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
Earth in their season Our sins have deserved all this and more and we neither do nor can denie it We have now hither to go but to Mercie We have no way to that but by the All-sufficient merit of thy Son our blessed Saviour Lord for his merit and mercies sake look down upon us thy distressed servants command thine Angel to stay his hand and remember that in death we cannot praise thee nor give thanks in the Pit Go forth with our Armies when they go and make us remember that all our strength and deliverance is in thee Clear up the Heavens over us and take not from us the great plentie with which thou hast crowned the Earth but remember us O thou that feedest the Ravens when they call upon thee Lord we need all thy mercies to come upon us and thy mercies are altogether in Christ in whom and for whose sake we beg them of thee who livest and reignest in the unitie of the Spirit one God world without end Amen O eternal God and most merciful Father we humbly beseech thee be merciful unto us and be near to help us in all those extremities which our sins threaten to bring upon us Our Enemies are strengthened against us by our multiplied Rebellions against thee And we deserve to suffer whatever our Enemies threaten But there is mercie with thee that thou mayest be feared O Lord shew us this mercie and give us grace so to fear thee as that we may never be brought to fear or feel them And whensoever thou wilt correct us for our sins let us fall into thy hands and not into the hands of men Grant this for Jesus Christ his sake our onely Mediator and Redeemer Amen O eternal God and most gracious Father we have deserved whatsoever thy Law hath threatned against sinners Our contempt of thy Divine Worship is great and we hear thy Word but obey it not Forgive us O Lord forgive us these and all other our grievous sins Give us light in our Understanding readiness and obedience in our Will discretion in our Words and Actions true serious and loyal endeavours for the peace and speritie of Jerusalem the unitie and glorie of this Church and State that so we may love it and prosper in it and be full of grace in this life and filled with glorie in the life to come through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O most merciful God we give thee praise and thanks for the wonderful ceasing of the late raging Pestilence in the chief Citie of this Kingdom and other places Lord shew us yet farther mercie and look upon all parts of this Land with tender compassion Keep back the destroying Angel that he enter not into places that are yet free nor make farther waste in those which are alreadie visited Comfort them that are sick preserve them that are sound receive them that die to mercie that living and dying they and we may continue thy faithful servants through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O most gracious God and loving Father we have felt thy manifold mercies no Nation more and we have committed sins against thee few Nations greater Enter not into judgment with us O Lord but for Christ and his mercie sake pacifie thine anger and save us from the malice and crueltie of our Enemies They are our crying sins that have called them upon us Let it be an addition to thy wonted mercie to restrain their furie To this end Lord put thy bridle into their mouths and thy bit between their teeth Frustrate their designes and let them find no way in our Seas nor any path in our Flouds but scatter them with thy tempest and follow them with all thy storms that we being delivered by thy hand may bless and honour thy Name devoutly serving thee all our days through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O Lord thou gracious Governour of all the Kingdoms of the Earth Look down we beseech thee in mercie upon this Realm and upon all other Reformed Churches Save and deliver us and them from the hands of all such as threaten our destruction Protect the person of our gracious Soveraign direct his Counsels go forth with his Armies be unto him and to us a wall of brass and a strong tower of defence against his and our Enemies that so we being safe through thy mercie may live to serve thee in thy Church and ever give thee praise and glorie through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen O eternal God and merciful Father all peace strength of Kingdoms is from thee and lineal Succession is thy great blessing both upon Princes and States the great means to preserve unitie and confirm strength We therefore give thee humble and heartie thanks as for all thy blessings so especially at this time for thy great mercie and loving kindness to our dread Soveraign his Royal Queen and this whole State in giving her Majestie hope of her long-desired Issue thereby filling their and our hearts with gladness Lord go along with thine own blessings to perfect them Be with her in soul and in bodie preserve her from all dangers Keep her safe to and in the hour of Travel that there may be strength to bring forth her Joy and our Hope And make her a joyful Mother of many Children to the glorie of thy great Name the happiness of his Majestie the securitie of this State and the flourishing of the Church and true Religion amongst us Grant this even for Jesus Christ his sake our onely Lord and Saviour Amen O eternal God and merciful Father since lineal Succession is under thee the great securitie of Kingdoms and the very life of Peace we therefore give thee most humble and heartie thanks for the great blessing which thou hast again begun to work for our gracious King CHARLES and this whole State in giving the Queens Majestie further hopes of a desired and happie Issue And as we give thee humble and heartie thanks for this so we pray thee to perfect this great blessing thus begun to preserve her from all dangers and to be with her by special assistance in the hour of Travel Lord make her a happie Mother of successful Children to the increase of thy glorie the comfort of his Majestie the joy of her own heart the safetie of the State and the preservation of the Church and true Religion among us Grant this even for Jesus Christ his sake our onely Saviour and Redeemer Amen O most merciful God and gracious Father thou hast given us the joy of our hearts the contentment of our souls for this life in blessing our dear and dread Soveraign and his vertuous Royal Queen with a hopeful Son and us with a Prince in thy just time and his to rule over us We give thy glorious Name most humble and heartie thanks for this Lord make us so thankful so obedient to thee for this great mercie that thy goodness may delight to increase it