bitter death vnto him for a full pardon and remission of all their sinnes O Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world we beseech thee throgh thy seauen words which are full of mercy and mystery that thou wilt mercifully pardon these poore soules whatsoeuer they haue offended in the seauen deadly sinnes or any branch of them Miserere THE XXVII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus the vanquisher of death descending with the banner of thy crosse into hell O how were those Prisoners which so many yeares with longing desires had expected thee comforted when as they saw thee and knew thee to be God and man their Lord and redeemer and that Adam said I see heere that hand that framed me O deerest Sauiour we beseech thee through the Ioy those holy soules had when thou didest lead them out of that Infernall Prison and by that vnspeakable gladnesse thou hadst when thou beheldest the first happy fruit of thy death and passion through al thy merits that thou wilt lead forth these poore soules out of all captiuity Miserere THE XXVIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus foūtaine of loue and mercy and represent to thee how Longinus furiously opened thy side with a speare which transpeirced euen thy Sacred hart of out which flowed both water and bloud O deerest Lord we humbly thanke thee for this most liberall effusion of thy precious bloud and humbly beseech thee by it to receiue these poore Soules into thy sacred woundes and hart and cleanse them with thy precious bloud and by the fiue woundes of thy handes feet and hart all the other sacred woundes of thy most precious body mercifully to pardō all their sinnes Miserere THE XXIX PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus the innocent sacrificed Lambe represent vnto thee how thy wounded body was takē downe frō the Crosse laid in the lap of thy sorrowfull Mother from which crosse thou wouldst not descend vntill thou haddst accomplished the worlds redemption O deerest Lord through that thy infinite mercy and all other merites of thy bitter passion we humbly beseech thee to vnloose these poore soules frō all the chaines wherewith they haue bound themselues by their sinnes we humbly beseech thee also O Sacred Mother of God through the sorrow and tender compassion thou hadst to see the wounded body of thy deerest sonne lying dead in thy lap that thou wilt offer his and thy merites for these poore Soules vnto the eternall Father to obtaine a full pardō remissiō of all their sinnes Miserere THE XXX PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus and offer vnto thee thy holy buriall how after all thy labours and miseries thou didest rest in thy graue We humbly beseech thee to giue these soules rest in the holy City of heauen forgiue them who haue so often times withdrawne their soule from thee by the distraction of temporall thinges and not suffered thee their peacefull king to rest in their hartes Miserere THE XXXI PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus the ioy of Angels and saluation of men and represent to thee thy glorious resurrection and ioyfull apparitions to thy holy Mother deere friends through which we humbly beseech thee O conquerer of death that thou wilt with thy diuine power shew thy selfe to these poore Soules finish all their bitter paines Mise THE XXXII PRAYER WE salute thee ô soueraigne King of glory and represent to thee thy Glorious Triumphant Ascension and Assumption of those Soules which in Limbo so long time had expected their Redēption most humbly beseeching thee sweet Sauiour that thou wilt be pleased through thy infinite goodnesse to lead these Soules into thy eternall glory where for euer they may behold thy diuine and heauenly face O good Iesus and deere Sauiour we beseech thee by thy holy conuersation and painfull passion to pardon them all their sinnes and bring them into thy eternall rest and fruition of thy glory Miserere THE XXXIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô eternall increated Sonne of God full of grace and mercy the reward of all those that hope in thee most humbly beseeching thee mercifully to forgiue vs all our omissions of intention in these prayers let thē not be throgh our coldnes lesse meritorious to these poore Soules but receiue them according to the worthinese of the sacred mysteries mentioned therin through that infinite loue wherewith they were accomplished and the worthinesse of the person that wrought them by all which we humbly beseech thee to deliuer these poore soules frō all paines and reioyce them with thy heauenly presence for all eternity Miserere The Conclusion O Most sweet Lord Iesus soueraigne Lord life of our soules we humbly beseech thee to encline thy eares to our prayers deliuer these Soules or this Soule from all paines and admit them into thy eternall glory Let thy preciou◠bloud thy deep woundes thy cruell torments thy bitter passion innocent death thy Nobl◠Soule and the prayers and merits of thy sacred Mother and all the holy Angels and Saintes be vnto them a full satisfaction for all their sinnes negligences and omissions and suffer no◠their Soules whom thou hast redeemed with thy preciou◠bloud any longer to be separated from thee O Redeemer o◠the world we hūbly offer these prayers for them to thy ttanspeirced Hart beseeching thee to grant them the fruition of thy eternall Glory Amen FINIS
to drinke Matth. 25. Marke how God doth giue them heauen for the doing of good workes Possesse saith he the kingdome for you gaue me to eate to drinke c. And somewhat before in the same Chapter Because thou wert faithfull ouer a few things J will place thee ouer many enter into the ioy of thy Lord. Marke this causall because thou wert faithfull This is the cause for which Christ saith he giueth heauen Let Luther let Caluin let those who care for no good workes name what other cause they please 4. That our good Workes are impetratory that is haue vertue to mooue the liberality goodnesse mercy of God to bestow in regard of them the grant of many fauours when by prayer they are offered vp for this end for if they be not thus offered vp as they are ioyned and applyed to this end by prayer perhaps not any good workes at all are impetratory excepting only prayer it selfe not all prayer but such as containeth some petition That I say good workes are impetratory wheÌ„ they are thus ioyned with prayer is euidently prooued out of that fast of Dauid who with the Prayer made for his sonnes life ioyned also other workes of pennance lying on the ground fasting c. For the child saith he whilst he did yet liue I did fast weepe but now seeing he is dead why should I fast 2. Reg. 12. 5. That our good workes are satisfactory that is that they performed and dignified by Grace graÌ„ted through Christ his merits haue vertue to cancell out sin and the paines due to sin is most cleare in Scripture Heretikes if loathnesse to make satisfaction for their sinnes did not blind them cannot but see it Almesdeeds free froÌ„ death and Almes-deeds it is which purgeth sinne and maketh vs find mercy and life euerlasting Tob. 12. Almes-deeds free from sinne and from death and they do not suffer the soule to goe into darknesse Tob. 4. Water quencheth the burning fier and Almes-deeds resist sinne Eccl. 3. In the eleauenth Chapter of S. Luke our Sauiour speaking to the Scribes and Pharises saith that they shall be condemned in the day of iudgment that the bloud of all the Prophets slaine from the beginning of the world shall be required at their hands and six times one after another he pronounceth Woe against them to those vncleane men our Sauiour at the very same time said Neuerthelesse for that which remaineth giue Almes and behold all things are made cleane vnto you as sinfull people as you are Wherfore let my counsell please thee it is the most excelleÌ„t counsell of the Prophet Daniel redeeme thy sinnes with Almes-deeds and thy iniquityes with the workes of mercy Dan. 4. 6. This being thus declared it may easily be vnderstood how things do passe wheÌ„ we offer vp any work for the soules in Purgatory For first the good worke thus offered vp is meritorious and therfore we alwaies merit by it neither can we giue this merit away because reward is only due Scripture promiseth it to those only who shall haue done well wherfore we loose not the least parcell of the merit of our good workes if we do them for the soules in Purgatory yea we much increase it as shal be shewed Secondly the good worke thus offered is impetratory that is it is apt to mooue Gods mercy to graunt that fauour for obtaining of which it is offered wâ—â— as a happy death peace among Christians the long and happy life of our noble King or such like things Now the obtaining of all these requests is not the least hindered but very much as we shall shew furthered though these workes which we do be giuen to the soules in Purgatory and offered vp to God for the satisfaction of the paines due vnto their sinnes not fully satisfied for Thirdly and lastly this good worke which we offer for the soules in Purgatory is satisfactory and according to this satisfactory vertue which it hath not as it is either meritorious or impetratory we do commonly apply it to the soules in Purgatory because the thing which these poore soules stand most in need of is making satisfaction for their sins not fully satisfied for which satisfaction we make in their behalfe as holy Job did in behalfe of his sonnes when he offered daily sacrifices for their sinnes How this is not against Charity towards our selues shall be declared hereafter CHAP. VIII That by offering our actions for the Soules in Purgatory we do not merit lesse but more 1. THat we do not merit lesse is euident out of the last Chapter that we merit more then otherwise we should haue done if we had not applied these our actions to the soules in Purgatory is taught by the Prince of Deuines S. Thomas l. 3. cont Gentes c. 158. in these words The affection of Charity in him who suffereth for his friend doth make his satisfaction more pleasing to God then if he had suffered for his owne selfe And it is certaine out of holy Scripture that Charity doth adde an exceeding worth and value to our least actions for only Charity it is which maketh a cup of cold water giuen for Christs sake to be rewarded in the life to come And only Charity it was which made the poore widdows mite of greater price then the richest guifts 2. Now then all meriting hath for reward some higher degree of celestiall glory which degree should not haue bin purchased without that meritorious worke had bin done so that if there be two men who before were of equall merits the one of theÌ„ should but giue a cup of cold water more for Christs sake then the other should giue this man for this so small a good work should haue a higher degree of glory then the other and consequently he should see God for all eternity more perfectly and be for euer more happy then the other So that if we did truly loue either God or our selues we should thinke all sufferings whatsoeuer euen those of Purgatory to be a small price for the least degree of glory for indeed the least is a good so great that the suffering of neuer so long a Purgatory for purchasing it would not be so much as suffering a flea-bite to purchase the Empire of the whole world It would make a man blesse himselfe to see how starke mad men are in neglecting such a good 3. To our purpose theÌ„ I say that by applying our actions to the soules in Purgatory we do merit more then if we had not applyed them to this end and not onely more but very much more and therefore though we did sustayne other many and great inconueniences yet they were all to be accounted as nothing in comparison of these inestimable treasures of merit which by this deuotion we purchase The causes which make this act of so high merit may be many for as we haue shewed in the sixt chapter this deuotion may be a worke
soules and as they are impetratory they may be offered vp for the obteyning of what we please 2. True it is that sometyms the very thing which we do desire petition in our prayers is the reliefe of the soules in Purgatory we do actually craue intreat and beg for this and vnto this our so earnest request we do ioyne other works of fasting almesdeeds c. to moue the mercy of God to heare graciously this our petitiō then we need not wonder if our prayers as they are impetratory do not impetrate for vs other fauours for we neuer did demand them so when I pray for the health of my Father this prayer of mine doth not impetrate the health of my mother and euen as when I pray for both the health of my Father and of my Mother this prayer of mine is not so efficacious to obtaine the health of my Father as it would haue bin if it had bin made for that end onely and no other so I pray for other things and also for the soules in Purgatory this prayer of mine is not perhaps so efficacious to obtain those other things as it would haue bin if it had bin made for those only and for nothing els I did say perhaps for there be many reasons as we shall see presently for which Prayer thus made becommeth very efficacious for the obtaining those other requestes which I desire to haue granted which perhaps may further the grant of them far more then praying for them alone would do 3. But for the present let vs suppose that such a prayer is lesse effectuall for obtaining of other things yet this ought not to make men more backward to pray for the soules in Purgatory for shall I neuer pray for my Mother because by the same prayer I obtaine some what lesse for my Father then I should haue done if I had prayed for him only In the choice of thes intentions for which we pray we must regard many things as the greater glory of God the necessity of our Neighbour our owne spirituall aduancement the common good of the Church and the like Now perhaps all things well considered there will scarce be found any one thinge which ought so dearly to be commended to our deuotions as praying for the dead in the which among other thinges there is also this to be noted that as S. Thomas saith in suppl 3. p. q. 21. a. 5. God doth rather accept of prayers for the dead then for the liuing because they not being able as the liuing are to help themselues do more stand in need of the help of others To the which we may ad a worthy cōsideration of S. Denis that famous disciple of S. Paul de Eccl. Hier. c. 7. p. 5. to wit that when we pray for the liuing our prayer many times as it is impetratory obtaineth nothing at all because the thing we pray for is not conuenient to be granted or because to vse his example the sins of those we pray for do hinder this effect as the sins of Saul did hinder that the prayers of Samuel could not be heard in his behalf 1. Reg. 15.16 This in praying for the dead doth neuer take place for those who are departed in Gods grace as S. Augustine in Enchir. c. 100. teacheth deserued whilst they liued that these helps of prayers might profit them after their death 4. Let vs come now to the reasōs for which as I began to infinuate our prayers are far more impetratory when we remember the dead in them then when we omit this charitable remembrance The first reason is because this praying for the dead is an act of mercy so excellent that it doth in a super-eminent manner containe and surpasse all the corporall deeds of mercy put together as hath bin demonstrated Now there is no more efficacious meanes to stir vp the mercy and liberality of God towards vs then the exercise of works of mercy and liberality For as our Sauiour saith Math. 6. Blessed be the mercifull because they shall obtaine mercy And againe Marc. 4. In what measure you shall measure vnto others it shall be measured back to goe againe adijcietur vobis and measured back with great increase Will you know with how great S. Luke telleth you A good measure a heaped measure a measure pressed downe running ouer they shall giue into your bosome Luc. 6. With what words could the largnesse of this measure haue bin more fully set forth And indeed of so good a God we could expect no other far be it from him that our liberality should rather shut thē open his hands His deeds will euer prooue his saying true Giue it shall be giuen vnto you in the measure declared vnto you in this very place 5. And we may be the more confident of this particuler act because our Sauiour taketh it as done vnto himselfe and therefore doubtles as those soules which we haue deliuered cannot but be most ready to further any iust petition which we shall make so our deare Lord who counteth himselfe to be the person released will neuer be wāting in the furtherance of whatsoeuer we shall piously desire Now to haue his good word so sure on our side must needs be of greater cōsequence for obtaining any reasonable fauour then any thing we can deuise And as far as my capacity can reach I cannot conceiue in what māner we may more efficaciously compasse the grant of al our most important requests then by thus obliging as I may say Christ our Lord to speake in our behalfe with that earnestnes which we may imagin those soules to vse whom we haue relieued 6. The R. F. Alexis de Salo writeth thus of himselfe Part. 1. § 2. One of my particuler denotions is whensoeuer I desire to obtaine any fauour for my selfe or any other to say some few prayers for the dead and J assure you J haue experienced in my selfe others strange effects Many haue found and still do find wonderfull fauours in their iourneys by offering the labour of that dayes trauell or doing some other good work for the soules in Purgatory so that in some places this is very commonly practised and many such like deuotions are of more admirable effect then men will easily belieue 7. A further reason why our prayers when we remember the soules of Purgatory in them do become of far greater efficacy to obtaine our requests is this Because as hath bin insinuated this prayer though of it selfe it hath not this greater efficacy yet what it wanteth of it selfe it procureth to be far more effectually performed by the help of those voices which it winneth amonge which the first place is to be giuen to the Word incarnate whose words cannot but be heard I did know that thou dost alwayes heare me saith this our Lord Joan. 9. The voices also of Heauens whole Court cannot but ioyne with the Word both because their affections are vnited with an
By this it appeareth that all those who exercise these works of charity spirituall mercy frequently as all do who do much for the soules in Purgatory are so far from depriuing themselues of all satisfaction that as often as they giue their satisfactory works away they heap vp great treasures of satisfaction so that heere that which the Scripture sayth in the Prouerbs is perfectly verifyed Some men diuide to others their owne riches and become the richer therby Prou. 24. CHAP. XI That by offering our Actions for the Soules in Purgatory we haue great hope of escaping eyther all or a good part of Purgatory 1. THE proofe of this title may be in part drawne out of the precedent chapters for this act being so eminent if we regard merit and so effectuall if we regard impetration may with good groūd be thought partly to deserue as it is meritorious partly to obtaine by way of fauour as it is impetratory that our mercifull Lord should deale more mildely then the ordinary course of iustice exacts with all those who haue both made a most noble kind of satisfaction for their owne sinnes and haue with a most heroicall charity done many worthy actiōs to satisfy for the sinnes of others neyther be there wanting many conuenient reasons to perswade vs to haue this honorable conceit of the diuine goodnes 2. The holy Scripture it selfe giues vs good ground to build this opinion Charity doth couer the multitude of sinnes 1. Pet. 4. And yet more clearly Charity doth couer all our sinnes Prou. 10. And what Charity more eminent then this Almes free from sinne and from death and permit not the soule to go into darknes Tob. 4. Giue almes and all shall be clean vnto you Luc. 11. Now if these prerogatiues be to be granted to almes deeds when they are plentiful which I add because S. Chrysostome sayth Non dare sed copiosè dare eleemosyna est Not to giue but to giue plentifully is an almeesdeed if I say almesdeeds be thus priuiledged being a meere worke of mercy corporall what shall we thinke of this almes so incōparably surpassing all corporall works of mercy for it relieueth a greater misery then any corporall necessity can be and it bestoweth a gift no lesse then the possession of God himselfe Shall such an almes permit the giuer of it to go into darknes Now this almes also will make all cleare for He who giueth to the poore shall not want Prou. 27. He shall not sustaine this necessity the most grieuous a poore soule can be in because as holy Dauid saith Psal 40. Blessed is he who vnderstandeth concerning the poore and needy in the euill day our Lord will deliuer him He shall be deliuered in that day which to others is so euill 3. And indeed how can we thinke otherwise for be not these our Sauiours words As long as you haue done these things vnto any one of my Bretheren you haue done them vnto me Now if our Sauiour taketh the deliuery of the Soules of his bretheren as gratefully as if his owne soule had bin freed from Purgatory what shadow of likelyhood is there that he will not procure the deliuery of him whom he acknowledgeth to haue bin his owne deliuerer who of vs can haue the heart and our harts are hard inough yet who of vs can haue the hart to let him lye rosting in Purgatory flames who hath freed vs from this misery especially if we could effect his releasment as easily as our Sauiour can worke ours euen without breach of the very rigor of iustice to wit by offering in our behalfe his superabundant satisfactions for the supply of such satisfaction as we stand in need of that is to bestow for his own sake a Plenary Indulgence vpon vs which though it be a fauour extraordinary yet the motiue to grant it beareth proportion with such a grant and to him who hath shewed so extraordinary charity liberality and mercy it ought not to seeme strange if extraordinary charity liberality mercy be shewed by him whose bowels are made all of Charity bounty and compassion for if in punishing God obserueth this rule By what things a man sinneth by the same also he is tormented Sap. 11. As he hath done so it shall be done vnto him He shall restore soule for soule eye for eye Leuit. 29. May we not iustly thinke that in matter of fauour he doth shew greatest mercy to him who hath shewed greatest mercy to others what other sense haue those words Matth. 5. Blessed be the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Wherfore As he hath done it shall be done vnto him As he hath offered his satisfactions for the releasment of the Soules of Christs bretheren so Christ will offer vp his superabundant satisfaction for the releasment of his Soule Soule for Soule shall be repayed to him ransom for ransom As he hath freed others so he shal be freed himselfe 4. We must not heere ouerslip in a cursory manner that euidēt text of Scripture which doth almost demonstrate that which we haue said Giue and it shal be giuen vnto you but marke well in what measure A good measure a heaped measure a measure pressed downe and running ouer they shall giue into your bosome Luc. 6. The thing which we did giue was the fruits of our satisfactiōs for supply of our Brethrēs want by which guift he was released Wherfore that our Lord may returne vs equall measure as great wants of ours must be supplyed by the fruits of his superabundāt satisfactions but that this measure be a heaped vp a pressed downe and running ouer measure we may expect to be in that ouer liberall manner made partakers of Christs satisfactions that by them our debts being to the last farthing wholy discharged we may passe without impedimēt to the reward of our charity 5. To all these so well grounded reasons we will add for a conclusion the certaine assistance which infallibly in this our necessity will be affoarded vs by all those whom we haue either released or relieued and not only all these happy soules but also all and euery one of their blessed kindred Angel-guardians Patrons c. will fauour vs in our death to requite the fauour by which we obliged them in our life so that many of the Saints by their glorious intercessions some by offering vp for vs their superabundant satisfactions will so preuayle with the mercy of God that we need not much feare all helps being put togeather to be long left forlorn in the flames of Purgatory 6. And least perhaps this feare might haue some little place left in any mans hart it hath pleased the diuine goodnes by word of mouth to confirme all we haue said S. Gertrude was one of the most renowned Saints for vertue and one of the most wonderfull Saints for the miraculous fauours which daily were done vnto her that the Church hath had This blessed Saint as Denis the Carthusian relateth
for Christs sake for his brethren for soules so esteemed by him that what is done for them he taketh it as done vnto himselfe 4. If any demand whether these two deuotions may be securely practised by all kind of men what quality soeuer they be of I answer that they may with great profit of their owne and their neighbours soules and aduancement of Gods glory if for more caution this condition be added As far as it is sutable to Gods holy will and maketh to the greatest increase of his glory I offer vp for the reliefe of the soules in Purgatory the whole satisfactory vertue of whatsoeuer good I shall do or euill J shall suffer all the time of my whole life and all the prayers other good works whatsoeuer which shal be performed for me after my death so far I say as this shal be most pleasing to God For what danger can there be in this Act Can that be any way subiect to be done amisse which is wholy subiected to the diuine wil Two extreames might be dangerous in that which concernes deuotion for the soules in Purgatory The first by shewing them too little charity the second by forgetting wel-ordered Charity towards our selues and our neighbours heere on earth As for the first this charity cannot be to little because we do for the soules as great a part of our actions as God would haue vs for we offer them all so far as is most agreable to his holy will as for the second we forget not to reserue as great a part of our workes for our selues and our neighbours on earth as God would haue vs for we giue away no more then best pleaseth him and maketh most to his greatest honour So that I cannot discouer the least shadow of danger in practising these deuotions in the manner aboue said for would any man do more for himselfe or lesse for these poore soules then God would haue him 5. The Reuerend Father Eusebius Nierembergicus in a Treatise be wrote of Purgatory did handle this point so well that two worthy Doctours and Professours of Diuinity at Lyons in France diligently examining the force of his reasons were so conuinced therby that both of them together with diuers of their schollers gaue all the satisfactions of their whole life to the soules in Purgatory Libell de modo se citò ditandi This deuotion in fine hath bin practised by many great seruaÌ„ts of God highly recommended for their piety by most graue Authours and God did reward S. Gertrude for it in that liberal manner before mentioned and if it be â—â—sed with the caution now spoken of no man can suspect it neither can there be any want of deuotion in adding a condition so pious CHAP XVI To what Soules in Purgatory we are chiefly to apply our satisfactory works 1. I know not how to begin this Chapter better then by answering an obiectioÌ„ which some speculatiue witty may chance to stumble at Alas will some say what good will all my poore works do when they come to be shared among so many thousand soules as be in Purgatory They wil be like a little loafe of bread amongst a great multitude of beggars which if it be equally cut euery one will scarce receyue a crumme These men seeme to suppose themselues the onely men in the world who shew charity to the soules in Purgatory For if there be others and many others who by Gods grace are no lesse charitable and liberall then they it is not hard to vnderstand how by the helpe of many many may be holpen That which Thomas or William doth contribute towards the maintenance of a whole army will not affoard euery Souldier a farthing and yet because others in great multitudes contribute as well as they whole armyes are easily maintayned in a flourishing estate So whilest many deuout soules relieue these helplesse soules many helplesse soules are relieued 2. And indeed we haue great reasoÌ„ to shew charity to all For first the law of Nature cryeth out vnto vs All things that you would men should do to you do you also to them Matth. 7. Secondly the written Law in playne termes saith Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Thirdly our Sauiour addeth a strange force also to this Precept This is my precept that you loue one an other as J haue loued you Ioan. 15. Now how he loued vs all his life and most of all his blessed death doth testify Fourthly all soules are so esteemed by Christ that he taketh that Charity which is shewed to the least of them as kindly as if it were done to himselfe in person In fine the vertue of Mercy calles vpon vs to assist all who are in extreame necessity as these poore soules are These be forcible reasons mouing vs to assist al that be in Purgatory 3. Yet it is in no case to be misliked but it is rather a most recommendable deuotion to pray for some soules in particular and in the first place for those to which besides those generall reasons now alleaged for all we may haue some peculiar obligation For some we may be bouÌ„d to pray by our owne oath promise compact rule c. For others by the vertue of Piety as our Parents spirituall Fathers kindred frends and acquaintance c. For some againe out of gratitude as our benefactours spirituall temporall c. These reasons be more particular and therfore they ought to preuayle more with vs then those other generall reasons for which we are to pray for all men because the generall reasons make as much for these as for any others and besides they haue also their particular reasons 4. But when we know not such particular reasons as these are yet it wil be piously done to pray for some soules in particular though in a manner more generall for example for that soule whose deliuery maketh most to Gods glory whose reliefe or releasement the glorious Virgin Mary most desires for those who were most deuoted to her for those who be in greatest necessity most of all forlorne c. For those who are so neere their deliuery that by our small deuotions they may be perfectly set free and consequently immediately glorify God pray for vs c. In fine here euery man may do what is most sutable to his priuate deuotion which notwithstanding is best when it is ordered by the most perfect rule of Gods greater glory CHAP. XVII The perfect practise of all conteyned in this Booke 1. VVHosoeuer to Gods glory the good of his owne soule and reliefe of those in Purgatory desireth to put in practise all which hath bin treated of in this booke must first aboue all things haue a care to put and keep himselfe in state of grace for if he hath not the grace and charity of God though he should distribute all his substance to the poore or all his works to the soules in Purgatory it would profit him and them nothing at all 2.
The perfect practice of all conteynd in this Books pag. 166. FINIS THREE AND THIRTY most godly deuout Prayers or Salutations to be recited in honour of the Sacred Life Passion of our Blessed Sauiour sweet Iesus for faithfull Soules departed After ech wherof must be said the Psalme Miserere The Preamble or Introduction O Most sweet Lord Iesus most mercifull pardoner of our sinnes and Sauiour of our soules we hūbly beseech thee by all the mercies that euer thou hast shewed to sinners from the first instant of thy birth vnto this presēt houre that thou wilt not refuse the prayers of vs poore sinners for this Soule or these Soules but be pleased to deliuer them from all paine graunt thē eternall rest through thy bottōles mercy for that to saue vs thou didst assume our poore humanity THE I. PRAYER WE salute thee Eternall word and wisdome of the Father beseech thee by that infinite charity which drew thee from the bosome of thy eternall Father to chose the pure immaculate Virgin to be thy mother as also through that admirable worke thou wroughtest in her sacred wombe when thou didst cloath thy Glorious Diuinity with our base flesh and in that sort becamest our brother and didest giue thy glorious mother vnto vs for an Aduocate and mother for which cause we hūbly haue recourse vnto her hoping what our owne merites cannot obtaine to impetrate by her confident wherof we conuert our selues to thee ô sweet Mother of mercy and by that inestimable treasure which was inclosed in thy Virginal wombe which neither heauen nor earth could containe O daughter of the eternall Father mother of the sonne and spouse of the holy Ghost we beseech thee that thou wilt vouchsafe by thy intercession to open vnto vs the same diuine treasure and beseech thy beloued sonne that throgh the loue he bore thee he will receiue our petitions for this Soule or these Soules and forgiue thē in whatsoeuer they haue offended and by his holy birth by which he hath broken Adams chaines wil be pleased to vnloose these poore Soules from the chaines of their sinnes Miserere mei Deus c. THE II. PRAYER WE salute thee O most sweet Lord Iesus fountaine of mercy and bright Mirrour of al vertue beseech thee throgh the extreme pouerty and other afflictions that thou didest endure in thy holy birth and tender infancy as also by thy great humility penance fasting watching praying and other austerities that thou didest liuing here vpon earth for the space of 33. yeares by thy painful foot-steps going bare-foote and bare head throgh the hunger thirst cold and heate labour wearines the other miseries thou sufferedst euery hower and moment during thy life for our saluation that immense charity wherby thou didest offer all those thy suffrings to thy celestiall Father for the satisfaction of our sinnes that thou wilt mercifully pardon these Soules all the offences they haue commited against thee in pride vain-glory couetousnes sensuality vaine cares of temporall things vanities impure thoughtes wordes and actions throgh the merits of all thy sufferances labours and most holy life and conuersation Miserere THE III. PRAYER WE salute thee ô Eternall comfort sweet solace of our soules and beseech thee by that infinite loue mercy thou hast awayes shewed to sinners so immense that no vnderstanding is able to comprehend it by that loue which made thee who art an incomprehensible treasure to permit thy selfe to be sold for thirty pence by that infinite charity wherewith thou didest giue thy selfe in the diuine Sacrament to thy Apostles vnder the species of bread and wine to vs all as a pledge of our saluation through this thy liberality we beseech thee ô bread of Angels and Sauiour of soules the giuer and the gift that thou wilt mercifully pardon these Soules all the offences they haue commited against thee by vnworthy receauing of this holy Sacramēt without due contrition right confession and entire satisfactiō forgiue thē ô Lord throgh thy infinite mercy Miserere THE IV. PRAYER WE salute thee ô bread of Angells and comforter of sorrowfull hartes beseech thee by thy profound humility with which thou didst bow downe thy knees at thy disciples feet washed them as also through that holy Sermon thou didest make vnto them and the sorrowfull wordes thou spakest saying My soule is sorrowfull vnto death vntil now you haue not prayed pray for whatsoeuer you shall aske the Father in my name he will giue it you O louing Lord through this thy promise we beseech thy blessed Father through thee his only deere beloued sonne that he wil remēber the great anxiety thy sacred humanity did indure when it beheld all those intollerable torments death it was to vndergoe by the bitter anguish therof we beseech him and thy sacred selfe mercifully to pardon these Soules all they haue offended in vaine solace and admit them into thy eternall glory Miserere THE V. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most mercifull Lord Iesus sweet sheepheard of our Soules who for our redemption hast drunke the chalice of thy bitter passiō besech thee by that painful agony which thou didst willingly endure when kneeling and prostrate on the ground thou didst pray three seuerall times to thy celestiall Father saying Father if it be possible let this Chalice passe from me yet not my will but thyne be done at which time thou didest sweat water bloud through the bitternesse of thy anguish and an Angell came frō heauen to cōfort thee saying Arise go forward coragiously you shal appease your Fathers wrath you shall breake Adams bandes redeeme mankind after which thou wentest to thy Disciples finding them a sleep saidst do you sleep now Arise let vs go for he that betrayeth me is at hand O deere Lord through that thy willing resignation to suffer death to fulfill the will of thy heauenly Father and through thy dolourous agonye and blouddy sweat we beseech thee mercifuly to pardon these poore soules all the offences they haue committed against thy diuine pleasure or the Obedience of their Superiours and through thy holy feruēt prayer receiue our humble prayers and petitions for them Miserere THE VI. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus beseech thee by that inflamed charity wherwith thou didest go to meet the traitor Iudas asking him the rest whō they soght they answering Iesus of Nazareth thou answeredst I am he through the power of which wordes they all fell two seuerall times downe to the ground after which giuing them power to rise thou didest meekly receiue the kisse of the traytor Iudas saying to him Friend whereto art thou come dost thou betray the sonne of man with a kisse We thanke thee O most sweet Sauiour for all these mercies and beseech thee throgh the merits of them to forgiue these soules whatsoeuer they haue offended in detraction
offences which they haue committed against thee Miserere THE XII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus souerain king of Angels and shining crowne of the Saintes and represent vnto thee how those cruel miscreats after they had so inhumanly scourged thee set vpon thy sacred head a Crowne of sharpe and pricking thornes which they strooke with cruell blowes into thy head and kneeling downe before thee in scorne saluted thee saying All haile king of the Iewes after which they pulled of the Crowne of thornes and set it on againe with intollerable tormentes to thee spitting on thy diuine face which was all ouer imbrued with bloud swelled disfigured and deformed giuing thee cruell buffets scorning and deriding thee O deerest Lord Iesus O most mercifull Father and Sauiour we represente vnto thee all these paines and do giue thee infinite thankes for all these thy sufferings and those most cruell torments thou enduredst in thy sacred head most humbly beseeching thee by thē mercifully to pardon these poore soules all they haue offēded by their head either in hearing seeing speaking eating drinking or vaine attyring of their heads or by euill vsing the three powers of their soule forgiue it thē sweet Lord throgh thy infinit mercy Miserere THE XIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus eternall king of glory and represent vnto thee the intollerable shame and torment thou didest endure when Pilate led thee out to the people wearing the crowne of thornes and purple garment said Behold the man and the cursed multitude seeing thee so miserably disfigured wounded rent and torne had no compassion on thee but most vnhumanly cryed out take him a way take him a way crucify him crucify him O deerest Lord we render infinite thankes to thee for these thy cruell torments shame and ignominies and beseech thee to present now thy selfe with them and all thy other merites vnto thy heauenly Father for these soules for their eternall reconciliation and cloath them with thy merites and so present them to him as a fruite of thy better passion Miserere THE XIV PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus God of infinit Power and Maiesty and represent vnto thee how Pilate going to his Iudgment seat caused thee to be broght againe before him where thou stoodst hūbly with declined head eyes said to the Iewes I haue corrected him will you that I dismisse him but they al cryed out crucify him crucify him then Pilate said Will you that I dismisse Barabbas and crucify Iesus they all cryed out yes let him be crucified for he hath deserued the shamfull death of the Crosse then Pilate washed his hands and said I am innocent of the bloud of this iust man but they all cryed out let his bloud be vpon vs and vpon our Children O deerest Sauiour O foūtaine of all goodnesse O Father of mercy and God of all consolation we call vpon thee with all our hartes and with our soule powers forces and affections most humbly beseeching thee that thou wilt vouchsafe to let thy precious bloud come as truly vpon these poore soules to the forgiuenes remission of all their sinnes as it hath done vpon the Iewes to their eternall cōdemnation Then Pilate gaue the sentence of death against Iesus O deerest Sauiour through this sentence of death which thou receiuedst with so great humility we humbly beseech thee mercifully to pardon these poore Soules in whatsoeuer they haue offended by any euill or rash iudgmēt of their neighbour either in thought word or deed Miserere THE XV. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus most meeke bearer of our infirmities and offer vnto thee that great charity wherwith thou didest imbrace the heauy Crosse that the cruell Iewes laid vpon thy wounded shoulders the weight wherof caused thee to bow downe euen to the ground being so faint that thou couldst scarce go or draw thy breath in which pittifull plight thou wert dragged forward by the Iewes who often strooke thee on thy sacred head and cast stones filth at thee O deerest Lord through the heauy burthen of the Crosse which thou so willingly cariedst for our sins we besech thee that thou wilt deliuer these Soules from all their paines through the great wound that the heauy Crosse made in thy wounded shoulder we beseech thee to comfort them in the same holy wound and by thy painfull footsteps forgiue them their sinnefull footsteps lead them into thy eternall glory and through the sorrow of thy blessed Mother compassion thou haddest of her pardon these poore Soules whatsoeuer they haue offended by omission of their duty toward their parents either corporall or spirituall Miserere THE XVI PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus Christ who cloathest the lillyes flowers with colours and beauty and represent vnto thee thy painfull vnclothing when before so many and so great a multitude of people they so furiously pulled of thy garments which stuck so fast to thy woundes that with the force of pulling them off they tore off also thy skin and flesh with most intollerable paine and torment to thee who stoodest in that miserable plight all ouer wounded rent torne naked trembling with cold and shame in the view of all the world powring from all partes of thy sacred body streames of most precions bloud O most sweet Iesus neuer did Bridegroome goe to the chamber of his spouse with so great a loue as thou wentest towardes the Crosse O deerest Sauiour neuer did Prince go to receiue his Crowne more willingly then thou wētest to the crosse wheron those impious vile miscreāts most furiously cast thee thou most willing didst stretch forth thy holy body vpon it suffering them most inhumanly to stretch forth and to nayle thy right Hand thereunto with a rough and boystorous nayle O soueraigne Lord and sweet Redeemer we rēder infinite thākes to thy goodnesse for all these thy cruell paines and torments and beseech thee by them all to forgiue these poore Soules all they haue offēded throgh pride of cloaths or any other offence or sinne Miserere THE XVII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus deere Father of our soules and present to thee that furious cruelty wherwith those barbarous wretches drew thy other Hand with a cord vnto the hole they had made in the Crosse in such sort that thy bones were disioynted thy woundes rent wider and all thy veines and sinewes broken and then they nayled that hand vnto the Crosse as they had done the other O deerest Lord we render thee infinite thankes for that intollerable torment thou didst endure in that cruell nayling of thy Handes vnto the crosse and beseech thee by it by the sacred woundes of them that thou wilt mercifully pardon these poore Soules all the sinnes and offences which by their handes they haue committed against thee Miserere THE XVIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus mercifull