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
be better for us in heaven or earth in life or death then to accomplish his most just most holy will And because we ought necessarily to submit to its orders is it not better to do it freely by an humble submission to filiall confidence in his divine goodness then to do it by constraint as the Devills do by that resistance render this action rather worthy of punishment then recompence If the fear of our sins makes us apprehend death desire onely to live to do pennance for them what better pennance can we perform that is more agreable to God then perfectly to conform our selves to his will undergo the sentence of death to render him the obedience a creature owes to his creatour thereby to shew him that we preferr the honour of pleasing him before our own lives If actions so much the harder they be to perform so much the more meritorious they be esteemed what can there be harder then to renonce life what greater pennance can we perform then frankly freely to give up our lives to God because by giving them to him we give not onely all we can give but all that is dearest to us No one has greater charity then he who gives up his life says our Saviour in the 13 of S. Johns Gospell And if a God would dye so painfull ignominious a death for us and give his life upon the cross for our salvation can we refuse him ours Is our life more precious or necessary then his O my soul had we never so llittle love for God or gratitude for this great favour of his we ought to desire a thousand lives to lay them all down for his sake What have we that is not his O my God since I am nothing but by you I will be nothing but what you would have me I care not whether I live or dye Affections Resolutions SInce that upon the moment of my death depends my eternal life Grant o my God that by a true hatred of sin by a perfect contempt of the world of its vain honours pleasures riches by an entire renouncing of my self I may always keep my felf prepared for this last hour that I may never let my self forget death least permitting the lamp of charity to be extinguished the oyl of good works to be wanting in my soul you may surprise me in this condition reproach me with the same terrible words you did the foolish virgins in the 25. Chap of S. Iohns Gospell I know you not but that keeping my self always ready for your coming I may merit to enter with you into that eternall nuptiall feast Where neither eye has seen ear heard nor has it enterd into the heart of man to conceive what you have prepared for those that love you Give me o my God the light of your holy Spirit to the end I may not suffer my self to be deceived nor seduced by my senses to take what is false for true that I may not esteem the things of this mortall life good or bad but as they lead me to or withdraw me from my last end CONCLVSION LEt us conclude this meditation with this truth that if we will dye the death of the just we must live the lives of the just since the way to obtain a good death is to live a good life as there is nothing more precious nor more to be desired then a good death so there is nothing more unhappy nor that we ought more to fear then an ill death the best means of securing our selves in an affair of so great an importance as this is daily to live as if it were to be the last day of our lives keeping our affections as perfectly weaned from the things of the world as if we were ready to leave it where all things that be not of God will appear as smoak that either is scattered it self or at best covers but a fleeting shadow A MOST PROFITABLE EXERCISE TO PREPARE our selves for death VPON THIS MOMENT depends Eternity The day you intend to make this exercise enter into the thoughts of death look upon that day as the last of your life THE FIRST PART IMagine your self lying sick upon your death-bed that your good Angell is sent by God to give you notice of the irrevocable decree of your death that he says to you as Esaye did to Ezechias Isa 38. Dispose of your affairs because you shall dye shall no longer live Prostrating your self as at the foot of your Crucifix or before the blessed Sacrament beg with all your heart the grace light of the holy Ghost the help succour of the blessed Virgin of the Saints your Patrons of your good Angell to maKe the following acts AN ACT OF RESIGNATION MY heart is prepared my God my heart is prepared that your will not mine be done in me by me now for all eternity 1. O God eternall immense infinite who are sufficient in your self stand in need of none of your creatures how little does it import whether I live or die so I may accomplish your holy will in which alone true life consists therefore let it not be as I will but as you please An acknowledgement of our nothingness 2. To acknowledge the dependance that I have of you my soveraign Creatour openly to confess before heaven earth that you alone are he that is that I misetable creature am he that is not I embrace with an humble submission the destruction of this corruptible being consent that by death it should return to its first nothing out of which you took it A restitution of our being into the hands of God. 3. O my Soveraign Creatour will restore you the being you have given me for this end I accept of death in the manner that shall be most pleasing to you be most to your glory Dispose therefore of your creature destroy this body of sin in punishment of the offences it has committed against your divine majesty That this body may return to the earth from whence it came but that my soul created after thy image may return to your bosome An acknowledgement of Gods soveraig◠dominion over us 4. O my God thô my death be of it self a thing of necessity yet I am resolved for love of you as far as possible to make it a will-offering I rejoice that by it I shall be out of a state condition any more to resist your Soveraign dominion over me as Liege Lord of all creatures I accept it as a just punishment of the ill use I have made of my free will which you have given me How to receive death as a just punishment of sin 5. Since death O my God is the punishment you have ordained for sin 't is with an humble submissive heart to the decree of your justice that I accept
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
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
do good works with the spirit of Christianity IT would be convenient you should take one day in the week to visâ— the prisoners or the poor in thâ— Hospitall but take care aboue aâ— things not do to these holy action either out of custome without aâ— interiour spirit or out of custome without an interiour spirit or out oâ— a pure naturall compassion therefore before you beging these visits 1. Pass by some Church theâ— demand the benediction of our Saviour beg of him that he would animate you with the spirit with which he used himself to visit comfort afflicted persons at the same time offer to him the action you are going to perform go to the place you design to visit with modesty recollection 2. As soon as you are arrived there look upon the poor sick as the images of Iesus Christ salute their good Angells beg of them to inspire you with good thoughts so long as you shall be speaking with them 3. And since they are not onely often ignorant of what belongs to the duty of a Christian but always in affliction entertain them always with some word of instruction particularly concerning confession communion and likewise of consolation compassion letting them know that you take part in their sufferings giving them hoâ—es they shall one day receive a recompence for them in heaven 4. Accompany your almes with an actuall desire to please God to assist Jesus Christ in his members 5. Shun all vanity all reboundings of self-satisfaction that may spring from this action which you are to keep at secret as you can 6. Overcome generously all she repugnance that you may have in approaching the poor sick persons the better to overcome your self affect rather to approach the party for whom you find your self to have the greatest naturall horror provided his disease be not catching Salute the blessed Sacrament returning from your visit beg like a poor body of Iesus Christ a spirituall almes for your soul by the the particular tenderness he has for poor those that assist them 8. In sin eremember that the Almes done in this manner is an excellent means to please God to blot out your sins to purify your heart from all engagements to obtain for your selves suck particular favours as God imparts to his freinds to gain the heart of Iesus Christ to â—ppease the wrath of your Iudge to obtain the vertues you want to correct your imperfections Wherefore make a resolution never to deny any poor body since he procures far more for you towards the salvation of your soul then you give him for the relief of his body A practise for the Octave of the blessed Sacrament ONe must honour the state condition of Iesus Christ in the blessed Sacrament 1. In the morning by offering him your actions thereby to return him thanks for this great benefit 2. by making every hour some aspiration to Iesus Christ who is in the blessed Sacrament on the Altar with an ardent desire to unite himself to you 3. by reciting every day the Office of the blessed Sacrament performing our communions during this time with an extraordinary preparation of faith confidence humility loue in mortifying your tongue heart in thâ— sallys of your humour because botâ— the one the other have the honouâ— to receive Iesus Christ It is good every day to spend somâ— time extraordinary before the blessed Sacrament So that the first day you may visiâ— and honour him as a victim that sacrifices himself for you you may remain in his presence in the spiriâ— of a sacrifice begging of him to make you a victim of his loue that he would destroy in you what soever is displeasing to him The second day you may honour his annihilations in the Eucharist look upon him as a God humbled so low as to put himself under the form of a little bread for loue of you you may remain quite annihilated in his presence begging him to destroy in you all your pride that he would make you love a hidden life The third day you may honour his loue Which makes him give himself Wholly to you that he may intirely transform you into himself you may consecrate to him all the inclinations desires of your heart The fourth day you may honour him as your father that feeds your with his own proper substance remain before him in the spirit of confidence in his goodness The fifth day you may honour his life of consummation which obliges him his own self to loose his sacramentall life being to be destroyed to consummate our perfection in our souls beg of him to destroy in you all that is not God. The 6 7. 8. th days you may honour the vertues which he practises upon the Altar beg the imitation of them as of his exact obedience his humility his patience his prayers or continuall application to his father his charity for the salvation of souls his loue his solitude his mortificaiion endeavour each day to imitate some one of these vertues RULES OF FIDELITY to arrive to an eminent perfection I. Fidelity in the generall examen consists 1. IN avoiding the least sin or imperfection all things that either displease or at least do not please God. 2. In performing the least spiritual and indifferent actions with an interiour spirit not influenced by humour custom or vanity 3. In suffering all that gives pain to mind or body with resignation fidelity and love this is the matter or subject of the general examen II. Fidelity in the particular examen consists 1. IN observing the very least rules prescribed by obedience 2. In doing every thing in the moment prescribed by obedience 3. In overcoming the repugnance of our humour in all occasions even in the least things III. Fidelity in the continual examen or vigilance over ones self Which neither allows nor pardons in ones self any naturall satisfaction Whatever consists 1. IN watching over our senses to cut off thence all ill unprofitable human or even but meerly naturall satisfactions 2. In watching over our minds to annihilate all considerations or reflections that are human whether they proceed from vanity curiosity or impertinence 3. In watching over our hearts to stifle all human motions that is to say all over ardent or over eager desires of any thing whatsoever all immoderate joy or tenderness all fondness all relish or satisfaction which one may take in any thing one does all sensible pleasure that may cause a heart to live to its self T is in the fidelity of these three sorts of examens that consists a perfect self-deniall true devotion solid vertue all sanctity FROM THE ASCENSION to whitsontide I. ONe must enter into an exteriour retreat with the holy Virgin the Apostles casting off all unnecessary business visits or unprofitable discourses
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
not because of the punishment it deserves that pierceth a soul in all places with an holy respect an humble dread before the divine majesty of God which is intirely present to it 2. O how well do I conceive O my God how this constant habituall fear of a soul does purify untye render it perfect in a small time O holy Ghost bestow upon me this wholsome fear which may make me apprehend the lightest infidelity which may assure me of a happy eternity 3. This gift unites us intimately to God in prayer it recollects all the senses it stops all the powers of the heart in the sight perfection of this sole object of which the soul experiences an intimate presence rather then a knowledge of it 4. O holy Spirit source of love bounty the adorable origine of the sanctification of our hearts inflame them with the fire of thy divine charity let us see tast how sweet our Lord is give us the spirit of recollection of prayer which may carry us to do all things as in gods sight yet recall us into our selves there to adore love a God who abides in our hearts as in his temple and sanctifies them by the communication of his spirit A PRACTISE OF MENTAL PRAYER very easy for all sorts of persons The whole method of prayer consists in four things FIrst in the consideration or view of the truth we meditate Secondly in the application which the mind makes of this truth to its self to be moved with it to put it in practise Thirdly in the affections which the heart produces at the sight of this truth Fourthly in the good resolutions which it makes in putting it in practise the fervent petition it makes to God to obtain it by the intercession of the blessed Virgin. HOW THE MEMORY IS to be imployeâ—d befote prayer First an Act of Faith upon the presence of God. MY God I believe al your seing eye beholds me you before whom the very Angells tremble with an humble dread in whose presence I am as a pure nothing I behold you with a profound respect as my God with a confidence as my father with fear as my judge Second Act of Adoration I adore you o my God as my creatour as my soverain Judge to whom I must one day render an account of this very action I am about to perform Third Act of Petition I beseech you to grant me your grace to execute this day what you are about to inspire me with in this prayer pardon the sins imperfections I may commit in it the distraction that may take up or hinder my mind in the due performance of it HOW THE MIND IS TO imploy it self during prayer First consider the truth propos'd which is done by a certain view or act of faith repeat strongly sweetly in your mind the truth of that matter or subject which most of all moves you then after rather by a simple view thereof then by any long ratiocinations thereon make an act of faith with all the fervency you are able Yes o my God I firmly believe what you have now taught me in this truth but animate my faith and convert it into practice that it may not one day serve to my greater damnation Secondly reflect on your self pausing some time on each point Well o my soul what hinders thee from practising this vertue 't is thy duty to practise it t is in thy power to performe it God ordains it thy Jesus urges its performance thy salvation depends upon it thou oughtest from this very day forward to practice it why wilt thou not what hinders thee o I see very well what it is t is such such a hankering such a vanity such a curiosity such a passionate word such such occasions what ought a creature to rob thee of thy Creatour wilt thou always live unfaithfull what wilt thou never as long as thou livest be intirely gods how then canst thou hope to be intirely his in Eternity my God I am yours no my dear Jesus no toy or trifle shall any more hinder me from being intirely yours I will not any more rob you of a heart which is so justly yours which besides has cost you so dear THIRDLY WHAT AFFECTIONS the heart is to be imployed in YEs o my God yes I am resolved to love you a thousand times better then my self I am resolved to be all yours as you are wholly mine I have horrour of whatsoever is displeasing to you I desire nothing more then to express my love to you to that end I desire to imitate you this day in what I have learnt in this medâ—tation I conjure you my Jesus to put me in mind of these lessons when any occasion of practice offers it self Resolutions for the time to come I am resolved my God against from this very present I break off intirely with thâ— dâ—fect which I perceive is the source of many others in me I will have you alone to be the absolute master of my heart it is yours ô my God it is wholly yours DIVERSE AFFECTIONS which may be made in time of prayer 1. Of Confidence MY God since I find my self so weak inconstant in my resolutions grant I may execute them as effectually as you have assisted me to make them I expect all from your goodness my Iesus confide as much in the assistance of your grace as I diffide in my own weakness 2. Love. O my Jesus o my amiable father o infinite goodness which has loved me from all eternity which daily bestows infinite graces favours upon me which has destin'd me for Paradise ah how can I live without loving you shall I never leave offending you who never leave of doing me good How can I behold you my Jesus how can I see you dying with love sorrow for me not live intirely to you I have a heart for no other and then to love you a mind onely to Know you yet I love think of nothing less then you o that I had never thus displeased you 3. Resignations to the difficulties we meet with in prayer I am confounded o my God to see my self so insensible of your love so little touched with the truths which I meditate you see o Lord my miseries extream poverty I embrace it with my whole heart I submit to your pleassure I sacrifice my self to all the severities of your justice I am contented never more to tast the sweetness of your presence so that I may but have the whole fruit effect of it t is but just that you should retire your self leave a heart so unfaithfull to you which hath withdrawn it self a hundred times from you revenge your self o my God satisfie your justice I desire no other satisfaction but to see you satisfied I am sure you are
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
him live such an hidden contemptible life often abandoned forsaken by all men for whose salvation he sacrifices himself upon the Altar wherefore animate your self to bear him company as often as you can sighing longing in your heart after Iesus in the blessed Sacrament when you are absent in body loving and defiring a life like unto his which renders you unKnown neglected and abandoned of all the world Sixthly on frydays honour his love which obliges him to give himself intirely to you without an reserve to the end that you may bâ— wholly transformed into him Endeavour to express such a disinteresse loue towards him but be sure to manifest the same rather by deeds theâ—â— words Seventhly on Saturdays honour that liberality which he expresseâ— in those graces he bestows on you in your communions by keeping himself always upon the Altar to appease the wrath of his father which is enkindled against you Thank him for the miracles he works that he may give himself unto you Admire a God who is as it were so prodigall of himself Beg pardon for the ill use you have made of so many graces as he has bestowed on you in your communions The subjects of these visits may oftentimes serve you for the entertainment of your prayer in the afternoon XI EXAMEN A Litle before dinner recollect your self take a view of the â—nfidelitys which you have been guilty of that morning in the practice of the vertue of the month in overcoming â—our own ill humours bad inclinations and natural repugnances beg pardon for them of God by a sigh or two from the bottom of your heart At night before you go to bed make your generall Examen first of your ordinary faults sudden sallies of passion Secondly touching the ill use of divine graces the ill imployment of your time Thirdly touching the spirit intention wherewith you have animated your actions examining whether they proceeded from natural inclination passion or meer custome or else were performed with a good intention and inward fervour then make a solid sincere act of sorrow rather then a sensible one unite it by your intention with that act of contrition which you shall endeavour to make ar your next confession that you may produce this act the better cast your eyes upon Iesus crucified by you for you behold with confusion regret a God expiring through grief loue in your behalf sometimes consider the bounty and Goodness of God in expecting you in seeking after you in receiving you with loue after so many infidelities and offences sometimes hearken to what he says in the bottom of your heart Grow you weary of offending me since you see I do not grow weary of doing what good I can for you Sacrifice to me that vanity that curiosity that humour that sudden motion of anger which has so many years stood in competition with me for the possession of your heart for which â— have sacrificed the very last drop of my blood After your Examen say five Paters and Aves in pennance for your faults When you go to bed think a little on death which may perhaps surprise you that very night XII The spirit of recollection which we ought to preserve during the whole day THe spirit of recollection is the fruit of a good prayer of a communion worthily received you will obtain this recollection by calling to mind the presence of God which you may do first by breathing forth every hour these or the like aspirations My God I am wholly yours O that I might die to my self to live to you die in your loue Secondly say in the beginning of every work or action I do all for you my God all in your presence all for your love ô how glad am I to please you in this action Thirdly entring into company say ô my good Angel guard my â— heart tongue to the end I may neither speak any thing against charity nor hear it with complacence or any other concurrence on my part Fourthly being in pain or trouble as also in aridity or dryness in prayer or at any time out of humour say ô my God be you my strength support let me take a satisfaction in that pleasure which you have that I should suffer for your sake I am confounded in your presence to see how miserable weak I am in the performance of what is good but at the same time I rejoyce at my being nothing since you are all I willingly accept am heartily contented with my weaknesses imbecillities which may serve to destroy all self-loue to establih your most holy pure loue in my heart Fifthly being ready to give way to any sudden anger or other passion cast your eyes on God who looks on you and preserves you from yeilding to the temptation and say let me rather die ô my God then satisfie my self in any thing that displeases you By the frequent use of these aspirations you will conserve your heart in devotion be always diposed for prayer you will easily hinder distractions of mind which at that time are wont to disturb you whatsoever you do will be as I may say full of God you will live with such an equality and stedfastness of mind as will render you superiour to all sallies of passion animate all your actions with interiour life spirit XIII The spirit of mortification for every day YOu shall practice this mortification first in your eyes depriving them of all curiosity and voluntary levity Secondly in your tongue forbearing all words of curiosity anger vanity impatience detraction Thirdly in your taste restraining and moderating its sensuality and the too great desire curiosity of your appetite aboue all by not eating without necessity between meals Fourthly in the sense of hearing avoiding to hearken after news or other unprofitable curiosities touching the life or manners of others such affairs as do not belong to you Fifthly in your body fasting or using some other mortification according to the advice with the permission of your directour Sixthly in your mind cutting off all unprofitable reflections upon your self or others but especially such as disquiet you or proceed from human respects Seventhly in your heart restraining its solicitude hasty eagerness in what it goes about the excessive ardour of its desires the disquiets anxieties that afflict it when it is discontented the vain satisfaction which it takes in any graces received from Almighty God it s too great tie or in ordinate affection to its devotions in fine whatsoever is sensible therein since your heart must die to all these things that it may live intirely to God wherefore by little little you must wholly destroy or at least moderate them Aboue all study to deny your own will by an exact fidelity a constancy in that rule or course of life which you have
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
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