A PARADISE of prayers, CONTAINING the purity of devotion, and meditation. Gathered out of all the spiritual exercises of LEWES of Granado. AND Englished for the benefit of the Christian Reader. Ascendat oratio, descendat gratia. LONDON. Printed by R. Field for Matthew Law, and are to be sold at his shop in Paul's Churchyard near unto S. Austin's gate. 1614 At our uprising. GOd the Father, that saidst in the beginning, Let light be made, & it was made: lighten my eyes, Psalm. 12. that I sleep not in death, lest at any time mine enemy say unto me, I have prevailed against him. God the son, light of light, the great & truest light, from whence this light both of sun and day ariseth, thou light shining in darkness, and illuminating every one john 1. that cometh into this world: drive from me all darkness of ignorance: and give me understanding, that in thee, and by thee I may know the Father: to know whom, is to live: and to serve whom, is to reign. God the holy Ghost, thou fire both illuminating, and warming, kindle in me thy light, that I may know the deceitful delights of this world, and the true joys of heaven: Enlighten my mind, that I may see how great a good our enemy soliciteth us to change for a light shadow. Grant that I may only see those things that are thine, and be blind to the rest: infuse also into my mind the gift of thy charity, that forsaking those transitory things, I may with a fervent zeal and continuel desire, endeavour to attain those things, which are eternal. Holy Trinity, one God, defend me this day from all the assaults of the devil: keep me this day from all sin and defend me this day from sudden and unexpected death. Be thou unto me solace in tribulation, assistance in temptation, and in death a pleasant refuge. Thou hest raised my body (O Lord) which was drowned in sleep, I beseech thee that thou wilt deliver my soul likewise from the sleep of sins, & the darkness of this world: and that which thou hast recalled from sleep unto waking, may it please thee after death to restore to the same life: for sleep is to thee, as death to us. To thee be praise & clearness, wildome, thanksgiving, Apoc. 7. honour, virtue, & fortitude, for ever andever. Amen. When we rise. RIse, O my soul that sleepest, arise from death, & Christ shall Ephe. 5. shine unto thee: Arise O thou daughter of Zion, O my soul redeemed by Christ's blood, shake off the dust of sins, & set in thee the Esay 52. peace of Christ, purchased for thee by his merits. Christ, thou merciful advocate of mankind, as thou releevest this grievous burden of my body by thy benefit, so lift up our minds to the knowledge & love of thy Majesty: and grant that the body may be a companion & Minister of piety to the soul in this life, to the end that in the life to come, it may be partaker of that eternal blessedness, where thou livest & reignest, with God the Father, and the holy Ghost, world without end Amen. A thanksgiving for our preservation the night past, together with a prayer wherein we beseech almighty God to take the like care of us this day. OMnipotent & eternal Lord, the Father of our Lord jesus Christ: I praise thee. I bless thee, and with my whole heart give thee thanks, that according to thy unmeasurable goodness, thou hast by thy fatherly providence, preserved me this night: that it hath pleased thee to be present with me, so that the devil durst not draw near to assail me: that thou hast protected me from all evil, both of soul and body; that thou hast defended me (being drowned in profound sleep) by the assistance of thy holy Angels, as it were with an impregnable wall against the deceits and snares of the old adversary, who never letteth slip any opportunity to hurt us: Finally, for that thou hast sweetly raised me from sleep, (the true image of death) lest I should be choked in the darkness of my sins, to the end I might have space and time (yet at the length) to recollect, and earnestly repent myself. Now likewise (O father of mercy and God of all consolation) 2 Cor. 1. I beseech thee (and from the bottom of my heart entreat thee) that this day thou wilt take me also into thy fatherly protection, and behold me with thy merciful eyes, direct me in the way of thy commandments, and give me those gifts of thy holy spirit, by whose means I may begin, continue, and end this day likewise to the praise and glory of thy holy name, to the profit of my neighbours, and the salvation of my soul: endeavouring myself every where and in all things, without neglect of my duty, to discharge every way that vocation to which I am called. Keep me (O Lord) from all sin; restrain my flesh and blood prone to all iniquity, and friend and minister to that old Adam: cool, by the dew of thy spirit, the heat of concupiscence, that reigneth in my members, lest this day at any time I fall into any sin, and provoke thy wrath and indignation against me. Grant O merciful father, and vouch safe (O dear Lord) that I may lead the remnant of my life in thy fear and love. Direct this day my heart and my body, my senses, speeches, and my actions in thy law, & in the works of thy commandments. Turn my heart from all transitory things and convert it to eternal: that forsaking the riches and delights of this world, I may always thirst after thy kingdom. Curb and restrain the power of the devil, our old and sworn enemy, that although he rangeth about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour, he may not yet hurt, or any ways hinder me. But because my merits are none at all for which I deserve to be heard, behold I bring with me thy only begotten Son, who is the propitiation for my sins: behold him O merciful father, and for the justice sake of thy Son, forgive the sins of thy servant: grant me that by thy mercy, which is not my due in justice: who livest & reignest God for ever and ever. Amen. Morning exercises. 1. The commemoration of benefits received. O God my God, early do I Psalm. 66. wake unto thee, ●…aith that thy holy Prophet. And a little after he addeth: so I was mindful of thee on my bed: early in the morning will I think on thee, because thou wert mine helper. And I my Lord God with that holy king desire to watch. Let this be the beginning of my occupations: let the day begin with this thought of mine. For hereunto the duties drive me whereby I am bound unto thee: this is the end of my creation: for I was therefore made to the end I should praise thee, & glorify, magnify, and sanctify thy name. For thou art the beginning and the end of all things: I say the beginning without beginning: and the end without end. For even as no man might ever create any thing without thee: so could not any thing be created by any other but by thee: to the end that all things might serve thee, praise thee, and publish thy glory. Thou art the universal dispenser of good things, so that there is no benefit to be found either of nature or grace, body or soul, which taketh not his original from thee, who art the fountain of all goodness. Thou art the main of all perfection, the Abyss of all greatness, the D●…ean of infinite mercy and goodness, the image of incomparable beauty, Thou art the God of Gods, the holy of holiest, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the cause of causes, the being of beings, the life of the living, the order of the Univers, the beauty of the world, the glory of the heavens. Thou art my Creator, that madest me of nothing to thine own Image and similitude: Thou art my conserver, who by thy providence maintainest me, lest I should become nothing Thou art my sanctifier, who by thy grace extollest me unto things which are divine. Thou art my glorifier, who hast made me to enjoy the glory everlasting. Thou art my defender, helper, pastor, & benefactor. Thou art my King, my Lord, my father, my spouse. Thou art the centre of my soul; my last end, in whom alone consisteth all my felicity, happiness, and the last perfection of my life: what need many words? Thou art to me all in all, in as much as thou art God. But in as much as thou art man, thou art my redeemer, my saviour, and deliverer: Thou art (as the Apostle testifieth) my wisdom, my 1. Cor. 1. justice, my sanctification, my redemption, my sacrifice, my Lamb, my priest, my advocate, my intercessor, my doctor, my example, my fortitude, my consolation. Thou art the general physician of all my wounds & infirmities. Thou hast healed my pride by thy humility: my avarice, by thy poverty; my pleasures by thy dolours; my wrath, by thy meekness: my envy by thy charity: my excess by the gall and vinegar which thou tastedst for my sake: my sloth by thy diligence, and unmeasurable labours undertaken for my sake. For my sake thou didst fast, wander hither and thither, sweat, watch, pray, weep: for me thou wert banished, persecuted, de●…ded, mocked, spit upon, whipped, crowned with thorns, crucified, and more afflicted than all other men of this world, and at length put to death. 2. A thanksgiving. ALL these are thy benefits, O Lord, for which I ought to yield thee thanks nay rather they are most just causes for which I am indebted unto thee & bonds, by which thou holdest me captive & bound unto thee. What shall I give unto our Lord, for all the benefits Psal. 115. he hath bestowed on me? by what duty, or what humble service shall I recompense so many graces bestowed upon me? verily I believe, that although I only had all men's hearts, and with all them did only love thee: yet might I not in the least sort yield thee that which belongeth unto thee. How then for many & so great benefits shall I yield thee satisfaction? How can I deny thee that one heart which I have for all, when I owe thee so much, for all thy benefits towards me? What shall I say my God? what shall I do? for I alone am not sufficient to yield thee condign thanks for such a multitude of blessings. But I know what I shall do: I will call upon all creatures that are in heaven & on earth, and I will desire them to assist me, and vouch safe with me to sing thy praises, and glorify with me the Lord of all glory. Let us therefore sing the song which the three children sang in the burning Furnace in Babylon, saying: O bless ye, all the works of the Lord God, praise ye and magnify him for ever. O ye angels of the Lord, bless ye the Lord, praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye heavens, bless the Lord, praise ye and magnify him for ever. O ye waters that are above the firmament, bless ye our Lord, praise him and magnify him for ever. etc. 3. The oblation of a man's self. ALL these praises and blessings do I owe thee (O father) yea, and far more greater belong unto thee. For if I shall more nearly examine the matter, I not only owe thee mine, but myself also. For if in India, a man buy another man for a red cap, and he that is bought at so slight a rate, is in such sort wholly obliged & subject to the buyer, as that he is neither master of a moment of time, or of a farthing, but is very often cast into fetters by his Lord, beaten with clubs, and handled according to the humour of him that bought him: what shall become of me O Lord? I am thine, yea truly wholly thine, not tied unto thee under one name and title, but by infinite respects. Thou hast created me, thou hast bought me, not with a red cap, but with thy precious blood: thou hast conserved me in all and every moment of my life. For without thee I can neither stir hand or foot: without thy providence I can neither breath nor respire or act any thing: with what colour then can I cast off thy dominion over me? How an I deny thee that which is thine? By what right can I challenge liberty to myself? Or with what impudence (shaking off the yoke of my Lord) can I wish to live according to my wicked desires, when by so many reasons, I am thine, & aught so wholly to be dedicated unto thee? Most humbly therefore acknowledging thy dominion over me, behold I dedicate myself wholly unto thee, and entirely submit myself to thy perpetual service & subjection. Neither do I only offer myself unto thee, but also all that which is mine, what soever this day, or in the rest of my life, I shall think, speak, or do: with all those things which at any time for thy sake shall be offered me to admit or further 〈◊〉 so that henceforward I will neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep, nor do any such like thing, whose end shall not be the honour & glory of thy most holy name. Once more I say, O Lord I sacrifice myself unto thee, lest hereafter I be mine own & not thine: I will live no more according to mine own will, I will not labour for myself, I will not seek myself; but in all things, & every way will I seek thee, obey thy will, and be diligent in thy service: and if at any time I shall do the contrary, I will call myself a thief and ravisher of an other man's right; for that duty and obedience which under so many titles, and by so much right appertaineth unto thee, deniing and stealing the same from thee, I shall usurp unto myself. 4. A petition for new benefits. BUt because without thy grace I cannot yield thee that duty, I pray thee (O Lord) that thou wilt assist me herein, and create in me a new heart that shall not judge himself to be his own, no, not for 〈◊〉 moment of time, but shall think 〈◊〉 lost whatsoever is not employed in thy honour and service: give me a will, that may desire nothing more than to keep thy commandments and obey thy will: give me an understanding, that may meditate on thy law day and night, and such a memory as may never be forgetful of thee. Furthermore (O Lord) give a bridle to my tongue, & set a watch before mine eyes. Grant me the purity of heart, the austerity of the flesh, the mortification of all appe●…es and perturbations of the mind. Finally, give me a grounded humility of heart, and with it patience, obedience, meekness, chastity, true discretion: with these poverty of spirit, fervent zeal of thine honour, the love of my neighbour, and sincere compassion of an other man's tribulations. Who livest & reignest world without end. Amen. A Commendatory morning prayer, wherein, together with ourselves we commend all faithful Christians unto God. I Adore, bless, and glorify thee 〈◊〉 holy Trinity, omnipotent God Father, Son, and holy Ghost. Behold I offer up myself to thy divine majesty, and yield me tributary to thy most holy and irrevocable will. I pray thee (O Lord) take from me, & from all faithful christians whatsoever is displeasant unto thee: and give whatsoever is grateful in thine eyes, and cause us become such as thou commandest us to be. I commend unto thee my father, my mother, brothers, sisters, sons, cousins, benefactors, friends, familiars, & neighbours, and all those that have recommended themselves to our prayers, or for whom I ought to pray. I commend unto thee, thy holy catholic Church: bring to pass (O Lord) that all and every one may know thee: all may honour thee: all may love thee, and may likewise be beloved by thee. Reduce the ignorant into the right way: destroy heresies, let all those be converted to the true and sincere faith, who have no knowledge of thy most holy name. Give us peace, and conserve us in the same: yet in all things, let thy will, not our will, be fulfilled: Comfort and help all those that are in tribulation, and such as lead their lives in miseries, temptations, perturbations, and afflictions, as well of the body as the soul. Finally, I commend all creatures to thy protection, that to the living thou m●…est give grace, and to the dead et●…nall rest. Amen. A prayer before we go out of doors. OMnipotent & eternal God, who art the way the life, and the truth, behold I am to walk amidst the snares of the devil, the world his minister, laid in wait for me: I bear likewise about me the temptations of my frail flesh, so that it cannot be that I shall walk without harm, tither of body or soul, amongst so many gulfs & dangerous heaps of temptations, which that cursed enemy hath beset us with, being swallowed in sin, except thou stretch thy right hand to assist us. Lead me therefore, thou most assured & faithful guide: open mine eyes, & conduct me in the high way, that I Psal. 24. may neither turn on the right nor on the left hand: Show me thy Prou. 4. paths, & teach me thy ways: make my path strait, & direct my journeys in peace. O Lord, in thy righteousness Psal. 5. lead me because of mine enemies: direct thou my ways in thy sight: Thou that to holy men sendedst thine Angels for guardians, by whom as the weaker sons they should be directed as by their elder and more stronger brothers: Thou that to To●…y, the modest son of an honest father, sendedst Raphael thy minister, to accompany him on the way in his intended journey: send me, being far inferior to Tobias in virtue, but confident in thy goodness, thy holy Angel, who may now lead me in these paths that are most pleasant in thy sight, and at length bring me to the haven of eternal life: In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and the holy Ghost, Amen. When you enter any journey. O God that broughtest Abraham thy servant from Vr of the Chaldees and keptst him in safety in the whole course of his pilgrimage: we beseech thee vouchsafe to keep us thy servants. Be unto us, O Lord, in our setting out, our succour: in our way our solace: in heat, a shelter: in rain and cold, a garment: in weariness, a waggon: in adversity, a helper: in the slippery way, a staff: in shipwreck a haven: that by thy conduct we may attain thither with happiness whither we travel, and at last return in safety to our own households, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. A prayer before the Sermon. O Lord jesus Christ, that d●…scendedst from the bosom of thy father into this world 〈◊〉 our teacher, that thou mightest show the will of thy Father to wretched mortal men, and teach them in the way of ●…aluation: Behold I come to hear thy word, and have many years since repaired to the same: (but alas) with small fruit of my soul: I came unto the light, and I am not illuminated: to the bread of life, & behold I die for hunger: to the fire, and I starve for cold: to the medicine, & 〈◊〉 am oppressed with diverse infirmities of sin. The dew of divine doctrine falleth without intermission upon my earth, and yet hitherto hath it brought forth nothing but thorns and thistles: what need more? days, months and years are past, and I remain in the same state of sin. It is a great benefit O Lord, that thou hast left us the seed of thy divine word, otherwise we had been like Sodom and Gomorra. It is likewise a great benefit that thou sendest labourers into thy vineyard, that thou leavest us Doctors and Catholic preachers: but in vain teach they outwardly, except thou move inwardly. I beseech thee therefore (O good jesus) open the ears of my heart, that that which is instilled by the ear of my flesh, may penetrate even unto the marrow of my spirit, and there work such wholesome effects, that thy word return not again in vain. Vouchsafe, I say, O Lord, that this seed which at this time falleth on me, be not choked with the thorny cares of this world, neither wither through drought and defect of the dew of the holy Ghost, in the time of tribulation, neither be devoured by the birds of the air: but warmed by the heat and operation of the holy Spirit, may flourish in a fruitful mould, and bring forth the fruits of eternal life: that I may know thee, love thee, and laud thee with perpetual praise, who art laudable and glorious for ever. Amen. A prayer after the Sermon. LOrd jesus Christ, eternal Saviour, I give thee thanks for that thou hast fed me wi●…h the food of thy word, 〈◊〉 abundantly nourished me: I beseech thee that the understanding of thy word be effectual and healthful to me, that the same celestial seed do not perish in me without fruit. Keep my heart, and enclose it with the sense of thy grace, and prohibit that the infernal foul do not pluck it out of my heart, but prepare it unto thee, that it may keep thy word, and as a new thing, be infixed in my memory. Thou art he that saidst by thy Prophet, The word that shall issue from my mouth, shall Esay 55. not return to me in vain, but shall prosper in that for which I send it. Go to Lord, and let thy word heard by me, from the mouth of thy minister, prosper in me: give me strength, that my life may be answerable to the doctrine I have received. Give increase to thy word, O thou celestial husbandman, that it may augment and increase in me, that by thy holy word it may not only bring me to the knowledge of thy will, but also that I may fulfil and execute that which thou biddest and wilt, and so I may persever unto the end, until I may attain to thy celestial and everlasting kingdom. Amen. When we go about any work. WE, that are thrust into the most obscurest darkness through the fall of our first parents, O thou fountain of eternal wisdom, know not what is pleasing or displeasant to thee, and what is expedient or hurtful for us: notwithstanding, O bountiful & merciful Lord, I, notwithstanding the labour be great, if I respect my strength: light & easy, if I regard thy assistance, do now undertake the same, not knowing whether thou wilt that the same should be done by me, or likewise whether it shall be profitable or hurtful unto me: O thou light of divine majesty, O beauty of the glory of the Father, O giver of gifts, I beseech thee, let the drops of thy grace fall upon me, that herein I may know thy will. To thee therefore, O thou that dwellest in the highest, God and Father omnipotent, with humble heart, godly affection, and devout prayer, do I fly, craving thy help and assistance in beginning this work For thou understandest the depth of my ignorance, my poverty in virtues, my sluggishness in well-doing, and the great deformity of my manners: all which make me unworthy to finish such a wor●…e: give me therefore wisdom, that assisteth thy seat: send her from thy holy heavens, that she may be with me, and labour with me. Strengthen me, O Lord God of Israel, and at this hour behold the works of my hands: Give me strength, assist and help me, that the evil spirit do not hinder me in achieving this work, or the detractious of wicked men revoke me from the same: let me fail other ways, or let me fall before the end of the work, but under such a moderator and rector, let me institute and end all things orderly, namely jesus Christ the mediator, who is God to be praised for ever. Amen. A thanksgiving when the work is finished. O Most sweet Lord jesus Christ, thou redeemer of mankind, who art Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, by whom all things are made, & without whom nothing is done, who weighest vows, crownest merits, and givest rewards: I give thee thanks, that I have ended the work begun by thy providence, and ended by thy assistance. Thine it is, O good jesus, at this present, to weigh the value thereof: If I have any ways defaulted therein, all that is mine: and if any thing hath been gracious in the eyes of thy Majesty, all that do I ascribe unto thee. For being conceived in sin, borne in sin, & bred up in sin, what other thing can we do but sin? And how can we perform any good thing, except thou give it, O Lord? It remaineth now, O God, that by the same mercy wherewith thou wroughtest this work with me, by the same now thou wilt direct it to a wished scope and end, lest the fruits thereof do perish, either to myself, or to my neighbour. And if for all those benefits which thou hast bestowed on us, we should give thee thanks, most bountiful jesus, all our whole life should be spent in that one thing; so that it behoved us to think on no other thing but the same. But now our duty calleth us henceforth to another thing: our vocation exacteth another thing at our hands: yet are thy new benefits always to be received with a new giving of thanks. For which cause I also, for that it hath pleased thee so faithfully to finish this work in me, and by me, although thy vile & unworthy instrument, I bless thee and praise thee, and glorify thee. But grant me also (O Lord) not only to give thee thanks, but also to have them, that is, to remember continually thy bounties, employed on me; that when as thou findest me not ingrateful, thou mayest continue the increase of thy gifts in me, until by these of thine I may attain the perpetual fountain of all goodness and blessedness. Amen When we prepare ourselves to study. WE, whatsoever we be, by a hidden instinct of nature, desire knowledge; but in so palpable darkness are we conversant, that not only we are ignorant of those things which we ought to know, but also how we ought to know. For it is the punishment of the first sin, that this natural light, wherewith in the state of innocency our understanding was illuminate, is now extinct, and we, as it were blind, grope for the wall, and as it were without eyes, handle it. To thee therefore, O Wisdom, dwelling in the highest heavens & resident in the father's bosom, make I recourse: enlighten (I beseech thee) my nunde, & give me an understanding heart, that I may know the truth, which thou thyself art, follow and take hold of it. verily I desire to know, because I have read, that thou repulsest those that repine at Sciences: I have read that they that are learned shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and they that instruct many in the ways of justice, shall be as a star in the perpetuities of eternities. But because I know not how I ought to know, I beseech thee show me the means & order: grant that I may first learn the which is most convenient to salvation, and that most ardently, that urgeth most vehemently to love. Grant that I may not desire to know for vain glory sake, not for curiosity, nor in respect of profit, but only for the edification both of myself and of my neighbour. O thou Creator of all things, thou meridian light, O the reward of the elect, thou knowest the depth of mine ignorance, my unpolished speech, my defect of virtues, and my sluggishness in apprehending good and ghostly things, is not hidden from thee. Notwithstanding, O uncreated Wisdom, which at thine own pleasure, of the wicked makest just, and of the ignorant, suddenly and without delay learned: send from the seat of thy Majesty, thy light and thy truth, that may illuminate my darkness, and give me (the unworthy) the understanding of thy chaste and holy word. Make me wiser & better, that I may impart to others likewise, part of that light which thou impartest unto me. I attribute nothing to mine industry, cunning, or wit, (for I know that all those who are rightly wise, are wise by thy teaching) but from thee I expect that thou shouldest open unto me the treasures of thy wisdom. Be assistant, be assistant therefore, O thou brightness of divine Majesty, O beauty of thy Father's glory, O giver of rewards, be assistant I beseech thee, unto me, and from the height of thy throne, power the sparkling light of thy grace into the heart of thy servant, that being solely taught inwardly by thee, I may understand not that which the prudence of the flesh persuadeth, but that which thy celestial wisdom doth allow: that I may understand also with sobriety, and not whilst I persuade others to goodness, make myself arrogant and evil: but that I may first of all convert to mine own profit, whatsoever is given me by thee: then from me let it redound to my neighbour, that by the benefit of this imperfect science, I may at last come to the contemplation of the most perfect wisdom, which thou thyself art: Who livest and reignest GOD world without end. Amen. When the clock striketh. BLessed be the hour in which my Lord jesus Christ was borne & died for us: O Lord have me in remembrance at the hour of my death. A prayer before repast. IT is the admirable mystery of thy work, O thou Maker and ruler of the world, that thou sustainest by these meats the lives of men and of beasts: Truly that power is neither in the bread nor meat, but it is in thy will and word, by which all things live and have their being. And how great is that likewise that every year thou so providest, whereby so many sorts of living creatures are sufficiently satisfied? Which thy holy Prophet testified in the publishing of thy praises: That all things look up Psal. 145. unto thee, that thou mightest give them meat in due season. Thou openest thy hand, & fillest with thy blessing every living creature. These are the wonderful works of thy omnipotency; we beseech thee thou Prince & magnificent father, that as thou ministrest life unto our bodies, by meats, and by thy word: so also it might please thee to quicken our souls with grace, by the same word. Grant that thy help may be present with us, lest we wickedly abuse those things which thou hast created for our good uses: let us not love thee because thou givest those things, but let us love those things because they come from thee, & for a time are necessary unto us, returning unto thee. Let us converse soberly, purely, moderately, holily amongst thy gifts which thou givest us, lest we convert those things which thou givest us, as a medicine of our life, to the venom and death of our souls. But rather duly and thankfully receiving them, they may become wholesome both to our souls and bodies, that we may be worthy that thou like a good Father shouldest deservedly nourish us like thy dear children with wholesome nourishment, till we obtain to that perfection of thy Son jesus Christ, in which this mortal shall out on immortality: neither any more want nurture, being made one with thyself: who art blessed for ever and ever. Amen. A prayer after meat. WE feel a double eating (O bountiful & liberal Father) in our members: by this the natural heat daily consumeth somewhat of the substance of our bodies: by that, not the natural, but the noxious concupiscence consumeth somewhat of that justice which by thy largesse is infused into our souls. If thou repairest not, and daily strengthenest not our body with corporal meats, it dieth: and that natural life which is in it is extinguished: & except thou daily nourish our soul by thy grace, it is first weakened, and at length dieth, not a temporal, but an eternal death. For as we consist of twofold substance, so have we need of a double aliment. We pray thee therefore (O Lord God) to give our bodies our daily bread; we beseech thee also impart to our souls thy continual grace: by the one the body is strengthened: by the other the soul is enriched: by this we live, by that we live happily. Now hast thou nourished (O most gracious father) the corporal life of thy children with corporal meats: we pray thee that with the same beneficence, thou wilt now also nourish in us the spiritual life with the crumbs of thy mercy falling from thy table, that by thy grace thou mayest drive away the death of our souls. Truly we are much indebted unto thee for this present life: and because thou prolongest the same by thy bounty, we give & yield thee most humble thanks: but this now is the way to that eternal life, which we beseech thee by the death of thine only begotten Son, to bestow upon us by thy bounty and immortal blessedness. Here, but for a temporal life we give thee thanks, but temporary, & such as we may: there, for eternal graces shall we give thee eternal thanksgiving. For there shall we truly be satisfied when thy glory Psal. 36. shall appear, which thou shalt give us through jesus Christ thy Son: who with thee and the holy Ghost liveth and reigneth world without end. Amen. A prayer to almighty God about Sun setting. O Lord, the way of the just shineth like a clear light, and increaseth Prou. 4. even unto the perfect day of eternity, but the wicked knew not, neither understood: they walk Psal. 81. in darkness, they shall descend from the interior darkness of the mind to the exterior darkness of hell. O therefore most miserable are they, & fouretimes more miserable are they to whom that thy sun doth set, that sun I say, that to thy saints never setteth, but is always meridian, clear & shining. A grievous night also in the noonestead attendeth their minds, who depart from thee. They expect the light, and behold Esay, 59 darkness: the light, and they walk in darkness: they feel like the blind for the wall, & grope as it were without eyes: they stumble at noon day as it were in the dark, and in obscurity like the dead: but they that are conversant with thee, the day is never darkness unto them, but shineth clearly. here the aetherial Sun keepeth his course, ariseth, setteth, draweth near us, and departeth from us: But thou (O Lord) if we truly love thee, hast no changes: thou risest always, and settest never: thou comest to us, and remainest with us to the Math, 28. world's end. O thou that risest from the highest, lighten me that fit in darkness, and in the shadow of death: O light of the Father, Luk. 1. O eternal Son, illumine my inward darkness, lest after this life, I be drawn to the exterior. O merciful, and sweet jesus, remain with me, because it waxeth dark, and the day is already at an end: for as long as we enjoy thy presence, we abide in light and clearness, but if thou shalt depart from us, what thing can be pleasant, nay, what not heavy and dolesome unto us? When we have thee present we are fed by thy sweetness, we enjoy thy familiarity, we rest in thine arms, we are delighted by thy inward conference, we are freed from earthly cares and desires, we esteem thee for our chiefest good, with thee we dwell, with thee we live. All these benefits die unto us, if thou, O eternal light, be hidden from us. Abide therefore with us, O Lord, and remove from us the weight of our sins, to the end that perpetual day may shine in our hearts: stay with us, O Lord. Amen. An Evening confession. I Confess my sins unto thee eternal Bishop, minister of the Saints, and the Priest of the true taberna●…le, who ence in the year of this world, hast entered into the sacred Secret, and given the holy and immaculate Lamb of thy body for a sacrifice for our sins: To thee I confess, that I am inindebted, not only in ten thousand talents of my sins, but that I am bound to yield thee account of my whole life. Because I know that there is not one Commandment of thine, in my whole life that I have perfectly observed, wherein either in word, sight, hearing, taste, work, thought, persuasion, or consent, I have not offended. But now (O Lord) I come before thy face in confession, and in the presence of all thine Angels and holy Saints: I 〈◊〉 unto thee all my sins, wherewith this day I have offended thee: Here if there be any more grievous sins, let them be repeated. Neither these alone do I confess, but also all other my misdeeds, whatsoever I have committed from my infancy hitherto, even unto this present hour either wittingly or ignorantly, in deeds, in words, in thoughts, and in omissions, discovering also in particular the evilltree of my heart, with all his roots, twigs, leaves, fruits, & with all his deformities, swellings, rottenness, all which are very well known unto thee: for thou beholdest not only the interior desires, doubts, & denials of thy providence, but also these gross external offences, which we wretchedly commit in our words and deeds. Wherefore (O most merciful Father) according to the measure of my weakness, I beseech thee (although I am altogether unapt to pray) forgive my offences, pardon my sins, and forget all the multitude of my misdeeds, as well those that I have committed this day, as also those which thou knowest me guilty of from my infancy hitherto. Circumcise likewise, for thy goodness sake, my very stony heart: for this old one, create in me a new, and endue it with a new spirit: water it with the juice of celestial grace, and the spiritual fountain of waters, whereby the internal venom, and corrupt juice of the flesh may be dried up, the custom of the old man may be changed, and my heart may not hereafter bring forth brambles and thorns, as fuel to the fire, but spiritual fruits in justice and holiness. Amen. A thanksgiving in the evening. BEhold (O Lord) so many and so mighty are my sins whereby I have this day offended thy divine Majesty: and that time thou gavest me to show the fruits of repentance in, I have consumed so unprofitably, forgetting that this day might have been the very last day of my life: heaping new sins upon old, and walking in thy sight (who continually seest all things) without any fear, no otherwise than if it were in the presence of some idol: for which cause I deserved that the earth should gape, and hell should swallow me up: but for that this most fatal punishment doth not affect me, both with lips, and heart, & all the members about me, and the power that is in me, I give thanks to thine infinite mercy. For thou (O Lord) hast kept me this day by thy ciemency from all misfortune of body and soul: for there is no evil in the world, either corporal, or spiritual, that this day might not have happened unto me. For that which might befall another man, why might it not light upon me? For if he be the son of Adam, why, so am I: If he be subject to actual sin, so am I: If his body be form of humours, and contrary elements, so is mine. If therefore he be this day made blind, why might not I also have been blinded? If another man this day become lame, be consumed, fall sick of the p●…sicke, be distraught, get the ●…ixe, labour of the spleen, tremble with the pals●…e, why am not I partner of the same misery? If this man hath perished by water, that by fire, he be extinguished by sudden and unexpected death, why am not I also, who am in the same state of damnation with him? Why, O Lord? why (I say?) but for that thy grace (O most pitiful Lord) hath conserved me, and thy mercy protected me, that therefore I am in safety; that I am whole and strong in body, I only ascribe it to thee, & to thee give I most entire thanks. The like, or rather more greater thanks offer I up unto thee (O Father) the thou hast no less protected my soul from sins, than my body from sicknesses and misfortunes of this day: that being blind, thou hast lightened her, & guided her in this way of thy commandments: that falling, thou hast raised her: that standing, thou hast sustained her from falling. For that thy mercy hath prevented me, delivering me from all evils, saving me from those that are past, raising me from the present, and defending me from the future: taking away also the nets of my sins from before me, and cutting off their occasions and causes. For except thou hadst done this, and that for me, I had done all the sins of the world, because I know (O Lord) that there is no sin that ever man did, that another man might not have done, if the Creator be wanting, by whom man is made. But that I did not offend, 〈◊〉 was thy favour: that I abstained, it was thy command: and that I believed thee, it was thy grace inspired into me. For thou (O Lord) didst rule me to thyself: & kepst me for thee and myself and that I should not commit adultery, or any other sin, thou gavest me that grace & light through jesus Christ thy son. To thee be praise, to thee grace, to thee glory, for ever and ever. Amen. A prayer wherein thou commendest thyself to God upon the entrance of thy bed. O Lord jesus Christ, my God & Redeemer, in as much as thou hast made & ordained the pleasing time of night, for the rest and refection of the weak bodies of miserable mortal men, I beseech thee that this night thou wilt keep my soul (overburdened with sin) defensed with true peace in thee: O God, who art the true and eternal rest, preserve it from all the assaults of the devil, & from all his dangerous incursions: defend my senses and cogitations, and ordain and direct all that which I do, and wherein I end according to thy will, lest engaged in the depraved darkness of this world & being overcome by the Prince of the same the devil, I be brought into temptation, and pernicious snares: but perfect in me true tranquillity, and constant purity in my conscience. Give unto my body also (O most sweet jesus) contaminate with many crime●…, this night, and all other times, suc●… rest, that I may never depart from thee, who art eternal tranquillity, neither at any time forsake the●…, or through the dullness and sluggishness of my slothful flesh, be●… forgetful of thee, and thereby be●… thrust into the perpetual agitat●… on and damnation of incessa●… trouble. For which cause (O eternal an) most merciful Lord) I comment my spirit into thy hands for tho●… our most merciful Saviour, ha●… redeemed us on the wood of th●… cross: suffer not my spirit O Lord to sleep in sin, and saint therein, lest I be buried in eternal death: ●…ut watch over me, and intent ●…y safety: O most faithful shepherd, suffer me not, being desti●…ute of thy help, to be swallowed 〈◊〉 the gulf of my sins. Protect me under the shadow of ●…hy wings, and suffer me not to be Psal. 16. ●…ntangled with extraordinary and ●…nnecessary sleep: but raise me ●…n due time: that wakened in that sort, I may cheerfully endeavour myself to sing thy praises, and intent thy service, that I may think of thee: and being raised by ●…hy power, I may perform the ●…orks of justice, and seek thy hea●…enly kingdom with my whole ●…eart: that at length by thee, with ●…hee, & in thee, I may obtain eter●…all light, and celestial rest. Amen. Another prayer before sleep. GRant unto me (O my God) the watching, I may vigilantly ●…and in thy presence: & as often as 〈◊〉 shall fortune me to sleep, let my sleep be without sin, and if in my waking I should commit any misdeed, grant me (O Lord) pardon for thy mercy sake: and if; sin in my sleep, let thy clemency pardon me; and by the memory of thy martyrdom give me a quiet time of sleep, and deliver me from evil dreams, and filthy imaginations: and for the whole night, bouchsafe me a sleep full of tranquillity, lest wickedness have the power over me, and evil cogitations full of perverseness seduce me. Give me thine Angel of light, that may keep all the members of my body: and deliver me from cursed concupiscence, by that living body that was cru●…ified for me. Let me lay me down to rest, and sleep in peace, and let thy blood be the keeper of me and my soul, which is thine image. Give liberty to thy handiwork, and let thy right hand defend the body which thou hast fashioned with thine own hands: and environ me with the wall of thy mercies, as it were an acceptable fortress and bulwark, that when the body shall rest and sleep, it may be defended by thy virtue: and let my sleep be as a sweet sinelling incense before thy majesty: neither let the enemy approach my bed, for thy mercy sake. I will hear and execute thy will (O my God) who lodest the night with the tranquillity of the justice of our redeemer jesus Christ. For thou art the true light, and thy glory dwelleth in the light: and the children of light adore thee, dwelling in the light. jesus, the Word of the Father unto life, have merit on me for thy mercy sake: to whom with the Father that sent thee, and the holy Ghost, be all praise for ever. Amen. jaculatory prayers to be had always in memory. When any sudden fear assaileth thee. BE unto me (O Lord a tower Psal. 60. of strength against the face of mine enemy. If the corrupt flesh provoke thee. PIerce my flesh with thy fear: Psalm. 118. for I have trembled at thy judgements. If an ill suspicion overtake thee. Created in me (O Lord) a new heart, and give me a new spirit Psal. 50. If undecent sadness over-hale thee. Give me the joy of thy salvation, and confirm me with a Psal. 50. principal spirit. If vain glory seduce thee. NOt unto us (O Lord) not unto us, but to thy ●…ame give Psal. 113. the glory. If desperation molest thee. GOd is my hope from my youth: from the womb of my mother Psal. 70. thou art my protector. If thou be afflicted in mind. Help me, and I shall be safe, & I will meditate always upon Psal. 118. thy justifications. If sloth assail thee, EXcite thy power (O Lord) and come: conunrme me in thy Psal. 79. words, lest I fail in the way. If labour tyre thee. BEhold my humility, and my labour, Psal. 24. & forgive me all my sins. If wrath disturb thee. Give me patience (O Lord) & peace to thy servant, lest I lose the crown of my soul in heaven. For thou hast said, In your patience Luke 21. you shall possess your souls. If desire of honour and promotion tempt thee. INcline my heart (O Lord) to thy Psalm. 118 testimonies, and not unto covetousness: turn away mine eyes, lest I see vanity: and quicken me in thy way. If gluttony solicit thee. THe kingdom of heaven is not meat & drink, but peace and Rom. 14 joy in the holy Ghost: It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing. john 6. Is evil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thee. WHose tinage and superscription is this? And hearing that it is Ce●…ars, that is, the Matth. 21. Act. 8. devil of this world, say, let thy money be with thee to thy perdition: now the door is shut, and our Lord careth his passover here, I have no leisure to open unto thee. If any blessing of God happen to thee. WHat shall I yield unto our Lord for all the benefits he hath bestowed upon me? How Psalm. 115. much ●…west thou, m●… soul? And tur●…g to the angels, lay, Come and hear, and I will show you, all y●…e that ●…are God, what he hath 〈◊〉 to my soul. And turning thine eyes unto God himself, it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shalt thou say, O Lord, thy mercy is great toward me. Psal. 85. I●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persecution Judge them (O Lord) that hurt Psal. 34. me, overthrow them that fight against me: Take the sword and shield, and arise to do me help. When thou seest thou art 〈◊〉 by God. WHerefore (O Lord) art 〈◊〉 departed far from me Psal 9 Dost thou turn thine eyes aside in opportunities, in tribulation? Stay with us, O Lord, for it waxeth Luke 2. night. Against detractors, Save me (O God) for the righteous Psal. 11. fail, and truth faileth amongst the children of men: Let the Lord confound all deceitful lips, and the tongue that speaketh great things. For our enemies. O Lord, lay not this sin to their Act. 7. charge, because they know not what thy do. When we address●… ourselves to study. BLessed art thou (O Lord) teach Psal. 118. me to do thy will: open mine eyes that I may consider the wonderful works of thy Law. A man may sometimes lift up his heart by affection of repentance in these words. Turn thy face from my sins, O Lord, and blot out all my offences. Create in me (O Lord) a new heart. Sometimes with an affection of gratitude. Bless the Lord (O my soul) Psalm. 102. and forget not his benefits. Sometime with an affection of love. I Will love thee, O Lord my strength, God is my foundation, Psal. 17. my refuge, and my deliverer: God is my helper, and I will hope in him. Even as the Hart desireth the fountains, so longeth my soul Psal 40. after thee, O God. My soul hath thirsted after the living fountain God: When shall I come and appear before the face of my God? My tears were bread unto me day and night, whilst they daily said unto me, Where is thy God? Then inflamed with the love of eternal beatitude, let him say: OHow amiable are thy dwelling places, thou Lord of hosts my Psal. 83. soul thirsteth and longeth after the dwelling place of my God. This that felloweth was familiar to the Fathers in Egypt. WHo shall give me wings like Psal. 54. a Dove, and I will fly and take rest? Three most devout prayers to excite the soul to contrition and grief for sin. The first Prayer. only begotten Son of God, great and unspeakable are the benefits, O Lord, which I have received at thy hands: thou framedst me of the dust and dirt of the earth, and createdst my soul of nothing, to thy image & similitude, and madest it capable of thy glory: thou gavest me understanding, memo will, election, with all my members and senses, and with them the knowledge and love of thee. Thou keptst me in the secret celles of my mother's womb, lest in them I should be choked without baptism. Thou sustainedst me patiently after so many sins, even unto this present day, where in the mean space there are many others who have less offended than 〈◊〉 & yet because thou wouldst not hitherto expect them, they are now perhaps tormented in hell. But besides all this, it was thy pleasure to take flesh upon thee & to converse amongst men for my sake, to be afflicted & troubled for me; to be bedewed with bloody sweat; to be taken, bound, buffeted, spit upon, mocked, blasphemed; to be clothed in a white and purple garment like a fool: to be strooken with a reed, to be blinded, condemned to death, & led to the place of execution, having on thy shoulders the croune to which thou wert affixed with nails, and hanged betwixt two thieves, and adjudged for a malefactor: thou didst drink gall and vinegar: finally, thou wert slain with most cruel death. By so many labours and dolours (O my God) thou didst redeem me, and yet I most vile and perverse sinner, ingrateful for so many benefits, have so oftentimes newly strooken thee again, & nailed thee to the cross by my sins: for which cause I am worthy that all creatures should rise up against me, & take revenge of this my so great injury. What should I say of the abuse of thy sacraments & medicines, which by thy precious blood, thou institutedst & obtainedst for me? Thou tookest me for thine in the sacrament of baptism, there thou adoptedst me for thy son, and consecratedst me as it were thy temple, there didst thou anoint me for thy Priest, King, and Champion, who was to wage combat with the enemy: there didst thou espouse my soul, and gavest me all the honours which were answerable to this dignity. But how have I used all these benefits and ornaments which I have received from thee? what cogitations had I of keeping these riches? Thou tookest me for thy son, and I may become the servant of sin. Thou sanctifiedst me for thy temple, and I made myself the habitation of devils. Thou armedst me like a generous soldier, and I revolted and fled unto thine enemies. Thou madest me a king, and I waxed proud in the kingdom which thou gavest me. Thou espousedst my soul to thee in perpetual charity, and I more loved vanity than verity: more the creatures, than my Creator. Truly it were rightful, yea most just, (O Lord) that yet now at length I should begin to weep, complain, and lament, when I have committed so many and so enormous sins. This is it that so long time thou expectedst from me, as thou hast given me life: For so oftentimes hast thou called me, and so long hast thou sustained me, struck me, and again flattered me, and hast sought all ways and means that thou mightest reclaim me unto thee: thou hast expected me, and I have abused thy patience: thou hast called me, and I have stopped mine ears against thy counsels. Thou gavest me time for repentance, and I consumed the same in my pride: thou strookest me, and I felt it not: thou afflictedst me, & I would not take thy correction: thou sweatedst that thou mightest cleanse me, and I am not washed: thou provedst me by fire, and the rust of my sins is not cleansed away. I am hardened as well by thy scourges, as thy allurements: ingratful to these: rebellious against those. Notwithstanding (O Lord God) though thou hast suffered so many and so great things for me, thou hast commanded me that I should not despair, nor distrust in thy mercy: I convert myself therefore wholly unto thy mercy, and beseech thee to give me grace, that I may amend myself, whereby I may so hereafter please thee and serve thee, that I never hereafter revolt from thee, but cleave always to thee for ever and ever. Amen. For contrition. The second prayer. O Supreme Maker of all living creatures, when I bethink myself how greatly I have offended thy divine majesty by my sins, I quake for fear, and detest my undecent madness: considering how bountiful and reverend a Father I have forsook: I curse my ingratitude, when I consider from how noble a liberty I am fallen, into most miserable servitude: I accuse my inconstancy, & know not what to set before mine eyes, but judgement and hell: for thy justice from which I cannot fly, terrifieth my conscience. On that other side, when I behold thy unmeasurable mercy, which according to the testimony of thy Psal. 144. Prophet surpasseth all thy works, presently a pleasing breath of hope doth refresh me, and strengtheneth my too feeble mind. For as before I despaired, so here do I find remission of my sins in him, who by the writing of his Prophets so oftentimes inviteth sinners to repentance, saying, I will not the death Ezech. 18. of a sinner, but rather that he convert and live. Thy only begotten Son likewise declareth by many similitudes how ready thou art to pardon those that are penitent. That expressed he by the lost penny, by the lost sheep, brought home on the shoulders of his pastor: but especially by the prodigal son, Luke 15. whose image I acknowledge in myself. For I am he that have indeed forsaken my most loving Father: I have spent all my substance: and obeying the appetites of my flesh, have fled the obedience of thy commandments, and have fallen into the most filthy captivity of sin: now am I traveled with extreme necessity, from which who shall deliver me, I truly know not, except it be he whom I have forsaken. Receive me therefore (O Lord) thy most humble servant, submissively seeking pardon at thy hands, into thy favour. But whereas (though in vain) thou hast even unto this hour so bountifully expected me, I confess that I am not worthy to lift up mine eyes to heaven, or to call thee Father: yet because thou art my true Father, vouchsafe with thy fatherly eyes to behold me: for thy aspect alone quickeneth the dead, and draweth all such as run astray, unto thee. For this, whatsoever repentance which I now have, I could not have had, except thou hadst beheld me. When as wandering I forsook thee, thou lookedst upon me from the highest heavens, where I was furthest from thee: and didst open mine eyes that I might behold thee and search my conscience, and behold myself overwhelmed with so much wickedness. Come therefore (O Lord) to receive me: give me the knowledge and memory of my lost innocency: I require not thy embracings, nor thy kisses: I pray thee not to give me that goodly garment that I was wont to wear, nor the ring of my ancient dignity: I require not that thou shouldest receive me into the state and dignity of thy children: but it shall suffice me if I may be numbered amongst the mercenary servants of thy house, sealed with thy mark, and tied with thy bonds, lest ever hereafter I run away from thee: It shall not grieve me, although in this life I be one of the most contemptible slaves of thy house, so that thou separate me not for ever from thee. Hear me therefore, most merciful Father, and give me the grace of thy only begotten Son: and communicate with me the merits of his passion. Give me thy Spirit that it may purify my heart, and strengthen it in thy grace, lest hereafter I return again, through ignorance, into that exile, from whence thy grace hath recalled me: who livest & reignest world without end. Amen. For contrition. The third most zealous prayer. WHo shall give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my eyes, that night and day I may bewail my sins, and lament my ingratitude against God my Creator? There are many things (O omnipotent Lord) that incite the hearts of men, and draw them to the knowledge of then sins: but there is none so effectual, as the consideration of the greatness of thy bounty, and the multitude of thy benefits: yea, even to those sinners, which are most reprobate & wretched. That therefore my most miserable soul may by that means be confounded and ashamed, I will begin (O Lord) to reckon up some of thy mercy's an●… my mischiefs, that but in this I may manifestly understand wh●… thou art, & who I am: what tho●… wert towards me: and what I a●… towards thee. The time was once (my God when I was not: & thou gavest 〈◊〉 being, and tookest me out of 〈◊〉 dust of the earth, creating me according to thine own image a●… similitude: then from my motherwombe thou becamest my God: f●… from the first moment wherein I began to be, even unto this present hour, thou art my Father, my redeemer, my defender, and all my good. Thou createdst my body, with all my members and senses: thou createdst my soul, with all her powers: and hitherto hast thou preserved my life, by the benefit of thy providence. All these (although in themselves they be great, yea weiny all) yet are they little in respect of thy greatness. But because thou hadst these things gratis, and bought by no great price, thou wouldst give me another thing which cost thee more decree, that I might thereby be the more indebted unto thee. Thou descendedst from heaven upon the earth, that thou mightest find me, seeking me in all my ways in which I had lost myself. Thou didst ennoble my humanity by thy nature by thy thr●…dome thou deliveredst me from captivity: thou freedst me from the power of the devil, delivering thyself into sinners hands, & destroying my sin by assuming the shape of a sinner: thou wouldst bind me unto thee by so much grace: thou wouldst a●●ure me by this benefit, strengthen my hope by so many merits, and beget in me the detestation of sin, showing unto me how many things thou hast both done and suffered, to overthrow the kingdom of sin. Thou kindlest living fire upon the dead coals of my heart, that being overwhelmed with such a multitude of benefit●…, which in this one are contained, I might love him that did so great things for me, and bestowed so much love on me. Behold (O Lord) thou redeemedst me: but what had that profited me, except I had been baptised? Amongst such a multitude of infidels, scattered upon the face of the whole earth, it pleased thee to reckon me among the number of thy faithful: and of those to whom so happy a lot befell, as to be thy children, regenerated by the water of holy baptism: there was I taken for thine: there was that famous & admirable contract or covenant concluded, namely that I should be thine, & thou shouldest be mine: thou my Lord, and I thy servant: thou my Father, & I thy son: where we meet together, thou to perform towards me the office of a Father, & I to serve thee with the duty of a son. What shall I say of the other Sacrament, which thou institutedst as a remedy for my sins, making thy precious blood a medicine for my wounds? Having all these helps and furtherances, as yet I continued not in goodness, but such was my malice, that notwithstanding these I lost once more my first innocency: and so great again was thy mercy, y● hast hitherto patiently suffered me in my sins O my hope and my redeemer, how can I without tears remember how often thou mightst have slain me, and no evil happened unto me? how many thousand of souls haply do now burn in hell, which have sinned less than I have sinned, & yet burn not? what had become of me if at that time thou tookest them away, thou hadst likewise taken me? how strict a judgement had been prepared for me, if justice had apprehended me being guilty of so many grievous sins? Who then (O Lord) bound the hands of thy justice? Who prayed for me when I slept? who stayed the scourge of thy wrath, when I provoked the same by my sins? What was there pleasing in me, why thou shouldest deal more favourably with me than with them, who in the midst of their perils, yea in the very heat of their youth, were taken hence? My sins cried unto thee, and thou stoppedst thine ears lest thou shouldst hear them: my malice against thee increased daily, and thy mercy likewise towards me increased daily: I sinned, and thou didst expect me: I fled thee, & thou followedst me: I was wearied in offending thee, thou wert not weary in expecting me, in no other sort, than if my sins had been favours, and no offences. In the midst of my sins, I received many good inspirations, & many holy reprehensions from thee, which did cenuict and condemn the dissoluteness of my life. How often didst thou call me, and inwardly invite me, saying, Thou hast committed Hierem. fornication with many lovers, yet return unto me, and I will receive thee? How often hast thou called me in these or such like loving words? How often hast thou terrified me with fear and threatenings, reducing to my memory the peril of my death, and the rigour of thy divine justice? How many orders of Preachers & Confessors hast thou appointed, that by their words and counsels might incite me & help me (O Lord) walking in thy way? How often hast thou followed me by thy words, inviting me by thy benefits, and chastising me with thy scourges, stopping up all the ways after the manner of a hunter, that I might no way fly or escape from thee? What shall I then at this time render unto thee (O Lord) for all those things which thou hast bestowed upon me? Because thou hast created me, I owe ●…hee all that which I am: for thou ●…dest all things. Because thou ●…st conserved me, I owe unto thee ●…ll that I am, & live: for thou con●…uest all things: & because thou ●…auest thyself as a reward unto me what shall I restore thee? If I had all the lives of Angels & men, and should offer them for a sacrifice unto thee, what were this oblation, if it should be compared only to the blood which so abundantly thou shedst for my sake? Who therefore shall give me tears for mine eyes, that I may bewail●… my ingratitude, and my negligent retribution, for so many benefits? Give me therefore thy help (O Lord) give me thy grace, that in due manner I may confess my sins unto thee. I unhappy that I 〈◊〉 I (although I have demeaned 〈◊〉 self far otherwise) am thy creature made according to thy Image and likeness: acknowledge this similitude, for it is thine. Take from me that which I have made, and thou shalt find th●… which thou by thy holy hand hast made. I have employed all my forces and powers to injury thee; and have offended thee in the very work●… of my hands. My feet were swif●… to do evil, my hands ready t●… act any wickedness, mine eie●… dissolute to all vanity, and mi●… ears open to all follies and falsehoods. I have diverted the most noble part of my soul, which had eyes to behold thee, from thy beauty, and converted them to the flourishes of this miserable life: the soul, that day and night should have meditated on thy commandments, now night and day studieth in what manner it may offend thee. The understanding so depraved, what should the will do? Thou, my God, hadst invited it to celestial delights: but she preferred earth before heaven, stretching her arms, to thee (O Lord) consecrated, to the filthy affection of Creatures. This is the recompense (O God) this the fruit which my senses (which thou createdst) brought forth. Ah wretch that I am, what can I answer, if thou interest into judgement with me, and sayst unto me, I have planted thee an elected 〈◊〉, all true seed? And if I cannot give answer to this first question, how shall I answer thee in the second, for my benefit of conservation? Thou, my Lord, thy providence hath conserved him that meditated on nothing else but how he might transgress thy commandments: how persecute thy servants: how offend thy Church: and how to strengthen the kingdom of sin against thee. Thou moovedst the tongue that biasphemed thee: thou ruledst the members which offended thee: and gavest them sustenance, who lay in wait for thy servants: so that I have not only been ungrateful for thy benefits, but also have converted the benefits themselves into arms, with which I impugned thee. Thou hadst made all Creatures for my use, that I, alured by that benefit, should love thee: and I have adulterated them, in that I have so often time offended thee by them. I rather made choice of the gift, than the giver: and from whom the occasion of knowing thy bounty was to be taken, from them I was blinded: neither lifted I up mine eyes, that I might see how far more fair the Creator was than the creature. Thou gavest me all things, that I might give my self unto thee, & all things might serve me, but I never either gave thee glory, or the tribute which is due unto thee. Thy creatures were always ready at my command (for so thou ordainedst them:) but I have always studied to offend thee: and to this end have used and abused all things. Thou gavest me health, and the devil hath gathered the fruit thereof: thou gavest me strength, and I have employed the same in the service of thine enemy. What shall I say? why were not so many kinds of calamities and miseries, which every where I beheld in other men, sufficient that but in them I might understand, but that all other men's evils were my benefits? for from all them hast thou delivered me. Shall it therefore be lawful for any man to show himself ungrateful for a benefit received? and who is he that oweth not thanks for a benefit received? If the rage of Lions and Serpents be lenified by gifts, why (O Lord,) shall not thine be sufficient to mortify and mollify me? that yet at the least sometime I may say, Let us (care our Lord God, that giveth us tunely and evening rame in due time, & plenty of annual increase to those that love him. It was enough for me (O Lord) to know that it was thou that ●…o long time sustainedst me, although I had not any other demonstration or testimony of thy bounty: and if that account shall be so strict for these things which cost thee little, what shall that be which thou shalt exact for those which thou hast purchased with thy precious blood? How I have perverted thy commandments? how I have violated the mystery of thy incarnation? Thou becamest man, that thou mightest make me God: & I, besotted with mine own abjectness, made myself a beast, and the son of the devil. Thou descendedst on the earth, that thou mightest bring me to heaven: and I unworthy su●…h a vocation, as one that deserved it not, knew not the same, and persevered in the dirt of my abjectness. Thou didst deliver me, and I cast myself head long again, into my former captivity: ●…hou raisedst me up, and I reembraced death: thou hadst incorporated me in thyself, & I again took party with the devil. So many & so great blessings had not that power over me, to make me acknowledge thee: neither so many arguments of love to make me love thee again: neither so many merits to make me hope in thee: neither such a justice which shined in thy passion, to make me fear thee: thou hast humbled me even unto the dust of the earth, & I swell with pride: thou hangedst naked on the Cross: & the whole world satisfieth not my Avarice: They buffeted thee upon the face, who art God: if any man touch my garment, I am angry: & notwithstanding, am but a base and vile worm. What shall I say, my Saviour? Behold how great thy mercy and charity is towards me. Thou wouldst die, to kill my sin & I, confident in the same mercy, bounty, & love, am not afraid to sin against thee. Alas, what greater blasphemy may there be? I of thy bounty took occasion of my malice: from the very same means which thou usedst to kill sin. I took occasion to quicken sin in myself. So, so O Lord, I have perverted thy counsels: from thy mercy picked out the method and means of my malignity. Because that wert so good, I thought it was lawful for me to be evil: and because thou hadst bestowed so many benefits on me, I supposed it lawful for me to do thee so many offences & injuries: so that I converted the very medicines themselves, which thou institutedst against sin, to occasions of sin: and the sword which thou gavest me to defend myself with, & fight against mine enemies, the same have I whet against myself to endanger my own life. Finally, thou, to the end that thou mightst rule the living & the dead, wouldst die, as the Apostle witnesseth, to the ●…2 Cor. 5. end that they which now live should not live to themselves, but to thee who dai●…edst to die for them: and I like some jesabel, took the same death as a means whereby I might bereave myself of thy benefits, flying from thy service, & making myself the bondslave of thine enemies. O what deserved he that did those things? If the dogs eat the flesh of that jesabel for her sin, 4. Reg. 9 how may mine remain untouched that have altogether done the like? And if the Apostle so much exaggerateth the malice of man's heart, because that from the law he took Rom. 7. occasion to break the law: how much more greater shall the malice be of grace, if any man take occasion thereby to offend grace itself? O most patient Lord that suffered'st strokes for sinners, but more patiented, that suffered'st sinners themselves: but shall that thy patience continue for ever? I remember what thou saidst by thy Prophet; I held my peace, I was always Esay 42. silent, I was patient, I will speak like a woman wt●…hild. I see the earth that yieldeth no fruit, after it hath been moistened with the rain, to be reproved and accursed: the vine that after it had been well trimmed and yielded no grapes but briars, by thy commandment cut down and laid waste: Therefore O unprofitable and unfruitful branch, why fearest thou not the voice of that husbandman or Uine-heard, that taketh away the branches that bear no fruit, and casteth them into the fire? Every tree that beareth not fruit (saith he) my Father will cut down, and cast it in the fire. Will he ever fear, that feareth not such a judgement? How deaf is he that heareth not such a voice? How profoundly sleepeth he that is not wakened with such a th●…der? This earthly habitation delighted me: I took pleasure to walk among these thorns: The fire of my passions b●…ned me: the thorns of my concupiscence pricked me: the distractions of my thoughts ●…d me; the wor●…e of my conscience bit me: and all these, thought I to be liberty and sola●…e: so many and so great e●…is did I ca●… pea●…e. O how ignorant & rude was I in the knowledge of myself: and how hard & vn●…actable to obey & serve thee! What shall I do, my God, what shall I do 〈◊〉 confess I am unworthy to appear before thy presen●…, unworthy to lift up mine eyes to behold thee: whither shall I go? whither shall I fly from thy presence? Art thou not my Father? yea, & the Father of mercies, which neither have end or measure? for although I have already desisted to be thy son, yet thou hitherto ceasest not to be my Father: and though I have done many things for which thou mightest worthily condemn me, yet hast thou not lost the means whereby thou mayst save me. What therefore shall I do but cast myself prostrate before thy feet, and ask mercy? Whom shall I call upon? who shall help me but thou? Art not thou my Creator? my maker? my governor? my redeemer? my king? my shepherd? my Priest? and my sacri●…? Whither therefore shall I go? to whom shall I fly but unto thee? if thou repulse me, who shall relieve me? if thou reject me, who shall rescue me? Acknowledge (O Lord) this lost sheep: behold I come unto thee altogether wounded, & thou canst heal me: altogether blind, & thou canst give me sight: altogether dead, and thou canst revive me, altogether leprous, and thou canst cleanse me. Sprinkle me (O Lord) Psal. 50. with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, & I shall be whiter than snow. Greater is thy mercy than my iniquity; greater thy clemency than my malice: and thou canst remit more than I can sin. Repulse me not therefore (O Lord) repulse me not: look not upon the multitude of my sins, but on thine infinite mercy: who livest & reignest, world without end. Amen. An oblation of all the labours and passions of Christ, for our sins. WHat shall I render unto thee (O Lord) for all the benefits thou hast bestowed upon me? with what signification of gratuity shall I recompense so many benefits? what shall I give thee for that thy so great mercy? alas how slenderly do I requite the merits of so liberal and favourable a benefactor? I was always ungrateful for thy benefits, always rebellious against thy commandments: I always shut up my soul against thy inspirations, heaping offence upon offence, and adding sin to sin. I confess (O Lord) that I am not worthy to be called thy son: although I acknowledge thee to be my Father. For thou art truly my Father, thou art my hope thou art the fountain of mercy, that repulsest not sinners that fly unto thee, but receivest them, washest them, and feedest them. Behold therefore, my helper: see how I (the poorest of all thy creatures) come unto thee, bringing no other thing with me, but the grievous burden of my sins. I prostrate myself before the feet of thy mercy, humbly ask pardon. Forgive me I beseech thee (O my firm hope) save me for thy infinite mercy sake. O sweet jesus, in remission of my sins I offer unto thee thy immeasurable charity, wherewith thou being God of infinite majesty, wert moved not to refuse for my sake to be incarnate: to be made man: and to be conversant in this world thirty three years in many tribulations, persecutions, pains, vexations, & labours, 〈◊〉 offer unto thee that thy deadly affliction, the bloody sweat and that agony which afflicted and pierced thy hear●… when praying in the garden, & pr●…ating thyself on the ground, thou besoughtest the Father: I offer up unto thee that a●●●nt charity, whereby thou desiredst to suffer for us, when as of thine own accord thou offeredst thyself into the hands of thine 〈◊〉, as a well pleasing sacrifice to thy Father for our sins. 〈◊〉 offer up unto thee all 〈◊〉 injuries, blasphemies, buffet, beat, spitt●…s & all other tho●…e torments which in that miserable night thou sustainedst in the hou●…e of Ann●…s & 〈◊〉 offer unto thee O good 〈◊〉 all these things, beseeching thine 〈◊〉 goodness, that by the merits thereof tho●… w●…t pardon me all my sins thou wilt as well remit the penalty as the crime, and purify my soul from all relics of sin, & at length bring me to eternal life. I offer up unto thee that thy inestimable humility, obedience, & patience, which thou showedst when they whipped thee, being bound to, a hard pillar, & after crowned thee with thorns; thy meekness, when as those assistants of satan, & perpetual tormentors of hell, in way of disgrace a●…tired thee in a purple raiment: when as mocking, they saluted thee and spit in thy face, & with a reed which thou barest in thy hand in steed of a sceptre, struck thy wounded and bruised head. I offer unto thee weariness of thy afflicted body, thy bloody steps the grievous burden of thy cross, which thou barest on thy delicate shoulders miserably martyred with whipping. I offer unto thee that thirst wherewith in thy passion thou wert afflicted, and all those other torments which thou sustainedst for us with a meek heart All these with thanksgiving, do I offer unto thee, beseeching thy immeasurable mercy, that for the merits hereof, thou wilt wipe away my sins, thou wilt remit the penalty and crime, & purify my soul from the relics of sin, and bring the same at length to eternal life, Sweet jesus in satisfaction for my sins, I offer up unto thee thy most cruel dolours which thou suffered'st, when as the soldiers cruelly haled from thy body thy garment, sticking with clotted blood unto thy flesh and bones, and renewed again all those wounds which thou hadst received in thy scourging: when as cast upon the cross, thou suffered'st thy hands and feet to be fastened with sharp nails to the holy cross, with so much violence, that all the articles and members of thy joints were removed from their natural places: when as thy precious blood flowed from all thy members in no other sort than the springs from the overflowing fountains. I offer up unto thee all and every drop of thy precious blood, and beseech thy mercy that for the merits thereof, thou wilt blot out my sins: remit both the penalty and the crime, & purify my soul from the relics of sin, and bring the same at length to everlasting life. Most merciful jesus, I offer up unto thee, thy bounty & meekness, wherewith thou sustainedst the reproaches and slanders of the reprobate, who wagging their heads scorned & mocked thee whilst thou praiedst for them to thy Father. I offer up unto thee those horrible torments which thou suffered'st, when as thou wert altogether given over as a prey to all afflictions, torments and dolours: destitute of all internal or external consolation, and forsaken of God and man: and miserably affixed to a cross betwixt heaven & earth, didst hang in the midst of two most notorious thieves. I offer up unto thee thy intolerable thirst, wherewith thou wert afflicted on the cross: and that humility and reverence of thine, wherewith in hanging down thy head, thou commendedst thy spirit to thy Father. I offer unto thee that most wholesome blood flowing from thy side, & enforced by the soldier's launce. All these things do I offer up unto thee, and for them give thee most hearty thanks, humbly beseeching thee to forgive me my sins, & to purify my soul from all reliks of unrighteousness, & bring the same at length to eternal rest: where thou livest & reignest with the Father & the holy ghost, world without end. Another prayer for remission of sins O Omnipotent and eternal Father, God almighty, all merciful: behold, I the most wretched amongst sinners, lying lowly, prostrate on the ground before thy feet, confess my most grievous & many sins, wherein all my lifetime I have hitherto offended thee, most merciful Father. I acknowledge my great ingratitude, in that 〈◊〉 have so lightly set by thy infinite & inestimable benefits hitherto bestowed upon me: as that amongst the rest thou hast showed me so much love & bounty, as to expect me so long time, that converting unto thee, I might repent, and escape my damnation and punishment in the bottomless pit of hell, as heretofore my sins have often times deserved: nay, rather for that thou hast invited me so many ways to follow justice: and that to the end I might follow thee, thou hast offered me thy grace and assistance. How often (my most sweet lord) hast thou stood before the door of my heart, and knocked thereat by manifold inspirations, desiring that I would open the same unto thee? How often hast thou provoked me by thy benefits? How often alured me by thy bounties? How often enforced me by calamities & tribulations? Notwithstanding, I have always repulsed thee from me, I have resisted thee, I have turned my back against thee, yet thou of thy infinite goodness and patience, hast sustained me. I confess (O Lord) that justly & deservedly thou mightest have cast me into the depth of hell: but for thy mercy sake, thou restrainest the force of thine ire, which after so many ways 〈◊〉 had increased against myself. Truly it is to be ad●…red (O father) yea it is very admirable, that my heart is not broken with grief, as often as I weigh these things with myself: I am unworthy to be called thy creature, unworthy that the earth should any longer sustain me, unworthy that the earth should afford me either succour or sustenance. It is infinitely to be admired at, that the elements & all creatures do not at once rise up against me, and revenge the injury I have offered to the universal Lord of all things. Yet vouchsafe, O thou most merciful Father, to be favourable unto me, and open the bowels of thine infinite pity, and pardon me, in that I have so long time deferred my conversion unto thee. Open unto me thy most benign & Fatherly bosom, and give me that nutriment which thou wert wont to give unto thy Children. Humbly I beseech thee (O Lord) now at length, effect that in me for which thou hast hitherto so long tune expected me. I confess unto thee (O Lord) with my whole heart and soul, that of all the sinners that are in the world at this present, I am the most grievous: yet distrust I not thy goodness: for although my sins be many, yet thy mercies may not be numbered. O most loving Father, if thou wilt thou canst make M●…h. 8 me clean: heal me (O Lord) and I shall be healed because I confess my sins unto thee. Remember thee of thy promises, which are sweeter than the honey and the honey comb, than which, nothing can be more comfortable unto a sinner: For thou sayest by the mouth of thy Prophet, thou hast committed fornication with many lovers, yet return jeremy 3. thou unto me, and I will receive thee. Wherefore (O most merciful Father) cleaving and depending on this thy promise, I return unto thee with my whole heart, in such sort as by thy word thou hadst only called me, and invited me alone unto thy mercy. I know (O Lord) and I confess myself to be the wretchedest creature of thy creatures: for I am that prodigal son, that departed from thee the Father of light, from whom all goodness proceeded: I, like the lost sheep wandered far astray from the fold, who lewdly consumed that grace which thou so liberally hadst imparted to me. I left thee the Fountain of living water, and digged me Ceste●…ns, and drunk of troubled water, full of bitter consolations, & such as in short time are dried up. For all consolations and all the pleasures of this world, vanish away like smoke. I left the tree of life, and fed on mast & cod, which were spurned and trodden down by the hogs, following the passions and inordinate affections of my mind, & my beastly appetites: I departed from thee the chiefest good, and followed those earthly and transitory pleasures, which overthrew me: But now, O father, I beseech thee, forget thou these injuries which I have committed against thy majesty: which I crave not for, in respect of the multitude of my merits, but by beholding the labours and dolours of thy only begotten Son, which he suffered for my sake. And thou the only begotten S●…nne of the eternal Father, my Lord God and Saviour, have mercy upon me: I cast all mine iniquities, all my injury, ignom●…e, ire, pride, avarice disobedience, impudency, presumption, with all my other sins, whereby I have provoked thy wrath, into thy lenity, clemency, & sacred wounds, wide open to yield me refuge. I give myself wholly unto thee, and commend myself wholly to thy grace: for thou art my hope, my help and my strength. As much as my sins trouble and confound me, so much doth thy goodness, and the infinite merits of thy passion rei●…yce and comfort me. My sins although in themselves they be grievous in weight, and infinite in number, yet in comparison of thy mercies, they are light and few. Under this confidence I come unto thee, and confess my sins unto thee, hoping that thou wilt not destroy him, whom thou hast created according to thine own image & similitude, and for whose love, thou madest thyself partaker of our nature, blood and flesh. I trust I shall not be condemned by thee, whom thou hast redeemed as it were with so incomparable a price, with so many labours and dolours: To thee be all honour and dominion for ever & ever. Amen. Another most devout prayer for remission of sins. O My best beloved jesus, I a●… that wretched & unhappy sin ner, that hath inflicted thee so many woun●…s, and crucified thee a●…ew by my sins, alas too many and too mighty. Behold yet how I pray sent myself before thee my father and judge, being guilty of so m●… crimes, & accountable for so ma●… sins, beseeching thee through the bowels of thy mercy, that all thy wounds may once more be opened in the sight of the Father, & may flow into my miserable & unclean soul, soiled and infected with so many sins: not suffering them to be closed before they have thoroughly washed and perfectly cleansed me. O sweet jesus, turn not thy face from me, but overflow me with thine infinite mercy, and behold me with the eyes of thy pity, wherewith thou beheldst Mary Luke 7. Luke 22. Magdalen at the feast time, Peter in the Bishop's palace, & the thief on the Crosse. Give me the true Luke 23. knowledge of my sins: give me the just grief: receive me into the paradise of thy grace: wash me in thy reeking blood, and quicken me by thy precious death: pardon me, and take from me, whatsoever my heart wrongfully possesseth: because thou thyself hast said, if I be exalted from the earth, I will john 12. draw all things to me. For which cause I pray thee, O thou redeemer of my soul, draw me unto thee, and cleanse me from Psalm. 18. my hidden sins. O true light, illumine the darkness of my mind. O consuming fire, burn in me all my sins and iniquities. Come and vi●…t my sick soul: cleanse my conscience, and make me thy grateful Tabernacle. O dearest beloved Lord, spread for my sake on the tree of the Cross, draw me out of the suds of my sins: embrace me, kiss me being cleansed from all s●…aine of my wickedness. O noble cluster of grapes, pressed in the winepress of the Cross, hug my soul with thy naked, but fair arms distained with blood. Grant also that thou mayst be embrac●… in like sort by the same, and 〈◊〉 a handful of Myrrh thou ma●… rest between her teats. O th●… nailed and pierced soldier, ho●… cruelly wert thou wounded in t●… war undertaken in my behalf How strongly didst thou fight foe me, thou triumpher over the wor●… and the devil, who by thy death didst conquer death, and by t●… precious blood, didst expiate f●… all the sins of mankind? O●… what shall I give thee for all th●… which thou hast bestowed vp●… me? All that little that I have, I offer it wholly unto thee, name●… my spirit, that thou mayst rest 〈◊〉 the same: my soul, that it m●…●…oue thee: my body, that it m●… serve thee. O noble Pelican, that nou●… shest thy young ones with thy hea●… blood, so feed my soul, faint●… for hunger and spiritual thirst, nothing else may be savoury vn●… the same: neither that she may d●… sire to take any thing, but to ea●… thy flesh, and drink thy blood O mellifluous river of celestial delights, overflow all my inward parts, make me drink, and grant that I may be dead to all other creatures, and alive to thee only. O glorious mirror of the incomprehensible Trinity, on which all the Angels and Saints desire to contemplate, alas how cruelly wert thou entreated for my sake? There is neither form nor beauty Esay, 53. in thee; thou becamest a byword of men, and the scorn of Psal. 21. the multitude. O make me partaker of that incomparable treasure of thy precious ransom wherewith thou redeemedst me: open the treasury of thy merits, and pay all my debt: make me such a one in this world, as thou woulddest have me in the world to come, where thou reignest with the Father and the holy Spirit God, world without end. Amen A most godly prayer and oblation, wherein man offereth himself up unto God, requiring, that the tyranny of his vices expelled, God hereafter may reign in his soul, and dwell therein, and so work in it those fruits which pertain to newness of life. O My God, O my love, O my hope, O all my refuge, and all my desire, O Father of mercy and God of all consolation, as oft as I consider with myself in what state I was sometime in how many dangers of perdition I have escaped, from how many evils thou hast delivered me, when I was dead in my sins, and lay buried and covered with the stone of my inveterate custom of offending: such a hope is quickened in me, that I cannot choose but ask at thine hands (O Lord) all such things as are necessary for my salvation. For I am thy workmanship: thy hands have fashioned me, O Lord despise not therefore the work of thy hands. For why should I doubt that thou wilt give me all thy goods, that hast deigned to take on thee all my evils? I will therefore say with the Prophet: I will Psal. 30. trust in thee, O Lord, I will rejoice and be glad in thy mercy. But because hope is not secure without obedience, as one of thy friends saith, Offer the sacrifice of justice, and trust in our Lord: I Psal. 4. beseech thee O most dear God, grant me that the hope of thy mercies may strengthen me in the obedience of thy commandments, for no less is this obedience due unto thee, than hope, than love, and the other rest. Thou art my Emperor, my King, and my God, to whom Heaven, and earth, the Sea, and all that is therein do observance: which have never broken thy laws, but always observed thy commandments. Grant me (O Lord) that with no less duty than all other creatures, I may be obedient to thy holy will, by reason I am bound unto thee in more offices of duty than they are: vouchsafe, O King of Kings, that I may obey thee: and may never decline from the prescript of thy law. Reign in me, O Lord, and suffer not the world, neither the Prince thereof to govern in me any longer: let not the flesh hold me captive, neither mine own will, but thine. Let all these tyrants, intruders upon thy possession, thieves of thy glory, & wret●…hed subverters of thy justice fly and forsake me. Govern thou only in me, O Lord, that I also may reign with thee whose Kingdom shall have no end. Come O thou merciful Father, take away the scandals of thy Kingdom; drive away sin from my soul, that thou mayst reign therein, who oughtest to govern the same: For avarice cometh and challengeth to himself an inheritan●…e therein: boast desireth to rule therein: pride will be my King: lech●… saith, 〈◊〉 will reign: ambition, detraction, envy, wrath strive in me, for me, which of them seemeth to have the chiefest title & prerogative over me But I (as much as in me lieth) resist them, I impugn as much as I am helped I surrender to thee my God: I defend myself for thee, because I acknowledge myself to be thine own, I esteem thee for my God, and my Lord, saying, I have no other King but my God. Come therefore (O Lord) destroy them in thy strength: thou shalt rule in me, for y● art my very King and my God, who sendest salvation to jacob. No other laws, no other prescripts shall have place in me, but thine: no other name, no other Sceptre except thine shall be adored in me, that thy will may be done in earth as it is in heaven. O Lord when shall that day be, when I shall be freed & delivered from these tyrants? what? no other voice but thine, shall be heard in me. When shall my heart be cleansed? When shall the forces of mine enemies be so defeated, that no contradiction may hinder me in the observation of thy commandments? When shall the force of mine enemies be so broken, that no force may be found in me contrary to thy law? when shall this sea be calm? when shall this heaven wax clear? when shall my affections be so bridled, and my passions so subdued, so that no floods, no clouds, no troubles may be found in me that may disturb thy kingdom in me: but that I may every way enjoy happy peace, secure tranquillity, and observance of thy laws? Give me (O Lord) this obedien●…e, or (to speak more aptly) give me that authority and empery over my heart, that upon my beck it may never rebel against thee, but in all things be subject unto thee. But even as I am always bound to observe & obey thee, so also both profit doth persuade, & equ●…ty require that I offer myself wholly unto thee, & sacrifice myself unto thee: for whatsoever I am I am all thine. Thine I say am I, upon most just titles: thine, becave thou didst create me, & gavest me that being which I enjoy: thine because in this being thou hast conserved me, and plentifully furnished me with the benefits and offices of thy providence: thine, because from thraldom thou hast set me at liberty, not with gold or silver, but redeeming me with the ransom of thy most precious blood. Finally I am thine, because thou hast so often bought me, as thou hast delivered me from any sin. If therefore upon so many grounds I am thine, & thou likewise art my King, my Redeemer and deliverer: Behold I turn unto thee, that I may yield thee that which is thine own: that is, I yield myself up unto thee as a perpetual bondman and slave. Behold I give thee the keys of my liberty, the dominion over my will, that hereafter I neither be mine own, neither any other man's, but altogether thine: that I may not live to myself, but to thee: not serve myself but thee, so that whether I eat or drink, or whatsoever I do, I may refer all things to the glory of thy name. I stay myself for thee, I deliver myself unto thee, that thou mayst dispose of me as of thine own, and that according to thy good liking and pleasure: whether it please thee that I live, or that I die: whether I be whole, or sick: whether rich or poor: whether praised or reproved: in all things I offer and devote myself unto thee: I resign myself into thy hands: I renown the right & possession of myself, that hereafter I be not mine own but thine, until that which is thine by right, may be made thine by my will, & that not once nor one day, but always & every where. Amen. The second prayer of the penitent. O Lord, thou that createdst me, my only God, my only Lord, thou art my creator and my redeemer, in whom I hope, from whom I expect all those things which are requisite for my soul. Thou forsakest not those that trust in thee: thou art my sweetest, my bountifullest, my liberalest God: thou art the father of light, from whom all good things proceed, and every perfect gift descendeth from above unto me. Thou createdst me when I was no thing: thou redeemedst me when I was created & lost: thou restoredst unto me the Seal of innocency which I lost, in my first baptisine: Thou savedst me after I had received the knowledge of the truth, voluntarily sinning again, & almost shipwrecked in the seas of this world, by the sacred anchor of true repentance: and all this of thine own will and mere grace: for if by my good deeds I had prevented thee, where is that which thy Prophet saith, his justice prevented Psalm. 58. me? If I had done any good work whereby I might deserve thy mercy, where is that of thine Apostle: Through grace you are Ephes. 2. saved by faith, and not of yourselves, for it is the gift of GOD? If my love prevented thee, how is that true, Not because we loved him, but for that he first loved us? 1. john 4. If without thy help, and by our own virtue we follow thee where is it that thine only begotten Son saith, Without me can you do nothing? and no man can come john 15. john 6. unto me except my Father draw him? All that therefore which I have, all that which I am, it is of thy grace, thy gift, thy liberality and mercy, so that but in thinking I could not prevent the gifts of thy good works by my virtue: For we are not sufficient, to think any thing of ourselves, as of ourselves, but all our sufficiency is 2. Cor. 3. from thee. What therefore shall I do, wretched, naked and poor, that I am? I am weak and lame, but by thy gifts and benefits, rich and wealthy: I sailed by the sea, but a tempest arising, my ship was drowned, m●… riches perished, my wares at one misfortune l●…st. By thy bounty (although I suffered ship wrack) I myself escaped, my soul being saved by the help of one plank, swum to land. But what now shall I do? I have not whereon to live: and through infirmity I can get nothing. The only remedy that is lest me, is to beg: but who is so liberal that he will, or so rich that he can help a caitiff so miserably poor, but thou only (O God) ●…enigne and merciful, rich and omnipotent? To thee therefore, do I cry, to thee do I call: at thy gate, without ●…rmission, will I beg. But here once again my conscience terrifieth me, shame and modesty reclaimeth: for what soever I possessed before, and now have lost, all that was thine, that thou hast trusted me with, for all that as yet I stand indebted unto thee: moreover I offended thee, I did thee wrong, 〈◊〉 abused thy blessings to thy dishonour. What impudence shall it therefore be in me, to ask new favours at thy hands? shall I therefore despair? shall I therefore say with Cam, my iniquity Gen. 4. is more than may be remitted? shall I therefore be a vagabond & an outcast from the land of the living? nothing less: for I know that my God and my Lord is merciful and compassionate, long suffering and of great mercy. I know that my Lord is bountiful and of Exod. 34. joel 2. much mercy, & favourable to such as offend. I kn●…w that after he had seen his servant that ought him ten thousand talents, humbling himself, he forgave him the whole debt. I will therefore say in like sort with that servant: Lord have patience with me, & I will pay thee all. But how shall I restore unto thee, O Lord, except thou first give me? and to whom shalt thou give but to him that beggeth at thy hands? and who dare not ask, when as thou so liberally invitest all men saying, Come unto me all Math. 11. you that labour and are burdened, and I will refresh you: come all ye that thirst unto the waters: and those that want money, hasten, Esay, 55. buy and eat: Come buy without money, and without any exchange, Wine and milk. Incited by this so bountiful provocation of thine, behold I come unto thee, and beseech thee, that thou wilt give me the means to satisfy all that which I owe thee: and namely give me thy grace, duly to adore thee, serve thee, praise thee, and yield thee that due reverence and honour that belongeth unto thee: that I may give thee thanks for thy benefits, love thee with all my heart, put all my trust in thee, obey thy commandments, offer myself wholly unto thee, commend myself into thy hands, and that I may learn to ask these or such like graces from thee: that outwardly before mine eyes, and inwardly within my heart, the glory of thy Name, and the salvation of my soul, like a white or mark, may continually be prefixed before me. I beseech thee also (O Lord) to grant me the remission of my sins, true contrition and penance: give me grace, that I never hereafter offend thee, either in those sins, which were hitherto familiar unto me, or any other whatsoever. But especially (O LORD) I require the grace and strength at thy hands, that I may chastise my flesh, refrain my tongue, mortify the inordinate appetites of my heart, and recollect the dispersed and wandering thoughts of my imagination: that so reform both inwardly and outwardly, and made a new Creature, I may deserve to be a living and grateful Temple, in the which thou mayst rest and make thy biding place. Give me those virtues also, wherewith that thy habitation may not only be purged, but also beautified, such as are the holy fear of thy name, firm hope, perfect humility, entire patience, prudent discretion, poverty of spirit, exact obedience, continual fortitude, and diligent alacrity in all those things, which appertain to thy service and honour: and above all, ardent charity, as well towards thee as towards my neighbour. But because I know myself unworthy of all these, and undeserving any of them, remember I pray thee, O Lord, thy old mercies: remember that thou desirest not the death of a sinner (as thou thyself testifiest) but that he be converted and live: remember ●…zech. 18. that thine only begotten Son, came not into this world to call the Math 9 just, but sinners: remember what he did, and how much he suffered from the day of his Nativity, till the time he died upon the Crosse. Al which I offer unto thee O most merciful Father, that they may be a sweet smelling sacrifice for my sins, and not for my sins only, but for all other my necessities also. For whatsoever, I pray, and whatsoever I plead for, that do I ask in his, not in mine own name: for it is said of thee, that thou honour'st the fathers in their children, and sparest one for another: even as David in times past honoured Mephiboseth for his Father Jonathan's sake. Honour thou 2. Reg. 9 thy only begotten Son in like manner in me, doing good unto me for his sake, because he is my Father, and my second Adam, and I his son although disobedient & ill-nurtured. Look upon me, O Lord, because I fly unto thee, come to the gate of thy mercy: to thee do I lay open my poverty, to thee show I my wounds, because thou art my true Physician, I power out my soul before thee, and inflamed with the spirit of David, I cry unto thee saying: Incline thine ears, O Lord, unto Psal. 86. me, and hear me, because I am poor and in necessity: Keep my soul, because I am holy: save thy servant O my God, that putteth his trust in thee, have mercy upon me, O Lord because all the day long I cry unto thee: glad the soul of thy servant, because unto thee, O Lord lift I up my soul: for y● O Lord art sweet and merciful, and many are thy mercies to those that call upon thee. Open thine ears, O Lord, unto my prayer, & hear the voice of my cry: In the day of tribulation I cried unto thee, and thou didst hear me: lead me (O Lord) in the way, and direct me in thy truth: let my heart rejoice, that I may fear thy name. I will confess unto thee (O Lord my God) with my whole heart, and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Amen. A most devout meditation, & most profitable before the Communion, whereby the soul is excited to the fear and love of God. WHo art thou my Lord, and who am I, that I dare approch thee? What is man that he can receive God unto him, his maker & Redeemer? What is man in his nature, but the vessel of corruption, and rottenness: the son of the devil: the heir of hell? the worker of iniquity? the contemner of God? and a Creature unfit for all goodness: and apt and prompt to all wickedness? What is man but a creature miserable in all things? in his counsel blind; in his actions inconstant: in his appetites unclean: in his desires unconstant: in every work of his, little: in his own eyes, great: see Lord, see what I am. But thou my God, who & what a one art thou? Thou art great, with out quantity: good, without quality: wise, without measure: and eternal without time: Thou art omnipotent in virtue: infinite in wisdom: admirable in counsels: terrible in judgements, perfect and absolute in all virtue. How therefore dare so vile and unclean a creature as I am, approach and touch a GOD of so great majesty? Behold the moon also shineth not, and the stars are Ioh, 25 unclean in thy sight. The pillars of heaven tremble and quake at thy beck: Those celestial Seraphins clo●…ke their wings, and in thy presence confess themselves to be butterflies, & most abject worms. What boldness therefore, & what rashness is it for a most vile man, the abiectest creature upon earth, to dare so much, as but to look upon such a Lord? Holy Saint john Baptist, sanctified in his mother's womb, durst not Luke, 3. when he baptised our Lord, touch the crown of his head: yea he professed himself to be unworthy to unloose the latchet of his shoe? The john 1. Prince of the Apostles, exclaimed saying: Depart from me (O Lord) for I am a sinful man: & shall I that am the notorious sinner of all men not fear to approach thee? If it were unlawful for any man to eat the Bread of proposition (which were only but a shadow of this 1. Reg. 21. profound mystery) except him that was clean and sanctified: how can I be secure who eat the bread of Angels, where notwithstanding I am so far off from all sanctity? That paschal Lamb which was Exod. 12. a type & figure of this sacrament, according to the commandment of God, was to be eaten with unleavened bread, and wild Lettuice, and they that did eat the same, aught to have their loins girt, & their shoes upon their feet. Ah, how shall I dare to come to this true Pascal Lamb, who have none of these preparations? For what thing else is the unleavened bread, than Purity without the leaven of malice? And what the bitter Lettuice, but vehement contrition? Where is the purity of my reins? where of my feet? that is, the cleanness of my holy desires? I fear (O Lord) and vehemently suspect, lest I should be excluded from this table if any of those preparations should be wanting in me. From this table was he rejected Math. 22. or rather repulsed who came without his wedding garment, that is, without charity: and being bound hand & foot, he was cast into exterior darkness: what other thing expect I now, if I shall intrude my self to this banquet without this vesture? O divine eyes, to whom all the crannies & corners of my soul are open and manifest, what shall become of me, if I present myself naked & boide before thy presence? To touch the Ark (which was only but a figure of this sacrament) 2. Reg. 6. it was so great an offence, that Oza the priest stretching out his hand to uphold the same, being ready to fall, & supporting it, was strooken with sudden death: how can I then choose but fear, and suspect the like penalty, if unworthily I shall receive that, of which the Ark was only but a figure? The Bethsam●…tes offended in no other thing than for that they had too curiously beheld the Ark of the covenant, when as it was carried through the confines of the country: & yet God was so displeased, that, for that only cause of the people he slew seventy men, and of the common sort fifty thousand. But O most merciful Lord, how much more worthy is this sacrament than the Ark of the Covenant: and how much more dangerous is it to receive thee, than to see thee? Not without reason therefore ought I to be afraid and tremble as often as I come to receive a Lord of so great majesty & justice. And if there be so many causes why I ought to fear thy greatness: how many reasons should there be of fear, if I weigh the mu●…itude of my sins? For I call to remembrance O Lord many grievous sins of mine, whereby I have in this world offended thy divine majesty. The time was, sometime there was a time (thanks be given to God that the time is not now) when I loved not that thine infinite beauty, but buried it in deepest oblivion: when the dust of thy creatures was more estimate with me, than the treasures of thy graces, and the hope of thy eternal glory. The Laws and rules of my life were my desires & inordinate appetites, I had no care of thee: I showed thee no reverence, because I knew thee not. I am that fool that said in my heart there is no God: for so dissolutely for a time did I live, that in my matters I did profess that I believed thee either to be nothing, or to be of power to do nothing. I did not labour to insinuate myself into thy-love: I feared not thy justice: I set light by the breach of thy laws: I yielded not that thanks which I ought although I knew thou wert present in all places, yet was I not ashamed securely in thy sight to commit sin, yea and that very grievously. Whatsoever mine eyes desired, that made I lawful unto them: neither did I restrain my heart 〈◊〉 crossing the incontinent delights thereof: and what kind of wickedness is there, wherewith my soul is not distained? what else was my whole life, but a continual war against thee? what else but a receiving of torments and passions of my whole life? How often have I for a momentany pleasure, or a trifling gain, like a second Iuda●…, so●… thee? And now coming to receive thee, what else do I, but prepare thee a kiss, with judas, by which I may betray thee, whom I have already sold? What else have I done, when other ways I com●…icated, but that with the soldiers I have mocked thee, & insulted over thee, here bowing my knee and adoring thee, there beating thy blessed head with a reed. How shall I therefore dare to receive thee (O my Lord) in an estate so unclean and wicked? How can I be so rash to enclose thy most sacred body in the den of dragons & the nest of vipers? What other thing else is the soul of a sinner, than a dwelling place of devils, a ●…est of beasts, a hogsty and a sink of all iniquity? How canst thou rest here, O Lord, who art purity of the purest? and thou that art the fountain of all beauty, how canst thou dwell in a place so abominable? What participation is there between justice and iniquity? or what society between light and darkness? or what convention between Christ & Beliall? O flower 2. Cor. 6. of the field! O Lily of the vall●…s! O bread of Angels? how art thou now become the fodder of beasts? Why givest that this divine meat unto dogs? and castest these precious pearls before swine? O lover of pure and clean souls, who feedest among the lilies, till the day spring, & the shadows depart Cantic. 1. what food may I give thee in this my heart, where nothing groweth but thorns and briars? Thy bed is of the wood of Lib●…, the pillars thereof are guilded, th●… pillow is of gold, and thy foot●…pace of purple: in the bed of my heart there are none of these to be found: what seat therefore shall I prepare for thee there when th●… interest? what bed shall I ma●…▪ Thy most holy body taken fr●… the cross, was wrapped in a clean and fair sheet, & put into a new Sepulchre, in which no man had been before times buried: but what part of my soul is clean? what no●…e is there that is new, whe●… I may bury thee? what is my mouth others than an open Sepulchre, from whence there ●…ueth nothing but the stinks and impurities of my sins? What is my heart: but 〈◊〉 fountain of most evil appetites and desires? What is my will, but a house and resting place of the Devil? How therefore shall I dare to approach thee, receive thee, or kiss thee with my impure lips? There is not one corner in my soul which is clean and pure, & which hath not too often times been profaned by divers kinds of sins. I have not a clean and new Sepulchre in which I may hide thee. O thou my redeemer and Saviour, I am ashamed as often as I see myself in this estate: I blush when I consider in what sort I come to this thy worthy and royal banquet, in what manner I intrude myself to embrace my celestial spouse, who again standeth ready to receive me favourably. Another part of this Meditation. I Acknowledge (O Lord) I acknowledge my great unworthiness, and yet thy most great mercy is not hidden from me: this it is that maketh me bold and confident to come unto thee, howsoever I am. For the more unworthy I come unto thee, by so much the more art thou glorified, if thou repulse me or persecute a creature so unclean with thy displeasure. O Lord, thou art not wont to shake off sinners, but to call them, and convert them unto thee: Thou art he that sayest, Come unto me all ye Math. 11. that labour & are laden, and I will refresh you: And in another place, The whole have no need of a Physician, Math. 9 but such as are sick. Of thee is it publicly said, that thou entertainedst Publicans and sinners, & didst eat with them. O my God thou hast not changed thy nature, which then thou hadst: for which cause I firmly believe that thou as yet dost call them from heaven, whom then thou didst call upon the earth. For which cause I likewise alured by that thy fatherly summons, come unto thee, groaning under the burden of my sins, and thou shalt unload me: I come labouring and overcharged, and thou shalt refresh me: I come like a patient to my Physician, and thou shalt heal me: like a sinner to the fountain of justice, and thou shalt justify me: Thou receivedst sinners, and eatest with them, and thy meat is to converse with them: and thy delight is to be with men. If thou take so much delight, O Lord, in such banquets, behold thou hast here a grievous sinner, with whom thou mayest eat thy bread. I verily believe, O my Redeemer, that thou tookest more delight in the tears of that public penitent, than in the sumptuous feast of that proud Pharisee, for which cause thou neither despisedst her, Luke, 7. neither reiectedst her from thee as an adulteress, but rather most bountifully receivedst her, forgavest her sins, defendedst her against the reproaches of her calumners, & for a few drops of tears, pardonedst her many sins. Behold O Lord, here is a new matter of greater glory offered unto thee, a new occasion: behold here lieth a sinner who hath far more sins, and yet fewer tears: she neither was the first nor the last, whom thy mercy suffered: many such like things hast thou done, O Lord, and many the like as yet remain for thee to do. Enter now, O Lord the number of them that begin thy work receive him into favour, who hath more grievously offended thee, and that lamenteth his offences. This penitent hath not so many tears as may wash thy feet, but thou hast shed so much blood as sufficeth not only to cleanse mine, but also the sins of the whole world. Be not displeased, O my God, that being such a one as thou seest I am, I dare preas●…e into thy presence. Remember that thou wert not displeased with the poor woman which traveled with a flux of blood, and secretly came unto thee, seeking remedy of her infirmity, and taking thee by the hem of thy Uesture; but rather didst praise her, and comfort her, saying: Daughter be comforted, Math. 9 thy faith hath made thee whole. Behold I that have a greater & more perilous flux of blood, and am less curable, what shall I do? whither shall I turn me, to whom shall I go, but unto thee (O LORD) that I may obtain the benefit of health? My Lord, thou hast neither changed thine office, neither that custom and nature which thou wert wont to have, when thou wert conversant with us upon the earth, although now thou art ascended into heaven, and seemest to be far distant from us. For if thou hadst been changed, we had need of another Scripture and Gospel that might teach us now what we should believe of thee, and what to hope from thee being now res●…ant in heaven. I read in the holy Gospels, that such as were sick flocked unto thee & that the whole multitude sought to touch thee, because a virtue came from thee that healed all men: Lepers came unto thee, and thou stretchedst thy blessed hands, and clensedst them. The blind came Luke, 6. unto thee, the deaf, the sick of the palsy, they that were possessed by devils. Finally, all the monsters of this world ran unto thee, and to none of these didst thou deny thy help. In thee only is salvation, in thee is the medicine, and remedy of all evils. Thou art more ready to give salvation, than they to ask it. Whither therefore shall we go (O Lord) in our necessities but unto thee? for I know my God, that this Sacrament is not only their food that are whole, but their medicine also that are sick & weak: not only the strength of the living but the resurrection of the dead: it not only recreateth and delighteth the just, but healeth also, and purifieth sinners, Let every one come hither and take part of that which he thinketh most wholesome for himself: let the just come and eat, and rejoice in this table, and let the voice of their confesson and praise sound in this wholesome chalice. I can no ways be without this mystery: I can no ways live without the same: and whatsoever I am, I cannot be excused, if I receive it not: for in every place and in every thing, it is necessary for me. If I be sick, here shall I be healed: if alive, here shall I be comforted: if dead, here raised again: if I burn with divine love: here shall I be more inflamed: if I be but lukewarm, here shall I be set on fire. I will not fear, although my LORD shall find me blind, because he giveth sight unto me: I will not fear, although I see that I am fallen, for he lifteth them up that are fallen low. I will not fly from his presence as once Adam did, although I be naked, for he can cover my wickedness: I will not hide me, although I seem unclean and full of sin, for he is the fountain of mercy: I will not be ashamed although I am poor: for he is the Lord of all living things. I am not much moved if he shall interpret my boldness to be his injury: but I think I shall give him occasion of greater glory, that being more wretched than all other living creatures, the greatness of the divine mercy may more clearly appear in me in that, that he will help me. His darkness that was blind from his birth, attended on the glory of God, for he was borne blind, to the end that the works of God might be manifested: so also the misery of my condition shall serve him, because in the same, the greatness of his bounty shall be beheld, namely, if he who is so mighty vouchsafe to succour so miserable and poor a creature, & that especially whereas herein there is no regard had of me, but only for the merits of our Lord jesus Christ: for which cause the eternal Father giveth us good things, & adopteth us for his children, & taketh it in good part that th●…y are wont so to be esteemed. I pray thee therefore most humbly, & beseech thee at this present, my God the Father of our Lord jesus Christ, that as that most holy King David admitted Mep●…boseth weak and lame to sit at his table, because he was the son of his great & dearly esteemed friend jonathan, intending hereby to honour his son not for the son himself sake, but for the merits of the father: so let it be pleasing likewise to thee (O Father) to admit me a poor and unclean sinner to thy most royal banquet, not for my sake, but for the merits and honour of thy singular friend ●…esus Christ our Lord and Saviour, who hath regenerated us on the three of the cross which so many labours and dolours, to thy glory and honour: who liveth and reigneth with thee, world without end. Another prayer before the Communion. I Praise thee & thank thee, most sweet Lord jesus my Saviour & redeemer, for thy so many benefits which thou hast vouchsafed to bestow on me most vile and wretched sinner. I yield thee thanks, O Lord, for all the mercies which thou usedst towards mankind, especially in the mystery of thy incarnation, namely in thy nativity, circumcision, presentation in the temple, flight into Egypt, in thy fasting and temptation, in thy labours and many journeys, in thy preachings & persecutions in this world, in the torments and dolours of thy bitter passion, and for all that which thou suffered'st in the flesh for me. But in especial I give thee hearty thanks for thy unspeakable charity, which moved thee to suffer for my sake, which verily amongst all thy works is the greatest without any comparison. Moreover, I yield thee all thanks that is possible, for that thou deignest to admit me to thy most holy Table, & make me partaker of thyself, and all thy merits, and the inestimable treasure of the passion. O my GOD and saviour, with what offices of duty shall I recompense this new and unheardof kind of mercy? Who art thou, and who am I, that thou the Lord of most high majesty, deignest to enter into dirt, and this earthly tabernacle? O Lord, holiness becometh Psal. 92. thy house for ever and ever: why therefore comest thou into my house, which is abundantly stored with iniquity? Heaven is thy house, and thy seat, and the earth the footstool of thy feet, because the glory of thy majesty filleth both heaven and earth: how comes it therefore to pass that thou dost not abhor to lodge in so vile an hospital? Is it therefore to be thought (saith Solomon) that truly God dwelleth on earth? For 3. Reg. 8. if the heavens, and the heaven of heavens be not able to contain thee, how much less this house which I have built? O admirable thing▪ he that sitteth upon the Cherubins, and beholdeth the depths, now humbleth himself even unto the lowest, and maketh his seat in the lowest places. It seemed little to thy goodness that thou didst appoint the Angels to our ministery, but thyself wouldst come unto us, & enter into our souls, that there with thine own hands, thou mightst work the act of our salvation. There dost thou visit the sick, raise such as are fallen, teach the ignorant, reduce such as are strayed out of the way. What need many words? Thou art he that curest our wounds, and healest our infirmities, not by an other man's hands, but thine own: not by medicines fet from afar, but with thine own flesh and blessed blood, dost thou medicine us. O true Pastor, how abundantly hast thou discharged thy promises which in times past thou madest by Ezech. 34 thy Prophet? saying, I will feed my sheep, and I will make them rest. But who shall be worthy of this grace? who can merit this benefit? only thy mercy, O Lord, can make us worthy of so infinite benefits. And because without the same, no man can be worthy, O Lord, let the same be favourable unto me, let it make me partaker of so many mysteries, let it make me thankful for so inestimable a benefit: O Lord with thy grace supply all my defects, forgive me all my sins thorough thy mercy. Let thy spirit prepare my mind, thy merits enrich my poverty, & thy precious blood cleanse all the blemishes of my soul, and wash out all the stains of my life; that I may worthily receive this most reverend sacrament. My soul rejoiceth & is glad, o my God, as often as I remember that notorious miracle, wherein in time past, a dead man raised a dead body, by the only means of touching. For if the body of a dead Prophet could do so much, what cannot the living body of the Lord of Prophets do? I am assured O Lord, that thy power is not of less value than that of thy Prophet, and my soul is no less dead, than the body of that man, neither is this touch of less efficacy than that: why therefore should I not expect the like benefit in myself? why should a body begotten in sin, do more mirecles than a body conceived by the holy ghost? Why shall the body of the servant have a greater prerogative, than the body of the master? Why shall not thy body raise my soul, sanctified in thy blood, which cleaveth and is joined unto thee by faith, when that raiseth those bodies which it toucheth? And because this body was raised, not requesting life, but by the only virtue of the bones of thy blessed Prophet: let it be pleasing to thine infinite mercy, O my God, since I request and beseech thee to give me life by the means of this Sacrament, that I may not now line, but thou in me. O good jesus, by that thine inestimable charity, which betrayed thee for my sake, & made thee suffer an ignominious death; I humbly beseech thee, that thou wilt cleanse me from all sin, adorn me with all kinds of virtues, and thy merits: and grant me grace that I may receive this holy Sacrament with so much humility and reverence: so much fear and trembling: with so much grief and repentance for my sins: finally, with so much love and charity, as this most heavenly mystery doth require. Grant me most merciful Lord that purity of intent, whereby I may worthily ha●…e access to thy mystic table, to the glory of thy holy name, and the remedy of my infirmities & necessities: that strengthened by the virtue of this Sacrament, I may be able strongly to withstand mine enemies, to overcome them, and to sustain myself by that living meat in the spiritual life. Grant also by the benefit of this Sacrament that I may be made one with thee, and incorporated in thee: may inseparably cleave unto thee, being made one spirit with thee. Let this sacrifice be my safety, and this inestimable benefit of this Sacrament assist all men, as it is instituted for the health of them: & left unto thy Church: who livest & reignest world without end. Amen A most worthy meditation after the Communion. O My God and my Saviour, how shall I yield thee condign thanks, for that thou being the King of Kings, & Lord of Lords, hast not disdained to visit my soul and to enter the poor roof of my miserable cottage: and so to work that both thou and I are one, and that by the means of the inestimable virtue of the Sacrament. With what reward shall I requite such a benefit? With what offices shall I remunerate thy so great goodness? with thanks may a miserable wretched, and poor creature give for a gift so rich and precious? For it sufficed thee not in this mystery to make us partakers of thy supreme deity, but thou wouldst also communicate unto us thy humanity, together with all thy merits, which in the same, and with the same thou didst purchase for us: for giving us thy body and blood, thou makest us also partakers of thy holy treasure, and of all thy merits, which being on earth, thou obtainedst for us. O admirable Communion! O treasure to be equalled by no price, and as yet unknown unto men O merciful Redeemer of our souls! with what more richer jewels, or greater riches couldst thou store us, than with this most blessed Sacrament? Deservedly, O Lord, didst thou say in the prayer, which thou saidst about the hour of thy passion: I sanctify myself for them, john 17. that they also may be sanctified in truth, namely after a new manner of sanctification, difficile to the sanctifier, and easy to the sanctified. For thine is the sanctity, O Lord: mine the fruit of sanctity: thou didst labour, I received the reward: thou wert at the charge, I reaped the profit: thou art chastised, & I am pardoned for my sins: thou drunkest the bitter potion, & I with myself recover my lost health: thy dolours, thy nails, thy strokes, thy thorns, and thy precious blood, not shed by drops but by floods, satisfied for me: thy tears wash me, thy wounds heal me, & thy scourge have satisfied for me. O rich Communion! O fraternity of infinite merits! O traffic of inestimable treasure! what stock or sum have we employed in this partnershippe? what have we adventured that the increase is so profitable unto us? Why doth the sun illuminate the world? why warmeth the fire the body, which is the object against it? why doth the water cool that same? The reason is manifest, for these are their natural properties; for such creatures produce such effect: And it is thy property, O lord, to pardon; thy custom to show mercy, and that rather to others than to thyself. Thy goodness is ours, & that not ordinary, but infinite: for as the property of good is to be common & communicative, so truly the chiefest good should also be chiefly diffusive: & this hast thou done unto us, because thou hast wholly given thyself unto us. In thy birth, thou becamest our brother: in our nourishing, our food: in thy death, our redemption: in our ruling, our reward: finally, O my soul, if in one word thou wilt comprehend all these benefits, which this so admirable Sacrament bringeth with it, consider that which this Lord brought into this world, when as becoming man he came into thy world. For when he entered into the world, he gave the world the life of grace, with all those things which attend on the same: so also when he comes by the Sacrament into our soul, he giveth the same life of the soul. O divine food by which the sons of men are transformed into the sons of God, and by which the flesh is mortified in us, that the deity may live in us: O sweetest bread, worthy to be adored, nourishing the soul, not the belly: strengthening the heart, and not overcharging the body: rejoicing the spirit: & not troubling the understanding: whose virtue doth moderate our appetites, killeth our self will, that the will of God may be more effectual in us. What thanksgiving therefore shall I yield unto thee: what praises shall I sing unto thee (O Lord) for this thy benefit? If the gratuity ought to be answerable to the gift, what kind of recompense I pray you will equal such a gift? Thou saidst in times passed to thy servant Moses: Take the golden vessel, and Exod. 16. hide it in the Ark of the covenant and it shall be kept there for future generations, that they may see that meat which for forty years long I made you feed on in the desert. If y● so much esteemedst (O Lord) that corruptible meat which thou gavest thy people in the desert, that thou wouldst it should be kept with reverence, in perpetual remembrance of the same: in what account should that incorruptible meat be with us, which giveth life eternal to those that eat the same? I manifestly see that there is the same difference which is between the one meat and the other, as between the one benefit and the other: and that for that cause there ought to be the same difference between the one gratuity & the other; that meat was earthly, this heavenly; that was of the body, this of the Soul: that gave not true life to those that eat the same, this giveth eternal life to those that worthily receive it. But why make I comparison between the one & the other? For whatsoever difference is between the creature & the Creator, the same is between this and that meat. If therefore thou O Lord, require such remembrance, and gratuity for that thou didst nourish thy people with corporal and corruptible meat, what wilt thou require of us whom thou nourishest with so far better food as the Creator exceedeth the creature? there is not any praise nor thanksgiving which is worthy this benefit. When as therefore I neglect mine own forces & faculties, neither can I find way or means to pay thee that which I owe thee, there is no other remedy left for me, than with the Prophet to take that cup of salvation, and call upon the Psal. 115. name of our Lord: that is, not to remunerate that benefits that are past, but to ask new, & to require grace upon grace. I beseech thee therefore (O Lord) vouchsafe that I may receive this Sacrament in satisfaction of all my sins, and amendment of my former life: that being repaired in me by the benefit thereof, whatsoever is fallen, whatsoever I want, let it be supplied: and grant that my poverty may be enriched by the benefits of thy graces. By that virtue of this sacrament, mortific in me whatsoever is displeasant to thy divine eyes, and make me conformable to thy will. Uouch safe me (O Lord) that by this mystery I may always persevere in thee, & may continually and perfectly love thee, & that I may be always continually united & coupled unto thee, to the honour of thy holy name. Be favourable (O Lord) unto all my offences; and not mine only, but all others. Grant the Heretics & Schismatics may return to the unity of thy Church: illuminate the Infidels that they may know thee: help all those for whom I am bound to pray Comfort my father, mother, brothers, and sisters, friends, and enemies, with all those that have ever done me good. Be merciful unto all those for whom thou sh●…dest thy most precious blood. To thee be all praise, honour, virtue, and glory, who livest and reignest world without end. Amen. Prayers and thanksgivings after the Communion. The first Prayer. I Give thee thanks, O Lord, holy Father, omnipotent and eternal God, that thou hast vouchsafed to sat●…ate me a wretched sinner, and thy unworthy servant, not for my merits, but only for thy mercy sake, with the precious body and blood of thy Son our Lord jesus Christ. And I beseech thee, that this holy Communion may be unto me not guiltiness to procure punishment, but a fruitful intercession of pardon: may be my armour of faith, and shield of good will: may be the evacuation of my vices, extermination of my concupiscence and lust: the augmentation of my charity and patience, humility and obedience, against the deceits of both my visible and invisible enemies: a firm defence, a perfect pacification of my motions, both carnal and spiritual & assured cleaning to thee, the only and true God: & a happy consummation of my life. And I beseech thee, that thou wilt conduct me most wretched sinner, to that inestimable banquet, where thou with thy Son, and the holy Ghost, to thy Saints art a true light, complete satiety, eternal joy, consummate pleasure, and perfect felicity, through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. The second Prayer after the Communion. I Give thee thanks O Lord jesus Christ, King of Kings, & Lord of Lords, reverend & immeasurable in majesty, for that thou hast vouchsafed to feed, and sweetly to refresh my over-dried soul with thy sacred body, & precious bloo●… I beseech thee that whatsoever is found vicious in me, and contrary to thy most holy will, by the Communion of this Sacrament may be utterly extinct in me, so that my heart may be prepar●… for a worthy habitation, for the holy Ghost. And grant, O most sweet jesus, that this Sacrament of thy body and blood may be unto me an atonement for my sins: a medicine for my life, an establishment of grace, a memory of thy most holy passion, relief in my pilgrimage, the sweet and pleasure of my soul: my health & sanctity in temptations, my light & virtue in tribulations, my light & virtue in all my words and deeds, my final comfort & de●…ence in death. Grant that it may so change the affections of my heart, that it may feels conceive no sweetness, but that which is in thee, love no bea●…, seek no love, desire no consolation, admit no pleasure, care for no honours, & fear no cruelty. Amen. The third Prayer after the Communion. PIerce, O most sweet Lord jesus, that marrow and inwards of my soul, with the sweet and wholesome wound of thy love: with true, perfect, pure, Apostolic, and sacred charity: that my soul may only languish & melt away, in the love & desire of thee: let it not long after, and grow weary in thy ways: let it desire to be dissolved, and to be with thee. Grant that my soul may hunger after thee the bread of Angels: the resurrection of all holy souls: our supercelestial and daily bread: having in it all sweetness and savour, and all delectation of suavity. Grant that my heart may always hunger & thirst after thee on whom the Angels desire to look: and with the sweetness of thy favour, let the inward secrets of my soul be filled: let it always thirst after thee the fountain of life, the fountain of wisdom and science, the fountain of eternal light, the river of pleasures, the plenty of God's house: Let her always seek thee, compas●…e thee, find thee, travel to thee, and attain unto thee: let her meditate on thee, speak of thee, & work all things to the honour and praise of thy name, with humility, and discrenon: with love and delectation: with facility, and affection: with perseverance unto the end: and be thou always my only hope, my whole trust, my riches, my delight, my pleasure, my Saviour, my sweetness, my meat, my refection, my refuge, my hope, my wisdom, my portion and possession, my treasure, in which my heart and mind may be always fixed, and firmly rooted. Amen. The first prayer for the love of God. O Sweet, benign loving, bounteous, dear, mighty, o admirable, ineffable, inestimable, incomparable, o powerful, magnificent, liberal, incomprehensible, infinite, & most mighty God. Thou art only good, all pitiful, all amiable: thou art sweeter than honey, whiter than snow, delightfuller than all pleasure, sweeter than all delight, more precious than gold of precious stones: Thou art my God, my life, and my only hope. Grant me (o Lord) that I may love thee: if not as much as thou deservest, yet at leastwise as much as thou mayest be beloved in this life, by any man subject to sin, and thrall to many necessities. With that Leper in the gospel, O Lord, I come before thy presence, Math. 8. crying, o Lord, if thou wilt thou canst make me clean: thou canst I say, cleanse my soul from all her sins, & canst purge the same, as it were gold in the fire of thy love: if thou wilt, thou canst presently enrich this poor one: if thou wilt, thou canst make me glad, & of all those that are in this world most blessed. What will it hinder thee, O Lord, if thou yield me such a blessing? what disprofit will it breed? what loss will it bring thee? So then, O Lord, since thou art the Ocean of infinite goodness, liberality and riches, why through thy wrath hidest thou thy mercies from me? Why are my sins more mighty than thy goodness? Why shall my sins rather condemn me, than thy mercies save me? If thou requirest contrition, & grief for my offences, behold I con●…eiue so much sorrow for my sins, that I had rather have endured a thousand sorts of death, than once to have offended thee. If thou requirest satisfaction, lo I offer my body unto thee, power thy wrath upon it: exercise what torments of thy displeasure thou 〈◊〉 upon it, so thou deny me not thy mercy. Grant therefore that I may love thee, my God, my strength, my refresher, my redeemer, my helper and my hope: I only seek thee, I only desire thee, I only cry unto thee, my Lord God: thou art ●…y first beginning, & my last end. The things of this life satisfy me not, have no sweetness in them, no stability or strength, whatsoever I see besides thee is but poverty: whatsoever is in any place without thee, is but troubled and salted water unto me: it cooleth not my thirst, but kindleth it. I only seek thee, I only will thee, I only desire to behold thy face, I pray unto thee, beseeching thee not to separate thy mercy and love from me. I will possess thee, and will not let thee go before thou hast blessed me: I will clean unto thee, and will not depart from thee before thou hast brought me into thy Winecellar, and ordered me in thy Cant. 2. charity. I will cry after thee, neither will I hold my peace: I will say with the Prophet, I will love Psal. 17. thee O Lord my strength, I will meditate upon thee without ceasing, I will think on thee, in my sleep in the night time: for I am in health when I am with thee, and sick if I be from thee, for thou only canst bless my soul, thou art my God and my Lord, for ever and ever. Amen. A second prayer for the love of God. O Good Jesus! O the sweetness of my heart, O the life and salvation of my soul, when, in all, and through all things shall I please thee? When shall I perfectly die unto myself? When shall I prefer thee before all other creatures? when shall nothing live in me but thyself? Have mercy upon me, O Lord, and help me. I salute thy wounds, O Lord, like vernal roses: hide me O Lord, in them, and wash me in the same, that every way I may be clean, and inflamed with thy love. O Lord my God O admirable beginning, O piety of amiable charity, O clearest light of my understanding, O repose of my will, when shall I ardently love thee? vouchsafe o Lord, to pierce my soul with the dart of thy love, vouchsafe to associate me with thyself, that I may be made one with thee. O my desire, O my hope, O my relief: Oh if my soul were worthy of thy embracings, that all slowness and lukewarmness were consumed in me by the fire of thy love. O the soul of my soul, O the life of my life: I wholly desire thee, & wholly offer myself unto thee, one to one & only to thee only. O if that had place in me which thou saidst to thy Father: Blessed Father, let than john 17. be one as we are one: I in them & they in me, that they may be consummate in one. I will no other thing, I desire no other thing, I expostulate no other thing at thy hands, for thou only suffisest me: Thou art my Father, thou art my mother, thou art my defender, thou art my guider, thou art all my good: thou art altogether amiable, wholly delectable, only faithful. Who was ever so liberal, as to forsake himself? who ever so tenderly loved, as to yield himself into the hands of so bitter death for so vile a creature? Who so humble, that so much diminished and humbled his majesty? o Lord thou despisest no man, thou disdainest no man▪ thou repulsest no man that seeketh thee, nay rather thou callest & excitest all men to come unto Proverb. 〈◊〉 thee, for thou takest thy pleasure to be conversant among the children of men. To thee, O lord, angels sing praises, and what other thing hast thou found in us but the filth of our sins? why wouldst thou be with us till Math. 28. the end of the world? was it not enough for thee that thou suffered'st death for us, and gavest us also the Sacraments for our medicine, & left us the angels for our fellows and tutors, Truly although we are ungrateful for these benefits, yet wouldst thou dwell amongst us, for thou art so good that thou couldst not deny thine own self. Let us therefore make a covenant (if it so please thee O Lord) take thou care of me, & I will have care of thee; love thou me, & I will love thee: protect and preserve my body and soul, and by thy assistance I will keep thy law: do that with me, O Lord, which best pleaseth thee, for thou knowest what I want, and what is expedient for me: I will be thine, and no other man's. Give me the grace, O Lord, that I may not seek or desire any thing, but thyself, & that I may wholly offer myself unto thee. O fire that kindlest me1 O charity that inflamest me! o light that illuminatest me! o my rest! o my life! O my love, that always burnest, and art never quenched: when shall I perfectly love thee again? when shall I embrace thee with the naked arms of my soul? when shall I despise myself and the whole world, for thy sake? when shall my soul with all the powers and strength thereof, be united with thee? when shall it be swallowed up in the bottomless pit of thy love? Most sweet, loving, ●…aire, wise, rich noble, precious, and worthy, both to be beloved and adored, when shall I so love thee, that I may wholly be devoured by thy love? O life of my soul, that suffered'st death to give me life: and dying, slewest death: kill me also, that is, all my perverse inclinations to evil, my self-will, & whatsoever it be that hindereth me from being, & living with thee. And when in this sort thou hast slain me, make me live with thee through love and charitable actions, that I may faithfully observe all thy commandments, and the directions of my superiors, & only follow those things which are of the Spirit. O most bountiful jesus, give me perfect renouncement and hatred of my sin, and perfect converston of my heart unto thee: that all my thoughts, and all my desires may be fixed on thee, and in thee only. O life, without which I am dead: O truth without which I am deceived: O way, without which I go astry: O salvation, without which I perish: O light, without which I walk in darkness. Suffer me not O Lord (suffer me not) to be at any times drawn from thee: for I live cnely in thee, & without thee 〈◊〉 die: in thee I am saved, and without thee I am lost: in thee I am somewhat, without thee I am nothing: because I had not been at all, except thou hadst been in me: and except I were in thee, thou shouldest not be in me. Be thou therefore (O good jesus) in my memory in the morning: by the same may I know thee: in the same ●…et me find thee: when I remember thee, delight in thee, and derive my pleasures from thee, from whom all things, by whom all things, & in whom all things are. Amen, The third prayer for the love of God. IF the duty whereby we are bound to our benefactors for the benefits we have received be so great, if every of the bounties we receive, be as it were brands and motives of love: if the sire wax in greatness according to the multitude of the fuel: O Lord how great a fire of love ought there justly burn in my heart, if the matter of thy bounty be so infinite, which kindleth & nourisheth the same? If the whole world, as well visible & invisible, with all that which is found therein, be but mere benefits of thine towards us, how huge ought that flame of my love be, which ought to glow in me? And that so much the more: because I ought not to love thee for these benefits only, but also for that in thee, all the causes and reasons of love are to be found, and they every one of them in the highest degree of perfection. For if we consider thy goodness, who is found better than thou art? if we respect thy beauty, thou art the fairest one, whose face the angels desire to contemplate: if we seek for bounty & sweetness, who is to●…ee found more sweet and benign than thou art? if we desire riches and wisdom, who richer or wiser than thou art▪ 〈◊〉 friendship, who will love any thing more than he that pawned his life for us? Now if we return unto benefits, O Lord, from whom proceedeth all that which we have, but from thee? what shall we say of hope? when as from thee alone, and from thy mercy, we hope and crpect whatsoever we want: if by the only right of nature, we owe much duty to our carnal parents: who is more father than he of whom it is●…, Call not yourselves a father on the earth, for you have one Father who is in heaven? If the husband be so tenderly beloved of his wife, what other spouse hath our soul than thyself, O Lord? who shall replenish the bosom of my heart, and my desires but thou? If the Philosophers say that the final end is beloved with infinite love: who is my beginning, who my latter end, but thou, O Lord? for from whence took I my original, and whither shall I go to be perfected, but from thee, and in thee? From whom is all that which I have, & from whom hope I to receive the same which I want but from thee? Finally, if s●…tude be the cause of love: to whose similitude and likeness is my soul created, if not to thine? So than if this special title, and every one of the rest be motives of love, what ought that to be that is derived from all these united together? verity, as the Sea is more spacious than all other floods that enter into the same: and by how much it, overcometh the rest in greatness, by so much also is thy love more abundant, greater, and more excellent, than all other eternal loves. Since therefore I have so just causes (O Lord) and so pregnant occasions to love thee, why should I not love thee with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength, and inward thoughts? O my hope, my glory, my joy, O my amiable beginning: O my satiety and sufficiencie●… when shall that day be when I shall truly love thee and embrace thee with my whole heart? When shall I show myself grateful unto thee in all things, and for all things? When shall I feel all that mortified mine, which is opposed against thee? When shall I be wholly thme? When shall I ceasie to be mine own? When shall that hour come, when nothing shall live in me but thyself? When shall I feel myself wholly inflamed with thy love? When wilt the ravish me perforce? When wilt thou make me drunk with that milk of thy tears? When wilt thou transfer me wholly into thee? When shall I see that happy day, when all impediments and perturbations of the mind taken away, thou wilt make me one spirit with thee, so that hereafter I shall not be drawn from thee? Ah Lord, how much cost it thee to redeem me? but being once redeemed, how easily canst thou do good? For when y● dost good unto man, what is taken out of thy house? what is lost of thy riches? what is taken out of thine infinite treasures? Why O Lord, doth thy wrath fight with thy mercy against me, whereas thou art th●…ea of infinite liberality and 〈◊〉? Remember therefore O Lord, that I am thine, & thou art mine. Fly me not therefore O Lord, but suffer me to find thee out: I make a long journey, 〈◊〉 stand often, I often return: let it not grieve thee (O Lord) to expect me, who cannot keep company with thee. O my God and my salvation, why am I so idle? why run I not which speedy alacrity unto thee, the chiefest good, in whom at once are all goodnesses found? I will love thee (O Lord) with an ardent and strong love: I will stretch the arms of my affections and desires, that I may embrace thee the sweet spouse of my soul, from whom I promise unto myself all goodness. The Iu●…e so strongly embraceth her neighbouring tree, that every twist thereof seemeth to be a several arm: for sustained by this help, it groweth high, and attaineth to full perfection: but (O Lord) to what tree shall I cleave, but unto that, which planted-on the mountain of Caluarie, is become a sure supporter unto me? The ivy increaseth not so largely, neither extendeth the beauty of her branches so far, being sustained by the tree, as my soul increaseth in virtues and graces, being underpropped by this tree. Why therefore are not all the members of my body turned into arms that on every side I may embrace thee? why shall I not love thee? why shall I not put all my trust 〈◊〉 confidence in thee? Help me, O Lord my Saviour, draw me on high after thee, for the weight of mortality doth always depress me. Thou (o Lord) that ascendedst the tree of the Cross, that thou mightst draw all things unto thee, thou that through so unmeasurable charity, didst couple two-natures so different together, and madest one person of them, that we might be made one with thee. Grant me this one thing (o Lord) and it suff●…eth me: For the riches of this world satiate me not: I only will thee, I seek thee, I desire to see thy face, I will aspire always to thy love; and with the Prophet I will sing, I will love thee, o Lord Psalm. 17. my strength, God is my foundation & my refuge: God is my helper, and I will hope in him, my protector and the horn of my salvation, and my defender. Praising will I call upon our Lord, and I shall be safe from mine enemies. The fourth prayer for obtaining of the love of God. ON the bended knees of my heart, & devoured in the depth of mine own abjectness, with a●… are and reverence, I come before thy sight (o my God) as one the most unhappy, poor, and vilest creature of the world. I set myself near the floods of thy mercy, by the river of thy graces, before the brightness of the true Sun of justice, whose beams are spread over the whole earth, and communicate themselves freely to all those that shut not the window against them. Behold a mass of chalk, a rude and impolish trunk cut from the tree, is presented to the hands of the most wise workmaster: make of it, O most merciful Father, that which thou hast decreed to do. Great is my boldness, in that a creature so vile dare demand a love so precious & excellent as thine is. Truly I would (considering my great indignity) require some lesser thing at thy hands: but what shall I do, wretch that I am, whereas thou commandest me that I should love thee? Thou hast created me to the end I should love thee, and threatenest me except I love thee. Tho●…dst die, that I might love thee, and commandest me that I should ask nothing more fervently at thy hands, than thy love: yea, & so much distressed thou to be beloved by me, that seeing me without thy love, thou didst institute thy Sacrament of admirable value whereby my heart might be inflamed with thy love. O my Saviour, whom am I, that thou shouldest require my love, & to this end thou shouldest seek so many and so admirable means? What am I to thee but a torment? a cross, and a vaily tribulation? And what art thou to me, but salvation, rest, and all goodness? If therefore thou lovest me, why am I every ways trouble some unto thee? why shall I not love thee again, who art every way so profitable and beneficial to me? Possessed therefore, O Lord, of these pledges of thy love: and confirmed by that thy merciful commandment, whereby even unto my lives end it pleased thee so bountifully to muite me, and command me to love thee: by this thy singular grace, I require another like favour, namely that thou wilt first give me that, which y● wouldst have me give thee: for I cannot give thee this, except thou first give it me: for I am not worthy to love thee, but thou art worthy to beloved by me. I therefore dare not request thee to love thee, but that it might please thee to give me leave to love thee. Fly not, O Lord, fly me not, despise not to be beloved by thy creatures, with the utmost of their love. O God, who art essentially love, increated love, infinite love, love without measure, not only a lover but all love, from whence the love of all Seraphins & every creature proceedeth in like manner as the light of all the stars from the brightness of the sun, why shall I not love thee? how can I choose but be burnt with this fire of love, which inflameth the whole world, and each thing, contained in the same, yea well-nigh burneth them? O God, who art essentialy goodness itself, from whom all that is good whatsoever is called good, from whom the goodness of all living creatures (no otherwise than all rivers from the sea) is derived, in comparison of whose more than excellent goodness, there is not any thing either in heaven or in earth that may be called good; why therefore shall I not love thee, whereas goodness is the object of love? If I cannot love thee, o my Lord, for thine excellency, how can I choose but love thee for mine own profit sake? The son loveth the father, who hath received his being from him: the members love the head, and offer themselves to death for it, because by the same they are continued in their essence: All effects love their causes, for from them they have received whatsoever they are, & from them they expect that which yet they have not: but thou o Lord art my father, my head, and my cause: that therefore which the son oweth the father, the mother the head: that which the effects owe to their causes, all that and far more do I owe thee. Thou gavest me that being which I have, more perfect than my parents did: thou keepest me in this being which thou gavest me, more carefully than the head doth the members: thou finishest in me that which is wanting, till thou hast brought me to the last point of perfection. Thou art my father which made me: thou art my head which governest me: thou art my spouse who gavest to my soul perfect felicity: thou art the Architect of this building: thou art the painter of this figure made according to thy image and similitude, which thou wilt also make perfect. Whatsoever it hath, it hath it from thee: whatsoever it wanteth, it hopeth to receive it from thee. For even as no one could give him that which he is, but thou O Lord: so also no man can perfect that which as yet is imperfect, but thou: whatsoever therefore it hath, whatsoever it is, whatsoever it hopeth, all that is thine. Whom therefore shall it behold, but thee? To whom shall it be accountable but to thee? In whose eyes shall it walk, but in thine? Whither shall he direct all his love, but to thee, who art his whole good? If therefore (O Lord) thou be the beauty and ornament of my soul, how can I forget thee? What have I in heaven, and what will I of thee on earth? My flesh and my heart faileth, God of my heart, & my heritage for ever. O increate love, which always burnest & never art extinguished: o love which always livest and burnest in the bosom of God. O eternal dart of the father's heart, that always woundeth the face of the Son with the wound of infinite love! O let this dart wound me: this fire inflame me, let me follow thee my beloved, let me sing a new song with a loud voice, let my soul melt in thy praises, with the unspeakable applause and jubilee of love. O most holy father, o most merciful son, O most loving holy ghost! when wilt thou, most beloved father dwell in my soul, and abide in the secrets of my heart, & possess me wholly? When shall I be wholly thine, and thou wholly mine? When shall it come to pass, o my King? when will that day come? o when? O were it here! Shall I never see it? o how ungrateful delay? how odious procrastination? Haste thee, O jesus, haste thee, and delay not: return, return, and run like a Goat, and the young hinds upon the mountains of Bether. O my God, the repose of my life: the light of mine eyes, my consolation in tribulations: the end of my desires: the paradise of my heart: the centre of my soul: the pledge of glory: the companion of my pilgrimage: my joy in exile, the medicine of my wounds: merciful justicer of my sins: master of the ignorant, guide of life, nest in which my soul resteth, haven wherein she is saved, glass wherein she beholdeth herself, staff on which she leaneth, stone on which she is builded, & precious treasure in which she glorieth. If thou therefore (o Lord) be all these unto me, how can I forget yea but for a moment of time? If I forget thee Psal. 136. o my God, let me forget my right hand; let my tongue clean to the roof of my mouth, if I remember Psal. 131. thee not: I will give no sleep unto mine eyes, o blessed Trinity, nor rest to mine eyelids, nor quiet to my temples, until I find this love, until I find a place for my Lord in my heart, and a tabernacle for the God of jacob in my soul, who liveth for ever world without end. Amen. The first prayer for the love of God. I Will love thee, O Lord my strength, I will love thee my unspeakable joy, and let my whole life live, not to myself, but to thee which was condemned to misery & raised again by thy mercy. Too late did I fear thy Majesty: too late did I love thee, thou beauty both old and new: too late did I love thee: I sought thee my refreshment, and I found thee not, because I undirectly sought thee: I sought thee without myself, & thou didst dwell in me: I traveled the streets and ways of the City of this world, seeking thee, and I found thee not, because inconsiderately I sought thee abroad, whereas thou wert at home with me. I asked the earth whether it were my God? and it answered me no, and all things which are in the same, confessed the very same. I asked the Sea, the depths and the inhabitants thereof, and they answered, we are not God, seek him above us. I asked the fleeting air, with all the dwellers therein, and he answered me no. I asked heaven, the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars: neither are we thy Gods (said they) Finally, I asked all creatures: and they cried unto me with a loud voice, he that made us is thy true God & Lord. And I said: where therefore is my God? where shall I seek him? show him me. And I heard a voice saying unto me, God is in every place seek him in thyself, he filleth Heaven, filleth the earth, and filleth thy heart. And I came to myself, & I entered into myself, and I said unto myself, how interest thou hither O my God? at what door wert thou admitted? I began to inquire & examine every one of my senses if by any of them thou didst enter, but they likewise knew not how or which ways thou camest in. For the eyes say: if he be not coloured, he cannot enter by us. The cares say, if he make no sound, he cannot pass by us: The nose saith, if he smell not, he could not come by me: Taste saith, if he savoured not, he entered not by me: Touch likewise addeth, if he is not corpulent, ask me nothing of this matter. How therefore o my love didst thou enter my soul? and didst not enter by any door? Truly thou art light, shining in darkness, yet such as the eye is not capable of. Thou art a voice, sweet above all voices, yet such a one as the ear conceiveth not. Thou art a sweet, more fragrant than any odor, which nevertheless my taste comprehendeth not. Thou art an embracement, to be esteemed above all embraces, which notwithstanding the touch attaineth not. Where wert thoutherefore, my God? where wert thou my light? where wert thou my hope? I asked & it was answered me, Ascend into the superior parts of thy heart, & there shalt thou find God. Truly thou art great, O God, and hast overcome our wisdom. Thou art the king of kings, and the Lord of Lords. Thou art immortal, and dwellest in unaccessible light: whom no mortal man ever saw, or shall ever see and live. Many and great are the wonders that are reported of thee, o Lord: yet more less and fewer than may be said of thee, & words are defective, where thou are never deficient. For thou exceedest all that which may be spoken or thought. O only love, & my Lord God, thou didst love me before I loved thee, and createdst me according to thine own image, and madest me Lord over all thy creatures. Moreover, thou makest thine Angel's spirits for me, whom thou hast ordained to defend me in all my ways, lest I should hurt my foot Psal. 90. against the stone. Thou wouldst not permit me to be borne in a pagan but a Christian land, in which by the water and the holy Ghost. I am regenerate & sanctified. Thou neither gavest me too much riches, nor too abject poverty, lest I should either wax proud, or grow more contemptible: but thou gavest me understanding and will, whereby I should know and love thee. Thou didst call me when I was lost, & knockedst at my door, but I did not answer thee. I lived according to mine own lust, and attributed too much to mine own strength, whereas nevertheless it was not strength but weakness: I would run, and grow presently weary: and where I thought I should be secure, there was I in greatest danger: I went away from thee like the prodigal son, and traveled into a strange country, and dwelled therein, whereas loving vanity, I became vain. I was blind, & I desired blindness: I was a servant, & I loved servitude: I was bound, & took pleasure in thraldom: I thought bitter was sweet, and sweet was bitterness. I was wretched, and I knew it not. Whilst I lived in this most desperate estate, thou didst cast thine eyes of compassion upon me: and although without intermission I did offend thee, yet didst not thou give over to reclaim me from my sins: when I wandered thou broughtest me into the way: when I was ignorant thou taughtest me, when I did sin, thou didst correct me: when I was sad, thou didst comfort me: When I did despair, thou didst encourage me: when I fell thou didst raise me up: when I stood, thou sustainedst me. I was undone and dead, thou descendedst unto the dead, & tookest on thee mortality: thou a king didst descend to thy servant: & to redeem thy slave thou didst betray thyself. So much didst thou love me, that thou gavest thy blood for a ransom for me: thou didst love me (O Lord) more than thyself, because thou wouldst sand for me: For this cause thou didst ransom me from exile with so dear a price: thou didst redeem me from thraldom: thou withheldedst me from punishment: thou called'st me by thy name, thou ●…ignedst me with thy blood; that thy remembrance might be always with me and never depart from my heart, which for my sake departed not from the Crosse. Let me know thee therefore O Lord, my acknowledger: let me know thee thou virtue of my soul: let me walk always in thy light, O thou Sun of justice; for it is good for me to cleave, O Lord, Psal. 72. & to put my trust in our lord God: for as soon as I shall be turned from thee, I am presently converted to transitory delights, and distracted with vain cogitations. O therefore wretched & unfortunate that I am, when shall I so inseparably cleave unto thee, as I may never be withdrawn from thee? When shall my thoughts, words, and works, differ no more from the rule of thy equity & justice? Thou (o Lord) lovest solitude, and I company: thou silence, and I fables: thou verity, and I vanity; thou cleanness, and I follow uncleanness. I beseech thee therefore, O Lord, for thine own sake, illuminat mine eyes with thy light: wound my heart with thy love: direct my steps in the way of thy commandments, that I may never swerver from the same: deliver me (o Lord) that am captive: reduce the stray into thy wounds, raise him that is fallen; and relieve him that is every way weakened. Give me a heart that may always think on thee, a mind that may always love thee, an understanding that may conceive thee: a reason that may always strongly cleave unto thee the most chief delight. Fly not from my heart, depart neither from my words nor works: but always assist me, because thou art my helper in all my tribulations. Without thee I die: & thinking on thee, I am revived: thine adour doth recreate me: thy memory doth heal me: thy light doth illuminate me, & I am raised again by thy voice, and shall be satisfied when thy glory shall appear. The sixth prayer for the love of God. IF amongst all those things which provoke us unto love, there be nothing more effectual than form & beauty, why should I not worthily love thee (o my God) who art the Fountain of all beauty and seemliness? Thou art the Ornament of the whole Mass of this world, for whatsoever is beautiful in it, by thee and from thee hath his beauty, because thou createdst it: the Sun and Moon admire thy majesty, the Angels desire to behold thy face, for in the sight thereof consisteth perfect felicity, and the glory of all supernal spirits. Birds, flowers, fountains, fields, floods, seas, woods, forests, trees, earth, mountains, valleys, and whatsoever is in them, have their ornaments from thee: thou didst deck the heavens with stars, the air with birds, the water with fishes, the fields with flowers, and the earth with infinite plants, and variety of living creatures. In each place of the world thou art feared, because tokens of thy beauty are seen in every place: in the heavens thou art the beauty of glory, in hell of justice, in good men, of grace, in the wicked of patience. I will therefore love thee my God, who are the perfection of all things: thou art the praise of the Angels, the reward of Saints, the hope of patriarchs, the Crown of Martyrs, the glory of Confessors, that purity of Virgins, and the salvation of all the elect. All blessed spirits praise thee, the Pillars of heaven tr●…ble at thy presence, and all the creatures of the world reverence thee. Thou fulfilest all things, yet art thou not di●…ated: thou art in all things, yet art contained in none: thou didst create all things without necessity: thou governest all things without labour thou changest all things, & thyself art not changed: thou only judgest without any erro●…, thou only chastifest without any p●…turbation, thou only distributest gifts, and thy treasure is not impaired: thou only art sufficient for thyself and all things: who therefore hath thee, he hath all things: and who hath thee not, although he have all the treasures of this world, he is poor he is naked, he is wretched and miserable. One thing very often draweth us to such insensate a love of some creature, that we fear not in the behalf of the same, to adventure a thousand deaths: but in thee (O Lord) whereas so many things & so great concur together, why should I not love thee▪ why should I not willingly suffer whatsoever misery for the glory of thy name? why should I not freely spend my blood for thee, who so liberally didst power out thine for me? If I consider thy benefits, I owe no man more than thyself: if thy love, no man wisheth me better than thyself: if consangumitie, my soul hath not any one more nearly allied unto her than thyself. Truly similitude is a great cause of love, & what greater similitude is there, than is between thee (O Lord) & my soul, which is created after thy similitude and likeness? Thou art a spirit, & my soul is a spirit thou art invisible, & my soul is also invisible: thou immortal, & my soul is immortal: thou hast understanding, memory, and will: and the like powers hath my soul. Thou being most simple and invisible, art all in the whole world, and all in every part thereof: and my soul being of the same condition is all in the whole body, and all in every member of the same. Since therefore there is so much similitude between thee & me, O my love, why should I not love thee? Is it because thou art high, & I humble? or for that thou art the Creator, and I thy creature: or because thou art the perfectest being, and I altogether imperfect? This ought not to hinder, but to increase our love. For the similitude is far more am●…able which is proportioned with inequality, than that which is every way equal. The father's love is greater towards the son, & the wives towards the husband, than of brothers amongst themselves, who are equal. Voices that art ●…rent among themselves, 〈◊〉 more sweetly, if they be reduced unto proportion, than those that are consonant and uniform. Let then this inequality, which is between thee & my soul, (o Lord) be a cause of greater love In thee therefore, O most sweet spouse of my soul, in thee are all the causes of love, which may be imagined, and thou art most worthy to be beloved with infinite love: but I find in myself, my will in such manner depraved, that it cannot perform it, would God it were not so that she loved herself more than thee. Wherefore, O Lord, except thou heal my infirm nature by thy grace: and except thou power into my heart the virtue of charity, by the mediation of the holy Ghost, I may never love thee with a gratuitall and supernatural love, in such manner as thou art worthy, & wilt be beloved. Give me the grace to love thee, if not with such a love as thou art worthy of, yet at leastwise with such a love as my nature may partake, that is, with all my heart, all my soul, all my strength, & all my forces, so that all my bowels inwardly burn, & melt in thy love. Grant that I may love thee, with a simple, willing, and free love, without any respect of profit. Grant that with pure love, & no perverse intention, I may desire nothing but thyself for thyself. Grant me (O Lord) a strong and invincible love, that may refuse or abhor no perils, no labours, no damages, no injuries, or torments for thy sake. Give me a ready and diligent love, that may always be occupied in matters pertaining to thy service. Give me an inestimable love (O Lord) that may contemn all things for thy sake: give me a discreet love, which with immoderate zeal and fervour, shall not exceed thy law. Finally, give me (o my God) that grace to love thee with an ordinate love, which loveth all things according to that dignity of their proportion, but thee above all things with a sweet and amiable love: which shall taste no sweetness or pleasure in any thing but in thee: with a love, burning in zeal, that destreth nothing more than thy glory: hateth nothing more than ignominy imputed to thy holy Name. Finally, with a love so violent, that it may pull my heart from all things that are transitory, and always draw the same upwards unto thee, until I may pass over all this place of exile, into that celestial country, where beholding the greatness of thy beauty face to face, I may perpetually love thee, with those perfect lovers that never cease to love and praise thee, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and God of Gods in Zion. Amen. The seventh prayer for the obtaining of God's love. O Most high, mighty, omnipotent, merciful, just, strong, & incomprehensible God, and my Lord. Thou that art sweeter than any honey, whiter than milk, clearer than all light, and more precious than all pearl, there are infinite causes which ravish my heart with thy love. For thou art higher than job 1●…. heaven, deeper than hell: thy measure is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea, as thy prophet saith: Who is perfecter than thou art: who better? who fairer? who bountifuller? who nobler? who stronger? who wiser? who richer than thou art? A●… these things are in thee, O Lord, and for every one of them art thou to be loved, since thou art the chiefest good. But since every good thing is truly amiable by itself, yet every man affecteth more his proper good: I will therefore love thee, o Lord my God, not only because thou art the chiefest good, but also because thou art my good: for when I consider and weigh with myself, by how many titles and means thou art made mine, my inward parts melt, and I cry with the spouse: My spouse is beloved of me, and I of him. Cant. 2. For thou (o Lord) art my creator, thou art my sanctifier and glorifier, thou gavest me my being in nature, thou gavest me that of grace, and wilt give me the being of glory. Thou art my helper, my governor, defender, tutor, and keeper: finally, thou art my God, my Lord, thou art my salvation, thou art my hope, thou art my glory, thou art all my good. verily, thou art all those unto me, in as much as thou art my God, in so much as thou art my creator, and the conserver of all things. But in as much as thou art man, there are many other titles, other offices, and other bonds wherewith I am bound unto thee, and thou unto me. For which I also (if it were possible) ought to love thee, and that by reason, with an in●…nite and diligent love: for thou art my restorer, for thou hast restored me to entire human nature, which by sin was weakened in me. Thou art my deliverer, for by thy captivity, thou hast delivered me from the tyranny of sin, death, hell, and the devil, my most capital enemies, Thou art my Redeemer, for thou hast ransomed me from servitude, into which through sin I was fallen, by the shedding of the incomparable treasure of thy precious blood. Thou art my King, for thou governest me by thy Spirit, thou foughtest for me, and deliveredst me from the hands of my enemies: thou art my priest, for thou praiedst & incessantly prayest like an everlasting priest for me, in the sight of thy celestial Father. Thou art my sacrifice, for thou offeredst up thy self on the altar of the Cross, that by thy clemency thou mightest expiate my crimes. Thou art my advocate, for when the Devil accuseth me, and offereth the libel wherein my sins are written, to thy father, thou dost protect my cause, thou makest payment with thine own, & dost supply all that which my justice defaulteth in. Thou art my Mediator, for thou art God and man, and a mighty friend of God, and that true Son of God, so puttest thou thyself, as a mediator between me and God. Thou art my shepherd, for y● feedest & governest my soul like a sheep of thy flock: thou art my meat, for thou art he by whom I am nourished in the divine Sacrament of the Altar: thou art my father, and the father of the world to come: for thou hast regenerated me with grievous dolours on the tree of the Cross, and given me a new essence by the holy Spirit. Thou art my head, & the universal head of the Church: for from thee, as from the true head, floweth into the same, and every member thereof, virtue, life, and spiritual sense. Thou art my true Physician, for by thy blood thou hast healed the wounds and strips of my soul. Thou art my master, for by the light of thy doctrine thou hast showed me the way to the celestial country. Thou art my example, for not only in words, but that which is far more, in deeds and most holy examples of thy life, thou hast led me in this way. Thou art my strength and mercy, for there is no tribulation or grief so great which the memory of thy passions that thou suffered'st for me doth not make sweet & tolerable. Thou art my honour and glory, for thou becamest man for me, thou madest me thy brother, and a consort of thy nature. To conclude, thou art my Saviour, yea & such a saviour, that every where, always, & in all things art sufficient for me: for thou hast most perfectly wrought all that on the earth, which was requistte for my salvation. Thou hast illuminated my ignorance by thy doctrine, thou hast strengthened my weakness by thy examples. Thou hast inflamed my warmth by thy benefits, thou hast instructed my soul in thy mysteries, thou hast enriched my poverty by thy merits: Thou hast healed my wounds by thy Sacraments, thou hast satisfied by thy dolours for my defaults, & now in Heaven thou sittest on the right hand of thy Father, as mine advocate: what need many words? Thou art made unto me wisdom and justice, sanctification and redemption, and therefore all goodness. 2. Cor. 1. What impudence were it therefore in me not to love my Lord, who did all this for my sake, & to whom I am bound under so many titles & benefits? If men with the same love wherewith they affect themselves, do also love all those things which are their own, why should I not also love thee (O Lord) if I would have thee to be mine, and that by so many offices and benefits, & in things so pregnant? And if for every one of these benefits I owe thee my whole heart, and not this one only, but more if I had them: what shall I owe thee, or what am I not indebted unto thee if we join all these benefits together? What iniquity therefore should it be, not to give one heart wh●…h I have, unto him to whom I owe so many, and other diverse things? And if every one of these benefits be a goad or provocation to love, yea, and arrows to pierce the hearts of men, how shall I choose blit burn amids so many flames of love? How comes it to pass that I am altogether cold? amidst so many weapons, how escape I from wounds? How comes it to pass, that I persever in the hardness of my heart, as it were without sense? O Lord, I lament in thy presence the dullness, & insensibility of my heart, I confess the infidelity thereof: for thou raining into it innumerable causes of love, yet receivest nothing from y● came that deserveth so many favours. O heart more fellow than furious beasts; more insensible than stones, more hard than Adamant, that is not mollified by so many strokes! I pray thee therefore, O thou fairest amongst the children of men, grant that I may desire thee, love thee as much as I list, & as much as I ought. Thou art immeasurable, and oughtest to be loved beyond measure, especially of us, whom thou hast so loved, so saved, and for whom thou hast done so great and so many things. O love that always burnest, & art never extinct: sweet Christ, good jesus, charity, my God, inflame me wholly with thy fire, with thy love, with thy sweetness, with thy affection, with thy desire, with thy charity, with thy pleasure, & joy, which is holy and good, which is chaste and clean: that wholly filled with the sweetness of thy love, wholly kindled with the flame of thy charity, I may love thee my most sweet Lord with my whole heart, with all my soul, with all my strength, with all my intention, and let nothing be in me that doth not love thee. And for that to love, is to wish well to him we love, and thou (O Lord) aboundest with so much goodness that I cannot wish thee more than thou hast: that only thing I wish, that thou be possessed of my heart also, and that all that is mine, may be thine: and for thine infinite glory, I give thee hearty thanks. This likewise do I desire, that all creatures should serve thee, honour thee, praise, & glorify thee, and that the whole earth should be filled with thy praises. Let this be always my desire, this my meat, this my dainties to praise thee always; & let thy laudes be always in my lips. But because praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, let the Saints, and all the spirits of the celestial throne praise thee continually: for to them praise belongeth. O all ye works of that Lord therefore, bless ye the Lord, praise yet and magnify him for ever. O ye Angels and Archangls', bless ye the Lord, praise ye and magnify him for ever. O ye virtues & dominations, bless ye that Lord, praise him and magnify him for ever. O ye princedoms & powers, bless ye the Lord, praise him and magnify him for ever, etc. Ye blessed thrones in which God sitteth an judgeth, bless ye the Lord, praise him, etc. O ye Cherubins, & Seraphins that burn altogether inflamed with the love of your creator, bless ye the Lord, praise him, etc. O ye Apostles and Evangelists, founders of the Christian Church, bless ye the Lord, praise him, etc. O ye glorious hosts of Martyrs, bless ye the Lord, praise him, etc. O all ye renounced and chaste virgins, bless ye the Lord, praise him and magnify him for ever. Blessed is the God of our Fathers, & blessed be the name of thy glory, holy and laudable, and magnified for ever and ever. Amen. The first prayer unto the holy Trinity, expressing the Majesty thereof. LOrd God, without beginning, immortal, incomprehensible, incircumscribed, incorporal, indefinite, unsearchable, invisible, immutable, every where present, but hidden, every where all, but immeasurable, who by thy never too much praised wisdom, hast created this huge world, and placed man in the same: holy Trinity, one God have mercy upon me. If that Publican in the Gospel durst not lift up his eyes to heaven, but standing afar off, struck his breast, saying: God be merciful unto Luke 18. me a sinner: if that holy penitent was afraid to appear before the presence of our Lord, but standing behind near his feet, obtained remission of her sins by him, tears flowing from her eyes: if that holy Luke 7. Patriarch Abraham, willing to talk with thee o God, said, shall I speak unto my Lord whereas I am but Genes. 18. dust and ashes? If all these were so humble and so reverent in respect of thee, coming before the sight of thy divine majesty, & thy most holy: what shall a poor & miserable sinner do, such as I am? what shall dust and ashes do? what shall the Abyss of all misery & sins do? But because, o Lord, I cannot obtain that fear & reverence, which is due to so great a majesty, except I fix mine eyes immediately on the same: give me leave to dare to lift up mine eyes unto thee: neither let the brightness of thy glory be an impediment to the frailty of my sight. Truly I see that thou art that great God that transcendest all the reach of our understanding: I know that no understanding created can comprehend thee: and although this be thus, yet can I not do any thing more profitable, than to fire mine eyes on thee. Therefore, O most high, omnipotent, merciful, just, fair, strong, stable, simple, perfect, incomprehensible, secret, and yet present withal: invisible, and yet seeing all things: immutable, changing and renewing all things: whom altitudes dilate not, neither limits restrain, nor variety changeth, nor corruption wasteth, nor affliction fasteneth on, nor joys move in his essence: from whom neither oblivion detra●…h, nor to whom memory addeth any thing: to whom neither things that are past, are past: nor things to come shall succeed: to whom nothing gave beginning, nor time augment, neither any thing shall give end, for thou livest and reignest for ever. Thou art he who possesseth all things in all places: and that disposest them sweetly. Thou art he that createdst all things, without any necessity, and conservest them, without labour, and governest all things without molestation, and movest all things, thyself being immovable. Thou art all eye, all foot, all hand: for thou seest, sustainest, and wor●… all things. Thou art in all things, & yet art not concluded: thou art without all things, and yet art not disjoined. Thou art under all things, & yet art not subject: thou art above all things, & yet art not lifted up. Thou art the sovereign and true God, the sovereign and true life, from whom and by whom all things have birth and being. Thou (O Lord) art very goodness and beauty itself: by which, and from which, all that is good & fair, is good and fair. Thou art he who willest us to leek thee, and givest us leave to find thee: thou bidst us knock, and thou openest when we call upon thee: thou art he whom to forsake, is to fall, and whom to wear, is to rise: and in whom to stand, is to endure for ever. Thou art he, whom no man forsaketh, but the foolish: no man seeketh, except he be called: no man findeth, except he be purged: thou art he whose knowledge is life; whose service is a Kingdom: whose praise is salvation: and thou art the very joy of those that reio●…e in thee. What therefore shall I, O my king & Saviour, what shall I say unto thee? I say a wretched worm, what shall I say of the greatness of so many praises? I will say that which the Prophets (inspired with thy truth) said: who hath measured the waters with a hand, & weighed Esay 40. the heavens with a palm? who hanged the weight of the earth on three fingers, & poised the mountains in balances, and the hills 〈◊〉 scales? Who assisted the spirit of our Lord, or who is his counsellor and instructor? Of whom took he counsel, and instructed him Sap. 11. and taught him the way of his ●…stice, and brought him up in science, and showed him the way 〈◊〉 prudence? Behold, the Gentiles are but as a drop of a bucket, and are reputed as a grain in the balance. Lo, the islands are but as a little dust, & the Woods of Lybanus shall not be sufficient to burn, and the beasts shall not suffice for a sacrifice: All nations, as if they were not, so are they before him: & in his sight are reputed as nothing, & a vain thing. For if at the presen●…e of the Sun all the stars in the heavens shine not, nay rather are as if they were not, whereas notwithstanding both the one and the other are creatures: what shall all created things be in his sight, who is the Creator of the whole world? I adore thee therefore especially (O Lord) with profound humility and due reverence, with that adoration and worship, which is only due unto thee and to no other creature: with such duty as all the dominations of heaven, and all the creatures of the world adore thee: of whom though many know thee not, yet can they not choose, but every one in their kind adore thee, end in their manner offer homage to the Sceptre of thy divinity, and acknowledge thy greatness. For thou only art the God of Gods: thou only the King of Kings, thou only the Lord of Lords, and the cause of causes: thou art Al●…ha and Omega, the beginning and ending Apoc. 22. of all things: Thou art the beginning without beginning, and the end without end. Thou only art he that thou art, for all other things how excellent soever they be, have their being borrowed from another? but thy being is high, perfect, universal, and that dependeth on none other. And therefore deservedly art thou said to be that which thou art, because whatsoever is created, hath no being, if it be compared with thine. For which cause (O Lord) acknowledging all these great and wanderfull things, prostrate before the foot of thy Divine presence, with all that humility which I am able to express, I adore thee in such manner as those blessed spirits adore thee, who falling down before thee, seated in thy Thro●… of Majesty, and laying down their Apoc. 4. crowns before thy feet, adore thee: & confess that all that which they have, proceedeth from thee. So I also (o Lord) who am the vilest of all creatures, adore thee, and a thousand times remember thee, confessing unto thee, that thou art my true Lord and God, and that all that which I am, or whatsoever I find in myself, as my being, living & breathing, is all thine: and therefore I call upon all creatures, that they together with me may praise thee, adore thee, glorify thee, in that divine song of the Prophet saying: Come let us sing unto the Lord, let us praise the Psal 94. God of our salvation, let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and rejoice to him with Psalms: because our God is a great God, & a great King above all Gods: in his hands are all the corners of the earth & the height of the hills is his also: The sea is his, and he made it, and his hands fashioned the dry land. Come therefore let us adore and fall down before him, and weep before our Lord God that made us, for he is our Lord God, and we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Wherefore (O my God) since thou art so worthy to be adored and honoured, give me grace, that without intermission I may magnify thee: not only in words and with my tongue, but also in my heart, my actions, and my whole life: Thou which livest and reignest, world without end. Amen. The second prayer to the holy Trinity, of the greatness of the divine Majesty. OMnipotent & eternal God, three in persons, one in substance, just and meet it is, & agreeable with reason, that I should employ all my whole life in the exercise of repentance & fear: when as I have so just causes of lament & fear. Tuen as therefore the greatness of thy glory impelleth me to honour and praise thee: so also commandeth it me to praise and glorify thee: For a Hymn becometh thee in ●…ion, and a vow shall be made to thee in jerusalem, because thou art the Ocean of all perfections, the Sea of wisdom, the Abyss of power, beauty, greatness, riches, sweetness and majesty: in which are all perfections and beauties of creatures, which are in heaven, or on earth; and all these perfections are found in thee, in the highest perfection & degree. All beauty compared to thee, is deformity: all riches, poverty: all strength, weakness: all wisdom, ignorance: all sweetness, bitterness: and to conclude many things in a few, all things that are in heaven and on earth, make less appearance in thy sight than a little candle before the sunshine. Thou art perfect in all things, without any deformity: great without quantity, good without quality, strong without infirmity, true without falsity, always present without place, in all places, without division. In magnitude thou art infinite, in virtue omnipotent, in goodness chief, in wisdom inestimable, in counsels terrible, in judgements just, in thoughts secret, in words true, in works holy, in mercy copious, towards sinners patient, toward penitents, compassionate. But what in especial should I speak of thy wisdom, but that which erst the Prophet▪ aid: O Lord, thou knowest my thoughts afar off, thou hast searched my comings in and goings out, and all my ways hast thou foreknown, because there is no speech in my tongue which thou knowest not. Behold, O Lord, thou knowest all things, both the first and the last: Thou hast made me, and laid the hand upon me: Such knowledge is too wonderful & excellent for me, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit, or whither shall I fly from thy presence: if I climb up to heaven, thou a●… there: if I go down to hell, thou art there also: if I take the wings of the morning, and remain in the utmost parts of the sea, even there also shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say the darkness shall cover me, then shall thy right hand be turned to day: yea, the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as day, the darkness and light to thee are both alike. For his eyes, saith another, are upon the ways of men, & he considereth all their steps: there is no darkness nor shadow of death to hide them that work iniquity. But what shall I say of the greatness of thy power? I will say that in times past which the Prophet said, saying: For God is my king of old, the help that is Psal. 74. done upon earth, he doth it himself: Thou didst divide the sea through thy power, thou brakest the heads of the dragons in the waters. Thou smotest the heads of the dragons, and gavest them for meat to thy people, in the wilderness: thou broughtest out fountains and waters out of the hard rocks, thou driedst up many waters. The day is thine, & the night is thine, thou hast prepared the light and the sun: thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter. And in another place the same Prophet saith: O Lord God of hosts, who Psal. 89. is like unto thee? thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side. Thou rulest the raging of the sea: thou stillest the waves thereof when they arise: thou hast subdued Egypt, & destroyed it: thou hast scattered thine enemies abroad with thy mighty arm. The heavens are thine, and the earth is thine: thou hast laid the foundation of the round world, and all that therein is. Thou hast made the North & the South: ●…abor and Herm●… shall rejoice in thy name. Thou hast a mighty arm, strong is thy hand, & high is thy right hand. Blessed job knew this thy power, when he said. With him is counsel, & strength, wisdom, & understanding. Behold, if he break down a thing, who can set it up again? If he shut a thing, who will open it? Behold, if he withhold the waters, they ●…ry up: if he let them go, they destroy the earth: with him is strength & wisdom, both the deceiver, and ●…ee that is deceived are his: he carrieth away the wise men as it were a spoil, and maketh that judges fools: he looseth the rule of Kings, & guirdeth their loins with a band: he leadeth away the great men into captivity, and turneth the mighty upside down: he stoppeth the mouth of them that speak truth, and disappointeth the aged of their understanding: hec poureth contempt upon Princes, and maketh the strength of the mighty weak. Look what lieth hid in darkness, he declareth it openly, and the very shadow of death bringeth he to light: he increaseth the people, and destroyeth them: he maketh them to multiply, and diminisheth them. These o Lord, are testimonies of thy mightiness: but what shall I say of the riches of thy glory, and the vein of thy felicity? If thou hast sinned, saith the scripture, what hast thou done against him? if thy offences be many, what hast thou done job 35. unto him? if thou be righteous, what givest thou him, or what will he receive at thy hands? Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righteousness may profit the son of man. But thou (O Lord) art such, and so blessed, as thou needest not another man's goods: I confess thee to be such a one, for such a one I praise thee, and glorify thy most holy name. Infuse thy light into my heart, & give me words in my mouth, that my heart may always think of thy mightiness, and let thy praise be in my mouth for ever. But for that thy laud is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner, I therefore require all the Angels of heaven, and all the creatures of the world that they together with me, may praise thee, and may supply my defect, inviting them thereunto with that glorious song which the three children sung in the midst of the fiery furnace in Babylon, saying: Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, be he praised & magnified for ever. And Daniel 3, blessed be the name of his glory, holy and laudable, and magnified for ever and ever. Blessed art thou in the throne of thy majesty, to be praised and magnified for ever. Blessed art thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the Cherubins, to be praised and magnified for ever. Blessed art thou in the firmament of heaven, and praised and glorified, world without end. Amen. The third prayer to the holy Trinity. GOD, holy of holiest, God omnipotent, God eternal, God that art strong, God of spirits, and all flesh, at whose presence heaven and earth trembleth, at whose beck the heavens and elements obey, trinity in unity, and unity in trinity, Father, Son, & holy Ghost, thou being of my being, life that quickenest me, light that illuminatest me, science that instructeth me: yet above all essence, light, life and science: all creatures adore and celebrate thee: and I incited by the duty. I owe thee, this day do bow the knees of my heart before the footstool of thy Majesty. I give thee thanks that thou not only didst frame me when I was nothing, but also didst fashion me according to thine own form, that is, gavest me a perfect shape; that where I deserved no favour, thou hadst compassion on me: for that thou hast sanctified me with the sacraments of the Church: that from my childhood hitherto thou hast brought me up in all goodness. But O thou maker of heaven & of earth, whereas I am not able to serve thee to any use, for whose cause didst thou so much bounty upon me? how cometh it to pass that thou lovest me so much? for what have I given thee to induce thee to recompense me? yea, where was I before I was made, that I might show thee a former courtesy? Truly, by thy benefit in times past I was made & dignified with many blessings: thy bounty and benignity hath done all this, and I being insufficient to yield thanks for only one of them, how can I requited so many thousands? And how may darkness praise light? how may vanity commend verity? how 〈◊〉 a mortal man (by nature frail) conceive thine immortality? how may a gross substance comprehend him, who is free from all weight of matter? how may uncleanness praise purity? who then shall applaud thy works? who shall resound thy praises? but thou like a most merciful Father, receivest our vows, and takest in good part thy children's thanksgiving whosoever. Make me therefore worthy, O good God, to give thee thanks, to cleave perpetually to thy charity, that I may praise thee for the many and mighty benefits wherewith thou hast honoured me. That I may pay thee thanksgiving for the perils from whence thou hast delivered me. Finally, that I may do thee duty for protecting me both in prosperity & adversity: because thou hast done all things with discretion; and for that thou art the Lord of our bodies and souls, of life & death, of health and sickness, of felicity & infelicity. To be short, the moment of all things dependeth on thy hand. Thou dost rejoice in us by thy benefits, thou dost amate us by thy menaces, thou differedst in chastising & comfortest us, reclaiming our frailty unto thyself. Glory be to thy wondrous power, praise to thy unsatiable love to mankind: govern the rest of our life, most merciful guide and vigilant governor: deliver me, O Lord, from all mine enemies, visible and invisible: stretch out thy bounteous hand, that may draw us out of the deep waters of the roaring floods of this world, and that may relieve and lighten the dangers of our navigation. Govern that the magistracy, O King, which thou hast committed to our charge: for thou art the steersman, we the rudder, let thy hand therefore invisibly rule this Rudder whither it please the, and whither thou hast decreed it; for neither will I trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me: but thy right hand and thine arm, and the clear light of thy countenance. Thy will be done, o King, in us, as it is in heaven and earth: if at any time we shall run astray from the laws of thy commandments, conceive not sudden wrath, O most merciful God, since thou art not ignorant how frail and weak we are from our beginning: if thou list thou canst save me: vouch safe it may be accordant to thy wil For unless thy power strengthen me, I cannot do that which I would. Consider my heart therefore, with the unspeakable sweetness of thy bounty, to the end that a little sense, and taste of the future and eternal blessedness which we shall enjoy in thee, may refresh our minds. Lastly, make nice worthy, that after this present life, I may hasten unto thee my Lord & God: that I may behold the riches of thy kingdom, and contemplate the beauty of thy look: which grant, o most holy King, my true God and maker, for thy sons sake our Lord jesus Christ, Amen. A prayer unto the Father, wherein we demand sanctification. THou that rulest in the highest, reignest for ever, & only canst do all things, God the governor of heaven and earth, at whose beck all creatures tremble, & the pillars of heaven shake. O heavenly God, perfect workman and Potter, I wretch made out of clay, or rather of filthy mud, with fear and trembling come before the throne of thy majesty. I acknowledge & confess my wickedness, I know that I am nothing, yea that I am mere abomination and horror in thy sight, if thy grace and mercy do fail me: without thee I think no goodness, without thee I do no good thing: without thee I am a contemptible creeping worm. I cannot be saved without thine assistance, my salvation dependeth on thy hands. I give thee thanks, O God, & in especial for this, for that thou hast given me that know ledge, that I may see and know that I am nothing, and unable to do aniething without thee. Thou art the Potter, I the clay: such as thou wilt have me be, such canst thou form and fashion me: if thou makest me blessed, thou showest thy mercy & grace: if thou castest me into perdition, thou showest thy justice, and executest thy judgement: neither is it my duty to contradict thee, why, or under what reason thou dost it. For thou hast mercy upon him whom thou lovest: these things I meditate with myself, o Lord, & I fear thy judgements. Since therefore all my safety & salvation dependeth on thee, and consisteth in thy hand and power, and sith thou hast showed thyself a merciful & long-suffering God to the whole world: and hast testified the same indeed, in that thou wouldest thy only son jesus Christ the innocent, should die for our offences, and expiate our sins with his blood on the Crosse. Finally, since thou hast taught us in all our perturbations to call upon thee, and ask thy grace and mercy, for that thou wilt give us all things which we shall ask in the Name of thy Son: I come unto thee, being dross and a lump of clay, O merciful and celestial Potter, beseeching thee most humbly, that thou wilt use thy mercy, and make of this unworthy matter, a vessel of eternal Glory. Vouchsafe also of thy mere grace, to fix my mind on perfect faith, assured hope, and chaste and holy love, that being justified by these thy gifts, I may become upright, perfect, good and holy, according to thy good will both in the midst, and end of my life, as also at the latter day of judgement. O merciful Father, grant me pardon of all my sins: through the death of thy beloved Son jesus Christ, make me to please thee alone: grant me to be thy grateful son and heir, increase in me that justice whatsoever, which is given me, and granted from heaven, that I may continue and end my life 〈◊〉 the same: increase in me that faith which thou hast given me: kindle my love of thee, and make it more apparent, that by thy help, and the presence of thy grace, and the accomplishment of thy holy will, I may obtain everlasting life which thou hast promised us, to the end I may praise thee, and give thee thanks in thy kingdom, for e●… and ever, Amen. A prayer to God the Son. O Thou maker and redeemer of makinde, jesus Christ, who saidst, I am the way, the truth, and the life: the way in doctrine, precept and examples: the truth in promises: the life in reward: I pray thee by thy unspeakable charity, wherewith thou deignest to employ thyself wholly for our salvation, suffer me never to wander from thee who art the way: neither ever to distrust in thy promises, who art the truth and performest whatsoever thou dost promise: neither to repose or rely on any other thing, because thou art eternal life, than which, there is nothing more to be desired, neither in heaven nor in earth. By thee have we learned the true and ready way to eternal salvation, lest we should wander any longer in the Labyrinths of this life. Thou didst teach us exactly how to believe, what to do, what to hope, and in whom we ought to rest: by thee we have learned how unhappy happy we were borne through our first father Adam, by thee we have learned that there is no hope of salvation, except by faith in thee. Thou hast taught us that thou art the only light that shinest to all men in the desert of this world, conducting them through the night of their minds, from the Egyptian darkness, to that blessed Land which thou promisest unto the meek, and such as follow thy humility. For in us was nothing but utter darkness, who neither could see our calamity, neither know from whence to seek the remedy of our misery: thou daignedst to enter into the world, vouchsafedst to take upon thee our nature, that thy doctrine might disperse the cloud of our ignorance: that by thy precepts thou mightst direct our feet in the way of peace: by the examples of thy life thou didst limit out a path for us to immortality: & beating it with thy steps, thou madest it of a tedious & rough, an easy & beaten way. So becamest thou unto us a way, that knoweth no error, in which lest we should be wearied, thy bounty with great and assured promises, vouchsafed to assure us: for who could be wearied, that thinketh how in following thy footsteps there is an heritage of eternal life prepared for him? Therefore whilst we are in this journey, thou wouldst in stead of a staff be an assured hope unto us whereby we might be sustained. Neither was thy goodness contented herewith, but acknowledging the frailty of our natures, in the mean space with the comfort of the holy Spirit y● repairest our courages, to the end that we may more willingly run unto thee. And as thou being made a way unto us drivest away all error, so becoming our truth, thou takest away all distrust. Finally, being made life unto us, thou givest heat unto those that are dead in sin, a life through thy holy spirit which quickeneth all things, until all mortality laid aside, in the resurrection we may always live with thee and in thee, by reason that thou art unto us all in all things: For it is eternal life to know the Father, & the Son, and the holy Ghost, to be one true God. Wherefore I beseech thee, O most merciful Father, to increase faith in me who am thy unworthy servant, lest at any time I waver in thy celestial doctrine: increase obedience in me, lest I swerver from thy precepts, increase constancy, that walking in thy ways, I neither be alured by the enticements of sathan, nor dejected by his terrors: but that I may persevere in thee who art the true way, to my lives end. Increase my faith, that possessed of thy promises, I may never wax slow in the study of godliness: but forgetting those things I have left behind me, I may always strive and endeavour for more perfection. Increase thy grace in me, that daily more and more being mortified myself: I may live and be encouraged by thy holy Spirit, fearing nothing but thee, than whom there is nothing more amiable, glorying in none but in thee, who art the true glory of all the Saints, wishing nothing but thee, th●… whom there is nothing better: desiring nothing but thee, who art full and perfect felicity, with the Father and the holy Ghost, world without end. Amen. A prayer to the holy Ghost. HOly Spirit, our advocate who on Whitsunday didst descend upon thy Apostles, filling their bosoms with charity, grace, and wisdom: I pray thee by that thy unspeakable mercy and liberality, that thou wilt vouchsafe to fill the secrets of my soul with thy grace and water my inward heart with the unspeakable sweetness of thy love: Come holy Ghost, and from heaven send a beam of thy light. Come thou Father of the poor, come thou giver of gifts, come thou light of hearts, come thou gracious comforter, thou sweet guest of my soul, my pleasant refresher. Come thou Physician of those that faint, come thou purger of eyes, come thou strength o●… the frail, come thou remedy of sins, come thou doctor of the humble, come thou destroyer of the prond, come thou excellent ornament of all virtues: come thou only salvation of the dying. Come my God, and adorn a bed for thee, in which I may worthily entertain thee, with all thy riches and mercies: make me drunk with the gifts of thy wisdom, illuminate me with the benefit of understanding, govern me with the gift of counsel, confirm me with the gift of fortitude, instruct me with the gift of science, wound me with the gift of piety, and pierce my heart with the gift of thy holy fear. O sweet lover of clean hearts, burn and inflame all my bowels with the sweet fire of thy love, that being inflamed, they may be carried and ravished into thee, who art the centre & final end of all my good: o sweet lover of holy souls, since thou art not ignorant that I can do nothing of myself, nor by myself: stretch out thy favourable hand over me, & grant that I may forsake myself, & fly unto thee: mortify, extinguish and dissolve in me whatsoever is displeasant unto thee, that in all things thou mayest conform me unto thy will, that my life hereafter may be a perfect sacrifice in thy sight, or rather an offering which may wholly be consumed in the fire of thy love. O who shall give me the grace, the I may at least attain this chief good? Look upon me, O Lord, look upon me, and see here this thy poor creature: my soul sighing after thee day and night, how she thirsteth after God: when shall I come & appear before the presence of thy grace? When shall I enter into that admirable place of thy Tabernacle that I may attain the house of my God? When wilt thou fill me with the light of thy countenance? When shall I be satiate with the presence of thy glory? When shall I by thy means be delivered from all temptations? and when shall I overcome this frailty of my mortality? O eternal fountain of light: bring me back again to the Abyss of eternal goodness, by whom I am created, that there I may know thee, even as I am known of thee, & may so love thee, as I am loved by thee that I may see and enjoy thee in the society of all the elect, even as thou also hast seen me from everlasting Amen. The first prayer of the life of jesus. I Yield thee immortal thanks, O most sweet jesus, that from thy 1 Christ descended from heaven, and was conceived in the Virgin's womb. royal palace, and the secret bosom of thy father, thou hast vouchsafed for my sake to descend into this vale of misery, and in the sanctified womb of that chaste Virgin thy mother, thou didst take upon thee a human body: I pray thee (O Lord) that thou wilt prepare thyself a dwelling place in my heart, & to that end that thou adorn the same with all kinds of virtues, to the end that thou perpetually mayest dwell in the same. Would to God, O Lord, it might please thy bounty that my heart should be such, that I might not fear to invite thee, but that thou mightest come & dwell with me, and I might deserve to entertain thee kindly, & thou in the same heart mightst rest contentedly for all eternities. O that I might embrace thee with so powerful arms of love, that neither in thought or affection I might ever be drawn from thee. I give thee thanks most sweet 2 Mary visiteth her Cousin. jesus, for that after thou wert conceived in the glorious womb of the virgin Marie, thou wouldst have her pass the mountains, & visit her Cousin Elizabeth, to the end she might salute her, & minister in her childbirth unto her. Thou didst not disdain to be inclo sed for nine months space in the glorious womb of thy mother. And therefore I pray thee give me the grace of true humility, and vouchsafe that I may imprint the same in the bowels of my heart, that by the benefit thereof thou mayest always find me ready in matters which appertain to thy service: Grant, O Lord, that my heart may always loath transitory things, and always desire to have thee, O Lord, inhabitant therein. I give thee thanks, most sweet jesus, that thou wert borne of the 3 Christ is borne. pure virgin thy mother without stain of her virginity, & who laid thee presently in a manger as a poor & mortal creature: and humbly adored thee as God, and the creator of all things. I beseech thy divine mercy to vouchsafe to be continually borne in me by new heat of charity, & that thou mayst be my only destre, my sole satiety, & the firm hope of my heart That it may please thy bounty, that I may only and always seek thee, always think of thee, always love thee with an ardent affection. I give thee always thanks, O sweet jesus, that being borne in the 4 Christ is swathed. extremest horror of winter, thou didst not refuse to be wrapped in most vile swathing bands, and to suck milk from the Uirginal breast of thy blessed mother, & as it were a simple & innocent babe to draw the virgins teats, where indeed thou wert God omnipotent. Grant me, o Lord, the in thy sight, I may be always a very infant in humility, & truly poor in spirit. Vouchsafe that for thy love sake, I may refuse to endure no tedious or laborious troubles whatsoever. Grant that I may love nothing in this world but thee, neither desire to possess any thing in the same, but thee. I give thee thanks, most bountiful 5 Christ is adored by the shepherds. jesus, for that as soon as thou wert borne, it pleased thee to be praised by the Hymns of Angels, and to be adored by the shepherds with great joy & admiration. Give me the grace, O Lord, that I may persevere likewise in thy praise with gladness, and that I may seek thee in the society of shepherds, and seeking thee, find thee, and finding thee, possess thee eternally. Be thou praised and glorified 6 Christ is ci●… cumcised and called jesus. always (O good jesus) for that the eight day according to the custom of other infants, thou wouldst be circumcised, & for that in thy tender age thou beganst to shed thy blood for my love: and to the end thou mightst bless me with unspeakable consolation, thou wert pleased to be called jesus, I beseech thee (O Lord) vouchsafe to reckon me amongst the number of thy elect, and to register my name in the book of life, & that thou wilt circumcise my heart from all superfluity, that is, idle and undecent speeches, and wicked works, and root out in me all impure and vain cogitations. My redeemer, thou art called jesus, which is a Saviour: for to thee alone it appertaineth to give salvation. I therefore request thee (O Lord) that the sweet remembrance of this name, may expel from me all inordinate pustilanimity and sluggishness, and may give me the firm hope of thy mercy, and defend me from all the persecutions of mine enemies. I give thee thanks most sweet 7 Christ is adored by the wisem●…n. jesus, who wert found by the wisemen, who of entire devotion, and with sincere faith, sought thee out, and that by the means of a star which conducted them: who humbling them on their knees before thee, offered thee gold, frankincense and myrrh. Grant me) O Lord) that in the company of these holy kings I may seek thee, not in Brthleem, but in the hive of my heart, and that there finding thee, I may adore thee in spirit & truth: Let me offer thee the gold of shining charity, the incense of devotion, and the perfect myrrh of mortification. Finally, give me grace, that I may employ with a willing mind and alacrity, all my forces, and all the strength of my mind in imitating thy fortitude. I give thee thanks, O Lord jesus 8 Christ is presented in the Temple. Christ, who, that thou mightst give us an example of obedience and humility, wouldst be subject to the law of our Lord, and be brought into the temple, in the arms of thy holy mother, & have an oblation, not of a rich, but of a poor man offered for thee: for which cause just and old Simeon with Anna the Prophetess rejoicing at thy presence, gave a famous testimony of thy glory. Let it be pleasing to thy good will, O Lord, that never hereafter the lest thought of vanity enter into my heart. Ah how blessed should I be, if each kind of presumption were banished from me, and each desire of worldly favour, together with all my inordinate love, were wholly extinct in me: Vouchsafe to impart that grace unto me, that I may fly all worldly praise, and subject myself to all men, and obey them willingly. I give thee thanks, sweet jesus, for that being as yet young, thou beganst to suffer persecution in the company of thy dear mother: neither 9 jesus flies ●…to Egypt. didst disdain to fly into Egypt: Give me the grace that in all the tempests of my persecutions, in all my tribulations and temptations, I may fly unto thee, seek thee, & only call upon thee: and as oft soever as any of the aforesaid troubles shall be inflicted on me by thy hand, grant, O Lord, that I may sustain them with joy, and suffer them with a quiet heart, yielding thee continual thanks for all things, which it shall please thee to impose upon me. I give thee also infinite thanks, O Lord jesus, for that thy most dear 10 jesus sitteth amongst the Do●…tors. mother sought thee with great grief, when thou remainedst in the Temple, and after three days with great joy found thee sitting in the midst of the doctors, whom thou heardest & questionedest with wonderful wisdom: O Lord for thy mere mercy sake, grant that I may never be separated from thee, nor thou from me. Expel from me all idleness and sluggishness, banish the coldness of my mind, which displeaseth thee so much: & give me perfect devotion and ardent thirst of thy justice, which may so possess my heart, that I may never be weary, nor satisfied with serving thee. Our Father, etc. The second prayer of the life of jesus. I Give thee thanks most sweet je 11 jesus is baptized. su, for that entering the flood jordan thou wouldst be baptized by the hands of thy precurser S. john Baptist: vouchsafe, O Lord, to purify me in this life by thy merits, and to cleanse me from all my sins, and to make me drunk with thy love, and desire of my celestial country. Make me such a one before my soul shall depart out of the prison of this flesh, as thou wilt have me to be, that at the end of this pilgrimage I may presently be with thee: that I may always see thee, and always enjoy thee in that blessed eternity that hath no end. I give thee continual thanks, most bountiful jesus, for that living 12 jesus is tempted by the devil in the desert. in the desert before thou beganst to preach the Gospel, thou didst live amongst wild beasts: & persevering in fasting forty days & forty nights, and watching in continual prayers & sighs, thou wouldst afterwards be tempted by the devil: and after thou hadst obtained the victory, the Angels came and ministered unto thee. Vouchsafe O Lord, that by thy grace I may chastise my flesh: and make thrall all my sinful affections of the flesh: and that by the gift of perseverance I may exercise myself in fastings, watchings, prayers, and other spiritual exercises. But especially, O Lord, grant me that by the help of thy grace, I may be free from the sin of gluttome, and from all other snares & temptations of the devil: let no temptation prevail against me: let no allurement separate me from thee: rather bring to pass, O Lord, that all these may give me greater occasion, more nearly to unite and tie myself unto thee. I give thee thanks sweet jesus, for that for my love thou wert afflicted 13 jesus is afflicted with divers labours and necessities. in this world with many dolours, & divers necessities, as heat, cold, thirst, hunger, weariness, and swellings: with divers journeys, watchings, persecutions, and tribulations of all sorts. Grant me, O Lord, that for thy love sake I may suffer all adversity with a glad heart, as if coming from thy hands: and that I may bear them with great patience. Grant that in whatsoever fortune, either prosperous or adverse, troublesome or peaceable, I may always persevere in thee, and faithfully cleave unto thee, that in all things thy will be done, and not mine. I give thee thanks most sweet jesus, for that thou suffered'st many 14 jesus prayeth and preacheth. things whilst like a true shepherd and Saviour of the world, thou soughtest the conversion and health of my soul: in watching and prayer, in wearying thyself in travels, in preaching the Gospel, traveling from Province to Province, and Castle to Castle, and omitting in no sort the office of a good Pastor. I beseech thee, O Lord, give me this grace, that I may never be found hereafter slow and negligent in doing thee service, but that I may be always ready and prompt to all goodness. Grant that I may most ardently thirst after all men's salvation: and may always have zeal of thine honour, and occupy myself in the same. I give thee thanks, most bountiful 15 jesus converseth with men. jesus, that in thy merciful conversation with men, thou wouldst comfort them, and of thy great mercy cure their infirmities. Give me, O Lord, a heart replenished with a certain zealous affection towards all men, that I may be partaker with all those whom I shall see in affliction. Grant also, O Lord, that I may esteem other men's miseries as mine own, and that with a sincere heart, and without any passion, I may bear with other men's imperfections, and succour them according to my most power in all their necessities. O Lord purge my heart perfectly from all vicious passions, and all evil desires, which tyrannize in the same: that being healed of all these evils and freed from all these impediments, she may freely fly to Heaven, and never cease, till of most pure love it may deserve to partake thy divine embracings. I give thee thanks, good jesus, for 16 jesus suffereth many things for our sake. that for my sake thou suffered'st so innumerable injuries, blasphemies slanders, reproaches, and persecutions, & especially at their hands whom thou hadst graced with infinite benefits. I beseech thee (O Lord) give me a heart truly simple & innocent, that I may love mine enemies, and that their misfortunes may grieve me to the heart, that I may excuse them always, if many thing they shall offend, yielding good for evil: & that I may be a perfect follower of thy perfect charity and patience. I give thee thanks most loving 17 jesus came into jerusalem. jesus, for that thou camest in humble sort into Jerusalem, lowly sitting upon an Ass, and whilst they that came out to meet thee: recorded thy glorious praises in pleasant Hymns, thou shedst tears full of bitterness, with the grief thou hadst conceived for the destruction of such a City, and the loss of so many souls, extorted from thee. Give me, O Lord, a certain inward knowledge of myself, that I may manifestly know my vileness, & heartily humble myself: that I may so contemn myself, that hereafter no flattery or commendations of men may please me, but that I may continually bewail not only mine own but my neighbour's sins, reputing all his evils to be mine. Our Father, etc. The third prayer of the life of jesu. I Give thee thanks, O Lord jesus Christ, for that to bring the old 18 jesus washeth his disciples ●…eet at supper. law to an end, thou didst eat the paschal Lamb with thy Disciples in Jerusalem, and giving them an example of great humility, and unspeakable love, kneeling on thy knees, thou didst wash their feet, wiping them with the towel wherewith thou wert girt: I pray thee, O Lord, let this example of thine pierce my heart, and cast out of the same, whatsoever presumption or pride may be found in it. Give me I beseech thee, O Lord, profound humility, by means whereof I may rejoice to be subject unto them, without alteration. Add to me also perfect obedience, whereby I may entirely satisfy thy commandments: together be observant to their instructions, who in thy name have the authority over me. Kindle in me a fervent charity, wherewith I may purely love thee, and through thy love, love all men. I give thee thanks, most sweet jesus, that of thy most excellent 19 jesus suiteth the holy Sacrament. charity, thou didst institute the most excellent Sacrament of thy body and blood: and for that of a certain admirable liberality of thine, thou gavest thyself for meat unto us, and repinedst not to remain with us in this world till the end thereof. Ah Lord, excite in me I pray thee a loving desire, and an ardent thirst of this venerable Sacrament. Grant me the grace, that I may come to this Table of life, to receive thee with a chaste love, profound humility, purity of heart, and sincerity of mind. Grant also, that my soul may so thirst after thee, and be so wounded by thy love, that at length I may deserve to enjoy thy divine pleasures for the honour and glory of thy holy Name. I give thee thanks, O sweetest jesus, that upon thy departure out 10 Christin his last Supper comforteth his disciples of this world, thou didst admonish & comfort thy Disciples, commending them in the words full of love, & prayers fraught with charity, to thy Father showing with how much love thou didst embrace them, & all those that through their doctrine should believe in thee: I beseech thee, O Lord, that my heart may taste some sweetness in thy words, and that they may be sweeter unto me than the honey and the honey comb. Let thy spirit, full of exhortation wound my breast, and alter my affections, that I may wholly transform myself into thy love. Order all mine actions that thy will may be always fulfilled in me and of me. I give thee thanks, most beloved jesus, that falling upon the earth 21 jesus prayeth to his Father in the garden. with outstretched arms, thou didst pray unto thy Father, resigning thyself wholly into his hands, requiring that in all things not thy will, but thy Fathers should be fulfilled: I beseech thee (O Lord) give me grace, that in all my troubles and necessities, I may have recourse unto thee in prayer, and that I may trust myself wholly to thy providence without the election of my will, or expectation of any private profit. Let me never fly adversities, nor fail in any good intent through them, but that whatsoever befortune me, I may receive it with a quiet mind, as that which is given me by thy merciful hands, suffering all things with an humble & quiet heart. 22 jesus is taken prisoner. I give thee thanks o bounteous jesus, for that thou vouchsafedst to be taken by armed soldiers, and to be bound with cords, like a wicked man and offender, and thence be led to Annas: and for that before him thou fearedst not to stand in judgement: o admirable meekness of my Redeemer▪ whilst then art apprehended, whilst thou art bound, whilst thou art mo●…kt, whilst thou art abused, thou lamentest not, thou murmurest not, thou strivest not, but silently followest their steps, who led thee, or rather draw thee & weary thee. Thou obeiest such as command thee, and with infinite patience bearest the torments wherewith thou art crucified, O my Lord, e●…uy me not that such and so excellent an example of so much virtue may shine in me, for the glory and honour of thy most holy Name. I give thee thanks O most amiable ●…su, king of heaven & earth, 23 jesus suffered a stri●…e on the face. who standing before the proud & inflamed Bishop, in no other sort than as if thou hadst been a vile & abject man, wert strooken, and didst patiently suffer the cruel stroke which one of his wicked ministers enforced against thy face: I pray thee, o Lord, mortify in me all unbridled heat of wrath, restrain all indignation, take away all hate, & extinguish in me every spark and desire of revenge: that when as any man shall do me injury, I may not be moved, or thought full of revenge: but suffering all things patiently for thy loves sake, I may do good to all those that do me evil. Our Father, etc. The fourth prayer of the life of jesus. I Give thee thanks, sweet jesus, who in the night of thy passion 24 jesus in the night wherein he was taken, was vexed divers ways. wert mocked, deluded, strooken by thine enemy's hands, and kicked with their heels, and vexed with diverse sorts of injuries: Thou knowest o my Lord, how grievous and troublesome it is unto me to suffer the least injury. Thou know est I have no virtue, that my will is slow, and my good desires are cold in me. O Lord, for thy mercy sake help my in●…nitie: Give me grace, that my mind may be dejected by no storm of adversity, but humbled by affliction. Help me, lest I saint under the burden of my tribulations, which shall come upon me, neither let injuries offered me by other men, ●…re up my impatiency: but giving thee thanks in all things, I may refer all things to the honour and glory of thy Name. I give thee thanks, o Lord jesus, for that standing before the Precedent Pontius Pi●…ate, thou didst not 25. jesus is accused before Pilate. answer to the false accusations & slanders of thy accusers: but like an innocent Lamb that openeth not his mouth, and is silent before his shearers, so with a reverent ●…lence didst thou overpass all things. Grant, O Lord, that reproofs, murmurings, & detractions may not move me to cho●…: but that instructed by thy example I may overcome all those that in●…ure and defame me, with silence. Give me the grace of perfect humility, that I may neither desire to be praised by men, nor fear to be dispraised by thee. I give thee thanks, most merciful 26 jesus is led to Herod. jesus, for that amidst the great tumult and fury of the people, by the commandment of Pilate, thou wert led to King Herode: Give me strength that persecutions confound me not: neither the injuries of mine enemies provoke me to wrath, nor their impudence make me ashamed: but that I may endure all things with meekness, and overcome them with silence, and possess my soul in my patience: according to the prescript of thy holy commandments. I give thee thanks, merciful jesus, 27 jesus is accused before Herod. that standing before Herod, and accused of many crimes and offences by the Bishops and Priests, thou wouldst answer to none of them, but didst justify thy cause with silence. Give me, O Lord, the de●…ritie to refrain my tongue, that I may never take pleasure to speak idle, vain, or fillthy words: or consume my time unprofitably 〈◊〉 telling fruitless and vain sto●…s, but grant that my tongue may ●…und with nothing but that which is just, honest, and profitable, and consonant likewise to thy heavenly will, make me detest the vice of backbiting, and grant that I may take pleasure to hear and speak that which is honest. I give thee thanks, sweet jesus, that being compared with that infamous 28 jesus is judged more wicked than Barrabas. and seditious Thief Barrabas, thou wert judged worse than he, and unworthier life: in so much as the homicide was set at liberty, and thou the author of life condemned to death. King of eternal glory, with what more great ignominy (I pray thee) might thy majesty be affected? here Lord, hence it appeareth, that thou art that living stone refused by men, which God chose unto himself, & made the corner stone. May it please thee, o Lord, that I prefer nothing before thee, nor change any thing for thee, but let all thing●… seem as dirt unto me in comparison of thee. Grant that the venom of envy may never infect my soul, but that I may always rest in thee and build my whole sal●…tion upon thee. I give thee thanks, most loving 29 Christ is whipped. jesus, that being despoiled of thy garments, thou suffered'st that maiden skin of thine to be laid naked: and then tied with hard cords unto a pillar, thou wouldst suffer the same flesh to be torn with horrible scourges, to the end thou mightest heal our wounds by thy wounds. O Lord, spoil my heart of all unclean cogitations: put off mine old man, with all the concupiscence thereof, and put me on a man, which is created according to thine own similitude and likeness, in justice and sanctity: and grant me that with all patience & humility, I may sustain the whip of thy fatherly visitation. I give thee thanks, benign jesus, that after so many wounds, so 30 jesus is crowned. many stripes received in that scourging for my sake, after so copious bloodshedding from all thy body, that thou wert divers ways mocked and scorned at, and to thy greater disgrace they put thee on a Purple garment, & plaiting a Crown of thorns, they put it on thy head, they gave thee a reed in thy hand in stead of a Sceptre, and bowing their knees, saluted thee, or rather mocked thee by the name of King, saying: All hail king of the jews. Grant, O Lord, that the memory of this miserable tragedy may be imprinted in my heart, and never be blotted out of the same: pierce the same with the ardent arrows of thy charity, that I may only love thee, only think of thee only rest in thee: and that neither tribulation, anguishs, or any persecutions, may separate me from thee: neither let me take it grievously if at any time men contemn and set me at nought for thy sake. I give thee thanks sweet jesus, that after so many labours, anguishes, 31 jesus beareth his Crosse. tribulations, scorns, and wounds suffered for my sake, thou wouldst also bear thy Cross on thy broken and bruised shoulders unto the Mountain of Caluarie, thy place of execution: and that with great labour and weariness through the grievous weight thereof, and the extreme weakness of thy body. Vouchsafe me, O Lord, that with a willing & devout heart I may embrace thy Cross, denying myself, and imitating the example of thy virtues with fervent charity, that I may humbly follow thee even unto the death. I give thee thanks, O good jesus, 32 jesus bearing his cross, speaketh to the women. who in this laborious journey, when thou wert led forth to be crucified, didst bountifully comfort the women that lamented, exhorting them not to weep for thee, but for themselves, and their children. Grant (O Lord) that I also may power out devout tears of compassion and love so abundantly, that the hardness of my heart may be mollified, and made acceptable in the sight of thy Majesty. Grant me (O Lord) that set on fire by the flames of thy most holy love, I may little or nothing esteem these worldly delights, but only love thee, and eternally rest in the. Our Father, etc. The first prayer of the life of jesus. I Give thee thanks, most bountiful jesus, that being wearied & 33 jesus drinketh vinegar and gall spent with labour, and oppressed with the grievous weight of thy Cross, thou camest at length to the place of sacrifice, where thou wert found altogether afflicted, almost killed with thirst at which time those wicked and barbarous soldiers offered thee vinegar mixed with gall. May it please thee (O Lord,) that the memory of this cup may extinguish in me all inordinate desire of belly cheer, and delight of the flesh: and bring to pass that I may never give consent to any filthy and unlawful delectations: but give me the most honest and the most necessary virtue of temperance, as well in eating, and in drinking, as in other things: that refraining all gluttonous appetites, I may only hunger and thirst after thee, and fix my whole pleasure on thee. I give thee thanks, blessed jesus, 34 jesus is stripped of his garments. who once more despoiled of thy garments, stoodst naked before all the people, where, thy raiments pulled off, which with clotted blood were fast sticking to thy shoulders all thy wounds grew fresh & were renewed: from whence once more blood did plentifully flow, not without renewing of thy dolours. Grant me, O Lord the true love of poverty, that I may never be distracted through the want of worldly wealth, but that I may bear my Cross, and the necessities of this life, with all patience. Spoil my heart O Lord, of all earthly imaginations and affections, and renew in me daily living desires of thy holy love. I give thee thanks, good jesus, who wert cruelly pulled & torn divers 35 jesus is crucified. ways, when they would crucify thee, so as all the joints of thy most sacred body were pulled out of their natural places. Thou like wise didst suffer thy holy hands and sacred feet to be pierced with hard and thick nails, & affixed to the Crosse. Grant me (O Lord) that with a grateful and thankful heart I may always have in mind thy most ardent charity, by means whereof thou so bountifully extendedst thine arms, & openedst thy hands, that they might be pierced; and setledst thy feet, that they might be bored with hard nails: Go to (O LORD) arise and wound my heart with perfect charity: pierce all my senses with the same nails of thy love, that my thoughts and desires may be never separated from thee. I give thee thanks, O holy jesus, that for three hours space thou 36 jesus hangeth on th●… Crosse. hangedst on the wood of the Cross afflicted with many and intolerable reproofs, shedding blood abundantly, and sustaining immeasurable dolours in all thy members. Nail (O Lord) my miserable soul to that Cross, that lieth on the ground, and purge the same from the uncleanness of all my sins and appetites, washing it in the flowing rivers of thy blood. O blood that gavest me life & salvation, disdain not, o Lord, to wash me in that blood, to sanctify me, and purify me in that precious liquor. Offer the same (O Lord) to thy dread Father, in full satisfaction and remedy of all my evils. I pray thee grant me that with my heart I may deserve to drink, and with the tongue of my soul to lick the precious drops of thy Divine blood, that I may taste there how sweet thy Spirit is, and how sweet that thy most precious liquor is. I give thee thanks sweet jesus, 37 jesus hangeth between two thieves who for my sake wouldst hang in the midst of two thieves, and be esteemed for such as they were, that by this thy incredible humility and patience, thou mightst heal and vitterly overthrow my pride and impatience. I pray thee (O Lord) exalt my spirit, that I may despise all the visible things of this world, and only look upon thee, love thee, think on nought but thee, sigh after thee, speak of thee, delight in thee, and that all mine actions may be always in thee, and by thee, and nothing without thee which may satiate my mind. I give thee thanks, beloved jesus, who wert so kind to them that 38 jesus prayeth for his persecutors. were cruel towards thee: who also prayedst to thy Father for them who crucified thee, saying: Father, forgive them, they know not what they do. Give me grace (Lord) that I may have true patience and meekness, by which being armed (according to thy example which thou gavest me, and commandment which thou leftest me) I may love mine enemies, and do good unto them that do me evil, and pray unto thee for them, that thou wouldst pardon them all injuries, from my heart. I give thee thanks, benign jesus, who wert mocked and despised 39 jesus is mocked upon the Crosse. by thine enemies, and outraged with so many blasphemies and in●…ties, even at that time when thou wert afflicted on the cross, with so many unspeakable dolours and anguishes. Grant me grace, O Lord I beseech thee, that remembering me of that humility and patience wherewith thou enduredst so many griefs and disgraces, I also with the like sufferance may endure all whatsoever adversities, persevering with thee on the cross of patience till death. Let no force of temptation, no tempest of tribulation, no storms of injuries, lead me from my intended good purpose: let neither death nor life, nor things present nor to come, nor any other creature separate me from thee I give thee thanks, honoured jesus, who sparedst that thief who 40 jesus promiseth the thief Paradise. blasphemed and mocked thee, and to the other that confessed his sins, and with a firm faith preached thine innocency, promisedst the glory of Paradise. O blessed were I, if ever I might be so happy, as to deserve to be beheld by thine eyes of mercy, wherewith thou didst look upon that fortunate thief; and by the help of thy grace I might so innocently live, that in the end of my life, I were worthy to here that most sweet word, To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Our Father, etc. The sixth prayer of the life of jesus. I Give thee as great thanks as is possible for me, O Lord jesus: 41 jesus commendeth his mother to the disciple. for that looking from the tree of the Cross, seeing thy mother full of griefs & afflictions, and drowned in her tears, thou tookest compassion other estate, and commendedst her to thy beloved Apostle john, and afterwards commended him to thy mother, and us all in his person. Grant me Lord, that I may suffer with her in grief, and travel in tears till I behold thee. I give thee thanks, sweetest jesus, for that with open wounds, thy 42 jesus complaineth that he is left of his Father. head crowned with thorns, thy hands & feet nailed to the Cross, thou saidst: O God my God, ●…hy hast thou forsaken me? Effect (O Lord) in me, that in all my adversities and temptations, I may fly unto thee my most merciful Father, and distrusting in myself, trust only in thee, & resign myself wholly into thy hands. I require thee, O Lord, to wound the entrails of my soul with the memory of thy wounds: cause them to be imprinted in my secret thoughts, and make me so drunk with thy blood, that I may think on nought else, nor seek any other but thee, that seeking thee, I may find thee, and possess thee for ever. I give thee thanks, o Lord jesus 43 jesus thirsted on the Crosse. Christ, who having thy body weakened and dried through too grievous torments, and too much effusion of blood, wert vehemently dry: and burning with excessive desire of our salvation, saidst, I thirst: Grant me, o Lord, that I may ardently thirst after thine honour, & the salvation of all souls: herein let me wholly conform myself to thy holy will, doing as much as lieth in me, in respect of my profession: I pray thee that no love of transitory things may entangle me: that no creature may draw me into perilous snares, but that I may love all things for thy sake, which ought to be loved, and thyself more than all, that in thee alone I may only find rest. I give thee thanks, O merciful jesus, for that in the hour of thy 44 jesus drinketh gall on the Crosse. death, that thou mightest quench thy thirst, thou wouldst apply to thy mouth a sponge full of vinegar, that tasting that bitter draft, in that thy most afflicted state, thou mightst satisfy thy eternal Father, for all our intemperance and riots, & mightst leave us a wonderful example of poverty. Grant me grace, that for the love of thee, I may contemn all delicious savours and exquisite banquets, and that I may be content to eat and drink that only with temperance and moderation, which sufficeth to sustain this body, yielding thee infinite thanks for the same. Puri●…e and heal the palate of my soul, that that may be sweet unto me whatsoever is grateful unto thee: and whatsoever displeaseth thee, the same may not be savoury unto me but rather loathsome. I give thee thanks, O jesus, the 45 ●…sus fini●…eth the ●…orke of ●…r redemp ●…n. fervent lover of mankind, for that so absolutely and with so excellent an order thou brought'st the work of our redemption to end: offering thyself a living sacrifice, on the altar of the Cross, for the sins of the world. I pray thee, O my Redeemer, that thou wilt only vouchsafe to be the seal of my heart, and the scope of my thoughts, words, and works: that in all things with a pure and chaste intention, I may only respect and do that, which thine honour requireth: or that nothing without thee may please me, or that I may desire any thing but thee. Grant me (O Lord) that hereafter I never wax sluggish or weary in thy service, but that the fervour of the Spirit renewed in me daily, my diligence may more and more increase in praising and serving thee. I give thee thanks, sweet jesus, 46 jesus giveth up ●…heghost. who when it was thy pleasure, called'st for death, and bowing thy reverend head, thou commandedst thy spirit, commended to the hands of thy Father, to forsake thy body: wherein thou declaredst that thou wert the true Shepherd, who lost his life for his sheep. Grant me O Lord, that being dead to all my sins and iniquities, I may live only to thee; that the course of this my life being finished in charity, I may presently enter into thee, who art the true Paradise of our souls. I give thee thanks, most meek jesus, that thou wouldst have thy 47 jesus side is opened with a Lau●…e. divine body opened with a lance of a certain Soldier, out of which, blood and water issued to wash & quicken our souls: May it please thee (O LORD) so to strike my heart with the lance of thy holy love, that I may will nothing, except that which thou willest. O Lord, let my soul enter the wound of thy breast, and attain even unto the seat of thy charity, and treasure of thy divinity, that there I may adore thee my GOD, crucified and dead for me: and casting from my memory all the figures of things visible, I may only respect thee, and have thee solely present in all things. I give thee thanks, beloved jesus, 48 Christ is adored by ●…he wise●…en. who with the great lament of thy friends wert taken from the Cross, and embalmed with precious ointments, wrapped in a fair winding sheet, and carried into a strange Sepulchre. O Lord, bury with me all my senses, that being joined unto thee by a strong bond of love, I may be as it were dead in those things which displease thee, and as it were ravished out of myself, in all things contrary unto thee: And chose in these things that please me, let me be altogether, lively, prompt, and swift, and delight in thee alon●… my only Redeemer, and treasure of my soul, Our Father, etc. The seventh prayer of the life of jesus. I Give thee thanks, sweet jesus, 49 jesus descended into hell who of thy mighty power descendedst into hell, and there subduedst satans power, & conqueredst obscurity and death. I pray thee, O Lord, that the reason of thy passion and blood may redeem me from hell and damnation, and reserve me to the life everlasting. I give thee thanks, o good jesus, 50 jesus ariseth from the dead. who victoriously issuing from the Sepulchre▪ 〈◊〉 noble triumph (after thou hadst overcome and slain death) didst rise again the third day, reassuming thy glorious body: and clothed with immeasurable brightness, visiting thy friends didst affect them with unspeakable joy. Grant me also, O Lord, that rising again from the death of my sins, and old conuers●…tion, I may walk in newness of life, and seek those things only which are high and excellent, and not base and transitory: that when as thou the true life, shalt make thy second apparition here on earth, I may appear with thee also in thy glory. I give thee thanks, O merciful jesus, who forty days after thy resurrection 51 jesus ascendeth into heaven. (in the sight of thine Apostles, didst ascend into Heaven, glorious and triumphant, where sitting on the right hand of the Father, thou livest & reignest world without end. May it please thy divine bounty, o God, that my soul may languish in thy love: and disdain all things that are in this world, that she may always aspire unto thee, desiring celestial things and that with a continual and fervent will: let nothing rejoice her, nothing affect her, but thou only my Lord and God. I give thee thanks, most loving 52 jesus sendeth the holy Ghost. jesus, for that thou sentest down thy holy Spirit upon the elect, who persevered in prayer, & didst send them to preach and teach all nations throughout the world. I beseech thee, O Lord, purify the secrets of my heart, and give me the true purity and cleanness of conscience, that the same Comforter finding a general habitation in the same, may adorn it, and make it fair and beautiful with the plentiful gifts of his graces: let him alone comfort me, let him confirm and rule me, and be possessed of me. I gi●…e thee thanks, most bountiful jesus, who when thou shalt 53 jesus shall come to judgement come in the latter day to judge the world, & to reward every one according to his works and deserts, either with rewards or punishments. My merciful Lord, give me grace, that my soul innocently ●…nishing the race of this miserable life, according to thy holy will, may at last depart out of this prison of the body, adorned with many merits and virtues, that for thy mercie-sake she may be received into the house of thy glory, that without end she may praise thee, and in the company of all the Saints, bless thee world without end. Amen. Our Father, etc. The first thanksgiving for the benefit of our Creation. I Give thee thanks, omnipotent and eternal God, most wise and munificent Creator of all things, that when I was nothing, hast created me to be somethat, not a stone, not a Serpent, not a board, not a fourfooted beast, but a man made according to thy image and similitude, or rather the very image and similitude of thyself, namely a substance endued with understanding and will▪ that having a similitude of being, living & working with thee, I might be the image and type of thy infinite beauty. But ●…est a creature so noble, should presently fall again to nothing, and should presently and instantly perish, thou createdst me immortal; that whereas other living creatures appear but a little while, and strait come to nothing, I should never return to not being: but perpetually live. Yet seemed that little unto thee, O Lord, except also thou hadst infused into me, a soul so precious & noble, as that it scarcely giveth place to the Angels in dignity. Or●…n and Sheep are satisfied with herbs and grass: Hogs feed on A●…orns and Beane-cods, neither are the means of more moment wherewith all other creatures are nourished, which if they enjoy, they rest contented. But my meat is celestial, and my appetite cannot be satisfied, but by thy immeasurable Majesty: for thou h●…st created my soul of that nature and capacity, as neither the heavens nor the earth can fill it. O unhappy man that I am, why do I love thee world? why seek I honours? why gape I after riches? why am I drowned in pleasures? why se●…ke I those things that are to day & are not found to morrow? These Acorns suffice not: These Husks are not savoury: and these Beans do not nourish. Know, O my soul, what thou art, to what use thou wert created, what thou oughtest to seek, and with what dainties thou shouldest be satisfied. Only God can satiate thee: all the rest may possess thee: but they cannot satisfy thee: Seek him, h●…e is thy Spouse, he is the Haven of thy desires, he is thy last end. Acknowledge thy dignity, O my soul, acknowledge what and how thou art created. The king whose beauty the Sun and moon admire, whose majesty the heavens reverence, and the earth adoreth: with whose wisdom the quires of Angels are illuminate, with whose bounty the society of supernal Citizens is said: he created thee, that thou mightest be his habitation: his seat and holy temple: he would infuse himself into thy bosom, he can fill all the corners of thy immeasurable capacities. Rise, arise, o my soul, go meet with such a guest, introduce him with gladness into thy house, and say: He that created me, hath his rest in my tabernacle. Eccle. 24. Which dignity of my Soul, O Lord, when I considerately look into, I wonder not that thy only begotten Son, make drunk with the love thereof, forsaking thy bosom, dis●…ained not the virgins womb: sought her thirty three years with divers labours and dolours: gave his life for her, and by the pledge of his precious blood redeemed her being captive: But I rather wonder at my ingratitude, carelessness and dullness, who had rather prostitute the same soul so redeemed, for a final reward once again to the cursed devils, and commit fornication with so unclean beasts, than rest in the arms of my Redeemer, who is fairest amongst the children of men: whose Psal. 44. Cant. 1. ●…aps are better than wine, and whose name is powered out oil. When I behold the fashion which y● gavest to this my body, I find●… so many of thy benefits, as the●… are members, senses, veins, nerves, or small strings to be found in th●… same: all which do publish thy ●…comparable wisdom and bounty. In the only harmony of which b●…dy, if I should always philosophy, I should never want matter to praise thee, I should never yield thee condign thanks, I should never pay my duties for so many 〈◊〉 great benefits: which how great they are, they best know who want the use of some members, or are traveled with some other vicious affection of the body. I yield therefore, O thou maker of man, infinite thanks unto thy goodness, for that thou hast not made me blind, lame, mute, monstrous, mad, or disguised with any other vice, either of mind or of body, but for that thou hast bestowed on me a sound mind in a sound body: Grant also that I may never abuse any of my members, senses, or powers of my soul, in contempt or disgrace of thy holy Name. Yet (O Lord) there are many things which yet I want, for nothing is presently reduced from his not being, to his perfect being: but all things tend to their perfection by certain degrees: And that perfection, from whom is it to be required, but from him who is the beginner of this work? Hence it is that all effects are converted to their causes, that they may receive their final perfection from thence whence they had their beginning. So see I (O Lord) the plant's labour & wrest themselves on every side, that they may behold the Sun, & fasten their roots in the earth: Fishes forsake not the water: and the Chicken scarce hatched from the egg, hides himself under the wings of the Hen, and followeth her whither soever she go. Since all creatures do this, in whom there is no understanding: I alone do it not, whom yet thou hast created and endued with reason: I see that I want many things, 〈◊〉 that daily I am diversly hindered: & the inordinate & insatiable hunger of mine appetites teacheth me no less: but I like a Dove wanting a heart, have not recourse to my Creator, but to creatures: I seek not water out of the Fou●…taine, but dig new cisterns for myself: I hunt after the earth, & contemn him that made the earth: I seek life in the land of death: & I will rest myself in things that are restless: I will beg from creatures, that which I ought to ask from the Creator. I therefore pray thy goodness, O my merciful Father & Creator, to take away this ignorance from 〈◊〉 and convert me unto thee, and then shall I be converted: thine eyes see that which is imperfect in me, thou madest me, thou finishedst me, thou beganst this work, do thou finish it. Thy hands have fashioned me, give me understanding, that I may learn thy Testimonies. Thou gavest me ears, but such as are more attentive to here fables than thy word: thou gavest me eyes, but such as are more prone to behold curiosity, than to consider the wondrous works of thy law: thou gavest me hands, but weak to perform good works: thou gavest me feet, but swift unto evil, & slow unto goodness. What need more? There is no health in my flesh: per●… O Lord▪ that which thou hast begun 〈◊〉 me. of thy hands. Give me that I want, because thou art my Creator & my God: thou art my life, thou art my salvation: thou art my living, thou art my abundance, thou art my glory: thou art my honour: thou art my peace, thou art all my good: without thee, all my plenty is poverty: who livest & reignest God, world without end. Amen. The second thanksgiving for the benefit of our corporal conservation. I Give thee thanks, O most omnipotent, high, just, and merciful Lord God, not only for that thou hast created me, and broughtest me from not being, to a being: but also for that thou hast preserved, and daily dost preserve me●… being made of nothing, from falling into nothing: for I both believe and confess that both is thy work: but if thy hand should be shut, and but for the twinkling of an eye should ●…iue over ●…is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…ng, (of which thou createdst me.) As many moments therefore, and points of time as this my life hath had, now hath, or may have hereafter, so many parts are there of this benefit. I give thee thanks, O merci●… Father, that by an vnsearchabl●… kind of means, from my conception, until my nativity, thou has●… kept me close shut up in the narrow bed of my mother's womb, lest choked in my mother's bowels, I had come forth into this world, either borne an abortive, or strangled in my nativity without the benefit of Baptism. I give thee thanks that I am borne, not amongst Barbarians & idolaters, who honour wood, and adore stone: not amongst Heretics, that blaspheme thy name and most sacred Sacraments but amongst Catholics, who honour and reverence thee with a true, sincere and pure ●…uth. I give thee thanks for that thou hast preserved me from all misfor●…ne & sudden death, being borne 〈◊〉 bred up in this world so full of snares and of perils. For whereas ●…uers men in my life time, drowned in the Sea, slain in the war, ●…urthered by thieves, torn by the tusks of beasts, swallowed up by ●…rthquakes, killed by hunger, ex●…ct by thirst, burnt with heat, ●…illed with cold, poisoned with venom, strangled with the halter, slain by the sword, or other sudden and violent death, are taken hence; when in the mean while there are so many blind, lame, mad, troubled with the Iand●…es, s●…ke of the ●…ir, traveled with the spleen, bed●…em, furious, lunat●…ke, and sub●…ct to the falling sickness, whose ●…ife is more miserable than death: Thy fatherly providence, O Lord hath defended me from all these e●…ils: whereas notwithstanding no●…hing happened unto them that might not have fallen on me, the son of ●…dam, created out of the same mass of perdition, conceived an●… begotten in the same original sin, except thou hadst preserved me. I owe all this to thy mercy, these benefits I receive from thee. If my earthly King & Lord, had of ten captives condemned for one and the same crime, sent nine to the gallows, and of his mere grace & favour had set me free, what condign thanks could I offer him? But thou (O Lord) hast done this for me, not once, but daily: yea and every moment. What shall I therefore pay thee, O Lord, for all these benefits? what praises shall I sing? what thanksgiving shall I offer? I will say with the Prophet: It is the mercy of God ●…am. 3. that we are not consumed: for that his mercies have not failed. Thou hast given us a body though unworthy of many things, which except they be present, it easily corrupteth & perisheth: but that they might be present, it is thy singular providence that hath so disposed. For as thou createdst us for thyself, so hast thou made all things for us: for whatsoever is created in the earth, in the waters, the air, the fire, or in the celestial spheres, yea in the imperial heaven, all that hast thou created to obey us: for thou hast placed man above all the works of thy hands. Thou hast Psal. 8. subjecteth all things under his feet, etc. For me, trees bring forth their boughs and fruit: vines flourish for me: oils fatten and grow fruitful for me: the garden flowreth for me, & all the plough-land of the fields is mine. For me doth the earth yield gold, silver, and divers minerals, profitable for the use of man. For me doth the Sea ebb & flowfor me it bringeth forth divers sorts of fishes: for me it beareth ships and sails: for me do the fountains spring: for me do the floods flow: sheep, oxen and the beasts of the field are fed, bring forth skins, wool, milk, and butter for me: for me hath the hound nails and teeth: for me doth the Monocerote bring forth a horn: for me doth the Thrush sing: for me doth the Peacoke spread her particoloured plumes: what need more? There is nothing that liveth or moveth in water, earth, o●… air, which either feedeth me no●…, or recreateth me not, or medicineth me not: so that all this inferior world is no other thing tha●… my storehouse, my walk, and 〈◊〉 Apothecary's shop. If I shall ascend above the elemental world, how many & how great wonders hast y● made there for me? The moon, the sun, the stars, to whom shine they but to me? to whose use do they impart their influences to those inferior bodies, but to mine? To whom do the times of years, months, and days, vary and admit measure, but for me? I will ascend higher: it was thy will that those noble and pure Angelical spirits, who minister unto thee & assist thee, should be my ministers also, that they might defend me from the assaults of all mine enemies, visible and invisible, induce me to goodness by their suggestion, help me in my tribulations, offer my prayers unto thee, and bring my soul departing out of this life to thy presence. Arise now my soul, arise, number if thou canst, all these benefits wherewith God ceaseth not to follow thee, though a sinner every day. All and every one of these are certain voices inviting thee to praise this thy bountiful benefactor. Dost thou not hear, nor know who he is, who insinuateth himself unto thee by so many arguments? makes himself known by so many testimonies? draweth thee unto him by so many rewards? esteemed thee so much, that he made all things for thy use? who is made the shepherd of thy flock? the steward of thy household? the Physician of thy body & soul? wilt thou not love him? wilt thou not serve him? wilt thou not give him thanks? wilt thou not praise him? I desire to praise thee, O Lord, & give thee thanks with my whole heart, but in myself I find no means how I may do it: for praise is not seeming in the mouth of a Eccles. 15. sinner. But for that thou hast created all things to my use & service, I will call upon all creatures, that they with me may praise the Lord of all things, saying: O ally works of the Lord, bless ye with me the Lord, praise him and magnify his name for ever. The third thanksgiving for the benefit of our redemption. I Give thanks with my lips, my heart, and all the virtue that is in me, to thine infinite mercy, O Lord my God, for that, being created according to thy similitude and likeness, and fallen and lost in my first parents, thou wouldst not banish me for ever like the proud angel from thy presence: but of thy unspeakable goodness thou hast redeemed me. Because thou mad'st me, O Lord, I owe myself unto thee: but for that thou redeemedst me, I should owe thee far more than myself, if I had it. But where as thou couldst not help us by thy life, yet was it thy pleasure to effect the same in thy death, to the end thou mightest express unto us, the force of thy love: for less hadst thou loved, except for a time thou hadst sustained, to the end thou mightest disburden us. And so much more worthily art thou to be honoured by us, by how much more greater things thou hast sustained for our sakes. For who art thou that sufferest? what, & of what kind are the things thou sufferest? for whom sufferest thou? and why sufferest thou? Tell me, O Lord, that I may counterpoise equally this wonderful work & incomparable benefit. What therefore, O my God, shall I say that thou art? I will say that which thou thyself saidst to Moses in times past: Thou art that thou art: Thou art an infinite being that proceedest from no man but thyself: and without thee, there is no being that hath being of himself, but from thee only, who art that beginning and fountain of all being. Thou of thy omnipotent power, mad'st all things of nothing, thou of thy goodness, conservest all things without any foreign help: thou by thy will (if it so pleased thee) mayest reduce all things to nothing: thou only art, that art, and all that seemeth to be, is nothing in comparison of thee. The moon shineth not, and the stars are not clean in thy sight. All beauty compared to thee is deformity, all power infirmity, all wisdom ignorance, and all goodness is malice. Thou art good without defect: wise without error, liberal without acception of persons, just without wrath, clean without detriment: thou workest all things, and art not distracted, thou labourest, and art not weary: thou art every where, and nothing is wanting in thee. What therefore shall I speak of the greatness of thy majesty? Thou beholdest the earth, and makest it P●…al. 103. tremble: thou touchest the mountains, and they smokke. thou hast shut the sea within bounds, when job. 38. it broke out as a child from his mother's womb: thou numbrest the multitude of stars, and callest Psal. 148. them all by their names: whom the dominations and Angelical powers adore: before whom the highest Seraphins clock their wings, & hide themselves with their feathers. All thy works praise thee, and thy Saints bless thee: the morning stars praise thee, and all the children of God rejoice in thee: the heavens declare thy glory: and Psal. 18. the firmament showeth thy brightness: the flowers of the field testify thy beauty: the earth thy providence: the Sea, and the floods thereof, do preach thy Majesty. Such and so great art thou, O Lord, oh now let it be lawful for me to speak, or rather to feel, what and how unworthy wrongs, thou, the God of so great majesty, hast suffered for me: and whilst I reckon up these things, let all ●…he Quires of Angels fall down before thee, and give thee thanks for that which thou hast sustained for our redemption. Thou being so sublime and admirable, didst descend from the height of thy glory into this vale of misery, invested with our carnal body, and in habit like a man subject to sin. Thou in this world sustainedst for my sake hunger and thirst, the heat of the Sun, and the cold of the Winter: persecutions and dolours: thou suffered'st for me so much poverty, that where the Foxes have dens, and the birds of the air their nests, thou the Lord of heaven, hadst not a place to rest thy Luke 5. head on: borne in a Stable among beasts, thou didst beg the heat of their breath from them, and wert wrapped in ragged clouts. On the eight day thou tookest on thee the mark of a sinner: Presently after this, the world persecuted thee: thou fledst to foreign Lands, and to a Nation honouring idols, and to that purpose soughtst the silence of the night: the innocency of thy ●…s excused thee not, neither was there rest given to thy tender body, neither was thy delicate childhood idle: as thy body increased, thy griefs and labours grew. For who can express, O Lord, thy prayers, watchings, fastings, weariness, hunger, thirst, persecutions, and injuries done thee by thine enemies? They spoke against thee who sat in the gate, and the drunkards made Ballads of thee. In a Psal. 68 word, thy life was tormented in so unworthy sort, as that thou mayest justly say with the Prophet, I am poor, & in labours from my youth Psal. 87. and infancy. These were the things thou sustainedst in thy life time, but greater are they which thou suffered'st in thy death and on the Cross: There was liberty, taken prisoner: innocency, strooken: beauty, spit upon: justice, condemned: glory, deluded: and life, slain and crucified. Good Lord, what more admirable? what more horrible? what more strange? Life dieth, God is whipped: the power of God tied with cords: the image of the Father spit upon: finally, naked God is nailed to a Cross, and hanged between two thieves, in the sight of the whole world. Further may not my soul wade: my strength is weakened, & my heart faileth within me. O height of charity! O depth of immasurable humility! O greatness of mercy! O incomprehensible & bottomless pit of bounty! If I owe thee so much, O Lord, for that thou hast redeemed me, what shall I owe thee, for that after so admirable a manner, and so hard and difficult unto me, thou hast redeemed me? O most merciful Pastor! O most faithful shepherd, who gavest thy life for thy sheep, whom thou tookest upon thee to defend and keep, with what duty may I remunerate so great a benefit? with what tears may I prosecute my plaints? with what life shall I imitate thy pure and immaculate life? Truly I owe thee far more, O Lord, for thy sufferance whereby I was redeemed, than for thy work by which I was created. And if, O Lord, thou hadst sustained these things for Angels or archangel's, for cherubins or seraphins, it were less to be wondered at: but now hast thou not suffered for these, but for man: & what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that after this sort thou visitest him? If thou consider his body, man is the most wretched of all living creatures: if his manners, more miserable and worse. Dost thou therefore, O God, die for the sons of Satan, for the corrupters of all honesty & justice? for parricides and breakers of thy divine Laws? for contemners of thy Majesty, and blasphemers of thy glory? Dost thou then die, O God; for thy infernal tormentor, whose heart is not alured by benefits, nor terrified by threatenings, nor mollified by promises, nor moved by punishments? For a man who is not content with his own power and domestical malice, compasseth the earth also, sorteth out all the worse sensualities, putteth on the nature of beasts: becoming worse than they: crueler than a Tiger, fiercer than a Lion: greedier than a Wolf: venomouser than a Toad: craftier than a Serpent. Which not sufficing him, he descendeth into hell, and borroweth whatsoever detestable things, in the devils themselves: as blasphemy, pride, envy, and perpetual hardness of heart. And when he findeth no more, ●…ee inventeth of his own brain ●…ost prodigious monsters of sin: ●…ertaine new kinds of riot, lechey, and other sorts of uncleanness ●…hich are never heard of a●…ongst very Beasts, or the devils themselves. Dost thou think, O Lord, this monster to be worthy that thou shouldst open thine eyes on him? Dost thou die for this sink and cave of Serpents, replenished with Uipers and Scorpions, to the end to sanctify the same? My heart faileth me in considering thy mercies O God, & there is no more spirit left in me. Because I have once begun, I will speak unto thee my King & my God, though I am dust and ashes: Genes 18. What moved thy merciful heart? What overcame and conquered the same, that thou suffered'st so much for so abominable a creature? didst thou hunt after profit? didst thou expect greater glory and blessedness, than thou hadst? O mere grace! O love without respect! O pure and sincere goodness! What profit hast thou by the service of one poor Ant? Psal. 15. What fruit was there expected to thee by the salvation of man? Thou hast no need of riches. Who gave thee, that thou mightst restore job 41. again unto him? all things under the heavens are thine. What hadst thou therefore to do with our dolours and miseries? Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, thou didst visit us, rising from on high. O pitiful bowels! O sweet bowels! O bowels unto us the Sea of love and mercy! In these bowels, and not moved either with profit or necessity, thou tookest compassion on our griefs and hadst mercy upon us: Thou sawest the affliction of thy people, and appearedst in the bush amongst thorns and briars, descending from Heaven, and taking on thee our nature. Be not angry, o Lord, if I speak: If the force of thy love were so great, thou fountain of charity, that it compelled thee to a marriage so unworthy thy majesty, that thou wouldst espouse thyself to thy creature: was there not a more noble spouse for thee on the earth, and more allied to thee by grace and nature? Why didst thou not rather entertain the Angelical nature? why didst thou love a wife of an uncircumcised nation, which shall afterward betray thee to thine enemies and kill thee? what dost thou answer me my God? what dost thou answer? but, I would have this, this was pleasing in my fight as ●…ampson, who erst prefigured thee, once said. judge 14. What thanks shall I therefore give thee, O Lord, for this incomparable benefit? with what love shall I love thee, that hast given so manifest and incomprehensible testimony of thy goodness towards me? How can it be that there should be any one in this world that should not love thee? how can he be unmindful of such a benefit? First (O Lord) let me forget myself, than the memory of so great a mercy be extinct in me. Those nails which pierced thy most innocent hands, shall also pierce my heart: and that admirable change, wherein thou tookest upon thee my infirmities, & pouredst thy goodness liberally upon me, shall never depart out of my mind. And whereas thou all thy life time didst desire the Cross with great affection, whereon thou wert to die for my sake: Grant that I also as long as I live may not abhor the Cross, but bear the same patiently, until thou transfer me to that place, where nei●… death, nor mourning, nor cry, nor dolour shall be heard of, where thou reignest, world without end. Amen. The fourth thanksgiving for the benefit of our vocation and justification. I Give thee thanks, O Lord God my helper & Redeemer, for that from darkness thou hast called me into so admirable a light, as 1, Pet. 2. 21. that being without hope of mercy, I have now obtained mercy. For Oseas, 1. during the time that I lived in the land of Oblivion, and in the shadow of death, when my ways were most wicked and contrary unto thee: then did thy mercy call me, not only flying, but also repugning: then gavest thou me thy holy Spirit, & adoptedst me for thy son. The grace which in baptism I received of thee, ay cursedly neglected; I rend my first rob, and like the prodigal son, spent all my substance: Thy holy temple which thou sanctifiedst in me for thy le●…e, I have profaned: raising in the same an idol of my disordinate pleasures, & defiling it with divers sins. The tune was once, o Lord my Saviour, wherein I was so blind, and lived so loosely, as if I had no law, or as though I believed there were no God: I was unmindful of death, neither remembered I the latter judgement, or the life to come. The Laws, according to whose prescript I did live, were mine appetites: I followed mine own inventions, and walked according to mine own ways. So divers years of my life were overpast, wherein I lived in so palpable darkness, tha●… in like sort as that of Egypt, I might have felt it with my hands. O eternal light, how overlate did I know thee, how slackly did I open mine eyes to behold thine ancient beauty? All this time thou observedst me, sustainedst me, expectedst me, not permittting timeless death to apprehend me. O altitude of thy judgements! O greatness of thy ●…ercies! How many men in the ●…eane space, in the mid race of their sins, are there swallowed by sudden death, who now are miserably tormented in hell? & I, who was one of them, protected by thy mercy, am reserved even until this hour? Ah what had become of me if at that time thou hadst summoned me likewise before thy judgement seat? What account could I have made in so miserable an estate? O my mercy & my redemption: I give thee no less thanks for this bounty, than if thou hadst acquitted me being condemned amongst those damned, and delivered me from perpetual torments. Blessed be thy patience, by the benefit whereof I live: and blessed be thy mercy which so long time defended and kept me. Neither didst thou only keep me when I sinne●… against thee, but very often times thou didst also visit me as my friend, & called'st me unto thee by thy sweet and secret inspirations: objecting to me the greatness of my sins, the shortness of this life, the eternity of that other: the severity of thy justice, and ●…he bounty of thy mercy. In the midst of mine iniquity afterwards, thy presence appeared unto me so effectually, that persevering in my delights, & seeking after the Leeks, ●…urneps, and Garlic of Egypt, thou extortedst plentiful tears from me. I did sin, and thou didst recall me from fin: I did fly from thee, as though it had been a slight matter to lose thee: and thou didst seek me, as though it were much for thy profit to find me out. So many years did we live wrestling & resisting, thou in doing good, I in doing evil, and contemning thy goodness. With these voices didst thou call me, with these cords didst thou draw me. At length when it pleased thee to single me out, and to call me by thy grace, thou sentest a great cry into the ears of my soul, wherewith as it were the roaring of a Lion, thou didst awake me from sleep, and thou called'st me from death unto life: This is the voice which David thy friend so highly commendeth, Psal. ●…8. in virtue and power, breaking the Cedars, cutting the flames of fire, and shaking & moving the desert of Cades. For no less is thy power than thy mercy which thou art wont to use in this work: for it is great mercy to remit sins, & mighty power to make finners just. O how many and how great are the benefits, which together with this one, are powered into us? here is given pardon of sins: grace is given, charity is given with those other virtues which attend her: finally the gifts & graces of the holy Spirit are given. Hereby the sinner is reconciled unto thee: of an enemy, made a friend: and of the slave of the devil, thy Son, and the heir of thy kingdom. here the Prodigal Son is entertained into his Father's house: the first rob, Ring, and Shoes, & Luke, 15. ornaments of a Son are restored unto him. And although I cannot be assured, O Lord, whether I be worthy of hate or love: yet hope I the same and confidently every way trust in thy bounty: my conscience likewise beareth me witness, that I am partaker of the grace of justification, for which I acknowledge myself deeply indebted. Blessed be thou therefore O bountiful Lord, the giver of all goodness, yea of thyself, for that I living most lasciviously, thou gavest me thy holy Spirit for my nurse, tutor, master, governor, comforter, and all my good: he is to me the patent of adoption, the pledge of matrimony, & the assurance of everlasting life. Blessed be the day in which such a guest entered my soul: and blessed be the hour in which the gates of my wall were opened to receive him. That day was holy unto me: in that day I came out of Egypt: that day was my birth day, in which I was regenerated into the Son of God. This my Easter day, in which I rose again from death to life: in which I received the holy Ghost. Let job curse the day of his nativity, job. 3. Luke, 15. I will bless this: this is the day in which the Angels rejoiced at the conversion of a sinner: in which the woman rejoiced that found her groat: in which the shepherd assembled his neighbours with joy, for the lost sheep which he found: in which the devils do howl for their lost prey. This is that day in which thou my Father dost acknowledge me thy son, and thy Son termeth me his brother: and thy holy Spirit hath consecrated me for his Temple: and the Choir of Angels have saluted me for their companion and fellow Citizen. If on this day the Angels rejoiced and sung unto thee, O Lord, how can my lips be shut? how may my tongue be silent? how can my mouth choose but be ●…lled with thy praises? whatsoever the Psalmi●… or Prophets sung of the coming of my Redeemer, all that will I sing unto thee, O Lord. It was a great benefit of thine O Lord, that thou didst create me: for thereby thou didst produce me from not being, to a being: but much more is it, that thou iustifiedst me: for in this thou tookst from me the being of sin, and bringest me to the being of grace: in that, am I made the son of man: in this am I adopted the son of God. It is a great benefit which I expect of glory, but no less in this kind is that of justification. For it is no less to make a just man of a sinner, than of a just man a blessed man, since there is a greater distance betwixt sin & grace, than between grace and glory. Great also, yea very great is the benefit of redemption: but what had redemption profited, if vocation and justification had not followed? I acknowledge therefore, O Lord, that the benefit of justification is the key and ground of all the other, without which the rest do not only not profit, but give us matter of greater damnation. But (O Lord) what did I unto thee, that thou shouldst give me those things? what obedience showed I to thee, that thou shouldst give me this blessing? what foundest thou in me worthy of so great honour & reward? nothing in me was free from sin: I knew thee not: I loved thee not, I served thee not: neither had thee in remembrance. I became the bottomless pit of darkness and iniquity. I cannot choose (O Lord) but tremble with horror, as often as I think hereon: neither find I any other cause of this benefit, but thy bounty. How many were my companions of the same age, nature, and impiety, of whom I was the most reprobate? yet tookest thou me unto thee, and forsookest them: we were detained in the same Egyptian captivity, & thou admittedst me to thy royal Table, but condemnedst them, & cast out their flesh to be devoured by the creatures of hell. Whilst I remember these things, O Lord, my spirit is no more in me: and I know not how to praise thee, or what thanksgiving to offer unto thee for so incomparable a benefit. All the time of my life I will say, O Lord, what sawest thou in me: O Lord, what sawest thou in me? Lord, what sawest thou in me, more than in the rest whom thou hast forsaken? Why didst thou so call me? so deliver me? so look upon me? so succour me? (if so be thou hast succoured me) leaving the rest in sin, who were less evil than I? I know not what to say, I know not what to do, I know not what to yield unto thee O Lord, for all the benefits thou hast bestowed on me. I will with the Prophet, praise my Lord at all times: his praise shall be always . in my mouth: I will say with the same Prophet: Thou hast broken my bonds, O Lord I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise, & call upon the name of the Lord. To the Lamb that sitteth on the throne be blessing, and honour, and glory, and power for ever & ever, Amen. A thanksgiving for the benefit of our spiritual conversation in the life of grace. I Adore thee, I praise thee, I glorify thee, I give thee thanks, most merciful Father and eternal God, with my whole heart, for all thy benefits: but in especial, for that thou hast called me, whom being beforetimes wounded, thou hast ●…thout any my precedent merits ●…ured: and being an enemy unto thee, reconciled: redeemed from captivity, and called from death to life: and of thy fatherly goodness hast hitherto conserved me in this state, and as yet dost conserve me by thy grace. Thou art he only, O Lord, that created me, & made me of nought: and thou only art he that conservest that which thou hast created: thou bountifully dost protect that essence of nature which thou gavest me, lest it should perish. Thou only hast regenerated me by thy Spirit in the life of grace. By thee are we privileged from our sins: by thee are we conserved, lest we should fall again into sin. If at any time I have risen, thou gavest me thy hand: if I now stand, thou sustainest me, lest I fall. As many good purposes as I have conceived: as many godly inspirations as I have felt: all are by thy benefit. As often as I have overcome mine enemy, as often as I have refrained my evil inclinations and perverse appetites, it was thy benefit. For if no man can say, Lord jesus, but in the holy Spirit, nor do any good deed without thee, even as the branch can yield no fruit being divided from the vine: sure it is, that if any fruit grow from this cluster, it is by the benefit of that vine to which it cleaveth. If at any time I have fasted, it came from thee: if I have endured adversity patiently, thou didst assist me: if at any time I have denied mine own will, it was thy working: If ever hitherto I have shed the tears of contrition, if my prayers have prevailed with thee, I confess (O Lord) that I did it by thy help, I confess that thou hast wrought all good works in me: for all these do I give thee thanks. I refer all these benefits with thanksgiving to him from whom they proceeded, that hereafter they may flow more plentifully. I acknowledge myself to be indebted for so many benefits, as I have done duties to thee, O Lord, in this life, if I have done any at all. What shall I say of the occasions and opportunities offered by thee unto me of good life? How many preachers hast thou sent to teach me? how many counsellors to instruct me? how many good friends, how many godly companions, how many good examples, how many devout books hast thou lent me, by whose helps I am incited to goodness, and pricked forward to uprightness of life? Great are these thy benefits, but greater doth he owe thee, who hath profited without these: blessed is he whom thou hast taught, O Lord, and instructed in thy law: for so Psal. 94. much more hath he profited, by how much thou art a better Doctor, and wiser Master than others. But who can recount the perils and dangers from whence thou hast delivered me, O bountiful shepherd of men's souls? or the sins whereinto I had fallen without thine assistance? There is no sin so great, that was ever attempted by man, which another man cannot fall into, if the Creator be wanting by whom he is made. For which cause upon good occasion I will call all men's sins my benefits: for into all them might I have been plunged, except thine infinite mercy had preserved me. Is many occasions of sin therefore as might have enforced me to fall (for they could enforce David) so many had I fallen into, except thou (O Lord) hadst taken them away, because thou knewest my infirmities. All men acknowledge not these thy benefits, but I through the grace do both acknowledge & embrace them. How often, O loving Father, hast thou used this mercy towards me? How often hast thou bound the enemy's hands, lest he should tempt me? or if he should have tempted me, that yet he might not overcome me? how often hast thou enchanted that old Serpent, that although I walked amongst Uipers & Bas●…lisques, yet could they not hurt me▪ How often hast thou traveled with me through water & fire, lest I should be burned in the flame, or drowned in the water? How often in the midst of the servants of this world hast thou tempered the flame of this babylonical furnace with the dew of the holy Spirit, and so cooled it that it might not consume me? How often might I justly say with the Prophet: I was thrust sore at that I might fall? But the Lord Psal. 118. was my help? If at any time I have stood, I stood by thee: if I have fallen, I have fallen by myself: & thy hand hath stayed me up, lest I should be bruised. Yea I had always lain in the dirt, except thou hadst raised me. In the multitude of my sorrows therefore which I had in my heart, thy comforts have Psal. 94. refreshed my soul, and raised it. How often, O Lord, have my sins deserved thy wrath? How often mightst thou have taken thy hand away, and that justly from me, as thou hast withdrawn it from others less ungrateful? yet wert the merciful unto me, and didst not punish me according to my iniquities? I was proud, swollen with vain glory, I attributed that glory which was due unto thee, to myself: and therefore I am worthy to be an outcast from thy mercy. I was ingrateful, I did not acknowledge thy benefits: I attributed that to nature which was due to the author of nature: neither did I yield the thanks which belonged unto thee: I was negligent & slothful in those things which appertain to my salvation: and therefore I deserved that my talon should long since have been taken from me. I was rash in loving perils, and therefore worthy to fall into them. I am worthy I say, O Lord, that for these and many such like, I should already be forsaken and ●…ast off by thee, that the crime of the last sin, might be the punishment of the first. But thy patience was so great, that thou wink●…dst at the wickedness of my dissolute life, & shuttedst thine eyes against my infirmities. Hitherto hast thou forborn me with so much mercy: neither wouldst thou suffer that thy succour should at any time leave me. I pray thee (O Lord) perfect that which thou hast begun: vouchs●… not only to keep in me, but also to in●…ease thy benefits, which thou thyself hast deigned to impart to me. Continue (O Lord) to keep me innocent in this spiritual life: and forsake me not, as hitherto thou hast not forsaken me. I convert the dolours of my conscience, O Lord, wherewith I should be vexed, if thou hadst forsaken me, into joy: and now with glad mind and rejoicing spirit, in way of thanksgiving and praise I sing, saying with thy friend: Return my soul into thy rest, for our Lord hath done good unto thee. For he Psal. 116. hath delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. For all these thy benefits, we yield thee thanks Lord God omnipotent, who art, and hast been, and who shalt be: for thy Apoc. 11. & 15. works are great and wonderful, and thy ways are just and true, Lord and King for ever. Amen. To how many temptations our life is exposed, and how much need we have of God's help. LOrd, let me know mine end, and the number of my days, that I may be certified how long I Psal. 38. have to live. Are not my days few? it irketh my soul of my life: For job. 10. what is this life, where continual tribulations are conversant? where all things are full of snares and enemies? Scarcely doth one temptation pass away, but another succeed, and the first conflict as yet undetermined, others more grievous and unexpected do follow: Help me therefore, O Lord my God, for mine enemies have environed my soul, on this ●…e, my body: on that side the devil: here the world urgeth, and all of these enforce and search after my soul: I cannot fly from the body: nor drive it from me, I must needs bear it about with me: for that it is tied unto me. I must not kill it, I am compelled to sustain it: & when I ●…atten the same, I nourish mine own enemy against myself. The world begirteth and bes●…egeth me every way: & by the five windows or senses of my body, my sight, my hearing, my taste, my smelling, and my touching, woundeth me with his arrows, and death entereth by my windows into my soul. I cannot see the devil, and therefore have less means to beware of him. He hath bend his bow, and hath to that end prepared his shafts, that he may wound me suddenly: he hath said he would hide his snares, saying: Who shall see them? which way soever I see them, there is no security: the flesh suggesteth me with delight, the world presenteth sweet, the devil gall: the flesh talketh unto me of sleep, of drink, of meat, and such like appurtenances of the same: the world bewitcheth me with ambitious pleasing of time, with boasting, with arrogancy, and pride: but to wrath, malice & bitterness of mind, the devil provoketh me. Behold, Infidels & Atheists are with me, O Lo●…, & I dwell with Scorpions: woe is me because my life is prolonged, I have dwelled with Ezech. 2 Psal. 119. the inhabitants of ●…edar, my soul hath too long remained on the earth: & in this so dangerous assault, I find nothing in me whereunto I may have recourse: for my heart is vain, fugitive, and unstable, more movable than motion: it is distracted divers ways, and traverseth innumerable things with incertainty: and whilst it wandereth through divers things, it findeth no rest: For even as a Mil turneth swiftly, and refuseth nothing, but grindeth whatsoever is put upon it: and if nothing be put thereon, it consumeth itself: so is my heart always in motion, and never resteth. Bitter thoughts trouble: unclean, defile: vain, disquiet & trouble the same: whilst my heart crieth not for future joy, nor seeketh thy help, it is estranged from the love of God, and drowned in ●…rthly affections: And when it falleth from those, and is ensnared in these: vanity seduceth it, curios●…tie confoundeth it, des●…re allureth it, pleasure entangleth it, lust de●…leth it, envy tortureth it, ire disturbeth it, sadness tormenteth it. So by miserable chances it is drowned in all vices, & sometimes an abject matter falleth out to be the cause of a grievous temptation. Wretched man that I am, who shall deliver Rom. 7. me from the body of this death? In all these am I overthrown, O Lord, unless thou help me. Have mercy therefore, have mercy upon me (O Lord) and deliver me from the dirt, that I stick not therein, lest every way I remain discomfortless: Deliver me from ●…ine enemies, O God, and from them that hate me: defend me against Psalm. 5●…. all those that rise up against me But thou, O Lord, deliver me from the snare of the Hunter, and from the bitter tongue, that we may confess unto thee, saying: Blessed be God, who gave us not in prey to their teeth. My soul is Psalm. 123. escaped like a Sparrow from the ●…et of the fowler: the net is broken, and we are escaped. Against whatsoever temptation. THou seest, O bountiful Father, the great danger wherewith I am entangled: thou seest the snares which mine enemies have laid for me: and the violence that they v●… against me, that they may raui●… me (o Father) from the number of thy children, and deliver me thy poor sheep as a prey to the fierce teeth of Wolves: I therefore humbly beseech thee for thy fatherly goodness sake, to help me and strengthen me, and that they may have no other use of these their subtleties, but to strengthen my love towards thee, and make their subtleties, & cursed counsels more manifest. Truly my infirmities might crave peace and tranquillity (for how can I choose being a weak & frail man but fear so mighty enemies, as the world, the devil, and the greatest enemy of all, my flesh?) yet since I am not ignorant O Father, that temptations are so profitable & healthful for us, that we aught to rejoice therein: I require no other thing at thy hands, but that thou wilt take from before me the multitude of all my sins, which with their immmeasurable weight, not only depress my poor back, but turn away thy help and assistance every way from me. Let me hear in my temptations, that which once Saint Paul heard when he was tempted: My grace 1. Cor. 12. ●…s sufficient for thee. O Lord, if ●…hou deny me not this, I will say with the Prophet, God is my light, and my salvation, whom then shall Psalm. 27. I fear? God is the protector of my life, of whom shall I be afraid? If 〈◊〉 host of men were encamped against me, my heart should not ●…are: If an army were embattled against me, hereat I would not be afraid. Behold, O Father, how thy con●…ence maketh us fearless, & how ●…int hearted our sins find us: for ●…is written, whither flieth the wicked when no man followeth him? ●…nd seeing the morning Star, he supposeth it to be the shadow of death. Take my sins therefore from me, which make me fearful and fainthearted, and give me thy grace: that if it be not expedient for me to have a life which is free from all temptations, yet that I may constantly resist some assaults and with greater desire thirst after that my celestial country, whe●… neither temptation doth solicit, nor grief cruciate, nor tribulation afflict: where thou the celestial Father, with the Son and the holy Ghost, livest and reignest, God world without end, Amen. Against the temptation of the devil. LOrd God, Creator and mai●…tainer of mankind, behold the fearful Dragon tempteth me, th●… old serpent which first began in the paradise of pleasure, who with his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and casteth them Apoc. 12. on the earth: who with his venom, corrupteth the waters of the earth, that men that drink thereof die: and who shall defend me from his jaws? Who shall deliver me from his mouth, but thou, o Lord, who hast broken the head of the great Dragon? Help me: spread thy wings, O Lord, over me, that me may fly under them from the face of this Dragon who persecuteth me, and with thy shield deliver me from his horns: for this is his continual study, this his only desire, to devour those soul's ●…hom thou hast created: & therefore my God, I cry unto thee, deliver me from my daily adversary, who whether I sleep or wake, when there I eat or drink, or whatsoever I do, doth every way, day and night, with his frauds and arts, endeavour now openly to wound, and now secretly to hurt me, directing his envenomed shafts against me, to the end he may slay my soul. But thou, O invisible Lion of the tribe of juda, give strength to thy servant against this roaring Lion, who always seeketh about, watching whom he may devour. most healthful Serpent, fixed on a high Cross, give power unto the weak one, against the deceits of this subtle Serpent. Thou snowwhite Lamb, conqueror of satans tyranny, give thy tender sheep the strength of thy Spirit, that being frail in himself, and strong in thee, he may overcome all the assaults of the devil, lest mine enemy triumph over me: but being conquered by thy might, I may give thee thanks for thy mercy which never faileth those that put their trust in thee. Amen. Against the temptations of the world. I Am assaulted, O Lord jesus, I am assaulted: come and revenge me of mine adversary, and deliver me. Hast thou not said, Be not dismayed, I have overcome the world? Whence therefore had the world those forces, that it so triumpheth over thine elect, and persecuteth all with fire and sword, who cleaving unto thee, do not adore and reverence him? why do they so largely rule over those whom thou hast chosen in the world to be thine? especially in this doting age of his continuance, in which it behoved his power should decrease and his might diminish? The contempt of God's word reigueth every where, and with it, ingratitude, lust, riot, unlawful pleasures, and an extreme abuse of all things: and he that will not follow these, is scorned and esteemed a fool, his life is accounted madness, and Sap. 5. his end is without honour. He is odious in the world's eye, for that his life is different from other ●…us. These things do often times as●…ult our souls, o Lord, & almost move our feet, that leaving the hard ways, we may enter into the ●…igh way of the world, which pro●…seth us all things happy, pleasant, sweet, & delightful: smiling ●…pon us with a pleasant counte●…ance, and offering us with a full ●…and, the riches, honours & plea●…res of the same. But thou (O Lord, withdraw me from the darkness, deceits, and allurements of this world. Lighten mine eyes that I may see and understand how short and uncertain, how deceitful, how blind and pernicious the felicity of this world is. Maintain me in the knowledge of thy truth, lest in this covetous and drunken age of this world, I be entangled with secular cares, which lead our minds from the exercises of piety, and choke those motions which the holy Spirit stirreth up in us. Grant (o Lord) that this world may dye crucified unto me, and I unto the world: let me no ways study to please him, lest whilst I become a friend of this world, I make myself thine enemy: let me contemn his hatred and slanders, knowing that we oughtto glory in nothing but in thy Cross (O lord) Who livest and re●…nest with the Father and the h●… Ghost world without end. Amen. Against the temptations of the flesh. WHere art thou, O good jesus, where art thou? Yet once again jesabel tire annizeth, once again the flesh rageth, a domestic, but yet a mortal enemy. Be at hand, O jesus, be at hand, assist me in my necessity, because the waters have overflowed my soul, and the desires of the flesh overpress me. My flesh, made of dirt, bringeth forth nought but dirty and filthy cogitations. In respect of the world, vain and curious: from the devil i●… receiveth vain and bitter, whereby it sinneth against the Spirit: borne of sin, nourished in sin, corrupted from the beginning with vices, but much more depraved by evil customs. Who shall stand against so strong an enemy? (O lord) Who shall sustain his assaults? He stirreth up unlawful motions, venomous cogitations. It inflameth, moveth war, nourisheth hatred, inciteth gormandize, quickeneth lust, prepareth occasions of sin, and ceaseth not with a thousand subtleties of circumvention, to drive away the spirit. It is a grievous conflict, & a dangerous war to fight against a homebred enemy, especially where we are strangers, and he a Citizen: he dwelleth in his own country, we are pilgrims and strangers. Thou art not ignorant of mine infirmity, O sweet jesus: thou knowest how weak & frail a fortress this is: thou knowest it must needs fall, being shaken with so many volleys, except thou, O Christ, rampaire it by thy might. To thee therefore do I cry from the depth of my heart, give me grace that I follow not the concupiscence of my flesh, & that I provoke not my unbridled senses with liberty, but that I may strongly resist them. Help me that I may tame my body, and bring it in subjection, lest my flesh growing too proud, make me offend, and break my appointed limits▪ lest my heart and body be stained with carnal concupiscence, lust, riot, and unlawful pleasures. Sanctify me and govern me, that mine eyes may be governed: mine ears shut, that I may touch no unlawful thing, but ●…e from that which is hurtful: though I feel a sting, yet let me not give consent: so let me nourish my flesh, that it rebel not: and so bridle it, that it allure not. Grant that in all and through all I may so subject my flesh to my spirit, that at the last it may willingly obey her, & tyrannize over her no more is a mistress, but serve as a handmaid: that between both, there may be an harmonious consent, wished peace, and perpetual concord, Amen. When temptations are overcome. Give thee thanks, O Lord God ●…y whose bounty I am enabled 〈◊〉 such sort, that this tempest being ●…ed, I enjoy a destred calm. To thee be the honour of the triumph: by thee and not by me this prove Goliath is overcome: to thee I attribute whatsoever good effect hath succeeded. For in respect of mine own forces I must needs be subdued: but now am I conqueror, because I grounded my assured hope of victory on thee my strong assister, having this always hanging before mine eyes: If God be with us who can be against us? and, I can do all things in h●… that Rom. 8. Philip. 4. comforteth me. And though I sing praises to thee, O Lord, for this victory, yet for that we are taught, that when we have done all those things which belong to, or become a strong Champion, we should not return to lusts and pleasures, but by the assistance of thy holy Spirit, stand strong in the battle against the continual assaults of the dwell. Therefore I fly unto thee the helper of all those that hope in thee▪ increase my trust in thee, that dail●… more and more increasing in fait●… the power of our enemies may fa●… until thou hast settled us in that security, whereas there is no fear of battle, peril, or anguish, but eternal security, purchased by thee, when thou shalt surrender thy kingdom to thy Farher, with whom thou livest and reignest God for ●…uer, Amen. Against the conflict of vices. MOst merciful Lord jesus Christ, behold me miserable, wretched and vile sinner, prostrate before the feet of thy mercy: behold the wounds, botches, infirmities, and vices of my soul, which I myself (ah lass) by my sin have enforced against myself, and now present them to be healed by the eyes of thy mercy. Most merciful jesus, take pity of my infirmity, captivity, and infelicity, wherewith my wretched soul is drowned in transitory things, and distracted by divers desires. Most loving jesus, by that charity which delivered thee bound into the hands of sinners, and haled thee to the Cross, and there afflicted thee more than those nails that pierced thy hands & feet: I beseech thee loose the yoke of my captivity, and deliver me from all vices, concupiscences, and evil inclinations: and from all the assaults of mine enemies and every tribulation, defend me. Extinguish and kill in me utterly all pr●…ate love, all inordinate motions, passions, and affections, each occasion: all promptness and inclination to pride, wrath, envy, vainglory, etc. for from these thou only canst deliver me. Sweet jesus, fill me with graces and most perfect charity, keep me in all goodness, that I may 〈◊〉 all occasions of sin, overcome all temptations constantly, subject my flesh to my spirit, persecute and banish sin, avoid the assaults and subtleties of the devil: never consent to any sin: never nourish that which displeaseth thee: but that I may ardently thirst after thy glory, faithfully further the same, and addict myself wholly 〈◊〉 thy good liking. Amen. Against evil thoughts. O Lord my God, be not far from me. O my God haste thee to help me, because divers cogitations are risen up against me, and great fears afflicting my soul. How shall I escape unhurt? how may I overcome them? I (sayest thou) will go before thee, and will Esay, 45. humble the mighty on earth. Do, O Lord, as thou speakest, and let all evil cogitations fly from thy presence. This is my hope, and only consolation, to fly unto thee in all tribulation, to trust in thee, to call upon thee with my whole heart, and patiently to expect thy consolation. Amen. Against diverse sorts of sins. GOD, Father of our Lord & God, & Saviour jesus Christ, lord of great might, blessed nature, effused goodness, God and Lord of all things, who art blessed for ever, who art glorified by the Seraphins, to whom thousands of Angels assist, and whom infinite hosts of Angels and Archangels attend: for thy Christ's sake, and the coming of thy holy Spirit, sanctify (we pray thee) our souls, our bodies, and our spirits: touch thou likewise our minds, search our consciences, and take from us all evil cogitations, all immodest talk, all filthy desires, all undecent thoughts, all envy, pride, and hypocrisy: all lying, all deceit, all distraction of this life, all avarice, all vain glory, all sloth, all vice, all wrath, all ire, all remembrance of injury, all blasphemy, all commotion of the flesh or spirit contrary to thy holy will. Amen. Against evil thoughts. O Lord my God, be not thou estranged from me: o God take me into thy protection, for divers cogitations are risen up against me, and great fears that afflict my soul: How shall I escape unhurt? how shall I overcome them? I (sayest thou) will go before thee, Esay, 45. and I will humble the mighty upon earth. Do, O Lord, as thou speakest, & let all wicked thoughts fly from thy presence. This is my hope and only comfort, to fly unto thee in all tribulations, to trust in thee, to call upon thee with my whole heart, and patiently to expect thy consolation. Amen. A prayer against covetousness. THe daily necessities of the body, draweth and tieth the mind thereunto: send us, O Lord, who as we know, hast care over us, that daily Bread, which thine only Son jesus Christ commanded us to ask and hope for at thy hands: Grant us to live content with those things that are needful, & to despise such things as are superfluous: that neither unavoidable necessity overcome us, neither affluence overwhelm us: & so send us those things that are necessary for us, that we obtain not the same to offend thy Majesty. So delivered and discharged of all care, we shall only endeavour ourselves to keep us (as far as in us lieth) in thy favour, which care thou wilt further: who, if thou be'st wanting, nothing can prosper with us. Translate my heart from the service of Idols, to thy service: toward whom, whosoever is devout, he obtaineth dignity. Grant me in stead of this desire of riches, which are exposed to time, the injuries of men, and mischances: to grow in love with thine which being once received, are eternal and inviolable, Amen. Against pride. O Most wise & beloved Father, who always studiest how thou mayest further us, whereas we always endeavour how to offend thee: thou gavest to mankind, the proudest, untamed, and rebellious creature, the heavenly example of moderation and obedience in thy Son: Convert our minds unto thee and that thine example, that we may so humbly demean ourselves, being wicked and weak, as he that was most worthy and most strong, Amen. Against drunkenness. ALmighty and most merciful God, vouchsafe so to look upon us, that we may so detest that most shameful sin of drunkenness, that we never permit the same to take place: but let that which was to perish in drunkenness, be employed for the sustenance of the poor: through jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Against remembrance of injuries. O Lord, of thy goodness fill our hearts with thy peace, & cleanse us from all evil cogitations and uncleanness, and from all memory of injuries, and from all envy, and mind of mischief which bringeth death. O Lord, make us all worthy to salute one another with a holy and immaculate salutation: and grant that we may receive without judgement and death, thy heavenly gift, that is, thy grace, with the holy Spirit, Amen. Against wrath. HOw much error breedeth this blind indulgence of ourselves in our minds, that we esteem that to be done unjustly, which is done most uprightly: that in those things we deny pardon unto others, in which we ourselves every hour are faulty and want pardon: that we challenge to ourselves a revenge being children, mad, furious & unjust: and take it from him, who is only wise and just: who in respect of his wisdom, is deficient in nothing, and in regard of his equity seduceth no man from the truth. O most merciful Christ, example of modesty, fountain of meekness, 〈◊〉 into us some part of this thy lenity, whereby in imitation of thy humility, being assailed with railings, affected with injuries, oppressed and afflicted with slanders and reproofs, yet that we may reward good for evil. Against envy. THou, O Lord, art the founder and maker of all things: thou art the dispenser of thy mercies, which thou by thy immeasurable liberality bestowest on men, yielding every one more than he deserveth, and defrauding no man of that which is sufficient for him: What cause therefore have we to envy thee, when as thou bestowest thy liberality upon all men of thine own, and art bountiful to those that deserve it not, and givest to every one that which sufficeth him for his beatitude? O Father, add this also to the rest of thy benefits, that we may submit to thy judgement, and satisfy ourselves with thy ●…stributions: that we may give thee thanks for those things which we have received. And for those things that thou hast bestowed on others, grant that secretly we condemn not thy holy will, and unsearchable judgement: but rather that in other men's blessings, we may love and laud thy munificence, who art so bountiful unto all men, wanting of thyself nothing, neither receiving any thing from any man, neither hoping any thing. Amen. In extreme troubles and persecutions. O Lord God that deliveredst the honest matron Susanna from false judgement, at such time as she was reproachfully circumvented by slander: that keptst Daniel thy prophet in the den of Lions, and preservedst the three children in the flaming furnace: that deliveredst Peter ready to be devoured by the sea, & swallowed in the waves thereof, by the might of thy right hand: I beseech thee, O most merciful God, that thou wilt redeem and deliver both me thy unworthy servant, & all other christian people, out of these miseries and calamities wherewith we are circumvented. Spare thy people, I beseech thee, whom thou hast redeemed by thy precious blood, keep this natio●… and people redeemed by so precious a ransom, in peace, mutual concord, and conjunction, to the glory of thy holy name. Amen. In the time of war amongst Christians. O Lord, Father of mercies, God of peace and dilection, how long, I pray thee, wilt thou be angry with thy christian people? punishing them with execrable wars, and utter overthrows. Behold the affliction and extreme extinction of thy people & nations. Hear the groans of the poor, let the christian blood move thee unto mercy. Ah 'las, O Lord, these are truly that just punishments of our sins: we have sinned, we have done wickedly, we have left thee the fountain of life & our felicity, we have contemned thee, mocked thee, and with an obstinate mind made war by our sins, against thy commandments: we have kept none of thy testimonies, of which thou hast said: If you shall keep them, they shall keep you: if you despise them, Esay, 1. the sword shall consume you. But thou (O Lord) notwithstanding thou art justly displeased, remember thee of thy mercies: and to the end we may be made capable thereof, give unto thy people I beseech thee the knowledge and confession of their wicked lives: power upon them the spirit of thy grace and of prayer, that every where with a contrite and humble heart (which thou despisest not) they may cry unto thee, saying: O Lord have mercy, O Lord have mercy upon thy people, whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood: we have sinned, we have done unjustly. Thy judgements are justly urged against us: prostrating ourselves, we call upon thy grace and mercy, to the end that thy revenging hand may be appeased. Put (o Lord) thy cruel and devouring sword into thy sheath, command the evil beasts, that is, all those things which give cause of war, to return unto their place: & leave most wholesome peace long desired amongst Christians, safely to reign amongst them, to the praise & glory of thy most holy name, who strikest, and healest, ●…illest, and quickenest, Amen. In the time of plague. WE know, O Lord God and most just Father, that the rebellion almost of all creatures against man only is very great, whom (if all things were disposed according to the order of creation) they ought to obey and acknowledge: Now earthquakes, now thunders, now inundations, now most fatal conjunctions of Stars, now the infection of the air, and daily new and other kind of evils are heard of. But this punishment falleth upon us, because we abuse the gifts of thy munificence, transgress thy commaundemenis, for that we are not terrified with threatrungs, nor alured by promises. We acknowledge that by these thy chastisements thou drawest us from these earthly affairs, and invitest us to heavenly desires, and that for this cause thy creatures are obedient unto thee. Be than mindful in this thy wrath, of thy great mercy: and favourably take away this contagious sickness, which by thy wrath is powered upon us. For the pestilent air shall enforce no evil, if we oppose ourselves against all kinds of iniquity: yet all things proceed from thee, O most merciful Father. both for that in body we are secured from this plague, and for that in soul we are protected from the venom of sin, and reward thereof. For although other men, detained with the love of this lif●…, run here and there seeking hel●…: in these perils, yet from no m●…, either more rightly or more secu●…ly is their help to be intreat●…, than from thee only, whose po●…●…t no man may fly, who receivest us into thy favour, for that thou despisest no man that hopeth in thy goodness. To thee therefore do we cry, O Lord, hear our prayers and supplications, that thou mayst deliver us from this pestilent and deadly plague: Command thine Angel that striketh us, to shut his sword in his sheath, lest he pursue us till we be utterly extinguished: extend not thine ire against us, spare our souls, preserve us from the plague. R●…rne return, O Lord, and have mercy on thy servants, take from us this indisposition of the air, and unholsomnes of the place, lest the infected air power that poison (wherewith it is infected) upon us, to our confusion. O Lord, let thy hand I pray thee be turned, that all the earth may know that thou art the Lord our GOD, and that thy Name is called upon 2. Reg. 24. amongst us. Amen. In the time of famine and scarcity of victuals. MOst just Lord God, that according to the merits of thy people, both bestowest and withdrawest thy blessings: look upon our poverty, who acknowledge this present scarcity of victuals & famine, as a rod in thy hand, whereby thou chastisest and punishest the manifold abuses of thy blessings, misemployed by us in riot, and often drunkenness, and other distress of the flesh, and dissipations of thy gifts which thou hast given us, not to that intent, that being fa●…ed & filled, we should kick against thee, but rather we might serve thee thankfully in way of acknowledgement. Why complain we not of the profanation of thy name by oaths, and horrible imprecations, and of the violating of thy holy days and service? But what other thing shall we most wretched sinners (justly puni shed by thee for our iniquities) do, but falling down prostrate in the presence of thy Majesty, accuse ourselves, and deplore our offences, and implore thy grace and mercy: that thou wilt vouchasafe to look down from Heaven, to the end, that by thy blessing, our land may yield us increase: and by that means relieved and satisfied with necessary food, we may praise thee for the blessings we have received, & profess ourselves more and more bound to do thee service. Amen. Against the tempests and thunder of the air. KIng of eternal glory, omnipotent God, that givest food unto all creatures, and coverest the heaven with clouds, and preparest rain for the earth, that transferrest the Southern wind from the heaven, and bringest in the Afric by thy virtue: that waterest the mountains from the higher places thereof, & who satiatest the earth with the fruit of thy works: that hast commanded thine Angel, that he should not hurt neither Apoc. 9 the land nor the Sea, nor trees: spare those that fear thee, and be merciful to their prayers. For we most humbly beseech thee, O Lord, that the incursion of storms may depart far from us, and the calamity of tempests, the tempest of hail, the blasting of lightning, and that all the assaults of the enemy may be tempered. Let the harmful thunders, the noisome rains, the raging wmdes be calmed, grant also that the right hand of thy virtue may overway the spirits of storm and airy tempests. O Lord, thou that thunderest from heaven, and givest thy voice, Psalm. 17. that sendest forth thine arrows, & multipliest thy lightnings: turn away we pray thee, this cruel tempest from us, let it not bring us to confusion. Restrain the thunder and thine arrows, lest they hurt us. keep us and our houses, lest we perish through that fury of storm and the force of lightning: Protect our habitations, lest by fire sent down from heaven, they burn & 〈◊〉 consumed. Most merciful Lord, rain not I beseech thee, thy hail upon the 〈◊〉 of the earth, neither strike the ●…ell or fruit of our pastors: ●…rch not up the herbs & trees of 〈◊〉 Country: kill not our corn, ●…ther expose our cattle to the ●…le, whereby they may be destroyed: but in thy mercy contain thy wrath, that we that are iuftly punished for our offences, by the ●…ntion of thy mercy may find grace and indulgence of our sins. Amen. A prayer for the Master of a Household. WHereas, O Father, thou commandest every one of us to have care of our neighbours, to further their affairs and fortunes, & to withstand all their incommodities, I very well understand what ●…u meanest: namely, that it be●…th a Master in his household ●…e no less care towards his servants, than himself: and than teachest the servants likewise to obey their masters: I acknowledge my duty: but in ruling those whom thou hast committed to my charge, my wife, children, servants, handmaids, and other domestical servants, I neither find facult●… nor judgement in myself. I fly therefore unto thee, t●… chiefest Father of the family; 〈◊〉 thee I say, who art the ruler both 〈◊〉 heaven and earth, I most hu●… submit myself, beseeching thy 〈◊〉 for. Grant O Father & gouer●… that I may keep & continue th●… my servants, which thou hast committed to my charge, in thy fea●… discipline, and that I may de●… and further both those things that belong to the profit of their bodies & souls, and such as concern their honour and profit. And grant that they likewise on the other side 〈◊〉 perform their duties with f●… and obedience, not serving according to the outward eye, but de●…ning them lovingly, and freely discharging their duties in ●…tie of heart, as if before GOD▪ and not men, whereby at length we may all find the reward in hea●…. Amen. The prayer of a Son. OMnipotent and eternal God, to whom every obedience of the child towards his parents is ●…ll pleasing, and all rebellion is loathsome: who in thy law com●…dest us to honour our parents, ●…ding this thy commandment 〈◊〉 a double wall, namely with re●…d and punishment, whilst thou promisest to the humble and obedient child eternal life, and to the Exod. 20. untoward and rebellious, thou denouncest death and malediction. Neither is this thy precept upon me, neither far estranged from me, that I might say, who in effect may fulfil the same? but it is near me, or rather in me, whereas the very law of nature engraven in my foul, inciteth and inviteth me unto the same. I beseech thee therefore, O most bountiful Father, from whom proceedeth all fatherhood, bo●… heaven and in earth: take 〈◊〉 me all rebellion ●…d conten●… lest I attempt and dare to br●… and infringe all the bonds ●…ume and human laws. 〈◊〉 vouchsafe that I may pro●… my parents in all kind of 〈◊〉 serve them with due honour & re●…rence, obey their commande●… with humble & ready obedi●… and that I may help them 〈◊〉 kinds of succour, obsequios●… & offices of kindness: that I 〈◊〉 suffer their reproofs, auste●… unbridled mislikes or exclai●… & all their imperfections whats●…uer with a willing mind, not ●…greeuing or vexing them in the whole course of my life: if at any time through age they shall dote, default in reason, that I may not con●…emne them, but that I may suffer their age & imbecility with due modesty. Finally, if they want or be sick, that I may nourish and sustain them by my succour and sustenance, lest through my default and avarice, they should lose thei●… lives, from whom and by whom I had the beginning of my life: but that I may serve them that begot me in all things as my Lords: O Eccles. 3. Lord, forgive me all those my sins wherein I have ever offended my most dear parents: Increase the ●…ltitude of their days, and keep them in all health of mind and of body: let them behold their sons, like olive plants round about their Psal. 12●… ●…ble: let them bring them up in all 〈◊〉: let them govern their family in holy counsels and conuer●…on; that at the length they may, ●…culate and faultless, come ●…to thee where thou livest with 〈◊〉 Son and the holy Ghost, 〈◊〉 God world without end, Amen. The prayer of the Schoolmaster. OMnipotent and eternal God, in whose power all things ●…re, give me thy holy Spirit, without whom I neither can learn or teach any thing, that I may diligently instruct the youth committed to my charge, and form them not only to follow piety and good manners: but 〈◊〉 diligently to apprehend lear●… to the glory of thy holy nam●… the end they may become 〈◊〉 citizens, and profitable 〈◊〉 of thy Church. Give them a 〈◊〉 and understanding heart, that 〈◊〉 may easily apprehend and 〈◊〉 that which I teach them, and 〈◊〉 ●…ee in all things which co●… my function: suffering themse●… to be directed and informed 〈◊〉 an humble and obedient will, 〈◊〉 their age, who have spent 〈◊〉 youth in good arts, in increase●… be increased in knowledge, 〈◊〉 may reap and communicate 〈◊〉 others the most pleasant fruits 〈◊〉 his former studies, Amen. The prayer of a professor of any faculty. O My Creator, and incomprehensible Lord God, who from the treasure of thy wisdom didst inform the nine orders of angels, and placedst them in worthy order above the imperial heaven, a●… hast most wonderfully disposed y●●…rts of the world: Thou I say, y● 〈◊〉 called the true Fountain of life and wisdom, and the supere●…t beginning, vouchsafe to 〈◊〉 upon the darkness of my vn●…tanding the double beam of the brightness, removing from me ●…tion, sin and ignorance, ●…erein I was borne. Thou that ●…est the tongues of infant's elo●…t, order my discourse, and 〈◊〉 on my lips the grace of thy blessing. Give me the sharpness of ●…erstanding, the capacity of re●…ning, the subtlety of interpre●…g, the faculty of learning, the ●…pious grace of speaking: instruct mine entrance, direct my proceedings, and fulfil my issues. Who with the Father and the holy Spirit livest and reignest God, world without end. Amen. The prayer of a Student. O Most wise Father, and omnipotent God, the fountain and giver of all wisdom and understanding, without whom a●… our studies want their success: wh●…y thy holy Spirit, madest of sh●… herds of sheep, the Prophet's of 〈◊〉 Amos. 1. people: and of fishermen, the apostles and doctors of the wh●… world. Infuse into me by y● me●… of Christ thy Son, the grace of th●… same holy Spirit, whereby my understanding may be the better ●…formed in the liberal Science●… which hereafter I way convert 〈◊〉 thy divine honour, and the spiritual profit of thy Church. Grant that I may faithfully lear●… good letters & necessary tongues, and retain them with apprehending memory, and convert them to the use of a better life: that according to the example of thy holy youth, I may daily increase in years, wisdom & grace, before GOD and men. Grant me understanding and subtlety of wit, that I may the easier comprehend those things that are to be learned, and cull out the sublimest and deepest knowledge thereof. Give me also alacrity in study, lest my mind, wearied with continual labour, and surprised with a certain loathsomeness, abhor studies. Suffer me not to spend my time unprofitably, nor pass my young years that are most apt for study, in idleness, lest my parents charge being evilly employed on me, I increase their hate against me, and I lewdly delude the hope and expectation of my friends. Amen. Seven Psalms of David's repentance, commonly called Penitential Psalms. PSALM VI. O Lord rebuke me not in thine indignation: neither chasten me in thy displeasure. 2 Have mercy upon me, O Lord, for I am weak: O Lord heal me, for my bones are vexed. 3 My soul is also sore tro●…bled, but Lord, how long wilt thou punish me? 4 Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver my soul: Oh save me for 〈◊〉 mercy's sake. 5 For in death no man remembreth thee: and who will give th●… thanks in the pit? 6 I am weary of my groaning every night wash I my bed: and water my couch with my tears. 7 My beauty is gone for very trouble: and worn away because of mine enemies. 8 Away from me all ye that work vanity: for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The Lord hath heard my petition: the Lord will receive my prayer. 10 All mine enemies shall be confounded and sore vexed: they shall be turned back and put to shame suddenly. PSALM XXXII. BLessed is he whose unrighteousness is forgiven: and whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth no sin: and ●…t whose spirit there is no guile. 3 For while I held my tongue, ●…y bones consumed away, through ●…y daily complaining. 4 For thy hand is heavy upon me day and night: and my moisture is like the drought in Summer. 5 I will acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine unrighteousness have I not hid. 6 I said I will confess my sins unto the Lord: and so thou forgavest the wickedness of my sin. 7 For this shall every one that is godly make his prayer unto thee, in a time when thou mayst be found: but in great water-floods they shall not come nigh him. 8 Thou art a place to hide me in, thou shalt preserve me from trouble: thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. 9 I will inform thee and teach thee in the way wherein thou shalt go: & I will guide thee with mine eye. 10 Be ye not like unto horse & mule, which hath no understanding: whose mouths 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 den with bit and bridl●… 〈◊〉 fall upon thee. 11 Great plagues 〈◊〉 fo●… the ungodly: but who so put●…h his trust in the Lord, mercy embraceth him on every side. 12 Be glad, O ye righteous, & rejoice in the Lord: and be joyful all ye that are true of heart. PSALM XXXVIII. PUt me not to rebuke (O Lord) in thine anger: neither chasten me in thy heavy displeasure. 2 For thine arrows stick fast in me: and thy hand presseth me sore. 3 There is no health in my flesh, because of thy displeasure: neither is there any rest in my bones, by reason of my sin. 4 For my wickednesses are gone over my head: & are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear. 5 My wounds stink and are corrupt through my foolishness. 6 I am brought into so great trouble and misery, that I go mourning all the day long. 7 For my loins are filled with a 〈◊〉 disease: and there is no whole ●…rt of my body. 8 I am feeble and sore smitten: 〈◊〉 have roared for the very disqui●…esse of my heart. 9 Lord, thou knowest all my ●…sire: and my groaning is not hid ●…om thee. 10 My heart panteth, my strength ●…th failed me: and the sight of ●…e eyes is gone from me. 11 My lovers and my neighbours ●…id stand looking upon my trouble, ●…nd my kinsmen stood afar off. 12 They also that sought after ●…y life laid snares for me: and they ●…hat went about to do me evil ●…alked of wickedness, and imagi●…ed deceit all the day long. 13 As for me, I was like a deaf man and heard not: and as one that is dumb, which doth not open his mouth. 14 I became even as a man that heareth not: and in whose mouth are no reproofs. 15 For in thee, O Lord, have I put my trust: thou shalt answer for me, O Lord my God. 16 I have required that they ●…uen mine enemies) should not ●…umph over me: for when my f●… slipped, they rejoiced greatly aga●… me. 17 And I truly am set in 〈◊〉 plague: and my heaviness is e●… in my sight. 18 For I will confess my wickededness: and be sorry for my sinn●… 19 But mine enemies live a●… are mighty: and they that hate m●… wrongfully are many in number. 20 They also that reward evil for good, are against me: because I follow the thing that good is. 21 Forsake me not, O Lord my God: be not thou far from me. 22 Hast thee to help me: O Lord God of my salvation. PSALM LI. Have mercy upon me, O God, after thy great goodness: according unto the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness: and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my faults: 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sin is ever before me. 4 ●…gainst thee only have I sinne●…, & done this evil in thy sight: th●… thou mightst be justified in th●… saying, and clear when thou a●… judged. 〈◊〉 Behold I was shapen in wic●…nesse, and in sin hath my moth●… conceived me. 〈◊〉 But lo, thou requirest truth in 〈◊〉 inward parts: & shalt make me 〈◊〉 understand wisdom secretly. 〈◊〉 Thou shalt purge me with I●…e, and I shall be clean: thou ●…lt wash me, and I shall be whi●… than snow. 8 Thou shalt make me hear of ●…y & gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Turn thy face from my sins: and put out all my misdeeds. 10 Make me a clean heart o God, and renew a right spirit within me 11 Cast me not away from thy presence: and take not thy holy Spirit from me. 12 O give me the comfort of thy help again, and 'stablish me with thy free Spirit. 13 Then shall I teach thy waye●… unto the wicked: and sinners sh●… be converted unto thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodg●… tinesse, O GOD, thou that a●… God of my health: and my tongue shall sing of thy righteousness. 15 Thou shalt open my lips (O Lord) and my mouth shall show thy praise. 16 For thou desirest no sacrifice, else would I give it thee: but th●… delightest not in burnt offerings. 17 The sacrifice of GOD is a troubled spirit: a broken and a contrite heart (O God) shalt thou not despise. 18 O be favourable and gracious unto Zion: build thou the walls of jerusalem. 19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifice of righteousness, with the burnt offerings and oblations: then shall they offer young bullocks upon thine Altar. PSALM CII. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and let my crying come unto thee. 2 Hide not thy face from me in 〈◊〉 ●…e of my trouble: incline 〈◊〉 ears unto me when I call, O hear me, and that right soon. 3 For my days are consumed away like smoke: and my bones 〈◊〉 burnt up as it were a firebrand. 4 My heart is smitten down & withered like grass: so that I forget to eat my bread. 5 For the voice of my groaning, my bones will scarce cleave to my flesh. 6 I am become like a Pelican in the Wilderness: & like an Owl that is in the desert. 6 I have watched, and am even as it were a Sparrow that sitteth alone upon the house top. 8 Mine enemies revile me all the day long: and they that are mad upon me are sworn together against me. 9 For I have eaten ashes as it were bread: and mingled my drink with weeping. 10 And that because of thine indignation and wrath, for thou hast taken me up, and cast me down. 11 My days are gone like a shadow: and I am withered 〈◊〉 grass. 12 But thou, O Lord, shalt ●…dure for ever: and thy reme●…brance throughout all gener●…ons. 13 Thou shalt arise and hau●… mercy upon Zion: for it is time that thou have mercy on her, ye●… the time is come. 14 And why? thy servants think upon her stones: & it pitieth the●… to see her in the dust. 15 The Heathen shall fear thy Name, O Lord: and all the Kings of the earth thy Majesty. 16 When the Lord shall build up Zion: and when his glory shall appear. 17 When he turneth him unto the prayer of the poor destitute: and despiseth not their desire. 18 This shall be written for those that come after: and the people that shall be borne shall praise the Lord. 19 For he hath looked down from his sanctuary: out of the heaven did the Lord behold the earth. 20 That he might hear the mour●…g of such as be in captiui●… 〈◊〉 deliver the children ap●…ed unto death. 21 That they may declare the 〈◊〉 of the Lord in Zion: & his ●…rship at jerusalem. 22 When the people are gathe●…ed together: and the kingdoms 〈◊〉 to serve the Lord. 23 H●…e brought down my strength in my journey: and shortened my days. 24 But I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of mine age: 〈◊〉 for thy years, they endure throughout all generations. 25 Thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundations of the earth: and the Heavens are the work of thy hands. 26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: they shall wax old as doth a garment. 27 And as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. 28 The Children of thy Servants shall continue: a●…d their seed shall stand fast in thy sight. PSALM CXXX. OUt of the deep have I c●… unto thee, O Lord: Lord h●… my voice. 2 Oh let thine ears cou●… well the voice of my complaint. 3 If thou Lord wilt be extr●… to mark what is done amiss, 〈◊〉 Lord who may abide it? 4 For there is mercy with th●… therefore shalt thou be feared. 5 I look for the Lord, my so●… doth wait for him: in his word 〈◊〉 my trust. 6 My soul flieth unto the Lord before the morning watch: I say before the morning watch. 7 O Israel trust in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy: and with him is plenteous redemption. 8 And he shall redeem Israel, from all his sins. PSALM CXLIII. Hear my prayer, O Lord, an●… consider my desire: hearke●… 〈◊〉 ●…ter not into judgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 servant, for 〈◊〉 thy sight 〈◊〉 ●…o man living be justified. 3 For the enemy hath persecu●… my soul, he hath smitten my 〈◊〉 down to the ground: he hath ●…d me in the darkness, as the men that have been long dead. 4 Therefore is my spirit vexed within me: and my heart within 〈◊〉 is desolate. 5 Yet do I remember the time past, I must upon all thy works: yea I exercise myself in the works of thy hands. 6 I stretched forth my hands unto thee: my soul gaspeth unto thee as a thirsty land. 7 Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my spirit waxeth faint: hide not thy face from me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit. 8 O let me hear thy loving kindness betimes in the morning, for in thee is my trust: show thou me the way that I should walk in, for I ●…ft up my soul unto thee. me foor●…h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of righteousness. 11 D●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord, s●… thy name's sake: 〈◊〉 for thy righteousness s●…e bring my soul out of trouble. 12 And of thy goodness ●…mine enemies: and de●…y ●…ll them that vex my soul, for I am thy servant. FINIS.