may be blest and sanctifi'd by this my true desire and good intention of vnion vnto thyne and theirs and that my life be sacrificed in those sacred flames of diuine loue wherein they haue so happily ended theirs O immaculate Virgin Mother O thou beloued disciple of our Lord and thou o happy and repentant Magdalen yee who had that speciall honour to accompanie my Lord IESVS at his dolorous death and there to assist at the foot of the Crosse whilst therevpon he pay'd the deare ransome of our Redemption vouchsafe yee also to assist me by your powerfull intercession in that last passadge to my Eternity It would be also verie expedient this day to reade the Passion of IESVS-CHRIST and the 17. chapter of S. Iohn which contaynes the last words and the prayers of IESVS-CHRIST before he came to the Crosse as also to reade the prayers of the Church for an agonizing soule for they are verie pious and efficacious Nor doe we know whether at the day of our death we shall be able to make vse of anie such preparation let vs therefore so reade them now as we ought to reade them then and with the selfsame dispositions and affections as if in that last article of our death Lord Iesv for thy great mercy sake grant me this happy grace to consecrate the finall instant of my mortall life to the honour of that sanctifi'd moment wherein thou did'st expire vpon the Crosse and that my last breath may yeald fourth a feruent act of diuine and pure loue of thee which may perseuere with my soule eternally This is sweet Iesv my true harty desire and firme resolution confirme and so strengthen it I beseech thee in holy grace as that by finall perseuerance I may performe it to thy glory and my owne eternall felicity Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution Beseech him to pardon your negligence in prayer Pater Aue. Credo The seauenth Meditation Of our particular iudgment at the houre of death Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Reflect vpon that ioyfull sentence come yee blessed c. And vpon the excessiue horrour of that other Goe yee cursed c. and prepare your selfe in tyme by a good life to auoyde the same Considerations 1. We must consider our selues now as at the point of death and Iesvs-CHRIST as if appearing to vs in quality of our soueraigne Iudge come to pronounce our finall sentence to an eternall life or death without all further appeale Lett vs yeald to him in quality thereof all honour and homage laboring by true loue repentance to renderhim propitious tovs against that dreadfull houre that houre after which no moment more of tyme will euer be giuen vs that deciding houre which will determin vs to ioy or misery for all Eternity O lett vs therefore entertayne our most serious thoughts affections and resolutions herevpon whilst that both tyme and mercy is afforded for the same 2. Consider the immaculate lambe the Saint of Saints and essentiall sanctity it selfe IESVS-CHRIST infinitly farr frō all blemish of sinne yet layde prostrate in a bloody agonie before his heauenly Father in the garden soone after at Pilats feet there charged withall the sinnes of the world becomme the voluntary suerty and the accepted caution for all sinners whatsoeuer And therefore it was that the eternall Father did so seuerely exercise his diuine and rigid iustice vpon that sacred Humanity and made it to vndergoe the iudgment which was due to wicked Man permitting his most innocent and beloued sonne to be condemned to that reproachfull death vpon the Crosse Which iudgment he accepted with most perfect submission to his heauenly Father and ardent loue to Man In honour vnion and adoration whereof here prostrate your selfe as at the feet of IESVS-CHRIST and there acknowledge adore him as the soueraigne Iudge both of Men and Angells without appeale Raise vp your soule to true loue and gratitude by these ensueing Affections or the like Affections and Resolutions O Diuine IESV I honour thee in this thy particular comming to iudge me at the article of my death And I here adore what thy eternall decree shall there dispose of me Enlighten me I beseech thee that I may so discouer the enormity of my sinnes as I may behold them now in the self-same manner as they would appeare to me at the houre of my death to the end I may by true repentance and satisfaction make here my happy peace before I fall into the finall zeale of thy dreadfull iustice when all tyme will be past for anie fauour or mercy I therefore now detest from my very hart and renounce for euer all my finfull offences and at the sacred feet of thy diuine mercy I resolue most willingly to accept what punishment soeuer thy iustice shall ordayne me nor can I hope for anie other meanes whereby to expiate my grieuous sinne but meerely by thy mercy and merits of thy most precious blood O mercifull Redeemer who did'st for my sake permit thy selfe to be ledd bound and in all disgracefull manner to that prophane tribunall of Pilate and there with all malice and scorne to be presented and iudged before him thou being thy selfe the supreame and soueraigne iudge both of the liuing dead Grant I beseech thee that all those indignities suffered for the loue of man obtayning pardon for my sinnes may graciously preserue me from that vnhappy number who shall neither loue nor praise thee during their cursed Eternity And though most vnworthy I be of this blessed effect of thy great mercy yet behold ô God our Protectour and looke vpon the face of thy Christ Psal 83. thy diuine and only begotten Sonne ◠eternall Father being adiuged to that dolorous death for my offence may begg my pardon and therevpon is grounded all my hope and humble confidence O Mother of mercy and faithfull aduocate of all who craue thy powerfull intercession sacred Virgin and Mother of God O all yee blessed Angells and Saints of Paradise vouchsafe yee to intercede for me vnto the most glorious Trinity and offer vp I beseech yee your holy sufferings for his sake in part of satisfaction for my sinne pray yee for me that he dealenot with me according to the rigour of his iustice but rather answerably to the multitude of his infinit mercy to the end that I may loue and praise him with you all world without end Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution 3. Beseech him to pardon your negligences in prayer Pater Aue. Credo The eight Meditation Of the state of our death and buriall Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Conceiue now your soule and body separated The first to appeare
The petition O My soueraine Lord IESVS I wholy and entyrely remit my selfe body and soule with all the powers of them both to thy heauenly disposition yea I abandon and sacrifice them all to thy diuine pleasure as well for life as for death Grant I beseech thee that I may neuer haue anie other desire nor will but thy only good pleasure in all And that as thou hast vouchsafed to dye for the loue of me so I may both liue dye purely for the loue of thee and that liuing or dying I may neuer willfully offend thee anie more Amen What is meant by Kissing the Altar at Rogamus ac petimus c. The Declaration THe Priest saying those words kisseth the Altar thereby to signifie that he presumes not to demand anie thing for his owne deserts or merits but for the merits only of IESVS-CHRIST who as it said before is represented by the holy Altar Of the three ensueing Crosses made vpon the Host and chalice The Declaration THe three Crosses made at those words haec dona †haec munera †haec sancta sacrificia †The first signifies the sacrifices offered by the Patriarches and Prophets vnder the law of nature The 2. those offered by Aaron and the Priests vnder the written law And the 3. signifies those vnder the law of grace The signe of the Crosse is made at each one of theÌ„ to shew that they were all made acceptable to God only because they represented that wherein his most dearely beloued sonne our Sauiour suffer'd when he was crucified vpon mount Caluary from which only all Sacraments and sacrifices both now doe euer did and alwayes shall deriue all their force and value At the first Memento The Declaration IN this Memento we remember those liuing persons for whom we intend and are most obleiged to pray and to offer this holy sacrifice And as by it we vnite our selues in Charity to the liuing so by the same with due honour and reuerence we also vnite our selues with Gods chiefest Saints in Heauen the most blessed Virgin the Apostles the primitiue prelates and successors of S. Peter togeather with diuers others Gods chiefe fauorites now in eternall Blisse beseeching his diuine protection by their gratefull intercession and also testifying thereby in this great sacrament of Charity the Communion and inseparable coniunction between the Militant and Triumphant Church of God For which effect by a holy aspiration eleuate your hart to God and say The petition LOrd IESVS I here offer vp to thee thy beloued spouse the Cath. Church togeather with thy Elect from all Eternity by whose powerfull mediation I most huÌ„bly craue thy holy grace that liuing here in imitation of their vertues and in vnion with all the world by perfect Charity I may offer vp my selfe entirely to the glorious Trinity as a gratefull oblation in vnion honour and adoration of that most blessed sacrifice of my soueraine Lord and Sauiour IESVS-CHRIST vpon the Crosse Be mindefull good Lord I beseech thee to comfort the afflicted to reward my benefactors to forgiue all my enemies grant perseuerance to the iust repentance to all sinners true peace and charity amongst all Christians extirpate all schisme and heresie and that especially in our poore afflicted Kingdome where that contagious Peste of soules at present so greatly aboundes grant this deare Lord for thy most bitter Passion sake to the exaltation of thy holy Faith and increase of thy eternall glory Amen At hanc igitur c. when the Priest extendes his hands ouer the Host and chalice The Declaration THe Priest extends his hands ouer the Host and chalice to represent to vs the cursed Iewes sacrilogiously laying their hands vpon our Blessed Sauiour whem they tooke him in the garden and bound him with cordes by which they dragged him with all cruelty to seuerall Courtes And hauing scourged and crowned him with thornes they finally condemned him to a reproachfull death vpon the Crosse The Priest holds his hands ouer the Host and chalice to signifie that he ioynes himselfe to that offering and substitutes it in his place and ours since it is vnlawfull for him to sacrifice and destroy himselfe And herein he also imitates the custome of the old law where the Priestes euer extended their hands ouer the sacrifice before it was offered Prepare here your hart to true gratitude and compassion saying The petition O Mercy surpassing all other bounds except the infinit goodnesse of a God who to redeeme his disloyall and most rebelliously vngratefull seruant condemned to death his only begotten and most dearely beloued sonne I am the delinquent ô heauenly Father and must I be ransommed at no lesse a price then with that deare and precious blood of thy most innocent and beloued sonne my grieuous sinne hath iustly deserued eternall punishment from thy wrath and must this most innocent and vnspotted lambe be made a sacrifice to satisfie the rigour of thy iustice by so costly an expiation of my most execrable sinne ô infinit mercy o ineffable goodnesse and loue without all paralell vouchsafe that this precious ransome prooue not frustrate in me thy most vnworthy creature Amen At the fiue ensueing Crosses made ouer the Host and Chalice The Declaration THese Crosses made ouer the Host and Chalice represent to vs the preparation of the heauie Crosse by the wicked Ministers who layed it vpon the wearie and wounded shoulders of our blessed Redeemer to be borne by him to mount Caluary These Crosses are in number fiue to put vs in minde of the cruell torments which our louing Sauiour suffered in his â—â—ue senses and principally by his fiue most precious wounds as also to professe thereby that all the force and efficacy of our Sacraments and sacrifices are deriued from the Crosse and Passion of IESVS CHRIST For with the signe of the Crosse we consecrate the body of our Lord and whatsoeuer is consecrated in the name of CHRIST is consecrated with this signe saith S. Augustin serm 181. de temp Craue here true patience and conformity saying The petition O Louing and diuine Redeemer of my soule wert thou my God crucified for my sake and shall I refuse to beare my Crosse and follow thee o grant me grace to imitate thy blessed patience and conformity in gratefull acknowledgment of thy manie dolorous and reproachfull sufferings in paying so costly a ransome for my sinne Vouchsafe I beseech thee that I may ioyfully embrace all afflictions and Crosses either in body or minde which thy diuine and fatherly disposition from all Eternity hath ordained mee for my greater good Amen At the Consecration and Eleuation The Declaration THe Priest being now come to the principall action of this sacrifice to the end to follow the example of IESVS-CHRIST in what he both said and did at the institution thereof he first blesseth and consecrates the bread and wyne by the selfsame words which IESVS-CHRIST himselfe did vse Which done he eleuates in those consecrated
his Angells to spend tyme and cost in supplying this his naturall infirmity wherein he resembles only the brute and vnreasonable beastes and whereof the vaine delight is no longer enioyed then whilst the tongue is turning it in the mouth for the wyne is no sooner swallowed but it 's delight is past Ioel. 2. O how vnworthy then of a rationall and Christian soule is it to offend God for so base a content or to hazard her beatitude vpon so small an enioyment especially if we consider that verie meate be it neuer so dainty costly and pleasing to our tast is no sooner chewed and sent downe the throte but it becomes most loathsome and abominable to behold as experience will force vs to confesse when by anie infirmity we find our selues obliged to ease our stomakes of what we had eaten but immediately before These and the like reflexions made Iob and manie other vertuous people euen to sigh before their meales wherein notwithstanding meere sensuall men like verie beastes place so great content and pleasure that by sinfull excesse they of tentymes most grieuously offend and endanger the losse of their soules becomming also by surfeit and drunkennesse much worse then the brutest beastes and wholy incapable of the noblest functions of Man Now besides this great cuill of Intemperance by surfeiting and drunkennes considered in quality of sinne it is also a great enemie to the life of Man farr more dying by it as Salomon assureth then by the sword and whereas eating drinking is ordayned by God to preserue and prolonge our life sensuall persons abuse it to the contrary when they striue not to gouerne nor moderate their disordenate appetite nor to subdue it to the Rule of Reason And for this verie cause it is that rarely a gluâ—ton liues long or if some one chance so to doe yet his body will be made subiect to so manie infirmities as he will be forced to confesse that he payes deare interest for all the pleasure of his former excesse and gluttony S. Augustin may be an admirable example for vs in this vertue of temperance who tells vs that God had taught him so to moderate the takeing of his food and euen his affection therevnto as one takes phisick which is with that considerate moderation as he would not exceed the proportion conceiued necessary for his health But this must be done without all pensiue scrupulosity or vnpleasing sadnesse which according to the Royall Prophet is to be banish't from the table of the Iust where in the sight of God they must reioyce with alacrity Psal 67. All quarrels must there be lay'd aside and detracting discourse of the absent employing rather all our thoughts conuersation in prayse gratefull thankfulnesse to God who gives meate in due tyme opning his haÌ„d the fille euery creature with blessing Ps 144. In danger of excesse you may doe well to call to minde the bitter gall and vinagre giuen to our blessed Sauiour when he wanted refreshment by reason of his great thirst vpon the Crosse and to remember the great and vertuous abstinence of his chiefest Saints Raise firmely your hart to God and rectifie your intention in eating that thereby you may be the more able to serue him Say with a holy Eiaculation from the interiour of your hart O when shall I feed vpon the happy food of Angells in eternall Blisse vpon that beatificall vision in companie of his glorious Saints and Angells without end And by this meanes you may feed spiritually your soule as corporally you doe your body and your verie refection may be made thereby as pleasing to God as the saying your prayers Being now sett downe at the table with a sharp and hungry appetite make some little reflexion therevpon as considering with how small an appetite or desire you vsually feed your soule by prayer or by the practise of vertue which notwithstanding ought to be much more pleasing to vs then the daintiest feast Let the memory of Gods diuine Presence be a bridle to our vnruly appetite lett it also refraine vs from all vnfitting and detracting discourses for our corporall refection by this meanes may be made as profitable to the soule as it is necessary for the body it being taken by vs not for pleasure and delight but only as the remedy which naturall necessity requires at our hands Be not too curious singular or hard to be pleased in your dyet since it little imports whether the sensuall and greedy appetite be content or no. Moreouer what good signe can it be that we truly loue God and are willing to suffer for his sake if we cannot ouercome our selues sensuality in so small a matter as not to be able to endure some little vnpleasing morsell of meate which also being speedily to become so loathsome and foule an excrement what imports it saith S. Hierome of what matter it be made It was the saying of a holy Man to check thereby himselfe when be found his tast disgusted with some ill relishing meate how must they be content said he who would be glad of a hard and vnsauory crust of the coursest bread for all their cheere and thouart not content nor grateful to God for such variety of good and costly meate which by the sweate of other mens browes is so plentifully prepared for thy table Take occasion to confound your selfe thereat and command that some part of it may in satisfaction be reserued for the poore and sicke Call also to minde that it is your mortall Enemie which you pamper and therefore be verie wary that you make him not too strong for you by putting a dangerous weapon into his hand whereby he may worke your destruction He is now your slaue but will soone become your Maister if you pamper him too daintely Sathan hauing ouerthrown man and all his posterity by this temptation of gluttonie continues daily to assault vs with the self-same battery he knowing well that if he can get vs once but to place our affection vpon this excesse of sensuall Ryot he shall afterward verie easily diuert vs from all other chiefe occupations which most concerne the health of our soule Make good reflexion and ponder well at your meale especially if at a feast how manie pledges you haue there of Gods fatherly bounty goodnesse and great loue to you they being as manie as there be seuer all dishes of meate vpon the table and how manie harmelesse creatures haue lost their liues that you might feed vpon them O suffer not at such a tyme so gracious and louing a Lord to be offended either by scurrility detraction surfeits or by anie kinde of prophanenesse Call often to minde what will shortly become of that fraile flesh which is now so daintely fed when with Iob we shall say to corruption thou art my Father my mother and Sister to wormes Iob. 17. Finally to auoyde this dangerous excesse by moderating the vicious sensuality of our vnruly
the good resolutions and affections which he hath giuen you 2. Craue his grace to put them in execution 3. Implore the assistance of the Blessed Virgin and holy Saints Pater Aue. Credo The second Meditation About makeing our last will and Testament Preparation 1. Place your selfe in Gods diuine Presence 2. Beseech him to inspire you 3. Conceiue your souueraine Iudge as thus calling vpon you render an accompt of thy Baylifship Luke 16. Consideration A Will or Testament is only a protestation of iustice by which is giuen to euery one their due The body to the earth and wormes debts vnto creditours the inheritance to lawfull heires our almes to the poore and our soule vnto God to whom we being to render a most strict accompt for the vse of all the Talents which he hath lent vs to be employed for the increase of his glory as also for euery moment of our life and for each thought word and deed therein O what a folly and madnesse is it to differ this important reckning to the last day of our life when the paine of our sicknesse the feare of this accompt the weaknesse of our senses other powers and finally the great importunity of manie then ordinarily about priuate interests will hardly permit vs to doe anie thing as we ought either for the glory of God or for our owne soules good nor yet to our frends satisfaction but frequently with such confusion and so verie vnperfectly as we leaue thereby occasion for quarrels and verie much strife causing breach of charity amongst our nearest friends when we are dead and no small preiudice also to our soules To preuent all which great euills I conceiue it a good expedient that we in tyme of health make vse sometymes of this good Exercise that in rendring thereby familiar these holy Affections of a spirituall Testament we may be inspired also how to dispose a forehand in good tyme of our temporall trust according to true iustice and piety Affections and Resolutions DEare IESV who in thy last Testament gauest all entirely to me dying poore and naked vpon the Crosse for my Redemption without reseruing what might haue couered thy naked wounded body yea all and to the very last drop of thy most precious blood In humble gratitude whereof I here bequeath to thee my life my death my body my soule and all the powers and operations of them both And as the chiefest legacy which thou bequeathed'st to thy Apostles was that new Commandment of mutuall loue Iohn 11.34 In honour and homage of which I here humbly craue thy grace to fortifie me in that holy vertue of Charity whereby I most cordially embrace in vnion of that thy most louing Commandement all against whomsoeuer my corrupt nature may or euer hath conceiued anie auersion And as vpon the Crosse thou there did'st recōmend thy sacred Mother vnto thy beloued Apostle Iohn 19. in him vs all vnto her so I here Lord Iesv now recōmend most hūbly vnto thee all the necessities of thy deare Spouse our holy Mother the Cath. Church of all my dearest frends and greatest enemies to assist and protect them in all their necessities both of body and soule and to bring vs all finally to that eternall Blisse there to praise to loue to glorifie thee for euer This Lord IESV is my present will and Testament which I here willingly signe both with my heart and hand Vouchsafe thou to strengthen and confirme the same by putting to it the seale of thy heauenly grace that no sinfull malice may euer change this holy resolution Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections and Resolutions 2 Implore his grace to make good vse of them 3. Craue Pardon for your negligence in Prayer Pater Aue. Credo The third Meditation Of Confession and Satisfaction which we ought to make to God for our sinnes Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you 3. Conceiue your selfe as a guilty criminel before your iust and Soueraigne Iudge Considerations FIrst calling to mind Gods innumerable benefits and rendring him humble tankes for the same it is fitting in the next place to acknowledge our manie grieuous offences and crauing most humbly Gods diuine pardon to resolue vpon due satisfaction for them And to this end it is verie requisit to make a good Confession and that with more then ordinary diligence and with as careful preparation as if it were to be our last conceiuing our selues as if in the case of K. Ezechias when God sent the Prophet Esaie to warne him to prepare for death who presently therevpon be thought himselfe for the state of his Conscience and as one awakened at that message of death he said I will recompt to thee all my yeares in the bitternesse of my soule Isaie 38. Doe you now the like and prepare your selfe by true repentance for your offences past with a firme purpose to amend resoluing to make restitution if cause require it as also to depose all ill will and enmity to put away all imminent danger of mortall sinne And finally stirr vp your heart to true feruent deuotion by these enfuing affections and resolutions or the like Affections and Resolutions THou hast created me ô God to loue and serue thee who are most worthy of all seruice and loue My obligation to thee is infinit and yet how often and how greeuously haue I offended thee by thought word and deed by my corporall senses and by all the powers of my sinfull soule yea by the abuse of those verie creatures which thou so carefully hast ordayned for my vse Ah how enormous is my ingratitude and infidelity O my most deare Redeemer IESV I cast all these my detestable sinnes into that immense Ocean of mercy still flowing from thy most precious blood purify me thereby o Lord and confirme my present resolution rather to dye then by the like to offend thee any more O that my heart could melt into true sorrow griefe for my detestable sinne and into teares of blood to wash away my haynous crymes What cane I doe great God in reparation of so infinit a wrong but only to offer vnto thee that inexhaustable treasure of the sacred Passion of thy diuine Sonne IESVS which I here presentto the glorious Trinity in satisfaction and expiation of all my sinnes committed from the instant of my first vse of reason vntill this present tyme. In vnion of which deare ransome I here entyrely now giue my selfe to thee I accept and most willingly embrace all the paines both in body and soule which thou hast allotted me either for this world or the next Admit thereof sweet Lord I beseech thee and of this my present resolution The Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution 3. Begg humbly pardon for all negligence or irreuerence in your prayer Pater Aue. Credo The fourth Meditation Of
the holy Communion Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you 3. Endeauour by internall feruent Acts of Faith Hope Charity and of other vertues to prepare your nuptiall garment as an inuited guest to the solemne feast of the great King of Heauen and Earth Considerations THe holy Communion being a soueraigne meanes whereby we prepare our selues to a happy death it will be requisit to take one day in this Exercise to dispose our selues with all due preparation and deuotion to this holy action and that with as much care and diligence as if it were to be our last and at the dreadfull houre of death The manner of this important Exercise may be taken out of Granada his Memorial or from some other good treatise concerning the same And in particular endeauour to produce some feruent eiaculations from your heart of thanks-giuing and loue accompaniing them also with these ensuing acts or the like Acts of Oblation I Most humbly offer vnto thee deare IESV this holy Communion as if my last in thankes-giuing for all the effects of thy diuine loue and in particular for that thy great Charity in giuing thy life that I might liue eternally Secondly in satisfaction for the dishonour which hath been done by all the sinne committed from the beginning of the world which shall be till the end Thirdly I entirely resigne my selfe to thee my deare Redeemer in thankfull gratitude for hauing giuen thus thy selfe to me by this ineffable manner in the most blessed Sacrament I most humbly craue thy powerfull intercession ô immaculate Virgin mother and glorious Queene of Heauen Intercede also for me ô yee beloued Apostles of IESVS O happy Magdalen S. Mary of Egipt and all yee glorious Saints that I may pertake of your humility feruour and loue where with yee happily performed your last Communion of this celestiall food Vouchsafe good Lord that being vnited now to thee by grace I may neuer more be separated from thee by anie mortall sinne Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections 2. Craue grace to make good vse of them 3. Begg humbly pardon for all your negligence in Prayer Pater Aue. Credo The fifth Meditation Of the Sacrament of Extreme-Vnction Preparation First place your selfe in Gods diuine presence 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Conceiue your soule and body now vpon the point of separation and all worldly concernements at an end Consideration BEcause we are not certaine of being in capacity to apply our selues to God when this Sacrament shall be giuen vs therefore it is verie expedient here to designe one part of this exercise whereby to render him that duty which we should then be obleiged to doe And by this meanes to prepare also our selues aforehand to make good vse of this Sacrament by the practise of these following acts Affections and holy Acts of thankesgiuing and adoration O Louing IESV I adore thee as the Author and institutor of this holy Sacrament and as the liuing source of all the grace therein contayned and in all the other Sacraments which thou hast pourchased for vs by the effusion of thy owne most precious blood and thereby hast merited all the happy effects of grace receiued by vngratefull Man Grant me ô mercifull Lord the gracious fauour to receiue this needfull Sacrament at the end of my life or in case I be depriued thereof that my soule may then receiue by thy fauorable goodnesse the grace which it should haue had by this holy help of Extreame Vnction Lord IESV who a little before thy bitter death vouchsafed to receiue that gratefull vnction from holy Magdalen as also by Ioseph and Nicodemus when they lay'd thy sacred body in the Sepulcher grant that I receiuing this holy Sacrament and my last vnction in honour and vnion of those acceptable vnctions I may receiue the diuine vnction of the holy Ghost in that measure of heauenly grace as shall be needfull for my soule in the last dreadfull houre of my death Endue me deare Lord with all â—â—tt dispositions for the fruitfull receiuing of this Sacrament and worke in me I beseech thee those happy effects of grace there signifi'd by the exteriour ceremonies thereof Behold me prostrate at thy feet before all thy celestiall Cittizens huÌ„bly confessing the sinnes of my whole life and crauing pardon with a repentant heart wherewith I offer here to thee in sacrifice all my corporall senses togeather with the spirituall powers of my soule Annoint me sweet IESV with the holy and sacred oyle of thy diuine grace and mercy Accept in satisfaction I beseech thee that blessed vse which thy sacred humanity thy immaculate Mother and all thy other thrice happy Saints haue made of all their said senses and powers in stead of my ill vse of them and grant me thy grace hereafter to vse them to thy greater honour and glory Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your good Affections and Resolutions 2. Implore his grace to put them in practise 3. Craue pardon for your negligence in prayer Pater Aue. Credo The sixt Meditation Of our agonie and houre of death Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. Conceiue your selfe now speechlesse ready to expire and vpon the very point of separation from all worldly designes possessions and frends for euer immediately to appeare at Gods dreadfull Iudgment to giue a most exact accompt of all the thoughts words and deeds of your whole life And therevpon to receiue your finall doome to an endlesse Blisse or misery Considerations 1. COnsider how different are the thoughts of a dying MaÌ„ from those which he hath vsually in tyme of health and make a firme resolution to begin thence forward to doe that presently which certainly you shall then wish to haue done 2. Consider this day as if the last of your life and therefore labour to behaue your selfe with diligence and deuotion to negotiate therein your eternall saluation And for this effect you ought to apply all your thoughts and endeauours of this day to contemplate and adore IESVS-CHRIT as if in the last day of his life in this world and to doe all your actions therein with the like disposition and intention the best you can wherewith he accomplish't his last actions whilst he remayned here vpon Earth Beseech him to endue you with some proportion of the affections and dispositions required to dye in that spirit of diuine loue of Patience Charity Humility and Conformity wherewith he rendred vp his blessed soule into the hands of his heauenly Father vpon the Crosse Affections and Resolutions LOrd IESV I adore there in that verie article of thy bitter death and agonie in vnion whereof togeather with that holy agonie of thy deare Virgin Mother and of all thy blessed Saints I here offer to thee my last expiring breath most humbly beseeching thee that the article of my death
whatsoeuer whether by fasting prayer or any corporall austerity it being the infinit satisfaction of IESVS-CHRIST which is thereby applied to our souls And hence it is that Sathan our mortal enemy and all his wicked instruments so mainely oppose the holy Masse as greatly enuying the glory of God and our soules health which is reaped thereby Say daily our Ladis office and your beades according to the seuerall mysteries thereof and reade towards the euening the Saints life for the next day obseruing with good leasure what vertues you shal finde therein most necessary for your owne practise and make it the subiect of your next morning resolution to produce some good acts thereof as occasion may be offered and craue humbly that Saints intercession to God to obtaine you grace for imprinting so needfull a vertue into your soule There is yet one thing more which both for its piety and profit may well chalenge a prime place amongst our deuotions the Letanies I meane of that most sweet and adorable name of IESVS which you haue in the Key of paradise and other bookes Piety demands it in deuout acknowledgement of those diuine and glorious attributes of our Eternall King and louing Redeemer IESVS-CHRIST And profit may also perswade vs to it since diuine truth assures vs that whatso euer we shall aske in his name it will be granted vs. Iohn 14.13 yea to him all the Prophets giue testimonie that all receiue remission of sinnes by his name who beleeue in him Act. 10. nor is there vnder Heauen anie other name giuen to men wherein we must be saued Act. 4.12 So deare and gratefull was this blessed name to the beloued Apostle S. Iohn as it is to be found 200. tymes repeated in his Ghospel And so sweete was it to S. Paul as it is obserued by S. Iohn Chrisost to be repeated by him 200. tymes also in his Epistles yea and that after his head was strucke of at Rome for profession of the holy Faith of IESVS it pronounced three seuerall tymes that blessed name as if springing at each tyme with ioy and at each bound a cleare fountaine sprung also fourth which is to be seene at this day in memory of that his most happie martyrdome This sacred name was also found engrauen with goulden letters in the hart of that blessed Bishop and Martyr S. Ignatius in testimonie of his feruent loue and continuall thoughts there vpon which had so happily there imprinted it and therefore not without much cause the great Apostle hath charged vs. Coloss 3.17 that whatsoeuer we doe in word or in worke we doe all in the name of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST giuing thanks to God the Father by him whom we both praise and glorifie by all the blessed attributes of these holy Letanies raising thereby our harts both to loue and adore him in whose sacred merits we must place our whole trust and confidence as well for remission of sinne as for the saluation of our soules in eternall Blisse Now as for the other Letanies of the sacred Virgin Mother of God as also for that of the peculiar Saints of our Kingdome you haue them in your manuel and other bookes of deuotion where you may finde them And for the first I neede not recommende it vnto you for if King SalomoÌ„ entertayn'd his mother with so great expression of all yealding willingnesse to her petition saying my mother aske for it behooueth not that I turne my face Kings 2.20 How powerfull then may we well beleeue is the intercession of the most glorious Virgin Mother of God and Queene of Heauen with her deare sonne IESVS in the behalfe of her deuoted seruants The other Letanies of the peculiar Saints of England we may confideÌ„tly beleeue will also bevery efficacious seeing we cannot doubt but that the country which gaue them their birth to that happie temporall life wherein they wrought to themselues an eternall is so peculiarly verie deare vnto theÌ„ as they cease not to begg that blessing for it most to be desired of a happie conuersion to the only true sauing and holy Cath. Faith for which we must ioyne our most earnest petition with them for the increase of Gods glory and for the Saluation of those so dearely redeemed soules These three different Letanies may be ordered by your selfe for seuerall dayes according to your deuotion by placing them inorder amongst your other daily prayers Be not vnmindfull of gratitude and due deuotion to your most faithfull Angel Guardian craue his assistance in all your necessities and thankefuâ—ly acknowledge his continuall helpe and fauour Manifest with all confidence your necessities vnto him that he presenting them to God in your behalfe may obtayne diuine fauours for your ignorance good counsell in doubts needfull succour in your dangers comfort in your afflictions protection against all your ghostly enemies and particularly diuine assistance in the dreadfull houre of your death The practise of a daily partiâ—ular examen of Conscience THere remaines yet that I also recommend to you that most profitable Exercise for obtayning true Christian perfection by makeing daily your particular Examen of Conscience much after the method of your generall examen before bed with this onely difference that this is to be made of all your sinnes in generall and the other but in particular and concerning your performance of the good purpose you made in the morning either for rooting out some one determinate vice or for the practise of some particular vertue This speciall Examen of our fidelity concerning the performance of our mornings Resolution and subiect of this our particular Examen is ordinarly to be made immediately before dinner and supper and in the space of saying fiue Pater nosters at the most takeing for the subiect thereof and as a particular taske either the gaining some needfull vertue or the extirpation of some determinate vice most predominant in our soules and of most scandall to our neighbour purposing to make that day some peculiar Actes of that vertue or of opposing that vice as occasion shall be offerred and when we offende to make some interiour aspiration to God knocking our breast or making the signe of the Crosse vpon our hart in token of crauing pardon and that we disauow the sinne All which may be done euen whilst we are in companie with other people if conueniently we cannoâ— retyre yea although otherwise actually and by necessity employed yet we may retyre our selues into the best interiour Oratory of our soule and there eleuating our minde to God we may performe this holy Exercise both with much merit and profit as did holy S. Catherine of Sienna whilst her parents by corporall employments endeauoured to hinder her priuate retreate vnto spirituall prayer Our Examen thus briefly made of our fidelity or negligence in that our mornings good Resolution we must giue thankes to God for the one and begg pardon for the other as our conscience shall best dictate to vs crauing Gods
holy grace Amen At the Creede The Declaration AFter the Gospel followeth the Creede to put vs in minde of the multitude of Gentils who by preaching and miracles receiued the light of faith Here eleuate your hart with much feruour to God and offer him this humble request The petition ILluminate my soule o Lord with a true knowledge in the diuine Mysteries of our most holy Faith and giue me constant courage in the faithfull profession thereof yea to the cheerefull hazard of my life and of what else soeuer may be dearest to me for thy sake Vouchsafe also I beseech thee through the sacred meritts of thy beloued sonne IESVS a speedy reduction of our poore English Nation to a happy reconcilement with his only deare spouse the holy Catholike Church O lett not the meritts of his most precious blood be further frustrated in those soe dearely redeemed soules by this soule destroying sinne of vnhappie Schisme and Heresie At the second Dominus vobiscum The Declaration THis Dominus vobiscum immediately after the Creed or after the Gospel when the Creed is not said signifies the presence of our Lord Sauiour vpon Earth working stupēdious miracles to establish his holy Faith in the harts of his followers We must here craue that by the presēce of Gods heauenly grace our life may be answerable to his holy example and that we contradict not by our actions what we professe by the Christian maximes of our Faith The petition GRant me good Lord the continuall memory of thy diuine presence since it belongs onely to thee to reward or punish my thoughts my words and my deeds according to their due desert O let me be the subiect of thy diuine iustice in this world that I may enioy thee by eternall mercy in the other Amen At the offertory The Declaration THe offertory or oblation which is made of the Host vpon the paten and of the wyne in the chalice signifies the great promptitude and feruent affection proceeding from a deliberate will which our Sauiour had during his whole life to offer himselfe vnto God his Eternall Father to suffer his most bitter death and Passion for our Redemption Here now in all due gratitude we are bound in vnion of this most holy oblation to offer our selues to God most redily for his sake to suffer whatsoeuer his blessed will and prouidence shall ordayne for his honour and for the good of our ow ne soules yea death it selfe for his greater glory if occasion should soe require the same and to this effect say from a feruent hart The petition ACcept o heauenly Father this holy oblation of the body blood of thy only begotten sonne IESVS-CHRIST which together with all the powers both of my body and soule I here most humbly present to thy heauenly Maiesty in due gratefull acknowledgment of thy great mercy and for the expiation of all my grieuous sinnes Amen At the Lauatorie The Declaration THe Priest washeth only the ends of his fingers to signifie that in this diuine action he ought to be pure and free euen from veniall sinne for as concerning mortall had he been guilty it is to be supposed he has bene purged from that by precedent repentance nor is he worthy saith diuine S. Dennis to be present at these sacred Mysteries who voluntarily and with a deliberate purpose shall continue in the least veniall sinne The petition CLeanse blessed Lord IESVS by thy most precious blood my defiled soule O immaculate and most pure Virgin obtayne me grace by thy powerfull intercession soe rightly to detest all sinne as that by true repentance being entirely reconciled to thy blessed sonne I may the more fruitfully assist at this diuine sacrifice make more a pleasing oblation to his Eternall praise glory Amen At orate fratres c. and at the secret prayers The Declaration THe matter for the holy sacrifice now being prepared the Priest turnes to the people and desireth their prayers that it may become an acceptable oblation to God both for himselfe and them By the ensueing secret prayers we are put in minde how our most milde and patient Sauiour was constrayned by the malitious Iewes to retyre himselfe from his beloued Hierusalem to the valley of Ephraim where priuately he informed the Disciples of his approaching death and passion Here say with a compassionate hart The petition O What incomparable great griefe oppressed thy tender hart o my most louing and deare Redeemer IESVS to see thy selfe most iniuriously excluded from thy beloued Hierusalem by these vngratefull Iewes From whence by due reflexion vpon my selfe I haue iust cause to be confounded with exceeding shame considering how often I haue by my enormous sinnes constrayned thee to abandon thy desired habitation in my soule Blessed Iesu for thy tender merci's sake vouchsafe that I neuer more be separated from thee but that in life and death in tyme in all Eternity thou maist be the sole possessor of my whole hart soule Amen At the Preface The Declaration THe Preface or entrance into the sacred Canon of the Masse which is said with a loude voyce and ends with that high exclamation to Christs honour and praise of Hosanna in Excelsis signifieth the solemne entrance of our Blessed Sauiour vpon Palme-sunday into Hierusalem with that generall cry and applause of all the people Blessed is he who commeth in the name of our Lord Hosanna in the highest Here say with true feruent affection The petition LEtt shame and iust confusion ouerwhelme my soule considering with what ioy the Iewes receiued this our most louing Redeemer they hauing had neither Faith nor certaine knowledge that he was the true Messias of the law whereas I hauing both remaine yet voyde of all true feruent loue piety or deuotion towards this my soueraine Lord whom the Angels praise Dominations adore and whose heauenly glory the Powers Virtues and Seraphins magnifie with mutuall gladnesse with whome lett vs also now ioyne our prayers and prayses saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabbaoth the Heauens and Earth are full of thy glory blessed is he that commeth in the name of our Lord. Hosanna in the highest At the Canon of the Masse which beginnes at Te igitur c. The Declaration NOw followes the Canon of the Masse so called because it is a constant Rule and order which the Church obserueth in the celebration of this her highest sacrifice for it changeth not like other partes of the Masse which dayly differ according to the seuerall feastes and Mysteries which we celebrate but this being the principall part of the sacrifice is immutable as is the holy sacrifice it selfe and it puts vs in minde of the bloody agonie of our Blessed Sauiour in that prayer which he made in the garden sweating water and blood the night before his bitter passion forsaken of all his dearest friends but in most perfect conformity vnto his heauenly Fathers will In vnion and homage whereof say
species a holy sacrifice to God the Father and shewes it to the people to be adored putting vs in minde how our blessed Sauiour was lifted vp vpon the Crosse for our Redemption And by the eleuation of the Chalice is represented to vs the effusion of his most precious blood flowing from his sacred wounds vpon the Crosse The Eleuation of these two seuerall and separated species is a continuall memoriall of CHRISTS holy Passion and of that dolorous separation of his most sacred body and soule vpon Mount Caluary For all which we must offer vp to God the Father with firme Faith this great sacrifice and holy Passion of his onely begotten sonne in satisfaction for our owne finnes and for the sinnes of all others both liuing and dead it being after consecration one of the most essentiall partes of this diuine seruice and signifies that holy oblation wherein IESVS-CHRIST offred himselfe to his Eternall Father vpon the Altar of the Crosse in expiation of our sinnes Here salute the body of our Lord IESVS-CHRIST at the Eleuation of the holy Host saying The Petition HAile ô true body borne of the Virgin Mary which truly suffered and was really offered vpon the Crosse for man and from whose pearced side flowed water and blood Vouchsafe to be receiued by me at the houre of my death ô most mercifull IESV sonne of the liuing God haue mercy on me At the Eleuation of the Chalice The petition HAile o most precious blood flowing from the side of my Lord IESVS-CHRIST wash away the foule and sinfull staines of all my past and present offenses cleanse sanctifie and prepare my soule to thy eternall Blisse Amen Of the three Crosses made vpon the sacred Host immediately after the Eleuation THese Crosses made vpon the consecrated species immediately after the Eleuation represent to vs the manner in particular how that most sacred Host was immolated vpon the Crosse for our Redemption whereof we are put in minde by the frequent makeing of the holy Crosse At the second Memento The Declaration BY this second Memento we are aduertised that whilst the body of our B. Sauiour remayned in the graue his soule descended into Hell a place in the Earth called Lymbus Patrum to deliuer the soules of the Fathers who had long expected their happie enlargement from thence Forget not here your dearest freinds deceased And say The petition LOrd IESVS as thou vouchsafest to reioyce the long thirsting Fathers in Limbo by the diuine visit which thy most glorious soule made them there so now extend I beseech thee those infinit merits of thy most sacred Passion towards the solace also of those thy poore suffering creatures in Purgatory there crying for helpe but especially haue mercy I beseech thee vpon my dearest freinds kindred and benefactors and in particular vpon N. N. and vpon all those for whom I haue most obligation to pray transferre them speedily from those tormenting flames to thy celestiall Beatitude there to enioy loue and praise thee for all Eternity Amen At nobis quoque Peccatoribus The Declaration THe Priest somewhat raising his voyce and knocking his breast at nobis quoque peccatoribus represents to vs the repentance of these Iewes who had been accessary to the cruell death of the sonne of God together with the good Centurion who at this dolorous Passion perceiuing so many great and wonderous signes of his diuinity mooued with sorrow admiration he strucke his breast and verie boldly cryed out before all those enraged enemies truly this was the sonne of God Math. 27. Dispose now your hart to Contrition and to true compassion saying The petition O Stony and most obdurate hart so little sensible of those sharpe sufferings of my Lord Sauiour for my most wicked sinne O touch it Lord IESV with true remorse that in the sense and fealing of thy loue on the one side and of the horrour and detestation of my offending thee on the other I may in the humble spirit of that repentant Publican and from the bottome of my hart cry out to thee Lord be mercifull to me a most wretched sinner Luke 18. I haue sinned Lord and I detest my sinne as the vnhappie cause of all thy dolorous and most grieuous sufferings but thou ô IESV the sonne of Dauid haue mercy on me Amen Marke 10. The reason why the Priest makes here againe three Crosses ouer the Host and Chalice when he saith cum ipso †in ipso †per ipsum †The Declaration IT is to signifie that this sacrifice is auaileable for three seuerall sorts of persons for those in Heauen to an increase of their glory for those in Purgatory to releeue their sufferings and for those vpon Earth for an encrease of grace and remission of their sinnes At omnis honor gloria The Declaration THe Priest eleuating the Holy Host chalice together a little from the Altar at Omnis honor gloria and then immediately deposing them againe vpon the corporall and couering the chalice with the Pall represents to vs the takeing of our blessed Sauiours body from the Crosse which being most reuerently wrapped in a pure cleane linnen sheete signified by the corporall was placed in the sepulcher by those deuout persons Ioseph and Nicodemus Here crauing true purity both of hart and soule say with pious affection The petition GRant me deare IESV I beseech thee in all my thoughts and deeds true purity of hart from all sinfull affection whereby my soule may become a pleasing sepulcher to receiue thy precious body blood together with thy heauenly grace to strengten in me the vertue of true humility whereby to mortifie what euer may be displeasing to thy heauenly Maiesty Amen At the little Preface before the Pater noster The Declaration BY this short Preface the Priest in true Humility of hart acknowledges his owne great vnworthines that he would not pre sume to call God his Father were he not expresly commanded by IESVS-CHRIST in this his owne Prayer of the Pater noster which he here saith at the holy sacrifice of the Masse to put vs in minde of those deuout and feruent prayers which the blessed Virgin the Apostles and the holy wo men made during the tyme that our soueraine Redeemer remayned in the sepulcher Here we must vnite our prayers together with those of the a fore-named Saints and with the whole militant Church saying The petition LOrd grant me grace I beseech thee that I may rise from the loathsome sepulcher of my former ill custome of sinne to a new vertuous life whereby I may be led to the happie fruition of thy beatificall vision there to adore and praise thee togeather with thy heauenly Father in vnion of the Holy Ghost and with the blessed companie of all thy celestiall spirits in Eternall Beatitude Amen What is meant by the Priests deuiding the Consecrated Host The Declaration THe Priest deuides the holy Host to signifie the separation of the
blessed soule of our Sauiour from his sacred body at his death He deuides it into three seuerall parts which signifie the three seuerall states of the Church The first represents to vs the state of the present life which he layes downe vpon the Altar The second signifies Purgatory which he retaynes in his hand From this he breakes a third little part which he puts into the chalice to repre sent to vs the Church triumphant absorpt in the sacred Diuinity as also the reunion of his blessed soule with his body againe after his glorious Resurrection Here make this or some like seruent prayer The petition PErmit not deare Lord and my sweet Sauiour IESVS that cursed sinne may euer separate me from thee but that by true repentance finall perseuerance in thy holy grace I may be vnited to thee in glory for all Eternity Amen What is meant by the three Crosses which are made with the particle of the consecrated Host The Declaration THe three Crosses made with the little part of the holy Host ouer the chalice signifie the three-fould peace which by the grace of CHRISTS sacred Passion is pourchased for all such as by faith and good life triumph ouer their three mortall enemies the world the flesh and the Diuell Craue humbly for his bitter Passions sake that this may be accomplisht in you and for that end with a feruent aspiration say The petition GRant Lord that I may find the testimonie of this most happie triple peace in my soule by the helpe of thy three diuine vertues Faith Hope and Charity accompanied with true Christian Penance and Humility Amen At pax Domini c. The Declaration AT Pax Domini c. which immediately followes we must contemplate our blessed Sauiour now risen againe from death both immortall and glorious as also his appearance to the Blessed Virgin to S. Marie Magdalen and to his Apostles saying Pax vobis Luke 24. Here we must craue true charity and peace for our soules which is the most gratefull disposition and best preparation to receiue worthily the fruits of this most holy Sacrament And therefore in the spirit of diuine loue and true gratitude say The petition O Most milde and meeke IESV in vnion honour and adoration of that infinit loue which induced thee to shed thy most precious blood for thy greatest enemies and to begg pardon for those who were the cruell executioners of thy most bitter death I freely pardon from my hart and most humbly beseech thee also to forgiue whosoeuer haue anie wayes wronged me most humbly also crauing to be pardoned by all such as I may haue anie way offended being ready and truly willing to giue all iust and reasonable satisfaction to them and this purely for thy sweet sake my deare Lord and most mercifull Redeemer At the Agnus Dei c. The Declaration THe Agnus Dei thrice repeated puts vs in minde how our blessed Sauiour that immaculate lambe of God reconciled vs to his Eternall Father and to the holy Trinity by his most sacred death pourchasing thereby for vs the meanes to make our happy peace with him for all our offenses past present to come Which blessed peace the Priest communicates to the people he hauing first by a particular prayer craued it and by kissing the Altar receiued it of IESVS-CHRIST whom the Altar represents and then giues it to the Clerke to be communicated to all the rest to recommend thereby true charity peace and concorde to all Christian people as being the Disciples of IESVS-CHRIST and true members of the self-same mysticall body whereof he is the diuine and supreame head Here stirr vp true detestation of sinne and a firme purpose to auoyde it saying The petition O Lambe of God which takest away the sinnes of the world vouchsafe I beseech thee that no wicked sinne may euer breake the happie peace betwixt my soule and thee nor hinder the fruit of thy grace which I may hope to receiue by the neare approaching and most holy communion of thy true precious body and blood that sacred feast wherein CHRIST is receiued the memory of his Passion is renewed the soule is replenished with grace a pledge is giuen vs of future glory which we expect to enioy as sheepe of the fould of this holy lambe in vnion with all his blessed saints and glorious Angels in all Eternitie Amen At Domine non sum dignus and the Communion The Declaration THe Priest thus prepared receiueth the holy Communion auowing his great vnworthinesse and in token of a contrite hart knocking his breast thrice he saith as often with the humble Centurion Domine non sum dignus c. Math. 8. And then with all reuerence he receiues this diuine refection and consummates the sacrifice representing to vs thereby the death and Passion of IESVS-CHRIST For as often as you shall eate this bread and drinke this chalice you shall shew the death of our Lord vntill he come Cor. 1.11.26 Here a great subiect is giuen vs of perpetuall gratitude seing that although our blessed Sauiour be ascended into Heauen with triumph and glory he yet remaynes with vs in this holy Sacrament powring downe vpon vs all spirituall temporall benedictions For which dispose your hart to breath fourth feruent eiaculations of loue and gratitude saying The petition O IESV my most louing Redeemer fountaine of all graces both temporall and eternall communicated to vngratefull man thy fauors to me my deare Sauiour haue been farr beyond all measure I therefore o Lord being so farr vnable to render thee due gratitude inuite all thy creatures both in Heauen and Earth with thy Eternall Father and Holy Ghost thy most sacred Virgin Mother and all the Saints and Angells to praise thee with mee and for mee in all Eternity O let my body and soule and all the powers of them both haue no other employment for euer then to praise admire and loue thee O Eternall Father of IESVS o holy spirit of IESVS o immaculate mother of IESVS o glorious Angels of IESVS o blessed Saints of IESVS o all yee creatures of IESVS blesse and thanke IESVS eternally for me and all the innumerable benefitts which I a most vngratefull sinner haue receiued from the Father and from the Sonne and from the Holy Ghost three Persons and one Eternall God to whom be all praise glory and thankesgiuing both now and for euer Amen At remoouing againe the booke to the other side of the Altar The Declaration BY this remoouing againe the booke to the other side of the Altar we are put in minde of the conuersion of the Iewes in the end of the world when both Iew and Gentil shall make but one true folde vnder one and the same Pastor IESVS-CHRIST for the encreace of whose glory say The petition WE most humbly beseech thee ô heanenly Father by the merits of thy blessed Sonne IESVS to powre downe thy heauenly grace vpon the rebellious harts of all sinners
a Frend extolls and highly prayseth vs our Enemie much more for our good doth abase and decryes vs downe least we should grow proud and insolent Yea when prosperity extolls and makes vs vaine and by flattering applause puffs vp our soule with dangerous pride our Enemie will keepe vs downe by persecution and administers to vs thereby the souueraign'st antidote to preserue vs from that contagious sinne If Enemies were not necessary for our good God would not permit them but they are exceeding profitable to the good for their exercise of holy Patience and of other vertues for if the Church had not had Tyrants Heauen would not haue had those glorious Martyrs and were there no Enemies we should not see so manie good and holy men yea dayly experience doth plainly manifest the great good which is reaped by Enemies for auoyding of whose murmurations and detractions we are made much more wary and diligent in all our beheaueour and actions yea we must regarde them as the Ministers of Almighty God and as true promotours of our saluation therefore they well deserue our loue aswell as great compassion also considering what great harme they frequently doe themselues by profiting vs. And such as find so great a difficulty to loue an Enemie may well conceiue it a much more harder thing to endure the eternall flames of Hell for compelled we are to choose one of the two the beloued Apostle assuring vs that who loueth not is guilty of death Iohn 3. He meanes of that death which is eternall but now vndoubtedly he chooseth verie ill who will rather be damned for euer then loue his Enemie whom vnder paine of eternall punishment he is commanded to loue and that not in word nor in tongue but really indeed and treuth saith the same Apostle Epis 1.3 For true Charity is a burning fire actiue and appearing in all necessary seruices towards our neighbour doing good for euill with a cordiall and gracious affability for the loue of God for what measure we shall vse to our neighbour herein the selfe-same will God vse vnto vs. Math. 7. And therefore who will not pardon their Enemies such by saying their Pater noster and praying God to forgiue them as they forgiue those who haue offēded them they doe not pray but rather demāde a most heauy curse malediction vpon thēselues for they expresly in true effect demand that God should not forgiue them like as they forgiue not those who haue offended them Doe you therefore your selfe that first to your neighbour which you desire that God should doe for you for foe shall my heauenly Father doe to you if you forgiue not euerie one his brother from your hartes saith IESVS-CHRIST Math. 18. And it is also most euident that all iniuries whatsoeuer which can be done them by others are exceeding small in comparison of that great hurt which they doe to themselues in killing their owne soule by that wicked sinne of hatred and reuenge whereby they become like vnto him who to teare his enemies garment he pierceth his owne body with a mortall wound for the wrong from an Enemie concernes but the body only or our goods or good name but hatred and vnlawfull reuenge is that which killeth the soule by depriuing it of the grace of God and moreouer it obleiges vs yet further to aske pardon to confesse to doe pennance for it and finally to reconcile our selues with whom we were angry in all which there is farr more difficulty then had been at the first in suppressing our anger by casting it speedily from our thoughts as we doe spareles of fire which fall vpon our cloathes or by an act of humble patience conseruing thereby our selues in true charity and quiet peace How Patience may be practised in the occasion of contempt and disesteeme the last parte of this Exercise of holy Patience I Must not omit to set you downe here one fierce encounter more for Patience against contempt and disdaine wherein this vertue is frequently as hard put to it for getting off victorious from that dangerous conflict as from anie other whatsoeuer for here we are to fight against our selues the hardest combate of all the rest and for which we are chiefly strengthned by the helpe of true Humility which in all occasions of contempt doth serue vs as a soueraigne Antidote against the swelling anger that inflames the hart by pride and is abased by pondering First the miseries of man and little ground he hath for his owne esteeme which had it all the aduantage that either noblenesse of birth or anie worth of Auncesters can giue yet neuer could the greatest Monarch driue vp his Pedegree beyond these three descents of being the sonne of a Man the Grand-child of Earth the great grand-child of nothing which is the lowest point of anie created extraction Yea such is the great misery of Man saith a holy Father as but to thinke of his beginning may well confound him to consider his present state may giue him iust cause to lament to remember his finall end may iustly make him to tremble with horrid feare I will second the former motiue for Humility with this one reflexion more whereby to strengthen Patience against this strong encounter of contempt to which though Pride hath naturally exceeding reluctance yet if we well behold our selues but in the glasse of humaine miserie it will be able to compell vs euen to contemne yea and to confesse that no contempt is able to exceed what the basenesse of our extraction may deserue whose conception is but loathsome impurity our present state but a sacke of filth and our pampered carcase what is it but prepared food for the crawling wormes 3. Our verie entrance into this world doth well prognosticate all our future successe therein who no sooner borne but also bound both hand and foot and tossed too and fro in a cradle presaging well thereby the seruitude and restlesse disquiet of the succeeding life of Man wherein his childhood passeth in folly in feare of correction and in ignorance his youth is rash passionate and voluptuous his manhood is subiect to be charged with the care of a wife children and familie from whence proceeds solicitude and affliction and lastly commeth creeping ould age stealing suddainly vpon vs whereby we receiue manie incurable wounds by decay of our senses chief powers of our soule our strenght falling vs our hands beginn to tremble our spiritts grow faint our stomakes corrupt our leggs become gowty our teeth dropp away and thus we are perplexed all the dayes of our life with griefe care and calamity and yet our death must also end in paine and exceeding horrour All which now being well considered and due reflection made vpon our great abiection and infinitt humaine miseries which wayes can we cast our eyes whereon to ground our selfe esteeme or pride Yea much rather haue we not great cause to iudge that no contempt can be so
great as we deserue and yet our happinesse in this surpasseth farr all other mortall creatures that by enduring with vertuous Patience this small tēporall contempt we may auoyde the eternall paines which our sinnes haue most iustly deserued and at the selfesame instant also that we endure here this small wordly despise God and his Angells will honour and esteeme vs in Heauen for the same Despise therefore with a true generous courage all momentary vaine glory the deceiptfull esteeme of men seeing that by your vertuous renouncing them you gaine that only true honour and glory in the sight of God which only is right worthy of esteeme But to be yet further encouraged and with a more powerfull motiue to be patient in the greatest contempt you may please but to cast the eyes of your consideration vpon the whole life of our glorious Redeemer IESVS-CHRIST and there you shall finde that from his birth in the manger vntill his death vpon the reproachfull Crosse he was in a continuall state of abiection there suffering contempt and disdaine Yea ioy being proposed vnto him he sustayned the Crosse contemning confusion Heb. 12 and the kingly Prophet tells vs that he was a reproach of Men and the verie outcast of the people ps 21. he was dispised and the most abiect of men saith Esa 55. Yea so farr he permitted himselfe to be contemned and vilif'd by his vngratefull creatures that a most facinerous Barabbas should be preferred before him and be esteemed much more worthy to liue then he Mark 15. But you will say notwithstanding that contempt and scorne are pills of a verie rough operation I cannot deny it yet as their effect is exceeding profitable so also their operation may be made both verie gentle and easie by mixing them with a serious ponderation of the great folly in all wordly esteeme and of the vaine praise and opinion of Men calling but to minde how soone both he that prayseth and who is praysed and most flattered by him as likewise who dispraiseth who is dispraised and dispised shall be equally reduced to contēptible dust and how soone they are all to be presented before that dreadfull Throne of God where sinfull malice shall be struck starke dumbe for euer whilst happie Patiēce will be honoured and rewarded for all Eternity All which but well considered would free vs from the vsuall great repugnance which we haue to swallow downe the mentioned pills of scorne or iniury yea it would enable vs verie much to suppresse our vnruly nature and not to looke with an angry eye nor to vse any exasperating words to them who haue dispised vs but to shew much rather all courteous ciuility and in true Charity to pray for them I haue now here proposed to you the practise of such vertues as I conceiued most necessary for a vertuous soule aspiring to perfection I know one may expect I should haue spoke of manie more Yet these contayning the actiue parte of that Christian duty to which we are most obleiged I conceiue it sufficient to comply with my designe of a practicall Rule and leauing the more speculatiue vertues to be perused in longer treatises I will now proceede with the shortest methode I can to THE SECOND PARTE Of this Fifth Rule contayning pious practises for seuerall occasions in the day THE malice of our Ghostly Enemie is so great to preuent vs of the happy end of our beatitude as he setts his trapps in all occasions to draw vs into sinne and therefore to be the better able to auoyde the danger of his temptations of our owne great frailty in the most obuious occasions which occur it will be needfull to gaine by much practise the good habits of pious eiaculations and eleuations of our hart vnto God And because there is no moment of the day wherein we stand not in need of diuine helpe so we ought by this frequent meanes to dart vp our harts with much feruour sometymes to praise his goodnesse then to admire his greatnesse after that to demaund humble pardon for our sinnes or grace to subdue our temptations and to leade a more vertuous life saying with a feruent zeale in occasion of some vaine glory O Maiesty most sublime who wast so lowly humbled for my sake vouchsafe me true Humility of hart and rightly to know my selfe At the beginning of anie principall action direct briefly your intention and hart vnto God saying within your selfe It is for thy loue and honour my deare Lord that I doe this grant me thy grace that I offend the not thereby So soone as you perceiue your selfe assaulted with anie dangerous temptation or in occasion of sinne make the signe of the holy Crosse vpon your hart in token that you humbly craue Gods helpe and that you disauow the sinne or say Lord I suffer violence answer for me Isa 38. Or the like calling earnestly to God for helpe In occasion of impatience O most patient IESV when shall I by thy holy example reioyce in suffering iniuries and contempt for thee In temptation to couetousnesse O treasure Eternall when shall I imitate thy holy pouerty In temptation to Reuenge O most mild IESV who so meekely forgiuest all thy Enemies when shall I by thy diuine Example forgiue the small iniuries which are done against me and rendring good for euill shall pray for my persecutours To demand Charity and other needfull vertues O grant me grace Lord IESV to make me feruent in thy loue patient in aduersity constant in well doing deuout in thy seruice and to be in all things conformable vnto thy most holy will At your going out of dores first purifiing your intention as formerly and keeping Gods diuine presence before your eyes and eleuating your hart vnto him say Shew me o Lord thy wayes and direct me in thy pathe guide my steppes according to thy word to the end that noiniustice may rule ouer me Make perfect my goings in thy path Psal 118. These and such like holy aspirations darted feruourously from a deuout and louing hart doe make our actions verie gratefull vnto God and doe briefly eleuate our hart and minde to him as meditation doth it at large When we are importunely interrupted at our prayers or in anie other good action HIs deuotion or good action is neuer hindred who regards but Gods diuine order and Prouidence which disposeth of all for our greatest good therefore as we ought patiently to suffer interiour distractious so also we must endure the exteriour we may not put our selues in occasion of such distractions but if they happen we must then receiue them as ordayned by God with all quiet Humility and then although it chance that they shall interrupt vs yet Gods order and diuine disposition is not interrupted thereby in vs but much rather is fulfilled therein if we be but faithfull and patient This is the richest and greatest secret of a spirituall life and the truest Paradise vpon Earth for
would frustrate all our former paines And therefore to preuent the danger of so great an euill the best expedient which I can recommende to you is a carefull obseruance of these former Rules it being manifest that the most assured way to dye well is to liue well yea the one is but the Eccho of the other and much folly it would be to hope for a happy death and yet to fly a good life whereof the other depends Many will say with Balaam ô let me dye the death of the Iust and be may end like vnto theirs Numb 23. But they ought rather to say ô let me liue the life of the Iust that my end maybe like vnto theires He liueth well who spendes his life in learning to dye well who learnes not this is truly ignorant though for all the rest he be as wise as Plato or as learned as was Aristotle who vpon the point to dye cry'd out I entred into this world in pouerty I liued therein with misery and finally I dye in ignorance of that he ment which most imported him to know for he had not learn'd the art of dying well wherein the only true wisdome and knowledge doth consist This happy and most needfull Art is best learned by dying first in minde to the world before we can liue rightly to God yea we must dye verie often in minde to dye once truly well This was the practise of holy S. Augustin when he said let me dye to the end I may not dye he meanes that by often conceiuing himselfe as a dying man to make familiar by frequent practise in the tyme of health the exercises of those necessary acts which are to be vsed at the tyme of our death for who learnes not in tyme of health to practise the holy acts of vertue and to resist the temptations most incident in that dangerous extremity how shall he doe it well at his death when the battaile will be more furious and he much weaker to resist yea by paine and other impediments in tyme of sicknesse and cheefly when neere to our end we are manie wayes hindred from performing the duty which we then ought to render vnto God And therefore it greatly imports vs so to practise them in tyme of health as if we were then actually at the verie point of our death which being seriously and frequently performed it will produce a true contempt of the world and a holy disingagement from the creatures thereof and will also make the practise of those acts much more easie to vs at the tyme of our death This holy Exercise may best be made by way of these eight ensuing Meditations which you may take for the subiect of a spirituall Retreate for so manie dayes or for halfe the tyme as occasion and your spirituall Director shall best aduise you And for the methode of your Meditations you may vse the same which I formerly mentioned in B Sales Part. 2. chap. 2. in his Introduction to a deuout life The substance of this exercise I haue collected partly out of the R. F. Eude a Missionary Priest and a most pious Author the which I earnestly yet once againe recommend and verie heartely exhort you to make vse thereof once a yeare at the least And if your occasions will so permitt no tyme is more proper for it then the holy weeke The first Meditation Of submission and Conformity to Gods diuine will concerning our death The Preparation 1. Place your selfe in the Presence of God 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace 3. And which serues as a generall aduise for this and all the ensueing Meditations you must endeuour so to behaue your selfe therein as if they were to be your last And therefore labour to procure such interiour affections in your soule as ought to be wished were you assured to dye that present day Considerations FIrst here consider your selfe as present before your Soueraigne Iudge pronouncing that iust sentence of death against you in those words to Adam Gen. 1. and in him against all other men dust thou art and into dust thou shalt returne 2. With what infinit loue and profound humility IESVS-CHRIST that innocent and immaculate lambe did accept from wicked Pilate that cruell sentence of a reproachfull death vpon the Crosse thereby to satisfye the iustice of his Eternall Father for our offences In due honour and homage wherevnto we must cheerefully submit our selues to the iust sentence of death acknowledging that our greeuous sinnes most iustly deserues it Affections and Resolutions O Diuine and louing Iesv who being the source and fountaine of all true life yet didst-vouchsafe to dye so painfull a death for me in humble and gratefull acknowledgment thereof I accept from this instant with a willing heart that suffering state which thy diuine will hath ordayned me in adoration of thy sacred sufferings as also in honour and vnion of that thy naked pouerty and being so forsaken vpon the Crosse I here now render my selfe to what want or misery soeuer thy heauenly iustice and holy pleasure hast ordayned for me be it by persecution by calumny scorne confusion or by anie other iniury or sufferance from anie creature whatsoeuer all which I humbly accept in expiation of my sinne yeald my selfe most willingly to suffer all paines and infirmities by thy diuine will allotted me my agonies and death it selfe All which and what else soeuer they be I accept thereof in honour vnion and adoration of thy most dolorous death and cruell torments for which the Prophet Esa so iustly hath called thee a Man of sorrowes cap. 53. and I most entirely submit my selfe to dye in true conformity to thy holy will be it without the comfort of my friends or senses that I dye this yeare or this day this houre or moment where or in what manner thy diuine Prouidence shall ordayne vouchsafe but o Lord that my desire may euer be thy will be done and that my heart accompanie it with true contrition and perseuerance in thy grace This grant me deare IESV for thy bitter Passion sake and then let death assault me in bed or in the field by lingering paine or by suddaine accident be it naturall or violent honorable orignominious be it but thy blessed pleasure and welcome yea Father for so hath it well pleased thee Luke 10. Grant Lord IESV I beseech thee that as thou vouchsafest to dye for the loue of me so I may both liue and dye purely for the loue of thee and that neither liuing nor dying I may euer anie more offend thee But that finally I may breath fourth my soule in cheerefull conformity to that most holy obedience wherewith thou didst render thy blessed spirit vpon the Crosse into thy Fathers hands O glorious Trinity I wholy abandon my selfe vnto thy heauenly will vouchsafe to dispose of me both in tyme and Eternity to thy owne greater honour and glory The Conclusion 1. Giue God thankes for
before Gods dreadfull Tribunall to render him a most rigid accompt The second now lay'd in the graue to be food for wormes and being reduced to most loathsome putrifaction must there returne to it's first extraction earth and ashes Consideration COnsider that as our blessed Sauiour IESVS hath pleased to passe through all the seuerall states of humaine mortality thereby to honour his eternall Father in them all and to sanctifie them particularly for our greater good so likewise we ought to honour this our most louing Redeemer in all the states wherein wee haue been or shall hereafter be And therefore hauing now adored him as in the last instant of our life by dedicating it as a sacrifice to his honour glory it now followes that we honour adore him also in the state of our death wherein he himselfe remayned for three dayes space all which may be done as followeth by these Affections and Resolutions O IESV eternall life and the originall source from whom all life doth spring from whence proceeds it that I thus behold thee brought vnder the darke shadow of death by that dolorous separation of thy diuine body and soule and thereby also separated from thy most sacred mother from thy deare Apostles Disciples and all thy beloued frends and this on their parts also with the greatest most sensible griefe to be imagined O diuine and deare Lord I adore praise and glorifie thee herein I offer to thee all the honour which in this state hath been rendred to thee by thy blessed Mother by the penitent Magdalen by all thy holy Apostles Saints Angells and by all which thy whole Church both militant and triumphant doth and shall euer render to thee for this thy infinitt loue and most profound humility In vnion of which blessed companie and in true honour and homage to thy said sorrowfull separation I likewise offer most louing IESV to thee that state whereby one day I must by death be also separated both from frends and kindred from all that which in this world can aniewise be deare to me O IESV in adoration of thy sacred death separatiō of thy body soule I make thee now a most willing sacrifice of myne I offer also vnto thee my buriall in honour of thy three dayes lying buried in the monument in due adoration whereof I here most cheerefully bequeath my body to the earth there to giue wormes their due it being reduced into dust I desire that each seuerall graine thereof may be as a tongue and voyce to prayse glorifie continually thy holy buriall with all the other blessed Mysteries of our Redemption that so with thy kingly Prophet I might perpetually sing all my bones shall say Lord who is like to thee Psal 34. Most mercifull and louing Lord destroy vtterly in me I beseech thee that cursed life of the ould Man all wicked sinne Make me to dye perfectly to the world to my selfe and to all whatsoeuer is not thee Mortifie so my eyes my eares my tongue my hands my feet my hart and all the powers both of my body soule that I may no more see nor vnderstand nor speake nor doe nor loue nor thinke nor will nor vse anie other faculty corporall or spirituall of my body or soule but according to thy holy will Grant I may so dye to my selfe as that my life may be hid with CHRIST in God Colos 3. O hide and bury my tepidity and indeuotion in the feruour of thy diuine loue and all my other vices and imperfections in thy perfections and vertues that as the earth consumeth the corruption of the body so may the sinfull imperfections of my soule be consumed by the operations of thy heauenly grace in me O most pure Virgin and beloued Mother of my Lord IESVS-CHRIST vouchsafe me thy powerfull intercession I beseech thee that by my death and buriall I may render due honour and homage to that his dolourous death which did so deeply pierce thy tender hart and also to that dolefull state in the graue which kept both thee and all his dearest frends in three sadd mourning dayes for his bewailed absence O holy Angell my faithfull Guardian Blessed S. Ioseph S.N. and all yee glorious Saints and Angells of Heauen pray yee to God for me that I be strenghtned by his holy grace to comply with all my present good purposes and desires of doing well Obtayne yee for me by your powerfull intercession that I may so serue loue and obey him in this life as that I may enioy praise and glorifie him with you for all Eternity in the other Conclusion 1. Thanke God for your affections and Resolutions 2. Craue grace to put them in execution 3. Beseech him to pardon your negligence in prayer Pater Aue. Credo You haue seene now the order of this needfull preparation in health whereby to dispose your soule to a happy death The reasons alleaged conuince it's much conducing to that maine point whereon depends Eternity The profit of which anticipating Exercise was experienced by S. Gertrude who testifies to vs that shee hauing once practis'd it our blessed Sauiour himselfe assured her that her deuotion therein was so verie pleasing vnto him as he euen then did presently accept thereof for the houre of her death as shee desired It therefore now only remaines Christian and deare Cath. reader that I conclude exhorting you to make good vse of this important Exercise as also of all the former Rules which though I doubt not but by your deuout perusall will produce verie pious affections and laudable resolutions in your soule yet you must be verie carefull not to rest only in them they being but meerly helpes and dispositions vnto the true end and fruit of holy prayer which is the accomplishment of the will of God by mortifiing for his sake our vnruly passions and disordered affections whereby our stubborne Will is made plyable to vertue And as the yron first softned by fyre becomes so yealding to the workmans hammer as it may easily be fashioned to what forme he desires so I doe much confide that this little treatise will prooue a furnace of holy deuotion so to inflame your hart with the feruour of true piety as you will finde it verie plyable to put in execution those holy Affections and good purposes of your former deuotion wherein consists the verie perfection of all good prayer And to the end that you may reape in much more abundance this the happiest treasure of true Christian sanctity I cannot omit here finally to exhort you that when you desire and fitt oportunity shall inuite you to make a spirituall exercise vpon these Meditations of a preparation to death that then after your deuotions vpon each seuerall Meditation you also write downe your Resolutions and best affections which mooued you to such resolutions as you conceiue most fitting to be obserued for your future life and Conuersation And hauing done the like in euery