God as a sheep that is lost seek thou thy servant I will not be unmindfull of thy commandements RESOLUTION I will not only henceforth mortify the senses of my body but the passions of my mind also that with my heart as well as lips I may honour glorifie my Saviour And I will stricktly examine every motion of my sensuall appetite that I may discover its maladies order its affections prevent those disquiets which my Passions have hitherto raised in Me That My beloved may say to Me Thou art a Garden of delights inclosed a spring shut up a fountain sealed THIRD POINT Mortification the property of a Christian CONSIDERATION COnsider That by means of this Mortification of our senses passions we are placed in a degree of perfection above beasts who being voyd of reason seek their content happinesse in sensuall delights therefor those carnall hearts which still wallow in the puddle of earthly pleasures following the allurements of sensible objects the disorders of their own passions degenerate into beasts Wheras Mortification is the speciall badg property of a true Christian Man who living according to reason grace crucifies the flesh with its concupiscences thereby belongeth to Christ But especially this perfect mortification of our sensuall appetites is the proper Companion true signet of the solitarie soul who retyring from worldly conversation obliges her selfe to imitate JESUS CHRIST in his sufferings to follow the stepps of the most zealous Christians of all Ages by resisting the irregular desires of sensualitie that the flesh may obey the spirit our spirit the Will of God for the Sanctification of the whole Man If therefor Philothea Thy senses passions have hitherto been loosly kept strayed after inordinate satisfactions now thou must have a watchfull care over them fasten them to the Crosse of Mortification promptly joyfully frequently perseverently universally that as all have been Ministers of vncleanesse they may also be promoters of pyety thy Eies in contemplating thy Crucifyed Redeemer reading holy bookes thy Eares in harkning to devout sermōs thy Tongue in prayer pious discourses thy Hands in performing good works thy Feet in visiting holy places thy whole body in bearing patiētly the miseries of this mortall Life undergoing acts of pennance for satisfaction of past prevention of new sins so contrary to thy Christian profession the great design now in hand AFFECTION I acknowledg my Dearest Lord that through thy precious bloud I am regenerated from my sinfull state sanctifyed to Christian holy duties strongly fortifyed agaynst the corrupted inclinations of my own sensualitie outward charms of earthly delights yet Alas how oft how vilely have I transgressed thy commands my own promises to be one of thy flock to become a mortified Christian to abandon all worldly contents suffer whatever austerities tribulations rather then to loose any part in Thee thy blessed Kingdome prepared for Me But thou O Lord art sweet mild aboundest with Mercies Have Mercy upon me O God have mercy upon me for my soul hath trusted in Thee RESOLUTION I will take a speciall View of all abuses committed through immortification of my senses passions consider all my evill Inclinations where at what time towards what Objects I am aptest to comply with them I will waryly watch over all my waies prevent dangers undertake such Mortifications as may keep my heart closse to my God stedfast in the observance of his Holy Commandements strengthen me O Lord with thy grace My Appetite shall be subject to Me I shall have power over it THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Dammages incurrd by Immortification AS the Love of God ioyned with selfe Contempt builds up the Citty of God in us so selfe Love reaching to the contempt of Gods holy Commandements that of Satan This Selfe-love is the First Mover in the sphear of the unmortifyed soul of all the passions of our sensualitie whence proceed all those calamities of sinfull desires the following disorders which restlesly warr agaynst Gods spirit in Us heavyly presse Us down even agaynst our Wills to those Miseries we now groan under long to be freed from Our first Parents complying with an Immoderate Appetite of the fruit of one forbiddē Tree amongst so many thousand excellent Ones allowed by Almighty God for their Use pleasure notwithstanding Gods severe prohibition under payn of his high dispeasure a tedious life forrowfull death all those penalties which daily draw so many teares from our Eies sighs from our hearts has brought Gods heavy wrath upon themselves us all those Rebellions of sensualitie Errours in understanding difficulties in obeying that torrent of cares sorrows which continually afflict our spirits yet We still add to our Miseries by an over-ready sideing with these our unruly passions Appetites What grater mishapp can befal a Soveraign Prince then to be deposed his Throne spoyled of his royall Prerogatives dignity to be banisht forth his own Dominiōs Thus it is with us now Each one of us had a peacefull kingdom within himselfe was Supream Lord therein in his Originall state No sooner did selfe Love creep in to our hearts seduce the powers of the soul to prefer sensualitie to reason Justice but God permits our Passions to overrun us tyrannize within us whence arise those varieties of Concupiscences boylings roulings of our affections Love Hatred Hopes Feares those numberlesse disquiets which torture our unmortifyed spirits He takes from us the safeguard of Justice Innocency whereby we are become unable to governe our hearts in the flight of evill pursuance of approved Good And we are banisht forth that Paradice which was the seat of our Earthly happinesse the Image of the heavenly are here condemn'd through sweats sighs Innumerable sorrows to weare out an anxious painfull Life These be the Miseries we have incurr'd Philothea through Immortification of our senses passions are still increased in us by giving reynes to our heady disorderly sēsualitie as we dayly experience in the misgovernment of our lives actions which certainly none can seriously consider without an extream horrour confusion Thou must therefor earnestly endeavour to suppresse all inordinate suggestions desires of flesh bloud through consideration of the great humiliation bitter sorrows the eating one forbidden Aple cost the Son of God The severe prohibitions God has made against unlawfall concupiscences his cōmands that we mortify our carnall appetites crucify our flesh chastise our bodies hate deny our selves The Examples of all the Saints Lovers of solitude the great dammages we have already still may incurr by consenting to our vicious affections Then by examining what passions abound most in Thee how thou maist timely prevent dangers of raising
in his Passion to redeeme Man from the tyranny of sin satan What greater argument of Love could God give to Miserable Man then this then when the Jews sought to destroy him all mankind had abandond him even then to bestow on us not fading honours riches or pleasures but himselfe who is the Maker of the whole world that as a Ransom to discharge us from our Captivity as a Physitian to cure our Spirituall diseases as a Father to protect us as an Espouse to comfort us as the Earnest of his eternall glory what greater bounty then this If the Jews with so great Reverence assisted at offred up their Sacrifices of beasts surely We should with far greater Veneration piety approach to our Altars whereon the living God in our Nature is offred up a Propitiatiō for the sins of the World a Reconciliation between God Man a Source of all blessings of grace glory No sooner does the Priest pronounce those words whereby that Mystery is wrought but the substance of the bread wine is changed into the body bloud of JESUS CHRIST the sensible elements thereof only remaining there he is whole in every part in all places where he is consecrated without division or multiplication in him selfe or departing from the right hand of the Father Certainly Philothea This guift that bounty these wonders wrought for our reparation from our sinfull state should strongly engage our hearts in Loue Duty to God AFFECTION I adore Thee my soveraign Lord hidden in this Divine Mystery acknowledge Thee to be there really present God Man my Redeemer Sanctifyer Glorifyer Alas My God all my Good how little have I hitherto thought on this thy inestimable love bounty to me whereby to releiue me from the slavery of sensuality satan to heale the deep wounds of my sinfull soul fill it with enlivning sanctifying graces what have I returned to God for all these favours bestowed upon me I will approach to Gods Altar with a repentant heart eate there the bread of salvation will call on the Name of God RESOLUTION I will ever have a lively faith towards this Mystery of the Holy Eucharist confirmed to me by CHRISTS own words the authority of Apostles Fathers the consent of all ancient modern Christians united under one supream head CHRISTS Vicar on Earth I will lay open all my wants weaknessesse before my Soveraign Lord here really present confiding in his comforting helps for the freeing my Mind from distractions Will from sinfull affections that I may profitably approach to him eate of that living bread sacrifize my soul to him by abnegation of my will my body by Obedience to Christian Duties SECOND POINT Fruits of the Holie Sacrament CONSIDERATION COnsider That approaching to Gods holy Altar there eating of that repayring fruit of the Tree of life We become like the Sacred Virgin conceiving him in her womb therefor should study to imitate her Humilitie Obedience Faith Charity whereby she was fitted to that great work raised to familiar conferences with JESUS CHRIST which we specially aime at in our holy Retyrement We become also Temples of God therefor our hearts should be Altars whereon to offer up our enflamed thoughts desires admitting no negotiation there but what may tend to the cleansing our souls from evill affections adorning them with divine vertues whereby it may be fitted to entertayn this heavenly Guest Had JESUS CHRIST when on Earth vouchsafed to make his aboade with us as in Bethania with Mary Martha with what solicitude would we have prepared all things befitting his sacred presence that nothing might appear in us undecent or wanting where with to give him a ioyfull welcome The like care should now be had My Philothea especially since he comes here to us in his glorifyed body environed with Angels invisibly present with hands full of blessings to bestow upon us In JESUS CHRIST abides the fulnesse of the Divinity therefor He giving him selfe to us in this heavenlie Manna containing all sweetnesse he gives withall the whole treasury of his heavenly guifts graces whereby the soul is cleansed from veniall sins mortall inculpably forgotten in confession Reason receives cleerer lights of spirituall truths the Will is enflamed to Christiā Duties the Conscience eased Inclinations to evil are weakned our Love to heavenly things strengthned encreased O living food of Angels be thou my Dayly bread fill my soul with thy divine sweetnesse that my conversation may be in heaven by the Imitation of the life of those blessed spirits by hopes of feeding for ever on that bread in the kingdom of thy Father AFFECTION Oh that I might conceive JESUS in my heart by Love bring him forth by performance of his Will then should I truly feed on this bread of Angels But alas too often have I approached Gods Altar with a Spirit full of earthly desires too frequently have I entertaind the great Lord of the world in a soul defiled with sinfull affections tepid in divine Exercises distracted with worldly sollicitudes therefor I still remain dry barren to good actions insensible to the comforting presence of JESUS within me Oh that Gods holy Spirit would overshadow my soul cleanse it from all imperfections enflame it with heavenly loue replenish it with his gracious blessings that it may be a fitt Sanctuary for the Saviour of Men Angels RESOLUTION I will banish forth of my heart whatever may displease my Divine Espouse adorning it with Vertues holy desires whereby it may be prepared to entertain him experiēce the sweetnesse of his comforting presence And I will endeavour that my outward decency in behaviour conversation may testify the inward tranquillity alacrity of my spirit an earnest longing to be One with him Live Thou O JESUS in my soul that I may live by the heat of thy divine flames walk by the light of thy inspirations from Vertue to Vertue till I see Thee my God in thy holy Sion THE THIRD POINT Intention in Communion CONSIDERATION COnsider That if in all actions of this life we study to have a due upright intention this ought then especially to be when we approach to the Holy Sacrament that great proofe of Gods Love to mankind that efficacious means of confirming us in our spirituall life a most assured pledg of our future blessed life above We may not then venture hither of meer custome or for companie sake nor to purchase a vain esteem of holinesse or an encrease of temporall blessings or some spirituall gust or sweetnesse in that great Act of Christian worship No Philothea we must goe to God for God himselfe that our loue to him may be greater our devotions quicker our Spirits stronger in performing the will of our Soveraign Lord and
Master JESUS CHRIST offers him selfe on the Altar of his Crosse to his heavenly Father a Sacrifice of Prayse Impetration Suffrage with the same intention ought we to entertain JESUS in our hearts by thankfulnesse for his manifold favours imploring grace mercy for our selves Spirituall releife for all distressed souls ever mindfull of his bitter Passion that the fruits thereof may be liberally applyed to us we may become suffring members with our Divine Head encreasing in all perfection freedom with God in our Contemplations being entirely transformed into Him on whom our Spirits here feed that we may have no life knowledge affection or motion in us but what proceeds from ends in him AFFECTION Alas my Deerest Lord I have been too carelesse in my adresses to Thee How often have I frequented thy holy Altars with vain weak desires not loving Thee there for Thy selfe but receiving Thee of dull custome or for some present gust in Thee Not solicitous to cherish the good desires conceived by thee or a willingnesse to beare Crosses for thee thus am I become unworthy that thou entrest the house of my soul live there but if thou Say'st the word my Spirit shall be healed RESOLUTION I will hence forth set some speciall time a part wherein to discusse rectifye my intention before I approach to eate of this living bread that God may be glorifyed all Christian souls may reap spirituall profit by the use of this great Mystery will say AN OBLATION BEFORE COMMVNION O Blessed JESUS in union of that love wherewith thou did'st offer thy selfe a Sacrifice to thy Father on the Altar of the Crosse and in conformity to that intention thou then hadst I this day offer up to thee my Communion as a Sacrifice of Praise Impetration Suffrage for my selfe all others to whom I am obleiged by Obedience Iustice or Charitie in that degree I am obleiged which I beseech thee through the merits of thy bitter Passion may be acceptable to Thee Amen THE EVENING EXERCISE FIRST DISCOURSE Preparation to the Holie Sacrament NOne will undertake any great work without carefull preparation of all things necessary for its due performance If we use a cautious providence in all our humane actions ordinary conversation this should rather be observed when we intend to enter the Holie of Holies there feed on the Bread of Angels our powerfull Creator mercifull Redeemer Just Judge The Paschall Lamb was but a dark barren figure of this gracious Sacrifice yet the Jews eat not thereof without much cleanesse circumspection alacrity of Spirit Saint John Baptist esteems not himselfe worthy to unloose CHRISTS shoes Saint Peter to fayle in the same Boat with him the devout Centurion to entertain him under his roofe nor should we presume to appear before him in the Holy Eucharist or there receive him within our breast without great feeling of Love Veneration If JESUS CHRIST be a Mirrour without spot no stain of sin should then be seen in our soul within or undecency in the outward habit of our body if he be there a God of Love Peace to us we may not touch or feed on him unlesse reconciled to Heaven Earth in Imitation of the Primitive Christians who meeting at this great Mystery were of one heart one spirit ADVISES FOR A GENERALL CONFESSION Now therefore My Philothea thy heavenly Espouse having led thee some steps down towards his Cellar of rich Gracious wines there disclosed to Thee part of his spirituall treasures hidden pathes of divine Love to the end thou maist duly prepare thy selfe to eate also of this Bread of life find no impediment in thy progresse to perfection I advise thee to dispose thy selfe towards a Generall Confession in case Thy spirituall Guid iudg that expedient profitable for Thee Although perhaps thou art not conscious of any grevious sin not formerly discovered yet since even of a forgiven sin we may not be without feare we cannot be too solicitous in cleansing our hearts removing all obstacles of divine Lights Graces Wherefor Philothea doe this now once for ever but doe it simply plainly without feare or anxiousness unto a person chosen amongst a thousand by whose advice thou maist be wholly directed for the manner of it how thou art afterwards to behave thy selfe should scruples arise Which ended blesse God for his mercies towards Thee prostrate in spirit before thy Crucifix pronounce the following Covenant PHILOTHEA'S COVENANT WITH GOD. I N. Placed in the presence of Almighty God the whole Court of heaven having considered the aboundant Love wherewith God hath created me sanctifyed me in holy Baptisme sustained me in my manifold sins transgressions at length called me to this state of life wherein I now am preserving me there from many dangers of offending him inspiring sorrow for my failings a desire to love obey him Doe with my whole soul abhor all the sins of my life past renew my promises to be his loyall obedient servant doe firmely purpose all the dayes of my life to shun all dangers of sin to apply my selfe to the observance of his holie Commandments my own Resolutions And if at any time I break this my Covenant I will as soon as I perceive my errour returne again to God by a hearty repentance confession of all my sins ingratitude Accept O my God this my Protestation made before Thee grant me grace to observe it to the end of my life that I may alwaies abide in thy holy feare die in thy sweet peace with ioy at the last day arise to a blessed Communion of the Saints in thy never ending glory Amen SECOND DISCOURSE Behaviour in receiving the Holie Sacrament BEing thus prepared to entertain JESVS CHRIST in thy heart our endeavours must be by amorous sighs aspirations full of ioy for the approach of our blessed Lord to expresse the longing desire we have of his coming into us The happy Issue of an Important affaire or purchase of some speciall temporall blessings usually takes up the best thoughts most serious wishes of earthlie minds But if our minds be heavenly we will ever think on thirst after this delicious visit of our Divine Espouse Anciently Christians frequented often this heavenlie banquet thence gayned that Sanctity fervour we admire in the Martyrs Hermits holie Virgins of that Age Though worldly ties the manifold distractions whereto our mortality is subject permits not daily Cōmunion yet could we dayly eate this divine Bread our hearts would be accustomed to pious affections strengthned against occurring temptations weaned from those sensuall liberties we now so unwillingly abandon That morning thou intendest Philothea to receive the holie Eucharist think how earnestlie JESUS CHRIST longeth to take up his lodging within thee therefor he sends his