THE Daily Practice OF DEVOTION OR The Hours of Prayer FITTED To the main Uses of a CHRISTIAN LIFE Also Lamentations and Prayers for the Peaceful re-settlement of this Church and State By the late Pious and Reverend H. H. D. D. Cum clamore valido lachrymis preces offerens exauditus est pro sua reverentia LONDON Printed for R. Royston Bookseller to His most Sacred Majesty MDCLXXXIV The Introduction ALL things tend naturally toward some certain End and desire some Good the attainment of which is the Perfection of their Nature and the enjoyment of it their Supreme Happiness The highest Perfection and Happiness of Mankind consists in their nearest approach unto God the supreme End and only Good The only means of thus approaching and applying our selves to God is a sincere Love of him the Natural effect and expression of which is our keeping his Commandments 1 John 3. 5. Now the whole Service of God which is that we call Religion being in the Holy Scriptures largely and plainly declared to the meanest understandings may seem to be all comprehended under these three Heads Faith Works and Prayer I. By Faith we nnderstand the hearty Belief of whatsoever is revealed by God II. By Works the diligent Observing of whatsoever is commanded by God III. By Prayer the humble Petitioning for all requisites to that end Of the First we have a short Summary in the Apostles Creed Of the Second in the Two Tables of the Law Of the Third we have an excellent Pattern in the Lords Prayer Of which though the last be the only Subject of our present Discourse yet the First and the Second were to be mentioned being the natural Introductions to it The Apostles Creed I Believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into Hell the third day he rose again from the dead he ascended into Heaven and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead I believe in the Holy Ghost the Holy Catholick Church the Communion of Saints the Forgiveness of Sins the Resurrection of the Body and the Life everlasting Amen The two Tables of the Law I. THou shalt have none other Gods but Me. II. Thou shalt not Worship any kind of Image III. Thou shalt not take the Name of God in vain IV. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day V. Honour thy Father and thy Mother VI. Thou shalt do no Murder VII Thou shalt not commit Adultery VIII Thou shalt not Steal IX Thou shalt not bear False Witness X. Thou shalt not Covet any thing that is thy neighbours The Lords Prayer OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into Temptation But deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Contents OF the daily practice of Devotion Pag. 1 Of set Forms of Prayer 2 Of the Lords Prayer 3 The Lords Prayer 4 The Paraphrase 5 Of the parts of Prayer 7 Of the Difficulty of Prayer 9 Preparatives to Prayer 10 Preparatory Prayers 14 A General Form of Prayer 15 The Seven Hours of Prayer for every day 31 The First Hour 35 The Second Hour 43 Of Publick Prayer the third hour 59 The Third Hour 63 The Fourth Hour 69 The Fifth Hour 79 The Sixth Hour 85 The Seventh Hour 93 Of Solemn Repentance 109 A General form of Confession 115 Of the Lords Supper 129 Of Frequent Receiving 133 Of Preparation 137 Prayers before the Sacrament 141 Before the Bread 146 After the Bread 147 Before the Cup. 148 After the Cup. ibid. An Hymn 149 After the Sacrament 151 An Admonition after Receiving 153 Of Death 157 A Prayer Preparatory to Death 160 Lamentations and Devotions for Times of Captivity 163 Psalms 172 Prayers 183 A Prayer for the Church 190 A Prayer for the King and State 195 A Prayer for all Christian Princes and the Ecclesiastical State 202 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexander Stromat lib. 7. p. 728. OF THE DAILY PRACTICE OF DEVOTION Micah 6. 8. He hath shewed thee O Man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do Justly and to love Mercy and to walk Humbly with thy God Of Prayer AS Religion is the Life of the Soul so Prayer is the Soul of Religion and the Breath by which it lives and moves without which it is stifled up and dies It is a piece of Service as most acceptable to God so most useful to us for as in it we make our daily acknowledgment and do homage as it were to the Great King so in it we have continual access into his high Court to offer up our Petitions to Him to make known our Wants and implore his gracious Relief Of set Forms of Prayer AND although the perpetual changeableness of all things in this transitory Life do every day alter our occasions and create to us new necessities yet our great and common wants and interests remaining still the same in all reason we may still use the same words to express them to God Our extraordinary Necessities may be added and inserted in their proper places in our ordinary Prayers as our daily occasions shall require Otherwise being comprehended under the general heads expressed in our usual Form it will not always be necessary to mention them particularly to Him that knows what things we have need of before we ask and neither hears us the sooner nor understands us the better for our many words Of the Lords Prayer AND indeed any sober Christian may abundantly satisfie himself both of the Lawfulness of Set Forms and the Usefulness of Short ones from the Direction and Example of our Lord who Himself prescribed to His Disciples a Brief Form of Prayer still remaining upon record in the Holy History and daily used in the Catholick Church Which excellent Pattern doubtless we may do well to imitate in our Devotions as that which in a fit method and few words comprehends and summs up all necessaries as may appear by this Short Paraphrase The LORD's PRAYER OUR Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread And forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil. For thine is the Kingdom the Power and Glory for ever and ever Amen The Paraphrase O Mercifnl Lord God who hast vouchsafed to adopt and receive us Thy
unworthy Creatures into the number of Thy Children and Heirs of thy Kingdom we beseech Thee grant us the assistance of Thy Grace that we may reverently worship Thee diligently serve Thee and readily and chearfully obey Thy holy Will here on Earth even as those Blessed Spirits do in Heaven And whereas by reason of our many weaknesses and Frailties we are often hindred and always negligent in the performance of these Duties We beseech Thee continually to relieve and supply us with all Spiritual and Temporal necessaries for our help and furtherance in thy Service And in whatsoever we have hihâ—erto been wanting or have otherwise transgressed Thy Holy Will We beseech Thee mercifully pass by and pardon it even as we our selves do heartily and sincerely forgive all those who have wronged or offended us And that we may not for the future fall again into the like sins We beseech Thee graciously to assist and preserve us in all Temptations and powerfully defend and deliver us from all the assaults of our daily Enemies the World the Flesh and the Devil For Thou O Lord art the Supreme King Thou art able to do All things and to Thee is due the Honour and Glory of All both in this world and that which is to come Amen And thus the very excellency of the Prayer it self both for the Matter and Method beside the dignity and veneration of the Author may sufficiently commend it to our use it serving so properly either for a Beginning or a Conclusion to our other Devotions Of the Parts of Prayer THE several sorts or parts of Prayer are by the Apostle reduced to these four Heads 1 Tim. 2. 1. SUPPLICATION PRAYER INTERCESSION THANKSGIVING I. Supplication is the Confessing of Sins and imploring Pardon and Reconciliation with God II. Prayer is the petitioning for supply of all good things Spiritual and Temporal which we have need or use of for our Souls or Bodies III. Intercession is the praying for others as well as our selves extending to all sorts and states of men in the world IV. Thanksgiving is the returning of Praise to God for all his Mercies and Blessings bestowed on us And this last is the most pleasant and delightful part of all the worship of God according to that saying of the Prophet David It is a good thing to sing Praises unto our God yea a joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful Psal 14. 7. 1. Of the Difficulty of Prayer FOR otherwise Prayer in respect of the other parts though as it is ordinarily used or abused it be taken for an ordinary matter yet indeed to perform it rightly and duly is the highest and hardest piece of all the service of God For beside the qualifications required to fit us for the preformance of it Prayer being in it self a Duty wholly Spiritual and requiring a Spiritual intention of the Soul to God it will be found a very difficult and rare thing for us who are continually clogged and incumbered with Flesh and blood so to abstract our thoughts from all bodily and worldly things as to place them freely and purely upon an invisible Object And to this occasion the craft of our old Enemy is no way wanting who as he is always impertinently interposing in every good action so is he never more importunate and impudent than when we are busie at our Devotions Preparatives to Prayer I. THerefore in this as in all other things before you begin sit down and consider with your self what you are about to do II. Resolve that to make any Address to God without a Resolution at least to set your self heartily and wholly to his Service is not only fruitless but hurtful and that which will turn your very Prayer into sin For to hope for any favour at his hands and yet continue in your sinful course is to make him such an one as your self III. Remember your own meanness and the Majesty of Him to whom you speak that he is the Great King sitting in Heaven and you a poor worm creeping on the Earth IV. Consider how unworthy you are to receive the least favour from him whom you have so often and so highly provoked in despight of his continual mercies to you V. Consider how great a favour and benefit you enjoy in this liberty of approaching and speaking to God VI. Be sober and moderate in your Petitions regulating and submitting your desires both for the Matter and Manner and Measure and Season to his Wisdom and Will VII Remember that he is a Spirit and sees into the heart and therefore not only your words and behaviour but also your thoughts and imaginations must be such as may not offend his pure eyes VIII Let your Praying be rather frequent than long that the tediousness of many words may not weary and dull the Devotion of your Mind IX Recollect and take up your thoughts from the world and worldly things that they may be wholly intent upon the business you are about And this you may do by a short Meditation or preparatory Prayer or reading somewhat in the Scripture or some other pious Book X. Now when you have thus brought your gift to the Altar remember the advice of your Saviour first put away all malice and hatred out of your heart and forgive all others before you presume to ask pardon for your self And know that this is a qualification so necessary so essential to the due performance of any Devotions that our Saviour in that very short Prayer of his own thought it worth the mentioning and that as a kind of Condition Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us Preparatory Prayers GIve ear to my words O Lord consider my meditation Hearken to the voice of my cry my King and my God for unto Thee will I Pray Psal 5. 1 2. Thou that hearest the prayer unto Thee shall all flesh come Let not my Lord be angry if I who am but dust and ashes presume to approach and speak unto Thee O Thou that art easie to be intreated and rejoycest in doing good bow down thy gentle ear and hear me and have mercy upon me Raise up my soul and sanctifie my heart and lips that I may ask those things which are most agreeable to thy holy Will Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Strength and my Redeemer A General Form of Prayer HEar my Prayer O Lord and hearken to the voice of my supplication when I cry unto Thee when I lift up my hands toward the Mercy-seat of thy holy Temple O Holy Lord God whose pure eyes will not behold iniquity I the vilest of all thy Creation and most sinful among all the sons of men do yet presume to cast my self down before the foot-stool of thy Throne of Grace humbly beseeching Thee to stretch forth Thy Golden Scepter of Peace that I may touch it and
thy Creation Thou wert yet pleased to find out a means of Redemption and Reconciliation by the death and satisfaction of thine own only Son And hast farther vouchsafed in some measure to shed abroad in our hearts the good gifts and graces of thy holy Spirit to excite inable and incourage us in the performance of thy Service here and to seal to us the good hope of eternal happiness with Thee hereafter That Thou hast vouchsafed me to be born of Christian Parents and brought up in the bosom of thy Church and nourished with the sincere milk of thy word and to live under the glorious Sun-shine of thy Gospel That Thou hast bestowed on me sufficient endowments and abilities of Nature as soundness of mind and health of body and withal a competence of means comfort of friends and other conveniences and contentments of life That Thou hast preserved me from my Childhood until now from all mischiefs and dangers and hast not cut me off in the midst of my sins but allowed me space of Repentance and brought me safe thus far of my life to this present day These and all other thine innumerable and inestimable mercies O Lord as we had nothing in us to deserve them so have we nothing to return for them but an acknowledgment of our extreme unworthiness of any the least of them We therefore offer up our selves unto Thee beseeching thee graciously to receive us and sanctifie thy mercies to us and us to thy service that we may make use of them to the honour and glory of thy Name and the eternal good of our own Souls O Holy Lord God that knowest our necessities before we ask and our ignorance in asking have mercy upon our infirmities pass by and pardon the imperfections of our Prayers bow down thy gentle ear and hear and grant these our requests as shall seem good to Thee And whatsoever else thou knowest more useful or expedient for me or any of thy servants Thou that knowest to give good gifts we beseech Thee chuse for us and give us those things And all for His sake who hath given us confidence to come unto Thee and ask in His name and hath taught us to summ up all our Prayers in his own words saying OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but diliver us from Evil. For Thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen Numb 6. 24. The Lord bless us and keep us The Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us Peace 2 Cor. 13. 14. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with us all Amen THE SEVEN HOURS OF PRAYER FOR EVERY DAY Psal 119. 164. Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgements Psal 119. 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee NOW for the Times of Prayer our Saviours Counsel is that men ought always to pray and not to faint adding a Parable to shew us the virtue of Importunity S. Paul's is agreeable Praying always and without ceasing that is frequently and constantly Among the Ancients it was no less than seven times a day Nay David and S. Paul add the eighth at Midnight so that every third hour of the Night as well as of the Day was begun with the solemnity of Prayer And this Pattern I have thought worthy to be commended to the practice of all pious Christians For the having so often recourse to Heaven must need make us more careful of our conversation on Earth Yet this without any design of laying a burthen upon those whose Occasions or Devotion will not so often serve them only wishing that they who cannot afford so many though so small portions of the day to their Maker would yet joyn with David and Daniel at least three times a day or at the least of leasts twice that the outgoings of the Morning and Evening may praise him The rest may be supplied by lifting up the eyes of their Souls to Heaven with some short and hearty Ejaculation though in midst of any Employment of any Company THE FIRST HOUR OF PRAYER AT THE Morning Watch or Cock-Crowing About III. in the Morning Ephes 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest and arise from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Rom. 13. 12. The night is far spent the day is at hand let us therefore cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armour of light Ephes 5. 11. Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness O God thou art my God early will I seek thee Psal 63. 1. My soul flieth unto the Lord before the Morning Watch I say before the Morning Watch Psal 130. 6. Have I not remembred thee in my bed and thought upon thee when I was waking Psal 63. 7. Mine eyes prevent the Night Watches that I might meditate in thy word Psal 119. 148. OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil For thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Psal 51. 15. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 139. O Lord thou hast searched me out and known me thou knowest my down-sitting and mine up-rising thou understandest my thoughts long before Thou art about my path and about my bed and spiest out all my ways For lo there is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether Thou hast fashioned me behind and before and laid thine hand upon me Such knowledge is too wonderful and excellent for me I cannot attain unto it Whither shall I go then from thy Spirit or whither shall I go then from thy Presence If I climb up into Heaven thou art there if I go down to Hell thou art there also If I take the wings of the morning and remain in the uttermost parts of the Sea Even there also shall thy Hand lead me and thy Right Hand shall hold me If I say peradventure the darkness shall cover me then shall my night be turned to day Yea the darkness is no darkness with thee but the night is as clear as the day the darkness and light to
and the Honey-comb Moreover by them is thy servant taught and in keeping of them there is great reward Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Keep thy servant also from presumtuous sins left they get the dominion over me so shall I be undefiled and innocent from the great offence Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be always acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The Song of Zachary BLessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people Luke 1. 68. And hath raised up a mighty Salvation for us in the House of his Servant David As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the world began That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hands of all that hate us To perform the mercy promised to our Forefathers and to remember his holy Covenant To perform the Oath which he sware to our Forefather Abraham that he would give us That we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies might serve him without fear In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life And thou Child shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways To give knowledge of Salvation to his people for the remission of their sins Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the way of peace Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen BLessed be thy holy Name O Lord who hast shewed me the light of thy countenance and hast delivered me from the darkness and dangers of this night and refreshed me with quiet sleep and raised me up again as it were from the grave and restored me to life and the joyful light of another day Give me grace to make it a resurrection to newness of life also that I may spend this day and all that thou shalt yet be pleased to add to it in thy Service to the Glory of thy Name and the Good of my own Soul O Lord blot out as a nightmist mine iniquities and scatter my sins as a morning cloud Isai 44. 22. Grant that I may become a Child of the Light and of the Day that I may walk soberly chastly and honestly as in the day Open thou mine eyes that I may see incline my heart that I may affect and order my steps that I may walk and run in the way of thy Commandements Hold me fast and keep me close by thee Guide me with thy Hand Uphold me when I am falling lift me up when I am down Reduce me when I go astray and hedge in my way that I find not the path to follow after vanity Keep me in all my ways and defend me from all the dangers and evils of this day O Lord preserve my going out and coming in from this time for evermore And now O Lord I offer up my self a living Sacrifice unto thee beseeching thee mercifully and graciously to receive me Cleanse me from all my Pollutions heal all my infirmities and sanctifie all the Powers and Faculties of my Soul and Body to thy service this day that in all my thoughts words and works I may always have an eye to that Supreme end of my Creation and so order the whole course of my life that I may be always ready and prepared for death and that severe account which I must one day make unto thee that so I may do it with joy and not with sorrow and receive that Crown which thou hast promised to them that persevere unto the end Heb. 13. 17. And with my self I commend unto thee all whom any bond of Nature or Freindship or Religion commands me to pray for especially and all that have at any time done good to me thou O Lord do good to them and reward them seven-fold into their bosom Preserve us O Lord from all evil O Lord I beseech thee keep our Souls keep us from falling and present us faultless before the presence of thy Glory at that day And the Peace of God which passeth all understanding keep our hearts and minds in the Knowledge and Love of God and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. And the Blessing of God Almighty the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost be with us this day the rest of our lives and for evermore Amen OF PUBLICK PRAYER AT THE THIRD HOVR Psal 119. 9. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way Even by ruling himself after thy Word Psal 111. 10. The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom A good understanding have all they that do thereafter The praise of it endureth for ever NOW as Private Prayer hath this Promise of our Saviour that being performed in the Closet secretly it shall yet be rewarded openly so much more when two or three are gathered together in his Name hath he promised to be in the midst of them and hear their requests This therefore being the usual Hour wherein the Publick Service of the Church is every day to be celebrated this Private Form is far from any purpose to supplant the use or pretence to supply the want of that Which though it be now by the Children of this generation shamefully east out of the House of God yet certainly all true Children of the Church will receive it into their own Houses and make their Family their Congregation But they that want even this Convenience also may yet at least perform their part of the Publick Duty in the Privacy of their Closet and comfort themselves with this Consideration that the Prayers which are sent up from never so divers aud distant places on Earth yet all meet together in the High Court of Heaven The following Form therefore is intended for no more than a Preparation to the Publick And so likewise at the Fifth Hour whereon the Evening Service of the Church is to be celebrated THE THIRD HOUR OF PRAYER AT THE Third Hour of the Day About IX in the Morning HEar my Prayer O God and hide not thy self from my Petition OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from all evil For thine is the Kingdom the Power
and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy praise Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 25. UNto thee O Lord will I lift up my Soul My God I have put my trust in thee O let me not be confounded neither let mine enemies triumph over me For all they that hope in thee shall not be ashamed but such as trangress without a cause shall be put to confusion Shew me thy ways O Lord and teach me thy paths Lead me forth in thy Truth and learn me for thou art the God of my Salvation In thee hath been my hope all the day long Call to remembrance O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindness which hath been ever of old O remember not the sins and offences of my Youth but according to thy mercy think thou upon me O Lord for thy goodness Gracious and righteous is the Lord therefore will we teach sinners in the way Them that be meek shall he guide in judgment and such as be gentle them shall he learn his way All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his Covenant and his Testimonies For thy Names sake O Lord be merciful unto my sin for it is great What man is he that feareth the Lord Him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse His Soul shall dwell at ease and his Seed shall inherit the Land The Secret of the Lord is among them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant Mine eyes are ever looking unto the Lord for he shall pluck my feet out of the Net Turn thee unto me and have mercy upon me for I am desolate and in misery The sorrows of my heart are enlarged O bring thou me out of my troubles Look upon my adversity and misery and forgive me all my sin Consider mine Enemies how many they are and they bear a tyrannous hate against me O keep my Soul and deliver me let me not be confounded for I have put my trust in thee Let perfectness and righteous dealing wait upon me for my hope hath been in thee Deliver Israel O God out of all his troubles Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen ALmighty Lord God who hast created all things for thine own Glory and Service give us grace to direct all our thoughts words and works to that one end that so having served thee faithfully here we may glorifie thee eternally in thy Kingdom hereafter through Jesus Christ our Saviour Amen NOW unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the Power that worketh in us unto him be Glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages world without end Amen THE FOURTH HOUR OF PRAYER AT THE Sixth Hour or Mid-day About XII at Noon Psal 34. 12. What man is he that lusteth to live and would fain see good days Keep thy Tongue from Evil and thy Lips that they speak no Guile Eschew Evil and do Good Seek Peace and ensue it Psal 102. 24. O my God take me not away in the midst of mâ—e Age. As for thy years they indure throughout all Generations HEar me when I call O God of my righteousness have mercy upon me and hearken unto my Prayer Psal 4. 1. OUR Father which art in Heaven Hallowed be thy Name Thy Kingdom come Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven Give us this day our daily Bread and forgive us our Trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us And lead us not into Temptation but deliver us from Evil. For Thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen O Lord open thou my lips And my mouth shall shew forth thy Praise Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen Psal 27. THE Lord is my light and my salvation of whom then shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afraid When the wicked even mine enemies and my foes came upon me to eat my flesh they stumbled and fell Though an host of men were laid against me yet shall not my heart be afraid and though there rose up war against me yet will I put my trust in him One thing I have desired of the Lord which I will require even that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the fair beauty of the Lord and to visit his Temple For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his Tabernable yea in the secret place of his dwelling shall he hide me and set me up upon a rock of stone And now shall he lift up mine head above mine enemies round about me Therefore will I offer in his dwelling an oblation with great gladness I will sing and speak praises unto the Lord. Hearken unto my voice O Lord when I cry unto Thee have mercy upon me and hear me My heart hath talked of thee Seek ye my face thy face Lord will I seek O hide not Thou thy face from me nor cast thy servant away in displeasure Thou hast been my succour leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation When my father and mother forsake me the Lord taketh me up Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in the right way because of mine enemies Deliver me not over into the will of mine adversaries for there are false witnesses risen up against me and such as speak wrong I should utterly have fainted but that I believe verily to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living O tarry thou the Lords leisure be strong and he shall comfort thine heart and put thou thy trust in the Lord. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen The Song of SS Ambrose and Augustine WE praise Thee O Lord we acknowledge Thee to be the Lord. All the Earth doth worship Thee the Father everlasting To thee all Angels cry aloud the Heavens and all the Powers therein To Thee Cherubim and Seraphim continually do cry Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbaoth Heaven and Earth are full of the Majesty of thy Glory The glorious company of the Apostles praise Thee The goodly fellowship of the Prophets praise Thee The noble Army of Martyrs praise Thee The Holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge Thee The Father of an infinite Majesty Thine honourable true and only Son Also the Holy Ghost the
Quicken us and we will call upon thy Name Turn us again O Lord God of Hosts cause thy face to shine and we shall be whole III. O God thou hast cast us off thou hast scattered us thou hast also been displeased O turn thee unto us again Thou hast made the Land to tremble thou hast broken it Heal the Breaches thereof for it shaketh Thou hast shewed thy people heavy things thou hast made us to drink the Wine of Astonishment For thou hast forsaken and abhorred thine Anointed and hast been displeased at him Thou hast broken the Covenant of thy Servant and hast profaned his Crown to the ground Thou hast broken down all his Hedges and made his Strong Holds a Ruine All that pass by spoil him he is become a reproach to his Neighbours Thou hast set up the Right hand of his Adversaries thou hast made all his Enemies to rejoyce Thou hast also turned the edge of his Sword and givest him not victory in the Battel Thou hast made his glory to cease and hast cast his Throne down to the ground The days of his Youth hast thou shortened and covered him with dishonour How long Lord wilt thou hide thy self for ever Shall thy wrath burn like fire Behold O God our Defender and look upon the face of thine Anointed Comfort us again now after the days wherein thou hast afflicted us and the years wherein we have seen adversity Shew thy Servants thy Work and their Children thy glory And the Glorious Majesty of the Lord our God be upon us IV. TRuly God is good to Israel even to such as are of a clean heart But as for me my feet were almost gone my steps had well nigh slipt For I was zealous at the foolish when I saw the Prosperity of the wicked For they are in no peril of Death but their strength is firm They are not in trouble with the weak neither are they scourged like other men Therefore Pride compasseth them as a Chain Violence covereth them as a Garment Their eyes swell with fatness they have surpassed the imaginations of their heart They deride and speak maliciously from on high they speak Oppression They set their Mouth against the Heavens and their Tongue walked through the Earth And they say How doth God know Is there Knowledge in the most High Behold these are the Ungodly these prosper in the world they increase in riches Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain and washed my hands in innocency If I say I will speak thus I should offend against the generation of thy Children And I thought to know this which was grievous in my eyes And I went into the Sanctuary then understood I the end of these men Surely thou settest them in slippery places thou castest them down into destruction How are they brought into desolation As in a moment they are utterly consumed with terrors As a Dream when one awaketh so Lord when they awake thou shalt destroy their shadow Fret not thy self because of the evil doers neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green Herb. I have seen the wicked in great power aud spreading himself like a green Tree And he passed away and lo he was not yea I sought him but he could not be found Mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace But the Transgressors shall be destroyed together and the end of the wicked shall be cut off For the Salvation of the righteous of the Lord he is their strength in time of trouble And the Lord shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end Amen PRAYERS I. O My God I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee my God for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespass is grown up unto the Heavens Since the days of our Fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day and for our iniquities have we our Kings and our Priests been delivered into the hand of the Enemy to the sword to Captivity and to a Spoil and to confusion of face as it is this day O Lord God of Israel thou art righteous Behold we are before thee in our trespasses for we cannot stand before thee because of this Nevertheless for thy great mercies sake consume us not utterly nor forsake us for thou art a gracious and merciful God Now therefore our God the great the mighty and the terrible God who keepest covenant and mercy let not all the trouble seem little before thee that hath come upon us on our Kings on our Princes and on our Priests and on our Prophets and on our Fathers and on all thy People Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but we have done wickedly Neither have our Kings our Princes our Priests nor our Fathers kept thy Law nor hearkened unto thy Commandments and thy Testimonies wherewith thou didst testifie against them for they have not served thee in their Kingdom and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them and in the large aud fat Land which thou gavest before them neither turned they from their wicked works Behold we are servants this day and for the Land that thou gavest unto our Fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof behold we are servants in it II. O Lord the great and dreadful God keeping the Covenant and Mercy to them that love him and to them that keep his Commandments we have sinned and have committed iniquity and have done wickedly and have rebelled even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy Name to our Kings our Princes and our Fathers and to all the people of the Land O Lord righteousness belongeth unto thee but unto us confusion of face as at this day O Lord to us belongeth confusion of face to our Kings to our Princes and to our Fathers because we have sinned against thee To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses though we have rebelled against him Neither have we obeyed the voice of the Lord our God to walk in his Laws which he hath set before us by his servants the Prophets therefore the Curse is poured upon us and he hath confirmed his words which he spake against us and against our Judges that Judged us by bringing upon us a great evil for under the whole Heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem O Lord according to all thy righteousness I beseech thee let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy