They say I am to dy Come I am content I willingly resign up my life I render it to him that gave it me I remit my spirit into his hands I recommend unto him my body and my soul I am sorry that I have offended him I accept of death for to satisfie him I believe all that he has reveal'd I hope for all that he has promis'd I give him all that I possess I will dy for his glory I will dy for his sake I will dy in gratitude I will dy for justice sake I will dy because he died I will dy for him as he died for me I will dy that I may see him I will dy that I may love him I will dy that I may bless him And for to sing his Praises for all Eternity O Father of mercy Behold a Prodigal Child Who has wasted all your goods Who has spent his life in Debaucheries That returns now to your house And who most humbly begs your pardon Alas I have liv'd without reason Since I have had the use of reason I have don nothing but evil Since I knew what was good My Father I have sinn'd against Heaven and against thee I deserve not to bear the name of thy Child I am not worthy to enter into thy house But have you ceased to be a Father Because I have ceased to be your Child Have you lost your goodness Because I have lost my innocence Are you no more a Father of mercy Because I am becom a Child of misery O my Father O the best of all Fathers Have pity on the miserablest of all thy Children I was lost and I am now retrieved I was dead and I am risen again I was gon far from you and now I am here ready to appear before you O my Father Come and meet your Child Give him a kiss of peace Forgive him his offences Revest him with a Nuptial Robe Receive him into your house Give him a place at your Feast O JESUS The Physician of the poor sick The Comforter of the poor afflicted The hope of poor Sinners Here am I before you without strength Without motion without speech But my heart says inwardly Come O my JESVS come quickly Draw my Soul out of this Prison Recal me out of this exile Conduct me to my dear Country Behold the Just do there expect me My friends hold forth their arms to me O how beautiful are thy Tabernacles O how admirable is thy Palace O how contented shall I be in Heaven O how happy shall I be in your Company I dy with a desire of dying Com divine Saviour and make me languish no more O holy Mother of God! Who didst see thy Son dying Lo here thy Child is sick Forsake him not in this extremity Com and receive his Spirit And defend him from his enemies O ye Angels of Heaven Com down upon Earth to help me Make a guard round about me Drive away from me the Infernal Lyon Preserve me even unto my Death After having sav'd me from so many Shipwracks Suffer me not to perish in the Haven Come let us go to Heaven Let us go to Paradise My heart is ready O my God my heart is ready It is ready to stay here on earth It is ready to go hence It is ready to live It is ready to dy Thy will be don I recommend my body and soul to you I rejoyced in the things that were said to me we will go into our Lord's house Psal 121. Blessed are those that dy in our Lord. Apoc. 14. Blessed are those that are call'd to the Nuptials of the Lamb. Apoc. 19. In thee O Lord have I hoped I shall not be confounded for ever Ps 30. VVhat is there to me in Heaven and what besides thee would I have on Earth my flesh and my heart have fainted O the God of my heart and my portion God for ever Ps 72. I am straitned on both sides having a desire to be dissolved and be with Christ much more better Phil. 1. One thing have I asked that will I require that I may dwell in the house of our Lord all the days of my life Ps 26. How beloved are thy Tabernacles O God of Hosts my soul doth long and faint after the Courts of our Lord. Ps 83. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house O Lord they shall praise thee for ever and ever Ps 83. All this Psalm is full of sweet thoughts to raise in a sick person a desire of Heaven If thou dost observe iniquities O Lord who can sustain Ps 126. VVith our Lord there is mercy and with him a copious redemption ibid. LII MED A Paraphrase on our Lord's Prayer for the comfort of the sick Our Father I Believe O my God that you are my Father who have given me the life of my soul and body for to serve and love you and which you have repaired by the Death of your Son after I had miserably lost it through my sin You are the Father of all men and of the most miserable of all men whom you see here extended on this Bed O how glad am I that I have such a Father So good so wise so holy so powerful I hope that since you have given â—ne a temporal life you will do me the favour â—lso to give me an eternal one O my Father 〈◊〉 render back unto you the life which you have given me I am sorry that I have employed it so ill and that I have used it to offend you therewith My Father I have sinn'd against Heaven and against you I am not worthy to bear the quality of your Child but receive me I beseech you into the number of your Servants My Father if it be possible let this Chalice of Death and Sufferance pass from my mouth and let me not drink it as yet Yet let your Will be don and not mine My Father glorifie your Son that your Son may glorifie you and since I have not honored you upon Earth make me praise you Eternally in Heaven Which art in Heaven Alas you are in Heaven and I am yet here upon Earth You are in a place of peace and I am in a place of warfare You are in Heaven for to reward me and I am on Earth for to honour you I hope O my God that I shall soon be with you in Heaven I hope so on the merits of the precious blood which your Son hath shed for me O when will that day com How tedious is it to live banished from your presence How the Earth displeases me when I lift up my eyes to Heaven O Heaven O Heaven What ought not we to do to gain thee What ought not we to suffer for to obtain thee All that I endure is nothing in comparison of what I hope for Hallowed be thy Name O admirable name of God! I came into this World for to sanctifie thee and I have don nothing but profane thee I came upon Earth
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
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
your self into this Ocean Plunge your self into this Abyss You will find all things in God You will find nothing out of God Martha you labour too much Your Sollicitudes are unprofitable Here is too much meat For the Word whom you would treat What need so many cares One thing alone is sufficient Imitate your Sister Magdalen She has chosen the better part She hearkens without speaking She reposes without disquieting her self She has an extreme satisfaction To be in the presence of her beloved Draw your self out of multiplicity Draw near unto Unity This is the only thing necessary There is nothing but this that can content you For to have but one only thought You ought to have but one desire For to empty your self of your thoughts You must empty your self of your desires Without simplicity of heart You will never have simplicity of spirit You love a thousand things And you would think of nothing You give ear to your Passions And you complain of Distractions Your Complaints are not reasonable There is a duplicity in your heart It runs after its treasure It takes pleasure in what it loves It does not love God only You are not master of your own spirit But are not you master of your own heart You cannot be without a thought But cannot you be without a desire You will have but few evil thoughts If you have no evil desires Shut your self up into your heart There it is that you will find What it is that you love Whatever noise your Understanding makes Take heed you open not the door to it Stop its lightness Mortify its curiosity And if you cannot compass this Let the Vagabond run But do not run after him Remain in your own quiet Wrap your self up in your Poverty What do you seek for having God present Is not faith more certain than the senses 'T is better to love than to think Better to enjoy than to desire You will enjoy your beloved When you love him without desiring any thing O my Soul How happy wouldst thou be If thou didst content thy self with God If thou didst seek only to please him If thou would'st nothing but what he wills Thy heart in thy Prayer would be Like a Stone in its Center Like the Flame in its Sphear Like a River in the Ocean Like a Needle that looks upon its Pole Like Iron that touches the Load-stone O my God! What would I have And what do I seek after What do I desire and what do I expect Alas I seek after rest And I am always in motion I would fain be in peace And I am always in war O I am weary of labouring I will henceforth rest my self I have but too much knowledge I will now begin to love Let us O my Soul tast and see How sweet our Lord is O the God of my life O the peace of my soul I have offered up all to you with joy In the simplicity of my heart You know what it is that I seek after VVhat it is that I desire My heart is simple O my God It has no double dealing Make it therefore to enter Into the repose of the Saints And draw it to the center of Unity With the simple is his Communication Prov. 3. The simplicity of the just shall direct them Prov. 11. If thy eye be simple all thy body will be lightsom Matth. 6. Thou art troubled about many things but one thing is necessary Luk. 10. In the simplicity of your heart seek him Wisd 1. CLIV. MED Of the fulness of God's Riches GOd is sufficient to himself He does not stand in need of us He is sufficient to his Creatures They stand in need only of him God is all to all men He is a light to the blind He is health to the sick He is a comfort to the afflicted He is a strength to the weak He is sanctity to Sinners Life to the dead Peace to the living O sweet words My God and my All. How savoury are they to a Soul Unto whom God is All And to whom All that is not God is nothing O God and my All I am weary of thinking reading reasoning I find All in these two words My God and my All. All that I read all that I hear Takes up my mind But it does not fill my heart I find every where a vacuity and indigence There is only You in whom I find The summ of all my desires O my God and my All. These two words are honey to my mouth A source of living water to my heart Which quencheth its thirst Which contents all its desires What can I wish for after you Who can content me if you cannot O my God and my All. You shall henceforth be my All And all Creatures shall be nothing to me I said to our Lord thou art my God because thou dost not want my goods Ps 15. I will shew thee all good Exod. 33. He that replenishes your desire in good things Ps 102. What is there to me in Heaven and what else but thee would I have on Earth O God of my heart Ps 72. CLV MED Of Heaven HEaven is the House of God 'T is the Land of the living 'T is the Center of rest 'T is the Ocean of all goods 'T is the Absence of all evils 'T is the Source of all pleasures The Treasure of all riches The Throne of all grandures The End of all pains The Height of all comforts There you shall see and you shall love There you shall possess and enjoy There you shall have all that you desire And have nothing of what you fear There good shall be without evil Pleasure without pain Abundance without indigence Health without sickness Life without death Rest without disquiet O what satisfaction to see all that is beautiful To love all that is good To possess all that is great To tast all that is sweet To see the first Truth To possess the chief good To tast the chiefest pleasure O God of Virtues How amiable are your Tabernacles My Soul languishes with a desire Of entring into your Heaven O how miserable am I here below O how happy shall I be there above My Soul If thou lovest the goods of this World Thou wilt not have the goods of Heaven O how the Earth displeases me When I lift up my eyes to Heaven My God! Let me dy quickly that I may see you Since none can see you without dying I will shew thee all good Exod. 33. We shall be filled with the goods of thy house Ps 64. They shall be inebriated with the plenty of thy house and thou wilt give them to drink of the torrent of thy pleasure Ps 35. God will wash away all tears from their eyes and death shall be no more nor mourning nor clamour nor dolour Apoc. 21. Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man what God hath prepared for those that love him 1 Cor.
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
not much wickedness and be not a fool that thou maist not die in a time not thine Eccles 7. Time is short 1 Cor. 7. Redeeming time Eph. 5. He swore by him that lives for ever and ever That Time shall be no more Apoc. 10. Wherefore whilst we have time let us do good Gal. 6. XXXVI MED Of Persecutions DO the good persecute you Examin your self Do the wicked torment you Rejoyce We cannot please God and Man We cannot be beloved by the good and the bad If I will please men I displease JESUS Christ If I am hated by the wicked I am lov'd by JESUS Christ Their Persecution pushes us on to Heaven It loosens us from Creatures It maintains us in our duty It hinders us from dispersing our selves It makes us dwell at home It purges us of our Vices It implants virtues in us It gives us a distast to this life It makes us desire death Would you have gon to God had the World lov'd you Would you have sought after God If the World had not rejected you 'T is God gives the word to his Creatures 'T is he that forbids them to make much of you He that orders them to send you packing He that commands them to drive you away He arms the World against you To force you to return to him He sows thorns upon the ground To hinder you from resting there He cannot will sin but he wills the effect of sin He hates the Persecutors but loves the Persecuted O my God! How admirable is thy wisdom How amorous is thy conduct If you had not wounded me I had never been cured Unless you had hedg'd me in with thorns I had made my escape from you I had not been yours if the World would have had me I had been against you if the World had not been against me O how am I indebted to its hatred O what obligation I have to your love O how mercifully severe have you been to me O how kindly have you persecuted me Fill their face with shame and they will seek thy name O Lord. Ps 82. Lord in their anguish they sought after thee Isa 26. I will hedge thy Vineyard with thorns Hos 26. You shall be hated by all men for my sake Matth. 24. Blessed are those who suffer persecution for justice Matth. 5. XXXVII MED That it is necessary to be afflicted and persecuted THere is no Salvation without a Cross No Merit without Patience No Victory without Combat No Virtue without Exercise Standing water corrupts Flesh without Salt putrefies Iron that is not used rusts A Horse is slow without a Spur. How miserable are you if you have no misery How will you be a Martyr if you have no Tyrant How will you be a Christian unless you be persecuted How will you be saved unless you be afflicted JESUS was hated by the wicked And you would be loved by them JESUS was persecuted and you would be made much off JESUS was contemn'd by the World And you would be honoured by it You must be either a Martyr or a Tyrant Either a Persecutor or persecuted O JESUS Be with me and let all the World be against me I had rather have the hatred of the wicked Than their friendship Their Persecutions rather than their kindness I will not please those that displease you I am overjoy'd that I displease those Whom you cannot please Since I suffer Persecution I have the tokens of Predestination Since I have Tyrants I shall be one of the number of the Martyrs Since I am persecuted by the wicked I begin to be in the number of the good Through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of God Act. 14. If you suffer any thing for justice you are happy 1 Pet. 3. Communicating with the sufferances of Christ rejoyce that we may rejoyce in the revelation of his glory 1 Pet. 4. All that will live piously in Christ JESUS shall suffer persecution 2 Tim. 3. XXXVIII MED Of Human Respect TO displease God for fear of displeasing men To omit any good for fear of the wicked To believe in JESUS Christ and blush at his Gospel To dissemble our faith when we are bound to make profession of it Is to be an Apostate and an Infidel 'T is to be a Christian in name and an Infidel in action There are Apostates of heart There are Apostates of mouth There are Apostates in actions You are not so in your heart But you are by your mouth You are not so in words but you are so by your actions And that 's enough for your damnation 'T is not sufficient for to be saved To have faith in your heart You must have it also in your mouth 'T is not enough to confess it by words But you must profess it by your actions To dissemble your faith upon occasions Is to renounce your Religion If you confess JESUS before men He will confess you before his Father If you renounce him before men He will renounce you before his Father If you blush to be his Disciple He will blush to be your Master If you own him to be your Lord He will own you to be his Servant O JESUS my Lord I have been a long time a Christian in name And a Pagan in action I have the faith of a Christian but the life of a Heathen I renounce my Religion for fear of a What will people say I apprehend more the Jeers of the wicked Than Martyrs did the cruelty of Tyrants Alas You confest me before your Father And I renounce you before men You are not asham'd of me in Heaven And I am asham'd of you on Earth O I hate my cowardice I detest my dissimulation I will shew that I am a Christian And profess my Religion He that is afraid of man will soon fall Prov. 9. I say to you my friends be not frightned by those who kill the body and after can do no more Luk. 12. Every one that shall confess me before men the Son of man will confess him before the Angels of God Luk. 12. He that shall be ashamed of me and my words him will the Son of man be ashamed of when he comes in his Majesty and that of his Father and the holy Angels Luk. 9. v. 26. XXXIX MED Of Slander or Detraction A Word is soon said but not so soon amended It passes lightly but wounds cruelly It pierces the heart of God who forbids Detraction It pierces the heart of your neighbour who suffers the Detraction It pierces the heart of your friend who gives ear to the Detraction It pierces the heart of him who is the Author of the Detraction It is an envenomed Viper that poisons all hearts 'T is a sharp Sword which divides the members of JESUS Christ 'T is a cruel Lance which transpierces his heart 'T is a Robbery of the greatest of goods 'T is a murder of the noblest of lives 'T is a wound of the Soul 'T is an
iniquities God is for you a Rule of Mercy You are for him a Rule of Justice Unless you use mercy as he does He will draw vengeance as you do If you love he will love you If you hate he will hate you If you excuse he will excuse you If you condemn he will condemn you If you pardon he will pardon you If you punish he will punish you O JESUS When I see you dying on the Cross I have no more gall in my heart When I hear you praying for your enemies I have nothing but tenderness for mine My Father Forgive those that have offended me They knew not what they did And they did but what I deserv'd Forgive and you shall be forgiven Luk. 6. Love your enemies do well to those that hate you ibid. If you forgive men their sins your heavenly Father will forgive your sins but if you do not forgive men neither will your heavenly Father forgive you yours Matth. 6. XLV MED Of the Judgment of Men. WIll you always be a slave to men Will you never contemn human respect Why do not you declare your self for God Why do not you renounce these Vanities Why do you not frequent the Sacraments Why do you not quit these Companies The World will laugh at you You have more reason to laugh at the World It is God's great enemy 'T is the Tyrant of Faith The Persecutor of Innocency You have renounc'd its friendship When you were baptiz'd If you will not renounce the World You must renounce JESUS What a baseness is it to make ones self a slave to men What a disloyalty to quit JESUS Christ's Party What a Treason to joyn with his enemies What an Impiety to blush at the Gospel Men will laugh at you 'T is a testimony of your merit I should think you dishonoured If you had the approbation of those Who approve of nothing but what ought to be blamed The judgment of the wicked is not the Rule of the good Must you cease to be wise for fear of displeasing fools What right have the wicked to prescribe the Law to you Who has made you their Subject Are you afraid to be defamed by the infamous Do you apprehend to be dishonoured by people of no honour The wicked condemn you The Sentence is null and without authority When he that condemns deserves himself to be condemn'd Is it any marvel that a man should speak ill Who knows not how to do well If the wicked have a tongue to accuse you You have two hands to answer them The contempt of the wicked is the commendation of virtue One cannot be a Christian Unless one contemn and be contemned O JESUS my Lord How few Servants have you on Earth I see many Tyrants But I find no more Martyrs One only What will men say makes more Apostates Than all the Nero's ever made Alas how will they endure the strokes of Scourges Who cannot endure the stroke of a Tongue How will he be a Martyr for his Faith Who dares not be one for Charity For my part I will never be asham'd of your Gospel I will make open profession of your Religion I care not to please those that displease you I abhorr pleasing of those whom you please not And whom you cannot please Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. 1 Tim. 3. If I should please men I should not be Christ's Servant Gal. 2. For all these things be not counfounded and do not accept of a person to do amiss Eccles 42. For my part I make little reckoning that I am judged by you or by human light 1 Cor. 4. XLVI MED Of Avarice IF you desire the goods of the Earth You will lose the goods of Heaven The Avaricious man loses his faith He has Sentiments contrary to the Gospel He esteems those happy whom JESUS calls miserable And esteems those miserable whom JESUS calls blessed Faith combats his passion and his passion combats faith He cannot preserve both the one and the other If therefore he will preserve his faith He must renounce his passion The Avaricious man loses his Hope For who can hope for what he believes not The covetous man contemns the eternal goods He esteems only temporal ones He does nothing for to gain Heaven He labours only for the Earth He never prays to God He expects no good from him He gives no Alms. He has an unsatiable desire He is an Idolater of money He sacrifices his thoughts to it He makes it his last end He elevates it above God He adores it as the beginning of his happiness He places all his hopes on it The Avaricious man loses Charity His heart is where his treasure is No man can serve two Masters Nor love God and Money Avarice takes up the whole heart It will endure no division thereof One must commit great injustices For to make great gains He that has a mind to grow rich Takes all that he can take Nature contents her self with little But Passion has no bounds He steals without measure Who desires without moderation Lawful gains are slow They follow the course of nature Great profits are great Robberies Great fortunes ordinarily are great injustices How can a covetous man be saved He does not acknowledge his sin He does no pennance for it He never will make any restitution That which is easily taken Is with great difficulty restored Stolen waters are sweeter Than those whose use is permitted All passions contribute to theft They all fight in defence of it O my God! let me not be tormented for earthly goods You know where my treasure is Alas shall we damn our selves for goods that we must leave We brought nothing into this World 'T is certain we shall carry nothing out Happy is he who contents himself with God And who places all his confidence in him Gold and Silver are the Gods of the Gentiles But the God of Heaven is mine Do not labour to becom rich but put a bound to thy industry Prov. 23. Trust not in iniquity and covet not rapins if riches abound lay not your heart to them Psal 61. He that hastens to grow rich will not be innocent Prov. 17. Those that desire to becom rich fall into the temptation and into the snare of the Devil 1 Tim. 6. There is nothing more wicked than a covetous man for his very soul is to be sold Eccles 10. How hard shall those that have monies enter into the Kingdom of God for it is an easier thing for a Camel to pass through the eye of a Needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of heaven Luk. 18. XLVII MED Of Relapse THe more a sin is forgiven The less pardonable it is The more it increases in quantity The more it increases in malice Relapses are dangerous Old wounds are incurable Acts pass into custom Custom becoms a necessity Sins become greater Habits stronger Grace weaker Cooperation slacker The Spirit more blinded The
for to give glory to thee and I have don nothing but dishonoured thee I have glorified my own name instead of glorifying of thine I have made known my own name instead of making known thine I beg thy pardon for it O God of Glory and Majesty and since I have not honored thee during my life I will honour thee in my Death I dy for thy glory and for to acknowledge the Immortality of thy Being by the destruction of mine I wish I were able to render you as much glory by my death as your beloved Son rendred you by his O why can I not make you to be beloved by all hearts make you be praised by all mouths O holy name of JESUS Thou art all my hopes Whosoever shall call upon thee shall be saved I invocate thee with love and with respect suffer me not then to be damned Thy Kingdom com My God! When will that time come When will you reign absolutely in my heart When shall I reign peaceably in yours Alas I have not made you reign upon Earth I have all my life long protested That I had no other King but Caesar I have given up my heart which is your Kingdom to the power of the Devil I have made all your enemies to reign therein But my God! Through your grace I acknowledge my fault and my perfidiousness I confess that I deserve death I accept of it with all my heart in satisfaction for my sins I hope that you will admit me into your Kingdom although I have driven you out of mine O my God! How happy are those who dwell in your house for they shall praise you for ever and ever Happy are those that serve you here on Earth for they shall reign with you in Heaven Comfort thy self O my Soul Behold the Kingdom of God is at hand Thou hast but one moment to suffer in and thou shalt have an Eternity to rejoyce in What ought not one to do for to gain a Crown What ought not one to suffer for to get Heaven Thy Will be don on Earth as it is in Heaven My God! I feel great pains My Body is overwhelm'd with Sufferings Death assaults me on all sides I cannot resist its Batteries It presents me my Chalice to drink which is very bitter Is there no means to remove it from my mouth Yet let thy Will be don and not mine My God! My Soul is in her Agony My Spirit is disturb'd at the approaches of Death She apprehends this passage and has difficulty to quit her Body She would fain stay a little longer here upon Earth for to redeem the time past and repair the losses she has been the cause of Must she drink this Chalice Can not she be dispens'd from it My God let your will be don and not mine Let me do it at my death since I have not don it in my life O my God! If it were in my power not to dy I would beg Death of you as a favour that I might sacrifice to you what I have dearest in this World thereby to imitate your Son thereby to acknowledge his love and for to drink in his Chalice O I will be consummated upon this bed of sorrow and upon the Altar of my Cross as a a Victim of your greatness as a Victim of your Justice as a Victim of your Love as a Victim of your Grace as a Victim of your Glory Give us this day our daily bread Happy is he that shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God I thank you O charitable Father for all the corporal and spiritual goods that you have bestowed on me during this life and above all for the bread of Angels which I have so often eaten and with so little fruit O bread of life I am no more afraid of death since I have eaten thee in this my last sickness I will march on being fortified with this bread till I com to the Mount Oreb which is the clear sight of God O Eternal Truth You have promised and sworn That he who shall eat your Body and drink your Blood shall live eternally This is that which grounds my hopes This is that which disperses my fears Since we have been united together in this life I hope we shall not be divided asunder in the next O JESUS Give me my bread this day Strengthen me with your graces that I may compass the great journy of Eternity and that I may persever to the end Without this bread I shall faint and shall never be able to get to Heaven Forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us Lord the number of my sins is infinit If you keep an account of our iniquities alas who will be able to subsist I expect my Salvation from your mere grace and not from your justice I can no more do pennance I am no longer in a condition to pray or to fast What shall I then do to appease your justice and to secure my Salvation You have promised to forgive him that forgives to shew mercy to him that shows it I do with all my heart forgive those who have offended me and I pray you to forgive them and not to lay to their charge the ill they have don me Alas they knew not what they did Forgive me my God as I forgive them Forget the evil that I have don to you as I forget that which they have don to me And lead us not into Temptation Now it is O my God that I stand in need of your protection and your assistance See how all my enemies surround me on all sides The roaring Lyon is com out of Hell for to devour me But if you are with me what need I fear Although I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death I shall apprehend nothing being in your company Although I were besieged by an Army encamped round about me my heart would not be astonished Although all the Devils of Hell were ready to enter into combat against me I would not tremble since you are with me and that you make me hope that I shall have your assistance Arise then O God of Hosts com quickly to my succour Send St. Michael with his Troops to relieve me You know my weakness there is none greater in the World Preserve me therefore O my God from Temptation at least suffer me not to yield unto Temptation But deliver us from evil From evil of body which I have very well deserved from the evil of the Soul which I am threatned with Deliver me from the greatest of all evils which is that of Eternity This is the only sole evil that I apprehend I accept of all the rest that you shall think fit to send me I am ready to go to Purgatory for to satisfie your Justice But O God of mercy I conjure you by the pretious blood of your Son and for the love that his holy Mother bore him send me not into Hell where
comes up from the desert leaning upon her beloved Cant. 8. Those who hope in our Lord shall change their strength they shall take wings like Eagles they shall walk and not faint Isa 40. Many are the scourges of a sinner but him that hopes in our Lord mercy shall encompass Psal 31. Our Lord said to Gideon you have much people with you nor shall Madian be delivered up into his hands least Israel glory against me and say I was delivered by my own strength Judg. 8. Command the rich men of this world not to be high-minded nor to trust in the uncertainty of their riches but in the living God who does bestow abundantly on us all things for us to enjoy 1 Tim. 6. LVIII MED Of Charity CHarity is a treasure of Merit that enriches us A treasure of Grace that sanctifies us A treasure of Sanctity which makes us perfect A treasure of Peace which makes us happy Charity blots out all sins Calms all Passions Produces all Virtues Sweetens all Pains Makes us like unto God Unites us intimately to God Transforms us in som kind into God It makes God to be all ours And us all his Charity seeks not her self She loves for loves sake Her love is her pleasure Her love is her reward She is Humble Patient Mild Doing good Is not bitter Is not puffed up Not disdainful Not envious Believes all Hopes all Suffers all Pardon 's all O Charity my God! Why do you command me to love you Should not you rather have forbidden me Can there be a greater good than to love you Can there be a greater ill than not to love you Can you threaten me with a greater misery Than to forbid me to love you How is it possible not to love a God that is so infinitly good A God who love us infinitely A God who does us infinit Benefits A God who is united to us by infinit Alliances And yet I love you not O God of goodness I have in my heart only a Phantom of Charity I am Proud Impatient Troublesom Cholerick Doing ill Envious I will suffer nothing Pardon nothing Alas how shall I be saved Since I have no Charity O I have lov'd you too late Beauty always ancient and always new O I will never cease from blessing you From praising you from loving you Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Matth. 22. The end of the precept is Charity out of a pure heart a good conscience and an unfeigned faith 2 Tim. 1. Charity covers a multitude of sins 1 Pet. 4. Many sins are forgiven her because she loved much Luk. 7. God is Charity and he that remains in Charity remains in God and God in him 1 John 4. This is the charity of God that we keep his Commandments 1 John 5. He that has my Commandments and keeps them 't is he that loves me John 14. LIX MED Of Purity of Intention YOu belong wholly to God You are totally for God You have all from God You ought therefore to do nothing but for God Such is your Action as is your End If your End be good your action is good If your End be ill your Action is ill If you have the same End with God Your Action will be holy as God's is God works only for himself And you work only for your self God seeks only his own glory And you seek only yours God would have you saved And you will damn your self If you will do nothing for him What must you expect from him If you be naught to your self Who will you be good to God looks not on the hand but the heart He considers not the gift but the giver So much you do as you intend to do So much you give as you intend to give So much you gain as you intend to gain The Intention alone sometimes is profitable without the action But never the action without the intention You please God if you intend to please him You love God if you intend to love him Is not that a great comfort to you O I will never henceforth labour for the World O I will henceforth serve God! Since you are pleas'd O my God when we intend to please you Since we love in intending to love you You are the best of all Masters I will never more think on any thing But how to please and love you All men seek their own interefts Phil. 2. Do I seek to please men Gal. 1. If I should yet please men I should not be Christ's servant ibid. VVhether yeeat or whether ye drink or whatsoever else you do do all things to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. LX. MED Which is the noblest Intention WE never lose any thing by serving God The less we intend to get The more we get We may serve him for profit sake But this service is not so profitable True Love is contented with its self The thing it loves is its reward That Love is suspected Which seeks any thing else with God That Love is mercenary Which expects any other good but God That Love is weak Which relishes any thing else but God That Love is perfect Which contents it self with God To labour for gain Is an interested service To labour for to perfect Is a Love that is not quite purified To labour for to please God Is a Love in its Infancy To labour because it pleases God Is Love in perfection My God! I have not strength enough to fly so high My heart clings too much to the Earth To raise it self even above Heaven I will serve before I love I will kiss your hand Before I kiss your mouth I will love your reward That I may have no other but your love O how rich shall I be When I labour for you only O how perfect shall I be When I desire to please none but you O how happy shall I be When I love nothing but you I have inclin'd my heart to do your justifications for retribution Ps 118. VVhat is there to me in Heaven and what would I besides thee on Earth Ps 72. Let no man seek his own interest 1 Cor. 20. To thee alone Ps 50. Not as pleasing men but God who trys our hearts 2 Thess 7. LXI MED Of the Marks of a pure Intention IF I labour without disturbance Without eagerness without a Witness As if there only God and I I am glad that others should labour as well as I. If I rejoyce when they labour more than I If I am not angry when my labour is interrupted If I am contented when my labour succeeds not If I love the bad as well as the good success If I love rest as well as business If I am pleased to do nothing When God will have it so As well as to do much If I love contempt as well as glory If I make no vain reflexion After I have don a good action 'T is a mark that I had a good Intention O my
Creatures It gives us a disgust of this life Makes us desire death Satisfies for our sins Makes us feel the punishment of them Gives us a horrour of them Destroys the habit of them Makes us like to Jesus Christ Makes us drink in his Chalice There is nothing more glorious than to suffer Nothing more sweet more wholsom More necessary than to suffer What an honour is it to be Crucified with JESUS To be treated like one of his Members To ascend up his Royal Throne To carry his Scepter and wear his Diadem To consummate the work of his Redemption To fill up what is wanting to his Passion To express his suffering Figure To continue his Sacrifice To take a part in his Sorrows To help him to carry his Cross To be a Victim like him To be a Martyr like him To be persecuted like him To be immolated like him I adore Torments as Sacraments I look upon an afflicted man As on Jesus crucified I had rather suffer with Jesus Than reign with Jesus God chastizes those whom he loves He spares not the Rod to his Children If I am not corrected I am not beloved If I am not God's Child I shall not be saved God is never more in wrath Than when he puts not himself in wrath I never am more comforted Than when I find my self amidst Sufferings He that chastizes me for the present Will spare me in Eternity God always visits with his grace Those whom he visits with pain Grace is a fruit of the Cross You must climb the Cross to gather it You will never be without grace As long as you are on the Cross There is no virtue without a Cross No merit without patience Take away the Cross from Charity And it has no more tenderness Take away the Cross from Hope And it has no more support Take away the Cross from Humility And it is nothing but Vanity Take away the Cross from Fortitude And it is nothing but Weakness Money is not currant Unless it be stamp't with the Prince's Coin The Wounds that are given to it Give it its value Unless you have Wounds You will have no merit Your Gold will not be currant Unless it be markt with the Cross's Stamp How perfect is a Patient man All his Virtues are Heroick He believes that he is lov'd When he is afflicted That God makes much of him When he strikes him He hopes against hope He is calm in all events Immoveable in his ruin Indefatigable in his labours He loves God without allurements He kisses the rods wherewith he is scourged He thinks himself unworthy of all goods He reckons himself worthy of all evils He leaves himself to his Providence He lets himself be led by Obedience He adores all Crosses as Relicks of the true Cross God is wise he knows well what he does He is good therefore he wishes me well He is every where the sees what I suffer He is omnipotent he can deliver me He is rich he can assist me He is just Why should I complain He is charitable Why should I despair He is patient Ought not I to imitate him He is a King Ought not be to govern He is Soveraign Ought not he to command What a comfort is it to be on the Cross With JESUS Crucified He is with you upon your Cross And you are with him upon his He is united to you by sufferance And you are united to him by patience Is not this to be blessed To be thus united to him The Union in Heaven is delicious The Union on Earth is dolorous God created the World by acting But he repaired it by suffering He acts like a God with those that act He suffers like a man with those that suffer O my Soul What greater joy Than to be with Jesus on the Cross You are a Christian onely by the Cross You are no more one if you be without a Cross 'T is to renounce your Religion To be too much afraid of Sufferings You shall have a part in Jesus his Pleasures If you have a part in his Sorrows You shall accompany him in his glory If you will keep him company in his pains You shall reign with him Provided that you suffer with him One must fight for to be crowned One must suffer for to be saved Man lost himself by pleasure He cannot save himself but by pain JESVS liv'd in pain And You would live in pleasure The Innocent was punisht And the Nocent would go free The Son was crown'd with Thorns And the Slave would be crown'd with Roses The Just man was elevated on a Cross And the Wicked man would ascend a Throne There is no greater Cross Than to have a horrour of the Cross One endures more in damning ones self Than one endures in saving himself The wicked man suffers without pleasure He has no comfort in his pain His Cross has no Unction 'T is the wicked Thief 's Cross It hath neither sweetness nor merit No body helps him to carry it 'T is the Cross of one in despair Let us honour bear love the Cross of Jesus 'T is the mystical Ladder of Jacob. 'T is the Throne of Wisdom The Chair of the Man-God The Trophy of our Salvation The Standard of our Religion The Seal of Predestination The principle of grace The foundation of glory O Holy Cross I adore thee Dear Spouse of the Son of God I kiss thee and I embrace thee Disdain not the Servant because thou didst bear the Master Disdain not the Criminal Because thou didst bear the Innocent Disdain not a man Because thou hast born a God O Holy Cross 'T is to me that thou dost belong The Holy one has no right in thee Thou art the portion of man Thou art the inheritance of the sinner The appennage of a Christian For me therefore thou wert made Come O Holy Cross betwixt my arms Permit me to rest upon thine I have espous'd thee in my Baptism Thy Marriage must be indissoluble Let nothing separate me from thee O Throne of grace and of mercy Raise me up from the Earth As thou didst my Saviour If I dy betwixt thy arms I shall be both a Saviour and saved I shall gain Souls to God And shall not lose my own Blessed is the wood by the which justice is made Wisd 14. Then Jesus said to his Disciples if any one will come after me c. let him take up his Cross Matth. 6. The word of the Cross to those that do perish is foolishness but to those that are saved that is to us 't is the power of God 1 Cor. 1. I rejoyce in Sufferings for you and fulfil the things that are wanting of the suffering of Christ for his body which is the Church of God Coloss 1. God forbid that I should glory saving in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ Gal. 6. The sinner hath provoked our Lord to wrath he will not seek after him according to the multitude of his
the Lord thy God at what time he led thee in the way Jer. 2. What wouldst thou have in the way of Egypt for to drink troubled waters ibid. Thy malice shall argue thee and thy aversion shall rebuke thee ibid. Know and see that it is evil and bitter to have forsaken the Lord thy God ibid. See whether the way of iniquity be in me and lead me in the eternal way Ps 138. LXXVIII MED Of Dryness and Aridities I Believe what I see I hope for what I touch I love that which pleases me I believe amidst light I hope when I have a feeling I love when I am in comfort This is the way of the Sences I believe what I do not see I hope for what I cannot compass I love that which does not please me I believe when I am in darkness I hope even in my dereliction I love even in my desolation This is the way of the Spirit O my God! How sensual is my Devotion I have not yet ador'd you in Spirit O happy State Where the Soul sees God without light Where she hopes in God without support Loves God without any sensible attract This is to see God without species To be united to God without a medium To suffer divine impressions To have no more proper subsistence To lead a supernatural life This is the Kingdom of Jesus Christ In darkness I have made my bed Job 17. Meat and drink is not the Kingdom of God but justice and Peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. They shall be dispersed for to eat and if they be not satiated they will murmur Ps 58. It is expedient for you that I should go for if I do not go the Comforter will not com to you Jo. 16. God is a Spirit and those who adore him must adore him in spirit and truth LXXIX MED Of Silence HOw fine a Science is it to know how to speak You will never learn it Unless you know how to hold your tongue To speak well and speak much Are two things which agree not together All the World learn how to speak Few there are that learn to keep Silence And notwithstanding the first of Sciences Is to learn how to keep Silence Where there are many words There is not much sence A Wise man speaks but little Because he is afraid of speaking ill He speaks a long time to himself Before he speaks to others A Fool is always talking Because he thinks of nothing but talking He pours himself all out Because he knows not how to dwell at home God kept Silence for a whole Eternity He made himself heard by Men Only for to instruct and save them Keep Silence as God does Never speak but through necessity A Soul that is full of God Cannot any more speak to men He that speaks much to men Showes that he is void of God For to becom perfect in a short time You need only know how to be silent He that is Master of his Tongue Is Master of his Passions Solitude and Silence are the two Schools of Virtue There it is that God makes himself known There it is that he speaks to the heart Silence produces Prayer And Prayer produces Silence After that Moses had spoken to God He could not speak to men He that comforts himself exteriourly Finds but little comfort within The Holy Ghost loves silence His voice is like a gentle Zephyre One cannot hear it if there be never so little noise Never quit Silence but for something that 's better One cannot without grace speak well And can you hope for it when you speak In a time that God forbids you to speak Every one speaks of that which he loves The Tongue is the Heart's interpreter He that loves the World Willingly talks of the World He that loves God delights to talk of God You may know a man by his tongue And man shall be judged by his tongue My God! give me thy love That I may willingly speak of thee Fill me with thy presence That I may love Silence I shall never be a man of reason Whilst I love conversation Speak but little speak low without passion Never speak but in necessity Never speak against Charity Speak with sincerity simplicity without Affectation vanity when you ought to speak Keep Silence when you ought to keep it If any one offends not in word he is a perfect man Jam 1. If any one thinks himself to be Religious not bridling his tongue his religion is vain ibid. Since thou hast spoken to thy servant I have more impediment and slowness of tongue Exod. 4. Where there are many words there frequently is want Prov. 14. The heart of fools is in their mouth and the mouth of the wise is in their heart Eccl. 21. Let every man be quick to hear but slow to speak Jam. 1. LXXX MED Of Sickness GOD sends us Sicknesses Either to draw his glory out of them As to the man that was born blind Or to punish our sins as to the Paralytick Or for to try us as to Job Or for to keep us in Humility As to S. Paul and to Timothy I am not able to do any thing but I can suffer I can do much if I can suffer much Others labour for me I suffer for others They honour God by their Actions I honour him by my Sufferings I have well deserved what I suffer I merit much by suffering I acquit for what is past I heap up for the time to com God takes my health from me For to give me sanctity He is with me I suffer with him I carry his Cross He carries mine How strong is my Spirit When my Body is weak How weak is my Spirit When my Body is strong Sickness gives me a disgust to life My heart aspires no more but for Heaven O my Body Thou must be punisht And have thy Purgatory as well as the Soul Unless thou hast it here upon Earth Thou must have it in Hell For nothing that is impure Shall enter into Heaven There are but these two places That thou canst have it in Rejoyce O my Soul for thy Enemy is low He is no more in a condition to hurt thee O my God! I deserve indeed to be sick Since I have so much abus'd my health O how much am I indebted to you For having thus afflicted me Since you spare me not at present You will spare me in Eternity Since you chastize me during my life You will be gracious to me after death O how glad am I to make of my Body A Victim of Love and Sufferance There is no Sacrifice more pleasing To your Eyes than that of Patience Son in thy Sickness despise not thy self but pray to God and he will cure thee Eccl. 38. Behold thou art now healed sin no more least something worse do befal thee Jo. 5. This sickness is not to death but to the glory of God Jo. 11. When I am weak then am I
Throne Jesus contemned riches To teach us to contemn them Compare O Worldling Thy house to his Stable Thy bed to his Crib Thy doon to his Dunghil Thy cloaths to his Swath-bands Thy riot to his Nakedness Jesus is poor And thou art rich Jesus in a Stable Thou in a Palace Jesus on the straw Thou on a doon-bed Jesus is all naked Thou art well clad Jesus wants all things Thou nothing O divine Babe How does your Birth rejoyce me But how does your Poverty afflict me How does your Infancy comfort me But how does your Crib astonish me I will love the Poor since I cannot love Poverty I will relieve the Poor That I may relieve your necessity I will cloath the Poor That I may cover your nakedness I shall not be saved unless I be like unto you I must be poor as you are Or you must be rich as I am If therefore I will not be poor as you are I must make you rich as I am 'T is to do good to you to do it to the poor I will therefore relieve you In the person of the poor I will feed you lodge and cloath you in c. O I think my self happy That I can render back to you What you have given me That I can help you out of your necessity That I can cloath feed and lodge you The foxes have their holes and the Birds of the air their nests but the Son of Man has not where to lay his head Matth. 8. He came into his own and his own received him not Jo. 1. Amen I say unto you as long as you have don to one of these my least brothers you have don to me Matth. 15. He was made poor being rich that by his poverty you might be made rich 2 Cor. 8. XCIV MED Of the Humility of the Infant Jesus GOD did annihilate himself By uniting himself to nothing He hath humbled all his whole greatness He has made himself as little as he was great He debased himself as much as he was elevated His humiliation is infinit substantial eternal As long as he keeps his humanity He will keep the marks of his humility Why was he made man Why was he made passible and mortal Why did he take our flesh Why was he made an Infant Why would he be born of a Woman Why would he lodge in a Stable 'T is to pull down our pride For to teach us humility For to win our hearts For to be more like us O Divine Babe How great are you in Heaven But how little are you on Earth How are you honoured by the Angels But how are you despised by men How do I respect you in the form of God But how I love you in the form of an Infant 'T is an astonishing thing To see a God humbled But much more astonishing To see a Man elevated O how am I confounded To be proud before an humbled God Whosoever shall humble himself like this little one he is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 18. Behold God is my Saviour I will do confidently and will not fear Isai 12. He exinanited himself taking the form of a Servant Phil. 2. XCV MED Of the Divine Humiliations in the Mystery of the Incarnation THe Word was God and he became Man The Word was happy And he became miserable The Word was holy And he took the form of a sinner He became man For to communicate his Divinity to us He became miserable For to communicate his felicity to us He appeared to be a sinner For to communicate his sanctity to us O Jesus annihilated under the form of Man Of a Sinner of a Wretch O the greatest and the least O the first and the last O the highest and the lowest My Soul Wilt thou be proud Seeing thy God annihilated Wouldst thou appear to be a Saint Contemplating thy God under the form of a Sinner VVouldst thou live in pleasures Seeing thy God in misery O Nothing VVilt thou never annihilate thy self VVilt thou never be in thy proper place What good hast thou don What ill hast thou not don Whence didst thou com Whether art thou to go 'T is an unsupportable pride For man to grow proud When he sees his God humbled The Word was made flesh John 1. He exinanited himself taking the form of a servant Phil. 2. God sending his Son into the similitude of the flesh of sin Rom. 8. Him who knew not sin he made him a sin for us that we might be made the justice of God in him 1 Cor. 5. XCVI MED Of the Holy Name of Jesus JESUS is a name of greatness sweetness valour Of greatness which signifies the God of men Of sweetness which signifies the Father of men Of valour which signifies the Saviour of men His greatness makes him to be ador'd in Heaven His sweetness makes him be belov'd on Earth His valour makes him be fear'd in Hell When I pronounce the Name of JESUS I represent to my self the greatest of all Kings The most charitable of all Fathers The most valiant of all Warriours The most humble of all Men. The most faithful of all Friends The mildest of all Masters The most obliging of all hearts The most amiable of all Espouses When I pronounce JESUS My sadness is dissipated My courage is raised My heart displays it self My spirit awakens My soul melts into joy All my Enemies fly away If Jesus is my Saviour cannot he save me Ought he not to save me He is charged with my Salvation He has accepted the commission of it He makes it his business He will spare nothing for that end It will cost him his life What can I fear having a Saviour What ought not I to hope for Having such a Saviour O JESUS The Father of the poor The Comforter of the afflicted My Soul is speechless before you My heart says to you that you are all its good Be unto me a JESUS in my life Be unto me a JESUS at my death If I have committed what may damn me You have not lost what may save me O JESU Put your self as a seal upon my heart As a seal upon my mouth As a seal upon my arm That I may think on nothing but you Speak of nothing but you Labour only for you O JESU I adore you as a name of greatness I love you as a name of sweetnese invocate you as a name of valour I will give my blood for to be saved Since you gave yours for to be a Saviour I will suffer Wounds as you did That with you I may be a Saviour of men But thou art in us O Lord and thy holy name is invocated on us Jer. 14. It shall be that every one who invocates the name of Lord shall be saved Joel 2. For there is no other name under Heaven given to men in which we must be saved Act. 5. In the name of Jesus let every knee bow Phil. 2. XCVII MED Of the
silent from me least at any time thou hold thy peace from me and I shall be like to them that go down into the lake Ps 27. There is a time to besilent and a time to speak Eccl. 3. CIV MED Of the Preference of Barabbas before JESVS Christ THe innocent is compared to the nocent The just man to a Thief A King to a Slave The God of sanctity to a Sinner This outrage is less sensible to him Than that which a Christian does to him When he compares him with a Creature When he prefers Lucifer before him As often as you sin you make this comparison You give him this confusion O JESUS The greatest and the least The first and the last When I see you at the feet of Judas I find no place to put my self in When I see you beneath Barabbas I see nothing but Hell where to hide my self Is it just that I should be above you You are now the last of all men If I prefer my self before one only man I must prefer my self before you O my Soul Suffer contempt Seek humiliations Envy not the elevation of others But love abjections If thou exaltest thy self God will depress thee Whom will you that I release to you Barabbas or Jesus that is called Christ Matth 27. To whom have you compared me and to whom have you likened me Isai 46 They all creed out saying not him but Barabbas Job 19. I have bred up children and exalted them but they have slighted me Isai 1. CV MED Of the Flagellation of Jesus Christ JEsus was scourged like a Slave He is all bathed in his Blood His Body is but one wound His Bones are seen through his wounds The Lamb is now flayed He must be put on the Cross O Christian Soul Take these whips into thy hand Do justice to thy self say It is I that have sinned It is I that ought to be punished Is it just that I should be without wounds Seeing my King loaden with wounds How shall my Body be glorified Unless it be purged by Sufferings Those who are not chastized with Men Shall be chastized with the Devils O most holy Lamb What Crime hast thou committed That thou shouldst suffer such pain And undergo such confusion Alas Thou payest in thy flesh The criminal Pleasures of ours 'T was for to expiate the sins of our bodies That thine was thus torn O Virginal Flesh Into what a condition have the infamous Pleasures of men reduced thee O I will chastize my body That I may make it like unto thine My God! I confess my cowardice I have not the courage to chastize my self Take therefore the whip into thy own hand Spare not thy Corrections I am dispos'd to all that thou think'st fit Chastize me if it be necessary But chastize me like a Father And not like a Judge Chastize me out of love And not in thy wrath Chastize me Now and not in Eternity Then Pilate took Jesus and scourged him Jo. 19. He delivered Jesus beaten with whips Mark 15. Many are the scourges of a sinner Ps 31. I am prepared for scourges and my sorrow is always in my sight Ps 37. They are not in the labour of men and they shall not be scourged with men Ps 72. Our Lord chastizes those he loves and he scourges every Son whom he receives Heb. 12. CVI. MED Of the Crowning with Thorns JEsus is crown'd with Thorns Sorrows Ignominies He wore this Crown to make his Head suffer For to expiate the pleasure of our thoughts For to punish our Ambition For to purifie our Imagination For to shew what sort of Kingdom his was For to declare who are his Subjects The Jews renounce him for their King And ask to have him crucified Christian behold your King Will you have him with this Diadem If you are the Son of God as he is You must be put on the Cross with him If you will wear a Crown of Gold in Heaven You must wear a Crown of Thorns on Earth Ought a member to be delicate Under a head crown'd with sorrows The Crowns of the World are Crowns that shine The Crowns of Jesus are Crowns that prick O ye Daughters of Jerusalem Com forth and see King Salomon with the Diadem Which his Mother has crown'd him with Alas the Synagogue is not a Mother But an inhuman Mother-in-Law She crowned her self with Roses And crowned her God with Thorns Christian As often as you entertain foul and ambitious thoughts So often do you renew his torments You strike in these bloody prickles You afflict his spirit You crown him with ignominies O ye Daughters of Jerusalem Behold the man that has saved you Behold the man whom you have crucified The man who has loved you so much The man whom you cease not still to persecute O the fairest of Men O the greatest of Kings I will never offend you more The Jews will not have you The Worldings will obey Casar The Rich will have a God of Silver The Sensual will have a God of Pleasures And I will have a King of Sorrows I will have a poor and despised King I will have no other King but JESUS I will be crowned like Jesus The Souldiers platting a crown of thorns put it upon his head and they put about him a purple garment John 19. Jesus went forth earrying the Crown of thorns and the purple vestment bid Lo the Man ibid. Lo your King ibid. Crowning he will crown thee with cribulation Isai 22. We have no King but Caesar John 19. Jesus of Naza reth the King of the Jews ibid. My King and my God Psal 5. CVII MED On Jesus Christ's journey in carrying of his Cross JESUS carries his Cross on his Shoulders He sinks under so heavy a weight They substitute a poor man in his room Who carries it for him and after him He was forced to take it up And follow Jesus Christ How coms it that he permits himself to be relieved That he does not work a Miracle For to carry his Cross 'T is to teach men that this Cross is due to them That he took it on himself for their sakes That we help him to carry his Cross When we carry ours with patience That to be his Disciples We must carry our Cross That he carries our Cross with us And that we ought to carry his Cross with him O happy Simon Who carried the Cross of JESUS Christian it is in your power To have the same honour as he had All our Crosses are pieces of his Cross They have touched his Soul or his Body He first drunk in our Chalice He suffered all that we suffer He hath espoused all our Sorrows There is not one of them that entred Not into his heart O JESUS my Lord I will follow you wheresoever you go And since that you are loaden with a Cross I will carry one after you 'T is the Trophy of my Salvation 'T is the Standard of my Religion 'T is the
hand He brings them back when they go astray He casts himself into the bryars For to draw out him that is lost He lays him on his shoulders He carries him back to the fold He testifies a joy at it And he does him no hurt Jesus is a good Shepherd He feeds his dear Sheep He leads them into fat Pastures He nourishes them with his Word He fats them with his Flesh He inebriates them with his Blood He fortifies them with his grace He quickens them with his spirit He enriches them with his merits What Shepherd feeds his sheep With his own Flesh and his own Blood as he does Jesus is a good Shepherd He gives his life for his sheep He does not feed upon their flesh Not cloath himself with their wool Not strip them to cloath himself He fasted for to feed them He labours only for them He defends them against the wolves He hinders them from coming near them He helps them to drive them off He lifts them up when they fall He carries them when they are feeble He comforts them when they are sad He cures them when they are sick He raises them to life when they are dead O Jesus How good a Shepherd are you But what bad sheep have you They stray away from your conduct They despise your Pastures They will not eat at your table They go every where to seek after wolves They howl and run after them They devour the sheep as they do O my Divine Shepherd For my part I will follow you every where I will never go astray from your ways I will go up to the Mountains with you I will go down into the Vales with you I will never complain of you I will be always contented with you I am a good Shepherd I know my sheep and my sheep know me John 10. He goes before them and the Sheep follow him ibid. And I am not troubled following thee my Pastor Jer. 17. Our Lord governs me nothing will be wanting to me he placed me in a place of pasture Psal 22. I have gon astray like a sheep that is lost seek after thy servant Psal 118. CXXII MED Of the Sheep of Jesus Christ THe Sheep loves his Shepherd He follows his Conduct every where He hears and owns his voice He is in assurance with him He is lost when he goes a stray He goes well when he follows him Jesus committed to Saint Peter The Conduct of his Flock His voice is heard in the Church Out of the Church it is not heard Virtues without Obedience Are large steps out of the way One goes astray instead of advancing Who advances without being directed A Sheep does not argue He goes whither he is led He never goes righter Than when he follows his Shepherd He leaves himself to his Conduct He fears nothing in his Company 'T is to be without judgment To trust to one's own judgment It is to have no guidance Not to be willing to be guided A Sheep does not murmur He does not fall into impatience Does not take offence at his Shepherd Does not complain of his conduct Suffers himself to be stript Goes quietly to his death Suffers his Throat to be cut Dies without saying any thing There is need of extreme patience For to indure impatient men They would have God to endure from them But they will endure nothing from God A Sheep hath no fangs He does not bite his Companions He is the mildest of all Creatures He has nothing of fierceness or wildness He hates singularity He maintains himself in unity He keeps Society Is pleased in the Community The Mark of the Sheep of Jesus Is Mildness and Charity Are you one of Jesus's his Sheep Do you love the Pastor of the Church Do you follow God's Conduct Do you leave your self to his Providence Do you obey your Superiours Do you renounce your own proper lights Do you complain of your losses Do not you murmur in your pains Do you love your Neighbour Do not you offend him in word Have you a compassion of him Are not you angry as he is Thou that rulest Israel attend who leadest on Joseph like a Sheep Psal 79. My foot has followed his footsteps Job 13. He shall be led like a sheep to the slaughter and like a lamb before the shearer he shall be dumb and shall not open his mouth Isai 53. I was dumb and did not open my mouth because thou didst do it Psal 38. In this shall all know that you are my Disciples if you love one another Jo. 13. If you bite and eat each other see ye be not consumed by each other Gal. 5. CXXIII MED Of the Ascension of our Lord. WHither go you O divine Shepherd Is it thus that you forsake your Sheep Whither go you O charitable Father Is it thus that you forsake your Children Whither go you O glorious Captain Is it thus that you forsake your Souldiers What will poor Sheep do in the midst of Wolves What will poor Children do in the midst of the Streets What will Souldiers do in the midst of their Enemies Go my well beloved Quit this ungrateful Earth That has used you so ill An immortal body like yours Ought not to be in the region of death An incorruptible body like yours Ought not to be in a place of corruption An impassible body like yours Ought not to be in a place of affliction Go great Conquerour Ascend up to Heaven which you have gained Take possession of the Kingdom Which is yours from all Eternity Carry along with you your victorious Troops For to honour your Triumph Stop not till you have reach't the highest Heaven Go and sit upon the Throne of God It is just that you should rest After having laboured so much It is just that you should receive glory After having been so mightily humbled Go Ark of our Lord After having been beaten with the Waves Go and rest on the highest Mountains of Armenia Arise O Lord ascend to your place of rest You and the Ark of your Sanctification You have broken down the Gates of Hell Go now and open the Gates of Heaven Enter into the Palace of your glory Go and prepare us a place Go and present your self to your Father Go and shew him your Wounds Go and be our Mediatour Go and send us your Holy Spirit O Jesus Since you are gon to Heaven I find no more comfort here upon Earth My heart is where my treasure is My soul would fain quit her body For to go and enjoy your presence When shall I go out of this exile When shall I return to my dear Country O Jesus The hope of forlorn Souls The comfort of afflicted Souls You promised to draw all things to you When you were elevated from the Earth You are now above all the Heavens Perform now your promise Draw me out of this World Take me off from Creatures Draw me strongly For I cling close to the Earth
give credit to my word But he credited that of the Serpent A blind credulity ought to repair his curiosity Faith consecrates your Understanding It humbles pour Pride It raises your Knowledges It makes you subject to God You must believe that you may see Faith goes before glory And how can you have Faith If what you see be not hidden The Disciple I will again speak c. Doutless your Humanity For to be an object of our Faith Ought to be hid as well as your Divinity But why under the form of Bread Is this state sutable to you What honour is not due to you Who can honour you in this figure The Master My Wisdom would not be infinit Unless it were incomprehensible It would not be wonderful Unless it were unconceivable Wisdom avoids the open light It hides it self in darkness Goodness flies from obscurity And would produce it self into the light Wisdom hides it self Because it would be admired Goodness discovers it self Because it would be beloved A God under the form of a man Is a more astonishing change Than a man under the form of bread Than a body in form of aliment Did not they eat the Lamb the Manna The loaves of Proposition If the figures were eaten The Truth also ought to be eaten You stood in need of a Sacrament For the nourishment of your Souls As your life is divine You stood in need of a divine food As you have a Soul and Body So there was requisit my Soul and my Body Unless you eat my flesh you will not have life All men were to eat it There was therefore requisit an aliment That all men might make use of Men have different tasts But all men love bread I took this amiable figure That I might be eaten without horrour That I might enter into the bottom of your heart That I might communicate my Spirit to you For to purify your body For to asswage its concupiscence For to cure it of its maladies For to give it my purity And my virginal qualities Bread is an aliment Which shews the effects of the Sacrament I would have you all to be united together I would transform you into my self As I live for my Father So I would have you live for me The Disciple O divine Master How admirable is your Wisdom You are truly a hidden God O what Bread O what a Feast O what a Table O how am I obliged to you That you would remain with us That you would take this figure For to communicate your self to us I believe I will not see I am called a Believer and not a Rationalist What shall I do to acknowledge you Since you remain with me I will remain with you Since you humble your self for me I will humble my self for you Since you destroy your self for me I will destroy my self for you Since you will live in me I will also live in you CXXVII MED Of the Love of JESVS Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar THis Sacrament proceeds from Love This Sacrament contents Love This Sacrament produces Love The Son of God did institute it out of Love He ascended up to Heaven out of Justice But he remain'd on Earth out of Love Did men deserve this favour They made themselves unworthy of it Does there any advantage accrew to him by it He suffers therein a great contempt Love hath triumphed over God Love made him com down on Earth Love made him stay there Love keeps him as it were Prisoner there Love tends unto Unity 'T is the end of all its desires It finds in the Communion All its satisfaction There it is that Jesus unites himself to us There it is that we unite our selves to him That he transforms himself into us That we transform our selves into him That he becoms one self-same thing with us That we becom one self-same thing with him There is but one person made up Of the aliment and of him that takes it There is a distinction every where But there is none in the food This is that which contents Love This is that which makes it a Sacrament of Love Knowledge begets Love Presence nourishes Love Affection enkindles Love Benefits do draw Love The Soul here sees her well-beloved She enjoys his Presence She discovers his affection She is fill'd with his graces and favours The heart may resist hatred But it cannot resist Love She there finds her beloved She there finds her delights She there finds her Love Ah! whence coms it that I am all ice Whence coms it that I have so little love What Nature is my heart made of How can it defend it self Love encompasses it on all sides And yet it knows not what Love is Love shews it self to my eyes Love makes it self be heard to my ears Love makes it self be tasted by my mouth Love makes it self be felt by my heart Love calls me draws me warms me Fights me flatters me obliges me Does all things to win me And yet I know not what it is to love Whence coms this insensibility O it is because I love Creatures It is because I am not disengaged It is because my heart is divided It is because I am not mortified My Soul Wilt thou always be ungrateful Wilt thou never let thy heart be won Shall not a God who is always with thee A God who gives himself all to thee A God who annihilates himself for thee A God who stands not in need of thee Who is happy without thee Who has so much Love for thee Who bestows so many benefits on thee Win thy heart Cannot he deserve thy affection O I can no longer resist this Love No longer defend my self from its pursuits I will no longer withdraw through fear I will approach out of Love O I will mortify my self For I cannot live without loving I will communicate frequently For I cannot live without eating The children of Israel said to one another Manhu which signifies What is this for they were ignorant what it was To whom Moses said This is the bread which our Lord has given you to eat Exod. 16. This is the bread that came down from Heaven not as your Fathers did eat Manna and died He that eats this bread shall live for ever John 6. Who shall give us of his flesh that we may be filled Job 31. My flesh is truly meat John 6. When he had loved his who were in the World he loved them unto the end John 13. CXXVIII MED Of the Holy Communion Ye Daughters of Jerusalem Tell my well beloved That I expect her day and night And that I languish with love I quitted Heaven for to com down on Earth And for to gain her love I took the form of Bread To make my self be loved And eaten without horrour I made my self a food that I might unite My self strictly to this ungrateful Soul I would fain feed her I would enrich her With the treasure of my Graces Why does
she slight me Why does she fly me O ye Daughters c. I am Bread and not Poyson I would make her live and not make her dy It was for to be loved that I took this shape 'T was for to be eaten That I made my self Bread And not for to be admired It is to sanctify her Body That I give her my Flesh 'T is for to enliven her Soul That I give her my Spirit 'T is for to unite her to my Divinity That I give her my humanity As wise as I am I know not what more to give her As rich as I am I have no more to give her As powerful as I am I can give her no more Why then does she sly me Why does she fear me O ye Daughters c. I have been at infinit Charges For to prepare this Banquet I have spared nothing for to content her I give her my Body to be eaten I give my blood to be drunk I heap up my graces on her I enrich her with my Merits I fill her with my Virtues I invite all the World to my Feast The sick for to cure them The weak for to fortify them The blind for to give them sight The sad for to comfort them Sinners for to sanctify them What reason has she to apprehend I do not require the end of the Sacrament For a disposition necessary to this Sacrament O ye Daughters of Jerusalem Tell my well-beloved That I expect her day and night And that she makes me languish with Love Tell her that she will dy with hunger Unless she eats this Bread That she will have no grace Unless she eats at my Table That she will have no strength no life No health no comfort That she will be strongly tempted That she will sink under that temptation Unless she eat at my Table That if she excuses her self from coming She shall not tast of my Meats Neither in her life time nor at her death Neither in Heaven nor on Earth That I will give her place To the Blind and to the Lame That she contemns me Instead of honouring me That she afflicts me Instead of comforting me That she offends me Instead of contenting me O Bread of Angels Who cam'st down from Heaven Shall I dare make thee com down into my heart Can I receive thee knowing who I am Can I refuse thee knowing who thou art Can I approach thee knowing thy Sanctity Can I draw off without necessity O Divine Lover Who dost invite us to thy Wedding And who dost invite us so lovingly Give a Nuptial Robe to this Prodigal Penitent I do not deserve this honour I am unworthy of this favour But the sentiment of my humility Will supply the want of my sanctity You will have it so You desire it You order it You command it You threaten me with your anger If I fail to be present at it 'T is better to side with Love than Fear Obedience is surer than Diffidence I will therefore approach with Respect I will receive you with Confidence I will imbrace you with Love I will thank you with Tenderness I will eat you with Pleasure I will speak to you with Liberty I will serve you with Fidelity I will bless you in time and in Eternity Amen With desire have I desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suffer Luk. 22. He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him John 6. A certain man made a great Supper and called many and they all began to excuse themselves Luk. 14. I say to you that none of those men that were called shall tast my Supper Bring in hither the poor and weak and blind and lame force them to com in c. ibid. CXXIX MED In Form of Prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ which may serve for a Thanksgiving after Communion SOul of JESUS sanctify me Blood of JESUS wash me Passion of JESUS strengthen me Wounds of JESUS heal me Heart of JESUS receive me Spirit of JESUS enliven me Goodness of JESUS pardon me Beauty of JESUS draw me Humility of JESUS humble me Mildness of JESUS gentle me Peace of JESUS pacifie me Love of JESUS inflame me Kingdom of JESUS com into me Grace of JESUS replenish me Mercy of JESUS have pity on me Sanctity of JESUS consecrate me Purity of JESUS purify me Cross of JESUS support me Nails of JESUS hold me fast Thorns of JESUS crown me Gall of JESUS inebriate me Mouth of JESUS bless me In my life and at my death In Time and Eternity Amen You must pause at every verse and relish that which shall touch your heart CXXX MED Of Devotion towards the B. Virgin FOr to be a Son of God's You must be the Son of Mary She is the Mother of all the just The Advocate of all sinners The Queen of all the Predestinate She brought them forth on Mount Calvary They were given to her at the foot of the Cross She hath given life to all men In giving life to God She hath co-operated to their Salvation In sacrificing him to his Father No man can go to the Father But by the Son Nor to the Son but by the Mother The Father refuses nothing to his Son Nor the Son to his Mother I shall not be saved But by the Merits of the Son Nor shall I be saved But by the intercession of the Mother The Son is our Mediatour with his Father The Mother is our Mediatrix with her Son JESVS is the Head of the Church Mary is the neck of the Church JESVS is the fountain of graces Mary is the bason of them JESVS is the Sun of the World Mary is the Moon thereof Nothing is produced in grace But by JESVS and by Mary The Moon receives the whole Sun And contributes to the generation of Beings Mary receives all from JESVS And contributes to the sanctification of Souls O holy Mother of God! I begin to breath Because my salvation depends on you Your Son is my Saviour But he is also my Judge His Goodness encourages me But his Justice affrightens me I am a Criminal I dare not appear before him But you my dear Mother You have nothing to frighten me You are a Mother of Grace and not of Justice You became a Mother Only for to give us a Saviour You would not have been the Mother of God If there had been no Sinners O I will be your child That I may be God's child O I will be your servant That I may be God's servant He saith to his Mother Woman behold your Son Then he saith to his Disciple Behold thy Mother And from that hour the Disciple received her for his John 19. Dwell in Jacob and have thy inheritance in Israel and take root in my Elect. Eccl. 24. He that shall find me shall find life and draw salvation from our Lord. Prov. 8. CXXXI MED Of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin MAry is happy In
is don to the Slaves Who will dispute it to the Queen If her body be not risen again How coms it to be hid Why is it not honoured Every one shall reap what he hath sowed Those who sow in the Flesh reap Corruption Those who sow in Spirit reap Incorruption Mary was laid into the ground But she did not remain there Her flesh did inclose a germ of life Which made her revive and rise again She was buried That she might imitate her Son That she might visit Purgatory That she might sanctifie our Earth For to give an assurance of her death But she ought to return to life again For to give an assurance of our Resurrection There would one Ornament be wanting in Heaven If the Body of Mary were not there O my glorious Princess I have a horrour to think that your body The holiest of all bodies Should rot and be eaten by the Worms That your immaculate flesh Should not be risen again That you should be a slave to death You who did destroy its Empire It was requisit that one Man should rise again For to give assurance of the Resurrection of Men. It was requisit that one Woman should rise again For to assure the Resurrection of Women O how amiable is Purity O how detestable is Impurity Why should we prepare meat for Worms Why should we adore that flesh Which will soon be devoured by Beasts Unless the Victim be salted it will rot Unless the Flesh be mortified it will corrupt Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell nor wilt thou give thy holy one to see corruption Ps 15. I have slept and been at rest and have risen up because our Lord hath taken me Ps 3. Father those that thou hast given me I will have them to be where I am John 17. He that sows in his own flesh of flesh he shall reap corruption but he that sows in spirit of the spirit shall reap life everlasting Gal. 6. Com from Libanus my Spouse and thou shalt be crowned Cant. 5. CXXXVIII MED Of the Assumption of the B. Virgin WHo is this Princess that ascends up to Heaven Leaning upon her well beloved 'T is Mary the Mother of God As she was the purest of all Creatures She ought to be above all the Heavens As she was the most humbled So she ought to be the most elevated As she received the most graces So she ought to receive the greatest glory As she was the nearest related to God So she ought to com the nearest to him As she suffered without measure So she ought to be comforted beyond measure The Divine Salomon Has made his Mother sit upon his Throne He has associated her to his Empire He has established her Queen of the Universe He has subjected all Creatures to her The Father has crowned her with Power The Son has crowned her with Wisdom The Holy Ghost has crowned her with Sanctity Jesus is our Mediatour with the Father Mary is our Mediatrix with the Son Jesus appeases the wrath of his Father Mary appeases the wrath of her Son Jesus shews his wounds to his Father Mary shews her breasts to her Son Who will despair of his Salvation Having such Intercessours with God Mary loves sinners because her Son loved them Because for them it was that he came into the World Because they are miserable Because without them She would not have been the Mother of God Because 't is for them that she is the Mother of God Go my Holy Mother Go and reap the fruits of your long labours Go Ark of our Lord and rest in the Temple of glory There it is that a Throne is set up for you There you are to be crown'd by the Holy Trinity O how I am ravish'd to see you ascend to Heaven With so much pomp and magnificence O ye Angels of Heaven Open the gates to the Mother of God Com and meet your Princess Render your respects to her Carry her up to the very Throne of her Son O Queen of Heaven and Earth O Mother of grace of mercy My life and my hopes after God! I salute you and honour you On the Throne of glory to which God has raised you O you are now in the Haven Whilst we are yet beaten with storms You are now in your Country And we are yet in banishment You are in security and we are in danger O our dear Mother O our powerful Advocate Cast your eyes upon us your poor Children Who weep and sigh in this vale of misery Take care of their Salvation And obtain the grace for them That after this Exil they may see Your beloved Son in Heaven Amen So be it Com from Libanus and thou shalt be crowned Cant. 4. Who is she that ascends from the Desert flowing in delights leaning on her beloved Cant. 8. A great sign appeared in Heaven a Woman cloathed with the Sun and the Moon under her feet and on her head a Crown of twelve stars Apoc. 12. The Queen of Saba entred in with riches Aromatical spices and very much gold 2 Par. 9. There was a Throne set for the Kings Mother who sat at his right hand and the King said to her Ask Mother for it is not lawful for me to turn away my face 3 Kings 2. CXXXIX MED Of the Nativity of the B. Virgin and of the Name of Mary given to her THe Birth of Mary is a Work above nature But for the good of nature Her Nobility ought to make her to be honoured Her benefits ought to make her to be desired Her beauty ought to make her be loved The Name of Mary which was given to her Rejoyces the Angels Comforts men Makes the Devils tremble After the Name of Jesus There is none sweeter than that of Mary None more powerful than that of Mary He that says Mary says a powerful Lady And a Sea of bitterness She is a Lady Because she was a Handmaid She is a Sea of comfort Because she was a Sea of bitterness Have you a mind to command You must obey Have you a mind to be comforted You must suffer O most holy Virgin I will drink in the Chalice of your affliction That I may drink in that of your comfort I will obey as you did That I may one day reign with you O great Princess I rejoyce in your Birth As in the principle of my life and my salvation I salute you in your Cradle As in the Throne of Grace and Innocence You came not into the World Loaden with chains as we did The Sun saw you crown'd as soon as born But it sees us damn'd e're we are born O Queen of Heaven and Earth I choose you for my Lady My Mother and Advocate I will serve you as my Lady I will love you as my Mother I will invocate you as my Advocate My holy Lady take me into your protection My holy Mother give me your blessing My holy Advocate grant me your intercession Thou art the
2. CLVI MED Of Divine Vnion FOr to arrive to Union Much Mortification is necessary Much Recollection is requisit We must leave our selves to Providence We must permit our selves To be conducted by obedience We must renounce our own judgment Destroy our own will Combat our own Passions Obey inspirations You cannot be with God and with men Absent from your self and present to your self In conversation and in recollection Tyed in heart and free in mind Love all things and think of nothing Dy spiritually and live sensually Action goes before contemplation Labour conducts to rest Fear sustains love Pennance disposes to enjoyment Reason helps faith The humanity of JESUS Leads to his divinity A wise and discreet man Disposes in his heart certain steps The first is towards the heart The second is in the heart The third is from the heart The fourth is above the heart In the first we fear our Lord. In the second we hearken to our Master In the third we desire our Spouse In the fourth we enjoy God We fear at the foot of Mount Sinai We see wonders in the middle of it We are blinded on the top of it We find God in darkness Moses before he was called Did not dare to enter into the obscurity One favour of a visit does not found a state There are som graces which attracts Som graces that are rewards The attracts do precede merit The rewards do crown merit The attracts are for a time The rewards are for always We must not reckon our selves secured For having seen JESUS once transfigured One must not think her self a Spouse For having been at the Wedding A Novice may enjoy God Without being in the state of enjoyment 'T is a strange presumption To have a mind to be a Spouse Before she has been a Handmaid A Penitent may sometimes sing But his trade is to weep A Soul loaden with wounds Does not need her Spouse but a Physician She must seek after remedies And not ask for kisses When you have kisst his feet You may then kiss his hand When you have don good works You may then kiss his mouth O Lord who would be so bold As to ask that favour But who is it that would not desire it The Soul is instructed by Meditation She disengages her self by affection She makes her groans to break forth Then she dies to all her desires She loses the use of her speech She knows no longer what to say to God There is a silence made in her heart Which astonishes and surprizes her A dreadful obscurity robs her of her lights Her Imagination is without image Her Appetite without motion Her Understanding without discourse Her Memory without Species Her Passions without noise All is buried in Night When God from the bottom of the darkness Which covers the Mount Sinai Calls a Soul to his Palace She ought immediatly to enter in The fire and the Claps of Thunder The Lightnings and Precipices Will fill her with affrightments But as soon as ever she is entred God will engrave in her heart A Law of love and of grace A Law of tenderness and sweetness He will crown her with brightness And will cause the rays of his Divinity To be seen on her face 'T is at midnight the dores being shut That the Espouse enters into the heart There are perform'd the Nuptials of the Lamb. There is nothing heard there But Canticles of joy The very senses have a share in the Feast Only the Understanding remains in amaze Finding it self excluded from the Nuptials And not knowing which way the Spouse came in The Heart only can tell it He knows but cannot express it Happy are those who are call'd To the Nuptials of this divine Lamb. Happy are the dead in JESUS Christ Dead to the discourses of nature Dead to their cares and their disquiets Dead to their sadnesses and their pleasures Dead to their fears and their desires They shall pass from Pennance Into a state of enjoyment They shall see their labours followed With peace sweetness and infinit contentments Write Blessed are the dead that dy in our Lord. Apoc. 14. He puts darkness his covert Ps 17. When Moses was gon up c. Exod. 24. Behold the Spouse comes those who were ready entred in with him and the dore was shut Matth. 25. A Prayer to the B. Trinity for to obtain the grace of Vnion WIsdom of my God govern me Power of my God sustain me Goodness of my God save me Spirit of my God enliven me Love of my God enflame me Will of my God dispose of me Sanctity of my God sanctify me Charity of my God comfort me Majesty of my God reign in me Immensity of my God fill me Light of my God illuminate me Mercy of my God have pity on me Beauty of my God disengage me Sweetness of my God penetrate me Greatness of my God annihilate me Peace of my God pacify me Justice of my God regulate me Most holy Trinity bless me Both in Time and in Eternity Amen You must make a Pause at every Verse and relish that which touches your heart Spiritual Canticles FOR HOLY SOULS I. CANTICLE GOD is in me and I am in God God is mine and I am God's God is for me and I am for God God thinks on me and I think on God God reposes in me and I repose in God God labours for me and I labour for God O my God and my All What do I seek after And what do I desire besides you II. CANT NOthing more than God Nothing like God Nothing after God One to one One alone to one alone All to all Heart to heart A Heart that loves cannot divide it self He that divides himself Knows not what it is to love O my God! What is there in Heaven and on Earth That is amiable like you What is there in the whole Universe That is comparable to you III. CANT ALl my desire is to desire nothing All my will is to will nothing All my care is to care for nothing I have found the beloved of my heart I have hold of him I will not let him go I sought him out of my self And I found him in my self I sought him in tumult And I found him in peace I sought him in company And I found him in solitude I sought him in my understanding And I found him in my heart I sought him by day And I found him by night I did not see him but I heard him My heart perceived him in an insensible manner He has satiated me with his presence He has contented all my desires He has wiped away all my pains He has filled me with delights Happy are those who enjoy this repose And who are invited to the Nuptials of the Lamb. IV. CANT TEll me my well beloved Where it is that you take your repast Where it is that you take your repose 'T is in a pure and disengaged heart That is the place of my
repose That is the Paradise of my delights There is no noise in the house of God There is silence in Heaven Lord I am no more able to speak Since you have spoken to me I am full of thoughts And I have no more words O my heart Preserv Charity the Treasure which thou possessest The Bridegroom enters the doors being shut He goes out when they are open Shut upon thee the doors of thy Senses Peace Love Secrecy Silence This is what puts the soul in security V. CANT I Have lost all I have nothing more to lose I have found all I have nothing more to seek I am contented I desire nothing else I am God's I apprehend nothing now I have left all for God I have found all in God My desires have there met together As Rivers do in the Sea Without noise without distinction Without motion without violence Without those narrow banks Which locked them in on the Earth As soon as I lost the sight of him I entred into an Ocean I plunged my self into these Abysses I lost my self happily I confounded my Being with that of God's I was in time And I believ'd I was in Eternity I was a Creature And I found my self united to the Divinity O mysterious and fortunate night Where God unites himself to our spirit In the silence of its desires and thoughts O how sweet is that hour but how short Let all flesh be silent in the presence of our Lord. VI. CANT I Am threatned with death I am encompassed with darkness Beaten with storms At the very gates of Hell But all this does not astonish me Love is stronger than death He makes his bed in darkness He sleeps in the midst of Storms He finds Heaven in Hell He carries his Heaven with him Because he has within himself All that he desires He would have all things And would have nothing He possesses all things and possesses nothing God is his treasure and his felicity He to whom God is all All the World is nothing VII CANT JESUS thinks on me and I think of him JESUS works for me and I work for him My heart suffices him And he suffices my heart He is contented with me and I with him This is the Canticle of love Which I sing to him day and night The only good which I would have Is to will nothing To live without care and without desire Is that which makes up all my pleasure VIII CANT WHat do I feel in the bottom of my Soul What passes in the bottom of my heart The Wedding is made in Cana. JESUS there works a Miracle He chang'd the Water into Wine He entred in at midnight The doors of the senses being shut I saw him without seeing him I knew him without knowing him My eye did not see him pass My ear did not hear him walk I smelt the odour of his perfumes I tasted the honey of his sweets O my God! Into what Country do you bring me Am I in Heaven or on Earth Am I in time or in Eternity I see you without Image I touch you without a Body I feel you without an Organ I am doubtless in Heaven O if this lasts long I must dy IX CANT REtire from me my beloved But retire not for any long time Withdraw your presence But withdraw not your love Withdraw your sweetnesses But leave me your sorrows Draw your heaven out of my soul Or else draw my soul into your heaven I can have no joy if I am not on a Cross Unless you make me suffer You will make me dy Your sweets are too many Your sorrows are to few O my God my love All my pleasure is to suffer All my desire is to dy My Soul Sing for ever this sweet Canticle of joy I will content God I will be contented with God He will be contented with me When I am contented with him I shall testify to him my contentment When I am calm in my pains I am not contented with him If I murmur against him X. CANT I Place all my glory In being despised for you I place all my riches In possessing nothing but you I place all my pleasure In suffering much for you I live I live no longer I am and I am no more my self You and I are no longer but one All my wills are destroyed All my hopes are ruined All my desires are extinct All my Being is annihilated I labour no longer but for you I breath no more but by you I subsist no more but in you You in me I in you You for me I for you To be where you would have me To will what you will To do what you would have me To suffer what you would have me Is what makes a man perfect and happy FINIS Words of the Holy Scripture for the chast Spouses of the Son of God My beloved to me and I to him Cant. 2. I found him whom my Soul loveth Cant. 3. I adjure you O ye daughters of Jerusalem that you raise not up nor make the beloved to awake till her self will ibid. I sleep and my heart watcheth Cant. 5. Put me as a seal upon thy heart as a seal upon thy arm c. Cant. 8. Let him kiss me with a kiss of his mouth Cant. 1. Under his shadow whom I desired I sate Cant. 2. My soul melted as he spake I sought and I found him not I called and he did not answer me Cant. 5. For what is to me in heaven and besides thee what would I upon Earth my flesh hath fainted and my heart God of my heart and God my portion for ever Ps 72. v. 25. And now what is my expectation is it not our Lord c. Ps 38. v. 8. I said to our Lord thou art my God Ps 15. Our Lord is the part of my inheritance ibid. To thee did my heart say my face hath sought thee out Ps 26. v. 8. Lord before thee is all my desire Ps 37. The violence of the river maketh the City of God joyful Ps 45. v. 5. The Lord of Hosts is with us our Protector the God of Jacob. ibid. v. 11. In peace in the self-same I will sleep and rest Ps 4. This is my rest for ever and ever Ps 131 He put darkness his covert darksom water in the clouds of the air Ps 17. v. 12. When he shall have given sleep to his beloved to the inheritance of our Lord. Ps 126. I am thine save me Ps 118. Much peace there is to those that love thy law ibid. Thou wilt bless thy people in peace Ps 18. Enter into thy rest because our Lord hath don well to thee Ps 114. My heart waxed hot in me and fire shall burn in my meditation Ps 38. Expecting I expected our Lord and he hath attended me Ps 39. I will hear what my Lord says in me because he will speak peace to his people Ps 84. Unless our Lord keep the city in vain does he watch that