I do but sigh and sob
thanks O Soveraign Creator for the favour I have this day recived of thy bounty and of which many better deserving Christians are deprived Receive O Lord my unworthy prayers supply all my defects pardon all my indevotions distractions and irreverences and grant that by the strength and virtue of these divin Mysteries I may march on cheerfully couragiously perseverantly in the path of your Precepts Love and Service a midst all the temptatations troubles and dangers of my lives Pilgrimage till I shall one day happily arrive at thy holy Mountain which is thy heavenly Paradise where with thy blessed Angels and Saints I shall more cleerly contemplate thee more perfectly enjoy thee and more understandingly celebrate thy infinite Goodness and Mercy with uninterrupted Canticles of eternal Praise Admiration and Gratitude ¶ 10. Directions Devotions and Entertainments for Sick Persons 1. What the Sick Party is to do at the beginning of his Infirmity 1. WHen any Sickness shall sieze upon you receive it no otherwise than as the summons of Death and render most humble and hearty thanks to your heavenly Father for giving you this paternal Visitation and timely warning 2. Though the best disposition to a happy Death is to have led a holy Life yet what soeever your Life yet what soever your Life hath been formerly you are now to resolve seriously to spend the short remainder of your time in your Creators love and service and in order hereunto 3. Endeavour to have discreet and devout persons about you for if ever poor man hath need of faithful friends it is surely in the time of sickness and in the Hour and Agony of his death when his own Forces fail him when his grievous pains oppress him when his Ghostly Enemies are most busie about him 4. Above all strive to have the company of your Confessor at fit seasons entreating him to take your soul into his charitable care and consideration to entertain you with the continual inculcation of your duty of your Creators mercy of your sins heinousness and of whatsoever he shall think proper to dispose you for eternity 5. Confess and Communicate with all possible fervour zeal and devotion and then rest in peace hope and confidence casting all your Sins Cares and Fears together with yur whol self into Christs open Wounds 6. Trouble not your mind with an over-scrupulous Examination of your Conscience or desire so make a general Confession especially if you have of late had a convenient and ordinary care of your duty for this shews want of Confidence in your Creators mercy and your Redeemers merits Yet if any thing of moment troubles your mind and hinder your interior tranquillity discover it briefly in Confession and then remain fully satisfied for the future conforming your self quietly patiently and obediently to the Dictamen and Judgment of your Ghostly Father 7. Desire your Physician Friends and Ghostly Father not to flatter you but freely to deliver their sense and opinion concerning the danger of your presons sickness that so you may have time to settle your Spiritual and Temporal affairs 8. When it shall be told you as it was to Ezechias Dispose of thy house and set all things in order for thou shalt die and not live Then at least without delay fall seriously to the making of a settlement of your four sorts of Houses 1. Your Interiour House which is your Conscience 2. Your Exteriour House which is the house of your birth family parents kindred domesticks and whatsoever concerns your temporal means 3. Your Inferiour House which is your Body wherein your Soul dwells during this mortal life 4. Your Superiour House which is Heaven whither your Soul aspires after this her Pilgrimage 1. The Interiour House of your Conscience must be carefully cleansed from all crimes adorned with all Vertues and prepared with the Sacraments of Confession Communion Extream Vnction 2. The Exteriour House of your Family must be cared for by making a clear pious and equitable Testament of such Goods as you possess 3. The Inferiour House of your body must be provided for as to its Burial after your Souls departure 4. The Superiour House of Paradise for which you were created must finally be cared for not only by continual praying for final perseverance that so you may not lose your hopes and title to it but also by perpetually practising such Acts of Sanctity as may encrease your merit and raise you higher and higher in the divin favour till the hour of your death 9. If there be any Restitution commanded any Alms to be distributed any Acts of Justice or Piety to be performed delay it not for fear of Deaths surprisal O how many Souls burn in Hell fire for having driven off from time to time their doing of Penance their Conversion to God their Restitution of ill gotten Goods their doing of Just Actions 10. The like is to be said of your being reconciled to your Enemies if there be any such occasion for without perfect Charity all is lost and he that hates his neighbour is a murderer 11. If your Sickness encreases you must timely ask the Sacrament of Extream Unction which being received with due Devotion and Contrition is of great vertue and efficacy remitting all Venial offences and cancelling all such Mortal Crimes as escaped your memory in Confession yea and somtimes curing you of your Corporal Infirmity according to that of Saint James Is any one sick Let him call for the Priests of the Church to pray over him and anoint him with Oyl in the name of the Lord and the Prayer of Faith shall save the Sick and our Lord shall raise him up if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him 12. Drive out of your fancy that fond and foolish Opinion of some ill-grounded Christians who conceive these holy Ceremonies to wit the receiving of their Viaticum and extream Unction to be a hastning of their death no they prolong your life if it be for Gods honour and glory or prepare you for a better life which shall last for all Eternity 13. If there be any person about you which may probably endanger your Quiet or trouble your Conscience or give occasion of new Temptations by reason of any past sinful familiarity or disaffection endeavour to have him or her removed for such Objects may cause you to lose more merit in a moment than all the Priests of the world can cause you to gain in your whole life time 14. If notwithstanding all the moral diligence you have us'd in making your Confession the Devil should suggest any enormous Crime to your memory as forgotten or not sufficiently specifi'd with all its due circumstances intending thereby to disquiet your mind or to drive you into despair confess it speedily humbly sincerely which will shame him and secure your Soul But if your weakness or want of speech permit you not to declare it excite your self to an inward act of Contrition saying in your
covet to be in my custody and love and to return to me her Center Sanctuary and place of Rest This O my Lord is the earnest sute of thy poor servant For I well know I am safe and secure in thy powerful Custodie and if thou lovest me I am sure to enjoy thee because thou never leavest them whom thou lovest O Rest long expected much desired and frequently sighed after when shall I enjoy thee O my Creator Let my soul repose in thee her Center She was made for thee and she will never be truly quiet and content till she returns to thee and becomes united to thee her final end and only felicity 3. Dost thou not heartily detest all Sin all Error all Inordination of Will and Affection I do most gracious Lord and whatsoever is any way contrary or displeasing to thy Divin Majestie being desirous to have absolutely no Will at all but only thine 4. 1. What wilt thou have to be thy last Word 2. Thy last Wound 3. Thy last Will. 4. Thy last internal Act of Affection to me 1. Sweet Jesu receive my soul 2. Wound me with thy Love that I may be wholly thine 3. I give my self and all to thee to whom all is due 4. I choose thee for my God and will be thy Bond slave for ever I desire nothing either for time or eternitie but thy only Will Be thou what thou art to wit all goodness all glory all happiness and let me be what thou wilt and as I may be most pleasing to thee 5. What is thy Affection towards Creatures What thy Aversion from them Art thou truly content to leave all and to be left by all I cannot perceive O my God! that I am averted from any reasonable Creature though I often feel my self upon light occasions moved with displeasure against some of thy servants whose feet I am not worthy to kiss yet I now even with all my heart wish to them Happiness in this life and eternal felicity in the next Neither do I envy any ones prosperity in any thing whatsoever but humbly beseech thee my sweet Jesu if it be for thy own honour and glory to bestow more favours and greater blessings upon all thy Creatures And this I most heartily crave for those especially with whom I have had or shall hereafter have any difficultie and whom my nature is least inclined to affect Whatsoever inordinate affection I ever had or now have either to my self or any created object I do here in thy adorable presence disavow and utterly renounce converting my whole heart and love to thy Sacred Majesty and desiring to honour and affect all thy Creatures in thee and for thee only I am content O my God and All to leave all and that all should leave and abandon me only permit me to live under the shadow of thy wings and to have thee always present with me 6. Wherein dost thou most trust and confide in dying O my Creator In thy infinite Mercy and in the Merits of my sweet Redeemer Christ Jesus is all my Hope and Confidence And I humbly present this unspeakable Treasure I mean the Death and Passion of my Lord Jesus before the Throne of thy Justice O my dread Soveraign as also the Merits and Intercessions of the immaculate Virgin Mary and of all thy glorious Saints Lo my Lord this is all my Trust Comfort and Confidence here is all my Hope Riches and Treasure and in this I will rejoice for ever For of my self I am miserable wretched wicked having nothing in my Soul to adorn it or render it grateful to thy immense purity and infinit Goodness 7. 1. Hast thou not greatly offended me 2. Doth it not much grieve thee 3. If thou couldst recal it wouldst thou do it 4. Wouldst thou Confess all again and that in Publick if it were my will 5. What dost thou offer in Satisfaction 6. What Penance art thou content to undertake 7. Wilt thou ask Pardon for all thy Scandals 8. If all hearts were thine as they are mine how wouldst thou dispose of them 1. O most merciful Father I confess I have most grievously offended thy gracious goodness and that I have often deserved Hells eternal punishments but thy Mercy hath spared me till this present to the end I may become converted and live Be thou ever blessed and praised by me and all creatures for evermore 2. I am sorry and grieved to my very soul that I have offended so good a God and that there hath been so great a dissimilitude in my Soul with thee according to whose sacred image it was created 3. Pardon me O compassionate Father pardon your now repenting returning converted Child for could I recal undo and cancel all the evil I have ever thought done or said I would surely do it though the difficulty cost me my Life 4. And I would most readily re-confess all my Sins though they are very many and monstrous in the presence and hearing of the whol world if I understood by thy Deputie my Ghostly Father that it were thy will and pleasure 5. O my God! If thou demandest Satisfaction from me which way shall I turn me I will run to my sweet Jesus and present thee with the precious merits of his most holy and painful Life and of his most cruel and shameful Death in full satisfaction for all my offences 6. As for Penance Behold my weak Body and languishing Soul inflict upon them what punishment thou pleasest only spare me for Eternity 7. I beseech thee O my ever blessed Creator by the Passion of thy Son Jesus to pardon all the evil Example notorious Scandal and bad Counsel which I ever gave to any person And I heartily ask pardon of all them who have received any harm by me either in body or soul humbly begging of thee Sweet Jesu to forgive and wash away in thy precious Blood all those spots which by my fault they have incurred 8. O the only beloved of my Soul had I the disposing of all hearts I would most freely bestow them all on thee nor would I permit them to be imployed so much as one moment of time in any other exercise than in loving praising and magnifying thy sacred Majestie 8. Dost thou nor ardently desire to Love me to See me to Enjoy me and to Please and Praise me as my blessed Angels and Saints do in Heaven O my Lord I desire above all things 1. To love thee for thy own sake because thou art most worthy to be beloved 2. I long and languish to see and enjoy thy beatifying countenance but my own unworthiness tells me it is an over high Presumption therefore I humbly resign my self to thy holy Will 3. Yet O gracious Creator fain I would praise and please thee as those happy Choristers do in Heaven 9. 1. Why art thou afraid to dy 2. Did not I dy for thee 3. And wilt not thou die for me O my dear Soveraign When I
of my Soul I most heartily confess and acknowledg that thou hast provided for me in so convenient a manner both in prosperity and adversity in health and sickness in body and soul as no other wisdom but thou only my sweet Lord and Maker the increated Goodness and wise Disposer of all things could have effected To thee therefore O my God and my All I commit my self and all to be disposed of now and ever as shall be most agreeable to thy own honour and glory and most conformable to thy eternal just and equal will and providence I hope O my Soveraign Lord God! that this moment of pains and sufferings will be soon changed into an Eternity of happiness and comfort I trust that my now languishing and dying body shall be one day raised to glory impassibility immortality I cheerfully expect to have this poor imprisoned soul of mine called up to see enjoy and contemplate thy amiable and beautifying countenance for evermore 4. Acts of Love O Eternal Father thou hast given thy Son to me and behold I give him again to thee together with my whol self and all that I have am and can my Love my Life my Liberty my Heart my Soul to please and honour thee for all future time and Eternity O my Lord I love thee heartily and during the short remainder of my life in this world I will serve thee faithfully not so much of obligation as of Election not so much for my own comfort and profit as for thy will and pleasure not for the delight I take in thy loving service but for the desire I have to please thee not as a servant bondslave or hireling but as a Freeman loves his Friend as a Child his Father as a Spouse her Bridegroom not only out of gratitude for received benefits but also and chiefly because thou art my God of infinit perfection in thy self and of infinit affection towards me O God of Love and Love of my Soul what do I desire in Heaven or expect from Heaven and what do I long for upon Earth but thee the only object of my affections the only aim of my pretensions the only desire of my heart the only delight of my spirit Come O my blessed Lord and Lover and take full possession of my Heart and Soul transform me into thy love and conform me to thy Will Let thy Will be the only desire of my heart and let thy Love be the only life of my Soul and lease of my life that when I leave to love I may cease to live c. 5. Acts of Resignation Take examples from CHRIST in his Agony O My All powerful Father If I must needs drink of this bitter chalice endure this long and tedious Sickness suffer these sharp and severe torments thy holy Will be done From Job on his Dunghil 'T Is thou O Soveraign Lord who art the bountiful bestower of all blessings and thou maist justly withdraw revoke and retake them at thy own will and pleasure be thou blessed and praised for evermore From S. Paul prostrate on the ground LOrd What wilt thou have me to do what is thy holy pleasure behold thy Servant ready to accomplish it Aspire frequently to God and Resign up all willingly to him in this or the like sort WEre I master of all Bodies and Souls I would presently give up to thee Great Lord of Heaven and Earth all my right and title and were it in my power I would make of each body an instrument to please and praise thee and of all souls as many Paradises to lodge and love thee Come what will O my Creator I will place my hopes in thy infinit mercy and in thy Sons abundant Redemption And my perpetual Song shall be O Lord be merciful to me a Sinner Blessed be my God for all and in all Live Jesus by whose death I live and for whose love I am willing to die c. O when shall I take as much pleasure in suffering as I have done in sinning O that I could entirely resign my whol self Body and Soul in Life or Death for time and eternity to be disposed of according to thy divin Will and Pleasure O that I could in every moment of time pronounce with heart and tongue Live Jesus only whose Will be accomplished whose name be sanctified whose praise be published in all by all above all c. 6. An Act of Purity of Intention O Eternal Lord God! Thou hast created me to serve thee only redeemed me to love thee only and now inspir'd me with a will and desire to please thee only during all the remaining days of my life And behold my hearty and humble desire is to serve thee love thee and please thee purely perfectly perseverantly Reform therefore I beseech thee my sinful life conform my stubborn will Deiform my sinister intention change and transform my spirit into thine that all my thoughts words actions pretensions and these my present pains sufferings and sickness may be presented to thy sacred Majesty with such purity perfection and perseverance as thy Love deserves from me and mine desires for thee 7. An Heroick Act of highest efficacy containing a Contract between the Soul and her Creator Which being made devoutly at the beginning of any dangerous Sickness and frequently iterated during the intervals therof must needs afford exceeding great comfort in Deaths last hour and Agony O My God my Lord my Creator from whom by whom and in whom I and all things live move and have a being I rejoice at what thou art as if it were all mine and I offer what I and all creatures have and are as being all thine Behold O Heavenly Father I thy poor Child and unworthy Creature do here with all possible sincerity submission and devotion make this present Contract with thy Sacred Majesty to be thy faithful servant and bondslave for evermore intending hereby that each remaining moment of my life and all that is within me without me about me may henceforth incessantly bless and praise thy holy Name and accomplish thy most just and holy Will in all things whatsoever And for this end I do now enrol this Oblation Donation and Resignation of my whol self to thy divin Majesty in the very Center of my Heart Soul with such Intention Force and Efficacy as thou O my all-knowing Lord God! canst comprehend to be the very best which I thy poor creature am capable to perform without any reservation restriction or contradiction whatsoever I desire also O my Creator to make this Contract with thy sacred Majesty in the best manner with most proper words in the fittest terms and with such significant clauses and conditions as it ought and may be performed In Confirmation whereof I produce as witnesses the sacred Virgin Queen Mary my Angel Guardian my particular Patrons and all the celestial Citizens humbly imploring the assistance of their Prayers for the performance of this my hearty
the accomplishment of thy most just Will O forget not thy creature in his greatest necessity Thou art graciously pleas'd O compassionate Creator to take pity upon the fowls of the Air and beasts of the Earth and to succour them in time of their need O refuse not thy favours to a Soul stamp'd with thy sacred image and resemblance but pity me succour me comfort me and protect me from the hands and power of my Enemies Ah! my Jesu my glass is almost run out my senses fail me my strength decays my breath is almost spent O do not thou forsake me dear Jesu when all things els shall leave and abandon me The Fourth Consideration JESUS dying wept for my Sins and pray'd to his Father for their pardon O My Soul Shall thy Saviour alone be sensible of thy sinful condition and remainest thou insensible of thine own O Jesu I will surely weep as well as thou and O that my Heart could cleave in pieces with sorrow for all my impieties O my God! It grieves me to have offended thee thee being what thou art an infinit essential immense goodness Ah! wretch that I was were I again to begin my life how differently would I lead it from what I have done I have grievously sinned against thee my good God I humbly acknowledg it heartily crave thy pardon and hopefully offer up to thy Throne of Mercy the tears prayers and sufferings of thy beloved Son my sweet Saviour Jesus for a supply of my want of Sorrow and Contrition The Fifth Consideration JESUS dying pardon'd his Enemies lov'd them pray'd for them O Jesu my Saviour In honour of this thy fervent Charity I freely forgive all them who have ever offended me in my whole life time It now heartily grieves me that I ever hated them and were they here present how humbly would I embrace them and beg their pardon Give them O my God! thy Grace in this world and thy Glory in the next The Sixth Consideration JESUS amidst his cruel sufferings and in deaths Agonie conform'd himself absolutly to his Fathers Will. O Jesu I desire not to be freed from my pains but to be furnish'd with patience to endure them as long as thy Providence shall be pleas'd to prolong them I wish neither health nor sickness neither life nor death but all I aim at in time and eternity is the full accomplishment of thy most just and holy Will choosing rather to obey thee than to be exempt from suffering Is it thy divin pleasure I shall lie thus languishing till Dooms-day O my Lord it is also my will and pleasure Wilt thou that I die presently O my God! I most willingly accept it even at this instant O eternal Father ever blessed and praised be thy sweet Name and Providence for all the sufferings sicknesses calamities I ever endured since I had a being Receive them O Lord together with these afflictions I now feel and those I shall feel at the departing of my Soul out of my body which I humbly unite to them of my dear Saviour dying on the Cross for the expiation of my crimes and in satisfaction for all my impieties The seventh Consideration JESUS dying Look'd upon and discours'd with his sacred Mother and S. John O Incomparable Powerfull and Compassionate Virgin Mother of Jesus Mother of Mercy Mother of power Mother of all mankind and my Mother by my particular choice and election I now humbly and earnestly call and cry unto thee to deliver me by thy prayers and patronage from my dreadfull enemy to obtain for me pardon and Remission of my sins and to assist me in my last passage conflict and agonie O ye heavenly Spirits and holy Saints Noble Angels Glorious Apostles Triumphant Martyrs Sacred Doctors and Confessors Pious Widows and Pure Virgins who securely possess that happiness to which my heart and soul incessantly aspire Intercede for me that I may also be with you a happy sharer and partaker O Blessed Saint N. whose name I receiv'd at my Birth and in my Baptism Let me receive thy succour at my Death and in my Agony O my good Angel Guardian my honor'd Prince and Protector Be pleased to assist now thy poor feeble and fainting Pupil Stand by me O valiant Champion fight for me and defend me from the fury of my now most busie Enemy and conduct my departing soul to its eternally prepared habitation The Eighth Consideration JESUS dying with Head humbly inclined adored the Sacred Trinity O Adorable Father Son and Holy Ghost Sacred Deity Vndivided Trinity Thou art my Creator and I am thy creature Thou art my Lord and I thy servant thou art my dread Soveraign and I thy Victim and Sacrifice consecrated to thy only Majesty Thou hast all absolute power and dominion over me and I have no power of my self I humbly Adore thy divine Greatness Power and Soveraignty and heartily Confess my own Weakness Poverty Nothing Alas How strangely have I hitherto forgotten mistaken misunderstood the world my self and all sublunary things My eyes are now open'd and I perceive my self to be a poor wretched dying Creature The Ninth Consideration JESUS died in an Extasie of divine Love AH my God! Though I have not liv'd in thy Love yet let me at least die in it O that I might breathe out my Soul in an Extasie of sacred Love and that my last sigh in this world might be an ardent Act of pure perfect and extatical affection Live my Lord Jesus Ever happie ever triumphant ever glorious in thy own divin Essence Attributes Perfections O my God and my All Nothing more but thy self Ah when shall my languishing Soul see thee embrace thee enjoy thee When shall my whol employment be to praise thee love thee be united to thee uninterruptedly incessantly eternally The Tenth Consideration JESUS dying recommends and resigns his Soul into the hands of his heavenly Father INto thy hands O my Lord I also recommend my spirit Thou O heavenly Father art its first beginning and O let it sweetly return to thee as its final end and only felicity I am all thine O my merciful Creator by all manner of titles and behold I give my self to thee in all manner of ways O do not now reject me but receive me possess me and take me totally to thy self for evermore O how it now grieves me to have given my Soul to any other than thy self O my Soveraign Lord and Lover to whom it only appertains Oh! how earnestly doth my Soul desire to be dissolved that it may come to thee my sweet Saviour Yet not my Will but thine be done in this and all things whatsoever Let it be Lord Jesus how where and when thou shall be best pleased When the sick Person feels his strength begin to decay let him commend his Soul to his Creator in these following ancient Prayers of the Churh O My Soveraign Lord God whose mercy is infinit O glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost
Distinctly not in an over high tone loud voyce or eager precipitation 3 Devoutly to move his affection 4. Deliberately and with certain pauses and interruptions staying upon such points and passages as may touch pierce and comfort him As for example ARe you desirous my dear Brother to entertain your departing Soul with the memory of your dying Redeemer Lift up then your Heart sweetly and quietly to your Saviour whilst I shall recite what he did said and suffered for your sake The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to S. Luke With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suffer Mark these ardent and affectionate expressions of your dear Redeemer He hath still for you the same love and desire and his Will is that you shall celebrate this Pasch with him eternally in his happy Paradise This is my body which I give for you If your blessed Saviour hath given you his Body give yours to him and be content in your sufferings I prepare for you a Kingdom that you may eat at my Table O comfortable sentence 'T is for you that this Kingdom is prepared Pass to it cheerfully couragiously confidently O my Lord I am ready to accompany you into Prison and unto Death O the admirable courage of St. Peter say you the same and you will dy resignedly Pray that you may not enter into temptation Reflect upon these words and since this is a time of temptation elevate to God your Heart that you may be delivered He prayed on bended Knees Behold a rare example Do you imitate it in desire and affection and permit not your spirit to be born down with the sufferings of your body O Father If you please let this Chalice pass away from me yet not my Will but yours be done O how comfortably should you repeat this prayer of your agonizing Saviour Speak it in your Heart and unite your thoughts to those of your sweet Jesus Being in his Agony he prayed more ardently Behold Jesus in the same condition with your self Pray then pray heartily ardently perseverantly And his Sweat became like drops of blood trickling down upon the earth This bloody Sweat will wash away your Sins sweeten your Pains and smooth your passage to Eternity Judas came up to Jesus and Jesus kissed him Comfort your self in Christs kissing Judas Ah! shall not you hope to obtain his kiss of peace in Heaven since you dy in quality of his faithful friend and favourite Jesus looked back upon Peter after he had denied him O sweet words and can you doubt but that Jesus beholds you lying now upon your Death-bed humbly adoring him heartily confessing him and ardently loving him These and the like devout and pithy Reflection and Applications may be made upon the reading of the Passion which surely cannot but afford much comfort to the agonizing person and edification to the assistants Holding the Crucifix before him ADore your dear Saviour dying on the Cross for you and trust in his infinit merits and mercies Kiss these sacred Wounds hide your self in these holes of the Rock and rest here secure against all your enemies deceits and stratagems Offer up the death of JESVS to his eternal Father and desire that yours being thereto united may become pleasing to his divin Majestie Say with the Publican O my God! be merciful to me a Sinner Cry out with the Blind man O Jesu thou Son of David take pity upon me Profess your Faith with S. Thomas O my Lord and my God Animate your Hope to say with me I hope I shall soon see Him in Heaven whom I now contemplate fastned to the Cross Excite your Charity with S. Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Address your self to the Eternal Father with the words of dying Jesus O my Father into your hands I commend my Spirit When the sick Person draws so near towards his Death that no further Applications can be made to him let the devout Assistants charitably pray for him in this or the like manner O Most compassionat Jesu Take pity upon him O Jesu the Redeemer Lover and Life of Christian Souls Have mercy upon him O Jesu the sweet Comforter of all desolate and distressed Sinners Comfort encourage and strengthen him O holy Mary the Refuge of Sinners Pray for him O Mother of Mercy Mother of Grace Mother of Jesus Mother of Power Pity him protect him defend him assist him in this his greatest extremity O glorious Saint Joseph the nursing Father of Jesus and Virginal Spouse of the Virgin Mary Pray for him O Angelical Spirit who have been hitherto his faithful Guardian Do not now abandon him but conduct his soul to its prepared place of eternal rest and happiness O all ye holy Saints and Angels and you St N. his special Patron receive him into your happy company O Jesu be you unto him a Jesus and save him A Prayer to God the Father O Father of Mercies and God of all Comfort we most humbly address our petitions to the Throne of thy divine Clemency in the behalf of this our languishing Brother beseeching thee by the immensity of thy Mercy and by the infinity of thy Sons merits to pardon his sins to mitigate his pains to arm him with patience to furnish him with perseverance in thy Grace and Love till his last Gasp and then to receive his departing Soul into thy paternal care and protection A Prayer to Christ Jesus O Lord Jesu Christ who wert mercifully pleas'd to suffer an ignominious death upon the Cross for the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind we most humbly beseech thee to interpose the Sweat of thy Agony and the Blood of thy Passion between the severe Justice of thy Eternal Father and the grievous Sins and offences of this thy poor servant And deliver him in this hour of his Death from all such pains and punishments as he may fear to have justly deserved A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin O Sacred Mother of Jesus By that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender Heart when thou stoodest by thy dear Son hanging on the Cross heardst him uttering his last Words and beheldst him giving up his Ghost We beseech thee to assist also this thy dying Child with thy Prayers whom his Brother Jesus recommended then and there to thy peculiar care and custodie saying O Woman behold thy Son Turn thy Eyes of pitie and compassion towards him O Blessed Mother in this his extream misery and affliction and leave him not in this his last and greatest necessity O clement O pious O sweet Virgin Mary When the Agonizing person is ready to expire DEpart O Christian Soul Depart in peace out of this world In the name of God the Father who Created thee In the name of God the Son who Redeemed thee In the name of God the Holy Ghost who espoused thee In the name of the Angels Archangels Thrones Dominations Principalities Powers Cherubins and Seraphins In the
though we deserve it not who hast given us a Being when we were not 12. A Prayer for the Conversion of Hereticks and Infidels ALmighty and all merciful God! who seekest and desirest the salvation of all Souls Take pity we beseech thee upon such as are seduced with pestiferous Errors and segregated from the unity of thy sacred Church Pardon them O Lord for they perceive not what they do Illuminate the Eyes of their understanding O true Light of all Spirits that they may see their own Blindness and seeing it may speedily abandon it And that so becomming sincerely reconciled to thee the Supreme Shepherd and to thy Church the only safe Sheepfold they may joyfully praise and magnify thy Mercies together with us thy faithful Children for evermore 13. A Prayer for a sick person O Soveraign Lord God the Author of our Health and our Comforter in Sickness in the Watch of whose Divine Providence run all the Moments of our lives earthly Pilgrimage Hear we beseech thee the humble Petitions which we present to thy throne of mercy for N. thy infirm but faithful Servant and mercifully restore him to his former welfare that he may henceforth walk more worthy his Calling and make greater progress in vertue and Piety But if it is thy pleasure O Supream Lord of Life and Death to call him hence to Eternity let thy most just Will O Heavenly Father be accomplished in this and in all things whatsoever only let Death find him well prepared and rightly disposed Let him humbly kiss thy Paternal Rod which chastiseth him and patiently submit to the Cross which thy loving Hand hath layd upon his Shoulders Let him behave himself during the remaining time of his Infirmity as befits a faithful and devout Christian free from Pusillanimity and Despair full of Hope and filial confidence And finally being strengthned with the Sacraments reconciled to his Enemies and setled in thy Grace and Favour let him cheerfully expect and joyfully embrace Deaths summons and quietly pass from this place of Banishment to his happy home in thy Heavenly Paradise 14. Prayers in Time of the Plague 1. The Anthem Remember thy Covenant O Merciful Creator and say to the smiting Angel Now hold thy Hand that the Earth may not become desolate and every living Soul destroyed Ver. Lord let thy Anger cease from thy People Ans And from thy City Let us Pray HEar we most humbly beseech thee O Compassionate Lord God! the Prayers of thy distressed people and as we acknowledg our selves to be justly punished for our offences so be thou pleased in mercy to free us for the glory of thy own sacred Name 2. O God! who well know'st that our human frailty cannot subsist amidst so many and so great Dangers without the support of thy Divine favour and assistance Give us we most humbly beseech thee Health of mind and body and grant that we may overcome by thy help and mercy what we deservedly suffer for our own Sins and Impieties 3. Lord lend a gracious Eare to the petitions of thy poor Servants grant us the desired effect of our faithful Supplications and avert from us the fury of the raging Pestilence that we may humbly and gratefully acknowledg these Scourges to proceed from thy just Anger and Indignation and to cease through thy boundless Mercy and Goodness 4. A Prayer to the sacred Virgin-Mother call'd the Myraculous Prayer against the Plague THe Star of Heaven whose snowy Breast Did suckle our sweet Lord supprest The Plague of Death whose Origen Was from the very first of Men May that clear Star at present daign Those Constellations to restrain Whose Wars deprive men of their Breath By the destructive wounds of Death Repeat thrice these four ensuing Verses Bright Star o' th' Sea ' gainst Plague thy help afford Nothing 's deny'd thee by thy Son our Lord Who honours thee Blest-Maid Sweet Jesu save Them by thy power for whom she daigns to crave Let us Pray O God of Mercy God of Compassion God of Pardon who in time past taking pity upon thy afflicted people commandedst the striking Angel to with-hold his Hand from further punishing them We most humbly beseech thee for the love of that glorious Star whose sacred Breasts gave thee suck to preserve us from all Plaguy Infection to deliver us from an unprovided Death and to defend us from all destructive Accidents and Incursions 15. Prayers for a happy Death 1. O Dear Lord Jesu I most humbly beseech thee by those bitter Pains and Pangs which thou suffredst for me in thy bitter Passion and particularly in the hour wherein thy Divine Soul passed forth of thy blessed Body take pity upon my poor and sinful Soul in her last Agony and in her passage to Eternity 2. T is thou O Soveraign Goodness who art the prime Source and dayly Preserver of my Life and 't is from thee alone that I can expect the Grace of a happy Death Thou O Lord didst not make this Death which separates Soul and Body 't was Sin which brought it into the World had not man strayed from thy sacred Precept he had not been subject to this severe Punishment But yet thy Divine Son by enduring the Sting of Death hath chang'd its harsh Nature and through his means and merits it may now be made a Sacrifice most pleasing to thy Majesty For precious in thy sight is the just mans Death which is only a glorious passage from Time to Eternity This is the Death I here most humbly demand of thy Divine bounty as the Crown of all thy Mercies for thou O Lord lookest not so much upon the first beginnings of thy Children as upon their final End and Consummation and the Eternity of their Glory or Misery depend's upon the last moment of their Life Then it is that the Tempter tries all wayes to prevaile over the weakness of our spirit when 't is beaten down by the Bodies sickness either to swell it up into a dangerous Presumption or deject it into a more dangerous Despair Then it is that all the sinful passages of our life come swarming into our Memories to strike us with a sad resentment of what 't is too late to remedy Then it is that the poor Soul overwhelmed with a flood of sorrow cannot without thy strengthing Grace exercise the functions of her Reason and Religion Give me therefore O my gracious Lord God! in this passage which is so full of peril and of so great importance all those Christian dispositions which thy wonted Clemency give 's to thy elected and beloved Children that I may well perform this last duty of life Let me consider Death as the just punishment of Sin and so most willingly receive it to obey the Law which comprehend's all his race by whom it was introduced into the World Let me look upon my Body as a parcel of old Adam deserving to return into dust and only fit for corruption Let me render to thy Majesty
Custody of my self from future fallings an heroick Contempt of the world a compleat Conquest of my passions a zealous Imitation of thy exemplary life and conversation an entire Accomplishment of my Vows an absolute Mortification of my self-will a willing Readiness to dy for thy love and honour a final Perseverance in grace and good works a happy Departure of my Soul out of this World with my perfect Senses about me the holy Sacraments to strengthen me thy self O dear Jesu to comfort me thy sacred Virgin-Mother with the Saints my particular Patrons to pray for me and my good Angel to conduct me to Eternal rest Eternal Life Eternal happiness 17. A Prayer to our Good Angel O Holy and happy Spirit who by our Merciful Creators appointment hast been my faithful Keeper my friendly Comforter and my charitable Protector since the first instant of my Birth until this present Moment I humbly beseech thee to continue thy care and custody over me in all places in all company upon all occasions Preserve me O my Good Angel Defend me and deliver me both whilst I sleep and when I am awake from all Diabolical Incursions from all evil Temptations from all Dangers of Soul and Body and from a Sudain and Unprovided Death Be thou graciously pleased to represent my Wounds my Wants and my Wishes to our common Lord and Master and obtain for me thy poor Pupil Courage to overcome my Self and strength to get a compleat Victor over Sin Satan and Sensuality Especially if there lurks any secret Crime in my Conscience obtain for me Light to discern it a Will to detest it Time to confess it and Grace to amend it Abandon not my poor soul I beseech thee O blessed Spirit for the Love of sweet Jesus who hath not spared his dearest blood and Life to save it but remain constantly faithful favourable and friendly unto me all the moments of my life and take a special and particular care and charge of me in my Deaths last gasp and Agony Defend me then in that dreadful hour O powerful Guardian from the fury of my sworn enemy and convey my departing Soul into the bosome of my dearly beloved Lord and Maker there to praise him with thy self for evermore O my Good Guide I again and again iterate this my humble and earnest suit beseeching thee neither to forsake me during this transitory Life nor to forget me when all the world will leave me that through thy safe and secure Conduct I may so pass through the wearisom troubles of this earthly Pilgrimage as that I may find Eternal rest in the heavenly Paradise Amen The Conclusion of the whole Work Being an Epithalamium or nuptial Entertainment of the amorous Soul ravish'd in comtemptation of the reciporcal Affections Mercies and Benefits of her Bridegroom upon those words of the Canticles Dilectus meus mihi ego illi My beloved to me and I to him 1. O Lord of my love love of my life and life of my Soul How amiable art thou remaining in thy self within the boundless limits of thy own essential Perfections and how admirable art thou issuing forth of thy self to diffuse abroad thy goodness and communicate it to thy Creatures Witness this large and lovely Univers fram'd of norhing by thy Omnipotent Finger whose beauty and excellency more appears in Man alone than in all the rest of its united wonders and prodigies Man that miracle of the World and Master-peece of Nature in whose Creation thy love goodness and mercy can never be suffciently admired and magnified 2. And when this prime Creature had Alas soon after its first production lost its original Perfection by violating thy precept thou wert graciously pleas'd O great and glorious Soveraign out of the tenderness of thy Compassion towards man this poor Criminal to give him as it were a new birth a new being a new creation in a manner far different in a way much more admirable with an affection infinitly exceeding the former For thy self O prodigie of goodness becam'st man for his love and enchargedst thy own shoulders with all his sins pains and miseries to set him at his ease freedom and liberty Yes O my Lord and Lover thou becam'st man even like me in all things Sin only and ignorance excepted which were incompatible with thy goodness and wisdom and which thou camst to destroy and cancel thus ennobling my Nature by uniting it to thy Divinity sanctifying it with thy Justice enriching it with thy Grace instructing it with thy Doctrine strengthning it with thy Example rescuing it from servitude restoring it to its lost title of Gods Child and rendring it capable of Eternal Glory 3. O my God! how greatly do I feel my self obliged to love thee in consequence of this large liberal and signal favour T is a chain which so strictly tyes me to a reciprocal affection that it infinitly exceeds all the expressions of my ravish'd tongue heart For what had I poor wretch alas what had I O my glorious Creator and gracious Redeemer whereby to help my self and what have I yet whereby to prevail against my potent adversaries the World the Flesh and the Devil but only thy self and what thou hast freely given me who art my only strength support and succour 4. When therefore I look into the furnace of thy love O my Lord Jesu and behold thy personal descent from the Eternal Fathers bosom to cloath thy self upon earth with a parcel of our poor Humanity for the redemption and salvation of my Soul surely this only contemplation fills my extasi'd heart with unspeakable admiration and not only excites but inforces it to love thee most ardently and were it capable even infinitly and eternally 5. But if for one only effect of your amorous bounty I feel my self thus powerfully obliged to expand my Soul before thy sacred Majesty how much more should I do it in contemplation of all thy united gifts graces and benefits abundantly contain'd in thy blessed humanity whereby thou becamst our temporal Redemption and my eternal Salvation Should I not much more ardently pour forth my self before thee in respect of so many ravishing motives and yet much more and more in respect of thy Self O my sweet Lord and Lover than of all these amorous effects of thy Mercy who art now my All art to be my All in all for all Eternity in thy accomplish'd and consummated Beatitude when after the painful assaults languors of this life I shall remain in thee by thee for thee a happy and triumphant Conqueror over my self and all my enemies 6. Whence is it then O my Love and my Life that my Soul melts not away in the fires of thy sweet Affection How comes it to pass that my whole pleasure is not in loving thee intirely ardently indeficiently Why is not my uninterrupted thought song and saying My beloved to me and I to him since thou thus forcibly constriuest as it were and enchainest