to rain down by his power plenty of pious thoughts to possess your memory God the son the true light and wisdom to illuminate and instruct your Understanding with heavenly knowledge God the Holy Ghost who is an infinit burning fire of charity to enflame your will with pious affections The 2. Condition of Mentall Prayer is Preambles which are for the most part three 1. THe fitst whereof is a tepetition to your self as you would to another of the matter sentence or verse of which you are to meditate 2. The 2. if the matter be Historicall is to represent unto your self the place and persons present As for example Meditating some Mystery of Christ put before your eyes some mountain citty or desert fitting the place to the Mistery or sentence which you are to consider If what you purpose to meditate be spirituall matter void of such similitude abstain from the 2. Preamble accordingly If of Hell think of the length breadth and depth of that horrid place with all things that may give horrour unto If of Heaven represent the spacious pleasantness of that Celestiall Country If on death your self lying on your death bed or laid in your grave If on Judgement our sweet Saviour sitting on his Judgment seat If on sin your soule to be held prisoner in your body fettered with chaines of disordered passions and clogged with the burden of the flesh But if the sentence of your Meditation be such as cannot make these nor the former similitudes call to mind who spoke or did it in what manner sort or with what intention reciting that sentence two or three times unto your self which manner you must also accustome in all sorts of Meditations expecting what it shall please God to teach you therfore saying Speak Lord thy servant heareth 3. The 3. Preamble or petition is briefly to crave light and knowledge of the Mystery you meditate on and grace to stirr up in your self such particular good affections of this or that vertue as you shall see the matter is most apt to minister occasion for your spirituall profit The 3. Condition of mentall Prayer is Meditation which consisteth in the three powers of the soule 1. FIrst let the memory remember to call to mind the presence of Almighty God before whom you are to chuse the matter whereon you are to meditate in what manner you are to do it and the end wherfore 2. Secondly the Understanding must discourse of the matter whether it be of some person as of our Saviour some words of holy scripture some actions as of the Passion of CHRIST JESUS or the suffering of his Saints the verity cause properties effects conveniences and circumstances as WHO WHAT WHY WHERE WHEN BY WHAT MEANS And this is not to be don slightly but very seriously so as they may move the will pondering and as it were shewing them again 3. Thirdly the will must stirr up in it self these affections and make such good purposes as the subject doth require and the understanding hath before approved for good seeking to perform towards God 1. The affections of praise of his holy name 2. Love of his goodness 3. Confidence in his mercy 4. Faith in his verity 5. Feare of his justice 6. Gratitude for his benefits Towards your self affections of love or hatred desire or disdain joy or sorrow conversion or aversion feare or hope dislike or pursuit of the matter which you have discovered and in these of the will you must incite and stay your self in every point of your meditation How to proceed with fruit in every point of your Meditation FIrst the memory is to present the matter unto the understanding as is above said and that is to consider the persons actions and circumstances as is set down and when by discourse and particular view of the matter you shal sufficiently understand any speciall point to move affections as to discover Gods goodness love or any benefit don towards us by him example of vertue or difformity of vice then stay that discourse and seek to stirr up such good affections as the matter will most aptly afford As for example when by discourse you have found the goodness of God or some great benefit of him to us then stay love view and admire him for the greatnes thereof inciting your self to have a perpetuall memory and acknowledgment of them drawing somthing for your instruction and encouragement to his most perfect service and your own progress in vertue This is a great part of the fruit which you are to reap of Meditation the which you must perfect by colloquy and Prayer Helps if the will do's not yield unto those affections which you desire REflect with your self what affections such cōsiderations ought to move in you towards God whose love goodnes and benefits you see to be so great and you have deserved so little the which consideration ought to produce in you exceeding great love praise gratitude obedience confidence c. Then come to your will again and see whether it will yield to those affections If it do not then labour to move it either by such persuasions as you would give to another whom you desire to incite to the same affections Or else reprove your dulness or ask your self the question why you should not yield thereunto seeing that you can remember your self and others to be exceedingly moved unto such affections towards creatures for less motives And again say Why should not I feel the like to my Creatour or at least yield with my will to desire it and purpose the same Then have recourse to Prayer and say O my God J will purpose c. J desire you to assist me with your grace confessing your misery and unworthines beseeching him to be your help And somtimes say these words of Jacob I will not leave thee O Lord untill thou givestme thy blessing or those of the Cananean woman Yes Lord I am a dog yet doggs eate the crums which fall from their Maisters table or other such like And thus having at least by some meanes or other stirred up the foresaid affections though not so fervently as we desire persever in exercising the will drawing forth somthing for your profit This example in due proportion may serve to teach you how to proceed upon any other matter as when you have by discourse discovered any vertue or vice in some word deed or thought of some person who is presented in the Meditation first by staying or pondering or sometimes admiring how worthy a thing that vertue is in that person and how foule the vice the fruit and profit which ariseth of the one and the loss and shame of the other Then proceed as you will to move and stirr up the affection you seek never contenting your self with generall affections be they never so fervent nor spend to much time in them but make some particular resolutions of which you stand in most need for the advancement and correction of
the Cross and with his sacred blood satisfy his Eternall Father for her demerits 4. That for her love he would remain in the holy Sacrament to feed her with his own blessed body and Cleanse her with his owne sacred blood A Prayer before receiving the B. Sacrament O Sweet JESUS J most ardently desire to receive you Sacramentally and spiritually although J know my self to be most unworthy you should enter into the house of my soule be favorable unto me wretched sinner and take from me whatsoever is displeasing unto you prepare in me and in all hearts a habitation agreable unto your divine Majesty Would to God O my sweet Saviour JESU would to God J were wholy enflamed with an ardent desire and love of you Behold J here renounce and give up to you all things O sweet JESU O JESU my love for ever A Prayer after receiving the B. Sacrament O Most sweet Lord JESUS CHRIST J humbly beseech thy unspeakable mercy that this holy Sacrament of thy pretious body and blood which J unworthy have received may be to me and to all sinners a full purgation of all our offences a strength against frailties a fortress to defend us against all perills both of soul and body an entire pardon and establishment in all grace an amendment of life a continuall memoriall of thy sacred Passion a nourishment against all spirituall weakness and a staff of our Pilgrimage let it my sweet Saviour JESUS guide us going reduce us straying receive us returning again hold us up stumbling lift us up falling and persevering bring us to glory O highest God let the reception of this most worthy Sacrament so alter the tast of our hearts that at no time we feel any sweetness love or desire and consolation admit any delight esteem any honour feare any adversity or even-live but for thee and to accomplish thy blessed will which may ever be perfected in us Amen Another Prayer O Most glorious and ever blessed Virgin Mary O holy Father S. Francis O holy Mother S. Clare S. Michaël Angels Archangells Vertues Powers Principalities Dominations Thrones Cherubins Seraphins and all celestiall Spirits J beseech you to prostrate before the face of my God and beseech him in favour of his most deare son my Saviour and Redeemer CHRIST JESUS that it will please him to pardon the unworthines and indevotion wherewith J have received the most blessed and dreadfall Sacrament and do not permit the same to cause that the spirit thereof be not communicated unto me also that by the vertue and efficacy of this holy Communion J may feel the effect of his divinë mercy that I may receive this day a full remission of all my sins true light and knowledge of his grace which is in me that be reduce and put me in such an estate as shall be most pleasing unto his divine Majesty augment in me faith hope charity obedience chastity and patience with all other vertues and gifts of the holy Ghost necessary to procure the glory of his divine Majesty and the salvation of my soule to the honour and praise of his holy name Amen What we ought to do the day we communicate 1. BE very careful to govern our sences especially our tongue and if it happen we fall by frailty we ought presently to crave pardon and beseech our sweet Saviour not therfore to absent himself from us 2. To render to this blessed guest all the best services we are able he being infinitely worthy to be served loved and adored of all creatures Wishing above all things his holy honour and pleasure 3. Seek still to entertain this blessed spouse with holy thoughts and desires beseeching him to give you and all others whatsoever he knoweth to be needfull for his love and service beleeving that he is inestimably rich and a most liberal giver 4. Do nothing that day without considering first whether the thing you do will be pleasing and agreable unto him and demand his permission and leave 5. Make fervent aspirations cast forth arrowes of divine love towards that most amiable and sweet Lord with a vehement desire of loving him infinitely and be wholy transformed into him by conformity of will Deo gratias A Prayer before Confession O Soverain Creatour of heaven and earth and of all things which in them are J worm and miserable wretch have offended your divine Majesty I wonder at my folly detest my ingratitude and lament my offences craving through the merits of the bitter Passion and death of your onely begotten son and the infinite love with which he did both offer and suffer them for my sake and for the whole world grant unto me and all sinners true knowledge and perfect contrition of our sins and offences with entire remission of them all loose us from the chaines of our imperfections and heale the wounds of our soules grant us ever to be purged and refreshed in the fountain of his holy wounds Amen A Prayer after Confession O Good IESU let this my Confession be gratefull and acceptable unto you by the merits of your admirable life and painfull death with all the labours anguishes and sorrowes which you suffered for mankind together with those of your B. Mother and all your holy Saints supplying whatsoever is wanting in me either now or any other time through want of true contrition entire confession or full satisfaction beseeching they may also be unto me light direction and strength in all my wayes unto the perfect possession of you my sweet IESU in eternall glory Amen Directions how to say the Divine Office with due devotion and attention WHat care we ought to have in saying the divine Office according to the examples of the holy men is witten in the 27. Chapter of Paralipomenon Despise not your self our Lord hath chosen you to stand before him and adore him Wherfore since God hath chosen man to so high a preferment it is very requisit we should know how and in what manner humble service doth consist The holy man Gerson affirmeth that in saying your Mattins and other houres carefully and studiously leasurely and distinctly consisteth the greatest exercise of a Religious man and is so fit for him as nothing more S. Benedict doth call this the worke of our Lord especially because it it is the chiefest office that any man can perform gratefull to the divine Majesty S. Jerome doth affirm that to offer up Hymns Psalmes and spirituall prayers and to shed teares for our own offences and those of our neighbour is to reconcile the people to God and to pacify our Lord with his flock all which things are to be accomplished in the divine office Wherfore we ought very diligently to apply our whole study and inward powers to the due execution thereof least perhaps that dreadfull sentence pronounced by the Prophet Jeremy c. 48. v. 10. fall upon us maledictus qui facit opus Domini fraudulenter Artursd be be who do's our lords worke negligently
Love in seeing the greatness of his love 7. Admiration in beholding his unspeakable bounty and goodnes It is written of him dixit multa fecit mira pertulit dura Considerations of the knowledge of ones self 1. Consider what you have been what you are and what you shall be 2. Ponder what you are by nature by fault what you have deserved and what you may do by grace 3. The effectuall cause of your Being is God 4. The matter of which you are made is Earth agreeing with the nature of beasts 5. Our soules to the image of God 6. Our end to serve him and live eternally with him Considerations of sin 1. How much it displeaseth Almighty God and hurteth man 2. How contrary to his justice displeasing and disedifying to our neighbour 3. God's severe punishment of it and what we loose therby 4. The disgust that followeth sin and dishonour that accompanieth it 5. The grief of God his Angels and Saints with the joy of the Divell 6. The difformity of sin and the disagreement between men and it according to the nobleness of the soul How to consider Death 1. That all must necessarily dy and then be deprived of all things 2. Onely accompanied with grief and sicknes of the body with temptations and feares of the soule 3. And nothing will confort you at that houre but only good works 4. Death ought not to be feared contemned or desired Of the Pains of the damned There are many waies to meditate of this as in that which followeth of glory only changing the good for the evill To contemplate Heaven 1. Consider the dowries of the soule which are the vision possession and enjoying of God 2. The dowries and perfections of the body Impassibility Brightnes Agility Subtility 3. The place most excellent most large most beautifull and most rich 4. The company of the Angels and Saints with the Blessed Mother of God which shall endure for all Eternity How to consider vertue 1. In what vertue consisteth 2. What examples and doctrine my sweet Saviour hath given you thereof 3. How beautifull excellent necessary and profitable it is how pleasing unto God and maketh man agreable to him 4. How much it edifieth and profiteth your neighbour 5. The spirituall joy it bringeth with many benefits 6. The victory we gain therby over our selves 7. How farr we are from the perfection thereof and what you ought to do hereafter 8. The power we gain therby in presenting our Prayers to God How to consider the Feasts of Saints 1. In what place they are now and with what glory they are crowned 2. How much they may help us by their Prayers and merits 3. By what works Prayers and vertues they have attained such glory 4. If you will come where they are do as they have don To meditate on the Perfections of Almighty God 1. His infinit Essence 2. His Power 3. His Wisdome 4. His Bounty 5. His Goodnes 6. His Love 7. His Mercy 8. His Justice 9. His Providence 10. His Omnipotency concerning which weigh this sentence of holy scripture or what himself hath don in testimony thereof Caelum terram ego impleo In ipso vivimus movemur sumus I fill heaven and Earth In him we live move and are For his power Dixit facta sunt He said and they were made Considerations of the creatures of Almighty God first in generall 1. BY the largeness of the world consider the greatnes of Almighty God 2. The multitude and variety of things with the infinit perfections of God 3. His bounty in the profit they bring unto us 4. His beauty by the beauty of the creatures 5. His wisdom in the well ordering of all things 6. His Eternity in the roundness which hath neither beginning nor end 7. The unity of the world shewing that God is only one The creatures in particular their beginnings and continuance which is of God 1. The end thereof to wit his honour and the service of creatures 2. Of what and how they were made by his only word and power 3. The qualities and effects of these creatures the reverence they use unto God and his perfections The benefits in brief of Almighty God 1. Who hath don you the benefit 2. Who hath moved him to do it 3. Wherfore he hath don it unto you 4. How great the benefit is 5. How much you are obliged therby 6. How ungratefull you have been What you ought to do in the time to come with the benefits of Almighty God in particular 1. First how God hath predestinated us in perpetuall love before the world was 2. How he hath made man like to himself 3. Given you a body of most seemly features void of all defformity 4. Made your soul immortall and adorned it with three powers 5. Appointed an Angell to keep and defend you 6. Made you to be born of Christian parents and members of the Church The benefit of our Redemption 1. First sent us his well beloved son to be our Redeemer and example 2. By Baptisme purged you from orignal sin and restored you the vesture of originall justice 3. Fortified you with the Sacrament of Confirmation wherby he hath armed you against your enemies 4. Made you a Christian and therby the child of God and coheire of his Kingdome 5. Hath given the holy Ghost in token of adoption of love communicating unto you his benefits inspirations and fruits 6. Lastly the Sacraments of Confession and Communion as a refuge in all Spirituall relapses and necessities The benefit of vocation 1. First the patience of Almighty God with you you falling so often after so many great benefits received long expecting your return and not letting you dy in an evill state 2. Sought to recall you by inward inspirations admonitions and exhortations 3. Mollified your heart giving you a good will to vertue and removed such impediments as might withdraw you from him 4. Lovingly received you at your return as the Father did his prodigall child putting on you the stole of innocency which you had lost by sin 5. Hath called you from the vanities and miseries of the world as he did Lot from Sodom 6. What great plenty of means he hath given you in Religion wherby you may satisfy for your sins increase your crown and merit The benefit of justification 1. First how God hath changed your will and moved you to do pennance made bitter things sweet and that which was unsupportable to be easy unto you 2. Secondly he hath given unto you perseverance in his feare and love many beginning well have failed in the end to their condemnation 3. Thirdly he hath given to you the Evangelicall vertues of hope and grace to persever in your good purposes to avoid vice and labour for vertue 4. Fourthly hath left the holy scriptures and devout books wherein as in a glass you may behold your defects and imperfections 5. Fiftly the examples of Martyrs Confessours Virgins and
thy loving heart 5. O when shall it be my dearest JESU that the flame of thy love shall pierce and wound my heart that I may be wholy conformable unto thee 6. Sweet JESUS let me love thee so unfainedly as that by force of thy love I neither feel see nor take comfort in any thing but accompanyng thee my afflicted Lord. 7. My sweetest Saviour when shall I have my full and wisht repose within thy crucified armes 8. O sacred wounds of my JESUS especially of his tender side and most amourous heart why do you not burn and consume my soule in the delightfull flames of his love An Oblation unto our B. Lady to say on any one of her Feasts 70. Ave Maries and then during every day 5. Ave's and these Prayers following 1. O B. Virgin Mary and Eternall Queen of Angels I offer my self unto you in all that I am or ever shall be beseeching you to receive me as your own 2. O B. Virgin Mary preserve me living and dyng from all evill for I am your own 3. O B. Virgin Mary receive me for your own ever govern and protect me as your own and have mercy on my soule when it shall part out of my body 4. O mercifull Mother through your holy departure make joyfull my departure and in the houre of my death receive my soule A Prayer to Iesus Christ ANima Christi sanctifica me Corpus Christi salva me Sanguis Christi inebria me Aqua lateris Christi lava me Passio Christi conforta me O bone IESV exaudi me Intrà tua vulnera absconde me Ne permittas me separari à te Ab hoste maligno defende me In hora mortis meae voca me Et jube me venire ad te Vt cum Sanctis tuis laudem Te In saecula saeculorum Amen In English thus SOule of Christ sanctify me Body of Christ save me Blood of Christ inebriate me Water of Christ's side wash me Passion of Christ comfort me O good JESU heare me Within thy wounds hide me Suffer me not to be separated from thee From the malignant enemy defend me In the houre of my death call me And bid me come to thee That with thy Saints I may praise thee For ever and ever Amen When you passe by the B. Sacrament DVlcissimum nomen Domini nostri Iesu Christi gloriosae Virginis Mariae Matris ejus sit in aeternum benedictum In English Let the B. Name of our Lord JESUS CHRIST and the glorious VIRGIN MARY his MOTHER be blessed for ever and ever And then offer your intention herein to get the pardon which is gained When you take Holy water Aqua benedicta sit nobis salus protectio vita Asperges me Domine hissopo c. In English May this holy water be to us health protection and life Thou shalt sprinkle me o Lord with hissope c. How we may honour the most holy and B. Name of the most glorious Virgin Mary by sayng these 5. Verses with 5. Psalmes 1. MAter amabilis Maria nomine Multò nobilior quocunque lumine Muni me miserum in tuo nomine Malignis obvians tuo juvamine Magnificat 2. Aurora rutilans lunâque pulchrior Astris fulgentior luce clarior Afflictum respice qui nimis crucior Averte jaculum hostis quo ferior Ad Dominum cum tribularer 3. Regina nobilis filia filii Rosae consimilis flori lilii Refove flebiles lacte consilii Ruentes per dies huius exilii Retribue servo tuo 4. Iesse tu congruè vocata virgula Immarcessibilis sine macula IESV jam florid o qui regit saecula Ipsa tu suggere ut solvat vincula In Convertendo 5. Ancilla Domini sumens tam nobilis Ave quod Gabriel dedit mirabilis Accipe canticum servi inutilis Adsis in omnibus mihi placabilis Ad te levavi ℣ Dignare me laudare te Virgo sacrata ℟ Da mihi virtutem contra hostes tuos OREMUS COncede nos famulos tuos quaesumus Domine Deus perpetuá mentis corporis sanitate gaudere glorio â B. Mariae Virginis intercessione à praesenti liberari tristitia aeternâ perfrui laetitiâ Per Christum Domenum nostrum Amen The 5. Verses Englished 1. O Amiable Mother ô Mary hail by name More noble then the light of natur's frame Defend me by your meanes which way so'ere J goe And by your shelt'ring help preserve me from my foe 2. Bright shining dawn fairer then the moon More sparkling then the starres and brighter then the sun Look on me wretch afflicted and tormented so As to put by those darts my foes do at me thr'o 3. O noble queen and daughter to thy son Like to the Rose and Flower-de-Luce at noone 'T is milk of your good counsel must cherish us that weep 'T is you that from all banish't ruin's must us keep 4. You are the rod of Jesse fittly nam'd You neyther wither nor with spot are sham'd Pray to our Jesus who the world doe's rule That J from bonds of sin may save my soule 5. O handmaid of our Lord who took the noble haile From wond'rous Gabriel's mouth the world 's great baile Receive the sacred Cantick your worthless servant sing's And gratious be to me sweet Mary in all things LITANIAE B. P. N. FRANCISCI KYRIE eleïson Christe eleïson Kyrie eleïson Christe audi nos Christe exaudi nos Pater de caelis Deus Miserere nobis Fili Redemptor mundi Deus Miserere nobis Spiritus sancte Deus Miserere nobis Sancta Trinitas unus Deus Miserere nobis Sancte Francisce Pater amabilis ora pro nobis Pater admirabilis Pater benigne Pater venerabilis Vexillifer Jesu Christi ORA PRO NOBIS Eques Crucifixi Imitator filii Dei Seraphim ardens Fornax Charitatis Arca Sanctitatis Cultor pacis Vas Puritatis Norma Justitiae Speculum Pudicitiae Regula Poenitentiae Magister Obedientiae Exemplar Virtutum Patriarcha Pauperum Profligator Criminum Lumen tuae Patriae Decus Morum Vivificator Mortuorum Saturator Famelicorum Obsequium Leprosorum ORA PRO NOBIS Praeco magni Regis Forma Humilitatis Consors Sublimitatis Victor Vitiorum Dux Minorum Praedicator Silvestrium Portans dona Gloriae Auriga militiae nostrae Novis utens Prodigiis Caelum caecis aperiens Gratum gerens obsequium Templum Christo consecrans Hostes malignos proterens Tenens vitae bravium Spargens virtutum munera Amplians iter ad Gloriam Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi Parce nobis Domine Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi Exaudi nos Domine Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi Miserere nobis ℣ Ora pro nobis beate Pater Francisce ℟ Ut digni efficiamur promissionibus Christi OREMUS DEus qui Ecclesiā tuā B. Fraucisci meritis foetu novae prolis amplificas tribue nobis ex ejus imitatione terrena despicere caelestium donorum semper participatione gaudere Per Dominum