prouing it to be the true Body and Bloud of Christ The 14. Chapter praiers after receiuing this B. S. prouing the same The 15. Chapter of Sacramental Confession a due preparation for that B. Sacrament The 16. Chapter the external holy preisthood and Sacrifice of Christians Christes true Bodie and Bloud offered both for the liuing dead The 17. Chapter the preeminence of S. Peter and his Successors in the Apostolick Romane Sea in this holy preisthood The 18. Chapter what diuersitie of orders belong vnto holie Preisthood their Vowes Virginitie Chastitie al degrees of the Church PRACTISE AND PRAIERS OF THE PRIMATIVE CHVRCH How Man is or may be iustified but not by Faith onely Chapter 1. WHosoeuer wil be saued before al thinges it is needeful that he hold the Catholick Faith Which except euerie one shal keepe whole and inuiolate without doubt he shal perish for euer And the Catholicke Faith is this that we worship one God in Trinitie and Trinitie in vnitie c. But it is necessarie to eternal saluation that he also beleue faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Iesus Christ c. At whose coming al men must rise with their bodies and render accompt of their owne deedes And they which haue done good things shal go into life eternal they which haue done euil thinges into euerlasting fire This is the Catholick faith which except euerie man faithfully and firmly beleue he can not be saued O Lord I besech intreate and desire thee increase my faith increase my hope increase my Charitie Cause vs by thy grace to be alwaies stedfast in fatih and effectual in worke that by right faith and worthy workes of faith by thy mercie we may come to eternal life Decline from euil and do good when thou hast done this secure expect life and then boldly thou shalt say O Lord I haue done what thou hast commanded pay vnto me what thou hast promised O most holie Martyrs we besech you that you would intreate our Lord for vs wretched sinners that he would powre his diuine grace vpon vs which may continually lighten and illuminate our heartes with the beame of holie Charitie by which we may be able to loue him with al our heart and with al our minde O Lord help vs we besech thee by the praier of those Sainctes which not yet able to professe thy Sonne with humane voice were crowned with celestial glorie for his Natiuitie O Lord we besech thee let them obtaine for vs puritie of mindes whose innocencie we solemnly celebrate O God looke vpon vs and make that our Oblation sanctified by the holie Ghost be acceptable for propitiation of our sinnes those sinnes which the people by ignorance haith committed and for the rest of the soules of them which are departed before vs. O Lord God graunt vnto vs that with ioy we may keepe and fulfil thy commandementes al the daies of our life There remaine saith the holie Apostle Paule Hope Faith and Charitie these three but the greatest of these is Charitie Faith is that by which we confâ—sse the Trinitie to be of one substance Hope is that by which we hope the Resurrection of the flesh and rewardes to be hereafter for merites Charitie is that by which we so loue Christ that we would suffer our selues with a willing minde to be put to death for his name But because al which are baptized in the Apostolick faith beleue surely in the Trinitie and hope for thinges to come yet al can not say forth of affection with the holie Apostle Who shal seperate vs from the loue of Christ tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or daunger or the sword Therfore some of our water pottes hold two measures but some three measures Therfore our Lord Iesus rich towards al and oueral who cal vpon him vouchsaife to geue that we may receiue three measures perfect in his loue Also that without warre of persecution constaÌ„t in the loue of God with prepared mindes for al suffering of present paines we may wel Merite the Renowmed crowne of a vanquishing conscience by the triumph of secret conflict Let vs with praier besech our holie and blessed God of reward entreating for our brethren and sisters by whose ministerie cost they which are needy in the Church do not suffer want that our Lord wil communicate spiritual riches vnto them which geue releefe of worldly substance to the pouertie of faithful soules by our Lord Iesus Christ Merciful God graunt vnto the praiers of thy seruantes that whosoeuer â—indful of thy heauenly preceptâ—s do minister necessaries to the poore may be crowned with incorruptible heauenly glorie of thy miseration mercie by our Lord Iesus Christ Amen O God from whom Iudas the traitor receiued the punishment of his offence and the theife the reward of his confession graunt vnto vs the effecte of our holie petition that as our Lord Iesus Christ in his Passion gaue to them both the stipendes of their merites so he wil bestow vpon vs the grace of his Resurrection Christ our God and our Lord who by his grace hath made vs worthie to receieu his precious Bodie and Bloud graunt that we may please him in our wordes deedes and thoughtes that this Sacrament which we haue receiued and shal receiue be vnto vs a pledge of remission of our debtes and great hope of Resurrection from the dead O Lord our God make vs pure cleane from al il odoures of feines worth iâ— of thy 〈◊〉 â—nd 〈◊〉 O louer of men make us iust without spotte with gladnes al the daies of our life O Lord our God protect nourish and gouerne vs by the powers of the Princes of thy Angels Seperate vs from al euil workes conioine vs with al good workes by Christ thine only Sonne O house of God bright and bewtiful I haue loued the dwelling place of the glorie of our Lord my possessor and maker Speake thou aske thou him that he may make me worthie of the participation of thy glorie I do not dispaire to obtaine it olny let thy merits help me O my Lord I besech thee that this oblation may be to vs o my Lord a loosing of our debtes remission of sinnes and new life in the heauenly kingdome O Lord my God graunt to me so to receiue the bodie and bloud of thy SoÌ„n our Lord Iesus Christ that by it I may merite to receiue remission of al my sinnes and to be filled with thy holie Spirit 〈◊〉 our God who liuest reignest world without end Amen O God by whom we reproue the errour of them which think there be no merites of soules with thee O Lord let blessed Agatha the Martyr who hath bene acceptable to thee both by merite of Chastitie and profession of thy vertue obtaine PardoÌ„ for vs. O holie and blessed Paula
our commō Lord with great charge and carefulnes O good Shepheard gentle Peter receiue the praiers of them that pray vnto thee and by authoritie committed vnto thee Vntye the bandes of our sinne The confession of Peter obtained plainly a worthie rewarde because he had seene the Sonne of God in man Blessed is this man who was praised to haue fixed his eyes and seene more thē a thing humane not beholding that which was of flesh and bloud but perceiuing by the reuelation of out heauenly Father the Sonne of God and iudged worthy who should first acknowledge that which was in the Christ of God O happy foundation of the Church in naming of thy new name and a rock worthie of the building by that Rock which should dissolue the infernal lawes and gates of hel al the cloisters of death O blessed porter of heauen gates to whose wil the Keyes of the euerlasting entrie are committed whose terrestrial Iudgment preuenteth the authoritie in heauen that what thinges on earth are bound or loosed obtaine the condition of the same decree in heauen O God who didest bestow vpon S. Peter thine Apostle the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen geue vnto him the high Preistly power of binding and loosing graunt that by the help of his intercession we may be deliuered from the bandes of our sinnes By how much you more feare the maker of al thinges so much more you may loue his Church to whom it was said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke wil build my Church the gaites of hel shal not preuaile against it I wil geue vnto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen what soeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shal be bound also in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt vnbind on earth shal be vnbound in heauen From whence it is not doubtful vnto vs with how stronge a loue you bind your selues to him by whom you desire to be vnbound from al the bandes of sinnes Therfore I besech he may be the keeper of the Empyre a Protector to you on earth an Intercessor for you in heauen Let it be lawful for no man without daunger of his state to violate either the diuine constitutions or the Decrees of the Apostolike Sea We pray that by S. Peter these thinges be obserued for euer We with al our Nobles the whol Senate and my Lordes and al people subiect to the Romane glory of the Empyre haue Iudged profitable that as S. Peter semeth to haue bene constituted the Vicar of the Sonne of God on earth so also the Popes which are Successors of the same prince of the Apostles obtaine power of principalitie more then the terrene meeknes of our Emperial serenitie graunted from vs and our Empyre choosing vnto vs the same Prince of the Apostles and his successors to be firme Patrons with God Pray that the Ecclesiastical honour be not euacuated in our daies nor at any time the Romane Sea which by our Lordes inssitution is the head of al Churches may want or be spoyled of her priuileges in any place O Lord God almightie who by the mouth of thine only begotten Sonne our Lord God and Sauiour Iesus Christ hast said to our Father Peter Thou art a Rocke and vpon this Rock wil I build my Church and the gates of hel shal not preuail against it to be shaked and I wil geue vnto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen whomsoeuer thou shalt binde vpō earth shal be bound in heauen whomsoeuer thou shalt vnbind on earth shal be vnbound in heauen Let thy seruantes and handmaides be vnbound from the mouth of the holy Trinitie the Father the Sonne and holie Ghost and also from my mouth thy seruant a sinner ful of offences What diuersitie of orders and degrees belongeth to true Preisthood Vowes Virginitie Chastitie al degrees of the Church Chapter 18. O Lord remember thy holy and only Catholicke and Apostolicke Church from the endes of the earth vnto the last endes therof is diffused and al thy people and al thy foldes O Lord God omnipotent we pray besech thee to preserue the most holy and most blessed high Preist Pope N. and most reuerend Bishop N Preserue them vnto vs many yeares peaceably executing holy preisthood for thy holy and blessed wil rightly administring the word of truth with al orthodoxal Bishops Preistes Deacons Subdeacons Lectors singers Lay people O Lord remember the orthodoral Bishops Preistes Deacons Subdeacons Lectors singers Monkes perpetual Virgins Widowes Lay people liuing in al places O Lord who didest breath vpon the faces of thine Apostles say vnto them Receiue the holy Ghost so breath vpon vs thy seruantes standing round about in the entrance of the holy ministerie Bishops Preistes Deacons Lectors Singers and Lay people with al fulnes of the Catholicke and Apostolicke Church O Lord remember our fathers and brethren which are dead in the true Faith Preistes Deacons Subdeacons Lectors Monkes liuing in perpetual chastitie Let vs pray for al Bishops Preistes Deacons Subdeacons Acolythites Enorcistes Lectors Ostiaries Confessors Virgins Widowes and for al the holy people of God Let vs pray vnto our Lord for those which liue in Virginitie and Chastitie in Monasteries and in venerable Mariage and for our holy fathers brethren that be exercised in mountaines in caues holes of the earth Let vs besech our Lord praying for our brethren which haue vowed glorious Virginitie in body minde that the spirit of mercy may prosecute them euen to the consummation of their purpose O Lord behold sacred Virgins and voluntarie chast persons the pretious Margarites of thy Church that with an equal estimation they may keepe their bodies and spirit with an inuiolate conscience of chastitie by Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord thou hast shewed vnto me that I am thine for which I neuer tooke wife that I might wholly intend to thee lest the vse of coniugal loue might diminish or custome dissolue the grace of thy Temple You Virgins haue you only Christ in your praiers before your eyes and his father you being illuminate by the holie Ghost God graunt I may enioy your sanctitie as of Iesus the sonne of Naue as of Melchizedech as of Elizeus as of Iohn Baptist as of that beloued Disciple as of Timotheus as of Titus as of Euodius as of Clement which ended this life in puritie O King of Virgins and louer of chastitie and integritie with the heauenly dew of thy blessing quench in my body the nurishment of burning lust that the tenure of chastitie of bodie and soule remaine in me Mortify in my members the prickes of flesh al lasciuious motions and geue vnto me true and perpetual Chastity with the rest of thy guiftes which please thee in truth that I may be able to offer vnto thee the sacrifice of praise with a chast
Prophets behold how she is afflicted whom you haue tuned forth with Prophetical praise O you Apostles be you intercessors for her whom to gather together you haue runne about al the world O you holie prophets who foretold the coming of God in our flesh you Martyrs who with the slaughter of your bodies shedding of your bloud haue geuen testimonie to the Lambe that was killed and is aliue I humbly besech you to be present with me The Infantes protomartyrs in the order of Sainctes acquainted with the diuine secrets by their familier nearenes vouchsaife to intreate the mercie of God for our laboures O most blessed Martyrs who for our Sauiour and the loue of him haue frely and perfectly sustained tormentes therfore are more familiarly ioyned to God We intreate you that you wil vouchsaife to make intercession to our Lord for vs wretches and sinners and polluted with the filthines of negligence that the grace of Christ may com vpon vs to illustrate our heartes with the beame of his holy loue O most blessed men o most glorious Martyrs of God help me a wretch with your praiers that I may obtaine mercie in that hour when the secrets of men shal be manifest Stande before the Throne of the Maiestie of God for me that by your praiers I may deserue to be saued and with you to enioy eternal blessednes I aske the Sainctes by their intercession to obtaine vnto me the goodwil of God I aske and besech that by the Intercession of al Sainctes I may obtaine the help of God I besech those Sainctes whose life I have written that they wil not despise me liuinge farre from their spiritual companie but draw me lying beneath and lift me vp to the toppe of vertue ioyne me with them that I may not only praise the riches of others but my selfe may haue some occasion of praise glorifying the Sauiour of al both in deede and word and thought O Sainctes arise and kepe vs humble sinners in peace Of praier and honour vnto some Sainctes on particular deceased before the Passion of Christ Chapter 7. O Father Abraham pray for me that I be not driven from the boundes which I have greatly desired O blessed Iob who liuest for euer with God and remainest a conquerour in the sight of the King our Lord pray for vs wretches that the dreadful mercie of God defend vs in al tribulations and deliuer vs from al oppressions of the diuel and number vs among the iust inrol vs with those that are saued and cause vs to rest with them in his kingdome where we may continually magnify him with his Sainctes Amen O blessed Iob be a guide vnto vs forsake vs not vntil thou haue directed vs vnto the plaine way in which we may trauaile saifly not erre from truth The Protomartyrs which haue the first place in the order of Sainctes and acquainted with diuine secrets by their most familiar nearnes vouchsaife to entreate the clemency of God for our laboures whom to this day deadly Herode persecuteth with whose bloud and death the diuel delighteth Therfore these translated from their cradles to heaueÌ„ are made Senators of the heauenly Capitol and Iudges there obtaining pardon for some without desâ—ruing O Baptist I besech thee graunt vnto me the hope of my Praier and as thou art a voice preserue vnto me sure stable the senses of the instrumentes of voice O Rachel Rachel my Mother behold Ioseph thy Sonne whom thou hast loued what hath chanced vnto him Behold he is ledde captiue as a malefactor O Rachel receiue thy sonne O mother receiue me o my mother heare the mourning and bitter scriking of my heart mine eyes can no longer sustaine teares neither my life sufficeth to such lamentations and groaninges Of praier and honour vnto Sainctes in particular deceased after the Passion of Christ Chapter 8. THe most blessed Apostle Peter vouchsaife by his praiers to helpe our praiers fastings and almes Blessd Peter and al Sainctes that haue bene present with vs in manie tribulations vouchsaife to help our praiers with the merciful God through Christ our Lord. Amen O Peter from whence may I cal thee to teach me what thou didst think when thou didst weepe from whence I say may I cal thee from heaueÌ„ where thou art among the Queares of Angels or froÌ„ thy graue also because thou thinkest it no iniurie to be there froÌ„ whence our lord arose teach vs what thy teares did profitt thee O Peter Paul pray for vs continually we besech you performe your promises for these are your couenantes of one of you this come with me let vs not faint in good thinges and of the other that I wil studie after my death to make mention of you Therfore do not forgeat your agreed couenantes but you which are immediatly present to the B. Trinitie without beginning aske for vs al thinges belonging to saluation O holy Paul Doctor of the Gentiles and al you holie Apostles lament together with vs. We prostrate aske by him who promoted you lowly fishers to the highest Apostolical dignitie that you do not despise your wretched sinners O Paul excellent Doctor instruct our maners and endeuour to translate vs in minde into heauen O S. Paul who hast receiued the Crowne pray and make intercession for vs that our soules may be deliuered by the multitude of the mercies of Iesus Christ and his holy name O S. Andrew cherish vs which be fainting haue care of vs that by the victorie of the Crosse we may go to the countrie of heauen O verily worthily more holy Apostle the shyning head of Spaine be a defendour patrone and saifguard to vs from heauen driue away from vs siknes sore and sinne Be fauourable that by heauenly help we may possesse Ioy obtaining the kingdome may be adorned with eternal glorie that by thee we may escape hel O Euangelist o blessed Iohn speak vnto vs some great and notable thing O Aposte open vnto vs the wel of life graunt now that we may draw from thy fountaines O ornament of Martyrs and glory of Sainctes defend and kepe this company without harme by thy praiers O most holie driue-backe the cruel diuels with the dart of thine intercessions O holie Lawrence thou hast a double mansion one of thy bodie on earth and an other of thy soule in heauen There thou art a chosen Citizen of the vnspeakable citie wearest a celestial Croune aboue in the euerlasting Court I seeme to see a man glittering with illustrious pretious stones whom the heauenly Rome hath chosen vnto her for an eternal Consul What power is bestowed vpon thee and what great office is giueÌ„ vnto thee is expressed by the ioies of the Romanes whose petitions thou yeldest vnto what anie man doth humbly aske he prosperously obtaineth They aske they