Part II — Preces Quotidianae
§41 *Oratio præparatoria ante* Εὐλογίαν + *Monita et Meditationes præparatoriæ in Vespertina ad Deum elevatione mentis* (→ *Scrutinium et Inquisitio, vel Examen*)
Printed 385
1{ Scrutinium et inquisitionem
2Per{vel examen sui,
3{ Preces et gratiarum actiones.
4Scrutinium et Inquisitio, vel Examen.
5Aug.Vir bonus præponit scire infirmitatem suam, magis
6quam scire fundamenta terræ, et fastigia cœli.
7Illa vero scientia infirmitatis suæ non paratur
8absque inquisitione diligenti; sine qua cæcus ple-
9rumque est animus, atque in propriis nihil videt.
10Cicero.Multæ sunt in animo latebræ multique recessus,
11etc.
12Seneca.Deprehendas te oportet, antequam emendes.
13Ignotum ulcus in deterius abit, et curatione
14destituitur.
15Jer. xvii. 9.Βαθεῖα ἡ καρδία παρὰ πάντα.
16Cor profundum est et tortuosum.
17Homo vetus mille involucris obtegitur.
18Itaque πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ.Attende tibi ipsi.
19Hoc autem maxime inquirendum;
20{ Egeris,| { Legeris,
21{ Dixeris,| { Scripseris.
22{
23Quid hodie{ { quod{ deceat Christianum, sacerdotem,
24{{patrem, etc.
25{{ confirmet fidem, obedientiam,
26{{augeat scientiam.
27{{ vel regimen { animi,
28{{{ corporis.
29{{ operetur salutem { tuam,
30{{{ aliorum.
English
1{ The search and inquisition,
2By{or examination, of oneself,
3{ Prayers and thanksgivings.
4The Search and Inquisition, or Examination.
5Aug.A good man had rather know his own weakness than
6know the foundations of the earth and the heights of heaven.
7But that knowledge of his own weakness is not come by
8without diligent inquisition; without which the mind is for the
9most part blind, and seeth nothing in its own matters.
10Cicero.There are many lurking-places in the mind, and many recesses,
11&c.
12Seneca.Thou must catch thyself before thou canst mend thyself.
13A sore unknown goeth from bad to worse, and is left
14without cure.
15Jer. xvii. 9.The heart is deep beyond all things.
16The heart is deep, and crooked.
17The old man is covered over with a thousand wrappings.
18Therefore πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ — take heed unto thyself.
19And this above all is to be inquired into;
20{ Done,| { Read,
21{ Said,| { Written.
22{
23What to-day{ { that{ may beseem a Christian, a priest,
24thou hast{ which{a father, &c.
25{{ may confirm faith and obedience,
26{{increase knowledge.
27{{ or the governance of { the mind,
28{{{ the body.
29{{ may work salvation { thine own,
30{{{ others'.
Printed 386
1Deum Ipsum videmus singulos primæ creationis dies non
2aliter claudentem, quam per recognitionem operum
3cujusque diei.
4Et vidit quod bona essent.Gen. i. [31.]
5Cicero.Cato diurni negotii a se rationem exigebat, et
6Pythagoras etiam.
7Ausonius ex Pythagora:
8Nec prius in dulcem declinent lumina somnum,
9Omnia quam longi repetiveris acta diei.
10Rex David, exacto die, meditabatur,
11καὶ ἔσκαλλε τὸ Πνεῦμα.
12In hoc Areopagitico et nocturno examine,
13Vide ne patronum te ostendas peccatorum, sed
14judicem.
15Et in tribunali mentis tuæ dic,
16(Dic cum dolore et indignatione)
17Iniquitatem meam agnosco, Domine,Psal. li. 3.
18O quis dabit menti meæ flagella,
19Quæ peccatis meis non parcant?Ecclus. xxiii. 2.
20Εἰ ἑαυτοὺς διεκρίνομεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐκρινόμεθα.1 Cor. xi. 31.
21{ κοιμωμένων φύλαξ, dormientium custos,
22Oratio est{ ἐγρηγορότων θάρσος, vigilantium fiducia.
23{Gr. Nyss.
24Neque eum tutum arbitramur, qui non fuerit
25Orationis armis præsidioque munitus.
26Recte igitur Rab. J. de pœnitentia non in crastinum
27differenda,
28ראה חזתלת התועלת והתשועה נכזבה
English
1We see God himself closing each several day of the first creation
2no otherwise than by a review of the works
3of that day.
4And he saw that they were good.Gen. i. [31.]
5Cicero.Cato required of himself an account of the day's business, and
6Pythagoras likewise.
7Ausonius, out of Pythagoras:
8Nor let thine eyes sink first into slumber sweet,
9Ere thou have told again the long day's deeds.
10King David, when the day was done, mused,
11and dug over his spirit.
12In this Areopagite and nightly trial,
13See thou shew thyself not the advocate of thy sins, but
14their judge.
15And at the bar of thine own mind say,
16(Say it with grief and with indignation)
17I acknowledge mine iniquity, O Lord,Psal. li. 3.
18O who will set scourges over my mind,
19That shall not spare my sins?Ecclus. xxiii. 2.
20If we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.1 Cor. xi. 31.
21{ κοιμωμένων φύλαξ, the guard of them that sleep,
22Prayer is{ ἐγρηγορότων θάρσος, the confidence of them that wake.
23{Gregory of Nyssa.
24Neither do we count that man safe who hath not been
25fenced with the arms and garrison of prayer.
26Rightly therefore saith Rab. J., of repentance that is not to be put off
27till the morrow,
29See, the hope of the profit and of the deliverance is proved false.
Printed 387
1(i. e.) Ecce spes fructus et salutis falsa sibi erit in æter-
2num, nisi animam tuam etiam hac nocte eripueris.
3Et hujusmodi examen si per aliquot dies aut unum
4saltem mensem fiat (cum pœnitentia), sufficiet ut
5perfectus virtutis habitus generetur.
6————————
7Sequitur Hymnus Matutinus, usus antiquissimi in Ec-
8clesia, ex MS. Alexandrino Bibliothecæ Regiæ.Accedit
9et Vespertinus, quia vetus.De utroque consulendus est
10Rev. Usserius, pp. 41, 43. Lib. de Symbolis.
English
1(that is) Behold, the hope of fruit and of salvation shall be false to
2itself for ever, unless thou rescue thy soul this very night.
3And if such an examination be made for some days, or for one
4month at the least (with repentance), it will suffice that
5a perfect habit of virtue be bred.
6————————
7There followeth the Morning Hymn, of most ancient use in the
8Church, out of the Alexandrine MS. of the King's Library.There
9is added the Evening Hymn also, because it is old.Concerning
10both, the Rev. Ussher is to be consulted, pp. 41, 43, Book of the Creeds.