good, and many others that Thou
hast done to me, a so unkind and unworthy wretch, more than all others:
that Thou shewest me such kindness against my evil deeds." And put
thyself and all thy friends in GOD'S hands, and say thus: "Into Thy
dear-worthy hands, my Lord, I yield my soul and body, and all my
friends, kindred and stranger: and all who have done me good bodily or
ghostly, and all who have received Christianity: that Thou, for the love
of Thy Mother, that dear-worthy Maiden, and the beseeching of Thy Saints
defend us this day or this night from all perils of body and soul, and
from all deadly sins, from temptation of the devil, and sudden death,
and from the pains of hell, and make us dread them. Do Thou hallow our
hearts with grace of Thy Holy Ghost, and make us, whatsoever we do here,
do Thy will, that we never separate from Thee, dear Lord. Amen." When
thou hast done, go to the Church or Oratory: and if thou canst win to
none, make thy chamber thy Church. In the church is most devotion to
pray, for then is GOD on the altar to hear those that to Him pray, and
grant them what they ask or what is better: and in presence of Saints,
and in worship of churches that are hallowed, protection of angels who
are there to serve their Lord and thee--for their office is to receive
thy prayer, and bear it to GOD, and bring thee grace from Him, as S.
Bernard says: "Rise then quickly, at GOD'S call, and put all heaviness
from thee, and answer thy Lord with the words which Samuel said to GOD
Who called him in the night: 'Speak Lord, for Thy servant heareth.'"
For eight things we ought to wake and ever be doing good: this short
life: the strait way we have to go: our good deeds that are so few: our
sins that are so many: death that we are sure of and wot not when: the
strait and so hard doom of Doom's-day, for every idle thought shall be
shewed there, then shall every foul word and sinful work be greatly
pressed, for GOD says "For every careless word," etc.: and S. Anselm,
"what wilt thou do in that day when all the time expended is required of
thee; how it has been laid out by thee, even to the minutest thought."
The seventh thing is the strong pain of hell: the eighth, is the joy of
heaven. After thine uprising, pray for the souls that are in pain of
Purgatory, and think that thou hearest them cry on thee the words of
Job: "Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, my friends, for the hand of
GOD is laid upon me," and help them wit
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