keeping the spirit of sweetness charity with our neighbour but aboue all we ought to be carefull to joyn thereto an interiour retreat keeping our minds sequestred from all vain curious thoughts or all unprofitable reflections upon our selves or others imploying ones mind heart in frequent aspirations sighs addressed to God to demand his holy spirit which to obtain we must unite them with the interiour dispositions prayers of the holy Virgin the Apostles II. SAy every day the Veni creator at the end of the book make seven elevations of mind to demand the seven gifts of the holy Ghost the disengagement from creatures the victory over our humours which is the life of our own spirit opposed to that of the holy Ghost Make one elevation of mind to the eternall father another to the son a third to the holy Ghost a 4. th to the holy Virgin a 5. th to the Apostles a 6. th to your good Angell the last to S. Phillip Nery who reeived with such fullnessh the oly Ghost upon the day of Pentecost These elevations of mind ought to be made with ardent desires of obtaining this singular grace Aboue all beg a total change of your heart beseech the holy Ghost that he would cause you to live a life wholly supernaturall to die to all the longing hankering appetites of the human sensuall life VENI CREATOR OR The Hymne of the holy Ghost COme Creatour Sp'rit divine Visit now the souls of thine Fill with grace distill'd from heau'n Hearts to whom thou life hast giv'n Whom the comforter we call Gift of God transcending all Living spring fire fervent love Ghostly unction from aboue Sev'nfold grace thou dost impart And Gods right hand finger art Thou the fathers promise which Tongues with language doth enrich Kindle light in every sense Love into our hearts dispence Strengthen what in flesh is fraile With a vertue cannot faile Drive away our mortall foe Peace upon us soon bestow As a guide before us shine That all vice We may decline By thee may it so be done That we father know Son And in thee believe who dost Flow from both the holy Ghost Glorious may the father reign And the Son who rose again So the holy Paraclite During Ages infinite III. ADd a quarter of an hour to your ordinary time of prayer as much to your time of silence to think in the presence of God of the great affects which his spirit works in a well disposed heart in order to the making an absolute charge in it as he did in the hearts of his Apostles the better to entertain your self with a meditation upon some one of the gifts of the holy Ghost as you will find them explicated in some of your book on that subjet Make also a particular visit to the blessed Sacrament every day to demand of Jesus-Christ the fullness of his spirit IV. AVoid tepidity negligence or humour in your actions as faults particularly opposite to the fervour of that divine love which the holy Ghost in kindles in a soul watch over your self to be able to discerne the motions of his grace be faithfull in following them do to thing against the light which God gives you to avoid any thing because that would be to afflict the holy Ghost The practise of your aspirations during this holy time may be done after this or some such like manner Father of mercy send me your comforting spirit that may give peace to my soul my Jesus give me the spirit of understanding wisdome that may make me know you with a lively faith that I may feel your presence within my heart that I may relish nothing but you alone O holy Ghost heart of the blessed Trinity substantiall love of the Father the son come inlighten my mind with the truths of faith animate my heart with the flames of pure love come strengthen me in my weakness raise me up after my fallings purify me from all hankering after or fondness of creatures O love of my God be you the soul of my soul be you my life grant that I may die wholly to my self live wholly to you The seven gifts of the H. Ghost THe gift of Wisdome The gift of Understanding The gift of Knowledge The gift of Counsell The gift of Fortitude The gift of Piety or Godliness The gift of the Fear of God. FOR THE OCTAVE OF WHITSONTIDE Apply your self every day to know demand practise one of the seven gifts of the holy Ghost to the end that he may purifiy and Sanctify with these seven divine habits all the affections of your soul THE I. DAY The gift of Wisdome LEt the subject of your prayer be the qualities of this gift which are 1. to make us relish God all that unites us to him 2. to give us an extreme disgust of all pleasures of the senses all naturall satisfaction 3. to make us esteem love search with passion sufferings disgrace abjection of which we have such a horrour 4. to make an intire separation of a heart from all fondness of creatures as also from all that is sensuall in devotion from all that is not God. Come o holy Ghost come enlighten my mind with this gift of wisdome come destroy in me the love of the world grant that I may take no relish in any thing but in God that God may be all to me creatures may be nothing grant that I may love contempt which my Saviour so esteemed that the cross may be the onely oâ—ject of my love 2. Beg often during the first day that is the day of Pentecost the gift of wisdome which consists in loving spirituall things make an extraordinary visit to the blessed Sacrament to beg this day as well as throughout the whole Octave the Office of the holy Ghost in the morning after your prayers say veni Creator as in the end of this book give every day of the Octave some little almes to the poor to obtain the gifts of the holy Ghost whom the holy Chruch stiles the Father of the poor THE II. DAY The Gifts of Vnderstanding 1. COnsider in your prayer the effects of this gift which are 1. to make us love what we believe to render our faith so lively strong that it may make such an impression upon our minds as if we saw the objects of what we believe so that a soul inlightened with this gift is lost in the respect love it finds in gods presence in prayer before the blessed Sacrament as if it saw God with its eyes this gift works the same effect in the soul as the light of glory does in the souls of the Blessed It sees God in the bosome of it feels his presence after so intimate certain a manner that it is rather a possession then a knowledge of
persons of devotion like your self Ninâ—ly banish from your conversation all unprofitable curiosity conâ—ning the life conduct of others vanity sowrness and immoderate afection carry your self cheerfullyâ—… ciuilly but so as to avoid distractioâ— or dissipation of mind VIII READING AFter dinner the recreation following it you must read in somâ— spirituall booK for half or a quarter of an hour as shall be appointed you and that you may do this with fruit first in the beginning humbly crave grace of our Saviour to profit by it saying either veni sancte Spiritus or a Pater Ave. Secondly read not out of curiosity in haste but leisurely and with attention when you meet with any thing either moving or instructiue rest there a little while endeavouring as it were to relish it consider how you may be able that day to practice it beg of the holy ghost to imprint it in your heart Thirdly be not in pain to read â—any pages in your book read a â—â—ttle but with great recollection â—ttention always apply what yâ—u â—ead in order to practice consider â—ow then that those very truths which you read will condemn you one day before gods tribunal if you do not follow them Fourthly let not this spirituall reading be ordinarily but in solid and moving books such as your directour shall approve Fifthly be not troubled if you remember nothing of what you have read but commit all that you have read to him who is able to touch move your heart independently of those truths which you read Sixthly after your reading thanK God for having thereby instructed you make a firm resolution by the assistance of his grace to practice the Instructions he has given you IX SILENCE AFter your reading you must râ—turn to your work if you havâ— not some business which obliges yoâ— to go abroad take care at two â—… the clock to keep an half or a quarter of an hour of silence according aâ— your directour shall thinK fit Durinâ— the time of your silence first ofteâ— call to mind the silence which Jesus Mary Joseph often observed durinâ— their work uniting your silence witâ— theirs sometimes think of the sacred silence observed in heaven by the Saints who are wholly absorp't iâ— God do you sigh and long after that happy repose sometimes also entertain your self in your heart with your good Angell thanKing him for the care he taKes of your salvation promising him due respect fidelity in performing whatsoever he shall inspire you to do begging of him to present your prayers the desires of your heart to our Saviour you may at another time imploy your thoughts on the necessity of spending our time well on the account which we must render to God for every moment of our life or if you please in case you be alone recite some vocall prayers which you can say by heart but taKe care that no one perceives this Keeping of silence in you unless it be such as observe the like therefore make no difficulty in answering any question which is made you satisfying your self that you do not speak of your own accord Thirdly offer this silence to God in satisfaction for the faults you have that day committed in speaking Fourthly I would counsell you to impose on your self from time to time some little space of silence for example during a Misere when you have spoken any words of humour or sensuall inclination or against charity imposing it on your self when you have most desire to speak X. The visit of the blessed Sacrament of the prayer in the evening called the Salve TOwards four or five of the clock in the evening go to the Church either to make a second half hour of prayer if your directour judges it convenient or to be present at the Benediction or Salve Take care to perform this visit of the blessed Sacrament with spirit and fervour not meerly out of custome without fruit First on sundays present your self to our blessed Saviour to honour the glorious state of his body risen from the dead which is upon the Altar testifying the joy you have of its glory rendring thanks to the blessed Trinity for this marvellous beauty which it has communicated to the sacred body of our blessed Saviour begging of him with confidence to bestow on your body a participation of these glorious qualities at the resurrection making a strong resolution to receive with love all corporall pains which will purchase such a resplendent glory to our bodys as the pains torments which our saviour suffered brought to his doing in fine the same by an act of faith towards Jesus Christ which the Saints perform towards him in the clear sight of his glory Secondly on Mondays honour in this visit the state of a victim or sacrifice which our saviour has in the blessed Sacrament offering up your whole self to his love sacrificing to him the curiosity of your eyes the bitterness and impatience of your speech the eagerness of your desires the distractions of your mind the evill affections inclinations of your heart since Jesus Christ always bears about him this state of death and quality of a victim or sacrifice on our Altars offering himself continually on them to his eternall father for us so to honour him in this state you must all the day long carry the spirit of a sacrifice about you which will cause you in all occasions to die to your own humours inclinations to sacrifice to God your naturall repugnances And t is on this day you must possess your self of such sentiments as these that all the week following you may practice the same considering Jesus Christ in this visit as a victime both of justice loue begging of him to render you conformable to himself herein Thirdly on Tuesdays honour the exact constant obedience which Iesus practises in the blessed Sacrament submitting himself to the voice or call of a man abandoning himself to his disposall how bad soever he be and make a firm resolution of doing all things with the spirit of obedience submitting your self to all obeying those in particular who are in the place of Superiours Fourthly on wednesdays imploy your self in the consideration of the wonderful patience of Iesus in the blessed Sacrament which causeth him to suffer all the outrages of hereticks and ill christians with perfect constancy not being weary of staying lay and night upon our Altars that he may gain the hearts even of his enemies Endeavour to honour this patience by a compassion of his sufferings by asking pardon for such as are wanting in their respect unto him and by devoting your self to his justice with a resolution to suffer all things without murmuring for the satisfaction thereof even to oblige those who offend you Fifthly on Thursdays honour the humility of Iesus in the blessed Sacrament which makes
do good works with the spirit of Christianity IT would be convenient you should take one day in the week to visâ— the prisoners or the poor in thâ— Hospitall but take care aboue aâ— things not do to these holy action either out of custome without aâ— interiour spirit or out of custome without an interiour spirit or out oâ— a pure naturall compassion therefore before you beging these visits 1. Pass by some Church theâ— demand the benediction of our Saviour beg of him that he would animate you with the spirit with which he used himself to visit comfort afflicted persons at the same time offer to him the action you are going to perform go to the place you design to visit with modesty recollection 2. As soon as you are arrived there look upon the poor sick as the images of Iesus Christ salute their good Angells beg of them to inspire you with good thoughts so long as you shall be speaking with them 3. And since they are not onely often ignorant of what belongs to the duty of a Christian but always in affliction entertain them always with some word of instruction particularly concerning confession communion and likewise of consolation compassion letting them know that you take part in their sufferings giving them hoâ—es they shall one day receive a recompence for them in heaven 4. Accompany your almes with an actuall desire to please God to assist Jesus Christ in his members 5. Shun all vanity all reboundings of self-satisfaction that may spring from this action which you are to keep at secret as you can 6. Overcome generously all she repugnance that you may have in approaching the poor sick persons the better to overcome your self affect rather to approach the party for whom you find your self to have the greatest naturall horror provided his disease be not catching Salute the blessed Sacrament returning from your visit beg like a poor body of Iesus Christ a spirituall almes for your soul by the the particular tenderness he has for poor those that assist them 8. In sin eremember that the Almes done in this manner is an excellent means to please God to blot out your sins to purify your heart from all engagements to obtain for your selves suck particular favours as God imparts to his freinds to gain the heart of Iesus Christ to â—ppease the wrath of your Iudge to obtain the vertues you want to correct your imperfections Wherefore make a resolution never to deny any poor body since he procures far more for you towards the salvation of your soul then you give him for the relief of his body A practise for the Octave of the blessed Sacrament ONe must honour the state condition of Iesus Christ in the blessed Sacrament 1. In the morning by offering him your actions thereby to return him thanks for this great benefit 2. by making every hour some aspiration to Iesus Christ who is in the blessed Sacrament on the Altar with an ardent desire to unite himself to you 3. by reciting every day the Office of the blessed Sacrament performing our communions during this time with an extraordinary preparation of faith confidence humility loue in mortifying your tongue heart in thâ— sallys of your humour because botâ— the one the other have the honouâ— to receive Iesus Christ It is good every day to spend somâ— time extraordinary before the blessed Sacrament So that the first day you may visiâ— and honour him as a victim that sacrifices himself for you you may remain in his presence in the spiriâ— of a sacrifice begging of him to make you a victim of his loue that he would destroy in you what soever is displeasing to him The second day you may honour his annihilations in the Eucharist look upon him as a God humbled so low as to put himself under the form of a little bread for loue of you you may remain quite annihilated in his presence begging him to destroy in you all your pride that he would make you love a hidden life The third day you may honour his loue Which makes him give himself Wholly to you that he may intirely transform you into himself you may consecrate to him all the inclinations desires of your heart The fourth day you may honour him as your father that feeds your with his own proper substance remain before him in the spirit of confidence in his goodness The fifth day you may honour his life of consummation which obliges him his own self to loose his sacramentall life being to be destroyed to consummate our perfection in our souls beg of him to destroy in you all that is not God. The 6 7. 8. th days you may honour the vertues which he practises upon the Altar beg the imitation of them as of his exact obedience his humility his patience his prayers or continuall application to his father his charity for the salvation of souls his loue his solitude his mortificaiion endeavour each day to imitate some one of these vertues RULES OF FIDELITY to arrive to an eminent perfection I. Fidelity in the generall examen consists 1. IN avoiding the least sin or imperfection all things that either displease or at least do not please God. 2. In performing the least spiritual and indifferent actions with an interiour spirit not influenced by humour custom or vanity 3. In suffering all that gives pain to mind or body with resignation fidelity and love this is the matter or subject of the general examen II. Fidelity in the particular examen consists 1. IN observing the very least rules prescribed by obedience 2. In doing every thing in the moment prescribed by obedience 3. In overcoming the repugnance of our humour in all occasions even in the least things III. Fidelity in the continual examen or vigilance over ones self Which neither allows nor pardons in ones self any naturall satisfaction Whatever consists 1. IN watching over our senses to cut off thence all ill unprofitable human or even but meerly naturall satisfactions 2. In watching over our minds to annihilate all considerations or reflections that are human whether they proceed from vanity curiosity or impertinence 3. In watching over our hearts to stifle all human motions that is to say all over ardent or over eager desires of any thing whatsoever all immoderate joy or tenderness all fondness all relish or satisfaction which one may take in any thing one does all sensible pleasure that may cause a heart to live to its self T is in the fidelity of these three sorts of examens that consists a perfect self-deniall true devotion solid vertue all sanctity FROM THE ASCENSION to whitsontide I. ONe must enter into an exteriour retreat with the holy Virgin the Apostles casting off all unnecessary business visits or unprofitable discourses
you that he sacrifices himself to the justice of his father to appease his wrath against you in a word that this our amiable Sauiour is wholly taken up with you for you upon the Altar This thought will move you presently to render thanks for this great bounty to hope firmly that you shall obtain whatever he askes for you to unite your intentions with those which he has in order to your salvation to protest before God that you ask the same which he askes for you that you sacrifice all that to him which he sacrificed for you and that you will stand to whatsoever promise he has made in your behalf Seventhly a little before the Communion of the priest dispose your self to a spiritual Communion by acts of faith acknowledging that Jesus Christ is really upon the Altar of hope confiding that he will render you partaker of the effects of this adorable sacrament of love burning with an ardent desire of being united unto him of humility esteeming your self unworthy to receive him sacramentally Eighthly after communion till the end of mass imploy your self in thanking God for the graces favours he has bestowed upon you which he hath asked for you during this holy sacrifice as also in offering your self as a victime unto him sacrificing to him for that day some word or action that is pleasing to you After mass say one De profundis one Pater Ave for the souls in Purgatory and return home with modesty silence V. WORK ABout nine of the clock being retired home for on those days wherein you do not communicate 't is enough to be one hour in the Church in the morning half whereof may be spent in hearing mass the other in vocall prayer you must fall to work or do such busyness as you have in hand taking care never to be idle the spirit or intention wherewith this ought to be done is first to offer your work to God in union with that work labour which Jesus Mary performed in their house Secondly to remember from time to time that God looks upon you Thirdly to quit the action or worK as soon as the will of God or charity â—hall call you else where without adhering thereunto with too great an affection Fourthly to perform it with all the care and perfection that you are able without neglecting any thing in it Fifthly to thinK often that God has condemned us for our sins to labour that one day in heaven we shall have nothing to do but to love God. Sixthly if your work be at your own disposall do something from time to time for the poor as about Christmas make swadling clouts for some child in honour of the Infant Jesus or other worK for the Altar according to your directours advice VI. EATING A Litle before dinner maKe a short reflection upon the vertue of the month or the vice that is given you to overcome see how you have behaved your self ask grace of God by the intercession of your Patron to taKe more care and become more vigilant the rest of the day one may add hereunto the reading of a chapter out of Thomas â— Kempis if you have leisure which assure your self will not be lost secondly say grace or the Benedicite not in hast barely out of custome but with attention respect remembring that you speaK to God that he beholds you Thirdly never pasâ— a meal without offering to our Lord some little bit which is most pleasing to you depriving your self thereof to give it him but in such a manner as that no notice may be taken of it Fourthly from time to time offer to God this action which of it self being low mean indifferent ought to be animated with an holy intention to maKe it meritorious of heaven Fifthly sit at table with modesty gravity without being taken up with or searching after the pleasing of your appetite think sometimes how Iesus Mary performed this action this ought to be the model you propose to your self in all other actions In fine remember that the Saints gave with regret onely out of necessity this satisfaction to their â—odies which they lookt upon as their â—reatest enemies Sixthly I would â—ounsell you not to eat between meals â—ithout great necessity but you may â—reakfast because perhaps you may â—uffer prejudice by fasting all the morning consequently be less able to perform your business VII CONVERSATION OF all the actions of the day this is that in which you ought most to stand upon your guard because there is more danger of offending God in this then in all others In effect the holy Scripture says that he who offends not with his tongue is perfect wherefore to render your conversation truly Christian in it to bridle your tongue observe the following advice First never speak of the faults of others if you be not obliged in conscience to reprehend them or to give others account of them Secondly before you enter into conversation recommend your heart tongue to your good Angell that yoâ— may say nothing nor consent to any thing that is said against your neighbour Thirdly avoid as much as you can the conversation of worldings who speak of nothing in these times but vanity fashions ornaments a la mode But when necessity or decency obliges you to such company stay as litle amongst them as may be because one ordinarily comes from them with wandring thoughts a heart very insensible of what belongs to God. Fourthly take care also not to talk too much of devotion of prayer direction because ordinarily there is much of self-loue vanity in speaking too much of these matters it is more secure to hear others then to speak much on this subject Fifthly Notwithstanding you ought to let no conversation pass in which you do not handsomly bring in some good discourse you will do well to seek the company of such as love to speak of God nevertheless you ought to entertain none but your directour with any discourse of your own interiour Sixthly never say any thing either to your own advantage or against your self for oftentimes it is a counterfeit humility to undervalue ones self before others whereas we should be very sorry that they should believe us to be such as we represent our selves but the true mark of sincere humility is not to excuse our selves when we are reprehended or blamed for any thing That a wife may Keep the respect due to her husband a child to its father mother let them remember never to loose it in speaking saying nothing that may offend them nor contradicting them with obstinacy or answering them with coldness indifference disrespect or contempt Eightly if you desire the spirit of recollection prayer fly the world company as much as you can never maKing visits but for meer necessity nor entertaining any familiar acquaintance but with one or two
ALl the world speaks of dying to themselves but few know what it is scarce any one does it with such fidelity as is necessary yet none can have an intire conversion to God live intirely to him without ceasing to live to them selves The first step that leads to this death is to deny all such satisfaction to our senses as is either inordinate or unprofitable and to purifie them by mortifying displeasing objects Wherefore 't is noâ— enough not to forbear the looking on any object with any tie of satisfaction or curiosity or the giving ear to any thing which is spoken against our neighbour or to what we have too eager a desire of knowing or the speaking with passion impatience or vanity or the eating between meals or at meals with too much desire of pleasing our appetites I say it is not enough to refuse these a thousand other little commodities unprofitable pleasures to our bodies but we ought to oblige our selves sometimes to see to speak and to hear such things as we have a repugnance to which mortify displease us The second step to die to ones self is to suppress stifle such reflections thoughts of mind as are unprofitable or curious or may give our soul any inclination towards creatures The third step is to moderate the desires of our heart when they are too violent to retrench or cutt off all adhesion tie to creatures all search after them all rest confidence in them that we may keep fast to God alone DISPOSITIONS of mind during the time of Advent I. An ardeni desire thut Iesus Christ may be born reign absolutely in our hearts The 1. Exercise For the Morning THat which was done from the beginning of the world by the holy Patriarcks who all sighed after the coming of our Saviour for the salvation of all mankind in generall the same each christian ought to perform for his own advantage in particular during this holy time of Advent 1. We ought to wish that Jesus may be born in us this ought to be our onely as well as efficacious constant desire that is to say 1. We must desire nothing but to possess Jesus be possessed by him to loue him to be beloued by him 2. we must desire that he should reign absolutely in our understandings by a lively active faith in our hearts by a strong over-ruling loue which may render our wills intirely subject to his bound stop all the sallies of humour passion ouer our senses by depriving them of all such satisfactions as they inordinately seek after ouer our actions by conforming our life to the pattern of his own because it is by this means that Jesus will be born in our hearts reign absolutely in them will be in us as the soul of a holy perfect life 3. In fine this desire of the birth of Jesus in our souls ought to be constant that we may joyfully consent that our Saviour should himself endeavour to form his own image within us by pains both of body mind by persecutions from men derelictions froâ— God by all the evils of this life as a carver makes use of his chissel hammer by force of blows renders his statue beautifull cutting oâ— whatever is any way rude or deformed therein 2. But that we may obtain of Goâ— this spirituall birth of Jesus Chrisâ— in our souls let us address ouâ— selves to the blessed Trinity let uâ— daily ask of the Eternall Father to give us his son that is to say thaâ— he would animate us with his spirit with his maxims destroy in us the spirit maxims of the world And we out of a due acKnowledgeâ—ment of so pretious a gift since ' tiâ— no less then God himself ought to receive the same with much respect gratitude in the communion where of 't is good to pertake frequently during this holy time 3. Let us beg of the son of God that he would give himself intirely to our souls as a victim in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar wherein he incorporates himself with us transforms us in to himself that as the the fruit benefit of our communions he would let us live only for him by him in him For him as the end of all our actions by a pure holy intentions by him as the source life of whatsoever we shall either do say or think in him as in a center where our hearts will be at rest Or else that he would give himself unto us as the model pattern of our life which cannot be christian unless it be like unto that of Iesus Christ Or lastly that he would bestow himself on us as the remedy vanquisher of sin of self-loue of our evil inclinations hindring us from falling into any voluntary fault healing the wounds scarrs which sin has made in our souls by imparting to us a sincere sorrow for having committed them a firm resolution of avoiding them the tears sighs of an humble contrite heart the holy martyrdom of an heart which is an enemy to its own pleasures is armed against it self bâ— an holy hatred 4. Let us in fine beg of the holy Ghost that he would produce form Iesus Christ in our hearts by the mosâ— pure flames of his loue and that he would imprint in them the simplicity humility innocence of the Infant Iesus 1. His simplicity first that we may treat with God in prayer without reflecting on any thing which is not himself nor even on that which we receive from him to the end that we may unite our selves to him with the whole strength of our souls permitting him to take the intire possession of us Next that we may treat with men in our commerce conversations without any dissimulation or deceit And lastly that we may treat wit hour own selves without flattering our selves in our faults or hiding them from our own sight 2. His humility nor such however as that of a God as it were annihilated for man cannot descend or humble himself after this manner because he cannot go beyond his nothing out of which he was taken but such as consist in a sincere acknowledgement of what we are viz according to nature pure nothing neither meriting of nor good for any thing in respect of grace unable to think so much as one good for any thing in respect of grace unable to think so much as one good thought by our own strength or to recover our selves from the state of sin without the actuall help assistance of God having onely power of our selves to do evil incurre our damnation 3. The innocence of the Infant Iesus that we may be preserved from all sin even from such venial ones as are voluntary free from all inordinate affections or ties to creatures as
it in the spirit of pennance with all the pains humiliations privations which follow it in satisfaction of all the sins I have committed An offering of our Life to God. 6. Receive ô my Saviour the sacrifice that I make to your divine Majesty of my bo dy my life which I offer as a victime sacrificed to your self Unite it to that you offer'd for me upon the cross consume it with the fire of your divine love A desire to render to Iesus Christ Death for Death 7. O my divine Jesus since that your love to me made you dye upon the cross for my salvation is it not just that with a good will I accept death for love of you in counter-change as far as I am able of that you indured for me O why have I not a thousand lives to give them all for this end to acknowledge therby that you are my God! Spiritual confession With profound humility at the feet of Iesus Christ as if he were present in his sacred humanity accuse your self to him of all your sins taking a short review of them at the end of which excite your soul to a lively tender sorrow for them AN ACT OF CONTRITION O my God prostrate before your soveraign majesty I most humbly beg pardon for the great contempt abuse I have made of your holy graces of all the sins I have committed from my birth in thought word or deed I retract disavow them with my whole heart Yes o my God 't is from my whole heart that I detest disavow them wish I had never committed them not for fear of the punishment they deserve but onely because I have by them offended your infinite goodness which deserves to be loved above all things honoured by all creatures O why is not my heart capable too of an infinit sorrow to blot out their guilt But accept o my God in satisfaction of that sorrow which is wanting in me that which my Saviour had in the garden of Olives upon the cross for the sins of the whole world in generall for mine in particular Accept also for this effect that sorrow contrition which all the Saints have ever had Purifiy me from my secret sins pardon those I have committed by others despise not o my God an humble contrite heart which hopes onely for pardon of its sins from your infinit mercy In the 50. Psalm you have promised that when a sinner laments his sins you will no longer remember his iniquities And if you please o my God to prolong my life I make a firm purpose by the assistance of your holy grace to amend particularly such such faults thereby endeavour to repaire what is past Having made these Acts receive as an absolution that which Jesus Christ the soveraign priest gives you spiritually applying to your self his divine merits after which imagine you hear him say to you as he did to S. Mary Magdelen Your sins are forgiven you go in peace Say the 50. Psalm Miserere mei c in the spirit of pennance Aspirations to the three divine persons O father Eternall since you so loved the world as to give your onely son for its redemption I dare presume to hope from your mercy the salvation of my soul since you gave him not to condemn us but to save us for that end imposed upon him the holy name of Iesus Luk. 1. O divine Jesus be you my Jesus remembcr your own words that you came not for the just but for sinners Luk. 5. O my God you will not the death of a sinner but that he be converted live EZech. 18. Convert me therefore to your self that I may live an Eternall life Come divine spirit repose in my soul with your 7. gifts for to purify justify sanctify it consume in it by the fire of your holy love all that is yet earthly therein fortify it in this its last passage against all the temptations of its enemies An act of Faith. I protest my God before heaven earth that I will dye in the faith union of the holy Catholick church I believe firmly all that it believes teaches because you my God who are the Eternall truth have said revealed it that you are an infinite goodness holiness that cannot deceive any one an infinite wisdom that cannot erre are moreover omnipotent And from this very moment I disavow and detest all temptations contrary to it which the Enemy may suggest in the last moments of my life I return you thanks with my whole heart for the great grace which you have done me in making me of the numbe of the children of your holy Church Recite the Apostles Creed Credo in Deum c And making reflection upon every Article protest that you believe it An act of Hope O my God thô for the enormity inconceivable multitude of my offences I most justly merit hell yet confiding entirely in the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ in the infinit greatness of your mercy which can pardon more sins then I can committ I cease not to hope for pardon for the grace to persevere in your love to which I consecrate the last moment of my life An act of Charity O my God when shall this soul of mine being separated from my body from all creatures be united perfectly to your self love you with that pure unchangeable affection with which the blessed in heaven love you O what is there I desire in haven or what is it I desire on earth butt you the God of my heart my God everlasting portion of my felicity I have regarded all things as nothing vile contemptible to gain Jesus Christ An act of Love towards our Neighbour O my God I beg of you grace mercy for all the creatures you have redeemed with your precious blood particularly for the true children of your holy Church for those from whom I have received any displeasure whom I pardon my God for love of you as I desire you should pardon me A desire to receive Iesus Christ O my God my Creatour redeemer my beginning my end the onely soveraign object of my heart O what a longing desire have I to receive you for to unite my self to you come then into my soul sanctify it replenish my heart with your graces take possession of all its affections to the end that all the moments of my life that are yet behind may entirely be consecrad to your love The Spirituall communion for the Viatick or the Sacramentall one if permitted to receive it Hearken to your good Angell who invites you to eat the bread of life speaks to you as that of Elias did to him Arise eat because you have a great journey still to make 3. Kings c. 19. Imagine that Jesus Christ accompanied with the blessed Virgin your good