into an ocean of infinit joyes Let us therfore resolue to shake off this stupid dulnesse in neglecting our so happy land of promisse Resolutions for the love of which we ought to dispise all earthly pleasures and vaine contents as too base and abject for our higher and more noble thoughts and hopes which we expect in Heaven An advertisment THis following exercise made by a pious and approoved Author whose humility would not permit himselfe to be knowne I have judged both usefull and very necessary for all who desire to gaine their heavenly blisse by the happy art of dying wel which must be learnt by frequent practise of holy acts in tyme of health like as they are to be used at the tyme of death for who neglects them in health will diyng hardly performe them well weaknesse paine feare trouble and many impediments very hardly then permitting a dying Man to produce those acts wherof a former habit was not gain'd Which now notwithstanding by the practise of this holy exercise being made familiar in tyme of health may also produce both happy acts and such as are not soe hard to be exercisd in that extremity of sicknesse A most profitable exercise conteyning a preparation to death Togeither with the acts necessary to dispose the soule to this last passadge As also the Recommendations of the soule in English Blessed are the servants whom when our Lord comes he shall find watching To our blessed Lord Iesus Christ SAviour of the world word Incarnate thou who art the life of those who dye and the death of those who live the life I say of those who dye by the glory which thou givest them and which thou hast purchast for them with thy most precious blood the death of those who live by the grace thou givest them to dye to the flesh and live in Spirit quicken this exercise with thy divine love to the end that by the practise of it thou maist find us so well prepared for death that we may live eternally with thee in Heaven there to blesse prayse and love thee with the Father and the Holy Ghost Amen Advise for the due practise of this exercise SInce it is a most constant truth verifid by daily experience which neverthelesse we easily forget that we must dye and that peradventure we may either be surprised by a suddaine death as we see it happen to many when they least thinke of it or that the extreame paines or other accidents of our sicknesse may deprive us of the liberty and capacity to performe acts requisit in that last houre that houre I say which is the most important of all houres that houre after which we shall have no more houres that houre which must decide our happinesse or misery for all Eternity It will be most profitable to sett aside one day in every month wherin to prepare our selves by the exercises of a spirituall death to those we should really make when we come to dye actually Watch and keepe your selves prepared sayes our Lord for the sonne of Man Mark 13 will come when you expect him not and the wise man sayes wheresoever the tree falls there it shall remayne Eccles 11 If opportunity present it selfe we ought either upon the eve or the day which we designe for this exercise to make our Sacramental Confession to the Priest notwithstanding which for greater purity and more vest preparation we may make our spirituall Consession to Jeins Christ before or after the Sacramentall each one according to his devotion After Consession we are to communicate really or spiritually in forme of viaticum and to consider it as the last Communion of out life Vpon the day we perferme this exercise if we have convenienty we ought to heare Masse to the end that in his sacrifice which is a reall representation of that of the Crosse we may more neerely and particulary unite our selves to Jesus Christ dying offring as well this as all other sacrifices which shall be offred to the end of the world for obtayning the grace of a good and holy death It will be most profitable to fix one day in every month each one according to his leasure and devotion for this exercise and they who cannot performe it all at once may take the first point in the morning and the second at some other houre of the same day or make it in two dayes But in that case the acts of contrition saith hope and charity contayned in the first point must be repeted And besides that our Meditations and lectures of that day ought to be upon the subject of death We ought further to employ our selves more particularly in good workes and practises of mortification and vertue And it is to be noted that although there be many acts prescrib'd in this exercie neverthelesse it is not intended therby to oblidge any one precisely to those acts but only to facilitate the practise of them to such as have not yet attayned to a habit of such acts for the best are those which love produces At the end of this exercise are added the Recommandations of the foule in English for the consolation of such as for a boly prevention of their death having devotion to joyne them to this exercise may not peradventure understand them in latin And in this the termes which relate to an other must be changed and applyed to our selves as in steed of saying pray for him receive his sonic we must say pray for me recove my soule and so of the rest reserving the contlusion of this exercise till after the last prayer Now the principall fruits we ought to gather from this exercise as shall besaid in the following meditation are contempt of the world disesteeme of the creatures abnegation of our selves and amendment of our faults which are the true meanes to obtayne the grace of such a death as shall be the beginning of a happy life for ever Meditation to enter into the dispositions of making a good death Place your selfe in the presence of Gods beseech him to inspire you FOr a foundation of this Meditation we must well and throughly conceive and be fully satisfied of this truth that God hath given us our life only in trust from whence it followes that if we be not alwayes prepared and dispos'd to render it to him we deny him his right of Souverainety over our beeing It is ordayned that all Men shall dye once Heb. 9. and after death followes jndgment sayes the great Apostle Considering this truth that we can dye but once and that an ill death can never be repared in the whole extent of Eternity we see how necessary it is for prevention of a surprise to watch al wayes and to live like the servant mentioned in the Gospel Duke 12. who attends the comming of his Master The first point NOw since we must necessarily dye it highly concerns us throughly to comprchend this truth that death being most
upon thee that though thou canst not speake yet to move thy hand in token of thy hope in the mercies of Jesus Christ Thus then disposed proceed to the points of meditation following Consider the certainty of death according to that of the Apostle it is appointed for all Men once to dye Hebr. 16 of which our Eternity depends but as for the houre when the place where or the manner how all this is most uncertaine save that we see death commonly to come when it is least expected 2. Consider what a trouble it wil be at that tyme not only to looke back to the things of the world which in a moment thou must forsake but especially when thou shalst looke before thee to what is to come finding thy selfe very uncertaine of thy salvation both by reason of the multitude of thy sins many whereof being utterly forgot then come fresh unto thy mind and such as before seemed smale shal then be thought heavy as also in regard of the suddainnesse and strictnesse of thy accompt the severity of the judg and the terrour of Hel c. Beg at Gods hands Affections that these points may be so imprinted in thy mind as thou maist alwayes have a care so to live as thou wouldst be found in the houre of death Resolutions We must therfore firmely resolue to doe presently what we are certaine we shal wish at that houre to have done as in particular to forsake such or such a vice to embrace and practise such or such a vertue To begin presently to live well according to our calling for he hardly dies well who lives ill and repentance made by a dying Man is exceeding dangerous and doubtfull And therfore resolue to watch for you know neither the day nor the houre which God will have to be unknowne to us to the end we should be allwayes ready and prepared Thursday of judgement 1. SO soone as our soule is separated from the body it appeares immediatly before the tribunal of Gods judgement there to render a most exact a severe and dreadfull accompt of all our thoughts words and deeds yea and for each moment of tyme since our first use of reason as also for all his gracious guifts bestowed on us either of grace fortune or nature to be employd for his glory and our owne soules health 2. Consider that this accompt is so much the more dreadful in that it is made to a judge to whose power none can resist to whose knowledge nothing can lye hid whose sentence is souveraine without appeale and the consequence of it concernes an Eternity of weale or woe and that to be put in execution immediately and to endure so long as God is God 3. All this considered O stupid carelesnesse of Man to thinke so little to be prepared for this uncertaine and most dreadfull houre Affections What steward would be so ill provided to make his reckning but to a temporal Prince although it only should concerne this present life wheras this is to God himself and concernes Eternity which as yet we have happy tyme to negotiate by the faithfull practise of these ensving necessary resolutions First to detest and fly all mortal sin above death it selfe Resolutions and to crave Gods grace to that end Secondly to frame our thoughts words and actions as if to be considered examined and sentenced now here immediaty by this our heavenly judge 3. To keepe a lively and perpetuall memory of our fowre last things death judgement Hell and Heaven and lastly to examin frequently our selves whither we are at present in that state as were fit to appeare if God should now immediaty call us to render that our last most dreadfull reckening wheron should depend our sentence of Eternity Friday of Hel. 1. HEl being the prison of Gods justice for his enemies as Heaven is the place of recompence for his friends so are they opposit in all and beyond expression the one for torment and the other for felicity and both to last eternally and comprehend all which can be either said or thought of both respectively in their several kind 2. Consider that the sinner here for a moment of seeming and deluding content forfeits his heavenly and eternal blisse for which he was made and it is most happily pourchaced by such as preferre the love of God and his blessed will before their owne corrupt sensuality cooperating with his holy grace for avoyding of sin This now being well ponder'd Affections have we not just cause to blesse and adore Gods love and goodnesse for having provided us of so many power full helps for our beatitude with no lesse persuasions to fly and avoyde those eternal torments of Hel and to preserve us from sin the only cause of that endlesse misery by Sacraments by instructions by holy inspirations by good exemples and by many other helps and powerfull motives to vertue and to detest all sin We must therfore resolue Resolutions whilst God here graciously doth lend us this acceptable tyme and the dayes for salvation to employ them much more carefully then formerly we have done for that happy end and to be firme and constant in faithfully observing the good resolutions with which God hath graciously inspired us for the amendment and avoiding our most habitual sins as also the chiefe occasions therunto whereby we are in most danger to offend Almighty God and to cast our soules into the eternall flames of Hel where they shall be cruciated day and night saith S. John for ever and ever Apoc. 10.10 Saturday of the joyes of Heaven 1. COnsider that this Beatitude consists in the most blessed vision of the glorious Trinity Father Sonne and Holy Ghost In the fellowship and society of Angels Cherubins Apostles Patriarchs Prophets Martyrs Virgins Confessors and generally of all the faithful departed this life and now crowned in the eternall glory of Heaven 2. Consider that in this celestial estate is not only the absence of all evil but the abundance of all good things according to that of the Apostle the eye of Man hath not seene nor the eare hath heard neither hath it entred into the hart of Man to conceive what God hath layd up for them that love him 1 Cor. 2 9. 3. Consider with your selfe by what steps and degrees the Saints and holy servants of God who now raigne in everlasting glory with him have obtayned the same and labour to imitate their examples O blesse inexplicable Affections those happy soules possesse God and God possesseth them God is their whole all in all He is their all in substance by communicating to them their final perfection and by elevating them to a beeing which is divine He will be their all to their understanding by cleerely manifesting himselfe unto them he will be their all to their will bestowing himselfe unto them by a most sweet intimate gust and savour drawing them by this blessed meanes
certaine and the houre of it most uncertaine all Christian wisdome consists in a good and holy preparation for that moment to the end we neglect not a businesse which is in truth to us the businesse of businesses and the sole and only businesse we have to doe in this world since we are here only to save our soule and loosing it we loose all for what shall it prefit a Man to gaine the whole world Mar. 2. if he loose his owne soule sayes our souveraine Master Jesus Christ O God how great is the blindnesse of the most part of Men who never reflecting upon this so divine and important a truth lead only an earthly sensual and animal life and never elevating their spirit to heavenly things settle their affections so firmely upon this mortal life as to preferre it before that which is eternal Iohn 10. Whosoever loves his life saies our B. Lord shall loose it and whosoever hates it in this world shall gaine it in Eternity O my God we doe not then love our life as we ought when we adhere too close to it since this adherence to our temporal life proceeding from an inordinate love of our selves putts us in danger to loose that which is eternall Since also thou thy selfe asseurest us Luke 14 that whosoever comes to thee and hateth not his owne life can not be thy disciple Grant me such a holy hatred of this mortal life as may cause me continually to aspire and pretend to that which is eternal there to live with thee world without end 2. Point PRecious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his Saints saies the Psalmist Psal 15. If we will dye their life keeping alwayes our affections alienated from the creatures as if we were to dye every moment since there is no moment wherein we may not be surprised by death and wherein we ought not to be prepared to receive it if we will not hazard our salvation We ought to surmont the natural feare we have of it by faith and by a confidence we should have that Jesus Christ who keepes the keyes of life and death and who loves us infinitly more then we love our selves will send it us in such a tyme and manner as in his divine providence he has forseene to be most convenient for us Has he not created us for life eternal Doe we not beleeve that life to be more happy then this which is mortal if we live not in this beleefe we have no faith and consequently no hope since we cannot arrive at this happy life which he has promissed us but by the way of death But what charity can that interessed soule have who loves her owne life more then the will of God and whose feare of dying exceeds her desire of seeing and uniting herselfe to him Ioh. 4. Perfect charity sayes the holy Evangelist drives fourth feare And if we ought to testify our love to God by our hatred of sin where is the hatred we beare it since knowing that we cannot live without daily relapsing into it we have neverthelesse an extreame apprehension of death O if we truly lou'd God with what joy would we embrace death to the end we might be in a state never more to be able to offend his infinite goodnesse since the least sin as the Doctors say is more to be dreaded thendeath if selfe 3. Point IF God should leave the tyme houre and manner of our death to our choyse could we make a better then he himselfe who ordaynes it by his infinite wisedome power and goodnesse and who having made us for himselfe and redeemed us with his blood desires nothing so much as to save us and conduct us to our last end Since our faith teaches us this truth why doe we not entirely abandon the care of our life and death to him What can be more advantageous to us in Heaven in Earth in life and in death then to accomplish his most just and holy will And since we must necessarily undergoe the ordees of his divine will were it not better to doe it meritoriously by an humble submission and filial confidence in his divine goodnesse then to execute it by force like the divels and by our resistance to render this action more worthy of punishment then reward If the feare of our sins cause us to apprchand death and desire prolongation of life to the end to doe penance for them what penance can be more efficacious and acceptable to God then our perfect conformity to his holy will and our entyre submission to the sentence of our death to the end to render him the obedience due from a creature to its Creator and to testify to him that we preferre the honour of pleasing him before our owne life if the merit of our acts beare proportion with the difficulty we find in their execution what can be more difficult then to renounce our life and what better penance can we performe then to give it with a good hart to God since in makeing him this present we not only give him all we are able to give but also all which is most deare and precious to us no Man hath greater charity then he who layes downe his life sayes our divine Saviour and if a God would vouchsafe for us to dye so painfull and grievous a death and loose his life upon a crosse for our salvation shall we dare to refuse him ours shall we esteeme our life more precious or more necessary then his O my soule if we lou'd God ifwe had a true sense and acknowledgment of this soveraine benefit would we not desire to have a thousand lives to give him O my God since I am nothing but by thee I will be nothing but for thee and so as I be what thou desirest I should be it imports me very little whither I live or dye Affections and Resolutions SInce that upon the moment of my death depends my eternall salvation grant me grace O my God to keepe my selfe prepared for this last houre by a true hatred of sin by a perfect contempt of the world with its vaine honours pleasures and riches and by a perfect abnegation of my selfe suffer me not to sleepe in the forgetfulnesse of death least the lampe of chrity being extinguisht and the oyle of good workes spent thou surprise me in this state and pronounce against me as heretofore against those foolish Virgins that dreadfull word I know you not but keeping my selfe alwayes in expection of thy com̄ing grant that I may merit to enter with thee to that eternall marriage where neyther eye has seene nor care hath heard nor the hart of Man comprehended what thou hast prepared for those who love thee Give me O Lord the light of thy holy spirit to the end I suffer not my selfe to be deceived and seduced by my senses in mistaking falshood for truth nor esteeme the things of this mortall life good or evill but
to this end hast thou impos'd upon him the most holy name of Jesus O divine Jesus be to me Jesus Remember what thou hast said that thou camest not for the just but for sinners O my God thou desirest not the death of a sinner but that he should be converted and live Convert me then to thee that I may live eternally Come O divine Spirit repose in my soule with thy seaven guifts to the end to purify quicken and sanctify her Consume with the fire of thy holy love all earthly inclinations yet remayning in her and strengthen her in the last passage against all the temptations of her enemies An act of Faith I Protest O my God before Heaven and Earth that I will dye in the faith and union of the holy Catholique Apostolique and Roman Church I firmely beleeve what shee beleeves and teaches because thou O God who art the eternall truth hast said and revealed it Thou art that infinit goodnesse and sanctity which cannot deceive that infinit wisedome which cannot erre From hencefourth I renounce all temptations which the enemy may suggest to me in the last moments of my life contrary to this my protestation and I render thee thankes from the bottome of my hart for the immense favour thou hast done me in placing me amongst the children of thy holy Church Recite here the Apostles Creed and make reflection upon every Article of it protest to beleeve them all An act of Hope O My God although for the multitude and enormity of my sins I most justly deserve Hel neverthelesse confiding entirely in the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ and in the greatnesse of thy mercy which can pardon more then I can effend I will hope for remission of all my transgressions and grace to persevere in thy holy love to which I especially consecrate the last moment of my life An act of Charity O My God when shall the tyme come that my soule being separated from this mortal body and from all Creatures it shall be perfectly united to thee to live thee with that pure and invariable love wherwith the Saints in Heaven love the What doe I desire in Heaven or in Earth besids thee the God of my hart my God and my eternal portion I esseeme al things as dung and silthynesse to gayne Jesus Christ An act of Charity towards our neighbour O My Lord I begg grace and salvation for all the Creatures whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious blood especially for the children of thy holy Church and more particularly for those who have any way offended me I pardon them O my God from the bottome of my hart as I desire thou shouldst pardon me Desire to receive Iesus Christ O My God my Creator and my Redeemer my beginning and my end my only satiety and Beatitude I ardently desire to receive thee to the end to unite my selfe to thee Come then into my soule sanctify and replenish all her faculties come into my body and purify all its senses come into my hart and possesse all its affections to the end that every moment in the remainder of my life my be entirely consecrated to thy love A spirituall Communion by way of Viaticum I Et us heare our good Angel who invites us to eate of this bread of life and who speakes to us as heretofore to the Prophet Elias rise and eate for thou hast yet a great way to goe We may represent to our selves Jesus Christ accompanied by the B. Virgin our good Angel and holy Patrons entring into our Chamber to the end to administer to us with his owne divine hands his most sacred body as he did heretofore to his Apostles in the last supper and saying to us take and eate this is my body which shal be delivered to death to the end to give thee life Having adored him with all our hart we may say to him these words O my God since thou hast said that he who eates thee shall live eternally grant me this grace that by receiving thy holy body I may never more live but in thee by thee and for thee and that when I shal leave this mortall life I may by the force and vertue of this divine bread attaine to an union and sight of thy divine Majesty in Heaven O whence comes this happinesse to me that my God should vouchsafe to visit me O Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldst come unto my soule but say onely the word and it shall be heald Having receivd him we must discourse lovingly with him calling before him all our senses and faculties to the end to sweare fidelity to him let us renew all our vowes and promisses to him and conjure him never to forsake us saying with the Disciples who were going to Emaus stay with us O Lord for it is late the evening of my life is come And with S. Simeon O Lord let now my soule depart in peace since shee hath seene thy salvation And with David ALthough I walke in the midst of the shadow of death I will feare no evill because thou art with me O God put thy selfe as a divine seale upon my hart to the end that no earthly thing may find entrance there Let us unit our Communion to that which our divine Saviour made before his death and to all other which the B. Virgin and all the Saintes have made to all those also which shall be made even to the end of the world therby to supply the defects we have committed in receiving this divine Sacrament Let us render thankes as well for the grace of the Communion as for all others which he has so liberally bestow'd upon us inviting all creaturs to blesse praise and magnify him with us by the psalme Laudate Dominum omnes gerues or the Canticle Benedicite omnia apera c. 2. Point Spirituall Extreame unction WE may represent to our sselves Jesus Christ emering into our Chamber accompanied as before in the article of Communion bringing with him the holy only compos'd of his precious blood to the end to apply to us these sacred unctions with his owne divine hands and in receiving them we may make these acts of Contrition for our sins committed by each of our senses At the unction of the eyes O Jesus my Saviour and my God I most humbly begg pardon for all my sins committed by so many inordinate lookes and teares unprofitably shed for the effacing of which vouchsafe to apply to me the merit of those amorous lookes which from the Crosse thou wert pleased to cast upon those who crucisi'd thee and of the teares thou hast shed for my salvation Of the Eares PArdon me also the sins I have committed in hearing with pleasure so many evill discourses and in satisfaction for them vouchsafe to apply to me the merit of that patience and humility wherewith thou wert pleased to heare all their blasphemies iniuries and calumnies which have been uttered against thee
incarnation of Christ thy sonne the Angel declaring it may be brought by his holy Crosse and Passion unto the glory of his Resurrection through the same Christ our Lord Amen The soules of the faithfull through the mercy of God rest in peace Amen Be mindfull to say this holy devotion thrice every day In the morning in gratefull memory and adoration of that divine Mystery of the glorious Resurrection of our Redeemer Iesus Christ At midday in memory and adoration of his bitter death and Passion And at the Evening in memory and adoration of the Incarnation of the sonne of God in the wombe of the pure and immaculate ever Virgin Certaine generall advertisments much conducing to Christian perfection THinke often upon the moment of this life whereon depends Eternity Call frequently to minde that thou art placed in this world for no other end but that by serving God to save thy soule Remember that thou art alwayes in the presence of God and raise often thy hart unto him Observe not the imperfections of other persons but think rather of mending thy owne Judge rashly of no body nor give any willing care unto the detractor Let no drynesse nor barrenesse in devotion cause you to omitt any accustomed exercise of piety Doe all your actions with a pure intention for the glory of God When you heare the clock to strike stirr up sorrow for your sins beseeching God to have mercy on your soule at the dreadfull houre of death Be not singular in your exteriour devotion least some inward vanity may outwardly appeare thereby Neglect not divine inspirations which God shall give for the amendment of your most habitual and daily sins When you are assaulted with any dangerous temptation crosse your hart in token that you humbly crave Gods grace and disavow the sin which that ill thought suggests to you Be not forward to contradict others and if you be contradicted grow not angry thereat but only mildly make answere that so is your opinion Remember that there is but one Heaven which if we seeke it in this world we shall not find it in the other Vertue and true resignation to the will of God consists not in words but in real deeds and actions An Evening Exercice for Prayer before bed IT being now tyme for your repose retyre your selfe to the place of prayer and in the presence of God devoutly upon your knees there adore his divine Majesty acknowledging your owne unworthinesse render him most humble thankes for all his gracious benefits beseech him to preserve you that night from all sin And sixing the interiour sight of your soule upon Gods infinit greatnesse and Majesty and upon your owne basenesse abjection and indignity say as in the morning Exercise In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Blessed be the holy and undevided Trinity now and for ever more Amen Our Father c. Halle Mary c. I beleeve in God c. I confesse me to Almigthy God c. all as in the morning prayer Almighty God have mercy upon us and all our sins being forgiven bring us to everlasting life Amen Omnipotent and mercifull Lord give unto us pardon absolution and remission of all our sins Amen I most humbly thanke thee my great God who hast created me of nothing and redeemd me with thy precious blood made me a member of the Catholick Church and graciously provided for me all necessaries both for body and soule For all which as also for thy so frequent heavenly inspirations Sacraments and sacrifices as also for so many other meanes for my salvation from the bottome of my hart and with all the powers of my soule I render thee my loving God most humble thankes beseeching all the holy Quires of Angels and all the blessed Saints in thy celestiall kingdome that they vouchsafe to supply my deficiency in praising adoring magnifying and extolling this thy great mercy and infinit goodnesse owards me Almighty and everlasting God I yeeld thee most harty thankes for that thou hast vouchsafed of thy great mercy and goodnesse to preserve me this day from all evill And I also beseech thee for thy bitter death and passion most mercifully to forgive me a wretched sinner all my offences which I have this day committed by thought word and deede and hereafter to preserve and keepe me from all danger as well of body as of soule to the end I may rise againe in health to praise thy glorious name and joyfully to serve thee in thankesgiving with a chast body and cleane hart Amen O Lord God and my heavenly Father for as much as by thy divine ordinance the night approacheth and tyme requireth that we give our selves to bodily rest I yeald unto thee most harty thankes for thy great love vouchsafing to preserve me this day from the danger of all enemies to give me my health to feede me and afford me all necessaries for the comfort of this my mortall life I most humbly beseech thee for thy blessed sonne Jesus his sake that thou wilt mercifully forgive me all that I have this day committed against thy fatherly goodnesse by thought word or by deed and that thou wilt vouchsafe to shadow me this night under the safe winges of thy Almigthy power and defend me from Sathan and all dangerous assaults that neither he not any of his ministers have power either over my body or soule But that although my body enjoyeth sleepe yet my soule may watch unto thee delight in thee and ever more praise thee that when the comfortable light of the day returneth according to thy good appointment I may rise againe with a faithfull soule and undefiled body and so afterwards behave my selfe all my life according to thy blessed will and commandment by casting away the workes of darknesse and putting on the armour of light that men seeing my good workes may be mooved to glorify thee my heavenly Father who with thy only begotten sonne our loving Saviour and the holy Ghost livest and reygnest one true and everlasting God world without end Amen A Prayer to our B. Lady and to her divine Sonne O Benigne and mercifull Virgin Mother most meeke most mild and gracious obtaine for us O B. Lady grace and strength to withstand and overcome all our enemies ghostly and bodily visible and invisible that after the course of this short life we may by thy gracious help attayne everlasting life in the kingdone of Heaven where wee may with thee O Virgin ever more dwell and with all the holy Angels Archangels Patriarcks and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs Confessors and Virgins worship glorify and magnify our divine Redeemer and thee O sacred Virgin in everlasting blisse without end Amen O Lord Jesus Christ the glory of the Father the orient beauty of eternal light and bright mirrour wihout spot or deformity I humbly beseech thee by thy sacred divinity to grant me this night chastity of minde cleanesse
any such backbiting discourse imitate the excellent practise of a holy servant of God who used to desire them who made any such discourse that they much rather would tell him of some fault of his owne whereof he had many for therby said he you will doe me great charity for which I will both hartely thanke you and also endevour to amende Thinke well upon this holy practise for it is of great importance to avoyd much sin to practice true charity towards our neighbour and finally to procure peace and happy quiet to our owne minde therby Of flying the occasion of sin WHo loves danger shall porish therein saith the wise man and who is most carefull to shun the occasion Eccles 1.17 he doubtlesse will least offende for as who stops the fountaine will certainly dry up the brooke so likewise who flyes the occasion will preserve himselfe from sin For as taking away the cause one wil hinder the effect so in the combat with vice no way is so secure to gaine the victory as by flight The holy Ghost assures us that as we cannot touch pitch without being defiled so is it also as difficult to stay voluntarily in the occasion of sin without a defiled conscience The common proverb saith very well that the occasion makes a Thiefe which is but too truly verifi'd in makeing adrunkard a detractor a Luxurious man and the like And who but reflecteth upon his most offending God will finde that his neglect of avoyding the occasion was still the chiefest cause of his sin Salomon David and Sampson did all greatly offend by exposing themselves to the occasion let us take good warning by them who are much inferiour to their perfections To avoyde therfore sin we must beware of all ill company for they serve but as alluring baites to draw soules to offende We must greatly mistrust our owne frailty and place our whole confidence in God craving humbly his celestiall grace to strengthen us against all the dangerous temptations of our three mortall ennemies the world the flesh and the devill The small number of the Elect. THis thruth is exceeding terrible Math. 7. grounded upon the words of Jesus Christ saying that the gate is wide and the way broad which leadeth to death and many walke therein but the gate unto life is narrow and few doe find it many ate cal'd but few are chosen God himselfe hath said it and therefore it must be true The figures of this divine truth doe well confirme it and by the holy Fathers they are soe expounded As that infinit number perishing in the deluge and but eight persons only escaping it in the Arke And secondly of eighteene hundred thousand Israelits who went out of Egipt two only of them lived to goe into the land of promise These are esteemed by the holy Fathers true figures to represent to us the small number of the Elect which ought not to seeme incredible considering the small number of Christians in comparaison of all the rest And secondly amongst the Christians how few are truly vertuous or love God as they ought or live according to their calling This wel considered what horrid feare ought we to have least our unhappy lot should fall out of this little blessed compagnie of the Elect. Phill. 2.21 Which to prevent by S. Pauls advise whorke in feare and trembling your salvation O what would not a damned soule now wish to have donne wherby to have escaped those eternall flames let us doe now what at the houre of our death we should undoubtedly wish to have done And according to S. Peter lett us imploy all our sollicitude and labour to secure our salvation by good workes Let us frequently renew the promise and protestation which we made in Baptisme â—et 1. to renounce the devil and all his workes the pompes and vanities of the world to follow our Christian maxims and to imitate the holy vertues of Jesus Christ Who suffer persecution for justice sake Math. 5. are beatifi'd by Iesus Christ himselfe THe souldier seekes no priviledge above is Prince or General nor is the servant more then his Maister now our divine Redeemer having led us the way through all manner of perfection why should we despicable wormes and criminel offenders be troubled or refuse cheerefully to follow him through so much easier a combat of suffering and persecution in comparison of what this great Lord of glory and inÌ„ocent laÌ„be of God hath suffered for our sakes for are our persecutors more cruel barbarous or inhumane then were his have they so greatly injured moked scorned or affronted us as they did him have they spitt or struck on our faces as they did on his have they by false calumny taken away our honour and sought our death and destruction as they did his O no not such outrageous injuries have been offered us and therfore it would be most unworthey for the member of so suffering a head to be so very nice and delicate or much troubled at smale and little injuries Finally what other perswasion need we to suffer with all cheerefulnesse then is the very conclusion of this Beatitude Math. 5 in these words exult yee and rojoyce because your reward is very copious in Heaven this reward being the beatificall vision of God for all Eternity To what multitude of miseries Mans life is subject MAns life though but short and very uncertaine yet it is replenisht with a multitude of miseries aswell of body as of soule the holy wiseman calls it a heavy yoake imposed vpon the children of Adam Ecc. 40.1 from the day of their birth till the day of their death and buriall These miseries now being so very great may wel make our life seeme long to us though but short in it selfe by reason of the sad and tedious accidents to which our fraile nature is so subject by feare by paine by griefe by necessity and want which to prevent and to grow rich what paines and industry doe Men use in crossing the dangerous seas undertakeing long painfull journies enduring great distempers of opposit clymats for gayning wealth And having at last quite spent tyred and worne out themselves how properly may that their great toyle and industry be compared to the spinning but à poore spiders webb consuming their whole life and labour as doth that little creature by drawing out the substance of their very bowels to weave their little nett to catch some contemptible fly Which lively represents meere worldly men whose thoughts and industry both day and nigth are to contrive the obtayning wealth honour or some small sensvall pleasure which by a right understanding and vertuous soule ought to be esteemed as vnworthey the occupation of his life and whole industry as is the catching of a silly fly The premisses well considered we must adore the great goodnesse of God who therfore hath mixed these many miseries with this present life therby to compell us to hate
Ceremonies of the Church be neither the substance nor the perfection of Religion yet they preserve and doe also begett and stirr up in us the reverance and gratefull memory of the holy mysteries of our faith and are an excellent and needfull ornament to religion Yea S. Aug. against Faustus the Manichean heretick li. 19. saith that without externall Ceremonies it is impossible to preserve Religion This supposed and as I hope you will find truly verifi'd by what doth follow that now which in the next place I am to recommend to you is that you having payed due honour and homage to God by your morning prayer then apply your selfe to such employments as the obligation of your present calling and condition may require of you But if afterward good leasure and oportunity be permitted you to heare the divine sacrifice of the Masse omitt not to be present at that supreame act of our Christian religion wherby we give to God the highest honour of sacrifice which is proper to him alone there being offered to him that most gratefull Host of the law of grace which is the sacred body and blood of Jesus Christ that most pure and immaculate lambe of God which though but once only offered in a visible and bloody manner for us upon the Crosse as a sacrifice of Redemption for all the sins of the world yet that very self same sacred Host and victime now daily is offered upon the holy Altar by the hands of the Priest in an unbloody and invisible forme not as a new price or payment for our sins that being here only applyed in the Masse which was already payed upon the Crosse Like as it is also applyd unto our soules both by faith by Baptisme and the other Sacraments and therefore is here in the Masse but only as the reall true sacrifice of application of the very selfsame victime not in a bloody and visible manner but in an unbloody and invisible under the sacramentall formes of bread and wyne And how avayleable now it is to all who devoutly assist at this holy sacrifice much and vith great authority might here be said but my designe ayming at brevity take only what that divinely devout Thomas a Kempis tells us in his imitation of Christ chap. 7. lib. 4. There is no oblation more worthy saith he no satisfaction greater for the washing away of sin then to offer up our selves to God purely with the oblation of the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Masse and holy communion Now that this holy sacrifice of the Masse is a most true and lively representation of the life and death of Jesus Christ he who shall observe either the ornaments of the Priest or the ceremonies and holy mysteries in the Masse will be forced to confesse that to be most true as it will manifestly appeare to any who reade but our Catholick Authors that explicate the primitive institution of the same And to begin with the holy Altar of the Altar and vvhat it signifies he shall finde that it hath relation to sacrifice which must necessarily be offered to God in the Church where his true faith is professd And therfore this name of Altar is given to us by S. Paul Hebr. 13.10 we have an Altar whereof they have not power to cate whoserve the Tabernacle And 1. cor 9.24 and S. Math. 5.24 all which is abundantly sufficient warrant for us to use this name of Altar Which represents the table wheron our divine Redeemer did celebrate the last supper with his Disciples 〈…〉 the night before his bitter death and passion The linning for the altar or the altar cloathes are to bee very pure and white they representing the purity of our blessed Saviours humanity from all stayne of sin or disordered passion That linning is also to be blest to signify the great sanctity of Jesus Christ his life which we must endeavour of the lighted candles upon the altar the best we can to imitate The lighted candles upon the altar admonish us according to S. Luke to be ready in imitation of the wise Virgins with the oyle of good workes in our lampe of true faith and to expect at the pronouncing those sacred and operative words of consecration the reall and true substantiall presence of that our divine and heavenly spouse who requires the light of our good workes so to shine before men as therby they may be mooved to glorify their Father who is in Heaven The two candels signify the two testaments of holy scripture the old and new They also signify the light of fatih revealed to the Jew and Gentill And they advertise us of the great splendor both of faith of good life and workes required in the celebrating of so heigh and dreadfull a mystery of the Crosse and Crucifix The Crosse or Crucifix is the principall ornament upon the Altar which ought never to be wanting at the celebration of the Masse It betokens our B Redemers victory over death and is placed at the midst of the altar most in view to represent to our minde the death and passion of Jesus Christ which is there chiefly to be considered and piously meditated in that holy sacrifice The Chalice doth represent the cup wherin our B. saviour did consecrate his most precious blood Math. 26. of the chalice And it puts us in minde of his sacred passion our B. saviour himselfe so calling it the Chalice of his passion The Paten serveth for the use of the consecrated body of our Lord of the Paten as the Chalice doth for his most precious blood And as it doth cover the topp of the Chalice it represents the stone which was rouled against the dore of the holy sepulcher Mark 15. The white linnen corporall upon which is consecrated the most precious body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ of the corporall doth represent to us that white and pure syndon wherein Joseph ab Aremathia involued his most sacred corps before it was buried The cleane and bright purity wherof doth aptly admonish all such as by the holy communion receive and harbour within their breasts this sacred and most precious body of Jesus Christ to be chast and cleane both of body and soule and endued with true purity of intention The Vaile doth cover both Paten and Chalice all round about of the vaile And it represents to us the handkercher wherwith our saviour's most sacred head was covered when he was layd in the sepulcher Wherof mention is made Luke 24. S. Peter having discovered it in the sepulcher and he there beheld the linnen lying apart and the handkercher which had been wrapped about his head Of the severall colours which the Church useth for her ornaments and the meaning of them THe Propht Ezechiel in his 6. chap. speaking of the splendor of the Church seemes to place a great part of her glory in the various colours of her beutifull robes Which
without prayer be able to bring fourth the fruit of true vertue and piety The necessity of this holy vertue of prayer is such as our divine Redeemer tells us that it behoveth alvayes to pray Luke 18.1 1. Thess 5. and not to be weary Yea without intermission pray saith S. Paul which is not to be understood by continuall vocall prayer for that is impossible but that with a pure intention we alwayes praise God and direct all our actions to his glory whatsoever we doe Finally to pray fruitfully and as it may be most gratefull to God we must consider with whom we treate and who we are that treate with him and greatly to humble our selves thereat with feare Secondly consider that he is our Creator our Redeemer and our judge Now as he is our God adore him as he is infinitly good and bountifull love him as he is just feare him in regard of his benefits blesse and be thankfull to him And lastly as our Father let us recurr to him for all our necessities with much hope and humble confidence in all our wants and necessities Before prayer â—les 18 prepare thy soule and be not as a Man that tempteth God A prayer to the most sacred and Blessed Trinity OEternall Father by all Creatures to be adored I a most wretched sinner doe offer unto thee for my innumerable offences and for the sins of all the world the bitter death and passion of thy divine sonne our mercifull Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I offer to thee his labours his fastings all his toylsome wearisomnesse his watchings his prayers his teares his humility his patience and his charity I offer to thee his suffered contumelies his paines his stripes and dolorous wounds I offer all the dropps of his most precious blood I offer also here the merits of his ever imaculate and pure Virgin-Mother and of all the holy Saints in Heaven O blessed Jesus my loving Saviour I render thee most humble thankes for thy innumerable benefits bestowed on me though most unworthey For thy miraculous incarnation and chastly pure Byrth for thy holy life and conversation for thy most ignominious death and passion Make me I beseech thee partaker of thy sacred merits and vouchsafe that by the imitation of thy vertues I may be found a living branch in thee who art the true vine of everlasting life O Holy Ghost my comforter I commende to thee my soule and body the beginning and ending of my life grant me grace and true repentance for all my sins wherby and by thy infinit mercy to be purifi'd from them all before I depart from my mortall body To thee O Lord I wholy commit my soule and body my life and death my tyme and my Eternity defend and keepe me thy unworthey servant from all evill illuminate my understanding guide my will strengthen my spirit against pusillanimity and keepe in me an humble hart that it fall not into pride or presumption give me true faith firme hope with sincere and perfect charity that I may wholy delight in thee that with my whole hart and soule I may love thee and every way fulfill thy most blessed will and pleasure O holy and blessed Trinity God omnipotent to thee I most humbly commende all my affaires both Spirituall and corporall I commend unto thee my benefactors my kindred friends and enemies and all for whome I ought to pray or who have desired me to pray for them I commend unto thee the whole Catholick Church renewe in it I beseech thee purity of life Nourish and keepe amongst the true members therof mutuall charity that with their whole harts and soules they may love thee Such as doe erre call backe to the way of truth extinguish all heresics confort and releeve all troubled minds and consciences as also such as are oppressed either with internall temptations or corporall calamities Amen A devout forme of thankes giving with an humble craving of all requisite vertues BE mercifull unto me O God according to they great mercy and according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out all my offences I a most wretched sinner doe hartely desire in all humility to adove and worship thee to render unto thee immortall praise and tankes-giving for all thy blessings especially for that unspeakable charity wherin thou didst send downe thy only begotten sonne into this vale of teares for the worke of our redemption O mercifull Father I the least of all thy servants doe magnify and praise thy ever glorious name for his holy Incarnation and Nativity for his pouerty and familiar conversation for his heavenly doctrine and miracles for his death and Passion for his Resurrection and Ascention I yeald unto thee all possible thanks for that divine mystery of his precious body and blood in the venetable Sacrament of the Eucharist wherewith we are spiritually and strongly nourished we are cleansed and sanctifi'd and our soules made partakers of all heavenly grace and benedictions I give thee harty thanks that me a handfull of dust of no value thou hast vouchsafed first to wash with the laver of baptisine to remission of my original sin and after convenient tyme thou brought me by the light of thy holy grace to the profession of the only true saving faith I humbly thanke thee that from my cradle thou hast nourisht cloathed and cherished me supplying all things necessary for the reliefe and maintenance of this my present life I evermore extoll and magnify thy holy name that in great mercy thou hast hitherto spared me albeit from my youth I have wantonly ryoted in manifould excesses thou patiently expecting till by thy grace I might be awaked from the sleepe of sin and reclaimed from my vanities and wicked life For hadst thou dealt with me according to my demerits my soule long ere this oppressed with innumerable sins had been plunged into the bottomelesse gulfe of Hell In respect of all which thy mercies graces and blessings I desire that my hart may be enlarged to render thee a more ample tribute of praise and thankes-giving then hitherto I have done And now for those things wherof I stand in need and most desire to obtayne at thy hands First O my God never leave me I beseech thee unto my selfe but let the bit of thy chast feare be ever in my jawes to curbe and keepe me within the compase of thy obedience that I may dread nothing so much as in the least sort to offend and displease thee for which cause let thy holy love so temper all tryals and temptations which happen unto me that I may profit by them Thou my Creator knowest how fraile I am and that my strength of my felfe is nothing Moreouer O heavenly Father even for the venerable and profound humility of thine only sonne Jesus I beseech thee that thou wouldst keepe farr from thy servant all pride and hautinesse of mind all selfe-love and vaine glory all obstinacy and disobedience all craft and hurtfull
which I was created and be therby united with thee here by grace and by glory in Eternity Amen A prayer before the B. Sacrament or before Communion I Adore thee O true bread of Angels the God of life the eternal Fathers spendor and Heavens beauty Behould one here present before thee full both of feare and confidence I approach by thy command in true simplicity of hart and firme beleefe truly confessing that thou art both God and Man here present in this most holy sacrament to which I approach O lord as an infirme to the phisition of life as one defiled to the fountaine of mercy as one blind unto eternal light and as in great want and needs to the Monarch of heaven and earth O my hope my only health my glory and all my content vouchsafe to rejoyce the hart of thy poore servant which burnes with desire to receive thee into my poore and unworthey habitation yet please to blisse it as thou didst that of little Zachee Alas my Lord it is most unworthy as being so very uncleane yet thou comming for the salvation of sinners into this world disdaynedst not to be borne in a stable amongst brute beasts vouch safe now likewise I beseech thee and for my salvation sake dispise not the uncleane manger of my soule full of brutall and vnbridled passions returne once more to foule leapers and converse againe with Publicans as thou didst in this world or rather O my omnipotent God descend once more into Hell for so alas I ought to call my darke my miserable and tormented soule But seeing that such is thy mercy as whersoever thou vouchsafest to enter thou never failest there to leave markes of thy grace and much benediction I confide my loving Lord that thou wilst doe the like to me Enter therfore vnder this my poore roofe and render it worthy of thy presence purge it of all impurities discipate the obscurity of its darkenesse replenish it with thy divine light and adorne it with the guifts of the holy Ghost Thou knowst well deare Lord my want as one poore and naked before thee much press'd with great hungar and misery but thou being the bread of life comfort my sighing sobbs dismisse me not fasting from thy delicious table least I faint in this my pilgrimage but rather graunt that fortifi'd by thee I may with holy Elias arrive to the mountaine of eternal felicity I most humbly beseech thee my mercifull and clement God and by this thy incomparable charity wherof thou givest so great a testimony by thy loving institution of this most blessed Sacrament I beseech thee to grant me grace to receive it with true contrition and sorrow for all my sins with feare and due reverence with devotion and faith fervour love and convenient purity to so sublime a mystery and grant also I beseech thee that I may receive not only the Sacrament of this thy precious body but therewithal the grace and vertue of the Sacrament for the supporting my weakenesse for the healing my infirmities for the confirming my hope for the suppressing my passions for the fortifying my faith for the inflaming my love to enlighten my understanding to be my companie in banishment and spirituall nourishment to my soule and finally to the end that by the help of this celestiall food of my soule I may be united transformed and made all one in will and desire with thee who livest and raignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen A prayer to obtayne a fervent love towards God our neighbour and our enemies O Mercifull and divine Redeemer Jesus who hast washt us with thy precious blood and given thy selfe to death for us thou hast been reputed with the wicked and most cruelly wounded for our iniquities breused and abused for our offences and by thy stripes hast made us whole I beseech thee O Lord for this thy ineffable mercy and charity to powre into my hart the unquenchable heate of thy heavenly grace so that the fire of thy charity may perpetually burne and worke within me and that there may alwayes grow in me such a continuall chast and nover failing affection of pitty benevolence and piety as extendeth it self to all creatures through the love and contemplation of thee Fill O Lord I beseech thee my soule my senses and desires with fervent and perpetuall charity that in all things and above all I may most hartely love thee and that according to thy good will and pleasure I may love my neighbour in thee and for thee Grant me grace I humbly beseech thee that with all my hart I may to thy glory love search and advance the salvation profit and commodity of every one Grant me O Lord to love mine enemies with sincerity both in word and truth take from me all bitternesse of mind wrath anger disdayne envie and whatsoever is against or contrary to pure and sincere charity so that in all sincere simplicity of hart I may have a good opinion of all may judge no Man rashly but love every one in thee with holy and harty affection and that I may shew them both in words and workes all sweetnesse all clemency and true love A prayer that we may receive the B. Sacrament before our death O Almighty and most merciful Lord I praise and give thee most humble thankes for having so graciously made me severall tymes partaker of that divinly great mistery of thy holy Sacrament and therby to be fortifi'd and greatly comforted with thy blessed presence O heavenly Father let every tongue blesse thee let every creature laud thee for this souveraine guift of thy divine bounty for which with them I also offer and present to thee my God all the praises of the Angels and of all the Elect which alreadie doe or ever shall enjoy thee in Eternity And I beseech the Ordeare Jesu the gracious Redeemer of my soule that at the houre of my death thou wilst vouchsafe to visit me with this thy gracious presence in this most blessed Sacrament and by thy grance prepare my soule I beseech thee by a faithfull and contrite confession wherby to make it a pleasing habitation for thee true God and Man my loving Saviour Forgive my former many trespasses by the sacred merits of thy bitter death and passion and that I may end this my mortall life in the finall perseverance of thy grace O God omnipotent have mercy on me for the love of thy deare sonne Jesus the life of all that shall be saved O Jesu equal God with the Father and the holy Ghost conserve and keepe me in thy grace suffer me not to be drawne from thee through any subtile persuasion of my ghostly enemy O Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne the comforter of the elect and inspirer of all good guifts replenish my hart with all charitable desires and heavenly inspirations necessary for my salvation Grant this O holy Trinity for the bitter
in as much onely as they advance me towards this end or divert me from it The Conclusion LEt us conclude this meditation with this truth that if we will dye the death of the just we must live their life also since the true meanes to obtayne a good death is to lead a good life And as there is nothing more precious nothing more to be desired then a good death so there is nothing more miserable nothing more to be dreaded then an ill one In a businesse of so high importance the most secure way is to live every day as though we were to dye before it expire alwayes keeping our affections so disengag'd from earthly things as if we were really at the point of death where all that is not God will appeare but smoake and vapour A most profitable Exercise to prepare our selves for death Vpon the moment of death depends Eternity THe day we make this Exercise as soone as we awake we are to enter into the thoughts of death and consider it as the last of our life Preparation WE are to imagine our selves sicke in our bed even to extremity and that our good Angel comes by Gods command to declare to us the irrevocable sentence of our death saying as Isay said to Exechias put thy affaires in order for thou shalst dye Prostrate at the foote of the Crucifix or before the B. Sacrament let us implore from the bottome of our hart grace and light from the holy Ghost the assistance of the B. Virgin of the saintes our Patrons and our good Angel and then make the following acts An act of Resignation 1. MY hart is ready O God my hart is ready not my will but thyne be done in me upon me and by me now and in all Eternity O God eternall immense and infinite who art abundantly sufficient to thy selfe and hast no need of thy creatures what matter is it whither I live or dye so as I accomplish thy holy will in which onely my true life consists Let not then my will bo done but thyne O my God Confession of our ovvne nothing 2. TO the end to acknowledg the dependance I have upon thee my soveraine Creator and openly to confesse before Heaven and Earth that thou art onely he who is and that I am that vile Creature who is not I embrace with all humble submission the destruction of this corruptible being and am content that by death it returne to the nothing from whence thou hast taken it Restitution of our beeing to God 3. O My Soveraine Creator I desire to restore thee the beeing which thou hast given me and to this effect I accept death in such manner as may most please and glorify thee Dispose then of thy Creature and destroy this body of sin in punishment of the offences it has committed against thy divine Majesty Let this carth returne to earth but let my Spirit which is created after thy image and likenesse returne to thee Acknowledgement of the Soveraine dominion of God 4. O My God although I must dye by necessity yet I desire by submission to render my death voluntary and am glad that in punishment of the ill use I have made of the free will thou hast given me it shall put me into a state wherin I shall be no more able to resist that Soveraine Dominion which thou as lawfull Lord of all creatures hast over me Acceptation of death in punishment of our sins 5. SInce death O my God is the punishment thou hast ordayned for sin with an humble hart and entire submission to thy most just decree and à Spirit of penance I accept it togeather with all the paines humiltations and privations which accompany it in satisfaction for all those offences which I have committed against thy awfull Majesty Oblation of our life to God 6 REceive Omy Saviour the oblation I make of my body and life which I offer and immolate to thy divine Majesty as a sacrifice and burnt offering unite it to that which thou hast offerd upon the Crosse for me and consume it with the fire of thy divine love Desire to render to Iesus death for death 7. O My divine Jesus since that the love of me has caus'd thee to dye upon the Crosse for my salvation is it not reasonable that for the love of thee I should accept death with a good hart to the end to recompence as farre as I am able that which thou hast suffered for me O why have I not a thousand lives that to this end I might lay them downe all and thereby testify that thou art my God Spirituall Confession Humbling our selves profoundly at the feete of Jesus Christ as if he were present in his holy Humanity we ought to accuse our selves to him of all our sins taking a short review of them but especially of those which are most notable in consequence wherof we may excite our soule to a lively and loving repentance for them An act of Contrition O My God prostrate before thy Soveraine Majesty I most humbly crave pardon as well for all my contempts and abuses of thy holy graces as for the sins I have committed since the very day of my birth in thought word and deed I retract and disavow them yea from the bottom of my hart I renounce them and wish I had never committed them not in regard of the paines which they merit but because I have offended thy infinit goodnesse which deserves to be infinitly lou'd and serv'd by all Creatures O that my hart were capable of an infinit griefe wherwith to expiate them But to supply what is wanting in me O my God accept that which my Saviour has sufferd in the garden of Olives and upon the Crosse for the sins of the whole world and particularly for me Accept also to this end the griefe and contrition of all the saintes cleanse me from my secret sins and pardon me those which I have committed in others O my Lord despise not an humble and contrite hart which expects pardon of thy mercy alone Thou hast said that whensoever a sinner shall truly grieve for his sins thou wilt no more remember his iniquities And if be thy pleasure to prolonge my life I make a sinne purpose by thy grace to amende my faults especially such and such and will endeavour to satisfy for what is past Having made this act we may receive the absolution which Jesus Christ the Soveraine Priest gives us by applying to our selves his divine merits after which let us contemplate him saying to us as he did to S. Mary Magdalen thy sins are forgiven thee goe in peace Say the Psalme Miserere mei Deus c. in the Spirit of true penance Aspirations to the three divine Persons O Eternal Father since thou hast so lou'd the world as to give us thyne only Sonne ought not I to hope for salvation from thy mercy Thou hast not given him to condemne us but to save us and
At the nostrills I also most humbly crave pardon O my God for the excessive pleasure I have sought and taken in perfumes and sweet odours and for my too much nicenesse and impatience in ill ones which I have so sensually avoyded To satisfy for this vouchsafe to apply to me the merit of those ill odours which thou didst daigne to smell in the Stable and upon mount Calvary At the Mouth O My Saviour Jesus Christ pardon me the infinit number of fins which I have committed both in words and in excesse of eating and drinking expiate them O my God by applying to me the merit of thy divine prayers preaching and holy fastings At the hands Pardon me my divine Jesus so many evill and unprofitable actions which I have done and all the pleasure and delight I have sought to satisfy my sense of feeling and to this end apply to me the merit of those holy actions and divine miracles which thou hast wrought with those sacred hands which were nayld to the hard wood of the Crosse At the feete O My God from the bottome of my hart I beseech thee to pardon all the stepps I have employ'd either unpromably or with evill intentions apply to me in satisfaction for these faults the merit of those sacred stepps which thou hast trodden barefoot with so much wearinesse especially in carrying the Crosse After Extreame unction we may make these following acts in a spirit of penance 1. O my God to the end to satisfy thy divine justice as farre as I am able and with my whole being to make reparation for my faults I accept death with all my hart and rejoyce that my soule shall be separated from my body in punishment of the sins I have committed in preferring my corrupt inclinations before thy holy will 2. And that this body in punishment for its pride and ambition shall be hidden in the earth and trodden under foote 3. And that in satisfaction for the inordinate love I have borne it and the excessive care I have had to give it ease and pleasure it shall returne to corruption and become the nourishment of wormes 4. And for the inordinate affection I have borne to the Creatures and the abuse I have made of them I am glad to be depriu'd and separated from them 5. And for my forgetfulnesse of thee O my God during my life I accept that which will be had of me after my death 6. And for having used all my senses to offend thee I accept and effer thee the privation I must now suffer of the use of them 7. And in punishment for all the vaine complacence I have had for the creatures I submit my selfe by death to be the object of their hatred and horrour The approach of death LEt us heare our Good Angel saying to us Math. 15 as to the Virgins in the Gospel Behould the Bridegroome is comming goe fourth to meete him Preparing our selves comming with the burning lampe of charity in our hands we may say with David I Was glad when it was said to me we will goe into the house of our Lord. O my Lord God of Hosts how amiable are thy tabernacles my soule longs after them My soule thirsts after the fountaine of life when shall I come and appeare before thy face As the thirsty hart longs after the fountains of water so ô my God my soule longs after thee O how ardent is my desire to be delivered from this body to the end to be with Jesus Christ Vnion to Iesus Christ dying O my divine Jesus grant that my paines may be united to thyne that my agony and death may be sanctifi'd by thyne and that I may partake of those holy dispositions wherein thy sacred soule was in the last moment of thy life to which with my whole hart I unite my selfe to supply those which are wanting in me I abandon my selfe to thee to the end to suffer for thy love the paines of death even as great and as long as thou shalst please And I disavow all the imperfections which the violence of my sicknesse may cause me to commit Recourse to the B. Virgin and the Saintes O Holy Virgin Mother of my Lord and Saviour refuge of sinners be now my Advocate employ thy power for me to the most holy Trinity O Mary Mother of grace Mother of mercy receive me at the houre of my death and defend me from the enemy Shew thy selfe to be a mother and obtayne that he who for my salvation would vouchsafe to be thy sonne and be borne of thee may also receive me by thee O all yee Saints and Blessod spirits intercede now for my soule and assist me in this extremity to the end I may obtayne victory over my enemies Great S. Joseph and my holy Patrons and Protectors assist me Blessed S. Michael fight for me O glorious Angel my deare gardian defend me from the ambushes of my enemies and forsake me not in this last passadge Then addressing our sselves to God we may say FTernall Father looke upon me in the face of thy deere sonne Jesus Christ who has spilt his blood for my salvation Have pitty on me according to thy great mercy and pardon my sins for the glory of thy name O my God enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight no Man living can be justifi'd O my divine Jesus interpose thy Crosse and Passion betwixt thy iudgment and my soule My God my Lot is in thy hands save me O my Lord I have hoped in thee I shall not be confounded for ever An act of Adoration to the most holy Trinity O Most holy and individed Trinity I adore thee with my whole hart and now and for all Eternity unite my selfe to all those adorations and praises which the most holy humanity of my Saviour Jesus christ his most glorious Mother and all the Saints and blessed spirits render thee and shall render thee eternally in Heaven I offer thee all the sacrifices of this most sacred humanity which are already offerd and which shall be offerd even to the day of judgment upon all the Altars in the world in satisfaction for my sins and in gratitude for all thy divine benefits Those who make use of the Recommendation of the soule may remember to make this conclusion after it And then may be said Subvenite Sancti Conclusion of this exercise An act of entire resignation or abandon of our selves to God O My God I abandon my soule entirely and without reservation to thy divine judgments I submit my selfe to them from the bottome of my hart I adore and reverence them now and in all Eternity as most just and equitable Spirituall expiration Houlding the Crucifix in our hand we may say these words MY God my Creator and my Redeemer behould I come to thee because thou callest me receive me into the bosome of thy mercy And kissing with tender affection the wounds of the Crucifix we may at
passions and therfore we must not rest only in our prayer as in the end of our work for perfection consists not in much consolation or sweetnesse or sensible gust in our prayer but in that perfect victory over our selfe over our passions and unruly affections as is said nor in the sublimest prayer but in that which with a pure intention doth syncerely seeke the encreace in Gods divine love our owne aduanement in vertu with true resignation to the wil of God and a perfect contempt and abnegation of our selves renouncing all curiosity of Spirit and self satisfaction by it for otherwise we seeke not God so much as our selves and our owne interest and therfore no marvaile if we doe not finde him The certaine markes and most evident signes of false and meere counterfeit prayer THe first marke If our manners and conversation be nothing amended 2. If there be great levity and vanity in our actions 3. If great remisnesse in obligations of piety 4. If our care and diligence be small to avoyde evill occasions and the causes of our most habituall sin 5. If we presume to be now arrived to a high degree of prayer or aspire to visions revelations or extaces c. Or to the like favours in the passive way 6. If passions beare sway in vs. 7. If mortification seeme harsh and vnpleasant 8. If our senses be petulant and wanton 9. If to temptations we make but a weake and carelesse resistance 10. If labour and employment be ircksome to vs. 11. If the yoake of Gods law seemes heavy and his counsels unsupportable 12. If we finde our selves lasie and listlesse to all spirituall affaires 13. If worldly puntillios of honour and temporall respects goe nearest to our hart and affection 14. If holy Crosses patience and obedience seeme bitter and unpleasing 15. If we neglect and misregard or not respect nor esteeme the advise of our superiour and ghostly Fathers 16. If finally we carry our selves carelesly and negligently in the amendment and correction of such faults as apparently are knowne to us for such These are all evident markes and most assured signes of evill counterfeit and false devotion and naughty prayer which we ought with all speed and industry resolutely to amende and change The Litany of our Lord and divine Saviour Iesus LOrd have merecy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Jesus heare us Lord Jesus graciously heare us God the Father of Heaven Have mercy upon us God the sonne Redemer of the world Have mercy c. God the holy ghost proceeding from the Father and the sonne Have Holy and glorious Trinity three persons and one God Have mercy Jesus sonne of the living God have Jesus splendor of the Father Jesus brightnesse of Eternal light Jesus king of glory Have mercy Jesus the sunne of justice Jesus sonne of the Virgin Mary Jesus whose name is called wonderfull Have mercy upon us Jesus the mighty God Jesus the Father of the world to come Have mercy upon us Jesus the Angel of the great counsel Jesus most powerfull Jesus most patient Jesus most obdient Have mercy Jesus milde and humble of hart Jesus lover of chastity Jesus our Love Jesus the God of peace Jesus the Author of life Jesus the example of vertues Jesus the zealous seeker of soules Jesus our God Have mercy upon us Jesus our Refuge Jesus the Father of the poore Jesus the Treasore of the faithfull Jesus the good shiphard Jesus the true light Jesus the Eternall wisdome Jesus all-infinite goodnesse Jesus the way the truth and the life Jesus the ioy of Angels Have c. Jesus Maister of the Apostles Jesus the teacher of the Evangelists Jesus the strength of Martyrs Jesus the light of Confessors Jesus the purity of Virgins Jesus the Crowne of all Saints Have mercy upon us Be propitious unto us Speare us Lord Jesu Be propitious unto us Spare c From all sinne Lord Jesu deliver us From thy anger From the deceipts and snaires of the Divel From the spirit of fornication From perpetuall death From all neglect of thy holy inspirations Lord Jesus deliver us By the mystery of thy most holy incarnation By thy Nativity Lord Jes deliv us By thy Infancy By thy divine life By thy labours and trauells By thy Agony and Passion By thy Crosse and dereliction By thy unspeackable paines and languishings Lord Jesus c. By thy death and buriall By thy glorious Resurrection By thy Assention into Heaven By thy incomparable joyes By thy Eternall glory Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Spare us Lord Jesu Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Haue mercy c. Jesu heare us Lord Jesu graciously heare us Let us pray O Lord Jesus Christ who hast said unto us aske and you shall receive seeke and you shall find knock and it shall be opned unto you grant we beseech thee upon this our most humble petition the effect of thy divine love that we may love thee with our whole hart and never cease from thy praises nor from glorifying thy holy name O most loving and our divine Redeemer Jesus worke in us the perpetuall love to geather with the feare of thy sacred Humanity which thou hast annointed and sanctifi'd by the vnion of thy Deity that we may be evermore subiect and obedient to thee since thou doest never leave those destitute of thy grace whom thou hast establisht in the solidity of thy love who with the Father and the Holy ghost liveth and rayneth God world without end Amen The Litany of our B. Lady of Loretto LOrd have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Christ heare us Christ graciously heare us God the Father of Heaven Have mercy upon us God the sonne Redeemer of the world Haue mercy upon us God the Holy ghost Holy Trinity one God Have mercy upon us Holy Mary Pray for us Holy Mother of God Holy Virgin of Virgins Mother of Christ Mother of Divine grace Most pure Mother Most chast Mother Undefiled Mother Untouched Mother Lovely Mother Pray Glorious Mother Mother of our Creatour Mother of our Saviour Most prudent Virgin Venerable Virgin Renowned Virgin Powerfull Virgin Mild and meeke Virgin Faithfull Virgin Pray Myrrour of Justice Seate of Wisdome Cause of our joy Spirituall vessel Honorable Vessel Vessel of devotion Pray Mysticall Rose Strong Tower of David Solid Tower of ivory Goulden habitation Arke of Covenant Gate of Heaven Morning starr Pray Health of the sick Refuge of Sinners Confortresse of the afflicted The Helpe of Christians Queene of Angels Queene of Patriarkes Queene of Prophets Queene of Apostles Queene of Martyrs pray Queene of Confessors Queene of Virgins Queene of all Saints Lambe of God who taketh away the sins of the world Spare us o Lord. Lambe of God who taketh away the sins of the world Heare us o