beg of thee mercy for my soul strengthen it with thy grace against all temptations let thy loving kindnesse defend it as with a shield against all the violences and hostile assaults of Sathan let the same mercy be my guard and defence which protected thy Martyrs crowning them with victory in the midst of flames horrid torments and most cruell deaths There is no help in me O Lord I cannot by my own power give a minutes rest to my wearied body but my trust is in thy sure mercies I call to mind to my unspeakable comfort that thou wert hungry and thirsty and wearied whipt and crown'd with Thornes and mock'd crucified for me O let that mercy which made thee suffer so much make thee do that for which thou sufferedst so much pardon me and save me Let thy merits answer for my impieties let thy righteousnesse cover my sinnes thy bloud wash away my staines and thy comforts refresh my soul As my body growes weak let thy grace be stronger let not my faith doubt nor my hope tremble nor my charity grow cold nor my soul be affrighted with the terrors of death but let the light of thy countenance enlighten mine eyes that I sleep not in death eternall and when my tongue failes let thy spirit teach my heart to pray with strong cryings and groanes that are unutterable O Let not the enemy do me any violence but let thy holy mercies and thy Angels repell and defeat his malice and fraud that my soul may by thy strength triumph in the joyes of eternity in the fruition of thee my life my joy my hope my exceeding great reward my Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ Amen V. For a dying Person in or neare the agonies of death MOst mercifull and Blessed Saviour have mercy upon the soule of this thy servant remember not his ignorances nor the sins of his youth but according to thy great mercy remember him in the mercies and glories of thy Kingdome Thou O Lord hast open'd the Kingdom of Heaven to all beleivers let the everlasting gates be open'd and receive his Soul let the Angells who rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner triumph and be exalted in his deliverance and salvation Make him partaker of the benefits of thy holy incarnation life and sanctity passion and death resurrection and ascension and of all the prayers of the Church of the joy of the elect and all the fruits of the blessed communion of Saints and dayly adde to the number of thy beatified servants such as shall be saved that thy comming may be hastned and the expectation of the Saints may be fulfilled and the glory of thee our Lord Iesu be advanced all the whole Church singing prayses to the Honour of thy name who livest and raignest ever one God world without end Amen VI O Most mercifull Iesu who didst dye to reredeem us from death and damnation have mercy upon this thy servant whom thy hand hath visited with sicknesse of thy goodnesse be pleased to forgive him all his sinnes and seal his hopes of glory with the refreshments of thy holy Spirit Lord give him strength and confidence in thee asswage his pain repell the assaults of his Ghostly enemies by thy mercies and a guard of holy Angels preserve him in the unity of the Church keep his senses intire his understanding right give him great measure of contrition true faith a well grounded hope and abundant charity give him a quiet and a joyfull departure let thy ministring spirits convey his soule to the mansions of peace and rest there with certainty to expect a joyfull resurrection to the fulnesse of joy at thy right hand where there is pleasure for evermore Amen VII A Prayer for the joyes of Heaven O Most glorious Iesu who art the portion and exceeding great reward of all faithfull people thou hast beautified humane Nature with glorious immortality and hast carried the same above all Heavens above the seat of Angels beyond the Cherubims and Seraphims placing it on the right hand of thy heavenly Father grant to us all the issues of thy abundant charity that we may live in thy feare and die in thy favour Prepare our soules with heavenly vertues for heavenly joyes making us righteous here that we may be beautified hereafter Amen A MORNING PRAYER In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Ghost Our Father which art in Heaven c. I. O Eternall son of righteousnes who camest from the bosome of thy Father the Fountain of my glorious light to enlighten the darknesses of the world I praise thy Name that thou hast preserved me from the dangers of this night and hast continued to me still the opportunities of serving thee and advancing my hopes of a blessed eternity Let thy mercies shine brightly upon me and dissipate the clouds and darknesses of my spirit and understanding rectifie my affections and purifie my will and all my actions that whatsoever I shall do or suffer this day or in my whole life my words and purposes my thoughts and my intentions may be sanctified and be acceptable to thy divine Majesty Amen II. GRant that my understanding may know thee my heart may love thee and all my faculties and powers may give thee due obedience and serve thee Preserve me this day from all sin and danger from all violences and snares of mine enemies visible and invisible let thy holy feare be as a bridle to my distemperatures and thy love so enkindle and actuate all mine endeavours that no pleasure or allurements of the world may draw me from thy service nor any difficulty or temptation may be my hinderance let the profound humility and innocence of my blessed Saviour keep from me all pride and haughtinesse of minde all selfe-love and vain-glory all obstinacy and disobedience all fraudulency and hurtfull dissimulation and let the graces of the holy Ghost take so absolute possession and seizure of my soule and all it's faculties that I may tread down and cast out the spirit of intemperance and uncleannesse of malice and envy of idlenesse and disdaine that I may never despise any of thy creatures but my selfe that so being little in mine own sight I may be great in thine Amen III. CLoth my soule with the wedding garment the habits of supernaturall Faith and Charity that I may believe all thy holy promises and revelations without all wavering and love thee my God with so great devotions and affections that neither life nor death prosperity nor adversity temptations within nor without may ever disunite me from the love of thee but that I may have the most intimate adhesion to thy glories and perfections of which my condition in this world is capable Make me to choose vertue with the same freenes of election entertaine it with as little reluctancy keep it with as much complacency actuate it with as many faculties serve it with as much industry as I have in time
pure wombe of an humble maid and take on thee my nature and be borne and cry and suffer cold and all the incommodities which the meannesse of a stable could minister to the tendernesse of thy first infancy Lord what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the Son of man that thou so regardest him I adore thee blessed Iesu and praise thee for thine immaculate sanctity for all thy holy precepts and counsels for thy Divine example for thy miracles and mysterious revelations of thy Fathers will for the institution of the holy Sacraments and all other blessings of thy Propheticall Office O praise the Lord for the Lord is gracious sing praises unto his Name for it is lovely I adore and love thee most blessed Iesu for all the parts of thy most bitter Passion for thy being betrayed and accused buffeted and spit upon blindfolded and mocked crowned with thornes and scourged for thine agony and bloudy sweat for thy bearing the sad load of the Crosse and sadder load of our sinnes for thy Crucifixion three long houres when the weight of thy Body was supported with wounds and nailes for thy Death and Buriall for thy continuall intercession and advocation with thy heavenly Father in behalfe of me and all thy holy Church and all other acts of mediation and redemption the blessings of thy priestly Office O praise the Lord for his goodnesse and declare the wonders he hath done for the children of men I adore and magnifie thy holy Name O most blessed Iesu for thy triumph over death hell sin and the grave for thy opening the Kingdome of Heaven to all believers for thy glorious resurrection and ascension for thy government over all the creatures for the advancement of thy holy Kingdome for thy continuall resisting and defeating the intendments of thine enemies against thy Church by the strength of thine arme by the mightinesse of thy power by the glories of thy wisedome for those blessed promises thou hast made performest to thy Church of sending the holy Ghost of giving her perpetuity of being in defiance of all the gates and powers of Hell and darknesse and blessing her with continuall assistances and all other glories of thy Regall Office and power O sing praises sing praises unto our God O sing praises sing praises unto our King for God is the King of all the earth sing yee praises with understanding O most holy Spirit Love of the Father Fountain of grace Spring of all spirituall blessings I adore and praise thy divine excellencies which are essentiall to thy glorious Selfe in the unity of the most mysterious Trinity and which thou communicatest to all faithfull people and to me thy unworthy servant in the unity of the Catholike Church O magnifie the Lord our God and fall down before his footstoole for he is holy O blessed Spirit I praise and magnifie thy Name for thy miraculous descent upon the Apostles in Pentecost in mysterious representments for those great graces and assistances comming upon their heads and falling downe upon us all in the descent of all ages of the Church for confirmation of our Faith for propagation of the Gospel for edification and ornament of thy Family Thou O God shalt endure for ever and thy remembrance throughout all generations O most glorious Spirit I praise and magnifie thy Name for thy inspiration of the Apostles and Prophets for thy providence and mercy in causing holy Scriptures to be written and preserving them from the corruptions of Heretickes from the violences of Pagans and enemies of the Crosse of Christ I will alwayes give thankes unto the Lord his praise shall ever be in my mouth I blesse thy Name for those holy promises and threatnings those judgements and mercies those holy precepts and admonitions which thou hast registred in Scriptures and in the records and monuments of the Church for all those graces helpes and comforts whereby thou promotest me in piety and the wayes of true Religion for baptismall and penitentiall grace for the opportunities and sweet refreshings of the Sacrament of the Eucharist for all the advantages thou hast given me of good society tutours and governours for the feares thou hast produced in me as deleteries and impediments of sin for all my hopes of pardon and expectation of the promises made by our Lord Iesus Christ to incourage me in the pathes of life and sanctity for all the holy sermons spirituall bookes and lessons for all the good prayers and meditations for those blessed waitings and knockings at the doore of my heart patiently tarrying for and lovingly inviting me to repentance without ceasing admonishing and reproving me with the checkes of a tender conscience with exteriour and interiour motives and for whatsoever other meanes or incentive of holinesse thou hast assisted me withall I magnifie and praise and adore thee and thy goodnesse All Nations whom thou hast made and sanctified shall come and worship thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy Name for thou art great and doest wondrous things thou art God alone and great is thy mercy towards me thou hast delivered my soule from the nethermost Hell therefore shall every good man sing of thy praise without ceasing O my God I will give thankes unto thee for ever with Cherubims and Seraphims and all the companies of the heavenly Host saying Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbaoth holy is our God holy is the Immortall holy is the Almighty the Father the Son and the holy Ghost to whom be all honour and glory and dominion and power ascribed of all spirits and all men and all creatures now and for evermore Amen I. Prayers preparatory to the receiving of the blessed Sacrament O Most immaculate and glorious Iesu behold me miserable sinner drawing neare to thee with the approaches of humility and earnest desire to be cleansed from my sinnes to be united to thee by the nearest and most mysterious union of charity and Sacramentall participation of thy most holy Body and Bloud I presume nothing of mine owne worthinesse but I am most confident of thy mercies and infinite loving kindnesse I know O Lord I am blinde and sicke and dead and naked but therefore I come the rather I am sicke and thou art my Physitian thou arisest with healing in thy wings by thy wounds I come to be cured and to be healed by thy stripes I am unclean but thou art the Fountain of purity I am blinde and thou art the great Eye of the world the Sun of righteousnesse in thy light I shall see light I am poore and thou art rich unto all the Lord of all the creatures I therefore humbly begge of thy mercy that thou wouldest be pleased to take from me all my sinnes to cure my infirmities to cleanse my filthinesse to lighten my darknesse to clothe my nakednesse with the robe of thy righteousnesse that I may with such reverence and faith and holy intention receive thy blessed Body and Bloud in the mysterious
desertion affliction or sadnesse but such as may be an instrument of thy glorie and their eternall comfort in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Amen IX A Prayer of a wife for her Husband O My God who hast graciously pleased to call me to the holy state of Matrimonie blesse me in it with the grace of chastitie with loyaltie obedience and complacencie to my Husband and blesse him with long life with a healthfull bodie with an understanding soule with abundance of all thy graces which may make him to be and continue thy servant a true son of the Church a supporter and a guide to me his wife a blessing and a comfort to his children through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen X. Of a Husband for his Wife O Mercifull God who art a Father to us thy Children a Spouse to thy holy Church a Saviour and Redeemer to all mankinde have mercie upon thy Handmaid my wife endue her with all the ornaments of thy heavenly grace make her to be holy and devout as Hester loving and amiable as Rachel fruitfull as Leah wise as Rebeccah faithfull and obedient as Sarah that being filled with thy grace and benediction here she may be partaker of thy glorie hereafter through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen XI For a Curate to say in behalfe of his Parish O Blessed Jesu thou that art an eternall Priest an universall Bishop and the Fountain of all ghostly good have mercy upon this Parish which thou hast concredited to my charge Lord I am unfit for so great a burden but by thy aide and gracious acceptation I hope for mercy pardon and assistance O Lord send thy holy Spirit to dwell amongst us let here be peace and charity and true Catholike Religion and holy Discipline Comfort the comfortlesse heale the sicke relieve the oppressed instruct the ignorant correct the refractory keep us all from all deadly sin and make them obedient to their superiours friendly to one another and servants of thy Divine Majestie that so from thy favour they may obtain blessings in their bodies in their soules in their estates and a supply to all their necessities till at last they be freed from all dangers and necessities in the full fruition of thy everlasting glories O blessed Saviour and Redeemer Iesu. Amen XII For a Parishioner to say in behalfe of his Curate O God Almighty who art pleased to send thy blessings upon us by the Ministration of the Bishops and Priests of thy holy Church have mercie upon thy servant to whom is committed the care of my soule that he by whose meanes thou art graciously pleased to advance my spirituall good may by thy grace and favour be protected by thy providence assisted by thy great mercies comforted and relieued in all his necessities bodily and ghostly through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen XIII For safe Child-birth O Blessed Iesu Son of the eternall God who according to thy humanitie wert borne of a holy Maid who conceived thee without sin and brought thee forth without pain have mercie upon me thy humble servant and as by thy blessing I have conceived so grant that by thy favourable assistance I may be safely delivered Lord grant me patience and strength and confidence in thee and send thy holy Angel to be my guardian in the houre of my travaile O shut not up my soule with sinners nor my life with them that go down into the pit I humbly also begge mercie for my childe grant it may be borne with it's right shape give it a comely bodie an understanding soule life and opportunitie of Baptisme and thy grace from the cradle to the grave that it may increase the number of Saints in that holy Fellowship of Saints and Angels where thou livest and reignest eternall God world without end Amen XIV Before a journey O God who didst preserve thy servants Abraham and Jacob thy People Israel thy servant Tobias and the wisemen of the East in their severall journies by thy Providence by a ministerie of Angels by a pillar of fire and by the guidance of a Starre vouchsafe to preserve us thy servants in the way we are now to go Be O Lord unto us a Guide in our preparation a shadow in the Day and a covering by Night a rest to our wearinesse and a staffe to our weaknesse a patron in adversitie a protection from danger that by thy assistance we may performe our journey safely to thy honour to our owne comfort and with safetie may returne and at last bring us to the everlasting rest of our heavenly Countrey through him who is the way the truth and the life our blessed Lord and Saviour Iesus Amen XV For afflicted persons O Lord God mercifull and gracious whose compassion extends to all that are in miserie and need and takest delight in the relieving the distresses of the afflicted give refreshment to all the comfortlesse provide for the poore give ease to all them that are tormented with sharpe paines health to the diseased libertie and redemption to the captives chearfulnesse of spirit to all them that are in great desolations Lord let thy Spirit confirme all that are strong strengthen all that are weake and speake peace to afflicted consciences that the light of thy countenance being restored to them they may rejoyce in thy salvation and sing praises unto thy Name who hast delivered their soules from death their eyes from teares and their feet from falling Grant this for the honour of thy mercies and the glorie of thy Name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen XVI For our Enemies O Blessed Iesu who wert of so infinite mercies so transcendent a charitie that thou didst descend from Heaven to the bowels of the earth that thou mightest reconcile us who were enemies to the mercies of thy heavenly Father and in imitation of so glorious example hast commanded us to love them that hate us and to pray for them that are our enemies I beseech thee of thine infinite goodnesse that thou wouldst be pleased to keep me with thy grace in so much meeknesse justice and affable disposition that I may so farre as concernes me live peaceably with all men giving no man occasion of offence and 〈◊〉 them who hate me without a cause I beseech thee give thy pardon and fill them with chaâ—iâ—â—e towards thee and all the world blesse them with all blessings in order to eternitie that when they are reconciled to thee we also may be united with the bands of Faith and Love and a common hope and at last we may be removed to the glories of thy Kingdome which is full of love and eternall charitie and where thou livest 〈◊〉 reignest ever one God world without end Amen XVII A Prayer to be said upon Ember-dayes O Mercifull Iesu who hast promised perpetuitie to the Church and a permanencie in defiance of all the powers of darknesse and the gates of hell and to this purpose hast constituted severall orders leaving a power to the Apostles and their Successours the Bishops to beget Fathers of our soules and to appoint Priests and Deacons for the edification of the Church the benefit of all Christian People and the advancement of thy service have mercie upon thy Ministers the Bishops give them for ever great measure of thy holy Spirit and at this time particular assistances and a power of discerning and trying the spirits of them who come to be ordained to the Ministerie of thy Word and Sacraments that they may lay hands suddenly on no man but maturely prudently and piously they may appoint such to thy service and the Ministerie of thy Kingdome who by learning discretion and a holy life are apt instruments for the conversion of soules to be examples to the People guides of their manners comforters of their sorrowes to sustaine their weaknesses and able to promote all the interests of true Religion Grant this O great Shepheard 〈◊〉 Bishop of our soules â—â—essed Iesus who livest and reignest in the Kingdome of thinâ—â—â—â—rnall Father one God world without end 〈◊〉 Sanctus Deus Sanctus Fortis Sanctus Immortalis FINIS