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

MATINS.

PRevent. In the Name, Blessed be.

Our Father, &c. I beleeve, &c.

Kneeling, then rise and begin immediately

Invitatory. Come let's adore our God to whom all things live.

Come let's adore our God, to whom all things live.

Psal. CXXVII.

HE is the great Creator of the world; and Soveraign Judg of all mankind:

He sits above on his glorious Throne; and in his hands are the key's of life and death.

Come let's adore our God, to whom all things live.

What ever he pleases he brings to pass; and none can resist his almighty Power: what ever he does, is stil the best; and none can accuse his all-knowing Goodnes.

Come let's adore our God, to whom all things live.

All things do live to Thee, O Lord! Thou sole preserver of universal nature: the blessed

Saints rejoyce in thy glory; and the imperfect souls are sustain'd in hope.

Come let's adore our God, to whom all things live.

Even the unhappy spirits declare thy justice; and the rest of thy creatures look up for mercy: expecting at last to be deliver'd from corrupti∣on, into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God.

Come let's adore our God, to whom all things live.

Lord! while we breath, make us live to Thee; and, when we expire, depart in thy peace: that whether we live or dy, we be always Thine; and, after death, stil live with Thee.

Come let's adore our God, to whom all things live.

Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord!

And may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever.

Come let's adore our God, to whom all things live:

Come let's adore our God to whom all things live.

Antiph. Come, let us humble our selvs 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the sight of our God; and spread before him all our complaints.

Psal. CXXVIII.

UNhappy we, the children of the dust! wh•••• were we born to see the Sun?

Why did our Mothers bring us forth to mi∣sery; and unkindly rejoyce to hear us cry?

Whether, alas! has their error led us? in how sad a condition does our birth engage us?

We enter the world with weeping eys; and go out with sighing harts:

All the few days we live are ful of vanity; and our choicest pleasures sprinkled with bit∣ternes:

The time that's past is vanisht like a dream; and that which is to come, is not yet at all:

The present we are in stays but a moment; and then flys away, and never returns:

Already we are dead to all the years we have liv'd; and shal never live them over again:

But the longer that we live, the shorter is our life; and in the end we become a litle lump of clay.

O vain and miserable world! how sadly true is all this story!

And yet alas! this is not all; but new com∣plaints remain, and more, and worse:

We begin our race in contemptible weaknes; and our whole course is a progress of dangers:

If we escape the mischances of a child; we pass on the rash adventures of youth:

If we outlive those sudden storms; we fal in∣to far more malicious calamitys:

Our own superfluous cares deliberately con∣sume

us; and the crosses of the world wear out our lives:

Should we, by strange success, o'recome all these; and stil bear up our prosperous head:

We are sure, at last, old age wil find us; and bow our strength down to the grave:

The grave, from whence no priviledg ex∣empts; nor any power controuls its command:

The rich must leave their welth behind them; and the great ones of the world be crumbled in∣to dust:

The beauteous face must be turn'd into rotten∣nes; and the pamper'd body become the food of worms:

The busie man must find a time to dy; though his ful employment spare none to provide for't:

Even the wise and vertuous must submit to fate; and the heirs of life it self be the priso∣ners of death.

This when I see, I weep, and am afraid; since we all must drink of the same cold cup:

A'l must go down to the same dark grave; and none can tel how soon he may be cal'd:

To day we are in helth among our friends and affairs; and to morrow arrested by the hand of death:

Nature may faintly struggle for a time; but must yield at last, and be buryed in the earth:

At last we must take our leave of our neerest

Relations; and bid a long farewel to all the world:

Perhaps, the people may talk of us a while; somtimes as we deserve, and often as they please:

Perhaps, our bodys once laid out of sight; we no more are remembred, then if we never had been:

Only our good works follow us to the grave; and faithfully go on with us beyond our fu∣nerals.

Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord! and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever. Glory be &c.

Antiph. Come let us humble our selvs in the sight of our God; and spread before him all our complaints.

Antiph. 'Tis not for us, O Lord, to chuse our own conditions; but to manage wel, what thou appointest.

Psal. CXXIX.

WHy do we thus bemoan our selvs; and rashly utter such repining words?

Seems it so hard a fate to tread the path * which all our Ancestors have gone before us?

Adam the first of men; and Abraham the friend of God:

David the man after God's own hart; and

the blessed Mary, Virgin-Mother of our Lord:

All these have paid their debt to nature; and subscrib'd the law of universal mortality:

JESUS himself, the Eternal Son of God, ex∣pir'd on the Corss; * and went to his glory through the gates of death:

And shal our fond self-love so blindly flatter us; to wish an exception from this general Rule?

Shal we be murmuring stil, our life is but a sapn; and that expos'd to innumerable sorrows?

Does not the very shortnes abate it's miserys? do not those many miserys commend its shortnes?

Should we not rather rejoyce at the sight of death; that, when e're it comes, stil brings us advantage?

If in our age, 'tis a haven of repose; and ought to be welcome after so long a voyage:

If in our youth, it prevents a thousand cala∣mitys; a thousand dangers of ruining our souls:

If by an ordinary sicknes, 'tis the course of nature; if by an outward violence, 'tis always the wil of heaven:

What need we fear how many deaths there are; we are sure there can be but one for us:

Dying is an act to be done but once; and once wel done, we are happy for ever.

Lord! we confes thy Decrees are just; and our selvs the cause of all our miserys:

We sacrifice our youth to sport and folly; and our manly years to lust and pride:

We spend our old age in craft and avarice; and begin not to live til we are ready to dy:

Then we bewail the shortnes of our time; when our selvs have prodigally thrown it all away:

We lead a loose and negligent life; and then complain death takes us unawares:

Our days are perhaps too few to grow rich; or satisfy the ambition of a haughty spirit:

But, to be taught the love of God, * and the meek and humble life of JESUS,

Requires not so much the number of years; as the faithful endeavours of a pious mind:

Could we bestow on the improvement of our souls * the time we so vainly trifle away:

Our day would be short enough not to seem tedious; and long enough to finish our appoin∣ted task.

And what, O glotious Lord! is our busines here; * but to trim our lamps and wait thy coming?

But to sow the immortal seed of hope; and expect herafter to reap the Increase?

No matter how late the fruit be gather'd; if stil it go on in growing better:

No matter how soon it fal from the tree; if not blown down before it be ripe.

O thou most just, but secret Providence! who govern'st all things by the counsel of thy Will!

Whose powerful hand can wound and heal; lead down to the grave, and bring back again!

Behold, to Thee we bow our heads; and freely submit our dearest concerns:

Strike as thou pleasest our helth, our lives; we cannot be safer then at thy dispose:

Only these few requests we humbly beg; which O may thy clemency vouchsafe to hear:

Cut us not off in the midst of our folly; nor suffer us to expire with our sins unpardon'd:

But make us, Lord, first ready for thy self; then take us to thy self, in thine own fit time.

Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord! and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever. Glory be, &c.

Antiph. 'Tis not for us, O Lord, to chuse our own conditions; but to manage wel what thou appointest.

Antiph. Only our earth shal return to earth; but our better part shal live for ever.

Psal. CXXX.

MY Soul, all these complaints concern not thee; whom thy bounteous God has made immortal:

Who, when this house of clay shal fal into

dust, * and this narrow cage be broken down,

Shalt soar aloft on thine own free wings; and spread thy boundles ey over all the world.

If thou hast happily train'd up thy self; * to aim stil upwards at the highest heavens;

Swift as a flash of quickest lightning, * shalt thou instantly fly to those blessed Objects:

But, if thy thoughts have flag'd below; and delighted to hover too near this earth:

If above all things thou hast lov'd thy God; but not lov'd all things in order to thy God:

Or if thy tears have been too few, to wash away thorowly the remaining stains:

Unworthy as yet of that blysful light; * whose beams endure not the least impurity;

Thou must sit down in the shades of sorrow; and dwel in the vale of tears and darknes:

There thou must sigh and mourn, and wait; til the days of thy purifying be fully finisht.

O the dear price those prisoners pay, * for neglecting here to perfect their accounts!

How are their souls enflam'd with anguish; and continually tortur'd with unspeakable pains!

How do they sadly lament their careles liber∣tys; and the litle passions they too much o∣bey'd!

But, alas! their repentance comes now too late; * to meet with that mercy they so long abus'd:

Now they must ly in this tedious dungeon;

til their patience have satisfyd the utmost far∣thing:

Only this hope sustains their hart; and swee∣tens a litle their bitter cup:

That the redeeming Day is stil drawing on; and wil infallibly at last appear.

O may that happy Day make hast to come; and chear their darknes with its radient beams!

O may that Sun of Justice speedily arise; and disperse the mist that intercepts their sight!

Come Lord, come quickly dearest JESU! and rescue with thy power thine own Inheri∣tance:

Thou who cam'st humbly once, to redeem us sinners; come gloriously now to deliver thy Servants:

Deliver them, O Lord! from the snare of the enemy; and their captive souls out of the hand of the Wicked.

That they may pass from death to life; and dwel with Thee in thy blessed peace.

Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord! and may thy glorious light shine upon them for e∣ver.

Antiph. Only our earth shal return to earth; but our better part shal live for ever.

Our Father &c.

First Lesson.

MAn that is born of a woman, lives a short time, and is fill'd with many miserys. He comes forth as a flower and is bruised into dust; he flyes away as a shadow, and never continues in the same state: and thinkest thou fit to open thine eys upon such a one, and bring him before thee into Judgment? Who can make clean him that is conceiv'd of unclean seed? is it not Thou, who only art? The days of man are short, and the number of his months are with thee; thou hast appointed his limits which cannot be passed; depart a litle from him, that he may rest, till as a hireling his wisht-for day shal come. Who wil grant me this, that in Hell thou wouldst pro∣tect me, and hide me til thy fury pass away; and appoint me a time wherin thou wilt remem∣ber me? All the days, in which I now am in warfare, I wait til my change Come. Thou shalt cal me, and I shal answer thee; to the work of thy hands thou wilt reach forth thy right hand: thou hast indeed numbred my steps; but do thou pardon my sins.

R. Where shal I hide me, O Lord, from the face of thy wrath? where shal I hide me when thou com'st to judg the living and the dead? I tremble at my own unworthines; I am asham'd, thus impure, to appear in thy pre∣sence. * Wash me yet more, O Lord, from my

iniquitys, and purge me thorowly from my sins. I know the enemy that obstructs my way; my sins exclude me from thy Kingdom, where no unclean thing can enter, nor any clean be deny'd admittance. * Wash me—

Second Lesson.

SPare me, O Lord, for my days are nothing: I have sinned, what shal I do to thee, O thou Preserver of men? why hast thou set me contrary to thee? and I am become burdenous to my self. Why dost thou not take away my sin? why dost thou not clear me of my iniqui∣ty? Behold now I shal sleep in the dust, and if thou seek me in the morning I shal not be. My soul is weary of my life; I will let my speech pass against my self; I will speak in the bitter∣nes of my soul: I will say to God, Condemn me not; tell me, why dost thou judg me so? seems it good to thee to overcharge me, and op∣press the works of thy hands, and help the counsel of the wicked? hast thou eys of flesh, or, as man sees shalt thou also see; that thou seekest my iniquity, and searchest my sin? Thy hands have made me, and fram'd me wholly round about; and dost thou so suddenly cast me down headlong? With skin and flesh thou hast cloathed me; with bones and sinews thou hast compacted me; life and mercy thou hast given me; and thy visitation has kept my spirit.

R. Wo to me, wretched sinner, what shal I do? I have commited evil in the sight of my God; I have offended the eys of his Majesty: Whither shal I fly from the Justice of my Judg? whither, but to the mercy of my Saviour. * Have mercy on me, O Lord, have mercy on me; when thou com'st in glory to judg the world by fire. My corrupt nature has brought forth sin, and sin has brought forth sorrow: where shal I seek for pardon? where shal I find releef, but in thee, my God, my hope, and portion in the land of the living? * Have mercy on me—

Third Lesson.

DEliver me, O Lord, and set me beside Thee; & let any mans hand fight against me. My days are past, and my thoughts dissipated, tor∣menting my hart: they have turn'd night into day; and again after darknes I hope for light. Have pity on me, at least you my friends; for the hand of our Lord has toucht me: he has hedg'd my path round about, and I cannot pass; and in my way he has put darknes. Who wil grant me that my words may be written? Who wil give me that they may be drawn in a book with an iron pen, and in a plate of lead, or graven with steel on a marble stone? For, I know my Redeemer lives, and in the last day I shal rise out of the earth, and be compast again with my skin, and in my flesh shal see God;

whom I my self shal see, and my eys shal behold, and no other: This my hope is laid up in my bosom.

R. My days are declin'd as a shadow, and I am wither'd away as grass; and nothing re∣mains but the cold grave. O let me cal back that uncomfortable word! my days indeed are de∣clin'd, but my eternity is safe; I am wither'd away as grass, but the Spring wil come and re∣vive me into a flower of Paradise: * This my hope is laid up in my bosom. Let then my bo∣dy be crumbled into dust, and my soul detain'd for a time in sorrow: I know my Redeemer lives, and in the last day I shal rise out of the earth, and be compast again with my Skin, and in my flesh shal see God, and in that blysful sight be for ever happy: * This my hope is laid up in my bosom. Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord! and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever. * This my hope is laid up in my bosom.

At Lauds O God incline, &c. is not said: but begin immediately with the Antiphon, Return—

Lauds for the Dead.

Antiph. Return, O my soul! to thy Rest again; for thy Lord deals graciously with all that love him.

Psal. CXXXI.

WHen we have shed our solemn tears; and paid our due sighs to the memory of the Dead:

Let us wipe our eys with the comfort of hope; and change our grief into a charitable joy:

The friends we mourn are deliver'd from this world; and all the miserys we so justly de∣plore:

Their bodys tremble no more with the Pal∣sy; nor burn with the flames of a scorching feaver:

They cry out no more for want of sleep; nor roul up and down their uneasy beds:

But quietly rest in the silent grave; till they rise again to immortal glory:

Wh••••ch while they there expect in peace; their souls are enlarg'd to a spacious liberty:

No longer confin'd to this prison of the body; but gone to dwel in the region of spirits:

No longer expos'd to these stormy Seas; but gladly arriv'd at their safe harbour:

Where though their passage be stopt a while; they are free from all fear of being cast away:

Though for a time they attend with sorrow; they are sure to rejoyce at last for all eternity:

They are sure at last to behold their Redee∣mer; and live for ever with the Blessed JESƲS:

O, were it not for this sweet hope; who could indure such Killing delays?

Who, that but knows the beauty of God, as they all do; and sees himself detayn'd from so great a happines?

Detain'd, for affecting some trifle here; if such we may cal what deferrs our heav'n:

O glorious Lord, the free Original Source, * and final end of universal nature!

Since by thy grace Thou hast thus begun, and sown in their harts the seeds of glory:

O, may the same all-powerful hand * go on to finish it's own ble'st work:

Ripen the fruit Thou reserv'st for thy self; and hasten the day of their joyful harvest:

Send forth thy blessed Angels to reap thy grain; and lay it up safe in thy heavenly Ma∣gazine:

There to supply the place of those unhappy tares, * which thy justice threw down into ever∣lasting fire:

There to assist among those holy Quires; which thy mercy establisht in everlasting blyss.

Give them eternal rest' O merciful Lord! And may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever.

Antiph: Return O my soul, to thy rest a∣gain, for thy Lord deals graciously with all that love him.

Antiph. Merciful art Thou, O Lord, in all thy ways; and infinitely wise in all thy coun∣sels.

Psal. CXXXII.

COme let us praise the Goodnes of our God; who orders every thing to the best for his Servants:

Whose Providence governs us all our life; and takes so particular a care of our death:

He casts us down on our beds of sicknes; and draws the curtain 'twixt the world and us:

Shutting out all its vain designs; and contra∣cting our busines to a litle chamber:

There, in that quiet solitude, he speaks to our harts; and sets before us all our life:

There, he discovers the falacys of this world and invites us now at last, to prepare for the o∣ther:

Thither he sends his Messengers of Peace; to treat with our Souls, and reconcile them to heav'n:

Thither he sends even his only Son, * to se∣cure our passage, and conduct us to Himself:

O! how quite other wil our thoughts be then; * to what they were in our careles helth!

How shal we freely censure what we once e∣steem'd; and be easily convinct into wiser counsels!

When our unruly senses shal be checkt with

pain; and our rash minds made sober with fear:

When the occasions of sin shal be remov'd a∣way; and every thing about us incline us to repent.

Blessed for ever be thy Name, O Lord! whose mercy sanctifys even thy punishments into sa∣vours:

Thou bringst us low, to perswade us to be humble; and prescrib'st us a sicknes to cure our infirmitys!

Thou command'st the grave to dispense with none; but indifferently seize on all alike:

That all may alike provide for that fatal hour; and none be undone with mistaken hopes.

Thou telst us plainly, we all must dy; but kindly conceal'st the time and place:

That every where we may stand on our guard; and every moment expect thy Coming.

Thou teachest us the use of decent Funerals; and the holy charity of praying for the Dead:

That we may often renew the memory of our grave; and the whol••••om thoughts of our fu∣ture state:

So, with one Act of excellent piety; * to shorten the pains of others, and prevent our own.

Let not, O Lord, these gracious acts be lost; which thy merciful Wisdom contrives for our sakes:

But, while we thus remember the death of o∣thers; * make us seriously stil reflect on our own:

And every time we reflect on our own; make us piously stil remember Theirs.

Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord! and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever.

Antiph. Merciful art Thou, O Lord, in all thy ways; and infinitely wise in all thy Coun∣sels.

Antiph. O all you works of our Lord, praise you our Lord! bless him and magnify him for ever.

Psal. CXXXIII.

O Praise our Lord all you Nations of the earth; whom his Providence yet sustains alive:

Whom he so long forbears to strike; though our sins have often provok'd his wrath:

Whom he so graciously cals to repent; though our passions have hitherto neglected his voice:

Making experiments by the death of others; to advise his servants into a waryer life.

To clear this useful truth, we too must dy; and strictly account for every idle word:

We must appear before that great Tribural; and tremblingly receive our everlasting do••••m.

O praise our Lord all you faithful departed; for his mercy preservs the Just:

Though you dwel below in the Valley of death; and sit afflicted in the shades of dark∣nes:

Yet wil he bring you up to his eternal moun∣tains; and fill your eys with glorious light:

Though your bones be bruis'd with sorrow; and your harts made heavy with faintnes:

Yet you again shal be cloath'd with beauty; and plac'd to sing among the Blessed Saints:

O praise our Lord, all you Blessed Saints; whom his bounty already has crown'd with glory:

You who, entirely wean'd from the allure∣ments of this world; * found no unwillingnes at your death to leave it:

You who, designing your whole life for hea∣ven, * departed with joy to possess your hopes:

Millions of Angels meeting you in the way; and carrying you directly to the presence of their King.

O praise our Lord all you glorious Angels; whose bright felicity began so early:

Stars that a rose in the morning of the world; and stil maintain your unchangeable lustre:

Shining perpetually near the throne of God; as the top and Master-piece of all his works.

O Praise our Lord all you his Works; bless him and magnify him for ever:

Praise his almighty Power that gave you your Being; and stil preservs you from re∣lapsing into nothing:

Praise his all-seeing Wisdom, that here di∣rects your steps; and leads you on to your e∣ternal end:

Praise, above all, his boundles Goodnes; that pours into every thing as much as it can hold:

And though our short sight now reach not so far; but often mistake, and repine at his go∣vernment;

Yet at the last great day we shal clearly dis∣cern * a perfect concord in the harshest note.

When our ador'd Redeemer shal come in the clouds; and summon all nature to appear be∣fore him:

There to receive each one their proper part; * exactly fitted to their best capacity:

There to behold the whole Creation strive * to expres in it self the perfections of its Maker:

Whose admirable Wisdom shal guide that last universal Scene; and finish the whole acti∣on in a beauteous cloze.

Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord! and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever.

Antiph. O all you works of our Lord,

praise you our Lord; bless him and magnifie him for ever.

Antiph. I am the resurrection and the life; he that believes in me; though he be dead, shal live: and every one that lives and believes in in me, shal not dy for ever.

Benedictus. as page 27.

Antiph. I am, &c.

Then kneeling, say,

Our Father, &c. and the Miserere, as follows.

V. Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy:

R. And, according to the multitude of thy com∣passions wipe away my offences.

V. Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin:

R. For I know my iniquity; and my sin is al∣ways before me.

V. Against thee only have I sined, and done evil in thy sight; that thou mayest be justify'd in thy words, and mayst overcome when thou art-judg'd.

R. For behold, I was conceiv'd in iniquity; and in sins my mother brought me forth.

V. Behold, thou hast loved truth; the incertain and hidden things of thy Wisdom thou hast manifested to me.

R. Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shal be clens'd; thou shalt wash me, and I shal be made whiter then snow:

V. Thou shalt give to my hearing joy and glad∣nes; and the bones thou hast humbled shal rejoyce.

R. Turn away thy face from my sins; and blot out all my iniquitys.

V. Create a clean hart in me, O God; and renew a right spirit in my bowels.

R. Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy Spirit from me.

V. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation; and confirm me with an heroick spirit.

R. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shal declare thy praise:

V. For wouldst thou have had sacrifice, I verily had given it; with burnt-offerings thou art not delighted.

R. A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit; a con∣trite and an humbled hart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

V. Deal favorably, O Lord, in thy good will with Sion; that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up.

R Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord! and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever.

V. Turn not thy face away from them, O Lord;

R. Turn not thy face away in wrath from thy servants.

V. Behold their humiliation and their labor;

R. And forgive them all their sins.

V. Behold how their spirit is in anguish,

R. And their hart troubled within them.

V. Their iniquitys have overtaken them;

R. Innumerable evils have compast them about.

R. And now, what is their expectation, but thou, O Lord;

R. And their substance is with Thee.

V. Before Thee is all their desire;

R. And their groans are not hid from Thee.

V. As the Hart pants after the water brooks;

R. So do their souls thirst after thee.

V. Their souls thirst after Thee, the living fountain;

R. When shal they come, and appear before thy face!

V. Their tears are their bread day and night;

R. While stil 'tis said to them, Where is your God?

V. Convert them, O Lord, thou God of strength;

R. Shew them thy face, and they shal be safe.

V. Bring out their souls from prison to praise thy Name;

R. The Just stand expecting til thou rewardst them:

V. How long Lord, wilt thou forget them for ever!

R. How long wilt thou hide thy face from them!

V. Turn thee, O Lord, and deliver their souls;

R. Save them for thy mercys sake.

V. Save thy People, O Lord, and bless thy Inheritance:

R. Govern them and raise them up to eter∣nity.

V. That they may walk in the light of thy countenance.

R. And rejoyce in thy presence for ever.

V. That their souls may live, and sing thy praise:

R. While even thy judgments lead them to their Blyss.

V. O Lord hear our pray'rs:

R. And let our supplications come to thee.

Let us pray.

O God who in thy mercy hast prepar'd immediate rewards for the Perfect; and in thy justice, immediate punishments for the wicked; and mingling thy mercy and justice together, hast ordain'd a middle state for those who depart in a true but weak degree of divine charity: hear, we beseech thee, our prayers for these thy afflicted servants who look up to thee, and sigh after the times of refreshment from thy glorious presence; forgive them their sins, and deliver them from their sorrows, and bring them to the possession of all their wishes, in rest and peace and everlasting joy, through

our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who with Thee and the holy Ghost lives and reigns One God world without end, Amen.

A Prayer for any particular person departed.

BEhold with pity, we beseech thee, O Lord, the soul of thy servant N. for whom we humbly offer our Pray'rs to thy Divine Maje∣sty; and grant that the offences which hu∣mane frailty has inconsiderably committed, be∣ing by thy clemency mercifully forgiven; and all impediments by a perfect cleansing from the strains of sin, thorowly remov'd; the happy effect of seeing Thee face to face for ever, may immediately follow, through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son who—

V. Give them eternal rest merciful Lord.

R. And may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever.

V. May they rest in peace.

R. Amen.

Vespers for the Dead.

OUr Father. Hail Mary. Secretly and Kneeling: then rise and say

Antiph. Blessed are the servants whom our Lord shal find watching; he surely wil bestow on them all the mercys of heav'n.

Psal. CXXXIV.

COme let us make our peace betimes with our God; before the evening approach too near:

While it is cal'd to day, let us faithfully la∣bour; for the night wil come wherein none can work:

Let us implore his favour first for our selvs; and not til then presume to beg for others.

Let us look first into our own brests; and strictly examine what passes there:

Lest, while we pray for the salvation of o∣thers; * our selvs becom everlasting repro∣bates.

Tel me, my soul, how stand our great ac∣count? are all things even betwixt heav'n and us?

Are we prepared to go meet our Judg; whose justice punishes every least defect.

Is there not stil some restitution to make; which the love of this world tempts us to de∣lay?

Is there not stil some mis-affection to rectify; which our own false harts abuse us to connive at?

Not that we esteem, O Lord; any creature more then thee; from which abhor'd ingrati∣tude defend thy servants:

But that we esteem them more then they de∣serve;

serve; and busy our thoughts too eagerly a∣bout them:

We love them in some degree for themselvs; not purely as instruments to bring us to Thee:

Forgive, O Soveraign Goodnes, these our imperfections; and fix our whole harts on no∣thing but Thy self.

Why are we thus, at best, but good by halfs; for whom there's a heav'n prepar'd worth all our labors!

Why do we mingle stil with thy pure grace * so much of our own corrupted nature!

Deliver us, O Lord, from the tentations of this world; and mercifully save us from the wrath to come:

That dreadful wrath which we so justly fear; and which so many terribly feel:

Justly, they too confes; and yet they hope * in the God of clemency to meet with pity:

Pity, O Lord, their miserys; Thou who hear'st their crys; releive their sorrows, Thou who seest their tears:

Pity their fainting eys that perpetually wake, * till the long expected day appear:

Pity their wearied hands stretch't out to Thee; and send thy blessed Angels to unloose their bonds:

That they may pass away to those mansions of joy; where holy Souls rest, and weep no more.

Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord! and may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever.

Antiph. Blessed are the servants whom our Lord shal find watching; he surely wil bestow on them all the mercys of heav'n.

Antiph. Happy they who are pray'd for by others: but far more happy they who pray for themselvs.

Psal. CXXXV.

HEar these our Pray'rs, O Lord, for thy servants; and favourably accept our hum∣ble charity?

Hear their own better pray'rs, O Lord, for themselvs; and tenderly regard their doleful complaints:

Out of that dark and dismal prison, behold they cry in the anguish of their harts:

O wretched we! what do we feel? what strange extremitys do we here endure?

How has the just Avenger of our crimes * severely pour'd his wrath into our souls!

Every thing afflicts us in this sad abode; but nothing so much as our own iniquitys:

They like a heavy yoke oppress our necks; and keep down our eys from looking into hea∣ven:

Lord! we confess we have follow'd vanity; and negligently perform'd the work thou gav'st us:

We confess we have gone astray after the manner of men; but our chief desires were to∣wards thee:

In Thee we believed, and 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 repen∣tance.

O, were we now again on earth; and had the benefit but of one months space:

How would we spend every minute in pe∣nance; to purge away thorowly every least impurity:

How gladly would we take any cross or sick∣nes; that might wholsomly imbitter the world to our tast!

How, after this experience, would we harti∣ly 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 remem∣ber us:

At least, O! you our friends! send up your prayers, * to hasten the day of our glad deli∣verance:

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 rejoyc∣ing Saints:

Come, and redeem the captivity of thy chil∣dren; 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; re∣ceive the Kingdom prepared for you:

'Tis 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 ap∣pear; 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 re∣warded:

You shal remember your afflictions with plea∣sure; 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 as∣sist continually at the throne of glory:

Pray for us, bright Queen of heavenly Spi∣rits, * 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 clo••••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 Spi∣rit, 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 ini∣quitys.

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 mer∣cy 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 to∣wards them;

R. Thou hast deliver'd them from the lower∣most 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 bur∣then:

V. But thou, O Lord, art their strong su∣stainer;

R Their glory, and the lifter up of their heads:

V. Thou art always near to relieve the af∣flicted;

R. And wilt save the humble of spirit:

V. Thou raisest those that are faln;

R. And bindest together the broken harts:

V. Shew them thy mercy, O Lord, who call on thy Name;

R. Make them rejoyce, who lift up their souls to thee:

V. To thee, O Lord, they lift up their souls;

R. In thee is their confidence; let them not be asham'd.

V. Let not their enemys triumph over them;

R. For all that expect thee shal not be con∣founded:

V. Though they walk in the midst of the sha∣dow of death;

R. Let them not fear, for thou art with them:

V. Thou art their God and their Deliverer;

R. O Lord delay not thy coming.

V. O Lord hear our prayers:

R. And let our supplications come to Thee.

Let us pray.

O God, who, in thy mercy, hast prepar'd immediate rewards for the Perfect; and in thy justice, immediate punishments for the wicked: and mingling thy mercy and justice together, hast ordain'd a middle state for those who depart in a true but weak degree of divine charity! Hear, we beseech thee, our prayers for these thy afflicted servants, who look up to Thee, and sigh after the times of refreshment from thy glorious presence: forgive them their sins, and deliver them from their sorrows, and bring them to the possession of all their wishes, in rest and peace and everlasting joy; thorow our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who with Thee and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns one God world without end.

A Prayer for any particular Person departed.

BEhold with pity we beseech thee, O Lord, the soul of thy servant N. for whom we humbly offer our prayers to thy divine Majesty: and grant that the offences which humane frail∣ty has inconsiderately committed being by thy clemency mercifully forgiven, and all impedi∣ments, by a perfect cleansing from the stains of sin, thorowly remov'd; the happy effect of see∣ing Thee face to face for ever, may immediately follow, through our Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who with Thee and the Holy Ghost lives and reigns One God world without end, Amen.

V. Give them eternal rest, O merciful Lord▪

R. And may thy glorious light shine upon them for ever.

V. May they rest in peace.

R. Amen.

Pause a while; to reflect on what you have said; and renew your attention: then begin the Complin of the day.

Our help, &c. as page 46.