keeping the spirit of sweetness charity with our neighbour but aboue all we ought to be carefull to joyn thereto an interiour retreat keeping our minds sequestred from all vain curious thoughts or all unprofitable reflections upon our selves or others imploying ones mind heart in frequent aspirations sighs addressed to God to demand his holy spirit which to obtain we must unite them with the interiour dispositions prayers of the holy Virgin the Apostles II. SAy every day the Veni creator at the end of the book make seven elevations of mind to demand the seven gifts of the holy Ghost the disengagement from creatures the victory over our humours which is the life of our own spirit opposed to that of the holy Ghost Make one elevation of mind to the eternall father another to the son a third to the holy Ghost a 4. th to the holy Virgin a 5. th to the Apostles a 6. th to your good Angell the last to S. Phillip Nery who reeived with such fullnessh the oly Ghost upon the day of Pentecost These elevations of mind ought to be made with ardent desires of obtaining this singular grace Aboue all beg a total change of your heart beseech the holy Ghost that he would cause you to live a life wholly supernaturall to die to all the longing hankering appetites of the human sensuall life VENI CREATOR OR The Hymne of the holy Ghost COme Creatour Sp'rit divine Visit now the souls of thine Fill with grace distill'd from heau'n Hearts to whom thou life hast giv'n Whom the comforter we call Gift of God transcending all Living spring fire fervent love Ghostly unction from aboue Sev'nfold grace thou dost impart And Gods right hand finger art Thou the fathers promise which Tongues with language doth enrich Kindle light in every sense Love into our hearts dispence Strengthen what in flesh is fraile With a vertue cannot faile Drive away our mortall foe Peace upon us soon bestow As a guide before us shine That all vice We may decline By thee may it so be done That we father know Son And in thee believe who dost Flow from both the holy Ghost Glorious may the father reign And the Son who rose again So the holy Paraclite During Ages infinite III. ADd a quarter of an hour to your ordinary time of prayer as much to your time of silence to think in the presence of God of the great affects which his spirit works in a well disposed heart in order to the making an absolute charge in it as he did in the hearts of his Apostles the better to entertain your self with a meditation upon some one of the gifts of the holy Ghost as you will find them explicated in some of your book on that subjet Make also a particular visit to the blessed Sacrament every day to demand of Jesus-Christ the fullness of his spirit IV. AVoid tepidity negligence or humour in your actions as faults particularly opposite to the fervour of that divine love which the holy Ghost in kindles in a soul watch over your self to be able to discerne the motions of his grace be faithfull in following them do to thing against the light which God gives you to avoid any thing because that would be to afflict the holy Ghost The practise of your aspirations during this holy time may be done after this or some such like manner Father of mercy send me your comforting spirit that may give peace to my soul my Jesus give me the spirit of understanding wisdome that may make me know you with a lively faith that I may feel your presence within my heart that I may relish nothing but you alone O holy Ghost heart of the blessed Trinity substantiall love of the Father the son come inlighten my mind with the truths of faith animate my heart with the flames of pure love come strengthen me in my weakness raise me up after my fallings purify me from all hankering after or fondness of creatures O love of my God be you the soul of my soul be you my life grant that I may die wholly to my self live wholly to you The seven gifts of the H. Ghost THe gift of Wisdome The gift of Understanding The gift of Knowledge The gift of Counsell The gift of Fortitude The gift of Piety or Godliness The gift of the Fear of God. FOR THE OCTAVE OF WHITSONTIDE Apply your self every day to know demand practise one of the seven gifts of the holy Ghost to the end that he may purifiy and Sanctify with these seven divine habits all the affections of your soul THE I. DAY The gift of Wisdome LEt the subject of your prayer be the qualities of this gift which are 1. to make us relish God all that unites us to him 2. to give us an extreme disgust of all pleasures of the senses all naturall satisfaction 3. to make us esteem love search with passion sufferings disgrace abjection of which we have such a horrour 4. to make an intire separation of a heart from all fondness of creatures as also from all that is sensuall in devotion from all that is not God. Come o holy Ghost come enlighten my mind with this gift of wisdome come destroy in me the love of the world grant that I may take no relish in any thing but in God that God may be all to me creatures may be nothing grant that I may love contempt which my Saviour so esteemed that the cross may be the onely oâ—ject of my love 2. Beg often during the first day that is the day of Pentecost the gift of wisdome which consists in loving spirituall things make an extraordinary visit to the blessed Sacrament to beg this day as well as throughout the whole Octave the Office of the holy Ghost in the morning after your prayers say veni Creator as in the end of this book give every day of the Octave some little almes to the poor to obtain the gifts of the holy Ghost whom the holy Chruch stiles the Father of the poor THE II. DAY The Gifts of Vnderstanding 1. COnsider in your prayer the effects of this gift which are 1. to make us love what we believe to render our faith so lively strong that it may make such an impression upon our minds as if we saw the objects of what we believe so that a soul inlightened with this gift is lost in the respect love it finds in gods presence in prayer before the blessed Sacrament as if it saw God with its eyes this gift works the same effect in the soul as the light of glory does in the souls of the Blessed It sees God in the bosome of it feels his presence after so intimate certain a manner that it is rather a possession then a knowledge of
thanks for me 2. I adore you my Jesus as my Creatour who gave me my life as my Saviour who has deliver'd me from death as a God of glory who has designed me for Paradise 3. Pause here in silence look upon â—esâ—s Christ as your Saviour with confidence as your Judge with fear as your most loving and lovely God with love 4. Beg of him to apply himself to your senses to your mind to your heart to cure your infirmities to purifie them fill them with his love A GENERAL PRACTICE FOR THE VERTUE OF THE MONTH Together with the manner whereby you ought to honour a Saint every month 1. One ought to form a high Idea of this vertue conceive a fervent desire to practise it for this reason it were good to make a meditation of it in the beginning in the middle in the end of the month 2. One ought to receive it from ones Directour as from God himself who inspires him therewith who will exact an account of it ar the day of Judgment it is good to beg it often of God by the intercession of the holy Patron recommended to your choice particularly in the morning at noon at night saying for this end a Pater Ave. 3. The practice of the vertue of the month ought to be in this manner 1. you must offer the first communion of the month to obtain it 2 in the morning when you rise make a firm resolution to practise it that day forecasting to your self the occasions you may have to exercise it 4. Before dinner recollect your self the space of a Pater Ave to consider how you have practised it to see whether that morning you have exercised any acts of it or fallen into the contrary vice if you find you have ask pardon of God purpose to be more faithfull the following part of the day 5. In your examen at night make the same review compare with diligence the faults you have committed after dinner with those committed in the morning noting the number upon a paper or with knots upon a piece of thred to see if your fidelity was greater after dinner then in the morning 6. Take care every dal especially in the morning to make there acts of the month the same after dinner for exteriour acts take care to keep a watch over your self that you fall not upon occasion into the vice contrary to it 7. If you happen to fail impose upon your self immediately some mortification if occasion permits that may be contrary to the fault you committed for example if you have for your vertue to say nothing out of humour or inclination or the mortification of your tongue after you have failed hinder your self from speaking when you have never so much mind to it if it be nothing but unprofitable discourse or keep a greater silence then ordinary by retiring your self the like you may do in respect of other vertues 8. Give an exact account to your Directour of your care or negligence in the practice of the vertue of the month be afraid that God should withdraw his particular grace of which you have great need if you neglect this particular care because God will treat you as you do him 9. Perswade your self that all your spirituall advancement depends upon your practice of this vertue which if you neglect you will never profit in it Remember also to offer some of your alms mortifications to our Lord to obtain this vertue present them to him by the hands of your Directour 10. Honour your monthly Patron invoking him three times a day saying for this end a Pater Ave 2. Have recourse to him in your occurring difficulties 3. Give thanks to our Lord for the graces bestowed upon him 4. Communicate upon his feast 5. Make a Letanie of all the Saints you have every month say them every day AN EXERCISE VERY PROFITABLE TO prepare ones self to die well A prayer to Iesus Christ SAviour of the world word incarnate life of the dying death of the living life of the dying by the glory you bestow upon them purchased by your precious blood death of the living by the grace which you give them to dye to the flesh to live to the spirit animate this exercise with your holy dove to the end that by the â—ractice of it we may find our selves so prepared for death that after this life we maâ— live with you eternally in heaven there to bless praise love you with the Father holy Ghost Amen Ever praised be the most holy Sacrament of the Altar ADVICE FOR THE PRACTICE of this Exercise SInce t is a truth of which we have daily but too great an experience which yet for all that we too easily forget that we must dye that a suddain death may perhaps surprise us unawares as we see happens often to those that think least of it or that the extreme pains of our sickness may deprive us of the liberty to make those acts that are necessary for this last hour the hour of all hours most important the hour after which there remains no more hours the hour that decides our Eternall happiness or misery 't is necessary every month to prepare our selves by the exercises of a death in imagination to those which we must really practise when we come actually to dye Watch prepare your selves because the son of man will come at the hour you think least of Says our Saviour in the 13. of S. Mark 's Gospell in the 12. of Ecclesiastes we are warned that where the tree falls there it lyes As near as you can either the day before or upon the day you exercise this devotion make your Sacramentall confession which will not hinder you from making your spirituall confession to Jesus Christ either before or after the sacramentall one according to each ones devotion After confession make a sacramental communion by way of Viaticum as if it were your last in case you actually communicate endeavour to have by you some meddal to which the Pope has applyed a plenary Indulgence to gain one Upon the day of your devotion if possible hear mass to unite your self more particularly in this holy sacrifice which is a reall representation of that upon the cross to Jesus Christ dying offering him to the eternall father together with all the sacrifices which shall be offer'd to the end of the world to obtain the grace of a happy death It will be very profitable to make choice of the last day of every month for this exercise if one be not minded to make it altogether one may begin the first point in the morning the second at some other hour that day or otherwise perform it in two days then one should repeat over again the acts of contrition of faith of hope of charity conteined in the first point observing
dispositâ—ons which your holy soul had at the last moment of your life to which I unite my self with all my heart to supply those which I want I abandon my self entirely to you to suffer for your love the pains of death as long many as you please I renounce disavow all the impatience evill thar their force may cause me unwillingly to committ Have recourse to the blessed Virgin the Saints O holy Virgin mother of my God refuge of Sinners be now my Advocate grant I may feel the effects of your power with the blessed Trinity O Mary mother of grace mother of mercy receive me at the houâ— of my death defend me from my Enemies Shew that you are my mother obtain that he who for our salvation was willing to become your son be born of you may receive me by your intercession O all yee Saints blessed spirits interceed now for my soul in this extremity that I may obtain the victory over my enemies Great S. Joseph you all my holy patrons Protectours assist me Great S. Michael fight for me Charitable Angell my dear Guardian defend me from the ambushes of my Enemies and forsake me not in this last passage Eternal father look upon me in your dear son Jesus Christ who has shed his blood for my salvation Have pitty upon me according to the greatness of your mercies pardon my sins for the glory of your holy name Enter not into judgement with me o my God for in thy sight no one living can justify himself My divine Jesus put your cross your passion between your judgement and my soul My God my destiny is in your hands save me I beseech you O Lord in you have I trusted therefore I shall not be eternally confounded An act of adoration to the most holy Trinity O most holy most adorable Trinity I adore you with my whole heart I unite my self both for the present for eternity to all the adorations praises which the most holie humanity of my Saviour Jesus Christ his most holy mother together with all the Saints and Angels do or have renderd you or shall eternally render you in heaven I offer you all the sacrifices of this most holy humanity which are now offerd or shall be daily offerd to the day of judgement all the world over in satisfaction of all my sins in thanksgiving for all your divine benefits bestowed upon me If the Recommendation of the soul be said observe to say at the end this conclusion afterwards say the Responsory Subvenite Sancti c. Conclusion of this Exercise Act of abandonment resignation O my God I abandon my self without reserve to that divine judgement you shall pronounce upon my soul I submit my self to it with all my heart I adore reverence it as most just equitable now for Eternity A Spirituall Expiring Holding your cross in your hand Say these words Behold o my God my Creatour my Redeemer that I come unto you because you call me receive me in the bosome of your mercy And amorously kissing the wounds of your Crucifix pronounce the holy namas of Jesus Mary at each wound then repeating the last words of our Saviour My God into your hands I yeeld up my Spirit expire in the sacred wound of the side of Jesus chose it for your grave hide your self in his sacred heart After this Exercise we must look upon our selves as dead to the world to our selves accordingly we should often repeat those words of S. Paul I live yet not I but Iesus Christ that lives in me my life is hid with Iesus Christ in God. THE RECOMMENDATION of the soul which ought to begin with these little Letanies the following prayers are to be said in time of agony these may serve for those that are about the dying person LOrd have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Holy Mary prayer for him Holy Angells pray for him Holy Abel pray for him Quire of all the just pray for him S. Abraham pray for him S John Baptist pray for him Holy Patriarchs Prophets pray for him S. Peter pray for him S. Paul pray for him S. Andrew pray for him S. Johne pray for him Holy Apostles Evangelists pray for him Holy Disciples of our Lord pray for him Holy Innocents pray for him S. Stephen pray for him S. Laurence pray for him Holy Martyrs pray for him S. Silvester pray for him S. Gregory pray for him S. Austin pray for him Holy Bishops Confessors pray for him S. Bennet pray for him S. Francis pray for him Holy Monks Hermits pray for him S. Mary Magdalen pray for him S. Lucy pray for him Holy Virgins Widdows pray for him Saints of God of both sexes interceed for him Lord be mercifull unto him pardon all his sins Lord be mercifull to him deliver him O Lord deliver him from your wrath Deliver him from the danger of death Deliver him from an evill death Deliver him from the pains of hell Deliver him from all evill Deliver him from the power of the devil Deliver him by your holy Nativity Deliver him by your holy cross passion Deliver him by your holy death burial Deliver him by your glorious resurrection Deliver him by your admirable ascension Deliver him by the grace of the holy Ghost the Comforter Deliver him in the day of judgement Lord we beseech thee to hear us poor Sinners We beseech thee to hear us soe as to pardon him Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us THE PRAYER Proficiscere anima christiana CHristian soul leave this world in the name of the omnipotent Father who created thee in the name of his son Jesus Christ who redeemed thee in the name of the holy Ghost who diffused himself in thee in the name of the holy Angells Archangells Thrones Dominations Cherubins Seraphins in the name of the Patriarchs Prophets in the name of the Apostles evangelists of the holy Martyrs Confessors in the name of the holy Religious Anchorites of the holy Virgins of all the Saints of God that this day your habitation may be in peace your abode in the holy Sion by the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen THE PRAYER Deus clemens O God of goodness clemency who according to the infinite-greatness of your mercies blot out the sins of the penitent pardon their crimes sins past cast a propitious look upon your servant N hear his prayers for the remission of all his sins which he confesses with all his heart as much as he is able Renew in him o best of Fathers whatever may in time be either corrupted by the frailty of nature or depraved by the malice of the Devil unite to the body of your triumphant Church
the least satisfaction or effusion of hart towards creatures will make you continually to go out of your self to loose your self in God and to remain in him and this is the true effect of the state of faith to which you are called for the life of faith is to live not in ones self nor for ones self but in God and for God. 4. In occasions where you shall find your hart or sences ready to satisfy themselves in any curious booke humersome word or promptitude laet this word alone put a stop to them My God my all you alone suffice me I desire nothing but you Or else can I content my self ô my God in discontenting you ô love of my God reign only in me no more of creature nor of human satisfaction to a hart of which God is the master 5. At any time when you have any thing to suffer either by sicknesse or trouble of mind or by the disquiets or contradictions of men let this thought presently calme your mind You will have it so my God be it so content your self I am yours being a thousand times happy in suffering to please you and in dying for you Or else cast a simple reguard of confidence and resignation upon a crucifix or any Image of our Blessed Lady or towards the blessed Sacrement according to the place you shall be in with this word IESVS dyes in paynes for me and would I suffer nothing for him There can be no love without sufferance or no sufferance without love 6. Leave your self thus in the hands of God to be crucifyd by a continuall and intire abandoning your self amidst all the contradictions and aridities from within this is the way devine truth takes to make a victime of you he will annihilat by litle and litle in you all that is of you 7. Follow your affaires with a great liberty of mind with a calme and continual equallity of hart Employ not your self in them for any other reason but because God would have you do so and when he would have you do so God is content and this is the word with which you are to support your self in them Simple reflections of faith upon a Crucifix 1. WHat do you suffer my IESVS and how litle am I moved with your sufferings What paines What injuries and what blood do you shed for an ungratfull creature 2. You dye my IESVS you dye of griefe for me and can I live to my self or live without suffering for you Can I live without a Cross ô what lost moments are these in which I suffer not for you ô let me suffer or dye 3. O wounds ô nailes ô thornes ô torments ô Cross what pain do you give to my IESVS ô my Saviour what confusion ought I to have seeing you suffer thus much Yet what griefe ought I not to have that I am the cause of your sufferings 4. Behold my soul the worke of thy infidelityes and the love of a God cease then to satisfye thy self to content thy dying JESVS Advices 1. EVERY night cast some one of these simple reguards upon your crucifix after your examen for a short space one alone suffices each time and even one word of each 2. Make vse of these aspirations in prayer and when you are at Masse being troubled or opprest to support your self 3. Read them often in the day time especially the last and the other before Masse and prayer Aspirations to be made at all times to recollect ones self in God. FOR RISING 1. MY God and my all 2. All to you my God all in you all by you FOR PRAYER 1. Content your self my God. 2. My God my all 3. You my God are all and I am nothing 4. You my God behold me and will have me be as I am therfore I desire to be so 5. I come not hither to content my self but to content God. 6. O the good will and pleasure of my God I Sacrifice my self intirely to you For the employments and exteriour occupations of the day 1. GOd is content this is my joy and my sole happinesse 2. O my God would I content my self and displease you 3. All to you my God all for you all in you 4. God alone suffices me all else is nothing to me 5. The more we dye to our selves the more me shall live in God. 6. Let us go my soule let us go and loose our selves in God let us cease to be to the end that God may be all in us 7. What do I desire in heaven or on earth but you ô the God of my hart my Portion for Eternity An Elevation to the Sacred harts of JESVS and MARY to obtaine the love of God. O Inflamed harts living with love ô Sanctuaries of the divinity temples of the Sovereign Majesty Altars of Divine Charity harts that burn with love for God and me I honour you I love you and I melt with love and respect in your presence I unite my self to your holy dispositions I will yes I will burn with your fire and live with your life what joy have I to se you happy and content what part do I take in your graces in your sorrowes and in your glory with how good a hart would I dye and suffer all things rather then displease you O my hart we must act no longer but according to the inclinations of these sacred harts you ought to expire in silence in their presence to all that is human of naturall in you 2. O that I were able to engage all the harts of mankind to render homage to the hart of JESVS and MARY and to forme themselves according to their divine modelle ô harts full of grace purity fervour and humility inspire my hart with these sentiments I unite my self to you I loose my self in you I will live no more but by you and for you 3. Thus all the employment of my hart shall be from hence forward to remain in silence and respect annihilated in the presence of JESVS and MARY and there as a burning lampe that consumes it self before the Blessed Sacrament to burn to suffer and to dye Be it so The holy Mother of God hath lately promised to one of her Children that whoever shall say the following Prayer with devotion if they be in the grace of God she shall augment the divine love in their harts at each of these twelve salutations and benedictions which it containes and if they are in mortall sinn with her sweet and Virginall hand she will knock at the dore of their harts at each salutation to excite them to open unto grace and she added that when one should find any persons in great sinnes and hard to be converted that it would be good to excite them to say this prayer with a good will or at least to consent to have it sayd for them mervelous effects of it have lately been seen in severall persons 1. Haile MARY Daughter of God the Father 2. Haile MARY Mother of God the Sonn 3. Haile MARY Spouse of God the Holy Ghost 4. Haile MARY Temple of the Divinity 5. Haile MARY Beautifull Lilly of the most resplendent Trinity 6. Haile MARY sweet Rose to all the Celestiall Court. 7. Haile MARY Virgin of Virgins powerfull Virgin full of sweetness and humility of whom the King of heaven would be born and of whose milk he would be nourished 8. Haile MARY Queene of Martyrs whose soul was pearced with the sword of sorrow 9. Haile MARY Lady and Mistress of the world to whom all power has been given both in heaven and earth 10. Haile MARY Queene of my hart my Mother my life my sweetness and my love 11. Haile MARY most amiable Mother 12. Haile MARY most admirable Mother MARY full of Grace our Lord be with thee 1. Blessed art thou amongst woemen 2. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb IESVS CHRIST 3. Blessed be thy Spouse Saint Ioseph 4. Blessed be thy Father Saint Ioachim 5. Blessed be thy Mother Saint Anne 6. Blessed be thy Sonn Saint Iohn 7. Blessed be thy Angell Saint Gabriël 8. Blessed be the Eternall Father who has chosen the. 9. Blessed be thy Sonn who has loved the. 10. Blessed be the Holy Ghost who has espoused the. 11. O most happy Virgin let all that love you blesse you 12. Blesse us ô Holy Virgin togeather with your Sonn so be it FINIS
this living member of Jesus Christ Have pitty o Lord of his tears receive him to the grace of your reconciliation who has no confidence but in your sole mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord. Commendo te MY dearest Brother I recommend thee to the omnipotency of God I remitt you into the arms of him who is your Creatour that after you have paid the debt due to humane nature by death are separated from your body you may return to your Authour which formed you out of the slime of the earth Let the resplendant Quire of Angells come to receive your soul at its going out of your body Let the august company of the Apostles be therewith present Let the most goodly triumphant army of Martyrs be at the same rendevous Let the holy troop of Confessors encompas it the chast assembly of Virgins receive it the holy Patriarchs closely embrace it to make it enjoy in their bosomes the repose of the blessed Let the most sweet Jesus shew himself unto you place you amongst those that continually praise him That you may never know any of all those horrible things that are in the darkness of hell the gnashing of teeth heard in its flames the aking twinging of its torments Let Satan with all his dismall guards fret at your arrivall seeing you under the protection of the Angells fly and cast themselves head long into the horrours of eternall darkness Let God arise let his enemies be scatered let those that hate him fly before his face Let sinners disapear as the smoak that vanisheth perish before God as wax dissolves before the fire Let the just rejoice eternally in the presence of God let the Infernall Legions ministers of Satan be ashamed confounded never be so bold as to venture to set upon you in your passage to Eternity Let Jesus who was crucified for you deliver you from the pains of hell let Jesus who was willing to dye for you deliver you from Eternall death Let Jesus Christ son of the living God place you in his paradise there to enjoy everlasting pleasures let that good shepard own you for one of his flock when he has pardoned you all your sins place you at his right hand amongst his Elect may you see your Redeemer face to face assisting continually in his presence your eyes be so happy as to behold clearly the Eternall veritie being admitted amongst the blessed may you enjoy the sweet vision of God for everlasting ages Amen THE PRAYER Suscipe Domine REceive o Lord your servant to the place where he hopes for his salvation thtough your mercy Amen Deliver o Lord the soul of your servant from all the dangers of hell from all its pains torments Amen Deliver the soul of your Servant as you delivered Enoch Elias from the common death of mankind Amen Deliver the soul of your Servant as you delivered Noah from the flood Amen Deliver the soul of your servant as you delivered Abraham from the burning of the Caldeans Amen Deliver the soul of your servant as you delivered Job from his evils Amen Deliver the soul of your servant as you delivered Jsaac from the hand of his father that would have sacrificed him Amen Deliver the soul of your servant as you delivered Lot out of Sodom its burning Amen Deliver the soul of your servant as you delivered Moses from the persecution of Pharaoh King of Egypt Amen Deliver the soul of your servant as you delivered Daniel from the Den the mouths of the Lyons Amen Deliver the Soul of your servant as you delivered the three Children from the fiery furnace and from the wrath of a wicked King. Amen Deliver the soul of your servant as you deliuered Susanna from the crime she was falsly accused of Amen Deliver the soul of your servant as you delivered David from the hands of Saul Goliah Amen Deliver the soul of your servant as you delivered S. Peter S. Paul from their chains prisons Amen Infine as you deliver'd the blessed Virgin Martyr S. Tecla from three cruel torments so vouchsafe to deliver the soul of your servant grant it may rejoyce with you in the possession of heavenly felicity Amen THE PRAYER Commendamus tibi O God we recommend to thee the soul of thy Servant N we beseech you O Lord Jesus Christ Saviour of the world that as out of your mercy you were pleased to descend from heaven for it you would not refuse to receive it into the bosome of the Patriarchs Take notice o Lord of your creature which was not created by strange Gods but by you of alone the onnely living God for there is no other God but you no works like unto yours Lord recreate this soul with the joy of your presence remember not its past iniquity nor the excesses which its fury or the too hot pursuit of its ill desires has caused it to commit There is no doubt but it has sinned yet it has neuer denied the father Son holy Ghost but has believed in you had the zeal of the glory of your name has ever adored him who made all things Amen THE PRAYER Delicta Iuventutis O Lord we beseech you not to remenber any more the sins of his youth nor his ignorances but according to the greatness of your mercy remember him in the splendour of your glory Open the heavens o Lord receive your servant into your Kingdom Let S Michael the Archangel of God who has merited the chief command in the Celestiall hosts receive him Let all the Angells of God come forth to meet him conduct him into the holy City of Jerusalem Let S. Peter to whom were given the keys of the Kingdom of heaven receive him Let S. Paul the Apostle who was a worthy vessell of Election assist him Let S. John the beloved of God to whom were revealed the secrets of heaven interceed for him Let all the Apostles to whom was given the power of binding losing of souls pray for him Let all the Saints and Elect of God who for the name of Jesus Ghrist have suffer'd torments in this world interceed for him that being separated from stript of his earthly body he may merit to arrive to the glory of your heavenly Kindom by the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ who with the Father the holy Ghost lives reigns world without end Amen After the soul has quitted the body recite the following Responsory Come speedily o yee Saints of God you Angels of our Lord hast yee receive this soul offer it in the presence of the most high â„£ Let Jesus Christ who has called you receive you let his Angels carry you into Abrahams bosome Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us â„£ Give him Eternall rest o Lord let
✚ E-Libris-F F-Proed-de-Woodchester IHS Ant. Wierx fecit et exend Angele qui meus es custos pietate superiu◠Me tibi commissum serua defende aūberna Vt valeam tecum caelestia scandere regna Angele sancte Dei sit tibi cura mei THE Daily exercises of a Christian life OR The interiour spirit with which we ought to animate our actions throughout the whole day WITH An easy instruction for mentall prayer Translated out of French by I. W. of the Soc. of JESUS The 2. Edition with severall additions by the Author Printed at S. OMERS by LUDOVICUS CARLIER in the year 1689. By Permission of Superiours TO THE QUEEN MADAM I First publish'd this treatise for the comfort of English Catholicks then groaning vnder a severe persecution for their Religion whilst their false accusers pretended they suffered for designing the destruction of the late King but now manifest the severity shewed against them was not out of a motive of Loyalty or affection to his Majesty but out of hatred to the Catholick Religion since at present they commit greater treasons against our soveraigne than they accuse the Catholicks to have designed against his Brother and this for no other reason but because he professes and consequently favours that Religion they aime to destroy and now endeavour to depose him because he will not permit them to ruin the same I now publish this second Edition with severall additions made by the same Author whom since your Maiesty's arrival in France you have both heard and approved presume to dedicate it to your Majesty whose sufferings in this second persecution as much exceed what Catholicks vnderwent in the former as your condition does exceed theirs hoping you may finde such a proportionable comfort by the perusall of it as several have own'd they experienc'd and since your Majesty's constant piety prompts you to a daily Exercise of solid vertue these daily Exercises will assist you to an easy performance of your Majestys design and thô your couragious suffering such a change of fortune shewes to how high a pitch of solid vertue you are already arrived yet you will here finde how large pleasant a field vertue is that leads to that Kingdom prepared as a reward for your sufferings not subject to such vicissitudes as you have experienc'd these earthly Kingdoms are and that your Majesty after a long and happy Reign with our King here may arrive to the enjoyment of this everlasting Kingdom hereafter are the hearty wishes and constant prayers of MADAM Your Majesties Most humble and most obedient Subject and Servant J. W. A PREFACE To English Catholicks LIGHTING accidentally upon the ensuing Treatise I was so pleased with its solidity facility and brevity that I was moved to translate it for your use and profit especially for such as understand not french whose present sufferings must needs give you a sight of the vanity and inconstancy of this world and move you to seek a more secure solid and lasting happiness in the next wherunto the instructions you will here meet with will easily and securely lead you For such well disposed persons as you are this Treatise was writ and for such also I translated it who having undergon the sharp tryals of long and severe persecutions are trained up and fitted for a greater combat where you are to become your own adversaries and are to engage with no other enemies then your selves which I call a greater combat because a greater courage and constancy is required thereunto for one blow is sufficient to crown a martyr whereas a war with yourselves is to endure as many years as you live perhaps not so bloody and cruel as the other but yet more irksom and vexatious where you may over-come but can never have truce or peace so much harder is it to live a martyr then to die one and more crowns are due when you die oftner and onely live to add new crowns by dying daily This is a combat common to all Christians to all states and conditions whilst the other has been the happy lot only of a few this reaps a harvest of merits in the toilsome and laborious field of vertue whilst the other is a free gift and favour bestowed somtimes on the greatest sinners Happy therfore and thrice happy are you who are both chosen out for followers of the cross and also continue to follow it by your own free will and election not like those faint hearts who understand not this happiness but turning their backs to glory do comply so much with ease and terrene inclinations as to shrink out of the lists and decline this hard and toilsome enterprise but eouragiously treading that rough yet only secure path to happynesse by which the Eternall Father led his beloved sonne Oportebat Christum pati sic intrare in gloriam are by soe happy a necessity of suffering disposed to such admirable sentiments as this treatis will help you to practis which therfore I hope will be the more acceptable to you who I am sure are so far from shunning the difficulties you will meet with in the exercises here prescribed that you will rather take them for the first copies set to beginners and for easy draughts delineating only the first grounds and out lines of perfection whereby you being daily improved allured to so happy and profitable an enterprise will generously offer at more and greater for the present make it your delight to read a spirituall book to be somtimes retired and to absent and often withdraw your selves from worldly conversation to converse with God become more present to him and your selves to resist corrupted nature and follow Christ in the way of the cross and mortification and hereby become and continue such true pretenders to heaven as I either take you or heartily wish you to be and that I may be one of that happy number and become joynt parraker of what we all pretend to everlasting happiness I humbly beg the assistance of your good prayers THE PREFACE Of the necessity of performing our actions well in order to perfection YOu will not find here either studied discourses or elevated conceits touching the interiour and hidden life and the vertues which it forms in us there are spirituall books enough which give it's maximes teach it's secrets discover it's illusions here are only plaine reflections upon our ordinary actions teaching with what spirit they ought to be animated however I dare affirme that these practices are no less profitable to good souls than all those high and sublime rules which are given them of the severall degrees of prayer interiour abnegation for we want not so much knowledge instruction as the execution and practice thereof we are sufficiently instructed in this age in all spirituall matters but our misery consists in this that we content our selves with the bare knowledge out of books that treat of them it may be with speaKing thereof
time of your prayer unless you are hindred by indisposition detaining your self in a posture full of respect and as a victime sacrificed as well to the power of a God whom you honour by executing his will in spite of the difficulty you find in it as to his justice which you glorifie by suffering either the proof he makes of your fidelity or the pain wherewith he punisheth your past unfaithfulness The third thing to be observed in prayer is to make particular purposes resolutions as for example to overcome your inclinations humours to renounce your own will to mortifie your senses to humble moderate recollect your 〈◊〉 such such occasions In conâ—usion you ought to offer your good purposes resolutions to Jesus-Christ by the hands of his blessed mother The last thing to be performed is that when you know that God acts in you by certain lights or good motions which he bestows upon you you must receive these graces with a spirit altogether annihilated with an humble heart full of silence without abandoning your self intirely to sensibility without endeavouring by sighs or other tendernesses to conserve or augment the favours which you feel above all keep your self barely attentive during the whole time to God who acts in you rather then to what he does You must take care not to rest in a speculative languishing faith of his verities accompanied with a barren emptie satisfaction but ought to animate both with a lively practicall faith efficacious resolution to act accordingly IV. MASSE AT eight of the clock hear masse according to the practice which has been taught you or according to the spiritual exercise which you have for this purpose in some of your manuals or else you may satisfie your self with observing the following directions First go quietly to the Church begging of the blessed Virgin to obtain for you such sentiments feelings of compassion loue as she had for her son when she accompanied him to Mount Calvary say to your self come let us go my Soul let us go to see thy Saviour crucified Secondly entring into the Church take holy water conceiving an hearty sorrow for your sins keeping your eyes in an humble submissive posture before your God your Judge adore him with a lively faith give him your heart So long as you shall be in the Church chiefly all the time of holy masse continue in a respectfull posture without looking about and do not sit down unless by reason of some indisposition or weakness or that you should stay there very long Thirdly offer the mass you go to hear unto Almighty God in union with the intentions which Iesus Christ himself had when he offered the same sacrifice for us upon Mount Calvary which he now will have when he offers it againe to his eternall father upon the Altar Protest that you desire to joyn with him in his designs and to have the same interiour dispositions as also to make your whole self a victime together with him to be sacrificed to the glory of God alone But in particular offer the mass for these four ends first to honour the greatness of God secondly to thank him for all the graces and favours that he hath ever bestowed upon you thirdly to help and comfort the poor souls in purgatory more especially those who are forgotten abandoned by others or are detained there through your fault fourthly to beg of God for the sake of Iesus Christ some particular grace and favour as the victory over your own humour the love of your enemies a greater recollection such other vertues as you find your self to stand most in need of you may offer the same in the fifth place for that sinner who shall be in danger that day of dying in mortall sin without confession Fourthly after these intentions which you ought if you have opportunity to make before mass if you have not time to say your vocall prayers after mass you may recite them from the beginning of mass till Sanctus but if you have other time for them attend during the whole mass with all interiour application imaginable to this great sacrifice either as your spirituall directour has advised or according to the rules of your manuall or else after this manner first in the beginning ask together with the priest the pardon of your sins saying the Confiteor then till the Gospel exercise your soul in the consideration of the goodness of God who seeing in what an impossibility we were of saving our selves descended from heaven made himself man was born in a stable abasing annihilating himself before his father to appease his wrath which wee had justly provoked then give thanks to our Saviour for this excess of bounty goodness towards you protest that this day you will endeauour to humble your self in gratitude for in honour of the humiliations annihilations of his incarnation Secondly at the Gospel make an act of faith belief of all the verities which the priest there reads protesting that you are ready to die for the faith Beg of our Saviour to augment increase it in you to render it lively active desire him to enlighten convert all Infidels Hereticks offer your self to his justice to suffer that day something for their conversion Thirdly at the offertory offer up to God as a sacrifice by the hands of Iesus Christ your body soul life reputation kinred family estate all that you have and protest that you will make no other use of them then for the service glory of God and salvation of your own soul that you will retrench whatsoever s'hall be ill in them and even deprive your self often of what is not absolutely usefull sanctifying your whole exteriour by the spirit and conduct of his grace Fourthly from Sanctus to the Elevation think upon the death of our Saviour going over the chief mysteries of his passion from the garden of Olives to his crucifixion but make this reflection without staying long upon each particular satisfying your self with beholding Iesus suffering in these mysteries with a tender compassion an acknowledgement for a love of his goodness together with sorrow for your sins wickedness Fifthly at the Elevation offer unto the eternall father Iesus Christ his onely son adore him as lifted up on the cross for your sins beg of him to obtain mercy for you for all sinners present to his father all the drops of blood he shed all the moments of sadness his heart suffered the wounds wherewith his whole body was covered the injuries he endured for you beg of him for the sake hereof that he would have mercy on you Sixthly till Domine non sum dignus imploy your thoughts upon Christ sacrificed for your sake upon the Altar consider that he is come thither for your sake that he thinks of you that he prays for
persons of devotion like your self Ninâ—ly banish from your conversation all unprofitable curiosity conâ—ning the life conduct of others vanity sowrness and immoderate afection carry your self cheerfullyâ—… ciuilly but so as to avoid distractioâ— or dissipation of mind VIII READING AFter dinner the recreation following it you must read in somâ— spirituall booK for half or a quarter of an hour as shall be appointed you and that you may do this with fruit first in the beginning humbly crave grace of our Saviour to profit by it saying either veni sancte Spiritus or a Pater Ave. Secondly read not out of curiosity in haste but leisurely and with attention when you meet with any thing either moving or instructiue rest there a little while endeavouring as it were to relish it consider how you may be able that day to practice it beg of the holy ghost to imprint it in your heart Thirdly be not in pain to read â—any pages in your book read a â—â—ttle but with great recollection â—ttention always apply what yâ—u â—ead in order to practice consider â—ow then that those very truths which you read will condemn you one day before gods tribunal if you do not follow them Fourthly let not this spirituall reading be ordinarily but in solid and moving books such as your directour shall approve Fifthly be not troubled if you remember nothing of what you have read but commit all that you have read to him who is able to touch move your heart independently of those truths which you read Sixthly after your reading thanK God for having thereby instructed you make a firm resolution by the assistance of his grace to practice the Instructions he has given you IX SILENCE AFter your reading you must râ—turn to your work if you havâ— not some business which obliges yoâ— to go abroad take care at two â—… the clock to keep an half or a quarter of an hour of silence according aâ— your directour shall thinK fit Durinâ— the time of your silence first ofteâ— call to mind the silence which Jesus Mary Joseph often observed durinâ— their work uniting your silence witâ— theirs sometimes think of the sacred silence observed in heaven by the Saints who are wholly absorp't iâ— God do you sigh and long after that happy repose sometimes also entertain your self in your heart with your good Angell thanKing him for the care he taKes of your salvation promising him due respect fidelity in performing whatsoever he shall inspire you to do begging of him to present your prayers the desires of your heart to our Saviour you may at another time imploy your thoughts on the necessity of spending our time well on the account which we must render to God for every moment of our life or if you please in case you be alone recite some vocall prayers which you can say by heart but taKe care that no one perceives this Keeping of silence in you unless it be such as observe the like therefore make no difficulty in answering any question which is made you satisfying your self that you do not speak of your own accord Thirdly offer this silence to God in satisfaction for the faults you have that day committed in speaking Fourthly I would counsell you to impose on your self from time to time some little space of silence for example during a Misere when you have spoken any words of humour or sensuall inclination or against charity imposing it on your self when you have most desire to speak X. The visit of the blessed Sacrament of the prayer in the evening called the Salve TOwards four or five of the clock in the evening go to the Church either to make a second half hour of prayer if your directour judges it convenient or to be present at the Benediction or Salve Take care to perform this visit of the blessed Sacrament with spirit and fervour not meerly out of custome without fruit First on sundays present your self to our blessed Saviour to honour the glorious state of his body risen from the dead which is upon the Altar testifying the joy you have of its glory rendring thanks to the blessed Trinity for this marvellous beauty which it has communicated to the sacred body of our blessed Saviour begging of him with confidence to bestow on your body a participation of these glorious qualities at the resurrection making a strong resolution to receive with love all corporall pains which will purchase such a resplendent glory to our bodys as the pains torments which our saviour suffered brought to his doing in fine the same by an act of faith towards Jesus Christ which the Saints perform towards him in the clear sight of his glory Secondly on Mondays honour in this visit the state of a victim or sacrifice which our saviour has in the blessed Sacrament offering up your whole self to his love sacrificing to him the curiosity of your eyes the bitterness and impatience of your speech the eagerness of your desires the distractions of your mind the evill affections inclinations of your heart since Jesus Christ always bears about him this state of death and quality of a victim or sacrifice on our Altars offering himself continually on them to his eternall father for us so to honour him in this state you must all the day long carry the spirit of a sacrifice about you which will cause you in all occasions to die to your own humours inclinations to sacrifice to God your naturall repugnances And t is on this day you must possess your self of such sentiments as these that all the week following you may practice the same considering Jesus Christ in this visit as a victime both of justice loue begging of him to render you conformable to himself herein Thirdly on Tuesdays honour the exact constant obedience which Iesus practises in the blessed Sacrament submitting himself to the voice or call of a man abandoning himself to his disposall how bad soever he be and make a firm resolution of doing all things with the spirit of obedience submitting your self to all obeying those in particular who are in the place of Superiours Fourthly on wednesdays imploy your self in the consideration of the wonderful patience of Iesus in the blessed Sacrament which causeth him to suffer all the outrages of hereticks and ill christians with perfect constancy not being weary of staying lay and night upon our Altars that he may gain the hearts even of his enemies Endeavour to honour this patience by a compassion of his sufferings by asking pardon for such as are wanting in their respect unto him and by devoting your self to his justice with a resolution to suffer all things without murmuring for the satisfaction thereof even to oblige those who offend you Fifthly on Thursdays honour the humility of Iesus in the blessed Sacrament which makes
undertaken by overcoming all your naturall repugnances this is the exercise wherein properly speaking true devotion solid vertue consist CHRISTIAN TRUTHS which may serve for subject or matter of aspirations prayer for ore very day when one has not taken any determinate subject or when what we have taKen does not move us I. THere is nothing great but God nothing to be esteemed but what conduceth to his service all the rest ought to be despised II. GOd knows all the misery that happens to me can deliver me from it if he pleases and having done suffered so much as he hath for my sake I cannot doubt but that he loues me wherefore certainly it is more advantagious for me to suffer this misery wherein I am at present then to be delivered from it since God does not think fit to take it away III. IT is now a long time that the goodness of God has urged me to overcome this ill habit this domineering passion that his patience has expected my amendment that his mercy has received me into favour as often as I have confessed these failings yet I use no endeavour to correct overcome them ought I not to grow weary of offending a God who is not weary of pardoning me IV. TO act in gods presence with sloath or passion to act with God by a motive of self-loue is to dishonour his presence to abuse his power to injure his loue V. IF a soul in purgatory had but one hour of that time which we loose what would it not do to merit heaven and if we had been but one moment in those flames what would we not to do avoid the least veniall sin VI. THe abuse of gods graces favours is so much the more to be feared by how much the less it is apprehended there is no inspiration which cost not our Saviour Jesus Christ much blood pain and yet every moment we neglect contemn them ô how terrible will be the account which one day will be demanded of them VII THat we may be able to suffer with courage we must consider that we suffer in the presence of God for God with God That the happiness of a Christian upon earth consists in suffering that pains are the heart's delight of Jesus that pure loue is onely found upon the cross wherefore we ought to suffer purely without consolation faithfully without sloath peaceably without impatience VIII JEsus laid in the manger Jesus dying on the cross Jesus sacrificed for us on the Altar ought to be the center of our hearts of our devotion to the end that these three states of Jesus may render us victims of the loue justice wisdome of God. IX A Soul ought always to have the desire of seeing God the fear of loosing him the sorrow of not being yet worthy to possess him X. SOlid vertue true devotion consist first in using a continuall violence against our selves Secondly in a continuall victory ouer our naturall repugnances Thirdly in not yeilding to or sparing our selves in any thing of humour or passion Fourthly in suffering with joy or at least with an interiour and exteriour quietness the being reprehended for our faults before others contradicted in all our inclinations If we do not endeavour to get this abnegation we may be assured that we shall never get solid vertue that all our devotion will be nothing else but delusion X. WHat a folly is it to have so great an affection to or concern for such goods as in a moment will slip away from us so great an indifferency for those that will remain with us for ever and this when we know that those are not so much as the shadow of these ô my God! is it reasonable that there should be nothing but you which we can loose without displeasure or that we should be less concern'd to loose a suit at law or displease a freind XII WE ought to go to confession with a spirit of sorrow to come from it with a spirit of sacrifice oblation in offering our selves intirely to the rigours of the justice of God arming our selves with a just desire of tevenging on our selves all the injuries which we have done to God. We ought moreover to remember after confession to apply the satisfactions of our dying Iesus for our sins offering them to his Eternall father as also to present to the justice of God all the sufferings which he shall please to send us till our next confession resolving to impose some pennance on our selves over and aboue what the Confessour has enjoyn'd us as some almes some restraint of our humour or passion or the like but aboue all we ought to take care not to dissipate or distract our selves immediately after confession XIII APproach unto Iesus Christ in the Communion with such a lively faith of his presence as may put you to an holy confusion Secondly with such a confidence as those sick persons had who according to the Scripture doubted not but that they should be healed if they could but once approach Iesus Christ or touch his garments Thirdly with a fervent loue with a great desire of uniting your self most intimately with Iesus of transforming your self intirely into him that you may neither live nor act but by him for him in him Fourthly receive him with a profound respect thumbling annihilating your self in his presence being content to remain at his feet in silence Fifthly beg of him that he himself would return thanks to his eternall father for you that he would entertain himself within you since you are unable to make him such an entertainment as he deserues that he would ask for you that which he sees necessary Sixthly joyn with that sacrifice which he makes of himself in your heart a sacrifice of whatsoever is there displeasing to him Seventhly asK of him with confidence a victory over your bad inclinations offer some one of your defects to him desiring him to overcome it in you cause you to keep a watch ouer your self for that purpose till your next communion Eighthly remember that the true fruit of a good communion consists in strength to overcome your self in occasions to keep your self more recollected during that whole day rather then in tenderness sensible devotion which is soon dissipated XIV ONe ought to neglect nothing in the service of God but to be very faithfull to avoid the least most light imperfections to overcome ones self in small things to perform even the least actions as in the presence of God to mortify ones self in a thousand very inconsiderable occasions to sanctifie the least pains by a generall resignation of our selves to the justice of God without this fidelity 't is impossible ever to arrive to an eminent perfection nay one will soon fall into â—epidity into a great danger of being lost XV.
ALl the world speaks of dying to themselves but few know what it is scarce any one does it with such fidelity as is necessary yet none can have an intire conversion to God live intirely to him without ceasing to live to them selves The first step that leads to this death is to deny all such satisfaction to our senses as is either inordinate or unprofitable and to purifie them by mortifying displeasing objects Wherefore 't is noâ— enough not to forbear the looking on any object with any tie of satisfaction or curiosity or the giving ear to any thing which is spoken against our neighbour or to what we have too eager a desire of knowing or the speaking with passion impatience or vanity or the eating between meals or at meals with too much desire of pleasing our appetites I say it is not enough to refuse these a thousand other little commodities unprofitable pleasures to our bodies but we ought to oblige our selves sometimes to see to speak and to hear such things as we have a repugnance to which mortify displease us The second step to die to ones self is to suppress stifle such reflections thoughts of mind as are unprofitable or curious or may give our soul any inclination towards creatures The third step is to moderate the desires of our heart when they are too violent to retrench or cutt off all adhesion tie to creatures all search after them all rest confidence in them that we may keep fast to God alone DISPOSITIONS of mind during the time of Advent I. An ardeni desire thut Iesus Christ may be born reign absolutely in our hearts The 1. Exercise For the Morning THat which was done from the beginning of the world by the holy Patriarcks who all sighed after the coming of our Saviour for the salvation of all mankind in generall the same each christian ought to perform for his own advantage in particular during this holy time of Advent 1. We ought to wish that Jesus may be born in us this ought to be our onely as well as efficacious constant desire that is to say 1. We must desire nothing but to possess Jesus be possessed by him to loue him to be beloued by him 2. we must desire that he should reign absolutely in our understandings by a lively active faith in our hearts by a strong over-ruling loue which may render our wills intirely subject to his bound stop all the sallies of humour passion ouer our senses by depriving them of all such satisfactions as they inordinately seek after ouer our actions by conforming our life to the pattern of his own because it is by this means that Jesus will be born in our hearts reign absolutely in them will be in us as the soul of a holy perfect life 3. In fine this desire of the birth of Jesus in our souls ought to be constant that we may joyfully consent that our Saviour should himself endeavour to form his own image within us by pains both of body mind by persecutions from men derelictions froâ— God by all the evils of this life as a carver makes use of his chissel hammer by force of blows renders his statue beautifull cutting oâ— whatever is any way rude or deformed therein 2. But that we may obtain of Goâ— this spirituall birth of Jesus Chrisâ— in our souls let us address ouâ— selves to the blessed Trinity let uâ— daily ask of the Eternall Father to give us his son that is to say thaâ— he would animate us with his spirit with his maxims destroy in us the spirit maxims of the world And we out of a due acKnowledgeâ—ment of so pretious a gift since ' tiâ— no less then God himself ought to receive the same with much respect gratitude in the communion where of 't is good to pertake frequently during this holy time 3. Let us beg of the son of God that he would give himself intirely to our souls as a victim in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar wherein he incorporates himself with us transforms us in to himself that as the the fruit benefit of our communions he would let us live only for him by him in him For him as the end of all our actions by a pure holy intentions by him as the source life of whatsoever we shall either do say or think in him as in a center where our hearts will be at rest Or else that he would give himself unto us as the model pattern of our life which cannot be christian unless it be like unto that of Iesus Christ Or lastly that he would bestow himself on us as the remedy vanquisher of sin of self-loue of our evil inclinations hindring us from falling into any voluntary fault healing the wounds scarrs which sin has made in our souls by imparting to us a sincere sorrow for having committed them a firm resolution of avoiding them the tears sighs of an humble contrite heart the holy martyrdom of an heart which is an enemy to its own pleasures is armed against it self bâ— an holy hatred 4. Let us in fine beg of the holy Ghost that he would produce form Iesus Christ in our hearts by the mosâ— pure flames of his loue and that he would imprint in them the simplicity humility innocence of the Infant Iesus 1. His simplicity first that we may treat with God in prayer without reflecting on any thing which is not himself nor even on that which we receive from him to the end that we may unite our selves to him with the whole strength of our souls permitting him to take the intire possession of us Next that we may treat with men in our commerce conversations without any dissimulation or deceit And lastly that we may treat wit hour own selves without flattering our selves in our faults or hiding them from our own sight 2. His humility nor such however as that of a God as it were annihilated for man cannot descend or humble himself after this manner because he cannot go beyond his nothing out of which he was taken but such as consist in a sincere acknowledgement of what we are viz according to nature pure nothing neither meriting of nor good for any thing in respect of grace unable to think so much as one good for any thing in respect of grace unable to think so much as one good thought by our own strength or to recover our selves from the state of sin without the actuall help assistance of God having onely power of our selves to do evil incurre our damnation 3. The innocence of the Infant Iesus that we may be preserved from all sin even from such venial ones as are voluntary free from all inordinate affections or ties to creatures as
far as is possible from all imperfection 4. That you may obtain these graces of the Infant Iesus say at the end of your prayer for matter whereof you may take these considerations 1. time Pater Ave 3. times Gloria Patri And often in the day time endeavour to produce in your heart most ardent desires that Iesus Christ may be born in you II. Adore Iesus in the bosome of Mary salute Mary in the heart of Iesus THE II EXERCISE For the Evening 1. WE must consider with a profound respect a God inclosed in the womb of a Virgin acknowledge in adoring him that as little as hidden as annihilated as he is in the chast bowells of the Virgin he is the same God who is adored by the Angells in heaven is the absolute Lord and Soveraign of all creatures Then unite our selves in spirit will with those all divine dispositions which he possesses in the bosome of Mary with the most loving designes he has for our salvation 2. Let us take notice of the vertues which this Infant God practised in this prison in which he was shut up for nine months together for our instruction for our good Let us admire the profound humility of an Infant shut up in his mothers womb In effect he there hides his power under weakness he there confines his immensity within the little body of an Infant annihilates all the splendour of his glory in the obscurity lowlyness of Infancy And after all this is it just that pure nothings as we are should desire to elevate our selves aboue others despise them give place to none search after the esteem of men have a high conceit idea of our selves O how far do we fly from annihilated Iesus while we elevate our selves by those sentiments of vanity 3. 3. Let us consider the patience of the same Saviour undergoing the incommodities to which all Infants are subject whilst they are in this condition Alas my Iesus from this very time thou didst foresee my impatience my murmurings my delicacy that would suffer nothing you punish't your self on their score for me from that very time I begun to give you that pain and cause you to suffer for the ungratefull sacrifice your self for miserable creatures who apprehend nothing more then to suffer O Pains ô dolours ô Incommodities of life how dear ought you to be to me since from this very time you became the hearts delight of my Iesus 4. In fine represent to your self how rude severe the mortification was which little Iesus exercised upon his senses in the womb of his mother having deprived them of their exercises of all their naturall satisfaction that so you may do pennance for all the sensuall pleasures you abandon your selves unto O curiosity of my eyes how sensible you are to my Iesus since to make satisfaction for you he remained nine months in his mothers womb without seeing any thing How highly am I obliged to you my Saviour for imposing so long a silence upon your tongue to obtain pardon for all my evil or unprofitable speeches which mine has pronounced O how heartily I renounce for loue of you all the satisfaction of my senses all the delicacys of my body and all the affections I may feel in me that are human curious or unprofitable O Iesus ô amiable Infant ô adorable victim of justice loue I unite my self to the sacrifice you made of your intire self to your eternall Father from the first moment of your life which was a sacrifice of fidelity of sorrow of obedience O grant that I may consummate it with you upon the cross 5 Say Nine Paters Aves every day to honour the nine months that Iesus Christ was in the womb of the Virgin salute Iesus as often in the womb of Mary Mary in the heart of Iesus Retire your self from company as much as you are able increase your mortifications in your time of silence keep your mind sweetly imployed with the thoughts of the profound silence intimate union of the soul of Mary altogether lost swallowed up in the bottomless depth of the heart of Iesus Enter with her into this adorable sanctuary of loue which you will find full of bounty for you wholly taken up with the thoughts of your salvation O how is Mary filled with the loue of Iesus ô how is Iesus replenished with the loue of Mary whith charity for sinners O holy Virgin I conjure you by this admirable favour which you had in the possession of your Iesus to fill my heart with the loue of him For the Feast and Octave of Christmas I. IMploy half an hour in Christmas night or in the day to think upon the most amiable mistery of the birth of Godman Consider all the circumstances of it with admiration loue represent to your self an Infant laid upon straw in a poor stable all trembling with cold bound up in swadling clouts exposed to the winds unknown to men for whose salvation he came into the world both he his holy Mother abandon'd in want of all human succours finding your self astonished at so strange a condition to which you see your Saviour reduced let your heart pierced with compassion filled with gratitude for little Jesus break out in these exclamations ô bounty ô inconceivable loue of my God! is it possible that my soul should be so dear to thee that for loue of it thou shouldst subject thy self to so many miseries O humiliations of my Jesus how do you condemn my pride my vanity O amiable Jesus so much the more lovely by how much the more you have debased your self for my sake What my soul canst thou behold a God who has dispoiled himself of the splendour of his glory embraced an extream poverty to inrich thee with his graces yet endure to take pleasure in the dresses worldly ornaments of your body You see a God which makes himself an Infant as humble poor obedient as an Infant and you can have vanity dissimulation malice repugnance in obeyying 2. Approach with confidence this most lovely Infant beg of the blessed Virgin Saint Ioseph to present you to him Adore him with respect because he is your God Loue him with tenderness because he is a victim of love that offer'd himself for your sake Mix your tears with his weep with compassion ouer his sufferings whilst he weeps for sorrow ouer your sins Fear nothing he is an amiable Infant wholly yours his heart is full of charity for you his eyes are full of sweetness tenderness he is all love Approach him embrace him with all the ardour of your heart loose your self let your self be swallowed up in this bottomless ocean of loue let your self burn consume in this sacred fire beg of this divine Infant to be born live in you
That he may become the soul of your soul that he may wean disengage your heart from the loue of of temporall goods to imitate his poverty that he may make you live a life full of humility of obedience simplicity to enter thereby into the true spirit of his Infancy II. 1. EAch day of the Octave renew these sentiments in your prayer in the evening take part in the joy which the Angells and shepheards tefied at the sight of a God become an Infant Acknowledge a God by the markes which heaven gives of him in the crib To witt in the swadling cloths in the extream poverty in which he was born stongly convince your self that you ought to be poor either in effect or in heart to resemble Iesus to save your self 2. Give in the honour of Jesus the Infant some suit or swadling cloths to the child of some poor body visit during this office the children brought up in the Hospitall doing them some service with as much affection as you would to the Infant Iesus 3. Apply your self to keep your heart in an indifferency to all things in a resignation to the divine providence in peace silence before this divine Infant as Infants are wont to live in indifferency to all things without concerning themselves for any thing reposing wholly upon the care of their parents 4. Speak little to creatures during this tyme to be the better able to imploy your self the more in the thoughts loue of the Infant Iesus forget your self to be able to thinK of nothing but him O love ô love how powerfull art thou to make of God an Infant O my heart how ingratefull art thou if thou lovest not this Infant God! This is the aspiration which thou oughtest to renew severall times a day 5. In fine approach often if your Directour rhink fit to holy communion during the Octave to incorporate your self with the Infant Jesus to act nothing but by his spirit to live no more but by his life to love humiliations poverty the interiour renunciation of all satisfaction of the heart or the senses that is the better to conform your self to these inclinations of little Iesus The exercises of Christian life during lent GENERALL ADVICES I. Lent is a time of Sanctitie THe time of lent is a time of sanctity and devotion these are the days of salvation as the scripture stiles them so that we ought to apply our selves more at this time then at any other of the year with an exact fidelity to our perfection thaâ— is to say 1. To perform our exercises of devotion with more fervour frit our exteriour exercise with a greater interiour To be more upon our guard to resist all the sallys of our humour all the unprofitable reflections or relapses of our minds upon creatures all the extravagancies of our senses 3. To use violence to ones self to overcome ones naturall repugnances to act no longer according to custome or inclination but according to the interiour spirit of grace 4. To entertain ones self more frequently in the presence of God either ones mind by a frequent recourse to him or ones heart by a constant desire to please him 5. To apply ones self with greater zeal to the practise of some vertue every month and in the day to make some interiour or exteriour acts of it 6. To make it oâ—es study to keep ones self iâ— time of prayer peaceable humble submissive respectfull before God â—ithout disquieting or troubling ones felf for all the distractions distasts sterilitys that may happen in it seeking nothing else but to please God without minding to please ones self Remembring the advice our Lord gives us not to discourse too much in it with peace of mind to be satisfied with the state of privation insensibility when God puts us therein To labour by means of our examition to know all that is bad or ill in us to correct it that which is human to purifie it that which is unprofitable to elevate it 8. Not to content ones self with an affective devotion which consists onely in good thoughts desires resolutions which one may have to do well but to perswade ones self that true devotion and solid vertue consist in doing what God will have us in spite of all our naturall repugnances 9. In ones spirituall reading to relish well what one reads as in all one 's other actions to expect therefrom all the fruit of gods grace 10 To make ones confâ—ssions with more sorrow for what is past morâ— confusion for the present more resolution for the future more circumspection ouer ones self the day one has confessed 11. To make ones communionâ— with more faith confidence loue with a more ardent desire to unite ones self to Iesus Christ with a more profound respect with a greater recollection union to the sacrifice which Christ makes in our hearts to his eternall Father more fervency in our demands more reservedness the rest of the day II. Lent is a tyme of penance PEnance is either interiour which consists in an efficacious sorrow for our sins or exteriour which compreheâ—ds satisfactory works For the first one ought all the lent long to have ones heart continually contrite humble before God so perform out of this stock of sorrow state of compunction a continuall mortification during this holy time consecrated intirely to penance So that every hour it were good to make an act of contrition for ones sins rather by a sigh of our heart then by Formall words my God forgive me I 'le sin no more my God I 'le do nothing more to displease thee For the second one ought to observe when at age the fast of the Church But 1. we must perform it with such joy as our saviour instructs us to do as may be so much the greater the more pain we have to do it for then the merit is also greater 2. We must perform it in union with the fast of Iesus Christ for to honour it 3. In the exact privation of all things that may flatter our senses I mean of the curiosity of our eyes our ears or the satisfactions or nice choice of words for we ought to joyn the abstinence of our other sences with our mouths 2. We ought to augment our ordinary austeritys according to the advice of our directour 3. We ought to distribute greate almes then ordinary yet not without our directours advice because wâ— ought to do penance at this time foâ— our whole years sins III. Lent is a time of solitude T Is at this time the better to honour the solitude of Jesus Christ that we ought to form to our selveâ— an interiour exteriour solitude The first consists in removing from our memorys all ill human unprofitâ—ble thoughts to let it bâ— taken up with nothing but God present or his holy will to blot out oâ—
ordinary failings the sallies of your humours your detractions your laziness in gods service then consider with sorrow the abuses you have made of his graces the ill use of those crosses he has that day sent you reflect upon the confusion regret you will one day have for your faults when you shall appear before God consider that perhaps there is not more then an hour between you eternity As near as you can say your prayers in publick every night where take care that all your family be present 2 After your morning prayer make a quarter or half an hour of mentall prayer according to your Directours advice take care to make it with fervency upon some certain subject which you may have read in Granade Pointe or Mico's Meditations or if You understand French in the Meditations of Abely Busée Hayneufe Noüet or Crasset which are very moving instructive in so doing you ought to maKe all your good resolutions to avoid the sin you are naturally most inclined to to practise the vertue you meditate of But make these resolutions in particular not in generall take care to foresee the occasions of practising them In the beginning look upon what is most moving in the matter you meditate on then apply it to your self see whether you practise it be confounded sorry that you do not do so resolve that day to put it in execution as you ought aâ—ways to diffide in your self beg of our Saviour by the intercession of the blessed Virgin that you may put your good endeavours in practise 3. Having dressed your self taken care about your houshold-affairs go strait to mass without deferring gods service to the last minute of the morning Above all things take care of speaking in the Church but keep your self there with that respect is due to your God to your judge say your vocall prayers after you have offered to God the holy sacrifice of the mass in honour of his supreme majesty in thanks for all the favours you have received of him for pardon of your sins for the repose of such souls in Purgatory as are your relations or friends but now then interrupting a moment of your devotions offer them to God by the hands of Jesus Christ himself immolated upon the Altar for your sake unite your intentions with his whereby he offers himself as a victime for your salvation from Sanctus to the Elevation think of the mysteries of the passion of Jesus Christ with sorrow for your sins which occasioned it with a purpose to suffer something that day for a God who has suffered so much for you At the Elevation adore him offer him to his Eternall father sacrifice your self to his justice at the Pater noster continue your vocall prayers to the end of mass 4. Being returned home apply your self to your domestick affairs from time to time offering to God your actions if you have any leisure in the morning or after dinner bettween one two of the clock read in some spirituall book for a quarter of an hour with attention desire of profiting in the Evening whilst you receive or give visits take care not to take part with those that speak ill of their neighbours nor to speak ill of them your self now and then reflect that God hears all you say and that one day you must render him account If any person happens to speak to you something coldly or rudely curb the sallies of your resentment endeavour to take no notice of it without troubling your self about what the world will say of it think onely of that which God who hears all that passes will say to you at the day of judgement If you hear any loose or impious discourse endeavour presently to shew by putting on such an indifferent cold or serious countenance thereupon that the discourse does not please you remembring that should you testifiy any satisfaction you take in it you would thereby make your self guilty before God of whatever is displeasing to him in such ill discourses 5. Take care never to be idle when you are at home but always have something to imploy your self in knowing that you are to give account to God for all the time you lose when you reprehend your servants remember to do it 1. with reason for some considerable fault 2 in few words without repeating the same things over over again to please your humour 3. when you find your self moved with passion leave off saying any thing 4. do not often find fault nor chide upon all occasions for little or nothing 5 â— turn them not away at the years end upon pretense of their ill humouâ— or other light faults except you should find them unfaithfull or of ill life or keep ill company for then you are obliged to part with them perswade your self t is enough to endanger your own soul to turn away your servants every year except for these 2. weighty reasons or to lessen their wages for such faults or omissions which they unadvisedly commit making them pay the overplus of what they bought too dear or for things laid aside or lost by chance without their fault once more believe that 't is an injury to your own conscience will endanger your salvation thus to defraud your servants of any part of their wages 6 Have all the respect submission complaisance for your husband your father or mother which you ow them never contradict them with obstinacy never give them any rude slâ—ghting or disgustfull language believe that the great secret how to live with them in peace esteem is to comply with them when you find them in choler or angry to seem to be of their minds to follow their wills inclinations ever accommodate your self to their humour when they desire nothing contrary to the will of God. Say every day S. Josephs Letanies to obtain this peace so necessary for a well ordered family offer to God the trouble discontents the cross humours of a husband a father or mother may occasion offer the patience with which you suffer it for their conversion Make it your chief vertue and greatest care to stay at home to look after your servants to breed up your children because this is the chief thing God will examine you about at the day of judgement Permit not in your family any blasphemous or debauched persons for fear of drawing the curse of God upon it Remember to give the example of patience mildness charity devotion to your family as you ought to do 7. In the Evening about four or five of the clock go to Church to beg at least or to receive the benediction of the blessed Sacrament when it is given or if you be in the Country to your Chappell say your beads there with devotion together with the Evensong of our blessed Lady
read there also with attention what you will find in the Christian thoughts allotted for that day or a chapter in Thomas a Kempis making from time to time a serious reflection upon what you read beg grace to perform it 8. Be nor of the number of those who sit up allmost all night sleep the next morning till eleven or twelve of the clock but have a certain time allotted for rising going to bed as much as you are able remember that a christian life ought to be regular 9. Flatter not your self too much concerning your almes since you are obliged to give such as may be proportionable to your fortune take care that almes be given to the poor in the Country by giving them corn do the same in town either to prisoners or bashfull poor know for certain that a person who is rich cannot save his soul by doing small almes that one is obliged in conscience under pain of great sin to assist the poor in their pressing necessities which are but too frequent that you may easily know if you will but take the pains a little to inform your self that to defer or lessen the salaries of poor tradesmen is visibly to damn ones self think not that your poor vassalls can give a hundred days work exacted of them did not the fear of their Lords force them to it therefore doubt not but t is your duty to pay them 10. For your devotions perform them at least every 8. th day or even twice a week if your Confessour judge it fit but remember to deprive your self the night before of your ordinary divertisement of play apply your self to make your communions as well as you can according to the following directions 11. For confession endeavour 1. to examine well your conscience to particularise your sins especially those which you commit out of custome as choler detraction consider also the evill that you have not hindred to be committed in your house the good you have not performed as you might have done for example to reconcile your neighbours to give almes to the poor in great necessity to neglect your spirituall exercises out of sloth or to divert or let fall a detraction 2. after this the better to conceive a true sorrow sincere contrition propose to your self all the motives that are capable to excite in you an actuall interiour disengagement from sin without which your confessions â—ave not worth any thing wherefore regard regret your sins as the effects of the greatest ingratitude against the infinite goodness and bounty of God towards you for all the graces favours he has bestowed upon you all the benefits you have received from his hands deplore them as the greatest affronts committed against his supreme majesty as a contempt of his greatness as a trampling under foot his most precious blood casting your eyes upon a crucifix imploy your mind at the same time upon the following thoughts Behold what my sins have made my Jesus suffer See to what extremity his love for me has brought him ought I to have displeased so amiable a Deity ought I to continue to shed his most pretious blood ought I to not leave off affronting him who never leaves off doing me all the good he can O my God! what a regret sorrow have I for having offended you ô that I might ratther undergo a thousand deaths then ever more displease you 2. sincerely confess your sins saying those you remember in short mixing no unprofitable discourse with them taking notice in a few words of the necessary circumstances avoiding all long unprofitable stories by which one makes known rather anothers sins then ones own in which they do ill whilst they think to do well believe it as a certain truth that the shorter more exact clear your confession is the better more perfect it is to make it so forget not as much as you are able to express the number of your sins whether you have committed them with foresight or reflection to take notice also whether you staid long in them or onely a short time or in fine whether you gave full consent to them or were negligent in rejecting or withdrawing your self from them never fail to take notice whether your sins are concerning any light mater or of moment In the third place when you receive absolution recollect your mind as in gods presence renew your sorrow for your sins perswade your self that t is the blood of Jesus Christ that purifies your soul sanctifies it gives it a new force not to committ any more sins In the fourth place after confession retire your self alone put your self in spirit at the feet of Christ crucified consider him all covered with wounds blood expiring with love grief for your sake 1. Give him thanks with all your heart that after having so often pardoned your sins he has had but now once more the bounty for you to pardon them again blush with shame confusion in his presence that you have so often fallen into the same 2. â— Offer to the eternall father the blood sufferings of his son Jesus Christ for pennance satisfaction for your sins for the pain due to them then unite with his the pennance you are about to perform 3. Perform it with attention sorrow confusion as a criminall that acknowledges regrets his crime make an ardent lively resolution to avoid all sin particularly that which you are most subject to remember if you communicate not the same day that you confess not to let loose your mind after confession but to keep an exact watch over your self not to fall into your ordinary imperfections 12. For holy Communion take a particular care to dispose your self very well for it to improve much by it because there is nothing more dangerous then to approach it with indifference out of formality not to grow better by it Therefore from the very minute after your prayer morning night think that you are to receive your God that same day conceive an ardent desire to receive him worthily To prepare your self Well for Communion 1. Endeavour to excite in your self a lively faith of the presence of Jesus Christ in the blessed Sacrament consider very well these three things I go to receive my God my Saviour my judge therefore with what respect ought I to approach my God ywith what love ought I to approach my Saviour with what confusion ought I to present my self before my judge O my God may Soveraign Lord who are you who am I that I should dare to appear in your presence But o my Jesus my amiable Saviour ô how much fervency have I to unite my self so to you as to make you absolute master of my heart O Souveraign judge of
it in the spirit of pennance with all the pains humiliations privations which follow it in satisfaction of all the sins I have committed An offering of our Life to God. 6. Receive ô my Saviour the sacrifice that I make to your divine Majesty of my bo dy my life which I offer as a victime sacrificed to your self Unite it to that you offer'd for me upon the cross consume it with the fire of your divine love A desire to render to Iesus Christ Death for Death 7. O my divine Jesus since that your love to me made you dye upon the cross for my salvation is it not just that with a good will I accept death for love of you in counter-change as far as I am able of that you indured for me O why have I not a thousand lives to give them all for this end to acknowledge therby that you are my God! Spiritual confession With profound humility at the feet of Iesus Christ as if he were present in his sacred humanity accuse your self to him of all your sins taking a short review of them at the end of which excite your soul to a lively tender sorrow for them AN ACT OF CONTRITION O my God prostrate before your soveraign majesty I most humbly beg pardon for the great contempt abuse I have made of your holy graces of all the sins I have committed from my birth in thought word or deed I retract disavow them with my whole heart Yes o my God 't is from my whole heart that I detest disavow them wish I had never committed them not for fear of the punishment they deserve but onely because I have by them offended your infinite goodness which deserves to be loved above all things honoured by all creatures O why is not my heart capable too of an infinit sorrow to blot out their guilt But accept o my God in satisfaction of that sorrow which is wanting in me that which my Saviour had in the garden of Olives upon the cross for the sins of the whole world in generall for mine in particular Accept also for this effect that sorrow contrition which all the Saints have ever had Purifiy me from my secret sins pardon those I have committed by others despise not o my God an humble contrite heart which hopes onely for pardon of its sins from your infinit mercy In the 50. Psalm you have promised that when a sinner laments his sins you will no longer remember his iniquities And if you please o my God to prolong my life I make a firm purpose by the assistance of your holy grace to amend particularly such such faults thereby endeavour to repaire what is past Having made these Acts receive as an absolution that which Jesus Christ the soveraign priest gives you spiritually applying to your self his divine merits after which imagine you hear him say to you as he did to S. Mary Magdelen Your sins are forgiven you go in peace Say the 50. Psalm Miserere mei c in the spirit of pennance Aspirations to the three divine persons O father Eternall since you so loved the world as to give your onely son for its redemption I dare presume to hope from your mercy the salvation of my soul since you gave him not to condemn us but to save us for that end imposed upon him the holy name of Iesus Luk. 1. O divine Jesus be you my Jesus remembcr your own words that you came not for the just but for sinners Luk. 5. O my God you will not the death of a sinner but that he be converted live EZech. 18. Convert me therefore to your self that I may live an Eternall life Come divine spirit repose in my soul with your 7. gifts for to purify justify sanctify it consume in it by the fire of your holy love all that is yet earthly therein fortify it in this its last passage against all the temptations of its enemies An act of Faith. I protest my God before heaven earth that I will dye in the faith union of the holy Catholick church I believe firmly all that it believes teaches because you my God who are the Eternall truth have said revealed it that you are an infinite goodness holiness that cannot deceive any one an infinite wisdom that cannot erre are moreover omnipotent And from this very moment I disavow and detest all temptations contrary to it which the Enemy may suggest in the last moments of my life I return you thanks with my whole heart for the great grace which you have done me in making me of the numbe of the children of your holy Church Recite the Apostles Creed Credo in Deum c And making reflection upon every Article protest that you believe it An act of Hope O my God thô for the enormity inconceivable multitude of my offences I most justly merit hell yet confiding entirely in the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ in the infinit greatness of your mercy which can pardon more sins then I can committ I cease not to hope for pardon for the grace to persevere in your love to which I consecrate the last moment of my life An act of Charity O my God when shall this soul of mine being separated from my body from all creatures be united perfectly to your self love you with that pure unchangeable affection with which the blessed in heaven love you O what is there I desire in haven or what is it I desire on earth butt you the God of my heart my God everlasting portion of my felicity I have regarded all things as nothing vile contemptible to gain Jesus Christ An act of Love towards our Neighbour O my God I beg of you grace mercy for all the creatures you have redeemed with your precious blood particularly for the true children of your holy Church for those from whom I have received any displeasure whom I pardon my God for love of you as I desire you should pardon me A desire to receive Iesus Christ O my God my Creatour redeemer my beginning my end the onely soveraign object of my heart O what a longing desire have I to receive you for to unite my self to you come then into my soul sanctify it replenish my heart with your graces take possession of all its affections to the end that all the moments of my life that are yet behind may entirely be consecrad to your love The Spirituall communion for the Viatick or the Sacramentall one if permitted to receive it Hearken to your good Angell who invites you to eat the bread of life speaks to you as that of Elias did to him Arise eat because you have a great journey still to make 3. Kings c. 19. Imagine that Jesus Christ accompanied with the blessed Virgin your good