From the "Way

I. EXERCISE

Of lively Faith.

O Truth, O Goodness, who art here and every where most present with me, I believe thee, and I believe that this N., and whatever else has been written, done, and said by thee, is for my instruction, and in the presence of thy court I profess that it is all most certainly true, and that I have no excuse if I do not believe this, and by thy grace, shew not my belief in my conduct.

Thou art most mighty, most wise, and most good, and shall I not believe thee, and embrace these evidences of thy will? They indubitably demand all my belief and my love, whether I listen to reason and the wise, or look into the nature of things. Would that I had ever listened to thee, and had never offended thee, who art all good. Would that I had honoured thee by my life, and by my patience had shewn my faith!

Do

But henceforth, in deed and in truth, I will believe thee and love thee for ever. with me for ever what seems good to thee, and I, out of

Eternal Life."

the depth of my love for thee, will, by thy grace, do what I know to be thy will, and embrace whatsoever thou hast revealed for my salvation, and all that is thy will, O my life and all my good! Amen.

II. EXERCISE

Of Hope.

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Thou knowest, my God, thou knowest that we are not sufficient to do any thing of ourselves, and therefore not this, N., as of ourselves. therefore, that am dust and ashes, have recourse to thee, that through thee, and through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, I may have hope, and hoping in thee may not be confounded. For can it be, O Goodness! that thou callest me thus, and yet wilt reject me? Can be it that thou invitest me thus, and drawest me to follow thee, and yet wilt suffer me to faint in the way?

I know, O Lord, that though unworthy of thy grace, (for I find in my members a law that is fighting against the law of my mind), yet by hoping in thee, I shall never be confounded. But,

when thou hast given thy Body and Blood to ransom me, and this very day art ready to give me thyself for a pledge of my salvation, and hast prevented me with so many blessings, N., and hast so often commanded me to ask, and promised to give, when I ask of thee, that I may hope in thee with all my heart, thou wilt surely give it me, O Goodness, O Truth! And though thou kill me, yet will I hope in thee, O my Hope and my Life! And though the encamped armies of this world and all its vanity rise up against me, yet shall it be my part to keep thy law, and to follow thee; for whither, O good Jesus, shall we go away from thee? Art not thou my life, and hast not thou the words of life eternal?

III. EXERCISE

Of Charity.

O Charity, my God! give me understanding, and I will learn thy commandments, whether thou speak to my heart by thy Word, or by thy works; for, O my salvation and medicine of my soul! thou art most present with me, and, of thy most deep love, teachest me whatever I learn to my salvation. How great is the love with which thou teachest me, though in thy sight I am nothing! Is it that thou hast any need of

my goods, that, of thy free love, thou preventest me with thy charity and with so many blessings?

For thou, O eternal Father, so lovedst the world, that thou gavest for it thy onlybegotten Son. And thou, most bountiful Jesus, Son of God, so lovedst it, that thou gavedst for me thy own life unto death; and yet can thy commandments, and thy counsels, be burdensome to me? Therefore I will love thee, O God my strength! Oh, how good for me is it to be united to thee!

What, then, shall be able to separate me from thy love! Shall distress? or famine? or nakedness? or danger? or persecution? or the sword? For thy love is strong as death, and I trust that many waters will not be able to quench charity, the fire, that is, which thou camest to send upon the earth, and which thou vehemently desirest to be kindled. Amen.

IV. EXERCISE

For love of our neighbour. O Charity, my God! I believe in thee, hope in thee, and love thee with my whole heart, and my neighbour for thy sake. For by this shall all men know that we are thy disciples, if we have love one for another.'

This commandment thou 1 John xiii. 35.

saidst was like to the greatest. For he who loves his neighbour has truly fulfilled the law, and he who loves not abides in death. If, then, we ought above all things, constantly to have mutual charity among ourselves, I wish above all things to preserve it now and ever, and to be thy disciple, to judge no one, to cause no one sorrow by word or deed, but to comfort, help, and cheerfully prefer all men to myself in honour, to love all in thee, and to do to all, even the least, what I would do to thee, O most loving Jesus!

For thou hast said, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you. Since, then, thou hast vouchsafed to lay down thy life for us and for me, I ought also, and, by thy grace, I desire to sacrifice for my brethren, not only my money or my convenience, but also life. my But grant me to love thee, O Lord, not in word only, nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth, that whatsoever I would that men should do may do to them, or rather to thee, for with what measure I mete thou wilt measure to me again, and wilt give me thyself, who art my hope, my salvation, and my refuge.

to me,

V. EXERCISE

Of spiritual joy.

What joy, my God, have I in this wilderness but thee, who art all good? But alas! thou art both far from me, and near to me, and within me, and I see thee through a glass in a dark manner. What, then, and how great can be my joy, when I sit in this darkness, and see not thy light, O Sun of justice! Nevertheless, I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, and will be joyful in Jesus my God, because after darkness I hope for light.

Oh, that my heart and my flesh would rejoice in thee, the living God! For every where I have cause for joy, even in this vale of tears. For every creature is subject to me, and the heavens declare thy glory, and tell me of thy love.

I see placed before my eyes the walls of the heavenly Jerusalem, that I may forget neither thee nor my home. Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee. Thou hast given me, O Lord, a delight in thy doings, in the works of thy hands I shall rejoice.

And as I find it written, Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart, wilt thou not grant me always to rejoice, and be joyful in thee, my Lord, and in thy glory, and that

every knee is bowed to thee? Oh, that I may so rejoice, as firmly to reject the enjoyments of this life, that I may enjoy thee, and with fortitude endure affliction, and whatever else thou appointest me! For I am thine; and as the hart pants after the fountains of water, so my soul pants after thee, O God.

VI. EXERCISE

For confidence in dangers. Look upon me, O God, our protector, and be my stay and my refuge; for I believe thee, O Lord, and hope in thee, and love thee with my whole heart. Be not far from me, my God; my God, make haste to my help. Thou hast bought me with thy blood, draw me now with the cords of thy love; for I stand in a slippery place, and am surrounded on every side with snares and pitfalls for my soul.

Oh, who will give me wings like a dove, that I may fly and not faint, that so, by thy grace, may follow thee my shepherd, and cleave to thee with my whole heart!

Poor man that I am, O Jesus, I am left to thee! Be thou my guardian and helper, for I am an orphan, and can do nothing without thee, O Father of mercies! For thou art my God, my only hope, my protector, the horn of my salvation, and my support. Amen.

VII. EXERCISE

Of gratitude towards God.

I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart, I will relate all thy wonders. For thy knowledge is become wonderful to me, for thy mercy and for thy truth's sake towards me. For whence is this to me, that thou shouldst remember me, and, of thy sweetness and most loving charity, prevent me with so many blessings?

May my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee in the beginning of my joy. For thou art most mighty, and I am nothing but a vapour; thou art light and wisdom, and I am darkness and ignorance; thou goodness itself, and my justices are as the rag of a menstruous woman; and yet thou bestowest these things upon me, and openest thy hand to me, and fillest me with every blessing.

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Therefore my heart has uttered a good word, and I speak to thee my works, and dedicate to thee my whole self, that thou mayest do thy will with me in good and in evil, N., in time and in eternity; to thee I deliver myself, for thou hast delivered thyself for me. To thee I give myself, that thou mayest live in me, and I die for thee, and love thee with my whole heart. Amen.

Behold, I will pay thee my vows, O my Lord, in the sight of all the people, and I hope that, as thou hast enabled me to conceive these desires, N., thou wilt also enable me to accomplish them.

Thy many blessings are my assurance, thy Body and Blood, but above all, thy charity, is my pledge, that thou wilt not leave me, nor forsake me. Let the people praise thee, O God, let all the people praise thee!

Let my mouth be filled with thy praise, that I may sing thy glory, thy greatness, all the day long. I will bless thee, O Lord, at all times, not with my lips only, but also by my works. Oh, that my light may so shine before men, that they may see my good works, and glorify thee who art in heaven! Amen.

IX. EXERCISE

For the affection of resignation.

O Christ Jesus! my refuge, my Lord, I believe and hope

in thee, and love thee with my whole heart. And as in thee we live, move, and are, to thee for ever, from this moment, will I live, move, and be.

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For beside thee what have I in heaven, and what do I desire upon earth? If any thing there be, with my whole heart I reject it, that I may love thee with my whole soul. And what indeed can wretched creatures wish for beyond thee, for in thee alone we possess all things? Behold, in this, N., thou hast set before me water and fire, death and life, cause for sorrow and for joy, for hope and for fear. What shall I wish for or be afraid of? to what shall I reach out my hand? I know not my going out or my coming in. I know them not, O Jesus; thou knowest them; do with me what thou pleasest, with my whole heart I am thine.

Whether in death or in life, my lots are in thy hands; to thee will I lift up my eyes and raise my hands to the holy places; for ever, for ever will I bless thee, O Lord.

Christ

O my only hope! Jesus, my God, thy will be done on earth as it is in hea

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Be done, be done, not what I will, but what thou wilt. Behold, I am become as it were a beast before thee, and I am always with thee; therefore, in all matters, both public and private, henceforward