Draw me quickly For I am weary of living Alas What a life Ah! What a death O my dear Life Give me death that I may dy to my self And live Eternally to you And our Lord Jesus after he had spoken was assumed into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God Mark 16. Ascending on high he led captivity captive he gave gifts Eph. 4. Let not your heart be troubled I go to prepare you a place I will take you to my self that where I am you also may be John 14. And if I be exalted from the Earth I will draw all to my self John 12. Draw me after thee Cant. 5. CXXIV MED Of the coming down of the Holy Ghost WE are not members of Jesus Christ Unless we live by his Spirit The Spirit of JESVS Is a Spirit of Life which animates us 'T is a Spirit of Grace that sanctifies us A Spirit of Wisdom which instructs us A Spirit of Love which unites us A Spirit of Peace which pacifies us A Spirit of Purity which purifies us A Spirit of Liberty which disengages us A Spirit of Joy which comforts us A Spirit of Humility which humbles us A Spirit of Obedience which subjects us The Spirit of JESVS Makes men Gods Of sinners just Of weak makes us strong Of sad glad Of cold fervent Of cholerick mild Of ignorant wise Of timid courageous The Spirit of JESVS Does not descend upon the proud It does not repose in turbulent hearts It has a horrour of impure souls It withdraws it self from vain spirits It is not in agreement with the flesh It makes a mortal War with it It could not com down upon the Apostles Whilst they saw JESUS sensibly It lives in us by Grace It dwells in us by Charity It reigns in us by Love It reposes in us by Peace We afflict it by Venial sin We stile it by Mortal sin We lose it by the love of the World We drive it away by the love of the Flesh O my God! How gentle is your spirit How severe is mine How holy is yours How profane is mine How humble is yours How proud is mine O Holy Spirit Father of the poor Comfort of the afflicted Com and descend down to us and comfort us Enlighten us by your Light Conduct us by your Grace Sanctifie us by your Love Support us by your Strength Penetrate us by your Unction Adopt us by your Charity Pacifie us by your Presence Save us by your Mercy 'T is the Spirit which enlivens John 6. They were all replenisht with the Holy Ghost Act. 2. Grace is diffused in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given to us Rom. 5. If any one hath not the Spirit of Christ he is not his Rom. 8. Whoever are acted by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God ibid. If we live in spirit let us walk in spirit Gal. 5. CXXV MED Of the most Sacred Trinity MAn believes that there are as many Gods As he loves Creatures He adores a Trinity on Earth And contemns the Trinity of Heaven He esteems only the grandures of the World He seeks after nothing but earthly riches He desires nothing but the pleasures of the Senses He despises the Wisdom of God He laughs at the power of the Father He outrages the goodness of the Holy Ghost Is it to believe that God is wise And not to apprehend his Wrath Is it to believe that God is holy And yet offend him by so many Crimes Is it to believe that God is pure And yet to cleave to the pleasures of the Senses Is it to believe that God is good And yet not to love him Is it to believe God to be independent And yet not to adore him Is it to believe God to be beneficent And yet not to thank him O most Holy Trinity I bless thee and I adore thee I will love thee both in Time and Eternity Glory be to the Father who created me Glory be to the Son who redeemed me Glory be to the Holy Ghost who sanctified me Glory be to the Father who supports me by his Power Glory be to the Son who governs me by his Wisdom Glory be to the Holy Ghost who sanctifies me by his Love Glory be to the Father who sustains my Being Glory be to the Son who enlightens my Understanding Glory be to the Holy Ghost who consecrates my Will Let the Holy Trinity be blessed By Angels and Men in Time and in Eternity Amen So be it Going teach ye all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28. Three there are who give testimony in Heaven the Father Word and Holy Ghost and these three are one 1 John 5. Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts the Earth is full of thy glory Isai 6. All that is in the World is the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life 1 John 8. CXXVI MED In form of a Dialogue Of the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar The Disciple I Will speak unto my Lord Altho I am but ashes and dust O my God! How wonderful is your Wisdom How profound are your Mysteries Whence coms it that you would remain on Earth Since your Body is glorious Ought not the noblest of all Bodies To be on the top of the highest Heavens Your Throne is in the Firmament The Earth is but your Foot-stool Why do not you dwell in your Palace What do you do upon our dunghill The Master I would remain here upon Earth For to content my love I converse with men For to content their desires I am with my Disciples For to content them by my Presence I am amongst my sheep For to defend them against the Wolves I leave my self to my Church For to serve them for a Victim I immolate my self on the Altars For to do homage to my Father You would have no Religion If you had no Sacrifice The ancient ones are abrogated There is only I alone that can be immolated My body is in Heaven as in its Natural place My Body is on Earth as in a Sacramental place When I came down upon Earth I did not for that quit Heaven And when I re-ascended to Heaven I did not for all that quit the Earth The Disciple I will again speak to you O Lord Altho I am but ashes and dust Whence coms it that remaining on Earth You did not make your self visible Why did you hide your self Since you desire to be beloved You would have won all hearts If you had discovered your self to your eyes The Master I am a hidden God One must dy for to see me I hid my Divinity under the form of a Man And I hide my Humanity Under the form of Bread Your life is a state of Faith My Body ought therein to be veyled Your life is a state of Merit Your Understanding ought therein to be humbled Adam did not
glory of Jerusalem thou the joy of Israel thou the honour of our People Judith 25. Who is she that comes forth like the rising morning Cant. 6. Do thou and thy Son rule over us Judg. 8. He shall comfort us from all the works and labours of our hands in the land that God hath cursed Gen. 5. CXL MED Of the Presentation of the B. Virgin in the Temple MAry offered up unto God all that she had She offered it up as soon as she could She offered it up with a full will for ever And by an irrevocable promise We give to God but half our heart We give it as late as we can We give it with regret We give it but for a time Give all Give quickly Give cheerfully Give for ever O Holy Virgin I give my self wholy to you without reserve I give my self with all my heart I am sorry that I gave my self so late I give my self for ever And by an irrevocable donation Offer up my heart to your Son I give it to him all entire without delay Without regret without return for ever And by an irrevocable donation 'T is good for a man when he has born the yoke from his youth he shall sit solitary and shall be silent because he hath raised himself above himself Thren 3. And having not found where to rest her foot she returned unto him into the Ark. Gen. 18. In the simplicity of my heart I offered up all Kings 8. Ananias with Saphira his wife sold a field and bringing the price he laid it at the Apostles feet Ananias why hath Satan tempted thy heart to ly to the Holy Ghost and defraud of the price Act. 5. Their heart is divided now will they perish Os 10. A Protestation of Service to the B. Virgin which ought to be made on all Holy-Days and Communion Days O Holy Virgin most worthy Mother of God altho I know my self unworthy to be in the number of your Servants and of your Children yet trusting in your goodness and in your mercy and pushed on with a desire of serving you I declare in the Presence of God and of all the Heavenly Court that I choose you this day for my Queen for my Mother and for my Advocate And I make a firm resolution never to forsake your Service never to do or say any thing against your honour and never to permit that any that depend upon me ever offend you or dishonour you in any manner whatsoever I most humbly beseech you to receive me into the number of your Servants and of your Children to help me in all my Necessities and not to forsake me at the hour of my Death Amen I thought my self obliged to make this Form for those who know not the manner how to give themselves to the B. Virgin The End of the Third Part. THE FOURTH PART FOR THE VNITIVE LIFE CXLI MED Of the Love of JESVS JESVS is the most beautiful of all Men. JESVS is the greatest of all Kings JESVS is the most charitable of all Fathers JESVS is the most faithful of all Friends JESVS is the mildest of all Masters JESVS is the perfectest of all Spouses JESVS made himself man for me and like me JESVS made himself poor for me and like me JESVS made himself miserable for me and like me JESVS suffered death for me and like me JESVS is my Father and my King He is my Brother and my Spouse My Master and my Shepherd My Chief and my Physician My Salvation and my Redemption My Hopes and my Comfort JESVS loves me with all his heart He is always at the door of my heart He intreats me to give him my heart He has given his life to have my heart I am ungrateful if I refuse him my heart Wo unto him who divides his heart Cursed is he that loves him not with all his heart O Love of all Loves O Heart of all Hearts Let me love you as you love me Let me love you as you deserve to be loved Nothing above JESVS Nothing comparable to JESVS Nothing with JESVS Nothing after JESVS Goodly of beauty above the Sons of men Ps 44. All in all Christ Col. 3. Simon of John dost thou love me John 14. He that has my Commandments and keeps them it is he that loves me John 14. If any one doth not love our Lord Jesus Christ be he Anathema 1 Cor. 16. CXLII MED Of the Vnity of Love LOve comes from Unity tends to Unity Reposes in Unity conserves it self by Unity A strait heart cannot be bowed A pure heart cannot be stained A free heart cannot be captivated A single heart cannot be divided Wo unto those that have a double heart God's heart cannot love them No man can have two Heavens No man can serve two Masters No man can have two Spouses No man can love God and the World There must be but one Soul to one Body But one Sun to the Universe But one King in a State But one Governour in a Place But one Shepherd to one Flock But one Pilot to one Ship But one Love to one Heart But one God to one Creature You will say you give God half your heart Ah! did not God create the other half Did God redeem but half your heart Will God save but half your heart Did God give you but half his heart Ah! why will you give him but half of yours Is the heart of a man too much for God O the God of my Heart You have always been mine And I have never been yours I have made to my self as many Idols As I have loved Creatures I have divided my Faith When I divided my Charity I destroy'd both the one and the other When I divided them Ah! I lost my self when I did not love you I will henceforth O my God Love you with all my heart I will never more divide my affections All to all One to one One alone to one alone This is the Device of my heart O my God and my All. Since you have given me your whole heart Which is so great 'T is very just that I should give you all mine That is so small No man can serve two Masters Matth. 6. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart Matth. 22. How long do you halt on both sides if our Lord is God serve him c. 3 Kings 18. Wo unto the double hearted Eccl. 2. Their heart is divided now they will perish Os 10. CXLIII MED Of the Presence of God GOD is before me with me in me He is before me for to consider me He is with me for to govern me He is in me for to enliven me I ought therefore to be before God By thinking on nothing but him With God by labouring only for him In God by loving nothing but him I am never alone God is always with me I never work alone God always works with me I never suffer alone God always suffers with me
heart says to you O blessed Soul Which listens to God in the silence from all Discourses Be silent all human and carnal thoughts Let all flesh be silent in the presence of God Let all flesh be silent before the face of our Lord. Zach. 2. I was reduced to nothing thou hast like the wind taken away my desire Job 30. My substance is like nothing before thee Ps 38. When I was gon a little beyond them I found him whom my soul loveth Cant. 3. Bring me yet another Vessel 4 Kings 4. CXLVIII MED Of the five degrees of Perfection ONe ought to be a Traveller on Earth One ought to be crucified One ought to dy on the Cross One ought to be buried One ought to go down into Hell A Traveller fixes upon nothing He that is crucified acts nothing A dead man feels nothing The body that is under ground is trampled on In Hell one is without comfort O Sacred Nothing Where the Soul loses her Being For to be transformed into God O living Sepulchres Where the wise do build Solitudes to themselves O Evangelical field Wherein the grain of Wheat dies for to rise again O God alone How amiable art thou I had rather be in Hell with thee Than be in Heaven without thee O let me be one of those living dead Who are wounded with love Let me sleep with them in the Tomb Of my Senses and Passions O my God! Let me dy that thou maist live in me Let me no more be any thing to my self That I may be all thine Be thou all in me all mine And if I may be so bold as to say so All my self My dearest I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims to refrain your selves from carnal desires 1 Pet. 2. With Christ I am fastned to the Cross I live now not I but Christ lives in me Gal. 2. Ye are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God Rom. 6. The sorrows of Hell have encompassed me Ps 17. Thou hast brought my soul out of Hell Ps 27. CXLIX MED Of the Divine Perfections WHat is God I know not I should be God if I could declare that You would be God If you could comprehend him What is God 'T is he who is 'T is he from whom all is 'T is he for whom all is In whom all is Without whom nothing can be He is the beginning the end the center And the foundation of all Beings What is God He is an omnipotent will He is an obliging goodness A Sovereign happiness An Eternal light An infallible reason An invincible power An invincible justice He is all that I see He is nothing of what I see He is the beauty by which all is beautiful He is the goodness by which all is good 'T is he that gives me light in the Sun Who warms me in the Fire Who refreshes me in the Water Who feeds me in the Bread Who rejoyces me in the Flowers Who sustains me on the Earth What is God My eyes have you not seen him No because he has no colour My ears have you not heard him No because he has no sound My tongue have you not tasted him No because he has no saviour My hands have not you touched him No because he has no body What then is God He is the essence of colour The noise of sound The principle of savour The ground-work of all substances A light above all light which the eye sees not A voice above all voice Which the ear hears not An odour above all odours Which the smelling smells not A sweetness above all sweetness VVhich the tast savours not A substance above all substance VVhich the hand touches not He is an incomprehensible Being VVhich comprehends all things Invisible who sees all things Indivisible who unites all things Eternal who produces all things Immoveable who removes all things Unchangeable who changes all things What is God He is a Spirit that dwells in himself VVho is happy by himself VVho is sufficient to himself VVho finds all in himself VVho is great without quantity Good without quality Infinit without number Immense without extension Eternal without duration Beautiful without figure What is God He is a Spirit who is every where And yet is not divided Who is in all things and is not inclosed Out of all and yet is not excluded Above all and is not elevated Below all and is not depressed What is God He is a Spirit whose nature is goodness Whose greatness is nothing but Majesty Whose life is nothing but fecundity Whose Understanding is nothing but Wisdom Whose Will is nothing but sanctity Whose thought is nothing but light Whose virtue is nothing but power Whose inclination is nothing but love Whose actions are miracles Whose motions are rest Whose duration is nothing but Eternity What is God He is a Spirit always present And always secret Always acting and always in rest Always heaping up without gaining Always giving and never drain'd Always loving without disquiet Always seeking without going forth From the center of his Beatitude O great God! O great Spirit How terrible are you to our Understandings But how amiable to our Wills O the Saint of Saints All my bones as insensible as they are Are sensible at your presence They cry out night and day Lord who is like unto thee O my Soul What dost thou seek after upon Earth Goodness It is in God without malice Beauty It is in God without blemish Perfection It is in God without defect Science It is in God without errour Strength It is in God without weakness Peace It is in God without disturbance Pleasure It is in God without pain Abundance It is in God without poverty Felicity It is in God without misery O my God! I love you with all my heart Since you are my joy and my happiness I will seek after nothing out of you Because I find all that I seek after in you O what a satisfaction I have to think That I can love you more than I know you That I cannot comprehend you in my Understanding But that I can contain you in my heart Why is not my heart all yours Since you are all his O ravishing Beauty O infinit Goodness When shall it be that I shall love you When shall it be that I shall see you Since one must dy for to see you It is just for to have this good That I should dy an infinity of times I am who am Exod. 3. I am the Alpha and Omega the beginning and the end says our Lord God who is and who was and who is to com Omnipotent Apoc. 1. Who is like unto thee among the strong O Lord who is like unto thee magnificent in sanctity terrible and laudable doing wonderful things Exod. 25. Out of him and through him and in him are all things to him be glory for ever Amen Rom. 15. CL. MED Of the Amability of God HOw great is God Since he hath created such
great things How beautiful is God Since he hath created such beautiful things How good is God Since he hath created such good things What favours has God don to me From what danger has he preserved me From how many evils has he delivered me What great goods he promises me Who deserves my heart better than he Who offers me a greater price for to have it To whom shall I give it if not to him Who has given me his To whom shall I sell it if not to him Who has bought it at the price of his Blood Is a naughty heart worth the blood of a God Worth the life of a God Worth the heart of a God Worth the Kingdom of God I deserve not to live If I will live for any one but you I ought not to have a heart If I will love any thing else besides you O I have loved you too late Beauty always new always ancient O I have too soon offended you Bounty always amiable always adorable I acknowledge my darkness I abhor my ingratitudes I will always love you O God of goodness I will never offend you O God of majesty Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with all thy forces Luk. 10. In this did appear the charity of God because God sent his only begotten son into the World that we may live by him 1 John 4. Let us therefore love God because he loved us first ibid. I will love thee O Lord my strength our Lord is my establishment and my refuge and my deliverer my God and my helper c. Ps 17. CLI MED How God loves men and how men ought to love God LEt us love God because he loves us Let us love him as he hath loved us The Love of God is ancient He hath lov'd us from all Eternity We were always in his thought in his heart His Love is as ancient as his Being He no sooner was but he loved us And as he always was So he always loved us And he will still love us During all Eternity The Love of God is pure and disinterested He loves us without standing in need of us Without expecting any thing from us Without any desert on our side Without any obligation on his He loves us that he may be loved And to make us happy through his love The Love of God is tender 'T is a Love of sweetness 'T is the sweetness of Love 'T is the Love of a Father And Mother and Nurse The Love of God is strong It triumphs over all difficulties It does good to the ungrateful To Rebels to his Enemies The Love of God is infinit He loves us with the love that he loves himself He has bestowed infinit benefits on us He has suffered infinit evils for us He has given his blood which is of an infinit price He communicates to us his grace Which is an infinit treasure He prepares his glory for us Which is an infinit good The Love of God is universal It embraces all men There is no body that he does not love That he does not visit To whom he has not appointed an Angel Whom he does not help Whom he has not redeemed Whom he is not willing to save O incomparable Lover Where shall I find a friend So faithful and so ancient as you O my Soul Canst thou not love him Who has loved thee so much Canst thou refuse thy heart to him Who has given thee his Compare one with the other Measure the greatness of the one and the other O my God! my Love Was there ever Ingratitude comparable to mine You love me from the time that you were And I offend you from the time that I had a Being You love me from all Eternity And I will not love you now O I will henceforth love you As you have loved me I will love you constantly purely strongly Eternally universally In all places in all times in all states And in the accomplishment of all your wills I have loved thee in perpetual charity Jer. 31. The Father himself loveth you John 6. He will have all men to be saved and to com to the knowledge of truth 1 Tim. 2. He loved them to the end John 13. Is the death of the wicked man my Will saith the Lord God and not rather that he should be converted from his ways and live Ezek. 18. CLII. MED Of the Incomprehensibility of God ALL times together Cannot measure the Being of God All places together cannot inclose him All understandings whatsoever Cannot comprehend him All hearts together Cannot love him sufficiently God is nothing of what I see He is nothing of what I touch He is nothing of what I hear He is nothing of what I know He is nothing of what I imagin He is an invisible spiritual And incomprehensible Being O my God! How rich am I When I have nothing but you How enlightned am I When I see nothing but you How knowing am I When I know nothing but you How contented am I When I relish nothing but you I see all things when I see nothing I tast all things when I tast nothing I hear all things when I hear nothing I possess all things when I possess nothing I am all things when I am nothing I honour the Power of God By the Sacrifice of my power I honour the Greatness of God By the Sacrifice of my glory I honour the Goodness of God By the Sacrifice of my desires I honour the Incomprehensibility of God By the Sacrifice of my thoughts Empty your Memory from its Images And God will fill it with his Essence Empty your Heart of its Affections And God will fill it with his Goods Empty your Understanding of your Conceits And God will fill it with his Lights Great in counsel and incomprehensible in thought Jer. 32. To whom have you compared me and made me like unto Isai 46. My Soul hath refused to be comforted I was made full of God and was delighted Ps 76. All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee Ps 34. Rase it rase it unto the foundation thereof Ps 136. CLIII MED Of Simplicity BE simple in mind Be simple in heart That Spirit is simple That has but one thought That heart is simple that has but one desire Without these two Simplicities You will never arrive to Unity God is a pure Act. There is nothing more simple than his Being He cannot be multiplyed He cannot endure Duplicity He has from all Eternity But one thought and one love He says all in one word And this word is nothing but Truth If you would unite your self to God You must imitate this Simplicity To what purpose are so many thoughts To what end so many discourses Are not you convinc'd of the truth Why should you seek after what you have found Do what you know Tast what you see God is one great Word A great matter for Prayer Cast
thou have in Hell Where thou wilt have for tormentors All those that thou hast damned O my God! Forgive me my own proper sins And impute not to me the sins of others I have hitherto been a Tyrant I will henceforth be a Martyr I have lived like a Devil I will now live like an Angel I have labour'd only to destroy Souls I will now labour to save them I shall not be in security Unless I save as many as I have damn'd I am not born for my self alone I must likewise answer for my Neighbour My life is only necessary for my self But my reputation is necessary for others I ow Chastity to my self But I ow Modesty to the whole World Wo unto the world from scandals Matth. 17. He that scandalizes one of these little ones it were better for him to have a Milstone hung about his neck and to be flung into the Sea Matth. 17. If thy hand scandalize thee cut it off Mark 4. VVo unto him by whom scandal cometh Luk. 7. XXVII MED Of outward Pennance and Mortification THere is nothing more united than Soul and Body Nothing less united than Soul and Body When the one goes forward the other goes backward When one goes up the other goes down When the one is well the other is sick When the one is strong the other is weak I am not a man if I obey my Passions I am no Christian unless I fight against my Passions I am no Penitent unless I mortifie my Passions How do I know whether my sins be forgiven me Whether the punishment be remitted me Whether God will chastise me spiritually Or punish me corporally If I spare my self God will not spare me If I punish my self God will not punish me If I hate my self God will love me If I love my self God will hate me O! I will chastise my Body That I may be predestinated I will fight against this enemy of God That I may be crowned I will mortifie my senses That I may live a life of the spirit I will be crucified with JESUS That I may rise again with JESUS I abhor my body unless it have wounds as his had Since I have not the heart to make my self any I will suffer those that God shall make me O Christian Soul Make of thy body a living and dying victim Mortifie thy Passions thy Senses and thy Desires Mortifie thy self at all times In all places In all things Mortifie thy self discreetly and prudently Give thy flesh unto God and he will give thee his spirit Do thou take care of the exteriour And he will take care of the interiour Do thou do what is easie and he will do that which is hard Walk as long as thou art able And he will carry thee when thou canst go no longer The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh Gal. 5. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. Those that belong to Christ have crucified their flesh with its vices and lusts Gal. 5. If you live according to the flesh you shall die Rom. 8. XXVIII MED Of the excellency of Mortification WHat is Mortification 'T is a death of love which kills the criminal life Which takes the Soul off from the senses Which severs her from the body Which makes her live in spirit What is Mortification 'T is a Martyrdom of love without Crime or Tyrant Less bloody than that of faith but longer and more tedious More free and more voluntary More honourable and more innocent More troublesom and more constant What is Mortification 'T is a continuation of the Sacrifice of JESUS Which fills up what is wanting to his Passion Which makes our Bodies Members of his Which enlivens us with his Spirit Gives us a share of his Sorrows Which merits for us a treasure of his Grace Which disposes us to the throne of his Glory O let me die the death of the Just That I may live the life of the Just O let me be a victim to love That I may die a death of love I beseech you brethren through the mercy of God that you yield your bodies a living and holy Host and pleasing to God Rom. 12. I die every day 1 Cor. 15. I am fastned to the Cross Gal. 2. I fulfil the things that are wanting to the Sufferances of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church Col. 1. If by the spirit you mortifie the works of the flesh you shall live Rom. 8. XXIX MED Of the Profit and necessity of Temptations THe evil purifies the good A Storm makes Trees take deeper Roots Wind blows away the Chaff Fire refines Gold Snow warms the Ground A Combat tries ones strength Infirmity conserves Humility Temptation increases Charity Every thing hath its contrary War produces Peace Every thing subsists by opposition You will be saved but by Temptation Unless you be tempted you will not be predestinated Unless you fight you will not be crowned Unless you be assaulted you are already overcome This Combat is troublesom but it is necessary It gives an exercise to your virtue But it gets you a Crown That which encourages you to resist Will crown your patience The feeling of Temptation hurts not Provided the heart consent not God is with you what do you fear You are stronger than your enemy He cannot overcome you unless you will He cannot bite you unless you go near him Be vigilant in the first beginnings Pray to God at all times Fly occasions Be firm in your resolutions Take counsel in your Doubts Seek for succour in your Combats Go up to Heaven there to see your Throne Go down into Hell there to see your place 'T is on this Combat peradventure That your Salvation depends 'T is on this Moment that your Eternity depends 'T is on this Crisis that your life depends 'T is on this Temptation that depends your Predestination O JESUS my King I fight for you and before you You are the Spectator of my labours You are the Witness of my feebleness Suffer me not to betray you Permit me not to ruin my self Arise O God of Hosts make hast unto my succour Defend me against my foes Scatter away those that hate me He that is not tempted what does he know Eccles 34. Gold and Silver is tried in the fire and men that are acceptable in the furnace of humiliation Eccles 12. Esteem it all joy brethren when you fall into several temptations Jac. 1. Vexed in few things in many things they shall be well disposed Wisd 3. XXX MED Of the causes of our Temptations WHy am I tempted 'T is because you are proud Or because you watch not over your Senses Or because you avoid not Occasions Or because you have ill Habits Or because you are not in order Or for that you have quitted your Vocation Or because you are not sufficiently employed 'T is because you are a man Because you are a Sinner And
no body praises you nor loves you Call me to Heaven where I shall see you where I shall love you where I shall praise you for all Eternity Amen So be it One may also read to the Patient the Meditations upon the last words of JESVS upon the Cross which are in the Third Part. THE SECOND PART OF THE Meditations FOR THE ILLVMINATIVE LIFE LIII MED Of the care of our Perfection BE ye perfect like your Heavenly Father A Child ought to resemble his Father An Image its Original An Effect its Cause A Disciple his Master He that advances not in Christ's School Deserves not to be his Disciple Not to advance is to go backward Not to amend is to grow worse Not to gain is to lose One cannot stand still on a River Without going down or up If you stop you go down If you rest you go backward If you once say 'T is enough you undo your self One must labour much for to be perfect God possesses his happiness without motion The Angel gets his with a small motion Man coms to his with much motion All things are wanting to him Who thinks that he wants nothing Grace will not be barren Love cannot be idle 'T is a fire that never says 'T is enough Either it burns or it goes out Either it increases or diminishes The Talent is taken from him Who does not improve it The Tree is cut down that bears nothing O my God! How much time have I lost How many Graces have I squandred away How little virtue have I How little improvement have I made All the World advances I only go backward The Trades-man learns his Trade And yet I learn not mine The Schollar becomes learned And I am still ignorant Every one strives to be perfect Onely I will still be imperfect O my Divine Master Forgive me what is past And I will henceforward do better Alas I have not yet begun Oh! What a way have I to go O how I fear to be surpriz'd with night Let us run for to win the prize Let us advance that we may not be surpriz'd Be ye therefore perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Matth. 5. Do not you know that those who run a Race all run and but one gains the Prize so run that you may get it 2 Cor. 9. I therefore do so run not as in uncertain I so fight not as beating the air but I chastise my body and bring it into servitude 1 Cor. 4. I said Now I have begun this is a change of the right hand of the highest Ps 76. LIV. MED Of Prayer and the Difficulties that occur therein WHy are we oblig'd to pray For to honour God's Majesty To yield an homage to his grandure To acknowledge his Providence To testifie to him our dependency on him To stir him up to do us good To put our selves in a condition of receiving good from him To enlarge our hearts To make them capable of his graces Prayer unites us to God It fastens us to his Divine Breasts It squeezes the Milk of Grace out of them It inriches us with his Bounties It supplies our Necessities It fills up our Wants It makes us powerful like God It makes us triumph over God That body is dead that breaths not That Soul is dead that prays not Whence coms it that I obtain nothing of God 'T is because you ask evil things 'T is because you ask being in all ill state Without Attention Without Devotion Without Humility Without Confidence Without Perseverance Prayer penetrates Heaven It gets all that it asks God can refuse it nothing As his nature is nothing but goodness He desires nothing but to pour himself out He is a Nurse that has too much Milk He seeks about every where for an empty heart For to fill it with his goods He has engaged his word 'T is his Son that prays in us He has given us his spirit He has transferr'd his merits on us What may we not obtain By offering to God the merits of his Son Whence com my distractions They com from the Devil Who would give us a disgust of Prayer They com from your Imagination Which is light and volatile They com from your spirit Which busies it self with vain things They com from your heart Which is fastned to Creatures Which flies where its treasure lies Which converses with what it loves Which is not pleas'd with God Because it has no love for God They often com from the body Which loads and weighs down the spirit They com from the little care You take of your perfection They com from your sloth They com from your infidelity There is nothing but Mortification That enkindles the fire of Prayer Whence coms it that I have no comfort 'T is because you have no affliction Because you desire it with too much passion Because you seek it in Creatures 'T is for to beat down your pride To keep you in humility To make you know your self To make you sensible of your weakness To stir up your desire To punish your negligence To spur up your sloth To exercise your patience To increase your merit To draw you off from your senses To make you live in Spirit To settle you in Faith To strengthen your Hope To purifie your Love To try your Fidelity To make you a Spiritual man To make you set a value on grace To make you desire conserve recover it To shew you the necessity of it For to moderate your Fervours To manage your health For to make you merit the good things Which God designs to bestow on you To prepare your heart For to receive som great favours 'T is for to draw you from Meditation And make you pass to Union O my God! I beg your pardon for having left off Prayer Alas I thought you were angry When you shew'd me the greatest affection I will henceforth be more faithful I will humble my self in my Poverties I will expect your Visit with patience I will support all my states I will suffer all my disgusts 'T is too much honour for me To be in your presence Is it not to be in Heaven to be with you We know not what we ought to pray for but the spirit himself doth petition for us with unexpressible groans Rom. 8. Pray without intermission in all things give thanks 1 Thess 4. Ask and it shall be given you seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened to you Matth. 7. God is a Spirit and those who adore him must adore him in spirit and truth John 5. You ask and you receive not because you ask ill Jam. 4. My prayer shall turn back into my bosom and the speeches of my mouth shall be acceptable to you and the meditation of my heart in thy sight always Ps 15. LV. MED Of Faith 'T Is to be without Reason To be without Faith 'T is not to be a Man Not to be a Christian Fath is above
wrath Ps 9. LXVI MED Of Conformity to the Will of God TO judge as God judges is to be wise as God is To will as God wills is to be holy as God is His judgment is the Rule of our judgments His will is the Rule of our wills God alone has right to do what he will He alone can have a will of his own Wilt not thou then my Soul obey God Wilt thou always make war against him Wilt thou wrestle with the Almighty Hast thou measur'd thy arms with his Art thou wiser than he Wilt thou teach him to govern the World If thou wilt not do his Will Thou wilt take away his Crown Thou wilt ascend his Throne Thou wilt be independent as he is Is it just that God should do thy will Or that thou should'st do his Will How happy would'st thou be If thou would'st nothing but what God will In what a profound peace wouldst thou live How would thy affairs change their face What cares and disquiets wouldst thou spare God does the affairs of those who do his He obeys those who obey him He loves those that love him He contents those that content him Is it not to be in Heaven To will all that God wills Is it not to be in Hell To will nothing of what God wills A man does always his own will When he has no proper self-will A man never does what he will When he does not do what God will The Will of God is always don one way or other If I oppose him he will oppose me If I afflict him he will afflict me If I disturb him he will disturb me If I serve him he will serve me O my God! There is no pleasure in displeasing you There is no profit in offending you Since I have been at odds with you I have been at odds with my self Since I have made war against you I never could find any peace Do with me what you please If I will not do what you will have me Make me serve you if I will not love you Force me if I will not obey you Draw me if I will not follow you Good and evil life and death poverty and honour are from God Eccles 11. I have found a man according to my heart who will do all my wills 1 Kings 13. Whatsoever shall befal a just man shall never make him sad Prov. 12. Whosoever shall do the will of my Father he is my Brother and Sister and Mother Matth. 12. Not as I will but as thou Matth. 29. LXVII MED Of the love of our Neighbour MY Neighbour is a man as I am He is framed to the Image of God as I am Redeemed with his Blood as I am Is a Member of his Body as I am Is a Child of his Church as I am Is fed with the same Sacraments as I am Is design'd to the same Heaven as I am God commands me to love him as my self Jesus prays me and orders me to do it He reckons it as don to himself All that is don to our Neighbour He has substituted him in his own place He has transferr'd all his rights to him He will have me pay him all that I owe him I am not his Disciple Unless I love my Neighbour I am no Christian unless I assist him If I afflict him God will afflict me If I excuse him God will excuse me If I support him God will support me If I pardon him God will pardon me God will use me as I have used him God will judge me according to my charity to him O I will then love him that I may be beloved I will assist him that I may be assisted I will support him that I may be supported I will save him that I may be saved I will love him Tenderly Universally Generously Constantly Thou shalt love thy neighbour as t' y self Matth. 12. To love your neighbour as your self is more than all Holocausts and Sacrifices Mark 12. Bear one another's burdens and so you will fulfil the Law of Christ Gal. 6. But above all things having continual Charity in your selves because Charity covers a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4. In this all shall know that ye are my Disciples if you have a love for one another John 3. LXVIII MED Of the duty of Fathers to their Children and of Masters towards their Servants A Father owes to his Children Nourishment of Body and Soul He must not bring them into the World For to send them to Hell Why will you be a Father Unless you will also be an Instructor What does it avail you to feed the Body If you leave the Soul forlorn The first life of Children Is but the life of Beasts They becom men but with time 'T is wise instruction that discloses their reason 'T is a new Birth 'T is the Organ of Faith 'T is the Principle of Salvation 'T is the Ground-work of Virtue Salvation and Damnation depend often upon Education Unhappy are those Children Whose Fathers will pardon them in nothing But much more unhappy are those To whom their Fathers grant all things A good education ought to be mildly severe Parents ought to imitate God Who does the office both of a Father and Mother Of a Father by severity Of a Mother by tenderness One must not always punish Nor must one always pardon One must not always be silent Nor must one always chide Never correct a Child when you are in Choler A Physician that is sick must first cure himself A Father that is hurried along with passion Does himself deserve correction Punishment is a Medecin Which is to be given in its due time When Chastisement is just and moderate It gives Understanding But it creates a Contempt When it is us'd too often For to breed up ones Children well They are to be loved equally The partiality of affections Is the cause of all disorders Why should you make a difference Where Nature has made none Why should you violate the rights Which she has wisely establish'd Ought not the Branches of the same tree Bear the same Leaves Nature acts by Inclination But those who love out of charity Do more good to those persons For whom they have most aversion Imitate God in his conduct Has he not more tenderness For the Predestinate than the Reprobate But he hides it in this life The wicked are not jealous of it He oftentimes shews more friendship To those by whom he has been most offended Instructions bring but little fruit Unless they be accompanied with example You destroy by your Actions What you build up by your Words The Hand advances more than the Tongue Example is more powerful than Discourse The Child gives more credit to his Eyes Than he does to his Ears He thinks he has a right to do What he sees his Parents do He places his glory in imitating them And his perfection in being like them All your sins are Scandals Which infect your
Kingdom of God GOD reigns in the heart of man Man reigns in the heart of God God reigns when man does his Will Man reigns when God does his will God does the will of Man When man does the Will of God God obeys Man when Man obeys God God reigns by his Providence And man by his Obedience To serve God is to reign To obey God is to command O my God! How just it is that I should depend on you But is it just that you should depend on us How just is it that I should do your will But is it just that you should do mine And yet you promise to do the will Of those who do yours O you shall henceforth be my treasure Since my heart O my God is yours O the good Master Who does the will of his Servants O the naughty Servant Who will not do the will of his good Master He will do the will of those that fear him Psal 44. I am in the midst of you as one that serves Luk. 22. Thy Kingdom com Matth. 5. The Kingdom of God is within you Luk. 17. XCVIII MED Of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and that of Satan NO Man can be without a Master And he can have but one You must either belong to Jesus or to Satan You are his Servant whose will you do Jesus is the best of all Kings Satan is the cruellest of all Tyrants Jesus loves us to the height of his love Satan hates us to the height of his hatred Jesus reigns in peace Satan reigns in trouble Jesus conducts us to Heaven Satan pushes us on to Hell Jesus is not our King Unless we keep his Commandments He reigns over our Spirit by faith Over our hearts by charity Over our desires by hope Over our soul by peace Over our body by suffering He governs us by his wisdom He sustains us by his power He sanctifies us by his love His Wisdom governs us When we renounce our own lights His power sustains us When we renounce our own forces His love sanctifies us When we renounce our own desires To do what God would have us do To suffer what he sends us To conserve our selves in his grace To keep our hearts in peace Not to do any thing through passion To obey his inspiration To be ready to do all things To be ready to do nothing Not to desire any good thing Not to refuse any evil To be always contented To live and dy on the Cross This is the Kingdom of Jesus This is that which makes his Empire O JESUS my King I am your servant and the Son of your handmaid Alas How can you enter into a heart From whence I have so often driven you 'T is a long time since you have not liv'd in me Since I have been in your grace Since you reign not in me Since you reign not in me in peace Re-enter O Lord into your Kingdom And never go out of it any more Defend your self in it Against the enemies of your Crown Satan says that he is my Master The World says that I am his Slave Pride says that I belong to him Sensuality says that I am hers And I say that I belong to Jesus That I am redeemed with the blood of JESUS That I have no other Master but Jesus That I will dy in the Service of Jesus That nothing shall separate me from Jesus Behold your King John 19. My Kingdom is not of this World ibid. Do thou and thy Son rule over us Judg. 8. Let not Sin therefore reign in your mortal body Rom. 6. The King of Kings and Lord of Lords Apoc. 13. XCIX MED Of the Passion of JESVS Christ in general JEsus is the true Son of God He is the holiest of all men He is the greatest of all Kings He is the best of all Friends He never disobliged any one He did good to all the World And all the World did ill to him As he suffered for all men So he suffered from all men There was no Sex nor Condition Which did not contribute to his Passion Jews Gentils Priests and Kings All laboured to his Cross Jesus suffered all sorts of evils In his body and in his soul In his spirit and in his heart In his memory and in his imagination In his honour and in his goods In his parents and in his friends In all his senses and in all his members He is a man of sorrows and pain And I would be a man of pleasures Jesus is the Victim of all times He is the Victim of all men just and sinners He is the Victim of our Crimes As he loaded himself with all our Crimes He was crown'd with all our sufferings As there is no man that he did not love So there was none that he did not suffer for But he principally suffered for me And yet I will endure nothing for him Who did oblige him to dy for ungrateful People Why would he make himself miserable He died for to restore life to us He made himself miserable to make us happy He delivered himself up to his Enemies He did not appeal from Pilate's Sentence He wrought no Miracle for to save himself He was crucified all his life long His Heart was crucified before his Body was He died with a desire to dy His greatest sufferance was That he did not suffer O most sweet Jesus You ought to rest satisfied For you have been satiated with reproaches You cannot suffer more than you have suffered You could not dy more cruelly than you died And I would live in delights Where shall I find Examples of your goodness Examples of my malice Examples of your love Examples of my ingratitude In him dwells all plenitude of the Divinity corporally Col. 2. God anointed him with the Holy Ghost and virtue who passed along doing good and healing all that were opprest by the Devil because God was with him Act. 10. Who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2. I am to be baptized with a Baptism and how am I straitened until it be performed Luk. 12. From the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there is no health in him Isai 53. C. MED Of the Sadness of the Son of God in the Garden of Olives JEsus is sad even unto Death At the sight of his torments Of my Sins Ingratitudes Miseries He was seized with fear for to shew That he was a man like me That he was weak like me That he stript himself of his force And cloathed himself with my weakness That he gave me his courage That he took my timidity He trembles to give me assurance He fears for to encourage me He falls for to raise me up Pleasure and Pain make all the Sins of men Desire and Fear make all the Passions of men Jesus has conquered both these Enemies And has given us his strength for to conquer them He abstain'd from all Pleasures He suffered all Pains He renounced all Desires He
silent from me least at any time thou hold thy peace from me and I shall be like to them that go down into the lake Ps 27. There is a time to besilent and a time to speak Eccl. 3. CIV MED Of the Preference of Barabbas before JESVS Christ THe innocent is compared to the nocent The just man to a Thief A King to a Slave The God of sanctity to a Sinner This outrage is less sensible to him Than that which a Christian does to him When he compares him with a Creature When he prefers Lucifer before him As often as you sin you make this comparison You give him this confusion O JESUS The greatest and the least The first and the last When I see you at the feet of Judas I find no place to put my self in When I see you beneath Barabbas I see nothing but Hell where to hide my self Is it just that I should be above you You are now the last of all men If I prefer my self before one only man I must prefer my self before you O my Soul Suffer contempt Seek humiliations Envy not the elevation of others But love abjections If thou exaltest thy self God will depress thee Whom will you that I release to you Barabbas or Jesus that is called Christ Matth 27. To whom have you compared me and to whom have you likened me Isai 46 They all creed out saying not him but Barabbas Job 19. I have bred up children and exalted them but they have slighted me Isai 1. CV MED Of the Flagellation of Jesus Christ JEsus was scourged like a Slave He is all bathed in his Blood His Body is but one wound His Bones are seen through his wounds The Lamb is now flayed He must be put on the Cross O Christian Soul Take these whips into thy hand Do justice to thy self say It is I that have sinned It is I that ought to be punished Is it just that I should be without wounds Seeing my King loaden with wounds How shall my Body be glorified Unless it be purged by Sufferings Those who are not chastized with Men Shall be chastized with the Devils O most holy Lamb What Crime hast thou committed That thou shouldst suffer such pain And undergo such confusion Alas Thou payest in thy flesh The criminal Pleasures of ours 'T was for to expiate the sins of our bodies That thine was thus torn O Virginal Flesh Into what a condition have the infamous Pleasures of men reduced thee O I will chastize my body That I may make it like unto thine My God! I confess my cowardice I have not the courage to chastize my self Take therefore the whip into thy own hand Spare not thy Corrections I am dispos'd to all that thou think'st fit Chastize me if it be necessary But chastize me like a Father And not like a Judge Chastize me out of love And not in thy wrath Chastize me Now and not in Eternity Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him Jo. 19. He delivered Jesus beaten with whips Mark 15. Many are the scourges of a sinner Ps 31. I am prepared for scourges and my sorrow is always in my sight Ps 37. They are not in the labour of men and they shall not be scourged with men Ps 72. Our Lord chastizes those he loves and he scourges every Son whom he receives Heb. 12. CVI. MED Of the Crowning with Thorns JEsus is crown'd with Thorns Sorrows Ignominies He wore this Crown to make his Head suffer For to expiate the pleasure of our thoughts For to punish our Ambition For to purifie our Imagination For to shew what sort of Kingdom his was For to declare who are his Subjects The Jews renounce him for their King And ask to have him crucified Christian behold your King Will you have him with this Diadem If you are the Son of God as he is You must be put on the Cross with him If you will wear a Crown of Gold in Heaven You must wear a Crown of Thorns on Earth Ought a member to be delicate Under a head crown'd with sorrows The Crowns of the World are Crowns that shine The Crowns of Jesus are Crowns that prick O ye Daughters of Jerusalem Com forth and see King Salomon with the Diadem Which his Mother has crown'd him with Alas the Synagogue is not a Mother But an inhuman Mother-in-Law She crowned her self with Roses And crowned her God with Thorns Christian As often as you entertain foul and ambitious thoughts So often do you renew his torments You strike in these bloody prickles You afflict his spirit You crown him with ignominies O ye Daughters of Jerusalem Behold the man that has saved you Behold the man whom you have crucified The man who has loved you so much The man whom you cease not still to persecute O the fairest of Men O the greatest of Kings I will never offend you more The Jews will not have you The Worldings will obey Casar The Rich will have a God of Silver The Sensual will have a God of Pleasures And I will have a King of Sorrows I will have a poor and despised King I will have no other King but JESUS I will be crowned like Jesus The Souldiers platting a crown of thorns put it upon his head and they put about him a purple garment John 19. Jesus went forth earrying the Crown of thorns and the purple vestment bid Lo the Man ibid. Lo your King ibid. Crowning he will crown thee with cribulation Isai 22. We have no King but Caesar John 19. Jesus of Naza reth the King of the Jews ibid. My King and my God Psal 5. CVII MED On Jesus Christ's journey in carrying of his Cross JESUS carries his Cross on his Shoulders He sinks under so heavy a weight They substitute a poor man in his room Who carries it for him and after him He was forced to take it up And follow Jesus Christ How coms it that he permits himself to be relieved That he does not work a Miracle For to carry his Cross 'T is to teach men that this Cross is due to them That he took it on himself for their sakes That we help him to carry his Cross When we carry ours with patience That to be his Disciples We must carry our Cross That he carries our Cross with us And that we ought to carry his Cross with him O happy Simon Who carried the Cross of JESUS Christian it is in your power To have the same honour as he had All our Crosses are pieces of his Cross They have touched his Soul or his Body He first drunk in our Chalice He suffered all that we suffer He hath espoused all our Sorrows There is not one of them that entred Not into his heart O JESUS my Lord I will follow you wheresoever you go And since that you are loaden with a Cross I will carry one after you 'T is the Trophy of my Salvation 'T is the Standard of my Religion 'T is the
The other rebuked him saying Dost not thou also fear God We indeed suffer justly for we receive worthy of our doings but this man hath don no evil ibid. Lord remember me when thou shalt com into thy Kingdom Amen I say to thee This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise ibid. There shall be two in one bed one shall be taken and the other left behind Luk. 17. CXI MED Of the Passion of the B. Virgin O Good Jesu Why dost thou suffer thy Mother to follow thee How canst thou endure that she should see thee dy Oughtest not thou to have spared her So sensible a grief What Crime has she committed That she should be present at thy Execution God will have Mary to be at the foot of the Cross For to co-operate to our Redemption For to offer up to God this great Sacrifice For to repair Eve's fault For to conceive all the Predestinate For to be declared their Mother For to increase the pains of her Son For to take a part in his Sufferings For to drink in his Chalice For to becom the Queen of Martyrs For to be crown'd with Thorns The Martyrs did suffer for Jesus Christ Mary did suffer with Jesus Christ The Martyrs suffered in their Bodies Mary suffered in her Soul The Martyrs suffered in their criminal Flesh Mary suffered in the innocent Flesh of her Son The Martyrs desired Death Mary could not desire the Death of her Son The hearts of the Martyrs were fill'd with joy The heart of Mary was fill'd with sadness Love diminish't the Torments of the Martyrs Love increased the Sorrows of Mary Jesus was doubly crucified In his Body upon the Cross In his Spirit in the heart of Mary Mary was doubly crucified Spiritually in her heart Corporally in the flesh of her Son Love did imprint in her heart The wounds that were made in his Body Those that were not mortal to the Son Were mortal to the Mother The Lance that opened the heart of Jesus Pierced the living heart of Mary As never Mother loved more So never Mother suffered more O Daughter of Sion To whom shall I compare thee Thy sorrow is without example It is great like the Ocean It s depth is infinit It s extent is unconceivable There is nothing but the sorrow of thy Son That is comparable unto thine He is the King of Martyrs And thou art the Queen of Martyrs He is a Man of Sorrows And thou art a Woman of Sufferings O Christian Soul Go with Mary up to Mount Calvary Beg of her to receive you for her Child Take a share in her Sorrows Mingle your tears with hers Increase not her Affliction Renew not her Passion When you sin mortally You crucify her Son anew O how sensible is this death to her O how it afflicts her sacred heart She consented to his Corporal death But she cannot consent to his Spiritual death The first restored our life to us The second brings death to us Suffer as she did all Privations Remain as she did constant in your pains You will be no child of Mary's Unless you be with her at the foot of the Cross Woman behold your Son Son behold your Mother O Holy Virgin O Mother of Sorrows O Queen of Martyrs O Spouse of the Cross I chuse you for my Mother Receive me into the number of your Children Imprint in my heart the wounds of your Son Fasten me strongly to the Cross Give me a part in your sufferings If I am guilty I ought to suffer If I am innocent I ought to imitate you Pierce my heart with the sword of grief Which transpierced yours Let me drink in that Chalice of gall Wherewith you were inebriated Above all be present at your Child's death Receive my Soul into your hands And convey it up to Heaven A couragious woman who shall find Prov. 31. There stood besides the Cross of Jesus his Mother Joh. 19. He said to his Mother Woman behold thy Son Then he said to his Disciple Behold thy Mother ibid. Thy very Soul a Sword shall pass through that cogitations may be revealed out of many hearts Luk. 2. Thy contrition is great like the Sea Thren 2. CXII MED Of the Dereliction of our Lord. MY God my God why hast thou forsaken me How terrible is that dereliction Which makes a God to groan Which makes a God to weep Which makes a God to cry out Which makes the only one of his complaints Which he makes before his Enemies Before a great number of People Which he makes a little before he dies Which gives occasion to those that hear him complain To doubt whether he were the true Son of God Since he is forsaken by his Father Jesus was never separated from Grace From Glory from the Divinity He was always holy happy God This terrible Dereliction Was only a sensible suspension Of the succours which the Divinity Communicated to his Humanity It was a shadow of the pain Which a Sinner feels who is in Hell Forsaken by Almighty God O my God! I conceive what it is to be damned By the pain which your Son suffer'd on the Cross If the deprival of your sensible and comforting presence Made your Son to groan Who was substantially united to you Who will be able to bear for ever The weight of an infinit wrath Who will be able to suffer in Hell An eternal separation An universal privation Of your Grace Love Presence Comfort Glory Felicity Succour Protection Of all that can be desired Of all that can be loved With a deluge of evils for all Eternity O my God! forsake me not Although I have forsaken you Deprive me if it must be of your Pleasures But deprive me not of your Grace If you forsake me during my life Forsake me not at my Death If you forsake me now Forsake me not in Eternity O Jesus 'T is I that have committed the Sin And you have born the Punishment 'T is I that ought to be forsaken And you were forsaken for my sake O how your Dereliction affrights me O how your Dereliction comforts me You were forsaken at your death That I might not be forsaken at mine Forsake me not then O Lord When all the World hath forsaken me My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 28. Forsake me not O Lord my God go not away from me Ps 37. Cast me not away in the time of my old age when my strength fails me forsake me not Ps 70. My enemies said God hath forsaken him persecute and lay hold of him because there is none to deliver him ibid. Forsake me not wholly Ps 118. He said I will not desert nor forsake thee Heb. 13. CXIII MED On the Thirst of our Lord on the Cross JEsus thirsts and no body gives him to drink They give him gall and vinegar For all his refreshment He was willing to suffer this torment For to punish our gluttonies And to undergo All the Punishments which sin
I commend my spirit And saying this he gave up the Ghost Luk. 23. And bowing down the head he gave up the Ghost John 19. Our King before ages wrought Salvation in the midst of the Earth Psal 73. He that adheres to our Lord is one spirit 1 Cor. 6. If God be for us who is against us Rom. 8. Therefore let those who suffer according to the Will of God recommend their Souls to their faithful Creator in good deeds 1 Pet. 4. CXVI MED Of the Death of the Son of God JESUS is dead Who will fear death He died for us Who will refuse to dy for him He died wasted with pains Who will refuse to suffer He died for his Servants Who will serve any other Master but him He died for our sins Who will dare to put him to death again O the good Shepherd Who died for his Sheep O the High Priest Who immolated himself for men O the faithful Friend Who lov'd us until death O the Divine Master Who placed his Chair on Mount Calvary O JESVS Since thou didst dy for me It is just that I should dy for thee Since thou hast given me the example I must dy as thou didst Wherefore I pardon all my enemies I hope thou wilt give me thy Heaven Recommend me I pray to thy good Mother Bid her take care of me O forsake me not O my God When all the World forsakes me Sustain me by thy grace When I have lost the strength of my body I thirst I desire to see thee I desire to dy When will my end com When shall I consummate my Sacrifice O my Father I recommend my spirit into thy hands I unite my death with thy Son 's Remember that he redeem'd me with his blood Lose not my soul which is of so great value Bowing down his head he gave up the Ghost John 19. The just man perisheth and no body thinks of it in his heart Isai 57. Think upon him who endured such contradiction against himself from sinners that you may not be wearied in your minds fainting Heb. 12. He died for the wicked Rom. 5. Christ died for us ibid. For this end did Christ dy and rose again that he might be Lord of the quick and the dead Rom. 14. Your are dead and your life is hid with Christ c. Col. 3. CXVII MED In form of Prayer on the seven Stations of the Sufferings of the Son of God 1. STATION O Jesus my Saviour who didst sweat blood and water in the Garden of Olives at the sight of thy torments and of my sins And who didst strip thy self of thy farce for to cloath thy self with my Infirmities I aadore thee all bathed in thy blood I give thanks to thy sacred heart for having afflicted it self for my sake I detest all the sins which did cause so great a sadness I resolve to dy rather than ever more to afflict thee Give me grace that I may as thou didst conceive a great sorrow for my iniquities that I may resist even unto blood the Temptations of the Devil and of the Flesh and that I may conform my self in all things to thy example and to the will of thy Father 2. STAT O Jesus my Lord who wert buffeted and ill treated in the houses of Annas and Caiphas I give thee thanks for having suffered these injuries and these confusions for the love of me Alas how often have I buffeted and injured thee in the person of my neighbour since thou reckonest as don to thy self all the ill that is don to him I beg most humble pardon of thee for it And I resolve henceforth for thy sake to suffer all the injuries that shall be don to me and never more to offend thee in the person of my Brothers either by action words judgment or will 3. STAT O Jesus my King who wert scorned by Herod and by the Jews when they preferred a Robber a Seditious felow and a Man-killer before thee I beg pardon of you for having so often preferr'd the Devil and wretched Creatures before you I promise never more to dishonour you You shall always be the King of my heart and I will rather dy than lay you as I have don under the feet of Lucifer that Robber that Seditious wretch and Murderer of all men 4. STAT O Jesus the purest and chastest of all men whose innocent flesh was torn with the blows of the Whips in Pilate's house for to expiate the Criminal Pleasures that we take in our flesh I acknowledge that it was for my sake that you suffered such cruel torments I am sorry for having given you so many wounds and that I have so often renewed them by the satisfaction which I have given to my Senses I conjure you by your Dolours to sanctifie my Body and Soul and to wash them with your pretious blood from all their Impurities and never to suffer that that flesh which has been washed in your blood be ever stain'd with any sin 5. STAT O Jesus the greatest of all Kings who wert crowned with Thorns and didst wear on thy Shoulders the Royal Marks of thy Principality I acknowledge thee for my King as despised and disfigured as thou art And since thou hast no part of thy body which was not wounded I will take no more pleasure in my body but will live in grief and pain that I may be one of thy Subjects and one of thy Members 6. STAT O Jesus my Redeemer who for my sake wert fastened to a Cross and who didst shed all thy blood for to rescue me from the power of the Devil whose Slave I was I give the thanks for this incomparable love that thou didst bear to me for so many torments which thou didst suffer for my sake I kiss with respect thy sacred feet and thy sacred hands which were pierced for my sake I adore that sacred heart which was opened for my love and I promise rather to dy than ever more to crucify thee in mine 7. STAT O Jesus my life who didst dy for me and who wert forsaken by thy Father that I might not be forsaken at my death O most meek Lamb immolated for the Salvation of men Victim of Love and Patience who wert consummated on a pile of sorrows O the Saint of Saints O the King of Kings What can I do for to acknowledge so great a goodness Why may not I dy for you as you died for me I believe that thou art my Saviour and I should despair did I not believe it I hope that thou wilt pardon me my sins and that thou wilt bestow on me thy Heaven since thou gavest me thy life I detest my Crimes which are the cause of thy death and I will rather lose my life than ever make thee dy in my heart since this death is infinitly more sensible and more ignominious to thee than that of the Cross I beg your pardon for all those who have offended me I give my self
obeyed Serve her whom God hath served Love her whom God hath loved Salute her whom the Angel did salute Say to her often with heart and mouth Hail full of Grace Give us a part of your fulness Our Lord is with thee As Father as Son as Spouse Blessed art thou among Women With infinit blessings Thou alone art a Virgin and a Mother Thou alone wert conceiv'd without Crime Thou alone didst live without Sin Thou alone didst dy without Pain Thou alone hadst God for thy Son and Subject Thou alone art his Daughter his Mother his Spouse Thou art the repairer of the World The Queen of the Universe The Gate of Paradise The Dispenser of Graces O Blessed Virgin give me thy blessing And blessed be the Fruit which thou gavest to the World Most holy Mary and most worthy Mother of God Pray for the Just and for Sinners Now that thou seest them Beaten by so many Temptations Slaves to so many vices Overwhelm'd with so many miseries But especially at their Death When their Salvation is in greatest danger And thy succour will be most necessary for them The Word was made flesh John 1. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that for you he was made poor whereas he was rich that by his poverty you might be rich 2 Cor. 3. He exinanited himself Phil. 1. He was subject to them Luk. 2. All generations shall call me blessed Luk. 2. CXXXV MED Of the Visitation of the B. Virgin JESVS visits S. John Mary visits S. Elizabeth Jesus sanctifies both the Mother and the Son By the mouth of Mary As soon as ever she had spoken John Baptist was sanctified Her speech was a Conduit-pipe of grace which gave sight to a blind man Which delivered a captive Which raised up one that was dead Which justified a sinner Mary applies to the first amongst men The first fruit of our Redemption She conceives man spiritually After having conceiv'd God corporally She becoms the Mother of men After having becom the Mother of God She is the Mother of grace She is the Mother of mercy Of grace for the just Of mercy for sinners O Mother of grace Mother of mercy Visit us frequently together with thy Son You want not grace Since you have the fulness thereof You want not mercy Since it dwelt nine months in your bowels Exercise it on a poor blind man And on a poor captive On a sinner a slave to his Passions On one dead to the life of grace Com and enlighten and enlarge him Com and raise him and sanctify him Make thy voice to be heard to the ear of my heart For thy voice is sweet And thy beauty incomparable Speak and my heart will leap with joy Say the word and my soul will be healed For you have in you the Word of God Which gives life to the World Mary Mother of grace Mother of mercy Defend us from our Enemies And receive our Souls at the hour of our Death For to honour the Virgin You must imitate her Virtues Love Solitude as she did Go not out of it but for to do good Visit the Prisoners Help the Miserable Deliver Captives Sanctify Sinners Be a Mother of grace to their Souls A Mother of mercy to their Bodies Blessed is the Lord God of Israel because he hath visited c. Luk. 1. Through the bowels of the mercy of our God in which he visited us ibid. Visit us in thy salvation Ps 205. Thy visitation hath preserved my Spirit Job 10. As soon as she heard the salutation of Mary Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost Luk. 1. Arise make hast my friend my sister let thy voice sound in my ears for thy voice is sweet and thy face comely Cant. 2. CXXXVI MED Of the Death of the B. Virgin WHat is it that makes the Chalice of Death bitter It is the loss of the World 'T is the separation from the Body 'T is the account that is to be given We feel sadness in quitting the World We feel pain in quitting our Body We dread being to appear before God Mary died without Fear Sadness Pain Because she liv'd without Sin ty Pleasure O let my soul dy with the death of the Saints O let my death be like the death of Mary Live the life of Saints And thou wilt dy the death of Saints Live like Mary and thou wilt dy like Mary Live without sin and thou wilt dy without fear Live without ty and thou wilt dy without sadness Live without pleasure And thou wilt dy without pain If you lead the life of sinners You will dy the death of sinners If you live in disorder You will dy in confusion If you live in sin you will dy in fear If you live in pleasure You will dy in pain That which makes your delight during your life Will make your torment at your death That which is your pain during your life Will be your pleasure at your death O Holy Virgin I care not by what death I dy Provided that I dy in a good state I shall dy without fear if I dy in your arms I shall dy in grace if I dy in your service For you save those that belong to you You never suffer your Children to perish O fail not to be present at your Son's death All the Predestinate must dy in your arms Since you saw the first Predestinate dy I will disengage my self from the World That I may dy without sadness I will afflict my Body That I may dy without pain I will abstain from sin That I may dy without fear I will live in pain that I may dy in pleasure I will live in Pennance That I may dy with assurance I will live in Charity That I may dy in Sanctity I will live a Child of the Virgins That I may dy like a Predestinate I will live in grace that I may dy in grace I will live in love that I may dy in love I adjure you O ye daughters of Jerusalem that if you find my beloved you will tell him that I languish with love Cant. 5. Love is as strong as death Cant. 8. Let my soul dy the death of the just Numb 23. The Death of sinners is very bad Ps 33. He shall laugh at the latter day Prov. 31. Into thy hands O Lord I recommend my spirit Luk. 23. CXXXVII MED Of the Resurrection of the B. Virgin MAry is risen again Her body is no longer in the grave So pure a flesh as hers Ought to be exempt from corruption So holy a Temple ought not to be profaned Mary is the chastest of Virgins She ought therefore to be incorruptible Mary is the best of Mothers She ought therefore to be with her Son If the body of Jesus by its Communion Gives a right to a Resurrection Who ought to rise again If not she who gave him flesh If the Servants are with their Masters Where ought his Mother to be If this favour
Is it not to be in Heaven to see God always Is it not to be in Hell never to see God Alas my God! You always think on me And I never think on you You are always with me And I am never with you You always labour for me And I never labour for you You are always in me as in a Hell There to see my Crimes And hear my Blasphemies You shall henceforth be as in a Heaven There to see good actions and hear your praises Lord thou hast tryed me and known me whither shall I go from thy Spirit or fly from thy face Ps 138. But thou art in us O Lord. Jer. 4. The God of Hosts in whose sight I stand 4 Kings 3. CXLIV MED Of Solitude IT is hard to be with God and with men You must avoid company to enjoy your beloved The World makes too much noise about your heart For to hear his speech He is not to be seen but in the Desart And in the sleep of the Senses And in the silence of the Passions Be solitary in body in mind in heart God visits you when you are solitary in body God speaks to you when you are solitary in mind God fills you when you are solitary in heart Unless you draw off from Creatures God cannot visit you Unless you make Creatures hold their peace God cannot speak to you Unless you disengage your self from Creatures God cannot love you O Solitude of body of mind of heart 'T is with you that God is seen heard and tasted Let us go into Solitude my beloved There it is that I will speak to the heart I will lead her into solitude and speak to her heart Os 2. Our Lord is not in commotion 3 Kings 19. The woman fled into the wilderness Apoc. 12. I have gon far flying away and I abode in the wilderness Ps 54. He shall sit solitary and be silent Thren 2. When you pray enter into your chamber Matth. 6. Through the places and the streets I will seek whom my soul loves I sought him but did not find him Cant. 3. CXLV MED Of the leaving of our selves HAppy is the man that puts his trust in God Who leaves himself to his Providence Who suffers himself to be guided by his Wisdom Who rests upon his Goodness Nothing disturbs that Soul that is left to God Nothing opposes it self to her desires All things happen out as she would have them All is don as she desires Because she desires nothing But as God would have it She sleeps amidst Storms She is calm in Persecutions She labours without sollicitude She does all things without disquiet God is her Vessel and her Pilot. Her Chariot and her Driver Her Father and her Protectour Her Safeguard and her Defence She reposes betwixt his arms She lays her heart upon his She has no care but to please him She thinks on nothing but of contenting him She recommends her spirit to him And then she dies to all her fears And to all her desires But God watches when she sleeps He works when she reposes He conducts her in her Journeys He carries her in her feebleness He hears her in her prayers He prevents all her desires He concerns himself in all her affairs He blesses all her designs He provides for all her necessities He cures all her ailings He sweetens all her bitternesses He allays all her sorrows My Child says our Lord Think on me and I will think on thee Do my Will and I will do thine Do my affairs as thy own And I will do thine as my own Remain in quiet and desire nothing Give me thy heart And I will give thee mine Blessed is the man that hopes in him Ps 34. Whatsoever befals the just man will not sadden him Prov. 12. You shall sleep in sorrows Isai 50. He that fears our Lord shall dread nothing and shall not be afraid because he is his hope Eccl. 34. To thee is the poor man left thou shalt be a helper to the orphan Ps 9. I know whom I have trusted and I am certain that he is able to keep my depositum unto that day 2 Tim. 1. CXLVI MED How we ought to leave our selves I Know not whether I lose my self I know not whether I save my self Whether I do well or ill Whether I go forward or backward I know not what to say or think In this confusion of my thoughts I say to you without troubling my self My God I leave my self to you My Friends betray me My Enemies persecute me I am wasted in sorrows I am reduced to necessity I am stript of my goods I am blackned with calumnies I find no body to comfort me I have no gust at all in my Devotions My temptations increase My forces diminish My lights are eclipsed I know not what will becom of me I am heart-less and support-less All my comfort in my pains Is to lose my self and to say to you My God I leave my self to you Am I in grace or am I in sin Am I worthy of hatred or of love Shall I be saved shall I be damned Shall I go to Heaven or go to Hell All this is unknown to me But nothing of this disturbs me I put my confidence in God I rest upon his mercy I rely upon the merits of his Son I recommend my Spirit to him I am in peace when I have said to him My God I leave my self to you Let me live Let me dy Let me dy soon Let me live long Let me be well Let me be sick Let me be comforted Let me be afflicted Let me be in peace Let me be in war All this is indifferent to me Your good pleasure is mine Your will makes my joy I have but one thing to desire Which is to please you and to love you You are my Love and my All. My God I leave my self to you Into thy hands I commend my spirit thou hast redeemed me O God of truth Ps 30. In peace in the self same I will sleep and rest Ps 4. I am a beggar and poor our Lord is sollicitous for me Ps 74. I am becom like a lost Vessel Ps 30. He said I will not leave thee nor forsake thee Heb. 13. CXLVII MED Of Annihilation A Being made us to com forth from God A not being makes us return to God Until a Soul hath found her Nothing She cannot find God He is hid under the Creatures As under veils and shapes As soon as you penetrate into the inside You see God openly For to know all you must know nothing For to tast all you must tast nothing For to have all you must have nothing For to be all you must be nothing O my God! You are my All I am nothing You are my light I know nothing You are my strength I can do nothing You are my virtue I do nothing Speak my God for your Servant hears My mouth before you is speechless You know what my
your self into this Ocean Plunge your self into this Abyss You will find all things in God You will find nothing out of God Martha you labour too much Your Sollicitudes are unprofitable Here is too much meat For the Word whom you would treat What need so many cares One thing alone is sufficient Imitate your Sister Magdalen She has chosen the better part She hearkens without speaking She reposes without disquieting her self She has an extreme satisfaction To be in the presence of her beloved Draw your self out of multiplicity Draw near unto Unity This is the only thing necessary There is nothing but this that can content you For to have but one only thought You ought to have but one desire For to empty your self of your thoughts You must empty your self of your desires Without simplicity of heart You will never have simplicity of spirit You love a thousand things And you would think of nothing You give ear to your Passions And you complain of Distractions Your Complaints are not reasonable There is a duplicity in your heart It runs after its treasure It takes pleasure in what it loves It does not love God only You are not master of your own spirit But are not you master of your own heart You cannot be without a thought But cannot you be without a desire You will have but few evil thoughts If you have no evil desires Shut your self up into your heart There it is that you will find What it is that you love Whatever noise your Understanding makes Take heed you open not the door to it Stop its lightness Mortify its curiosity And if you cannot compass this Let the Vagabond run But do not run after him Remain in your own quiet Wrap your self up in your Poverty What do you seek for having God present Is not faith more certain than the senses 'T is better to love than to think Better to enjoy than to desire You will enjoy your beloved When you love him without desiring any thing O my Soul How happy wouldst thou be If thou didst content thy self with God If thou didst seek only to please him If thou would'st nothing but what he wills Thy heart in thy Prayer would be Like a Stone in its Center Like the Flame in its Sphear Like a River in the Ocean Like a Needle that looks upon its Pole Like Iron that touches the Load-stone O my God! What would I have And what do I seek after What do I desire and what do I expect Alas I seek after rest And I am always in motion I would fain be in peace And I am always in war O I am weary of labouring I will henceforth rest my self I have but too much knowledge I will now begin to love Let us O my Soul tast and see How sweet our Lord is O the God of my life O the peace of my soul I have offered up all to you with joy In the simplicity of my heart You know what it is that I seek after VVhat it is that I desire My heart is simple O my God It has no double dealing Make it therefore to enter Into the repose of the Saints And draw it to the center of Unity With the simple is his Communication Prov. 3. The simplicity of the just shall direct them Prov. 11. If thy eye be simple all thy body will be lightsom Matth. 6. Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessary Luk. 10. In the simplicity of your heart seek him Wisd 1. CLIV. MED Of the fulness of God's Riches GOd is sufficient to himself He does not stand in need of us He is sufficient to his Creatures They stand in need only of him God is all to all men He is a light to the blind He is health to the sick He is a comfort to the afflicted He is a strength to the weak He is sanctity to Sinners Life to the dead Peace to the living O sweet words My God and my All. How savoury are they to a Soul Unto whom God is All And to whom All that is not God is nothing O God and my All I am weary of thinking reading reasoning I find All in these two words My God and my All. All that I read all that I hear Takes up my mind But it does not fill my heart I find every where a vacuity and indigence There is only You in whom I find The summ of all my desires O my God and my All. These two words are honey to my mouth A source of living water to my heart Which quencheth its thirst Which contents all its desires What can I wish for after you Who can content me if you cannot O my God and my All. You shall henceforth be my All And all Creatures shall be nothing to me I said to our Lord thou art my God because thou dost not want my goods Ps 15. I will shew thee all good Exod. 33. He that replenishes your desire in good things Ps 102. What is there to me in Heaven and what else but thee would I have on Earth O God of my heart Ps 72. CLV MED Of Heaven HEaven is the House of God 'T is the Land of the living 'T is the Center of rest 'T is the Ocean of all goods 'T is the Absence of all evils 'T is the Source of all pleasures The Treasure of all riches The Throne of all grandures The End of all pains The Height of all comforts There you shall see and you shall love There you shall possess and enjoy There you shall have all that you desire And have nothing of what you fear There good shall be without evil Pleasure without pain Abundance without indigence Health without sickness Life without death Rest without disquiet O what satisfaction to see all that is beautiful To love all that is good To possess all that is great To tast all that is sweet To see the first Truth To possess the chief good To tast the chiefest pleasure O God of Virtues How amiable are your Tabernacles My Soul languishes with a desire Of entring into your Heaven O how miserable am I here below O how happy shall I be there above My Soul If thou lovest the goods of this World Thou wilt not have the goods of Heaven O how the Earth displeases me When I lift up my eyes to Heaven My God! Let me dy quickly that I may see you Since none can see you without dying I will shew thee all good Exod. 33. We shall be filled with the goods of thy house Ps 64. They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house and thou wilt give them to drink of the torrent of thy pleasure Ps 35. God will wash away all tears from their eyes and death shall be no more nor mourning nor clamour nor dolour Apoc. 21. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for those that love him 1 Cor.