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
past my vices and pleasures of the world and grant that all inordinate affection to the transitory things of this life may daily decay in me and that I may grow in spirit and ghostly strength till I come to a perfect man in Christ Iesus Amen IV. GIve unto thy servant true humility great contrition a tender conscience an obedient heart an understanding alwayes busied in honest and pious thoughts a will tractable and ever prone to do good affections eaven and moderate a watchfull custody over my senses that by those windowes sin may never enter in nor death by sin Make me to watch over my tongue and keep the doore of my lips that no corrupt or unseemly communication proceed out my mouth that I may never slander calumniate or detract from the reputation of my neighbour that I be not busie in the faults of others but carefull to correct mine own being gentle and mercifull to others and severe towards my selfe that I may speake much of thy praises and what I can for the edification of my brethren Amen V. GIve me understanding in thy Law that I may know thy will and grace and strength faithfully to fulfill the same Give me a feare of thy Name and of thy threatnings and a love and hope of thy promises let me daily feele thy mercies and remove thy judgements farre from me Imprint in my heart a filiall reverence and awfulnes towards thy Divine Majestie that I may studie to please thee with diligence to worship thee with much devotion to submit to the disposition of thy providence with thankfulnesse and that in conscience of my dutie towards thee I may honour the King obey Magistrates under him love the Saints and do all acts of charitie according to my opportunitie and abilitie directing all my actions and intentions not according to custome or in pursuance of mine owne ends and temporall advantages but in thy feare and in holy religion to the advancement of thy honour and glorie Amen VI GIve me a soule watchfull in the services of Religion constant in holy purposes ingenuous and free from sordid ends or servile flatterie a modest gravitie in my deportment affabilitie and faire curteous demeanour towards all men austeritie in condemning mine own sinnes sweetnesse in fraternall correction and reprehending others mature judgement a chaste bodie and a cleane soule patience in suffering deliberation in my words and actions good counsels in all my purposes make me just in performing promises and in all my duties sedulous in my calling profitable to the Common-wealth a true Son of the Church and of a disposition meek and charitable towards all men Amen VII LEt this be my portion and the comfort of my pilgrimage so long as I am detained in the condition of mortality and exiled from my heavenly Countrey that being free from all feare of mine enemies and from vexations cares and solicitudes of this life I may be wholly devoted to thy service that I may attend thee onely and what tends to thee that I may rejoyce onely in thee and my soule may rest in thee that without distractions I may entertain thy heavenly Doctrine and the blessed motions of thy holy Spirit spending my time in the duties of necessity in the workes of charity and the frequent office of Religion with diligence and patience and perseverance and hope expecting the accomplishment of my dayes in peace that when I go unto my dust I may be reckoned amongst those blessed soules whose worke it is to give thee praise and honour and glory to all eternity Amen Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and for evermore Amen An EVENING 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 Lord God who art the light and splendour of soules in the brightnesse of thy countenance is eternall Day that knowes no night in thy armes and in thy protection is all quietnesse tranquillity and everlasting repose while the darknesse covers the face of the earth receive my body and soule into thy custody let not the spirits of darknesse come neare my dwelling neither suffer my fancy to be abused with illusions of the night Lord I am thy servant and the sheep of thy pasture let not the Devill who goeth up and down seeking whom he may devoure abuse my bodie or make a prey of my soule but defend me from all those calamities which I have deserved and protect my soule that it consent not to any worke of darknesse least mine enemy say he hath prevailed over me or do mischiefe to a soule redeemed with thy most precious Bloud Amen II. PArdon and forgive me all the sinnes and offences of my youth the errours of mine understanding the inordination of mine affections the irregularity of all mine actions and particularly whatsoever I have transgressed this day in thought word or deed Lord let not thy wrath arise for although I have deserved the extremest pressure of thine indignation yet remember my infirmity and how thou hast sent thy sonne to reveale thy infinite mercies to us and convey pardon and salvation to the penitent I beseech thee also to accept the heartiest Devotion and humblest acknowledgement of a thankfull heart for thy blessing and preservation of this Day for unlesse thy Providence and Grace had been my Defence and Guide I had committed more and more grievous sinnes and had been swallowed up by thy just wrath and severest judgements Mercy sweet Iesu. Amen III. LOrd let thy grace be so present with me that though my body sleep yet my soule maâ— for ever be watchfull that I sleep not sin in or pâ—termit any opportunity of doing thee service let the remembrances of thy goodnesse and glories be first and last with mee and so unite my heart unto thee with habituall charity that all my actions and sufferings may be directed to thy glory every motion and inclination either of soule or body may in some capacity or other receive a blessing from thee and do thee service that whether I sleep or wake travell or rest eat or drinke live or dye I may alwaies feel the light of thy countenance shining so upon me that my labours may be easie my rest blessed my food sanctified and my whole life spent with so much sanctity and peace that escaping from the darknesses of this world I may at last come to the land of everlasting rest in thy light to behold light and glory through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen Blessed be the holy and undivided Trinity now and for evermore Another Prayer for Evening I. VIsit we beseech thee O Lord this habitation with thy mercie and us thy servants with thy salvation and repell farre from us all the snares of the Enemy Let thy holy Angells dwell here to keep us in peace and safety and thy blessing be upon us for ever through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen II. O Lord Jesu
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