obeyed Serve her whom God hath served Love her whom God hath loved Salute her whom the Angel did salute Say to her often with heart and mouth Hail full of Grace Give us a part of your fulness Our Lord is with thee As Father as Son as Spouse Blessed art thou among Women With infinit blessings Thou alone art a Virgin and a Mother Thou alone wert conceiv'd without Crime Thou alone didst live without Sin Thou alone didst dy without Pain Thou alone hadst God for thy Son and Subject Thou alone art his Daughter his Mother his Spouse Thou art the repairer of the World The Queen of the Universe The Gate of Paradise The Dispenser of Graces O Blessed Virgin give me thy blessing And blessed be the Fruit which thou gavest to the World Most holy Mary and most worthy Mother of God Pray for the Just and for Sinners Now that thou seest them Beaten by so many Temptations Slaves to so many vices Overwhelm'd with so many miseries But especially at their Death When their Salvation is in greatest danger And thy succour will be most necessary for them The Word was made flesh John 1. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that for you he was made poor whereas he was rich that by his poverty you might be rich 2 Cor. 3. He exinanited himself Phil. 1. He was subject to them Luk. 2. All generations shall call me blessed Luk. 2. CXXXV MED Of the Visitation of the B. Virgin JESVS visits S. John Mary visits S. Elizabeth Jesus sanctifies both the Mother and the Son By the mouth of Mary As soon as ever she had spoken John Baptist was sanctified Her speech was a Conduit-pipe of grace which gave sight to a blind man Which delivered a captive Which raised up one that was dead Which justified a sinner Mary applies to the first amongst men The first fruit of our Redemption She conceives man spiritually After having conceiv'd God corporally She becoms the Mother of men After having becom the Mother of God She is the Mother of grace She is the Mother of mercy Of grace for the just Of mercy for sinners O Mother of grace Mother of mercy Visit us frequently together with thy Son You want not grace Since you have the fulness thereof You want not mercy Since it dwelt nine months in your bowels Exercise it on a poor blind man And on a poor captive On a sinner a slave to his Passions On one dead to the life of grace Com and enlighten and enlarge him Com and raise him and sanctify him Make thy voice to be heard to the ear of my heart For thy voice is sweet And thy beauty incomparable Speak and my heart will leap with joy Say the word and my soul will be healed For you have in you the Word of God Which gives life to the World Mary Mother of grace Mother of mercy Defend us from our Enemies And receive our Souls at the hour of our Death For to honour the Virgin You must imitate her Virtues Love Solitude as she did Go not out of it but for to do good Visit the Prisoners Help the Miserable Deliver Captives Sanctify Sinners Be a Mother of grace to their Souls A Mother of mercy to their Bodies Blessed is the Lord God of Israel because he hath visited c. Luk. 1. Through the bowels of the mercy of our God in which he visited us ibid. Visit us in thy salvation Ps 205. Thy visitation hath preserved my Spirit Job 10. As soon as she heard the salutation of Mary Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost Luk. 1. Arise make hast my friend my sister let thy voice sound in my ears for thy voice is sweet and thy face comely Cant. 2. CXXXVI MED Of the Death of the B. Virgin WHat is it that makes the Chalice of Death bitter It is the loss of the World 'T is the separation from the Body 'T is the account that is to be given We feel sadness in quitting the World We feel pain in quitting our Body We dread being to appear before God Mary died without Fear Sadness Pain Because she liv'd without Sin ty Pleasure O let my soul dy with the death of the Saints O let my death be like the death of Mary Live the life of Saints And thou wilt dy the death of Saints Live like Mary and thou wilt dy like Mary Live without sin and thou wilt dy without fear Live without ty and thou wilt dy without sadness Live without pleasure And thou wilt dy without pain If you lead the life of sinners You will dy the death of sinners If you live in disorder You will dy in confusion If you live in sin you will dy in fear If you live in pleasure You will dy in pain That which makes your delight during your life Will make your torment at your death That which is your pain during your life Will be your pleasure at your death O Holy Virgin I care not by what death I dy Provided that I dy in a good state I shall dy without fear if I dy in your arms I shall dy in grace if I dy in your service For you save those that belong to you You never suffer your Children to perish O fail not to be present at your Son's death All the Predestinate must dy in your arms Since you saw the first Predestinate dy I will disengage my self from the World That I may dy without sadness I will afflict my Body That I may dy without pain I will abstain from sin That I may dy without fear I will live in pain that I may dy in pleasure I will live in Pennance That I may dy with assurance I will live in Charity That I may dy in Sanctity I will live a Child of the Virgins That I may dy like a Predestinate I will live in grace that I may dy in grace I will live in love that I may dy in love I adjure you O ye daughters of Jerusalem that if you find my beloved you will tell him that I languish with love Cant. 5. Love is as strong as death Cant. 8. Let my soul dy the death of the just Numb 23. The Death of sinners is very bad Ps 33. He shall laugh at the latter day Prov. 31. Into thy hands O Lord I recommend my spirit Luk. 23. CXXXVII MED Of the Resurrection of the B. Virgin MAry is risen again Her body is no longer in the grave So pure a flesh as hers Ought to be exempt from corruption So holy a Temple ought not to be profaned Mary is the chastest of Virgins She ought therefore to be incorruptible Mary is the best of Mothers She ought therefore to be with her Son If the body of Jesus by its Communion Gives a right to a Resurrection Who ought to rise again If not she who gave him flesh If the Servants are with their Masters Where ought his Mother to be If this favour
You have grace enough not to go thither You have enough to retire from thence But shall you have grace enough if you stay there Is it not a sin of Presumption To promise it your self in the occasion At least it will be very weak And your enemy will be very strong He is a Dog in a chain When we come near him he bites us He expects us in the occasion If you go thither O rash Soul You will yield to that temptation He that loves danger will not escape danger Be not familiar with a cholerick man neither do thou walk with a furious man least thou learn his foot stept Prov. 22. He that touches pitch shall be defiled with it and he that keeps company with a proud man will put on pride Eccles 14. He that joyns himself to Fornicators will be naught Eccles 14. If any one be a Fornicator amongst you do not so much as eat with such an one 1 Cor. 5. He that loves danger shall perish therein Eccles 3. Go off from the Tabernacles of the wicked men and do not touch any thing that belongs to them that ye be not involv'd in their ruin Numb 16. If thy right eye scandalize thee pluck it out and cast it from thee Matth. 5. We denounce unto you brethren in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ That you withdraw your selves from every brother that walks disorderly 2 Thess 3. XX. MED Of a good and a bad Conscience O How good it is to serve God What a pleasure is there in loving him How good is he to those that love him How terrible to those that offend him How happy is a good conscience How unhappy is a bad Conscience How joyful is a sound heart How sad is a sick heart O what quiet is there in a good Soul O what disturbance in a wicked Soul The Conscience of a just man is a Heaven The Conscience of a Sinner is a Hell God is in the Soul of a just man The Devil is in the Soul of a Sinner A virtuous man fears nothing A wicked man apprehends all things A just man is well with himself A wicked man is ill with himself A virtuous man willingly stays at home Because all is in peace there A wicked man dares not enter into himself Because all things are there in disorder O how sweet is Virtue O how bitter is Vice O how precious is the death of the Just O how horrible is the death of Sinners Ah! I will love God now That I may love him in Eternity I will lead a good life that I may have a good death My sin is always before me Psal 50. There is no peace to the wicked saith our Lord. Isa 48. A good conscience is as it were a perpetual feast Prov. 15. Tribulation and anguish upon every Soul that works evil Rom. 2. Hell is my house Job 17. This is our glory the testimony of our conscience 2 Cor. 1. XXI MED Of the peace of the Soul I Would fain be in peace Whence comes it that I am not Is it not because I defer too much to my own sence Because I am too much wedded to my own will Because I rebel against my Superiors Because I will suffer nothing Because I desire something with eagerness Because I am ambitious Because I am envious Is it not because I wage war against God Because I resist his Will Because I oppose my self to his Providence Because I would have what he will not Because I will not what he wills Who can live in peace that fights against God Who can be contented that is at odds with God O my Soul If thou art against God God will be against thee If thou disturbest his peace he will disturb thy quiet If thou keep his orders his orders will keep thee If thou disturb his order His order will disturb thee Desire nothing and thou shalt have all Do the Will of God and God will do thine He will do the Will of those that fear him Ps 144. VVhence come the wars and brangles amongst you is it not from your concupiscences James 4. Glory be to God on high and on Earth peace to men of good will Luk. 2. My peace I give you let not your heart be troubled John 14. Much peace there is to those that love thy law Ps 118. XXII MED Of vain Desires ARt thou contented O my Soul What dost thou desire upon earth Is not God sufficient for thee Is not he thy happiness When wert thou well without him Or when ill with him What dost thou seek besides God Who can content thee but God Thy desires are thy Tyrants 'T is they make thee miserable 'T is they that rent thy heart How happy would'st thou be if thou desiredst nothing What dost thou get by desiring These sort of desires enter not into Heaven They are the Devils in Hell 'T is they that torment the damned Leave off desiring and thou wilt get out of Hell O my God! Out of you all abundance is to me indigence All sweetness is bitterness to me That Heart is very covetous To which God is not sufficient Covetousness is the root of all evils 1 Tim. 6. The desires of sinners shall perish Ps 122. Desires kill the slothful man Prov. 21. Turn away from me all desires Eccles 23. Yield me not O Lord from my desire to the Sinner Psal 139. Martha Martha thou art Sollicitous and troubled about many things Luk. 10. XXIII MED Of Tepidity How miserable is a Tepid Soul She has lost all relish of God She is depriv'd of all comforts She wanders out of the ways of his Providence She sins without fear She does ill without remorse She dares not enter into her self She is Sick and is not sensible of her Sickness She is wicked and thinks her self good She is a slave and thinks her self free She abuses all remedies She rejects all Inspirations She is insensible to all Grace She discredits Devotion She scandalizes her Neighbour She is a burden to Communities She lies heavy upon God's heart She is just upon the point of being cast out She is in danger of never re-entring more Am not I in that state Am I hot or am I cold Am I all God's Or am I his only by halfs If so I have a tepid Soul O divine Saviour How long have I afflicted you How long have I clogg'd your heart Ah! Vomit me not up yet Deprive me not of your love Drive me if you will out of your Heaven But drive me not out of your Heart Draw in your goods from my soul But draw not back your love from thence Alas I more dread your hatred Than I do the pains of Hell My Soul Remember the state thou art fallen from Resume thy first fervour 〈◊〉 tho I dost it quickly Thy Candlestick will be removed And another put in its place JESUS will drive thee out of his heart And thou shalt never more re-enter therein If thou
Canticle Page 381 Med. 8. Canticle ibid. Med. 9. Canticle Page 382 Med. 10. Canticle Page 383 Words of the Holy Scripture for the chast Spouses of the Son of God Page 385 Words of Love taken out of the Book of the Following of Christ for Souls which aspire to Vnion Page 387 The End of the Table of the Second Tome A TABLE OF THE Meditations For the whole Year 1. Sunday of Advent Gospel Luk. c. 21. v. 25. unto v. 34. Med. 1. OF the last Judgment Page 20 Med. 2. Of Death Page 13 Med. 3. Of the End for which Man was made Page 1 Med. 4. Of the same Subject ibid. Med. 5. Of good Works Page 178 Med. 6. Of Pennauce Page 28 Med. 7. Of the same Subject ibid. 2. Sund. of Adv. G. Matth. 21. v. 2. to 11. Med. 1. Of human Respect Page 77 Med. 2. Of Persecutions Page 73 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of Poverty Page 204 Med. 5. Of Scandal Page 50 Med. 6. Of Conscience Page 39. Med. 7. The same again ibid. 3. Sund. of Adv. G. John 1. v. 19.29 Med. 1. Of Humility Page 149 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Of the judgment of Men. Page 94 Med. 4. Of vain Desires Page 42 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. Of Disengagement Page 71 Med. 7. The same again ibid. 4. Sund. of Adv. G. Luk. 3. v. 1.7 Med. 1. That we ought not to deferr our Conversion Page 29 Med. 2. Of the Conditions of true Pennance Page 32 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of Mortal Sin Page 25 Med. 5. Of the Peace of the Soul Page 41 Med. 6. The same again ibid. Med. 7. Of Tepidity Page 43 25. Dec. On Christmas-Day Med. 1. Gospel Luk. 2. v. 1.25 Med. 2. Gosp Luk. 2. v. 15.21 Med. 3. Gosp John 1. v. 1.15 26. S. Steven G. Matth. 23. v. 34.40 Of the Pardoning of Injuries Page 91 27. S. John G. John 21. v. 19.28 Of the love of our Neighbour Page 164 28. Holy Innocents G. Matth. 2. v. 13.19 That we must be Persecuted Page 75 29. Affections of Tenderness towards the Infant JESUS Page 221 30. Of the Poverty of the Infant Jesus Page 224 31. Of the Humility of the Infant Jesus Page 226 A Preparation for Death Page 105 The four following Meditations may be made on the four last days of every Month for to learn how to Dy well Med. 1. Of the Preparation to Death Page 105 Med. 2. Motives to resolve for Death Page 108 Med. 3. The Affections of a just Soul c. Page 111 Med. 4. A Paraphrase on our Lord's Prayer Page 118 1. January G. Luk. 2. v. 21.22 Of the Holy Name of JESUS Page 229 Med. 2. Jan. Of the good use of time Page 71 Med. 3. Jan. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Jan. Of the divine Humiliations c. Page 227 Med. 5. Jan. Of the Virtues of JESUS c. Page 219 Med. 6. Jan. Epiphany G. Mat. 2. v. 1.13 Of the Kingdom of JESUS Christ Page 232 Med. 7. Jan. The same again ibid. Med. 8. Jan. Of the Kingdom of God Page 231 1. Sund. after the Epiph. G. Luk. 2. v. 42.53 Med. 1. Of the Duty of Fathers c. Page 166 Med. 2. Of the Care of our Salvation Page 6 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of the leaving of our selves Page 343 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. How we ought to leave our selves Page 345 Med. 7. The same again ibid. 2. Sund. after the Epiph. G. John 2. v. 3.12 Med. 1. Of the happiness of a Religious State Page 203 Or Of divine Vnion Page 370 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Of Chastity Page 206 Med. 4. Of the Contempt of the World Page 45 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. Of Patience Page 152 Med. 7. The same again ibid. 3. Sund. after the Epiph. G. Matth. 8. v. 1.14 Med. 1. Of Sickness Page 194 Or Of Communion Page 304 Med. 2. Of Faith Page 134 Med. 3. Of venial Sin Page 26 Med. 4. Of Preparation for Death Page 105 Med. 5. Motives to resolve for Death Page 108 Med. 6. The Affections of a just Soul c. Page 111 Med. 7. A Paraphrase on our Lord's Prayer Page 118 4. Sund. after Epiph. G. Matth. 18. v. 23.28 Med. 1. Of the Profit of Temptations Page 56 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Of God's dominion over his Creatures Page 3 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Med. 5. Of Hope Page 139 Med. 6. Motives to Patience Page 152 Med. 7. The same again ibid. 5. Sund. after the Epiph. G. Matth. 13. v. 31.36 Med. 1. Of the flight from occasions c. Page 35 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Of the Purity of Intention Page 144 Med. 4. Of Hell Page 22 Med. 5. Of the hatred of the World Page 45 Med. 6. The same again ibid. Med. 7. Of the two Eternities Page 24 6. Sund. after the Epiph. G. Matth. 13. v. 31.36 Med. 1. Of fidelity in small things Page 176 Med. 2. Of Presumption Page 67 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of the Conducts of Faith Page 136 Med. 5. Of the troubles and pains of mind Page 61 Med. 6. Of natural Inclinations Page 62 Med. 7. The same again ibid. Septuagesima Sunday G. Matth. 20. v. 1.17 Med. 1. Of the small number of the saved Page 48 Med. 2. Of Slander Page 79 Med. 3. That we ought to do our actions well Page 175 Med. 4. A Preparation for Death Page 105 Med. 5. Motives to resolve for Death Page 108 Med. 6. The affections of a just Soul c. Page 111 Med. 7. A Paraphrase on our Lord's Prayer Page 118 Sexagesima Sund. G. Luk. 8. v. 1.16 Med. 1. Of the Word of God Page 201 Med. 2. Of driness Page 190 Med. 3. Of Alms. Page 180 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Med. 5. Of Inspirations Page 199 Med. 6. The same again ibid. Med. 7. Of Avarice Page 97 Or Of Devotion to the B. Virgin Page 310 Quinquagesima S. G. Luk. 18. v. 31.44 Med. 1. Of the obligation we have to love God Page 10 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Of Modesty Page 196 Med. 4. Ash-Wednesday Of outward Pennance Page 53 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. Of the excellence of Mortification Page 55 Med. 7. Of customary Sins Page 102 1. Sunday in Lent G. Matth. 4. v. 1.12 Med. 1. Of the Causes of Temptations Page 58 Med. 2. Of our Lord's Passion in general Page 235 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of our Lord's Sadness Page 237 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. Of his Prayer in the Garden Page 239 Med. 7. The same again ibid. Or The seven Stations Page 274 2. Sund. in Lent G. Matth. 17. v. 1.10 Med. 1. Of Heaven Page 368 Or Of Solitude Page 342 Med. 2. Of the outrages that our Lord suffered c. Page 241 Med. 3. The
same again ibid. Med. 4. Of the contempt that Herod c. Page 243 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. Of the preference of Barabbas Page 245 Med. 6. The same again ibid. Or The four Meditations for Death Page 13 3. Sund. in Lent G. Luk. 1. v. 24.27 Med. 1. Of Relapse Page 100 Or Of Slander Page 79 Med. 2. Of our Lord's Flagellation Page 246 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of his Crowning with Thorns Page 248 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. His bearing of his Cross Page 250 Med. 7. The same again ibid. Or The Seven Stations Page 274 4. Sund. in Lent G. John 6. v. 1.16 Med. 1. Of Alms. Page 180 Or Of Hope Page 139 Med. 2. JESUS crucified Page 252 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. The 1. Word of Jesus Page 255 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. The good Thiefs Repentance Page 275 Med. 7. The same again ibid. Or The seven Stations Page 274 5. Sund. in Lent G. John 8. v. 46.60 Med. 1. Of Aversions Page 65 Or Venial Sin Page 26 Med. 2. Of the Passion of the B. Virgin Page 258 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of our Lord's Dereliction Page 265 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. Of our Lord's thirst Page 264 Med. 7. The same again ibid. Or The seven Stations Page 274 Palm Sunday G. Matth. 21. v. 1.10 The Passion according to S. Matthew Med. 1. Of the Kingdom of Jesus Page 235 Or Of conformity of our will to God Page 162 Med. 2. Of the 6th Word Page 267 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of the last Word Page 270 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. Of our Lord's Death Page 272 Med. 7. Of his Burial Page 278 Or The seven Stations Page 274 Easter-Day G. Mark 16. v. 1.8 Med. 1. Of our Lord's Resurrection Page 280 Med. 2. Of the same again ibid. Or Of the ill effects of sadness Page 83 Med. 3. Of the Peace of the Soul Page 41 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Med. 5. The third spiritual Canticle Page 377 Med. 6. Of the five degrees of Perfection Page 349 Med. 7. The same again ibid. 1. Sund. after Easter G. John 20. v. 19.32 Med. 1. Of the Wounds of our Lord. Page 282 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Of Charity Page 142 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Med. 5. Of the troubles and pains of Mind Page 61 Med. 6. Of Pride Page 89 Med. 7. The same again ibid. 2. Sund. after Easter G. John 10. v. 11.17 Med. 1. Of the good Shepherd Page 284 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Of the sheep of Jesus Christ Page 286 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Med. 5. Of the conducts of God Page 183 Med. 6. Of the benefit of leaving our selves c. Page 186 Med. 7. Of the hurt of leaving God's ways Page 187 3. Sund. after Easter G. Joh. 16. v. 16.23 Med. 1. Of Sadness Page 81 Med. 2. Remedies against Sadness Page 84 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of Persecutions Page 73 Or The four Meditations of Death Page 13 Med. 5. That it is necessary to be persecuted Page 75 Med. 6. Of disengagement from Creatures Page 7 Med. 7. The same again ibid. 4. Sund. after Easter G. John 26. v. 5.15 Med. 1. The bad effects of Sadness Page 83 Med. 2. Vseful thoughts to make us slight the World Page 12 Med. 3. Of the hatred of the World Page 45 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Med. 5. What is the noblest Intention Page 145 Med. 6. The marks of a pure Intention Page 147 Med. 7. The same again ibid. 5. Sund. after Easter G. John 16. v. 23.31 Med. 1. Of Prayer Page 130 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. How God loves Men c. Page 357 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Med. 5. Of the Ascension of our Lord. Page 289 G. Mark 16. v. 14.21 Med. 6. Of Heaven Page 368 Med. 7. Of the Love of our Lord Jesus in c. Page 337 6. Sund. after Easter G. Joh. 15. v. 23.31 Med. 1. Motives to Patience Page 155 Med. 2. Of human respect Page 77 Med. 3. Of Silence Page 191 Med. 4. Of Solitude Page 342 Med. 5. The same again ibid. Med. 6. Of the flight of Occasions Page 35 Med. 7. The same again ibid. Whitsunday G. Joh. 14. v. 28.32 Med. 1. Of the coming down of the Holy Ghost Page 292 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Of the Presence of God Page 341 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Or The four Meditations of Death Page 13 Med. 5. Of divine Vnion Page 370 Med. 6. The same again ibid. Med. 7. The first and second Canticle Page 376 Trinity Sunday G. Matth. 28. v. 18.21 Med. 1. Of the Mystery of the Day Med. 2. Of the divine Perfections Page 350 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of the Amability of God Page 355 Med. 5. Of the Institution of the B. Sacrament Page 296 Med. 6. The same again ibid. Med. 7. The same again ibid. 2. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 14. v. 16.25 Med. 1. Of the Holy Communion Page 304 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Of the love of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar Page 301 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Med. 5. A Prayer to our Lord. Page 309 Med. 6. Of Simplicity Page 362 Med. 7. The same again ibid. Or The fifth and sixth Canticle Page 379 3. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 15. v. 1.11 Med. 1. Of the Love of Jesus Page 337 Med. 2. Of the Virtues of Jesus Page 219 Med. 3. Of the Amability of God Page 355 Med. 4. How God loves men c. Page 357 Med. 5. Of Pennance Page 28 Med. 6. That we ought not to differ our Conversion Page 29 Med. 7. The Conditions of true Pennance Page 32 4. Sund. after Pent. G. Luk. 5. v. 1.12 Med. 1. Of God's dominion over his Creatures Page 3 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Or Of Religious Disciplin Page 210 Med. 3. Of the Purity of Intention Page 144 Med. 4. Which is the noblest Intention Page 145 Med. 5. Of Humility Page 149 Med. 6. Of Annihilation Page 347 Or Of the happiness of a Religious State Page 203 Med. 7. Of Poverty Page 204 Or The four Meditations of Death Page 13 5. Sund. after Pent. G. Matth. 5. v. 20.25 Med. 1. Of Mildness and Choller Page 170 Med. 2. The same again ibid. Med. 3. Remedies against Choller Page 172 Med. 4. The same again ibid. Med. 5. Of Aversions Page 65 Med. 6. Of the Pardoning of Injuries Page 91 Med. 7. Of the Imitation of Jesus Christ Page 217 6. Sund. after Pent. G. Mark 8. v. 1.10 Med. 1. Of the holy Communion Page 304 Or Of Driness Page 190 Med. 2. Of Confidence in God Page 193 Med. 3. The same again ibid. Med. 4. Of the leaving of our selves Page 349 Med. 5. The seventh Canticle
do his will And sacrifice my self to his glory My God! Let me cease to live unless I will live for thee Destroy my being unless I will be thine Oppose my desires if I desire ought else but thee Thou art my Servant Isa 41. I am thine Ps 118. VVhether we live or whether we die we are the Lords Rom. 14. You are not your own for you have been bought with a great price 2 Cor. 6. O Lord I am thy servant I am thy servant and the Son of thy Handmaid Ps 115. VII MED Profitable thoughts fit for to draw us off from the World WHo was it that put me into this World To what end am I in this World What do I do in this World What rest have I in this World When shall I go out of this World Whether shall I go at my departure out of this World What would I wish to have don At my going out of this World Shall I damn my self for the goods of this World If I lose my Soul what will it avail me To have gained the whole World And yet for all that I labour only for the World O my God! Either draw me out of this World Or draw me off from this World Either make the World die in me Or make me die to the World Either separate my Soul from her Body Or take her off from the affection of the World VVhat will it avail a man should he gain the whole VVorld Luk. 19. Ye are of this VVorld I am not of this VVorld John 8. O just Father the VVorld hath not known thee John 4. Ye are not of this VVorld John 15. VIII MED Of Death YOu must die once And you will die but once You know not when you shall die How you shall die In what place you shall die In what state you shall die You will die sooner than you imagin And unless you take heed you will die Before you think of it Such is the Death as is the Life One cannot learn in a moment A Trade which one never practised Nor can one unlearn in a moment A Trade one has still been at After Death you will be judged After Judgment you will be in Eternity What would you then wish to have don What good will these goods do you Which you have scraped up together O Death O Judgment O Salvation O Damnation I am a dead man unless I think of Death I am a Mad man unless I think on Eternity I deserve not to be saved Unless I fear being damned Behold the day of thy Death is at hand Deut. 31. O death how bitter is thy remembrance to a man who has peace in his Riches Eccles 41. Man knows not his end Eccles 9. It is decreed that all men must die once Heb. 9. Be ye therefore prepar'd because in the hour that you think not of the Son of Man will come Luk. 12. Dispose of thy house for thou wilt die Isa 38. IX MED Of the Death of the Just WHat a pleasure is it to die When we have no pleasure to live One quits that without pain Which one possesses without affection Death is sweet to him Who has no comfort at all here The Soul leaves without repining A House that doth not please her A divorce is pleasing to those That do not love each other That which you love during your life Will be your torment at your death That which afflicts you in this life Will be your comfort at your Death What can cause any grief To a spirit disengag'd from all things Love is as strong as Death It prevents what that is to do It separates the soul from the body And leaves Death nothing to do What need is there to pluck up by force A Heart that cleaves close to nothing The Treasure of his merits Is a possession that cannot be taken from him 'T is a precious inheritance That death cannot rob him of O what comfort does the sight Of a good action then afford There is nothing in our life that is goodly But a fair Gate to get out of it Of all the goods that man can desire The greatest is to die well Death is not dreadful To him that has liv'd well It is the end of his combats And the Crown of his merits God preserves in that evil day The Soul which has been faithful to him He makes her sleep in his bosom He strengthens her with his grace He allayes her pains He dissipates her frights He gives order to his blessed Spirits To comfort and defend her To maintain her in peace And to conduct her to Heaven O how precious in the sight of God Is the death of the Just O how honourable is this Sacrifice to him O how pleasing to him is this Victim My God! May I hope for a good death Having led so wicked a life 'T is true I have lost my Innocence But I may repair it by Pennance O I will live like the Vertuous That I may die like the Vertuous O I will lead the life of the Just That I may obtain the Death of the Just Blessed are the dead that die in our Lord. Apoc. 14. To him that fears our Lord it shall be well in his extremity and he shall be blessed in the day of his departure Eccles 2. Precious in the sight of our Lord is the death of his Saints Psal 115. VVhen these things being to be don look up and lift up your heads for then your Redemption is at hand Luk. 21. Ye shall go forth in gladness and be conducted in peace the mountains and hills shall sing praises before you Isa 5. X. MED Of the Death of Sinners DEath is a great evil But Sin is a much greater But Death joyned with Sin Is the most frightful of all evils 'T is an universal evil 'T is an eternal evil 'T is an evil without remedy 'T is the most dreadful threat That a provoked God can make O how evil is the death of sinners How are they seized with horrour Seeing themselves e're they are aware At the last line of time Which they have spent so ill Seeing themselves just ready to go Into the Prisons of Eternity From whence they cannot save themselves To begin to see what they never saw To begin to conceive what they never before conceived To begin to measure What they never before considered To begin to feel what they had never experienced To begin to suffer an Evil as long as Eternity To quit a place of Pleasures For to enter into a place of Torments To descend from a Paradise Into a bottomless Hell To pass from plenty into extream want To fall from a throne of glory Into an Abyss of Confusion O what a dreadful change is this O what a sensible misfortune O how surprizing a novelty O what an amazing downfal That which causes a desire in the good Will cause a fear in the wicked A virtuous man desires nothing more Than to present
himself before God What an amazement will it be To see himself before an angry God Before a Father whom he has outraged Before a King whom he has slighted Before a Friend whom he has betrayed Before a Captain whom he has deserted Before a Judge whom he has offended Before a Saviour whom he has crucified There is no sight in the World That a wicked man would more avoid And from which he can less hide himself Then shall he see all his Sins That will present themselves to accuse him He shall see the Devils ready to devour him Over his head a Judge ready to condemn him Vnder his Feet a Precipice whereinto he is falling Before him his goods that are carrying away from him By his side the Objects which made him sin Within him his Body which is about to leave him O Jesus on the Cross How then will the sight of thee Comfort the good Frighten the bad How will they dare to look upon him Whom they have crucified All your wounds will fall a bleeding At the sight of these murderers What kind of death will mine be Such as has been your life Shall I die like the Virtuous Yes if you live like the virtuous O I will live in grace That I may die in peace I will live holily That I may die in tranquillity I will live in Pennance That I may die in Assurance The death of sinners is very ill Psal 33. Evils will surprize the unjust man at his death Psal 139. VVhy should I fear in the evil day the iniquity of my heel will encompass me Psal 48. They shall leave their riches to strangers their graves shall be their houses for ever Psal 48. The rich man died and was buried in Hell Luk. 16. Unless you do pennance ye will all perish in like manner Luk. 13. XI MED Of the last Judgment THere is an eye that sees all An ear that hears all A hand that writes all I do not see and yet am seen I hear not and yet am heard I know not and yet am known The eye which discovers all is covered The ear which hears all is hid The hand that writes all is invisible Nothing is lost nothing flies out All things pass from Time to Eternity That which is past will return again What you thought was lost will be retrieved A crime that is buried will rise up again That which passes the time away Will not pass away with time All shall be examin'd without exception Judged without acception Condemn'd without remission Punish't without conpassion Alas my God! Where shall I hide my self when I am cited What shall I answer when you question me What will become of me when I am judged What would I have don when I am condemned Come unto me O ye blessed of my Father O amiable words Begon from me O ye accursed O terrible words We write in this life the Sentence Which will be then pronounced Wo unto me when my crimes shall be discovered Wo unto me when my heart shall be opened Wo unto me when it shall be said Here is the man and the good that I have don him Here is the man and the ill that he has don me VVe shall all stand before the Tribunal of Christ Rom. 14. VVe must all be manifested before the Tribunal of Christ that every one may receive what belongs to his body as he has behaved himself be it good or bad 1 Cor. 15. Our Lord will bring into Judgment all that is don Eccles 11. In the end of man is the disclosing of his works Eccles 11. If the just man will scarce be saved where will the wicked man and the sinner appear 1 Pet. 4. XII MED Of Hell HEll is the Prison of God's Justice 'T is the Magazin of his Vengeance The term of his Wrath. The center of all Evils The deep Well of Death The Devil's Kingdom The Country of the Desperate A Region of Tears A place of Torments A Land of Malediction A Banishment without comfort A loss without redress A labour without rest A pain without end An evil without remedy There man shall be separated from God Cursed by God Hated of God God will hate him Without any possibility of loving him His hatred will be 1. Infinit 2. Irreconcilable 3. Universal 4. Eternal In Heaven there will be all that you love In Hell all that you hate Pleasure will be pure in Heaven And Pains pure in Hell Nothing will be wanting in Heaven All things will be wanting in Hell O strange revolution The wicked man flies away from God here upon Earth And yet he finds him every where He seeks after God in Hell And shall never find him What do I say that he will flie from God Alas he will find him every where And yet he will never love him His presence makes Heaven His presence makes Hell The greatest pain of a Reprobate Is in all places to find an angry God O Eternity how long art thou O Eternity how dreadful art thou O Never that never ends O Ever which lasteth ever O Present which stickest close to what is past O Past which stickest to what is to come O Eternity Shall we never apprehend thee O Eternity Shall we never conceive thee If we had thee always in our mind We should never sin A Land of misery and darkness where the shadow of death and no order but an everlasting horrour does dwell Job 5. Cast out the unprofitable Servant into outward darkness there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Matth. 25. VVho shall be punisht eternally from the face of our Lord and from the glory of his virtue 1 Thess 1. Thou wilt put them like an Oven of fire in the time of thy countenance our Lord in his wrath will cast them down and fire shall devour them Psal 20. The sinner shall see and be angry he shall gnash with his teeth the desire of Sinners shall come to nothing Psal 111. XIII MED Of the two Eternities TO live Ever and Never to die To die Ever and Never to live To possess all things and desire nothing To desire all things and possess nothing To rest always without ever working To work always without ever resting To rejoyce always without ever being sad To be always sad without ever rejoycing To love God always Without being in a possibility of hating him To hate God always Without a possibility of loving him The one is the portion of the good The other the pain of the bad O how amiable is Heaven O how horrible is Hell O what a cheat is the World O how blind is man O how short is Time O how long is Eternity Nothing is long of which we see an end Nothing is short of which we see no end These shall go into everlasting torments and the just into life everlasting Matth. 25. I would they were wise and did understand and provide for the last things Deut. 32. Their worm does not
dy many times That I may dy once well Remember that death doth not tarry Eecles 14. Watch because you know neither the day nor the hour Matth. 25. VVatch at all times Luk. 21. If thou do not watch I will come to thee like a Thief Apoc. 3. Therefore be ye prepared because in what hour you think not the Son of Man will come Matth. 24. L. MED How to resolve for Death WHat do you fear O Christian Soul VVhence is it that you apprehend Death Cannot you endure that which a little Infant does endure Cannot you do that which an Emmot does All Creatures know how to dy And are you ignorant of this Science VVhat will you do with life If you will never part with it VVas it not God that gave it you Has not he a right to dispose of it He has giv'n you the use of it But has reserv'd the property thereof to himself 'T is a trust that you must restore to him Sooner or later in a good condition To what purpose do you stand trifling You must pass that way 'T is a folly to apprehend too much VVhat one cannot avoid VVe fear things that are doubtful But we expect things that are certain You should not have been born If you had no mind tody Are you in a better condition than Kings Shall you be more privileg'd than JESUS Christ For my part were I immortal I would beg it as a favour To be able to die as he did Are not you a Criminal Are not you condemn'd to death The Sentence thereof was pronounced Against Adam from the time that he sinn'd O how favourable is this Sentence O how much good does it procure us Death is no more a punishment 'T is an inestimable benefit VVe should ask it as a favour If God had not condemn'd us to it The Judgments of God are terrible But his Mercies are infinit It is good to fear But it is better to hope He that hopes in God Shall not be deceived He that leaves himself to God Shall not be forsaken Will your Condition be made better By living yet longer You will increase your debts Instead of diminishing them You say that you will do Pennance And you are yet to begin 'T is a Pennance of great merit To accept of death as a punishment Man can do no action for God Comparable to the Sacrifice of his life O my God! How happy do I esteem my self That 't is in my power to die for you I cannot be a Martyr for the Faith But I will be a Martyr of Charity To dy is no great matter But to dy well is a great matter I give to you O my God out of love VVhat death will take from me by force I give to you out of charity VVhat I cannot refuse out of necessity Better is death than a bitter life and eternal rest than continual sickness Eccles 30. O Death good is thy judgment to an indigent man and whose strength decays in his old age Eccles 41. Fear not the judgment of Death remember what things were before thee and what things will come after thee this is God's judgment on all flesh Eccles 41. VVe know if this earthly house of ours of this habitation be dissolved that we have a building from God not made with hands but eternal in heaven 2 Cor. 5. Unhappy man that I am who will deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 6. LI. MED The Affections of a just Soul at the approaches of Death which we should cause to be read to us in our last sickness I Am told that I must dy O the sweet and pleasant news I am quitting Earth to go to Heaven Going out of my Prison for to re-enter into liberty Quitting a Banishment for to return to my dear Country Passing from Time to Eternity From the figure to the truth From Change to Immutability From Death to Immortality From Misery to Felicity I am going to possess God To enjoy God To be transform'd into God To fill my Understanding with a plenitude of light My VVill with a plenitude of peace My Memory with a plenitude of goods My Senses with a fulness of pleasures I shall there above find all that I desire And nothing of what I fear I shall have no more evil I shall want nothing that is good God will be to me All in all And be so for all Eternity I am told that I am dying O the sweet news I shall be no more opprest with miseries Suffer no more incommodities Be no more afflicted with sickness No more subject to commit sin Nor in danger of damning my self Nor any more have any thing to trouble me I shall see and I shall love I shall praise and I shall bless This I shall do for ever VVithout ever being weary of doing it O what a happiness I am going to dy I am going to the place of my repose To the Land of the living To the Kingdom of peace To the Palace of glory To the Nuptials of the Lamb To sit at God's Table To eat the bread of Angels To see what eye hath not seen To hear what ear hath not heard To possess what the heart of man hath never conceived O the happy News They tell me I am dying Come my Soul Let us quit this miserable life Let us go out of this wretched body What art thou afraid of Jesus is dead for thee He has satisfied for thy sins He has pay'd all thy debts He is becom thy security He has answer'd for thee He has promis'd thee his Heaven He has declar'd thee his Heir He has made thee a surrender of all his Merits He has given thee his Body as a Pledge He has bestow'd infinit benefits on thee He has preserv'd thee from infinit dangers If he would have destroy'd thee Would he have died for thee Would he have conserv'd thy life so long Have expected thee with so much patience Given thee time to do pennance Have illuminated thee with so many lights Called thee with so much love Drawn thee with so much force Favoured thee with so many graces Given thee so many good desires Visited thee in thy sickness Made thee receive his Sacraments Markt thee with the Seal of the Predestinate If thou sighest thou shalt be saved If thou art converted in thy heart Thy sins shall be forgiven thee One sigh is sufficient to gain Heaven The Pennance that is true is never don too late He is always converted time enough Who is converted from the bottom of his heart Behold JESUS calls you Behold JESUS stretches out his arms to you Hark how he prays for you on his Cross Hark how he says with a loud voice Father forgive him for he knew not what he did He bows down his head to kiss you He spreads his arms for to embrace you His heart is open for to let you into it He has given his life for to save you O happy news
will beg a grace at the day of Judgment And it will be refused him Redeem thy sins with alms-deeds and thy iniquity with the mercies of the poor Dan. 4. He that shall see his Brother to be in necessity and shall shut up his bowels How is the Charity of God in him John 3. I command thee to open thy hand to thy needy and poor Brother Deut. 15. Give and it shall be given to you Luk 11. Blessed is the man that understandeth concerning the needy and the poor in the evil day our Lord will deliver him Psal 40. Come ye blessed of my Father c. I was hungry and you gave me to eat c. Matth. 25. LXXV MED Of the Condusts of God THe ways of God are wonderful They are comly just upright assured They are conducts of grace unknown to nature Of Wisdom incomprehensible to reason Of Peace which calm mens minds Of Love which content hearts God labours for us When he seems to be against us He draws near to us When he seems to draw off from us He does our business When he seems to ruin it He enriches us when he seems to strip us He gives us life When he seems to take it away He leads us to Peace through War To perfection through imperfection To glory through Ignominy To a Throne through Prisons To the Land of Promise through Deserts To Heaven through a long Purgatory O my God! I know not what way to take to go to you That which seems good to me May possibly be naught Thinking to go up to Heaven I may possibly go down to Hell Is it through Prosperity or through Adversity Is it through Peace or through War Through Glory or through Confusion Through Abundance or through Poverty Through Health or through Sickness That I must seek you and that you will save me Only you alone know it I will therefore nothing but what you will I leave my self to your Providence I accept of all that you order concerning me I will go which way soever you lead me I will receive all whatever you send me I will always like to be where you put me I will never go out from thence Until you draw me thence I will henceforth be without choice And without will Since I know not what is good or bad for me I will no more ask any thing Nor will I refuse any thing Conduct me O my God I leave my self to you Take care of me for I rely upon you You are my Shepherd and I am your Sheep In following you I shall not be troubled Leaving my self to you I shall not be damned Our Lord led the just man through strait ways Wisd 20. Her ways are beautiful and all her paths peaceable Prov. 3. There is a way which seems just to a man but the last ends of it lead unto death Prov. 14. Our Lord mortifies and quickens leads down to Hell and brings back 1 Kings 2. He went forth not knowing whether he went Heb. 11. Make known unto me the way in which I may walk Ps 14. As the Heavens are exalted above the Earth so are my ways c. Isai 55. LXXVI MED Of the benefit there is in leaving our selves to the Conduct of God LIsten to God without reasoning Obey God without murmuring Follow God without going aside Let God act without resisting him Rest on God without troubling your self Leave your self to God Without desiring any thing If you listen to him he will speak to you If you obey him he will content you If you follow him he will conduct you If you let him act all will succeed well If you put your trust in him He will conserve you If you leave your self to him he will save you Truth my God! My Wisdom and my Blessing Give me not up to my own sence And to my own conduct If I quit you alas I am lost I am in security only with you If I walk do you conduct me If I go astray do you put me right again If I stop do you spur me on If I fall do you raise me up again If I am weary do you strengthen me If I am feeble do you carry me If I am assaulted defend me If I am lost seek after me I leave my self to be conducted by your wisdom I rely upon your goodness I rest upon your strength I trust to your mercy I fix my self to your pleasure I devote my self to your Service I leave my self to your Providence Both now and for Eternity Lead me O Lord in thy way Ps 85. Protect me under the shadow of thy Wings Ps 16. I have gon astray like a sheep that was lost Seek thy Servant Ps 118. He led them along in a wonderful way Wisd 10. LXXVII MED Of the hurt there comes by straying from the ways of God HE that goes out of the order of goodness Enters into the order of justice He that strays out of the ways of mildness Enters into the ways of rigour He that has not God for his Friend Has him for his Enemy He that flies from his beneficent will Falls under his punishing will If I am where God would have me to be I shall be in quiet and in security His Wisdom will conduct me His Power will protect me His Goodness will comfort me His Grace will sanctify me His Blessing will go along with me His Mercy will encompass me If I am not where God would have me to be All my Steps will be Wanderings All my Ways Precipices All my Projects Illusions All my Labours vain Occupations All my Pleasures Miseries All my Prosperities Punishments All my Adversities causes of Despair I shall have no quiet in my mind No peace in my heart No blessing in my labours No comfort in my pains I shall be given up to my passions I shall be beaten with temptations I shall be destitute of your protection I shall be struck with your curse I shall lead a wicked life I must expect a wicked death I shall live in disorder and dy in despair Am I in the place where God would have me Have I not failed in my Vocation Is it he that gave me this employ Have not I thrust my self into this office Will he have me be in this state Shall I perform it as he would have me O my God! How I dread to deviat from your ways What a pleasure I have In leaving my self to your Providence Is it not to be in Heaven to be with you To be in Hell to be remov'd from you Can one be ill being where you would have him to be Suffer me not O my God To stray away from your Conduct Bring me back if I be gon aside Make me re-enter into the order of your goodness By the severe orders of your justice Make me repair by patience The defect of my action Make me recover my innocence By the rigours of Pennance Was not this don to thee because thou didst forsake
surmounted all Fears He sweat Blood and Water He fought even unto Death O divine Saviour How rough was this first encounter to you How bloody was this battle to you Alas I was in your heart for to afflict you In the arms of the Jews for to torment you My Sins were in the World before you Since it were they that afflicted crucified you O divine Master You give us excellent Examples But no body will imitate them You give us excellent Lessons But no body will learn them You go the first to the on-set But no body will follow you Your Disciples have forsaken you They sleep during your agony They afflict you instead of comforting you They betray you instead of helping you What a confusion is this for me I yield to a human temptation Being supported by the force of a God And Jesus surmounts the temptations of the Devil Being cloathed with the weaknesses of all men O pretious Blood Which bathest an ungrateful ground Warm and water my heart O my Redeemer I will henceforth imitate your courage I will resist even unto blood I will triumph over the flesh I will fight even unto Death O I will drink of your Chalice Since you vouchsafed to drink mine He began to fear and to be heavy Mark 14. My Soul is sad even unto death stay here and watch ibid. His sweat became as drops of blood trickling down upon the earth Luk. 22. He surely hath born our infirmities and our sorrows he hath carried Isai 53. CI. MED On the Prayer of our Lord in the Garden JEsus draws off from his Disciples And prays to his Father in his sadness He prays with Reverence Perseverance Resignation He prays and is not heard He teaches us how to pray He teaches us how to resign our selves O the good Jesus He would not be heard that we might be heard He obtain'd no favour for himself But he obtained favour for us Pray in your Afflictions Pray alone by your self Pray with Humility Resignation Conformity Never be weary of Praying Say to God in all your fears Most holy and most charitable Father Here is a Chalice of confusion Which my Enemies prepare for me to drink Remove it if it please you from me Yet not my will be don but thine Father of Mercy Here is a Chalice of Pain that is very bitter Make it I beseech you to pass from my mouth Yet not my will be don but thine Father of the Poor Here are my Goods taken away from me Here is a Chalice of Poverty Which they will make me drink Cannot I be dispensed from it Let thy will be don and not mine Thus run through all your Pains Represent them quietly to God And conform you self to his Will Going forwards a little he fell prostrate on his face praying Matth. 26. My Father if it be possible let this Chalice pass from me yet not as I will but as thou wilt ibid. Father if this Chalice cannot pass unless I drink it thy will be don ibid. My God I will cry out by day and thou wilt not hear Ps 21. CII MED Of the Outrages that our Lord suffered in Anna 's and Caiphas 's house TO give bussets to a God To spit in his face To treat him as a false Prophet To declare him a Blasphemer To judge him worthy of Death To condemn him as a Criminal O abominable Impiety O detestable Crime This is what you do when you offend God When you offend your Neighbour You strike Jesus when you strike his Members You dishonour Jesus When you dishonour his Members Suffer like Jesus the injuries spoken to you Suffer like Jesus the outrages don to you Are you more noble than he Are you more innocent than he Are you worse treated than he Jesus suffers and will you suffer nothing Jesus does not revenge himself and will you O JESU I deserv to be despised Since I have so often despised you I well deserv to receiv bussets Because I have so often busseted you Behold you are declar'd guilty And I would pass for innocent Behold you are condemn'd to death And yet I will not leav my life O I will dy for you since you died for me I will suffer for you since you suffer'd for me Shut my mouth when I would complain Ty up my tongue when I would speak If I give scope to my choler I shall no more be able to retain it I resolve therefore never to speak in passion One of the servants that stood by gave a buffet to Jesus John 18. He hath blasphem'd what need we any longer of witnesses What do you think And they answering said He is guilty of death Matth. 26. They spit in his-face and beat him with buffets ibid. I have not turned away my face from those that rebuked me and from those that spit upon me Isai 50. He shall give his cheek to the striker he shall be filled with reproaches Thren 3. Why dost thou strike me John 18. I was troubled and did not speak Ps 76. CIII MED Of the Contempt that Herod used Jesus Christ with and that Jesus Christ shewed of Herod HErod desires to see Jesus And Jesus does not regard him Herod asks questions of Jesus And Jesus gives him no answer Herod requires Miracles of Jesus And Jesus works none Herod scorns Jesus And Jesus cares not The Wisdom of God passes for folly With the People of the wide World The Humility of Jesus does not please The Grandees and Sages of the World Jesus does not speak to the Proud He does not manifest himself to the curious He is not delighted with the unchast He abhors Adulterers He withdraws his graces from the ungrateful He despises those that despise him He is silent after that he has spoken He holds his peace after he has called He withdraws after that he has sought Herod thou didst put S. John to death Thou didst stifle the Voice of Jesus Thou hast slighted his Counsels Thou didst sacrifice him to thy Passion Jesus is dumb for thee Thou hast kill'd his Voice Wonder not then that he cannot speak to thee O My God! How dreadful is your silence How I fear least you speak no more to me Alas How many Prophets have I put to death How many Precursours have I killed How many Inspirations have I stifled How many Graces have I rejected I hear your Word and I obey it not I read good Books and I profit not O I will henceforth obey you O I will this day be converted Herod was a long time desirous to see him because he had heard many things of him and he hoped to see him work some miracle Luk. 23. He questioned him with many speeches but he answered him nothing ibid. And Herod with his army set him at nought ibid. That which is foolish of God is wiser than men and that which is weak of God is stronger than men 2 Cor. 1. To thee O Lord will I cry be not
Seal of my Predestination I will not therefore forsake it I will not drag it after me But I will carry it and keep you Company O Holy Cross Who wert consecrated with the blood of a God Receive me into thy Arms. Let me repose on thy Bosom Give thy self wholly to me As I give my self wholly to thee Carry me that I may carry thee Clasp me so strongly betwixt thy arms That nothing may separate me from thee Carrying his own Cross he went forth into that which is called the place of Calvary John 19. Com and follow me Mark 10. Then Jesus said to his Disciples if any one will com after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and follow me Matth. 16. I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest Luk. 9. We have all strayed like Sheep and God laid on him the iniquites of us all Isai 53. CVIII MED Of Jesus Crucified JEsus was extended on the Cross He was nail'd to it by his Hands and Feet He is fastned to it with violence He is elevated with pain He rests only on his Wounds There issue out of them four Rivers of Blood Which water the Field of the Church And which blot out the sins of the World He is presented with bitter Wine to drink Which would have asswaged his sorrow He takes som of it into his mouth That he may feel the bitterness of it But he does not swallow it down That it may not allay his torments He is blasphem'd he is cursed He is invited to com down from the Cross But he remains on it even to the end O Jesus I adore thee On this Throne of Sorrows and Ignominies O Divine Saviour I cast my self into thy arms Since thou dost extend them for to embrace me O Sacred Victim of love All burnt and consum'd with Sufferings O High Priest of the new Law What dost thou do upon this Cross Com down and all the World will believe in thee O com not down If thou art the Son of God thou must dy on it If thou com'st down they will not believe in thee They will not follow thee Every one will fly from his Cross No body will dy upon it O my dear Cross I kiss thee and imbrace thee I will dy betwixt thy arms I have espoused thee in my Baptism This Marriage is indissoluble There is nothing but death That can separate us Let the World be no more trouble som to me I bear the marks of our Lord Jesus in my Body I am Crucified with him I will dy with him My Soul Look on thy Saviour on the Cross It is thy sins which have Crucified him He was once Crucified on Calvary But how often hast thou crucified him in thy heart As often as thou dost offend him So often dost thou Crucify him Thou must either Crucifie Jesus Or thy own Passions O Jesus make me dy For fear I should put thee to death Crucify my Body For fear I Crucify thy Spirit They crucified him and with him two others on this side and that side and Jesus in the middle John 19. They gave him wine mingled with gall to drink and when he had tasted it he would not drink Matth. 2. All the day long I spread forth my arms to an unbelieving and contradicting people Rom. 10. With Christ I am fastned to the Cross Gal. 2. They that be Christ's have crucified their flesh with the vices and Concupiscences Gal. 5. God forbid that I should glory saving in the Cross of our Lord Jesus-Christ by whom c. Gal. 5. Crucifying again to themselves the Son of God and making him a mockery Heb. 6. CIX MED On the first Word of Jesus Christ on the Cross JEsus was a long time on the Cross Without uttering so much as a word He keeps a profound silence And does not complain of his Sorrows His Blood does not call for Vengeance But for Grace for those that shed it He prays for them in the height of his Pains And whilst they insult over his misery He excuses their Sin and diminishes the malice of it He does the office of an Advocate For those whose Judge he is He forgets his own evils To think on his enemies evils Their loss is more sensible to him Than the Death which they make him suffer Keep silence O Christian Soul When thou art on the Cross Do not complain of thy Evils Do not lose the fruit of thy Sufferings Hide thy self in the bosom of Humility And repose thy self upon thy Patience Pray for thy Enemies Forget their Injuries Excuse their Intention If thou canst not excuse their action Thou art unworthy of favour If thou refuse to pardon them O Jesus I Pardon my Enemies I Pardon all those that crucify me Alas they know not what they do They think they do me hurt And they procure me much good They think they do themselves good And they procure much hurt to themselves They do themselves more hurt Than I could wish to them Lord Pardon them they know not what they do I sin out of malice and they sin out of ignorance If they had as much grace as I have They would not be so wicked as I am If I were tempted as they are I should possibly be wickeder than they Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luk. 23. Forgive thy neighbour hurting thee and then shall thy sins be loosed to thee when thou prayest Eccl. 28. Love your enemies pray for those that persecute and calumniate you Matth. 5. To me revenge and I will render it saith our Lord. Rom. 12. CX MED On the Repentance of the good Thief and the Impenitence of the bad one ONe of the Thieves confesses Jesus Christ And the other renounces him The one adores the other blasphemes him The one ascends up to Heaven by his Cross The other falls down into Hell by his Cross The one is saved by the side of Jesus The other is damned by the side of Jesus He is the Redeemer of them both And only one makes profit of the Redemption He gives his life for them both And one of them dies in his obstinacy O Judgments of God! how profound are you O Goodness of God! how amiable are you O Justice of God! how dreadful are you O Conducts of God how admirable are you Who will not fear to be damned Who will not hope to be saved One may be damn'd in all places Since one may be damn'd by God's side One may be sav'd at all times Since one may be sav'd at the end of his life O sweet words to one that is sick This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise Lord forget me not now thou art in thy Kingdom I do indeed desery the evil which I suffer But for you what Crime have you committed O Lord let me hear you say This day thou shalt be with me in Heaven One of the two thieves did blaspheme saying save thy self and us Luk. 23.
The other rebuked him saying Dost not thou also fear God We indeed suffer justly for we receive worthy of our doings but this man hath don no evil ibid. Lord remember me when thou shalt com into thy Kingdom Amen I say to thee This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise ibid. There shall be two in one bed one shall be taken and the other left behind Luk. 17. CXI MED Of the Passion of the B. Virgin O Good Jesu Why dost thou suffer thy Mother to follow thee How canst thou endure that she should see thee dy Oughtest not thou to have spared her So sensible a grief What Crime has she committed That she should be present at thy Execution God will have Mary to be at the foot of the Cross For to co-operate to our Redemption For to offer up to God this great Sacrifice For to repair Eve's fault For to conceive all the Predestinate For to be declared their Mother For to increase the pains of her Son For to take a part in his Sufferings For to drink in his Chalice For to becom the Queen of Martyrs For to be crown'd with Thorns The Martyrs did suffer for Jesus Christ Mary did suffer with Jesus Christ The Martyrs suffered in their Bodies Mary suffered in her Soul The Martyrs suffered in their criminal Flesh Mary suffered in the innocent Flesh of her Son The Martyrs desired Death Mary could not desire the Death of her Son The hearts of the Martyrs were fill'd with joy The heart of Mary was fill'd with sadness Love diminish't the Torments of the Martyrs Love increased the Sorrows of Mary Jesus was doubly crucified In his Body upon the Cross In his Spirit in the heart of Mary Mary was doubly crucified Spiritually in her heart Corporally in the flesh of her Son Love did imprint in her heart The wounds that were made in his Body Those that were not mortal to the Son Were mortal to the Mother The Lance that opened the heart of Jesus Pierced the living heart of Mary As never Mother loved more So never Mother suffered more O Daughter of Sion To whom shall I compare thee Thy sorrow is without example It is great like the Ocean It s depth is infinit It s extent is unconceivable There is nothing but the sorrow of thy Son That is comparable unto thine He is the King of Martyrs And thou art the Queen of Martyrs He is a Man of Sorrows And thou art a Woman of Sufferings O Christian Soul Go with Mary up to Mount Calvary Beg of her to receive you for her Child Take a share in her Sorrows Mingle your tears with hers Increase not her Affliction Renew not her Passion When you sin mortally You crucify her Son anew O how sensible is this death to her O how it afflicts her sacred heart She consented to his Corporal death But she cannot consent to his Spiritual death The first restored our life to us The second brings death to us Suffer as she did all Privations Remain as she did constant in your pains You will be no child of Mary's Unless you be with her at the foot of the Cross Woman behold your Son Son behold your Mother O Holy Virgin O Mother of Sorrows O Queen of Martyrs O Spouse of the Cross I chuse you for my Mother Receive me into the number of your Children Imprint in my heart the wounds of your Son Fasten me strongly to the Cross Give me a part in your sufferings If I am guilty I ought to suffer If I am innocent I ought to imitate you Pierce my heart with the sword of grief Which transpierced yours Let me drink in that Chalice of gall Wherewith you were inebriated Above all be present at your Child's death Receive my Soul into your hands And convey it up to Heaven A couragious woman who shall find Prov. 31. There stood besides the Cross of Jesus his Mother Joh. 19. He said to his Mother Woman behold thy Son Then he said to his Disciple Behold thy Mother ibid. Thy very Soul a Sword shall pass through that cogitations may be revealed out of many hearts Luk. 2. Thy contrition is great like the Sea Thren 2. CXII MED Of the Dereliction of our Lord. MY God my God why hast thou forsaken me How terrible is that dereliction Which makes a God to groan Which makes a God to weep Which makes a God to cry out Which makes the only one of his complaints Which he makes before his Enemies Before a great number of People Which he makes a little before he dies Which gives occasion to those that hear him complain To doubt whether he were the true Son of God Since he is forsaken by his Father Jesus was never separated from Grace From Glory from the Divinity He was always holy happy God This terrible Dereliction Was only a sensible suspension Of the succours which the Divinity Communicated to his Humanity It was a shadow of the pain Which a Sinner feels who is in Hell Forsaken by Almighty God O my God! I conceive what it is to be damned By the pain which your Son suffer'd on the Cross If the deprival of your sensible and comforting presence Made your Son to groan Who was substantially united to you Who will be able to bear for ever The weight of an infinit wrath Who will be able to suffer in Hell An eternal separation An universal privation Of your Grace Love Presence Comfort Glory Felicity Succour Protection Of all that can be desired Of all that can be loved With a deluge of evils for all Eternity O my God! forsake me not Although I have forsaken you Deprive me if it must be of your Pleasures But deprive me not of your Grace If you forsake me during my life Forsake me not at my Death If you forsake me now Forsake me not in Eternity O Jesus 'T is I that have committed the Sin And you have born the Punishment 'T is I that ought to be forsaken And you were forsaken for my sake O how your Dereliction affrights me O how your Dereliction comforts me You were forsaken at your death That I might not be forsaken at mine Forsake me not then O Lord When all the World hath forsaken me My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 28. Forsake me not O Lord my God go not away from me Ps 37. Cast me not away in the time of my old age when my strength fails me forsake me not Ps 70. My enemies said God hath forsaken him persecute and lay hold of him because there is none to deliver him ibid. Forsake me not wholly Ps 118. He said I will not desert nor forsake thee Heb. 13. CXIII MED On the Thirst of our Lord on the Cross JEsus thirsts and no body gives him to drink They give him gall and vinegar For all his refreshment He was willing to suffer this torment For to punish our gluttonies And to undergo All the Punishments which sin
to your holy Mother I choose her for mine and I desire to dy betwixt her arms I recommend my spirit into thy hands and I conjure thee by thy dereliction not to forsake me at the hour of my death but to receive me into thy Heaven there to see thee there to love thee there to praise and bless thee for all Eternity Amen This Prayer may be recited in the time of Mass before Confession and Communion especially when one is sick and on all Fridays in the year at the foot of the Cross You must make a little Pause at each Station and produce in heart the acts that you pronounce with your mouth CXVIII MED On the Burial of Jesus Christ JEsus from the Cross is laid in the Tomb. Here is an end of his labours This is the place of his rest This is the term of his journeys His Disciples do almost lose their Faith By having lost his Presence They are fearful and dejected Because they see and hear him no longer Happy is he who receives into his heart Jesus descending from the Cross The grain of wheat that it may fructify Must dye and be hidden The arms of the Priest at the Altar Are the arms of the Cross Your heart is the grave wherein he would rejoyce Happy is he who is crucified Who is dead and buried Who is hid in the ground Who is trod under foot Who is unknown to men Who reposes in God He will soon rise again with Jesus Immortal and impassible like him Happy is he who conceives his Faith In the death and obscurity of his Senses Who loses not his hope having lost his support Who ceases not to love Having nothing that can comfort him O Jesus Hide me in thy grave Bury me in thy shrowd That I may be no more known by men Let me dy to all my senses I am ready to go along with you Even into the Prisons of Hell Provided that I be in your company I shall have nothing to apprehend Hell with you would be a Heaven to me Heaven without you would be a Hell to me Joseph taking the body wrapt it in a clean Sindon and laid it in his own new monument which he had hewed out of a rock Matth. 27. Woman why weepest thou They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have put him John 20. My Soul was filled with evils and my life drew near unto Hell Ps 87. I was reputed with those that descend into the lake I became like a man without help free amongst the dead ibid. They laid me in the lower lake in dark places and in the shadow of death ibid. Like the vvounded that sleep in their graves ibid. CXIX MED Of the Resurrection of our Lord. JEsus is risen again He enjoys a glorious life He is com out of his grave He has conquered death He has triumphed over Satan He has broken to pieces the gates of Hell He has carried away the spoils He has frightned his guards He has confounded the Jews He is victorious over all his Enemies My Soul weep no more Jesus has resumed a new life He will dy no more in thy heart Unless thy Sin do crucify him there Jesus is risen again in our Souls He is re-entred into his Kingdom He has droven the Devils thence He has triumphed over Sin He keeps our Passions Captives He dwells therein by his Grace He lives there by his Spirit He reigns there by his Love He reposes there by his Peace All the whole Church is risen again His whole Body is out of the grave All his Members are re-animated They are no more dead nor sick My Soul weep no more Jesus has c. Jesu tarry with us for night draws on The day is going down The Devils gather together The Lions roar Our Passions revolt Ill habits awaken The World takes arms Our flesh takes strength again Your life is not in assurance Hell has conspired against you The wicked have sworn your death They will renew your sufferings My Soul c. O ye senceless Galathians What do you intend to do Do not you know Jesus any more But two days ago you lamented his death And now you are contriving To take away his life You are preparing Scourges for to tear him Thorns to crown him with Crosses to nail him to What has he don for to be crucified Is he criminal for having loved you Does he deserve death for having saved you My Soul c. Our Lord is truly risen and hath appeared to Simon Luk. 24. Christ rising from the dead dies no more death shall domineer no more over him Rom. 6. If ye are risen with Christ seek the things that are above not that are on earth Col. 3. Crucifying to themselves again the Son of God and setting him at nought Heb. 6. CXX MED Of our Lord's Wounds JEsus hath Wounds altho he be risen Do not wonder at the Wounds That remain after your Resurrection There is no hurt in feeling them There is merit in enduring them Be impassible to your passions Be immovable in your temptations The Wounds of Jesus enlighten our Faith They support our Hope They inflame our Love We cannot doubt of his affection We see his heart through his Wounds We ought no longer to be diffident Jesus is our Advocate in Heaven He prays for us by as many mouths As he has Wounds in his Body The Nails are the Keys that have opened This Ark of our Redemption All the Treasures which it includes Are now at our disposal O Jesus my Saviour How do your Wounds comfort me Secure me encourage me There issues from thence a Balsam Which cures all my sorrows Who will dare to accuse me Knowing that you are my Advocate Who will dare to condemn me Knowing that you are my Judge Who will dare to declare against me Knowing that you are my Saviour O divine Saviour Imprint on me your sacred Stigmats Imprint them in my Soul and in my Body Who can live without Wounds Seeing you covered with Wounds I cannot love my heart Unless it be wounded like yours Alas that which shall be the joy of the Predestinate Will be the torment of the damned He shewed them his hands and feet Luk. 24. He shewed them his hands and side John 20. What are those wounds in the midst of thy hands With these was I wounded in the house of those that loved me Zech. 13. Behold I have written thee in my hands Isai 49. Whom thou hast stricken they have persecuted and they have added to the pain of my wounds Ps 68. CXXI MED Of the good Shepherd JEsus is a good Shepherd He knows all his sheep He knows them as he is known by his Father He gives them life as he receives it from him He calls them all by their name He conducts them in streight ways He has a particular Providence for them He always walks before them With the Crook of the Cross in his
Draw me quickly For I am weary of living Alas What a life Ah! What a death O my dear Life Give me death that I may dy to my self And live Eternally to you And our Lord Jesus after he had spoken was assumed into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God Mark 16. Ascending on high he led captivity captive he gave gifts Eph. 4. Let not your heart be troubled I go to prepare you a place I will take you to my self that where I am you also may be John 14. And if I be exalted from the Earth I will draw all to my self John 12. Draw me after thee Cant. 5. CXXIV MED Of the coming down of the Holy Ghost WE are not members of Jesus Christ Unless we live by his Spirit The Spirit of JESVS Is a Spirit of Life which animates us 'T is a Spirit of Grace that sanctifies us A Spirit of Wisdom which instructs us A Spirit of Love which unites us A Spirit of Peace which pacifies us A Spirit of Purity which purifies us A Spirit of Liberty which disengages us A Spirit of Joy which comforts us A Spirit of Humility which humbles us A Spirit of Obedience which subjects us The Spirit of JESVS Makes men Gods Of sinners just Of weak makes us strong Of sad glad Of cold fervent Of cholerick mild Of ignorant wise Of timid courageous The Spirit of JESVS Does not descend upon the proud It does not repose in turbulent hearts It has a horrour of impure souls It withdraws it self from vain spirits It is not in agreement with the flesh It makes a mortal War with it It could not com down upon the Apostles Whilst they saw JESUS sensibly It lives in us by Grace It dwells in us by Charity It reigns in us by Love It reposes in us by Peace We afflict it by Venial sin We stile it by Mortal sin We lose it by the love of the World We drive it away by the love of the Flesh O my God! How gentle is your spirit How severe is mine How holy is yours How profane is mine How humble is yours How proud is mine O Holy Spirit Father of the poor Comfort of the afflicted Com and descend down to us and comfort us Enlighten us by your Light Conduct us by your Grace Sanctifie us by your Love Support us by your Strength Penetrate us by your Unction Adopt us by your Charity Pacifie us by your Presence Save us by your Mercy 'T is the Spirit which enlivens John 6. They were all replenisht with the Holy Ghost Act. 2. Grace is diffused in our hearts by the Holy Ghost who is given to us Rom. 5. If any one hath not the Spirit of Christ he is not his Rom. 8. Whoever are acted by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God ibid. If we live in spirit let us walk in spirit Gal. 5. CXXV MED Of the most Sacred Trinity MAn believes that there are as many Gods As he loves Creatures He adores a Trinity on Earth And contemns the Trinity of Heaven He esteems only the grandures of the World He seeks after nothing but earthly riches He desires nothing but the pleasures of the Senses He despises the Wisdom of God He laughs at the power of the Father He outrages the goodness of the Holy Ghost Is it to believe that God is wise And not to apprehend his Wrath Is it to believe that God is holy And yet offend him by so many Crimes Is it to believe that God is pure And yet to cleave to the pleasures of the Senses Is it to believe that God is good And yet not to love him Is it to believe God to be independent And yet not to adore him Is it to believe God to be beneficent And yet not to thank him O most Holy Trinity I bless thee and I adore thee I will love thee both in Time and Eternity Glory be to the Father who created me Glory be to the Son who redeemed me Glory be to the Holy Ghost who sanctified me Glory be to the Father who supports me by his Power Glory be to the Son who governs me by his Wisdom Glory be to the Holy Ghost who sanctifies me by his Love Glory be to the Father who sustains my Being Glory be to the Son who enlightens my Understanding Glory be to the Holy Ghost who consecrates my Will Let the Holy Trinity be blessed By Angels and Men in Time and in Eternity Amen So be it Going teach ye all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28. Three there are who give testimony in Heaven the Father Word and Holy Ghost and these three are one 1 John 5. Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts the Earth is full of thy glory Isai 6. All that is in the World is the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and pride of life 1 John 8. CXXVI MED In form of a Dialogue Of the Institution of the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar The Disciple I Will speak unto my Lord Altho I am but ashes and dust O my God! How wonderful is your Wisdom How profound are your Mysteries Whence coms it that you would remain on Earth Since your Body is glorious Ought not the noblest of all Bodies To be on the top of the highest Heavens Your Throne is in the Firmament The Earth is but your Foot-stool Why do not you dwell in your Palace What do you do upon our dunghill The Master I would remain here upon Earth For to content my love I converse with men For to content their desires I am with my Disciples For to content them by my Presence I am amongst my sheep For to defend them against the Wolves I leave my self to my Church For to serve them for a Victim I immolate my self on the Altars For to do homage to my Father You would have no Religion If you had no Sacrifice The ancient ones are abrogated There is only I alone that can be immolated My body is in Heaven as in its Natural place My Body is on Earth as in a Sacramental place When I came down upon Earth I did not for that quit Heaven And when I re-ascended to Heaven I did not for all that quit the Earth The Disciple I will again speak to you O Lord Altho I am but ashes and dust Whence coms it that remaining on Earth You did not make your self visible Why did you hide your self Since you desire to be beloved You would have won all hearts If you had discovered your self to your eyes The Master I am a hidden God One must dy for to see me I hid my Divinity under the form of a Man And I hide my Humanity Under the form of Bread Your life is a state of Faith My Body ought therein to be veyled Your life is a state of Merit Your Understanding ought therein to be humbled Adam did not
having been conceiv'd without sin Mary is more happy In never having committed any sin 'T is a misery for us to have contracted sin 'T is a greater misery to have committed it Mary has always suffered Altho she never sinned I sin continually And I would suffer nothing Mary is Innocent And is treated as a Criminal I am a Criminal And I would be treated as Innocent Mary's first grace Is the foundation of her happiness She co-operated with it all her life long By an inviolable fidelity There are som graces in ones life time Which are the beginnings of our happiness There are somains in ones life time Which are the beginnings of our misery Co-operate with all graces Avoid all sins Dread scandalous sins they are pestilent sins Which are communicated unto others Fear contagious ones which corrupt nature O Holy Mother of God! How beautiful are you and how pure are you There is no stain in you If my Conception is not immaculate At least make my life to be so If I have contracted original sin Make me avoid actual sin Let your Son seeing my Soul at my death say Thou art my well beloved There is no spot in thee Who shall declare her generation Isai 53. Thou art all fair my friend and there is no spot in thee Cant. 4. Our Lord possest me in the beginning of his ways Prov. 8. 'T is a great work for a habitation is prepared not for man but for God 2 Paral. 29. Holiness becoms thy house O Lord for length of days Ps 92. CXXXII MED Of the Purification of the B. Virgin MAry is the Mother of God And she passes for the Mother of a man O what Humility Mary is pure like the Sun And yet she comes to the Temple to be purified O what Purity Mary is not subject to the Law And yet she submits her self voluntarily to it O what Obedience Mary has but one Son who is most dear to her And yet she sacrifices him to God in the Temple O what Charity Imitate these virtues of Mary's Have an humble heart like her Have a pure body like her Have an obedient spirit like her Have liberal hands like her Offer up to God what you have dearest to you Sanctify to him your Children Your desires your thoughts Give him your heart That is your only one and first born Go to the Temple like Simeon Receive Jesus into your arms By the Priest's hands Sing with him that Canticle of love Now thou dost dismiss thy servant O Lord According to thy word in peace Because my eyes have seen thy Salvation Which thou hast prepar'd before the face of all People A light to the revelation of Gentils And the glory of thy People of Israel You will live in Peace If you desire nothing but Jesus You will dy in Peace If you love nothing but Jesus Beg of Mary to take you into her arms And to offer you up to her Son At the end of your life She will do it if you be her child If you be humble chast charitable like her O Mother of God! Disdain not to be the Mother of a sinner I recommend my Soul into your hands 'T is the price of your Son's blood Can you slight him Can you reject him Since you have presented the head You ought also to present the members God cannot refuse what you offer him My salvation is secure if it be in your hands O JESVS I recommend my spirit unto you I put my salvation into your hands Let me go out of this World in peace For I have seen all that I have to see My sins do disturb me O Lord I am thy Servant And the Son of thy Handmaid Can you damn your Mother's Child Can you hate him whom she loved They carried him into Jerusalem to present him to our Lord. Luk. 2. Take thy only begotten Son Isaac c. and there thou shalt offer him in a Holocaust Gen. 22. In the simplicity of my heart I joyfully offered all these things 1 Paral. 29. Now thou dost dismiss thy servant O Lord. Luk. 2. O Lord I am thy servant and the Son of thy handmaid Ps 115. CXXXIII MED Of the Annunciation of the B. Virgin 'T Is a great virtue to be little in grandure 'T is a rare virtue to be humble in honour Mary is the Mother of God Because she was his handmaid Mary takes the title of handmaid When she is qualified the Mother of God How happy is she for having conceived The Word of God in her body But she is more happy For having conceived it in her soul She conceived him in her heart Before she conceived him in her womb The spiritual Conception of God Is more honorable to her than the corporal The one makes her the Mother of God The other makes her the worthy Mother of God Make your self the Mother of our Lord By doing the Will of his Father Conceive him by Faith Bring him forth by Charity Be his Brother by Believing Be his Mother by Preaching Renew by Communion The Mystery of the Incarnation Be you humble and obedient as she was And the Holy Chost will com down on you Be our Lord's Handmaid And you will becom his Mother O most worthy Mother of God! Disdain not to own for your Son him Whom your Son vouchsafes to own for his brother If you are the Mother of God You must be the Mother of men It was for to be the Mother of men That you became the Mother of God You have two Breasts full of Milk Give one to your Son But keep the other for me Give one to the just But keep the other for sinners Behold the handmaid of our Lord be it don unto me according to thy Word Luk. 1. Whosoever shall do the Will of my Father who is in Heaven he is my brother and sister and mother Matth. 12. He is not ashamed to call them brothers Heb. 2. The Holy Ghost shall com down on thee and the virtue of the highest shall over-shadow thee Luk. 1. CXXXIV MED Of the Humiliations of the Son of God and the Elevations of Mary in the Mystery of the Incarnation JESUS of a God was made man Of a Lord he was made a slave Of Omnipotent he was made weak Of rich he was made poon JESUS by making himself man Made Mary the Mother of God JESUS by making himself a slave Made Mary the Mistress of God JESUS by making himself weak Has given unto Mary the Power of God JESUS by making himself poor Has given unto Mary the Treasures of God JESUS cannot descend lower than he descended Mary cannot ascend higher than she ascended There is nothing that is above Jesus There is nothing but God above Mary All that is not God is below Jesus All that is not God is below Mary Rejoyce in these her grandures Choose her for your Mother Acknowledge her for your Queen Take her for your Advocate Obey her whom God himself hath
great things How beautiful is God Since he hath created such beautiful things How good is God Since he hath created such good things What favours has God don to me From what danger has he preserved me From how many evils has he delivered me What great goods he promises me Who deserves my heart better than he Who offers me a greater price for to have it To whom shall I give it if not to him Who has given me his To whom shall I sell it if not to him Who has bought it at the price of his Blood Is a naughty heart worth the blood of a God Worth the life of a God Worth the heart of a God Worth the Kingdom of God I deserve not to live If I will live for any one but you I ought not to have a heart If I will love any thing else besides you O I have loved you too late Beauty always new always ancient O I have too soon offended you Bounty always amiable always adorable I acknowledge my darkness I abhor my ingratitudes I will always love you O God of goodness I will never offend you O God of majesty Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul and with all thy forces Luk. 10. In this did appear the charity of God because God sent his only begotten son into the World that we may live by him 1 John 4. Let us therefore love God because he loved us first ibid. I will love thee O Lord my strength our Lord is my establishment and my refuge and my deliverer my God and my helper c. Ps 17. CLI MED How God loves men and how men ought to love God LEt us love God because he loves us Let us love him as he hath loved us The Love of God is ancient He hath lov'd us from all Eternity We were always in his thought in his heart His Love is as ancient as his Being He no sooner was but he loved us And as he always was So he always loved us And he will still love us During all Eternity The Love of God is pure and disinterested He loves us without standing in need of us Without expecting any thing from us Without any desert on our side Without any obligation on his He loves us that he may be loved And to make us happy through his love The Love of God is tender 'T is a Love of sweetness 'T is the sweetness of Love 'T is the Love of a Father And Mother and Nurse The Love of God is strong It triumphs over all difficulties It does good to the ungrateful To Rebels to his Enemies The Love of God is infinit He loves us with the love that he loves himself He has bestowed infinit benefits on us He has suffered infinit evils for us He has given his blood which is of an infinit price He communicates to us his grace Which is an infinit treasure He prepares his glory for us Which is an infinit good The Love of God is universal It embraces all men There is no body that he does not love That he does not visit To whom he has not appointed an Angel Whom he does not help Whom he has not redeemed Whom he is not willing to save O incomparable Lover Where shall I find a friend So faithful and so ancient as you O my Soul Canst thou not love him Who has loved thee so much Canst thou refuse thy heart to him Who has given thee his Compare one with the other Measure the greatness of the one and the other O my God! my Love Was there ever Ingratitude comparable to mine You love me from the time that you were And I offend you from the time that I had a Being You love me from all Eternity And I will not love you now O I will henceforth love you As you have loved me I will love you constantly purely strongly Eternally universally In all places in all times in all states And in the accomplishment of all your wills I have loved thee in perpetual charity Jer. 31. The Father himself loveth you John 6. He will have all men to be saved and to com to the knowledge of truth 1 Tim. 2. He loved them to the end John 13. Is the death of the wicked man my Will saith the Lord God and not rather that he should be converted from his ways and live Ezek. 18. CLII. MED Of the Incomprehensibility of God ALL times together Cannot measure the Being of God All places together cannot inclose him All understandings whatsoever Cannot comprehend him All hearts together Cannot love him sufficiently God is nothing of what I see He is nothing of what I touch He is nothing of what I hear He is nothing of what I know He is nothing of what I imagin He is an invisible spiritual And incomprehensible Being O my God! How rich am I When I have nothing but you How enlightned am I When I see nothing but you How knowing am I When I know nothing but you How contented am I When I relish nothing but you I see all things when I see nothing I tast all things when I tast nothing I hear all things when I hear nothing I possess all things when I possess nothing I am all things when I am nothing I honour the Power of God By the Sacrifice of my power I honour the Greatness of God By the Sacrifice of my glory I honour the Goodness of God By the Sacrifice of my desires I honour the Incomprehensibility of God By the Sacrifice of my thoughts Empty your Memory from its Images And God will fill it with his Essence Empty your Heart of its Affections And God will fill it with his Goods Empty your Understanding of your Conceits And God will fill it with his Lights Great in counsel and incomprehensible in thought Jer. 32. To whom have you compared me and made me like unto Isai 46. My Soul hath refused to be comforted I was made full of God and was delighted Ps 76. All my bones shall say Lord who is like unto thee Ps 34. Rase it rase it unto the foundation thereof Ps 136. CLIII MED Of Simplicity BE simple in mind Be simple in heart That Spirit is simple That has but one thought That heart is simple that has but one desire Without these two Simplicities You will never arrive to Unity God is a pure Act. There is nothing more simple than his Being He cannot be multiplyed He cannot endure Duplicity He has from all Eternity But one thought and one love He says all in one word And this word is nothing but Truth If you would unite your self to God You must imitate this Simplicity To what purpose are so many thoughts To what end so many discourses Are not you convinc'd of the truth Why should you seek after what you have found Do what you know Tast what you see God is one great Word A great matter for Prayer Cast
keepeth it Ps 126. My Prayer shall be turned into my bosom Ps 34. It it good for me to cleave to God to put my hope in our Lord God Ps 72. To thee have I lifted up my eyes who dwellest in heaven Ps 122. I am thy servant give me understanding Ps 118. If I should walk in the midst of the shadow of Death I will fear no evils because thou art with me Ps 22. The God of my heart and God my portion for ever Ps 72. I have made my bed in the dark Job 17. Let no man look upon me Job 7. Our Lord is not in a whirlwind 3 Kings 4. Behold God and my Saviour I will act confidently with him and will not fear Isai 12. But thou art in us O Lord c. Jer 14. Let all flesh be silent in the sight of God Zach. 2. I have laboured a little and have found much rest Eccl. 52. In all these things I sought rest and I shall abide in the inheritance of our Lord. Eccl. 24. He that loses his life shall find it Matth. 16 The Holy Ghost shall com down on thee Luk. 1. My Lord and my God John 20. I eace be to you fear not it is I. Luk. 25. I give you peace John 14. Behold the Bridegroom cometh Matth. 25. They who were ready entred with him ibid. Why do ye fear O ye of little faith he commands the wind and the sea Matth. 8. Remain in me and I in you John 15. Be like unto men expecting their Master when he shall return from the wedding Luk. 12. The Peace of God that surpasseth all understanding preserve your hearts and your understandings in Christ Jesus Phil. 4. We will com unto him and make our mansion with him John 14. The Disciple whom Jesus loved and who leaned on his brest at supper John 21. Ye are dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God Col. 3. He is our peace Eph. 2. In him we live we move and we are Act. 17. Blessed are the dead that dy in our Lord. Apoc. 14. Words of Love taken out of the Book of the Following of Christ for Souls that aspire to Vnion HAppy is he whom Truth teaches 1 Book c. 3. All proceeds from one word and all speaks one word ibid. He to whom all is one thing ibid. O Truth my God make me one thing with thee ibid. I am often weary of reading ibid. Let all Doctors be silent ibid. The Kingdom of God is in you ibid. When you have JESUS you will be rich ibid. O JESUS splendour of glory c. ibid. This whole Chapter is divine and fit to comfort a Soul that is in Privation I will hear what my Lord shall say 3 Book c. 1. This is what the beloved says I am thy salvation thy peace and thy life 3 b. c. 1. Lord my God thou art all my good 3 b. c. 2. Thou O Lord alone art good ibid. O Lord my God c. ibid. Thou art my glory and the joy of my heart 3 b. c. 5. Thou wilt suffice to him that loves thee ibid. Thou art the true peace of heart 3 b. c. 15. My soul thou wilt always be at rest 3 b. c. 21. O when shall I see my Lord and my God c. ibid. Read all the 48 Chapter of the Third Book which is of an infinit sweetness and comfort Son as much as thou canst go out of thy self 3 b. c. 56. Lord what confidence can I have in this life 3 b. c. 59. I had rather be poor for thy sake ibid. Read all this Chapter which is the last of the Third Book and you will find much comfort Who will give me to find you alone O my Lord. 4 b. c. 13. O Lord my God ibid. Be in me and I in you ibid. Truly thou art my Peace-maker ibid. O truly thou art a hidden God ibid. O God how sweet is thy spirit ibid. O truly there is no Nation c. ibid. O JESUS splendour of eternal glory ibid. These words taken out of the Book of the following of Christ may sweetly and profitably employ a Soul in Prayer and after Communion FINIS
in the beginning of every Week The same thing I have likewise observed on the Feasts of the Saints for I give Meditations either on the Virtues which they practised or on the Gospel that is Read on their Mass Those who shall Read the Abridgment of their Life may easily joyn their Example to the Truth which they meditate on There are some virtuous Persons who desire every Month to make the Exercise of Death and for to satisfie their Devotion I have at the end of every Month put four Meditations for to prepare them thereunto Those whom this Devotion does not please may make use of the others that are there marked out for them or choose those they have a mind to in the first Table that follows Now for to make profit of these Meditations this I conceive is the Method they are to be made in After the ordinary Preparations of which we have spoken in our Method of Prayer Read with respect and attention the words of the Holy Scripture Weigh each word of them Make Acts of Faith and if you find your Mind to be taken up stop there without going any further But in case it fix not upon that subject Read then the first part of your Meditation and stop at that Truth which makes most impression on your Heart or else begin by the two first lines Endeavour to penetrate the sence of them Make reflexion on your self and see whether your life be conformable to those Truths Conceive a Sorrow and consequently made good Resolutions For example if you meditate upon Patience and that you be com to these two lines All that I endure is nothing in comparison of the Punishment that I have deserved Call to mind for a while the principal Sins of your life compare the place that you are in with that which you ought to be in the pains that you suffer with those that you ought to have suffered Measure the time of your pains with that of Eternity and see whether you have reason to complain Say If God had don with me according to his justice where should I now have been Am not I better here than in Hell If I were there as so many others are would not I reckon my self happy to com out from thence for to endure what I now endure Why then should I complain Does God do me wrong Have not I deserved infinitly much more Push on this Consideration and press your heart until it submits it self to God's Orders Consequently frame your affections give thanks to our Lord for his Goodness and Mercy that he has used towards you Beg Pardon of him for your Impatiences and make resolutions of suffering better than you hitherto have Then you shall pass on to the following line In comparison of the Glory that is prepared for me And you shall meditate on it as on the foregoing lines Thus flying up and down like a Bee from flower to flower until you have found the honey of Devotion But in case nothing do touch you yet quit not your Prayer for all that but remain quiet in the Presence of God or else make use of the Practices that we have taught you in the Method of Prayer You may also Read the words of Devotion which are at the end of the Fourth Part and there doubtless you will find som comfort When at any time you find your self in any extraordinary disposition of Joy or Sadness it will be good even out of Prayer to entertain your self in this manner Lift up your heart to God beg of him to make known to you his Divine Will and Pleasure Then opening your Book stop at that Meditation on which you have lighted and you will oftentimes find therein what you seek after The Providence of God says the Wise man plays upon Earth with Men and takes delight to manifest it self in casual and unforethought-of accidents Since I am commanded to put my Name to this new Edition I conjure all virtuous Persons through the Charity which they owe to those who are in misery to give som place in their remembrance to him and som share in their Prayers Here follow two Tables the First of the Meditations of the two Tomes The Second of those which are to serve for every Day in the Year A TABLE OF THE Meditations Contain'd in the First TOME The First PART For the Purgative Life Med. 1. OF the End for which Man was made Page 1 Med. 2. Of the Dominion of God over his Creatures Page 3 Med. 3. Of the care of our Salvation Page 6 Med. 4. Of disengagement from Creatures Page 7 Med. 5. Of the Will of God Page 9 Med. 6. Of the Obligations we have to love and serve God Page 10 Med. 7. Profitable thoughts fit to draw us off from the World Page 12 Med. 8. Of Death Page 13 Med. 9. Of the Death of the Just Page 14 Med. 10. Of the Death of Sinners Page 17 Med. 11. Of the Last Judgment Page 20 Med. 12. Of Hell Page 22 Med. 13. Of the Two Eternities Page 24 Med. 14. Of Mortal sin Page 25 Med. 15. Of Venial sin Page 26 Med. 16. Of Pennance Page 28 Med. 17. That we ought not to differ our Conversion Page 29 Med. 18. Of the Conditions of a true Pennance Page 32 Med. 19. Of the flight from Occasions and evil Companies Page 35 Med. 20. Of a good and a bad Conscience Page 39 Med. 21. Of the peace of the Soul Page 41 Med. 22. Of vain Desires Page 42 Med. 23. Of Tepidity Page 43 Med. 24. Of the Hatred of the World Page 45 Med. 25. Of the small number of the saved Page 48 Med. 26. Of Scandal or bad Example Page 50 Med. 27. Of outward Pennance and Mortification Page 53 Med. 28. Of the excellency of Mortification Page 55 Med. 29. Of the profit and necessity of Temptations Page 56 Med. 30. Of the causes of our Temptations Page 58 Med. 31. Of the troubles and pains of Mind Page 61 Med. 32. Of natural Inclinations Page 62 Med. 33. Of Aversions Page 65 Med. 34. Of Presumption Page 67 Med. 35. Of the good use of Time Page 71 Med. 36. Of Persecutions Page 73 Med. 37. That it is necessary to be afflicted and persecuted Page 75 Med. 38. Of human Respect Page 77 Med. 39. Of Slander or Detraction Page 79 Med. 40. Of Sadness Page 81 Med. 41. The ill effects of Sadness Page 83 Med. 42. Remedies against Sadness Page 84 Med. 43. Of Pride Page 89 Med. 44. Of the Pardoning of Injuries Page 91 Med. 45. Of the judgment of men Page 94 Med. 46. Of Avarice Page 97 Med. 47. Of Relapse Page 100 Med. 48. Of Customary Sins Page 102 Med. 49. Of Preparation to Death Page 105 Med. 50. How to resolve for Death Page 108 Med. 51. The Affections of a just Soul at the approaches of Death which we should cause to be read to us in our last sickness Page 111 Med. 52. A Paraphrase upon our
Lord's Prayer for the comfort of the sick Page 118 The Second PART OF THE MEDITATIONS For the Illuminative Life Med. 53. OF the care of our perfection Page 127 Med. 54. Of Prayer and the difficulties that occur therein Page 130 Med. 55. Of Faith Page 134 Med. 56. Of the conduct of Faith Page 136 Med. 57. Of Hope and Confidence in God Page 139 Med. 58. Of Charity Page 142 Med. 59. Of the Purity of Intention Page 144 Med. 60. Which is the noblest Intention Page 145 Med. 61. Of the Marks of a pure Intention Page 147 Med. 62. Of Humility Page 149 Med. 63. Of Patience Page 152 Med. 64. Of the Exercise of Patience Page 153 Med. 65. Of the Cross Or several Motives of Patience Page 155 Med. 66. Of Conformity to the Will of God Page 162 Med. 67. Of the love of our Neighbour Page 164 Med. 68. Of the Duties of Fathers to their Children and of Masters towards their Servants Page 166 Med. 69. Of Mildness and Choler Page 170 Med. 70. Remedies against Choler Page 172 Med. 71. That we ought to do all our actions well Page 175 Med. 72. Of fidelity in small things Page 176 Med. 73. Of good Works Page 178 Med. 74. Of Alms. Page 180 Med. 75. Of the Conducts of God Page 183 Med. 76. Of the benefit there is in leaving our selves to the Conduct of God Page 186 Med. 77. Of the hurt there comes by straying from the ways of God Page 187 Med. 78. Of Dryness and Aridities Page 190 Med. 79. Of Silence Page 191 Med. 80. Of Sickness Page 194 Med. 81. Of Modesty Page 196 Med. 82. Of Divine Inspirations Page 199 Med. 83. Of the Word of God Page 201 Med. 84. Of the happiness of a Religious State Page 203 Med. 85. Of Poverty Page 204 Med. 86. Of Chastity Page 206 Med. 87. Of Obedience Page 208 Med. 88. Of Religious Disciplin Page 210 The End of the Table of the First TOME The Second TOME The Third PART Of the Principal Mysteries of the Life and Death of the Son of God and of his Holy Mother Med. 89. OF the Imitation of JESVS Christ Page 217 Med. 90. Of the Virtues of Jesus compared to our Vices Page 219 Med. 91. Of the Nativity of Jesus Christ Page 220 Med. 92. Affections of tenderness towards the Infant Jesus Page 221 Med. 93. Of the Poverty of the Infant Jesus Page 224 Med. 94. Of the Humility of the Infant Jesus Page 226 Med. 95. Of the Divine Humiliations in the Mystery of the Incarnation Page 227 Med. 96. Of the Holy Name of Jesus Page 229 Med. 97. Of the Kingdom of God Page 231 Med. 98. Of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and that of Satan Page 232 Med. 99. Of the Passion of Jesus Christ in general Page 235 Med. 100. Of the sadness of the Son of God in the Garden of the Olives Page 237 Med. 101. On the Prayer of our Lord in the Garden Page 239 Med. 102. Of the Outrages that our Lord suffered in Annas and Caiphas 's house Page 241 Med. 103. Of the contempt that Herod used Jesus Christ with and that Jesus shewed of Herod Page 243 Med. 104. Of the preference of Barabbas before Jesus Christ Page 245 Med. 105. Of the flagellation of Jesus Christ Page 246 Med. 106. Of the Crowning with Thorns Page 248 Med. 107. On Jesus Christ's journey in carrying of the Cross Page 250 Med. 108. Of Jesus Crucified Page 252 Med. 109. Of the first Word of Jesus Christ on the Cross Page 255 Med. 110. On the Repentance of the good Thief and the Impenitence of the bad one Page 257 Med. 111. Of the Passion of the B. Virgin Page 258 Med. 112. Of the Dereliction of our Lord. Page 262 Med. 113. On the Thirst of our Lord on the Cross Page 264 Med. 114. On the sixth Word of our Lord on the Cross Page 267 Med. 115. On the last Word of Jesus Christ on the Cross Page 270 Med. 116. Of the Death of the Son of God Page 272 Med. 117. A Meditation in form of a Prayer on the seven Stations of the Sufferings of the Son of God Page 274 Med. 118. Of the Burial of Jesus Christ Page 278 Med. 119. Of the Resurrection of our Lord. Page 280 Med. 120. Of our Lord's Wounds Page 282 Med. 121. Of the good Shepherd Page 284 Med. 122. Of the Sheep of Jesus Christ Page 286 Med. 123. Of the Ascension of our Lord. Page 289 Med. 124. Of the coming down of the Holy Ghost Page 292 Med. 125. Of the most Sacred Trinity Page 294 Med. 126. A Meditation in form of a Dialogue of the Institution of the B. Sacrament Page 296 Med. 127. Of the Love of Jesus Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar Page 301 Med. 128. Of the Holy Communion Page 304 Med. 129. A Meditation in form of a Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ which may serve for a Thanksgiving after Communion Page 309 Med. 130. Of Devotion towards the B. Virgin Page 310 Med. 131. Of the Immaculate Conception of the B. Virgin Page 312 Med. 132. Of the Purification of the B. Virgin Page 314 Med. 133. Of the Annuntiation of the B. Virgin Page 316 Med. 134. Of the Humiliations of the Son of God and the Elevations of Mary in the Mystery of the Incarnation Page 318 Med. 135. Of the Visitation of the B. Virgin Page 321 Med. 136. Of the Death of the B. Virgin Page 323 Med. 137. Of the Resurrection of the B. Virgin Page 325 Med. 138. Of the Assumption of the B. Virgin Page 328 Med. 139. Of the Nativity of the B. Virgin and of the Name of Mary given to her Page 331 Med. 140. Of the Presentation of the B. Virgin Page 333 A Protestation of Service to the B. Virgin which ought to be made and renewed on all Holy-days and Communion-days Page 334 The Fourth PART For the Vnitive Way Med. 141. OF the Love of Jesus Page 337 Med. 142. Of the Vnity of Love Page 339 Med. 143. Of the Presence of God Page 341 Med. 144. Of Solitude Page 342 Med. 145. Of the leaving of our selves Page 343 Med. 146. How we ought to leave our selves Page 345 Med. 147. Of Annihilation Page 347 Med. 148. Of the five degrees of Perfection Page 349 Med. 149. Of the divine Perfections Page 350 Med. 150. Of the Amability of God Page 355 Med. 151. How God loves Men and how Men ought to love God Page 357 Med. 152. Of the Incomprehensibility of God Page 360 Med. 153. Of Simplicity Page 362 Med. 154. Of the fulness of God's riches Page 366 Med. 155. Of Heaven Page 368 Med. 156. Of divine Vnion Page 370 A Prayer to the B. Trinity for to obtain the Grace of Vnion Page 374 Spiritual Canticles for Holy Souls Page 376 Med. 1. Canticle ibid. Med. 2. Canticle ibid. Med. 3. Canticle Page 377 Med. 4. Canticle Page 378 Med. 5. Canticle Page 379 Med. 6. Canticle Page 380 Med. 7.