Yet I beseech Thee, of Thy incomparable goodness, spare me, O Lord, according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, and save me, for Thy holy name's sake, as my days have been consumed in vanity. Deliver me from the enemy's hand; forgive me my sins and crucify all fleshly lusts within me; so that, putting off the old man and putting on the new man, I may live to Thee my Lord and Saviour; and, walking in the way of Thy commandments, may attain unto eternal rest, that abiding home of all that are gladdened by Thee. For Thou art the true gladness and joy of them that love Thee, O Christ my God, to Whom I give glory with Thy Eternal Father and Thy all holy, gracious, and life-giving Spirit, now, always, and for ever and ever. Amen. (123)

Or this.

WORD Jesu Christ, the blessed Son of God, Who hast suffered death for me upon the Cross that I might thereby be brought unto eternal life; Have mercy upon me, I beseech Thee, both now and at the hour of death; and grant unto me Thy humble servant, with all Thy saints that have this Thy blessed passion in devout remembrance, a blessed and godly life in this present world, and through Thy grace eternal glory in the world to come, where, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, Thou livest and reignest ever one God, world without end. Amen. (124)

FRIDAY.

LORD Jesu Christ, Son of the living God, arms upon

hast drained the cup of suffering for the salvation of all men; Vouchsafe to grant unto me Thy help this day. In my poverty I come to Thine abundance, in my misery to Thy pity; may I not go empty or despised away. Hungry

I approach, may I not turn away from Thee till I am filled. Famishing I come, let me not go back unfed.

Jesu most mild, I confess my own perverse iniquity. For Thou, Lord, didst once wash and sanctify me. Though conceived and born in sin, yet have I since defiled myself in deeper guilt. For my birth-sin was involuntary, my own defilements of my own free will.

But Thou, O Lord, mindful of mercy, hast recovered me from the abode of sinners, and inspired me with desire to follow Thee in the family of those that seek Thy face and walk in the paths of righteousness. Yet, unmindful of so many blessings, I have often offended against Thy commandments, and have been guilty of many iniquities; and when I should have amended my faults I have added sins to sins which vex and afflict and lacerate my grieving soul.

Behold, Lord, my iniquities have gone over my head, and are like a sore burden, too heavy for me to bear. And unless Thou, whose property is ever to have mercy and to spare, shouldest support me with the right hand of Thy Majesty I should be swallowed up in the depths of misery. Hear me, O Lord my God, rescue my soul and save me for Thy mercies' sake. O Lord, pity me, and turn not away from me Thy face, Thou Who for my redemption didst not turn away Thy face from those that reviled Thee. I confess that I have offended, and though repentance sufficeth not for satisfaction of sin, yet Thy mercy surely covereth every offence. I beseech Thee, most loving Lord, record not against me my frowardness, and enter not into judgement with Thy servant, but according to the greatness of Thy mercy blot out mine offences.

Thou, Lord, wouldest not the death of sinners, and delightest not in the condemnation of the dying, yea, rather, Thou hast died that the dead

might live. Thy death hath vanquished death for sinners, and in Thy death have they found life. I beseech Thee, Lord, that by Thy life I may be loosed from death. Stretch out Thine hand from on high, and save me from the hand of mine enemies. Sheltering under the shadow of Thy pity I hasten to the Throne of Thy glory, seeking pardon, crying and knocking until Thou have mercy upon me. Wherefore, O Jesu, arise, help me, and say unto my soul, "I am thy Salvation." All my trust, O Lord, I put in Thy mercy; and as Thou teachest me to be found asking, and seeking, and knocking, so, admonished by Thy Word, I ask, and seek, and knock.

And do Thou, O Lord, Who biddest me to ask, grant that I may receive. Do Thou, Who tellest me to seek, grant that I may find. Do Thou, Who teachest me to knock, open as I knock. Heal my infirmities, reclaim my wanderings, raise me from deadly slumber, and deign to direct and govern my whole being, my thoughts and acts, so that I may ever hereafter serve Thee, and live to Thee, and make myself wholly Thine. I know, O Lord, because Thou hast made me, that to Thee I owe myself; because Thou hast redeemed me, and for me wast made man, that to Thee I owe more than myself. But that more I have not, and what I have I cannot give Thee without Thyself. But do Thou receive me, and draw me unto Thee, so that, being Thine by creation and redemption, I may abide in Thy likeness and love for ever. Amen. (125)

Or this.

LORD Jesus Christ, Who as at this hour didst hang upon the accursed tree, nail all my sins, I beseech Thee, to Thy cross, that they may be blotted out in Thy blood and never appear in judgement against me. Mortify every carnal affection of my soul, and so purify me by

Thy Spirit that I may become wholly Thine, and may dwell with Thee hereafter in Thy eternal kingdom: to Whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen. (126)

SATURDAY.

EAR me, O Lord, and remember now that

Thy blessed spirit unto the hands of Thy heavenly Father: when, with a torn body and a broken heart, Thou didst show forth Thy mercy and die for us. I beseech Thee, O Thou Brightness and Image of God, so to assist me by this Thy most precious death, that, being dead unto the world, I may live only unto Thee: and at the last hour of my departing from this mortal life I may commend my soul into Thy hands, and Thou mayest receive me into life immortal, there to reign with Thee for ever and ever. Amen. (127)

Or this.

LORD Jesus Christ, our merciful High

O Who didst offer' to the Father a

offering to reconcile sinners unto God; by the infinite merits of Thy life, Thy passion, and Thy death, make me, I beseech Thee, die to the world, and live to Thee alone; and then let Thy servant depart in peace. Amen. (128)

On Christmas Day and daily during the week following.

ALMIGHTY God, Who hast so loved the

world, that for our redemption from sin and misery Thou gavest Thy Son, that He taking upon Him our nature, and being born of a virgin, might perform to Thee the obedience which mankind owed, and pay the price in which we were indebted, and teach us what

Thou wouldest have us to do, and convey to us all the good which Thou didst design for us: overshadow me with Thy Holy Spirit of grace, that I may conceive Christ in my heart by faith, rely upon Him in a holy hope, and express Him in an excellent charity; that as He was pleased to take upon Him my nature, so I having been born again and made partaker of the divine nature, conforming to His image, following His example, and being filled with His Spirit, may grow in the knowledge and love of God, and live in righteousness; that, being Thy son by a holy adoption, I may partake of the inheritance of Thy well-beloved Son, the first-born of all the creatures, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. (129)

Or

No. 158, p. 161.

On Easter Day and daily during the week

following.

GLORIOUS risen Lord, by the unspeakable joy wherewith the whole host of heaven was filled when Thou didst burst the bonds of death and rise again, making captivity captive, I beseech Thee burst the chains of sin that bind my heart; may I never go astray after the false joys of the world, but, even as Thou didst rise from the grave and comfort her that wept, so may I rise from sin, and find my endless consolation and joy in contemplating Thee, our risen Saviour, Whom with angels and archangels I laud and magnify now and ever. Amen. (130)

Or this.

LORD Jesus Christ, I pray Thee that I may be so filled with joy of Thy resurrection that earthly joys may cease to hold my heart, and all my longings may be after things heavenly. Amen.

(131)