finally for the last and principall point of this dayes holy exercise I recommend to you aboue all the rest that you employ it principally to make a verie serious reuew of the present state of your soule and what accompt you could giue to that dreadfull Iudge were he then instantly to demand of you the reckoning for your stewardship and for all the talents both of nature grace and fortune which he hath lent you till that present day to be employed for his greater glory and for your owne souls health Call to mind how faithfull you haue been herein and what satisfaction you were able now to render him for all your thoughts words and deeds what progresse you haue made in vertue and what vnruly passions or sinfull habits you haue maistred or rather haue you not been guilty and much to blame for the contrary in them all In fine you must make a verie carefull and diligent examen of Conscience and especially wherein you haue most offended God that Month. Endeauour to stirr vp true sorrow and repentance for them and make a firme purpose to amend for the future and to auoyde the occasions of your sinne and finally to embrace the meanes which may be most efficacious to obtayne such vertues as be verie effectuall to thaâ— end for by true preparation to an entire and contrite Confession you rightly dispose to the next dayes holy Communion and to receiue thereby the happy effect and grace of those diuine Sacraments which will much strengthen your soule to begin the next Month with new feruour you will be exceedingly enabled also to amend your former faults to serue God much more faithfully for the tyme to come But if vpon this diligent reuew and strict examen of your selfe you shall perceiue anie spirituall amendment of your former life giue then most harty and humble thanks to God and beseech his diuine assistance that you may still amend If yet some not acquainted with this deuotion shall demand for their further fatisfaction wherefore this manner of spirituall Retreate is to be practised I answere that one but indifferently versed in the holy practise of that other longer spirituall Exercise of eight or tenn dayes space will verie easily perceiue the inestimable and heauenly treasure which is to be reaped by this the true abridgment of the other and which contayneth in briefe what the other doth much more amply at large and therefore it were exceedingly to be wished that all Christians who haue good leasure and oportunity would make vse of so powerfully a conducing helpe to their owne eternall saluation as sometymes to take the longer spirituall exercise of eight or tenn dayes space it being a most singular meanes to obtayne Gods heauenly grace to liue as we ought in that present vocation to which his diuine Prouidence hath called vs it is also a verie soueraigne remedy to cure our euill inclinations and to subdue our strongest and most vnruly Passions it greatly helpeth vs to roote out our euill habits and is the truest phisick whereby to purge our soules from sinne and to establish it in the state of grace it is a singular good meanes to renew the former feruour of all our good purposes and to rectifie all the affections of our minde All which celestiall benedictions as they are sufficiently experienced to be reaped by those longer spirituall Exercises so they may well expect a proportionable share who shall monthly make vse of the shorter or of one day as an abridgment of the same deuotion especially they being made as a preparation to death and a disposing our selues to that happie state wherein we would desire to be found at the summons of a dreadfull Iudge Finally your intention for this holy exercise must be to learne thereby Gods blessed will and to craue his grace for a constant resolution to accomplish the same resoluing by that heauenly helpe to amend your former faults for the best purposes not put in execution are but as blasted flowers which neuer giue fruit it being in the practise only wherein the true profit of all solid deuotion consists and Heauen it's glorious reward is obtayned by deeds and not by anie purposes or desires alone yea the speediest way to the happy science of true perfection is to studie little and to doe much for the much studie to know perfection and the little labour in the practise thereof is the true cause that so few obtayne it Faile not to make your confession as if it were to be your lâ—st and so manifest to your ghostly Father the true state of your conscience that he may be able to giue you counsell as well to amend your faults committed as also to preueÌ„t them for the tyme to come for hereby you will be the better prepared for your following Communion to receiue much grace thereby This your good day of a spirituall Exercise being ended you must be carefull not to precipitate your selfe too suddainly into your former worldly affaires without first rectifiing your intention to the glory of God for auoiding of all willfull sinne proposing euer here with all a carefull memory of Gods diuine presence in all your actions for as one newly come out of a sicknesse doth not rashly expose himselfe to the ayre but by degrees for feare of a more dangerous relapse so ought not our hart recollected by holy deuotion and prayer ouer suddainly to diuert it selfe vnto exteriour world ly actions least our good purposes be stifled euen in their birth or first conception Consider therefore first well with your selfe what you are that day to goe about and with whom to deale and conuerse for therevpon you must firmely propose and that with a true Christian resolution to doe nothing vnworthy of Gods all-ouerseeing view nor of the true child of so louing and celestiall a Father I hauing formerly spoke at large of Prayer and now here of holy fast the two principall satisfactory workes I must not omit in the next place to say also a word or two of the third which is Of the Satisfactory worke of Almes PRayer is good with Fasting and Almes rather then to lay vp treasures of gold because Almes deliuereth from death purgeth sinne and maketh to finde mercy and life euerlasting saith Tobias c. 12. by which we see so well declared both the excellency the fruit and necessity of this great vertue as it ought verie powerfully to excite vs to the practise of the same which by S. Paul is called a sweet odour and a most acceptable Host to God Phil. 4. yea it preuents our soules descending into Hell Tob. 4. The reason is giuen by the Holy Ghost himselfe who tells vs that as water quencheth fire so Almes doth extinguish sinne Eccl. 3. ô how exceeding a comfort will it be to those thrice happy soules to heare it pronounced in their behalues at the last dreadfull day come yee blessed of my Father possesse yee the Kingdom
holy grace Amen At the Creede The Declaration AFter the Gospel followeth the Creede to put vs in minde of the multitude of Gentils who by preaching and miracles receiued the light of faith Here eleuate your hart with much feruour to God and offer him this humble request The petition ILluminate my soule o Lord with a true knowledge in the diuine Mysteries of our most holy Faith and giue me constant courage in the faithfull profession thereof yea to the cheerefull hazard of my life and of what else soeuer may be dearest to me for thy sake Vouchsafe also I beseech thee through the sacred meritts of thy beloued sonne IESVS a speedy reduction of our poore English Nation to a happy reconcilement with his only deare spouse the holy Catholike Church O lett not the meritts of his most precious blood be further frustrated in those soe dearely redeemed soules by this soule destroying sinne of vnhappie Schisme and Heresie At the second Dominus vobiscum The Declaration THis Dominus vobiscum immediately after the Creed or after the Gospel when the Creed is not said signifies the presence of our Lord Sauiour vpon Earth working stupēdious miracles to establish his holy Faith in the harts of his followers We must here craue that by the presēce of Gods heauenly grace our life may be answerable to his holy example and that we contradict not by our actions what we professe by the Christian maximes of our Faith The petition GRant me good Lord the continuall memory of thy diuine presence since it belongs onely to thee to reward or punish my thoughts my words and my deeds according to their due desert O let me be the subiect of thy diuine iustice in this world that I may enioy thee by eternall mercy in the other Amen At the offertory The Declaration THe offertory or oblation which is made of the Host vpon the paten and of the wyne in the chalice signifies the great promptitude and feruent affection proceeding from a deliberate will which our Sauiour had during his whole life to offer himselfe vnto God his Eternall Father to suffer his most bitter death and Passion for our Redemption Here now in all due gratitude we are bound in vnion of this most holy oblation to offer our selues to God most redily for his sake to suffer whatsoeuer his blessed will and prouidence shall ordayne for his honour and for the good of our ow ne soules yea death it selfe for his greater glory if occasion should soe require the same and to this effect say from a feruent hart The petition ACcept o heauenly Father this holy oblation of the body blood of thy only begotten sonne IESVS-CHRIST which together with all the powers both of my body and soule I here most humbly present to thy heauenly Maiesty in due gratefull acknowledgment of thy great mercy and for the expiation of all my grieuous sinnes Amen At the Lauatorie The Declaration THe Priest washeth only the ends of his fingers to signifie that in this diuine action he ought to be pure and free euen from veniall sinne for as concerning mortall had he been guilty it is to be supposed he has bene purged from that by precedent repentance nor is he worthy saith diuine S. Dennis to be present at these sacred Mysteries who voluntarily and with a deliberate purpose shall continue in the least veniall sinne The petition CLeanse blessed Lord IESVS by thy most precious blood my defiled soule O immaculate and most pure Virgin obtayne me grace by thy powerfull intercession soe rightly to detest all sinne as that by true repentance being entirely reconciled to thy blessed sonne I may the more fruitfully assist at this diuine sacrifice make more a pleasing oblation to his Eternall praise glory Amen At orate fratres c. and at the secret prayers The Declaration THe matter for the holy sacrifice now being prepared the Priest turnes to the people and desireth their prayers that it may become an acceptable oblation to God both for himselfe and them By the ensueing secret prayers we are put in minde how our most milde and patient Sauiour was constrayned by the malitious Iewes to retyre himselfe from his beloued Hierusalem to the valley of Ephraim where priuately he informed the Disciples of his approaching death and passion Here say with a compassionate hart The petition O What incomparable great griefe oppressed thy tender hart o my most louing and deare Redeemer IESVS to see thy selfe most iniuriously excluded from thy beloued Hierusalem by these vngratefull Iewes From whence by due reflexion vpon my selfe I haue iust cause to be confounded with exceeding shame considering how often I haue by my enormous sinnes constrayned thee to abandon thy desired habitation in my soule Blessed Iesu for thy tender merci's sake vouchsafe that I neuer more be separated from thee but that in life and death in tyme in all Eternity thou maist be the sole possessor of my whole hart soule Amen At the Preface The Declaration THe Preface or entrance into the sacred Canon of the Masse which is said with a loude voyce and ends with that high exclamation to Christs honour and praise of Hosanna in Excelsis signifieth the solemne entrance of our Blessed Sauiour vpon Palme-sunday into Hierusalem with that generall cry and applause of all the people Blessed is he who commeth in the name of our Lord Hosanna in the highest Here say with true feruent affection The petition LEtt shame and iust confusion ouerwhelme my soule considering with what ioy the Iewes receiued this our most louing Redeemer they hauing had neither Faith nor certaine knowledge that he was the true Messias of the law whereas I hauing both remaine yet voyde of all true feruent loue piety or deuotion towards this my soueraine Lord whom the Angels praise Dominations adore and whose heauenly glory the Powers Virtues and Seraphins magnifie with mutuall gladnesse with whome lett vs also now ioyne our prayers and prayses saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaoth the Heauens and Earth are full of thy glory blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord. Hosanna in the highest At the Canon of the Masse which beginnes at Te igitur c. The Declaration NOw followes the Canon of the Masse so called because it is a constant Rule and order which the Church obserueth in the celebration of this her highest sacrifice for it changeth not like other partes of the Masse which dayly differ according to the seuerall feastes and Mysteries which we celebrate but this being the principall part of the sacrifice is immutable as is the holy sacrifice it selfe and it puts vs in minde of the bloody agonie of our Blessed Sauiour in that prayer which he made in the garden sweating water and blood the night before his bitter passion forsaken of all his dearest friends but in most perfect conformity vnto his heauenly Fathers will In vnion and homage whereof say
you the interlacing it with these the richest iewels of Charity which are likewise to be gathered in the garden of a vertuous soule by each act of the loue of our enemie produced originally from the true Ioue of God and are the purest most eleuated acts of Charity aboue all others as I am verie confident that you will plainely perceiue by the ensving discourse Of the loue of our enemies the second parte of this proposed Exercise of Patience OVr most mercifull and louing Redeemer in his sacred Gospel Math. 5. doth not only recommend to vs the loue of our Enemies but expresly commands it saith S. Augustin serm 59. de temp and therefore it is a duty properly belonging to a Christian to loue his Enemie This our Diuine Sauiour IESVS hath taught vs both by word and example and by the whole practise of his blessed life which was a continuall exercise of loue and doing good for euill as also was his death the soueraigne sacrifice in expiation of their sinne and to giue the happiest life to them who put him to the cruelst death vpon a reproachfull Crosse from whence the verie first word which fell from him amidst all those his piercing torments was not to threaten nor to demand reuenge vpon those his sacrilegious Enemies but to craue pardon for them who had so ill deseru'd it and alleadged the strongest reasons vnto his eternall Father for their excuse beseeching him to pardon them because they knew not what they did Luke 23. vers 34. And therefore now still to begin with the surest Rule whereby to regulate all our actions as well in this good practise as in all the rest it might sufficiently perswade anie good Christian to the true loue of his greatest Enemie to know that it is IESVS-CHRIST his soueraigne King and Captaine who so expresly commandes it Math. 5. where nothing can be set downe in more plaine or expresser saying you haue heard that it was said thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thy Enemies so taught the Pharisies but not the law but I say to you loue your Enemies doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that persecute and abuse you that you may be the children of your Father which is in Heauen who maketh his sunne to shine vpon the good the bad and raines vpon the iust and the vniust for if you loue them who loue you what reward shall you haue doe not the Publicans also doe the same And can we now conceiue a more cleare or expresse command then this to loue our Enemies Yea not only to loue them but also to doe good to them who hate vs and to pray for them who persecute and doe vs wrong thereby to testifie that we are the children of our heauenly Father by imitation of that admirable great goodnesse in him towards vs his most vngratefull and sinfull creatures And that the weighty importance of this so expresse a command might the better appeare the Angelicall Doctor S. Tho. diuinely declares it assuring vs that tho true loue of our Enemie is the most pure the most diuine and the highest act of holy Charity which can be performed by man This great truth is not auouched without the proofe of most euident reason for there is nothing that man can doe which appeareth so manifestly to be done by him so purely for the loue of God as to loue his greatest Enemie for you may loue God in desire of your owne good and to gaine Heauen thereby you may also and most vsually loue your frend because he is your frend or for his good humour and sympathy or for some pleasing qualitie or for profit honout or the like which may be reaped by his conuersation In fine you may loue an other in respect of some content or benefit and all this is but meerely for your owne commodity as both Turkes and barbarous Pagans doe yea euen brute beastes thēselues can loue in such a māner By all which you will easily perceiue that no loue is discouered to be so vnfeynedly the pure true loue of God as is the loue of our Enemie for in that it appeareth most certaine and euident that there is nothing for you to loue in him but purely and meerely God nor anie other motiue to be found whereby to induce you to doe him anie good turne but purely God alone for in that naughty man you haue no other subiect but of hatred and much dislike should not the loue of God and obedience to his holy commandement perswade you to loue him and to doe him what good you can Which act as it proceedes from the greatest vertue and by which we render to God the most soueraigne honour and homage so likewise it conferres vnto man the highest dignity whereof anie mortall creature can be conceiued capable makeing him thereby the adopted sonne of a heauenly Father Math. 5. And therefore as this vertue is so verie precious in the sight of God so ought it to be as dearly esteemed and most faithfully practised by vs by louing and doing the best good we can to our greatest enemies it being a vertue both so gratefull to God and so infinitly aduantageous to our soules we hauing no greater assurance of Gods pardoning our sinnes then by forgiuing such as offend vs for that is the verie Rule and measure of his mercy and we can only expect from him that he forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs Luke 6. And truly no Enemie can be so bad but that for IESVS-CHRIST his sake he may be pardoned although he deserues it not for his owne nor can his offending vs haue anie comparison with the grieuousnesse of our offending God for which we must expect no pardon from him vnlesse we also pardon such as haue offended vs and that entirely and from the verie bottome of our hart all which aboundantly perswades vs to embrace this generous vertue of louing our greatest Enemies to which I will yet further adde some congruous motiues whereby the better to confirme our resolution for that holy practise by makeing good and serious reflexions vpon these ensuing points First that we haue none so watchfull as our Enemie to obserue our faults and errours and to let vs vnderstand them which we should neuer know from a frend nor yet haue by his meanes that good occasion to reforme our liues We pay wages to Maisters and Gouernours and yet none are so carefully obseruant to let vs vnderstand our misde meanours as are our greatest Enemies and that also gratis without pay He bouldly tells vs true when our frend dares not speake and he serues vs as a needfull curbe by publishing our vice and will plainly aduertise vs if we goe amisse nor dare we doe ill in his sight whereas a frend seldome preuents anie thing of all this great harme but rather verie frequently he prooues a motiue great cause of our doing ill When
would frustrate all our former paines And therefore to preuent the danger of so great an euill the best expedient which I can recommende to you is a carefull obseruance of these former Rules it being manifest that the most assured way to dye well is to liue well yea the one is but the Eccho of the other and much folly it would be to hope for a happy death and yet to fly a good life whereof the other depends Many will say with Balaam ô let me dye the death of the Iust and be may end like vnto theirs Numb 23. But they ought rather to say ô let me liue the life of the Iust that my end maybe like vnto theires He liueth well who spendes his life in learning to dye well who learnes not this is truly ignorant though for all the rest he be as wise as Plato or as learned as was Aristotle who vpon the point to dye cry'd out I entred into this world in pouerty I liued therein with misery and finally I dye in ignorance of that he ment which most imported him to know for he had not learn'd the art of dying well wherein the only true wisdome and knowledge doth consist This happy and most needfull Art is best learned by dying first in minde to the world before we can liue rightly to God yea we must dye verie often in minde to dye once truly well This was the practise of holy S. Augustin when he said let me dye to the end I may not dye he meanes that by often conceiuing himselfe as a dying man to make familiar by frequent practise in the tyme of health the exercises of those necessary acts which are to be vsed at the tyme of our death for who learnes not in tyme of health to practise the holy acts of vertue and to resist the temptations most incident in that dangerous extremity how shall he doe it well at his death when the battaile will be more furious and he much weaker to resist yea by paine and other impediments in tyme of sicknesse and cheefly when neere to our end we are manie wayes hindred from performing the duty which we then ought to render vnto God And therefore it greatly imports vs so to practise them in tyme of health as if we were then actually at the verie point of our death which being seriously and frequently performed it will produce a true contempt of the world and a holy disingagement from the creatures thereof and will also make the practise of those acts much more easie to vs at the tyme of our death This holy Exercise may best be made by way of these eight ensuing Meditations which you may take for the subiect of a spirituall Retreate for so manie dayes or for halfe the tyme as occasion and your spirituall Director shall best aduise you And for the methode of your Meditations you may vse the same which I formerly mentioned in B Sales Part. 2. chap. 2. in his Introduction to a deuout life The substance of this exercise I haue collected partly out of the R. F. Eude a Missionary Priest and a most pious Author the which I earnestly yet once againe recommend and verie heartely exhort you to make vse thereof once a yeare at the least And if your occasions will so permitt no tyme is more proper for it then the holy weeke The first Meditation Of submission and Conformity to Gods diuine will concerning our death The Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the Presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. And which serues as a generall aduise for this and all the ensueing Meditations you must endeuour so to behaue your selfe therein as if they were to be your last And therefore labour to procure such interiour affections in your soule as ought to be wished were you assured to dye that present day Considerations FIrst here consider your selfe as present before your Soueraigne Iudge pronouncing that iust sentence of death against you in those words to Adam Gen. 1. and in him against all other men dust thou art and into dust thou shalt returne 2. With what infinit loue and profound humility IESVS-CHRIST that innocent and immaculate lambe did accept from wicked Pilate that cruell sentence of a reproachfull death vpon the Crosse thereby to satisfye the iustice of his Eternall Father for our offences In due honour and homage wherevnto we must cheerefully submit our selues to the iust sentence of death acknowledging that our greeuous sinnes most iustly deserues it Affections and Resolutions O Diuine and louing Iesv who being the source and fountaine of all true life yet didst-vouchsafe to dye so painfull a death for me in humble and gratefull acknowledgment thereof I accept from this instant with a willing heart that suffering state which thy diuine will hath ordayned me in adoration of thy sacred sufferings as also in honour and vnion of that thy naked pouerty and being so forsaken vpon the Crosse I here now render my selfe to what want or misery soeuer thy heauenly iustice and holy pleasure hast ordayned for me be it by persecution by calumny scorne confusion or by anie other iniury or sufferance from anie creature whatsoeuer all which I humbly accept in expiation of my sinne yeald my selfe most willingly to suffer all paines and infirmities by thy diuine will allotted me my agonies and death it selfe All which and what else soeuer they be I accept thereof in honour vnion and adoration of thy most dolorous death and cruell torments for which the Prophet Esa so iustly hath called thee a Man of sorrowes cap. 53. and I most entirely submit my selfe to dye in true conformity to thy holy will be it without the comfort of my friends or senses that I dye this yeare or this day this houre or moment where or in what manner thy diuine Prouidence shall ordayne vouchsafe but o Lord that my desire may euer be thy will be done and that my heart accompanie it with true contrition and perseuerance in thy grace This grant me deare IESV for thy bitter Passion sake and then let death assault me in bed or in the field by lingering paine or by suddaine accident be it naturall or violent honorable orignominious be it but thy blessed pleasure and welcome yea Father for so hath it well pleased thee Luke 10. Grant Lord IESV I beseech thee that as thou vouchsafest to dye for the loue of me so I may both liue and dye purely for the loue of thee and that neither liuing nor dying I may euer anie more offend thee But that finally I may breath fourth my soule in cheerefull conformity to that most holy obedience wherewith thou didst render thy blessed spirit vpon the Crosse into thy Fathers hands O glorious Trinity I wholy abandon my selfe vnto thy heauenly will vouchsafe to dispose of me both in tyme and Eternity to thy owne greater honour and glory The Conclusion 1. Giue God thankes for
may be blest and sanctifi'd by this my true desire and good intention of vnion vnto thyne and theirs and that my life be sacrificed in those sacred flames of diuine loue wherein they haue so happily ended theirs O immaculate Virgin Mother O thou beloued disciple of our Lord and thou o happy and repentant Magdalen yee who had that speciall honour to accompanie my Lord IESVS at his dolorous death and there to assist at the foot of the Crosse whilst therevpon he pay'd the deare ransome of our Redemption vouchsafe yee also to assist me by your powerfull intercession in that last passadge to my Eternity It would be also verie expedient this day to reade the Passion of IESVS-CHRIST and the 17. chapter of S. Iohn which contaynes the last words and the prayers of IESVS-CHRIST before he came to the Crosse as also to reade the prayers of the Church for an agonizing soule for they are verie pious and efficacious Nor doe we know whether at the day of our death we shall be able to make vse of anie such preparation let vs therefore so reade them now as we ought to reade them then and with the selfsame dispositions and affections as if in that last article of our death Lord Iesv for thy great mercy sake grant me this happy grace to consecrate the finall instant of my mortall life to the honour of that sanctifi'd moment wherein thou did'st expire vpon the Crosse and that my last breath may yeald fourth a feruent act of diuine and pure loue of thee which may perseuere with my soule eternally This is sweet Iesv my true harty desire and firme resolution confirme and so strengthen it I beseech thee in holy grace as that by finall perseuerance I may performe it to thy glory and my owne eternall felicity Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution Beseech him to pardon your negligence in prayer Pater Aue. Credo The seauenth Meditation Of our particular iudgment at the houre of death Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Reflect vpon that ioyfull sentence come yee blessed c. And vpon the excessiue horrour of that other Goe yee cursed c. and prepare your selfe in tyme by a good life to auoyde the same Considerations 1. We must consider our selues now as at the point of death and Iesvs-CHRIST as if appearing to vs in quality of our soueraigne Iudge come to pronounce our finall sentence to an eternall life or death without all further appeale Lett vs yeald to him in quality thereof all honour and homage laboring by true loue repentance to renderhim propitious tovs against that dreadfull houre that houre after which no moment more of tyme will euer be giuen vs that deciding houre which will determin vs to ioy or misery for all Eternity O lett vs therefore entertayne our most serious thoughts affections and resolutions herevpon whilst that both tyme and mercy is afforded for the same 2. Consider the immaculate lambe the Saint of Saints and essentiall sanctity it selfe IESVS-CHRIST infinitly farr frō all blemish of sinne yet layde prostrate in a bloody agonie before his heauenly Father in the garden soone after at Pilats feet there charged withall the sinnes of the world becomme the voluntary suerty and the accepted caution for all sinners whatsoeuer And therefore it was that the eternall Father did so seuerely exercise his diuine and rigid iustice vpon that sacred Humanity and made it to vndergoe the iudgment which was due to wicked Man permitting his most innocent and beloued sonne to be condemned to that reproachfull death vpon the Crosse Which iudgment he accepted with most perfect submission to his heauenly Father and ardent loue to Man In honour vnion and adoration whereof here prostrate your selfe as at the feet of IESVS-CHRIST and there acknowledge adore him as the soueraigne Iudge both of Men and Angells without appeale Raise vp your soule to true loue and gratitude by these ensueing Affections or the like Affections and Resolutions O Diuine IESV I honour thee in this thy particular comming to iudge me at the article of my death And I here adore what thy eternall decree shall there dispose of me Enlighten me I beseech thee that I may so discouer the enormity of my sinnes as I may behold them now in the self-same manner as they would appeare to me at the houre of my death to the end I may by true repentance and satisfaction make here my happy peace before I fall into the finall zeale of thy dreadfull iustice when all tyme will be past for anie fauour or mercy I therefore now detest from my very hart and renounce for euer all my finfull offences and at the sacred feet of thy diuine mercy I resolue most willingly to accept what punishment soeuer thy iustice shall ordayne me nor can I hope for anie other meanes whereby to expiate my grieuous sinne but meerely by thy mercy and merits of thy most precious blood O mercifull Redeemer who did'st for my sake permit thy selfe to be ledd bound and in all disgracefull manner to that prophane tribunall of Pilate and there with all malice and scorne to be presented and iudged before him thou being thy selfe the supreame and soueraigne iudge both of the liuing dead Grant I beseech thee that all those indignities suffered for the loue of man obtayning pardon for my sinnes may graciously preserue me from that vnhappy number who shall neither loue nor praise thee during their cursed Eternity And though most vnworthy I be of this blessed effect of thy great mercy yet behold ô God our Protectour and looke vpon the face of thy Christ Psal 83. thy diuine and only begotten Sonne ◠eternall Father being adiuged to that dolorous death for my offence may begg my pardon and therevpon is grounded all my hope and humble confidence O Mother of mercy and faithfull aduocate of all who craue thy powerfull intercession sacred Virgin and Mother of God O all yee blessed Angells and Saints of Paradise vouchsafe yee to intercede for me vnto the most glorious Trinity and offer vp I beseech yee your holy sufferings for his sake in part of satisfaction for my sinne pray yee for me that he dealenot with me according to the rigour of his iustice but rather answerably to the multitude of his infinit mercy to the end that I may loue and praise him with you all world without end Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution 3. Beseech him to pardon your negligences in prayer Pater Aue. Credo The eight Meditation Of the state of our death and buriall Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Conceiue now your soule and body separated The first to appeare
before Gods dreadfull Tribunall to render him a most rigid accompt The second now lay'd in the graue to be food for wormes and being reduced to most loathsome putrifaction must there returne to it's first extraction earth and ashes Consideration COnsider that as our blessed Sauiour IESVS hath pleased to passe through all the seuerall states of humaine mortality thereby to honour his eternall Father in them all and to sanctifie them particularly for our greater good so likewise we ought to honour this our most louing Redeemer in all the states wherein wee haue been or shall hereafter be And therefore hauing now adored him as in the last instant of our life by dedicating it as a sacrifice to his honour glory it now followes that we honour adore him also in the state of our death wherein he himselfe remayned for three dayes space all which may be done as followeth by these Affections and Resolutions O IESV eternall life and the originall source from whom all life doth spring from whence proceeds it that I thus behold thee brought vnder the darke shadow of death by that dolorous separation of thy diuine body and soule and thereby also separated from thy most sacred mother from thy deare Apostles Disciples and all thy beloued frends and this on their parts also with the greatest most sensible griefe to be imagined O diuine and deare Lord I adore praise and glorifie thee herein I offer to thee all the honour which in this state hath been rendred to thee by thy blessed Mother by the penitent Magdalen by all thy holy Apostles Saints Angells and by all which thy whole Church both militant and triumphant doth and shall euer render to thee for this thy infinitt loue and most profound humility In vnion of which blessed companie and in true honour and homage to thy said sorrowfull separation I likewise offer most louing IESV to thee that state whereby one day I must by death be also separated both from frends and kindred from all that which in this world can aniewise be deare to me O IESV in adoration of thy sacred death separatiō of thy body soule I make thee now a most willing sacrifice of myne I offer also vnto thee my buriall in honour of thy three dayes lying buried in the monument in due adoration whereof I here most cheerefully bequeath my body to the earth there to giue wormes their due it being reduced into dust I desire that each seuerall graine thereof may be as a tongue and voyce to prayse glorifie continually thy holy buriall with all the other blessed Mysteries of our Redemption that so with thy kingly Prophet I might perpetually sing all my bones shall say Lord who is like to thee Psal 34. Most mercifull and louing Lord destroy vtterly in me I beseech thee that cursed life of the ould Man all wicked sinne Make me to dye perfectly to the world to my selfe and to all whatsoeuer is not thee Mortifie so my eyes my eares my tongue my hands my feet my hart and all the powers both of my body soule that I may no more see nor vnderstand nor speake nor doe nor loue nor thinke nor will nor vse anie other faculty corporall or spirituall of my body or soule but according to thy holy will Grant I may so dye to my selfe as that my life may be hid with CHRIST in God Colos 3. O hide and bury my tepidity and indeuotion in the feruour of thy diuine loue and all my other vices and imperfections in thy perfections and vertues that as the earth consumeth the corruption of the body so may the sinfull imperfections of my soule be consumed by the operations of thy heauenly grace in me O most pure Virgin and beloued Mother of my Lord IESVS-CHRIST vouchsafe me thy powerfull intercession I beseech thee that by my death and buriall I may render due honour and homage to that his dolourous death which did so deeply pierce thy tender hart and also to that dolefull state in the graue which kept both thee and all his dearest frends in three sadd mourning dayes for his bewailed absence O holy Angell my faithfull Guardian Blessed S. Ioseph S.N. and all yee glorious Saints and Angells of Heauen pray yee to God for me that I be strenghtned by his holy grace to comply with all my present good purposes and desires of doing well Obtayne yee for me by your powerfull intercession that I may so serue loue and obey him in this life as that I may enioy praise and glorifie him with you for all Eternity in the other Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution 3. Beseech him to pardon your negligence in prayer Pater Aue. Credo You haue seene now the order of this needfull preparation in health whereby to dispose your soule to a happy death The reasons alleaged conuince it's much conducing to that maine point whereon depends Eternity The profit of which anticipating Exercise was experienced by S. Gertrude who testifies to vs that shee hauing once practis'd it our blessed Sauiour himselfe assured her that her deuotion therein was so verie pleasing vnto him as he euen then did presently accept thereof for the houre of her death as shee desired It therefore now only remaines Christian and deare Cath. reader that I conclude exhorting you to make good vse of this important Exercise as also of all the former Rules which though I doubt not but by your deuout perusall will produce verie pious affections and laudable resolutions in your soule yet you must be verie carefull not to rest only in them they being but meerly helpes and dispositions vnto the true end and fruit of holy prayer which is the accomplishment of the will of God by mortifiing for his sake our vnruly passions and disordered affections whereby our stubborne Will is made plyable to vertue And as the yron first softned by fyre becomes so yealding to the workmans hammer as it may easily be fashioned to what forme he desires so I doe much confide that this little treatise will prooue a furnace of holy deuotion so to inflame your hart with the feruour of true piety as you will finde it verie plyable to put in execution those holy Affections and good purposes of your former deuotion wherein consists the verie perfection of all good prayer And to the end that you may reape in much more abundance this the happiest treasure of true Christian sanctity I cannot omit here finally to exhort you that when you desire and fitt oportunity shall inuite you to make a spirituall exercise vpon these Meditations of a preparation to death that then after your deuotions vpon each seuerall Meditation you also write downe your Resolutions and best affections which mooued you to such resolutions as you conceiue most fitting to be obserued for your future life and Conuersation And hauing done the like in euery
whatsoeuer whether by fasting prayer or any corporall austerity it being the infinit satisfaction of IESVS-CHRIST which is thereby applied to our souls And hence it is that Sathan our mortal enemy and all his wicked instruments so mainely oppose the holy Masse as greatly enuying the glory of God and our soules health which is reaped thereby Say daily our Ladis office and your beades according to the seuerall mysteries thereof and reade towards the euening the Saints life for the next day obseruing with good leasure what vertues you shal finde therein most necessary for your owne practise and make it the subiect of your next morning resolution to produce some good acts thereof as occasion may be offered and craue humbly that Saints intercession to God to obtaine you grace for imprinting so needfull a vertue into your soule There is yet one thing more which both for its piety and profit may well chalenge a prime place amongst our deuotions the Letanies I meane of that most sweet and adorable name of IESVS which you haue in the Key of paradise and other bookes Piety demands it in deuout acknowledgement of those diuine and glorious attributes of our Eternall King and louing Redeemer IESVS-CHRIST And profit may also perswade vs to it since diuine truth assures vs that whatso euer we shall aske in his name it will be granted vs. Iohn 14.13 yea to him all the Prophets giue testimonie that all receiue remission of sinnes by his name who beleeue in him Act. 10. nor is there vnder Heauen anie other name giuen to men wherein we must be saued Act. 4.12 So deare and gratefull was this blessed name to the beloued Apostle S. Iohn as it is to be found 200. tymes repeated in his Ghospel And so sweete was it to S. Paul as it is obserued by S. Iohn Chrisost to be repeated by him 200. tymes also in his Epistles yea and that after his head was strucke of at Rome for profession of the holy Faith of IESVS it pronounced three seuerall tymes that blessed name as if springing at each tyme with ioy and at each bound a cleare fountaine sprung also fourth which is to be seene at this day in memory of that his most happie martyrdome This sacred name was also found engrauen with goulden letters in the hart of that blessed Bishop and Martyr S. Ignatius in testimonie of his feruent loue and continuall thoughts there vpon which had so happily there imprinted it and therefore not without much cause the great Apostle hath charged vs. Coloss 3.17 that whatsoeuer we doe in word or in worke we doe all in the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST giuing thanks to God the Father by him whom we both praise and glorifie by all the blessed attributes of these holy Letanies raising thereby our harts both to loue and adore him in whose sacred merits we must place our whole trust and confidence as well for remission of sinne as for the saluation of our soules in eternall Blisse Now as for the other Letanies of the sacred Virgin Mother of God as also for that of the peculiar Saints of our Kingdome you haue them in your manuel and other bookes of deuotion where you may finde them And for the first I neede not recommende it vnto you for if King SalomoÌ„ entertayn'd his mother with so great expression of all yealding willingnesse to her petition saying my mother aske for it behooueth not that I turne my face Kings 2.20 How powerfull then may we well beleeue is the intercession of the most glorious Virgin Mother of God and Queene of Heauen with her deare sonne IESVS in the behalfe of her deuoted seruants The other Letanies of the peculiar Saints of England we may confideÌ„tly beleeue will also bevery efficacious seeing we cannot doubt but that the country which gaue them their birth to that happie temporall life wherein they wrought to themselues an eternall is so peculiarly verie deare vnto theÌ„ as they cease not to begg that blessing for it most to be desired of a happie conuersion to the only true sauing and holy Cath. Faith for which we must ioyne our most earnest petition with them for the increase of Gods glory and for the Saluation of those so dearely redeemed soules These three different Letanies may be ordered by your selfe for seuerall dayes according to your deuotion by placing them inorder amongst your other daily prayers Be not vnmindfull of gratitude and due deuotion to your most faithfull Angel Guardian craue his assistance in all your necessities and thankefuâ—ly acknowledge his continuall helpe and fauour Manifest with all confidence your necessities vnto him that he presenting them to God in your behalfe may obtayne diuine fauours for your ignorance good counsell in doubts needfull succour in your dangers comfort in your afflictions protection against all your ghostly enemies and particularly diuine assistance in the dreadfull houre of your death The practise of a daily partiâ—ular examen of Conscience THere remaines yet that I also recommend to you that most profitable Exercise for obtayning true Christian perfection by makeing daily your particular Examen of Conscience much after the method of your generall examen before bed with this onely difference that this is to be made of all your sinnes in generall and the other but in particular and concerning your performance of the good purpose you made in the morning either for rooting out some one determinate vice or for the practise of some particular vertue This speciall Examen of our fidelity concerning the performance of our mornings Resolution and subiect of this our particular Examen is ordinarly to be made immediately before dinner and supper and in the space of saying fiue Pater nosters at the most takeing for the subiect thereof and as a particular taske either the gaining some needfull vertue or the extirpation of some determinate vice most predominant in our soules and of most scandall to our neighbour purposing to make that day some peculiar Actes of that vertue or of opposing that vice as occasion shall be offerred and when we offende to make some interiour aspiration to God knocking our breast or making the signe of the Crosse vpon our hart in token of crauing pardon and that we disauow the sinne All which may be done euen whilst we are in companie with other people if conueniently we cannoâ— retyre yea although otherwise actually and by necessity employed yet we may retyre our selues into the best interiour Oratory of our soule and there eleuating our minde to God we may performe this holy Exercise both with much merit and profit as did holy S. Catherine of Sienna whilst her parents by corporall employments endeauoured to hinder her priuate retreate vnto spirituall prayer Our Examen thus briefly made of our fidelity or negligence in that our mornings good Resolution we must giue thankes to God for the one and begg pardon for the other as our conscience shall best dictate to vs crauing Gods
assured by that infallible verity of diuine Faith of the reall and substantiall presence both of the diuinity and humanity of IESVS-CHRIST true God and man accompanied with all the diuine Attributes belonging vnto the infinit Maiesty of our heauenly eternall and Almighty God Secondly we ought there to behaue our selues with all exteriour reuerence and verie carefully to auoyde all needlesse words and lookes still keeping the eyes of our soule firmely fixed vpon the Altar and our mindes wholy busied with deuout attention vnto these most sacred Mysteries of the life and death of IESVS-CHRIST which in that dreadfull sacrifice are so verie liuely there represented vnto vs and to this verie end it was instituted by him For as often as you shall eate this bread and drink the chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come 1. Cor. 11. A Prayer to be saide at the beginning of the Masse DEate IESVS my most mercifull Redeemer who dayly to renew in vs both the happie fruit and memory of thy most bitter death and Passion didst institute this holy sacrifice of the Masse vouchsafe I beseech thee that I may not only by my presence assist thereat but also partake of those diuine Mysteries wherein thou art the vnspotted lambe and gratefull victime offered for the sinnes of the world And grant I befeech thee that I may with a true repentant hart and attentiue reuerence so assist at this great Mystery of thy diuine power wisdome and goodnesse that I may effectually participate of the self-same gratefull sacrifice as it was offered by thee in that bloody forme vpon the Crosse for the Redemption of the world to thy Eternall Father for this is the infinit treasure wherein only I confide and the inestimable price which I offer in expiation of all my grieuous sinnes and vnder this shelter of thy sacred merits only it is that I dare presume to present my selfe before thee as a poore captiue slaue redeemed with the price of thy most precious blood who liuest and raignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost world without end Amen What we are to consider at the Priests descending to the foote of the Altar and makeing a low reuerence there A Declaration of the Mystery THe Priest being ascended to the Altar and hauing placed there the Chalice and opened the booke he immediately descends againe to the lower step to signifie that though by the happie state of our first creation we had been vnited to God in Adam by the holy vnion of his grace yet we were soone separated from him by sinne which in our verie conception we all contract and are cast downe to the lowest degree of abiection and become obiects of the wrath of God as the Priest at the lowest step of the Altar by his bowing with profound reuerence represents to vs. Here in the true spirit of humiliation make this your petition as followeth The Petition O Most infinitly good and mercifull God who to preserue thy trayterous rebellious and vngratefull seruant from eternall punishment didst condemne thy only deare sonne to a reproachfull death vpon the Crosse vouchsafe I beseech thee to interpose his most sacred death and Passion betwixt my sinfull soule and thy most dreadfull iudgement both now and in the houre of my death Amen What is signified by the Priests makeing the signe of the Crosse when he beginnes the Introibo The Declaration THe Priest erecting himselfe againe makes the signe of the holy Crosse in the name of the blessed Trinity humbly acknowledging that by the bitter death Passion of our souueraine Lord vpō the Crosse we are redeemed raised vp againe to the happie state of reconciliation and to the right of our heauenly inheritance in humble and assured hope whereof the Priest proceedes saying with the Royall Prophet I will appreach to the Altar of my God to the God who much reioyceth me c. Psal 45. Here disposing your hart to gratitude and humble confusion say The petition MY most gracious Lord IESVS how often by separating my selfe from thee by grieuous sinne had I been cast into the lowest Hell had not thy infinitt goodnesse and great mercy reserued me to rise by holy penance and to make my happie peace againe with thee Grant me the sense of true gratitude and thy holy grace so truly to detest all sinne as I may much rather choose to dye then by anie deliberate consent to offend thee greuously anie more Amen What is signified by the Confiteor The Declaration A Tributing here all good vnto God and nothing but sinne with the iust confufion and punishment thereof vnto our selues the Priest makes profound reuerence and from a contrite and humble hart he vtters the publike and generall Confession of his sinnes committed by thought word or deed which the people with like contrition accompanying the clerke are also to say Knock here your breast with the contrite and humble Publican of the Gospel saying The petition GOd be mercifull to me a most wretched sinner Grant me I beseech thee true repētāce that being purified thereby from sinne I may become more gratefull to offer vp to thee this holy sacrifice both for the liuing and dead What is signified by the following verses vntill the Priest ascends vp to the Altar and kisseth it The Declaration THis humble confession thus mutually made both by the Priest and people they now likewise encourage each other in the aboundant mercy of so great a God by these confortable ensueing verses of the Psal 86. O God thou being reconciled to me wilt giue me life and thy people will reioyce in thee Shew fourth to vs o Lord thy mercy giue vs thy saluation O Lord heare my prayer and let my crye come vnto thee c. And soe the Priest ascending to the Altar kisseth it in testimonie of our happie reconciliation with God by the Incarnation of his only sonne IESVS-CHRIST in whom we are also tobe vnited by perfect charity to our neighbour all the world The petition LOrd IESVS who in thy infinite loue didst shed thy most precious blood to reconcile vs vngratefull sinners to thy Eternall Fathers peace vouchsafe that we may liue and dye in that blessed triple peace first with thee by holy grace secondly with our selues by the enioyment of a good conscience and thirdly with our neighbour by imitation and in honour and hommage of thy diuine and infinite Charity Amen At the Introite and Kyries The Declaration THe Introite puts vs in mind of the great desires which the holy Fathers and Patriarches had of their Redeemers comming And the Kyries of their earnest cryes for his speedy approach With whome we must ioyne our harty desires to the Blessed Trinity for his speedy comming by grace into our soules whereby to be fortified against our three ghostly enemies the world the flesh and the Diuell And to this purpose say The petition COme Lord IESVS come prepare an Altar in my
blessed soule of our Sauiour from his sacred body at his death He deuides it into three seuerall parts which signifie the three seuerall states of the Church The first represents to vs the state of the present life which he layes downe vpon the Altar The second signifies Purgatory which he retaynes in his hand From this he breakes a third little part which he puts into the chalice to repre sent to vs the Church triumphant absorpt in the sacred Diuinity as also the reunion of his blessed soule with his body againe after his glorious Resurrection Here make this or some like seruent prayer The petition PErmit not deare Lord and my sweet Sauiour IESVS that cursed sinne may euer separate me from thee but that by true repentance finall perseuerance in thy holy grace I may be vnited to thee in glory for all Eternity Amen What is meant by the three Crosses which are made with the particle of the consecrated Host The Declaration THe three Crosses made with the little part of the holy Host ouer the chalice signifie the three-fould peace which by the grace of CHRISTS sacred Passion is pourchased for all such as by faith and good life triumph ouer their three mortall enemies the world the flesh and the Diuell Craue humbly for his bitter Passions sake that this may be accomplisht in you and for that end with a feruent aspiration say The petition GRant Lord that I may find the testimonie of this most happie triple peace in my soule by the helpe of thy three diuine vertues Faith Hope and Charity accompanied with true Christian Penance and Humility Amen At pax Domini c. The Declaration AT Pax Domini c. which immediately followes we must contemplate our blessed Sauiour now risen againe from death both immortall and glorious as also his appearance to the Blessed Virgin to S. Marie Magdalen and to his Apostles saying Pax vobis Luke 24. Here we must craue true charity and peace for our soules which is the most gratefull disposition and best preparation to receiue worthily the fruits of this most holy Sacrament And therefore in the spirit of diuine loue and true gratitude say The petition O Most milde and meeke IESV in vnion honour and adoration of that infinit loue which induced thee to shed thy most precious blood for thy greatest enemies and to begg pardon for those who were the cruell executioners of thy most bitter death I freely pardon from my hart and most humbly beseech thee also to forgiue whosoeuer haue anie wayes wronged me most humbly also crauing to be pardoned by all such as I may haue anie way offended being ready and truly willing to giue all iust and reasonable satisfaction to them and this purely for thy sweet sake my deare Lord and most mercifull Redeemer At the Agnus Dei c. The Declaration THe Agnus Dei thrice repeated puts vs in minde how our blessed Sauiour that immaculate lambe of God reconciled vs to his Eternall Father and to the holy Trinity by his most sacred death pourchasing thereby for vs the meanes to make our happy peace with him for all our offenses past present to come Which blessed peace the Priest communicates to the people he hauing first by a particular prayer craued it and by kissing the Altar receiued it of IESVS-CHRIST whom the Altar represents and then giues it to the Clerke to be communicated to all the rest to recommend thereby true charity peace and concorde to all Christian people as being the Disciples of IESVS-CHRIST and true members of the self-same mysticall body whereof he is the diuine and supreame head Here stirr vp true detestation of sinne and a firme purpose to auoyde it saying The petition O Lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the world vouchsafe I beseech thee that no wicked sinne may euer breake the happie peace betwixt my soule and thee nor hinder the fruit of thy grace which I may hope to receiue by the neare approaching and most holy communion of thy true precious body and blood that sacred feast wherein CHRIST is receiued the memory of his Passion is renewed the soule is replenished with grace a pledge is giuen vs of future glory which we expect to enioy as sheepe of the fould of this holy lambe in vnion with all his blessed saints and glorious Angels in all Eternitie Amen At Domine non sum dignus and the Communion The Declaration THe Priest thus prepared receiueth the holy Communion auowing his great vnworthinesse and in token of a contrite hart knocking his breast thrice he saith as often with the humble Centurion Domine non sum dignus c. Math. 8. And then with all reuerence he receiues this diuine refection and consummates the sacrifice representing to vs thereby the death and Passion of IESVS-CHRIST For as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come Cor. 1.11.26 Here a great subiect is giuen vs of perpetuall gratitude seing that although our blessed Sauiour be ascended into Heauen with triumph and glory he yet remaynes with vs in this holy Sacrament powring downe vpon vs all spirituall temporall benedictions For which dispose your hart to breath fourth feruent eiaculations of loue and gratitude saying The petition O IESV my most louing Redeemer fountaine of all graces both temporall and eternall communicated to vngratefull man thy fauors to me my deare Sauiour haue been farr beyond all measure I therefore o Lord being so farr vnable to render thee due gratitude inuite all thy creatures both in Heauen and Earth with thy Eternall Father and Holy Ghost thy most sacred Virgin Mother and all the Saints and Angells to praise thee with mee and for mee in all Eternity O let my body and soule and all the powers of them both haue no other employment for euer then to praise admire and loue thee O Eternall Father of IESVS o holy spirit of IESVS o immaculate mother of IESVS o glorious Angels of IESVS o blessed Saints of IESVS o all yee creatures of IESVS blesse and thanke IESVS eternally for me and all the innumerable benefitts which I a most vngratefull sinner haue receiued from the Father and from the Sonne and from the Holy Ghost three Persons and one Eternall God to whom be all praise glory and thankesgiuing both now and for euer Amen At remoouing againe the booke to the other side of the Altar The Declaration BY this remoouing againe the booke to the other side of the Altar we are put in minde of the conuersion of the Iewes in the end of the world when both Iew and Gentil shall make but one true folde vnder one and the same Pastor IESVS-CHRIST for the encreace of whose glory say The petition WE most humbly beseech thee ô heanenly Father by the merits of thy blessed Sonne IESVS to powre downe thy heauenly grace vpon the rebellious harts of all sinners
resolue and to craue humbly Gods grace for it at least by a pious eleuation of hart with holy King Dauid saying direct me in thy trenth and teach me Psal 24. Holy Gregory Lopes is a right worthy example to be imitated herein whose opinion being asked in anie doubtfull and difficult matter he differred to answere till the next day saying to morrow will come and then we shall be wiser giuing thereby to vnderstand that an important buisenesse was not to be resolued suddainely or without treating verie diligently recommending it to Almighty God who commands vs to doe nothing without counsell Eccles 32. For he directs mens actions and resolutions when they vse the meanes of consultation with such persons by whose aduise we may best vnderstand his heauenly will hauing promissed that where two or three are geathered togeather in his name he is there in the midst of them Math. 18. there is much health where is much counsell saith the holy Ghost prou 11. and with the good counsell of a frend the soule is greatly sweetned saith the same diuine wisdome Eccl. 32. I will conclude with the holy prouerbe c. 2. which assures vs that Counsell shall secure thee and prudence shall preserue thee that thou maist be deliuered from the euill way he meanes which doth leade vnto endlesse perdition And what more persuasion now shall we need to embrace so happie and so necessary a practise so mainely conducing both to our present and eternall felicity How to make vertuous and true Christian visites IN all fitting visitts as your occasions shall require you must be verie carefull neither to loose true purity of intention nor the memory of Gods diuine Presence You must be no lesse mindefull to auoydeboth tediousnesse to others as also the losse of your owne tyme calling frequently to minde the strict accompt which God will exact for euery moment of your actions therein which are not employed for his honour and for your owne soule and your neighbours good If you aske me how you may direct your intention to make it become pure as it ought I answere that your intention both in recreation and all other conuersation may be First to honour IESVS-CHRIST conuersing here vpon Earth with all sortes of men craue his grace that each stepp you make may be in honour and homage of those manie long and wearisome walkes and visites which he vouchsafed to make in this world for our saluation and that nothing may passe in your conuersation contrary to his diuine pleasure either by thought word or by deed Beseech the sacred Virgin to mediate also the obtayning for you that spirit of true charity humility and deuotion wherewith shee made that holy visite to her Cousin S. Elyzabeth Omit not to recommend your selfe at your going fourth to your Angell Guardien for the same effect And finally make good reflexions aforehand vpon what visites you are to make with whome and what about And prefix to your selfe some fitting stint of tyme for them thereby to auoyde both tediousnesse to others as also not to loose your owne precious tyme for much better employment 2. Our intention must be by ciuill visitts to entertaine charity society and good frendship with our neighbours And thirdly that by honest and fitting relaxation of spirit we may be better able afterwards to employ our forces both of body and minde to Gods honour in the other affaires of our owne vocation Finally for fitting matter wherewith to entertaine the seuerall conditions of such persones as you shall visit I remit you to the last paragraff in the sixt Rule regulating our conuersation where you may find sufficiently seuerall heads to serue both for a pious and gratefull subiect for your entertainement and discourse A good practise for entertayning good thoughts when walking abroad AS you walke in the streets you may profitaby entertaine your thoughts in representing to your selfe how IESVS-CHRIST was ignominiously ledd along through the streets of Hierusalem to Annas and Cayphas from Pilate to Herod and from him backe vnto Pilat againe who hauing most sacrilegiously condemned this innocent lambe of God he was as cruelly draged thence vnto Mount Caluarie and there to suffer his most bitter death and Passion for our Redemption If walking in the fields or garden in winter-tyme you obserue the trees now naked and voyde both of fruit and leaues then say O eternall God without all chainge replenish my naked and barren soule with the precious fruit of holy vertues let all creatures adore thee these trees in their florishing spring represent thy heauenly beauty in Eternity which no tyme can euer alter thy glorious spring doth neuer chainge nor doth thy fruitfull fecundity euer faide let vs all adore and magnifie the ô eternall and vnchangable Blisse If in pleasant tyme of the spring you be walking in a delightfull garden darte vp some feruent aspiration vnto God as followeth When Lord shall my barren soule produce the sweet flowers of vertue whereby it may be made a pleasing place for thy entertaynement Admire in the seuerall gratefull qualities of the flower the amiable and great perfection of the Almighty Creatour When you obserue birds to fly in the ayre or the riuers and waters to runne streaming along consider how likewise our life doth also fly and glide away apace vnto its end yea with much more speed And that each stepp you make is but a new approach still nearer to your death Contemplate how all the other creatures which you see were ordayned for the good of man and thence you may raise much gratitude for his greatgoodnesse to you and confusion also for your much abusing them against his glory and your owne soules good that only and holy end for which he created them When you call to minde the present time of the day make thence some good reflexion also vpon the state of your age whether it be yet but the morning of your youth the noone-tyme of your midle age or the euening and declining vnto your end and conceiue there by how little we ought to esteeme this present short and vncertaine life whereof what is already past is nothing and what is to come is but the same and all that which we can be said properly to enioy is no more then a verie moment whereon notwithstanding depends our Eternall weale or woe And thinke now herevpon what reckning you were able to make vnto God for what is past and resolue to be more carefull for the tyme to come Manie more pious and profitable exercises might here be added for your vertuous practises in seuerall other occasions of the day but because they are partely either contayned in some of these Rules in particular or perhaps may be better applyed by the carefull industry of a vertuous soule in the iust occasions offered therefore I will now proceed to shew what is required of vs to comply as we ought with those two precepts of our holy mother the
other way haue so manie glorious Martyrs Confessors and Virgins obtayned their immortall crowne of Blisse but by conqueringe sloathfull sensuality in the common combat against flesh and blood whereby this dangerous enemie Spirituall sloath and indeuotion being ouercome Gods holy will commands and our corrupt nature is sweetly subdued and then takes pleasure to obey Hitherto hauing in first place proposed Gods diuine Presence true purity of intention as the two eyes whereby to direct all our actions to their happie end the next was how we ought to regulate all our actions from our rising vntill that we goe to bedd after which I shewed how God was to be honoured by Prayer by sacrifice and by the practise of other principall vertues and lastly by the right obseruance of the Sabboth other festiuall fasting dayes It therefore now remaynes that the next Rule should be to regulate both in generall and particular our Conuersation which is so ouer spreeding a tree as it extendes vnto all the rest of our actions by the multiplicity of its seuerall branches whereof some being superfluous others defectiue and manie verie hurtfull and vicious therefore a particular instruction is here necessary to teach vs how rightly to rule and cultiuate this vnruly plant which by Gods helping grace shall be by THE SIXT RVLE Regulating our Conuersation as well in generall as in particular and recommending to vs what is laudable therein and disswading from what is vicious MAN being by nature a sociable creature must needs be pleased with conuersation and society God hauing giuen him vnderstanding to learne and interiourly to conceiue as also speach exteriourly to communicate the same vnto others and therefore we see that he hath not imparted to all men equally the same perfections talents but some to one some to an other to the end that by a mutuall communication they might help one an other as he also sheweth by the very fruits of the earth which are differently produced according to the seuerall Clymats of the world that by a mutuall exchange as need should require Men might be forced to vnderstand the dependance which one hath of the other and thereby be induced to mutuall loue and assistance Conuersation therefore being ordayned by God as naturall to man the right vse of it is both necessary and verie laudable and only the abuse thereof to be auoyded which being the taske here vndertaken by this present Rule let vs examine wherein it is most subiect to faile and endeauour to apply some good remedy therevnto For which I can conceiue no better way then first briefly to declare what is required for a true laudable Conuersation Then secondly to shew how it may be obtayned and lastly to make appeare in particular wherein it is both sinfull and vicious What conditions are required for a laudable and true Christian Conuersation COnuerse yee worthy of the Gospel of CHRIST saith the Apostle Phil. 1. our Conuersation must be answerable vnto the spirit and Gospel of IESVS-CHRIST that is holy humble mild pure affecting eternall things and despising temporall ayming at the Imitation of our most perfect and holy originall the Incarnate Sonne of God who being our forme and true model our Conuersation ought to be drawne thereby as coppies in imitation of his the best we can Our Conuersation saith holy Sales must be modest without affectation free without austerity sweet and pleasant without ostentation gentle without contradiction except to good purpose and with great modesty Finally it must be sweet modest and milde in words and behaueour auoyding all vehemency and choler sharpnesse bitternesse vanity insolency and rudenesse which may be displeasing or troublesome to anie as also all immodest or vnseemely discourse all imperious gestes and tone of commande must be auoyded they being offensiue to others in companie as is also all melancholy or distastfull sadnesse we must vse affable and courteous carriage towards all yeelding and accommodating our selues vnto others saith S Ambros with moderation in commande with affability in discourse with respect and ciuility in words with patience in harkning without interrupting with modesty and good grace and with a cheerefull countenance All which hath incredible power to draw and gaine the harts and loue of men for sweetnesse good grace ciuill affability are as the flowers of a true vertuous Conuersation and they set it out with so pleasing a luster and produce so great fruit of edification thereby as it is most admirable to be reade of S. Lucian that blessed Martyr whose winning and attractiue power was so verie great in his outward modesty comely comportment and good grace in his conuersation as the verie sight thereof had force to mooue the persecuting Pagans to embrace the Christian Faith Maximian the cruell Tyrant who put him to death vnderstanding with great admiration what had hapned he desired out of vaine curiosity to behold the man but fearing too much influence of so powerfull an obiect to conquer his malice and to commande his affection to the Cath. Faith he caused a curtin to be drawne that lookeing confidently through the same he might satiate himselfe with the aspect of that blessed Man as you may reade at large in Surius Ianuary the 17. You behold in this comely mirrour of true modesty it 's power in Conuersation to gaine the harts of all people how gratefull it is to God and his Angells and how much it is honoured by men as may well also appeare in what we reade of S. Bernard who by his example of this vertue had brought his Religious to so perfect imitation as Pope Eugenius and his Cardinals comming to Claraualle they could not abstayne from powring out manie teares of consolation to behold the verie exteriour carriage and so edifying a comportment amongst his religious brethren In summe true Christian and laudable Conuersation is a meane betwixt two extreames neither inclining to the one of a meere secular iollity nor yet bending to the other of an imprudent austerity but rather as best becomes the testimonie of a good conscience and a true Christian and modest liberty it must consist in the meane of a sweet well-pleasing and humble modestie well tempered with a cheerefull countenance with affability of speach alwayes willing and readie to doe what good we can for anie for the verie manner of doing a good-turne is frequently of much more power to gaine loue then is the thing it felfe which is done And to conclude true perfect and right Christian conuersation must be answerable to the notion which is giuen by S. Paul by being an example to the faithfull in our speach and comportment in Charity in faith and in Chastity 2. Tim. 4. with edification to all but chiefly to the enemies of the holy Cath. Church hauing your Conuersation good amongst the gentils saith S. Peter an example in good workes addeth S. Paul in integrity irreprehensible that he who is on the contrary part
faults those persons are so much to be blamed what then might we our selues deserue if all the great crymes whereof God sees vs guilty were lay'd open to Men. Let vs eleuate interiorly our harts and craue humbly his diuine grace for the amendment of our owne great faults which being so verie manie we haue small cause to busie our selues in looking after those of our neighbour and yet quite to the contrary none vsually doe looke more narrowly into other Mens faults and liues then they who make least accompt of their owne nor doe anie so seuerely examine the actions of others as those who are most licentious and haue least care to amend what belongs to themselues Be therefore verie carefull to auoyde all detraction in your owne discourse and discreetly endeauour to preuent it in others at least seeme not well pleased thereat or retyre your selfe discreetly and with the least offence you can from the companie Auoyde as much as may be all discourse about publike and state affaires experience well teaching vs that through a seeming zeale of the common good we are precipitately push't on to rash iudgment beyond the due respect we owe to soueraigne powers and to their chiefe Ministers whom oftentymes we notoriously iniure as also our owne soules and stand thereby by engaged to much more satisfaction then we can well conceiue which way to acquitt Finally speake euill of none but your-selfe neither busie your minde with other Mens faults but much rather about the mending of your owne and if by some detracting calumnie you shall be iniured I recommende to you the vertuous moderation of that morally diuine Plato well deseruing to be imitated by anie good Christian herein who once being tould by his frend of a notorious detraction whereby his Enemie had greatly preiudiced his good name he made this modest and verie lawdable reply I will endeauour to liue in such sort saith he as the world shall not beleeue that to be true which he hath reported of mee To conclude if you heare anie speake ill of their neighbour say with a holy Man in the like occasion O how much are we bound to God for his grace if we be not much worse our selues And therefore who well knowes but himselfe will neuer speake ill of an other but rather abhorre Detraction as an infectious poison to all good Conuersation for which the precedent discourse now sufficing the next shall bee Against Ieering Scoffing and all prophane discourse THe next neare adioyning vicious branch to Detraction Rash-iudgment is Ieering and vnciuill discourse which being so common and verie hurtfull to all humane Conuersation I will endeauour briefly to giue you here a character of this vice whereby beholding it's sinfull deformity you may the more be mooued to detest the same And for the better vnderstanding hereof it is to be obserued that there be two sorts of euill Iesters or Ieerers The first are such as mocke and scoffe at holy things and make but a ieast of our Faith or Religion of Sacraments Ceremonies and preaching c. yea they prophanely sport and make myrth with the sacred Scripture it selfe Of these the Prophet Hieremy much complayned ch 20. saying that the word of God which he preached was made but a iest and laughter Of this sort are such as ieering and laughing will say God is an honest good Man and will not be so hard to please The Diuell is not so black as they paint him Heauen is great there will be place enough for vs all These and such-like sacrilegious scoffs and mocks are most odious to God saith the holy prouerb c. 1. and his manie dreadfull punishments as likewise his angry and most fearefull threates to deride them also at the doubtfull houre of their death ought to be a sufficient warning for their speedy amendment as may be seene in this sadd example well deseruing a flood of bitter teares related by Doctor Sanders in his Schisme of England concerning K. Henry the eight where he attributes the deplorable destruction of Catholike Religion as a maine cause amongst the rest to those prophane and sacrilegious scoffings and blasphemous ieasts of Syr Francis Bryan the Kings bosome frend and of the Bullins race who thus in nature of a pleasant scoffing ieaster laboured to please the Kings licentious and luxurious humour by pernicious scoffs and ieares at all things which were sacred in the Church One amongst manie others not the least for impiety was this when being demanded by the wanton King what manner of sinne it was to lye with the daughter after he had abused the mother it was iust the same quoth this wicked Bryan as first hauing eaten the henne to feed afte wards vpon her chicken at which the King verie lowdely laughing ha Bryan said he and art thou not rightly indeed my infernall Vicar For so his accustomed blasphemous ieasting to the King had giuen him generally that name and after this he was commonly called by all the Kings Vicar of Hell By these sacrilegious and pernicious Ieeres he so fedd the Kings vicious humour as he also freed his libidinous and sinfull mind from all remorse so that by little and little his voluptuous hart became voyde of all scruple for his most horrid sacriledges which though this irreligious Sycophant by his deriding scoffs had made now to seeme ridiculous to the King yet we haue felt their sadd effects and haue had leasure aboue sixcore yeares to deplore them and the vnfortunate King much more who being come vnto the verie point of his vnhappy death he called for a cupp of white wyne and as taking his last farewell of that his most impious fauorit he dolefully pronounced those disparing words O Bryan all is lost and so immediately dyed leauing thereby for our instruction a sufficient warning against scoffing and all manner of iesting at holy things The other sort of euill iesters are such as scoffe and Ieere at the defects of other Men as did those vngracious children at the Prophet Elizeus for his bald head whom God presently reuenged by wylde beares who deuoured them euery one 4. Kings 2. This scoffing and ieering is verie vsuall at naturall defects as at want of witt want of comelinesse of riches or some corporall sense c. Others much more sinfully mocke at deuotion and vertue calling Piety Hipocrisy Patience Simplicity Cowardlinesse a good Confcience they call Scrupulosity Affability sillinesse and finally there is no vertue which hath not by them it's taunt and ieere for the simplicity of the iust man is scorned saith Iob. c. 12. but let them beware in good tyme and not be deceiued for God will not be long mocked by them saith S. Paul and Michol K. Dauids wyfe experienced her iust punishment by a perpetuall disgrace of sterility for ieering and deriding that holy King when shee beheld him in great humility meanely cloathed dancing and playing musicke vp pona harpe before the Arke of God 2.
the good resolutions and affections which he hath giuen you 2. Craue his grace to put them in execution 3. Implore the assistance of the Blessed Virgin and holy Saints Pater Aue. Credo The second Meditation About makeing our last will and Testament Preparation 1. Place your selfe in Gods diuine Presence 2. Beseech him to inspire you 3. Conceiue your souueraine Iudge as thus calling vpon you render an accompt of thy Baylifship Luke 16. Consideration A Will or Testament is only a protestation of iustice by which is giuen to euery one their due The body to the earth and wormes debts vnto creditours the inheritance to lawfull heires our almes to the poore and our soule vnto God to whom we being to render a most strict accompt for the vse of all the Talents which he hath lent vs to be employed for the increase of his glory as also for euery moment of our life and for each thought word and deed therein O what a folly and madnesse is it to differ this important reckning to the last day of our life when the paine of our sicknesse the feare of this accompt the weaknesse of our senses other powers and finally the great importunity of manie then ordinarily about priuate interests will hardly permit vs to doe anie thing as we ought either for the glory of God or for our owne soules good nor yet to our frends satisfaction but frequently with such confusion and so verie vnperfectly as we leaue thereby occasion for quarrels and verie much strife causing breach of charity amongst our nearest friends when we are dead and no small preiudice also to our soules To preuent all which great euills I conceiue it a good expedient that we in tyme of health make vse sometymes of this good Exercise that in rendring thereby familiar these holy Affections of a spirituall Testament we may be inspired also how to dispose a forehand in good tyme of our temporall trust according to true iustice and piety Affections and Resolutions DEare IESV who in thy last Testament gauest all entirely to me dying poore and naked vpon the Crosse for my Redemption without reseruing what might haue couered thy naked wounded body yea all and to the very last drop of thy most precious blood In humble gratitude whereof I here bequeath to thee my life my death my body my soule and all the powers and operations of them both And as the chiefest legacy which thou bequeathed'st to thy Apostles was that new Commandment of mutuall loue Iohn 11.34 In honour and homage of which I here humbly craue thy grace to fortifie me in that holy vertue of Charity whereby I most cordially embrace in vnion of that thy most louing Commandement all against whomsoeuer my corrupt nature may or euer hath conceiued anie auersion And as vpon the Crosse thou there did'st recōmend thy sacred Mother vnto thy beloued Apostle Iohn 19. in him vs all vnto her so I here Lord Iesv now recōmend most hūbly vnto thee all the necessities of thy deare Spouse our holy Mother the Cath. Church of all my dearest frends and greatest enemies to assist and protect them in all their necessities both of body and soule and to bring vs all finally to that eternall Blisse there to praise to loue to glorifie thee for euer This Lord IESV is my present will and Testament which I here willingly signe both with my heart and hand Vouchsafe thou to strengthen and confirme the same by putting to it the seale of thy heauenly grace that no sinfull malice may euer change this holy resolution Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections and Resolutions 2 Implore his grace to make good vse of them 3. Craue Pardon for your negligence in Prayer Pater Aue. Credo The third Meditation Of Confession and Satisfaction which we ought to make to God for our sinnes Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you 3. Conceiue your selfe as a guilty criminel before your iust and Soueraigne Iudge Considerations FIrst calling to mind Gods innumerable benefits and rendring him humble tankes for the same it is fitting in the next place to acknowledge our manie grieuous offences and crauing most humbly Gods diuine pardon to resolue vpon due satisfaction for them And to this end it is verie requisit to make a good Confession and that with more then ordinary diligence and with as careful preparation as if it were to be our last conceiuing our selues as if in the case of K. Ezechias when God sent the Prophet Esaie to warne him to prepare for death who presently therevpon be thought himselfe for the state of his Conscience and as one awakened at that message of death he said I will recompt to thee all my yeares in the bitternesse of my soule Isaie 38. Doe you now the like and prepare your selfe by true repentance for your offences past with a firme purpose to amend resoluing to make restitution if cause require it as also to depose all ill will and enmity to put away all imminent danger of mortall sinne And finally stirr vp your heart to true feruent deuotion by these enfuing affections and resolutions or the like Affections and Resolutions THou hast created me ô God to loue and serue thee who are most worthy of all seruice and loue My obligation to thee is infinit and yet how often and how greeuously haue I offended thee by thought word and deed by my corporall senses and by all the powers of my sinfull soule yea by the abuse of those verie creatures which thou so carefully hast ordayned for my vse Ah how enormous is my ingratitude and infidelity O my most deare Redeemer IESV I cast all these my detestable sinnes into that immense Ocean of mercy still flowing from thy most precious blood purify me thereby o Lord and confirme my present resolution rather to dye then by the like to offend thee any more O that my heart could melt into true sorrow griefe for my detestable sinne and into teares of blood to wash away my haynous crymes What cane I doe great God in reparation of so infinit a wrong but only to offer vnto thee that inexhaustable treasure of the sacred Passion of thy diuine Sonne IESVS which I here presentto the glorious Trinity in satisfaction and expiation of all my sinnes committed from the instant of my first vse of reason vntill this present tyme. In vnion of which deare ransome I here entyrely now giue my selfe to thee I accept and most willingly embrace all the paines both in body and soule which thou hast allotted me either for this world or the next Admit thereof sweet Lord I beseech thee and of this my present resolution The Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution 3. Begg humbly pardon for all negligence or irreuerence in your prayer Pater Aue. Credo The fourth Meditation Of
the holy Communion Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you 3. Endeauour by internall feruent Acts of Faith Hope Charity and of other vertues to prepare your nuptiall garment as an inuited guest to the solemne feast of the great King of Heauen and Earth Considerations THe holy Communion being a soueraigne meanes whereby we prepare our selues to a happy death it will be requisit to take one day in this Exercise to dispose our selues with all due preparation and deuotion to this holy action and that with as much care and diligence as if it were to be our last and at the dreadfull houre of death The manner of this important Exercise may be taken out of Granada his Memorial or from some other good treatise concerning the same And in particular endeauour to produce some feruent eiaculations from your heart of thanks-giuing and loue accompaniing them also with these ensuing acts or the like Acts of Oblation I Most humbly offer vnto thee deare IESV this holy Communion as if my last in thankes-giuing for all the effects of thy diuine loue and in particular for that thy great Charity in giuing thy life that I might liue eternally Secondly in satisfaction for the dishonour which hath been done by all the sinne committed from the beginning of the world which shall be till the end Thirdly I entirely resigne my selfe to thee my deare Redeemer in thankfull gratitude for hauing giuen thus thy selfe to me by this ineffable manner in the most blessed Sacrament I most humbly craue thy powerfull intercession ô immaculate Virgin mother and glorious Queene of Heauen Intercede also for me ô yee beloued Apostles of IESVS O happy Magdalen S. Mary of Egipt and all yee glorious Saints that I may pertake of your humility feruour and loue where with yee happily performed your last Communion of this celestiall food Vouchsafe good Lord that being vnited now to thee by grace I may neuer more be separated from thee by anie mortall sinne Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections 2. Craue grace to make good vse of them 3. Begg humbly pardon for all your negligence in Prayer Pater Aue. Credo The fifth Meditation Of the Sacrament of Extreme-Vnction Preparation First place your selfe in Gods diuine presence 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Conceiue your soule and body now vpon the point of separation and all worldly concernements at an end Consideration BEcause we are not certaine of being in capacity to apply our selues to God when this Sacrament shall be giuen vs therefore it is verie expedient here to designe one part of this exercise whereby to render him that duty which we should then be obleiged to doe And by this meanes to prepare also our selues aforehand to make good vse of this Sacrament by the practise of these following acts Affections and holy Acts of thankesgiuing and adoration O Louing IESV I adore thee as the Author and institutor of this holy Sacrament and as the liuing source of all the grace therein contayned and in all the other Sacraments which thou hast pourchased for vs by the effusion of thy owne most precious blood and thereby hast merited all the happy effects of grace receiued by vngratefull Man Grant me ô mercifull Lord the gracious fauour to receiue this needfull Sacrament at the end of my life or in case I be depriued thereof that my soule may then receiue by thy fauorable goodnesse the grace which it should haue had by this holy help of Extreame Vnction Lord IESV who a little before thy bitter death vouchsafed to receiue that gratefull vnction from holy Magdalen as also by Ioseph and Nicodemus when they lay'd thy sacred body in the Sepulcher grant that I receiuing this holy Sacrament and my last vnction in honour and vnion of those acceptable vnctions I may receiue the diuine vnction of the holy Ghost in that measure of heauenly grace as shall be needfull for my soule in the last dreadfull houre of my death Endue me deare Lord with all â—â—tt dispositions for the fruitfull receiuing of this Sacrament and worke in me I beseech thee those happy effects of grace there signifi'd by the exteriour ceremonies thereof Behold me prostrate at thy feet before all thy celestiall Cittizens huÌ„bly confessing the sinnes of my whole life and crauing pardon with a repentant heart wherewith I offer here to thee in sacrifice all my corporall senses togeather with the spirituall powers of my soule Annoint me sweet IESV with the holy and sacred oyle of thy diuine grace and mercy Accept in satisfaction I beseech thee that blessed vse which thy sacred humanity thy immaculate Mother and all thy other thrice happy Saints haue made of all their said senses and powers in stead of my ill vse of them and grant me thy grace hereafter to vse them to thy greater honour and glory Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections and Resolutions 2. Implore his grace to put them in practise 3. Craue pardon for your negligence in prayer Pater Aue. Credo The sixt Meditation Of our agonie and houre of death Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Conceiue your selfe now speechlesse ready to expire and vpon the very point of separation from all worldly designes possessions and frends for euer immediately to appeare at Gods dreadfull Iudgment to giue a most exact accompt of all the thoughts words and deeds of your whole life And therevpon to receiue your finall doome to an endlesse Blisse or misery Considerations 1. COnsider how different are the thoughts of a dying MaÌ„ from those which he hath vsually in tyme of health and make a firme resolution to begin thence forward to doe that presently which certainly you shall then wish to haue done 2. Consider this day as if the last of your life and therefore labour to behaue your selfe with diligence and deuotion to negotiate therein your eternall saluation And for this effect you ought to apply all your thoughts and endeauours of this day to contemplate and adore IESVS-CHRIT as if in the last day of his life in this world and to doe all your actions therein with the like disposition and intention the best you can wherewith he accomplish't his last actions whilst he remayned here vpon Earth Beseech him to endue you with some proportion of the affections and dispositions required to dye in that spirit of diuine loue of Patience Charity Humility and Conformity wherewith he rendred vp his blessed soule into the hands of his heauenly Father vpon the Crosse Affections and Resolutions LOrd IESV I adore there in that verie article of thy bitter death and agonie in vnion whereof togeather with that holy agonie of thy deare Virgin Mother and of all thy blessed Saints I here offer to thee my last expiring breath most humbly beseeching thee that the article of my death