accompting me in the number of the iust and making me heire of the inaccessible glory of thy sonne God which I desire o my Lady and Mother of God may after this exile by thy godly intercession and patronage be graunted vnto me and vnto al that humbâ—y runne to thee and fasten their hope in thee by the grace mercy and bounty of thy onely begotten Sonne our Lord God and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom is due al glory honour power and adoration with the Eternal Father and holy and viuificant Spirit now and euer world without end Amen An other out of the same S. Ephrem in Lament Mar. super pas dom O Pure and immaculate and blessed Virgin Mother of thy mighty Sonne and of the God of al without offence perfect and most sacred the hope of the dispayring and guilty we praise thee we blesse thee as most ful of grace who brought forth Christ God and man We al fal down to thee al cal vpon thee and besech thy helpe Deliuer vs o Virgin holy intemerate from al necessity approaching froÌ„ al teÌ„ptations of the deuil Be thou our reconciliatrix and Aduocate in the hour of death Iudgment and deliuer vs from the vnquencheable fyre to come the outward darknesse and vouchsaife vs the glory of thy Son o Virgin and Mother most sweete and gentle For thou alone with the God of Christians art our most secure and holy hope To whom be glory honour renowne rule for euer Amen Another of S. Ephrem ser de laud. Sanstiss Dei Genitr Virg. Mar. OInuiolate perfect wholly pure and chast Virgin Mary Mother of God Queene of al our most glorious Lady higher then the inhabitantes of heauen brighter then tâ—e beames and shyninges of the sunne more honoured then the Cherubim more holy then the Seraphim and incomparably more glorious then al the other celestial Armes the hope of the Fathers glory of the Prophets praise of the Apostles honour of Martirs ioy of Sainctts light of the most accepted Abraham Isaac and Iacob The Ornaments of Aaron brightnesse Iud. 6. of Moyses and Flease of Gedeon the crowne of the company of holy Princes al Sainctes virgins brightnesse farre exceeding and splendor inaccessible the Golden Censor most cleare Lantherne most bewtiful vessel bearing the Manna of heauen the Heb. 6. Table which brought the written Law vnto mortal men the true Arke most Apoc. 8. diuine Charter most prudent and wise wise Princesse of al and illuminating Virgin most holy comfortesse and guider of al most sacred Maiden O flamming Bush vnburned and florishing Rodde of Aaron For verily thou art the Rodde and thy Sonne the Floure For from the roote of Dauid and Salomon did spring Christ our creatour god and Lord omnipotent and alone most high Thou broughtest forth god and man Thou a Virgin before birth in birth and after his birth God thy creatour putting on flesh without seed in thy virginal wombe did not take away those keyes of the oriental gate that is euer shutt and preseruing thee o most bewtiful such a one as thou was before his birth By thee we are reconciled to Christ our God thy most sweete Sonne Thou art the onely adnocatrix and helper of sinners people destitute of helpe Thou the most saife Hauen of theÌ„ that fuffer shipwrack Thou art the comfort of the world Thou art the receptacle of orphanes redemption and deliuery of captiues Thou the exultation of the sick consotion of the sadde and health of al. al. Thou art the strength of MonKes and Eremites and hope of the secular Thou art the glory crowne and ioy of virgins Thou art the gladnesse of the world O Lady Princesse Queene most excellent exceding blessed Maiden most honoured and Lady of ladies most pure and chast We flee vnder thy defence o holy Mother of God defend and keepe vs vnder the winges of thy piety and mercy Haue mercy on vs that are defyled with the filth of sin who with very manifould offences and transgressions haue offended the Creator our god Iudg of al lest the most pernicious Sathan be insolent glory against vs lest the detestable enemy arise against vs lest we see thy seruants to fal from hope of thee or lest the tongue of detractors calumniate vs. We haue none other hope then in thee o most sincere Virgin Farr from our Mothers armes o our Lady we wretches are dedicated vnto thee and called thy Clients Therfore suffer vs not by the malignant Sathan to be led to the gates of hel For thou art our hauen o Virgin immaculate and president O holy helper we are wholy vnder thy tuission and protection Therfore we flee to thee the onely woman and with often teares o most blessed Mother besech thee and fall downe vnto thee humbly crying and praying lest thy sweete Sonne our Sauiour geuer of the life of al for many sinnes which we haue committed take vs away and like a Lyon teare our wretched soules or cut vs vp as the barren figge tree But we entreat that we may come securely to Christ enter into those pallaces of the blessed where there are not teares nor mourning nor vexation not greife not calamity not death not torment not want of place THE HOLY CREDE Or Articles of our Faith deliuered to the Church by Tradition by the holy Apostles of Christ as testify these primatiue Sainctes S. Clem. Rom. Ep. 1. Amb. Ep. 81 ad Siriac ser 38. Aug. ser 181. de temp Ireu lib. 1. haer ca. 2. l. 3. c. 4. Hier. ad Pamach Ep. 61. â—a 9. Leo ser 11. de pass dom Ep. 13. ad Pulcher. Aug. ser cont Euâ—ych Max. Taur Ep. Hom. de trad Simb paschas praef lib. de Sanct. and others I Beleue in God the Father almighty maker of heauen and earth And in Iesus Christ his onely SoÌ„ne our Lord. Which was conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Maâ—y Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried Descended into hel The third day he arose againe from the dead Ascended into heauen Sitteth at the right haÌ„de of God the Father almighty FroÌ„ thence he shal come to iudge the quick and the dead I beleue in the holy Ghost The holy Catholick Church The communion of Sainctes The forgeuenesse of sinnes The resurrection of the body And life euerlasting Amen Direction out of S. Ambrose lib. 3. Virgin We ought to repeate daily the Creede as the seale of our heart in the houres before day To which when we are afraide of any thing we must runne continually For when is a souldier in campe a warriar in battaile without his signe of warfare to be decerned by A Meditation or breife exposition vpon the same Creede out of S. Clem. Ep. 1. translated by Ruffinus within 400 yeares of Cirist Ruffinus in praef ad Gaudent in Reâ—ogn vasen Conc. can 6. Alexan. 1. Ep. ex Conc. Rom. Anaclet
the euerlasting sonne of the Father Thou about to deliuer man didest not abhorre the virgins wombe Thou hauing ouercome the sting of death hast opened for beleeuers the kingdome of heauen Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father Thou art beleeued to be the Iudge that shal come We therefore beseech thee succoure thy seruants whoÌ„ thou hast redeemed with thy pretious bloud Make vs with thy Sainctes to be rewarded with glory O Lord saue thy people and blesse thy inheritance And gouerne them and extoll them for euer Euery day we blesse thee And we praise thy name for euer and for euer and euer Vouchsaife o Lord this day to keepe vs without sinne Haue mercy vpon vs o Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Let thy mercy o lord be vpon vs euen as we haue hoped in thee In thee o Lord I haue hoped let me not be confounded for euer The Hymne of the Angels Luc 2. with the additioÌ„ by S. Hilarius ANd with the Angel there was a multitude of the heaueÌ„ly army praysing god and saying glory in the highest to god on earth peace to men of good wil. We praise thee we blesse thee we adore thee we glorifie thee we geue thakes vnto thee for thy great glory O Lotd god heauenly King God Father omnipotent O Lord onely begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christ O Lord god Lambe of god soÌ„ne of the Father who takest away the sinnes of the world haue mercy vpoÌ„ vs. Who takest away the sinnes of the world receaue our prayer who sittest at the right haÌ„d of the Father haue mercy vpon vs. Because thou alone holy thou alone lord thou alone most highest o Iesus Christ with the holy Ghost in glory of god the Father Amen A prayer desiring pardon and grace by Christes passion out of S. Isaac l. de contemptu mundi c. 29. O Lord that didest weepe ouer Lazarus and poure forth the teares of thy coÌ„passioÌ„ on him receaue the teares of my bitternesse heale my passions with thy passions cure my wounde with thy woundes cleanse my bloud with thy bloud and mingle with my body the sweete odour of thy quickning body Let that gawle which was geueÌ„ to thee to drink by thy enemies make my soule sweete from the bitternesse which the enimy aduersary haith drunke vnto me Let thy body that was stretched forth vpon the wood of the Crosse lift vp to thâ—e my mind which by the deuils is drawne downeward Thy head which thou leanedst downe on the tormentes of the Crosse lift vp my head that is buffeted of my enemies Thy most holy handes crucified with nailes raise me vp to thee from confusioÌ„ of perditioÌ„ as thy most sacred mouth haith promised Thy face which receaued buffetinges and spittinges vpon it make cleane my face defiled with cursed iniquities Thy soule which thou gauest vp first being on the Crosse bring me to thee in thy glory I haue not a sorowful heart to seeke thee I haue not repentaÌ„ce nor compunctioÌ„ that bring againe childreÌ„ to their inheritance O Lord I haue not entreating teares my mynd is darkned with worldly thinges nor can looke vnto thee with greefe and my heart is withered for multitude of temptations and can not be warmed with teares of thy sweetnesse But o Iesus Christ the treasure of good thinges geue vnto me perfect repentance a sorowful heart That thereby I may hasten with my soule to seeke thee for without that which is al goodnesse I shal be an AlieÌ„ Therefore o Iesus Christ geue me thy grace The Father which from eternity without tyme begott thee renew in me the light of thy image I haue forsakeÌ„ thee do not thou forsake me I haue gone out from thee goe thou forth to seeke bring me into thy pastures number me among the sheepe chosen in thy sight and place me with them in the portion of the riches of thy sâ—crets whose habitacle is a clensed heart in it let be seene the brightnes of thy reuelations which are the consolation and refreshing of those which haue laboured for thee in tribulations and al kinde of afflictions of which graunt we may be worthie by the grace and holinesse of our Sauiour then and in the world to come Amen Augustine l. med cap. 11. With al our heart and mouth we confesse praise and blesse thee god the Father vnbegotten thee the onely begotten Sonne thee holy Ghost comforter holy and indiuided Trinity praise be to thee world without end Amen Other meditations and praysinges of god for the morning as opportuni tie is or for varietie Direction out of scripture IN the middest of the Church I wil Ps 21. see Ps 34. 83. 112. 116. c. praise thee You that feare our Lord praise him al you seede of Iacob glorify him Al Nations praise our Lord al ye people praise him because his mercy is confirmed vpon vs and the truth of our Lord remaineth for euer Reioyce and praise together you deserts Is 52. see c. 49. et Zach. 2. of Ierusalem because our Lord haith comforted his people redemed Ierusalem Our Lord haith prepared his holy arme in the eyes of al Nations and al the endes of the earth shal see the saluation of our god Daughter of Syon praise o Israel cry Sophon 3. out for ioy and reioice in al thy heart daughter of Ierusalem our Lord haith taken away IudgmeÌ„t haith ouerthrone thine enemies the King of Israel is lord in the midst of thee thou shalt not feare euil any longer At midnight Paule and Silas praying Act. 16. did praise god Direction out of S. Basile l. quaes diffuse explicat quaest 37. WE ought to preuent the morning and rise to praier lest the day find vs sleeping and in bed according to him that saith Mine eyes haue preuented the morning Ps 118. that I might meditate thy wordes of which thinges they must at no time be negligent whose purpose is to liue agreably to the glory of god and his Christ A Meditation before praier out of S. Nilus lib. de oratione PRaier is a communication of the minde with god Therefore in what state ought the minde to be that it may be stretched forth to his Lord. If Moyses when he endeuored Exod. 3. to come to the Bush which he saw was forbiden vntil he loosed the showes of his feete how must not he that wil see and conuerse with him which excedeth al sense and cogitation cast away froÌ„ him selfe al troubled knowledg Thou caÌ„st not pray purely if thou be entangled with earthly thinges and businesse and burdened with daily cares As he which is is bound can not runne so the mind that serueth passions can not behoulde the place of spiritual praier for it is drawne hither and thither with troubled cogitations and haith no fixed setled state If thou consider thy condition thou wilt rather weepe protesting thy self a wretch by the example of Isay because Is
now and euer world without end Amen A meditation and prayer to the holy Ghost out of S. Basil ser de libero arbitrio MAry haith chosen the best part Luc. 10. which shal not be taken from her O those precious teares like vnto Margarites flowing from her blessed eyes o her diuine obediâ—nt eares o manlike and wise minde o swiftnesse of spiritual loue greatly hasting to the vnpolluted brydegroÌ„e o prick of desire of a soule to god the word o indissoluble society of the spouse to the brydegrome imitate her o sonne imitate her looking after nothing els but him that said I came to cast fire and what wil I but to haue it kinled for there is an heate of the spirit stirring vp of mens heartes wherefore that immaterial and diuine fire doth illuminate soules and proueth them within as gold not counterfaite in a fornace and consumeth wickednes as stuble and thornes For our God is a consuming fyre who taketh vengeance in a flame of fyre vpon them that know him not and them that obey not his gospel This fyre wrought in the Apostles wheÌ„ Act. 2. they spake wâ—th fyâ—â—e tongues this is the fyre that shyned with glory rounde Act. 9. about Paule and illuminated his mind but darkned the sâ—nce of his sight For fleshly sight doth not receaue the force of that light This fyre was seene to Exod. 3. Moyses in the bush This fyre in the shape of a Chariot tooke away Helias Blessed Dauid seeking after the actioÌ„ of this fyre did say Proue me o lord examine Ps 25. me burne my reynes and my heart This fyre warmed the heartes of Cleophas Luc. 24. and him that trauailed with him when our Sauiour talked with them after his resurrectioÌ„ Wherevpon the Angels Ps 103. and ministring spirites are termed a burning fyre This fyre consuming the beame in the inward eye maketh the minde pure that receauing the natural strength of seeing it may continually see the miracles of god according to him that saith Reueile mine eyes I wil Ps 118. consider the meruelous thinges in thy Law Therefore this fyre driueth away deuils consumeth wickednesse it is the force of resurrection worke of immortality illumination of holy soules and confirmation of reasonable powers Let vs pray vnto this fire that it wil also come into vs that alwaies walking in the light we neuer offend at al but as lightes shyning in the world we keepe coÌ„tinually the doctrine of life that enioying God with our Lord Iesus Christ we may rest in life world without end Amen S. Ephrem post Thren WO to me to me burdeined with greatest sinnes I haue sinned aboue the number of the sandes of the sea and goe crooked 2. Par. 36. Luc. 18. with the burden of my sinnes as loaden with a great weight of iron For I dare not lift vp mine eyes and beholde the highnesse of the heauens Therefore to whom shal I flee but to thee most merciful and gentle O god haue Ps 50. mercy on me according to thy great mercy And according to the multitude of thy miserations blot out mine iniquitie Wash me more o Lord from mine iniquity and clense me from my sinne Because I acknowledg mine iniquity and my sinne is alwaies against me I haue sinned to thâ—e alone and dore euil before thâ—e I flee vnto thee for thine infinite piety I haue prâ—uoked thee to thâ—e I returne because of thine exceding clemâ—ncy To thee because of thy great beningnity and goodnesse I runne back and bâ—seeching cry out Turne thy face away from my Ps 50. sinnes and blot out al mine iniquities for thy holy name For I haue nothing which I may offer vnto thee not any good workes not cleanesse of heart But I trust in thy mercies and cast myself into them asking that thou wilt Ib. create a cleane heart in me confirme me with thy principal Spirit lest I easely fal againe into sinne but from henceforth may serue thee in holinesse and iustice al the daies of my life Because thine is the kingdome and Rule world without end Amen Meditations and prayers for the sixt hour or at noone tyme. Direction out of scripture AT Noone tyme I wil declare Ps 54. shew forth and he wil heare my voice And after they came to the place Luc. 23. Marc. 15. Math. 27. which is called Caluary there they crucified him c. And it was almost the sixt hour Peter went vp to pray in the higher Act. 10. partes about the sixt hour O tel me thou whoÌ„ my soule doth loue Cant. 1. where thou feedest where thou lyest at noone tyme lest I begin to wander after the flockes of my felowes Mâ—kâ— your prayers at the sixt hour Clem. Const l. 8. c. 40. Cip. l. de orat dom because our lord was then crucified We finde that in praying the three children with Daniel obserued the third hour sixt hour and ninth hour c. Peter at the sixt hour ascending into the higher partes was instructed both with the signe voice of god admonishing him that he should admit al to the grace of saluation And our lord being crucified at the sixt hour at the ninth hour washed away our sinnes with his bloud A Meditation vpon the Crosse for this Hour out of S. Ciril Archb. of Ierusalem Catech 13. Illumin THe Tree of life is set into the earth that the earth which was cursed might enioy benediction and the dead might be deliuered and quickned Therefore let vs not be ashamed to confesse him that was crucified but let vs confidently impresse with our fingers the signe of the crosse on our forhead and let the Crosse be made in al thinges els in eating our bread in drinking our drinke in going forth and entring in before sleepe in lying downe in rysing in going resting Great is this saifguarde which for the poore is freely geuen without labour for the weake seeing this grace is of god the signe of the faithful and feare of â—euils for he triumphed ouer them in this signe She wit forth boldly for when they shal see the Crosse they â—â—member him that was crucifyed they fâ—aâ—e him that câ—ushed in peeces the Gen. 3. dragons head An other Meditation vpon the crucifying of Christ out of S. Leo ser 6. de pas Do. CHrist was crucified in the place called Golgatha By the tree the fall by the tree is lifted vp and by the taist of gal and vinegre the baite of sinne is blotted out Worthily had our Lord said before he was betrayed When I shal be exalted I wil draw Ioan. 12. al thâ—nges vnto me That is I wil plead al the cause of mankind and that nature which was lost I wil recal to integrity Al infirmity shal be abolished in me al woundes shal be healed in me And that Christ drew al thinges vnto him it is shewed not onely by
pray enter into thy chamber and the doare being shut pray thy Father in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret wil rewarde thee And when you pray speake not much as the heathens doe for they think to be heard in their much speaking therefore be not likned to them for your Father knoweth what you need before you aske him Therefore so you shal pray OVr Father which art in heaueÌ„ Hallowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen Geue The grecke Acton epionsion Supersubstantial Bread vs this day our daily bread And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euil Amen S. Ambrosius lib. 3. de virginitate Repeate often in thy chamber psalmes with our Lordes praier either when thou awakest or before thou goest to sleepe A deuout Meditation or exposition vpon this our Lordes praier out of S. Chromatius Bishop of Aquileia in cap. 5. Mathei O How faithful blessed a praier is this vnto vs whose order was instituted by the Doctor of life and heauenly maister And how blessed may we also be if we obserue not onely with duty of mouth but with most faithful deede of coÌ„uersation these wordes of our Lordes praier Therefore our Lord ordained this forme of praying for his Disciples for the hope of mannes saluation saying Our Father which art in heauen How great is the loue of our Lord toward vs how exceeding his mercy and piety who haith bestowed a guift of such grace vpon vs that him which is our Lord and god we which are but seruants may lawfully cal our Father By which name he doth not onely demonstrate vs now to be the seruants but also the sonnes of God Therefore because we haue obtained the grace of so great a guift that we are made not onely seruants but sonnes also we ought to do and behaue our selues as the children of god that by spiritual doing we may prooue our selues to be that which we are called according to that of Iohn He that is borne of God committeth 1. Io. 3. not sinne because his natiuity of god doth keepe him and the deuil toucheth him not But he that committeth sinne is not of God but of the deuil because the deuil sinneth from the beginning And therefore keping the sacrament of our heauenly natiuity we ought to be free from al sinne that we may deserue truly to be called or be the sonnes of god And the holy prophets knew the grace of this diuine mercy in which it is permitted vnto vs to cal god our Father as Isay saith For thou art our Father because Abraham haith not knowne vs Israel Is 63. haith not knowne vs but our Lord our Father from the beginning thy name is vpon vs. Likewise also Malachy witnessith in his booke saying For there is one Father Mal. 2. of vs al. How great is the mercy of our Lord We which before by our owne wil had chosen the deuil for our father now being borne againe by water and the holy Ghost begin to haue god our Father And therefore we ought to walk as the children of God lâ—st doing otherwise theÌ„ becometh gods children we be holden guilty vnder the vsurpation of so great a name Therefore he saith Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name not because the name of god can be hallowed of any man when he halloweth al men which saith by the prophet Be you holy as I also am holy saith our Lord. Lâ—uit â—0 But therefore we request his name to be hallowed that it may be hallowed in vs by the workes of iustice by the merit of faith by the grace of the holy Ghost which sanctification that we may receaue by such guifts the ayde of his mercy is necessary but he that is the fountaine of euerlasting holinesse needeth not any sanctification Then he saith Thy kingdome come Likewise we do not aske that he should be King who is King of euer-during worldes whose kingdome haith neither beginning nor end but that the kingdome which is celestial which he haith promised vnto vs may come But it is a signe of great confidence and sincere conscience confidently to aske that this Kingdome of our Lord may come And therefore because we alwaies pray that the Kingdome of God may come we must shew our selues such in the faith of our Lord and his commaundements that we may be worthy of his kingdome to come After this he saith Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen where also there is the like maner of vnderstanding for no man can resist or hinder god that he do not what he wil seing al thinges both in heauen and earth consist by his wil But we pray that his wil may be done in vs. And the wil of God is that beleuing in him with al our heart we fulfil those thinges which he haith commaunded to be done of which wil of god the Apostle witnesseth saying The wil of god is your sanctification that 1. Thes 4. you abstaine from carnal concupiscences Therefore when â—e say Thy wil be doâ—e in earth as it is in heauen This we pray that as the wil of god is faithfully kept of the Angels in heauen so also we must with a Religious and faithful deuotion desire the helpe of gods assistance or Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen that as in heauen that is in holy and heauenly men the wil of god is fulfilled so also in earth that is we pray that the wil of god may be done by beleefe of faith and knowledg of the truth in them which haue not yeâ— beleeued Then he saith Geue vs this day our dayly bread This saying of our Lord we vnderstand two waies first that we do not aske any thing but our daily foode For we are not commaunded to aske riches or superfluity of worldly thinges but our daily bread which to Christians that liue by faith is onely necessary for this present life as the Apostle saith Hauing foode wherewith to 1. Tim. 6. be couered with these we are content But wâ— must consâ—der that this is spiritually commaunded vnto vs that we aske our daily bread that is that heauenly and spiritual bread which we daily receaue for the curing of our soule and hope of eternal saluation of which our Lord saith in the Gospel The heauenly Io. 6. bread is my flesh which I wil geue for the life of the world And therefore we are commaunded daily to aske this bread that is that through the mercy of God bestowing it we may deserue â—aily to receaue the bread of the body of our Lord. And forgeue vs our debtes as we also forgeue our debtors This is plainely a iust and necessary saying for al men First that we acknowledge our selues to be sinners
haue sought my soule they shal enter into the lower partes of the earth they shal be geuen ouer into the handes of the sword they shal be made the portions of foxes But the King shal reioyce in God all shal be praised that sweare in him because the mouth of them which speak wicked thinges is stopped Glory be to the Father to c. As it was in the beginning c. The prayer of Manasses 2. paral vlt. O Lord omnipotent god of our Fathers Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and the iust fâ—ede of them who hast made heauen and earth with al their bewty who hast tyed the sea with the word of thy precept who hast concluded the depth and signed it with thy terrible and laudable name whom al thinges do feare and tremble before the face of thy power because the magnificence of thy glory is importable the anger of thy thretning ouer sinners vnsustentable Truly great and inuestigable is the mercy of thy promise because thou art Lord most high bountiful long suffering and much merciful and sorowful for the malices of men O Lord thou according to the multitude of thy goodnesse hast promised peace and remission vnto them that haue sinned against thee and in the multitude of thy mercies hast decreed repentaÌ„ce for sinners to saluation Therefore thou Lord god of the iust hast not appointed penance for the iust Abraham Isaac and Iacob those that haue not sinned against thee but hast appointed penance for me a sinner because I haue sinned aboue the number of the sandes of the sea o Lord mine iniquities are multiplied multiplied are mine iniquities I am not worthy to behould and looke vp to the highnesse of heauen for the manifoldnesse of mine iniquities I am crooked with a great iron chaine that I may not lift vp my head and respiration is not in me because I haue stirred vp thine anger and done euil before thee I haue not done thy wil and haue not kepte thy commaundements I haue erected abominations and multiplied offences and now do bow the knee of my heat beseching goodnesse of thee I haue sinned o Lord I haue sinned and do acknowledg mine iniquities Wherefore I aske entreating thee Forgeue me o Lord forgeue me destroy me not together with mine iniquities neither being angrye for euer reserue euil thinges for me neither condemne me vnto the lowest places of the earth because thou art God God I say of those that repent and shew al thy goodnesse towardes me because thou wilt saue me vnworthy according to thy greate mercy and I wil praise thee al the daies of my life because al the power of the heauens praise thee to thee is glory world without end Amen A Praier of King Salomon prou 30. I Haue asked two thinges of thee deny them not vnto me before I dye Set vanity and lying wordes farre from me Geue me not beggerlinesse and riches geue onely thinges necessary for my liuing lest peraduenture being filled I may be prouoked to deny thee may say who is our Lord Or compelled by want may steale forsweare the name of my God A Praier of Esdras 1. Esdr 9. O My God I am confounded I am ashamed to lift vp my face to thee because our iniquities are multiplied ouer our head and our sinnes haue growne euen vnto heauen from the daies of our fathers yea and we our selues also haue sinned greeuously vnto this day Tobias 3. O Lord be mindful of me and take not reuenge on my sinnes neither remember mine offences nor the offences of my parents Sap. 9. O God of my Fathers and Lord of mercy who hast made al thinges with thy word by thy wisdome hast ordained man to rule the creatures which thou hast made And that he might dispose the world in equity and iustice and iudge Iudgment in direction of heart graunt vnto me wisdome the assistresse of thy seates reiect me not froÌ„ thy seruants for I am thy serâ—ant and sonne of thy handmaid a â—an infirme and of smal time and too little to vnderstand thy Iudgment and Lawes Ecclesiast 36. O God of al haue mercy vpon vs and haue respect vnto vs and shew the light of thy coÌ„miserations to vs and shew thy feare vpon Nations which haue not sought thee that they may know there is no God but thou may declare thy worthy thinges Ierem. 10. O Lord I know that the way of man is not his owne neither is it of maÌ„ that he may walk direct his goinges Correct me o Lord but with iudgment and not in thy fury lest thou peraduenture bring me againe to nothing Poure forth thine indignation vpon Nations that haue not knowne thee and vpon Countries that haue not called vpon thy name O Lord expectatioÌ„ of Israel al which Ier. 17. forsake thee wil be confounded they which goe backe from thee wil be written in the earth because they haue forsaken the vaine of liuing waters our lord Heale me o lord and I shal be healed saue me and I shal be saife because thou art my praise I besech thee o Lord god great and Dan. 9. terrible keeping couenant and mercy to those that loue thee and kâ—â—pe thy commandementes we haue sâ—med we haue wrought iniqiuty and â—one wickedly and gone away and dâ—parted froÌ„ thy commaundementes anâ— iudgmeÌ„tes We haue not obeyed thy seruantes the Prophets which haue spoken in thy name to our Kinges to our Princes to our Fathers and to al the people of the land O Lord iustice is to thee but to vs confusion of face o Lord confusion of face vnto vs to our kngies to our Princes Fathers who haue sinned But to thee Lord â—ur gâ—d mercy propitiatioÌ„ because we haue gone back froÌ„ thee haue not heard the voice of the Lord our god that we might walke in his law O our God heare the paier of thy seruant his petitions Ieremias in orat cap. 5. lament O Lord remember what haith chanced vnto vs and haue respect vnto our reproach Our inheritance is conuerted to aliens and our houses vnto straungers We are made pupils without fathers or mothers as widowes But o Lord thou shalt remaine for euer thy state from generation to generation Why wilt thou forgeat vs for euer Wilt thou long time forsake vs O lord conuert vs vnto thee and we shal be conuerted Baruch 2. O Lord looke downe vpon vs ftom thy holy house and incline thine eare and heare vs. Open thine eyes and see because the dead that be in hel whose spirit is taken from their bowels wil not geue honour and iustification to our Lord. But the soule which is sad for the greatnesse of euil goeth crooked weak fainting eyes and an hungry soule doth geue glory and iustice to thee our Lord. And now o Lord omnipotent Cap. 3. god of Israel a soule in distresse troubled spirit cryeth vnto thee o Lord heare
tongue For al thy gifts by Christ we geue thankes vnto thee who hast geuen vs voice framed for confession Thou hast lent vnto vs a tongue as an instrument for the Harpe and Organe Thou hast graunted vnto vs an agreable taist a conuenient touching sight to behould hearing to apprehend voices smelling to perceaue odoures handes to worke feete to walke al these thinges thou doest forme of a litle drop in the womb and after information bestowest an immortal soule and bringest forth into light man a reasonable creature whom thou hast instructed with lawes adorned with iustifications and after dissolution of his short time hast promised Resurrection Therefore what life could be sufficient or what excellency of praises would be enough that we might geue thankes vnto thee But this we are not able to performe answearably to thy deseruinges yet we ought deuoutly to performe it so much as we are abâ—e For thou hast deliuered vs from the impiety of them that worship many gods and those that killed Christ Thou hast freed vs from heresies recalled vs froÌ„ the errour of ignorance sent Christ vnto men that he might be maÌ„ which was god onely begotten hast placed vs in the comforter appointed Angels ouer vs dishonoured the deuil When we were not thou hast made vs being made thou preseruest vs thou ministrest life geuest foode hast promised penance For al these thinges glory be to thee and honour by Iesus Christ now euer for euer Amen An other praier of praise or thankes out of the same S. Clement Constit SS Apost lib. 7. ca. 35. GReat art thou o Lord almighty and great is thy strength and there is none end of thy wisdome Creatour Sauiour riche in graces patient and shewer of mercie which takest not away saluation from thy creatures For by nature thou art god sparest sinners prouoking them to penance for thy correction is ful of mercies For how should we sustaine it if we were called to sudaine Iudgment when longe time expected we hardly cast away infirmity The heauens declare thy power the earth poysed with stability the sea wauing with agreable greatnes feeding infinite multitudes of liuing creatures The sande is bridled trembling at thy commaundement and causeth al men to crye O Lord thy workes are magnified thou hast Ps 103. made al thinge in wisdome the earth is replenished with thy workes The ardent armie of Angels and the intellectual Spirits doe say one holy the Seraphim together with the Cherubims Is 6. with their sixe adorned winges singing vnto thee an Himne of victory with a neuer ceasing voice crye forth Holy Holy Holy Lord of Hostes the heauen and earth are ful of thy glory Also the other multitudes of orders Angels Thrones Dominations Principalities Potestates Powers crying forth do say Blessed be the glory of god Ezechiel 3. from his place But Israel that is the Church on earth gathered together of the gentiles imitating the heauenly powers day and night with a ful heart and willing mind do sing The Chariot Ps 67. of god with ten thousandes manifould thousandes of reioycers our lord amoÌ„g them in Sinai in the holy The heauen haith knowne him because he arched it resting vpon noe supporter and made it stable as a four-square stone who also gathered togetheâ— into one the earth and water and diffused the aire from whence life spirit should be drawne to which he ioyned the fire for warmnesse and putting away of darknesse The company of starres is amazed shewing forth him that numbreth them Ps 146. and declaring him who nameth them The liuing creatures also are astonished at him that inspireth their life and the trees at him that planteth them Al which thinges created with thy word denownce the greatnesse of thy power Wherefore euery man ought with al his heart to geue praise vnto thee by Christ for al those thinges seeing by thee he posseseth them al for thou art gracious in graunting benefites and boutiful in shewing mercy who alone art omnipotent for when thou wilt power is in thee to be able to do it For thy eternal Dan. 3. Dan. 14. Iou. 2. might cooleth the flame bridlâ—th the lyons maketh the whale geÌ„tle succourreth the sicke ouerthroweth powers destroyeth the army of enemies the proude multitude of people Thou art in heauen in earth in the sea in the vttermost bondes thy selfe circumscribed with no bond of thy greatnesse there Ps 144. is no end And o Lord not we alone say this but it is the oracle of thy seruant saying And thou shalt know with thy heart Deu. 4. that thy lord thy god is god in heauen aboue and in earth beneath and there is no other but he for there is no god but he alone There is not an holy besides thee lord god of knowledge the God of Sainctes holy aboue al that are holy For they which are made holy are vnder thy haÌ„d thou art glorious exalted inuisible by nature vnserchable in iudgmentes whose life wanteth nothing duration without chaunge and variety operatioÌ„ without labour maiesty contained with no boundes Comlinesse euerlasting a mansion place vnaccessible an habitation vntransmigrable knowledge interminable truth inuariable a worke with out midle power without deceiptes rule without succession strength without aduersary the multitude of thine army is greate For thou art the father of wisdome authour of nature by the Mediatour as cause diposer of prouidence Lawgiuer replenisher of pouerty reuenger of the impious and rewarder of those that be iust of Christ God and Father and the Lord of those that worship him whose promise is infallible iudgment incorruptible sentence not entreatable piety vnexhausted benignity eternal for whom worthy deserued adoration is due to thee of euery reasonable and holy nature Iudith 16. LEt vs singe an Himne vnto our Lord let vs sing an Himne vnto our god Adonai Lord thou art great and excellent in power and whom noe man can ouercome Let euery creature serue thee because thou hast said the word and thinges were made thou hast sent thy spirit and they were created and noe man can resist thy wil. The mountaines shal be moued from the foundations with waters the rocks shal melt as waxe before thy face but they which feare thee shal be great Ecclesiastic 51. 1. 2. with thee in al thinges O Lord our King I wil confesse vnto thee and praise thee god my Sauiour I wil confesse vnto thy name be 10. 11. cause thou art made my helper protector I looked for the help of men and it was not I remembred thy mercy o Lord for thou deliuerest those that expect thee I haue called vpon our Lord the Father of my Lord that he would not leaue me in the day of tribulation and in the time of the proude without helpe I wil praise thy name dayly and extol it 14. in confession and my prayer is heard and thou hast deliuered me from perdition
15. 16. 17. and taken me forth from the wicked time Therefore I wil confesse speake praise vnto thee and blesse the name of our Lord. Heu heu heu o Lord god behould Ierem. 32. thou hast made heauen and earth in thy great strength and stretched arme nothing wil be dificult to thee who shewest mercy on thousandes and payest the iniquitie of the parents into thâ— bosome of their children after them o most strong great and mighty the Lord of hostes is thy name great in couÌ„saile incomprehensible in cogitation whose eyes are open vpon al the wayes of the children of Adam that thou mayest render to euery one according to his wayes and according to the frute of his inuentions Blessed art thou o lord god of our fathers Dan. 3. and to be praised and exalted for euer And the blessed name of thy glory holy and laudable and exalted in al worldes Blessed art thou in the holy temple of thy glory and exceedingly to be praised and eminently glorious for euer Blessed art thou in the throne of thy kingdome and superlaudable and extolled for euer Blessed art thou who behouldest the depthes and sittest vpon the Cherubim and laudable extolled for euer Blessed art thou in the firmament of heauen and laudable and glorious for euer I wil ioy in our lord and reioyce in Habacue 3. god my Iesus A breefe excercise of meditations prayers for such as desire to obserue al canonical houres of prayer vsed in the primatiue church stil among the religious And first for prime or first houre of the day THe sunne is risen and man shal Ps 103 goe forth to his labour and worke vntil euening A wise man wil geue his heart early Ecclesiast 39. to watch to our lord that made him wil make his prayers in the sight of the highest The kingdome of heauen is like to a Math. 20. man that is an houshoulder which went forth in the morning to hyre workmen into his vineyard and hauing made couenant with the workmen for a penie a day he sent them into his vineyard And very earely the first of the sabothes Mare 16. they come to the monument the sunne being now risen we must preuent the sunne to blesse Sap. 16. thee and worshippe thee when the day appeareth wheÌ„ morning was come al the cheefe Maâ—h 17. Preiâ—â—es and aunâ—iâ—nts of the people consulted togâ—ther against Iesus that they might put him to death and they bring him bound and deliuered him to Pontius Pilate the presâ—dent From the holy primatiue Fathers AT these houres let vs yâ—ld thaÌ„kes S. â—enedictus in Regula S. Châ—â—sâ—st l. â— de orando Deum to our Creatour Matins Prime c. We ought in forsaking our beddes to preuent the sunne rysing with diuine worshippe Tel me with what countenance wilt thou behould the sunne except first thou hast adored him that sendeth that most sweete light to thy eyes Meditate in the holy sâ—riptures Athanasius l de virginitate haue the psalter and learne the psalmes let thâ— sunne rysing see a booke in thy handes A meditation out of S. Athanasius ser in id profecti c. inuenietis pullum alligatum c. THe scribes pharasies came together into the court of Caiphas tooke counsaile against Iesus For those most desperate men were ignorant that his death would geue vnto vs immortalitie and this descending procure vnto vs our ascending into heauen for our lord arose the third day from the deade hauing spoyled hel trodden the enemy vnder foote abolished death broken the boundes of sinnes wherewith we were holden deliuered those that were bound saying arise let vs depart hence being deliuered from the seâ—uitude of the deuil Therefore let vs acknowledge our benefactor let vs glorifie the Father with the Sonne and holy Ghost let vs confesse one deitie for so ordering our life we shal possesse the kingdome of heaueÌ„ in Christ Iesus our lord An other meditation out of S. Ciprian de orat dominica BEsides the houres which were auÌ„ciently vsed now both the spaces and Misteries are encreased For also we must pray in the morning that the resurrection of our lord may be celebrated by morning prayer If in the holy scriptures Christ be the true sunne and the true day no hour is excepted from Christians but God ought often alwayes to be adored that we which are in Christ that is in the sunne and the day apply our selues to supplicatioÌ„s and to pray al the day A meditation and prayer out of S. Andreas Bishop of Cesaraea in Capadocia c. vlt. in Apocalip SVrely our Lord is a consuming fyre warmeth the soule which chastly and quietly conuerseth with him although it be could with sinne maketh it capable of that fyre which was borne to consâ—me vncleanes Euen also as the sunne whylest it doth more forceably reflect vpon a vessel of glasse ful of water by a certaine kind of boyling and refraction draweth fyre out of it though being could Therefore this being so let vs exhibite our selues not as a filthy and earthen vessel or such as cannot receaue impression of the heauenly beames but as the Temple Cor. 6. of the holy Ghost and cleane and bright glasse to the sunne of iustice that is to Christ who would al men to be saued and 1. Tim. 2. come to the knowledge of truth and doth bestow and offer vnto al so plentifully and without offence the grace of his brightnesse although it be not equally participated of al but according to the measure of the purity of the inward eye Our merciful Lord that for our sake suffered in flesh that is Iesus Christ our God graunt that we may obtaine this pure and chaist eye of minde To whom together with the Father and holy and viuificant spirit is due al glory honour and adoration now and euer for euer Amen A praier for this hour out of S. Clement Constit S. Apost lib. 8. cap. 44. O God of spirites and al flesh in comparable wanting nothing who hast geuen the sunne to guiâ—e the day and the moone starres to rule the night Behould vs now with thy merciful eyes and receaue our morning geuinges of thankes haue mercy vpon vs for we haue not stretched forth our handes to a straung God for there is not any new god to vs but thou euerlasting and infinite who hast geuen vnto vs by Christ that we might be by him hast bestowed vpon vs that we might be wel Now by him make vs worthy of euerlasting life to whom with thee and the holy ghost be glory honour and worship for euermore Amen A Praier out of S. Andâ—eas of Cesarea super cap. 47. GOd almighty graunt that our conuersation and order of life be such that it may be cause of confusion and deiection vnto the deuils and bring occasion of gladnesse vnto the Angels that together with