our Spirit we may truly understand his Law and observe his Instructions and Commands Secondly He bids us consider that God would not that his Holy Law should be written and delivered to us in vain but to be as a sure Guide to our Actions Therefore we beg that our Consciences reproach not our Deeds for being uncomfortable to our knowledge Thirdly He shews us how deplorable their condition is who follow other Rules and lead their Lives by other Maximes than what the Law of God prescribes Fourthly The Prophet tells us with what purity we ought to meditate upon the Holy Scriptures which contain the Law of God forbearing either in Thought or Word all sort of Error or Lying that so we may neither deceive nor be deceived Fifthly He minds us of our Frailty and Misery which yet must not discourage us since God Almighties Grace gives us strength and power to perform his Commandments THy testimonies are marvellous therefore hath my soul searched them The declaration of thy words doth illuminate and giveth understanding to little ones I opened my mouth and drew breath because I desired thy Commandments Look upon and have mercy on me according to the judgment of them that love thy Name Direct my steps according to thy Word and let not any injustice have domination over me Redeem me from the calumnies of men that I may keep thy Commandments Illuminate thy face upon thy servant and teach me thy justifications Mine eyes have gushed forth issues of waters because they have not kept thy law Thou art just O Lord and thy judgment is right Thou hast commanded justice thy testimonies and thy verity exceedingly My zeal hath made me to pine away because my enemies have forgotten thy words Thy word is fired exceedingly and thy servant hath loved it I am a young man and contemned I have not forgotten thy justifications Thy justice is justice for ever and thy law is verity Tribulation and distress have found me thy Commandments are my meditation The Royal Prophet in the Tenth Part of this Psalm adviseth us first continually to advance in fervour and piety and how by his example we must thirst after justice Secondly That we must overcome all obstacles that may impede our progress Thirdly That we must consider that as in the beginning of a spiritual course of life we are to enter upon it by the spirit of God so in the progress that we especially beware lest there slide into our hearts any secret motions that may hinder our advancement in piety And as we are to begin courageously so to go on with more vigour not regarding what the Flesh can but what the Spirit will do according to what the Word of God ordains putting all our confidence in his divine assistance Fourthly That the dislike which we ought to have of sinners with drawing themselves from God and consequently from their Salvation in not obeying his Commandments should move us to walk with more vigilance and fervour towards perfection Since not to go forward is to go backwardly Fifthly Since God's decrees are true from the Beginning to all Eternity so if we conform to his will and observe the order of his decrees we shall not fail to make daily advancement in present and for the time to come where the light of our knowledge shall find a new encrease I Have cried in my whole heart hear me O Lord I will seek after thy justifications I have cried to thee save me that I may keep thy Commandments I have prevented in maturity and have cried because I hoped much in thy words Mine eyes have prevented early unto thee that I might meditate thy words Hear my voice according to thy mercy O Lord and according to thy judgment quicken me They that persecute me have approached to iniquity but from thy law they are made far off Thou art nigh O Lord and all thy ways are truth From the beginning I knew of thy testimonies that thou hast founded them for ever See my humiliation and deliver me because I have not forgotten thy law Judge my judgment and redeem me for thy word quicken thou me Salvation is far from sinners because they have not sought after thy justifications Thy mercies are many O Lord according to thy judgment quicken me There are many that persecute me and afflict me I have not declined from thy testimonies I saw the prevaricators and pined away because they kept not thy words See that I have loved thy Commandments O Lord in thy mercy quicken me The beginning of thy words is truth all the judgments of thy justice are for ever In the last part of this Psalm the Royal Prophet tells us their Duties who endeavour to advance in piety First The spirit of the fear of our Lord ought so much to possess them that all other fear must find no place in their hearts Secondly God's holy words ought to be their chief delight as the hatred of sin must be their chief aversion Thirdly They must frequent Prayer with much solicitude especially at hours appointed by the Church Fourthly Their souls must be so tranquil as not to be discomposed with any traverses of this world Fifthly We ought to groan after their salvation Sixthly They must consider God is present in all their actions Seventhly They must have a hearty sorrow for their past sins and give God thanks that he hath freed them from them They ought likewise to consider that God sought them when as yet they sought not him and that he sought them to the end they might seek him in the way of his Commandments They must vigilantly regard all their faults and deeds considering that they are as sheep gone astray if God of his goodness had not sought them himself and relieved them from all the dangers they were in placing them in the security they desire They must place their hopes in him whatever hazards befal them reposing themselves in the faithfulness of his promises and the abundance of his mercy and that in this confidence they behold him as their Chief Director and Eternal Pastor PRinces have persecuted me without cause and my heart hath been afraid of thy words I will rejoyce at thy words as he that findeth many spoils I have hated iniquity and abhorred it but thy law I have loved Seven times in the day I have said praise to thee for the judgments of thy justice There is much peace to them that love thy law and there is no scandal to them I expected thy salvation O Lord and have loved thy Commandments My soul hath kept thy testimonies and hath loved them exceedingly I have kept thy Commandments and thy Testimonies because all thy ways are in thy sight Let my petition approach in thy sight O Lord according to thy word give me understanding Let my request enter in thy sight according to thy word deliver me My lips shall utter an hymn when thou shalt teach me thy justifications My tongue shall
be free not servile Eleventhly We must acknowledge our selves unable to make a voluntary and true offering of our selves if the grace God do not deliver us from our sins which we must pray for from our very hearts O God save me in thy Name and in thy strength judge me O God hear my prayer with thine ears receive the words of my mouth Because strangers have risen up against me and the strong have sought my soul and they have not set God before their eyes For behold God helped me and our Lord is the receiver of my soul Turn away the evils to mine enemies and in thy truth destroy them I will voluntarily sacrifice to thee and will confess to thy Name O Lord because it is good Because thou hast delivered me out of all tribulation and mine eye hath looked down upon mine enemies PSALM 118 or 119. The Royal Prophet teaches us in the first part of this 118th Psalm that mans true felicity consists in living free from sin and in keeping God's law for his love and because he so commands us Secondly He teacheth us that to observe the law of God as we ought we must ask his grace to learn it from our youth Thirdly How that knowing it we must praise his Majesty and beg his grace to observe it with a true heart void of fear or confusion Fourthly That to render us worthy of this grace of perseverance in the obedience of divine law we ought to meditate continually upon it it must be the object of our entertainment and we must have a greater care and pleasure to accomplish it than worldly covetous men have to get and preserve their perishing riches BLessed are the immaculate in the way which walk in the law of our Lord. Blessed are they that search his testimonies that seek after him with all their heart For they that work iniquity have not walked in his ways Thou hast very much commanded thy commandments to be kept Would God my ways might be directed to keep thy justifications Then shall I not be confounded when I shall look throughly in all thy commandments I will confess to the indirection of heart in that I have learned the judgments of thy justice I will keep thy justifications forsake me not wholly Wherein doth a young man correct his way in keeping thy words With my whole heart I have sought after thee repel me not from thy commandments In my heart I have hid thy words that I may not sin to thee Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy justifications In my lips I have pronounced all the judgments of thy mouth I am delighted in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches I will be exercised in thy commandments and I will consider thy ways I will meditate in thy justifications I will not forget thy words In this second part of this 118 or 119 Psalm the Prophet David farther teacheth us the conduct which God is pleased to use to those who with a faithful heart intend the observing his Commandments 1. God brings to their knowledge that this life is but as death that so they may be brought to find out the true life which consists in knowing and loving him 2. He shews them that in this world men are intangled in sin and ignorance to the end to raise them to a desire to be enlightened by his grace 3. God inspires them with a consideration that this life is but a banishment that looking upon themselves as strangers and exiled persons surrounded with ambushes enemies and miseries they may thirst after their true country which is Heaven 4. God exercises the Faithful by persecutions and other traverses that so he may bring them to conform and submit to his will 5. He often permits them to be perplext and disquieted to humble and make them sensible of their own weakness and the want they have of God's continual assistance to the end they make their addresses unto him placing all their hopes in his mercy and not in their own strength 6. God frees them from sin and confirms them in vertue dilates and enlarges their hearts by filling them with his love that they may with exact diligence and fervent perseverance walk in his paths REnder to thy servant quicken me and I shall keep thy words Reveal mine eyes and I shall consider the marvellous things of thy law I am a sojourner in the land hide not thy commandments from me My soul hath coveted to desire thy justifications at all time Thou hast rebuked the proud cursed are they that decline from thy commandments Take from me reproach and contempt because I have sought after thy testimonies For princes sate and they spake against me but thy servant was exercised in thy justifications For both thy testimonies are my meditation and thy justifications my counsel My soul hath cleaved to the pavement quicken me according to thy word I have uttered my ways and thou hast heard me teach me thy justifications Instruct me the way of thy justifications and I shall be exercised in thy marvellous works My soul hath slumbered for tediousness confirm me in thy words Remove from me the way of iniquity and according to thy law have mercy on me I have chosen the way of truth I have not forgotten thy judgments I have cleaved to thy testimonies O Lord do not confound me I ran the way of thy commandments when thou didst dilate my heart CHrist became obedient unto death for us Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. Miserere mei Deus c. as before pag. 6. At the Third Hour Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. In this third part of the 118th or 119th Psalm the Prophet represents unto us the state of a soul which God hath dilated And first he shews us the need we have of an abundant and omnipotent grace to acquit our selves of our obligations 2. That we must stand vigilantly upon our guard lest the tempations arising from covetousness or other exteriour and sensible objects trespass upon our modesty temperance or chastity 3. That with resolution and courage we ought to repel and overcome the reproaches and persecutions of the wicked SEt me a law O Lord the way of thy justifications and I will seek after it always Give me understanding and I will search thy law and I will keep it with my whole heart Conduct me into the path of thy Commandments because I would it Incline my heart into thy testimonies and not into avarice Turn away mine eyes that they may see not vanity in thy way quicken me Establish thy Word to thy servant in thy fear Take away reproach which I have feared because thy judgments are pleasant Behold I have coveted thy Commandments in thy equity quicken me And let thy mercie come upon me Lord thy salvation according to thy Word And I shall answer a word to them that upbraid me because I have hoped in thy words And take not away out
of my mouth the word of truth utterly because I have much hoped in thy judgments And I will keep thy law always for ever and for ever and ever And I walked in largeness because I have sought after thy Commandments And I spake of thy testimonies in the fight of Kings and was not confounded And I meditated in thy commandments which I loved And I have lifted up my hands to thy Commandments which I loved and I was exercised in thy justifications In this fourth part of the 118 or 119 Psalm the Royal Prophet teaches us to renew our spiritual life and first he shews us the chief affliction of the Faithful being in their not enjoying Almighty God yet their hopes thereof is their onely joy and sole comfort in which hope their soul is much elevated towards Heaven that they descend not to take content in earthly pleasures 2. The Prophet shews us how to reject temptations that assault us when we see the wicked prosper and how to behave our selves in persecutions by considering the punishments threatned to the wicked and the reward promised to the just 3. We must raise in our selves a zeal and holy horror against the disorders the wicked commit in this life and beware lest by a vain compliance we partake with them 4. Being truly sensible of our abode here amongst the wicked it will be requisite that we truly and really desire to return into Heaven our proper Country 5. Since to observe Gods Commandments is the way to get securely thither we are to walk with great care and particular circumspection 6. That we may avoid the ambushes and snares which environ us whilst we are in this World we ought to have continual recourse to God by prayer and meditation of his Law by strictly examining our very thoughts by searching into the very bottom of our hearts left blinded with self-love we lose our selves 7. That we apply our selves and converse with good wise and knowing persons in a spiritual life by adhering to our Councils and imitating their prudence and vertue and by partaking in their necessities and sufferings 8. We must beware of too much confidence of our selves but always acknowledge that the good conduct of our life is a gift from Gods mercy BE mindful of thy word to thy servant wherein thou hast given me hope This hath comforted me in my humiliation because thy word hath quickned me The proud did unjustly exceedingly but I declined not from thy Law I have been mindful of thy judgments from everlasting O Lord and was comforted Fainting possessed me because of sinners forsaking thy Law Thy justifications were song by me in the place of thy peregrination I have been mindful in the night of thy name O Lord and have kept thy Law This was done to me because I sought after thy justifications My portion O Lord I say to keep thy Law I besought thy face with all my heart have mercy on me according to thy word I thought upon my ways and converted my feet unto thy testimonies I am prepared and am not troubled to keep thy Commandments The cords of sinners have wrapped me round about and I have not forgotten thy Law At midnight I rose to confess to thee for the judgments of thy justification I am partaker of all that fear thee and that keep thy Commandments The Earth O Lord is full of thy mercy teach me thy justifications In this fifth part of the 118th or 119th Psalm the Faithful who have received the Word of God with a firm faith are taught their obligation to beg of God the gift of knowledge and understanding to apprehend and tast heavenly things with submission to divine truths that understanding which gives them a gust and sense of things belonging to God first to the end they may be able with gladness to bear the afflictions of this World acknowledging they avail to amend our lives Secondly That they may prefer heavenly benefits which God hath promised in his Law before the fading goods of this life Thirdly That they may acknowledge that man was made to be just to preserve peace and unity in a holy conversation which they ought to have with one another to love God above all Creatures to serve him ardently through the whole course of this life humbly adoring the justice of his judgments Fourthly That finding more consent in Gods service than in any worldly pleasures they may in some manner comprehend the consolation and happiness they shall find hereafter by the comfort he offords his servants in their present afflictions Then the Royal Prophet teaching the Faithful that the wicked apprehend not these truths their hearts being besotted in wickedness which draws upon them their damnation he exhorts them to beseech God to purifie their hearts and elevate them above the things of this World and to dispose them to take consent onely in his honour and service and to place their onely joy desires pretentions and repose in him THou hast done bounty with thy servant O Lord according to thy Word Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge because I have believed thy Commandments Before I was humbled I offended therefore I have kept thy Word Thou art good and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications The iniquity of the proud is multiplied upon me but I in all my heart will search thy Commandments Their heart is curded together as milk but I have meditated thy Law It is good for me that thou hast humbled me that I may learn thy justifications The Law of thy mouth is good unto me above thousands of gold and silver Thy hands have made me and formed me give me understanding and I will learn thy Commandments They that fear thee shall see me and shall rejoyce because I have much hoped in thy words I know O Lord that thy judgments are equity and in thy truth thou hast humbled me Let thy mercy be done to comfort me according to thy word unto thy servant Let thy commiserations come to me and I shall live because thy Law is my meditation Let the proud be confounded because they have done unjustly toward me but I will be exercised in thy Commandments Let them be converted to me that fear thee and that know thy testimonies Let my heart be made immaculate in thy justifications that I be not confounded The Church having taught us how necessary Gods grace is for us to accomplish his Commandments that we may enjoy eternal bliss tells us farther that his grace is not given to men but by the merits of Jesus Christ and that to the same end he became man and suffered death for us V. Christ became obedient unto death for us Pater noster c. Miserere mei Deus c. as before pag 6. THE PRAYER Respice quaesumus c. as before pag 130. At the Sixth Hour Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. PSALM 118 or 119. The Prophet David in the sixth part of this
Psalm tells us how unalterable the just are in obeying the Law of God in the midst of persecutions considering the duty all creatures owe to God No brute beast will in the least resist his Creator's commands how much the more then are men obliged to obey him who are made after his own image and called to enjoy eternal bliss with him Secondly in considering how contemptible the goods of this life are and how inestimable those promised by Gods Law All perfections which these earthly goods have are finite and transitory and onely those which God promises his servants are infinite and eternal which alone can render us truly happy MY Soul hath fainted for thy salvation I have much hoped in thy Word My eyes have failed for thy word saying When wilt thou comfort me Because I am made as a bottle in the hoar frost I have not forgotten thy justifications How many are the days of thy servant when wilt thou do judgment on them that persecute me The unjust have told me fables but not as thy Law All thy Commandments are truth they have unjustly persecuted me help me They have well near made an end of me in the Earth but I have not forsaken thy Commandments According to thy mercy quicken me and I shall keep the testimonies of thy mouth For ever Lord thy Word is permanent in Heaven Thy truth in generation and generation thou hast founded the Earth and it is permanent By thy ordinance the day continueth because all things serve thee But that thy Law is my meditation I had then perhaps perished in my humiliation I will not forget thy justifications for ever because in them thou hast quickned me I am thine save me because I have sought out thy justifications Sinners have expected me to destroy me I understood thy testimonies Of all consummation I have seen the end thy Commandment is exceeding large In the seventh part of this 118 or 119 Psalm the Kingly Prophet instructs us that to obtain divine knowledge and wisdom we must earnestly demand it of God and we must restifie an ardent love to him and endeavour to keep his Commandments Secondly He teaches us that this divine wisdom renders us more knowing than our Masters when we love him more than they for our Masters are his Disciples as well as we It is a Master which not onely makes us know good but gives us also the will and power to do it Consequently the Prophet tells us the effect of this divine wisdom It makes us flie and hate sin and to delight in the Law of God By it we put on a firm resolution to keep the Commandments by it we order our lives well and all things relating to our soul and disposing our heart to be upright and sincere we do all things according to Justice and Equity It fortifies us against temptations and persecutions making us prefer the expected rewards for our good works before the vain pleasures and goods of this World HOw have I loved thy law O Lord all the day it is my meditation Above my enemies thou hast made me wise by thy Commandment because it is to me for ever Above all that taught me have I understood because thy testimonies are my meditation Above Ancients have I understood because I have sought thy Commandments I have stayed my feet from all evil way that I may keep thy words I have not declined from thy judgments because thou hast set me a law How sweet are thy words to my jaws more than honey to my mouth By thy Commandments I have understood therefore have I hated all the way of iniquitie Thy Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths I swear and I have determined to keep the judgments of thy justice I am humbled exceedingly O Lord quicken me according to thy Word The voluntaries of my mouth make acceptable O Lord and teach me thy judgements My soul is in my hands always and I have not forgotten thy law Sinners laid a snare for me and I have not erred from thy commandments For inheritance I have purchased thy testimonies for ever because they are the joy of my heart I have inclined my heart to do thy justifications for reward In the Eighth Part of this Psalm the kingly Prophet teaches us that to the end a faithful soul may be made capable of divine wisdom she must divest her self of the maxims of humane prudence and that to preserve it she must be solicitous to avoid sin not so much in detestation of sin as for the content and pleasure she ought to take in just actions She must always endeavour to have a holy fear of losing that grace which has given her sentiments of joy in avoiding sin and by which as yet she hath a fear to be forsaken of God though he inflict not punishments upon her In fine she ought to have a great zeal for the service and glory of God I Have hated the unjust and I have loved thy law Thou art my helper and protector and upon thy word I have much hoped Depart from me ye malignant and I will search the Commandments of my God Receive me according to thy word and I shall live and confound me not of my expectation Help me and I shall be saved and I will always meditate in thy justifications Thou hast despised all that revolt from thy judgments because their cogitation is unjust All the sinners of the earth I have reputed prevaricaterers therefore have I loved thy testimonies Pierce my flesh with thy fear for I am afraid of thy judgments I have done judgment and justice deliver me not to them that calumniate me Receive thy servant unto good let not the proud calumniate me Mine eyes have failed after salvation and for the word of thy justice Do with thy servant according to thy mercy and teach me thy justifications I am thy servant give me understanding that I may know thy testimonies It is time to do O Lord they have dissipated thy law Therefore have I loved thy Commandments above Gold and Topazius Therefore was I directed to all thy Commandments all wicked way have I hated The Church tells us that this Divine Wisdom whereof the Royal Prophet speaks is not given to men by the merits of Christs Passion as no man can be saved but by faith in Jesus Christ V. Christ was made obedient for us even unto death Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. Miserere mei Deus c. as before pag. 6. The PRAYER Respice quaesumus c. as before pag. 130. At the Ninth Hour Pater noster c. Ave Maria c. PSALM 118 or 119. In the Ninth Part of this 118th or 119th Psalm the Holy Prophet teaches us by his example to honour the Law of God with profound Humility telling us that if we love it 't is God's gift He exhorts us to beseech his Majesty not to leave his gifts imperfect but that illuminating
Sufferings this Divine Saviour was to undergo to satisfie the Rigor of the Justice of his Father and that for the Sins of Man wherewith he had loaded himself Then having described his Burial he proposes to us the Prayer he was to offer to his Eternal Father to demand of him his Resurrection not only for himself for being equal with his Father he had no need of Prayers that he might not be left in the Power of Death who alone was free among the Dead and had power to leave his Soul and take her again but for us that he might make us Partners with him of his New Life and give us an Example of perfect Patience and Submission to the Will of God Then he shews us the Advantage we receive by the Resurrection of our Saviour making us acknowledge that our Faith had been fruitless if it had remained in the Sepulcher for then our Sins had not been taken away Death is the Effect of Sin so that if our Saviour had not conquered Death it might have been said he had not triumphed over Sin Ant. Thou hast made my familiars far from me I was delivered and came not forth O Lord the God of my salvation in the day have I cried and in the night before thee Let my prayer enter in thy sight incline thine ear to my petition Because my soul is replenished with evils and my life hath approached to hell I am accounted with them that descend into the lake I am become as a man without help free among the dead As the wounded sleeping in the sepulchers of whom thou art mindful no more and they are cast off from thy hand They have put me in the lower lake in the dark places and in the shadow of death Thy fury is confirmed upon me and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me Thou hast made my familiars far from me they have put me abomination to themselves I was delivered and came not forth mine eyes languished for poverty I cried to thee O Lord all the day I stretched out my hands to thee Wilt thou do merveils to the dead or shall physicians raise to life and they confess to thee Shall any in the sepulcher declare thy mercy and thy truth in perdition Shall thy merveilous works be known in darkness and thy justice in the land of oblivion And I O Lord have cried to thee and in the morning shall my prayer prevent thee Why dost thou O Lord reject my prayer turnest away thy face from me I am poor and in labors from my youth and being exalted humbled and troubled Thy wraths have passed upon me and thy terrors have troubled me They have compassed me as water all the day they compassed me together Thou hast made friend and neighbor far from me and my familiars because of misery Ant. Thou hast made my familiars far from me I was delivered and came not forth PSALM 93. In this Psalm we are taught neither to repine at the Prosperity of the Bad nor to be troubled at the Afflictions of the Just for God being Omnipotent and Sovereignly Good being the Creator and chief Master of all things would suffer no Ill in his Works were he not sufficiently Powerful and Good to extract some Good even from Evil it self He has thought fit that 't is better to draw Good from Bad than not to permit Evil. Wherefore since we can no more doubt of his Power than Bounty we must patiently support all Ills that befal us and believe that the Will of God is more beneficial for us than our own Will or Desires can be Let us then consider the Assistance he gives his faithful Servants and the Rewards he promises unto them and let us regard the Torments he prepares for the Wicked Ant. They will hunt after the soul of the just and will condemn innocent blood OUr Lord God of revenges the God of revenges hath done freely Be exalted thou that judgest the earth render retribution to the proud How long shall sinners O Lord how long shall sinners glory Shall they utter and speak iniquity shall all they speak that work injustice Thy people O Lord they have humbled and thine inheritance they have vexed The widow and the stranger they have slain and the pupils they have killed And they have said The Lord shall not see neither shall the God of Jacob understand Understand ye foolish in the people and ye fools be wise at sometime He that planted the ear shall he not hear or he that made the eye doth he not consider He that chastiseth nations shall he not rebuke he that teacheth man knowledge Our Lord knoweth the cogitations of men that they be vain Blessed is the man whom thou shalt instruct O Lord and shalt teach out of thy law That thou mayst give him quietness from the evil days till a pit be digged for the sinner Because our Lord will not reject his people and his inheritance he will not forsake Until justice be turned into judgment and they who are near it are all that are right of heart Who shall rise for me against the malignant or who shall stand with me against them that work iniquity But that our Lord hath holpen me within very little my soul had dwelt in hell If I said My foot is moved thy mercy O Lord did help me According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart thy consolations have made my soul joyful Doth the seat of iniquity cleave to thee which makest labor in precept They will hunt after the soul of the just and will condemn innocent blood And our Lord became my refuge and my God the help of my hope And he will repay them their iniquity and in their malice he will destroy them the Lord our God will destroy them Ant. They will hunt after the soul of the just and will condemn innocent blood VERSICLE taken out of Psalm 108. The Church having presented unto us in the precedent Psalm she Comfort we receive in our Sufferings by considering the Power and Goodness of God who created us preserves and assists us with his holy Protection She admonisheth us in these following Versicles to consider the great Love God had for us since he delivered his only Son to death for our Salvation So that by the Example of his Son our Saviour we might be more powerfully fortified in the Persecutions and Miseries of this Life V. They have spoken against me with deceitful tongue R. And with words of hatred they have compassed me and they have impugned me without cause VII LESSON Out of the Epistle of St. Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews chap. 4. The Church teacheth us That the Reason why the Son of God would become Man and bear all our Infirmities even to die for us was that thereby he might open the Heavens to us and so enable us to enter into the Repose of eternal Tranquillity And to enjoy so great a Benefit we must live conformably
putting to death the Redeemer of the World She also admonisheth them to acknowledge their Sins and to beg Gods pardon for them Jerusalem arise and put off thy garments of mirth cover thy self with ashes and haircloth For in thee is slain the Saviour of Israel V. Draw forth tears as a torrent day and night and let not the apple of thine eye besilent Because in thee was slain the Saviour of Israel LESSON III. Taken out of the Fifth Chapter The beginning of the Prayer of the Prophet JEREMY The Prophet prays unto God to have mercy on his People REmember O Lord what is fallen to us behold and regard our reproach Our inheritance is turned to aliens our houses to strangers We are made pupils without father our mothers are as it were widows Our water we have drunk for money our wood we have bought for a price We were led by our necks no rest was given to the weary We have given our hand to Egypt and to the Assyrians that we might be filled with bread Our fathers have sinned and they are not and we have born their iniquities Servants have ruled over us there was none that would redeem us out of their hand In peril of our lives did we fetch us bread at the face of the sword in the desert Our skin was burnt as an oven by reason of the tempests of famin They humbled the women in Sion and the Virgins in the cities of Juda. Jerusalem Jerusalem Convert unto the Lord thy God VERSICLE taken out of the First Chapter of the Prophet Joel The Church having represented unto us the Prayer which the Prophet Jeremy offered unto God to endeavor to avert those Miseries which threatned the City of Jerusalem she likewise shews us in the following Versicles the admonition God gave unto the Jews to do Penance by the Month of the Prophet Joel that they might avoid those Miserie 's their Sins would draw upon them Mourn as a virgin my people girded with sackcloth upon the husband of her youth Because the day of our Lord is at hand a very great and bitter day V. Gird your selves and mourn ye priests howl ye ministers of the altar lie ye in sackcloth Because the great day of our Lord is at hand Mourn as a virgin c. SECOND NOCTVRN PSALM 23. The Church yearly commemorating on this Day the Sepulcher of JESUS CHRIST represents unto us That this Sovereign Lord and Creator of all things was that amiable Saviour who out of his Love to us voluntarily suffered Death and Burial that by his Death having delivered us from the Tyranny of the Devil and Slavery of Sin might also by his Resurrection and Ascension open Heaven unto those that lead a Vertuous Humble Innocent and Chast Life Ant. Be ye lifted up O eternal gates and the king of glory shall enter in THe earth is our Lords and the fulnest thereof the round world and all that dwell therein Because he hath founded it upon the seas and upon the rivers hath prepared it Who shall ascend into the mount of our Lord or who shall stand in his holy place The innocent of hands and of clean heart that hath not taken his soul in vain nor sworn to his neighbor in guile He shall receive blessing of our Lord and mercy of God his Saviour This is the generation of them that seek him of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates ye princes and be ye lifted up O eternal gates and the king of glory shall enter in Who is this king of glory Our Lord strong and mighty our Lord mighty in battel Lift up your gates ye princes and be ye lifted up O eternal gates and the king of glory shall enter in Who is this king of glory The Lord of powers he is the king of glory Ant. Be ye lifted up O eternal gates and the king of glory shall enter in PSALM 26. The Church declares unto us That we should not fear the Accidents and Miseries of this Life since God is our Safety and Salvation and what help are we nor to expect from him whose only Son was Sacrificed for us And what should we fear since by his Death he has overcome all things that might hurt us and since he has ascended into Heaven there to give us refuge and which now is open to us in all our Miseries and Afflictions since from his Throne of Glory he pours forth upon us his Graces to purifie us conduct us and make us surmount all difficulties and obstacles to our Salvation and to convert our Patience to the shame and confusion of our Enenlies Therefore let us be careful not to render our selves unworthy his Protection and take heed lest the fear of trouble make us commit unlawful Actions We must also most strictly observe his Commandments and wholly apply our selves to his service in hopes of attaining to that Eternal Felicity he has promised us Ant. I believe to see the good things of our Lord in the land of the living OUr Lord is my illumination and my salvation whom shall I fear Our Lord is the protector of my life of whom shall I he afraid Whilst the shameful approach upon me to eat my flesh Mine enemies that trouble me themselves are weakned and are fallen If camps stand together against me my heart shall not fear If battel rise up against me in this will I hope One thing I have asked of our Lord this will I seek for that I may dwell in the house of our Lord all the days of my life That I may see the pleasantness of our Lord and visit his temple Because he hath hid me in his tabernacle in the day of evils he hath protected me in the secret of his tabernacle In a rock he hath exalted me and now he hath exalted my head over mine enemies I have gone round about and have immolated in his tabernacle an host of jubilation I will sing and say a psalm to our Lord. Hear O Lord my voice wherewith I have cried to thee have mercy on me and hear me My heart hath said to thee my face hath sought thee out thy face O Lord I will seek Turn not away thy face from me decline not in wrath from thy servant Be thou my helper forsake me not neither despise me O God my Saviour Because my father and my mother have forsaken me but our Lord hath taken me Give me a law O Lord in thy way and direct me in the right path because of mine enemies Deliver me not into the souls of them that trouble me because unjust witnesses have risen up against me and iniquity hath lied to it self I believe to see the good things of our Lord in the land of the living Expect our Lord do manfully and let thy heart take courage and expect thou our Lord. Ant. I believe to see the good things of our Lord in the land of the living PSALM 29. In this
they mocked him saying Hail King of the Jews and spitting upon him they took the reed and smote his head And after they had mocked him they took off the cloak from him and put on him his own garments and led him away to crucifie him And in going they found a man of Cyrene named Simon whom they forced to take up his Cross And they came into the place which is called Golgotha which is the place of Calvari And they gave him Wine to drink mingled with Gall. And when he tasted he would not drink And after they had crucified him they divided his garments casting lots that it might be fulfilled which was spoken to the Prophet saying They divided my garments among them and upon my vesture they did cast lots And they sate and watched him And they put over his head his cause written This is Jesus the King of the Jews Then were crucified with him two thieves one on the right hand and one of the left And they passed by blaspheming him wagging their heads and saying Vah Thou that destroyest the Temple of God and in three days doest re-edifie it save thine own self if thou be the Son of God come down from the Cross In like manner also the Chief Priests with the Scribes and Ancients mocking said He saved others himself he cannot save if he be King of Israel let him now come down from the Cross and we will believe him He trusted in God let him now deliver him if he will for he said That I am the Son of God And the self-same thing the thieves also that were crucified with him reproached him withal And from the sixth hour there was darkness made upon the whole earth until the ninth hour Jesus cryed out with a mighty voice saying Eli Eli Lamasabacthani that is my God my God why hast thou forsaken me These words are spoken as out of humane frailty wherewith Christ was pleased to cloath himself to teach us that we must be deprived of the goods and comforts of this world whereby to elevate us to desire and hope of Eternal And certain that stood there and heard said He calleth Elias And incontinent one of them running took a spung and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink And others said Let be let us see whether Elias come to deliver him And Jesus again crying with a mighty voice yielded up the ghost Here the Faithful kneel or prostrate themselves a while upon the ground And behold the Veil of the Temple was rent in two pieces from the top even to the bottom It was a great piece of Hanging or Tapistry before the Sanctuary and this was done to signifie that the Old Law was taken away in Christ and the earth did quake and the rocks were rent and the graves were opened and many bodies of the Saints that had slept rose and they going forth out of the graves after his resurrection came into the holy city and appeared to many And the Centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus having seen the Earthquake and the things that were done were sore afraid saying Indeed this was the Son of God And there were many women afar off which had followed Jesus from Galilee ministring unto him among whom was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Joseph and the mother of the Sons of Zebedee And when it was evening there came a certain rich man of Aramithoea named Joseph who also himself was Disciple to Jesus He went to Pilate and asked the body of Jesus Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered And Joseph taking the body wrapt it in clean Syndon and laid it in his own new Monument which he had hewed in a rock And he rolled a great stone to the door of the Monument and went his way And there was there Mary Magdalene and the other Mary sitting over against the Sepulchre ANd the next day which is after the Parasceue the Chief Priests and the Pharisees came together to Pilate saying Sir we have remembred that the seducer said yet living After three days I will rise again Command therefore the Sepulchre to be kept until the third day lest perhaps his Disciples come and steal him and say to the people He is risen from the dead and the last errour shall be worse than the first Pilate said to them You have a guard go guard it as you know And they departing made the Sepulchre sure sealing up the stone with watchmen Then the Creed is said which is the sum of our Belief wherein we confess we believe what we heard in the Gospel I Believe in one God Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and of all things visible and invisible And in our Lord Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God and born of the Father before all Ages God of God light of light true God of the true God who was begotten not made consubstantial to the Father by whom all things were made Who descended from Heaven for us men and for our salvation and taking flesh of the Virgin Mary by the operation of the Holy Ghost became man He was also crucified for us under Pontius Pilate suffered and was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures He ascended into Heaven and sits on the right hand of the Father and will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead whose Kingdom will have no end I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceeds from the Father and the Son who spoke by the Prophets I believe one Holy Catholick Church I confess one Baptism for the remission of sins I expect the resurrection of the dead and life in the world to come Amen The Priest turning towards the Faithful prays to God for his grace that they may perform his Commandments and offer themselves worthily to his Majesty V. Our Lord be with you The Faithful ask the same grace of God for him R. And with thy Spirit The OFFERTORY taken out of the 68th Psalm The Church represents unto us that the most piercing grief our Saviour endured and whereof he could not have the least ease was his foresight of so great number of men as by their impiety would render themselves unworthy the fruit of his Passion which is Eternal Life and that instead of their acknowledgment for their salvation which he had purchased for them he should receive outrages more sharp and bitter than the Gall and Vinegar presented him upon the Cross MY heart hath looked for reproach and misery and I expected somebody that would be sorrowful with me and there was none I sought for a comforter and I found him not and they gave gall for my meat and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink After the Offertory the Priest takes the Patten and offers the Bread which is to be consecrated saying REceive O Holy Father Almighty and
of this day wherein the Son of God was betrayed into the hands of the Jews to expiate our sins the Priest beseeches God that he will be pleased to supply the defect of the Prayers he makes to implore his protection by the merits and suffrages of the blessed Virgin the Apostles Martyrs and of all Saints PArticipating in the same Communion and Celebrating the Solemnity of this Blessed Day wherein our Saviour Jesus Christ was betrayed for us and in the first place honouring the memory of the ever glorious Virgin Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostles and Martyrs Peter and Paul Andrew James John Thomas James Philip Bartholomew Matthew Simon and Thaddaeus Linus Cletus Clement Xistus Cornelius Cyprian Laurence Chrysogonus John and Paul Cosme and Damian and all the other Saints Through whose Prayers and Merits vouchsafe to grant us in all things the help of thy protection by the same Christ our Lord. Amen The Priest executing the Command which Christ this day gave his Disciples and their Successours to celebrate these Holy Mysteries in memory of him spreads his hands over the Host and Chalice to testifie to God that he offers and sacrifices himself joyntly therewith begging four things 1. That he will please to accept of this Offering 2. To grant us Peace 3. To deliver us from Eternal Damnation 4. To place us amongst the Elect. WE beseech thee therefore graciously to accept this Oblation of our and of thy whole families Duty which we present unto thee in solemnizing this present day whereon our Lord Jesus Christ ordained his Disciples to celebrate the Mysteries of his Body and Blood beseeching thee to grant us Peace in these our days and preserving us from Eternal Damnation to seat us among thy Elect Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen The Priest begs of God that he will accept and so bless this Oblation that it may be found good reasonable and agreeable that it may become the Body and Blood of his Son our Lord to expiate our sins and reconcile us to his Majesty WHich Oblation O God we beseech thee to make in all things blessed allowed approved reasonable and acceptable that it may be made to us the Body and Blood of thy beloved Son our Lord Jesus Christ The CONSECRATION After this Prayer the Priest comes to the principal Action of the Sacrifice and commemorates all that Christ did or said when he instituted this Holy Sacrament and following his example he blesseth and consecrateth in this manner WHo the day before his Passion for us and for the whole world that is this day took bread into his holy and venerable hands and lifting up his eyes towards heaven to the God his Father Almighty giving thee thanks he blessed brake and gave it unto his disciples saying Take eat ye all of this FOR THIS IS MY BODY All the rest till the Communion as before pag. 66 c. Thou must observe that the Kiss of Peace is not given at this time at this Day 's Mass to mind us of the horrid traiterous Kiss of Judas This Day the Priest consecrates two Hosts reserving one for the morrow when there is no consecration He reserves also some Particles for the sick in case of necessity and drinks up all the Blood and before the Ablution of his Fingers he puts the reserved Host into another Chalice which the Deacon covers with the Patten and Pall. Then he spreads the Veil over it placing it in the midst of the Altar and having given the Communion he finishes the rest of the Mast The COMMUNION taken out of the 13th Chapter of St. John The Church teacheth by the Example and Command of Jesus Christ to become humble and charitable to be pure and free from the least sins figured by the filth of our feet that so we may worthily receive the Holy Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ OUr Lord Jesus after he had supped with his Disciples washt their feet and said unto them Know ye what I have done unto you bring your Lord and Master I have given you an example That you should do as I have done unto you The POST-COMMUNION As the participation of the Body and Blood of Christ is a kind of figure of our Eternal Bliss in that we are fed under the Veil of the Sacrament with the same Food which the blessed without Veil or Sacrament enjoy in Heaven we beg of God the grace to receive in Heaven that wholesom effect the mystery whereof we celebrate on Earth GRant we beseech thee O Lord our God that being refresht with thee life-giving food we may receive by thy grace in Everlasting Bliss that which we celebrate in this mortal life Through Christ our Lord. Amen All the rest as before pag. 175 c. except that Ita Missa est is said instead of Benedicamus Domino because that Gloria in Excelsis was said in this Mass This day a proper place is prepared in some Chappel or Altar of the Church to expose the Chalice and reserved Host as we said before pag. 175. Then Mass being ended the Tapers are lighted and Procession begun The Subdeacon vested carries the Cross The Priest that did celebrate putting off his Vestment puts on a white Coap and standing upright before the Altar he puts Incense into the two Thuribles without a Blessing Afterwards kneeling he incenseth the blessed Sacrament thrice and taking the Chalice with the blessed Sacrament from the hands of the Deacon which he covers with the ends of the Veil that hangs upon his shoulders he goes under the Canopy with the Deacon and Subdeacon The two Acolyts incense the blessed Sacrament till they come to the place provided singing this following Hymn during the Procession SIng O my Tongue devoutly sing The glorious Bodies mystery And of that precious Blood the King Of Nations poured forth to free The World from a disastrous doom O blessed fruit of noblest womb On us bestow'd for us thy birth He from a Virgin did proceed And be conversant on earth Till he had sowed the Gospel-seed The time of his prolonged stay He clos'd in an admirable way He on the final supper night Among his brethren taking seat And well observing the ancient rite Touching the laws prescribed mete Gave to the twelve his chosen band Himself for food with 's proper hand The Incarnate Word by words he said Turned into flesh substantial bread And wine the blood of Christ was made Though sense found nothing altered This to confirm in hearts sincere There needs no more if faith be there To this great Sacrament therefore Let 's give the prostrate Worship due And may the ancient Rite no more Take place but yield it to the new Let faith in Jesus Christ supply The senses insufficiency To Father and the Son let 's bring Triumphant praises let 's aspire Their honour power and bliss to sing While benedictions fill the Quire To him that from both is sprung Let equal
cut off saith to him Did not I see thee in the garden with him Again therefore Peter denied And forthwith the cock crew They therefore bring Jesus from Caiaphas into the palace And it was morning and they went not into the palace that they might not be contaminated but that they might eat the Pasche Pilate therefore went forth to them without and said What accusation bring you against this man They answered and said to him If he were not a malefactor we would not have delivered him up to thee Pilate therefore said to them take him you and according to your law judge him The Jews therefore said to him It is not lawful for us to kill any man That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled which he said signifying what death he should die Pilate therefore went into the palace again and called Jesus and said to him Art thou the king of the Jews Jesus answered Sayest thou this of thy self or have others told it thee of me Pilate answered Why Am I not a Jew Thy nation and the chief priests have delivered thee up to me What hast thou done Jesus answered My Kingdom is not of this world if my Kingdom were of this world my ministers verily would strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews but now my Kingdom is not from hence Pilate therefore said to him Art thou a King then Jesus answered Thou sayest that I am a King For this was I born and for this came I into the world that I should give testimony to the truth Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice Pilate saith to him What is truth And when he had said this he went forth again to the Jews and said to them I find no cause in him But you have a custom that I should release one to you in the Pasche Will you therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews They all therefore cryed again saying Not him but Barabbas And Barabbas was a thief Then therefore Pilate took Jesus and scourged him And the souldiers platting a crown of thorns put it upon his head And they put about him a purple garment And they came to him and said Hail King of the Jews and they gave him blows Pilate went forth again and said to them Behold I bring him forth unto you that you may know that I find no cause in him Jesus therefore went forth carrying the crown of thorns and the purple vestment And he said to them Lo the man When the chief priests therefore and the ministers had seen him they cryed saying Crucifie crucifie him Pilate said to them Take him you and crucifie him for I find no cause in him The Jews answered him We have a law and according to that law he ought to die because he hath made himself the Son of God When Pilate therefore had heard this saying he feared more And he entred into the palace again and he saith to Jesus Whence art thou But Jesus gave him no answer Pilate therefore saith to him Speakest thou not to me Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie thee and I have power to release thee Jesus answered Thou shouldest not have any power against me unless it were given thee from above Therefore he that hath betrayed me to thee hath the greater sin From thenceforth Pilate sought to release him But the Jews cryed saying If thou release this man thou art not Cesar's friend Every one that maketh himself a King speaketh against Cesar But Pilate when he had heard these words brought forth Jesus and he sate in the judgment-seat in the place that is called Lithostrotos and in the Hebrew Gabbatha And it was the Parasceve of the Pasche about the sixth hour And he said to the Jews Lo your King But they cryed Away with him away with him Crucifie him Pilate said to them Shall I crucifie your King The chief priests answered We have no King but Cesar Then therefore he delivered him unto them for to be crucified And they took Jesus and led him forth And bearing his own cross he went forth into that which is called the place of Calvari in Hebrew Golgotha where they crucified him and with him two others on the one side and on the other and in the midst Jesus And Pilate wrote a title also and he put it upon the cross And it was written Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews This title therefore many of the Jews did read because the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city and it was written in Hebrew in Greek and in Latin The chief priests therefore of the Jews said to Pilate Write not the King of the Jews but that he said I am the King of the Jews Pilate answered That which I have written I have written The souldiers therefore when they had crucified him took his garments and they made four parts to every souldier a part and his coat And his coat was without seam wrought from the top throughout They said therefore one to another Let us not cut it but let us cast lots for it whose it shall be That the Scripture might be fulfilled saying They have parted my garments among them and upon my vesture they have cast lots And the souldiers did these things And there stood beside the cross of Jesus his mother and his mother's sister Mary of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved he saith to his mother Woman behold thy son After that he saith to the disciple Behold thy mother And from that hour the disciple took her to his own Afterward Jesus knowing that all things were now consummate that the scripture might be fulfilled he saith I thirst A vessel therefore stood there full of vinegar and they putting a spunge full of vinegar about hysop offered it to his mouth Jesus therefore when he had taken the vinegar said It is consummate and bowing his head he gave up the ghost Here the Faithful kneel or prostrate themselves for a while upon the ground THe Jews therefore because it was the Parasceve that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the sabboth for that was a great sabboth-day they desired Pilate that their legs might be broken and they might be taken away The souldiers therefore came and of the first indeed they brake the legs and of the other that was crucified with him But after they were come to Jesus when they saw that he was dead they did not break his legs but one of the souldiers with a spear opened his side and incontinent there came forth blood and water And he that saw it hath given testimony and his testimony is true And he knoweth that he saith true that you also may believe For these things were done that the scripture might be fulfilled You shall not break any bone of him And again another scripture saith They shall look on him whom