If rough and thorny be the way, LL praise to Thee, in light arrayed, A boundless ocean of bright beams made: From Thee, all-glorious Godhead, streams. Is very darkness in Thy sight: My soul, oh, lighten and inflame With thought and love of Thy great Name! With my lamp burning in my hand; Whene'er I hear the Bridegroom's voice. Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. The Canticle. BENEDICTUS ES. LESSED art Thou, O Lord God of our fathers: BLE and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. And blessed is Thy glorious and holy Name : and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art Thou in the temple of Thine holy glory and to be praised and glorified above all for ever. Blessed art Thou that beholdest the depths, and sittest upon the cherubims: and to be praised and exalted above all for ever. Blessed art Thou on the glorious throne of Thy kingdom and to be praised and glorified above all for ever. Blessed art Thou in the firmament of heaven : and to be praised and glorified above all for ever. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen. : Or this Psalm. PSALM CXXXI. Domine, non est. LORD, I am not high-minded : I have no proud I do not exercise myself in great matters : which are too high for me. But I refrain my soul, and keep it low, like as a child that is weaned from his mother: yea, my soul is even as a weaned child. O Israel, trust in the Lord from this time forth for evermore. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be world without end. Amen. : Here may be said the Apostles' Creed, p. 1. Lord, hear my prayer. And let my crying come unto Thee. Then the Prayers following, or any of them, or one for each day of the week. SUNDAY. LORD of all power and might, God of all spirits and of all flesh, that dwellest in the highest heavens, and yet humblest Thyself to behold the lowly upon earth; O Thou that triest the hearts and reins, and clearly discernest the hidden secrets of man, Uncreated Light, without beginning, without end, with Whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning; Do Thou, Eternal King, receive my prayers, which in this night-watch I pour forth unto Thee from defiled lips, yet trusting in the multitude of Thy tender mercies. Forgive my sins of deed, word, and thought, whether committed knowingly or unknowingly; Cleanse me from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and make my body a temple of the Holy Ghost. Grant that with wakeful heart and watchful mind I may pass the whole night of this present life, ever looking for the dawn of the bright and shining day of Thy only begotten Son our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ, when He shall come with glory as Judge on earth to reward every man according to his works. Grant that I may never be found slothful nor slumbering, but always wakeful and watchful in the work of His commandments. So may I be ready to enter into His joy and the heavenly bridechamber of His glory, where, O my God, shall be the ceaseless song of guests, and the unspeakable joy of those who behold the ineffable glory of Thy face. For Thou art the true Light, enlightening and sanctifying all things. Unto Thee doth all creation give praise for ever and ever. Amen. (10) 0 Or this. LORD God, Father Almighty, purify, I beseech Thee, the secrets of my heart, and mercifully wash out all the stains of sin; and grant, O Lord, that cleansed by the blessing of Thy love I may without fear wait for the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. (11) MONDAY. GOD, most High! I praise Thee, Lord of all mercy, Who ever workest amongst men great marvels, mighty and unsearchable, glorious, won derful, and numberless, for that Thou hast given me sleep for the refreshment of my weakness, and granted me rest from the labours of this toilful flesh. I give thanks to Thee for that Thou hast not cut me off in my sins, but with Thy wonted compassion upon my mortal nature hast awakened me up from sleep that I may glorify Thy might. Wherefore I beseech Thee, of Thy incomparable goodness, enlighten the eyes of my understanding and arouse my thoughts from the heavy dulness of slumber. Open my mouth and fill it with Thy praise, that I may be enabled with my whole being to sing of Thee, to laud Thee, and to confess Thee, O my God, glorified in all and by all— The immortal Father with the only begotten Son, and the Holy gracious life-giving Spirit, now henceforth and for ever. Amen. (12) Or this. AKE me, I beseech Thee, O Lord my God, Advent of Thy Son Christ our Lord; that whensoever He shall come and knock He may find me not asleep in sins, but awake and rejoicing in His praises, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost for ever and ever. Amen. (13) TUESDAY. TERNAL God, most loving Father of all man benefits bestowed on me Thy most unworthy servant. Grant, most gracious Father, that I may ever strive to use Thy gifts and mercies for Thy glory and the good of others and myself, but never to the dishonour of Thy Name or to others' harm or my own destruction. Grant, I beseech Thee, to me, Thy suppliant, pardon for all my sins. And I pray, if in this night Thou shouldest see fit to take me hence, that Thou wouldest deal mercifully with me according to Thy pity; but shouldest Thou will to prolong my time here, that Thou wouldest give me grace to live a sober, just, and righteous life in this world. Lord, preserve me watching; guard me sleeping, that I may waken with Christ, and through Christ may rest in peace. Amen. (14) Or this. GOD, who dividest the day from the night: Separate my deeds from the gloom of darkness, that ever meditating on things holy, I may continually live in Thy Light, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (15) WEDNESDAY. RANT unto me, Lord, always to love Thee as U I would and as I ought, so that Thou alone mayest be the end of all my thoughts and all my meditations. All the day long may I think of Thee without ceasing. In the night time may my spirit yearn towards Thee and my soul converse with Thee. By the bright image of Thy holy presence may my heart be enlightened, so that Thou being my ruler and guide I may go on from strength to strength and at last clearly behold Thee, the God of gods, in Sion. For now I see through a glass darkly, but then face to face, when I shall know Thee even as I am known. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, they shall ever be praising Thee. I beseech Thee, therefore, by all Thy mercies in Christ, whereby Thou hast delivered me from eternal death, that by the unction of Thine Almighty Spirit Thou wouldest soften my hard and stony heart, and that Thou wouldest make me to be ever a living sacrifice before Thee. Amen. (16) Or this. EIGN, O Lord, in Thy good pleasure to hear power from my thoughts and acts. Increase my |