Antiquitates christianæ, or, The history of the life and death of the holy Jesus as also the lives acts and martyrdoms of his Apostles : in two parts.

The PRAYER.

O Blessed Jesus, who art become to us the Fountain of Peace and Sanctity, of Righte∣ousness and Charity, of Life and perpetual Benediction, imprint in our spirits these glorious characterisms of Christianity, that we by such excellent dispositions may be con∣signed to the infinity of Blessedness which thou camest to reveal, and minister, and exhibit to mankind. Give us great Humility of spirit; and deny us not, when we beg Sorrow of thee, the mourning and sadness of true Penitents, that we may imitate thy excellencies, and conform to thy sufferings. Make us Meek, patient, indifferent, and resigned in all accidents, changes and issues of Divine Providence. Mortifie all inordinate Anger in us, all Wrath, Strife, Contention, Murmurings, Malice and Envy; and interrupt, and then blot out all peevish dispositions and morosities, all disturbances and unevenness of spirit 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of habit,

that may hinder us in our duty. Oh teach me so to hunger and thirst after the ways of Righ∣teousness, that it may be meat and drink to me to do thy Father's will. Raise my affecti∣ons to Heaven and heavenly things, fix my heart there, and prepare a treasure for me, which I may receive in the great diffusions and communications of thy glory. And in this sad inter∣val of infirmity and temptations strengthen my hopes, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 my Faith, by such emissi∣ons of light and grace from thy Spirit, that I may relish those Blessings which thou preparest for thy Saints with so great appetite, that I may despise the world and all its gilded vanities, and may desire nothing but the crown of righteousness and the paths that lead thither, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 graces of thy Kingdom and the glories of it; that when I have served thee in holiness and strict obedience, I may reign with thee in the glories of Eternity: for thou, O Holy Jesus, art our hope, and our life, and glory, our 〈◊〉〈◊〉 great reward. Amen.

II.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 Jesu, who art infinitely pleased in demonstrations of thy Mercy, and didst descend into a state of misery, suffering persecution and 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that thou mightest give us thy mercy, and reconcile us to thy Father, and make us partakers of thy Purities; give unto us tender bowels, that we may suffer together with our calamitous and necessitous Brethren, that we having a fellow-feeling of their miseries may use all our powers to help them, and ease our selves of our common sufferings. But do thou, O Holy Jesu, take from us also all our great calamities, the Carnality of our affections, our Sensualities and Impurities, that we may first be pure, then peaceable, living in peace with all men, and preserving the peace which thou hast made for us with our God, that we may never commit a sin which may interrupt so blessed an atonement. Let neither hope nor fear, tribulation nor anguish, plea∣sure nor pain make us to relinquish our interest in thee, and our portion of the everlasting Co∣venant. But give us hearts constant, bold and valiant, to confess thee before all the world in the midst of all disadvantages and contradictory circumstances, chusing rather to beg, or to be disgraced, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉, or to die, than quit a holy Conscience, or renounce an Article of Christianity: that we either in act, when thou shalt call us, or always in preparation of mind, suffering with thee, may also reign with thee in the Church Triumphant, O Holy and most merciful Saviour Jesu.

Amen.