Meditat. cap. 33. GLory to the Father which created vs glory to the Sonne who redemed vs glory to the holy Ghost who haith sanctified vs glory to the highest indeuided Trinity whose workes are inseperable whose rule remaineth without ende Praise becometh thee Himne becometh thee al honour is due to thee blessing and brightnesse to thee thanks geuing to thee honour to thee power and strength to our God world without end Amen Meditations prayers before meate WHen thou shalt eate and Deut. 8. shalt be fâ—lâ—ed blesse thy Lord thy God c. â— They shal eate and praâ—â—e our Lord. Is 62. Math. 14. He blessed and brake and gaue the loues to his diâ—ciples Whether you eate or drinke c. 1. Cor. 10. do al thinges to the glory of God S. Chrisost hom 79. ad popul Antioch de orat ante med IT is needful for vs both comming vnto and going from table to geue thankes to god For a man prepared to this wil neuer fal into druÌ„kennes or insolency wil neuer be broken with surfet but hauing expectatioÌ„ of prayer imposed for a brâ—dle vpon his senses wil with due modesty take of al thinges set before him and fil his soule and body with much blessing For a table taking beginning from prayer wil neuer faile but more plentifully then a fouâ—taine wil bring vs al good thinges Therefore let vs not pretermit so great a profit for it is absurd that our SeruaÌ„ts should geue thankes vnto vs and goe away with blessing if they receaue from vs any part of those thinges that be set before vs and we which enioy so many good thinges not to render so much honour to god S. Athanasius l. de virginit siue meditat EAte thy bread geuing thankes to god in this maner Blessed be god who norisheth me from my youth who geueth foode to al flesh fil our heart with ioy and gladnesse that in al thinges hauing sufficient we may abound in euery good worke in Christ Iesus our Lord with whom to thee be glory honour rule to gether with the holy Ghost world without end Amen When thou shalt sit at table and begin to breake bread signing it three tymes geue thankes in these wordes We geue thankes to thee o Father for thy holy resurrectioÌ„ by Iesus Christ whom thou hast made knowne vnto vs that as this bread was somtyme dispersed in many cornes now gathered together is made but one so thou wilt vouchsaife to gather together thy church from the endes of the world into thy kingdome because thyne is power and glory world with out end Amen S. Clem. Rom. lib. 7. Constitut Apost cap. 48. et S. Chris in cap. 16. Mat. idem hab Precat Syr. apud Seuer Patriar Alex. de eisdem GLory be to the Father and to the SoÌ„ne to the holy Ghost O Lord god graunt this thy nurishment and fulnesse and plenty vpon this Table which thou hast prepared for thy seruantes and worshipers and multiply it in thy blessinges and goodnesse which doe not passe away nor faile because thou art good merciful ouer euery creature which thy holy handes haue framed o Father and Sonne and holy Ghost world without ende Amen Aurelius Prudent Cathomer in Himn ante cibum O Good Christ Crosse bearer maker of light omnipotent holy word begotten borne of the Virgin but before mighty in thy Father before the starres earth Sea were made I besech thee with a fauourable aspect bow downe thy sauing face with a chearful countenance and shyne vpon vs that vnder the honour of thy diuine power we may receaue this foode Praiers and Thankes after meat S. Athanas lib. de virginitate supra WHen thou shalt rise from table againe geuing thankes three times thou maist say Our gentle and merciful Lord haith geuen meate to those that feare him Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost And againe after the glorification ended finish thy praiers with these wordes God omnipoteut and our Lord Iesus Christ a name that is aboue al name we geue thankes vnto thee and praise thee because thou hast vouchsaifed to make vs partakers of thy good thinges thy earthly good thinges We aske thee and cal vpon thee o Lord that thou wilt geue vs heauenly meate graunt that we reuerene and feare thy venerable and precious name that we breake not thy commaundements Place thy name iustifications in our heartes sanctify our spirit and soule by thy beloued Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ with whom to thee be glory rule world without end Amen Precat Syriac apud Seuerum Patriarch Alexand. in precat GLory be to god for his goodnesse glory to god for his blessinges glory to god who haith fed vs glory to god that haith filled vs glory to our merciful god who haith taken mercy on vs al by the intercession of the Mother of god Mary and al Sainctes world witâ—out end Amen Prudentius supr himn post cibum NOw we haue fed our bodies and receaued foode which the weakenesse of our body requireth let vs geue praise to god the Father the Father that holdeth and ruleth the Cherubim his sacred seate and his Seraphim leaning vpon his highest Throne S. Chrisostom in cap. 16. Math. GLory to thee o Lord glory to thee o holy glory to thee o King because thou hast geuen vs meate in gladnesse fil vs with the holy Ghost that we may be found without shame in thy sight when thou shalt render to euery one according to their workes Amen A priayer before receauing the B. sacrament out of S. Hierome apud Eusebium Cremon de morte Hieron sic Trithem l. de scriptor Verep l. prec et alii O Holy Iesus thou whose magnificence Euseb Cremon scholler to S. Hierom l. de morte Hieronim Tom. 4. oper S. Hieronim Basil impress An. 1565. is so great that no creature can expresse it whom the heauens sea and al thinges which are contained in their circuite cannot receaue thou at thy pleasure ruling preseruing al thinges art contained vnder so smal a portion of bread not by peeces but wholly and perfectly inseparably O vnspeakable admiratioÌ„ o nouelty of al nouelties eyes behold whytnes taist perceaueth sauour smelling sent touching findeth subtilty but hearing presenteth to the heart that those accidentes are not in thee but exist alone without subiect for thou art not bread as seemeth to humane sence but whole Iesus Christ as thou sittest god and man at the right hand of the Father in heauen Haile bread of life who deceâ—dedst from heauen geuing life to those that worthely receaue thee surely hee that worthely receaueth thee although his soule be seperated from his body by temporal death he shal not die eternally For that seperation is not death but a passage from death to life O great vnsearchable mistery The accideÌ„tes of bread are broken by peeces and yet thou remanest whole perfect Christ in euery parcâ—l as thou wast before O noble banquet in which vnder the forme of bread wine whole Christ God and man is receaued and so whole in the forme of bread and eâ—ery parcel therof and in the forme of wine and euery drop thereof as in the forme of the whole bread and wine together For al perfect and whole Christ remaineth vnder the forme of bread euery least parcel thereof the same in the forme of wine and euery drop thereof Missa Rom. D. Petro Apost asscripta And vsed in the primatiue church O Lord Iesus Christ let not the receauing of thy body which I vnworthy presume to take come to me to Iudgment and condemnation but by thy piety let it profit me for defeÌ„ce of soul body receauing cure who liuest and reignest with God the Father in vnity of the holy Ghost God world without end Amen Laus Deo
Ep. 3. IT greatly behoueth al men that are called by the Christian name truly to beleue and acknowledg the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost one God and Lord and with al their The duty of â— Christian mind and al their heart and al their power to loue him and their neighboures as them selues and to be instructed to perfect Doctrine to accoÌ„plish these thinges For faith and Charity are â—he foundation of al Goodnesse Heb. 11. and without Faith no man can can please god Therefore Christ being risen from death ascended into heauen after the holy Ghost was sent the Apostles hauing the knowledg of tongues bestowed vpon them being yet together coÌ„posed the Symbole which the true beleuing Church now holdeth euery one of them saying what he thought That when they should depart one from an other they might preach this rule throughout al natioÌ„s Wherefore so they taught proposing a suÌ„me of the whole Catholick faith in which both the integrity of our beleefe and the equality of one god omnipotent that is the holy Trinity is declared the mistery of the Incarnation of the Sonne of god who for the saluation of mankind descending froâ— his Father in heauen vouchsaifed to be borne of a Virgin and by what meanes when he suffered death how being buried he arose and in his flesh it self ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of the Father and shal come to be our Iudge and how he bestowed remission of sinnes to them that be regenerate in holy baptisme the refurrection of mankind in the same flesh for the life to come For Symbole in greeke is called in latin a Collection And this the said Apostles amonge them selues by the holy Ghost as before is said for the good of vs. It is also named a signe because by this he that truly beleueth is knowne Therfor esaluatioÌ„ of their soules euerlasting life is by good workes prepared to al that beleue the thinges contained in the fore said Symbole An other Meditation vpon the same out of S. Maximus Episc Thaur hom de tradit Symboli WHen among our Fathers as the booke of Iudges maketh mention certaine Tribâ—s of Israel fel to ciuil warres among them selues and because of the like habit of one people there could be no distinction to know the souldiers by that Tribe which had the iustest cause of war because it worthily by the help of god presumed of victory ordained to it self a signe in a secret speach that those whom one liknesse of armour coÌ„founded the mistery of their watch-word might distinguish Which example as I suppose the blessed Apostles imitating deliuered the mistery of the Symbole to the Church of God which they armed against the malice of the deuils fury that because vnder one name of Christ there would be a difference of beleuers the signe of the Symbole might make distinction betwene the true faithful and the misbeleuers And he that was a stranger from faith and enemy of the Church might appeare either as one not baptised that knew it not or as an heritik that had corrupted it A Meditation necessary for a direction to al professing Christ crucified vpon that word of our Creede Crucified Ciril Hieros Catech. 4. Illumin MAny others haue bene crucified but what other that was crucified is there whose inuocation expelleth deuils Therefore let vs not be ashamed of the Crosse of Christ But if any man doth hide it signe thou thy self openly in thy fornead with the Crosse that the deuils seeing thâ— signe of the King may with trembling fleâ— faâ—re of Make this signe when thou eatest when thou drinkest and sitting and standing and speaking and walking breifly in al thy businesse An other of S. Ephrem ser de cruce Dâ—mini DOminus regnauit a Ligno Our Lord haith â—eâ—gned from the tree The Crosse ruleth which al Nations adore Tâ—e Câ—â—sse is the hope of christians the Resurrection of the dead staffâ— of the lame comfort of the poore bridle of the riche subuersion of the proud The Crosse the triumph against deuils a father of orphanes and pupils counseler of the iust comfort ease of the afflicted kâ—eper of infantes head of men crowne of old men a light to them that sitt in darknesse magnificence of Kinges freedom offeruantes wisdom of the vnlearned philosophy of the barbarous The Crosse the preaching of the Prophets companion of the Apostles glorifying of Martyrs shamfastnesse of virgins ioy of Preistes The Crosse fouÌ„dation of the Church and security of the world destruction of the temples of Idols scandal of the Iewes strength of the weake medicine of the sâ—ck food of the hungry and fountain of the thirsty This it is which fastned in the midle Mat. 27. Marc. â—5 of the earth in the place of caluary presently budded forth the best branch of grapes of our life This planted in Luc 23. Io. 19. Phil. 2. Eph. 4. the midle of the earth most prudently haith comprehended the endes of the world On this Christ our God being exalted ledde agaiue captiuity captiue which was detayned by the tyrant beneath In that Christ destroyed the most deuouring belie of hel and stopped the working and wyde open gaping mouth of the deuil He being seene death did tremble and quake for feare and dismissed al free which from the first man vnto that time it had held vnder her rule and tyranny Another of S Chrisostome aduer gent. demonst c. et hom 55. in Matth. THe Crosse which was cursed which was abominable a signe of death is made a thing more noble then Diademes and Crownes For the head is not so adorned with a kingly crown as with the Crosse which is more worthy then any ornament that which in former times al so much abhorred now they so much seeke to haue the signe thereof It is now found in euery place with Princes subiects men women Virgins the maryed bound and free Al men oftentimes signe them selues therewith making it on our noblest member for it is daily figured on our forhead as vpon a piller So it shyneth on the holy Table so in the ordinations of Preists so againe with the body of Christ in the Mistical supper Meruelous is this grace no man is ashamed of it no man bluÌ„ssheth at it thinking that it haith bene the signe of a cursed death but al men are more adorned with it then with â—rownes of Diademes or many Iewels and chaines beset with precious stones Hieronimus Ep. 128 ad Fabiol Exod. 28. Thou shalt make a plate of the purest gold c fastning it on the forhead c. THat which in times past was demoÌ„strated in the golden plate is shewed in the signe of the Cross Then the signe according to the saying of Ezechiel was fastned on the forhead of them that mourned now we that beare the Crosse do say O Lord the light of thy coâ—ntenance is signed Hier. inc 9. Ezech. vpon vs. Kâ—l
and haue mercy for o god thou art merciful and haue mercy vpon vs because we haue sinned before thee Remember not the iniquities of our fathers but remember thy hand and thy name in this time because thou art lord our God and we wil praise thee o lord Eccelsiasticus 23. O Lord Father and ruler of my life forsake me not in their counsel suffer me not to fal in that reproach Who doth impose scourges in my thought and doctrine of wisdome in my heart that they spare me not in their ignorances and their offences appeare not and that mine ignorances may not increase and mine offences multiplied and my sinnes abouÌ„d and I may fal in the sight of mine aduersaries ' my enemy may reioyce O Lord Father and god of my life forsake me not in thought of them Arrogancy of mine eyes geue not vnto me al euil desire turne from me A prayer for repentant sinners out of S. Clement Constut Ap. l. 8. c. 12. ALmighty euerlasting god Lord of al Crearor and gouernour of the world who hast placed maÌ„ for the ornament thereof by Christ geuen him the law natural and written that as a reasonable creature he might haue a rule to liue according vnto it if he should sinne in any thing thou hast deliuered vnto him the foundation of penance thy goodnesse looke vpon them that bow downe the nâ—ckes of thier soule body vnto theâ— because thou desirest not the death of a sinner but Ier. 18. penance that he may returne from his euil way and liue Thou that didest admitte Ionas 3. 1. Tim. 2. the penaÌ„ce of the Niniuites who wouldest al men to be saued coÌ„e to the knowledge of truth Who receaued with fatherly affectioÌ„ Luc. 15. by penance the sonne that lasciueously had consumed his portion receaue now also the penance of them that pray vnto thee because there is none that sinneth not against thee If thou wilt obseâ—â—e Ps 129. our iniqities o Lord o Lord who shal be able to endure it Because with thee there is redemption and bring them againe into thy holy church restoring vnto theÌ„ their former dignity honour by Christ our God and Sauiour by whom glory adoratioÌ„ be vnto thee in the holy Ghost for euer Amen A prayer for deuotion and spiritual knowledg out of S. Ephrem l. de armatura spirituali cap. 8. O Lord Iesus Christ open the eares and eyes of my heart that I may heare and vnderstand thy wordes and obey thy wil. I am a pilgrim on earth keepe not hidden from me thy commauÌ„demeÌ„ts Open my eyes that I may vnderstand the thinges that are admirable in thy law A prayer stiring vp to geue thankes to god for his benefites out of S. Augustine in his booke de spiritu litera cap. 17. VNhappie and wretched maÌ„ that I am how much ought I to loue my god who made me when I was not redeemed me when I was lost I was not he made me of nothing not a stone not a tree not a bird or any other of such creatures but he would haue me to be a man He gaue me to liue to haue sense to vnderstand I was perished and he descended to mortality tooke mortality vpon him suffered his passion ouercame death and so restoared me I was perished gone away because I was sould in my sinnes he came after me that he might redeeme me and he so much loued me that for me he would pay the price of his bloud and with such a couenant reduced me from banishment and redeemed me from slauery Also he called me by his owne name that his memorial might alwaies be vpon me he annoynted me with oile of gladnes with which â—e him self was annointed that of him that is annointed I might be annointed and of Christ might be called a Christian So his grace and mercy haue alwaies preuented me for my deliuerer haith often deliuered me from many daungers When I did erre he reduced me wheÌ„ I was ignorant he taught me when I sinned he corrâ—cted me when I was sad he comforted me wheÌ„ I fainted in hope he strengthned me when I sel he lifted me vp when I stoode he susteined me when I came he receaued me These and many other thinges god haith done for me of which it is a pleasant thing to me alwaies to speake alwaies to thinke al waies to geue thankes that for al his benefites I may alwaies praise loue him A praier to God the holy Ghost for grace sanctification out of S. Ciprian l. de Spir. s COme holy Ghost from heauen enter into those that expect thy consolation Sanctify the temple of our body and conserate it for thy habitatioÌ„ make the soules that desire thee glad with thy presence make the house worthy of such an inâ—abitant as thou art adorne thy bride chamber and compasse about the staying place of thy rest with varieties of vertues strew the pauements with change of coloures let thy mansion shine with flaming carbuncles and brightnesse of precâ—ous stones and the sweete odoures of al graces send out their sauour within Let the liquour of balsamâ—m aboundantly perfume thy lodging with his sweetnesse and driuing from thence whatsoeuer is corrupted whatsoeuer is the seminary of corruption Make this our ioy stable and euerlasting and confirme the renewing of thy creation with incorruptible bewty for euer A Praier out of S. Gregory Nyssene l. de S. bap in fine O Lord thou truly art the pure and euerlasting Fountaine of goodnesse who iustly forsaking vs hast mercifully taken pitie vpon vs hatedst vs and art reconciled hast cursed and hast blessed vs banished vs out of paradise called vs back againe put of from vs figge leaues that vndecent couâ—ring and cloathed vs with a most preceous cloake hast opened the prison and let the coÌ„demned forth hast sprinkled vs with pure water and clensed vs from filthinesse If hereafter Adam be called vnto thee he wil not be ashamed nor his conscience reprouing him for shame hide him self vnder the groue of paradise neither will the fyrie sword compasse it about denying entrance to them that come to it and making the place vnaccessible But al thinges to vs that were heires of sinne are changed into ioy Paradise and heauen it self lyeth open for man Al creatures both of this the world aboue beforetimes at variance are made frendes reconciled and men with Angels reuerencing their diuine learning are at concord and agreed Therefore for al these thinges let vs sing vnto god the hymne of ioy which the mouth endued with the spirit long since prophetically pronounced with a lowde voice Let my soule reioyce in our Lord for he haith put vpon me a sauing cloake and compassed me about with a coate of gladnesse as to a spouse he haith fitted a myter to me and adorned me as a bride The adorner of the spouse is Christ who is and was
and knower of secrets forgeating al the offences that euer I committed open vnto me the doare of the immortal bride-chamber that is thy heauenly glory O immortal Bride-groame let vs heare the voice of blessing O bountiful accompt me in the number of the iust and make vs partakers of thy ioy by the praiers of thine vnspotted Mother making intercession for vs and holy Angels and Apostles and Prophets and Martyrs and al the Iust that euer were who with the Father and holy Ghost art blessed now alwaies and world without end Amen An Examination of conscience or prayers before bed IF I shal enter into the tabernacle Ps 131. of my house if I shal ascend the bed of my coche if I shal geue sleepe vnto mine eyes and slumbering vnto theire liddes and rest to the temples of my head vntil I fynd a place for our Lord. I haue laboured in my groaning I Ps 6. wil euery night wash my bed and I wil watter my coche with teares I wil sleepe and I wil rest in peace Ps 4. for thou o Lord hast singularly placed me in hope A Meditation before sleepe out of Aurel. prudent in Cathemer himn ante somnum O Worshipper of God remember that thou hast bene regenerate with the sacred water of the font of baptisme and renewed with Chrisme Looke that when being oppressed with slâ—epe thou goest to bed that thou signe â—â—y forehead and place of thy heart with the signe of the Crosse The Crosse putteth away al sinne darknesse doth flee the Crosse The soule dedicated to that signe can not wauer O you vaine phantasies of wandering dreames be you farre and farre of O thou winding serpent that by a thousand wiles and deceiptful fraudes doest trouble the quietnesse of the heart depart hence Christ is here tremble the signe which thou knowest condemneth thyne army Although my fainting body lye downe a while to rest yet in sluÌ„ber it self I wil meditate on Christ An other out of S. Basile l. q. diffus explicat q. 37. WHen the day is ended let thankes geuing be made for those thinges that in it were geuen vnto vs or happily done and a confession made of sâ—ch thinges as we haue omitted eâ—â—heâ— volunâ—aâ—ily or o-otherwise also whetheâ—â—â—e sinne was committed secâ—etly â—iâ—â—er in wordes or in deedes or in thâ— hâ—art that for al these thinges we may appease God by praiers For consideration of thinges past bringeth gâ—eat profit to this purpose that afterward we fal not into the like Wherefore Dauid saith Those Ps 4. thinges which you say in your heartes haue compunction of them in your loâ—giâ—ges The Confucor appointed by S. Damasus I Confesse to God almighty to the B. Mary euer Virgin B Miâ—haâ—l Archangel B. Iohn baptist to tâ—e holy Apostles Peter and Paule and al Sainctes that I haue greauously â—ffâ—nded in thought word and deede through my fault my fault my greatest fault Therefore I pray the B. Mary euer Virgin B. Michael Archangel B. Iohn Baptist the holy Apostles Peter Paule and al Sainctes to pray for me to our Lord God S. August lib. Medit. cap. 10. O Lord I know I know confesse that I am not worthy for thee to loue but surely thou art not vnworthy whom I should loue Truly I am vnworthy to serue thee but thou art not vnworthy of the seruice of thy creature therefore geue vnto me of that thou art worthy and I shal be worthy of that I am vnworthy Cause me as thâ—u wilt to cease from sinne that I may serue thee as I ought Graunt that I may so keepe and gouerne and end my life that I may sleepe in peace and rest in thee Graunt me such end that sleepe with rest rest with security security in eternity may receaue me Amen S. Ephrem apud Seuer Patriarch Alex. in precat Syr. GRaunt vnto me o my Lord that waking I may stand watchful in thy sight and if I shal chance to sleepe againe let my sleepe be without sinne And if in my awaking I shal commit any offence by thy grace o my Lord graunt me pardon and if in my sleepe I shal offend thy clemency forgeue me And by the Crucifix of thy humiliation geue me the sleepe of rest and deliuer me from â—uil dâ—eames and filthy imaginations and bring me al night into sleepe ful of quietnesse lest thinges that be euil and cogitations ful of peruersity haue dominion ouer me Geue me the Angel of light to keepe al my members and from cursed concupiscence deliuer me by that liuely body which I haue eaten I wil goe to bedde and sleepe and rest and thy bloud be keeper of me and of my soule which is thy Image Geue liberty to thy creature and thy right hand defend my body which thy handes haue framed and compasse me about with a wal of mercies as with an acceptable saifguard and trench that when my body shal rest and sleepe it may be kept by thy power and let my sleepe be as a perfume of sweete spices before thy Maiesty Let not the euil one come to my lodging by the intercession of her that brought thee forth and by the Sacrifice that is offered by me driue Sathan away I wil heare and execute thy wil o my Lord that heapest also the night with the quietnesse of the iustice of Iesus Christ my Râ—deemâ—r because thou art the true light and thy glory dwelleth in light and the children of light doe adore thee dwelling in light and abiding in light Iesus the word God saue to lif the deceased by thy Crosse spare for thy mercy And to thee and the Father that sent thee and to the holy Ghost in al time be praise Aurel. Prudent in Cathemer Himn ante somn O Fatther most high whom no man at any time haith seene Christ the word of the Father and holy Ghost O one power and light of this Trinity God eueâ—lasting of God God sent from them boâ—h be present with me The labour of the day is ended the hour of rest is come and sleepe doth refresh againe our weary limmâ—s Graunt that a delightful qâ—ietnesse norish our wearied bodâ—e and vaine Imaginations haue no power against vs. Ioannes Virid in Virid ALmighty euerlasting God I geue thankes that thou hast vouchsaifed by thy grace to keepâ— me this day from euil I besech thee that whatsoeuer this day I haue offended in thought word or deede thou wilt vouchsaife by thy passion and death mercifully to pardon it to me a sinner and hereafter to keepe me from al daunger of body and soule that I may in saifty arise to praise the name of thy Maiesty be able gladly to serue thee with a pure heart and a chast body with thankes geuing Amen Our Father which c. Haâ—le Mary c. O Mary Mother of grace Mother of mercy defend vs from the enemy remember vs in the hour of death I beleue in God c S. Augustinus lib.