necessities, sorrows, and sufferings, both spiritual and corporal. Amen. I O most blessed Lord Jesus, etc. PRAYER. BESEECH thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, that thy passion may be my strength, by which I may be fortified, protected, and defended; thy wounds be to me food and drink, by which I may be fed, inebriated and delighted; the sprinkling of thy blood be the washing away of all my sins; thy death be to me everlasting glory. In these be to me refreshment, exultation, health, study, joy, desire of soul and body, now and for ever. Amen. O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, put thy passion, thy cross and thy death, between thy judgment and my soul, now and in the hour of my death. Mayst thou vouchsafe to extend to me grace and mercy, pardon to the living, rest to the dead, peace to thy Church, and life and eternal glory to all sinners, who livest and reignest with God the Father, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, for ever and ever. Amen. O Holy Mary, most sorrowful Mother, by the sword of grief which pierced thy soul, obtain for us the fruit of the blood of thy Son Jesus Christ, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. The Psalter of Jesus. "There is no other name under heaven given to men whereby we must be saved,"--Acts. iv. 12. [There are three sorts of Psalters: the first is David's, which contains one hundred and fifty Psalms; the second our blessed Lady's, composed of one hundred and fifty Aves; the third is the Psalter of Jesus, containing fifteen Petitions, before each whereof, that glorious name being ten times repeated, amounts also to one hundred and fifty; which is the just proportion of a Psalter. It may be said, as the Rosary, either altogether, or in three separate parts, according to the leisure or devotion of each person, who should in the recital endeavour to excite an increase of faith and attention at each repetition of the sweet and adorable name of Jesus.] IN PART I. N the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; and every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father. (Phil. ii. 10, 11.) FIRST PETITION. JESUS, have mercy on me. (To be repeated nine times.) Jesus, have mercy on me, O God of compassion, and forgive the many and great offences I have committed in thy sight. Many have been the follies of my life, and great are the miseries I have deserved for my ingratitude. Have mercy on me, dear Jesus, for I am weak; O Lord heal me, who am unable to help myself. Deliver me from setting my heart upon any of thy creatures, which may divert my eyes from a continual looking up to thee. Grant me grace henceforth, for the love of thee, to hate sin; and out of a just esteem for thee, to despise all worldly vanities CC Have mercy on all sinners, Jesus, I beseech thee; turn their vices into virtues; and making them true observers of thy law, and sincere lovers of thee, bring them to bliss in everlasting glory. Have mercy also on the souls in purgatory, for the sake of thy bitter passion, I beseech thee, and for thy glorious name, JESUS. me. O Blessed Trinity, one eternal God, have mercy on Our Father, etc. Hail Mary, etc. JESUS, help me. SECOND PETITION. (To be repeated nine times.) Jesus, help me to overcome all temptations to sin, and the malice of my ghostly enemy. Help me to spend my time in virtuous actions, and in such labours as are acceptable to thee. To resist and repress the motions of my flesh to sloth, gluttony, and sensuality To render my heart enamoured of virtue, and inflamed with desires of thy glorious presence. Help me to deserve and keep a good name, by a peaceful and pious living, to thy honour, Jesus, my own comfort, and the benefit of others. Have mercy on all sinners, etc. (as above.) THIRD PETITIN. JESUS, strengthen me. (To be repeated nine times.) Jesus, strengthen me in soul and body, to please thee in executing such works of virtue, as may bring me to thy everlasting joy and felicity. Grant me a firm purpose, most merciful Saviour, to amend my life, and to atone for the years past. Those years which I have misspent to thy displeasure, in vain or wicked thoughts, words, deeds, and evil customs. Make my heart obedient to thy will, and ready, for thy love, to perform all the works of mercy. Grant me the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which, through a virtuous life, and a devout frequenting of thy most holy sacraments, may at length bring me to thy heavenly kingdom. Have mercy on all sinners, etc. (page 386.) FOURTH PETITION. JESUS, comfort me. (To be repeated nine times.) Jesus, comfort me, and give me grace to place my chief, my only joy and felicity in thee. Send me heavenly meditations, spiritual sweetness, and fervent desires of thy glory; ravish my soul with the contemplation of heaven, where I shall everlastingly dwell with thee. Bring often to my remembrance thy unspeakable goodness, thy gifts, and the great kindness which thou hast shown to me. And when thou bringest to my mind the sad remembrance of my sins, whereby I have so often offended thee, comfort me with the assurance of obtaining thy grace, by the spirit of perfect penance, which may purge away my guilt, and prepare me for thy kingdom. Have mercy on all sinners, etc. (page 386.) FIFTH PETITION. JESUS, make me constant. (To be repeated nine times.) Jesus, make me constant in faith, hope, and charity; grant me perseverance in all virtue, and a resolution never to offend thee. Let the memory of thy passion, and of those bitter pains thou sufferedst for me, strengthen my patience, and comfort me in all tribulation and adversity. Let me always hold fast the doctrine of the Čatholic Church, and render me a diligent frequenter of all holy duties. Let no false delight of this deceitful world blind me, nor temptation or fraud of the devil shake my heart, My heart, which has for ever fixed its rest in thee, and resolved to undervalue all for thy eternal reward. Have mercy on all sinners, Jesus, I beseech thee; turn their vices into virtues; and, making them true observers of thy law, and sincere lovers of thee, bring them to bliss in everlasting glory. Have mercy also on the souls in purgatory, for the sake of thy bitter passion, I beseech thee, and for thy glorious name, Jesus. O blessed Trinity, one eternal God, have mercy on me. "Our Lord Jesus Christ humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross." (Phil. ii. 8.) Hear these my petitions, O my most merciful Saviour, and grant me thy grace so frequently to repeat and consider them, that they may prove easy steps whereby my soul may climb up to the knowledge, love, and performance of my duty to thee |