To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
I Will say the Lords Prayer, and the Collects for the Week and for the day, as before Dinner.
ALmighty God, who seest we have no power of our s••lves to help our selves; keep us both out∣wardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls: that we may be defen∣ded
from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all e∣vil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
THen looking up to heaven, I will think and Meditate with all seriousnes•• and serenity of mind, with fear and reverence, with firm belief, good affection and admiration upon the chief articles of the Christi∣an Faith:
Most especially upon the Eternal, everlasting, invisible, omnipresent, almighty, omniscient, incomprehen∣sible, immutable, most perfect, most excellent, most high, most happy, most holy, most just, and infinitely merciful and gracious GOD and Fa∣ther, Lord and King, Creatour, Pre∣server and Governour of Men and Angels, and of all things in Heaven
and Earth. I fear thee, I bless thee, I thank thee▪ I adore thee with all submis∣sion of soul and body, I put my whole trust in thee, I love thee, I will obey thee, Author of all good, and endless fountain of life and wisdom and power and peace and felicity.
I will likewise meditate with all thankfulness upon our most gracious Lord and all sufficient Saviour Iesus Christ, the eternal Son of the Father▪ who hath lov••d us, and taken our nature, and washed us from our sins in his own bloud: the perfect rule and pattern of holiness, and the perpetu∣al and ever prevailing Advocate at Gods right hand for all the penitent and believing.
I will also meditate upon the pure and glorious Majesty: the quickning, piercing, enlightning and burning power: the prophecies and miracles: the long-suffering, warning and in∣struction: the sanctification, preven∣••ion, assistance and consolation, and
the manifol•• gifts and vertues of the Holy Ghost. Pardon, I most hum∣bly beseech thee, O God of love and mercy, my too frequent neglects of thy grace and presence.
Glory be now to the Eternal Tri∣nity, which innumerable spotless An∣gels and souls of righteous men, and all the powers of heaven incessantly do serve, and praise, and worship with fear and trembling. To these I joyn my humble voice, and my will∣ing but polluted heart, saying, Amen. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts, hea∣ven and earth are full of thy glory. Glo∣ry be to thee, O Lord most high.
Moreover, from daily experience and example I will Reflect on the bre∣vi••y, vanity, various temptations, sin∣fulness and sorrows of this mortal life; upon which the eternal dependeth.
I will also Contemplate with faith, fear and solicitude the general Resur∣rection, and final Judgment of all mankind, according to our works▪
words and designs, at Christs most glorious, most dreadful, most righte∣ous and all-searching Tribunal. Lord Iesus have mercy upon us all, and pre∣pare us for thy coming.
Finally, I will Ponder and congra∣tulate the present satisfaction an•• in∣ternal peace, and the future everlast∣ing joy and happiness; O un••xp••essi∣ble and everlasting happiness both in soul and body, for all the faithful and obedient, th••ough the inestimable me∣rits of Christ Jesus. Amen, Hosanna in the highest.
Furthermore, I will constantly use Self-examination. Oh my soul, what have I done this day? what have I omitted? How have I offended against God or man, in thought, word, or deed?
O Lord Almighty, God most holy, thou Judge eternal▪ have mercy upon me a vile sinner, and for thy in••inite
goodness forgive me the transgressi∣ons of this day, in particular, &c. to∣gether with the rest of the sins of my life, especially the more heinous and presumptuous, as &c. I am heartily sorry for these my misdoings. The remembrance, the stain, the guilt, the burden of them is grievous unto me. For Christ's sake pity and pardon me, and establish my heart by thy grace: that I may hereafter more earnestly and faithfully pursue those necessary and solemn vows of a cautious, sober, honest and godly life, which I have often made unto thee, especially at thy holy Sacraments. Amen.
I now render most humble and hearty thanks unto th••e, Almighty and most gracious God▪ f••r all thy Blessings vouchsafed me this day, e∣specially, &c.
Thanks be to the Divine grace,
that I have passed this day without scandal and without trouble.
Blessed be God, my strength and hope, that I have done any thing this day, which I ought to do.
Here I am, O Father; do with me as seems best in thine own eyes.
O let my service be acceptable to thee, while I live: and my soul rea∣dy for thee, when I die. Amen, Lord God Almighty, who hast created me and redeemed me. Hallelujah.
THe Lord bless and keep me and mine all this night. Oh keep our souls. Amen. For Christs sake.
Here endeth the Shorter Office for every day.
See the Larger at Rising and R••∣posing▪ Chap. ix. and x.