vengence of our sins The Litanies of the Saints LOrd have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Christ heare us Christ graciously heare us God the Father of Heaven Have mercy upon us God the sonne Redeemer of the world Have mercy upon us God the Holy Ghost Have mercy upon us Holy Trinity one God Have mercy upon us Holy Mary Pray for us Holy Mother of God Holy Virgin of Virgins S. Michael Pray for us S. Gabriel S. Raphael All yee holy Angels and Archangels All yee holy Orders of blessed spirits S. John Baptist All yee holy Patriarcks Prophets S. Peter S. Paul S. Andrew S. James S. Philip. S. Bartholomew Pray for us S. Mathew S. Simon S. Thadey S. Mathias S. Barnabe S. Luke S. Marke All yee holy Apostles and Evāgelists All yee holy Disciples of our Lord. All yee holy Innocents S. Stephen S. Laurence Pray for us S. Vincent S. Fabian and Sebastian S. John and Paule S. Cosme and Damian S. Geryase and Protase All yee holy Martyrs S. Sylvester S. Gregory S. Ambrose Pray for us S. Augustin S. Hierosme S. Martin S. Nicolas All yee holy Bishops and Confessors All yee holy Doctors S. Antony S. Benet S. Bernard S. Dominick S. Francis All yee holy Priests and Levits All yee holy Monkes and Eremits S. Mary Magdalen S. Agatha S. Lucy S. Agnes Pray for us S. Cicily S. Chatherine S. Anastasia All yee holy Virgins and widowes All yee Men and Woemen Saints of God Make yee intercession for us Sonne of God We beseech thee to heare us Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Spare us O Lord. Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Heare us O Lord. Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Have mercy vpon us Christ heare us Christ graciously heare us Vouchsafe O Almighty God that we honouring the memory of thy blessed Saints thou grant us by their intercession the desired abundance of thy mercy through Christ Jesus our Lord Amen O God whose proper it is alwayes to have mercy and to spare receive our petition that the tender mercy of thy piety may mildly absolve us and all thy servants whom the chayne of sin doth binde Amen Heare we beseech thee O Lotd the prayers of thy supplicants and pardon the sins of them that confesse to thee that thou being unto us benigne maist in like manner give us pardon and peace Shew with clemency O Lord thy unspeakable mercy unto us that thou both acquit us of our sins and deliver us from the paines which for them we deserve O God who by sin art offended and by penance art pacified mercifully respect the prayers of thy people making supplication to thee and turne away the scourges of thy āger which for our sins we deserue Haue mercy on all sinners sweet Jesu I beseech thee turne their vices into vertues and make them true observers of thy law and lovers of thee bring them to blisse in everlasting glory Have mercy also on the soules in Purgatory for thy bitter passion sake I beseech thee and for thy glorious name Jesu O holy Trinity one true God have mercy on me Your prayer ended dispose your selfe in recollection of mind to bed and putting of your cloathes consider how fast the tyme is comming on and is perchaunce much neerer then you imagin when you shall be vncloathed of all but a poore winding sheet to be covered with earth which your bedcloathes covering you doe represent as also the ensving sleepe doth your death and your bed the grave where laying downe your selfe commende both your body and soule vnto God saying as did Iesus Christ upon the Crosse recommending your soule to the Eternall father in these sacred words Into thy hands O Lord I recommend my spirit In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ I laye me downe to rest he blesse me defend me and bring me to life everlasting Amen Save us good Lord wakeing and keepe us sleeping that we may watch with Christ and rest in peace Amen God the Father blesse me Jesus Christ defende me the vertue of the holy Ghost illuminate and sanctify me this night and ever more Amen O Angel of God who art my keeper me by the supernal piety committed to thy charge keepe and defend this night from all peril of body and of soule Amen And lastely with a fervent aspiration to God conclude saying O deare Jesu the everlasting repose of thyne elect when will the happy houre come that my soule may without end receiue her rest in thy eternall glory And herevpon with an act of the love of God compose your selfe to sleepe When awakeing in the night IF you awake in the night endeavour to make an elevation of your hart to God by some ejaculatory prayer as O good Iesu be to me Iesus and save me or O deare Iesu that I may know thee and that J may know my selfe vpon which words S. Augustin was wont to spend whole nights in pious contemplation As also did S. Francis in these other not unlike O who art thou my divine Lord and who am I or say O Eternal God when shall I love thee with my whole hart and soule and if I were at this very instant now to dye am J in the state to obtayne thy gracious mercy or the like And then without any further application of mind compose your selfe againe to sleepe Holy cogitations wherof some one being chosen at the end of your evening or morning prayer may serve as a subject for a vertuous employment of your minde when either you cannot sleepe or for all the day following at such tymes as best leasure shall give occasion to make some good Reflection there upon Of the true end of Man MAn is made to love and to serve God and thereby to obtayne his owne Beaitude Our very hart assures us of this certaine truth which being made for God it findes no quiet rest but only in that its proper center thou hast created us O Lord for thy selfe saith S. Augustin and our hart is unquiet untill it repose in thee Yea plaine experience makes it manifest for neither could Alexander the great be content with his glorious conquest of the world togeather with all other temporall felicity nor Salomon with all which his soule could either possesse or desire for the full content both of his body and mind all which in the end he confessed to be but vanity and affliction of spirit And Alexander did no lesse who weeped when he was tould that there were no more worlds for him to conquer the satisfaction of what he had done gave him so smale content We being therfore made only for God let us be only his and give our selves entierly to him performing what according to our end we are made for For as the suune is made to give light the fier to heate and salt to season to which end should they
passions and therfore we must not rest only in our prayer as in the end of our work for perfection consists not in much consolation or sweetnesse or sensible gust in our prayer but in that perfect victory over our selfe over our passions and unruly affections as is said nor in the sublimest prayer but in that which with a pure intention doth syncerely seeke the encreace in Gods divine love our owne aduanement in vertu with true resignation to the wil of God and a perfect contempt and abnegation of our selves renouncing all curiosity of Spirit and self satisfaction by it for otherwise we seeke not God so much as our selves and our owne interest and therfore no marvaile if we doe not finde him The certaine markes and most evident signes of false and meere counterfeit prayer THe first marke If our manners and conversation be nothing amended 2. If there be great levity and vanity in our actions 3. If great remisnesse in obligations of piety 4. If our care and diligence be small to avoyde evill occasions and the causes of our most habituall sin 5. If we presume to be now arrived to a high degree of prayer or aspire to visions revelations or extaces c. Or to the like favours in the passive way 6. If passions beare sway in vs. 7. If mortification seeme harsh and vnpleasant 8. If our senses be petulant and wanton 9. If to temptations we make but a weake and carelesse resistance 10. If labour and employment be ircksome to vs. 11. If the yoake of Gods law seemes heavy and his counsels unsupportable 12. If we finde our selves lasie and listlesse to all spirituall affaires 13. If worldly puntillios of honour and temporall respects goe nearest to our hart and affection 14. If holy Crosses patience and obedience seeme bitter and unpleasing 15. If we neglect and misregard or not respect nor esteeme the advise of our superiour and ghostly Fathers 16. If finally we carry our selves carelesly and negligently in the amendment and correction of such faults as apparently are knowne to us for such These are all evident markes and most assured signes of evill counterfeit and false devotion and naughty prayer which we ought with all speed and industry resolutely to amende and change The Litany of our Lord and divine Saviour Iesus LOrd have merecy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Jesus heare us Lord Jesus graciously heare us God the Father of Heaven Have mercy upon us God the sonne Redemer of the world Have mercy c. God the holy ghost proceeding from the Father and the sonne Have Holy and glorious Trinity three persons and one God Have mercy Jesus sonne of the living God have Jesus splendor of the Father Jesus brightnesse of Eternal light Jesus king of glory Have mercy Jesus the sunne of justice Jesus sonne of the Virgin Mary Jesus whose name is called wonderfull Have mercy upon us Jesus the mighty God Jesus the Father of the world to come Have mercy upon us Jesus the Angel of the great counsel Jesus most powerfull Jesus most patient Jesus most obdient Have mercy Jesus milde and humble of hart Jesus lover of chastity Jesus our Love Jesus the God of peace Jesus the Author of life Jesus the example of vertues Jesus the zealous seeker of soules Jesus our God Have mercy upon us Jesus our Refuge Jesus the Father of the poore Jesus the Treasore of the faithfull Jesus the good shiphard Jesus the true light Jesus the Eternall wisdome Jesus all-infinite goodnesse Jesus the way the truth and the life Jesus the ioy of Angels Have c. Jesus Maister of the Apostles Jesus the teacher of the Evangelists Jesus the strength of Martyrs Jesus the light of Confessors Jesus the purity of Virgins Jesus the Crowne of all Saints Have mercy upon us Be propitious unto us Speare us Lord Jesu Be propitious unto us Spare c From all sinne Lord Jesu deliver us From thy anger From the deceipts and snaires of the Divel From the spirit of fornication From perpetuall death From all neglect of thy holy inspirations Lord Jesus deliver us By the mystery of thy most holy incarnation By thy Nativity Lord Jes deliv us By thy Infancy By thy divine life By thy labours and trauells By thy Agony and Passion By thy Crosse and dereliction By thy unspeackable paines and languishings Lord Jesus c. By thy death and buriall By thy glorious Resurrection By thy Assention into Heaven By thy incomparable joyes By thy Eternall glory Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Spare us Lord Jesu Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world Haue mercy c. Jesu heare us Lord Jesu graciously heare us Let us pray O Lord Jesus Christ who hast said unto us aske and you shall receive seeke and you shall find knock and it shall be opned unto you grant we beseech thee upon this our most humble petition the effect of thy divine love that we may love thee with our whole hart and never cease from thy praises nor from glorifying thy holy name O most loving and our divine Redeemer Jesus worke in us the perpetuall love to geather with the feare of thy sacred Humanity which thou hast annointed and sanctifi'd by the vnion of thy Deity that we may be evermore subiect and obedient to thee since thou doest never leave those destitute of thy grace whom thou hast establisht in the solidity of thy love who with the Father and the Holy ghost liveth and rayneth God world without end Amen The Litany of our B. Lady of Loretto LOrd have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Christ heare us Christ graciously heare us God the Father of Heaven Have mercy upon us God the sonne Redeemer of the world Haue mercy upon us God the Holy ghost Holy Trinity one God Have mercy upon us Holy Mary Pray for us Holy Mother of God Holy Virgin of Virgins Mother of Christ Mother of Divine grace Most pure Mother Most chast Mother Undefiled Mother Untouched Mother Lovely Mother Pray Glorious Mother Mother of our Creatour Mother of our Saviour Most prudent Virgin Venerable Virgin Renowned Virgin Powerfull Virgin Mild and meeke Virgin Faithfull Virgin Pray Myrrour of Justice Seate of Wisdome Cause of our joy Spirituall vessel Honorable Vessel Vessel of devotion Pray Mysticall Rose Strong Tower of David Solid Tower of ivory Goulden habitation Arke of Covenant Gate of Heaven Morning starr Pray Health of the sick Refuge of Sinners Confortresse of the afflicted The Helpe of Christians Queene of Angels Queene of Patriarkes Queene of Prophets Queene of Apostles Queene of Martyrs pray Queene of Confessors Queene of Virgins Queene of all Saints Lambe of God who taketh away the sins of the world Spare us o Lord. Lambe of God who taketh away the sins of the world Heare us o
in helping forward prosecute them that all our prayers and workes may begin alwayes from thee and begun by thee may so be ended Through Lord Jesus our mercifull Redeemer Amen Our Father c. Haile Mary c. I beleeve in God c. All as above I Confesse me to Almighty God To the blessed Virgin S. Marie To the blessed S. John Baptist To the holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and to all the Saints in Heaven that I have grievously sinned in thought Word and deed Through my fault Through my fault through my most grievous fault Therfore I Beseech the blessed Virgin Marie blessed S. Michel the Archangel blessed S. John Baptist the holy Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul and all the Saints in Heaven ro pray unto our Lord God for me Almighty God have mercy upon us and all our sinnes being forgiven he bring us to everlasting life Amen Almighty and mercifull Lord give unto us pardon absolution an remission of all our sins Amen Vouchsafe O Lord to keepe us this day without sin be mercifull unto us let thy mercy O Lord be upon us even as we have our trust in thee O Lord heare my prayer and let my cry come to thee O Father Almigthy who hast brought us to the beginning of this new day save us by thy power to the end that we fall not this day into sin but that our words our thoughts and workes may be directed to execute thy justice through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen A devout recommendation to be used every morning I Adore blesse and glorify thee O holy Trinity God Omnipotent Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Behold I offer my selfe to thy Divine Majesty Take from me I beseech thee and from all faithfull Christians what soever displeaseth thee and give unto us that which is gratefull in thy sight and grant that we may become such as we are comanded to be I recommend unto thee O Lord my soule my body my wife my children my Father and Mother my brothers and sisters my kindred and benefactors friends and enemies and all those who have recommended themselves to my prayers or for whom I am bound to pray I commend unto thee the holy Catholique Church grant O Lord that every one may know thee that all may worship honour and reverence thee all may love thee and likewise be beloved of thee Those who erre reduce and bring againe into the way Destroy all false sects and heresies convert all to the true faith grant O Lord thy peace let thy holy will de donne comfort and help all who are in tribulation and misery as well Spirituall as corporal Grant O Lord unto the living grace and to the faithfull soules departed mercy and everlasting rest A recommendation to God INto the hands of thy infinit mercy O Lord I commend my soule and body my senses my words my counsailes my thoughts my workes and all my actions with all the necessites of my body and soule my conversation my death and resurrection with thy Saints and happy elect Amen A recommendation of ourselves to the blessed Virgin Mother of God To the Angels and Saints out of S. Augustin ch 40. of his medit O Marie Mother of God our Lord and Saviour Jes Christ thou sacred and unspotted Virgin vouchsafe to make intercession for me unto him who made thee a worthy temple for himselfe to inhabit O S. Gabriel S. Raphael O holy quiers of Angels and Archangels of Patriarkes and Prophets of Apostles and Evangelists of Martyres and Levits of Monkes and Virgins and all such as have lived righteously I beseech you even for his sake by whom you have been elected and in whose contemplation you have so much delighted that you will be pleased to pray for me a poore sinner unto him our God that I may be delivered from the furious jawes of the infernal Fiend and from that death which shall never have end Amen A devout Prayer to our Lord Iesus O My divine and most mercifull Redeemer Jesus sonne of God and of the glorious Virgin Marie who dying for all mankind and me the third day didst rise againe I beseech thee deare Lord have mercy on me a vile and wretched sinner but yet thy creature and for thy bitter Passion save and keepe me from all perils bodily and ghostly and specially from all things that may turne to thy displeasure And with all my hart I thanke thee most mercifull Lord for the many mercies thou hast shewd me in the great dangers I have past both in body and soule and as thy grace and endlesse goodnesse hath alwayes kept and saved me from the houre of my birth until this day so Lord I beseech thee that thy mercy may continue my safety And for my many offences and great ingratitudes of my sinful life I humbly aske mercy And for that I cannot leade such a life as it becommeth thy servant I humbly prostrate and cry God be merciful to me a most wretched sinner And I humbly thanke thee most gracious Lord for the multitude of Divine benefits which thou hast more largely bestowed on me then upon many others who have much better deserved them then I. Wherefore most gracious Lord I humbly thanke thee rendring all honour and praise to thy holy name who livest and reygnest one God world without end Amen A Prayer to persever in goodnesse GRant O Lord Jesu that I may persever in good purposes and in thy holy service untill my death and that I may now this present day perfectly begin for it is nothing that hitherto I have done A Prayer to our Angel guardian O Angel of God who art my keeper illuminate guard rule and governe me this day by the supernal piety committed to thee Amen O Lord blesse us and defend us from all evill and bring us to eternall life And the soules of the faithful through the mercy of God rest in peace Amen A blessing THe peace of our Lord Jesus Christ the vertue of his sacred holy passion the signe of the holy crosse the integrity and great humility of the blessed Virgin Mary the blessing of the glorious Saints the keeping of the happy Angels and the suffrages of all the chosen of God be with me and between me and all myne enemies now and in the hour of my death sweet Jesu Amen The Almigthy and mercifull God the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost blesse and keepe us nowe and evermore When at morning noone and evening you heare the Ave Mary bell to ring say THe Angel of God declared unto Mary and shee conceived of the Holy Ghost Haile Mary full of grace c. Behould the hand-maide of our Lord be it unto me according to thy word Haile Mary full of grace c. And the word was made flesh and dwelt in us Haile Mary full of grace c. The Prayer VOuchsafe we beseech thee O Lord to power forth thy grace into our harts that we who know the
incarnation of Christ thy sonne the Angel declaring it may be brought by his holy Crosse and Passion unto the glory of his Resurrection through the same Christ our Lord Amen The soules of the faithfull through the mercy of God rest in peace Amen Be mindfull to say this holy devotion thrice every day In the morning in gratefull memory and adoration of that divine Mystery of the glorious Resurrection of our Redeemer Iesus Christ At midday in memory and adoration of his bitter death and Passion And at the Evening in memory and adoration of the Incarnation of the sonne of God in the wombe of the pure and immaculate ever Virgin Certaine generall advertisments much conducing to Christian perfection THinke often upon the moment of this life whereon depends Eternity Call frequently to minde that thou art placed in this world for no other end but that by serving God to save thy soule Remember that thou art alwayes in the presence of God and raise often thy hart unto him Observe not the imperfections of other persons but think rather of mending thy owne Judge rashly of no body nor give any willing care unto the detractor Let no drynesse nor barrenesse in devotion cause you to omitt any accustomed exercise of piety Doe all your actions with a pure intention for the glory of God When you heare the clock to strike stirr up sorrow for your sins beseeching God to have mercy on your soule at the dreadfull houre of death Be not singular in your exteriour devotion least some inward vanity may outwardly appeare thereby Neglect not divine inspirations which God shall give for the amendment of your most habitual and daily sins When you are assaulted with any dangerous temptation crosse your hart in token that you humbly crave Gods grace and disavow the sin which that ill thought suggests to you Be not forward to contradict others and if you be contradicted grow not angry thereat but only mildly make answere that so is your opinion Remember that there is but one Heaven which if we seeke it in this world we shall not find it in the other Vertue and true resignation to the will of God consists not in words but in real deeds and actions An Evening Exercice for Prayer before bed IT being now tyme for your repose retyre your selfe to the place of prayer and in the presence of God devoutly upon your knees there adore his divine Majesty acknowledging your owne unworthinesse render him most humble thankes for all his gracious benefits beseech him to preserve you that night from all sin And sixing the interiour sight of your soule upon Gods infinit greatnesse and Majesty and upon your owne basenesse abjection and indignity say as in the morning Exercise In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Blessed be the holy and undevided Trinity now and for ever more Amen Our Father c. Halle Mary c. I beleeve in God c. I confesse me to Almigthy God c. all as in the morning prayer Almighty God have mercy upon us and all our sins being forgiven bring us to everlasting life Amen Omnipotent and mercifull Lord give unto us pardon absolution and remission of all our sins Amen I most humbly thanke thee my great God who hast created me of nothing and redeemd me with thy precious blood made me a member of the Catholick Church and graciously provided for me all necessaries both for body and soule For all which as also for thy so frequent heavenly inspirations Sacraments and sacrifices as also for so many other meanes for my salvation from the bottome of my hart and with all the powers of my soule I render thee my loving God most humble thankes beseeching all the holy Quires of Angels and all the blessed Saints in thy celestiall kingdome that they vouchsafe to supply my deficiency in praising adoring magnifying and extolling this thy great mercy and infinit goodnesse owards me Almighty and everlasting God I yeeld thee most harty thankes for that thou hast vouchsafed of thy great mercy and goodnesse to preserve me this day from all evill And I also beseech thee for thy bitter death and passion most mercifully to forgive me a wretched sinner all my offences which I have this day committed by thought word and deede and hereafter to preserve and keepe me from all danger as well of body as of soule to the end I may rise againe in health to praise thy glorious name and joyfully to serve thee in thankesgiving with a chast body and cleane hart Amen O Lord God and my heavenly Father for as much as by thy divine ordinance the night approacheth and tyme requireth that we give our selves to bodily rest I yeald unto thee most harty thankes for thy great love vouchsafing to preserve me this day from the danger of all enemies to give me my health to feede me and afford me all necessaries for the comfort of this my mortall life I most humbly beseech thee for thy blessed sonne Jesus his sake that thou wilt mercifully forgive me all that I have this day committed against thy fatherly goodnesse by thought word or by deed and that thou wilt vouchsafe to shadow me this night under the safe winges of thy Almigthy power and defend me from Sathan and all dangerous assaults that neither he not any of his ministers have power either over my body or soule But that although my body enjoyeth sleepe yet my soule may watch unto thee delight in thee and ever more praise thee that when the comfortable light of the day returneth according to thy good appointment I may rise againe with a faithfull soule and undefiled body and so afterwards behave my selfe all my life according to thy blessed will and commandment by casting away the workes of darknesse and putting on the armour of light that men seeing my good workes may be mooved to glorify thee my heavenly Father who with thy only begotten sonne our loving Saviour and the holy Ghost livest and reygnest one true and everlasting God world without end Amen A Prayer to our B. Lady and to her divine Sonne O Benigne and mercifull Virgin Mother most meeke most mild and gracious obtaine for us O B. Lady grace and strength to withstand and overcome all our enemies ghostly and bodily visible and invisible that after the course of this short life we may by thy gracious help attayne everlasting life in the kingdone of Heaven where wee may with thee O Virgin ever more dwell and with all the holy Angels Archangels Patriarcks and Prophets Apostles and Martyrs Confessors and Virgins worship glorify and magnify our divine Redeemer and thee O sacred Virgin in everlasting blisse without end Amen O Lord Jesus Christ the glory of the Father the orient beauty of eternal light and bright mirrour wihout spot or deformity I humbly beseech thee by thy sacred divinity to grant me this night chastity of minde cleanesse
they meane Acts of the love of God WHo am I my Souveraine Creator and who art thou who thus imposest so expresly on me a commande to love thee was it not sufficient for thee my God to permit me so to doe and was it not thy abundant goodnesse to permit thy selfe to be belou'd by so poore and so wretched a hart as mine and with thy grace ther unto to enable me Wherfore seeing that is thy commande my God I will obey and though a wretch and unworthy sinner I here in thy presence protest that I will love thee with my whole hart and with my soule and force And from hencefourth I chuse thee for ever to be the chiefe and Souveraine object af all the purest affections of my hart the accomplishment of whose blessed will I preferr before all that is in Heaven or Earth yea and my dearest life I would hold most gladly employd to testify this my love and due homage vnto thee O deare Jesu king of eternall beauty and heavenly glory I will no other inheritance but the O divine keeper of my soule take thou possession of this my hart wich was created for thee and pierce it with a thousand wounds of pure love that I may sweetly languish with wholsome sorrow for my having so much offended thee Acts of Faith OOmnipotent and Eternall God who hast given me an understanding to knowe thee and a wil to love thee I here protest before thy souveraine Majesty that with a firme faith I doe beleeve what thy holy Church inspired by the holy Ghost proposeth to be beleeved to which I intirely submit as being reveled to her by thee which therfore I embrace professe and by thy grace shall persever in it untill my dying day And I doe utterly disclayme and disavow what thy beloued spouse the holy Catholik Church condemns This is the faith which I professe and wherin I desire to be found at the hour of my death and at that dreadfull day of dome to be judgd by it accordingly Acts of Hope ALl my hope and considence is in thy mercy my loving God and in the sacred merits of my divine Redeemer Iesus by whom I hope for remission of my sins and humbly trust in his great goodnesse to continue in thy grace to my lives end and to praise and glorify him with thee o eternall Father and with the holy Ghost for all Eternity this my hope is laid up in my bosome Iob. 19. And although through humane fralty I daily offende thee yet I hope most gracious Lord by thy divine assistance to amende and to gaine more strength and constancy against my ghostly enemies O Lord of infinit mercy to whom a sorrowfull ād repentinge hart is alwayes a greatefull sacrifice although the multitude of my fins and great ingratitude might tempt me to despaire yet certaine I am my mercifull God that a contrite and humble hart thou wilt not dispise Psal 50. Acts of Adoration WIth the profundest and most humble respect of my soule prostrate both in hart and body before thy souveraine Majesty ô Omnipotent and eternall God I adore and acknowledge thee my souveraine Lord both of my life and beeing who can againe reduce me to that nothing out of which thou first createdst me and who by thy meere boundlesse goodnesse hast preserved me from it till this present day I render thee ô Lord all adoration and homage as thy submissive and humble creature depending intirely upon thy blessed will and pleasure And considering that what honour I am able to render to the merit of thy infinit Deity is so inconsiderable to supply that great defect I offer to thee the adoration which eternally thy Saints and Angels shall ever render to thee and my great desire is that all the creatures of Heaven and Earth may blesse adore and glorify thee with endlesse praise for all Eternity Acts of thankes giving and gratitude I Have merited nothing accordinge to the effect of thy great liberality to me ô my great God nor is there any thing in me which could move thee to bestow so great and many benefits both of body and soule on me who am so farr vncapable to render thee due thankes for having created redeemed preserved and calld me to the happy way for my salvation Thou hast given me o Lord reason both to know and serve thee and what daily favours hast thou conferd on me from how many perils of body and soule hast thou carefully by thy fatherly providence preserud me how great spirituall benefits hast thou bestowd on me by the merits of the bitter death and passion of my most loving Redeemer Jesus how often hast thou nourisht my soule at the sacred table with the bread of Angels wherby to give true force and grace to serve thee O how often hast thou awaked me from the mortall drousinesse of sin by thy heavenly grace and prevented me by thy holy inspirations from grievously offending thee Accept o heavenly Father in stead of my defect all the acceptable workes which Jesus Christ my loving Saviour hath offered to thee for me take this in my acknowledgment of due gratitude for these thy gracious benefits bestow'd on me and grant that all my life may be a continuall thankes giving to thy divine Maiesty to whom only is due all honour glory praise and benediction for ever and ever without end Acts of Love towards our Enemies THou hast taught me o God of all love both by thy word and example to love my enemies yea the whole practise of thy divine life well appears to have been a continuall exercise of doing good for evill as also was thy death the souveraine sacrifice to expiate their sins O grant me grace I beseech thee herein to imitate thy charity and to observe this thy holy commande Forgive therfore sweet Jesus I beseech thee all those that persecute and doe me any injury grant them finall repentance of all their sin̄es and after a happy persevetance in thy grace to enjoy thee in eternall blisse Acts of Humility I Acknowledge and before thee my God doe confesse that of my selfe I am a pure nothing neyther any thing could I doe My extraction is from nothing and my inheritame and proper share is only weackenesse sin and misery It is thou o Lord who hast drawne me from my nothing wherrin without thy meere goodnesse I had continued for all Eternity and thither should I againe returne wer 't not thy powerfull hand which continually preserves me from it All this I now acknowledging for truth what greater follye can ther be then to flatter my selfe with vaine esteeme nay lett me but passe yet one stepp further onn and consider my innumerable sins committed against this souveraine Majesty ought not I then to confesse my ill deserving the least of these thy so gracious benefits I doe acknowledge to my great confusion and thy glory that I neither have deserved thy consolation nor from thy creatures
Masse 2. To keepe fast and abstinence certaine dayes appointed 3. To pay tithes to the Pastor of the Church 4. To Confesse to their Pastor at least once a yeare or to an other with his licence 5. To receive the blessed Sacrament at Easter or there about To which many doe adjoyne not to marry at certaine tymes forbidden nor within certaine degrees nor privately without witnesse The workes of mercy corporall 1. To feed the hungry 2. To give drinke to the thirsty 3. To cloathe the naked 4. To visit and ransome the Captives 5. To harbour the harbourlesse 6. To visit the sicke 7. To bury the dead The workes of mercy spirituall 1. To correct the sinner 2. To instruct the Ignorant 3. To counsel the doubtfull 4. To comfort the sorrowfull 5. To beare patiently injuries 6. To forgive all wrongs 7. To pray both for the quicke and the dead The eight Beatitudes 1. Blessed are the poore in spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven 2. Blessed are the meeke for they shall possesse the Land 3. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted 4. Blessed are they that hungar and thirst for righteousnesse for they shall be filled 5. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall finde mercy 6. Blessed are the cleane of hart for they shall see God 7. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God 8. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven The 5. senses of the body 1. Sight 2. Smelling 3. Hearing 4. Tasting 5. Touching The 3. faculties of the soule 1. Memory 2. Understanding 3. and Will The office of Christian justice To decline from evill or sin and to doe good or the duty of Justice Of sin Sin is double Originall or Actuall Mortal or Venial 7 Capitall sins commonly called mortal or deadly sins 1. Pride 2. Coueteousnesse 3. Lechery 4. Wrath 5. Gluttony 6. Envy 7. Sloath. The 7 contrary vertues 1. Humility 2. Liberality 3. Chastitv 4. Meeknesse 5. Astinence 6. Patience 7. Devotion 6 Sins against the Holy Ghost 1. Presumption of Gods Mercy 2. despaire 3. Impugning truth more freely to sin 4. Enuiing an other mans spirituall good 5. Obstination in sin To dye in final Impenitency 4. Things crying to Heaven for vengeance 1. Wilful murther 2. Sin of Sodome 3. Oppression of the poore Widowes and fatherlesse 4. Defrauding Labourers of their wages 9. Wayes of being accessory to an other mans sin 1. By Counsaile 2. by commandement 3. by Consent 4. by Provocation or Leading others 5. by praise or flattery 6 by concealing the faulty 7. by partaking 8. by holding our peace and not speaking unto such as be Under our charge 9. by dissembling or not finding fault or hindring when we may or have charge 3. Kinds of good workes 1. Almes deeds or workes of mercy 2. Praying 3. Fasting 3. Evangelicall Counsels 1. Voluntary poverty 2. perpetual Chastity 3. Entire Obedience The 4. Last things 1. Death 2. Judgment 3. Hell 4. Heaven THE LITTLE MANUEL OF THE POORE MANS DAILY DEVOTION Contayning severall exercises of piety as time and fit occasion may require An exhortation to prayer ST Thomas gives this solid reason for the great necessity of prayer that God by his Divine order and Providence from all Eternity hath determin'd to bestow upon soules what in tyme he affords them by prayer as also that therby he hath measured the salvation the conversion and perfection of soules For even as he hath disposed that by plowing and cultivating the ground he affords us abundance both of bread and wyne and other necessaries for the life of Man so hath his Divine disposition ordayned to communicate his graces and heavenly guifts to our soules by this good meanes of holy prayer For to receive of him he first requires that we should aske Math. 7. to find that we should seeke and that we knock before the dore be opened to let us in So that prayer is the proper meanes and conduit wherby God supplies our necessities releeves our poverty and replenisheth us with grace and benefits By this we see our great necessity of betaking our selves unto prayer which is compared by the holy Fathers to Jacobs Ladder reaching from Earth to Heaven Gen. 28. and the Angells descending and ascending therby S. Augustin calls prayer the key of Paradise which opens to all the treasure of God oratio justi clavis est coeli ascendit precatio descendit Dei miseratio Yea prayer is to the soule as is bread to the body saith he all men have as much need of prayer saith S. Chysost as plants have of water nor is it possible for us to bring forth the fruits of piety saith this great saint unlesse our harts be well watered with prayer A Morning exercise of holy prayer YOU awakeing in the morning endeavour to raise up your first thoughts to God with thankes giving for preserving you that night and affording you the good beginning of a new day wherin to labour for his glory and for your owne salvation by the amendment of your life and better serving his Divine Majesty You having now taken sufficient rest and your usvall repose being hindred by no just cause nor indisposition but if it be meere sloth and slugishnesse which would robb you of precious tyme whereof for every moment we must give exact accompt to God then endeavour to surmount all sinfull sloth by offering that act of mortification to God as your first fruits of that new day most justly due to him and immediately raising up your selfe makeing the signe of the holy crosse say In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ crucifi'd I doe rise he blesse me governe me and confirme me in all good workes this day and ever more And after this mortall life bring me to life everlasting Amen Here make to God a morning oblation of all your thoughts words and deeds of that day And in particular resolve carefully to avoyde that sin to which you finde your selfe daily most subject to fall into You being now made ready and kneeling downe devoutly in your place of prayer before a Crucifix or some devout picture therby the better to fix your thoughts upon piety there humbly adore the Divine presence of God acknowledge your owne vilenesse and render him most humble thankes for all his gracious benefits Crave humbly his grace to preserve you that day from all sin and to enlighten your Vnderstanding to knowe his blessed will and his divine help to performe the same Come holy Ghost replenish the harts of the faithfull and kindel the fire of thy divine love in them Illuminate our mindes o Lord we beseech thee with the light of thy cleerenesse that we may see what we ought to doe and have power to accomplish those things which be rigtfull through Christ our Lord. Amen Prevent we beseech thee o Lord our actions by thy holy spirit assisting and
of hart simplicity of spirit and sincere purity of body and soule O sweet and most mercifull Jesu mortify in me all vices and disordered motions and unruly passions take away from me whatsoever is unlawfull inordinate or unpleasing in thy sight and give me a hart according to thyne owne right simple pure and godly and deliver and keepe me from all sin O most loving Jesu I offer unto thee my body my senses and all the powers of my soule and whatsoever I am to be moderated kept governed and possest by thee O good Jesu preserve me from all vicious vaine and proud cogitations unchast affections grant that I may sincerely seeke thee alone and that in thee only I may take my rest Amen A Prayer to our good Angel O Blessed Angel who art my keeper deefnd aide and guard me from all invasions and assaults of the devil wheresoever I be either wakeing or sleeping drive away from me all the temptations of Sathan and thou by thy prayers obtayne at the hands of the Almighty that he may have no place in me Amen A briefe examen of Conscience before going to bed FIrst place your selfe in the presence of God Crave his grace that you may call to minde such sins as you have committed that day 2. Examen wherin you have offended God from whom you have received so many gracious benefits 3. Detest your sin and be hartely sorry for having offended so good and so loving a God 4. Make a full and firme purpose to sin so no more with hope in Gods mercy and Christs merits to obtayne pardon resolving to confesse and to doe your pennance for the same Finally we must endeavour to put our selves in that state wherein we would gladly be found at the houre of our death by producing the holy acts of Faith of Hope of Charity and of true Contrition for all our sins by this or some such like act of true harty Contrition as followeth An Act of Contrition MY God my Saviour and my Judge I repent with my whole hart and soule for having offended thee who art infinitly good and souverainly loving and amiable therefore hencefourth I will love and honour thee above all things whatsoever and most firmely purpose thy holy grace assisting me never mortally to offend thee but to confesse and performe my imposed penance confiding in thy infinit mercy and in the sacred merits of the bitter death and Passion of thy dearely beloved sonne Jesus my divine Redeemer that thou wilst graciously forgive me These 7. Penitential Psalmes of David are not placed here as part of the evening prayer before bed But that after the act of contrition you may take one or more of them most moveing you to repentance for sin according to each ones leasure and devotion Antiph Remember not Lord our or our parents sins neither take vengence of our offences King David his seaven penitentiall Psalmes shewing his great griefe and sorrow after he had sinned with Bersabee Psal 6. LOrd rebuke me not in thy fury nor chastise me in thy wrath Have mercy on me O Lord because I am weake heale me Lord because my bones be troubled And my soule is disquieted exceedingly but thou O Lord how long Turne thee O Lord and deliver my soule save me for thy mercy Because there is not in death that is mindfull of thee and in hell who shall confesse to thee I have labored in my mourning I will every night wash my bed I will water my couch with teares Myne eye is troubled for fury I have waxen old among all myne enemies Depart from me allyee that worke iniquities because our Lord hath hard the voyce of my weeping Our Lord hath hard my petition our Lord hath received my prayer Let all my enemies be asshamed and very sore troubled let them be converted and asshamed very speedily Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne c. Psalme 31. BLessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins be covered Blessed is the man to whom our Lord hath not imputed sin neither is there guile in his spirit Because I held my peace my bones are inveterated whilst I cryed all the day Because day and night thy hand is made heavy upon me I am turned in my anguish while the thorne is fastned I have made my sin knowne to thee and my injustice I have not hid I said I will confesse against me my injustice to our Lord and thou hast forgiven the impiety of my sin For this shall every holy one pray to thee in tyme convenient But yet in the overflow of many waters they shall not approach to him Thou art my refuge from tribulation which hath compassed me my joy deliver me from them that compasse me I will give thee understanding and will instruct thee in the way that thou shalst goe I will fasten myne eyes upon thee Doe not become as a horse and mule which have no understanding In bit and bridle bind fast their jawes that approch not to thee Many are the scourges of a sinner but mercy shal compasse him that hopeth in our Lord. Be joyfull in our Lord and rejoyce yee just and glory all yee right of hart Glory be to the Father c. Psalme 37. LOrd rebuke me not in thy fury nor chastise me in thy wrath Because thy arrowes are fastned in me and thou hast confirmed thy hand upon me There is no health in my flesh in respect of thy wrath my bones have no peace in respect of my sins Because myne iniquities are gone over my head and as a heavy burden are become heavy upon me My scarres are putrid and corrupted because of my foolishnesse I am become miserable and made crooked even to the end I went sorrowfull all the day Because my loynes are filled with illusions and there is no health in my flesh I am afflicted and am humbled exceedingly I rored for the groning of my hart Lord before thee is all my desire and my groning is not hid from thee My hart is troubled my stength hath forsaken me and the light of mine eyes and the same is not with me My friends and my neighbours have approached and stood against me And they that were neere me stood farr of and they did violence who sought my soule And they that sought me evils spake vanities and meditated guiles all the day But I as deafe did not heare as one dumbe not opening his mouth And I became as a man not hearing and not having reprehension in his mouth Because in thee O Lord have I hoped thou shalst heare me O Lord my God For I have said least sometymes my ennemies rejoyce over me and whilst my feete are moved they speake great things upon me Because I am ready for scourges and my sorrow is in my sight alwayes Because I will declare my iniquity and wil thinke for my sin But mine enemies live and are confirmed over me and they are multipli'd that hate me vnjustly
tyme to heare Masse represent to your selfe that you are called to accompany the B. Virgin S. Jo. Evangelist and holy Magdalen to mount Calvary there to assist at that dreadfull sacrifice which this doth so truly represent and that togeather with the Priest you now are going to offer it upon the Altar to the Eternall Father for the whole cath Church as also for your owne necessities and for all others both living and dead for whom you are bound to pray The Priest ascending up to the Altar with that great crosse upon the back of the vestment may renew in us a lively memory of that heavie Crosse which Jesus Christ did beare upon his wounded shoulders to mount Calvary there to pay that deare and painfull ransome for our sin And the crowne or tonsure of the Priest may represent to us that crowne of sharp thornes which was beaten upon our Saviours head Admire here his infinit love and mercy to ungratefull Man The exteriour and interiour disposition required to assist at the holy sacrifice of the Masse THe Priest now approaching to the Altar we must procure a right interiour disposition by stirring up in our harts an actuall sorrow and contrition for our sins and renouncing all affection to them therby to purify our soules from that foule blemish which might render our devotion unpleasing to God 2. We ought there to behave our selves with all exteriour reverence and very carrefully to avoyde all needlesse words and lookes still keeping the eyes of our soule firmely fixed upon the Altar and our minds wholy busied with devout attention upon those holy mysteries of the life and death of Jesus Christ which in this sacrifice of the Masse is so truly represented unto us A forme of directing our intention before Masse in forme of prayer O Sacred Trinity accept this holy sacrifice of the most precious body and blood of our Lord Jes Chr. in union of that most holy sacrifice which our divine Redeemer offered in his last supper and upon the Crosse I offer it to thee by the hands of the Priest First to the honour and eternall glory of thy divine Majesty In acknowledgment of thy supreame excellency and dominion over us and our subjection and dependance upon thee as also in perpetuall commemoration of the death and passion of our most mercifull Redeemer Jesus Christ 2. in honour and increase of glory to all the B. spirits in the Church triumphant And for the suffering soules in Purgatory And in particular for the soules of N. N. 3. In eternal gratitude for all thy gracious benefits bestow'd on me thy ungratefull creature and in satisfaction for my sins and for those of all the faithfull as well living as dead And finally for the obtayning of such or such a grace And in particular for N. N. And for all those for whom I am wont and bound to pray To obtayne rest to the dead and to the living grace to know to love and to glorify thee perfectly in this world and happily to enioy thee in the other for all Eternity Amen An advertisment WHat finally I doe here recommend to all is that with devout attention they religiously accompany the Priest and make serious reflection upon each my stery in order yet very briefly endevoring to stirr up some fervent and pious affection or holy aspiration wherby to move their harts to a divine and ardent love of so mercifull a God and to detest all sin which so very highly offends him A DEVOUT EXERCISE FOR HEARING MASSE BOTH WITH TRUE PIETY AND MUCH INSTRUCTION From the rising of the sunne leven to the going downe in every place there is sacrificing and there is offered in my name a cleane oblation Malach. 1. cap. ver 11. A prayer before Masse O Most clement Father of mercy who hast bestowd not only once thy dearly beloved sonne to dye upon a Crosse for Mans Redemption but wouldest that his oblation so infinitly acceptable unto thee should daily be renued in thy Church to increace in us the fruit therof Grant us we beseech thee so attentively and reverently to be present at this so adorable a mystery of thy piety that we may be able to ataine the participation therof through Christ Jesus our Lord and only Redeemer Amen At the Priest's ascending to the Altar and there opening the booke THe Priest ascending to the Altar and having placed the Chalice he openeth the booke To signify that the mysteries of our faith lay shutt up in dark shadowes and obscure figures in the old law till Jesus Christ there represented by the Priest layd them open to us in their true substance and verity Rejoyce with gratitude for our enjoying the law of grace and stirr up a firme beleefe of all those holy mysteries of Mans Redemption by Christs bitter death and Passion which are here to be represented to us in the holy Masse At the Priests descending to the lowest stepp and beginning with the signe of the Crosse and saying the Confiteor c. THe Priest descends to the lowest stepp and there begins in making the signe of the Crosse To shew that we had no other hope nor remedy for our reconciliation to God but by the merits and sacred passion of Jesus Christ who died for us upon the Crosse At the Confiteor stirr up true sorrow and detestation for your sins as a preparation to appeare with more purity and profound humility in Gods divine presence at all those sacred mysteries represented there to us at the holy sacrifice of the Masse At the Priests ascending and kissing the Altar THe Priest ascending he kisseth the Altar as a symbole of reconciliation and peace made betwixt God and Man by the precious blood and bitter passion of Jesus Christ For which indevour to stirr up due love and gratitude At the Introite and Kyrie elysons THe Introite is so called because at high Masse it is sung whilst the Priest is comming to the Altar It represents the sighs and longing desires of the Patriarckes for the Messias comming As also doe the Kyrie and Christe elysons At which let us humbly crave the needfull visit of Gods grace for our soules as also his mercy and gracious pardon of all our sins Of Gloria in excelsis Dominus vobiscum and the prayer JOy here at our divine Redeemers birth and at his choyce of so poore so meane and so suffering a manner We must learne to contemne all worldly pompe and vanity and that the only true way to beatitude is that of mortification humility and proper abjection The Priest salutes the people with Dominus vobiscum to stirr up their attention before he begins the prayer to the end that their petitions therin may be more gratefull to God And he saith Oremus before the prayer to desire the people to joyne their prayers and intentions with his to obtayne those necessities which our holy mother the Church recommends to be prayd for therby At the Epistle and
repent with my whole hart and soule for having so grievously offended thee whom I truly love above all things what soever I constantly resolue by thy helping grace carrefully to avoyde all occasions of my grevious sins ād from the bottome of my hart I blisse and adore thy great goodnesse for affording me so happy and secure à meanes by this holy Sacrement to make my blessed peace and reconciliation by grace and pardon againe with thee who hath so long and often tymes preserved me from Hell For which I having nothing wherby to shew in gratitude I offer to thee O Eternall Father the bitter death and Passion with all the sacred merits of thy divine sonne Jesus of his immaculate Virgin Mother and of all the blissed Saints and Angels of Heaven to praise and magnify thy mercy and great goodnesse unto me for all Eternity A prayer before Confession REceive my Confession O most benigne and clement lord Jesus the only hope for the salvation of my soule give unto me I beseech thee contrition of hart and teares to my eyes that both day and night I may bewaile all my negligences with humility and purity of hart Let my prayer o lord approach neere in thy sight If thou shalt be angry against me what helper may I seeke who will have mercy on my iniquities remember me o Lord who didst call the woman of Canaan and Publican to repentance and didst receive Peter weeping O Lord my God accept my prayers O good Jesu Saviour of the world who gavest thy selfe to the death of the Crosse that thou mightest save sinners regard me a wretched offender calling upon thy name and take not such heed to my wickednesse that thou forget thy mercy And though I have committed wherby thou maist condemne me yet thou hast not lost that wherby thou art wont to save us Spare me therfore O Lord my Saviour and have mercy on my sinfull soule loose the bands therof heale the wounds Lord Jesu I most humbly beseech thee Shew me thy face and I shall be safe Send fourth therfore o most loving Lord through the merits of the most pure and ever Virgin Mary thy immaculate mother and of all thy blessed Saints and Angels send fourth thy light into my soule which may shew unto me truly all my defects which it behooveth me to confesse and which may help and teach me to expresse them fully and with a contrite hart who with the Father and the holy Ghost liveth and rayneth one everlasting God Amen This done next goe and cast your selfe upon your knees with a reverent and humble hart as if at the feet of Jesus Christ in the person of his Vicar the Priest there conceiving your selfe as a criminel before your judge and as wholy depending upon Gods mercy not having any thing to alleage in your owne behalfe but a guilty conscience deserving eternall punishment raise all your hope in an humble confidence of his mercy and sacred merits of Jesus Christ detest your sin wherby you have offended so good and so gracious a God and crave humbly grace to amende You having asked your ghostly Fathers benediction and said your Confiteor til mea culpa c. then accuse your selfe plainly humbly and intirely and with all confidence and freedome endevour to lay open to him wherinsoever you can conceive or doubt to have greevously offended God for this freedome in confession takes away all scruple of conscience and gives a great peace and tranquility to the soule which is farr to be preferd before the greatest felicity in the world Finally you having confest all and said the rest of your Confiteor Then harken attentively to what the Priest shall say to you without any further searching into your conscience but take with humble submission the advertisments which he shall then give you as there the substitute of Jesus Christ And performe faithfully what he shall ordaine you either by way of counsel or penance This done retyre your selfe with a recollected mind to give humble thankes unto God and with feeling piety and devotion say this followinge prayer after your Confession A prayer out of F. Granada exciting in the soule compunction and sorrow for our sins O only sonne of God how great and ineffable are the blessings I have receiud ' from thee thou hast produced me of the dust and slime me of the earth thou hast created my soule out of nothing according to thy image and likenesse thou hast endued me with understanding memory and will thou hast given me a free will togeather with all my members and senses to the end that by their meanes I might know and love thee Thou hast conserved me in the narrow prison of my mothers wombe to the end I might not dye without the saving water of holy baptisme After so many sins as I have multiplid against thee thou hast had long patience with me even to this houre whilst many others lesse guilty then my selfe whom thou hast not so long expected to repentance are peradventure at present tormented in Hell Besides this o my Lord thou hast vouchsafed to make thy selfe Man and to converse amongst Men for my sake For me thou wouldest suffer grievous afflictions a bitter agony sorrow of soule and a bloody sweate Thou wouldst be apprehended bound struck spit upon injured blaspheamd ' buffeted thou wouldst be clad at one tyme in a white robe at an other in a red one in mockery For me thou wouldst be beaten scourgd crownd with thorns struck with a reede upon thy sacred head thou wouldst be blindfoulded condemned to death and dragged to the place of execution with a heavy crosse upon thy back to which crosse thou wouldst be fastned with hard and-ruged nailes thou wouldst be placed betweene two theeves and numbred amongst the wicked Call and vinagar was presented to thee for thy last draught and finally thou wouldst loose thy life by a most cruell death In this manner o my Lord and with these sufferings hast thou redeemed me and yet I most ungratefull for so great benefits have many tymes crucified thee againe by my sins wherby I have merited that all thy Creatures should rise up against me and in thy name take revenge upon me for these injuries Moreover what shall I say of the fearefull abuse I have made of thy Sacraments those blessed remedies which thou hast ordaynd ' me with thy most precious blood Thou hast washt and receiud me in holy Baptisme as one belonging to thy selfe there thou hast adopted me thy sonne there thou hast consecrated me as thy temple Thou hast anointed me as a Priest as a King and as a souldier who ought incessantly to fight against thy enemy There thou hast espoused my soule to thy selfe and adorn'd her with all the ornaments requisite to so high a dignity What have I done with all these jewels What care have I taken to conserve such immense riches thou hast adopted me thy sonne and I have rendred
say with a devout and repentant hart this following prayer A devout Prayer after Confession O Soueraine Creator of all things I a most vile and ungratfull sinner prostrate before thy sacred feet in true griefe and harty sorrow for all may haynous Trespasses wher with I have so grievously offended my Lord and Maker and for which thou hast vouchsafed to endure so cruell torments upon the Crosse I confesse my great ingratitude deare Lord for all thy innumerable benefits and for having thus mercifully spared me so long persisting in my sinfull courses and contempt of thy divine commandements and blessed will for which in stead of casting me into Hel as I most justly deserved thy boundlesse goodnesse hath expected me to penance and amendment of my life For which o how often hast thou knockd at the dore of my hart by thy heavenly inspirations how often hast thou prevented me with blessings allured me with comforts drawne me with favours Yea forced me many tymes by crosses and afflictions to seeke unto thee and yet neither hath my flinty hart been mollifid ther with nor my will reclaymed But behould now at last o my ungratfull soule the grievousness of this thy sin and pierce my obdurate hart o divine Redeemer with contrition and detestation of the foulness of all my detestable offences for which unworthy I am to be called thy creature or whom the earth should beare much lesse afford so plentifully all conveniences for humane life to me upon whom even nature it selfe ought rather to take just vengance of my great contempt and odious sin O mercifull Father how many by thy righteous judgment are now burning in the eternall flames of Hel for a lesse number of sins then those of myne who might have been Saints in Heaven had they received so great a measure of thy gracious mercies as I have donne But now o mercifull Father of all pittie and compassion in unfeyned sorrow and remonse of conscience for all my misdeeds I prostra to at thy feet most humbly beseech thy pardon looke on me o loving Lord a wretched sinner with the eye of mercy as thou didst on the pentitent Publican the repentant Magdalen and the Apostle who thrice denied thee vouchsase once more to admit me againe unto thy gracious favour Lord worke that speedily in me for which cause thou hast so long spared me and to which from all Eternity thou hast ordayned me But woe is me who have refused to bestow my hart on thee who wouldst have made it a temple and habitation for thy owne aboad which I have sacrilegiously defiled with so much impiety and made it but as a stew of unpure thoughts But I confesse all this my grievous wickednesse to thee my God of all piety and therefore will not dispaire but throw my selfe into the sea of thy infinit mercy for as my sins be numberlesse so are thy mercies endlesse O Most loving Father if thou wilst thou canst make me cleane heale the wounds of my soule Remember sweet Lord thy comfortable promisse to us pronunced by thy Prophet thou hast committed folly with many lovers yet returne thou againe to me and I will receive thee Great confidence this gives me O Lord and with my whole hart I returne to thee I am that defiled soule that prodigall child that unfaithfull servant who have separated my selfe from thee I have forsaken thee o fountaine of living waters and diged to my selfe cisterns which will hould no water I have fedd upon empty husks with the swyne which could not satiate my hunger But what is past let it be cancelled o gracious Lord and forgot I bessech thee and for the tyme to come let there be an eternal covenant betwixt us that thou wilt vouchsafe to be my mercifull Father and that I againe may be for everthy obedient and faithfull child I aske deare Lord neither riches honours nor long life but this one only thing alone which I will never cease to crave that from this present instant untill the dreadfull houre of my death I may never more offend thy heavenly Majesty nor defile my conscience with any mortall sin Grant me this my humble suite for the merits and bitter death and Passion of thy only and dearely beloued sonne Jesus my divine Redeemer to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one euer living God be all honour and glory now and for evermore Amen I beseech thee Lord Jesu let this my Confession be gratefull and acceptable to thee by the merits of the blessed Virgin thy Mother and all thy glorious Saints and whatsoever hath been wanting unto me now and at other tymes of the sufficiency of Contrition of the purity and integrity of Confession let thy piety and mercy supply and according to the same vouchsafe to accompt me more fully and perfectly absolved in Heaven who liuest and raignest world without end Amen A Reflection IT may here finally be observed as it happens ofentymes that the sick man dies because he makes not use of the Phisition concealing his disease and not following his order and davise so many a soule doth perish for not making use of his spirituall phisition by the holy Sacrament of Confession The great benefit whereof were it but well considered we should not so much neglect the incomporable benefits which are to be reaped thereby For being duly frequented it expiats the guilt of all sin and changeth the eternall paine which was due to mortall sin into temporall It purifies our soules and renders them gratefull to God By infusion of grace and guifts of the holy Ghost It greatly strengthens as against all evill temptations and gives great quiet to our couscience All which but scriously considered who will neglect frequently to make vse of so souveraine a good For is there any that had he but a plant in his garden of so rare a vertue as if but weekely taken should cure all diseases and preserve him in perfect he alth would he neglect to make use therof undoubtedly he would not Let us then for the eternall health of our soule doe what we ould most diligently performe for the meere temporall health of our body OF THE HOLY COMMVNION Come ye to him and be illuminated and your faces shall not be counfounded Psal 35.6 A preparatory instruction disposing to the holy Communion IF it be requisit that a Chrifstian come well prepared and with due disposition to any Sacrament it ought to be doubtlesse with greatest care and diligence to this of the holy Eucharist it contayning the divine Author himselfe both of all Sacraments and grace And therfore to be received with all purity and devotion to receive the great fruit and benediction therby For as he who receives it worthely becomes the habitation and temple of God who replenisheth him with all abundance of grace so who receives him unworthely receives according to the Apostle his owne damnation and judgment It doth therfore greatly import him
any assistance att all yea should they by thy just order all quite abandon me I could have no cause to make my complaint to thee O when I consider but what it is to have offended my God of all glory and Majesty I must avow that the least of my sins against thee makes me justly deserve not only that every creature should treade on me but even to be over whelmed also with all sorts of punishments and miseryes Wouchsafe o Lord so deepely to grave this feeling and true humble knowledge of my selfe into my hart as it may never weare out but rather serve me as a secure antidote against all vaine glory and selfe esteeme wherby to be disposed ever to enjoy the Spirit of true Humility and to render all honour and glory to whom only it is due for tyme and all Eernity Acts of true dread and feare IF I make but good reflection on those thywords O Souveraine Judge of Men that we are to render thee an accompt of the least idle word and that according to the talent given us of thy grace we must render fruit in due proportion and receive our iudgement proportionably there unto I should be very senslesse if I should not be strucke with horrour and great feare considering not only the infinity of my idle words but also of my grevious sins committed against thee as also the multitude of thy graces bestow'd on me wherof I have made so very ill employment O my God what shall I say when thou shalst come to judge and question me what answer shall I make to thee And were I now to appeare at that tribunal of thy most dreadfull judgment in what state art thou my soule art thou in gracious favour wih thy God or no art thou now worthy of his love or rather art thou not in his just disgrace and hatred But this whilest here I live I cannot know Nay should I with bloody teares deplore my sins what certaine assurance could I have that thou hast pardond me nay more though thou thy selfe affirme it yet should I be still uncertaine in this life of my perseverance And have I not therfore just cause both to tremble and feare considering this great uncertainty of my salvation the many perilous dangers which on all sides inviron me the multitude of conspiring enemies who seeke continually to destroy me by all art and industry drawing me to consent to sin and all iniquity O my Souveraine Lord inspire my soule with this wholsome terror and pierce my hart and rule my disordered affections with the sharp piercing naile of thy feare to the end that I never more rebell against thy holy law Cause by thy grace that this apprehension and wholsome feare of thy judgment may separate my hart from what soever may displease thee and lett it dedicate and consecrate to thee entirely all its actions and affections forthy eternall glory Acts for the exercise of the vertue of Penance WHen I consider thy infinit Majesty o God who art goodnesse it selfe and on my part behould my ungratefull rebellion so often committed against thee it seemes to me a wonder how I durst so impudently offend so mighty a power and so good a God O what penance can be proportionable to the enormity of these my crymes what satisfaction can I make for these my faults alas should I powre out as many bloody teares as are the dropps of rayne from all the clouds or should I expose my body to as many torments as all the blessed Martyres have endured all this according to true justice could not be able for to expiate one mortall sin which committed against a God of infinit Majesty no due reparation can be made for it but by a pennance of infinit satisfaction It is then to thee alone my divine Redeemer Jesus to whom I must recurr that thou wilst vouchsafe by thy satisfactions which are infinit to supply the want of myne But seeing that so thy justice doth require it that I being the offender should also on my part make such satisfaction as I can although not as I ought I therfore with a contrite and humble hart grieve and lament for that by my wicked sin I have so grievously offended thee my deare and loving God whome I love above all things eyther in heaven or in earth I firmely purpose by thy divine grace rather to dye then so to offende againe but to confesse and doe due penance for my sins committed confiding in thy infinit mercy and in the sacred merits of Jesus Christ to obtaine thy pardon and to blesse adore and praise thee in Eternity And now in expiation of my sin and some reparation of thy honour so grievously offended therby I here renounce all pleasures which displease thee I renounce all friendship which may hinder me from truly loving thee and I renounce all occasions which may expose me to the danger of loosing thy holy grace Grant me loving and mercifull Lord the succour of this thy so necessary grace that by so heavenly a succour these my good resolutions may be made so hapily efficacious as to produce the fruits worthy of true penance which may be gratefull to thee and enable also me to magnify thy infinit goodnesse and Eternall Majesty togeather with all thy celestiall happy spirits in Beatitude An act of submission and Resignation to the will of God in all encounters whatsoever MErcifull Jesu thy divine will be now and ever more fulfi'ld for whatsoever doth thence proceed must needs be Good though flesh and blood may not accord Wherfore I denying my understanding sense will appetite and desires yea disclayming all interest and propriety in my selfe doe commend into thy gracious hands my soule and body together with all guists of nature and grace which thou of thy goodnes hast bestow'd on me being resolved hence forward not to seeke my owne consolation my ease credit or commodity but to endevour that in me thy will be donne in all things according as thou my Lord and Saviour hast appointed And therfore he it thy pleasure to send me sicknesse or health honour or contempt prosperity or adversity liberty or restraint life ordeath welcome for thy names sake be they and for that thou hast so ordayned them Only grant deare Lord that I may be partaker of thy grace and continue thy servant for ever But for so much as the holy Ghost hath pronounced that the hart of Man is deceiptfull and therfore hath reseru'd the search thereof unto himselfe if then in any corner of my breast there remaine any self-will self-likeing or secret reservation contrary to this my expresse and absolute Act of Resignation let it be thy mercifull worke so to roote out the same as that I may truly though not in the like degree of perfection say as thou my Lord and Saviour didst to thy Eternall Father in the garden the night before thy passion not as I will but as thou wilst not my will
faithful diligence and to keep defend and protect me this day from all evil visible and invisible Amen A Prayer in sicknesse LEt my request enter into thy fight O Lord and let thy hand stretch forth to make me whole Behould I am the Man that comming downe from Jerico was forely wounded by theeves and left halfe dead Doe thou assist me O merciful Samaritan I have grievously sinned in thy sight and so full is my soule of those deadly wounds as hadst thou not died for me my soule would have dwelt in Hell I am sweet Jesus a part of that deare purchace for me tho didst shed thy precious blood cast me not away I am the sheep that went astray seeke me O good shiphard and put me in thy flock that thou maist be justified in thy word for thou didst make me a promise that at what houre soever a sinner should repent him of his sins and turne to thee he should he pardoned I repent O Lord and bewaile my sins I acknowledge my iniquities I am not worthy to be cal'd thy sonne for I have sinned against Heaven and before thee But turne away O Lord thy face from my offences blot out my iniquities according to thy great mercy cast me not away from thy sight deale not with me according to my sins nor reward me after the desert of my iniquities but help me O Lord my God and Saviour and for the glory of thy name deliver me that I may prayse thee for ever more with all thy glorious elect in thy celestial kingdome of Beatitude for all Eternit A Prayer to obtayne a blessed ending O Blessed Jesu wel-spring of pitty and fountaine of endlesse mercy I humbly beseech thee to give me grace so to spend this my transitory life in vertuous and godly exercises that when the day of my death shall come though I feele paine in my body yet I may finde comfort in my soule and with faithful hope of thy mercy in due love towards thee and charity towards all others I may through thy grace depart hence out of this vaile of misery and hasten me to that glorious country wherin thou hast bought us an inheritance for ever with thy most precious blood there to praise and glorify thee with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one living God world without end Amen A Prayer when we begin our actions PRevent we beseech thee O Lord our actions by thy spirit assisting us and in helping forward prosecute them that all our prayers and workes may begin alwayes from thee and begun by thee may be ended through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen An Evening Prayer ALmighty and everlasting God I yeald thee most harty thankes for that thou hast vouchafed of thy great mercy and goodnes to preserve me this day from all evil and I doe also beseech thee for thy bitter death and passion most mercifully to forgive me wretched sinner all my offences that this day I have committed by thought word and deed and hereafter to preserve and keepe me from all danger both of body and soule to the end I may rise againe in health to praise thy glorious name and joyfully to serve thee in thankes giving with a chast body and a cleane hart and so for ever after behave my selfe according to thy blessed will by casting away the workes of darknesse and putting on the armour of light which Men behoulding may be provoked to glorify thee my heavenly Father who with thy only begotten sonne our only Saviour and the Holy Ghost livest and raygnest one true and everlasting God A Prayer for the sicke O Almighty and everlasting God the eternal health of them that beleeve in thee heare us for thy sicke servant for whom we humbly crave the help of thy mercy that health being restored unto him he may yeald thankes giving to thee in thy Church through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Prayers to obtayne the grace of the Holy Ghost O God to whom each hart is open and each will doth speake and from whom no fecret lyeth hid purify by the inspiration of the holy Ghost the agitations of our hart that we may deserve perfectly to love thee and worthily to praise thee through our Lord true God Amen To obtayne the same grace for our friends O God who hast powred the guifs of charity by the grace of the holy Ghost into the harts of thy faithfull grant unto thy servants for whom we crave thy clemency health of minde and body that they may love thee with all their strength and accomplish with all love what things are pleasing unto thee through Christ our Lord. Amen To obtayne the same grace for our enemies O God the lover and keeper of peace and charity give unto all our enemies peace and true charity and grant uto them remission of all their sins and powerfully deliver us from all their deceipts through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen A Prayer to repel wicked thoughts O Almighty and mild God mercifully regard our Prayers and deliver our harts from the temptations of evil thoughts that we may deserve to be made a worthy dwelling for the holy Ghost through the same Lord Jesus Amen A Prayer to require charity O God who maketh all things to profit them that love thee grant unto our harts an inviolable desire of thy charity that the desires conceived by thy inspirations may by no temptation be altered through the same Lord Jesus Amen A Prayer to begg Patience O God who hast broken the pride of the old enemy by the patience of thy only begotten Sonne grant unto us we beseech thee worthely to call to mind what he so meekely suffered for us and by his example quietly to endure the adverse changes falling upon us through Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer to require the suffrages of Saints WE beseech the O Lord defend us from all perils of body and mind and the glorious Virgin Mary mother of God praying for us togeather with the blessed Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul blessed S. Joseph Saint c. and all the glorious Saints and Angels thou being benigne grant unto us salvation and peace that adversities and all errours being destroyd thy Church may serve thee in secure liberty through Christ our Lord. Amen A Prayer to require continency KIndle with the fire of the holy Ghost our raines and our harts O Lord that with chast bodies we may serve thee and with pure harts please thee through our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Amen A Prayer in tyme of warre O God who dissolveth warres and by the power of thy protection dost vanquish the impugners of them that trust in thee help thy servants earnestly craving thy mercy that the cruelty of all their enemies being depressed we may praise thee with incessant thankes-giving through our Lord Jesus Amen A Prayer for peace O God from whom are all holy desires rightfull counselles and just workes give unto thy servants that peace
Lord Lambe of God who taketh away the sins of the world Have c. Christ heare us Christ graciously heare us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Let us pray O God of unspekable mercy who hath vouchsafed for our sakes to me made not only Man but the sonne of Man and wouldst have a woman to be thy Mother on Earth who from all Eternity hadst God to be thy Father in Heaven Grant we may celebrate her memory most devoutly venerate her Maternity most syncerly and be most humbly subject to her most excellent dignity who hath conceived Thee of the Holy Ghost hath brought Thee fourth of her wombe remaying a pure Virgin and to whom thou hast most humbly pleased to be subject heare on Earth who art the only begotten sonne of God our Lord Jesus Christ who with the Father and the Holy Ghost liveth and rayneth world whithout end Amen DEfend we beseech Thee o Lord by the intercession of the ever Virgin Mary this thy family from all adversity and prostate before Thee with all our hartes protect us favorably from the snare of our enemies Through our Lord Jesus Christ thy only sonne who liveth with Thee in the vnity of the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen Finis Soli Deo Honor Gloria 10. May 1669. COurteous Reader bookes of this nature not being easily permitted to be printed at home no diligence of the corrector can avoyde the many faults which the Printer not understanding our langage must needs be very subject to committ His ignorance deserves your pardon and my paynes your prayers which I doe hartely crave Submitting intirely all the rest to the correction of the holy Cotholik Church Hopeing that if this little Manuel be used wiht the like intention whrewith it was composed the fruit will be not unanswerable to his desire who is a harty and true well wisher of the greatest happinesse to your dearest soule THE DOCTORS APPROBATION I Vnder vvitten Doctor of Divinity in the Vniversity of Paris have read ouer a little booke intitled a MANNVEL OF THE POORE MANS DEVOTION c. composed by VV.C. In vvhich I finde nothing contrary to the Catholike Apostolike and Roman faith or good manners but rather much that inciteth Christians to the true practise of solide piety and Devotion In vvittnesse vvheroff I have hereunto sett my hand this 2. day of Feb. 1669. F. GAGE Libellum Anglo idiomate scriptum à viro piissimo pariter ac Nobilissimo D. VV. C. sacerdote Anglo compositum optimis Instructionibus Meditationibus Orationibus plenum magna cum delectatione per legi in quo nihil nisi valde orthodoxum Christianae vitae ac Religiouis profectum quaerentibus maximè vero Neophytis vtilissunum deprehendi sapit porro authoris sui pietatem maximam ac viâ—ae integritatem quippe qui genetis splendorem quo maximè inter Anglos fulget virtutum suarum splendore excellere videatur Quamobrem bono Catholicorum Anglicanae diâ—ionis consulens hunc prelo dignissimum censeo ut ibi aliquos reperiat imitatores qui omnes vbique reperiet approbatores Datum Parisiis die 10. Decembris an restaurarae salutis 1669. I. MOLLONY sacrae Theologiae Facultatis Parisiensis Doctor A TABLE Of the chief contents in this Manuel A morning Exercice of holy prayer Page 3. The Angelus Domini for morning Noone and Evening pag. 14. Advertisments much conducing to Christian perfection pag. 15. An eveing Exercise for prayer before bedd pag. 17. King David his 7. Penitentiall Psalmes With the Litaniy of the Saints pag. 27. The true end of Man pag. 49. Of gratitude due to Iesus Christ p. 51. Our maine affaire is to save our soules pag. 53. Of Gods divine presence pag. 54. We ougth to distrust our selves p. 55. Against detraction and calumny p. 57. Of flying the oecasion of sin pag. 59. The small number of the Elect. p. 61. Of suffering persecution for justice sake pag. 63. Mans life subjct to innumerable miseries pag. 65. Reflection upon the word of Eternity pag. 68. The signification of Priestly Ornaments And of the other Ceremonies and divine Mysteries of the Masse pag. 71. A devout Exercise for hearing Masse with true profitt and piety p. 103. Spirituall advises of S. Theresa conducing to live happily with God and Man pag. 131. Pious Reflections for embracing vertue and flying vice which may be used as the subject of so many profitable Meditations pag. 136. Of the Sacrament of Confession p. 175. A table of sins helping the memory for a generall Confession pag. 180. An Act of Contrition pag. 196. A prayer before Confession pag. 197. A prayer exciting compunction for our sins pag. 20â— An Examen of Conscience for such as often frequent the Sacrament of Penance pag. 209. A devout prayer after Confession pag. 214. Of the Holy Communion pag. 221. Prayers before the Holy Communion pag. 230. A preparatory meditation hofore the holy Communion pag. 238. Prayers after the holy CoÌ„munion pag. 238. The Canticle of the 3. Children pag. 243. The Canticle of Zachary pag. 243. The B. Virgins Canticle of Magnificat pag. 247. The Himne of S. Ambrose and S. Augustin in thankes giving to God at his conversion pag. 248. The Psalme 148. wherein all creatures are invited to praise God pag. 251. A Meditation of thankes giving after Communion pag. 253. An Exercise for practising acts of the most necessary vertues pag. 256. Holy maxims pronounced by Iesus Christ much different from the maxims of the world pag. 293. Devout prayers to be said at convenient oportunity as each shall best make choyce p. 298. Of Aspirations and jaculatory prayers pag. 346. Of Meditation pag. 358. Matter of Meditation for each day in the weeke pag. 363. An Exercise preparatory to death With the recommendation of the soule in English pag. 379. An abridgment of the afore-said exercice which may bee used every day pag. 441. An appendix containing a touch stone of true and false prayer pag. 444. The Litany of our Saviour Iesus pag. 451. The Litany of our B. Lady p. 465. The faults escaped in printing the courteous Reader vvill easily both correct and pardon