The instruction of youth in Christian piety taken out of the sacred Scriptures, and Holy Fathers; divided into five parts. With a very profitable instruction for meditation, or mental prayer. By Charles Gobinet, Doctor of Divinity, of the House and Society of Sorbon, principal of the College of Plessis-Sorbon. The last edition in French, now render'd into English.

CHAP. XI.

Of Morning Prayer.

COnfession and Communion are very essicacious Means to acquire Vertue, but they become unprofitable and of small effect, unless they be accompany'd with these which follow: Morning and Even∣ing Prayer, Assisting devoutly at the Holy Sacrifice of the Altar, Employing ones Time in the knowledge of ones self, Read∣ing good Books, and pious Conversati∣ons, are Means so necessary for Vertue, that Respiration and Nourishment are not more needful for the support of the Cor∣poral Life, than these things are necessary for the Conservation of Piety, which is the Life of the Soul.

I begin with Morning Prayer, which the Wiseman, amongst the Means he as∣signs to obtain Wisdom, recommends so effectually unto you. He shall give his Heart to watch in the Morning for God his Creator, and he will offer up his Deprecations

to the most High. He will open his Mouth in Prayer, and implore Pardon for his Sins.

I would to God this excellent Docu∣ment were deeply engraven in the Minds of Men, and principally of young Persons, as one of the most important to live in Vertue. If you truly aspire to Vertue, dear Theotime, you will have a great care to practise this Instruction, which is one of the most necessary you can receive.

We own unto God all our Actions, but chiefly the first in the Morning; it is that which is most agreeable unto him, it is by that we consecrate others unto him: By it we attract the Divine Blessings upon all our Works, and collect the Divine Grace for all the Day; As the Israelites in the Desert gather'd in the Morning the Manna of Heaven which maintain'd them all the Day.

And that which is most remarkable in that Manna, is, that those who fail'd to ga∣ther it in the Morning, found it not pre∣sently after, because it was melted at the rising of the Sun, whereof the Scripture gives this excellent Reason, viz. That God who made it Rain every Morning, caus'd it to be dissolv'd with the first Beams of the Sun; To teach all Men, that they ought to prevent the Sun in Praising God, and Adoring him in the Morning.

But remember, Theotime, to perform this Action in the manner the Wiseman prescribes to you; for he would not have it a constrain'd, negligent and undevout Prayer, but a Prayer with the quite con∣trary Qualities: He saith, that The wise Man will give his Heart (that is, will ap∣ply his Will and Affection) to watch in the Morning for God his Creator; that is to say, will give his first Thoughts to God, to Adore him as his Creator, and give him Thanks for all his Benefits, will offer his Supplications in the sight of the most High; that is, will consider the Greatness of God, to whom he speaks, and in the Presence of whom he is, and considering the infinite Grandeur of the Majesty of God, will at∣tentively offer his Prayers to him, and humbly, with great Modesty, and with a most profound Respect, begging of God Pardon for his Sins, and ardently sighing after his holy Favors.

To put in Execution these Instructions, have a care to practise that which follows. Every Morning, as soon as you are up, cast your self upon your Knees in some place a little retir'd, and there,

1. Adore God from your Heart, ac∣knowledging him for your Sovereign Ma∣ster and Creator, and looking upon him as one from whom you receive all that you are, or have.

2. Give him Thanks for all the Benefits you have receiv'd from him; for the Fa∣vor of your Creation, of your Redem∣ption

by the Merits of his Son Jesus Christ, of making you a Christian, a Child of the Catholic Church, of Instructing you with the necessary Truths for your Salvation, and of other particular Benefits which you shall take notice of in your self.

3. Humbly implore his Pardon for all the Sins of your Life past, by which you have so much offended his Bounty, and abus'd his Favors.

4. Beg of him the Grace to employ that Day in his Service without offending him; Make a Resolution rather to die than consent to a mortal Sin; Purpose to avoid the Occasions, and endeavor to foresee those which may happen that Day, to the end you may be armed against them.

5. Offer all the Actions of the Day to him, and beseech him that he would bless them, inspire you, and direct you in all your Works, that you do nothing but by and for him.

Recommend your self to the Blessed Virgin, to your good Angel, and to your Patron. Perform all this in a small time, but with much fervor; and be assur'd, Theotime, that if you be diligent in this Exercise, you will find the Truth of the Wiseman's Expression, who says, that They who watch for her in the Morning, shall find her.

Notes

• Ninth Means, Morning Prayer.
• Cor suum tradet ad vi∣gilandum di∣luculo, ad Do∣minum qui fe∣cit eum & in conspectu al∣tissimi deprecabitur, aperiet os suum in oratione, & pro delictis suis deprecabitur. Eccl. 39.6.
• Quod enim ab igne non poterat ex∣terminari, sta∣tim ab exiguo radio solis ca∣lefactum ta∣bescebat, ut notum omni∣bus esset, quo∣niam oportet praevenire so∣lem ad tuam benedictio∣nem, & ad ortum solis to adorare. Sap. 18.
• Practice.
• Qui mane vigilaverint ad me, inveni∣ent me. Prov. 8.