do his will And sacrifice my self to his glory My God! Let me cease to live unless I will live for thee Destroy my being unless I will be thine Oppose my desires if I desire ought else but thee Thou art my Servant Isa 41. I am thine Ps 118. VVhether we live or whether we die we are the Lords Rom. 14. You are not your own for you have been bought with a great price 2 Cor. 6. O Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant and the Son of thy Handmaid Ps 115. VII MED Profitable thoughts fit for to draw us off from the World WHo was it that put me into this World To what end am I in this World What do I do in this World What rest have I in this World When shall I go out of this World Whether shall I go at my departure out of this World What would I wish to have don At my going out of this World Shall I damn my self for the goods of this World If I lose my Soul what will it avail me To have gained the whole World And yet for all that I labour only for the World O my God! Either draw me out of this World Or draw me off from this World Either make the World die in me Or make me die to the World Either separate my Soul from her Body Or take her off from the affection of the World VVhat will it avail a man should he gain the whole VVorld Luk. 19. Ye are of this VVorld I am not of this VVorld John 8. O just Father the VVorld hath not known thee John 4. Ye are not of this VVorld John 15. VIII MED Of Death YOu must die once And you will die but once You know not when you shall die How you shall die In what place you shall die In what state you shall die You will die sooner than you imagin And unless you take heed you will die Before you think of it Such is the Death as is the Life One cannot learn in a moment A Trade which one never practised Nor can one unlearn in a moment A Trade one has still been at After Death you will be judged After Judgment you will be in Eternity What would you then wish to have don What good will these goods do you Which you have scraped up together O Death O Judgment O Salvation O Damnation I am a dead man unless I think of Death I am a Mad man unless I think on Eternity I deserve not to be saved Unless I fear being damned Behold the day of thy Death is at hand Deut. 31. O death how bitter is thy remembrance to a man who has peace in his Riches Eccles 41. Man knows not his end Eccles 9. It is decreed that all men must die once Heb. 9. Be ye therefore prepar'd because in the hour that you think not of the Son of Man will come Luk. 12. Dispose of thy house for thou wilt die Isa 38. IX MED Of the Death of the Just WHat a pleasure is it to die When we have no pleasure to live One quits that without pain Which one possesses without affection Death is sweet to him Who has no comfort at all here The Soul leaves without repining A House that doth not please her A divorce is pleasing to those That do not love each other That which you love during your life Will be your torment at your death That which afflicts you in this life Will be your comfort at your Death What can cause any grief To a spirit disengag'd from all things Love is as strong as Death It prevents what that is to do It separates the soul from the body And leaves Death nothing to do What need is there to pluck up by force A Heart that cleaves close to nothing The Treasure of his merits Is a possession that cannot be taken from him 'T is a precious inheritance That death cannot rob him of O what comfort does the sight Of a good action then afford There is nothing in our life that is goodly But a fair Gate to get out of it Of all the goods that man can desire The greatest is to die well Death is not dreadful To him that has liv'd well It is the end of his combats And the Crown of his merits God preserves in that evil day The Soul which has been faithful to him He makes her sleep in his bosom He strengthens her with his grace He allayes her pains He dissipates her frights He gives order to his blessed Spirits To comfort and defend her To maintain her in peace And to conduct her to Heaven O how precious in the sight of God Is the death of the Just O how honourable is this Sacrifice to him O how pleasing to him is this Victim My God! May I hope for a good death Having led so wicked a life 'T is true I have lost my Innocence But I may repair it by Pennance O I will live like the Vertuous That I may die like the Vertuous O I will lead the life of the Just That I may obtain the Death of the Just Blessed are the dead that die in our Lord. Apoc. 14. To him that fears our Lord it shall be well in his extremity and he shall be blessed in the day of his departure Eccles 2. Precious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 115. VVhen these things being to be don look up and lift up your heads for then your Redemption is at hand Luk. 21. Ye shall go forth in gladness and be conducted in peace the mountains and hills shall sing praises before you Isa 5. X. MED Of the Death of Sinners DEath is a great evil But Sin is a much greater But Death joyned with Sin Is the most frightful of all evils 'T is an universal evil 'T is an eternal evil 'T is an evil without remedy 'T is the most dreadful threat That a provoked God can make O how evil is the death of sinners How are they seized with horrour Seeing themselves e're they are aware At the last line of time Which they have spent so ill Seeing themselves just ready to go Into the Prisons of Eternity From whence they cannot save themselves To begin to see what they never saw To begin to conceive what they never before conceived To begin to measure What they never before considered To begin to feel what they had never experienced To begin to suffer an Evil as long as Eternity To quit a place of Pleasures For to enter into a place of Torments To descend from a Paradise Into a bottomless Hell To pass from plenty into extream want To fall from a throne of glory Into an Abyss of Confusion O what a dreadful change is this O what a sensible misfortune O how surprizing a novelty O what an amazing downfal That which causes a desire in the good Will cause a fear in the wicked A virtuous man desires nothing more Than to present
obeyed Serve her whom God hath served Love her whom God hath loved Salute her whom the Angel did salute Say to her often with heart and mouth Hail full of Grace Give us a part of your fulness Our Lord is with thee As Father as Son as Spouse Blessed art thou among Women With infinit blessings Thou alone art a Virgin and a Mother Thou alone wert conceiv'd without Crime Thou alone didst live without Sin Thou alone didst dy without Pain Thou alone hadst God for thy Son and Subject Thou alone art his Daughter his Mother his Spouse Thou art the repairer of the World The Queen of the Universe The Gate of Paradise The Dispenser of Graces O Blessed Virgin give me thy blessing And blessed be the Fruit which thou gavest to the World Most holy Mary and most worthy Mother of God Pray for the Just and for Sinners Now that thou seest them Beaten by so many Temptations Slaves to so many vices Overwhelm'd with so many miseries But especially at their Death When their Salvation is in greatest danger And thy succour will be most necessary for them The Word was made flesh John 1. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that for you he was made poor whereas he was rich that by his poverty you might be rich 2 Cor. 3. He exinanited himself Phil. 1. He was subject to them Luk. 2. All generations shall call me blessed Luk. 2. CXXXV MED Of the Visitation of the B. Virgin JESVS visits S. John Mary visits S. Elizabeth Jesus sanctifies both the Mother and the Son By the mouth of Mary As soon as ever she had spoken John Baptist was sanctified Her speech was a Conduit-pipe of grace which gave sight to a blind man Which delivered a captive Which raised up one that was dead Which justified a sinner Mary applies to the first amongst men The first fruit of our Redemption She conceives man spiritually After having conceiv'd God corporally She becoms the Mother of men After having becom the Mother of God She is the Mother of grace She is the Mother of mercy Of grace for the just Of mercy for sinners O Mother of grace Mother of mercy Visit us frequently together with thy Son You want not grace Since you have the fulness thereof You want not mercy Since it dwelt nine months in your bowels Exercise it on a poor blind man And on a poor captive On a sinner a slave to his Passions On one dead to the life of grace Com and enlighten and enlarge him Com and raise him and sanctify him Make thy voice to be heard to the ear of my heart For thy voice is sweet And thy beauty incomparable Speak and my heart will leap with joy Say the word and my soul will be healed For you have in you the Word of God Which gives life to the World Mary Mother of grace Mother of mercy Defend us from our Enemies And receive our Souls at the hour of our Death For to honour the Virgin You must imitate her Virtues Love Solitude as she did Go not out of it but for to do good Visit the Prisoners Help the Miserable Deliver Captives Sanctify Sinners Be a Mother of grace to their Souls A Mother of mercy to their Bodies Blessed is the Lord God of Israel because he hath visited c. Luk. 1. Through the bowels of the mercy of our God in which he visited us ibid. Visit us in thy salvation Ps 205. Thy visitation hath preserved my Spirit Job 10. As soon as she heard the salutation of Mary Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost Luk. 1. Arise make hast my friend my sister let thy voice sound in my ears for thy voice is sweet and thy face comely Cant. 2. CXXXVI MED Of the Death of the B. Virgin WHat is it that makes the Chalice of Death bitter It is the loss of the World 'T is the separation from the Body 'T is the account that is to be given We feel sadness in quitting the World We feel pain in quitting our Body We dread being to appear before God Mary died without Fear Sadness Pain Because she liv'd without Sin ty Pleasure O let my soul dy with the death of the Saints O let my death be like the death of Mary Live the life of Saints And thou wilt dy the death of Saints Live like Mary and thou wilt dy like Mary Live without sin and thou wilt dy without fear Live without ty and thou wilt dy without sadness Live without pleasure And thou wilt dy without pain If you lead the life of sinners You will dy the death of sinners If you live in disorder You will dy in confusion If you live in sin you will dy in fear If you live in pleasure You will dy in pain That which makes your delight during your life Will make your torment at your death That which is your pain during your life Will be your pleasure at your death O Holy Virgin I care not by what death I dy Provided that I dy in a good state I shall dy without fear if I dy in your arms I shall dy in grace if I dy in your service For you save those that belong to you You never suffer your Children to perish O fail not to be present at your Son's death All the Predestinate must dy in your arms Since you saw the first Predestinate dy I will disengage my self from the World That I may dy without sadness I will afflict my Body That I may dy without pain I will abstain from sin That I may dy without fear I will live in pain that I may dy in pleasure I will live in Pennance That I may dy with assurance I will live in Charity That I may dy in Sanctity I will live a Child of the Virgins That I may dy like a Predestinate I will live in grace that I may dy in grace I will live in love that I may dy in love I adjure you O ye daughters of Jerusalem that if you find my beloved you will tell him that I languish with love Cant. 5. Love is as strong as death Cant. 8. Let my soul dy the death of the just Numb 23. The Death of sinners is very bad Ps 33. He shall laugh at the latter day Prov. 31. Into thy hands O Lord I recommend my spirit Luk. 23. CXXXVII MED Of the Resurrection of the B. Virgin MAry is risen again Her body is no longer in the grave So pure a flesh as hers Ought to be exempt from corruption So holy a Temple ought not to be profaned Mary is the chastest of Virgins She ought therefore to be incorruptible Mary is the best of Mothers She ought therefore to be with her Son If the body of Jesus by its Communion Gives a right to a Resurrection Who ought to rise again If not she who gave him flesh If the Servants are with their Masters Where ought his Mother to be If this favour
your self into this Ocean Plunge your self into this Abyss You will find all things in God You will find nothing out of God Martha you labour too much Your Sollicitudes are unprofitable Here is too much meat For the Word whom you would treat What need so many cares One thing alone is sufficient Imitate your Sister Magdalen She has chosen the better part She hearkens without speaking She reposes without disquieting her self She has an extreme satisfaction To be in the presence of her beloved Draw your self out of multiplicity Draw near unto Unity This is the only thing necessary There is nothing but this that can content you For to have but one only thought You ought to have but one desire For to empty your self of your thoughts You must empty your self of your desires Without simplicity of heart You will never have simplicity of spirit You love a thousand things And you would think of nothing You give ear to your Passions And you complain of Distractions Your Complaints are not reasonable There is a duplicity in your heart It runs after its treasure It takes pleasure in what it loves It does not love God only You are not master of your own spirit But are not you master of your own heart You cannot be without a thought But cannot you be without a desire You will have but few evil thoughts If you have no evil desires Shut your self up into your heart There it is that you will find What it is that you love Whatever noise your Understanding makes Take heed you open not the door to it Stop its lightness Mortify its curiosity And if you cannot compass this Let the Vagabond run But do not run after him Remain in your own quiet Wrap your self up in your Poverty What do you seek for having God present Is not faith more certain than the senses 'T is better to love than to think Better to enjoy than to desire You will enjoy your beloved When you love him without desiring any thing O my Soul How happy wouldst thou be If thou didst content thy self with God If thou didst seek only to please him If thou would'st nothing but what he wills Thy heart in thy Prayer would be Like a Stone in its Center Like the Flame in its Sphear Like a River in the Ocean Like a Needle that looks upon its Pole Like Iron that touches the Load-stone O my God! What would I have And what do I seek after What do I desire and what do I expect Alas I seek after rest And I am always in motion I would fain be in peace And I am always in war O I am weary of labouring I will henceforth rest my self I have but too much knowledge I will now begin to love Let us O my Soul tast and see How sweet our Lord is O the God of my life O the peace of my soul I have offered up all to you with joy In the simplicity of my heart You know what it is that I seek after VVhat it is that I desire My heart is simple O my God It has no double dealing Make it therefore to enter Into the repose of the Saints And draw it to the center of Unity With the simple is his Communication Prov. 3. The simplicity of the just shall direct them Prov. 11. If thy eye be simple all thy body will be lightsom Matth. 6. Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessary Luk. 10. In the simplicity of your heart seek him Wisd 1. CLIV. MED Of the fulness of God's Riches GOd is sufficient to himself He does not stand in need of us He is sufficient to his Creatures They stand in need only of him God is all to all men He is a light to the blind He is health to the sick He is a comfort to the afflicted He is a strength to the weak He is sanctity to Sinners Life to the dead Peace to the living O sweet words My God and my All. How savoury are they to a Soul Unto whom God is All And to whom All that is not God is nothing O God and my All I am weary of thinking reading reasoning I find All in these two words My God and my All. All that I read all that I hear Takes up my mind But it does not fill my heart I find every where a vacuity and indigence There is only You in whom I find The summ of all my desires O my God and my All. These two words are honey to my mouth A source of living water to my heart Which quencheth its thirst Which contents all its desires What can I wish for after you Who can content me if you cannot O my God and my All. You shall henceforth be my All And all Creatures shall be nothing to me I said to our Lord thou art my God because thou dost not want my goods Ps 15. I will shew thee all good Exod. 33. He that replenishes your desire in good things Ps 102. What is there to me in Heaven and what else but thee would I have on Earth O God of my heart Ps 72. CLV MED Of Heaven HEaven is the House of God 'T is the Land of the living 'T is the Center of rest 'T is the Ocean of all goods 'T is the Absence of all evils 'T is the Source of all pleasures The Treasure of all riches The Throne of all grandures The End of all pains The Height of all comforts There you shall see and you shall love There you shall possess and enjoy There you shall have all that you desire And have nothing of what you fear There good shall be without evil Pleasure without pain Abundance without indigence Health without sickness Life without death Rest without disquiet O what satisfaction to see all that is beautiful To love all that is good To possess all that is great To tast all that is sweet To see the first Truth To possess the chief good To tast the chiefest pleasure O God of Virtues How amiable are your Tabernacles My Soul languishes with a desire Of entring into your Heaven O how miserable am I here below O how happy shall I be there above My Soul If thou lovest the goods of this World Thou wilt not have the goods of Heaven O how the Earth displeases me When I lift up my eyes to Heaven My God! Let me dy quickly that I may see you Since none can see you without dying I will shew thee all good Exod. 33. We shall be filled with the goods of thy house Ps 64. They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house and thou wilt give them to drink of the torrent of thy pleasure Ps 35. God will wash away all tears from their eyes and death shall be no more nor mourning nor clamour nor dolour Apoc. 21. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for those that love him 1 Cor.
die and their fire shall not be quenched Isa 66. Be gon from me ye accursed into fire everlasting Matth. 25. Come ye blessed of my Father Matth. 25. XIV MED Of Mortal sin WHat have I don I have offended an infinit Majesty I have injur'd infinit perfections I would have destroy'd an infinit goodness I have violated an infinit obligation I have then committed an infinit injustice I therefore deserve an infinit punishment God hates Sin with an infinit hatred He hates it as much as he loves his Son As much as he loves himself He hates it entirely infinitly Necessarily Essentially Eternally And I love what God hates I love it in proportion as much as he hates it I love entirely what he hates entirely I love excessively what he hates infinitly I love voluntarily what he hates necessarily I love constantly what he hates eternally O I will henceforth hate Sin As highly as I am bound to hate it I will hate it as much as I am bound to love God I will hate it entirely Infinitly Necessarily constantly eternally The Highest hateth sinners and will render revenge to the wicked Eccles 12. What hast thou don The voice of thy Brother's blood cries unto me from the Earth Gen. 4. The Soul which through pride shall have committed any thing whether he be a Citizen or a Stranger shall perish from amongst his people Numb 15. The impious man and his iniquity are hateful Wisd 14. What profit had you in those things in which you now blush for indeed their end is death Rom. 6. XV. MED Of Venial Sin THat is a great ill that does ill to God An injury don to God is a great injury Every Venial Sin dishonours God It offends the Sanctity of God It saddens the Spirit of God It cools the love of God It diminishes the graces of God It makes us stray from the conduct of God I dishonour God more by one Venial Sin Than I can honour him by my good works 'T is better to abstain from one Venial Sin Than to do all sorts of good works Venial Sin wounds and disfigures my Soul It darkens my Understanding Weakens my Will Raises my Passions By committing of small sins I familiarize my self with great ones A Habit of Venial Sin Leads insensibly unto Mortal O God of Majesty How have I slighted thee O God of goodness How have I afflicted thee O God of Sanctity How ill have I treated thee My Soul fear that evil that leads to death Apprehend the committing of small sins If thou wilt avoid great ones A small matter gains Heaven And a small matter loses it One Venial sin cannot damn thee And yet thy Damnation Begins many times by a slight sin He who is unjust in a small matter will be unjust in a greater Luk. 16. See how small a fire burns a great wood Jam. 3. He that slights small things will fall by degrees Eccl. 19. Of every idle word that men shall have spoken they shall give an account in the day of Judgment Matth. 16. XVI MED Of Pennance EIther Hell or Pennance There are but two ways to Eternity The broad one and the narrow one The broad one leads to Hell The narrow one to Heaven The broad one is the easier The narrow one the harder The broad one is the more beaten The narrow one the less frequented In which of the two are you You walk in the broad ways You live according to custom You imitate only the Vices of others You imitate not their Virtues You hearken to nothing but your own inclinations You follow nothing but your passions You will not be confin'd You seek nothing but to be at large You are resolv'd to sin And you are not resolv'd to do Pennance Unless you do it quickly You will die suddenly Unless you do it now You will do it in Eternity O my God! Spare me not now Provided that you spare me in Eternity Do fruits worthy of Pennance Luk. 3. Unless you do pennance you will all perish together Luk. 13. Enter in at the narrow gate Matth. 7. Do ye pennance for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand Matth. 2. XVII MED That we ought not to differ our Conversion UNless you do Pennance you will not be saved Unless you do it quickly possibly you may never do it You will not always have this time This grace this will He that abuses his time is deprived of time He that abuses grace is deprived of grace He that abuses his liberty is deprived of liberty Why do you differ your Conversion Must you be wicked because God is good Must you abuse his patience to your insolence Must you make his justice a slave to your malice To sin in hopes of a pardon Is to sin by presumption It is to preserve vice By the very grace that ought to destroy it 'T is to nourish sin by the very remedy Which ought to be the death of it 'T is to make of Pennance A fund of Impenitence Why will you delay what must be don one day That which will be good to morrow Is it not good to day Shall you be alive to morrow Shall you have this grace to morrow Will you ground upon a May-be The business of an Eternity What may be will be infallibly Unless God hinders it from being The Devil will strike his stroke Unless God hinder him from acting One dies as he has lived Death is the Echo of life How shall we hate at our death What we have loved all our life long A Thief was saved Despair not There was but one Presume not You say nothing presses you And I say all things press you presses you The time that slips away presses you The grace that touches you presses you Heaven that stands open presses you Hell wherein you are like to fall presses you Death that threatens you presses you Judgment that draws near presses you O my God! I put off too long That which cannot be don too soon I continue too long That which never ought to be don I will no longer expect till to morrow Since I am not sure to live to morrow My life is all yours Why have you but a part thereof You give me time for to love you Is it just that I should use it to offend you If I offer up the Sacrifice of Cain I shall be reprobated as he was One can never take security sufficient When Eternity lies at Stake Turn to our Lord and leave thy sins Eccl. 5. Do you contemn the riches of God's goodness and patience c. Rom. 2. Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out Act. 3. Do not delay turning to our Lord nor differ it from day to day for his wrath will come on a sudden Eccles 5. Ruin will fall upon that man who with a stiff-neck contemns him that rebukes him Prov. 29. XVIII MED Of the Conditions of a true Pennance A True Repentance ought to proceed from the
You have grace enough not to go thither You have enough to retire from thence But shall you have grace enough if you stay there Is it not a sin of Presumption To promise it your self in the occasion At least it will be very weak And your enemy will be very strong He is a Dog in a chain When we come near him he bites us He expects us in the occasion If you go thither O rash Soul You will yield to that temptation He that loves danger will not escape danger Be not familiar with a cholerick man neither do thou walk with a furious man least thou learn his foot stept Prov. 22. He that touches pitch shall be defiled with it and he that keeps company with a proud man will put on pride Eccles 14. He that joyns himself to Fornicators will be naught Eccles 14. If any one be a Fornicator amongst you do not so much as eat with such an one 1 Cor. 5. He that loves danger shall perish therein Eccles 3. Go off from the Tabernacles of the wicked men and do not touch any thing that belongs to them that ye be not involv'd in their ruin Numb 16. If thy right eye scandalize thee pluck it out and cast it from thee Matth. 5. We denounce unto you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ That you withdraw your selves from every brother that walks disorderly 2 Thess 3. XX. MED Of a good and a bad Conscience O How good it is to serve God What a pleasure is there in loving him How good is he to those that love him How terrible to those that offend him How happy is a good conscience How unhappy is a bad Conscience How joyful is a sound heart How sad is a sick heart O what quiet is there in a good Soul O what disturbance in a wicked Soul The Conscience of a just man is a Heaven The Conscience of a Sinner is a Hell God is in the Soul of a just man The Devil is in the Soul of a Sinner A virtuous man fears nothing A wicked man apprehends all things A just man is well with himself A wicked man is ill with himself A virtuous man willingly stays at home Because all is in peace there A wicked man dares not enter into himself Because all things are there in disorder O how sweet is Virtue O how bitter is Vice O how precious is the death of the Just O how horrible is the death of Sinners Ah! I will love God now That I may love him in Eternity I will lead a good life that I may have a good death My sin is always before me Psal 50. There is no peace to the wicked saith our Lord. Isa 48. A good conscience is as it were a perpetual feast Prov. 15. Tribulation and anguish upon every Soul that works evil Rom. 2. Hell is my house Job 17. This is our glory the testimony of our conscience 2 Cor. 1. XXI MED Of the peace of the Soul I Would fain be in peace Whence comes it that I am not Is it not because I defer too much to my own sence Because I am too much wedded to my own will Because I rebel against my Superiors Because I will suffer nothing Because I desire something with eagerness Because I am ambitious Because I am envious Is it not because I wage war against God Because I resist his Will Because I oppose my self to his Providence Because I would have what he will not Because I will not what he wills Who can live in peace that fights against God Who can be contented that is at odds with God O my Soul If thou art against God God will be against thee If thou disturbest his peace he will disturb thy quiet If thou keep his orders his orders will keep thee If thou disturb his order His order will disturb thee Desire nothing and thou shalt have all Do the Will of God and God will do thine He will do the Will of those that fear him Ps 144. VVhence come the wars and brangles amongst you is it not from your concupiscences James 4. Glory be to God on high and on Earth peace to men of good will Luk. 2. My peace I give you let not your heart be troubled John 14. Much peace there is to those that love thy law Ps 118. XXII MED Of vain Desires ARt thou contented O my Soul What dost thou desire upon earth Is not God sufficient for thee Is not he thy happiness When wert thou well without him Or when ill with him What dost thou seek besides God Who can content thee but God Thy desires are thy Tyrants 'T is they make thee miserable 'T is they that rent thy heart How happy would'st thou be if thou desiredst nothing What dost thou get by desiring These sort of desires enter not into Heaven They are the Devils in Hell 'T is they that torment the damned Leave off desiring and thou wilt get out of Hell O my God! Out of you all abundance is to me indigence All sweetness is bitterness to me That Heart is very covetous To which God is not sufficient Covetousness is the root of all evils 1 Tim. 6. The desires of sinners shall perish Ps 122. Desires kill the slothful man Prov. 21. Turn away from me all desires Eccles 23. Yield me not O Lord from my desire to the Sinner Psal 139. Martha Martha thou art Sollicitous and troubled about many things Luk. 10. XXIII MED Of Tepidity How miserable is a Tepid Soul She has lost all relish of God She is depriv'd of all comforts She wanders out of the ways of his Providence She sins without fear She does ill without remorse She dares not enter into her self She is Sick and is not sensible of her Sickness She is wicked and thinks her self good She is a slave and thinks her self free She abuses all remedies She rejects all Inspirations She is insensible to all Grace She discredits Devotion She scandalizes her Neighbour She is a burden to Communities She lies heavy upon God's heart She is just upon the point of being cast out She is in danger of never re-entring more Am not I in that state Am I hot or am I cold Am I all God's Or am I his only by halfs If so I have a tepid Soul O divine Saviour How long have I afflicted you How long have I clogg'd your heart Ah! Vomit me not up yet Deprive me not of your love Drive me if you will out of your Heaven But drive me not out of your Heart Draw in your goods from my soul But draw not back your love from thence Alas I more dread your hatred Than I do the pains of Hell My Soul Remember the state thou art fallen from Resume thy first fervour 〈◊〉 tho I dost it quickly Thy Candlestick will be removed And another put in its place JESUS will drive thee out of his heart And thou shalt never more re-enter therein If thou
admits of no division Inclination has its bounds Charity has none To love all things except sin Is to love out of Charity 'T is to be like God 'T is to have a heart as great as God's O how happy should I be Had I an assurance that I lov'd God truly I can have no greater assurance thereof Than to love my enemies for God If I am pleas'd with those that displease me If I oblige those who disoblige me If I love those that hate me If I testifie an affection to those For whom I feel an Aversion I have all the assurance that one can have That I love God sincerely That all my sins are forgiven me Because I love my enemies for his sake O God my Lord I will testifie my love towards you By loving for your sake those who are not love-worthy By doing good to those who do ill to me By conversing with those that displease me By seeking after those that I cannot look upon without pain By that it is that you will know That I am your Child That I am your Disciple That I live not by humour And that I love you with all my heart If you love those that love you what reward will you have do not the Publicans do the fame Matth. 5. If you salute your Brethren only what do you do more do not the Heathens do the fame ibid. Amen I say to you as long as you have not don to one of these little ones neither have you don to me Matth. 25. Their heart is divided now they will perish Os 10. XXXIV MED Of Presumption WHat art thou that thou presumest of thy self What wert thou heretofore What art thou at present What wilt thou be one day Thou know'st that thou hast sinned But thou know'st not whether thy sin be forgiven Thou know'st that thou hast offended God But thou know'st not whether thou hast appeas'd him Thou know'st that thou hast lost grace But thou know'st not whether thou hast recovered it again Thou saist Thou hast been at Confession But was thy Confession good Was it entire Was it accompanied with sorrow Was this sorrow supernatural Was it sincere Was it of all thy sins Was it with all thy heart Was it of all thy life Hast thou been seen to change thy manners Is that sorrow true and real Which dies as soon as it is conceiv'd Thou feelest not thy self guilty of any sin But that does not justifie thee One ought not to be disquieted for what is past Neither ought one to presume of what is to come What art thou at present Art thou in the grace of God Hast thou nothing upon thy Conscience The Heart of man is very hidden The Devil's wit is very crafty Vices imitate Virtues Passions disturb our knowledge One is easily perswaded that what one loves is innocent No man is an enemy to himself We defend all that we love Many times we make a Mortal sin pass for a Venial one We reckon but as a slight Detraction Calumnies of the highest importance Whatsoever good thou do'st secures thee not that thou art good In whatsoever state thou art Thou know'st not whether thou art in a good one For to do a good action thou must have a good intention Who knows when it is good Many go down into Egypt That think they go up to Jerusalem Many are in Illusion who believe they are in Contemplation How deceitful is the heart of man Onely God alone can understand it Thou must not therefore flatter thy self Thou must not over-perswade thy self What wilt thou be for the time to come Art thou sure that thou shalt persever Wilt thou answer for thy own Will How often has she deceiv'd thee Wilt thou answer for God's Will He efficaciously would have thee be saved But thou must cooperate thereunto Does he owe thee all sorts of graces Is he bound to priviledge a presumptuous man Little sins lead us unto great ones Our Salvation often depends upon a small matter Whilst we are here on Earth we may ascend to Heaven Till we are in Heaven we may fall down into Hell I find no assurance but in Humility and in Obedience The fall of great ones shall make me little The ruin of the Proud shall make me humble O my God my hope Give me not over to the Spirit of Pride Take all things from me I care not Provided you leave me humility Draw back your Talents I ask them not Provided that I have Charity If I look on my self I find all things to be feared If I consider you I find all things to be hoped Alas I deceive my self but you cannot deceive me I oftentimes wish harm to my self But you always wish me well My Salvation is more in assurance In your hands than in my own I will always diffide in my self But will always conside in you He that lives without diffidence Deceives himself if he be in assurance Man knows not whether he be worthy of love or hatred Eccles 4. The heart of man is wicked and unsearchable who shall know it Jer. 17. I am not conscious to my self of any thing but I am not thereby justified 1 Cor. 14. Thou standest by faith be not high-minded but fear Rom. 4. Be ye therefore humble under the mighty hand of God 1 Pet. 5. XXXV MED Of the good use of Time TIme is precious short irreparable Precious because each moment of it is worth an Eternity Short because it lasts only our life Irreparable because it never returns What will it avail you to have liv'd in pleasures If you die in sin What will it avail you to have past your time well If it go ill with you for all Eternity Time is given you to think on your Salvation You have but little of it remaining Death draws on Eternity advances Your life slips away Your health impairs Your Judgment is preparing Poor fool this very night thy soul shall be fetch'd away And to whom wilt thou leave all that thou hast hoarded up To whom will he be good who is naught to himself After your death you will wish for one moment Of that time which you squander away in Pastimes After death you will repine at the loss of that time Which you spend unprofitably Make therefore good use of your time Manage those precious moments Redeem that which you have lost Employ the present well Regulate well that which remains Think on your Salvation Save your Soul An Angel hath sworn by him that lives in all Ages That soon there will be no more time O my God! Give me yet a little more time And I will give you all satisfaction Alas I deserve indeed to be deprived of it Because I have so long abused it But I will henceforth make better use of it I will think on nothing but my Salvation I will repair the time I have lost And employ well the time remaining They were taken away before their time Job 22. Do
evil without remedy There is no pardon to be hop'd for Unless restitution be made The sin is not forgiven Unless what is stolen be restored Honour is not to be repaired When once it is taken away The Wound of Slander is incurable The Scar thereof remains for ever O my God! How many Robberies have I committed And how many Murders My Tongue is a Pen that writes lightly And which has prepar'd the Decree Which will be pronounc'd at my Judgment I shall be justified by my Tongue I shall be condemn'd by my Tongue Alas who then shall be saved Who can say I have never detracted I have made reparation For the harm my Detraction has done Fly from Detractions Satan is in their mouth when they speak In your ear when you hearken to them Bear with a Detraction but give no occasion for it Repair those you have spoken in the best way you can That Truth which is not charitable Proceeds from a Charity that is not true I persecuted him who did secretly slander his neighbour Psal 100. Detract not one another brethren he that detracts his brother or he that judgeth his brother detracts the law and judges the law Jam. 4. He that detracts any thing he obliges himself for the future Prov. 13. Neither Robbers nor Slanderers shall possess the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. Out of thy words thou shalt be justified and out of thy words thou shalt be condemn'd Matth. 12. XL. MED Of Sadness WHence comes it that you are sad 'T is doubtless because your heart is sick Because you are a slave to som Passion Because you love som Creature Because you feed som desire Because your Conscience is not clear Because you have committed som sin Because you would have what you cannot have Because you cannot do what you would Because you will not do what God would have you do Because you would do what God would not have you do 'T is because you would suffer nothing Because you adhere too much to your own sence Because you fear the World too much Because you seek your own ease too much Because you love your self too much Happy is that man who desires nothing but God How joyful is that man who fears nothing but God How secure is that man who has nothing to lose How contented is that man who lives a virtuous life Have an esteem for nothing but God And nothing will afflict you Think all that you can lose already lost Love not that wealth which may be taken from you Ty your self to nothing that may perish Whatsoever you lose still preserve your peace Live always well and you will never be sad Leave your self to God and you will always be contented Drive away sadness far from you Eccles 30. Rejoyce in our Lord and exult O ye just Psal 31. Let the just exult in our Lord praise becomes the upright Ps 32. Rejoyce in our Lord always again I say rejoyce Phil. 4. As it were sad but always rejoycing 2 Cor. 6. XLI MED The ill effects of Sadness A Man that is sad dishonours God He shews that he believes not his Providence He accuses God of ignorance He tacitly complains of his injustice 'T is I says he that take this good from you 'T is I that permit this persecution 'T is I who send you this sickness And do you dare to murmur Do you dare to complain Can one be sad without murmuring You blaspheme not with your mouth But you blaspheme in your heart You say there is no God Or that he knows not how to govern the World A man that is sad loses himself He wasts himself with Melancholy He shortens the life of his Body He brings death to his Soul His heart is a Hell The Devil has a right to dwell in it He pushes him on to Despair He engages him in all sorts of Vices He proposes to him bodily Pleasures For want of Spiritual ones O strange Disease which needs such a Remedy O JESUS who never wert melancholy And yet hadst always causes of sadness Give me not over to this Passion Plunge me not into this Hell I will always have a contented heart Because you dispose of all things for my good I. will honour your Providence Edifie my Neighbour Begin my Heaven even in this life For to confirm it after my death A discontented Servant dishonours his Master A true Servant of God ought never to be sad He will not be sad nor turbulent Isa 42. Why is thy countenance sad 2 Psdr 2. As it were sad but always rejoycing 2 Cor. 6. A wicked heart will cause sadness Eccles 36. Be not like Hypocrites sad Math. 6. XLII MED Remedies against Sadness WHy do you afflict your self That which seems ill to you is not so Your Miseries are Mercies Your Disgraces are Graces of God They take you off from the World They unite you to our Lord. They make you enter into your self They give you a disgust of this life They make you feel your sin They are marks of your Salvation They are Pledges of your Predestination Did not God love his Son Was there ever man more afflicted than he Your evil is not to be complain'd of If it be light it is easily boren If it be violent it cannot last long A great ill cannot be long Unless it be droven away otherways It must sink under it self Either it bereaves you of your life Or of your feeling of it No where but in Hell evil is immortal Time without your thinking of it will do your buliness Your pain cannot last any longer than your life And what is life in regard of Eternity Do you think to live in this World without affliction How will you be a member of Jesus Christ How can you reign with him Unless you be afflicted as he was Shew me a man without his Cross And I will discharge you from yours Is it just that you should have for nothing That which has cost all the Saints so dear What rank will you take in Heaven In what place shall you be put All the Saints are loaden with wounds Shall you be the only one that has none Think on Heaven and your sadness will away The hopes of a great good produces a great joy All evil is little which delivers us from an Eternity of pains The body feels but little pain when the mind dwells in Heaven Do not you know that Heaven is the in heritance of the afflicted That it is the Kingdom of the Crucified That it is the portion of suffering Souls If you have a mind never to be sad Drive sin out of your Soul 'T is that which saddens Hell it self If they were without sin They would be without sadness What joy can that person have Who has driven God out of his heart What rest can he take who has poison lying on his heart If you fasten your self to nothing You will afflict your self for nothing We suffer in proportion to
dy many times That I may dy once well Remember that death doth not tarry Eecles 14. Watch because you know neither the day nor the hour Matth. 25. VVatch at all times Luk. 21. If thou do not watch I will come to thee like a Thief Apoc. 3. Therefore be ye prepared because in what hour you think not the Son of Man will come Matth. 24. L. MED How to resolve for Death WHat do you fear O Christian Soul VVhence is it that you apprehend Death Cannot you endure that which a little Infant does endure Cannot you do that which an Emmot does All Creatures know how to dy And are you ignorant of this Science VVhat will you do with life If you will never part with it VVas it not God that gave it you Has not he a right to dispose of it He has giv'n you the use of it But has reserv'd the property thereof to himself 'T is a trust that you must restore to him Sooner or later in a good condition To what purpose do you stand trifling You must pass that way 'T is a folly to apprehend too much VVhat one cannot avoid VVe fear things that are doubtful But we expect things that are certain You should not have been born If you had no mind tody Are you in a better condition than Kings Shall you be more privileg'd than JESUS Christ For my part were I immortal I would beg it as a favour To be able to die as he did Are not you a Criminal Are not you condemn'd to death The Sentence thereof was pronounced Against Adam from the time that he sinn'd O how favourable is this Sentence O how much good does it procure us Death is no more a punishment 'T is an inestimable benefit VVe should ask it as a favour If God had not condemn'd us to it The Judgments of God are terrible But his Mercies are infinit It is good to fear But it is better to hope He that hopes in God Shall not be deceived He that leaves himself to God Shall not be forsaken Will your Condition be made better By living yet longer You will increase your debts Instead of diminishing them You say that you will do Pennance And you are yet to begin 'T is a Pennance of great merit To accept of death as a punishment Man can do no action for God Comparable to the Sacrifice of his life O my God! How happy do I esteem my self That 't is in my power to die for you I cannot be a Martyr for the Faith But I will be a Martyr of Charity To dy is no great matter But to dy well is a great matter I give to you O my God out of love VVhat death will take from me by force I give to you out of charity VVhat I cannot refuse out of necessity Better is death than a bitter life and eternal rest than continual sickness Eccles 30. O Death good is thy judgment to an indigent man and whose strength decays in his old age Eccles 41. Fear not the judgment of Death remember what things were before thee and what things will come after thee this is God's judgment on all flesh Eccles 41. VVe know if this earthly house of ours of this habitation be dissolved that we have a building from God not made with hands but eternal in heaven 2 Cor. 5. Unhappy man that I am who will deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 6. LI. MED The Affections of a just Soul at the approaches of Death which we should cause to be read to us in our last sickness I Am told that I must dy O the sweet and pleasant news I am quitting Earth to go to Heaven Going out of my Prison for to re-enter into liberty Quitting a Banishment for to return to my dear Country Passing from Time to Eternity From the figure to the truth From Change to Immutability From Death to Immortality From Misery to Felicity I am going to possess God To enjoy God To be transform'd into God To fill my Understanding with a plenitude of light My VVill with a plenitude of peace My Memory with a plenitude of goods My Senses with a fulness of pleasures I shall there above find all that I desire And nothing of what I fear I shall have no more evil I shall want nothing that is good God will be to me All in all And be so for all Eternity I am told that I am dying O the sweet news I shall be no more opprest with miseries Suffer no more incommodities Be no more afflicted with sickness No more subject to commit sin Nor in danger of damning my self Nor any more have any thing to trouble me I shall see and I shall love I shall praise and I shall bless This I shall do for ever VVithout ever being weary of doing it O what a happiness I am going to dy I am going to the place of my repose To the Land of the living To the Kingdom of peace To the Palace of glory To the Nuptials of the Lamb To sit at God's Table To eat the bread of Angels To see what eye hath not seen To hear what ear hath not heard To possess what the heart of man hath never conceived O the happy News They tell me I am dying Come my Soul Let us quit this miserable life Let us go out of this wretched body What art thou afraid of Jesus is dead for thee He has satisfied for thy sins He has pay'd all thy debts He is becom thy security He has answer'd for thee He has promis'd thee his Heaven He has declar'd thee his Heir He has made thee a surrender of all his Merits He has given thee his Body as a Pledge He has bestow'd infinit benefits on thee He has preserv'd thee from infinit dangers If he would have destroy'd thee Would he have died for thee Would he have conserv'd thy life so long Have expected thee with so much patience Given thee time to do pennance Have illuminated thee with so many lights Called thee with so much love Drawn thee with so much force Favoured thee with so many graces Given thee so many good desires Visited thee in thy sickness Made thee receive his Sacraments Markt thee with the Seal of the Predestinate If thou sighest thou shalt be saved If thou art converted in thy heart Thy sins shall be forgiven thee One sigh is sufficient to gain Heaven The Pennance that is true is never don too late He is always converted time enough Who is converted from the bottom of his heart Behold JESUS calls you Behold JESUS stretches out his arms to you Hark how he prays for you on his Cross Hark how he says with a loud voice Father forgive him for he knew not what he did He bows down his head to kiss you He spreads his arms for to embrace you His heart is open for to let you into it He has given his life for to save you O happy news
wrath Ps 9. LXVI MED Of Conformity to the Will of God TO judge as God judges is to be wise as God is To will as God wills is to be holy as God is His judgment is the Rule of our judgments His will is the Rule of our wills God alone has right to do what he will He alone can have a will of his own Wilt not thou then my Soul obey God Wilt thou always make war against him Wilt thou wrestle with the Almighty Hast thou measur'd thy arms with his Art thou wiser than he Wilt thou teach him to govern the World If thou wilt not do his Will Thou wilt take away his Crown Thou wilt ascend his Throne Thou wilt be independent as he is Is it just that God should do thy will Or that thou should'st do his Will How happy would'st thou be If thou would'st nothing but what God will In what a profound peace wouldst thou live How would thy affairs change their face What cares and disquiets wouldst thou spare God does the affairs of those who do his He obeys those who obey him He loves those that love him He contents those that content him Is it not to be in Heaven To will all that God wills Is it not to be in Hell To will nothing of what God wills A man does always his own will When he has no proper self-will A man never does what he will When he does not do what God will The Will of God is always don one way or other If I oppose him he will oppose me If I afflict him he will afflict me If I disturb him he will disturb me If I serve him he will serve me O my God! There is no pleasure in displeasing you There is no profit in offending you Since I have been at odds with you I have been at odds with my self Since I have made war against you I never could find any peace Do with me what you please If I will not do what you will have me Make me serve you if I will not love you Force me if I will not obey you Draw me if I will not follow you Good and evil life and death poverty and honour are from God Eccles 11. I have found a man according to my heart who will do all my wills 1 Kings 13. Whatsoever shall befal a just man shall never make him sad Prov. 12. Whosoever shall do the will of my Father he is my Brother and Sister and Mother Matth. 12. Not as I will but as thou Matth. 29. LXVII MED Of the love of our Neighbour MY Neighbour is a man as I am He is framed to the Image of God as I am Redeemed with his Blood as I am Is a Member of his Body as I am Is a Child of his Church as I am Is fed with the same Sacraments as I am Is design'd to the same Heaven as I am God commands me to love him as my self Jesus prays me and orders me to do it He reckons it as don to himself All that is don to our Neighbour He has substituted him in his own place He has transferr'd all his rights to him He will have me pay him all that I owe him I am not his Disciple Unless I love my Neighbour I am no Christian unless I assist him If I afflict him God will afflict me If I excuse him God will excuse me If I support him God will support me If I pardon him God will pardon me God will use me as I have used him God will judge me according to my charity to him O I will then love him that I may be beloved I will assist him that I may be assisted I will support him that I may be supported I will save him that I may be saved I will love him Tenderly Universally Generously Constantly Thou shalt love thy neighbour as t' y self Matth. 12. To love your neighbour as your self is more than all Holocausts and Sacrifices Mark 12. Bear one another's burdens and so you will fulfil the Law of Christ Gal. 6. But above all things having continual Charity in your selves because Charity covers a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4. In this all shall know that ye are my Disciples if you have a love for one another John 3. LXVIII MED Of the duty of Fathers to their Children and of Masters towards their Servants A Father owes to his Children Nourishment of Body and Soul He must not bring them into the World For to send them to Hell Why will you be a Father Unless you will also be an Instructor What does it avail you to feed the Body If you leave the Soul forlorn The first life of Children Is but the life of Beasts They becom men but with time 'T is wise instruction that discloses their reason 'T is a new Birth 'T is the Organ of Faith 'T is the Principle of Salvation 'T is the Ground-work of Virtue Salvation and Damnation depend often upon Education Unhappy are those Children Whose Fathers will pardon them in nothing But much more unhappy are those To whom their Fathers grant all things A good education ought to be mildly severe Parents ought to imitate God Who does the office both of a Father and Mother Of a Father by severity Of a Mother by tenderness One must not always punish Nor must one always pardon One must not always be silent Nor must one always chide Never correct a Child when you are in Choler A Physician that is sick must first cure himself A Father that is hurried along with passion Does himself deserve correction Punishment is a Medecin Which is to be given in its due time When Chastisement is just and moderate It gives Understanding But it creates a Contempt When it is us'd too often For to breed up ones Children well They are to be loved equally The partiality of affections Is the cause of all disorders Why should you make a difference Where Nature has made none Why should you violate the rights Which she has wisely establish'd Ought not the Branches of the same tree Bear the same Leaves Nature acts by Inclination But those who love out of charity Do more good to those persons For whom they have most aversion Imitate God in his conduct Has he not more tenderness For the Predestinate than the Reprobate But he hides it in this life The wicked are not jealous of it He oftentimes shews more friendship To those by whom he has been most offended Instructions bring but little fruit Unless they be accompanied with example You destroy by your Actions What you build up by your Words The Hand advances more than the Tongue Example is more powerful than Discourse The Child gives more credit to his Eyes Than he does to his Ears He thinks he has a right to do What he sees his Parents do He places his glory in imitating them And his perfection in being like them All your sins are Scandals Which infect your
strong 2 Cor. 12. LXXXI MED Of Modesty A Man is known by his Countenance A Soul is known by her Body 'T is a Looking-glass which represents her And wherein she is painted to the life A light Body shews a light Soul A modest Body shews a modest Soul It does nothing but what it is made to do When the Body is out of order 'T is judg'd that the Soul is so too What figure must that Soul have Which gives so ill an one to her Body A quiet and modest Exteriour Is the mark of a perfect Soul Of a Soul that tends to Union Of a Soul that is without passion God is a tranquil Spirit He is never disturb'd He dwells only in Peace He composes and quiets all things by his presence He imprints his Modesty on that Soul That he gives life to And if he does not imprint it 'T is because the Soul does not obey him When I see a Modest Body I say O here is the House of God! Here is the Temple of our Lord All things are here in peace and in order 'T is the Modesty of this Soul That reflects upon her Body 'T is the Sanctity within That sheds it self without An affected Modesty cannot last long When the Soul is well composed The Body is modest at all times The gestures of an ill regulated Body Com from the irregularity of the Soul She is agitated with Passions She gives ear to Temptations She sinks under her pains She gives her self up to her desires He that has God within himself Goes not elsewhere to seek him The Iron is at rest When it touches its Load-stone A Soul which touches God Is peaceable and without motion O My God! How tranquil is thy Spirit O how agitated is mine How grave is yours How light is mine How Modest is yours How unruly is mine If you were Master of my Heart You would also be Master of my Body If I quit the Out-works The Devil will gain the place I will therefore regulate my exteriour That I may conserve for you the Empire of my heart A man is known by the sight and a wise man is known by the shew of his face The cloathing of the body and the laughing of the teeth and the gate of the man tell of him Eccl. 19. Let your Modesty be known unto all men Phil. 4. The man of the heart that is hidden in the incorruptibility of a quiet and a modest spirit which is rich in the sight of God 1 Pet. 3. I beseech you by the modesty and meekness of Christ 2 Cor. 10. Do you on like the Elect of God Humility Modesty Patience Col. 3. LXXXII MED Of Divine Inspirations GOD holds his peace after he has spoken He scorns after having been scorned He hides himself after that he has sought He withdraws after he has called He punishes after having long endured Inspiration is the Voice of God 'T is a Blast of his Spirit 'T is a Ray of his Wisdom 'T is an Impression of his Love 'T is the Seed of Eternity 'T is the Principle of Salvation 'T is the price of the Blood of Jesus 'T is a Grace that has cost him his life You stifle the voice of God When you stifle an Inspiration You imitate Herod Who put St. John to death You imitate Saul Who put the Priests to death You imitate the Jews Who put JESUS and the Prophets to death You resist the Holy Ghost You sin without ignorance You sin through obstinacy through malice You bury the Talents of God You abuse his Gifts You trample the Son of God under your feet You do an injury to his Spirit You profane his pretious Blood You detain Truth Captive You break off the thred of his Graces You put your Salvation in danger The Justice of God will break out upon you Your Talents will be taken from you The Kingdom of Grace will be translated elsewhere God will speak no more to you The Holy Ghost will breath no more on you The Word of God will touch you no more Your Conscience will no longer molest you Hope will no longer encourage you Charity will no longer warm you Fear will no longer retain you Remedies will no longer profit you You abuse extraordinary Graces You will have them no more O my God! I confess that I am a Prodigal Who have wasted all your goods That I am a Herod Who have put your Voice to death O I will make you wait no longer I will no longer resist your grace You have too long knock't at the door of my heart This very day I will let you in You would have me quit this sin I will quit it You would have me change my life I will change it You would have me renounce gaming I will renounce it You would have me speak to my Enemy I will speak to him You would have me frequent the Sacraments I will frequent them You would have me love you alone I will love you in Time and Eternity Amen Wo to thee that despisest shall not thy self also be despised Isai 33. I called and you refused I extended my hand and there was none that regarded Ye despised all my counsel and ye neglected my rebukes and I will laugh in your destruction Prov. 1. I go and you will seek me and you will dy in your Sin Jo. 8. Extinguish not the spirit Thess 5. This day if you hear his voice c. Ps 44. LXXXIII MED Of the Word of God GOD created the World by his Word And he will not save it but by his Word He redeem'd it by his Word Incarnate Nor will he save it but by his Word Incarnate The Holy Ghost is produc'd in the heart of God By his Interiour Word The Holy Ghost is not produc'd in the heart of Man But by the Exteriour Word You are not a Sheep of JESUS Christ's Unless you hearken to his voice Your heart will bring forth nothing but Thorns Unless it receive this Divine seed JESUS speaks by the mouth of the Preacher 'T is he that rings in his Tongue He is cloath'd with the sound of his Voice As he came forth-cloath'd with a body of Flesh The Word written in Books Is a Sacrament of Salvation The Letter is the Species JESUS is the Sence The Increated Word Unites it self to the Word created That he may enter into hearts sanctify them What an Impiety to despise this Sacrament What a Crime to trample on the Son of God Alas How often have I don it I let it fall down on the ground I stifle it in my heart I eat this heavenly bread And I do not profit by it I hear this Divine Word and I am not converted If it does not convert me it will pervert me If it does me no good it will do me hurt If it give not life to me it will be my death If it doth not save me it will damn me Blessed is the womb that bore thee c.
Throne Jesus contemned riches To teach us to contemn them Compare O Worldling Thy house to his Stable Thy bed to his Crib Thy doon to his Dunghil Thy cloaths to his Swath-bands Thy riot to his Nakedness Jesus is poor And thou art rich Jesus in a Stable Thou in a Palace Jesus on the straw Thou on a doon-bed Jesus is all naked Thou art well clad Jesus wants all things Thou nothing O divine Babe How does your Birth rejoyce me But how does your Poverty afflict me How does your Infancy comfort me But how does your Crib astonish me I will love the Poor since I cannot love Poverty I will relieve the Poor That I may relieve your necessity I will cloath the Poor That I may cover your nakedness I shall not be saved unless I be like unto you I must be poor as you are Or you must be rich as I am If therefore I will not be poor as you are I must make you rich as I am 'T is to do good to you to do it to the poor I will therefore relieve you In the person of the poor I will feed you lodge and cloath you in c. O I think my self happy That I can render back to you What you have given me That I can help you out of your necessity That I can cloath feed and lodge you The foxes have their holes and the Birds of the air their nests but the Son of Man has not where to lay his head Matth. 8. He came into his own and his own received him not Jo. 1. Amen I say unto you as long as you have don to one of these my least brothers you have don to me Matth. 15. He was made poor being rich that by his poverty you might be made rich 2 Cor. 8. XCIV MED Of the Humility of the Infant Jesus GOD did annihilate himself By uniting himself to nothing He hath humbled all his whole greatness He has made himself as little as he was great He debased himself as much as he was elevated His humiliation is infinit substantial eternal As long as he keeps his humanity He will keep the marks of his humility Why was he made man Why was he made passible and mortal Why did he take our flesh Why was he made an Infant Why would he be born of a Woman Why would he lodge in a Stable 'T is to pull down our pride For to teach us humility For to win our hearts For to be more like us O Divine Babe How great are you in Heaven But how little are you on Earth How are you honoured by the Angels But how are you despised by men How do I respect you in the form of God But how I love you in the form of an Infant 'T is an astonishing thing To see a God humbled But much more astonishing To see a Man elevated O how am I confounded To be proud before an humbled God Whosoever shall humble himself like this little one he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 18. Behold God is my Saviour I will do confidently and will not fear Isai 12. He exinanited himself taking the form of a Servant Phil. 2. XCV MED Of the Divine Humiliations in the Mystery of the Incarnation THe Word was God and he became Man The Word was happy And he became miserable The Word was holy And he took the form of a sinner He became man For to communicate his Divinity to us He became miserable For to communicate his felicity to us He appeared to be a sinner For to communicate his sanctity to us O Jesus annihilated under the form of Man Of a Sinner of a Wretch O the greatest and the least O the first and the last O the highest and the lowest My Soul Wilt thou be proud Seeing thy God annihilated Wouldst thou appear to be a Saint Contemplating thy God under the form of a Sinner VVouldst thou live in pleasures Seeing thy God in misery O Nothing VVilt thou never annihilate thy self VVilt thou never be in thy proper place What good hast thou don What ill hast thou not don Whence didst thou com Whether art thou to go 'T is an unsupportable pride For man to grow proud When he sees his God humbled The Word was made flesh John 1. He exinanited himself taking the form of a servant Phil. 2. God sending his Son into the similitude of the flesh of sin Rom. 8. Him who knew not sin he made him a sin for us that we might be made the justice of God in him 1 Cor. 5. XCVI MED Of the Holy Name of Jesus JESUS is a name of greatness sweetness valour Of greatness which signifies the God of men Of sweetness which signifies the Father of men Of valour which signifies the Saviour of men His greatness makes him to be ador'd in Heaven His sweetness makes him be belov'd on Earth His valour makes him be fear'd in Hell When I pronounce the Name of JESUS I represent to my self the greatest of all Kings The most charitable of all Fathers The most valiant of all Warriours The most humble of all Men. The most faithful of all Friends The mildest of all Masters The most obliging of all hearts The most amiable of all Espouses When I pronounce JESUS My sadness is dissipated My courage is raised My heart displays it self My spirit awakens My soul melts into joy All my Enemies fly away If Jesus is my Saviour cannot he save me Ought he not to save me He is charged with my Salvation He has accepted the commission of it He makes it his business He will spare nothing for that end It will cost him his life What can I fear having a Saviour What ought not I to hope for Having such a Saviour O JESUS The Father of the poor The Comforter of the afflicted My Soul is speechless before you My heart says to you that you are all its good Be unto me a JESUS in my life Be unto me a JESUS at my death If I have committed what may damn me You have not lost what may save me O JESU Put your self as a seal upon my heart As a seal upon my mouth As a seal upon my arm That I may think on nothing but you Speak of nothing but you Labour only for you O JESU I adore you as a name of greatness I love you as a name of sweetnese invocate you as a name of valour I will give my blood for to be saved Since you gave yours for to be a Saviour I will suffer Wounds as you did That with you I may be a Saviour of men But thou art in us O Lord and thy holy name is invocated on us Jer. 14. It shall be that every one who invocates the name of Lord shall be saved Joel 2. For there is no other name under Heaven given to men in which we must be saved Act. 5. In the name of Jesus let every knee bow Phil. 2. XCVII MED Of the
Page 381 Med. 6. Of the benefit of leaving our selves c. Page 186 Med. 7. The same again ibid. 7. Sund. after Pent. G. Matth. 7. v. 15.22 Med. 1. Of the Will of God Page 9 Med. 2. The same again ibid. 3. Of good Works Page 178 4. Of Hell Page 22 5. Of Charity Page 142 6. Of the care of Perfection Page 127 7. Of Faith Page 134 8. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 16. v. 1.10 1. Of the fulness of God's Riches Page 366 2. The same again ibid. 3. Of the good use of Time Page 71 4. The same again ibid. 5. Of Alms. Page 180 6. Of the Last Judgment Page 20 7. The same again ibid. Or The four Meditations of Death Page 13 9. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 16. v. 42.48 1. How God loves men c. Page 357 2. Of the Death of the Just Page 14 3. Of the Death of Sinners Page 17 4. Of Inspirations Page 199 5. Of the Vnity of love Page 339 6. Of Prayer c. Page 130 7. The same again ibid. 10. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 18. v. 9.15 1. Of Annihilation Page 347 2. Of Presumption Page 67 3. The same again ibid. 4. Of Pride Page 89 5. The same again ibid. 6. The conditions of true Pennance Page 32 7. The same again ibid. 11. Sund. after Pent. G. Mark 7. v. 31.38 1. Of customary Sins Page 102 2. The same again ibid. 3. Of the end that Man was made for Page 1 4. Of the care of our Salvation Page 6 5. Of Silence Page 191 6. Of the Conformity of our will to the Will of God Page 162 7. The same again ibid. 12. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 10. v. 23.38 1. Of the Love of Jesus Page 337 2. The same again ibid. 3. Of Charity Page 142 4. The same again ibid. 5. Of the Imitation of Jesus Page 217 6. Of the love of our Neighbour Page 164 7. The same again ibid. Or The four Meditations of Death Page 13 13. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 17. v. 11.20 1. Of the flight of occasions Page 35 2. Of disengagement from Creatures Page 7 3. Vseful thoughts for drawing us off c. Page 12 4. The same again ibid. 5. The eighth and ninth Canticle Page 381 6. Of Sickness Page 194 7. Of Obedience Page 208 14. Sund. after Pent. G. Matth. 6. v. 24.34 1. Of the Vnity of Love Page 339 2. Of Avarice Page 97 3. The same again ibid. Or The five degrees of Perfection Page 349 4. Of vain Desires Page 42 5. Of the Obligations we have to love God Page 10 6. Of the care of our Perfection Page 127 7. The same again ibid. 15. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 7. v. 11.17 1. Of Death Page 13 2. Of the Death of Sinners Page 17 3. Of Sadness Page 81 4. The ill effects of sadness Page 83 5. The tenth Canticle Page 383 6. Remedies against Sadness Page 84 7. Of Devotion to the B. Virgin Page 310 16. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 24. v. 1.12 1. Of Humility Page 149 Or Of the holy Communion Page 304 2. Of the judgment of Men. Page 94 3. Of Pride Page 89 4. Of God's Incomprehensibility Page 360 5. The same again ibid. 6. Of divine Vnion Page 370 7. The same again ibid. Or The four Meditations of Death Page 13 17. Sund. after Pent. G. Matth. 22. v. 34.46 1. Of God's Amability Page 355 2. Of the Presence of God Page 341 3. The same again ibid. 4. Of the divine Perfections Page 350 5. Of the Imitation of Jesus Christ Page 217 6. Of the love of our Neighbour Page 164 7. The same again ibid. 18. Sund. after Pent. G. Matth. 19. v. 1.9 1. Of Sickness Page 194 2. Of Tepidity Page 43 3. The same again ibid. 4. Of Slander Page 79 5. The same again ibid. Or The third Canticle Page 377 6. Of customary Sins Page 102 7. The same again ibid. 19. Sund. after Pent. G. Matth. 22. v. 1.15 1. Of the love of Jesus Christ in the Sacr. Page 301 2. Of the Kingdom of God Page 231 3. The same again ibid. 4. Of the small number of the saved Page 48 5. Of Inspirations Page 199 6. Of the two Eternities Page 24 7. That we ought to do our actions well Page 175 20. Sund. after Pent. G. John 4. v. 46.54 1. Of the Conducts of Faith Page 136 2. Of Patience Page 152 3. Motives to Patience Page 155 4. The same again ibid. 5. Of the care of our Salvation Page 6 6. The same again ibid. 7. Of the Duty of Fathers and Masters Page 166 Or The four Meditations of Death Page 13 21. Sund. after Pent. G. Matth. 18. v. 23.36 1. Of the Kingdom of Jesus Page 232 2. The same again ibid. 3. Of the Pardoning of Injuries Page 91 4. Of Relapse Page 100 5. The same again ibid. 6. Of Scandal Page 50 7. The same again ibid. 22. Sund. after Pent. G. Matth. 22. v. 15.22 1. Of human respect Page 77 2. The same again ibid. 3. Of the Profit of Temptations Page 56 4. Of the Causes of Temptations Page 58 5. Of the Obligations we have to love God Page 10 6. Of the Conformity of our will to God Page 162 7. Of the Virtues of Jesus Page 219 23. Sund. after Pent. Matth. 9. v. 18.27 1. Of Death Page 13 Or Of the Communion Page 304 2. Of the Death of the Just Page 14 3. Of Hope Page 139 4. The same again ibid. 5. Of Solitude Page 342 6. Of the hatred of the World Page 45 7. The five degrees of Perfection Page 349 24. Sund. after Pent. G. Matth. 24. v. 15.36 1. Of the care of our Salvation Page 6 2. Of venial Sin Page 26 3. Of the flight from Occasions Page 35 4. An Exercise of Patience Page 153 5. Of the leaving of our selves c. Page 343 6. How we ought to leave our selves c. Page 345 7. Of the Presence of God Page 341 Or The four Meditations of Death Page 13 The End of the TABLE of the Meditations for every Day in the Year A TABLE OF MEDITATIONS For the chief FEASTS of the Year Dec. 6. S. Nicholas G. Matth. 25. Of Alms. 180 Dec. 8. Conception of the B. V. Mary 312 Dec. 21. S. Thomas Of Faith 134 Of our Lord's Wounds 282 Jan. 25. Conversion of S. Paul That we must not deferr our Conversion 29 Febr. 2. Purification of our B. Lady 314 Febr. 24. S. Matthias Of the few that are saved 48 March 19. S. Joseph Of the Peace of the Soul 41 Of Silence 191 Of Conformity c. 162 March 25. Annunciation of our B. Lady 316 Of the Humiliations c. 318 Apr. 25. S. Mark Evang. Of the Causes of Temptation 58 Of the Will of God 9 May 1. SS James and Philip Apostles Of the Troubles of Mind 61 May 3. Invention of the Holy Cross Motives of Patience 155 June 24. Nativity of S. John Baptist Of Solitude 342 Of
Mortification 53 Of Venial Sin 26 June 29. SS Peter and Paul Of Faith 134 Of Charity 142 Of Obedience 208 June 30. Commemoration of S. Paul Of the conducts of God 183 Of the love of Jesus 337 July 2. The Visitation of our B. Lady 321 July 22. S. Mary Magdalen Of Simplicity 362 The conditions of true Pennance 32 Of Charity 142 Of divine Vnion 370 July 25. S. James Apostle Of the Duties of Fathers c. 166 Of Conformity 162 Of vain Desires 42 July 26. S. Anne of Driness 190 Of the Will of God 9 Of leaving our selves c. 186 July 29. S. Martha Of good Works 178 That we ought to do our works well 175 Of divine Vnion 370 July 31. S. Ignatius Conf. Of the love of JESUS 337 Of the love of our Neighbour 164 Which is the noblest Intention 145 Aug. 5. Our B. Lady ad Nives Of Devotion to our B. Lady 310 Aug. 6. Transfiguration of our Lord. Of Solitude 342 Of the Imitation of J. Christ 217 Of Heaven 368 Aug. 10. S. Laurence Of Patience 155 Of Mortification 53 Of the Two Eternities 24 Aug. 15. Assumption of our B. Lady 328 Of the Death of our Lady 323 Of her Resurrection 325 Aug. 24. S. Bartholomew Apostle Of the excellence of Mortification 55 Aug. 25. S. Lewis King Of the conducts of God 183 Of the Benefit of letting our selves be conduducted 186 Of God's Dominion over his Creatures 3 Aug. 28. S. Austin Doctor Of God's Incomprehensibility 360 Of God's Amability 355 Of Faith 134. Of Humility 149 Aug. 29. Decollation of S. John Baptist Of the Hatred of the World 45 Of Fidelity in small Matters 176 Of Human respect 77 Sept. 8. Nativity of our B. Lady 331 Sept. 14. Exaltation of the Holy Cross 155 Of the Cross 155 Remedies against Sadness 84 Sept. 21. S. Mathew Apostle Of Avarice 97 Of Poverty 204. Of Inspirations 199 Sept. 29. S. Michael Archangel Of Pride 89. Of Humility 149 Oct. 4. S. Francis Of Assis Of Poverty 204 Of the Cross 155. Vseful Thoughts 12 Oct. 9. S. Denys Of divine Vnion 370 Of divine Perfections 350 Of Prayer 130 Oct. 15. S. Teresa Of Dryness 190 Of Annihilation 347 Of the fulness of God's riches 366 Oct. 18. S. Luke Evang. Of the excellency of Mortification 55 Of the Peace of the Soul 41 Of the Pains of the Mind 61 Oct. 28. SS Simon and Jude Of the love of our Neighbour 164 Of Persecutions 73 That Persecutions are necessary 75 Nov. 1. All Saints Of Heaven 368 Of the Two Eternities 24 Of the Divine Perfections 350 Nov. 2. All Souls Of venial Sin 26 Of Pennance 28 Of the good use of Time 71 Nov. 11. S. Martin Of Alms. 180 Of good Works 178 Of the Death of the Just 14 The affections of a Just Soul 111 Nov. 21. Presentation of our B. Lady 333 Nov. 30. S. Andrew Apost Of the Cross 155 Of the Five degrees of Perfection 349 The End of the Table of the Meditations for the FEASTS A TABLE OF MEDITATIONS For the renewing of VOWES 1. OF the End for which Man was made 1 2. Of the Dominion of God over his Creatures 3 3. Of the care of our Salvation 6 4. Of the Obligation we have to love God 10 5. Of the Will of God 9 6. Of Tepidity 43 7. Of Customary Sins 102 8. Of the Conditions of true Pennance 32 9. Of the Happiness of a Religious state 203 10. Of Poverty 204 11. Of Chastity 206 12. Of Obedience 208 13. Of Regular Disciplin 210 The End of all the TABLES The FIRST Meditation Of the End for which Man was made I Came from God I belong to God I subsist only in God I live only for to serve God As I cannot be but from God I cannot be but for God It is not necessary that I should be in the World But supposing that I am therein I must be all God's All things speak to me of God All things draw me to God All things make me know God All things tell me that I deserve not to live Unless I live for God That I ought not to have a Heart Unless I will love God That I cannot serve two Masters That I must either be the Devil 's or God's Whom have I obey'd Which of the Two has been my Master For whom have I labour'd Whom have I contented Alas it has been the Devil This is the Master that I have preferr'd before God I have made my self his slave I have don all his Wills and Commands Oh I abhor my infidelity I acknowledge my injustice I will henceforth be God's I will love none but God I will live no more but for God I will serve none but God I will make it an absolute necessity For me to love and content God Lord make mine end known to me that I may know what is lacking to me Ps 38.5 I have created him framed him and made him for my glory Isa 43.7 I am the beginning and the end Apoc. 2.8 I have brought up Children and exalted them but they have despised me Isa 2. v. 2. II. MED Of the Dominion of God over his Creatures YOU have not always had a Being There was a time wherein you were not It was God who drew you out of nothing 'T was He that gave you a Being You are therefore His Creature He has an absolute dominion over you He may command you what He pleases He may put you where He pleases He may preserve you or destroy you Raise you up or pull you down Comfort you or afflict you Make you die or make you live As He depends upon none So is He answerable to none God is your first Beginning He is Master of your life He is the preserve thereof He is the repairer thereof You depend upon Him necessarily You depend upon him 1. Essentially 2. Absolutely 3. Continually 4. Eternally Is it not then just that you should obey The Master on whom you depend He that planted the Vine Has he not right to eat of it He that built the House Has he not right to dwell in it What injustice is it to expel God Out of a heart which he framed with his own hands From a heart which he Redeemed with his own Blood From a heart wherein he has a mind to dwell From a heart which he would sanctifie What a pride is it for a Vessel of Earth To murmur against its Maker God is your final End He created you for his glory He desires to make you happy 'T is for that end he has placed you in this world Every thing tends to its own end That is the term of its motions That is the center of its rest That is the beginning of its strength The weight of its inclination The very top of its perfection Out of that end a thing is unhappy It is weak It is vicious Ah! why do we not then go to God Ah! whence comes it that we quit God O my
God and my End Thou art the beginning of my life Thou art the center of my peace Thy hands it were that framed me 'T is thy hands that conserve me 'T is thy hands that sustain me 'T is thy hands that defend me I am always in thy arms And yet I never think on thee I am always in thy heart And yet I have no love for thee Thy Creatures serve me And yet I will not serve thee Was it I that made them Did I give my life for them O my God! Thou didst make me for thy self And didst more-over die for me Thou promisest me eternal goods Thou threatenest me with eternal miseries And yet all this does not work on me And yet after all this I love thee not O God my Lord Burn thy Heaven Extinguish thy Hell I will have no other reward For the services that I render thee Than the honour of having serv'd thee Heaven is too much for him that loves thee Hell is too little for him that loves thee not O how these thoughts do please me I am from God I am God's I am in God I am for God From God as from my beginning God's as my Soveraign's In God as in my Center For God as for my final End Alas I have lived hitherto As though I had been from my self As though I were my own As though I were for my self As though I were sufficient to my self O! I will henceforth be all yours I will seek no rest but in thee I will labour no more but for thee The Lord your God is the God of Gods and the Lord of Lords great and powerful and terrible Deut. 20. v. 17. If I am the Father where is my honour and if I be the Lord where is my fear Mal. 1.6 Thy hands have made me and framed me Ps 128. Who is it that plants a Vineyard and does not eat of the fruit thereof 1 Cor. 9. Who art thou to answer God Rom. 4. Wilt not thou O my Soul be subject to God Ps 61. III. MED Of the care of our Salvation MY Salvation is my business My Salvation is my only business My Salvation is a very great business God from all eternity thinks of this business His Son died on the Cross for this business Our good Angels labour for this business The whole World was created only for this business All my happiness depends on this business My Eternity roles upon this business All the Devils do traverse this business I cannot without care speed in this business Death will soon put an end to this business I am then a Fool if I do not mind this business And yet I neglect this business I mind every thing else but this business I am restless about all things but this business O I will mind nothing else but this business I will labour no more but for this business One thing is necessary Luk. 10. What will it avail a man to gain the whole VVorld if he lose his own Soul Matth. 26. VVhat exchange shall man give for his Soul ibid. Attend to thy self 1 Tim. 6. Have pity on thy soul and please God Eccles 3. IV. MED Of disengagement from Creatures I Never found any true pleasure in Creatures I never found in them any rest any assurance any trust any fidelity They are vain and unconstant They are impure and indigent They are made for me Not I made for them They are more vile than I. I am more noble than they They may indeed amuse me But they cannot satiate me They may disturb my heart But they cannot calm it My God! My heart is small in substance But it is infinit in its desires Though your happiness be never so great It is capable of containing it Thou hast made it for to love thee Thou hast framed me to thy Image 'T is a River that seeks out the Sea 'T is a fire which mounts up to its Sphere 'T is a ray that would return back again To the Principle from whence it took its birth 'T is a piece of Iron which without knowing it Would fain unite its self to its Load-stone O how unhappy have I been When I loved Creatures O my God! Since I am made for thee I perceive very well that I never shall Have any peace or rest but in thee Vanity of Vanities and all is Vanity Eccles 1. In all things I perceived there was Vanity and affliction of Spirit Eccles 2. Turn O my Soul into thy rest because our Lord hath done well to thee Ps 114 VVhy do ye love Vanity and seek after lying Ps 4. V. MED Of the Will of God I Am in this World only for to do What God would have me do I deserve death if I do not do What God would have me do I shall never be perfect unless I do What God would have me do I shall never be at rest unless c. I must whether I will or nill do What God would have me do I shall be wise as God is If I have the same judgment with him I shall be just as God is If I have the same Rule with him I shall be holy as God is If I have the same love as he has I shall be powerful as God is If I will the same things with him I shall be happy as God is If I have the same pleasure as he has All things will obey me as they do God If I have the same will with him Alas how miserable was I Whilst I waged war against God All things thwarted my will Whilst I thwarted the Will of God O my God! Give me not over to my Passions Suffer me not to offend you any more Destroy my will lest it destroy yours Force me if I will not obey you Do your will with me if I will not do your Will Life is in his will Ps 26. As it is his will in Heaven so be it don 1 Mach. 13. Not as I but as thou wilt Mark 14. Let our Lord's will bedon Act. 2. Lord what wilt thou have me to do Act. 9. VI. MED Of the Obligations we have to love and serve God SInce God is the first of all Beings Since he hath fram'd me with his hands Since he hath made me for to love him Since he hath drawn me out of Hell Since he hath given his life for me Since he hath redeem'd me with his blood Since he feeds me with his own flesh Since he quickens me with his Spirit Since he promises me his Heaven Since he hath lov'd me from all Eternity Since he hath bestow'd infinit benefit upon me Since he hath pardon'd me an infinity of sins Since he gives himself wholly to me Since I belong wholly to him Since I subsist only by his favour Since he burns with the love of me Since all his desire is To make me happy as he is himself O I will love him with all my heart O I will never serve any other Master O I will
himself before God What an amazement will it be To see himself before an angry God Before a Father whom he has outraged Before a King whom he has slighted Before a Friend whom he has betrayed Before a Captain whom he has deserted Before a Judge whom he has offended Before a Saviour whom he has crucified There is no sight in the World That a wicked man would more avoid And from which he can less hide himself Then shall he see all his Sins That will present themselves to accuse him He shall see the Devils ready to devour him Over his head a Judge ready to condemn him Vnder his Feet a Precipice whereinto he is falling Before him his goods that are carrying away from him By his side the Objects which made him sin Within him his Body which is about to leave him O Jesus on the Cross How then will the sight of thee Comfort the good Frighten the bad How will they dare to look upon him Whom they have crucified All your wounds will fall a bleeding At the sight of these murderers What kind of death will mine be Such as has been your life Shall I die like the Virtuous Yes if you live like the virtuous O I will live in grace That I may die in peace I will live holily That I may die in tranquillity I will live in Pennance That I may die in Assurance The death of sinners is very ill Psal 33. Evils will surprize the unjust man at his death Psal 139. VVhy should I fear in the evil day the iniquity of my heel will encompass me Psal 48. They shall leave their riches to strangers their graves shall be their houses for ever Psal 48. The rich man died and was buried in Hell Luk. 16. Unless you do pennance ye will all perish in like manner Luk. 13. XI MED Of the last Judgment THere is an eye that sees all An ear that hears all A hand that writes all I do not see and yet am seen I hear not and yet am heard I know not and yet am known The eye which discovers all is covered The ear which hears all is hid The hand that writes all is invisible Nothing is lost nothing flies out All things pass from Time to Eternity That which is past will return again What you thought was lost will be retrieved A crime that is buried will rise up again That which passes the time away Will not pass away with time All shall be examin'd without exception Judged without acception Condemn'd without remission Punish't without conpassion Alas my God! Where shall I hide my self when I am cited What shall I answer when you question me What will become of me when I am judged What would I have don when I am condemned Come unto me O ye blessed of my Father O amiable words Begon from me O ye accursed O terrible words We write in this life the Sentence Which will be then pronounced Wo unto me when my crimes shall be discovered Wo unto me when my heart shall be opened Wo unto me when it shall be said Here is the man and the good that I have don him Here is the man and the ill that he has don me VVe shall all stand before the Tribunal of Christ Rom. 14. VVe must all be manifested before the Tribunal of Christ that every one may receive what belongs to his body as he has behaved himself be it good or bad 1 Cor. 15. Our Lord will bring into Judgment all that is don Eccles 11. In the end of man is the disclosing of his works Eccles 11. If the just man will scarce be saved where will the wicked man and the sinner appear 1 Pet. 4. XII MED Of Hell HEll is the Prison of God's Justice 'T is the Magazin of his Vengeance The term of his Wrath. The center of all Evils The deep Well of Death The Devil's Kingdom The Country of the Desperate A Region of Tears A place of Torments A Land of Malediction A Banishment without comfort A loss without redress A labour without rest A pain without end An evil without remedy There man shall be separated from God Cursed by God Hated of God God will hate him Without any possibility of loving him His hatred will be 1. Infinit 2. Irreconcilable 3. Universal 4. Eternal In Heaven there will be all that you love In Hell all that you hate Pleasure will be pure in Heaven And Pains pure in Hell Nothing will be wanting in Heaven All things will be wanting in Hell O strange revolution The wicked man flies away from God here upon Earth And yet he finds him every where He seeks after God in Hell And shall never find him What do I say that he will flie from God Alas he will find him every where And yet he will never love him His presence makes Heaven His presence makes Hell The greatest pain of a Reprobate Is in all places to find an angry God O Eternity how long art thou O Eternity how dreadful art thou O Never that never ends O Ever which lasteth ever O Present which stickest close to what is past O Past which stickest to what is to come O Eternity Shall we never apprehend thee O Eternity Shall we never conceive thee If we had thee always in our mind We should never sin A Land of misery and darkness where the shadow of death and no order but an everlasting horrour does dwell Job 5. Cast out the unprofitable Servant into outward darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 25. VVho shall be punisht eternally from the face of our Lord and from the glory of his virtue 1 Thess 1. Thou wilt put them like an Oven of fire in the time of thy countenance our Lord in his wrath will cast them down and fire shall devour them Psal 20. The sinner shall see and be angry he shall gnash with his teeth the desire of Sinners shall come to nothing Psal 111. XIII MED Of the two Eternities TO live Ever and Never to die To die Ever and Never to live To possess all things and desire nothing To desire all things and possess nothing To rest always without ever working To work always without ever resting To rejoyce always without ever being sad To be always sad without ever rejoycing To love God always Without being in a possibility of hating him To hate God always Without a possibility of loving him The one is the portion of the good The other the pain of the bad O how amiable is Heaven O how horrible is Hell O what a cheat is the World O how blind is man O how short is Time O how long is Eternity Nothing is long of which we see an end Nothing is short of which we see no end These shall go into everlasting torments and the just into life everlasting Matth. 25. I would they were wise and did understand and provide for the last things Deut. 32. Their worm does not
because you are a Christian And have a mind to be happy Why does the Devil tempt you 'T is because he hates the Image of God Because he envies man Because he would make you his Slave Because he would have Companions Because he would enter into your heart Because he would ascend God's Throne Because he would profane his Temple Because he would be ador'd therein Because he would Crucifie JESUS Christ And renew all his Ignominies Will you carry on his Designs Will you content his Passion 'T is what you do as often as you consent to Temptation Why does God permit you to be tempted 'T is for his glory and your good He would know whether you love him He would make you know your self He has a mind to try your virtue To keep you in a dependance on him To fit you for a Combat To thrust on your Sloth To take you off from Creatures To oblige you to have recourse to him To make you merit Heaven O my Saviour I wonder not that I am tempted Since you were also tempted 'T is good that I should know you 'T is good that I should know my self I find that Temptation hinders me from entring into Presumption Tempt me O God try me See whether there be no iniquity in me O no! tempt me not Alas I know my own weakness Deliver me rather from my temptation At least fortifie me against my temptation Satan strikes at you as well as me Defend your self in me and through me God tempted Abraham Gen. 20. Fear not for God came for to try you Exod. 20. The Lord your God tempts you to make it publickly known whether you love him or not Gen. 13. Anania why did Satan tempt thy heart Act. 5. Every one is tempted by being drawn and allured by his own concupiscence Jam. 1. God tempted them and found them worthy of him Wisd 3. XXXI MED Of the troubles and pains of Mind HOw these thoughts torment me Why art thou tormented at them I fear I shall give consent to them If you fear you do not consent Your fear ought to secure you I am fallen into sin You must rise quickly out of it God is angry with me 'T is in your power to appease him Walk with more Diligence Labour with more Fidelity Confess your self without delay Humble your self without disturbance One evil does not repair another Sin is not cur'd by Sin This Temptation is importune Yes But it is necessary for you It keeps you in humility It maintains you in your dependance It obliges you to pray It hinders you from presuming Without Temptation one cannot be tryed Without fighting one cannot be crown'd Without a Cross none can be saved O my God! Keep me close to you And I will not fear the Devils Although they were all against me Without you I am nothing but weakness With you I am all fortitude If I have wherewithal to ruin my self You have wherewithal to save me Let not your heart be troubled John 14. Because thou wert acceptable to God it was necessary that Temptation should try thee Tob. 12. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able but he will make profit of your temptation that you may be able to sustain it 1 Cor. 10. Blessed is the man who suffers Temptation Jam. 1. XXXII MED Of natural Inclinations TO love by Inclination is to love like a Beast To love with Inclination is to love like a Man To love without Inclination is to love like a Christian To love against Inclination is to love like a Saint Christian Charity embraces all the World Its motive is singular and universal If for God I love him that pleases me I ought also to love him that displeases me They are both of them created by God Both made to his Image Both redeem'd with his Blood Both call'd to his Glory I am not bound to love all the World equally But I am bound to hate no body Particular Friendships are Universal Hatreds The Unions of Inclination Are Schisms and Heresies of Heart The nearer you draw to one person The farther you remove from all others If you are totally one person 's You are nothing to all the rest You commit an injustice You refuse them what you ow them You wound Charity You divide Unity You slight Regularity You scandalize the Community You fly from Solitude You dare not remain any more before God You commit a great many sins Your Spirit is without Recollection Your Heart without Devotion Your Prayers without Gust Your Communions without Fruit. Your Life without Peace Your Labours without merit O my God! How amazed shall I be at my death When I shall see that I have not lov'd you Unless I love all my Brothers I love not so much as one for your sake If I have an Aversion for one I have no Charity for all the rest O how much time ill spent O how many dangerous Familiarites O how many unprofitable Discourses O how many criminal Entertainments O my God! I will for your sake love all sorts of persons I will love my Friends and my Foes The Rich and the Poor The Great and the Little The good humours and the bad humours Those that do me good and those that do me hurt Since they are all your Subjects All your Children All your Members Since you love them all That you are in them all That you order me to love them all There is no acception of persons with God Rom. 2. He makes his Sun to rise upon the good and the bad and rains upon the just and unjust Matth. 5. Thou shalt not make acception of persons Deut. 16. Is there not one Father of us all Is there not one God who created us why then does every one contemn his Brother Mal. 2. These are those that separate themselves Animals that have not the Spirit Jude v. 19. XXXIII MED Of Aversions THe wounds of the heart are mortal Hatred makes Charity die The fairest of all Victories Is to triumph over our Aversions To love a Friend is the virtue of a Pagan To love a Foe is the virtue of a Christian 'T is the strongest of all loves Because it triumphs over the greatest enemy 'T is the amplest of all loves Because it embraces both friend and foe 'T is the purest of all loves Because Nature cannot love an enemy 'T is the most meritorious of all loves Because there is nothing harder than to love an enemy God loves all things that he made He has an Aversion to nothing but sin The Creatures that fight with each other Are at peace in his bosom He has no Antipathy because his Essence is infinit Great Souls have no enmities They have a dominion over all Objects They are not divided by matter All things are at peace in their heart Sin only alone is not there in quiet Because it makes war against Sanctity Self-love is divided within it self Divine love
They say I am to dy Come I am content I willingly resign up my life I render it to him that gave it me I remit my spirit into his hands I recommend unto him my body and my soul I am sorry that I have offended him I accept of death for to satisfie him I believe all that he has reveal'd I hope for all that he has promis'd I give him all that I possess I will dy for his glory I will dy for his sake I will dy in gratitude I will dy for justice sake I will dy because he died I will dy for him as he died for me I will dy that I may see him I will dy that I may love him I will dy that I may bless him And for to sing his Praises for all Eternity O Father of mercy Behold a Prodigal Child Who has wasted all your goods Who has spent his life in Debaucheries That returns now to your house And who most humbly begs your pardon Alas I have liv'd without reason Since I have had the use of reason I have don nothing but evil Since I knew what was good My Father I have sinn'd against Heaven and against thee I deserve not to bear the name of thy Child I am not worthy to enter into thy house But have you ceased to be a Father Because I have ceased to be your Child Have you lost your goodness Because I have lost my innocence Are you no more a Father of mercy Because I am becom a Child of misery O my Father O the best of all Fathers Have pity on the miserablest of all thy Children I was lost and I am now retrieved I was dead and I am risen again I was gon far from you and now I am here ready to appear before you O my Father Come and meet your Child Give him a kiss of peace Forgive him his offences Revest him with a Nuptial Robe Receive him into your house Give him a place at your Feast O JESUS The Physician of the poor sick The Comforter of the poor afflicted The hope of poor Sinners Here am I before you without strength Without motion without speech But my heart says inwardly Come O my JESVS come quickly Draw my Soul out of this Prison Recal me out of this exile Conduct me to my dear Country Behold the Just do there expect me My friends hold forth their arms to me O how beautiful are thy Tabernacles O how admirable is thy Palace O how contented shall I be in Heaven O how happy shall I be in your Company I dy with a desire of dying Com divine Saviour and make me languish no more O holy Mother of God! Who didst see thy Son dying Lo here thy Child is sick Forsake him not in this extremity Com and receive his Spirit And defend him from his enemies O ye Angels of Heaven Com down upon Earth to help me Make a guard round about me Drive away from me the Infernal Lyon Preserve me even unto my Death After having sav'd me from so many Shipwracks Suffer me not to perish in the Haven Come let us go to Heaven Let us go to Paradise My heart is ready O my God my heart is ready It is ready to stay here on earth It is ready to go hence It is ready to live It is ready to dy Thy will be don I recommend my body and soul to you I rejoyced in the things that were said to me we will go into our Lord's house Psal 121. Blessed are those that dy in our Lord. Apoc. 14. Blessed are those that are call'd to the Nuptials of the Lamb. Apoc. 19. In thee O Lord have I hoped I shall not be confounded for ever Ps 30. VVhat is there to me in Heaven and what besides thee would I have on Earth my flesh and my heart have fainted O the God of my heart and my portion God for ever Ps 72. I am straitned on both sides having a desire to be dissolved and be with Christ much more better Phil. 1. One thing have I asked that will I require that I may dwell in the house of our Lord all the days of my life Ps 26. How beloved are thy Tabernacles O God of Hosts my soul doth long and faint after the Courts of our Lord. Ps 83. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house O Lord they shall praise thee for ever and ever Ps 83. All this Psalm is full of sweet thoughts to raise in a sick person a desire of Heaven If thou dost observe iniquities O Lord who can sustain Ps 126. VVith our Lord there is mercy and with him a copious redemption ibid. LII MED A Paraphrase on our Lord's Prayer for the comfort of the sick Our Father I Believe O my God that you are my Father who have given me the life of my soul and body for to serve and love you and which you have repaired by the Death of your Son after I had miserably lost it through my sin You are the Father of all men and of the most miserable of all men whom you see here extended on this Bed O how glad am I that I have such a Father So good so wise so holy so powerful I hope that since you have given â—ne a temporal life you will do me the favour â—lso to give me an eternal one O my Father 〈◊〉 render back unto you the life which you have given me I am sorry that I have employed it so ill and that I have used it to offend you therewith My Father I have sinn'd against Heaven and against you I am not worthy to bear the quality of your Child but receive me I beseech you into the number of your Servants My Father if it be possible let this Chalice of Death and Sufferance pass from my mouth and let me not drink it as yet Yet let your Will be don and not mine My Father glorifie your Son that your Son may glorifie you and since I have not honored you upon Earth make me praise you Eternally in Heaven Which art in Heaven Alas you are in Heaven and I am yet here upon Earth You are in a place of peace and I am in a place of warfare You are in Heaven for to reward me and I am on Earth for to honour you I hope O my God that I shall soon be with you in Heaven I hope so on the merits of the precious blood which your Son hath shed for me O when will that day com How tedious is it to live banished from your presence How the Earth displeases me when I lift up my eyes to Heaven O Heaven O Heaven What ought not we to do to gain thee What ought not we to suffer for to obtain thee All that I endure is nothing in comparison of what I hope for Hallowed be thy Name O admirable name of God! I came into this World for to sanctifie thee and I have don nothing but profane thee I came upon Earth
I commend my spirit And saying this he gave up the Ghost Luk. 23. And bowing down the head he gave up the Ghost John 19. Our King before ages wrought Salvation in the midst of the Earth Psal 73. He that adheres to our Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. If God be for us who is against us Rom. 8. Therefore let those who suffer according to the Will of God recommend their Souls to their faithful Creator in good deeds 1 Pet. 4. CXVI MED Of the Death of the Son of God JESUS is dead Who will fear death He died for us Who will refuse to dy for him He died wasted with pains Who will refuse to suffer He died for his Servants Who will serve any other Master but him He died for our sins Who will dare to put him to death again O the good Shepherd Who died for his Sheep O the High Priest Who immolated himself for men O the faithful Friend Who lov'd us until death O the Divine Master Who placed his Chair on Mount Calvary O JESVS Since thou didst dy for me It is just that I should dy for thee Since thou hast given me the example I must dy as thou didst Wherefore I pardon all my enemies I hope thou wilt give me thy Heaven Recommend me I pray to thy good Mother Bid her take care of me O forsake me not O my God When all the World forsakes me Sustain me by thy grace When I have lost the strength of my body I thirst I desire to see thee I desire to dy When will my end com When shall I consummate my Sacrifice O my Father I recommend my spirit into thy hands I unite my death with thy Son 's Remember that he redeem'd me with his blood Lose not my soul which is of so great value Bowing down his head he gave up the Ghost John 19. The just man perisheth and no body thinks of it in his heart Isai 57. Think upon him who endured such contradiction against himself from sinners that you may not be wearied in your minds fainting Heb. 12. He died for the wicked Rom. 5. Christ died for us ibid. For this end did Christ dy and rose again that he might be Lord of the quick and the dead Rom. 14. Your are dead and your life is hid with Christ c. Col. 3. CXVII MED In form of Prayer on the seven Stations of the Sufferings of the Son of God 1. STATION O Jesus my Saviour who didst sweat blood and water in the Garden of Olives at the sight of thy torments and of my sins And who didst strip thy self of thy farce for to cloath thy self with my Infirmities I aadore thee all bathed in thy blood I give thanks to thy sacred heart for having afflicted it self for my sake I detest all the sins which did cause so great a sadness I resolve to dy rather than ever more to afflict thee Give me grace that I may as thou didst conceive a great sorrow for my iniquities that I may resist even unto blood the Temptations of the Devil and of the Flesh and that I may conform my self in all things to thy example and to the will of thy Father 2. STAT O Jesus my Lord who wert buffeted and ill treated in the houses of Annas and Caiphas I give thee thanks for having suffered these injuries and these confusions for the love of me Alas how often have I buffeted and injured thee in the person of my neighbour since thou reckonest as don to thy self all the ill that is don to him I beg most humble pardon of thee for it And I resolve henceforth for thy sake to suffer all the injuries that shall be don to me and never more to offend thee in the person of my Brothers either by action words judgment or will 3. STAT O Jesus my King who wert scorned by Herod and by the Jews when they preferred a Robber a Seditious felow and a Man-killer before thee I beg pardon of you for having so often preferr'd the Devil and wretched Creatures before you I promise never more to dishonour you You shall always be the King of my heart and I will rather dy than lay you as I have don under the feet of Lucifer that Robber that Seditious wretch and Murderer of all men 4. STAT O Jesus the purest and chastest of all men whose innocent flesh was torn with the blows of the Whips in Pilate's house for to expiate the Criminal Pleasures that we take in our flesh I acknowledge that it was for my sake that you suffered such cruel torments I am sorry for having given you so many wounds and that I have so often renewed them by the satisfaction which I have given to my Senses I conjure you by your Dolours to sanctifie my Body and Soul and to wash them with your pretious blood from all their Impurities and never to suffer that that flesh which has been washed in your blood be ever stain'd with any sin 5. STAT O Jesus the greatest of all Kings who wert crowned with Thorns and didst wear on thy Shoulders the Royal Marks of thy Principality I acknowledge thee for my King as despised and disfigured as thou art And since thou hast no part of thy body which was not wounded I will take no more pleasure in my body but will live in grief and pain that I may be one of thy Subjects and one of thy Members 6. STAT O Jesus my Redeemer who for my sake wert fastened to a Cross and who didst shed all thy blood for to rescue me from the power of the Devil whose Slave I was I give the thanks for this incomparable love that thou didst bear to me for so many torments which thou didst suffer for my sake I kiss with respect thy sacred feet and thy sacred hands which were pierced for my sake I adore that sacred heart which was opened for my love and I promise rather to dy than ever more to crucify thee in mine 7. STAT O Jesus my life who didst dy for me and who wert forsaken by thy Father that I might not be forsaken at my death O most meek Lamb immolated for the Salvation of men Victim of Love and Patience who wert consummated on a pile of sorrows O the Saint of Saints O the King of Kings What can I do for to acknowledge so great a goodness Why may not I dy for you as you died for me I believe that thou art my Saviour and I should despair did I not believe it I hope that thou wilt pardon me my sins and that thou wilt bestow on me thy Heaven since thou gavest me thy life I detest my Crimes which are the cause of thy death and I will rather lose my life than ever make thee dy in my heart since this death is infinitly more sensible and more ignominious to thee than that of the Cross I beg your pardon for all those who have offended me I give my self
to your holy Mother I choose her for mine and I desire to dy betwixt her arms I recommend my spirit into thy hands and I conjure thee by thy dereliction not to forsake me at the hour of my death but to receive me into thy Heaven there to see thee there to love thee there to praise and bless thee for all Eternity Amen This Prayer may be recited in the time of Mass before Confession and Communion especially when one is sick and on all Fridays in the year at the foot of the Cross You must make a little Pause at each Station and produce in heart the acts that you pronounce with your mouth CXVIII MED On the Burial of Jesus Christ JEsus from the Cross is laid in the Tomb. Here is an end of his labours This is the place of his rest This is the term of his journeys His Disciples do almost lose their Faith By having lost his Presence They are fearful and dejected Because they see and hear him no longer Happy is he who receives into his heart Jesus descending from the Cross The grain of wheat that it may fructify Must dye and be hidden The arms of the Priest at the Altar Are the arms of the Cross Your heart is the grave wherein he would rejoyce Happy is he who is crucified Who is dead and buried Who is hid in the ground Who is trod under foot Who is unknown to men Who reposes in God He will soon rise again with Jesus Immortal and impassible like him Happy is he who conceives his Faith In the death and obscurity of his Senses Who loses not his hope having lost his support Who ceases not to love Having nothing that can comfort him O Jesus Hide me in thy grave Bury me in thy shrowd That I may be no more known by men Let me dy to all my senses I am ready to go along with you Even into the Prisons of Hell Provided that I be in your company I shall have nothing to apprehend Hell with you would be a Heaven to me Heaven without you would be a Hell to me Joseph taking the body wrapt it in a clean Sindon and laid it in his own new monument which he had hewed out of a rock Matth. 27. Woman why weepest thou They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have put him John 20. My Soul was filled with evils and my life drew near unto Hell Ps 87. I was reputed with those that descend into the lake I became like a man without help free amongst the dead ibid. They laid me in the lower lake in dark places and in the shadow of death ibid. Like the vvounded that sleep in their graves ibid. CXIX MED Of the Resurrection of our Lord. JEsus is risen again He enjoys a glorious life He is com out of his grave He has conquered death He has triumphed over Satan He has broken to pieces the gates of Hell He has carried away the spoils He has frightned his guards He has confounded the Jews He is victorious over all his Enemies My Soul weep no more Jesus has resumed a new life He will dy no more in thy heart Unless thy Sin do crucify him there Jesus is risen again in our Souls He is re-entred into his Kingdom He has droven the Devils thence He has triumphed over Sin He keeps our Passions Captives He dwells therein by his Grace He lives there by his Spirit He reigns there by his Love He reposes there by his Peace All the whole Church is risen again His whole Body is out of the grave All his Members are re-animated They are no more dead nor sick My Soul weep no more Jesus has c. Jesu tarry with us for night draws on The day is going down The Devils gather together The Lions roar Our Passions revolt Ill habits awaken The World takes arms Our flesh takes strength again Your life is not in assurance Hell has conspired against you The wicked have sworn your death They will renew your sufferings My Soul c. O ye senceless Galathians What do you intend to do Do not you know Jesus any more But two days ago you lamented his death And now you are contriving To take away his life You are preparing Scourges for to tear him Thorns to crown him with Crosses to nail him to What has he don for to be crucified Is he criminal for having loved you Does he deserve death for having saved you My Soul c. Our Lord is truly risen and hath appeared to Simon Luk. 24. Christ rising from the dead dies no more death shall domineer no more over him Rom. 6. If ye are risen with Christ seek the things that are above not that are on earth Col. 3. Crucifying to themselves again the Son of God and setting him at nought Heb. 6. CXX MED Of our Lord's Wounds JEsus hath Wounds altho he be risen Do not wonder at the Wounds That remain after your Resurrection There is no hurt in feeling them There is merit in enduring them Be impassible to your passions Be immovable in your temptations The Wounds of Jesus enlighten our Faith They support our Hope They inflame our Love We cannot doubt of his affection We see his heart through his Wounds We ought no longer to be diffident Jesus is our Advocate in Heaven He prays for us by as many mouths As he has Wounds in his Body The Nails are the Keys that have opened This Ark of our Redemption All the Treasures which it includes Are now at our disposal O Jesus my Saviour How do your Wounds comfort me Secure me encourage me There issues from thence a Balsam Which cures all my sorrows Who will dare to accuse me Knowing that you are my Advocate Who will dare to condemn me Knowing that you are my Judge Who will dare to declare against me Knowing that you are my Saviour O divine Saviour Imprint on me your sacred Stigmats Imprint them in my Soul and in my Body Who can live without Wounds Seeing you covered with Wounds I cannot love my heart Unless it be wounded like yours Alas that which shall be the joy of the Predestinate Will be the torment of the damned He shewed them his hands and feet Luk. 24. He shewed them his hands and side John 20. What are those wounds in the midst of thy hands With these was I wounded in the house of those that loved me Zech. 13. Behold I have written thee in my hands Isai 49. Whom thou hast stricken they have persecuted and they have added to the pain of my wounds Ps 68. CXXI MED Of the good Shepherd JEsus is a good Shepherd He knows all his sheep He knows them as he is known by his Father He gives them life as he receives it from him He calls them all by their name He conducts them in streight ways He has a particular Providence for them He always walks before them With the Crook of the Cross in his
in this Action I shall not have the Grace that follows this Action Possibly my Salvation depends on this Action I will therefore do nothing but study To do this Action well Thou shalt justly prosecute what is just Deut. 16. In all thy works be thou excellent Eccl. 33. Cursed is he that does the work of God fraudulently Jer. 48. He will render to every one according to his works Matth. 17. He did all things well Mark 7. LXXII MED Of fidelity in small things GReat Rivers rise from a small Spring Great Trees grow up from a little Kernel A great fire from a little sparkle Great falls from a little sin Great disorders from a small unfaithfulness The great depends upon the little The little leads to the great He that loves esteems all things He that fears neglects nothing Great actions content men Small actions content God He that is unfaithful in small things Will be unfaithful in great ones He that is faithful in small things Will be faithful in great ones Nothing is little on which our Salvation depends All that is esteemed by God is great Men contemplate the hands But God considers the heart Fidelity is a virtue that makes all things great That it gives life to Do you do what you know how to do And God will teach you that Which you know not how to do Do you do what you are able to do And God will help you to do VVhac you are not able to do O my God! Since I cannot do you any great service At least I will render you small ones Since I dare not under take hard things I will do all that is easie for me to do He that slights small things will fall by little and little Eccl. 14. He that fears God neglects nothing Eccl. 17. He that is faithful in the least will be faithful in a greater and he that is unjust in a small matter is unjust in a greater Luk. 16. And though the Prophet had bid you don a great matter you ought indeed to have don it much more then since now he said to you be washed and you shall be cleansed 4 Kings 15. VVho shall find a faithful man Prov. 20. LXXIII MED Of good Works A Christian without VVorks Is a Tree without Fruit. A Lamp without Oyl Land without a Crop His faith is barren sick dying dead He that doth nothing believes nothing He that believes and does not do Shall be judg'd by his belief The more you know the guiltier you are Much is required of him that receives much 'T is to do ill not to do good Sterility is a kind of iniquity The fruitless Fig-tree is cast into the fire The Talent is taken from him that buried it Faith either faves or damns us It makes us better or worse To believe what is good and do evil Is to be judg'd before being judg'd 'T is to be condemn'd before being accus'd He that does not do what he believes Soon ceases to believe what he does not Faith does not live long After the decease of Charity Do therefore good works Do them in abundance Do them in grace Do them for a good end Do them without delay Do as much good as you have don evil Do all that you can And think that you do nothing Do good whilst you have time For very soon you will have no more The Son of man will com in the glory of the Father and then he will render to every one according to his works Matth. 16. Behold I com quickly and my reward is with me to render unto every one according to his works Apoc. 22. See how a man is justified by his works and not by faith alone Jam. 2. As a body without a soul is dead so faith without works is dead ibid. Cut it down why doth it take up the ground Luc. 13. The ground that drinks in the showres that fall down on it and brings forth thorns and thistles is reprobate and next to a curse Heb. 6. Therefore whilst we have time let us work good Gal. 6. LXXIV MED Of Alms. THe rich man depends upon the poor man And the poor man upon the rich man The rich man stands more in need of the poor man Than the poor man of the rich man The poor man receives his corporal livelihood from the rich man The rich man receives his spiritual life from the poor man The poor man depends upon the rich man For this present time The rich man depends upon the poor man For Eternity VVithout the rich man The poor man would dy corporally Without the poor man The rich man would dy spiritually The rich man is the poor man's Judge upon Earth The poor man will be the rich man's Judge in Heaven Favours and Punishments are in the poor man's hands When he requires mercy God grants it to the rich man When he requires justice God executes it on the rich man The rich man's Salvation is lost That has not the favour of the poor One cannot defend him before God Whom the hunger of the poor shall accuse He will have an ill day of it Who has not their favour at the last day Do good to the poor man For he is a man as you are And you are in misery as he is He has need of you And you have need of him 'T is JESUS that will receive your alms 'T is he that is in want He is in the person of the poor man He is covered with his figure He is hid in him as in a Sacrament He has substituted him in his own room He has surrendred him his rights He will give you an account for your Charity He will thank you for them At the end of the World Will you send JESUS to lodge in a stable Will you refuse him cloths to cover him Will you not give him a bit of bread to eat Never be afraid of Poverty As long as you relieve the Poor You will never want any thing As long as you never suffer the poor to want You sow Gold when you give Silver The poor mans hands is a field Which yields to him that gives a hundred fold JESUS makes himself your debter He is the poor man's security He obliges himself by contract He promises you good things at present He promises you the goods of Eternity Will you not trust God Is your money ill placed Has he not wherewithal to pay you O JESUS How tenderly do you love the poor Since you chose their condition Since you were poor upon Earth And that you will be so yet in Heaven You are indeed rich there above But you are also poor withal here below Since you are so in the person of the poor And that you beg an Alms with them Happy is that rich man Who gives an Alms to JESUS Accursed is that rich man Who refuses an Alms to JESUS He will beg an Alms of him at his death And it will not be granted him He
will beg a grace at the day of Judgment And it will be refused him Redeem thy sins with alms-deeds and thy iniquity with the mercies of the poor Dan. 4. He that shall see his Brother to be in necessity and shall shut up his bowels How is the Charity of God in him John 3. I command thee to open thy hand to thy needy and poor Brother Deut. 15. Give and it shall be given to you Luk 11. Blessed is the man that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor in the evil day our Lord will deliver him Psal 40. Come ye blessed of my Father c. I was hungry and you gave me to eat c. Matth. 25. LXXV MED Of the Condusts of God THe ways of God are wonderful They are comly just upright assured They are conducts of grace unknown to nature Of Wisdom incomprehensible to reason Of Peace which calm mens minds Of Love which content hearts God labours for us When he seems to be against us He draws near to us When he seems to draw off from us He does our business When he seems to ruin it He enriches us when he seems to strip us He gives us life When he seems to take it away He leads us to Peace through War To perfection through imperfection To glory through Ignominy To a Throne through Prisons To the Land of Promise through Deserts To Heaven through a long Purgatory O my God! I know not what way to take to go to you That which seems good to me May possibly be naught Thinking to go up to Heaven I may possibly go down to Hell Is it through Prosperity or through Adversity Is it through Peace or through War Through Glory or through Confusion Through Abundance or through Poverty Through Health or through Sickness That I must seek you and that you will save me Only you alone know it I will therefore nothing but what you will I leave my self to your Providence I accept of all that you order concerning me I will go which way soever you lead me I will receive all whatever you send me I will always like to be where you put me I will never go out from thence Until you draw me thence I will henceforth be without choice And without will Since I know not what is good or bad for me I will no more ask any thing Nor will I refuse any thing Conduct me O my God I leave my self to you Take care of me for I rely upon you You are my Shepherd and I am your Sheep In following you I shall not be troubled Leaving my self to you I shall not be damned Our Lord led the just man through strait ways Wisd 20. Her ways are beautiful and all her paths peaceable Prov. 3. There is a way which seems just to a man but the last ends of it lead unto death Prov. 14. Our Lord mortifies and quickens leads down to Hell and brings back 1 Kings 2. He went forth not knowing whether he went Heb. 11. Make known unto me the way in which I may walk Ps 14. As the Heavens are exalted above the Earth so are my ways c. Isai 55. LXXVI MED Of the benefit there is in leaving our selves to the Conduct of God LIsten to God without reasoning Obey God without murmuring Follow God without going aside Let God act without resisting him Rest on God without troubling your self Leave your self to God Without desiring any thing If you listen to him he will speak to you If you obey him he will content you If you follow him he will conduct you If you let him act all will succeed well If you put your trust in him He will conserve you If you leave your self to him he will save you Truth my God! My Wisdom and my Blessing Give me not up to my own sence And to my own conduct If I quit you alas I am lost I am in security only with you If I walk do you conduct me If I go astray do you put me right again If I stop do you spur me on If I fall do you raise me up again If I am weary do you strengthen me If I am feeble do you carry me If I am assaulted defend me If I am lost seek after me I leave my self to be conducted by your wisdom I rely upon your goodness I rest upon your strength I trust to your mercy I fix my self to your pleasure I devote my self to your Service I leave my self to your Providence Both now and for Eternity Lead me O Lord in thy way Ps 85. Protect me under the shadow of thy Wings Ps 16. I have gon astray like a sheep that was lost Seek thy Servant Ps 118. He led them along in a wonderful way Wisd 10. LXXVII MED Of the hurt there comes by straying from the ways of God HE that goes out of the order of goodness Enters into the order of justice He that strays out of the ways of mildness Enters into the ways of rigour He that has not God for his Friend Has him for his Enemy He that flies from his beneficent will Falls under his punishing will If I am where God would have me to be I shall be in quiet and in security His Wisdom will conduct me His Power will protect me His Goodness will comfort me His Grace will sanctify me His Blessing will go along with me His Mercy will encompass me If I am not where God would have me to be All my Steps will be Wanderings All my Ways Precipices All my Projects Illusions All my Labours vain Occupations All my Pleasures Miseries All my Prosperities Punishments All my Adversities causes of Despair I shall have no quiet in my mind No peace in my heart No blessing in my labours No comfort in my pains I shall be given up to my passions I shall be beaten with temptations I shall be destitute of your protection I shall be struck with your curse I shall lead a wicked life I must expect a wicked death I shall live in disorder and dy in despair Am I in the place where God would have me Have I not failed in my Vocation Is it he that gave me this employ Have not I thrust my self into this office Will he have me be in this state Shall I perform it as he would have me O my God! How I dread to deviat from your ways What a pleasure I have In leaving my self to your Providence Is it not to be in Heaven to be with you To be in Hell to be remov'd from you Can one be ill being where you would have him to be Suffer me not O my God To stray away from your Conduct Bring me back if I be gon aside Make me re-enter into the order of your goodness By the severe orders of your justice Make me repair by patience The defect of my action Make me recover my innocence By the rigours of Pennance Was not this don to thee because thou didst forsake