Three sorts of preparation for saying the Divine Offices THe first of living well which is to be exercised in doing all pious works to restrain our selves from all vanities and daily to keep our hearts free and pure from all things that may in the least sort soyle them alwaies directing our thoughts and works whatsoever unto Almighty God and his honour The 2. is that before we begin the Divine Office we be carefull to recollect our spirits excluding all forrain thoughts or whatsoever may give us distraction in our Divine Office considering seriously what wee are going bouâ—… It behoveth us also diligently to weigh these things following That we come To worship God To thank God To intreate God First we come to worship God in three persons and one essence with the worship of Patria which is due to God alone for the benefit of justification that is the Incarnation of his only son our B. Saviour his life death Resurrection and Ascension which Mysteries we ought carefully to consider and ponder with great devotion and reverence 2. We come to thank God in praysing him for the great benefits which we have received and do momentarily receive and hope to receive herafter Therfore it is requisit that we behold and renew the same every houre and moment of our life but especially when we are so particularly employed in a worke that hath so great relation and adherence thereunto 3. We go to intreat God in beseeching his most immeasurable clemency for our own necessities and those of the whole Church but to bring all these particulars with more facility to our mind it will assist us much attentively to think that nothing is more necessary or profitable for us then God The 3. Preparation is a zealous prayer which we must make to the end we may worthily finish the task of our devotions and in imitation of the three Kings offer to his divine goodnes the gold of devotion the frankincense of attention and the Myrrhe of constant perseverance Being to begin the Office you may say I adore thee O Christ and bless thee O Lord for by thy Cross and Passion thou hast redeemed the world Thou art my God and I will exalt thee To thee be praise To thee be glory To thee be thanks giving for ever All creatures worthily worship thee praise glorify and adore the most high and undivided Trinity and the humanity of my blessed Lord Jesu who in time past was conversant with men upon earth and now sits at the right hand of his Eternall Father J beseech the Holy Virgin with the holy Angels and Saints and those whose feasts are celebrated this day throughout the whole Church that they will all help me with their aid and furtherance to the end I may finish this my office worthily to the true praise of Almighty God and the profit of my soule Amen For the Prayer before the lesser Houres take either REX CHRISTE c. or the Prayer following O Good Jesu I desire for the love and honour which I owe unto you humbly to obey you faithfully to serve you and purely to love you in union of that most perfect attention which you being here on Earth prayed and praised your heavenly Father Help me O Lord Jesu with your holy grace for being left by you I shall be able to do nothing Amen Devout Meditations at Gloria Patri GLory be to the Father who when I was not hath created me Glory be to the son who when I was lost hath redeemed me Glory be to the Holy Ghost who hath sanctified me and the elect of God Here ensue certain holy Meditations of the 7. Effusions distributed for the Canonical Houres At Matins COnsider with devotion and yield manifold thanks to our B. Saviour for the effusion of his pretious blood and suffererings in his Circumcision offering the dolours and pains of the said effusion to God the Father for all those that are in state of mortall sin that it would please his divine goodnes to give them a perfect knowledge of their offences with contrition confession satisfaction and amendment At Laudes POnder and give thanks for the dolorousness pain and effusion of blood which our Saviour CHRIST JESUS endured in the garden a little before he was apprehended and taken where with great pain and agony he sweat blood and water offering this spiritually unto God the Father for those that are in the state of grace favour and love of God and his holy name that it would please him to conserve them in that state and purity At Prime YIeld many thanks for the pain and effusion of blood which our B. saviour CHRIST JESUS suffered in his flagellation offering it up unto God the Father for all those that are in any affliction or tribulation be it spirituall or corporall beseeching his divine Majesty to conserve each one of them as he knoweth to be most to his honour and the health of their soules At Tierce IN devout contemplation give Many thanks unto God our sweet Saviour CHRIST IESUS for the effusion of his most precious blood which he endured in his crowning with thorns offering it to God the Father for our parents kinred and benefactours and all for whom wee are any wayes obliged to pray beseeching him to give them his holy grace to live in his true love and feare and at their death to possess everlasting life At Sext. YIeld manyfold thanks unto our B. Saviour IESUS for the paines and effusion of his pretious blood which issued forth of his hands and feet being nailed on the Cross offering it to God the Father for the state of our holy Mother the church that the Popes holines and all Ecclesiasticall Powers may be exalted to the increase of his honour and have grace strength and ability well to discharge what is committed to them therein At None GIve manifold thanks unto our B. Saviour for the effusion and shedding of his sacred blood when nayled to the Cross his most holy side was pierced with a lance offering it to God the Father for the Conversion of all Hereticks particularly for England that it would please him to enlighten them with his holy grace to know and embrace the truth that they with all others may in union and perfect charity love praise and magnify him everlastingly At Evensong CAll to mind the dolorous Mystery of our B. Saviours taking from the Cross and lying in the lapp of his Mother offering it to God the Father for all religious persons who are especially dedicated unto his holy service beseeching his divine goodnes to give each one of them grace perfectly to perforn his holy will even unto death to live vertuously in the observance of their institutes and persever therein untill the end At Compline COnsider how our B. Saviour being dead and his holy body taken down from the Cross it was by our B. Lady S. Mary Magdalen and other holy persons laid in the sepulcher whilest
the Priest saith the Confiteor COnsider the offences of our first parents with those of the whole world and in particular those which you have your self committed and at the Kyrie elerson aske most humbly pardon for them and beg grace for amendment At Gloria in excelsis COnsider how the Angels in heaven rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner wherfore beseech them through the great desire they have of mans salvation to aid and assist us and all creatures to obtain the same At the Epistle COnsider that this World is a place of Pennance and be sorry that so few do embrace the same but follow vain pleasures and delights and beseech Almighty God to enlighten their hearts and offer your self to suffer whatsoever it shall please him to lay upon you begging grace for the same At the Ghospell COnsider what pains our Saviour took in this world going from one place to another preaching and inviting all men to follow his most perfect example and doctrin begging by the merits of his pains and labours that you may be a true follower thereof At the Creed THink what a multitude of people were converted by the holy Ghospell and nevertheless how many there are which remain in blindnes and wil not be lightned for which be heartily sorry and beseech God to convert them but principally pray for the conversion of England At the Offertory COnsider the promptitude with which our sweet Saviour offered himself into the hands of his heavenly Fathet to suffer his bitter death and Passion for your Redemption and all mankind Wherfore offer your self wholly to his divine goodness with your vowes of obedience Poverty and Chastity purposing from thence forward to be crucified by these three nailes to the Cross of all mortification At the Preface COnsider how our sweet Saviour raised Lazarus after he had been dead four daies and thence you may draw comfort and confidence that although you find many evil customes in your self all hindering you from the true service of God yet acknowledge that he is able to raise and deliver you from them all Wherfore you must purpose strongly to resist them according to the grace and strength which it shall please him to give you At Sanctus COnsider how the Angels in heaven do continually praise Almighty God and how pleasing their service is unto him wherfore pray unto them to obtain for you such fervour of spirit in this life that at your death you may be worthy to be assisted by them in heaven At the Canon COnsider the unspeakable love of our Saviour in offering himself for you in this most holy Sactifice weighing his Majesties greatnes and Omnipotency which is therein contained and here you may pray for the intention of the whole church and for all those you are to pray for that day A prayer at the Elevation of the most B. Host ADoro te Domine Iesu Christe benedico tibi qui pro nobis in cruce moriens redemisti mundum Ave caro Christi immaculata Crucis hostia morte tuâ nos amarâ fac redemptos luce clarâ tecum frui gloriâ Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori Aufer à me quicquid tibi displicet Infunde in me quicquid tibi placet Converte me totum tuum dulcis Iesu Deus meus Amen J adore thee o Lord JESUS CHRIST and J bless thee who dying on the Cross for us hast redeemed the world Haile holy flesh of CHRIST immaculate host of the Cross Make us redeemed by thy bitter death to enjoy with thee in glory eternall light God be mercifull to me a sinner Take away from me all that is displeasing to thee infuse into me all that is pleasing to thee Convert me wholy to thee sweet JESUS my God Amen A Prayer at the Elevation of the Chalice SAnguis tuus Domine Iesu Christe pro nobis effusus sit nobis in remissionem omnium peccatorum nostrorum negligentiarum ignorantiarum nostrarum in robur augmentum fidei spei charitatis gratiarum virtutum in cautelam vitae in adoptionem gloriae aeternae in absolutionem omnium fidelium defunctorum omnium pro quibus orare tenemur Amen Let thy blood O Lord JESUS CHRIST which was shed for us be a remission of all our sins negligences and ignorances a strengthning and encrease of faith hope charity graces and virtues a caution to my life an adoption to eternall glory an absolution of all the faithfull departed and of all for whom we are bound to pray Amen Whilst the Pater noster is said COnsider who made this Prayer and joyne your intention with the Priest's who repeateth it for the necessities of the whole church An Excrcise for the 5. Pater nosters after the Elevation 1. FIrst you make a particular intention to get pardon and to dispose your self to receive the Blessed Sacrament either corporally or spiritually for the which observe this exercise The first Pater and Ave address to the right hand of our B. Saviour beseeching him that the pretious blood which issued out of this his sacred wound may serve you for a bath to wash and purify you from all staines and spots of your sins and particularly those which you have committed since your last confession The 2. address to the left hand beseeching him that the sacred blood which issued from the same may serve for a spirituall balsome to cure all your infirmities and spirituall sicknesses The 3. address unto the wound of his right foot beseeching him by his sacred blood which issued forth thereof that it will please him to adorn you with the garment of charity and purity of heart and mind The 4. address to his left foot beseeching him that his sacred blood which issued forth of this wound may lighten the eyes of the soule to know his greatnes feare his justice and love his goodnes The 5. address unto the sacred blood which issued from thence that he will pardon and extinguish all your inordinate desires and affections and unite your heart to his through perpetuall love and continuall memorie of him A Prayer before spirituall Communion O Pie Domine Iesu Christe qui huc propter me venisti te mihi in panem quotidiaenum imo in omnem desiderabilem usum tribuisti vellem te libenter etiaem in Sacramento suscipere sed heu non audeo nec possum accedere quia timeo te offendere propter indispositionem meam inimicam tamen scio quod sine te vero cibo non possum vivere quare humiliter te rogo ut licèt non sumam te sacramentaliter me tamen reficias ad me descendas spiritualiter velis mihi gratiam impertiri quam te devotè sumentes debent sentire O bone Iesu noli me despicere noli me indignam famulam tuam transire sed digneris ad me venire mecum manere effectus tuos in me operari Amen O most pious Lord JESUS CHRIST who camest
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
your life which having stirred up confirmed and resolved to practice conclude alwaies the part and much of the whole Meditation with devout colloquies or speaches of heart unto Almighty God The 4. Condition of Prayer or Colloquy to be said at the end of Meditation or part of them during the same 1. THe first is to give God thanks for the holy affections resolutions and purposes which he hath inspired into you as also for his goodnes and mercy which you have discovered in the discourse of your Meditation 2. Secondly by way of oblation wherein you present unto God the self same goodnes and mercy of his which you have tasted in Meditation together with the death Passion vertues and merits of his holy son our Redeemer and consequently with all the affections and resolutions which by his holy grace you made in your Meditation 3. Thirdly by Petition or Obsecration which you demand of God and earnestly conjure him as it were through the death and Passion of our fweet Saviour the merits of the glorious Virgin Mary the intercession of your good Angel and all the holy Saints to bless your affections and resolutions which to his honour and glory you have made to the end you may faithfully put them in execution and for making your self more capable of his grace crave pardon for your sins and offences committed against his divine Majesty with remedy of some vice and augmentation of some vertue offering your self wholy unto his holy service with a firm purpose to avoid whatsoever may offend him 4. Fourthly besides these particular petitions which appertain unto your self it is very good to make a generall sute for all both living and dead but especially for those who have most need and to whom you are most obliged and particularly for the soules in Purgatory The 5. Condition of Mentall Prayer is Recollection FIrst your Meditation being ended it is very profitable to ponder well and consider how it succeeded whether you followed the method that was taught you in the preparation Preamble Meditation and all the rest and what point moved you most and how you have exercised your self therein craving pardon for your defects and giving Almighty God thanks for what was well resolving to follow what you see to be profitable unto you and avoid the contrary 2. You must have a particular care to conform your felf unto those good motions which Almighty God shall give you in Prayer for so to do is a most speciall means to obtain the increase of grace for the contrary would be an ingratitude and contempt of Gods graces which deserveth not to have the like hereafter a principall help for the same is to have care to remember them and for that end it is good at Mass and the Divine Office to renew and offer them to Almighty God and divers times in the day to do the like 3. Thirdly and lastly if at any time it happen that through ill disposition want of due Preparation or yielding to temptation your Meditation doth not succed be not dismayed or discouraged but humbling your self in Gods sight acknowledge your imperfections and negligences crave pardon of his divine Majesty purposing by his holy grace to be more carefull and diligent the next time for the obtaining of which have confidence in his divine goodnes and thank him that he hath vouchsafed to permitt you the favour to be so long in his presence And if it were to have the least good affection in all the time of your meditation or but a remembrance of Almighty God think not the time lost and labour fruitless but rather if you wil make use of that little you have by often remembring it doubt not but that little spark by laying wood to it and often blowing the coales will turn to a great fire of the love of God An advice how to overcome some difficulties that fall out in Meditation THe first is when you find your self without gust of devotion and so dry that Meditation will not only seem to be cumbersom unto you but also time lost To overcome this difficulty you must understand that aridity and driness may come somtimes out of your own fault as when you used not that diligence you ought either in meditation or in preparing your self by foreseeing what you are to meditate on according as hath been said whereof it cometh that you do it with negligence dryly and Almyghty God in punishment thereof doth worthily deprive you of the consolation and tast of Meditation The remedy to rid your self of this punishment is to take away the cause At other times this aridity cometh without fault and we must not therfore leave Meditation for as a time of consolation doth please you when our Lord like the sun in the spring cometh neare to you and mak's you have gust in meditation so you must not be displeased or leave your Exercise when the self same saviour as the sun in winter doth go from you which he also doth for your good that you may plant roots of humility exercise patience and resignation knowing that when he goeth from you you remain dry without devotion having confidence that God will accept of your Meditation and endeavours and send you consolation when he thinketh most fitting and persevering with courage and hope remember the words of Tobias Qui post tempestatem tranquillum facit Who after a storme mak's a calme As also that of Job If we have received good things why should not we beare with the basd It may be also that Almighty God suffereth you to be dry in Prayer to try with what intention you come to so holy an Exercise proving whether you be his souldier for payment expecting he should reward you with gust and devotion or else to make you know that your tast and comfort in meditation is his gift which he bestoweth on whō ād when he will that by this means you dispose your self to ask humbly of him and with confidence expect what you aske whēsoever you prav to please God therby as you ought to do you may say I did not begin my meditation to feel gust or devotion but for the love of God my sweet saviour JESUS for his love I will continue it Another difficulty is that the divell will represent Meditation unto you as very hard and difficult so to make you differr it and afterwards wholy forsake it But if you have a true desire to do a thing acceptable to your Creatour either Meditation will not seem so tedious or you will hold all well employed for his love How many courtiers do you see going a hundred times a yeare unto the Princes chamber without hopes of once speaking unto him onely to be seen-by him that he may take notice how they endeavour to shew their duty unto him so must you come to the Exercises of Prayer which is as it were Gods Chamber of Presence purely and meerly to do your duty and testify
3. How JESUS thus adorned is led forth by Pilate shown to the Jewes with Behold à Man O sad Spectacle Yet still they cry Crucify Him Oh! the heavy weight of my sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could obey Thee even to loss of life Resolve To practise Obedience shun Sloath c. FRYDAY Carrying the Cross CONS 1. How JESUS thus derided whipped crowned goes forth carrying the Cross whereon he is to be sacrifized for thy Sins 2. What shouts of joy the Jewes make after Him through the streets of Jerusalem thus is Innocency despised 3. How the devout woemen meet bewaile Him thy hard heart sheds not one Teare amidst these his sorows or for thy own sins Affect Oh my JESU that I could abandon all sensuall satisfactions for the Love of Thee Resolve To practise Temperance shun Gluttony c. SATURDAY Crucifying of Iesus CONS 1. How JESUS with much pain shame arrived to Mount Calvary is again uncloath'd thus all his soares are renewed My Sins not blotted out by Repentance shall one day be disclosed to the whole World 2. How they streatch thy JESUS upon the Cross fastning him with nayles therunto then raise him up where he hangs between two theeves Oh what ignominy 3. How He there hangs for the space of three houres reviled by Jews Gentiles forsaken by his Disciples drenched with gall vineger peirced to the heart with a speare yet He prays for his Enemies Enter make thy aboade in that love-wounded-Heart Affect Oh my JESU that I could imitate Thee in the purity of thy Life Doctrine Resolve To practise Modesty shun All contrary Therunto c. A Method for Meditation 1. PReparation hath 3. parts Presence of God Choyce of matter and Invocation 2. Meditation it self hath 3. parts Consideration Affection and resolution 3. Conclusion hath 3. parts Thanks-Giving Oblation and Prayer A Prayer before Meditation O my God my Sovereign my Creatour and my All I here most humbly prostrate my self with the profoundest adoration J am possibly capable of before your devine Majesty earnestly imploring à continuance of your blessings vpon me your poor needy Creature and that you would be pleased out of your infinite bounty by meanes of your holy spirite so to illuminate my vnderstanding inflame my will recollect from distractions and strengthen in good resolutions all the powers of my soule as that J may worthily attentively and devoutly performe this sublime exercise of mentall prayer J am now vndertaking to your honour and glory the comfort of my own distressed soule the joy of the Saints in heaven and the edification of men on earth thro' your mercyes the meritts of my Blessed Saviour and the inspirations of your Coelestiall Paraclet Amen A Prayer after Meditation BEhold O my God Behold o my most patient and merciful Lord how J have passed over this time of Meditation and treating with thee with how much negligence sloth coldnes and distraction and with how litle feeling of thy good motions within me but thou O Lord knowest all my infirmities and Miseries and therfore J crave of thee pardon for them J thank thee also most heartily and humbly for all the good thoughts and suggestions which have presented themselves to my mind in time of this my meditation as most holy Embassadours sent from thy heavenly Throne to deale with me for the gaining of thy kingdome whos blessed voices and most profitable speeches J beseech thy divine goodnes to give me grace to imprint in my heart and seeke to put in execution in the cours of my life to come to the end that my judgment and Damnation be not the more grievous in respect of thes thy Benefits but rather that my life being mended therby and my soul stirr'd up to more zeale of thy service J may be finally made partaker with thy true Children of that eternall blïss which thou hast prepared for such os love feare and serve thee and yeeld obedience to those holy inspirations which thou sendest them for their eternal happines Amen A Table of dayly Patrons Meditations Vertues vices and Intentions Day Patron Meditation Vertue Vice Intentions Sund. H. Angels washing feet Charity Envie For the H. church Mund. Apostles Prayer in the Garden Humility Pride For Vnion of Christian Princes Tuesd Martyrs Mocking Self denyall Self love For benefactors Wednesd Bishops Whipping Patience Anger For Religious orders Thursd Doctors Crowning Obedience Sloath. For conversion of Infidells Frid. Confessors Carrying the Cross Temperāce Gluttony For soules departed Saturd Virgins Crucifying Modestie Impurity For distressed persōs