A choice manual containing what is to be believed, practised, and desired or prayed for; the prayers being fitted to the several days of the week. Also festival hymns, according to the manner of the ancient church. Composed for the use of the devout, especially of younger persons, by Jeremy Taylor, D.D.

The Penitent's Prayer.

O God the Father, who canst not be thought so cruel as to make me only to destroy me,

Have mercy on me.

O God the Son, who knowing thy Father's Will, didst make it thy business to come into the world to save me,

Have mercy on me.

O God the Holy Ghost, who to the same end didst sanctifie me in my Baptism, and hast so often since breathed holy thoughts and motions on me,

Have mercy on me.

O Holy and Blessed and Glorious Trinity, whom in three Persons I adore as my one and onely true God,

Have mercy on me. Hear me, O Lord. Help me, O Lord. Save me, or else I perish.

Lord, carest thou not that I perish? Thou that wouldest have all men saved? Thou who wouldst have none to perish?

And wilt thou now shew thine anger against a Worm, against a Leaf, against a Vapour that vanisheth before thee?

O remember how short my time is, and deliver not my Soul into the power of Hell.

For, alas! what profit is there in my Bloud? or who shall ever give thee thanks in that bottomless pit?

No, let me live in thy sight? let me live, O my God, that my Soul may praise thee.

Forget me as I have been disobedient, provoking thee to anger; and regard me as I am distressed, crying out to thee for help.

Look not upon me as I am a Sinner; but consider me as I am thy Creature.

A Sinner I am, I confess, a Sinner of no ordinary strain; but let not this hin∣der thee, O my God, for upon such sin∣ners thou gettest the greatest glory.

O remember for whose sake it was that thou camest from the bosom of thy

Father, and didst let thy self down so low as to be content to be born of thine own humble handmaid.

Remember for whom it was that thy tender body was Torn, & Scourged, and Crucified, and thy precious Blood shed.

Was it not for the sins of the whole world? and shall I be so narrow-hearted to my own Soul, or so injurious to thy Glory, as to think that in all this crowd, thou hast particularly excepted me?

Or, which is as great a dishonour to thee, can I possibly imagine that thou diedst only for Sinners of a lower kind, and leftest such as I am without remedy?

What had become then of him who filled Jerusalem with blood? What of the noted Woman who had lived in a trade of Sin? Nay, what had become of thine own Disciple who with Oaths and Curses thrice denied thee?

O how easie is it for thee to forgive? for it is thy Nature.

How proper is it for thee to save? for it is thy Name.

How suitable is it to thy only End of coming into the World? for it is thy Business.

And when I consider that I am the

chief of Sinners, may I not urge the Fa∣ther, and say, Shall the very chief of thy business be left undone?

Mercy, Mercy, good Lord.

I ask not of thee any longer the things of this world: neither Power, nor Ho∣nours, nor Riches, nor Pleasures. No, my God, dispose of them to whom thou pleasest, so that thou givest me Mercy.

O that I could hear thee once say, as thou didst to him in the Gospel, My Son, be of good chear, thy Sins are forgiven thee.

How would my drooping Spirits re∣vive at such a sound? and my now woun∣ded Soul break forth into Hymns and Praises and Hallelujahs for a mercy so utterly undeserved of me, and which the Angels which fell could never hear of?

But, O my weak Soul, what dost thou fear? or what dost thou scruple at? For thou art not yet in such a desperate con∣dition, but thou mayest expect that what was said to him may possibly be said to thee.

Nay, be confident (though it be with a mixture of fear and trembling) that if thou dost not act the part of an Hypo∣crite all this while, thy Saviour stands

ready at the very doors of thy Heart, to breath the very same words in a heaven∣ly whisper to thee; Be of good chear, thy Sins are forgiven thee.

Return then unto thy rest, O my Soul, for thy Sins are forgiven thee.

Only take this Counsel along with thee, Sin no more, lest a worse thing fall unto thee.

O that I could never sin against thee more; never purposely, deliberately, wilfully sin against thee more.

And for those sins of daily Incursion, those over-familiar corruptions of my nature, which thou hast not yet given me strength enough to conquer; Lord, either subdue them to me by degrees, or lay them not to my charge.

But wherein soever my Conscience most accuseth me, therein, O my God, be thou most merciful unto me.

Save me, O God, as a Brand snatched out of the Fire.

Receive me, O my Jesu, as a Sheep that hath wandred, but is now re∣turned to the great Shepherd and Bishop of my Soul.