Chapter 76: Devout Exercises and Prayers
CERTAIN PATTERNS
DEVOUT EXERCISES
IMMEDIATE ACTS AND AFFECTIONS
THE WILL.
TO THE DEVOUT READER.
Devout Reader,
According to promises made in several passages of the foregoing Instructions (especially in the second and third chapters of the third section of the Third Treatise), I here have provided for thee a sufficient number of exercises of holy Affections and Acts of the Will, &c.; in the first place beginning with devout exercises upon the Life and Sufferings, &c., of our Saviour, consisting of almost all sorts of Acts and Affections, to wit, of Contrition, Humiliation, Resignation, Love, &c.
2. Now though the said exercises be more sublime and perfect than some others that follow, to wit, those of Fear, Hatred of Sin, Remorse, Reflections upon the Quatuor Novissima, &c., yet have I placed them first, because they are a kind of exercise of Meditation (the lowest degree of internal Prayer), and may be proper enough for such well-disposed souls as by means of some unknown natural indisposition are incapable of practising Meditation, according to the common laborious method and rules. They may likewise be useful and proper for souls also that are advanced to the second degree of internal Prayer, viz. that of immediate Acts of the Will.
3. It was not needful to divide these into several distinct exercises, as those that follow. Therefore the devout soul that shall practise them may in each recollection make use of as many good affections or acts in them as will suffice; and in the following recollection begin where she last ended (observing the directions prescribed in the precedent instructions touching internal Prayer of immediate Acts of the Will).
4. Now it is not to be supposed that, in annexing these exercises, we have any intention to confine the readers and practisers of these directions unto them; for in practice each one is to make use of such acts as are most relishing to his spirit, whether composed by the exerciser himself, or found in this or any other book. And particularly the books most proper to be made use of for the Prayer of immediate Acts or Affections of the Will are, St. Augustine's Confessions, Soliloquies, &c.; the Imitation of Christ (especially the third book); the Divine Exercises of Eschius, in Latin, and likewise long since translated into English and enlarged by Doctor Peryn; the Actus Virtutum of Blasius Palma; Paradisus Animæ; the Igniarium Divini Amoris of Blosius, &c.
HAIL, JESUS;
OR ACTS UPON THE LIFE AND PASSION OF OUR SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST:
Which contain in them Acts of almost all Kinds of Prayer, as Contrition, Resignation., Love, &c.
1. Hail, Sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who for my sake hast vouchsafed to come down from Thy royal seat, and from the mellifluous bosom of Thy Divine Father, into this valley of misery, and to be incarnate and made man by the Holy Ghost in the most chaste womb of the most sacred Virgin Mary;
2. Choose, I beseech Thee, my heart for Thy dwelling-place; adorn it, replenish it with spiritual gifts, and wholly possess it.
3. O that I were able, by profound humility, to unite Thee to it, and with an ardent affection to receive Thee; and after having received Thee, to retain Thee with me!
4. O that I were so fastened unto Thee, that I might never depart or turn away my mind from Thee.
5. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who hast vouchsafed to be born of Thy Virgin Mother, poor and passible, without any pain or detriment to her virginity, in a poor stable;
6. Whom, being born, she humbly adored.
7. O that it were Thy will to be continually born in me by a new fervour of spirit,
8. And that I may be wholly burnt with the fire of Thy love!
9. O that Thou wort the only comfort, desire, and solace of my heart!
10. O that I sought after Thee alone, thought on Thee alone, and loved Thee alone!
11. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, being born in the depth of winter, didst not refuse to be swaddled in poor clothes, and weeping to be laid in a manger, and as a little infant to be nourished at Thy Mother's breast;
12. I adore Thee, most dear Redeemer, King of angels.
13. Hail, Prince of Peace, Light of the Gentiles, and most desired Saviour;
14. Grant, O Lord, that I may always stand in Thy sight, truly humble and truly poor in spirit;
15. Grant that for Thy holy name's sake I may willingly endure all kinds of mortification, and may love nothing in the world besides Thee, nor wish to possess anything but Thee.
16. Hail, sweet Jesus; whom the celestial legions of angels did honour, newly born, with joyful praises; and the shepherds, devoutly seeking and finding, adored with admiration;
17. Grant that I may joyfully, without tediousness, persevere in Thy service and praises.
18. Hail, sweet Jesus, who wouldst upon the eighth day, like other children, be circumcised, and, being yet an infant, shed Thy Precious Blood;
19. And for our singular comfort wouldst be called Jesus, which signifieth a Saviour:
20. O that it would please Thee to admit me, circumcised from all bad thoughts, words, and works, into the number of Thy children!
21. Thou, O Lord, art called Jesus, that is to say, a Saviour: be Thou therefore my Saviour, and save me.
22. Hail, sweet Jesus, whom the sages, with a devout seeking, found by the direction of a star, and having found, most humbly adored,
23. Offering unto Thee gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh;
24. Grant, O Lord, that with these blessed men I may always seek and adore Thee in spirit and truth;
25. Grant that I may offer daily unto Thee the gold of bright shining charity, the frankincense of sweet-smelling devotion, and the myrrh of perfect mortification.
26. Hail, sweet Jesus, who for our sake wouldst be subject to the law, and, to give us an example of humility, wouldst be carried to the temple by Thy Blessed Mother, and be redeemed with an offering ordained for such as were poor;
27. Where just Simeon and Anna the Prophetess, rejoicing greatly at Thy presence, gave very glorious testimony of Thy dignity:
28. O that all pride were utterly thrown down in me!
29. O that all desire of human favour and itch of self-love were cooled and cured in me!
30. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, staying in the temple, wert for the space of three days with great grief sought by Thy devout Mother, and at length with great joy found by her sitting in the midst of the doctors, hearing them and proposing questions to them:
31. Would to God Thou wouldst give and communicate Thyself in such sort unto me, that I might never be separated from Thee, nor ever be deprived of Thy comfort!
32. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, for the space of thirty years remaining unknown, hast vouchsafed to be reputed the son of Joseph the carpenter and of his wife the Blessed Virgin Mary;
33. Let Thy grace, I beseech Thee, pluck up and utterly root out of the fund of my soul all pride and ambition:
34. O that I may delight to be unknown, and to be esteemed vile and base!
35. Hail, sweet Jesus, who hast not disdained to come to the river Jordan, and entering into it to be baptised by Thy servant John the Baptist;
36. I would, through Thy merits, I might become most clean and pure, even in this life.
37. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, for our sakes abiding amongst wild beasts in the desert, and fasting forty days and forty nights, and persevering in prayer, hast permitted Thyself to be tempted by Satan;
38. And overcoming him, hast been honoured with the ministry and service of angels;
39. Give me grace that I may chastise and subdue my flesh, with all the vicious affections thereof;
40. Give me grace that I may constantly persevere in prayer and other spiritual exercises;
41. Let no temptation, I beseech Thee, defile me, but rather let temptations purge me and unite me unto Thee.
42. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, to the end Thou mightest gather together the dispersed children of God, hast vouchsafed to preach penance, to call disciples, and out of them to choose twelve Apostles to be eminent preachers of Thy faith;
43. Draw me after Thee, and powerfully stir up my heart to love Thee;
44. Grant that I may adhere to Thee alone. Amen.
45. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who for me hast suffered many afflictions, heat, cold, hunger, thirst, labours, and miseries;
46. Grant that I may receive from Thy hand cheerfully all kinds of adversity.
47. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, thirsting for the conversion of souls, hast passed whole nights in prayer,
48. Hast been wearied with travelling, hast passed from country to country, from city to city, from town to town, from village to village;
49. Let Thy love make me quick and ready to all good things, that I be never slothful in Thy service;
50. Grant that everywhere I may have a zeal for Thy honour, and employ myself wholly in Thy service.
51. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, conversing with men, hast vouchsafed most willingly to comfort them, and by many miracles most mercifully to cure their maladies and diseases;
52. Give me a devout heart full of affection and compassion, whereby I may pity other men's afflictions, and may have as great feeling of their miseries as if they were my own;
53. Whereby also I may bear patiently with all men's imperfections, and to the best of my ability succour them in their necessities.
54. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who hast not shunned the company of publicans and sinners, but hast afforded them Thy most loving familiarity and ready pardon of sins, to Matthew, Zacheus, Mary Magdalen, and to the woman taken in adultery, and to the rest that were repentant;
55. Grant that I may embrace all men with cheerful love and charity;
56. May readily forgive those who offend me;
57. May perfectly love those who hate me.
58. Hail, sweet Jesus, who for my soul's sake hast suffered many injuries, many blasphemies, many reproaches, and infinite abuses from those on whom Thou hadst bestowed many benefits;
59. Give me a heart truly innocent and simple, that I may sincerely love my enemies and unfeignedly pity them;
60. And rendering good for evil may, through perfect charity and meek patience, perfectly please Thee. Amen.
61. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, coming to Jerusalem in a meek and gentle manner, didst ride upon an ass, and amidst the praises which were sung by the people who came to meet Thee didst pour forth tears, bewailing the ruin of the city and destruction of those ungrateful souls:
62. O that I might never be delighted with the praises and favours of men;
63. But always be profitably employed in internal tears of compunction and devotion!
64. Hail, sweet Jesus, whom Judas, the treacherous disciple, sold for a little money to the Jews who persecuted Thee and conspired Thy death;
65. Root out of my heart all evil desires of transitory things;
66. Grant that I may never prefer anything before Thee.
67. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who in Jerusalem, according to the law, didst eat the Paschal lamb with Thy disciples, and giving them an example of humility and holy charity, kneeling upon the ground, didst wash their feet, and having washed them didst wipe them with a towel:
68. Would to God this example might pierce my heart, and utterly throw down in me all pride and loftiness!
69. Give me, O Lord, a most profound humility, by which I may without difficulty cast myself at all men's feet.
70. Hail, sweet Jesus, who with an unspeakable charity hast instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and with a wonderful liberality hast in it given Thyself to us;
71. Stir up in me a desire and enkindle in the interior of my soul a vehement thirst of this most venerable Sacrament;
72. Grant that when I come to this table of life I may with a chaste affection, singular humility, and perfect purity of heart receive Thee.
73. Hail, sweet Jesus, who immediately before Thy Passion didst begin to fear, to grieve, and be sad, taking upon Thyself our weakness,
74. That by this Thy infirmity thou mayest comfort and strengthen those that tremble at the expectation of death;
75. Preserve me, I beseech Thee, as well from vicious sadness as from foolish joy;
76. Grant that all the grief I have hitherto sustained may redound to Thy glory and the remission of my sins.
77. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, falling upon the ground, prayedst unto Thy Father, and humbly offeredst up Thyself wholly unto Him, saying, Father, Thy will be done;'
78. Grant that in all necessities and tribulations I may have recourse unto Thee by prayer;
79. That I may give and resign myself wholly to Thy will;
80. That I may with a quiet mind receive all things as from Thy hands.
81. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, being in an agony, didst pray very long;
82. And being Creator of heaven and earth, the King of kings and Lord of angels, didst not disdain to be comforted by an angel;
83. Grant that in all adversity and desolation, in all tribulation and affliction, I may seek comfort from Thee only,
84. And that I may find help and assistance at Thy hands.
85. O that I could in all events wholly rely on Thee,
86. And leave myself wholly to Thy Fatherly care!
87. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, by reason of the greatness and vehemency of Thy grief, hadst Thy Body moistened all over with a bloody sweat:
88. O that all the parts of my interior man would sweat out holy tears of contrition!
89. Hail, sweet Jesus, who of Thine own accord offeredst Thyself to be taken by Judas the traitor, and Thine other enemies thirsting after Thy blood, and desiring Thy death;
90. Grant, for the honour of Thy name, I may not fly adversities,
91. But may cheerfully go to meet them,
92. And joyfully receive them, as precious tokens sent from Thee;
93. And humbly and constantly endure them as long as it shall please Thee.
94. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst lovingly kiss the traitor Judas coming deceitfully to Thee;
95. Showing, by the calmness of Thy countenance and sweetness of Thy words, that Thou didst love him;
96. Grant that I may show myself loving and mild to all my enemies;
97. That I may pardon them from my heart, howsoever they shall offend me;
98. And tolerate and love them as the ministers of Thy will and promoters of my salvation.
99. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst permit Thine enemies most furiously to lay their sacrilegious hands upon Thee;
100. And, being cruelly bound by them, didst not revenge but mildly endure the reproaches, blasphemies, and injuries wherewith they did most wickedly affront Thee:
101. O that, being freed from the bonds of vice, I may be fast tied to Thee with the sweet chains of love!
102. O that Thou wouldst bestow upon me the grace of true patience! Amen.
103. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who didst restore and heal the ear of Malchus, one of Thy furious persecutors, cut off by Peter, Thy chief disciple;
104. That so, rendering good for evil, the riches of Thy mercy and mildness might shine forth to us;
105. Grant, I beseech Thee, that the desire of revenge may never have place in my heart;
106. Grant that I may bear intimate compassion and affection towards all such as offend me;
107. Strengthen my too great weakness, and make steadfast my too great inconstancy, with the most strong support of Thy grace.
108. Hail, sweet Jesus, who sufferedst Thyself to be led, bound as a malefactor and thief, by a troop of soldiers unto Annas, and to be presented before him:
109. O unspeakable mildness of my Redeemer!
110. Behold, whilst Thou art taken, whilst Thou art drawn, whilst Thou art haled, Thou dost not complain, Thou dost not murmur, Thou makest no resistance;
111. Grant, O Lord, that these examples of Thy virtues may shine in me to my good and everlasting glory.
112. Hail, sweet Jesus, King of heaven and earth, who, standing, humble, like a base and abject person, before the proud High-priest, didst with great modesty receive a cruel blow given Thee upon the Face by one of his servants;
113. Suppress, I beseech Thee, in me all motions of anger and wrath; dull all the stings of indignation, and extinguish all desire of revenge;
114. That, even provoked with injuries. I may not be troubled;
115. That I may not strive or make any tumult;
116. But, suffering all things with a meek and patient mind, I may render good for evil, and ever be ready to favour those who most cross and molest me.
117. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who didst suffer Thyself to be shamefully led bound to Caiphas, that Thou mightest restore us to true liberty, freeing us from the bonds of everlasting death;
118. Grant that in the very midst of derisions and contumelies I may give Thee thanks with all my heart,
119. And that by them I may be advanced in Thy love.
120. Hail, sweet Jesus, whom Peter the chief of the Apostles thrice denied; and yet Thou most mercifully lookedst upon him, and provokedst him to repentance and holy tears for his offence:
121. O that it might please Thee in like manner to look upon me with that lovely eye of Thy mercy!
122. That, with due tears of repentance, I may bewail my past sins;
123. And having bewailed them, may not hereafter any more return to them again.
124. Hail, sweet Jesus, who with a pleasing countenance and modest look, standing before the priests and the elders of the people of the Jews, didst not disdain to be falsely accused and suffer many injuries;
125. Grant that I may never utter any falsity or calumniate any man;
126. But may suffer such calumnies as are laid against me with great tranquillity of heart;
127. And, referring all difficulties to Thee, with silence I may expect Thy grace and comfort.
128. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, whilst Thou didst make profession of the truth, affirming Thyself to be Son of God, yet didst Thou not disdain to be esteemed a blasphemer;
129. Grant that in all places and before all men I may stand to the truth, and in awe of the presence of Thy Divinity and Majesty I may not fear the censures and judgments of men.
130. Hail, sweet Jesus, who by the wicked Jews wast proclaimed guilty of death, and without cause condemned;
131. That by Thy unjust condemnation Thou mightest deliver us from the guilt of our sins wherewith we were justly attainted;
132. Grant that I may reject all sinister and rash suspicions;
133. That I may suffer, without any bitterness of heart, all such wrongful detractions and wicked judgments as others shall devise against me;
134. And that on all occasions I may retain, by the help of Thy grace, a quiet and untroubled mind.
135. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who for my sake wast made the disgrace and scorn of men, and the outcast of the people;
136. And didst not turn away Thy sacred Face, which the angels desire to behold, from the filthy spittle of Thy adversaries;
137. Grant that I may imitate Thy meekness and patience.
138. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst vouchsafe to be most cruelly beaten and buffeted, and most unworthily reproached and reviled for my sake;
139. Grant, I beseech Thee, that I may never refuse to be despised and to be reputed base and vile,
140. And that, according to Thy permission, I may be contented to be exercised with all kinds of injuries;
141. That I may receive them, not as from men, but from Thee, and of Thy Fatherly mercy.
142. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst permit Thyself to be mocked and scoffed, and Thy lovely Face (which to behold is the chiefest happiness), for Thy greater derision, to be blindfolded;
143. Grant that, the veil of ignorance being taken away, I may be endued with the knowledge of Thy will;
144. Imprint in my heart a continual remembrance of Thee;
145. Thou knowest, O Lord, how hard a thing it is for me to suffer, though never so small a matter;
146. Out of Thy mercy, therefore, assist my frailty, that I may not cowardly fall or faint at the coming of any adversity.
147. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst permit Thyself (being mocked and bound) to be led to the profane tribunal of Pilate the judge, and in a disdainful manner to be presented before him, Thou Thyself being the Judge of the living and the dead;
148. Grant that I may be truly subject to my superiors and all powers over me ordained by Thee;
149. That I may obey my equals, and love and honour all men;
150. Grant that I may not fear other men's judgments of me, but may receive them with a ready and meek mind. Amen.
151. Hail, sweet, Jesus, who, standing before Pilate, didst Humbly hold Thy peace, whilst the Jews did wrongfully accuse and calumniate Thee:
152. Grant, O Lord, that I may never be troubled at other men's slandering me,
153. But that I may with silence overcome all injuries;
154. Give me the perfect grace of humility, by which I may neither desire to be praised nor refuse to be contemned;
155. Grant that I may imitate Thy innocency and patience;
156. That I may both live well, and, living well, be contented to be ill spoken of and despised.
157. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, with great exclamations and much noise of people, like a most heinous malefactor wast drawn from tribunal to tribunal, from Pilate to Herod, through the midst of the city;
158. Grant that I may not be dejected with any injuries of my enemies,
159. And that I be not much ashamed of contempt,
160. To the end that, by Thy gracious assistance, I may possess my soul in patience.
161. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, by Thy silence condemning Herod's vain desire, wouldst not, without good cause and for a good end, delight his curious eyes by working a miracle; and didst thereby give us a lesson to avoid ostentation in the presence of great men;
162. Pour into my soul Thy spirit of profound humility;
163. Mortify and extinguish in me all tickling of vain glory:
164. Grant that I may not seek to gain the praises of men, but do all and purely for Thy honour and glory.
165. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst not disdain to be scoffed at by Herod and his whole army, and to be clothed in a white garment, like a fool or a madman;
166. Grant that I may rather choose to be reputed base and abject with Thee than glorious with the world;
167. That I may esteem it better and more worthy to suffer disgrace for Thy love, than to shine in the vain honour of the world;
168. Grant that, knowing thoroughly my own unworthiness, I may grow base in my own conceit, and despise, reprehend, and bewail myself.
169. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, being compared with the notorious thief Barabbas, wast judged more wicked and more worthy of death than he:
170. The murderer is set at liberty, and the impious Jews demand Thy death, who art the Author of life;
171. Thou art indeed that Living Stone rejected by man but chosen by God:
172. O that I may prefer nothing before Thee, nor change Thee for anything!
173. O that I could esteem all things as dung and filth, to the end I might gain Thee!
174. Grant, O Lord, that the blot of envy may never stain my soul.
175. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, being stripped naked in the palace and bound to a pillar, didst suffer Thy naked and most immaculate Flesh to be rent with most cruel scourges, that with Thy sores Thou mightest heal our wounds:
176. O amiable Jesus, I make choice of Thee, covered with stripes, for the spouse of my soul,
177. Desiring to be inflamed and burned with the fire of Thy most sweet love;
178. Strip my heart naked, I beseech Thee, from all indecent cogitations;
179. Grant that I may now patiently suffer the scourges of Thy Fatherly correction. Amen.
180. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, upon whom are discharged unspeakable injuries and contumelies;
181. For they clothed Thee, the King of Glory, with a purple garment for Thy greater affront;
182. They fastened upon Thy divine head a crown of thorns;
183. They put into Thy hands a sceptre of a reed, and, kneeling down in a scornful manner, saluted Thee, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!'
184. Plant, I beseech Thee, in my heart the memory of Thy Passion;
185. Let scorn for Thy sake be my glory, and injuries and affronts my crown.
186. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst not refuse for my sake to be beaten with a reed, to be buffeted, to be spit upon, and to be the object of all kinds of derision;
187. I beseech Thee, by Thy wounds, by Thy Blood, by Thy disgrace, and by all the grief and sorrow Thou sufferedst for me, to endow my soul with all Thy patience and graces;
188. That Thou wouldst convert me and all I have to Thy everlasting praise and glory.
189. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, being defiled with spittle, rent and disfigured with stripes, bound and wholly miserable, wast brought forth as a spectacle to the enraged people, wearing a crown of thorns and a robe of purple;
190. Grant that with my heart I may utterly tread under foot, and have in detestation, all ambition, ostentation, worldly pomp and vanity, and all earthly dignity;
191. That, by profound humility and true contempt of myself, I may incessantly run towards the glory of Thy heavenly felicity.
192. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, being declared innocent by Pilate the judge, didst not refuse to hear the furious outcries of the Jews, by which they demanded that Thou shouldst be crucified;
193. Grant that I may live innocently, and not be troubled by reason of other men's evil will towards me;
194. Give me this grace, that I may neither backbite other men, nor willingly give ear to those that do it;
195. But that still I may have a good opinion of others, and bear other men's imperfections with a true compassion;
196. And love all men for God and in God with a pure, sincere, and cordial affection.
197. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who didst permit Thyself in the presence of Thy people to be unjustly condemned to the most ignominious death of the cross,
198. That Thou mightest free us from the sentence of eternal death;
199. Grant that I may seek Thy honour, and rather choose to be exercised with Thee in adversity, than by forsaking Thee to enjoy the commodities of life.
200. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, with many disgraces and injuries offered Thee, didst carry Thy cross with great pain upon Thy sacred and torn shoulders,
201. And, being weary and breathless, didst languish under the burden;
202. Grant that, with fervent devotion, I may embrace the cross of my own abnegation,
203. And with an ardent charity imitate the example of Thy virtues,
204. And may humbly follow Thee unto death.
205. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, in that lamentable journey in which Thou wentest to Thy death, didst meekly admonish the women, that they should bewail themselves and their children;
206. Give me acceptable tears of compunction, with which I may truly bewail my sins and my own ingratitude;
207. Give me tears of devout compunction and of holy love, which may melt my hard heart, and make it grateful unto Thee,
208. That I may love Thee alone, and rest in Thee only.
209. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, having Thy shoulders bruised with the weight of the cross, didst at length arrive weary at the place of execution,
210. Where wine, mingled with gall, was offered Thee to refresh Thy languishing strength:
211. O that Thou wouldst extinguish in me the allurements of gluttony and the concupiscence of the flesh,
212. And cause in me an aversion and horror of all impure and unlawful delights;
213. And that I may eat and drink soberly to the glory of Thy name,
214. That I may hunger and thirst after Thee alone,
215. And in Thee place my delight and joy!
216. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst not disdain to be stripped naked upon Mount Calvary in the sight of the people,
217. And to suffer a most bitter pain by Thy sores, renewed with the pulling off Thy clothes;
218. Grant that I may love poverty of spirit, and not be troubled with any worldly want;
219. Grant that by Thy example I may endure and suffer any corporal necessities or calamities whatsoever.
220. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, being naked, didst not refuse to be rudely stretched out upon the wood of the cross, and cruelly fastened with nails unto the same;
221. In this manner Thou didst suffer Thy innocent hands and delicate feet to be most grievously wounded, and all Thy sacred joints to crack and be put out of joint;
222. Grant me, O Lord, that with a faithful and grateful mind I may consider this Thy unspeakable charity, with which of Thy own accord Thou didst stretch forth Thy arms, and willingly offer Thy hands and feet to be pierced;
223. Vouchsafe, O Lord, to enlarge and extend my heart with the perfect love of Thee;
224. Pierce it, and fasten it unto Thyself with the most sweet nail of charity;
225. And all my senses, cogitations, and affections enclose only on Thee.
226. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who didst hang (Thy hands and feet being pierced) three hours upon the shameful wood of the cross, and, shedding in great abundance Thy Precious Blood, didst of Thy own accord endure unspeakable torments throughout Thy whole Body;
227. Lift up, I pray Thee, upon the wood of Thy cross, my miserable soul grovelling on the ground:
228. O healthful Blood, O reviving Blood!
229. O that Thou wouldst purge and thoroughly heal me, being washed with this Thy Precious Blood!
230. O that Thou wouldst offer this Thy Blood to Thy Father for a perfect satisfaction of all my iniquities!
231. Grant, I beseech Thee, that mine inward man may, with ardent affection, mentally receive the lively drops of Thy Precious Blood, and may truly taste how sweet Thy Spirit is.'
232. Hail, sweet Jesus, who wast so good even to those that were so wicked, that for the very same persons who did crucify Thee Thou didst pray unto Thy Father, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;'
233. Give me, I beseech Thee, the grace of true meeknes and patience, by which I may, according to Thy commandment and example, love my enemies,
234. And do good to those that hate me;
235. I heartily pray unto Thee for those that hurt and persecute me.
236. Hail, sweet Jesus, who wouldst that the title written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin (as it were the trophy of Thy victory) should be fastened to the cross, that we beholding it might courageously fight against our invisible enemies;
237. Protect me, under this title, against the wiles and deceits of the devil:
238. Teach me, under this title, to overcome all temptations, and to subdue all vices;
239. That, having by grace conquered them, I may freely praise and glorify Thy holy name. Amen.
240. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, whose garments the soldiers divided amongst themselves, but did leave Thy coat, which was without seam (and signifieth the unity of the Church), undivided;
241. Pour down into my heart, I beseech Thee, the spirit of peace and union,
242. That I may never, through my fault, divide or trouble the concord and union of my brethren;
243. But that I may always endeavour to repair divisions and pacify troubles.
244. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, suffering upon the altar of the cross incomprehensible torments and ineffable anguishes, wert shamefully reproached and scorned by the Jews, who vomited out of their wicked mouths sundry blasphemies against Thee;
245. Grant, O Lord, that, being mindful of Thy humility, patience, and mildness, I may quietly and cheerfully suffer pain, disgrace, persecution, infamy, &c.,
246. And may remain with Thee nailed to the cross even to the end;
247. Let no violence of temptation, no storm of adversity, no tempest of contumely, hinder me from effecting my good purposes;
248. Let not death, nor life, nor things present nor to come, nor any creature separate me from Thy love.
249. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst tolerate one of the thieves to upbraid Thee, and didst most mercifully and bountifully promise the glory of Paradise to the other, who humbly acknowledged his own injustice, and with a devout faith confessed Thee to be his King and God;
250. Behold me, I beseech Thee, with those eyes of mercy which Thou didst cast upon the thief repentant for his sins:
251. O that, by Thy holy help and grace, I may lead a life so innocent, that I may faithfully serve Thee and purely love Thee!
252. That at the end of my life I may deserve to hear, most merciful Redeemer, that most desired voice, This day thou shalt be with Me in Paradise.'
253. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, from the cross beholding Thy most sweet Mother full of grief and tears, with inward compassion didst commend her to Thy disciple John, and again John to her, and us all in John unto Thy said Mother;
254. Grant that I may love and honour her with a most chaste and ardent affection;
255. That, having her for my Mother, I may deserve also to be acknowledged by her for her son;
256. Grant that in all necessities, and especially at the hour of my death, I may find her present assistance.
257. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who in a most pitiful manner, hanging upon the cross with wide gaping wounds, didst profess Thyself to be destitute of all comfort;
258. Grant that with a firm confidence I may always have recourse to Thee, my most merciful Saviour, in all adversities, temptations, and desolations,
259. And wholly distrusting myself, I may trust in Thee alone,
260. And commit and resign myself entirely to Thee;
261. Wound the intime of my soul with the remembrance of Thy wounds;
262. Imprint them in my heart, and make my spirit even drunk with Thy Sacred Blood;
263. That I may attend to Thee, and Thee only seek, find, hold, and possess.
264. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, panting upon the cross, Thy Body being drawn dry for want of Blood, becamest very thirsty, and didst burn with an unspeakable desire of our salvation;
265. Grant that I may ardently thirst after Thy honour and the salvation of souls,
266. And may with courage employ myself in this affair;
267. Grant that I may not be hindered nor entangled by any transitory thing.
268. Hail, sweet Jesus, who wouldst that a sponge dipped in vinegar and gall should be offered Thee to drink, being then thirsty even to death, that by taking thereof Thou mightest satisfy for our gluttony and leave us an example of poverty;
269. Give me grace to despise unlawful pleasures and avoid all excess in meat and drink;
270. Also to use those things moderately which Thou givest for the sustentation of the body;
271. Pacify the inordinateness of my desires, that whatsoever doth please Thee may please me, and whatsoever displeaseth Thee may be displeasing also to me.
272. Hail, sweet Jesus, most enamoured of mankind, who, duly performing the work of our redemption, didst offer up Thyself upon the altar of the cross a holy sacrifice for the expiation of the sins of all men;
273. Be Thou, I beseech Thee, the scope of all my thoughts, words, and works,
274. That in all things I may with a right and simple intention seek Thy honour;
275. Grant that I may never grow cold nor faint in Thy service;
276. But that fervour of spirit may be renewed in me, and that I may daily more and more be inflamed to praise and love Thee. Amen.
277. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who of Thy own accord didst embrace death, and recommending Thyself to Thy Heavenly Father, bowing down Thy venerable head, yieldedst up Thy Spirit;
278. Truly thus giving up Thy life for Thy sheep, Thou hast shown Thyself to be a good Shepherd;
279. Thou didst die, O Only-begotten Son of God; Thou diedst, O my beloved Saviour, that I might live for ever:
280. O how great hope, how great confidence have I reposed in Thy Death and Thy Blood!
281. I glorify and praise Thy holy name, acknowledging my infinite obligations to Thee;
282. O good Jesus, by Thy bitter Death and Passion, give me grace and pardon;
283. Give unto the faithful departed rest and life everlasting.
284. Hail, sweet Jesus, at whose death the sun withdrew his light, the veil of the Temple was rent asunder, and the monuments opened;
285. O Sun of Justice, permit not, I beseech Thee, that the beams of Thy grace at any time forsake me;
286. But let them continually enlighten the inmost parts of my soul;
287. Withdraw wholly from me the veil of hypocrisy;
288. Shake the earth of my soul with wholesome repentance;
289. Rend my stony heart,
290. That, being wholly renewed, I may contemn all transitory things, and love only that which is eternal.
291. Hail, sweet Jesus, who wouldst that Thy side should be opened with a soldier's lance,
292. And out of it pour blood and water to revive and wash our souls;
293. Thou wouldst, O my best Beloved, that Thy mellifluous Heart should be wounded for me;
294. O that it might please Thee to make a most deep wound in my heart with the lance of Thy love,
295. And unite it to Thy most Sacred Heart,
296. In such manner that I may have no power to will anything but that which Thou wilt!
297. Bring in, O my Lord, bring in my soul, through the wound of Thy side, into the bosom of Thy charity and the treasure-house of Thy Divinity,
298. That I may joyfully glorify Thee, my God, crucified and dead for me. Amen.
299. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who sufferedst all that the malice of men or devils could devise;
300. Behold, with as much devotion as possibly I can, I salute the five principal Wounds of Thy blessed Body.
301. Hail, ruddy, glorious, and mellifluous Wounds of my Redeemer and my King!
302. Hail, glorious seals of my reconciliation and salvation!
303. I humbly desire to abide and be hidden in you, and be by that means secure from all evil.
304. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, being with great lamentations of Thy friends taken down from the cross, wouldst be anointed with precious ointments, wrapped in a winding-sheet, and buried where no man was buried before;
305. Bury, I beseech Thee, all my senses, all my forces, and all my affections in Thee,
306. That, being joined to Thee by efficacious love, I may become insensible in respect of all other things.
307. Hail, sweet Jesus, who hast vanquished the power of the devil, and, powerfully and lovingly in soul descending into hell, didst make joyful with Thy presence the Fathers there detained,
308. And didst translate them thence at Thy glorious Ascension to the delightful garden of the celestial Paradise and to the clear vision of God;
309. Let the virtue of Thy Passion and Thy Blood descend now, I beseech Thee, into Purgatory, upon the souls of my parents, kinsfolks, friends, benefactors, and all the faithful departed,
310. That, being delivered from pains, they may be received into the bosom of eternal rest.
311. Hail, sweet Jesus, who like a conqueror with glorious triumph didst arise out of Thy closed sepulchre,
312. And, revested with Thy lovely countenance, didst replenish Thy friends with new joy and gladness;
313. Grant, O Lord, that, leaving the old paths of my wicked conversation, I may walk in the newness of life,
314. And seek and savour those things which are above in heaven, and not those things which are here upon earth,
315. To the end that when Thou my life shalt appear at the last day, I may appear with Thee in glory.
316. Hail, sweet Jesus; praise, honour, and glory be to Thee, O Christ, who, forty days after Thy Resurrection, didst gloriously ascend into heaven in the sight of Thy disciples, where Thou sittest on the right hand of Thy Father, blessed for evermore:
317. O that my soul might always languish on earth, and ascend and aspire towards heaven!
318. May it hunger and thirst always after Thee!
319. Hail, sweet Jesus, who didst give Thy Holy Ghost to the elect disciples persevering together with one mind in prayer,
320. And didst send them to teach all nations throughout the whole world;
321. Cleanse, I beseech Thee, the interior of my heart;
322. Give me true purity and constancy of mind, that the Holy Ghost may find a grateful habitation in my soul,
323. And may replenish me with the special gifts of His grace;
324. May comfort, strengthen, fill, govern, and possess me.
325. Hail, sweet Jesus, who, coming as a Judge at the last day, wilt render unto every one according to his works, either punishment or reward;
326. O my most merciful Lord God, grant that according to Thy will I may so innocently pass the course of this miserable life,
327. That, my soul departing out of the prison of my body, I may be vested with Thy merits and virtues,
328. And be received into Thy everlasting joy,
329. And with all the Saints I may bless and praise Thee for ever.
330. Hail, sweet Jesus, whom I have most grievously offended all the days of my life;
331. Alas, I have never ceased to be ungrateful to Thee, resisting Thy grace in divers manners, and always adding new faults unto my former;
332. Behold, O my sweet Refuge; behold me, the outcast of all creatures, bringing with me nothing but bundles of sins;
333. I prostrate myself at the feet of Thy mercy, and humbly implore pardon and remission;
334. Pardon, I beseech Thee, and save me, for Thy name's sake;
335. For I believe and am assured that no sins are so grievous and heinous but, by the merits of Thy most Sacred Passion, may be forgiven and, washed away. Amen.
PSALMUS DE PASSIONE D. N. JESU CHRISTI.
1. Memor ero ab initio mirabilium tuorum Domine: et misericordias Tuas in æternum cantabo.
2. Tu splendor Paternæ gloriæ, et figura substantiæ Ejus, Teipsum exinanisti, formam servi accipiens.
3. Parvulus natus es nobis, et Filius datus es nobis: quia Tu es qui mittendus eras, Tu es expectatio Gentium.
4. Pauper factus es, et in laboribus a juventute Tua: expandisti manus Tuas tota die ad populum incredulum.
5. Omnes nos quasi oves erravimus: et posuit Dominus in Te iniquitatem omnium nostrum.
6. Tacebas consternatus super faciem Tuam: et vultus Tuus hærebat terræ.
7. Non remansit in To fortitudo: sed et species Tua immutata est in Te.
8. Rubrum factum est vestimentum Tuum: quia torcular calcasti solus.
9. Vere languores nostros Ipse tulisti: et dolores nostros Ipse portasti.
10. Circumdederunt Te canes multi: concilium malignantium obsedit Te.
11. Homo pacis Tuæ, qui edebat panes Tuos, magnificavit super Te supplantationem.
12. Amici Tui et proximi Tui a longe steterunt: et vim faciebant qui quærebant animam Tuam.
13. Tu spiritus oris nostri, Christe Domine: captus es in peccatis nostris.
14. Data sunt super To vincula et ligabant Te in eis: et noti Tui quasi alieni, recesserunt a Te.
15. Dedisti percutienti Te maxillam: saturatus es opprobriis.
16. Suscitatur falsiloquus adversus faciem Tuam: Tu redemisti eos, et ipsi locuti sunt contra Te mendacia.
17. Hostis Tuus terribilibus oculis intuitus est Te: et quasi Agnus coram tendente se obmutuisti.
18. Aperuerunt super Te ora sua: et exprobrantes percusserunt maxillam Tuam.
19. Corpus Tuum dedisti percutientibus: et gonas Tuas vellentibus.
20. Faciem Tuam velarunt: quia portentum dedit Te Dominus domui Israel.
21. Abominati sunt Te: et faciem Tuam conspuere non verebantur.
22. Inquilini domus Tuæ, sicut alienum habuerunt Te: et quem maxime diligebas adversatus es Te.
23. Contumelia et tormento interrogaverunt Te: morte turpissima condemnaverunt Te.
24. Astiterunt reges terræ, et principes convenerunt in unum, adversus Christum Domini.
25. Quæ ignorabas interrogabant Te: Tu vero tacuisti, semper siluisti, patiens fuisti.
26. Dorsum Tuum fabricaverunt peccatores, prolongaverunt iniquitatem suam.
27. Sicut ovis ad occisionem ductus es: factus est principatus super humerum Tuum.
28. Egredimini filiæ Sion: videte Regem Salomonem in diademate quo coronavit illum Mater sua.
29. Cui comparabo te Virgo filia Jerusalem: magna est enim velut mare contritio tua: quis medebitur tui?
30. Recordare Domine, paupertatis et nuditatis: absinthii et fellis.
31. Federunt manus Tuas et pedes Tuos: dinumeraverunt omnia ossa Tua.
32. Abjectionem Te posuit Dominus in medio populi Tui, et cum sceleratis deputatus es.
33. Ipsi consideraverunt et inspexerunt Te: Diviserunt sibi vestimenta Tua, et super vestem Tuam miserunt sortem.
34. Dederunt in escam Tuam fel: et in siti Tua potaverunt Te aceto.
35. Plauserunt super Te manibus omnes transeuntes per viam: sibilaverunt inimici Tui, et moverunt caput suum.
36, Dixerunt, Devorabimus: en ista est dies quam expectabamus; invenimus, vidimus.
37. Omnia luminaria coeli moerere fecisti: et dedisti tenebras super terram.
38. Occidit sol in meridie; et tenebrescere fecisti terram in die luminis.
39. Tradidisti in mortem animam Tuam; abscissus es de terra viventium: propter scelus populi Tui percussus es.
40. Circumdederunt To lanceis suis: consciderunt To vulnere super vulnus.
41. Lapsa est in lacum vita Tua: et posuerunt lapidem super Te.
42. Requiescens accubuisti ut leo: et quasi leæna; quis suscitabit Te?
43. Tu quoque in sanguine testamenti Tui emisisti vinctos Tuos de lacu, in quo non est aqua.
44. Quantas ostendit tibi Pater tribulationes, multas et malas? et conversus vivificavit Te, et de abyssis terræ iterum reduxit Te.
45. Ascendisti in altum, cepisti captivitatem, dedisti dona in hominibus: etenim non credentes inhabitare Dominum Deum.
46. Ecce quomodo dilexisti me: facta es at mors dilectio Tua.
47. Te laudent coelum et terra: quia To decet laus, O expectatio Israel, Salvator ejus in die malorum.
48. Memor esto verbi Tui servo Tuo: in quo mihi spem dedisti.
49. Dixisti enim: Ego si exaltatus fuero, omnia traham ad Meipsum.
50. Ecce exaltaris super coelos Deus: trahe nos ad Te: curremus in odorem unguenturum Tuorum. Amen.
HOLY EXERCISES OF CONTRITION.
AN ADVICE TO THE READER.
These following Exercises of Contrition are useful and proper first, for such devout souls as, being naturally indisposed for discursive prayer, are consequently obliged to begin an internal course of prayer with such immediate acts or affections. Such, therefore, at the beginning, may do well to make these Exercises of the purgative way the entire subject of their recollections, until they find that, remorse ceasing, they are enabled for the following Exercises of Love, &c.
Secondly, these Exercises may be useful also for souls that have made a greater progress in the prayer of immediate acts; but this is when, by occasion of some sin committed, they judge it fit to raise contrition in their hearts for it. In which case it will not be necessary that their whole recollection should be spent in these acts; but it will suffice to exercise one or two of them at first, and to employ the remainder of the time in their usual former matter of prayer.
The First Exercise.
1. Who will give to mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I may bewail both day and night my sins and ingratitude towards God my Creator?
2. Consider (O my soul) the multitude of the benefits that God hath bestowed upon thee, and be thou confounded and ashamed of thy wickedness and ingratitude.
3. Consider who thy Creator is, and who thou art; how He hath behaved Himself towards thee, and how thou towards Him.
4. Thou hast made me, O Lord, when I was not; and that according to Thine own image.
5. Thou from the very first instant of my being hast been
My God,
My Father,
My Deliverer,
All my Good.
6. Thou, with the benefits of Thy providence, hast preserved my life even till this present. O, let it be spent in Thy service!
7. But because these things, O gracious Lord, cost Thee nothing, to bind me more fast to Thee, Thou wouldst need give me a present bought by Thee most dearly.
8. Thou hast come down from heaven, to seek me in all those ways in which I had lost myself. O, draw up my soul unto Thee!
9. Thou hast exalted and made noble my nature by uniting it in One Person with Thy Divinity.
10. By Thy captivity Thou hast loosed my bonds, and by delivering Thyself into the hands of sinners Thou hast delivered me from the power of the devil; and by taking upon Thee the form of a sinner Thou hast destroyed my sins.
The Second Exercise.
1. These things Thou didst to allure and bind me unto Thee, and to strengthen my hope.
2. To make me detest sin, by beholding what Thou hast done and suffered to overthrow the kingdom of sin.
3. And also that, being overcome and overwhelmed with the multitude of Thy benefits, I should love Him who did so much for me, and loved me so dearly.
4. Behold, O God, Thou hast redeemed me; but what had this availed me if I had not been baptised? Among so many infidels as are in the world Thou hast brought me to Thy Faith and Baptism.
5. There that covenant was made that Thou shouldst be mine, and I Thine; Thou my Lord, and I Thy servant; Thou my Father, and I Thy child; that Thou shouldst behave Thyself as a Father towards me, and I as a child towards Thee.
6. What shall I say of the other Sacraments which Thou hast instituted for remedies of my evils, making a plaster for my sins of Thine own most Precious Blood!
7. Having these helps, yet have I not remained in goodness; but my wickedness hath been so great, that I have lost my first innocency.
8. And Thy mercy on the other side is so great, that Thou hast patiently hitherto expected me.
9. O my hope and Saviour, how can I without tears call to my remembrance how oftentimes Thou mightest justly have bereaved me of my life?
10. To Thee, therefore, be given the glory which is due; and to me shame and confusion of face, as it is this day.
The Third Exercise.
1. How many thousand souls now peradventure burn in hell, who have less sinned than I, and yet I burn not there!
2. What had become of me, if Thou hadst taken me away when Thou tookest them?
3. Who then, O Lord, bound the hands of Thy justice? who held the rod of Thy judgments when I by sinning provoked Thee?
4. What pleased Thee in me that Thou didst deal more mercifully with me than with others?
5. My sins cried unto Thee, and Thou stoppedst Thine ears. My malice every day increased against Thee, and Thy goodness every day increased towards me.
6. I was wearied in sinning, and Thou wast not wearied in expecting.
7. In the midst of my sins I received from Thee divers good inspirations, which I neglected.
8. What shall I now render, O Lord, unto Thee, for all these benefits which I have received of Thee I because Thou hast given me Thyself, what shall I render to Thee?
9. If all the lives of angels and men were mine, and that I should offer them all unto Thee as a sacrifice, what were this oblation if compared with one drop of Thy Blood, which Thou hast shed for me so abundantly?
10. Who, therefore, will give tears to mine eyes, that I may bewail my ingratitude and wicked retribution or requital of these Thy so many benefits? Help me, O Lord, and give me grace, that I may worthily bewail mine iniquities.
The Fourth Exercise.
1. My God, I am Thy creature, made according to Thy image; take away from me that which I have made, and acknowledge that which Thou hast made.
2. I have bent all my forces to do Thee injury, and have offended Thee by the works of my hands.
3. The things which Thou hast given and created for me, to be employed and used for Thy service and honour, I have wrongfully and most unthankfully converted and employed the same to Thy offence and dishonour.
4. My feet have been swift to evil, and my eyes have been dissolute to vanity, and mine ears have been always open to trifles and toys.
5. My understanding, which should have contemplated Thy beauty and have meditated both day and night on Thy commandments, hath considered transitory toys and meditated day and night how to transgress Thy said commandments.
6. My will was by Thee invited to the love of celestial delights and delicacies; but I preferred the earth before heaven.
7. Alas, what can I, a wretch, answer, if Thou enterest with me into judgment, and wilt say: I have planted thee a chosen vineyard, all true seed; how then, O strange vineyard, art thou turned in My sight into that which is depraved?
8. I have not only been ungrateful for Thy benefits, but used Thy benefits also themselves as weapons against Thee.
9. Thou hast made all creatures for my use, to allure me to love Thee; I have abused them, and of them have divers times taken occasion of sin. I have made choice rather of the gift than the Giver.
10. What shall I say? Wherefore have not all the calamities and miseries which I have known to have fallen upon other men, and touched not me, been a sufficient argument to me that my delivery from every one of them was a peculiar benefit from Thee?
The Fifth Exercise.
1. But if a most strict account shall be demanded for these things which cost Thee so little, what account wilt Thou ask of those which Thou hast bought Thyself with Thy most Precious Blood?
2. My God, how have I perverted all Thy counsels for my salvation!
3. How have I violated the mystery of Thine Incarnation!
4. Thou wert made man to make me partaker of the Divine Nature. I have made myself a beast and the slave of the devil.
5. Thou hast come down to the earth to bring me to heaven; and I have not hearkened to or acknowledged this high vocation, but have persevered in wickedness and in the mire of my baseness.
6. Thou hast made me one body with Thee; and I have joined myself again with the devil.
7. Thou hast humbled Thyself even to the dust of the earth; I puff myself up with pride.
8. Thou wouldst die to kill my sins; and I, presuming in Thy said mercy, goodness, and love, have not feared to sin against Thee. What greater impiety can be imagined?
9. I have taken occasion of Thy goodness to work malice; and by that means which Thou hast used to kill sin, I have taken occasion to raise again sin in myself.
10. Because Thou wert so good, I thought I might without prejudice be evil. Woe to mine ingratitude! And because Thy benefits were so many, I thought I might without punishment render unto Thee as many injuries.
The Sixth Exercise.
1. Thus have I made Thy medicines occasions of sin, and I have turned that sword, which I received of Thee to defend myself from mine enemies, against my own bowels, and with the same murdered mine own soul.
2. Thou diedst, that they that now live may not live to themselves, but unto Thee.
3. O most patient Lord, who for sinners hast suffered buffets, but far more patient in suffering sinners, will this Thy patience endure for ever towards me? What shall I do, my Lord I what shall I do? I confess I am not worthy to appear in Thy sight nor to behold Thee. Whither shall I fly from Thy face?
4. Art not Thou my Father, and in very truth a Father of mercies which have no end or measure?
5. What, then, shall I do, but cast myself down at Thy feet, and humbly crave mercy? Art not Thou
My Creator?
My Preserver?
My Redeemer?
My Deliverer?
My King?
My Pastor?
My Priest? and
My Sacrifice?
6. If Thou repellest me, who will receive me? If Thou rejectest me, of whom shall I seek succour?
7. Behold, I come full of wounds; Thou canst heal me: I come all blind; Thou canst give me sight: I come all dead; Thou canst raise me: I come all full of leprosy; Thou canst make me clean.
8. Thou shalt sprinkle me, O Lord, with hyssop (with Thy Precious Blood shed for me), and I shall be made clean.
9. Thou, O God, who art able to do all things, convert me unto Thee; renew my spirit, enlighten my understanding, sanctify my will, increase my strength of body and soul, that I may depend only on Thee, fear and love Thee above all things, and serve Thee fervently; and that in all my affections hereafter I may conform myself to Thy blessed will and pleasure.
10. I beseech Thee, finally, to impart unto me Thine abundant effectual grace, by which I may be able to begin to lead a perfect and holy life, and to serve Thee perfectly and thoroughly even to the end. For therefore Thou, O my God, gavest me a being, that I may employ it in Thy service.
The Seventh Exercise.
1. Take pity, O Lord, take pity, O merciful Saviour, of me, most miserable sinner, doing things of blame, and worthily suffering for the same.
2. If I ponder the evil which I daily commit, that which I endure is nothing in comparison of it.
3. Thou, O Lord our God, art just and full of goodness, neither is there in Thee any wickedness.
4. Because when we offend, Thou dost not unjustly and cruelly afflict us; who when we were not, hast powerfully made us; and when for our sins we were guilty of damnation, Thou hast by Thy wonderful mercy and goodness set us in the state of salvation.
5. I know, O Lord God, and am assured that our life is not governed by uncertain chances, but wholly disposed and ordered by Thy awful power and providence.
6. Wherefore I humbly beseech Thee, that Thou wilt not deal with me according to my iniquities, by which I have deserved Thine anger, but according to Thy manifold mercies which surmount the sins of the whole world.
7. Take pity on me, Thy son, whom Thou hast begotten in the great grief of Thy Passion; and do not so attend to my wickedness that Thou forget Thy goodness.
8. Is it possible for a woman to forget the child of her own womb? And though she should forget, O most loving Father, Thou hast promised not to be unmindful.
9. Truly it is better for me not to be at all, than to be without Thee, sweet Jesus.
10. It is better not to live, than to live without Thee, the only true life.
The Eighth Exercise.
1. Woe to me at the Day of Judgment, when the books of our consciences shall be opened (wherein our actions are registered), when of me it shall be openly proclaimed, See here a man and his works!
2. Alas, what shall I say? I will call and cry unto Thee, O Lord my God; why am I consumed being silent?
3. Weep, O my soul, and make lamentation, as a young married woman for the death of her husband.
4. O anger of the Almighty, rush not upon me, for I cannot subsist against Thee.
5. Take pity on me, lest I despair of Thy mercy; that by despairing of myself, I may find comfort in confiding in Thee.
6. And albeit I have done that for which Thou must justly condemn me, yet Thou hast not lost Thy accustomed property of showing mercy and pity.
7. Thou, O Lord, dost not desire the death of sinners, neither dost Thou take pleasure in the perdition of those that die.
8. Nay, rather that those who were dead might live, Thou Thyself hast died; and Thy death hath been the death that was due to sinners; and they by Thy death are come to life.
9. Grant me, I beseech Thee, O Lord, that Thou living I may not die; since that Thy death hath given life, much more let Thy life give life.
10. Let Thy heavenly hand help me, and deliver me from the hands of those that hate me, lest they insult and rejoice over me, saying, We have devoured him.
The Ninth Exercise.
1. How is it possible, O good Jesus, that ever any one can despair of Thy mercy? who, when we were Thine enemies, hast redeemed us with Thy Precious Blood, and hast reconciled us to God.
2. Behold, O Lord, protected by Thy mercy, I run, craving pardon, to the throne of Thy glory, calling and knocking until Thou take pity on me.
3. For if Thou hast called us to pardon, even when we did not seek it, how much more shall we obtain pardon if we ask it!
4. Forget my pride provoking Thee to displeasure, and weigh my wretchedness imploring Thy favour.
5. O Saviour Jesus, be Thou my succour and protection, and say unto my soul, I am thy Salvation.
6. I do presume very much on Thy bounty, because Thou Thyself dost teach us to ask, seek, and knock at the door of Thy mercy.
7. Thou therefore, O Lord, who willest me to ask, grant that I may receive. Thou dost counsel me to seek; grant me likewise to find. Thou dost teach me to knock; open unto me, knocking at the door of Thy mercy.
8. Behold, besides my heart I have nothing else to give Thee; neither can I give Thee this without Thee. Take me, therefore, and draw me unto Thee, that so I may be Thine by imitation and affection, like as I am by condition and creation, who livest and reignest world without end.
9. O Lord God Almighty, who art Trinity in Unity, who art always in all things, and wert before all things, and wilt be in all things everlastingly, one blessed God for all eternity;
10. To Thee, this and all the days of my life, I commend my soul, my body, my seeing, my hearing, taste, smell, and touching; all my cogitations, affections, words, and actions; all things that I have without and within me; my sense and understanding; my memory, faith, and belief; and my constancy in well-doing; all these I commend into the hands of Thy powerful protection, to the end that all the nights and days, hours and moments of my life, Thou mayest preserve and direct me.
The Tenth Exercise.
1. If Thou, O Lord, examine my righteousness, I shall be found as a dead man, stinking through rottenness.
2. But if Thou behold me with the eye of Thy mercy, Thou wilt thereby raise me (being through sin but a carcase) from the sepulchre of mine iniquity.
3. Whatsoever Thou hatest in me, O Lord, expel and root out of me.
4. Bestow on me, O Lord, Thy fear, compunction of heart, humility, and a conscience free from all sin.
5. Grant me grace, O Lord, that I may be always able to live in charity with my brethren; not forgetting my own sins, or prying into the sins or doings of other men.
6. Visit me weakened;
Cure me diseased;
Refresh me wearied;
Raise me dead.
7. Grant me, O Lord, a heart that may fear Thee, a mind that may love Thee, a sense that may conceive Thee, eyes that may see Thee.
8. Give me, O Lord, discretion to be able to discern betwixt good and evil, and endue me with an understanding ever watchful.
9. O Mary, Mother of God, Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord, thou sacred and unspotted Virgin, vouchsafe to make intercession for me unto Him who made thee a worthy temple for Himself to dwell in.
10. Be pleased to pray for me, a poor sinner, unto our God; that I may be delivered from the furious jaws of the infernal fiend, and from that death which never shall have end.
The Eleventh Exercise.
1. O most mild and merciful Lord and Saviour, Son of the living God, the world's Redeemer, amongst all men and in all things I confess myself to be a miserable sinner.
2. Nevertheless I beseech Thee, most sweet and sovereign Father, that as an abject I may not be cast out of Thy favour.
3. Yea, rather, O Lord, Thou who art King of kings, and hast determined and decreed the length of each man's life, grant me a devout desire to amend mine.
4. Stir up my sluggish soul, to the end that at all times and in all things it may seek, desire, love, and fear Thee, and may put in practice that which is pleasing to Thee.
5. I most humbly and heartily beseech Thee (who art Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending), that when the time is come I must die, Thou wilt be a mild and merciful Judge, and a perpetual protector to me against the accusations and snares of the devil, mine old adversary.
6. Admit me for ever into the society of the holy Angels and of all Thy Saints in Thy heavenly city, where Thou art blessed and praised for all eternity.
7. O hope of my heart, O strength of my soul, may it please Thy omnipotent goodness to accomplish what my wonderful great weakness doth attempt to perform, seeing Thou art my life and the scope of my intention!
8. And albeit hitherto I have not deserved to love Thee so much as I ought, yet such is my desire that I would most gladly do it.
9. Grant me to accomplish and perform Thy holy inspirations.
10. Transform, most sweet Saviour, my tepidity into a most fervent love of Thee. For the only thing I desire to attain unto by this my prayer is, that I may be able to love Thee with a most ardent affection.
ACTUS CONTRITIONIS, &c.
ET DE IV. NOVISSIMIS.
1. Exercitium Contritionis.
1. Infelix ego homo, quis me liberabit de corpore mortis hujus?
2. Heu quam multa habeo quæ defleam! cum nihil sit unde merito gaudeam.
3. Ah Domine Deus meus, quid unquam fiet de me cum deficiam quotidie, et non desinam offendere Te!
4. Quando resurgam? putasne mortuus homo rursum vivet?
5. Domino ante Te omne desiderium meum, et gemitus meus a Te non est absconditus.
6. Cur non tollis peccatum meum? Nam sicut onus grave gravatæ sunt super me iniquitates meæ; et non potero ut viderem.
7. Si Tu præterieris, Domine, quis miserebitur mei: aut quis alligabit vulnera mea?
8. Numquid voluntatis Tuæ est mors impii? Nonne miserationes Tuæ super omnia opera Tua.
9. Quid dicam Tibi, O immensa bonitas? Peccavi, sed parce mihi: et noli me damnare, qui pro me condemnari voluisti.
10. Volo ego quidem servire Tibi: sed sine Te non valeo: Tu ergo qui dedisti velle, da perficere.
2. Exercitium de Morte.
1. O anima mea, quid fiet de nobis si nos ultima hora tot et tantis peccatis onustos occupet?
2. O mors, finis temporis O, initium æternitatis! Quam terribilis es iis quibus peccatum est jucundum!
3. Doimine per omnes miserationes Tuas da mihi ut ultimum hoc momentum non sit mihi infaustum: sit mihi potius tota mea vita doloribus et afflictionibus plena.
4. Heu Deus meus et omne bonum meum: esto Tu solus liberator meus et amicum refugium meum in die illa terribili.
5. Da mihi ut ab hoc momento non cessem providere quæ ad pacem mihi erunt in illa periculosa tempestate.
6. Recogitabo Tibi Domine, omnes annos meos in amaritudine animæ meæ.
7. O mortis stimule peccatum, ab hac hora blanditiis tuis mortiferis renuncio.
8. Dicam Deo susceptor meus es Tu: illumina oculos meos, ne unquam obdormiam in morte.
9. Hie ure, hic seca Domine: modo in æternum parcas.
10. Recordare, Jesu pie, quod sum causa Tum viæ, ne me perdas illa die!
3. Exercitium de Judicio.
1. O peccatum! O æternitas!
2. Væ mihi, cum aperientur libri, et dicitur, Ecce homo et opera ejus. Heu mihi Domine in illa die si inventus fuero minus habens.
3. Per omnes miserationes Tuas Domine, da mihi ut meipsum hic judicando, terribile illud judicium Tuum præveniam.
4. Nunc scio et video, quia malum et amarum est dereliquisse Te Deum meum.
5. O anima stulta et insipiens! times offendere homines qui tecum judicandi sunt, et non times Supremum Judicem offendere?
6. O quam bonus es Domine, qui mihi spatium et opportunitatem dedisti providendi contra istius diei terrorem.
7. Ecce offero Tibi cor meum: purifica illud ab omni labe quæ Tibi displicere poterit.
8. Recte vereor omnia opera mea: nam delicta quis intelligit? ab occultis meis munda me Domine.
9. Super custodiam meam stabo: sed frustra vigilo nisi Tu custodias.
10. Confige timore Tuo carnes meas: a judiciis enim Tuis timui.
4. Exercitium de Inferno.
1. Domine, quis novit potestatem viæ Tuæ: aut præ timore viam Tuam dinumerare?
2. O anima mea, nunquid poteris habitare cum igne devorante? nunquid habitabis cum ardoribus sempiternis?
3. Abominor, O Inferne, blasphemias et maledictiones tuas stridores dentium et ululatus: et horum omnium infelicissimam æternitatem.
4. Recordare Domine Jesu, quia Tuum non est perdere ex eo quod Pater Tuus dedit Tibi.
5. Quod enim debuimus Tu solvisti: quod peccavimus Tu luisti: quod negleximus Tu supplesti.
6. Conserva me opus Tuæ pietatis: ne incassum circa ipsum laboraveris, et ne infructuosa sit in me immaculati Cruoris Tui effusio.
7. Non est auxilium mihi in me: libera me, Domine, et pone me juxta Te et cujusvis manus pugnet contra me.
8. Mirifica misericordias tuas, qui salvos facis sperantes in Te.
9. Qui certamen forte dedisti nobis: da ut vincamus.
10. Ut confiteamur Tibi dicentes: Benedictus Deus qui non dedit nos in captionem dentibus inimicorum nostrorum: anima nostra sicut passer erepta est de laqueo venantium: laqueus contritus est et nos liberati sumus.
5. Exercitium de Paradiso.
1. Gloriosa dicta sunt de te, civitas Dei: sicut lætantium omnium habitatio est in te: fundaris enim exaltatione universæ terræ.
2. Unam petii a Domino, hanc requiram: ut inhabitem in domo Domini omnibus diebus vitæ meæ: et in lumine ejus videam lumen.
3. Domine, modo ut videam decorem tuum in regno Tuo: duc me per lucem aut tenebras; per vitam aut mortem.
4. Libenter moriar mihi ipsi et omnibus creaturis: ut Tibi soli et Tecum in æternam vivam.
5. O anima mea, festinemus ad patriam nostram: ubi nulli sunt laquei: ubi nunquam Deum tuum offendes.
6. Heu mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus est: habitavi cum habitantibus Cedar: multum incola fuit anima mea.
7. Mihi adhearere Deo bonum est: quid enim mihi est in coelo et a Te quid volui super terram? Deus cordis mei, et pars mea Deus in æternum.
8. O Deus charitas! ad quid me creasti? nonne ut amem Te et ut amando in æternum fruar Te?
9. Da mihi, Domine aut amare aut mori: imo da mihi mori, ut digne amem Te.
10. Ecce cor meum quod offero Tibi: et quid volo nisi ut sit holocaustum charitatis ad æternam gloriam Tuam. Amen.
HOLY EXERCISES OF PURE LOVE TO GOD.
The First Exercise.
1. I do rejoice in all the perfections that are in Thee, O my God, as in Thy wisdom, goodness, power, and all other Thy divine prerogatives and perfections.
2. Let it please and suffice me that Thou art infinitely happy and rich (my most benign and loving Father).
3. I do rejoice at the presence of Thee, my God, in heaven (where Thou reignest as in Thy kingdom), and that Thou art there worshipped, adored, and loved by all Thy Angels and Saints.
4. So that if it were in my power, I would love and honour Thee with all that love and worship wherewith all the Angels and Saints do there love Thee.
5. I do rejoice in all the loves and services that the just men in the Church (especially the perfect) in all former ages, in the present or in the future ages have and do, or shall bear and perform towards Thee.
6. And I desire to love Thee with the love of them, and would for Thy love do and perform, if it lay in my power, all their works, as well internal as external, and would undergo all their labours, and endure all their afflictions.
7. I do heartily rejoice in all the good things that are in the elect servants of God, but especially for the wonderful gifts of the perfect, and that they are by Thee, O my God, illuminated, inflamed, and sanctified.
8. My love and desire towards Thee, O my God, is such, and so great, that if it were possible to me, and acceptable to Thee, I would of each soul (especially my own) make a kingdom of heaven, that Thou mightest be beloved and praised in so many heavens by the dwellers in them.
9. Which, if it lay in my power, should be more in number than the grass piles on the earth, the sands in the sea, or drops of water therein.
10. I do here in Thy presence, O my God, hold and repute myself as nothing; and whatsoever I have above nothing, natural or supernatural, I acknowledge it to be Thine only.
11. And because of myself I am nothing, and that my God is all good, and that all good things come only from Him, I do greatly rejoice, and with all my heart confess that I am nothing, can do nothing, and have nothing; for both my being and ability to do, and all I have, is Thine and from Thee.
The Second Exercise.
1. I do here, in the presence of God, repute and judge myself the most vile of all creatures; and because I cannot feel or perceive this in myself, but rather the contrary (having a good and great opinion of myself), I do acknowledge, therefore, that I am the most proud and ungrateful of all others; and I do bewail myself as such an one.
2. O my God, I love and desire to love Thee, with a love pure and free from all respect of proper commodity and self-interest.
3. I love Thee, my Lord, with a perseverant love, purposing by the help of Thy holy grace and assistance never to be separated from Thee by sin.
4. And if I were to live for millions of years, yet would I ever remain Thy faithful servant and lover.
5. I wish all creatures would adore and serve Thee, and that infidels may be converted to Thy faith, and all sinners to a good life; and all this only for Thy supreme honour and glory.
6. I wish that neither myself nor any other had ever offended Thee, my God; and that in particular I myself had ever served Thee faithfully from the instant of my nativity.
7. I wish and desire that both I myself and all others may Hereafter serve and love Thee most faithfully, and this for the love and good-will I bear Thee.
8. I rejoice and congratulate that Thou, my Lord God, art so rich and happy, that all creatures can add no more to Thy happiness than already Thou hast;
9. Nevertheless, because Thou mayest have external honour and worship from Thy creatures, I do wish sincerely that all of them may accordingly perform their service and the worship due unto Thee the best they can.
10. I am sorry for all the sins and indignities that are, have, or shall be done unto Thee, by myself or any others.
11. And this principally and only I am sorry for, because these sins are injuries done to Thy Divine Majesty, who only art worthy to be honoured and served by all Thy creatures.
12. I do joyfully accept and am glad of all that is pleasing to God, be it prosperity or adversity, sweet or bitter, and this merely for the love I bear Him.
13. I am sorry for all that doth displease God, or is contrary to His divine will or commandments, and all this only for the love of Him and His glory.
The Third Exercise.
1. I congratulate with Thee, O my God, for the blessedness and all the perfections that are in Thee, and which for all eternity Thou hast ever had; as Thy omnipotence, wisdom, goodness, &c.
2. I congratulate with Thee also, and am glad that Thou hast need of no extrinsical thing, but art in Thyself most rich and fully sufficient both for Thyself and all creatures.
3. I likewise with Thee, O my Lord, rejoice in the sweet ordinance and disposition of heaven and earth, and for all the things which are in the marvellous creation of this world, and for all the works which Thou hast made, or shalt yet make unto the end of the world.
4. I congratulate, approve, and rejoice in all the judgments of my Lord God, as well manifest as secret: concerning the devils, the souls of the damned, the unbaptised children in Limbo, the souls that are in Purgatory, and the wicked men that live in this world.
5. I congratulate and rejoice with Thee, O my God, in all the lauds and praises which the Angels and Saints in heaven and Thy servants on earth do give Thee, and for all the worship they yield unto Thee.
6. Because I find myself altogether insufficient to praise my God, I do for my help and assistance therein invite and call upon the holy angels and all creatures;
7. And with them I join my own soul, with all the powers of it, that all of them together may glorify my God for His infinite excellency.
8. I am sorry I am not perfect, and wish that (so far as it may please my God to grant) I may be perfect the more worthily to praise Thee;
9. And not out of any commodity by it to myself, but purely for the love I bear Thy Divine Majesty, who art infinitely worthy of more love and honour than all creatures that are or can be, are able to perform towards Thee.
10. Exult and rejoice and be thou delighted, O my soul, for all the excellency and good things that are in thy God.
11. I rejoice in the dignity that our Saviour Christ now hath in heaven, and congratulate Him in it.
The Fourth Exercise.
1. Blessed be Thy Eternal Father, O Heavenly Lord Jesus, who so abundantly bestowed these felicities on Thee; do Thou blessedly and gloriously enjoy them for all eternity.
2. I congratulate the most Blessed Virgin Mary and all the Angels and Saints in heaven for the glory and happiness which they now enjoy;
3. And I praise and exalt my God for His great goodness and liberality therein showed towards those His most faithful and elect friends.
4. I do exceedingly rejoice that since all creatures together are in no sort able to praise,Thee, my God, according to the very least worth that is in Thee, yet Thou Thyself, and Thou only, art able sufficiently and perfectly to praise and glorify Thyself.
5. I do rejoice indeed at this, and do heartily desire Thee to do it evermore.
6. Yea, I do heartily crave of Thee that Thou mayest incessantly and most intensively praise Thyself, since Thou only art able to do it, and deservest to have it done.
7. I do congratulate and rejoice with Thee, O my Lord God, in all the works which Thou hast done; and this only because they are the works of Thy hands.
8. As for the creation of the world, Thy providence about it, Thy redemption of it; wonderfully esteeming all these works, because they are Thine.
9. And I rejoice as well in that Thou hast made a hell for the punishment of the wicked, as a heaven for the reward of the good.
10. I wish and desire, out of my love to God, that He may be praised and known of all men; and I do invite all creatures to do the same with myself.
11. I offer myself, for the love of my God, to bear and suffer all things which may be to His honour and glory; though no manner of commodity accrue to me thereby, but purely I do it out of the free love I bear, and desire to bear, towards my God.
12. Lastly, I profess that if I could desire anything wherein I might show or exercise my love towards my God, I hope (with the help of His grace) I should and would do it most cheerfully and readily out of the pure and sincere love that I bear and wish to bear towards my God, without respect of any commodity by it to myself: which God grant me to do for His glory and my happiness. Amen.
CERTAIN AMOROUS DESIRES, &c.
TO BE USED ACCORDING TO THE DISPOSITION OF THE SOUL
1. O Domine da quod jubes et jube quod vis.
Grant me to do what Thou commandest, O my Lord, and command what Thou wilt.
2. O vita animæ meæ!
O life of my soul!
3. In manus Tuas Domine commendo spiritum meum.
Into Thy hands, O Lord, I do commend my spirit.
4. Paratum cor meum Deus, paratum cor meum.
My heart is ready, O my God, my Heart is ready.
5. Ecce ego; mitte me.
Lo, here I am; send me.
6. Domine quid mihi est in coelo et a Te quid volui super terram?
O Lord, what is there in heaven, or what upon earth, that I would have besides Thee?
7. Domine quid me vis facere?
Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?
8. Heu mihi quia incolatus meus prolongatus est!
O woe is to me, that my sojourning is prolonged!
9. Domine Tu scis quia amo Te, et animam meam ponam pro Te.
Thou knowest, O Lord, that I love Thee, and will bestow my life for Thee.
10. Quemadmodum desiderat cervus ad fontes aquarum, ita desiderat anima me ad Te Deus.
Even as the hart doth thirst after the fountain of waters, so doth my soul thirst after Thee, O God.
11. Cupio dissolvi et esse cum Christo.
I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ.
12. Quando veniam et apparebo ante faciem Domini?
When shall I come and appear before the face of our Lord?
13. Precor coelestem Regem, ut me dolentem nimium faciat eum cernere.
I beseech the Heavenly King to cause me (who am very much grieved for want of it) to come to the sight of Him whom I so much love.
14. Domine si inveni gratiam in oculis Tuis, ostende faciem Tuam.
Lord, if I have found favour in Thy sight, show unto me Thy face.
15. Benedic anima mea Domino, et omnia quæ intra me sunt nomini sancto Ejus.
O my soul, and all that is within me, bless ye our Lord, and praise His holy name.
16. Benedicam Dominum in omni tempore, semper laus Ejus in ore meo.
I will bless our Lord at all times, His praise shall ever be in my mouth.
17. Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth; pleni sunt coeli et terra majestatis gloriæ Tuæ.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth; heaven and earth are full of the majesty of Thy glory.
18. Deus, Deus, meus respice in me; quare me dereliquisti?
O my God, my God, look upon me; why hast Thou forsaken me?
19. Deus meus, adjutor meus, sperabo in Te.
O my God, my Helper, I will hope in Thee.
20. Domine in coelo misericordia Tua, et veritas Tua usque ad nubes.
O Lord, Thy mercy is in heaven, and Thy truth reacheth to the clouds.
21. Ad Te levavi oculos meos qui habitas in coelis.
To Thee have I lifted up mine eyes, who dwellest in heaven.
22. Dilectus meus mihi et ego Illi.
My Beloved is mine, and I am His.
23. Regnum Tuum regnum omnium sæculorum, et dominatio Tua in omni generatione et generatione.
Thy kingdom is a kingdom for ever, and Thy reign is for all generations and generations.
24. Vulnerasti cor meum Sponse mi, vulnerasti cor meum.
Thou hast wounded my heart, my Spouse, Thou hast wounded my heart.
25. Adjuro vas filiæ Jerusalem, si inveneritis dilectum meum, ut nuntietis Ei quia amore langueo.
I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you shall find my Beloved, tell Him that I languish with love.
26. Veni dilecte mi, veni.
Come, Thou my Beloved, come.
27. Quo abiit dilectus tuus? quo declinavit dilectus tuus? et quæremus eum tecum.
Whither is thy Beloved gone? whither is thy Beloved turned aside? and we will seek Him with thee.
28. Quis mihi det ut inveniam Te et deosculer Te?
Who shall procure unto me, that I may find Thee and kiss Thee?
29. Trahe me post Te, curremus in odorem unguentorum Tuorum.
Draw me after Thee, we shall run in the odour of Thine ointments.
30. Indica mihi quem diligit anima mea, ubi pascas, ubi cubes.
Thou whom my soul loveth, show unto me where Thou dost eat, where Thou dost lodge.
31. Ostende mihi faciem Tuam; sonet vox Tua in auribus meis.
Show me Thy face; let Thy voice sound in mine ears.
32. Quæsivi quem diligit anima mea, quæsivi Illum et non inveni.
I have sought for Him whom my soul loveth; I have sought for Him, and have not found Him.
33. Paululum cum transissem, inveni quem diligit anim mea.
When I had gone a little farther, I found Him whom my soul loveth.
34. Anima mea liquefacta est, ut locutus est mihi.
My soul melted as He spoke to me.
35. Diligam te Domine fortitudo mea, firmamentum meum, et refugium et liberator meus.
I will love Thee, O Lord, my strength, my firm foundation, my refuge, and my deliverer.
36. Illumina oculos meos ne unquam obdormiam in morte: ne quando dicat inimicus meus, prævalui adversus eum.
Enlighten mine eyes, that I may never sleep in death; lest mine enemy may come at length to say, I have prevailed against him.
37. Dignus es Tu Domine Deus accipere gloriam et honorem et virtutem et benedictionem.
Thou art worthy, O Lord God, to have glory and honour and power and praise.
38. Confiteantur Tibi Domine omnia opera Tua, et sancti Tui benedicant Tibi.
Let Thy works, O Lord, confess unto Thee, and let Thy Saints praise Thee.
39. Si oportuerit me mori non te negabo.
Though I were to die for it, yet I would not deny Thee.
40. Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, &c. Non dimittam Te nisi benediceris mihi.
I will not let Thee go till Thou hast blessed me.
41. Miserere mei Deus, miserere mei, quoniam in Te confidit anima mea.
Have mercy on me, O Lord, have mercy on me, because my soul doth confide in Thee.
42. Beati qui habitant in domo tua Domine, in sæcula sæculorum laudabunt Te.
Blessed are they who dwell in Thy house, O Lord; they praise Thee for ever and ever.
43. O all my hope!
44. O all my glory!
45. O all my refuge, and all my joy!
46. O life of my soul, and the pleasant repose of my spirit!
47. Mortify in me whatsoever displeaseth Thy sight, and make me according to Thy Heart.
48. Wound me, O Lord, wound the most inward part of my soul with the darts of Thy love,
49. And make me drunk with the wine of Thy perfect charity.
50. When shall all die in me which is contrary to Thee?
51. When shall I live to be no more mine own?
52. When shall nothing else live in me, but Thou, O Jesus?
53. When shall the flames of Thy love wholly consume me?
54. When shall I be altogether melted and pierced through with the wonderful efficacy of Thy sweetness?
55. When wilt Thou free me from all these impediments and distractions, and make me one spirit with Thee, that I may not any more depart from Thee?
56. O dearly beloved! O dearly beloved of my soul!
57. O sweetness of my heart!
58. O God of my soul, why guidest not Thou Thyself to Thy poor creature?
59. Thou fillest heaven and earth, and wilt Thou leave my heart empty?
60. Too late have I known Thee, O infinite goodness!
61. Too late have I loved Thee, O beauty so ancient and so new!
62. Woe to me, I have loved Thee not!
63. Blind I was that I saw Thee not.
64. Thou wert within me, and I went, seeking Thee abroad;
65. But now that I have found Thee, though late, suffer not, good Lord, that I ever leave Thee. Amen. Amen. Amen.
CERTAIN AMOROUS SPEECHES OF THE SOUL TO HERSELF IN PRAYER:
THE WHICH ARE A GOOD FORM OR MATTER OF PRAYER TO BE NOW AND THEN MADE USE OF, WHEN THE SOUL IS NOT ABLE OR APT TO CONTINUE SPEAKING IMMEDIATELY TO GOD.
The like is to be said of the following Devotions to our Blessed Lady, &c.
1. O my soul, when wilt thou be ready to follow the humility of thy Lord Jesus Christ?
2. When shall the example of His patience shine in thee?
3. When wilt thou be wholly free from passions and vicious affections?
4. When wilt thou peaceably and gently endure all tribulation and temptation?
5. When wilt thou perfectly love thy God?
6. When wilt thou be pure, simple, and resigned before Him?
7. How long will it be ere thou be hindered no more from His most chaste embraces?
8. O that thou didst fervently love God!
9. O that thou didst inseparably cleave unto thy chiefest good!
10. O my soul, where is thy love? where is thy treasure? where is thy desire? where is all thy good? where is thy God? when shalt thou be with Him? when shalt thou most happily enjoy Him?
11. If thou hast sinned and art wounded, behold thy God, behold thy Physician is ready to cure thee.
12. Peradventure thou art afraid, because He is thy judge; but take heart, for He who is thy judge is also thy advocate.
13. His mercy is infinitely greater than is or can be thy iniquity.
14. Thy God is most gentle, most sweet; He is wholly amiable, wholly desirable, and loveth all things which He has created.
15. Let not thine imperfections discourage thee too much, for thy God doth not despise thee, because thou art frail and infirm; but loveth thee exceedingly, because thou desirest and labourest to be more perfect.
16. Arise, my soul; arise out of the dust, thou captive daughter of Sion.
17. Arise, forsake the puddle of thy negligent life.
18. How long must thou take pleasure in perils? how long wilt thou esteem anxiety and torments to be rest? how long wilt thou securely sleep in destruction?
19. Return unto our Lord thy God, for He expecteth thee.
20. Make haste, be not slack, for He is ready to receive thee.
21. Join thyself to Jesus, He will illuminate thee.
22. Alas, my soul, how ungrateful hast thou been to thy God!
23. He hath promised those things unto thee, which neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor can the heart of man comprehend.
24. O my soul, if it were necessary daily to suffer torments, yea, to endure hell itself for a long time together, that we might see Christ in His glory and be joined in fellowship of the Saints in His heavenly city, were it not meet, thinkest thou, to sustain all manner of misery that we may be made partakers of so great a good and so great a felicity?
25. Love Him, then, love Him of whom thou art beloved; attend to Him that attendeth to thee, and seek Him that seeketh thee.
26. Love this Lover, of whom thou art beloved, with whose love thou art prevented, and who is the fountain from whence thy love floweth.
27. O my soul, sigh vehemently and aspire fervently to that glorious city so highly spoken of!
28. Heaven and earth and all therein contained do continually exhort thee to love thy Lord God.
29. Why art thou sad, O my soul? and why art thou troubled? Hope in our Lord, for He will be thy comfort and solace.
30. Sweet and amiable Jesus is present with thee; thou must with reverence and love attend unto Him.
AN EXAMPLE OF ACTS WHICH A SOUL MAY EXERCISE TOWARDS GOD AS ABSENT FROM HER.
1. I will bless our Lord at all times, His praises shall ever be in my mouth.
2. Our Lord have mercy on us, enlighten His countenance upon us and take pity on us.
3. It is good for me to seek after our Lord and get near unto Him, for He is our hope and our all.
(The Psalms of David are full of these acts.)
AN EXAMPLE OF SPEAKING SUPPOSED TO BE MADE BY GOD TO THE SOUL.
1. Son, it behoveth thee to give all for all, and reserve nothing to thyself.
2. Son, where is true peace to be found? is it not in Me?
3. Son, thou canst not attain to perfect liberty if thou dost not wholly forsake thyself.
4. Son, abide constant, and hope in Me: this is all in all.
AN EXERCISE OF DEVOTION TO OUR BLESSED LADY MOTHER OF GOD.
1. Hail, sweet Mary; hail, most sacred Virgin, whom God before all ages did choose for His most sacred Mother;
2. Thou art betwixt God and man, that blessed mediatrix by whom the highest things are joined to the lowest;
3. Thou art the beginning of life, the gate or entry of grace, the safe haven of the world suffering shipwreck;
4. Obtain for me, I beseech thee, perfect pardon of my sins and the perfect grace of the Holy Ghost;
5. That I may diligently worship, chastely and fervently love thy Son my Saviour, and thee the Mother of mercy.
6. Hail, sweet Mary, whom, foreshadowed in sundry figurative speeches, and promised in divers oracles of the Prophets, the ancient fathers did covet most earnestly;
7. O my Lady, receive me for thy poor servant; adopt me, O Mother, for thy son;
8. Grant that I may be numbered among them whom thou dost love (whose names are written in thy virginal breast), and whom thou dost teach, direct, help, cherish, and protect.
9. Hail, sweet Mary, whom God by a most Honourable privilege did preserve from sin,
10. And adorned with most singular graces and most excellent gifts;
11. O glorious Virgin, O gracious Virgin, O most pure Virgin, O most pure Virgin chosen amongst thousands;
12. Do not repel me, wicked sinner; do not despise and reject me, defiled with the filth of sin;
13. But hear me, a miserable wretch, crying unto thee; comfort me, desiring thee; and help me, trusting in thee. Amen.
AN EXERCISE TO THE HOLY ANGELS, AND ESPECIALLY THE ANGEL GUARDIAN.
1. I salute you, O holy spirits, and with all my heart congratulate your happiness, who continually contemplate the Divine Face and all-satiating Goodness:
2. You, O Seraphim, Cherubim, and Thrones, who are of the higher hierarchy; you, O Dominations, Virtues, and Powers, of the middle; you, O Princes, Archangels, and Angels, of the lowest, who continually sing, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth.
3. Thou, O my Lord, hast made these holy spirits angels for my benefit, and hast commanded them to keep me in all Thy ways.
4. They do therefore assist us with great care, and with watchful endeavour at all times and in all places succouring us.
5. They present our sighs and sobs to Thee, O Lord; they inflame our wills, illuminate our understandings, and replenish our minds with holy thoughts.
6. They walk with us in all our ways, rejoicing at our virtues and contristated at our vices.
7. Their love is great and excessive towards us.
8. They help such as are taking pains; they protect such as are at rest; they encourage such as fight; they crown the conquerors; they rejoice with such as joy (I mean such as joy in Thee); and they suffer with such as suffer (I mean such as are in sufferance for Thee).
9. Great and very great is the honour done to man to have angels to wait on and assist him.
10. O my dear Angel Guardian, govern, protect, and defend me; illuminate, comfort, and direct me, now and evermore.
11. O blessed angels, be you ever blessed and praised for all and every favour and benefit you have most lovingly and powerfully bestowed on me and vouchsafed me.
12. Grant, O Father of heaven and earth, that they may ever rejoice concerning us (that is, by our practice of virtue), and that Thou mayest ever be praised by them and us; and that both they and we may be brought into one sheepfold, that together we may confess to Thy holy name, O Thou Creator of men and angels. Amen.
AN EXERCISE OF DEVOTION TOWARDS OUR HOLY FATHER AND RELIGIOUS FOUNDER, ST. BENEDICT.
1. Hail, most blessed and glorious Father; I congratulate with all my heart thy glory and grace with God.
2. I praise likewise and thank the Divine Goodness that made thee worthy and brought thee to thy fame,
3. Bestowing on thee in this life very great natural and supernatural gifts and graces, by means whereof thou hast obtained thy present most glorious and happy condition.
4. In particular I praise and magnify the same Divine Goodness for that it gave thee the grace in the very flower or prime of thy youth, with a thirsty mind to seek after the sole felicity of the future life.
5. And for that end to forsake all the vain pleasures of this life; the solaces of thy parents, kindred, and country; the desire of human sciences and learning; and (generally) all things that might not be needful for thee towards attaining the foresaid felicity.
6. And I praise and magnify the same Divine Goodness that, by such calling and taking of thee so timely out of the world and the snares of it, He freed and secured thee from worse habits and multitudes of sins which the world (if thou hadst remained longer in it) had been apt to breed and cause in thee.
7. I praise and magnify the same Divine Goodness for leading thee to a place of solitude, and there providing for thee all corporal necessaries towards His holy service and thine own soul's good;
8. And especially for that the same Divine Goodness itself vouchsafed to become thy immediate Master and Director, inspiring thee and teaching thee what to do continually;
9. And gave thee grace and strength to perform and accomplish the things necessary and expedient to the end He called thee to;
10. And, namely, to live in mortification of body and will, and, as it were, in continual prayer and high contemplation.
11. I praise and glorify the same Divine Goodness for bestowing on thee the most necessary gift of perseverance, by which thou didst remain constant in such perfect divine service from thy first call to the very period of thy life;
12. That, coming to die, even ripe for most holy death, thou didst, as it were, pass from life to life, as one who feels not what corporal death means;
13. So that thy expiration was aspiration, according to what St. Gregory said of thee: Ultimum spiritum inter verba orationis efflavit;' to wit, His last breath was prayer: passing forth of the faithful contemplation of this life to the real and beatifical contemplation of the other.
14. I now cordially congratulate the perfect felicity thou enjoyest.
15. And since I am called by the divine grace (as I truly hope) to live according to thy holy rite for my salvation and perfection, vouchsafe thy holy intercession for that end, that I may, through God's grace, live accordingly and die consummated and perfect therein and thereby, for without His grace I can do nothing;
16. And, as the said St. Gregory saith, thou framest thy rule according to thy holy life. Sweet Jesus, give me grace interiorly and exteriorly to be a faithful imitator thereof;
17. That I may be led by the same guide, the Holy Ghost,
18. And exercise true spiritual prayer, the only means to all virtues;
19. That I may in all things abandon myself with all purity of intention,
20. And do all good and abstain from all evil which interiorly and exteriorly may concern me,
21. Especially in all things occurring, patiently to suffer all injuries and crosses
22. And that all may be accomplished, God grant me, as He did to thee, the gift of perseverance;
23. That I expiring may be admitted into the happy society of thee and thy faithful followers. Which God grant, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
(This exercise to St. Benedict was the devotion of the Venerable Father Baker, to give God thanks for the happiness of his religious vocation.)
HOLY EXERCISES
OF ACTS OF THE WILL.
The First Exercise.
1. My God, Thou art of a most simple being, therefore infinite in all perfections;
2. I do adore Thee with my whole heart, with most profound humility and reverence;
3. And because Thou only art most worthy of all love, I do and for ever will (through Thy grace) love Thee with a most entire and sincere love.
4. Thy being, O my God, is incomprehensibly immense, filling and penetrating all things;
5. O, teach me, therefore, so to live as being always in Thy presence;
6. Possess my heart as Thy temple, and reign in it as Thy throne.
7. I offer unto Thee, my life and all my faculties and strength, to be employed only in Thy service.
8. Thou, O my God, art alone from everlasting to everlasting; eternally and unchangeably perfect and happy.
9. O my soul, never cease to bless our infinitely great and bountiful Lord, all whose perfections and happiness shall eternally be contemplated and enjoyed by thee.
10. O, bless our Lord, all the works of our Lord; praise Him and exalt Him for ever.
The Second Exercise.
1. Great art Thou, O Lord, and great is Thy power; yea, and Thy wisdom is infinite.
2. Send, O God, out of Thy inexhaustible fountain of light, one beam into my soul, that I may perfectly see, admire, and adore all Thy most wise and secret judgments.
3. O my soul, how filthy and odious is sin, when thou lookest upon it by a divine light!
4. O, how ungrateful have I been to my most merciful God, whose infinite power and wisdom have been continually watchful over me!
5. Whom need I to fear, having a Saviour infinite both in power, wisdom, and goodness?
6. Thou, my God, art good, not with this or that kind of goodness, or after such or such a manner; but simple good, without all limitation or measure.
7. O my soul, if a small shadow and appearance of good here on earth doth, with such violence, draw our affections, how ought we to love Him by whom all good is communicated to creatures!
8. My God, if I had in my heart all the capacity of loving that is in all men and angels, it were all due to Thee alone. How much more, then, ought I to employ all that little power that is in me!
9. My God, give me this proof of sincere love to Thee, to make me as well love Thee commanding as promising; as well chastising as comforting.
10. How happy were we, O my soul, if we had no other will but the will of Jesus!
The Third Exercise.
1. My God, Thou art the author, end, and measure of all purity and holiness; before whom folly is found even in the angels.
2. How infinite is Thy goodness, then, since Thou desirest that my heart may become a temple for Thy holiness to dwell in!
3. O that Thy presence would purify it from all strange and unworthy affections to creatures!
4. O that there I might have my only conversation with Thee in a holy silence and solitude!
5. O my soul, conceive if thou canst how ugly and abominable sin (which is impurity itself) is in the eyes of our God, who is purity itself.
6. Thy divine providence, O my God, stretcheth to all creatures whatsoever; by its law all things arise, fall, move, and rest: even the very hairs of our heads are numbered by Thee.
7. O ungrateful and foolish wretch that I am, how oft have I desired and even endeavoured to withdraw myself from this all-comprehending providence, having a will to live according to mine own most imprudent judgment! My God, I repent me of this from the bottom of my heart, and most humbly beg pardon of Thee.
8. From this hour my purpose, through Thy grace, is to accept and welcome all occurrences, whether pleasing or distasteful to sense, as coming from Thy heavenly providence: this shall be my comfort and stay in all my afflictions; in dangers, security; and perfect rest of mind in expectation of future events.
9. Do Thou alone, O my God, provide, determine, will, and choose for me.
10. Hast not Thou, O my God, provided for me Thine own kingdom? What, then, can make me dejected?
The Fourth Exercise.
1. Who can declare the mercies of my God towards my soul? Of nothing He raised me to the dignity of an intellectual, immortal nature; from the low state of nature He exalted me to the divine state of grace; from thence He will raise me to a participation of His glory and happiness.
2. Bless thou our Lord, O my soul; and all that is in me, praise His holy name.
3. And with me let all His holy Angels and Saints sing forth the praises of my God, my most merciful and liberal Benefactor.
4. Let it suffice, O my soul, that hitherto we have been so unpardonably ungrateful.
5. My God, through Thy grace I will consecrate the remainder of my life to the glorifying of Thy holy name, directing all the powers of my body and soul to the accomplishing of Thy will and increasing of Thy glory and praise.
6. Thy right hand, O my God, is full of righteousness: Thou art a most just Judge, and with Thee is no acceptation of persons; but Thou renderest to every one according to his works.
7. This Thy justice is as truly acceptable to me as Thy goodness.
8. Be Thou therefore exalted in the punishing of all obstinate impenitent sinners; for just and reasonable it is that Thou shouldst be feared.
9. But Thy will it is, O my God, that I should appeal from Thy tribunal of justice to that of mercy, being desirous to amend and correct all my past sins and provocations of Thee.
10. However, O my God, if Thou wilt exercise Thy justice on me, let it be in this world, that Thou mayest spare me in the next.
The Fifth Exercise.
1. My God, as Thou art the Author of the being of all things, so art Thou the End also; for Thy glory all things were and are created.
2. And a great proof hereof Thou hast given to all the sons of Adam, for we see that our hearts find no rest at all whilst we adhere by affection to creatures.
3. Therefore, my God, I do here offer myself as a holocaust, to be even consumed to Thy glory.
4. I offer unto Thee my understanding, firmly to adhere to all divine verities revealed by Thee to Thy Church, renouncing all doubt or questioning of any of them; and herein my purpose irrevocable is, through Thy grace, to live and die.
5. O that it would please Thee that all mankind might know Thee, and with a firm faith confess Thee!
6. My God, I do willingly offer unto Thee my blood to seal this my faith, whensoever by Thy providence an occasion shall be presented, hoping that then Thou wilt be my strength and my salvation; and being assured that, whilst I hope in Thee, I shall not be weakened.
7. O my God, that Thou wouldst wholly possess my mind, which is Thine, and which I here offer to Thee! Fill it with good thoughts of Thee only; expel out of my memory all vain seducing objects of vanity.
8. I offer unto Thee, O my God, all my will and affections; to will, love, and desire only that which Thou willest and lovest.
9. If Thou wilt have me to be in light, be Thou ever praised; and if Thou wilt have me to be in darkness, be Thou likewise praised.
10. I renounce all propriety in myself, for I am wholly Thine, both for life and death, for time and eternity.
The Sixth Exercise.
1. My God, in union with that most perfect and acceptable oblation of Thy Son my Saviour Jesus Christ, I offer unto Thee my whole self entirely, and all things that belong unto me, to be employed only in Thy service and worship.
2. Let His worthiness recompense for my unworthiness, that I may obtain that for His merits which I cannot for my own.
3. I offer unto Thee my watching and my sleeps, in union with His waking from the sleep of death.
4. I offer unto Thee all my thoughts, speeches, and actions, to be sanctified and purified to Thy glory by all His most holy thoughts, words, and actions.
5. I offer unto Thee my refections, in union of that Blessed Refection in which He gave His most Precious Body and Blood to nourish the souls of His disciples.
6. I offer unto Thee all the prayers and other exercises of piety which, through Thy grace, I have or shall perform, beseeching Thee to accept them in union with those most perfect merits and heavenly prayers which Thy Son offered to Thee on Mount Olivet or elsewhere.
7. My God, I offer unto Thee all the afflictions, pains, desertions, and tribulations which I either have or ever shall suffer in union with the most bitter Passion of Thy only-begotten Son, my only Saviour.
8. O most sweet and merciful Jesus, as Thou in infinite goodness didst offer Thyself unto Thy Father for the expiation of my sins, and to purchase for me an inheritance of glory, behold I here offer my whole self entirely to Thee, to be employed purely to Thy glory.
9. Do Thou likewise offer me with Thyself, Thy merits and sufferings, to Thy Heavenly Father, that my poverty may be enriched with Thy abundance, and my sins cancelled by Thy merits.
10. O Holy Spirit, the greatest gift that our Heavenly Father had to bestow upon the sons of men, without whose inspiration we cannot so much as think a good thought, behold I offer my heart and my whole self unto Thee, beseeching Thee so to purify my soul with Thy sevenfold graces that I may serve Thee with a chaste body, and please Thee with a pure heart. Amen.
The Seventh Exercise.
1. My God and all my good, I am nothing, I have nothing, I can do nothing that is good as of myself; Thou art all, and all our sufficiency is from Thee only.
2. I do here humbly prostrate my soul before Thee, plunging myself in the abyss of mine own nothing.
3. How infinitely good art Thou, O my God, that vouchsafest to behold and take care of so vile, so unclean a creature as I am!
4. I beseech Thee that even for this most undeserved goodness of Thine I may yet more humble myself before Thee and all others.
5. I am content that my inexpressible vileness were known unto all, to the end that all may treat me according to my demerits, out of a just zeal to Thy glory.
6. O my God, the God of love, I would to God that as I live only in Thee and by Thee, so likewise my living may be for Thy honour and service.
7. My God, even because I am indeed nothing, and Thou alone art all, therefore will I utterly distrust and abandon myself, and securely trust in Thee only, who alone art able to supply my infinite wants and cure my defects.
8. To Thee, O Lord Jesus, is this poor and wretched soul of mine left, to Thy guard is it committed by Thy Heavenly Father; behold I cast all my care and solicitude upon Thee, both for this life and that which is to come.
9. My God, Thou alone art my love, and Thou only shalt be my fear.
10. My God, Thou hast made me unto Thee, and my heart is unquiet (and so let it be more and more) till it rest in Thee; let me find bitterness in all undue love to creatures.
HOLY EXERCISES OF RESIGNATION.
TO THE DEVOUT READER.
Devout Reader,
Above all other acts of the will, our venerable author doth most recommend to practise those of Resignation. For thy use, therefore, I have selected certain forms which thou mayest either exercise as they be, or according to them frame exercises for thyself. Now here thou wilt find both examples of general illimited resignations (most proper for the more perfect, which yet may be used indifferently by any), and likewise of resignations in all particular difficulties and afflictions, either actually pressing or only in imagination and supposition. Now for the use and application of all these I refer thee to the foregoing instructions in Treat. iii. sect. iii. chap. iii. The particular resignations are taken from four heads, in which any person may receive damage, and consequently may have occasion to resign himself, viz.: 1. Goods of fortune, as riches, houses, clothes, &c.; 2. Goods of fame, honour, authority, office, &c.; 3. Goods of the body, as health, strength, beauty, agility, &c.; 4. Goods of the soul, as endowments, natural or supernatural, learning, &c.
Now in regard of these, there first follow short patterns of resignation, according to this order, one after another. If thou desirest acts of this nature and order more largely expressed, I refer thee to the book called the Idiot's Devotions. After these I have several other more extended exercises of particular resignations, consisting of acts relating to the foresaid heads, without any order, one mixed with another. And those which I judged most necessary, and the occasions of them most frequently occurring, I have oft repeated.
ACTS OF GENERAL RESIGNATION.
1. My God, whatsoever I have, whatsoever I can do, all this Thou hast freely bestowed on me. Behold I offer myself and all that belongs to me to Thy heavenly will. Receive, O Lord, my entire will and liberty; possess my understanding, memory, and all my affections; only vouchsafe to bestow upon me Thy love, and I shall be rich enough; nothing more do I desire; Thou alone, O my God, sufficest me.
2. O my God and all my good, I have and do consecrate to Thy love and honour both my body and soul. Conserve them as it shall please Thee, and employ them according to Thine own will in Thy service.
3. My Lord, I here prostrate myself before Thee, to do Thee homage for what I am and may be by Thy grace.
4. My God, I beseech Thee to glorify Thyself by me, according to whatsoever manner Thou shalt please.
5. My God, hereafter I will never search any object of my affections out of Thee, since I see that all good is to be found in Thee.
6. Ecce Domine, ecce cor meum quod offero Tibi, et quid volo nisi ut sit holocaustum charitatis ad æternam gloriam Tuam?
7. O most desirable goodness of my God, let it be to me even as Thou wilt, O eternal, most holy, and well-pleasing will of my Saviour; do Thou reign in and over all my wills and desires from this moment for ever.
8. My God and all my good, for that infinite love of Thine own self, grant that as I live in and by Thee, so may I live only to and for Thee.
9. Deus meus et omne bonum meum, in voluntate Tua vita est; in mêa mors: non meâ voluntas fiat, sed Tua Domine in terra sicut in coelo. Amen. Jesus.
10. O my soul, let us live to Him, and for Him only, that died for us; let us disengage ourselves from this base world; let us pass from sense to reason, and from reason to grace; let us enter into commerce with the angels, that our conversation may be with Jesus, that so by all manner of ways we may be His, both in life and death, in time and eternity.
11. O my soul, let us freely submit ourselves to our Lord's judgments, renouncing our own judgment; let us adore them, though we be ignorant of them. Let us most assuredly believe that He doth nothing but for our greater good. Whatsoever befalls us, let us take it willingly and thankfully from His hands, which are always full of blessings for us.
12. Let Jesus only live and reign in my heart, and let the world and all its vain desires perish.
FORMS OF PARTICULAR ACTS OF RESIGNATION.
1. About External Goods.
For the love of God, and in conformity to His will, I resign myself: 1. To be deprived of any of the clothes that I have, or may have, though never so necessary; 2. or of books; 3. or of convenient lodgings; 4. and to have those things bestowed on me from which my nature is most averted. 5. To be driven to wear clothes that seem base, unfit, or inconvenient for the season. 6. To be ill accommodated in lodging, bedding, &c. 7. To want even necessary clothes. 8. To be forced to wear such clothes as will make me appear ridiculous. 9. To want meat or drink; 10. or to have only such as is ungrateful to nature. 11. To endure crosses that in any sort, spiritually or corporally, may fall on my friends or kindred, as loss of state, infirmity, death, &c.; 12. and, on the other side, to restrain all inordinate complacency in their prosperity. 13. To endure that my friends should neglect, forget, yea, hate and persecute me. 14. To be abandoned of all creatures, so that I may have no man or thing to cleave unto, save only Thee my God, who wilt abundantly suffice me. 15. To be indifferent in what place, company, &c., I shall live; 16. yea, to live with those from whom my nature is most averted. 17. To live in all sorts of afflictions, as long as shall please Thee my God; 18. and not to yield to the motion of nature, which perhaps out of wearisomeness would fain have life at an end. But wholly to conform my will to Thy good will and pleasure; 19. yea, to take pleasure that Thy will may be fulfilled in me any way.
2. Acts of Resignation about our Good Name.
For the love of Thee my God, and in conformity to Thy will, I resign myself: 1. To suffer all manner of disgraces, contempts, affronts, infamies, slanders, &c., be they done to my face or behind my back; 2. though I have given no cause or provocations; 3. yea, after I have done the greatest kindnesses to my defamers; 4. if I have deserved them by my fault I am sorry for it and beg pardon, but am glad of this good effect of it, that it is an occasion of procuring this mortification and humiliation. 5. To suffer injuries either from superiors, equals, or inferiors. 6. To be in life or manner of my death shameful and odious to others; 7. and after death to be evil thought and evil spoken of by others; 8. yea, not to have any that will vouchsafe to pray for me; 9. yea, to be esteemed to have died in the state of eternal damnation; 10. yea, moreover, to have it expressed so to the world in a chronicle, to the shame of all that have relation to me; 11. in this life to be held for the scum of mankind, forsaken by all both in their doings and affections. 12. To be mortally persecuted by professed enemies (though I will account none such); 13. yea, by such as have had great proofs of my charity to them; 14. in sickness and other necessities to be driven to be chargeable and troublesome to others; 15. whereas I in the mean time am profitable to none at all; 16. so that all men do grow weary of me, and long to be rid of me; 17. and in this case to remain several years, yea, all my life long; 18. dying a natural death (so it be in Thy grace), to be esteemed by others to have destroyed myself; 19. and thereupon to have my body ignominiously used, buried in the highway or under the gallows, to the eternal loss of my fame and unspeakable confusion of my kindred, friends, &c.
3. Acts of Resignation about the Body.
For the love of Thee, O my God, and in conformity to Thy will, I resign myself: 1. to suffer weaknesses, sickness; 2. pains; 3. deformity; 4. horror in the sight of others, as was the case of Job and Lazarus. 5. To suffer extremity of heat or cold; 6. want of necessary sleep, and hunger or thirst; 7. indigestion; 8. torments and defects about my five senses. 9. To be affrighted with horrible and hideous sights of devils, &c. 10. To be afflicted with fearful noises. 11. To suffer scourgings, beatings, &c. 12. To be spit upon, as Thou my Saviour wast. 13. To suffer incisions, torments, &c., external and internal. 14. To suffer loss of eyes, hearing, &c.; to be overtoiled with all sorts of labours; 15. and this being in feebleness of body. 16. To lose all pleasure and gust in meats and drinks. 17. To suffer any disfiguring in my face, or distortions in other parts of my body. 18. To suffer the loss of any of my members. 19. To receive harm in my imagination, and thereby to lose my perfect judgment, so as to become a fool or mad. 20. That my body should by little and little putrefy and rot away. 21. To die suddenly, or after long sickness and tokens of death. 22. To die without senses or memory, and distracted or mad. 23. To endure the agony of death, and the long torments that do accompany it. 24. To suffer the unwillingness and terror that nature feels in the separation of the soul from the body. 25. To die a natural death, or else a violent and painful one, procured by others. 26. To die at what time, in what place and manner it shall please Thee my God. 27. To die without the help of any of the Sacraments, being not able to come by them. 28. In the agony of death to endure such terror, afflictions, and temptations as the devil doth then usually procure. 29. Being dead, to want not only all decent or honourable, but even Christian burial, so as that my body may be made a prey to beasts and fowls.
4. Particular Acts of Resignation about the Soul.
For the love of God, and in conformity to His will, I do resign myself: 1. To undergo all sorts of temptations that shall please Thee my God to lay on me or permit to befall me; 2. and to suffer them to the end of my life, ever adhering to Thee. 3. To endure all manner of desolations, aridities, and indevotions. 4. To suffer all obscurity and darkness in my understanding; all coldness and dulness of affection in my will to Thee, so far as I am not able to help it; 5. in all which I renounce the seeking any solace in creatures. 6. To want all manner of gifts and graces not necessary to my salvation; 7. nor to desire inordinately nor rest with affection in supernatural contemplations, sweetnesses, or other extraordinary visits or favours. 8. To resign myself to all things, be they never so contrary to sensuality. 9. To bear with the repugnance that I find in sensuality, till with Thy grace (sooner, or later, or never) it may be brought to perfect subjection to my spirit; in the mean time suffering patiently the difficulty that is in fighting against it, or resisting the desires of it. 10. To endure all the difficulties, tediousnesses, and expectations that are in a spiritual life; also such various changes, chances, and perplexities as are in it; notwithstanding all which my purpose is (through Thy grace) to persevere and go through them all. 11. To bear with my own defectuousness, frailty, and proneness to sin; yet using my best industry, and bearing with what I cannot amend. 12. To die before I can reach to perfection. 13. To live and die in that degree of a spiritual life as shall seem good to Thee, and not according to my own will; 14. yet ever desiring and endeavouring that I may not be wanting in coöperating with Thy calls and graces. 15. To be contented to serve Thee according to that manner Thou hast provided and appointed; that is, with regard to my natural talents, complexion, &c., as likewise such supernatural helps and graces as Thou shalt afford me, and not according to the talents and gifts bestowed on others. 16. To be contented that Thou hast bestowed greater gifts on other men than on me. 17. To understand and know no more nor no otherwise than Thy will is, and to remain ignorant in what Thou wilt have me to be ignorant of. 18. To give up and offer to Thee my God whatsoever honour and contentment may come by such knowledge; for all is Thine. 19. To want all knowledges but such as are necessary to my salvation. 20. To follow Thee by all the ways whatsoever that Thou shalt call me, externally or internally, though I cannot understand how they can lead to a good issue; so walking, as it were, blindfold. 21. To be contented that others excel me in virtues, and that they be better esteemed; yet ever desiring that I may not be wanting in my industries. 22. To be content not to know in what case I am as to my soul; nor in what degree of perfection, nor whether I go backward or forward; 23. nor to know whether I be in the state of grace; only beseeching Thee that I be industrious to please Thee. 24. To be content that another should receive the fruit of all my endeavours and actions, though never so perfect, so purely do I desire to serve Thee. 25. To endure with patience all manner of injuries; 26. and yet to be esteemed by others that I endure them against my will, without humility, with murmuring, revengefulness, and pride, and that the fear of danger or discredit only hinders me from executing such revenge. 27. To serve Thee purely for Thine own sake, so as that I would serve Thee though there had been no reward or punishment. 28. To suffer the pains of Purgatory, though never so bitter, that Thou shalt ordain; 29. and this for as long a time as Thou shalt please. 30. To do and suffer in this life both in soul and body what, and in what manner, and for how long as it shall please Thee my God. 31. To be content to enjoy the lowest place in heaven; 32. and this, although Thou shouldst enable me to merit as much as any or all Thy Saints in heaven have done.
OTHER MIXED RESIGNATIONS.
§ 1. O, how good art Thou, O my God, to those that trust in Thee, to the soul that truly seeks Thee! What art Thou, then, to those that find Thee!
1. Whatsoever I shall suffer, O my God, by Thy ordinance, either in body or soul, and how long soever I shall suffer, I renounce all consolation but what comes from Thee.
2. My God, though Thou shouldst always hide Thy face from me, and never afford me any consolation, yet will I never cease to love, praise, and pray unto Thee.
3. For Thy sake I renounce all pleasure in eating and drinking, being resolved to make use of Thy creatures only in obedience to Thy will, and to the end thereby to be enabled to serve Thee.
4. I resign myself to abide all my lifetime among strangers; yea, or among such as have an aversion towards me, and which will never cease to molest me.
5. My God, casting myself wholly on Thy Fatherly providence, I renounce all care and solicitude for to-morrow concerning anything belonging to this life.
6. I offer unto Thee, O my God, this desire and resolution of my heart, that notwithstanding my continual indevotion, my infinite distractions and defects, &c., I will never give over the exercises of an internal life.
7. My desire is always to be in the lowest place, beneath all creatures, according to my demerit.
8. For Thy love, O my God, I renounce all inordinate affections to my particular friends or kindred.
9. I resign myself to suffer any lameness or distortedness in any of my members.
10. I resign myself to abide all my life among those that are enemies to Thy Catholic Church, and there to be in continual fears, dangers, and persecutions.
§ 2. Draw me, O God, we will run after Thee, because of the odour of Thy precious ointments.
1. For Thy love, O my God, I resign myself to want necessary clothing, or to be deprived of those which I have.
2. I resign myself patiently to bear with the repugnance I find in my corrupt nature, and the difficulty in resisting the unruly passions of it. Yes, through Thy grace, my purpose is to use my best industry and vigilance against it.
3. For Thy love I renounce the seeking after all curious and impertinent knowledge.
4. I renounce all sensual contentment in sleep or other corporal refreshments, being desirous to admit no more of them than shall be necessary, and in obedience to Thy will.
5. My God, through Thy grace, neither hard usage from others, nor any mere outward corporal extremity or want, shall force me to seek a change of my present condition.
6. My God, I do consecrate myself to Thee alone, for the whole remnant of my life to pursue the exercises of an internal life, leaving the fruit and success of my endeavours to Thy holy will.
7. For Thy love, and in conformity to Thy blessed will, I resign myself to be abandoned of all creatures, so as to have none to have recourse unto but Thee only.
8. I offer myself unto Thee, with patience to suffer whatsoever Thou shalt inflict on me, and never to yield to the inclination and feebleness of nature, which perhaps out of wearisomeness would have life at an end.
9. When obedience or charity shall require it, I resign myself to go and abide in a place haunted with evil spirits, being assured that as long as I adhere to Thee they cannot hurt my soul.
10. I renounce rashness, readiness, and forwardness to judge the actions of others, employing all my severity in censuring against myself only.
§ 3. My God and all my good, in Thy heavenly will is life; but death is mine. Not my will, therefore, but Thine be done in earth as it is in heaven.
1. For Thy love, O my God, I do resign myself to be deprived of all the gifts and privileges which in my nature I do most affect, and to see them conferred on the person for whom I have the greatest aversion.
2. I resign myself not only to want the esteem or favour of my superiors, but also to be despised, and hardly, yea, injuriously treated by them.
3. When through my own demerit I do deserve such ill usage from them, I will be sorry and humbled for my fault, and bless Thee for punishing it so easily in this life.
4. O tepidity, I do detest thee.
5. I do resign myself, and am even desirous to find such usage in this world, that I may know and feel it to be only a place of exile.
6. My God, whatsoever affliction or desertion Thou shalt suffer to befall me, through Thy grace I will neither omit, neglect, nor shorten my daily appointed recollections.
7. I offer myself to Thee, O my God, entirely to be disposed of by Thee, both for life and death. Only let me love Thee, and that is sufficient for me.
8. Whatsoever natural or other defectuousness shall be in me, either for mind or body, by which I may incur disesteem from others, I do willingly embrace such occasions of humiliation.
9. I renounce all forwardness to give counsel to others, being much rather desirous to receive it from any other.
10. I do utterly renounce all familiarity and all unnecessary conversation or correspondence with persons of a different sex.
§ 4. My Lord Jesus, Thou who art Truth hast said, My yoke is easy and My burden light.
1. I have received from Thy hands a cross of religious penitential discipline; through Thy grace I will continue to bear it till my death, never forsaking any ways to ease it by external employments, or to escape from it, and shake it off by missions, &c.
2. For Thy love, O my God, and in conformity to Thy will, I resign myself to die when, where, and in what manner Thou shalt ordain.
3. I am content to see others make a great progress in spirit, and to do more good in Thy Church than myself.
4. I renounce all that satisfaction and false peace which is got by yielding to my inordinate passions, and not by resisting and mortifying them.
5. My God, till Thou hast humbled that great pride which is in me, do not spare to send me daily yet more and greater humiliations and mortifications.
6. I offer myself unto Thee, to suffer with patience and quietness whatsoever desolations, obscurity of mind, or deadness of affections that shall befall in a spiritual course; notwithstanding all which, through Thy grace, I will never neglect a serious tendency to Thee.
7. I am content to serve Thee with those mean talents that Thou hast given me.
8. I yield myself to endure all manner of injuries and contempts, and yet to be esteemed by others to be impatient and revengeful.
9. I do renounce all solicitude to please others, or to gain the affections of any one to myself.
10. I do resign myself to such painful and withal base offices as my proud and slothful nature doth abhor, whensoever obedience, charity, or Thy will shall impose them on me.
§ 5. My God, Thou art faithful, and wilt not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able; but wilt with the temptation give an issue that we may be able to bear it.
1. My God, my desire is to serve Thee gratis, like a son, and not as a mercenary.
2. I came into religion to suffer and to serve; I renounce, therefore, all desires of procuring ease, plenty, or superiority.
3. In love to Thee, O my God, I resign myself to follow Thee, by whatsoever ways, external or internal, that Thou shalt conduct me, although I be not able to understand them, nor can see how there can be any good issues of them.
4. I am content to see all become weary and desirous to be rid of me.
5. I am resigned to want whatsoever gift and graces are not necessary to my salvation.
6. In love to Thee, O my God, and in submission to Thy will, I do renounce all inordinate love and correspondence with the world, that so I may attend to Thee only.
7. I resign myself to become a spectacle horrible and loathsome to men's eyes, as was Job or Lazarus.
8. I do adore and most humbly submit myself to Thy most wise and secret judgments concerning my death or future state.
9. I resign myself to suffer those most bitter pains of the stone, gout, colic, &c., if Thou shalt ordain them to fall on me.
10. I renounce all obstinacy in defending mine own opinions, and all desire of victory in discourse.
§ 6. My God, who is like unto Thee, who hast Thy dwelling most high, yet humblest Thyself to regard the things which are (done) in heaven and earth!
1. I resign myself to abide in this place and in this present state of life wherein Thou hast put me; neither will I seek or ever procure a change for any outward sufferings till Thou shalt appoint.
2. Let all creatures scorn, abandon, and persecute me, so that Thou, O my God, wilt accompany and assist me; Thou alone sufficest me.
3. Through Thy grace I will never cease to approach nearer and nearer to Thee by prayer and abstraction from creatures.
4. I do resign myself, whensoever necessity, obedience, or charity shall require it, to visit and assist any one lying sick, though of the plague, or any other infectious or horrible disease.
5. I am contented that those who are nearest to me in blood or friendship should be so averted from me as to abhor my name.
6. I resign myself to die a natural or violent death, and as soon as it shall please Thee.
7. I offer unto Thee this desire and purpose of my heart, that I will esteem no employment to be necessary but the aspiring to a perfect union with Thee, and that I will not undertake any other business but in order to this.
8. I do heartily renounce all affection to all, even venial imperfections and the occasions of them.
9. I renounce all propriety in any dignity or office that I have or may have hereafter.
10. I desire to have no more to do with the world than if I were already dead and buried.
§ 7. My God, it is my only good to adhere unto Thee, who art the God of my heart and my portion for ever.
1. I offer myself unto Thee to be afflicted with whatsoever temptation, external or internal, Thou shalt permit to befall me; and though I should fall never so oft, yet will I not yield to dejection of mind or despair, but will rise up as soon as by Thy grace I shall be enabled.
2. I resign myself to follow Thee, O my Lord Jesus, in the same poverty of which Thou hast given me an example, renouncing all propriety in anything, and being contented and pleased to enjoy only what shall be necessary in all kinds.
3. I resign myself not only to be disfavoured by my superiors, but also to see those most favoured that are most averted from me.
4. My God, although Thou shouldst kill me, yet will I never cease to hope and trust in Thee.
5. I am content not to learn or know any more than Thou wouldst have me to know.
6. I do offer myself to all manner of contradictions and injuries to be sustained from my superiors or brethren, in patience, silence, and without complaining.
7. I renounce all impatience and unquietness for my many defects and hourly imperfections.
8. I do offer unto Thee my desire and resolution never to relinquish an internal spiritual course, notwithstanding any difficulties whatsoever that shall occur in it.
9. My God, I do not desire a removal of all temptations, which show me: 1. How impossible it is to enjoy a perfect peace in this life; and, 2. how necessary unto me Thy grace and assistance is. I embrace the pain of them. Only let me not offend Thee by yielding to them.
10. For Thy love I resign myself to be deprived of all proper and certain habitation.
§ 8. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Sabaoth! All the earth is full of Thy glory. Glory be to Thee most High.
1. For Thy love, O my God, and in conformity to Thy holy will, I resign myself unto Thee, with all that I am, have, can do, or suffer, in soul, body, goods, fame, friends, &c., both for time and eternity.
2. For Thy love I do renounce all desire of authority, especially all charge over the souls of others.
3. I am content not to learn or know more than Thou wouldst have me to know.
4. I resign myself, whensoever Thou shalt call me to it, to sacrifice my life, in what manner soever Thou shalt ordain, for the defence of Thy Catholic truth, trusting in Thy merciful promise that Thou wilt assist me in such trials.
5. My God, I am content to be blotted out of the memory of all (except those that would afflict me).
6. My God, let me be the universal object of the contempt and hatred of all creatures, so that I may love Thee and enjoy Thy presence and grace.
7. Jesus, who art the Prince of peace, and whose habitation is in peace, I offer my heart unto Thee, that Thou mayest establish a firm peace in it, calming the tempestuous passions that so oft rage in it.
8. I renounce all affection to speaking.
9. I resign myself in sickness to be burdensome and chargeable to others, so as that all should become weary and desirous to be rid of me.
10. I renounce all facility in hearkening to or believing any ill that is reported concerning others, and much more to be a disperser of such report.
§ 9. I adore Thee, O my God, the blessed and only Potentate, King of kings and Lord of Lords, who dwellest in unapproachable light: to Thee be glory and eternal dominions. Amen.
1. I resign and offer myself unto Thee, to follow the conduct of Thy Holy Spirit in an internal life, through bitter and sweet, light and darkness, in life and death.
2. I do renounce all solicitous designs to gain the affections of superiors or of any others; with any intention thereby to procure ease or contentment to nature.
3. I do renounce all propriety in any endowments that Thou hast or shalt give me.
4. I am contented with whatsover Thou shalt provide for my sustenance, how mean, how little, and how disgustful soever it be.
5. I resign myself in the agony of death to endure whatsoever pains, frights, or temptations Thou shalt permit to befall me, only let my spirit always adhere to Thee.
6. My God, I do here again renew and ratify my vows of religious profession, consecrating myself and all that I have or can do to Thy glory and service only.
7. I resolve, through Thy grace, that my great and daily defects shall not destroy my peace of mind nor confidence in Thy goodness.
8. I resign myself, for the humiliation and good of my soul, to be deprived of any endowments and gifts that may any way make me be esteemed by others.
9. I resign myself in sickness to want the assistance and comfort of friends, yea, even the use of Sacraments.
10. I resign myself (yea, would be glad) to lose all sensual pleasure in meats and drinks, if such were Thy will.
§ 10. Blessed is the man whose hope is only in the name of Thee my God, and that regardeth not vanities and deceitful frenzies.
1. Though Thou shouldst always hide Thy face from me, yea, my God, although Thou shouldst kill me, yet will I never cease to approach to Thee, and to put my whole trust in Thee only.
2. I consecrate my whole life to Thee, to be spent in a continual tendency in soul to Thee; not presuming to expect any elevated contemplations or extraordinary graces, but referring to Thy holy pleasure whether I shall ever be raised above my present mean exercises.
3. I resign myself to be esteemed fit and capable only of the basest and most toilsome offices; the which if they shall be imposed upon me, I will not avoid them.
4. I resign myself to be guided only by Thee and Thy holy inspirations.
5. I resign myself to be continually tormented, and to have my sleeps broken with any kind of troublesome noises or frights, &c.
6. My God, I resign myself to Thee alone, to live and die in that state and degree of a spiritual life to which it shall seem good to Thee to bring me; only I beseech Thee, that I may not be negligent in coöperating with Thy grace and holy inspirations.
7. I resign myself to suffer the straits and tediousness of a prison, and there to be deprived of books, or any thing that may divert my mind.
8. I resign myself to suffer the extremity of heat and cold, and to want the comfort of all refreshments against heat, and of necessary clothes against cold.
9. I resign myself to be obliged to take meats and drinks loathsome to my nature.
10. I resign myself to see others, my inferiors, provided of all things, and myself only neglected.
§ 11. Our Lord is my light and salvation: whom, then, should I fear?
1. There is not any spiritual exercise so displeasing or painful to my nature which I would not embrace, if I knew or did believe Thy will to be such.
2. My God, so I may die in Thy grace and holy love, I resign myself to the infamy of being reputed to have procured my own death; and that therefore my body should be ignominiously cast out, and none to have the charity to pray for my soul.
3. I resign myself to be affrighted with horrible noises, hideous apparitions, &c.
4. Through Thy grace, my God, I will not rest with affection in any of Thy gifts how sublime soever; but will only make use of them to pass by their means in to Thee, who art my only increated, universal, and infinite good.
5. I esteem this life to be a mere prison or place of exile.
6. My God, I offer my soul unto Thee, that Thou mayest establish a firm peace in it, not to be interrupted as now it is by every contradiction and cross.
7. I resign myself to have my superiors, and all others whom my nature would wish to be most friendly, to be in all things a continual contradiction and cross to me.
8. For Thy love I would be content rather to have no use of my tongue at all, than thus continually to offend Thee with it.
9. Let all creatures be silent before Thee, and do Thou, O my God, alone speak unto me; in Thee alone is all that I desire to know or love.
10. My God, I know that to fly Thy cross is to fly Thee that diedst on it; welcome, therefore, be (these) Thy crosses and trials.
§ 12. My God, with Thee is the fountain of life, and in Thy light we shall see light.
1. My God, to Thee only do I consecrate the remainder of my life, purposing to account no business to be necessary, but only tendency to Thee by prayer and abnegation.
2. I resign myself, if such be Thy pleasure, even to be deprived of all use of these eyes, that are still so much delighted with vanity, curiosity, and all distracting objects.
3. O that I were nothing, that so Thou, my God, mayest be all in all!
4. I resign myself to be deprived of all certain habitation, and to live a vagabond in the world, so that none should take care of me or own me.
5. My God, my desire is to serve Thee in a state wherein I may be deprived of all propriety and election in all things, as well internal as external: do Thou, my Lord, choose for me.
6. In conformity to Thy heavenly will, O my God, I do accept the pain and trouble that I feel from my continual indevotion, my unruly passions, and (almost) unremediable imperfections; and I will with patience expect Thy good time, when I shall be enabled with Thy grace to rectify them.
7. For Thy love I renounce all conversations and correspondences, which I do find to be occasions to me of falling into defects, by nourishing inordinate affection or unquietness.
8. I renounce the folly of being disquieted with seeing that others are not such as I would have them to be, since I cannot make myself such an one as I fain would.
9. I offer myself to become a fool unto all for Thee, my God.
10. So that thereby my pride may be humbled, I even beg of Thee, my God, that Thou wouldst not spare to send me crosses and contradictions.
§ 13. I know, my God, that Thou art the God that triest hearts and lovest simplicity, therefore in the simplicity of my heart I offer myself unto Thee.
1. O my God, when will the time come that Thou wilt lead my soul into Thy solitude?
2. For Thy love I renounce all complacency in any kind of endowment or skill in any arts (as far as any of these are in me), consecrating all that by Thy free gift is in me to Thy glory and service only.
3. I do utterly renounce all familiarity and unnecessary conversations or correspondences with persons of a different sex.
4. My God, it is Thou that hast placed me in this my present condition; and Thou only shalt displace me.
5. O tepidity, I abhor thee. My God, teach me an effectual cure and remedy against it; let not my latter end be worse than my beginning.
6. My God, I offer unto Thee my heart, that whatsoever yet unknown inordinate desires are in it, Thou mayest teach me to mortify them by any ways Thou shalt please.
7. I resign myself, in case that obedience shall unavoidably oblige me thereto, to undertake that most fearful employment of the charge of souls (in the mission, &c.).
8. For Thy love and for the mortification of sensuality, I could content to be freed from all necessity of eating and drinking, if such were Thy pleasure.
9. I offer unto Thee, my God, this desire of my heart, that at last, this day, I may begin perfectly to serve Thee, having spent so much time unprofitably.
10. Feed me, O Lord, with the bread of tears, and give me drink in tears, according to the measure that Thou shalt think fit.
§ 14. My Lord and my God, from Thee are all things, by Thee are all things, to Thee are all things: to Thee only be glory, love, and obedience for ever.
1. My God, if Thou wilt that I be in light, be Thou blessed for it, and if Thou wilt that I be in darkness, still be Thou blessed for it. Let both light and darkness, life and death, praise Thee.
2. Blessed be Thy holy name that my heart doth not (and never may it) find rest or peace in anything that I seek or love inordinately, whilst I do not love it in Thee and for Thee only.
3. I offer unto Thee this resolution of mine, that by all lawful and fitting ways I will endeavour to avoid any office of authority.
4. I resign myself to live and abide in any state or place where I shall daily have my health or life endangered.
5. I resign myself to suffer in Purgatory whatsoever pains, and as for as long a time, as shall seem good to Thee.
6. Through Thy grace and assistance, O my God, no hard usage from others, nor any desire of finding any ease or contentment to my nature, shall force me to change my present condition.
7. My God, if Thou shalt so ordain or permit, I resign my body to be possessed or tormented by evil spirits, so that my spirit may always adhere by love to Thee.
8. I resign myself to take part in any calamity, disgrace, &c., that Thy Divine Providence shall permit to befall the country or community in which I live.
9. I renounce all resting affection to sensible gusts in my recollections, resolving to adhere firmly to Thee, as well in aridities as consolations.
10. My God, I am nothing, I have nothing, I desire nothing, but Jesus, and to see Him in peace in Jerusalem.
§ 15. Blessed art Thou, O my God, in all Thy gifts, and holy in all Thy ways.
1. I offer unto Thee the desire and resolution of my heart, that no employment which cannot without sin be avoided, nor much less any complacency in conversation with others, nor any unwillingness to break off conversation through impertinent civility, shall cause me to omit or shorten my daily appointed recollections.
2. Far be it from me that my peace should depend on the favour or affection of any creature, and not in subjection to Thy will only.
3. I renounce all knowledge that may hinder or distract me from the knowledge of my own defects and nothingness.
4. My God, I have neither devotion nor attention, and indeed do not deserve either; only I beseech Thee that Thou wilt accept of my sufferings.
5. My God, so that I may die in Thy holy fear and love, I resign myself to want all comforts and assistance from others, both in my death and after it, if such be Thy will.
6. My God, through Thy grace I will never voluntarily undertake any employment or study, but such as shall serve to advance my principal and most necessary business of seeking Thee by prayer, to which all other designs shall give way.
7. My God, I beseech Thee not only to forgive, but to crown with some special blessing all those that despise, depress, or persecute me, as being good instruments of Thy grace to abate pride and self-love in me.
8. Whatsoever dignity or privilege I enjoy, I am content to relinquish it whensoever it shall be Thy will; and if I were wrongfully deprived of it, I will not for the recovering endanger the loss of mine own peace or that of others.
9. I resign myself not only to suffer for mine own faults, but also the faults of my brethren.
10. My God, my desire is to live to Thee only. Place me, therefore, where Thou, wilt; give me or take from me what Thou wilt. Only let me live to Thee and with Thee; that suffices me.
N.B. The reader may take notice that before every one of these fifteen exercises of particular resignations there is premised a proper passage of Holy Scripture, which may be conceived as the ground of the following acts, and will moreover be a fit subject to exercise some good affection or act of the will upon.
A DAILY CONSTANT EXERCISE.
TAKEN OUT OF BLOSIUS.
TO THE READER.
According to our promise (Treatise iii. section iii. chap. iii. § 25) we here present thee a peculiar exercise, consisting of all variety of affections and acts of the will, &c. Thou wilt there find for what dispositions it will be proper, and how by it a soul, without any other variety, may attain to a perfect active contemplation, according to the testimony of Lud. Blosius in Instit. Spirit. chap. xi., from whence the exercise itself is taken.
I have, moreover, added another like exercise in Latin, which perhaps may be agreeable to some. It also consists of several divisions and sorts of prayer, as contrition, reflections on the Passion, resignation, amorous desires, &c.; and each division, moreover, contains subdivided parts, to the end that if the whole exercise prove too large for one recollection, the exerciser in each division may content himself with one only of the parts. And, indeed, the devout soul is to be advised that she ought not to make any resolution to go through the whole exercise each recollection; but wheresoever she finds any act or prayer relishing to her, let her insist and dwell upon it with her mind as long as the gust thereof shall last; so that if only three or four, yea, if but one of the acts will suffice her, let her seek no further.
A DAILY CONSTANT EXERCISE
1. Of Contrition.
My Lord and my God, what shall I, sinful wretch, say unto Thee?
I bow the knees of my heart, acknowledging in Thy sight my manifold and grievous sins.
I have sinned, O God, I have sinned and done evil before Thee.
I have sinned against Thee, my most omnipotent Creator.
I have sinned against Thee, my most merciful Redeemer.
I have sinned against Thee, my most liberal Benefactor.
Woe unto me, I have continually been most ungrateful to Thee.
I am a most vile creature, dust and ashes.
Be merciful, O Lord; be merciful, be merciful unto me.
Behold my sorrow and contrition for my sins.
O, would to God I had never offended Thee!
Would to God I had never resisted and hindered the operation of Thy grace in my heart!
Would to God I had always pleased Thee, and observed Thy holy will and inspirations!
My purpose and firm resolution, through Thy grace, is to avoid henceforward whatsoever may offend Thee, and rather to die than willingly to provoke Thy wrath and hatred against me. Therefore, O merciful Jesus, by Thy most bitter Passion and all the merits of Thy most Sacred Humanity, I beseech Thee to pardon and blot out all my sins.
Wash me with Thy Precious Blood; heal, purge, and sanctify me.
2. Reflections on the Merits and Passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
I do adore, glorify, and bless Thee, O my only Saviour Jesus Christ, for all Thy unspeakable mercies and benefits.
O Son of the living God, I do most humbly give thanks to Thee for that for me Thou hast vouchsafed in Thine infinite love:
1. To become man.
2. To be born in a poor stable and laid in a manger.
3. To suffer poverty with Thy poor Virgin Mother.
4. For more than thirty years to be wearied with continual labours and travails for our good.
5. Out of inexpressible anguish to sweat drops of Blood.
6. To be ignominiously apprehended by sinners, unworthily bound and arraigned before Thine enemies.
7. To be shamefully defiled with spittings, cruelly beaten, and dishonourably clothed with a white and purple garment, like a fool and a mock king.
8. To be unjustly condemned to death.
9. To be cruelly torn with whips and crowned with thorns.
10. To be most tormentingly fastened with nails to the cross.
11. To be most inhumanely presented with gall and vinegar to drink in Thy extreme thirst.
12. For me to hang naked, wounded, and condemned in inconceivable torments many hours on the cross;
13. There to shed Thy most Precious Blood, and to offer Thy life a propitiation for my sins.
14. To be sealed up in the grave, from whence, notwithstanding, Thou didst raise Thyself, conquering death for me.
O blessed Jesus, my only Hope and Salvation, grant that I may love Thee with a most fervent and constant love.
O rosy wounds of my Lord, inflicted for me, I salute you. With what love were you suffered by Him! And what love do you deserve from me!
3. Acts of Humiliation, &c.
Behold, O most merciful Saviour, I, a most abominable sinner, in imitation of Thy most glorious humility, do submit myself to all creatures, acknowledging myself unworthy to live on earth; and, after the example of Thy most admirable charity, I do with sincere love, according to my utmost ability, embrace all those that do afflict or persecute me.
For Thy love I do renounce all iniquity and vanity, all inordinate delectations, all self-will and immortification.
I do relinquish and reject all things below Thee; and above all I do make election of Thee, as my only good.
I do commit and resign myself entirely to Thee.
I do desire and beseech Thee that Thy most perfect and well-pleasing will may be accomplished in me and concerning me, in time and eternity.
For Thy love and glory I am ready to want any consolation, and to suffer any injury, contempt, or tribulation. If such be Thy pleasure, my Heavenly Lord, let me live in the same poverty and afflictions that Thou didst suffer all Thy life long.
4. Address to the Blessed Virgin, &c.
O Mary, the most sweet Virgin Mother of our Lord, the most glorious Queen of Heaven, intercede for me to thy Son.
O merciful protectress of the oppressed,
Support of the weak and infirm,
Refuge of afflicted sinners, look with thine eyes of pity on me.
By thine intercession let my heart be inflamed with a most ardent love unto our Lord Jesus Christ.
O all you glorious Angels and blessed Saints, intercede for me.
O thou blessed angel appointed by God to be my sure guardian and most comfortable companion in this valley of tears, pray for me.
O thou my most special patron S. Benedict, intercede in my behalf unto our Lord, that, living according to thy perfect rule and example, I may with thee contemplate His beautifying face.
5. Petitions to our Lord for Grace, &c.
My Lord and my God, with the company and assistance of these Thy beloved Saints, I take the boldness to make known unto Thee my miseries and defects, beseeching Thee to cure them all.
Mortify in me whatsoever is displeasing to Thee.
Adorn me with merits and graces acceptable in Thy sight.
Give me true humility, obedience, meekness, patience, and charity.
Grant me a perfect restraint and dominion over my tongue and all my senses and members.
Give me true internal purity, nakedness, liberty, and most profound introversion.
Illuminate my soul with Thy most pure divine light.
I acknowledge that Thou art most immediately and intimely present to me, and in the very centre of my spirit.
Vouchsafe, I beseech Thee, to see with my eyes, to hear with my ears, and to operate with my external members.
Possess my memory and understanding, and inflame my will and affections with Thy love.
Lead me into the naked fund of my spirit, and translate me into Thee, my God and original; that I may clearly know Thee, ardently love Thee, be immediately united to Thee, and, by a quiet fruition, rest in Thee, to the glory of Thy name. Amen.
6. Supplication in Behalf of the Church, &c.
O my God, be graciously merciful to all those whom Thou hast redeemed with Thy most Precious Blood.
Convert all miserable sinners to Thee.
Restore all heretics and schismatics unto the bosom of Thy Church; illuminate all infidels that are ignorant of Thee.
Be present to all that are in any tribulation or necessity.
Bless all my parents, kindred, acquaintance, and benefactors.
Give unto the living pardon and grace; and to all the faithful departed light and rest everlasting.
7. Adoration, of the Most Blessed Trinity.
O most Holy, Glorious, and Ever-blessed Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; One omnipotent, most wise, most holy, and most merciful God;
I do in the profound abyss of mine own nothing adore Thee, my most gracious God.
Vouchsafe to teach and assist me, whose hope is only in Thee.
O Heavenly Father, by Thine infinite power establish my memory in Thee, fill it with holy and divine thoughts; O eternal Son of Thy coeternal Father, by Thine infinite wisdom illuminate mine understanding, and adorn it with the knowledge of Thy supreme excellency and mine own incomprehensible vileness.
O Holy Spirit, the most pure love of the Father and Son, by Thine infinite goodness inflame my soul with an inextinguishable ardour of divine love.
O my God and all my good, O that I could love and praise Thee as perfectly and incessantly as all Thy Angels and Saints do!
According to the utmost extent and capacity that Thou hast given me, I do glorify, adore, love, and magnify Thee. But because I cannot worthily praise Thee, do Thou vouchsafe to praise and glorify Thyself in and by me.
If I had the love of all creatures, I would most willingly expend and employ it on Thee only.
8. Amorous Aspirations, &c.
My Lord and my God.
O Being infinitely peaceable and infinitely amiable;
O infinite abyss of goodness, infinitely delicious and desirable;
O torrent of inestimable delectations and joys;
O my all-sufficient reward;
Thou art my only immutable good.
What do I desire but Thee!
O, draw me after Thee;
Inflame me with the fire of Thy most fervent love.
O my God, my God and All,
Plunge me in the abyss of Thy Divinity, swallow me entirely, and make me one spirit with Thee, that Thou mayest take Thy delights in me.
Nothing but Jesus, nothing but Jesus.
O Jesus, do Thou alone live and reign in my soul.
My God, let me only love Thee, and that suffices me.
N.B. If this or the following exercise seem to any too long, it may be divided into several hours for recollection; or it may be comprehended briefly in a few words, or even without words. So saith Blosius.
EXERCITIUM QUOTIDIANUM.
1. Confessionis et Doloris de Peccatis.
Ecce ego, Domine, quia vocasti me.
Ecce venio ad Te, et in conspectu Tuo vias meas arguam.
Væ mihi Domine, quia peccavi Tibi.
Aversus sum a Te, O pulchritudo æterna!
O immensa Bonitas, Te offendi.
O amabilitas infinita, Te dereliqui.
O peccatum! O æternitas!
Væ mihi, cum aperientur libri, et dicetur, ecce homo et opera ejus.
Heu, heu mihi, Domine, in illa die si inventus fuero minus habens.
Nunc scio et video, quia malum et amarum mihi est dereliquisse Te Deum meum, universum bonum meum.
Tribularer utique si nescirem misericordias Tuas, Domine.
O Jesu! O nomen sub quo nemini desperandum est.
Etiamsi occideris me, sperabo in Te: et Ipse eris Salvator meus.
O Pater misericordiarum, respice in faciem Christi Tui, quia copiosa apud Eum redemptio est.
Non ponar amplius contrarius Tibi: non committam illud amplius in æternum.
2. Hymnus Passionis.
Et nunc quæ est expectatio mea? nonne Tu Domine Jesu Deus meus, misericordia mea.
Memor ero ab initio mirabilium Tuorum: et misericordias Tuas, Domine, in æternum cantabo.
Omnes nos quasi oves erravimus et posuit Dominus in Te iniquitatem omnium nostrum?
* * * * * * * * *
Jacebas consternatus super faciem Tuam: et vultus Tuus hærebat terræ.
Non remansit in To fortitudo: sed et species Tua immutata est in Te.
Rubrum factum est vestimentum Tuum: quia calcasti torcular solus.
* * * * * * * * *
Circumdederunt Te canes multi: concilium malignantium obsedit Te.
Amici Tui et proximi Tui a longe steterunt: et vim faciebant qui quærebant animam Tuam.
Tu Spiritus oris nostri, Christe Domine, captus es in peccatis nostris.
* * * * * * * * *
Dedisti percutienti Te maxillam: saturatus es opprobriis.
Suscitatur falsiloquus adversus faciem Tuam: hostis Tuus terribilibus oculis intuitus est Te.
Contumelia et tormento interrogaverunt Te: morte turpissima condemnaverunt Te.
Dorsum Tuum fabricaverunt peccatores: prolongaverunt iniquitatem suam.
* * * * * * * * *
Sicut ovis ad occisionem ductus es: et quasi agnus coram tondente se, obmutuisti.
Apernerunt super Te ora sua: et exprobantes percusserunt maxillam Tuam.
Recordare paupertatis et nuditatis Tuæ: absinthii et fellis.
* * * * * * * * *
Foderunt manus Tuas et pedes Tuos: dinumeraverunt omnia ossa Tua.
Ipsi vero consideraverunt et inspexerunt Te: diviserunt sibi vestimenta Tua et super vestem Tuam miserunt sortem.
Plauserunt super Te manibus omnes transeuntes per viam sibilaverunt inimici Tui et frenduerunt dentibus suis.
Dixerunt devorabimus eum: en ista est dies quain expee tabamus; invenimus, vidimus.
* * * * * * * * *
Facies Tua intumuit a fletu; et palpebræ Tuæ caligaverunt.
Conclusit Te Deus apud iniquos: et posuit Te sibi quasi in signum.
Hæc passus es absque iniquitate manus Tuæ: cum haberes mundas ad Deum preces.
* * * * * * * * *
Ecce quomodo dilexisti me! facta est ut mors dilectio Tua.
Salvete, salvete, salvete, salutiferæ plagæ Domini amatoris mei; in quibus descripsit me.
Te laudent coelum et terra: quia Te decet laus.
O expectatio Isræl, salvator ejus in die malorum.
3. Oblationis et Resignationis, &c.
Quid retribuam Tibi, Domine Jesu, pro omnibus quæ retribuisti mihi?
Tu Teipsum totum pro me obtulisti: factus es pro me maledictum.
Ecce, Domine, totum me offero Tibi: et omnia mea Tuæ subjicio voluntati.
Suscepi de manu Tua crucem: portabo eam usque ad mortem, sicut imposuisti mihi.
Omnes homines et maxime eos qui me persequuntur, sincera charitate, sicut possum, complector.
* * * * * * * * *
Omnia quæ infra Te sunt, Domine, relinquo et respuo: Teque prea omnibus eligo.
Desidero Tibi soli vivere: pone me ubi vis: des et auferas mihi quiquid vis: tantummodo vivam Tibi et Tecum: nam hoc sufficit mihi.
In infimum locum infra omnem creaturam me recipio: et pro Tuo honors omnium servum me constituo.
Pro tuo amore, Tua gratia adspirante, omnem futuram vitam meam consecro Tibi in quotidianis internæ conversationis exercitiis transigendam.
Quidquid ex Tua ordinatione perpetiar, et quamdiucunque perpetiar, omni consolationi renuntio, quæ a Te non procedit.
* * * * * * * * *
Deus, meus, nihil sum, et nihil possum: nihil habeo et nihil desidero, nisi solum Jesum, ut videam Eum in pace in Jerusalem.
Domine Deus meus, adoro et cum profundissima humilitate submitte me Tuis secretissimis et sapientissimis decretis de morte et futuro statu meo.
Omnes creaturæ me rejiciant, contemnant, et persequantur: tantummodo Tu, Domine, mihi protector adstes: Tu solus mihi sufficis.
Abrenuncio (falsæ illi) paci quæ completionem carnalium meorum desideriorum sequitur; et non eorumdem mortificationem.
Non recuso vivere, si its volueris, in eadem paupertate et derelictione, in qua Tu, Domino Jesu, vixisti.
* * * * * * * * *
Domine quæcumque mihi ex Tua permissione contigerit afflictio, desertio vel ariditas, Tua mihi adsistente gratia, nec omittam, nec ex negligentia contraham quotidiana mea internæ vitæ exercitia.
Deus meus, ex toto corde oro Te, ut glorifices Teipsum in me, et de me, quocumque demum modo Tibi placuerit.
Domino, pro Tuo amore renuntio omni desiderio auctoritatis aut prælationis.
Utinam tandem, Domine, meipsum a meipso abstraheres et a pereuntibus omnibus et perdentibus desideriis.
Ecce meipsum Tibi resigno, Domino, non solum ut superiorum meorum favore priver, sed ut ab ipsis contemnar, et quovis modo affligar.
* * * * * * * * *
Domine, corpus et animam meam dicavi Tibi: conserva hæc sicut placet; et impende ea sicut placet Tibi: in obsequium et gloriam Tuam.
Deus meus, donec perfecte humiliaveris superbum cor meum, ne parcas immittere vel multiplicare quascumque volueris cruces aut contradictiones.
Offero meipsum Tibi, ad perferendas quascumquedesolationes et obscuritates, quæ contingere solent in internæ vitæ exercitiis: quibus nihil obstantibus, propositum cordis mei perficias de non interrupta in eis perseverentia. Domine, pone me juxta te et cujusvis manus pugnet contra me.
* * * * * * * * *
Domino, quamvis faciem Tuam semper a me averteres, et nunquam mihi aliquam consolationem indulgeres: tamen auxilio gratiæ Tuæ nunquam cessabo Te diligere, adorare et quærere.
O tepiditas, quantum abominor te! Deus meus, non sint novissima mea pejora prioribus.
Domine, ex amore Tuc resigno me Divinæ voluntati Tuæ, ad moriendum, quando, ubi et quomodo ordinaveris.
Deus meus, Tu me hic collocasti: et Tu solus me alio transferes.
Domine, nihil a me necessarium æstimabitur nisi ut attendam ad Te per orationem et mei abnegationem.
* * * * * * * * *
Domine, Jesu, novi quia qui fugit crucem, fugit Crucifixum gratissima ergo erit mihi crux, quam imponere dignaberis.
Domine, si vis me esse in luce, sis benedictus: et si vis me esse in tenebris, sis benedictus. Lux et tenebræ benedicite Dominum.
Deus meus et omne bonum meum! quando duces animam meam in solitudinem Tuam?
Nihil sum Domine, et nihil sim, ut Tu solus sis omnia.
Non solum ignoscas, Domine Deus, tribulantibus me: sed et peculiarem aliquam gratiam eis conferas, utpote salutis meæ efficacissimis instrumentis.
4. Precatio ad B. Virginem et Sanctos.
O beatissima Virgo Mater Dei, respice in me et intercede pro me!
Regina coeli:
Refugium peccatorum;
Consolatrix afflictorum;
Salus infirmorum; me in tuam benedictam fidem, ac singularem custodiam, et in sinum misericordiæ tuæ hodie et quotidie et in hora exitus mei commendo.
O Sancti beatorum spirituum ordines;
Omnes Sancti et Sanctæ Dei; adjuvate me precibus, vestris ut ad societatem vestram pervenire merear.
5. Intercessio pro Ecclesia, &c.
Benigne fac Domine, in bona voluntate Tua Ecclesiæ Tuæ, pro qua Sacrosanctum Sanguinem Tuum fudisti.
Convertere miseros, peccatores. Revoca hæreticos atque schismaticos.
Illumina infideles.
Juxta sis, Domine iis, qui tribulato sunt corde.
Adesto propinquis et benefactoribus meis, omnibusque qui precibus meis commendati esse cupiunt.
Benefac iis qui mihi inimico sunt animo.
Da vivis veniam et gratiam: da fidelibus defunctis requiem lucemque sempiternam.
6. Adspirationes ad SS. Trinitatem, &c.
O adoranda Trinitas, Pater et Filius et Spiritus Sanctus. Tibi gloria et benedictio in sæcula sæculorum.
Sanctus, Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth.
Ecce Domine, sicut possum magnifico sapientem et benignam Omnipotentiam Tuam.
Benedico Omnipotenti et benignæ sapientiæ Tuæ.
Glorifico Omnipotentem et Sapientem benignitatem Tuam.
O essentia summe simplex, summe tranquilla et summe amabilis.
O utinam a meipso totus deficerem.
O summa sufficientia mea! Quid volo præter Te? O serena lux intimorum meorum! Tu in fundo animæ meæ habitas.
O jucunda requies spiritus mei! usquequo non me liberas ab omni proprietate?
O incircumscripta plenitudo omnis boni! Quicquid Tu non es, relinquo.
O ardens incendium! O dulce refrigerium! Amare Dei Filium.
Deus meus, non videbit Te homo et vivet: eia Domine moriar, ut videam: videam ut moriar.
Domine, quando dabis mihi immolari?
O quando duces animam meam in solitudinem Tuam?
O charitas! O charitas! O charitas!
Diligam totum Te ex toto me.
Aut amare, aut mori Domine.
Visibilia omnia mihi invisibilia sint; et invisibilia sola, visibilia.
Nihil sum; et nihil sim, ut Tu solus sis omnia.
Deus meus, merces mea magna nimis.
Væ, væ, væ! Amor non amatur.
Ecce cor meum Domine, quod offero Tibi et quid volo nisi ut sit holocaustum charitatis ad æternam gloriam Tuam.
Deus meus, omne bonum meum: Tibi silentium laus est.
Quem Tuus amor ebriat.
Novit quid Jesus sapiat:
Quam felix est, quem satiat.
Jesu, spes poenitentibus,
Quam pius es quærentibus!
Sed quid invenientibus!
THE END OF THE EXERCISES.
TO THE DEVOUT READER,
Devout Reader,
There was a promise made of an Exercise of Aspirations at the end here of the rest; but it will not be needful to repeat them again, having not only in the two precedent exercises, but also in that of amorous desires, given thee sufficient patterns of them. Farewell, and pray for me.
Soli Deo Gloria.
FINIS.
INDEX.
Abstraction of life recommended, 98, 104, 165, 225, 314, 461.
Actions, none are indifferent, 93, 109; to be perfect, must proceed from God and be directed towards Him, 109.
Active and Contemplative states differ, 35; and require different guidance, 37, 111.
Active state more usual at first, 37; represented by Martha, 38.
Active spirits not suited to guide Contemplatives, 174, 459.
Acts of the Will differ from Affections, 432.
Adam, in innocence, united with God, 30, 203, 240; his neglect of following the guidance of the Holy Spirit led to his fall, 67.
Affection to creatures must be mortified, 201.
Affective Prayer, 349.
Alvarez (F. Baltasar), his Apology, 385.
Angela de Foligno, 121.
Anger to be mortified by Patience, 273.
Anthony (St.), 154, 165, 229.
Antonio de Rojas, his method of Prayer, 490.
Apollonia (St.), 106.
Appetite to be mortified, and how, 266.
Aridities, 374, 464.
Aspirations, Prayer of, defined, 510; its excellency, 516.
Attention in Prayer, its degrees, 347.
Augustine (St.), 93, 138, 145, 180, 243, 266, 350, 362, 388, 435, 504.
Avila, 76, 78.
Barbanson, 87, 319, 396, 508, 519, 537, 544.
Basil (St.), 138, 350.
Bede (Ven.), 191.
Bellarmine on Affective Prayer, 351.
Benedict (St.), 47, 93, 100, 146, 154, 168, 172, 186, 221, 228, 311, 322, 330, 360, 366.
Bernard (St.), 41, 147, 159, 173, 183, 274, 326, 356, 388, 413, 435, 467, 508.
Bernardine Ochinus, his fearful instance, 176.
Blosius, 416, 439, 516.
Body to suffer for soul's sake, 483.
Books, a list of spiritual ones, 87.
Caligine, in, described, 533.
Calls, as distinct from Inspirations, 128; external must overrule internal, 129.
Canfield (F. Bennet), 87, 396, 423, 464, 518.
Cassian, 87, 153, 267, 274, 278, 361, 507.
Catherine of Siena (St.), 50, 79.
Caution necessary in trying vocations, 178.
Charity enlightens the soul, 108; its acts and fruits, 247; its order and objects, 256; of active spirits more outward than of Contemplative, 41; resides in the superior will, 246.
Cloud of unknowing, 74, 87, 89, 144, 515.
Confession, instituted for peace of soul, 294.
Confessions of the scrupulous, 293.
Constancy in prayer, a remedy against scruples, 299.
Contemplation, the occupation of beatified souls, 44; defined, 502; philosophical and mystical, 503; the exercise of Angels, 504; active and passive, 505; its excellency, 508; may be aspired to in the world, 138.
Contemplative exercises within reach of most simple, 39.
Contemplative state more perfect than Active, 38; represented by Mary, 38; more easy and secure, 39; better for Superiors, 175; guided differently from Active, 111.
Courage, necessary in a spiritual course, 45.
Creatures, affection to, must be mortified, 201; helped Adam towards Union, 30.
Crosses, their value, 208; of little advantage without Prayer, 214.
Custody of heart, identical with Mortification, 197, 238.
Death, a gate to glory, 32; preparation for, an end of Religion, 467.
Decay of Religion attributable to want of Prayer, 173.
Defects, not seen at first, become visible later, 47.
Degrees in the Spiritual life, 396.
Delay of Conversion, 467.
Denys (St.), 118, 388, 390.
Desolation, its great trial, 537; its benefits, 540.
Devil, his chief combat is against Prayer, 343.
Direction, necessary in internal ways, 66.
Director, an office not to be voluntarily assumed, 78; lay persons sometimes serves as such, 79; or even women, 79; obedience to, much to be insisted on, 82; ought to be able to discern spirits, 82; frequent consultations with, to be avoided, 83; must not raise doubts, 85; how to deal with scrupulous souls, 293; how to deal in cases of Vision, &c., 527.
Discretion, a gift of the Holy Ghost, 107; its happy effects, 110; as regards Mortification, 484; Sensible devotion, 486; Meditation, 487.
Distractions, an effect of Original sin, 378; the result of inordinate affections, 379; their remedy, 379.
Distractive offices in reference to Prayer, 457; not to be sought after, 458.
Ecclesiastical state, a high state, 138; has our B. Lord as a model, 139.
Ecstasy, or rapture, defined, 521.
End of man is union with God, 29; of Religious state, 99.
Enemies, love of, and its degrees, 262, 264.
Euchitæ, their error regarding Prayer, 358.
Extraordinary ways and means to be avoided, 115.
Feasting, its dangers and evils, 267.
Fervor novitius of St. Benedict, 47, 183.
Florentius (St.), 139.
Forced immediate Acts of the Will, 432; variety of forms, 438; liberty to be exercised in, 440.
Francis Assisi (St.), 97; de Sales (St.), 79; Xavier (St.), 85.
Friendship, 245.
Gerson, 76.
God, His presence in a contemplative soul, 42; how He communicates Himself to recollected spirits, 151; rewards no actions but His own, 109; clears the understanding, 115; and moves the will, 117.
Good-nature, its real meaning and advantage, 179.
Grace, its power and efficacy, 33; to be followed, not outrun, 57; wholly driven away by mortal sin, 68; ordinary suffices for ordinary persons, but extraordinary for Contemplatives, 70.
Gregory (St., the Great), 155, 269, 318, 388; Nazianzen (St.), 138, 350; of Nyssa, 138.
Guide, necessary, especially at first, 73; necessary conditions of, 75; experience better than learning in, 75; active unfitting for Contemplatives, 76; requires illumination, 77; two always attend us, viz Nature and the Divine Spirit, 67.
Happiness of the Contemplative state, 43.
Harphius, 54, 250, 270, 351, 369, 371, 483, 489, 506.
Heaven and Hell differ in their objects of love, 249.
Hermits, their internal prayer, 166; their manual labour, 168.
Hesychius, 166, 197.
Hilton (F. Walter), 58, 87, 426, 526.
Holy Ghost, His gift, the principle of all good, 105; excited by Grace and our own efforts, 105; urges to extraordinary heroic acts, 106.
Humility defined, 310; properly regards God, 310; and our own nothingness, 314; how necessary, 315; becomes more perfect by prayer, 317; inspires a desire for Union, 45.
Ignorance inexcusable in Religious, 162.
Images, distracting, how to be removed, 98; of creatures disturb active spirits, 38; to be transcended by Prayer, 116.
Impatience, how to be repressed, 273.
Inspirations of God, our real guide, 67 &c., 92, 123 &c.; a principle to be admitted, 68; objections answered, 127; extraordinary, not to be desired, 72, 115; their necessity, 92, 98; are internal: calls are external, 128; obedience to, urged by St. Benedict, 93, 96; and St. Francis, 97; may be discerned, 125.
Introversion, the spirit of the Religious state, 151; same as recollectedness, 151; in what it consists, 152; perfect in ancient solitaries, 153; the spirit of Contemplatives, 36.
John the Evangelist (St.), 43, 233; of the Cross (St.), 52, 76, 84, 351, 384, 525, 528; Damascene (St.), 138; Climacus (St.), 277.
Knowledge, of self and God, the foundation of the spiritual life, 196.
Languishing love of Harphius, 489.
Lay brothers and sisters, not to be neglected, 182.
Liberty of spirit, 100, 412, 440, 449; evils from its want, 101.
Light grows brighter, 47; of the Holy Ghost, habitual and actual, 109; how to be obtained in doubt, 113.
Lord's Prayer, a model of Acts, 445.
Love, an impelling power, 34, 104; our supreme happiness, 542; how to be mortified, 243; the root of all passions, 243; its objects are things or persons, 245; how sublime in perfect souls, 546; of God, an universal remedy, 244; of God, its acts, fruits, and expression, 247; of our neighbour, how to be ordered, 255; of our neighbour, must be rooted in love for God, 256; to enemies inculcated, 262.
Manifestation of Conscience, 322, 436, 528.
Manual labour, a help to Contemplation, 168; afterwards gave way to study, 170.
Martyrs of Love of Harphius, 489.
Mary (B.V.M.), her Contemplation, 43.
Mary Magdalene, 43.
Meditation, defined, 406; who are apt or unapt for, 407; most are to begin with, 407; how to supply its want, 408; how to be exercised, 413; what to avoid in practice, 410.
Melancholy must he resisted, 235.
Michael Constantiensis, 120, 124.
Mission, obligation of English Benedictines, 187; a sublime employment, 188; not to be undertaken too readily, 189; no excuse for neglecting prayer, 192.
Mixed state, most ordinary, 37.
Mortification and Prayer, duties of Religion, 195; its importance in removing obstacles, 197; must never cease, 197; its objects, 200, 241; its benefits, 209; taught by our Lord's example, 201; subjects body to spirit, and spirit to God, 208; includes all virtues, 209; its general rules, 212; of little value without prayer, 214; of contemplative and active spirits, 215; sometimes harder in Religion than in the world, 216; necessary and voluntary, 218; caution necessary, 220; the kind most to be recommended, 225; in eating and drinking, 266; in sickness, 471, 475.
Mystic writers sometimes differ, 89.
Natural good dispositions beneficial, 207.
Nature not wholly driven out by Grace, 68; must be mortified, 207.
Nisteron, the Abbot, 117.
Not doing to be preferred by contemplatives, 71, 223; various instances enumerated, 71.
Novices, advices to, 183.
Obedience, to be insisted upon, 121, 129; to Inspirations no prejudice to authority, 128; required by St. Benedict, 157, 323; a great remedy against scruples, 294, 300; a good exercise of Mortification, 321; properly regards God, 321; not always binding under sin, 325; in grievous and dangerous matters, 328; wonderful instance in St. Basils life, 329; to brethren, 330.
Old age of Contemplatives, 483.
Parents, our first, their loss by sin, 30.
Particular friendships to be guarded against, 257.
Passions must be mortified, 99, 210.
Patience commended, 83, 273; its degrees, 276.
Paulinus (St.), 161.
Peace, the end of a contemplative life, 240.
Perfection, all must aspire to, 33, 359; consists in union with God, 33; end of the Religious Life, 34, 361; seldom attained till old age, 50; worth all pains to secure, 51; first step towards is Faith, 59; may be aspired to in the world, 138; in Prayer, the perfection of the Religious State, 152, 360; in prayer, the Spirit of St. Benedict, 155; its happy state described, 542; not to be expected too soon, 90.
Pilgrim, Parable from Hilton, 58, &c.
Prayer, best remedy against discouragement, 48; best step towards restoring primitive fervour, 160; vocal led the ancient Fathers to perfection, 167, 344; spirit of necessary in Superiors, 176; and Mortification our two great duties, 196; peace of mind necessary for, 236; degrees of, 396; defined, 341; its excellency and necessity, 342; division into Vocal and Mental not correct, 343; conditions and obligation of Vocal, 345; degrees of Attention, 347; Internal, Affective, Mental, 349; urged by the ancient Fathers, 350; its great blessings, 352; an universal Mortification, 354; its difficulties, 356, its conditions, 357; defended by F. Baltasar Alvarez, 384, &c.; when a change is advisable, 422; of internal silence of Rojas, 490.
Presence of God, 213.
Prosperity, its danger, 208.
Purgative, Illuminative, Unitive stages, 396.
Purity and Simplicity the perfection of Religious, 166.
Purity of Intention, 112, 249.
Quietism, 490 note.
Reading spiritual books, next to Prayer, 86; recreative sometimes advisable, 86; to be used with discretion, 88; must give way to Prayer, 90; mortification to be practised in, 90; not essential for Contemplation, 91.
Recollectedness, or introversion, 151.
Recreation, 233.
Redemption, its office to restore Union, 32; its grace more helpful than innocence, 33.
Religious should always love to be under obedience, 172.
Religious State, its end, 99, 145, 161; its advantages, 146; its commendation by St. Bernard, 147; secure only to those who live up to it, 148; motives for embracing it, 149, 305; special duties of, 172.
Retreats, not advisable for all, 417.
Riddance, a remedy under difficulties, 83.
Robust health, less encouraging to Contemplation, 96.
Rusbrochius, 174.
Sacraments, more likely to be profaned in Religion than in the world, 182.
Saints, indiscreet imitation of, to be avoided, 88.
Scrupulosity, defined, 279; how to be overcome, 280; must be resisted at first, 281; regarding inward temptations, 283; regarding the Divine Office, 288; regarding Confession, 292; regarding Contrition, 298; regarding Holy Communion, 301; to be conquered by Obedience,
294; arises from Tepidity, 303; concerning one's vocation, 305.
Secular persons may aspire to Contemplation, 140; must not be solicitous, 144.
Self-abnegation a secure practice of Divine Love, 249.
Self-esteem, corrected by mortification, 213.
Self-examination, a caution to the scrupulous, 297.
Self-judgment, a cause of scrupulosity, 296.
Self-knowledge at the foundation of spiritual duties, 196.
Self-love is natural, 206.
Sensible Devotion, not to be too much relied on, 125; is twofold, 368; not necessarily a sign of grace, 370; must be dealt with cautiously, 371, 486, 517.
Seraphinus Firmanus, 76.
Sickness, how Prayer is to be exercised in, 466; its danger to tepid souls, 468; impatience to be resisted, 469; how Mortification is to be exercised, 471, 475; resignation as to the future during, 471; temptations during, 474, 481; remedies to be taken, 476; a fit time for meditation on the Passion, 478; best kind of prayer for, 480; not an excuse for self-indulgence, 481.
Sick persons are God's prisoners, 470.
Silence, an useful mortification, 230.
Sin consists in the enjoyment, not the use, of creatures, 203.
Sleep, how to be regulated, 271.
Solitude, proper school for Contemplation, 135; may be found even in the world, 136; an useful Mortification, 225.
Soto, on Mental Prayer, 355.
Spirit of an Order, an abused phrase, 80.
Stability, required by St. Benedict, 157.
Stephen of Grammont (St.), 165.
Superiors, qualities of, 173; their duties, 177; their heavy responsibility, 182.
Suso, 45, 52, 274, 351, 384, 542.
Tears to be repressed, 371.
Temperance, identical with Mortification, 197; in refection, 266.
Temptations are not sins, 283; but occasions of merit, 283; purifying, yet not to be sought for, 284; how to be resisted, 285.
Tepidity renders Perfection impossible, 54; its character, 52; its miserable consequences, 55, 182; causes much uneasiness at death, 55; its bad effect upon others, 57; worse than open scandal, 57; must be resisted with great courage, 57; a cause of scrupulosity, 303.
Teresa (St.), 52, 78, 174, 206, 235, 351, 384, 411, 435, 523, 528.
Thauler, 52, 78, 109, 119, 124, 150, 174, 182, 351, 478, 485, 497, 506, 516.
Thomas (St.), 93, 117, 335, 387, 393.
Tranquillity of mind, a Mortification, 236; how to be procured, 238.
Turrecremata, 527, 363.
Union with God, the end of man, 29; even natural, 35; helped by Grace, 35; end of the Religious state, 150; Passive, described, 520; more perfect ones, 531; effect on Understanding, 533; effect on Will, 534; effect on Imagination, 535.
Union of Nothing with Nothing, 545.
Venial Sin, affection to, must be mortified, 203, 208; an impediment to Perfection, 204.
Virtues, how to be obtained, 332; progress in, measured by progress in Prayer, 334.
Vocation to Religion, 149; Scruples regarding, 305.
Vows or promises, discretion in, 103.
Want need not be feared by those who give themselves to God, 144.
Way to Perfection long and painful, 46; one of rising and falling, 46.
Will of God made known to us in two ways, 115.
Women, more saved than men, 137; better suited for Contemplation, 136; less apt for Meditation, 407.