Ceremonies of the Church be neither the substance nor the perfection of Religion yet they preserve and doe also begett and stirr up in us the reverance and gratefull memory of the holy mysteries of our faith and are an excellent and needfull ornament to religion Yea S. Aug. against Faustus the Manichean heretick li. 19. saith that without externall Ceremonies it is impossible to preserve Religion This supposed and as I hope you will find truly verifi'd by what doth follow that now which in the next place I am to recommend to you is that you having payed due honour and homage to God by your morning prayer then apply your selfe to such employments as the obligation of your present calling and condition may require of you But if afterward good leasure and oportunity be permitted you to heare the divine sacrifice of the Masse omitt not to be present at that supreame act of our Christian religion wherby we give to God the highest honour of sacrifice which is proper to him alone there being offered to him that most gratefull Host of the law of grace which is the sacred body and blood of Jesus Christ that most pure and immaculate lambe of God which though but once only offered in a visible and bloody manner for us upon the Crosse as a sacrifice of Redemption for all the sins of the world yet that very self same sacred Host and victime now daily is offered upon the holy Altar by the hands of the Priest in an unbloody and invisible forme not as a new price or payment for our sins that being here only applyed in the Masse which was already payed upon the Crosse Like as it is also applyd unto our soules both by faith by Baptisme and the other Sacraments and therefore is here in the Masse but only as the reall true sacrifice of application of the very selfsame victime not in a bloody and visible manner but in an unbloody and invisible under the sacramentall formes of bread and wyne And how avayleable now it is to all who devoutly assist at this holy sacrifice much and vith great authority might here be said but my designe ayming at brevity take only what that divinely devout Thomas a Kempis tells us in his imitation of Christ chap. 7. lib. 4. There is no oblation more worthy saith he no satisfaction greater for the washing away of sin then to offer up our selves to God purely with the oblation of the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the Masse and holy communion Now that this holy sacrifice of the Masse is a most true and lively representation of the life and death of Jesus Christ he who shall observe either the ornaments of the Priest or the ceremonies and holy mysteries in the Masse will be forced to confesse that to be most true as it will manifestly appeare to any who reade but our Catholick Authors that explicate the primitive institution of the same And to begin with the holy Altar of the Altar and vvhat it signifies he shall finde that it hath relation to sacrifice which must necessarily be offered to God in the Church where his true faith is professd And therfore this name of Altar is given to us by S. Paul Hebr. 13.10 we have an Altar whereof they have not power to cate whoserve the Tabernacle And 1. cor 9.24 and S. Math. 5.24 all which is abundantly sufficient warrant for us to use this name of Altar Which represents the table wheron our divine Redeemer did celebrate the last supper with his Disciples 〈…〉 the night before his bitter death and passion The linning for the altar or the altar cloathes are to bee very pure and white they representing the purity of our blessed Saviours humanity from all stayne of sin or disordered passion That linning is also to be blest to signify the great sanctity of Jesus Christ his life which we must endeavour of the lighted candles upon the altar the best we can to imitate The lighted candles upon the altar admonish us according to S. Luke to be ready in imitation of the wise Virgins with the oyle of good workes in our lampe of true faith and to expect at the pronouncing those sacred and operative words of consecration the reall and true substantiall presence of that our divine and heavenly spouse who requires the light of our good workes so to shine before men as therby they may be mooved to glorify their Father who is in Heaven The two candels signify the two testaments of holy scripture the old and new They also signify the light of fatih revealed to the Jew and Gentill And they advertise us of the great splendor both of faith of good life and workes required in the celebrating of so heigh and dreadfull a mystery of the Crosse and Crucifix The Crosse or Crucifix is the principall ornament upon the Altar which ought never to be wanting at the celebration of the Masse It betokens our B Redemers victory over death and is placed at the midst of the altar most in view to represent to our minde the death and passion of Jesus Christ which is there chiefly to be considered and piously meditated in that holy sacrifice The Chalice doth represent the cup wherin our B. saviour did consecrate his most precious blood Math. 26. of the chalice And it puts us in minde of his sacred passion our B. saviour himselfe so calling it the Chalice of his passion The Paten serveth for the use of the consecrated body of our Lord of the Paten as the Chalice doth for his most precious blood And as it doth cover the topp of the Chalice it represents the stone which was rouled against the dore of the holy sepulcher Mark 15. The white linnen corporall upon which is consecrated the most precious body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ of the corporall doth represent to us that white and pure syndon wherein Joseph ab Aremathia involued his most sacred corps before it was buried The cleane and bright purity wherof doth aptly admonish all such as by the holy communion receive and harbour within their breasts this sacred and most precious body of Jesus Christ to be chast and cleane both of body and soule and endued with true purity of intention The Vaile doth cover both Paten and Chalice all round about of the vaile And it represents to us the handkercher wherwith our saviour's most sacred head was covered when he was layd in the sepulcher Wherof mention is made Luke 24. S. Peter having discovered it in the sepulcher and he there beheld the linnen lying apart and the handkercher which had been wrapped about his head Of the severall colours which the Church useth for her ornaments and the meaning of them THe Propht Ezechiel in his 6. chap. speaking of the splendor of the Church seemes to place a great part of her glory in the various colours of her beutifull robes Which
in helping forward prosecute them that all our prayers and workes may begin alwayes from thee and begun by thee may so be ended Through Lord Jesus our mercifull Redeemer Amen Our Father c. Haile Mary c. I beleeve in God c. All as above I Confesse me to Almighty God To the blessed Virgin S. Marie To the blessed S. John Baptist To the holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and to all the Saints in Heaven that I have grievously sinned in thought Word and deed Through my fault Through my fault through my most grievous fault Therfore I Beseech the blessed Virgin Marie blessed S. Michel the Archangel blessed S. John Baptist the holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and all the Saints in Heaven ro pray unto our Lord God for me Almighty God have mercy upon us and all our sinnes being forgiven he bring us to everlasting life Amen Almighty and mercifull Lord give unto us pardon absolution an remission of all our sins Amen Vouchsafe O Lord to keepe us this day without sin be mercifull unto us let thy mercy O Lord be upon us even as we have our trust in thee O Lord heare my prayer and let my cry come to thee O Father Almigthy who hast brought us to the beginning of this new day save us by thy power to the end that we fall not this day into sin but that our words our thoughts and workes may be directed to execute thy justice through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen A devout recommendation to be used every morning I Adore blesse and glorify thee O holy Trinity God Omnipotent Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Behold I offer my selfe to thy Divine Majesty Take from me I beseech thee and from all faithfull Christians what soever displeaseth thee and give unto us that which is gratefull in thy sight and grant that we may become such as we are comanded to be I recommend unto thee O Lord my soule my body my wife my children my Father and Mother my brothers and sisters my kindred and benefactors friends and enemies and all those who have recommended themselves to my prayers or for whom I am bound to pray I commend unto thee the holy Catholique Church grant O Lord that every one may know thee that all may worship honour and reverence thee all may love thee and likewise be beloved of thee Those who erre reduce and bring againe into the way Destroy all false sects and heresies convert all to the true faith grant O Lord thy peace let thy holy will de donne comfort and help all who are in tribulation and misery as well Spirituall as corporal Grant O Lord unto the living grace and to the faithfull soules departed mercy and everlasting rest A recommendation to God INto the hands of thy infinit mercy O Lord I commend my soule and body my senses my words my counsailes my thoughts my workes and all my actions with all the necessites of my body and soule my conversation my death and resurrection with thy Saints and happy elect Amen A recommendation of ourselves to the blessed Virgin Mother of God To the Angels and Saints out of S. Augustin ch 40. of his medit O Marie Mother of God our Lord and Saviour Jes Christ thou sacred and unspotted Virgin vouchsafe to make intercession for me unto him who made thee a worthy temple for himselfe to inhabit O S. Gabriel S. Raphael O holy quiers of Angels and Archangels of Patriarkes and Prophets of Apostles and Evangelists of Martyres and Levits of Monkes and Virgins and all such as have lived righteously I beseech you even for his sake by whom you have been elected and in whose contemplation you have so much delighted that you will be pleased to pray for me a poore sinner unto him our God that I may be delivered from the furious jawes of the infernal Fiend and from that death which shall never have end Amen A devout Prayer to our Lord Iesus O My divine and most mercifull Redeemer Jesus sonne of God and of the glorious Virgin Marie who dying for all mankind and me the third day didst rise againe I beseech thee deare Lord have mercy on me a vile and wretched sinner but yet thy creature and for thy bitter Passion save and keepe me from all perils bodily and ghostly and specially from all things that may turne to thy displeasure And with all my hart I thanke thee most mercifull Lord for the many mercies thou hast shewd me in the great dangers I have past both in body and soule and as thy grace and endlesse goodnesse hath alwayes kept and saved me from the houre of my birth until this day so Lord I beseech thee that thy mercy may continue my safety And for my many offences and great ingratitudes of my sinful life I humbly aske mercy And for that I cannot leade such a life as it becommeth thy servant I humbly prostrate and cry God be merciful to me a most wretched sinner And I humbly thanke thee most gracious Lord for the multitude of Divine benefits which thou hast more largely bestowed on me then upon many others who have much better deserved them then I. Wherefore most gracious Lord I humbly thanke thee rendring all honour and praise to thy holy name who livest and reygnest one God world without end Amen A Prayer to persever in goodnesse GRant O Lord Jesu that I may persever in good purposes and in thy holy service untill my death and that I may now this present day perfectly begin for it is nothing that hitherto I have done A Prayer to our Angel guardian O Angel of God who art my keeper illuminate guard rule and governe me this day by the supernal piety committed to thee Amen O Lord blesse us and defend us from all evill and bring us to eternall life And the soules of the faithful through the mercy of God rest in peace Amen A blessing THe peace of our Lord Jesus Christ the vertue of his sacred holy passion the signe of the holy crosse the integrity and great humility of the blessed Virgin Mary the blessing of the glorious Saints the keeping of the happy Angels and the suffrages of all the chosen of God be with me and between me and all myne enemies now and in the hour of my death sweet Jesu Amen The Almigthy and mercifull God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost blesse and keepe us nowe and evermore When at morning noone and evening you heare the Ave Mary bell to ring say THe Angel of God declared unto Mary and shee conceived of the Holy Ghost Haile Mary full of grace c. Behould the hand-maide of our Lord be it unto me according to thy word Haile Mary full of grace c. And the word was made flesh and dwelt in us Haile Mary full of grace c. The Prayer VOuchsafe we beseech thee O Lord to power forth thy grace into our harts that we who know the
Lord Lambe of God who taketh away the sins of the world Have c. Christ heare us Christ graciously heare us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Let us pray O God of unspekable mercy who hath vouchsafed for our sakes to me made not only Man but the sonne of Man and wouldst have a woman to be thy Mother on Earth who from all Eternity hadst God to be thy Father in Heaven Grant we may celebrate her memory most devoutly venerate her Maternity most syncerly and be most humbly subject to her most excellent dignity who hath conceived Thee of the Holy Ghost hath brought Thee fourth of her wombe remaying a pure Virgin and to whom thou hast most humbly pleased to be subject heare on Earth who art the only begotten sonne of God our Lord Jesus Christ who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and rayneth world whithout end Amen DEfend we beseech Thee o Lord by the intercession of the ever Virgin Mary this thy family from all adversity and prostate before Thee with all our hartes protect us favorably from the snare of our enemies Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy only sonne who liveth with Thee in the vnity of the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen Finis Soli Deo Honor Gloria 10. May 1669. COurteous Reader bookes of this nature not being easily permitted to be printed at home no diligence of the corrector can avoyde the many faults which the Printer not understanding our langage must needs be very subject to committ His ignorance deserves your pardon and my paynes your prayers which I doe hartely crave Submitting intirely all the rest to the correction of the holy Cotholik Church Hopeing that if this little Manuel be used wiht the like intention whrewith it was composed the fruit will be not unanswerable to his desire who is a harty and true well wisher of the greatest happinesse to your dearest soule THE DOCTORS APPROBATION I Vnder vvitten Doctor of Divinity in the Vniversity of Paris have read ouer a little booke intitled a MANNVEL OF THE POORE MANS DEVOTION c. composed by VV.C. In vvhich I finde nothing contrary to the Catholike Apostolike and Roman faith or good manners but rather much that inciteth Christians to the true practise of solide piety and Devotion In vvittnesse vvheroff I have hereunto sett my hand this 2. day of Feb. 1669. F. GAGE Libellum Anglo idiomate scriptum à viro piissimo pariter ac Nobilissimo D. VV. C. sacerdote Anglo compositum optimis Instructionibus Meditationibus Orationibus plenum magna cum delectatione per legi in quo nihil nisi valde orthodoxum Christianae vitae ac Religiouis profectum quaerentibus maximè vero Neophytis vtilissunum deprehendi sapit porro authoris sui pietatem maximam ac viâ—ae integritatem quippe qui genetis splendorem quo maximè inter Anglos fulget virtutum suarum splendore excellere videatur Quamobrem bono Catholicorum Anglicanae diâ—ionis consulens hunc prelo dignissimum censeo ut ibi aliquos reperiat imitatores qui omnes vbique reperiet approbatores Datum Parisiis die 10. Decembris an restaurarae salutis 1669. I. MOLLONY sacrae Theologiae Facultatis Parisiensis Doctor A TABLE Of the chief contents in this Manuel A morning Exercice of holy prayer Page 3. The Angelus Domini for morning Noone and Evening pag. 14. Advertisments much conducing to Christian perfection pag. 15. An eveing Exercise for prayer before bedd pag. 17. King David his 7. Penitentiall Psalmes With the Litaniy of the Saints pag. 27. The true end of Man pag. 49. Of gratitude due to Iesus Christ p. 51. Our maine affaire is to save our soules pag. 53. Of Gods divine presence pag. 54. We ougth to distrust our selves p. 55. Against detraction and calumny p. 57. Of flying the oecasion of sin pag. 59. The small number of the Elect. p. 61. Of suffering persecution for justice sake pag. 63. Mans life subjct to innumerable miseries pag. 65. Reflection upon the word of Eternity pag. 68. The signification of Priestly Ornaments And of the other Ceremonies and divine Mysteries of the Masse pag. 71. A devout Exercise for hearing Masse with true profitt and piety p. 103. Spirituall advises of S. Theresa conducing to live happily with God and Man pag. 131. Pious Reflections for embracing vertue and flying vice which may be used as the subject of so many profitable Meditations pag. 136. Of the Sacrament of Confession p. 175. A table of sins helping the memory for a generall Confession pag. 180. An Act of Contrition pag. 196. A prayer before Confession pag. 197. A prayer exciting compunction for our sins pag. 20â— An Examen of Conscience for such as often frequent the Sacrament of Penance pag. 209. A devout prayer after Confession pag. 214. Of the Holy Communion pag. 221. Prayers before the Holy Communion pag. 230. A preparatory meditation hofore the holy Communion pag. 238. Prayers after the holy CoÌ„munion pag. 238. The Canticle of the 3. Children pag. 243. The Canticle of Zachary pag. 243. The B. Virgins Canticle of Magnificat pag. 247. The Himne of S. Ambrose and S. Augustin in thankes giving to God at his conversion pag. 248. The Psalme 148. wherein all creatures are invited to praise God pag. 251. A Meditation of thankes giving after Communion pag. 253. An Exercise for practising acts of the most necessary vertues pag. 256. Holy maxims pronounced by Iesus Christ much different from the maxims of the world pag. 293. Devout prayers to be said at convenient oportunity as each shall best make choyce p. 298. Of Aspirations and jaculatory prayers pag. 346. Of Meditation pag. 358. Matter of Meditation for each day in the weeke pag. 363. An Exercise preparatory to death With the recommendation of the soule in English pag. 379. An abridgment of the afore-said exercice which may bee used every day pag. 441. An appendix containing a touch stone of true and false prayer pag. 444. The Litany of our Saviour Iesus pag. 451. The Litany of our B. Lady p. 465. The faults escaped in printing the courteous Reader vvill easily both correct and pardon
variety of mysticall colours symbolyzing with the severall vertues of the glorious Saints doth greatly adorne and beautify this holy spouse and is to us a motive and great encouragement to imitate those holy vertues which by meanes of these various coulours used in the Church are so fitly proposed to our view Nor was it without great reason that God in the old law appointed those 4. different colours for the Priests and Churches ornaments which were the colour bissynus that is a yallow colour like to that of raw silke The second was purpureus colour The purple colour The third was hyacinth that is a violet read blew or violet purple The fourth was coccineus that is a scarlet or crimson colour And as these different colours had their severall mysticall meanings for the peoples instruction so I doubt not but the impartiall reader will confesse no lesse to be contayned in the meanig of these colours which the Church inspired by the holy Ghost hath appointed to be used in the law of grace for the ornaments of Christ's holy Church and for the Priests vestments belonging to the same as by this briefe declaration it wil appeare The white colour is used upon the feasts of Angels Confessors What meaneth the vvhite colour used by the church and Virgins To represent to us the imitation of their holy chastity and saintly purity As also upon the solemne feasts of the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Upon the Resurrection Ascension Corpus Christi and other the chiefest feasts of the greatest mysteries of our Faith which are to be celebrated in the white colour of Symbolyzing joy as testifies our Saviour's glorious splendor at his Transfiguration The two Angels in white who denounced his Resurrection And the joyfull white of his Saints in Heaven Apoc. 3.4 and Apoc. ca. 4. v. 4. Red What is signifi'd by the red colour is the scarlet dye of our B. Saviours passion and is the proper colour for the Churches ornements upon the feasts of the holy Crosse Of the Apostles and blessed Martyrs to shew that their glorious passage from this valley of misery to eternall joy was through the red sea of many tribulations and that their glory is purchased with the price of their owne deare blood They dyed their robes in the blood of the lambe Apoc. 7. The green colour is used in the Church from the octave of Epiphanie till Septuagesima What is signifid by the green colour And from the octave of Pentecost till Advent exclusively contayning the greatest part of the whole yeare and is to be industriously employed for our pourchasing Heaven which is to be got by vigorous force well represented by this colour the hierocliff of youth and consequently betokens this courageous and vigorous strength in vertuous exercises wherby that celestiall Citty is to be conquered The violet colour is a kind of blew What meaneth the violet colour and resembleth the colour of the sky of Heaven which we must know to be fast shutt againgst all sinners who by their true repentance shall not amende And therfore this colour is used in the Church all lent and Advent the proper tymes allotted for the practise of the worthy fruits of holy penance and satisfaction for our sins the only unhappy barr of the gate of Heaven against our soules Black is the mourning standart of the Church What meaneth the black colour displayed upon her Altars and other ornaments in the mournfull tymes wherin we celebrate the death and passion of our loving Lord and divine Redeemer Jesus Christ It also is used at the office of the deade therby to testify as well a civill respect from nature for our present separatiō from our frends as also to stirr up and moove in us therby a true compassion of their soules temporal great paine in Purgatory for whose speedy reliefe we ought most hartely to pray Having briefly here spoke of the quality and colours of the chiefe ornaments belonging to the Altar I will with like brevity treate also about the vestments and attyre belonging to the Priest for celebration of the holy sacrifice of the Masse that high function and supremest divine homage which can be done to him by any creature And therefore those ornaments if not very rich at least they ought to be comely and very decent as well in regard of that great reverence which is most due to those sacred mysteries as also that those divine actions should be had in greater veneration and therby the better to represent to us Christs bitter death and passion as I shall here declare by the meaning of those severall ornaments Observing here first the great antiquity and use of those holy ornaments which well appeares in England by that of S. Gregory the great who above a thousand yeares agoe did send into our Country vessals for the Altar Reliques bookes and ornaments for the Priests and Clearkes as both S. Bede and most historians doe declare The meaning of the severall ornaments which the Priest doth weare in celebrating the holy Masse THE Amice which the Priest puteth over his head What meaneth the amice that first ornament the Priest puts on vvhen be goeth to celebtate doth signify the humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ under which lay hid and covered his most sacred Divinity 2. it signifies the linnen napkin wher with this our Mercifull Redemer was blind-foulded and after strock upon the face by those sacrilegious Iewes then saying to him Prophecy to us Math 26 o Christ who is he that strouck thee by which outrageous injury suffered for our sakes he purchaced grace enabling us to behould him face to face in eternall glory In putting it on he saith put on o Lord the helmit of salvation upon my head that I may overcome all my temptations to wicked sin The Albe or long white garment of the Albe doth signify the robe of innocency given us in the Sacrament of Baptisme And it represents the white garment which Herod put upon our Saviour reputing him as an ideot when with mockery and derision he sent him backe to Pilate The Priest putting it on he saith Luke 23 Make me white o Lord and cleanse my hart that being whitned in the blood of the lambe I may enjoy eternall gladnesse The girdle which the Priest puts about him of the Girdle doth signify the corde wherewith our Saviour was bound to the pillar when the cruell souldiers scourged him The two ends of the girdle turned up the one on the right side and the other on the left doe signify the two meanes to conserve our chastity which are fasting and prayer wherby we subdue the flesh and strengthen the spirit The Priest when he puteth the girdle about him saith gird me o Lord with the girdle of purity and quench in my loynes the humour of lust that there may remayne in me the vertue of continency and Chastity The Manuple represents to us
our forefathers to Abraham and his seede for ever Glory be to the Father c. The himne of S. Ambrose and S. Augustin in praise and thankes giving to God at his Conversion WE praise thee God we confesse thee our Lord. Thee the everlasting Father all the earth doth worship To thee all Angels to thee the Heavens and universall powers To thee Cherubin and Seraphin doe cry out with incessant voyce Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth Full are the Heavens and the Earth of the Majesty of thy glory Thee the glorious Quire of the Apostles Thee the laudable number of Prophets Thee the white cloathed army of Martyrs doth praise Thee the holy Church throughout the world doth confesse The Father of infinit Majesty The venerable true and only sonne Also the Holy Ghost the comforter Thou O Christ the King of Glory Thou art the everlasting sonne of the Father Thou willing to take upon thee to deliver Man didst nor abhorre the Virgins wombe The sting of death being overcome thou hast opened the kingdome of Heaven to all beleevers Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father Thou art beleeved to be the judge that shall come We therfore beseech thee help thy servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood Make us to be rewarded with thy Saints with eternall glory O Lord make safe thy people and blesse thy inheritage And governe them and extoll them even for ever Every day we doe blesse thee And we praise thy name for ever and for ever and ever Vouchsafe o Lord this day to keepe us without sin Have mercy upon us o Lord have mercy upon us Let thy mercy o Lord be upon us even as we have hoped in thee In thee o Lord have I hoped let me not be confounded for ever Psalme 148. wherein all creatures spirituall and corporall are invited to praise God their Creator and conserver PRaise yee our Lord from the Heavens praise yee him in the high places Praise yee him all his Angels praise yee him all his Hostes Praise yee him sunne and moone praise yee him all yee starres and light Praise him yee heavens of heavens and the waters that are above the heavens let them praise the name of our Lord. Because he said and they were made he commanded and they were created He establisht them for ever and for ever and ever he put the precept and it shall not passe Praise yee our Lord from the earth yee dragons and all the depthes Fyre haile snow ice spirit of stormes which doe his word Mountaines and all little hilles trees that beare fruit and all Ceders Beastes and all cattle serpents and fethered foules Kinges of the earth and people Princes and all judges of the earth Young Men and Virgins old with young let them praise the name of our Lord because his name alone is exalted The confession of him above heaven and earth and he hath exalted the horne of his people An himne to all his Saints to the children of Israel people approaching unto him Alleluya praise yee our Lord. A MEDITATION of thankes giving after the holy Communion What shall I render to our Lord for all things that he hath rendred to me Psal 15.3 IT may well be accompted an exorbitant neglect and sacrilegious irreverence having been visited by so souveraine a Majesty to use so small respect in leaving him so immediatly after his vouchsafing to visit us by turning to entertayne our selves with frivolous thoughts and needlesse businesses more slighting this our heavenly Guest therby then we would an ordinary friend whom civility would oblidge us to give much longer and more respectfull entertainement This is the cause that we reape so little spirituall profit by that divine presence And moreover it cannot chuse but give much scandall to the people to see the Communicant leave the Church almost so soone as he doth the Altar Scarce giving any sitt leasure or decency for his acknowledgment of thankes and leaving therby an ill example to others to doe the like and to conceive lesse esteeme of that divine and holy mystery A practise for this thankes giving may be after the usuall prayers of the Church for that purpose to produce some acts of severall vertues as of faith of hope of charity humility confusion adoration conformity patience and the like Others consider Gods divine attributes as his goodnesse his justice his wisdome his power his immensity his sanctity and the like and this with comparison to our contrary defects in all Let us finally conclude with humble thankes for all his benefits craving humbly his grace for the chiefe necessities of our soules and finally to consecrate to him all our actions and sufferings beseeching him that we may sooner be struck dead then to give a deliberate consent to any mortall sin This is a true Christian and profitable practise for thankes giving either after Masse or communion to preserve our soules and bodies also true to God all the day after he having vouchsafed to take possession of his habitation therein And when negligent in this holy practise they must not marvaile that after so many holy Communions they remaine with out fruit and all progresse in vertue they neither aporoaching with fitt disposition nor yet using due thanksgiving afterwards Let us therfore resolue seriously to amende this sinfull ingratitude and to entertaine our divine and souveraine Lord one good quarter of an houre at least in that so precious and very advantageous a tyme wherin to heare him speake to our harts and for us to propose to him our greatest spirituall necessities and to beg grace to overcome the temptations of all our ghostly enemies An exercise for practising the Acts of the most necessary vertues ALthough it be the holy Ghost which tells us that by walking from vertue to vertue we must obtayne everlasting life and that so many virtuous actions as the just shall practise in this life are so many stepps by which they raise themselves to mount unto Paradise yet how great is the number of Christians who faile exceedingly in this point and paradventure in all their life scarce rightly frame in their harts one act of true vertue contenting themselves to recite but vocally some certaine prayers with otheroutward religious duties which are ordinarily voyde of that inward feeling which ought to accompany the same And therfore you have here a forme for makeing Acts of the most necessary vertues to assist such persons as have most need of this instruction to forme them rightly in their harts they beinge made for the greater facility in the forme of prayer Which because in few words they expresse the acts of those excellent vertues it will not be sufficient that they only recite them with their lipps unlesse therwithall they joyne a diligent attention and that in pronouncing the words they also well conceive what they signify framing in their harts the true sense and feeling of what
they meane Acts of the love of God WHo am I my Souveraine Creator and who art thou who thus imposest so expresly on me a commande to love thee was it not sufficient for thee my God to permit me so to doe and was it not thy abundant goodnesse to permit thy selfe to be belou'd by so poore and so wretched a hart as mine and with thy grace ther unto to enable me Wherfore seeing that is thy commande my God I will obey and though a wretch and unworthy sinner I here in thy presence protest that I will love thee with my whole hart and with my soule and force And from hencefourth I chuse thee for ever to be the chiefe and Souveraine object af all the purest affections of my hart the accomplishment of whose blessed will I preferr before all that is in Heaven or Earth yea and my dearest life I would hold most gladly employd to testify this my love and due homage vnto thee O deare Jesu king of eternall beauty and heavenly glory I will no other inheritance but the O divine keeper of my soule take thou possession of this my hart wich was created for thee and pierce it with a thousand wounds of pure love that I may sweetly languish with wholsome sorrow for my having so much offended thee Acts of Faith OOmnipotent and Eternall God who hast given me an understanding to knowe thee and a wil to love thee I here protest before thy souveraine Majesty that with a firme faith I doe beleeve what thy holy Church inspired by the holy Ghost proposeth to be beleeved to which I intirely submit as being reveled to her by thee which therfore I embrace professe and by thy grace shall persever in it untill my dying day And I doe utterly disclayme and disavow what thy beloued spouse the holy Catholik Church condemns This is the faith which I professe and wherin I desire to be found at the hour of my death and at that dreadfull day of dome to be judgd by it accordingly Acts of Hope ALl my hope and considence is in thy mercy my loving God and in the sacred merits of my divine Redeemer Iesus by whom I hope for remission of my sins and humbly trust in his great goodnesse to continue in thy grace to my lives end and to praise and glorify him with thee o eternall Father and with the holy Ghost for all Eternity this my hope is laid up in my bosome Iob. 19. And although through humane fralty I daily offende thee yet I hope most gracious Lord by thy divine assistance to amende and to gaine more strength and constancy against my ghostly enemies O Lord of infinit mercy to whom a sorrowfull ād repentinge hart is alwayes a greatefull sacrifice although the multitude of my fins and great ingratitude might tempt me to despaire yet certaine I am my mercifull God that a contrite and humble hart thou wilt not dispise Psal 50. Acts of Adoration WIth the profundest and most humble respect of my soule prostrate both in hart and body before thy souveraine Majesty ô Omnipotent and eternall God I adore and acknowledge thee my souveraine Lord both of my life and beeing who can againe reduce me to that nothing out of which thou first createdst me and who by thy meere boundlesse goodnesse hast preserved me from it till this present day I render thee ô Lord all adoration and homage as thy submissive and humble creature depending intirely upon thy blessed will and pleasure And considering that what honour I am able to render to the merit of thy infinit Deity is so inconsiderable to supply that great defect I offer to thee the adoration which eternally thy Saints and Angels shall ever render to thee and my great desire is that all the creatures of Heaven and Earth may blesse adore and glorify thee with endlesse praise for all Eternity Acts of thankes giving and gratitude I Have merited nothing accordinge to the effect of thy great liberality to me ô my great God nor is there any thing in me which could move thee to bestow so great and many benefits both of body and soule on me who am so farr vncapable to render thee due thankes for having created redeemed preserved and calld me to the happy way for my salvation Thou hast given me o Lord reason both to know and serve thee and what daily favours hast thou conferd on me from how many perils of body and soule hast thou carefully by thy fatherly providence preserud me how great spirituall benefits hast thou bestowd on me by the merits of the bitter death and passion of my most loving Redeemer Jesus how often hast thou nourisht my soule at the sacred table with the bread of Angels wherby to give true force and grace to serve thee O how often hast thou awaked me from the mortall drousinesse of sin by thy heavenly grace and prevented me by thy holy inspirations from grievously offending thee Accept o heavenly Father in stead of my defect all the acceptable workes which Jesus Christ my loving Saviour hath offered to thee for me take this in my acknowledgment of due gratitude for these thy gracious benefits bestow'd on me and grant that all my life may be a continuall thankes giving to thy divine Maiesty to whom only is due all honour glory praise and benediction for ever and ever without end Acts of Love towards our Enemies THou hast taught me o God of all love both by thy word and example to love my enemies yea the whole practise of thy divine life well appears to have been a continuall exercise of doing good for evill as also was thy death the souveraine sacrifice to expiate their sins O grant me grace I beseech thee herein to imitate thy charity and to observe this thy holy commande Forgive therfore sweet Jesus I beseech thee all those that persecute and doe me any injury grant them finall repentance of all their sin̄es and after a happy persevetance in thy grace to enjoy thee in eternall blisse Acts of Humility I Acknowledge and before thee my God doe confesse that of my selfe I am a pure nothing neyther any thing could I doe My extraction is from nothing and my inheritame and proper share is only weackenesse sin and misery It is thou o Lord who hast drawne me from my nothing wherrin without thy meere goodnesse I had continued for all Eternity and thither should I againe returne wer 't not thy powerfull hand which continually preserves me from it All this I now acknowledging for truth what greater follye can ther be then to flatter my selfe with vaine esteeme nay lett me but passe yet one stepp further onn and consider my innumerable sins committed against this souveraine Majesty ought not I then to confesse my ill deserving the least of these thy so gracious benefits I doe acknowledge to my great confusion and thy glory that I neither have deserved thy consolation nor from thy creatures