The Seven Penitential Psalms. (continued 2)

2. "This is my commandment," said Jesus, "that you love one another, as I have loved you." Had mankind nothing else than Christ's love to endear them, they are objects of esteem for that very reason. Since our Saviour has loved them, shall we refuse to do so?

3. Do we love all men as Christ has loved them? Do we thirst for their salvation as he did? Do we do by them as we would be done by?

Excite yourself to love those whom our Lord Jesus Christ has loved so tenderly: firmly purpose to promote their salvation, and never to do what may offend against charity.

"He that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law." Romans xiii.

"By charity alone, the children of God are distinguished from the children of Satan." St. Augustine.

Twenty-eighth Day.—Love of our Enemies.

1. So essential is charity to the Christian religion, that we are obliged to love even our enemies; Christ hath given the commandment, and set the example. God orders it, and shall we find it hard to obey? A God forgives his very executioners, and shall we refuse to pardon a brother?

2. "He that will not forgive, shall not be forgiven." God will not pardon us, but on the condition that we pardon others. If we seek revenge, we call down God's anger upon us. We must either love our enemies, or hate ourselves.

3. It should seem that two Christians who hate each other, are not really professors of the same religion; for how can they approach the same altar, eat the same food, believe the same heaven, and hope to be together eternally? Mutual hatred is allowed but to devils: it belongs to them alone. There is not a more formal sign of reprobation, than that of refusing to pardon an enemy; and a soul in such a disposition may be looked on as marked for hell.

Examine your heart at the sight of the crucifix; and if you feel a hatred for any person, take sentiments of charity from the wounds of Jesus.

"He that hates his brother is a murderer." 1 John, iii. 15.

"You a Christian, and yet desire to be revenged! But Christ hath not yet taken vengeance." St. Augustine.

Twenty-ninth Day.—Imitation of Christ.

1. The Son of God, when he united his divinity to our human nature, became the model of Christians. He is the head of the predestined; we are therefore bound to resemble him.

2. The manners of the world are carefully studied; but the life of Jesus Christ is hardly thought upon. Courtiers form themselves upon their prince; philosophers have been imitated even in their faults. Did we ever seriously strive to imitate Jesus? Have we taken any pains to follow his example, or to copy after the virtues of his holy life?

3. What shall we say for ourselves at the awful tribunal of Divine Justice, when we shall be compared to our model; when the life of Jesus shall be opposed to our life; his humility to our pride; his wounds to our delicacy; his sweetness to our anger and impatience, &c.? Ah! what a monster is a Christian without Christianity! baptized, and a slave of the devil! under the banners of the cross, yet a follower of the flesh and the world! We must then renounce our baptism, or conform to the life of our Saviour.

See whether you bear any resemblance to the Son of God, and whether you may be truly considered as a disciple of a crucified Jesus.

"Master, I will follow thee wheresoever thou goest." Matthew viii.

"Without cause am I a Christian, if I follow not Christ." St. Bernard.

Thirtieth Day.—On Fervour in the Service of God.

1. Let us have as much zeal for God as he has for us. He acts exteriorly, but for the perfection of our souls. All the desires of his heart, all the cares of his providence, all the tenderness of his mercy, are referred to this. O what a subject of confusion for tepid souls!

2. Were we to judge of God by our own indifference, it might be said that he does not deserve our services, and that his rewards are very trifling. What idea can be had of a master whose servants attend him carelessly, and without the smallest affection? We dishonour God, we cry down his services, as often as we perform negligently what he requires of us. Wo be to the man who does the work of God without attention!

3. An action done for God, how trifling soever it may be, is of far greater value than the most renowned exploits of heroes. If we pique ourselves upon so much courage in labouring for vanity, what should be done when we are employed for eternity? What! the servants of the devil spare no pains; they do not complain of what they go through; they are ever indefatigable. Is Jesus Christ then less considerable than the devil? Is paradise less valuable than hell? Hell then shall be, as it were, our instructor: we are to love God as much as the damned hate him; we are to serve God as much as the world serves the devil. Is this too much?

Examine your conduct with respect to the service of God; consider the actions in which you are most remiss, and excite yourself to perform them henceforth with a fervour worthy of your master.

"Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." Romans.

"Let the ardour you formerly had for the world be now entertained for him that created it." St Augustine.

Thirty-first Day.—On Devotion to the Mother of God.

1. A more pure, more excellent, or more amiable being than this glorious Virgin, was never yet created. God having from all eternity destined her to be the mother of his Son, it was proper she should be embellished with every created excellence, and that her dignity and influence in heaven should far surpass the dignity and influence of all the other saints. Most justly then is she entitled to our veneration, respect, and confidence.

2. Let us put ourselves under her protection: let us recommend ourselves to her prayers. How great soever our wickedness, or how numerous soever our faults may have been, let us always have recourse to her, and hope, through her prayers, for the grace of our conversion. Her charity is so great, her interest is so powerful, that she must always plead successfully for the repenting sinner.

3. But let us never forget, that to honour her properly, is to imitate her virtues; that to persevere in sin, upon the hopes of her future intercession, is equally absurd, impious, and detestable. Her hatred of this error should be always before our eyes. Her purity, her mildness, her patience, should be ever present to us.

"Hail, full of grace." Luke, i.

"O name! under which no one should despair." St. Augustine.

Concluding Reflection.

1. As Christians, it would be very profitable for us to reflect, every morning, that we have on that day a God to glorify, a Saviour to imitate, our souls to save, our bodies to mortify, virtues to acquire, sins to satisfy for, heaven to seek after, hell to fly, eternity to meditate on, time to improve, temptations to overcome, the devil to resist, our neighbour to edify, our passions to subdue, the world to guard against, and perhaps death and judgment to undergo. Reflect seriously on all these important truths, and they will not only incite you to begin the day well, but also, in the course thereof, to make the affair of your eternal salvation your principal study.

2. As it is also a duty of the last consequence to conclude the day properly, nothing can prove a more powerful incitement thereto, than the serious consideration of the many spiritual and temporal blessings which God hath bestowed on you; the various evils from which his providence hath hitherto preserved you; and the absolute uncertainty whether you shall ever unclose your eyes to behold the next morning. Thousands who had as good a right to expect it as you, were nevertheless disappointed. The very bed on which you lie is a memento mori, or kind of sepulchre; and sleep, the image of death. What unaccountable rashness then must it be, for a sinner to compose himself to sleep in a state of mortal sin, without first endeavouring to appease the wrath of God by an act of contrition, or some other spiritual exercise of piety and devotion; since that very night, perhaps, his soul may be required of him!

3. Let us then guard against this danger, by a faithful discharge of every Christian duty; let us frequently exclaim, with the prophet: "Enlighten mine eyes, O Lord, that I may never sleep in death, lest the enemy at any time may say, I have prevailed against him."

"He that desires to make any progress in the service of God, must begin every day with fresh ardour; he must, as much as possible, keep himself in the presence of God, and in all his actions, have no other object in view but that of promoting the divine honour." St. C. Borromeus.

Mentations On The Apostles' Creed,

Which may be used with great spiritual profit by Religious Societies, or Private Families, assembled together in common prayer at night, or at any other time most convenient; on Sundays, Holidays, &c.

The Method.

Thirteen Paters and Aves are annexed to these meditations, in honor of Jesus Christ and his twelve apostles. The meditations to be read by the head of the family or community, to which the assistants should hearken with the most devout attention. The prayers to be recited partly by the head, and partly by the assistants.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity, now and for evermore. Amen.

V. Thou, O Lord, wilt open my lips,

R. And my tongue shall declare thy praise.

V. O God, incline unto mine aid.

R. O Lord, make haste to help me.

V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

R. As it was in the beginning, &c. Amen.

Let Us Pray.

Direct, O Lord, we beseech thee, our actions by thy holy inspirations, and carry them on by thy gracious assistance, that every prayer and work of ours may always begin from thee, and may by thee be happily ended, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Let us recite the Lord's Prayer.

Our Father, &c. Give us this day, &c.

Let us recite the Angelical Salutation.

Hail Mary, &c. Holy Mary, &c.

Let us recite and devoutly meditate on the different articles of the Creed.

First Article.

"I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth."—Let us attentively consider, in this first article of our creed, the infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, which our almighty and sovereign Lord God has displayed in the creation of the heavens and of the earth, and of all things visible and invisible therein contained. He drew us out of the abyss of nothing, and made all things for our use and service. He gave us rational and immortal souls, stamped with his own image and likeness, and capable of knowing, loving, and serving him on earth, and of enjoying him for all eternity in the kingdom of heaven. This is the noble, the blessed, and the glorious end for which he has vouchsafed to create us; and should it not be our chief study and care to answer this happy end, by dedicating ourselves to him for time and eternity, and by employing all our senses, and all the faculties of our souls, in his love and service, and for his greater honour and glory? With this intention let us say: "Our Father," &c. "Give us this day," &c. "Hail Mary," &c. "Holy Mary," &c.

Second Article.

"And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord."—Let us now meditate on the great benefit of our redemption, and the boundless mercy of the only-begotten and eternal Son of God; who, when four thousand years had elapsed after the creation and fall of our first parents from their original innocence, out of pure love and compassion, came down from heaven, to reconcile us to his eternal Father, and to purchase mercy, grace, and salvation for us, by the effusion of the last drop of his precious blood. Thus he became our Jesus, our Christ, our Redeemer, our Saviour, our High Priest, our Mediator, our King, our Lord, and our Sovereign Master. He claims and challenges us, therefore, as his sole right and property. We belong to him by every title that dominion or jurisdiction can confer. We are his by creation, his by preservation, his by the title of his all-ruling providence. We are his in a very special and particular manner, by virtue of our redemption. As Christians we derive our name from him, and are his members and temples, dedicated and consecrated to him by the solemn vows and covenant of our baptism.

Let us then offer all our thoughts, words, and actions, to his honour and glory, and let us employ our whole lives in loving and serving him faithfully; saying, for this end, the prayers which himself and his church have taught us: "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Third Article.

"Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary."—We are now to meditate on the wonderful mystery of the incarnation and temporal nativity of the Son of God. When the fulness of time appointed for the redemption of mankind was come, the second Person of the blessed Trinity assumed our flesh in the womb of his blessed Mother; that the divine and human nature being thus united in his person, he might be capable of satisfying divine justice for the injury which God had received by sin. He became man for our salvation, not in the ordinary way, but after a supernatural and incomprehensible manner, by the operation of the Holy Ghost. But although the incarnation, considered particularly as a work of divine mercy, goodness and love, be particularly attributed to the Holy Ghost, and although the three Persons of the blessed Trinity, essentially possessing the same undivided powers, have equally concurred therein, yet this wonderful work was effected only by the second Person: his sacred body was formed of the most pure blood of his Virgin Mother, without the least violation of her virginal integrity, and a most perfect soul was created to animate his body. Being thus miraculously conceived, he was also, after the space of nine months, miraculously born in a stable at Bethlehem, under the reign of Augustus Cæsar. As man, being at the same time true God, he subjected himself to all our infirmities and miseries, sin only excepted, of which he was incapable. At so early a period as at his very first entrance into the world, he was pleased to suffer for us, and to give us, in his tender infancy, the most perfect example of poverty, humility, and mortification; that he might thereby manifest to us the infinite riches of his mercy and goodness, and teach us to despise the sinful vanities of the world. He discovered himself to the shepherds by a choir of angels from heaven, to shew that he came to be the Saviour of the Jews. He manifested himself also to the Eastern Magi by a star from heaven, to shew that he was likewise come to be the Saviour of the Gentiles. He continued to live in a poor, private, and retired manner, till he was thirty years of age, when he began to preach the gospel, to cast out devils, to cure the dumb, the deaf, the lame, and blind, and to work the most stupendous miracles, in favour of a people the most ungrateful on the face of the earth. Let us not imitate them; let us rather embrace our divine Redeemer with all the affections of our souls, and ever retain a most grateful sense of the innumerable benefits he has conferred on us; devoutly saying: "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Fourth Article.

"Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried."—Let us here meditate on the dolorous mysteries of our dear Redeemer's passion, crucifixion, death and burial. To show the greatness of his love for us, and the plenteous redemption which he brought us, he was pleased to suffer every kind of torment with which human nature could be afflicted. "What was sufficient for our salvation," says St. Bernard, "was not sufficient for his charity." When he could have saved us with a single drop of his blood, he redeemed us with a deluge thereof, after a painful life of thirty-three years. His passion began in the garden of Gethsemani, at the foot of Mount Olivet, near Jerusalem, and ended only on Mount Calvary; Tiberius being then emperor of Rome, and Pontius Pilate governor, or president, of Judea. He suffered in his soul, and in his body, in his senses, and in all his members, from the sole of his foot, to the crown of his head. He was buffet ted and spit upon; he was mocked and insulted; he was scourged; he was crowned with thorns; and at length his hands and feet were pierced and fastened with gross nails to an ignominious cross; and after hanging alive thereon, between two thieves, in the most excruciating pain, for the space of three long hours, he expired, and gave up his blessed soul into the hands of his eternal Father. After his death, his sacred body being taken off the cross on Good-Friday, in the afternoon, and being embalmed, according to the custom of the Jews, by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, it was wrapped up in linen cloth, and laid in a new monument, hewn out of a rock, near Mount Calvary. O let us not then repay the boundless love of our crucified Redeemer with sin and ingratitude, but let us rather make the best return we are able, of love and gratitude to him, who suffered so much for our sake; devoutly saying, "Our Father," &c. "Hail, Mary," &c.

Fifth Article.

"He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead."—Here let us meditate how our blessed Saviour's soul, when separated from his body, descended into hell, or the dreary prison, where the souls of the holy patriarchs and saints of the Old Testament were detained, until he had paid the price of their redemption, and opened for them the gates of heaven, which had remained shut against mankind from the fall [of] Adam until that time. We may judge how the presence and sight of their so long wished-for Redeemer turned their gloomy prison into a paradise of delights, and occasioned unspeakable joy to the holy souls to whom he came to preach the gospel of redemption, release from their tedious captivity, and carry up with him to heaven at his ascension, as the first fruits of his victorious triumph over sin and death. Having comforted them by these happy tidings, his blessed soul, after remaining part of three days subject to the laws of death, returned from this prison to the sepulchre, and being re-united to his body, he arose early on the morning of the third day from the bowels of the earth, by his own divine power, and was the first who from death rose to a glorious and immortal life. His resurrection is a perfect model for us to copy after. Let us endeavour to imitate it by a spiritual resurrection from the death of sin, to a new life of grace, so as to continue for ever to live with him, and to return no more to the death of mortal sin. For this end, let us implore his divine assistance; saying with devotion, "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Sixth Article.

"He ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty."—Let us here meditate how our divine Redeemer, after accomplishing the great work of our redemption, ascended triumphantly from the top of Mount Olivet into the kingdom of heaven, on the fortieth day after his glorious resurrection, in the presence of his apostles and disciples, till a cloud at length interposed and took him out of their sight. He then withdrew his visible presence from the world; raised human nature above the choirs of saints and angels, to the highest seat in the kingdom of heaven, where, in full possession of the glory of his eternal Father, he pleads for us with the powerful eloquence of his sacred wounds, which he incessantly represent to him, in quality of our High Priest, Mediator, and Advocate. O what a comfortable reflection, to think that we have such an affectionate friend in the court of heaven! O what encouragement to raise our hopes! what inducement to follow him with our hearts, and ascend after him in spirit and affection! For this end let us beseech him to break the chains of our sins, and the fetters of our passions, which so unhappily tie down our affections to the earth; devoutly saying, "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Seventh Article.

"From whence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead." Here let us meditate on our blessed Redeemer's return at the end of the world, with great pomp and majesty, in quality of Sovereign Judge of the living and the dead. As soon as the last trumpet shall sound, and the angel repeat these words in the four corners of the earth: "Arise ye dead, and come to judgment!" the whole race of mankind, both the good and the wicked, are to appear before his awful tribunal, in sight of Mount Calvary, in order to give a strict account of all their thoughts, words, and actions; for, besides the particular judgment which is passed on every soul immediately after death, the justice of God requires that a general judgment should also take place, in order that the children of Adam should be assembled together, and receive their sentence; either of eternal salvation or eternal reprobation. O let us make a timely provision for this woful day, in order that we may then meet with a favourable judgment, and be entitled to receive the happy sentence of the elect; saying for this end, "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Eighth Article.

"I believe in the Holy Ghost."—Let us now meditate on the great work of our sanctification, which is particularly attributed to the Holy Ghost, the third person of the ever blessed Trinity; because he is the love of the Father and the Son, and because it is from God's love to us that all sanctity, all grace, all justification and virtue flow. For which reason the apostle says, "the charity of God is poured into our hearts by the Holy Ghost, who is given to us." We first receive the Holy Ghost, and are made his living temples at the font of baptism, and afterwards we receive him in a more perfect manner in the sacrament of confirmation, &c. O what a happiness it is to possess this divine and heavenly guest in our souls! and how solicitous should we be to invite him into our hearts, to engage him to stay with us, and to make our souls his dwelling-place for time and eternity! Let us devoutly implore this greatest of blessings; saying, "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Ninth Article.

"The holy Catholic Church; the Communion of Saints."—We are now to meditate on the infinite goodness and mercy of God, who, by a special grace, has vouchsafed to call us to the light of his true and saving faith, and to include us within the pale and bosom of his One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church, in preference to so many thousands in different parts of the world, left in ignorance, or buried in the darkness of error and infidelity. This grace of our vocation is so signal a blessing, that it calls upon us for our most grateful acknowledgments, and will render us more culpable at the last day than pagans or infidels, if, instead of living up to our holy profession, we dishonour it by the immorality of our lives. On the contrary, if we square our actions according to our belief; if we show the purity of our religion by the purity of our morals, and live as becomes worthy members of the Catholic Church, we shall assuredly be made partakers of all spiritual blessings and treasures thereof, and benefit by all the prayers, sacrifices, and good works, which are wrought therein by our fellow-members; for as there subsists a common union between all the parts of the human body, there subsists, in like manner, a common or general union in spirituals between all the parts of Christ's mystical body, the holy Catholic Church. O what an inestimable blessing then must it be, to live and die in the communion of his church! and, on the contrary, what a grievous loss and misfortune to be cut off therefrom by excommunication, like rotten and dead members separated from a natural body by amputation! Let us beware of incurring the like misfortune, and beseech the Almighty to grant us grace to be always obedient hearers of the pastors of his church, those spiritual guides to whom he has committed the care of our souls; saying for this end, "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Tenth Article.

"The Forgiveness of Sins."—Here let us also meditate on a second signal advantage which may be obtained within the pale of the holy Catholic Church. Besides the mutual communication in spirituals, and participation in good works, that subsists between all the parts of the church in their three different states, viz. the saints in heaven, the souls in purgatory, and the true believers on earth, who compose the church triumphant, sufferant, and militant; the apostles also teach us, in this article of their creed, that there is a power left by Jesus Christ to his church, to forgive the sins of such as truly repent, and properly apply for absolution. Original sin has been already remitted by the sacrament of baptism, and the actual sins committed after baptism are pardoned in the sacrament of penance, when duly administered by the pastors of the church, and received with the proper dispositions on the part of the repenting sinner. Let us therefore beseech the Father of mercies to grant us these dispositions; saying, "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Eleventh Article.

"The Resurrection of the Flesh."—Let us here meditate on a third signal privilege reserved in the next life for the living members of the holy Catholic Church. On the last day there will be a general resurrection of the dead; and the whole human race, which at the fall of our first parents had been sentenced to return to their original dust, shall arise again to receive their final and irrevocable doom. As soon as the angel, by the sound of his trumpet, proclaims the awful summons, "Arise ye dead, and come to judgment!" the bodies of all the children of Adam, re-animated by their respective souls, shall instantaneously, in the "twinkling of an eye," issue forth out of their several graves and sepulchres, never more to be separated for an endless eternity. But, alas! how very different will be the manner of the resurrection of the reprobate from that of the elect! for whereas the bodies of the former shall arise in a condition suitable to their deserts, that is, foul, hideous, heavy, inactive, and only fit to be the fuel of everlasting flames, (immortal indeed they shall be, but to no other end than to endure immortal torments,) so those of the latter shall arise glorious, beautiful, immortal, and impassible, brighter than the stars, and more resplendent than the sun. This glorious state of immortality is infallibly reserved for the bodies of such Christians as in this life have been as it were consecrated by receiving the holy sacraments, and particularly the Eucharist; since Christ himself expressly declares, "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." O let us then frequently approach this heavenly banquet, with the proper dispositions, that thereby our bodies and souls being preserved pure from the corruption of sin, may both arise together at the last day to a happy immortality. That this may be our happy lot, let us with the most fervent devotion, say, "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

Twelfth Article.

"Life everlasting."—This is the fourth and final blessing attainable within the pale of the holy Catholic Church, and reserved for the children of light in the next world. It is the last end of man, the ultimate reward that awaits true faith, animated by charity and good works, and it essentially consists in the clear vision and fruition of God. O let us lead such lives here on earth, that we may hereafter live with Jesus Christ in the glory of his eternal Father, for ever and ever: and that this may be our happy case, let us devoutly say, "Our Father," &c. "Hail Mary," &c.

The Salve Regina.

Hail, happy Queen! thou mercy's parent hail! Life, hope, and comfort of this earthly vale; To thee we eve's wretched children cry; In sighs and tears to thee we suppliants fly. Rise, glorious advocate, exert thy love, And let our vows thine eyes of pity move. O sweet, O pious maid! for us obtain— For us who long have in our exile lain— To see thy Jesus, and with him to reign.

V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

V. Pray for us, O ye holy apostles, and all ye saints of God,

R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let Us Pray.

We beseech thee, O Lord, that by the intercession of the blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, of thy holy apostles, and of all thy saints, thou wouldst vouchsafe to protect and defend us from the snares of the enemy, and conduct us unto life everlasting. Amen.

An Universal Prayer.

For All Things Necessary To Salvation.

O my God, I believe in thee; do thou strengthen my faith. All my hopes are in thee; do thou secure them. I love thee with my whole heart; teach me to love thee daily more and more. I am sorry that I have offended thee; do thou increase my sorrow.

I adore thee as my first beginning. I aspire after thee as my last end. I give thee thanks as my constant benefactor. I call upon thee as my sovereign protector.

Vouchsafe, O my God, to conduct me by thy wisdom, to restrain me by thy justice, to comfort me by thy mercy, to defend me by thy power.

To thee I desire to consecrate all my thoughts, words, actions, and sufferings; that henceforward I may think of thee, speak of thee, willingly refer all my actions to thy greater glory, and suffer willingly whatever thou shalt appoint.

Lord, I desire that in all things thy will may be done, because it is thy will and in the manner thou willest.

I beg of thee to enlighten my understanding, to inflame my will, to purify my body, and to sanctify my soul.

Give me strength, O my God, to expiate my offences, to overcome my temptations, to subdue my passions, and to acquire the virtues proper for my state.

Fill my heart with a tender affection for thy goodness, a hatred for my faults, a love for my neighbour, and a contempt for the world.

Let me always remember to be submissive to my superiors, condescending to my inferiors, faithful to my friends, and charitable to my enemies.

Assist me to overcome sensuality by mortification, avarice by alms-deeds, anger by meekness, and tepidity by devotion.

O my God, make me prudent in my undertakings, courageous in dangers, patient in afflictions, and humble in prosperity.

Grant that I may ever be attentive at my prayers, temperate at my meals, diligent in my employments, and constant in my resolutions.

Let my conscience be ever upright and pure, my exterior modest, my conversation edifying, and my comportment regular.

Assist me, that I may continually labour to overcome nature, to correspond with thy grace, to keep thy commandments, and to work out my salvation.

Discover to me, O my God, the nothingness of this world, the greatness of heaven, the shortness of time, and the length of eternity.

Grant that I may prepare for death; that I may fear thy judgments; that I may escape hell, and in the end obtain heaven, through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

A Prayer For The Choice Of A State Of Life.

O eternal God, who art the light of the world, and for whose glory the whole creation is ordained, to thee I submit myself, and my whole life; and that I may live to thy glory, I beseech thee, in thy mercy, to direct me in the choice of a state of life; that, having thee for my guide, I may embrace that course which may be most pleasing to thee, and most proper for me to work out my salvation.

O Queen of heaven, and mother of Jesus, be a mother to me, and obtain for me of thy divine Son, that I may hear his call, and know his will, and have grace readily to put it into execution. Amen.

A Prayer For A Pregnant Woman.

O Lord God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, who hath made us out of nothing, and redeemed us by the precious blood of thine only Son, look down upon thy poor handmaid here prostrate before thee, humbly imploring thy mercy, and begging thy blessing for herself and her child, which thou hast given her to conceive. Preserve, I beseech thee, the work of thy hands, and defend both me and the tender fruit of my womb, from all perils and evils; grant me, in due time a happy delivery, and bring my child safe to the font of baptism, that it may there be happily dedicated to thee, to love and serve thee for ever. But, O my God, I have too much reason to fear, lest my great and manifold sins should hinder thee from hearing my prayers, and draw down thy judgment upon me and mine, instead of thy mercies which I sue for; and therefore I am sensible the first thing I ought to do is, to repent from the bottom of my heart for all my offences, humbly confess them, and continually cry to thee for mercy. I detest, then, all my sins with my whole heart, and desire to lay them all down here at thy feet, to be effaced and destroyed for ever. I renounce and abhor them with my whole soul, because they are infinitely odious to thee, and wish that I could expiate them with tears of blood. I humbly beg thy pardon for them, and am sorry from the bottom of my heart that I ever committed them. I here offer myself to make what satisfaction I am able for them, and most willingly accept whatever pains I may suffer in childbearing, and offer them up to thee now beforehand for my sins, firmly resolving by thy grace never wilfully to offend thee more. Behold here my poor heart, O Lord, and if it be not such as I here express, I desire at least it should be such: I desire it should be that contrite and humble heart, which thou dost never despise. In this disposition of soul, and with a lively confidence in thy mercies, and in the merits of the death and passion of Jesus Christ thy Son, I renew the petition I made before, and once more I beg of thee for myself, thy grace, protection, and a happy delivery; and for my child, that thou wouldst be pleased to preserve it for baptism, sanctify it for thyself, and make it thine for ever; through the same, &c.

The Litany Of Divine Providence.

A short Instruction to the Devout Reader.

That we may be equally disposed and subordinate to the designs and directions of Divine Providence, as well in adversity as in prosperity, and receive with equal gratitude its decrees and appointments, is the end of the ensuing devotion or litany. Three particulars we ought to keep in view: 1. That we bow our heads with the greatest submission, humility, and resignation to the will of God, manifested to us in the order of his Divine Providence. 2. That we place a full confidence and reliance in his favourable intentions in our regard. 3. That our behaviour be such as to draw on us his favour and protection, and that we may be thoroughly grateful and acknowledging for blessings conferred on us through his Divine Providence.

The Litany.

Let Us Pray.

Eternal God, whose eyes are over all thy works, especially intent on thy servants, vouchsafe to turn away from us whatever is hurtful, and grant us whatever is advantageous, that through thy favour, and under the benign influence of thy special providence, we may securely pass through the transitory dangers and difficulties of this life, and happily arrive at the eternal joys of the other: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Anth. By thy immaculate conception, and most spotless virginity, O ever holy Mother of Christ, comfort of the afflicted, be propitious to us, both now and in the hour of our death.

V. In all our anguish and tribulation,

R. We fly to thee, O Mother of Mercy.

A Prayer

Remember, O most pious and tender Virgin, that it is a thing unheard of in all ages, that any one was abandoned by you, who ran to you for succour, who implored your help, and begged your intercession. Animated with this confidence, I, a wretched sinner, place myself in sighs and groans before you, to entreat you to adopt me for your child for ever, and to take my eternal salvation into your own care. Do not, O Mother of the Divine Word, despise my petition, but listen to me and hear me with a mother's tenderness. Amen.

Great St. Joseph, admirable model of resignation, obtain for me from my dear Saviour, who, to enforce your example, would submit himself to be governed by you during the thirty years of his hidden life, obtain for me from God the grace to imitate him, and to resign myself perfectly to that so sure and so amiable Providence, which, preserving me from ever going astray, may procure me an unalterable peace in this life, and eternal happiness in the next. Amen.

The Litany Of St. Winefrid.

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Let Us Pray.

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast adorned Saint Winefrid with the reward of virginity; grant, we beseech thee, by her pious intercession, that we may set aside the delights of the world, and obtain with her the throne of everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ thy Son, who with thee liveth and reigneth in the unity of the Holy Ghost for ever. Amen.

Another Prayer.

Almighty and everlasting God, grant we humbly beseech thee, that blessed St. Winefrid, by her pious intercession, may obtain for us such spiritual and temporal benefits as are expedient to thy holy service and our eternal salvation: through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

A Hymn Of St. Winefrid.

A Prayer To St. Winefrid.

O blessed Winefrid! O pure Virgin, and glorious martyr, so especially elected, so divinely graced, and wonderfully restored from death to life! O singular hope of all that fly unto thee with full confidence and humility. Though unworthy, yet we thy devoted pilgrims make our addresses to thee! O sanctuary of piety, look upon us with patient eyes, receive our petitions, accept our offerings, and present our supplications to the throne of mercy, that through thy powerful intercession God will be pleased to bless this our pilgrimage, and grant us our requests and desires: through Jesus Christ, his Son, who with God the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Another Prayer To St. Winefrid.

O blessed Winefrid! O glorious Virgin and Martyr, who hast admirably beautified with the purple of thy blood the rare purity of thy innocent life, whom God has so specially chosen, so highly privileged, and so wonderfully restored to life again, gracing thee with the honour of a living martyr, causing a fountain miraculously to spring, bearing a perpetual memory of thy name, for the relief of all diseased and distressed pilgrims who shall devoutly beg thy powerful intercession. O blessed Winefrid, hear my prayers, and receive my humble supplications, or any poor devoted pilgrim's, and obtain that by thy pious intercession, God, of his infinite mercy, will be pleased to grant us a full pardon and remission of our sins, and a blessing to this our pilgrimage, and that we may increase and persevere in God's grace, and enjoy him eternally in heaven. This we beg of thee, O blessed Virgin and Martyr, for Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour's sake. Amen.

The Golden Litany,

Briefly Commemorating Our Blessed Redeemer's Life And Passion.

Let Us Pray.

Vouchsafe, O Almighty and most merciful Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier, to have compassion, not only on us, but also on all such as shall present the foregoing petitions to the throne of thy mercy, in commemoration of thy sacred life and most bitter passion. We beseech thee also, for thine own dear sake, that thou wouldst grant to us, our friends and benefactors, and to all those for whom we intend or are bound to pray, the pardon of all past offences, and preservation from future failings; that loving thee, serving thee, and obeying thee, with the utmost fervour, fidelity and perseverance, during the remainder of our earthly pilgrimage, we may be at length admitted to the eternal enjoyment of thy beatific presence in thy heavenly paradise. Amen.

May the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, descend upon us, and dwell with us for evermore. Amen.

The Prayers Of St. Bridget.

To Be Said In Honour Of The Sacred Wounds Of Our Blessed Saviour.

1. O most sweet Lord Jesus Christ, eternal sweetness of those who love thee, joy above any desire, firm hope of the hopeless, solace of the sorrowful, and most merciful lover of all penitent sinners; who hast said, thy delight is to be with the sons of men, for the love of whom thou didst assume human nature in the fulness of time. Remember, most sweet Lord Jesus, all those sharp sorrows which then pierced thy sacred soul, from the first instant of thy incarnation, until the time of thy solitary passion, pre-ordained from all eternity. Remember, O most amiable Saviour, all those bitter anguishes thou didst suffer, when at thy last supper thou didst wash the feet of thy disciples, didst feed them with the sacred banquet of thy precious body and blood, and most sweetly comforting them, didst foretell them thy ensuing passion; after which, going to Mount Olivet, thou saidst, "My soul is sorrowful unto death." Remember, I beseech thee, O most sweet Saviour, that bitter grief and anguish which thy sacred soul did suffer, when praying three several times to thy heavenly Father, thou didst sweat water and blood; thou wert betrayed by thy own disciple, apprehended by thy chosen people, accused by false witnesses, unjustly judged by three judges, and in thy elected city, in the paschal solemnity, in the flourishing age of thy youth, wrongfully condemned, bound, beaten, spurned, spit upon, despoiled of thy garments, and clothed with others in scorn; wert blind-folded, buffeted, spit upon again, bound naked to a pillar, most cruelly scourged, crowned with thorns, struck with a reed, and afflicted with innumerable other torments, pains, and injuries. O my Lord Jesus, by the memory and merit of all those bitter pains and anguishes before thy last expiration on the cross, vouchsafe to grant me before my death, true contrition, entire confession, a flowing fountain of tears, full satisfaction, and a plenary remission of all my sins. Amen.

O most gracious Lord Jesus, be propitious to me a sinner. Pater Noster. Ave Maria.

2. O most sweet Lord Jesus, true liberty of angels, and paradise of delights, remember, I beseech thee, that grief and sorrow which thou didst suffer when thy cruel enemies, like fierce lions, with furious and dreadful looks, compassing thee round about, did tear off thy hair, spit upon thy sacred face, scratched, beat, buffeted thee, and with all manner of unheard-of-injuries, outrages, and torments, didst most cruelly and basely blaspheme, scorn, and affront thee. O most sweet Lord Jesus, by all those most barbarous and inhuman outrages which thou didst suffer, vouchsafe to deliver me from all my enemies, visible and invisible; that, protected under the shadow of thy wings, I may safely arrive at the port of eternal glory. Amen.

O most gracious Lord Jesus Christ, be propitious to me a sinner. Pater Noster. Ave Maria.

3. O most sweet Lord Jesus, omnipotent creator and fabricator of the world, and repairer of mankind, who containest both heaven and earth in thy hand, and whose immensity no bounds can limit; remember, I beseech thee, the bitter pains and anguishes which thou didst endure, when the perfidious Jews pierced thy delicate and tender hands and feet with most rough and blunt nails, stretching them forth so violently with cords to the holes which they made in the cross. Thus they heaped dolors upon dolors, most cruelly disjointing all thy bones, breaking all thy veins, and renewing all thy sacred wounds. O most sweet Jesus, by the memory of all these thy pains and torments upon the cross, vouchsafe to give me thy fear and love, with perfect charity towards my neighbour. Amen. O most pious Lord Jesus, &c. &c.

4. O most sweet Lord Jesus, heavenly physician of human nature, and eternal king, remember, I beseech thee, all those bitter pains and torments which thou didst endure in thy sacred members, who, being hoisted up upon the cross, with all thy precious body rent and torn, not having from the crown of thy head to the sole of thy foot any part left unhurt; so that no dolor could be compared to thine; at which time, being unmindful of thy own torments, thou didst mercifully pray to thy heavenly Father for thy cruel enemies, saying: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." O most meek and merciful Lord Jesus, by this thy admirable benignity, goodness, love, and mercy, and by all thy bitter pains and torments, grant that the memory of thy dolorous passion may be a most powerful protection of my soul and body, against all deceits, temptations, and molestations of the devil, my cruel enemy. Amen.

O most merciful Lord Jesus, &c.

5. O most sweet Jesus Christ, mirror of eternal brightness, and wisdom of the omnipotent Father, remember the bitter grief and sorrow thy sacred soul did feel, when beholding, in the clear mirror of thy divine presence, the predestination of thy elect, who through the merits of thy most salutary passion were to be saved; and the reprobation of the wicked, who for their ingratitude were to be damned; and the abyss of thy immense mercy, by which thou didst commiserate and shed tears for us, miserable, lost, and forlorn sinners; and chiefly by that mercy which thou didst show to the thief upon the cross, saying to him, "This day thou shalt be with me in paradise;" I beseech thee, O most sweet Lord Jesus, my Lord and my God, to show the like mercy unto me, now and at the hour of my death. Amen.

O most sweet Lord Jesus, &c.

6. O most sweet Lord Jesus, omnipotent king and most amiable friend, remember the bitter grief and sorrow thy sacred soul did suffer, when, being forsaken of all thy friends, and acquaintances, thou didst hang naked, rent, and torn upon the cross; not having any to comfort or compassionate thee, only the blessed and glorious Virgin Mary, thy mother; who standing under the cross in the bitterness of her soul, accompanied thee in all thy torments; unto whom thou didst commend thy beloved disciple, St. John, in thy place, saying unto her, "Woman, behold thy son;" and after, to thy disciple, "Son, behold thy mother." O most sweet Lord Jesus, by that sword of sorrow which did then transpierce her sacred soul, and by the tender love and compassion wherewith thou didst behold the sad distresses of thy sorrowful mother, have pity and compassion on me, I beseech thee, my dearest Lord, and mercifully help, comfort, succour, and assist me in all my tribulations, adversities, necessities, sorrows, and sufferings, both spiritual and corporal. Amen.

O most blessed Lord Jesus, &c.

7. O most sweet and blessed Lord Jesus, crown of joy, treasure of felicity, sweet source of consolation, and unexhausted fountain of mercy; who, hanging on the cross, out of the most inflamed desire thou hadst for the salvation of our souls, saidst, I thirst;—viz. for the redemption of mankind. O dearest Lord, by this, thy ardent charity, inflame our hearts with thy holy love, kindle our desire to accomplish diligently all good works, and wholly to extinguish the heat of all evil concupiscence and worldly affections in us. Amen.

O most sweet Lord Jesus, &c.

8. O most sweet Lord Jesus, the true light of those who believe in thee, suavity of hearts, and sovereign solace of all faithful souls, by that bitter gall and vinegar thou didst taste upon the cross at the hour of thy death, grant us, miserable sinners, grace worthily to receive at all times, particularly at the hour of our death, thy most precious body and blood; that by the virtue of this divine banquet, and all other salutary sacraments, we may be preserved from all evils, sin, and punishments, and replenished with all joy, and securely appear in thy divine presence. Amen.

O most sweet Lord Jesus, &c.

9. O most sweet Lord Jesus, source of all regal virtue, and all mental jubilee, remember, I beseech thee, those excessive pains and anguishes thou didst endure for us upon the cross, when, through the bitterness of death, and the impious blasphemies, derisions, scorns, and reproaches of the Jews, with a loud voice and weeping eyes, thou didst cry to thy heavenly Father, with this sad complaint: "Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani?" that is to say, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" O most sweet Lord Jesus, by this thy bitter torment, sorrow, grief, and anguish, vouchsafe, I beseech thee, to have pity on me, and to succour me in all my sorrows, sufferings, and tribulations, and particularly at the hour of my death. O then, my dearest Lord and my God, succour me, and forsake me not, I beseech thee. Amen.

O most gracious Lord Jesus, &c.

10. O most sacred Lord Jesus, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending of all things, and mirror of all virtue, remember how, from the crown of thy head to the sole of thy feet, thou wert immerged in the deluge of thy dolorous passion, for the love of us, vile sinners. O most sweet Lord Jesus, by the length, breadth, greatness, and multitude of thy sacred wounds, take from me the love of the world, and teach me by a true and perfect charity, always to keep thy holy law and commandments. Amen.

O most wise Lord Jesus, &c.

11. O most sweet Lord Jesus, sovereign goodness, eternal beatitude of thy saints, and most profound abyss of mercy, by the deep wounds which did not only transpierce thy sacred flesh, but even thy bowels, and the marrow of thy bones, be merciful to me a miserable sinner, who now am drowned in my sins and iniquities, and hide me in thy sacred wounds from the face of thy wrath, until thy indignation be passed and appeased. Amen.

O most potent Lord Jesus, &c.

12. O most sweet Lord Jesus, mirror of verity, pledge of unity and bond of charity! remember the innumerable multitude of all those painful wounds wherewith thou wert covered from head to foot, all thy holy body most cruelly rent and torn by impious Jews, and dyed with thy most precious blood; all which most dreadful dolors thou didst endure for us vile sinners. O most gracious Lord, engrave those thy dolors deeply in my heart, and write them there with thy precious blood, that in them I may always read thy love and dolors; so that the memory of thy painful passion may daily be renewed in me, and my love increase towards thee, and I remain perpetually thankful to thy immense charity, to the last period of my life, until I come to enjoy thee, my only dear Lord, and most desired treasure, abounding with all joy and felicity: which through thy goodness be pleased to grant, O most sweet Lord Jesus. Amen.

O most noble Lord Jesus, &c.

13. O most sweet Lord Jesus, most victorious lion, most invincible, triumphant, and immortal king! remember, I beseech thee, all the bitter pains and anguishes thou didst endure, when all the forces of thy heart and body failing, bowing down thy sacred head, thou saidst: "It is consummated." O dearest Lord, by these thy deadly dolors, have mercy on me at my last passage, when my heart and soul shall be in anguish and anxiety. Amen.

O most noble Lord Jesus, &c.

14. O most sweet Lord Jesus, only begotten Son of the eternal Father, figure of his substance, and splendour of his glory! remember that most earnest recommendation wherewith thou didst commend thy sacred, sweet soul, to thy omnipotent Father, upon the cross, saying: "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." At which time thou didst hang naked on the cross, with thy most holy body all over wounded, rent, and torn, pouring forth streams of thy most precious blood; with thy face pale and wan, thy head crowned with thorns, thy arms extended, thy hands nailed, thy veins bleeding, thy bowels of mercy opened, thy eyes weeping and obscured, thy voice failing, thy breast thirsting, and wholly heart-broken. O my most merciful Lord, unto all these cruel pains and torments didst thou deliver thy most sacred, innocent, tender, pure, and precious body for the redemption of us most wretched, vile, and miserable sinners, and in this manner, renderest thy sweet soul to thy celestial Father; by which most precious and innocent death of thine, and by the virtue of thy holy cross, I beseech thee, O Father of mercy and omnipotent King of saints, to give me grace to resist the world, the flesh, and the devil; that being dead to all terrestrial things, I may live to thee alone, and have the happiness to be received by thee at my last passage, when this my miserable exile shall be ended. Amen.

O most pious Lord Jesus, &c.

15. O most sweet Lord Jesus, most flourishing, true, and fruitful vine, remember the super-abundant effusion of thy precious blood, which thou didst pour forth so plentifully from all parts of thy holy body, like a cluster of pressed grapes; when thou thyself alone didst tread the vine-press on the cross, and out of thy pierced side didst give us water and wine to drink, not leaving so much as one drop, being like a bundle of pure and precious myrrh: thou wert suspended on high upon the cross, at which time the liquor of thy bowels dried up, the marrow of thy bones consumed, and thy most delicate and tender body wholly fainted and failed.

O most sweet Lord Jesus, by this most liberal effusion of thy precious blood, by thy bitter death and passion, and all thy sacred wounds, vouchsafe to wound my heart with that tender love, wherewith the holy heart of thy most blessed mother was wounded under the cross, that tears of love and penance may be my bread day and night; and convert me wholly to thee, that my heart may be thy perpetual habitation, my conversation pleasing and acceptable to thy divine Majesty, and the end of my life so laudable, that having finished this mortal pilgrimage, I may be admitted into immortal glory, to praise and glorify thee my sovereign Lord, in the sweet society of thy holy angels and saints, to all eternity. Amen.

O most gracious Lord Jesus, be propitious to me a sinner. Pater Noster. Ave Maria.

Conclusion.

O most sweet Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, vouchsafe to receive these prayers, in union with that most excellent love wherewith thou didst suffer all the wounds of thy most precious body; and be merciful to me thy poor, unworthy servant, and all sinners, with all faithful souls, both living and dead; graciously granting to us all mercy, grace, remission of sins, and life everlasting. Amen.

Devotions To The Sacred Heart Of Jesus.

That the Associates of the Sacred Heart may discharge the obligations required of them, they should daily repeat one Pater, one Ave, and the Creed, with the following aspiration: Adorable Heart of Jesus, grant that I may increase in thy love. They should also spend one hour in the year, at their own choosing, in the presence of the blessed Sacrament, in making acts of reparation, &c.

Act Of Consecration.

To thee, O Sacred Heart of Jesus; I devote and offer up my life, thoughts, words, actions, pains, and sufferings. To thee I consecrate my soul and body, with all the faculties and senses thereof, so that no part of my being may any longer be employed, but in loving, serving, honouring, and glorifying thee. Be thou, O most Sacred Heart! the sole object of my love, the protector of my life, the pledge of my salvation, and my secure refuge at the hour of my death. Be thou also, O most bountiful Heart! my justification at the throne of God, and screen me from his anger, which I have so justly merited. In thee I place all my confidence, and convinced, as I am, of my own weakness, I rely entirely on thy compassionate mercy. Annihilate in me all that is displeasing and offensive to thy pure eye. Imprint thyself like a divine seal on my heart, that I may ever remember my obligations, and never be separated from thee. May my name also I beseech thee, by thy tender goodness, ever be fixed and engraved in thee, O Book of Life! and may I ever be a victim consecrated to thy glory, ever burning with the flames of thy pure love, and entirely penetrated with it for all eternity! In this I place all my happiness; this is all my desire, to live and die in no other quality, but that of thy devoted servant. Amen.

The Litany Of The Sacred Heart Of Jesus.

Let Us Pray.

O God, who out of thy immense love, hast given to the faithful the most sacred Heart of thy Son, our Lord, as the object of thy tender affection; grant, we beseech thee, that we may so love and honour this pledge of thy love on earth, as by it to merit the love both of thee and thy gift, and to be eternally loved by thee and this most blessed Heart in heaven: through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Through thy sacred Heart, O Jesus, overflowing with all sweetness, we recommend to thee ourselves, and all our concerns, our friends, benefactors, parents, and relations, our superiors, and enemies; take under thy protection this house, city, and kingdom; extend thy care to all such as lie under any affliction, and to those who labour in the agony and pangs of death; cast an eye of compassion on the obstinate sinner, and more particularly on the poor suffering souls in purgatory; as also on those who are engaged and united with us in the holy confederacy of honouring and worshipping thee. Bless these in particular, O divine Jesus! and bless them according to the extent of thy infinite goodness, mercy, and charity. Amen.

A Reparation Of Honour To The Sacred Heart.

To be made on the Feast itself, or at any other time, in presence of the Blessed Sacrament.

O most amiable and adorable Heart of Jesus! centre of all hearts, glowing with charity, and inflamed with zeal for the interest of thy Father and the salvation of mankind; O Heart, ever sensible of our misery, and ever ready to redress our evils; the real victim of love in the holy Eucharist, and a propitiatory sacrifice for sin on the altar of the cross! seeing that the generality of Christians make no other return for these thy mercies, than contempt for thy favours, forgetfulness of their own obligations, and ingratitude to the best of benefactors; is it not just that we thy servants, penetrated with the deepest sense of such indignities, should, as far as in our power, make a due and satisfactory reparation of honour to thy most sacred Majesty? Prostrate, therefore, in body, and humbled in mind, before heaven and earth, we solemnly declare our utter detestation and abhorrence of such conduct. Inexpressible, we know, was the bitterness which the multitude of our sins brought on thy tender heart; insufferable the weight of our iniquities, which pressed thy face to the earth in the garden of Olives; and insurmountable thy anguish, when expiring with love, grief, and agony, on Mount Calvary, in thy last breath thou wouldst reclaim sinners to their duty and repentance. This we know, O dear Redeemer! and would most willingly redress these thy sufferings by our own, or share with thee in thine!

O merciful Jesus! ever present on our altars, and with a heart open to receive all who labour and are burdened! O adorable heart of Jesus, source of true contrition, impart to our hearts the true spirit of penance, and to our eyes a fountain of tears, that we may bewail our sins, and the sins of the world. Pardon, divine Jesus! all the injuries and outrages done to thee in the course of thy holy life and bitter passion. Pardon all the impieties, irreverences, and sacrileges, which have been committed against thee in the holy sacrament of the Eucharist, since its first institution:—graciously receive the small tribute of our sincere repentance, as an agreeable offering in thy sight, and in requital for the benefits we daily receive from thy altar, where thou art a living and continual sacrifice, and in union with that bloody holocaust thou didst present to thy eternal Father, on Mount Calvary.

Sweet Jesus! give thy blessing to the ardent desire we now entertain, and the holy resolution we have taken, of ever loving and adoring thee, with our whole mind and with our whole heart, in the sacrament of thy love; thus to repair, by a true conversion of heart, and a zeal for thy glory, our past negligence and infidelities. Be thou, O adorable Heart! who knowest the clay of which we are formed, be thou our mediator with thy heavenly Father, whom we have so grievously offended; strengthen our weakness, confirm our resolution, and with thy charity, humility, meekness, and patience, cover the multitude of our iniquities. Be thou our support, our refuge, and our strength, that nothing henceforward in life or death may separate us from thee. Amen.

Devotions For The Sick.

Instruction.

The state of sickness and sufferings is to be regarded as a fatherly visitation, whereby God knocks at the door of our hearts, to put us in mind of our mortality. It is a call from heaven, a timely warning to prepare for eternity, by spending the remainder of our life in the love and service of our Creator. It is the touchstone of patience, the school, or rather the harvest of penance, resignation, and every Christian virtue. It is the test of our love, by which we may judge whether we acquit ourselves of duties that are agreeable to nature, in conformity to the will of God, or only do them because they are agreeable to our own will. We know not what we are until we are tried. It costs us nothing to say, "We love thee, O God, above all things;" or to show the courage of martyrs at a distance, when we have nothing to cross or thwart our inclinations; but that love is sincere which stands the proof. If we loved God sincerely, we would on all occasions embrace, desire, and find no happiness but in the accomplishment of his holy will. We would be prepared to bear whatever crosses and calamities he is pleased to send us, with a patient resignation. We would rejoice in them as the greatest blessings, and the sources of immortal crowns. We would regard them as precious talents, to be improved by the increase of our love and affection for God, and the exercise of the most heroic virtues of self-denial, patience, humility, &c.

To be dejected and impatient under sickness and trials, to indulge murmurs and complaints, to repine and call ourselves wretched and unhappy, &c, are signs that an inordinate self-love reigns in our hearts, and that we seek our own inclinations more than the will of God, who has bequeathed the cross to his elect, as their portion and inheritance in this world. It is in vain that we take the name of Christians, or pretend to follow Christ, unless we also carry our cross after his example. It is in vain for us to expect to be glorified with Jesus, unless we also suffer with Jesus. He sacrificed himself for us on the cross, that he might unite us, by it, eternally to himself. We cannot arrive at heaven by any other road. If we courageously embrace our cross, God will be our comfort and support, as he was the comfort and support of the holy martyrs under the most severe trials. He will not forsake us, unless we first forsake him by sin. Too nice and anxious a care of health, is also an evident sign of inordinate self-love, and hatred of mortification. Nevertheless, as a man is not master of his own life or health, he is bound to take a moderate and reasonable care not to throw either of them away, nor neglect the essential prescriptions of physicians in the simple and ordinary remedies and succours of medicine. But he who trusts more in the art of physicians than in the Lord, deserves to be disappointed, like Asa, king of Juda, who became the victim of death, because he placed more confidence in his physicians than in God. Wherefore a Christian in his sickness should, in the first place, consider God as his chief physician, make his peace with him, and seek the health of his soul, by having recourse to the holy sacraments in due time, whilst he is in a condition to receive them with the proper dispositions. If he be in debt, or has any restitution or satisfaction to make, he should take care to have these obligations discharged to the best of his power. He should settle his temporal affairs without delay, that he may wholly apply his thoughts afterwards, without any disturbance, to the care of his immortal soul. He ought to beg of God to extinguish in him all self-love, and to dispose of him as he pleases. He ought to excite in his soul devout acts of faith, hope, charity, contrition, patience, resignation, &c. He should endeavour to sanctify his sufferings, by receiving them from the hand of God, by bearing them in the spirit of penance, by offering them in satisfaction for his sins, and by uniting them with the sufferings of his blessed Saviour and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.—"Omnia si pardas, animam servare memento." "Although you should lose everything else, be careful to save your soul."

A Prayer In The Beginning Of Sickness.

O my God, I accept this sickness with which thou art pleased to visit me, as a favour from, thy heavenly hand. I accept all its circumstances and consequences, in satisfaction for my sins. Thou hast given me health and strength, O Lord, and thou hast taken them away: may thy holy name, O Lord, be blessed for ever. I bow down my whole soul to adore thee in all thy appointments. I resign myself entirely into the hands of thy providence, and acknowledge that thou dost treat me with too much indulgence. I know I deserve greater evils than those I now endure, and that I merit, by my sins, pains infinitely greater than even the pains of hell, where I would long since have been, had not thy pure mercy interposed between my soul and thy justice. Alas! how many are now suffering there for crimes less than mine? My pains are nothing in comparison to theirs. I have no reason to complain. O may thy holy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. I offer myself, with an entire submission, to suffer whatever thou pleasest, as long as thou pleasest, and in what manner thou pleasest. May this sickness be to the honour of thy holy name, and to the good of my soul. But, O Lord, have regard to my weakness, and deal not with me according to my sins; but according to the multitude of thy tender mercies have compassion on me. Confirm my soul with strength from above, that I may be patient under all uneasiness, pain, disquietudes, and difficulties of my illness. Grant that I may cheerfully submit to them, as a just punishment of my manifold offences, and duly offer them in conjunction with the sufferings and death of my blessed Redeemer on the cross, through whose merits I look for mercy, and hope to possess eternal life. Have pity on me, O most loving father! clothe me with thy grace, and receive me into the arms of thy mercy. Create a clean heart within me, O God, and renew an upright spirit within my bowels; cast out from thence whatever profanes or defiles thy temple; destroy and root out what is displeasing to thee, and lay in me the foundation of a new life, either for this world or the world to come. I am heartily sorry that I ever offended thy infinite goodness, in thought, word, deed, or omission. I most humbly implore thy pardon for all my sins, I now propose not to offend thee any more, and to avoid every thing that may be to me an occasion of sin. I resolve to make restitution and satisfaction for the injuries I have committed. For the love of thee, I sincerely forgive all those who have injured me or done me wrong; I beseech thee to pardon them and grant them the same blessing that I desire for my own soul. With the utmost humility I also heartily beg pardon of all those to whom I have given any offence, whether by ill example, by words, deeds, or any other way, deliberately or unknowingly. Thou seest, O Lord, how frail I am, and that I am nothing but dust and ashes; preserve me from all temptations, and be thou my defence against all the assaults of the evil spirit, that in this sickness I may no way offend thee: and if this is to be my last, I beg of thee so to direct me by thy grace, that I may not neglect the necessary means of salvation, nor be deprived of any of those powerful helps which thou hast in thy mercy ordained for the good of my soul. Prepare it, O Lord, for its passage into eternity; that being perfectly cleansed from all my iniquities, I may be admitted one day into the kingdom of thy glory, there to love and praise thee for ever, in the company of thy blessed angels and saints. Amen.

"Lord, thy thorns are my roses, and thy suffering my paradise." St. Felix.

"Tears of devotion are sweeter than the joys of theatres." St. Augustine.

A Prayer Before Receiving The Viaticum.

O my blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ, I firmly believe thou art really present in this venerable sacrament, which I am now about to receive by way of viaticum. I believe it contains thy sacred body and blood, accompanied with thy soul and divinity. I desire to receive this heavenly banquet for thy honour and glory, and the good of my soul, that I may be happily united to thee. I desire to commemorate thy sufferings as thou hast commanded. But how shall I dare to approach thee?—so wretched a worm, to so infinite a majesty! so filthy a sinner, to so infinite purity and sanctity! It is therefore in thy mercy that I place my whole trust; and since thou art pleased to invite thyself into so poor, so wretched so mean a cottage as this of my breast, vouchsafe, I beseech thee, to grant me those graces, and that reverence, humility, and devotion, which may prepare a fit abode for thy reception. Cleanse my soul from every foul stain of sin, clothe it with the nuptial garment of charity, and adorn it with all virtues. I come to thee, like Magdalen, that I may be delivered from all my evils, and that I may embrace thee, my only good. I detest with my whole heart, all the sins of my past life, because they have offended thy goodness. I desire to lay them all down here at thy feet, to be cancelled by thy precious blood. I am sorry for them, and will be sorry for them as long as I live. I will bewail them in the bitterness of my soul. They are many and grievous, it is true; yet they are nothing when compared to thy boundless mercy, and to the infinite ransom of thy precious blood. Forgive me, then, sweet Jesus, for thy mercy's sake; have pity on me and save me, since thou forsakest none that place their hope in thee. I love thee, my God, with my whole heart and soul, and above all things in heaven and on earth! at least I earnestly desire so to love thee, and consecrate myself eternally to thee. O come and take full possession of my heart for ever; I offer it to thee without reserve; O come and inflame it with the celestial fire of thy divine love, and let nothing in life or death ever again separate me from thee. O sweet Jesus, prepare me for a worthy reception of the blessing thou art now about to bestow on me. I adore and worship thee, humbled in mind and body, and confess myself to be nothing but dust and ashes in thy presence. It is my confidence in thy goodness that makes me presume to approach thee, for I cannot but acknowledge myself infinitely unworthy. Domine non sum dignus, &c.