Capacity which are calleed the mightes of the Soule invvard The gifts of Nature as beauty comly shape strength agility and svviftnes My v. wits corporal limms and menbers as hands feete mouth nose eyes and eares vvhich be the mightes of the Bodye outvvard And vvith these also the gifts of fortune as meate drinke and cloth vvorldly riches and al other things necessary for Body Soule vvhich many a good creature that hath serued thee better then I haue wante Al honour and praise be to thee for al these thy louing kindnes that thou o Lord hast shewd to me and I not withstanding haue bene so vnkind to the in mispending these thy giftes litle concidering thy aboundant goodnes I humbly aske mercy o Lor for thes my trespasses and loueingly I thāke thee for thy greate Grace and goodnes Praises to God for his gracious visitation Inspiration and Preseruation AL honour and Prayse be to thee o Lord for thy manifolde mercies in hauing so often visyted my harte vvith thy Graces spiritual motions and good Inspirations And also hast kepte defended and deliuered me this day night and al the daies and times of my life vnto this howre from many perils and dangers of body and soule As from fire and vvater lightning thunder and tempeste from slanders shames and rebukes of this vvorld and many other mischiefes into vvhich for my sinnes I might iustly haue fallen thou o Lord hauinge suffred many a vvorthier person then I both in strength beauty cunning sodainly to be punished for their defaultes But merciful Lord me thou hast spared and forborne hast suffred me in al my great and greuos trespasses vvhich I haue don against thee more then they paciently abiding alway for my conuersion and amēdment vvhen rightfully thou might haue slaine me and damned me also perpetuallye Others Lord thou hast punished by great troubles many vvaies as by imprisonment hunger thirst could and heate blindnes and madnes by bakbiting and open infamy and me vnkinde vvretch thou caledst by friendly chastisings as by bodily sicknes by death of frendes or losse of vvorldly goods And somtime thou admonished me calling me againe vvith ful benigne and tender loue by exāple of others that haue ben drowned slaine or dead sodainly in my company and I spared and saued vvhich if I had then finished my life as they did I had ben vnready to thee dyed in my sinne Thus then hast thou saued me both soule and body from many perils and dangers diuersly for the which I geue thee most harty and louing thankes For the multitude of al these thy mercies forgeue me I beseeche thee o Lord my great offences and remember not my sinnes and Iniquities but of thy goodnes pardone me geue me grace cōtinuallye to yelde acceptable thankes vnto thee for al thy B. Benefites Laude Praise for our Sanctification Vocation to the Vnitie of the Catholike Churche ABoue al these thy mercies hast thou o Lorde of thy especial grace and goodnes knit me to thee by calling me to the knowledge of thy selfe and making me a member of thy Church catholike wheras many thousand Iewes Turkes Infidels that haue bene borne since I was haue died in their iniquities and many hundred thousand also since the beginning of the world vntil this time more worthy and noble then I if it had plesed thee o Lord thou mightest haue made me one of them and so to haue liued and died as they did But of thy especial mercy and tender loue hast thou chosen me among so many thousāds to be one of thy darlings borne now in the time of grace among Christian people and vnder the Keyes suffrages of holy Church for the which al honour be to thee for euermore Amen Thankes and praise to our Sauiour Iesus for the Benefices of Redemption Glorification and fruition O Blessed Iesus I Laude and honoure thee vvhich for my sake vvas borne of the B. Virgin and suffred here for the space of xxxiij yeres hunger thirst cold and heate and after al dispite and painfull death And by that thy death and bitter Passion thou bought vs out of the thraldome of the fiende the third daye thy Soule and body being knit again together by thy glorious Resurrection And in thy Ascention hast thou abled be to be a Prince or Princes in the high Blisse of Heauen not ten or xx yeares as earthly Princes liue here in this life But euer to liue vvorld vvithout end in al Ioye Blisse endles Felicitye Great is the revvarde o Lord thou hast prepared for me if I leue my sinne continue in thy seruice to my liues end That is three dovvries in my soule and fiue in my bodye The three of my soule be these perfect loue and Charity in thy Diuine Maiestie Clere Inspection of thy B. Godhead And true knitting and perpetual vnion to thee vvithout dissolution or departing from thee And the bodie shal be indued vvith v. special giftes As brightnes svviftnes subtilnes able to pearse euery thing as the Sunne pearseth the Glasse impassibilitie neuer to suffer paine of hunger or thirst could or heate sorovv ne sicknes trouble or heauines and Imortality euer to liue in Ioy and al felicitie and neuer die Al vvhich vvhen I concider perceiue and that thou o Lord might haue made me a stone stub or anie other deade creature and haste not so done But of thy especial great mercye hast aduanced me so worthilye hauing made and abled me to be an heyre and to Inherite the high blisse of heauen in the companies of Angels and al Sainctes there with them thee to praise thee to loue and in thee to Ioye world without end I cannot but with sorowful harte lament my great Ingratitude towards thee O merciful Lord for thy great mercye forgeue me al my sinnes I beseech thee according to the multitude of thy compassions take pitie vppon me And geue me grace daile to goe forward in thy holy seruice Faith Feare and Lone and in the same to continue to my liues end A Praier for mercy and forgeuenes of sinnes and for Grace to geue God thankes for his Benefites HAue mercy on me o God and of thy especial Grace graūt me that I may with al my wits bodily ghostly thanke thee entirly for al thy benefits calling to my helpe our Blessed Ladie with al the number of Electe to Praye and beseche thee Lord of thy great goodnes to graunt the same and to haue mercie on me and forgeue me my sinnes That we together may thanke praise laud thee nowe and euerlasting Amen O Lord for the gifts of Fortune we Laude and praise thee saying Laudamus te And for the giftes of Nature wee Blesse thee saying Benedicimus te For thy giftes of Grace we Adore and worship thee saying Adoramus te And for thy merciful keeping guiding and gouerning vs in this life we glorify thee sayinge Glorificamus te And for thy great mercy and metit of our last reward Gratias agimus tibi propter Magnam gloriam tuam Amen Praise to God for his long suffrance and calling and receauing sinners to his Mercy O Lord God almighty I Laud glorifie thee for al thy mercies which thou hast alwaies shewed to sinners paciently abiding for them mercifully Calling them benignely Receiuing them aboundantly geuing grace to them and to such familiarity admitting them as though they had neuer sinned O merciful Lord and pacient God what shal I say to thee for al these thy benefits What lauds and thankings shal I yeld to thee For if al my sinnes were auoided from me yet were I not worthy for the least of them to geue condigne thankes vnto thee but as a wretched sinner may with al my harte I Laude thee I Thanke thee I Honoure and worshippe thee And al Laude and Prayse be euer geuen vnto thee worlde without ende Amen The Conclusion O Holy Trinitie in Vnitie Vnitie in Trinite three in one and one in Three merciful and pitiful in al thy workes gracious in thy giftes and God of al bounty vouchsafe to heare benignely me thy wretched and sinful seruant and with me al the Sainctes of thy Heauenlye Courte beseeching thee of mercye and forgeunes for my great ingratitude towards thee This Praise and thankes geuing o Lord which I presume to offer and yelde vnto thy Diuine Maistie Be it through the merits of our Sauiour Iesus Christ the prayers and of al thy Elect accepted and alowed in the Eares of thy mercy and pitie Raise me vp o Lord and mercifully releeue me Graunt pardon of al my sinnes paste forgeue my gilte present defend me from al to come Amen Pater Aue. Credo Te deum
A BREEFE COLLECTION CONCERNING THE LOVE of God tovvards Mankinde hovv for diuers causes vve are iustlie bounde to loue serue him WITH PREPARATION TO Prayer and certaine necessarie prayers and thankesgeuing to God for his benefites daylie to be vsed Also a deuote Meditation to procure Contrition and excite Deuotion With other vertuous prayers ECCLESIAST 18. Before Prayer prepare thy Soule be not as a man that tempteth God Printed at Doway by LAVRENCE KELLAM at the signe of the holie Lambe 1603. BEing desirerous good Reader to haue published some short Collection of most necessairie praiers but hindred by diuers vrgēt occatiōs I thought good in respect of my duty to God and necessity of the time presēt rather vvith the poore vvidovve to offer vnto him this simple Mite for the increase of his honour in helping of the godly then altogether to geue ouer my purpose And vvheras true vertue cōsisteth principallye in the loue of God vvithout vvhieh our praiers are of no force I haue here prepared a litle Treatise concerning that matter and in vvhat respect vvee are bounde to serue him In vvhich as in a glasse vve may clerelie behold our ingraitude tovvardes so louing a Lord. And because manie rather of custome then true deuotion so rashlie goe about that holie vvoorke of prayer I haue set doūe a preparation thereunto vvith necessarie prayers Meditations and thankesgeuing to be vsed daylie Farevvell A BREFE COLLECTION CONcerning the Loue of God towards Mankinde howe wee are for diuers causes bound to serue loue him THE great and incomprehensible charitye of our Lorde towardes Mankinde maye be cōsidred fower sundrye wayes First in the dignitie of our Creation Secondly in taking our coruptible nature Thirdly in susteining for vs his B. passion And fourthly in his great benefits and bountiful giftes both spiritual corporal which may iustly kindle inflame the hartes of al true Christians to render to him again that which he requireth of vs which is nothing else but a loueing harte a iuste vpright life In the dignitie of our Creation hath he shewed that he loued vs more then any other creature in the world that in two things First in creating making vs acording to his owne Image likenes secondly in constituting vs Lords and Gouerners ouer al his other creatures In taking of our nature he hath also shewed that he loued Mankind better then Angels that in three respectes First in honour because he assumpted our nature not the nature of Angels Secondly in loue in that he repayred Mankinde with his precious bloud not them And thirdly in vision because in heauen we shall possesse more ioye in Contemplation of Christes Humanitie then the Angels in that we shal see our nature vnited to the deuine Nature But in suffring his B. Passion he hath shewed as we may say that he loued vs better then him selfe geuing for our Saluation freely his whole Body life And here marke that in this B. Passion of our Sauiour we may learne fiue notable thinges First it teacheth vs to geue him hartie thanks for the glorious fruite which we haue receiued by the same which gratfulnes is a thing so acceptable vnto-him as S. Aug. saith that nothing maybe more This B. Lambe of God which was conceiued borne without sinne wold thus suffer for vs that by his painful Passion he might pul vs backe from the filthy pleasure of sinne He suffred in all his members that with our mēbers we might willingly serue him Hee offered for vs his precious blood the price of our Redemption that we might offer our bodies with al the force of the same to doe him seruice Secondly it teacheth vs to loue him because aboue all things he loued vs. Thirdly it teacheth vs how much we ought to detest hate sinne for which he susteined such a painful dolorous Passion yea he abhorreth it so much that not withstanding his great desire of our Saluation he condemneth the sinner for one deadly offence to perpetuall payne tormente Fourthly it teacheth vs Fortitude to withstand strongly any aduersity paine or tribulation for the honour loue of him that loued vs so much also for our owne Saluation because tribulation in this world paciently sustained is the ready way to heauen This blessed Passion being called to remēbrāce there is nothing so harde as S. Isidore saith which is not with an equal minde tolle rated Let vs therfore as true Souldiers diligently studye to suffer with him thē no doubte we shall as S. Paule saith be pertakers of his cōsolatiōs Ioyes Fiftly it teacheth vs Humilitie for if Christ which was the Sonne of God abased humbled him selfe so much as to descēd from his glorious Kingdome into this vale of misery to take vppon him oure base Nature suffer such an ignominious death with what face can man lifte vp him selfe in pride contemne so louing a Redeemer This Humility is the ground foundation of all Vertue without that no vertue can be acceptable in the sight of God which caused our Sauior so carefully in his holye Gospell to admonish vs of the same saying Learne of me for I am meke humble in hart And S. Ambrose saith that how much more abiect a man is in this life so much the more he shal be exalted in the world to come Woulde thou haue al vices saith one destroied within thee Learne then to be truely humble To which agreeth S. Agust saying Humilitie is the Quene of vertues the death of vyces the looking glasse of virgins the harboure of the holy Trinitie It is only humilitye saith S. Bernard that exalteth she alone leadeth to life because saith he this is the way ther is none other And therfore S. Gregory saith well that whatsoeuer a man doth is lost if it be not kepte by humility God graunt vs to imbrace this Vertue to imitate that swete Lambe which as S. Bernard saith was borne poore liued poore dyed poore Now touching his bountiful Giftes it driueth me into a mase to remember them First how he hath made vs as is before said to his owne B. Image and likenes geueing vs the noble giftes of Memorye Reason Will hath made the Soule of man so noble that nothing is able to fill or satisfie it but him selfe alone It may well be occupied as S. Bernarde saith vvith all other thinges but filled or satisfied can it not bee He doth inrich vs also vvith his grace doth visite comforte strength vs vvith his good inspirations motions to Vertue And in the end hath prepared such Ioyes for vs as passeth all vnderstanding either of man or Angels And for the giftes corporall they be also such so many as are maruelus to cōsider He hath created for our behoofe the Elements vvith the Sunne to geue vs light by day the Moone to illuminate the night
The Fyre to keepe vs frō coulde the Ayre to mitigate his heate and preserue our health The Water to vvashe away our filthines The Earth vvith his variable Fruites to susteine vs vvith his beautiful Flowers to recreate vs Besids the great diuersity of Beastes Foules and Fishes for our norishment delight He hath geuen vnto vs our Wittes right Limmes vvith Beauty Strēgth comlye shape He hath kepte deliuered vs from many daungers both of fire vvater thunder tempest slanders shames many other euels vvith the vvhich for our sinns he might iustlye haue punished vs vvhē vve offended in deadly sinne haue cast vs headlong into hell yet of his tender loue hath forborne spared vs. O vvhat shall vve render againe vnto God for all his Benefits hovv infinitly are vvee bounde to loue serue him not only in respect of his goodnes in him selfe vvhich is the cheefest cause indede of his tender loue towards vs But also in respecte of the greate delight he taketh in our seruice yea muche more thē he doth in the seruice of his Angels the reason is this because man doth not only serue God of loue as the Angels doe but also vvith laboure paine vvhich they doe not For he laboreth more in seruing him one day then they haue donne since the beginning of the vvorld therfore doth God singulerly delighte in our praiers other good vvorkes shal geue vs if vve continew to the ende a double Crowne of glorye that is both in Bodye Soule And here vnderstand that for diuers causes we are iustly bound to serue him First for our Creatiō because vve are created only to that ende therfore all our members strengthe of bodye Soule are to be imploied exercysed in his holye Seruice Also vve are bounde to serue him in respect of his louing seruice done vnto vs vvho saith by his Prophet Esay Seruire me fecisti in peccatis tuis that is thou hast caused me to serue in thy sinns As vvhen he praied fasted preached vvhen he vvas vvhipped crowned vvith thorne vvhē he caried his Crosse theron suffered painfull death besides all this in token of his great loue he serueth vs still vvith his owne blessed Body blood in the holy Sacramente therfore euery vvay are vve bound most louinglye to serue him againe Also vve are bound to serue him in respect of our Obligatiō Vowe made in Baptisme hauing ther vovved promised so to doe al the time of our life Likevvise for his great Benefites as is before said bestovved vpon vs. And lastlye for that inestimable glory that he hath promised to al those that loue and truly serue him to the ende But because no Seruice can be acceptable vnto him which procedeth not from a cleane and pure harte It shal not be here amisse to declare brefely by vvhat meanes the same may be obtained gotten First he that vvould serue God truely in cleānes of harte Conscience muste daily behould and looke into his workes and diligentlye consider his whole state and conuersation see if there be any thing in the same reprehensible or contrary to the vvill of God because the knovvledge of our felfe is the beginning of our health Saluation Secondly vvhat-soeuer he findeth in him-selfe in vvhich he hath offended God he must hartely repent humbly aske mercy for the same firmely purposing therof to make a cleare and perfecte confession so soone as he maye Thirdly he must vvith careful study and deuoute prayer continually desire of God to kepe defend him frō sinne for as the holy Prophete saith Except God kepe the city he vvatcheth in vain that keepeth it Therfore euery man ought to serue God in greate humilitie with cōtinual watche warde ouer him selfe The difficulty of Perseuerance in vvell doing appeareth in the fall of Lucifer from heauē of Adam frō Paradice and Iudas frō the nomber of the xij Apostles vvhat cause haue vve therfore to pray as our Sauioure counseleth vs continually hauing experience of our owne vveaknes debility in resisting temptations In somuch that somtimes through one only vvorde vve are prouoked to anger and impacience Therfore it behoueth vs euer to stand in feare for offending God and to that ende saith the Scripture Blessed is the man that is euer fearfull And S. Bernard saith that feare and Religion are knit together that the one can not remaine vvithout the other God geue vs grace that vve may dailye studie to obtaine this most noble vertue that the blessinge vvhich Christe speaketh of in the Gospel may light on vs vvhere he saith Blessed be the cleane in hart for they shal see God To vvhom be all honoure for Euer-more Amen A Thankesgeuing to the B. Trinitie to be Daylie vsed AL Honoure thankes and praise be to thee o blessed Father of heauē which hast created made me Glory be to thee o B. Sonne of God vvhich with thy precious bloode hast redeemed me Glory be to thee o holy Ghoste vvhich hast Sanctified me Glory be to thee o holy B. and Indeuided Trinitie whose vvorkes are meruailous passe all vnderstanding I laude praise thee vvith hart and mouth and geue louing thanks vnto thee for all thy B. Benefits Spiritual and Corporal and singe vnto thee the Hime of glory Sanctus Sanctus Sanctus Thou only art God and besids thee there is none at all vvhich vvorkest greate meruailous and Inscrutable things wherof ar no end To thee belongeth al Laude and Iubilie To thee all Angells the Heauens vniuersall Powers doe sing Praises To thee o glorious Trinitie be geuen all honor of euery creature both in Heauen and Earthe novv and for euer more Amen Soli Deo honor gloria An Inuocation to be vsed before Praier for the attaining of Gods grace the asistāce directiō of the holye Ghost And also to obtaine therby Humillity Charity Puritie of Intētion Cleannes Peace of harte for protection defence against the assaultes tēptations firye dartes of the Deuil al inuisible visible enemies VVhat is to be cōsidred before Prayer the manner to behaue your selfe therin morning eueninge before the office of oure Ladye or other vsuall Praiers with certaine Benedictiōs which you maye vse all or parte at your Discretion VVhat is to be Premeditated before praier VVHen you intēd to offer the Sacrifice of Prayer Praises to almighty God prepare you to praier Recale your Senses gather to gether your vvittes vvith an humble attentiue deuoute mind lifte vp your harte to God Reuerently standing vpright vvith your handes ioyned before your breste lifted vpp Pause then a litle vvhile aduised lye consider vvith your selfe vvherefore you come vvheraboute you goe and vvhat busines you novv take in hande Also before vvhom you are present the Petitions you vvill aske and the Offerring you meane
thee these few vvordes for the helpe of thy Soule whome God of his endles mercie gouerne to his good pleasure and thy saluation Amen Verie Deuout and Godlye Prayers on the Passion of Christ Gre. Mag. O Lord Iesus Christ I adore worship thee hanging on the Crosse bearing on thy head a Crown of Thorne I pray thee that thy holie Crosse and death be my defence and sheeld and I beseche thee deliuer me from the Angel smiting Amen Pater noster Aue Maria. O Lord Iesus Christ I adore and worship thee vvounded vpon the Crosse and there drinking Gaul and Eisel I require thee that thy vvoundes may euer be comfort to my Soule and remission of my sinnes Amen Pater noster Aue Maria. O Lord Iesus Christ I honour thee for those moste bitter paines vvhich on the Crosse thou didst suffer forme specially in that howre vvhen thy most holye Soule departed from thy blessed bodie I beseche thee haue mercie on my Soule vvhen it shal departe out of my bodye and bring it to euerlasting blisse and Ioye in Heauen Amen Pater Aue O Lord Iesus Christ I adore worship thee layde in the Sepulcher anoynted vvith Mirre and Inscence I beseche thee that thy deathe may be my lyfe and lighte Euerlasting Amen Pater Aue. O Lord Iesus Christ I adore worship thee descending into Hel and from thence deliuering those that vvere Captiue I beseche thee that thou suffer not me thither to descend Amen P. Aue. O Lord Iesus Christ I adore worship thee Rising from death Ascending into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of thy Father I beseche thee that thither I may folovv thee and that I may deserue to be presented before thee Amen P. A. O Lord Iesus Christ the good Shepheard cōserue and keepe the Iuste Iustifie the Sinner haue pitie vpon al faithful People be merciful to me a greeuous Sinner Amen Pater Aue. Credo I Beseche thee o Lord Iesus Christ that thy Deathe be my Lyfe and strength vvith the vvhich I may be Armed protected and directed Thy Woundes be vnto me continual foode vvherwith I may be refreshed and delighted The Shedding of thy moste precious blood be the washing away of all my sinns Thy passion and Resurrection be vnto me Eternal Life and Glory In these thinges be all my delihgt and desire my refection and reioycing my health and strength my Ioye and studdies and the whole desire of my hart minde and body now and euer Amen Reasons inducing vs to be gratful vnto God for his Benefites HOw much vve are bound continually to laude and praise God cheifly for his goodnes in him selfe and also to be thankful to him for his B. Benefites we may learne of the holy Prophet Dauid which in that respect said the praise of God vvas in his mouth For vve ought vvithout cessing as S. Bernard saith to geue thanks vnto him vvhich neuer ceasseth to bestow his benefites vpon vs. And how dangerous it is to be ingratful it apeareth vvel in one of the holy Fathers saying that there is nothing vvhich so much prouoketh the indignation of God against vs as ingratitude Therfore seing vve vvere created to serue God Let vs begin to learne here in Earth as S. Bernard coūsaileth vs praises vve shal yeld to him in heauen A Moste Godly and Deuoute prayse and Thankes-geuing to God for his blessed Benefites Spiritual and Corporal Of al true Christians daily to be vsed O Moste holy B. glorious and Indeuided Trinitie the Father the Sonne and Holye Gstost Three Persons and one Almightie God my Lord and God my maker and redeemer my norisher my defender my sweetnes my mercy my refuge my strength my victorye my Sauiour my Ioy and glory Eternal I Laude thee I glorifie thee I honor and worship thee O Blessed Trinitie for that thou art in thy selfe for thou art the highest God from whom floweth al goodnes Thou art gracious Eternity thou art eternall Felicitie thou art the depth of all Wisdome and Sapience Thou art only God and ther is none without thee I Laude and honor thee o B. Trinitie that mightilye haste made of nothing Heauen and Earth Sunne and Moone and al other creaturs and for that thou conseruest and gouernest al things in this Worlde All worship Laude glory and thanks be euer geuen to thee for al thy works and of al thy creaturs now and euer Amen Also I Laude thanke and praise thee for that it pleased thee to make the ix glorious Orders of Angels to laud honor thee eternally and some of them to asist vs faithfully in this exile and vale of misary with houable necessary councels and helpings and also to declare thine Ineffable goodnes And thou madest al these thinges for man But man thou madest with thy proper hands to thin owne glorious Image and liknes Thou formed in him Vnderstanding and adorned enabled him with free wil. I Laude and glorify thee for that great gifte in that thou set him in Paradise flowing with delights that he might haue high things in fruition inferior things in gouernment and to possest al things to thine honour and to worship Laude and praise thee euerlastingly Yet thou made not thes noble creaturs Angel and man for any necessity thou had to thē for truly al things were sufficient in thee to thine eternal glory But of the feruor of charity thou wast moued to create them that such noble creatures should be pertakers of thine inexpressable Ioye and glorye Thankes geuing to God for our Creation and other benefites spiritual and corporal ANd furthermore I Laude honour and worship thee O Lord for that it hath pleased thee among al thy B. workes to make me a reasonnable man For gracious Lord thou mightest if it had pleased thee haue made me a clod of earth a stone a mine of metal or any such dead creature Or else good Lord thou mightest haue made me an hearbe a plante or a tree bringing forth blossons and fruit which hath life vegetiue to fructify Or yet a more worthy creature then any of these as a beast bird or fishe hauing sence feeling and local mouing But thou o Lord hast made me none of al these creatures but to my vse health and helpe hast thou made them al to be my subiectes and I to be their Soueraigne And to me whom thou hast made a creature reasonable thou hast geuen power Wisdome Reason Vnderstāding and free will and hast formed me with al my right līms and featur of body and thou o Lord hast bestowed on me the perfection of al the forsaid creatures hauing geuen me being with stons and metales life with Trees and hearbes Sence feling moueing with beastes and Vnderstanding with Angels Hauing also indued me with many other good giftes spirituall and Corporall As the giftes of grace giftes of nature and the gifts of Fortune The giftes of Grace as Memory Vnderstanding and wil Minde Reason Imagination and