the last benediction THe Ite Missa est represents that last dreadfull sentence upon the reprobate at the day of Doome goe yee cursed in to eternall flames c. As the last benediction immediatly following signifies the joyfull sentence upon the thrice happy Elect. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse yee the kingdome prepared for you from Eternity O let us therfore be diligent and carefull to make use of precious tyme whilst it is lent us that we may avoyde that endlesse misery and purchace eternall Blisse At the Gospel of S. Iohn AFTER the conclusion of all these sacred and divine Mysteries with this representation of Christs joyfull benediction upon the Elect at the end of the world the holy Church hath very properly concluded this her chiefest sacrifice with the Gospel of S. John which proposeth to us the Words eternall birth with all the deepest mysteries of Gods Divinity Therby to intimate to us that after the afore mentioned benediction those blessed Elect shall enter into the celestiall Paradise there to know to love and eternally to prayse the B. Trinity Father Sonne and holy Ghost three persons Apoc. 7.12 and one only God to whom be benediction and glory all thanks-giving honour and power for ever and ever Amen A prayer to be said after Masse I Render to thee o sacred Trinity most humble thankes for vouchsafing me the gracious favour to assist at this divine sacrifice of the Masse wherof so many are deprived who would have made much better use of it I humbly crave pardon most loving and mercifull God for all the distractions irreverences and discipation of my wandering Spirit committed in tyme thereof And for my deare Saviours sake I most humbly beseech thee that those infinit merits of his bitter passion and most precious blood shed for my Redemption and sacrific'd to thee in remission of the sins of the world may render me worthy to be made partaker of those divine and adorable holy mysteries here so truly represented in this most holy sacrifice of the Masse and that with finall repentence I may dye in thy happy grace Amen Reflexions to be used so soone as Masse is ended MASSE being ended call to minde your negligences committed therin Crave pardon of God for them and Beg hartely his grace for your amendment and more strength and courage to resist all sin Renew then also the morning oblation of all your actions for that day and confirme your good purpose to avoyde that passion sin or fratliy which puts you most in danger to offend Finally your devotion being ended retyre your hart very gently from that holy exercise to your wordly affaires retayning as long as you can the feeling and affection of your former devotion Observe also that by these declarations upon the holy mysteries of this divine sacrifice it sufficiently now appeares that the Masse puts us in minde and very lively represents to us Mans banishment from Paradise by Adam's sin and his restitution to grace by the precious blood of Jesus Christ And therfore this manner of hearing Masse is most conformable to the designe of our B. Redeemer in his instituting this holy sacrifice therby obligeing us to keep à continuall memory of that his bitter passion which he suffered for the Redemption of the world this doe in commemoration of me c. For so often as you shall eate this bread and drink this Chalice you shall shew the death of our lord untill he come Doe this in memory of me 1. Cor. 11 Luke 22. Spirituall advises of S. Theresa greatly conducing to live happily both with God and man ACcommodate your selfe to the harmelesse condition of those with whom you converse To enjoy true content and happinesse With the merry shew signes of joy With the afflicted a feeling of their griefe And finally endevour to please all to the end to gaine all In all your actions remember to be in the presence of God And direct them with à pure intention to his greater honour and glory Accustome your selfe to make many acts of the love of God and of your neighbour for they will kindle charity and make tender your hart In any spirituall desolation forsake not your accustomed practise of devotion but much rather encreace the same For therby you will soone experience Gods divine favour and comfort Lett your desire be to see God your feare to loose him Your sorrow for having offended him Your joy in doing his wil. And by this meanes yow will possesse à most blessed and happy peace Never speake any thing in your owne praise for knowledge for vertue kindred For meekenesse and humility or good actions unlesse there be good cause to hope that some great good may come therby And then also it ought to be with much humility and consideration that these are guifts which come from the meere goodnesse of God and not from you Never busy your selfe in thinking upon other mens faults but rather in mending your owne When any shall reprehend you take it both with inward and outward humility and pray to God for them who shall tell you when you doe amisse Be carefull to exercise your selfe in the feare of God which ingendreth contrition and true humility in the soule Offer up your selfe to Almighty God many tymes in the day and that in much fervour and affection Endeavour with diligence to have frequently before your eyes For Prayer and devotion your morning good resolution for that is of great profit for gayning perfection Neglect not Gods holy inspirations and put in practice the good desires which he hath given you in your prayer Never make shew of more devotion outwardly then you have truly within And what devotion you find inwardly be carefull to concele it Behould your life past and bewaile it and be confounded at your present coldnesse in devotion considering how much it wants of deserving that Beatitude which God hath promissd to all who truly love him When you are in company of many speake but little Never contend For conversation nor strive in words with any for that argues but obstinacy and selfe opinion Speake to all Persons with à pleasing sweet and gracious modesty Never reprehend any without discretion and humility Exagerate nothing but deliver your opinion and advise with moderation Offer not to give your aduise unlesse it be first demanded or that charity require the same Be merry without immoderate laughter but with à modest affable and edificative myrth Be not desirous to speake nor inquire of things which doe not concerne you In all your conversation mixe somthing of piety wherby you will avoyde much idle or worse discourse Misery it selfe is not to be desired but à will to endure with moderation of minde for the love of God when he shall please to send it Whosoever shall reade these instructions once à month or oftner and endeavour to put them in practise he will undoubtedly reape much profit
the cordes which bound our Saviour's hands and armes when he was drag'd from place to place of the Manuple and from one Judge to an other It is put on the left arme which is nearest to the hart to declare with what love and affection he endured all those outrageous injuries to expiate our sin When the Priest putteth the manuple upon his arme he saith vouchsafe me Lord so to beare the Manuple of weeping and sorrow that I may receive the reward of my labour with exultation Which prayer also alludes to the antient devouter tymes which used this manuple as a linning cloath or hand kercher to wype their teares which their fervent piety made often to runn in abundance from their eyes of the Stole The Stole which the Priest pureth about his neck doth signify the yoke of obedience even unto death upon the Crosse wherunto our Lord Jesus submitted himselfe for our redemption The Priest kisseth the Crosse which is upon the middle of it when he puteth it on to shew his cheerefull willingnesse to beare the sweet yoke of Christ's Crosse with all patience in tribulation He puteth the two ends of it overthwart his breast in forme of a Crosse representing saith S. Bonaventure the passion of Jesus Christ which the Priest ought to have most seriously fixed in his hart The Stole also doth properly signify that long rope about our Saviour's neck wherby those barbarous executioners dragged him charged with the heavy crosse upon his neck and bloody shoulders The two crosses at the ends of the Stole hanging on either side of the Priest doe signify the crosses whereon the two theeves were crucifi'd by him one on the right hand and the other on the left and the crosse on the middle represents that wheron himselfe was crucifid in the middle betwixt them both The Priest in putting on the stole saith Render me o Lord the stole of immortality which I have lost by the prevarication of my first parents in transgressing thy holy law The Vestment of the vestment represents that purple garment wherwith the Jewes did cloath our Lord and Saviour after that his most tender body was all in gory blood with those cruel stripes and in scornfull mockery exposed him to the peoples view with a reede in his hand and a crowne of thornes on his head saying Ecce homo This Vestment consists of two parts which signifies the two-fould charity the one towards God which is the larger the other towards our neighbour we being commanded to love God above all things and our neighbour as our selves Deut. 6. The great crosse upon the back of the vestment is to put us in minde of our divine Redemer as he went fourth of Hierusalem carriing his heavy crosse upon his wounded shoulders Finally the Priest when he puts on the vestment saith Lord thou who assurest us that thy yoake is sweet and thy burthen light vouchsafe that I may so weare this as therby I may obtayne thy holy grace Amen The Priest comming fourth to the sacrifice thus attyred with these holy ornaments What the Priest thus attyred doth represent to us doth represent our blessed Saviour led fourth through the streets of Hierusalem to his bitter death and passion And by the Altar is signified mount Calvary upon which he was crucifi'd for our Redemption And it is worthy to be here noted that who mock and scorne both at these holy ornaments as likewise at the Priest for wearing them doe rightly resemble the spitefull jewes who most blasphemously mocked and scorned our Saviour Jesus Christ himselfe in the purple robe and thorny crowne which they had put upon him for that end The Clark carriing the booke before the Priest What is representedly the clark carrying the booke before the Priest doth represent the Angel Gabriel who brought the good tydings of our Saviour becomming incarnate for our Salvation which is a heigh office and ought to be used by the clark with all devout piety and reverence And would Christians consider but the honour and great spirituall gaines which is to be gott by those who have the happinesse to serve their souveraine Lord with due and reverent devotion in that neere approaching office they would not permit nor make it as they doe their lackies employment nor would they suffer their servant to deprive them of that honour wherof the greatest mortall Prince is farr unworthy The Clark carrieth the booke to the right end of the Altar Vvherfore the missas is layd first on the right side of the Altar ādvvherfore shutt where he layeth it downe shutt to be opned afterwards by the Priest himselfe Heerby to signify to us how the holy Gospel first was manifested to the jewes as is testifid Act. 15. To you it behooved us first to speake the word of God The booke is shutt to shew that all things were closed under darke shadowes and figures untill the comming of Jesus Christ who revealed the mysteries of our holy faith to the Apostles And so ought the Priest to preach to teach and to lay open the word of God and the holy scripture to the people as his laying there open the booke doth signify The priest in this sort adorned and accompanied with the Clark to assist him and having placed the chalice upon the Altar and opened the booke he descends to the lowest stepp Where in imitation of the humble Publican he profoundly boweth himselfe to the Crucifix saying at least in his hart God be mercifull to me a sinner And then with all fervent devotion and true reverence he beginneth the most holy sacrifice of the Masse in which Jesus Christ true God and Man is really received the memory of his death and passion is renewed his sacred merits are therby applyed in remission of our sins our soules are replenished with many heavenly benedictions and therin is given unto us the happy pledge of future and eternall glory And the faithfull Christian assisting devoutly at this holy sacrifice doth offer together with the Priest the self same victime in expiation for his sin which was offered upon the crosse for the Redemption of all the world it being the self same price and satisfaction of application upon the Altar as it was of redemption upon the Crosse And it is that cleane and pure sacrifice foretould and promisd also by the prophet Malachy to be continually Malach. cap. 1 and in all places offered in his name All which but well considered ô with what affection reverence purity and devotion ought we to assist at this divine sacrifice soe venerable unto Angels as may greatly confound our impiety and the little respect we beare to those dreadfull mysteries at which ô how usually doe carelesse Christians to their great reproach assist with lesse respect and reverence then they durst appeare in a Princes chamber A reflection to be used as you goe to the Church to assist at this holy sacrifice IT being now the
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