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
hovv hastely they draw him forth to heape vpon his tēder bodye more painye and tormentes A Garlande of sharpe thornes they thruste vvith violence on his B. head til the blood ran downe into his eyes nose mouth eares They kneele then downe vvith scornes and rise with reproofes and spitte in his blessed face Se thē how that B. Ladye beateth her brest and vvringeth her hands I trow thou vvilte vveepe for that doleful sighte Looke yet again to thy Lord and see how spitefullie they hale him forth to an high hil there to naile him hand and foote to the Rood Tree See there first how fearsely they pul of his clothes how meekly he goeth then to the Crosse and spreadeth his armes abroad and how with cordes those pitieles Tormentors dravve them forth til his B. senewes Ioyntes al to bruste Then vvith greate boysterous Nayles they make faste to the Crosse his precious handes In the same maner thou may see how greeuosly they drawe his blessed legges and nayle his feete downe to the Tree Se then how they proffer him to drinke bitter galle and isel and knele again before him vvith manie despites Then harken to that good Lord how meekly he taketh his leaue of his gracious Mother and of his deare Apostle betaketh them ether to other as deare Mother and Sonne after vvith a lowd voyce he commendeth his Spirite to his Father in Heauen hanging downe his B. head vpon his breaste Se also how soone after they pearce his harte vvith a Speare in great fury and how bloode and vvater gusheth forth of his B. side Then maiest thou haue ful great pity behoulding that good Ladye how for sorow she shrinketh down in her sisters armes Take heede to the heuy chere of his Apostle S Iohn To the teares of Magdelein and of his other friends I hope among al these thou shalt haue compunction Then is it time to speake for thine owne neede and for al others aliue and dead that trust to thy prayers Caste downe thy bodie to the ground lifte vppe thy harte vvith doliful chere and make thy prayer in maner as foloweth O Lord God Almightie blessed may thou boughtest me thy sufferance is great in me Thou vvouldest not condemne me hauing often times iustly deserued it But thou hast kepte and saued me til I vvould forsake sinne and turne wholy to thee Now Lord with sorowful harte I acknowledge to thy Goodnes that I haue misspente vvithout profite al my vvittes powers and vertues that thou haste geuen me to the helpe of my soule Al the time of my life haue I vvasted in diuers vanities al the līmes of my bodie in sinne and superfluities The grace of my Christendome in pride and other vvretchednes and trulie Lord manie other things haue I loued better then thee and not vvithstanding my great vnkindnes euer thou haste norished me tenderly kepte me Of thy great suffrāce I had ful litle knowledge of thy great rightuosnes I had but litle dreed I tooke no hede to thāke thee for thy great goodnes but in al my life from daye to daye great matter of vvrath haue I heaped vppe through mine owne vvickednes Therfore sweete Lord vvhat I shal say to thee I knovv not But only this vvorde in vvhich I trust God of thy great mercie haue mercie vpō me I acknowledge o Lord al that I haue commeth onlie of thee I knowe wel vvithout thee nothing may be but sinne and vvretchednes vvhich commeth of me Wherfore Lord vvith meke hart I beseche thy goodnes doe not to me as I haue deserued but after thy great mercy send me the grace of the holie Ghost to lighten my hart to comfort my spirite to establish me in the right vvay and to performe thy wil that I may haue perseuerance in that I haue begun and neuer hereafter be seperated from thee by my vnstablenes ne by temptations to my enemie I am vvorthy o Lord to be chastised for my vvicked liuing vvith vvhat rod it pleaseth thee vvelcome be it Pacience good Lord send me gladlie to suffer thy correction comfort me among of thy grace vvhen thy vvil is vvithdraw thy rod take me to thy mercie Ful bitter be the temptations ful greuous to suffer but though they be dreedful I knovv they shal hereafter to my soule be meedful O Lord thou knowest my hart is right feble much is my vnstablenes my knowledg ful litle Therfore good Lord strengthen me establish me and teach me and as thou made and bought me so keepe and defend me Bodie and Soule I commit to thee not as I vvil but as thou wilt Lord so be it And novv good Iesu Gods Sonne that knowest al things helpe me in al vvicked thoughts that I displese thee not in liking or consenting Ful oft I haue offended thee in diuers thoughtes against thy vvil much to my liking therfore it is thy rightuousnes that I be trubled with other thoughts at thy pleasure that be greuos to me But swete Iesus vvhen thy vvil is put them from me and take me to mercie O Lord Iesus Christ Gods Sonne keep my mind that I dilight not in vaine thoughts Iesus Christ Gods Sonne vvhich stood stil before a Iudge nothing to him answering vvith draw my tongue til I consider hovv and vvhat I shal speake that may be to thy vvoorshippe Iesus Christ Gods Sonne vvhose hands vvere bound ful sore for my loue guide gouerne my hands al my other members that my vvorkes may euer beginne to thy vvorship and graciously end to thy moste honoure Arise o Lorde and helpe vs And for thy holie names-sake saue deliuer vs. O Lord Iesus Christ cause me to haue in thy loue a meane vvithout mesure an afection vvithout meane a longing without order a burning desire vvithout ceassing O Lord I beseche thee of mercie also for al thos that doe desire my prayers though I be a most vvretched sinner vnvvorthy to be hard haue regard to their humilitie and deuotion and vvhat they desire to thy vvorship graunt thē for thy goodnes Graunt them and me to al other that I am behoulding to or bound to pray for grace to loue vvhat is moste to thy liking thee to loue aboue al thinges nothing to desire that should thee displese Al temptations mightily to withstand al other vanities o Lord for thy loue to dispise Thee good Lord euer to haue in minde and in thy seruice to abide to our liues ende and if thou graunt vs anie thing to doe that shal be to vs meedful graūt part o Lord to the Soules departed abidig thy mercie in the paynes of Purgatorye Amen In such maner thou maiest pray in the beginning and vvhen thou art entred in deuotion thou shalt percas haue better feeling in praier and holy meditations then I can shew Good brother or sister pray then forme vvrit by the teching of Almighty God haue vvhich