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
Mediator betweene thy heauenly Father vs sinners and represent to thee that cruelty wherwith the cursed Iewes stretched forth thy sacred leggs so violently with a cord that all thy veines sinewes were broken and nayled thy holy feet vnto the crosse with great and boystrous nayles throgh thy great patience suffering them to do to thee whatsoeuer they would as if thou hadst said I lye heere to the end I may accomplish my Fathers will and redeeme mankind O what great and excessiue paine caused euery stroke of the hammer vnto thy hart and also to the tender hart of thy blessed Mother O deerest Sauiour we render thee infinite thankes for that most intollerable torment which thou didst endure in that dolourous nayling of thy sacred feet and that immense loue charity wherwith thou didest suffer it most hūbly beseeching thee therby to pardon these soules all they haue committed against thee by sitting or lying sleeping or waking knowing or not knowing or in what sort soeuer through thy painfull lying on the crosse and extreme torments shame and ignominy Miserere THE XIX PRAYER O Most sweet Lord Iesus we humbly salute thee and represent vnto thee that pittifull rearing vp of the crosse wherby thy cruell enemies did miserably shake thy sacred body vsing many clamours opprobries and iniurious despites against thee letting the crosse fall after they had raysed it violently downe into the hole they had made for it in the ground through the force wherof all thy woundes were renewed and most cruelly rent and torne out of which as from riuers flowed forth thy precious bloud in great aboundance O deerest Sauiour with what infinite Charity diddest thou hang there to make satisfaction for all sinnes past present and to come for which we render thee immortall thankes and humbly beseech thee to let one drop of that thy precious bloud which thou didest then shee l descend vpon these Soules for a full satisfaction of all the sinnes they haue committed in the whole course of their life Miserere THE XX. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus who knowest the desires of our harts before they be declared by wordes and represent to thee that great charity wherewith hanging on the crosse thou didest pray for thy enemyes saying Father forgiue them for they know not what they do which mercifull prayer of thine was of such force that it conuerted many of them that were guilty of thy bloud O true comforter of all sorrowfull hartes we beseech thee throgh the merit of that thy Prayer that thou wilt vouchsafe now to pray to thy heauenly Father for these poore soules that they may be as fully pardoned of all their sinnes offences as those who were then receiued into grace through the merit of thy precious bloud Miserere THE XXI PRAYER WE salute thee ô soueraigne Lord Iesus sweet Father of mercy and represent to thee how hanginge betweene two thee us the one wherof blasphemed thee the other besought thee to be myndefull of him when thou camest in thy kingdome whom thou didest bountifully pardon and receiue into thy mercy in such sort as he was the first vnto whom thou didest promise paradise throgh which bottomlesse mercy we beseech thee as also throgh the merits of thy precious bloud which thou impartedst to the Theefe to let the same precious bloud descend now vpon these soules vnto a full forgiuenesse of their sinnes and through thy infinite mercy bring them into thy euerlasting glory Miserere THE XXII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most Blessed Lord Iesus sweet solace of the sorrowfull and offer vnto thee all that internall suffering thou haddest seeing thy deere Mother standing vnder the crosse ouerwhelmed in a sea of deadly anguishes through loue and compassion towardes thee whom thou didest commend to thy beloued Disciple S. Iohn which greately renewed her griefe and bitter sorrow for thy death O deerest Lord through this loue and care thou haddst of thy sweet Mother in thy torments we humbly commend vnto thy mercifull goodnesse these soules beseechinge thee to deliuer them for all paines and torments through thy merites and the merites of thy blessed Mother Miserere THE XXIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus soueraign shepheard of thy holy Church and faithfull forgiuer of sinnes and offer vnto thee that sorrowfull Prayer thou madest vnto thy heauenly Father when thou saidest my God my God why hast thou forsaken me he hauing left thy holy Humanity destitute of all help and comfort in those thy bitter angushes and tormēts for all which we humbly thanke thee beseech thee by them and the merits of thy sacred Prayer that thou wilt mercifully heare our humble prayers which we now present to thee for these poore soules deliuer them through thy infinite mercy and merits from all their paines tormēts Miserere THE XXIV PRAYER WE salute thee ô sweet Iesus fountaine of liuing waters and represent vnto thee how thou saidst I thirst which thirst must needs be excessiue great for that there was not left one drop of bloud in all thy whole body but chiefly didest thou thirst for our saluation for which we humbly thanke thee as also for the bitter gall eysell thou didest take and the secret sorrow thou hadst remembring that thy bitter death shold be lost on so many soules all which we humbly offer to thee ô most sweet Sauiour and beseech thee that thou wilt let thy precious bloud descend on these poore Soules to refresh them and to deliuer them from all their paines Miserere THE XXV PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus inestimable treasure of the diuine riches and represent vnto thee how in the end of thy life thou calledst to mind all the holy workes thou hadst done all thy life and in one summe offeredst them all vp to thy celestiall Father saying It is consūmate we most humbly beseech thee to offer that inestimable treasure of thy merits which neuer diminisheth vnto thy heauenly Father for these Soules and therewith pay all the debts of their sinnes and all other they are charged with Miserere THE XXVI PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Iesus giuer of life to all creatures and soueraigne commaunder of life and death and represent vnto thee thy lamentable hanging vpon the Crosse all deformed with bleedinge woundes a deadly palenesse at the time of thy death when casting downe thy heauēly eyes which were dimmed with tears and began to breake with the anguishes of death and declining thy head which was compassed about with thornes to shew thy Obedience to thy heauenly Father and reconcile thy Church to him thou rendredst thy sacred soule crying with a lowd voyce Father into thy handes I commend my spirit O crucifyed Lord as thou didst commend thy sweet spirit into thy Fathers handes so we commend these poore Soules into thyne beseching thee to reconcile them vnto thy heauenly Father and offer thy precious bloud and
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
murmuration vnprofitable friendship or any other offences beseech thee by that infinite loue and charity wherwith thou didest desire to haue pardoned Iudas that thou wilt haue mercy vpon these poore Soules and pardon them all the sinnes they haue committed against thee Miserere THE VII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus and represent vnto thee that Patience wherwith thou didest suffer thy selfe to be furiously apprehended by the wicked Iewes who seized vpon thee as thou hadst beene some theefe or wicked malefactour and bound thy sacred handes so cruelly behind thee that the bloud sprung forth of thy nayles then wert thou forsaken of all thy friendes and lefte in the cruell handes of those impious and most inhumaine slaues who pulling haling thee gaue thee many cruell buffets spurnes and blowes and in that manner led thee vnto the house of Annas the high Priest who imperiously examininge thee of thy Disciples and doctrine thou answeredst I haue taught openly in the tēple whither all the people resorte and in secret I haue said nothing why askest thou me aske those that heard me for which one of the seruantes that stood by gaue thee so cruell a blow on the race that thy teeth loosened in thy head saying answerest thou the high Priest so Others spurned thee strooke thee on the necke and spit vpon that diuine face which celestiall spirits are neuer satisfied to behold O dearest Lord Iesus we render infinite thankes to thy immense charity for all these thy sufferinges and humbly beseech thee by them by those merciful eyes wherwith thou didest behold S. Peter that thou wilt with the same eye of pitty looke vpon these soules loose them from all their chaines and forgiue them all their sinnes through the manifold tormentes thou didst endure that night Miserere THE VIII PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Sauiour sole comfort of sinners and represent vnto thee how furiously those cruell Tygers led thee boūd to Cayphas before whō thou stoodest like a meeke Lambe and heardest the false witnesse they brought against thee How thou wentest about to seduce the people and taughest them false doctrine That thou saidst thou couldst destroy the temple in three dayes readify it Then Cayphas adiured thee by the liuing God to tell him if thou wert Christ the sonne of the liuing God vnto whom thou answeredst thou saiest that I am Whereupon he rent his cloathes and said He hath blasphemed what need we any more witnesses at which they all cryed out he is worthy of death and furiously running vpon thee vnmeasurably spit in thy face buffeted and beat thee cruelly striking thee on thy holy necke and face and head blindfolding thee and giuing thee cruell blowes and saying in derision and scorne Prophesy ô Christ who it is that stroke thee for all which sufferances paines most in human iniuries we render thee infinite thankes O most sweet Lord Iesus and humbly beseech thee by the merits of thē to forgiue these soules if at any time they haue detracted and through all thy tormentes pardon them whatsoeuer they haue committed against thee Miserere THE IX PRAYER WE salute thee ô sweet Iesus almighty power in comprehensible wisdom of God represent vnto thee how these raging dogges led thee furiously vnto Pilate demaunding the sentence of death against thee he then sent thee to Herod who greatly reioyced at thy comming hoping to haue seene some miracle wrought by thee but thou didest not answere him one word but stoodst like a milde lābe holding thy peace which Herode seeing he caused thee to be mocked scorned and cloathed in a white garment like a foole setting in derision a crowne vpō thy head and spiting in thy face striking thee and saying All hayle king of Israel After which he sent thee back to Pilate saying he thought he had sent him a wise 〈…〉 saw he was a very foole O sweet Sauiour how many 〈◊〉 did they to thee by the way casting stones and filth at thee O eternall wisdome of the Father how art thou derided how art thou defiled and iniured O deerest Lord we render infinite thankes to thee for all these thy cōtumelies scornes iniuries and hūbly beseech thee by them to pardon these soules all their vnthankefulnese for thy bitter passion and all want of charity towards their neighbour Miserere THE X. PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus eternall God true man and represent vnto thee the great humility wherwith thou stoodest before Pilate meeke and silent ready to suffer all shame and confusion outrages iniuries they could do against thee Pilate said vnto thee what hast thou done that all the world is thus offended against thee as also many other questions he asked thee vnto which thou didest not answere any thing then Pilate said he found no cause of death in thee but they all cryed and exclamed against thee saying Thou wert a breaker of the law calledst thy selfe the sonne of God vnto whome thou answeredst Thou hast said that I am for this cause came I into the world that I should giue testimony of the truth after which Pilate said againe to the Iewes I find no cause of death in this man but they with furious clamors said He is worthy of death Pilate then answered I wil correct him and dismisse him O good Iesus ô sonne of the liuing God ô soueraigne king of glory we render thee infinite thankes for all these thy sufferings and humbly beseech thee by them to pardon these poore Soules all the offences they haue committed against thee through false bitter angry or vaine wordes Miserere THE XI PRAYER WE salute thee ô most sweet Lord Iesus and represent vnto thee thy shamfull vncloathing when the cruell souldiers with furious hast pulled off thy garments thou meekly helpedst them it being thy desire to suffer for vs who hauing striped thee naked bound thee to a Piller with such vnhumane cruelty that thy bloud gushed forth at thy nayles and they scourged thee so barbarously with whips wherin were Iron hooks laying stripe vpon stripe and wound vpon wound that they rente tore thy sacred body all ouer and lefte not so much as one whole peece of skin vpon thee then they vnbound thee turning thy breast forward bound thy handes ouer thy head and scourged thee againe so cruelly on that side that all thy sacred flesh being rent off thy bones and bowells were discouered then they vnloosed thee from the Pillar and in that lamentable manner all-ouer wounded and imbrewed with thy bloud they put an old purple robe in scorne vpō thee O deerest Lord I render thee infinite thankes for all these thy sufferings and intollerable shame torments and humbly beseech thee by all the merits of them and of thy sacred wounds and all the dropps of thy most precious bloud that thou wilt haue mercy on these poore Soules and pardon all their sinnes
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
of Iesus was one of these For when he manifested his conscience vnto his Superiour he professed he was really of opinion that very griefe would kill him out of hand if he should come to know for certayne that his life should be prolonged for the space but of one whol day so truly strong as death was that loue which inflamed his heart to the enioying of his beloued Ludou de Ponte in vita P. Baltas c. 17. Few can belieue and fewer can vnderstand this but those who indeed loue God see it with their eyes If the ruthefull moanes of such true louers deserue not compassion there is no such thing as they call Mercy in the world 6. The fift Consideration These soules know they are depriued of this infinit good which they so ardently loue for no other cause but their owne fault their owne carelessy committed sinnes sinnes which did offend and affront this infinit goodnes which now they loue so tenderly And this it is which cutteth as deep as the sharpest edge of grief can cut into the softest heart which weepeth with teares of blood as oftē as it thinks and it can neuer cease from thinking that it was not only a trifle which separated it in this manner from God but a wickednes abominable in his sight an offence of such an Excellency a contempt of such a Maiesty a displeasure of such a Goodnes an ingratitude against such a Benefactour All this it is that goeth to their very heart this all the powers of their Soules bewaile and lament to the vttermost of their power with teares which neither can nor will admit of comfort vntill due satisfaction be made euen to the least and last farthing 7. The sixt and last Consideration differeth in this from the former that as those soules are tormented with such vnspeakable grief whilst they ponder the miseries of this banishmēt for their owne offences as they are displeasing to him whō they so purely loue so they are also put on a new torture when out of naturall loue vnto themselues which now well-ordered charity doth much increase they attentiuely consider and deeply penetrate what it is to be depriued of such a good such a ioy such a blisse for such a small such a no good such a mischieuous euill as they sinned for a pleasure so vaine so short so vgly so irrationall and so pernicious to their soules and yet to vse their language such was my folly ah wretch not only miserable but mad as to forgo euen such a good for such a bare such a shamefull such a pestiferous trifle as that was so many degrees of glory which would haue made me so happy for all eternity are wholly and irrecouerably lost for a pure ah most impure nothing How oftē was I inspired to do this thing and yet c. These far more miserable then these be the anguishes of those soules far greater then eyther those of Esau selling his inheritance for a messe of potage or those of Adam for making away Paradise for the taste of an apple or any other this world euer had or shall haue 8. Summe vp now in thy mind all these considerations together and thinke in what a sea of sorrowes that heart must bee into which day and night so great so many flouds do vnlade their waues and yet canst thou not find in thy hart to affoard them some small reliefe He saith S. John cap. 1.3 who possesseth the substance of this world and shall see his brother to haue necessity and shutteth his bowels from him how doth the Charity of God remaine in this man He saith not how doth the charity towards his neighbour but how doth the Charity of God remaine in him And if thou whosoeuer thou art thus shuttest thy bowels in a necessity as extreme almost as a necessity can be of thy owne and Christs brother I am sure that the charity of thy neighbour hath no place in thee but as for charity towards God it is not I but S. Iohn who doth as it were denying aske how doth the charity of God remaine in thee CHAP. V. The third Motiue taken from the long time that these Paines do indure 1. IF these paines were to be ended in a short space our hard-hartednes might thē haue some excuse but speaking stil of what happeneth for the most part it is a thing scarce to be doubted of that they continue very long for the holy Church is accustomed to keepe the Anniuersaryes of those who dyed a hundred or two hundred yeares ago Whēce it appeareth that there is reason to feare that many haue a long stay in Purgatory The learned Bellarmine l. 2. de gemit columb cap. 2. doth recount some histories very authenticall as he excellently proueth out of which it appeareth that diuers soules are condemned to Purgatory euen till the day of Iudgement And Tertullian one of the ancientest fathers speaking of these paines of Purgatory saith Thou shalt not depart perhaps vntill the day of thy Resurrection lib. de anima c. 17. 2. Now if we require why God doth hould this manner of proceeding in rather deteyning vs long time in our punishments then in adding to the bitternes of our torments that which is taken out in length of time we can deuise no other reason then that our sinnes haue deserued this misery also and men would litle apprehend to suffer all that could be suffered in one moment if the next moment they were to be eternally happy and therefore God who in his seuere iudgement had a mercifull regard to that which would worke most with our dull apprehensions did ordaine that as S. Augustin speaketh hom 15. ex 50. hom Quanta fuerit peccati materia tanta esset trāscunti mora so great as the matter of our sinnes shall haue bin so long should be the stay of our passage The best way therfore to make vs haue some conceit of the long cōtinuance of these paines is to see how great the matter vses to be on which they feed that is what a kind of quantity the sinnes of men vse most commonly to amount vnto 3. A little Arithmaticke will giue vs a great insight in this matter The iust man is said to sinne seuen times a day wherfore we may easily allow thrice more a day to one of those whom we call good and honest men such as the world hath but few of such a man therfore as this is doth sinne venially ten times a day taking one day with another The dayes in a whole yeare are three hundred sixty fiue wherefore he who euery day sinneth ten times must at the yeares end haue sinned ten times as often as there be dayes in a yeare which summe is easily found out by only putting one cypher to the number of the dayes in the yeare which are 365. add now one cypher we shall haue 3650. So that the sinnes of this good man euē in one yeare come to no
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
of most singular Charity most admirable Gratitude most rare Contrition most tender loue towards our Lord Sauiour But that which in a particular manner doth rayse the worth of this actiō is the most ardent charity and pious mercy towards our Neighbour which here is so resplendāt that it doth containe and surpasse all and euery one of those works of mercy which our Sauiour esteems so dearly that vnto them by name he shall giue the eternall possession of heauen when he shall come to iudge For he shall say vnto those who stand at the right and Come yee blessed of my Father and possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the making of the world for J was hungry and you gaue me to eate I was thirsty and you gaue me to drinke a pilgrime and you entertained me naked you cloathed me sick and you did visit me imprisoned and you came vnto me Matth. 25. This act I say both conteyneth surpasseth all those works put togeather For who relieueth a soule in Purgatory though he giueth not a peece of bread to the hungry yet he giueth the food of life bread of Angels to one who was tormented worse then death with the hunger of it He giueth not a cup of cold water to the thirsty but he giueth the fountaine of liuing water which runneth into life euerlasting vnto him whose thirst of it was so intollerable that no paine in the world can be compared to it He doth not lodge a poore harbourles pilgrime in a barne for a night but for the whole long day of eternity he lodgeth in the heauenly mansions a poore soule which wandred from this her home euer since her creation He giueth not a few cast-of rags to cloath the naked but he giueth the marriage garment vnto him who for want of it was cast for a time into outward darknes He doth not giue a comfortable visit vnto one who lyeth sicke of a burning feauer but him who burneth with Purgatory flames he carrieth to visit for euer God and his Angels In fine he doth not goe to the imprisoned to afford them some smal assistance but he bringeth one out of the fiery dungeon of Purgatory into the liberty of the children of God 4. Another cause there is which doth wonderfully exagerate the worth of all these things which followeth in the aboue cited Scripture For when the Blessed shall say Lord when haue we seene thee hungry fed thee our Lord shall answere them Verily I say vnto you as long as you haue done any of these things to one of these my least brethrē you haue done them vnto me O what reward shall be haue of so liberall a maiesty who hath done so gratefull a seruice as the very freeing of Christ himselfe from Purgatory if so he could be liable vnto it would be 5. The cause which may make the merit of this act to amount to an inconceptible greatnes is this that those who are truly deuoted to assist these soules receiue daily such copious showers of diuine graces that if they be not very backward in corresponding vnto them they must needs go on daily increasing the treasures of their merits For though many doubt whether the soules whilst they remaine in Purgatory do pray for him by name who doth pray for them because they not seeing God cannot know who they are who pray for them yet there seemes to be all reason that they should make in a generall māner incessant prayer to Almighty God to blesse all those who shall pray for them for this opinion is both pious and probable as Snares saith lib. 1. de orat c. 2. And Denis the Carthusian recounteth how that in a diuine reuelation these words by a seruant of God were heard to be vttered with the common voyce of the soules in Purgatory O Lord God grant out of thy incomprehensible power a hundred fold reward to all those in the world who with their prayers do help vs and lift vs vp towards the light of thy deity de indic anim circa finem Howsoeuer no man can doubt but whē they come to heauen they will both day night as efficaciously as they can recommend vnto Almighty God the necessityes of all those who were so charitable vnto them as to obtaine their deliuery out of their horrible tormēts and to purchase for them the light of God whome to see one moment sooner they know now what a good it is 6. What gratefull hart then can euer forget such a benefactour especially when without any labour at all yea with greatest pleasure content he can abūdantly requite his charity Ingratitude is a vice hath no place in heauē More gratfull therfore questionles will these soules be most gratfull will be all their friends acquaintance kindred their Angel-guardians and Patrons yea all the whole Court of heauen seeing that there is that perfect charity amongst the Blessed that euery one of them is no lesse glad of his neighbours good then he is of his owne this action is incomparably more gratfull vnto them in regard that the honour of the diuine Maiesty is much increased and our Blessed Sauiour so singularly pleased by it that it is as acceptable vnto him as if he himselfe in person had bin the party deliuered from the paines of Purgatory and brought to a more speedy fruition of eternall beatitude O my deare brother depriue not these poore soules of this reliefe thy selfe of these merits the whole Court of heauē of this ioy Christ of this comfort God of this honour CHAP. IX That our actions offered vp for the soules in Purgatory are not lesse but more impetratory of other fauours 1. FIRST I must intreat my Reader to call to mind that which in the last Chapter but one hath bin said cōcerning the impetratory vertue of our actions which being applyed to the soules in Purgatory according to their satisfactory vertue only reteyne notwithstanding the selfe same vertue to impetrate which they should haue had thogh they had not bin thus applyed for as I satisfy for my sins by that very Prayer by which I beg my daily bread and the obtaining of this petition is nothing hindered by this satisfaction so the worke which satisfieth for the sins of others doth not become lesse apt to mooue the Goodnes of God to the graunt of any fauour for obteyning of which this worke may also be offered Wherefore they are in an errour who thinke that they must cast all other deuotions aside and neither pray for themselues nor for their frends nor for their owne priuat or the publike necessityes if they follow our aduice in praying fasting giuing almes offering vp all their other good works for the soules in Purgatory whereas all these things may be performed without the least hinderance to the obtaining of any thing they cā request for these works only as they are satisfactory may be applyed for the reliefe of these
inseparable true-louers-knot because there is not one in heauen who thinketh not himselfe to haue particuler interest in the furtherance of this cause for all that Blessed mansion loue the soule released euē as they loue their owne soules and therfore as a graue Doctor saith they all reioyce at the felicity of euery one of their Bretheren as much as at their owne Hugo l. 4. de anim c. 15. and consequently all and euery one of them will be in a manner as forward to assist vs as those soules will be who were released by our prayers And who cā expresse how ready these soules released or releiued by vs are to help vs in all occurences Tell me now what meanes can you inuent more efficacious to make in a māner sure whatsoeuer you request CHAP. X. That by offering our Actions for the Soules in Purgatory we do not lesse but more satisfy for our owne Sinnes 1. NOw we come to that point which onely hath difficulty in this matter for it may seeme clear that when we giue away to others the fruits of our owne satisfaction we cannot enioy these fruits our selues no more then we can pay our debts with the same mony which we pay for the debts of our frēds This difficulty is very solidly answered by saying that which is most true to wit that to pray for and assist the soules in Purgatory is an act so highly meritorious of grace and glory an act so impetratory of such things as may be eternally beneficial to our owne soules that the losse of the fruit of our satisfactions is nothing to be valued in regard of the gaine which we purchase as may appeare by what hath bin said before Cap. 8. nu 2. A second and sufficient answere might be that this losse may fully be repayred by the gayning of Indulgēces for our selues So though I cannot pay my owne debts with the same mony which I pay out for the debts of my friends yet I may by fauour procure a releasment of my owne debts and so be as free from them as if I had payd them with that mony which I liberally layd out to discharge my frends debt That such fauours or Indulgences may be obtayned we will proue at large Chap. 14. 2. But these two Answers being for the present let passe I intend to make good the title of this Chapter and to shew that this deuotion is a rare kind of satisfaction For vnderstanding of which it is much to be noted that when we do any good worke for the soules in Purgatory for example when we fast or pray or giue almes for them we haue such a kind of act as this is J do offer this Fast this Prayer this Almes for such a soule or soules in Purgatory The thing therefore which we giue away is only such a fast prayer or almes and of the fruit of this worke as it is satisfactory we wholy depriue our selues consequently as it is satisfactory it maketh no satisfactiō for our sinnes but only for their sins for whom we did offer it yet that act by which I offering this Fast for another depriue my selfe of the fruit therof redoūdeth wholy to my profit neyther doth any part of it benefit any one but my selfe Now I affirme that with this act by which with so great charity to God my neighbour I giue away this fast this almes this prayer I do both satisfy for my sinnes and satisfy in no meane manner but in a manner far more excellent then is ordinarily conceaued 3. For first this is an act most meritorious consequētly most satisfactory For as the learned Vasquez teacheth 2. p. q. 94. dub 5. n. 3. Euery good worke for the self same cause for which it doth deserue to be rewarded in heauen deserueth also freedom from such impediments as may hinder the enioying of this reward such an impediment as the being in Purgatory would be Moreouer the more that we by our good deeds do endeare our selues to the diuine Maiesty the more we do recompence any former displeasure done vnto him Gratefull seruices cannot but abolish old offences Hence also Deuines of prime note do auerre that all good acts are in the selfe same degree satisfactory in which they are meritorious So saith Victoria Soto Ledesma c. Now we haue demonstrated that this act is in a very high degree meritorious therfore by consequence it must be in a very high degree satisfactory 4. But let vs consider a little more this act by it selfe First it cannot but be hard and laborious to corrupted nature to be willing to fast for another pray for another giue almes for another and if this be not very difficult why do you hold back so much seing it may be so beneficiall vnto you If you find no difficulty because your Charity towards your neighbour is such that with ioy you can do all these things for his sake this pious disposition of yours doth not lessen but increase the satisfactory vertue of this act For as excellently S. Thomas in suppl q. 15. a. 1. The lessening of the payne which proceeds from the readines of the will caused by Charity doth not diminish but increase the efficacy of our satisfaction 5. Againe this is an act of rare Charity towards God whose glory we aduance by thus procuring the increase of his honour done to him in heauen by the soules we release and towards our Neighbour to whō we procure the greatest good that may be Now as Konincke saith de Sacram. disp 10. de satisf dub 4. Not a few but all Deuines do teach that by an act of charity produced with neuer so much ease and delight a man may satisfy for all the paines he hath deserued The Scripture telleth vs as much Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much Luc. 7. Aboue all things hauing continuall mutuall charity among your selues because charity doth couer the multitude of sinnes 1. Pet. 4. And if this be not inough Charity doth couer all our sinnes Prou. 10. 6. Lastly this act is one of the chiefest deeds of mercy surpassing all the works of corporall mercy put togeather and therefore questionlesse it is an act most highly satisfactory for if of all corporall Almes it be written that they free from sinne and death and do not suffer the soule to go into darknes Tob. 4. That they resist sin as water doth the burning fire Eccl. 3. That if you giue almes all shal be clean vnto you Luc. 11. What shall we thinke of this spirituall almes by which heauen is giuen and purgatory paines forgiuen to a poore soule made of a most pittifull prisoner a most glorious Saint What a worke of mercy is this Of the works of mercy in generall S. Thomas sayth 2.2 q. 3. a. 2. The works of spirituall mercy are so much more excellent then the works of corporall mercy by how much the soule is more noble then the body
Secondly he must not slubber ouer this deuotion in a careles māner giuing his works away and little marking why or what he giues but he must take some short time to consider the Motiues set downe in this Treatise and must ponder ech motiue by it selfe vntill his will be stirred vp effectually to affoard all reliefe he is able to the distressed soules Neither is this any long busines because euen the reading attentiuely these motiues is sufficient to moue any heart to helpe such help-les soules and this is the thing we desire for we little regard the being moued to a soft and tender compassion which God know's is often very fruitles and soone vanisheth away 3. Wherfore that all may performe this with little or no difficulty we will set downe in playne and full words the manner of making perfectly all those acts which in any part of this Treatise haue bin recōmended But let no man thinke vnles he would make a meditation of this matter as he may do with great fruit in the space of halfe an houre that we would haue him make all these acts at one time but rather that he exercise now one now another more or fewer according to his leasure and deuotion yet it wil be best to exercise often the most perfect Now for the Readers commodity we will cite the Chapters where the matters are treated at large which here are only touched in a word 4. The first Act answerable to the third fourth fifth Chapter may be thus made O how excessiue is the bitternesse of those paynes which these afflicted soules do suffer in Purgatory What a misery is it to be banished though for a time only from the face of God! In what a sea of affliction must that poore soule be which for a long space is condemned to remaine in this pittifull state Wherfore O my Soule affoard these soules of thy Brethren all help thou canst Pray for them exercise acts of pennance for them procure the holy Sacrifice of Masse may be offred for them giue almes that they may be prayed for relieue them by all Indulgences which may be gayned for them let all thy satisfactory actions and sufferings of thy whole life be offered vp for them so far as it is sutable to Gods holy will so far as it maketh to his greater glory bequeath vnto thē all the good workes which after thy departure out of this life shal be done for thee O Lord accept of this my most harty oblation made in behalfe of my distressed Brethren 5. The secōd Act answerable to the sixt Chapter n. 2. O my God how great is thy Excellency Worth and Perfection ◠All honour and glory is due vnto thee I poore creature know not how more perfectly to procure thy diuine Maiesty to be praysed honoured and glorifyed then by doing al I am able to deliuer some soule or soules which being released by my meanes from Purgatory may honour prayse and glorify thy sacred Maiesty in the highest manner Wherfore O my Soule to this end affoard these soules of thy Brethren all the help thou canst Pray for them c. as it followeth in the former Act. 6. The third Act answerable also to the sixt Chapter nu 3. O most mercifull liberall good God how many how great benefits hast thou with vnspeakable loue heaped vpō me How shall I be able to requite this thy bounty mercy and goodnes I poore Creature know not how more perfectly to procure thy diuine Maiesty c. all as followeth in the second Act. 7. The fourth Act answerable to the sixt Chapter n. 4. How many how enormous haue bin the sins by which I haue dishonoured thee my good God! Thee O infinite Excellēcy Thee O immēse Goodnes I poore Creature know not how more perfectly to procure thy diuine Maiesty c. as before in the secōd Act. 8. The fifth Act answerable to the sixt Chapter also nu 5. O my deare Iesus thou louest the soules of my Brethren so dearely that whatsoeuer for thy sake is done vnto them thou accountest done vnto thy selfe Wherfore O my Soule to this end affoard the soules of thy Brethren c. as before in the first Act. 9. It is very good to renew these Acts often and to make euery morning some one of these oblations for this is a deuotion by which we may purchase many great commodityes and suffer no discōmodity by which our works may become more meritorious our prayers more impetratory our actions more higly satisfactory and finally by which we may haue great hope to escape eyther all or at least a great part of Purgatory 10. Neither is there any danger of violating Charity due to our selues by the practice of this deuotion but we may rather offend against charity by making slight of a deuotion which might haue bin so beneficiall to vs. For it is cleare we cā loose nothing must needs gaine much much for our selues much for our neighbour much for the glory of Almighty God to whom be all prayse glory for euer and euer Amen A TABLE Of the Chapters of this Booke Chap. I. PVrgatory proued by all kind of sacred Authority pag. 7. Chap. II. Purgatory proued by Reason grounded in Scripture pag. 21. Chap. III. The first Motiue to pray for the Soules in Purgatory which is the greatnes of the sensible paines they suffer pag. 32. Chap. IV. The second Motiue drawne from the intollerable paynes the soules suffer by being banished from the fight of God pag. 44. Chap. V. The third Motiue taken from the long tyme that these paynes do endure pag. 53. Chap. VI. That for the loue we beare to God we ought to be much moued to help the Soules in Purgatory pag 64. Chap. VII That by offering our Actions for the Soules in Purgatory we purchase many great Commodities for our selues sustaine no Incommodity pag 68 Chap. VIII That by offering our Actions for the soules in Purgatory we do not merit lesse but more p 77. Chap. IX That our Actions offered vp for the soules in Purgatory are not lesse but more impetratory of other fauours pag. 86. Chap. X. That by offering our Actions for the Soules in Purgatory we do not lesse but more satisfy for our owne sinnes pag. 96. Chap. XI That by offering our Actions for the Soules in Purgatory we haue great hope of escaping either all or a good part of Purgatory pag. 104. Chap. XII That it is not against Charity to our selues to offer our Actions for the Soules in Purgatory but it is rather against it not to offer them pag. 112. Chap. XIII By what meanes we may help the Soules in Purgatory pag. 115. Chap. XIV Of Jndulgences pa. 132. Chap. XV. Two other meanes of higher Perfection by which we may relieue the Soules in Purgatory pag. 153. Chap. XVI To what Soules in Purgatory we are chiefly to apply our satisfactory workes pag. 161. Chap. XVII