THE Daily Office OF A CHRISTIAN BEING The DEVOTIONS Of the most Reverend Father in God Dr. WILLIAM LAUD Late Archbishop of Canterbury The Fourth EDITION Wherein several Catechetical Paraphrases and other very Excellent PRAYERS selected out of the Primitive Writers formerly publisht in Latine are now made English and the whole reduced to an exact Method for the Benefit of the DEVOUT London Printed for Matthew Gillyflower and William Hensman and are to be sold at their Shops in Westminster-hall 1683. William Laud Lord ArchBishop of Canterbury his grace Privy Councilor to King Charles y e â—â— THE Preface THere needs no more to recommend this Manual to the pious Reader than the Name of its great Author who was both so excellent a Judge of the Matter and Language of Devotion and so lively an Example of its use as made him in all parts qualified and furnished to direct others Yet most probably this H. Prelate designed them at first to serve onely for himself in his Retirements But however that they are exceedingly well fitted for all sorts of persons excepting here and there some peculiarities which may soon be noted and past over any one may discern that will but take the pains of a cursory perusal And the World has pretty well witnessed it having taken off three Editions or more so entirely that 't is extreamly difficult to meet with one single Copy of either though none of them were printed to the Advantage of the Writer nor well contrived for the Benefit of the devout Reader The first that came abroad contained onely the Officium Quotidianum or Daily Office with the addition of some few short Collects and wanted the richest part of this noble Treasure The second was printed at Oxford by Dr. Bayly from the Bishop's own hand-writing but it might have been wisht for the publick good that other measures had been taken both in regard of the Price and the Language and Order of the Book For the Character being large and fair made a fine shew indeed but perhaps hindered the speedy spreading of it by enhancing the purchase and making it too bulkie And many Prayers of most general and incomparable use being altogether in Latine were perfectly unserviceable to the Devotion of such who had learnt to pray onely in their Mother-Tongue and were Strangers to all others The Method no doubt was the same which he found in the Original but the whole being composed at several times on different Motives the Order could not be very natural nor very apposite for the ready finding of ordinary persons though the Bishops constant practice might have made it so familiar to himself that possibly he could with ease and without interruption dip on what place he pleased What other Editions of it are extant were printed after this Copy but seem to be stoln out in haste for filthy Lucre's sake most intolerably faulty and upon very bad Paper But none of all these being to be had care has been taken to oblige the World with a new Impression and at the same time to remedy all those Inconveniencies 1. The Book therefore now compleat and perfect is brought into such a compass as to be afforded at a very easie rate though the Paper be good and the Letter handsome 2. The Latine part which is very considerable especially the Paraphrases on the Lords Prayer and Creed c. and the Offices for the Sick are here faithfully rendered into English with much plainness and as nigh as could be in the Scriptures and Churches Language so that the meanest capacity may enjoy with good success what the most refin'd and searching have so justly admired That you may know the Translations each is markt thus* with a small Asterisk at the beginning 3. Some perhaps on sudden thoughts may judge it too bold an attempt to change the Order of the Book and indeed it would have been so if the Author himself had publisht it as a perfect Work But considering what was said before that 't was intended onely for himself in private and gathered occasionally in his reading or meditated with regard to emerging circumstances the Method could not be exact or accurate and therefore to alter it will be no injury to the Memory of this great and learned Man who in all likelihood would himself have done as much if he had liv'd and resolv'd to communicate it to the World So that the usefulness of our Vndertaking in this behalf must certainly outweigh the presumption of it Therefore immediately after the Daily Office we have set the Daily Examination of Conscience which is the proper place and then follow the other short Collects more naturally rankt lation and Method is as to its usefulness become almost a new Work We concluded it to be expedient to acquaint the good Reader with this modest Account of our Care and Pains and having done so 't is pity to detain him any longer May his honest Endeavours be successful in the practice of what we recommend to him as our own in the Enterprize And yet didst thou turn and refresh me Psal. 71. 18. O Come hither and hearken all ye that fear God and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul Psal. 66. 16. The Lords Prayer Our Father Though offended yet a Father Which art in Heaven More eminently there but not there onely Hallowed In me by me upon me Be thy Name The name of a Father in us that we may become Sons of thee our Father Thy Kingdom come To destroy the Kingdom of Sin by which Death the Devil reign Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven By me that am but Earth as it is by thy holy Angels Give us this day Our Our own lawfully begotten Daily As the necessity of each day requires Bread The Spiritual Food of our Soul and also that of our body And forgive us our Trespasses as c. Forgive us our Talents who forgive others their Pence And lead us not into temptation Nor suffer us to enter into temptation when we are led away and ready to yield to it But deliver us from evil From that Author of evil that is without us the Devil and the World and from the Author of evil that is within us our own selves from the evil of sin by thy Grace and from the evil of punishment by thy mercy from all evil by thy Peace For thine is the Kingdom Absolute in it self The Power Independent on any other The Glory Shining round about all things in all things Thine And from thee and by thee and to thee in the glory salvation of thy Servants Amen OUr Father which art in Heaven 1. Hallowed be thy Name 2. Thy Kingdom come 3. Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven 4. Give us this day our dayly bread 5. And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us 6. And lead us not into temptation 7.
But deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Apostle's Creed divided into Articles 1. I Believe in God the Father Almighty maker of Heaven and Earth 2. And in Jesus Christ his onely Son our Lord. 3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary 4. He suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried 5. He descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead 6. He ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty 7. From thence he shall come to judge the Quick and the Dead 8. I believe in the Holy Ghost 9. The Holy Catholick Church The Communion of Saints 10. The Forgiveness of Sins 11. The Resurrection of the Body 12. And the Life Everlasting Amen An Advertisement CONCERNING The Division of the Hours of PRAYER IT appeareth both by the Histories of the Jews and by plain Observations out of the New Testament that the space of the Day from the Morning to the Evening was solemnly divided into four equal parts which they called Hours to wit the First the Third the Sixth and the Ninth The First Hour comprehended the whole space from the Sun being risen about six of the clock in the Morning after our account till Nine or thereabouts The Third Hour began from thence and lasted till High-noon with us The Sixth from thence to our three of the clock after Noon The Ninth from that hour to the Vespers or Evensong about six in the evening or Sun-set And what was done in any part of these four spaces was indifferently taken and said to be done in that Hour whereunto every space of time was allotted In which respect St. Mark chap. 15. 25. saith It was the Third Hour when they crucified Christ and yet St. John chap. 19. 14. saith It was about the Sixth Hour before he was yet crucified Nor is there any contradiction at all between these two Evangelists St. Mark understanding the last part of the Third Hour which was now at the very end and St. John meaning that it was now near upon the beginning of the Sixth Hour which was immediately to follow the ending of the Third and the beginning of the Sixth being both one and the same point of time THE DAILY OFFICE OF A CHRISTIAN The Office for every day In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Amen O Lord I am risen up and fallen prostrate before thee Prevent me I beseech thee in all my doings with thy most gracious Favour and further me with thy continual Help that in all my Works begun continued and ended in thee I may glorifie thy holy Name and finally by thy mercy obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen ALmighty God and most merciful Father all Merciful Mercy it self I have erred wittingly and strayed willingly nay run from thy ways more like an untamed Heifer than a lost or wandring Sheep I have followed too much even altogether the absurd devices and brutish desires of my own heart I have offended against nay been offended at thy holy most holy Laws I have left undone not done at all those things which I ought to have done And I have done done nothing else but those things which I ought not to have done And there is no health no hope of health in me But thou O Lord have mercy upon me miserable most miserable sinner the greatest sinner and most unthankful for so great Grace Spare me and them all O God which confess their faults Restore me and all them that be penitent that desire to be penitent that wish they were would be glad if they were so that fear they are not enough and are sorry they are no more For this is according to thy Promises most pretious most gracious most sweet Promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. Grant therefore O most merciful Father for his sake who is our Redeemer Advocate Author and Finisher of our Faith our Propitiation Righteousness and Justification that I and all Penitents may hereafter live a Godly Righteous and Sober Life to the Glory of thy holy Name and the Salvation of our own Souls Amen O Eternal God and merciful Father pardon I beseech thee all the Sins Omissions and Commissions Thoughts Words and Deeds by which I have provoked thee unto anger from the time of my Birth to this present moment That no one nor all of my sins together may ever be able to cry oftner or louder in thine Ears for Vengeance than the Cry of my Prayers may ascend up unto thee for Mercy and for Forgiveness and obtain that they sue for Particularly I humbly beseech thee forgive unto me my Great and my Clamorous sins such as are c. O Lord against Heaven and against Thee have I sinned and committed foul Trangressions in thy sight but I beseech thee wipe them all out of the Book of Remembrances which thou hast written through Jesus Christ our Lord and onely Saviour Amen GIve unto me O Lord I humbly beseech thee a wise a sober a patient an understanding a devout a religious a courageous Heart Chaste and temperate Reins and Thoughts A Soul full of Devotion to do thee service strength against all Temptations especially the Temptations of c. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord I give thee humble and hearty thanks increase my thankfulness I beseech thee for all Benefits and Blessings both Spiritual and Temporal which in the riches of thy great Mercy thou hast liberally poured down upon me but especially Spiritual Lord let me not live but to praise and magnifie Thee and thy glorious Name Particularly I give thee most unfeigned thanks for my preservation from the time of my Birth to this present moment for c. For bringing me safe to the beginning of this day in which and all the days of my life I beseech thee preserve me from sin and from danger in Soul and in Body that all my thoughts words and works may tend to the honour and glory of thy Name the good of thy Church the discharge of my Duty the salvation of my Soul in the day of my appearance and account to be made before thee through Jesus Christ our onely Saviour and Redeemer Amen O Eternal God and merciful Father I humbly beseech thee bless thy Holy Catholick Church wheresoever spread upon the face of the whole Earth Good Lord purge it from all Atheism Heresie Schism Superstition factious maintenance of Groundless Opinions that one Faith one Lord one Baptism may in all places be uniformly professed as thy Church is and can be but one And grant good Lord that I may be and continue a faithful living and a working Member under Christ the Head in that Church the Body all the days of my life and at the hour of my death through
by thy might from my thoughts and deeds Increase my Faith govern my mind grant me spiritual thoughts whilst I lie waking on my bed and conduct me to thy bliss through Jesus Christ thy Son and our Saviour Amen O Lord I beseech thee give me grace to avoid the infections of the Devil and with a pure heart and mind to follow thee the onely true God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen LOrd I offer up unto thee my Evening-Sacrifice thy Sacrifice even a troubled spirit a broken and a contrite heart which thou wilt not despise in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen * O Lord I humbly pray thee look upon me and cleanse my mind and my thoughts from unclean motions and from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and from every work of the Devil through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen * O Lord graciously shew forth thy unspeakable mercie and both free me from the sins I have committed and deliver me from the punishments I have deserved through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O God for as much as without thee I am not able to please thee grant that the working of thy mercie may in all things direct and rule my heart through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord give me that grace that I may remember thee upon my Bed and think upon thee when I am waking Thou hast been my helper therefore under the shadow of thy wings I will hope to pass through the darkness of this night in the comfort of Jesus Christ my Lord and onely Saviour Amen O Lord make mine eyes prevent the night-watches that I may be occupied in thy Words Amen O Lord thou which hast made the night for man to rest in as well as the day to labour grant dear Father that I may so take my bodily rest that my soul may continually watch for my deliverance out of this mortal life And that my sleep be not excessive according to the insatiable desires of the flesh but sufficient to relieve and maintain Nature to live and serve thee in all sober and godly conversation through the aid and assistance of Jesus Christ my onely Lord and Saviour Amen THURSDAY O Hold thou up my goings in thy paths that my footsteps slip not Amen * Help me my Lord Jesu and gird thy sword about thy thigh O thou most Mightie Go forth O thou most powerful of all Kill me in my self that I may live to thee and let my Enemies cease to persecute me Amen O God thou art my God early will I seek thee My soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth greatly after thee in a barren and drie land where no water is O satisfie this thirst with thy freshest waters of comfort in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord have mercie upon me I have waited for thee Be thou my arm in the morning and my help in the time of trouble that I may exalt thy Name which dwellest on high that I may live in the stabilitie of thy times and that thy fear may be my treasure even for Jesus Christ his sake Amen O Almightie God and merciful Father grant I beseech thee that as I do believe thy onely Son our Lord to have ascended into the Heavens so I and all thy faithful Servants may in heart and mind thither ascend and with thee continually dwell Amen O God the King of glorie who hast exalted thine onely Son Jesus Christ with great triumph into thy Kingdom in Heaven I beseech thee leave neither thy Church nor my poor self comfortless but send us thy Holy Ghost to comfort us and exalt us unto the same place whither our Saviour Christ is gone is before who liveth and raigneth with thee one God world without end Amen HEar my Prayer O God and hide not thy self from my petition Take heed unto me and hear me how I mourn in my Prayer and am vexed Give me strength and comfort in thee through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O God the proud are risen against me and the Congregation of factious men have sought after my soul and have not set thee before their eyes But thou Lord God art full of compassion and mercie long suffering plenteous in goodness and truth O turn thee then unto me and have mercie upon me shew some token upon me for good that they which hate me may see it and be ashamed because thou Lord hast holpen me and comforted me in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Assist me mercifully O Lord in these and all other my supplications and prayers and dispose my ways towards the attainment of everlasting salvation that among all the changes and chances of this mortal life I may ever be defended by thy most gracious and readie help through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Deliver me from them whose words are softer than butter when they have war in their heart And from them whose word are smoother than oyl while they are very swords Lord I cast my burthen upon thee that thou mayst sustain me and not suffer me to fall for ever Amen Bless me O Lord when thou chastenest me and teachest me in thy Law that thou mayst give me patience in time of adversitie till the pit be digged up for the ungodly O Lord fail me not neither forsake me for I am part of thine Inheritance in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Almightie and merciful God of thy bountiful goodness keep me from all things that may hurt me that I being readie both in bodie and soul may with a free heart accomplish those things that thou wouldest have done through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen * O Eternal God I humbly beseech thee that whilst I am on Earth as far as earthly things serve me they may remember me that I am their owner but by thy appointment and so far forth as they offend me let them teach me to serve thee my Lord whom when I do not obey they are wont to become offensive for just vengeance that whether they serve me or not yet I may always serve thee in and through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen Hold not thy tongue O God of my praise for the mouth of the ungodly yea and the mouth of the deceitful is opened upon me and they have spoken against me with false tongues they compassed me about also with words of hatred and fought against me without a cause But I give my self unto prayer Lord forgive them and hear me Amen O God which art the author of peace and lover of concord in knowledge of whom standeth our eternal life whose service is perfect freedom defend me and all thy servants in all assaults of our enemies that we surely trusting in thy defence may not fear the power of any adversaries through the might of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen * TEach me O my Lord Jesus and instruct
people are caught by it In St. Stephen's case when nothing else would serve they stirred up the people against him Acts 6. 12. And Herod went the same way when he had killed St. James yet he would not venture upon St. Peter till he found how the other pleased the people Acts 12. 3. But take heed of having your hands full of bloud Esai 1. 15. for there is a time best known to himself when God above other sins makes Inquisition for bloud And when that Inquisition is on foot the Psalmist tells us Psal. 9. 12. that God remembers but that 's not all he remembers and forgets not the complaint of the poor i. e. whose bloud is shed by Oppression ver 9. Take heed of this 'T is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 12. but then especially when he is making Inquisition for bloud And with my Prayers to avert it I do heartily desire this City to remember the Prophecy that is expressed Jer. 26. 15. 3. The third particular is the poor Church of England It hath flourished and been a shelter to other neighbouring Churches when storms have driven upon them but alas now it is in a storm it self and God onely knows whether or how it shall get out And which is worse than a storm from without it is become like an Oak cleft to shivers with wedges made out of its own body and at every cleft profaneness and irreligion is entering in While as Prosper speaks men that introduce prophaneness are cloaked over with the name Religionis Imaginariae of Imaginary Religion for we have lost the Substance and dwell too much in Opinion And that Church which all the Jesuits Machinations could not ruine is fallen into danger by her own 4. The last particular for I am not willing to be too long is my self I was born and baptized in the bosome of the Church of E gland established by Law In that Pr fession I have ever since lived and in that I come now to die What clamours and slanders I have endured for labouring to keep an Uniformity in the external Service of God according to the Doctrine and Discipline of this Church all men know and I have abundantly felt Now at last I am accused of High-Treason in Parliament a Crime which my soul ever abhorred This Treason was charged to consist of two parts An endeavour to subvert the Laws of the Land and a like endeavour to overthrow the true Protestant Religion established by Law Besides my Answers to the several Charges I protested mine innocency in both Houses It was said Prisoners Protestations at the Bar must not be taken I must therefore come now to it upon my death being instantly to give God an account for the truth of it I do therefore here in the presence of God and his holy Angels take it upon my death that I never endeavoured the Subversion either of Law or Religion And I desire you all to remember this Protest of mine for my innocency in this and from all Treasons whatsoever I have been accused likewise as an Enemy to Parliaments No I understand them and the benefit that comes by them too well to be so But I did dislike the misgovernments of some Parliaments many ways and I had good reason for it for Corruptio optimi est pessima And that being the highest Court over which no other hath jurisdiction when 't is misinformed or misgoverned the Subject is left without all remedy But I have done I forgive all the world all and every of those bitter Enemies which have persecuted me and humbly desire to be forgiven of God first and then of every man And so I heartily desire you to joyn in prayer with me O Eternal God and merciful Father look down upon me in mercy in the riches and fulness of all thy mercies Look upon me but not till thou hast nailed my sins to the Cross of Christ not till thou hast bathed me in the bloud of Christ not till I have hid my self in the wounds of Christ that so the punishment due unto my sins may pass over me And since thou art pleased to try me to the uttermost I most humbly beseech thee give me now in this great instant full patience proportionable comfort and a heart ready to die for thine honour the Kings happiness and this Churches preservation And my zeal to these far from arrogancy be it spoken is all the sin humane frailty excepted and all incidents thereto which is yet known to me in this particular for which I come now to suffer I say in this particular of Treason But otherwise my sins are many and great Lord pardon them all and those especially whatever they are which have drawn down this present Judgment upon me And when thou hast given me strength to bear it do with me as seems best in thine own eyes Amen And that there may be a stop of this issue of bloud in this more than miserable Kingdom O Lord I beseech thee give grace of repentance to all Bloud-thirsty people But if they will not repent O Lord confound all their devices defeat and frustrate all their designes and endeavours upon them which are or shall be contrary to the glory of thy great Name the truth and sincerity of Religion the establishment of the King and his Posterity after him in their just Rights and Priviledges the honour and conservation of Parliaments in their just power the preservation of this poor Church in her Truth Peace and Patrimony and the settlement of this distracted and distressed People under their ancient Laws and in their native Liberties And when thou hast done all this in meer mercy for them O Lord sill their hearts with thankfulness and with religious dutiful obedience to thee and thy Commandments all their days So Amen Lord Jesus Amen And receive my soul into thy bosom Amen Our Father which art in heaven c. The Lord Archbishop's Prayer as he kneeled by the Block LOrd I am coming as fast as I can I know I must pass through the shadow of death before I can come to see thee But it is but Vmbra mortis a meer shadow of death a little darkness upon Nature but thou by thy Merits and Passion hast broke through the jaws of death So Lord receive my soul and have mercy upon me and bless this Kingdom with peace and plenty and with brotherly love and charity that there may not be this effusion of Christian bloud amongst them for Jesus Christ his sake if it be thy will Then he laid his head upon the Block and after he had prayed to himself said aloud Lord receive my soul which was the signal given to the Executioner FINIS THE CONTENTS * THe Division of the hours of Prayer pag. 1 The Office for every day 3 A Prayer for preventing Grace ibid. A Confession and Prayer by L.A.W. 4 A Prayer for forgiveness of sins 5 for