humble addresses to thee in behalf of this poor Soul suffering in the flames of Purgatory It burns with an ardent desire to enjoy God and to behold thee in thy heavenly Glory but the Decree of divine Justice detains it from this desired happiness be thou therefore pleased O Just man to interpose thy pious intercession for the cancelling or at least for the moderation of this severe Edict Thou formerly freedst Jesus and Mary from Herods cruelty free now this Child of Jesus and Mary from the pains of Purgatory and obtain for him a speedy deliverance that he may with thee and thy dear Spouse Mary praise honour and enjoy Jesus for all eternity The Sequens of Holy Church usually said in the Masses for the Dead Dies Irae dies illa c. 1. THat Day of Wrath that dreadful Day Shall all the World in Ashes lay As David and Sybilla say 2. How shall poor Mortals quake with fears When their impartial Judg appears Who all their Causes strictly hears 3. His Trumpet sounds a dreadful tone The noise through all the Graves is blown And calls the Dead before his Throne 4. Nature and Death shall stand at gaze When Creatures shall their Bodies raise And answer for their forespent Days 5. The fair-writ Book of Conscience shown Sins black Inditement shall be known And every Soul it's Guilt shall own 6. So when the Judg shall sit on high All hidden Sins shall open ly No Crime shall from due Vengeance fly 7. What Plea shall wretched I pretend What Patron move to stand my Friend When scarce the Just themselves defend 8. O dreadful God and glorious King Who dost the saved freely bring To Bliss save me O Mercies Spring 9. Pious Jesu call to minde Thy Travels for my good design'd Grant I may that day Mercy find 10. Thou sat'st down weary seeking me Thou climbd'st the Cross my Soul to free Let not such Labours fruitless be 11. Dread Judg whose Justice is severe My long black score of Sin make cleer E're the accounting Day appear 12. I as a guilty Person groan My faults are in my Blushes known Pity dear Lord thy Suppliants moan 13. Thy granting Magdalen relief And opening Heaven to the Thief Hath with sweet Hopes allay'd my grief 14. My worthless Pray'rs deserve no hire But thou mild Lord thy Grace inspire And save me from eternal Fire 15. Amongst thy Sheep grant I may stand Far from the Goats accursed band Securely plac'd at thy Right Hand 16. The taitif Troop being put to shame And pent in Hells n'ere dying flame Amongst the Blest enrol my Name 17. With bended Knee I make my Prayer And Heart contrite as Ashes are Of my last End dear Lord take care 18. That Day of Doom that Day of Tears When guilty Man awakes in Fears From Dust and fore his Judg appears 19. Jesu whose Breast our woes condoles Preserve him from Hells burning Coaks Give rest to all departed Souls Amen ¶ XII A most devout Exercise of Confession and Communion applied to the Souls suffering in Purgatory When your Charity towards your departed Brethren and Friends shall invite you O pious Christian to apply the fruit of your Communion in their favour You may do well to entertain your self during that whole day set apart for that holy purpose in such acts exercises and thoughts as are proper for that subject As for example At your awaking in the Morning IMagin you hear those poor restless and afflicted Souls making their moan to you and exciting you with their ordinary complaints Miseremini miseremini saltem vos Amici O Friends take compassion upon us And do you answer them with a Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine lux perpetua luceat eis O my God! who hast mercifully given me rest this night and light this morning give eternal rest and eternal light to these poor souls Being cloathed and placed on your knees to Adore the Divine Majesty you may thus pour forth your heart before him O Sacred Trinity I here most humbly prostrate my self and these poor Souls in thy presence Offering up for them to the Throne of thy mercy all my this days Actions and Devotions and particularly my Confession Communion and the Indulgence which through thy Mercy I hope to obtain uniting them to the merits of my dear Redeemer of his blessed Mother and of all the glorious Saints of Heaven And beseeching thy infinit goodness to accept of these my weak and unworthy endeavours for satisfaction of their punishments for solace of their sufferings and for their speedy admission to thy beatifying presence Going to Confession IMagin 1. That the Sacrament of Penance is the Purgatory of this world where thou art to cleanse thy Soul by the Fire of Contrition and Flames of Charity not only from its Sins but also in some measure from the Punishments which by its Sins it hath deserved that being thus pardoned and purified it may be more capable to assist those Souls which suffer in the Purgatory of the other world 2. That if it so pleased the Divine goodness as to lend one hour of time to the Souls in Purgatory wherein they might merit and do Penance how zealously would they make use of this blessed Remedy how sincerely would they Confess their Sins how faithfully would they perform their Duty 3. That many poor Souls suffer now most severe punishments in Purgatory and even in Hell it self for one only Sin and what doth thy self deserve for so many or what must thou expect unless thou endeavourest to make some timely satisfaction during this life Returning from Confession 1. ADmire the Divine favour mercy and goodness in your behalf which is so great that had he don the like to the damned before their departure out of this world they had been all Saints in Paradise 2. Perform your enjoyned Penance humbly punctually and with an ardent desire to satisfie the divine Justice for your offences Hearing Mass 1. AT the Entrance of the Priest to the Altar Think how all Purgatory begins to rejoyce in expectation of the fruits of this great Sacrifice Joyn your Heart Affection and Intention with his Offering up with him the same Sacrifice in memory of Christs Passion in Thanksgiving for his favour conferr'd upon the Souls of Purgatory in that they departed this life in his Grace and Love and in satisfaction for the punishment due to their sins At the Confiteor FOrm an Act of hearty Contrition and weigh how highly it grieves the faithful Souls departed that they ever offended the divin Goodness At the Kyrie-eleison CRy out for Mercy in their behalf by the same repeated petitions to the sacred Trinity At Gloria in excelsis O My God! That these poor Souls were now also conforted with thy Angelical Quires to chaunt forth with them these happy Canticles of thy eternal Glory At Credo MAke a profession of your Faith protesting you will never swerve one tittle from that belief wherein all
assistance for their effectual performance saying with the Prophet Keep my steps in thy paths O Lord that my weak reeling and staggering feet may not stumble falter and fall backwards from the way of thy blessed Law and love Thy divine glory is my desired Haven let thy holy Will be my way to it let thy grace be my guide to it let thy strength be my support in it let my obedience be my steps towards it Let me walk in thee for thee to thee In thy Spirit for thy Honour to thy Kingdom And if any stumbling-block lies in my way during the course of my this-days-pilgrimage remove it O mercifull Creator with the powerfull hand of thy holy Providence or cause it to serve not as an occasion to divert me or a snare to shackle me or as a clog to retard me but as a spur to excite my diligence in the succeeding race of thy divine love and service Give me courage to run through by over or under all that I meet with that so I may happily meet with thee the only intended amiable and desirable object of my soul for all time and eternity 2. The Regulation of the Day Consisting in the practice of these six following Points 1. THat you exactly observe the formerly made division of the days-hours exeeuting each intended action at the time in the manner and with the premeditated conditions and circumstances yet not servilly tying your self to any thing but performing all with a free pleasant and peaceable Spirit 2. That you endeavour to renew your general intention of referring all to Gods honour and glory at the entrance into each particular action 3. That you fall not so eagerly upon any exteriour affair as to have your heart wholly fixed upon it and your mind totally taken up with it 4. That you examine all that occurrs you before you give it a full entrance into your interiour considering briefly whether it be good bad or indifferent and so presently to embrace it reject it or behave your self indifferently towards it 5. That you return often into your heart by self-reflection to avoid your enemies surprisals 6. That you entertain your thoughts with the continual feeling of your Creators sweet and powerfull presence in your Soul by making use of frequent and fervent Aspirations and Jaculatory Prayers either Vocal or Mental This last point to wit The continual consideration of the divine presence is the Exercise of Exercises and which being alone well practis'd is alone sufficient to bring you to great purity and Perfection Let it therefore be your daily and hourly endeavour to look always upon the Divine Majesty as every where nearer to you than you can be to your self and to aspire frequently and amorously to him at least in heart if not in words in this or some such manner as the several occaâ—…ons your own affections and the Holy Ghosts inspiration shall suggest O my God and my All O my Soul where are we what do we think of who sees us how are we imploy'd why lose we our time which is so precious Jesu I crave thy pardon and implore thy grace and mercy O my Lord grant me thy love O my Saviour sweeten my labours c. And this you may briefly sweetly and most profitably practise at all times in all places imployments companies But before you go abroad you may thus piously premeditate 1. That many have pass'd out of their Houses in perfect health and never returned home alive why may not the same befall you 2. That your Conscience will be much quieter in the Evening for having begun well your Devotion in the Morning and discharg'd well your duty in the Day-time 3. That to go forth into the world is to meet many troubles pass many dangers and perform many duties therefore rush not rashly into it without recommending your self to God and craving his blessing and assistance 3. The Exercise for the Evening Having thus pass'd on the Day in these interiour entertainments and such exteriour imployments as were suitable to your Calling Recollect your self at a fit hour and in a place convenient in order to your Evening Exercise And begin it with an act of Thankâ—giving I Render thee most humble and hearty thanks O my gracious Benefactor for all thy blessings and benefits bestow'd on me generally in my whol life time particularly in this present day O the multitudes of thy mercies and favours conferr'd upon so poor and sinfull a creature who deserves nothing but to be utterly by thee forgotten and forsaken in Nature in Grace upon my body upon my soul Thou hast given me O my glorious Creator a rational being and stamp'd it with the sacred Image of thy Divinity Thou hast bestow'd on me thy own eternally blessed Son to die for my sins and left thy Sacraments for my spiritual solace and sustenance Thou sendest me thy inspirations to excite me commandest thy Angels to guard me promisest thy Kingdom to encourage me Thou hast thus long born with my negligences impieties impenitency Thou hast hitherto withheld the Thunderbolts of thy Justice hanging over my head shut up Hell's mouth gaping under my feet repress'd the Devils rage ready on every side to devour me Thou hast expected my Conversion with long patience desired it with much love allur'd me to it with many sweetnesses provok'd me to it with frequent summons press'd me to it with fearfull threatnings Thou hast daily renew'd all these thy divine benefits by still continuing them even till this present and now pass'd day in which thy paternal affection compassion and providence have most particularly shew'd themselves in my behalf All which my Eyes cannot choose but admiringly behold and which my heart doth here most gratefully acknowledg exclaiming with thy holy Prophet Praising I will invoke thee my Lord and my God! I praise thy bounty for the already receiv'd benefits I implore thy gracious favour for their future continuance and I invoke thy holy light that I may see and know my former ingratitude negligence disloyaltie that seeing and knowing them I may detest and deplore them and by deploring them may make some satisfaction to thy divine Justice Then begging light and confessing your own ignorance and blindness in self-knowledg say with the same Prophet Who is he O my Creator that can clearly conceive and truly understand the number and the enormity of his offences Give me a glimpse of thy heavenly light O my gracious Lord that I may discern the manifold defects excesses commissions omissions which my frailty my rashness my proneness to evil my perverse customs have this Day drawn upon my thoughts my desires my discourses and my actions Then descend to a particular Discussion of your Conscience 1. Reflecting briefly upon the Places the Companies the Occasions the Discourses the Objects the Affairs of the whol day 2 Considering seriously 1. What Passions have had greatest power over your spirit 2. What evil Customs have return'd to
be angry and sin not to be loving and lust not to be liberal when where why O nice point O difficult matter to my passionate and ignorant Soul Instruct me O most loving Master refrain me from all excess retire me into this sweet mediocrity reform my old man with his vicious habitudes renew me to virtue revest me with thy love that as a new born Infant I may appear innocent purged corrected adorned before the eyes of thy infallible Judgment 4. Virtues in respect of their Origin are either Acquired by our own industry or Infused by Gods free gift goodness and liberality The Infused Virtues are the seven Gifts of the Holy Ghost which counterpoise the seven Evils dishonouring our Nature BEhold I now put my Soul into thy Hand O merciful Creator as a razed Table in which there is yet nothing designed For alas I have liv'd thus long I must needs confess it to my own confusion without laying out my stock of Reason bestowed on me by thy bounty to be improved to my own perfection upon the purchase of any one Moral Virtue My time ay me hath hitherto been taken up in following Trifles my natural talents and perfections buried and drown'd in brutish Sensuality my study hath been Vanity my labour Folly my exercises Sinful and all my employments generally Wicked To thee therefore O liberal and loving Father the free bestower of all blessings To thee O divine Son and sweet Saviour of the World the equal fountain head of all goodness To thee O sacred Spirit coequal Author and dispenser of all graces doth my poor and empty soul make her most humble addresses desiring to be replenish'd with such supernatural gifts graces virtues as may not only enable her to act always according to reason but also readily to obey thy heavenly Motions and follow the conduct of all thy holy Inspirations Give me Wisdom O my God! to know thy divine and Eternal Verities Vnderstanding to penetrate the secret mysteries of thy sacred Word Prudence to assist and counsel me in all my undertakings Force to conquer all crosses and contemn all contradictions Knowledg to make the right use of creatures and temporalities in order to thy honour O my Creator and my own eternal happiness Piety to make me ever religious in thy presence and Reverential Fear to enable me to walk in all my ways as befits an humble servant and slave before his high and dread Soveraign Grant O most gracious Lord that I may prevent such poisonous evils as defile my actions and brand my life with infamy by the counter-remedies of these sacred Antidotes Against Childishness of conversation and employing my precious time and talents in toys and trifles Let Wisdoms gravity win me to noble high and holy undertakings Against Brutality which hath hitherto fastned my deceiv'd senses upon the outward shews and fair appearances of things Let piercingness of Vnderstanding light me to the penetrating view of their inward and real value to acknowledg thee my Soveraign Creator and thy sacred mysteries hidden under the veils of all thy Words and each one of thy Creatures Against my Rashness and inconsideration Let the assistance of solid Prudence and Counsel shew the Worlds dangers the deceits of Sensuality and the snares of Satan that duly seeing and considering them I may discreetly and timely shun them Against my human Weakness Want of courage and Fainting in my holy resolutions shield me with divine Fortitude and give me courage that I may become a Conqueror Against my wonted Ignorance Let true Knowledg keep me from being any longer cousened O let me so wisely discern the good from bad that I may henceforth frame a right judgment of all things without errour or fallacy Against all irreligious Profaness give me a zealous sense of Piety towards thee my Lord God and all sacred and celestial Mysteries Against sottish Security bridle me with a holy and filial Fear which may continually alarm me to stand on my guard amidst the imminent dangers of this my Pilgrimage Give me O pious Father all these thy precious gifts to assist me against these pressing miseries and to regulate my life both in action and contemplation Give me Wisdom Vnderstanding and Knowledg to aid me in my practises of Prayer and Introversion give me Prudence Fortitude and Piety to stear my daily and ordinary actions and give me thy sacred Fear to further me on in them both with safety and security 5. Virtues in respect of their Subject are either Intellectual and Speculative which enable our Vnderstandings to know and approve Truths or Moral and Affective which carry on our Wills to embrace such objects as the Vnderstanding approves of Virtues in respect of their Object are either Theological which have God for their prime Object and Motive or Cardinal which furnish the means to come unto God LOrd how far am I from these virtues how necessary are they for me and how fervently doth my Soul sigh after them Thou hast commanded me to ask O meek and merciful Saviour and promised me to grant Thou hast encouraged me to seek and assured me to find I humbly ask and heartily seek these necessary gifts graces virtues give me them O my good God! fill up my Understanding with the knowledg of such Truths as may fix it upon thee the eternal Verity and habituate my Will to embrace such objects as may be in order to its happy conjunction with thee the only essential Goodness I acknowledg thee O most bountiful and powerful Lord God! to be the sole Author of these supernatural and Theological Gifts from thee alone proceeds their whol being birth growth and strength and to thee only I address my humble Petition to purchase them O how happy is that Soul whom thou teachest instructest and endowest with these prime and fundamental Virtues how becomingly will she carry her self to thee-wards the amiable object of all her desires and how diligently will she embrace the means which lead her to thy love and friendship Grant me therefore O my God! the gift of pure Faith to believe thee for thine own sake who art the revealer of all verities a pious Hope to trust in thee for thy self who givest all succour and assistance and a perfect Charity to love thee for thy very self who art all amiable and infinite in thy perfections Grant me also O most merciful Maker the comfortable assistance of the Cardinal Virtues to forward these my tendances towards thee Prudence and Justice to lead me into the right way and Fortitude and Temperance to level the path and put away all occurring obstacles hindring me from thee my Lord my Love my Hope my Happiness O amiable admirable and necessary Virtues which way shall I cast about to compass you O my soul why languishest thou why sleepest thou arise ask knock at the gate of Mercy confidently constantly perseverantly and thy loving Lord wâ—ll give grant open and make good his own gracious promises Ah!
lost thy life for me and can I imagin thou wilt ever leave me unless I first leave to love thee O love capable to cure all sickness able to give life to the dead Ah my heart How canst thou choose but be softned to compunction and hightned to confidence with these efficacious comforts and sweetnesses Thou hast not only delivered me from sin but call'd me to sanctity with thy holy Vocation giving me thy grace in Baptism continually repairing it with thy other Sacraments separating me from the vast multitude of infidels and hereticks which are out of the Church-way to beatitude not only permitting me to possess a place amongst thy faithful Christians but fetting me in an high and honorable condition wherein I may make use of all aids all helps all means to farther me in virtue and goodness in this life and to purchase glory in the next O loving Lord how greatly do all these endearings demonstrate the earnest desire thou hast to save me If thou art further called to the more perfect state of Priesthood or Religion O how highly doth it inforce this motive of thy Hope O my God! how infinite is thy goodness how manifold thy blessings how innumerable thy benefits corporal and spiritual general and particular performed and promised And can I suspect that thou who hast done so much for me wilt not accomplish what is yet behind O my Lord my life my love I put my whole confidence in thee and expect from thy bounty all the benefits thou hast promised me because I know thou art truth it self which never can deceive nor be deceived but thy Word is infallible and thy Work immutable 4. Fear is also to be joyned with our Hope because God is terrible in his works in his chastisements and in his Counsels YEt least Hope without Fear may make me insolent and negligent in providing for my Salvation crucifie my flesh with thy Fear O my Lord for I tremble at thy Judgments O give me a chast and filial apprehension of thee my loving Father that I may reverently and incessantly honor thy infinite Mercy and never dare displease thy dread Majesty Give me that Fear which is Hopes daughter and begotten by thy pure Love in my soul that my continual care may be to please thee purely and perfectly for thine own sake not servilely for mine own interest 'T is true O my Lord my Sins are many and grievous I confess it and am confounded and affrighted at the memory of them But is there any blemish so foul which my Redeemers blood cannot cure Thy mercies and merits dear Saviour are so immense that should my only conscience be burden'd with all offenses of all mankind I would not despair of thy pardon I will therefore remember thy sacred Wounds O Jesu and there will I confidently hide my self till my iniquities be pass'd over Thou say'st O eternal Lover As I live I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he return to me and live And I also cordially hopefully and confidently answer As I live I desire rather to die than to commit a deadly sin and I beseech thee to take my soul out of my body before thou tak'st thy love and this resolution out of my soul O generous Resolution O the infinite mercy of my blessed Creator And canst thou any longer doubt my Soul but the same divine goodness hath eternally chosen and predestinated thee to his glory which hath now thus graciously endued thee with these heroick thoughts so befitting thy duty What dreadest thou O thou of little Faith He hath blessed thee with spiritual blessings chosen thee before the foundation of the world predestinated thee into the adoption of a child through Jesus Christ according to the resolution of his good pleasure O my Lord blessed be thy eternal Love and ever praised be thy infinite Mercy how happy art thou my poor Soul and how much obliged to thy dear and dread Soveraign who hath vouchsafed a favourable glance of his eye upon thee from all Eternity Lord I will henceforth love thee as an obedient child doth his loving Father I will serve thee couragiously cordially and cheerfully for thine own infinite goodness sake which hath given me such hopes of my being enroll'd amongst thy adopted children and of having a blessed portion alloted me in thy heavenly inheritance 5. The Sins contrary to Hope are Despair Presumption and too much Confidence in Creatures Despair is a certain aversion from Beatitude or rather a leaving off from looking after it under a false colour of impossibility to attain to it GRant yet furthermore O most gracious Lord God! that I may not so dread thy Judgments as to despair of thy Goodness O let me never be seized with the least disgust against piety or distrust of thy promised Beatitude Let me at no time desist from patiently pursuing it upon any pretence of impossibility to purchase it No my Lord my Love my Life my Strength my Mercy my Refuge to thy power all things are possible I acknowledg thee to be the most undrainable source of all sanctity the bountiful giver of all grace the encourager comforter and raiser up of sinners I hear thee speaking to my dejected Spirit It is I fear nothing I am thy protector whereof art thou apprehensive I came to call sinners to cure the sickly to comfort the sorrowful O my God! what sweet and ravishing Words are these to my sad and sinful soul Art thou so good to the most wicked O how gracious wilt thou be to them that devoutly seek thee desire to please thee and are unwilling to offend thee O ever blessed be thy infinite bounty and benignity Let the most depraved in the world leave off their sinfulness and look on thy sweetness and they may confidently hope in thy Goodness and let the most holy ones incessantly and eternally praise the immensity of thy Mercies 6. Presumption is a disordered expectation of good things from the divine Bounty LEt me also ground all these my Hopes of happiness purely in thy power O my Soveraign Lord and maker and upon thy promises let me expect nothing from thy mercy disorderly nor from my own merits presumptuously O my poor soul What folly what frenzy what vanity is it for thee to hope in thy own goodness unsupported by the divine grace to think of scaling heaven without heavenly help to dream that in doing or living contrary to thy own knowledg and conscience thou shalt gain so great a good as is an eternity of glory As though thou my Supream Creator didst so highly prize this caitif Creature as not to punish him according to his wilful wickedness or never deprive him of those felicities which thou hast laid up for thy faithful friends and favourites No Lord Thou hast disposs'd all things in their due number weight and measure thou hast set certain limits to thy creature which are impossible to be pass'd and thou hast
Wretch Art thou not ashamed to remain still in thy wonted negligences imperfections tepidities to sing still the same sinful song after so many years past over so many iterated Confessions so many received Sacraments and so many good Resolutions made to the contrary Wallowest thou still in the same Mire and lyest thou still snorting in the same Bed of Sensuality O horrid ingratitude If thou wert now summon'd to give up thy just accounts what couldest thou answer for so much time mispent so many inspirations neglected so many graces abused Thou approachest nearer death and Eternity but recoylest backward in religious Piety and Perfection Wilt thou still lie sleeping in this dangerous Lethargy Is this the grateful and dutiful service thou rendrest thy Creator for having afforded thee all convenient means to do Penance and for having so patiently expected thy conversion and amendment Alas my confounded Soul What will become of thee What course wilt thou steer When and how wilt thou begin Ah sinful Wretch Prodigal Child Disloyal friend Sue to thy Physician Return to thy Father Repent thee of thy disloyalty Request pardon grace and love Resolve to do Penance for what is past and to amend for the time to come Yes Lord even this Day this Hour this very Moment will I begin to be a new Creature I renounce all my former follies I renew all my former good Resolutions I consecrate the whole remainder of my life to thy love and service And for this end I will presently leave such Company such Curiosities such Vanities c. and abandon whatsoever holds my heart captive and my Affections enslaved to the prejudice of thy Honour and my Souls perfection I wil willingly undergo such and such difficulties endure such contradictions crosses afflictions and whatsoever thy fatherly hand shall impose upon me O all powerful Creator since thou hast given me the Grace to frame this Resolution give me also the strength and courage to put it in execution Then endeavour to make an act of perfect Contrition which contains 1. A Detestation of your sins past grounded on Gods love and goodness 2. A firm Purpose of Amendment for the future 3. A Confidence in Gods mercy 4. A will to do Satisfaction 5. A total Resignation to the Divine disposition An act of Contrition and Prayer before Confession O My good God! Father of all comfort and compassion Creator of Heaven and Earth and Redeemer of my Soul Behold here a poor Worm prostrate at the feet of thy divine Majestie humbly craving pardon for all his iniquities and impurities I am going O my sweet Lord Jesu to the Tribunal of thy Mercy to present my self before thy Minister and Vice-gerent and there to give thee an exact account of my miserable life by humbly confessing detesting and lamenting all the ingratitudes impieties and spiritual fornications which I have presumed to commit in thy presence with so little respect and for so vile and base ends that the very remembrance thereof breeds an extream Shame Fear and Sorrow in my now sensible and penitent Soul Shame for having left an infinite Good to embrace an empty fading filthy Nothing Fear for having forsaken the light of Heaven and the life of Eternity to temain in eternal death and darkness Sorrow for having offended thee my God who art to me so good so merciful so loving and so liberal Oh! that my heart could rend asunder with true Contrition and Compunction and my Eyes dissolve into a floud of tears for having been disloyal to so faithful a Friend and disobedient to so free-hearted a Father Mercy O dear Father to thy prodigal Child Mercy O good Lord to thy sinful Servant Give to my Understanding Light to see and know my faults to my heart Sorrow to hate and detest them to my eyes Tears to lament and weep bitterly for them and to my mouth so sincere and entire a Confession of them as if it were the first good Confession that I ever made or should be the last Confession that ever I should make which thou only knowest O my all-knowing Lord and Maker I therefore most humbly beseech thee Dear Jesu my Saviour and Redeemer By all thy Pains and Tears by the Prayers of thy most Blessed Mother by the past Sorrows of all Penitents who are now in Heaven secure of their own Salvation and sollicitous of mine encrease my Contrition release my Crimes Pardon O meek Lamb of God who takest away the Sins of the world my past faults pitty my present folly and protect my future frailty that with a clean quiet and contented soul I may strive to please and praise thee all my life-time hereafter and in the end die happily in thy favour and friendship O my crucified Jesu my only hope and refuge bathe me in thy Blood beautifie me with thy Merits bless me with thy Grace By the tears that issued forth of thy Eyes by the Prayers which came forth of thy Mouth by the Blood which gushed forth of thy Wounds and Heart by all the pains of thy Body and pangs of thy Soul by all the mercies of thy Divinity and merits of thy Humanity by all that is dear and near unto thee in Heaven and Earth cleanse quiet cloath comfort and content my sick sinful weak wounded and wretched soul In Confession THen full of confident Humility and humble Confidence cast your self at the feet of your Ghostly Father in whose person you are to consider two Priests the one Visible to whom you speak the other Invisible which is Christ Jesus whose place he represents wherefore honouring them both dreading them both and reverently inclining your head and body to them both begin your Confession in this manner In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Benedicite that is I beg your blessing Which blessing being received you begin your Confiteor either in English or in Latin Though having before recited it in the Examination of your Conscience it is not necessary to repeat it here or you may do well when the want of time and the multitude of other Penitents require hast to abridge your Confiteor thus I confefess unto Almighty God to all the Saints and to you my Ghostly Father that I have exceedingly sinned in Thought Word and Deed through my Fault my Fault my exceeding great Fault Then without impertinent Preambles say I Accuse my self That since my last Confession which was eight days fifteen days or a month ago I have done this omitted this c. Having declared briefly and clearly what you could remember you may thus conclude your Confession For these and all other my Sins and Imperfections I am heartily sorry purpose amendment humbly beg pardon of God and Penance and Absolution of you my Ghostly Father Then bowing down your head and body proceed with Therefore I beseech the blessed Virgin Mary all the Saints and you my Ghostly Father to pray unto our Lord God for me
of Gods high perfections O King of Glory I acknowledg thy perfections to be above all knowledg but that of thy own divine Understanding I confess that thy height is unreachable thy goodness unchangeable thy greatness incomprehensible thy light inaccessible And all other thy divine attributes and perfections are so mighty and so many so good and so glorious so excellent and so admirable so worthy and so wonderful that were all the Power and Prerogatives all the vertue wisdom and qualities of all creatures united in one individual nature it were not so much in respect of thy glory and greatness as the least drop of water is in comparison of the vast Ocean Wherefore I beg of thee O immense and inaccessible Godhead only so much to know conceive believe and understand of thy hidden Majesty as may efficaciously move my will to thee and I content my self with so much light of thy divinity as may force me to love thee ardently effectually perseverantly O my Lord and my Love Fill my heart with the sweet influence of thy heavenly grace that I may in some measure discover how good and gracious thou art to me and to all thy creatures O let me still remember thy mecry ever dread thy Justice and continually admire and adore thy Power and Providence Ah! my noble Soul stampt with thy Creators lovely image endowed with the excellencies of Understanding to know him of Will to love him of Memory to rest in him why adherest thou not fast to him only in pure and perfect delight forgetting and forgoing all sensible worldly Objects 5. Fervent wishes and desires to love and serve God O That I were so ravished with thy love and liking My only amiable Lord God! that through joy jubily and admiration I might feel no self at all no sense no change no inequality That no prosperitie might puff me up no adversitie deject me no accident separate me from thee O my God of infinite love and liberality O that I could be ever joyful in thee ever grateful to thee and ever mindful of thy inhabiting presence within me Thou art always nearer to my Soul O my good God! than my Soul is to my Body always conserving counselling disposing directing inciting and inspiring it to thy Love and wilt thou not O my senseless and sinful soul be alwaies cautious and circumspect how thou behavest thy self in thy Lords presence who is so tenderly careful of thy safetie O let his love be no longer neglected his sweet invitations no longer slighted O that thou wouldst henceforth walk before him as befits his chast and holy Spouse with all respect and reverence fear fidelity courage and constancy preparing thy self diligently for his divine embraces 6. Admirations of Gods bounty and benefits and Resolutions of corresponding thereto GRant I beseech thee O mighty and merciful Creator that my whole time and thoughts may be totally taken up in the contemplation of thy unmeasurable benefits and bounty towards me For I know Lord that I am truly nothing and yet thou carest for me O my loving Maker as if thou hadst no other creature in heaven or earth thou deliverest me from innumerable dangers thou adornest me with many gifts and graces thou givest me leave at all times to have free access to thy Throne of Mercy so that with one holy thought one humble sigh one devout desire I may draw near to thee and enjoy thee and in thee all comfort content O divine priviledg To discover to thee my Wants lay open my Wounds and boldly declare my Wishes as to my nearest dearest and trustiest friend and familiar and to be sure of supplies salves and succour in all my necessities O what Goodness what Grace what Mercy is this O my Soul How loving and liberal a Lord have we how loving in Mercy how liberal in bounty Ah! our unthankfulness to requite our unworthiness to deserve his favours Up my heart be no longer ungrateful and unfaithful to so great good and gracious a benefactor Yes O blessed and bountiful Giver I now say cordially and will ever stand to it couragiously I will henceforth love thee my Lord my love my life my strength my support my home my harbour and my happiness I will remember thy sweet words to all sinners Why will you perish O children As I live I desire not the death of a sinner but that he would turn to me and live I will behold thy sacred wounds suffered for me able to move a rock to love and compassion And though I am asham'd to think what I have been how little I have done how much thou hast endured for me how long thou hast expected me how lovingly thou hast sought me and how poorly I have corresponded to thee Yet I know O my Lord thou ceasest not to be God and good though I am weak and wicked Therefore I will yet take courage in thy service and confidently hope that thou who hast sought after me a lost sheep wilt mercifully receive me now I seek after thee my loving Shepheard with a right intention real resolution and inflamed affection 7. Acts of Confidence and purposes of Perseverance in the divine love and service YEs O my Lord and my Love heaven and earth shall sooner perish than my Confidence in thy sweet mercies and my Saviours merits If thou repellest me I will run after thee if thou shuttest the door against me I will never leave knocking and if thou killest me yet will I trust in thee I wholly cast my self upon thy holy Will Providence and Protection I protest with heart and mouth that I now am and henceforth will be entirely thine that I have nothing seek nothing fear nothing desire nothing demand nothing want nothing will nothing but thee only My Lord my Love and my All. And I firmly purpose to serve and love thee O sacred and supream Majesty simply sincerely purely and perseverantly not for any fear of pains or punishment not for any self-interest of what this world can offer or the next afford not for the least hope of Heaven or happiness but I will thee seek thee and love thee for thy self only O my All-sufficient Lord God! who art the sole object sweet compleatment and solid contentment of my soul Pardon me protect me and provide for me for thou art my only hope and happiness The Third Exercise Of the knowledg of and diffidence in our selves 1. A total Abnegation of our selves and Relation to the divine Providence WHat is man O omnipotent Creator what is this man that thou shouldst be so mindful of him He is a meer nothing Lord and I am the least and worst of those nothings because I have least corresponded to thy grace and made worst use of thy gifts O give me light reach forth thy hand to this blind creature crying after thee O true light of the world and life of my Soul that now at length I may duly diligently cordially and abyssally
of thee O Son of Justice dissolve with a beam of thy brightness the frost of my heart and resolve it into tears of affection 5. We declare our Weariness of all things and our desire of divin Vnion O Beautiful and best-beloved of my Soul I am weary of this wretched world and I breath thirst and sigh after thee the sweet fountain of life-giving and soul-saving waters O true rest and refresher of my faint and feeble heart out of whom there is neither comfort nor content Let me shroud my self under the shadow of thy wings until iniquity and infirmity have an end Come Lord Jesu Speak thy sweet words of love to my languishing soul for thy servant hears thee Give me courage alacrity fervour and fidelity in thy service during the few remaining moments of my wretched and wearisom pilgrimage O rest long expected and much sighed after where shall I seek thee and when shall I find thee where sleepest thou O dear Spouse at Mid-day in the heat of love Where is thy secret cabinet of Contemplation which thou hidest from the wisdom of Worldlings and revealest to little ones and humble of heart O shew me the bed of divin Union wherein thou reposest with the simple solitary and mortified soul O let my poor heart have the honour and happiness to rest in thee to remain with thee and to be united to thee O God of love wound my soul with thy sweet wounds of love which nothing can cure but death wean it from the worlds vanity and wed it to thy increated verity that treading all creatures under me I may be rapt into thee my Creator above my self and there like the happy dove in the secure Ark repose my weary and faint limbs in thy bosome my Soveraign Lord and lover 6. We humbly beg that One thing which is only necessary O Divin Wisdom Lead me into the solitude speak unto my heart teach me thy holy will in all occurrences My deep sighs secret desires are not hid from thee And thou knowest nothing can fully cure comfort and content me but thy self the one and only necessary thing O then take my self and all and give me that one thing in whom are all things O sweet waters of divin Love which flow from the blessed bosom of the Divinity and from the open side of my Saviors Humanity Run into my bowels and like pure oyl penetrate and possess every parcel of my spirit Irrigate and inebriate it overflow and absorp it that it may be transformed conformed to the divin Spirit so that all my actions cogitations and affections may be spiritual divin Deiform O let my ravish'd Soul full of life and fire break forth into these flames of joy and jubilation I have found him whom my soul loves I have him and I will hold him This is it which by reading I sought by meditation I found by prayer I desired and by contemplation I enjoy O how the earth stinks how loathsom are all creatures to me O tast O sweetness O true and solid pleasure O how great is the difference between this spiritual and all fleshly delights O the multitude of thy sweetnesses which thou hast laid up O Lord for them that fear and love thee O Lights O Delights O Extasies of spirit Wound me O sweet God! burn me consume me crucifie me Let me cry out with that Lover Retain O Lord the floods of thy grace or inlarge my heart for I can old no longer I thirst Lord give me this water O when how long how much 7. Our enamoured Souls rest sweetly in this secure home and harbour O My Soul how good is it for us to be here O sweet and secure home and harbour Let us remain and rejoice here for ever I will keep thee O my dearly beloved and I will kiss thee I will conjure thee to remain with me I will rather lose my self than leave thy presence My beloved is mine his honour is mine his heart is mine his heaven is mine And I am his behold the key the keeper the soul the body the lord the whol O my God! is thine Behold my liberty my life my love all is thine O my Jesu and thine alone Repose therefore as a sweet posie between my breasts sleep like a bridegroom in my heart and reign like a King in the closet of my Soul Come Lord Jesu come quickly take full possession of thy own Come and please thy self love thy self and serve thy self in me as thou desirest and deservest to be pleased loved served Let thy love O King of love be the life of my Soul and the lease of my life that when I cease to love I may cease to live In thy love O Jesu I end this act of love though my desire actually to love thee is endless Oh! let me live and die in thy love and for thy love that by love I may for ever reign and remain with thee in thy Kingdom of love Amen ¶ 8. Devotions Exercises and Elevations for Communion 1 What is to be done before Communion THe due Preparation to this divin Banquet requires Two things 1. Purity from all Mortal sin and from all affection to it This purity is obtained by an humble Confession a hearty Contrition fervent Prayer a careful custody of heart and a right intention in Communicating 2. An actual Recollection and Devotion which is gotten by pious and affective Considerations by Faith and Confidence in Gods Mercy by a thirsty desire to See Enjoy and be united to God who is our sweet and Soveraign Good our Father Friend and Food our Guest our Master and our Meat Several Considerations before Communion To move our Souls to Affections and to excite them to an ardent Thirst and Desire of JESUS 's presence 1. WHat is the blessed Sacrament But a pure Fountain flowing out of Paradise watering the whol Church refreshing all the Pilgrims of this world and quenching all their passions temptations I desire O my Lord to drink of this water Dispose my heart Dear Jesu thou who art Author of the desire Let me not bring a heart of paper to this Fountain which after a little received dew of childish devotion will presently fleet away for want of care and custodie Nor let me bring a heart like a Sieve which will retain no moisture But let my heart be like a Sponge to receive and retain the dews of thy divin Graces and Blessings and to be totally imbru'd inebriated satiated with thy heavenly sweetnesses 2. What is in this Sacrament My God and all that is good My Saviour and with him his Body Blood Soul Humanity Divinity My Jesus and with him all his mercies and merits Who would not desire an Union with so great a God so good a Saviour so gracious a Jesus 3. How did the poor Magdalen lament the loss of her Master at the Monument Ah my sweet Lord where art thou what can I do but sigh and sob
name of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Monks Heremites Virgins Widows and all the Saints of Paradise Let thy place be this day in peace and thy habitation in the holy Sion O God of infinit Goodness Clemency and Sweetness who art graciously pleased out of the greatness of thy Mercy to pardon repentant Sinners Behold this thy poor creature with the Eyes of thy wonted pity and compassion and grant him the general pardon which he most heartily desires and we most humbly beg for him O Lord redress the losses repair the breaches remit the offences which he hath contracted through human frailty or diabolical temptation and let this Member for whom thou hast mercifully spilt thy sacred Blood be happily united to the body of thy holy Church We recommend you our dear Brother or Sister to Almighty God and remit you to his care and custody whose creature you are hoping that when you shall have paid to nature the Tribute of Death you shall return to him who is the Authour of your Life And we most humbly and heartily beseech his Divin Majesty that at the instant of your Souls departure out of its imprisoning body the heavenly Quires of Angels may receive it the holy Colledg of Apostles may meet it the triumphant Martyrs may accompany it the glorious Confessors Virgins Widows and all the celestial Citizens may joyfully conduct it to the happy vision and fruition of sweet Jesus in his eternal Kingdom O Divine Jesu The Lord of our lives and the love of our Souls We beseech thee by that ardent Charity which mov'd thee to become man for us By the price of thy Blood which thou pouredst forth for us and by the merits of thy Death and Passion which thou enduredst for us that thou wil◠be graciously pleased to let thy goodness mercy and pity appear in the person of this thy poor servant who is now summoned to leave this world and to come before thee his dread Judg and Soveraign Dispose his Soul Dear Jesu and prepare it for this great trial Suffer it not to quit its Body without a true and hearty contrition for its Sins and a faithful and filial conversion to thee its Saviour Visit him clear him and comfort him with that efficacious grace wherewith thou art wont to purifie justifie and sanctifie repentant Sinners Deal with him in mercy O sweet Redeemer as thou didst with the good Thief and encourage his languishing heart with the like cheering words This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise At the very time as near as may be guessed of the souls departure out of the body say Subvenite Sancti Dei c. As in the Roman Ritual ¶ XI Some devout Prayers for the Souls departed A Prayer to God the Father for the Soul newly departed O Eternal Father whose nature is goodness and whose work is mercy cast thy compassionate Eyes upon the poor Soul of this our departed Brother or Sister N. or upon the poor Souls suffering in Purgatory and remembring it to be thy own creature redress its miseries remit its punishments release it from its imprisonment Receive O gracious Soveraign the superabundant sufferings of thy Son Jesus for a full satisfaction of thy divine Justice and for his dear sake pardon this thy poor servants past impieties forget his frailties and cancel all his omissions commissions and ingratitudes I humbly acknowledg Great Lord of Heaven and Earth that if thou lookest only upon his deserts he must needs be a long time the object of thy severe Anger and Rigour but if in Mercy thou wilt be pleas'd to look upon Jesus his Redeemer and to apply to him the merits of his bitter Death and Passion thou wilt soon free him from all his miseries and bring him to the enjoyment of thy eternal Felicity O my God! That I were capable to satisfie thy Divine Justice in the behalf of this poor Soul for whom I now petition thy Mercy how willingly would I exact in my own person that which detains him in Purgatory And though my unworthiness may hinder this desired effect yet such is thy Goodness O my gracious Soveraign as that I may hope to have my will accepted my petition granted and this poor Soul pardoned succoured delivered and speedily admitted to praise love and honour thy sacred Majesty with the rest of thy celestial Citizens for evermore To Christ Jesus O Jesu the Saviour of our Souls whose inclination to do good to poor Mankind is so great that thou often pressest him to ask and promisest to grant his petitions Receive I beseech thee this Prayer which I most humbly present to thy Throne of Mercy in behalf of this my departed Brother or Sister the Souls suffering in Purgatory Remember O most compassionate Redeemer that it is a Thing bought with thy Blood design'd to thy Glory intended to be a Co heir with thee in thy heavenly Kingdom Look upon it sweet Jesu as the noble conquest of thy Cross and the sacred Trophee by thy powertorn out of the Devils clutches and as such a thing afford it some solace in its sufferings and free it from those flames fetters and prisons which hinder it from enjoying that Glory whereunto thy Mercy hath predestinated it which thy Passion hath purchased and which thy Goodness hath prepared for it If the tears of Mary and Martha did so pierce thy tender Heart that they obtained the raising of their dead Brother Lazarus out of his Sepulchre Be not less favourable and flexible O dear Saviour to these my sighs tears and prayers which I now pour forth before thee for the Soul of my departed Brother or Sister Speak only the word O all powerful Redeemer N. come forth of those Flames and Purgatory will render thee a most prompt Obedience and the delivered Soul will eternally magnifie thy Mercies To the glorious Virgin Mother I Most humbly salute thee Great Queen of Heaven and Earth Glorious Mother of JESVS Powerful Advocatrix of Mankind and compassionate Comfort of the afflicted These blessed Titles embolden me thy unworthy servant to beg thy prayers for the poor Soul of my departed Brother now suffering as I probably both fear and hope in the place of Purgatory and to petition thee that thou wilt be pleased to employ the Power the Priviledg and the Friendship thou hast with thy dear Son my Saviour in his behalf and for his release comfort and pardon O Great and Glorious Virgin Mother Consider this suffering Soul as by thy Son redeemed and by thy self beloved and since thou hast interest in the salvation and joy of the Souls purchased with the price of thy Sons precious Blood take pity upon this Soul longing to behold thy Son and thy self in Glory and to sing forth Divine praises with the blessed Saints for all eternity To S. Joseph O Faithful Steward of Gods sacred Family Worthy Guardian of Jesus and Mary Great and Glorious S. Joseph Permit me to make my most
such conveniencies as serve for my lives ordinary entertainment till such time as thou shalt please to free my Soul from this fleshly slavery and accomplish my Redemption by destroying all that is borrowed from the old Adam and consummating my adoption in Glory which I desire for no other end but to be no longer subject to offend thee my Lord and Maker and that I may be happily obliged and necessitated to praise and love thee for all Eternity 5. A Prayer for the Conversion of Hereticks ONe of the secret Judgments of thy divine Providence O Omnipotent Creator which I humbly adore without daring to dive into it is the permission of Heresies to spring up in such multitudes as Weeds amidst the Wheat in the field of Christianity 'T is for the conversion of these misbelievers for the reduction of these straid sheep for the illumination of these blinded Christians that we now present our petition to the Throne of thy divine Clemency Clear them O Lord clear the Understandings of these our brethren for so they are by participating with us of the self-same Baptism and recal them to the safe sheep-fold of thy Universal Church Give them we beseech thee that Columbin simplicity which is necessary to receive and retain the Faith of thy Gospel and that Christian infancy which is not suspicious not litigious not apt to dispute and judge not puff'd up with any self-opinions Let them see and admire the beauty of Catholick verities by an inward light penetrating their Understandings and captivating them to the obedience 〈◊〉 faith and the Church Ingrave in their Wills the love of thy Truths and dissipate all these impostures wherewith their deceived Teachers entertain them in the hatred of our sacred mysteries We have enough disputed written preached be thou now O divine Doctor the concluding Umpire of all our Controversies Speak effectually to their hearts O all penetrating spirit and open them to hear thy Voice and to admit of thy Inspirations and having fill'd them with the seed of thy saving Faith shut them and seal them with thy grace lest the Birds of prey snatch it away O Soveraign Shepheard reunite these wandring sheep to their true Pastor and make us all members of one Body under one Head that we may with one heart and mouth unanimously adore praise and glorifie thy sacred Name during the remaining time of our pilgrimage upon Earth and afterwards in Heaven for all Eternity 6. A Prayer for a Special Friend PReserve O Lord thy Servant N. for whose Health Happiness and Prosperity we humbly offer up these our Petitions to thy Sacred Majesty beseeching thee to grant him a perseverant Constancy in the Catholick Faith a safe passaâ—… through this lives dangerous Pilgrimage and that no Worldly Carnal or Diabolical Temptations may have the power to separate him from thee his prime and only Good Give him Grace to correspond to the Calling and Condition wherein thou hast placed him Direct him in all his Ways Defend him against all his Enemies and grant him finally a happy Death and departure out of this World and a speedy passage after Death to the fruition of thy Eternal Felicity 7. A Prayer for a Friend in Tribulation VOuchsafe O merciful Creator to afford the sweetness of thy Comfort to thy afflicted servant N. and to remove according to thy wonted Mercy the heavy burthen of his Calamities Give him we humbly beseech thee Patience in his sufferings Resignation to thy good pleasure Perseverance in thy service and a happy translation from this afflictive Life to thy Eternal Felicity 8. A Prayer for our Enemies Detractors and Persecutors O Meek and Merciful Lord Jesu the great Master Exemplar and Practiser of Peace Charity and Union amongst men Who hast commanded us to love our Enemies and to do good for them who hate us and who prayedst on the Cross for thy capital Adversaries Increase within us we most humbly beseech thee the Spirit of Christian Charity that we may freely heartily and sincerely forgive them who have any way offended injured or persecuted us Bestow on them also O Blessed Saviour the same Spirit of perfect Peace Love and Charity and powerfully defend us from all their Deceits and Treachery 9. A Prayer for a Woman labouring in Child-Bed O Most dread Soveraign Who for the just punishment of the first Womans prevarication hast pronounced and imposed a severe and unavoydable Sentence of Malediction upon all Woman-kind that they should bring forth their Children in pain and sorrow We most humbly beseech thee O undrainable Fountain of Goodness and Mercy to mitigate the rigour of this general Edict in behalf of this your poor Handmayd N. now labouring in the pangs of Child-Bed and to give her Courage Comfort and Patience in her sufferings Grant her O gracious Lord God! a speedy and happy Deliverance and that the Child she bears in her womb may be brought forth into the World accompanied with all such Perfections of Body Soul and Senses as are befitting our human nature that it may live to be re-born by Baptism and that both the Child and the Mother may become thy faithful Servants 10. A Prayer to withdraw our Minds from the superfluous Cares and Solicitudes of this World O Lord our true Lover our faithful Teacher and our bountiful Nourisher Take from us all vain superfluous and noxious Cares and Solicitudes and since thou hast been graciously pleas'd to promise us that thy Self wilt make a sufficient Provision for us grant that we may confidently rely in all things upon thy sacred Providence Let us therefore fix our Hearts and Affections upon Heavenly Objects Let us seek only thy Kingdom and be only solicitous for the advancement of thy Honour and Glory Let us run on cheerfully couragiously perseverantly in the way of thy Precepts during this our earthly Pilgrimage that so we may be finally translated to thy Heavenly Paradise 11. A Prayer to appease the Divine Indignation in any publick or private Necessity WHen we compare O Lord thy Punishments with our own Prevarications we are forced to confess that our Crimes do far exceed thy Chastisements We are sensible of our Sins Penalty but we leave not our sinful Pertinacy Our sick Minds are troubled but our stiff Necks are not bowed Our Life languishes under the burthen of our Afflictons and yet we amend not our wicked Actions We acknowledg our misdeeds in the day of Correction and we forget what we have bewailed after the Visitation If thou O Lord stretchest forth thy Hand to strike us we make thee large Promises if thou sheathest thy Sword we fail in our Performances If thou scourgest us we petition thee to spare us if thou mercifully sparest us we again maliciously provoke thee to scourge us Behold O dread Soveraign Thou hast us self-accused adjudged condemned and we well know that unless thou wilt pardon us we must needs perish Yet grant unto us O Compassionate Father that which we desire
tyrannize over your Nature 3. To what imperfections you have been most subject 4. How you have perform'd your Morning resolutions of doing this avoiding that 5 How you have comply'd with the Obligations which concern your special calling charge and condition 3. Marking particularly upon each one of these heads your most notorious Excesses Omissions Commissions Negligences Then conceiving a general hatred horrour and detestation of all sin say briefly O my Soul How ill have we imployed our Time and Talent lent us to merit Eternity O my Lord and Maker I am most heartily sorry for all these sins defects and imperfections which by thy divine grace and light I have now discover'd and discern'd in my soul and humbly implore thy mercifull pardon both for them and all such others as have escaped my memory But if in the Examination of your conscience you there take notice of any mortal Crime Be sure to confound your self presently in your Creators presence Crying out in the bitterness of your Soul O my strange Frailty Malice Ingratitude Whence is it that thou my justly irritated Creator commandedst not the Earth instantly to swallow me or Fire from Heaven to consume me or thy exterminating Angel to cut me off Whence is it that thou withheldst thy breath from blasting me in the very height of my sinfull action with sudden death or that thou sent'st not some of thy instruments of Justice to revenge this horrid injury by razing me from off the Earth's surface and hurrying me head-long into the dismal inexplicable interminable torments of Hell being the place which is only proper and therefore prepar'd to receive such ungratefull ungracious and perverse wretches And why is this favourable delay of thy divine Justice afforded me O my patient and compassionate Lord God! but only to give me time to recall my self from my wickedness and to call upon thy Mercy and Goodness Behold O my Creator I call I cry I come to thee as a poor wretched miserable Criminal I call to thee for Pity I cry to thee for Mercy I come to thee for Pardon And I resolve purpose and promise by the assistance of thy Grace seriously to correct speedily to confess and willingly to satisfie for what is amiss in me And this not for fear of Hell-fire which I have deserved not for the loss of Heaven which I have forfeited but for the love of thee my Lord God! whom I have offended I acknowledg my self worthy of thy Punishment unworthy of thy Inheritance but that which chiefly grieves me is the having injur'd thy Goodness The consideration of having offended thee my loving Father more lively pierces my soul than the apprehension of my sufferings or the loss of my Childs portion Wherefore even for thy own sake O compassionate Father pity relieve and receive thy poor repenting and returning Prodigal who even for thy own and only sake heartily detests all his sins sincerely promises his amendment and humbly craves thy pardon They who have more time and leisure and who desire to become more truly spiritual may here before they betake themselves to their rest make these five internal and affectionate acts 1. A Spiritual uncloathing of our Souls REturn securely O my Soul into thy place of rest Repose sweetly quietly confidently in the bosom of the divine Bounty Rely entirely upon thy Lords love and mercy And cutting off all cares and curiosities all fears and desires remain here contentedly without diverting thy self with any other Objects Behold O my Lord and Lover I absolutely renounce all but thee humbly casting my self into the arms of thy most holy Disposition Providence and Protection I will henceforth aim at nothing but the advancement of thy Honor the accomplishment of thy Will the encrease of thy Love and an Union with thy self O how truly happy wouldst thou be my yet unmortifi'd Soul were thy Affections once free and not clasp'd to any Creature that thou couldst readily resolutely resignedly throw off all and take the naked Cross for thy total Inheritance Thou O my loving Lord Jesu wert born naked in a Stable diedst naked on a Cross wert put naked into thy dolefull Mothers arms to be first bath'd in her Tears and then buried naked in anothers Sepulchre and shall not my Heart and Soul burn with love of external and internal Nakedness Live my Lord Jesus depriv'd of Father and Mother on the Cross Live Mary depriv'd of thy only Son at the foot of the Cross Live naked Cross and live this holy Nakedness Live my Beloved to me and I to him Uncloath me therefore O Jesu 1. Of all sin 2. Of all affection to sin 3. Of all curiosity and vanity 4 Of all sensuality 5. Of all inordinate passion 6. Of all self-complacency self-judgment self-love self-will 7. Of my whol self and whatsoever is displeasing to the pure eyes of thy divine Majesty 2. A most profound Humiliation of our Souls O My Soveraign Creator I most heartily acknowledg my own baseness misery weakness wickedness nothing I perfectly hate dislike and loath my self and all my own proceedings Behold me O Lord lying here prostrate at thy feet as a poor Publican not worthy to lift my Eyes towards Heaven or to take thy sacred Name into my sinfull mouth But what more can I do O my Maker than offer up to thy Majesty an humble and contrite heart fully prepar'd to suffer what thou shalt please to command it And lo I present my whol self bound hand and foot before the Throne of thy Mercy to be adjudg'd according to thy Will Lord I fly not from thee I appeal not from thy Sentence I pretend no priviledge I plead no excuse Be thou the Knife and I the Flesh Hack and hew me cut me and crucifie me as thou pleasest Only pardon my sins Let me live in thy service Die in thy favour and Enjoy thy Love for all Eternity 3. A recommendation and resignation of all to the divine Majesty INto thy holy hands O heavenly Father I recommend my Spirit my Memory my Will my Understanding my Senses my Actions all that I have and am I cast all at thy sacred feet imploy them all as best liketh thee that by them all thou mayst be praised served and loved purely perfectly perpetually I entirely resign my self and all to thy most sacred Will in life and in death for time and for Eternity And will resolutely chearfully and affectionately say and sing at all times in all places upon all occasions Our Lords Name be ever praised his honour always promoted his Will eternally perform'd by me and by all his Creatures 4. A hope and confidence that God whom we Love and who Loveth us will effect what is best for us BEhold O Heavenly Father I here place my self under the wings of thy paternal protection by an immutable Act of filial Confidence and faithful Affection humbly committing all that any way concerns me to thy most holy Providence In this Center O
your Soul to what you intend you may add these affective Considerations 1. If my sweet Saviour were now personally present and asked what I should do in such a case what Counsel would he give me I will attentively listen to his words cordially answer his Inspirations and effectually follow his Directions 2. If some dear friend should demand my advice in this matter What would I answer him My soul shall relish now the same Food which it would then chew for another 3. Why was I Created and Redeemed Call'd to Gods faith and service Why have I time still lent me I will be an Impartial Judg Condemn Punish Resolve Amen 4. What doth most trouble and hinder my holy Design This inordinate affection this creature this pleasure this thing which withholds me from my God Is it better than he is More worthy to be loved More beneficial to me Shall my soul be ever satisfi'd or quieted with it At the hour of my death will it plead for me or protect me from my Creators wrath and judgment Is it capable to make me now Holy or eternally Happy If not what a strange Blindness and Madness is it for me to leave God and adhere to it Resolve accordingly General Rules to be observed in all Prayer In all your practises of Prayer and duties of Devotion Let these generall Rules be carefully and constantly observed 1. BEgin your Prayers with quietness and liberty of Spirit that is endeavour to have your heart disinteressed from all business and all creatures Thinking whither you go and what to do 2. Be sure to bring with you to Prayer either in Book or Mind these two things 1. The points or at least the ground work of your Prayer or Meditation 2. What you intend to obtain this Prayer 3. In the progress of your Prayer be carefull to avoid these two Extremities 1. An indiscreet tying and bending your Brain and Mind to Attention 2. A negligent giving of liberty to wandring imaginations 4. If you find your Heart troubled confounded or dispersed Reduce it sweetly and encourage it to talk with its only Lord and Love about the important affairs of Eternity Thus quietly checking your self and recalling your imagination Where are we What do we Whom seek we God Angels Saints are present and am I not present to my self 5. When your darknrss dryness dulness temptations or distractions will permit you to do as it were nothing in Prayer You are not therefore to be dismay'd or desist from keeping on in your course at set and ordinary seasons But call to mind these three points with faithful diligence resignation and indifferency First what was your intention in now coming to your Prayers and fall presently to the practise thereof Secondly assure your self That to suffer for God being absent and to enjoy him being present are of equal Perfection And one of these you may always do by-being to either of them indifferent Thirdly That you came to your Prayers for two ends 1. To Adore your divine Maker To cast your self at his feet To be disposed of at his pleasure To know his holy Will To receive his sacred Commands 2. To lay open to him your Wants To discover to him your Wounds To present to him your Petitions to seek relief receive redress beg an Alms. Now the first of these Ends which is Noblest and Purest is always in your own power to perform and therefore That alone gives a sufficient value and merit to your Devotions A Direction of our intention at the beginning of our Devotions OPen my mouth O my Lord and Maker to bless and praise thy divine Majesty Cleanse my heart from all curious noxious and distractive thoughts Enlighten my understanding recollect my memory inflame my will purifie my intention settle my attention excite my devotion elevate my affection curb and compose all my interiour and exteriour senses That I may worthily reverently and religiously perform this Morning Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and that in union and vertue of those most pure and perfect Prayers and Praises which thou O Jesu my Redeemer living upon Earth offeredst up to thy Eternal Father Mine may be now acceptable in thy fight profitable to the Living and Dead and Honourable to thee and thy Saints At the end of our Devotions REceive O merciful Creator this my Morning Evening Sacrifice which I have offered up and intended to the Glory of thy Name the Honour of thy Saints the Good of my own Soul the Reduction of all sinners and the benefit of all the faithfull living and departed Accept O pious Father my poor endeavours Pardon O merciful Redeemer all my Defects and Negligences Give me O good Holy Ghost efficacious Grace to put in due practise my now made purposes and resolutions Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost For the benefits of my Creation Redemption Sanctification As it was in the beginning when the Morning Stars praised thee Is now in the Church Militant And shall be world without end in the Church Triumphant Amen ¶ III. Practical Exercises dilated with Acts Affections and Elevations upon the chief Christian Virtues The First Exercise Of Virtue in General Divided into seven Points 1. A generous Resolution to practise all Virtues BEhold O sacred and undivided Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost an unworthy wretched weak and wounded Soul groaning under the burden of her own abyssal misery terrified with the consideration of thy inscrutable judgments confounded at the memory of her former sin sensuality disloyalty and ingratitude all covered with shame and encompassed with sorrow humbly prostrates her self before the Throne of thy dread Majesty and presents her petition to thy infinite Mercy Thou hast been pleased O benign and bountiful Lord and Lover whose mercy is above all thy wonderful works to expect her hitherto most patiently How long shall I suffer you Thou hast most piercingly enticed her Why will you perish As I live I desire not the death of a sinner Thou hast most piously invited her Come to me all you that labour and are loaden and I will receive you release you relieve you revive you Thou hast efficaciously touch'd and terrifi'd her with thy threats Sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee Thou hast powerfully drawn her with thy promises No eye hath seen nor ear heard nor heart conceived what I have prepar'd for them that love me Thou hast confirm'd her in a lively Confidence of thy goodness It is I fear nothing And finally Thou O my all merciful Lord God! hast put Contrition into my heart Confession into my mouth Satisfaction into my hands and unfeigned Resolutions of a total reformation into my whol man This is the change of thy right hand O powerful Creator the great and glorious gift of thy grace and the effect of thy only goodness and to thee therefore alone be ascribed all honour and praise for evermore My now unfetter'd Soul aims at a higher
I will employ my time and talent in studying thy essence excellency effects motives and what else concerns thee that I may sincerely affect thee seriously seek thee happily lay hold on thee and resolutely practice thee I will perseverantly fight against perverse nature quel concupiscence cut off curiosity repress vice and reiterate these acts till they induce the contrary habits of all Virtues into my conquering Soul O Jesu perfect exemplar of all sanctity who art graciously pleased to afford courage to weaklings to confound the strong 1. Give me a noble Generosity to set on Virtue that I may with vigour alacrity and promptitude vanquish all sloath and negligence 2. Give me a discreet Severity to set on my self that the caitiff pleasures of flesh and bloud make me not relent in my labours 3. Give me a meek Benigntty and sweetness of heart that I may peaceably patiently and joyfully pass over all difficulties remain always solaced and satisfied with thy good pleasure and permission and persevere constantly in these my pious practises and resolutions The Second Exercise Of the Theological Virtues and first of Faith 1. The Essence of Faith Faith is a Theological Virtue elevating and enabling our souls to an assured though obscure knowledg of all such things as are revealed by God PRostrate again and humbled even into the center of my own nothing I represent my self before thy supreme Majesty O dread Sovereign of heaven and earth I acknowledg O prime infallible and only essential verity that the Just man lives by Faith that by it only I can have access unto thy sacred Majesty and that without it it is not only vain to pretend but altogether impossible to please thee I believe O my Lord that Faith is the first step of my Pilgrimage towards heaven the necessary foundation whereupon I must raise the high edifice of my desired perfection and the very substance and support of all my hope of future happiness in thy blessed eternity I also most gratefully confess that Faith is a gratuite gift of thy meer mercy and gracious bounty which alone moved thee to infuse it into my undeserving soul in Baptism O love O liberality But ah my unfaithfulness how poorly have I performed my then made publick promise and profession Alas my disloyal Soul Thou hast not liv'd according to Faith's Laws thou hast little lov'd thy Lord less thy Neighbour and least of all thine own self Thou hast scarcely dreaded thy supreme Creator as thy severe Judg much less honour'd serv'd and obey'd him as thy sweet Father Thy Faith hath been hitherto dead and thy barren tree hath not yet budded forth into blossoms nor born any fruit of good works O pious and potent Lord Curse not presently this fruitless fig-tree lest it forthwith wither away into nothing O cut me not yet off nor cast me suddenly into the fire as I have most justly deserved for having thus long possess'd a place in thy Garden without any return of profit to thee my heavenly Planter O spare me one year longer Divine Husbandman digg about me and refresh my driness with the sweet streams of thy infinite mercy that I may spring forth into fruitfull works worthy my Faith and profession Quicken renew revive O bountifull Lord thine own gracious gift of Faith in my Soul which is dulled deaded and almost destroy'd and choak'd up with the venomous weeds of my wilfull sin and negligence O give me a fresh supply of celestial light and strength enable my poor Soul to pour forth her self here in thy Divine presence receive thy now repenting and returning child pardon mercifully his past disloyalties and graciously accept these hearty protestations of his most sincere fidelity for the future I believe O eternal Truth I believe all that thy self hast said in thy sacred Scripture and reveal'd to thy dear Spouse the Catholick Church as most sure and certain verities Yes Lord thy words are indubitable thy Church is infallible and I will sooner believe my self not to live than to suspect thy Prophets Apostles or their Successors in thy Church by whose mouths thou speakest to be Authors of the least falshood I will therefore expect no greater evidence in this life in these secret and sacred mysteries of Faith than thy Divine Revelation and thy holy Churches assertion Ah my soul how well is it for thee that thou art uncapable to Dive into the Counsels of the Divinity What were the merit of thy Faith if thine own reason could yield thee an infallible certainty To clear it alas were to ruine it to draw the curtain which obscures it were to bereave it of its most convenient cloathing to examine it too punctually were to distrust thy God too peremptorily wherefore my Soul doth humbly and heartily sacrifice to thee her Soveraign Creator the noblest faculty wherewith thou hast endowed her which is her Vnderstanding She willingly submits it by an absolute captivity and blind obedience to all thy Divine Decrees Laws and Ordinances without questioning how or why I receive all intirely universally singularly each sentence of Scripture each sanction of the Church without the least exception choice reserve or distinction I believe all O Lord help my unbelief 2. The Material Object of Faith God is the material object of our Faith who hath revealed all truths which are to be believed THou O Eternal Unity of Essence O ineffable Trinity of Persons O Father Son and Holy Ghost in whom all things live move and have their being art the prime object of my Faith to whom all truths are to be referred as the first and infallible rule of all verity Thou hast revealed thy self as an infinite independent eternal perfect and omnipotent Creator of all things Conserver of the whol Universe Governour of Heaven and Earth Glorifier of Angels Redeemer of Sinners Justifier of Saints first Author and final End of all Creatures I believe adore admire and melt away in the meditation of these thy marvellous greatnesses and glories Thou hast delivered unto me by thy Apostles the faithfull Interpreters of thy Word and Will a short Symbole as a compleat abridgment of the truths I am bound to believe of the good things I am to hope and of the blessed objects whereon I am to fix my affection O Divine Creed little in expressions but large in mysteries containing sweet milk for Children and solid meat for Men I firmly credit each tittle thou containest in the same sense and meaning it is to be believed I will frequently repeat and ruminate each one of thy sublime articles when I rise I will remember thee when I betake me to my rest I will recite thee Thou shalt be my Garment to adorn me my Glass to dress me my Corslet to defend me till I come to thy blessed Kingdom O Father Almighty and all Mercy where thy self in clear vision wilt be the revealed object of my Faith the final accomplisher of my Hope and the rich recompence of
my Love in thy life everlasting 3. The Formal Object of Faith Divine Revelation is the formal object of our Faith by which truths are delivered from God to man in divers manners THou hast made man and plac'd him in this world O Soveraign Creator to know serve love and please thee and to praise thee eternally in the next world But how alas can he arrive at this end or hope to hit this mark unless he be heightned above his depressing earth elevated beyond his drossie senses and enlightned with a more sublime knowledg than his own weak reason can reach unto Thy supernatural assistance O Divine bounty is necessary to raise him to these blessed objects which are above nature His blindness is too great and his ignorance is too gross to discover the Mysteries of Faith and secrets of Religion He must learn this Science from thy self O supreme Verity and this assurance must be derived from thine own Divine revelation And this thou hast abundantly performed O immense fountain of all Truth at sundry times by several means and in divers manners 1. By outward words forming voices as it were in the air to inform us of thy will 2. By speaking to our hearts which thou disposest to understand thy heavenly inspirations 3. By interposing the Ministry of thy Creatures to denounce thy commands Teaching us by thy Angels preaching to us by thy Prophets instructing us by thy Apostles informing us by thy Scriptures which are missives sent from thine Omnipotency declaring to us mortals thy pleasure 4. By Visions either purely Intellectual as in S. Paul or Imaginary as in Jeremy or Real as in Daniel all shewing by silent signs and resemblances what thou wilt have effected 5. By Dreams when the outward senses being shut up from all distracting objects our souls are sweetly inform'd with thy Divine Verities 6. By Raptures when our elevated spirits inflamed with heavenly love are for a time interdicted the use of their corporeal senses and operations and totally taken up in the contemplation of thy infinite beauties and perfections 7. By thine own dear Son our sweet Saviour in whom were hidden all the treasures of thy Divine Science Him thou sentst us O eternal and ever-loving Father from heaven to earth to be our Doctor and Master and to teach us thy heavenly Truths by his own humane mouth O my God! how great is thy love in all these manifestations and how great is my obligation for all these thy mercies In how many languages dost thou speak to my deaf Soul Be thou eternally praised for all thy comfortable words revelations visions raptures instructions which thou hast conferred upon all thy Saints and Servants but above all for sending thy beloved Son thy co-eternal co-equal consubstantial increated and yet incarnate Wisdom to reveal the mystery of thy Law the immensity of thy Love the marvels of thy Mercy O my Soul What glory is it to be instructed by Gods own Son O my Lord how pleasing are thy words to my pallat how far more sweet are they to my heart than is honey or the honey-comb to my mouth 4. The Rule and Judg of Faith The Rule and Judg to distinguish between Divine Revelations and Diabolical Delusions is the Catholick Church which alone hath power to explicate the Scriptures and judg of Tradition BUt since I find my self unfit and unworthy to whom thou O my Supreme Soveraign shouldst particularly talk and tell thy Divine secrets Behold I here absolutely renounce all relying upon any seeming instinct self-judgment or proper re son in matters of my Faith and entirely submit to that Judg whom thou hast appointed to regulate inform and command me Yes O Jesu my loving Saviour the only revealer of all Faith and prime Author of all Truth Thou hast espoused to thy self and establish'd for thy servants an infallible Church as an unshaken Pillar to lean upon a solid ground-work to build on a skilfull teacher and suggester of all necessary tenents a speaker by thy Spirit and an expounder of thy words To deny this O my God were to slander thy Providence and suspect thy Justice Can I doubt but the same Providence which so eminently presides in all human affairs so plainly appears in the daily supply of my corporal necessities and which hath given me a Sun by the light whereof I may guide my bodily steps from error during this my lifes pilgrimage hath not also ordain'd an infallible and safe conduct for my immortal Soul to guide it in its way to Eternity Hath thy Justice commanded me to believe love and serve thee O my Soveraign Creator upon pain of eternal punishment and hath not thy goodness sufficiently shewed me the means and manner whereby to effect it Be thou eternally blessed O my mercifull Lord God! and thy Providence ever praised which hath left me a sacred Church to which I may safely give credit since he that hears her hears thee who art her Inspirer Governour and Protector Behold O my Lord I pull down the Sails of my own soaring judgment Avant all you Heresies Singularities Sects and Self-opinions here I will dwell since I have advisedly chosen it in this Ark I fear no Shipwrack in this Haven I may safely cast my Anchor in thy bosom and embraces O dear Mother I rest secure and satisfied I believe what thou tellest me admit what thou determinest reject what thou refusest I embrace all thy holy definitions concerning Grace Justification Sacraments and all other Tenents whatsoever contested by contentious Hereticks as so many heavenly revelations and I hearken to thy Doctrin as to the voice of the Divinity since the same Spirit which spake to the world in the Apostles continues in their Successors which are thy present Pastors O what Joy what Comfort what quiet what assurance brings this proposition Christs true Church cannot Erre She never yet erred she never shall for the future the malice of Hereticks and rage of Hell shall never prevail against her God is her Head her Guide her Instructer even unto the end of the World O my Soul how good is it for us to be here where only happiness can be hoped and elsewhere is nothing but darkness error damnation Thou hast not done thus O most loving Lord to every Nation 't is thy special grace and goodness to my undeserving Soul for which she shall ever sound forth the sacred Anthems of thy praises 5. The Motives of Credibility Christ himself is the founder of our Faith The Greatness of the Church The Quality of the Doctrine The Means by which it was planted and propagated WHen I consider thee my dear Saviour to be the Origin Founder Denouncer Teacher and Establisher of my Faith Oh how can I doubt of its verity and sincerity Thou Lord art all truth all might all wisdom all goodness Thou hast confirm'd thy mysterious words with such miraculous works as none could effect but by divine assistance O how credible are thy testimonies
Whilst your Spiritual Father pronounces your Absolution produce either with heart or mouth some of these short Acts following 1. Of Sorrow O God be merciful to me a sinner 2. Of Humility Not unto me Lord but to thy Name be given all praise and glory 3. Of Love and Confidence My God and my All My comfort and my content my secure rest and sole refuge Remain with me sweet Jesus and it is sufficient 4. Of Spiritual joy and alacrity Take courage my poor dejected desolate Soul Jesus is our guide and we are going to Heaven what matters it whether we get or lose in this World have friends or foes sink or swim live or die upon earth If Jesus loves us and we Him it is enough Live the Cross and my crucified Redeemer Adieu world Farewel Self-love Heaven is my Home Jesus is my Hope and Happiness Also At the time of Absolution Imagine you feel Christs sacred Blood distilling into your Soul and that you hear those his sweet words directed unto your ears Go in peace thy Sins are forgiven thee now sin no more lest some worse thing befal thee O words full of sweetness and comfort After Confession REtire your self a while 1. To give God thanks 2. To say your Penance 3. To renew your good purposes and resolutions 4. To offer up your self and all your actions with whatsoever you are and have to be hereafter employed for your sweet Saviours honour love and service 5. To beg of him who died on the Cross with his Eyes full of Tears Body full of Wounds and Heart full of Mercy for the salvation of your Soul to supply all defects which may have occurred in this or any other your Confessions Then ejaculate sweetly some of these Sentences CLeanse me O Lord from my secret sins from my vitious customs inclinations and affections and permit me not to participate with others in their offences nor to be involved in their crimes by my consent and connivency Return my Soul into thy rest for thy Lord hath done well for thee What have I in heaven and what would I have on earth O my God! thou art the God of my heart my part my portion and my inheritance for ever I desire to be dissolved and to be with thee my Lord and Saviour But who will free me from the body of this death I would gladly be separated not only from Sin and the occasions thereof but even from this body of Sin which I can bear about me That so being absolved and dissolved my departing soul might unspottedly ascend to her eternal rest in the very Act of this vehement and amorous Contrition Yes my good and gracious Creator I would willingly be sequestred from my self and all creatures that I might be totally united to thy self my first beginning my final end my hope my happiness my All. It is good for me to stick fast to my Lord to place my confidence in God my Saviour Let others seek other contents I and my house will serve thee our Lord and Maker A Prayer after Confession O Merciful Redeemer of my Soul what praise love and thanks shall I return to thee for having made a Bath of thy Bloud a Garment of thy Grace to cleanse and cloath my defiled and naked Soul in the Sacrament of Penance Let my Body Soul and all that is within me bless thee eternally and let Heaven Earth and all that is within them say Amen Alleluja Receive I beseech thee O my dear Lord Jesu by the bowels of thy Mercy by the breasts of thy Mother and by the merits of all thy blessed Saints this my Confession Let it be pleasing to thy sacred Majesty and profitable to my own Soul Let thy infinite sweetness of love and bitterness of sorrow supply all its defects whether it be want of Contrition or of Integrity or of Humility or of Clarity or of Simplicity or of a true sense and feeling of my Sins heynousness or of a full Resolution of amendment or any other Circumstance Negligence or Error whatsoever Forget and forgive all the crimes ingratitudes impurities of my life past and in particular whatsoever through my own carelesness may have escap'd my memory whatsoever the common Enemy may accuse me of at the hour of my death and whatsoever thou my dread Judg maist in the rigour of thy Justice lay to my charge at the day of thy dreadful Judgement I repenr me heartily for all that I have done amiss I renounce all that is opposite to thy perfect love and liking I resolve to amend all and to avoid all sinful occasions I resign body soul all to do Penance make all possible Satisfaction And lastly for thine own sake sweet Jesu I beseech thee to pardon all relying upon thy goodness confiding in thy mercy rejoicing at what thou art to wit so loving and so worthy of all love so good in thy self so good to all others so good to me the least and worst of all others Let all creatures joyn with my soul to love honour serve and praise thee her glorious Creator her gracious Redeemer her liberal Sanctifier this day and for all eternity And now my Lord Jesu I here again lay down the whole burrhen of my Sins at thy sacred Feet and take up thy Cross in exchange Resolving by thy gracious assistance to pass on my lives pilgrimage in the perpetual practise of Penance Patience and Purity abandoning Body Soul Goods Limbs Life all to thy service Accept my offer O dear Lord Jesu and admit me henceforth for one of thy meanest Bond-slaves Let me live and dy in the performance of this my promised duty obedience and submission to thy holy Will and Precepts Let me never more offend thee but loath and abhor the very name and shadow of Sin more than Death or Hell it self Teach me O Lord how to persevere in thy love and to correspond to my vocation with a zealous fervor joyned with prudence and discretion That serving thee my Soveraign Lord and Master during my abode in this prison of Mortality with fidelity simplicity sincerity I may at the end of my lives course be received into immortality with security and that as I here justly sing forth thy Mercies for having used such sweet and efficacious means to bring my sinking Bark into the safe Haven so I may there joyfully intone eternal Canticles of thy Divine praises in thy Kingdom of glory Amen ¶ 6. An easie and necessary method of Examining the Conscience for the making of a General Confession General Advertisements concerning General Confessions 1. THe motive which obliges all Christians who are desirous to perform their Duty and settle their souls in the state of Grace to make a General Confession is only this When upon just and rational Grounds and not out of an erroneous or scrupulous Understanding they doubt of the Validity of any of their former Confessions by reason-of some essential Defect which accompanied them The
Fundamental practises of sublime and solid Piety may be always ready at hand for the daily use of devout Christians both before and after Communion and in which they may also according to each ones fervor and opportunity very profitably employ themselves after their Morning Exercise as it were in the way of a Canonical Office for which reason they are distinguished like the precedent Exercises of Christian Vertues which may be practised in the same manner into Seven Points correspondent to the Seven Hours of the Church-Service The First Exercise Which is the Ground work of all Prayer and Introversion and which alone being performed with requisite diligence discretion and perseverance will speedily and infallibly afford unspeakable Comfort and spiritual Profit to the pious Practicer thereof As being indeed the end of all other external Exercises and the short sure simple and Regia via leading to a Devout and Divine life THis Exercise consists of Three parts in general and Nine points in particular 1. Preparation of three acts 1. An affective and lively apprehension of Gods presence 2. A cordial and profound act of humility 3. A pure intention to please and praise God only 2. Consideration of 1. Our Wounds both internal and external 2. Our Wants which are many in every degree 3. Our Wishes and humble desires 3. Conclusion also of three acts 1. Contrition for our Sins 2. Resignation in our wants 3. Complacence in God and Confidence in his Goodness A practical description of this Exercise The first part is Preparation of three Acts. 1. A lively apprehension of Gods presence not only in all places and in all creatures by his Power and Essence but in our Souls by his Mercy Love Care and Providence O My Soul Where are we who sees us What is he that is with us and within us By whose light we see by whose fire we burn and by whose love we live Live my most glorious and gracious Lord in whose presence I kneel in whose arms I rest and after whose love I breath O that thou wert as dear to my soul as thou art near it Alas why doth she not care as much for her God as he doth for her good Why do I not love thy presence O my amiable Lord since thou art present by love Thou art my Father my Physician and my Food hear me heal me help me I am wicked I am wounded I am wretched Out of thee there is no place of rest without thee there is no hope of happiness remain therefore with me and reign within me Let me be thine all thine ever thine 2. Profound and cordial Humility acknowledging unfainedly before God and his Angels our wickedness weakness and wretchedness what we are and what we deserve and so resting quiet in the Center of our own Nothing O My Soul What have we been What are we What have we What can we do What do we deserve What do we desire What hath our loving Father and liberal Lord that he hath not given us What have we proud and prodigal Children that we have not received from his merciful hand and heart What have we received that we have not abused by self-love or self-delight O sweet Jesu Give tears to my eyes words to my tongue sighs to my heart and love to my spirit for I need them all to deplore my misery and implore thy mercy to admire thy beauty and adore thy bounty to sigh after thee and suffer for thee What I have been it grieves me to remember What I am after so many signal benefits on thy part and serious promises on mine I am ashamed to think What I deserve I am afraid to call to mind What I desire I am ignorant how to ask Lord for thy Mercies sake for thy Mothers sake by thy Bowels of mercy and her Breasts of meekness by all that thou hast suffer'd for me and she for thee by all that is dear to thee in Heaven and Earth Forget and forgive what I have been my past folly and wickedness Pity and protect what I am my present frailty and weakness Be satisfi'd for what I deserve supply what I desire and be mindfull of me in life and death How much O my God! do I wish to leave all and lose my self to find thee to humble my self to please thee and to hate my self to love thee But these hard and high matters I dare scarcely promise how then and when shall I practise them Yet without thee O Sacred Humility there is no solid center to rest in no true sweetness to take gust in therefore O my God! I come to thy School to learn this necessary Lesson teach me touch me wound me and win me unto thy self 3. Pure intention to please and praise God only to be all his ever his in what manner and measure he best liketh both in this Prayer and all things whatsoever BEhold therefore O my Lord how out of pure Obedience to thy Will and confidence in thy Mercy I now approach to please and praise thy divine Majesty Not to receive great matters from thee for I am unworthy nor to conceive great matters of thee for I am uncapable but to leave all for thee to be humble of heart beyond all and to love thee more than all this is conform both to my Condition and Obligation I come to Prayer O my only Lord and love not to have much but to give up all to be thine all thine ever thine in life and death for time and eternity as thy self best pleaseth I come O my center and sweetness to seek thee and sigh after thee yet I am content neither to find thee nor feel thee but only to see thee by faith and to suffer for thee with fidelity I am satisfied and content that thou art so good great glorious rich and happy in thy self and I am confident that thou in thy good time wilt make me rich in thy mercy and happy in thy love for in this Pilgrimage I desire no other happiness than true humility nor greater riches than naked Charity The second part is Consideration shewing three things first to our selves and then to our Soveraign Lord and Maker 1. Our Wounds both internal and external to wit our Sins Ingratitudes Daily failings strong Passions c. AH my sick and sinful soul How weak and Wounded are we in every degree in all parts in each member of body and faculty of mind 1. All is out of order all is pride and self-love how impenitent are we in sorrowing how impatient in suffering how unconstant in persevering and yet how importunate in sinning 2. My Vnderstanding is blind to good clear-sighted to evil My Will is perverse peevish cold sensual My Memory is weak full of idle images subject to distractions 3. My Affections are vain my Passions violent my Inclinations vitious 4. My Faith is little my Hope less my Charity least of all 5. So forward to extroversion and dissolution so backward
to introversion and compunction so full of imperfections and immortifications 6. So little confidence in my Saviours mercy so little patience in my misery and almost no performance of my good purposes 7. So curious to censure others so careless to keep my self and curb my own senses Finally all is self-love self-will self-conceit self-seeking pride propriety partiality which are my daily and dangerous diseases O Father of Mercies and only Phisician of my Soul Thou art Almighty and All-bounty these are my wounds and impurities and if thou wilt thou canst both cure and cleanse me and if thou wilt not I will remain content as I am I am willing to continue weak so I be not wicked to be wearied and wounded so I be not utterly tired overturned defeated lose the victory Cut kill crucifie O Lord only spare me for eternity 2. Our Wants for we are not only needy but naked not only poor but beggers who neither know how to deserve an alms nor how to desire it O My poor Soul What do we want nay what do we not want 1. True light true liberty true love true life 2. A setled attention a simple intention a serious introversion a sincere conversion 3. Humility of heart conformity of will purity of soul indifferency of spirit 4. Wisdom to know Gods Will strength to execute it patience to persevere in it 5. Resolution to suffer for our Saviour devotion to sigh after him diligence to find him constancy to remain with him 6. Courage to endure all Faith to forgo all Hope to expect all Charity to give all and Confidence to gain all Finally we want all we should have Yet our loving Lord is ready to bestow on us all that he hath O my God and all Thou art all that I want give me thy self and all my wants and wishes will be at an end Thou art all my safety and my only security all my refuge and my only center until I can return unto thee or wholly turn into thee let thy Cross be my Purgatory and thy Will my Paradise for other heaven upon earth I can never hope to find Until then I must be content to sweat and sigh under the burden of this mortal life to sit like Job upon a dunghil forlorn and forsaken by all full of sores and sorrows to remain a perpetual and pitiful patient scarcely feeling patience in my self and finding no compassion in others 3. Our Wishes and desires What can a wounded wretch wish but to be cared for and cured What can a naked begger desire but to be cloathed and comforted with some few rags and crums What can a blind and cold person ask but light and love THis O my Soveraign and sweet Lord is the sum and substance of all my wishes and requests O that I could go out of my self and get into thee O that I were dissolv'd from my loathed body to the end I might dilate my heart in thy love contemplate thy divine face in perfect liberty and please and praise thee eternally for in this prison of flesh and vale of tears I faint under the weight of temptations I fall under the burden of my troubles and I continually fail in the prosecution of my pious purposes Oh! that thy Will did so rule me and reign over me that it were a torment to decline never so little from it O that thy Love did so freely and fully possess my heart that there were no room at all remaining for any bastard or base love of things created Good Jesu how truly happy and holy should I be if I could clearly behold my own nothing in thy All If I could embrace crosses as Crowns and swallow down all contempts and confusions as milk and hony O when shall I be so elevated in spirit above my self by extasie of love as to be able and willing to humble my self under all creatures without repugnancy Alas Shall I never be content to forsake all and be forsaken by all Yea having lost and left all for One to be left by that One who is my All and so remain quiet in my own nothing How long shall I lie wallowing in flesh and bloud how long shall I delay and dally in false loves How long shall I sigh and not enjoy Seek and not find live and not love Come my Lord and Love Lord Jesu come quickly Let the fire of thy sweet love so consume in me all dross of self-love and so transform my spirit into thee that I may take all from thee indifferently give all to thee liberally and rest and repose in thee eternally Lord Let me be thine or nothing Love or not live The third Part is the Conclusion which consists also of three Acts. 1. Contrition which is a hearty and humble Sorrow for our Sins Ingratitudes Disloyalties Tepidities c. O My God! How little did I love thee when I so carelesly offended thy divine Majesty Oh! that I had never sinned mortally though it had cost me my life immediatly O that I were sure never more to swerve from thy Sacred Will and Commandments Let me henceforth endure dear Jesu a thousand deaths of my body rather than admit one deadly sin again into my soul O pity and pardon my past follies and frailties and prevent me with thy gracious blessings against future failings How great O Lord is my obligation to serve and please thee were it but for thy favours conferred thy benefits bestowed and thy love powred out upon me and yet ungrateful wretch that I am how poorly have I corresponded Oh! that I had so deep a sense of my Sins that my Heart might break with sorrow Hide not O Lord thy face from me shut not up thy Mercy gates against me for though I have most grievously gone astray yet I am resolved upon an entire amendment correction reformation of my whole man this strong Resolution which is thy gracious gift grounds my hope in thy goodness emboldens my confidence in thy mercy and gives me courage and comfort in thy love 2. Resignation in all our Wants Wishes Desolations and Distresses to the divine Will and pleasure I Am indifferent O my dear Lord to sickness and health to light and darkness to delight and desolation I am thine sweet Jesu put me where thou wilt do with me as thou wilt send me what thou wilt I am content not only to have nothing but to be nothing so thou O my Lord be all things unto me I acknowledg my self unworthy to beg and less worthy to obtain and therefore I resign my self still to beg and yet still to want even that which I most wish which is all Light all Liberty all Love all Comfort all Content yea even all Virtue Peace Perfection so long as it shall please thee O Father I am thine ever thine all thine body and soul for time and eternity Live Jesus only 3. Complacence and Confidence the first that our God is what he is the next
that he will heal our Wounds supply our Wants satisfie our Wishes and turn all to our good I Am glad O my gracious Lord God! that thou art so worthy of all love though I of all others am not worthy to love thee I am as joyful for what thou art O great God! as if all thou hast were all mine and I will love thee in all I am and have as being all thine Thy Cross is my comfort thy Will my wel-fare and thy Love my life so that if I can but suffer for thee do thy will follow thy love I shall do all that is necessary I am indeed dry dark and desolate but since it is thy will I am sure it is my good therefore sufficient for me satisfactory to thee I hope thou wilt one day compleat thy own heavenly design in my soul healing my Wounds supplying my Wants fulfilling my desires and filling my yet empty heart with thy sweet presence and perfect love In the mean space I will say and sing Live Jesus Live my Lord my love my life my all whose name be blessed by all whose will be accomplished in all whose honour be advanced above all An Advertisement touching the precedent exercise 1. WE must perform it daily diligently discreetly and with great confidence and courage 2. Yet without propriety that it may neither hinder the operation of the Holy Ghost within nor Works of due obligation and obedience without 3. If in the practise of this Introversion we find dryness and feel little devotion we may sometimes fitly resume in lieu of the second part or consideration our wonted exercises whereto our minds are more addicted ending the same with the Conclusion here prescribed being ever duly disposed to follow the holy Spirits invitation to higher matters The Second Exercise Of the knowledg of God and Confidence in Him 1. Our Chief Happiness consists in knowing God TO know thee O divine Fountain of goodness is to be truly happy and yet none can know thee O boundless and bottomless Sea of all perfection but through thy own manifestation and mercy Vouchsafe therefore I beseech thee O most loving and liberal Lord to enter into this poor and empty heart of thy meanest servant to inform my ignorant soul with a glimps of this necessary Science and to enflame my cold affection with a small spark of thy holy love O Omnipotent Creator of Heaven and Earth both which thou fillest with thy greatness glory O God of infinite power excellent wisdom unmeasurable goodness and incomprehensible Love my soul thirsts after thee the essential source of all felicity my heart seeks thee the proper place of its repose it sighs to thee the natural center of all its hope and happiness In thy blessed mind O my God! it first rested in its eternal possibility and similitude thither it must again return and there it must either rest eternally or perish for evermore O let it now find thee that it may ever love thee 2. Extasies Admirations and Adorations of the Divinity O Lord most good glorious and gracious most blessed and bountiful most high and holy most excellent and ineffable What words or thoughts can express thy purity and perfection Let me know thee O amiable life of my soul Let me see thee O true light of my eyes Let me seek thee O only solace of my spirit Let me find thee O desired of my heart Let me embrace thee O my heavenly Spouse Let me possess thee O Soveraign sweetness and full satiety of all my inward and outward senses O that my heart could alwaies think on thee my Will ever love thee my mind still remember thee my understanding continually conceive thee my reason perpetually adhere to thee and my whole man incessantly praise thee O hide not thy face from me my joy my light and my life If I may not see thee and live O let me die that I may see thee I desire to die here and be dissolved that I may see thee know thee come to thee live with thee and love thee eternally O ever blessed and glorious Divinity O Father who of thine own substance bringest forth an ineffable goodness coequal consubstantial and coeternal with thy self which is thy Son O Father and Son who loving each other with infinite charity and content are united together in one Holy Ghost equally and unspeakably proceeding from you both I admire you adore you and worship yon with all the powers of my body and soul 3. An absolute Oblation of all to the divine Majesty O Sacred Deity O Tri-unity and Vni-trinity O Father Son and Holy Ghost Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts who wert art and shalt be for ever Almighty I thy poor creature prostrate before the Throne of thy divine Majesty from the abyss of my own nothing invoke adore and acknowledg thee the abyss of all perfections I present thee with all thy own gifts goods and excellencies which thou hast plentifully poured out upon all thy creatures I offer up to thy praise the affections of Angels and Men the properties of the Elements the beauty and motion of the whole Universe and the essence of all being O that my soul were capable to comprise unitedly all their several affections and perfections how joyfully would it employ them in thy praise how sweetly would it melt away in thy presence Behold O my God I make an entire Oblation of them all I acknowledg and adore thee with them all and desire to do it as frequently as I take breath as often as there are minutes in time stars in the firmameat stands in the Ocean numbers in all nature O my Lord whose love is the life of my Soul increase my knowledg of thee that I may enlarge my love to thee Alas I love thee not O amiable Lord God! because I know thee not I know thee not because darkness and sin hath covered and incompassed my understanding Wherefore O bright light who illuminatest all things expel this darkness from my Soul drive off those clouds from my Understanding and draw the curtain from off the face of the abyss of my Mind that I may see and know thee and then I shall not choose but love thee O my dear Jesu shew me thy divin Father dart a beam of thy heavenly splendor into my dull heart that I may have some degree of that holy science which may help me in thy love make me obedient to thy will and resolute in thy service To know all things of this world O Jesu and not to know thee is but ignorance and folly let me therefore know thy eternal Father and thy Self whom he hath sent for my Salvation and it sufficeth me O give me this knowledg that I may give thee my love and I ask no more Let me be unknowing ignorant and a fool in all other things so I may wisely know thee only O my God and my All. 4. An humble acknowledgment
dive into my own baseness weakness misery nothing that knowing what I truly am I may really loath hate distrust despise and deny my self and all my own proceedings sincerely love thee only trust and hope in thee and rely wholly upon thy divine Providence and Protection I am not only content O my Lord God! but even willing and desirous that all thy creatures should take me and treat me according to my true condition and unworthiness And I am resolved by thy grace to humble my self not only under thy mighty hand but also under all their feet as their servant and slave to be troden on abhorred avoided and detested by them all as a sink of sin and filthiness I will be desirous to be esteemed and used as Dross among Metals Chaff among Grain a Wolf among Sheep and as Satan amongst the Children of God I acknowledg my self unworthy of all grace and comfort from God or man and worthy of all pain punishment crosses contradiction confusion desolation death damnation I will be henceforth ashamed to complain of any aggrievances and be content to suffer whatsoever the World the Devil and Hell it self can inflict upon me 2. A rational consideration of what we are were and shall be ANd to strengthen this my resolution I will rationally consider before thee O my Lord what I really am what I was and what will become of me both touching my body my soul and my whole being Ay me I have a body all clay a soul all sin a life all frailty a substance all nothing And this is all I have to vaunt of in thy presence O my Lord and my Maker My material part is but slime of the earth the very worst part of the unworthiest Element Ah poor man and canst thou look so big who cam'st from so base an extraction Be asham'd to lift up thy head vile mud and dirt since thy pedigree is so well known and the ingredients of thy being are so mean and contemptible And when I consider what this my body was in the womb how it was conceiv'd in concupiscence nourish'd with filthiness and brought up in darkness I am asham'd to own my own beginning which is so horrid and loathsome and who then can justly boast of state strength beauty or nobility since the groundwork of all is but a little dung and corruption Ah poor worm what a dismal prison wert thou detained in for nine months space of thy time What nasty and poysonous food was thy diet how wretched was thy birth how weak and woful thy infancy and what art thou in thy best and most flourishing condition in the world but a clog and cage to thy inthrall'd soul a painted sack or pargetted sepulcher full of filth froth and ordure O my Lord give me grace to frame an impartial judgment of what I am and then how soon shall I check all risings of pride and presumption 3. We deplore our own misery and implore Gods mercy I Came into this world O my Lord with groans and tears I live in it with griefs cares I shall go out of it with pangs and fears and lastly I must become a horrour to the eyes of my dearest friends a prey of vermin and a companion of rottenness Ah! how canst thou be proud of thy perfections poor clay ashes why should'st thou look to be so highly priz'd and so daintily pamper'd thou stinking puddle Dust thou art and to dust thou must return Hast thou not always before thine eyes these ashes for thy glass and death for thy mistress why then dost thou suffer so many sparkles of vanity to arise from this thy caitiff condition And thou my poor soul the spiritual part of my composition O what shall I say of thee to thy great Lord and Maker What thou hast hitherto been I well know wretched wicked sinful What thou now art I know not being uncertain of Gods grace love What thou shalt be hereafter I am altogether ignorant because doubtful of thy correspondency with grace and fearful of thy perseverance in goodness Ah sad condition I came O my Lord into this world in original sin I am bred up in actual sin and if death and deadly sin meet together I shall feel the smart of them both eternally O how much need have I then of thy grace O merciful Lord God! to avoid Sin since I cannot eschew Death O let me rather admit a deadly wound than commit a deadly Sin 4. A deep Consideration of our own Nothing WHat art thou then O my whole man consisting of body and soul What wert thou O. N. from all eternity before thy conception in the womb and birth into the world Nothing Ah poor no thing what is less than nothing where dwels this nothing who can describe a nothing which more differs from the least atome in the Sun than Gods infinit greatness from the least of his creatures O proud nothing What hast thou that thou hast not receiv'd Nothing Why then art thou puffed up with it as if thou hadst not received it I acknowledg my whole being to be from thy only bounty O my great good and glorious Maker and since I possess nothing but what I have from thee since I shall also necessarily fade away into my first nothing if thou withdrawest from me thy conserving hand but a moment I will no longer glory in that which is none of mine but I will here lay the foundation of my spiritual edifice upon this sure and solid ground of thy All and my own nothing I will endeavour to frame a true conceit of my own misery frailty insufficiency and nothing that so I may fully speedily and solidly come to this desired self-knowledg and humility I will run over my lesson repeat my questions learn my answers and strive to grow skilful in this necessary and sacred science What have I received that I have not abused Nothing Body Soul Will Judgment Memory Understanding Affection Senses Meat Drink Company Habit books Prayer Sacraments all Creatures Can I then be proud of Sin Filthiness rottenness labour grief infirmity blindness obstinacy corruption death and damnation which are worse than nothing Shall I boast of thy gifts O my God! which are not mine or of my own abuses and ingratitudes The one is to rob thee of thy honour the other is to be honoured for thy dishonour 5. A serious Reflection upon Gods gifts and graces and our strange Ingratitude WHat creature ever sinned so grievously as I have done and yet sorrowed so little and suffered less Who ever forsook so great and good a God for so little and vain a toy as I have done What sinful soul is there now in hell that would not have been a glorious Saint in Heaven if it had had the helps favours feelings and visits which I have both had and abused Who ever received so many mercies so sweet comforts and so great graces from thee O bountiful Lord God! and made so
little and bad use of them as I have done If I deny all this my conscience witnesseth against me If I confess it Oh! why am I not more humble Finally If such great troubles temptations and tribulations had hapned to me as have done to others I should by consenting have ere now burn'd in Hell fire but thou O meek and merciful Creator hast spared me because thou knowest my weakness sent me smal crosses because I can't bear greater c. Wherefore Not unto me O Lord but to thee be all honour for time and eternity O that I could know thee and know my self O that I could truly see my own nothing and total dependency on thee my misery and malice and thy perfection and total goodness Ay me weak and wretched N What are my forces that I should rely on them I have nothing O my Lord but what is thine my merits are thy mercies my goods thy graces yet I never have been thankful for receiving them nor faithful in using them O! when did I trust in my own strength and was not foiled and confounded Grant therefore O my Lord O my only hope and help O my sole safety and security that I may totally trust to thee and distrust my self truly acknowledg thee and deny my self entirely love thee and bate my self 6. A further Confession of our own poorness unprofitableness unworthiness I Confess O my Lord that I am the poorest ungratefullest unprofitablest and unworthiest worm of the earth a thing altogether useless to the world only active to offend thee and to do wickedly in thy sight and is it possible that I can harbour any thought of self-love or self-liking O God of infinite glory greatness and Majesty before whom the powers of heaven do tremble what are all creatures in thy sight and what am I the meanest of them all O what proportion is there Great God! between me and thee between thy All and my Nothing and yet have I infring'd thy laws disobey'd thy commands contemn'd thy Counsels resisted thy callings and contradicted thy Will to prefer my own O monstrous impiety and ingratitude And shall not I willingly submit to all pain punishment contradiction contempt which thou O my highly offended Creator shalt suffer thy creatures to inflict upon me Behold O my Lord I debase humble and annihilate my self under all things that have a being I will henceforth utterly hate distrust and detest my self and wholy love thee and rely upon thy mercy O holy self-knowledg O sacred humility thou art the key of all perfection the door of all solid virtue piety and devotion 7. Resolutions to practise Humility Self-denial and Abnegation I Now clearly see by the light of thy divine goodness O gracious Lord God! what hath hitherto been the cause of my non-proficiency in the way of the Spirit and why the path of virtue seemed so unpleasant thornie tedious and troublesome to my deceived soul It was because I had not learn'd to leave loath deny and distrust my self and rely wholy on thee O my only comfort and support I will therefore henceforth faithfully practise what I perceive so necessary I will profoundly humble my Soul both inwardly in thy presence O my Lord and outwardly to the whole world I will joyfully and voluntarily embrace all injury indignity contempt correction and confusion which can befal me with as much pleasure as I have formerly any worldly cherishings and kindnesses I will utterly destroy ruine and root out all Self-love self-liking self-seeking self-praise and self-complacency I will cast my self under the feet of the vilest creatures take pleasure in the meanest employments and obey them most willingly whom my nature most distasts and dislikes I will walk before thee O my Creator as thy needy naked desolate and destitute Vassal acknowledging my self void of all Virtue attributing to my self nothing but sin ingratitude defects failings imperfections I will fully perswade my self that no one can contemn confound persecute and punish me as I deserve I will not regard whether I am honoured or hated but imagine my self as a thing dead and forgotten or as that which never had a being and is now truly nothing I will be contented to be accounted an Hypocrite in my sincerest actions and to be thought full of inward impatience secret grudgings and desires of revenge against them who shall any way mortifie or misuse me though my Heart be never so free from it Finally I will have these and the like thoughts and words always in my heart and mouth I am nothing I have nothing I do no good I am an unprofitable servant I utterly hate and distrust my self and totally rely upon thee O my Lord my Love and my All. The Fourth Exercise To obtain Remission of our Sins 1. We excite our dull and drowsie Souls to arise speedily and lament seriously our former sinfulness WHO will give water to my Head and fountains of tears to my Eyes And I will weep day and night for my Sins which cover me all over like an incurable ulcer from the sole of the Foot to the crown of the Head Where art thou O my wretched and wicked Soul In what labyrinths dost thou walk In what sinks of Sin and puddles of uncleanness dost thou wallow Awake arise lament repent how long wilt thou sleep Why wilt thou die when wilt thou shake off thy fetters Ah return filly sheep to thy good Pastor return poor Prodigal to thy pious Father whose goodness so lovingly invites thee whose mercy hath so long expected thee O great and glorious God the mighty Monarch of heaven and earth King of Kings and Lord of Lords behold a poor and penitent Publican who is asham'd to lift up his eyes to Heaven and unworthy to take your Sacred Name into his sinful mouth humbly knocking at your gate of mercy clipping your holy feet and craving your accustomed pitty and compassion O merciful Lord Hide not your self from me shut not the door against me Oh! one crum of comfort one dram of devotion to my sad and sick Soul to my dry and desolate Spirit 2. Our God is all to us and in us and the Authour of all our goodness I Am conscious of my ingratitude against thee O supreme Majesty and my sin is always before me and confounding me But whether should I retire my self from thee To whom should I have recourse but unto thee Art not thou my Father my Father of mercies which have neither limits nor measure Art not thou my Maker my Preserver my Governor my Deliverer my King my Pastor my Physician my Priest my Sacrifice If thou art not all this and more to me and if I am nothing to thee refuse me reject me and relinquish me a prey to be swallowed up by thine enemies But it is time O Lord that Heaven and Earth take notice of what thou art to me and what I am to thee It is time thou shouldest enter into thy
right And I must must now either give my self to thee or thou must take me unto thy self Not that I aspire to those excellent prerogatives of thy dearest servants No my Lord it sufficeth me to be in the out-rank of thy meanest slaves to be stamp'd with thy mark and link'd fast in thy chains that I may never more have the power to fly from thee O grant me this favour most merciful Father Which thy dear Son hath purchased for me by the price of his death and Passion 3. We Sin of our selves but cannot arise from it without the Divin assistance I Am fall'n without thee by my own frailty but can never hope to rise but by thy mercy O my Lord and only support I am sick without thee but cannot be cured without thee O my heavenly Physician I am dead without thee but can never be reviv'd but by thee O Life of my Soul So true it is that to make me come to thee thou O most gracious Lord God! must first come to me O the admirable goodness of my loving Lord Even this little I am doing is rather thine own work than mine 'T is thou O my Lord who puttest Repentance into my soul Desires into my heart Sighs into my breast Confession into my mouth Prayer into my lips Remorse into my memory Resolution of amendment into my will 'T is thou O gracious God! who chiefly actest all this good in me by me and for me O my All do then all in me what thou desirest And particularly overwhelm I beseech thee my whol interiour with perfect Contrition not coming from a slavish and servil fear but from a faithful and filial love Grant me a true and intire grief for having offended thee not because of thy Promises or Threats but because thou art in thy self good amiable adorable and worthy all love and honour 4. How great an Evil it is to destroy Gods Grace in our Souls by Sin OR if mercenary interest do yet more move thee as surely it seems to bear the greatest sway with thee my sensual and sinful Soul For how hainously dost thou take a small injury how deeply dost thou resent a little disgrace the loss of a dear friend of health of honour or the like temporal and perishable commodities O whence is it then that thou so little apprehendest thy loss of Grace and thy eminent imminent danger of eternal Damnation Is it a small matter to be Gods Enemy To lose the good will of Heaven To destroy Gods Image To cut up life root branch To side with the accursed Devils thy Creators sworn Enemies To hatch Treason and enter Conspiracie with the damned Yea and to kill as much as in thee lies him who by his own death gave thee life O brutal and unnatural ingratitude Surely the annihilating of Heaven Earth Angels Men and all Nature cannot be compar'd with this malicious evil and wilfull destruction of thy grace O Lord in my Soul Since the least degree of a higher order surpasses the highest degree of the lower order O eternal God! What a Monster have I been in Grace what a prodigie in Nature who have so little car'd to commit such enormous Crimes But O my Lord I will even now change my life I here detest all Sin I make a firm purpose of amendment I have a full confidence in thee my Creator a good will to do satisfaction and a total resignation to thy Divine pleasure 5. The root and source of all our Sins is our perverted Will. I Am the woful Criminal O just Judg of my Soul and I will be also the accuser and witness the Advocate and Executioner in this Tribunal I summon you therefore O detestable Pride O abominable Envy O execrable Avarice O beastly Lubricity and all you accursed crew of Sins how long will you reign on earth how long will ye dispeople Gods inheritance who brought you in amongst Gods Children 'T is the perverted Will of man O dread Soveraign which hath don all these mischiefs Rectifie O my Lord I beseech thee this my crooked Will and murther these horrible monsters in me and grant that I may henceforth rather expose my body to a thousand Deaths than my Soul to deadly Sin Thy Saints will rejoice O God! at my amendment and thy Angels will make a Feast but thy own resentment of joy will be infinite because thy love is infinite which goes hand in hand with thy Essence and comprehends all Love in supream eminency I will therefore expect from thee O heavenly Father the exact remembrance from thee my Redeemer the perfect knowledg from thee O holy Spirit a true repentance and from thee O Sacred Trininity an intire Absolution and plenary Indulgence from all my Iniquities 6. Our greatest Sorrow is not equivalent to the greatness of our Sins THe grief I feel for my past Offences the hatred I have against each Sin at this present and the resolution I make to avoid all iniquity for the future are not equivalent in me to their enormity and hainousness I therefore humbly crave O holy Lord God! that thou wilt accept thy own hatred against Sin for that which I should and would have and instead of the Sorrow I want I offer that of thy Son my sweet Redeemer with the Sacrifice of his immaculate Life and innocent death And since I cannot be impeccable by Nature O my Lord nor dare presume to ask to be so by Grace give me leave to prostrate my self before thy infinite bounty and clemency and to beg by the merits of Jesus Christ thy dear Son and by the desires of thy essential love the blessed holy Ghost that though I may not be impeccable yet I may never sin more and if I must somtimes Sin through my frailty yet I may never Sin mortally This I desire O Lord this thou demandest this thou commandest O give me what thou commandest and command me what thou pleasest 7. An Act of perfect Contrition which is elsewhere repeated as being of great efficacy O My good Lord Jesu who art the Lord of my Life and shouldst be the love of my Soul did I not like an ungracious and ungrateful wretch give my heart sell my affection to fond frail filthy and fading Creatures and comforts which are so far from affording me either quiet of Mind peace of Conscience purity of Soul or perfection of Spirit which my obligation and vocation require of me that they leave me nothing but trouble confusion and remorse with a world of dismal and desperate thoughts violent passions and vicious inclinations Amidst all which disorders I find no other refuge nor remedy than to return to thee my true Center to convert my self to thee my Soverain Creator To cast my self at thy sacred feet my sweet Lord Jesu and there with an humble and contrite spirit to sue for Mercy Remission Reconciliation O Heavenly Father I confess and acknowledg my ingratitude treachery rebellion And I am
sorry from the bottom of my heart and Soul that ever I offended thee who deservest from me all possible love honour and obedience beseeching thee as a guilty Criminal to take compassion upon thy poor and penitent Creature and to forgive me the great and grievous transgressions and offences which I have committed against thy divin bounty as I do for the love of thee my Lord and Maker most freely forgive all those that have any way offended distasted contristated or scandalized me sincerely knowing that I deserve no comfort from any creature but all contempt and confusion and not only to be troubled and trampled on by all on earth temporally but even to be tormented by the Devils in Hell eternally Ah Crucified Jesu take pity on my Soul for which thou pouredst forth thy Sacred Blood and gavest up thy dearest life on the Cross Alas How ungrateful a Child have I been to offend so frequently so hainously so disloyally so loving and liberal a Father so meek and merciful a Redeemer and so sweet and soveraign a Majesty who hath always shew'd himself to me so benign and bountiful sparing me in my Sins and expecting me to Repentance wooing me to his love and calling me to his service by a thousand means all which I have either rejected or neglected and still nevertheless continuing unto me my life time and means to do Penance Oh my poor Soul How hast thou been blinded and bewitched to leave the bread of Angels and to feed on the husks of Swine to abandon God and all solid goodness upon whom depends all thy hope and happiness all thy quiet content and comfort in time and eternity for trifling vanities empty shadows meer nothings O strange folly and phrensy would I had never Sinned and Oh that I might never Sin more O my God! What have I done and not done would I had suffered on the Cross with thee my sweet Saviour and for thy love pains of body pangs of soul and even death it self when I thus grievously Sinned And what can I say or do more I abhor and detest whatsoever I have done said thought or desired contrary to thy divine will and liking I renounce all company and occasions which may induce me to offend thee I cast my self at thy sacred feet to be thy faithful Bond-slave for ever I firmly resolve to take up my Cross and carry it after thee Dear Jesu till death and to do penance and satisfaction for my past pride pleasure and impiety desiring no more in this world but to linger out my pilgrimage at the foot of the Cross like the Penitent Magdalen in perpetual solitude silence and submission Good Jesu for thy infinite mercies sake suffer not thy poor creature to be separated from thee eternally O amiable Eternity O Eternal amity of God! Shall I leave and lose thee for filthy pleasures frail creatures fond friendships fading honours No my dear Lord Be pleased rather to take my soul out of my body than thy love out of my soul Let me rather Die miserably than Sin mortally Let me pass on the rest of my pilgrimage in thy grace and fear that I may finish it in thy friendship and favour Grant me this I beseech thee O meek and merciful Saviour by the merits of thy bitter death and passion by the intercession of thy most blessed Mother by the suffrages of all thy holy Saints in heaven and happy Souls upon earth Upon all which relying as upon the Anchors of my hope I absolutely commit and resign my self to thy sacred disposition and providence for time and Eternitie fully trusting that thou wilt mercifully pardon all my Sins carefully assist me in all my Wants and Weaknesses and in the end happily bring me to thy Eternal Bliss and Beatitude by such means as thy divin Wisdom knows most expedient for me The Fifth Exercise Of subduing Sensuality to Reason 1. We deplore our proneness to Evil. MY Spirit is willing O most glorious and gracious Lord God! to serve thee love thee honour thee and follow thee but my flesh is weak frail and refractory I do not what I desire O my God! nor what thou demandest But I act that which I hate and what thou forbiddest I feel O my Lord a law of sensuality contradicting the law of my mind captivating my reason clouding my judgment and continually striving to cast me down headlong into sin and perdition Vnhappy man that I am Who will free me from this body of death Ah! my brutish body ah my burdensome flesh Thou art my dangerous and deadly enemy 'T is thy weight that depresseth my Soul thy earth that clogs and corrupts my air thy contagion and perversity which infects and debaseth my better part and heavenly portion thy sensuality which draws on endangers and almost destroys my reason 2. A detestation of our Sensuality AH Sensuality the source of all my misery how justly do I now hate thee and how willingly would I leave thee At my first acquaintance with thee thou defiledst me with Original Sin In my Infancy thou mad'st a beast of me And now in my riper years thou still pursuest me proclaimest open war with me blindest my Understanding with darkness ignorance and errours make my Will refractory to good and ready to all evil distractest my Memory with vain and vile fancies and perpetually tossest me to and fro between love and hatred joy and grief hope and fear and the rest of thy numerous and enormous irascible and concupiscible powers and passions Ay me how sad is my state how deplorable my condition Oh! how long Lord must I dwell with these devils how long must I endure the violence of these Passions O my Lord my strength and my salvation break these fetters for me Command a calm O thou powerful Ruler of Sea and Winds and appease the surges of these my unmortified appetites Oh! restore me to my self again reduce Reason to her lost dominion in my Soul and bring back me thy poor Creature to thee her powerful Creator O let not this passenger perish amidst those boysterous billows nor suffer utter shipwrack in these fearful tempests I suffer violence O my Lord answer for me the companion which thou hast given me hath deceived me Sence hath corrupted and conquer'd my Judgment Oh! how am I dragg'd up and down by my all-mastering appetites commanded by my servants and fetter'd by my slaves O Tyranny O indignity Ah my soul O noble spirit fair as the Angels formed to thy Creators lovely resemblance stampt with his divine Character and Heir apparent to his glorious Kingdom To be thus subject to the base and brutal desires of flesh and blood O intolerable bondage O unworthy servitude 3. An humble acknowledgment and confession of our frailty and misery O Father of Mercies and only Physitian of my soul Thou art Almighty and All mercy and I am all weakness and all misery There is no part left in my whole body and soul
if I had formerly hated thee and betrayed thee as Judas did I would now with penitent Magdalen run to thy blessed feet weep and bemoan my misery and hope to obtain thy mercy And finally O my Lord I absolutely entirely and irrevocably renounce my whole Will in all things and totally resign whatsoever any way concerns me to thy holy will and pleasure I offer up unto thee the full sacrifice both principal and accessory of all that by thy gift and grace I am have and can my self goods graces body soul senses heart will all I leave no right or title to any selfness in any thing whatsoever I am no more my self but thy slave O Lord Not my will but thine be don for time and eternity O let me will what thou wilt or not will at all Let all my desires be involuntary if they swerve never so little from thy divin pleasure Die Self-will Live Jesus my Lord my Love my All. The Seventh Exercise Of Conformity to Christ Crucified 1. Ardent Wishes and Desires of perfect Conformity to Christ our Saviour CRucified JESV Thou only Lord of my life life of my love and love of my soul O that I could reform my life deiform my love and conform my soul to thee the absolute pattern of all perfection O that I could imprint thy lively and lovely image in my Heart fasten all my affections and imperfections to thy sacred Cross drown all my desires and defects in thy dear Wounds put off my self totally and put thee on entirely O sacred humanity O my suffering Saviour O that I could perfectly imitate thee the pure exemplar of all Virtues that I could give up my whole self to thee by an Act of irrevocable donation as thou demandest and commandest But alas I am yet O my Jesu all self-love sin and sensuality I acknowledg O my Lord what I have and what I want I know what I desire and what I deserve I confess I am wounded I am wicked I am wretched and I tremblingly come to thee my heavenly Physician to be cured converted comforted O sweet Saviour for thy mercies sake and for thy passions sake Forget and forgive what I have been pitty what I am satisfie for what I deserve and supply what I desire 2. We cast our selves at our Saviours Feet where we beg Humility BEhold most merciful Jesu I first cast my self at thy sacred Feet pierced and fastned to the cruel Cross for my trangressions Pierce my flesh O my Lord with thy fear and fasten my soul to thy love O let not pride presumption nestle any longer in that Heart which thou O meek Saviour lovest so tenderly and hast redeemed at so dear a rate O my vain-glory and arrogancy what have I to do with you how much do I now detest you Wash off these stains O Jesu from my poor soul in these sweet streams flowing from thy wounded Feet O drown these my imperfections in these sacred Seas of piety Give me O gracious Lord such true humilty of Spirit that I may perfectly perceive the abyss of my own nothing and naughtiness and rightly conceive the immensity of thy greatness and goodness wherereby I may depress my self unfeignedly and exalt thee only in my soul Let me be content to be contemned by all Creatures desire to be despised be willing to be troden on as dirt and dust and the very outcast of the whole world O let me really hate all honour and humbly pronounce with mouth and mind I am nothing have nothing deserve nothing desire nothing but only to please thee perfectly my Jesu praise thee perpetually love thee purely and live with thee eternally 3. Before the same Wounds of our Saviours Feet we beg the virtues of Obedience Patience Silence GRant me also Good Jesu by the merits of these your Wounds the Virtue of perfect Obedience O let me never tire in trampling down self-will in forsaking my own sense in subduing Self-judgment in submiting my spirit inwardly to thy inspirations and outwardly not only to my Superiors injunctions but even to the commands of all thy Creatures O let me have no propriety affection or affectation in my own proceedings but wholy mind thy holy pleasure in all things Let me lay down all my desires at thy sacred Feet O my Jesu saying Lord what wilt thou have me to do so transforming my Will into thine by an absolute forsaking denying and annihilating my whol self Let me receive O my Saviour as from thy secret providence and permission not only patiently but thankfully all pain all poverty all shame all sickness and all sufferings whatsoever acknowledging that I truly deserve worse and desiring willingly to endure more that so I may have a more perfect resemblance with thee my crucified Lord Let me learn O my Lord by thy blessed example the holy lesson of discreet Silence not only from ill and idle talk but even from all needless and unprofitable discourses Let me rather edifie by the purity of my life and conversation than by multiplicity of words and conceptions O give me sweet Jesu a free and frequent access to thy sacred Feet during the whol course of my life and a sure comfort in them at the hour of my death 4. Petitions for several Virtues before the Right hand of our Crucified Redeemer FRom thy blessed Feet O my dear Lord I raise my humble devotion to thy all-holy Hands and beg leave to cast into the sweet Fountain issuing from thy powerful right Palm my manifold Sins of Malice and Injustice with all my faults of Hypocrisie and Ingratitude Falshood and Infidelity Rancor and Revenge Renew O Lord God! a right spirit within my bowels Let exact Justice be the square of all my actions Truth the touchstone of my words and Sincerity the subject of my thoughts Let me be punctual in performing my duty to thee zealous in punishing my self and charitable in compassionating my neighbour Let me ever yield first unto thy Sacred Majesty all honour and glory reverence and respect laud and love gratitude and obedience with my whol heart soul and strength next to my Superiours equals and inferiours and lastly to my own body soul and senses that which is my duty and each one of their respective dues O let me fully perform what I am bound to carefully eschew what is forbidden me and uprightly walk according to my calling O let me never presume to slight scorn suspect judg or condemn any person but sincerely serve succour and seek the temporal and spiritual good of all men whatsoever even of my profess'd and most peevish Enemies Lord Jesu give me grace to imitate thy Virtues to be grateful for thy Gifts and to make use of thy Goodness in order to my souls advancement in the way of thy dear love and desired union with thy divin Majesty 5. Other Petitions before the Left-hand ANd in the Sacred wound of thy Left-hand I humbly intomb all my offences of Negligence
Tepidity Sluggishness Cowardise and Pusillanimity all my my Covetous desires all Impurity and all Intemperance Purge me O my powerful Lord purifie me O my merciful Saviour Give strength comfort and courage to my feeble and frail nature that I may pass undauntedly through all difficulties and dangers to come to thee and to repose in thee the only center of my desires Grant me O my Lord Chastity of body and Cleanness of heart Temperance in my appetites and Sobriety in my senses Gravity in my deportment and Moderation in all my proceedings that nothing may dislike thee in my soul nor dissolve the sacred knot wherewith thou hast fastned me unto thee Give me also O Jesu my Lord perfect Poverty of spirit O permit not my soul designed to enjoy thee her only solid and satiating object to be intangled with the least affection to the poor and perishable trifles of this world Behold I cast my self uncloathed from all creatures into thy naked embraces O crucified Saviour I desire to clip nothing in my folded arms but a breast burning with desires to please thee my Redeemer and a heart melting away in thy love I make choice of thy baâ—e Cross O Christ for my best inheritance I stretch out my opened folds to meet thy holy and heavenly huggings O let me never more be unclasp'd from thy blessed bosom Be thou O my great-little naked-Jesu my rest during the short time of my life and my refuge at the dreadful hour of my death 6. More humble Petitions before the Sacred Head and Face of our Crucifi'd Saviour ANd now O merciful Saviour I humbly convert my eyes and contemplation to thy sacred Head crowned with thorns and thy divin Face all besmeared with gore and spittle for my sake Here I implore strength O Jesu for the weaknesses of my head and pardon for the wickednesses of my five Wits and Senses O my Lord I desire to bury in these thy innumerous Wounds the enormous number of my iniquities and I beseech thee for these thy sufferings sake to adorn my weak capacity with so much solid Wisdom as may fitly suit with my condition O let me never think speak or act any thing which is not season'd with the salt of Discretion Let me seriously weigh each circumstance and patiently wait thy leave and leasure before I leap into any work Enlighten me to see cleerly thy will and pleasure and impower me exactly to fulfil and follow it Open the eyes of my Understanding to behold my own baseness and wickedness and give me thy gracious assistance to reform it Help me to frame a right judgment of the real vileness and vanity of all transitory things and indue my heart with courage to contemn them Inebriate my affection O amiable Jesu with the sweetness of thy love and let all worldly solaces savour of bitterness to my soul Let me be deaf blind and dumb to all things which are not thy self O my crucified Saviour Let me prudently discern and piously perform each parcel of my duty in its due circumstance of time place order measure and manner Let that holy and innocent Simplicity which is the Virtue of thy Saints shine in all my actions Let me not be curious to know much but careful to practise much and cordial to love thee much O my only Lord and love Cleanse my Will from all self-seeking Keep my Memory from all superfluities Close up my Senses from all vanities that my happy soul seperated from all sensible images may quietly tend to thee only sweetly repose in thee and continually enjoy thy blessed presence O let thy pure and perfect love Dear Lord Jesu be the faithful Scout-watch over all my proceedings that no forreign affection no sinister intention no self liking or self seeking may steal into my heart and defraud or disturb its happy enjoyment of thee and holy unity with thy divin Spirit Grant O my Lord that I may prudently turn all good events and all bad accidents to my spiritual profit by reflecting wherefore they befall me of what they warn me and how far they concern me Let me learn thereby gratitude to thy Goodness fervour in Prayer contempt of my self humility of spirit care of my actions resignation to thy will amendment of my life or what else thy holy Spirit shall please to intimate by these fatherly visitations O sacred Head of my crucified Saviour be thou my certain succour during my lives conflict and my sure place of retreat in my last agony of Death 7. And finally Ardent Petitions before the Heart of JESVS wounded with a Launce ANd Lastly I reverently approach to thy dear Heart O amiable Lord Jesu opened with a cruel Launce in the sight of thy blessed Mother and thy beloved Disciple for the love of my Soul O my Jesu I here implore thy pardon for all my perverss affections and irregular appetites Give me thy leave O my loving Lord to creep into this sweet hole of the rock this sacred cleft of the wall this unlock'd closet of heavenly treasures this saving Ark of the New Testament and shut you O Jesu the door from without that free from the deluges of all wickedness and dangers of the World Flesh and Devil I may sit solitarily silently and sweetly hearkning to thy divin whispers in my elevated Soul Purge all my impurities O my dear Saviour in the precious Blood streaming from thy patent side and replenish my heart with thy perfect love Oh! drown me wound me burn me and consume me in thy divine flames of affection that I may love thee strongly purely perfectly perseverantly O grant that I may leave all things with alacrity for thee my beloved Jesu though never so great to loath all things joyfully for thy love though never so good to do all things contentedly for thy honour though never so hard to suffer all things patiently for thy sake though never so painful and to persever constantly in my pious practices for the sole satisfaction of thy holy Will and the accomplishment of thy blessed pleasure O let me be incessantly calling and knocking at this sacred gate of Mercy Let me be still sighing and seeking after thee my Jesus my Saviour my Lord and my Love Let me be always thinking ever talking and perpetually tending to unite my heart to thine to conform it unto thine to transform it into thine that so I may be all thine and thou all mine for time and eternity Grant also dear Jesu that I may truly love all others in thee and for thee O inflame my Charity quicken my Faith rectifie my intentions strengthen my confidence in thee destroy all complacency in my self establish me in all these my good purposes and let me be as often minded of my now-promis'd duty and encouraged to proceed forwards in the path of perfection as I shall eye the sacred image of thy crucified humanity Elevate my desirous Soul unto thy self O Jesu my Lord above all chances changes
and creatures Oh! let it be so totally attentive to thy presence so intirely taken up in thy contemplation and so wholy absorpt in thy love that no outward objects may touch or trouble it no inferiour cares or cogitations may intangle it nothing may impede the free intercourse of thy heavenly friendship nothing may stop the sweet influence of thy divin graces or any way interrupt its happy quiet and holy tranquillity O dear and open'd Heart of my dying Lord Jesus be thou my sweet comfort during this lives Pilgrimage and my sure Sanctuary in its last period Tâ—…â—…ghth Exercise Of 〈…〉 with GOD. 1. Our Soul seeks nothing but Gods lovely presence and desires nothing but the presence of his Love O Infinit immense and unmeasurable abyss of all bounty O ever-flowing Fountain of mercy O undrainable Sea of love O my Lord my Soveraign my Saviour and my Sanctifier Behold I return into thee the sweet source of my beginning I run into thee the gracious Preserver of my being and I desire to rest in thee the only hope of my Souls happiness Be thou henceforth O my Creator the sole subject of my thoughts and the only object of my love Be thou O God of my heart Heart of my life Life of my soul and Soul of my Love my part and my inheritance for ever I choose thee only I offer up my self wholly I consecrate my self heartily and dedicate my self eternally to thy love honour and service Ah good God! where dwellest thou which is the pleasant place of thy abode O King of glory and Comforter of my Soul I seek nothing but thy lovely presence I desire nothing but the presence of thy love My soul sighs to see thee my heart covets to have thee my love longs to enjoy thee and I can expect no perfect content until I am totally united unto thee If I now beg a glimps of thy divin face O my glorious Lord then a drop of thy heavenly grace and afterwards a dram of thy dear affection Yet in all this it is thy self O sweet God! which I demand thy whole self is the only satiating object of my boundless desires and unlimited affections 2. Fervent Acts of Love and Affection I Desire to love thee O only amiable Lord God! by all means and beyond all measure until I am totally transform'd into thee by love O do thou freely and fully possess my spirit guide it govern it enlighten it inflame it elevate it inform it and transport it how and when thou pleasest Oh! Let all adulterate love be quite banished all multiplicity vanish away and all impurity and self-seeking swallowed up Let thy love be my light my liberty my life Lord I desire but two things in this world To love see taste and enjoy thee My best beloved and to be humbled despised rejected and esteemed a reprobate for thy love O sweet life O loving Jesu what a heaven what a happiness is it to love thee O how lovely how loving and yet how little loved is my God O source of all goodness and center of all good souls What is the greatest love of mother friend life or any thing els Art not thou my God! all this to me and all in all Ah my Soul what didst thou ever best love And didst thou love thy Lord God as much I blush O my dear Lord I sigh and am ashamed to answer I will henceforth do any thing suffer any thing and leave all things for thy love I will not live but languish not breath but burn by an extasie and excess of love 3. Further Acts and Extasies of divin Love and Affection O Fire O flames Burn Consume Annihilate Alas Beauty of Angels how late and how little do I love thee O come into my Soul behold a poor lodging yet such as it is it is all thine I conceal nothing I reserve nothing heart soul spirit all is thine own compose all dispose all depose all unruly passions impose what Penance thou pleasest I accept it O my Lord only repose peaceably in my soul and let no foul or false affection interpose it self to disturb this blessed union O that I could please and praise thee purely perfectly perpetually Oh that I could love thee faithfully freely and fully in all above all things O my all and only love I acknowledg my self bound O Lord in thy chains of Charity I am burn'd in thy fire I am wounded and won to thy love But what shall I say What can I give All I have is not worthy of thee and yet is thine already Ask my sweet Lord and have choose and take make me such as thou desirest and then take me to thy desire Give thy self O great God! to my soul and then take my soul with thy self in it My life liberty love all is thy own My last Will is already made in which I bequeath all to thee thy own Death and Passion all thy Mercies and Merits all the praises and perfections of thy dear Mother and the blessed Saints and Angels and all the goods glories and splendors of all thy creatures All that I am have and can both spirituals and temporals kindred friends riches health honors estates offices devotion all is at thy disposal I am resolute O my Lord I am resign'd and indifferent to have them increased or diminished to use them to thy glory or to lose them altogether 4. We return back to our Creator all that we have are and can I Give thee back O merciful Maker my whole being either to be what thou wilt or to be nothing at all to love thee or not to live at all I offer to thee O pious Redeemer my sins to pardon my works to perfect my will to purifie I offer thee my wounds to cure my soul to cleanse and my spirit to comfort I offer to thee O holy Spirit my intentions to rectifie my inclinations to sanctifie my affections to deifie Finally I offer all for one I give all to one and all I desire is to be all one with thee my all and only Lord and love Thou hast given me O my bountiful Creator the whole world in freehold for one penny of Rent saying Child give me thy heart O Lord Let this penny never want the superscription of thy grace and let me never want thy grace to pay this rent O my Lord all that I have is but two small mites I cast them into thy hands and had I more I would give more Dispose of them both dear Lord of my Body and Soul as best pleaseth thee that thy will may be perfectly performed and thy name purely sanctified in both O sweet God of my heart Let me embrace thee in the two arms of profound Humility and perfect Charity O let my Heart faint and melt away in the fire of thy Divin love let me lose my self to find thee be out of my self to live in thee and be empty of my self to be full
in thy absence Who will pity my Case who will plead my Cause who will pardon my Crimes who will save my Soul Thou only art all my comfort come therefore to me or take me to thee 4. The holy Baptist esteem'd himself unworthy to loose the latchet of thy Sandals St. Peter to be in the same Bark with thee The Centurion to admit thee under his Roof And what art thou my poor Soul compar'd to these great Saints Lord I am not worthy of this honour and happiness which I much desire Depart therefore from me a sinner or rather come to me and cause that I may sin no more 5. Who is the Guest I mean to lodg One who infinitly surpasses all created perfections One whose power fram'd all whose providence governs all whose beck can in a moment bring all back to their Original Nothing And is it possible he will descend to dwell in houses of Earth If the Heavens cannot contain thee Dread Soveraign how shall my soul Whence O Lord is this thy goodness to me Who am I to deserve it No 't is thy Love that brings thee to me and 't is my Confidence that leads me to thee O that I were as clean as thy Empyreal Heaven to entertain thee as Pure as the Virgin MARY to receive thee 6. What need I other Motives of Humility than to see thee O Jesu so humble in this Sacrament Thou annihilatest thy glory to become my food who am the food of worms I am saist thou the bread of life take me eat me digest me nourish thy self with me have as much power over me as much possession of me as of a morsel of bread which thou swallowest Come then O my Lord and Lover take full and free possession of me establish thy government adorn thy lodging command control correct all be thou all in all in my Soul c. 7. With desire sayst thou my sweet Saviour I have desired to eat this Pasche with you before I suffer Why O Lord dost thou so much desire it and I so little What good will come to thee by it and what good will not come to me by it Dost thou so heartily desire my good and shall I not desire my own good and thy glory 8. At what time was this pledg of the divin love and comfort of our life instituted Just in the night of our dear Saviours Passion immediatly before he was hurried away to Death O Love without limits O mercy without measure When men seek out the means to bereave thee of life Thou inventest this Banquet to give them life How well O Loving Jesu dost thou teach me to repay good for evil and to give my life and blood for my Enemies but much more for thee who hast shew'd me such large tokens of thy tender affection 9. In what place In a Chamber on high well swept well prepar'd freely profer'd wherein our Redeemer wrought strange things both before and after his Resurrection What Lodging O Lord shall I offer thy sacred Majesty Child give me thy heart Lord take it behold I neither lend it nor sell it but I freely and fully give it unto thee for Nothing And yet I give thee nothing but thine own O Lord It is not clean purifie it with thy Blood It is not adorned Beautifie it with thy Grace Love and Favour It is not High but base mean terrene Elevate it with thy ennobling Presence touch it draw near it and draw it near thy self And then work in it thy holy will and pleasure 10. Who were the Receivers The twelve Apostles whereof one was a Traitor Is it I Lord Alas If there be any one I am most likely yet my comfort is that I come not with any such treacherous intention but to lodg and love thee to obtain pardon for my Sins and to implore thy Grace that I may sin no more 11. O my Soul how mercifully hath thy Lord and Maker provided for thee nourished thee cherished thee All living creatures stand in need of such sustenance as is conformable to their nature without which they cannot live and subsist Some of them are Corporal Others are Spiritual Man partakes of both as consisting of Body and Soul which are two different things wedded together by the divin Wisdom and in a most wondrous manner not to be understood by our weak capacity Mark now O man admire and weep in the extasie of thy joy and love how God provides meat for thy twofold Nature For thy bodies food physick and support He provides preserves and sustains all sublunary Creatures and for thy Souls food physick and support He provides the bread of Angels and himself in person the Baker being the Holy Ghost the Oven the Virgin Mary the Fire Charity the Matter Human Nature united to the Divinity O prodigies of Affection 12. Thy other Sacraments O my Lord and my God! contain and give Grace but this contains and gives the Author of Grace the Fire of Love the Sun of Justice the Fountain of Mercy This therefore surpasses them as far as the Sun doth its Beam the Fire its Flame and the Fountain its Rivulet O how excessive is thy Love Dear Lord to my poor Soul in that thou art pleas'd to visit it in thy proper person to cure cleanse comfort it with thy own divin hand and heart to nourish it with thy own blessed Body and Blood O what thanks honour love and gratitude are due to thy infinite bounty and liberality O my Soul where are thy exclamations admirations extasies of affection Remainest thou alone insensible dry and undevout amongst these miracles of Gods goodness towards thee Hast thou no heart no feeling no fervour amidst these flames of his Charity Enkindle new fires O Lord in my heart burn it consume it annihilate it in the furnace of thy Love 13. O the admirable power of my God which works so many Miracles at one Word of his servants mouth Bread becomes Flesh Wine Blood the Creature our Creator Speak also a Word sweet Jesu to my Soul say This Soul is mine Take it Lord transform it change it into thy self Let it be no longer mine but thine for all future time and eternity 14 Why was this divin Sacrament instituted under the forms of Bread and Wine 1. To shew the necessity of it Can our bodies live without bread and drink And can our Souls live without thee O loving Jesu 2. To teach us what Union our Lord desires to make with our Souls Is not meat and drink incorporated into our substance And is not this the effect of thy Sacramental presence O Saviour in humble and holy Souls O what alterations what alienations what extasies do they feel in and after Communion They do not breath but burn not live but languish their life is all Love their Spirit all Fire O Lord let fall one drop of this dew upon my dry Soul Give it good Jesu one Spark of this Fire one Beam
consider you are now present at the same Supper have the same Meat and Drink set before you the same Sacrifice the same Priest the same Love bestowing it Let your Heart be the Altar your Soul the Pix and your Will another Sacrifice The first of the precedent Considerations dilated with Affections which may serve as a pattern by which the others may likewise be enlarged according to each ones capacity and devotion As a Patient to his Physician TAke pity on me Lord for I am weak and infirm The healthy have no need of a Physician but they who are ill at ease nor did you come Dear Saviour to call the Just but Sinners And alas I am one of them My Soul is sick and sinful My heart is sore afflicted and ill affected I am all full of disordinate affections unruly passions violent temptations and vain distractions I am nothing but impatience impurity impertinency immortification inconstancy I am made up of pride presumption propriety partiality Oh! my Soul is sick all over All is self-love self-will and self-seeking Thou O sweet Jesu art my Physician and if thou art so pleased thou canst soon purifie me Take therefore O compassionate Saviour the care and cure of my sick Soul into thy sacred and powerful hands for all my hope of help and health is from thee only O what subject of Comfort Courage and Confidence hast thou my weak Soul since thy Physitian is Almighty having all creatures at his command All-mercy his Love making him do what is best All-wisdom knowing all Consciences all Wounds and all the ways to Cure them Wherefore O Soul-saving Physitian if thou art always ready and always willing to heal thy poor Patients what need I fear but only to displease thee or care but only to content thee If any earthly Physician had all these joint qualities Would he permit any Patient to perish See then my soul where the defect is In the Patient or in the Physician And finding it assuredly in thy self Remove it speedily and then approach it confidently Alas my Body is an Hospital my Soul is the Patient my Diseases are A burning Feaver of Choller a cold fit of Tepidity a Tympany of Pride a Dropsie of Avarice a Fistula of Self-love c. very dangerous and deep Diseases But behold my Physician is coming in person into my poor House and Hospital to lodg and live with me O Love O Lord O Father O Physician Behold my Wounds and my Wants But What is the Physick he prescribes What the Plaisters he applyes Admire with Joy O my sickly Soul accept with Gratitude drink and digest with Delight and Comfort Here are no bitter Pills no unsavory Potions no corroding Drugs to be swallowed down but the most sweet solid and wholsom food of Angels even his own most precious Body and Blood O Love unheard of O Physick beyond imagination The Lord the King the Father the Physician hath made a Bath of his own Blood a Medicin of his own Flesh a Banquet of his own Person to Bathe to Cure to Nourish his Son his Subject his Slave his Patient his Enemy a Worm a Nothing O my Soul How shall we reward so charitable a Physisician O my Lord First Cure me and then take me for thy Fee And how was this Physick obtained At what Rate was it purchased and by whose Love and Expences Surely all Heaven and Earth could not pay it but God gave his only Son for the price of it O excess of Goodness and Mercy The Physician himself is also the Physick the Potion and the Price O Mystery O Miracle The Physician is let blood in the Hands and Feet with Nails in the Head with Thorns in the Heart with a Lance He is Drencht with a bitter Potion of Vinegar and Gall and in the end He Dies a most painful death on the Cross Why all this To give Health Strength Liberty and Life to my sick and sinful Soul O dear Jesu how much am I thy Debtor O Angels and Saints concur with me to give him Thanks O Heaven and Earth help me to praise him O my Body and Soul consume as Wax and Oyl upon the Altar of his Love O all my faculties melt away in the Fire of his Charity Lastly O my Soul This Physician is no stranger no forreigner but thy God and thy Father And how happy am I O my good Father to be under thy skilful tender and loving Hand Lance cut kill thy Child if thou spare him for Eternity Other Acts Affections and Preparations for Communion Christ's Invitation COme unto me all you that labour in temptation and trouble all you that are overladen with your burthensome body and bad nature All you that are assaulted with vicious inclinations and violent Passions All you that are dismaid at the Memory of your past offences and at the feeling of your present frailty Come to me your Father your Physician your Food Have you sinned I will forgive you Are you Sick and Wounded I will comfort and cure you Are you Troubled and Tempted I will ease and deliver you Are you Weak and ready to faint under your Burthen I will nourish and strengthen you Are you Cold Dull Dark Desolate and even dead I will inflame you enlighten you revive you melt you into Devotion and transform you into my self by a perfect Union Why come you not to me Behold I come to you begging to be your Guest and desiring to be lodg'd in your Breast I come not only into your House but into your Heart Not only to eat with you but to be eaten by you Turn away then from all Creatures Return to me your Creator turn unto me your Center and Satiety The Soul's Admiration WHo art thou my Lord God! To whom wilt thou come Where meanest thou to lodg What moves thee to so great Charity What wilt thou do in my poor Cottage Humility O Lord I profess my self unworthy to take thy holy Name into my sinful mouth and shall I presume to take thy sacred Body and Blood into my impure Soul Wil thou give the Bread of Children to a beastly Dog Yes my Soul such is thy Lord and Masters admirable Love and Mercy that he gives himself to be eaten by thee his poor base and abject slave O excess of goodness Wishes O That of every Creature I could make a rational Soul Of every Soul a burning Seraphin of every Seraphin a heavenly Kingdom to the end that thou my loving Lord mightest be lodged purely be serv'd perfectly be pleased totally and be praised eternally Prayses LEt Heaven and Earth bless thy Name magnifie thy mercy exalt thy bounty Let thy own infinite Love and Goodness sanctifie thee And let my poor Soul and all that is within me say Amen Allelujah Thou art worthy O Lamb of God! who wert slaughter'd and sacrificed for the sins of the world to receive all honour glory and benediction from all Creatures Supplication O Amiable and innocent
have more Time Zeal and Devotion Four Petitions after Communion which may be made also at any other time with very much profit 1. HAving lodg'd your Lord and Master Cleanly 2. Thanked him heartily 3. Offered him all freely 4. Resolved to leave all for him Sincerely 5. Promised to serve him faithfully Ask what you stand in need of Go to him boldly and beg of him confidently for he will deny you nothing that shall be for your Good and his Glory since as sure as God is God so sure it is that he is Good and that he desires your good And now is the time to treat with him about the affairs of your Soul and your Salvation For he is seated in the midst of your Heart as a King upon the Throne of his Mercy To give Audience To receive Complaints To redress Aggrievances and to give favourable Sentences Speak therefore to him Lord Jesu I here shew you my Wounds as to my Physician My Wants as to my Father My Wishes as to my Friend I am Wounded all over in my Soul Understanding Will Affections Passions I Want all that is good Humility Charity Patience c. What I wish thou well knowest who art privy to my secret sighs O Father O Physician O Friend Cure me Comfort me Content me 1. My first Petition is That thy sacred Name may be Sanctified Honour'd and Prais'd by all in all above all That thy Kingdom may come thy Kingdom of Grace in this world and of Glory in the next That thy Will may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven in me and in all things purely perfectly eternally 2. My second Petition is True Light true Love true Liberty true Life O my Soul Mark well how much thou wantest these Four things and thou wilt heartily demand them 3. My third Petition is A generous Disgust and Contempt of all terrene and sensual Comforts Companies Commodities A cleer sight and a couragious Resolution to know and to enterprize whatsoever shall be to thy Will and Honour An invincible Patience and Perseverance in enduring all this lives Crosses Contradictons Inconveniences A simple naked and indifferent Charity loving God in all and above all and all others in or for Him without interest or partiality or hypocrisie 4. My fourth Petition is Increase of Grace Extirpation of Vice Implantation of Vertue Mortification of Passions Victory over ill Customs Progress in divin Love Purity of Intention Perseverance in the way of Perfection All which I most humbly beg for my self for my Friends for my Enemies for them who have done me any good for the whole Church for all the World Two Questions which Jesus proposes to the Soul being in the midst thereof After Communion 1. O Blind Creature What wilt thou that I should do unto thee What dost thou want desire expect Fear not to speak I am thy Father and thy Physician Lord That I may See Thou maist easily perceive sweet Saviour what I Want and for what I Wish What doth a Blind wretch desire but Eyes and Light to See and Know both thee and Himself thy Mercy and his own misery thy Will and his own Obligations Lord Let me See thee here by Faith and hereafter by eternal Vision Fruition Possession 2. Peter Lovest thou me more than these N. tell me truly feel the pulse of thy Heart weigh thy Affection in the just Ballance of the Sanctuary speak unfainedly without self-flattery Dost thou Love me at least wilt thou Love me how much dost thou love me more than all these Creatures Answer if thou darest Lord thou knowest that I love thee a little and I will love thee more and will never cease to love thee till I come to love thee only It is easie for the Sea to swallow up a small Drop for the fire to consume a little Straw and for the Sun to revive a little Worm And is it not easier for thee O Sea of Sweetness O Fire of Love O Sun of Justice to absorp transform annihilate my poor Spirit into your Self and to make me a pure and perfect love changing my Sadness into Joy Darkness into Light Coldness into Fervor and putting new Vigor new Heat new life into my Heart N. Dost thou love me If so let me see the Tree by its Fruits Do this for my love Cut off such a superfluity abandon such company avoid such curiosity c. Love such an one for my sake Forgive all upon my command Suffer this Mortification Contradiction Cross Infirmity for my love leave all for me and leave thy self to me ¶ 9. Directions Entertainments and Affections during the time of Mass Every devout Christian should carefully observe these three Rules 1. TO hear Mass daily if he hath health leisure and opportunity 2. Not to go to Mass for fashions sake or out of custom but out of a deep sense of the incomprehensible greatness of this divin Sacrifice and out of a fervent desire to contemplate his God cloath'd with our humanity under the shapes of Bread and Wine in the Priests hands 3. Not to enter into the place design'd for this holy purpose as he would into a Play-house but with a Reverent Religious Recollected composition of all his exteriour and interiour Senses and briefly with such a behaviour as may beseem one who is to be honoured with the presence and speech of a God Preparatory Prayers before Mass Whilst the Priest is vesting himself you may entertain your self with some of these following Prayers and Elevations PRostrate before the Throne of thy divin Majesty O dread Soveraign I humbly implore thy Pardon for my Offences thy Grace for a supply of my indignity and thy Love to ravish my soul and senses in the contemplation of this Sacred Mystery that my whol interiour and exteriour man may be intirely employ'd in praising and admiring thy infinit Goodness and Mercy O sweet Jesu I will accompany thee to Mount Calvary Make me partaker I beseech thee of that Charity which conducted thee thither Give me such a feeling of thy sufferings as had the daughters of Sion meeting thee with the Cross on thy Shoulders a Cord about thy Neck and a Thorny Crown on thy Head Grant me a Resignation of my Will to thine like that of thy Virgin-Mother at the foot of thy Cross And by the Merits of thy Sufferings and Constancy bestow on me the gift of Perseverance in thy love and service O divin Spirit the faithful Bridegroom of my Soul Descend now graciously into it purifie it from the dross of its imperfections and replenish it with the flames of thy sacred affections that it may breath nothing but thy Love and desire nothing but the accomplishment of thy Will Then direct your intention and apply the Mass in this manner I offer unto thee O my God of infinit Majesty this divin Sacrifice by the hands of thy Priest For the Remission of all my Sins for a Thanksgiving for all thy Benefits for a
Supply of all my spiritual and temporal Necessities for my Friends and Enemies Lord Conserve thy Church Convert the Infidels Extirpate all Heresies unite Christian Princes and give solace to the poor Souls suffering in Purgatory At the beginning of Mass The Priest's bowing down before the Altar at his Confiteor represents our Saviour prostrate at his Prayers before his Eternal Father in the Garden for the Remission of your Sins Make you also a general Confession of your Sins with the Priest and humble your self before the divin Majesty saying I Humbly cast my self O my sweet Redeemer at thy sacred Feet desiring to wash them with my tears in acknowledgment of my wickedness O Jesu take compassion upon thy poor creature redeem'd with thy precious Blood who repents him heartily of all his past Sins and purposes seriously by the assistance of thy Grace to serve thee more faithfully seek thee more diligently and love thee more fervently for the future At the Introite Reflect upon Gods immense Greatness Charity and Mercie I Rejoyce O Eternal Lord God! in that thou art what thou art and that there is no Being but by thee only Thou well knowest O infinit Goodness what thy self is and what I am Thou art All and I am Nothing And yet thou seekest after me At Kyrie eleison Demand pardon for the Sins of the whole World HAve mercy O Lord upon all them who are in mortal Sin reclaim their perverse Wills to thy love and give them the grace of true and perfect Repentance that thy Name may be magnified thy goodness extoll'd and thy praises celebrated by them and all thy creatures At Gloria in Excelsis Desire and endeavour the promotion of Gods Honour and Glory to the utmost of your power O My God! how joyfully affectionatly incessantly do the Angels adore thee and sing forth thy divin Praises And how slack are men in serving honouring and loving thee O how highly doth the fervour and diligence of those blessed Spirits delight me and how much doth mens negligence and forgetfulness displease me Lord I humbly adore thee with those holy Quires and heartily desire that the whol World would render thee all due honour homage and adoration Lift up my Heart O my Lord and lodg my affections in the place where my Treasure lies Let all that I think say or do intend thy honour and let my Soul and Tongue resound always Glory be to God on high At Dominus vobiscum BE thou always with me O my God! let thy Grace never depart from me At the Prayers or Collects Humbly joyn your Prayers with them of the Priest saying O Eternal Lord God! look mercifully upon thy well-beloved Spouse the Catholick Church and graciously receive the Petitions which she humbly presents to the Throne of thy Sacred Majestie by this Priests mediation and Ministery Hear us O Lord and help us for thy dear Sons sake our only Saviour and Redeemer Christ Jesus At the Epistle Entertain your self in considering how our Blessed Saviour was hurried from Annas to Caiphas from Pilate to Herod from one place to another in the time of his Passion How he was questioned accused buffeted abused Then pray for patience in your sufferings O Sweet Saviour I most humbly beseech thee by the Merits of al thy unjust Sufferings to give me courage constancie and patience in all such occasions of injuries crosses and contradictions as thy Divin Providence shall permit to befal me during this my lives Pilgrimage Grant that I may equally adore thy Eternal Will in prosperity and adversitie and resignedly submit my self and all that any way concerns me to thy most just and sacred disposition At the Gospel Rise up to shew your readiness to obey the Evangelical Doctrin stand attentively hearkning to your Saviours own sweet words But if you understand not their meaning reflect upon some other point or passage of your Redeemers life instruction or counsel Imploring his Grace for the effectual execution of what he there teaches you advises you inspires you ILluminate my interiour Eyes O God of my heart Unveil my Understanding and Inflame my Affections that I may clearly see and know thy holy Will and chearfully accomplish thy sacred Precepts Counsels and Inspirations At the Creed You may make a profession of your Faith by a mental or vocal recital of your Creed together with the Priest Or say briefly thus O Soveraign Deity I firmly believe thee to be one God in three Persons who madst all things of nothing I believe that the Second Person became Man in blessed Maries womb by the Holy Ghosts operation and that he died for me and all mankind on the Cross I believe that he arose from Death that he ascended into Heaven and that he shall judg the whole World in the last Day I believe the holy Catholick Church and whatsoever she teaches and defines And in this Faith I will live and die Offer up your Prayers also for the Illumination and Conversion of all Vnbelievers TAke pity O Lord upon all Infidels Hereticks and Schismaticks And remember O most compassionate Creator that thy powerful hand did not bring these perfect products out of their eternal Nothing and stamp their Rational Souls with thy own sacred Image in order to destroy and abandon them since thou hast been graciously pleased to send down thy only Son my dear Saviour to Redeem and Ransom them aswel as my unworthy self with the price of his most precious Bloud Dart therefore O Soveraign Lord and sincere Lover of all Souls some efficacious beams of thy heavenly light into their dark and deceived Understandings that they may see the Truths of thy sacred Mysteries and give them Grace to submit their Necks to the sweet and easie yoke of thy Precepts and thy Churches Prescripts Ah! my dear Lord what have I done for thee or what have I deserv'd of thee that I should be called to thy saving Faith and be made a Member of thy sacred Church Impart I beseech thee the like favour to these your missed mistaken and unbelieving Creatures that they may with me faithfully acknowledg adore and love thee their glorious Maker and Redeemer admiringly praise and magnifie thy Goodness and joyfully celebrate thy Mercies with Canticles of eternal gratitude and thanksgiving At the Offertorie or Oblation of the Bread and Wine Make also an humble and hearty Oblation of your Body Soul Goods Friends to the divin Majestie O Eternal Father In union of that ineffable Love wherewith my dear Saviour offered up himself on the Cross to thy divin Majestie I also offer up my self with him humbly beseeching thee to direct all my thoughts words and works to thy Honour to my own good to my neighbours edification I offer up this divin Sacrifice to the glory of thy Name to the honor of thy Angels and Saints to satisfie for my sins to thank thee for thy benefits to obtain a supply of my temporal and spiritual
necessities I particularly offer it up to obtain this Virtue conquer this Temptation amend this Imperfection surmount this Passion And for all them who have desired my Prayers or to whom I have promis'd them At Lavabo Humbly beg to have your Soul wash'd from all its filth and wickedness reciting the Psalm Miserere or some Verses of it as AMplius lava me c. Dew down O merciful Creator one small drop of thy divin Grace into my sinful Soul or rather showr down an abundance of thy sweet waters upon me to cleanse me from my enormous crimes and impurities Asperges me Hysopo c. Be sprinkle my Soul O Soveraign Lord God! with the Hysop of thy Grace that I may serve thee more purely Wash me with thy sacred waters till I become whiter than the driven Snow c. At the Preface Lift up your heart to contemplate the Beauties Glories and Greatnesses of Heaven whither you tend and which is your only home aim and end HOw desirable are thy Tabernacles O Lord God of Hosts My Soul sighs pants and thirsts after you more than the wearied Stag breaths after the refreshing Fountains Draw me after thee O divin source of all sweetness and I shall run chearfully after the odours of thy perfumes for what do I seek but thee or what can satisfie me but thy self in Heaven or in Earth O that the memory of thy eternal good things remain'd always deeply ingrav'd in my Soul how easily should I then disdain all temporal perishable and worldly trifles O my God and my All when shall I be so happy as to behold thee clearly in thy heavenly Glory At Sanctus Keep your Heart raised up to your Creator praising adoring admiring the infinit Majesty of the Sacred Trinity as if you were amidst the blessed Quires of Angels and Saints in Heaven intoning with them HOly Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbath Heaven and Earth are full of your Glorie Hosanna in the highest O Holy of Holies give me a glimps of thy glorious self that my illuminated Soul may praise thee more purely and love thee more perfectly O celestial Seraphins who incessantly praise my God with the sweet Eccho's of your eternally repeated Holy descend from Heaven to help my desirous heart in singing forth his praises that I may also become holy pure and perfect in the presence of my Lord and Maker At the first Memento INto thy sacred Hands O sweet Saviour I recommend my Soul with all its faculties my Body with all its senses my whole Interiour and Exteriour man with all its affections and actions Preserve me O all-powerful Redeemer from all Sin and Impuritie and give me perseverance in thy love and service Let thy undrainable fountain of mercy O Lord Jesu extend also it self towards my Kindred Friends Enemies particularly towards such and such and all them for whom I ought to offer up my Prayers to thy divin Majestie Whilst the Priest pursues the rest of the Canon in silence do you also recollect your Senses in expectation of your Saviours presence upon the Altar which will be assoon as the words of Consecration are ended Your Heart burning in the mean while with these like desires of S. Augustin O My Comforter appear unto me O only light of my Souls eyes let me see thee O only Joy of my Spirit Come and glad me with thy presence O only Jubily of my Heart Let me contemplate thee O my Lord my Life my Love my All Shew me thy self and I shall be safe c. At the Elevation of the sacred Host and Chalice represent to your self how your Redeemer offers up himself there to the Eternal Father and conforming your Devotion to the Spirit of Christ Jesus you may say with heart or mouth O Adorable Majestie In Union of this affectionate Reverence which my Redeemer now renders thee In memory of his dolorous Passion And in acknowledgment of my own Nothing and thy infinit Greatness I humbly offer unto thee a perpetual submission of all my Being all my Powers all my Faculties Be thou eternally exalted admired and glorified O Holy Holy Holy Trinity My Lord my God my All. Or thus by way of Ejaculations Affections Extasies O Goodness O Mercy O Love O Liberality O immense infinit incomprehensible excessive Charity O Eternal Father behold thy beloved Son and my blessed Saviour whom I humbly offer up to thy divin Majestie in satisfaction for all my offences negligences ingratitudes I offer thee his purity innocency perfection to satisfie for my impuritie malice impietie his Humilitie for my Pride his Zeal for my Tepiditie all the Sanctity of his life for all the imperfections of my life O merciful and compassionate Father Look upon thy own Sons Charitie Behold how he once offer'd himself a Bloody Sacrifice on the Cross for my salvation and how he now offers himself an unbloody Sacrifice on this Altar for the same end O holy Father receive this his holy Sacrifice in lieu of all the honors homages gratitudes which are due to thy sacred and soveraign goodness from me and all thy creatures Keeping your mind still fix'd upon your dear Saviour now present on the Altar speak unto him with the most tender affections which your Heart can possibly produce either by Acts of Praise as O Son of God! what can be compar'd to thy Charitie O my Lord who is like thee in Goodness in Love in Liberality O sweet Jesu thou art my Rest my Refuge my Riches my Center my Hope my Happiness my All. Or by Acts of Complacencie as O King of Heaven and Earth Thou art here the Joy of my Soul as thou art there the Jubily of thy Saints Thou art here on the Altar and thou art there in thy eternal glorie and beatitude O Amiable Sacrifice O Admirable Invention of the divin Power Wisdom and Charitie Or by Acts of Thanksgiving O Dear Saviour How much hast thou done for an unworthy wretch O the excess of thy goodness who can sufficiently acknowledg it O Great Monarch of both worlds That thou shouldst thus humble thy self for a meer worm upon this Altar O ye Angels Saints and all Creatures Come help me to honour praise bless and love my liberal Lord God who hath as it were employ'd his Omnipotencie in order to my benefit and profit Or by Acts of Thanksgiving O Dear Saviour How much hast thou done for an unworthy wretch O the excess of thy goodness who can sufficiently acknowledg it O great Monarch of both Worlds That thou shouldst thus humble thy self for a meer worm upon this Altar O ye Angels Saints and all Creatures Come help me to honour praise bless and love my liberal Lord God who hath as it were employ'd his Omnipotencie in order to my benefit and profit Or by Acts of Resignation O Jesu Since thou art pleas'd to render thy self here present for my sake I here promise a readiness to perform any thing for thy service O my
thanks O Soveraign Creator for the favour I have this day recived of thy bounty and of which many better deserving Christians are deprived Receive O Lord my unworthy prayers supply all my defects pardon all my indevotions distractions and irreverences and grant that by the strength and virtue of these divin Mysteries I may march on cheerfully couragiously perseverantly in the path of your Precepts Love and Service a midst all the temptatations troubles and dangers of my lives Pilgrimage till I shall one day happily arrive at thy holy Mountain which is thy heavenly Paradise where with thy blessed Angels and Saints I shall more cleerly contemplate thee more perfectly enjoy thee and more understandingly celebrate thy infinite Goodness and Mercy with uninterrupted Canticles of eternal Praise Admiration and Gratitude ¶ 10. Directions Devotions and Entertainments for Sick Persons 1. What the Sick Party is to do at the beginning of his Infirmity 1. WHen any Sickness shall sieze upon you receive it no otherwise than as the summons of Death and render most humble and hearty thanks to your heavenly Father for giving you this paternal Visitation and timely warning 2. Though the best disposition to a happy Death is to have led a holy Life yet what soeever your Life yet what soever your Life hath been formerly you are now to resolve seriously to spend the short remainder of your time in your Creators love and service and in order hereunto 3. Endeavour to have discreet and devout persons about you for if ever poor man hath need of faithful friends it is surely in the time of sickness and in the Hour and Agony of his death when his own Forces fail him when his grievous pains oppress him when his Ghostly Enemies are most busie about him 4. Above all strive to have the company of your Confessor at fit seasons entreating him to take your soul into his charitable care and consideration to entertain you with the continual inculcation of your duty of your Creators mercy of your sins heinousness and of whatsoever he shall think proper to dispose you for eternity 5. Confess and Communicate with all possible fervour zeal and devotion and then rest in peace hope and confidence casting all your Sins Cares and Fears together with yur whol self into Christs open Wounds 6. Trouble not your mind with an over-scrupulous Examination of your Conscience or desire so make a general Confession especially if you have of late had a convenient and ordinary care of your duty for this shews want of Confidence in your Creators mercy and your Redeemers merits Yet if any thing of moment troubles your mind and hinder your interior tranquillity discover it briefly in Confession and then remain fully satisfied for the future conforming your self quietly patiently and obediently to the Dictamen and Judgment of your Ghostly Father 7. Desire your Physician Friends and Ghostly Father not to flatter you but freely to deliver their sense and opinion concerning the danger of your presons sickness that so you may have time to settle your Spiritual and Temporal affairs 8. When it shall be told you as it was to Ezechias Dispose of thy house and set all things in order for thou shalt die and not live Then at least without delay fall seriously to the making of a settlement of your four sorts of Houses 1. Your Interiour House which is your Conscience 2. Your Exteriour House which is the house of your birth family parents kindred domesticks and whatsoever concerns your temporal means 3. Your Inferiour House which is your Body wherein your Soul dwells during this mortal life 4. Your Superiour House which is Heaven whither your Soul aspires after this her Pilgrimage 1. The Interiour House of your Conscience must be carefully cleansed from all crimes adorned with all Vertues and prepared with the Sacraments of Confession Communion Extream Vnction 2. The Exteriour House of your Family must be cared for by making a clear pious and equitable Testament of such Goods as you possess 3. The Inferiour House of your body must be provided for as to its Burial after your Souls departure 4. The Superiour House of Paradise for which you were created must finally be cared for not only by continual praying for final perseverance that so you may not lose your hopes and title to it but also by perpetually practising such Acts of Sanctity as may encrease your merit and raise you higher and higher in the divin favour till the hour of your death 9. If there be any Restitution commanded any Alms to be distributed any Acts of Justice or Piety to be performed delay it not for fear of Deaths surprisal O how many Souls burn in Hell fire for having driven off from time to time their doing of Penance their Conversion to God their Restitution of ill gotten Goods their doing of Just Actions 10. The like is to be said of your being reconciled to your Enemies if there be any such occasion for without perfect Charity all is lost and he that hates his neighbour is a murderer 11. If your Sickness encreases you must timely ask the Sacrament of Extream Unction which being received with due Devotion and Contrition is of great vertue and efficacy remitting all Venial offences and cancelling all such Mortal Crimes as escaped your memory in Confession yea and somtimes curing you of your Corporal Infirmity according to that of Saint James Is any one sick Let him call for the Priests of the Church to pray over him and anoint him with Oyl in the name of the Lord and the Prayer of Faith shall save the Sick and our Lord shall raise him up if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him 12. Drive out of your fancy that fond and foolish Opinion of some ill-grounded Christians who conceive these holy Ceremonies to wit the receiving of their Viaticum and extream Unction to be a hastning of their death no they prolong your life if it be for Gods honour and glory or prepare you for a better life which shall last for all Eternity 13. If there be any person about you which may probably endanger your Quiet or trouble your Conscience or give occasion of new Temptations by reason of any past sinful familiarity or disaffection endeavour to have him or her removed for such Objects may cause you to lose more merit in a moment than all the Priests of the world can cause you to gain in your whole life time 14. If notwithstanding all the moral diligence you have us'd in making your Confession the Devil should suggest any enormous Crime to your memory as forgotten or not sufficiently specifi'd with all its due circumstances intending thereby to disquiet your mind or to drive you into despair confess it speedily humbly sincerely which will shame him and secure your Soul But if your weakness or want of speech permit you not to declare it excite your self to an inward act of Contrition saying in your
In hope of which happiness all Sufferings shall seem sweet to me as proceeding from your paternal hands and I here disavow all expressions of complaint which the violence of my Disease may hereafter draw from my Tongue but not from my Heart which is wholly resign'd to my dear Lord's will and pleasure Nor will I care to be informed how long I must lie languishing in this my Infirmity or whether Death shall in this battle be defeated or become victorious over my life No my Lord I absolutely leave the disposal of my Body Soul and all that concerns me to thy divin Will and Pleasure and desire nothing as to my life and death but that the short remainder of my life may be spent in loving thee serving thee and suffering for thee and that whensoever thou shalt send death to cut its thread my Soul may be found ready prepared for her happy eternitie In the mean space it matters not whether I am cherished or contristated I will endeavour to be indifferent to either since I deserve not the one and my Sins render me worthy of the other Thy innocent Son O Eternal Father who suffered not as I do for his own Sins was deserted by his Disciples and even by thy self also and shall I after this example expect from men any assistance tenderness and compassion I only beg of thee my bountiful and compassionate Creator some small communication of that Spirit wherewith thy patient Son my sweet Saviour suffered that so uniting all my pains to his Passion they may acquire the dignity which their own nature denies them to be acceptable to thy divin Majesty Whose sacred Name be praised by me and all creatures for evermore Demands to a Sick Person at the receiving of the Viaticum or Extream Vnction or at other fit times 1. DO you firmly heartily and humbly believe all the Articles of Faith and all the Holy Scripture according to the sense of Catholick Doctors and Definitions of the Church 2. Do you detest all Superstitions Schisms and Heresies condemn'd by the Church 3. Are you glad and desirous to die a Member of this true Catholick Apostolick Roman Church in the Faith taught by our Lord Jesus and participation of the holy Sacraments 4. Do you acknowledg that you have grievously offended God your Creator who hath been so bountiful unto you and are you sorry for all your sins ingratitudes negligences omissions commissions lost time and opportunities rejected Inspirations 5. Do you ask pardon of the divin Majesty and all your Neighbours whom you have any way offended disedified contristated wronged or scandalized 6. Doth your Sorrow for all these things proceed not so much for fear of death hell and punishment as for the offence displeasure and dishonour of God whom you should have loved above all things 7. Are you fully resolved by Gods grace and assistance if you out live this sickness to amend your Life and rather to leave lose and suffer any thing than to offend God And do you desire life only to this effect that you may better serve him 8. Do you wish you could love God with as great sincerity as the blessed Saints do in Heaven and as the most perfect Souls do upon Earth 9. Have you perform'd such Penance made such Restitution done such Satisfaction to God and Man as your Confessor hath enjoyned you or are you content and ready to do it 10. Do you recommend your self to the Prayers of the blessed Virgin Mary of your special Patrons and in particular of your good Angel Guardian 11. Do you distrust disavow and renounce all your own merits vertues and perfections and trust to be saved by the Mercies of God and Merits of your dear Redeemer 12. Do you render hearty thanks to the divin Majesty for all his favours blessings and especially for that of your Conversion and Vocation to his true Church and Faith And also for all the Crosses he hath permitted to befal you and even for this your present Sickness in which you now languish 13. Do you absolutely and entirely resign your self to his sacred Will and Disposition for all time and eternity and are you indifferent to Sickness or Health to Life or Death to Comforts or Crosses and to whatsoever shall be conformable to the Divin liking and pleasure 14. If the Devil tempts you in matter of Faith What will you answer him I believe in God and his Church Or In matter of Despair 'T is true I am a great Sinner and deserve Hell yet my Saviour is my hope my pledge and my surety and when God ceases to be good and Jesus to be my Saviour then will I cease to hope for Mercy and not before 15. But if your Ghostly enemy continues to afflict affright and terrifie you with the memory of your Sins Gods Judgments and Hells torments what will you do I will say Live Jesus my Lord and my Love and I will put his Death and Passion betwixt me and them all 16. If through the suggestion of Satan or any self-frailty or surprisal you should chance to fall and swerve from any of these good purposes and resolutions I now declare it to be of no force for evermore and I will by Gods grace return speedily to him again Other Questions proposed to a Penitent languishing and loving Soul by her Confessor to dispose her to a happy Death with her Answers unto the same by way of a Dialogue between God and her This is proper for more Spiritual Persons GOD. My Child the last hour of thy mortal life runs now in the Watch of my divin Providence This is the moment on which depends thy Eternity Answer me therefore heartily conscionably and confidently to these points which I shall here propose unto thee Soul O my God! be thou blessed for evermore and thy sacred Will be done in me and in all thy Creatures Speak Lord for thy servant hears attentively and will answer sincerely as in thy presence who penetratest into the secrets of my heart And I most humbly beseech thy Divin Majesty that I may supply by my inward Will and Desires what I am unable to express by my outward Words and Gestures I confess and acknowledg my imperfection ignorance and unworthiness to speak to thee My Lord and my Maker or to be by thee remembred or regarded but hoping in thy gracious assistance I will humby obey thy commands 1. Art thou willing to dy a Member of my Church at this Time in this Place and Company O my God! I desire even from my very heart to die a true Child of thy holy Church believing all that the said Church teaches and am ready rather to lose my life than leave my Faith As for all other circumstances of my death I am altogether indifferent how when and where I shall live or die so it be in thy sweet favour and friendship and according to thy sacred Will and Pleasure 2. Doth not thy Soul
covet to be in my custody and love and to return to me her Center Sanctuary and place of Rest This O my Lord is the earnest sute of thy poor servant For I well know I am safe and secure in thy powerful Custodie and if thou lovest me I am sure to enjoy thee because thou never leavest them whom thou lovest O Rest long expected much desired and frequently sighed after when shall I enjoy thee O my Creator Let my soul repose in thee her Center She was made for thee and she will never be truly quiet and content till she returns to thee and becomes united to thee her final end and only felicity 3. Dost thou not heartily detest all Sin all Error all Inordination of Will and Affection I do most gracious Lord and whatsoever is any way contrary or displeasing to thy Divin Majestie being desirous to have absolutely no Will at all but only thine 4. 1. What wilt thou have to be thy last Word 2. Thy last Wound 3. Thy last Will. 4. Thy last internal Act of Affection to me 1. Sweet Jesu receive my soul 2. Wound me with thy Love that I may be wholly thine 3. I give my self and all to thee to whom all is due 4. I choose thee for my God and will be thy Bond slave for ever I desire nothing either for time or eternitie but thy only Will Be thou what thou art to wit all goodness all glory all happiness and let me be what thou wilt and as I may be most pleasing to thee 5. What is thy Affection towards Creatures What thy Aversion from them Art thou truly content to leave all and to be left by all I cannot perceive O my God! that I am averted from any reasonable Creature though I often feel my self upon light occasions moved with displeasure against some of thy servants whose feet I am not worthy to kiss yet I now even with all my heart wish to them Happiness in this life and eternal felicity in the next Neither do I envy any ones prosperity in any thing whatsoever but humbly beseech thee my sweet Jesu if it be for thy own honour and glory to bestow more favours and greater blessings upon all thy Creatures And this I most heartily crave for those especially with whom I have had or shall hereafter have any difficultie and whom my nature is least inclined to affect Whatsoever inordinate affection I ever had or now have either to my self or any created object I do here in thy adorable presence disavow and utterly renounce converting my whole heart and love to thy Sacred Majesty and desiring to honour and affect all thy Creatures in thee and for thee only I am content O my God and All to leave all and that all should leave and abandon me only permit me to live under the shadow of thy wings and to have thee always present with me 6. Wherein dost thou most trust and confide in dying O my Creator In thy infinite Mercy and in the Merits of my sweet Redeemer Christ Jesus is all my Hope and Confidence And I humbly present this unspeakable Treasure I mean the Death and Passion of my Lord Jesus before the Throne of thy Justice O my dread Soveraign as also the Merits and Intercessions of the immaculate Virgin Mary and of all thy glorious Saints Lo my Lord this is all my Trust Comfort and Confidence here is all my Hope Riches and Treasure and in this I will rejoice for ever For of my self I am miserable wretched wicked having nothing in my Soul to adorn it or render it grateful to thy immense purity and infinit Goodness 7. 1. Hast thou not greatly offended me 2. Doth it not much grieve thee 3. If thou couldst recal it wouldst thou do it 4. Wouldst thou Confess all again and that in Publick if it were my will 5. What dost thou offer in Satisfaction 6. What Penance art thou content to undertake 7. Wilt thou ask Pardon for all thy Scandals 8. If all hearts were thine as they are mine how wouldst thou dispose of them 1. O most merciful Father I confess I have most grievously offended thy gracious goodness and that I have often deserved Hells eternal punishments but thy Mercy hath spared me till this present to the end I may become converted and live Be thou ever blessed and praised by me and all creatures for evermore 2. I am sorry and grieved to my very soul that I have offended so good a God and that there hath been so great a dissimilitude in my Soul with thee according to whose sacred image it was created 3. Pardon me O compassionate Father pardon your now repenting returning converted Child for could I recal undo and cancel all the evil I have ever thought done or said I would surely do it though the difficulty cost me my Life 4. And I would most readily re-confess all my Sins though they are very many and monstrous in the presence and hearing of the whol world if I understood by thy Deputie my Ghostly Father that it were thy will and pleasure 5. O my God! If thou demandest Satisfaction from me which way shall I turn me I will run to my sweet Jesus and present thee with the precious merits of his most holy and painful Life and of his most cruel and shameful Death in full satisfaction for all my offences 6. As for Penance Behold my weak Body and languishing Soul inflict upon them what punishment thou pleasest only spare me for Eternity 7. I beseech thee O my ever blessed Creator by the Passion of thy Son Jesus to pardon all the evil Example notorious Scandal and bad Counsel which I ever gave to any person And I heartily ask pardon of all them who have received any harm by me either in body or soul humbly begging of thee Sweet Jesu to forgive and wash away in thy precious Blood all those spots which by my fault they have incurred 8. O the only beloved of my Soul had I the disposing of all hearts I would most freely bestow them all on thee nor would I permit them to be imployed so much as one moment of time in any other exercise than in loving praising and magnifying thy sacred Majestie 8. Dost thou nor ardently desire to Love me to See me to Enjoy me and to Please and Praise me as my blessed Angels and Saints do in Heaven O my Lord I desire above all things 1. To love thee for thy own sake because thou art most worthy to be beloved 2. I long and languish to see and enjoy thy beatifying countenance but my own unworthiness tells me it is an over high Presumption therefore I humbly resign my self to thy holy Will 3. Yet O gracious Creator fain I would praise and please thee as those happy Choristers do in Heaven 9. 1. Why art thou afraid to dy 2. Did not I dy for thee 3. And wilt not thou die for me O my dear Soveraign When I
reflect upon my sinful life I tremble at deaths memory and approach But O dear Jesu when I consider thy infinit merits and mercies I am comforted I become confident and I remain content to dy whensoever it shall be thy good pleasure because thou being my God sufferedst Death to give me eternal Life 10. How long art thou content to ly languishing in Sickness and after death to remain punished in Purgatory Even as long as it shall please thee my Lord and Lover for in Sickness in Death and after death I wholly resign and abandon my self to thy sacred Will and Disposition 11. 1. Have I not been bountiful liberal and loving to thee 2. Hast thou well requited this my love and liberality 3. What thanks dost thou give me 4. At least what do I deserve from thee O my Lord Thy Liberality Mercy Goodness and Love to me thy most ungrateful Vassal hath been excessive immense unmeasurable and alas I have never requited the least of thy benefits by any faithful service fervent affection or sincere gratitude But now O my Royal Benefactor behold I here 1. render thee all the humble thanks benedictions and praises I am able 2. I heartily wish it were in my power to praise honour and love thee with that purity fervor and affection as thou deservest and I desire 3. Since I know my self to be altogether uncapable to pay what I owe thee therefore I beseech thee to pay thy self out of thy own infinit stock of mercy and thy Sons immense treasure of merits 4. Thy self O my Soverain Lord God! is thy own praises and this I offer up unto thy divin Majesty 12. How much did I suffer on the Cross 2. For whom 3. What moved me to it 4. What did I thirst after in dying and crying Sitio 5. Compare thy pains with mine is there any proportion 6. Will not all this move thee to suffer a little Sickness and Death for me O my dear Redeemer I am not able to conceive much less to express the dismal torments thou enduredst at thy Death 2. Yet I know it was all to Redeem Sinners and my self in particular 3. And the only motive was the great affection thou hadst to save my soul that I might Love Praise and Enjoy thee eternally 4. I believe thy Thirst was after my love and salvation 5. And I wish that mine may be after thy only Love and Honour 6. In thanksgiving for all which thy love favours and benefits and because thou art my God I absolutly resign my self to suffer and die when how and where it shall please thy divin Majesty 13. But what if thou art not of the number of my Elect and that out of my severe Justice I should send thee into Hell fires O my God! I remit my self wholly to thee and were I assured of that fearful Separation from thee yet I would still endeavour to love thee serve thee and adhere to thee during this my pilgrimage on earth with all possible diligence sincerity and fidelity 14. Dost thou not much desire in dying to have the fruit of the Sacraments and the presence and Prayers of thy Ghostly Father and of my holy Church This O my dear Lord is my most hearty desire but I prefer thy blessed Will before both I care not how suddenly Death may seize on me so it finds me not unprovided All this which is by me spoken and answer'd to my Lord and Savior with perfect use of Sence and Judgment I will by his divin Grace never revoke or deny where and howsoever I lead and end my life Of all which I take for witness my Lord God himself in whose presence I am and the whol Court of Heaven humbly offering up these my desires intentions and resolutions to the Throne of the divin mercy to be there ratifi'd confirm'd and perfected by the merits of my dear Redeemer Christ Jesus and by the intercessions of his and my blessed Mother Mary and heartily begging the assistance of the whol Church both Militant and Triumphant for the full and perfect performance thereof Blessed be my God for ever Amen Protestations to be made by the Sick Person either Vocally if he be able or els Mentally being distinctly read and suggested unto him ✚ In the Name of the Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost I N. wretched and miserable sinner do Protest before Almighty God who sees the secrets and sincerity of my heart before you my good Angel and all the Court of Heaven and also before you my Ghostly Father and Friends here present 1. That I have a firm constant and setled will and desire to die in the true Catholick Faith and Church wherein all the Saints are departed understanding and believing all the Articles of my Faith in that sense and meaning which my holy Mother the Catholick Church the Spouse of Christ and Pillar of truth hath and doth propose them to be understood and believed 2. Also I protest that I do with all my heart and soul detest all the sins of my life past humbly beg pardon for all my Commissions against God my Neighbour my self in Thought Word and Deed and for all my Omissions in observing the precepts of God and his Church the Rule and Constitutions of my Profession the works of mercy either spiritual or corporal as also for having abus'd the Sacraments refus'd Gods grace rejected his inspirations neglected his vocations been careless in the custody of my heart and senses scandalous in my life and manners tepid in tending to perfection and generally for all my sins scandals disedifications and for whatsoever I have any way offended my Creators divin Majesty and goodness Humbly beseeching him by his own infinit Mercy by the Merits of my dear Saviour Christ Jesus by the Intercession of the powerful Virgin Mary and by the Prayers of all the Angels and Saints that he will be pleased to supply all the defects of my Sacramental Confessions and that now at last he will furnish me with grace and strength to produce this one Act of true and sincere Contrition O my God! be merciful unto me a Sinner In the pronunciation whereof I could be content my heart would break asunder with grief and sorrow for having offended so infinitly amiable a Lord and Lover 3. Also I protest that I do heartily forgive all such as have ever any way offended hurt or injur'd me and that I most humbly crave pardon of all them whom I have any way knowingly or ignorantly offended hurt injur'd in words in deeds or by my bad example offering my self ready to make them full and ample satisfaction to the utmost of my power 4. Also I protest that I am altogether uncapable to render worthy thanks to the divin Majesty for his infinit favours blessings and benefits from time to time in general and in particular bestow'd upon me his undeserving unworthy and ungrateful Servant wherefore I do beseech the blessed Virgin my
Powerful Mother and Patroness and all the celestial Citizens to supply this my defect with their more perfect acts of perpetual praises and thanksgivings O that I had now as many tongues hearts as there are creatures in the Universe stars in Heaven sands in the Sea atomes in the Air how willingly would I employ them all in my Creators and Redeemers praises for evermore I likewise render most hearty thanks to all such as have confer'd any corporal or spiritual benefit upon me and to such as have instructed admonish'd corrected me to all such as have and shall help assist and comfort me in this my Sickness beseeching the divin Goodness to give them eternal rewards for their Christian and Charitable endeavours 5. Also I protest that by Gods grace I will die free from all Despair and doubt of the divin Mercy For though my sins are many and enormous yet I know my Creator is more ready to shew mercy than I am to demand it and that one drop of his dear Sons precious Blood shed upon the Cross is abundantly sufficient to redeem me and all mankind since therefore all that is required on my part consists in bringing a fit disposition to receive his Grace and Mercy and that I have at this present a firm desire to dispose my self accordingly and to serve him love him honour him for the time to come with all possible fervour sincerity and fidelity I will cheerfully confidently resignedly remit all to his sacred Will and Providence 6. Also I protest that if through fear faint-heartedness want of judgment extremity of pain or any other accident or occasion whatsoever I should fall which God of his infinit mercy forbid into any such doubt or despair or into any thought word or action displeasing to my dearly beloved and ever honoured Lord and Maker I do now at this present being in full and perfect sense utterly renounce it recal it reject it 7. Also I protest that if the divin Providence so permitting I should have any wicked temptation of whatsoever kind and nature suggested unto me by my sworn enemy during the whol time of this my Infirmity or in my last Agony I will not yield the least assent thereunto either tacitly or expresly either by signs or by gestures and I do now for then revoke annul and abhor any such thoughts temptations and suggestions being desirous and resolved to adhere only to God my Creator so long as any breath shall remain in my body and to be faithful to Him even till my last Gasp 8. Also I protest that since my good God hath promised to give his grace to all such as do what lies in them to get it and that his gate of mercy is never shut against an humble and contrite Soul I do confidently hope and hopefully desire and desirously expect to have both Grace in this world and Glory in the next by the merits of my blessed Saviours bitter Passion and by his holy Mothers and Saints powerful Intercession whose Prayers I beg whose happiness I congratulate whose perfections I emulate and to whom I do now for the hour of my death most humbly supplicate that they will then obtain for me a lively Faith a constant Hope an ardent Charity a couragious Fortitude a profound Humility an invincible Patience and all such other Virtues as will then be most necessary for me saying to them now for then with heart and mouth O all you glorious Angels and Saints of Heaven especially you O sacred Virgin Mother of Jesus and you my particular Patrons N. and N. and you my good Angel intercede for me in that dreadful hour that I may depart this World in my Creators grace and favour 9. Also I protest that though the weakness of my nature be so great that I even abhor suffering yet in Spirit I embrace this Cross this Sickness these Pains as tokens and pledges of the divin favour and affection and do submit my self to live and dy and suffer in what measure and manner shall be most conformable to his holy pleasure and honour 10. Lastly I commend my Soul to God my Creator who made it of nothing to Christ my Saviour who redeemed it with his Blood to the Holy Ghost who espoused it to himself and sanctified it in Baptism protesting that when in my last Agonie I shal be unable to employ my tongue any longer in praying and praising the divin Majesty I desire still in mind to be firmly united unto him offering now for then my Agony my Sweats my Sufferings to be joyned and united to the bitter Agony bloody Sweatings and dolorous Sufferings of my dying Saviour Christ Jesus for the remission of my Sins and for his eternal glory whose holy Name be sanctified whose praises be celebrated whose Will be performed in Earth as it is in Heaven by me and all creatures for evermore Exercises for the time of Sickness THE best and easiest Exercise for a Sick Person is a frequent repetition of pious and fervent Ejaculations Acts Aspirations and Elevations of his Soul to God be they never so short plain and simple let him therefore make use of some of these Acts following relishing them silently in his Heart or sweetly breathing them forth of his Mouth without any violence or over binding himself to long attention Acts of Contrition O Soveraign Goodness how it grieves me to have offended thee were I again to act over my life upon the Earths Theater how warily would I walk in your presence O my Lord I utterly detest all my past Sins and humbly acknowledg that I justly deserve these present pains and punishments but O spare me for Eternity Let him frequently during the time of his Sickness make this short Act following of true Contrition O my God! For thine own sake whom I love above all things and because Sin is most displeasing to thy divin Majesty I heartily detest all my impieties humbly demand thy Pardon and promise to amend all that is amiss 2. Acts of Faith I Believe Lord and neither doubt nor dispute of any thing that thou hast revealed and thy Church defined If I err in my Belief O Blessed Father Son and Holy Ghost thy self hast deceived me who hast confirmed my Faith by so many wonders and miracles which could be wrought by none but thy self and since all deceit is far from thee surely all errour is far from me I believe Lord help my unbelief I believe that thou art most just and that thou hast all right to chastise me with this present sickness I believe that thou art infinitly powerful and canst cure or kill at thy pleasure I believe that thou art soveraignly Merciful and that thou wilt pardon my Sins protect me from my Ghostly enemies and bring me to thy self by such means in such manner and at such time as is most pleasing to thy own divin will and liking 3. Acts of Hope and Confidence O My God! the only desired
of my Soul I most heartily confess and acknowledg that thou hast provided for me in so convenient a manner both in prosperity and adversity in health and sickness in body and soul as no other wisdom but thou only my sweet Lord and Maker the increated Goodness and wise Disposer of all things could have effected To thee therefore O my God and my All I commit my self and all to be disposed of now and ever as shall be most agreeable to thy own honour and glory and most conformable to thy eternal just and equal will and providence I hope O my Soveraign Lord God! that this moment of pains and sufferings will be soon changed into an Eternity of happiness and comfort I trust that my now languishing and dying body shall be one day raised to glory impassibility immortality I cheerfully expect to have this poor imprisoned soul of mine called up to see enjoy and contemplate thy amiable and beautifying countenance for evermore 4. Acts of Love O Eternal Father thou hast given thy Son to me and behold I give him again to thee together with my whol self and all that I have am and can my Love my Life my Liberty my Heart my Soul to please and honour thee for all future time and Eternity O my Lord I love thee heartily and during the short remainder of my life in this world I will serve thee faithfully not so much of obligation as of Election not so much for my own comfort and profit as for thy will and pleasure not for the delight I take in thy loving service but for the desire I have to please thee not as a servant bondslave or hireling but as a Freeman loves his Friend as a Child his Father as a Spouse her Bridegroom not only out of gratitude for received benefits but also and chiefly because thou art my God of infinit perfection in thy self and of infinit affection towards me O God of Love and Love of my Soul what do I desire in Heaven or expect from Heaven and what do I long for upon Earth but thee the only object of my affections the only aim of my pretensions the only desire of my heart the only delight of my spirit Come O my blessed Lord and Lover and take full possession of my Heart and Soul transform me into thy love and conform me to thy Will Let thy Will be the only desire of my heart and let thy Love be the only life of my Soul and lease of my life that when I leave to love I may cease to live c. 5. Acts of Resignation Take examples from CHRIST in his Agony O My All powerful Father If I must needs drink of this bitter chalice endure this long and tedious Sickness suffer these sharp and severe torments thy holy Will be done From Job on his Dunghil 'T Is thou O Soveraign Lord who art the bountiful bestower of all blessings and thou maist justly withdraw revoke and retake them at thy own will and pleasure be thou blessed and praised for evermore From S. Paul prostrate on the ground LOrd What wilt thou have me to do what is thy holy pleasure behold thy Servant ready to accomplish it Aspire frequently to God and Resign up all willingly to him in this or the like sort WEre I master of all Bodies and Souls I would presently give up to thee Great Lord of Heaven and Earth all my right and title and were it in my power I would make of each body an instrument to please and praise thee and of all souls as many Paradises to lodge and love thee Come what will O my Creator I will place my hopes in thy infinit mercy and in thy Sons abundant Redemption And my perpetual Song shall be O Lord be merciful to me a Sinner Blessed be my God for all and in all Live Jesus by whose death I live and for whose love I am willing to die c. O when shall I take as much pleasure in suffering as I have done in sinning O that I could entirely resign my whol self Body and Soul in Life or Death for time and eternity to be disposed of according to thy divin Will and Pleasure O that I could in every moment of time pronounce with heart and tongue Live Jesus only whose Will be accomplished whose name be sanctified whose praise be published in all by all above all c. 6. An Act of Purity of Intention O Eternal Lord God! Thou hast created me to serve thee only redeemed me to love thee only and now inspir'd me with a will and desire to please thee only during all the remaining days of my life And behold my hearty and humble desire is to serve thee love thee and please thee purely perfectly perseverantly Reform therefore I beseech thee my sinful life conform my stubborn will Deiform my sinister intention change and transform my spirit into thine that all my thoughts words actions pretensions and these my present pains sufferings and sickness may be presented to thy sacred Majesty with such purity perfection and perseverance as thy Love deserves from me and mine desires for thee 7. An Heroick Act of highest efficacy containing a Contract between the Soul and her Creator Which being made devoutly at the beginning of any dangerous Sickness and frequently iterated during the intervals therof must needs afford exceeding great comfort in Deaths last hour and Agony O My God my Lord my Creator from whom by whom and in whom I and all things live move and have a being I rejoice at what thou art as if it were all mine and I offer what I and all creatures have and are as being all thine Behold O Heavenly Father I thy poor Child and unworthy Creature do here with all possible sincerity submission and devotion make this present Contract with thy Sacred Majesty to be thy faithful servant and bondslave for evermore intending hereby that each remaining moment of my life and all that is within me without me about me may henceforth incessantly bless and praise thy holy Name and accomplish thy most just and holy Will in all things whatsoever And for this end I do now enrol this Oblation Donation and Resignation of my whol self to thy divin Majesty in the very Center of my Heart Soul with such Intention Force and Efficacy as thou O my all-knowing Lord God! canst comprehend to be the very best which I thy poor creature am capable to perform without any reservation restriction or contradiction whatsoever I desire also O my Creator to make this Contract with thy sacred Majesty in the best manner with most proper words in the fittest terms and with such significant clauses and conditions as it ought and may be performed In Confirmation whereof I produce as witnesses the sacred Virgin Queen Mary my Angel Guardian my particular Patrons and all the celestial Citizens humbly imploring the assistance of their Prayers for the performance of this my hearty
Oblation of my whol self purely and entirely to thy divin Majesty which I beseech thy infinit goodness and mercy to receive from my Hands and Heart and to seal it in Heaven that it may be there warranted and confirmed for evermore And because the necessities frailties and infirmities which accompany this my Pilgrimage and which will probably most of all overwhelm me in deaths Agony permit me not according to my desire to be always employed in thy praises therefore I now prostrating my self before thy Throne of Majesty whom I reverently Adore with the greatest Affection that thou O my Lord God! know'st may be given by any creature and to whom I Offer in supply of my own unworthiness all the ardent affections mental excesses supernatural jubilations and amorous unions of all devout Souls in Heaven and Earth as though I felt them all in my own heart humbly express this my present Covenant Contract and Agreement with thee my Soveraign Creator Father Son and Holy Ghost in this manner That as often as I shall either Interiourly or Exteriourly either in Heart silently or with my Tongue verbally think or say any of these things following I Adore I Thank I Offer I Resolve I am Sorry I Desire I Resign I Believe I Hope I Love O my Lord O my Jesu And so passing no further shall there end My intention is to make as perfect an Act of Adoration Thanksgiving Oblation Resolution Contrition Petition Resignation Faith Hope and Charity as is possible for any creature to make And I do now for then declare denounce and testifie that my will and desire is whensoever I shall think or pronounce any of the words aforesaid to make exercise and perform all the Acts contain'd in this Book in all the devout Books that ever were or shall be written and which the blessed Virgin Angels and Saints do and shall do in Heaven for all eternity Receive and ratifie most gracious Soveraign this my humble Act Contract and Covenant as to all and each one of its branches and members and whatsoever is therein explicitly and implicitly included receive it as a pledg of my hearty desire to serve praise and honour thy divin Majesty purely perfectly eternally Receive it once for all which I wish to present unto thee every moment and minute to produce as often as I breath and to iterate as frequently as any Act can possibly be repeated and multiplied And I invite and conjure all the celestial Spirits and faithful Souls to sacrifice unto thy sacred Majesty more perfect holocausts of praise and benediction for evermore In this manner a pious Soul may incessantly praise and please God and with little labour acquire much merit For having once sincerely made and daily weekly or monthly repeating this Act according as it is here largly described it may hourly be practised with great ease and comfort by the meer direction of the mind and simple reflection of the spirit towards God upon all occasions and in whatsoever company and employment OF all other Devotions the use of a Crucifix is chiefly to be recommended to a Sick Person Kissing it Embracing it speaking somtimes to the Crucifix somtimes to his own Soul Nothing is more easie nothing more pious nothing more profitable For in the contemplation of that Sacred object you may with great facility adore praise bless thank invoke the divin Majesty and admire his infinite mercy love and liberality in this or the like manner as his Holy Spirit shall suggest unto you O holy Cross O deep Wounds O sacred Blood O cruel Sorrow Dear Lord at how dear a rate hast thou bought me O sweet Jesu be unto me a Jesus Let not the Soul perish which cost thee so great a price Destroy not thy own workmanship Lose not thy own labour pains and passion O Jesu Thou art my Friend and my Physician my Lord and my Love my Portion and my Possession my Peace and my Patience my Light in Darkness my Health in Sickness my Comfort in Sadness my Plenty in Want my Life in Death my Heaven in Purgatory my God and my All for Time and Eternity A larger Exercise in Contemplation of the Crucifix Fixing your Eyes upon the Crucifix or taking it reverently into your hands and humbly embracing it with an ardent desire to honour imitate and conform your self as far forth as God shall enable you to the last thoughts words and affections of your dying Saviour Read or cause to be read this following Exercise leisurely distinctly and devoutly ruminating upon each point and relishing every aspiration and affection The first Consideration ALl Christs Actions are our Instructions and as his Life is the prime exemplar of holy living so his Death is the perfect pattern of happy dying which he exhorts all Christians to imitate saying Take up your Cross and follow me O My Soul how ill have we imitated our sweet Saviour in our life manners and conversation Let 's at least strive to imitate him in his death by taking patiently this present Cross which he layes upon our shoulders and following him cheerfully to Mount Calvary O Jesu my Redeemer and the worlds Saviour how happy are they who are enabled by thy Grace to imitate thy Virtues who desire to live only for thee and are ready to die with thee who live in thy friendship and die in thy favour O glorious Son of God! Thou wert Incarnated and Crucifi'd for my ungrateful Soul O that I might be martâ—r'd and crucifi'd for thy sake to the end I might be conform-able to thee in dying though I have been so unlike to thee in living O my dear Saviour though my Soul is not forc'd out of my body by such a violent death as thine yet imprint in it I beseech thee such sweet thoughts and affections as thou felt'st when thou diedst for my sake The Second Consideration JESUS dy'd willingly patiently resignedly O My God! Give me health or sickness give me life or death give me whatsoever thou pleasest not my will but thine be done O Jesu By vertue of thy perfect Resignation to the divin Will strengthen mine in Deaths Agony Behold I bind my self to that blessed conformity of thine to thy heavenly Father and in union thereof I most willingly embrace the design thou hast over me be it for life or for death O my Saviour Thou being Gods innocent Son diedst in the flower of thine age and shall I desire long life who am a sinner a rebel a criminal I yield Lord I yield and submit to Deaths summons Farewel Earth farewel world farewel this Vale of tears and miseries Heaven is my happier home Paradise is much more pleasant and agreeable and Death is my way to it The Third Consideration JESUS pray'd for strength succour and courage in his Deaths Agony O My Eternal Lord and Lover Behold thy poor child encompass'd with miseries and calamities on every side knowing not what to choose or desire but only
who art Goodness it self Have mercy on me a miserable sinner O most loving father take pitie on thy poor Child and forsake me not in this my last and greatest need O sweet Saviour Jesu Son of the living God! I beseech thee by the vertue of thy most blessed and bitter Passion grant me thy Grace give me a pardon of my sins and vouchsafe me a portion of thy Glory I challenge not dear Lord a place in thy Heaven for any worthiness of my own merits for alas I am but dust and ashes but for thy Passion 's sake whereby thou wert pleased to redeem me miserable man and to purchase Heaven for me at the price of thy precious Blood I beseech thee therefore O Jesu my Saviour by thy sufferings on the Cross for me especially at that hour when thy blessed Soul left thy Bodie have mercy on my poor Soul at the time of her departure When he draws nearer his end he is chiefly to make use of short and pithy Aspirations of Love Desire c. As for Example O My Lord I love thee I love thee and I wish I could love thee more As the fainting Hart desires the refreshing Fountains so doth my Soul thirst after thee my Saviour I thirst Lord and thou only canst quench my thirst Lead my poor Soul O my all powerfull Creator out of this loathsom prison that it may love and praise thee for evermore O beautiful Jerusalem my happy home when shall I come to live and lodg in thee O ye blessed Quires of Saints and Angels who perfectly injoy God and unweariedly intone his Eternal praises when shall I come to love and land my dear Lord with you O Sacred Virgin Mary Mother of power pitie and compassion Be thou now to me a Mother and take care of thy weak child O my glorious Patrons be pleased now to remember me to assist me to pray for me O my good Angel pitie me protect me comfort me strengthen me in this hour of my Agonie Take courage my poor Soul take courage Eternity comes on our miserie and sorrow will soon have an end and our peace and plenty is beginning without end Frequent these in the time of your Health that they may occur easily to your memory in the time of your Sickness And then ruminate them sweetly quietly and discreetly according as your Soul shall relish them without violence eagerness or anxiety An Exercise of holy Dying consisting of four Acts. FOur things are requisite to dy well 1. A Spiritual Death to all creatures Strive then O my Soul to deny thy self in all things and to dy to thy self to the whole world in love affection that thou may'st live to God only who alone can comfort thee in Dying content thee after Death Thou wilt find it no trouble to leave what thou dost not inordinatly love And what is it thou so lovest find it out and forsake it leaving that and all to find one and all and aspiring often What do I hope for in Heaven and what do I look for upon Earth O my God my All be thou all mine and let me be all thine and let all other things go which way they will 2. A cordial and profound humility This gives the greatest Grace to the living and Comfort to the dying Proud spirits are always in extreams either they dy blindly presumptuous or Death opening their eyes they fall into despair at the sight of their miserable estate O my Soul humble thy self since thou hast nothing to be proud of for alas what wert thou before thy late receiving of a being What hast thou which proceeds not from thy Creators bounty Why then art thou proud of it as if it were thine own What hast thou receiv'd which thou hast not abused What sinful Soul would not have been a Saint had it receiv'd such favours as thou hast misimployed and buried How long ere this might'st thou have most justly been hurried head-long into Hell-fire for thy pride and impiety since the damned spirits who there are and shall be eternally tormented sinned once only in Pride and thou so often since they had somthing to be proud of and thou nothing since their sin was only in thought and thine also in word and work O my God! I acknowledg Hell to be my Center and the place which is proper for the entertainment of so perverse a wretch and shouldst thou send me thither thou art Just and righteous are thy Judgments 3. A firm Confidence in God Let not Humility hinder your Confidence in the divine mercy and goodness for by this token it will be easily known to be false and ill grounded Yet trust not in your own merits good works good life good will but 1. in the infinit goodness and mercy of God 2. in the abundant Merits and Redemption of Jesus 3. in his sweet promises of pardon and protection 4. in the prayers and patronage of your Mother of Power and particular Patrons 5. in the custody of your good Angel 6. in the participation and union you have with the Church Militant and Triumphant And O my soul is not this enough Lord I am thine I trust in thy mercy and if thou killest me yet I will still hope in thee 4. An entire Resignation to the divine will and disposition in all things for time and Eternity O my Soul this is the Act of acts at the dreadful hour of Death and O my Lord I offer up my self to endure all pains disgraces and desolations in this life and to suffer all punishments in Purgatory and in Hell it self if thy Justice will have it so in the next life not reflecting what shall become of me either in this my Sickness or in my Life or after my Death but leaving all to thy sacred Will and sweet Disposal When the sick person is in his last Agony The Priest or Charitable assistants should suggest unto him some of these devout words thoughts and considerations 1. TAke Courage Dear Christian Brotheo or Sister suffer patiently for a little while that you may be happy for all Eternity 2. Christ Jesus dyed for you and be you content to dye for him 3. Though your Sins are great yet greater is Gods mercy 4. Though your Tongue is put to silence yet let your Heart speak affectionatly to your sweet Saviour O Jesu thy will be done O my Lord I love thee I adore thee I thank thee c. And I beseech thee O my merciful Creator that every sigh every thought every eye cast up to heaven may be acceptable to thy sacred Majesty according to that irrevocable covenant contract and intention which I formerly made and here humbly renew in thy divine presence When the Agony is of long continuance it may be very profitable comfortable and convenient to read over the Passion of our Saviour or some passages thereof so it be done 1. Discreetly without troubling or disturbing the sick person 2.
upon each one of the lesser Grains say Pie Jesu Domine dona eis Requiem Amen that is O compassionate Lord Jesu give theâ—… rest Amen In the Evening HAving examin'd your Conscience endeavour to produce a most fervent Act of Contrition as if in that night you were to depart out of this world And go to Bed as to your Grave saying Ah! the Vanity of all worldly riches greatnesses and glories You must shortly be included in two yards of earth c. Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit c. Two excellent profits which all pious Christians may draw from this charitable practise of praying for the Souls in Purgatory The first profit is That remembring these departed Souls they can hardly forget their own approaching Death and consequently will be moved to make some timely preparation for that great action whereupon depends their whole Eternity THe practise hereof may be reduced to these two Points First Question your self in this sort Were I now presently to depart this world upon deaths Summons am I in a condition to appear before Gods Judgment Seat What dost thou answer O my soul what couldst thou wish to have done Fall forthwith to settle thy self and all that concerns thee in order to thy Death and never cease till thou canst say with S. Paul Nihil mihi conscius sum Through Gods goodness I finde no guilt in my Conscience My heart cannot upbraid me of any horrid crime which I have not endeavour'd to deface by Contrition to discover in Confession to do penance for by Satisfaction My soul detests all that is opposite to the love and will of my Lord Jesus Secondly Habituate your self in the Exercise of such Acts as you would and should practise in the article of your Death Taking therefore your Crucifix in your hand say Well! I must dye but when where how in what estate circumstance and condition All this is uncertain I accept therefore O my Creator the Decree of my death as from thy divine Justice and the Uncertaintie of its execution from thy eternal Providence Behold I am readie and willing to obey thy blessed Ordinances nor do I desire to live one moment longer than is according to thy most just will and liking I protest that I will live and dye in an absolute conformitie to the Catholike Faith because thou my Lord God who art the prime and essential Truth hast taught and revealed it I Hope in the infinitie of thy goodness in the fidelitie of thy promises in the immensity of my Saviours merits Though thou killest me O my Lord yet I will hope in thy Mercy I will dy in thy Love that I may love thee O abyssal Ocean of all Love and perfection for evermore Yes my Lord and my Love I could heartily wish that an Act of Seraphical Love might separate my Soul from my Body that so it might become happily united to thee its only beloved object for all Eternity It grieves me O my God! that I ever offended thee because thou art infinitly good and I am content to dy because I would be freed from all future occasions of offending thee Wherefore I here offer thee my life as a pledge of my Love and I accept of Death as a fit punishment of my offences O when will that desired day come in which I shall see thee my sweet Saviour face to face without any interposition love thee without any interruption praise thee without any imperfection I acknowledg that Purgatory is too pleasant a place for the chastisement of my impieties and were I adjudg'd thither till the last day of general doom I were most mercifully dealt withal yet O my Creator to the end I may make a more honourable satisfaction to thy sacred Justice by the merits of my sweet Saviour I will endeavour to gain all the Indulgences whereof any one is capable in the Article of Death and in particular that which is obtain'd by pronouncing then the holy Name of Jesus which I desire may be the last word of my Mouth the last motion of my Heart the last sigh in my Soul O Dear Jesu Let my last breath eccho forth Jesu Jesu Jesu Amen O Blessed Virgin Mary mother of Mercy mother of Power mother of Jesus Behold thy poor child and present my departing Soul to thy dear Son Jesus O glorious S. Joseph who expiredst in the sweet embraces of Jesus and Mary Obtain for me that I may dy in their favour and affection O my good Angel the faithful Guardian of my Life leave me not in the dangerous moment of my Death End this Exercise with a generous Resolution to Dy daily to your self to the world and to all things and to Live as you desire to Dy. THe Second Profit is That considering the grievous pains they suffer you will easily resolve to endure your Purgatory in this world which was the ardent desire of S. Augustin when he thus petition'd the divine Majesty Purge me O Lord in this life and put me here in such a condition as there may be no need hereafter of any Purifying Fire that so I may be the sooner united to thee my first beginning and my final end and felicity The practise hereof may be reduced to these points following 1. COnsider that all Sin renders us liable to punishment which must infallibly be paid either in this world or in the next Now our merciful Lord seems to leave the choice unto our selves and to present unto us two Purgatories That of the next world painful long fiery devoid of all comfort and merit That of this world easie short and full of comfort O my Soul which wilt thou choose 2. The Purgatory of this world consists in satisfying Gods severe Justice for our sins as far forth as we are able by our own free actions without deferring it to the end of our lives or depending upon the charity of others O my Soul wert thou presently to depart out of this world how many years of Purgatory must thou expect for the expiation of thy many and enormous offences Resolve therefore to begin even this day without any farther delay thy Purgatory in this world by endeavouring now to make satisfaction for thy sins 3. This Satisfaction consists in these Five things which may serve us for as many Purgatories to cleanse our Souls from their Sins and cancel the pains they have thereby justly incurred The first is To perform those works which are call'd Satisfactory to wit Alms-deeds Fasting and Prayer uniting them to the merits of our Redeemer Christ Jesus Alms deeds satisfy the divine Majesty by giving him our goods of Fortune Fasting by consecrating to him the goods of our Bodies Prayer by offering up to him the goods of our Hearts and Spirits Alms-deeds free us from Sin and Death and suffer not a Soul to descend into darkness They purge us and procure us mercy and eternal life Fasting which under its notion contains all sorts of
penitential actions mor ifications and austerities both voluntary and obligatory opens Heaven-gates unto us Prayers appease the divine Anger and Tears extinguish the Fires and Flames which are prepared by Gods Justice to punish us for our offences Now the most efficacious Prayers are these 1. The Sacrifice of the Mass 2. The Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist 3. The continual practise of Acts of Contrition which serv'd the pious Magdalen for her Purgatory at the feet of Jesus The Second is To embrace all the Afflictions Crosses Calamities Sicknesses and Losses of this life as so many purging Fires Thus the patient Job endur'd his Purgatory upon his Dunghil and in the Fire of fervent Charity and faithful Resignation which made him break forth into these expressions amidst all his sufferings Our Lords Name be ever blessed As he pleases so all things come to pass The Third is To practise heroick Acts of Virtue as generously to pardon your enemies nobly to oblige them who have disobliged you couragiosly to conquer that Passion which hath most power in your Soul For the pains you take and the violence you use upon these occasions will much contribute to the Satisfaction for your Sins and serve you instead of your deserved Purgatory The Fourth is To perform such Works of Restitution Charity and Piety in your own person and during your life-time as you desire should be done at the hour of your Death For by clearing your own Accounts settling peace in your own Soul and executing your own Testament you will be exempt from the fear of suffering a severe Purgatory through your Executors negligence The Fifth is When you have perform'd all things as your zeal to satisfie Gods Justice hath suggested unto you To have an humble sense of the no-worth and value of all your own actions and endeavours and thereupon To address your self to the undrainable treasury of your Saviours merits hoping to draw thence sufficient Water for the washing away of all your offences These are the Five voluntary Purgatories of this World by which if you here satisfie for your Sins you may hope to avoid hereafter the necessary Purgatory due to them in the next World ¶ 13. An Appendix containing several devout and efficacious Prayers proper for the frequent use of all pious Christians 1. A Prayer to our Lord Jesus wherein we humbly acknowledg him for our Soveraign and promise him faithful obedience for the future O Jesu King of Kings to whom all power is given in heaven and earth as a most just reward for thy most perfect Obedience Thy Empire is out of the reach of rebellion it dreads no dangers and is free from the vicissitudes of Fortune Thou wantest neither spies abroad nor policies at home to secure thy Throne neither warlike guards nor worldly greatnesses to procure thy respect and encrease thy honour since whatsoever is requisite to be the Soveraign King of Kings and the immortal and incomprehensible Monarch of Heaven and Earth is in the riches of thy own divine Being and thy own Nature necessarily involves a boundless Jurisdiction Wherefore O Jesu my Saviour behold here prostrate before thee one of thy meanest subjects offering to thy sacred Majesty as to his soveraign King an humble and most respectful Homage I come Lord to renew that solemn Oath of fidelity which I took formerly in Baptism and to present thee the Key of my Heart hoping thou wilt vouchsafe to enter in take full possession and make there thy constant habitation Thou O all-powerful King canst soon make it fit for thy own entertainment having in this point as in all others an advantage over earthly Princes to raise men from their dunghils and render them worthy of their dignities Thou O great Monarch chusing Saul for the King of thy people changedst also his spirit calling David from the sheep-fold madst him a man according to thy own Heart drawing the Apostles from their Fishing-employments rendredst them fit Preachers of thy Gospel Why then shall not I with an humble boldness beg thy entrance into my poor Heart since I well know it will at the same instant become a mansion worthy thy Royal Majesty I am not fully satisfied O my Soveraign King in being thy faithful subject I desire to be thy Bondslave and Vassal I will therefore no longer pretend to the least power over my self but all my future labours and endeavours shall be to acquire riches for thy Royal Majesty Yes my will is that every child of mine to wit all my works words and thoughts shall be henceforth born in the same Bondage of thy Love O my Soul what higher honour can we have than to live in a such Slavery O my Saviour sweet is thy yoak light thy burthen easie thy precepts favourable thy fetters pleasing thy authority prudent thy proceedings paternal thy providence to them who faithfully adhere to thee O how loving and liberal a Lord art thou to such loyal subjects Unhappy they who are none of this holy number and ever magnified be thy Mercy which hath drawn my soul out of my enemies clutches to enrol her thy Captive Behold O my blessed Redeemer I acknowledg my self with much comfort and content to appertain particularly to thee in quality of an absolute Bonds man by this thy new right of purchase but yet O my dread Lord and Master I know not how to render thee a Bond-slave's duty and therefore beg of thy goodness to teach me this great secret and take from me that unfortunate liberty which enables me to rebel against thy Royal will and pleasure Ah! my Lord If thou leavest this my liberty to it 's own nature I shall soon leave off all Obedience to thy laws I shall quickly alas trample upon thy Crown sleight thy Scepter and use against thy self all the goods thy bounty hath given me My Understanding will censure thy Mysteries my Memory will forget thy mercies my Fancy will feed upon filthy Images my Will will love what thou loathest my unruly Passions uncurb'd Senses brutish Appetites will all bandy against thy blessed Grace and my own Reason Finally I shall glory in being thy enemy and say Who is the Lord Take from me therefore I beseech thee O Jesu the root of this dreadful rebellion command and compel my stiff neck and stubborn nature to submit to the blessed yoak of thy law and force me to be happy O most pleasing constraint which renders me a copartner with thy self in thy Royalty For thou O great and gracious King Jesu art nothing jealous of thy Soveraignty but thou most liberally communicatest it to thy beloved Subjects designing them to be all Kings in thy endless Eternity And is it possible O my Soul that thou so easily quittest so sublime a Dignity Wilt thou be so silly as to fall in love with thine own shackles that is with thy filthy sins of Ambition Avarice Revenge and Sensuality Ah! art thou not utterly confounded at thine own
though we deserve it not who hast given us a Being when we were not 12. A Prayer for the Conversion of Hereticks and Infidels ALmighty and all merciful God! who seekest and desirest the salvation of all Souls Take pity we beseech thee upon such as are seduced with pestiferous Errors and segregated from the unity of thy sacred Church Pardon them O Lord for they perceive not what they do Illuminate the Eyes of their understanding O true Light of all Spirits that they may see their own Blindness and seeing it may speedily abandon it And that so becomming sincerely reconciled to thee the Supreme Shepherd and to thy Church the only safe Sheepfold they may joyfully praise and magnify thy Mercies together with us thy faithful Children for evermore 13. A Prayer for a sick person O Soveraign Lord God the Author of our Health and our Comforter in Sickness in the Watch of whose Divine Providence run all the Moments of our lives earthly Pilgrimage Hear we beseech thee the humble Petitions which we present to thy throne of mercy for N. thy infirm but faithful Servant and mercifully restore him to his former welfare that he may henceforth walk more worthy his Calling and make greater progress in vertue and Piety But if it is thy pleasure O Supream Lord of Life and Death to call him hence to Eternity let thy most just Will O Heavenly Father be accomplished in this and in all things whatsoever only let Death find him well prepared and rightly disposed Let him humbly kiss thy Paternal Rod which chastiseth him and patiently submit to the Cross which thy loving Hand hath layd upon his Shoulders Let him behave himself during the remaining time of his Infirmity as befits a faithful and devout Christian free from Pusillanimity and Despair full of Hope and filial confidence And finally being strengthned with the Sacraments reconciled to his Enemies and setled in thy Grace and Favour let him cheerfully expect and joyfully embrace Deaths summons and quietly pass from this place of Banishment to his happy home in thy Heavenly Paradise 14. Prayers in Time of the Plague 1. The Anthem Remember thy Covenant O Merciful Creator and say to the smiting Angel Now hold thy Hand that the Earth may not become desolate and every living Soul destroyed Ver. Lord let thy Anger cease from thy People Ans And from thy City Let us Pray HEar we most humbly beseech thee O Compassionate Lord God! the Prayers of thy distressed people and as we acknowledg our selves to be justly punished for our offences so be thou pleased in mercy to free us for the glory of thy own sacred Name 2. O God! who well know'st that our human frailty cannot subsist amidst so many and so great Dangers without the support of thy Divine favour and assistance Give us we most humbly beseech thee Health of mind and body and grant that we may overcome by thy help and mercy what we deservedly suffer for our own Sins and Impieties 3. Lord lend a gracious Eare to the petitions of thy poor Servants grant us the desired effect of our faithful Supplications and avert from us the fury of the raging Pestilence that we may humbly and gratefully acknowledg these Scourges to proceed from thy just Anger and Indignation and to cease through thy boundless Mercy and Goodness 4. A Prayer to the sacred Virgin-Mother call'd the Myraculous Prayer against the Plague THe Star of Heaven whose snowy Breast Did suckle our sweet Lord supprest The Plague of Death whose Origen Was from the very first of Men May that clear Star at present daign Those Constellations to restrain Whose Wars deprive men of their Breath By the destructive wounds of Death Repeat thrice these four ensuing Verses Bright Star o' th' Sea ' gainst Plague thy help afford Nothing 's deny'd thee by thy Son our Lord Who honours thee Blest-Maid Sweet Jesu save Them by thy power for whom she daigns to crave Let us Pray O God of Mercy God of Compassion God of Pardon who in time past taking pity upon thy afflicted people commandedst the striking Angel to with-hold his Hand from further punishing them We most humbly beseech thee for the love of that glorious Star whose sacred Breasts gave thee suck to preserve us from all Plaguy Infection to deliver us from an unprovided Death and to defend us from all destructive Accidents and Incursions 15. Prayers for a happy Death 1. O Dear Lord Jesu I most humbly beseech thee by those bitter Pains and Pangs which thou suffredst for me in thy bitter Passion and particularly in the hour wherein thy Divine Soul passed forth of thy blessed Body take pity upon my poor and sinful Soul in her last Agony and in her passage to Eternity 2. T is thou O Soveraign Goodness who art the prime Source and dayly Preserver of my Life and 't is from thee alone that I can expect the Grace of a happy Death Thou O Lord didst not make this Death which separates Soul and Body 't was Sin which brought it into the World had not man strayed from thy sacred Precept he had not been subject to this severe Punishment But yet thy Divine Son by enduring the Sting of Death hath chang'd its harsh Nature and through his means and merits it may now be made a Sacrifice most pleasing to thy Majesty For precious in thy sight is the just mans Death which is only a glorious passage from Time to Eternity This is the Death I here most humbly demand of thy Divine bounty as the Crown of all thy Mercies for thou O Lord lookest not so much upon the first beginnings of thy Children as upon their final End and Consummation and the Eternity of their Glory or Misery depend's upon the last moment of their Life Then it is that the Tempter tries all wayes to prevaile over the weakness of our spirit when 't is beaten down by the Bodies sickness either to swell it up into a dangerous Presumption or deject it into a more dangerous Despair Then it is that all the sinful passages of our life come swarming into our Memories to strike us with a sad resentment of what 't is too late to remedy Then it is that the poor Soul overwhelmed with a flood of sorrow cannot without thy strengthing Grace exercise the functions of her Reason and Religion Give me therefore O my gracious Lord God! in this passage which is so full of peril and of so great importance all those Christian dispositions which thy wonted Clemency give 's to thy elected and beloved Children that I may well perform this last duty of life Let me consider Death as the just punishment of Sin and so most willingly receive it to obey the Law which comprehend's all his race by whom it was introduced into the World Let me look upon my Body as a parcel of old Adam deserving to return into dust and only fit for corruption Let me render to thy Majesty
most hearty thanks for vouchsafing by Death to deliver my spirit from the Law of these corporal Members which kept it so long enslaved under the Law of Sin Let me freely offer up to thee my life in Sacrifice and let thy love be the Fire not only to purifie but also to ennoble this my oblation which of it self is so mean and contemptible Finally O Soveraign Lord of life and death I resignedly leave to the conduct of thy sacred Providence all that concerns my poor Soul's departure out of this her pilgrimage as to the Time the Place the Assistants the Consolations the Derelictions and whatsoever other Circumstance I only beg that thy holy Grace may not then abandon me when all human helps must of necessity become useless unto me In the mean space let Death O my God! be my continual Looking-glass to keep me from wilfully offending thy Divine Majesty to check my immoderate Affection to this life which is so uncertain in its permanency and so certain in its misery and to mind me that each Moment of time I live may be the last wherein I must appear before thy dread tribunal to render an account of my actions and to receive accordingly a definitive sentence which must remain irrevocable for all Eternity 3. The Prayer of S. Vincent to our Lord Jesus for the same end that is to obtain the grace of Dying well O My Soveraign Lord Jesu who dyedst for the salvation of the whole World and desirest not that any one should perish to whom I never present my Prayers with out hopes of Mercy relying upon thy own gracious Promise That whatsoever shall be ask'd in thy Name shall be granted I beseech thee by that sweet and sacred Name that in the Article of my Death thou wilt be pleased to give me perfect integrity of my Senses true Contrition for my Sins a lively Faith a firm Hope and a perfect Charity that I may then say unto thee with a pure and clean Heart into thy Hands O my Saviour Jesu I commend my Spirit 16. A most Devout and Efficacious Prayer to our Blessed Redeemer in the honour of his bitter Passion Which whosoever shall humbly Recite before the Image of a Crucifix with a pure Intention and perfect Resignation several Days together may confidently Hope to obtain of the Divine Mercy a full Grant of their lawful Demands O Dear Jesu My blessed Saviour and Redeemer The sweet Comforter of all sad desolate and distressed Souls Behold thy poor Servant humbly prostrate at the foot of thy holy Cross deploring his Misery imploring thy Mercy and beseeching thee to take pity and compassion upon him in this his present and pressing Affliction Infirmity Poverty Temptation Trouble or whatsoever other Spiritual or Corporal Necessity Hear my Prayers O assured Refuge of all afflicted wretches behold my Tears consider my Sorrows and remedy my Distresses for finding my self encompassed with grievous Calamities by reason of my great Crimes I know not whether to fly for Succour or to whom I may make my Moan but to thee my meek and merciful Saviour with a full hope and confidence that thou O my loving Reedemer wilt vouchsafe to lend the Ears of thy ordinary piety and accustomed clemency to the humble Petition of thy poor Child And By that sweetness which thy blessed Soul resented at the time of thy Alliance with our Human nature when resolving with the Father and the Holy Ghost to Unite thy Divine Person to Mortal Flesh for Mans salvation thou sent'st thy Angel to the holy Virgin Mary with those happy tidings and cloathing thy self with our Humanity in her chast Entralls remainedst true God and true Man for the space of nine Months in her sacred Womb By the Anguish thou enduredst when the time of thy designed Passion drawing nigh thou prayedst to thy Eternal Father That if it might stand with his Divine Providence thou desiredst that bitter Chalice might pass away from thee yet concluding with a most perfect act of Resignation Not my Will O Heavenly Father but thine be fulfilled By the outragious Injuries scornful Disgraces cruel Blows contumelious Blasphemies forg'd Witnesses false Accusations and unjust Judgments which thou Innocent Lamb patiently enduredst By the Shackles which fettered thy Limbs the Tears which flow'd from thy Eyes the Blood which trickled from thy whole Body By the Fears Sorrows and Sadnesses of thy Heart and by the Shame thou receivedst in being stripp'd of thy Garments to hang naked on the Cross in the sight of thy sorrowful Mother and in the presence of all the People By thy Royal Head crowned with Thorns and smitten with a Reed By thy Thirst quench'd with Vineger and Gall By thy Side open'd with a Spear and issuing forth Blood and Water to refresh our Souls with that living Fountain of thy Love and Mercy By the sharp Nails wherewith thy tender Hands and Feet were cruelly pierced and fastned to the Cross By the Recommendation of thy departing Soul to thy Heavenly Father saying Into thy Hands I commend my Spirit By thy praying for thy Enemies saying O Father forgive them for they grow not what they do By thy giving up the Ghost when thou cryedst out with a lowd Voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and then bowing down thy blessed Head to reach us the Kiss of Peace sayd'st All is finished By the great Mercy thou shewd'st towards the good Theif saying This day thou shalt be with me in Paridise By thy Descent into Limbus and the Joy thou communicated'st to the just Souls there detained By the Glory of thy triumphant Resurrection and the comfortable Apparitions thou frequently madst for forty days space to thy sacred Virgin Mother to thy Apostles and to thy other chosen Friends and Servants By thy admirable Ascension when in the sight of thy Mother and thy Apostles thou wert elevated into Heaven By the Myraculous comming down of the Holy Ghost in form of Fiery Tongues whereby thou replenishedst the hearts of thy Disciples with thy Love and gav'st them Strength and Courage to plant thy Faith in the whole World By the dreadful day of General Judgment in which thou art to give Sentence upon all-Mankind By all these Sorrows Joys Passions Compassions and whatsoever else is near and dear to thee in Heaven and upon Earth take pity on me O compassionat Redeemer hear my Prayer and grant me that for which I now most humbly and heartily Petition thee Mention here the thing you desire or reflect mentally upon it Give me O gracious Saviour a speedy and efficacious feeling of thy Divine Succour and Comfort who according to the accustomed Sweetness of thy tender Heart art wont to grant the Requests of them who fear and love thee even to their own Souls desire and satisfaction Bestow on me also O my Blessed Lord Jesu a constant Faith a confident Hope a perfect Charity a cordial Contrition a sincere Confession a competent Satisfaction a diligent
Custody of my self from future fallings an heroick Contempt of the world a compleat Conquest of my passions a zealous Imitation of thy exemplary life and conversation an entire Accomplishment of my Vows an absolute Mortification of my self-will a willing Readiness to dy for thy love and honour a final Perseverance in grace and good works a happy Departure of my Soul out of this World with my perfect Senses about me the holy Sacraments to strengthen me thy self O dear Jesu to comfort me thy sacred Virgin-Mother with the Saints my particular Patrons to pray for me and my good Angel to conduct me to Eternal rest Eternal Life Eternal happiness 17. A Prayer to our Good Angel O Holy and happy Spirit who by our Merciful Creators appointment hast been my faithful Keeper my friendly Comforter and my charitable Protector since the first instant of my Birth until this present Moment I humbly beseech thee to continue thy care and custody over me in all places in all company upon all occasions Preserve me O my Good Angel Defend me and deliver me both whilst I sleep and when I am awake from all Diabolical Incursions from all evil Temptations from all Dangers of Soul and Body and from a Sudain and Unprovided Death Be thou graciously pleased to represent my Wounds my Wants and my Wishes to our common Lord and Master and obtain for me thy poor Pupil Courage to overcome my Self and strength to get a compleat Victor over Sin Satan and Sensuality Especially if there lurks any secret Crime in my Conscience obtain for me Light to discern it a Will to detest it Time to confess it and Grace to amend it Abandon not my poor soul I beseech thee O blessed Spirit for the Love of sweet Jesus who hath not spared his dearest blood and Life to save it but remain constantly faithful favourable and friendly unto me all the moments of my life and take a special and particular care and charge of me in my Deaths last gasp and Agony Defend me then in that dreadful hour O powerful Guardian from the fury of my sworn enemy and convey my departing Soul into the bosome of my dearly beloved Lord and Maker there to praise him with thy self for evermore O my Good Guide I again and again iterate this my humble and earnest suit beseeching thee neither to forsake me during this transitory Life nor to forget me when all the world will leave me that through thy safe and secure Conduct I may so pass through the wearisom troubles of this earthly Pilgrimage as that I may find Eternal rest in the heavenly Paradise Amen The Conclusion of the whole Work Being an Epithalamium or nuptial Entertainment of the amorous Soul ravish'd in comtemptation of the reciporcal Affections Mercies and Benefits of her Bridegroom upon those words of the Canticles Dilectus meus mihi ego illi My beloved to me and I to him 1. O Lord of my love love of my life and life of my Soul How amiable art thou remaining in thy self within the boundless limits of thy own essential Perfections and how admirable art thou issuing forth of thy self to diffuse abroad thy goodness and communicate it to thy Creatures Witness this large and lovely Univers fram'd of norhing by thy Omnipotent Finger whose beauty and excellency more appears in Man alone than in all the rest of its united wonders and prodigies Man that miracle of the World and Master-peece of Nature in whose Creation thy love goodness and mercy can never be suffciently admired and magnified 2. And when this prime Creature had Alas soon after its first production lost its original Perfection by violating thy precept thou wert graciously pleas'd O great and glorious Soveraign out of the tenderness of thy Compassion towards man this poor Criminal to give him as it were a new birth a new being a new creation in a manner far different in a way much more admirable with an affection infinitly exceeding the former For thy self O prodigie of goodness becam'st man for his love and enchargedst thy own shoulders with all his sins pains and miseries to set him at his ease freedom and liberty Yes O my Lord and Lover thou becam'st man even like me in all things Sin only and ignorance excepted which were incompatible with thy goodness and wisdom and which thou camst to destroy and cancel thus ennobling my Nature by uniting it to thy Divinity sanctifying it with thy Justice enriching it with thy Grace instructing it with thy Doctrine strengthning it with thy Example rescuing it from servitude restoring it to its lost title of Gods Child and rendring it capable of Eternal Glory 3. O my God! how greatly do I feel my self obliged to love thee in consequence of this large liberal and signal favour T is a chain which so strictly tyes me to a reciprocal affection that it infinitly exceeds all the expressions of my ravish'd tongue heart For what had I poor wretch alas what had I O my glorious Creator and gracious Redeemer whereby to help my self and what have I yet whereby to prevail against my potent adversaries the World the Flesh and the Devil but only thy self and what thou hast freely given me who art my only strength support and succour 4. When therefore I look into the furnace of thy love O my Lord Jesu and behold thy personal descent from the Eternal Fathers bosom to cloath thy self upon earth with a parcel of our poor Humanity for the redemption and salvation of my Soul surely this only contemplation fills my extasi'd heart with unspeakable admiration and not only excites but inforces it to love thee most ardently and were it capable even infinitly and eternally 5. But if for one only effect of your amorous bounty I feel my self thus powerfully obliged to expand my Soul before thy sacred Majesty how much more should I do it in contemplation of all thy united gifts graces and benefits abundantly contain'd in thy blessed humanity whereby thou becamst our temporal Redemption and my eternal Salvation Should I not much more ardently pour forth my self before thee in respect of so many ravishing motives and yet much more and more in respect of thy Self O my sweet Lord and Lover than of all these amorous effects of thy Mercy who art now my All art to be my All in all for all Eternity in thy accomplish'd and consummated Beatitude when after the painful assaults languors of this life I shall remain in thee by thee for thee a happy and triumphant Conqueror over my self and all my enemies 6. Whence is it then O my Love and my Life that my Soul melts not away in the fires of thy sweet Affection How comes it to pass that my whole pleasure is not in loving thee intirely ardently indeficiently Why is not my uninterrupted thought song and saying My beloved to me and I to him since thou thus forcibly constriuest as it were and enchainest
free from the infectious leprosie of Sin and Sensuality All is out of order O my Lord I acknowledg it to my own shame and confusion each sense is gone astray each member of my body is corrupted and each power of my Soul is perverted My Understanding is obscured with self-love my Memory distracted with sensual objects my Will possess'd with peevish inclinations My affections are vain my passions violent my dispositions vitious My body is burdensom my imagination troublesom my life irksom These are my Wounds O my heavenly Surgeon O put to thy helping hand I beseech thee see sear and search them before the Gangrene enters and the Grief grows incurable My soul is sick even to death if thou wilt O my Lord thou canst both cleanse and cure me To this end thou descendest from Jerusalem to Jerico O pious Samaritan from heaven to earth O compassionate Saviour where thou findest me in this pitiful plight sore beaten wounded half dead and utterly despoil'd of all natural and spiritual riches by Thieves and Robbers which are the Senses of my Body and the Faculties of my Soul O pass not by me sweet Jesu but mercifully bind up my bleeding Wounds with the swathing bands of thy Death and Passion pour upon them the wine of thy precious Blood and supple them with the oyl of thy heavenly Grace 4. A firm Resolution of a total Reformation of our lives and manners I Intend O my Lord strengthen me in this hour I intend O sweet Saviour a total reformation of my life and manners an entire mortification of my corporal senses and spiritual faculties an absolute change in my whole man O grant me I beseech thee my loving Lord the powerful assistance of thy special Grace for the performance of this great and good purpose Teach me now O blessed Master to live inwardly piously spiritually as I lov'd formerly to live outwardly vainly sensually O let me henceforth yield to thy divine motion obey thy call imitate thy example and follow thy will O let me never more act or omit any thing be it never so little for my own liking but purely and perfectly for thy love 5. A desire of perfect Conformity both in all our Actions and in all our Senses to our dear Saviour GRant O Good Jesu that at each word of my mouth at each glance of my eye at each morsel I eat at each member I move at each inward and outward action I undertake I may first ask thy leave and permission so do it or leave accordingly as thy holy inspiration allows me O that I could perform each natural and necessary work with an actual reflection upon thy praise and pleasure and with a pure intention to be united to thee My Lord and my Love Thy outward Senses O my sweet Saviour were exactly subject to thy Reason and perfectly obedient to thy sacred Soul O let mine be swallowed up I beseech thee gracious Jesu and sanctifi'd by the merits of thine Let me live love move and make use of my senses purely and only in thee for thee and by thee Thy sacred Hands O holy Jesu were harshly nail'd to the tree of the Cross preserve mine I beseech thee from all sinful touch ng Thy blessed Feet were likewise pierced and fastned to the same rood O fix my steps that I run not to evil actions direct them in thy paths and make me speedy in all works concerning thy honour and the assistance of my neighbour Thy holy Mouth was free from guile full of Wisdom put thy Words sweet Jesu into mine let it always speak of thy love und only sing thy praises Thy divin Ears were fill'd with blasphemies and derisions Let not mine be open to hear vanities and detractions Thy sweet Eyes poured out floods of tears for me O give unto mine tears of compassion for thy Sufferings and of compunction for my own Sins Thy Taste was tormented with the noysome potion of Gall and Vinegar O take from me I beseech thee all desire of delicacies let me not eat or drink but for meer sustenance and necessity Thy whole Humanity O gracious Jesu was martyr'd and murther'd O grant that I may be truly and totally mortifi'd Let me not see feel hear taste smell eat drink do any thing or make use of any thing as following my own gust sensuality and self-seeking but in pure conformity to thy divin Will and Pleasure 6. Petitions for the Conformity of our whole inward man to our Lord and Saviour O Merciful Redeemer how great and grievous were the inward sufferings of thy holy Soul O for those thy sorrows and thy tender mercies sake cleanse cure inlighten inform reform and transform all my inward man O permit not my Vnderstanding where the knowledg of your greatness and goodness should be only seated to be overspread with ignorance and errour Let not my Memory which should be totally taken up with thee be stuffed with vain fancies or impertinent curiosities Let not my Will which thou gavest me to desire and love thee O my only Lord and Love above all thy creatures be inslav'd to any inferiour affection Repair O gracious Redeemer this lively image of the lovely Trinity which is almost defac'd by my brutish Sensuality Grant O dear Saviour that my Vnderstanding Will and Memory may be incessantly busied in knowing loving and remembring thee that they may forget and forgo all other Objects but only in thee and for thee 7. An absolute Disengagement of our selves from created objects and Adhesion to the Divinity O That my heart were perfectly dis-ingaged from the love of all Creatures Drain it sweet Jesu and deliver it from all forreign and domestick Affection and fill it up again with thine only that it may never love desire nor will any thing but thee alone O my Lord my Love and my All O that my Will were conformable to thine without any reservation or retraction Take it unto thee Dear Lord freely and fully for time and eternity I will have no will but thine dispose of me as thou pleasest both here and hereafter O that my Memory were disincombred from all imaginations and purg'd from all impressions but of thee only Empty it O thou only amiable object of my soul and then replenish it with such holy and heavenly notions as may best please thy divin Majesty O that my Vnderstanding were imbued with some measure of the knowledg of thy Divinity O my Lord infinit in goodness dreadful in Majesty and unspeakable in all perfection O my great gracious and glorious God quicken it sharpen it elevate it and illuminate it that knowing thee I may not choose but love thee and that knowing and loving thee I may be eternally happy Behold Lord I make an absolute divorce with all self-love sensuality and affection to creatures and give thee my self by an irrevocable donation Behold Lord the keys the lodging the treasure and the Master prostrate at thy sacred feet