Disciples and wip't them with the towel which having done he took his garments and sate down again and said to them do you know what I have done to you you call me Master and Lord and you say well for so I am if therefore I who am your Lord and Master have wash't your feet you ought also to wash one anothers for I have given you an Example that as I have done to you you also do Say the Canticle Benedictus then repeat the Antiphon then kneel and say Christ was made for us obedient to death Our Father all silently then in a low grave tone say V. Have mercy on me O God according to thy great mercy R. And according to the multitude of thy compassions wipe away my offences V. Wash me yet more from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sins For I know my iniquity and my sin is always before me Against Thee only have I sin'd and done evil in thy sight that thou mayst be justified in thy words and mayst overcome when thou art judg'd For behold I was conceiv'd in iniquity and in sins my Mother brought me forth Behold Thou hast loved truth the incertain and hidden things of thy wisdom thou hast manifested to me Thou shalt sprinkle me with Hysop and I shal be cleansed thou shalt wash me and I shal be made whiter then snow Thou shalt give to my hearing joy and gladnes and the bones thou hast humbled shal rejoyce Turn away thy face from my sins and blot-out all my iniquitys Create a clean hart in me O God! and renew a right spirit in my bowels Cast me not away from thy face and take not thy holy spirit from me Restore to me the joy of thy salvation and confirm me with an heroick spirit O Lord open thou my lips and my mouth shal declare thy praise For wouldst thou have had sacrifice I verily had given it with burnt-offerings thou art not delighted A Sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit a contrite and an humbled hart O God thou wilt not despise Deal favourably O Lord in thy good will with Sion that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up Then shalt thou accept sacrifice of justice oblations of holocausts then shal they lay calves upon thine Altar Look down O Lord we beseech Thee on this thy family for which our Lord JESVS Christ vouchsaf't to be betray'd into the hands of the wicked and undergo the torments of the Cross who with Thee and the holy Ghost lives and reigns one God world without end Amen So end the Lauds and Vespers for these three days Antiph for Magnificat Our Lord Jesus the night wherein he was betray'd took bread and giving thanks brake it and said Take and eat This is my Body which shal be given for you do this in commemoration of me Likewise the Cup also after He had sup't saying This Cup is the new Testament in my Blood this do as often as you drink it in commemoration of me for as often as you eat this Bread and drink this Cup you declare our Lords death till he come Christ was made for us obedient to death Our Father c. Have Mercy on me O God Page 523 Look down as Page 525 At Complin begin with the first Psalm without Antiph and instead of Glory be c. say Christ was made c. Our Father Have mercy Look down as Pag. 525 and so for the two following days Good Friday All as in the ordinary Office of Friday omitting all Antiphons and Hymns and Glory be c. instead whereof at the end of every Psalm say Kneeling Christ was made for us obedient to death even the death of the Cross Instead of Lessons read the Passion according to S. Luke which begins Luke 22. 1â—â— and ends Luke 23. 53. When you have done the third Psalm at Lauds and Vespers say this following Antiphon Antiph for Benedictus and Magnificat Look up my soul on thy crucify'd Lord look up and see the utmost extremity of divine love already he had carry'd on to a fair degree the work of our Redemption in fasting and praying in travailing and preaching in doing Miracles and bearing injurys but now to finish all with one incomparable charity behold He suffers even death it self and death upon the Cross Recite the Canticle Repeat the Antiphon then Kneel and say Christ was made for us obedient to death even the death of the Cross Our Father Have mercy Look down and so end as on Maâ—â—ndy-Thursday Holy Saturday All as in the ordinary Office of Saturday omiting all Antiphons Hymns and Glory be c. Instead whereof at the end of every Psalm say Kneeling Christ was made for us obedient to death even the death of the Cross wherefore also God has exalted Him and given Him a Name above every Name Instead of Lessons read the Passion according to S. John in the 18. and 19 Chapters When you have ended the third Psalm at Lauds and Vespers say this following Antiphon Antiphon for Benedictus and Magnificat Death is swallow'd up in Victory Death where is thy victory Death where is thy sting the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the Law but thanks be to God who has given us victory by our Lord Jesus Christ Let us therefore be stable and immovable abounding always in the work of our Lord knowing our labour is not in vain in our Lord. Recite the Canticle Repeat the Antiphon then Kneel and say Christ was made for us obedient to death even the death of the Cross wherefore also God has exalted Him and given him a Name above every Name Our Father Have mercy Look down and so end as on Maundy Thursday Easter day and during the Octave All as in the Office for Sunday except 1. Antiph Christ is risen from the dead alleluja and become the first fruits of them that slept alleluja 2. Antiph Fear not I know whom you seek He is risen he is not here alleluja Come see the place where our Lord was laid alleluja 3. Antiph He that rais'd up JESUS will also raise up us alleluja and refine our vile flesh into the likeness of his glorious body alleluja Antiph for Benedictus and Magnificat Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and divinity and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing for ever and ever alleluja alleluja alleluja Prayer O God whose gracious Providence restores to thy Church the face and voice of holy exultation by the triumphant Festival of our Saviours resurrection Grant we humbly beseech Thee that the joy which shines in our looks may flame in our harts and purify them worthy those high and glorious hopes so firmly seal'd to us by this days experience of Rising again at last from our graves and rejoycing thenceforth for ever in state of blysful immortality through our Lord JESUS Christ thy Son who with Thee and the H. Ghost lives and reigns One God
the hands of God At first endow'd with dominion o're the Earth and which was more with dominion o're thy self At first not only made sole Lord of Paradise but heir apparent of the Heav'n of heav'ns All this thou lost by one rash act * disobeying the Law of thy wise Creator All this alas we lost by thy transgression which brought in sin and death and universal misery Our bodys were deprav'd by thy distemper and our souls made fit for such depraved bodys Our senses quickly rebel'd against reason and both together conspir'd against grace Dulnes and ignorance o'respred the world error and vice possest mankind The Law they observ'd was their own unruly appetites and the Deity they worship'd the work of their own hands Even the selected people of the true God the favourite Nation of the Almighty Providence They who were brought out of Egypt with so many wonders and seated in a Country flowing with Milk and Honey They who had seen the sea divide before them and stand on each side as a wall to defend them They who had tasted the quails and manna from heavâ—â—n and drunk of the streams that came gushing from the Rock Even they forgot their great Deliverer and set up for their God a Golden Calf They could not worship what they did not see they must have Gods to go before them Thus lay the miserable world all cover'd with darknes and the thickest mists of gross Idolatry Thus had poor man quite lost his way and all he could do was to wander up and down a while Til when his few vain years were spent * he suddenly descended to everlasting sorrows This mov'd thy pity gracious Lord who often art found by those that seek thee not VVho never withdraw'st thy hand in time of need but constantly supply'st us in all our distresses This mov'd thy pity to undertake our relief and come down thy self and dwel among us That as our nature us'd to worship what it saw we now should see what we might safely worship But thou again dear Lord must leave our world and though it be good for us 't is hard to part from Thee Thou must again ascend into thy Fathers bosom to prepare a place for thy faithful Followers Yet even then O thou wise and infinite Goodnes thou didst not wholly forsake our earth Only thy usual cloaths and shape were chang'd but thy former Self stil dwels among us Stil thou art really here to move us by thy presence * and entertain our devotions without fear of excess VVe know 't is impossible to adore our God too much O that 't were possible to adore him enough Glory be c. Antiph VVhether O my God should we wander if left to our selvs where should we fix our harts if not directed by Thee Antiph Blessed be thy Providence O God that so tenderly nurses up the world stil growing on to new degrees of perfection Psal LXI LOrd what a happy change has thy coming wrought what glorious effects has thy Doctrin produced Narrow was once the gate and strait the path to bliss and few there were that found it Once in a populous City not ten that were just and on the whole earth but eight that were sav'd Now we see thousands with a strong and generous love * run swiftly after Thee in the ways of thy Counsels Now we see millions with a fair degree of hope * walk constantly towards Thee in the ways of thy Commands Now we see Kings and mighty Nations submit to Thee and hope all the world will ere long adore Thee Whence O my God could this strange improvement come but that JESUS ascending left himself on our Altars Whence could this blessing spring but from his holy life and the infinit merits of his painful death Both which are here miraculously united and the fruits of both abridg'd into this one Mystery This is the Mystery that gives life and spirit to the Church and works all the wonders that adorn the world This builds our great and sumptuous Temples to bestow on our God the best house we have This with our richest treasures beautifys our altars to entertain our Lord in the best way we can This breeds the reverence we pay to Priests and excellently disposes us to believe and obey them This keeps alive our dear Redeemers death and applies to our souls all the vertue of his Passion This fills our hearts with heroick courage * to do and suffer for the Name of JESUS This is in fine the food of faith and hope and love and these 3 fit us for eternal happines O blest memorial of my Saviours love and faithful Seal of all his promises If I forget to sing of thee * let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth If I forget to meditate on Thee * let my head forfeit its power to think All the short time I remain in thy presence * I will wholly employ to adore thy Majesty Thee will I bless for all thy mercys to Thee will I open all my necessitys Beging thy pardon for my past offences * and thy gracious assistance for the time to come Imploring thy peace for the souls departed and thy blessing for all the world O spotles Lamb once slain for us on the Cross and dayly sacrificed on the holy Altar Be thou our powerful Advocate with thy heav'nly Father and solicite by thy Merits his mercy for us Offer thy sacred Self before his Throne and turn away the wrath we deserve for our sins So slaves are rescu'd from their chains * and prisoners from the doom of death While they appease their offended King * with the pleasing remembrance of his beloved Son And so hope we and infinitely more from the infinitely greater Mediation of JESUS If Thou O Lord shalt thus restore our liberty and cloath thy servants in the robes of innocence Then shall we all delight to be still in thy presence and follow thee where're thou goest In thy Processions we 'l wait on thy triumph in thy visiting the sick we 'l attend thy charity When thou art lifted up we 'l bow before Thee when solemnly expos'd we 'l publickly adore thee Where e're Thou art we 'l never forsake Thee where e're we are our harts shall be with Thee Glory be c. Antiph Blessed be thy Providence O God that so tenderly nurses up the world still growing on to new degrees of perfection Antiph This is the greatest charity that God himself can bestow since God can bestow nothing greater then himself Psal LXII ANd does our glorious God not only visit but dwelt perpetually with us men upon earth He whom the heav'n of heav'ns cannot contain does he make his residence in our litle Tabernacles Where are you holy Angels that you fly not swiftly down and in your whitest robes attend your Lord Where are you careles men that you run not quickly hither and with your lowliest homage bow to your King Who though
my gracious God Vouchsafe to grant it Cast me not away from thy presence for ever nor wipe my name out of the book of life But my eternal hopes let them remain and stil grow quicker as they approach their end Glory be c. Psal LXXVIII MY thoughts run o're the passages you have met to day or rather forget such impertinent things What have we seen but distracting vanitys and what brought home but unprofitable fancys How often have we felt our minds disturb'd how often endanger'd by unhappy accidents Somtimes we frowardly throw our selvs down and like sullen children will not stand Somtimes the tempest throws us down and like weak children we cannot stand Yet are we venturing stil among the snares entic'd by the appearance of some present delight We weary our selvs with running after flyes which are hard to catch and trifles when they are caught This we pursue and follow that but nothing we meeâ—â— can fill our harts Til we have found out Thee O gracious Lord our only full all-satisfying Good Til we have found out Thee not by a dark beleef but clearly as thou art in thine own bright Self Remember O my soul this truth of the world we live in which our own experience too evidently proves The ey is not fill'd with seeing its varietys nor the ear with hearing all its harmony Remember this truth of the world we hope made sure to our faith by the word of JESUS The ey has not seen such beauteous glorys nor has the ear heard such ravishing charms Nor can the hart it self conceive such incredible joys as our God has provided for them that love him As our Blessed JESUS has purchas'd for his servants and even for Thee my soul to crown thy patience Wherfore in peace lay down thy head and rest secure in the protection of thy God Whose mercy so graciously has singled Thee out and so strongly establisht on himself thy hope Glory be c. Antiph In peace will we sleep and take our rest for thou O Lord hast particularly establisht us in hope Hymn XXIV T Is not for us and our proud harts O mighty Lord to chuse our parts But act wel what Thou giv'st 'T is not in our weak pow'r to make One step o' th way we undertake Unless Thou us releev'st What Thou hast given Thou canst take And when Thou wilt new gifts canst make All flows from Thee alone When Thou didst give it it was Thine When thou retookst it 't was not mine Thy will in all be done It might perhaps too pleasant prove Too much attractive of my love So make me less love Thee Some things there are thy Scriptures say And reason proves that heav'n and they Do seldom wel agree Lord let me then sit calmly down And rest contented with my own That is what Thou allow'st Keep thou my mind ferene and free Often to think on heav'n and Thee And what thou there bestow'st There let me have my portion Lord There all my losses be restor'd No matter what falls here Is 't not enough that we shall sing And love for ever our blest King Whose goodnes brought us there Great God as Thou art One may we With one another all agree And in thy praise conspire May Men and Angels joyn and sing Eternal Hymns to Thee their King And make up all one Quire Capit. 6 Galat. GOd forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord JESVS Christ by whom the world is crucifyd to me and I to the world For in Christ JESVS neither circumcision avails any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature and whoever shal follow this rule peace on them and mercy and on the Israel of God Antiph Consider O my soul and see that nothing can happen unprofitable to those who know how to use it and realâ—â—y seek by tempering right their minds to build them up in true Vertue V. Day to day utters words of instruction R. And night to night affords Science O Lord hear our prayers And let our Supplications come to thee Let us pray O God whose provident mercy makes every day a new branch of the tree of Knowledge to us whence the Evening may gather fresh variety of wholsom fruit for the nourishment of souls whose digestion by grace has sanctifyd by feeding on the tree of life the Cross of JESUS Grant we humbly beseech Thee that no experience of good or evil which this day has afforded may be lost on us but what e're of moment has happen'd to our selvs or others may by seasonable and minute rumination be fitted to render us more skilful in discerning the true value and use of this state in all its postures and stronger to sacrifice up with our Saviour our whole Concerns and Being here to thy Will and the sole advance of thy glory which at length will surely crown thy Servants with immortal Blyss through our Lord Vouchsafe as Pag 54 to the end Saturday MATINS Introduction as page 1. Invitatory Come let 's adore our Victorious Redeemer Come let 's adore our Victorious Redeemer Psal LXXIX COme all you Powers of my deliver'd soul and pay your homage to the Prince of our salvation cast your unworthy selvs at his sacred feet and renew your vows of following his steps Come let 's adore our Victorious Redeemer He triumpht over death in his own body and enables us to conquer it in ours imparting to us his heav'nly skill and provoking our courage with infinite rewards Come let 's adore our Victorious Redeemer He chang'd the corrupted government of the world and establisht a new and holy Law that as we were vassals to sin before we might now become the free subjects of grace Come let 's adore our victorious Redeemer Let us live and dy in his blest obedience and no temptation ever separate us from him who if we resist will make us overcome and when we have overcome will crown us with peace Come let 's adore our victorious Redeemer Glory be c. As it was c. Come let 's adore our victorious Redeemer Come let 's adore our victorious Redeemer Hymn XXV LOrd we again lift up our eys And leave our slugish beds But why we wake or why we rise Comes seldom in our heads Is it to sweat and toyl for welth Or sport our time away That thou preserv'st us stil in helth And giv'st us this new day No no unskilful soul not so Be not deceiv'd with toys Thy Lords commands more wisely go And aim at higher joys They bid us wake to seek new grace And some fresh vertue gain They call us up to mend our pace Till we the prize attain That glorious prize for which all run Who wisely spend their breath VVho when this weary life is done Are sure of rest in death Not such a rest as here we prove Disturb'd with cares and fears But endless joy and peace and love Unmixt with grief and tears
do what ever else we are doing This we can do even while we sit still and only move our thoughts towards Thee Nay then we best perform this best of works when all our powers are quiet in Thee Yet let not this thy facil sweetnes dearest Lord be abus'd by us to a wanton neglect But make us love Thee so much more as Thou more discover'st the excess of thy love Glory be c. Antiph Too often are we troubled about many things when the truly necessary is but One. Hymn XXVIII MY soul what 's all this world to thee This world of sin and wo Where only sense can tast its sweets And those unwholsom too Truth is thy food truth thy delight Which cannot here be free Thy mind was born to know and love What this life ne're can see Malicious world how dost thou lay and cover thy false baits Here those of pleasure there of gain Each for our ruine waits Unhappy we it is our fault 'T is we our life abuse The world presents a furnisht shop And we the tools misuse So have I seen a litle child If Nurse but turn her ey Instead of heft take hold o' th blade And cut it self and cry This litle child alas am I Self-will'd self-wounded too But Lord turn not thy face away Lest I my self undo O make me stil so use this world That I the other gain O make me so the other love That this its end attain It s end to breed up souls for heav'n Then be it self new drest No more corruption no more change But one perpetual rest To Father Son and holy Ghost The undivided Three One equal glory one same praise Now and for ever be Capit. Thessal 5. THe day of our Lord shall come as a thief in the night let us not therefore sleep as others but watch and be sober For God has not appointed us to wrath but to the purchasing salvation by our Lord JESVS Christ who dyed for us that whether we wake or sleep we may live together with Him Antiph We have here no permanent City but are bound in quest of Jerusalem above the eternal mansion of Blyss V. Jesus came down to give us a glimpse of it R. And made his own life the Card to direct us to it O Lord hear our prayers And let our supplications come to thee Let us pray O God whose eternal Providence has imbarkt our souls in the ship of our bodys not to expect any port or anchorage on the Sea of this world but steer directly through it to thy glorious Kingdom grant we beseech Thee that daily reflecting with what care and unwearied diligence the wretched Adventurers for all sorts of vanity pursue round about us their desperate courses we may hartily feel our selvs confounded with just reproach who knowing our ingagement on so important a voyage yet take so litle pains to perform it Preserve us O Lord from those dangerous winds that on all sides assault us and keep the sails of our affections still duly trim'd to receive thy holy inspirations that carried sweetly forward by the gales of thy Spirit we may happily arrive at last in the haven of eternal salvation through our Lord Vouchsafe c. as page 54. to the end The OFFICE of our B. SAVIOVR Matins Introduction as Page 1. Christmas Invitatory To day for us our Lord was born alleluia Come let 's adore Him Newyears-day Invit To day our Lord was Circumciz'd and receiv'd the sweet name of JESVS alleluia Come let 's adore Him Twelfth-day Invit To day the holy Kings brought their presents to our Lordâ—â— alleluia Come let 's adore Him Candlemas-day Invit To day our Bleâ—â—ed Lord was presented in the Temple alleluia Come let 's adore Him Lady-day Invit To day the Eternal WORD was made flesh Come let 's adore Him Passion-Sunday and Palm-Sunday Invit To day if you will hear the voice of our Lord harden not your harts Easter-day All as in the Office for Sunday except as in the Proper for Festivals Invention of the Cross Invit To day the miraculous Cross of our Lord was found alleluia Come let 's adore Him Ascension Invit To day our glorious JESVS ascended into heav'n alleluia Come let 's adore Him If this Office be said on any day that is not a feast of our Saviour let the Invitatory be To day let 's adore our God that redem'd us Psal XCII BRing to our Lord all you his servants bring to our Lord the sacrifice of praise bring to our Lord all you nations of the earth bring hymns of glory to his great Name To day c. He is our God and we his people created by his goodnes to be happy for ever he is our Redeemer and we his purchase restor'd by his death to a better eternity To day c. Let us learn of Him and he will teach us his ways let us follow Him and we shal walk in the light for the Law and its types were given by Moses but grace and truth came by JESVS Christ. To day c. O Come let 's ascend to the house of our Lord and celebrate this day with a holy joy imploring his mercy for all we need and blessing his bounty for all we have To day c. Glory be c. As it was To day c. To day c. Hymn XXIX JESU who from thy Fathers throne To this low vale of tears cam'st down In our poor nature drest O may the charms of that sweet love Draw up our souls to Thee above And fix them there to rest JESU who wert with joy Conceiv'd With joy wert born while no pain griev'd Thy Mothers Virgin-womb O may we breed and bring Thee forth In our glad harts for all is mirth Where Thou art pleas'd to come JESU whose high and humble birth In heav'n the Angels and on earth The faithful Shepherds sing O may our hymns which here run low Shoot up aloft and fruitful grow In that eternal Spring JESU how soon did'st Thou begin To bleed and suffer for our sin The Circumcizing knife O may thy grace by making good Our souls just caufe ' gainst flesh and blood Cut off that dangerous strife JESU who took'st that heav'nly Name Thy blessed Purpose to proclaim Of saving lost mankind O may we bow our hart and knee Bright King of Names to glorious Thee and thy hid sweetnes find JESU who thus began'st our Blyss Thus carry'dst on our happines To Thee all praise be paid O may the Great Mysterious Three For ever live and ever be Ador'd belov'd obey'd Antiph Blessed be the mercy of our God who has left no way untry'd that could possibly recover us Psal XCIII COme now and hear you that fear our Lord and I will tell you what he has done for my soul Hear and I wil tel you what he has done for yours and the wonders of his bounty towards all the world When we lay asleep
in the shades of nothing his mighty hand awak't us into Being Not That of stones or plants or beasts o're which he has made us absolute Lords But an accomplisht body and immortal spirit and litle inferiour to his glorious Angels He printed on our souls his own similitude and promis'd to our obedience his own feliâ—â—ity He endued us with appetites to live well and happy and furnisht us with means to satisfie those appetites Creating a whole world to serve us here and providing a heav'n to glorify us her-after Thus didst thou favour us O infinite Goodness but we what return did we make to Thee Blush O my Soul for shame at so strange a weaknes and weep for grief at so extreme an ingratitude We childishly prefer'd a trivial apple * before the Law of our God and the safety of our own lives We fondly embrac't a litle present satisfaction * before the Pleasures of Paradise and the eternity of heav'n Behold the unhappy source of all our miserys which still increast it streams as they went farther on Till they exacted at last a deluge of justice * to drown their deluge of iniquity And here alas had been an end of Man a sad and fatal end of the whole world Had not our wise Creator foreseen the danger and in time prevented the extremity of the ruâ—â—e Reserving for himself a few choice plants * to replenish the earth with more hopeful fruit Yet they grew quickly wilde and brought forth sowre grapes and their childrens teeth were set on edg Quickly they aspir'd to an intolerable pride * of fortifying their wickedness against the power of heav'n Justice was now provok't to a second deluge and to bring again a cloud o're the earth But mercy discover'd a bow in the cloud and our faithful God remembred his promise Allaying their punishment with a milder sentence and only scattering them from the place of their conspiracy Which yet his Providence turn'd into a blessing * by making it an occasion of peopling the world Stil their rebellious nature disobey'd again and neither fear'd his judgments nor valued his mercys But with a graceles emulation propagated sin * as far as his Goodnes propagated mankind Then he selected a private Family and increast and govern'd them with a particular tendernes Giving them a law by the hands of Angels and ingaging their obedience by a thousand favours But they neglected too their God and heav'n and fel in love with the ways of death When thou hadst thus O dearest Lord try'd every remedy and found our disease beyond all cure When the light of nature prov'd too weak a guide and the general flood too mild a correction When the miracles of Moses could not soften their harts nor the law of Angels bring any to perfection When all was reduc't to this desperate state and no imaginable hope left to recover us Behold the eternal Wisdom finds a strange expedient the last and highest instance of almighty love Himself he resolvs to cloath with our felsh and come down among us and dy to redeem us Wonder O my soul at the mercys of thy Lord how infinitely transcending ev'n our utmost wishes Wonder at the admirable providence of his counsels how exactly fitted to their great design Had he been less then God we could never have believ'd * the sublime Mysterys of his heav'nly Doctrin Had he been other then Man we must needs have wanted * the powerful motive of his holy Example Had He been only God he could never have suffer'd * the least of those afflictions he so gloriously overcame Had He been meerly Man he could never have o'recome those infinite afflictions he so patiently suffer'd O blessed JESU both these Thou art in thy self be Thou both these to us Be thou our God and make us adore Thee be thou our Leader and make us follow Thee Glory be c. Antiph Blessed be the mercy of our God who has left no means untry'd that could possibly recover us Antiph Lord thou not only offer'st us salvation but lay'st in means before hand to make us accept it Psal XCIV SOon as this blest decree was made * of sending the Son of God to redeem mankind Immediately his goodnes was ready to come among us had our ungracious world been ready to receive him But we as yet were too gross and sensual and utterly incapable of so pure a Law We were immerst in cares and pleasures and wholly indispos'd for so perfect an obedience While we were thus unfit for thee O thou God of pure and perfect holines Thou graciously wert pleas'd to stay for us and all that time prepare us for thy presence From the begining entertaining us with hope and through every age confirming our faith How early O my God didst thou engage to relieve us The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head How often didst thou repeat thy promise to Abraham In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed How many ways did thy mercy invent * by unquestionable tokens to give notice of thy Coming Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and his name shall be called God with us A branch shall shoot out of the stock of Jesse and from the root of that branch shall spring a Flower The Spirit of our Lord shall rest upon him and the spirit of wisdom and piety and fortitude Our Lord shall raise up a Prophet like Moses and put his words in his mouth and he shall teach us And thou Bethelem who art litle among the thousands of Juda out of thee shall He come that 's to be the Ruler in Israel Whose goings forth are from the beginning even from the days of eternity Hark how the eternal Father introduces his Son commanding first all the Angels to adore Him Thou art my Son this day have I begotten Thee Thou art my Son and I will be thy Father I will give Thee the Gentiles for thine inheritance and the ends of the world for thy possession 'T is too litle that thou raise up the Tribes of Jacob and convert the dregs of Israel Thou art appointed a lght for the Gentiles and a Saviour to the utmost parts of the earth Hark how the antient Prophets rejoyce in the Messias and in soft and gentle words foretel his sweetness He shall come down as rain into a fleece of wool and as drops of dew distilling on the earth He shall feed his flock like a Shepherd and gently lead those that are with young He shall gather his lambs with his arms and carry them in his own bosom The bruised reed he shall not break nor quench the smoking flax Justice and peace shall flourish in his days and sin and death be destroy'd for ever Then shall the eys of the blind be open'd and the ears of the deaf be made to hear Then shall the tongues of the dumb be loosen'd and the lame man leap like a Back Thus did thy holy
with grace and our future glory secur'd to us with a dear and precious Pledge Alleluja Alleluja Prayer O God whose infinite mercy has wonderfully contriv'd the very Body of our Saviour which glorify'd sits at thy right hand in the heav'ns to become stil the daily visible Object and Solliciter of our adorations on earth Grant us we beseech Thee so devoutly to celebrate this glorious Festival instituted by thy Church in memory of that stupendious providence as may sanctify us every day to feed more strongly with it our faith and hope and charity and raise in us a higher appetite of that clear unveiled Vision to which our hidden God thus miraculously now condescends to invite us through the same our Lord c. S. John Baptist All as in the Office of Saints except 1. Antiph This is the great Precursor of the world's Redeemer the miraculous Son of age and barrennes in his Mothers womb he was sanctify'd and in his nativity many shal rejoyce Alleluja 2. Antiph This is a Prophet and more then a Prophet of whom our Saviour said Never did there rise among the children of women a greater then John the Baptist Alleluja 3. Antiph This is that burning and that shining light who despising the pleasures and conveniences of the world chose his garment of camels hair and a leathern girdle about his loyns and his meat was locusts and wild hony Alleluja Prayer O God whose gracious providence summons us this day to celebrate the Nativity of the great S. John Baptist thy Son 's holy Precurâ—â—or Grant we beseech thee that as we fulfil the Prophecy of thy holy Angel by rejoycing in his Nativity we may improve both our selvs and others by imitating his life while every one of us in our several conditions and capacitys faithfully indeavour to learn of him those excellent lessons of retirednes and mortification of humility and self-denial of zeal for justice and courage in defending the truth and generous and industrious charity in all our actions through our Lord c. SS Peter and Paul All as in the Office of Saints except 1. Antiph This day the Prince of the Apostles was nail'd to the Cross and in reverence to his Master with his head downwards imitating with that humble difference Him in his death whom in his life he so dearly had lov'd Alleluja 2. Antiph This day the Doctor of the Gentils bow'd his head to the sword and receiv'd of our Lord the crown of Martyrdom Alleluja 3. Antiph These are they who taught us thy Law O Lord thou shalt establish them Princes over all the earth and they shall propagate thy Name to the end of the world Alleluja Prayer O God who this day vouchsafest to refresh and excite the devotions of thy Church by the glorious Festival of its principal Founders thy Son 's great Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul Grant us we beseech Thee both humbly to adore thy powerful Providence in rendring frail men so firm a rock of saving truth that the gates of hell neither have nor can prevail against it and duly submit to that eminent Authority of the supreme Bishop of the Christians which thy infinite Wisdom has ordain'd as the fittest means to establish order and preserve unity in thy Church through our Lord c. S. James All as in the Office of Saints except 1. Antiph No sooner was he cal'd by our Lord but immediately he obey'd and left nets and boat and father and all to follow JESUS Alleluja 2. Antiph This was the first Apostle who laid down his life for our Lord and receiv'd at his hand the crown of Martyrdom Alleluja 3. Antiph Now glorious Apostle thou injoy'st thy Mother's desire and for ever shalt injoy it seated at the right hand of JESUS in his Kingdom Alleluja Prayer O God who by the feast of the H Apostle S. James reviv'st in us the memory of thy great mercy to the world in so glorious a seeds-man of thy saving truth Cultivate so our harts we beseech thee by the solemn devotions of this day that the blessed seed may bring forth more abundant fruit in our lives and deaths worthy thy grace vouchsaf't us in such eminent Masters through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who S. Ann. All as in the Office of Saints except 1. Antiph Blessed art thou among women O holy Ann and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Mary Alleluja 2. Antiph Rejoyce O glorious Matron for thy pray'rs are heard and thy barrennes comforted thou hast brought forth the Mother of all our hopes the Mother of JESUS Alleluja 3. Aâ—â—tiph I wil pour out my Spirit on thy seed and my blessing on thy Off-spring saith our Lord Alleluja Prayer O God whose peculiar Providence sanctify'd the womb of the barren and devout S. Ann to bear the blessed among women thy Son's Virgin-Mother Grant us we humbly beseech thee in venerating her memory to adore thy free grace which vouchsaf't her so glorious a priviledg from thee and so high an honor in thy Church through our Lord c. S. Laurence All as in the Office of Saints except 1. Antiph This is the glorious Martyr S. Laurence whose courage remain'd invincible in the midst of his torments they broyl'd him on a gridiron and he confest our Lord they try'd him with fire and he was found true Alleluja 2. Antiph They sought his treasures but his charity had laid them out of their reach the hands of the poor had carry'd them into heav'n Alleluja 3. Antiph While they were burning his flesh he generously said to the Tyrant I worship my God and him alone I serve therefore I fear not thy torments Alleluja Prayer O God by whose grace the glorious Deacon S. Laurence sustain'd the cruel torments of a lingring death on a gridiron rather then betray the Goods of the Church deposited in his hands or deny the truths of Religion conserv'd in his hart Grant us we beseech thee in solemnizing his Feast both to praise thy Name for so great and early an example of Christian courage and be strengthen'd by it against all possible temptations to preserve inviolate our fidelity to thee and our spiritual trusts through our Lord c. Assumption of our Lady and during the Octave All as in the Office of Saints except Invitatory Come let 's adore the King of Saints whose Virgin-Mother was assum'd into heav'n Alleluja 1. Antiph To day the Mother of our Lord was assum'd into heaven Alleluja and seated in glory above the highest Angels Alleluja 2. Antiph Behold from henceforth all generations shal cal thee blessed Alleluja for he that is mighty has done great things for thee and holy is his Name Alleluja 3. Antiph Blessed O holy Virgin art thou among women Alleluja and blessed is the fruit of thy womb JESUS Alleluja Alleluja Antiph for Benedictus and Magnificat Come forth now all you glorious Angels and blessed Saints of heaven come forth and behold your Queen with the crown