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
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
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
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
feel thy sweet effects O heavenly Virtue Fulness of Joy is ever with thee Abundance of Peace is thy inseparable companion and plentitude of Mercy is to thee a perpetual retainer O God! the soveraign Joy of all spirits and Jubilation of all hearts cheer me amid'st this worlds calamities with the solid comfort of thy only satisfying presence grace and love in my Soul O King of Peace give me Peace in my Self by an absolute union of all my inward forces and faculties to thy only glory Give me Peace with the Good by conformity of my conversation with them Give me Peace with the Bad by bearing the injuries they inflict on me Give me Peace with Thee by an intire submission of all my wishes and desires to thy holy will and decree O most liberal Lord Give me also the love of Mercy that I may be ever pitiful and compassionat towards all poor and miserable persons Give me the love of Beneficence that I may be always willing to succour my necessitous Neighbour for thy sake The love of Alms-deeds that I may be ready to relieve all his corporal wants to Feed him in his hunger Refresh him in his thirst Cloath him in his coldness Ransom him in his captivity Harbour him when he hath no home Visit him when he is sick and Bury him when he is dead The love of Fraternal correction that I may charitably Correct sinners Instruct the ignorant Counsel the doubtful Comfort the sorrowfull Bear all wrongs patiently Pardon all injuries cordially and pray for all the living and the dead zealously O my Lord make my Charity efficacious Let not my love rest in lip language but proceed to real performances of all these outward inward corporal spiritual actions of piety that in the dreadful and doubtful hour of my death and thy judgment I may find thee my sweet Saviour full of pitty and compassion towards my poor Soul 7. The Precept of loving God God commands us in the Old Law to love him with all our heart soul and strength Christ repeats it in the New as the first and greatest Precept Acts of pure Charity THy Love O my Lord is in it self so excellent and to my Soul so pleasant that should'st thou perpetuate this divine gift to me upon Earth without ever bestowing on me thy blessed Heaven it must needs make me in some sort happy O my Soul what is more precious than Gods pure love wherein canst thou and all creatures employ your time and talents more profitably than in admiring your Creators greatness and loving his goodness Yet O eternal Charity Thou also commandest me to love thee and threatnest to lay miseries upon me if I love thee not Ah! Is it not alone misery enough not to love thee Is there need of so many ties of Precepts and threats of Punishmens to oblige me to thy love O infinitly amiable bounty Is not one stroke sufficient to mollify my stony heart Thou shalt love me with thy whole heart but thou addest a second and with thy whole Soul and drivest in this sacred wedg with a third and fourth blow and with thy whole Strength and Vertue Should'st thou not O perfect Lover exact this just tribute from me I surely ought most freely to pay it for the good I finde in thy sweet friendship and now that thou claim'st it and call'st for thy due Child give me thy heart shall I deny it thee Alas Lord it is a poor present but such as it is take it totally unto thy self and dispose of it absolutly at thy pleasure Oh! that it were as rich and beautiful as befits thy Majesty to receive and my obligation and affection to give It is thy only right O my God! by all just titles of Creation Redemption Vocation and it shall be thine daily by my own free Donation Imitation Affection Lord I love thee in this very instant with all my heart soul force and vertue O let not my enemy upbraid me at my death to have pass'd my life without one Act of thy pure love Behold I here at this present banish all foul and forreign affections all self and interessed love and whatsoever is contrary to thy divine liking and embrace thy only naked Charity with as much ardour and sincerity as all my united forces and faculties can possibly enable me Rule thou henceforth and reign only in my soul O glorious King of Love Let nothing live but to love thee and praise thy liberality to manifest thy goodness and to magnify thy glory O Love O divine and desirable Treasure O rich and precious Jewell What Soul reflects upon thy real value and suddenly sells not all to buy thee leaves not all to follow thee suffers not all to enjoy thee contemns not all to compass thee How late do I love thee O beauty so ancient so new Ah my heart thou hast hitherto lov'd thy self truly wilt thou remain evermore cold careless tepid and negligent in loving that object for which only thou wert created and which alone can make thee happy Ah perfect Lover my Soul now settles her self to love thee only entirely eternally she will recompence her former failing by her future faithfulness she defies all branches of Self-love she desires nothing in Heaven or Earth but thy self her God her inheritance the only joy of her heart and sweet satisfaction of all her wishes But O sweet Saviour what pawn of this my love shall I leave with thee what pledg of my sincere affection shall I give thee Thou hast asked my heart Take it Lord Jesu 2 Take it alone 3 Take it all unto thee 4 Take it as thine own due and my free donation 5 Take it as the present of a Child to his Father 6 Take it as an holocaust offered up only to please praise and obey thee and not in respect of thy present benefits or expected blessings 7 Take it O loving Lord as thou desirest it deservest it demandest it and commandest it O that I had as many Hearts and Souls in my body as I have Hairs on my head that I might thus dedicate them all to thy divine Love Oh! that I could employ each moment of my remaining time in loving thee as perfectly as thy glorious Citizens do in Heaven Oh! that the very last act of my expiring life which I now consecrate unto thee might be by vertue of this my oblation and resolution an extasie of thy pure and perfect Love Lord I love thee thou knowest that I love thee how much I love thee and how ardent my desires are to love thee more I will not leave to love thee till thy love transforms me all into love which is thy self O Eternal Love Eternal Life Eternal Happiness The fifth Exercise Of the Cardinal Virtues and first of Prudence 1. The Essence of Prudence Prudence is an Intellectual Virtue enabling us to Consult wisely Judg solidly and Resolve effectually upon all occasions of action or omission GReat and Glorious
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
free from the infectious leprosie of Sin and Sensuality All is out of order O my Lord I acknowledg it to my own shame and confusion each sense is gone astray each member of my body is corrupted and each power of my Soul is perverted My Understanding is obscured with self-love my Memory distracted with sensual objects my Will possess'd with peevish inclinations My affections are vain my passions violent my dispositions vitious My body is burdensom my imagination troublesom my life irksom These are my Wounds O my heavenly Surgeon O put to thy helping hand I beseech thee see sear and search them before the Gangrene enters and the Grief grows incurable My soul is sick even to death if thou wilt O my Lord thou canst both cleanse and cure me To this end thou descendest from Jerusalem to Jerico O pious Samaritan from heaven to earth O compassionate Saviour where thou findest me in this pitiful plight sore beaten wounded half dead and utterly despoil'd of all natural and spiritual riches by Thieves and Robbers which are the Senses of my Body and the Faculties of my Soul O pass not by me sweet Jesu but mercifully bind up my bleeding Wounds with the swathing bands of thy Death and Passion pour upon them the wine of thy precious Blood and supple them with the oyl of thy heavenly Grace 4. A firm Resolution of a total Reformation of our lives and manners I Intend O my Lord strengthen me in this hour I intend O sweet Saviour a total reformation of my life and manners an entire mortification of my corporal senses and spiritual faculties an absolute change in my whole man O grant me I beseech thee my loving Lord the powerful assistance of thy special Grace for the performance of this great and good purpose Teach me now O blessed Master to live inwardly piously spiritually as I lov'd formerly to live outwardly vainly sensually O let me henceforth yield to thy divine motion obey thy call imitate thy example and follow thy will O let me never more act or omit any thing be it never so little for my own liking but purely and perfectly for thy love 5. A desire of perfect Conformity both in all our Actions and in all our Senses to our dear Saviour GRant O Good Jesu that at each word of my mouth at each glance of my eye at each morsel I eat at each member I move at each inward and outward action I undertake I may first ask thy leave and permission so do it or leave accordingly as thy holy inspiration allows me O that I could perform each natural and necessary work with an actual reflection upon thy praise and pleasure and with a pure intention to be united to thee My Lord and my Love Thy outward Senses O my sweet Saviour were exactly subject to thy Reason and perfectly obedient to thy sacred Soul O let mine be swallowed up I beseech thee gracious Jesu and sanctifi'd by the merits of thine Let me live love move and make use of my senses purely and only in thee for thee and by thee Thy sacred Hands O holy Jesu were harshly nail'd to the tree of the Cross preserve mine I beseech thee from all sinful touch ng Thy blessed Feet were likewise pierced and fastned to the same rood O fix my steps that I run not to evil actions direct them in thy paths and make me speedy in all works concerning thy honour and the assistance of my neighbour Thy holy Mouth was free from guile full of Wisdom put thy Words sweet Jesu into mine let it always speak of thy love und only sing thy praises Thy divin Ears were fill'd with blasphemies and derisions Let not mine be open to hear vanities and detractions Thy sweet Eyes poured out floods of tears for me O give unto mine tears of compassion for thy Sufferings and of compunction for my own Sins Thy Taste was tormented with the noysome potion of Gall and Vinegar O take from me I beseech thee all desire of delicacies let me not eat or drink but for meer sustenance and necessity Thy whole Humanity O gracious Jesu was martyr'd and murther'd O grant that I may be truly and totally mortifi'd Let me not see feel hear taste smell eat drink do any thing or make use of any thing as following my own gust sensuality and self-seeking but in pure conformity to thy divin Will and Pleasure 6. Petitions for the Conformity of our whole inward man to our Lord and Saviour O Merciful Redeemer how great and grievous were the inward sufferings of thy holy Soul O for those thy sorrows and thy tender mercies sake cleanse cure inlighten inform reform and transform all my inward man O permit not my Vnderstanding where the knowledg of your greatness and goodness should be only seated to be overspread with ignorance and errour Let not my Memory which should be totally taken up with thee be stuffed with vain fancies or impertinent curiosities Let not my Will which thou gavest me to desire and love thee O my only Lord and Love above all thy creatures be inslav'd to any inferiour affection Repair O gracious Redeemer this lively image of the lovely Trinity which is almost defac'd by my brutish Sensuality Grant O dear Saviour that my Vnderstanding Will and Memory may be incessantly busied in knowing loving and remembring thee that they may forget and forgo all other Objects but only in thee and for thee 7. An absolute Disengagement of our selves from created objects and Adhesion to the Divinity O That my heart were perfectly dis-ingaged from the love of all Creatures Drain it sweet Jesu and deliver it from all forreign and domestick Affection and fill it up again with thine only that it may never love desire nor will any thing but thee alone O my Lord my Love and my All O that my Will were conformable to thine without any reservation or retraction Take it unto thee Dear Lord freely and fully for time and eternity I will have no will but thine dispose of me as thou pleasest both here and hereafter O that my Memory were disincombred from all imaginations and purg'd from all impressions but of thee only Empty it O thou only amiable object of my soul and then replenish it with such holy and heavenly notions as may best please thy divin Majesty O that my Vnderstanding were imbued with some measure of the knowledg of thy Divinity O my Lord infinit in goodness dreadful in Majesty and unspeakable in all perfection O my great gracious and glorious God quicken it sharpen it elevate it and illuminate it that knowing thee I may not choose but love thee and that knowing and loving thee I may be eternally happy Behold Lord I make an absolute divorce with all self-love sensuality and affection to creatures and give thee my self by an irrevocable donation Behold Lord the keys the lodging the treasure and the Master prostrate at thy sacred feet
Tepidity Sluggishness Cowardise and Pusillanimity all my my Covetous desires all Impurity and all Intemperance Purge me O my powerful Lord purifie me O my merciful Saviour Give strength comfort and courage to my feeble and frail nature that I may pass undauntedly through all difficulties and dangers to come to thee and to repose in thee the only center of my desires Grant me O my Lord Chastity of body and Cleanness of heart Temperance in my appetites and Sobriety in my senses Gravity in my deportment and Moderation in all my proceedings that nothing may dislike thee in my soul nor dissolve the sacred knot wherewith thou hast fastned me unto thee Give me also O Jesu my Lord perfect Poverty of spirit O permit not my soul designed to enjoy thee her only solid and satiating object to be intangled with the least affection to the poor and perishable trifles of this world Behold I cast my self uncloathed from all creatures into thy naked embraces O crucified Saviour I desire to clip nothing in my folded arms but a breast burning with desires to please thee my Redeemer and a heart melting away in thy love I make choice of thy baâ—e Cross O Christ for my best inheritance I stretch out my opened folds to meet thy holy and heavenly huggings O let me never more be unclasp'd from thy blessed bosom Be thou O my great-little naked-Jesu my rest during the short time of my life and my refuge at the dreadful hour of my death 6. More humble Petitions before the Sacred Head and Face of our Crucifi'd Saviour ANd now O merciful Saviour I humbly convert my eyes and contemplation to thy sacred Head crowned with thorns and thy divin Face all besmeared with gore and spittle for my sake Here I implore strength O Jesu for the weaknesses of my head and pardon for the wickednesses of my five Wits and Senses O my Lord I desire to bury in these thy innumerous Wounds the enormous number of my iniquities and I beseech thee for these thy sufferings sake to adorn my weak capacity with so much solid Wisdom as may fitly suit with my condition O let me never think speak or act any thing which is not season'd with the salt of Discretion Let me seriously weigh each circumstance and patiently wait thy leave and leasure before I leap into any work Enlighten me to see cleerly thy will and pleasure and impower me exactly to fulfil and follow it Open the eyes of my Understanding to behold my own baseness and wickedness and give me thy gracious assistance to reform it Help me to frame a right judgment of the real vileness and vanity of all transitory things and indue my heart with courage to contemn them Inebriate my affection O amiable Jesu with the sweetness of thy love and let all worldly solaces savour of bitterness to my soul Let me be deaf blind and dumb to all things which are not thy self O my crucified Saviour Let me prudently discern and piously perform each parcel of my duty in its due circumstance of time place order measure and manner Let that holy and innocent Simplicity which is the Virtue of thy Saints shine in all my actions Let me not be curious to know much but careful to practise much and cordial to love thee much O my only Lord and love Cleanse my Will from all self-seeking Keep my Memory from all superfluities Close up my Senses from all vanities that my happy soul seperated from all sensible images may quietly tend to thee only sweetly repose in thee and continually enjoy thy blessed presence O let thy pure and perfect love Dear Lord Jesu be the faithful Scout-watch over all my proceedings that no forreign affection no sinister intention no self liking or self seeking may steal into my heart and defraud or disturb its happy enjoyment of thee and holy unity with thy divin Spirit Grant O my Lord that I may prudently turn all good events and all bad accidents to my spiritual profit by reflecting wherefore they befall me of what they warn me and how far they concern me Let me learn thereby gratitude to thy Goodness fervour in Prayer contempt of my self humility of spirit care of my actions resignation to thy will amendment of my life or what else thy holy Spirit shall please to intimate by these fatherly visitations O sacred Head of my crucified Saviour be thou my certain succour during my lives conflict and my sure place of retreat in my last agony of Death 7. And finally Ardent Petitions before the Heart of JESVS wounded with a Launce ANd Lastly I reverently approach to thy dear Heart O amiable Lord Jesu opened with a cruel Launce in the sight of thy blessed Mother and thy beloved Disciple for the love of my Soul O my Jesu I here implore thy pardon for all my perverss affections and irregular appetites Give me thy leave O my loving Lord to creep into this sweet hole of the rock this sacred cleft of the wall this unlock'd closet of heavenly treasures this saving Ark of the New Testament and shut you O Jesu the door from without that free from the deluges of all wickedness and dangers of the World Flesh and Devil I may sit solitarily silently and sweetly hearkning to thy divin whispers in my elevated Soul Purge all my impurities O my dear Saviour in the precious Blood streaming from thy patent side and replenish my heart with thy perfect love Oh! drown me wound me burn me and consume me in thy divine flames of affection that I may love thee strongly purely perfectly perseverantly O grant that I may leave all things with alacrity for thee my beloved Jesu though never so great to loath all things joyfully for thy love though never so good to do all things contentedly for thy honour though never so hard to suffer all things patiently for thy sake though never so painful and to persever constantly in my pious practices for the sole satisfaction of thy holy Will and the accomplishment of thy blessed pleasure O let me be incessantly calling and knocking at this sacred gate of Mercy Let me be still sighing and seeking after thee my Jesus my Saviour my Lord and my Love Let me be always thinking ever talking and perpetually tending to unite my heart to thine to conform it unto thine to transform it into thine that so I may be all thine and thou all mine for time and eternity Grant also dear Jesu that I may truly love all others in thee and for thee O inflame my Charity quicken my Faith rectifie my intentions strengthen my confidence in thee destroy all complacency in my self establish me in all these my good purposes and let me be as often minded of my now-promis'd duty and encouraged to proceed forwards in the path of perfection as I shall eye the sacred image of thy crucified humanity Elevate my desirous Soul unto thy self O Jesu my Lord above all chances changes
consider you are now present at the same Supper have the same Meat and Drink set before you the same Sacrifice the same Priest the same Love bestowing it Let your Heart be the Altar your Soul the Pix and your Will another Sacrifice The first of the precedent Considerations dilated with Affections which may serve as a pattern by which the others may likewise be enlarged according to each ones capacity and devotion As a Patient to his Physician TAke pity on me Lord for I am weak and infirm The healthy have no need of a Physician but they who are ill at ease nor did you come Dear Saviour to call the Just but Sinners And alas I am one of them My Soul is sick and sinful My heart is sore afflicted and ill affected I am all full of disordinate affections unruly passions violent temptations and vain distractions I am nothing but impatience impurity impertinency immortification inconstancy I am made up of pride presumption propriety partiality Oh! my Soul is sick all over All is self-love self-will and self-seeking Thou O sweet Jesu art my Physician and if thou art so pleased thou canst soon purifie me Take therefore O compassionate Saviour the care and cure of my sick Soul into thy sacred and powerful hands for all my hope of help and health is from thee only O what subject of Comfort Courage and Confidence hast thou my weak Soul since thy Physitian is Almighty having all creatures at his command All-mercy his Love making him do what is best All-wisdom knowing all Consciences all Wounds and all the ways to Cure them Wherefore O Soul-saving Physitian if thou art always ready and always willing to heal thy poor Patients what need I fear but only to displease thee or care but only to content thee If any earthly Physician had all these joint qualities Would he permit any Patient to perish See then my soul where the defect is In the Patient or in the Physician And finding it assuredly in thy self Remove it speedily and then approach it confidently Alas my Body is an Hospital my Soul is the Patient my Diseases are A burning Feaver of Choller a cold fit of Tepidity a Tympany of Pride a Dropsie of Avarice a Fistula of Self-love c. very dangerous and deep Diseases But behold my Physician is coming in person into my poor House and Hospital to lodg and live with me O Love O Lord O Father O Physician Behold my Wounds and my Wants But What is the Physick he prescribes What the Plaisters he applyes Admire with Joy O my sickly Soul accept with Gratitude drink and digest with Delight and Comfort Here are no bitter Pills no unsavory Potions no corroding Drugs to be swallowed down but the most sweet solid and wholsom food of Angels even his own most precious Body and Blood O Love unheard of O Physick beyond imagination The Lord the King the Father the Physician hath made a Bath of his own Blood a Medicin of his own Flesh a Banquet of his own Person to Bathe to Cure to Nourish his Son his Subject his Slave his Patient his Enemy a Worm a Nothing O my Soul How shall we reward so charitable a Physisician O my Lord First Cure me and then take me for thy Fee And how was this Physick obtained At what Rate was it purchased and by whose Love and Expences Surely all Heaven and Earth could not pay it but God gave his only Son for the price of it O excess of Goodness and Mercy The Physician himself is also the Physick the Potion and the Price O Mystery O Miracle The Physician is let blood in the Hands and Feet with Nails in the Head with Thorns in the Heart with a Lance He is Drencht with a bitter Potion of Vinegar and Gall and in the end He Dies a most painful death on the Cross Why all this To give Health Strength Liberty and Life to my sick and sinful Soul O dear Jesu how much am I thy Debtor O Angels and Saints concur with me to give him Thanks O Heaven and Earth help me to praise him O my Body and Soul consume as Wax and Oyl upon the Altar of his Love O all my faculties melt away in the Fire of his Charity Lastly O my Soul This Physician is no stranger no forreigner but thy God and thy Father And how happy am I O my good Father to be under thy skilful tender and loving Hand Lance cut kill thy Child if thou spare him for Eternity Other Acts Affections and Preparations for Communion Christ's Invitation COme unto me all you that labour in temptation and trouble all you that are overladen with your burthensome body and bad nature All you that are assaulted with vicious inclinations and violent Passions All you that are dismaid at the Memory of your past offences and at the feeling of your present frailty Come to me your Father your Physician your Food Have you sinned I will forgive you Are you Sick and Wounded I will comfort and cure you Are you Troubled and Tempted I will ease and deliver you Are you Weak and ready to faint under your Burthen I will nourish and strengthen you Are you Cold Dull Dark Desolate and even dead I will inflame you enlighten you revive you melt you into Devotion and transform you into my self by a perfect Union Why come you not to me Behold I come to you begging to be your Guest and desiring to be lodg'd in your Breast I come not only into your House but into your Heart Not only to eat with you but to be eaten by you Turn away then from all Creatures Return to me your Creator turn unto me your Center and Satiety The Soul's Admiration WHo art thou my Lord God! To whom wilt thou come Where meanest thou to lodg What moves thee to so great Charity What wilt thou do in my poor Cottage Humility O Lord I profess my self unworthy to take thy holy Name into my sinful mouth and shall I presume to take thy sacred Body and Blood into my impure Soul Wil thou give the Bread of Children to a beastly Dog Yes my Soul such is thy Lord and Masters admirable Love and Mercy that he gives himself to be eaten by thee his poor base and abject slave O excess of goodness Wishes O That of every Creature I could make a rational Soul Of every Soul a burning Seraphin of every Seraphin a heavenly Kingdom to the end that thou my loving Lord mightest be lodged purely be serv'd perfectly be pleased totally and be praised eternally Prayses LEt Heaven and Earth bless thy Name magnifie thy mercy exalt thy bounty Let thy own infinite Love and Goodness sanctifie thee And let my poor Soul and all that is within me say Amen Allelujah Thou art worthy O Lamb of God! who wert slaughter'd and sacrificed for the sins of the world to receive all honour glory and benediction from all Creatures Supplication O Amiable and innocent
necessities I particularly offer it up to obtain this Virtue conquer this Temptation amend this Imperfection surmount this Passion And for all them who have desired my Prayers or to whom I have promis'd them At Lavabo Humbly beg to have your Soul wash'd from all its filth and wickedness reciting the Psalm Miserere or some Verses of it as AMplius lava me c. Dew down O merciful Creator one small drop of thy divin Grace into my sinful Soul or rather showr down an abundance of thy sweet waters upon me to cleanse me from my enormous crimes and impurities Asperges me Hysopo c. Be sprinkle my Soul O Soveraign Lord God! with the Hysop of thy Grace that I may serve thee more purely Wash me with thy sacred waters till I become whiter than the driven Snow c. At the Preface Lift up your heart to contemplate the Beauties Glories and Greatnesses of Heaven whither you tend and which is your only home aim and end HOw desirable are thy Tabernacles O Lord God of Hosts My Soul sighs pants and thirsts after you more than the wearied Stag breaths after the refreshing Fountains Draw me after thee O divin source of all sweetness and I shall run chearfully after the odours of thy perfumes for what do I seek but thee or what can satisfie me but thy self in Heaven or in Earth O that the memory of thy eternal good things remain'd always deeply ingrav'd in my Soul how easily should I then disdain all temporal perishable and worldly trifles O my God and my All when shall I be so happy as to behold thee clearly in thy heavenly Glory At Sanctus Keep your Heart raised up to your Creator praising adoring admiring the infinit Majesty of the Sacred Trinity as if you were amidst the blessed Quires of Angels and Saints in Heaven intoning with them HOly Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbath Heaven and Earth are full of your Glorie Hosanna in the highest O Holy of Holies give me a glimps of thy glorious self that my illuminated Soul may praise thee more purely and love thee more perfectly O celestial Seraphins who incessantly praise my God with the sweet Eccho's of your eternally repeated Holy descend from Heaven to help my desirous heart in singing forth his praises that I may also become holy pure and perfect in the presence of my Lord and Maker At the first Memento INto thy sacred Hands O sweet Saviour I recommend my Soul with all its faculties my Body with all its senses my whole Interiour and Exteriour man with all its affections and actions Preserve me O all-powerful Redeemer from all Sin and Impuritie and give me perseverance in thy love and service Let thy undrainable fountain of mercy O Lord Jesu extend also it self towards my Kindred Friends Enemies particularly towards such and such and all them for whom I ought to offer up my Prayers to thy divin Majestie Whilst the Priest pursues the rest of the Canon in silence do you also recollect your Senses in expectation of your Saviours presence upon the Altar which will be assoon as the words of Consecration are ended Your Heart burning in the mean while with these like desires of S. Augustin O My Comforter appear unto me O only light of my Souls eyes let me see thee O only Joy of my Spirit Come and glad me with thy presence O only Jubily of my Heart Let me contemplate thee O my Lord my Life my Love my All Shew me thy self and I shall be safe c. At the Elevation of the sacred Host and Chalice represent to your self how your Redeemer offers up himself there to the Eternal Father and conforming your Devotion to the Spirit of Christ Jesus you may say with heart or mouth O Adorable Majestie In Union of this affectionate Reverence which my Redeemer now renders thee In memory of his dolorous Passion And in acknowledgment of my own Nothing and thy infinit Greatness I humbly offer unto thee a perpetual submission of all my Being all my Powers all my Faculties Be thou eternally exalted admired and glorified O Holy Holy Holy Trinity My Lord my God my All. Or thus by way of Ejaculations Affections Extasies O Goodness O Mercy O Love O Liberality O immense infinit incomprehensible excessive Charity O Eternal Father behold thy beloved Son and my blessed Saviour whom I humbly offer up to thy divin Majestie in satisfaction for all my offences negligences ingratitudes I offer thee his purity innocency perfection to satisfie for my impuritie malice impietie his Humilitie for my Pride his Zeal for my Tepiditie all the Sanctity of his life for all the imperfections of my life O merciful and compassionate Father Look upon thy own Sons Charitie Behold how he once offer'd himself a Bloody Sacrifice on the Cross for my salvation and how he now offers himself an unbloody Sacrifice on this Altar for the same end O holy Father receive this his holy Sacrifice in lieu of all the honors homages gratitudes which are due to thy sacred and soveraign goodness from me and all thy creatures Keeping your mind still fix'd upon your dear Saviour now present on the Altar speak unto him with the most tender affections which your Heart can possibly produce either by Acts of Praise as O Son of God! what can be compar'd to thy Charitie O my Lord who is like thee in Goodness in Love in Liberality O sweet Jesu thou art my Rest my Refuge my Riches my Center my Hope my Happiness my All. Or by Acts of Complacencie as O King of Heaven and Earth Thou art here the Joy of my Soul as thou art there the Jubily of thy Saints Thou art here on the Altar and thou art there in thy eternal glorie and beatitude O Amiable Sacrifice O Admirable Invention of the divin Power Wisdom and Charitie Or by Acts of Thanksgiving O Dear Saviour How much hast thou done for an unworthy wretch O the excess of thy goodness who can sufficiently acknowledg it O Great Monarch of both worlds That thou shouldst thus humble thy self for a meer worm upon this Altar O ye Angels Saints and all Creatures Come help me to honour praise bless and love my liberal Lord God who hath as it were employ'd his Omnipotencie in order to my benefit and profit Or by Acts of Thanksgiving O Dear Saviour How much hast thou done for an unworthy wretch O the excess of thy goodness who can sufficiently acknowledg it O great Monarch of both Worlds That thou shouldst thus humble thy self for a meer worm upon this Altar O ye Angels Saints and all Creatures Come help me to honour praise bless and love my liberal Lord God who hath as it were employ'd his Omnipotencie in order to my benefit and profit Or by Acts of Resignation O Jesu Since thou art pleas'd to render thy self here present for my sake I here promise a readiness to perform any thing for thy service O my
thanks O Soveraign Creator for the favour I have this day recived of thy bounty and of which many better deserving Christians are deprived Receive O Lord my unworthy prayers supply all my defects pardon all my indevotions distractions and irreverences and grant that by the strength and virtue of these divin Mysteries I may march on cheerfully couragiously perseverantly in the path of your Precepts Love and Service a midst all the temptatations troubles and dangers of my lives Pilgrimage till I shall one day happily arrive at thy holy Mountain which is thy heavenly Paradise where with thy blessed Angels and Saints I shall more cleerly contemplate thee more perfectly enjoy thee and more understandingly celebrate thy infinite Goodness and Mercy with uninterrupted Canticles of eternal Praise Admiration and Gratitude ¶ 10. Directions Devotions and Entertainments for Sick Persons 1. What the Sick Party is to do at the beginning of his Infirmity 1. WHen any Sickness shall sieze upon you receive it no otherwise than as the summons of Death and render most humble and hearty thanks to your heavenly Father for giving you this paternal Visitation and timely warning 2. Though the best disposition to a happy Death is to have led a holy Life yet what soeever your Life yet what soever your Life hath been formerly you are now to resolve seriously to spend the short remainder of your time in your Creators love and service and in order hereunto 3. Endeavour to have discreet and devout persons about you for if ever poor man hath need of faithful friends it is surely in the time of sickness and in the Hour and Agony of his death when his own Forces fail him when his grievous pains oppress him when his Ghostly Enemies are most busie about him 4. Above all strive to have the company of your Confessor at fit seasons entreating him to take your soul into his charitable care and consideration to entertain you with the continual inculcation of your duty of your Creators mercy of your sins heinousness and of whatsoever he shall think proper to dispose you for eternity 5. Confess and Communicate with all possible fervour zeal and devotion and then rest in peace hope and confidence casting all your Sins Cares and Fears together with yur whol self into Christs open Wounds 6. Trouble not your mind with an over-scrupulous Examination of your Conscience or desire so make a general Confession especially if you have of late had a convenient and ordinary care of your duty for this shews want of Confidence in your Creators mercy and your Redeemers merits Yet if any thing of moment troubles your mind and hinder your interior tranquillity discover it briefly in Confession and then remain fully satisfied for the future conforming your self quietly patiently and obediently to the Dictamen and Judgment of your Ghostly Father 7. Desire your Physician Friends and Ghostly Father not to flatter you but freely to deliver their sense and opinion concerning the danger of your presons sickness that so you may have time to settle your Spiritual and Temporal affairs 8. When it shall be told you as it was to Ezechias Dispose of thy house and set all things in order for thou shalt die and not live Then at least without delay fall seriously to the making of a settlement of your four sorts of Houses 1. Your Interiour House which is your Conscience 2. Your Exteriour House which is the house of your birth family parents kindred domesticks and whatsoever concerns your temporal means 3. Your Inferiour House which is your Body wherein your Soul dwells during this mortal life 4. Your Superiour House which is Heaven whither your Soul aspires after this her Pilgrimage 1. The Interiour House of your Conscience must be carefully cleansed from all crimes adorned with all Vertues and prepared with the Sacraments of Confession Communion Extream Vnction 2. The Exteriour House of your Family must be cared for by making a clear pious and equitable Testament of such Goods as you possess 3. The Inferiour House of your body must be provided for as to its Burial after your Souls departure 4. The Superiour House of Paradise for which you were created must finally be cared for not only by continual praying for final perseverance that so you may not lose your hopes and title to it but also by perpetually practising such Acts of Sanctity as may encrease your merit and raise you higher and higher in the divin favour till the hour of your death 9. If there be any Restitution commanded any Alms to be distributed any Acts of Justice or Piety to be performed delay it not for fear of Deaths surprisal O how many Souls burn in Hell fire for having driven off from time to time their doing of Penance their Conversion to God their Restitution of ill gotten Goods their doing of Just Actions 10. The like is to be said of your being reconciled to your Enemies if there be any such occasion for without perfect Charity all is lost and he that hates his neighbour is a murderer 11. If your Sickness encreases you must timely ask the Sacrament of Extream Unction which being received with due Devotion and Contrition is of great vertue and efficacy remitting all Venial offences and cancelling all such Mortal Crimes as escaped your memory in Confession yea and somtimes curing you of your Corporal Infirmity according to that of Saint James Is any one sick Let him call for the Priests of the Church to pray over him and anoint him with Oyl in the name of the Lord and the Prayer of Faith shall save the Sick and our Lord shall raise him up if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him 12. Drive out of your fancy that fond and foolish Opinion of some ill-grounded Christians who conceive these holy Ceremonies to wit the receiving of their Viaticum and extream Unction to be a hastning of their death no they prolong your life if it be for Gods honour and glory or prepare you for a better life which shall last for all Eternity 13. If there be any person about you which may probably endanger your Quiet or trouble your Conscience or give occasion of new Temptations by reason of any past sinful familiarity or disaffection endeavour to have him or her removed for such Objects may cause you to lose more merit in a moment than all the Priests of the world can cause you to gain in your whole life time 14. If notwithstanding all the moral diligence you have us'd in making your Confession the Devil should suggest any enormous Crime to your memory as forgotten or not sufficiently specifi'd with all its due circumstances intending thereby to disquiet your mind or to drive you into despair confess it speedily humbly sincerely which will shame him and secure your Soul But if your weakness or want of speech permit you not to declare it excite your self to an inward act of Contrition saying in your
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.
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
humble addresses to thee in behalf of this poor Soul suffering in the flames of Purgatory It burns with an ardent desire to enjoy God and to behold thee in thy heavenly Glory but the Decree of divine Justice detains it from this desired happiness be thou therefore pleased O Just man to interpose thy pious intercession for the cancelling or at least for the moderation of this severe Edict Thou formerly freedst Jesus and Mary from Herods cruelty free now this Child of Jesus and Mary from the pains of Purgatory and obtain for him a speedy deliverance that he may with thee and thy dear Spouse Mary praise honour and enjoy Jesus for all eternity The Sequens of Holy Church usually said in the Masses for the Dead Dies Irae dies illa c. 1. THat Day of Wrath that dreadful Day Shall all the World in Ashes lay As David and Sybilla say 2. How shall poor Mortals quake with fears When their impartial Judg appears Who all their Causes strictly hears 3. His Trumpet sounds a dreadful tone The noise through all the Graves is blown And calls the Dead before his Throne 4. Nature and Death shall stand at gaze When Creatures shall their Bodies raise And answer for their forespent Days 5. The fair-writ Book of Conscience shown Sins black Inditement shall be known And every Soul it's Guilt shall own 6. So when the Judg shall sit on high All hidden Sins shall open ly No Crime shall from due Vengeance fly 7. What Plea shall wretched I pretend What Patron move to stand my Friend When scarce the Just themselves defend 8. O dreadful God and glorious King Who dost the saved freely bring To Bliss save me O Mercies Spring 9. Pious Jesu call to minde Thy Travels for my good design'd Grant I may that day Mercy find 10. Thou sat'st down weary seeking me Thou climbd'st the Cross my Soul to free Let not such Labours fruitless be 11. Dread Judg whose Justice is severe My long black score of Sin make cleer E're the accounting Day appear 12. I as a guilty Person groan My faults are in my Blushes known Pity dear Lord thy Suppliants moan 13. Thy granting Magdalen relief And opening Heaven to the Thief Hath with sweet Hopes allay'd my grief 14. My worthless Pray'rs deserve no hire But thou mild Lord thy Grace inspire And save me from eternal Fire 15. Amongst thy Sheep grant I may stand Far from the Goats accursed band Securely plac'd at thy Right Hand 16. The taitif Troop being put to shame And pent in Hells n'ere dying flame Amongst the Blest enrol my Name 17. With bended Knee I make my Prayer And Heart contrite as Ashes are Of my last End dear Lord take care 18. That Day of Doom that Day of Tears When guilty Man awakes in Fears From Dust and fore his Judg appears 19. Jesu whose Breast our woes condoles Preserve him from Hells burning Coaks Give rest to all departed Souls Amen ¶ XII A most devout Exercise of Confession and Communion applied to the Souls suffering in Purgatory When your Charity towards your departed Brethren and Friends shall invite you O pious Christian to apply the fruit of your Communion in their favour You may do well to entertain your self during that whole day set apart for that holy purpose in such acts exercises and thoughts as are proper for that subject As for example At your awaking in the Morning IMagin you hear those poor restless and afflicted Souls making their moan to you and exciting you with their ordinary complaints Miseremini miseremini saltem vos Amici O Friends take compassion upon us And do you answer them with a Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine lux perpetua luceat eis O my God! who hast mercifully given me rest this night and light this morning give eternal rest and eternal light to these poor souls Being cloathed and placed on your knees to Adore the Divine Majesty you may thus pour forth your heart before him O Sacred Trinity I here most humbly prostrate my self and these poor Souls in thy presence Offering up for them to the Throne of thy mercy all my this days Actions and Devotions and particularly my Confession Communion and the Indulgence which through thy Mercy I hope to obtain uniting them to the merits of my dear Redeemer of his blessed Mother and of all the glorious Saints of Heaven And beseeching thy infinit goodness to accept of these my weak and unworthy endeavours for satisfaction of their punishments for solace of their sufferings and for their speedy admission to thy beatifying presence Going to Confession IMagin 1. That the Sacrament of Penance is the Purgatory of this world where thou art to cleanse thy Soul by the Fire of Contrition and Flames of Charity not only from its Sins but also in some measure from the Punishments which by its Sins it hath deserved that being thus pardoned and purified it may be more capable to assist those Souls which suffer in the Purgatory of the other world 2. That if it so pleased the Divine goodness as to lend one hour of time to the Souls in Purgatory wherein they might merit and do Penance how zealously would they make use of this blessed Remedy how sincerely would they Confess their Sins how faithfully would they perform their Duty 3. That many poor Souls suffer now most severe punishments in Purgatory and even in Hell it self for one only Sin and what doth thy self deserve for so many or what must thou expect unless thou endeavourest to make some timely satisfaction during this life Returning from Confession 1. ADmire the Divine favour mercy and goodness in your behalf which is so great that had he don the like to the damned before their departure out of this world they had been all Saints in Paradise 2. Perform your enjoyned Penance humbly punctually and with an ardent desire to satisfie the divine Justice for your offences Hearing Mass 1. AT the Entrance of the Priest to the Altar Think how all Purgatory begins to rejoyce in expectation of the fruits of this great Sacrifice Joyn your Heart Affection and Intention with his Offering up with him the same Sacrifice in memory of Christs Passion in Thanksgiving for his favour conferr'd upon the Souls of Purgatory in that they departed this life in his Grace and Love and in satisfaction for the punishment due to their sins At the Confiteor FOrm an Act of hearty Contrition and weigh how highly it grieves the faithful Souls departed that they ever offended the divin Goodness At the Kyrie-eleison CRy out for Mercy in their behalf by the same repeated petitions to the sacred Trinity At Gloria in excelsis O My God! That these poor Souls were now also conforted with thy Angelical Quires to chaunt forth with them these happy Canticles of thy eternal Glory At Credo MAke a profession of your Faith protesting you will never swerve one tittle from that belief wherein all
upon each one of the lesser Grains say Pie Jesu Domine dona eis Requiem Amen that is O compassionate Lord Jesu give theâ—… rest Amen In the Evening HAving examin'd your Conscience endeavour to produce a most fervent Act of Contrition as if in that night you were to depart out of this world And go to Bed as to your Grave saying Ah! the Vanity of all worldly riches greatnesses and glories You must shortly be included in two yards of earth c. Into thy hands O Lord I commend my Spirit c. Two excellent profits which all pious Christians may draw from this charitable practise of praying for the Souls in Purgatory The first profit is That remembring these departed Souls they can hardly forget their own approaching Death and consequently will be moved to make some timely preparation for that great action whereupon depends their whole Eternity THe practise hereof may be reduced to these two Points First Question your self in this sort Were I now presently to depart this world upon deaths Summons am I in a condition to appear before Gods Judgment Seat What dost thou answer O my soul what couldst thou wish to have done Fall forthwith to settle thy self and all that concerns thee in order to thy Death and never cease till thou canst say with S. Paul Nihil mihi conscius sum Through Gods goodness I finde no guilt in my Conscience My heart cannot upbraid me of any horrid crime which I have not endeavour'd to deface by Contrition to discover in Confession to do penance for by Satisfaction My soul detests all that is opposite to the love and will of my Lord Jesus Secondly Habituate your self in the Exercise of such Acts as you would and should practise in the article of your Death Taking therefore your Crucifix in your hand say Well! I must dye but when where how in what estate circumstance and condition All this is uncertain I accept therefore O my Creator the Decree of my death as from thy divine Justice and the Uncertaintie of its execution from thy eternal Providence Behold I am readie and willing to obey thy blessed Ordinances nor do I desire to live one moment longer than is according to thy most just will and liking I protest that I will live and dye in an absolute conformitie to the Catholike Faith because thou my Lord God who art the prime and essential Truth hast taught and revealed it I Hope in the infinitie of thy goodness in the fidelitie of thy promises in the immensity of my Saviours merits Though thou killest me O my Lord yet I will hope in thy Mercy I will dy in thy Love that I may love thee O abyssal Ocean of all Love and perfection for evermore Yes my Lord and my Love I could heartily wish that an Act of Seraphical Love might separate my Soul from my Body that so it might become happily united to thee its only beloved object for all Eternity It grieves me O my God! that I ever offended thee because thou art infinitly good and I am content to dy because I would be freed from all future occasions of offending thee Wherefore I here offer thee my life as a pledge of my Love and I accept of Death as a fit punishment of my offences O when will that desired day come in which I shall see thee my sweet Saviour face to face without any interposition love thee without any interruption praise thee without any imperfection I acknowledg that Purgatory is too pleasant a place for the chastisement of my impieties and were I adjudg'd thither till the last day of general doom I were most mercifully dealt withal yet O my Creator to the end I may make a more honourable satisfaction to thy sacred Justice by the merits of my sweet Saviour I will endeavour to gain all the Indulgences whereof any one is capable in the Article of Death and in particular that which is obtain'd by pronouncing then the holy Name of Jesus which I desire may be the last word of my Mouth the last motion of my Heart the last sigh in my Soul O Dear Jesu Let my last breath eccho forth Jesu Jesu Jesu Amen O Blessed Virgin Mary mother of Mercy mother of Power mother of Jesus Behold thy poor child and present my departing Soul to thy dear Son Jesus O glorious S. Joseph who expiredst in the sweet embraces of Jesus and Mary Obtain for me that I may dy in their favour and affection O my good Angel the faithful Guardian of my Life leave me not in the dangerous moment of my Death End this Exercise with a generous Resolution to Dy daily to your self to the world and to all things and to Live as you desire to Dy. THe Second Profit is That considering the grievous pains they suffer you will easily resolve to endure your Purgatory in this world which was the ardent desire of S. Augustin when he thus petition'd the divine Majesty Purge me O Lord in this life and put me here in such a condition as there may be no need hereafter of any Purifying Fire that so I may be the sooner united to thee my first beginning and my final end and felicity The practise hereof may be reduced to these points following 1. COnsider that all Sin renders us liable to punishment which must infallibly be paid either in this world or in the next Now our merciful Lord seems to leave the choice unto our selves and to present unto us two Purgatories That of the next world painful long fiery devoid of all comfort and merit That of this world easie short and full of comfort O my Soul which wilt thou choose 2. The Purgatory of this world consists in satisfying Gods severe Justice for our sins as far forth as we are able by our own free actions without deferring it to the end of our lives or depending upon the charity of others O my Soul wert thou presently to depart out of this world how many years of Purgatory must thou expect for the expiation of thy many and enormous offences Resolve therefore to begin even this day without any farther delay thy Purgatory in this world by endeavouring now to make satisfaction for thy sins 3. This Satisfaction consists in these Five things which may serve us for as many Purgatories to cleanse our Souls from their Sins and cancel the pains they have thereby justly incurred The first is To perform those works which are call'd Satisfactory to wit Alms-deeds Fasting and Prayer uniting them to the merits of our Redeemer Christ Jesus Alms deeds satisfy the divine Majesty by giving him our goods of Fortune Fasting by consecrating to him the goods of our Bodies Prayer by offering up to him the goods of our Hearts and Spirits Alms-deeds free us from Sin and Death and suffer not a Soul to descend into darkness They purge us and procure us mercy and eternal life Fasting which under its notion contains all sorts of
penitential actions mor ifications and austerities both voluntary and obligatory opens Heaven-gates unto us Prayers appease the divine Anger and Tears extinguish the Fires and Flames which are prepared by Gods Justice to punish us for our offences Now the most efficacious Prayers are these 1. The Sacrifice of the Mass 2. The Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist 3. The continual practise of Acts of Contrition which serv'd the pious Magdalen for her Purgatory at the feet of Jesus The Second is To embrace all the Afflictions Crosses Calamities Sicknesses and Losses of this life as so many purging Fires Thus the patient Job endur'd his Purgatory upon his Dunghil and in the Fire of fervent Charity and faithful Resignation which made him break forth into these expressions amidst all his sufferings Our Lords Name be ever blessed As he pleases so all things come to pass The Third is To practise heroick Acts of Virtue as generously to pardon your enemies nobly to oblige them who have disobliged you couragiosly to conquer that Passion which hath most power in your Soul For the pains you take and the violence you use upon these occasions will much contribute to the Satisfaction for your Sins and serve you instead of your deserved Purgatory The Fourth is To perform such Works of Restitution Charity and Piety in your own person and during your life-time as you desire should be done at the hour of your Death For by clearing your own Accounts settling peace in your own Soul and executing your own Testament you will be exempt from the fear of suffering a severe Purgatory through your Executors negligence The Fifth is When you have perform'd all things as your zeal to satisfie Gods Justice hath suggested unto you To have an humble sense of the no-worth and value of all your own actions and endeavours and thereupon To address your self to the undrainable treasury of your Saviours merits hoping to draw thence sufficient Water for the washing away of all your offences These are the Five voluntary Purgatories of this World by which if you here satisfie for your Sins you may hope to avoid hereafter the necessary Purgatory due to them in the next World ¶ 13. An Appendix containing several devout and efficacious Prayers proper for the frequent use of all pious Christians 1. A Prayer to our Lord Jesus wherein we humbly acknowledg him for our Soveraign and promise him faithful obedience for the future O Jesu King of Kings to whom all power is given in heaven and earth as a most just reward for thy most perfect Obedience Thy Empire is out of the reach of rebellion it dreads no dangers and is free from the vicissitudes of Fortune Thou wantest neither spies abroad nor policies at home to secure thy Throne neither warlike guards nor worldly greatnesses to procure thy respect and encrease thy honour since whatsoever is requisite to be the Soveraign King of Kings and the immortal and incomprehensible Monarch of Heaven and Earth is in the riches of thy own divine Being and thy own Nature necessarily involves a boundless Jurisdiction Wherefore O Jesu my Saviour behold here prostrate before thee one of thy meanest subjects offering to thy sacred Majesty as to his soveraign King an humble and most respectful Homage I come Lord to renew that solemn Oath of fidelity which I took formerly in Baptism and to present thee the Key of my Heart hoping thou wilt vouchsafe to enter in take full possession and make there thy constant habitation Thou O all-powerful King canst soon make it fit for thy own entertainment having in this point as in all others an advantage over earthly Princes to raise men from their dunghils and render them worthy of their dignities Thou O great Monarch chusing Saul for the King of thy people changedst also his spirit calling David from the sheep-fold madst him a man according to thy own Heart drawing the Apostles from their Fishing-employments rendredst them fit Preachers of thy Gospel Why then shall not I with an humble boldness beg thy entrance into my poor Heart since I well know it will at the same instant become a mansion worthy thy Royal Majesty I am not fully satisfied O my Soveraign King in being thy faithful subject I desire to be thy Bondslave and Vassal I will therefore no longer pretend to the least power over my self but all my future labours and endeavours shall be to acquire riches for thy Royal Majesty Yes my will is that every child of mine to wit all my works words and thoughts shall be henceforth born in the same Bondage of thy Love O my Soul what higher honour can we have than to live in a such Slavery O my Saviour sweet is thy yoak light thy burthen easie thy precepts favourable thy fetters pleasing thy authority prudent thy proceedings paternal thy providence to them who faithfully adhere to thee O how loving and liberal a Lord art thou to such loyal subjects Unhappy they who are none of this holy number and ever magnified be thy Mercy which hath drawn my soul out of my enemies clutches to enrol her thy Captive Behold O my blessed Redeemer I acknowledg my self with much comfort and content to appertain particularly to thee in quality of an absolute Bonds man by this thy new right of purchase but yet O my dread Lord and Master I know not how to render thee a Bond-slave's duty and therefore beg of thy goodness to teach me this great secret and take from me that unfortunate liberty which enables me to rebel against thy Royal will and pleasure Ah! my Lord If thou leavest this my liberty to it 's own nature I shall soon leave off all Obedience to thy laws I shall quickly alas trample upon thy Crown sleight thy Scepter and use against thy self all the goods thy bounty hath given me My Understanding will censure thy Mysteries my Memory will forget thy mercies my Fancy will feed upon filthy Images my Will will love what thou loathest my unruly Passions uncurb'd Senses brutish Appetites will all bandy against thy blessed Grace and my own Reason Finally I shall glory in being thy enemy and say Who is the Lord Take from me therefore I beseech thee O Jesu the root of this dreadful rebellion command and compel my stiff neck and stubborn nature to submit to the blessed yoak of thy law and force me to be happy O most pleasing constraint which renders me a copartner with thy self in thy Royalty For thou O great and gracious King Jesu art nothing jealous of thy Soveraignty but thou most liberally communicatest it to thy beloved Subjects designing them to be all Kings in thy endless Eternity And is it possible O my Soul that thou so easily quittest so sublime a Dignity Wilt thou be so silly as to fall in love with thine own shackles that is with thy filthy sins of Ambition Avarice Revenge and Sensuality Ah! art thou not utterly confounded at thine own
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