a Guest but with great humility bespeak him as a Father recount to him her calamities and beg of him the remedy thereof acknowledging she is unworthy to be his daughter Treat ye with him as with a Father with a Brother with a Lord and with a Spouse sometimes in one manner sometimes in another for he will teach you what you must do to please him Observe that it concerns you much to understand this truth that God abides within you and that there we may abide with him This way of praying although it be vocally with much more speed recollects the understanding and is a way of Prayer that brings with it many good things being stiled of Recollection This she supposeth to be in our power by our endeavours to attain to Because the Soul in it recollects all her faculties and enters within her self with her God and there her Divine Master comes to instruct and teach her in a much briefer manner than 't is in other ways and to bestow upon her the Prayer of rest This is the lowest sort of Prayer which she calls super-natural and not in our power to acquire Because thus retired she may here with her self meditate on the passion and here represent the Son as Crucified and offer him to the Father and not weary the understanding in going forth to seek him on Mount Calvary or in the Garden or at the Pillar Those who in this manner can lock in themselves in this little Heaven of our Soul where abides he that created both the Heaven and the Earth and shall inure themselves not to behold nor stay where the exterior senses distract them let them believe that they walk in an excellent way and that they shall not fail at last to arrive to drink water from the fountain In this recollection the Soul retires the exercise of its faculties from these exterior things and in such a manner abhors them that tho unawares she shuts the bodily eyes not to behold them that so those of the Soul may see so much better Accordingly who walks by this way almost always in Prayer keeps his eyes shut and it is an admirable custome for many things because it is as it were a forcing ones self not to observe these things below This shutting the eyes happens only in the beginnings of such recollections for afterwards its needless since then we must use more force upon our selves to open them The Soul at such a time seems to fortify her self at the bodies charge i. e. in withdrawing from it its Spirits and leave it all alone and much enfeebled and thence to draw provisions and maintainance against it And although this power of retiring the faculties in the beginning is not perceived because it is not much for in this recollection there are degrees of more and less yet if it be once brought into a custome although at the first it causes some trouble because the body replies and disputes the business not perceiving that it destroys it self in not yielding to and suffering such a conquest if I say this for some days be used and we force our selves to it the gain thereof will be manifest and we shall afterward perceive that in the beginning of Prayer the Bees will presently repair to their Hive and enter there-into to make Honey and that without any diligence or trouble of ours because so it hath pleased God that by that former time of forcing our selves the Soul and the Will hath merited to be endowed with such a command as that in only intimating to them and no more that she would withdraw them the faculties obey her and retire unto her And although after a while they return to go forth again yet much is gained that thus they have been retired because they now go abroad only as slaves and subjects nor do that mischief in it as formerly and when the Will again recalls them they come with more readiness till after many of these Re-entrances of the Soul into it self it at length please the Lord that they should fix there altogether in a contemplation more perfect §. 103. And this which I have said although it appear obscure yet who will put it in practice shall easily understand it c. And since it so much concerns us not to go on in our Devotions slowly let us discourse a little how we may inure our selves to so good a way of proceeding in them Let us therefore make account that within us there stands a Palace of most rich workmanship its Edifice consisting all of Gold and precious Stones in fine every way such as is suting to so great a Lord and that you are in part the cause that this Edifice is such as indeed it is for there is no Fabrick at all of so great beauty as a Soul pure and replenished with vertues which by how much greater they are so much greater is the lustre of those precious Stones and that in this Palace lodgeth that great King who is pleased to make himself your guest and that he is there seated in a Throne of the greatest value which is your Heart This will seem at the first to you but a thing impertinent that I should make such a fiction to make you understand it yet it may help much you especially c. Again Chapter 29th She proceeds thus on the same subject The Soul 's entring within her self into this Paradice together with her God and locking the door after her against all things which are in the world Ye may know that it is not at all a thing super-natural but that it depends on our Will and that we are able to do it with that help of God without which we are able to do nothing at all not so much as to have of our selves one only good thought For this is not a silence of the faculties but a shutting them up within themselves §. 104. Many ways we go on in acquiring it both by dis-busying our selves from all other things that we may interiourly thus joyn our selves unto God and in business also by retiring sometimes into our selves tho it be but for a moment This remembring my self that I have such a companion within me is of great help and that which I only aim at is that we procure to stand with him whom we are speaking to without turning our backs upon him for no other thing than turning our backs seems it to me to stand in discourse with God and be thinking on many vanities All the damage comes from not understanding that most truly he stands near us and not a far off from us But how far is he from us if we go to seek him in Heaven The Lord teach this to those of you who do not know it I confess for my self that I never knew what it was to pray with any affection until the Lord taught me this way And I have always found so much benefit of this Custome and manner of recollection within
Governour and the Holy Ghost ever illuminating and sanctifying the members thereof With which Church was always established the same Covenant of Grace in Christ the same Sacraments for the substance the same way of Salvation under the same precepts through the like obedience and sufferings upon the same promises and threats of the same rewards and punishments See Heb. 11. Hence ever since the fall we find in the sacred Story as one Generation the Children of Works and born after the flesh as Cain Lamech Cam Canaan Aegypt Babylon c. so another the Children of Faith first Abel Martyr then Seth Father of the whole Race Enos Enoch Noah Shem Abraham to whom the Gospel was more fully preached and the Covenant of Faith published 430 years before the promulgation of the Law c. See all these things prosecuted at large in the forementioned Discourse §. 185. The Love and Power of the Father and the Son VII HEADS for Meditation on the several Offices and Benefits to MANKIND of the HOLY-GHOST The Holy-Ghost the Eternal Spirit of God The intimate Communion and Love of the Father and the Son the Finger of God the Strength and Power of the Father as the Son is the Wisdome of the Father the omnipotent worker of all that which the Father decrees and which the Son the word of the Father commands §. 186. The Spirit of Promise The Holy-Ghost the Holy Spirit of Promise who as the Son was a long time the Promise of the Father to this lower world so after the exhibition of our Saviour this Holy Spirit was a further promise unto it both of the Father and of the Son and at last upon the departure of the Son came down from heaven to abide and dwell with us here on earth in our Lord's absence until his second coming who as the Son was sent by the Father into the world to glorify the Father and to teach men what he had received and heard from the Father so the Holy Spirit descended to glorify the Son and to teach and bring to our remembrance to confirm and bear witness here on earth to all things that were taught and heard and received from the Son who was here pleased not only to be cohabitant with us but an inhabitant within us and vouchsafed to lodge in our persons as the Son did before to dwell in our nature making these our Bodies now the Temples of the Holy-Ghost By whom also both the Father and the Son do dwell with us and in us who put the last hand unto the great affair of our Salvation finishing the internal work thereof upon us in our Sanctification as our Saviour did before the external for us in our Redemption §. 187. The Spirit of Regeneration The Holy Ghost the Spirit of Regeneration who by his unspeakable power doth work the strange work of our second Nativity who is the seed of God by whom we are new Creatures by whom we are begotten and born again born of God and made partakers of the Divine Nature and Sons of God who is the heavenly principle derived into us from the second Adam Lord from Heaven conveying into our Soul Holiness and into our Body Immortality and Life as the flesh we received from the first Adam conveyed unto us sin and death Who being the same Spirit in us that also is in Christ is the bond of that mystical union between Jesus the Head and us the members and between us and all other fellow-members making all Christians but one and the same Body of the same temper of the same inclinations of one heart and one mind amongst our selves and with the head as being all actuated and moved by one and the same Spirit §. 188. The Spirit of Illumination The Holy-Ghost conveying its gracious Influences and Effects both into our Souls and into our Bodies Into our Souls both in our Vnderstanding and Memory and in our Will and Affections In our Vnderstanding and Memory The Spirit of Illumination who being the Spirit of God and knowing all the deep things of God as a man's Spirit doth the things of a man when as we by Adam's fall do remain miserably blinded and darkned in our Vnderstanding doth reveal unto us all the supernatural mysteries of our Redemption and Salvation and produceth in us a lively faith and credence of things not seen who beareth witness within us to all the doctrine of Christ to the truth of the Gospel and to all the promises and threats thereof by whom it is that we call Jesus Lord who is the Spirit of Truth to guide us into all Truth by whose unction we know all things beneficial to us and are every one taught of God from whom those who are his more diligent and worthy servants receive manifold revelations visions illuminations both in things of spiritual and temporal concernment both for their own edification and the edification of others knowledge of the mysteries of Religion and of the deeper sence of the word of God knowledge of things to come of the secrets of the heart of things done in absence and at the remotest distance The word of Wisdome and Counsel the gift of Eloquence and powerful perswasion Wisdome in Offices and Governments The Holy Spirit distributing unto men these several Gifts as seemeth good unto him and fit for the work wherein he imploys them And all our science being much perfecter and directed to nobler ends when this conferred by the Holy Spirit §. 189. The Spirit of Love Toward God The Holy Ghost in our Will and Affections the Spirit of Love Of Love first toward God and also towards our Neighbour Towards God who doth inflame us with an impatient love of God and things Divine who according to the promise under the Gospel writeth all God's laws in our heart and inclineth our will to obey his Commandments no more out of constraint and fear but out of choice and affection who dictateth to us all our acceptable prayers to and acceptable praises of God and leadeth the greater proficients in God's service into a perfect contemplation of and union with him Elevating them with rapts and extasies and consuming the Soul with the flames of Divine Love §. 190. Towards our Brethren The Holy-Ghost the Spirit of love to our Neighbour Who doth enflame us with a most ardent love towards our Brethren whose blessed fruits are love peace long-suffering gentleness goodness meekness by whom the Saints are rendred kind not envying not vaunting themselves above others not seeking their own not easily provoked thinking no evil bearing all things believing all things hoping all things enduring all things Who teacheth us to keep our Saviour's new Commandment of Love and bestoweth on us this most excellent gift of Charity §. 191. The Spirit of Corporal Parity and Mortification The Holy-Ghost conferring its gracious effects and influences as on the Soul so on the Body In it The Spirit of Mortification and Chastity Who continually warreth against
the flesh and delighteth in the severest afflicting and subduing thereof especially taketh pleasure in its Purity and Chastity and eminently opposeth all uncleanness and those risings of Concupiscence which sin first discovered in our first Parents Who also continually warreth against this world opposing the vain shews of this present life with the representation to the eye of Faith of the Glories of that to come Who also fighteth against Satan and being stronger than he hath cast him out and possessed his house from whose gracious descent upon our Saviour's ascension this evil Spirit hath suffered a great restraint of his former delusions by his Oracles being silenced and Idolatry destroyed §. 192. The Internal Intercessor and Advocate The Holy-Ghost the Paraclete our Intercessor and Advocate here on earth within us to the Father and as the Son is in heaven with God Who helpeth our Infirmities not knowing what we ought to pray for and maketh intercession within us for us with groans that cannot be uttered Who maketh intercessions according to the will of God because he knoweth the deep things of God and God that searcheth the heart knoweth the secret mind of this Spirit Who crieth in our hearts Abba Father and teacheth us to pray by which Spirit all our Prayers must be offered as they are offered through the Son that we may find any access unto the Father Who abiding here on earth with us is the effectual Reconciler and maker of our peace for any sins which we commit whether against the Father or the Son But when we sin against him also and make him depart from us we are desolate since there is no person any more left that can acceptably sue or make request for our pardon without this Spirit §. 193. The Internal Comforter The Holy-Ghost the Comforter whose Divine presence rendreth all sufferings not only supportable but pleasant that which is contrary to the flesh being so much the more grateful to the Spirit who graciously doth afford in all mortifications and sufferings sufficient ability internal peace and spiritual joy who freeing us from the former spirit of fear is the author of a lively constant hope and confidence in God whereby we always rejoyce in and long and wait for that blessed day of our Consummation and the appearance of our Saviour that so we may enter into the joy of our Lord. §. 194. The Spirit of Obsignation and Vnction The Holy-Ghost the Spirit of Vnction and Obsignation an Vnction and a nointing from the holy one whereby we are consecrated unto God as the Lord Jesus was and made Kings and Priests hereafter to reign under Him and to serve Him in his heavenly Temple who is the Seal of God upon us that we are already his adopted Sons and shall be Heirs of all his rich Promises in their due season who is the Earnest of his Covenant made with us and first fruits of the plentiful Harvest to come by whom we have now a foretast of those heavenly Gifts and of the good word and promise of God and of the power of Christ's Kingdome and of the world to come §. 195. The Spirit of Miracles and wonderful Works The Holy-Ghost the Spirit of Power and Might of all miraculous and wonderful Works over all the Creatures and over all the Works of Nature which at first he made Spiritual and Corporal over Satan and all his instruments expelling them and confining them at pleasure over all infirmities and diseases Who only doth great wonders upon the earth above and contrary to the course of Nature healeth the sick enlighteneth the blind strengthneth the lame restoreth the withered multiplyeth food raiseth the dead freeth the possessed cureth the wounded Soul and broken Spirit sanctifieth perverse inclinations to testify to men the power and presence of God amongst them §. 196. The Internal Seed of Immortality The Holy Ghost the Seed of Immortality in our corruptible Bodies and a fountain in us springing up unto eternal life By whose virtue and efficacy It being here sown in shame will hereafter spring up glorious weak shall come up in power natural shall come up spiritual and angelical Who dwelling in this our flesh will never forsake it until as it did raise the Body of Christ our Head from the Dead so it shall have raised up the Body of us his Members and until these Bodies also by the virtue of this Spirit shall ascend like unto his and be caught up in the Clouds to meet him Until this our vile Body shall be made like unto his glorious Body and until as we now bear the image of the earthly Adam so we shall bear the image of the heavenly into which we shall be changed by the Spirit of the Lord from Glory to Glory till with the Angels and Saints the Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs we be all made one in God and God all in all To whom be given all Glory unto all Eternity Amen FINIS LITANIES The LITANY to the Sacred Trinity O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the World Have c. O God the Holy-Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son Have mercy on us O Holy Blessed and Glorious Trinity three Persons and one God Have mercy on us Holy Holy Holy Lord God Omnipotent which art which wast and art to come Have mercy on us Who manifested'st thy Name I am that I am to Moses whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain and the whole Earth is filled with thy Majesty Have mercy on us Everlasting King Immortal Invisible who inhabitest that Light unto which no man can approach great in counsel and mighty in work and of whose wisdome there is no end Have mercy on us Who only dost great things and unsearchable marvellous things without number who workest all things according to the purpose of thy will and madest all things for thy self Have mercy on us One God and Father of us all who art above all and thro all and in us all from whom by whom and in whom are all things in whom we live and have our Being Have mercy on us Who hast disposed all things in number weight and measure who madest heaven and earth and all things therein who createdst the earth by thy power and the universe by thy wisdome Have mercy on us The Lord forming light and creating darkness making peace and creating evil in whose hands is the life of every living thing and the breath of all flesh Have c. The Lord that searchest the heart and triest the reins who quicknest the dead and callest those things that are not as if they were whose eyes are brighter than the Sun beholding all the ways of men Have mercy on us On whom the eyes of all wait and thou givest their meat in due season who openest thy hand and fillest with thy blessing every living thing Have mercy on us Who executest judgment for the oppressed who givest food to the hungry
who healest the broken in heart and bindest up their wounds God of the Fatherless and Judge of the Widows which loosest the Prisoners and openest the eyes of the blind Have mercy on us The Lord God that killest and makest alive who sendest to the grave and bringest back again who increasest the nations and destroyest them who enlargest the nations and straightenest them Have mercy on us God who takest no pleasure in iniquity with whom is no accepting of persons terrible in thy Counsels concerning the Sons of men the strong and jealous God visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children Have mercy on us God whose anger none can withstand the just Judge strong and long-suffering and a consuming fire Have mercy on us The Lord who liftest up the meek and humblest the wicked down to the ground who hast power to cast body and soul into Hell who takest the wily in their own craftiness and scatterest the counsel of the wicked Have mercy on us The Lord compassionate long-suffering of great mercy and truth our Protector and exceeding great Reward Have mercy on us Be merciful and spare us O Sacred Trinity Be merciful and hear us O Sacred Trinity From all evil Deliver us O Lord. From all pride and loftiness of mind from gluttony and surfeiting and all intemperance Deliver us O Lord. From envy hatred and malice from luxury and uncleanness from sloth and inordinate heaviness and anxiety Deliver us O Lord. By the Eternity of thy Glory and Majesty by the infiniteness of thy power by the abundance of thy goodness by the unspeakable greatness of thy love and mercy and by the abysse of thy justice and judgments Deliver us O Lord. In the day of Judgment Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may adore our Lord God and serve thee only in holiness and righteousness all the days of our lives We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may never take thy holy Name in vain that we may keep holy the Festivals of thy Church in exercises of religion and devotion We sinners beseech Thee c. That we may obey and reverence with due honor our Parents Prelates Superiors and all thou hast set over us We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we injure no man's life good name or honor out of anger hatred or envy We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we keep our hearts clean from all inordinate lustings of the flesh and impure affections That we hurt none by stealing damage or any other wrong through cousinage or violence That we never speak a ly or bear false witness against our Neighbour nor covet his goods We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we love thee O God with all our heart with all our soul and with all our strength and that we do to others as we would should be done to our selves We c. That thou wouldest make us grow in all grace that we despise not the riches of thy bounty patience and long-suffering We sinners beseech thee to hear us That we present our bodies a living and holy Sacrifice well-pleasing to Thee that at length we may attain to that kingdome which thou hast prepared for us from the beginning of the world We sinners beseech thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Pacify thy Father towards us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world By thy merits and sufferings redeem us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Send thy holy Spirit into us O Blessed Trinity hear us O Adored Sacred Trinity hear us Lord have mercy upon us Christ have mercy upon us Lord have mercy upon us Our Father which art in Heaven c. Blessed art thou O God the God of our Fathers Praise-worthy and glorious for ever All the Angels and Saints bless thee Praise and magnify thee for ever Bless we the Father Son and Holy Ghost Praise him and exalt him for ever O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray ALmighty and everlasting God from whom descends every good and perfect gift mercifully grant that the serious consideration of thy incomprehensible Majesty may beget in us profound humility and constant obedience and the frequent meditation of thy infinite goodness may move our wills to love thee above all things that we may here in reverence to thy word believe what we do not see and may hereafter in the blissful Vision of thy glory see what now we cannot comprehend thro Jesus Christ our Lord who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen The LITANY to God the Father O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Father which art in Heaven Father of Glory whose face the holy Angels behold continually in heaven who hast life in thy self Have mercy on us Father of whom are all things who hast made us after thine own Image and gavest us dominion over the rest of thy Creatures Have mercy on us Father of our Lord Jesus Christ from whom all paternity is called and derived in heaven and in earth Have mercy on us Who art well pleased in thy Son who lovest him and hast given all things into his hands And who by a voice from heaven didst glorify Him Have mercy on us Who so lovedst the world that thou gavest thy only begotten Son that we should have life by him and would'st have thy Son take upon him the form of a Servant to redeem us that were in bondage Have mercy c. Who by thy Son hast predestinated us into the Adoption of Sons and hast elected us in him before the foundation of the world that we might be holy and unspotted before thee Have mercy on us Who would'st have us conformable to the Image of thy Son and hast called us into Fellowship with him and hast made us acceptable in thy beloved Son without whom none cometh to the Son unless thou O Father drawest him Have mercy on us O Father who sendest out thy Spirit and they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth who fillest the world with thy spirit and givest it to them that ask it of thee Have mercy on us Father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift descendeth who hidest thy mysteries from the wise and revealest them to little ones Have mercy on us Father of mercies and God of all consolation by whom all the hairs of our head are numbred who comfortest us in all our tribulations and hast blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places Have mercy on us Who out of thy abundant charity hast vouchsafed to make us partakers of the inheritance of thy Saints and
obtain pardon and forgiveness of all our sins We sinners c. That the receiving thy Body and Blood may not be to us to judgment and condemnation but to life and salvation and that worthily receiving thy Body and Blood we hunger nor thirst any more nor dy eternally We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That through the worthy participation of thy Body and Blood thou in us and we in thee may abide for ever and that as many as eat of this Bread may be made one in peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That in innocence we may compass thine Altar O Lord and together with thy unspotted Sacrifice offer up our selves a living holy and acceptable Sacrifice to God We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That whom we believe to be in this holy Mystery really present tho veiled under the external elements we may behold at length with open face in everlasting glory We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. Son of God who takest away the sins of the world Hear us good Lord. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Have mercy on us He gave us food from heaven Man did eat Angels Bread Our Father which art Heaven c. O Lord hear our Prayers And let our cry come unto thee Let us pray WE adore thee O Lord Jesus with a true and lively faith in the Sacrament of the Altar with thy body and soul thy flesh and blood by the ineffable power of thy wisdome and goodness really present who at thy departure out of this world to the Father left us this Sacrament as a pledge of thy love that by a new and admirable way thou mightst still remain with us whose delight is to be with the Sons of men Cleanse our souls we beseech thee from all our sins and infirmities and feed them with the crums which fall from thy table that we may be filled with the marrow and fatness of thy heavenly blessings Come unto us dear Saviour and heal our sinful souls feed the hungry and refresh the weak Deliver us from all evil make us always adhere to thy commandements and never suffer us to be separated from thee Who livest and reignest one God world without end Amen O God who in this admirable Sacrament hast left us a memorial of thy Passion grant us we beseech thee so worthily to reverence the sacred mysteries of thy Body and Blood that we may daily find in us the fruit of thy Redemption Who livest and reignest in the unity of the Holy Ghost one God world without end Amen WE adore thee O Saviour of our Souls eternal word of the Father true Sacrifice offered for the sins of the whole world O most precious treasure replenished with all delight the resting place of pure and clean hearts O Angelical viand O Celestial bread O Eternal word of the Father which art for us made flesh and yet remainest God in the self same person We confess Thee most undoubtedly true God and Man consecrated in a most miraculous manner on our Altars to be there given to us and offered to thy Father for us Thou art the assured hope and only Salvation of sinners Thou art the Sovereign restorative of those that languish and the inexhaustible treasure of the poor distressed Pilgrims Hallowed be thy name O most sweet Saviour Jesus Christ may all thy Creatures sing forth praises and thanksgivings unto thee for the love wherewith thou tendrest our welfare by descending from heaven and offering up thy pure and innocent Body on the Cross for our Redemption Hallowed be thy name most blessed Jesus that after thy Resurrection and Ascension since thou wast to ascend into heaven there to sit at the right hand of the Father thou vouchsafest to leave us the self same immortal Body as a memorial of thy departure and a pledge of thy infinite love thou bearest us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy on us and grant us thy peace refresh our Souls with this spiritual and heavenly food and comfort us continually with thy graces that neither in life nor death we may depart from thee nor be deprived at any time of thy celestial benedictions who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost in all Eternity Amen O Most loving Father who sparedst not thy own Son but deliveredst him to death for us all who if we ask thee Bread will not give us a Stone or for an Egg a Scorpion Behold we offer up unto thee Eternal Father this Lamb thy only Son and the infinite merits of his Sacrifice performed on the Cross and beseech thee to give us this day our daily bread bread for the body and all necessaries for this present life whereby we may be the better enabled to serve thee but especially the bread of our Souls the gifts and graces of thy Holy Spirit and whatsoever is necessary to strengthen them lest we faint in the way that we are walking in toward our heavenly country where we shall be abundantly satisfied with the pleasures of thy heavenly table who livest and reignest with the Son and the Holy Ghost one God for ever and ever Amen O Most bountiful Father who givest us from heaven the corn of thine Elect and bread of Life who hast sowed them on earth and laid them up in the Granary of thy Church for the feeding of thy children Grant us frequently to be refreshed with this bread yea spiritually at least to receive it daily which is so useful for us every day and that we may be sustained by this heavenly Viaticum in this our Pilgrimage that in the strength of that food we may travel on to the Mount of God by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen O Father of Mercies and God of all Consolation who in the abundance of thy infinite Charity hath given us thy only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him may not perish but inherit eternal Life and that our necessities may be relieved out of the immense treasure of his Merits Behold me a wretched Sinner tho called by thy mercy into the Society of your Son now also partaking of his Body and Blood and therefore at this instant embracing him in my Breast and possessing him as my very self and what 's intimately united to me And as such in union of that love wherewith heretofore He gave himself for us on the Altar of the Cross and now communicates himself to us in the Sacrament of the Altar I offer Him to thee with all his merits and virtues to thine everlasting praise and glory that thou may'st be perfectly pleased in him and that we who by no action of our own can by the merits and patronage of thy most beloved Son may be compleatly acceptable to thee I present thee O Holy Father with that entire Charity Religion Humility Meekness
with Grace seasoned with Salt that we may know how to answer every man and our discourse such as may some-way edify and minister Grace to the hearers that this busy member being defiled with no filthy or vain communication here may be the more hallowed in the world to come to sing Hallelujahs Doxologies and Thanksgivings for ever and ever to the Blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost Amen A DOXOLOGY to the Blessed Trinity GLory be to the Father of mercies the Father of Men and Angels the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Glory be to the most holy and eternal Son of God the blessed Saviour and Redeemer of the world the Advocate of Sinners the Prince of Peace the Head of the Church and the mighty Deliverer of all them that call upon him Glory be to the holy and eternal Spirit of God that searcheth all things even the depths and hidden things of God the Holy Ghost the Advocate the Comforter the sanctifying and life-giving Spirit All glory and thanks all honour and power all love and obedience be to the blessed and individual Trinity one God Eternal It is most just and right to praise and to glorify to worship and adore to give thanks and to magnify thee the great Maker of all Creatures visible and invisible the Treasure of all good temporal and eternal the Fountain of all life mortal and immortal the Lord and God of all things in heaven and earth the great Father of thy servants the great Master of thy children The Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens and every Power therein the Sun and the Moon and all the Stars of the Sky the Sea and the Earth the heights above all the depths below Jerusalem which is from above the Congregation celestial the Church of the first born written in the heavens the Spirits of the Prophets and just men made perfect the Souls of Apostles and all holy Martyrs Angels and Archangels Thrones and Dominions Principalities and Powers the Spirits of Understanding and the Spirits of Love with never ceasing Hymns and perpetual Anthems cry out night and day and let the humble voice of thy servants also be heard amongst them saying Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts heaven and earth are full of thy glory The Heavens declare thy glory the Earth confesseth thy providence the Sea manifests thy power and every Spirit and every understanding Creature celebrates thy greatness for ever and ever Especially thy miserable creature Man is bound to praise thee because thou mad'st him according to thy own Image because thou gav'st him the riches and the rest of Paradise and when he fell and broke thy easy Commandment thou didst not despise his folly nor leave him in his Sin but didst chastise him with thy Rod and restrain him by thy law and instruct him by thy Prophets and at last by the coming of the second person God the Son into the world did'st renew and repair this thy broken Image for which praised be the Lord God Almighty good and gracious dreadful and venerable holy and merciful to the works of thy hands Hosannah blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord Hosannah in the highest for ever and ever Amen A DOXOLOGY concerning the Ways of God's Providence § 1 O The depth of thy Knowledge and Wisdome O God! how unsearchable are thy Judgments and thy Ways past finding out O Lord how great are thy works how deep are thy thoughts Who can utter thy mighty Acts O Lord Who can shew forth all thy Praise Even from the Creation thy Power delighteth to manifest it self in high and difficult matters and thou walkest contrary to the wisedome of men Thy whole work is to do wonders and by these thou being invisible in person declarest thy presence on the earth Thou bringest light out of darkness good out of evil and strength out of weakness Content and satiety out of poverty and glory and honour out of humility True wisdome and knowledge out of holy simplicity and self-disesteem the greatest consolations and joys out of adversities and sufferings Thou makest thy foolishness to be wiser then men and thy weaknes stronger then men By the foolish things of this world thou confoundest the wise and by the weak things of the world thou confoundest things that are mighty By the base and despised and things that are not thou bringest to nought things that are On the contrary thou bringest scorn and contempt out of the highest of pride ambition and glory covetousnes and unsatiableness out of plenty and abundance Extreme folly out of secular wisdome and cunning and sudden want out of ill gotten wealth Distraction out of the fulfilling our desires and sighing and mourning out of secular joys and pleasures Thou delightest to take the wily in their own craftiness and to deceive the deceivers To make his own net that he hath hid to catch himself and himself to fall into the same destruction he hath prepared for others Thou lovest to judge men by their own self-condemnation and to make the guilty pronounce sentence upon himself To punish men by their faults and to make their own way and not thy power to overthrow them Out of deep security and confidence thou bringest adversity and trouble and death when men think most enjoying life When they say Peace behold a sudden destruction and in the midst of War behold a sudden Peace Thou shewest strength with thy arm O Lord and scatterest the proud man in the imaginations of his heart Thou puttest down the mighty from their seat and dost exalt the humble and meek Thou fillest the hungry with good things and the rich thou sendest empty away Thou makest him who disperseth his goods to the poor to abound in wealth and those who heap them up to suffer penury The Race is not to the swift nor the Battle to the strong nor Bread to the wise nor Favour to the skilful nor Riches to the Understanding but as thou distributest them O Lord to those who depend on thee § 2 The way by which thou appointest man to be happy is that which humane reason judgeth contrary to it Here repeat the Preface and which seemeth to render him most unhappy By his abondoning all things he comes to possess all things and by his desire of nothing he attains to want nothing By his being careful for nothing but the serving of thee he becomes provided of all things by thee and in his flying from the world the good things thereof follow him To cross and forsake his own will he finds the way to true tranquility of mind and to forsake his own reason with dependance on thee the way to true wisdome To be careless of and to lay down his life for thy sake the surest way to save it whilst others by seeking to preserve do lose it By his humility he attaineth to honour and in voluntary poverty he findeth content He taketh pleasure in infirmities in necessities in
and also of our Graces and services i. e. our satisfaction love our praising and glorifiing God nobler there according to the several Degrees of our Service here 4. Contemplation of the Reward a great incouragement to the work 5. Contemplation of the many various Degrees and heights thereof proportioned to our obedience a great incouragement of an holy zeal to attain perfection in our Works §. 10 VII Concerning the Faisibility Easiness Excellencies of It. VII Next Concerning the Faisibility and Easiness of this Service Consider 1. The great light we have of Natural knowledge 2. The natural Inclination we have to many good Duties as to Sobriety c. only alterable by custome and ill example and our Passions very serviceable to the exercise of Vertues Digr Of the Art of well using and heightning the Passion toward things of Piety 3. The Easiness of Christ's Yoke Matt. 11.30 after a while upon contrary custome and the removal of temptations as may be gathered by the perseverance of Saints bearing this Yoke still with more and more zeal whereas no forced actions are permanent It being in many things heavy at first not so much from its opposition to natural Inclinations as to vicious habits and ill education and inadvertency of admitting alluring Objects c His Commandments are not grievous 1. Jo. 5.3 4. The many Benefits of our Saviour to mankind which see displayed more largely below Medit. 5. and the advantagious repairs of our losses by the first in him the second Adam and ours far happier times since the Gospel 5. The near Relations the Son of God out of infinite love hath contracted to us by his Incarnation He our Father we his Children He our Husband we his Spouse He our Head we his Members He our Root we his Branches He the Foundation we his Building He the Son of God we his Brethren we his People and He our High-Priest who after he had here offered himself a Sacrifice for us now with his Blood in the Heavenly Sanctuary makes perpetual Intercession for us 6. Baptisme in our Infancy or at what time soever worthily received rescuing us from the Curse of Adam and his Posterity and totally cancelling all former hereditary or personal Guilt gratis and restoring to us supernatural Grace lost by our first Parents and God's friendship and favour only carnal Concupiscence not quite eradicated to make the acts of Vertue more valuable and the victories of Grace more excellent 7. The sufficient ability all the baptized have by this Grace procured by the death of Jesus and applied in Baptisme to perform the Covenant of the Gospel and all the obedience that is required under pain of Damnation and to live free from the habit of any small sin from the single Acts of any great one 8. The great disparity of the malignity and guilt that is in Sins of which whilst we daily fall into some of the less yet we may and good Christians do totally avoid the greater in which respect they are called Saints Holy Righteous dead to and no more committers of Sin c. Digr Of the narrow extent of Sins of excusing i. e. of natural Infirmity which Infirmity is either in avoidable ignorance when the understanding is cozened or inadvertency or want of observation when the choice is surprised Hence great sins cannot be such since we are neither in general ignorant of them nor in particular Acts unobservant of them nor yet small sins be such if multiplied since they also when frequent must needs be pre-observed Of the danger of that Tenent that God's Commandments cannot be kept or fulfilled in that sense as it is vulgarly misunderstood 1. That we cannot live free from all greater sins See Matt. 19.17 5.17 18. com 19 20. Rom. 8.4 as from all Uncleanness and Fornication Avarice Detraction all greater degrees of Intemperance of Anger Impatience c. 9. Many omissions of doing some good and deficiencies in doing good not formal fins though all are imperfections 10. The many Benefits of the Holy Ghost which see collected more fully below in Medit. 6. This the Promise of our Lord as he before was of the Father and this after his Ascension sent by him to abide with his here on earth in his necessary absence until his second coming and that not to be a cohabitant with us as he but an inhabitant within us now made his Temples the Seed of God giving us a second Nativity and making us new Creatures born of God conveying into our Souls Holiness and into our Bodies immortality and life as our former Nativity did Sin and Death inwardly illuminating our understandings in the highest Mysteries of our Salvation and confirming to the Soul all that truth which our Lord taught to the Ear and communicating to the more perfect extraordinary Revelations and secrets of God from time to time inspiring the will with new and divine affections and inflaming those more perfect with a more impetuous and impatient love of God some elevated to Rapt and Extasy and to so perfect a Contemplation of and Union with the divine Majesty as this life is capable of and whilst it acting thus in us a Paraclet also interceding for us with groans unexpressible asking all things for us and predirecting us in our affairs many times contrary to humane reason according to the Will of God which Will as to the present and future this Spirit also knows and crying in our hearts Abba Pater superabundantly comforting us in all secular Distresses and animating and sealing us to future everlasting Glories O the high Nobility of a person once Regenerate What Holiness may not a man confidently aspire-to that is thus inhabited by God! 11. The powerful and diligent assistances of the good Angels who as being Fellow-Citizens and Members under the same Prince and Head Heb. 12.22 Eph. 1.10 Col. 1.20 full of Charity attend especially on the necessities of the Saints Daily carrying our Prayers and joyfully presenting our good Endeavors to the heavenly Majesty and procuring and ministring his Blessings to us and rejoycing over one Sinner that repenteth waging a continual war against Satan and his Angels in our defence suggesting we may presume as assiduously good things to our mind as Satan doth evil and since their Charity is no less than his Malice as diligent to preserve as he to destroy us and to entice to good as he to tempt to evil Lastly their number in the spacious higher world infinitely great without expression See Heb. 12.22 Matt. 26.53 Dan. 7.10 Rev. 12.4 And all the several Titles of their divers Orders as Thrones Dominations Vertues Principalities Powers Arch-angels Angels excepting the Cherubin and Seraphin the nearest Attendants upon the heavenly Majesty Esay 6.2 Rev. 4.6 comp Ezech. 1.5 26. implying Government or Service See Dan. 10 13.20 21. Eph. 1.21 3.10 6.12 Col. 1.16 2.10.15 Rev. 15.7 Matt. 18.10 24.31 Luk. 16.22 they always giving a relation or account of their Embassies and Imployments
passion Deliver us O Lord. By thy glorious resurrection and ascension by thy coming to judgment by thy coeternal glory with the Father Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That we may learn of thee who wast meek and humble in heart that we may deny our selves and take up our Cross and follow thee We beseech thee to hear us That we lay not up treasures for our selves on earth but in heaven that we may lose our lives in this world that we may preserve them to eternal life and fear not those that can kill the body only but him that can throw both Body and Soul into hell-fire We sinners beseech c. That we freely and willingly take up thy easy yoke and light burthen that with all diligence we put out to usury our talents we receive from thee and receiving thy word into honest and good hearts may bring forth much fruit with patience We sinners beseech Thee c. That whatsoever we would that men should do unto us we do so unto them that we judge none rashly but love one another and do good to those that hate us We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That being uncertain of the hour of death and thy coming to judgment we endeavour to watch and be always ready that we seriously provide to give up the account of our Stewardship We sinners beseech Thee c. That persevering thro thy grace unto the end we may be saved We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That asking the Father in thy name we may be worthy to be heard according to thy promise We sinners c. O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Spare us c. Hear us c. Have mercy upon us Every day will we repeat thy perfections O glorious Jesus that every day we may grow in esteem of thee every day will we attentively reckon over thy mercies that every day we may still increase in thy love We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. All that we have and are we received from thy grace All we desire and hope we expect in thy glory O Lord hear our prayers And let our supplication come unto thee Let us pray ALmighty God and most merciful Saviour the light of this world and glory of the next vouchsafe we beseech thee to illuminate our understandings enflame our Wills and sanctify all the faculties of our Souls that whilst with our lips we recite thy praises we may inwardly with our hearts adore thy person and admire thy goodness and conform our lives to thy holy example till at length by frequent meditation on the bliss thou hast prepared for us hereafter we break off our affections from all irregular adherence to this world and place them intirely on the enjoyment of thee who with the Father and the Holy Ghost livest and reignest one God world without end Amen See the other Litany and Commemorations below LITANIES to God the Holy Spirit O God the Father of heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the world Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost Perfecter of the Elect Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and the Son who art the intimate love communion and complacency of the Father and the Son Have mercy on us Who art the finger strength and power of God the omnipotent worker of what the Father decrees and the Son the Word of God commands Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit by whose inspiration the holy men of God formerly spake Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit by whose admirable vertue the Incarnation of our Lord was wrought in the Virgins womb and who descendedst in the likeness of a Dove upon our Blessed Saviour Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit who at Pentecost appearedst resting upon the Disciples in cloven tongues of fire and with whom the Apostles being replenished boldly confessed and preached our Saviour Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Promise of the Father and the Son who descendedst to abide with us and in us here on earth in the absence of our Lord until his second coming Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who having cast out the strong one Satan and possessed his house vouchsafest to inhabit in our persons as the Son of God in our nature and to make us thy Temples Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who finishest the internal work of our Salvation by our Sanctification as the Son of God did the external by our Redemption Have mercy on us Who descendedst to glorify our Lord to bring to our remembrance testify and confirm all his heavenly doctrine to us Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Paraclete abiding with us for ever our Intercessor and Advocate here on earth within us to the Father as the Son now is for us in heaven Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who art the Seed of God in us by whom we are born again and made new creatures partakers of the Divine nature and Sons of God Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the earnest and first fruits and pledge of our future inheritance the foretast of the good word and promise of God and of the power of Christ's Kingdome and of the World to come Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit the Spirit of Adoption by whom we cry Abba Father bearing witness to our Spirits that we are the Sons of God and by whom we are sealed to the day of Redemption Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit the Seed of Immortality in our corruptible bodies by whose vertue and power after sown in dishonour they shall be raised again in glory Have mercy on us O Blessed Spirit who guidest and preservest the Church of God in all truth illuminating its Doctors strengthening its Martyrs and perfecting its Saints Have mercy c. O Holy Spirit the bond of the mystical union between Christ our Head and us his Members and between all the fellow-members making them all of one heart and one soul as being all actuated by one and the same Spirit Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who enlightenest and leadest us into all truth by whom the Charity of God is poured forth in our hearts who writest the laws of God within us and inclinest our wills not out of servile fear but love and choice to obey his commands Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who helpest our infirmities we not knowing what to pray for as we ought and makest intercession for us with groans that cannot be uttered Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who knowest all the hidden things of God and makest intercession according to his will and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth there the mind of the Spirit Have mercy on us O Holy Spirit who revealest the mysteries of Religion the secrets of men's hearts and things to come Have mercy on us
bottome of our hearts to assist us in this our difficult and dangerous Combat which we weak and infirm creatures are to wage with the same enemy that we may manfully resist and happily overcome him thro Jesus our Lord. Amen The LITANY of all Saints O God the Father of Heaven Have mercy on us O God the Son Redeemer of the World Have c. O God the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Son Have mercy on us O Sacred Trinity one God Have mercy on us Holy Mary chosen to be the Mother of God blessed among Women who art called Blessed to all Generations Pray for us O all ye holy Angels who always stand in the presence of God ready to praise and obey him and to minister for the good of men Pray for us O all ye holy Patriarchs and Prophets friends of God and lovers of Justice who with ardent desires and sighings expected the coming of the Messias and prefigured it by several Types and Prophecies Pray for us St. John Baptist the Fore-runner of the Messias and grand Exemplar of Penance Pray for us St. Joseph Husband to the Mother of God and foster-Foster-Father of Christ Pray for us O all ye holy Apostles Evangelists and Disciples of our Lord who left all to follow him and abode with him in all temptations who were witnesses of all his actions and admitted to all his secrets Pray for us Who spread over all the earth the sound of the Gospel who were sent forth as Lambs in the midst of Wolves and being infirm and ignorant and base according to the flesh confounded the power and wisdome of the world Pray for us Who endued with power from above and strengthened by the Holy Ghost boldly professed Christ and shed your blood for him Pray for us Who rejoyced in that you were counted worthy to suffer reproach for the name of Jesus and who shall sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Pray for us St. Peter Prince of the Apostles who lovedst our Saviour more than the rest and to whom our Lord at his departure committed the feeding of his Sheep Pray for us St. Paul a chosen vessel Doctor of the Gentiles who labouredst more than them all Pray for us St. N. whose holy Memory and Festival we this day commemorate Pray for us St. John the Disciple beloved above the rest to whom our Saviour at his death commended his Mother who didst vindicate the Divinity of Christ and to whom were revealed things to come even to the end of the world Pray for us O all ye holy Martyrs who living godly in this world suffered Persecution and rejoyced in the Cross of our Lord who hated your own Souls in this world and preserved them to eternal life who suffered reproached and whippings bonds and imprisonments were stoned cut in peices and sundry ways tried Pray for us Who came out of great Tribulation and washed your garments in the blood of the Lamb and serve in his Temple day and night Pray for us Who neither thirst nor hunger any more neither doth any heat light upon you who follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth who leadeth you to the fountains of living water and hath wiped all tears from your eyes Pray for us St. Stephen the first Martyr of Christ whom full of the Holy Ghost thine enemies could not resist who prayedst for thy Persecutors Pray for us All holy Popes Bishops Priests Doctors and Confessors who being Souldiers for God did not intangle your selves with things of this world who were set over the Church of God by his Spirit Pray for us Who bore the heat and burthen of the day in the Vineyard of our Lord who watched over your flocks as those that were to give an account for their Souls who enlightened many in righteousness and now shine as lights in the Firmament and as stars in all Eternity Pray for us All holy Monks and Hermites who taking up your Cross followed Christ who not thinking that you had comprehended pressed on to that which was before you who bore chearfully the light burthen and easy yoke of our Lord Pray for us Who made your selves Eunuchs for the Kingdome of God who chastised your bodies and brought them into subjection who being dead to the world led a hidden life with Christ in God and who having put your hands to the Plow looked not back Pray for us All holy Virgins who imitating here the Purity of Angels now rejoyce in the perpetual enjoyment of your heavenly Bridegroom Pray for us All holy Virgins and Widows who with a constant purpose of Continency and Chastity offered up your bodies a living Sacrifice to God and now celebrate perpetual Nuptials with the Bridegroom Pray for us All holy Saints of God who strove to enter in at the strait gate which leadeth to life and took the Kingdome of Heaven by violence Pray for us Who thro many Tribulations and Persecutions have entred into the kingdome of heaven who first sought the Kingdome of God and its Justice who counted all things loss that ye might gain Christ Pray for us Who used this world as tho you used it not who being poor in Spirit merited the possession of the Kingdome of heaven who being meek and patient under injuries possess now the land of the living who hungred and thirsted after righteousness and are now satisfied with the pleasures of heaven who shewing mercy to your Neighbours have obtained abundant mercy who being clean in heart do see God Pray for us Who loving peace rejoyce now in the name and inheritance of the Sons of God who loved your enemies and did good to those that hated you who could do all things thro him that strengthened you Pray for us Who continued unto the end and therefore were saved who were inebriated with the plenty of God's house and satisfied with the torrent of his pleasure who dwell in the house of God and praise him for ever and ever who being secure of your own Salvation with abundant charity are solicitous for ours Pray for us JESU King of the Patriarchs and Light of the Prophets Master of the Apostles and Fortitude of the Martyrs The Sanctity of the Confessors and Purity of Virgins Pray for us Be merciful and spare us O Lord. Be merciful and hear us O Lord. From all evil Deliver us O Lord. By all thy Saints and Elect people Deliver us O Lord. By thy faithful servants who continually stand in thy presence by thy dearly beloved and friends who reign with thee in heaven Deliver us O Lord. By the holiness and intercession of all thine Elect by the death of thy Saints precious in thy sight Deliver us O Lord. We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lord. That thou wouldst make us partakers of the fellowship with all those that fear thee and keep thy commandments that we together with thy Saints may strive to enter in at the strait gate that beholding the conversation of
thy Saints we may also imitate their faith and patience We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may keep inviolably the Catholick Faith so stoutly maintained by them that like as thine Elect in heaven so we may readily do thy will on earth that we may hate our own Souls in this world that we may preserve them to eternal life that thou wouldst vouchsafe to admit us into the inheritance of thy chosen in light We sinners beseech Thee to hear us That we may continually praise thee in thy Saints that we may laud thee with thy Saints in Heaven and magnify thee for ever We sinners beseech Thee to hear us O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world Our Father which art in Heaven c. PRaise the Name of our Lord praise him ye Servants of our Lord. Who stand in the house of our Lord in the courts of the house of our God Praise our Lord for he is good sing unto his Name for it is sweet Sing unto our Lord a new Song his Praise in the congregation of his Saints For our Lord taketh pleasure in his people he will magnify the meek with Salvation Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing aloud upon their beds Let the high Praises of God be in their mouth and a two-edged Sword in their hand To execute vengeance upon the Nations and punishment upon the people To bind their Kings with chains and their Nobles with fetters of Iron To execute upon them the Judgment written This Honor have all his Saints Hallelujah Let us pray WE give thee thanks O Lord with all our hearts for that thou hast chosen thy Saints and justified them by thy infinite grace for that thou hast prevented them with the blessings of thy sweetness and preserved them in their way thro all the impediments of their Salvation We give thee infinite thanks O God for all the Graces and Benefits which thou hast bestowed upon them in time and reserved for them to Eternity O ye blessed Servants and Friends of God who confirmed in all Grace and now have received the Crown of heavenly Glory and with joy behold the Sacred Trinity face to face praising him with unspeakable gladness everlastingly obtain for us your Supplicants free pardon of our sins and a perfect denial of our selves that we may follow your steps thro the narrow way as also an intimate and sincere love of God wherewith you being enflamed have valiantly and gloriously overcome the world the flesh and the devil with all the crosses of this present life pray for us now and at the hour of our death that when we are to pass hence and to appear before the fearful Tribunal of the great Judge he would not enter into judgment with us but judge us according to his infinite mercy that so at length we may be admitted into the blessed Fellowship in that supernal Jerusalem where we altogether may praise extol and magnify our Lord God for ever and ever Amen O Lord God multiply upon us thy Grace and grant us to follow in a holy profession the joy of thy Saints whose memories we celebrate through Jesus Christ thy only Son our Lord. Amen MOst gracious God the Author of all Sanctity and lover of Unity whose wisdome hath established an admirable communion between thy Church triumphant in heaven and militant on earth as members of the same mystical Body whereof thy Son Christ Jesus is the Head mercifully grant that as thy Blessed without ceasing pray to thee for us we may continually praise thee for them and in correspondence to their perfect Charity with pious observance celebrate their memories till we all meet before thy glorious Throne and with one heart adore the Saviour of us all who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen O All ye blessed Saints of heaven and Spirits Angelical whom God with the brightness of his presence makes everlastingly joyful pray for us We salute and honour you we give praise and thanks to our Lord who hath chosen you and made you eternally happy with his benedictions obtain from him for us forgiveness obtain for us grace that at the end of this frail life we may be admitted to the fruition of your heavenly Society thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God and most merciful Father favourably regard the imperfect Prayers of thy servants here on earth which we present unto thee by the most efficacious intercession of our fellow members the Saints in heaven and grant that as their Sanctity is exalted by thee to a supreme degree of glory so their Charity may obtain for us the especial assistance of thy Grace thro Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen GRant O Almighty God that we who celebrate the Memories and reverence the Holiness of all thy Saints may be assisted with Thee by their intercession and rejoyce in their protection thro Jesus Christ Amen O Almighty and Eternal God who vouchsafest us the Grace to reverence the Holiness of all thy Saints Grant us we beseech Thee the desired plenty of thy mercy by their multiplied intercessions thro our Lord Jesus Christ Amen The LITANY of Penitents O God the Father of heaven our Creator Have mercy on us O God the Son our Redeemer Have mercy on us O God the Holy Ghost our Sanctifier Have mercy c. O strong just and jealous God taking revenge upon all sin and iniquity who sparedst not the Angels that sinned but castedst them down into hell to be tormented From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who hast appointed death the stipend of Sin who didst shut Adam after he had sinned out of Paradise and subjectedst him to many Curses From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who sparedst not the old world but punishedst it overwhelmed in sin by the flood From thy great wrath c. Who utterly consumedst Sodom and Gomorrah burnt to ashes and miraculously punishedst Pharoah and the Aegyptians hardening their hearts against thee From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who sparedst not thine ancient people the Jews rebelling against thee but deliveredst them up into the hands of their enemies and into the Babylonish Captivity From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us Who at last scatteredst them throughout all the world whilst persevering in their sins and gavest thy beloved City and thy Sanctuary to be trodden under foot of the Enemy From thy great wrath good Lord deliver us O God to the relenting and penitent gracious and merciful long-suffering and abundant in mercy and repenting thee of evil who lovest every thing and hatest nothing that thou hast made From thy great wrath c. Who pitiest all and winkest at the sins of men for their amendment of life who wouldst have none to perish but all be converted and in whose presence there is joy over one sinner that doth penance From all thy great wrath c. Who calledst