the accomplishment of thy most just Will O forget not thy creature in his greatest necessity Thou art graciously pleas'd O compassionate Creator to take pity upon the fowls of the Air and beasts of the Earth and to succour them in time of their need O refuse not thy favours to a Soul stamp'd with thy sacred image and resemblance but pity me succour me comfort me and protect me from the hands and power of my Enemies Ah! my Jesu my glass is almost run out my senses fail me my strength decays my breath is almost spent O do not thou forsake me dear Jesu when all things els shall leave and abandon me The Fourth Consideration JESUS dying wept for my Sins and pray'd to his Father for their pardon O My Soul Shall thy Saviour alone be sensible of thy sinful condition and remainest thou insensible of thine own O Jesu I will surely weep as well as thou and O that my Heart could cleave in pieces with sorrow for all my impieties O my God! It grieves me to have offended thee thee being what thou art an infinit essential immense goodness Ah! wretch that I was were I again to begin my life how differently would I lead it from what I have done I have grievously sinned against thee my good God I humbly acknowledg it heartily crave thy pardon and hopefully offer up to thy Throne of Mercy the tears prayers and sufferings of thy beloved Son my sweet Saviour Jesus for a supply of my want of Sorrow and Contrition The Fifth Consideration JESUS dying pardon'd his Enemies lov'd them pray'd for them O Jesu my Saviour In honour of this thy fervent Charity I freely forgive all them who have ever offended me in my whole life time It now heartily grieves me that I ever hated them and were they here present how humbly would I embrace them and beg their pardon Give them O my God! thy Grace in this world and thy Glory in the next The Sixth Consideration JESUS amidst his cruel sufferings and in deaths Agonie conform'd himself absolutly to his Fathers Will. O Jesu I desire not to be freed from my pains but to be furnish'd with patience to endure them as long as thy Providence shall be pleas'd to prolong them I wish neither health nor sickness neither life nor death but all I aim at in time and eternity is the full accomplishment of thy most just and holy Will choosing rather to obey thee than to be exempt from suffering Is it thy divin pleasure I shall lie thus languishing till Dooms-day O my Lord it is also my will and pleasure Wilt thou that I die presently O my God! I most willingly accept it even at this instant O eternal Father ever blessed and praised be thy sweet Name and Providence for all the sufferings sicknesses calamities I ever endured since I had a being Receive them O Lord together with these afflictions I now feel and those I shall feel at the departing of my Soul out of my body which I humbly unite to them of my dear Saviour dying on the Cross for the expiation of my crimes and in satisfaction for all my impieties The seventh Consideration JESUS dying Look'd upon and discours'd with his sacred Mother and S. John O Incomparable Powerfull and Compassionate Virgin Mother of Jesus Mother of Mercy Mother of power Mother of all mankind and my Mother by my particular choice and election I now humbly and earnestly call and cry unto thee to deliver me by thy prayers and patronage from my dreadfull enemy to obtain for me pardon and Remission of my sins and to assist me in my last passage conflict and agonie O ye heavenly Spirits and holy Saints Noble Angels Glorious Apostles Triumphant Martyrs Sacred Doctors and Confessors Pious Widows and Pure Virgins who securely possess that happiness to which my heart and soul incessantly aspire Intercede for me that I may also be with you a happy sharer and partaker O Blessed Saint N. whose name I receiv'd at my Birth and in my Baptism Let me receive thy succour at my Death and in my Agony O my good Angel Guardian my honor'd Prince and Protector Be pleased to assist now thy poor feeble and fainting Pupil Stand by me O valiant Champion fight for me and defend me from the fury of my now most busie Enemy and conduct my departing soul to its eternally prepared habitation The Eighth Consideration JESUS dying with Head humbly inclined adored the Sacred Trinity O Adorable Father Son and Holy Ghost Sacred Deity Vndivided Trinity Thou art my Creator and I am thy creature Thou art my Lord and I thy servant thou art my dread Soveraign and I thy Victim and Sacrifice consecrated to thy only Majesty Thou hast all absolute power and dominion over me and I have no power of my self I humbly Adore thy divine Greatness Power and Soveraignty and heartily Confess my own Weakness Poverty Nothing Alas How strangely have I hitherto forgotten mistaken misunderstood the world my self and all sublunary things My eyes are now open'd and I perceive my self to be a poor wretched dying Creature The Ninth Consideration JESUS died in an Extasie of divine Love AH my God! Though I have not liv'd in thy Love yet let me at least die in it O that I might breathe out my Soul in an Extasie of sacred Love and that my last sigh in this world might be an ardent Act of pure perfect and extatical affection Live my Lord Jesus Ever happie ever triumphant ever glorious in thy own divin Essence Attributes Perfections O my God and my All Nothing more but thy self Ah when shall my languishing Soul see thee embrace thee enjoy thee When shall my whol employment be to praise thee love thee be united to thee uninterruptedly incessantly eternally The Tenth Consideration JESUS dying recommends and resigns his Soul into the hands of his heavenly Father INto thy hands O my Lord I also recommend my spirit Thou O heavenly Father art its first beginning and O let it sweetly return to thee as its final end and only felicity I am all thine O my merciful Creator by all manner of titles and behold I give my self to thee in all manner of ways O do not now reject me but receive me possess me and take me totally to thy self for evermore O how it now grieves me to have given my Soul to any other than thy self O my Soveraign Lord and Lover to whom it only appertains Oh! how earnestly doth my Soul desire to be dissolved that it may come to thee my sweet Saviour Yet not my Will but thine be done in this and all things whatsoever Let it be Lord Jesus how where and when thou shall be best pleased When the sick Person feels his strength begin to decay let him commend his Soul to his Creator in these following ancient Prayers of the Churh O My Soveraign Lord God whose mercy is infinit O glorious Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost
assistance for their effectual performance saying with the Prophet Keep my steps in thy paths O Lord that my weak reeling and staggering feet may not stumble falter and fall backwards from the way of thy blessed Law and love Thy divine glory is my desired Haven let thy holy Will be my way to it let thy grace be my guide to it let thy strength be my support in it let my obedience be my steps towards it Let me walk in thee for thee to thee In thy Spirit for thy Honour to thy Kingdom And if any stumbling-block lies in my way during the course of my this-days-pilgrimage remove it O mercifull Creator with the powerfull hand of thy holy Providence or cause it to serve not as an occasion to divert me or a snare to shackle me or as a clog to retard me but as a spur to excite my diligence in the succeeding race of thy divine love and service Give me courage to run through by over or under all that I meet with that so I may happily meet with thee the only intended amiable and desirable object of my soul for all time and eternity 2. The Regulation of the Day Consisting in the practice of these six following Points 1. THat you exactly observe the formerly made division of the days-hours exeeuting each intended action at the time in the manner and with the premeditated conditions and circumstances yet not servilly tying your self to any thing but performing all with a free pleasant and peaceable Spirit 2. That you endeavour to renew your general intention of referring all to Gods honour and glory at the entrance into each particular action 3. That you fall not so eagerly upon any exteriour affair as to have your heart wholly fixed upon it and your mind totally taken up with it 4. That you examine all that occurrs you before you give it a full entrance into your interiour considering briefly whether it be good bad or indifferent and so presently to embrace it reject it or behave your self indifferently towards it 5. That you return often into your heart by self-reflection to avoid your enemies surprisals 6. That you entertain your thoughts with the continual feeling of your Creators sweet and powerfull presence in your Soul by making use of frequent and fervent Aspirations and Jaculatory Prayers either Vocal or Mental This last point to wit The continual consideration of the divine presence is the Exercise of Exercises and which being alone well practis'd is alone sufficient to bring you to great purity and Perfection Let it therefore be your daily and hourly endeavour to look always upon the Divine Majesty as every where nearer to you than you can be to your self and to aspire frequently and amorously to him at least in heart if not in words in this or some such manner as the several occaâ—…ons your own affections and the Holy Ghosts inspiration shall suggest O my God and my All O my Soul where are we what do we think of who sees us how are we imploy'd why lose we our time which is so precious Jesu I crave thy pardon and implore thy grace and mercy O my Lord grant me thy love O my Saviour sweeten my labours c. And this you may briefly sweetly and most profitably practise at all times in all places imployments companies But before you go abroad you may thus piously premeditate 1. That many have pass'd out of their Houses in perfect health and never returned home alive why may not the same befall you 2. That your Conscience will be much quieter in the Evening for having begun well your Devotion in the Morning and discharg'd well your duty in the Day-time 3. That to go forth into the world is to meet many troubles pass many dangers and perform many duties therefore rush not rashly into it without recommending your self to God and craving his blessing and assistance 3. The Exercise for the Evening Having thus pass'd on the Day in these interiour entertainments and such exteriour imployments as were suitable to your Calling Recollect your self at a fit hour and in a place convenient in order to your Evening Exercise And begin it with an act of Thankâ—giving I Render thee most humble and hearty thanks O my gracious Benefactor for all thy blessings and benefits bestow'd on me generally in my whol life time particularly in this present day O the multitudes of thy mercies and favours conferr'd upon so poor and sinfull a creature who deserves nothing but to be utterly by thee forgotten and forsaken in Nature in Grace upon my body upon my soul Thou hast given me O my glorious Creator a rational being and stamp'd it with the sacred Image of thy Divinity Thou hast bestow'd on me thy own eternally blessed Son to die for my sins and left thy Sacraments for my spiritual solace and sustenance Thou sendest me thy inspirations to excite me commandest thy Angels to guard me promisest thy Kingdom to encourage me Thou hast thus long born with my negligences impieties impenitency Thou hast hitherto withheld the Thunderbolts of thy Justice hanging over my head shut up Hell's mouth gaping under my feet repress'd the Devils rage ready on every side to devour me Thou hast expected my Conversion with long patience desired it with much love allur'd me to it with many sweetnesses provok'd me to it with frequent summons press'd me to it with fearfull threatnings Thou hast daily renew'd all these thy divine benefits by still continuing them even till this present and now pass'd day in which thy paternal affection compassion and providence have most particularly shew'd themselves in my behalf All which my Eyes cannot choose but admiringly behold and which my heart doth here most gratefully acknowledg exclaiming with thy holy Prophet Praising I will invoke thee my Lord and my God! I praise thy bounty for the already receiv'd benefits I implore thy gracious favour for their future continuance and I invoke thy holy light that I may see and know my former ingratitude negligence disloyaltie that seeing and knowing them I may detest and deplore them and by deploring them may make some satisfaction to thy divine Justice Then begging light and confessing your own ignorance and blindness in self-knowledg say with the same Prophet Who is he O my Creator that can clearly conceive and truly understand the number and the enormity of his offences Give me a glimpse of thy heavenly light O my gracious Lord that I may discern the manifold defects excesses commissions omissions which my frailty my rashness my proneness to evil my perverse customs have this Day drawn upon my thoughts my desires my discourses and my actions Then descend to a particular Discussion of your Conscience 1. Reflecting briefly upon the Places the Companies the Occasions the Discourses the Objects the Affairs of the whol day 2 Considering seriously 1. What Passions have had greatest power over your spirit 2. What evil Customs have return'd to
your Soul to what you intend you may add these affective Considerations 1. If my sweet Saviour were now personally present and asked what I should do in such a case what Counsel would he give me I will attentively listen to his words cordially answer his Inspirations and effectually follow his Directions 2. If some dear friend should demand my advice in this matter What would I answer him My soul shall relish now the same Food which it would then chew for another 3. Why was I Created and Redeemed Call'd to Gods faith and service Why have I time still lent me I will be an Impartial Judg Condemn Punish Resolve Amen 4. What doth most trouble and hinder my holy Design This inordinate affection this creature this pleasure this thing which withholds me from my God Is it better than he is More worthy to be loved More beneficial to me Shall my soul be ever satisfi'd or quieted with it At the hour of my death will it plead for me or protect me from my Creators wrath and judgment Is it capable to make me now Holy or eternally Happy If not what a strange Blindness and Madness is it for me to leave God and adhere to it Resolve accordingly General Rules to be observed in all Prayer In all your practises of Prayer and duties of Devotion Let these generall Rules be carefully and constantly observed 1. BEgin your Prayers with quietness and liberty of Spirit that is endeavour to have your heart disinteressed from all business and all creatures Thinking whither you go and what to do 2. Be sure to bring with you to Prayer either in Book or Mind these two things 1. The points or at least the ground work of your Prayer or Meditation 2. What you intend to obtain this Prayer 3. In the progress of your Prayer be carefull to avoid these two Extremities 1. An indiscreet tying and bending your Brain and Mind to Attention 2. A negligent giving of liberty to wandring imaginations 4. If you find your Heart troubled confounded or dispersed Reduce it sweetly and encourage it to talk with its only Lord and Love about the important affairs of Eternity Thus quietly checking your self and recalling your imagination Where are we What do we Whom seek we God Angels Saints are present and am I not present to my self 5. When your darknrss dryness dulness temptations or distractions will permit you to do as it were nothing in Prayer You are not therefore to be dismay'd or desist from keeping on in your course at set and ordinary seasons But call to mind these three points with faithful diligence resignation and indifferency First what was your intention in now coming to your Prayers and fall presently to the practise thereof Secondly assure your self That to suffer for God being absent and to enjoy him being present are of equal Perfection And one of these you may always do by-being to either of them indifferent Thirdly That you came to your Prayers for two ends 1. To Adore your divine Maker To cast your self at his feet To be disposed of at his pleasure To know his holy Will To receive his sacred Commands 2. To lay open to him your Wants To discover to him your Wounds To present to him your Petitions to seek relief receive redress beg an Alms. Now the first of these Ends which is Noblest and Purest is always in your own power to perform and therefore That alone gives a sufficient value and merit to your Devotions A Direction of our intention at the beginning of our Devotions OPen my mouth O my Lord and Maker to bless and praise thy divine Majesty Cleanse my heart from all curious noxious and distractive thoughts Enlighten my understanding recollect my memory inflame my will purifie my intention settle my attention excite my devotion elevate my affection curb and compose all my interiour and exteriour senses That I may worthily reverently and religiously perform this Morning Evening Sacrifice of Prayer and that in union and vertue of those most pure and perfect Prayers and Praises which thou O Jesu my Redeemer living upon Earth offeredst up to thy Eternal Father Mine may be now acceptable in thy fight profitable to the Living and Dead and Honourable to thee and thy Saints At the end of our Devotions REceive O merciful Creator this my Morning Evening Sacrifice which I have offered up and intended to the Glory of thy Name the Honour of thy Saints the Good of my own Soul the Reduction of all sinners and the benefit of all the faithfull living and departed Accept O pious Father my poor endeavours Pardon O merciful Redeemer all my Defects and Negligences Give me O good Holy Ghost efficacious Grace to put in due practise my now made purposes and resolutions Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost For the benefits of my Creation Redemption Sanctification As it was in the beginning when the Morning Stars praised thee Is now in the Church Militant And shall be world without end in the Church Triumphant Amen ¶ III. Practical Exercises dilated with Acts Affections and Elevations upon the chief Christian Virtues The First Exercise Of Virtue in General Divided into seven Points 1. A generous Resolution to practise all Virtues BEhold O sacred and undivided Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost an unworthy wretched weak and wounded Soul groaning under the burden of her own abyssal misery terrified with the consideration of thy inscrutable judgments confounded at the memory of her former sin sensuality disloyalty and ingratitude all covered with shame and encompassed with sorrow humbly prostrates her self before the Throne of thy dread Majesty and presents her petition to thy infinite Mercy Thou hast been pleased O benign and bountiful Lord and Lover whose mercy is above all thy wonderful works to expect her hitherto most patiently How long shall I suffer you Thou hast most piercingly enticed her Why will you perish As I live I desire not the death of a sinner Thou hast most piously invited her Come to me all you that labour and are loaden and I will receive you release you relieve you revive you Thou hast efficaciously touch'd and terrifi'd her with thy threats Sin no more lest a worse thing befall thee Thou hast powerfully drawn her with thy promises No eye hath seen nor ear heard nor heart conceived what I have prepar'd for them that love me Thou hast confirm'd her in a lively Confidence of thy goodness It is I fear nothing And finally Thou O my all merciful Lord God! hast put Contrition into my heart Confession into my mouth Satisfaction into my hands and unfeigned Resolutions of a total reformation into my whol man This is the change of thy right hand O powerful Creator the great and glorious gift of thy grace and the effect of thy only goodness and to thee therefore alone be ascribed all honour and praise for evermore My now unfetter'd Soul aims at a higher
lost thy life for me and can I imagin thou wilt ever leave me unless I first leave to love thee O love capable to cure all sickness able to give life to the dead Ah my heart How canst thou choose but be softned to compunction and hightned to confidence with these efficacious comforts and sweetnesses Thou hast not only delivered me from sin but call'd me to sanctity with thy holy Vocation giving me thy grace in Baptism continually repairing it with thy other Sacraments separating me from the vast multitude of infidels and hereticks which are out of the Church-way to beatitude not only permitting me to possess a place amongst thy faithful Christians but fetting me in an high and honorable condition wherein I may make use of all aids all helps all means to farther me in virtue and goodness in this life and to purchase glory in the next O loving Lord how greatly do all these endearings demonstrate the earnest desire thou hast to save me If thou art further called to the more perfect state of Priesthood or Religion O how highly doth it inforce this motive of thy Hope O my God! how infinite is thy goodness how manifold thy blessings how innumerable thy benefits corporal and spiritual general and particular performed and promised And can I suspect that thou who hast done so much for me wilt not accomplish what is yet behind O my Lord my life my love I put my whole confidence in thee and expect from thy bounty all the benefits thou hast promised me because I know thou art truth it self which never can deceive nor be deceived but thy Word is infallible and thy Work immutable 4. Fear is also to be joyned with our Hope because God is terrible in his works in his chastisements and in his Counsels YEt least Hope without Fear may make me insolent and negligent in providing for my Salvation crucifie my flesh with thy Fear O my Lord for I tremble at thy Judgments O give me a chast and filial apprehension of thee my loving Father that I may reverently and incessantly honor thy infinite Mercy and never dare displease thy dread Majesty Give me that Fear which is Hopes daughter and begotten by thy pure Love in my soul that my continual care may be to please thee purely and perfectly for thine own sake not servilely for mine own interest 'T is true O my Lord my Sins are many and grievous I confess it and am confounded and affrighted at the memory of them But is there any blemish so foul which my Redeemers blood cannot cure Thy mercies and merits dear Saviour are so immense that should my only conscience be burden'd with all offenses of all mankind I would not despair of thy pardon I will therefore remember thy sacred Wounds O Jesu and there will I confidently hide my self till my iniquities be pass'd over Thou say'st O eternal Lover As I live I desire not the death of a sinner but rather that he return to me and live And I also cordially hopefully and confidently answer As I live I desire rather to die than to commit a deadly sin and I beseech thee to take my soul out of my body before thou tak'st thy love and this resolution out of my soul O generous Resolution O the infinite mercy of my blessed Creator And canst thou any longer doubt my Soul but the same divine goodness hath eternally chosen and predestinated thee to his glory which hath now thus graciously endued thee with these heroick thoughts so befitting thy duty What dreadest thou O thou of little Faith He hath blessed thee with spiritual blessings chosen thee before the foundation of the world predestinated thee into the adoption of a child through Jesus Christ according to the resolution of his good pleasure O my Lord blessed be thy eternal Love and ever praised be thy infinite Mercy how happy art thou my poor Soul and how much obliged to thy dear and dread Soveraign who hath vouchsafed a favourable glance of his eye upon thee from all Eternity Lord I will henceforth love thee as an obedient child doth his loving Father I will serve thee couragiously cordially and cheerfully for thine own infinite goodness sake which hath given me such hopes of my being enroll'd amongst thy adopted children and of having a blessed portion alloted me in thy heavenly inheritance 5. The Sins contrary to Hope are Despair Presumption and too much Confidence in Creatures Despair is a certain aversion from Beatitude or rather a leaving off from looking after it under a false colour of impossibility to attain to it GRant yet furthermore O most gracious Lord God! that I may not so dread thy Judgments as to despair of thy Goodness O let me never be seized with the least disgust against piety or distrust of thy promised Beatitude Let me at no time desist from patiently pursuing it upon any pretence of impossibility to purchase it No my Lord my Love my Life my Strength my Mercy my Refuge to thy power all things are possible I acknowledg thee to be the most undrainable source of all sanctity the bountiful giver of all grace the encourager comforter and raiser up of sinners I hear thee speaking to my dejected Spirit It is I fear nothing I am thy protector whereof art thou apprehensive I came to call sinners to cure the sickly to comfort the sorrowful O my God! what sweet and ravishing Words are these to my sad and sinful soul Art thou so good to the most wicked O how gracious wilt thou be to them that devoutly seek thee desire to please thee and are unwilling to offend thee O ever blessed be thy infinite bounty and benignity Let the most depraved in the world leave off their sinfulness and look on thy sweetness and they may confidently hope in thy Goodness and let the most holy ones incessantly and eternally praise the immensity of thy Mercies 6. Presumption is a disordered expectation of good things from the divine Bounty LEt me also ground all these my Hopes of happiness purely in thy power O my Soveraign Lord and maker and upon thy promises let me expect nothing from thy mercy disorderly nor from my own merits presumptuously O my poor soul What folly what frenzy what vanity is it for thee to hope in thy own goodness unsupported by the divine grace to think of scaling heaven without heavenly help to dream that in doing or living contrary to thy own knowledg and conscience thou shalt gain so great a good as is an eternity of glory As though thou my Supream Creator didst so highly prize this caitif Creature as not to punish him according to his wilful wickedness or never deprive him of those felicities which thou hast laid up for thy faithful friends and favourites No Lord Thou hast disposs'd all things in their due number weight and measure thou hast set certain limits to thy creature which are impossible to be pass'd and thou hast
correspond to this thy sacred design when shall we worthily perform and perfectly practise what thou so justly deservest desirest demandest and commandest 3. Of Devotion the chief Act of Religion and of Prayer the next unto it Devotion is the prime and proper act of Religion inclining our Wills to embrace actually and readily all that concerns Gods service and to avoid all that displeaseth him Prayer is an Act of Religion whereby we humbly ask of God such things as are fit to be asked O Sweet and sacred Devotion the dear and only minion of my Soul how tenderly do I love thee how ardently do I desire thee and yet how unworthy am I to enjoy thee Thou O my glorious Soveraign art the supream cause of all Devotion and thy grace is the original Source of all piety Thou art the only good which my way faring and thirsty Soul incessantly gapes after Thou art the solid support and solace of her weakness and weariness Thou art the dilater of all devout hearts by the infusion of good desires into them Take from me I beseech thee the love of the world clear my thoughts from curiosities and superfluities break the fetters which wrest my affection to vanities and fix them intirely upon thy self my only amiable and satisfying Object Behold O immense Deity O eternal infinit and essential goodness who deservest all perfect homage and honour all possible duty and devotion from me and all rational creatures who art in thy self so absolutly excellent and admirable to my Soul so highly bountiful and beneficial I here most humbly promptly cordially freely and resolutely Consecrate the whole residue of my life and actions to be totally imployed in thy true love and service O let me never swerve from this solid and substantial Devotion let me rest joyful and content in this my advised choice and be no more contristated troubled or dejected in the faithful prosecution of such works as belong to my duty and thy divine honour Dilate my heart O Lord with holy cheerfulness and I will run on swiftly sweetly perseverantly in the paths of thy Commandments I confess O glorious Creator my own Misery and that I stand in perpetual need of thy Mercy and therefore I will daily present my self before thy supream Majesty as a poor needy and naked Beggar as a weak wounded and wicked Sinner hoping that thou O pious Physician wilt heal and help pitty and pardon cure and comfort my sick sinful and sorrowful Soul O that my Heart and Mouth were absolutely purified from all undecent affections and superfluous expressions in my Prayer O that my spirit could always propose devoutly and my tongue pronounce distinctly such wholsome things in my petitions as are proper for me to expect from thy infinit Majesty O that I could thus piously and perseverantly present my Prayers to thy Throne of Grace with all the necessary Circumstances to obtain thy mercy My Resolution O heavenly Maker is to ask nothing henceforth of thy divine Majesty but the entire accomplishment of thy Holy Will or that which may in some manner serve and contribut to the encrease of thy honour and glory and if I fail of thy present answer to all other my pretentions I will humbly acknowledg my desires to have been Vndue and Vnreasonable and resting peaceably in thy presence I will adore the depths of thy inscrutable Prudence and relie securely upon the sweetness of thy secret and paternal Providence Teach me O Divine Master thus to pray with a resigned spirit and purified intention and encourage me to practice purely perfectly perseverantly thy heavenly instruction in demanding first thy eternal Kingdom and them not doubting the sufficient supply of all temporal conveniences 4. Of Adoration another Act of Religion Adoration as an Act of Religion wherby we testifie our submission to the divine Majesty acknowledging his supream excellency and our absolute dependancy upon him A perfect fâ—…rm of Oblation to the Divine Majesty O Great glorious admirable eternal Lord God! What creature can comprehend or conceive the least of thy purities and perfections What honors homages respects and reverences are due to thee O Dread Soveraign of heaven and earth on whom all things created depend in whom I have both breath and being O that I and all creatures could truly descend into our Nothing that thy only glorious and essential being might appear shine more brightly O increated and independent Entity without whose present and continual support all things would instantly cease to be what they are by thy bounty and slide away into their original nothing how can I place my self low enough in the presence of thy infinit Majesty Behold I humbly adore thy sublime Excellencies from the bottomless depth of my abyssal nothing I heartily worship thee my Soveraign Creatour in spirit and truth I lowly prostrate my poor Soul before the high Altar of thy immense greatness faithfully dutifully and devoutly acknowledging thy divine power and submitting my whol being to thy absolute supremacy Ay! how barren are my Affections How bare short and filly my Expressions How unproportionable my Adorations in respect of thy supereminent surpassing unexplicable and unconceivable Excellencies I therfore present thee O glorious Deity with all the interiour actions of the blessed humanity of thy Son my Saviour Jesus I offer unto thee with all possible submission and devotion in supply of my weakness the perfect acts of love praise adoration which proceeded from the pure Virgin Mother and from all the Saints with all the hearts and affections of Angels and Men all the mental excesses supernatural jubilations total abnegations and amorous unions of all blessed Souls in heaven and earth Ah! that my heart alone were capable of all the united affections and perfections of all creatures how willingly O my God! would I employ them all in thy service How sweetly should I melt away in thy love Receive gracious Lord all these and whatsoever may be offered unto thee as my ardent desires of honour adoration loyalty and gratitude due to thy infinit Majesty O that I could present them unto thee as frequently as I breath and as fervently as the highest Seraphins I invite and conjure you with heart and mouth O all ye celestiall Spirits and elevated Souls to supply my defects and desires and to sacrifice to my God holocausts of praise benediction adoration ardently incessantly eternally Accept these homages and oblations O soveraign Creator from thy meanest creature which accepts thee embraces thee and makes choyce of thee this day this hour this instant and for all Eternity for her God and refuses all other Lords for thy only love to thee be rendred all honour praise adoration and reverence from her and all things that have a being now and for evermore 5. Three Neighbour-Virtues to Justice are Piety Observance and Obedience Piety is a Moral Virtue whereby we render to our Parents Kindred Countrey and Friends the just duties of honour and
themselves according to Gods Spirit Therefore every one must strive to know his own natural inclinations and then imploy all his forces and apply all his prayers and spiritual exercises to quell them O that I could tame these cruel beasts my natural passions how soon should I be Master of all moral Virtues O that I could so till this Vineyard so delve this Garden so purge it from all ill weeds of affection and prune all superfluous surgeons and shoots of passions that the seed of thy Grace O heavenly Husbandman might only there take root increase and fructifie 5. The same Resolution of mortifying our interiour man I Will also mortifie my Superiour and Rational part with all the curious and fruitless speculations of my Vnderstanding all conceits of self-wisdome natural prudence proper judgment and good liking of my own proceedings All vain and foolish reflexions of my Memory and all petty desires and affections of my Will which relate not to thee the only object and Lord of my love I am resolved O my Lord to nip off each budding Passion as soon as it peeps up in my Soul to trouble it in its true repose and to hinder its liberty and tendency to thy love I will by thy gracious assistance proceed faithfully and sincerely in the hatred denial and mortification of my self and in the prosecution of thy divin love And in order to this only end aim I make in thy presence and from the very bottom of my Heart and Soul these particular acts following I renounce O my Lord for the pure love of thee all affection to worldly things Give them unto me O gracious God! or take them from me as best liketh thy divine Majesty I resign up all my interest in any thing though never so near and dear unto me Behold O my Lord and Lover I uncloath my Soul from all affections whatsoever to creatures and desire nothing but thy self alone O happy nakedness O rich poverty of Spirit O pure obedience to the divin Will in all things Be you my hearts delight my whole pleasure and patrimony 6. An absolute Renunciation of all Selfishness I Renounce all self-seeking Ah! my corrupt nature I abhor thee Adien all private interest profit praise and preferment I will henceforth perform all my actions and exercises O my Lord God! for thy only pure and perfect love I will seek to please and praise thee with an inward ardent and amorous affection for thy self only and not for thy gifts or graces I renounce all Sensuality whether it be in Meat Drink Sleep Apparel curiosity of my five Senses or any thing els whatsoever O my Lord I will make no other use of any thy Creatures than I am absolutly compell'd to by necessity of Nature I look for no solace but from thee alone my only comfort and content I renounce all disordered love to any worldly person No favour or friendship O my only amiable Lord God! no greatness or goodness of any one shall make me swerve from my exact duty to thee-wards No carnal affection to kindred No tenderness of amity No private or publick respect No connivency or correspondency shall make me partial in the reproof of Vice or praise of Virtue O take up my whol Heart with thy holy Love that thy image and perpetual memory may blot out all species of forreign objects I renounce all vain vicious idle and unprofitable thoughts fancies and imaginations O let my mind not only yield no consent but no entrance unto them O let me never more contristate thy holy Spirit with these Vanities nor hinder my souls advancement and union with thee by these divertisements I will henceforth compel my heart to some good employment I will no longer permit it to wander and waste it self in any idle and superfluous Curiosities No my Lord and Saviour thy bitter and blessed Passion thy blessings and benefits shall be the continual occupation of my interior O what have I to do with transitory things who am made for Eternity I renounce all care and solicitude which necessity obedience charity do not oblige me to No natural passions of joy sorrow hope fear love hatred anger or shamefastness shall make any impression in this heart of mine which is pre-ingag'd in thy affection sealed up and setled in thy contemplation No pretext of lawfulness nor shew of fittingness nor conceit of compassion nor excuse of necessity shall procure the admittance of such Passions into my Soul as may any way distract darken or dull the point of my affection and devotion towards thee my only Lord and Love I renounce all bitterness of heart against any one Is he good be thou eternally praised in him and by him O bountiful bestower of all blessings Is he wicked Correct him O merciful Creator comfort encourage and raise him to amendment Hath he offended affronted injured or sleighted me I deserve O great God! to be trodden on by all creatures and therefore I freely forgive him for the past and give him free leave to add stripes to his injuries for the future Am I denied the grant of my most lawful and just demands Thou best knowest O eternal Wisdom what is best for my state and condition O deny not thy love to my Soul and let me be refused in all other my requests whatsoever I renounce all vain-glory all self-liking and pride which may arise from worldly prayses all delight springing from any gift of nature or grace which is in me Not unto me Lord but to thy holy Name be given all honour and glory Alas what am I what have I what can I All is thine O bountiful Lord God! Nothing is mine but sin and therefore I deserve only shame and confusion 7. More Acts of Renunciation of our own Wills even in the most spiritual matters I Renounce all desire of delight in my devotions all sensible gusts of grace and all sweetnesses and solaces in the inferiour faculties of my Soul Ah my heart what is this to thee follow thou thy Saviour Thou seekest thy crucified Jesus This is not he but his gifts O my Lord it is thy self I seek and sigh after If thou sendest me comforts for the encouragemnnt of my weakness be thou ever praised for thou dost like a most benign and bountiful God If thou withdrawest them still blessed be thy providence whch hath secret and several ways of conducting souls to thy self and if thou wilt make trial of my fidelity by permitting me to be dull dry and desolate in my devotions be thou equally and eternally blessed I renounce all scrupulosity of Conscience which reflects any way upon the least diffidence or distrust in thy mercy I am a Sinner O Jesu but thou art a Saviour I have great reason to dread thy Justice but greater to hope in thy Goodness Heaven and Earth shall sooner fail than my confidence in thee my merciful Maker If thou killest me I will trust in thee And
of my Soul I most heartily confess and acknowledg that thou hast provided for me in so convenient a manner both in prosperity and adversity in health and sickness in body and soul as no other wisdom but thou only my sweet Lord and Maker the increated Goodness and wise Disposer of all things could have effected To thee therefore O my God and my All I commit my self and all to be disposed of now and ever as shall be most agreeable to thy own honour and glory and most conformable to thy eternal just and equal will and providence I hope O my Soveraign Lord God! that this moment of pains and sufferings will be soon changed into an Eternity of happiness and comfort I trust that my now languishing and dying body shall be one day raised to glory impassibility immortality I cheerfully expect to have this poor imprisoned soul of mine called up to see enjoy and contemplate thy amiable and beautifying countenance for evermore 4. Acts of Love O Eternal Father thou hast given thy Son to me and behold I give him again to thee together with my whol self and all that I have am and can my Love my Life my Liberty my Heart my Soul to please and honour thee for all future time and Eternity O my Lord I love thee heartily and during the short remainder of my life in this world I will serve thee faithfully not so much of obligation as of Election not so much for my own comfort and profit as for thy will and pleasure not for the delight I take in thy loving service but for the desire I have to please thee not as a servant bondslave or hireling but as a Freeman loves his Friend as a Child his Father as a Spouse her Bridegroom not only out of gratitude for received benefits but also and chiefly because thou art my God of infinit perfection in thy self and of infinit affection towards me O God of Love and Love of my Soul what do I desire in Heaven or expect from Heaven and what do I long for upon Earth but thee the only object of my affections the only aim of my pretensions the only desire of my heart the only delight of my spirit Come O my blessed Lord and Lover and take full possession of my Heart and Soul transform me into thy love and conform me to thy Will Let thy Will be the only desire of my heart and let thy Love be the only life of my Soul and lease of my life that when I leave to love I may cease to live c. 5. Acts of Resignation Take examples from CHRIST in his Agony O My All powerful Father If I must needs drink of this bitter chalice endure this long and tedious Sickness suffer these sharp and severe torments thy holy Will be done From Job on his Dunghil 'T Is thou O Soveraign Lord who art the bountiful bestower of all blessings and thou maist justly withdraw revoke and retake them at thy own will and pleasure be thou blessed and praised for evermore From S. Paul prostrate on the ground LOrd What wilt thou have me to do what is thy holy pleasure behold thy Servant ready to accomplish it Aspire frequently to God and Resign up all willingly to him in this or the like sort WEre I master of all Bodies and Souls I would presently give up to thee Great Lord of Heaven and Earth all my right and title and were it in my power I would make of each body an instrument to please and praise thee and of all souls as many Paradises to lodge and love thee Come what will O my Creator I will place my hopes in thy infinit mercy and in thy Sons abundant Redemption And my perpetual Song shall be O Lord be merciful to me a Sinner Blessed be my God for all and in all Live Jesus by whose death I live and for whose love I am willing to die c. O when shall I take as much pleasure in suffering as I have done in sinning O that I could entirely resign my whol self Body and Soul in Life or Death for time and eternity to be disposed of according to thy divin Will and Pleasure O that I could in every moment of time pronounce with heart and tongue Live Jesus only whose Will be accomplished whose name be sanctified whose praise be published in all by all above all c. 6. An Act of Purity of Intention O Eternal Lord God! Thou hast created me to serve thee only redeemed me to love thee only and now inspir'd me with a will and desire to please thee only during all the remaining days of my life And behold my hearty and humble desire is to serve thee love thee and please thee purely perfectly perseverantly Reform therefore I beseech thee my sinful life conform my stubborn will Deiform my sinister intention change and transform my spirit into thine that all my thoughts words actions pretensions and these my present pains sufferings and sickness may be presented to thy sacred Majesty with such purity perfection and perseverance as thy Love deserves from me and mine desires for thee 7. An Heroick Act of highest efficacy containing a Contract between the Soul and her Creator Which being made devoutly at the beginning of any dangerous Sickness and frequently iterated during the intervals therof must needs afford exceeding great comfort in Deaths last hour and Agony O My God my Lord my Creator from whom by whom and in whom I and all things live move and have a being I rejoice at what thou art as if it were all mine and I offer what I and all creatures have and are as being all thine Behold O Heavenly Father I thy poor Child and unworthy Creature do here with all possible sincerity submission and devotion make this present Contract with thy Sacred Majesty to be thy faithful servant and bondslave for evermore intending hereby that each remaining moment of my life and all that is within me without me about me may henceforth incessantly bless and praise thy holy Name and accomplish thy most just and holy Will in all things whatsoever And for this end I do now enrol this Oblation Donation and Resignation of my whol self to thy divin Majesty in the very Center of my Heart Soul with such Intention Force and Efficacy as thou O my all-knowing Lord God! canst comprehend to be the very best which I thy poor creature am capable to perform without any reservation restriction or contradiction whatsoever I desire also O my Creator to make this Contract with thy sacred Majesty in the best manner with most proper words in the fittest terms and with such significant clauses and conditions as it ought and may be performed In Confirmation whereof I produce as witnesses the sacred Virgin Queen Mary my Angel Guardian my particular Patrons and all the celestial Citizens humbly imploring the assistance of their Prayers for the performance of this my hearty
who art Goodness it self Have mercy on me a miserable sinner O most loving father take pitie on thy poor Child and forsake me not in this my last and greatest need O sweet Saviour Jesu Son of the living God! I beseech thee by the vertue of thy most blessed and bitter Passion grant me thy Grace give me a pardon of my sins and vouchsafe me a portion of thy Glory I challenge not dear Lord a place in thy Heaven for any worthiness of my own merits for alas I am but dust and ashes but for thy Passion 's sake whereby thou wert pleased to redeem me miserable man and to purchase Heaven for me at the price of thy precious Blood I beseech thee therefore O Jesu my Saviour by thy sufferings on the Cross for me especially at that hour when thy blessed Soul left thy Bodie have mercy on my poor Soul at the time of her departure When he draws nearer his end he is chiefly to make use of short and pithy Aspirations of Love Desire c. As for Example O My Lord I love thee I love thee and I wish I could love thee more As the fainting Hart desires the refreshing Fountains so doth my Soul thirst after thee my Saviour I thirst Lord and thou only canst quench my thirst Lead my poor Soul O my all powerfull Creator out of this loathsom prison that it may love and praise thee for evermore O beautiful Jerusalem my happy home when shall I come to live and lodg in thee O ye blessed Quires of Saints and Angels who perfectly injoy God and unweariedly intone his Eternal praises when shall I come to love and land my dear Lord with you O Sacred Virgin Mary Mother of power pitie and compassion Be thou now to me a Mother and take care of thy weak child O my glorious Patrons be pleased now to remember me to assist me to pray for me O my good Angel pitie me protect me comfort me strengthen me in this hour of my Agonie Take courage my poor Soul take courage Eternity comes on our miserie and sorrow will soon have an end and our peace and plenty is beginning without end Frequent these in the time of your Health that they may occur easily to your memory in the time of your Sickness And then ruminate them sweetly quietly and discreetly according as your Soul shall relish them without violence eagerness or anxiety An Exercise of holy Dying consisting of four Acts. FOur things are requisite to dy well 1. A Spiritual Death to all creatures Strive then O my Soul to deny thy self in all things and to dy to thy self to the whole world in love affection that thou may'st live to God only who alone can comfort thee in Dying content thee after Death Thou wilt find it no trouble to leave what thou dost not inordinatly love And what is it thou so lovest find it out and forsake it leaving that and all to find one and all and aspiring often What do I hope for in Heaven and what do I look for upon Earth O my God my All be thou all mine and let me be all thine and let all other things go which way they will 2. A cordial and profound humility This gives the greatest Grace to the living and Comfort to the dying Proud spirits are always in extreams either they dy blindly presumptuous or Death opening their eyes they fall into despair at the sight of their miserable estate O my Soul humble thy self since thou hast nothing to be proud of for alas what wert thou before thy late receiving of a being What hast thou which proceeds not from thy Creators bounty Why then art thou proud of it as if it were thine own What hast thou receiv'd which thou hast not abused What sinful Soul would not have been a Saint had it receiv'd such favours as thou hast misimployed and buried How long ere this might'st thou have most justly been hurried head-long into Hell-fire for thy pride and impiety since the damned spirits who there are and shall be eternally tormented sinned once only in Pride and thou so often since they had somthing to be proud of and thou nothing since their sin was only in thought and thine also in word and work O my God! I acknowledg Hell to be my Center and the place which is proper for the entertainment of so perverse a wretch and shouldst thou send me thither thou art Just and righteous are thy Judgments 3. A firm Confidence in God Let not Humility hinder your Confidence in the divine mercy and goodness for by this token it will be easily known to be false and ill grounded Yet trust not in your own merits good works good life good will but 1. in the infinit goodness and mercy of God 2. in the abundant Merits and Redemption of Jesus 3. in his sweet promises of pardon and protection 4. in the prayers and patronage of your Mother of Power and particular Patrons 5. in the custody of your good Angel 6. in the participation and union you have with the Church Militant and Triumphant And O my soul is not this enough Lord I am thine I trust in thy mercy and if thou killest me yet I will still hope in thee 4. An entire Resignation to the divine will and disposition in all things for time and Eternity O my Soul this is the Act of acts at the dreadful hour of Death and O my Lord I offer up my self to endure all pains disgraces and desolations in this life and to suffer all punishments in Purgatory and in Hell it self if thy Justice will have it so in the next life not reflecting what shall become of me either in this my Sickness or in my Life or after my Death but leaving all to thy sacred Will and sweet Disposal When the sick person is in his last Agony The Priest or Charitable assistants should suggest unto him some of these devout words thoughts and considerations 1. TAke Courage Dear Christian Brotheo or Sister suffer patiently for a little while that you may be happy for all Eternity 2. Christ Jesus dyed for you and be you content to dye for him 3. Though your Sins are great yet greater is Gods mercy 4. Though your Tongue is put to silence yet let your Heart speak affectionatly to your sweet Saviour O Jesu thy will be done O my Lord I love thee I adore thee I thank thee c. And I beseech thee O my merciful Creator that every sigh every thought every eye cast up to heaven may be acceptable to thy sacred Majesty according to that irrevocable covenant contract and intention which I formerly made and here humbly renew in thy divine presence When the Agony is of long continuance it may be very profitable comfortable and convenient to read over the Passion of our Saviour or some passages thereof so it be done 1. Discreetly without troubling or disturbing the sick person 2.
Distinctly not in an over high tone loud voyce or eager precipitation 3 Devoutly to move his affection 4. Deliberately and with certain pauses and interruptions staying upon such points and passages as may touch pierce and comfort him As for example ARe you desirous my dear Brother to entertain your departing Soul with the memory of your dying Redeemer Lift up then your Heart sweetly and quietly to your Saviour whilst I shall recite what he did said and suffered for your sake The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to S. Luke With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suffer Mark these ardent and affectionate expressions of your dear Redeemer He hath still for you the same love and desire and his Will is that you shall celebrate this Pasch with him eternally in his happy Paradise This is my body which I give for you If your blessed Saviour hath given you his Body give yours to him and be content in your sufferings I prepare for you a Kingdom that you may eat at my Table O comfortable sentence 'T is for you that this Kingdom is prepared Pass to it cheerfully couragiously confidently O my Lord I am ready to accompany you into Prison and unto Death O the admirable courage of St. Peter say you the same and you will dy resignedly Pray that you may not enter into temptation Reflect upon these words and since this is a time of temptation elevate to God your Heart that you may be delivered He prayed on bended Knees Behold a rare example Do you imitate it in desire and affection and permit not your spirit to be born down with the sufferings of your body O Father If you please let this Chalice pass away from me yet not my Will but yours be done O how comfortably should you repeat this prayer of your agonizing Saviour Speak it in your Heart and unite your thoughts to those of your sweet Jesus Being in his Agony he prayed more ardently Behold Jesus in the same condition with your self Pray then pray heartily ardently perseverantly And his Sweat became like drops of blood trickling down upon the earth This bloody Sweat will wash away your Sins sweeten your Pains and smooth your passage to Eternity Judas came up to Jesus and Jesus kissed him Comfort your self in Christs kissing Judas Ah! shall not you hope to obtain his kiss of peace in Heaven since you dy in quality of his faithful friend and favourite Jesus looked back upon Peter after he had denied him O sweet words and can you doubt but that Jesus beholds you lying now upon your Death-bed humbly adoring him heartily confessing him and ardently loving him These and the like devout and pithy Reflection and Applications may be made upon the reading of the Passion which surely cannot but afford much comfort to the agonizing person and edification to the assistants Holding the Crucifix before him ADore your dear Saviour dying on the Cross for you and trust in his infinit merits and mercies Kiss these sacred Wounds hide your self in these holes of the Rock and rest here secure against all your enemies deceits and stratagems Offer up the death of JESVS to his eternal Father and desire that yours being thereto united may become pleasing to his divin Majestie Say with the Publican O my God! be merciful to me a Sinner Cry out with the Blind man O Jesu thou Son of David take pity upon me Profess your Faith with S. Thomas O my Lord and my God Animate your Hope to say with me I hope I shall soon see Him in Heaven whom I now contemplate fastned to the Cross Excite your Charity with S. Paul I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Address your self to the Eternal Father with the words of dying Jesus O my Father into your hands I commend my Spirit When the sick Person draws so near towards his Death that no further Applications can be made to him let the devout Assistants charitably pray for him in this or the like manner O Most compassionat Jesu Take pity upon him O Jesu the Redeemer Lover and Life of Christian Souls Have mercy upon him O Jesu the sweet Comforter of all desolate and distressed Sinners Comfort encourage and strengthen him O holy Mary the Refuge of Sinners Pray for him O Mother of Mercy Mother of Grace Mother of Jesus Mother of Power Pity him protect him defend him assist him in this his greatest extremity O glorious Saint Joseph the nursing Father of Jesus and Virginal Spouse of the Virgin Mary Pray for him O Angelical Spirit who have been hitherto his faithful Guardian Do not now abandon him but conduct his soul to its prepared place of eternal rest and happiness O all ye holy Saints and Angels and you St N. his special Patron receive him into your happy company O Jesu be you unto him a Jesus and save him A Prayer to God the Father O Father of Mercies and God of all Comfort we most humbly address our petitions to the Throne of thy divine Clemency in the behalf of this our languishing Brother beseeching thee by the immensity of thy Mercy and by the infinity of thy Sons merits to pardon his sins to mitigate his pains to arm him with patience to furnish him with perseverance in thy Grace and Love till his last Gasp and then to receive his departing Soul into thy paternal care and protection A Prayer to Christ Jesus O Lord Jesu Christ who wert mercifully pleas'd to suffer an ignominious death upon the Cross for the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind we most humbly beseech thee to interpose the Sweat of thy Agony and the Blood of thy Passion between the severe Justice of thy Eternal Father and the grievous Sins and offences of this thy poor servant And deliver him in this hour of his Death from all such pains and punishments as he may fear to have justly deserved A Prayer to the Blessed Virgin O Sacred Mother of Jesus By that sword of sorrow which pierced thy tender Heart when thou stoodest by thy dear Son hanging on the Cross heardst him uttering his last Words and beheldst him giving up his Ghost We beseech thee to assist also this thy dying Child with thy Prayers whom his Brother Jesus recommended then and there to thy peculiar care and custodie saying O Woman behold thy Son Turn thy Eyes of pitie and compassion towards him O Blessed Mother in this his extream misery and affliction and leave him not in this his last and greatest necessity O clement O pious O sweet Virgin Mary When the Agonizing person is ready to expire DEpart O Christian Soul Depart in peace out of this world In the name of God the Father who Created thee In the name of God the Son who Redeemed thee In the name of God the Holy Ghost who espoused thee In the name of the Angels Archangels Thrones Dominations Principalities Powers Cherubins and Seraphins In the
name of the Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Monks Heremites Virgins Widows and all the Saints of Paradise Let thy place be this day in peace and thy habitation in the holy Sion O God of infinit Goodness Clemency and Sweetness who art graciously pleased out of the greatness of thy Mercy to pardon repentant Sinners Behold this thy poor creature with the Eyes of thy wonted pity and compassion and grant him the general pardon which he most heartily desires and we most humbly beg for him O Lord redress the losses repair the breaches remit the offences which he hath contracted through human frailty or diabolical temptation and let this Member for whom thou hast mercifully spilt thy sacred Blood be happily united to the body of thy holy Church We recommend you our dear Brother or Sister to Almighty God and remit you to his care and custody whose creature you are hoping that when you shall have paid to nature the Tribute of Death you shall return to him who is the Authour of your Life And we most humbly and heartily beseech his Divin Majesty that at the instant of your Souls departure out of its imprisoning body the heavenly Quires of Angels may receive it the holy Colledg of Apostles may meet it the triumphant Martyrs may accompany it the glorious Confessors Virgins Widows and all the celestial Citizens may joyfully conduct it to the happy vision and fruition of sweet Jesus in his eternal Kingdom O Divine Jesu The Lord of our lives and the love of our Souls We beseech thee by that ardent Charity which mov'd thee to become man for us By the price of thy Blood which thou pouredst forth for us and by the merits of thy Death and Passion which thou enduredst for us that thou wil◠be graciously pleased to let thy goodness mercy and pity appear in the person of this thy poor servant who is now summoned to leave this world and to come before thee his dread Judg and Soveraign Dispose his Soul Dear Jesu and prepare it for this great trial Suffer it not to quit its Body without a true and hearty contrition for its Sins and a faithful and filial conversion to thee its Saviour Visit him clear him and comfort him with that efficacious grace wherewith thou art wont to purifie justifie and sanctifie repentant Sinners Deal with him in mercy O sweet Redeemer as thou didst with the good Thief and encourage his languishing heart with the like cheering words This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise At the very time as near as may be guessed of the souls departure out of the body say Subvenite Sancti Dei c. As in the Roman Ritual ¶ XI Some devout Prayers for the Souls departed A Prayer to God the Father for the Soul newly departed O Eternal Father whose nature is goodness and whose work is mercy cast thy compassionate Eyes upon the poor Soul of this our departed Brother or Sister N. or upon the poor Souls suffering in Purgatory and remembring it to be thy own creature redress its miseries remit its punishments release it from its imprisonment Receive O gracious Soveraign the superabundant sufferings of thy Son Jesus for a full satisfaction of thy divine Justice and for his dear sake pardon this thy poor servants past impieties forget his frailties and cancel all his omissions commissions and ingratitudes I humbly acknowledg Great Lord of Heaven and Earth that if thou lookest only upon his deserts he must needs be a long time the object of thy severe Anger and Rigour but if in Mercy thou wilt be pleas'd to look upon Jesus his Redeemer and to apply to him the merits of his bitter Death and Passion thou wilt soon free him from all his miseries and bring him to the enjoyment of thy eternal Felicity O my God! That I were capable to satisfie thy Divine Justice in the behalf of this poor Soul for whom I now petition thy Mercy how willingly would I exact in my own person that which detains him in Purgatory And though my unworthiness may hinder this desired effect yet such is thy Goodness O my gracious Soveraign as that I may hope to have my will accepted my petition granted and this poor Soul pardoned succoured delivered and speedily admitted to praise love and honour thy sacred Majesty with the rest of thy celestial Citizens for evermore To Christ Jesus O Jesu the Saviour of our Souls whose inclination to do good to poor Mankind is so great that thou often pressest him to ask and promisest to grant his petitions Receive I beseech thee this Prayer which I most humbly present to thy Throne of Mercy in behalf of this my departed Brother or Sister the Souls suffering in Purgatory Remember O most compassionate Redeemer that it is a Thing bought with thy Blood design'd to thy Glory intended to be a Co heir with thee in thy heavenly Kingdom Look upon it sweet Jesu as the noble conquest of thy Cross and the sacred Trophee by thy powertorn out of the Devils clutches and as such a thing afford it some solace in its sufferings and free it from those flames fetters and prisons which hinder it from enjoying that Glory whereunto thy Mercy hath predestinated it which thy Passion hath purchased and which thy Goodness hath prepared for it If the tears of Mary and Martha did so pierce thy tender Heart that they obtained the raising of their dead Brother Lazarus out of his Sepulchre Be not less favourable and flexible O dear Saviour to these my sighs tears and prayers which I now pour forth before thee for the Soul of my departed Brother or Sister Speak only the word O all powerful Redeemer N. come forth of those Flames and Purgatory will render thee a most prompt Obedience and the delivered Soul will eternally magnifie thy Mercies To the glorious Virgin Mother I Most humbly salute thee Great Queen of Heaven and Earth Glorious Mother of JESVS Powerful Advocatrix of Mankind and compassionate Comfort of the afflicted These blessed Titles embolden me thy unworthy servant to beg thy prayers for the poor Soul of my departed Brother now suffering as I probably both fear and hope in the place of Purgatory and to petition thee that thou wilt be pleased to employ the Power the Priviledg and the Friendship thou hast with thy dear Son my Saviour in his behalf and for his release comfort and pardon O Great and Glorious Virgin Mother Consider this suffering Soul as by thy Son redeemed and by thy self beloved and since thou hast interest in the salvation and joy of the Souls purchased with the price of thy Sons precious Blood take pity upon this Soul longing to behold thy Son and thy self in Glory and to sing forth Divine praises with the blessed Saints for all eternity To S. Joseph O Faithful Steward of Gods sacred Family Worthy Guardian of Jesus and Mary Great and Glorious S. Joseph Permit me to make my most
most hearty thanks for vouchsafing by Death to deliver my spirit from the Law of these corporal Members which kept it so long enslaved under the Law of Sin Let me freely offer up to thee my life in Sacrifice and let thy love be the Fire not only to purifie but also to ennoble this my oblation which of it self is so mean and contemptible Finally O Soveraign Lord of life and death I resignedly leave to the conduct of thy sacred Providence all that concerns my poor Soul's departure out of this her pilgrimage as to the Time the Place the Assistants the Consolations the Derelictions and whatsoever other Circumstance I only beg that thy holy Grace may not then abandon me when all human helps must of necessity become useless unto me In the mean space let Death O my God! be my continual Looking-glass to keep me from wilfully offending thy Divine Majesty to check my immoderate Affection to this life which is so uncertain in its permanency and so certain in its misery and to mind me that each Moment of time I live may be the last wherein I must appear before thy dread tribunal to render an account of my actions and to receive accordingly a definitive sentence which must remain irrevocable for all Eternity 3. The Prayer of S. Vincent to our Lord Jesus for the same end that is to obtain the grace of Dying well O My Soveraign Lord Jesu who dyedst for the salvation of the whole World and desirest not that any one should perish to whom I never present my Prayers with out hopes of Mercy relying upon thy own gracious Promise That whatsoever shall be ask'd in thy Name shall be granted I beseech thee by that sweet and sacred Name that in the Article of my Death thou wilt be pleased to give me perfect integrity of my Senses true Contrition for my Sins a lively Faith a firm Hope and a perfect Charity that I may then say unto thee with a pure and clean Heart into thy Hands O my Saviour Jesu I commend my Spirit 16. A most Devout and Efficacious Prayer to our Blessed Redeemer in the honour of his bitter Passion Which whosoever shall humbly Recite before the Image of a Crucifix with a pure Intention and perfect Resignation several Days together may confidently Hope to obtain of the Divine Mercy a full Grant of their lawful Demands O Dear Jesu My blessed Saviour and Redeemer The sweet Comforter of all sad desolate and distressed Souls Behold thy poor Servant humbly prostrate at the foot of thy holy Cross deploring his Misery imploring thy Mercy and beseeching thee to take pity and compassion upon him in this his present and pressing Affliction Infirmity Poverty Temptation Trouble or whatsoever other Spiritual or Corporal Necessity Hear my Prayers O assured Refuge of all afflicted wretches behold my Tears consider my Sorrows and remedy my Distresses for finding my self encompassed with grievous Calamities by reason of my great Crimes I know not whether to fly for Succour or to whom I may make my Moan but to thee my meek and merciful Saviour with a full hope and confidence that thou O my loving Reedemer wilt vouchsafe to lend the Ears of thy ordinary piety and accustomed clemency to the humble Petition of thy poor Child And By that sweetness which thy blessed Soul resented at the time of thy Alliance with our Human nature when resolving with the Father and the Holy Ghost to Unite thy Divine Person to Mortal Flesh for Mans salvation thou sent'st thy Angel to the holy Virgin Mary with those happy tidings and cloathing thy self with our Humanity in her chast Entralls remainedst true God and true Man for the space of nine Months in her sacred Womb By the Anguish thou enduredst when the time of thy designed Passion drawing nigh thou prayedst to thy Eternal Father That if it might stand with his Divine Providence thou desiredst that bitter Chalice might pass away from thee yet concluding with a most perfect act of Resignation Not my Will O Heavenly Father but thine be fulfilled By the outragious Injuries scornful Disgraces cruel Blows contumelious Blasphemies forg'd Witnesses false Accusations and unjust Judgments which thou Innocent Lamb patiently enduredst By the Shackles which fettered thy Limbs the Tears which flow'd from thy Eyes the Blood which trickled from thy whole Body By the Fears Sorrows and Sadnesses of thy Heart and by the Shame thou receivedst in being stripp'd of thy Garments to hang naked on the Cross in the sight of thy sorrowful Mother and in the presence of all the People By thy Royal Head crowned with Thorns and smitten with a Reed By thy Thirst quench'd with Vineger and Gall By thy Side open'd with a Spear and issuing forth Blood and Water to refresh our Souls with that living Fountain of thy Love and Mercy By the sharp Nails wherewith thy tender Hands and Feet were cruelly pierced and fastned to the Cross By the Recommendation of thy departing Soul to thy Heavenly Father saying Into thy Hands I commend my Spirit By thy praying for thy Enemies saying O Father forgive them for they grow not what they do By thy giving up the Ghost when thou cryedst out with a lowd Voyce My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and then bowing down thy blessed Head to reach us the Kiss of Peace sayd'st All is finished By the great Mercy thou shewd'st towards the good Theif saying This day thou shalt be with me in Paridise By thy Descent into Limbus and the Joy thou communicated'st to the just Souls there detained By the Glory of thy triumphant Resurrection and the comfortable Apparitions thou frequently madst for forty days space to thy sacred Virgin Mother to thy Apostles and to thy other chosen Friends and Servants By thy admirable Ascension when in the sight of thy Mother and thy Apostles thou wert elevated into Heaven By the Myraculous comming down of the Holy Ghost in form of Fiery Tongues whereby thou replenishedst the hearts of thy Disciples with thy Love and gav'st them Strength and Courage to plant thy Faith in the whole World By the dreadful day of General Judgment in which thou art to give Sentence upon all-Mankind By all these Sorrows Joys Passions Compassions and whatsoever else is near and dear to thee in Heaven and upon Earth take pity on me O compassionat Redeemer hear my Prayer and grant me that for which I now most humbly and heartily Petition thee Mention here the thing you desire or reflect mentally upon it Give me O gracious Saviour a speedy and efficacious feeling of thy Divine Succour and Comfort who according to the accustomed Sweetness of thy tender Heart art wont to grant the Requests of them who fear and love thee even to their own Souls desire and satisfaction Bestow on me also O my Blessed Lord Jesu a constant Faith a confident Hope a perfect Charity a cordial Contrition a sincere Confession a competent Satisfaction a diligent