The paradise of the Christian soul

The Paradise

OF

The Christian Soul

DELIGHTFUL FOR ITS CHOICEST PLEASURES OF PIETY OF EVERY KIND.

BY

JAMES MERLO HORSTIUS,

OF THE CHURCH OF THE B. VIRGIN MARY IN PASCULO PASTORIS AT COLOGNE.

A New and Complete Translation

By Lawful Authority

LONDON: BURNS & OATES,

PORTMAN STREET & PATERNOSTER ROW.

1877.

CONTENTS.

[The Devotions marked with an Asterisk are from the Appendix to the Mechlin edition of 1840.]

[An Alphabetical Index will be found at the end of the Volume.]

PART I.

Chap. I. Colloquy between Christ and Man on the right use of Prayer.

Chap. II. Various Expositions of, and Exercises upon the Lord's Prayer.

Chap. III. Litanies to the most Holy Trinity, and to each of the Divine Persons.

Chap. IV. Rosary, Oblations, and Daily Exercises to the most Holy Trinity.

Chap. V. Method of aspiring to an intimate Union with God by inward Acts of Virtue.

Chap. VI. A holy Contemplation of the Attributes of God.

Chap. VII. Hymns.

PART II.

Of The Honour and Veneration of the Saints, Who Reign with christ in heaven.

Chap. I. Colloquy between Christ and Man on the method and practice of honouring the Saints.

Chap. II. The Honour and Veneration of the Saints, and particularly the Angel Guardian.

Chap. III. Of patrons to be chosen out of the number of the saints, and honoured day by day with a particular devotion.

Chap. IV. Method of reciting the Lord’s Prayer, with Commemoration and Veneration of the Saints.

Chap. V. Hymns.

PART III.

PENANCE ; OR, THE SINNER’S CONVERSION, AND ITS EXERCISES.

Chap. I. Colloquy between Christ and Man on the way to do Penance.

Chap. II. Litany of Penitents

Chap. III. Various Prayers for Penitents

Chap. IV. The Lord’s Prayer, variously adapted to the use of Penitents.

Chap. V. Instructions and Exercises for Sacramental Confession.

PART IV.

CONTAINING VARIOUS EXERCISES PROFITABLE FOR THE PURSUIT OF VIRTUES AND OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION.

Chap. I. The Doctrine of a Holy Life treated of in a Colloquy between Christ and Man.

Chap. II. Various Exercises on the Lord’s Prayer.

Chap. III. Litany of the Christian Virtues

Chap. IV. Exercises of Piety, or the Practice and Acts of the different Virtues.

Chap. V. Other Exercises of the principal Virtues. From the “Way of Eternal Life.”

Chap. VI. Morning and Evening Exercises.

PART V.

HOW TO COMMUNICATE, AND TO CELEBRATE AND HEAR MASS WELL.

Chap. I. Colloquy, or Meditation on the right and profitable practice of Holy Communion, proper for every state.

Chap. II. Eucharistic Litany ; profitable alike for those that sacrifice and for those that communicate. Collected out of Holy Scripture.

Chap. III. The Lord’s Prayer, adapted by various Exercises and pious Thoughts to the Practice of Holy Communion.

Chap. IV. A short Method, or Act, both for celebrating and communicating at Mass with devotion and profit.

Chap. V. Exercise after Mass or Communion, for Priests and Laics.

Chap. VI. Containing other Exercises for Communicants.

Chap. VII. How to hear Mass well.

Chap. VIII. Another Method of hearing Mass well.

PART VI.

ON THE LIFE AND PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

Chap I. Colloquy on the way to meditate on the Life and Passion of our Saviour, and to imitate it well.

Chap. II. The Lord’s Prayer variously adapted to Christ and his Passion.

Chap. III. Litany of the Life and Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Chap. IV. Rosaries and Exercises, in Verse, on the Life and Passion of Christ.

Chap. V. Various Prayers on the Passion of our Lord.

Chap. VI. Various Exercises in honour of the Five Sacred Wounds, and the Seven Blood-sheddings of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Chap. VII. The Worship and Honour of the most Holy Name of Jesus.

PART VII.

THE WORSHIP AND VENERATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY ; ALSO THE CARE AND PREPARATION FOR DYING WELL AND HAPPILY.

Chap. I. Colloquy between Christ and Man on the way to live and die well and happily.

Chap. II. Meditation on the Lord’s Prayer, adapted to the Worship and Veneration of the most Blessed Virgin Mother of God

Chap. III. Meditation on the Angelical Salutation.

Chap. IV. Rosary of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God.

Chap. V. Various Hymns to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Chap. VI. Various Prayers to the Blessed Virgin Mother of God.

Chap. VII, Explanation of the Common Rosary of the Blessed Virgin.

Chap. VIII. Litany adapted to the Healthy, the Sick, and the Dying.

Chap. IX. Seven Steps to a Happy Death; or, Daily Exercise on the Lord’s Prayer for a Happy Death.

Chap. X. Exercises in time of Sickness.

Chap. XI. Protestations to be made very often, and mostly before Death, by one who desires to live and die like a Christian

Chap. XII. Exercise or Protestation for a Sick and Dying Person.

Chap. XIII. Method of treating the Sick, especially the Dying.

Chap. XIV. Prayers and Sentences to be often repeated in the presence of the Dying at the immediate approach of Death.

Chap. XV. Prayers and Memorable Words of Saints in their dying moments.