h _De Profundis_, and _Absolve_.
After, greet our Lady, with _Salve Regina_, on thy knees. Go then to the
Church, and bid thy vain thoughts and business of the world keep outside
thereof: and at thine incoming, say to thy soul, "Enter thou into the
joy of thy Lord, and thou shalt hear His Voice, and behold His temple."
Holy Church is the entrance and gate of Heaven. After, fall down before
the Cross, and honour Him because He was slain on the Cross, and say "We
adore Thee, O Christ, and bless Thee, because by Thy holy Cross Thou
didst redeem the world." And then before thou uprisest, have in thy mind
how hotly His love burned, That died for thee on the Cross. After, begin
thy matins, but first cross thy lips and say "O Lord, open my lips":
i.e., "Lord, open my lips that all night have been shut from praising
Thee, and I cannot open them, except Thou help me." And then say, DEUS
_in adjutorium_, with these words, pour out thine heart before GOD and
say; "Lord, as my Doom's-Man, before Thee I stand: do Thou avenge me of
my foes, which hinder me from serving Thee, and they assail me keenly so
that I be soon overcome unless Thou dost help me." And at _Gloria
Patri_, bow down and say with thine heart, "Lord, of Thy blessing, I
beseech Thee." Turn thee to the angels who stand about to thy comfort
and help, and as thy wardens to keep thee from thy foes, and thus say to
them _Venite exultemus, Domino_. Afterwards, cast thine eye on somewhat,
and keep it there while thou makest thy prayers, for this helps much to
the stabling of thine heart; and paint there, thy Lord, as He was on the
cross; think on His feet and hands that were nailed to the tree; and on
the wide wound in His side, through the which way is made to thee, to
win His heart; thank thy Lord thereof, and love Him therefor: for these,
they who thither may win, find treasure of love. Think thou seest His
wounds streaming of blood, and falling down on the earth; and fall thou
down and lick up that blood sweetly, with tears kissing the earth, with
remembrance for that rich treasure, which for thy sins was shed, and say
thus with thine heart:--"Why lieth this blood here as if lost, and I
perish for thirst? Why drink I not of this rich payment that my Lord
gives me to drink and cool my tongue, and hear what GOD says to me: _He
who is thirsty, let him come and drink. Thou shalt taste and see how
pleasant the Lord is; how sweet, how mild, how merciful._ With such
meditations,