this World Have compassion on my indigence and inconstancy which divert me from any thing that is good and maugre the light of Faith render tll my good Works abortive O God who lovest us more than we can love our selves and who out of thy infinite goodness hast rescued me from a false hope by which I should have been flattered into final impenitence and thus hast sav'd me contrary to my own inclination Give me a solid hope in thy Divine Merits let me consider them as the only Object of my Trust and principally when the Devil tempts me to dispair and employs all his artifices by the interposition of my sins and frailties to eclipse the contemplation of thy Merits In this day of my affliction and distress O my God fix my eyes upon my blessed Saviour dying on the Cross for my sins and miserably torn by those furrows which the Scourges made upon his back Let me consider that thou didst endure all this to obtain pardon for my sins and to encourage me to the taking up of thy Cross upon which depends all my hopes of Salvation Let me contemplate in thy Sacred Wounds the right I a notorious sinner have to hope in thy Mercies Let the hope of a blessed Eternity and the immutability of thy Promises take off my Meditations from the vain and fleeting Enjoyments of this World which hinder my Soul from aspiring to Eternal Felicity For thou knowest O Lord how little stability there is in my best Desires and how speedily the impressions of thy Grace on my heart are defac'd by the vain Idea's of worldly pleasure How the hopes of some trifle some vain lust puffs up my Soul how the Honours and Applause of this World makes me giddy and drunk with the fumes of Vain-glory In fine Lord thou knowest much better than I my self how pliable I am to receive any impression of evil how averse to any â—hing which is good and how unstable in the ways of thy Commandments This is the reason O Lord â—hat I put no confidence in my self that my heart converts it self to thee in all its wants and â—n the day of adversity To thee O Lord who enlightenest the darkest recesses of my mind who possessest me with patience under the severest afflictions and art the Anchor of my Soul Here is Lord my Merit my Riches and my Refuge when the consideration of my wicked life terrifies me Here is Lord my comfort in this vale of Tears and Spiritual Warfare wherein my Soul is made the Scene of all sorts of passions In fine This makes me hope more than fear and rely on thy Mercies rather than dread of thy Justice Ah Lord since I know by experience that thou art a sure Help to those that trust in thee Teach me to relie upon thee in my greatest Extremities to rejoyce in thy Chastisements and to look upon them as marks of thy favour Assist me patiently to undergo them and assure me that thou wilt lay upon me no more than I am able to bear but wilt take thy Rod from me when it shall be conveucent for the health of my Soul Let me be fully assur'd that thy Grace will in thy good time remove all Obstacles which obstruct my Salvation that my Sufferings and the malice of my Enemies will have an end but that thy Mercies endure for ever that after I have fought the good fight here on Earth I shall receive a Crown of â—lory in Heaven for thou maâ—est the Rays of thy Grace to â—hine upon the just and the unâ—ust which at the same time â—elt down the humbe Soul into 〈◊〉 sincere repentance and harden â—he habitual and obdurate sinâ—er to the end that the one â—hould not be tempted to Presume or the other to Dispair â—ut all remain in a continual dependence upon thy Grace Let me not then O my God be in the number of those who will be astonished and confounded at the Great Day because they have rejected thy Grace for I cast my self wholly upon thy Mercy which is infinite and knows no bounds without any reserve or confidence in my own merits But O Lord because Faith and Hope and all other Vertues will avail me nothing without Charity because tho' I could remove Mountains and work all sorts of Miracles yet my works would be dead and sinful unless season'd by thy Love Give me therefore in the third place that Charity which is the Crown of all other Vertues and the Soul of our Good Works I would say Lord Give me a fervent and a faithful Love to thee whereby I shall easily overcome all seeming impossibilities and satisfie the thirst of my panting Soul after a sincere Conversion unto thee REFLECT XI She Prays to God for a New Heart inflam'd with his Love FOr a Foundation of that Miraculous Work which one very truly calls the chiefest Work of thy Grace Create in me O my God a New Heart a humble yet an resolute steady and couragious heart estranged from the World and its Vanities and in short a true Christian heart which may possess me with the love of thee enable me to expose my Life and Fortunes for the Confession of thy Name and render me Obedient to the Foolishness of the Cross in the midst of a crooked and perverse Generation amongst whom it is esteem'd a scandal to be Religious A heart which will love thee in the midst of the severest Tryals resisting the Concupiscence of the Flesh mortifying its corrupt Appetites and irregular Desires A heart which will love thee when I am call'd upon to evidence that love by loving my Enemies and returning them Good for Evil. A heart which for the love of thee will deny it self when there is any competition between the Creature and the Creatour which will silence all the importunities of Nature that it may become more obedient to the voice of thy Grace A heart which will love thee when it must suffer for it and will be content I should sacrifice my reputation and honour to thy Glory in imitation of thy humble Life and opprobrious Death upon the Cross A heart which for the love of thee will relinquish the favour of the Court prefer thy Service before the Splendour of my Family or whatsoever is most dear to me demonstrating hereby that my love to thee surpasses that of the World Lastly Grant O my God that 〈◊〉 may love thee not only for thy benefits when thou blessest me with prosperity and the abundance of good things in this World but also when I am in disgrace poverty or any other Affliction Learn me then to submit to the dispensations of thy Providence and become more conformable to thy Divine Will For O Lord what testimonies can I give thee of my love which will in the least answer thy love to me nay which are not infinitely surpass'd by those favours thou hast been pleased to confer upon me REFLECT XII If the Soul finds any thing in thâ—
whence springs all my Misery 't is from this that instead of serving thee in Spirit and in Truth instead of making thy Glory the end of all my thoughts words and actions I persue after nothing but the gratification of my irregular Lusts Let me be never so rash and so ungrateful unto thee O my God as to fancy my self the Author of those Reflections which I somtimes make when I retire my self from the hurry of this world wherein an unquencheable appetite torments the most happy persons and renders them miserable slaves even by the accomplishment of their most earnest desires REFLECT V. The Thoughts of a penitent Soul fearful of being deceiv'd by the Appearance of a False Conversion WHat am I my Lord and my God what am I but a proud Atome a poor blind creature who continually goes astray when thou withholdst the Rays of thy Grace I deserve to be annihilated if at any time I should attempt the conversion of my self by my own power without the assistance of thy Grace Mortifie in my soul all vain glory every thing that tempts me to too good an opinion of my self but chiefly that frothiness of humour which serves only to divert me from thy ways to deprive me of the benefit of my afflictions and the sweet comfort â—f thy Holy Spirit Give me humility and distrust â—f my own reason let me thirst â—fter doing good more and carâ—al knowledge less lest valuing 〈◊〉 more than thy grace I lose my â—elf and instead of becoming a â—ood Christian become a Phiâ—osopher better acquainted â—ith the Maxims of Aristotle and â—escartes than the knowledge â—f the Cross O how vain and deceitful are â—he thoughts of man unless goâ—ern'd by that Wisdom which is â—rom above by that Wisdom â—hich is Foolishness to the World because it is unacquainted â—ith it by that Wisdom which â—od has concealed from the â—roud and discovered to the â—umble by that Wisdom which â—aughs at humane subtilty and â—cts only according to the grace of Jesus Christ In short 〈◊〉 that Wisdom which is producâ—â— by the Fear of God and whiâ—â— is the beginning and the end 〈◊〉 all true Wisdom Permit me not O my God tâ—â— flatter my self that I hate all siâ—â— because I am perhaps restraineâ— from Luxury and passion Leâ— me not flatter my self that 〈◊〉 am taken off from loving thâ— Creature because my diversionâ— are innocent Let me not flatter my self thaâ— I have mortified my passions foâ— I find them revive with moâ—â— strength then ever and encliâ—â— me to self-love which is thâ— more dangerous decause by jâ—â— stifying these irregular motionâ— it renders me deaf to the dictateâ— of my reason and the holy in spirations of thy grace Let me not fancy my self to bâ— without pride ambition selâ—-love because I despise the World â—â—d scorn to owe those Honours â—ortune has stripp'd me of to â—â—ything else but my ovvn deserts Let me not so much deceive my â—â—lf as to think I am throughly â—â—nverted when indeed I have â—â—ly chang'd the sins of sense â—â—r those of the mind A proâ—â—ane proud and fensual Life 〈◊〉 which I was always tormented 〈◊〉 reflecting on my Crimes and â—â—e remorse of my Conscience â—â—r a life in which my whole enâ—eavour is to gratifie self love â—nd enjoy the pleasures of the World and in the mean while â—se my precious time forget my â—od hazard the salvation of my â—oul obtain nothing but the Moâ—ality of a Heathen which alone â—ill not save me at the day of Judgment O state truly deplorable â—nd the more so because I am â—ot sensible of my condition but rest satisfied without endeavouring after any other Repentancâ— or Conversion REFLECT VI. Vpon the Opposition of a Worldlâ— Life to the suffering Life oâ— Jesus Christ TEach me O Lord that thiâ— sort of life is not the life of a Christian and that the end of Christ's Death and Incarnation was not to instate us in so delicate and effeminate a life as might gratifie sense and indulge the flesh and that all Moral Vertues are but dead Works unless enlivened by the Merits and Vertue of Jesus Christ That unless the inclinations of our hearts are changed it will nothing avail a sinner to reform his outward conversation to â—ate the World without love to God to do works of Justice without sincere Repentance and as the Royal Psalmist has it â—o cease from evil without doing good At the same time O Lord that thou destroyest my sinful Habits plant in my soul such Graces as may be fruitful to Good Works Grant that by a lively Faith I may meditate on the Mysteries of thy Life and Passion That my soul may be deeply affected with them and that it may be my greatest pleasure to contemplate those Sufferings which thou didst willingly undergo for my sake That beholding the Divine infant lying on the Straw and in a Manger the Treasures of Heaven vailed in the Poverty of the Earth I may contemn all those Riches which endure but for a moment and endeavour to obtain those incorruptible treasures which Moth and Ruct do not corrupt which will never fly away That the consideration of that private life in which thou wast pleased to disguise thy self from the eyes of the world may create in me a desire to be forgotten by it that I may retire and employ my self only in the great business of my salvation That rhe receiving of thy holy body and precious blood those sacred pledges of thy love which thou wast pleas'd to leave us when thou gavest thy life for our offences may produce in me a holy horrour at the consideration of the cause of thy Death and a detestation of all sin That I may rejoice and be exceeding glad when I shall be disgrac'd and contemned remembring my Saviour's humility who was set at nought by Herod and the Court where he never appear'd but once and then on purpose to be despised That those Scourges which rent thy Sacred Body those Thorns which pierced thy Precious Head may penetrate my callous heart render me truly penitent and willing for the love of thee to undergo all those rigours of Mortification and Self-denial which are requisite for the subduing of our Lusts In fine that the consideration of thy ignominious death on the Cross on which thou perfectest the work of my salvation in grief and misery may be my only hope REFLECT VII What the Hope of a Penitent Soul ought to be THis is the second Favour I desire of thee for the Merits of that precious Blood which trickled from thy Sacred Wounds and which thou didst offer to thy Eternal Father for the price of my Redemption That thou wouldst be pleas'd to give me a true hope in thy Mercies I say Lord a true hope because there is nothing more common than to abuse thy Mercy by making it an incouragement to sin more securely than for sinners to hope in thy goodness without so much as endeavouring
World to settle its Affectionâ— upon How much the more earnestly ought it to fix them upâ—â— God after its Conversion LEt me â—ot O my God haâ—â—less Zeal Gratitude aâ—â— Fidelity towards thee than 〈◊〉 should have towards a Friendâ— who had offer'd to lay down hâ—â— life for the preservation of mine and to this superlative testimonâ— of his love did continually addâ— thousand other benefits Since thou hast been pleas'd 〈◊〉 humble thy self O my God 〈◊〉 making me offers of thy Graâ—â— and Favour and loading 〈◊〉 with thy Benefits let me not forget thee doubt of thy Mercy or wilfully shut my eyes and neglect to pay thee those acknowledgments of thy love and bounty which in strict Justice is but my reasonable service For is it just that I who pretend to act upon Principles of Generosity who boast of my good Nature Affection Integrity and Gratitude towards my Friends should be defective only in my Duty towards God living without Faith without Love or so much as the Acknowledgment of his Benefits Is it just that I a poor miserable creature who owe all that I have unto my glorious Creatour should offer up to him only faint acknowlegdments fickle desires and in truth the least part of my self Is it just that I who have been so industrious to gratifie my Idol-passions who never forgot any thing which might conduce to their satisfaction should complain of the difficulty and impossibility of placing them upon their due object and devoting my heart to the love of thee Lastly Is it possible that the soul which thou didst create to be the Temple of thy Divine Love should not be perswaded to return unto thee the center of its happiness after it has wandred a thousand and a thousand times from the way of thy Commandments unless thou art pleas'd to prepare its paths and draw it to thy self with the cords of thy Grace No Lord this is not reasonable and therefore maugre all the opposition I find in my corrupt nature in submitting my self to the easie yoak of thy Commandments thy love which predominates in my Soul above the love of the world the creature or my self shall unite me inseparably unto thee by the inexhaustible love of â—esus Christ By that love which has taught me by experience that there is nothing in this World worthy my friendship nothing but continual troubles and base ingratitude which has discover'd to me by these gentle Corrections that thou art a jealous God and requirest the sacrifice of my whole heart unto thee in acknowledgment of thy infinite Mercies my Infidelity and the sacrilegious misplacing of my Affections Ah Lord since thou requirest nothing to prepare me for the pardon of my sins but the cultivating of my love and the conversion of my heart unto thee Behold here is a heart ready to receive thy Commands ready to obey thee which is truly to love thee ready to undergo any thing which conduces to the advancement of thy Glory or the salvation of my Soul REFLECT XIII That a Penitent Soul should not examine what Sins are Damnable and what not but avoid all appearance of Evil every thing which may displease God lest indulging it self in lesser crimes it relapse at last into Habitual Debauchery IF it is thy pleasure to make my Repentance in some measure answer my Crimes to prolong my life ond punish me in the same place where my Offences were commited If it is thy pleasure to make my Sins my punishment and those Lusts which I have hitherto idoliz'd the Executioners of thy Justice my heart is fixed O God my heart is fixed Nevertheless Grant that I may be preserv'd in my Integrity thereby that my present Aversion to sinful Pleasures may be an Antidote sufficient to defend me from the infected breath of popular Applause that my Repentaance may be more pleasing to thee and profitable to my self But O Lord let me not only be preserved from those Notorious Crimes which this day render me the Object of thy Mercy but grant also that I may hate Sin more for the Malignity of its Nature than from the Dread of thy Vengeance let my Aversion to it proceed rather from thy love than any respect to my self that is let me abhor it more for displeasing thee than because it would be my ruin Let me not with the greatest part of the World nicely weigh how much Carnal Liberty I may take and yet continue in a state of salvation but let me avoid every thing which displeases thee as well as those grosser acts of sin which will certainly damn my soul For what is more impious O my God than to say I know that this Action will displease thee that this Temptation is alluring that these Pleasures obstruct the Emanations of thy Grace and in short that the Vanities of this World are at enmity to the life of Godliness and yet I am resolv'd to venter on them to disregard the all-seeing Eye of a jealous God the Remorse of my own Conscience and all this because I am assured that God is a merciful God that he loves me and is willing to pass by my Offences For is not this Way of Reasoning us'd by the greatest part of those servile Souls whose Religious Actions proceed more from fear of the Devil than out of love to God May not this Neglect of thy Grace which these Men esteem so small an Offence grieve thy Holy Spirit and become the Occasion of their Eternal Reprobation For the Devil by tempting us at first to smaller Crimes insinuates himself into our Affections and by degrees renders the most detestable sins familiar this he knows is the surest way to destroy us for by little and little it weakens the love and fear of God in our Souls it gives him possession of our hearts and at last delivers them up unto him for a prey For who knows but this variety of company this vain and frothy conversation which fills my heart with frivolous Desires and weakens the Influences of thy Grace may in the end seduce me from the simplicity of thy Word and the observation of thy Holy Law Who knows but thou mayest leave me to my self when thou perceivest that my Disobedience and Ingratitude towards thee proceeds from the abuse of thy Grace In fine Who knows but the Splendour of Worldly Pomp which is continually before my eyes which I behold with so much complacency and those Maxims of Carnal policy which are perpetually sounding in my ears may at last render me forgetful of those Solemn Protestations which but a few days ago I made unto thee when with Tears and Sighs I so earnestly besought thee to have Mercy on me and to deliver me from the jaws of Death REFLECT XIV She prays unto God instantly that he would be pleas'd to knock off those Chains which unite her Affections to the Creature to grant her fresh Recruits of his Mercy and Grace to make the right use of them AH Lord
Madame La Valliere The Penitent Lady OR REFLECTIONS ON THE MERCY OF GOD. Written by the Fam'd Madam La Valliere Since Her Retirement from the French King's Court to a Nunnery TRANSLATED From the French by L. A. M. A. The Second Edition A broken and a contrite Heart O God thou wilt not despise Psal 51.17 London Printed for Dorman Newman at the Kings-Arms in the Poultrey 1685. The Preface 'T IS a common Saying confirm'd by Experience That Example is far more prevalent than Precept and the Reason is because the one seems to be the transcript of our Mind whereas 't is evident that the other is too often biass'd by Interest and an over-weaning conceit of our own Sufficiency For Pride and Vain-glory may incline that Man to recommend Mortification and Repentance and extol even the Stoicism of Cato who privately hugs and caresses his darling Lust and leads a Life more luxurious than Sardanapalus but he who in the vigour of his Youth and the full career of Pleasure sets bounds to his inordinate Appetites who retires from the World and its Vanities before they leave him he plainly demonstrates that there is some more sublime Happiness he persues after some more perfect Good which attracts his Affections And therefore one great end of our Saviours coming into the World was to be a Pattern of Holy Living and Dying to convince us that notwithstanding the Infirmities of our Nature the most stubborn Lusts may be subdu'd the most alluring Temptations may be resisted and Gospel-obedience may be perform'd if we call in his Grace to the assistance of our honest endeavours God requires nothing of us but what is highly just and reasonable what he gives us power to perform and in all Ages of the World he sets before our eyes the Examples of some Heroick Souls who bravely conquer those Armado's of Temptations we are apt to fancy invincible and prefer the ignominy of the Cross before the most luscious gratifications of sence In the first rank of these I may place this Penitent Lady the Authoress of these devout Reflections which I hope will find the better entertainment in our English Nations because Translated from the French for since we are so foolishly fond of the Apes and Peacocks the Modes and Vanities of that People I have no reason to fear that their Gold will be an unacceptable Present It may perhaps be expected that I should give an Account of the former Life of this devout Convert but since that is already done in another * The History of the Amours of the French-Court Book by a light amorus Pen I shall not intermix any part of it with so grave and serious a Subject besides the Publisher of these Papers in the Original seems modestly to decline it 'T will more nearly concern us curiously to pry into our hearts to examine what sins we have been guilty of to imitate her Repentance and seriously to Meditate on these Pious Reflections which like the Nails in the Hand of Jael may with the Assistance of the Holy Spirit fasten our Corruptions to the feet of Christ's Cross I foresee it will be objected that this Picture is copied from a Popish Original And truly 't was this Consideration which for some time diverted my Resolutions of making it publick but after I have several times carefully review'd it I cannot discover the least stroke or Lineament of so Monstrous a Parent but rather stand amaz'd that this precious Jewel should be found amongst the rubbish of the Româ—sh Church I am hâ—artily convinc'd that the Principles of that Perswasion tend to the encouragement of Vice and the promoting Debauchery and therefore am astonish'd at this Miracle of Gods Mercy which from so corrupt a Tree has produc'd such Good Fruit. For my part I am inclin'd to think that either her Mind was extraordinarily enlighten'd or else that by the very light of Nature she discover'd the pernicious Tenents of rhat Church And this may serve to instruct us that the influences of God's Holy Spirit are not confin'd to so narrow a Sphere as some mens uncharitableness would suggest but that in every Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness shall be accepted of him Those who are of a contrary Opinion would do well to transmit to Posterity some more eminent Examples of Penitence and genuine Instances of fervent Devotion And in the mean while let me beseech them to look over these Papers to conform their Lives to the Practice of the Truths contain'd therein lest at the last Day they should see Publicans and Harlots enter into the Kingdom of Heaven whilst they themselves are shut out The Contents REFLECTION I. Vpon our Obligations to Consecrate that Life to Gods Glory which we hold from his Mercy and the Care you ought to take lest we should be Insnar'd into sin Fol. 1. REFLECT II. She Prays unto God to strengthen her Resolutions and to enable her to approach unto him with a pure heart 4 REFLECT III. Vpon those Vertues which are necessary for our approaching unto Christ from the Example of the Canaanite the Samaratan and Mary Magdalen 8 REFLECT IV. Concerning the Constancy and Stability of the Faith necessary to a Penitent Soul 12 REFLECT V. The Thoughts of a penitent Soul fearful of being deceiv'd by the Appearance of a False Conversion 16 REFLECT VI. Vpon the Opposition of a Worldly Life to the suffering Life of Jesus Christ 24 REFLECT VII What the Hope of a Penitent Soul ought to be 24 REFLECT VIII What Effect a true Repentance ought to have upon our Couversations and what kind of Guide she ought to enquire after for the conduct of her Soul 27 REFLECT IX She prays that out of his Mercy he would be pleas'd to direct her continually in the straight Way which leads unto him and not permit her ro flatter her self that she has repented when she is running on still in the broad way 31 REFLECT X. Motives of Trust in God and Distrust of our selves Jesus Christ alone can confirm our Faith and strengthen our Hope 34 REFLECT XI She Prays to God for a New Heart inflam'd with his Love 41 REFLECT XII If the Soul finds any thing in this World to settle its Affections upon How much the more earnestly ought it to fix them upon God after its Conversion 44 REFLECT XIII That a Penitent Soul should not examine what Sins are Damnable and what not but avoid all appearance of Evil every thing which may displease God lest indulging it self in lesser crimes it relapse at last into Habitual Debauchery 48 REFLECT XIV She prays unto God instantly that he would be pleas'd to knock off those Chains which unite her Affections to the Creature to grant her fresh Recruits of his Mercy and Grace to make the right use of them 54 REFLECT XV What kind of Life that Person ought to lead who is under a Necessity of Conversing much in the World that 't is
vicissitudes of these sublunary things cannot deprive me of I mean the Joy to see my self redeem'd from the slavery of sin in a state of salvation and led by the hand of thy Divine Providence to my Heavenly Canaan Season also my Heart with thy Grace that Spirit and Principle of Action which having-wash'd us clean in the Blood of our Saviour furnishes us with strength to persevere to the end in the way of his Commandments For alas what will become of those Vows which I made unto thee when I was surrounded with Fear and in danger of losing my Soul I say what will become of them unless thou O Lord out of the abundance of thy Mercy art-pleas'd to imprint them on my mind fix them in my thoughts and enable mâ— to conquer the Temptations of my visible and invisible Enemies who use all means possible either to terrifie or to decoy me into sin O Lord who succourest the poor and takest pleasure in those that come unto thee with Faith and with an humble and contrite Heart We acknowledge our selves to be weak and miserable Creatures and relie wholly upon thy Grace the proper Medicine to heal and comfort us Search my Heart and try my Reins and grant me that infallible Medicine which dispels the most contagious fumes of sin which will sanctifie my Soul and preserve it safe unto Everlasting Life But grant me also O my God that whilst I beg these Blessings of thee I may be endow'd with such a frame of mind and such other qualifications as encline thee to say Amen to my petitions Prepare your selves O my Body my Spirit and my Soul by the assistance of God's grace to appear before your Master and your God to the end that he may apply that Divine Medicine which will make you whole For how dare I approach the Holy of Holies without preparation and intrude my self a most miserable sinner into the presence of my God Therefore O Lord make me sensible of my want and misery and of thy Majesty and Love before I come to this Heavenly Banquet where I shall eat and drink either my Eternal Health or Damnation REFLECT III. Vpon those Vertues which are necessary for our approaching unto Christ from the Example of the Canaanite the Samaratan and Mary Magdalen TEach me in the trouble of my Spirit and anguish of my Heart with what degree of grief my Soul ought to be affected for its Offences against so great so good a God and what Purity of Body and Soul is required that it may be filled with Divine shame How I may offer up a pure and agreeable Sacrifice too thee having now a mind too much delighted in the vanities of the world and a heart too much led away by them How I may lodge thee in the Temple of my Breast from whence with difficulty I have just now chas'd thy most inveterate Enemies In short the Way for a Notorious Sinner who is without Repentance and without Love to be made Partaker of that Christ who was crucified for him is to defer coming to the Table of the Lord until he is duly prepared lest he commit the most hainous Sacriledge Inspire me then with such a hatred of sin as may confirm my resolutions to abstain from every thing that displeaseth thee and with Passionate desires to love thee alone Give me that humble and contrite spirit whose groans thou dost never refuse I would say Inspire me by thy Grace with the self-same dispositions with which the poor Canaanite prostrated her self at thy feet Look upon me O Lord whilst I approach unto thee as thou didst that humble stranger I would say as a poor Dog who is sufficiently happy when permitted to pick up the Crumbs which fall from the Table where thou feastest thine Elect. Look with compassion upon this poor sinner who like the Samaritan woman being inflamed with a sense of her sins beseeches one drop of Living Water to quench the fervor of her soul and thirst of sin But above all incline me to Imitate Mary Magdalen with that holy penitent let me wash thy Feet with my Tears and by indeavouring to love thee much in some measure answer thy love in forgiving me much Deal with me as with these three Holy Women whom thou hast made the living Witnesses of thy Mercy that by these Examples I may be taught what trust ought to be put in thy Goodness Fit me O Lord for the approaching thy Table and participating of thy Divine Mysteries Give me a lively humble and constant Faith which may produce an Universal Obedience to thy Law the solid foundation of my Eternal Welfare REFLECT IV. Concerning the Constancy and Stâ—â—bility of the Faith necessaâ—â— to a Penitent Soul GIVe me therefore O Lord a lively Faith which maâ— animate all my Actions and notwithstanding my weakness noâ—rish thy Love and thy Grace iâ— my Soul A stedfast Faith whereby I may sincerely believe thâ— Holy Word and when thâ— World allures me with its temptations put me in mind that nâ— man can serve two Masters A humble Faith whereby I may discern that conformity to this World is the greatest impediment of my conformity unto Jesus Christ In fine an enlightned Faith which may render the Grandeur of this World contemptible to me and demonstrate that the fashion of this World passes away and that there is nothing solid and lasting but God alone For alas my best desires are fleeting and unconstant like the flowers of the field which to day are and to morrow are cut down and wither O Lord who art delighted in acts of Mercy and who alone canst change the heart turn my inconstancy into a steady resolution of serving thee and my irregular passions into an earnest persuit of thy love Let it not suffice me that I am disgusted with worldly things or perhaps estranged from them this may proceed from a spirit of pride or be the effort of my reason But direct my ways and purifie my thoughts that at the same time I am convinc'd of the vanity and emptiness of earthly things I may be also assisted with thy grace to teturn unto thee that my Heart being cleans'd instead of those Legions of Vanities which have formerly possess'd it it may be consecrated a Holy Temple and dedicated to the Service of my God Preserve me from the sweet poyson of the pleasures of this World that sun-shine of Fortune which sooner disrobes us of our Innocence than the most severe blasts of Adversity Let me look up unto no other God or Providence than thine alone Correct me O Lord but with the chastisement of a Son which in the midst of the most glittering prosperity afflicts and humbles us brings our hearts home unto thee and convinces us that we are but Men that is to say weak feeble creatures blinded by our passions and subject to all sorts of misery Take away from me that inordinate love of my self and that original corruption from
who believe the Histories of Alexander and Caesar yet question that of Jesus Christ Who consider whether that Faith which was propagated by twelve poor Fishermen and confirm'd by an infinite number of Miracles wrought in the sight of all nations can now reasonably be call'd in question Who consider whether that Army of Martyrs who seal'd this Faith with their Blood are not a sufficient cloud of Witnesses to evince its Truth Who consider whether all those Prophesies in the Old Testament concerning the Coming and Kingdom of the Messiah which have been punctually accomplish'd ought to pass for Fables Who consider those incomprehensible Mysteries the Effects of the Omnipotent Grace of Jesus Christ and his infinite Love towards us his poor Creatures Lastly Who consider all God's wonderful Works upon their Souls that admirable Conduct which at the same enlightneth our Understandings by his Fatherly Corrections and preserves us which by his Divine Providence orders all things for some end best known unto himself and makes every thing tend to the welfare and advantage of his Elect. 'T is for these persons who having the clouds of their Understandings dispell'd by the light of these indubitable truths yet are presently blinded by the vanities of the World 't is for their Good as well as my own I consider That a Soul in this World without Prayer without reflection and without Reliance upon God's Providence is like a Ship in the midst of a Tempest without a Pilot like a Man who fancies himself wonderfully enlightned and yet is blinded with the thinkest Mists of Ignorance and Error He is like that person who fancies he knows God has Faith Hope and Charity and yet adores his Idol-passions he is like a Traveller in a strange Country without either Guide or Compass who the faster he walks the farther he wanders from his Home He is like that person who being tumbled into the bottom of a deep Pit yet will not make use of the Cord which is let down to draw him up Lastly He is like that foolish builder who endeavours to erect a Magnificent Pallace without a Foundation For how can he work out his Salvation who has not God in all his thoughts How can he observe his Laws and obey his Commandments who never thinks on them How can he bridle his Tongue and all his head-strong Passions without the assistance of God's Grace And how can he obtain this Grace who will not be at the pains to ask it How can he avoid falling into Despair who goes on in a sinful course of life which he knows will end in the Damnation of his Soul Who either uses the most preposterous means imaginable to quiet his Conscience that is by putting out of his mind the thoughts of another Life an Eternity and a God or else doth not place his trust in him In fine How can he be a good Christian and love Jesus Christ who does not know him does not consider that he dy'd for us does not meditate on his Life his Actions or his Holy Gospel REFLECT XXIII She desires of God the Gift of Prayer that she may make Death Eternity and God's Judgments the Subject of it which are the proper means to season our Souls with the Fear of God AH Lord since I am convinc'd that Prayer which is nothing but the lifting up of our Souls unto thee our continual endeavour to pluck down the strong-holds of Satan and establish the Kingdom of Jesus Christ is so easie so necessary and so Profitacle a Duty Since I am assured by thy Holy Word and the Examples of Holy Men that 't is a floating plank which will bear up my Soul in all the storms of this life and convey it safe into the blessed Haven of Eternity that is to the Heavenly Jerusalem which is above where all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes and we shall enjoy those pleasures which are at thy right-hand for evermore Give me an earnest Desire and Delight in Praying to thee let it be as pleasant and familiar as ever the Vanities of the World have been for which I have so often hazarded the Salvation of my Soul But since Death is the end of all things and the most profitable Subject of our Meditations Grant O my God that I may daily consider my last end when to speak in the Words of the Holy Scripture my breath goeth forth I return to the earth and in that very day my thoughts perish That Time which will come like a Thief in the Night and seize upon our Souls That Time after which there will be no more space for Repentance That Time for which we ought to be prepared all the days of our life that we may not be surprised thereby That Time on which depends the Happiness or Misery of our Souls to all Eternity O Death how dreadful are thy Approaches to those persons who never thought of thee who placed all their Happiness in the Goods of this World O Death how terrible art thou to those men unto whom thou art the end of their Happiness and the beginning of their Sorrows In short By which they are deprived of all the Enjoyments of this World of that Body which they so much Idoliz'd of a Voluptuous Life and the gratification of their Inordinate Appetites I say How terrible art thou to those who never knew God but only to offend him But then how much more amazing is the Contemplation of Eternity to those men who never pursu'd any other Happiness but what this life affords who never thought of Repentance and forsaking their sins until they were unable to pursue their Lusts and rendred incapable to receive the impressions of any other Passion but Fear O Eternity Eternity how exquisitely Tormenting are the thoughts of thee to that person who beholds Hell ready to receive him for the punishment of their sins who dares not Hope in God's Mercy but would think himself sufficiently happy could he but have the same end with the Beasts that perish And finally O Eternity How dreadful are the thoughts of thee to that person who at his last hour finds that he cannot Love God and yet cannot chuse but Fear him But O blessed Eternity how comfortable art thou to that person who has led a good Life and mortifi'd his Corruptions in this World To a Sinner who is Converted has Repented of his Sins and has a good Foundation of Hope in thy Mercy To him who is accustomed to die daily and has forsaken the World and its Vanities before he is compelled to it by the unalterable Law of Nature In fine to him who sincerely loves God and enjoys in this life the earnest of Eternal Happiness REFLECT XXIV That she will every Day offer up unto God the Sacrifice of Thanksgiving for opening her Eyes and converting her unto himself That she will Write down these Resolutions which she made at the time of her Conversion to the end that she may be always
mindful of these Obligations she has laid upon her self and by which she must be Judg'd at the Last Day AH Lord who in working thy Miracles dost always regard some great end Hast thou not restored my Health that thou may'st accomplish the blessed purposes of thy Grace upon my Soul that by a thorough conversion of my Heart unto thee I might pass from this state of death or as the Royal Prophet speaks from the Terrors of Hell to such a Religious course of Life as those Devout Souls led who now sleep in the Lord who did not presume on thy Mercy and from thence defer their Repentance to the last Moment Yes Lord I acknowledge thy Mercy in the midst of thy Judgements and the constant protection of thy Providence in all the Accidents of my life For this is the Reason why thou hast so much Afflicted me so much distressed me so often changed my Desires and my Resolutions that hereby thou may'st wean me from my self And therefore that I may maintain an inviolable Fidelity ty towards thee for the future that I may serve thee that I may love thee and rather die a thousand times than return again to my former Vain Conversation I have Writ this Paper with my own hand as a Register of thy Mercies my most Intimate Resolutions and all thy Adorable Truths That if at any time I should forget my self I might hereby be put in mind of my Duty and that Model of Holy Living I have resolved on if my Faith should falter my Hope should languish or my Charity grow cold and my Corruptions begin to struggle in my Soul the reading of these Prayers and the contemplation of thy Bounty and thy Grace might reduce them to their former temper That if at any time I should forget that Agony which the consideration of thy Justice produc'd in my Mind when like a condemned Malefactor on the Scaffold I was impatient to be freed from the Terrors of Death I might recollect my self by reading of these Reflections which I writ upon this self-same Bed where the Ministers on one side and the Physicians on the other gave me little Hope of my Life or my Salvation where I lay helpless like a poor Beast and could do nothing in this Great Work O thou God of my Salvation in whose hands are my Soul and my Eternal Happiness who didst reprieve me from the Grave and didst crown me with thy Mercies and fill my Soul with Holy Desires who hast renow'd my Age as that of an Eagle who hast promised that thy Anger shall not endure for ever against those who fear thee that thou wilt not punish them according to their deserts but wilt put away their Offences as far as the East is from the West who assurest us that like as a Father pittieth his Children so thou wilt have compassion on us because thou knowest our weakness and that we are but dust that our most steady Resolutions are but as a Traveller who tarrieth but for a night and as the morning dew which soon passeth away Lastly Who workest good out of the evil of our sins and who alone canst convert me I beseech thee therefore to turn my Heart Because my Soul is humbled and overwhelmed with shame and grief for displeasing thee Because my Soul puts its trust in thee and languishes after the enjoyment of thy presence But above all O my God hear my humble Supplication because I have made thee the only Object of my Love and because thy Mercy rejoyces over all thy Works Finally Lord have pity on me because I am poor and miserable and thou art Infinitely Rich and Merciful THE END Advertisemenas A Week of Soliloquies and Prayers with a Preparation to the Holy Communion And other Devotions added to this Edition In two parts By Peter Du-Moulin D. D. A Golden Chain to link the Penitent Sinner unto GOD. Whereunto is added A Treatise of the Immortality of the Soul The History of the Amours of the French Gourt viz. Of Madam de La Valleire Madam de Olonne Madam de Chastillion Madam de Sevigney with several other Persons of great Quality in the Palace-Royal In four Parts Translated from the French Sold by Dorman Newman at the Kings-Arms in the Poultry