pray enter into thy chamber and the doare being shut pray thy Father in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret and thy Father which seeth in secret wil rewarde thee And when you pray speake not much as the heathens doe for they think to be heard in their much speaking therefore be not likned to them for your Father knoweth what you need before you aske him Therefore so you shal pray OVr Father which art in heaueÌ„ Hallowed be thy name Thy kingdome come Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen Geue The grecke Acton epionsion Supersubstantial Bread vs this day our daily bread And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs. And lead vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from euil Amen S. Ambrosius lib. 3. de virginitate Repeate often in thy chamber psalmes with our Lordes praier either when thou awakest or before thou goest to sleepe A deuout Meditation or exposition vpon this our Lordes praier out of S. Chromatius Bishop of Aquileia in cap. 5. Mathei O How faithful blessed a praier is this vnto vs whose order was instituted by the Doctor of life and heauenly maister And how blessed may we also be if we obserue not onely with duty of mouth but with most faithful deede of coÌ„uersation these wordes of our Lordes praier Therefore our Lord ordained this forme of praying for his Disciples for the hope of mannes saluation saying Our Father which art in heauen How great is the loue of our Lord toward vs how exceeding his mercy and piety who haith bestowed a guift of such grace vpon vs that him which is our Lord and god we which are but seruants may lawfully cal our Father By which name he doth not onely demonstrate vs now to be the seruants but also the sonnes of God Therefore because we haue obtained the grace of so great a guift that we are made not onely seruants but sonnes also we ought to do and behaue our selues as the children of god that by spiritual doing we may prooue our selues to be that which we are called according to that of Iohn He that is borne of God committeth 1. Io. 3. not sinne because his natiuity of god doth keepe him and the deuil toucheth him not But he that committeth sinne is not of God but of the deuil because the deuil sinneth from the beginning And therefore keping the sacrament of our heauenly natiuity we ought to be free from al sinne that we may deserue truly to be called or be the sonnes of god And the holy prophets knew the grace of this diuine mercy in which it is permitted vnto vs to cal god our Father as Isay saith For thou art our Father because Abraham haith not knowne vs Israel Is 63. haith not knowne vs but our Lord our Father from the beginning thy name is vpon vs. Likewise also Malachy witnessith in his booke saying For there is one Father Mal. 2. of vs al. How great is the mercy of our Lord We which before by our owne wil had chosen the deuil for our father now being borne againe by water and the holy Ghost begin to haue god our Father And therefore we ought to walk as the children of God lâ—st doing otherwise theÌ„ becometh gods children we be holden guilty vnder the vsurpation of so great a name Therefore he saith Our Father which art in heauen hallowed be thy name not because the name of god can be hallowed of any man when he halloweth al men which saith by the prophet Be you holy as I also am holy saith our Lord. Lâ—uit â—0 But therefore we request his name to be hallowed that it may be hallowed in vs by the workes of iustice by the merit of faith by the grace of the holy Ghost which sanctification that we may receaue by such guifts the ayde of his mercy is necessary but he that is the fountaine of euerlasting holinesse needeth not any sanctification Then he saith Thy kingdome come Likewise we do not aske that he should be King who is King of euer-during worldes whose kingdome haith neither beginning nor end but that the kingdome which is celestial which he haith promised vnto vs may come But it is a signe of great confidence and sincere conscience confidently to aske that this Kingdome of our Lord may come And therefore because we alwaies pray that the Kingdome of God may come we must shew our selues such in the faith of our Lord and his commaundements that we may be worthy of his kingdome to come After this he saith Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen where also there is the like maner of vnderstanding for no man can resist or hinder god that he do not what he wil seing al thinges both in heauen and earth consist by his wil But we pray that his wil may be done in vs. And the wil of God is that beleuing in him with al our heart we fulfil those thinges which he haith commaunded to be done of which wil of god the Apostle witnesseth saying The wil of god is your sanctification that 1. Thes 4. you abstaine from carnal concupiscences Therefore when â—e say Thy wil be doâ—e in earth as it is in heauen This we pray that as the wil of god is faithfully kept of the Angels in heauen so also we must with a Religious and faithful deuotion desire the helpe of gods assistance or Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen that as in heauen that is in holy and heauenly men the wil of god is fulfilled so also in earth that is we pray that the wil of god may be done by beleefe of faith and knowledg of the truth in them which haue not yeâ— beleeued Then he saith Geue vs this day our dayly bread This saying of our Lord we vnderstand two waies first that we do not aske any thing but our daily foode For we are not commaunded to aske riches or superfluity of worldly thinges but our daily bread which to Christians that liue by faith is onely necessary for this present life as the Apostle saith Hauing foode wherewith to 1. Tim. 6. be couered with these we are content But wâ— must consâ—der that this is spiritually commaunded vnto vs that we aske our daily bread that is that heauenly and spiritual bread which we daily receaue for the curing of our soule and hope of eternal saluation of which our Lord saith in the Gospel The heauenly Io. 6. bread is my flesh which I wil geue for the life of the world And therefore we are commaunded daily to aske this bread that is that through the mercy of God bestowing it we may deserue â—aily to receaue the bread of the body of our Lord. And forgeue vs our debtes as we also forgeue our debtors This is plainely a iust and necessary saying for al men First that we acknowledge our selues to be sinners
haue sought my soule they shal enter into the lower partes of the earth they shal be geuen ouer into the handes of the sword they shal be made the portions of foxes But the King shal reioyce in God all shal be praised that sweare in him because the mouth of them which speak wicked thinges is stopped Glory be to the Father to c. As it was in the beginning c. The prayer of Manasses 2. paral vlt. O Lord omnipotent god of our Fathers Abraham and Isaac and Iacob and the iust fâ—ede of them who hast made heauen and earth with al their bewty who hast tyed the sea with the word of thy precept who hast concluded the depth and signed it with thy terrible and laudable name whom al thinges do feare and tremble before the face of thy power because the magnificence of thy glory is importable the anger of thy thretning ouer sinners vnsustentable Truly great and inuestigable is the mercy of thy promise because thou art Lord most high bountiful long suffering and much merciful and sorowful for the malices of men O Lord thou according to the multitude of thy goodnesse hast promised peace and remission vnto them that haue sinned against thee and in the multitude of thy mercies hast decreed repentaÌ„ce for sinners to saluation Therefore thou Lord god of the iust hast not appointed penance for the iust Abraham Isaac and Iacob those that haue not sinned against thee but hast appointed penance for me a sinner because I haue sinned aboue the number of the sandes of the sea o Lord mine iniquities are multiplied multiplied are mine iniquities I am not worthy to behould and looke vp to the highnesse of heauen for the manifoldnesse of mine iniquities I am crooked with a great iron chaine that I may not lift vp my head and respiration is not in me because I haue stirred vp thine anger and done euil before thee I haue not done thy wil and haue not kepte thy commaundements I haue erected abominations and multiplied offences and now do bow the knee of my heat beseching goodnesse of thee I haue sinned o Lord I haue sinned and do acknowledg mine iniquities Wherefore I aske entreating thee Forgeue me o Lord forgeue me destroy me not together with mine iniquities neither being angrye for euer reserue euil thinges for me neither condemne me vnto the lowest places of the earth because thou art God God I say of those that repent and shew al thy goodnesse towardes me because thou wilt saue me vnworthy according to thy greate mercy and I wil praise thee al the daies of my life because al the power of the heauens praise thee to thee is glory world without end Amen A Praier of King Salomon prou 30. I Haue asked two thinges of thee deny them not vnto me before I dye Set vanity and lying wordes farre from me Geue me not beggerlinesse and riches geue onely thinges necessary for my liuing lest peraduenture being filled I may be prouoked to deny thee may say who is our Lord Or compelled by want may steale forsweare the name of my God A Praier of Esdras 1. Esdr 9. O My God I am confounded I am ashamed to lift vp my face to thee because our iniquities are multiplied ouer our head and our sinnes haue growne euen vnto heauen from the daies of our fathers yea and we our selues also haue sinned greeuously vnto this day Tobias 3. O Lord be mindful of me and take not reuenge on my sinnes neither remember mine offences nor the offences of my parents Sap. 9. O God of my Fathers and Lord of mercy who hast made al thinges with thy word by thy wisdome hast ordained man to rule the creatures which thou hast made And that he might dispose the world in equity and iustice and iudge Iudgment in direction of heart graunt vnto me wisdome the assistresse of thy seates reiect me not froÌ„ thy seruants for I am thy serâ—ant and sonne of thy handmaid a â—an infirme and of smal time and too little to vnderstand thy Iudgment and Lawes Ecclesiast 36. O God of al haue mercy vpon vs and haue respect vnto vs and shew the light of thy coÌ„miserations to vs and shew thy feare vpon Nations which haue not sought thee that they may know there is no God but thou may declare thy worthy thinges Ierem. 10. O Lord I know that the way of man is not his owne neither is it of maÌ„ that he may walk direct his goinges Correct me o Lord but with iudgment and not in thy fury lest thou peraduenture bring me againe to nothing Poure forth thine indignation vpon Nations that haue not knowne thee and vpon Countries that haue not called vpon thy name O Lord expectatioÌ„ of Israel al which Ier. 17. forsake thee wil be confounded they which goe backe from thee wil be written in the earth because they haue forsaken the vaine of liuing waters our lord Heale me o lord and I shal be healed saue me and I shal be saife because thou art my praise I besech thee o Lord god great and Dan. 9. terrible keeping couenant and mercy to those that loue thee and kâ—â—pe thy commandementes we haue sâ—med we haue wrought iniqiuty and â—one wickedly and gone away and dâ—parted froÌ„ thy commaundementes anâ— iudgmeÌ„tes We haue not obeyed thy seruantes the Prophets which haue spoken in thy name to our Kinges to our Princes to our Fathers and to al the people of the land O Lord iustice is to thee but to vs confusion of face o Lord confusion of face vnto vs to our kngies to our Princes Fathers who haue sinned But to thee Lord â—ur gâ—d mercy propitiatioÌ„ because we haue gone back froÌ„ thee haue not heard the voice of the Lord our god that we might walke in his law O our God heare the paier of thy seruant his petitions Ieremias in orat cap. 5. lament O Lord remember what haith chanced vnto vs and haue respect vnto our reproach Our inheritance is conuerted to aliens and our houses vnto straungers We are made pupils without fathers or mothers as widowes But o Lord thou shalt remaine for euer thy state from generation to generation Why wilt thou forgeat vs for euer Wilt thou long time forsake vs O lord conuert vs vnto thee and we shal be conuerted Baruch 2. O Lord looke downe vpon vs ftom thy holy house and incline thine eare and heare vs. Open thine eyes and see because the dead that be in hel whose spirit is taken from their bowels wil not geue honour and iustification to our Lord. But the soule which is sad for the greatnesse of euil goeth crooked weak fainting eyes and an hungry soule doth geue glory and iustice to thee our Lord. And now o Lord omnipotent Cap. 3. god of Israel a soule in distresse troubled spirit cryeth vnto thee o Lord heare
6. thou being vnpure and in the middest of vnpure people darest stande before the Lord of hostes Know that the holy Angels exhort vs to praier and stand with vs with ioy praying for vs. If thersore we become negligent and entertaine coÌ„trary cogitations we greatly prouoke them because they striue so much for vs and we for our selues refuse to pray to god but rather neglecting their ministery and their Lord forsaking god keepe company with vncleane deuils If thou desirest to pray transport thy self from earthly thinges to heaueÌ„ haue thy conuersatioÌ„ there not onely in wordes but in angelical action and more heauenly knowledg S. Athanasius in lib. de virginitate WHen day appeareth thou shalt recite this psalme Benedicite omnia opera c. And say the Hymne Gloria in excelsis Al you workes of our Lord blesse Canticle of the 3. ChildreÌ„ Dan. 3. in the burniÌ„g fournace you our Lord praise him and extoll him for euer Blesse our Lord ye Angels of our Lord ye heauens blesse our Lord. Al waters that be aboue the heauens blesse ye our Lord blesse our Lord al ye powers of our Lord. Sunne moone blesse ye our Lord starres of heauen blesse ye our Lord. Shoure and dew blesse ye our Lord euery spirit of God blesse ye our Lord. Fyre and heate blesse ye our Lord could sommer blesse ye our Lord. Dewes and hoare frost blesse ye our Lord frost cold blesse ye our Lord. Ice and snow blesse ye our Lord nightes daies blesse ye our Lord. Light and darknesse blesse ye our Lord lightninges and cloudes blesse ye our Lord. Let the earth blesse our Lord let it praise extol him for euer Mountaines and litle hilles blesse ye our Lord al thinges that spring in the earth blesse ye our Lord. Blesse our Lord ye fountaines seas riuers blesse ye our Lord. Whales and al that moue in the vvaters blesse ye our Lord blesse our lord al ye foules of the aire Al beasts and cattel blesse ye our Lord soÌ„nes of mâ—n blesse ye our lord Let Israâ—l blesse our Lord let it praise and extol him for euer Preistes of our Lord blesse ye our Lord seruants of our Lord blesse ye our Lord. Spirits and soules of the iust blesse ye our Lord holy and humble men of heart blesse ye our Lord. Ananias Azarias Mizael blesse ye our Lord praise and extol him for euer Because he haith deliuered vs from hel and saued vs from the hand of death preserued vs from the midle of the burning flame pulled vs forth from the middest of the fyre Confesse to our Lord because he is good because his mercy is for euer Al you that be Religious blesse our Lord god of gods praise and confesse vnto him because his mercy is for euer A Meditation vpon the same out of S. Zeno Bishop of Verona sermoutb in Dan. He was martyred vnder Galienus about the yeare 260. O Wonderful burning o verily ser 2. a spectacle worthy of god They which heare it do feare they which kindled it do burne they which were throwne into the fyre goe forth of the fournace sanctified saif by our Lord Iesus Christ Somtimes after a great punishmeÌ„t there followeth a greater glory especially in diuine thinges in which happy men with earnest deuotion rather preserue their Religion then life Vnderstand o Christian with a beleeuing ser 5. heart a thing meruelous renowmed by al example of vertues Three Hebrew children greater theÌ„ the constancy of old men stronger then the force of yong men equal to themselues defended with the mistery of the Trinity firme in one faith of the vnity in equality glorious by the victory of suffering These a barbarous King commaunded to be burned because they contemned to worship his statua who when they were cast into the fournace of burning fire the greedy fire deuoutly receaueth them the fawning flames refresh them couered with dew A meruelous thing shadow is within burning is withoâ—t within an Himne is song without lamenting is heard O great power of god the burners are burned in the burning and they that were set on fire are suruiuors in the burning triumphing go forth of the fournace our Lord Iesus Christ ser 6. performing it Reioice o Christian constantly feare god if thou wilt not feare the fire of the deuil Behold the children are not hurt with the compassing flames with the roaring fournace They confounde the barbarous king are reuâ—nged of their burners they see god death doth passe into life feare into glory who would not desire so to burne Awake o Christian and casting 8. away al sluggishnesse of secular sleepe opening the eares of thy heart learne vertue of children The Canticle of Zachary father of S. Iohn Baptist Luc. 1. ANd Zachary his father was replenished with the holy ghost and he prophesied saying Blessed be our Lord God of Israel because he haith visited and wrought the redemption of his people And haith erected the horne of saluation to vs in the house of Dauid his seruant As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that are from the beginning Saluation from our enemies from the hand of al that hate vs. To worke mercy with our fathers and to remember his holy Testament The oath which he sware to Abraham Gen. 22. our Father that he would geue to vs. That without feare being deliuered from the hand of our enemies we may serue him In holinesse and Iustice before him al our daies And thou child shalt be called the prophet Malach. 3. of the highest for thou shalt goe before the face of our Lord to prepare his waies To geue knowledg of saluation to his people vnto remission of their sinnes Through the bowels of the mercy of Zachar. 3. Malach. 4. our god in which the Orient from on high haith visited vs. To illuminate them that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death to direct our feete into the way of peace Glory be to the Father c. A Praier of praise and thanks-geuing to God for his Benefites out of S. Clement Coustitut SS Apost lib. 7. cap. 38. WE geue thankes to thee o Lord omnipotent for al thy benefites because thou hast not taken thy mercies pittie away from vs but in euery generation and generation doest saue deliuer succour defend For thou hast succoured in the daies of Enos and Enoch in the daies of Moyses and Iesu in the daies of the Iudges in the daies of Samuel and Helias and the Prophets in the daies of Dauid and the Kinges in the daies of Hester and Mardocheus in the daies of Iudith in the daies of Iudas Machabeus and his brethren and in our daies thou hast releeued vs by thy great high Preist Iesus Christ thy SoÌ„ne For he haith both saued vs from the sword and by norishing deliuered vs from famine and freed vs from sicknes defended vs from a wicked
and haue mercy for o god thou art merciful and haue mercy vpon vs because we haue sinned before thee Remember not the iniquities of our fathers but remember thy hand and thy name in this time because thou art lord our God and we wil praise thee o lord Eccelsiasticus 23. O Lord Father and ruler of my life forsake me not in their counsel suffer me not to fal in that reproach Who doth impose scourges in my thought and doctrine of wisdome in my heart that they spare me not in their ignorances and their offences appeare not and that mine ignorances may not increase and mine offences multiplied and my sinnes abouÌ„d and I may fal in the sight of mine aduersaries ' my enemy may reioyce O Lord Father and god of my life forsake me not in thought of them Arrogancy of mine eyes geue not vnto me al euil desire turne from me A prayer for repentant sinners out of S. Clement Constut Ap. l. 8. c. 12. ALmighty euerlasting god Lord of al Crearor and gouernour of the world who hast placed maÌ„ for the ornament thereof by Christ geuen him the law natural and written that as a reasonable creature he might haue a rule to liue according vnto it if he should sinne in any thing thou hast deliuered vnto him the foundation of penance thy goodnesse looke vpon them that bow downe the nâ—ckes of thier soule body vnto theâ— because thou desirest not the death of a sinner but Ier. 18. penance that he may returne from his euil way and liue Thou that didest admitte Ionas 3. 1. Tim. 2. the penaÌ„ce of the Niniuites who wouldest al men to be saued coÌ„e to the knowledge of truth Who receaued with fatherly affectioÌ„ Luc. 15. by penance the sonne that lasciueously had consumed his portion receaue now also the penance of them that pray vnto thee because there is none that sinneth not against thee If thou wilt obseâ—â—e Ps 129. our iniqities o Lord o Lord who shal be able to endure it Because with thee there is redemption and bring them againe into thy holy church restoring vnto theÌ„ their former dignity honour by Christ our God and Sauiour by whom glory adoratioÌ„ be vnto thee in the holy Ghost for euer Amen A prayer for deuotion and spiritual knowledg out of S. Ephrem l. de armatura spirituali cap. 8. O Lord Iesus Christ open the eares and eyes of my heart that I may heare and vnderstand thy wordes and obey thy wil. I am a pilgrim on earth keepe not hidden from me thy commauÌ„demeÌ„ts Open my eyes that I may vnderstand the thinges that are admirable in thy law A prayer stiring vp to geue thankes to god for his benefites out of S. Augustine in his booke de spiritu litera cap. 17. VNhappie and wretched maÌ„ that I am how much ought I to loue my god who made me when I was not redeemed me when I was lost I was not he made me of nothing not a stone not a tree not a bird or any other of such creatures but he would haue me to be a man He gaue me to liue to haue sense to vnderstand I was perished and he descended to mortality tooke mortality vpon him suffered his passion ouercame death and so restoared me I was perished gone away because I was sould in my sinnes he came after me that he might redeeme me and he so much loued me that for me he would pay the price of his bloud and with such a couenant reduced me from banishment and redeemed me from slauery Also he called me by his owne name that his memorial might alwaies be vpon me he annoynted me with oile of gladnes with which â—e him self was annointed that of him that is annointed I might be annointed and of Christ might be called a Christian So his grace and mercy haue alwaies preuented me for my deliuerer haith often deliuered me from many daungers When I did erre he reduced me wheÌ„ I was ignorant he taught me when I sinned he corrâ—cted me when I was sad he comforted me wheÌ„ I fainted in hope he strengthned me when I sel he lifted me vp when I stoode he susteined me when I came he receaued me These and many other thinges god haith done for me of which it is a pleasant thing to me alwaies to speake alwaies to thinke al waies to geue thankes that for al his benefites I may alwaies praise loue him A praier to God the holy Ghost for grace sanctification out of S. Ciprian l. de Spir. s COme holy Ghost from heauen enter into those that expect thy consolation Sanctify the temple of our body and conserate it for thy habitatioÌ„ make the soules that desire thee glad with thy presence make the house worthy of such an inâ—abitant as thou art adorne thy bride chamber and compasse about the staying place of thy rest with varieties of vertues strew the pauements with change of coloures let thy mansion shine with flaming carbuncles and brightnesse of precâ—ous stones and the sweete odoures of al graces send out their sauour within Let the liquour of balsamâ—m aboundantly perfume thy lodging with his sweetnesse and driuing from thence whatsoeuer is corrupted whatsoeuer is the seminary of corruption Make this our ioy stable and euerlasting and confirme the renewing of thy creation with incorruptible bewty for euer A Praier out of S. Gregory Nyssene l. de S. bap in fine O Lord thou truly art the pure and euerlasting Fountaine of goodnesse who iustly forsaking vs hast mercifully taken pitie vpon vs hatedst vs and art reconciled hast cursed and hast blessed vs banished vs out of paradise called vs back againe put of from vs figge leaues that vndecent couâ—ring and cloathed vs with a most preceous cloake hast opened the prison and let the coÌ„demned forth hast sprinkled vs with pure water and clensed vs from filthinesse If hereafter Adam be called vnto thee he wil not be ashamed nor his conscience reprouing him for shame hide him self vnder the groue of paradise neither will the fyrie sword compasse it about denying entrance to them that come to it and making the place vnaccessible But al thinges to vs that were heires of sinne are changed into ioy Paradise and heauen it self lyeth open for man Al creatures both of this the world aboue beforetimes at variance are made frendes reconciled and men with Angels reuerencing their diuine learning are at concord and agreed Therefore for al these thinges let vs sing vnto god the hymne of ioy which the mouth endued with the spirit long since prophetically pronounced with a lowde voice Let my soule reioyce in our Lord for he haith put vpon me a sauing cloake and compassed me about with a coate of gladnesse as to a spouse he haith fitted a myter to me and adorned me as a bride The adorner of the spouse is Christ who is and was
tongue For al thy gifts by Christ we geue thankes vnto thee who hast geuen vs voice framed for confession Thou hast lent vnto vs a tongue as an instrument for the Harpe and Organe Thou hast graunted vnto vs an agreable taist a conuenient touching sight to behould hearing to apprehend voices smelling to perceaue odoures handes to worke feete to walke al these thinges thou doest forme of a litle drop in the womb and after information bestowest an immortal soule and bringest forth into light man a reasonable creature whom thou hast instructed with lawes adorned with iustifications and after dissolution of his short time hast promised Resurrection Therefore what life could be sufficient or what excellency of praises would be enough that we might geue thankes vnto thee But this we are not able to performe answearably to thy deseruinges yet we ought deuoutly to performe it so much as we are abâ—e For thou hast deliuered vs from the impiety of them that worship many gods and those that killed Christ Thou hast freed vs from heresies recalled vs froÌ„ the errour of ignorance sent Christ vnto men that he might be maÌ„ which was god onely begotten hast placed vs in the comforter appointed Angels ouer vs dishonoured the deuil When we were not thou hast made vs being made thou preseruest vs thou ministrest life geuest foode hast promised penance For al these thinges glory be to thee and honour by Iesus Christ now euer for euer Amen An other praier of praise or thankes out of the same S. Clement Constit SS Apost lib. 7. ca. 35. GReat art thou o Lord almighty and great is thy strength and there is none end of thy wisdome Creatour Sauiour riche in graces patient and shewer of mercie which takest not away saluation from thy creatures For by nature thou art god sparest sinners prouoking them to penance for thy correction is ful of mercies For how should we sustaine it if we were called to sudaine Iudgment when longe time expected we hardly cast away infirmity The heauens declare thy power the earth poysed with stability the sea wauing with agreable greatnes feeding infinite multitudes of liuing creatures The sande is bridled trembling at thy commaundement and causeth al men to crye O Lord thy workes are magnified thou hast Ps 103. made al thinge in wisdome the earth is replenished with thy workes The ardent armie of Angels and the intellectual Spirits doe say one holy the Seraphim together with the Cherubims Is 6. with their sixe adorned winges singing vnto thee an Himne of victory with a neuer ceasing voice crye forth Holy Holy Holy Lord of Hostes the heauen and earth are ful of thy glory Also the other multitudes of orders Angels Thrones Dominations Principalities Potestates Powers crying forth do say Blessed be the glory of god Ezechiel 3. from his place But Israel that is the Church on earth gathered together of the gentiles imitating the heauenly powers day and night with a ful heart and willing mind do sing The Chariot Ps 67. of god with ten thousandes manifould thousandes of reioycers our lord amoÌ„g them in Sinai in the holy The heauen haith knowne him because he arched it resting vpon noe supporter and made it stable as a four-square stone who also gathered togetheâ— into one the earth and water and diffused the aire from whence life spirit should be drawne to which he ioyned the fire for warmnesse and putting away of darknesse The company of starres is amazed shewing forth him that numbreth them Ps 146. and declaring him who nameth them The liuing creatures also are astonished at him that inspireth their life and the trees at him that planteth them Al which thinges created with thy word denownce the greatnesse of thy power Wherefore euery man ought with al his heart to geue praise vnto thee by Christ for al those thinges seeing by thee he posseseth them al for thou art gracious in graunting benefites and boutiful in shewing mercy who alone art omnipotent for when thou wilt power is in thee to be able to do it For thy eternal Dan. 3. Dan. 14. Iou. 2. might cooleth the flame bridlâ—th the lyons maketh the whale geÌ„tle succourreth the sicke ouerthroweth powers destroyeth the army of enemies the proude multitude of people Thou art in heauen in earth in the sea in the vttermost bondes thy selfe circumscribed with no bond of thy greatnesse there Ps 144. is no end And o Lord not we alone say this but it is the oracle of thy seruant saying And thou shalt know with thy heart Deu. 4. that thy lord thy god is god in heauen aboue and in earth beneath and there is no other but he for there is no god but he alone There is not an holy besides thee lord god of knowledge the God of Sainctes holy aboue al that are holy For they which are made holy are vnder thy haÌ„d thou art glorious exalted inuisible by nature vnserchable in iudgmentes whose life wanteth nothing duration without chaunge and variety operatioÌ„ without labour maiesty contained with no boundes Comlinesse euerlasting a mansion place vnaccessible an habitation vntransmigrable knowledge interminable truth inuariable a worke with out midle power without deceiptes rule without succession strength without aduersary the multitude of thine army is greate For thou art the father of wisdome authour of nature by the Mediatour as cause diposer of prouidence Lawgiuer replenisher of pouerty reuenger of the impious and rewarder of those that be iust of Christ God and Father and the Lord of those that worship him whose promise is infallible iudgment incorruptible sentence not entreatable piety vnexhausted benignity eternal for whom worthy deserued adoration is due to thee of euery reasonable and holy nature Iudith 16. LEt vs singe an Himne vnto our Lord let vs sing an Himne vnto our god Adonai Lord thou art great and excellent in power and whom noe man can ouercome Let euery creature serue thee because thou hast said the word and thinges were made thou hast sent thy spirit and they were created and noe man can resist thy wil. The mountaines shal be moued from the foundations with waters the rocks shal melt as waxe before thy face but they which feare thee shal be great Ecclesiastic 51. 1. 2. with thee in al thinges O Lord our King I wil confesse vnto thee and praise thee god my Sauiour I wil confesse vnto thy name be 10. 11. cause thou art made my helper protector I looked for the help of men and it was not I remembred thy mercy o Lord for thou deliuerest those that expect thee I haue called vpon our Lord the Father of my Lord that he would not leaue me in the day of tribulation and in the time of the proude without helpe I wil praise thy name dayly and extol it 14. in confession and my prayer is heard and thou hast deliuered me from perdition
thee that wast whipped Glory to thee that wast spitte vpon Glory to thee that wast mocked Glory to thee that wast crucified Glory to thee that wast buried Glory to thee that didest arise from the dead Glory to thee that art preached Glory to thee in whom we beleeue Glory to thee that wast assumpted into heauen Glory to thee who with great glory sittest on the right hand of the Father and againe shal come in the glory of the Father the holy Angels to iudge euery soule that haith despised thee and thy holy passions in that fearful and dreadful hour when the powers of the heauens shal Math. 24. Luc. 21. be moued when also the Angels Archangels Cherubim and Seraphim shal come with feare and trembling in sight of thy glory when agaiâ—e the foundations of the earth shal tremble and euery liuing thing shal be affraid for the incomparable glory of thy great Maiestye I besech thee that in that hour thy grace may hide me vnder thy winges and my soule may be deliuered froÌ„ that horrible fyre gnashing of teeth external darknesse and euerlasting weping that I may say blessing and thankesgeuing to thee Glory be to thee o Lord who according to the multitude of the mercies of thy great piety hast vouchsaifed to saue me a sinner who with the Father and holy Ghost liuest and reignest world without ende Amen S. Athanasins l. Meditat. At the Sixt Hour end thy praiers with psalmes weping and teares because at this Hour the Sonne of God did hang on the Crosse for thee Meditations and praiers for the Ninth hour THere was darknesse vpon the Luc. 23. whole earth vntil the ninth hour the sunne was darkned and the vaile of the temple was rent in the midest And Iesus crying with a loud voice said Father into thy handes I commend my spirit saying this he gaue vp the gost Peter and Iohn went vp into the temple Act. 3. at the ninth hour of prayer He saw manifestly in a vision as it Act. 10. were the ninth hour of the day the Angel of god comming in to him and said vnto him thy prayers almes haue ascended in memory in the sight of god Make your prayers at the ninth hour Clem. Const Aopst l. 8. c. 40. Athanas l. de meditat because al thinges were troubled when our lord was crucified At the Ninth hour thou shalt be in Himnes and glorifications with teares confession of thy sinnes praying to god because at this hour our lord hanging on the crosse gaue vp the ghost The Ninth hour is deliuered by the Apostles them selues in the Actes to be Basil l. q. diff q. 37. necessary for prayer where it is tould that Peter and Iohn went vp into the Temple at the ninth hour of prayer Act. 3. S. Denis the Areopagite S. Paules scholer epist ad S. Policarp DEmaund of him what he thinketh He meaneth Apoliphanes the philosopher of the Eclips of the SuÌ„ne which hapned when our Sauiour was crucified for we were then both together and stoode at Heliopolis did sodanly see when the Moone obiected it selfe to the Sunne not being the time of their coniunction and againe when the same opposed it selfe aboue the order of nature to the midle lyne of the sunne from the ninth hour to the evening And recal further some other thing to his memory for he knoweth also how that interposition was seene of vs to begin froÌ„ the rysing of the sunne and come to the last point of it and after to vanish away and againe that the interposition and recession did not chance from the same part of the sunne but froÌ„ that which so to speake was diametrically contrary These are the wonderful thinges of that time which Christ the author of al thinges is onely able to performe who maketh great and Iob. 5. mereulous thinges of which there is noe number If it be lawful for thee and if thou canst o Apoliphanes refute The testimony of gentile Philosophers for Christ these thinges against me who was then both present with thee did behould and examine al thinges with greatest admiration And I cannot devise wherevpon Apoliphanes then began conferring with me the thinges that were done said thus O Dionisius these are the changing of diuine matters An other Meditation how al creatures seemed to lament at the death of Christ out of S. Leo ser 2. pas Dom. WHen Christ yelded vp the Ghost al the elementes did tremble The brightnesse of the sunne couered with thick darknesse did extraordinarily subiect the day to night The earth weakned with deepe quakinges did not retaiâ—e it stability And the firme rockes their streÌ„gth being broken fel into peeces The veile of the Temple with which the misteries of former thinges were now noe longer to be shadowed was cutte asunder And the bodies of many Sainctes being raised vp to prepare the faith of the Resurrection their graues lay open Therefore o Iewes against you heauen and earth haue geuen sentence The sunne haith withdrawne his seruice and the day from you al the orders of the elementes haue denied to serue you and the ministery of the creature departing from his lawes your blindnesse your confusion was was signified For you saying His Math. 27. bloud be vpon vs and vpon our children this is worthily repayed vnto you that what the wicked portion of your stocke hath lost that the beleeuing fulnesse of the gentiles should obtaine Therefore most beloued let vs to whom our lord Iesus Christ crucified is not a scandal nor 1. Cor. 1. foolishnesse but the power of god and wisdom of god let vs I say the spiritual seede of Abraham not begotteÌ„ of the Issue of seruitude but regenerated in the family of freedome for whom brought forth with a strong hand mightie arme from vnder the oppressioÌ„ of the rule of Egipt the true and immaculate lambe Christ is 1. Cor. 5. offered let vs embrace the meruealous mistery of his sauing pasouer and be reformed to the image of him that was conformed to our deformity let vs be lifted vp to him that made the dust of our baise condition to be the body of his glory and that we may deserue to be partakers of his resurrection let vs in al thinges become agreable to his humility and patience We haue vndertaken the warfare of a great name the discipline of a great profession It is not lawful for the folowers of Christ to depart from the kinges way but worthy it is that they wich tend vnto eternal thinges be not occupied in thinges temporal and because we are redemed with the pretious bloud of Christ let vs glorify and beare gâ—d in our body that we 1. Cor. 6. may deserue to come to those thinges that are prepared for the faithful by Christ our Lord. Amen A prayer vpon Christs passion out of S. Gregory Nazianzen orat in S. Pascha in fine GOd
was crucified the suÌ„ne darkned and lightned againe for it behoueth creatures to compassionate with there creatour The veale was cutte water bloud flowed out of his side the earth quaked the rockes were rent the dead rysing do testify the faith of the last and common resurrection Al which thinges who is able worthily to praise But none was such as the miracle of my saluation a few droppes of bloud reforming al the world But o great and holy pasouer and expurgation of al the world O word of God and light and life and wisdome and power for I ioy at al thy names O Issue and cogitation seale of that great minde o word intelligible and man visible who bearest al thinges crowned with the word of power let vs suffer noe euil stay the tiranny which the body beareth against vs. Thou seest o Lord whom how it beareth downe except we be purged by thy suffrage or by thy self But if we shal worthily be dissolued from this desire and receaued in the celestial tabernacles peraduenture there also we shal acceptabâ—y sacrifice vnto thee on thy holy Altare o Father and worde and holy Ghost because al glory honour and power is to thee for euer Amen PRAIERS DAYLY To be vsed for the Euening The Meditation or Preparation to Praier out of S. Cesarius Bishop of Arles Hom. 31. LEt vs pray with sighing forceable crying or groaÌ„ing according to that prophetical saying I did roare for the groaning of my heart Ps 37. Let vs pray not with a sounding voice but with a conscience crying vnto our Lord. When we pray so much as we are able Let vs labour by the helpe of god that noe extrauagant cogitation creepe into vs lest peraduenture we may haue one thing in our heart and vtter an other with our mouth lest by chaunce while our tongue praieth vnto god our cogitation occupied with diuers thinges may goe away from the meaning of our praier so from thence procure sinne from whence it might haue had remedy For if before any mighty persoÌ„ thou wouldest pleade any necessary cause sodainly turning from him breaking of thy speach in the middest thou shouldest busy thy self with some scurrilities what iniury thinkest thou thou should doe vnto that person with whom thou didest speake or how shouldest thou procure his anger against thee If therfore speaking with a man we laboure with al intention of mind lest thinking on any other thing we may be thought to doe a wrong to him vnto whom we speake When we speake vnto god in praier and alledg the miseries of our sinnes before so great a Maiesty are we not ashamed do we not blush our senses being made captiues to runne about hither and thither and with many businesse to abstracte our vnhappy minde from behoulding the diuine Maiesty And therefore euery one before he kneleth downe in praier by the helpe of god let him put away al superfluous cogitations from the intention of his minde that our soule being inflamed with the feruour of the holy Ghost may consume al vice with the fyre of compunction or praier and disperse farre of al wauering and wandering cogitations that onely vâ—rtue and holy Meditations may alwaies finde place in our heartes Meditations praiers for Euening LEt euery one take a Lambe throughout their families or houses Exod. 12. And the whole multitude of Israel shal offer it in sacrifice at the Euening Let my praier be directed as incense Ps 140. in thy sight the lifting vp of my handes an euening sacrifice While it was euen he sate downe Math. 26. Marâ— 14. Luc. 22. with his twelue Disciples And whiles they were at supper Iesus tooke bread and blessed brake and he gaue to his Disciples and said Take ye eate This is my body And taking the Chalice he gaue thankes and gaue vnto them saying Drinke ye al of this for This is my bloud of the new TestameÌ„t which shal be shed for many vnto remission of sinnes When it was euening there came a Math. 27. certaine riche man of Arimathea named Ioseph who also himself was Disciple to Iesus He went to Pilaâ—e and asked the body of Iesus Then Pilate commaunded that the body should be deliuered Watch therefore for you know not Marc. 13â— when the Lord of the house may come whether late in the euening c. I haue cryed to god and our Lord Ps 54. wil saue me In the euening I wil declare shew he wil heare my voice A Meditation of S. Basile orat in S. Iulittam When the day is ended geue thaÌ„kes vnto him who haith geuen the same vnto vs to serue our daily laboures fyre to lighten night and for the rest of the necessities of life And let the night propose vnto vs other argumentes of praier When thou shalt looke vp vnto heauen and haue thine eyes fixed on the bewtie of the starres pray vnto the Lord of visible thinges and adore god the best workman of al creatures who made al thinges in wisdom when thou shalt see al nature of liuing creatures detained in sleepe Againe adore him that looseth vs though against our wil by sleepe from the continuance of laboures by a litle rest reduceth vs againe to the force of our strength S. Clem. Const Apost lib. 8. cap. 4. Make your praiers at the euening geuing thankes because our Lord haith geuen vs the night for a rest of our day laboures Daily come together in the morning l. 2. c. 63. euening singing praying in Churches in the euening saying the 140. psalme O Lord I haue cryed vnto thee Ps 140. heare me Harken vnto my voice when I shal crye vnto thee Let my praier be directed as incense in thy sight the lifting vp of my handes an euening sacrifice O Lord put a watch to my mouth and a doare of standing about to my lippes Decline not my heart into wordes of malice to excuse excuses in sinnes With men that worke iniquity and I wil not communicate with the chosen of them The iust shal correct me in mercie and rebuke me but the oyle of a sinner shal not annoint my head Because as yet also my praier in thinges of their delight their Iudges are swallowed vp ioyned to the rocke They shal heare my wordes because they were able as the thicknesse of the earth is broken out vpon the earth Our bones are scattered abroade neare to hel because to thee o Lord o Lord mine eyes in thee I haue trusted take not away my soule Keepe me from the snare which they haue laid for me and from the scandals of those that worke iniquity Sinners shal fal in his nette I am alone til I passe away Glory be to the Father c. Clem. Const Ap. l. 8. c. 41. RAise vp and saue vs o God by thy Christ lifting vp our selues let vs desire the mercies of our lord and his commiserations the