Devotions in the ancient way of offices with psalms, hymns, and prayers for every day in the week and every holiday in the year.

Psal. XX.

HOw admirable is thy Name, O Lord, over all the earth! how wise and gracious the counsels of thy Providence!

After Thou had'st thus prepar'd the world; as a house ready furnisht for man to inhabit.

Thy mighty hand fram'd our bodys of the dust; and built them in a shape of use and beauty.

Thou breath'dst into us the spirit of Life; and fittedst us with facultys proportion'd to our end.

Thou gav'st us a soul to govern our bodies; and reason to command in our soul.

Thou reveal'dst to us a Law for the improve∣ment of our reason; and enablest us by thy grace to observe that Law.

Thou mad'st us Lords over all thy creatures; but little inferior to thy glorious Angels.

Thou compellest whole Nature to serve us without reward; and invitest us to love Thee for our own happiness.

Thou design'dst us an age of pure delights *, in that sweet and fruitful Garden.

Where having led a long and pleasant life;

thou promisedst to transplant us to thine own Paradise.

All this thou didst, O glorious God; the full Possessor of universal blys!

Not for any need thou hadst of us; or the least advantage thou could'st derive from our being.

All this thou didst, O infinite Goodnes; the liberal bestower of what e're we possess!

Not for any merit, alas, of ours; or the least motive we could offer to induce Thee.

But for thine own excessive charity; and the mere inclination of thine own rich nature.

That empty we might receive of thy fulnes; and be partakers of thy overflowing bounty.

So sheds the generous Sun his beams; and freely scatters them on every side.

Guilding all the world with his beauteous light; and kindly cherishing it with his fruit∣ful heat.

And so dost Thou, and infinitely more; O thou God of infinite more perfections!

So we confess thou dost to us: but we, what return have we made to Thee?

Have we consider'd well the end of our be∣ing? and faithfully comply'd with thy purpose to save us?

Ah wretched we! we neglect thy holy rules; and govern our actions by chance and humour.

We quite forget our God that made us; and

fill our heads with thoughts that undo us.

Pardon, O gracious Lord, our past ingrati∣tude; and mercifully direct our time to come.

Teach every passage of our yet remaining life; to express an acknowledgment fit for thy mercys.

O make our senses subject to our reason; and our reason entirely obedient to thee:

O make the whole Creation conspire to thy honour; and all that depend on thee joyn together in thy praise.

This is the only praise thou expectest from us; and the whole honour, thou requirest of thy Creatures:

That by observing the orders thou appointest here; in this lower region of change and mo∣tion.

We may all grow up to be happy herafter; in that state of permanency and eternal rest.

Glory be, &c.

Antiph. Bless our Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, praise his holy Name.

Capit. 4. Apoc.

WOrthy art Thou, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power: because Thou hast created all things, and for thy will they are, and were created.

Hymn VI.

HArk, my soul, how every thing Strives to serve our bounteous King: Each a double tribute pays; Sings it part, and then obeys.

Nature's chief and sweetest Quire Him with cheerful notes admire: Chanting every day their Lauds; While the grove their song applauds.

Though their voices lower be, Streams have too their melody: Night and day they warbling run; Never pause, but stil sing on.

All the flow'rs that guild the spring, Hither their still-musick bring: If Heav'n bless them, thankful they Smell more sweet, and look more gay.

Only we can scarce afford This short Office to our Lord: We, on whom his bounty flows; All things gives, and nothing ows.

Wake for shame my sluggish hart; Wake, and gladly sing thy part: Learn of birds, and springs, and flow'rs, How to use thy nobler pow'rs.

Call whole nature to thy aid; Since 'twas He whole nature made: Join in one eternal song, Who to one God all belong.

Live for ever, glorious Lord! Live by all thy works ador'd: One in Three, and Three in One, Thrice we bow to Thee alone. Amen.

Antiph. The boundless Ocean of Being could not contain his streams; but overflow'd upon pure nothing, and behold a beauteous world appear'd: Heav'n and earth and all therein, from the highest Angel to the least grain of dust; all together the most perfect partici∣pation of his Essence.

V. He spake the word, and they were made.

R. He but commanded, and they were created.

O Lord hear our prayers:

And let our supplications come to Thee.

Let us pray.

O Almighty Lord, the only wise and good Creator of the Universe; who mad'st all corporeal nature for the use of Man; and Man for his own felicity! enlarge our souls we beseech Thee, humbly to admire and adore thy infinite fulnes of Being in Thy self; and thy immense liberality of it to us; and mercifully carry on the whole Creation to its end: Vouch∣safing so to order all thy creatures about us, by thy grace, that they may attain their perfection in duly serving us, and we Ours in eternally in∣joying Thee: through our Lord JESUS Christ thy Son, who with Thee and the holy Ghost lives and reigns One God world without end, Amen.

Commemorations, &c. as pag. 29.

Monday Vespers.

IN the Name of the Father, &c. as pag. 33.

Antiph. To know Thee, O Lord, is the highest learning; and to be known of Thee, the greatest happines.