✚ E-Libris-F. F-Proed-de-Woodchester:   

IHS  
Ant. Wierx fecit. et. exend.  

Angelo qui meus es custos pietate superiu●.  
Me tibi commissum serua defend aumberna.  
 valeam tecum caelestia scandere regna:  
Angelo sancte Dei sit tibi cura mei.     

THE Daily exercises of a Christian life OR The interior spirit with which we ought to animate our actions throughout the whole day. WITH An easy instruction for mental prayer, Translated out of French by I. W. of the Soc. of JESUS.  
The 2. Edition with several additions by the Author.  
Printed at S. OMERS by LUDOVICUS CARLIER in the year 1689.  
By Permission of Superiors.   

TO THE QUEEN  
MADAM  
I First published this treatise for the comfort of English Catholics then groaning under a severe persecution for their Religion, whilst their false accusers pretended they suffered for designing the destruction of the late King, but now manifest the severity shown against them was not out of a motive of Loyalty or affection to his Majesty, but out of hatred to the Catholic Religion: since at present they commit greater treasons against our sovereign, than they accuse the Catholics to have designed against his Brother: and this for no other reason but because he professes and consequently favours that Religion they aim to destroy, and now endeavour to depose him, because he will not permit them to ruin the same.  
I now publish this second Edition with several additions made by the same Author, whom since your Maiesty's arrival in France you have both heard and approved, & presume to dedicate it to your Majesty, whose sufferings in this second persecution as much exceed what Catholics underwent in the former, as your condition does exceed theirs; hoping you may find such a proportionable comfort by the perusal of it, as several have owned they experienced: and since your Majesty's constant piety prompts you to a daily Exercise of solid virtue, these daily Exercises will assist you to an easy performance of your Majesties design; and though your courageous suffering such a change of fortune, shows to how high a pitch of solid virtue you are already arrived, yet you will here find how large & pleasant a field virtue is that leads to that Kingdom prepared as a reward for your sufferings not subject to such vicissitudes as you have experienced these earthly Kingdoms are; and that your Majesty after a long and happy Reign with our King here, may arrive to the enjoyment of this everlasting Kingdom hereafter, are the hearty wishes and constant prayers of  
MADAM Your Majesty's Most humble and most obedient Subject and Servant J. W.   

A PREFACE. To English Catholics.  
LIGHTING accidentally upon the ensuing Treatise, I was so pleased with its solidity, facility and brevity that I was moved to translate it for your use and profit (especially for such as understand not french) whose present sufferings must needs give you a sight of the vanity and inconstancy of this world, and move you to seek a more secure, solid, and lasting happiness in the next, whereunto the instructions you will here meet with, will easily and securely lead you: For such well disposed persons as you are, this Treatise was writ, and for such also I translated it: who having undergon the sharp trials of long and severe persecutions, are trained up and fitted for a greater combat: where you are to become your own adversaries, and are to engage with no other enemies than yourselves; which I call a greater combat, because a greater courage and constancy is required thereunto: for one blow is sufficient to crown a martyr, whereas a war with yourselves is to endure as many years as you live: perhaps not so bloody and cruel as the other, but yet more irksome and vexatious, where you may overcome but can never have truce or peace: so much harder is it to live a martyr, then to die one, and more crowns are due when you die oftener and only live to add new crowns by dying daily. This is a combat common to all Christians, to all states and conditions, whilst the other has been the happy lot only of a few: this reaps a harvest of merits in the toilsome and laborious field of virtue, whilst the other is a free gift and favour bestowed sometimes on the greatest sinners. Happy therefore and thrice happy are you, who are both chosen out for followers of the cross and also continue to follow it by your own free will and election, not like those faint hearts who understand not this happiness, but turning their backs to glory, do comply so much with ease and terrene inclinations, as to shrink out of the lists, and decline this hard and toilsome enterprise: but eouragiously treading that rough yet only secure path to happiness by which the Eternal Father led his beloved son. Oportebat Christum pati & sic intrare in gloriam are by so happy a necessity of suffering disposed to such admirable sentiments as this treatis will help you to practice, which therefore I hope will be the more acceptable to you: who I am sure are so far from shunning the difficulties you will meet with in the exercises here prescribed, that you will rather take them for the first copies set to beginners, and for easy draughts delineating only the first grounds and out lines of perfection: whereby you being daily improved & alured to so happy and profitable an enterprise, will generously offer at more and greater; & for the present, make it your delight to read a spiritual book, to be sometimes retired, and to absent and often withdraw your selves from worldly conversation, to converse with God, & become more present to him and yourselves; to resist corrupted nature, and follow Christ in the way of the cross and mortification, and hereby become and continue such true pretenders to heaven, as I either take you or hearty wish you to be; and that I may be one of that happy number, and become joint parraker of what we all pretend to, everlasting happiness; I humbly beg the assistance of your good prayers.   

THE PREFACE. Of the necessity of performing our actions well, in order to perfection.  
YOu will not find here either studied discourses or elevated conceits touching the interior and hidden life, and the virtues which it forms in us; there are spiritual books enough which give its maxims, teach its secrets, & discover its illusions; here are only plain reflections upon our ordinary actions teaching with what spirit they ought to be animated; however I dare affirm that these practices are no less profitable to good souls than all those high and sublime rules which are given them, of the several degrees of prayer, & interior abnegation; for we want not so much knowledge & instruction as the execution and practice thereof; we are sufficiently instructed in this age in all spiritual matters, but our misery consists in this, that we content ourselves with the bare knowledge out of books that treat of them, &, it may be with speaKing thereof in conversation; and if sometimes it happens that we find some relish of these truths, or penetrate a little deeper than ordinary into them; we look on ourselves as already great proficients in spirit, & rest there without passing on to any practice thereof. 'tis enough at present for a devout person to have by him the Treatise called the Interior Christian, & now and then to read in it, to believe himself a very spiritual person much advanced in perfection. We see many souls much addicted to read the latter end of this book, where it treats of the most high & sublime degrees of prayer: but we see very few who exercise themselves in the practice of the love of contempt, mortification, and suffering, whereof the Author treats in the beginning. For my part, I am persuaded that we have more need of having our hearts touched, than our minds enlightened, and that we stand more in need to be animated to practise what is good, then to have bare desires of it. wherefore I thought it very profitable to instruct good and devout souls how to perform all their exterior actions with an interior spirit, & not to follow their own humour, custom or sensuality, but to render their actions (as I may say) full of god, and to animate them with the spirit of his grace. In effect all who know what belongs to true devotion & christian perfection, agree that it consists in doing the will of god, and that in such manner as he will have it done: and that this is the sanctity to which god calls all christians of what condition soever. Now it is in the ordinary actions, which every one in his state performs, that the will of god is marked out to us, and therefore all our perfection consists in doing them well. All persons are not capable of high and elevated prayer, and if they be not called to it, they will not at the day of Judgement be accountable for it, wherefore 'tis not necessary to them to Know the several degrees of prayer, and all that is got by such notions, is either vanity, if they flatter themselves with a belief that they are carried by those sublime ways: or else discouragement, if they find themselves uncapable of them: but there are none of how mean a capacity soever they be, who are not able to perform their actions with an interior spirit, and therefore 'tis not only profitable, but necessary to Know how to animate them with it: because we shall be examined and judged upon this point, and the first head of our examination will be, whether we have acted as christians, and not as Pagans, or barely as men?  
I add that it is very hard to very many souls to penetrate, or even to conceive the great maxims of abnegation, of relinquishing all humane things, of interior silence, of the passive state, of the death to all that is sensible, of the loss & consummation of a soul in god. But there is no soul, how little soever it be enlightened by god, which may not easily learn to perform these ordinary actions with christian sentiments; and regulate the conduct of its life according to the maxims of the Gospel: wherefore I here lay down an easy way, or method, whereby all devout & christian souls may arrive to an eminent degree of virtue, fulfil the perfection of their state, please god in all things they do, act in all things according to the spirit of grace, and not according to the sentiments of nature, gather together in a short time great treasures of merits, fly not only idleness the ordinary fault of the world, but the unprofitable passing of their life, the common error even of virtuous persons, perform from morning to night the will of god, without straying one moment from this way, become (as David was) persons according to gods own heart, & in fine render themselves by an exact fidelity, very great Saints: and this by doing nothing else but their ordinary daily actions. For my part, when I consider that god has annexed our perfection to the exact performance of our daily actions, that 'tis of these he will require an account at the day of judgement, that it is to animate us to perform these that he gives us his graces, and that when we have any one of them to do, all that he requires of us, is nothing but our fidelity in performing it; I am surprised to see so few apply themselves to a holy and exact performance of them; and that they seek virtue and perfection in things which god requires not at their hands. Let us therefore endeavour to make a firm resolution to do all our ordinary actions of the day well, and place our perfection in this practice; let us avoid all things in them which may be displeasing to god, & take care to omit nothing in their performance which may be pleasing to him; let us perform them after such a manner, as that god may be the soul of all our actions and endeavours, and that there may be nothing human or unprofitable in all that we do, so that we may never be one moment without meriting and tending towards god; that Jesus-Christ may live in us, as the Apostle says, and that the spirit of his grace may animate all our thoughts, all our words, and all our works. I know very well that souls who are after an extraordinary manner carried to prayer, ought not to tie themselves to particular motives or reflections for the right performance of their actions, and that they ought to content themselves in following with fidelity the impulse of god's grace, and to suffer themselves to be led to the performance of them by the spirit which animates them, and which will make them avoid the imperfections which are ordinarily committed in such performances even when they do not foresee them: But since there are very few such souls, and that they as well as others will be able to find in the advice that I give, the sources of retirement and recollection, that is to say, such thoughts as will maKe them enter into themselves even in the midst of their distractive Employments, there are therefore few persons, or to say better, none, who may not reap profit out of these exercises. But that they may be able to do so, I would council them to read them often, till such time as having so fixed in their minds all these sentiments, they may upon all occasions use them as a rule whereby to perform all their actions in an holy manner, and it would be good also to run them over at the end of the weeK or month, thereby to discover and taKe a view of all their faults. In the beginning they may also content themselves with the practice of the rules relating to the performance of some particular action, as of Mass, for example, and afterwards endeavour to perfect themselves in the rest. For I cannot but affirm▪ that we have not any means more sure, easy, and efficacious, of making ourselves Saints, & arriving to an eminent degree of virtue, then by doing all our actions with an interior spirit: this is that we ought to apply ourselves to, all the days of our life, and we may assure ourselves that to die in this exercise, is to die the death of Saints.   

THE Daily exercises of a Christian life OR The interior Spirit with which we ought to animate our actions all the day long.  


I. RISING.  
THE holiness of life and death depending on our passing over the day in an holy manner, & the passing of it well consisting chief in a good beginning of it▪ I dare affirm that the action which one ought to perform with the greatest fervour, is that of rising in the morning, wherefore taKe care to rise every day at a constant and regulated hour, and if you find any difficulty in it, think of Jesus-Christ hanging upon his cross, to which the love of you fixed him, much faster than the nails; from whence he reproaches you with your delicacy and sloth▪ and you will be ashamed to give this ease to your body, seeing your saviours body torn, & his blood exhausted for the love of you. You may also sometimes, if you please, think of that which a soul in Purgatory suffers for the sloth it had in rising, whilst it lived and entertaining yourself with these good thoughts, get up with fervour, having first consecrated to god your heart and soul, & put him into possession of yourself. You may rise ordinarily in Summer at five of the clock, and at six in the winter. When you are up the first thing you are to perform, is prayer, which consists chief in four acts. By the first, you adore God as present, and give him thanKs for having had the goodness to preserve you that night from sudden death. By the second you offer to him all your thoughts, words, and deeds, and all your sufferings together with yourself, in union with the thoughts, words, deeds, & sufferings of Jesus Christ, praying him to act in you, and to animate you to suffer, and to Keep you all that day intimately united to him by a faithful imitation of his life in all that you do. By the third act you asK pardon of God for your past sins, making a firm resolution of avoiding all mortal & venial sin & particularly to take tcare of that imperfection you find yourself most subject to, and to practise that virtue which you have undertaken that month to practice: ask for this end, the assistance of that Saint whom you have for your patron & protector. By the fourth act you must commit & resign yourself first to the bounty & goodness of God, in order to all the graces which he shall please to bestow that day upon you, then to his Justice in order to all the pains & afflictions which he shall please to send you, welcoming them as from his hand, & accepting them with resignation, & lastly to his providence in order to all the good & bad success which he shall permit, in what you undertaKe or perform. After these Acts, say a Pater, Ave & Creed together with the Confiteor and if you please, the Litanies of Jesus, & three times Gloria Patri, etc. in honour of the blessed Trinity. In fine, pray to the blessed Virgin, your good Angel, & Patron, to assist and preserve you, & offer up the Masses that shall be said that day throughout the whole world, to obtain of God fidelity to concur with his grace, as also an happy death.   

II. DRESSING.  
HAlf an hour past five or past six (according to the time of your rising) dress yourself; (1.) with modesty, & without any satisfaction or complacence in your , remembering that God looks upon you, & that this body you take so much pains to dress & adorn, may perhaps the same day become the food of worms: consider also that Jesus Christ would die naKed upon the cross to satisfy for the vanity which we take in our , & to punish it in himself. (2.) It will be also good to divest yourself of this vanity, & gratefully to acknowledge the goodness of your dying Jesus, in reducing himself to this poor condition for your sake, by depriving yourself from time to time of some little ornament that pleases you most, though it were but of a ribbon, which you may sacrifice unto him, or you may forbear to wear that day some better suit of  or gown, for his sake; all which will be very pleasing to him. (3.) Above all, look not in your glass but for mere necessity, that so you may avoid such satisfactions & complacences as may happen in that action; consider that your soul is as disagreeable in the sight of god, & as naKed of the ornaments of virtue, as your dress & ornaments are agreeable in your own. (4. ● Employ no more time in dressing then is purely necessary, remembering that you must give an account to god for the time unnecessarily spent in it. After this, give order for such things as are to be done about your house.   

III. PRAYER.  
AT seven of the clock, or half an hour past it, (according to the time necessarily required for your dressing and ordering the affairs of your household) maKe your prayer for the space of half an hour, retiring yourself in to a Closet, if you are not alone in your chamber, or if you cannot perform it with convenient recollection at home, you may go to the Church; but it would be much more to the purpose to maKe it before you quite dress yourself, if you maKe it at home. In prayer, follow the advice of your director, without consulting others, and above all, remember to observe three things, first, often to renew the presence of God, & sweetly and familiarly entertain yourself with him concerning the truths you meditate of, to the end you may always remain with due respect, and more easily avoid distractions; Secondly receive with patience such aridities, disgusts, distractions, or wander of the imagination, as God permits to happen to you in prayer, looking on this as the best way to profit much in a short time in the pure love of god, which is so remote from whatsoever is sensible: Moreover in this condition you ought to do nothing else save only (1) to humble and annihilate yourself before the divine Majesty of God, looKing on yourself as unworthy to speaK unto him. (2.) offer up your disabilities and weaKnesses to God; resigning yourself to his will, & protesting that you seeK or desire nothing but purely to please him. (3.) raise yourself by frequent elevations of your heart to God, & chief by acts of faith, hope, charity, humility and resignation, not troubling yourself if you do not this with sweetness or facility & being throughly persuaded, that the more violence you use towards yourself, the more pleasing you are to Almighty God. (●.) in fine, you ought in this condition, to continue on your Knees with fidelity, during the whole time of your prayer, (unless you are hindered by indisposition) detaining yourself in a posture full of respect, and as a victim sacrificed as well to the power of a God, whom you honour by executing his will, in spite of the difficulty you find in it, as to his justice, which you glorify by suffering, either the proof he makes of your fidelity, or the pain wherewith he punisheth your past unfaithfulness▪ The third thing to be observed in prayer is, to make particular purposes & resolutions, as for example, to overcome your inclinations & humours, to renounce your own will, to mortify your senses, to humble, moderate, & recollect your 〈◊〉 such & such occasions. In con●usion, you ought to offer your good purposes & resolutions to Jesus-Christ by the hands of his blessed mother. The last thing to be performed is that when you know that God acts in you by certain lights or good motions, which he bestows upon you, you must receive these graces with a spirit altogether annihilated, with an humble heart full of silence, without abandoning yourself entirely to sensibility, & without endeavouring by sighs or other tendernesses, to conserve or augment the favours which you feel, above all keep yourself barely attentive during the whole time to God who acts in you, rather than to what he does. You must take care not to rest in a speculative & languishing faith of his verities accompanied with a barren & empty satisfaction, but aught to animate both with a lively & practical faith, & efficacious resolution to act accordingly.   

iv MASS.  
AT eight of the clock hear mass, according to the practice which has been taught you, or according to the spiritual exercise which you have for this purpose in some of your manuals, or else you may satisfy yourself with observing the following directions. First go quietly to the Church, begging of the blessed Virgin to obtain for you such sentiments & feelings of compassion & love as she had for her son when she accompanied him to Mount Calvary, & say to yourself come let us go my Soul, let us go to see thy Saviour crucified. Secondly, entering into the Church, take holy water, conceiving an hearty sorrow for your sins; & keeping your eyes in an humble submissive posture, before your God & your Judge adore him with a lively faith, & give him your heart. So long as you shall be in the Church, & chief all the time of holy mass continue in a respectful posture without looking about, and do not sit down, unless by reason of some indisposition or weakness, or that you should stay there very long. Thirdly, offer the mass you go to hear unto Almighty God, in union with the intentions which jesus Christ himself had, when he offered the same sacrifice for us upon Mount Calvary, & which he now will have when he offers it again to his eternal father upon the Altar. Protest that you desire to join with him in his designs and to have the same interior dispositions, as also to make your whole self a victim together with him to be sacrificed to the glory of God alone, But in particular offer the mass for these four ends, first, to honour the greatness of God, secondly, to thank him for all the graces and favours that he hath ever bestowed upon you; thirdly, to help and comfort the poor souls in purgatory▪ & more especially those who are forgotten & abandoned by others, or are detained there through your fault; fourthly to beg of God for the sake of jesus Christ some particular grace and favour, as the victory over your own humour, the love of your enemies, a greater recollection, & such other virtues, as you find yourself to stand most in need of, you may offer the same in the fifth place for that sinner who shall be in danger that day of dying in mortal sin without confession. Fourthly, after these intentions (which you ought, if you have opportunity, to make before mass) if you have not time to say your vocal prayers after mass, you may recite them from the beginning of mass till, Sanctus, but if you have other time for them, attend during the whole mass with all interior application imaginable to this great sacrifice, either as your spiritual director has advised, or according to the rules of your manual, or else after this manner, first, in the beginning, ask together with the priest the pardon of your sins, saying the Confiteor, & then till the Gospel exercise your soul in the consideration of the goodness of God, who seeing in what an impossibility we were of saving ourselves, descended from heaven, made himself man, was born in a stable, abasing & annihilating himself before his father to appease his wrath, which we had justly provoked; then give thanks to our Saviour for this excess of bounty & goodness towards you, & protest that this day you will endeavour to humble yourself in gratitude for & in honour of the humiliations & annihilations of his incarnation.  
Secondly at the Gospel make an act of faith & belief of all the verities which the priest there reads, protesting that you are ready to die for the faith Beg of our Saviour to augment & increase it in you, & to render it lively & active; desire him to enlighten & convert all Infidels & Heretics; & offer yourself to his justice to suffer that day something for their conversion. Thirdly at the offertory, offer up to God as a sacrifice by the hands of jesus Christ your body, soul, life, reputation, kindred, family, estate, & all that you have, and protest that you will make no other use of them then for the service & glory of God, and salvation of your own soul, & that you will retrench whatsoever s'hall be ill in them, and even deprive yourself often of what is not absolutely useful, sanctifying your whole exterior by the spirit and conduct of his grace. Fourthly, from, Sanctus, to the Elevation, think upon the death of our Saviour, going over the chief mysteries of his passion from the garden of Olives to his crucifixion, but make this reflection without staying long upon each particular, satisfying yourself with beholding jesus suffering in these mysteries with a tender compassion, an acknowledgement for, & a love of his goodness, together with sorrow for your sins & wickedness. Fifthly, at the Elevation, offer unto the eternal father jesus Christ his only son, adore him as lifted up on the cross for your sins, beg of him to obtain mercy for you & for all sinners, present to his father all the drops of blood he shed, all the moments of sadness his heart suffered, the wounds wherewith his whole body was covered, & the injuries he endured for you, & beg of him for the sake hereof, that he would have mercy on you.  
Sixthly, till, Domine non sum dignus, employ your thoughts upon Christ sacrificed for your sake upon the Altar, consider that he is come thither for your sake, that he thinks of you, that he prays for you, that he sacrifices himself to the justice of his father to appease his wrath against you; in a word, that this our amiable Saviour is wholly taken up with you & for you upon the Altar. This thought will move you presently to render thanks for this great bounty, to hope firmly that you shall obtain whatever he asks for you, to unite your intentions with those which he has in order to your salvation, & to protest before God, that you ask the same which he asks for you, that you sacrifice all that to him which he sacrificed for you, and that you will stand to whatsoever promise he has made in your behalf. Seventhly, a little before the Communion of the priest dispose yourself to a spiritual Communion by acts of faith, acknowledging that Jesus Christ is really upon the Altar, of hope, confiding that he will render you partaker of the effects of this adorable sacrament, of love, burning with an ardent desire of being united unto him, of humility, esteeming yourself unworthy to receive him sacramentally. Eighthly after communion till the end of mass employ yourself in thanking God for the graces & favours he has bestowed upon you, & which he hath asked for you during this holy sacrifice, as also in offering yourself as a victim unto him, sacrificing to him for that day some word or action that is pleasing to you. After mass say one, De profundis, one Pater & Ave, for the souls in Purgatory, and return home with modesty & silence.   

V WORK.  
ABout nine of the clock being retired home (for on those days wherein you do not communicate, 'tis enough to be one hour in the Church in the morning, half whereof may be spent in hearing mass, the other in vocal prayer) you must fall to work, or do such busyness as you have in hand, taking care never to be idle, the spirit or intention wherewith this aught to be done is, first, to offer your work to God in union with that work & labour which Jesus & Mary performed in their house. Secondly, to remember from time to time that God looks upon you. Thirdly, to quit the action or worK as soon as the will of God or charity ●hall call you else where, without adhering thereunto with too great an affection. Fourthly to perform it with all the care and perfection that you are able without neglecting any thing in it. Fifthly to thinK often that God has condemned us for our sins to labour, & that one day in heaven we shall have nothing to do, but to love God. Sixthly, if your work be at your own disposal, do something from time to time for the poor, as about Christmas make swaddling clouts for some child in honour of the Infant Jesus, or other worK for the Altar according to your directours advice.   

VI EATING.  
A Little before dinner maKe a short reflection upon the virtue of the month, or the vice that is given you to overcome, see how you have behaved yourself, & ask grace of God by the intercession of your Patron, to taKe more care and become more vigilant the rest of the day: one may add hereunto the reading of a chapter out of Thomas ● Kempis, if you have leisure, (which assure yourself will not be lost) secondly say grace, or the Benedicite not in haste & barely out of custom but with attention & respect, remembering that you speaK to God, & that he beholds you. Thirdly, never pas● a meal without offering to our Lord some little bit which is most pleasing to you, depriving yourself thereof to give it him, but in such a manner as that no notice may be taken of it. Fourthly, from time to time offer to God this action, which of itself being low, mean, & indifferent, aught to be animated with an holy intention to maKe it meritorious of heaven. Fifthly, sit at table with modesty & gravity, without being taken up with, or searching after the pleasing of your appetite: think sometimes how jesus & Mary performed this action (& this aught to be the model you propose to yourself in all other actions.) In fine remember that the Saints gave with regret & only out of necessity this satisfaction to their bodies, which they looked upon as their greatest enemies. Sixthly I would counsel you not to eat between meals without great necessity, but you may breakfast, because perhaps you may ●uffer prejudice by fasting all the morning, & consequently be less able to perform your business.   

VII. CONVERSATION.  
OF all the actions of the day this is that in which you ought most to stand upon your guard, because there is more danger of offending God in this then in all others. In effect the holy Scripture says, that he who offends not with his tongue is perfect: wherefore to render your conversation truly Christian, & in it to bridle your tongue, observe the following advice. First, never speak of the faults of others, if you be not obliged in conscience to reprehend them, or to give others account of them. Secondly before you enter into conversation, recommend your heart & tongue to your good Angel, that yo● may say nothing, nor consent to any thing that is said against your neighbour. Thirdly avoid as much as you can the conversation of worldings who speak of nothing in these times but vanity, fashions, & ornaments a la mode; But when necessity or decency obliges you to such company, stay as little amongst them as may be, because one ordinarily comes from them with wand'ring thoughts, & a heart very insensible of what belongs to God. Fourthly take care also not to talk too much of devotion, of prayer & direction, because ordinarily there is much of self-love & vanity in speaking too much of these matters, & it is more secure to hear others then to speak much on this subject. Fifthly, Notwithstanding you ought to let no conversation pass in which you do not handsomely bring in some good discourse (& you will do well to seek the company of such as love to speak of God) nevertheless you ought to entertain none but your director with any discourse of your own interior. Sixthly, never say any thing either to your own advantage, or against yourself, for oftentimes it is a counterfeit humility to undervalue one's self before others; whereas we should be very sorry that they should believe us to be such as we represent ourselves; but the true mark of sincere humility is not to excuse ourselves when we are reprehended or blamed for any thing. That a wife may Keep the respect due to her husband, & a child to its father & mother, let them remember never to lose it in speaking, saying nothing that may offend them, nor contradicting them with obstinacy, or answering them with coldness, indifference, disrespect, or contempt. Eightly, if you desire the spirit of recollection & prayer, fly the world & company as much as you can, never maKing visits but for mere necessity, nor entertaining any familiar acquaintance but with one or two persons of devotion like yourself. Nin●ly, banish from your conversation all unprofitable curiosity con●ning the life & conduct of others, vanity, sowrness and immoderate afection, carry yourself cheerfully●… civilly, but so as to avoid distraction or dissipation of mind.   

VIII. READING.  
AFter dinner & the recreation following it, you must read in som● spiritual booK for half, or a quarter of an hour, as shall be appointed you, and that you may do this with fruit, first, in the beginning humbly crave grace of our Saviour to profit by it, saying either, veni sancte Spiritus, or a Pater & Ave. Secondly read not out of curiosity & in haste, but leisurely and with attention, & when you meet with any thing either moving or instructive, rest there a little while, endeavouring, as it were to relish it, consider how you may be able that day to practise it, & beg of the holy ghost to imprint it in your heart. Thirdly be not in pain to read ●any pages in your book, read a ●●ttle, but with great recollection & attention, always apply what y●u ●ead in order to practice, & consider ●ow & then that those very truths, which you read will condemn you one day before god's tribunal if you do not follow them. Fourthly let not this spiritual reading be ordinarily but in solid and moving books, & such as your director shall approve. Fifthly be not troubled if you remember nothing of what you have read, but commit all that you have read to him who is able to touch & move your heart independently of those truths which you read. Sixthly after your reading thanK God for having thereby instructed you, & make a firm resolution by the assistance of his grace to practise the Instructions he has given you.   

IX. SILENCE.  
AFter your reading you must return to your work if you hav● not some business which obliges yo● to go abroad, & take care at two ●… the clock to keep an half, or a quarter of an hour of silence according a● your director shall thinK fit. During the time of your silence, first, ofte● call to mind the silence which Jesus Mary & Joseph often observed during their work, uniting your silence wit● theirs, sometimes think of the sacred silence observed in heaven by the Saints, who are wholly absorped i● God, & do you sigh and long after that happy repose; sometimes also entertain yourself in your heart with your good Angel, thanKing him for the care he taKes of your salvation, promising him due respect & fidelity in performing whatsoever he shall inspire you to do, & begging of him to present your prayers, & the desires of your heart to our Saviour: you may at another time employ your thoughts on the necessity of spending our time well & on the account which we must render to God, for every moment of our life: or if you please in case you be alone, recite some vocal prayers which you can say by heart, but taKe care that no one perceives this Keeping of silence in you, unless it be such as observe the like, & therefore make no difficulty in answering any question which is made you, satisfying yourself that you do not speak of your own accord. Thirdly offer this silence to God in satisfaction for the faults you have that day committed in speaking. Fourthly, I would counsel you to impose on yourself from time to time some little space of silence, for example, during a Misere, when you have spoken any words of humour or sensual inclination or against charity, imposing it on yourself when you have most desire to speak.   

X. The visit of the blessed Sacrament & of the prayer in the evening called, the Salve.  
TOwards four or five of the clock in the evening go to the Church, either to make a second half hour of prayer, if your director judges it convenient, or to be present at the Benediction or Salve. Take care to perform this visit of the blessed Sacrament with spirit and fervour, & not merely out of custom, & without fruit. First on sundays present yourself to our blessed Saviour, to honour the glorious state of his body risen from the dead, which is upon the Altar, testifying the joy you have of its glory, rendering thanks to the blessed Trinity for this marvellous beauty which it has communicated to the sacred body of our blessed Saviour, & begging of him with confidence to bestow on your body a participation of these glorious qualities at the resurrection, making a strong resolution to receive with love all corporal pains, which will purchase such a resplendent glory to our bodies, as the pains & torments which our saviour suffered brought to his, doing in fine the same by an act of faith towards Jesus Christ, which the Saints perform towards him in the clear sight of his glory. Secondly, on Mondays honour in this visit the state of a victim or sacrifice, which our saviour has in the blessed Sacrament, offering up your whole self to his love, sacrificing to him the curiosity of your eyes, the bitterness and impatience of your speech, the eagerness of your desires, the distractions of your mind & the evil affections & inclinations of your heart; & since Jesus Christ, always bears about him this state of death and quality of a victim or sacrifice on our Altars, offering himself continually on them to his eternal father for us, so to honour him in this state, you must all the day long carry the spirit of a sacrifice about you, which will cause you in all occasions to die to your own humours & inclinations, & to sacrifice to God your natural repugnances. And 'tis on this day you must possess yourself of such sentiments as these, that all the week following you may practise the same, considering Jesus Christ in this visit as a victim both of justice & love, & begging of him to render you conformable to himself herein. Thirdly on Tuesdays, honour the exact & constant obedience which jesus practices in the blessed Sacrament, submitting himself to the voice or call of a man, & abandoning himself to his disposal how bad soever he be, and make a firm resolution of doing all things with the spirit of obedience, submitting yourself to all, & obeying those in particular who are in the place of Superiors. Fourthly on wednesdays employ yourself in the consideration of the wonderful patience of jesus in the blessed Sacrament, which causeth him to suffer all the outrages of heretics and ill christians with perfect constancy, not being weary of staying lay and night upon our Altars, that he may gain the hearts even of his enemies. Endeavour to honour this patience by a compassion of his sufferings, & by ask pardon for such as are wanting in their respect unto him, and by devoting yourself to his justice with a resolution to suffer all things without murmuring for the satisfaction thereof, & even to oblige those who offend you. Fifthly on Thursdays, honour the humility of jesus in the blessed Sacrament, which makes him live such an hidden & contemptible life, often abandoned & forsaken by all men for whose salvation he sacrifices himself upon the Altar; wherefore animate yourself to bear him company as often as you can, sighing & longing in your heart after jesus in the blessed Sacrament when you are absent in body, & loving and desiring a life like unto his, which renders you unKnown, neglected, and abandoned of all the world. Sixthly on frydays, honour his love which obliges him to give himself entirely to you without an reserve, to the end that you may b● wholly transformed into him, Endeavour to express such a disinteresse love towards him; but be sure to manifest the same rather by deeds the●● words. Seventhly on Saturdays, honour that liberality which he expresse● in those graces he bestows on you in your communions, & by keeping himself always upon the Altar to appease the wrath of his father, which is enkindled against you. Thank him for the miracles he works, that he may give himself unto you. Admire a God who is (as it were) so prodigal of himself. Beg pardon for the ill use you have made of so many graces as he has bestowed on you in your communions. The subjects of these visits may oftentimes serve you for the entertainment of your prayer in the afternoon.   

XI. EXAMEN.  
A Little before dinner, recollect yourself & take a view of the ●nfidelitys which you have been guilty of that morning in the practice of the virtue of the month, in overcoming ●our own ill humours, bad inclinations and natural repugnances, beg pardon for them of God by a sigh or two from the bottom of your heart. At night before you go to bed, make your general Examen, first of your ordinary faults & sudden sallies of passion; Secondly touching the ill use of divine graces, & the ill employment of your time; Thirdly touching the spirit & intention wherewith you have animated your actions, examining whether they proceeded from natural inclination, passion, or mere custom, or else were performed with a good intention and inward fervour, then make a solid & sincere act of sorrow, rather than a sensible one, & unite it by your intention with that act of contrition, which you shall endeavour to make are your next confession, & that you may produce this act the better, cast your eyes upon jesus crucified by you & for you, & behold with confusion & regret, a God expiring through grief & love in your behalf sometimes consider the bounty and Goodness of God, in expecting you, in seeking after you, & in receiving you with love, after so many infidelities and offences; sometimes harken to what he says in the bottom of your heart. Grow you weary of offending me, since you see I do not grow weary of doing what good I can for you; Sacrifice to me that vanity, that curiosity, that humour, that sudden motion of anger, which has so many years stood in competition with me for the possession of your heart, for which ● have sacrificed the very last drop of my blood. After your Examen say five Pater's and Aves in penance for your faults. When you go to bed, think a little on death which may perhaps surprise you that very night.   

XII. The spirit of recollection which we ought to preserve during the whole day.  
THe spirit of recollection is the fruit of a good prayer, & of a communion worthily received; you will obtain this recollection, by calling to mind the presence of God, which you may do, first, by breathing forth every hour these or the like aspirations: My God I am wholly yours. O that I might die to myself, to live to you & die in your love! Secondly, say in the beginning of every work or action: I do all for you my God, all in your presence, all for your love, o how glad am I to please you in this action! Thirdly, entering into company say, o my good Angel, guard my ● heart & tongue, to the end I may neither speak any thing against charity, nor hear it with complacence, or any other concurrence on my part, Fourthly, being in pain or trouble, as also in aridity or dryness in prayer, or at any time out of humour, say, o my God, be you my strength & support, let me take a satisfaction in that pleasure which you have that I should suffer for your sake. I am confounded in your presence, to see how miserable & weak I am in the performance of what is good, but at the same time, I rejoice at my being nothing since you are all: I willingly accept, & am hearty contented with my weaknesses & imbecilities, which may serve to destroy all self-love, & to establih your most holy & pure love in my heart. Fifthly, being ready to give way to any sudden anger or other passion, cast your eyes on God, who looks on you and preserves you from yielding to the temptation, and say, let me rather die o my God then satisfy myself in any thing that displeases you. By the frequent use of these aspirations, you will conserve your heart in devotion, & be always diposed for prayer, you will easily hinder distractions of mind which at that time are wont to disturb you: whatsoever you do, will be (as I may say) full of God; you will live with such an equality and steadfastness of mind, as will render you superior to all sallies of passion, & animate all your actions with interior life & spirit.   

XIII. The spirit of mortification for every day.  
YOu shall practise this mortification, first, in your eyes, depriving them of all curiosity and voluntary levity. Secondly in your tongue, forbearing all words of curiosity, anger, vanity, impatience, & detraction Thirdly, in your taste, restraining and moderating its sensuality, and the too great desire & curiosity of your appetite, & above all, by not eating without necessity between meals: Fourthly, in the sense of hearing, avoiding to hearken after news, or other unprofitable curiosities touching the life or manners of others, & such affairs as do not belong to you. Fifthly, in your body, fasting or using some other mortification, according to the advice, & with the permission of your director. Sixthly, in your mind, cutting off all unprofitable reflections upon yourself or others, but especially such as disquiet you or proceed from human respects. Seventhly, in your heart, restraining its solicitude & hasty eagerness in what it goes about, the excessive ardour of its desires, the disquiets & anxieties that afflict it when it is discontented, the vain satisfaction which it takes in any graces received from Almighty God, it's too great tie or in ordinate affection to its devotions, & in fine, whatsoever is sensible therein; since your heart must die to all these things, that it may live entirely to God, wherefore by little & little, you must wholly destroy, or at least moderate them. Above all, study to deny your own will by an exact fidelity & a constancy in that rule or course of life which you have undertaken, & by overcoming all your natural repugnances; & this is the exercise wherein (properly speaking) true devotion & solid virtue consist.    

CHRISTIAN TRUTHS which may serve for subject or matter of aspirations prayer, for o'er very day, when one has not taken any determinate subject or when what we have taKen does not move us.  

I.  
THere is nothing great but God, & nothing to be esteemed but what conduceth to his service; all the rest ought to be despised.   

II.  
GOd knows all the misery that happens to me, & can deliver me from it, if he pleases, and having done & suffered so much as he hath for my sake, I cannot doubt but that he love's me; wherefore certainly it is more advantageous for me to suffer this misery wherein I am at present, then to be delivered from it, since God does not think fit to take it away.   

III.  
IT is now a long time that the goodness of God has urged me to overcome this ill habit, this domineering passion, that his patience has expected my amendment, & that his mercy has received me into favour, as often as I have confessed these failings; & yet I use no endeavour to correct & overcome them: ought I not to grow weary of offending a God who is not weary of pardoning me?   

iv  
TO act in gods presence with sloth or passion to act with God by a motive of self-love, is to dishonour his presence, to abuse his power, & to injure his love.   

V  
IF a soul in purgatory had but one hour of that time which we lose, what would it not do to merit heaven? and if we had been but one moment in those flames, what would we not to do avoid the least venial sin?   

VI  
THe abuse of gods graces & favours is so much the more to be feared, by how much the less it is apprehended; there is no inspiration which cost not our Saviour Jesus Christ much blood & pain, and yet every moment we neglect & contemn them: o how terrible will be the account which one day will be demanded of them!   

VII.  
THat we may be able to suffer with courage, we must consider, that we suffer in the presence of God, for God, & with God; That the happiness of a Christian upon earth consists in suffering, that pains are the heart's delight of Jesus; & that pure love is only found upon the cross: wherefore we ought to suffer purely, without consolation, faithfully, without sloth, & peaceably, without impatience.   

VIII.  
JEsus laid in the manger, Jesus dying on the cross, & Jesus sacrificed for us on the Altar, aught to be the centre of our hearts, & of our devotion, to the end that these three states of Jesus may render us victims of the love, justice, & wisdom of God.   

IX.  
A Soul ought always to have the desire of seeing God, the fear of losing him, & the sorrow of not being yet worthy to possess him.   

X.  
SOlid virtue & true devotion consist, first, in using a continual violence against ourselves; Secondly, in a continual victory over our natural repugnances: Thirdly, in not yielding to, or sparing ourselves in any thing of humour or passion: Fourthly, in suffering with joy, or at least, with an interior and exterior quietness, the being reprehended for our faults before others, & contradicted in all our inclinations. If we do not endeavour to get this abnegation, we may be assured, that we shall never get solid virtue, & that all our devotion will be nothing else but delusion.   

X.  
WHat a folly is it to have so great an affection to, or concern for such goods as in a moment will slip away from us, & so great an indifferency for those that will remain with us for ever! and this, when we know that those are not so much as the shadow of these? o my God is it reasonable, that there should be nothing but you which we can lose without displeasure? or that we should be less concerned to lose a suit at law, or displease a friend?   

XII.  
WE ought to go to confession with a spirit of sorrow, & to come from it with a spirit of sacrifice & oblation, in offering ourselves entirely to the rigours of the justice of God, & arming ourselves with a just desire of tevenging on ourselves all the injuries which we have done to God. We ought moreover, to remember after confession, to apply the satisfactions of our dying jesus for our sins, offering them to his Eternal father; as also, to present to the justice of God all the sufferings which he shall please to send us till our next confession, resolving to impose some penance on ourselves over and above what the Confessor has enjoined us, as some alms, some restraint of our humour or passion, or the like; but above all we, aught to take care not to dissipate or distract ourselves immediately after confession.   

XIII.  
APproach unto jesus Christ in the Communion with such a lively faith of his presence, as may put you to an holy confusion; Secondly, with such a confidence, as those sick persons had, who (according to the Scripture) doubted not but that they should be healed, if they could but once approach jesus Christ, or touch his garments: Thirdly, with a fervent love, & with a great desire of uniting yourself most intimately with jesus, & of transforming yourself entirely into him, that you may neither live nor act but by him for him, & in him. Fourthly, receive him with a profound respect, thumbling & annihilating yourself in his presence; & being content to remain at his feet in silence: Fifthly, beg of him, that he himself would return thanks to his eternal father for you, that he would entertain himself within you, since you are unable to make him such an entertainment as he deserves, & that he would ask for you that which he sees necessary: Sixthly, join with that sacrifice which he makes of himself in your heart, a sacrifice of whatsoever is there displeasing to him. Seventhly, asK of him with confidence, a victory over your bad inclinations, & offer some one of your defects to him, desiring him to overcome it in you, & cause you to keep a watch over yourself for that purpose, till your next communion. Eighthly, remember, that the true fruit of a good communion, consists in strength to overcome yourself in occasions, & to keep yourself more recollected, during that whole day, rather than in tenderness & sensible devotion which is soon dissipated.   

XIV.  
ONe aught to neglect nothing in the service of God, but to be very faithful to avoid the least & most light imperfections, & to overcome one's self in small things, to perform even the least actions as in the presence of God, to mortify one's self in a thousand very inconsiderable occasions, to sanctify the least pains by a general resignation of our selves to the justice of God, without this fidelity, 'tis impossible ever to arrive to an eminent perfection, nay one will soon fall into ●epidity, & into a great danger of being lost.   

XV.  
ALl the world speaks of dying to themselves, but few know what it is, & scarce any one does it with such fidelity as is necessary; & yet none can have an entire conversion to God, & live entirely to him, without ceasing to live to themselves. The first step that leads to this death, is to deny all such satisfaction to our senses as is either inordinate, or unprofitable, and to purify them, by mortifying & displeasing objects. Wherefore, 'tis no● enough not to forbear the looking on any object with any tie of satisfaction or curiosity, or the giving ear to any thing which is spoken against our neighbour, or to what we have too eager a desire of knowing, or the speaking with passion, impatience, or vanity, or the eating between meals, or at meals, with too much desire of pleasing our appetites; I say, it is not enough, to refuse these & a thousand other little commodities & unprofitable pleasures to our bodies, but we ought to oblige ourselves sometimes to see, to speak, and to hear such things as we have a repugnance to, & which mortify & displease us. The second step to die to ones self, is to suppress & stifle such reflections & thoughts of mind, as are unprofitable or curious, or may give our soul any inclination towards creatures. The third step is to moderate the desires of our heart, when they are too violent, & to retrench or cut off all adhesion & tie to creatures, all search after them, & all rest & confidence in them, that we may keep fast to God alone.    

DISPOSITIONS of mind during the time of Advent. I.  
An ardeni desire thut jesus Christ may be born & reign absolutely in our hearts.  

The 1. Exercise. For the Morning.  
THat which was done from the beginning of the world by the holy Patriarcks, who all sighed after the coming of our Saviour, for the salvation of all mankind in general, the same each christian ought too perform for his own advantage in particular, during this holy time of Advent.  
1. We ought to wish that Jesus may be born in us, & this aught to be our only, as well as efficacious & constant desire, that is to say, 1. We must desire nothing but to possess Jesus, & be possessed by him, to love him & to be beloved by him. (2.) we must desire that he should reign absolutely in our understandings, by a lively & active faith, in our hearts, by a strong & overruling love which may render our wills entirely subject to his, & bound & stop all the sallies of humour & passion over our senses, by depriving them of all such satisfactions as they inordinately seek after, & over our actions, by conforming our life to the pattern of his own; because it is by this means, that Jesus will be born in our hearts & reign absolutely in them, & will be in us, as the soul of a holy & perfect life. 3. In fine, this desire of the birth of Jesus in our souls, aught to be constant; that we may joyfully consent, that our Saviour should himself endeavour to form his own image within us, by pains both of body & mind, by persecutions from men, & derelictions fro● God, & by all the evils of this life as a carver makes use of his chissel & hammer, & by force of blows, renders his statue beautiful, cutting o● whatever is any way rude or deformed therein.  
2. But that we may obtain of Go● this spiritual birth of Jesus Chris● in our souls, let us address ou● selves to the blessed Trinity; let u● daily ask of the Eternal Father to give us his son; that is to say, tha● he would animate us with his spirit & with his maxims, & destroy in us the spirit & maxims of the world And we out of a due acKnowledge●ment of so precious a gift (since 'tis no less than God himself) ought to receive the same with much respect & gratitude in the communion, where of, 'tis good to partake frequently during this holy time.  
3. Let us beg of the son of God that he would give himself entirely to our souls as a victim in the blessed Sacrament of the Altar, wherein he incorporates himself with us, & transforms us in to himself; & that as the the fruit & benefit of our communions, he would let us live only for him, by him, & in him: For him, as the end of all our actions, by a pure & holy intentions; by him, as the source & life of whatsoever we shall either do, say or think; & in him, as in a centre, where our hearts will be at rest: Or else, that he would give himself unto us, as the model & pattern of our life, which cannot be christian, unless it be like unto that of jesus Christ: Or lastly, that he would bestow himself on us as the remedy, & vanquisher of sin, of self-love, & of our evil inclinations, hindering us from falling into any voluntary fault, healing the wounds & scars which sin has made in our souls, by imparting to us a sincere sorrow for having committed them, a firm resolution of avoiding them, the tears & sighs of an humble contrite heart & the holy martyrdom of an heart, which is an enemy to its own pleasures, & is armed against itself b● an holy hatred.  
4. Let us in fine, beg of the holy Ghost, that he would produce & form jesus Christ in our hearts, by the mos● pure flames of his love, and that he would imprint in them the simplicity, humility, & innocence of the Infant jesus. (1. His simplicity, first, that we may treat with God in prayer, without reflecting on any thing which is not himself, nor even on that which we receive from him, to the end that we may unite ourselves to him with the whole strength of our souls, permitting him to take the entire possession of us: Next, that we may treat with men in our commerce & conversations, without any dissimulation or deceit: And lastly, that we may treat wit hour own selves, without flattering ourselves in our faults, or hiding them from our own sight (2.) His humility, nor such however as that of a God (as it were) annihilated, for man cannot descend or humble himself after this manner, because he cannot go beyond his nothing, out of which he was taken; but such as consist in a sincere acknowledgement of what we are viz▪ according to nature, pure nothing, neither meriting of, nor good for any thing; & in respect of grace, unable to think so much as one good for any thing; & in respect of grace, unable to think so much as one good thought by our own strength, or to recover ourselves from the state of sin without the actual help & assistance of God; having only power of ourselves, to do evil, & incur our damnation.  
3. The innocence of the Infant jesus, that we may be preserved from all sin, & even from such venial ones as are voluntary, & free from all inordinate affections, or ties to creatures, & as far as is possible, from all imperfection (4.) That you may obtain these graces of the Infant jesus, say at the end of your prayer (for matter whereof, you may take these considerations) 1. time Pater & Ave & 3. times Gloria Patri, And often, in the day time, endeavour to produce in your heart, most ardent desires that jesus Christ may be born in you.   

II. Adore jesus in the bosom of Mary, & salute Mary in the heart of jesus. THE TWO EXERCISE. For the Evening.  
1. WE must consider with a profound respect a God enclosed in the womb of a Virgin, & acknowledge in adoring him, that as little, as hidden, & as annihilated as he is, in the chaste bowels of the Virgin, he is the same God who is adored by the Angels in heaven, & is the absolute Lord and Sovereign of all creatures; Then unite ourselves in spirit & will, with those all divine dispositions which he possesses in the bosom of Mary & with the most loving designs he has for our salvation.  
2. Let us take notice of the virtues which this Infant God practised in this prison in which he was shut up for nine months together, for our instruction & for our good▪ Let us admire the profound humility of an Infant shut up in his mother's womb. In effect, he there hides his power under weakness, he there confines his immensity within the little body of an Infant, & annihilates all the splendour of his glory in the obscurity & lowlyness of Infancy. And after all this, is it just that pure nothings as we are, should desire to elevate ourselves above others, despise them, give place to none, search after the esteem of men, & have a high conceit & idea of ourselves? O how far do we fly from annihilated jesus, while we elevate ourselves by those sentiments of vanity!  
3. 3. Let us consider the patience of the same Saviour undergoing the incommodities to which all Infants are subject whilst they are in this condition. Alas my jesus! from this very time, thou didst foresee my impatience, my murmur, my delicacy that would suffer nothing: & you punished yourself on their score for me, from that very time, I begun to give you that pain, and cause you to suffer for the ungrateful, & sacrifice yourself for miserable creatures who apprehend nothing more than to suffer. O Pains, o dolours, o Incommodities of life, how dear ought you to be to me, since from this very time you became the hearts delight of my jesus!  
4. In fine represent to yourself, how rude & severe the mortification was, which little jesus exercised upon his senses in the womb of his mother; having deprived them of their exercises, & of all their natural satisfaction, that so you may do penance for all the sensual pleasures you abandon yourselves unto. O curiosity of my eyes, how sensible you are to my jesus, since to make satisfaction for you, he remained nine months in his mother's womb without seeing any thing! How highly am I obliged to you my Saviour, for imposing so long a silence upon your tongue, to obtain pardon for all my evil or unprofitable speeches which mine has pronounced. O how hearty I renounce for love of you, all the satisfaction of my senses, all the delicacies of my body, and all the affections I may feel in me that are human, curious, or unprofitable. O jesus, o amiable Infant, o adorable victim of justice & love, I unite myself to the sacrifice you made of your entire self to your eternal Father, from the first moment of your life, which was a sacrifice of fidelity, of sorrow, & of obedience. O grant, that I may consummate it with you upon the cross!  
5 Say Nine Pater's & Aves every day to honour the nine months that jesus Christ was in the womb of the Virgin & salute jesus as often in the womb of Mary, & Mary, in the heart of jesus. Retire yourself from company as much as you are able, increase your mortifications in your time of silence, keep your mind sweetly employed with the thoughts of the profound silence & intimate union of the soul of Mary, altogether lost & swallowed up in the bottomless depth of the heart of jesus; Enter with her into this adorable sanctuary of love; which you will find full of bounty for you, & wholly taken up with the thoughts of your salvation. O how is Mary filled with the love of jesus! & o how is jesus replenished with the love of Mary, &  charity for sinners! O holy Virgin, I conjure you by this admirable favour which you had in the possession of your jesus, to fill my heart with the love of him.   

For the Feast and Octave of Christmas.  

I.  
Employ half an hour in Christmas night, or in the day, to think upon the most amiable mystery of the birth of Godman, Consider all the circumstances of it with admiration & love, represent to yourself an Infant laid upon straw in a poor stable, all trembling with cold, bound up in swaddling clouts, exposed to the winds, unknown to men for whose salvation he came into the world; & both he & his holy Mother abandoned, & in want of all human succours: & finding yourself astonished at so strange a condition, to which you see your Saviour reduced; let your heart, pierced with compassion, & filled with gratitude for little Jesus, break out in these exclamations: o bounty, o inconceivable love of my God is it possible that my soul should be so dear to thee that for love of it, thou shouldst subject thyself to so many miseries? O humiliations of my Jesus, how do you condemn my pride & my vanity! O amiable Jesus, & so much the more lovely, by how much the more you have debased yourself for my sake! What, my soul, canst thou behold a God, who has despoiled himself of the splendour of his glory, & embraced an extreme poverty to enrich thee with his graces & yet endure to take pleasure in the dresses & worldly ornaments of your body? You see a God which makes himself an Infant, as humble, poor, & obedient as an Infant, and you can have vanity, dissimulation, malice & repugnance in obeyying!  
2. Approach with confidence this most lovely Infant, & beg of the blessed Virgin & Saint joseph, to present you to him. Adore him with respect, because he is your God; Love him with tenderness, because he is a victim of love, that offered himself for your sake. Mix your tears with his, weep with compassion over his sufferings, whilst he weeps for sorrow over your sins: Fear nothing, he is an amiable Infant, & wholly yours, his heart is full of charity for you, his eyes are full of sweetness & tenderness; he is all love: Approach him, & embrace him with all the ardour of your heart; lose yourself, let yourself be swallowed up in this bottomless ocean of love: let yourself burn & consume in this sacred fire, & beg of this divine Infant, to be born & live in you; That he may become the soul of your soul, that he may wean & disengage your heart from the love of of temporal goods, to imitate his poverty, & that he may make you live a life full of humility, of obedience, & simplicity, to enter thereby into the true spirit of his Infancy.   

II.  
1. EAch day of the Octave, renew these sentiments in your prayer in the evening, take part in the joy which the Angels and shepherds, tefied at the sight of a God become an Infant. Acknowledge a God, by the marks which heaven gives of him in the crib; To wit, in the swaddling , & in the extreme poverty in which he was born, & stongly convince yourself that you ought to be poor either in effect, or in heart to resemble jesus & to save yourself.  
2. Give in the honour of Jesus the Infant, some suit or swaddling  to the child of some poor body, & visit during this office, the children brought up in the Hospital, doing them some service with as much affection, as you would to the Infant jesus.  
3. Apply yourself to keep your heart in an indifferency to all things, in a resignation to the divine providence, in peace & silence before this divine Infant, as Infants are wont to live in indifferency to all things, & without concerning themselves for any thing, reposing wholly upon the care of their parents.  
4. Speak little to creatures during this time, to be the better able to employ yourself the more in the thoughts & love of the Infant jesus; forget yourself, to be able to thinK of nothing but him. O love, o love, how powerful art thou to make of God an Infant! O my heart how ingrateful art thou, if thou lovest not this Infant God This is the aspiration, which thou oughtest to renew several times a day.  
5. In fine, approach often, if your Director rhink fit, to holy communion, during the Octave, to incorporate yourself with the Infant Jesus, to act nothing but by his spirit, to live no more but by his life, to love humiliations, poverty, the interior renunciation of all satisfaction of the heart, or the senses, that is, the better to conform yourself to these inclinations of little jesus.     

The exercises of Christian life during lent.  

GENERAL ADVICES  

I. Lent is a time of Sanctity.  
THe time of lent is a time of sanctity and devotion, these are the days of salvation as the scripture styles them: so that we ought to apply ourselves, more at this time then at any other of the year, with an exact fidelity, to our perfection, tha● is to say:  
1. To perform our exercises of devotion with more fervour & frit, & our exterior exercise with a greater interior.  
To be more upon our guard, to resist all the sallies of our humour, all the unprofitable reflections or relapses of our minds upon creatures, & all the extravagancies of our senses.  
3. To use violence to ones self, to overcome one's natural repugnances, & to act no longer according to custom or inclination, but according to the interior spirit of grace.  
4. To entertain one's self more frequently in the presence of God, either one's mind, by a frequent recourse to him, or one's heart, by a constant desire to please him.  
5. To apply one's self with greater zeal to the practice of some virtue every month, and in the day to make some interior or exterior acts of it.  
6. To make it o●es study to keep one's self i● time of prayer, peaceable, humble, submissive, & respectful before God, without disquieting or troubling one's  for all the distractions, distastes, & sterilities that may happen in it, seeking nothing else but to please God, without minding to please one's self; Remembering the advice our Lord gives us, not to discourse too much in it, & with peace of mind, to be satisfied with the state of privation & insensibility, when God puts us therein.  
To labour by means of our examition, to know all that is bad or ill in us, to correct it; that which is human, to purify it, & that which is unprofitable to elevate it.  
8. Not to content one's self with an affective devotion, which consists only in good thoughts, desires, & resolutions, which one may have to do well: but to persuade one's self that true devotion and solid virtue consist in doing what God will have us, in spite of all our natural repugnances.  
9 In one's spiritual reading, to relish well what one reads, & as in all ones other actions to expect therefrom, all the fruit of gods grace  
10 To make one's conf●ssions with more sorrow for what is past, mor● confusion for the present, more resolution for the future, & more circumspection over ones self, the day one has confessed.  
11. To make one's communion● with more faith▪ confidence, & love, with a more ardent desire to unite one's self to jesus Christ, with a more profound respect, with a greater recollection & union to the sacrifice which Christ makes in our hearts, to his eternal Father, more fervency in our demands, more reservedness, the rest of the day.   

II. Lent is a time of penance.  
PEnance is either interior, which consists in an efficacious sorrow for our sins, or exterior, which comprehe●ds satisfactory works. For the first one, ought all the lent long to have one's heart continually contrite & humble before God, & so perform out of this stock of sorrow, & state of compunction, a continual mortification during this holy time consecrated entirely to penance. So that every hour, it were good to make an act of contrition for ones sins, rather by a sigh of our heart, then by Formal words: my God, forgive me, I'll sin no more, my God, I'll do nothing more to displease thee. For the second, one ought to observe, when at age, the fast of the Church. But (1.) we must perform it with such joy, as our saviour instructs us to do, as may be so much the greater, the more pain we have to do it, for then the merit is also greater. 2. We must perform it in union with the fast of jesus Christ, for to honour it. 3. In the exact privation of all things that may flatter our senses I mean, of the curiosity of our eyes, our ears, or the satisfactions or nice choice of words, for we ought to join the abstinence of our other senses, with our mouths.  
2. We ought to augment our ordinary austerities according to the advice of our director.  
3. We ought to distribute great alms then ordinary, yet not without our directours advice, because w● ought to do penance at this time fo● our whole years' sins.   

III. Lent is a time of solitude.  
'tIs at this time the better to honour the solitude of Jesus Christ that we ought to form to our selve● an interior & exterior solitude The first consists in removing from our memories all ill, human, & unprofitable thoughts, & to let it b● taken up with nothing but God present; or his holy will; to blot out o● one's understanding, all esteem of vanities, honours, & reputation before men, & to admit thereinto no oath esteem but that which may render u● great before God; and by a simpl● return towards him, to repress in our hearts, all natural motions, desires, or ties & inclinations to any creature, and to entertain continually therein an ardent desire to please God & to overcome one's self. In fine, to cut of all the ill & unprofitable satisfactions of the senses. This watching over one's heart, & over ones senses, is called interior solitude. To perform the exterior one, we ought to cut off all visits which are not made either out of charity, or necessity.  
2. To visit every week the poor in the Hospital, or in prisons, to satisfy for so many unprofitable or worldly visits made all the year.  
3. To keep, if possible, an hour of silence every day, to honour that which our Saviour kept this holy time.  
4. To avoid in conversation, that licenciousness in laughter, & discourses, that tend to excess.  
5. To interdict one's self, above all things, the speaking ill of our neighbour.    

PRACTICES OF PIETY during Lent.  

I. To honour the Passion, & the Sacred wounds of jesus Christ with some particular devotion.  
AS Lent disposes us to celebrate with more devotion the mysteries of the Passion of Jesus Christ, so 'tis convenient the better to conform one's self to the intention of the holy Church to employ one's thoughts often on them during this time, & to honour after a particular manner, the wounds which our Lord received for love of us; of which I here give you the practice.  
1. Make every day an hour of meditation upon one of the mysteries of the Passion of our Saviour, with sentiments of compassion, for the sufferings of a God; of sorrow for your sins, the cause of them: of love, for the exceeding goodness which reduced our Saviour to so pitiful a condition: of confidence, in that adorable blood shed for our sakes: and of imitation, to animate ourselves to suffer any thing at the sight of God expiring for love & pain for you.  
2. Say every day the little office of the holy cross.  
3. Let no day of Lent pass without a desire to suffer something either in body or mind, by the rigour of the season, by your own discontents or the ill humours of others, & when you find any such occasion instead of making any return, or complaint of others, or of tenderness towards yourself, do you offer up likewise all your pain to Jesus Christ crucified, unite yourself to his interior dispositions, sacrifice yourself to the rigour of his divine justice for your sins, & for his love, as he sacrificed himself thereto for yours. Stifle all the bitterness of your heart, & all the murmours of your mouth, with the thoughts of a God dying of love & pain for you; Desire not to be pitied by men, or to be eased in your pain, but drink as Jesus Christ did, the chalice quite pure, in all its bitterness & if you find that day no occasion of suffering, either from yourself, or others, mortify yourself in some thing, & make yourself suffer, that you may no day fail to be the image of Christ crucified.  
4. At night at the end of your examen Kiss the 5. wounds of Jesus Christ with all imaginable tenderness & with all the sentiments of a heart pierced with sorrow for its sins, & with love of a God, whose life they have taKen away. It is not necessary to say any thing in making this adoration of the cross, the heart alone ought to s●eaK there by its sighs & tears: but if one finds not one's self touched, one may say an Ave Mary Kissing each wound, in memory of the dolours of the sacred Virgin, & demand of our Saviour, by his adorable head, a lively & animated faith; by his sacred feet humility: by his right hand, patience, by left hand, the love of our enemies: by the wound of his side, a consummation in his love. In fine, apply the Crucifix to your senses, begging of jesus Christ, that he would sanctify them, & consecrate them to himself. This practice of devotion may continue all the frydays of the year.  
5. During the Day time, cast your eyes often upon jesus crucified, but look upon him sometimes with love, with respect or confidence, & with a lively resentment of your sins: these casts are of so great merit before God, & so capable of purifying a soul, that the holy fathers assure us, that they are more agreeable to God than many fasts, alms, & other austerities than one can perform.  
6. In fine, endeavour to overcome yourself in something, & to surmount your natural repugnances, to bridle your impatience, & not to follow the motion of your humour, & that 5. different times in the day; to honour the 5. wounds of jesus Christ, to whom this sacrifice of mortification is more pleasing than all the austerities of the body that you can offer to him.   

II. Hear with fruit the Sermons that are mad during Lent.  
ONe aught to carry a heart thither well disposed by that fidelity, that penance, & by that solitude, of which we have spoken in our general advices; but in particular one ought  
1. To go to a sermon with a sincere desire of profiting by it, & for this end, in the beginning of it, we should demand this grace, both for ourselves & others.  
2. You ought to hearken in the mean time with great attention, both to the preacher which speaks to you exteriorly, & to the holy Ghost which speaks interiorly to your soul: & open your soul & your heart to the motions of grace, to the end● that the truths which are preached to you, may be imprinted and established in the bottom of your soul.  
3. Receive the word of God with respect, from what mouth soever you hear it, remembering that the truths of the Gospel were delivered to the world, & converted it being preached in a plain simple stile, & far remote from human eloquence: & therefore that the less they are adorned, the more impression they will make.  
4. Never apply to another what the preacher says, but persuade yourself, he speaks to you alone.  
5. Elevate your heart to God du●ing the Sermon, begging of him the grace to practise what you hear, & for this end, keep your mind & senses very much recollected.  
6. When you go from the sermon, give not way presently to distraction of mind, lest the good seed sown in your heart may be choked by the hindrances of affairs, or rooted up by the first temptation, but after having instructed you in what his pleasure is you should do, beg him not to permit these verities to prove your damnation for want of practice of them, & endeavour as occasion serves, to remember them.  
7. In fine, offer that day some good work, some a●mes, or some mortification, that you may do, to obtain for the preacher the grace of touching some obdurate sinner.   

III. To do good works with the spirit of Christianity.  
IT would be convenient you should take one day in the week, to vis● the prisoners, or the poor in th● Hospital: but take care above a● things, not do to these holy action either out of custom, & without a● interior spirit, or out of custom, & without an interior spirit, or out o● a pure natural compassion, & therefore before you beging these visits,  
1. Pass by some Church, & the● demand the benediction of our Saviour, & beg of him that he would animate you with the spirit with which he used himself to visit & comfort afflicted persons; & at the same time offer to him the action you are going to perform, & go to the place you design to visit, with modesty & recollection.  
2. As soon as you are arrived there, look upon the poor & sick, as the images of jesus Christ; salute their good Angels, & beg of them, to inspire you with good thoughts, so long as you shall be speaking with them.  
3. And since they are not only often ignorant of what belongs to the duty of a Christian, but always in affliction, entertain them always with some word of instruction, particularly, concerning confession & communion, and likewise of consolation & compassion, letting them know that you take part in their sufferings, & giving them ho●es they shall one day receive a recompense for them in heaven.  
4. Accompany your alms with an actual desire to please God, & to assist Jesus Christ in his members.  
5. Eat all vanity & all reboundings of self-satisfaction that may spring from this action, which you are to keep at secret as you can.  
6. Overcome generously all she repugnance that you may have in approaching the poor sick persons, & the better to overcome yourself, affect rather to approach the party, for whom you find yourself to have the greatest natural horror, provided his disease be not catching. Salute the blessed Sacrament, returning from your visit, & beg like a poor body, of jesus Christ, a spiritual alms for your soul, by the the particular tenderness he has for poor, & those that assist them.  
8. In sin, eremember that the Alms done in this manner, is an excellent means to please God, & to blot out your sins, & to purify your heart from all engagements, to obtain for yourselves suck particular favours as God imparts to his friends, & to gain the heart of jesus Christ, to appease the wrath of your judge, to obtain the virtues you want, & to correct your imperfections.  
Wherefore make a resolution never to deny any poor body, since he procures far more for you towards the salvation of your soul, than you give him for the relief of his body.   

A practice for the Octave of the blessed Sacrament.  
ONe must honour the state & condition of jesus Christ in the blessed Sacrament. 1. In the morning, by offering him your actions, thereby to return him thanks for this great benefit. 2. by making every hour some aspiration to jesus Christ who is in the blessed Sacrament on the Altar, with an ardent desire to unite himself to you 3. by reciting every day the Office of the blessed Sacrament, & performing our communions during this time with an extraordinary preparation of faith, confidence, humility, & love, in mortifying your tongue & heart in th● sallies of your humour, because bot● the one & the other have the honour to receive jesus Christ.  
It is good every day to spend som● time extraordinary before the blessed Sacrament.  
So that the first day you may visi● and honour him as a victim that sacrifices himself for you, & you may remain in his presence, in the spiri● of a sacrifice, begging of him to make you a victim of his love, & that he would destroy in you what soever is displeasing to him.  
The second day you may honour his annihilations in the Eucharist, & look upon him as a God humbled so low as to put himself under the form of a little bread, for love of you, & you may remain quite annihilated in his presence, begging him to destroy in you all your pride, & that he would make you love a hidden life  
The third day you may honour his love, Which makes him give himself Wholly to you, that he may entirely transform you into himself, & you may consecrate to him all the inclinations & desires of your heart.  
The fourth day, you may honour him as your father, that feeds your with his own proper substance, & remain before him, in the spirit of confidence in his goodness.  
The fifth day, you may honour his life of consummation, which obliges him, his own self, to lose his sacramental life & being, & to be destroyed to consummate our perfection in our souls, & beg of him to destroy in you all that is not God. The 6 7. & 8. th' days, you may honour the virtues which he practices upon the Altar, & beg the imitation of them, as, of his exact obedience, his humility his patience his prayers, or continual application to his father, his charity for the salvation of souls, his love, his solitude, his mortificaiion: & endeavour each day, to imitate some one of these virtues.     

RULES OF FIDELITY, to arrive to an eminent perfection,  

I. Fidelity in the general examen, consists,  
1. IN avoiding the least sin or imperfection, & all things that either displease, or at least, do not please God.  
2. In performing the least spiritual and indifferent actions, with an interior spirit, not influenced by humour, custom, or vanity.  
3. In suffering all that gives pain to mind or body with resignation, fidelity, and love: this is the matter or subject of the general examen.   

II. Fidelity in the particular examen, consists,  
1. IN observing the very lest rules prescribed by obedience.  
2. In doing every thing in the moment prescribed by obedience.  
3. In overcoming the repugnance of our humour, in all occasions, even in the least things.   

III. Fidelity in the continual examen, or vigilance over ones self, Which neither allows nor pardons in one's self, any natural satisfaction Whatever, consists,  
1. IN watching over our senses, to cut off thence, all ill, unprofitable, human, or even but merely natural satisfactions.  
2. In watching over our minds, to annihilate all considerations or reflections, that are human, whether they proceed from vanity, curiosity, or impertinence.  
3. In watching over our hearts, to stifle all human motions, that is to say, all over ardent, or over eager desires of any thing whatsoever, all immoderate joy, or tenderness; all fondness, all relish or satisfaction which one may take in any thing one does; all sensible pleasure that may cause a heart to live to its self. 'tis in the fidelity of these three sorts of examen, that consists a perfect self-denial, true devotion, solid virtue, & all sanctity.    

FROM THE ASCENSION to whitsuntide.  

I.  
ONe must enter into an exterior retreat, with the holy Virgin, & the Apostles, casting off all unnecessary business, visits or unprofitable discourses, & keeping the spirit of sweetness, & charity with our neighbour, but above all, we ought to be careful to join thereto, an interior retreat, keeping our minds sequestered from all vain & curious thoughts, or all unprofitable reflections upon ourselves or others, employing one's mind & heart in frequent aspirations & sighs addressed to God, to demand his holy spirit, which to obtain, we must unite them with the interior dispositions & prayers of the holy Virgin & the Apostles.   

II.  
SAy every day, the Veni creator, at the end of the book, & make seven elevations of mind, to demand the seven gifts of the holy Ghost; the disengagement from creatures, the victory over our humours, which is the life of our own spirit opposed to that of the holy Ghost. Make one elevation of mind to the eternal father, another to the son, a third to the holy Ghost, a 4. th'. to the holy Virgin, a 5. th'. to the Apostles, a 6. th'. to your good Angel, & the last to S. Philip Nery who reeived with such fullnessh the, oly Ghost upon the day of Pentecost.  
These elevations of mind ought to be made with ardent desires of obtaining this singular grace. Above all, beg a total change of your heart, & beseech the holy Ghost, that he would cause you to live a life wholly supernatural, & to die to all the longing & & hankering appetites of the human & sensual life.  

VENI CREATOR OR The Hymn of the holy Ghost.  

COme Creator, Spirit divine,  
Visit now the souls of thine;  
Fill with grace distilled from heaven,  
Hearts, to whom thou life hast given;   

Whom the comforter we call,  
Gift of God transcending all,  
Living spring, fire, fervent love,  
Ghostly unction from above:   

Sev'nfold grace thou dost impart,  
And Gods right hand finger art:  
Thou, the father's promise, which  
Tongues with language doth enrich,   

Kindle light in every sense,  
Love into our hearts dispense:  
Strengthen what in flesh is frail,  
With a virtue cannot fail:   

Drive away our mortal foe,  
Peace upon us soon bestow:  
As a guide before us shine,  
That all vice We may decline.   

By thee may it so be done,  
That we father know & Son,  
And in thee believe, who dost  
Flow from both, the holy Ghost.   

Glorious may the father reign,  
And the Son who risen again,  
So the holy Paraclite,  
During Ages infinite.     

III.  
ADd a quarter of an hour to your ordinary time of prayer & as much to your time of silence, to think in the presence of God, of the great affects which his spirit works in a well disposed heart, in order to the making an absolute charge in it, as he did in the hearts of his Apostles, & the better to entertain yourself with a meditation upon some one of the gifts of the holy Ghost, as you will find them explicated in some of your book on that subjet; Make also a particular visit to the blessed Sacrament every day, to demand of Jesus-Christ, the fullness of his spirit.   

iv  
AVoid tepidity, negligence, or humour in your actions, as faults particularly opposite to the fervour of that divine love which the holy Ghost in kindles in a soul; & watch over yourself, to be able to discern the motions of his grace, be faithful in following them, & do to thing against the light which God gives you to avoid any thing: because that would be to afflict the holy Ghost.  
The practice of your aspirations during this holy time, may be done after this or some such like manner.  
Father of mercy, send me your comforting spirit, that may give peace to my soul my Jesus give me the spirit of understanding & wisdom, that may make me know you with a lively faith, & that I may feel your presence within my heart, & that I may relish nothing but you alone: O holy Ghost, heart of the blessed Trinity, substantial love of the Father & the son, come & enlighten my mind with the truths of faith, animate my heart with the flames of pure love; come & strengthen me in my weakness, raise me up after my fall, & purify me from all hankering after, or fondness of creatures: O love of my God, be you the soul of my soul, be you my life, grant that I may die wholly to myself, & live wholly to you.  

The seven gifts of the H. Ghost.  
THe gift of Wisdom.  
The gift of Understanding.  
The gift of Knowledge.  
The gift of Counsel.  
The gift of Fortitude.  
The gift of Piety or Godliness.  
The gift of the Fear of God.     

FOR THE OCTAVE OF WHITSUNTIDE.  
Apply yourself every day, to know, demand, & practise one of the seven gifts of the holy Ghost, to the end that he may purifiy, and Sanctify with these seven divine habits, all the affections of your soul.  

THE. I. DAY. The gift of Wisdom.  
LEt the subject of your prayer, be the qualities of this gift, which are (1.) to make us relish God, & all that unites us to him; (2.) to give us an extreme disgust of all pleasures of the senses, & all natural satisfaction; (3.) to make us esteem, love, & search with passion, sufferings, disgrace, & abjection, of which we have such a horror; (4.) to make an entire separation of a heart, from all fondness of creatures, as also from all that is sensual in devotion, & from all that is not God.  
Come o holy Ghost, come & enlighten my mind with this gift of wisdom, come & destroy in me the love of the world: grant that I may take no relish in any thing but in God, that God may be all to me, & creatures may be nothing: grant that I may love contempt which my Saviour so esteemed, & that the cross may be the only object of my love.  
2. Beg often during the first day, that is the day of Pentecost, the gift of wisdom, which consists in loving spiritual things, make an extraordinary visit to the blessed Sacrament, to beg this day as well as throughout the whole Octave, the Office of the holy Ghost, & in the morning after your prayers, say, veni Creator, as in the end of this book, & give every day of the Octave, some little alms to the poor, to obtain the gifts of the holy Ghost, whom the holy Church styles the Father of the poor.   

THE II. DAY. The Gifts of Understanding.  
1. COnsider in your prayer the effects of this gift, which are (1.) to make us love what we believe, & to render our faith so lively & strong, that it may make such an impression upon our minds, as if we saw the objects of what we believe, so that a soul enlightened with this gift, is lost in the respect & love it finds, in god's presence, in prayer, & before the blessed Sacrament, as if it saw God with its eyes; & this gift works the same effect in the soul, as the light of glory does in the souls of the Blessed▪ It sees God in the bosom of it, & feels his presence after so intimate & certain a manner, that it is rather a possession, than a knowledge of God. (2.) This gift makes us see God in all things, & makes all things carry us to God; So that a soul which is enlightened with it, considers nothing that is good, rich or perfect in creatures, but only i● God, as in the source of all bounty & goodness: It is full of the Idea of th● greatness of God, It penetrates chr●stian verities with a supernatural view It discovers in abjection, & in th● cross, beauties unknown to sensual souls, & depises all earthly goods  
2. O my God dissipate the darkne● of my mind, by the light of your holy spirit; grant I may judge no more o● things according to their appearances & according to sense, but according to truth, & according to the supernatural view of grace, that all things that I understand, may carry me to you that all creatures may disappear in the presence of their Creator, to the end that God alone may take up my mind, which is made, to know him, & my heart which was created, to ove him.  
3. Observe that which is marked the first day after meditation, to wit, the frequent aspirations during the whole day, taken out of the affections marked in your meditation; The visit of the blessed Sacrament, The office of the holy Ghost, The veni Creator, to obtain this Gift, & do the same the other days of the Octave.   

THE III. DAY. The Gift of Knowledge.  
1. COnsider that the gift of knowledge when it enlightens a soul, it makes it judge of things, as God himself does, that is to say, it makes it esteem nothing great but the service of God, to fear nothing but his displeasure, to love nothing but what makes us more agreeable in his eyes.  
2. This gift enlightens us in the knowledge of the Crucifix, that is to say, it makes us behold with respect, all the crosses that God sends us, proceeding from the cross deified in Jesus-Christ, & therefore makes us far from complaining of them; it receives them with grateful acknowledgement, & thanks our Saviour for them, as for a singular favour, it thinks itself more happy in suffering a contempt, an affliction, an injury, a persecution, an affront, a refusal a drieness, a sensible dereliction of Go● in prayer, more than in possessing the whole earth; wherefore the so● thus enlightened with the gift o● knowledge, when any pain happen to it, goes immediately & casts i● self on its knees before a Crucifix, t● receive its cross as from the hand o● God, with respect, submission, & love  
2. O my Jesus! O that the beam● of your cross were more known to the world! O how do they contemn the holy relics of your cross, which you offer to us shut up in the pain of this life! O cross of my Saviour. O how often have I adored you i● my Crucifix which is your image, & despised in my pains, which are you● true effects, &, as it were, your s● many other selves!   

THE iv DAY. The Gift of Counsel.  
1. COonsider that this gift carries us 1. to consult God in all things that we undertake; (2.) to do nothing but by the motions of grace, or according to the maxims of the Gospel. (3.) never to neglect inspirations & interior admonitions of the holy Ghost, but readily & faithfully to follw them. (4.) to give good counsel to such as ask our advice; (5.) never to follow that which vanity, humour or self love counsels us to do but to do that only which the spirit of grace & the love of our abjection inspires us.  
2. O my God how much reason have I to fear that I have been the cause of the sin & damnation of many persons by my ill counsels? Perhaps at this present, there are some in hell which would have been in heaven, if I had counselled them in their despair, assisted them in their poverty or withdrawn them by my good counsels from the occasion of sin. O how many have I ruined by my bad example! What reproaches will these damned make me at the day of judgement! O holy Ghost, how sorry am I, that I have so often neglected thy counsels to follow the sentiment of self love! O that I could be so faithful for the future, as never to do any thing contrary to your ●nspirations, but in all things, to follow your counsel.   

THE V DAY. The Gift of Fortitude.  
1. COnsider the effects of this gift, which are (1.) to render ourselves so perfect masters of our humours, of our choler, & of our passions, that we may crush, & stifle their revolts in their birth; (2.) to give us invincible courage in our pains, never to permit ourselves to be oppressed by them, but to remain faithful in them; (3.) to give us steadfastness in our good resolutions, & courage, constantly to follow that which we have undertaken for the glory of God, & the salvation of souls, inspite of all contradictions, contempt, or oppositions of creatures; (4.) to establish all our happiness in sufferings, or the persecutions that we undergo for the good we would do.  
2. O Jesus humbled & despised! o that your affronts would render my contempts pleasing to me! And that your annihilations would give me courage to suffer myself to be reduced to nothing for your sake, in the esteem of all men! Holy spirit, grant that my mind may find its strength in the weakness of my body, that I may never fall under the burden of the cross. O how I am confounded to see that there needs only a rude word, a contradiction, nay a nothing, to make me fall into impatience! It seems to me when I go from my prayer, that I want no force to do & suffer all things, but how weak am I, when the occasion presents itself! Give me grace to suffer all things from others, & to make me suffer myself.   

THE VI DAY. The Gift of Piety.  
1. COnsider that this gift inspires a soul with true devotion, which consists (1.) in performing with fervour & promptitude, all that God desires of us (2.) in loving prayer, the exercises of piety, the frequenting of the Sacraments, solitude, reading, & recollection of mind, in the presence of God. This gift imprints in the heart so lively and animated a tenderness for the love of God, tha● one is ready to do & suffer all things to please him.  
2. Ought I o my God, so often to bear the cross, & yet never to bear it well? O that a soul were as knowing in the science of Saints, to esteem, love, & cherish crosses as worldlings eat & reject them.  
O Cross, o holy Cross! how can you be all my consolation & comfort in my life? how can I look upon you at the day of judgement with confidence, if I receive you not with respect in this world, suffering my pains with submission, silence, & love?   

THE VII. DAY. The Gift of the Fear of God.  
1. COnsider that this gift imprints in our hearts a filial & respectful fear of God, which makes us apprehend the least sin, because 'tis displeasing to God, & not because of the punishment it deserves; & that pierceth a soul in all places, with an holy respect & an humble dread before the divine majesty of God which is entirely present to it.  
2. O how well do I conceive, O my God, how this constant & habitual fear of a soul does purify, untie, & render it perfect? in a small time. O holy Ghost, bestow upon me this wholesome fear, which may make me apprehend the lightest infidelity, & which may assure me of a happy eternity.  
3. This gift unites us intimately to God in prayer, it recollects all the senses, it stops all the powers of the heart, in the sight & perfection of this sole object, of which the soul experiences an intimate presence, rather than a knowledge of it.  
4. O holy Spirit! source of love & bounty, the adorable origine of the sanctification of our hearts, inflame them with the fire of thy divine charity, let us see & taste, how sweet our Lord is; give us the spirit of recollection, & of prayer, which may carry us to do all things, as in god's sight, & yet recall us into ourselves, there to adore & love a God, who abides in our hearts, as in his temple, and sanctifies them, by the communication of his spirit.    

A PRACTICE OF MENTAL PRAYER very easy for all sorts of persons.  
The whole method of prayer consists in four things.  
FIrst, in the consideration or view of the truth we meditate:  
Secondly, in the application which the mind makes of this truth, to its self, to be moved with it, & to put it in practice:  
Thirdly, in the affections which the heart produces at the sight of this truth:  
Fourthly, in the good resolutions which it makes in putting it in practice, & the fervent petition it makes to God, to obtain it by the intercession of the blessed Virgin.  

HOW THE MEMORY IS to be imploye●d befote prayer.  

First, an Act of Faith upon the presence of God.  
MY God, I believe all your seeing eye beholds me; you, before whom the very Angels tremble with an humble dread, & in whose presence I am as a pure nothing: I behold you with a profound respect, as my God, with a confidence, as my father, & with fear, as my judge.   

Second Act of Adoration.  
I adore you o my God, as my creator, & as my sovereign Judge, & to whom I must one day render an account of this very action I am about to perform.   

Third Act of Petition.  
I beseech you to grant me your grace to execute this day what you are about to inspire me with in this prayer, pardon the sins & imperfections I may commit in it, & the distraction that may take up, or hinder my mind in the due performance of it.    

HOW THE MIND IS TO employ itself during prayer.  
First, consider the truth proposed, which is done by a certain view or act of faith; repeat strongly, & sweetly in your mind, the truth of that matter or subject which most of all moves you, than after, rather by a simple view thereof, then by any long ratiocinations thereon, make an act of faith, with all the fervency you are able.  
Yes, o my God I firmly believe what you have now taught me in this truth, but, animate my faith, and convert it into practice, that it may not one day serve to my greater damnation.  

Secondly, reflect on yourself, pausing some time on each point.  
Well, o my soul, what hinders thee from practising this virtue? 'tis thy duty to practise it, 'tis in thy power to perform it, God ordains it, thy Jesus urges its performance thy salvation depends upon it, thou oughtest from this very day forward, to practise it, why wilt thou not? what hinders thee? o I see very well what it is, 'tis such & such a hankering, such a vanity, such a curiosity, such a passionate word, such & such occasions: what? aught a creature to rob thee of thy Creator? wilt thou always live unfaithful? what, wilt thou never as long as thou livest, be entirely gods? & how then canst thou hope to be entirely his in Eternity? my God, I am yours, no my dear Jesus, no toy or trifle shall any more hinder me from being entirely yours, I will not any more rob you of a heart which is so justly yours, & which besides, has cost you so dear.    

THIRDLY, WHAT AFFECTION'S the heart is to be employed in.  
YEs, o my God, yes I am resolved to love you a thousand times better than myself; I am resolved to be all yours, as you are wholly mine: I have horror of whatsoever is displeasing to you, I desire nothing more than to express my love to you, & to that end, I desire to imitate you this day, in what I have learned in this meditation: I conjure you, my Jesus, to put me in mind of these lessons, when any occasion of practice offers itself.  

Resolutions for the time to come.  
I am resolved, my God against & from this very present, I break off entirely with th● defect, which I perceive is the source of many others in me: I will have you alone to be the absolute master of my heart, it is yours, o my God, it is wholly yours.    

DIVERS AFFECTIONS which may be made in time of prayer.  

1. Of Confidence.  
MY God, since I find myself so weak & inconstant in my resolutions, grant, I may execute them as effectually as you have assisted me to make them: I expect all from your goodness, my jesus, & confide as much in the assistance of your grace, as I diffide in my own weakness.   

2. Love.  
O my Jesus, o my amiable father, o infinite goodness, which has loved me from all eternity, & which daily bestows infinite graces & favours upon me, & which has destined me for Paradise: ah, how can I live without loving you! shall I never leave offending you, who never leave of doing me good! How can I behold you my Jesus, how can I see you dying with love & sorrow for me, & not live entirely to you, I have a heart for no other and then to love you a mind only to Know you, & yet I love & think of nothing less than you: o, that I had, never thus displeased you!   

3. Resignations to the difficulties we meet with in prayer.  
I am confounded, o my God, to see myself so insensible of your love, & so little touched with the truths which I meditate: you see, o Lord, my miseries & extreme poverty: I embrace it with my whole heart, I submit to your pleassure; I sacrifice myself to all the severities of your justice; I am contented never more to taste the sweetness of your presence, so that I may but have the whole fruit & effect of it: 'tis but just, that you should retire yourself, & leave a heart so unfaithful to you, & which hath withdrawn itself a hundred times from you: revenge yourself, o my God, & satisfy your justice, I desire no other satisfaction but to see you satisfied: & I am sure you are more pleased to see me contented with my weakness, & to suffer with peace in your presence, then if I were filled with consolation.    

ADVICE OF IMPORTANCE, how to make one's prayer with fruit & facility.  

1. For distractions of mind.  
AS soon as you find yourself distracted, presently make a return to God. O my God, let me be all yours, all for you, & wholly in your presence: when you have done this, make no reflection at all upon your distractions, either to examine them, or to disquiet yourself. You may sometimes remain before God, all quite overwhelmed with confusion, to see how little respect you bear to his presence.   

2. For desolations of heart.  
The more you feel of tediousness, of oppression, or disgust, the more you must force yourself to remain with courage, respect, & submission, before God, & for this reason, keeip yourself always upon your knees, your hands joined, & your eyes humbly cast down, with a submission of mind & heart, to the pain you suffer, & so sacrifice yourself generously, without reserve, to the rigour of the divine justice: give no way to this oppression, permit yourself to be crucified by all those wander of your mind, & by all those disquiets & troubles of your heart, & believe that in this state, God requires nothing else, then that you suffer with patience, humility, & submission to his will.   

3. For prayer of affection.  
1. If you find difficulty in meditating upon your subject, employ yourself in affections, after you have made an act of faith upon that truth which moves you most; but after having also form an affection conformable to your subject, or to the inspiration God shall give you upon it, remain in silence for a little while, in god's presence, that it may take the deeper impression, & never pass forward to a second affection, before your heart has penetrated, & remained content in the first; because when one makes light, & hasty acts, they make very light, or no impression upon the will.   

3. For the prayer of Silence.  
First, if the only presence of God, which you behold within you, does take you wholly up, & recollect you, which causes a great peace & calm over your heart, be not so unfaithful, as to disturb, or trouble this strong & efficacious operation of God, by your own thoughts & affections, which would make you deviate from this respect which you owe to so great a God, who makes you feel his presence by a sweet & inward inspiration that recollects you: then content, & please yourself with what he works in you, abandoning yourself entirely into his hands, & put no obstacle to whatsoever he shall work in you. You are all, my God, & I am nothing; these two words will suffice, whilst you shall remain in this sacred silence, & when that is past, return to your matter.  
Secondly, accustom yourself according to the counsel of Jesus Christ, to iscourse little in prayer, that is to say, that your mind be contented with a simple view of the truths you meditate, without tiring yourself with long discourses, especially, if these views make more impression in your heart then discourses, and that you have long before, meditated these truths.  
Thirdly, let not your will dilate itself too much in its affections; but let it reduce them insensibly to holy, & fervent aspirations, which your heart may form towards God. If God gives you any sensible grace or favour, receive it with humility, without reflecting upon it, or giving you● self up too much to it, & unite you● self always to the Author of thos● graces, & not to the graces themselves  
Fourthly, act when God acts not, but remain silent when he speaks, & be not like those souls who remain whole hours in pure idleness of min● expecting that God would touch o● move them, or of those who always speak to God: this idleness is not tha● which we call the prayer of silence, which keeps a soul elevated above the motions of anger & self-love, which sustains it, recollects it, & penetrates it with a holy respect in gods presence, & animates all the actions of the mind, with his grace.    

Advice how to draw fruit out of prayer.  
The reasons why one profits not by prayer, are.  
FIrst, because one does not sufficiently penetrate the truths one meditates upon.  
Secondly, because one makes not acts, with such fervour & affection as one ought.  
Thirdly, because one makes reso●utions after a slack & general manner.  
Fourthly, because one stays not ●ong enough upon every affection, & ●hat one makes them after a slight manner.  
Fifthly, because one gives too much way to the disgust & pain one finds ●n prayer, thinking it lost time, & that it is altogether unprofitable, that one imagines one's self to do nothing, when it is evident, that to suffer this affliction before God, with humility, ●s to make a good prayer.  
Sixthly, because one soon forget the good resolutions made in prayer, instead of often renewing them by thinking of them in the day, & chief at such time when one is in the occasions of performing them.  
Now, to profit in prayer, one ought first, to be free, & have one's heart disengaged; secondly, to recollect one self often in the day, as in god's presence; Tihrdly, to mortify one's senses & passions, upon all occasions: Fourthly, to retire one's self from company, & to love retirement: In fine, one ought to prepare one's self for it with care, in time of it, to conserve one's self with great reverence & respect, in god's presence, & not dissipate or distract one's self soon after it.    

THE CONVERSION OF A SOUL TO GOD.  
ELevate thyself, o my soul, to thy Creator, & defer no longer thy conversion, though but for a moment: what is past, is gone, what is to come, is not in thy power, & thou art master only of the present, which is but a moment, given thee for no other end, then to serve God, & to gain eternity. Conceive well these words, one God, one moment, one eternity attends thee: An eternity, which either gives all, or takes all from thee for ever; a God, whom thou so little servest; a moment, which thou makest so ill use of; an eternity, which thou hazardest. O God o moment! o eternity! o God, my heart desires thee, my heart seeks thee, to give thee itself entirely, to subject itself to thee, & fill itself with thee; I beseech thee, to take & receive it in to thy possession, & b●nish from it all sin, all ties to creature's, & all inordinate love to m●self, that I may serve thee so faithfully, that I may merit to possess the● eternally.   

A CHRISTIAN CONDUCT, Whereby persons, Whose vocation engages them in the world, may therein work out their salvation.  
1. SAy your prayers night & morning, with fervency & devotion▪ make a firm, & peremptory resolution in the morning, not to commit on purpose, or deliberately, any sin; to do all you can, to please God, & to do nothing unprofitable for eternity. Examine yourself every night, about your ordinary failings the sallies of your humours, your detractions, & your laziness in gods service; then consider with sorrow, the abuses you have made of his graces, & the ill use of those crosses he has that day sent you; reflect upon the confusion & regret you will one day have, for your faults, when you shall appear before God; & consider, that perhaps, there is not more than an hour between you & eternity: As near as you can, say your prayers in public every night, where take care, that all your family be present.  
2 After your morning prayer make a quarter, or half an hour of mental prayer, according to your Directours advice; take care to make it with fervency upon some certain subject which you may have read, in Granade, Pointe, or Mico's Meditations: or if You understand French, in the Meditations of Abely, Busée, Hayneufe, Noüet, or Crasset which are very moving & instructive: in so doing, you ought to maKe all your good resolutions to avoid the sin you are naturally most inclined to, & to practise the virtue you meditate of: But make these resolutions in particular, not in general, & take care to foresee the occasions of practising them. In the beginning, look upon what is most moving in the matter you meditate on; & then apply it to yourself & see whether you practise it: be confounded & sorry, that you do not do so, & resolve that day, to put it in execution; & as you ought always to diffide in yourself, beg of our Saviour by the intercession of the blessed Virgin, that you may put your good endeavours in practice.  
3. Having dressed yourself, & taken care about your houshold-affairs, go straight to mass, without deferring gods service to the last minute of the morning. Above all things, take care of speaking in the Church, but keep yourself there with that respect is due to your God, & to your judge: say your vocal prayers, after you have offered to God, the holy sacrifice of the mass, in honour of his supreme majesty, in thanks for all the favours you have received of him, for pardon of your sins, & for the repose of such souls in Purgatory, as are your relations or friends: but now & then, interrupting a moment of your devotions, offer them to God by the hands of Jesus Christ himself immolated upon the Altar for your sake, & unite your intentions with his, whereby he offers himself as a victim for your salvation: from Sanctus to the Elevation, think of the mysteries of the passion of Jesus Christ, with sorrow for your sins which occasioned it, & with a purpose to suffer something that day, for a God who has suffered so much for you: At the Elevation, adore him, & offer him to his Eternal father, sacrifice yourself to his justice, & at the Pater noster, continue your vocal prayers to the end of mass.  
4. Being returned home, apply yourself to your domestic affairs, from time to time, offering to God your actions, & if you have any leisure, in the morning, or after dinner, bettween one & two of the clock, read in some spiritual book, for a quarter of an hour, with attention & desire of profiting, in the Evening, whilst you receive or give visits, take care not to take part with those that speak ill of their neighbours, nor to speak ill of them yourself; & now and then reflect, that God hears all you say, and that one day, you must render him account. If any person happens to speak to you something coldly or rudely, kerb the sallies of your resentment, & endeavour to take no notice of it; & without troubling yourself about what the world will say of it, think only of that which God, who hears all that passes, will say to you at the day of judgement. If you hear any lose or impious discourse, endeavour presently to show, by putting on such an indifferent, cold, or serious countenance thereupon, that the discourse does not please you, remembering, that should you testifiy any satisfaction you take in it, you would thereby make yourself guilty before God, of whatever is displeasing to him in such ill discourses.  
5. Take care never to be idle when you are at home, but always have something to employ yourself in, knowing that you are to give account to God, for all the time you lose: when you reprehend your servants, remember to do it, (1.) with reason, for some considerable fault; (2) in few words, & without repeating the same things over & over again, to please your humour: 3. when you find yourself moved with passion, leave off saying any thing: (4.) do not often find fault, nor chide upon all occasions, for little or nothing: (5. ● turn them not away at the years end, upon pretence of their ill humou●, or other light faults, except you should find them unfaithful, or of ill life, or keep ill company; for then, you are obliged to part with them; & persuade yourself, 'tis enough to endanger your own soul, to turn away your servants every year, except for these 2. weighty reasons, or to lessen their wages for such faults or omissions, which they unadvisedly commit, making them pay the overplus of what they bought too dear, or for, things laid aside or lost, by chance, & without their fault: once more believe, that 'tis an injury to your own conscience, & will endanger your salvation, thus to defraud your servants of any part of their wages.  
6 Have all the respect, submission, & complaisance for your husband, your father, or mother, which you owe them never contradict them with obstinacy: never give them any rude; slighting, or disgustful language: believe that the great secret how to live with them in peace, & esteem, is to comply with them, when you find them in choler, or angry, & to seem to be of their minds, & to follow their wills & inclinations, & ever accommodate yourself to their humour, when they desire nothing contrary to the will of God. Say every day, S. joseph's Litanies, to obtain this peace so necessary for a well ordered family, offer to God, the trouble & discontents, the cross humours of a husband, a father, or mother, may occasion; & offer the patience with which you suffer it, for their conversion. Make it your chief virtue and greatest care, to stay at home, to look after your servants, & to breed up your children; because this is the chief thing God will examine you about, at the day of judgement. Permit not in your family, any blasphemous or debauched persons, for fear of drawing the curse of God upon it. Remember to give the example of patience, mildness, charity & devotion, to your family, as you ought to do.  
7. In the Evening, about four or five of the clock, go to Church, to beg at least, or to receive the benediction of the blessed Sacrament when it is given; or if you be in the Country, to your Chapel, & say your beads there with devotion, together with the Evensong of our blessed Lady; & read there also with attention, what you will find in the Christian thoughts allotted for that day, or a chapter in Thomas a Kempis; making from time to time, a serious reflection upon what you read, & beg grace to perform it.  
8. Be nor of the number of those who sit up almost all night, & sleep the next morning till eleven or twelve of the clock; but have a certain time allotted for rising, & going to bed, as much as you are able, & remember, that a christian life ought to be regular.  
9 Flatter not yourself too much concerning your alms, since you are obliged to give such as may be proportionable to your fortune: take care that alms be given to the poor in the Country, by giving them corn; & do the same in town, either to prisoners, or bashful poor; & know for certain, that a person who is rich, cannot save his soul by doing small alms, & that one is obliged in conscience, & under pain of great sin, to assist the poor in their pressing necessities, which are but too frequent; & that you may easily know, if you will but take the pains a little to inform yourself; that to defer, or lessen the salaries of poor tradesmen, is visibly to damn one's self: & think not that your poor vassals can give a hundred days work exacted of them, did not the fear of their Lords force them to it, & therefore, doubt not, but 'tis your duty to pay them.  
10. For your devotions, perform them at least every 8. th' day, or even twice a week, if your Confessor judge it fit: but remember to deprive yourself the night before, of your ordinary divertisement of play, & apply yourself to make your communions as well as you can, according to the following directions.  
11. For confession, endeavour (1.) to examine well your conscience, & to particularise your sins, especially those which you commit out of custom, as choler & detraction; consider also the evil that you have not hindered to be committed in your house, & the good you have not performed, as you might have done; for example, to reconcile your neighbours, to give alms to the poor in great necessity, to neglect your spiritual exercises out of sloth, or to divert, or let fall a detraction: (2.) after this, the better to conceive a true sorrow & sincere contrition, propose to yourself, all the motives that are capable to excite in you an actual & interior disengagement from sin; without which, your confessions ●ave not worth any thing: wherefore, regard, & regret your sins, as the effects of the greatest ingratitude against the infinite goodness and bounty of God towards you, for all the graces & favours he has bestowed upon you, & all the benefits you have received from his hands; & deplore them as the greatest affronts committed against his supreme majesty, as a contempt of his greatness, & as a trampling under foot his most precious blood; & casting your eyes upon a crucifix, employ your mind at the same time, upon the following thoughts  
Behold what my sins have made my Jesus suffer! See to what extremity his love for me, has brought him! aught I to have displeased so amiable a Deity? aught I to continue to shed his most precious blood? aught I to not leave off affronting him, who never leaves off doing me all the good he can? O my God what a regret & sorrow have I for having offended you! o that I might ratther undergo a thousand deaths, than ever more displease you! (2.) sincerely confess your sins, saying those you remember, & in short, mixing no unprofitable discourse with them, & taking notice in a few words of the necessary circumstances, avoiding all long & unprofitable stories, by which, one makes known rather another's sins, then ones own; in which, they do ill whilst they think to do well; & believe it as a certain truth, that the shorter, more exact, & clear your confession is, the better, & more perfect it is; & to make it so, forget not, as much as you are able, to express the number of your sins, & whether you have committed them with foresight or reflection; to take notice also, whether you stayed long in them, or only a short time, or in fine, whether you gave full consent to them, or were negligent in rejecting, or withdrawing yourself from them; & never fail to take notice whether your sins are concerning any light matter, or of moment: In the third place, when you receive absolution, recollect your mind as in god's presence, renew your sorrow for your sins, & persuade yourself, that 'tis the blood of Jesus Christ that purifies your soul, & sanctifies it & gives it a new force not to commit any more sins: In the fourth place, after confession, retire yourself alone, put yourself in spirit, at the feet of Christ crucified, & consider him all covered with wounds & blood, & expiring with love & grief, for your sake: (1.) Give him thanks with all your heart, that after having so often pardoned your sins, he has had but now, once more the bounty for you, to pardon them again; & blush with shame, & confusion in his presence, that you have so often fallen into the same: (2. ● Offer to the eternal father, the blood & sufferings of his son Jesus Christ, for penance & satisfaction for your sins, & for the pain due to them: & then unite with his, the penance you are about to perform: (3.) Perform it with attention, sorrow, & confusion, as a criminal that acknowledges & regrets his crime; make an ardent & lively resolution, to avoid all sin, particularly, that which you are most subject to; & remember, (if you communicate not the same day that you confess,) not to let lose your mind after confession, but to keep an exact watch over yourself, not to fall into your ordinary imperfections.  
12. For holy Communion, take a particular care to dispose yourself very well for it, & to improve much by it; because there is nothing more dangerous then to approach it with indifference, & out of formality, & not to grow better by it; Therefore, from the very minute after your prayer, morning & night, think, that you are to receive your God that same day, & conceive an ardent desire to receive him worthily. To prepare yourself Well for Communion, (1.) Endeavour to excite in yourself, a lively faith of the presence of Jesus Christ in the blessed Sacrament, & consider very well these three things; I go to receive my God, my Saviour, & my judge; therefore, with what respect, ought I to approach my? God ywith what love ought I to approach my Saviour! with what confusion ought I to present myself before my judge! O my God, may Sovereign Lord, who are you? & who am I, that I should dare to appear in your presence? But, o my Jesus, my amiable Saviour, o how much fervency have I to unite myself so to you, as to make you absolute master of my heart! O Souveraign judge of all mankind, how is it possible that I should dare to receive you within myself, who have so often provoked your anger! O my God receive yourself in me, because I am unworthy to approach you: o my Saviour, offer yourself within me to your father, & at the same time, sacrifice to your father, & to your divine justice, all that is criminal or human within me: O my judge, condemn me not for my tepidity: O my God, one word alone from you, suffices to make me a Saint, to heal all the maladies of my soul, who am unworthy to receive you within myself: O my Saviour, how sorry am I, that I have ever offended you, and caused you to suffer so much for my sake! O my judge, how does your presence pierce my heart with horror & confusion, when I think that I go to receive him who one day will judge me concerning the action I am about to perform, & who bears in his hands my eternal happiness, or misery! (2.) Endeavour to conceive a firm confidence, a fervent love, & an ardent desire to receive Jesus Christ, because you ought to be convinced, that 'tis the same Saviour, who is so charitable & so good, as to heal all those that approach him with faith, & have recourse to him with confidence: (3. ● Excite in yourself, an ardent desire to receive your sovereign good, your redeemer, & deliverer, who are a slave to your passions; your Physician, who are sick; your Saviour, who are in danger of perishing: (4.) Abou● all, remember, after you have received your God, to recollect yourself for some time, either casting yourself at his feet, with S. Magdelen, to hear his instructions, or adoring him with the Leper in the Gospel, & saying with him, Lord, if you please, you can cure me; or in fine, consecrating yourself entirely to him & begging of him to take possession of your heart, & of your body, to unite & transform you into himself, & to become for the future, the soul of all your actions, & the rule & model of your life, that it may be he that lives in you, & by you, that all you do, may be animated with his spirit. If you find yourself much transported by the sweetness & deliciousness that the presence of Jesus Christ, may, diffuse in you, remain with silence at his feet, begging him to receive himself, and to thank himself in you; & be contented to remain with a profound respect in his presence. (5.) Make your petitions to him, with fervency, & with a firm confidence of being heard in them: beg of him the grace, never to lose his favour by a mortal sin, & to die in an act of his love: Beseech him earnestly, to inspire you with a contempt of the world, with a disengagement from all earthly objects; patience in the government of your family; charity in conversation, so as never to be backbiting your neighbours; liberality towards the poor: fidelity to his graces: & with the spirit of devotion in your prayers: (6.) & last, after having returned thanks most affectionately, to the goodness of Jesus Christ, in vouchsafing to come into your heart, offer to him in gratitude, the victory you may have gotten over the sallies of your humour, or any other imperfection that displeases him in you, & which is most customary: & take care till the next communion, to be faithful in this point, to correct this imperfection, & five times a day, quell this passion, in honour of the five wounds of our Saviour: (7.) Put yourself from time to time, during the day, in mind of what passed in communion, remember the favour you have received of your Jesus, to give him thanks for it: And keep a guard over your heart & tongue, that you may not profane either by any word, or inordinate desires of your own, a soul that is sanctified by the presence of a God.  
13. In fine, remember to make reflections from time to time, in the day time, upon the great truths of Christianity, to convince your mind of them, & engrave them deep in your heart. Think often, (1.) that you have but one soul to lose, or save: & but once to die, well, or ill: (2.) that one cannot go to heaven without merit, & that one cannot merit, but by using violence over ones passions: (3.) that God whom we serve so carelessly, is the disposer of our misery, or happiness: & that he has heaven & hell at his disposal: Alas! if we search with so much earnestness, the favour of those upon whom depends a good success of our affairs, why do we neglect his friendship, upon whom depends a happy or miserable Eternity? (4.) What a blindness is it, to regret the loss of what we have here in this world, & not be concerned at the loss of a God, which by a mortal sin we sustain! (5.) It is impossible to love & serve God, & the world, at the same time, and to save one's self the broad and easy way: we must necessarily renounce, either the heavenly, or earthly paradise, (6.) what will it profit you to have gained all the riches of the world, if you lose your own soul?   

A SAINT FOR THE YEAR. SAINT ROSE.  

THE VIRTUE.  
The renouncing of the pleasures of sense, curiosity, vanity, and raillery.   

THE PRACTICE.  
First, to say nothing in passion.  
Secondly, not to be so easy as to comply with any that shall backbite others.  
Thirdly, to seek nothing out of pure curiosity, or self-satisfaction.   

I. Before Communion.  
1 I go to receive a God who is my judge: O grant my Jesus, that I may not receive thee to my damnation.  
2. I am about to receive in my heart, a God who is my Saviour, o God, receive thou thyself there, with the love thou deservest.  
3. O my judge, I tremble, I am ready to die with confusion & grief, whilst I approach your majesty. O my Saviour, I hope in your goodness, I abandon myself entirely to you; I burn with desire to open my heart to you, I will die with love of you, & breathe my last in you.  
I unite myself to all the respect which Angels, to all the love which Seraphins bear you, to all the confidence of the sick that you have cured, o my Jesus, during your whole life; & I hope with them, that you will give a speedy remedy to all the diseases of my soul.   

II. During Communion.  
1. O my Jesus! o my love! o God of glory! o God of goodness! o majesty of my God who are you, & who am I?  
2. Receive yourself in me, thank yourself in me; Sacrifice yourself upon my heart for me; I unite myself to all that you are going to do in me.  
3. In your passage through my heart, heal all its curiosities; & all the ill words of my tongue.   

III. After Communion.  
1. O liberality of my Jesus, how am I obliged to you, for having given me a God for the nourishment of my soul! O that all creatures, & all the Angels would oyn with me, in giving you due thanks for me!  
2. I adore you my Jesus, as my Creator who gave me my life; as my Saviour, who has delivered me from death; as a God of glory, who has designed me for Paradise.  
3. Pause here, & in silence, look upon ●es●s Christ as your Saviour, with confidence: as your Judge & with fear, as your most loving and lovely God, with love.  
4. Beg of him to apply himself to your senses, to your mind, to your heart to cure your infirmities, to purify them, & fill them with his love.    

A GENERAL PRACTICE FOR THE VIRTUE OF THE MONTH.  
Together with the manner whereby you ought to honour a Saint every month.  
1. One ought to form a high Idea of this virtue, & conceive a fervent desire to practise it; & for this reason, it were good to make a meditation of it, in the beginning, in the middle, & in the end of the month.  
2. One ought to receive it from one's Director, as from God himself, who inspires him therewith, & who will exact an account of it are the day of Judgement: it is good to beg it often of God, by the intercession of the holy Patron recommended to your choice & particularly, in the morning, at noon & at night, saying for this end, a Pater & Ave.  
3. The practice of the virtue of the month, aught to be in this manner: (1.) you must offer the first communion of the month, to obtain it. (2) in the morning when you rise, make a firm resolution to practise it that day; forecasting to yourself, the occasions you may have to exercise it.  
4. Before dinner, recollect yourself the space of a Pater & Ave, to consider how you have practised it, & to see whether that morning you have exercised any acts of it, or fallen into the contrary vice; & if you find you have, ask pardon of God, & purpose to be more faithful the following part of the day.  
5. In your examen at night, make the same review, & compare with diligence, the faults you have committed after dinner, with those committed in the morning, noting the number upon a paper, or with knots upon a piece of thread, to see if your fidelity was greater after dinner, then in the morning.  
6. Take care every dal, especially in the morning to make there acts of the month, & the same after dinner, & for exterior acts, take care to keep a watch over yourself that you fall not upon occasion into the vice contrary to it.  
7. If you happen to fail, impose upon yourself immediately, some mortification, (if occasion permits) that may be contrary to the fault you committed: for example, if you have for your virtue, to say nothing out of humour or inclination, or the mortification of your tongue; after you have failed, hinder yourself from speaking when you have never so much mind to it, if it be nothing but unprofitable discourse; or keep a greater silence then ordinary, by retiring yourself; & the like you may do, in respect of other virtues.  
8. Give an exact account to your Director, of your care or negligence in the practice of the virtue of the month, & be afraid that God should withdraw his particular grace, of which you have great need, if you neglect this particular care, because God will treat you as you do him.  
9 Persuade yourself, that all your spiritual advancement depends upon your practice of this virtue, which if you neglect, you will never profit in it. Remember also to offer some of your alms & mortifications to our Lord, to obtain this virtue, & present them to him by the hands of your Director.  
10. Honour your monthly Patron, invoking him three times a day, saying for this end, a Pater & Ave: (2.) Have recourse to him in your occurring difficulties: (3.) Give thanks to our Lord, for the graces bestowed upon him. (4.) Communicate upon his feast: (5.) Make a Litany of all the Saints you have every month, & say them every day.   

AN EXERCISE VERY PROFITABLE TO prepare one's self to die well. A prayer to jesus Christ.  
SAviour of the world, word incarnate, life of the dying, & death of the living; life of the dying, by the glory you bestow upon them, purchased by your precious blood; death of the living, by the grace which you give them to die to the flesh, to live to the spirit; animate this exercise with your holy dove, to the end that by the practise of it we may find ourselves so prepared for death, that after this life, we ma● live with you eternally in heaven, there to bless, praise & love you, with the Father & holy Ghost. Amen.  Ever praised be the most holy Sacrament of the Altar.  

ADVICE FOR THE PRACTICE of this Exercise.  
SInce 'tis a truth of which we have daily but too great an experience, (& which yet for all that, we too easily forget) that we must die, that a sudden death may perhaps surprise us unawares; as we see happens often to those that think least of it; or that the extreme pains of our sickness, may deprive us of the liberty to make those acts that are necessary for this last hour, the hour of all hours most important; the hour, after which, there remains no more hours; the hour that decides our Eternal happiness, or misery; 'tis necessary every month, to prepare ourselves by the exercises of a death in imagination, to those which we must really practise, when we come actually to die. Watch & prepare yourselves, because the son of man will come at the hour you think least of, Says our Saviour, in the 13. of S. Mark's Gospel; & in the 12. of Ecclesiastes, we are warned, that where the tree falls there it lies.  
As near as you can, either the day before, or upon the day you exercise this devotion, make your Sacramental confession, which will not hinder you from making your spiritual confession to Jesus Christ, either before, or after the sacramental one, according to each one's devotion.  
After confession, make a sacramental communion, by way of Viaticum, as if it were your last; & in case you actually communicate, endeavour to have by you, some meddal, (to which the Pope has applied a plenary Indulgence) to gain one.  
Upon the day of your devotion, if possible, hear mass, to unite yourself more particularly in this holy sacrifice (which is a real representation of that upon the cross) to Jesus Christ dying, offering him to the eternal father, together with all the sacrifices which shall be offered to the end of the world, to obtain the grace of a happy death.  
It will be very profitable to make choice of the last day of every month, for this exercise; & if one be not minded to make it altogether, one may begin the first point in the morning, & the second, at some other hour that day; or otherwise, perform it in two days; & then, one should repeat over again, the acts of contrition, of faith, of hope, & of charity, contained in the first point, observing to make your meditation that day, upon the subject of death, & exercise one's self more particularly, in good works, in the practice of mortification, & other virtues.  
You must also take notice, that though there be many acts noted in this exercise, 'tis only to facilitate the practice of them to those who for want of being habituated in them' would otherwise find great difficulty to perform them; for the best, are those that love produces in our heart,  
We have added at the end of this discourse, the recommendation of the soul, in English, for those who having the devotion (thereby in a holy manner to anticipate their death) to join these to the foresaid devotions, do not understand them in Latin; & in this case, one ought to change the terms that concern another to ones self; as, in stead of saying, pray for him or her, or receive this soul; say pray, for me, receive my soul, & so in other places; reserving the conclusion of this exercise till after your last prayer.  
Now the fruit which one ought to draw from hence, (as shall be noted in the following meditation), is the contempt of the world, a weaning one's self from creatures, the renouncing of one's self & the amendment of ones faults; which are the true means to obtain the grace, to die a deat● that hshall be the beginning of a most happy & blessed l●fe.  
If we make this exercise with care, during our lives, 'tis not to be conceived, how profitable we shall find it at our death, where we may repeat the same, or cause it to be read to us. You may make the meditation in the morning, after your prayer, & before you go out. The first part part of the exercise for death, may be made in the Curch, before Communion, or during mass; & the other part, in the evening, towards four or five a clock.   

A MEDITATION DISPOSITIONS FOR A happy death.  
Put yourself in to the presence of God, & beg of him his divine inspiration.  
FOr the ground of this meditation, one must be well possessed of this truth, That life is only a gage given us by God, in trust; wherefore i● follows if we be not always prepared, and disposed to give it back, we refuse him the right of sovereignty, which he has upon our beings.  It is appointed for all men once to die, & after that, to be judged; Says the great Apostle to the Heb: Chap. 9 
COnsidering this truth, That one dies burr once, & that an ill death can never be repaired throughout the whole, & vast extent of Eternity; we may easily perceive, how necessary it is, not to be surprised, but to be always upon our guard, as that servant, of whom the Gospel speaks, which waits for the coming of his master, in the 12. Chap: of S. Luke.  

I. POINT.  
Since we must necessarily die, it behoves us much to conceive well this truth, That death is certain, & the hour of death uncertain; & that all the prudence of a Christian, consists in preparing one's self well for it, that we may not fail in an affair, which in truth, is the affair of affairs, and the sole & only one, we have to do in this world, since we come into it, only to save our souls, & in losing them we lose all: For what shall it profit a man, to gain the whole world, if he lose his own soul? Says our Sovereign master Jesus Christ, i● the 8. Chap: of S: Mark.  
O my God, how great is the blindness of the most part of mankind, who not thinking on this great truth, live only an earthly sensual, & brutish life, & never elevating their minds to heavenly things, fix their affections so fast to this mortal life, that they prefer it before the eternal. He that loves his life, Says our saviour, shall lose it; 〈◊〉 he that hates it in this world, shall gain for it, life everlasting in the next: in the 12 Chap: of S. john.  
O my God, ●is no● therefore to love our lives ● to have to ● great a fondness for them si●ce this fondness for a em●orall life proceeding from an irregular love of ourselves ● puts us in danger of losing an everlasting one & that you assure me, o my divine Jesus, that if any one comes to you, & does not hate this sensual life, & even his own soul, he cannot be your disciple. Give me, o Lord, a holy hatred of this mortal life, which may make me continually tend, & pretend to the eternal one, where I may love you for ever.   

TWO POINT.  
The death of Saints is precious in God's sight, says the Psalmist, in the 118. Psalm. If we will die the death of Saints, we must live their lives: (1.) by keeping our affections always as much weaned from the things of this world, as if we were to die every moment; because there is no moment, in which death may not surprise us, & in which, we ought not to be prepared to receive it, if we will not hazard our salvation: (2.) by overcoming the natural fear which we have of death, by faith, & by the confidence which we ought to have that Jesus Christ, in whose hands are the keys of life & death, & who loves us infinitely more than we love ourselves, will send it us at such a time, & in such a manner, as in the order of his divine providence, he foresees best for us. Has he not created us for life everlasting? do not we believe that life better than this mortal life we lead? if we are not of this belief, we want faith; & by consequence, have no hope; because we cannot obtain that happiness he has promised in the other life, but by death. But what charity also can an interessed soul have, which loves its own life more than the will of God? & has a greater fear to die, then to see, & unite itself to him? Perfect charity, says the holy Scripture, in S. John● Gospel, chap: 24. excludes fear: And as we ought to show our love which we have for God, by our hatred to sin, what hatred do we express to it, when, for all we know, we cannot live without committing every day some, yet we are so much afraid of death? O, if we had a true love, with what joy should we embrace death, that we might be in a state in which we could no more offend his infinite goodness! Since the least sin (as the Doctors of the Church affirm) is so more to be feared then death.   

III. POINT.  
Should God give us the choice of of the time, the hour, & the manner of our death, could we make a better choice than he? who ordains it by his infinite wisdom, power, & goodness, & who, having created us for himself, & redeemed us with his blood, accordingly, desires nothing more, then to save, & to bring us to the enjoyment of that happy end? And since faith teacheth us this verity, why do not we entirely abandon the care of our lives & deaths to him? what can there be better for us in heaven; or earth; in life, or death; then to accomplish his most just, & most holy will? And because we ought necessarily to submit to its orders, is it not better to do it freely, by an humble submission to, & filial confidence in his divine goodness, then to do it by constraint, as the Devils do; & by that resistance, render this action, rather worthy of punishment, than recompense? If the fear of our sins makes us apprehend death, & desire only to live, to do penance for them, what better penance can we perform, that is more agreeable to God then perfectly to conform ourselves to his will, & undergo the sentence of death, to render him the obedience a creature owes to his creator; & thereby to show him, that we prefer the honour of pleasing him, before our own lives? If actions so much the harder they be to perform, so much the more meritorious they be esteemed, what can there be harder than to renonce life; & what greater penance can we perform, then frankly & freely, to give up our lives to God? because, by giving them to him, we give not only all we can give, but all that is dearest to us, No one has greater charity, than he who gives up his life; says our Saviour, in the 13 of S. John's Gospel: And if a God would die so painful & ignominious a death for us, and give his life upon the cross, for our salvation, can we refuse him ours? Is our life more precious or necessary than his O my soul, had we never so llittle love for God, or gratitude for this great favour of his, we ought to desire a thousand lives, to lay them all down for his sake. What have we that is not his? O my God, since I am nothing, but by you, I will be nothing, but what you would have me, I care not whether I live or die.   

Affections & Resolutions.  
SInce that upon the moment of my death, depends my eternal life; Grant, o my God, that by a true hatred of sin, by a perfect contempt of the world, & of its vain honours pleasures, & riches, & by an entire renouncing of myself, I may always keep my  prepared for this last hour; & that I may never let myself forget death: lest permitting the lamp of charity to be extinguished, & the oil of good works to be wanting in my soul, you may surprise me in this condition, & reproach me with the same terrible words, you did the foolish virgins, in the 25. Chap: of S. john's Gospel; I know you not: but that keeping myself always ready for your coming, I may merit to enter with you, into that eternal nuptial feast, Where neither eye has seen, ear heard, nor has it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what you have prepared for those that love you. Give me, o my God, the light of your holy Spirit, to the end I may not suffer myself to be deceived, nor seduced by my senses; to take what is false for true; & that I may not esteem the things of this mortal life, good or bad, but as they lead me to, or withdraw me from my last end.   

CONCLUSION.  
LEt us conclude this meditation with this truth, that if we will die the death of the just, we must live the lives of the just; since the way to obtain a good death, is to live a good life; & as there is nothing more precious, nor more to be desired then a good death, so there is nothing more unhappy, nor that we ought more to fear, than an ill death; & the best means of securing ourselves, in an affair of so great an importance as this, is daily to live, as if it were to be the last day of our lives; keeping our affections as perfectly weaned from the things of the world, as if we were ready to leave it, where, all things that be not of God, will appear as smoke, that either is scattered itself, or at best covers but a fleeting shadow.    

A MOST PROFITABLE EXERCISE TO PREPARE ourselves for death. UPON THIS MOMENT depends Eternity.  
The day you intent to make this exercise enter into the thoughts of death, & look upon that day as the last of your life.  

THE FIRST PART.  
IMagine yourself lying sick upon your deathbed, & that your good Angel is sent by God to give you notice of the irrevocable decree of your death; & that he says to you as Esaye did, to Ezechias, Isa: 38. Dispose of your affairs: because you shall die & shall no longer live.  
Prostrating yourself as at the foot of your Crucifix, or before the blessed Sacrament, beg with all your heart, the grace, & light of the holy Ghost; the help, & secure of the blessed Virgin, & of the Saints your Patrons, & of your good Angel, to maKe the following acts.  

AN ACT OF RESIGNATION.  
MY heart is prepared, my God, my heart is prepared, that your will, & not mine, be done in me, & by me, now, & for all eternity.  
1. O God eternal; immense, & infinite, who are sufficient in yourself, & stand in need of none of your creatures; how little does it import; whether I live or die, so I may accomplish your holy will, in which alone, true life consists! therefore, let it not be as I will, but as you please.  

An acknowledgement of our nothingness.  
2. To acknowledge the dependence that I have of you, my sovereign Creator, & openly to confess before heaven & earth, that you alone, are he that is; & that I, miserable creature, am he that is not; I embrace with an humble submission, the destruction of this corruptible being, & consent that by death, it should return to its first nothing, out of which you took it.   

A restitution of our being into the hands of God.  
3. O my Sovereign Creator, will restore you the being you have given me, & for this end, I accept of death, in the manner that shall be most pleasing to you, & be most to your glory: Dispose therefore of your creature, & destroy this body of sin, in punishment of the offences, it has committed against your divine majesty: That this body may return to the earth from whence it came, but that my soul created after thy image, may return to your bosom.   

An acknowledgement of God's sovereign dominion over us.  
4. O my God, though my death be of itself, a thing of necessity, yet I am resolved for love of you, as far as possible, to make it a will-offering: I rejoice that by it, I shall be out of a state & condition, any more to resist your Sovereign dominion over me, as Liege Lord of all creatures; & I accept it as a just punishment of the ill use I have made of my free will, which you have given me.   

How to receive death as a just punishment of sin.  
5. Since death, O my God, is the punishment you have ordained for sin, 'tis with an humble & submissive heart to the decree of your justice, that I accept it in the spirit of penance, with all the pains, humiliations, & privations, which follow it, & in satisfaction of all the sins I have committed.   

An offering of our Life to God.  
6. Receive, o my Saviour, the sacrifice that I make to your divine Majesty, of my body & my life, which I offer as a victim sacrificed to yourself. Unite it to that you offered for me upon the cross, & consume it with the fire of your divine love.   

A desire to render to jesus Christ, Death for Death.  
7. O my divine Jesus, since that your love to me made you die upon the cross for my salvation, is it not just, that with a good will I accept death, for love of you, in counterchange, as far as I am able, of that you endured for me. O why have I not a thousand lives, to give them all for this end, to acknowledge thereby that you are my God    

Spiritual confession  
With profound humility at the feet of jesus Christ, as if he were present in his sacred humanity, accuse yourself to him, of all your sins, taking a short review of them; at the end of which, excite your soul to a lively & tender sorrow for them.  

AN ACT OF CONTRITION.  
O my God prostrate before your sovereign majesty, I most humbly beg pardon for the great contempt, & abuse I have made, of your holy graces, & of all the sins I have committed from my birth, in thought, word, or deed: I retract & disavow them, with my whole heart; Yes, o my God, 'tis from my whole heart that I detest, & disavow them, & wish, I had never committed them, not for fear of the punishment they deserve, but only because I have by them, offended your infinite goodness, which deserves to be loved above all things, & honoured by all creatures. O why is not my heart capable too, of an infinite sorrow, to blot out their guilt! But accept, o my God, in satisfaction of that sorrow which is wanting in me that which my Saviour had in the garden of Olives, & upon the cross, for the sins of the whole world in general, & for mine in particular. Accept also for this effect, that sorrow & contrition, which all the Saints have ever had. Purifiy me from my secret sins, & pardon those I have committed by others, & despise not, o my God, an humble, & contrite heart, which hopes only for pardon of its sins from your infinite mercy. In the 50. Psalms, you have promised, that when a sinner laments his sins, you will no longer remember his iniquities.  
And if you please, o my God, to prolong my life, I make a firm purpose, by the assistance of your holy grace, to amend particularly such & such faults, & thereby, endeavour to repair what is past.  
Having made these Acts, receive as an absolution, that which Jesus Christ, the sovereign priest gives you spiritually, applying to yourself, his divine merits; after which, imagine you hear him say to you, as he did to S. Mary Magdelen; Your sins are forgiven you; go in peace.  
Say the 50. Psalm. Miserere mei &c: in the spirit of penance.   

Aspirations to the three divine persons.  
O father Eternal, since you so loved the world, as to give your only son for its redemption, I dare presume to hope from your mercy, the salvation of my soul; since you gave him, not to condemn us, but to save us, & for that end imposed upon him, the holy name of jesus, Luk. 1.  
O divine Jesus, be you my Jesus, & remembcr your own words, that you came not for the just, but for sinners; Luk. 5. O my God, you will not the death of a sinner, but that he be converted & live; EZech. 18. Convert me therefore, to yourself, that I may live an Eternal life.  
Come divine spirit, repose in my soul with your 7. gifts, for to purify, justify, & sanctify it; consume in it, by the fire of your holy love, all that is yet earthly therein; & fortify it in this its last passage, against all the temptations of its enemies.   

An act of Faith.  
I protest my God before heaven & earth that I will die in the faith & union of the holy Catholic church: I believe firmly all that it believes, & teaches, because you my God, who are the Eternal truth, have said, & revealed it; & that you are an infinite goodness & holiness that cannot deceive any one, an infinite wisdom, that cannot err, & are moreover omnipotent: And from this very moment, I disavow, and detest all temptations contrary to it which the Enemy may suggest in the last moments of my life: I return you thanks with my whole heart for the great grace which you have done me, in making me of the numb of the children of your holy Church.  
Recite the Apostles Creed Credo in Deum, &c: And making reflection upon every Article, protest, that you believe it.   

An act of Hope.  
O my God, though for the enormity & inconceivable multitude of my offences, I most justly merit hell yet confiding entirely in the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ, & in the infinite greatness of your mercy, which can pardon more sins than I can commit, I cease not to hope for pardon, & for the grace to persevere in your love, to which, I consecrate the last moment of my life.   

An act of Charity.  
O my God, when shall this soul of mine being separated from my body, & from all creatures, be united perfectly to yourself, & love you with that pure, & unchangeable affection, with which the blessed in heaven love you?  
O, what is there I desire in haven, or what is it I desire on earth, butt you, the God of my heart, my God, & everlasting portion of my felicity?  
I have regarded all things as nothing, vile, & contemptible, to gain Jesus Christ.   

An act of Love towards our Neighbour.  
O my God, I beg of you, grace & mercy for all the creatures you have redeemed with your precious blood, particularly for the true children of your holy Church, & for those from whom I have received any displeasure, whom I pardon, my God, for love of you, as I desire you should pardon me,   

A desire to receive jesus Christ.  
O my God, my Creator, & redeemer, my beginning, & my end, the only sovereign object of my heart, O, what a longing desire have I to receive you, for to unite myself to you! come then into my soul, sanctify it, & replenish my heart with your graces, take possession of all its affections, to the end, that all the moments of my life that are yet behind, may entirely be consecrad to your love.    

The Spiritual communion for the Viatick, or the Sacramental one, if permitted to receive it  
Harken to your good Angel, who invites you to eat the bread of life, & speaks to you, as that of Elias did to him; Arise, & eat, because you have a great journey still to make. 3. Kings. c. 19  
Imagine, that Jesus Christ, accompanied with the blessed Virgin, your good Angel, & the Saints your Patrons, entering your chamber, to give you with his own hands, his sacred body, has he did to his Apostles in his last supper; & that he says to you, as he did to them, Take, eat, this is my body, which was delivered to death, to give you life.  
Having adored him with all your heart, Salute him with the following words:  
O my God, since you have said, that he who eats you, shall live eternally, & shall not die; Grant me the grace, that by the reception of your sacred body, I may live only in you, by you, & for you; & that quitting this mortal life, I may, by the force & virtue of this divine bread, arrive to heaven, where I may for ever, see, & enjoy your divine majesty.  
Alas! from whence comes this happiness to me, that my God should come to visit me?  
Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter into my soul speak only but a word, & it shall be healed.  
Having received him, entertain yourself amorously with him, make all your senses appear before him, & all your faculties, to make him, as it were, an oath of allegiance: renew the vows & promises you have made, conjure him never more to leave you, & say to him, as the disciples going to Emmaus did, Stay with me, o Lord, for it is late, the evening of my life approacheth. Or with Simeon, Let now, o Lord, thy Servant departed in peace, for mine eyes have seen the author of my salvation; Or with David, Althô I walk in the middle of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, because you are with me.  
O my God, put yourself as a seal upon my heart, to the end, that all earthly things may find no more entrance thereinto.  
Unite this Communion, to that which this divine Saviour made before his death, & to all those which the most holy Virgin, & the Saints made during their lives; & also to all those which shall be made, to the end of the world, to supply the imperfections you have committed, in receiving this divine Sacrament.  
Return God thanks, for the favour of receiving it, & for all those other graces which he has so liberally bestowed upon you, & invite all creatures to bless, praise, & thank him for you? Reciting the. 117. Psalms;  
Laudate Dominum omnes gentes, etc. or the Canticle, Benedicite omnia opera, etc.    

THE 2. PART.  

Spiritual extreamunction.  
I Imagine, that Jesus Christ having assisted at your communion, as has been said, enters also into your chamber bringing the holy oils composed of his precious blood, to apply the holy unctions with his own sacred hand.  
Make acts of contrition in receiving them, to blot out all the sins committed by each sense.  

IN THE APPLICATION to the Eyes.  
O my Jesus, & my God, I demand most humbly pardon for all the sins I have committed by so many irregular looks or casts of my eyes, & so many unprofitable tears; & to blot out these sins, apply to me, those your amorous looKs upon the cross, upon your Crucifiers, & the tears you shed for my salvation.   

TO THE EARS.  
Pardon me also the sins I have committed in taking pleasure to hearken to so many ill discourses; & to make satisfaction for them, apply to my foul, the merit of that patience, & humility with which you heard so many blasphemies, injuries, & calumnies uttered against you.   

TO THE NOSTRILS.  
I beg pardon also, o my God, for having too much sought perfumes & good smells, for having taken too much pleasure in them, & having been too delicate, & nice in avoiding ill ones; for the satisfaction of these faults, apply to me, the merit of those ill scents you suffered in the stable, & upon mount Calvary.   

TO THE MOUTH  
O my Saviour Jesus Christ, pardon me the infinite number of sins that I have committed in words, & all my irregularities in eating & drinking, & blot them out by applying to my soul, the merits of your divine prayers, & preach, & your holy fasts.   

TO THE HANDS.  
Pardon me, my divine Jesus, all the many unprofitable, & evil actions that I have committed, & for having so delicately treated my body; & for this end, apply to me, the merit of those holy actions, & divine miracles wrought by your sacred hands, which were nailed upon the hard wood of the Cross for my sake, & by my sins.   

TO THE FEET.  
O my God, with my whole heart I beg pardon for all the steps that I have made unprofitably, or for any ill end: Apply to me for the satisfaction of these faults, the merit of those sacred steps you made barefoot, with so much toil, for the salvation of mankind, especially in carrying your cross.    

After Extreme unction, make the following Acts, with a penitent mind.  
O my God, to satisfy as much as I am able, your divine Justice, & to make you a due satisfaction for my sins, I accept death with my whole heart, & I rejoice at the separation of my soul from my body, in punishment of the sins I have committed, by following rather my irregular inclinations, than your holy will;  
2. And that my body in punishment of its pride, & ambition, shall be buried under the earth, & trodden under foot,  
3. And for that inordinate love I have born it, & the too great care I have taken for its ease & pleasure, I rejoice that that it returns to corruption, & becomes the food of worms.  
4. And for the affection I have had for riches, & for creatures, & the abuse I have made of them, I am glad to be separated from, & deprived of them.  
5. And for the forgetfulness I have had of you, my God, during my life, I accept the forgetfulness that all will have of me after my death:  
6. And for having made use of all my senses, to offend you, I accept, & offer in satisfaction, the privation & loss of them all:  
7. And in punishment of my having vainly searched to please creatures, I am glad that by death, I shall become an object of their hatred, horror, & contempt.  

For the Approaehes of Death. Harken to your good Angel speaking to you, as to the Virgins in the Gospel;  
BEhold, your Spouse is coming, Go forth, & meet him:  
And preparing yourself for his coming, with the burning lamp of charity in your hands, say with David; I rejoice at the good news they tell me, let us enter into the house of our Lord.  
O Lord God of strength, how amiable are thy tabernacles! my soul faints with desire of them.  
My soul thirsts after God the source of life; when shall I come, & appear before his presence?  
As the thirsty Hart desires the fountain, so my soldier desires thee, o my God.  
O, how do I desire to be delivered out of this mortal body, & to be with Christ.   

Union with CHRIST JESUS dying.  
O my divine Jesus, granr me your grace, that my sorrows may be united to yours; my agony, & my death sanctified by yours; & that I may partake of those sacred dispositions, which your holy soul had at the last moment of your life, to which, I unite myself with all my heart, to supply those which I want. I abandon myself entirely to you, to suffer for your love, the pains of death, as long, & many, as you please; & I renounce, & disavow all the impatience, & evil that their force may cause me unwillingly to commit.   

Have recourse to the blessed Virgin. & the Saints.  
O holy Virgin, mother of my God, refuge of Sinners; be now my Advocate, & grant I may feel the effects of your power with the blessed Trinity.  
O Mary, mother of grace, mother of mercy, receive me at the hou● of my death, & defend me from my Enemies.  
Show that you are my mother, & obtain, that he who for our salvation was willing to become your son, & be born of you, may receive me by your intercession.  
O all ye Saints, & blessed spirits, interceded now for my soul, in this extremity, that I may obtain the victory over my enemies.  
Great S. Joseph, & you all my holy patrons, & Protectors, assist me.  
Great S. Michael, fight for me:  
Charitable Angel, my dear Guardian, defend me from the ambushes of my Enemies, and forsake me not in this last passage.  
Eternal father, look upon me in your dear son Jesus Christ, who has shed his blood for my salvation.  
Have pity upon me, according to the greatness of your mercies, & pardon my sins, for the glory of your holy name.  
Enter not into judgement with me, o my God, for in thy sight, no one living can justify himself.  
My divine Jesus, put your cross, & your passion, between your judgement, and my soul.  
My God, my destiny is in your hands, save me, I beseech you.  
O Lord, in you have I trusted, therefore I shall not be eternally confounded.   

An act of adoration, to the most holy Trinity.  
O most holy, & most adorable Trinity, I adore you with my whole heart, & I unite myself, both for the present, & for eternity, to all the adorations, & praises, which the most holy humanity of my Saviour Jesus Christ, & his most holy mother, together with all the Saints and Angels, do, or have rendered you, or shall eternally render you in heaven. I offer you all the sacrifices of this most holy humanity, which are now offered, or shall be daily offered, to the day of judgement, all the world over, in satisfaction of all my sins, & in thanksgiving for all your divine benefits bestowed upon me.  
If the Recommendation of the soul be said, observe to say at the end, this conclusion; afterwards, say the Responsory; Subvenite Sancti, etc.    

Conclusion of this Exercise. Act of abandonment & resignation.  
O my God I abandon myself, & without reserve, to that divine judgement you shall pronounce upon my soul; I submit myself to it, with all my heart; I adore, & reverence it as most just, & equitable, now, & for Eternity.  

A Spiritual Expiring.  
Holding your cross in your hand, Say these words; Behold, o my God, my Creator, & my Redeemer, that I come unto you because you call me; receive me in the bosom of your mercy.  
And amorously kissing the wounds of your Crucifix, pronounce the holy namas of Jesus, & Mary, at each wound; then repeating the last words of our Saviour; My God, into your hands, I yield up my Spirit; expire in the sacred wound of the side of Jesus, chose it for your grave, & hid yourself in his sacred heart.  
After this Exercise, we must look upon ourselves as dead to the world, & to ourselves; accordingly, we should often repeat those words of S. Paul; I live, yet not I, but jesus Christ that lives in me, & my life is hid with jesus Christ in God.      

THE RECOMMENDATION of the soul, (which ought to begin with these little Litanies) & the following prayers, are to be said in time of agony; these may serve for those that are about the dying person.  
LOrd have mercy upon us.  
Christ have mercy upon us.  
Lord have mercy upon us.  
Holy Mary prayer for him.  
Holy Angels pray for him.  
Holy Abel, pray for him.  
Choir of all the just, pray for him.  
S. Abraham, pray for him.  
S: John Baptist, pray for him.  
Holy Patriarches & Prophets, pray for him.  
S. Peter, pray for him.  
S. Paul, pray for him.  
S. Andrew, pray for him.  
S. Johne, pray for him.  
Holy Apostles, & Evangelists pray for him.  
Holy Disciples of our Lord, pray for him.  
Holy Innocents', pray for him.  
S. Stephen, pray for him.  
S. Laurence, pray for him.  
Holy Martyrs, pray for him.  
S. Silvester, pray for him.  
S. Gregory, pray for him.  
S. Austin, pray for him.  
Holy Bishops, & Confessors, pray for him,  
S. Bennet pray for him.  
S. Francis, pray for him.  
Holy Monks, & Hermits, pray for him.  
S. Marry Magdalen, pray for him.  
S. Lucy, pray for him.  
Holy Virgins, & Widows, pray for him.  
Saints of God of both sexes, interceded for him.  
Lord, be merciful unto him, & pardon all his sins.  
Lord be merciful to him, & deliver him.  
O Lord, deliver him from your wrath.  
Deliver him from the danger of death.  
Deliver him from an evil death.  
Deliver him from the pains of hell.  
Deliver him from all evil.  
Deliver him from the power of the devil.  
Deliver him by your holy Nativity.  
Deliver him by your holy cross & passion.  
Deliver him by your holy death & burial.  
Deliver him by your glorious resurrection.  
Deliver him by your admirable ascension.  
Deliver him by the grace of the holy Ghost the Comforter.  
Deliver him in the day of judgement.  
Lord, we beseech thee to hear us, poor Sinners.  
We beseech thee to hear us so, as to pardon him.  
Lord have mercy upon us.  
Christ have mercy upon us.  
Lord have mercy upon us.  

THE PRAYER. Proficiscere anima christiana.  
CHristian soul, leave this world, in the name of the omnipotent Father, who created thee; in the name of his son Jesus Christ, who redeemed thee; in the name of the holy Ghost, who diffused himself in thee; in the name of the holy Angels, & archangels, Thrones, Dominations, Cherubins & Seraphins; in the name of the Patriarches, & Prophets, in the name of the Apostles & evangelists; of the holy Martyrs & Confessors; in the name of the holy Religious & Anchorites; of the holy Virgins, & of all the Saints of God; that this day, your habitation may be in peace, & your abode in the holy Zion: by the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.   

THE PRAYER Deus clemens.  
O God of goodness & clemency, who according to the infinite-greatness of your mercies, blot out the sins of the penitent, & pardon their crimes & sins past cast a propitious look upon your servant. (N) hear his prayers for the remission of all his sins, which he confesses with all his heart, as much as he is able. Renew in him, o best of Fathers, whatever may in time be either corrupted by the frailty of nature, or depraved by the malice of the Devil; & unite to the body of your triumphant Church, this living member of Jesus Christ: Have pity, o Lord, of his tears, & receive him to the grace of your reconciliation, who has no confidence but in your sole mercy, through Jesus Christ our Lord.   

Commendo te.  
MY dearest Brother, I recommend thee to the omnipotency of God, & I remit you into the arms of him who is your Creator, that after you have paid the debt due to humane nature, & by death are separated from your body, you may return to your Author, which form you out of the slime of the earth; Let the resplendent Choir of Angels come to receive your soul at its going out of your body; Let the august company of the Apostles be therewith present; Let the most goodly & triumphant army of Martyrs, be at the same rendezvous; Let the holy troop of Confessors encompass it; the chaste assembly of Virgins receive it; & the holy Patriarches closely embrace it; to make it enjoy in their bosoms, the repose of the blessed: Let the most sweet Jesus show himself unto you, & place you amongst those that continually praise him, That you may never know any of all those horrible things that are in the darkness of hell; the gnashing of teeth heard in its flames, & the aching & twinging of its torments; Let Satan with all his dismal guards, fret at your arrival, & seeing you under the protection of the Angels, fly, and cast themselves head long into the horrors of eternal darkness; Let God arise, & let his enemies be scattered; & let those that hate him, fly before his face: Let sinners disapear as the smoke that vanisheth, & perish before God, as wax dissolves before the fire; Let the just rejoice eternally in the presence of God, & let the Infernal Legions & ministers of Satan be ashamed & confounded, & never be so bold as to venture to set upon you, in your passage to Eternity: Let Jesus who was crucified for you, deliver you from the pains of hell; & & let Jesus who was willing to die for you, deliver you from Eternal death; Let Jesus Christ son of the living God, place you in his paradise, there to enjoy everlasting pleasures; & let that good shepherd own you for one of his flock, & when he has pardoned you all your sins, place you at his right hand amongst his Elect: may you see your Redeemer face to face, & assisting continually in his presence, & your eyes be so happy as to behold clearly the Eternal verity, & being admitted amongst the blessed, may you enjoy the sweet vision of God for everlasting ages. Amen.   

THE PRAYER. Suscipe Domine.  
REceive, o Lord, your servant to the place where he hopes for his salvation, thtough your mercy. Amen.  
Deliver, o Lord, the soul of your servant from all the dangers of hell, & from all its pains & torments. Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your Servant, as you delivered Enoch & Elias from the common death of mankind. Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your Servant, as you delivered Noah from the flood, Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your servant, as you delivered Abraham from the burning of the Chaldeans, Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your servant, as you delivered Job from his evils. Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your servant, as you delivered Jsaac from the hand of his father, that would have sacrificed him. Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your servant, as you delivered Lot out of Sodom, & its burning. Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your servant, as you delivered Moses from the persecution of Pharaoh King of Egypt. Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your servant, as you delivered Daniel from the Den, & the mouths of the Lions. Amen.  
Deliver the Soul of your servant, as you delivered the three Children from the fiery furnace, and from the wrath of a wicked King. Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your servant, as you delivered Susanna from the crime she was falsely accused of. Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your servant, as you delivered David from the hands of Saul & Goliath. Amen.  
Deliver the soul of your servant, as you delivered S. Peter, & S. Paul from their chains & prisons. Amen.  
Infine, as you delivered the blessed Virgin & Martyr S. Tecla, from three cruel torments; so vouchsafe to deliver the soul of your servant, & grant it may rejoice with you in the possession of heavenly felicity. Amen.   

THE PRAYER. Commendamus tibi.  
O God, we recommend to thee the soul of thy Servant (N) & we beseech you, O Lord Jesus Christ, Saviour of the world, that as out of your mercy, you were pleased to descend from heaven, for it, you would not refuse to receive it into the bosom of the Patriarches.  
Take notice, o Lord, of your creature, which was not created by strange Gods but by you of alone, the onnely living God; for there is no other God but you, & no works like unto yours.  
Lord, recreate this soul with the joy of your presence, & remember not its past iniquity, nor the excesses which its fury, or the too hot pursuit of its ill desires, has caused it to commit. There is no doubt but it has sinned, yet it has never denied the father, Son, & holy Ghost; but has believed in you, & had the zeal of the glory of your name, & has ever adored him who made all things. Amen.   

THE PRAYER. Delicta juventutis.  
O Lord, we beseech you not to remember any more the sins of his youth, nor his ignorances', but according, to the greatness of your mercy, remember him in the splendour of your glory. Open the heavens, o Lord, & receive your servant into your Kingdom: Let S, Michael the Archangel of God, who has merited the chief command in the Celestial hosts, receive him: Let all the Angels of God come forth to meet him, & conduct him into the holy City of Jerusalem: Let S. Peter, to whom were given the keys of the Kingdom of heaven, receive him: Let S. Paul the Apostle, who was a worthy vessel of Election, assist him: Let S. John, the beloved of God, to whom were revealed the secrets of heaven, interceded for him: Let all the Apostles, to whom was given the power of binding & losing of souls, pray for him: Let all the Saints, and Elect of God, who for the name of Jesus Ghrist, have suffered torments in this world, interceded for him; that being separated from, & stripped of his earthly body, he may merit to arrive to the glory of your heavenly Kingdom, by the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father, & the holy Ghost, lives & reigns world without end. Amen.  
After the soul has quitted the body, recite the following Responsory.  
Come speedily, o ye Saints of God, you Angels of our Lord, hast ye, & receive this soul, & offer it in the presence of the most high.  
℣. Let Jesus Christ who has called you, receive you; & let his Angels carry you into Abraham's bosom.  
Lord have mercy upon us.  
Christ have mercy upon us.  
Lord have mercy upon us.  
℣. Give him Eternal rest, o Lord, & let him be illuminated with Eternal light.  
℣. Lord deliver his soul,  
℟. From the gates of hell.  
℣. Let him repose in peace.  
℟. Amen.  
℣. Lord hear my prayer,  
℟. And let my cry come unto thee.   

THE PRAYER.  
O God, we recommend to you, the soul of your servant, that having passed this life, he may live only to you; that the sins he has committed in this life, out of humane frailty, may be pardoned by the infinite bounty, and mercy, and by the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.    

A COMPENDIUM OF the aforesaid Exercise, to prepare one's self well for death. Which one may make every night before one goes to bed.  
MY heart is prepared, o my God, my heart is prepared; your will be done, my God & not mine: I abandon myself entirely to receive death, at what time, in what manner, you please to send it to me.  
2 I most humbly beg of you, pardon for all the sins I have committed against your Sovereign goodness; & I repent me of them, with all my heart.  
3. I believe firmly, all that the Roman Catholic Church believes, & teaches; and I will die in this belief.  
4. I hope to possess eternal life by your mercy, & by the merits of my Saviour Jesus Christ.  
5. O my God, I desire to love you above all creatures, & to the contempt of all creatures, as my Soveraingn good; & my neighbour, as myself, pardoning him from the bottom of my heart.  
6. O my divine Jesus, what an extreme desire have I to receive your sacred body! & to do it spiritually, unite myself to all the communions that shall be made throughout the whole Church, to the end of the world, & particularly at the hour of my death,  
7. Afford me the grace, o my divine Saviour, to blot out all the sins I have committed by my senses, by applying to myself, the unction of thy precious blood.  
8. Holy Virgin, mother of my God, defend me from my enemies, & present me to your son.  
9 Great S. Michael, my holy Angel Guardian, my holy Protectors, pray & assist me, in this last passage.  
10. O my God, I renounce all the temptations of the Enemy, & generally, all that may displease you: I adore & receive your divine judgements upon my soul, as most just & equitable; & I abandon myself to them, with entire submission.  
11. O Jesus, my divine Jesus, be to me Jesus; O my God, retiring with an humble confidence, into thy sacred wounds, I commit my soul into thy divine hands; receive it into the bosom of thy mercy. Amen.   

AN EXERCISE OF DEATH, FOR THE last day of the month.  

IN THE MORNING.  
OFfer all the actions, & sufferings of that day, to our Saviour, by the hands of S. Joseph, which you shall take for your Protector, to obtain a happy death; & make some of these Acts noted in the beginning of this Exercise? & then make a resolution so to live that day, as if it were to be the last of your life.   

DURING THE DAY.  
1. Beg every hour of S. Joseph, a good death, & say to your soul; if we were to die this moment, are we prepared to appear before God?  
2. Before you begin any action, or in conversation, often call to mind this thought; Would I have done or said this at the hour of my death?  
3. Communicate really, or spiritually, in manner of Viatick making the acts, & affections marked in this Exercise, or contenting yourself to remain with a simple view of faith, in silence & abandonment, in the arms of Jesus, & to expire in him, by love and confidence.  
4, Go from Communion, with a resolution to live no longer to yourself, & to perform no action of your life, purely after a natural, & humane manner; calling often to mind in the day time the advertissement of the Apostle; you are dead, & your life is hiddem in God With jesus Christ.  
5. Make your meditation upon death, either as it is in your ordinary booK of meditations, or as it is in this Exercise; & read the thoughts of death, in the book called Pensées Chrêtiennes, or Christian thoughts.   

IN THE EVERNING.  
1. BEfore you go to bed, make a short review in your Examen, of all the sins of the last month; & take notice chief, of those you commit out of custom; think with sorrow, of your abuse of God's graces, & favours & of the ill use you have made of the crosses which God has sent you; Then, putting yourself in the presence of Jesus Christ, your Sovereign Judge, & immaginaing yourself to be before the tribunal of his justice, beg pardon for your sins, with all the resentment & confusion you are able. Alas! what sorrow would you have for them, if this night you were to die & to appear before him?  
Then impose upon yourself some penance for the following month; & fail not to rise at the appointed hour, & to give something to thle poor, as often as you speak in choler, & out of humour.  
2. After Examen, make the same Acts that dying persons are wont to make & which are noted in this Exercise; or content yourself to make, (1) An act of faith, proptesting that you firmly believe, that you shall on day die: (2.) An act of confidence, hoping, thot our Saviour at your death, will have mercy upon you, & pardon all your sins: (3.) An act of love, begging him, rather to Send you death, then permit you to offend him, at least, voluntarily: (4.) An act of abandonment, putting your life, your soul, & your salvation, into the hands of God.  
In fine, kiss the ground, to render homage to the Sovereignty, & justice of God, which has ordained that your body should one day be reduced to dust: Look upon your bed, as your grave, as you are going into it, say three times, JESUS, MARIA, JOSEPH, Adding.  
O my God, grant, that I may repose, and sleep in peace with you. Amen.    

Pious thoughts to recollect one's self in God.  

1. For rising.  
1. O My God I am intirly yours, be you all in me, be you all things to me, and let all things else be nothing to me.  
2. Lord let me do and suffer all by you, in you, and for you; let me forthwith die to myself, and let me live; and always remain in you.  
3. O the God of my hart, and my Portion for eternity, be you the beginning and end of all my actions, let me plunge and lose myself entirely in you.   

2. FOR PRAYER. In the state of Desolation.  
1. O Justice of my God, content yourself, be you pleased without contenting me.  
2. You are all, my God, and I am nothing before you: I am content that all joy and consolation be yours, and that nothing, and the privation of all comforts be mine. O contentment, joy, and happiness of my God, you are dearer to me then my own satisfaction.  
3. My God how good are you to suffer me to be in the miserable state I am in? Permit that I sacrifice; the satisfaction of my hart to that of yours; I am pleased with my condition because it pleases you; and I am here in your presence for no other end then to please you.  
4. O my God, my all; my God, my love, my joy, my hope, let me cease to be to myself, that you may be all in me.  
5. O my God, I see nothing, I feel nothing, I taste nothing of you. But I am contented to possess you in a manner above the sense of seeing, tasting or feeling, I would not have you but in yourself, without myself.  
6. The Angels o Lord honour you in heaven by silence, & mankind on Earth by annihilation, peace, and entire resignation. Remain in me, and let me remain in peace, and lost in you.  
7. Neither privations, emptiness, distractions, insensibilities, tediousness, and oppressions, shall separat me from my God, you come from him, and you unite me to him.  
8. O my soul, thou dost much whilst thou thinkest thou dost nothing, thou contentest thy God, thou pleasest him by being so, thou expirest in him, thou losest thyself for him, and sacrifisest thyself to him; thou art no longer in thyself, but dost pass into him.  
9 O the good will and pleasure of my God, how dear art thou to me. Be content with me my God, and I am satisfied. You will have me to be so.  
10. O Pure faith which transforms my mind into God by blinding it, O pure love which unites my hart unto the hart of my God, by despoiling it of all things, remove, consume, and destroy in me all that is humane, sensible, or natural.  
11. Who are you my God, and who am I, that I should dare to speak before, or behold you, I am but a little dust, and a pure nothing before you; so you look upon me it is enough, I ought to be content with my nothing, and to be nothing.  
12. Lord you can do all things, you know all things, and you love me; you know my wants and my miseries; it is enough, I desire nothing but you, I abandon myself to you, do what you will with me, and in me.   

Advice in desolation in time of Prayer.  
1. SUpport yourself by the former feellings, renewing them by a simple regard in God, beginning your prayer to annihilat yourself before God, entirely abandoning yourself to him, to believe you are not idle whilst you do this, though you neither feel nor know any thing; but be in peace and contented to be nothing in God's presence. The arm that holds itself without motion does it do nothing? You abandoning all things, running to, and putting yourself continually in God, is it not to act after a divine manner? In a word God would have you to be in the state you are, obey, and remain in peace.  
2. Be not one of those souls, who reject all the good thoughts God gives them to remain without action as they call it, and in pure passiveness: which is an error and a pure idleness; but when you feel yourself moved to adore and love God, and to abandon yourself to him, receive humbly, and follow simply this impulse, yet without tying yourself to it, or desire of keeping or augmenting it, and be equally contented to have or lose it, one is not to act as of one's self, but to follow the impression of grace.  
3. In fine, make it your employment, your repose, your satisfaction in prayer to content God. Remain firm there to honour his greatness by the sense of your nothing: and go from it entirely resolved to renounce yourself in all things.    

FOR MASS AND COMMUNION.  

To which one must carry the state of a victim and the spirit of a Sacrifice.  
1. O JESUS, victim of my salvation who offered yourself as one for me; cause all that is within me to become a victim of your love, and that I may be entirely sacrificed to your good will and pleasure, and to your glory.  
2. O God annihilated, crucified, and sacrificed for me; annihilate crucify and sacrifice all that is humane sensible, and savours of self love in me.  
3. O my JESUS you work miracles to put yourself in a condition to enter into my hart, work one more by gaining it entirely to yourself; make an altar of it where you may never cease to be offering yourself a sacrifice to your Father; sacrifice in me all that is not yours, that I may cease to be, and may expire in you.  
4. All in JESUS is a victim upon the Altar, all is there annihilated, all is destroyed, nothing of him appears. Behold what I ought to be, to hear Mass well, and to communicate as I ought. A simple faith ought to sacrifice the light of my understanding; the love of the good will and pleasure of God, aught to sacrifice the entire satisfaction of my hart; The respect to the presence of my God ought to make me forget myself and to sacrifice my person entirely unto him. O how glorious is it, to be the victim of a God; to destroy one's self for him, and to expire in him.  
5. During the time of Mass remain in the spirit of an united sacrifice; annihilated and lost in JESUS; offered up for you upon the altar; the abandoning yourself, the silence and respect in presence of JESUS honouring his Father after this manner, aught to be the foundation of all your dispositions. In this manner did Mary assist at the bloody sacrifice of her son upon the altar, her eyes and hart were fixed upon him by a simple regard full of respect and love, and 'tis after the same manner you ought to assist at Mass.  
6. O my JESUS, I consent to all that you do for me upon the altar, and I do the same in you, and for you. All is yours o my love nothing but you, all for you. What streams of blood; what wounds; what injuries do you my JESUS suffer for so ungratfull a hart as mine is, my IEsus dies of love for me, and can I still live to myself?  
7. Go from Mass with peace, courage and a firm resolution to die to all things for JESUS, and to sacrifice to him all your satisfactions and humours, this determination and this resolution is the true fruit of holy Mass; O my soul thou must live no longer any other life but that which is crucified, annihilated, and sacrificed to JESUS, become a victim for love of him.   

For Communion.  
1. 'tIs the end and fruit of a good communion, to receive a God, to live the life of a God, to unite ourselves to God, to be like JESUS by the assistance of his grace, to have his sentiments his inclinations, and his qualities, to be no more to ones self, and to live no other but such a supernatural and divine life as that of JESUS.  
2. O the infinite Majesty of a God who dares approach you? Yet o Sovereign love o infinite bounty of my God, who is able to be from you? You are in the host for no other end but to enter into my hart, and take possession of it, you burn with desire to be there received, you make it your delight to remain in it; oh! come my JESUS; come presently into it, I burn with a desire to receive you there, and to make you the God of my hart. Come thither to receive yourself, and to love yourself there, for I of myself am nothing, and can do nothing, so I leave all to you, and will remain in my nothing in your presence.  
3. O ye Seraphins that I had your respect! O Mary that I had your love! O my hart what can you desire, love and breath after but your JESUS, I will live no longer to myself I ought to be nothing to all things, and JESUS ought to be all to me.  
4. O my love enter into my hart to reign there absolutely, to possess it alone; and to animate it with yourself, let all within me give place to JESUS, humour, satisfaction, pleasure, vanity, self love, let all give place to JESUS, he is master here, he is the God of my hart.  
5. Remain at the feet of JESUS as a Magdalen in silence, and as it were retired into thy own nothing; let him give thanks and honour his Father in you, let him consummate in your hart the holocauste of his love to which he will join yours. O love, o lover, o God of love, live, reign, triumph, destroy sacrifice in me all that is not yourself.  
6. When your state consists of pure faith in darkness and aridity, remain in peace in it, and content yourself to have JESUS within you; it is enough, it is sufficient for you to have him; seek not a great many thoughts, nor many acts to make known your gratitude and love to him, let him do what he pleases in you. My God and my all let me only live for you, by you, and in you.  
8. Going from communion remember that JESUS ought to act, speak and suffer in you and by you. O tongue died with the blood of a God. O hart full of the Majesty of God. O sense, o mind, o body, animated with the purity of a God, can you tie yourselves any longer to a creature.    

FOR EXAMEN AND CONFESSION.  
1. AFTER having examined for some time the voluntary imperfections that you have fallen into, contrary to the light which God gave you, as also all the unprofitable thoughts and reflections, the eagernesses and promtitudes of your hart, the impatiences of your tongue, and the negligences of your actions, employ yourself in some of the ensuing thoughts.  
2. Is it possible o my God that I should have displeased you? That I should have the confusion to have preferred a bauble before you? How sorry am I to have provoked your anger against me. O my JESUS punish me as you please; but pardon me: I desire to satisfy your justice, but I cannot suffer the sight of your anger against me.  
3. Ah my JESUS what blood and tears have my infidelities cost you? And how little have they cost me? You died in pain to blot out my sins, and I will not use the least violence to myself to overcome them. No my JESUS I will not afflict or torment you any more by my sins, what pain soever I undergo.  
4. O Goodness of my God, how long have you sought me? O patience of my God how long have you waited for me? How long shall I continually contemn your calls, your allurements, and your love? O sins, o infidelity, o baseness I detest you because you injure my God.  
5. Shall I always be unfaithful to so many graces which you bestow upon me? What? always receive a thousand benefits from you, and always render you a thousand ingratitudes? Oh my JESUS pardon me. I die with grief to have given you so great and so just a displeasure.  
6. Is it possible that for a nothing I have so offended you, o my dear JESUS. How have I preferred a small satisfaction of my own to that of your hart. Yes so long as I content myself in this effusion of hart, in this promptitude, in this humoursome word, in this detraction, this resentment this liberty and remissness; you behold me my JESUS, & say to me in my hart, is it because you have a mind to displease me, to offend me, and to draw me from you, is it that I am not better than this pleasure which moves you to sin? And I make answer by my actions my JESUS, yes I love to content myself rather then to please you. O love, o goodness contemned o hart of my JESUS, I deserve not that you should receive me. But I hope all things of your mercy, and I protest that you shall be all to me, and all things else shall be nothing.  
7. Mortal sin makes us lose gods favour, venial sin cools it, and di●ves us from him, imperfection and the life of nature, stops and hinders us from going to him; it renders his graces, his blood, his love, useless to our salvation. O sin either grievous, or light, I have a greater horror of you then of death, because you offend my God, I will hence forth live a life altogether supernatural, and quite contrary to my own inclinations.  
8. Remember that you reflect not to much upon your sins, and take care not to disquiet yourself for them. A simple and amorous return towards God within you is sufficient; is it possible my God that I should have displeased you? Behold this is what I can only do of myself, but it is that which I will endeavour by the assistance of your grace to do no more. This suffices, then forget all, and lose yourself in God.  
9 Make your confession after the clearest and shortest manner you are able, and receive absolution with an interior sense of confusion, grief and love, without designing to taste any sensibility.  
10. Go from confession throuly penetrated with the goodness of a God who presently pardons, and of your ingratitude, who continually offend him; and remaining in his presence and in him, with a respectful silence, let him take possession of you, abandoning yourself entirely to him. O bounty of my God, possess my hart, o Justice of my God satisfy and content yourself upon me.   

For the employment and exterior occupations of the day.  
1. ENDEAVOUR to perform all your actions in the presence of God, to content God, and without contenting yourself. Fellow always the will of God, and the motions of his grace, and never incline to your own humour, to the end God may live in you, and that he may act by you.  
2. Be faithful by continually dying to all unprofitable reflections of your mind, to hasty words, your humour, and the impatience of your tongue, to the propensions vivacity of your nature, and be persuaded that the more faithful you shall be in this, the more you will advance in your state: so that all your application through out the day, is to possess yourself, to be of an equal temper, and to refrain in occasions what ever you shall perceive less perfect.  
3. This fidelity of dying and of denying yourself the least satisfaction or effusion of hart towards creatures, will make you continually to go out of yourself, to lose yourself in God, and to remain in him, and this is the true effect of the state of faith, to which you are called, for the life of faith, is to live not in ones self, nor for ones self, but in God, and for God.  
4. In occasions where you shall find your hart or senses ready to satisfy themselves in any curious book humoursome word, or promptitude, laet this word alone put a stop to them. My God, my all, you alone suffice me, I desire nothing but you. Or else; can I content myself, o my God in discontenting you? o love of my God reign only in me, no more of creature, nor of human satisfaction to a hart of which God is the master.  
5. At any time when you have any thing to suffer, either by sickness, or trouble of mind, or by the disquiets or contradictions of men, let this thought presently calm your mind. You will have it so my God, be it so, content yourself, I am yours, being a thousand times happy in suffering to please you, and in dying for you. Or else cast a simple regard of confidence and resignation upon a crucifix, or any Image of our Blessed Lady, or towards the blessed Sacrament according to the place you shall be in, with this word, JESUS dies in pains for me and would I suffer nothing for him? There can be no love without sufferance, or no sufferance without love.  
6. Leave yourself thus in the hands of God to be crucified by a continual and entire abandoning yourself amidst all the contradictions and aridities from within; this is the way divine truth takes to make a victim of you, he will annihilat by little and little in you all that is of you.  
7. Fellow your affairs with a great liberty of mind, with a calm and continual equality of hart. Employ not yourself in them for any other reason, but because God would have you do so, and when he would have you do so. God is content, and this is the word with which you are to support yourself in them.   

Simple reflections of faith upon a Crucifix.  
1. WHat do you suffer my JESUS? and how little am I moved with your sufferings? What pains? What injuries? and what blood do you shed for an ungratfull creature?  
2. You die my JESUS, you die of grief for me, and can I live to myself or live without suffering for you? Can I live without a Cross? o what lost moments are these, in which I suffer not for you, o let me suffer or die.  
3. O wounds, o nails, o thorns, o torments, o Cross, what pain do you give to my JESUS, o my Saviour what confusion ought I to have, seeing you suffer thus much? Yet what grief ought I not to have that I am the cause of your sufferings.  
4. Behold my soul the work of thy infidelityes; and the love of a God, cease then to satisfy thyself, to content thy dying JESUS.  

Advices.  
1. EVERY night, cast some one of these simple regards upon your crucifix after your examen, for a short space, one alone suffices each time, and even one word of each.  
2. Make use of these aspirations in prayer, and when you are at Mass, being troubled or oppressed, to support yourself.  
3. Read them often in the day time, especially the last, and the other before Mass and prayer.    

Aspirations to be made at all times to recollect one's self in God.  

FOR RISING.  
1. MY God, and my all.  
2. All to you, my God, all in you, all by you.   

FOR PRAYER.  
1. Content yourself my God.  
2. My God my all.  
3. You my God are all, and I am nothing.  
4. You my God behold me, and will have me be as I am, therefore I desire to be so.  
5. I come not hither to content myself but to content God.  
6. O the good will and pleasure of my God, I Sacrifice myself: entirely to you.    

For the employments and exterior occupations of the day.  
1. GOd is content, this is my joy, and my sole happiness.  
2. O my God would I content myself, and displease you?  
3. All to you my God, all for you, all in you;  
4. God alone suffices me, all else is nothing to me.  
5. The more we die to our selves, the more me shall live in God.  
6. Let us go my soul; let us go and lose ourselves in God, let us cease to be, to the end that God may be all in us.  
7. What do I desire in heaven, or on earth? but you o the God of my hart, my Portion for Eternity.   

An Elevation to the Sacred hearts of JESUS and MARY, to obtain the love of God.  
O Inflamed hearts living with love! o Sanctuaries of the divinity! temples of the Sovereign Majesty, Altars of Divine Charity! heart's that burn with love for God and me; I honour you, I love you, and I melt with love and respect in your presence, I unite myself to your holy dispositions, I will yes I will burn with your fire, and live with your life, what joy have I to see you happy, and content; what part do I take in your graces, in your sorrows, and in your glory? with how good a hart would I die and suffer all things rather than displease you. O my hart we must act no longer but according to the inclinations of these sacred hearts, you ought to expire in silence in their presence to all that is human of natural in you.  
2. O that I were able to engage all the hearts of mankind to render homage to the hart of JESUS and MARY, and to form themselves according to their divine modelle, o hearts full of grace, purity, fervour, and humility, inspire my hart with these sentiments, I unite myself to you, I lose myself in you, I will live no more but by you, and for you.  
3. Thus all the employment of my hart shall be from hence forward to remain in silence and respect, annihilated in the presence of JESUS and MARY, and there (as a burning lamp that consumes itself before the Blessed Sacrament) to burn to suffer and to die. Be it so  
The holy Mother of God hath lately promised to one of her Children, that whoever shall say the following Prayer with devotion, if they be in the grace of God she shall augment the divine love in their hearts, at each of these twelve salutations and benedictions, which it contains, and if they are in mortal sin, with her sweet and Virginal hand she will knock at the door of their hearts, at each salutation, to excite them to open unto grace; and she added that when one should find any persons in great sins and hard to be converted, that it would be good to excite them to say this prayer with a good will, or at least to consent to have it said for them: mervelous effects of it have lately been seen in several persons;  
1. Hail MARY Daughter of God the Father.  
2. Hail MARY Mother of God the son.  
3. Hail MARY Spouse of God the Holy Ghost.  
4. Hail MARY Temple of the Divinity.  
5. Hail MARY Beautiful Lily of the most resplendent Trinity.  
6. Hail MARY sweet Rose to all the Celestial Court.  
7. Hail MARY Virgin of Virgins powerful Virgin, full of sweetness and humility, of whom the King of heaven would be born and of whose milk he would be nourished.  
8. Hail MARY Queen of Martyrs, whose soul was pierced with the sword of sorrow.  
9 Hail MARY Lady and Mistress of the world to whom all power has been given both in heaven and earth.  
10. Hail MARY Queen of my hart, my Mother my life, my sweetness and my love.  
11. Hail MARY most amiable Mother.  
12. Hail MARY most admirable Mother.  
MARY full of Grace our Lord be with thee.  
1. Blessed art thou amongst women.  
2. Blessed is the fruit of thy womb JESUS CHRIST.  
3. Blessed be thy Spouse Saint joseph.  
4. Blessed be thy Father Saint joachim.  
5. Blessed be thy Mother Saint Anne.  
6. Blessed be thy son Saint john.  
7. Blessed be thy Angel Saint Gabriël.  
8. Blessed be the Eternal Father who has chosen the.  
9 Blessed be thy son who has loved the.  
10. Blessed be the Holy Ghost who has espoused the.  
11. O most happy Virgin let all that love you, bless you,  
12. Bless us o Holy Virgin together with your son, so be it.   
FINIS.