The exercise of a christian life. Written in Italian by the Reuerend Father Gaspar Loarte D. of Diuinitie, of the Societie of Iesus. And newly translated into Englishe. by I.S.

A DECLARATION of the Pater noster.

¶ Cap. 32. (Book 32)

THIS prayer is of al other the most holy and most ex∣cellent, as-wel in respect of the maker Iesus Christe our Lorde and Sauior; as also, for that vnder so smal a compasse is taught vs, howe we are to aske al that is needful for our souls and bodies, and is deuided into a pre∣face or proeme, and seuen petitions.

THE preface a 1.1 is; Our Father, which art in heauen, fitt wordes, to stirre vp such b 1.2 attention and deuotion, as is meete to say this prayer withal; for hereby are we put in minde, how we speake to the moste high and Omnipotent God; whom we cal father, for twoo causes; first, by creation, hauing crea∣ted vs, as he did al other creatures: next, by adoption, sith through Iesus

Christe his onely natural sonne he hath receaued al those that beleeue in his holy name; for his children adoptiue; and this word, Our Father, doth vs to witt, what honor, obedience, and loue we are bound to beare towardes such a father; as also, what charitie we ought to haue amongst our selues, be∣ing al brethren, and children of one self-same Father. These wordes, Which art in heauen, warne vs to lift vp our heartes and desires to heauen, where our father is; and howe we must liue here, not like terrestral, but celestial Citizens; sith our Father is resident * 1.3 aboue in heauen. Who is saide to be there, for that he appereth there glo∣rious to his elect, albeit he be in eche other place in the selfe same sub∣stance, power, and presence.

THE FIRST petition is; a 1.4 Halowed be thy name and is a petition worthy the childrē of such a father; sith good childrē, the principal care they haue,

is to seeke and desire whatsoeuer con∣cerneth the reuerence and honour of their Father: Euen so doo we in this first petition couet and desire, that God our father be halowed and sanc∣tified in vs; that is, that he be knowē, honoured, and reuerenced of vs; we by his grace performing such works, a 1.5 wherby al those that see vs, maye prayse and glorifie this our heauenly father.

THE SECOND petitiō is; b 1.6 Thy king∣dome come; wherin we shewe the boy∣ling desire we haue, or should haue, to abandon this c 1.7 exile; and to come to that heauenlye and eternal inheri∣tance, which God hath prepared for those that loue him; thither is it we craue by these wordes happily to be conducted. And whiles this our flit∣ting is deferred (for so is it meete it should be) we praye in this petition, that his kingdome of grace doo come vnto vs; that is, that God by grace

reigne in vs, and no sinne soiorne in our soules, to let vs from seruing this celestial king, with whom we hope one day to liue and reigne eternallye.

THE THIRD petition is; a 1.8 Thy wil be 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in earth as it is in heauen; wherein we craue grace to obey Goddes behests with like obeisance and redines here in earth, as the Angels, and whole number of elect doo fulfil them in heauen, and are continually confor∣mable to his moste holye wil. We ought therefore to take great heede, that in our workes we be not contra∣rye to our wordes; and that we al en∣force our selues to obey God perfect∣ly, and continually to conforme our selues to his diuine wil, as-wel in ad∣uersitie as in prosperitie, saying al∣wayes in eche thing he shal send vnto vs; Thy wil be done in earth as it is in heauen.

THE FOVRTH petition is; b 1.9 Geue vs this day our dayly bread; wherin we beg of our holye father, like poore and needie creatures, sustenaunce of

body and soule, such as may be neces∣sary for vs in this our temporal life. For our bodies, we begge, vnder the name of bred, al other necessary thin∣ges for the intertainment of this our transitory life; and therewith, accor∣ding as they shal-be geuen vs, ought we moderately to holde our selues contented. For our soules, we craue spiritual breade; to wit, his diuine word, a a 1.10 sauourie sustenance for our soules; and withal, that moste blessed Sacrament of the b 1.11 Aultar, with the other Sacramentes of the Churche, which doo wonderfully feede, foster, and recure our soules infirmities.

THE FIFT petition is; c 1.12 And forgeue vs our trespasses, as we forgeue them that tres∣passe against vs. In this petitiō we craue the most grieuous and difficult debts of this life to be forgeuen vs; to witt, our trespasses and crimes committed, whereby we remaine oblieged and thral to most greeuous calamities and

nishmentes. By annexing these wor∣des; as we forgeue thē that trespasse against vs; we are warned, that if we wil haue God to acquit and forgeue our debts, we must acquitt others, and forgeue them that haue anye wayes offended vs. a 1.13 Otherwise, our petition shal in no wise be allowed.

THE SIXT petition is; b 1.14 And leade vs not into ten 〈◊〉〈◊〉 whereby we craue Gods diuine succour (knowing, howe we haue many foes to fight withal in this life) that with their temptations and tretcheries we be not ouercome; but resisting manfullye against the worlde, the fleshe, and the deuil, we may so merite at length to be crow∣ned like woorthy Conquerours.

THE SEVENTH and last petitiō is; c 1.15 But deliuer vs from euil: wherein we craue of this most bountiful and lo∣uing father, that he vouchsafe to pre∣serue vs from the perils, troubles, and calamities of this life, and from eche

other euil that maye withdrawe or hinder vs frō diuine seruice, and the obteining of that which we haue in this prayer required.

That last worde, Amen, which is as a 1.16 muche, as, So be it, is a confirmation of that we haue craued; wherwith we shew the desire and hope we haue to obteine our former petitions.

THE b 1.17 Salutation Angelical, which is that, where with our blessed Ladye was greeted by the Angel Gabriel.

AVE Maria gratia plena, Domi∣nus tecum: benedicta tu in muli∣eribus, & benedictus fructus ven∣tris tui Iesus. Sancta Maria ma∣ter Dei ora pro nobis peccatoribus, nunc, & in hora mortis nostrae.

Amen.

HAILE Mary ful of grace, our Lord is with thee: blessed art thou amongst wemen, and blessed is the fruit of thy wombe IESVS. Holy Mary mo∣ther of God, praye for vs sinners, both nowe, and in the houre of our death.

Amen.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Mala. 1. b Rom. 8. c Galat. 4. a
• b 1.2

  Cipr. in ser. de 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dom.
• * 1.3

  〈◊〉〈◊〉
• a 1.4

  Mat. 5 b 1. Cor. 10. g. Rom 15. b Eccl. 36. a.
• a 1.5

  Mat. 5. b Luc. 1. g. Phal 2. b 1. Pet. 3. c
• b 1.6

  Mat. 6. d Rom. 14. c Psal. 22. a. 79. a. Lu. 1. c. 17. e 1. Cor. 3. c. 4. d. Ephes. 1. d.
• c 1.7

  Phil. 1. d. Heb. 11. c. 1. Pet. 2. b. Ioh. 7. a
• a 1.8

  Ps. 102. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Rom. 1. b. Act. 9. a 21 c. Deut. 12 a. Heb. 13. d Iacoh. 4. d. 1. Pet. 4. a.
• b 1.9

  Iac. 1. a. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Ps 39 d. Deut. 10. d. Genes 28 d 1. Tim 6. b. Preu. 30. a Psal. 144 c
• a 1.10

  Mat. 4. a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 8. c. Eccl 15. a. Prou. 9. b
• b 1.11

  mat. 25 c Ioh. 6 d. Hier. in. 6. ca Math. Cipr in ser. de Oratio∣ne Dom. Amb. li. 5. de Sacr. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 4.
• c 1.12

  Thre. 4. b 1. Cor. 10. b Leuit 26. c. Num. 5. a. c Exod. 32 f Luc. 7. g.
• a 1.13

  Mat. 6. b 18. d. c Eccle. 28. a Aug in Euch c. 74.
• b 1.14

  Mat. 4 a b. 26. d. Heb 2 d. 2 Thes 3 a. 1. Ioh. 2. c.
• c 1.15

  3. Re 8 d. Prou. 10 d Eccl. 23. a. Hier. 2. c. Tob. 1. d. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Psal. 33. a. b. d
• a 1.16

  2. Cor. 1. d Ambros. in Psal 40. Hier. in ca. 6. Math.
• b 1.17

  Luc. 1. c Chri. Basil. & Iacob. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Liturg. Aug ser. 2. de Annun∣tiatione. Amb. in ca. 1. Lucae.