our forefathers to Abraham and his seede for ever Glory be to the Father c. The himne of S. Ambrose and S. Augustin in praise and thankes giving to God at his Conversion WE praise thee God we confesse thee our Lord. Thee the everlasting Father all the earth doth worship To thee all Angels to thee the Heavens and universall powers To thee Cherubin and Seraphin doe cry out with incessant voyce Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth Full are the Heavens and the Earth of the Majesty of thy glory Thee the glorious Quire of the Apostles Thee the laudable number of Prophets Thee the white cloathed army of Martyrs doth praise Thee the holy Church throughout the world doth confesse The Father of infinit Majesty The venerable true and only sonne Also the Holy Ghost the comforter Thou O Christ the King of Glory Thou art the everlasting sonne of the Father Thou willing to take upon thee to deliver Man didst nor abhorre the Virgins wombe The sting of death being overcome thou hast opened the kingdome of Heaven to all beleevers Thou sittest at the right hand of God in the glory of the Father Thou art beleeved to be the judge that shall come We therfore beseech thee help thy servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood Make us to be rewarded with thy Saints with eternall glory O Lord make safe thy people and blesse thy inheritage And governe them and extoll them even for ever Every day we doe blesse thee And we praise thy name for ever and for ever and ever Vouchsafe o Lord this day to keepe us without sin Have mercy upon us o Lord have mercy upon us Let thy mercy o Lord be upon us even as we have hoped in thee In thee o Lord have I hoped let me not be confounded for ever Psalme 148. wherein all creatures spirituall and corporall are invited to praise God their Creator and conserver PRaise yee our Lord from the Heavens praise yee him in the high places Praise yee him all his Angels praise yee him all his Hostes Praise yee him sunne and moone praise yee him all yee starres and light Praise him yee heavens of heavens and the waters that are above the heavens let them praise the name of our Lord. Because he said and they were made he commanded and they were created He establisht them for ever and for ever and ever he put the precept and it shall not passe Praise yee our Lord from the earth yee dragons and all the depthes Fyre haile snow ice spirit of stormes which doe his word Mountaines and all little hilles trees that beare fruit and all Ceders Beastes and all cattle serpents and fethered foules Kinges of the earth and people Princes and all judges of the earth Young Men and Virgins old with young let them praise the name of our Lord because his name alone is exalted The confession of him above heaven and earth and he hath exalted the horne of his people An himne to all his Saints to the children of Israel people approaching unto him Alleluya praise yee our Lord. A MEDITATION of thankes giving after the holy Communion What shall I render to our Lord for all things that he hath rendred to me Psal 15.3 IT may well be accompted an exorbitant neglect and sacrilegious irreverence having been visited by so souveraine a Majesty to use so small respect in leaving him so immediatly after his vouchsafing to visit us by turning to entertayne our selves with frivolous thoughts and needlesse businesses more slighting this our heavenly Guest therby then we would an ordinary friend whom civility would oblidge us to give much longer and more respectfull entertainement This is the cause that we reape so little spirituall profit by that divine presence And moreover it cannot chuse but give much scandall to the people to see the Communicant leave the Church almost so soone as he doth the Altar Scarce giving any sitt leasure or decency for his acknowledgment of thankes and leaving therby an ill example to others to doe the like and to conceive lesse esteeme of that divine and holy mystery A practise for this thankes giving may be after the usuall prayers of the Church for that purpose to produce some acts of severall vertues as of faith of hope of charity humility confusion adoration conformity patience and the like Others consider Gods divine attributes as his goodnesse his justice his wisdome his power his immensity his sanctity and the like and this with comparison to our contrary defects in all Let us finally conclude with humble thankes for all his benefits craving humbly his grace for the chiefe necessities of our soules and finally to consecrate to him all our actions and sufferings beseeching him that we may sooner be struck dead then to give a deliberate consent to any mortall sin This is a true Christian and profitable practise for thankes giving either after Masse or communion to preserve our soules and bodies also true to God all the day after he having vouchsafed to take possession of his habitation therein And when negligent in this holy practise they must not marvaile that after so many holy Communions they remaine with out fruit and all progresse in vertue they neither aporoaching with fitt disposition nor yet using due thanksgiving afterwards Let us therfore resolue seriously to amende this sinfull ingratitude and to entertaine our divine and souveraine Lord one good quarter of an houre at least in that so precious and very advantageous a tyme wherin to heare him speake to our harts and for us to propose to him our greatest spirituall necessities and to beg grace to overcome the temptations of all our ghostly enemies An exercise for practising the Acts of the most necessary vertues ALthough it be the holy Ghost which tells us that by walking from vertue to vertue we must obtayne everlasting life and that so many virtuous actions as the just shall practise in this life are so many stepps by which they raise themselves to mount unto Paradise yet how great is the number of Christians who faile exceedingly in this point and paradventure in all their life scarce rightly frame in their harts one act of true vertue contenting themselves to recite but vocally some certaine prayers with otheroutward religious duties which are ordinarily voyde of that inward feeling which ought to accompany the same And therfore you have here a forme for makeing Acts of the most necessary vertues to assist such persons as have most need of this instruction to forme them rightly in their harts they beinge made for the greater facility in the forme of prayer Which because in few words they expresse the acts of those excellent vertues it will not be sufficient that they only recite them with their lipps unlesse therwithall they joyne a diligent attention and that in pronouncing the words they also well conceive what they signify framing in their harts the true sense and feeling of what
thy servant as thou hast delivered holy Job from his sufferings Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered Isaac from being immolated by the hand of his Father Abraham Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered Lot from Sodome and from the flames which burnt it Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast deliveeed Moyses from the hand of Pharao king of Egipt Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered Daniel from the denne of Lyons Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered the three children from the fiery furnace and from the hand of the wicked king Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered Susanna from the false accusations of the Elders Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered David from the hands of king Saul and Golias Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered S. Peter and S. Paul out of prison Amen And as thou hast delivered the most holy Virgin and Martyr S. Tecle from three cruell torments so vouchsafe to deliver the soule of this thy servant and make him rejoyce with thee in the eternall possession of heavenly riches Amen Commendamus tibi WE commend to thee o Lord the soule of thy servant N. and beseech thee O Lord Jesus Christ Saviour of the world that as thou hast vouchsafed most mercifully to descend from heaven for it so thou wilt not refuse to place it in the bosome of the Patriarches Acknowledge O Lord thy creature who was not created by any strange Gods but by thee the only true and living God For as there is no God like thee so there are no workes like thyne O Lorde make his soule rejoyce in thy presence and remember not his old sinnes and excesses which the heate or fury of his inordenate desires have caused him to committ for although he hath transgressed yet he hath not denyed the Father sonne and holy ghost but beleeud and reteynd a zeale for thy glory and faithfully adord thee the God and Creator of all things Delicta iuventutis REmember not O Lord we beseech thee the offences of his youth and his ignorances but according to thy great mercy be mindfull of him in the brightnesse of thy glory open heaven to him and lett the Angels rejoyce at his entrance O Lord receive thy servant into thy kingdome Let S. Michael the Archangel who has merited to be prince of the heavenly host receive him let the Angels of God come fourth to meete him and conduct him to the holy citty of the heavenly Hicrusalem let the B. Apostle S. Peter to whom thou hast committed the keyes of the kingdome of Heaven admitt him let S. Paul the Apostle who was found worthy to be a vessel of election assist him let S. John the shaft and beloved Apostle of God to whom the secret of Heaven were reveald intercede for him let all the Apostles to whom God has givē a power of binding and loosing pray for him let all Gods Saints and elect who have suffered torments in this world for the name of Christ intercede for him to the end that being freed from the bonds of the flesh he may arrive at the glory of the heavenly kingdome by the merits of the same Jesus Christ our Lord who with the Father and the Holy ghost lives and raynes for ever and ever Amen If the soule continue in her agony the psalme 117 Confitemini here for sett downe may be reheared and also the 188. Psalme beati immaculati which is omitted here because of its length The soule going out of the body the subvenite is to be recited SUccour speedily O Saintes of God hasten yee Angels of our Lord receive this soule and offer it up in the sight of the most high Jesus Christ who has cal'd thee receive thee and let the Angels carry thee into Abraham bosome eternall rest give her O Lord and let perpetuall light shine upon her Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father c. From the gate of Hell O Lord deliver this soule Let her rest in peace Amen O Lord heare my prayer And let my cry come to thee We commend to thee O Lord the soule of thy servant N. that being dead to the world he may live to thee and those sins which through frailty of humaine conversation he has committed lett them be pardned by thy infinit goodnesse and mercy and by the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Confitemini Psalme 117. PRaise our Lord for he is good for his mercy endures for ever Let Israel now say that he is good for his mercy endures for ever Let the house of Aaron now say that his mercy endures for ever Let those who feare our Lotd now say that his mercy endures for ever In my tribulation I called upon our Lord and our Lord heard me at large Our Lord is my helper I will not feare what Man can doe to me Our Lord is my Protector therfore will I despise my enemies It is better to trust in our Lord then to trust in Men. It is better to hope in our Lord then to hope in Princes All nations compased me about but in the name of our Lord I have taken vengance upon them They have girt and environd me round but in the name of our Lord I have taken vengance upon them They have surrounded me like Bees but in the name of our Lord I have taken vengance upon them They pusht and thrust me so as I staggerd and had almost falen but our Lord sustaynd me our Lord is my force and my prayer and he is become my salvation The voyce of joy and health in the tabernacles of the just The right hand of our Lord has wrought mighty things the right hand of our Lord hath exalted me the right hand of our Lord has shewd strength I will not dye but live and declare the workes of our Lord. Our Lord by correction hath chastised me but he has not given me over to death Open me the gates of righteousnesse that entring into them I may blesse our Lord this is the gate of our Lord the just shall enter into it I will praise thee because thou hast heard me and art become my salvation The stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the corner This our Lord hath done and it is admirable in our eyes This is the day which our Lord has made let us rejoyce and be glad in it O Lord save me O Lord prosper me blessed is he who comes in the name of our Lord. We have wisht you happinesse who are of the house of our Lord God is our Lord he has shind upon us Ordayne a festivall day in triumph let it extend even to the hornes of
wandering receive me returning uphould me stumbling lift me up falling and persevering bring me into glory O God of all goodnesse and Majesty let the most blessed presence of thy most precious body and blood so alter the tast of my hart that besides thee at any tyme it feele no sweetnesse it love no fairenesse it seeke no unlawfull love it desire no consolation it admit no delectation at any tyme it care for no honour it feare no cruetly who livest and reighnest God with thy eternall Father in unity of the holy Ghost world without end Amen An other prayer after the holy Communion THankes be unto thee o Eternall Father that thou didst vouchsafe of thy great pitty to send thy only deare sonne from thy glorious throne into this vale of woe here to take our mortall nature and in the same to suffer sharp paines and a bitter death to bring our soules unto the glory of thy happy kingdome and to leave that precious body here to be our strength and comfort I thanke thee o most loving Lord Jesu with all the powers of my soule for that thou hast thus graciously fed me with thy most precious body by which I hope to have health of soule and eternall life with joy at my depar ture from this vale of teares and misery O holy Ghost come Lord and enflame my hart with the burning beames of thy love and make me with true humble and vertuous gratitude continually to yeald acceptable thankes to the holy and glorious Trinity three persons and one eternall God to whom be all honour glory and thankes-giving from all creatures without end Amen The soule of Christ sanctify me the body of Christ saue me the water of the side of Christ wash me o good Jesu heare me within thy wounds hide me suffer me not to be separated from thee from the malignant enemy defend me and bid me come to thee that with all the celestiall blessed spirits I may praise and glorify thee throughout all Eternity A Conclusion COnvert o Lord all wicked sinners call to true faith all hereticks and schismaticks lighten the infidels who doe not know thee help all that be in great necessity releeve all who have commended themselves unto my prayers have mercy upon all my parents friends and benefactors as also upon all those for whom I am bound to pray Let thy blessing be upon this place with humility peace charity purity and conformity to thy blessed will that we may all amend feare and faithfully serve thee love and please thee Lord be mercifull to all people for whom thou hast shed thy precious blood Grant to the liuing forgivenesse and peace and to the faithfull departed rest and everlasting life Amen Finally the devout soule the more to dilate her selfe in the praises of her mercifull and loving Lord and to render him due humble thankes for so great a benefit may here with a fervent hart inflamed with love and gratitude recite this following canticle wherin all creatures are invited to Laude and praise Almighty God The Canticle of the three children ALl the workes of our Lord blesse yee our Lord Daniel 5. praise and extol him for ever Blesse yee our Lord yee Angels of our Lord ye Heavens blesse our Lord. All waters that are above the Heavens blesse yee our Lord blesse yee our Lord yee powers of our Lord. Sun and moone blesse yee our Lord starrs of Heaven blesse yee our Lord. Shower and dew blesse yee our Lord every spirit of God blesse yee our Lord. Fire and heate blesse yee our Lord cold and summer blesse yee our Lord. Dewes and hoarie frost blesse yee our Lord frost and cold blesse yee our Lord. Ice and snow blesse you our Lord nights and dayes blesse yee our Lord Light and darknesse blesse yee our Lord lightming and clouds blesse yee our Lord. Let the earth blesse our Lord let it praise and extoll him for ever Mountaines and little hills blesse yee our Lord all things that spring in the earth blesse yee our Lord. Blesse our Lord yee fountains seas and rivers blesse yee our Lord. Whales all that move in the waters blesse yee our Lord blesse our Lord all yee foules of the aire All beasts and cattel blesse yee our Lord sonnes of men blesse yee our Lord. Let Israel blesse our Lord let it praise and extoll him forever Priests of our Lord blesse yee our Lord servants of our Lord blesse yee our Lord. Spirits and soules of the just blesse yee our Lord holy and humble of hart blesse yee our Lord. Ananias Azarias Misael blesse yee our Lord praise and extol him for ever Let us blesse the Father and the sonne with the holy Ghost let us praise and extol him for ever Blessed art thou o Lotd in the firmament of Heaven and praised and glorifid and extolled for ever This Canticle of thankes giving with the two following and the Hymne of S. Ambrose and S. Augustin in praise and thankes-giving at his conversion are proper to be used to blesse and praise God for some singular favour and benefitt The Canticle of Zacharie BLessed be our Lord God of Israel be cauese he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people And hath erected the horne of salvation to us in the house of David his servant As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets that are from the beginning Salvation from our Enemies and from the hand of all who hate us To worke mercy with our Fathers and to remember his holy testament The oath which he sware to Abraham our Father thathe would give himself to us That without feare being delivered from the hand of our enemies we may serve him In holinesse and justice before him all our dayes And thou child shalst be called the Prophet of the highest for thou shalt goe before the face of our Lord to prepare his wayes To give knowledge of salvation to his people unto remission of their sins Trough the bouels of the mercy of our God in which the Orient from on high hath visited us To illuminate them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death to direct our fect in to the way of peace Glory be to the Fater c. The blessed Virgins Canticle of Magnificat c. MY soule doth magnify our Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid for behould from hence fourth all gererations shall call me blessed Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me and holy is his name And his mercy from generation to generation to them that feare him He hath shewed might in his arme he hath disperced the proud in the conceit of their hart He hath deposed thy mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble The hungry he hath filled with good things and the rich he hath sent away empty He hath receaved Israel his child being mindfull of his mercy As he spake to
THE LITTLE MANVEL OF THE POORE MANS DAYLY DEVOTION Collected out of severall pious and approoved Authors By W. C. Piety is profitable for all things having promisse of the life that now is and of that to come 1. ad Titum 4.8 And are to be sold at Mr GONTIERS Libraire Juré before our B. Ladyes Church dore PRINTED AT PARIS By VINCENT DV MOVTIER M.DC.LXIX THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY DEARE Catholique Brethren who by Gods order and disposition are to gayne your livelyhood by honest labour and industry to you principally is this short method of devotion addressed for although they whome the Divine Providence has placed in a heigher condition in this world are more plentifully furmisht with bookes and other helpes for their instrucction yet the goodenesse of God is so great as to accept your faithfull endevors according to your capacity and so as you love and serve him Religiously in your severall vocations here upon earth your reward will be equall with theirs in Heaven Great are the prerogatives of the poore who was poorer then Lazarus who lay at the gate of the rich Glutton full of sores and ulcers suffering hungar cold and all kind of necessity Yet his patience and conformity to the Divine will in those his afflictions obtaynd him the glory to be canoniz'd by Iesus-Christ himselfe while the same presumptuous rich Man clad in purple garments and gloriing in his abundant wealth and temporall felicity was cast downe into those horrid flames where he shall never cease to be tormented Whoever will enter in at Heaven gate must stoope very low the greatest Princes if they pretend to Eternall riches must become like you poore upon Earth at least in affection Blessed are the poore of spirit for theirs is the kingdome of Heaven Yea the richest Emperors Carry no more with them out of the world then the poorest begger When S. Iohn Baptist sent his Disciples to our Blessed Lord to informe themselves whither he were the Messias or no one of the markes he gave them wherby to proove himselfe to be truly soe was that the poore receiu'd the Ghospell which shewed that his Divine goodnesse had the poore in recommendatiō Since then by these passages and many more which are found amongst the sacred oracles of our Divine Maister Yea since by his owne life and example we are taught how gratefull the poore are to him and with what difficulty the rich enter into the kingdome of Heaven you who are poore ought to comfort your selves in your poverty and rest assured that if God had foreseene that riches would have more conduc'd to your salvation he would have given you abundance since it was as easy to his infinit power to have made you the richest Princes as the poorest artisans Blesse then Gods goodnesse in your poverty love him fervently serve him faithfully beleeve that his designe in makeing you poore was to render your salvation more easy since those who have great possessions like the young man in the Gospell forsake them with as great anxiety Farewel and in your prayers remember Your truly affectionate and dearely well wishing Countryman W. C. AN ADVERTISMENT DEARE Christian Reader you are to observe that in this little Manuel of devotion besides vocale prayer you will find intermixed severall other pious exercises for the holy employement of a vertuous soule as spirituall cogitations where upon happily to busy her minde eyther by day or night as best occasion shall be offered Spirituall advises Pious reflections as well for the embracing vertue as for flying vice and may be used also for the subject of so many profitable meditations by such as have leasure and disposition for it An Exercise also for practising the acts of the most necessary vertues Holy Maxims pronounced by Jesus Christ and how different they are from the maxims of the world Aspirations and jaculatory prayers Brieffe Meditations for each day in the weeke And finally a profitable Exercise contayning a preparation to death with the Recommendation of the soule in english all which may serve for pious entertaynement of the vertuous soule with pleasing and profitable diversity of piously employing her solitary thoughts according as time and leasure shall give occasion respectively to make use of them for the greater encreace of true piety and devotion The sum̄e of the Christian Catholick faith I Beleeve in God the Father Almighty Creatour of Heaven and earth And in Jesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord. Who was conceived by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Mary Suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried He descended into Hell the third day he rose againe from the dead He ascended into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the deade I beleeve in the Holy Ghost The holy Catholick Church the communion of Saints The forgivenesse of sins The resurrection of the body And life everlasting Amen Our Lords Prayer OUR Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us And leade us not into temptation But deliver us from all evill Amen The Angelical salutation HAILE Marie full of grace our Lord is with thee blessed art thou amongst woemen And blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus Holy Marie Mother of God pray for us sinners now and in the houre of our death Amen The ten Commandements J am the Lord thy God c. 1. Thou shalt have no other Gods before me 2. Thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine 3. Remember to keepe holy the Sabboth day 4 Honour thy Father and thy Mother 5. Thou shalt not kill 6. Thou shalt not committ Adultery 7. Thou shalt not steale 8. Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour 9. Thou shalt not desire thy neighbours wife 10. Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours goods The seaven Sacraments 1. Baltisme Math. 28. 2. Confirmation Iohn 7. 3. Eucharist Math. 29. 4. Penance Iohn 20. 5. Extreame Unction Iames 5. 6. Holy order Math. 26. 7. Matrimony Math. 29. Three Theological vertues 1. Faith 2. Hope 3. Charity Foure Cardenal vertues 1. Prudence 2. Justice 3. Temperance 4. Fortitude Seaven guifts of the holy Ghost 1. Wisdome 2. Understanding 3. Counsel 4. Fortitude 5. Knowledge 6. Godlinesse 7. The feare of our Lord. Twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost 1. Charity 2. Joy 3. Peace 4. Patience 5. Benignity 6. Goodnesse 7. Longanimity 8. Mildnesse 9. Faith 10. Modesty 11. Continency 12. Chastity The Precepts of Charity Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole hart and with thy whole soule and with all thy strength and with all thy mind and thy neighbour as thy selfe The Commandements of the Church 1. To keepe certaine appointed dayes holy without servill works and hearing
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
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
They that repay evil things for good did back bite me because I followed goodnesse Forsake me not O Lord my God depart not from me Incline unto my helpe O Lord God of my salvation Glory be to the Father c. Psalme 50. HAve mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquities Wash me hencefourth from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin Because I doe know my iniquity and my sin is alwayes against me To thee only have I sinned and have donne evill before thee that thou maist be justified in thy words and maist overcome when thou art judged For behould I was conceived in iniquities and my mother conceived me in sin For behould thou hast loved truth the uncertaine and hidden things of thy wisdome thou hast made manifest to me Thou shalt sprincle me with hysope and I shall be cleansed thou shalst wash me and I shall be made whiter then snow To my hearing thou shalst give joy and gladnesse and humbled harts shall rejoyce Turne away thy face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities Create a cleane hart in me O God and renew a right spirit in my bowels Cast me not away from thy face and thy holy spirit take not away from me Render unto me the joy of thy salvation and confirme me with a principall spirit I will teach the unjust thy wayes and the impious shall be converted unto thee Deliver me from blouds O God the God of my salvation and my tongue shall exalt thy justice Thou O Lord shalt open my lips and my mouth shall declare thy praise Because if thou wouldest have had sacrifice I had verily given it with whole-burnt-offerings thou wilt not be delighted A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit a contrite and humble hart O God thou wilst not dispise Deale favorably O Lord in thy good will with Syon and let the walls of Hierusalem be built up Then shalt thou accept sacrifice of justice oblations and whole-burnt-offerings then shall they lay calves upon thine altar Glory be to the Father c. Psalme 101. O Lord heare my prayer and let my cry come unto thee Turne not away thy face from me in what day soever I am in tribulation incline thine eare to me In what day soever I shal call upon thee heare me speedily For my dayes have vanished as smoke and my bones are withered as a dry-burnt fire-brand I am smitten as grasse and my hart is withered for I have forgotten to eate my bread For the voyce of my groning my bonne hath cleaved to my flesh I am become like a pelican of the wildernesse I am become as a night raven in the house I have watched and am become as a sparow solitary in the house toppe All the day did my ennemies upbraide me and they that praised me sware against me For I did eate ashes as bread and mingled my drink with weeping At the face of the wrath of thy indignation for that lifting me up thou hast throwne me downe My dayes have declined as a shadow I am withered as grasse But thou O Lord endurest for ever and thy memoriall in generation and generation Thou rising up shalt have mercy on Syon for the tyme is come Because the stones thereof have pleased thy servants and they shall have pitty on the earth thereof And the Gentils shall feare thy name O Lord and all the Kings of the Earth thy glory For our Lord hath builded Syon and he shall be seene in his glory He hath had respect to the prayer of the humble and he hath not dispised their petition Let these things be written in an other generation and the people that shall be created shall praise our lord Because he hath looked fourth from his high holy place our Lord from Heaven hath looked upon the earth That he might heare the gronings of the fettered that he might loose the children of them that are flayne That they may shew fourth the name of our Lord in Syon and his prayse in Hierusalem In the assembling of the people togeather in one and kings to serve our Lord. He answered him in the way of his strength shew me the fewnesse of my dayes Call me not back in the halfe of my dayes thy yeares are unto generation and generation In the beginning O Lord thou hast founded the earth and the Heavens are the workes of thy hands They shall perish but thou art permanent and they shall all wax old as a garment And as a vesture thou shalst change them and they shall be changed but thou art the selfe same and thy yeares shall not faile The children of thy servants shall inhabit and their seede shall be directed for ever Glory be to the Father c. Psalme 129. FRom the depthes I have cryed to thee O Lord Lord heare my cry Let thine eares be intent to the voyce of my petition If thou shalt observe iniquities O Lord Lord who shall sustayne it Because with thee there is propitiation and for thy law I have expected thee O Lord. My soule hath expected in his word my soule hath hoped in our Lord. From the morning watch even until night let Israel hope in our Lord. Because with our Lord there is mercy and with him plentifull redemption And he shall redeeme Israel from all his iniquities Glory be to the Father c. Psalem 142. LOrd heare my prayer with thine eares receive my petition in thy truth heare me in thy justice And enter not into judgment with thy servant because no man living shall be justifi'd in thy sight Because the enemie hath persecuted my soule he hath humbled my life in the Earth He hath set me in obscure places as the dead of the world and my spirit is in anguish upon me with in me my hart is troubled I was mindfull of old dayes I have meditated in all thy workes in the facts of thy hands did I meditate I have stretched forth my hand to thee my soule is as earth without water unto thee Heare me quickly O Lord my spirit hath fainted Turne not away thy face from me and I shall be like to them that descend into the lake Make me heare thy mercy in the morning because I have hoped in thee Make the way knowne to me wherein I may walke because I have lifted up my soule to thee Deliver me from mine enemies O Lord to thee I have fled teach me to doe thy will because thou art my God Thy good spirit will conduct me into the right way for thy names sake O Lord thou wilt quicken me in thy equity Thou wilst bring forth my soule out of tribulation and in thy mercy thou wilst destroy mine enemies And thou wilst destroy all that afflict my soule because I am thy servant Glory be to the Father c. The Antiphone Remenber not O Lord our or our Parents offences Neither take
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
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
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
without prayer be able to bring fourth the fruit of true vertue and piety The necessity of this holy vertue of prayer is such as our divine Redeemer tells us that it behoveth alvayes to pray Luke 18.1 1. Thess 5. and not to be weary Yea without intermission pray saith S. Paul which is not to be understood by continuall vocall prayer for that is impossible but that with a pure intention we alwayes praise God and direct all our actions to his glory whatsoever we doe Finally to pray fruitfully and as it may be most gratefull to God we must consider with whom we treate and who we are that treate with him and greatly to humble our selves thereat with feare Secondly consider that he is our Creator our Redeemer and our judge Now as he is our God adore him as he is infinitly good and bountifull love him as he is just feare him in regard of his benefits blesse and be thankfull to him And lastly as our Father let us recurr to him for all our necessities with much hope and humble confidence in all our wants and necessities Before prayer â—les 18 prepare thy soule and be not as a Man that tempteth God A prayer to the most sacred and Blessed Trinity OEternall Father by all Creatures to be adored I a most wretched sinner doe offer unto thee for my innumerable offences and for the sins of all the world the bitter death and passion of thy divine sonne our mercifull Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I offer to thee his labours his fastings all his toylsome wearisomnesse his watchings his prayers his teares his humility his patience and his charity I offer to thee his suffered contumelies his paines his stripes and dolorous wounds I offer all the dropps of his most precious blood I offer also here the merits of his ever imaculate and pure Virgin-Mother and of all the holy Saints in Heaven O blessed Jesus my loving Saviour I render thee most humble thankes for thy innumerable benefits bestowed on me though most unworthey For thy miraculous incarnation and chastly pure Byrth for thy holy life and conversation for thy most ignominious death and passion Make me I beseech thee partaker of thy sacred merits and vouchsafe that by the imitation of thy vertues I may be found a living branch in thee who art the true vine of everlasting life O Holy Ghost my comforter I commende to thee my soule and body the beginning and ending of my life grant me grace and true repentance for all my sins wherby and by thy infinit mercy to be purifi'd from them all before I depart from my mortall body To thee O Lord I wholy commit my soule and body my life and death my tyme and my Eternity defend and keepe me thy unworthey servant from all evill illuminate my understanding guide my will strengthen my spirit against pusillanimity and keepe in me an humble hart that it fall not into pride or presumption give me true faith firme hope with sincere and perfect charity that I may wholy delight in thee that with my whole hart and soule I may love thee and every way fulfill thy most blessed will and pleasure O holy and blessed Trinity God omnipotent to thee I most humbly commende all my affaires both Spirituall and corporall I commend unto thee my benefactors my kindred friends and enemies and all for whome I ought to pray or who have desired me to pray for them I commend unto thee the whole Catholick Church renewe in it I beseech thee purity of life Nourish and keepe amongst the true members therof mutuall charity that with their whole harts and soules they may love thee Such as doe erre call backe to the way of truth extinguish all heresics confort and releeve all troubled minds and consciences as also such as are oppressed either with internall temptations or corporall calamities Amen A devout forme of thankes giving with an humble craving of all requisite vertues BE mercifull unto me O God according to they great mercy and according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out all my offences I a most wretched sinner doe hartely desire in all humility to adove and worship thee to render unto thee immortall praise and tankes-giving for all thy blessings especially for that unspeakable charity wherin thou didst send downe thy only begotten sonne into this vale of teares for the worke of our redemption O mercifull Father I the least of all thy servants doe magnify and praise thy ever glorious name for his holy Incarnation and Nativity for his pouerty and familiar conversation for his heavenly doctrine and miracles for his death and Passion for his Resurrection and Ascention I yeald unto thee all possible thanks for that divine mystery of his precious body and blood in the venetable Sacrament of the Eucharist wherewith we are spiritually and strongly nourished we are cleansed and sanctifi'd and our soules made partakers of all heavenly grace and benedictions I give thee harty thanks that me a handfull of dust of no value thou hast vouchsafed first to wash with the laver of baptisine to remission of my original sin and after convenient tyme thou brought me by the light of thy holy grace to the profession of the only true saving faith I humbly thanke thee that from my cradle thou hast nourisht cloathed and cherished me supplying all things necessary for the reliefe and maintenance of this my present life I evermore extoll and magnify thy holy name that in great mercy thou hast hitherto spared me albeit from my youth I have wantonly ryoted in manifould excesses thou patiently expecting till by thy grace I might be awaked from the sleepe of sin and reclaimed from my vanities and wicked life For hadst thou dealt with me according to my demerits my soule long ere this oppressed with innumerable sins had been plunged into the bottomelesse gulfe of Hell In respect of all which thy mercies graces and blessings I desire that my hart may be enlarged to render thee a more ample tribute of praise and thankes-giving then hitherto I have done And now for those things wherof I stand in need and most desire to obtayne at thy hands First O my God never leave me I beseech thee unto my selfe but let the bit of thy chast feare be ever in my jawes to curbe and keepe me within the compase of thy obedience that I may dread nothing so much as in the least sort to offend and displease thee for which cause let thy holy love so temper all tryals and temptations which happen unto me that I may profit by them Thou my Creator knowest how fraile I am and that my strength of my felfe is nothing Moreouer O heavenly Father even for the venerable and profound humility of thine only sonne Jesus I beseech thee that thou wouldst keepe farr from thy servant all pride and hautinesse of mind all selfe-love and vaine glory all obstinacy and disobedience all craft and hurtfull
dissimulation that I may cast downe and tread under my feet the Spirit of gluttony and lechery the spirit of slouth and dulnesse the spirit of malice and enuy the spirit of hatred and disdayne that I may never dispise nor contemne any of thy creatures nor preferre my selfe before others but ever little in my owne eyes think the best of others and deeme and judge the worst of my selfe Invest me holy Father with the wedding garment of thy beloved sonne the supernaturall vertue of heavenly charity that I may love thee my Lord God with all my hart with all my soule and with all my strength that neither life nor death prosperity nor adversity nor any thing else may separate me from thy love Grant that all inordinate affection to the transitory things of this world may daily decay and dye in me that thou alone maist be tastfull pleasant and savoury to my soule O most gracious God give unto thy servant an humble contrite and obedient hart and understanding alwayes occupied in honest vertuous cogitations a will tractable and ever prone to the better affections alwayes calme and moderate a watchfull custody of my senses that by those windowes no sin may enter into my soule a perfect government of my tongue that no corrupt or unseemely language may proceed from my lipps that I may not busy my selfe in the faults and imperfections of others but rather attend to the amending of my owne And finally so long as I am detayned in this prison of my body and exiled from my heavenly country let this be my portion and the comfort of my banishement that free from all immoderate wordly cares and pensive sollicitude of this present life wholy devoted to thy service I may attend only to thee I may cleave unto thee I may rest my soule in thee and sitting in silence I may give way and entertainement to thy heavenly doctrine to the good motions and inspirations of thy holy spirit In these sweet exercicises let me passe the solitary houres of my teadious pilgrimage with patience expecting the shutting up of my dayes and a happy end of this my miserable life And grant O thou lover of mankind my lord and my God that when this my carthly tabernacle shall be dissolved being found free from all pollution of sin as after baptisme I may be numbered amongst those blessed soules who through the merits and passion of thy deare sonne are held worthey to raigne with thee and to enjoy the glorious presence of the blessed Trinity Father Sonne and holy Ghost to whome by all creatures in Heaven and Earth be rendred praise and thankes-giving world without end Amen A prayer to the blessed Virgin as also to the holy Saints and Angels O Blessed Virgin mother of my divine Redeemer have pitty on me a most wretched sinner I devoutly salute and honour thee O glorious Queene of heaven and powerfull advocate of all distressed soules obtayne for me I beseech thee of thy deare sonne Jesus the remission of all my great offences obtayne for me perfect charity and profound humility true mortificatiō and forsaking of my selfe obtayne for me constant patience refrayning and temperance of my tongue and senses obtayne for me purity simplicity and sincerity of mind and that I may be one according to the harts desire of thy divine sonne my loving Saviour All haile O immaculate Virgin of whom Christ Jesus the brightnesse of his Fathers glory would be borne and whome with thy precious milke thou didst feed and nourish O blessed mother of true compassion assist my weakenesse in all my temptations and necessities in all my perils of sin and in the houre of my death that by thy powerfull intercession I may be protected against the dangerous assaults of my ghostly enemies and obtayne the needfull help to dye in the happy perseverance of Gods holy grace O ye Angelical blessed spirits pray for me and thou especially my holy Angel the faithfull keeper of my soule and body have thou faithfull care over me O all ye holy faints of God who have passed over the troubles and vexations of this exile and attayned most happily the secure resting port of your celestial beatitude I most humbly crave your protection help me with your powerfull intercession both now and in the houre of my death Amen An other prayer to the B. Virgin REmember O most pious Virgin Marie Mother of all consolation never yet was it kowne that any who in tribulation made their recourse for succour by the happy assistance of thy gratefull prayers and powerfull credit with thy deare sonne Jesus was ever refused or forsaken by thee Wherefore in this assured and humble confidence I a most sinfull soule make my recourse unto thee O mother of true pitty with sighs and repentant teares from a devoted hart I doe earnestly cry and humbly crave thy help Refuse not therfore with wonted compassion to behould my weeping hart and to give eare to my instant cry that by thy celestial favour I may be forgiven by thy divine sonne Jesus my mercifull and only Redeemer Amen An other prayer to the same O Glorious and incomparable Virgin most truly mother of God and Queene both of heaven and Earth although thy glory exceeds without comparison what honour soever we are able to render thee yet that excellency which most excells in thee consists in true conformity unto the will of God who is thy Father thy spouse and thy only dearest sonne from whence it proceeds that nothing is refused thee for thou demandest nothing but what is pleasing unto him whom nothing can resist Be pleased therfore O Mother of pitty and after God my only hope to make powerfull intercession for me for my friends kindred benefactors and enemies and for all sinners whatsoever to the end that we may behould thee in that celestiall habitation there with thee to praise and glorify the most sacred Trinity for all Eternity Amen An other prayer to the same O Glorious Virgin Mother of God most pleasing temple of the Divinity the sacred vestry wherin the second person of the blessed Trinity was invested by the holy Ghost with our humanity the gate of Heaven and my second hope I beseech thee O glorious Virgin that in thankes-giving for the love which God hath sheud to thee as to his Mother daughter and beloved spouse thou wilst vouchsafe to take me this day and for the whole course of my life into thy singular protection procure that my actions words and intentions be alwayes pleasing to thy divine sonne Jesus that I may live to him and dye for him Amen A prayer to the Holy Ghost O holy Ghost our heavenly comforter we humbly beseech thee by that straite union or much rather unity which is betwixt thee and the two other divine persons unite so happily by thy celestial help my will in all things most perfectly unto thine that by this happy subordination I may obtayne that blessed end for
which I was created and be therby united with thee here by grace and by glory in Eternity Amen A prayer before the B. Sacrament or before Communion I Adore thee O true bread of Angels the God of life the eternal Fathers spendor and Heavens beauty Behould one here present before thee full both of feare and confidence I approach by thy command in true simplicity of hart and firme beleefe truly confessing that thou art both God and Man here present in this most holy sacrament to which I approach O lord as an infirme to the phisition of life as one defiled to the fountaine of mercy as one blind unto eternal light and as in great want and needs to the Monarch of heaven and earth O my hope my only health my glory and all my content vouchsafe to rejoyce the hart of thy poore servant which burnes with desire to receive thee into my poore and unworthey habitation yet please to blisse it as thou didst that of little Zachee Alas my Lord it is most unworthy as being so very uncleane yet thou comming for the salvation of sinners into this world disdaynedst not to be borne in a stable amongst brute beasts vouch safe now likewise I beseech thee and for my salvation sake dispise not the uncleane manger of my soule full of brutall and vnbridled passions returne once more to foule leapers and converse againe with Publicans as thou didst in this world or rather O my omnipotent God descend once more into Hell for so alas I ought to call my darke my miserable and tormented soule But seeing that such is thy mercy as whersoever thou vouchsafest to enter thou never failest there to leave markes of thy grace and much benediction I confide my loving Lord that thou wilst doe the like to me Enter therfore vnder this my poore roofe and render it worthy of thy presence purge it of all impurities discipate the obscurity of its darkenesse replenish it with thy divine light and adorne it with the guifts of the holy Ghost Thou knowst well deare Lord my want as one poore and naked before thee much press'd with great hungar and misery but thou being the bread of life comfort my sighing sobbs dismisse me not fasting from thy delicious table least I faint in this my pilgrimage but rather graunt that fortifi'd by thee I may with holy Elias arrive to the mountaine of eternal felicity I most humbly beseech thee my mercifull and clement God and by this thy incomparable charity wherof thou givest so great a testimony by thy loving institution of this most blessed Sacrament I beseech thee to grant me grace to receive it with true contrition and sorrow for all my sins with feare and due reverence with devotion and faith fervour love and convenient purity to so sublime a mystery and grant also I beseech thee that I may receive not only the Sacrament of this thy precious body but therewithal the grace and vertue of the Sacrament for the supporting my weakenesse for the healing my infirmities for the confirming my hope for the suppressing my passions for the fortifying my faith for the inflaming my love to enlighten my understanding to be my companie in banishment and spirituall nourishment to my soule and finally to the end that by the help of this celestiall food of my soule I may be united transformed and made all one in will and desire with thee who livest and raignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever Amen A prayer to obtayne a fervent love towards God our neighbour and our enemies O Mercifull and divine Redeemer Jesus who hast washt us with thy precious blood and given thy selfe to death for us thou hast been reputed with the wicked and most cruelly wounded for our iniquities breused and abused for our offences and by thy stripes hast made us whole I beseech thee O Lord for this thy ineffable mercy and charity to powre into my hart the unquenchable heate of thy heavenly grace so that the fire of thy charity may perpetually burne and worke within me and that there may alwayes grow in me such a continuall chast and nover failing affection of pitty benevolence and piety as extendeth it self to all creatures through the love and contemplation of thee Fill O Lord I beseech thee my soule my senses and desires with fervent and perpetuall charity that in all things and above all I may most hartely love thee and that according to thy good will and pleasure I may love my neighbour in thee and for thee Grant me grace I humbly beseech thee that with all my hart I may to thy glory love search and advance the salvation profit and commodity of every one Grant me O Lord to love mine enemies with sincerity both in word and truth take from me all bitternesse of mind wrath anger disdayne envie and whatsoever is against or contrary to pure and sincere charity so that in all sincere simplicity of hart I may have a good opinion of all may judge no Man rashly but love every one in thee with holy and harty affection and that I may shew them both in words and workes all sweetnesse all clemency and true love A prayer that we may receive the B. Sacrament before our death O Almighty and most merciful Lord I praise and give thee most humble thankes for having so graciously made me severall tymes partaker of that divinly great mistery of thy holy Sacrament and therby to be fortifi'd and greatly comforted with thy blessed presence O heavenly Father let every tongue blesse thee let every creature laud thee for this souveraine guift of thy divine bounty for which with them I also offer and present to thee my God all the praises of the Angels and of all the Elect which alreadie doe or ever shall enjoy thee in Eternity And I beseech the Ordeare Jesu the gracious Redeemer of my soule that at the houre of my death thou wilst vouchsafe to visit me with this thy gracious presence in this most blessed Sacrament and by thy grance prepare my soule I beseech thee by a faithfull and contrite confession wherby to make it a pleasing habitation for thee true God and Man my loving Saviour Forgive my former many trespasses by the sacred merits of thy bitter death and passion and that I may end this my mortall life in the finall perseverance of thy grace O God omnipotent have mercy on me for the love of thy deare sonne Jesus the life of all that shall be saved O Jesu equal God with the Father and the holy Ghost conserve and keepe me in thy grace suffer me not to be drawne from thee through any subtile persuasion of my ghostly enemy O Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne the comforter of the elect and inspirer of all good guifts replenish my hart with all charitable desires and heavenly inspirations necessary for my salvation Grant this O holy Trinity for the bitter
passion of our divine Redeemer Jesus and by the merits and intercession of the glorious Virgin Mary and of all the blessed Saints and Angels Amen A prayer to demand heavenly vertues and good life GRant vnto me O mercifull God ardently to desire such things as are pleasing unto thee prudently to accomplish them to the praise and glory of thy namne Grant me O Lord my God that I taâ—le not betwixt prosperity and adversity that in the former I be not too much puffed up nor in the latter too much dejected that I may joy or sorrow at nothing but at what leadeth unto thee or draweth away from thee that I covet to please none nor feare to displease any but only thee Let all transitory things O Lord become vile unto me and let all that is pleasing to thee be for thy sake most deare into me Let that joy be but teadious to me which is without thee and let me desire nothing out of thee Let that labour delight me O Lord which is for thee and let all ease be unpleasing to me which is without thee Make me O Lord obedient without contradiction poore without murmuring chast without corruption patient without repining humble without basenesse merry without dissolution sad without dejection quick without levity fearefull without despaire true without presumption to correct with discretion to edify without dissimulation Grant me O Lord my God an understanding knowing thee a diligence seeking thee a wisdome that may finde thee out a conversation pleasing to thee a perseverance faithfully expecting thee and a confidence finally embracing thee to be pearced with thy paines through penance to make use of thy benefits to thy glory and my owne souls good and at length by thy grace to enjoy thy glory there to praise and magnify thee for ever and ever Amen A prayer of praise of thankesgiving and of magnifying God ALmighty and most mercifull Father unto thee all the heavenly company of the celestial citty doe incessanty with due reverence sing continually glory and everlasting praise Thee O Lord al Saints and holy soules doe laud and magnify with condigne honour and as to whom all praise and glory is most due nor is there any creature that can sufficiently according to thy worthlinesse give sufficient praise to thee For thou art that unspeakable incomprehensible and everlasting goodnesse Thou O Lord hast made me and by the merits of the bitter passion of thy most blessed sonne which he vouchsafed to suffer for mans salvation restored me to grace and favour To thee only is due all laud and honour O souveraine Lord I miserable wretch a creature of thy making a silly worme of the earth have a good will to praise and magnify thee with all my hart and soule but without thy speciall grace I am but faint and wonderfull weak Wherfore I come to thee my God my life my strength my hope and only comfort to crave thy mercy and grace to give me power to praise and honour thee and that all I doe may be pleasing and acceptable unto thee Grant me the light of thy grace that my mouth may speake and my hart studie thy glory and my tongue may only be employd in the song of land and praise to thee But because all praise in a sinners mouth is base and vile and that I manifouldly have offended with my lips thou therfore cleanse ô divine Jesu my hart from the foule silth of sin sanctify me most powerfull Lord and Saviour and make me worthy to magnify thee Let thy divine sweetnesse wholy possesse my mind and feed my soule with the delight of relestiall cogitations Separate it O Lord from the love of all visible things and incline it to the studie and meditation of invisible O Almighty God inspire thou my hart that I may continually give thankes and honour unto thee Grant me grace that in this pilgrimage and vale of misery I may so praise thee that through thy grace and mercy I may be associated to their blessed Fellowship who see thee everlastingly and singe praises to thee world without end Amen A prayer of thankes-giving and of craving divine favour O Most mercifull Lord Jesus in remembrance of thy blessed Jncarnation death passion wounds sorrowes griefes teares and drops of thy most precious blood and in remembrance of thy infinit love to Man and in the union of that oblation and holy sacrifice by which thou didst offer thy selfe on the Altar of the Crosse I doe offer my selfe to thy praise and glory humbly beseeching thee to give to the living grace to the deceased mercy and rest and to us all the true spirit of repentance and life everlasting And I commend unto thee O Lord my souleand body most humbly beseeching thee to have mercy on me and upon all those for whom either by nature friendship or by gratitude I am bound to pray and in particular for N. N. c. I most humbly render to thee due thankes O my Lord God and mercifull Father for that thou didst vouchsafe to send thy only deare soune Jesus into this world to dye for Man the reproachfull death of the Crosse to the end that he might offer himselfe to thee a most pure holy and acceptable sacrifice of our sins and purge therby our conscience fro all its foule staynes of impiety By this thy excessive and infinit love and by those most cruell torments of thy owne sonne our Saviour we most humbly beseech thee to preserve in us continually those divine fruits of our Redemption and make us also daily to die with him to the world and to be crucifid to the lusts and desires of the flesh and to live to thee only all our life so that finally we may raigne with him eternally where thou with the Holy Gost livest one true and eternal God for ever and ever Amen A prayer to all the Saints ALI haile yee holy and most glorious Saints of God who now have past the dangerous sea of this mortality and have attaind to the secure haven of everlasting rest and security and deserved to be made now fellowes and partakers of the heavenly joyes being now without care for your selves be yee carefull for us Whouchsafe to be our advocats and governours Pray unto God for us that by your intercession and merits we may in this life obtayne grace and at the houre of death our soules departing in the happy state of grace may arrive at the safe port of eternall glory where you with the glorious Trinity doe raigne world without end Amen A prayer to all the Angels Al haile yee blessed Angelical spirits who with celestial melody doe praise and glorify our omnipotent Lord and in his glorious presence doe continually rejoyce have compassion on me a poore wretch And tho especially O holy Angel the keeper and guardien of my soule and body unto whom by Gods special commandement I am committed I beseech thee to discharge that office towards me with
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
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
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
each of them pronounce the holy names of Jesus and Marie and then having repeted these last words of our Saviour Into thy hands O Lord I commend my spirit We may expire in the sacred wound of the side of sweet Jesus and chusing that for our toumbe we may hide our selves in his divine hart Then after a little recollection we may say the prayers which are to be rehears'd after death Subvenite SUecour spedily o yee Saintes of God c. The rest of these prayers are plac'd at the end of the Recommendations of the soule After this exercise we ought to consider our selves as dead to the world and our selves In consequence wherof we ought often to say with S. Paul I live new no more J but Iesus Christ lives in me my life is hidden with Jesus Christ in God The recommendation of the soule which ought to begin with the little Litanies and the following prayers are to be said during the agony LOrd have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Holy Marie pray for him All yee holy Angels and Archangels pray for Holy Abel pray for All yee quires of the just pray ye Holy Abraham S. John Baptist S. Peter S. Paul pray S. Andrew S. John Al yee holy Apostles and Evangelists Al yee holy Disciples of our Lord. Al yee holy Innocents S. Steven S. Laurence pray Al yee holy Martyrs pray ye S. Silvester S. Gregory pray S. Augustin Al yee holy Bishops and Confessors pray ye S. Benet S. Francis pray All yee holy Monkes and Heremits pray ye S. Mary Magdalen S Lucy pray All yee holy Virgins and Widowes pray ye All ye Saintes of God Intercede for us O Lord be favorable to him and pardon him his sins O Lord be gracious to him and deliver him From thy wrath O Lord deliver him From the danger of death O Lord deliver him From the paines of Hel. O Lord deliver him From the power of the devil O Lord deliver him By thy holy Nativity O Lord deliver him By thy Crosse and Passion O Lord deliver him By thy death and burial O Lord deliver him By thy glorious Resurrection O Lord deliver him By thy admirable Ascention O Lord deliver him By the grace of the holy Ghost our souveraine Comforter O Lord deliver him In the day of judgment O Lord deliver him O Lord we miscrable sinners pray thee to heare us That thou maist spare him O Lord heare us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us The Prayers Proficiscere anima Christiana GOe fourth of this world O Christian soule in the name of the Father almighty who created thee in the name of his son̄e Jesus Ch. who redeemed thee in the name of the holy Ghost who infus'd himselfe into thee in the name of the holy Angels and Archangels in the names of the Thrones and Dominations in the names of the Principalites and Powers in the name of the Cherubins and Seraphins in the name of the Patriarches and Prophets in the name of the holy Apostles and Evangelists in the name of the holy Martyrs and Confessors in the name of the holy Monkes and Herimits in the name of the holy Virgins and of all Gods Saintes let thy dwelling be this day in peace and thy habitation in holy Syon by the Merits of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen Deus misericors Deus clemens O God of mercy and clemency who according to the multitude of thy mercies forgettest the sins of such as are penitent and by pardon abolishest the guilt of their past crymes looke graciously upon thy servant N. who with a sincere confession of his hart implores remission of all his sins and mercifully heare him Repaire in him o most indulgent Fasher whatsoever is corrupted by earthly fraitly or ruind by the malice of the devil and unite this member of thy Redemption to the body of thy Church Let his sighes O Lord moove thee to pitty let his teares excite thee to compassion and receive him into the favour of thy reconciliation who confides in nothing but thy pure mercy through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen Commendo te I Commend thee deare brother to God almighty and remitt thee into the hands of him whose creature thou art to the end that when by death thou shalt have payd the debt of humane nature thou maist returne to thy Creator who form'd thee of the slyme of the earth Let the splendid quires of Angels come fourth to receive thee let the maiestical senat of the Apostles meete thee let the tryumphant Host of Martyrs accompany thee Let the glorious assembly of bright Confessors encompasse thee let the shining troupe of reioycing Virgins congratulate thee Let the embraces of a happy repose transport thee into the bosome of the Patriaches let the mild and gracious countenance of sweet Jesus appeare to thee and ordayne thee place amongst those who never cease to serve him Maist thou never know the horror of Hell the tortures of its flames nor the cruelty of its eternal torments let not wicked Sathan with his hydeous band presume to touch thee let him tremble to see thee arrive in company of the Blessed Angels and let him fly into the dreadfull confusion of eternall darknesse let God arise and let his enemies be scattered let those who hate him fly before him let them vanish like smoake and as wax melts before the fire so let sinners perish before the face of God and let the iust feast and reioyce in his sight let then all the infernall legions blush and be confounded and let not the ministers of Sathan dare to hinder thy passage let Christ who was orncifi'd for thee deliver thee from torments let Christ who vouchsafed to dye for thee save thee from eternal death let Christ the sonne of the living God place thee in the florishing pleasures of his paradise and let that true Pastor acknowledge thee for one of his flock and having absolud thee from all thy sins let him fett the at his right hand amongst his elect Maist thou see thy Redeemer face to face and being alwayes present before him lett thy happy eyes behold the manifest truth and having finally received thy place amongst the troupes of the blessed spirits mayst thou enjoy the sweetnesse of divine contemplation world without end Amen Suscipe Domine O Lord receive thy servant into that happy place where he hopes for salvation from thy mercy Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant from all the dangers of Hell from the snares of torments and all paines and sufferings Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered Enoch and Elias from the ordinary death of Men Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered Noe from the floud Amen O Lord deliver the soule of thy servant as thou hast delivered Abraham from the Chaldeans Amen O Lord deliver the soule of