I may feele iust remorse and sorowe for euery sinne and imperfection what soeuer And that I may the better performe this graunt me grace my sweete Sauiour Iesus Christe that I may perseuer in discussing my conscience euery night more diligently thē other according to the good instructions it hath plesed thee by thy seruauntes to impart vnto me and that eche morning I may so happily beginne the day by offering thee the firste fruites of al mine actions as that the rest thereof may euermore be passed to thy glory As for my Penance that is enioyned me and not performed alreadie fauourably I beseeche thee to assist me both in the perfect remembring therof and in the diligent executing in good time And graunt that by thus endeuouring my self daily thorough thy grace to amende my life I may both liue and dye a true Penitent and obteine through the merits of thy blessed passion a ful forgeuenes of my sinnes in this world and in th' other the life eternal wherto thou hast created me To thee mine onely Sauiour Iesus Christ with the Father and the Holy Ghoste one God be al honour praise and glory euerlastinglye Amen A VERY fitt praier to be saide before Masse wherein we exercise very fruitfully our faith and prepare our selues to heare it with dutiful attention O MOST puissant and louing Lorde who haste of thine infinite mercy vouchsafed that thine only sonne our Sauiour Iesus Christe should before his doleful death ordeine his bodye and bloudd to be consecrated in thy Churche by vertue of thy worde in a most miraculous and dreadful misterie graunt me grace I beseech thee O Lorde that as of thy singuler loue towardes vs thou hast ordeined this diuine Sacrament to make vs alwaies mindful of the merits purchased vnto vs by the death of thy deere sonne our Sauiour so I maie with due reuerence and diligent remembrance of those his most bitter tormentes assist here whiles thy seruaunt celebrateth this misterie and offer vp my praiers in most obedient wise vnto thee The souerain desire thou haddest of our wel-fare O Lorde was that which moued thee to leaue vs this moste diuine sacrifice of the Masse that like as thy triumphant Churche hath her sacrifice aboue so thy militant Churche might haue her sacrifice belowe For like as in heauen thy sonne dailie offereth him-selfe vnto thee for bethouse appering before thy face in a visible and glorious maner so hast thou vouch safed that in earth he should dailie be offered to thee by the function of priestes for our sinnes in a maner inuisible and proportionable to our frailtie Yet is it al one onelie and the selfe same Iesus Christe thy sonne and al our profite and auaile is whollie deriued from the Tree of the holie Roode This misterie most mightie Lorde is farre surpassing al humane capacitie and yet right easie for those to beleeue that haue in time sucked the sweete sapp of thy most sauorie and wholesome doctrine For mine owne part Lorde I beleeue through thy gratious goodnes simply whatsoeuer thy holie Catholike Apostolike and Roman Church teacheth me either touching this or anie other of thy most diuine misteries and doctrines and confesse vndoubtedly that as thou hast said that body and bloud is conteined in this most sacred Sacrament and the same bodye to be like-wise on the right hand of thy Father in heauen so beleue I them both most assuredly and th' one as firmelye as th' other seing one is as-wel the wil and worke of the Word God and man as is the other and to be in earth in heauen and in many places at once is in thy power to doo it most easily as thou doest and is in my power through thy grace to beleeue it most constantlye as I doo Herein I vtterly renounce my sence and al mans vnderstāding and cleue only to thy diuine and inexplicable Omnipotencie who as thou madest al things of nothing so canst thou alter and dispose of al thinges at thy wil and pleasure Nowe therefore I beseeche thee most omnipotent and mightie God to driue awai al distractions and wicked thoughts out of my minde that I may attend the celebration of this heauenly misterie with feare and reuerent humilitie Sanctifie also I beseech thee his spirite who is here to present him-selfe before thee to celebrate this diuine Sacrifice to th' ende that he may woorthely doo it to thine honour and glorye his owne auaile and the benefite of al others Geue me grace that by the reuerent ceremonies which are here to be vsed I mai be put in mind of thy most painful torments which they doo represent and that I mai adore thee in thy imperial Sacrament with souerain dread and lowlines This by thy grace I purpose this by thy grace I hope to performe Accept therfore O Lorde to thine honour our welfare and the vnitie of thy Churche the bodie and bloud of our Sauiour thy sonne Iesus Christe offered thee in this Sacrifice Incline thine eares O Lorde to the praiers of thine afflicted flocke and mercifullie restore thy true religion where it is lacking Open the eies of the blind and make them know their errors Relieue the distressed the captiues and the sicke in the vertue of this sacrament Geue grace to the liuing and perpetual place of rest and quietnes to those which are departed in thy faith for the merits of our onely Sauiour thy sonne Iesus Christe to whom with thee and the holy Ghost one God be al renowme praise and soueraintie for euermore Amen ANOTHER short praier to be saide likewise before Masse O MY soueraine Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe O Lampe of light and truth I most miserable wretche humbly beseeche thee to stanche my wandring mind in such sort as I maie with due 〈◊〉 and attention assist and waite here in thy imperial presence whiles thou procurest this so important an affair with thy eternal father for my wel fare and of al man-kind Illuminate my soule and stirre vp my lumpish heart O sonne of true Sapience and Iustice with the bright nes of thy countenance that I maie here with a grateful and deuout memorie cal to mind that sacrifice of obedience patience and mosle inflamed charitie which thou being wrapt in extreme woes and ignominious reproches diddest offer vppon the roode with thy life and euerie dropp of thy most sacred bloud to thi celestial Father for our sins Amē AN EXCELLENT praier and adoration to be made in the presence of the blessed Sacrament I MOST wicked wretche and vnwoorthie Christian bow down before my Lorde who hath made and redeemed me who fostreth and susteineth me and euermore remaineth life and veritie O Iesus Christe very God and mē I adore thee here present and cal vppon thee not doubting any whitt at al of the verie real presence of thy flesh and bloud viuificant nor of the presence of thy pretious bodie and most sacred soule Ah Lorde that I coulde in
this aunswer From that time quoth he that I was first made a monke I determined with my selfe neuer to let any anger issue out of my mouth but to mortifie and burye it within me and for this cause is it the deuils doo so greatly dreade me So maiest thou wel hope they wil doo to thee if thou indeuour thy selfe to doo the same that he did Beware also the Sunne doo neuer go downe vppon thine anger according as S Paul admonisheth that is to say that thou expel it quicklye and suffer it not longe to soiourne in thy soule for so might it turn into hatred become more daungerous and harder to be healed We reade howe the Abbot Agatho was wont to saye Neuer would I quoth he sleepe being offended with any man neither haue I suffred as much as laye in me that any other man should sleepe that was offended with me but went about forthwith to make attonement both in my selfe and others Indeuor thou to doo the like as occasion may geue thee leaue These Remedies maiest thou at such time principally put in vre whō thou perceauest thy selfe offended towardes others But if thou contrari-wise see an-other offended and angry with thee then frame thy selfe to doo one of these two things either couertly in the best maner thou canst to winde thy selfe out of his companye that is angrye vntil the wrath he hath conceaued be worne ouer or els wanting oportunitie to doo thus force thee to ouercome euil with good according to the Apostles counsaile seeking to appease him with some faire and humble speeches sith as the wise man saith A milde aunswere asswageth anger and harde speeches kindle furye and rage But if thou shouldest want meanes to doo either of these take such order at least wise as to be silent whiles thou seest him in these freatting fumes and in thy heart to praye to God for him for that as S. Gregory saith It is a great deale more glorious to shun ne wrath by silence then to subdue it by aunswering LASTLY note that if the anger or impatience whiche thou feelest in thee proceede not of any iniurie or wronge done to thee by any person but through the aduersities and tribulations that befal thee in this life then shal it be a very good Remedie to remember the examples of such perfect and holy men as haue endured with great patience farre greater tribulations and calamities thē thine be Remember that inuincible patience of Iob who with so stoute a courage susteined so many losses so many sores such infinite number of griefes corseys hart-breakes as happened to him in one instant Neither did he amongst al these millions of miseries once droope or shewe by worde or deede any signe of blame-worthy impatience as the holy scripture testifieth Thinke also of that holye man Tobias his rare patience who in his blindnes pouertie and al his other annoyes had continually a constant minde and conformable to the wil of god Consider also that mildnes and meruailous patience of the holy prophet Moises whom not al the continual troubles and murmuringes of that ingrateful people which he had brought out of Egipt could suffice to disquiet or moue to anger The like patiēce and mildnes maiest thou note in that holy king Dauid amongst al the manifolde persecutions and afflictions he suffred through the whole course perrode of his life The same constācie and patient minde shalt thou in like maner find by discoursing many other of the holy prophetes and perfect mens liues of the old Testament and much more exactly in the newe sith we reade in S. Luke touching the Apostles how they being by decree and counsail of the Pharises bett and outragiously iniured they abidd and passed ouer al with great gladnes as being thought woorthy to suffer these contemptes for the name of IESVS And not onely these but innumerable other tormentes did they suffer with like constancie cheerfulnes shedding their bloud and losing their liues for loue of the same lord And after them did in like maner manye thousande thousandes of martirs whom thou maiest also vnbethinke thee of But aboue al cal to minde and pause for the nonst to poder that meruailous and incomparable patience of the holy of al holies our Sauiour Redeemer Iesus Christe who suffered much more persecutions paines reproches villanies griefs tormentes in al his life time with farre greater constancie and meeknes then any other conformablye to that the prophete Esay foretolde that he should stand domme euen like a Lambe before the Shearer And S. Peter saith how being railed vpō and reuiled by others he gaue no cuil words at al in suffering so greeuous tormentes did not threaten those that with such barbarous crueltie tormented him yea in recompence prayed to his euerlasting father for them If thou propounde these thinges with th' other examples before thine eyes al thy tribulations aduersities and persecutions what-soeuer shal seem but very smal and easie to thee and thou be animated and encouraged to endure al very patiently THOV maiest also in this case applye an-other remedie by considering the great commoditie thou shalt reape by these tentations and tribulations which thou suffiest This cōsideration as S. Gregory affirmeth doth mittigate the force of the whip and scourge Thinke therefore that like as gold is with fire fined in the fornace so shal thy soule be purged with the fire of tribulations And that for this cause God doth send thē to thee as a father that loueth thee dearly by chastising thee as a son he doth purge purifie thee wheras if thou lackest this discipline his holy rod of correctiō thou shouldest this title and name of sonne Beleeue furthermore that the stones which are to be laide in the celeslial Icrusalem must first be hewen here with many blowes of tribulations paines and persecutions for aboue in those heauenlye boures there shal-be no noyse of hammers to witt no dolours or wailinges no toiles nor tentations at al but an endlesse ioye and happy quietnes Beleeue like-wise that if as S Paule faith thou be a companion of Christ in this life in his passions and tribulations thou shalt in the next life be a companion of his ioyes and consolations And if thou suffer with him in this worlde thou shalt afterwardes reigne with him euerlastingly in th' other world And if here thou beest a litle afflicted and grecued sith the afflicted of this short life are but short and smal thou shalt afterwardes 〈◊〉 in heuen with a glorious 〈◊〉 ioye as S. Peter promiseth thee Al these thinges if thou consider them wel as the holye Saintes aforetime haue pondered and considered them thou wilt not onely abide patientlye these thy present tribulations but yeeld moste hartie thankes to that Lorde who with so singuler loue
for so is moste expedient forsomuch as the thinges that are here intreated of sith they be the rules and remembrances which thou oughtest in spiritual life to leuel and guide thy worke by it behoueth at al times to reade them when thou purposest to practise thē For besides that the bare reading shal-be a laudable and meritorious exercise for thee and serue as a part of prayer the reiterating and frequētation of reading shal helpe thee to learne by heart what in action thou art bound to execute and so maiest thou afterwardes exercise thee in ech point with much more facilitie and lesse adoo a great deale And therfore albeit this litle labour maye profite eche one that with good and godlye intent wil vouchsafe to reade it yet was it principally intended for the simple and more ignorant sort and for that cause haue I thought good to annexe here in the end such thinges as many of them wot not and yet are bound to knowe Seing that if euerye Artisan thinke it meete to knowe such thinges as belonge vnto his Art howe much more is a true Christian bound to knowe what appertaineth to his profession an Arte aboue al Artes and to be prepared as the Apostle S. Peter saith to yeeld accompt of that he beleeueth and hopeth and what it behooueth him to doo to liue according to Gods wil and pleasure and to obteine euerlasting life withal Wherefore for such as be in this behalfe blame-woorthye negligent I haue here set downe such thinges as without daunger of their owne wel-doing they neither ought nor can be ignorant of that by reading these notes and short remembrances they may both vnderstande what they want and learne it here commodiously without further seeking of other bookes And as for the textes I haue here set them foorth both in the latine and vulgar tonge for euery one to learne them as best shal like thē not respecting so much the wordes as the substance and sapp conteined in the same SIMBOLVM APOSTOLORVM which in vulgare tonge is called the Creede 1. CREDO in Deū Patrem Omnipotentem Creatorem coeli terrae 2. Et in Iesum Christum filium eius vnicum Dominum nostrum 3. Qui conceptus est de Spiritu Sancto natus ex Maria virgine 4. Passus sub Pontio Pilato crucifixus mortuus sepultus 5. Descendit ad inferos tertia die resurrexit à mortuis 6. Ascendit ad coelos sedit ad dextram Dei Patris Omnipotentis 7. Inde venturus est iudicare viuos mortuos 8. Credo in Spiritum Sanctum 9. Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam Sanctorum Communionem 10. Remissionem peccatorum 11. Carnis Resurrectionem 12. Vitam aeternam Amen 1. I beleeue in God the Father Almightie Maker of heauen and earth 2. And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. 3. Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost born of the virgin Marye 4. Suffred vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified deade and buried 5. Descended into hel the third day he rose againe from the deade 6. Ascended into heauen sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almightie 7. From thence he shal come to iudge both the quicke and the deade 8. I beleeue in the holy Ghoste 9. The holy Catholike Churche the Communion of Saintes 10. The forgeuenes of sinnes 11. The Resurrection of the bodye 12. And the life euerlasting Amen A BRIEFE declaration of the. 12. Articles conteined in the Crede ¶ Cap. 30. FOR thy better remembring of these xij Articles conteined in the Creede aforesaid wherin the whole summe of our holy Catholike fayth is comprehended I haue thought good in this second impression to adioyne a briefe declaration as-wel thereof as also of such other thinges as be needful for thee to haue by hart Wherby thou maiest easily learn not onely to rehearse the bare wordes but to sucke out the sense and sapp also of that which thou beleeuest con fessest and witnessest or at least wise oughtest to doo in al thy life and actions It is therfore for declaration of this Creede or Simbole to be noted howe God being one in substance three in person al the three persons of the most sacred and souerain Trinitie are in this Creede especified and vnto eche one of them their peculier and proper Articles assigned THE FIRST Article sheweth vnto vs the first person of the Trinitie to wit the Father vnto whom is attributed the creation of heauen earth and of al things visible and inuisible al the which as he for vs hath by his Omnipotencie created of nothing so doth he forovs through his wisdome and goodnes still mainteine and gouerne them whereby we are done to wit what great loue we are bounde to beare towarde this our so good a father who hath for vs created and kept so manye thinges What trust we may also repose in him and howe greatly we ought to dreade the offending of so omnipotent a Father THE SECOND Article declareth vnto vs the second person of the sacred Trinitie which is the Sonne who touching his diuinitie is from al eternitie ingendred of his Father of the self-same substaunce with his father and coequal to him This one only and eternal sonne of God as he tooke humane nature and fleshe vppon him is called Iesus Christe that is to saye Sauiour annointed IESVS which signifieth Saurour for that he came to saue and redeeme his people from their sinnes and CHRISTE which is as much to say as annointed for that he was annointed by the holye Ghoste ful of grace and truth He is also called MESSIAS whom God had erst promised to sende into the worlde a KING BISSHOP and LORDE for that he bought vs with his most precious bloud and thereby is geuen vs to vnderstande howe much we are bound to honour loue and reuerence him THE THIRD Article teacheth vs the incarnation and temporal natiuitre of this our Lord for that being as God eternally engendred of his father without mother he for our loue descended frō heauen and tooke humane fleshe vpon him and was as man conceaued without father or operation of man in that most sacred vessel the virginal wombe of the euermore virgin Mary and was afterwardes borne in Bethlcem of this his blessed mother she remayning euermore a virgin By this incarnation of the 〈◊〉 of God we are al of vs regenerated of carnal that we were made spiritual and the children of God in Iesus Christe THE FOVRTH Article doth informe vs of the Passion death and burial of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe who hauing preched and done many miracles for the space of three yeres the Iewes of meere spite and malice accused him to Pontius Pilate their Iudge who albeit he wist wel his innocencie and cleernes frō any crime yet did he adiudge him to suffer death vpon the Roode and so was he by that means crucified dead and buried whose holy wounds passion Crosse
as that I onely liue to thee I onely loue thee I onely delight in thee that thou be my onely ioye my onely comfort my only foode wherwith my soule maye in such sort be refreshed as that al other meats seem lothsome and vnsauourie to it This onely haue I chosen this onely shal suffice me with this alone wil I liue contented satisfied and happy vntil that most desired day come when I shal feede of thee in another forme and enioye thee continually in the company of al the elect and blessed Saintes of thy celestial court where with the Father and the holye Ghost thou liuest and reignest euerlastingly Amen PRAYERS THE Translatour of this Treatise 〈◊〉 earnestly good Christian Reader to be remembred in thy praiers and that other-whiles of thy charitable deuotion which shal not be vnrewarded thou wilt offer for him to God these fewe lines in maner folowing O LORDE of infinite maiestie and mercy who desirest not the death but the deliuerance of a sinner take pitie vpō thy seruant N. and pardon his moste greeuous trespasses Graunt him grace to knowe thee and to knowe him-selfe Geue him the vertues of humilitie patience temperance chastitie and perfect resignation Deliuer him frō mortal siun during life and in the hour of death strengthen him in faith and firme hope of finding mercy So that scaping the daungers of his enemies both in his life time and in that last most dreadful houre of death he maye through thy gratious goodnes attaine to euerlasting happines there to praise thee the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost one God eternallye Graunt this O Lorde for our Mediatour and only Redeemer Iesus Christe his sake Amen Non nobis Domine non nobis sed Nomini tuo da gloriam Thy sugred name O Lorde Engraue within my brest Sith therein doth consist My weal and onely rest TO THE READER I HAVE thought good gentle Reader folowing herein the aduise of certaine vertucus and learned men to annexe in the ende of the former most excellent Treatise these few praiers that folow moued therto chiefly with this reason that such as haue not ben erst exercised in the maner of praying prescribed by the Authour might here see some practise of his preceptes touching gouernment on morninges and euenings the two especial times wheron depend the whole course of a wel-ordered life as also touching the disposition requisite both before and after confessiō with some such other prayers as I demed most necessary here to present vnto thee I hope if thou beest a Nouice and delighted with the former worke this my smale paine shal not seeme vnprofitable vnto thee which I beseech thee to vse to thine auaile whiles thou wantest better meanes And this must I say for the better credite of that which foloweth how it is not I that am the authour thereof but other famous men of the same liuery that the former is God requite al our benefactors spiritual especially and geue thee Reder such good by this whole worke as the Authours thereof doo wish thee and my poore hart affordeth thee A PRAYER 〈◊〉 be sayde in the morning before al other busines MY LORDE God and most benigne Sauiour Iesus Christe who when I was not diddest create and make me capable of thee the soueraine and only good and being made a thral and bondslaue through my fore-fathers trespasse diddest redeeme me with thy most pretious bloud and losse of thy sacred life abiding the tormentes due to my trespasses to acquit and ridd me from the same For these O Lorde and al other thine inestimable benefites namely for hauing preserued me this night past I yeelde thee moste humble zealous and obedient thankes offring my selfe whollye to thee as I am wholly thine beseeching thee also of thine infinit clemēcie to preserue me this day from any waies offending thee and to direct al my thoughtes wordes and workes to thine euerlasting glory Mine estate and calling is as thou knowest O Lorde inuironed with many difficulties here is eche one to weigh their vocation and the dangers it is subject too and through mine euil customes and wicked inclinations hardlye can I without thy special assistance passe this daye without offending in these sinnes Here must eche one cal to mind the vices he is most prone too Refreshe therfore O Lorde my concupiscence with the dewes of thy diuine grace and geue me strength to fight more manfully and to subdue al wicked suggestions Truely Lord here in humilitie and sinceritie of heart I protest neuer willingly by thy gratious fauoure to offende thy lawes and commaundementes anye more I detest al sinne and what may any wayes displease thee I desire to loue thee feare thee and serue thee this day and euermore and to direct al mine actions to thine honour and glorye Assist me Lorde with thy grace and enriche my pouertie with the plentie of thy merits Wherfore in the vnion of that charitie wherewith thou descendest from heauen into the blessed virgins wombe and afterwardes offredst vp thy selfe on the roode in sacrifice for our sinnes in the vnion of this thine incomprehensible charitie I offer vnto thee what-soeuer I shal doo thinke or speake this day Here may we briefly discourse wherin we are like to passe ouer the day beseeching thee through thy merciful goodnes to accept gouerne and enriche al in such sort as thy glorye may be therby procured my neighbours wel-fare occasioned and mine owne soule better fortified and prouided To thee my sweete and only Iesus Christ with the father and the holy Ghost be al glorye and praise euerlastingly Amen Pater noster Aue Maria. Credo c. A PRAYER to be saide to bed warde applied to the excellent instructions of the third Chapter aboue 1. SOVERAINE dreadful and most louing Lorde my God who neuer ceassest to shew thy mercy towardes sinners yea when they offende and trespasse against thee such is thine infinit clemencie and loue as then thou forbearest not to heape thy benefites vpon them I moste sinful and wicked wretche yeeld thee humble thankes for thine ineffable goodnes shewed towardes me in creating me to thine own likenes and making me capable of thine euerlasting glorye for the creation of so many other creatures for my behoufe and sustenance and for that inestimable worke of my redemption wherby thou deliueredst me from the slauerie of Satan and purchasedst me free entraunce into thy celestial Region These pointes may be fruitfully particularised according to eche one their skil and deuotion for hauing singled me amongst so many millions that know thee not and lye drow ned in ignorance and miserable errours to be thy seruaunt and a true Catholike Christian for al thy blessed Sacramentes especially for that sacrament aboue al sacraments wherin thou art thy selfe most really conteined for hauing preserued me so many times from hel wherin I had beene longe since plunged had not thou of thine inspeakable goodnes susteined and deliuered me
such sort knowe beholde loue and laude thee as so many millions of Angels doo with soueraine ioy and gladnes behold thee knowing louing and lauding thee perfectly without being euer weried in doing 〈◊〉 and due obeisance vnto thee I salute thee O sauegarde of my soule eternal word of the father true sacrifice flesh viuificant entier diuinitie eternal life O most pretious Treasure replenished with al delight the harbour and resting place of pure and cleane heartes O 〈◊〉 viande O celestial and most excellent breade O eternal word of the father which art for vs made fleshe and yet remainest God in the verye selfe same person I confesse thee most vndoubtedly to be true God and true man consecrated after a miraculous maner on the Aultar Thou art the assured hope and the true saluation of sinners Thou art the 〈◊〉 Restoratiue of those that languishe Thou art the 〈◊〉 Treasure of poore distressed pilgrims Halowed be thy name therefore most sweete Sauiour Iesus Christe Al thy creatures sound forth praises and thanks-geuinges to thee for the 〈◊〉 wher-with thou tenderedst our welfare by descending downe from 〈◊〉 and offering vp thy noble 〈◊〉 and innocent bodie on the 〈◊〉 of the roode for our redemption and that after thy Resurrection and Ascension thou didst vouchsafe for our wel-fare and consolation to leaue vs with ineffable loue the selfe-same thy liuely and immortal bodie conteined in this most venerable Sacrament as a memorial of thy departure and paune of the peerlesse loue thou bearest vs. O Lambe of God that takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercie vpon vs and graunt vs thy peace Refreshe also our soules with spiritual foode and comfort especially at the latter ende of our daies that neither in life nor death we depart frō thee nor be depriued at any time of thy celestial benedictions thou which liuest and reignest with God the Father and the holy ghost in al eternitie Amen A PROTESTATION to be made in time of sicknes according to the instructions of the. 27. Chapter aboue Say first the Creede and then in maner folowing I PROTEST here before Almightie God my maker and Redeemer before the blessed virgin Marye and al the whole Court of heauen namely before my Gardian Angel and al you that are here assistant about me that by Gods grace I minde to liue and dye in this faith I haue here protessted according as the holy Catholike and Romane Church vnderstandeth it and that I wil euermore by Gods grace remain in the vnion of the bodie of this Churche vnder the head our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe and his Vicar here in earth And if anie word that sounded contrary hereto should by dotage escape out of my mouth I protest here that it is not mine but onely that which I haue aboue protested A PRAYER to God and to al his blessed Saintes for al thinges necessarye for our selues and our neighbours MOST bountiful pitiful and most merciful Father haue mercie and pitie vpon me who for al mine offences and those of the whole world offer the life passion and paineful death of thine onely sonne vnto thee I present vnto thee al that he hath moste patiently abidden for my sake I offer vnto thee his most holie heart conuerted into honie through the greatnes of the loue he bare me I offer thee the merits of his most sacred mother and of al thy holie Saintes that it maie please thee for their sakes to pardon me my sinnes to take pitie vpon me and that al glory and renowme maie thereby redounde to thee euerlastingly Amen MOST SWEETE Iesus my Soueraine Lorde and Sauiour take pitie and compassion vpon me for the infinite multitude of thy mercies I thanke thee most humbly for the innumerable benefits which I haue receaued and daily doo receaue of thy most bountiful liberalitie I thanke thee for thy most sacred incarnation thy most pure natiuitie thy moste cruel passion for al the effusions of thy most sacred bloud and for thy most ignominious and doleful death I beseech thee most louing and merciful Lorde that it maie please thee to make me partaker of al thy merits that being incorporate and made one selfe same thing with thee through loue and imitation of thy most holie life I may merite to depende and be nourished of thee as a braunche of the vine seing thou art the true vine and the life of al faithful persons wherby al glorie and honour is due to thee for euermore Amen O HOLY Ghost my Comforter helpe and succour me I moste humblie beseeche thee I commend vnto thee my soule bodie and whatsoeuer I haue within or without me and resigne and yeeld vp into thy handes al the whole course and last ende of my life Graunt me Lorde that I maye perseuer thy faithful seruant euen til the last breath doing true and sincere penance for my trespasses and that I sorow and lament them moste hartely before my soule depart this miserable habitation I know right wel Lord that whiles I liue in this world I am blinde feeble and fal with great facilitie into the snares of mine affections I straye verye easily and am easily seduced and beguiled of mine enemies I present therfore and offer al vp into thy handes shrouding my selfe vnder thy most soueraine protection Defende Lorde defende this thy poore seruaunt from al euil Illuminate mine vnderstanding gouerne my soule direct and guide my bodie fortifie my courage against the disordinate dulnes of my heart and against the innumerable scruples which crosse and cruelly encounter it And graunt me grace to loue thee with al delight and sweetnes and that wholly I may be inflamed in thy loue fulfilling at al times and in al places thy moste soueraine behestes And thou be alwaies blessed and thanked for euermore Amen I ADORE reuerence and glorifie thee O most sacred Trinitie God Almightie the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghoste I prostrate and humble my selfe whollye before thy dreadful and diuine maiestie and abandon my selfe for euer vnto thy most holy wil. Expel Lorde and banish quite out of me and of al faithful persons what-soeuer offendeth thee and geue vs that which is grateful and acceptable to thy most soueraine eyes Bring to passe O Lorde that we maye be euen such as thou wouldest haue vs I commend vnto thy sacred protection al this whole familie and al the cause and affaires of euery one be thei spiritual or temporal I commend vnto thee al my parentes brethren kinsfolkes benefactours frendes and acquaintance as also al those whom I am bounde to praye for and that either haue done or presentlye doo commende them selues to my poore deuotions Procure Lorde that al obey thee serue thee and that al in perfect vnitie doo loue thee Reduce the wandrers to the right way extinguish al heresies and schismes conuert to thy faith al those that yet are ignoraunt of thy holye name Graunt vs peace and mainteine vs therin as thou
Of al the with misteries S. Luke and S. Mathew write in the first Chapters of their Gospels A man maye meditate likewise what he did from twelue yeeres vpwarde vntil his baptisme according to euerye one their godlye deuotion for that we finde nothing written thereof in the holy Gospel 2. THE SECOND part of Christ his life beginneth at his baptisme and continueth vntil his sacred Passion wherein are comprehended his baptisme fasting temptation in the wildernes his preachings and many miracles he wrought vntil his last supper whereof the historie of eche one may be gathered out of the holye Gospels 3. THE THIRD part comprehendeth his last supper his passion resurrection and ascension wherof I haue alredy entreated in the seuenth chapter These meditations of the life and miracles of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe may bee fitly distributed and meditated in one or two weekes by suche as haue leisure and learning to gather the storye out of the holye Gospel obseruing pardie in al their meditatiōs the aduises instructiōs abouesaid especially of picking fruit ful notes and doctrine for their souls out of these holye misteries and of gouerning them-selues in the beginning and ending of eche one as is aforesaide And for so much as the deuotion of the Rosarie is very laudable and grateful to our Lorde and Sauioure Iesus Christe and to the blessed virgin his mother as hath bene sufficientlye proued by the testimonie of manye miracles and that in this kind of deuotion mental prayer may with gret good and gaine of our soules be put in vre I haue thought good herewithal to intreate of this exercise that the simpler sort may with more commoditie and lesse labour find if not al yet the greter part of the foresaide meditations gathered here together which both they maye and ought to thinke vpon in saying of the Rosarie and thereby reape likewise the benefite of suche indulgences as be graunted to those that in this wise doo say the same First therfore it is to be noted that the whole Rosary and Psalter of our blessed Lady is deuided into three fifties whereof eche one conteyneth fiftie Aue Maries and fiue Pater nosters Nowe whiles eche of these three fiftie Aue Maries are in saying there be three seueral sortes of misteries to be meditated on In the first fiftie ar the fyue ioyful misteries to be thought vpon which are so called for that in them we contemplate fyue special ioyes our Lady had before her sonne our Sauiours resurrection In the second are meditated the fyue doleful misteries so named of fyue special and notorious panges of sorowe our Lady had during the time of her sonnes most painful passion In the third are the fyue glorious misteries meditated so termed of the fyue most glorious and plesant ioyes our Lady had after her sonne his moste glorious resurrection EFFIGIEM Lucas Mariae quā pinxerat 〈◊〉 Ista refert viuo viua colore tibi THE fiue ioyful misteries of the first fifthe are these in maner folowing WHILES the firste ten Aue Maries and one Pater noster are a saying meditate the misterie of the incarnatiō howe the blessed virgin being dououtly kneeling at prayers in her poore lodginge the Angel Gabriel came and greeted her with that celestial Ambassage Meditate here the speeches that passed betwixt her and the Angel and the inspeakable vertue our Ladye shewed in the receauing of this Ambassage First that modestie and silence wherwith she gaue eare to the message without vttering any wordes her-self but most necessary a right commendable vertue especially in women Secondlye that profound humilitie which caused her so seemely bashfulnes in hearing her owne praises spoken of Thirdly that entier affection and zeale she bare to chastitie whereof she first of al others had made 〈◊〉 her vowe and that albeit so souerain a dignitie were tendered her as to be the mother of God yet would she be right wel assured in no wise to distaine that virginal puritie which she so singulerlye esteemed Fourthlye that perfect faith which S. Elizabeth so highly commended in her for hauing beleeued suche thinges as the Angel told and promised her on the behalfe of our Lorde albeit they surpassed al mans reach and vnderstanding And hereby maiest thou learne to credite the wordes and promises of God seeme they neuer so incredible to humane iudgement Fiftly that lowly obedience wherewith in fine she resigned vp her selfe wholly into the hands of God saying Ecce ancilla Domini c. Beholde the handmaide of the Lord be it done to me according to thy worde Whence thou must learne to doo the same in eche thing it shal please God to worke in or by thee IN THE second tenne Aue Maries and Pater noster meditate the seconde ioyful misterie which is the visitatiō of S. Elizabeth howe the most holye virgin knowing by the Angels wordes that her cousin was conceaued with childe went in humble wise to visite her whom after she had louing ly saluted Elizabeth was forthwith replenished with the holy ghost and inspeakable ioyes as wel appered by the wordes she spake vnto her In this worke our Lady geueth thee example that looke howe much thou feelest thy selfe more inriched with Gods good giftes and fouorable graces so muche art thou to shewe thy selfe more lowly and charitable towardes thy neighbours for whose sakes and not thine owne onely priuate benefite thou hast receaued thē And that in such like works of charitie thou doo them with feruor and diligence as the moste sacred virgin did herein towardes S. Elizabeth Consider also what great vertue and efficacie the voice of this great Lady the virgins salutation was of seing S. Elizabeth confessed how presently after she had once heard her speake she forth-with felt in her-selfe such strange matters and wonderful alterations Thou oughtest therefore to be very careful in oft seruing and saluting her that so thou deserue to be comforted and holpen by her puissant speeche and praier Learne withal when thou hearest thy selfe praysed or art giltie of any good part in thee to attribute al to God and to geue him thankes for al as here our blessed Lady did in her deuout Canticle of Magnificat c. My soule doth magnifie our Lorde IN THE THIRDE ten Aue Maries meditate the third misterie which is of the natiuitie and birth of Christe wherein thinke first how Cesar Augustus hauing caused proclamations to be made for eche one to enroule their names in suche chiefe Cities as they belonged too the moste sacred virgin the mirrour of al humilitie being redy to obey this decree went from Nazareth to Bethleem in so cold a season and with so great pain as her great pouertie must needes cōstrain and force her Note here with how rigorous an austeritie the sonne of God whō she bare in her wombe would before his birth perfourme Obedience and haue his mother
beautie glory and maiestie he rise vp in and howe he appered afterwardes to his blessed mother to good Mari Magdalen with other the deuout women and his Disciples Marke wel here in what glory and ioy we hope one day to rise again after our death whervnto we must by the toiles and troubles of this life atteyne as Christ him-selfe did by the paines of his crosse and bitter passion THE SECOND glorious misterie is of our Lord and Sauiour his Ascēsion Contemplate here how the fortie day after his Resurrection he lastlye of al appered to his disciples being set at table and commaunded thē to get them vp to the mount Oliuet where after he had taken his leaue and louing farewel of his blessed mother and his disciples mounted vp with great glory and triumphe into heauen accompanied with legions of Angels and such Saintes as he earst had deliuered out of Limbo Take out here this lesson that who so hūbleth him-selfe most in this life shal afterwardes be moste exalted in the other as we see in this example of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe If any desire more ample discourse and consideration of these two glorious misteries and of the fiue dolorous aforesaide let them reade the seuenth Chapter aboue where they are more largely amplified and set out and in that respect be here more briefly spoken of my meaning being in this place to serue their turnes chiefly that haue lesse capacitie and leisure to vse this exercise of meditation THE THIRD glorious misterie is of the comming downe of the holye ghoste vpon the disciples Wherein meditate how both they and the other holy women that loued Christe being altogether with his blessed mother in the dining chamber at prayer the holye ghoste came downe in fierie tonges and wonderfully reioyced and comforted them al ministring to them great strength to go and preache abroade as wel appered both by the notable courage and 〈◊〉 efficacie wherewith they preached publiquely without anye feare as also by the multitude of people which were thereby forthwith conuerted whence gather this note that to receaue the holy ghoste thou must be in perfect peace and charitie towardes al men and withal attende diligently to deuout and feruent praier Note furthermore that then shalt thou be strong inough to hazard thy selfe in any peril for Christes cause and thy speeches and spirite shal-be then of force and strenght to stirre vp and inflame others their frosen heartes when thine owne shal firste be perfectlye kindled and inflamed with this heauenly fire which the Apostles receaued as this day THE FOVRTH glorious misterie is of the Assumption of our blessed Ladye Meditate here how the Apostles being nowe departed to preache rounde about the worlde the blessed virgin our Lady remained stil in Ierusalem geuing her-selfe to contemplation and visiting deuoutlye and eftsons those holy places wherin her sacred sonne had earst wrought the misteries of our redemption And being thus occupied wel maye we beleeue she by continual sute of prayers required to be drawen out of this life and conducted thither where she might see her most sweet sonne Who after certaine yeeres condescending to this her sute and humble petition came him-selfe downe accompanied with troupes of holye Angels and tooke with him this moste happye soule carying it into heauen with great ioye and inestimable exultation Marke here what a commendable and verye fruitful exercise it shal-be for thee eftsons in minde to visite these very places where this redemption of ours was wrought meditating deuoutlye the misteries therof as we may right wel suppose the most holy virgin did Note moreouer howe in this life being a vale of toiles and teares thou oughtest to passe the time as in an exile sighing sorowing and desiring to be conducted vp to that heauenly region where the true life is in companye of that moste happy mother and of her derelye beloued sonne Hereby maiest thou likewise vnderstande how greatly this Lord and soueraine Monarche is to be loued and obeyed who both can and wil so highly reward and fauour those that serue and loue him loially as here thou meditatest he hath done towardes his most loial and louing mother THE FIFTE glorious misterie is of the crowning of our blessed Ladye where meditate howe that after her assumptiō according as we right holily doo beleeue that moste happye soule associated with millions of holye Angels came downe to ioyne it selfe to her virginal body which being raised vp became moste beautiful bright immortal and impassible and so with incomparable glory and honour was she crowned of the most sacred Trinitie and placed in a moste pretious throne aboue al the Angels on the right hand of her intierly beloued sonne Here maiest thou cal to minde that albeit in this life thy body be pincht and punished with penance disciplines and other mortifications yet shal it afterwardes rise vp immortal impassible glittering and beautiful like as here thou contemplatest the virginal body of our blessed Lady to haue done Marke here lik ewise what efficacie the praiers of this most soueraine Lady are of being thus highly exalted and beloued of God and therefore oughtest thou to labour al thou canst to be reuerent and deuout towardes her that by so doing it may please her to fauor and helpe thee in thy needes In this wise is the whole Rosary to be said at least once euery weeke and both these and other like profitable lessons to be picked out as God shal vouchsafe by means of thy deuotion to suggest bring thē to thy mind There may also be an-other exercise framed of the Rosarie whereout the simpler sort maye likewise reape good fruite as to laye the picture of Christe before their eyes and at euerye part where he suffered anye torment or gricfe there to say a Pater noster or Aue Mary contemplating the whiles of that griefe and paine In like maner maiest thou doo before the picture of our blessed Ladye calling to minde the ioyes or sorowes she suffred either in seing hearing or touching her sonne as-wel in al his life time as in his passion and painful death Otherwhiles likewise thou maiest offer vp an Aue Mary or Peter noster thinking of the Angels and holye Saintes of both sexe especiallye such as thou hast moste deuotion to recommending thee to their praiers and intercessions and thus maiest thou with great ease gaine great graces of our Lord and blessed Sauiour CERTAYNE remedies for such as could not haply finde sauour or deuotion in the former meditations ¶ Cap. 11. WOTING wel as I haute alreadie saide what great good this exercise of prayer doth purchace to our foules I haue in this respect bene more willing to extende my selfe a litle the further in intreating thereof And for the same some cause haue thought good likewise in this Chapter to annexe certaine remedies to releeue thee with at
written that who so loueth peril shal perishe in it GENERAL remedies to be vsed against temptations ¶ Cap. 17. SITHENS it is so weightie a matter and of so great importance to fight and to resist tentations for feare of being ouercome and falling into sinne it behoueth vs to haue alwayes a vigilant eye and to be furnished of suche wepons as be moste requisite for this future combat Such therfore as may serue generally to defend thee from al kinde of sinne be these considerations folowing which thou must exercise not onely in time of fight but in time of peace too that when neede requireth thou may thē haue them in more readines FIRST consider the dignitie of thy soule created to the very likenes and similitude of God and how whiles it persisteth in grace it is so beutiful bright that the maker him-selfe delighteth tobdwel in it and al the holy Angels and quiers of heauen doo reuerence and reioyce in it but anone after it hath once consented to sinne God straight-waies departeth out and the deuil entreth in polluting chaunging it into so vgglye and abhominable a state as if the sinner could then see him-selfe he woulde be therewith vtterly confounded and haue him-self in extreme horrour If therfore thou wouldest so lothly soile any fresh and gay garment thou haddest lately bought how muche more thē oughtest thou to detest that consent to sinne which so filthily polluteth thy soule a much more pretious thing without al comparison then any most gorgious and glittering attire of body SECONDLY consider howe besides this euil euen one sinne doth cause thee to incurre innumerable other miseries sith by committing but of one mortal sinne thou loosest the grace of God and his amitie annexed to his grace Thou loosest the infused vertues and the gifts of the holye Ghoste which adorned thee and made thee beautiful in the sight of god Thou losest the repose and serenitie of a good conscience Thou losest the meed and merite of al such good deedes as thou hast done before and the participation of the merites of Christ our head sith thou art not now vnited to him by grace and charitie so remainest an enemy to thy Creator depriued of the inheritāce which Christe by his pretious bloud had purchased for thee condemned to euerlasting tormentes a thral and bond-ssaue to the deuil who by al meanes possiblye seeketh thine vtter ouerthrow Briefly thou incurrest so many other daungers as no mannes tongue can sufficiently declare them What man is he then that wil- be so madd as for a short and beastlye delight that sinne affordeth him to incurre such huge heapes of extreme miseries and incurable calamities THIRDLY consider howe by striuing to resist tentations they tarye not long but vanish and fleete away and thou by hauing vanquished thē shalt remaine enriched with greater meede honour and consolation The blessed Angels of heauen shal also come and serue thee like as they did our Sauiour hauing ouercome his tentations But if on th' other side thou let thy self be lewdly ouercome the delight of sinne shal forth with fleete away and the gripes confusion and discontentment that remain behinde and gnawe thy giltie conscience shal afflict thee much more thē any resistance making might possiblye haue done FOVRTHLY consider that if thou easily consent to sinne thou must afterwardes painfully redresse the euil thou hast committed sith thou must needes suffer much sorowe in bewailing it shame in confessing it pain in doing penance for it besides a milliō of many mo difficulties al which thou maiest auoide by fighting manfully and not consenting vnto sinne FIFTLY consider that looke how much more thou vsest to consent to sinne and so muche more shal thy temptations increase and thy strēgth decay and thus at length shalt thou cause a wicked custome which afterwardes wil almost be impossible for thee to forsake and leaue For as S. Austin sayth Whiles we resist not a custom we make it become a necessitie but contrariwise if thou force thee to resist in the beginning thy strength shal daylye increase and the tentations waxe more weake and feeble Suffer not therfore thy selfe through a litle negligence at the first to receaue afterwardes a desperate and incurable wounde In these and such like consultations if thou eftsons exercise thy selfe beleeue verilye to receaue great helpe therby against al kind of temptations There be yet mo wepons and general remedies as is the often frequētation of prayer a remedie that our Sauior gaue to his disciples the night of his holy passion exhorting them so sundry times to praye for feare of being ouercome by tentation It helpeth greatly in like maner to meditate the foure last thinges to witt Death Iudgement Hel and Heauen according to that saying of holye writt In al thine actions remember the last thinges and thou shalt not sinne everlastingly An-other general remedie is the reading of holy scripture committing certaine sentences and particuler authorities therof to memory suche as may most fitly helpe thee against the tentations that shal assault thee This remedie did our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus-Christe teache vs when being tēpted by the deuil in the wildernes he ouerthrew and repulsed al his temptations by the textes of holye scripture The remembrance of particuler examples of holy saints shal likewise helpe thee setting before thine eyes what they did in suche tentations as thou feelest It helpeth also not a litle against al tentations to cal eftsons vpō the holy name of IESVS with a zeale and feruour of faith and withal to forme the signe of the holy Crosse vpon thee which the deuil doth greatlye dreade especially being made with a liuely fayth as where-with he was once vtterly confounded And if for al this thou finde thy selfe stil infested with these tentations it shal help thee very much to beholde our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe crucified with the eyes of thy soule remembring those most greeuous torments which he endured for thy sake and so shalt thou wel knowe what a smal matter it is to abide patiently for his sake al that trouble and toile thou presently feelest An-other remede and that of great efficacie is the often frequentation of those two moste holy Sacramentes of Penance and Receauing sith these are the soueraine remedies and medicines which our Sauiour desirous of our wel-fare left vnto vs as-wel to cure our present woundes caused through our former sins as also they being already healed to preserue vs hence-forth from incurring the like dangers And albeit the vse of these diuine Sacramentes is as I haue saide before at al times verye profitable yet much more doth it helpe vs in the time of our tentation sithens thē doth a man stand most need of grace and strength when he is moste greeuously assailed by his aduersary and then no doubt but
victory and conquest wherof dependeth the victory and conquest of the rest Whervpon those holy auncient fathers that liued earst in the wildernes end euoured them-selues al they might to dompt and suppresse this vice woting wel that but if this wer firste fullye vanquished the other could very hardly be subdued Yea experience teacheth this for truth howe the deuil most commonly beginneth to geue his first on-set with this temptation Witnesses hereof are our first Parents Adam and Eue yea the very first teptation he propouded to our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christe was of this sort Wherfore to defende thee from this so venemous a vice being one that doth hatch and breed so many other apply these remedies and aduises folowing THEFIRST is that in thy eating thou seeke to obserue fiue thinges that preserue thee from fiue sundrye sortes of gluttony wherof S Gregorie doth in one of his bookes make mention The first is concerning the time when a man eateth before his ordinary houre which thou must beware of forbearing and forcing thy selfe not to take aboue two repasts a day to wit thy dinner and supper and that at such conuenient and accustomed houres as they keepe that gouerne them-selues most orderlye more thē at which times thou oughtest not to eate without some notable necessitie If therefore thou finde thy selfe at any time tempted to infringe this rule and without sufficient cause to anticipate thine houre thou must fight and make a forcible resistance as did that monke which is written of in the liues of holye fathers who on a time being tempted to eate in the morning before his accustomed houre beguiled him-selfe in this maner saying Tarye a while vntil the thirde houre which is at nine a clocke in the morning and then wil we eate And when this houre was come go too let vs worke a while vntil the sixt houre to witt noone afterwardes nowe let vs saye a fewe prayers or psalmes nowe let vs lay our bisquit to steepe and thus passed on the time til his ordinarye howre was come which was at the ninth hour to wit three a clocke at after-noone by this means was he perfectly deliuered from this vice THE SECOND kind of gluttonie 〈◊〉 in the qualitie I meane in eating of too daintie and pleasaunt meates wherof thou must take great heede contenting thy selfe with such meates as may suffice to susteine and 〈◊〉 fleshe and not to delite and 〈◊〉 it according to that S. Bernard doth exhort thee and but if they seeme course and vnsauourye apply that saulce which he 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 hunger 〈◊〉 that shal cause them to seem sauourie ynough Remember thee also of that singuler abstinence of the auncient fathers of Egipt who deemed it superfluous to eate any sodden meates as S. Ierome telleth vs Let therefore this their rigoure shame and confounde thy riot and make thee refraine eating of delicate and sweete meates for feare thou be like to those amongst the people of Israel that desired flesh in the desert and thereby prouoked the wrath and indignation of God against them THE THIRD kinde of gluttonye concerneth the quantitie that is of eating more then sufficeth to sustein nature wherof foloweth as S. Ierome saith that looke by how much the more the bellye is filled and by so much the more is the soule made feeble Thou must therefore shun such excesse sith meate is according to S. Austins counsail to be taken in maner of a medicine whereof we vse not to receaue anye great quantitie Take heede then of ouercharging thy heart with too much meate and drinke as our Sauior doth admonish vs that by this meanes thou maiest escape his future indignation and a million of mischiefes that proceede out of this vice THE FOVRTH kinde of gluttonye respecteth the maner When a man eateth his meat too greedily and with too great a feruour which appereth wel by his hastie and disorderly feeding and when he is too muche bent and affectionate vpon his meate Thisvice doth the wise man in these wordes reprehend saying Long not after euery kind of meate nor eate not greedilye vpon euery dishe Whose counsaile see thou endeuour thy self to folow minding not so seriouslye thy corporal foode and nutriture whiles thou eatest but either listen to the lesson if there be any read or lift vp thy mind to God with some good thought or enterlace som praier or psalm amōgst that by thus doing both thy soule body may be fostred sed together THE FIFT and last kinde of gluttonie is an excessiue eare and thoght to seek out 〈◊〉 of cates new-fangled tasts which thou oughtest as a very blame-worthy thing greatlye to eschewe and beware of for feare of being like to those the Apostle speaketh of that make their belies their God seeking with as great care to serue and satisfie it as were requisite for discharge of their dueties to God-ward For remedie both of these and al other kindes of gluttony these considerations folowing shal greatly helpe which thou maiest take for a seconde remedie FIRST consider howe much the ouercharging and heuines that remaineth in thy stomack after hauing surfeted doth more hurt trouble thee thē the diuersitie of delicate sweete meates can delite do thee good the tast plesure wherof lasteth no longer thē whiles the meat is passing frō the mouth vnto the throte neither af ter it is once thus gone is ther any me morial or signe of this delite remai maiest thou much better vnderstand if thou examine what now resteth of al that euer thou hast swalowed and swilled al thy whole life time What hast thou nowe left of al the repasts of al the sweet tastes of al the daintie morcels that thou euer deuouredst What hast thou now extant forth comming of al this Thou seest how al is quite vanished away as though there had neuer been any such Make accompt therfore when thou feelest thy selfe tempted with this vice that the pleasure is already gone which so speedily doth passe away And care not for condescending to thy fleshe in that it thus disordinately may couet and desire SECONDLY consider the inconueniences that rise of this sinne First the cost and trouble thou must be at to satiate this thy gluttony Secondlye the number of bodily infirmities that growe by meanes of surfeting Thirdly it dulleth and doth obfuscate the mind and maketh a man afterwardes vnfit for spiritual exercise Fourthly cal to minde that euerlasting hunger and thirst that shal-be in the next world wher no one drop of water shal-be graunted as we gather plainly by that example of the riche glutton Remember also what a filthie substance thy tenderly pampered fleshe once being dead shal-be resolued too THE THIRD Remedie is to thinke of Christe and his Disciples abstinence being forced
in his handes before he would put it on his head and at length saide openlye in this wise O more noble then happy crown which if any man knewe wel how ful of cares perils and manifold miseries thōu art fraught a lbeit he met thee with his feete yet woulde he not vouchsafe to lift thee vp What this king saide of his crowne maiest thou wel apply to eche dignitie and pretious thing which the ambitious proul after in this life for looke how much higher and more excellent thei be and so much more are they subiect to greter casualties cares more painful griefes See therfore thou take not so great toile for a thing that so quickly fleeteth awaye as doth the wind of pride and vain-glory THE LAST Remedie to shake off pride withal and to purchase that so necessary a vertue of humilitie is to force and accustome thy selfe seeme it neuer so paineful and lothsome to thee to exercise diuers actions of humilitie as to doo the basest offices in the house to conuerse with the meaner sort to sitt in the lowest place to cladd thy selfe in homely attire not so homely though as to geue occasion of being compted singuler sith this should be a pride not to doo or say any thing wherby to make shew of excellencie and preeminence or to cause admiration in other mens eyes finally to cal eftsons to mind our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christes humilitie as also that of his most holye mother the blessed virgin Marye and of such others as haue liued here in humble and lowly wise REMEDIES against the tentations and sinnes of wrath ¶ Cap. 23. DIVERS of the Remedies that haue beene prescribed thee against pride maye in like maner helpe thee against this sinne of wrath and anger seeing that most commonly such as be proude and hawtie are wont also to be angry and ireful Yet neuerthelesse be there other peculier remedies to be vsed against this vice THE FIRST is to ponder howe farre it is out of al good frame and reason that anye man should be angrye and desire to hurt an-other sith 〈◊〉 brute beastes be they ueuer so fel fight not one with an-other but liue 〈◊〉 peace and vnitie with those of their owne kinde howe much more reason is it that men should doo the 〈◊〉 who are not borne armed as brutishe and sauage beastes be nor prouided of wepons to defende them-selues or to offend others SECONDLY beholde the vgglines and deformitie of an angry man both in his countenaunce gesture wordes and actions in al the which thou shalt at that time see him wonderfully disordered and besides himselfe See thou beware therfore of being angry if thou wilt not fal into those defectes which in others doo so greatly dislike thee THIRDLY consider that whosoeuer he be that hath proffered thee anye wrong or iniurie hath done him self much more harme then thee and if thou growe angry therat and seek reuenge in so doing thou shalt hurt thy selfe much more then thine aduersary for that as S. Chrisostome saith No man is hurt but by him-self which should be no lesse a folye then for a man to kil him-selfe to teare his enemies cote sithens thine enemies body is as his coate which thou meaning to teare in seeking to kil him doest first slea and kil thine owne soule for as S. Austin saith The knife pearceth the heart of the persecutour before the body of the persecuted Striue therefore to master thy selfe and to vanquishe thine ire and so shalt thou gaine greater honor and victory then if thou haddest subdued a mightie Citie and by this meanes in not seeking thy selfe to take reuenge God shal take it for thee as he him-selfe hath promised thee FOVRTHLY if the deuil to stirre thee vp to wrath do aggrauate thine iniurie receued make it greter doo thou contrariwise what thou canst to lessen it and to make it smaller thinking thus howe he that in this maner hath iniuried thee is at that time ouercome with some passion or indiscretion or els cal to minde some good turnes he hath earst done thee or how thou hast other-whiles done him some iniurie which he then did tolerate at thy handes and therefore is it meete thou beare nowe likewise with him And if thou canst not this waies finde any sufficient plaister to heale thy paine withal cal then to minde how God hath borne many iniuries at thy handes that in like maner thou shouldest beare patientlye thy neighbours imperfections FIFTLY consider howe both this iniury which is now done vnto thee and al other losses that light vppon thee wherby thou feelest thy self incensed and prouoked to anger are al by Gods diuine dispensation sent vnto thee that by these scurges thou shouldest in this life be chastised for thy sinnes and by bearing patiently this chastisement come to obteine his grace and celestial benediction Thus did that holye king Dauid thinke who flying the furye of his sonne Absalon mett with that wicked man Simei in the high way who reuiled him with vilanous and reprocheful speeches and threw stones at him whereby one of his captaines being bent to cutt off his head in reuenge of so outragious an iniurie and crime cōmitted against his sacred ma iestie this patient most mild king did forbid him saying let him curse and raile vpon me for so hath our Lorde commaunded him and it may be our Lord wil by this means looke vpon mine afflictions and geue me good for the euil which this man doth wishe me In like maner maiest thou beleeue that by bearing patientlye the villanies and iniuries that shal-be saide and done against thee God wil so dispose that al shal turne to thy greater benefite and comfort of thy soule SIXTLY if thou feele thy selfe alreadie ouercome with anger take heede in anye wise thou neither doo nor speake then any thing whereby this inward indignation thou feelest may burst forth in outward shewe but force thee al thou maiest to bridle and represse it and get thee out of his company whom thou art thus offended with busie thy mind also about some other affairs vntil this fire flaming within thee be some-what quēched suspecting ech thing which thou then thinkest meete to be done or spoken yea seeme it neuer so honest and reasonable for afterwardes when this angry heate is throughlye cooled then maiest thou a great deal more miturely examin whether that thou thoughtest of before be conuenient to be done or spoken And by thus doing shalt thou within a smal while see this angry blast blowne ouer and be thy selfe greatly contented and comforted by hauing ouercome thy temptation and perceaue the deuil who egged thee therto to be fled with vtter confusion Thus reade we in the liues of holy Fathers that Isaac the Abbot did who being demaunded by an-other father why the fiendes did feare him so made
which teacheth vs to doo to others as we would be done vnto our selues As therefore thou wouldest not that others should be greeued at thy good so oughtest not thou to be offended at others wel-fare for other-wise shouldest thou shew thy selfe a senslesse creature and without al reason yea wel may we say by the malicious man that he hath lost his reason and natural iudgement sith he would not sticke to make choise of his owne losse if by that means he might piocure harme to those he hateth Like as we reade of a king who meaning to make a proufe of the cankred natures of an enuious person and a couetous wretch caused two such to be called to him whom he made this proffer too to craue of him what-soeuer they would for willinglye it should be geuen them prouided alwaies that the second shoulde haue the double of that the first did aske These twaine being nowe at great contention which of them shoulde first beginne least th' other might gaine the double the king being cōstrained to take vp the matter commaunded the malicious man to speak first who requested this that one of his eyes might be put out that th' other might haue both his put out chosing rather his owne harme then good that th' other whom he hated might by receauing the double according to their offer be the more annoyed The which story if it were true declareth plainly to what blindnes this vice bringeth him that letteth him-selfe be lewdly ouereome withal THE LAST Remedie which feeling thy self tempted with this vice I haue to prescribe thee is to force thy selfe continuallye to praye for him whom thou malicest and bearest enuie to as also to speake wel of him to others yea occasion so seruing to doo him some seruice albeit thou seeme to doo it fainedly and against thy stomacke sith for this force and violence which thou shalt vse in mastring thy selfe and breaking of thy wil no doubt but God wil geue thee the gift of charitie wherby thou shalt be perfectly healed of this detestable vice and maiest aftetwardes loue al thine enemies one and other what-soeuer CERTAYNE other aduises and Remedies concerning the same matter of tentations ¶ Cap. 26. BESIDES these tentations spoken of in the former Chapters wherwith the deuil doth most commonly tempt vs there be diuers other meanes wherby he vseth to molest and trouble vs as by propounding other-whiles temptations of infidelitie doubtes against our beleefe and fayth or suggestions of blasphemie yea some-times he bringeth vs into such a mase and perplexitie as whether-soeuer we turne vs or what-soeuer we say or doo yet seeme we stil to be caught and intangled an-other time he indeuoreth to bring vs into desperation and thus doth he with these and diuers other vexations disquiet and greeuouslye assault vs. Against al the which his craftes and subtilties take this for a general rule neuer to staye to dispute or talke with the deuil of set purpose for if thou doo thou art like to be ouercom as Eue was for hauing done the same It is therefore much more secure not to stand reasoning or listning to that the deuil shal tel thee but forth-with to flye the temptatiō in the very beginning by thinking of some other matter quite contrary to that which he woulde haue thee As for example if he propounde thoughtes of infidelitie saying howe is it possible that this mistery should be thus thus make none accompt to aunswere him by shewing anye reason of that truth which thou beleeuest but saye I beleeue as our holy mother the Catholike Churche beleeueth and this sufficeth me neither discende to any other particularities Thus like-wise must thou doo if in case he molest thee with temptations of blasphemie saying Thy blasphemie be to thy perdition for I 〈◊〉 and loue my Lorde God. With this or some such like short speeche maiest thou set thy mind at rest intending to some other busines and different cogitations neither let these his suggestions dismay or trouble thee any whit for al of them shal not make thee lose any one iote of grace and Gods fauour yea by doing as I tel thee thou shalt greatlye increase thy meede If like-wise he goe at any time about to meshe thee in any perplexities scruples or other ob scurities wherby thou wotest not on which side wel to turne thee 〈◊〉 not of them but conuert thy selfe wholly to God saying I wil my Lord my God both in this and 〈◊〉 other thing what thou wilt neither doo I will or yeeld consent to any thing that may displease thee And thus maiest thou with this saying be at quiet and in great securitie In like maner if he induce thee to desperation laying before thee the multitude and enormitie of thy sinnes beholde Christe thy Iudge nayled vpon the Roode in whom thou haste more goodnes without al comparison then in thy selfe thou canst haue euils and thus putting al thy confidence in him maiest thou despise and defye al the deuils And not onely in this but in al other thy tentations would I haue thee make Iesus Christe crucified a familier defence and buckler for thee sith that like as Moises gaue to the children of Israel being stunge in the desert or bit of venemous serpentes that Serpent of brasse raysed vpp on a high peece of wood whereon who-so looked fixedlye and with fayth were cured of their griefs in like maner much better al such as with fayth beholde our Lord Sauior Christ crucified and heaued vp on the wood of the holy crosse whom the serpent of brasse did in figure represent shal-be healed of al their bitinges and stings of trespasses temptations At such time therfore as thou feelest the serpent assault and bite thee with the sinne of pride beholde Christ humbled on the Crosse and obedient euē til death If with couetousnes behold that pouertie and nakednes wherewith he hangeth on the roode in such extreame distresse as he hath not where to rest his head If thou finde thy selfe assailed with the delites of lust beholde his brused aud beaten flesh fraught ful of extreme anguish and how for thy sake he hangeth on the roode al wounded from topp to toe and afflicted with most greeuous tormentes If thou feele thy self prouoked to Gluttonie looke vpon thy Lorde fastned to the roode who being extremely pained with drought had gaule and vinegre geuen him to drinke If thou perceane thy selfe stirred vp to anger beholde that inumcible patience of our Sauiour Iesus Christ crucified in abiding al those his moste villanous blasphemies and incomprehensible tormentes If thou be vexed with the venemous vice of malice consider that moste feruent charitie wherwith our Sauiour shedd his bloudd on the crosse for al and praied euen for those his persecutors that crucified him If slouth or idlenes cause thee
both spiritually and corporally too if neede be THE FIFT aduise is that albeit thou must take for the recouerie of thy health al outward remedies and bodily phisicke that may be applied to thee yet oughtest thou to put greter confidence in the celestial phisition and in his diuine mercy prouidence then in any artificial and humane medicines least otherwise it might happ to thee as it did to king Asa who being visited with excessiue paines in his feete deserued not to recouer health yea mcurred death for that as the scripture telleth he trusted more to his phisitions skil facultie then to Gods diuine succour THE SIXT aduise is that if thorough Gods good grace thou recouer thy health againe and be cured of the infirmitie which lately greeued thee that presently thou remember to geue God the authour of al good thinges moste humble thankes for this his great benefite acknowledging and confessing freelye that it came principally by him rather then by any other helps humane remedies See therefore thou shewe thy selfe grateful euery wayes thou maiest least otherwise thou be like the nine ingrateful lepors that Christe clensed yea rather resemble thou the tenth who albeit he was a forreiner yet did he by and by after he had receaued health returne backe to thanke his benefactour whereby he deserued to be commended of the same our Lorde and Sauiour and th' other nine to be found fault withal and condemned for their ingratitude THE SEVENTH aduise is that nowe hauing receaued the health which thou earst lackedst thou be verye careful hereafter to auoyde al sort of sinne and to amend thy life hereafter assuring thy selfe that for this cause was it that thy health was thus restored to thee Thou oughtest therefore to be very diligent in executing suche good thoughtes and purposes as thou haddest or shouldest haue had in thy sicknes if God did vouchsafe mercifullye to graunt thee health againe as he nowe hath done for other-wise by forgetting the benefite receaued and returning backe again to thy vomite and wented beastlines of offending thou shouldest by this meanes deserue to haue some worse thing to light vpō thee like as our Sauior him-self aduertised the man whom he had cured of his thirtie and eight yeres palsey These aduises maiest thou vse during the time of such sicknes as God wil haue thee to escape and to be recured of But if thy maladie be mortal and no remedie but this temporal life must be determined and ended by it then ouer and aboue what hath been alreadie said take these aduises folowing THE FIRST is that perceauing thy sicknes to increase and to growe more greeuous thou then awake thy selfe with more vigilant care to dispose both of thy temporal and spiritual affaires as if those wordes were then spoken to thee which were deliuered by the prophete Esaye to king Ezechias Dispose of thy house for thou 〈◊〉 dye and not liue Dispatch therfore and make perfect thy wil which euerye good Christian ought to make in the time of health when he maye with better case sounder iudgement and more mature aduise perfourme and doo the same and not to driue it til the last houre when al these commodities doo faile him sith daylye experience doth informe vs howe through the letts and encombrances of sicknes the wils that are made in that time be very rawlye performed and many times vnperfectly drawen and penned Hauing therfore thy wil in a redines by thee with thy satisfaction therin conteyned thou maiest then as shal seeme best vnto thee alter or adde thereto any thing by way of codicil But if thou hast bene heretofore negligent in this matter haddest not made it or not so exactlye as to content and satisfie thy minde withal then maiest thou make it anewe at such time as thou shouldest finde thy selfe best at ease of ripest iudgement and least letted with thy sicknes procuring to haue some trustie frend by thee to prompt thee at that time in necessary and needful remembraunces THE SECOND aduise to helpe thee in this case is that when thou haste once finished thy wil according to thy mind with a true and perfect satisfaction and disburdened thy cōscience as-wel for restitution making and debtes paying if thou owest any as also touching other discrete and godly legacies Briefly hauing disposed of al thy temporal causes force thy selfe forth-with to forget quite 〈◊〉 thinges which thou 〈◊〉 here behinde thee and wholly to occupie thy minde in heauenly matters which thou shortlye hopest to enioye that by this means the remembrance of such thinges as earst thou louedst wel and nowe must needes leaue doo not disquiet thee or cause thee to receaue death more vnwillingly then were meete thou shouldest doo And to ridd thee the better of al these encombrances and daungerous distractions let this be THE THIRD aduise to commaūd al those of thy house and require al others that come to visite and assist thee not to deale or breake with thee in any temporal matters nor to put thee in memorie of such worldlye things as earst thou bare affection to as might be riches wife children frendes with other thinges wherein thou delitedst gretly heretofore And then see that this be chieflye done when death is at the doore and the life draweth fast to an ende then I say let this aduise be moste carefully executed least the sight or hearing of such matters might then allure or draw thine affection to them and so thy minde be distracted and caried awaye from dinine and heauenlye matters wherewith thou oughtest in that time to be onely in loue and onlye to desire and thinke vpon THE FOVRTH aduise when thou seest thy selfe in these termes is to cause some deuout spiritual godly mē to be called for who in this so busie important a time may assist geue thee good counsaile and exhortations comforting thee eyther with their good speeches or by good lessons which they may reade out of some such spiritual booke as maye serue most fitly for thy purpose that by this meanes thy soule maye more easily eleuate it selfe vp to the consideration of celestial and heauenlye matters wherin but specially in the blessed passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christe thou oughtest principallye to occupie thy minde These men may like-wise doo thee great good with their zelous and feruent prayers calling vpon God for his diuine mercye towardes thee and beseeching our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe and his blessed mother with al the whole court of heauen to helpe and fauour thee in that houre of thy departure being a time so tedious and so ful of imminent peril And thus must thou pray thy selfe too in the best maner thou canst THE FIFT aduise is that when thou supposest thy life to drawe fast awaye yet before such time as thou losest the vse of reason thou then craue
errour of beliefe especially touching those articles wherwith otherwhiles in life time they assailed foūd him som-what feeble To which tēptatiō thou canst not resist better then as I told thee heretofore in the. 26. Chapter to wit by despising it scorning the deuil and not regarding to solute his reasons But if of force thou must needes aunswer som-thing let it be this I beleeue firmely what our holy mother the Churche beleeueth and that which the holy Apostles Martirs and Confessours haue beleued and taught whose faith and doctrine 〈◊〉 God whom none can deceaue hath confirmed with innumerable miracles and for the confession wherof hath so much bloud of Martirs been spilt of whose holines no man can iustly doubt Sticke fast to this aunswere and care not to satisfie his other obiections demaunds which he may propound to thee about this matter and no doubt but by thus behauing thy self thou shalt remain a Conquerour and gain the goale thou striuest for Thus reade we of a seely simple man albeit in this point wise and considerate ynough who in a much like matter de meaned him-self in like maner This good man being in conflict with the fiende shaped him this aunswer touching an importunate adoo he made to know his beliefe I beleeue quoth he al that our holy mother the Churche beleeueth Why quoth the diuel And what is that your holye mother the Church beleueth She beleeueth quoth the good man that which I beleue And what beleeuest thou reiterated he the other repeting his former answer I beleue quoth he what our holye mother the Church beleeueth Neither could the diuel albeit he questioned neuer so importunatelye about this point driue him from this his first answer and so gained he the victorie and put his foe to flight and shameful ignominie In like maner maiest thou doo if thou vse the same means of resisting this tentatiō THE SECOND suggestiō wher-with the wicked spirits are wont to molest vs in this houre is of blasphemic persuading those that are nowe at point of death to beleue or think some indecent vnseemly thing of our bles sed L. God or of his holy SS With this temptation Eusebius S. Ieroms Disciple was greeuouslye infested Hereto maiest thou resist by retorting the blasphemie vpon the Diuel him-selfe that propoundeth it in this maner I am more then assured that my Lorde God is infinitely good and woorthy of al soueraine praise and lcue and that al his holy Saintes are most perfect and replenished with al vertue and thou most wicked fiende by going about to persuade me these blasphemies bewrasest plainly thy peruerse spirite pufe vp with al impietie malice falshood and deceipt and ther by most woorthy to be of eche one despised accursed and abhorred And then turning thine eyes to thy most mild sweet maker force thy selfe to powre out of thy heart right humble blessings and praises in the best wise thou canst vnto him and by howe muche the more the detestable deceauer shal infest thee with these his abhominable and beastly blasphemies by so much the more be thou diligent and attentiue to yeeld laudes and praises to his moste holy name THE THIRD temptation wherewith the deuils doo tempt such as lye a dying especially if they haue beene great offenders is dispaire For like as in time of health they litle rought of their sinnes and through the infinit number of Gods mercies and hope to doo penance at their latter ende made smal accompt therof so in that houre of death doo their sinnes seeme more greeuous and gretlye aggrauated to them by considering the rigor of diuine iustce wherto yt belongeth not to suffer any one sinne vnsifted and vnpunished and then is it the deuils persuade and make them beleeue that their contrition in that present houre is of no force and value as proceeding of seruile and slauish feare They like-wise in that houre represent al the enormous crimes a man hath committed al his life time as also the good he might haue done and by his negligence hath omitted and howe he neuer confessed many of his sinnes or at least wise imperfectlye and with lesse sorowe then he ought to haue done In this wise doo they so girde and gripe many heinous sinners as no doubt but a great number be by that meanes driuen to desperation This is one of the most terrible vexations wher-with such as haue wallowed securely in their sinnes are in this time assailed and is in very deed so violent and hard to be withstood as if the ineffable mercy of God did not geue special assistance and ayde in that houre very few could eschew and ouercome the same The remedie to releeue thee with is to humble thy selfe in the sight of God and to inuocate his diuine clemencie calling to minde the Passion of thy blessed and benigne Redeemer our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe whose moste bitter griefes torments and woundes thou must offer vp to his eternal father for al thy sinnes what-soeuer saying I knowe my Lorde and moste gratious God that albeit my sinnes be great enormous and innumerable yet is the satisfaction which thy moste obedient sonne my Sauiour Iesus Christe hath geuen thee both for these of mine and of al the whole world farre greater more pretious and more infinite I knowe like-wise that thine incomprehensible mercie and pietie doth farre surpasse al my miserie and impietie and therefore wil I not dispaire as Cain and Iudas did especially knowing howe this should be to adde a greater offence to my former trespasses sith dispaire is that which moste of al displeaseth dishonoureth and offendeth thee yea rather wil I hope in the multitude of thy mercies which thou haste vsed towardes other most vnworthy sinners and sure I am that thine eternal truth and infallible worde neither can ne wil euer deceaue whereby thou haste promised to pardon and receaue such as hope in thee calvpon thy mercy and vnfainedly turne to thee being contrite and sorowful for their sinnes as I am nowe This is the anker wher-vnto thou must cleaue fast and neuer to forsake thy holde albeit the deuils doo what they may to drowne thee as is aforesaid THE FOVRTH temptatiō is quite opposite and contrary to the former This being a rash and fond securitie and ouer-weening a man hath in his owne innocencie for that as Cassian saith when the wilye and coonning fiende can-not induce a man to that excessiue feare and pusilanimitie he thought to haue done and so to haue driuen him downe to desperation then doth he craftilye goe about to post him ouer to the other extreame by drawing him to a daungerous securitie and blind delite and pleasing of him-selfe counterfeiting falslye with him how he hath fought manfullye and wel prepared him-selfe to death and howe he is greatly bounde to God for so many his giftes moste plentifully bestowed vpon him
and death were causes of our life and yeeld great consolation to al such as sincerely doo loue and serue him THE FIFT Article openeth to vs howe Christe our Redeemer being thus deade on the roode his most sacred soule vnited to his diuinitie discended downe to hel to fetche thence those holye Fathers that so many yeres had looked for him And afterwardes triumphing ouer death as he had alreadie done ouer the deuil and hel did rise vp the third daye by his owne power and vertue and so issued out of his Sepulchre immortal and most glorious This his example geueth hope to eche one beleeuing sinceerly in him that they shal in th' ende rise like-wise vp immortal and right glorious THE SIXT Article instructeth vs howe our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe the fortie daye after his Resurrection did with exceeding triumph ascend vp to heuen and sitteth there on the right hand of his Almightie Father that is to say in the self-same glory power and Maiestie with the Father enioying al the blisse his Father doeth and gouerning al thinges with him This glorious Ascension of Christe our head yeeldeth confidence to his true members that if they obey their head and heauenlye captaine they shal one day ascende also and reigne in heauen with him THE SEVENTH Article telleth vs of the second comming of Christe our Lorde which shal-be at the last day when he shal in humane fleshe come with great power and Maiestie accompanied with al his holye angels to iudge the vniuersal world as-wel those that be at that time liuing in erth as also al those that haue beene dead since the worlde was first created thē shal he yeeld reward to ech one according to the deedes and workes they shal haue wrought This article admonisheth vs to liue with so much more vigilant care and watchfulnes as we knowe more certainlye that al our woordes woorkes and thoughtes are to be examined and discussed of this moste dreadful Iudge before whose tribunal seate we must needes al of vs appere THE EIGHT Article sheweth vs the third person of the moste sacred Trinitie which is the holy Ghoste who proceedeth from the Father and the sonne and is with them the selfe same God eternal and omnipotent And therfore are we bound with the selfe same honour faith and dutiful obeisance to reuerence adore him This is the comforter and spirite of truth that illuminateth teacheth and sanctifieth vs and according to his diuine pleasure departeth his giftes to euery one IN THE ninth Article we confesse that there is a holye Catholike Church to wit an vniuersal congregation of the faithful which haue the very self-same faith doctrine and Sacramentes And this Church is HOLY because it is sanctified by Christ the head therof and gouerned by the holye Ghost and is CATHOLIKE that is to say vniuersal for that it embraceth al the faithful that in euerye place and time haue helde and doo holde one selfe same faith of Christe We confesse like-wise in this Article that in this holye and vniuersal Churche or congregation there is a communion of Saintes that is to say that al those that dwel in this Churche doo as in the house of God al of them communicate one with an-other such giftes as they receaue and doo one of them helpe an-other both spiritually and corporally like members al of one body THE TENTH Article propoundeth to vs the remissiō and forgeuenes of our sinnes which is obteined in this holy Catholike Church aboue saide by the vertue of Christes passion operating by meanes of such holy Sacramentes as he left in this same Churche Hence are sinners to gather a singuler comfort sithens if they be truely penitent for their trespasses and haue a ful purpose neuer after to offende their maker they haue then a redy means to recouer Gods grace again which by their vngratiousnes they had so lewdly lost THE ELEVENTH Article testifieth the vniuersal resurrection of al men who eche one of them iust or vniust shal rise againe in the last day of iudgement with their owne bodies and shal stand before the tribunal of Christes iudgement there to receaue doome in their bodies according to the good or euil they shal haue wrought in this life So that the elect that haue done good shal arise with bright and beautiful bodies to the resurrection of life and perpetual blisse and happines And the damned that haue done euil with moste horrible and vggly bodies to the resurrection of damnation and euerlasting tormentes both in their soules and bodies THE TWELFTH Article promiseth vs an euerlasting life which shal succeede after this transitorye life wherin the good rising vp in bodies and soules shal reigne eternally and enioye the inestimable treasures of blessed happines exempted from al miseries and toils that in this temporal life doo eftsons trouble vs And the wicked being also in body and soule resuscitate shal dwel in perpetual paines and abide more terrible tormentes then any mans tonge can tel This article geueth good Christians cōfort to abide al aduersitie with patience considering that eternal life we looke and hope for where being exempt from al euil we shal enioy al good thinges and reigne in euerlasting happines This worde Amen annexed to the end sheweth the most certain and infallible truth of the christian fayth confessiō conteined in this Creede THE DECALOGVE or tenne Commaundementes of the lawe of God 1. NON ae habebis Deos alienos coram me 2. Non assumes nomen Domini Dei in vanum 3. Memento vt diem Sabathi sanctifices 4. Honora patrem tuum matrem tuam 5. Non occides 6. Non moechaberis 7. Non furtum facies 8. Non loqueris contra proximum falsum testimonium 9. Non concupisces domum proximi tui 10. Non desiderabis vxorem eius 1. Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me 2. Thou shalt not take the name of thy Lorde God in vaine 3. Remēber that thou keep holy the Saboth day 4. Honour thy father and thy mother 5. Thou shalt not kil 6. Thou shalt not committ aduoultry 7. Thou shalt not steale 8. Thou shalt not beare false witnes against thy neighbour 9. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house 10. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife A DECLARATION of the Decalogue or tenn Commaundements ¶ Cap. 31. LIKE as we haue alreadie seene in the Creede what we are bound to beleeue euen so in these tenn commaundementes are we taught by our Lorde God what his wil is that we doo to gaine euerlasting life withal Wherefore the summe of his first precept is this to beleeue in one true and onely God which is the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste as is aforesaide in the declaration of the Articles and that to him alone we geue adoration honour and reuerence louing this our God aboue al things with al our heart with al our soule and
father THE SECOND petitiō is Thy kingdome come wherin we shewe the boyling desire we haue or should haue to abandon this exile and to come to that heauenlye and eternal inheritance which God hath prepared for those that loue him thither is it we craue by these wordes happily to be conducted And whiles this our flitting is deferred for so is it meete it should be we praye in this petition that his kingdome of grace doo come vnto vs that is that God by grace reigne in vs and no sinne soiorne in our soules to let vs from seruing this celestial king with whom we hope one day to liue and reigne eternallye THE THIRD petition is Thy wil be 〈◊〉 in earth as it is in heauen wherein we craue grace to obey Goddes behests with like obeisance and redines here in earth as the Angels and whole number of elect doo fulfil them in heauen and are continually conformable to his moste holye wil. We ought therefore to take great heede that in our workes we be not contrarye to our wordes and that we al enforce our selues to obey God perfectly and continually to conforme our selues to his diuine wil as-wel in aduersitie as in prosperitie saying alwayes in eche thing he shal send vnto vs Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen THE FOVRTH petition is Geue vs this day our dayly bread wherin we beg of our holye father like poore and needie creatures sustenaunce of body and soule such as may be necessary for vs in this our temporal life For our bodies we begge vnder the name of bred al other necessary thinges for the intertainment of this our transitory life and therewith according as they shal-be geuen vs ought we moderately to holde our selues contented For our soules we craue spiritual breade to wit his diuine word a sauourie sustenance for our soules and withal that moste blessed Sacrament of the Aultar with the other Sacramentes of the Churche which doo wonderfully feede foster and recure our soules infirmities THE FIFT petition is And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs. In this petitiō we craue the most grieuous and difficult debts of this life to be forgeuen vs to witt our trespasses and crimes committed whereby we remaine oblieged and thral to most greeuous calamities and nishmentes By annexing these wordes as we forgeue thē that trespasse against vs we are warned that if we wil haue God to acquit and forgeue our debts we must acquitt others and forgeue them that haue anye wayes offended vs Otherwise our petition shal in no wise be allowed THE SIXT petition is And leade vs not into ten 〈◊〉 whereby we craue Gods diuine succour knowing howe we haue many foes to fight withal in this life that with their temptations and tretcheries we be not ouercome but resisting manfullye against the worlde the fleshe and the deuil we may so merite at length to be crowned like woorthy Conquerours THE SEVENTH and last petitiō is But deliuer vs from euil wherein we craue of this most bountiful and louing father that he vouchsafe to preserue vs from the perils troubles and calamities of this life and from eche other euil that maye withdrawe or hinder vs frō diuine seruice and the obteining of that which we haue in this prayer required That last worde Amen which is as muche as So be it is a confirmation of that we haue craued wherwith we shew the desire and hope we haue to obteine our former petitions THE Salutation Angelical which is that where with our blessed Ladye was greeted by the Angel Gabriel AVE Maria gratia plena Dominus tecum benedicta tu in mulieribus benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus Sancta Maria mater Dei ora pro nobis peccatoribus nunc in hora mortis nostrae Amen HAILE Mary ful of grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongst wemen and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe IESVS Holy Mary mother of God praye for vs sinners both nowe and in the houre of our death Amen AN Exposition of this Salutation ¶ Cap. 33. FIRST we must vnderstand howe this salutation is the most holy and diuine prayer that can be possibly saide next to the former of the Pater noster seing this salutatiō was formed of the holy ghost by meanes of the Angel Gabriel S. Elizabeth S. Iohn Baptists mother and the holye Church our most sacred mother We ought not therfore to make any light accompt of this our instruction and teaching in what maner we are to inuocate the blessed virgin her fauor help how we are to salute her sith her intercession is right valable to vs ward right effectual to Godward And therefore haue the holy fathers illuminated with the holy ghoste alwais obserued this maner of saluting calling vpō her which al true Chri stians haue alwaies with cōmō cōsent vsed and doo vse in these our daies THE FIRST part of this salutatiō Haile Mary ful of grace onr Lorde is with thee blessed art thou amongst women the Angel spoke when he came to announce the celestial mistery of the sonne of God his incarnation in the blessed virgin her most sacred wōbe wherof eche time we saye this salutation we ought to be mindful yeelding God most humble thankes for this diuine misterie the first beginning of our saluation By this worde Aue which counteruaileth Reioyce or God saue thee is declared the zeal which the Angel had as also that we ought to haue towardes this most holy virgin inuiting her eftsons with this worde to be ioyful and glad for this diuine misterie and expressing therby the contentation we feele through the manifolde graces that were bestowed vpon her This word MARY being the holy name of our Souerain Lady the Angel did not vtter in saluting her but is added by the holye Churche both to signifie the better vnto vs who it is we salute as also for a deuotion sake towardes this holye name of Mary which is interpreted Lady and illuminated or Illuminatrix and sea starre eche one whereof as euery man perceueth may be right fitly applied vnto her This worde ful of grace is the first speeche wherewith the Angel praysed her and that right woorthely for so much as the grace of God is the greatest good and treasure that may be possibly desired and with it doo al other giftes come ioyntlye and heaped togetherwards With this diuine grace was the blessed virgin replenished more then euer was any pure creature as being elected to a higher dignitie and prerogatiue that is to be the mother of god Our Lord is also wont to graūt continually such graces as be necessary for the state whereto he electeth eche one It foloweth Our Lord is with thee that is to say he that properlye and absolutely is Lorde which God alone is is with thee For albeit other men here in
earth are called lordes as hauing a certaine superioritie geuen them and rule ouer some men yet are they but seruauntes and the creatures of this one onely Lorde who hath of himselfe al soueraintie and absolute authoritie ouer al menn This Lorde was therefore with our blessed Lady sith he deliteth to dwel in the soule ful of grace as hers was And therefore who so desire to haue this Lorde harbour with them let them first procure to haue his grace without the which he wil neuer enter or soiourne in their soules It foloweth Blessed art thou amongst wemen or aboue al other wemen By which speeche the Angel shewed how much our Lady passed al other wemen in the giftes and priuiledges that were bestowed vppon her Blessed amongst wemen or amongst al wemen for that she was both a virgin and a mother together which prerogatiue neither euer hath beene nor shal-be graunted to anye other woman Blessed also amongst women sith she was exempted from the commō curse and malediction laide vpon al women to bring forth their children with dolour and paine where the blessed virgin contrari-wise as she conceaued her childe without corruption or any detriment at al to her most pure virginitie so did she bring forth her childe without anye paine or griefe at al yea with inspeakable ioye seing her selfe the mother of such a sonne and withal before birth in birth and after birth a moste pure and immaculate virgin Blessed againe is she amongst al women because of al wemen and men she hath beene hitherto in al ages continuallye blessed and shal-be of al generations exalted euerlastinglye THE SECOND part of this salutation is Blessed is the fruit of thy wombe which wordes S. Elizabeth greeted our Lady with at such time as being conceaued with the sonne of God she came to visite her The which speech right woorthely apperteineth to our blessed Lady for that of suche a tree expedient was it that suche fruit should proceede Blessed is the mother but much more the sonne who was cause of his mothers blessednes Blessed is the tree that brought vs forth the fruit of life but much more blessed is the fruit of life wherby at such time as we eate it woorthelye we are made blessed and receaue the true and perfect life And to make vs vnderstande the better what this blessed fruit of the virgins wombe is the Churche addeth this worde Iesus our Sauiours moste holy name which is a moste sweete hony-combe in the mouth of him that pro nounceth it a most melodious musike in the eares of him that heareth it a soueraine ioye and inestimable consolation in his heart that deuoutlye doth contemplate it The holy Church addeth a thirde part to this salutation Holye Mary mother of God pray for vs sinners nowe and in the houre of our death These wordes are a short praier and petition wherby we recommend our selues to this moste sacred Lady her protection agnising and confessing the efficacie and puissaunce of her prayers to God-warde and how we being wicked wretches stand great neede of her prayers being innocent and pure from al spott of sinne whom if in our distresses we inuocate with faith feruēt deuotiō wel may we hope how greatly soeuer we haue offēded to find relief and succour at this mother of mercies handes as al sinners haue euermore by trial proued true that in their necessities made their recourse vnto her The last word Amen may be vnderstood as is afore-saide in th' ende of the Creede or Pater noster These thinges thus explaned as thou seest be the pointes which at least euery good Christian is bounde to haue by hart to th' ende he know what he ought to beleeue and doo and in what maner to make his praiers to gaine Gods fauour and diuine grace therby afterwardes to obteine euerlasting glory and celestial blisse HERE foloweth a prayer or Meditation wherby the soule is stirred vp to 〈◊〉 reuerence and loue of the blessed Sacrament before a man receaueth it MOST high and dreadful most sweete and bountiful Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ who art really conteined in this most miraculous Sacrament which I both desire purpose to receaue beholde howe I come fraight with feare and hope vnto thee to be visited fedde and comforted of thee I feare considering the incomprehensible highnes of thy most infinite Maiestie and the inspeakable basenes of my moste wretched miserie I thinke Lorde what thou art and what I am Thee I acknowledge to be my maker maker of al things omnipotent eternal infinite ful of al wisdome vertue incomprehensible holines Thou art he before whose face al the pillers and celestial potentates doo quake againe and whom al the Angelical quires yeeld adoration and due reuerence to I contrari-wise knowe my selfe to be a most vile and filthy creature a contemptible caterpiller a wretched worme a vessel of corruption one ful of al miseries conceued and borne in sinne vnable to doo any good inclined to al wickednes Howe may then so abiect and abhominable a caitiff present him-selfe before so great a king What hath mire and filth to doo with celestial puritie darknes with light the sinner of al sinners with of al holies the holiest If that holy man S. Iohn Baptist one sanctified in his mothers wombe durst not touch thy most sacred head when thon camest to be baptised of him howe shal I presume not onely to touche but to receaue thee in this holy Sacrament fraight with filth and wallowing in al wickednes euen from my very infancie The faith which that deuout Cōturion had in thee made him repute him-selfe vnwoorthy for thee to enter into his house howe then shal I with much more feeble faith and deuotion receaue thee into my vnclean and vnwoorthy habitation If so great puritie and holines wer required for the eating of the shewbreades of the old lawe which were but a shadow of this most souerame Sacrament how shal I eate the bread of Angels being so impure and estraunged from al holines how may so heynous an offendour as I am presume to approche hearing the prince and chiefe of al the Apostles cry out Goe further from me Lorde for I am a sinful creature I languishe Lord and tremble whē I consider thy highnes thy dignitie and what thy holy Saintes haue saide and done vnto thee but muche more am I confounded calling to mind my malice and ingratitude al my yeres consumed in sinne blindnes iniuries and crimes committed against thy diuine Maiestie without any feare of thy threates and punishmentes anye regard or thankfulnes for thine infinite benefites yea rather renewing in most impudent wise not once but eftsons thy cruel tormentes and most painful passion crucifying that Lord a-freshe with so manye greeuous abhominations who with so great charitie vouchsafed earst to be crucified for my redemption Wherefore moste righteous Lorde if thou looke vpon mine
deformed sinner vnto this thy diuine borde not for mine owne sake but for the merite and honour of thy deere frende and most sweete sonne Iesus Christe our Sauiour and our Father who with such griefes and tormentes did on the roode regenerate vs whose passion and most pretious death is represented eche time that this most grateful Sacrifice is offered vp vnto thee And thee againe my most louing Lorde and king Iesus Christe which art in this holy banquet both the foode it selfe and he that doth inuite vs to it I humbly begg of thee albeit most vnwoorthy that it may plese thee to ad mit me to satiate me and to make me partaker of the graces and innumerable gifts which thou art wont to bestowe vpon such thy seruantes as doo woorthely receaue thee Suffer me not to depart fasting from thee least I faint in the way like as thou sufferedst not the great multitude of people that folowed thee with so great zeale to heare thy sugred wordes in the desert whom thou moued with pitie vouchsafedst not onely spiritually but corporally also to satiate least haply they might haue fainted and miscaried in their iourney Wherefore seing this most sacred Sacrament is the food of this our pilgrimage much more am I to desire and to teceaue it to th' ende I faine not in the way but like an-other Elias may by force of this foode passe out and arriue at length to the moūt of euerlasting happines Let me in therefore O Lorde seing I knocke at the gate of thy mercy as a famished poore and feeble creature that being filled by thee enriched by thee and cured by thee I may reioyce in thee geue thankes to thee and yeeld perpetual peales of praises to thee with the Angels that here attende about thee with whom I laude and blesse thine eternal fathers infinite charitie who hath vouchsafed to graunt vs this pledge of future and euerlasting glory Amen ANOTHER praier or meditation to be made the day that one hath receaued to stirte him vp through the consideration and knowledge of so great a benefite to geue God thankes therfore and to be grateful for his goodnes BLESSE thy Lorde O my soule and al my entrals laud his most holy name Forgett not O my soule the infinite mercies and continual benefites receaued of his most liberal hande amongst the which wel maiest thou recken that which hath beene this day geuē thee that so infinite a Maiestie shoulde vouchsafe to visite thee to enter into thy homely habitation and with surpassing clemencie whollye to geue him-selfe to thee in this moste meruailous Sacrament O thou incomprehensible God no lesse pitiful then puissant what shal I say seing the depth of thy bottomlesse lesse mercies hath vouchsafed to impart it selfe to the deapth of my inspeakable miseries What thanks can I yeeld thee for so great kindnes and loue who wott right wel that if al the members and muscles of my bodye were turned into tounges yet could I not condignely thanke thee for the least of al thy benefites howe much lesse able shal I then be with one tounge to laude and thanke thee for this present gift being of so great and inestimable a value If the mother of thy for-runner S. Iohn Baptist being visited of thy most sacred virgin mother when she perceaued thy presence illuminated with the holy Ghoste was so astonished therat as she cried out aloud and said Whēce haue I this that the mother of my Lord doth come vnto me how much more iustly am I to be astonished and to cry out Whence haue I this that not the mother of my Lorde but my Lorde him-selfe and Lorde of al the Angels of heauen and earth and of al the creatures of the world hath visited me entred into me honoured me fostred me and filled me in this most woorthy Sacrament Whence haue I this that a Lord so high so puissant so woorthye of al woorshipp hath vouchsafed to come to me a moste wretched worme to me the most heinous sinner of al sinners to me that haue so many times offended him to me that with my lewdnes and abhominations haue so oft banished and expelled him out of me Woorthelye did the holy prophets Iob and Dauid wonder at thy diuine clemencie at what time they sayde What is man that thou so greatlye magnifiest him ' what is the sonne of man that thou thus visitest him but much greater reasō haue we most wretched caitiffs to say the same in these our dais What is man that thou hast thus extolled him as for man to make thy selfe man and to geue thy selfe in foode to man wherwith he may euery day be visited and refreshed And albeit al men may meruail at this thy diuine clemencie vsed towards man muche more yet maye I meruaile which of al men am the basest and vnwoorthiest If Dauid when king Saule woulde haue chosen him for his sonn in law reputed him-selfe vnwoorthy and saide What am I or what is my life or my fathers lignage that I should be a sonne in law to a king howe much more cause haue I nowe to say the same seing the king of al kinges hath admitted me to so high a dignitie what am I or what is my fathers ofspring what other am I then a vessel of corruption a sacke of donge and filth engendred of a most vile and stinking matter touching my fleshe which ere long shal yeeld foode to woorms and am concerning my soule al soiled with sinn fraught with ignorance and forgetfulnes with many mo defectes and wicked inclinations what other is my life thē a vanitie a pufle of wind a smoake and shadowe that quicklye vanisheth a confusion and disorder a continual exercise of sinne and transgressions of thy commaundements Such hath my life mine exercises and mine inclinations beene such also is my father Adams ofspring and al his auncient familie sith al that discend of him are generally born thus blemished thus bent and al like children of a traitour as he was adiudged to suffer death Wherefore O most puissant prince and dreadful King aboue al kinges thou knowing me and my life to haue been such and much worse thē I either knowe or can imagine haste vouchsafed to receaue me not for a in lawe but for thine owne sonne yea and as a yonger one right tenderlye beloued for such are fathers accustomed most of al to cherishe as now thou hast cherished and fed me with this Angels bread wherin is founde al sauor and al diuine delight S. Luke reporteth howe one of those gestes that were at table with thee in a prince of the Pharises house shoulde saye Blessed are those that shal eate the breade of life in the kingdome of heauen but much more happye am I if I can knowe it and gather fruite out of it which in this life eate the breade wherein is the selfe-same God conteined and ther-with receue a pledge to eate
from my foes For these and al other thy benefites namely for those thou hast this day most bountifully bestowed vpō me Here are they particulerly to be though of O my soueraine Lorde I yeeld thee such sincere and dutiful thankes as my poore hart can possibly afforde thee beseeching the blessed virgin and al the Saintes of heauen to yeeld thee thankes and praises in supply of my want 2. AND NOWE mine only Redeemer and Sauiour I humbly craue the light of thy grace to know wherein I haue this day any wayes offended thee and that by mature and sounde discussion of my conscience I maye see mine owne sinnes with sorowe and thine ineffable mercy with a zelous and firme purpose of amendment 3. HERE MVST we examine our selues how we haue employed the day in word thought and deede towardes God and our neighbours 4. THOV SEEST O Lord my lewdnes and wotest my miserie muche better then I my selfe doo Sory I am with al my heart that I should stil offend so louing a Lord and wish to God my sorowes were greatly multiplied I purposed earst to doo better by thy grace which wanted not and yet haue I trāsgresled in my former trespasses Neither yet may I despaire O Lorde but wil continually trust to thy mercies in al euentes and purpose firmely as I nowe doo euery day to amend my life Deliuer me my gratious God from al mortal sinne for euer and geue me grace to persecute my venial vices with sorow during life And for the satisfaction of these and al my former sinnes together with al those of the world as also for al thine ineffable benefites bestowed vpon me and al man-kinde I offer vnto thee the merits of thy bitter passion those moste pretious droppes of bloud thou sheddest for me and that inflamed charitie wherwith thou wholly resignest thy selfe to al thy tormentes for my 〈◊〉 and in the vnion of this thine oblation on the roode I offer vp my self soul body and al I haue of thine within or without me to thine honour and euerlasting glory I retaine nothing to my selfe but geue al to thee whose it is and make that thine by my wil which is thine of iustice Geue me thy grace O my God to liue better her eafter and to confesse my sins in due time to my ghostly Father Geue me true humilitie and repentance grace to knowe thee and grace to knowe me puritie of heart in al my doinges patience chastitie and perfect charitie Geue me a good life and a good death and in the daungerous houre of my departure the assistance of thy blessed Saintes and Angels with whom I may through thy mercie in an-other world praise and glorifie thee euerlastinglye Amen Say then the Pater noster Aue Maria and the Creede with some short praier or hymne as thou liest thee downe to craue protection for the night and conuenient rest of bodie and soule And faile not to commend thee to thy Gardian Angel. A PRAYER to be 〈◊〉 before Sacramental Confession MOST Soueraine mightie and merciful Lorde who of thine infinite loue and mercie towards mankinde hast ordemed in thy Churche the Sacrament of Penance as a soueraine saulue to heale our spiritual woundes and to purge vs from the filth wher-with we maie after Baptisme any wayes haue defiled our soules I. N. thy most vile and ingrateful creature hauing offended thee many waies and most greeuouslye since my last Confession purpose through thy grace to flie hither for my remedie and according to thy diuine ordinance to confesse my sins vnto thy seruant hoping therby according to thy promise to receaue a ful and perfect absolution Geue me grace therefore O Lorde that like as of thy goodnes thou hast inspired into my hart a desire to apply this remedy to my ghostly griefs so I may in due reuerence contrition and sinceritie vse the same to the glory of thy name and the ful forgeuenes of my sinnes Open the secretes of my soule vnto me O Lord and make me knowe al my sinns and iniquities what-soeuer Geue me also due sorowe and contrition for the same and grace to vnfolde them to thy vicar my ghostly phisition purely plainly sorowfully and sincerely with firme and constant purpose through thy grace to amend my life hereafter Ah Lorde my gratious God and onely comfort of my soule sithens thou desirest that in al thinges I should sincerelye serue thee and I through thy grace desire nothing more then to doo the same why is it Lorde that I stil offend thee whye fal I so ofte in relapse of my former folies Thy grace is not wanting but mine vngratiousnes and inconstancie is the cause thereof whereof I moste hartily accuse me Euen nowe I mind to fight manfullye and by and by I faint and faile in my former purposes Rightly therefore am I in respect hereof to humble my selfe and to deem me to be thy most vile and abiect creature Increase in me daily thy grace and soueraine vertue of humilitie and graunt me that once I may know thee and know my selfe Thee in thy Maiestie and mercye me in mine abhominations and misery and that at length I may fight more manfully and gain the victorie ouer mine 〈◊〉 through thy gratious helpe and fauour my onely Redeemer and Sauiour Iesus Christe who with the Father and the holy Ghost reignest one God euerlastingly Amen A PRAYER to be saide after Sacramental Confession O GOD of mercie and pitie hauing nowe through thy gratious goodnes disburdened my conscience of the gilt wherwith it was oppressed and in the low liest wise I might vnfolded al the sinnes I could possibly thinke of vnto thy minister my ghostly father I most humblie beseeche thee to accept this my Confession and to forgeue me my trespasses aswel remembred as forgotten Graunt me grace O Lorde to liue more carefullie and diligentlie hereafter and to refraine from my former folies which I vtterlie detest and through thy grace doo firmely purpose neuer any more to offende in Especially O my gratious and benigne Sauior geue me grace to withstande these temptations wher-with I am most greeuously infested Here are the temptations wherwith one is most troubled to be rehearsed as also grace to eschewe al occasions of offending so much as possibly I maie The just man as Scripture telleth falleth seuen times a daie much more then shal I fal O Lorde hauing thorough mine owne most vile abhominations increased greatlye the weaknes and blindnes I receaued frō my fore-father Adam yet Lorde as I hope and purpose firmelie by thy merciful fauour to refrain from consenting to anie mortal sinne which I most humblie begg of thee to preserue me from whilest I liue so Lord wil I by thy goodnes detest and persecute my venial sins and imperfections during life Graunt me grace so to doo O merciful Lorde and that as heretofore I haue without ani remors of conscience most heinously transgressed thy commaundementes in euery sort so nowe