souls chief hope We to thy mercy fly Wher'ere we are thou canst protect What'ere we need supply Whether we sleep or wake To thee we both resign By night we see as well as day If thy light on us shine Whither we live or dy Both we submit to Thee In death we live as well as life If thine in death we be Glory to Thee great God One coeternal Three To Father Son and holy Ghost Eternal glory be Capit. 1 Thes 5. BUt we who are of the day let us be sober having on us the brest-plate of faith and charity and for a helmet the hope of salvation for God has not appointed us to wrath but to the purchasing salvation thorow Jesus Christ our Lord who dyed for us that whither we wake or sleep we might live together with Him Antiph By seeking our selvs in this world of vanity we lose both thee O Lord and our own souls by seeking our selvs in Thee and thy love we find both Thee and our own happines injoying already a sweet possession of hopes to end e're long in a sweeter fruition of glory V. Thou art O Lord the free bestower of all we have R. Thou art the faithful Promiser of all we expect O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come to thee Let us pray O Blessed JESU whose sacred Body after thou hadst finisht in it the work of our redemption was taken down from the Cross and after a short repose in the Sepulcher was rais'd again to a glorious immortality Grant us we beseech thee so frequently to renew in our minds the memory of thy grave that we always be prepar'd for our own and so seriously to reflect on the consequences of a holy death that every day we grow less affected to this transitory life and more in love with thy eternal joys who with the Father and the holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end Amen Vouchasfe c. as Pag. 54. to the end Office of the Holy Ghost Matins Introduction as pag. 1. Psal CV Invitatory Come let 's adore our God that sanctifys us Come let 's adore our God that sanctifys us COme let us humbly first implore his grace to make us worthy to adore our Sanctifier who from the Father and the Son eternally proceeds and with the Father and the Son is equally glorifyed Come let 's adore our God that sanctifys us He infuses into us the breath of life and brings us forth in our second birth a birth that makes us heirs of heav'n and gives us a title to everlasting happines Come let 's adore our God that sanctifys us Let us prepare our understandings to assent to his truths and our wills to follow his divine inspiratons let us fil our memorys with his innumerable mereys and our whole souls with the glory of his Attributes Come let 's adore our God that sanctifys us Let us confidently addres to Him our petitioNs who promises to help the infirmity of our pray'rs let us not doubt the bounty of his goodnes but hope he will grant what Himself inspires to ask Come let 's adore our God that sanctifys us Glory be to the Father and to the Son * and to the holy Ghost As it was in the beginning both now and ever * world without end Amen Come let 's adore our God that sanctifys us Come let 's adore our God that sanctifys us Hymn XXXIII COme holy Spirit come and breath Thy spicy odours on the face Of our dull region here beneath And fil our souls with thy sweet grace Come and root out the poysonous weeds Which over-run and choke our lives And in our harts plant thine own seeds Whose quick'ning power our spirit revives First plant the humble Violet there That dwels secure by dwelling low Then let the Lilly next appear And make us chast yet fruitful too But O! plant all the Vertues Lord And let the metaphors alone Repeat once more that mighty word Thou need'st but say Let it be done We can alas nor be nor grow Unless thy pow'rful mercy please Thy hand must plant and water too Thy hand alone must give th' increase Do then what thou alone canst do Do what to thee so easie is Conduct us through this world of wo And place us safe in thine own blyss All glory to the sacred Three One everliving Soveraign Lord As at the first still may He be Belov'd and prais'd fear'd and ador'd Antiph In those days saith our Lord I wil pour out my spirit upon all flesh Alleluja Alleluja Psal CVI. LOrd with how sweet and natural a conduct * does thy Providence govern the children of men Leading them on from one degree to another till thou hast brought them up to their highest perfection Thou putst them to learn in the school of Vertue and disposest their capacity's into several forms In the first ages when the world was young * thou gav'st them for their guide the book of Nature There thy divine assistance helpt them to read * some few plain Lessons of their duty to Thee They saw this admirable frame of creatures and as far as these could argue they could conclude Sure ther 's a God the cause of all things sure ther 's a Providence the disposer of all things He must be powerful that made so vast a world he must be wise that contriv'd such excellent works He must be goodnes it self that did all this for us and we ingrateful wretches if we 'l do nothing for Him Thus far some few could say and very few could do with those slender assistances they then injoy'd After thou gav'st thy people a written Rule which train'd them up in a set form of discipline Which grew and spred into a publick Religion and uniformly profest by a whole Nation They had some weak conceit of the Kingdom of heav'n and some imperfect means to bring them thither But for those high supernatural Mysterys * that so gloriously exalt the Christian faith They all alas were blind or in the dark and dangerously expos'd to the effects of their ignorance Wanting those clear instructions to know their End wanting those powerful motives to love their God Yet this prepar'd them for the times of Grace * to which thy mercy O Lord reserv'd far greater favours To which thou hadst promis'd by thy holy Prophets * an effusion of blessings from thine own full hands I will put my Law in their bowels and write it in their harts I will be their God and they shal be my People I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shal prophesy They shal teach no more every one his Neighbor for all shal know me from the greatest to the least O merciful Lord who hast lov'd us from the begining be graciously pleased to love us to the end Pity the unhappy state of faln mankind which neither nature nor law could bring to perfection If any riper souls
to teach us and dy to redeem us Was not all this enough to make us love and love is all he aim'd at and love is all we needed Let us confess to thee O mercifull Lord let us confess to thee our miserable condition Such was alas the corruption of our nature and so many and strong the rentations round about us That without this thy last miraculous favour * of sending the holy Ghost to guide and quicken us We should have still remain'd in our old dull pace slow to understand and slower to obey We should have quite forgotten our God that made us and neglected the service of our Lord that bought us Had not thy fulnes been readily furnisht * with one blessing more to bestow on thy children Ha'dst not thou providently reserv'd a better blessing then the dew of the clouds and fatnes of the earth Better then plenty of corn and wine * or the multitude of posterity or dominon o're our Brethren These were the great rewards of the old Law but behold far greater then these are here Divine refreshments from the heav'n of heav'ns and the rare delicious fruits of the holy Ghost Meeknes and peace and joy diffus'd in our brests strength and undaunted courage kindled in our harts A thousand sweet imbraces of the Spouse of Souls a thousand dear pledges of his everlasting love These are the great rewards of the law of grace and given to prepare us for the Kingdom of glory O blessed Spirit who bestow'st thy favours as thou pleasest and the more thou hast given stil the more thou giv'st Fit and dispose thy servants first to entertain thee then graciously vouchsafe to descend into our harts Fil us O holy Ghost and our litle Vessels and as thou fil'st us inlarge our capacitys Make us the more we receive of thee stil grow in desire of receiving more Til we ascend to those satisfying joys above where all our facultys shal be stretcht to the utmost Where they shal all be fil'd to the brim and overflow'd with a torrent of pleasure for ever Glory be c. Psal CX Blessed for ever be thy name O holy Spirit and blessed be the bounty of thy goodnes When the eternal Father by creating the world * had declar'd Himself and his almighty Power When the Increated Word by redeeming mankind * had reveal'd Himself and his infinite Wisdom When now there remain'd but one seal more * to be open'd of the Book of divine Mysteryes Behold a strange condescendance to our weak nature the invisible Spirit visibly appears He descends from heav'n in the shape of a doue and gently lights on the Prince of peace Again he descends in the liknes of fire and miraculously sits on the heads of the Disciples Mingling thus together into one blest compound * those cheif ingredients of excellent vertue Mildnes to allay the heat of zeal and zeal to quicken the indifferency of mildnes Innocence to adorn the light of knowledg and knowledg to direct the simplicity of innocence O blest and admirable Teacher who can instruct like the spirit of God! He needs no years to finish his course but with a swift and effecacious touch consummates all things He entred the soul of a young delighter in musick and presently sanctify'd him into a Composer of Psalms He took a poor shepherd from following the flock and immediatly rais'd him to the degree of a Prophet He by one lesson perfected the Disciples and polisht rude fishermen into eloquent Prechers He toucht the hart of a persecuting Pharisee instantly chang'd him into a glorious Apostle All this thou hast done O infinite Goodnes and all we do is wrought in us by thee By thee we are regenerated at first in our baptism by thee confirm'd in the imposition of hands By thee we are heal'd in the Sacrament of Penance by thee prepar'd for that banquet of the bread of Angels By thee thy choycer servants are consecrated into Priests by thee our marriages are sanctifyed into blessings By thee our souls are comforted on our beds of sicknes and by thy holy vnction all our life is govern'd If in the Church be any wisdom or knowledg if any real sanctâ—â—ty or decent order If any faith of the mysterys of religion if any hope of everlasting salvation If any love of God as our soverain bliss if any mutual charity of one towards another If any miracles to convert unbelievers or quicken devotion in such as faintly beleeve All flows from Thee and thy free grace O thou boundles Ocean of eternal mercys All flows from Thee and may we all return * our litle streams in tribute to thy bounty May every favour thou offer'st be thankfully receiv'd and every talent thou bestow'st diligently improv'd So shal we faithfully perform our duty and render to thy grace its just glory While whate're we have we acknowledge from thee and whate're thou giv'st us is not in vain Glory be c. Psal CXI STil let us sing O blessed Spirit to Thee let us humbly sing these few lines more To Thee the eternal Love of the Father and the Son and glorious Finisher of that sacred Mystery To Thee the quickning Spirit of regenerate Souls in whom they live and move and have their being To Thee the soveraign Balsom of our wounds and only Comfort of all our sorrows To Thee our Refuge in this place of banishment and faithful Guide in this wandring pilgrimage To Thee the sacred Pledg of our free adoption and ensuring Seal of our eternal Salvation What do we say O thou adorable Spirit of God! what do we say when we utter such words as these We say what we can in our low capacity but alas how short of thy unspeakable excellencys O that we had the tongues of Saints and Angels O that we had thine own miraculous tongues Those which sate flaming on the heads of the Apostles and made them speak thy wonders in every language Stil all our praises would be poor and narrow stil infinitely less then thy more then infinite perfections But if we cannot speak as our God deservs shal we hold our peace which our God forbids Wo be to them O Lord who are silent of Thee and spend the breath thou giv'st them on any but Thy self O thou who openest the mouths of the dumb and makest the tongues of children eloquent Inspire thy servants if not with expressions suitable to Thee at least with such as are profitable to us Such as may instruct us what we ought to do such as may move us to do what we say And when we have try'd our best endeavours and taken measure of our own defects Let us beg this charity of thy Blessed above to supply our weaknes with their worthier hymns Praise the eternal Spirit O thou Queen of Saints by whom the world's Redeemer was conceiv'd in thâ—â— womb By whom thou wert made the Mother of the Son of God so high a favour to thee and so happy
* and are opprest under the weight of your sins Come to me you that hunger after heav'n * and thirst to drink at the fountain of blyss Come to me and I will refresh you * with the wine of gladnes and the bread of life Come you that are weak that you may grow strong and you that are strong lest you become weak Come you that have leisure and here entertain your time come you that are busy and here learn to sanctify your imployment Come all and gather freely of this celestial Manna and fill your souls with the food of Angels Glory be c. Psal LVIII THus does our gracious Lord invite and shall we go shall sinners dare to sit down at his table Thus He invites and shall we not go shall wretches presume to refuse his Call Rise then my soul and take thy swiftest wings and fly to the presence of this great Mystery Soon as thou com'st bow low thy head and humbly adore our hidden God Our God who is come thus far to meet us and brings along with him a whole heav'n to entertain us Arise and leave the world behind thee and run with gladnes to salute thy Lord Enter the Palace of that admirable Tabernacle the house of his own most glorious Residence There we shall see the Eternal Word * that descended from heav'n to become man for us We shall see him still more wonderfully abridg'd * into a lesser space and lower shape There we shall see the Lord of glory * vested with the familiar forms of bread and wine There we shall see the Prince of Peace * sacrifice himself to reconcile us with his Father There we shall see O stupendious mercy the Son of God stoop even to the mouths of men Can we O dear Redeemer believe these Wonders and not be ravisht with admiration of thy love Can we acknowledg thy supream Veracity and not believe were they possible stil greater wonders What though our eys say ther 's nothing but bread our faith assures us there 's nothing but our Saviour Shall not the almighty Power that made our senses * exceed the operation of his own creatures Shall we refuse to believe our God because his mercys transcend our capacitys No no 't is thy very self we see O Blessed JESU 't is thine own light by which we see Thee None but an infinite Wisdom could ever have invented * so strange and high and prodigious a mystery None but a more then infinite Goodnes would ever have imparted * so dear and tender and rich a blessing Glory be c. Psal LIX LOrd who are we unworthy sinners that thus thou regardest our wretched dust What is all the world compar'd to Thee that thus thou seem'st to disregard thy self 'T is for our sakes and to draw us to thy love that thou personally vouchsafest to dwell among us 'T is for our sakes and to spare the infirmity of our nature that thy brightnes appears not in its proper luster Blessed O JESU are the eys that see thee in this kind disguise and the mouth that reverently receives Thee Blessed yet more is the hart that desires thy coming and longs to see thee in thy beauteous self O Thou eternal Lord of grace and glory * our joy and portion in the land of the Living What hast thou there prepar'd for thy servants who bestowest such pledges of thy bounty here What dost Thou there reserve in thine own Kingdom who giv'st us Thy self in this place of banishment How will thy open vision transport our souls when our dark faith yields such delight Nothing on earth so sweet as to kneel whole hours before thee and one by one consider thy innumerable mercys VVhat must it be in heaven to shine continually before Thee and all in one contemplate thy uâ—â—speakable glorys O my ador'd Redeemer when will that happy day appear that mine eys may behold thee without a veil When will these clouds and shadows pass away that thy beams may shine on me in their full brightnes Object not against me dearest Lord that none can see thy face and live Those fears thy love has chang'd and all my hope * is now to live by seeing thee Say not O thou mild and gracious Majesty if I approach thy presence I must dy Rather instruct me so to dy that I may live for ever in thy presence Glory be c. Antiph How great is the multitude of thy sweetnes O Lord which Thou hast hidden for those that love Thee Capit. 7. Apoc. A Men Benediction and Glory and VVisdom and Thanksgiving Honor and Power and Strength be to our God for ever and ever Amen Hymn XVIII VVIth all the pow'rs my poor soul hath Of humble love and loyal faith Thus low my God I bow to Thee VVhom too much love bow'd low'r for me Down busy sense Discourses dy And all adore Faith's Mystery Faith is my skill Faith can believe As fast as Love new laws can give Faith is my ey Faith strength affords To keep pace with those pow'rful words And words more sure more sweet then they Love could not think Truth could not say O dear Memorial of that death VVhich still survives and gives us breath Live ever bread of Life and be My food my joy my all to me Come glorious Lord my hopes encrease And fill my portion in thy peace Come hidden life and that long day For which I languish come away When this dry soul those eys shal see And drink the unseald source of Thee When glory's Sun faith's shade shal chase And for thy veil give me thy face Antiph He feeds the young Ravens that call on Him and says He esteems us much better then them behold a full proof He feeds them and all things else but to feed us behold yet a fuller O Riddle of Bounty even out of the Feeder himself comes food for us V. The bread of life which came down from heav'n R. Feed us with the bread of science and understanding O Lord hear our pray'rs And let our supplications come to Thee Let us pray O Bounteous Lord the continual supplier of thy creatures with all convenient sustenance to advance our growth and strength fit to take heav'n by violence and rise at length eternal Injoyers of thy self Fix we beseech Thee our eys and adoration on that open Hand which thus graciously gives us our dayly bread and grant that the miraculous Feast of thy Sons Body and Blood may duly sanctify our tasts to all other thy bountys that they may relish as they are only thy great love to us and feed as they ought purely thy dear love in us through the same our Lord Commemorations as Page 29. Thursday Vespers OUr Father c. as Page 33. Antiph Whether O my God should we wander if left to our selvs where should we fix our harts if not directed by thee Psal LX. UNhappy man at first created just as every work comes fair from
the iniquity of our sins R. And graciously remove away all thy punishments V. Enter not into judgment with thy servants O Lord R. For in thy sihgt shall no one living be justify'd V. Our ruine we confess is wholly from our selvs R. And all our hope is in thy salvation V. If we repent and say Now we 'l begin R. 'T is time now to rise from sleep V. Behold temptation stands at the door R. And our weak resistance lets it in V. Our corrupt nature conspires with our enemys R. And our evil customs prevail against us V. Pity us O Lord Thou who know'st whereof we are made R. Wean us from this world Thou who mad'st us for a better V. Deliver us from the occasions that so often endanger us R. Deliver us from the occasions that so often overcome us V. Deliver us from all sudden and disastrous mischances R. Deliver us from the miserys of everlasting torments V. Why art thou sad O my soul R. And why art thou disquieted within me V. Still trust in God for still we will praise his Name R. He is our Saviour and our God V. O praise our Lord for he is good R. And his mercy indures for ever V. Let all who fear our Lord now say R. That his mercy indures for ever V. He was mindful of us in our low estate R. For his mercy indures for ever V. And redeem'd us from our enemys R. For his mercy indures for ever V. He will guide us here in the ways of peace R. For his mercy indures for ever V. He will bring us herafter to the joys of eternity R. For his mercy indures for ever V. O Lord hear our prayers R. And let our supplications come to Thee Let us pray O God who didst severely punish our first parents for eating the forbidden fruit and hast so often recommended to us the necessary dutys of abstinence and fasting grant we beseech thee that by observing diligently thy holy Discipline propos'd to us in the laws and practise of thy Church we may correct our levitys and revenge our excesses and subdue our irregular appetites and frustrate the temptations of the enemy and secure our perseverance and daily proceed to new degrees of vertue and devotion till in the end of our lives we receive the end of our labours the salvation of our souls in thy heavenly kingdom through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who with thee and the holy Ghost lives and reigns One God world without end Amen These Versicles Responses and Prayers are said kneeling on all Fasting days immediately after the Prayer at Lauds Then Commemoration c. as page 29. Friday Vespers OUr Father c. as page 33. Antiph O sensless we that so litle consider what our Saviour suffer'd for us or what we do against Him Psal LXXIII LOrd how the world requites thy love how ingrateful are we to thy blessed memory We negligently forget thy sacred Passion or rather far worse our sins renew thy sufferings While we deprive others of their right what do we else but devest thee of thy cloaths While we delight in strife and Schisms what do we else but rend thy seamless coat If we despise the least of thy servants are we not as so many Herods that scorn'd Thee If we for fear proceed against our conscience how are we better then Pilate that condemn'd Thee By forsaking thy will to follow our own do we not chuse a murtherer before thee By retaining a sharp and bitter malice do we not give thee vineger and gall to drink By shewing no mercy to the poor and afflicted do we not pass by thy Cross as strangers unconcern'd Thus we again crucify the Lord of Glory and put him afresh to an open shame Is this O wretched we the duty we pay * to the sacred memory of our dear Redeemer Are these the thanks our gratitude returns * to that strange excess of our Saviours love When we sate in darknes he took us by the hand and kindly led us into his own light We sought not him but he came from far to find us we lookt not towards him but his mercy call'd after us He call'd aloud in words of tendernes why will you perish O you children of men Why will you run after empty trifles as if there were no joys above with me Return O you dear-bought souls and I will receive you * repent and though you had really crucifyed me I will forgive you Behold O Blessed JESU to Thee we come and on thy holy Cross fasten all our confidence Never will we unclasp our faithful hold till thy grace has seal'd the pardon of our sins Never will we part from that standard of hope till our troubled consciences be dismist in peace There will we stand and sigh and weep and every one humbly say to thy mercy JESU my God I suffer violence * answer Thou for me Glory be c. Antiph O sensless we that so litle consider what our Saviour suffer'd for us or what we do against Him Antiph He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world Psal LXXIV BE silent O my soul and thy Lord will answer for thee be content and he is thy security Be innocent and he will defend thee be humble and he will exalt thee He will forgive thee all thou repentest he will bestow on thee more then thou askest Never let us fear the favour of our God if we can but esteem and desire it He that so freely gave us himself will he not with himself give us all things else Is not his painful life and bitter death * sufficient pledg of his love to us Is not his infinite love to us * sufficient motive of our duty to Him A duty to which we are so many ways oblig'd and wherin our Eternity is so highly concern'd Surely they have litle faith and far less hope who doubt the mercys of so gracious a God Mercys confirm'd by a thousand miracles and dearly seal'd with his own blood That innocent blood which was shed for us to appease the wrath of his offended Father That blood whos 's every precious drop * was worthy to save so many worlds O blest and all-redeeming blood which flow'd so freely from the source of life Bath our polluted souls in thy clear streams and purge away all our foul impuritys Cleanse us O merciful Lord from our secret faults and from those darling sins that most abuse us Wash off the stains which our malice has caus'd in others and those which our weaknes has receiv'd of them Let not them perish by our occasion nor us be undone by theirs But let our charity assist one another and thy clemency pardon us all Pardon O gracious JESU what we have been and with thy holy discipline correct what we are Order by thy Providence what we shal be and in the end crown thine own gifts Glory be
c. Antiph He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world Antiph Now is the time of acceptance now is the day of salvation let us demean our selvs as the servants of God in fasting and watching in patience and charity Psal LXXV SHould'st thou O Lord have dealt with us in rigour we had long since been sentenced to eternal death Long since our guilty souls had been snatch't away and hurried down to everlasting torments But thy gracious mercy has repriev'd our lives and given us space to work out our pardons Now is the time of acceptance with Thee now is the day of salvation for us Now let us mourn our former offences and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance If we O JESU have hitherto persecuted thee and with our sins nayl'd thee on the tree of death Now let our whole endeavours attend thy service and loyally conspire to un-crucify their Lord Let us ascend the Mount of Calvary and often as we go kiss thy holy steps We kiss thy steps when we love thy ways and humble our selvs and follow Thee Let us there on our knees approach thy Cross and reverently cover thy naked Body We cover thee when our charity cloaths thy servants and hides the infirmitys of thy litle Ones Let us there with tendrest care unfasten the nails and gently draw them out of thy hands and feet We draw them out when we freely obey thy will and loosen our affections from cleaving to the world Lord when we thus have rescu'd Thee and plac'd thee again on thy Throne of glory Instead of Thy self nail thou us to the Cross who really deserve what Thou really indured'st Crucify our flesh with the fear of Thee and give us our portion of sorrow here Crucify the world to us and us to the world that dead to it we may live in Thee At least live thou in us O holy JESU and fit our souls for so glorious a guest Enter into our harts and fill them with thy self that no room be left for any thing but Thee One only hope we have thy care of us one only fear our neglect of our selvs Glory be c. Antiph Now is the time of acceptance now is the day of salvation let us demean our selvs as the servants of God in fasting and watching in patience and charity Capit. Philip. 2. IF there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of Charity if any fellowship of spirit if any bowels of Commiseration fulfil my joy that you be of one meaning having the same charity of one mind of one sentiment Let nothing be done by contention nor by vain glory but in humility every one counting others better then themselvs every one considering not the things that are their own but those that are of others Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ JESVS who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal to God but he abased himself taking the form of a servant made into the similitude of men and in shape found as man He humbled himself being made obedient to death even the death of the Cross for which God has exalted him and given him a name above all names that at the name of JESVS every knee bow of things in heaven of things on earth and of things under the earth and every tongue confess that our Lord JESVS Christ is in the glory of God the Father Hymn XXIII ANd now my soul canst thou forget That thy whole life is one long debt Of love to Him who on this tree Paid back the flesh He took for thee Lo how the streams of precious blood Flow from five wounds into one flood With these he washes all thy stains And buys thy ease with his own pains Tall tree of life we clearly now That doubt of former Ages know It was thy wood should make the Throne Fit for a more then Salomon Large Throne of love royally spred With Purple of too rich a red Strange costly price thus to make good Thine own esteem with thy Kings blood Hail fairest Plant of Paradise To thee our hopes lift up their eys O may aloft thy branches shoot And fill the Nations with thy fruit O may all reap from thy Increase The Just more strength the sinner peace While our half-wither'd harts and we Engraft our selvs and grow on Thee Live O for ever live and reign Blest Lamb whom thine own love has slain And may thy lost sheep live to be True lovers of thy Cross and Thee All glory to the sacred Three One undivided Deity As it has been in ages gone May now and ever stil be done Antiph Our Lord dyed for us that we might live in Him and putting off the old man with all his concupiscences be renew'd henceforth in the spirit of our minds V. Behold dear Saviour thou art exalted from the earth R. Fulfil thy word and draw all things to thy self O Lord hear our prayers And let our Supplications come to Thee Let us pray O God who at the price of thy only Sons last drop on the Cross hast purchased our harts from this life and all the goods of it to the sole pursuit and hopes of Thy self in eternity Possess we beseech Thee and absolutely dispose of what Thou hast so dearly paid for mortifying us to this world and confirming our courage to fight manfully under the Banner of our crucify'd JESUS that we stand the shock of all temptations and nothing in life or death be able to separate us from thy love in Him our glorious Redeemer who with Thee and the holy Ghost lives and reigns One God world with out end Amen Here on all Fridays that are fasted say kneeling V. Lord have mercy on us R. Christ have mercy on us V. Lord have mercy on us Our Father c. V. And lead us not into temptation R. But deliver us from evil Amen V. Who will give water to our eys R. And a fountain of tears to our head V. That we may weep day and night R. The loss of our time past and the danger of our time to come V. That we may weep for our many sins R. And humbly confess our grievous offences V. We have sin'd with our fathers we have sin'd R. We have done unjustly we have committed iniquity V. We have broken the Laws of our Maker R. We have provokt the wrath of our Judg. V. We have despised the goodnes of our God R. What shall we do O thou Preserver of men V. What shall we do but appeal from the bar of thy justice R. To thy mild and gracious Seat of Mercy V. Spare us O Lord for thy mercy sake R. Spare the works of thine own hands V. Spare us whom thou hast made for the enjoyment of thy self R. Spare us whom thou hast redeem'd with thy precious Blood V. Pardon O Lord our sins of
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
ardently love Thee that I may eagerly desire Thee and eagerly desire Thee that I may transportedly enjoy Thee Glory be c. Antiph Bless our Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name Capit. Ephes 3. NOw to Him who is able to do all things more abundantly then we desire or understand according to the power that works in us to Him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus to all generations world without end Amen Hymn XXX SWeet JESU why why dost thou love Such worthles things as we Why is thy hart still toward us Who seldom think on Thee Thy bounty gives us all we have And we thy gifts abuse Thy bounty gives us ev'n Thy self And we Thy self refuse My soul and why why do we love Such wretched things as these These that withdraw us from our Lord And his pure eys displease Break off and be no more a child To run and sweat and cry While all this stir this huge concern Is only for a fly Some silly fly that 's hard to catch And nothing when 't is caught Such are the toys thou striv'st for here Not worth a serious thought Break off and raise thy manly ey Up to those joys above Behold all those thy Lord prepares To woo and crown thy love Alas dear Lord I cannot love Unles Thou draw my hart Thou who thâ—â—s kindly mak'st me know O make me do my part Stil do thou love me O my Lord That I may stil love Thee Stil make me love thee O my God! That thou may'st stil love me Thus may my God and my poor soul Stil one another love Till I depart from this low world T' enjoy my God above To Thee great God to Thee alone One coeternal Three All pow'r and praise all joy and blyss Now and for ever be Here recite the Antiphon for Benedictus and the Canticle Benedictus and the Prayer as in the Proper of our Saviours Feasts But if you voluntarily say this Office on any day that is not some Feast of our Saviour then use the Antiphon and Prayer following Antiphon for Benedictus BLessed be thy holy Name O glorious Son of God and blessed be thy mercy for ever thou hast perfectly fulfil'd all thy Prophets foretold and infinitely transcended all the wonders they admir'd thou hast done enough to convince us into faith and suffer'd too much to inflame us with thy love Blessed be thy holy Name O glorious Son of God and blessed be thy mercy for ever alleluia Benedictus c. as Page 27. O Lord hear our Prayers And let our Supplications come to Thee Let us pray MOst gracious Lord who so loved'st the world that thou gavest thy self to redeem it and humbly took'st upon thee our low nature that thou might'st familiarly teach us the truth of salvation and invincibly fortify us against all persecution and efficaciously draw us after thee into thine own Kingdom by thy holy life and precious death and glorious resurrection Grant us we beseech thee so to meditate these ifinite mercys and fill our whole souls with the memory of this love that we may live in thy obedience and dy in thy favour and rise again to rejoyce with thee for ever in thy glory Who with the Father and the holy Ghost liveth and reigneth One God world without end Amen Commemorations as Page 29. Vespers for our B. Saviour IN the Name as Page 33. Antiph Thy judgements O Lord we confess are just but deal we beseech thee with thy servants in mercy Psal XCIX LIft up thy voice Jerusalem and be not afraid say to the Citys of Juda behold your God Behold the Lord your God is come with a strong hand his reward is with him and his work before him He is come to bring redemption to all the world and graciously offers it first to you his People But you refus'd the Holy One and the Just and desir'd a murtherer to be granted to you Hark with how sweet and eligant a Compassion * thy kind Redeemer complains of thy ingratitude O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them who are sent to thee How often would I have gather'd thy children together as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings * and thou wouldest not O hadst thou known in that thy day the things which belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eys Harken once more with what terrible threatnings * thy provident Lord forewarns thee of thy danger Gird thee with sackcloth Jerusalem and ly down in ashes cover thee with mourning and bitterly lament For the days shal come when thy enemys shal besiege thee and compas thee about with a trench They shal not leave one stone upon another but beat thee to the ground and thy children in thee Thy people shal be slain by the edge of the sword and led as slaves into all Countrys They shal wander up and down without King or Prince they shal mourn without sacrifice or altar And Jerusalem shal be trodden under feet by the Gentiles till the fulnes of Nations be accomplisht But O how long Lord holy and merciful how long wilt thou be angry with them for ever Hast thou not said he that scatters Israel will gather them again and keep them as a Shepherd does his flock Remember thy antient promises O Lord and save the remnant of thy once lov'd Israel Take away the veil from before their eys that they may see thy truth and imbrace it Take away the hardnes from their stony harts that they again may be thy people and thou again their God Then shal they lay aside the garment of mourning and put on the brightnes which comes from Thee They shall celebrate the Jubily of this their greatest Deliverance and every one sing in that day of joy Come let 's ascend to the mountain of our Lord let us learn his ways and walk in his paths As 't was our wickednes to go astray from our God so now return'd let us seek him ten times more Too late have we known thee O thou ancicient Truth too late have we lov'd thee O Thou desir'd of all Nations We were misled by the error of our fathers we were abus'd by our own blind passions The Kingdom we expected deservs not that name a short and vain and troublesom prosperity Thy Dominion O Lord is holines and peace and of thy Kingdom there shal be no end Such was the Kingdom thou promisedst to David Thy Throne will I establish for ever Such is the Kingdom thou giv'st to thy Servants They shal live and reign with Thee for ever O make us love dear Lord this eternal Kingdom and all things else shal be added to it O make us love this eternal Kingdom though nothing else should be added to it Glory be c. Antiph Thy judgements O Lord we confes are just but deal we beseech Thee with thy servants in mercy Antiph Thou art O Lord
the true light of the world they who follow Thee walk not in darknes Psal C. RIse holy Spouse of the Son of God rise and put on thy robes of joy Rise and shine forth for thy glory is come and the splendor of our Lord strikes bright upon Thee The Gentils shal walk in the beams of thy light and Kings in the lustre of thy brightnes Lift up thine eys round about and behold they gather all together and flock to Thee Thy Sons shal come from far and thy Daughters be nurst at thy side Then thou shalt see and flow in abundance thy hart shal wonder and be enlarg'd with gladnes When the multitude of the Sea shal be converted to Thee and the strength of the Gentiles submit to thy Laws The sons of strangers shal build thy walls and Princes obey thy commands The Nation shal perish that will not serve thee and the Kingdom be utterly wasted that refuses thee The sons of thy afflicters shal bow before thee and they that despis'd thee kiss thy footsteps For our Lord shal be thy everlasting light and the days of thy mourning shall end in glory To thee shal be given the Keys of heav'n and thou shalt shut and open those eternal doors Thy foundation shal be laid on a firm rock and the gates of hell not prevail against thee A way shal be made so direct and plain that the Passengers though fools shal not err therin And the Earth shal be filled with the knowledg of our Lord * as the waters cover the sea All this we read all this we firmly beleeve for the mouth of our Lord has spoken it Heav'n and earth shal pass away but not a tittle of his Word be disappointed for ever Already these sacred Prophecys are in part fulfill'd abundantly sufficient to assure us of the rest Already a Virgin has brought forth a Son and given him the gracious Name of JESUS The Kings of the east have been led to him by a star and offer'd him gold and frankincense and myrth His holy Parents have presented him in the Temple and the devout Simeon was overjoy'd to see him In his tender infancy he fled into Egypt and the Idols fell down at the presence of a child He past his private life in peace and meeknes and taught a contradicting people in patience and humility He confirm'd his doctrin with innumerable miracles and defended the truth to the last drop of his blood He rose again victoriously from the grave and ascended in triumph to the right hand of his Father And there O glorious JESU mayst thou sit and reign till all thy enemys becom thy footstool Nor has thy judgment slept O dreadful Lord but with a swift and terrible vengeance crusht them into ruine Jerusalem long since was made a heap of stones and the children of thy Crucifyers run wandring o're the world While thou art thus severe in the predictions of thy justice thou did'st not forget those of thy mercy Thousands of that ingrateful City have acknowledg'd Thee their Lord thousands of that perverse generation have submitted to thy Scepter Whole Nations of the Gentiles have embrac't thy faith and remotest Islands received thy law Blessed for ever be thy Name O Lord and blessed be the sweetnes of thy mercy Who reveal'st thy self to those that knew thee not and art found of those that sought thee not Who often followest those that fly from thee and never refusest any that come to thee Thou stil exactly perform'st thy part but we ingrateful wretches how do we comply with ours Where is the profit thou mayst justly require to answer the care of thy providence over us Thou hast planted us O Lord in thine own Vineyard and fenc'd us about with thy holy discpline Where is the fruit we should always be beaâ—â—ing since good works are never out of season Of our selvs alas we are dry and barren and our nature at best brings forth nothing but leaves O Thou in whom while we remain we live and from whom divided we instantly dy Curse not we humbly beg these fruitless branches lest they wither away and be cast into the fire Pronounce not against us that dreadfull sentence Cut them down why Cumber they the ground But mercifully Cut them off from their wild stock and graft them in Thy self the only true vine water O Lord our weeds with the dew of heav'n and bless our low shrubs with thy powerful influence So grapes shal grow on thorns and figs be gather'd on Thistles Glory be c. Antiph Thou art O Lord the true light of the world they who follow thee walk not in darkness Antiph In Thee O Lord is all our hope have mercy on the works of thine own hands Psal CI. REjoyce in our Lord all you children of Adam rejoyce in the bounty of his free grace No longer now confyn'd to a few choyce Favorites and the narrow compass of a private Family He has thrown down that partition wall and opened the way of life to all mankind That all may beleeve and love him here and all injoy and be happy in him herafter But O my God what do we see * when we look abroad into the wide world We see sad effects but cannot see the cause * why so many Kingdoms ly miserably wast We know O Lord thy ways are in the deep abyss and humbly adore thy secret Counsels Only we cannot think on their lamentable condition without pitying their misery and imploring thy mercy Some have not yet so much as heard of thee others who have heard refuse to entertain thee Some who have once acknowledg'd thee have quite faln away and others reject what they list and obey by halfs Many even of those who rightly beleeve * abuse their holy faith by a wicked life Thus the for greatst part of wretched mankind whom thy goodness created to thine own similitude Whom thou hast redeem'd with thy precious blood and design'd to so great and long a happiness Still fail alas of their true end and dy in their sins and eternally perish Look down O Lord and behold from heav'n behold from the Habitation of thy holines Where is thy Zeal and the bowels of thy mercy where are thy promises to thy beloved Son Hast thou not said all Nations shal adore Him and all the Tribes of the earth be blessed in him Hast thou not said Thy self O glorious JESU If I be exalted I wil draw all men to me Hast thou not given thy Disciples express Commision * to go into all the world and Preach to every Creature Remember O thou God of everlasting truth remember O thou Author and Finisher of our faith Remember these thy dear engagements and graciously acomplish what thou hast mercifully begun Visit O Lord thine own house first and thorowly redress what thou findst amiss Make our lives holy as thou hast made our faith and perfectly unite us in the bonds of love Kindle in the harts
lov'd thy Name and now we grieve that we lov'd no more Quench not O God of mercy the smoking flax nor break the bruised reed Pardon the sins of the days of our folly and supply the failings of the days of our repentance O were we now again on earth and had the benefit but of one months space How would we spend every minute in penance to purge away thorowly every least impurity How gladly would we take any cross or sicknes that might wholsomly imbitter the world to our tast How after this experience would we hartily strive * at any rate to escape these pains But we unhappy we have slipt our time * which our gacious God so long indulg'd us Now we are left to our sighs and tears and the incertain charity of those few that remember us At least O! you our friends send up your prayers * to hasten the day of our glad deliverance At least look well to provide for your selvs that you come not hither to this place of sufferings Sufferings which may your Souls ne're know yet may they ne're know worse then these These are indeed extremely afflictive but infinitely less than eternal torments We hope in time to rejoyce again we are sure at last our God will deliver us But O! how long delays our Lord to come why are the wheels of his chariot so slow Hast thou not said O God of truth that for thy Elect those days shal be shortned Hast thou not said O Lord of glory behold I come quickly and my reward is with me Come glorious JESU with all thy holy Angels * and the bright attendance of rejoycing Saints Come and redeem the captivity of thy children and lead them away as trophys of thy victory Thus dearest Lord will we cry continually to thee and never leave weeping at the gates of thy Palace Til thou art pleased to open those everlasting dores * and graciously say to our languishing souls Behold I am come to pardon and refresh you your sighs and tears have provok't my pity Behold I am come to cal you to my self * and give you possession of the inheritance I promis'd Come come you Blessed of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you 'T is enough that my servants have wept thus long come enter now into your Masters joy Give them eternal rest O merciful Lord and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever Antiph Happy they who are pray'd for by others but far more happy they who pray for themselvs Antiph Gracious art thou O God in all thy promises and bounteously faithful in all thy performances Psal CXXXVI COmfort your selvs O you heirs of hope and be not cast down at your present distres If he defer a while expect * for he surely wil come and bring you relief He justly stays to punish your neglect when he often cal'd and you would not come to him He mercifully stays til your souls be refin'd and able to bear the splendor of his presence Then wil his glorious light immediately appear and open to your view that blysful prospect Then wil he graciously unveil himself and your eys shal see him face to face Then wil the eternal Deity shine brightly on you and ravish your harts with everlasting Extasys All your great hopes shal be fully satisfy'd and your long expectation abundantly rewarded You shal remember your afflictions with pleasure when you see they alone were your way to felicity Even this very delay shal increase your joys and every thing conspire to crown you with happines Meanwhile our task shal be to pray for your peace and joyn our humble voice to your strong crys That both our vows thus charitably united * may obtain for Both the pardon of our sins But we alas are dust and ashes and you your selvs as yet imperfect O pray for us you holy Saints whose well-prepar'd affections went strait to heaven Pray for us you Quires of Angels who assist continually at the throne of glory Pray for us bright Queen of heavenly Spirits * and blessed Mother of the Son of God! Pray for the faithful detain'd in sorrow that the days of their banishment be no more prolong'd Pray for us siners yet Pilgrims in the way that our souls may arrive at their true home Pray that we Both may stil look up to your glorys and wish and long for that happy state Pray that in all our eagerest desires we may stil submit to the orders of heaven Stil frame our songs of hope and patience and stil cloâ—â—e all with these precious words Thy Kingdome come O glorious Lord and yet O Lord thy wil be done Give them eternal rest O merciful Lord and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever Antiph Gracious art Thou O God in all thy promises and bounteously faithful in all thy performances Antiph I heard a voice from heav'n saying to me Write Blessed are the dead who dy in our Lord from henceforth now saith the Spirit that they rest from their labours for their works follow them Magnificat as page 44. Antiph I heard a voice c. Then kneeling say Our Father and De profundis as follows From the depths O Lord have I cry'd to thee O Lord hear my voice Let thy ears become attentive to the words of my petition If thou shalt mark our iniquitys O Lord O Lord who can sustain it But with Thee there is propitiation and for thy Law I have expected thee O Lord My soul has expected in his word my soul has hoped in our Lord From the morning watch even until night let Israel hope in our Lord For with our Lord is mercy and with Him is plenteous redemption And He shal redeem Israel from all its iniquitys Give them eternal rest O merciful Lord and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever V. Have mercy on them O Lord have mercy on them R. For their souls confide in Thee V. And in the shadow of thy wings shal they hope R. Til their iniquitys pass away V. Have mercy on them O Lord and bless them R. Shew them the light of thy countenance and be merciful to them V. Turn not thy face away from them R. Lest they become like those who descend into the lake V. Keep thou their souls O Lord for they are holy R. Save thy servants who put their trust in thee V. They shal praise thee O Lord with their whole harts R. And glorify thy Name for ever V. For thy mercy already has been great towards them R. Thou hast deliver'd them from the lowermost hell V. Yet hast thou set them in obscure places R. As the Dead of the world V. Thy arrows are stuck deep in them R. And thou hast fastened thy hand upon them V. Their iniquitys are gone over their heads R. And keep them down as a heavy burthen V. But thou O Lord art their strong sustainer R Their glory and the lifter up of their
for our example commandedst thy beloved Son to submit his pure and innocent flesh to the rigour of the Law and for encouragement of our hope madest choice of that sweet and amiable Name JESUS Teach us we beseech Thee with readines and humility to obey thy sacred Laws how cross soever to our unmortify'd passions and in all our necessitys with joy and confidence call on that holy Name in which whate're we ask we are promis'd shal be granted through the same our Lord Jesus Christ c. Twelfth-day and during the Octave 1. Antiph Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja This is the priviledg'd Festival that comes forth adorn'd with the glory of three miracles To day the Wise-men were led by a Star to the cradle of our Lord and falling down ador'd Him and offer'd Him their royal Presents of Gold Frankincense and Myrâ—â— Alleluja 2. Antiph To day our gracious Redeemer vouchsaft his presence at a Marriage-feast and there first publisht to the world his divine power turning water into wine Alleluja 3. Antiph To day our B. Saviour was baptiz'd by S. John and the H. Ghost descended visibly upon Him and a voice was heard from heav'n This is my beloved Son in whom I am wâ—â—l pleâ—â—'d Alleluja Alleluja Antiph for Benâ—â—dictus and Magnificat To day the first fruits of the Gentils were consecrated to our Lord and that sacred Prophesy happily fulfil'd In his light shal the Gentils walk and Kings in the brightnes of his rising Alleluja Alleluja Alleluja Prayer O God who by the guidance of a miraculous Star in the heav'n led'st the Gentils to the sight of the more miraculous Son of righteousnes newly risen to the world in a Stable Grant we humbly beseech Thee that inlighten'd and inflam'd by the memory of this wonderful providence our eys and harts may be more lively fixt on thy goodnes stil as graciously working towards the accomplishment of thy promises to call at length the Jews and all the earth to the saving knowledg and love of thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ who with Thee c. Candlemas All as in the Office of our Saviour except 1. Antiph To day the immaculate Mother humbled her self to the common rites of Purification and presented her first-born JESUS in the temple and for the litle price of a pair of Doves redeem'd the world's inestmable Redeemer Alleluja 2. Antiph To day the devout Simeon took our Lord in his arms and knowing nothing now could make him happier but the joys of heav'n sung aloud this glad farewel to all the world Now let thy servant O Lord depart in peace according to thy word for mine eys have seen thy salvation Alleluja 3. Antiph To day the holy Widow and Prophetes Anna who had spent her life in fasting and prayer and in the service of the Temple came happily in and saw our Lord and spake gloriously of Him to all that expected the redemption of Israel Alleluja Prayer O God who vouchsafest us this day to commemorate the B. Virgin 's presenting in the Temple her self to be purify'd and her Son to be redeem'd according to the Law Give us grace we beseech Thee to adore and praise the condescendence of thy providence that by such great Examples teaches us our evident duty of submitting to thy Discipline though seeming perhaps unnecessary for our selvs and grant that as we bear in our hands these hallowed candles we may confes in our lives our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son to be the light of the Gentils and the Glory of thy people Israel who with Thee and the H. Ghost c. Ash-Wednesday All as in the Office of Wenesday except Invitatory Come let us fast and mourn and pray for our Lord is merciful and just Antiph 1 2 3 Remember O man that dust thou art and into dust thou shalt return Say this one Antiphon before and after every Psalm at Matins Lauds Vespers and Complin Prayer O God whose providence introduces thy Church to the grave discipline of Lent by the mortifying Memento of the vile and frail matter we are made of Grant we humbly beseech thee that the Cross of our Redeemer form'd to day in ashes on our foreheads may lay all our proud conceits in the dust and make flesh and blood feel it self highly honour'd if by whatever crosses or mortifications it may be temper'd and rais'd to become a fit instrument for rip'ning souls in they love the immediate dispâ—â—sition to eternal felicity through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who c. Sundays in Lent All as in the Office of our Saviour except Invitatory Come let us fast and mourn and pray for our Lord is merciful and just 1. Antiph Now is the time of acceptance now are the days of salvation let us not re-receive the grace of God in vain but in all things approve our selvs his servants in labours and watchings and fastings 2. Antiph Now let us take a just and holy revenge on our sins past and strive for the future to bring forth fruits agreeable to our penance in purity meeknes and temperance in charity patience and obedience 3. Antiph Let us follow as we may our divine Master in his forty days retirement and fasting who needed not as we the arts of religion but all he did was for our example that we might learn to fly from the danger of occasions and take away the fewel from our passions and by using to contradict the appetites of sense inure our selvs to obey the commands of reason Antiph for Benedictus and Magnificat Convert us O God of our salvation and turn away thy anger from us hear us in thy mercy and speedily forgive us lest prevented with death we find no time to repent and without repentance eternally perish Prayer O God whose gracious Providence has ordain'd us to lighten the oppressive weight of our corrupt bodys on our souls by the long and solemn Abstinence of Lent Grant us we beseech Thee conscienciously to observe the wholsom discipline now prescrib'd us and with the due mortification of our flesh so tojoyn the quickening of our spirit by frequent devotions that all our carnal appetities may be fitted for burial in our Saviour's grave and all our affections ready to rise with Him to immortality at those sacred Feasts for which this season is to prepare us through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who c. S. Mathias All as in the Office of Saints except 1. Antiph Let them that stand take heed lest they fall Judas was an Apostle yet betray'd his Master and dy'd in despair and another took his Bishoprick 2. Antiph The lot fel on Mathias a continual Follower of JESUS from the baptism of John till the day of His ascension and he was numbred with the eleven Apostles 3. Antiph He liv'd their life and dy'd their death and sits with them in glory to judge the twelve tribes of Israel Prayer O God by whose special grace the B. Mathias was chosen to supply