the life to come and better it is to fal into the hands of the Lord then of men for that thy mercy is infinite O most holy father graunt vs to end our liues in the true and Catholicke faith of thy Sonne Iesus Christ who is the euerlasting reconciliation and perfecte oblation for our sinnes Amen A Dailie exercise for a Christian. LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1591. EXercitium christiani quotidianum In nomine patris filii spiritus sancti Benedicta sit sancta indiuidua Trinitas nunc semper per infinita secula seculorum A Daily exercise for euery Christian. In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost When thou hast made thée ready kneeling downe and holding vp thy hands say Blessed be the holy and vndiuided Trinity nowe and euer and world without end PAter noster qui es in coelis sanctificetur nomen tuum adueniat regnum tuum fiat voluntas tua sicut in coelo in terra panem nostrum quotidianum da nobis hodie dimitte nobis debita nostra sicut nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris ne nos inducas in tentationem sed libera nos a malo Amen CRedo in Deum patrem omnipotentem creatorem coeli terrae in Iesum Christum filium eius vnicum Dominum nostrum qui conceptus est de spiritu sancto natus ex virgine Maria passus sub Pontio Pilato crucifixus mortuus descendit ad inferna tertia die resurrexit a mortuis ascendit ad coelos sedetque ad dextram Dei patris omnipotentis vnde venturus est iudicare viuos mortuos Credo in Spiritum sanctum sanctam ecclesiam catholicam communionem sanctorum remissionem peccatorum vitam aeternam Amen Misereatur nostri omnipotens Deus demissis omnibus peccatis nostris perducat nos ad vitam aeternam Amen Indulgentiam absolutionem remissionem omnium peccatorum nostrorum tribuat nobis omnipotens misericors Dominus Dignare Domine die isto sine peccato nos custodire Miserere nostri Domine miserere nostri Fiat misericordia tua domine super nos quemadmodum sperauimus in te Domine exaudi orationem meam clamor meus ad te veniat Domine Deus omnipotens qui ad principium huius diei nos peruenire fecisti tua nos hodie salua virtute vt in hac die ad nullum declinemus peccatum sed semper ad tuam iustitiam faciendam nostra procedant eloquia dirigantur cogitationes opera per Christum Dominum nostrum Amen DIrigere sanctificare regere gubernare dignare Domine Deus rex coeli terrae hodie cordâ— corpora nostra sensus sermones actus nostros lege tua in operibus mandatorum tuorum vt hic in aeternum te auxiliante saluemur liberemur ab omni malo per te saluator mundi qui viuis regnas in secula seculorum Amen Veni Domine Iesu preliatâ—r fortissime princeps exercitus Domini qui diabolum vicisti seculum apprehende arma scutum exurge in adiutorium mihi Domine Deus intende orationi meae misericordia tua exaudiat desiderium meum Conforta me Domine vt â—mnia possim quae iussisti dâ—fende me ab omni malo nunc dirigens oculos meos ad te euelle precor de laqueo pedes meos protege me sub velamento alarum tuarum Illumina oculos meos ne vnquam obdormiam in morte ne quando dicat inimicus meus preualui aduersus eum Reminiscere miserationum tuarum Domine misericordiarum tuarum quae a seculo sunt Delicta iuuentutis meae ignorantias ne memineris Secundum misericordiam memento mei propter bonitatem tuam Domine In manus tuas commendo spiritum meum redemisti me Domine Deus veritatis Loquutus sum in lingua mea notum fac mihi Domine finem meum Et numerum dierum qui est vt sciam quid desit mihi Fac mecum signum in bonum vt videant qui oderunt me confundantur quoniam tu Domine adiuuisti me consolatus es me O Domine quia ego seruus tuus filius ancillae tuae Diripuisti Domine vincula mea tibi sacrisicabo hostiam laudis nomen Domini inuocabo Perijt fuga a me non est qui requirat animam meam Clamaui ad te Domine dixi tu es spes mea portio mea in terra viuentium Gloria patri filio c. OUr Father which art in heauen hallowed bee thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen giue vs this day our daily bread and forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs and lead vs not into temptation but deliuer vs from euill So be it I Beléeue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth and in Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lorde which was conceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried hee descended into hell the third day he arose againe from the dead and ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty from whence he shal come to iudge the quicke and the dead I beléeue in the holy Ghost the holy Catholike Church the communion of saints the forgiuenes of sins the resurrection of the bodie the life euerlasting Amen The Almighty God haue mercy vppon vs and vppon forgiuenesse of our sinnes bring vs to euerlasting life Amen The Almighty and mercifull Lord grant vs pardon absolution and remission of all our sinnes Amen Uouchsafe O Lorde this day to kéepe vs without sin Haue mercy on vs O Lord haue mercy on vs. Let thy mercy O Lorde be shewed vpon vs euen as we haue put our trust in thée Lord heare my prayer and let my cry vnto thee Lord God almighty who hast brought vs to the beginning of this day saue vs by thy power that this day we fall not into any sinne but that alwaies we may speake that which is true and right and that our thoughtes and works may be directed vnto the same end through Christ our Lord. Amen LOrd God king of heauen and earth vouchsafe to direct and sanctify rule and gouerne this day our hearts and bodies our senses spéech and doings in thy lawe and in the workes of thy commaundements that here and for euer by thy helpe wee may be preserued from all daungers both bodilye and ghostly c. Come Lorde Iesu strong in battel and prince of Gods army thou that hast ouercome the diuell the worlde take thy armour and shield and rise to helpe me Giue eare O Lord vnto my praier and let thy mercy hearken to my desire strengthen me to perfourme that which thy law commandeth and teacheth me to do Kéepe and defend me from
Let it be to me the armour of faith and shielde of good wil. Let it be a cleansing of my vices and destruction of concupiscence and lust the increase of charity patience humility and obedience a sure defence against the assaults of al enemies both visible and inuisible a perfecte quieting of my motions both carnall and spirituall a sure staying on thée one true god and a happy consummating of my life and end And further I beséech thée that thou wilt vouchsafe to bring me a sinner to that vnspeable banket where thou with thy sonne and the holy Ghost art to all thy Saintes the true light and the ful sacâ—ety the euerlasting ioy and most perfect mirth and felicicity through our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen A deuout praier of the seuen last wordes of our Sauiour O Lord Iesus Christ who art noted to vtter specially seuen words or sentences whiles thou didst haÌ„g on the crosse wherby we vnderstande it was thy will wee should alwaies be mindful of the same most holy spéeches I beséech thée by the vertue of the same that thou haue mercie on me in whatsoeuer I haue sinned and offended against thée in the like nuÌ„ber of mortall sins or their branches Lorde euen as thou saidst Father forgiue my crucifiers so giue me grace that I may forgiue all them that work me any euil Lord as thou saidst to the Théefe To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradice by thy grace let me so liue that at the houre of my death thou maiest say To day shalt thou bee with mee in Paradice Lord as thou didst say to thy mother Woman beholde thy sonne and then vnto the Disciple Beholde thy mother euen so let thy loue and charity bring me to be conuersant with thy blessed mother Lorde as thou diddest say O my God my God why hast thou lefte mee Giue me grace to say whensoeuer I am in trouble or vexation Father haue mercy on me a sinner helpe me my King and my God who hast redéemed me with thy owne bloud Lord euen as thou saiedst I doe thirste after the death of soules so let me euer thirst after thee loue thée the welspring of liuing water the fountaine of eternall light Let me runne to loue thée with all the desire of my hart Lord as thou saidst father into thy hands I commend my spirite giue me grace to liue so perfectly that at my death I may say to thée Lord into thy handes I commend my spirite receiue mee that am comming vnto thée for now is the time thou diddest appoint Lorde as thou saidst It is finished meaning that the sorrowes and labors suffred for vs miserable sinners were now at an end let me by thy help deserue to heare the swéet spéech of thine Come my beloued for I haue now determined to accomplish thy petitions Come with mee that thou maiest sit with my Angelles and Saintes feasting in my Kingdome and reioysing world without end Amen A prayer for the daily bread ALmighty God wee thy wretched children do cry vnto thée from earth as to our father in heauen vouchsafe through thy infinit mercy to giue vs that which pertaineth to the néedfull sustentation of the bodie and grant thy grace and blessing vnto all our labours honest exercises For vnles thou buildest the house they that build it labour in vaine Helpe vs that we may cast out the net of our vocation in thy name to good lucke in taking and therwithal giue vs thy grace that euery one in buying and selling may deal with a good conscience without fraude deceit Kéepe vs from ill seruantes from an vnfaithful family to deale with Giue vs that liue in pouerty patience that we murmure not agaynst thy diuine will nor of malice transgres thy commandements grant to them that be rich that they be not proud therof but rather that they may inrich themselues with good workes and so lay vp a good foundation for the world to come O Lord God two things I do aske of thée kéepe me from Idolatry in preferring any thing before the loue of thée bee it wife children friends house riches or any priuat opinion and giue me neither beggary nor riches but rather the which is néedefull for my sustentation least being ouer full I be moued to deny thee and say who is the lord or otherwise bée compelled by néed to rage and to forsweare the name of my God From these things preserue me I beséech thee through Iesus Christ thy beloued sonne Amen Against the diuels temptation O Mighty and good God the heauenly Father wée find by thy holy worde that the diuel the old serpent our aduersary lieth in waite by a thousand or infinite indeuors to kéepe our soules from saluation and to bring vs into the filthines of sin confusion and desperation He inticeth vs with riches hee woulde catch vs with pouerty voluptuousnesse the coueting of worldly honour and desire of power and authority or els by other worldly carefulnesse He laieth snares for vs by wordes by déedes by night by day which way soeuer we turne vs he assaulteth vs with his temptations whether we watch or sleepe he is at our backes and openeth his iawes to deuour vs. O lord who shal escape him Behold he wacheth without ceasing and neuer is at rest but we of the sluggishnesse of our flesh watch not carefully to resist him by thy helpe OpeÌ„ therfore our eies that we may know how puissant and subtil an enemy we haue for our wrestling is not onely against flesh and bloud but against Sathan the Prince of this world Haue mercy on vs O GOD and make vs strong comfortable in the vertue of thy power put on vs that armour that we may resist his assaultes girde our loines with the truth· put on vs the breast-plate of righteousnes and shooes of Euangelicall peace But aboue all things strengthen our harts with the target of faith wher with we may breake off the fierie dartes of the wicked féende put on vs the helmet of saluation and giue vs the sword of the spirite which is thy holy worde in true sence and vnderstanding so shall we manfully resist and ouercome our said aduersary If thou be our helper wee shall not feare him though the whole earth be in broile and the mountaines cast into the Sea thou art our force and refuge which liuest and raignest world without end For Benefactors O Most mercifull God sith it is so that all ingratitude displeaseth thée giue me grace I beseech thée to be mindful and thankeful for al thy benefites and that I be not found vnthaÌ„kful toward them that haue done me any good least I fal into thy iugemeÌ„t for it O most swéet god giue to them that good both of body and soule which they stand in néed of And giue me grace to be beneficial vnto others as I haue fouÌ„d others to me after my power Let me not for the ingratitude of others faile or
neuer the better of an hundred hearers scarce one is conuerted to true Penitence when at one sermon of Peters or of some other Apostle fiue thousands were conuerted Men bearing the name of Christ yet voide of Christian life and sanctimonie The vulgar sort giuen to fraud in their workmanship and deceitfulnes in their dealings specially seruants Gouernors without iustice and vertue Churchmen without holines and deuotion Religious men without obseruing the rules of their profession and statutes of their order Married persons without honest and continent life Scriptures and fruitefull sayings of the Doctors to edefie in these points following Prayer I would haue men to pray lifting vp pure hands without wrath and contention I haue said I will confesse mine iniquities When yee doe praye if yee haue anie thing against others forgiue it The sounde or voyces of prayer come not vnto Gods eares except it be made with great affection of mind Prayer if it bee true if it bee chast it pierceth heauen and returneth not emptie For the daily and light sinnes without which this life is not led the daily praier of the faithfull recompenceth By fasting the passions of the bodie by prayer infections of the minde are to be cured The more we haue to doo with carnal things the more earnestly ought we to be giuen to prayer The kingdome of heauen is not gotten by taking our rest nor eternall blessednesse promised vnto the negligent Charitie Hée that loueth abideth in the light In this al men shal know that ye be my disciples if ye loue one another In Charitie a poore man is rich and without charitie euerie riche man is but poore Charity féedeth the hungry pride also féedeth but charitie dooth it to the praise and honor of God and pride for the prayse of her selfe Charitie cloatheth the naked pride clotheth also charity fasteth so doth pride Charitie is the strength of faith and faith is the fortitude of charitie where they bee not both together there both be wanting A man may haue in him the helpe and benefites of the Sacramentes and yet bee an euill man but hée cannot haue charitie and bee euill Fasting This kind of Diuels may not be cast out but by prayer and fasting My legges are weakened with fasting and my flesh is altered for want of wonted sustenance Fasting purgeth the mind reléeueth the senses subdueth the flesh to the spirite maketh the heart contrite and humble disperseth the clouds of concupiscence quencheth the burning of lustes kindleth the light of chastitie Hee that will well and truely fast let him abstayne from sinne and vice for what auayleth it to emptie the bodie of meate and to ouerlode the soule with sin What can it profit any man to be pale with fasting to consume with hatred enuie What good is it to abstaine from wine and to bée dronke with the lées poyson of anger and mallice What gaine is it to abstain from flesh made for mans vse to be eaten and to teare asunder the members of our neighbour with backbiting and slaunder It is no profite or a thing praise-worthie to abstaine from that which sometimes is lawfull and to doe that which neuer is permitted but always forbidden Let thy fasting chasten thée but glad an other and so thy sorrowes shall be fruitfull if they bring ioye to others Fast so that thou maiest bee as glad as if thou hast dined in hauing séen the néedie to eate God loueth a chéereful giuer and when the poore are fedde by thy reliefe thinke then that Christ hath dined with thy goodes crying that he hungereth himselfe in his poore God liketh that fast when thou giuest to an other that which thou doest withdrawe from thy selfe that thy néedy neighbors body may bée reléeued by that meanes wherby thine is afflicted Then thy fasting shall please the Lord God when thy soule abhorreth sinne for it is to no effect to withdraw meate from the body and to pamper and flatter it by sin Fast therefore chiefly from sinne and then thy fast shall please God For as fasting is to the humbling of the soule it will auaile thée nothing in humbling it by abstinence of meat and to puffe it vp by sinne Almes Hee that doeth the woorke of mercie offereth a sacrifice Acts. 14. It is a more blessed thing to giue thā to take Aug. Almes cleanseth sins intreateth for vs to Christ for whatsoeuer wee giue vnto the poore we shall be sure to possesse it Aug. If thou wilt be a good merchant and a great gainer giue that which thou canst not kéep that thou maist receiue that which thou canst not leese geue of thy temporal substance that thou maist receiue eternall inheritance To denie that which sustaineth life is to kill a man take heed lest amongst your chests or store ye lock vp the sauing of poore folks liues and as it were in toombes burying them It is a part of sacriledge to bestowe the goods of the poore otherwise then vpon the poore Geue your almes of that which is rightfully gotten geue not of that which is ill gotten to the faithful vnto whom Christs body is giuen in the sacrament The renowne of the Bishoppe is to prouide for the welfare of the poore it is a shame to all Priests to make themselues rich The almes of the proude riche man can doe him no good if hee haue robbed the poore for that will not suffer his almes to ascend come before the eies of God Penitence Luke 13. Except yée repent yée shall all likewise perish Eccl. My son if thou hast sinned adde not other sinnes to the former but praie rather that thy former may be forgotten Prou. 5. Euerie man is bound with the cordes of his sinnes Aug. de Penit. Paenitere est paenam tenere vt semper puniat in se quod commisit peccando Aug. Better is a little bitternesse in thy mouth than eternall torment in thine intrailes Au. He that wipes away his sins by penitence is become in fellowship with Angels Dauid sinned as Princes doe but he did penance with bewailing of his life the which princes or great men are not wont to doe Not to be sorie for thy sinnes makes God more angrie then the sinne which thou didst committe Contrition Bee sorowfull for your sinnes in your chamber Whome shall I regarde saith the Lord but the poore and contrite in spirit Contrition is a sorowing of the minde with teares rising of the remembrance of sinne of the feare of iudgement Let him know himself to be hard harted and too blame that doth bewaile the corporall death of his friende and weepeth not for the death of his owne soule Confession Esay 14. I will reckon vnto thée O Lord in the bitternes of my soule how I haue spent all my yeares Prou. 28. Hée that hideth his offences shall not bee directed but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall obtaine mercie Barnard The camell hath but one burden the rich man