Druckschrift 
The Garden of the Soul: a manual of spiritual exercises and instructions [...] / revised and corrected by Edward Price
Entstehung
Einzelbild herunterladen

ST. FRANCIS DE SALES.

27

5. I will use all possible endeavours to extirpate all the roots of sin out of my heart; and, in particular, such and such vices, to which I am most inclined.

6. To accomplish this, I will constantly embrace the means which shall be recommended to me; and think that I hav never done enough to repair such grievous offences.

Conclusion.- 1. Give God thanks for expecting your amendment till this hour; and bless him that he hath given you these affections. 2. Offer him up your heart that you may put them in execution. 3. Desire him to strengthen you. Our Futher. Hail Mary. I believe in God, & c. Make your little nosegay of devotion as before.

197

FIFTH MEDITATION- On Death.

tion 1.

Prepara- PLACE yourself in the presence of God. 2. Beseech him to inspire you with his grace. 2. Imagine yourself to be extremely sick, lying on your death- bed, without any hope of recovery.

Considerations.- 1. Consider the uncertainty of the day of your death. O my soul, thou must one day go out of this body; but when shall that day be? Shall it be in winter or summer? In city or in country? By day or by night? Shall it be suddenly, or notice given thee? By sickness or by accident? Shalt thou have leisure to make thy confession? Shalt thou have the assistance of thy ghostly father? Alas! of all this we know no­thing at all. Only certain it is, that we shall die, and that perhaps sooner than we imagine.moldw

2. Consider that then the world shall end in regard to you; for it will last no longer to you; it will turn up­side down before your eyes; for then the pleasures and vanities, the worldly joys and fond affections of our life, will seem to us shadows and airy clouds. Ah, wretch! for what toys and trifles have I offended God! You shall then see that for a mere nothing you have forsaken him. On the contrary, devotion and good works will