thee these few vvordes for the helpe of thy Soule whome God of his endles mercie gouerne to his good pleasure and thy saluation Amen Verie Deuout and Godlye Prayers on the Passion of Christ Gre. Mag. O Lord Iesus Christ I adore worship thee hanging on the Crosse bearing on thy head a Crown of Thorne I pray thee that thy holie Crosse and death be my defence and sheeld and I beseche thee deliuer me from the Angel smiting Amen Pater noster Aue Maria. O Lord Iesus Christ I adore and worship thee vvounded vpon the Crosse and there drinking Gaul and Eisel I require thee that thy vvoundes may euer be comfort to my Soule and remission of my sinnes Amen Pater noster Aue Maria. O Lord Iesus Christ I honour thee for those moste bitter paines vvhich on the Crosse thou didst suffer forme specially in that howre vvhen thy most holye Soule departed from thy blessed bodie I beseche thee haue mercie on my Soule vvhen it shal departe out of my bodye and bring it to euerlasting blisse and Ioye in Heauen Amen Pater Aue O Lord Iesus Christ I adore worship thee layde in the Sepulcher anoynted vvith Mirre and Inscence I beseche thee that thy deathe may be my lyfe and lighte Euerlasting Amen Pater Aue. O Lord Iesus Christ I adore worship thee descending into Hel and from thence deliuering those that vvere Captiue I beseche thee that thou suffer not me thither to descend Amen P. Aue. O Lord Iesus Christ I adore worship thee Rising from death Ascending into Heauen and sitting at the right hand of thy Father I beseche thee that thither I may folovv thee and that I may deserue to be presented before thee Amen P. A. O Lord Iesus Christ the good Shepheard cōserue and keepe the Iuste Iustifie the Sinner haue pitie vpon al faithful People be merciful to me a greeuous Sinner Amen Pater Aue. Credo I Beseche thee o Lord Iesus Christ that thy Deathe be my Lyfe and strength vvith the vvhich I may be Armed protected and directed Thy Woundes be vnto me continual foode vvherwith I may be refreshed and delighted The Shedding of thy moste precious blood be the washing away of all my sinns Thy passion and Resurrection be vnto me Eternal Life and Glory In these thinges be all my delihgt and desire my refection and reioycing my health and strength my Ioye and studdies and the whole desire of my hart minde and body now and euer Amen Reasons inducing vs to be gratful vnto God for his Benefites HOw much vve are bound continually to laude and praise God cheifly for his goodnes in him selfe and also to be thankful to him for his B. Benefites we may learne of the holy Prophet Dauid which in that respect said the praise of God vvas in his mouth For vve ought vvithout cessing as S. Bernard saith to geue thanks vnto him vvhich neuer ceasseth to bestow his benefites vpon vs. And how dangerous it is to be ingratful it apeareth vvel in one of the holy Fathers saying that there is nothing vvhich so much prouoketh the indignation of God against vs as ingratitude Therfore seing vve vvere created to serue God Let vs begin to learne here in Earth as S. Bernard coūsaileth vs praises vve shal yeld to him in heauen A Moste Godly and Deuoute prayse and Thankes-geuing to God for his blessed Benefites Spiritual and Corporal Of al true Christians daily to be vsed O Moste holy B. glorious and Indeuided Trinitie the Father the Sonne and Holye Gstost Three Persons and one Almightie God my Lord and God my maker and redeemer my norisher my defender my sweetnes my mercy my refuge my strength my victorye my Sauiour my Ioy and glory Eternal I Laude thee I glorifie thee I honor and worship thee O Blessed Trinitie for that thou art in thy selfe for thou art the highest God from whom floweth al goodnes Thou art gracious Eternity thou art eternall Felicitie thou art the depth of all Wisdome and Sapience Thou art only God and ther is none without thee I Laude and honor thee o B. Trinitie that mightilye haste made of nothing Heauen and Earth Sunne and Moone and al other creaturs and for that thou conseruest and gouernest al things in this Worlde All worship Laude glory and thanks be euer geuen to thee for al thy works and of al thy creaturs now and euer Amen Also I Laude thanke and praise thee for that it pleased thee to make the ix glorious Orders of Angels to laud honor thee eternally and some of them to asist vs faithfully in this exile and vale of misary with houable necessary councels and helpings and also to declare thine Ineffable goodnes And thou madest al these thinges for man But man thou madest with thy proper hands to thin owne glorious Image and liknes Thou formed in him Vnderstanding and adorned enabled him with free wil. I Laude and glorify thee for that great gifte in that thou set him in Paradise flowing with delights that he might haue high things in fruition inferior things in gouernment and to possest al things to thine honour and to worship Laude and praise thee euerlastingly Yet thou made not thes noble creaturs Angel and man for any necessity thou had to thē for truly al things were sufficient in thee to thine eternal glory But of the feruor of charity thou wast moued to create them that such noble creatures should be pertakers of thine inexpressable Ioye and glorye Thankes geuing to God for our Creation and other benefites spiritual and corporal ANd furthermore I Laude honour and worship thee O Lord for that it hath pleased thee among al thy B. workes to make me a reasonnable man For gracious Lord thou mightest if it had pleased thee haue made me a clod of earth a stone a mine of metal or any such dead creature Or else good Lord thou mightest haue made me an hearbe a plante or a tree bringing forth blossons and fruit which hath life vegetiue to fructify Or yet a more worthy creature then any of these as a beast bird or fishe hauing sence feeling and local mouing But thou o Lord hast made me none of al these creatures but to my vse health and helpe hast thou made them al to be my subiectes and I to be their Soueraigne And to me whom thou hast made a creature reasonable thou hast geuen power Wisdome Reason Vnderstāding and free will and hast formed me with al my right līms and featur of body and thou o Lord hast bestowed on me the perfection of al the forsaid creatures hauing geuen me being with stons and metales life with Trees and hearbes Sence feling moueing with beastes and Vnderstanding with Angels Hauing also indued me with many other good giftes spirituall and Corporall As the giftes of grace giftes of nature and the gifts of Fortune The giftes of Grace as Memory Vnderstanding and wil Minde Reason Imagination and
A BREEFE COLLECTION CONCERNING THE LOVE of God tovvards Mankinde hovv for diuers causes vve are iustlie bounde to loue serue him WITH PREPARATION TO Prayer and certaine necessarie prayers and thankesgeuing to God for his benefites daylie to be vsed Also a deuote Meditation to procure Contrition and excite Deuotion With other vertuous prayers ECCLESIAST 18. Before Prayer prepare thy Soule be not as a man that tempteth God Printed at Doway by LAVRENCE KELLAM at the signe of the holie Lambe 1603. BEing desirerous good Reader to haue published some short Collection of most necessairie praiers but hindred by diuers vrgēt occatiōs I thought good in respect of my duty to God and necessity of the time presēt rather vvith the poore vvidovve to offer vnto him this simple Mite for the increase of his honour in helping of the godly then altogether to geue ouer my purpose And vvheras true vertue cōsisteth principallye in the loue of God vvithout vvhieh our praiers are of no force I haue here prepared a litle Treatise concerning that matter and in vvhat respect vvee are bounde to serue him In vvhich as in a glasse vve may clerelie behold our ingraitude tovvardes so louing a Lord. And because manie rather of custome then true deuotion so rashlie goe about that holie vvoorke of prayer I haue set doūe a preparation thereunto vvith necessarie prayers Meditations and thankesgeuing to be vsed daylie Farevvell A BREFE COLLECTION CONcerning the Loue of God towards Mankinde howe wee are for diuers causes bound to serue loue him THE great and incomprehensible charitye of our Lorde towardes Mankinde maye be cōsidred fower sundrye wayes First in the dignitie of our Creation Secondly in taking our coruptible nature Thirdly in susteining for vs his B. passion And fourthly in his great benefits and bountiful giftes both spiritual corporal which may iustly kindle inflame the hartes of al true Christians to render to him again that which he requireth of vs which is nothing else but a loueing harte a iuste vpright life In the dignitie of our Creation hath he shewed that he loued vs more then any other creature in the world that in two things First in creating making vs acording to his owne Image likenes secondly in constituting vs Lords and Gouerners ouer al his other creatures In taking of our nature he hath also shewed that he loued Mankind better then Angels that in three respectes First in honour because he assumpted our nature not the nature of Angels Secondly in loue in that he repayred Mankinde with his precious bloud not them And thirdly in vision because in heauen we shall possesse more ioye in Contemplation of Christes Humanitie then the Angels in that we shal see our nature vnited to the deuine Nature But in suffring his B. Passion he hath shewed as we may say that he loued vs better then him selfe geuing for our Saluation freely his whole Body life And here marke that in this B. Passion of our Sauiour we may learne fiue notable thinges First it teacheth vs to geue him hartie thanks for the glorious fruite which we haue receiued by the same which gratfulnes is a thing so acceptable vnto-him as S. Aug. saith that nothing maybe more This B. Lambe of God which was conceiued borne without sinne wold thus suffer for vs that by his painful Passion he might pul vs backe from the filthy pleasure of sinne He suffred in all his members that with our mēbers we might willingly serue him Hee offered for vs his precious blood the price of our Redemption that we might offer our bodies with al the force of the same to doe him seruice Secondly it teacheth vs to loue him because aboue all things he loued vs. Thirdly it teacheth vs how much we ought to detest hate sinne for which he susteined such a painful dolorous Passion yea he abhorreth it so much that not withstanding his great desire of our Saluation he condemneth the sinner for one deadly offence to perpetuall payne tormente Fourthly it teacheth vs Fortitude to withstand strongly any aduersity paine or tribulation for the honour loue of him that loued vs so much also for our owne Saluation because tribulation in this world paciently sustained is the ready way to heauen This blessed Passion being called to remēbrāce there is nothing so harde as S. Isidore saith which is not with an equal minde tolle rated Let vs therfore as true Souldiers diligently studye to suffer with him thē no doubte we shall as S. Paule saith be pertakers of his cōsolatiōs Ioyes Fiftly it teacheth vs Humilitie for if Christ which was the Sonne of God abased humbled him selfe so much as to descēd from his glorious Kingdome into this vale of misery to take vppon him oure base Nature suffer such an ignominious death with what face can man lifte vp him selfe in pride contemne so louing a Redeemer This Humility is the ground foundation of all Vertue without that no vertue can be acceptable in the sight of God which caused our Sauior so carefully in his holye Gospell to admonish vs of the same saying Learne of me for I am meke humble in hart And S. Ambrose saith that how much more abiect a man is in this life so much the more he shal be exalted in the world to come Woulde thou haue al vices saith one destroied within thee Learne then to be truely humble To which agreeth S. Agust saying Humilitie is the Quene of vertues the death of vyces the looking glasse of virgins the harboure of the holy Trinitie It is only humilitye saith S. Bernard that exalteth she alone leadeth to life because saith he this is the way ther is none other And therfore S. Gregory saith well that whatsoeuer a man doth is lost if it be not kepte by humility God graunt vs to imbrace this Vertue to imitate that swete Lambe which as S. Bernard saith was borne poore liued poore dyed poore Now touching his bountiful Giftes it driueth me into a mase to remember them First how he hath made vs as is before said to his owne B. Image and likenes geueing vs the noble giftes of Memorye Reason Will hath made the Soule of man so noble that nothing is able to fill or satisfie it but him selfe alone It may well be occupied as S. Bernarde saith vvith all other thinges but filled or satisfied can it not bee He doth inrich vs also vvith his grace doth visite comforte strength vs vvith his good inspirations motions to Vertue And in the end hath prepared such Ioyes for vs as passeth all vnderstanding either of man or Angels And for the giftes corporall they be also such so many as are maruelus to cōsider He hath created for our behoofe the Elements vvith the Sunne to geue vs light by day the Moone to illuminate the night
hovv hastely they draw him forth to heape vpon his tēder bodye more painye and tormentes A Garlande of sharpe thornes they thruste vvith violence on his B. head til the blood ran downe into his eyes nose mouth eares They kneele then downe vvith scornes and rise with reproofes and spitte in his blessed face Se thē how that B. Ladye beateth her brest and vvringeth her hands I trow thou vvilte vveepe for that doleful sighte Looke yet again to thy Lord and see how spitefullie they hale him forth to an high hil there to naile him hand and foote to the Rood Tree See there first how fearsely they pul of his clothes how meekly he goeth then to the Crosse and spreadeth his armes abroad and how with cordes those pitieles Tormentors dravve them forth til his B. senewes Ioyntes al to bruste Then vvith greate boysterous Nayles they make faste to the Crosse his precious handes In the same maner thou may see how greeuosly they drawe his blessed legges and nayle his feete downe to the Tree Se then how they proffer him to drinke bitter galle and isel and knele again before him vvith manie despites Then harken to that good Lord how meekly he taketh his leaue of his gracious Mother and of his deare Apostle betaketh them ether to other as deare Mother and Sonne after vvith a lowd voyce he commendeth his Spirite to his Father in Heauen hanging downe his B. head vpon his breaste Se also how soone after they pearce his harte vvith a Speare in great fury and how bloode and vvater gusheth forth of his B. side Then maiest thou haue ful great pity behoulding that good Ladye how for sorow she shrinketh down in her sisters armes Take heede to the heuy chere of his Apostle S Iohn To the teares of Magdelein and of his other friends I hope among al these thou shalt haue compunction Then is it time to speake for thine owne neede and for al others aliue and dead that trust to thy prayers Caste downe thy bodie to the ground lifte vppe thy harte vvith doliful chere and make thy prayer in maner as foloweth O Lord God Almightie blessed may thou boughtest me thy sufferance is great in me Thou vvouldest not condemne me hauing often times iustly deserued it But thou hast kepte and saued me til I vvould forsake sinne and turne wholy to thee Now Lord with sorowful harte I acknowledge to thy Goodnes that I haue misspente vvithout profite al my vvittes powers and vertues that thou haste geuen me to the helpe of my soule Al the time of my life haue I vvasted in diuers vanities al the līmes of my bodie in sinne and superfluities The grace of my Christendome in pride and other vvretchednes and trulie Lord manie other things haue I loued better then thee and not vvithstanding my great vnkindnes euer thou haste norished me tenderly kepte me Of thy great suffrāce I had ful litle knowledge of thy great rightuosnes I had but litle dreed I tooke no hede to thāke thee for thy great goodnes but in al my life from daye to daye great matter of vvrath haue I heaped vppe through mine owne vvickednes Therfore sweete Lord vvhat I shal say to thee I knovv not But only this vvorde in vvhich I trust God of thy great mercie haue mercie vpō me I acknowledge o Lord al that I haue commeth onlie of thee I knowe wel vvithout thee nothing may be but sinne and vvretchednes vvhich commeth of me Wherfore Lord vvith meke hart I beseche thy goodnes doe not to me as I haue deserued but after thy great mercy send me the grace of the holie Ghost to lighten my hart to comfort my spirite to establish me in the right vvay and to performe thy wil that I may haue perseuerance in that I haue begun and neuer hereafter be seperated from thee by my vnstablenes ne by temptations to my enemie I am vvorthy o Lord to be chastised for my vvicked liuing vvith vvhat rod it pleaseth thee vvelcome be it Pacience good Lord send me gladlie to suffer thy correction comfort me among of thy grace vvhen thy vvil is vvithdraw thy rod take me to thy mercie Ful bitter be the temptations ful greuous to suffer but though they be dreedful I knovv they shal hereafter to my soule be meedful O Lord thou knowest my hart is right feble much is my vnstablenes my knowledg ful litle Therfore good Lord strengthen me establish me and teach me and as thou made and bought me so keepe and defend me Bodie and Soule I commit to thee not as I vvil but as thou wilt Lord so be it And novv good Iesu Gods Sonne that knowest al things helpe me in al vvicked thoughts that I displese thee not in liking or consenting Ful oft I haue offended thee in diuers thoughtes against thy vvil much to my liking therfore it is thy rightuousnes that I be trubled with other thoughts at thy pleasure that be greuos to me But swete Iesus vvhen thy vvil is put them from me and take me to mercie O Lord Iesus Christ Gods Sonne keep my mind that I dilight not in vaine thoughts Iesus Christ Gods Sonne vvhich stood stil before a Iudge nothing to him answering vvith draw my tongue til I consider hovv and vvhat I shal speake that may be to thy vvoorshippe Iesus Christ Gods Sonne vvhose hands vvere bound ful sore for my loue guide gouerne my hands al my other members that my vvorkes may euer beginne to thy vvorship and graciously end to thy moste honoure Arise o Lorde and helpe vs And for thy holie names-sake saue deliuer vs. O Lord Iesus Christ cause me to haue in thy loue a meane vvithout mesure an afection vvithout meane a longing without order a burning desire vvithout ceassing O Lord I beseche thee of mercie also for al thos that doe desire my prayers though I be a most vvretched sinner vnvvorthy to be hard haue regard to their humilitie and deuotion and vvhat they desire to thy vvorship graunt thē for thy goodnes Graunt them and me to al other that I am behoulding to or bound to pray for grace to loue vvhat is moste to thy liking thee to loue aboue al thinges nothing to desire that should thee displese Al temptations mightily to withstand al other vanities o Lord for thy loue to dispise Thee good Lord euer to haue in minde and in thy seruice to abide to our liues ende and if thou graunt vs anie thing to doe that shal be to vs meedful graūt part o Lord to the Soules departed abidig thy mercie in the paynes of Purgatorye Amen In such maner thou maiest pray in the beginning and vvhen thou art entred in deuotion thou shalt percas haue better feeling in praier and holy meditations then I can shew Good brother or sister pray then forme vvrit by the teching of Almighty God haue vvhich