for to give glory to thee and I have don nothing but dishonoured thee I have glorified my own name instead of glorifying of thine I have made known my own name instead of making known thine I beg thy pardon for it O God of Glory and Majesty and since I have not honored thee during my life I will honour thee in my Death I dy for thy glory and for to acknowledge the Immortality of thy Being by the destruction of mine I wish I were able to render you as much glory by my death as your beloved Son rendred you by his O why can I not make you to be beloved by all hearts make you be praised by all mouths O holy name of JESUS Thou art all my hopes Whosoever shall call upon thee shall be saved I invocate thee with love and with respect suffer me not then to be damned Thy Kingdom com My God! When will that time come When will you reign absolutely in my heart When shall I reign peaceably in yours Alas I have not made you reign upon Earth I have all my life long protested That I had no other King but Caesar I have given up my heart which is your Kingdom to the power of the Devil I have made all your enemies to reign therein But my God! Through your grace I acknowledge my fault and my perfidiousness I confess that I deserve death I accept of it with all my heart in satisfaction for my sins I hope that you will admit me into your Kingdom although I have driven you out of mine O my God! How happy are those who dwell in your house for they shall praise you for ever and ever Happy are those that serve you here on Earth for they shall reign with you in Heaven Comfort thy self O my Soul Behold the Kingdom of God is at hand Thou hast but one moment to suffer in and thou shalt have an Eternity to rejoyce in What ought not one to do for to gain a Crown What ought not one to suffer for to get Heaven Thy Will be don on Earth as it is in Heaven My God! I feel great pains My Body is overwhelm'd with Sufferings Death assaults me on all sides I cannot resist its Batteries It presents me my Chalice to drink which is very bitter Is there no means to remove it from my mouth Yet let thy Will be don and not mine My God! My Soul is in her Agony My Spirit is disturb'd at the approaches of Death She apprehends this passage and has difficulty to quit her Body She would fain stay a little longer here upon Earth for to redeem the time past and repair the losses she has been the cause of Must she drink this Chalice Can not she be dispens'd from it My God let your will be don and not mine Let me do it at my death since I have not don it in my life O my God! If it were in my power not to dy I would beg Death of you as a favour that I might sacrifice to you what I have dearest in this World thereby to imitate your Son thereby to acknowledge his love and for to drink in his Chalice O I will be consummated upon this bed of sorrow and upon the Altar of my Cross as a a Victim of your greatness as a Victim of your Justice as a Victim of your Love as a Victim of your Grace as a Victim of your Glory Give us this day our daily bread Happy is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God I thank you O charitable Father for all the corporal and spiritual goods that you have bestowed on me during this life and above all for the bread of Angels which I have so often eaten and with so little fruit O bread of life I am no more afraid of death since I have eaten thee in this my last sickness I will march on being fortified with this bread till I com to the Mount Oreb which is the clear sight of God O Eternal Truth You have promised and sworn That he who shall eat your Body and drink your Blood shall live eternally This is that which grounds my hopes This is that which disperses my fears Since we have been united together in this life I hope we shall not be divided asunder in the next O JESUS Give me my bread this day Strengthen me with your graces that I may compass the great journy of Eternity and that I may persever to the end Without this bread I shall faint and shall never be able to get to Heaven Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us Lord the number of my sins is infinit If you keep an account of our iniquities alas who will be able to subsist I expect my Salvation from your mere grace and not from your justice I can no more do pennance I am no longer in a condition to pray or to fast What shall I then do to appease your justice and to secure my Salvation You have promised to forgive him that forgives to shew mercy to him that shows it I do with all my heart forgive those who have offended me and I pray you to forgive them and not to lay to their charge the ill they have don me Alas they knew not what they did Forgive me my God as I forgive them Forget the evil that I have don to you as I forget that which they have don to me And lead us not into Temptation Now it is O my God that I stand in need of your protection and your assistance See how all my enemies surround me on all sides The roaring Lyon is com out of Hell for to devour me But if you are with me what need I fear Although I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death I shall apprehend nothing being in your company Although I were besieged by an Army encamped round about me my heart would not be astonished Although all the Devils of Hell were ready to enter into combat against me I would not tremble since you are with me and that you make me hope that I shall have your assistance Arise then O God of Hosts com quickly to my succour Send St. Michael with his Troops to relieve me You know my weakness there is none greater in the World Preserve me therefore O my God from Temptation at least suffer me not to yield unto Temptation But deliver us from evil From evil of body which I have very well deserved from the evil of the Soul which I am threatned with Deliver me from the greatest of all evils which is that of Eternity This is the only sole evil that I apprehend I accept of all the rest that you shall think fit to send me I am ready to go to Purgatory for to satisfie your Justice But O God of mercy I conjure you by the pretious blood of your Son and for the love that his holy Mother bore him send me not into Hell where
strong 2 Cor. 12. LXXXI MED Of Modesty A Man is known by his Countenance A Soul is known by her Body 'T is a Looking-glass which represents her And wherein she is painted to the life A light Body shews a light Soul A modest Body shews a modest Soul It does nothing but what it is made to do When the Body is out of order 'T is judg'd that the Soul is so too What figure must that Soul have Which gives so ill an one to her Body A quiet and modest Exteriour Is the mark of a perfect Soul Of a Soul that tends to Union Of a Soul that is without passion God is a tranquil Spirit He is never disturb'd He dwells only in Peace He composes and quiets all things by his presence He imprints his Modesty on that Soul That he gives life to And if he does not imprint it 'T is because the Soul does not obey him When I see a Modest Body I say O here is the House of God! Here is the Temple of our Lord All things are here in peace and in order 'T is the Modesty of this Soul That reflects upon her Body 'T is the Sanctity within That sheds it self without An affected Modesty cannot last long When the Soul is well composed The Body is modest at all times The gestures of an ill regulated Body Com from the irregularity of the Soul She is agitated with Passions She gives ear to Temptations She sinks under her pains She gives her self up to her desires He that has God within himself Goes not elsewhere to seek him The Iron is at rest When it touches its Load-stone A Soul which touches God Is peaceable and without motion O My God! How tranquil is thy Spirit O how agitated is mine How grave is yours How light is mine How Modest is yours How unruly is mine If you were Master of my Heart You would also be Master of my Body If I quit the Out-works The Devil will gain the place I will therefore regulate my exteriour That I may conserve for you the Empire of my heart A man is known by the sight and a wise man is known by the shew of his face The cloathing of the body and the laughing of the teeth and the gate of the man tell of him Eccl. 19. Let your Modesty be known unto all men Phil. 4. The man of the heart that is hidden in the incorruptibility of a quiet and a modest spirit which is rich in the sight of God 1 Pet. 3. I beseech you by the modesty and meekness of Christ 2 Cor. 10. Do you on like the Elect of God Humility Modesty Patience Col. 3. LXXXII MED Of Divine Inspirations GOD holds his peace after he has spoken He scorns after having been scorned He hides himself after that he has sought He withdraws after he has called He punishes after having long endured Inspiration is the Voice of God 'T is a Blast of his Spirit 'T is a Ray of his Wisdom 'T is an Impression of his Love 'T is the Seed of Eternity 'T is the Principle of Salvation 'T is the price of the Blood of Jesus 'T is a Grace that has cost him his life You stifle the voice of God When you stifle an Inspiration You imitate Herod Who put St. John to death You imitate Saul Who put the Priests to death You imitate the Jews Who put JESUS and the Prophets to death You resist the Holy Ghost You sin without ignorance You sin through obstinacy through malice You bury the Talents of God You abuse his Gifts You trample the Son of God under your feet You do an injury to his Spirit You profane his pretious Blood You detain Truth Captive You break off the thred of his Graces You put your Salvation in danger The Justice of God will break out upon you Your Talents will be taken from you The Kingdom of Grace will be translated elsewhere God will speak no more to you The Holy Ghost will breath no more on you The Word of God will touch you no more Your Conscience will no longer molest you Hope will no longer encourage you Charity will no longer warm you Fear will no longer retain you Remedies will no longer profit you You abuse extraordinary Graces You will have them no more O my God! I confess that I am a Prodigal Who have wasted all your goods That I am a Herod Who have put your Voice to death O I will make you wait no longer I will no longer resist your grace You have too long knock't at the door of my heart This very day I will let you in You would have me quit this sin I will quit it You would have me change my life I will change it You would have me renounce gaming I will renounce it You would have me speak to my Enemy I will speak to him You would have me frequent the Sacraments I will frequent them You would have me love you alone I will love you in Time and Eternity Amen Wo to thee that despisest shall not thy self also be despised Isai 33. I called and you refused I extended my hand and there was none that regarded Ye despised all my counsel and ye neglected my rebukes and I will laugh in your destruction Prov. 1. I go and you will seek me and you will dy in your Sin Jo. 8. Extinguish not the spirit Thess 5. This day if you hear his voice c. Ps 44. LXXXIII MED Of the Word of God GOD created the World by his Word And he will not save it but by his Word He redeem'd it by his Word Incarnate Nor will he save it but by his Word Incarnate The Holy Ghost is produc'd in the heart of God By his Interiour Word The Holy Ghost is not produc'd in the heart of Man But by the Exteriour Word You are not a Sheep of JESUS Christ's Unless you hearken to his voice Your heart will bring forth nothing but Thorns Unless it receive this Divine seed JESUS speaks by the mouth of the Preacher 'T is he that rings in his Tongue He is cloath'd with the sound of his Voice As he came forth-cloath'd with a body of Flesh The Word written in Books Is a Sacrament of Salvation The Letter is the Species JESUS is the Sence The Increated Word Unites it self to the Word created That he may enter into hearts sanctify them What an Impiety to despise this Sacrament What a Crime to trample on the Son of God Alas How often have I don it I let it fall down on the ground I stifle it in my heart I eat this heavenly bread And I do not profit by it I hear this Divine Word and I am not converted If it does not convert me it will pervert me If it does me no good it will do me hurt If it give not life to me it will be my death If it doth not save me it will damn me Blessed is the womb that bore thee c.
all your Spirit Obey them voluntarily Obey them blindly Imitate Jesus obedient even unto death Lose your life rather as he did Than lose your obedience Would God have Holocausts and Victims and not rather to be obeyed Better is Obedience than Victims 1 Kings 15. It is as it were the sin of enchantment to resist and as it were the wickedness of Idolatry to refuse to obey ibid. The obedient man shall speak Victories Prov. 21. He that resists power resists God's order Rom. 13. Obey your Prelates and be subject to them for they watch as being to render an account for your Souls that they may do it with joy and not mourning Heb. 13. LXXXVIII MED Of Religious Discipline IF Religion is a Building The Rules are the Foundation thereof If Religion is a Body The Rules are the Sinews thereof If Religion is a Fortress The Rules are the Walls thereof If Religion is a Holy Place The Rules are its Inclosure You are no Religious man If you do not keep your Rules If you keep them by halfs You are a Religious man by hafls Or rather you are not at all As it is not to be a true Christian Not to be a believer in all If you do not observe your Rules You will never be perfect Blood runs through the veins And Graces through the Rules Look how many of them you transgress So many Graces do you lose One cannot without danger of life Out the Conduit-pipes of life Without the Rules of Religion One cannot arrive to perfection Observe the Laws of Nature And you will be a perfect man Observe the Laws of Grace And you will be a perfect Christian Observe the Laws of your Order And you will be a perfect Religious man There is no Rule be it never so small Which has not Graces of Salvation Which has not all the authority of God Which has not the ty of his power Which has not the seal of his goodness Which has not the Character of his Sanctity If you do not observe your Rules Your Virtues are Illusions Your Devotions are irregular They are great steps out of the good way You draw off from perfection Instead of drawing near to it The Spirit of Singularity Is the beginning of Heresies 'T is the Plague of Religion 'T is the Enemy of Humility 'T is the ruin of Communities It s Devotion is Schismatical It s Separation is Heretical Its Sentiments are presumptuous Its Examples are scandalous He that is not in order Is ill treated by the Prince of order He that separates himself from the Community Loses the graces of the Community Unless you be a member of the body You will have no part in the life thereof The members are united by the Rules If you cut off the ligaments of graces You must be reckoned among the dead Unless you live in order You will never live in peace Your Rules are the Out-works Which cover and defend you If you quit these defences You run a hazard of being lost Without the grace of vocation One cannot live in Religion This grace is tyed to the Rules It runs through these Channels Whoever breaks this commerce Does draw on himself an infinity of evils That which you break is small But the damage thereof is considerable These light unfaithfulnesses Dispose you unto greater He that is not faithful in small matters Will not be faithful in great ones How will you do hard matters If you do not do easie things A breach be it never so little Breaks the Religious Inclosure This small irregularity will produce a greater It will breed great temptations It will give an entrance to the Devil This Rule say you is small It is therefore easie to be observ'd You do ill therefore in breaking it It has cost many a tear to him that made it A grace ought to be esteemd That cost him dear that made it One sparkle kindles a great fire A Fort is taken by a small breach A small cranny is enough to sink a Ship Every thing in the service of God is great His Will heightens all that it orders 'T is he that made these Rules 'T is he that intimates these Laws to you They all have his hand and seal They all mark his authority He conducts every Being to its end He pushes on all Creatures to their center The Inanimate by their weight The Rational by his Laws If you keep order it will keep you If you disturb it it will disturb you If you destroy it it will destroy you O Christian and Religious Soul Do not disturb the peace of your Sisters Do not undermine the foundations of your Order Do not ruin the prop of Religion Do not lose the grace of your Vocation Do not rend the Breasts of your Mother Do not afflict your Father's heart His Spirit is in his Rules You offend him when you break them You slight him when you neglect them You treat him as imprudent Since you reject his conduct You make him pass for a Tyrant Who commands you things impossible Did you com into Religion For to live without Order and without Religion The Laws do preserve States The Rules maintain Communities To break one through contempt Is a sin of consequence Can one transgress it often and freely Without slighting it Can one desire perfection not being willing To rid ones self of one imperfection O my God! How culpable am I In doing ill in the Land of the Saints I wear the Habit of a Religious man But I have not the spirit of one I dwell in a sacred place With a profane Heart and Spirit I am the Plague of my Order The reproach of my Religion The scandal of my Brothers A grief to my Mother 〈…〉 Founder 〈…〉 his Law A man without Disciplin A Religious man without Religion O good Shepherd run after me Bring back your strayed Sheep Make her re-enter into the Fold If the Wolf finds her alone He will devour her O I will henceforth follow you I will obey your Laws I will perform all my Duties I will henceforth live in order To have Rules and not to keep them Is to seem to be a Religious man And not to be one Keep the Law and Counsel and there shall be 〈◊〉 thy Soul Prov. 3. If you love me keep my Commandments Jo. 14. He that is faithful in a small matter will be faitâ—… a greater Luk. 16. He that slights small things will fall c. Eccl. 19. They afflicted the spirit of the holy one Is 63. Odious unto all as an Out-law and execrable as enemy to his country and citizens 2 Macch. 5. Great are thy judgments O Lord and unutterable a thy words For this undisciplined couls have gone astray Wisd 17. The End of the First Tome THE THIRD PART OF THE Principal Mysteries of the Life and Death of the Son of God and of his Holy Mother LXXXIX MED Of the Imitation of Jesus Christ JESUS has said this We must
hand He brings them back when they go astray He casts himself into the bryars For to draw out him that is lost He lays him on his shoulders He carries him back to the fold He testifies a joy at it And he does him no hurt Jesus is a good Shepherd He feeds his dear Sheep He leads them into fat Pastures He nourishes them with his Word He fats them with his Flesh He inebriates them with his Blood He fortifies them with his grace He quickens them with his spirit He enriches them with his merits What Shepherd feeds his sheep With his own Flesh and his own Blood as he does Jesus is a good Shepherd He gives his life for his sheep He does not feed upon their flesh Not cloath himself with their wool Not strip them to cloath himself He fasted for to feed them He labours only for them He defends them against the wolves He hinders them from coming near them He helps them to drive them off He lifts them up when they fall He carries them when they are feeble He comforts them when they are sad He cures them when they are sick He raises them to life when they are dead O Jesus How good a Shepherd are you But what bad sheep have you They stray away from your conduct They despise your Pastures They will not eat at your table They go every where to seek after wolves They howl and run after them They devour the sheep as they do O my Divine Shepherd For my part I will follow you every where I will never go astray from your ways I will go up to the Mountains with you I will go down into the Vales with you I will never complain of you I will be always contented with you I am a good Shepherd I know my sheep and my sheep know me John 10. He goes before them and the Sheep follow him ibid. And I am not troubled following thee my Pastor Jer. 17. Our Lord governs me nothing will be wanting to me he placed me in a place of pasture Psal 22. I have gon astray like a sheep that is lost seek after thy servant Psal 118. CXXII MED Of the Sheep of Jesus Christ THe Sheep loves his Shepherd He follows his Conduct every where He hears and owns his voice He is in assurance with him He is lost when he goes a stray He goes well when he follows him Jesus committed to Saint Peter The Conduct of his Flock His voice is heard in the Church Out of the Church it is not heard Virtues without Obedience Are large steps out of the way One goes astray instead of advancing Who advances without being directed A Sheep does not argue He goes whither he is led He never goes righter Than when he follows his Shepherd He leaves himself to his Conduct He fears nothing in his Company 'T is to be without judgment To trust to one's own judgment It is to have no guidance Not to be willing to be guided A Sheep does not murmur He does not fall into impatience Does not take offence at his Shepherd Does not complain of his conduct Suffers himself to be stript Goes quietly to his death Suffers his Throat to be cut Dies without saying any thing There is need of extreme patience For to indure impatient men They would have God to endure from them But they will endure nothing from God A Sheep hath no fangs He does not bite his Companions He is the mildest of all Creatures He has nothing of fierceness or wildness He hates singularity He maintains himself in unity He keeps Society Is pleased in the Community The Mark of the Sheep of Jesus Is Mildness and Charity Are you one of Jesus's his Sheep Do you love the Pastor of the Church Do you follow God's Conduct Do you leave your self to his Providence Do you obey your Superiours Do you renounce your own proper lights Do you complain of your losses Do not you murmur in your pains Do you love your Neighbour Do not you offend him in word Have you a compassion of him Are not you angry as he is Thou that rulest Israel attend who leadest on Joseph like a Sheep Psal 79. My foot has followed his footsteps Job 13. He shall be led like a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb before the shearer he shall be dumb and shall not open his mouth Isai 53. I was dumb and did not open my mouth because thou didst do it Psal 38. In this shall all know that you are my Disciples if you love one another Jo. 13. If you bite and eat each other see ye be not consumed by each other Gal. 5. CXXIII MED Of the Ascension of our Lord. WHither go you O divine Shepherd Is it thus that you forsake your Sheep Whither go you O charitable Father Is it thus that you forsake your Children Whither go you O glorious Captain Is it thus that you forsake your Souldiers What will poor Sheep do in the midst of Wolves What will poor Children do in the midst of the Streets What will Souldiers do in the midst of their Enemies Go my well beloved Quit this ungrateful Earth That has used you so ill An immortal body like yours Ought not to be in the region of death An incorruptible body like yours Ought not to be in a place of corruption An impassible body like yours Ought not to be in a place of affliction Go great Conquerour Ascend up to Heaven which you have gained Take possession of the Kingdom Which is yours from all Eternity Carry along with you your victorious Troops For to honour your Triumph Stop not till you have reach't the highest Heaven Go and sit upon the Throne of God It is just that you should rest After having laboured so much It is just that you should receive glory After having been so mightily humbled Go Ark of our Lord After having been beaten with the Waves Go and rest on the highest Mountains of Armenia Arise O Lord ascend to your place of rest You and the Ark of your Sanctification You have broken down the Gates of Hell Go now and open the Gates of Heaven Enter into the Palace of your glory Go and prepare us a place Go and present your self to your Father Go and shew him your Wounds Go and be our Mediatour Go and send us your Holy Spirit O Jesus Since you are gon to Heaven I find no more comfort here upon Earth My heart is where my treasure is My soul would fain quit her body For to go and enjoy your presence When shall I go out of this exile When shall I return to my dear Country O Jesus The hope of forlorn Souls The comfort of afflicted Souls You promised to draw all things to you When you were elevated from the Earth You are now above all the Heavens Perform now your promise Draw me out of this World Take me off from Creatures Draw me strongly For I cling close to the Earth
give credit to my word But he credited that of the Serpent A blind credulity ought to repair his curiosity Faith consecrates your Understanding It humbles pour Pride It raises your Knowledges It makes you subject to God You must believe that you may see Faith goes before glory And how can you have Faith If what you see be not hidden The Disciple I will again speak c. Doutless your Humanity For to be an object of our Faith Ought to be hid as well as your Divinity But why under the form of Bread Is this state sutable to you What honour is not due to you Who can honour you in this figure The Master My Wisdom would not be infinit Unless it were incomprehensible It would not be wonderful Unless it were unconceivable Wisdom avoids the open light It hides it self in darkness Goodness flies from obscurity And would produce it self into the light Wisdom hides it self Because it would be admired Goodness discovers it self Because it would be beloved A God under the form of a man Is a more astonishing change Than a man under the form of bread Than a body in form of aliment Did not they eat the Lamb the Manna The loaves of Proposition If the figures were eaten The Truth also ought to be eaten You stood in need of a Sacrament For the nourishment of your Souls As your life is divine You stood in need of a divine food As you have a Soul and Body So there was requisit my Soul and my Body Unless you eat my flesh you will not have life All men were to eat it There was therefore requisit an aliment That all men might make use of Men have different tasts But all men love bread I took this amiable figure That I might be eaten without horrour That I might enter into the bottom of your heart That I might communicate my Spirit to you For to purify your body For to asswage its concupiscence For to cure it of its maladies For to give it my purity And my virginal qualities Bread is an aliment Which shews the effects of the Sacrament I would have you all to be united together I would transform you into my self As I live for my Father So I would have you live for me The Disciple O divine Master How admirable is your Wisdom You are truly a hidden God O what Bread O what a Feast O what a Table O how am I obliged to you That you would remain with us That you would take this figure For to communicate your self to us I believe I will not see I am called a Believer and not a Rationalist What shall I do to acknowledge you Since you remain with me I will remain with you Since you humble your self for me I will humble my self for you Since you destroy your self for me I will destroy my self for you Since you will live in me I will also live in you CXXVII MED Of the Love of JESVS Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar THis Sacrament proceeds from Love This Sacrament contents Love This Sacrament produces Love The Son of God did institute it out of Love He ascended up to Heaven out of Justice But he remain'd on Earth out of Love Did men deserve this favour They made themselves unworthy of it Does there any advantage accrew to him by it He suffers therein a great contempt Love hath triumphed over God Love made him com down on Earth Love made him stay there Love keeps him as it were Prisoner there Love tends unto Unity 'T is the end of all its desires It finds in the Communion All its satisfaction There it is that Jesus unites himself to us There it is that we unite our selves to him That he transforms himself into us That we transform our selves into him That he becoms one self-same thing with us That we becom one self-same thing with him There is but one person made up Of the aliment and of him that takes it There is a distinction every where But there is none in the food This is that which contents Love This is that which makes it a Sacrament of Love Knowledge begets Love Presence nourishes Love Affection enkindles Love Benefits do draw Love The Soul here sees her well-beloved She enjoys his Presence She discovers his affection She is fill'd with his graces and favours The heart may resist hatred But it cannot resist Love She there finds her beloved She there finds her delights She there finds her Love Ah! whence coms it that I am all ice Whence coms it that I have so little love What Nature is my heart made of How can it defend it self Love encompasses it on all sides And yet it knows not what Love is Love shews it self to my eyes Love makes it self be heard to my ears Love makes it self be tasted by my mouth Love makes it self be felt by my heart Love calls me draws me warms me Fights me flatters me obliges me Does all things to win me And yet I know not what it is to love Whence coms this insensibility O it is because I love Creatures It is because I am not disengaged It is because my heart is divided It is because I am not mortified My Soul Wilt thou always be ungrateful Wilt thou never let thy heart be won Shall not a God who is always with thee A God who gives himself all to thee A God who annihilates himself for thee A God who stands not in need of thee Who is happy without thee Who has so much Love for thee Who bestows so many benefits on thee Win thy heart Cannot he deserve thy affection O I can no longer resist this Love No longer defend my self from its pursuits I will no longer withdraw through fear I will approach out of Love O I will mortify my self For I cannot live without loving I will communicate frequently For I cannot live without eating The children of Israel said to one another Manhu which signifies What is this for they were ignorant what it was To whom Moses said This is the bread which our Lord has given you to eat Exod. 16. This is the bread that came down from Heaven not as your Fathers did eat Manna and died He that eats this bread shall live for ever John 6. Who shall give us of his flesh that we may be filled Job 31. My flesh is truly meat John 6. When he had loved his who were in the World he loved them unto the end John 13. CXXVIII MED Of the Holy Communion Ye Daughters of Jerusalem Tell my well beloved That I expect her day and night And that I languish with love I quitted Heaven for to com down on Earth And for to gain her love I took the form of Bread To make my self be loved And eaten without horrour I made my self a food that I might unite My self strictly to this ungrateful Soul I would fain feed her I would enrich her With the treasure of my Graces Why does
she slight me Why does she fly me O ye Daughters c. I am Bread and not Poyson I would make her live and not make her dy It was for to be loved that I took this shape 'T was for to be eaten That I made my self Bread And not for to be admired It is to sanctify her Body That I give her my Flesh 'T is for to enliven her Soul That I give her my Spirit 'T is for to unite her to my Divinity That I give her my humanity As wise as I am I know not what more to give her As rich as I am I have no more to give her As powerful as I am I can give her no more Why then does she sly me Why does she fear me O ye Daughters c. I have been at infinit Charges For to prepare this Banquet I have spared nothing for to content her I give her my Body to be eaten I give my blood to be drunk I heap up my graces on her I enrich her with my Merits I fill her with my Virtues I invite all the World to my Feast The sick for to cure them The weak for to fortify them The blind for to give them sight The sad for to comfort them Sinners for to sanctify them What reason has she to apprehend I do not require the end of the Sacrament For a disposition necessary to this Sacrament O ye Daughters of Jerusalem Tell my well-beloved That I expect her day and night And that she makes me languish with Love Tell her that she will dy with hunger Unless she eats this Bread That she will have no grace Unless she eats at my Table That she will have no strength no life No health no comfort That she will be strongly tempted That she will sink under that temptation Unless she eat at my Table That if she excuses her self from coming She shall not tast of my Meats Neither in her life time nor at her death Neither in Heaven nor on Earth That I will give her place To the Blind and to the Lame That she contemns me Instead of honouring me That she afflicts me Instead of comforting me That she offends me Instead of contenting me O Bread of Angels Who cam'st down from Heaven Shall I dare make thee com down into my heart Can I receive thee knowing who I am Can I refuse thee knowing who thou art Can I approach thee knowing thy Sanctity Can I draw off without necessity O Divine Lover Who dost invite us to thy Wedding And who dost invite us so lovingly Give a Nuptial Robe to this Prodigal Penitent I do not deserve this honour I am unworthy of this favour But the sentiment of my humility Will supply the want of my sanctity You will have it so You desire it You order it You command it You threaten me with your anger If I fail to be present at it 'T is better to side with Love than Fear Obedience is surer than Diffidence I will therefore approach with Respect I will receive you with Confidence I will imbrace you with Love I will thank you with Tenderness I will eat you with Pleasure I will speak to you with Liberty I will serve you with Fidelity I will bless you in time and in Eternity Amen With desire have I desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suffer Luk. 22. He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him John 6. A certain man made a great Supper and called many and they all began to excuse themselves Luk. 14. I say to you that none of those men that were called shall tast my Supper Bring in hither the poor and weak and blind and lame force them to com in c. ibid. CXXIX MED In Form of Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ which may serve for a Thanksgiving after Communion SOul of JESUS sanctify me Blood of JESUS wash me Passion of JESUS strengthen me Wounds of JESUS heal me Heart of JESUS receive me Spirit of JESUS enliven me Goodness of JESUS pardon me Beauty of JESUS draw me Humility of JESUS humble me Mildness of JESUS gentle me Peace of JESUS pacifie me Love of JESUS inflame me Kingdom of JESUS com into me Grace of JESUS replenish me Mercy of JESUS have pity on me Sanctity of JESUS consecrate me Purity of JESUS purify me Cross of JESUS support me Nails of JESUS hold me fast Thorns of JESUS crown me Gall of JESUS inebriate me Mouth of JESUS bless me In my life and at my death In Time and Eternity Amen You must pause at every verse and relish that which shall touch your heart CXXX MED Of Devotion towards the B. Virgin FOr to be a Son of God's You must be the Son of Mary She is the Mother of all the just The Advocate of all sinners The Queen of all the Predestinate She brought them forth on Mount Calvary They were given to her at the foot of the Cross She hath given life to all men In giving life to God She hath co-operated to their Salvation In sacrificing him to his Father No man can go to the Father But by the Son Nor to the Son but by the Mother The Father refuses nothing to his Son Nor the Son to his Mother I shall not be saved But by the Merits of the Son Nor shall I be saved But by the intercession of the Mother The Son is our Mediatour with his Father The Mother is our Mediatrix with her Son JESVS is the Head of the Church Mary is the neck of the Church JESVS is the fountain of graces Mary is the bason of them JESVS is the Sun of the World Mary is the Moon thereof Nothing is produced in grace But by JESVS and by Mary The Moon receives the whole Sun And contributes to the generation of Beings Mary receives all from JESVS And contributes to the sanctification of Souls O holy Mother of God! I begin to breath Because my salvation depends on you Your Son is my Saviour But he is also my Judge His Goodness encourages me But his Justice affrightens me I am a Criminal I dare not appear before him But you my dear Mother You have nothing to frighten me You are a Mother of Grace and not of Justice You became a Mother Only for to give us a Saviour You would not have been the Mother of God If there had been no Sinners O I will be your child That I may be God's child O I will be your servant That I may be God's servant He saith to his Mother Woman behold your Son Then he saith to his Disciple Behold thy Mother And from that hour the Disciple received her for his John 19. Dwell in Jacob and have thy inheritance in Israel and take root in my Elect. Eccl. 24. He that shall find me shall find life and draw salvation from our Lord. Prov. 8. CXXXI MED Of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin MAry is happy In
great things How beautiful is God Since he hath created such beautiful things How good is God Since he hath created such good things What favours has God don to me From what danger has he preserved me From how many evils has he delivered me What great goods he promises me Who deserves my heart better than he Who offers me a greater price for to have it To whom shall I give it if not to him Who has given me his To whom shall I sell it if not to him Who has bought it at the price of his Blood Is a naughty heart worth the blood of a God Worth the life of a God Worth the heart of a God Worth the Kingdom of God I deserve not to live If I will live for any one but you I ought not to have a heart If I will love any thing else besides you O I have loved you too late Beauty always new always ancient O I have too soon offended you Bounty always amiable always adorable I acknowledge my darkness I abhor my ingratitudes I will always love you O God of goodness I will never offend you O God of majesty Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with all thy forces Luk. 10. In this did appear the charity of God because God sent his only begotten son into the World that we may live by him 1 John 4. Let us therefore love God because he loved us first ibid. I will love thee O Lord my strength our Lord is my establishment and my refuge and my deliverer my God and my helper c. Ps 17. CLI MED How God loves men and how men ought to love God LEt us love God because he loves us Let us love him as he hath loved us The Love of God is ancient He hath lov'd us from all Eternity We were always in his thought in his heart His Love is as ancient as his Being He no sooner was but he loved us And as he always was So he always loved us And he will still love us During all Eternity The Love of God is pure and disinterested He loves us without standing in need of us Without expecting any thing from us Without any desert on our side Without any obligation on his He loves us that he may be loved And to make us happy through his love The Love of God is tender 'T is a Love of sweetness 'T is the sweetness of Love 'T is the Love of a Father And Mother and Nurse The Love of God is strong It triumphs over all difficulties It does good to the ungrateful To Rebels to his Enemies The Love of God is infinit He loves us with the love that he loves himself He has bestowed infinit benefits on us He has suffered infinit evils for us He has given his blood which is of an infinit price He communicates to us his grace Which is an infinit treasure He prepares his glory for us Which is an infinit good The Love of God is universal It embraces all men There is no body that he does not love That he does not visit To whom he has not appointed an Angel Whom he does not help Whom he has not redeemed Whom he is not willing to save O incomparable Lover Where shall I find a friend So faithful and so ancient as you O my Soul Canst thou not love him Who has loved thee so much Canst thou refuse thy heart to him Who has given thee his Compare one with the other Measure the greatness of the one and the other O my God! my Love Was there ever Ingratitude comparable to mine You love me from the time that you were And I offend you from the time that I had a Being You love me from all Eternity And I will not love you now O I will henceforth love you As you have loved me I will love you constantly purely strongly Eternally universally In all places in all times in all states And in the accomplishment of all your wills I have loved thee in perpetual charity Jer. 31. The Father himself loveth you John 6. He will have all men to be saved and to com to the knowledge of truth 1 Tim. 2. He loved them to the end John 13. Is the death of the wicked man my Will saith the Lord God and not rather that he should be converted from his ways and live Ezek. 18. CLII. MED Of the Incomprehensibility of God ALL times together Cannot measure the Being of God All places together cannot inclose him All understandings whatsoever Cannot comprehend him All hearts together Cannot love him sufficiently God is nothing of what I see He is nothing of what I touch He is nothing of what I hear He is nothing of what I know He is nothing of what I imagin He is an invisible spiritual And incomprehensible Being O my God! How rich am I When I have nothing but you How enlightned am I When I see nothing but you How knowing am I When I know nothing but you How contented am I When I relish nothing but you I see all things when I see nothing I tast all things when I tast nothing I hear all things when I hear nothing I possess all things when I possess nothing I am all things when I am nothing I honour the Power of God By the Sacrifice of my power I honour the Greatness of God By the Sacrifice of my glory I honour the Goodness of God By the Sacrifice of my desires I honour the Incomprehensibility of God By the Sacrifice of my thoughts Empty your Memory from its Images And God will fill it with his Essence Empty your Heart of its Affections And God will fill it with his Goods Empty your Understanding of your Conceits And God will fill it with his Lights Great in counsel and incomprehensible in thought Jer. 32. To whom have you compared me and made me like unto Isai 46. My Soul hath refused to be comforted I was made full of God and was delighted Ps 76. All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee Ps 34. Rase it rase it unto the foundation thereof Ps 136. CLIII MED Of Simplicity BE simple in mind Be simple in heart That Spirit is simple That has but one thought That heart is simple that has but one desire Without these two Simplicities You will never arrive to Unity God is a pure Act. There is nothing more simple than his Being He cannot be multiplyed He cannot endure Duplicity He has from all Eternity But one thought and one love He says all in one word And this word is nothing but Truth If you would unite your self to God You must imitate this Simplicity To what purpose are so many thoughts To what end so many discourses Are not you convinc'd of the truth Why should you seek after what you have found Do what you know Tast what you see God is one great Word A great matter for Prayer Cast